One of the residents said that staying home would “protect our country from this dangerous virus” (Sierra Leone 2014). This is a case in which it was acceptable to protect those people who had not been infected because the virus was so contagious. It was never the intent of Sierra Leone to let others suffer because the country used all of its resources to treat those who were sick, while protecting healthy people and the medical community as they were vital. So in this case, the answer is “yes” it was acceptable and “no” it’s not always possible. In the case of Sierra Leone, unfortunately, healthcare workers were killed because people in the villages did not want to accept the educational information or were in denial about the disease. This is a case in which trying to protect people had a negative outcome.
In “The Masque of the Red Death,” the prince Prospero, who was supposed to be a leader, acted selfishly to protect himself but not his people from the plague. “Prospero had supplied everything they needed for pleasure” (Poe). He was able to protect himself, but this was a falsehood as the plague, represented by the red masque, kills him in the end. “Outside the wall walked the Red Death” (Poe). Prospero did nothing to help the people he served so to him, it was both possible and acceptable.
In conclusion, those in charge in Sierra Leone did not want to accept that the Ebola virus would kill people and put their own lives at risk to protect them. In the Poe story, Prospero let other people suffer. While this is not acceptable to us as the readers, it was to him because he was selfish. It was his selfishness that killed him, in the end.

Works Cited

Poe, Edgar Allan. “The Masque of the Red Death” (1993). Inside Stories for Senior Students (pp. 197-204). Toronto: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, Canada.

“Sierra Leone Battles Ebola Outbreak With Three-Day Lockdown: Sick Urged to Leave Their Homes, Seek Treatment”. (2014, September 20). Associated Press. Retrieved Sept 26, 2021 from: http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/sierra-leone-begins-3-day-ebola-lockdown- 1.2014526

While “Little Red Cap” by Grimm Brothers is educational in its nature with emphasis being made on the negative consequences of the girl’s disobedience, the message of Goldflower and the Bear is more profound as it conveys the prevalence of intellect and courage over physical strength. The Story of Grandmother is filled with grotesque humor, which implies that the primary purpose of this version was to amuse readers rather than to teach or motivate them.

Little Red Cap by Grimm Brothers was published in the beginning of the 19^th century. As stated by Shavit (327), the primary audience of the text was not children but the members of the literary elite, as reading folklore-based literature was in vogue at that time. In the subsequent editions, though, they were trying to make the tale more suitable for children, eliminating the details that could be perceived as offensive. Even though targeted at adults, Little Red Cap by Grimm Brothers is imbued with moralization, similarly to the Perrault’s version that they obviously relied upon. Another remarkable characteristic of the tale is the naivety of narration, intended to fit the story into the pattern of a folktale as distinct from the literary tale (Shavit 328). Grimm Brothers present Little Red Cap as a beautiful and adorable girl who is loved immensely by her mother and grandmother. The idyllic intrafamily relations are also manifest in the responsibility the heroes feel for the heath of the grandmother. Even though it requires covering a long distance, the mother asks the girl to carry wine and a piece of cake to the grandmother, hoping that “they will give her strength” (Grimm 14). As argued by Shavit, it was characteristic of the 19th century to attach large importance to strong family ties, while they were not highly valued a century earlier. The family bond also comes to the foreground in Goldflower and the Bear, where the girl thinks about saving her little brother first.

The mother gives detailed instructions for her daughter: “walk properly and don’t stray from the path”, “and when you enter the room, don’t forget to say good morning, and don’t go peeping in all corners of the room” (14). In response, Little Red Cap promises that she will follow the instruction. Mother’s admonishing her daughter reflects the importance of educating children and taking responsibility for their behavior, which became prevalent in the 19^th century, while previously parents placed more emphasis on amusing children (Shavit 327). The role of the mother in the other two versions is relatively unimportant as the heroines do not receive any instructions from them.

