I dont have a specific topic. i want my topic to be something on Research Paper

I dont have a specific topic. i want my topic to be something on sociol trend - Research Paper Example This paper points out the causes of HIV infection among the youth and measures to reduce infection in the society. HIV infections not only affect the youth but also the whole nation, as there will be a lack of enough support from government to satisfy all their needs, which leads to poor living standards (Opie 291). With the youth, being highest affected and sexually active, the rate of infection is bound to increase in most of the countries, as the young comprise more than half the population of nations. Child infection at birth is a rampant way in which infection occurs to youths, as most parents do not admit to their statuses and therefore ends up infecting their children (Kapungwe115). Governments are spending lots of revenue on health care of HIV infected people to provide care and medication. Friedens claims that more than five billion dollars used as costs of HIV-positive people among the nations. Governments should increase awareness and incorporate new syllabuses in educatio n systems to cater for these HIV/AIDS control and prevention measures. A research done by the CDC researchers in 2010 found that, among the youth aged 18 to 24 years, 65% in every 100, 000 people have HIV, which is an increase from previous researches. In 2010, 82.8% of the new infections were men and with a high possibility of the gay and bisexual men. African Americans in US have over half of the population infected due to their sexual orientation and their lack of awareness on how to prevent infections. Some causes of these infections seem broad and depends on the background of the infection. Substance abuse and use is a major contributor to the HIV infections. For instance, high school students have been found to use alcohol, tobacco and other drugs which makes them highly vulnerable to engage in risky situations. Drug dependent youths who have run away from homes due to drugs have high risks of infection as they might have unprotected sex for money, drugs, or shelter. These are what are increasing the rate in which infections among the youth in different nations (The, Washington, 2006). In addition, lack of awareness among the youth is another contributor to the infections since a large number of youths are not concerned with protecting themselves. Drug use and abstaining from sex can be a good way for the youth to protect themselves from being infected but the youth requires clear information on HIV and elimination of infections and usage of condoms, and how to negotiate for safer sex. Health messages to the youth can have a great impact in their lives as many end up regretting for not having the knowledge and understanding of how to protect themselves. This thus increases the stigmas such people have. As Brown, Kate, Lea points out , â€Å"One of the most surprising elements of AIDS stigma is its ubiquitous nature even where the epidemic is widespread and affecting so many people, such as in sub-Saharan Africa. (51)† With this lack of awareness a mongst the youth, infections are bound to increase as the some governments are doing less to make the less fortunate aware of these risks and prevention measures (Mwiturubani 157). In most African countries, a bigger percentage do not Have access to formal education which gives awareness of current issues and many youths do not have the general knowledge of infections and prevention of HIV/AIDS. Unemployment among the

Defining the Concepts of Class, Race, Gender Essay Example for Free

Defining the Concepts of Class, Race, Gender Essay Every society known to man has used either race, class, ethnicity, gender or all of the above to determine placement in civilization. Sometimes one or more of these categories comingle and we characterize this as: intersectionality. Finding the words, however, to define class, race, gender, or intersectionality is not an easy feat. Throughout the past few weeks we have read many articles that allowed us many clear descriptions. Prior to this course I would have described class as being a way in which society groups individuals based on economic positions or social status. In my opinion, sometimes political beliefs can attribute towards class placement as well. However, since reading the required texts and watching films based on class, we now know that there are other factors associated with class divisions. For example, we read in Brenda J. Allen’s â€Å"Social Class Matters† article that not only are these two viewpoints large contributors (economic political alliances) towards classes, but also geographic locations. This can be seen when visiting a typical trailer park, where many of its residents are presumably called â€Å"white trash†, or as depicted with lower income families who live in the projects or ghetto. Their locale most likely reflects their social status or class. Moreover, we have learned that these factors also define what class is to the general public: education, occupational position, and power. â€Å"Women without class† by Julie Bettie examines class theory by understanding the ways in which class identity is constructed. It has many illustrations of social class by way of education and occupational positions. The upper crust students of Waretown were typically children of white collar employees. The preps generally outperformed the las chicas, hard living, and often settled living students of this documentary, as exemplified in the