UNFORGIVEN BY CRAIG SHERBORNE: Marriage, Infidelity, and Conventionalism

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Paper Type: Book Review
Paper Format: APA
Pages: 4

Question:

 Choose one work from the four listed below and write an analytical essay that discusses the ethics of representation in relation to the work. Points to consider may include the following questions: Is the theme of the work a delicate or taboo topic in our culture? Why? What is the relationship between the writer and the key subject(s) or theme and how can this be said to have influenced the work? What research methods have been used by the writer to produce the text and to what extent are these methods visible, reliable or objective? How does the writer’s use of techniques of representation – for instance tone, point of view, imagery, dialogue, structure – shape the work’s ethical implications?

 How have assumptions about genre impacted the reception of the text by readers? What sort of ethical issues (if any) arose for you in your reading of the work? Your essay will be marked on the quality of the analysis and argument presented, the strength of the writing and the professionalism of the presentation. 

APA 6th edition referencing style is a requirement for this assignment.

1.  Fiction Garner, Helen. Excerpt from The Spare Room. Melbourne: Text Publishing, 2008. 1-18. Print.
2. Memoir/Personal Essay Kinsella, John. “Fellow Travellers.” Fast, Loose Beginnings: a Memoir of Intoxication. Carlton, Vic.: Melbourne. University Press, 2006. 58-85. Print. Sherbourne, Craig.
3. “Unforgiven.” The Monthly. February 2008. 36-43. Print. 

Answer

Infidelity, Marriage, and Conventionalism in Unforgiven

By bearing, raising, and imparting norms to children, families ensure the continuity of societies. It is, therefore, not surprising that cultures place many rules to enhance the stability of families. Traditions have rules to protect these social institutions and provide readymade solutions whenever they experience impasses. In the West, these conventions not only encourage adult men and women to marry and retain their marriage for as long as possible but also discourage infidelity and divorce, which may destabilize families (Brundage 2009). Western culture also prefers that people keep matters regarding sex private, and those who talk openly about sex acts or organs appear deviant. However, the extent to which these conventions are valid or beneficial is unclear. In Unforgiven, Craig Sherborne explores uncomfortable topics that directly or indirectly challenge the dominant perceptions about male-female relationships and question the validity of the traditional family (Sherborne, 2008). The author represents marriage as an institution that should only exist when couples love one another and end when the love diminishes, portrays true love as a temporary concept, and views modern conventions about female objectification and eroticism as mere inconveniences.

First, the story seems to convey that marriages, just like love, should not necessarily be permanent but should end when a couple loses love. The first meeting between Alex and the narrator is a reflection of what one would call true love. Indeed, Alex does not have any material interest in the narrator, who lives in a “room so small it’s called the box” and does a low-paying job (Sherborne, 2008). Alex herself is expecting a large sum of money from her divorce settlement and does not need to be economically dependent on the narrator. That Alex nevertheless courts the narrator is evidence of her genuine love. Similarly, the narrator’s genuine interest in Alex is evident in the fact that he does not demand anything from the woman upon their divorce. Up to the time when Alex goes for mastectomy, the narrator is satisfied with the relationship. Here, the author shows that marriages that disintegrate are not necessarily those built upon lies or material interests of couples; that even marriages that begin with true love sometimes fail. Eventually, in some marriages, the so-called genuine feelings between couples wither, and partners get “very, very bored” (Sherborne, 2008). This stance is revolutionary, especially in Western societies, where people perceive the truth as a static, verifiable, and one-dimensional concept “that transcends history and culture” (Maffie, 2001). Sherborne’s narrator perceives true romantic feelings as unstable; that people can transfer these feelings from one individual to another without compromising their morals. Therefore, unlike the dominant representations of true love and marriage as long-lasting and static, the author presents these concepts as temporary and manipulatable.

Second, the author also portrays marital infidelity as an expression of honesty and a potential means to individuals’ happiness. After Alex’s operation, it is evident that the narrator loses interest in the marriage. From the story’s perspective, continuing to stay together is not the best option for the two people who dislike one another. The narrator cites Alex’s nagging as the cause of his disinterest in the marriage, but this is not true. Indeed, it is interesting that the narrator suddenly finds Alex’s expressions of insecurities and the task of continually assuring her that he loves her to be daunting. After this operation, the narrator does not even want to touch his wife: “I begin to dread the touch of her” (Sherborne, 2008). However, Alex has always been insecure since they met, yet the narrator does not complain during the initial stages of the relationship. For instance, during their stay in London, Alex often expressed disgust for her breasts and doubts about the narrator’s love for her. That said, the narrator is not necessarily immoral or cruel for holding these views about love. Indeed, he struggles to revive his waning interest in Alex unsuccessfully; he frequently kisses his wife and indulges her in sex despite having lost interest in these acts. Moreover, he frequently assures Alex that he loves her, and even during arguments, when his wife orders him to leave or throws away his belongings, he always decides against walking away. Through this innocent portrayal of both characters, Sherborne draws the reader’s empathy toward both characters. While portraying Alex’s innocence and justifying her anger, the author also presents the narrator’s predicament with the same empathy, suggesting that some marriages sometimes simply end because there is no benefit in their continuity. Like Alex and the narrator, married couples who refuse to end unfulfilling unions only subject themselves to infidelity and pain. Therefore, infidelity itself is not a problem but an honest indicator of a marriage that is already dysfunctional and that should have ended long ago.

