Master Patient Index and Primary Keys

HSIS FALA09 Master Patient Index and Primary Keys The Master Patient Index (MPI) is an electronic medical record system for every patient registered in a health care organization. The MPI is stored in a database and contains a unique identifier, known as the Primary Key (PK). The PK is unique and identifies each record in the database. The MPI is considered the most important resource in a healthcare facility (AHIMA). The MPI will contain the core elements about a patient such as name, address, phone number, date of birth, gender, race, social security number, and the unique patient identification number (Merida). The MPI identifies all patients that have been treated in a facility or healthcare organization. The PK is the unique identification number associated with the patient. The PK allows a patient to be cross-referenced between different facilities within a healthcare system (AHIMA). Each time a patient visits a facility within the healthcare organization the registration system within the facility will look to the MPI for the patient information. If no record exists then one will be created at registration. Services obtained by the patient at each facility will now be linked to the MPI record using the PK (AHIMA). The MPI allows historical data about a patient’s care to be stored and later obtained. The MPI also allows access to information from any clinic, physician, laboratory, radiologist, medications, known allergies, referrals, billing, and accounts receivable with the use of the PK. The MPI allows for quick and accurate storage of a patient’s care. Quick access to a patient’s full medical history by a physician allows for better patient care (AHIMA). The MPI enables the health care organization to improve patient care through the integration of patient records and ensuring that all historical care information on each patient resides in one record. It also helps the health care organization to decrease costs through improved operational efficiency. Improved patient care, decreased costs, and improved operational efficiency make the Master Patient Index one of the most important resources in a healthcare facility. References American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). (Dec. 2, 2009) Retrieved from http://www. ahima. org/ Johns, Merida L. , (2002). Concepts of Health Information Management. In S. Anderson (Eds. ), The _Health Information Management _Series (pp. 20-49). New York: Delmar.