titles placed on the over and under achievers. For example, â€Å"preps† is an abbreviation for â€Å"college preparatoryà ¢â‚¬  which was the type of advanced class the children of white collar workers of Waretown enrolled in to prepare for life after high school. While these courses allowed some students endless opportunities, other students in the exact same school attended seminars with lowered educational expectations. Instead these students were encouraged to attend expensive certification courses that upon graduation held them captive in low paying positions with debt remaining after completion. â€Å"The Death of the Social Class† by Pakulsky and Waters believes social class is no longer relevant in the United States. A principal reason for this message states that because slavery is now obsolete, we have the legal upholding of the United States Constitution, and we expect education to be attained by all races. As a result resources have become more prevalent among all races. Race, in the past, was a word that I identified as being someone’s skin color, however as I matured (both mentally and physically) and met individuals from other cultures I soon realized that race is a culmination of many things. Culture and ethnicity are quite influential in determining a person’s race as well. For example, not everyone with dark skin is African American, just as not ever fair skinned person is Caucasian. As exhibited in Cruz-Janzen’s For example in the article Racial formation in the United States written by Michael Omi and Howard Winant, we learn of the Louisiana law that states that if a person has 1/32nd â€Å"Negro blood, they are automatically considered Black or African American. Although Susie Guillory Phipps tells us she is majority Caucasian this law still classifies her as being Black and she unsuccessfully attempted to sue the state to change her vital records. There are many reasons why the government still requires race on legal paperwork. Some argue that some sort of racial classification system is required. One reason may be the government funded subsidies some companies receive as a result of employing a minimum amount of minorities. From a personal viewpoint, race matters because it is a way that people identify culturally with one another. Another reason may be from a biological perspective some diseases and/or illnesses may be common amongst certain races, therefore it would be beneficial medically to be aware of such traits. Women Without Class (Bettie) also identifies various races for the sake of case studies that were researched by the author. The female students identified culturally with one another but sometimes overlapped identities to interact with one another. As in the example of the student Starr who was from a working class background, however she identified with the cultures of the Mexican American â€Å"cholas† after moving to Waretown. This is an example of an extreme case in which the person felt the need to choose one particular group to socialize with because she did not feel as though she had much in common with the other non-Hispanic working class students she chose to interact with this social hierarchy. She gave in to conformity from her past actions to better fit the desires and social realities of her newly acquired friends. Gender is another social aspect that many people use to classify each other. It has been said that had it not been for ourselves questioning or labeling gender, it would not exist at all. â€Å"The Social Construction of Gender† written by Judith Lorber argues gender construction begins being cataloged after viewing the child’s genitals after delivery. Upon birth babies are treated differently based on sex and/or gender. An unintentional yet major classification occurs as soon as the baby is placed in his or her incubator. Nurses and other medical staff wrap the tiny babies in one of two colors – pink or blue. It has even been researched that our speech and tone changes according to the babies sex as well. If we see a baby boy, for example, we quickly begin to daydream of tossing the old pigskin around in the yard or rough housing the baby. For the baby girl, however, we speak in softer high pitched tones and fantasize about planning make believe tea parties with baby dolls as guests. In essence, Lorber believes that gender behavior is learned and is being taught – not necessarily an expression of how we see ourselves. Another gender specific study was examined in R.W. Connell’s â€Å"Gender Relations†. In this article we learned of 2 separate studies conducted. Barry Thorne’s research in which teaching roles in American elementary schools were mostly comprised of females and playgrounds were divided based on gender. The second study was performed by Dunbar Moodies, who researched South African mines that were, not surprisingly, dominated by the male workforce. Another theory learned in Connell’s article was that of trailblazing British feminist – Juliet Mitchell- who taught that there were four elements of gender that subjugate women. Those four facets were believed to be: production, reproduction, socialization, and sexuality. It is also demonstrated in more current literary findings unrelated to gender. For example, Black Picket Fences addresses racial stereotypes, but it also depicts women’s roles separately from male gender roles. Each story that is told from first person shares a journey that taken either from reformed bad boys or girls that have strayed along the beaten path and hooked up with the guy from the wrong side of the track. The