Teenage Pregnancy Essays (1948 words) - Midwifery, Teenage Pregnancy

Teenage Pregnancy The Truth About Teen Pregnancy Although the rate of teenage pregnancy in the United States has declined greatly within the past few years, it is still an enormous problem that needs to be addressed. These rates are still higher in the 1990's than they were only a decade ago. The United State's teenage birthrate exceeds that of most other industrialized nations, even though American teenagers are no more sexually active than teenagers are in Canada or Europe. (Gormly 348) Recent statistics concerning the teen birthrates are alarming. About 560,000 teenage girls give birth each year. Almost one-sixth of all births in the United States are to teenage women are to teenage women. Eight in ten of these births resulted from unintended pregnancies. (Gormly 347) By the age of eighteen, one out of four teenage girls will have become pregnant. (Newman 679) Although the onset of pregnancy may occur in any teenager, some teens are at higher risk for unplanned pregnancy than others. Teenagers who become sexually active at an earlier age are at a greater risk primarily because young teenagers are less likely to use birthcontrol. African-American and Hispanic teenagers are twice as likely to give birth as are white teenagers. Whites are more likely to have abortions. Teenagers who come from poor neighborhoods and attend segregated schools are at a high risk for pregnancy. Also, teenagers who are doing poorly in school and have few plans for the future are more likely to become parents than those who are doing well and have high educationsl and occupational expectations. Although the rate of teenage pregnancy is higher among low- income African-Americans and Hispanics, especially those in inner city ghettoes, the number of births to teenagers is highest among white, nonpoor young women who live in small cities and towns. (Calhoun 309) In addition to the question of which teenagers become pregnant, interest is shown in the social consequences of early parenthood. Adolescent parents (mostly mothers) may find that they have a lost or limited opportunity for education. (Johnson 4) The higher a woman's level of education, the more likely she is to postpone marriage and childbearing. Adolescents with little schooling are often twice as likely as those with more education to have a baby bafore their twentieth birthday. Some 58% of young women in the United States who receive less than a high school education give birth by the time they are twenty years old, compared with 13% of young women who complete at least twelve years of schooling. (Tunick 11) Teens who become pregnant during high school are more likely to drop out. (Calhoun 310) A teen mother leaves school because she cannot manage the task of caring for a baby and studying, and a teen father usually chooses a job over school so that he can pay bills and provide for his child. (Johnson 4) Teen mothers usually have fewer resources than older mothers because they have had less time to gather savings or build up their productivity through work experience, education, or training. (Planned Parenthood 1) Because of this, teen mothers are generally poor and are dependent on government support. (Newman 679) The welfare system is usually the only support a teen parent will receive. Welfare benefits are higher for families with absent fathers or dependent children. (Calhoun 309) In some cases, teen mothers may also receive help like Medicaid, Food Stamps, and Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). (Newman 679) Besides educational and financial problems, teenage mothers may face a great deal of emotional strain and may become very stressed. Teen mothers may have limited social contacts and friendships because they do not have time for anything other than their baby. Lack of a social life and time for herself may cause the teenage mother to become depressed or have severe mental anxiety. (Johnson 5) Depression may become worse for a teenage mother because she usually does not know much about child development or about how to care for their children. Children who are born to teenage mothers usually suffer from poor parenting. (Berk 188) Also, children of teenage parents start being sexually active before their peers and they are more likely to become teenage parents themselves. These children may also

Analytical Essay Sample on Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Analytical Essay Sample on Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte The influence of childhood in its different ways, on the major characters in Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights can be seen as a pervasive theme throughout the novel. Through an exploration of the relationship between the main characters, the theme of childhoods influence is apparent. It can be said, as noted by Steve Davies, that the childhood of both protagonists Heathcliffe and Catherine, haunts them in their adult lives thus affecting their interactions with and their behavior towards other people in a negative way. However, through Brontes portrayal of Hareton and the younger Catherine, the redeeming qualities of the human spirit prevails as they overcome negative