When he meets Little Red Cap in the forest, the wolf urges the girl to look at the beautiful flowers around and thus deviate from the path until he eats the grandmother. The girl follows the lead of the wolf: her choice to pick flowers rather than to proceed with her task is a symbol of her agreement with the devilish being, whom she has shown the road to her grandmother (Zipes 37). In this episode, the wolf closely resembles the Biblical serpent that tempts Eve to try the fruits of the forbidden tree, despite God’s prohibition. Just like Eve’s eyes were opened and she saw how pleasant the fruits were, “Little Red Cap opened her eyes and saw how the sunbeams were dancing this way and that through the trees and how there were beautiful flowers all around” (Grimm 14). She justifies her imprudent choice by claiming that grandmother will be pleased with a fresh bouquet. Listening to the tempter, Little Red Cap chooses to disobey the instructions of her mother and thus she has to derive a lesson from the adverse consequences of her disobedience. In contrast, in Goldflower and the Bear and the Story of Grandmother, the heroine does not carry any guilt for the adverse events that happen to them.

It is remarkable that the Grimms’ version of the tale is totally deprived of all the erotic details and innuendos, characteristic for many other accounts, even for the highly moralistic version of Charles Perrault. However, in the psychoanalytic interpretation, it still bears sexual meaning to a large extent. Thus, Erich Fromm posed that the major theme of the tale was the adolescent’s encounter with adult sexuality (Darnton 281). Bruno Bettelheim claimed that Little Red Cap followed her oedipal desires, with the wolf representing her father and her id at the same time (283). However, these interpretations still remain highly controversial as they do not apply to more authentic versions of the tale.

It is notable that, despite its moralistic pathos, Little Red Cap has a happy ending, similarly to the Goldflower and the Bear and the Story of Grandmother. The belly of the wolf is cut open by the huntsman and his victims are successfully released. As observed by Zipes in the psychoanalytic vein, only a strong man’s hand could save the girl from her lustful desires (37). Even though the desires of the girl may not be of the sexual nature, she is still guilty in that she follows her emotions rather than reason, represented in the image of her admonishing mother. After this adventure, however, Little Red Cap makes appropriate conclusions and promises herself that she will never stray from the road. The alternative story presented by Grimm Brothers in the end serves to demonstrate what would have happened if the girl had behaved in a reasonable manner from the very start, showing how much more advantageous this manner of behavior is.

The Story of Grandmother was published by French folklorist Paul Delarue who claimed that is was an authentic version, faithful to the peasant oral tradition. It is likely that this version was widespread in France in the 17^th and 18^th centuries before Perrault polished it in his mimetically unforgettable variant (Zipes 33). The heroine of the Story does not wear a red hood, because this detail was introduced by Perrault at his own deliberation. The resemblance of the Story of Grandmother with the Grimms’ tale is restricted to the beginning, while the subsequent unfolding of the events is drastically different. In this version, the girl is also asked by her mother to bring a present to her granny, a loaf of fresh bread and a bottle of milk. Another important similarity with the Grimms’ version is that the girl engages in a conversation with the wolf, naively informing him about the path she is going to take. However, instead of trying to divert her, the wolf goes straight to the grandmother’s house where he kills the old lady and dresses up in her clothes. He makes the girl consume the blood and flesh of her granny in the guise of wine and bread. Moreover, he asks her to undress and go in the bed with him, which is an obvious sexual implication.

The dialogue that takes place between the wolf and the girl is much alike the Grimms’ version, though it points out some additional details of the wolf’s appearance (e.g. nostrils, shoulders, hairiness). When the girl asks the wolf about his large nostrils, he responds “The better to sniff my tobacco with, my child” (11), which is reflective of dwn-to-earth peasant humor. The request of the girl to go out to relieve herself and the talking cat who calls the girl “a slut” (10) are manifestations of grotesque, which would be considered improper for the high literary style, characteristic of the Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault. In contrast to the passive heroine of the Grimms’ version, the girl in the Story of Grandmother does not hesitate to take action and manages to escape by using her cunning. The heroine of Goldflower and the Bear shows similar independence and smartness: moreover, she uses the identical trick of appealing to her physical needs in order to escape the bear.