males were sometimes peer pressured into joining gangs from lack of responsible male figures and as a result may have performed illegal acts. This clearly represents gender assignments. Intersectionality involves both social and cultural relationships that overlap between race, class, and gender. Perhaps the most obvious portrayal of this theme is Section 2: Biology and Families In Conley’s article â€Å"The Starting Gate† regarding the correlation between low birth weight babies and race it was determined that social standings in society is not based solely on genetics and biology. Instead we learn that other factors may influence our place in society as well. Things like our educational backgrounds and what occupations we choose to support ourselves combine with aspects that are outside of our control, like birth order and race, to decide the social class we will inherent. Women Without Class discusses the concept of some students becoming â€Å"upwardly mobile†. This concept is important because it shows how race and parental occupations sometimes do not decide what social class a person will be invited into. The â€Å"upwardly mobile† students were not necessarily white, and had parents who were blue collar workers as opposed to being a lawyer, doctor, etc†¦yet despite all of this; they were still able to join the social cliques of the elite. These girls were also able to develop a strong sense of class awareness. In fact, Lareau’s â€Å"Invisible Inequality† even states that race has very little to do with class social standings. The data collected from this investigation examines parenting styles all socioeconomic backgrounds from either Black or White families perspective. The researchers were able to map the connections between parent’s resources and their children’s daily activities. Middle class families, regardless of race, tended to take a more traditional approach to child rearing in comparison with lower class families who relied heavily on outside play and extended families for activities. Middle class parents also stressed language development and use of reasoning skills. These parents enroll their children in various age appropriate organized activities that govern family life and create massive effort for mothers. The parents view these activities as passing on important life skil ls to children. They asked leading open-ended questions that required insight and thought provoking answers. Whereas, working class and poor families believe that if they give a child love, food, and a safe environment they will grow to become responsible adults. They also participate in little organized sports or other activities and have much more free time. Working-class and poor parents issue many more directives to their children and some place a great deal of stress on physical punishment. A great example of this is the research of Harold McAllister, a 10 year old from a lower class black family. Harold’s mother asks very little questions of authority figures (such as the family doctor) and does not encourage Harold to be cognizant of his body and any health related questions he may have. He plays outdoors with his older cousins and occasionally attends church. For the most part â€Å"Invisible Inequality† is full of descriptions of race versus class status. However, with regard to birth order and geographic locations determining social status, it is also briefly mentioned in â€Å"Invisible Inequality†. For instance, when we are introduced to another research subject’s family, upper middle class black family – Alexander Williams, we learn that both of Alex’s parents are from small Southern towns and come from large families. This slight mention is yet another example of intersectionality as well. A more extreme example, genetically speaking Ms Phipps (mentioned previously) was considered legally Black; however her social status did not classify her by her race. Phipps identifies with the White race. The case illustrated the inadequacies that claim that race is merely skin color. We have all witnessed or been aware of racial conditioning at one point or another. We make assumptions based on race and classify a person’s race immediately according to their physical appearance. Biologically speaking, there are many factors that influential in determining a persons birth weight. Low income families have less medical care and are exposed to certain agents that prohibit normal growth of the fetus. Also contact with second hand smoke and lead based paints, etc. have been attributed towards low birth weight. Another factor involving biology is the responsibility many women from different racial backgrounds face. White women, for example, have long been expected to remain wholesome and keep the family bloodlines pure. Pressure to remain a virgin until marriage and pre-marital sex were heavily stressed among white women. This forced racial conformity as a means of biological deterioration for the white race. In conclusion, all of the articles and readings discussed previously support Conley’s summation that both genetic and biological starting points do not fully determine our social standings in class. Rather, they work cohesively with other reasons to establish these relationships. Section 3: Working Class Middle Class Identities Although class is especially important I would agree that other issues are becoming increasingly just as important if not more. Factors such as race and or gender influence personal outcomes. Both Women Without Class and Black Picket Fences provided various examples to support this theory.