influences and memories of their childhood. They emerge at the conclusion of the novel as characters who are not haunted by their childhood and its refusal to die away, but as two people who have overcome adverse conditions in their past by seeking to improve their existence and personalities It is evident in the novel through Emily Brontes portrayal of the character of Heathcliff, that revenge which stems from Heathcliffs relationships as a child, motivates him to become vindictive throughout his adulthood. Heathcliff is introduced to the Earnshaw family upon Mr Earnshaw finding him in the streets of Liverpool, as an orphan. His introduction to the other Earnshaw family members is not well received, Heathcliff is referred to as it and is unwelcome by the Earnshaw children, Hindley and Catherine. This highlights a very unpleasant start to Heathcliffs childhood in the Earnshaw household. Heathcliff develops a particularly negative relationship with Hindley, this starts at childhood and continues into adulthood. From the day Heathcliff enters the Earnshaw house Heathcliff felt nothing but hate from Hindley, the beatings and ill treatment that Hindley instilled on him, hardened Heathcliff and he formed a similar hatred for Hindley. An example of his unpleasant relationship can be seen when Mr Earnshaw gave Heathcliff and Hindley colts, on finding that his lame, Heathcliff informs Hindley, You must exchange horses with me; I dont like mine, and if you wont I shall tell your father of the three thrashings youve given me this week, and show him my arm, which is black to the shoulder. at which Hindley, cuffs him over the ears, this argument concludes in Hindley beating Heathcliff but handing over his horse with a hateful remark, take my coltand I pray that he may break your neck. In the end Heathcliff achieves what he wants. This transcends into Heathcliffs adulthood and revenge motivates Heathcliff into returning to Wuthering Heights, as an adult to, settle my score with Hindley. He achieves this by aiding Hindleys gambling, eventually taking away his home, resulting in Hindley dying in debt thus leaving Hindleys son Hareton in Heathcliffs custody. Heathcliffs relationship with Hareton, allows Heathcliff to distinguish himself in Hareton, Hareton seemed a personification of my youth. and in some ways Heathcliff wishes him to be the kind of son he wanted but never had Id have loved the lad had he been some one else.   Even though he empathizes with Hareton, he can not treat Hareton with kindness as he can not put aside the animosity, anger, and resentment he feels, which results from Hindleys behavior towards him as a child. Though initially unwelcome by Catherine, within a short period of time Heathcliff and Catherine form a very close bond, this relationship is the only positive relationship in Heathcliffs life, he loves her unconditionally and holds Catherine in high regard. she is so immeasurably superior to them to everybody on earth This immense love for Catherine carries on into Heathcliffs adulthood. Heathcliffs departure from the Earnshaw house occurs on the evening of Catherines proposal to Edgar, he overhears her conversation with Nelly, upon hearing Catherine say, it would degrade me to marry Heathcliff , Heathcliff takes flight heartbroken. He returns to Thrushcross Grange an established gentlemen, unable to let go of this undying love for Catherine Ive fought through a bitter life since I last heard your voice, and you must forgive me, for I struggled only for you! Catherine has made him suffer by marrying Edgar. Heathcliffs vindictive nature is brought to the surface when a confrontation with Catherine mentions his plan of revenge I want you to be aware that I know you have treated me infernally infernally!and if you fancy Ill suffer unrevenged, Ill convince you of the contrary, in a very little while! Heathcliffs love for Catherine is a major motivator for his revenge on Edgar, who Heathcliff envied as a child, for taking away Catherine from him, for he thought that Catherine preferred Edgars company to his as Edgar was more refined. I wish I had light hair and fair skin, was dressed and behaved as well and had a chance of being as rich as he will be! Heathcliff returns to Thrushcross Grange, his love for Catherine still apparent which developed at childhood, cannot escape him, determined to see Catherine when he heard that she is gravely ill, upon him seeing her, he pours his heart out to her I have not broken your heart you have broken it and in breaking it , you have broken minewould you like to live with your soul in the grave? It is there last meeting before her death which took place shortly after the birth of her child the younger Catherine, this makes Heathcliff feel that the child just born has taken away his Catherine, Heathcliffs vengeful nature motivates him to revenge those who interferes with his relationship with Catherine, and his plan of revenge takes a new turn, to now involve the younger Catherine I want the triumph of seeing my descendants fairly lord of their estates; my child hiring their children to till their fathers land for wages, he does this this by manipulating the younger Catherine into falling in love with his son Linton then forcing