Paper for Nickel and Dimed: The Issue of Drugs in Nursing Homes

The Issue of Drugs in Nursing Homes

        In the past century, the U.S has taken great initiative in establishing nursing homes for elderly citizens. In recent studies conducted, the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] estimated that there were about 1.4 million citizens, ages sixty-five and older, living in nursing homes. According to the CDC, if the number of citizens in nursing homes continues to increase, by 2030 the number could rise to about 3 million citizens (“Home and Recreational Safety”). Since nursing facilities are responsible for caring for a significant amount of the elderly population in America, one would expect the caretakers to understand what is best for their patients. However, recent studies have revealed that many nursing homes have threatened the health of patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia by providing patients with medication. 

Nursing homes threaten the lives of patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia by providing them with antipsychotic drugs. Rather than tending to the specific needs of mentally ill patients, several nursing facilities simply subdue the occasional outbursts of their patients with medication. Many of the workers at nursing homes find it more convenient to simply provide their patients with antipsychotic drugs in order to ease any discomfort that patients with mental deterioration may experience (Jaffe and Benincasa.). However, research suggests that antipsychotic drugs may actually be more harmful than helpful for patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. According to studies conducted in 2005 and 2008 by the FDA (First Division Association), an organization created to protect the health of human beings, antipsychotics increased the risk of death for older patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia (Boyles). The FDA even issued a “black box warning” on antipsychotic pills, warning people that antipsychotics have the potential of also increasing the chances of heart failure and infections among patients with Alzheimer’s Disease. 

Recent research even suggests that Antipsychotic drugs are not even necessary for patients with forms of dementia.  About ninety percent of patients who experience mental deterioration experience behavioral and psychological issues, which are not cured by antipsychotic drugs. Antipsychotics were created to treat Schizophrenia and only reduce hallucinations and delusions, while soothing patients (“Antipsychotic Drugs”). These drugs are not even prescribed to treat dementia, however approximately nineteen percent of nursing homes in the United States continue to provide dementia patients with antipsychotics (Jaffe and Benincasa.). 

Several families, with loved ones in nursing homes, have been disturbed by the distribution of antipsychotic drugs in elderly facilities. Many families allowed their loved ones to receive these drugs because they did not realize that there were risks involved in consuming this medication. There have been several cases in which families have been disturbed by the effects of this medication on their loved ones with dementia. For instance, in a nursing facility near Sonora, California, the Sherman family was troubled by their mother’s change in behavior. The Shermans had agreed to allow Mrs. Sherman to receive medication, however they did not expect their elderly relative to act abnormally as a result of the drugs. Mrs. Sherman’s daughter, Marie Sherman, was pointedly upset by her mother’s condition, and noticed the effects of antipsychotics on her mother. She claimed that her mother seemed to be “out of her skin” and acting unusual. After spending time with her drugged mother, Marie stated, “I mean, she was calling for help. She was praying, ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, please, please help me. Please take me, please get me out. The Sherman family eventually learned that their mother was provided with a combination of antipsychotic drugs there were made to treat schizophrenia, not dementia (Jaffe and Benincasa.). In other case, one elderly women, Patricia Thomas, died after receiving too many drugs in a convalescent home in Ventura California. Mrs. Thomas had went into intensive care in order to treat a broken hip, however she was provided with a combination of drugs, including antipsychotics, that harmed her health. Kathi Levin, Mrs. Thomas’s daughter, noticed that her mother was not behaving normally, even for a woman with Alzheimer’s disease. Levin remarked: “"Yes, my mom had Alzheimer’s, but she wasn't out of it when she went into the nursing home. She could dress and feed herself, walk on her own. You could have a conversation with her. My mother went into Ventura for physical therapy. Instead, she was drugged up to make her submissive” (Goodwin). Evidently, Levine was not impressed by the treatment that her mother received in the elderly nursing facilities. She, like many other families, was pointedly disturbed with the nursing facilities issuing of antipsychotic drugs for their patients. 