Bloodlines Chapter Sixteen

I EXPLAINED AWAY my chemistry experiment by saying that it was just a substance I had on hand from when I received my tattoo, in the event I had an allergic reaction. I certainly didn't let on that I'd mixed it myself. I think they would've bought that cover story, if not for the fact that a few days later, I was able to get ahold of a formula that helped treat the chemical burns on Kristin's skin. The mixture did nothing for the ink stain – that seemed to be permanent, barring some tattoo laser removal – but her welts did fade a little bit. After that, word got around that Sydney Melrose was the new on-site pharmacist. Because I had extra left over from Kristin, I gave the remainder of the skin cream to a girl with severe acne since it worked on that as well. That probably didn't do me any favors. People approached me for all sorts of things and even offered to pay me. Some requests were pointless, like cures for headaches. Those people I simply told to buy some aspirin. Other requests were out of my power and nothing I wanted to deal with, like birth control. Aside from the weird requests, I actually didn't mind the increase in my daily social interaction. I was used to people needing things from me, so that was familiar territory. Some people just wanted to know more about me as a person, which was new and more enjoyable than I'd expected. And still others wanted†¦ different things from me. â€Å"Sydney.† I was waiting for my English class to start and was startled to see one of Greg Slade's friends standing over my desk. His name was Bryan, and although I didn't know much about him, he'd never come across as obnoxious as Slade, which was a point in Bryan's favor. â€Å"Yes?† I asked, wondering if he wanted to borrow notes from me. He had shaggy brown hair that seemed to be purposely grown unkempt and was actually kind of cute. He ran a hand over it as he picked his words. â€Å"Do you know anything about silent films?† â€Å"Sure,† I said. â€Å"The first ones were developed in the late nineteenth century and sometimes had live musical accompaniment, though it wasn't until the 1920s that sound become truly incorporated into films, eventually making silent ones obsolete in cinema.† Bryan gaped, as though that was more than he'd been expecting. â€Å"Oh. Okay. Well, um, there's a silent film festival downtown next week. Do you think you'd want to go?† I shook my head. â€Å"No, I don't think so. I respect it as an art form but really don't get much out of watching them.† â€Å"Huh. Okay.† He smoothed his hair back again, and I could almost see him groping for thoughts. Why on earth was he asking me about silent films? â€Å"What about Starship 30? It opens Friday. Do you want to see that?† â€Å"I don't really like sci-fi either,† I said. It was true, I found it completely implausible. Bryan looked ready to rip that shaggy hair out. â€Å"Is there any movie out there you want to see?† I ran through a mental list of current entertainment. â€Å"No. Not really.† The bell rang, and with a shake of his head, Bryan slunk back to his desk. â€Å"That was weird,† I muttered. â€Å"He has bad taste in movies.† Glancing beside me, I was startled to see Julia with her head down on her desk while she shook with silent laughter. â€Å"What?† â€Å"That,† she gasped. â€Å"That was hilarious.† â€Å"What?† I said again. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Sydney, he was asking you out!† I replayed the conversation. â€Å"No, he wasn't. He was asking me about cinema.† She was laughing so hard that she had to wipe away a tear. â€Å"So he could find out what you wanted to see and take you out!† â€Å"Well, why didn't he just say that?† â€Å"You are so adorably oblivious,† she said. â€Å"I hope I'm around the day you actually notice someone is interested in you.† I continued to be mystified, and she spent the rest of class bursting out with spontaneous giggles. While I became an object of fascination, Jill's popularity fell. Part of it was her own shyness. She was still so conscious and worried about being different that she assumed everyone else was aware of her otherness too. She continued holding back from connecting with people out of fear, making her come across as aloof. Surprisingly making this worse, Jill's â€Å"doctor's note† had finally come through from the Alchemists. The school wouldn't put her into a different elective that was already in progress. Freshmen weren't allowed to be teacher's aides like Trey. After consultation with Miss Carson, they'd finally decided that Jill would participate in all indoor PE activities and do â€Å"alternate assignments† when we were outdoors. This usually meant writing reports on things like the history of softball. Unfortunately, sitting out half the time only managed to isolate Jill more. Micah continued to dote on her, even in the face of adversity. â€Å"Lee texted me this morning,† she told me at lunch one day. â€Å"He wants to take me out to dinner this weekend. Do you think†¦ I mean, I know you guys would have to go too†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She glanced uncertainly between Eddie and me. â€Å"Who's Lee?† asked Micah. He had just sat down with our group. A few moments of awkward silence fell. â€Å"Oh,† said Jill, averting her eyes. â€Å"He's this, um, guy we know. He doesn't go here. He goes to college. In Los Angeles.† Micah processed this. â€Å"He asked you on a date?† â€Å"Yeah†¦ we actually went out before. I guess we're, well, kind of dating.† â€Å"Not seriously,† piped in Eddie. I wasn't sure if he was saying this to spare Micah's feelings or if it was some protective way to stop Jill from getting too close to anyone. Micah was good at hiding his emotions, I'd give him that. After a bit more thought, he finally gave Jill a smile that only seemed slightly forced. â€Å"Well, that's great. I hope I can meet him.† After that, the conversation turned to the upcoming football game, and no one mentioned Lee again. Finding out about Lee changed how Micah acted around Jill, but he still hung out with us all the time. Maybe it was in the hopes that Lee and Jill would break up. Or it could've simply been because Micah and Eddie spent a lot of time together, and Eddie was one of Jill's few friends. But the problem wasn't Micah. It was Laurel. I didn't think Micah would've been interested in Laurel even if Jill hadn't been in the picture, but Laurel still saw Jill as a threat – and went out of her way to make her miserable. Laurel spread rumors about her and made pointed comments in the halls and during class about Jill's pale skin, height, and skinniness – Jill's biggest insecurities. Once or twice, I heard the name vampire girl whispered in the halls. It made my blood run cold, no matter how many times I reminded myself it was a joke. â€Å"Jill isn't what's keeping Laurel and Micah apart,† I remarked to Julia and Kristin one day. They were amused by my continued efforts to apply logic and rationality to social behaviors in the school. â€Å"I don't understand. He just doesn't like Laurel.† â€Å"Yeah, but it's easier for her to think Jill's the problem, when really, Laurel's just a bitch and Micah knows it,† explained Julia. Ever since the awkward encounter with Bryan, she and Kristin had taken it upon themselves to try to educate me in the ways â€Å"normal† humans behaved. â€Å"Plus, Laurel just likes having someone to pick on,† said Kristin. She rarely spoke about the tattoo but had been serious and sober ever since. â€Å"Okay,† I said, trying to follow the logic, â€Å"but I was the one who called her out about dying her hair. She's hardly said a word to me.† Kristin smiled. â€Å"No fun picking on you. You talk back. Jill doesn't defend herself much and doesn't have many people to stick up for her either. She's an easy target.† One positive thing did happen, at least. Adrian was staying on good behavior after the Los Angeles mishap, though I had to wonder how long it would last. Based on what I gathered from Jill, he was still bored and unhappy. Lee's schedule was erratic, and it wasn't his job to look after Adrian anyway. There didn't seem to be any good solution for her, really. If Adrian gave in to his vices, she suffered the effects of his hangovers and â€Å"romantic interludes.† If he didn't, then he was miserable, and that attitude slowly trickled into her as well. The only hope they had was that Jill would eventually learn the control to block him out of her mind, but from what Rose had told her, that could take a very long time. When the next feeding came around, I was disappointed to see Keith's car parked in Clarence's driveway. If he wasn't going to actually do anything active to help this assignment, I kind of wished he'd just stay away from it altogether. He apparently thought these â€Å"supervising† visits counted as work and continued to justify his presence. Except when we met up with Adrian in the living room, Keith was nowhere in sight. Neither was Clarence. â€Å"Where are they?† I asked Adrian. Adrian was lounging on the couch and put down a book he'd been reading. I had a feeling reading was a rare activity for him and almost felt bad for the interruption. He stifled a yawn. There was no alcohol in sight, but I did see what looked like three empty cans of energy drink. He shrugged. â€Å"I don't know. Off talking somewhere. Your friend's got a sick sense of humor. I think he's feeding Clarence's paranoia about vampire hunters.† I glanced uneasily at Lee, who had immediately begun talking to Jill. Both were so caught up in each other, they didn't even realize what the rest of us were discussing. I knew how much the vampire hunter talk bothered Lee. He wouldn't appreciate Keith encouraging it. â€Å"Does Clarence know about the killing in LA?† asked Eddie. There was no reason Keith wouldn't, since it was open Alchemist knowledge, but I wasn't sure if he would've made the connection to Clarence or not. â€Å"He hasn't mentioned it,† said Adrian. â€Å"I swear Keith's just doing it because he's bored or something. Even I haven't sunk that low.† â€Å"Is that what you've been doing instead?† I asked. I sat down across from him and pointed at the energy drinks. â€Å"Hey, it's not vodka or brandy or†¦ well, anything good.† Adrian sighed and upended one can, drinking the last few drops. â€Å"So give me some credit.† Eddie glanced at the cans. â€Å"Didn't Jill say she had trouble sleeping last night?† â€Å"Adrian,† I said with a groan. Eddie was right. I'd noticed Jill tossing and turning constantly. Vicarious caffeine would certainly explain it. â€Å"Hey, I'm trying,† Adrian said. â€Å"If you could get me out of here, Sage, then I wouldn't be forced to drown my sorrows in taurine and ginseng.† â€Å"She can't, Adrian, and you know it,† said Eddie. â€Å"Can't you†¦ I don't know. Find a hobby or something?† â€Å"Being charming is my hobby,† said Adrian obstinately. â€Å"I'm the life of a party – even without drinking. I wasn't meant to be alone.† â€Å"You could get a job,† said Eddie, settling into a corner chair. He smiled, amused by his own wit. â€Å"Solve both your problems – make some money and be around people.† Adrian scowled. â€Å"Careful, Castile. There's only one comedian in this family.† I straightened up. â€Å"That's actually not a bad idea.† â€Å"It's a terrible idea,† said Adrian, glancing between me and Eddie. â€Å"Why?† I asked. â€Å"Is this the part where you tell us your hands don't do manual labor?† â€Å"It's more like the part where I don't have anything to offer society,† he countered. â€Å"I could help you,† I offered. â€Å"Are you going to do the work and give me the paycheck?† Adrian asked hopefully. â€Å"Because that actually could help.† â€Å"I can give you a ride to your interviews,† I said. â€Å"And I can make you a resume that would get you any job.† I eyed him and reconsidered. â€Å"Well, within reason.† Adrian stretched back out. â€Å"Sorry, Sage. Just not feeling it.† Clarence and Keith entered just then. Clarence's face was exuberant. â€Å"Thank you, thank you,† he was saying. â€Å"It's so nice to talk to someone who understands my concerns about the hunters.† I hadn't been aware that Keith understood anything except his own self-serving nature. Lee's face darkened when he realized Keith was furthering the old man's irrationality. Nonetheless, the Moroi withheld the comments he undoubtedly wanted to make. It was the first time I'd seen any sort of dark emotion on Lee's face. Looked like Keith could bring down even the most cheerful person. Clarence was happy to see us, as was Dorothy. Humans who gave blood to vampires weren't just disgusting because of the act itself. What was also appalling was the addiction that resulted. Vampires released endorphins into those they drank from, endorphins that created a pleasurable sort of high. Human feeders who lived among Moroi spent their entire days in that high, becoming heavily dependent on it. Someone like Dorothy, who had lived only with Clarence for years, hadn't experienced enough bites to really get addicted. Now, with Jill and Adrian around, Dorothy was getting an increased amount of endorphins in her daily life. Her eyes lit up when she saw Jill, showing she was eager for more. â€Å"Hey, Sage,† said Adrian. â€Å"I don't want an interview, but do you think you could give me a ride to get some cigarettes?