EHR Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

EHR - Assignment Example The system should be able to provide patients with access of their information enabling home monitoring and especially of chronic diseases. The data it stores electronically should be able to be accessed by other similar systems on the state or even federal level because of disease surveillance data. The act deals with the technology in health information and especially that which deals with the privacy and security of the patients’ information in health care facilities. It deals with electronic transmission of health information which is the role of EHR. The HITECH Act therefore examines the HER and ensures that that records it stores of patients are secured and remain private failure to which civil and criminal legal action will be undertaken (American Health Lawyers Association, 2006). The government incentives for adoption of the EHR system are monetary. Doctors and hospitals which adopt the system within a certain period of time will be receiving money as incentive and in order to attract more doctors to adopt the system. The incentive money reduces as time passes. The ramifications of lack of adoption are a certain percentage cut of the Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements that physicians normally receive from government. The first requirement is to have money to purchase the system and set it up in the relevant departments or according to the goals set within the organization. The other requirement is to have people with expert knowledge of the system to operate it as well as to teach the rest of the staff who will be handling the system how to use it and repair it (Hebda, Czar & Mascara, 2012). Certified EHR is the technological system that is tailored towards specifically meeting the functionality and security required by the user. The certification maintains data sharing and confidentiality as well as keeping the system secure. This is important if the HITECH Act rules are to be adhered

The Role of Non-State Actors in World Politics Essay

The Role of Non-State Actors in World Politics - Essay Example However, since most of the international organizations fall under non-state actors, they can not be ignored due to their contributions to the world politics (Jeffrey 1997). Based on the contributions of non-state actors in the world of politics, pluralists approach the study of international relations differently and extend their views of both actors and non-actors role on dynamics of economic interests (Taylor 1984). However, structuralists view the role of non-state actors as driven by individuals with economic interests who use their resources to influence policymaking. Pluralists view on the role of nonstate actors in the world of politics By most and different accounts, non-state actors play a major role in the international policy-making (Arfi 2005). They broadly deal with global politics and specific country issues. If this assertion is something to go by, it can, therefore, be argued that currently, the independent behavior of state actors is becoming additionally limited bec ause of the compulsion to international agreements and institutions (Taylor 1984). One of the major problems associated with the study of non-state actors in the international relations is lack of logical approach on their contribution to the world of politics (Jeffrey 1997). ... Â  the world of politics and that security is not the only main issue to consider while dealing with politics and that non-actors help improve cooperation among states. According to pluralists, non-actors are not powerful actors to control states but rather enhance relations between states (Arfi 2005).

The Theory Of The Doctrine Of Affections

The Theory Of The Doctrine Of Affections We will doubt, first, whether all of the things that have fallen under our senses, or which we have ever imagined, any one (of them) really exist; in the first place, because, we know by experience that the senses sometimes err and it would be imprudent to trust too much to what has once deceived us; secondly, in dreamsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦we imagine numerable objects which have no existence.  [1]   In this quote Descartes explains that senses are unreliable and that we cannot trust them for they have been proven to lie. It is interesting, then, that music is such a popular art form, for it depends heavily, and almost solely upon listening. While a full knowledge and understanding of music cannot be discovered from a purely auditory approach, simply listening to music has the ability to subconsciously entice emotions within an audience. This link between mood and sonority grew from ancient Greek philosophy and extended well beyond the eighteenth-century, but came to its height during the Baroque Period (ca. 1570-1780). The Baroque idea called the Doctrine of Affections held this idea to be true; it was the belief which held that by making use of the appropriate and established musical methods of the time, the composer could create a piece of music which was able to produce a particular and involuntary emotional response within the audience. It was a compilation of thoughts and m usical techniques from many composers and philosophers from age of the Enlightenment, most prevalently Renà ¨ Descartes.  [2]  As previously stated, some of the principles of this concept date back centuries, to philosophers such as Aristotle, who showed that orators employed the rhetorical means to control and direct the emotions of their audiences.  [3]   However, musically the idea came to its height during the age of the Enlightenment and can be seen throughout Baroque music in instrumental pieces of great composers such as Bach and Rameau, but is especially profound in opera, due to the greater emotional stimulation caused by music and text simultaneously portrayed. The Theory of the Doctrine of Affections originated with Descartes. Descartes believed that music was centered on rationalized truth; he held that the ideas of science may not be favorable to the arts, but the understanding of science enhanced the arts possibilities. This idea relates back to his rationalist idea which was represented in the Doctrine of Affections; that knowledge is found in concepts, principles, and laws, and not just in experiences or unrefined sensations.  [4]   As such, by using scientific inquiry to understanding the biological workings of the body it was possible to attain accuracy and specific truth upon these systems which could then be used within music to rouse human emotions, and thus could increase the potential of the arts. But, simultaneously: By using empirical observationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦they may come to accept some system which has logical consistency, but little relevance to the world in which we live.  [5]   Using the ideas of scientific observation in this way could greatly inhibit the very purpose of musical expression. The very groundwork of the Doctrine of Affections can be summed up by a rationalist idea, which states that when human emotions and thoughts were suitably written within the poetry or libretto for a particular composition, the texts could then be enhanced with a proper musical line, in an attempt to bring intellectual abstractions into the realm of the passionate concrete.  [6]   The Passions, according to Descarte: Include love, sadness, hatred, desire, wonder, joy, and sorrow. Passions are predicated by actions of the soul and set into motion by contents of the blood stream. The soul is excited by the moving passions which direct a mans will. It is on the passions, good or evil, that life depends. Passions have an effect on the psyche, and uses the idea believed by philosophers and Biologists, that passions are found in the spirits contained in the blood stream.  [7]   Each passion is associated with a specific physiological symptom. For example, the breath might accelerate and the heart beat may quicken. Descartes believed that it was possible to predict the external emotions that would result from the various passions the music intended to arouse. His influence over composition was remarkable.  [8]  Writers that followed, such as Johann Mattheson, described the composers thought process towards composition as such: that the music does not express the emotion of the composer to be, for example, sad and anguished, but rather the composers attempt to create a work of art which would sadden the listeners. Also, he says that this emotional power which the music has over the listener is not necessarily outwardly shown, but the emotional effect is personal and comes from the listeners individual experiences.  [9]   Descartes Compendium Musicae and his Traite des passionse lame (catalogues or compilations of the basic human passions  [10]  ), which became popular during the Baroque period became widely studied. These publications were two of many of the age, but were the first to give musicians tangible and practical directions for appropriate and affective use of intervals, for example, happy emotions tended to be represented with wide intervals, while sadness was represented with narrower intervals.  [11]  As aforementioned, the emotional reaction to the effect which music has upon the body, used in attempt to direct the emotions of the audience, was particularly profound when used in vocal music, especially opera, due to the text to music relationship which enhanced the expressive development. This was a concept originally derived from Greek and Latin Doctrines on rhetoric and oratory  [12]   and also expressed within the philosophy of the Doctrine of Affections. In each individua l piece, the composer would try to arouse a particular type of emotion within the audience, for example, hate, anger, jealousy, or rage, but would only use one emotion at a time. He would use particular musical devises to entice emotion within the listener, which would parallel the ability of text to do the same.  [13]  One of the most famous of Baroque composers was Handel. He believed that: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦plainness and simplicity had the greatest effect upon human emotion as he endeavored to write for the voice, more in the natural tones of the human affections and passions.  [14]  ( A study in Handelian Thought 55) As such, Handel composed greatly within the concepts of the Doctrine of Affections, in attempt to provoke the passions and incite human emotions. Also, conductor Nicholas McGegan believes that Handel had great insight into underlining human emotion and his characters are absolutely human.  [15]   As previously stated, Handel composed within the realm of the philosophy of the Doctrine of Affections. As such, his arias and oratorios are written in such a way to combine the emotional context of the libretto with a musical line which would unconsciously bring about predetermined emotions within the audience. Three types of arias found during the Baroque period were those that depicted rage, happiness, and lost love. According to Johann Mattheson rage is much better at using all forms of musical inventions than more pleasant passions. However, it is not adequate enough to simply use loud dynamics and quick rhythms, as this violent quality has its own personality and requires forceful expression without losing sight of the beauty of the musical line.  [16]  The main devices used during a rage aria can be seen in an expanded theory of intervals explained by the Philosopher and Composer Rameau. Assuming that the basic human qualities of rage include anger, violence, sorrow, grave ness, harshness, and aggression, Rameau would conclude that a rage aria would include: whole and half steps, used to represent anger or sadness due to the contraction of the body; minor thirds, descending fourths, augmented fourths, minor sixths, and major sevenths. Also rage or anger would be seen in a fast tempo and most likely a minor key.  [17]  The rage arias of Handel directly follow this theme. Handels famous aria Empio, dirà ², tu sei from his opera Giulio Cesare is a classic example of a Rage aria. The first importance of this piece in terms of the Doctrine of Affections is the text: Empio, dirà ², tu sei: Togliti agli occhi miei Sie tutto crudeltà ¡ Non à ¨ di re quell cor, Che donasi al rigor Che in sen non ha pieta (I say you are a villain, Remove yourself from my sight, You are cruelty itself. This is not the heart of a king That abandons itself to such harshness, That contains no pity.) This is Giulio Cesares furious Act 1 aria in which he chastises the Egyptian general, Achilla, who has just returned to him the detached head of the Pompeo, the noble Roman general. This aria expresses Ceasars rage, and as such, Handel wrote it in c minor and in the tempo Allegro. The aria also includes many rushing scales, arpeggios, and uneven figures. From the very first opening line, the orchestral overture creates uneasiness and dread in the listener by use of running scales, large leaps, and awkward intervals (m1- 9); this agitation is affirmed by a very strong vocal entrance by the castrato, Giulio Cesare, which begins with a descending scaler line and is followed by larger leaps (m.11). . Throughout, the vocal line can be described as extremely intense- containing extensive coloratura with rushing scales (m14-16; m24-25; 32-34), arpeggios, and drastic interval changes would create an understanding of rage even in a listener who did not understand the words, for example, when Cesare says Sie tutto crudeltà ¡ (You are cruelty itself), the vocal line implements jumping intervals as well as a brief chromatic passage (m35-37) Also, throughout the piece the orchestra is particularly restless, and includes running passages, large leaps, arpeggiated figures, which also create an uneasiness. All of these factors contribute to quickening the heartbeat of the listener, providing them with an emotional relation and understanding of Giulio Cesare, just as if they, themselves were the raging party. The understanding of the text along with the extreme musical line and accompaniment creates an even more vivid picture of Cesares intense anger and rage and pulls the listener even further into the emotion, raising the blood pressure further and thus, physiologically causing the raging and uneasy emotion within the listener. Among the passions was also the emotion of joy. Mattheson held that: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦joy was an expansion of our soul, and thus it follows that reasonably and naturally that [one] could best express this affect by large and expanded intervals.  [18]   According to Rameau joyous music was also represented by great intervals, but additionally was shown with Major key and fast tempo.  [19]  The Air Oh! Had I Jubals lyre from the Oratorio Joshua by Handel implements these philosophies within the vocal line and orchestral accompaniment. Oh, had I Jubals lyre, Or Miriams tuneful voice! To sounds like his I would aspire, In songs like hers rejoice. My humble strains but faintly show, How much to Heavn and thee I owe. This is one of Handels later works, and it is based upon the biblical stories of Joshua. Essentially, Moses and the Israelites, after being freed from Egypt are told by God that they must maintain their faith to him for forty years in the wilderness before being allowed into the promise land, they do not obey him and send in spies to check out the land after two years. Long story short, Joshua and Caleb, of the younger generation maintain their faith within God and are thus allowed to enter the Promise land, while the disbelievers perished in the desert. In the bible, Jubal is quoted as being the ancestor of all who handle lyre and pipe  [20]  and Miriam is the sister of Moses and Aaron who was believed to have been a prophet. This is a simple song of happiness and praise sung by Achsah, the daughter or Caleb. Firstly, the piece is written in A major and in the tempo Allegro. From the opening of the piece, large and sonorous intervals and chords are heard and a feeling of ease an d happiness is apparent. When the soprano, Achsah enters, her line outlines an A major chord (m 10-11) and continues to move within a beautiful major key area. Although in some parts of the piece there are running passages (m21-24; m41-44; m 46-47) there continues to be large intervals and major chords throughout the accompaniment below. This stability below the quickly moving and florid passages allows the emotion of joy and happiness to be maintained throughout the piece. The piece begins and ends in a major key and throughout it implements large intervals and a consonant tone. These foundations musically create a joyous emotion within the audience because they entice openness within the body physiologically; the listeners emotional reaction, therefore directly parallels the sonority of the musical line and accompaniment. Another of the passions outlined by Descartes included love. Within opera, a common theme of unrequited or lost love is prevalent. This absence of love, which is sought by a character, brings about an emotion which is a combination of sadness and hope, and abstractly creates love. On sadness Mattheson states: Sadness is a contraction of the subtle parts of out bodyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it is easy to see that the small and smallest intervals are most suitable for this passion.  [21]   To create the feeling of lost love, this emotion is combined with the passion for hope. In regards to this emotion Mattheson explains: Hope is a pleasant and soothing thing: it consists of a joyful longing which fills the spirit with certain courage. Hence, this effect demands the loveliest use of voice and the sweetest combination of sounds in the world, for which courageous longing serves as a spur as it were; yet so that even joy is only moderate, courage nevertheless enlivens and animates everything, which yields the best combination and uniting of sounds in composition.  [22]   This combination of the passions of sadness and hope can be used to understand the emotion of love. Mattheson shows this: Love is in fact essentially a diffusion of the spirits.  [23]   Love is therefore a diffusion or combination of joy or hope (expansion) and sadness (contraction), depending upon the type of love which is occurring. For example new and young love would be represented in a more joyous way, with larger and more expansive intervals musically. However, lost or unrequited love would be represented to attract sadness or small intervals, but also to entice hope, by using larger and more expansive intervals which are pleasant and soothing, because the character continues maintains some hope that love will eventually result from the sadness and loss, thus musically drawing the listeners into their melancholy but optimistic emotion. The philosophies of the Doctrine of Affections can again be seen in the aria O Sleep, why dost thou leave me? from the opera Semele by Handel. O sleep, O sleep, why dost thou leave me? Why doust thou leave me? Why thy visionary joys remove? O sleep, O sleep, O sleep again deceive me, O sleep again devieve me, To my arms restore my wandring love, My wandring love, Restore my wandring love, Again deceive me, O sleep, To my arms, restore my wandring love. The plot line of the opera is essentially thus: Semele is in love with Jupiter, but is about to Marry a man called Cadmus at the temple of Juno. Before the ceremony, however, Semele is snatched from the temple and taken to the heavens where Jupiter builds her a grand palace. Juno is angered by this and asks the god of sleep, Somnus, to help her in her revenge. In this aria Semele has been deprived of sleep, and thus, deprived of her dreams of her lover who cannot be with her. The piece is written in a major key, but in the tempo largo. This, from the first chord of the piano, shows the parallel between happiness and sadness that are present during lost love, the emotion of hope can be seen in the large interval jumps in the left hand of the piano accompaniment (m1-4) Semeles first phrase is very quiet, slow and repetitive; it uses a beautiful scalar line of second intervals to show her anguish for the loss of her lover within dreams. Underneath her beautiful line is a similarly runni ng pattern within the piano, which is characterized with some leaps to bring about a slight feeling of hope and happiness (m 8 in both hands; m 9 in both hands; m11-end in the arpegiated left hand) The sadness comes to a height on the second page when there is a long running passage upon the word wandring, (m 17-18), but hope is seen in the ending of the piece with the interval leaps upon the word restore, coming to the climatic and beautifully quiet G sharp, before desending again into sadness (m24-25).

Defense for Booker T. Washington :: Up From Slavery African Americans Essays

Defense for Booker T. Washington Booker T. Washington is innocent of sycophancy and complacency. The meaning of sycophancy, as we know it, is a self serving flatterer. By far, I do not think that Mr. Washington is one of these. Mr. Washington’s second charge, complacency, according to the online dictionary of Merriam – Webster means, self-satisfaction accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies. Again, this is far from what Booker T. Washington is guilty of, in fact, Mr. Washington is gravely misunderstood and it is the people’s point of view that has to change to prove this man’s innocence. In his autobiography, â€Å"Up From Slavery† Washington describes his life as a slave and rising above poverty and oppression. His reason for this autobiography was to tell the world that he too suffered abuse, oppression, poverty and belittlement. He shows that he was able to sacrifice and suffer to get to where he accelerated to be a prominent educator. His purpose of this book was to educate others of his own race. Washington grew up in the South. Southern baptism was the dominant religion. People were having the calling to be ministers in every congregation. Having all of this religion around you instills attitudes of guidance from the bible. I feel that Booker T. Washington was heavily influenced by the bible whether he knew it or not. It states in the bible, â€Å"turn the other cheek, forgive one another and seek treasures of comfort from heaven, when someone is mean to you be kind to them and coals of fire will burn on their heads.† We have all heard these phrases throughout our life time. Could these ideologies be in stowed in Booker T. Washington’s mind set? Of course, it was. This is why Mr. Washington sees that forgiving the white race and to move on is justified. He’s trying to help his own race by trying to take away the hate and vengeful feelings towards the white race so that his own race is clear to move forward and eventually perhaps become equal. The fi rst step in mental health to move forward is to forgive and forget the past. This was one of the ideologies Washington was trying to promote. Washington believed that education was an important tool for moving up the social and financial ladder.

