A first person narrator is always an unreliable narrator

‘Enduring Love' is written using a first person narrator, with the exception of one chapter where Joe chooses to tell the story from Clarissa's point of view. A first person narrator could be considered unreliable for many reasons, including the opinionated view given on everything around them and the fact that they have limited knowledge of what other characters think and do. A first person narrator could also, however, give a more in depth view into characters' interiors and allow for a more detailed account of events.A first person narrator's account of a scene could be considered ore reliable because they were present and were therefore able to notice details that an omniscient narrator may miss or omit. A particular point of view, such as Joe's scientific view on everything, may bring clarity to a situation, especially if written in the past tense so that the character has had time to ‘sort out their thoughts'. This is the case in Joe's description of the initial bal loon incident, which includes detailed description of the action as well as of the preceding events and their relevance to the present action.Joe's insistence on the importance of his decisions in the later utcome makes the reader realise the severity of the situation, and perhaps pick up more hints or subtle details which will become relevant later in the story and make more sense of later events. A first person narrator, being a character in the story, has more knowledge of other characters in the story than an omniscient narrator might. This may allow for two things: Firstly, despite being a first person narrative, the narrator's interactions with other characters in the story may allow the later account of the story to be told including a different character's point of view.This could allow or a better overview of the situation, as is the case first for the balloon incident and then for Joe and Clarissa's argument. It allows for a less biased yet more in depth view of the situat ion. Secondly, the narrator's understanding of characters' personalities could allow for better interpretation of their actions than an omniscient narrator's objective view on goings-on. Joe interprets Clarissa's actions, hereby giving the reader a more realistic and true view of her character than if the reader was left to interpret without this ‘inside knowledge'.The first person narrator here allows for deeper and truer-to-life characterisation of both himself and certain characters around him. Bias and opinion are the main arguments that speak for a first person narrator's unreliability. While the narrator's interpretations of action may be helpful, they may also be flawed or influenced by opinion as they lack the knowledge of an omniscient narrator. This is particularly noteworthy in Joe's descriptions of Jed Parry's gestures and actions, which may be heavily influenced by his knowledge of Jed's intentions at the time of writing.He may effectively be ‘beating Parry at his own ame' by reading into things too much in retrospect and finding hidden meanings and intentions when at the time he may not have paid much attention to them. A first person narrator's storytelling will also inevitably be influenced by their own habits analysis of situations. Due to his â€Å"stripping down† of events, the overall meaning and picture may be lost in scientific analogies and facts.As Joe says himself, narrative may cloud Judgement, and as he begins to tell the story the lines between imagination and reality may blur while attempting to remember details of events. Furthermore, a first person narrator will not have full knowledge of action going on away from them simultaneously, and therefore the reader will not have knowledge of the full story until it is revealed to the narrator and open to his interpretation before telling it.Finally, in terms of characterisation, while a first person narrator may allow deeper insights into characters they lack all-aro und knowledge of characters' thoughts and feelings. This may cause false interpretations based on personal opinions and relationships. Overall, a first person narrator may allow an insightful, ivid view of a story, with interesting opinions and interpretations of situations and characters.As long as the reader is given enough accurate information to make their own opinions in retrospect, a first person narrator's opinions can allow powerful characterisation and bring the story to life. As a character in the story, the narrator can reliably convey information from a first person point of view, and their position inside the story allows them an up-close view of the action. A first person narrator can make a reliable narrator, provided that the reader maintains an open mind and is able to differentiate between reality and opinion.