† I started to tell him I wasn't going to help with such a filthy habit and then noticed him looking meaningfully at Dorothy. Was he trying to get me out of here? I wondered. Give me an excuse to not be around for the feeding? From what I understood, Moroi normally didn't hide their feedings from each other. Jill and Dorothy just usually left the room for my comfort. I knew they'd probably do it again but decided I'd take the opportunity to get away. Of course, I glanced at Keith for confirmation, expecting him to protest. He merely shrugged. It looked like I was the last thing on his mind. â€Å"Okay,† I said, standing up. â€Å"Let's go.† In the car, Adrian turned to me. â€Å"I changed my mind,† he said. â€Å"I'll take you up on helping me get a job.† I almost swerved into oncoming traffic. Few things from him could have surprised me more – and he said pretty surprising things on a regular basis. â€Å"That was fast. Are you serious?† â€Å"As much as I ever am. Will you still help me?† â€Å"I suppose so, though there's only so much I can do. I can't actually get you the job.† I ran down my mental list of what I knew about Adrian. â€Å"I don't suppose you have any idea of what you'd actually like to do?† â€Å"I want something entertaining,† he said. He thought some more. â€Å"And I want to make lots of money – but do as little work as possible.† â€Å"Lovely,† I muttered. â€Å"That narrows it down.† We reached downtown, and I managed a flawless parallel-parking job that didn't impress him nearly as much as it should have. We were right in front of a convenience store, and I stood outside while he went in. Evening shadows were falling. I was off campus all the time, but so far, my trips had all been to Clarence's, mini-golf courses, and fast-food joints. It turned out that the city of Palm Springs was really pretty. Boutiques and restaurants lined the streets, and I could've spent hours people-watching. Retirees in golfing getups strolled alongside young glamorous socialites. I knew a lot of celebrities came here too, but I wasn't in tune enough with the entertainment world to know who was who. â€Å"Man,† said Adrian, emerging from the store. â€Å"They raised the price on my normal brand. I had to buy some crappy one.† â€Å"You know,† I said. â€Å"Quitting would also be a really great way to save some – â€Å" I froze as I spotted something down the street. Three blocks away, through the leaves of some palm trees, I could just barely make out a sign that read Nevermore in ornate Gothic lettering. That was the place. The source of the tattoos running rampant through Amberwood. Ever since Kristin's incident, I'd wanted to delve into this more but hadn't been sure how. Now I had my chance. For a moment, I remembered Keith telling me not to get involved with anything that might raise attention or cause trouble. Then I thought about the way Kristin had looked during her overdose. This was my opportunity to actually do something. I made a decision. â€Å"Adrian,† I said. â€Å"I need your help.† I pulled him toward the tattoo parlor, filling him in on the situation. For a moment, he seemed so interested in high-inducing tattoos that I thought he'd want one. When I told him about Kristin, though, his enthusiasm faded. â€Å"Even if it's not Alchemist technology, they're still doing something dangerous,† I explained. â€Å"Not just to Kristin. What Slade and those guys are doing – using the steroids to be better at football – is just as bad. People are getting hurt.† I thought, suddenly, of Trey's cuts and bruises. A small alley separated the tattoo parlor from a neighboring restaurant, and we stopped just before it. A door opened inside the alley, on the parlor side, and a man stepped out and lit a cigarette. He'd taken only two steps when another man stuck his head out the side door and called, â€Å"How long are you going to be gone?† I could see shelves and tables behind him. â€Å"Just running down to the store,† said the man with the cigarette. â€Å"I'll be back in ten.† The other guy went back inside, shutting the door. A few moments later, we saw him through the window at the front of the store, tidying up something on the counter. â€Å"I have to get back there,† I said to Adrian. â€Å"Into that door.† He arched an eyebrow. â€Å"What, like sneaking in? How very black ops of you. And oh, you know – dangerous and foolish.† â€Å"I know,† I said, surprised at how calm I sounded as I admitted that. â€Å"But I have to know something, and this may be my only chance.† â€Å"Then I'll go with you in case that guy comes back,† he said with a sigh. â€Å"Never let it be said Adrian Ivashkov doesn't help damsels in distress. Besides, did you see him? He looked like some insane biker. They both did.† â€Å"I don't want you to – wait.† Inspiration hit. â€Å"You talk to the guy inside.† â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"Go in the front. Distract him so that I can look around. Talk to him about†¦ I don't know. You'll think of something.† We quickly hashed out a plan. I sent Adrian on his way while I ducked into the alley and approached the door. I pulled the handle and found it – locked. â€Å"Of course,† I muttered. What business would leave a remote door like this exposed and unlocked? My brilliant plan started to crumble until I remembered I had my Alchemist â€Å"essentials† in my purse. My full kit was rarely needed, high school acne crises aside, so it was usually kept at home. But Alchemists were always on call, no matter where they were, to cover up vampire sightings. And so, we always kept a couple of things on us at all times. One was the substance that could dissolve a Strigoi body in under a minute. The other was almost equally efficient at dissolving metal. It was a type of acid, and I kept it in a protected vial in my purse. Quickly, I fished it out and unscrewed the top. A bitter scent hit me and made me wrinkle my nose. With the bottle's glass dropper, I very carefully leaned down and placed a few drops right in the center of the lock. I immediately stepped back as a white mist rose up from the contact. Within thirty seconds, it had all dissipated, and there was a hole in the middle of the door's handle. One of the nice things about this stuff, which we called quickfire, was that its reaction occurred extremely fast. It was now inert and posed no danger to my skin. I pushed down on the handle, and it released. I only opened the door a crack, just to ascertain that there was no one else around. Nope. Empty. I crept inside and quietly shut the door behind me, fastening an inside bolt to make sure it stayed locked. As I'd seen from the outside, the place was a storage room, filled with all sorts of tools of the tattoo trade. Three doorways surrounded me. One led to a bathroom, one to a darkened room, and another to the store's front and main counter. Light spilled in from that doorway, and I could hear Adrian's voice. â€Å"My friend's got one,† he was saying. â€Å"I've seen it, and he said this is the place he got it. Come on, don't play me.† â€Å"Sorry,† came the gruff response. â€Å"No idea what you're talking about.† I slowly began scanning the cupboards and drawers, reading labels and looking for anything suspicious. There were a lot of supplies and not much time. â€Å"Is it a money thing?† asked Adrian. â€Å"Because I've got enough. Just tell me how much it costs.† There was a long pause, and I hoped Adrian wouldn't be asked to show any cash since the last of his money had gone to promoting cancer. â€Å"I don't know,† the guy said at last. â€Å"If I was able to do this copper tattoo you're talking about – and I'm not saying I can – you probably couldn't afford it.† â€Å"I'm telling you,† said Adrian. â€Å"Just name your price.† â€Å"What is it you're interested in exactly?† the man asked slowly. â€Å"Just the color?† â€Å"I think we both know,† said Adrian cunningly. â€Å"I want the color. I want the ‘bonus effects.' And I want it to look badass. You probably can't even do the design I want.† â€Å"That's the least of your worries,† said the guy. â€Å"I've been doing this for years. I can draw anything you want.† â€Å"Yeah? Can you draw a skeleton riding a motorcycle with flames coming out of it? And I want a pirate hat on the skeleton. And a parrot on his shoulder. A skeleton parrot. Or maybe a ninja skeleton parrot? No, that would be overkill. But it'd be cool if the biker skeleton could be shooting some ninja throwing stars. That are on fire.† Meanwhile, I'd still seen no sign of what I needed, but there were a million nooks and crannies left to explore. Panic began to rise in me. I was going to run out of time. Then, seeing the darkened room, I hurried over to it. With a quick glance toward the store's front, I flipped on the light and held my breath. No one must have noticed anything because the conversation continued where it had left off. â€Å"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard,† said the tattooist. â€Å"That's not what the ladies are going to say,† said Adrian. â€Å"Look, kid,† said the guy. â€Å"It's not even about money. It's about availability. That's a lot of ink you're talking about, and I don't have that much in stock.† â€Å"Well, when will your supplier deliver next?† asked Adrian. I stared in awe at what I had found: I was in the room where the tattooing took place. There was a lounging chair – much more comfortable than the table I'd received my tattoo on – and a small side table covered with what appeared to be freshly used implements. â€Å"I've already got some people wait-listed ahead of you. I don't know when there'll be more.† â€Å"Can you call me when you know?† Adrian asked. â€Å"I'll give you my info. My name's Jet Steele.† If not for my own tense situation, I would've groaned. Jet Steele? Really? Before I could think much more about it, I finally found what I'd been looking for. The tattoo gun on the table had its own ink container, but sitting nearby were several smaller vials. All of them were empty, but some still had enough metallic residue of their former ingredients to tip me off. Without even thinking twice, I quickly began recapping them and putting them in my purse. Nearby, I noticed some sealed vials full of dark liquid. I froze for a moment. Carefully, I picked one up, opened it, and took a sniff. It was what I'd feared. I screwed the lid back on and added those vials to my purse. Just then, I heard a rattling behind me. Someone was trying to open the back door. I'd bolted it behind me, however, and it didn't give. Still, it meant my time for snooping was up. I was just zipping up my purse when I heard the store's front door open. â€Å"Joey, why's the back door locked?† an angry voice demanded. â€Å"It's always locked.† â€Å"No, the bolt was on. From the inside. It wasn't when I left.† Cue my exit. I flipped off the light and began hurrying back through the storage room. â€Å"Wait!† exclaimed Adrian. There was an anxious note to his voice, like he was trying to get someone's attention. I had the uneasy feeling that the two guys who worked here were headed back behind the counter to investigate. â€Å"I need to know something else about the tattoo. Can the parrot also be wearing a pirate's hat? Like a miniature one?† â€Å"In a minute. We have to check something.† The voice was louder than before. Closer. My hands fumbled as I unlatched the bolt. I managed it and opened the door, hurrying out just as I heard voices behind me. Without pausing to glance back, I shut the door and ran out the alley and up the street, back toward where I'd parked. I was pretty sure the guys hadn't gotten a good look at me. I think I'd just been a figure darting out the door. Still, I was grateful for the crowds of people on the street. I was able to blend in as I turned my attention to my car and unlocked the door. My hands were sweaty and shaking as I fumbled with the keys. I wanted badly to look behind me but was afraid of attracting the attention of the two men, if they were out searching the street. As long as they had no reason to suspect me – A hand suddenly grabbed my arm and jerked me away. I gasped. â€Å"It's me,† said a voice. Adrian. I breathed a sigh of relief. â€Å"Don't look back,† he said calmly. â€Å"Just get in the car.† I obeyed. Once we were both safely inside, I took a deep breath, overwhelmed by the pounding of my heart. Fear-born adrenaline surged in my chest, so strongly it hurt. I closed my eyes and leaned back. â€Å"That was too close,† I said. â€Å"And you did good, by the way.† â€Å"I know,† he said proudly. â€Å"And actually, I kind of want that tattoo now. Did you find what you were looking for?† I opened my eyes and sighed. â€Å"I did. And a whole lot more.† â€Å"So, what is it? They're putting drugs in tattoos?† â€Å"Worse,† I said. â€Å"They're using vampire blood.†