Essay --

a) Physical characteristics of your virus 1. What is the shape of the viral capsid? Shape of the viral capsid is icosahedral. 2. Is the virus naked or enveloped? Varicella zoster is enveloped. 3. Which type of genome (ssDNA, dsDNA, ssRNA, or dsRNA) is found in the virus? Type of genome where VZV is found is double stranded DNA. b) Viral Infection 1. What is the host range (species and types of cells infected) of the virus? Humans are the only natural host. 2. What are the signs and symptoms of your viral infection? The first symptoms to appear are fever and rash. After fever the most prominent symptom of VZV are itchy skin lesions that become raised and filled with clear fluid (vesicles). After several days the blisters pop and start to crust over. c) Pathogenesis 1. How does your virus cause the signs and symptoms of the viral infection? The lesions are caused by the virus destroying the boundaries of the cells in the skin, this causes multiple cells to merge into one large cell. 2. Which types of cytopathic effects are caused by your virus? The formation of syncytia. This is where a virus turns several host cells into one giant cell with that has several nuclei. Another cytopathic effect of VZV is inclusion bodies. This is a very high concentration of the virus inside the nucleus and cytoplasm of a cell. d) Culture and diagnosis 1. How is your viral infection diagnosed? Although diagnosis for VZV is generally based on visual appearance there are few diagnostic tests that can be used to determine it. A. Virus culture- Takes a specimen of the fluid inside one of the vesicles. B. Polymerase chain reaction- Where a small amount of DNA from the virus becomes amplified. The virus is replicated until it reaches a quant... ...doses? For Varivax 1st dose between 12-15 months and the 2nd dose between 4-6 years. The second dose may be given earlier as long as at least 90 days has lapsed since the 1st dose. People over the age of 13 who have never been vaccinated should have 2 doses administered at least 28 days apart. For Zostavax people over the age of 50 should have the vaccination once. Both Varivax and Zostavax contain weakened strains of the live virus. g) Fun facts: Include any additional information that you find interesting, strange, or alarming about your virus. One thing I found alarming about Varicella zoster virus is that it can lead to the development of Reye’s Syndrome if child with an active infection takes a product that contains salicylates. Reye’s syndrome effects the central nervous system and can be the cause of amnesia, seizures, or coma to note a few symptoms. Essay -- a) Physical characteristics of your virus 1. What is the shape of the viral capsid? Shape of the viral capsid is icosahedral. 2. Is the virus naked or enveloped? Varicella zoster is enveloped. 3. Which type of genome (ssDNA, dsDNA, ssRNA, or dsRNA) is found in the virus? Type of genome where VZV is found is double stranded DNA. b) Viral Infection 1. What is the host range (species and types of cells infected) of the virus? Humans are the only natural host. 2. What are the signs and symptoms of your viral infection? The first symptoms to appear are fever and rash. After fever the most prominent symptom of VZV are itchy skin lesions that become raised and filled with clear fluid (vesicles). After several days the blisters pop and start to crust over. c) Pathogenesis 1. How does your virus cause the signs and symptoms of the viral infection? The lesions are caused by the virus destroying the boundaries of the cells in the skin, this causes multiple cells to merge into one large cell. 2. Which types of cytopathic effects are caused by your virus? The formation of syncytia. This is where a virus turns several host cells into one giant cell with that has several nuclei. Another cytopathic effect of VZV is inclusion bodies. This is a very high concentration of the virus inside the nucleus and cytoplasm of a cell. d) Culture and diagnosis 1. How is your viral infection diagnosed? Although diagnosis for VZV is generally based on visual appearance there are few diagnostic tests that can be used to determine it. A. Virus culture- Takes a specimen of the fluid inside one of the vesicles. B. Polymerase chain reaction- Where a small amount of DNA from the virus becomes amplified. The virus is replicated until it reaches a quant... ...doses? For Varivax 1st dose between 12-15 months and the 2nd dose between 4-6 years. The second dose may be given earlier as long as at least 90 days has lapsed since the 1st dose. People over the age of 13 who have never been vaccinated should have 2 doses administered at least 28 days apart. For Zostavax people over the age of 50 should have the vaccination once. Both Varivax and Zostavax contain weakened strains of the live virus. g) Fun facts: Include any additional information that you find interesting, strange, or alarming about your virus. One thing I found alarming about Varicella zoster virus is that it can lead to the development of Reye’s Syndrome if child with an active infection takes a product that contains salicylates. Reye’s syndrome effects the central nervous system and can be the cause of amnesia, seizures, or coma to note a few symptoms.