Wordsworth v Browning

The Power of Happiness As Christopher Morley once said ,†there Is only one success – to spend your life In your own way†. Similarly, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and William Wordsmith both have successfully happy lives, although they are consoled in different ways.In both â€Å"How Do I Love Thee† by Elizabeth Browning and â€Å"l Wandered Lonely As A Cloud† by William Wordsmith, there is a common theme of happiness depicted through the use of diction, however, Browning presents reasons as to why she achieves happiness from a physical human companion, whereas in Wordsmiths, he cuisses how his happiness comes from the Inanimate prospects of nature, both using similes and personification to relay this to the reader. In â€Å"How Do Love Thee†, Browning lists the multitude of ways she loves her husband.A theme of happiness pervades through the entirety of the poem as she describes this love she has with her husband. Browning states â€Å"my soul ca n reach, when feeling out of sight, for the ends of Being and ideal Grace† (3-4). Through the personification of her soul, Browning reveals her dependence on her husband for her happiness, not that this is necessarily a bad thing. She simply cannot fathom living without him, therefore making him the source of her happiness. Along with the use of personification, Browning depicts her love for her husband through multiple similes.She â€Å"love[s] thee freely, as men strive for Right† (Browning 7), indicating her natural and free love for her husband. While other people and things in life take work and persistence, loving him comes easily and naturally to her. Similarly, she â€Å"love[s] thee with the breath, Smiles, tears of all [her] life† (Browning 12-13), continuing to show her presents and constant love for him with the use of enjambment. One could grasp the love and devotion she has for her husband in this one line where she essentially says he is everything to her.Browning also states â€Å". And, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death†, relaying also the theme of happiness In accordance with her constant dependence on her husband (14). Along with expressing her undying love for her husband, Browning shows that this love brings her pure happiness. Using words such as â€Å"sun†, â€Å"smiles†, and â€Å"childhood†, Borrowing's diction helps to relay the theme of happiness to the reader. Because Browning uses these words to portray a joyful tone, the reader can infer the happiness that her husband Robert brings to her.Wordsmith's poem, while still having a theme of happiness, shows how Wordsmith relies solely on the beauty of nature to bring him happiness, as opposed to a person. Though Browning needs a human companion, as many people do, to make her happy, Wordsmith finds conclusive happiness in the inanimate things of nature. Thinking back to a time of complete content, Wordsmith describes daffodils â€Å"tossing their heads in sprightly dance† (12). In this particular line of the poem, Wordsmith uses personification to describe the daffodils in an upbeat demeanor.He knows that the daffodils and things of nature will stay with him constantly through his life. Therefore, through the sleep â€Å"continuous as the stars that careful selection of figurative language. As he describes the beauty and grace of the daffodils, Wordsmith â€Å"could not but be gay In such a Jocund company', using enjambment to show that the daffodils bring him a happiness he cannot help nor deny (15-16). Although Browning needs the aid and presence off human being, Wordsmith relishes in â€Å"the bliss of solitude† (22), using only the things of nature to brighten his mood and devote his life.In addition, when in â€Å"vacant or pensive mood†(20) he thinks about the daffodils and is immediately consoled Just by the memory of their beauty, thus reiterating his infatuation with nature. In addition to using figurative language, Wordsmith uses diction to also encompass the intended theme of happiness. The words â€Å"fluttering†, â€Å"glee†, and â€Å"pleasure† give off a tone of Joy, therefore continuing the theme of happiness throughout the poem. One could infer from his usage of these words that the fiddles and nature bring him the happiness he references throughout the poem.Just like Wordsmith and Browning, we all have different things in life that make us happy, whether it be dancing, drawing, swimming, or baking. We all have that one thing to depend on when all else in the world seems wrong or against us. Wordsmith and Browning depict this in their poems, therefore continually relating to the common man and the literary era of romanticism. These poems they have shared with the world help readers to do what they are passionate about and happiness will come.

Lohri Festival Essay

In Punjab the life is lead in a different style. A tradition of living life with fun and gaiety, enjoying very moment, can be seen here. Glimpse of this life style can be seen every year on Lohdi festival, 12 January. Lohdi is celebrated in the evening before Makar Sankranti, in the northern states of India like Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and the near by areas. This day, the culture of these places display a new look. Lohri is not just limited to Punjab. But here the look of this festival is something different. This day, the color and happiness is in full beauty and liveliness. While talking about Punjab how can we forget mentioning Mustard’s Saag, Chapattis made of corn, smell of Earth, sweet smell of water from pot. Lohri is a festival of thanking nature, and, the spark of joy is different if it is celebrated in the style of Punjab. Lohri is also called the knock of Makar Sankranti. The folk songs in the evening of Lohri, make the environment musically beautiful. As per the Hindu religion, it is believed that what ever we donate something in fire, it directly reach to our God and ancestors. On the day of Lohdi, the swinging crops from farm are brought home, then it is burnt in fire.Dancing and singing people move around it and do a thanks giving. Here also, there is a different style of worshiping God. Although the festival of Lohri brings in happiness for every class and age people of north India. But, it is particularly special for young men, women and newly married couples. Today, youth, girls and guys, dress up beautifully and organise a competition of signing.

How do video games affect socialization skills in children Research Paper

How do video games affect socialization skills in children - Research Paper Example There are five major categories of video games – Sports, General entertainment, Fantasy violence, Human violence and Education. Medicine and psychological experts are divided adverse effects on video games on children especially with regard to their socialization skills. The major pros and cons of playing video games have been highlighted below. Positives Entertainment and Fun learning Promoted even by educational institutions Encourages problem solving skills Interactive Sense of achievement Improves perceptual, motor and cognitive skills Improves planning and handling of complex situations. Negatives Poor academics Addictive Highly aggressive Accepts violence as being normal Leads to health hazards like Obesity and other diseases Increases heart rate, sugar and blood pressure levels Empirical evidence suggests that, more often than not, the negatives outweigh the benefits. Social activists and health experts advise regular parental control over the amount of time the child s pends on playing video games and the nature of games being played. Children are strongly urged to keep away from games portraying too much violence. Review Of Literature A recent study conducted by Cheryl K. Olson, a researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital's Center for Mental Health and Media in Boston, indicated that fears on the adverse effect of video games on kids were unfounded. He highlighted that video game benefits can include nourishment of self esteem, pride and socialization skills. He concluded that kids can learn academics, social interaction and cooperation and even history from video games. He recommended that parental guidance and control were key to kids’ obtaining maximum benefits from video gaming. Dawar (2010) concedes that evidence exists that playing violent video games makes kids more aggressive and less sympathetic towards victims. But, he argues that video games feature characters helping each other and thereby makes the kids friendlier. He remar ks that international evidence from correlational, longitudinal and experimental studies indicate that kids playing prosocial games were definitely better skilled at socialization. The National Network for Child Care (NNCC) reports that children spending too much time on video games result in compromised social skills. Social skills like learning how to share with others, carry on a conversation etc. are imperative to juvenile development. It further states that social skills need to be modeled on parents not machines like video gaming consoles. Affonso (1999) found that teenagers are much heavier Internet users than their parents. Adults deployed the Interne to seek out job and employment-related information. The teenagers were more likely to play games, listen to music and meet new people. He voiced concern that Internet mirrored television and will intensify the negative effects on our social skills and that we are encouraging our children to become social nitwits! However, he wa s not all skeptical about the effect of video games on children. He also indicated that most children were quite capable of handling themselves and technology had proven to be a positive enhancement to growth. According to him, children used the technology to play, learn, communicate and form relationships as children always have. Development is enhanced in an interactive world." Johnson (2007) argued that gaming sharpened thinking, social skills and perception. It was fun and promoted