A Farewell to Arms Essays - Literature, English-language Films

A Farewell to Arms In this novel A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway, Hemingway brings about the evolution of Frederick Henry being converted into a code hero in realistic ways. Frederick Henry achieved the six code hero characteristics by the end of the novel with the help of Catherine, a code hero herself. All the characteristics seem to follow the path of a manly person who is continuously striving to live his/her life to the fullest. Throughout this novel, Frederick Henry's behavior matures to the code hero in which Hemingway desires to be. In the start of the novel, Frederick Henry was into over- sensual pleasures and could not control himself until he had spent much time with Catherine and learned how to discipline himself. Henry "had drunk much wine" and roamed from whore house to whore house near the beginning of the novel. He had no control over himself nor could hold his liquor or contain himself from easy women during this time. Henry finally disciplined himself near the end of his stay at the Ospidale Maggoire. The nada concept had been a part of Henry's life from the beginning. Henry stood up nights because the night is a representation of evil and death to him. If he is not asleep, he can avoid having to deal with it. Henry also is accompanied by Catherine during nights at the Ospidale Maggoire. To Henry there "was almost no difference in the night except that is was an even better time" with Catherine. Catherine, who is already a code hero, has values which transcend onto Henry at the Hospital. During the day, Henry sleeps but Catherine has to work, so she stops coming to him on nights. Henry is left to stay up, alone on nights. Also, he does not ask Catherine to come stay with him thus controlling his desires to make love to her. From this point in the book, Henry disciplines himself. During those nights together, they made love and talked. When he first saw Catherine, he was after sexual pleasures from her instead of the prostitutes in Gorizia. He never realized that he was in love untill some time later. Also, when he is in the course of a battle with Manera, Gavuzi and Passini, he began to eat food. Henry enjoys the food he eats, the love he makes and the wine he drinks whenever he pleases to, as a code hero does. Henry showed his loyalty to the individuals and small groups in his life, and near the end of the novel he showed grace under pressure. He is loyal to people similar to the group of ambulance drivers he was driving with on their retreat or people similar to the Count. During his desertion, he jumped into a river to avoid being shot and killed by the Carabinieri. The Carabinieri began to shoot every officer who showed up late in the retreat. The Italian army seemed to Henry to be unfit for him and unorganized. To avoid being killed he jumped into the Tagliamento river. Henry once began to believe he "would drown" and so "fought and thrashed through the water" to save his life from the turbulent waters of the Tagliamento. He never showed the reader his feelings of bravery during this feat. In the final pages of book IV, Henry strove to cross the Switzerland border and seek refuge from the Italian police. When he arrived there with Catherine, he was questioned by the border police and told them he and his wife were looking for winter sport in Switzerland. He lied under questioning by the custom agents in order to save himself from his army and did not show any frustrations or nervousness in the process. With Catherine on his side, he proved to the reader that he was able to show grace under difficult circumstances. Henry never once talked about his beliefs or feelings throughout the novel. He does not talk about his hatred for the Carabinieri or his feelings when he is cheerful or dismal. He showed no signs of remorse for deserting the Italian army or about the time when he shot and wounded the Sergeant deserter. In the end of the novel, Henry is faced with his love's death. Henry told God "please, please, dear God, don't let her die" the moment before he entered the door where Catherine finally passed away due to a hemorrhage. Minutes later Henry is offered some company on the way back to his home but he declines.