Assessing the Essence of Teh Eclectic Paradigm Essay

Aspects frequently highlighted include global media and telecommunications, global brands, worldwide production and integrated financial markets. At the forefront of these phenomena are Multi National Enterprises (MNEs), benefiting from the opening of markets across the globe, and from advances in computing and internet technology, which make it possible to link far-flung activities in global networks. Considering these elements, globalization can further be defined as the process of increasing and deepening interactions between individuals and organizations across the globe, facilitated by advancing communications technology and the opening of markets to trade and investment. Theories of International production have attempted to explain the convergence towards a globalised world, while addressing the different types of international expansions. These theories have focused on MNEs and Foreign Direct Investment (FDIs). FDI can be defined as investment by an organization in a business in another country, with a view to establishing production in the host country. While Raymon Vernon is known for his theory of Product life cycle, Stephen Hymer laid emphasis on the location and ownership advantages of countries, which helped in attracting FDI from MNEs. John Dunning incorporated Internalisation to the analysis of Hymer, which became known as the Eclectic Paradigm (or OLI Paradigm), one of the most comprehensive theoretical explanations with specific focus on FDI. Still the Eclectic Paradigm is being challenged in the modern globalised world, as it fails to take into account the implications of existing modes of entry of MNEs, as well as the advantages of Alliance Capitalism. It is being discussed further in this report. Theories of International production have greatly facilitated the understanding of the globalization phenomenon. Different theorists at different time intervals attempted to justify the expansion of MNEs across the globe. Hymer (1970) was the first one to propose that MNEs are institutions of international production rather than international capital movement. Still he ignored the natural imperfections attributed to transaction costs in an imperfect market. In today’s world, with the proliferation on Internet use, imperfections like bureaucratic hurdles and control of distribution systems (Bain, 1956) are absent. Even the imperfections like price determinism and information transfer are shrinking. Thus it can be argued that Hymer’s major contribution relating to the importance of structural market imperfection in determining FDI activity does not hold good for corporations, which are expanding globally through e-channels (for instance). Vernon (1966) came up with the International Product Life Cycle (IPLC) theory, which explained the locational dimension of FDI. According to him, production first starts in the home country fro local markets, and exporting is used to attain foreign markets. As the product matures and production is standardized, production moves to less developed countries to reduce labour costs. The basic assumption of the IPLC is that knowledge is not equally and universally distributed (Vernon, 1966). This assumption, however, is not applicable in today’s world, as Vernon (1979) himself admits that there is a more perfect distribution of knowledge across the globe. He argues that firms who are global scanners follow a different trend than that of the IPL approach, because such firms have the ability to effectively scan global markets for the best factor endowments. Though, a lot has been discussed and said on the theories of International production, yet none of the approaches (Hymer, Vernon, Barney) simultaneously explains the importance of resources heterogeneity, entrepreneurial competence, network governance and the rise of alliance capitalism. Thus, an overarching analytical framework is needed, that can synthesize these disparate views and account for the importance of location- based advantages and ownership advantages. Such a framework was developed by Dunning (1973; 1988; 1993) known as The Eclectic Paradigm. It is a framework that explains the growth of MNEs by bringing together disparate theories. According to Dunning, the Eclectic Paradigm is less of an alternative theory of International production and more of a framework that synthesizes the essential and common characteristics of each main theoretical explanation on the growth of MNEs. For more than two decades the Eclectic Paradigm (EP) remains a widely used general framework for studying the growth of MNCs and Dunning has also continuously revised and extended the EP to explain changing facets of MNCs. Dunning (1988) has re-stated that the EP is robust and general enough to incorporate future developments like renewed the focus on entrepreneurship and the emergence