Overall, the issue of issuing antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes continues to exist in the United States. Although many states are alert of this situation, the issue continues to exist. Almost 300,000 nursing homes are currently receiving antipsychotic drugs, and continue to distribute them to patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia (Jaffe and Benincasa). This is an extreme issue as antipsychotic drugs are potentially harmful and unnecessary for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and cause increasing concerns among family members. Hopefully, as more concern is directed towards the issue of drugs within nursing homes, our nation will take initiative to completely stop this absurdity. Then families can relax, with the knowledge that their loved ones are being properly cared for. 

Works Cited: 

"Antipsychotic Drugs." Alzheimers Society. Alzheimer's Society, 2014. Web. 18 Dec. 2014.

Boyles, Salynn. "Dementia: Some Antipsychotic Drugs Riskier Than Others." 

WebMD. WebMD, 12 Feb. 2012. Web. 18 Dec. 2014.

Goodwin, Jan. "Antipsychotics Overprescribed in Nursing Homes - AARP." AARP. AARP Bulletin, 

Aug. 2014. Web. 18 Dec. 2014.

""Home and Recreational Safety"" Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention, 22 Sept. 2014. Web. 17 Dec. 2014.

Jaffe, Ina, and Robert Benincasa. "Old And Overmedicated: The Real Drug ‘

Problem In Nursing Homes." NPR. NPR, 8 Dec. 2014. Web. 17 Dec. 2014.

Selling in Minnesota Reflection

An individual's personality and behavior is greatly influenced by his/ her working environment. When an individual is surrounded by the same conditions every day, he/she often learns to adapt to these conditions. When a worker adjusts to the working environment, often time his/her personality is influenced by other workers and any obstacles involved in performing the job. For instance, in “Nickel and Dimed”, Barbara Ehrenreich realizes that her personality changes as she works at Walmart. While working at Walmart, Ehrenreich has no choice but to go by the name of “Barb” and evens finds herself thinking differently than she had before. She catches herself judging customers for carelessly discarding unwanted items on the store floor, and creating more work for the employees. She even makes crude comments regarding Walmart customers, clearly indicating that her responsibilities as a worker have transformed her attitude: “ Once I stand and watch helplessly while some rug rat pulls everything that he can reach off the racks, and the though that abortion is wasted on the unborn must show on my face, because his mother finally tells him to stop” (92). Clearly Ehrenreich’s work environment has shaped the way that she thinks. She expresses hatred towards a child who acts carelessly, by labeling him as a “rug rat” and raising the suggestion of aborting already born children. This suggestion comes across as absolutely extreme and conveys the impact of the working environment on Ehrenreich. Ehrenreich even confirms her change in attitude when she approaches a man in a wheel chair: “I’d gone back to the counter by the fitting room to pick up the next cart full of returns and found the gig whole answers the phone at the counter at night, a pensive young fellow in a wheelchair, staring into space, looking even sadder than usual. And my pensive thought was, At least you get to sit down.  This is not me, at least not any version I’d like to spend much time with…” (93-4). Evidently, Ehrenreich is aware that she has changed mentally as a result of the hard work that she must perform each day at Walmart. The conditions that she faces at Walmart are so extreme that she envies a man who sits in a wheel chair. Therefore, it is quite clear that one’s working environment can have a great impact on their personality and attitude towards life. 