Japanese Economy Evaluation of Opportunities for Foreign Investors Essay

Japanese Economy Evaluation of Opportunities for Foreign Investors - Essay Example However, in 2005 Japan succeeded in getting itself out from the economic depression cycle it was in. The economy started showing a positive growth reaching 2% in the third quarter of 2005. This resulted in an increase of capital investment, reaching 9.6% in the same quarter. Japan is and will remain one of the largest markets in the world. With 125 million people, well advanced, and an established infrastructure, it offers international businesses a valuable opportunity to establish itself in this economy. Japanese consumers have become more willing to purchase imported products such as food, computers, machinery, medical devices, pharmaceuticals and services. In addition Japanese companies have become more willing to accept foreign investment and cooperate with foreign partners, and as such Japan has never been as accessible to foreign goods and services. The Asia Pacific countries include China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Japan. The 'Big Five' economies in the region are Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore and Japan followed by a second group of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. China and Vietnam comprise the next level of economies in the region. The Asian financial crisis was a major event that led many Asian governments to sit upright and pull up their socks. The crisis emerged in July 1997 and stormed the financial markets of Thailand. It spread on to other neighbouring countries until it became a pandemic. The crisis did not seem to touch Japan since it was already on a long 15 year old recession. But at the turn of the century, things have started to look-up. Japan has tuned up its banking systems to the right note and the Asian symphony is just going great. Japan is now leading the way in a new Asian business paradigm. Industrial output in Asia has been growing at a staggering +7.7% every year. This is more twice that of the United States. China is the largest recipient of FDI in the region with over $50

Malcome X Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Malcome X - Essay Example For instance, Malcolm family was harassed a number of times by the ‘Ku Klux Klan’ group. The harassment made the family to move to Michigan. Nevertheless, the situation worsened when their house was set on blaze while the Whites watched the fire consume the entire house. The police force also watched as the house burnt down. In a few years, after the fire incidence, Malcolm’s father was found dead along the streets. Despite Little receiving threats of death from the White racists, the police force dismissed the claims of threats citing that Malcolm’s father committed a suicide. Malcolm’s mother suffered a shock as a result of Little’s demise. She was placed in a mental institution where she succumbed to death. These circumstances were experienced by Malcolm, whose father was a local activist. While in school, Malcolm claims that his schoolmates treated him like a pet as opposed to a human person. However, Malcolm was reported to be a diligent student in class, an aspect that saw him elected the class leader. Perhaps his life experiences led to his courageous stance while advocating the rights of blacks. Malcolm’s opponents accused him of propagating racism and violence. However, he remains amongst the most influential blacks in the US. Being a gifted and influential orator, a majority of his quotes are still honored by a large number of his followers, as well as the lovers of freedom, equality and justice among various races. In one sense, we were huddled in there, bonded together in seeking security, warmth and comfort from each other, and we didn’t know it. All of us, who might have probed space, cured cancer, or built industries, were, instead, black victims of the White’s social system (Malcolm 1). This is an emotional Malcolm’s quote that was recorded while giving a speech. The author specifically speaks about the ‘Harlem’ club. The author refers to the night club as a place that sees a multitude people of the same suffering, especially racism; they gather for a consolation and experiencing good time. The author refers to the crowd as a network of families. The night club is majorly perceived as a private place where the victims of racism find a rest. Malcolm saw a difference between the night club and the external racism among the whites. Generally, individuals that frequent the club are perceived as the victims of racism. These individuals understand the reality of capitalism, and are ready to tolerate the life of the ghetto. As a result, the night club has turned out to be a place where the blacks experience comfort. Although a large number of the blacks frequent the night club, a few of them understand the relationship between their survival and the network. Despite the regulars being belligerent and hustlers outside the club, they feel secure and comfortable while in the club. In addition, the quote reflects on the lost opportunities by the African-American masses. Malcolm refers to blacks as a society that is characterized by a hustling life. There are a number of competent blacks that would have begun successful businesses, but have perished in poverty due to lack of capital and opportunities. There are a good number of African-Americans that have

Oedipus Rex Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Oedipus Rex - Essay Example However, since he was predestined, one can argue that it was meant to happen, thus he was never guilty. As in the play, we see that there is freewill. It could be noted that Oedipus could pass the fight off when he was hit by the chariot instead of killing the man (who happened to be his father) but there was still the factor of predestination. He was meant to kill the King and was meant to marry his mother. There are options in which he can actually escape his fate but can’t because, you can’t escape fate. His sins two greatest sins are killing his father and marrying his mother. In present times, that is called parricide and incest. As far as we are concerned, he was provoked by the man in the chariot so that his actions can be named as defensive, even if he killed his father. The man also did not know that he hit his son and turned aggressive. So even if parricide was done, Oedipus is still innocent because it can be said that he is doing self defense. He is also inn ocent when he married his mother because he did not know that it was his mother! He was adopted and he did not know who his real parents were. If this were to happen these times, it would have to be socially sanctioned too, but not to the point where they would self-mutilate themselves (Oedipus blinding himself) or commit suicide because of humiliation.