The version rendered by Delarue thus presents a young peasant girl who is shrewd, courageous and is able to cope with difficulties without any help from the outside. The path of needles and the path of pins mentioned in the story are suggestive of the sewing ritual where the maturing woman was required to show that she could handle sewing accessories, replacing an older woman (Zipes 35). The mother does not play any notable role in the story: in contrast to the version of Grimm brothers, she does not admonish her daughter on the proper behavior. The educational motif is generally absent from the Story: instead of trying to instruct or advise their readers (as typical of Grimm brothers), the sole purpose of this version is to amuse the readers and demonstrate the independence and braveness of peasant girls in dealing with difficulties. The Story is more feminist in its tone than Little Red Cap because it suggests that women do not necessarily need strong male protection. Moreover, if the act of eating the girl can be considered as a symbol for rape, the Story of Grandmother does not imply that the women are responsible for their being raped, in contrast to the classical version of Grimm brothers where it is the girl’s disobedience that leads to her downfall (Zipes 37). References to cannibalism, smoking and physical needs make it clear that the audience for the tale was limited to adult readers, while Goldflower and the Bear was intended for children and the Grimms’ version was adapted for younger audience after some amendments.

Goldflower and the Bear, rendered by the Chinese writer Chiang Mi, presents an Asian perspective on the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. The heroine of the tale, Goldflower, is described as a “clever and brave” girl (Mi 19): therefore, the tale emphasizes the inner qualities of the girl, while Grimm brothers merely describe her as lovable and the Story of Grandmother does not provide any description at all. In contrast to other versions of the tale, Goldflower does not go anywhere, but stays at home with her grandmother and brother while her mother is away. She uses her cunning to save herself, though she primarily thinks about saving her brother. The remarkable similarity with the Story is that Goldflower uses her physical needs as an excuse to leave the Bear. However, her smartness and courage go much beyond this trick as she also climbs the tree, greases it and talks with bear without any fear. Using her obvious intellectual supremacy over the bear and her advantageous position, she laughs at him and finally kills him with the spear after much mockery. The actions of Goldflower are presented as a heroic deed, which deserve the praise of both her mother and the community.

Depicting a courageous girl who prevails over a frightful beast with her cunning, the Goldflower and the Bear suggests that smartness and braveness are more important than physical strength. The independence of the girl and the use of tricks to deceive the beast account for the tale’s close similarity with the Story of Grandmother. However, Goldflower and the Bear is even more feminist in its tone, because it shows the girl as absolutely unyielding to the seduction and powerful enough to triumph over the attacker. It creates a stark contrast with the version of Grimm brothers, where the girl is not only defenseless in front of the wolf, but also becomes the cause of her own misfortunes. These two versions present the behavior of the girl on the opposite ends of the spectrum: while Goldflower acts in a laudatory and heroic manner, the actions of Little Red Cap are shameful because she disobeys her mother. As contrasted with the other two versions, Goldflower and the Bear was targeted at children and sought to motivate them to fight their fears.

Little Red Riding Hood is an archetypal image, which has allowed for different and even opposite interpretations over the centuries. In the classical version of Grimm brothers, the girl is a powerless creature, who bears the guilt for her own downfall because she disregards reason and obedience. In the vein of the 19^th century, the authors placed large emphasis on the need to educate children. In contrast to this version, the Story of Grandmother is devoid of any moralistic message and simply aims to amuse the readers with the depiction of shrewd peasant girl who can escape any dangers. Goldflower and the Bear invests the heroine with the largest power, smartness and independence, conveying to the readers that frightening situations can be overcome with cunning and courage. 

Works Cited

Brothers Grimm. “Little Red Cap”. The Classic Fairy Tales. Ed. Maria Tatar. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1999. Print.

Darnton, Robert. “Peasants tell tales: The meaning of Mother Goose”. The Classic Fairy Tales. Ed. Maria Tatar. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1999. Print.

Mi, Chiang. “Goldflower and the Bear.” The Classic Fairy Tales. Ed. Maria Tatar. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1999. Print.