Personally, I can understand how an individual would be different if he/she attended a different school than the one that they had grown up in. As I just moved to Mooresville this year from Connecticut, I can already see how my experience in Connecticut has caused me to have a different attitude and personality than those here. As I grew up in a small town in Connecticut, my school was very small and predominately white. Although my school consisted of mostly white students, it was also very culturally sensitive. Students were all taught to respect each other, and often got into trouble for small things that may not be punished here. Also, religion was a very sensitive topic in the North, and teachers were very careful to avoid discussing their beliefs or religion at all costs. When religion was discussed, it was from an unbiased point of view. Therefore, my experience in the Connecticut school systems taught me to be culturally sensitive and careful of discussing religion. However, the school systems in Mooresville are quite different. Students who have attended the Mooresville school systems seem to feel free with expressing their beliefs and views on society. Classes are even offered at the high school that examine the Bible, which might be considered offensive in Connecticut. I have adjusted to fit in the environment of Mooresville, however I think that my experience in Connecticut has made me more aware of the different cultures that exist in society. 

Reflection on "Why Stuff is not Salvation"

In today’s society, people are obsessed with materialistic goods. People are often too concerned with what they want rather than what they actually need. Rather than being satisfied with one item people constantly desire more. Unfortunately, items seem to lose their value when humans desire another item that seems better. A cycle begins to occur as people discard their old items and look for new ones. Also, this cycle can even lead to financial debt. When people make material goods their main priority, they do not put the items that they need first in their lives. This often leads to financial debt because these people do not know how to manage their money wisely, and choose to spend it on worthless items- such as toys, gadgets, etc. 

Although materialism seems to be a relevant theme in our society, it is not central to the lives of every family. For instance, in my household my parents try to not feed into materialism. One of the main reasons for this is because we have eight members in our family, and cannot afford to spend money on toys and gadgets that will end up on the floor. My sisters and I generally receive gifts only on Christmas and our birthdays, and must buy other things that we want with our own money. Our parents will provide us the items that we need, such as clothing and food, however if we want additional items that we do not absolutely need, we must buy it ourselves. As a result, the items that we possess are more valuable to us because we have to either work for them or they are special gifts from our parents.

Research URL: Medication in Nursing Homes

Link:
https://magic.piktochart.com/output/3851500-nursing-homes-and-drug-distrib

Reflection Journal: "Scrubbing In Maine"

Reflection on Religion in "Scrubbing in Maine" 

In the chapter “Scrubbing in Maine,” Ehrenreich often alludes to and discusses religion. In the beginning of the chapter, she refers to religion by describing a Christian revival service that she attends. Ehrenreich makes it clear that she is an atheist, and only attends the service for entertainment. However, although Ehrenreich is an atheist, she is disturbed by the fact that the speakers do not actually preach about Jesus Christ and his teachings. Ehrenreich even remarks: “But Jesus makes his appearance here only as a corpse; the living man, the wine-guzzling vagrant and precocious socialist, is never once mentioned, nor anything he ever had to say. Christ crucified rules, and it may be that the true business of modern Christianity is to crucify him again and again so that he can never get a word out of his mouth” (42). In this statement, it is clear that Ehrenreich is disturbed that these Christians do not even mention Christ in their revivals. Ehrenreich even uses imagery to convey her disgusted attitude towards modern Christianity. She claims that Christians are “crucifying” Jesus again and again so that he cannot get a word out. Consequently, readers understand that  although Ehrenreich is a self-proclaimed atheist, she is disgusted that Christians do not seem to preach their own religion. Ehrenreich’s disgust with the revival is even more apparent when she doesn’t even feel in the mood to ridicule it any further. She leaves the service early, and claims that she “…would like to stay around for the speaking in tongues, should it occur, but the mosquitoes, worked into a frenzy by all this talk of His blood, are launching a full-scale attack” (42). Ehrenreich’s sarcasm in this statement suggests that she is disappointed and saddened by the revival. She uses even uses irony by stating that the mosquitoes are enticed by the talk of Jesus’s blood. This is ironic because the revivalist speakers do not actually seem to discuss Jesus and His teachings at all. Ehrenreich is simply alluding to her belief that the revivalists are crucifying Jesus again and again, so He cannot “speak” and they do not have to share his teachings. 