Air Traffic Monitoring Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Air Traffic Monitoring - Assignment Example This is in contrast to the seven-day average for this flight of departure time at 13:34 EST and arrival time at 14:32 EST. Similar delays in departure time from point of origin and arrival time were experienced by the other incoming flights. At the time of this monitoring, KLGA was performing approximately twenty-eight arrivals per hour. Departures from LaGuadia were also experiencing significant delays due to weather and delayed incoming planes. For example, a flight from KLGA to Port Columbus International scheduled to depart at 15:35 EST did not leave the airport until 17:10 EST. At the time of this monitoring, KLGA was performing approximately thirty-one departures per hour. Flights leaving KLGA were subject to low instrument flight rules, due to visibility under one mile and/or a cloud ceiling under 500 feet. Wind direction was 40 degrees and was measured between 17 and 21 knots on the day of monitoring. Flights had been under low instrument flight rules since 6:49 EST, prior to which they were under instrument flight rules, with visibility of 1-3 miles and/or a cloud ceiling between 500 and 1000 feet.

Daniel R. Headrick, The Tools of Empire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Daniel R. Headrick, The Tools of Empire - Essay Example He argues throughout the book, with reference to many well-researched examples, that pre-Industrial Revolution, the journeying, living and conquering of such regions simply was not possible, as the technology was just not available for this to be achieved, managed or sustained successfully. However, as Headrick argues, with the onset of the Industrial Revolution and the technological advances this forged, these technological advances allowed people to travel and live in countries other than their own, such that the expansion of the Empire became possible at this period in history. Continuing on from this general introduction, throughout the book, Headrick analyzes the technological advances that allowed this dominance to proceed, both by presenting a straight-forward mechanical analysis of the actions of the people and the inventions and technological advances involved, and by presenting a detailed analysis of secondary sources, which allows him to offer an interpretation of the thoughts and motivations of the people involved; this e... Thus, the text moves forward apace, discussing what could be rather dry historical texts and documents, in a light and easy to read manner. This use of interpreting secondary sources for his own means, to present information from entirely his own perspective leads, however, to several major problems with the text, which will be discussed later in this review. In the book, Headrick spends a long time discussing inventions of relevance in this period; for example, much of the book is devoted to a discussion of anti-malarial drugs and how they enabled Europeans to travel, live and work in the tropical regions. This discussion is not, however, centred around why there was a desire to colonize and conquer these regions and its people; indeed, the book steers away from this subject at every opportunity, almost as if it is something not to be discussed. Yet this is precisely the issue that is opportune in such a tome: in scientific or technological achievements, it is usually the motivations which drive people to achieve leaps of progress, and not the leaps of progress themselves which drive people to want to achieve technological or scientific advancement. It would have been extremely interesting, as a reader, to be presented with alternate arguments for why at this particular point in history, aside from technological advances which enabled travel to these regions to become easier, Europeans decided to travel to these regions - what were they seeking Where did the funds for travel and expeditions come from How did they plan and execute journeys and colonisation strategies A more strategic analysis of the era, in terms of political and economic motivations would have been welcome, as this would have offered a complete picture of the events of the time, which

Reflection on team working experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reflection on team working experience - Essay Example Reflection on Team Working Experience The Belbin theory on self-perception was created to assess how an individual behaves when working in a group setting. Meredith Belbin formulated this theory after studying several teams in session. This theory proved useful in my appraisal of the performance of different team members in this assignment. The following fields were evaluated for every member (Belbin, 1981, p 13). It is crucial for group members not to be passive and wait for the other members to do his or her part. Each group member is expected to contribute to the overall input of the group. (Luthans, 1995, p27). Efficiency is crucial in all tasks. It becomes especially crucial when people are working as a group. When there is a lack of organization, and time management, some members of the group may be overworked, or the work will not be done at all or completed in the expected duration (Katzenbach and Smith, 1999, p7). Individuals should be team players in order to adapt well into a team. For a group to be fruitful, it is crucial for its individuals to have the right attitudes toward teamwork (McCann and Margerison, 1989, p52). Working in a team setting was an interesting experience for me. During this exercise, I interacted with people with different personalities. This made me learn how to be cope with the challenges of working in a team. I believe this was vital in preparing me for my career in midwifery.

Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 71

Reflection - Essay Example complish God’s will.† This is the actual meaning of life; that is, to attain God’s will by making the best use of your competencies that He has blessed you with. Secondly, as Johnson (1990, p.17) asserts, I would also like the world to believe that that we find the true happiness in worldly possessions, positions, wealth, and status, if only we are able to relate the acquiring of these to God’s will. For me, true happiness, which is the essence of life, comes not from worldly possessions but from obedience of God. Thirdly, my last lesson is that one should limit one’s lust for the world. One should start living according to ethical boundaries set by God, because only then will God intrude in one’s matters to shower His blessings. The German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, contradicts this viewpoint with his idea of nihilism, in which he argues that human existence does not have any meaning. According to him (as cited in Keiji, 1990, p.29), t he idea of afterlife is so strong that the worldly life becomes meaningless. This idea denies the importance or the ultimate meaning of life. Still, I believe that it is important to spend this life whole-heartedly while remaining within the ethical boundaries. Sharpe and Bryant (2005, p.130) raise the concern in their book: Does the success of science mean that we must abandon the Divine like a plaything we once loved but have now outgrown? Such and other concerns raised by the authors make us ponder upon the relationship between science and religion. This course has, thus, impacted my understanding of science and religion to a great extent because I have been able to understand how science has proven what religious scriptures mentioned many hundred years ago. I have understood that science and religion do not stand far apart; instead, they strengthen each other’s claims and findings. I have understood that Diving power can never be put in the background or can never be forgotten, because it is the Divine that

Compare Othello and Batman Dark Knight Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Compare Othello and Batman Dark Knight - Essay Example As Shakespeare put it in his novel â€Å"†¦. â€Å"...my ancient; a man he is of honesty and trust. To this conveyance I assign my wife†. (Shakespeare) However, Othello is no God. He is composed of his imperfections and his vulnerabilities. He becomes a victim of these vulnerabilities eventually. Batman on the other hand is someone who is strongly righteous. He cannot be out-smarted and he will stand up for justice no matter what. He doesn’t care if people around him like it or not. He follows his heart even when he is condemned. Othello begins showing how easily he can be manipulated and maneuvered when the character of Iago comes to the fore in the play. This is when the reader is enlightened with Othello’s ability to over-trust and his naivetà © as he places complete faith in Iago. Othello is blinded by his faith in Iago. This shows how a tragic hero’s flaw is not a defect in his character but it is the over-presence of virtue in his nature. Othello’s perilous virtue takes shape of his immense trust in Iago-the same trust that brought his tragic fall. Batman on the other hand on other hand has aims and aspirations of the future. He wants to return Gotham, the glory and power it once commanded. This is the essence of his character. He turns into batman to help the city which was be-it all for him. Batman does not have any confides in the movie except for Alfred and Gordon. He is reserved and he does not believe in over-trusting people. It is just that these two characters are the only back-up support that Batman has. However, he is head strong and does not give in to the vulnerabilities of a situation. Alfred is trust worthy and he is always there to help him. This is also Batman knows who he can trust and who he cannot afford to trust. Othello was so blinded by his faith in Iago, he lost his rationale to think and see logically- a price he had to pay in the end when he realizes how badly he has wronged Desdemona. In one of his last

The Rise of the KKK Essay Example for Free

The Rise of the KKK Essay As a result of the Red Scare and also anti-immigrant feelings, groups bigots used anti-communism as their excuse to harass any group that wasn’t the same as their group. One of these groups was known as the Ku Klux Klan, or the KKK. The Ku Klux Klan was a secret organization that used terrorist tactics in an attempt to restore white supremacy in Southern states after the Civil war. This group was devoted to â€Å"One hundred percent Americanism† and by 1924, the KKK membership had reached 4. 5 million white male citizens. The Ku Klux Klan also believe in keeping black people â€Å"in their place† by destroying saloons, opposing unions, and driving Roman Catholics, Jews, and foreign-born people out of the country. One scared African American told me in an interview that members of the Klan had even been harassing their three year old daughters. Members of the KKK were paid to recruit new members into their group of secret rituals and racial violence. Even though the Ku Klux Klan dominated state politics in many states, by the end of the decade it’s criminal activity led to a decrease in power. In the 1920s, the Klan moved in many states to dominate local and state politics. The Klan devised a strategy called the decade, in which every member of the Klan was responsible for recruiting ten people to vote for Klan candidates in elections. In 1924 the Klan succeeded in engineering the elections of officials from coast to coast, including the mayors of Portland, Maine, and Portland, Oregon. In some states, such as Colorado and Indiana, they placed enough Klansmen in positions of power to effectively control the state government. Known as the Invisible Empire, the KKKs presence was felt across the country. But when the Klan came to recruit in the town of Greenville, Mississippi, LeRoy Percy moved to keep the Klan out of his town. His passionate speech at the Klans recruitment session convinced townspeople to support a resolution to condemn the Klan.