Shavit, Zohar. “The concept of childhood and children’s folktales: Test case – Little Red Riding Hood”. The Classic Fairy Tales. Ed. Maria Tatar. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1999. Print.

“The story of grandmother”. The Classic Fairy Tales. Ed. Maria Tatar. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1999. Print.

Zipes, Jack David. Why Fairy Tales Stick: The Evolution and Relevance of a Genre. London: Taylor & Francis, 2006. Print.

I have learnt a few traditions in the schools and school system for the period that I have been here. I could easily identify myself to a few social groups since I had an interest in learning the foreign culture that I had come across. Being from a Christian background, I understand he morals and values that should be held as a student. While in Venezuela, my family had moved from the large conservative community to the large cities where I realized an enormous significance in the diversity and I was able to appreciate the American multiracialism.

It has made me embrace different cultures and gain the ability to live with people from different backgrounds and cultures. I have been volunteering at a hospital here in America, and I have been able to interact with people from various nationalities, especially the doctors and nurses. I am now aware of the effects of different cultures that are around me. It has fascinated me by knowing how the American towns can be conventional and have different cultures all in one basket. In this exposure, I have been able to connect with other people freely and not forget who I am, a Venezuelan in the half generation.

2. Flavanols

Naturally occurring, flavanols are compounds found in plants that provide protective qualities for them. That is, they help the plants protect themselves in a variety of ways, many of which are still unknown. These can be found in a variety of foods, including some types of tea, apples, grapes, red wine, and cocoa, each one of which contains their own unique blend. In particular, cocoa contains the flavanols called catechins and tannins, which are also responsible for the bitter taste often found in cocoa products. Research has found that these flavanols provide many benefits when consumed, such as being a great source of antioxidants, helping to regulate blood sugar, lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, maintaining a healthy heart, and many others (Lamport). For all these reasons, cocoa and other foods that contain flavanols have become extremely popular as people are buying them for their many health benefits.

3. The Brain

More specifically, foods like dark chocolate, which is made from cocoa, contain extremely high percentages of flavanols, and researchers have found that it has many health benefits for the brain. First of all, researchers have found that it can increase blood flow to the brain, thus increasing the amount of oxygen and other nutrients that it gets. Second, some research has shown that it helps make the brain more sensitive to insulin, which has been found to be correlated with dementia. Fourth, many studies have shown that these flavanols result in higher levels of concentration, higher test scores, and increased memory retention for both the long and short term (Mastroiacovo). Therefore, as can be seen above, eating dark chocolate has many benefits for the brain. 

4. Students

Many students have problems concentrating in class, perform poorly on tests, have behavioral issues that distract themselves and others around them, etc. Therefore, students should be given chocolate before class to fix these problems. In particular, one study gave students dark chocolate before a test and gave another similar group a placebo to determine if the dark chocolate had any effect. They found that the group that had been given the dark chocolate performed much better than the other group (Neshatdoust). This is because they were able to focus better and they were better able to recall information from their memories, thus demonstrating the effect it can have on students. That is, the researchers found a clear distinction between those that had flavanols and those that did not have them. Therefore, students need to be given chocolate before class, which will improve their performance.

5. Conclusion

Overall, the chocolate, specifically dark chocolate, has been found to improve the performance of students. This is because dark chocolate contains a collection of flavanols that provided a variety of benefits for the brain. Specifically, it increases blood flow to all areas of the brain, which has been shown to increase the student’s long term and short term memory, increase their ability to focus, and reduces the likelihood of disrupting behavior. Another way is to encourage parents to send it to school with their children so that the children can take it periodically throughout the day. For older students, such as those in college, this information needs to be given to them during orientation, and reminders should be placed around campus. This way, students of all ages can begin taking it regularly and boosting their overall performance. Furthermore, when educating the students, parents, teachers, etc. about the benefits of giving chocolate to students it should be emphasized that the benefits only come from dark chocolate. That is, other types of chocolate, such as milk chocolate or white chocolate, do not contain flavanols, and, therefore, will not give the desired effects.