Later in the chapter, Ehrenreich alludes to Christianity again while she is working as a maid. She tries to take her mind off of the vigorous tasks ahead of her by alluding to Jesus’s teachings: “I draw on Jesus who was barred from the tent revival, the one who said that the last shall be first and that, if someone asks for your cloak, give him your robe as well” (62). Ehrenreich seems to be well-educated in the Christian religion, despite her atheist views. Her knowledge in the Christian faith and disgust with the religious revival may even suggest that she is not personally against Jesus. She may simply be against modern religion. 

Overall, by discussing religion in this chapter, Ehrenreich suggests that modern religion is blown out of proportion. Modern Christians seem more focused around their personal desires rather than their faith and what Jesus had to say. This continues to serve as an issue in today’s society. As my father is a pastor, I am well aware that several churches refrain from teaching the Bible and even refuse to accept Christ as the savior and son of God. Nowadays, pastors seem more concerned with what the audience wants to hear rather than what scripture has to say. So in order to please their audiences and raise attendances, pastors will refrain from mentioning Jesus Christ and stick will simple messages. Evidently, as Ehrenreich suggests, modern Christians revolve less around the scripture and teachings that they are suppose to embrace. 

Writing into the Day: Alzheimer's Patients

In the book "Nickel and Dimed", Ehrenreich raises the issue regarding the treatment of patients in nursing homes. While working at a nursing home, Ehrenreich serves patients with Alzheimer's disease, and notices that there could be several flaws in her occupation. Ehrenreich realizes that it would not be difficult for a nurse to make a life-threatening mistake that would harm patients with Alzheimer's disease. Ehrenreich even provides information that supports her point of view in the text: "A report issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in July 2000 found most nursing homes dangerously understaffed, especially profit-making nursing homes, such as the one where I worked. Among the consequences of understaffing, according to the report, are increases in preventable problems like severe bedsores, malnutrition, dehydration, congestive heart failure, and infections" (40). Ehrenreich ultimately suggests that there are great risks involved in treating patients at nursing homes. She even suggests that her patients may not have been treated properly by other nurses, because they nurses are typically more concerned about getting paid than the condition of the home/patients.  There are also several reports from other sources  that claim that many other nursing homes do not care for their patients properly either. For instance, there have been some cases in which patients with Alzheimer's Disease have been provided with too much medication. It seems that nurses treat their patients'  outbursts by providing them with more medication, rather than attending to patients' specific needs. In one case, the DeLeon family in California became disturbed when they learned that their relative with Alzheimer's disease was provided with too much medication. This victim's relatives noticed that she was exhibiting odd behavior, even for a patient with Alzheimer's disease. According to her son-in-law, "But they [nurses] just kept giving her more and more...and I noticed when I used to go see her, she'd just kind of mumble, like she was lost" ("Old And Overmedicated: The Real Drug Problem In Nursing Homes"). It personally disturbs me that nurses have been reduced to providing their patients with medication, in order to solve "discomfort". I do not believe that this is a natural process, and firmly believe that nurses should be attending to their patients' needs themselves. People with Alzheimer's Disease may experience mental deterioration, however they are still human beings who deserve respect. Perhaps if the nurses did not rely so much on medication, we would actually be closer to finding a cure to Alzheimer's Disease. However it seems like we are nowhere close to finding a cure, and patients are constantly drugged by nurses, right in front of our eyes. 

Reflection on "Old and Overmedicated: The Real Drug Problem In Nursing Homes"

Reflection: "Old and Overmedicated: The Real Drug Problem in Nursing Homes" 

I personally think that its sad that workers at nursing homes are giving the elderly too many drugs. According to the article "Old and Overmedicate: The Real Drug Problem in Nursing Homes",  nursing facilities are supplying elderly people with too many drugs. Often times, the workers are doing so in order to subdue outbursts. For instance, according to Manuel DeLeon, " "They kept saying she [his elderly mother in law] was making too much noise, and that they give her this medicine to quiet her down." I think that it's sad that nursing homes are reduced to overdosing many patients, although it does relieve pain. I think that an overdosage of drugs might even cause patients to enter  even more of a state of confusion than before. An overdosage of drugs is not natural, and reflects the lack of care that some nurses may exhibit towards patients. Rather than spending time with patients and showing them care, nurses seem to rely entirely on medication to settle their patients outbursts. Perhaps if nursing homes connected with their patients, they would be able to meet their actual needs. 