of global networks (Dunning, 1995). The Eclectic Paradigm explains that the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and growth of multinational corporations (MNCs) is linked to the extent and nature of ownership-specific advantages of the firm, the extent and nature of location bound endowments, and the extent to which markets for these advantages are best internalized by the from itself. In short, it is the configuration of these Ownership (O), Location (L) and Internalization (I) advantages that determines a firm’s international production and growth. In a somewhat updated version, Dunning (1988) describes the three essential factors for international expansion: * Ownership Advantages are unique competitive or monopolistic advantages, typically developed in the home market, that permit the firm to compete successfully in overseas markets. These factors are of two types: Asset Advantages arise from proprietary ownership of unique assets protected by structural market distortions, and Transactional advantages provide a unique capacity to capture value from the transaction benefits of owning a network of assets located in different countries. * Location factors, tied to the local foreign market, which make production in the host country preferable. These are immobile factors, such as cheaper labour, high shipping costs, local image or trade barriers, that can be combined with transferable intermediate ownership assets to generate superior products. Internalisation factors, typically related to the industry, produce transactional market failure in transferring ownership advantages to foreign markets. This also explains the naming of the EP as the OLI configuration as well. The eclectic model, then, pulled together the key elements of neo-classical theory – location, industrial organisation theory – monopolis tic advantage and internalization theory – transactional efficiency. It used this eclectic mix to produce an internally consistent, compelling and testable model of the multinational firm and its strategic processes.

“Floating” By Karen Brennan Essay

â€Å"But no one owns anyone or owes anyone anything† (Brennan 304). In the story â€Å"Floating,† Karen Brennan uses the themes of regret, rejection, guilt and death, to demonstrate how trauma in a relationship effects both sides differently. She illustrates the difference between herself and her husband, telling the story of what she feels and what her husband feels. In the beginning a sense of rejection is presented, this is shown when Karen quotes, â€Å"I woke up and heard a tiny sound coming from the back of the house. It was a baby†¦.she had been crying for two days straight and had survived,† (Brennan 302). Reading this quote the reader can make the assumption that there is a sense of rejection in the story and also that the narrator had been rejecting the baby for a while. She states, â€Å"she had been crying for two days straight.† This shows that not only did the narrator hear her but had ignored the baby for those two days. Rejection was not only seen with the baby but also the husband as well. The husband showed rejection towards the wife, and the wife reciprocated that rejection towards the baby. â€Å"My husband was in the living room, I said look what I can do I floated up†¦ my husband shook his head†¦ he wasn’t shocked.† (302). In the story the narrator portrayed the husband as an emotionless, uncaring person who once, cared for his wife but now feels the need to remain unresponsive. Brennan presents the wife’s thoughts of rejection and also the husband’s point of view of rejection. â€Å"Satan appeared on a cloud†¦fixed himself a snack†¦ then she snapped his picture,† (302). Through the end of the first paragraph, the reader can introduce the idea that the husband might be rejecting her because she might be having an affair. â€Å"Satan appeared,† represents the idea that there is another person who the wife might be seeing. In the story â€Å"Floating† regret was another big factor which played a role in the narrator and her husband’s marriage. â€Å"How do we get this way? I was a perfectly ordinary girl†¦ I married a nice responsible man who loved me. He gave me my first umbrella,† (303). Regret was used to introduce the deep dysfunction of their marriage, that it even made the narrator question her past and the marriage itself, â€Å"he gave me my first  umbrella.’’ The narrator reminisces or revisits the first time she ever felt safe, sheltered by someone else other than her immediate family. Karen relates shelter to an umbrella, because in a sense, an umbrella protects our body from the rain. The umbrella is also significant, because it leaves the audience questioning- is that all the husband was able to provide? In the quote, â€Å"My first umbrella† demonstrates that the narrator only felt protected by the husband not loved. â€Å"How do we get t his way? I was a perfectly ordinary girl† portrays a feeling of regret to the reader. The narrator uses this to show how she had changed and could not believe it herself almost as if she shocked herself with her change. She asks a rhetorical question â€Å"How do we get this way?