Week 2- Camelbak

Written Assignment: Camel Back Foundations of Marketing: BA181 Instructor: Stacey Smeltzer Grantham University William Hornung Student ID#: G00079415 January 1, 2012 Camel Back -They’ve Got Your ’Bak. – Case Study Analysis The case study is to understand the importance of the CamelBak. CamelBak Products, LLC is an outdoors equipment company known primarily for its hydration products, such as hydration packs and water bottles. CamelBak is also a supplier of hydration packs, protective gear, and other products to the U. S. military and law enforcement agencies around the world. The CamelBak headquarters are in Petaluma, California. CamelBak is the leading manufacturer of hydration packs. The CamelBak name comes from a play on the myth that a camel stores water in its hump. Camels actually store fat in their hump. CamelBak Given Facts in the case: 1. In 1989, Michael Eidson, has invented CamelBak for overcoming dehydration. 2. The first version, which used medical tubing to flow water from an intravenous drip bag that was insulated by a sock and strapped to the back of his shirt, was born as most inventions are—out of necessity. . The packs gained fame during the 1991 Gulf War as extreme sports enthusiasts in the U. S. Special Forces carried their personal CamelBaks into combat during Desert Storm. 4. By 1995, Edison sold the company for $4 million. Kransco has purchased it. 5. In 1999, two years after buying his first CamelBak pack, cyclist Chuck Hunter left Lockheed Martin to join the upstart company in hopes of growing its military business. 6. Hun ter partnered with DuPont to help CamelBak develop the Low Infrared Reflective (LIRR) system. 7. Other CamelBak innovations include the Water Beast reservoir, a fluid storage system that boasts 30 percent more rigidity than other packs on the market. 8. Another CamelBak first is its CBR 4. 0 pack system, which is specially designed to perform under chemical or biological weapons attack. 9. The product manager Shawn Cullen likens CamelBak to Kleenex: â€Å"Everyone calls a hydration system a CamelBak,† he says. 10. U. S. Army is working with a former supplier to develop its own version, most likely in an attempt to reduce costs. Questions: 1. Discuss how business relationships and strategic partnerships have helped to increase the value of Camelback’s products and the business itself. Answer: Camelback is first invented by Michael Edison in 1989, for solving the problem of dehydration. 1. CamelBak is purchased by Kransco. 2. Chunk Hunter has partnered with CamelBak after he left Lockheed Martin, because of growing military business. 3. Hunter partnered with DuPont to help CamelBak develop the Low Infrared Reflective (LIRR) system. 2. What type(s) of business market customers does CamelBak sell to? Answer: The following are the different segment of customers using the CamelBak products. 1. The military is big customer 2. Sports people. 3. Outdoor enthusiasts 4. Law enforcement personnel 5. U. S Special Forces 6. U. S Secret Service 7. Department of Health and Human Sciences 8. Government agencies from around the world 9. HAZMAT 10. New York Police Department 11. Extreme sports, Hunting, Recreational personnel 12. Industrial and Professionals The following is the list of Camelback Products: 1. Camelback packs 2. Low Infrared Reflective (LIRR) system. 3. CBR 4. 0 pack system 4. Water Beast packs At prices up to $200 for combat-ready systems, one thing CamelBaks aren’t is cheap. But then again, neither is CamelBak itself. Its strong product lines, history of innovation, secure strategic relationships, and dominance in government and institutional markets drove its value to over $200 million when investment bank Bear Stearns Company bought the outfit from Kransco in 2003—not bad for a product that started life as an intravenous fluid bag wrapped in a sock. 3. Review the types of demand that most influence business markets. Which ones do you think are most important for Camelback to consider in their marketing strategy? Why? Answer: The types of demand that influence business market are. 1. Bulk Orders 2. Potential Market 3. Payment System 4. Inelastic demand 5. Price inelasticity of demand. The things most important for Camelback to consider in their market strategy are. 1. There must be selective media channels. 2. Less advertisement 3. The price to be reduced by using modern technology of production. 4. The biggest client i. e. military is in the impression that the product is charged high. 5. There is lot of demand for the product in the international market. 6. The marketing should concentrate on awareness of product in untouched market. 4. What type of business product is a Camelback backpack? Answer: Camelback is an essential product for its customers. It is need for its customers. The price such product influences the consumption process of the customer. The product can be compared to a pharmaceutical drug which solves the problems of patients. There is lot of market growth for Camelback. Conclusion: From the above case study it is understood that business products have few major customers (here military to Camelback), but these customers are price sensitive and it is also threat and opportunity. The organizations that are in marketing of business products should be careful in dealing with the customers with a strategic marketing plan. One of CamelBaks biggest investors is the US military. As a soldier without the CamelBak soldiers would still be using canteens as a hydration system. Clearly this is a good marketing strategy for them to use in this particular arena and to focus on them as a whole in this one area. References Camelback. (n. d. ). From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved January 1, 2012, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Camelback History of the CamelBak. (2010, October 17). High on Mountain Biking. Retrieved January 1, 2012, from http://highonmountainbiking. com/blog-mtb/history-of-the-camelbak/ Quackenbush, J. (2011, August 25). CamelBak acquired for $257 million. Business Journal. Retrieved January 1, 2011, from http://www. northbaybusinessjournal. com/39102/camelbak-acquired-for-257-million/