Reflection on Introduction of "Nickel and Dimed"

1. Do you agree with the parameters she has set for her experiment?

I agree with the parameters that Barbara Ehrenreich has set for her experiment (regarding whether or not a person can live on minimum wage). The rules that Ehrenreich designed for experiment allow her to fully experience the effects of living on minimum wage. She does not have any advantage over those who must make the most with what they have. For instance, the first rule that Ehreinreich creates for herself prevents her from relying on previously learned skills. In her search for jobs, she would refrain from applying for jobs that she was already skilled in, or applying her education to the performance of her jobs. This would put her at the same level as those who were trying to sustain a living, without a high education. Ehreinreich also decided that she would have to perform her job to the best of her ability so she would not risk the chance of losing it. This would also put her on the same basis as those living on a low-income. Lastly, in order to conduct an effective experiment, Ehreinreich decided that she would have to find the cheapest living accommodation. This would allow her to efficiently save money and sustain a living while in poverty. 

2. What potential biases may exist, how does Ehrenreich try to account for these biases—and eliminate them from her study?

Ehrenreich presents the biased opinions that she is superior to other applicants for low-wage jobs, simply because she is educated. Ehrenreich accounts for these biases by verifying that she has an education, but also refuting the argument that she is superior to others. She eliminates the biases from her study, by claiming that her education is not relevant in the low-wage jobs she performs. She also firmly states that low-wage workers are no different from those who are educated. She does not have an advantage over low-wage workers because she does not have experience in the jobs that she applies for. Ehreinreich also claims that low-wage workers share the same feelings as educated workers, and should be treated equally. Overall, Ehrenreich refuses to agree that she is superior to low-wage workers and has an advantage over them, as a result of her education. 

3. What do you think her findings will be? Why?

I think that Barbara Ehreinreich will find that it is not possible for her to put herself in the same position as those forced to live on a low-wage income. In other words, Ehreinreich has an advantage over those forced to live on a low-wage income, and has the option to “cheat”. Ehreinreich is a white female with the ability to speak English and communicate well with others in an American society. Although she may not indicate her intelligence or experience in certain areas to her employees, she already has the advantage of being a white, English speaking citizen. This is a desirable trait for many employees who wish to have their workers to communicate with their buyers. In addition, Ehreinrich has the opportunity to “cheat” if need be. If this author cannot pay for a meal, she has the choice of using her credit card to pay for it. Also, she is picky with her accommodations and has the choice to end the project if she becomes homeless. Those who are truly living on a low-income do not have the option to return to a comfortable life. Therefore, Barbara Ehreinrich would not be truly experiencing the results of living off of a low-income. She would not be forced to make critical decisions, and see if she could survive on her own. Ultimately, the results may not be entirely accurate, if she claims that she was able to survive on a low-salary. 

Writing into the Day: Reflection on Research Project

Writing into the Day: Reflection on Research Project

I think that researching and putting my ideas together have been the most difficult part of this project so far. It wasn't too difficult to choose a topic to research, however the process of dividing my topic into several points and organizing everything was hard. Once I had a rough idea of the subtopics that I wanted to investigate, I had to find reliable information to support my claims. This proved to be difficult, because many sources online were either from blog pages or cites such as "spark notes". Therefore, I had to carefully sort through all the sites that I was given, and find reliable sources with supporting information.

Once I gathered all my research and created an effective outline, everything else fell into place. I was able to write my essay smoothly, and even found that I wanted to focus more on the realistic/ unrealistic views of Huck and Tom, rather than other aspects. I think that I am most proud of how I was able to organize my points efficiently in order to support my thesis.