† She cannot convey an answer to; however allows the reader to find a solution. This gives rise to a deeper meaning to the quote. â€Å"I was a perfectly ordinary girl† the word was in her sentence shows that she once was perfect and now she has change and she regrets it. In the husband’s point of view, this could mean that she questioned her affair or marriage and regrets the fact she ever cheated on him and or ever married him. â€Å"This is a secret baby: the baby of my afterhours†¦ no one especially my husband, would understand this,† (303). According to the reader, this could mean that she is having regrets about the baby. The narrator refers to her baby as, â€Å"This is a secret baby,† and hides it from the world, including her husband. Not only does she keep this baby in secrecy, she also chooses to say that her husband would not understand. This states that, through the disheartenment Karen Brennan still possesses a sense of hope that one day her husband will understand. But her husband only ignores her and reject the fact that she is â€Å"floating,† Furthermore, Karen Brennen presents the theme of death, including both perspectives of death as a way of demonstrating the differences and problems shared in and out of their marriage. â€Å"She had all the plumpness of a baby; dimpled knees and folds around the wrists; pale baby skin,† (302). The narrator indicates that the baby skin was pale. From the context clues, the reader could imply that the baby could be lifeless or suffering from the strain of death. However the narrator brings the attention to the reader that the baby had survived. She quotes, â€Å"she had survived.† This presents the reader with the evidence that the baby is no longer alive and it is in fact dead. The word had shows the reader that the baby was alive at a point  in time, but in that instant the baby is dead. Karen Brennan shows how death plays a role in the story. She manipulates the sentence debating a sense of hope for the life of the baby, but then she abruptly changes the tone of the story using descriptive passages of the baby taking away any previous hope that the child lived. The death of the baby was so traumatic that even the narrator could not shake the restraint of disparity, being forced to remember the baby as the time progresses. In addition, the death of the baby could stimulate on the husband’s negative attitude towards his wife, â€Å"I wish I had the nerve to go outside, I tell him. He grunts as if nothing was out of the ordinary,† (303). The narrator draws a picture of the husband’s attitude as very rude and angry. As a reader, this could indicate that the husband’s attitude (mad and angry) might be angry about the loss of the baby, or maybe reflects his beliefs that his deceased wife is tormenting him for neglecting her. â€Å"Then I turned on my back and dead man’s-floated parallel to the ceiling† (302). According to the words, â€Å"dead man,† she might be in fact dead and it is her ghost who floats around trapped in her room- trapped in the house unable to be free. Lastly, Karen Brennan uses guilt as a form to describe what should have been done during their marriage and what could have been changed. What they could have done differently and what they could still do? â€Å"I want us to be friends, to be affectionate with one another. But he just looks down† (304). Karen Brennan shows the guilt the wife is feeling in the relationship. She states, â€Å"I want us to be friends, to be affectionate.† Reading this quote, the reader can conclude that the narrator did not really feel love towards her husband, and now she is feeling guilty for not being able to create that sense of affection between them. This makes her feel obligated to end the relationship and become friends. In addition to the story, reading it from the husband’s point-of-view the reader can say that the husband feels guilty for not being able to provide the love the wife needs, which leads the narrator to state, â€Å"but he just looks down.† This quote could indicate the husband is wallowing in self-pity and unsure of what to say or what to do at this point of the marriage. Overall. Karen Brennan presents the reader with many different aspects of the story â€Å"Floating†. Portraying the themes guilt, regret, rejection or death. Karen  Brennan indicates all the flaws of which both the husband and wife have, and she also presents the possibilities of different ideas to incorporate the story with. In the end, the two perceptions of both the husband and the wife were the same. They both want to be affectionate or want out of the relationship.