them to marry, so upon Edgars death he gains his revenge on Edgar through taking away his daughter and his estate. Even though he revenges Edgar, for taking away his Catherine, the immense love he holds for Catherine haunts him, she is his only weakness and he cannot overcome his love for her, he dies heartbroken. The character of Catherine can be compared to Heathcliff, as she also cannot escape her childhood, and a love that initiates then and carries onto adulthood, thus affecting her relationships and interactions with other people in her life. Catherine Earnshaw was brought up in a well respected family home, as a child she was accustomed to the finer things in life, which brings about her being spoilt and mischievous, and illustration of this is the night her father returns with Heathcliff, as she had asked her father for a whip before his departure, and on his return finding that he had lost it while attending Heathcliff she spits on Heathcliff. Eventually Catherine becomes much too fond of Heathcliff, and she spends her day running away with Heathcliff, and on one certain day, they end up at Thrushcross Grange, this results in Catherine hurting her ankle, at which the Lintons keep her for five weeks , Catherine returned to Wuthering Heights a very dignified person, she becomes superficial in her materialism and all things nice, such being her new friends the Linton children, Edgar and Isabella. Her relationship with Heathcliff never completely returns to being the same, since her time away at the Lintons, but she still holds him close to her heart. As she grows into a young women she keeps up her acquaintance with Edgar Linton, as he is soft and beautiful, but compared to Heathcliff, Edgar with all his superiority, found it difficult to make an equally deep impression to Catherine. Her friendship with Edgar turns into a proposal of marriage, she consents even though she loves him for the wrong reasons, when Nelly tries to advise her he wont always be handsome and young, and may not always be rich, she replies with he is now; and I have only to do with the present'. She marries Edgar even though she is not suited to him in personality, and does not love him in the way she loves Heathcliff but as she recognizes the dishonorable elements in Heathcliffs personality, his harshness, the fact that he is not refined and could never be a gentlemen, and despite all this still loves him, she feels she can not marry him, as she can not continue to lead the life she has become accustomed to. As an adult Catherines relationship with Edgar, is overshadowed by her extreme love for Heathcliff. An example of this is when an encounter between Edgar and Heathcliff, results in Catherine announcing, Id rather see Edgar at bay than you. Catherine cannot escape her love for Heathcliff, which started at childhood and still exists in her adulthood, despite her marriage to Edgar, and in betraying her heart for her own selfish reasons, such as her love for all things fine and beautiful, she too dies heartbroken. In contrast to the characters of Heathcliff and Catherine, is Emily Brontes representation of the characters of Hareton and the younger Catherine known as Cathy. Hareton who in spite of his ill treatment by Heathcliff in his childhood, he is not motivated by revenge, but motivated to defeat Heathcliffs damaging influences, and better his character in his adulthood. And Cathy, unlike her mother, looks past the unrefined nature of Hareton, and follows her heart, in marrying him. Hareton has a fairly unstable start in childhood, shortly after his birth his mother dies and at a fairly young age he copes with the death of his father Hindley. Hareton like Heathcliff is left an orphan. With the death of his father, Hareton is left in a predicament, the sole chance for the natural heir is to allow him an opportunity of creating some interest in the creditors heart, that he may be inclined to deal leniently towards him. This results in Hareton reduced to a state of complete dependance on his fathers inveterate enemy; he lives in his own house a servant deprived of the advantage of wages. Despite living in these conditions, Hareton still holds a place in his heart for Heathcliff, an example of this is on the morning of finding of Heathcliffs body, Hareton, the most wronged, was the only one that really suffered much. He sat by the corpse all night, weepinghe pressed its hand, and kissed the sarcastic, savage, face, Hareton loves Heathcliff like a father figure despite the way he treated him. When Cathy comes to stay at Wuthering Heights, she teases Hareton, commenting on his stupidity, but only to get his attention,and despite her unfair treatment on him, he dismisses it and forms a close bond with her, Hareton improves himself by allowing her to teach him how to read, he eventually falls in love with Cathy and in doing so, he overcomes the manipulation of Heathcliff, and hence becoming a respectable young man with every thing rightfully his restored to him. Cathy had the most stable childhood in the novel Wuthering Heights, though she did not have her mother, Nelly was an adequate female role model, Cathy was accustomed to the finer things in life, and was dearly loved by her father Edgar, and