Captain Corelli’s Mandolin Essay

Carlo asserts â€Å"War is a wonderful thing, in movies and in books.† By close reference to the novel, explore how war shows people at their worst and their best. The novel Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, written by Louis De Bernieres in 1994, explores â€Å"humanity; we sigh at their suffering as they are ripped apart and forever changed by war.†1 The quotation in the title is spoken by Carlo quite early on in the novel, at the end of chapter 15, titled ‘L’Omosessuale (4)’. He is referring to the idea that war is repeatedly shown to be patriotic, heroic, and indeed wonderful especially in film and literature. However, from Carlos’ experiences in Albania, he knows the true reality of war, as he has seen and experienced the suffering. We can trace Carlos’ progression of thought through his personal chapters; all entitled ‘L’Omosessuale’. He begins saying, â€Å"How wonderful it was to be at this war†(p.119) We hear him describe crossing the foreign border as â€Å"exhilarating†, and he and his comrades view themselves as â€Å"the new legionaries of the new empire that would last ten thousand years.†(p.119) This was his view at the very beginning of war, before he had really experienced any suffering. As he is yet to encounter any conflict, it is likely he has been influenced by the propaganda at the time, organised by the Italian leader, Mussolini. The next quotation is said slightly further on during Carlos’ experience, â€Å"How wonderful it was to be at war, until the weather turned against us.†(p.120) It is here that we begin to hear of some of the suffering that Carlo and his comrades had to endure, such as â€Å"we were ten thousand men soaked to the bone†(p.120). The real tragedy of war is death, and Carlo has had direct experience of this. He says, â€Å"War is wonderful until someone is killed†(p.122). This is when De Bernieres chooses to use graphic images to show the suffering that Carlo and his comrades endure. â€Å"I realised that I was covered with gory scraps of human flesh that were freezing fast to my uniform†(p.122). Finally, Carlo says the quotation in the title, â€Å"War is a wonderful thing, in movies and in books† on page 124. It is here that Carlo has realised the actuality of war, and can see that this idealised version is fictitious and can only be seen in movie and in books. â€Å"War scorches a trail through all of their lives. What seems, at the beginning of the novel, like a game, a challenge to manhood, a matter of honour, an occasion for political satire, becomes an appalling reality.2 Carlo asserts that war is shown to be wonderful in movies and in books. However, De Bernieres does not follow this trend, and shows the war for what it is. De Bernieres’ characters starve and die slowly with their entrails hanging out; he depicts the horror that they have to endure to fight for their country, and the suffering that they are put through. In Albania, Carlo says â€Å"It was as though a portion of my mind has disappeared, or as though my soul had diminished to a tiny point of grey light†(p.138). De Bernieres also shows the gore and bloodshed caused by the war, when he describes the death of Francesco. In chapter 19, L’Omosessuale (6), De Bernieres uses Carlo’s narrative to tell the reader the true details of Francesco’s death, and then the sanitised version for his mother. As well as this showing Carlos’ considerate nature, it also confirms that many people did view the war in a very different light from its reality, including Francesco’s mother. â€Å"He died on a fine day, Signora, with the sun shining and the birds singing.† â€Å"(He died on a day when the snow was melting and when, beneath that carapace, there were emerging a thousand corpses, knapsacks, rusted riffles, water bottles, illegible unfinished letters drenched in blood)† (p.148). Corelli wrote the novel, after falling in love with the Island of Cephallonia, and wanting to inform readers about what happened to this Island during World War II. For this reason, he has depicted a very real and veritable account of atrocities that occurred during the Second World War. â€Å"Everyone is shot, without regard for rank or role, even the medics and the chaplains.†3 However, in the film adaptation of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, directed by John Madden, war is viewed in a very different light. De Bernieres has said of the film â€Å"The problem is that film-makers take out all your good ideas and replace them with a load of stupid ones.†4 The depiction of war in the film is very different and many scenes seem to have been â€Å"watered down†5, in order to appeal to far wider audience. The movie has been widely criticised, after changing the story line drastically from a tragic story of the destruction and consequences of war, to a love story between Corelli and Pelagia. â€Å"Where de Bernià ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½res’ book makes it clear from the start that war is unforgivingly ugly, for a long time the film’s only hint of this is a glimpse of Mandras’s battle-scarred feet.