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Essay, 10 pages (2500 words)

In the straight story essay

The adult person that I was interested in to interview is a 76 year old female widow who lives with her daughter, and still an active and healthy woman who sometimes travel alone to visit her other married daughter. She is not what most will call a “ successful” person in terms of financial wealth or social status but for me I admire her a lot for her contagious laughter, simplicity and vitality. I am always fascinated and admired people who reached old age, more so if they reached that age still healthy and active. I always think that they are exceptional to some degree and I wanted to know what their secrets are for living a long, healthy life. I also wanted to know what they think about a lot and what they think of life and what are the things that they most remembered of when they look back to the bygone years. Question 1In the straight story, Alvin suffers some health problems like difficulty in seeing and walking.

According to the lecture notes most old people are frail and poor in health (Course Material). I wonder therefore what my friend does to avoid getting sick as sickness is usually associated with aging. What are your preventative measures to avoid getting sick? She responded that she is aware that as a person gets older his body may deteriorate and therefore she made it a point to watch her diet and to exercise. She had learned a long time that walking is a good exercise and so she started to have a daily walk around the neighborhood when she reached 50. She further states that if a person wants to be healthy in old age, then he must seriously prepare for it while he is young.

She also takes care not to worry so much and entertain her problems. My response Her answer points to the necessity of healthy diet, exercise and worry-free mind for living a healthy life in old age. I believe that the lecture notes that states that most adults are frail and poor in health is true for most adults simply because of their negligence in caring for their bodies and mental health while they were still young. My neighbor may not be enjoying her old age if she was as negligent as her other peers are. Question 2In the straight story, a runaway young woman listened to Alvin’s advice of the importance of family.

The lecture notes on the other hand points out that older people are thought of as no longer current and therefore does not understand the new generation. So the question I want to ask is “ In your experience, does the young generation mostly listen to your advice and believe that you are right or do they think your advices are not realistic of modern life?” I wonder which is the most true in her life. In your experience, does the young generation mostly listen to your advice and believe that you are right or do they think your advices are not realistic of modern life? My friend responded that she thinks that the new generation is so different from her time. The young generation is exposed too fast to so many changes around them and they cannot cope with the sudden change in ideas, morality and technology. In her experience, some do think she had no idea what the youth of today are going through. Nevertheless, she could feel that the young generation still thinks she gives good advice although some of them really do not follow it.

In her opinion, it is not because they do not think seriously of her advice but because the youth are generally more prone to temptation and wants to try something new. My response Her answer I think is true for this negative stereotype of adults. Adults are sometimes think as isolated from the current time because it is perceived that they are less perceptive (as they are now forgetful) and are too weak to absorb or learn anything new. This is also supported by other stereotypes discussed in the lecture notes which states that they are thought of as intellectually rigid and disengaged from society. Most also think that their generation is less informed and obsolete with respect to fashion, ideas and moral values ( no longer current). Question 3The lecture notes states that adult people are sometimes regarded as a burden and a drain in society especially when they get sick.

In the straight story, Alvin hides the fact form his daughter that he is facing physical problems. I sense that this shows Alvin’s fear of accepting the reality of becoming dependent and useless. I want to know therefore if my friend fears the future prospect of getting sick and becomes dependent to her family so the question I want to ask is “ Do you live in constant fear that in the future you may become a burden to your family? Do you live in constant fear that in the future you may become a burden to your family? Her response is that, of course, she is afraid to get sick and have a painful death. She does not want to just lie around and be in pain and wait for death to take her. She does not also want her family to spend their time and finances caring for her. But she tries to ward off this negative thought.

She always comforted herself that there are many adults who died in their sleep or does not suffer any severe pain in dying. Prayer helps her a lot in facing this kind of fear. My response With a lot of old people being committed to nursing homes and undergoing long-term care, it is not therefore surprising that she would get concern about her future as an old woman. But since she has a positive outlook, this concern does not bother her as much as her other peers. She also has a loving family and she had good relationships with them so the fear of becoming a burden is less possible.

Question 4In straight story, Alvin and a certain adult discussed their bad experiences when they served as a soldier in the army and he states that most people just want to forget [bad experiences].  The lecture notes states however that most adult people are wise because of their experiences. I want to ask therefore, “ Do you prefer to forget your bad experiences or do you want to share them to others so that people will learn from your experience?” Do you prefer to forget your bad experiences or do you want to share them to other so that people will learn from your experience?” My neighbor said that now that she is an old woman, her bad experiences when she was younger were not as bad they seemed to be then. For her, time does heal all wounds and she believes that everything happens for a purpose. Because of this reason, she had no difficulty in sharing her bad experiences or mistakes to others whenever she thinks it would be helpful to share them. However, she prefers more to talk about her happy bygone days than her sad ones.

My reply The lecture notes states that old people can be interesting and I think sharing their experiences ( good or bad ) while they were young are one of the interesting aspects of their lives. I think however, that some adults have varying degrees of experiencing some “ negative and painful experiences” in their youth so they may not be as open as others are whose bad experience were really not that bad. Question 5In the straight story, Alvin does not obey the doctor (quit smoking or undergo surgery), and did not accept to be driven the rest of the way to Wisconsin when his lawn mower broke down. He is therefore a man who is stubborn and set in his ways (Course Material). This is supported by the negative stereotype of aging in lecture notes which states that adults are perceived as set in their ways and unwilling to change.