Although I am proud of how I was able to effectively organize my essay,  I think that I need to review my paper, and make sure that I fully supported all of my claims with rational argumentation. 

Overall, this process has influenced me, because it has made me aware of time management. For future papers, I plan to work more avidly during given class time,.

Research Project

For my research project, I am interested in investigating how Mark Twain critiques unreal romanticism in society. In other words, I will be discussing how Twain discusses the differences between what is real and what is imaginary. I plan to explain how Twain contrasts both Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn and their real/ imaginary ideas. 

Twain does this by: 

-Having Huck go on an adventure, and discovering for himself what is real

-Using Huck to critique Tom's imaginary ideas, and contribute his own possible ideas to the audience

Reflection of "About a Boy and a Raft", and Socratic Seminar Question

2. What are some of the major themes that Twain raises in his novel? Which themes resonate most strongly with you? Why?

Mark Twain illustrates several themes throughout his story, Huckleberry Finn. One theme that resonated with me the most, was the idea of a hypocritical society. Throughout the book, Twain constantly mocked society’s tendency to go against their own morals and beliefs, such as organized religion. For instance, Twain mocks society’s religious values in a church scene with the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons. In this scene, the two neighboring clans sit on opposite sides of the meeting house with guns, while listening to a sermon about “loving thy neighbor”. In regards to this church service, Huck states: The men took their guns along…The Shepherdsons done the same. It was pretty ornery preaching-all about brotherly love. and such-like tiresomeness; but everybody said it was a good sermon, and they all talked it over going home, and had such a powerful lot to say about faith, and good works, and free grace and prefore-ordestination, and I don’t know what all, that it did seem to me to be one of the roughest Sundays I had run across yet” (Twain 76). From this passage it is evident that Twain believes that many religious people are hypocrites, and do not actually take into account the morals of religion. Even after the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons attend a church service about loving their neighbors, they still engage in their family feud. Twain continues to mock society and its moral values, by introducing Aunt Sally to the story. Aunt Sally appears as a sensitive and moral person, yet she has racist views. When Huck tells Aunt Sally that only a black man died during an explosion on a steam boat, Aunt Sally replies by saying, “ Well, it’s lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt (Twain 143). This statement is extremely racist, because Aunt Sally says that it’s “lucky” that a black man died, completely disregarding the fact that this man was a human being too. Therefore, although Aunt Sally appears to be a moral person, and cares for others, she does not embrace people of other races. Overall, society’s hypocrisy is a central theme of Huckleberry Finn, because Twain continuously draws attention to the morals that people neglect. 

Reflection/ Analysis: “About a Boy and a Raft” 

The article “About a Boy and Raft”, by Thomas C. Foster, reviewed the great literary elements and aspects that were included in Huckleberry Finn. While reading Foster’s analysis on Huckleberry Finn, I found that I agreed with Foster’s belief that Tom negatively affected Huck’s development of morals. When Tom was introduced at the end of Huckleberry Finn, Huck easily bends under Tom’s influence. This is frustrating, because before Tom arrived, Huck had made his own decisions during his adventures. He had the opportunity during his journey to decide was was morally acceptable and what was not. For instance, when Huck and jim travel with the Dauphin and the Duke, Huck comes to the conclusion that these two men are frauds. Huck understands that the Dauphin and the Duke are intentionally taking advantage of people and stealing their money. Therefore, Huck has to decide wether he will continue to join the men in their scandal and earn a living, or leave them. Huck ultimately decides that the men are in the wrong, and chooses to escape their influence. Huck also acts as an individual and thinks for himself by agreeing to help Jim escape slavery. Huck understands that he would risk his life by helping Jim, however he decides to anyways. During their travels together, Huck even decides that Jim is similar to him, and sees Jim as his equal. However when Tom arrives, Huck bends under Tom’s command. Huck agrees to Tom’s suggestions on helping Jim escape, and does not try to enforce his own logical ideas. This is rather rather frustrating for the readers because Huck has been on a journey in which he has shown the ability to decide what is right for himself, yet he agrees to tom’s complicated and illogical ideas. Overall, I would agree with Foster that the introduction of Tom was one of the most frustrating components of Huckleberry Finn. 