†6 Although much of De Bernieres novel depicts the horror of war, some of the consequences of war are indeed wonderful. Corelli and Pelagia would have never found love without the intervention of war in their lives, and although ultimately war destroys their love, the moments spent together made the war endurable. The prefatory poem at the beginning on the novel shows Louis De Bernieres hinting, even before the novel has begun, that war will be an important theme throughout. ‘The Soldier’ by Humbert Wolfe describes the waste of war, and the loss of lives and of youth. Links are evident between this poem and Captain Corelli’s mandolin as they both explore the way in which war has an effect on different people. The presence of war on the Island of Cephallonia has various effects on different characters and can expose people’s flaws and merits. An excellent example of this is the contrast shown between Mandras and Antonio Corelli. Corelli has been drawn into a war that he really has no heart for. â€Å"You mean you’re a soldier by mistake?† (p. 206, Pelagia). He has no desires to be a soldier and his character is often seen as anti-military. When giving punishments he does not follow the rules that are expected of him, â€Å"To everyone’s surprise the captain pointed his pistol straight into the face of one of the culprits†(p.324). However, although he had no intention of doing so, Corelli proves to be an excellent comrade and shows morality throughout the war. â€Å"This is my morality, I make myself imagine that it is personal†(p.351). This is greatly contrasted with the character of Mandras. He has very high expectations about the life of a soldier and feels he has to prove himself to Pelagia and the rest of the Island. He resents those who know more than him, yet does not want to prove himself intellectually, as he believes â€Å"no man is a man until he has been a soldier†(p.80) Carlos’ assertion that war is wonderful in movies and in books reflects a idealised view of the war. However, Mandras believes that this view was the reality of war and he felt that becoming a soldier would make him more worthy as a man. â€Å"I’ll come back and everyone will say, That’s Mandras, who fought in the war. We owe everything to people like him.† He is indoctrinated by what is expected of him, and is predicted to conform. However high Mandras’ expectations were, the war does not elevate him, it brings him down. During his experiences in war he saw others abuse their power, and now feels he has a right to do the same, The war de-humanises him, and instead of changing him for the better it changes him for the worse. The war in Cephallonia showed the best and the worst in people. In Antonio Corelli’s case it displays his merits as he has the opportunity to exercise his humanity in the treatment of others. From the beginning of the novel, Corelli is represented as a laid-back, light-hearted leader. Although he has a great talent as a leader, he is very modest and introduces Carlo as â€Å"one of our heroes, He has a hundred medals for saving life and none for taking it†(p.202). He proves himself as an excellent comrade and Captain by being faithful to his men until the very end. â€Å"There is no honour in this war, but I have to be with my boys†(p.392). His introduction of La Scala also shows good comradeship, as it is a humorous and practical solution to having to use communal toilets. This is also a crucial element of the novel, as before they go to join the shooting line up, they sing to maintain their composure. He also shows his forgiving nature when he chooses to forgive Gunter for what he has done. â€Å"I forgive you. If I do not, who will?†(p.397). He says of himself â€Å"I am not a natural parasite†(p.305) and this is seen clearly when he avoids any confrontation with Pelagia. He is uncomfortable about living with Pelagia and her father â€Å"Tonight I shall sleep in the yard and tomorrow I shall request alternative accommodation†(p.204). Corelli’s fondness for animals is De Bernieres way of showing positive traits in a character. The fact that Corelli is so attached to Psipsina shows that he is an admirable man and the reader feel connected to him. â€Å"The captain had some engaging traits. He tied a cork to a piece of string, and sprinted about the house with Psipsina in hot pursuit†¦and if the animal happened to be sitting on a piece of music, he would go away and fetch another sheet rather than disturb her†(p.250) Corelli also shows fondness for children in his relationship with Lemoni. Although there is a language barrier, the two are able to communicate on a different level, and are able to enjoy each other’s company. â€Å"The child was whooping and laughing, and it appeared that what was transpiring was a lesson in Italian. ‘Bella fanciulla,’ the captain was saying. He was waiting for Lemoni to repeat it. ‘Bla fanshla,’ she giggled.† (p. 211) He also appears to have a very different attitude than other soldiers, when he arrives in Cephallonia with his mandolin strapped to his back, and not a gun, as you would expect from a soldier. The mandolin â€Å"that was called Antonia because it was the other half of himself.† This love for music is another engaging trait that the captain has, and is one of the reasons Pelagia falls in love with him. We also see this originality to his character when Gunter Weber, a german soldier, introduces himself. Weber says â€Å"Heil Hitler†, yet Corelli says â€Å"Heil Puccini†, showing he has a very different attitude to the war, and will not be led by anyone. This again shows his love for classical music, as Puccini was a great composer, whom Corelli was an admirer of. His relationship with Pelagia is clearly one of great love and admiration, however it also contains sexual desires, which are never consummated. â€Å"Such slender fingers, such pink nails. He imagined them engaged upon amorous and nocturnal things, and realised that he was disturbing Psipsina.