she loved him equally. Her father trusted her to no one elseWuthering Heights and Mr Heathcliff did not exist for hershe was a perfect recluse; and perfectly contended. But as a curious young women she eventually, came across the house and its inhabitants, and in doing so she became part of Heathcliffs plans, she falls for Linton and his pretty looks but seeing that he was weak did not love him, and was forced into the marriage by Heathcliff. In staying at Wuthering Heights after her husbands death, she at first treats Hareton rather shamefully, laughing heartily at his failures, and disrespecting him for he was not refined as she. But as she is lonely , she soon puts aside her arrogance, when I call you stupid I dont mean anything I dont mean that I despise you. She makes friends with Hareton eventually falling for in love with him, their intimacy commenced, grew rapidly;both their minds tending to the same point one loving and desiring to esteem; and the other loving and desiring to be esteemed they contrived in the end to reach it. Despite coming from a well respected home, never seeing herself as a child marrying someone as unrefined as Hareton, falls in love with him and his generous heart thus improving her personality, in so becoming a kind young women. Here is a list of the most popular essay topics on Wuthering Heights: Polar Opposites in Wuthering Heights How Emily Bronte uses the first 3 chapters of Wuthering Heights to create foreboding Othello vs Wuthering Heights The use of setting in Wuthering Heights Discuss the importance of setting in Wuthering Heights. Examine the use of buildings, landscape, weather and the elements to reflect the nature How does Bronte Create an Appropriate Atmosphere and Background to the Events of â€Å"Wuthering Heights† in the First Movement? Characteristics of two of the main characters in Wuthering Heights The Development of Catherine and Heathcliffe’s Relationship from Chapter 7 of Wuthering Heights Quarrel in Chap. 8 of Wuthering Heights Wuthering Heights and Evil Villain

Female offenders are more likely to be referred to psychiatric Essay

Female offenders are more likely to be referred to psychiatric counselling than men. Discuss, taking into account the impact of gender stereotypes in the criminal justice system - Essay Example That, however, does not mean that women are more likely to be referred to psychiatric counseling than men. It appears that, as the number of female inmates continues to increase, prisons and jails fail to catch up with the pace of change in inmate demographics. Like many years ago, the criminal justice system lacks resources needed to meet women’s health needs. The corrections system continues to ignore the health care needs of female prisoners, turning mental health complications into the most viable explanation to women’s criminal acts. That women-offenders are more likely than incarcerated men to display the signs and symptoms of mental health complications has been abundantly established. The current state of research provides a wealth of information concerning the most serious mental health challenges faced by incarcerated women. Understanding the mental health trends in women offenders is crucial for the development of more relevant criminal justice frameworks and detecting the stereotyping and bias affecting female inmates in the corrections system (Freudenberg 2002). According to Covington (2007), when it comes to mental health, 73% of female inmates in state prisons display the signs of mental health disorders, compared to only 12% among the general population. 75% of those who meet the criteria for mental health disorders also display the symptoms of substance dependence or abuse (Covington 2007). This is probably why the largest percentage changes in delinquency have been noted in female youth (Cruise, Mar see, Dandreaux & DePrato 2007; Snyder & Sickmund 2006). However, the link between mental health complications and crimes committed by female offenders are beyond the scope of this discussion. More important is the current state of mental health in women-prisoners and its implications for the criminal justice processes affecting the corrections system. In this sense, the results

International Trade and Competition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

International Trade and Competition - Essay Example Thus organizations usually decide to globalize their operations when they foresee a sufficient profitability in assigning their limited resources to foreign market(s) higher than the expected rate of return from other marketing decisions. iii) The cost of entering the market. Cost may be monetary, time, energy or psychic costs and may arise due to differences in culture and value systems making the product and adaptation cost extremely high, due to the distance, due to high taxation levied by the foreign governments and imposition of tedious rules regulations and procedures by the government of a country thus creating high entry barriers. Countries may differ on their market attractiveness, entry barriers, proximity, culture, rules and regulations and risk factors hence the same organization may have to employ different entry and operation strategies for different countries, also the government policies in the same country may be different for different industries and some products and hence the strategies have to be varied accordingly . Organizations differ in their vision, mission, objectives, competitiveness (strengths and weaknesses), resources and hence the strategies they adopt to face a particular marketing situation. However studying a category of organizations and the international marketing strategies adopted by them helps arrive at few generalizations. The decision maker has to exercise caution in deciding where to generalize and where to discriminate while formulating strategies for the organization s/he is