Journal Entry #3, Question 2

Analyze the conflict between the Shepherdsons and the Grangerfords. Why does Twain include these families in his novel?

During chapters 17 and 19 of Huckleberry Finn, we are introduced to the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons. These wealthy, aristocratic families have engaged in a family feud for over 30 years, and continue to fight for no reason other than to continue the feud. Neither families seem to understand why they are fighting; they simply continue to kill each other and seek revenge for an unknown event of the past. When Huck asks Buck why the two families are engaged in a feud, Buck does not have a clear explanation as to why: “Oh, yes, pa knows, I reckon, and some of the other older folks; but they don’t know now what the row was about in the first place” (Twain 75).  Although the families do not understand why they are fighting, they continue to fight for the sake of it. 

Twain may have included the dispute of the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons in Huckleberry Finn in order to allude to the Civil War. By describing two feuding groups who do not entirely understand what they are fighting for, Twain could possibly be alluding to the conflict between the North and the South. During the Civil War, the North and South disagreed over several issues such as slavery, and fought as a result of sectionalism that grew over the years. However, some of the younger men who were drafted for the Civil War may not have entirely understood what they were fighting for or what past issues led to the division between the North and the South. Older adults may have understood the conflict, like the older members of the Grangerford and Shepherdsons apparently remembered why the two families were engaging in fighting. But Twain may have thought that the younger generation who fought in the Civil War did not entirely understand what issues led to the war and fought only for the sake of fighting. Perhaps this is what he was trying to convey in his book by creating a feud between opposing sides, within the same area, that generally did not understand the purpose for fighting. In other words, Twain may have seen the Civil War as a ridiculous event, and alluded to it in his story. 

"The Lowest Animal" Response

 Throughout Twain's essay "The Lowest Animal", Twain argues that the human race is worse than any other species. I would agree with Twain's belief that man is the "lowest animal", because as human beings we understand what is right and wrong, and know when we are intentionally hurting one another. However, despite our senses on what is acceptable in life, we still deliberately hurt one another. We commit atrocious acts in that generally do not contribute to the survival of the human race, and our only done in order to satisfy selfish desires. According to Twain, "Man is the only animal that deals in that atrocity of atrocities, War. He is the only one that gathers his brethren about him and goes forth in cold blood and with calm pulse to exterminate his kind." Twain stresses the point that war decreases our value as a species, because we our only hurting our own kind. We are purposefully threatening our own species, and we are well aware of this. However, animals are not aware of the atrocities that they may commit. For instance, Twain states: "The cat plays with the frightened mouse; but she has this excuse, that she does not know that the mouse is suffering." Animals do not have the ability to realize that they are harming others, and their innocence places them above humans. Humans are the "lowest animal" because they deliberately hurt others, with the understanding that they are inflicting pain and bringing suffering to others.

Journal Response #2: Question #2, Huck and Jim's Discussions

During discussions with Jim, Huck respects Jim’s input on life, while also contributing his own views and beliefs. It is evident during these discussions that Huck views Jim as his equal, and actually considers Jim’s ideas. When Huck first finds Jim on Jackson’s Island, he even admits, “ I was ever so glad to see Jim. I warn’t lonesome, now” (Twain 35). Clearly Huck appreciates Jim’s company, and is not bothered by Jim’s different background and race. In addition to this, Huck is not concerned by the fact that Jim is a runaway slave, and does not mind assisting Jim in escaping slavery. Huck informs Jim that “People would call me a low down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum- but that don’t make no difference. I ain’t a-going to tell, and I ain’t a-going back there anyways” (Twain 36). Evidently, Huck values his relationship with Jim more than any of his obligations to society. 