†(p.259, Corelli) This shows ongoing respect for Pelagia and her father, and also shows Corelli’s caring and considerate temperament. In contrast to Corelli, the character Mandras is brutalised by war. He believes that war will change him for the better, yet it changes him for the worse. He becomes a victim of propaganda and a victim of his insecurities. Before he leaves for war he tells Pelagia â€Å"I’m a Greek†¦not a Fascist†(p.214) War changes him for the worse as he is very easily led and allows others to influence him. This may have had a positive effect on Mandras if he had chosen Iannis to guide him, yet he chooses Hector, the leader of a branch of the ELAS. Joining this group causes him to abandon his personal values, and this is seen when he whips the old man. â€Å"Mandras did not even notice that the man had stopped moving, had stopped screaming and whining†(p.233). He manages to blank out the emotions that he should be feeling, and begins to enjoy the power he holds over this old man. â€Å"If you didn’t think about what it was, it sounded weirdly beautiful†(p.234) After returning from the war, he becomes much more manipulative, especially towards Pelagia and Drosoula. â€Å"Mandras had begun his exile into inaccessibility by dramatising the idea of death†(p.180). Pelagia was â€Å"convinced that he was doing it on purpose as an act of vengeance or punishment.†(p.180). This shows a very cruel side to Mandras that we have never seen before, and it clearly takes the war to bring out this negative side of his character. He has clearly been indoctrinated by the propaganda of the war, and this is seen in chapter 63, when he recites communist slogans. â€Å"The party is never wrong. Whoever is not with us is against us†(p.447) He does not seem to be questioning what he has been told, he just repeats it. He has experienced others abusing their power during his time with the ELAS and now sees this as an approved way of behaving. â€Å"De Bernià ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½res explores power and its abuse†7 He insults and belittles Pelagia after he returns from fighting and tortures her further, even though he should see that she has suffered enough during the war. De Bernieres shows a side to Mandras that readers have never seen before. He represents him as evil and sadistic, and we see Mandras refer to Pelagia as a â€Å"slut†. His morals have disintegrated following his fighting with the ELAS, and feels that he can do whatever he wants. This is due to the fact that the ELAS would make up their own rules for their comrades to follow. The war de-humanises Mandras and he represents the damage that can be inflicted by extreme politics. In Mandras’ death, De Bernieres wants readers to feel pity for him, as it is clear the communist party has seriously indoctrinated him. He dies as a victim of the war, and a desire to prove himself worthy, and this also evokes compassion in the reader Carlo is a character in the novel who shows how war can bring out the best in people. He is a very honourable character, and has to live with the secret that he is homosexual. He puts aside his desire for Corelli in order to help the romance between Pelagia and Corelli develop. â€Å"I have loved you with the same surprise and gratitude that I see in your own eyes when you are with Pelagia†(p.384). He shows true bravery in front of the firing squad when stepping in front of Corelli to save his life. â€Å"Antonio Corelli†¦had found in front of him the titanic bulk of Carlo Guercio†(p.399). De Bernieres uses Carlo’s narrative in the chapters entitled L’Omosessuale, and this allows the readers to sympathise further with the silent suffering that Carlo has to endure during the war. His writings are eloquently written and his language is poetic and beautiful, showing the gentle side to his character. â€Å"He died on a fine day, Signora, with the sun shining and the birds singing.†(P.148, Carlo) â€Å"Father Arsenios was saved by the war†(p.292). De Bernieres absolves Arsenios after the war and liberates him from his former self. However, the characters perceive him as a mad man and cannot see that war has brought about his finest hour. He is referred to as the â€Å"crazy priest† yet he feels he is a saviour and â€Å"it is probable that, had he lived, Arsenios might have become a saint†(p.295). De Bernieres chooses to depict war in a graphic and realistic light in his novel, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. Although in many films or books war is shown to be wonderful, this idealised version is proved wrong in De Bernieres novel, as he shows the suffering that the soldiers were forced to endure. He shows that the war has different effects on different people, and it can expose their faults or their merits. Mandras is forever changed by the war, as he returns indoctrinated by the communist party. His death proves that his natural environment is the sea, where he can be accepted and does not have to prove himself. In contrast Corelli’s merits are shown to be more prominent as the war develops, and also as his love for Pelagia develops. The reader is drawn to the character of Corelli, even though he is an occupying soldier, as he shows compassion, kindness and respect during his time in Cephallonia.