I wonder therefore if this is true in her case so my question therefore is “ Do you think that there are still many things that an adult person does not know or should develop in himself?” Do you think that there are still many things that an adult person does not know or should develop in himself?” My neighbor’s response is that she believes that learning is a lifetime process. According to her, there are still so many things that she wants to know and learn. She is still fascinated with life and with the new technology. As long as it is possible, she still wants to be updated with what’s going on in this world. In her life, there is always room for improvement. My reply I do expect her reply simply because she is a very positive person who enjoys life.

Unlike her peers who mope around, she made efforts to get herself updated in a small way. Because of her positive outlook she is one of those adults who reflect the positive stereotypes of old people. Journal Questions1. With his sudden tragic family loss, it would be helpful for Charlie to cope with the tragedy by undergoing group therapy: a therapy together with other victims of the 9/11 attack.

When he was with the people who are in grief like him, it would be easy for Charlie to pour out his grief and to at least think that he was not singled out to experience the tragic loss. Charlie’s friend can also be invited to attend to provide support and a listening ear. Charlie also needs himself to expose himself to recreation or creative activities in order to momentarily forget his sorrow, so any services that provide this would be most helpful. Doing something preoccupying with a friend will help a lot to encourage him to go on with life and continue to dream and achieve.

It would also be good for Charlie to tap into his spiritual side, attending some religious gatherings, in order to put into a positive perspective what had happened to him. 2. School buildings or campuses are one of the places which I think should provide greater accessibility not only for the disabled but also for the elderly. One of the unresolved accessibility issues I think is the provision of a parking space for them. Even though they may not be able to drive, at least their cars should be park closest to the building entrance so that the distance that they need to walk would be minimal. Another unresolved issue that I see is to construct ramps, and if the building has a second floor or more, there should be an elevator.

The third unresolved issue which others do not consider is to place certain services, like the library, in the first floor so that the disabled could easily access it. The best way that I think I can help is to promote awareness of this problem. Doing this exercise, I was surprised how neglected are the needs of the disabled especially with regards to access, even in public places like schools. 3. I believe that for the most part, the movie “ The Straight Story” challenges stereotypes about aging. First, it challenges that old people are sick, bed-ridden people.

The movie does not deny that along with aging goes health problems, like difficulty to see and walk, but it presents the old generally as not a bed-ridden population. Second, it challenges the idea that old people live in nursing homes. The movie shows many old people who still lives with their own families. Finally, it challenges the idea that old people are forgetful and dependent. There are a lot of old people in the movie who can still drive and do a lot of things (including Alvin) without help. 4.

People who are confined in institutions for the elderly like those in Meadowlake in the story are often regarded as having some mental or physical disability in which more often than not, are seen by relatives as a burden. This idea is supported in the lecture in which because of their seemingly “ unending” needs the elderly are more looked upon as a “ burden”, a drain on society. But as a social worker, I must understand the fact that the relatives are just bewildered and had too much problem to really cope with the situation in hand. Therefore, part of my job is to help the family cope with the situation. In the story, the nurse Kirsten had been helpful in giving Grant the full report of his wife’s condition, reasons for her behavior and the solutions to her problems so that it prepared Grant to face changes with his wife’s situation (Munro, 1999, 2-4). I think the right information and guidance will help a family to cope with the bewilderment of old age, for example, the seeming loss of a loved one who although alive, may seem to forget them as in the case of Fiona.

And I can only do that if I have knowledge about old age, their behaviors, moods and illnesses. 5. The movie “ Crash” is absolutely an enlightening movie that deals with the issue of racism in an effective manner. The movie presents the underlying motivations of racism, why it occurs and how it affects the people individually and in general. Much of racism is actually an outburst of personal frustrations just like what happened to Officer Ryan who confessed that his father lost so much in helping the black people.

As a result, he blamed the black people for his father’s misfortunes and his anger showed forth in his regard for them as less capable than the white. However, he does show genuine concern for their welfare, as when he put his life on the line when he saved the black woman Christine Thayer (whom earlier he had molested in front of her black husband). The same is true with Jean Cabot who was suspicious of other race, for example, the locksmith Daniel, and seems to be irritated with her Spanish or Mexican housekeeper. However, in the end, Jean Cabot, confessed that she was just an angry person and her temper had nothing to do with other racial groups.

The same is also true with Anthony who complains that it took him awhile to have his coffee in a restaurant and he thinks the cause was racial discrimination. Racism therefore is just a way of finding a scapegoat for one’s frustrations and disappointments with life. Racism can also be a product of just stupid suspicions that are founded in prejudice. This happens with Daniel who when he suggested to the Persian Farhad that he needs to change the door and not only the lock, the latter cried said that he was trying to cheat on him.

Daniel is an honest man and he just recently moved in the neighborhood to avoid the bad people in his previous residence. Yet, he was suspected by people as somebody who would copy the door keys in order to steal. On the other hand, the structure of racism can also make life difficult for more responsible people who have to make a choice to lie and swallow their pride or act opposite their principles. Example of this would be Graham Waters who was compelled by a racist white man to lie for his brother’s sake.

The movie, therefore, realistically explored the root of racism. Racism occurs when there is less understanding of others and of ourselves.

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