Roman Catholic Contemporary Tradition Of Moral Theology Theology Religion Essay

Roman Catholic Contemporary Tradition Of Moral Theology Theology Religion Essay An Introduction to Moral Theology was originally written in December of 1990 by William E. May. It was published by Our Sunday Visitor, Inc. in 1991, just prior to the Encyclical Letter of John Paul II, Veritatis Splendor, which was published in 1994. Later in 1994, May published his revised edition most likely to incorporate and respond to the clarifications provided by Veritatis Splendor. With the second edition, published in 2003, he further expanded his work and provides a very clear and thorough analysis of Christian moral theology. May maintains a strong emphasis on the Christian moral principles purported by Germain Grisez and his companion moral theologians John Finnis and Joseph Boyle. May maintains fidelity to the Roman Catholic Magisterium and offers a strong foundation that stems from his own expertise including his knowledge of bioethics. William May is definitely main-stream and possesses a sound and loyal adherence to the post Vatican II reconnection with Aquinian moral principles. If there is a criticism of Mays book, it is that he possesses such a deep and profound understanding of the evolution of modern moral theology, including the myriad of revisionist authors and their various schools of thought, that he is capable and somewhat prone to lose a novice in the complexity. His book may better serve the graduate student who possesses a core understanding of moral theology, rather than the neophyte or liberal arts undergraduate. May demonstrates repeated loyalty to the theories and teachings of Germain Grisez and often defends them in combination with John Finnis and Joseph Boyle. May, Grisez, Finnis and Boyle have also collaborated in publishing other works. May also brings other authors and theologians into his comparative analysis including: Martin Rhonheimer, Joseph Fuchs, Richard Gula, Charles Curran and Timothy OConnell among many others. May fearlessly pits their views on moral theology against Aquinas Summa , Veritatis Splendor and the documents from Vatican II, especially when sorting out the complex definitions of natural law. Although fearless in his quest for fidelity to Roman Catholic tradition and the Magisterium, he is both thorough and contextually compassionate to the opposing ideas presented by the revisionists and proportionalists, pointing out their positive contributions as well as their serious theological flaws. May is not timid and he quickly rejects their infidelity to the foundation al underpinnings of Roman Catholic theology while simultaneously attempting to understand why they have chosen a contrary stance to Aquinas, Veritatis Splendor, or similar post Vatican II magisterial interpretations. Human Dignity and Free Human Action In Mays first edition, he listed two kinds of human dignity stating, According to Catholic tradition, as found in Aquinas and in the teachings of Vatican Council II, there is a twofold dignity proper to human beings: one is intrinsic and an endowment or gift; the other is also intrinsic, but is an achievement or acquisition.  [1]  Referring to Dignitatis Humane, which was published in 1965, but more notably, citing Veritatis Splendor, May is motivated to add a third kind of human dignity in his revision that he calls, [A] purely gratuitous gift from God himself, who gives this to us when, through baptism, we are re-generated as Gods very own children and given the vocation to become holy, even as the heavenly Father is holy, and to be co-workers with Christ, his collaborators in redeeming the world. This dignity is a treasure entrusted to us, and we can lose it by freely choosing to do what is gravely evil.  [2]   In keeping with his recognized mainstream Roman Catholic theology, May incorporates John Paul IIs renewed focus on moral absolutes, together with the theological virtues presented in Veritatis Splendor, and inculcates this vision into in his two revisions. May was already a proponent of Aquinas and he spends a great deal of time, devoting an entire section of his book on natural law in Aquinas as developed in the Summa Theologiae. He contrasts Aquinas with Ulpians definitions of natural law and then focuses on Aquinas teaching of natural law in the Summa Contra Gentiles. His Revised Edition adds a section on natural law from Vatican II and then in his Second Edition he also adds sections to his book to include the theology of John Paul II as well as Martin Rhonheimer. Mays theology is strong on moral responsibility and their resulting norms. One example is how he interweaves the teaching on natural law from Aquinas with the theology expressed by Grisez, Boyle and Finnis; concluding, It is the natural law which is perfected, fulfilled, [and] completed by the evangelical law of love, of a more-than-human kind of love, the love that God himself has for us. [When we are] concerned with our life as moral persons in Christ, we shall seek to know how the evangelical law of love fulfills and completes the natural law.  [3]   As already noted, May is not shy about identifying and attacking the revisionist theologians and pitting them against Veritatis Splendor and the teachings of the Magisterium. He reviews and sheds light upon the writings of a myriad of the post-Vatican II revisionists including: Louis Janssens, Josef Fuchs, Richard Gula, Richard McCormick, Timothy E. OConnell, Franz Bà ¶ckle, Charles E. Curran, Bernard Hà ¤ring, Franz Scholz, Peter Knauer, and Bruno Schà ¼ller. May defends moral absolutes using strong and carefully documented arguments as they are described in the Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church and Veritatis Splendor by John Paul II. He ultimately concludes, Revisionists, in their arguments based on the wholeness or totality of the human act, focus on the agents remote or ulterior end or further intention, i.e., on the good that the agent hopes to realize by choosing to do x here and now, or the evil that the agent hopes to avoid by choosing to do x here and now. But they fail to take seriously indeed, they even ignore the moral significance of the x that is chosen to realize this end and the fact that the agent freely wills this x as a chosen means, for it is the proximate end of his will act and the present intention that shapes his moral being. Revisionists are thus led to redescribe human actions in terms of their hoped-for results. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] Secondly, it falsely redescribes actions in terms of their anticipated results and by doing so fails to reveal and at times even conceals what moral agents are in fact choosing and doing [emphasis added].  [4]   On Human Action and Virtue May provides a solid and clear understanding of human action and free choice. Mays first edition (1991) is virtually void of a discussion on the virtues. He does mention virtues and vices in his section, The Basic Understanding of Law in the Summa Theologiae, but his goal is targeted towards a discussion of goods and habits within Eternal Law and Natural Law. His revised (1994) and second (2003) editions add a section dedicated to the virtues. He reflects on Grisez, Aquinas and their discussion of virtue, but less as an instruction on the virtues and more as a response to Veritatis Splendors emphasis on the virtues and their importance and effect on free human action and formation of conscience in the moral life. May has a brief discussion on the Cardinal Virtues and specifically side-steps the Theological Virtues stating, I will not here consider his [Aquinas] teaching on the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity and his teaching that, with charity, God infuses supernatural moral virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance, etc. These aspects of his teaching are well set forth by Romanus Cessario in The Moral Virtues and Theological Ethics and Virtue or the Examined Life. An excellent brief account of Thomass teaching on the virtues can be found in T. C. OBriens article on virtue in the New Catholic Encyclopedia.  [5]   Turning then to the Cardinal Virtues, May first reflects on Aquinas discussion of appetites and how they contribute to the formation of the Cardinal Virtues. May states, This text prepares the way for Aquinass division of the moral virtues perfecting the appetites into the classical cardinal virtues, namely, those of prudence (perfecting ones practical reason), justice (perfecting the appetite of the will), temperance (perfecting the concupiscible appetite), and fortitude (perfecting the irascible appetite).  [6]   In coincidence with and in defense of Germain Grisez, May sees a relationship between moral virtues and moral principles. He finds that a virtue is akin to a good habit, citing fairness and justice, and asserting that ones personality is affected by each of the commitments and moral norms practiced by that person. May states, Some today oppose a virtue-based ethics to a normative or principle-based ethics. This debate is in my opinion misplaced. The following passage from Grisez indicates the proper relationship between virtues and moral principles: What, he asks, is the connection à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ between moral principles and virtues? Do we have two distinct, perhaps even competing, approaches to morality an ethics of moral truth versus an ethics of virtue? Not at all. Take the Golden Rule. One who consistently chooses fairly and works consistently to carry out such choices is a fair person a person, that is, with the virtue of fairness or justice. A virtue is nothing other than an aspect of the personality of a person integrated through commitments and other choices made in accord with relevant moral norms derived from the relevant modes of responsibility. In other words: living by the standard of fairness makes a person fair.  [7]   This assertion of May also coincides with Veritatis Splendor and how John Paul II views human acts as moral acts and how they express the morality of the individual person. John Paul II states, Human acts are moral acts because they express and determine the goodness or evil of the individual who performs them. They do not produce a change merely in the state of affairs outside of man but, to the extent that they are deliberate choices, they give moral definition to the very person who performs them, determining his profound spiritual traits.  [8]   Natural Law, Central to Mays Moral Theology William May dedicates his longest chapter (chapter 3, of 55 pages) of his second edition (2003) on natural law. He concentrates on several areas of natural law, including the teachings of Aquinas, Ulpians definition, the Summa Contra Gentiles, Vatican II, the teaching of John Paul II, and the theology of Germain Grisez, John Finnis and Joseph Boyle. He also discusses areas of agreement between Rhonheimer and Grisez, Finnis, and Boyle and then turns to areas of disagreement between them and Rhonheimer. Finally he reviews the relationship between natural law and virtue. Kevin Flannery, who reviewed Mays 1994 revision for The Thomist, agrees and comments, The core of the book is chapter two in which May discusses the natural law theory of Thomas Aquinas and its development by Grisez, Finnis and Boyle. Anyone interested in a quick, accurate introduction to natural law theory as understood in its central tradition could do no better than to read these 63 pages.  [9]   Mays incorporation of Rhonheimers position on natural law did not come until the second edition was published in 2003. The core of his use of Rhonheimer supports Grisez et al. noting that as held by Aquinas, natural law is a work of practical reason. He opposes the moralists that deny moral absolutes and accepts that natural reason naturally apprehends the goods that are to be pursued and done. As May states, Rhonheimer agrees with Grisez et al. in holding that according to Aquinas and reality our knowledge of the truths of natural law is not derived from metaphysics or anthropology or any speculative knowledge. With them, he opposes those who maintain the opposite, explicitly acknowledging his debt to Grisez on this matter.  [10]   Rhonheimer disagrees with Grisez et al. in three major areas stated succinctly by May as, (a) the distinction between the perceptive-practical and descriptive-reflexive levels of practical reason; (b) the relationship between natural law and virtue; and (c) the movement from the first or common principles of natural law to its proximate or immediate conclusions.  [11]   May also notes additional disagreement of Rhonheimer with Grisez et al. and indicates that this is his own opinion as well, noting that Rhonheimer does not show how proximate conclusions are found to be true in light of prior principles. May states, Rhonheimer does not, however, explicitly show how the primary principles of natural law serve as premises in the light of which one can show the truth of the proximate and immediate conclusions. In this, he seems to follow Aquinas himself. As we have seen, Grisez, Finnis, and Boyle argue correctly in my opinion that one must show clearly how the so-called proximate conclusions are shown to be true in the light of prior principles.  [12]   In his revised editions, May includes a concise section on the teaching of John Paul II and most importantly as it is expressed in Veritatis Splendor. May demonstrates that one of John Paul IIs main points is that, in order to respect the dignity of our neighbor, one must refrain from destroying or damaging the goods of our neighbor and even, cherish the real goods perfective in him.  [13]   In addition and in agreement with Aquinas who states, Hence it is clear that the goodness of the human will depends much more upon eternal law than upon human reason  [14]  , May emphasizes the core of John Paul IIs thoughts on natural law stating, The highest law is Gods divine, eternal law. The natural law is our human, intelligent participation in this eternal law, which we can come to know through the exercise of our practical reasoning.  [15]  May then directs his reader to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (nos. 1950-1960) for further clarity on eternal and natural law. Here, is where the passage referring to Leo XIII, Libertas praestantissimum, 579, is encountered in the Catechism that states, The natural law is written and engraved in the soul of each and every man, because it is human reason ordaining him to do good and forbidding him to sin But this command of human reason would not have the force of law if it were not the voice and interpreter of a higher reason to which our spirit and our freedom must be submitted.  [16]   According to Mays convincing and methodical presentations, John Paul II, the Second Vatican Council, Grisez et al., Aquinas, and May himself all agree, natural law that is perfected, fulfilled, and completed by the evangelical law of love, of a more-than-human kind of love, the love that God himself has for us.  [17]   Moral Absolutes and the Battle with the Revisionists May contested the revisionists long before the appearance of Veritatis Splendor and the re-centering of Catholic moral theology on the precepts of Aquinas. In his 1980 compilation of essays entitled Principles of Catholic Moral Life  [18]  May, together with William Cardinal Baum, compiled a series of essays that were unequivocally Thomistic and criticized the proportionalist and consequentialist thinking that had developed in several theological circles. In Mays own contribution to the volume, he provided an essay entitled, The natural law and Objective Morality: A Thomistic Perspective. He states, Today [circa 1979] a significant number of Roman Catholic moral theologians find it necessary to dissent from authoritative teachings of the Roman Catholic Church on moral questions. The Magisterium of the Church teaches that some specifiable sorts of human acts are wicked and contrary to the principles of the natural law.  [19]   According to May, the root cause of the revisionists rejection of moral absolutes stems from the Majority Report which was a document dated, (27 May 1966) of the majority theologians of the Pontifical Commission on Population, Family and Birth, in which they sought to explain why, if contraceptive intercourse is morally good, nevertheless various other masturbatory acts between spouses are not.  [20]  May, referring to Documentum Syntheticum, (in Hoyt, p. 72), further highlights the notions of the revisionist theologians of the Majority Report that state, Infertile conjugal acts constitute a totality with fertile acts and have a single moral specification [namely, the fostering of love responsibly toward generous fecundity].  [21]  May points out that the theologians of the Majority Report say, that the moral object of their act is the fostering of love responsibly toward a generous fecundity.'[They define] this [as] obviously something good, not bad. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Revisionists, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ claim that the specific moral absolutes defended in the Catholic tradition and affirmed by the magisterium isolate partial aspects of human acts and, on the basis of such isolated aspects, render decisive moral judgments about them. Their claim is that reason, objectivity, and truth require that an action be evaluated as right or wrong only as a totality that includes all the circumstances and motivations, considered in relation to all the premoral (but morally relevant) goods and bads involved in that totality.  [22]   May then goes on to show that from this line of thinking the revisionist theologians including those he names: Franz Bà ¶ckle, Charles E. Curran, Josef Fuchs, Bernard Hà ¤ring, Louis Janssens, Richard McCormick, Timothy E. OConnell, Richard Gula, Franz Scholz, and Bruno Schà ¼ller, develop the theories of proportionate good, the preference principle, and the denial of moral absolutes. Another group of theologians sometimes called the minority report theologians including Germain Girsez, John Finnis, Joseph Boyle, and others, including William May himself, hold fast to the teachings of Aquinas, and defend moral absolutes. In the 2003 second edition of his book, May also points out that in their understanding of the object of a human act, the minority report theologians coincide with both the Catechism of the Catholic Church and John Paul II in Veritatis Splendor. May clearly states, With this understanding of the object of a human act in mind, it is easy to grasp John Paul IIs conclusion, namely, that One must reject the thesis, characteristic of teleological and proportionalist theories, which holds that it is impossible to qualify as morally evil according to its species its object the deliberate choice of certain kinds of behavior or specific acts, apart from consideration of the intention for which the choice is made or the totality of the foreseeable consequences of that act for all persons concerned [no. 79; cf. no. 82].  [23]   May clearly points out that in Veritatis Splendor, John Paul II refutes the teleologisms of consequentialism and proportionalism declaring that they, are not faithful to the Churchs teaching when they believe that they can justify, as morally good, deliberate choices of kinds of behavior contrary to the commandments of the divine and natural law'(cf. no. 75).  [24]   Morality and Sin May focuses on three major areas in his discussion of sin: (1) the core meaning of sin, (2) the distinction between mortal and venial sin and the basis of this distinction, and (3) the effect of sin on our moral life.  [25]   In his discussion on the core meaning of sin, he turns first to scripture, starting with the Old Testament. According to May, The Old Testament consistently regards sin as a wicked rebellion against the Lord.  [26]  Here he reflects on the words to describe sin such as unfaithfulness, adultery, foolishness, and abomination. Referring to Sirach, May states, The consistent teaching of the Old Testament is that sin is rooted in human freedom and consists in an abuse of Gods gift of free choice.  [27]  He then turns to David and Psalm 51 and highlights what he calls a beautiful summary of sin in the Old Testament with the passage, Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love; according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions (pesha). Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity (awon), and cleanse me from my sin (hatta t)! For I know my transgressions (pesha), and my sin (hattat) is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned (hatta), and done that which is evil (ra) in thy sight (Ps 51: 1-4).  [28]   This is the source for the words used by the priest during Mass, when standing at the side of the altar, he washes his hands, saying quietly, Wash me, O Lord, from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.  [29]   Turning to the New Testament, May finds words to describe sin like harmatia and harmatma (freely chosen deeds or to choose to miss-the-mark), anomia (lawlessness), adikia (injustice), and skotos (dimmed eyesight or blindness). For May, these words show that sin is an opposition to the truth of God, to Jesus Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life to ones fellowmen, and to the truth of being a human person.  [30]   The third area that May discusses in his section on sin is Catholic moral tradition. He reflects on aspects of St. Augustine and Aquinas as well as Gaudium et Spes, and Dignitatis Humanae. He also considers some of the active theologians and their contrary views, including Keane, Curran, Hà ¤ring, McCormick, and others. True to Mays orthodox view of divine law, he understands that God directs all of creation with charity and wisdom. In this context he concludes, [T]he highest norm of human life is the divine law eternal, objective, and universal whereby God orders, directs, and governs the entire universe and all the ways of the human community by a plan conceived in wisdom and love. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] Man has been made by God to participate in this law, with the result that, under the gentle disposition of divine providence, he can come to perceive ever more increasingly the unchanging truth (Dignitatis humanae, no. 3; cf. Gaudium et spes, nos. 16-17).  [31]   May then goes on to unfold a clear and articulate discussion of mortal sin and venial sin. He uses many sources including encyclical and magisterial pronouncements, scripture, council teachings, and especially observations from John Paul II. Within this context, he carefully considers and then clearly rejects the fundamental option theories. Finally, at the end of his chapter on sin, May refers his readers directly to the Catechism of the Catholic Church where he clearly embraces its definitions of sin, including mortal and venial sin, which states, God has consigned all men to disobedience, that he may have mercy upon all (Rom 11:32). Sin is an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law (St. Augustine, Faust 22: PL 42, 418). It is an offense against God. It rises up against God in a disobedience contrary to the obedience of Christ. Sin is an act contrary to reason. It wounds mans nature and injures human solidarity. The root of all sins lies in mans heart. The kinds and the gravity of sins are determined principally by their objects. To choose deliberately-that is, both knowing it and willing it-something gravely contrary to the divine law and to the ultimate end of man is to commit a mortal sin. This destroys in us the charity without which eternal beatitude is impossible. Unrepented, it brings eternal death. Venial sin constitutes a moral disorder that is reparable by charity, which it allows to subsist in us. The repetition of sins-even venial ones-engenders vices, among which are the capital sins.  [32]   In his latest (2003) revised edition of An Introduction to Moral Theology, May includes an appendix to his book, Christian Moral Life and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. He refers his readers to the Catechism and this appendix often, pointing out that the prime source for most definitions within moral theology are best sought there. In his review of Mays book in the New Oxford Reviews, Justin Gullekson agrees with the observations above regarding Mays mainstream Roman Catholic position on sin and states, Sin and moral absolutes: These topics are taken up [by May] with gusto. The pastor, director of religious education or unsettled lay person will find Mays extensive treatment of these matters helpful, especially because he identifies certain theological positions with their corresponding expositors. This book battles the mess people make of their lives when they have been acting according to the false subjective norms of free choice (if it feels O.K., do it) and so-called conscience (if its not a sin for you, its no sin).  [33]   Jesus Christ, Our Moral Foundation May points out that Jesus Christ is central and foundational in Christian morality. He supports this with sections from Gaudium et Spes, Veritatis Splendor, scripture (especially from Pauls letters), and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. As he often does throughout his book, May then turns to articulated positions from Germain Grisez. He points to Grisezs threefold understanding of how Jesus divinizes humanity, producing union with God. The first is, our union with him in divine life as children of God, [the second is] the bodily union between Jesus and his faithful, the members of his Church [and the third is] unity between Christ and the Christian in human acts.  [34]   The sacraments, and especially the Eucharist within the Mass and Baptism are central to ones union with Christ and humanitys sharing in His sanctifying grace. The Mass is fully a participation in Christs act of salvation and Baptism is the bestowal of ones vocation to not only be within Gods family and a member of the Mystical Body of Christ, but also to assume a greater responsibility to live a moral life as a member of His Mystical Body. In alignment with Aquinas, Veritatis Splendor, and Grisez, May turns to a discussion of the beatitudes, and how they provide, modes of Christian response [to] specify ways of acting that mark a person whose will, enlivened by the love of God poured into his or her heart, is inwardly disposed to act with confidence à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [35]   May turns again to Grisez. Here he enfolds the gifts of the Holy Spirit as found in Isaiah with the beatitudes producing eight modes of Christian response  [36]  as follows, 1. To expect and accept all good, including the good fruits of ones work, as Gods gift [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] 2. To accept ones limited role in the Body of Christ and fulfill it [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] 3. To put aside or avoid everything which is not necessary or useful in the fulfillment of ones personal vocation [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] 4. To endure fearlessly whatever is necessary or useful for the fulfillment of ones personal vocation [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] 5. To be merciful according to the universal and perfect measure of mercy which God has revealed in Jesus [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] 6. To strive to conform ones whole self to living faith, and purge anything which does not meet this standard [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] 7. To respond to evil with good, not with resistance, much less with destructive action [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] 8. To do no evil that good might come of it, but suffer evil together with Jesus in cooperation with Gods redeeming love -.  [37]   By digesting the beatitudes in this way, using Grisezs thoughts, May demonstrates how, in essence, the beatitudes are actually moral foundational norms or virtues for humanity provided directly by Christ. The Church, Teacher of the