Sherborne also ventures into sensitive topics regarding eroticism, female objectification, and conventionalism. The descriptions of sexual intercourse in the story are quite graphic. The author delves into erotic details of sex organs and activities that some people might find uncomfortable to read, especially in public. Secondly, the narration raises questions and doubts regarding the concept of true love. That the narrator’s attitude towards his wife changes just after the mastectomy indicates that, for a woman to attract the narrator’s true love, she must have two intact breasts and a generally desirable body. In other words, removing breasts from a woman eliminates the narrator’s interest in her, and that is why his love shifts to Janet, who possesses bodily features that Alex lacks; “That curve of hip; that bust, a complete bust without unevenness or sagging. The earth’s deepest browns for her eyes” (Sherborne, 2008). It also seems that the author rejects the concept of the social contract and demonstrates why it is unfair, especially to men. Notably, women get divorce settlements from their rich husbands upon divorce, yet the question of compensation does not arise when men break away from their rich wives. The narrator only carries his clothes when leaving Alex. On the other hand, Alex receives much money from her first husband. Also, marriages only meet women’s desire for children and do not have any meaningful benefit to men, yet society expects males to be faithful and monogamous. Alex’s anger issues partly arise because her susceptibility to cancer does not allow her to have children. Therefore, these divergent perceptions about marriage, women’s bodies, and sex indicate the author’s skepticism about conventionalism.

In conclusion, Unforgiven raises pertinent questions about society’s view of male and female relations, sex, and marriage. Notably, it challenges the notion that couples should remain married even when they are no longer intimate, labeling non-intimate marriages as worse than infidelity. Staying in a loveless marriage only causes more unhappiness and is not worthwhile.  Also, just because the love between two people ends at some point does not discredit mean that their earlier feeling toward one another was not real. Alex and the narrator share genuine love at first, but this romance wanes eventually. The couple’s attempt to remain together, which eventually proves futile, only leads to more hatred and suffering for both. Moreover, while the author points children and wealth as the benefit that women acquire from marriage, it is not apparent how these unions benefit men.

 

Complexities of Human Condition in Shakespeare's Hamlet

 

The Complex Human Condition as Portrayed in Hamlet

Many thoughts, actions, and experiences fuse and influence each other, creating various sets of characteristics in a person that make it impossible to understand the individual. Boudry et al. (2015) say that adaptive rationality, that is, the thinking processes directing people's immediate actions, do not always align with personal rationality—the individual's perception of right and wrong. This concept applies to characters in Hamlet (Shakespeare, trans. 2012). Shakespeare employs the themes of societal expectations, mortality, and situational irony, alongside the characterizations of selfishness and craftiness to explore human complexities in Hamlet. 

ACADEMIC BOOK REVIEW: THE STRANGE CAREER OF JIM CROW, VANN C. WOODWARD

BOOK REVIEW: THE STRANGE CAREER OF JIM CROW, VANN C. WOODWARD

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Paper Type: Book Review
Paper Format: MLA
Pages: 6 pages

SUBJECT: PSYCHOLOGY. How Caffeine Impairs Cognitive Function

Sample Academic Paper

Subject: Psychology
Paper Format: APA
Question: Does caffeine enhance or impair cognitive function?

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Content:  

How Caffeine Impairs Cognitive Function

Philip Fulu

Institutional Affiliation

How Caffeine Impairs Cognitive Function

The notion that coffee enables one to stay awake for long and, therefore, allows them to accomplish many tasks in one day is pervasive in the United States. In a country where at least 85% of the population consumes one or more coffee products daily, it understandable why such thought prevails (Mitchell et al., 2014). The claim that caffeine intake improves cognition has remained largely unchallenged both in the public and academic circles. Emerging studies, however, increasingly show that this stimulant has significant negative effects on people's cognitive spheres. Specifically, caffeine causes poor sleep patterns and drowsiness and is increasingly linked to stress disorders. 

Firstly, prolonged caffeine consumption results in poor amount and quality of sleep, thereby contributing to cognitive impairments. During bedtime, normal humans experience varying cycles of light and intense sleep (Vlachou et al., 2020). These occur several times until one fully awakens. However, studies have shown that coffee intake interferes with this pattern by disrupting the production of melatonin—one of the hormones that regulate sleep. According to Zhang et al. (2015, p. 241), people who take large quantities of caffeine tend to experience irregular sleep cycles due to this interference. Failing to get quality sleep could impair bodily functions that are supposed to heighten during rest, including tissue repairs and memory processing (Stickgold & Walker, 2013). For this reason, health experts advise people to avoid taking stimulants when preparing to sleep. Therefore, caffeine's interference with normal sleep provides a strong case against its labeling as a cognitive-function enhancer.