During discussions with Jim, it becomes apparent that Huck has actually learned from past experiences. It appears that Huck has learned to create elaborate scenes and stories from Tom. When Huck creates ideas, he constantly compares himself to Tom and what Tom would have done in the same situation. For instance, when Huck sees the sinking steamboat that the robbers attacked, he informs Jim that Tom Sawyer would not have passed the opportunity to approach the scene: “Do you reckon Tom Sawyer would ever go by this thing? Not for a pie, he wouldn’t. He’d call it an adventure- that’s what he’d call it; and he’d land on that wreck if it was his last act” (Twain 50). Huck has clearly been influenced by Tom’s sense of adventure, and as a result Huck suggests that he and Jim act boldly in situations. 

During conversations with Jim, Huck listens to Jim’s superstitions, yet decides for himself whether or not he will actually believe in these ideas. During one conversation, Huck denigrates Jim by claiming that the superstitions are wrong. Previously Jim had made a prediction that Huck would receive bad luck, since he touched a snake’s skin. However, after the two runaways receive good fortune by finding a house boat full of provisions, Huck questions Jim’s superstitions, and accuses Jim for making false assumptions. However, later Huck is forced to praise Jim for his superstitions, because the two runaways do experience bad fortune. After Jim is bitten by a rattlesnake, that was the mate to a snake Huck had killed, Huck is forced to accept Jim’s superstitions. Huck realizes that there is truth to a few of Jim’s superstitions, and agrees to not handle snake skin again.

Overall, it is evident through their discussions, that Huck and Jim treat each other as equals and offer various ideas to each other. They may not always agree with each other, however they consider each other’s ideas and look out for one another. 

Journalism Post #1: Huckleberry Finn

Cassandra Rockness

10/20/14

Period 4

Reflection on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, the audience is introduced to Tom Sawyer’s friend, Huckleberry Finn. Huckleberry Finn is a young boy who has clearly had a troubled past. His illiterate skills, poor manners, and tendency towards cussing suggest that he was not adequately raised by his family. As the story progresses, we learn that throughout his life, Huck was greatly abused by his alcoholic father. Pap, Huck’s father, does not appreciate society’s influence on his son, and insists that Huck leads a life like him. However, when Widow Duglas attempts at adopting Huck, she stresses the importance of having an education and abiding by her morals. She expects Huck to attend school, refrain from cussing, and accept Christian values and beliefs. However, surprisingly, Huck does not seem to mind living with the widow. He even states, “ I was getting sort of used to the widow’s way, too, and they warn’t so raspy on me… I liked the old ways best, but I was getting so I liked the new ones, too, a little bit” (Twain 19-20). Although Huck was not raised to abide by civilized ways of living, Huck finds that living with the widow is not as terrible as he originally thought it would be. Perhaps this is because the widow actually cares for him, when Huck never had anyone who actually cared for him before. Huck also finds that he had many misconceptions towards school- it’s not as miserable as he perceived it to be. The school also serves as a safe haven for Huck; a place where Pap cannot interfere with his life. Despite Pap’s threats on attending school, Huck continues to pursue an education and escape his father’s harsh influence. It is interesting how Huck’s father does not want the best for his son and does not want his son to be above him. One would think that it is the parents’ obligation to advise their children against making the same flaws as them, so that their children may lead better lives. However, Huck’s father seems to have ideas that are contradictory to this general assumption. Unfortunately, Pap acts very negatively towards his son’s educational and social improvements, and wants Huck to be bellow him. Pap, an alcoholic man in poverty, wants his son to lead the same life as himself. It is very unfortunate that Huck is influenced by such a terrible man, and it will be interesting to see how Huck will continue to grow and mature in spite of his father’s authority.