Works Cited

Lamport D. “The effect of flavanol-rich cocoa on cerebral perfusion in healthy older adults during conscious resting state: a placebo controlled, crossover, acute trial.” Psychopharmacology (Berl). 232.17 (2015): 3227-34.

Mastroiacovo D. “Cocoa flavanol consumption improves cognitive function, blood pressure control, and metabolic profile in elderly subjects: the Cocoa, Cognition, and Aging (CoCoA) Study–a randomized controlled trial.” Am J Clin Nutr. 101.3 (2015): 538-48.

Neshatdoust S. “High-flavonoid intake induces cognitive improvements linked to changes in serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor: Two randomised, controlled trials.” Nutr Healthy Aging. 4.1 (2016): 81-93.

Symptoms of insomnia include difficulty falling asleep, awakening throughout the night, awakening too early, tiredness or sleepiness throughout the day, irritability, depression and anxiety, difficulty paying attention or focusing on tasks, increased errors or accidents, tension headaches, gastrointestinal distress, and ongoing worries about sleep. Millions of people across the globe suffer the same consequences and symptoms of insomnia, but the reasons for the disease can be varying (Mayo Clinic Staff).

Many causes of insomnia are well known. Some of these causes include stress and anxiety regarding work, school, healthy or any circumstances. An active mind at night makes it difficult to relax the body and mind and can easily lead to an inability to sleep. Depression and other mental health problems can lead to insomnia as well. Medical conditions are common causes of insomnia as well. Some of these include chronic and constant pain, breathing problems, frequent urination. Arthritis, cancer, heart conditions, lung disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, hyperthyroid, stroke, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases can also cause insomnia. Changes in schedules can also disrupt the sleep cycle. Prescription medications, as well as caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and illegal drugs are known to affect insomnia too. But there are other, more surprising conditions, which can lead to insomnia as well (Mayo Clinic Staff).

Fatal familial insomnia (FFI) is an extremely rare disease of the brain which is inherited. It is caused by an inherited mutation of the protein PrPC, but there have been reports of spontaneous mutation. This spontaneous mutation is called fatal insomnia (sFI.) FFI and sFI have no known cure and as insomnia progresses into a worse situation will lead to hallucinations, delirium, confusion, and eventually death. People tend to survive an average of 18 months from the onset of symptoms.

The mutated protein has been found in only 40 families throughout the entire world, and about 100 people are affected. Of these, 5 families are Italian, 2 French, 1 Japanese, 4 American, 2 Australian, 8 German, 1 Austrian, and 2 British. The first man living in the Netherlands with FFI was recently found, and another family was added to the list. This gentleman was actually of Egyptian descent. As of July 2005, only nine cases of sFI were diagnosed (Gambetti).

Offspring get their genes from their parents. In situations where only one parent has the gene that leads to FFI, the children have a 50% risk of inheriting the disease and getting the disease. Any potential FFI patient should be tested in order to attempt to offset the start of symptoms and to prevent spreading the gene to children. Onset of the disease usually begins around middle age; such was the case for the first person found to have FFI, Giacomo (Medori, Tritschler and LeBlanc).

Giacomo was born in 1791 in a small town outside of Venice, Italy. Family members were characterized by physically impressive, broad shoulders and a powerful build. Even with a robust body he became ill in 1836, when he was 45 years old. He suffered from dementia and soon became bed ridden yet always awake until he succumbed to his illness. Before he fell ill, Giacomo had three children. These three had six children of their own. The Giacomo family grew and flourished. They would become prominent Italian doctors and businessmen. One of his descendants even owned 130 apartments in Venice. Even though the family was affluence, many relatives died young. Analysis of Parish records and death certificates noted deaths due to epilepsy and fever, nervous gastric fever, meningitis, presenile dementia, Economo’s disease, leukoencephalitis, ictus, alcoholic encephalopathy. While all of these different types of death are listed, the actual cause of death was fatal familial insomnia (Max).