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 3

History - Essay Example The insufficient labor supply in America should actually be solved by considering immigration for people with different skills from other places to foster technology and development. The immigration system in America involves state, labor and justice federal departments. The labor department certifies that the immigrant’s employment shall not be of negative effect to the working conditions, salaries and employment in America. The justice department implements the laws in regards to the immigrants in America. The state department is responsible for distribution of applications to people in search for employment in the US. This also involves administering the immigration law. After immigration, most immigrants seek naturalization, after working in the US for over five years. Over the years, many immigrants have been granted legal status, but recently barriers have been put because of the rising numbers of immigrants. The immigration controversy brings out the conflict between the desires for growth and that for stability. In both cases, the proponents and opponents have their arguments based on the cultural and economic aspects, or status. The recent increase in the number of immigrants is the main reason for the immigration controversy in America. The origins of immigrants also pay a major role in their behavior and this adds to the existing controversy. The massive increase in the immigrants is a threat to the English-speaking heritage, because of the numerous ethic groups changing the ethnic composition of the population. Immigration controversy has been agitated by people especially leaders, who view immigration as a threat to the American culture and the English language. Religion has also been one of the major issues addressed along with the anti-immigration forces. The economic impact caused by immigration is one of the arguments brought forward against immigration in

Law of Non Contradiction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Law of Non Contradiction - Essay Example One can also say that a premise cannot be true and at the same time not true, in the same sense (Anton, 2009). All these three statements express the law of non contradiction. In the problems and challenges that one comes across in one’s day to day life, if approached rationally, yet without adhering to the law of non contradiction, could give way to much confusion (Morrison, 2003). I arrived at this sound conclusion while dealing with my personal aim and ambition to pursue a healthy lifestyle. What one calls a healthy life style is in fact a broad based term that includes within its ambit a range of healthy practices and a long list of does and don’t does. It is only when a person sticks to or diligently pursues a list of practices and norms identified as being precursors and essentials of a healthy lifestyle that one could claim to be leading a positive and healthy life. It also stands to be true that an unhealthy lifestyle also includes within its ambit a list of pra ctices and norms that are not conducive to good health. Going by the fact that a healthy lifestyle is a set of distinct practices and values, as per the law of non contradiction, a lifestyle cannot be both healthy and unhealthy at one and the same time. ... For example when I decided to be committed to leading a healthy lifestyle, I was well aware of the fact that a healthy lifestyle involves eating those things that promote health and well being and avoiding those foods that harm or spoil good health. It naturally follows that when I stick to good and healthy foods that I could consider myself to be leading a healthy lifestyle. However, there did come moments in my life when I tried to cheat by consuming things like fast foods, shakes and sodas, believing that it was alright to have such foods and beverages once in a while, while leading a healthy lifestyle. In other words, I was trying to convince myself that while consuming unhealthy foods at some time in my life and hence leading an unhealthy lifestyle, I was also leading a healthy lifestyle. Now by the law of non contradiction, this was simply not possible. It states that at one time, either I could be pursuing a healthy lifestyle or an unhealthy lifestyle. It was simply not possib le to lead a healthy and an unhealthy life at one and the same time. The premise that logically followed was that while pursuing unhealthy habits and consuming unhealthy foods, I was conclusively following an unhealthy lifestyle at that moment of time, which positively violated my personal commitment to lead a healthy lifestyle. In other words, it meant that while adhering to unhealthy habits at a moment of time, I was positively resorting to an unhealthy life and hence could readily expect the results that go with an unhealthy lifestyle, irrespective of my commitment to stay healthy and fit. This catechism indeed turned out to be an eye opener for me and made me really respect the validity of the law of non contradiction in daily life. There is

Persian carpets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Persian carpets - Essay Example The increased urbanism and industrial expansion in Iran in the contemporary age has in no way, weakened the Iranians’ association with carpets. Carpets have always been and continue to be the most particular and fantabulous characteristic feature of the Iranian culture and heritage. Iranians’ deep-rooted associated with this insignia of their national heritage brings life to the ambiance of every Iranian home. The history of Persian carpets encompasses a complete account of the way one of the greatest civilizations of the world has evolved and ruled over the world of arts and crafts through something as simple as a carpet. â€Å"From being simply articles of need, as pure and simple floor entrance covering to protect the nomadic tribesmen from the cold and damp, the increasing beauty of the carpets found them new owners - kings and nobleman, those who looked for signs of wealth or adornment for fine buildings† (â€Å"The Persian Carpet Gallery†). Ctesiphon was conquered by the Arabs in 637. The Spring Time of Khosroe was amongst the carpets they retrieved from Iran. This has conventionally been recognized as the most distinct piece of art of its time. The 90 feet square carpet has been described by the Arab historians in these words â€Å"The border was a magnificent flower bed of blue, red, white, yellow and green stones; in the background the colour of the earth was imitated with gold; clear stones like crystals gave the illusion of water; the plants were in silk and the fruits were formed by colour stones† (Kianush). In the 13th century, the Mongols found Persian carpets after their invasion into the country. This changed the artistic life of Iran for the following 200 years. As a result of the devastation caused by the Mongols, the carpet weaving trend saw a decline. However, the conqueror Tamerlane spared the Iranian artisans and led them to Turkistan from where, the Persian carpet art started to flourish again. Tamerlane ’s son Shah Rokh encouraged the carpet weavers and facilitated them with resources to help them increase the production. The Persian carpet art saw a climax when the lavish royal support provided the weavers with the finest materials for carpet making. In 1499, Shah Ismail took measures to establish a national industry in Iran to help the weavers optimize on their skills. Shah Abbas of the Safavid dynasty helped the industry spread. Persian carpets were brought from the nomads’ tents to the towns and industrialized cities. Establishment of a royal carpet factory in Isfahan and recruitment of artisans to provide the craftsmen with professional designs were some steps that led the Persian carpet art to its apogee. One of the hand-woven Persian carpets from the 5th century B.C. is in the Pazyryk valley. Over the centuries, this carpet has become a little bedraggled, though a thick sheet of ice was originally used to preserve it that kept protecting this carpet for more th an 2500 years. It was in 1929 when Rudenko and Griaznov led a Russian ethnographic mission to excavate the five tumuli. They discovered a magnificent carpet while excavating the fifth tumulus. Experts attribute its origin to Persia because of its obvious resemblance with the antique Persian art. The outer of the two principal border bands is decorated with a line of horsemen: seven on each side, twenty-eight in number -- a figure which corresponds to the number of males