Mice and Men and Great Expectations Essay Example for Free

Mice and Men and Great Expectations Essay Of Mice and Men and Great Expectations, have many similarities. They both show the way certain characters are treated by society. These similarities may be strong but there are natural differences that come from the different times and places the stories are set in.-as well as the way the authors approach the topic.  Steinbeck begins Of Mice and Men by creating a tranquil scene where everything is seemingly at peace. Steinbeck creates with words images of paradise such as when he writes: A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hill-side bank and runs deep and green. The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool. A river, which is said to run deep, is calm and slow moving. Its water is clear too, twinkling over yellow sands, it has warm water too and seems perfect-almost too good to be true. Inevitably it is. Of Mice and men is set in the 1930s during Americas great depression. After the stock exchange crashed in New York, money and jobs became hard to find. There was poverty all over America and California, which affected everything. Like the American dream, paradise can only exist with money. Therefore only the wealthy can enjoy this and even then it is spoilt by the poverty surrounding it. The American Dream is a paradox, just like the paradise of Salinas River. They cannot exist because they contradict themselves. Paradise is bliss but how can this exist with so much poverty and suffering in the world? The Salinas River seems briefly to have escaped the paradox. There is no sign of poverty, just peace and tranquillity. Then human life enters the scene. Human life is introduced when a path is described; There is a path through the willows and among the sycamores, a path beaten hard by boys coming down from the highway. Its the point that the track has been beaten hard that really emphasises what effect humans have had on the river. Other animals leave tracks that are temporary and blend into the scene. Humans have left their path permanently, like a scar it proves that not even the Salinas River can reach paradise. But it is not the only scar, In front of the low horizontal limb of a giant sycamore there is an ash pile made by many fires; the limb is worn smooth by men who have sat on it. Two more scars. The introduction of humans into the scene sees the end of the animal life in the scene. As the humans approach all the wildlife is scared of and the area is completely deserted. For a moment the place was lifeless. The peace is broken and with it any chance of the Salinas River truly becoming paradise.  The story is set in California where few people owned land. They had either lost it due to the financial problems the depression caused or were just too poor to afford any in the first place. The people needed to find work; one of the most common jobs was to work on a farm. These people became known as migrant farmers. They would drift from one farm to the next, rarely settling for long. The two characters that enter the scene are migrant farmers and are looking for work. This is the first introduction of human life into the scene. Great Expectations is set in Victorian England, where just like in 1930s California, the rich thrived and the poor suffered terribly. Even more distressing perhaps was the disease that swept through towns and killed many children as well as adults. This led to an increase in orphans, who have the same feelings of being alone and poor. They have the same problems as many others and werent much better off than the criminals in jail. Criminals were treated like animals, as were the poor community as a whole. Just like during the dust bowl, if you werent rich then you were a social outcast. After introducing the character Pip, Dickens begins describing his surroundings. Dickens goes into great detail to set the scene. He describes the area as Marsh Country which stretches for twenty miles up to the coast. Pip is in a secluded graveyard overgrown and derelict. Beyond the graveyard is a dark flat wilderness, Intersected with dykes and mounds and gates, with scattered cattle feeding on it, was the marshes. It is a raw afternoon towards the evening. The setting is dark and there is a sense of evil and death about the place. It seems to be building upto something sinister, and does so when the criminal enters the scene. He is described as a fearful man, in all course grey with an iron on his leg. He almost represents death in this scene, an evil presence trying to seize Pip.