FFI was first described in 1986. Researchers found that symptoms typically begin when the patient is in their early 50s. Suddenly, with no warning, the patient can no longer sleep through the night. Naps are impossible as well. The pupils become tiny, and men become impotent. Blood pressure and pulse increases and the body begins to sweat as all systems go into overdrive. As time passes, the disease progresses, the frustration for sleep becomes more intense. The body will never go into any more than a light stupor which provides no actual rest (Max).

It is at this time when the advancement of the disease affects balance and movement. Speech disappears, and it becomes too difficult to walk but the ability to think remains, basically trapping the patient within their own body. The patient will even become unable to write their thoughts down. Finally, after only about a year and a half, the body will succumb to the exhaustion and enter a coma-like state. Death soon follows (Max).

At least 30 descendants of Giacomo have died from FFI. As of 2001, there were at least 25 more Giacomo family members known to be carrying the gene. Most of these relatives still live in the Veneto region of Italy, and they have become cursed and stereotyped. Max mentions “Villagers speak of it behind the family’s back. Although the women tend to be beautiful and the family cultured and wealthy, finding spouses is difficult. The family cannot get life insurance. ”I tried to get insurance the other day,” said Elisabetta Roiter, Giacomo’s great-great-great-granddaughter, ”and after filling out the form, the woman in the office asked, ‘So, at what stage are you in the family disease?’ ”” (Max)

Regular sleep patterns include different stages in cyclical patterns, each lasting about 90 to 100 minutes long. First is Non-REM sleep stage 1 and 2 which correlate to light sleep. This is followed by Non-REM stages 3 and 4 which is deep slow wave sleep. REM sleep follows. FFI patients are unable to go past stage 1, and, therefore, their brain are not entirely at rest which is necessary to revive and rejuvenate. Reviving and repairing take place during these deeper stages of sleep. During slow wave sleep, the pituitary gland secretes more growth hormone. Because FFI prevents the person from restoring the body which takes place during sleep, the body will break down over time (Max).

In 1983 extensive research was capable by Dr. Roiter when a man named Silvano offered his assistance to the University of Bologna. He allowed doctors to record him and later, analyze his brain after his death. While this research did not create a treatment, it offered extensive understanding of the disease. No cure has been found, and gene therapy has proven unsuccessful. Treating the symptoms does provide some relief but does not delay the inevitable. Sleeping pills and barbiturates are unhealthy and studies even show that they may worsen the course of illness (Mayo Clinic Staff).

All people who suffer from insomnia experience the same symptoms including difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or both. These problems exist, even though, there is an opportunity for sleep. People with insomnia experience problems throughout the day as well. Their energy levels, mood, mental and physical health, quality of life, and work performance can be affected by insomnia and a lack of sleep. With insomnia, people usually wake up feeling unrefreshed, which takes a toll on their ability to function during the day. Millions of people across the globe suffer the same consequences and symptoms of insomnia, but the reasons for the disease can be varying. Many reasons for insomnia are well known such as stress, anxiety and chronic pain, but other causes are not as well known. FFI and sFI are two diseases which are caused by a gene which mutates a protein in the brain. This mutated protein leads to a fatal form of insomnia. FFI is a hereditary disease and affects about 40 families and 100 people worldwide. Giacomo, the first person to be described as having FFI died in 1836 at the age of 45. As with all other people with the disease, he was unable to enter the restorative phases of sleep and, therefore, his body was unable to rest and recuperate. Persons with this type of unusual insomnia are utterly incapable of sleep until the mind and body break down, and death results.

Works Cited

Gambetti, Pierluigi. “Fatal Insomnia.” May 2013. Merck Manuals. Web. 24 March 2015.

Max, TD. “3. CASE STUDY: FATAL FAMILIAL INSOMNIA; LOCATION: VENICE, ITALY; To Sleep No More.” The New York Times 6 May 2001. Print.

Mayo Clinic Staff. “Insomnia.” 4 April 2014. Mayo Clinic. Web. 24 March 2015.

Medori, Rossella, et al. “Fatal Familial Insomnia, a Prion Disease with a Mutation at Codon 178 of The Prion Protein Gene.” The New England Journal of Medicine 13 February 1992: 444-449. Print.