Deforestation in Indian Essay Example for Free

Deforestation in Indian Essay The best known case of this is the Chipko movement in the Himalayas (Hegde, 1998; Weber, 1987). The villagers rallied together to save their forests by hugging the trees from the axe of the contractors who were issued licenses without the consent of the local people. Much earlier to this movement, though similar in its action is the story of the Bishnois in the desert state of Rajasthan (CSE 1984-85). The religious tenets of the community prevent them from causing any harm to any living thing. A few centuries ago a situation arose when the ruler ordered the cutting down of the trees of the area. The people of this community protested. They hugged the trees to protect them and in the process paid a very heavy price. The kings men ruthlessly chopped down the protesters before chopping down the trees. Even today the villages of the Bishnois are a pleasant sight where trees 76 IGES International Workshop grow all around inspite of the desert like environment and various animals like the endangered Blackbuck find freedom and safety in a peoples sanctuary. In addition, across the country there are innumerable sacred groves (Gadget, 1975; Gadget and Vartak, 1976; Induchoodan, 1991; WWF, 1996); patches of forests that have had a sacredness and sanctity attached to them for centuries. Often it is a forest dedicated to the local deity and in many places like in the western ghats these remain the only surviving examples of the rich and virgin forests that once clothed the mountains. More recently we come across the well-documented cases where communities are taking the initiative in protecting their forests. For instance Jardhar (Kothari, 1995) is a village in the Garhwal Himalayas about 12 hours drive away from New Delhi. Here the village has come together on its own initiative to protect the forests on the hills around their village. With the help of the Delhi based environmental group Kalpavriksh they have even prepared a community register of their biological, ecological and environmental knowledge. Additionally they have a Beej Bachao Andolan (Save the seeds campaign) wherein the villagers have taken it upon themselves to save the great agricultural diversity of their area and have started a seed bank on their own. Similar is the case in the Alwar district of Rajasthan where the coordinated action of a series of villages; protecting the forests, preventing grazing, tree cutting, and building a series of small bunds across the water streams has actually brought the river Arvari back to life (Patel, 1997). The river which had over the years turned into a seasonal stream now once again flows perennially. Enthused by the initiative of the villagers the government too responded positively and schemes like those under Joint Forestry Management are being implemented in the area.