The Character of Pop Bottle Pete in The River Warren :: River Warren Essays

The Character of Pop Bottle Pete in The River Warren      Ã‚   In the novel, The River Warren, Pop Bottle Pete is a character whom not all readers have an easy time understanding or relating to. The most obvious reason for this is that he is a grown man with a mental disability. The reader understands this through the words that he uses, the way he uses them, and also through his relationships, which are affected by his disability. Having a clearer knowledge of this disability, by looking at his language and social skills, the reader will gain a better understanding of these relationships. Out of respect for the character I will refer to him as Peter. To get a general range of Peter's skills, the Battelle Developmental Inventory will be used as a resource. The Battelle is an assessment used for children birth to six years of age but can be used on an older person who is functioning around this level. Given Peter's description of himself, his activities, and his feelings we can estimate a general developmental level (it is n ot possible to obtain a standardized score or an actual age level of development). According to the Battelle, Peter's skills appear to range about the five to six year age level in the areas of Adult Interaction, Expression of Feelings/Affect, Self-Concept and Social Role.    Some of the items that we can look at in the Adult Interaction are tasks such as "separating easily from the parent," a skill that is developed around 36-47 months. Peter seems to show no difficulty leaving his mother's presence and showing some independence. He seems very comfortable going out, away from his mother, to collect bottles and cans. Also, he did not show any difficulty when he was a Dr. Piersoll's office and his mother had to leave the room. If anything his mother seemed more disturbed than Peter. But he did have a task in the area of Adult Interaction that he would not have passed and that is "asking for adult help when needed," a skill that is developed around 72-83 months. If he had had this skill, he would have gone to his mother when he contracted frostbite on several of his toes and his penis, and he would have had her help him in the most appropriate way.

Absurdity of a “Sivilized” Society-an Analysis of Huckleberry Finn Essay

The Absurdity of a â€Å"Sivilized† Society Authors often express their views on any given subject through their works, and Mark Twain is no exception. One may read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and believe it is simply a novel about a young boys childhood; however, a deeper analysis of the text reveals many of Mark Twain’s expressions about important moral and social issues. Perhaps one of the most prominent being the frailty of human justice and the hypocrisy we as a people foster in our societies. Throughout the novel, Huck meets people who appear to be good, civilized people, but always end up having a hypocritical fault about them. Though not every instance is a grave matter, Twain’s writing shows that societies in Huck’s world are based upon corrupted laws and principles that defy basic logic. Twain’s writing leaves the reader with an understanding that cowardice, illogical choices, and selfish as well as hypocritical people mark these societies. Twain begins weaving hypocrisies and cants early into the story; one of the most appalling being the issue of Huck’s custody. This flawed system of thought is first shown when the new judge in St. Petersburg rules that Pap has rightful custody of Huck. Although this would be bad for Huck if his father became his legal guardian, the judge asserts Pap’s rights to Huck as his biological son, despite the fact that this is placing Huck’s welfare below the so-called rights of his father. Ironically, this system would put Huck under his dad’s custody, leaving him worse off, whereas Jim is separated from his family despite being a far better father and person. However, the welfare of the individual isn’t highly valued in society, and thus they are placed in uncomfortable, often dangerous situations. The judge tries to put Huck back in contact with his horrid father and therefore abuse, but Jim, a loving parent, never receives help to be with his children and help rescue them from slavery and separation. This decision defies all logic one would find in a normal society, and yet this kind of thinking was commonplace. The values and welfare of a black person were nowhere near as important as those of a white man, and even though Jim is a grown man with the most in tune moral compass of any character in the book, Huck still has power over him simply because he is white. By comparing the situation of Pap and Huck with slaves and their masters, Twain hints that it is impossible for a society to be civilized so long as it practices slavery. Though not quite as harmful, another example of a hypocritical character can be found in the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson. In an attempt to â€Å"sivilize† Huckleberry, Miss Watson reprimands him for smoking a cigarette and yet she snuffs tobacco. â€Å"Pretty soon I wanted to smoke, and asked the widow to let me. But she wouldn’t. She said it was a mean practice and wasn’t clean, and I must try to not do it any more†¦ And she took snuff, too; of course