Secondly, drowsiness from prolonged caffeine consumption happens due to its effects on adenosine production and reception, which in turn impairs cognition. Adenosine, whose levels slowly rise from as one wakes up, remain at their highest before sleep, and gradually fall as the person sleeps, signals the brain to rest (Singh et al., 2020, p. 118). While caffeine discourages sleep by reducing the brain's sensitivity to adenosine, it does not prevent the accumulation of the hormone, which increases the longer one stays awake (Cui et al., 2020, p. 149). To remain awake, the individual, therefore, has to consume caffeinated products after short intervals to counteract the rising adenosine. Moreover, the brain, having interpreted less adenosine sensitivity to mean shortage, signals for more production to compensate for the perceived deficiency (Abumoh et al., 2020, p. 39). This creates a situation in which the body frequently switches from states of alertness to drowsiness. Moreover, the brain’s sensitivity to coffee’s stimulation reduces with long-term consumption. On the contrary, the sensors remain receptive to the high levels of adenosine. This makes one constantly tired and sleepy (Abumoh et al., 2020, pp. 39 – 51). Under conditions of exhaustion, it is difficult to concentrate, hence cognition is impaired. 

Another reason for concern about caffeine intake is the growing body of evidence that links it to stress disorders. Although inconclusive, a recent study suggests that consuming coffee-based energy drinks could lead to heightened stress in young men (Sawah et al., 2015).  In an earlier study, the researchers divided groups of rats that had undergone stressful experiences into two and then administered caffeine to one division. Unlike their counterparts, rats that received doses of caffeine had signs of stress, including loss of appetite, fear, and poor maze navigation (Pattenuzo et al., 2008). Furthermore, without a previous history of stress, another group of rats, which also received caffeine doses, presented these discomforts, thereby suggesting that caffeine has the potential to induce anxiety. Therefore, although the relationship between coffee intake and stress disorders requires further examination, these findings should suffice to discourage one from consuming coffee.

In conclusion, is difficult to agree with the claim that caffeine enhances cognition when available evidence indicates otherwise. Not only does coffee cause sleep disturbance, but it also causes drowsiness in consumers. Besides, caffeine has been linked to increased stress levels in animals; and there are signs that caffeine could cause stress issues in humans. Until research in this area is conclusive, people should minimize or avoid consuming caffeinated products.

References

AbuMoh, M. F., & Al-Junaidi, I. (2020). Effects of Caffeine Ergogenicity on Short Intense Aerobic Exercise, Prolactin, and Dopamine in Sub-Elite Long-Distance Runners. International Journal of Coaching Science, 14(1), 39-51.

Cui, W. Q., Wang, S. T., Pan, D., Chang, B., & Sang, L. X. (2020). Caffeine and its main Targets of Colorectal Cancer. World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology, 12(2), 149.

Mitchell, D. C., Knight, C. A., Hockenberry, J., Teplansky, R., & Hartman, T. J. (2014). Beverage Caffeine Intakes in the US. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 63, 136-142.

Sawah, M. A., Ruffin, N., Rimawi, M., Concerto, C., Aguglia, E., Chusid, E., ... & Battaglia, F. (2015). Perceived Stress and Coffee and Energy Drink Consumption Predict Poor Sleep Quality in Podiatric Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 105(5), 429-434.

Singh, B. L., Chen, L., Cai, H., Shi, H., Wang, Y., Yu, C., ... & Cai, X. (2019). Activation of Adenosine A2a Receptor Accelerates and A2a Receptor Antagonist Reduces Intermittent Hypoxia-Induced PC12 Cell Injury via PKC-KATP Pathway. Brain Research Bulletin, 150, 118-126.

Stickgold, R., & Walker, M. P. (2013). Sleep-Dependent Memory Triage: Evolving Generalization Through Selective Processing. Nature Neuroscience, 16(2), 139.

Vlachou, M., Siamidi, A., Pippa, N., & Fikioris, N. (2020). Fast Sleep Onset Pharmaceutical Formulation of the Chronobiotic Hormone Melatonin. Advanced Science, Engineering and Medicine, 12(3), 439-442.

Zhang, L. F., Zhou, Z. W., Wang, Z. H., Du, Y. H., He, Z. X., Cao, C., & Zhou, S. F. (2015). Coffee and Caffeine Potentiate the Antiamyloidogenic Activity of Melatonin via Inhibition of Aβ Oligomerization and Modulation of the Tau-Mediated Pathway in N2a/APP Cells. Drug Design, Development, and Therapy, 9, 241.

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