The Laugher Of The Medusa | Analysis

The Laugher Of The Medusa | Analysis Throughout history, women have been excluded from any kind of writing that could allow them the participation in the making of history and culture. Being considered as creatures of lesser rank in mental capacities and intellect, women have been, over centuries, kept in the dark by a patriarchal system that has successfully muted their needs for expression, be it physical, oral or written. In her fundamental essay The Laugh of the Medusa, Hà ©là ¨ne Cixous, French philosopher and feminist critic, openly introduces this idea of womans need for writing as a biological drive which intimately relies on her ceasing back and mastering her own body that has been violently miused by males rhetoric , as Toril Moi asserts that always and everywhere, the rational, active, masculine intellect operates on the passive, objectified, feminized body (189). Its only from the bodily experience that women, according to Cixous, can give birth to an  «Ãƒ ©criture fà ©minine  » which will subvert the phallocentric discourse of masculine writing, along with the logocentric representational system through which it functions. The purpose of this paper is to examine the key insights that the author explores in her essay, mainly the feminine writing  [1]  with the idea of sexual differences. It is, also, necessary to consider, in the following stages, how Cixous makes use of Freuds and Lacans psychoanalysis and Derridas deconstructist theory to disrupt the phallocentric assumptions, hence to break up with all forms of repression against women. A particular focus will be on the critics contribution to French feminism and Anglo-American feminist theory. Le Rire de la Mà ©duse was written by Cixous in 1975, and translated into English as The Laugh of the Medusa in 1976 by Keith Cohen and Paula Cohen. This influential essay, essentially adressing women in order to  « bring them to writing  » (Cixous 875), is expressed in a beautiful and poetic language to convey the idea of the existence of an à ©criture fà ©minine, which is already used by the author. As with many of her writings  [2]  , Cixouss The Laugh of the Medusa revises sexual differences between men and women from past to present, anticipating a future radical change in the perception of this notion which would only take shape if woman takes back a body that is hers, from the masculine repressing language, in order to employ it as a cause and effect of a new genre of writing which Cixous introduces as the feminine writing. The whole premise of the essay is that  « Woman must write her self: must write about women and bring women to writing .  » (Cixous 875). In the light of this idea, the critic goes on to relate womens writing to their bodily experiences that represent a source of desire and urge for creativity. In other words, for a woman to be able to break up with the old traditional doormat in her skin, she must trace her own body with a feminine language. As a result, women will create their own tradition of writing, embarking from the past and its repressive language. Over centuries, masculine discourse has been the dominant and the stronger one. Women had no word to say in a patriarchal universe where, as Cixous states, they were regarded as  « dark  » and  « dangerous  » (878). Women have, accordingly, developed a sense of resentment for other women and themselves under the influence of the masculine ideology. To break up with this complex, Cixous calls woman to manifest through a writing that belongs to her ; but which can neither be defined nor theorized (883) since, as it can be deduced, language is males property, and there is no room to theorize a feminine writing within the masculine dominant discourse. However, the feminine mode of writing can be described as revolutionary against the phallocentric language and thought (888). Cixouss point is to approach this genre of writing in relation to sexual differences and gender in order to demonstrate how these differences have served historico-cultural purposes to hinder womens intellect ual capacities. She goes further to discuss the traditional idea of bisexuality as neutrality- that engenders the fear of lacking  [3]  , contrasted with a bisexuality, that allows one to identify one self as having sexual orientation toward the two sexes. From this equation, Cixous concludes that  « woman is bisexual  » by the nature of her organs and the turning shifts of events; whereas man cannot be so without losing his phallocentric masculine identity (884). In the same way, she believes that writing is bisexual, for women should write to women and men without no exclusion. Throughout the article, Cixous sensibilizes women to the urgent need of a universal revolution against the phallocentric discourse to which they have been the signified subject. By creating their a discourse of their own, women will fly through and, at the same time, steal back that which is already theirs  [4]  , their voices that have been repressed. The author points out to the fact that this subjugation has resulted in creating a female voice consciousness which, aware of the difficulties that women have undergone, reclaims their socio-cultural identity and their natural rights. She also argues for womens freedom to have children or not to have any, without being  « threatened  » or blamed for the choices they make in life (890). The main purpose of this study is to analyze the key insights that Cixous discusses in The Laugh of the Medusa, along with the major influences that affect her writing, namely the Derridian deconstruction and psychoanalytical theory. As its title indicates, the essay includes the  « Medusa  » as a metaphor to portray womans beauty, oppression and intelligence at the same time. By using this Greek mythical figure  [5]  , Cixous hits two birds with one stone : she firstly alludes to women being treated badly by their male counterparts, as Medusa was once ill-treated and raped. On the other hand, the author also hints to womens jealousy of and hatred to other women under the influence of the masculine worldview. Cixous goes on to develop this idea when she argues that men  « have committed the greatest crime against women. Insidiously, violently, they have led them to hate women, to be their own enemies  ». In the same way, the Medusas metaphor is associated with the modern psychoanalytic interpretations of Sigmund Freud who refers to the Medusas head as  « the supreme talisman who provides the image of castration associated in the childs mind with the discovery of maternal sexuality and its denial  » (Freud). Cixous takes on the idea of castration, by which the phallocentric mind is haunted, and relates it to the Medusas image so as to prove that man is unconsciously weak at the sight of the feminine sex, to the point that he is  « consumed, as Freud and his followers note, by a fear of being a woman  » (884). At this level, the critic implicitly alludes to the French psychoanalytist Jacques Lacan, who follows Freud in his concept of Wunsch  [6]  to arrive at a  « desire  » that is associated with a lack. According to Lacans theory of Lack, as explained by Joel Dor in his Introduction to the Re ading of Lacan, womans desire towards the masculine body does not originate from the body itself as the object of desire ; rather, it originates from her lacking a penis ( Dor 236). Ironically, Cixous refutes this  « phallocratic  » analysis arguing that her personal desire of the other is for the other, and that  « a desire originating from a lack  » is much poor and lacking(891). She goes further to criticize women who madly fetishize the masculine sex, treating them of  « the woman of yesterday  » who is either kept in the dark ages, idolizing the traditional way the big penis takes her ; or falsely modernized with naive virtuous thinking as Cixous affirms here :  « They still exist, easy and numerous victims of the oldest of farces: either theyre cast in the original silent version in which, as titanesses lying under the mountains they make with their quivering, they never see erected that theoretic monument to the golden phallus looming, in the old manner, over their bodies. Or, coming today out of their infans period and into the second, enlightened version of their virtuous de-basement, they see themselves suddenly assaulted by the builders of the analytic empire and, as soon as theyve begun to formulate the new desire, naked, nameless, so happy at making an appearance, theyre taken in their bath by the new old men, and then, whoops! Luring them with flashy signifiers, the demon of interpretation  » (892) Following this idea, Cixous is harshly attacking the masculine phallocentric values in the personae of Freud and Lacan, whom she accuses of exploiting the new version of  « modern  » woman to satisfy their sexual needs while theyre reducing them to an inferior and negative position. One cannot understand Cixouss ideas without going back to the Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalytic theories. If we examine Freuds interpretation of sexual differences which place man in a superior position for biological reasons  [7]  , it would then be obvious why he has been criticized by feminists  [8]  , including Cixous. Though she mainly builds her theoretical legacy on psychoanalysis, precisely Freuds, Cixous uses this latters analysis of developmental theory and gender roles -which are based on the biological differences between man and woman- as a counter-argument to assert that, though there is a sexual difference, women should be treated equally, and not in terms of the Lacanian binary oppositions, as she states :  « writing has been run by a libidinal and cultural-hence political, typically masculine-economy; that this is a locus where the repression of women has been perpetuated, over and over, more or less consciously, and in a manner thats frightening since its often hidden or adorned with the mystifying charms of fiction; that this locus has grossly exaggerated all the signs of sexual opposition (and not sexual difference), where woman has never her turn to speak  ». (879) In the same way, Cixous criticizes Lacans theory of phallocentrism which posits the phallus in the centre of the masculine being. Furthermore, the critic employs this primacy of the phallus in the Derridian deconstructist critique of logocentrism to coin the term  « phallogocentrism  », which refers to a (superior) masculine language centered upon the phallus, opposed to a (deficient) feminine language which lacks a phallus. In other words, her writing is a deconstructist one through which she undermines the phallocentric ideology that dominates language (Tidd 98). In addition to the medusas image which is used by the author to overcome Freuds  « castration  » and Lacans  « lack  », is the metaphor of Dora  [9]  that strongly disturbs Freuds legacy in psychoanalysis and therapy. When she directly adresses Dora as  « the true mistress of the Signifier  » (886), Cixous evokes the story of humiliated girl who was manipulated by her father as a pawn in a sexual game between him and his mistresss husband, and later by Freuds therapy that tried to convince her of the necessity to play the game. As a result, the girl was a subject of a double oppression, applied firstly by the father, and secondly by Freud. The case of Dora in the essay, if it alludes to patriarchal ideology and oppression of the females voice, it does not fail to deconstruct the Freudian assumptions of male superiority and the Lacanian theory of  « the Name of the Father  » which prescribes the father as a symbol of law and order. For Cixous, the name of Dora repr esents more than an example of the psychological violence caused by males oppression; she rather employs it as an icon of females revolution and manifest (Showalter 332). The Laugh of the Medusa is the most significant example of Cixouss  « à ©criture feminine  ». Rich of artistic metaphors and innovative ideas, this influential essay is inscribed as a fundamental work of art within literary and critical theory. Influenced by the deconstructist and differentialist thought, Cixouss writing has been effective in undermining the patriarchal dominance over language. By revising the question of sexual differences existing in the psychoanalytical theories of Freud and Lacan, she deconstructs the equation of the binary oppositions applied to the couple man-woman, while intelligently adopting the difference to prove the equality rather than the opposition between the sexes. The idea is recognized through feminist critiques like Shiachs  « Their Symbolic Exists- it Holds Power  » in which she notes :  « Cixous has represented the process of differentiation in more social terms, and has offered the possibility of more hopeful conclusions: the construction of new sorts of identity, which cut across dual hierarchized oppositions  ».( 165) Her poetic language and feminine style is a demonstration of what she calls  « à ©criture fà ©minine  ». Influenced by her reading of James Joyce and Virginia Woolf, Cixous seems to take up their experimentation and modernist mode of writing, herded with a feminine sensual voice and experience, as essential features of a new form, which is the feminine writing. Consequently, introducing this idea, among many others, into the critical theory has undoubtedly made of Cixous one of the most prominent figures of French feminism. When translated into English, Cixouss The Laugh has gained international interest, mainly by Anglo-American feminists. Admittedly, the author has been often criticized  [10]  for considering the sexual differences and making them as a basis for her argument, which, for certain critiques, cannot but reinforce the unequality, hence, repression. To make sense of her ideas, however, one has to contextualize them within a poststructuralist framework. Being a deconstructist par-excellence, Cixous emphasizes the differences in order to deconstruct them. For a deep understanding of her writing, it is crucial to be familiar with psychoanalytical concepts of Freud and his readers, so as to make sense of them in a Cixousian shape. Karen L. Taylor recognizes Cixouss legacy, against Morag Shiachs critique  [11]  , when she states : Furthermore, through her writing, Cixous engages in a psychoanalytical exploration of the feminine. Reading and writing are, for her, the means to grapple with the enigma of male / female relations. She has been criticized for her psychoanalytical style, influenced by Jacques Lacan, and marked by a superabundance of images. Nonetheless, Cixous has been instrumental in establishing a new form of literature that lies somewhere between myth and novel.  » ( 70) What Cixous does is more than claiming equal civil rights for women with regards to their male counterpart. What she does is deconstructing the patriarchal language that hierachizes woman into inferior positions, calling at the meanwhile for a new mode of writing that inscribes the feminine as equal to the masculine, hence, anticipating a possibility of change in social structures. Through the  « à ©criture fà ©minine  », the feminine body  « will produce far more radical effects of political and social changes than some might like to think  » ( Cixous 882).