that was all right, because she done it herself† (Twain 2). She prevents Huck from doing what she believes is uncivilized and detrimental to his health, yet doesn’t think twice about proceeding to do something very similar simply because she herself enjoys it. This example of hypocrisy is not particularly malicious, but yet another example of how all the characters Huck is involved with has some form of a hypocritical flaw. Furthermore, Miss Watson is quite religious and, in efforts to teach Huck, tells him that all he must do is pray for something and he will have it. However, when Huck needs fishhooks and asks her to help pray for them, she calls him a fool. â€Å"Then Miss Watson she took me in the closet and prayed, but nothing come of it. She told me to pray every day, and whatever I asked for I would get it. But it warn’t so. I tried it. Once I got a fish- line, but no hooks. It warn’t any good to me without hooks. I tried for the hooks three or four times, but somehow I couldn’t make it make it work. By-and-by, one day, I asked Miss Watson to try for me, but she said I was a fool. † (Twain 8). Miss Watson tells Huck that if he does something, he can expect a certain result but when things don’t work, he asks for her help and she chides him for it! The widow Douglas and Miss Watson are religious, educated, and yet, they are slave owners. They educate Huck, and teach him religion but find it perfectly acceptable to do things contrary to their teachings, such as snuff and practice slavery. The latter, being a more insidious humbug of St. Petersburg, is shown over and over again throughout Huck’s journey. As Huck begins to stray from his backwards, insincere town, he reaches different places with different people, all different in their own way and yet, very similar to those in St. Petersburg. The Duke and Dauphin are two despicable con men who join Huck and Jim as they continue to drift on the river. The Duke and Dauphin cause trouble for Huck and Jim, as well as the towns they visit. The fault here is that, the Duke and Dauphin are able to scam entire communities by lying, pretending to be someone they’re not, and cheating their guests. Though they spend most of the novel doing awful things or planning awful things, they both are hardly punished. After the first showing of The Royal Nonesuch, the first group of attendees realizes they have been cheated. However, instead of chastising the Duke and Dauphin, the audience that night chooses to lie about the performance in order to cheat a second group of attendees. Hold on! Just a word, gentlemen. † They stopped to listen. â€Å"We are sold—mighty badly sold. But we don’t want to be the laughing stock of this whole town, I reckon, and never hear the last of this thing as long as we live. NO. What we want is to go out of here quiet, and talk this show up, and sell the REST of the town! Then we’ll al l be in the same boat. Ain’t that sensible? † (â€Å"You bet it is! —the jedge is right! † everybody sings out. ) â€Å"All right, then—not a word about any sell. Go along home, and advise everybody to come and see the tragedy. † (Twain 114). Most hypocritical, however, is the fact that the Judge of the town conceived this plan. He who stands as a pillar of justice and truth in the town decides to cheat the others in order to save face. By the third night, everyone in town has seen the play and the Duke and Dauphin make a large profit from their misconduct. Immoral acts committed by the Duke and Dauphin never yielded punishments, but brazen, drunk insults led to execution. Boggs, described as the â€Å"most easy going old fool in Arkansas†, began shouting insults and anathemas at Sherburn, the man who had cheated him. He [Sherburn] was standing perfectly still in the street, and had a pistol raised in his right hand—not aiming it, but holding it out with the barrel tilted up towards the sky†¦ Boggs throws up both of his hands and says, â€Å"O Lord, don’t shoot! † Bang! goes the first shot, and he staggers back, clawing at the air—bang! goes the second one, and he tumbles backwards on to the ground, heavy and solid, with his arms spread out. † (Twain 108). The Duke and Dauphin cheat entire communities and remain unpunished by their terrible acts; however, peccadilloes like shouting drunken insults result in execution. Twain’s writing exposes the issue of faulty justice and duplicitous nature of men. Furthermore, Sherburn’s speech to the angry mob around his house in relation to a lack of logic and cowardice capitulates Twain’s societal views. Twain’s use of hypocrisy helps express his views on societal issues. Though not every instance is harmful, such as Miss Watson’s snuff usage, other notable examples such as the execution of Boggs and the custody of Huck highlight his belief that cowardice, lack of logic, and selfishness are at the core of society, not the communal welfare that it should be. The repeated instances of insecure, logic defying justice are the root of the problem, as thoughtless crimes are punished severely whereas serious crimes go scot-free. Throughout the novel, Huck meets characters that appear good, yet Twain makes a conscious effort to prove they are prejudiced slave owners. The illogical choices and hypocritical people presented throughout the novel show the hypocrisy and ludicrousness of the â€Å"sivilized† society.