Existential Therapy A Matter Of Choices Essay - 1699 Words

Existential Therapy: A Matter of Choices Chara Baines Liberty University Online Abstract Existential therapy is a self-help style of therapy based on choices. Existential therapy focuses on the here and now and the changes an individual can make in their lives if they are willing to honestly explore, self-evaluate, and make changes in their beliefs, traditions, patterns and behavioral issues. Questioning such things as death, the meaning of human existence, God’s existence, and relationships is done through a close client therapist relationship built on trust, transparence and understanding. Existential therapy can help a person determine direction, set and accomplish goals and achieve self-actualization. Existential therapy can also benefit individuals struggling with addiction, anxiety, and depression. Individuals seeking immediate relief, not willing or able to be honest in self-evaluations, have been reprimanded to therapy or resistant to the process are less likely to benefit or make any meaningful progress. With the help of therapy individuals are abl e to ask and seek answers to questions that will help them to aspire to become their true authentic self. History of Existential Therapy Existential therapy rose from the philosophical approach emphasizing that an individual, through acts of free will, determines their own destiny including how one should live their life thus making each individual responsible for his or her choices. AnShow MoreRelatedExistential Therapy: Death, Freedom Self-Awareness Essay1049 Words   |  5 PagesExistential Therapy: Death, Freedom Self-Awareness Some people rely on others to validate who they are, and to give them meaning. However, they must realize that they are alone in this world and they must find meaning from within themselves and not from others. Nevertheless, for many people being alone causes anxiety in which people feel that their life has no meaning. A person can become aware of who they are but not accept who they are while being alone. Existential therapy helps people toRead MoreStudent Studying Architecture And Urban Planning At Pratt Essay1193 Words   |  5 Pagesboyfriend; although she expresses that her break-up does was not the reason she sought out a therapist. April asks Paul, the therapist, if she can write down her reason for coming to therapy, rather than discussing it since she does not feel comfortable speaking about it, or even when others speak about it for that matter (Bergman et. al., 2008). Paul happily allows her to do so, and discovers the real reason April came to see him was because she r ecently found out she is suffering from stage threeRead MoreExistential Psychology1333 Words   |  6 PagesUniversity- Online | Existential Psychology | Journal Reviews | | [Type the author name] | 2/4/2013 | Human beings have natural existential givens; emotions and their expressions, a need for a certain amount of irrationality to stay afloat in a world that bombards them with empirical facts that could easily consume them with enslaving anxiety, and the need to be authenticity courageous and self-aware. Below we are given information that allows us to see into existential psychology and theseRead MorePsychodynamic Approach On Human Nature1108 Words   |  5 Pagesclients will have numerous issues; however, there is no one way to approach the matter. Recently, I completed a Determine your Theoretical Approach inventory. During this inventory, I was asked multiple questions that would determine my approach with dealing with human nature. There are four categories of theoretical approaches for counseling. The four categories are: psychodynamic, cognitive- behavioral, existential- humanistic, and postmodern approach. â€Å"Psychodynamic approach sees human functioningRead MoreThe Exist ential Theory Of Psychology Essay2244 Words   |  9 PagesAbstract Existential theory is only one of many different theories in psychology. This paper will work to help give the reader a better understanding of what Existential theory is, what the common factor accountability is and how the common factor accountability works within the existential theory to help a client and/or therapist gain a better understanding of the choices, thoughts, or behaviors that helped get a client into the position they are in and how holding themselves accountable to theirRead MoreMy Emerging Behavioral Therapy Theory1711 Words   |  7 PagesMy emerging theory employed aspects of therapy from the humanism, existentialism, dialectical behavior, and when necessary exposure therapy. These theories have represented me as a person. As I have presented them here, they through the lens of each other, they work to form one integrative approach. As Rogerian humanism has laid the foundation for ways of being, this theory also incorporated Dr. Marsha Linehan’s structure of dialectical behavioral therapy’s and goals expressed by Yalom in existentialismRead MoreTherapeutic Models, Person Centred And Existential2072 Words   |  9 PagesThis essay will explore two therapeutic models, Person-Centred and Existential, with the aim of understanding the similarities and differences in terms of their fundamental principles, approach and techniques as well as the situations in which they may be best applied. Person-centred therapy was developed by Carl Rogers as a new approach to therapy which put the emphasis on the quality of the relationship between the therapist and client and redefined the roles they would both play in the therapeuticRead MoreHumanistic and Existential Personality Theories Worksheet726 Words   |  3 PagesUniversity of Phoenix Material Humanistic and Existential Personality Theories Worksheet Fill-in the Blank 1. Abraham Maslow proposed the _____Humanistic____________ theory of personality. 2. According to Maslow, self-fulfillment and realization of one’s full potential are examples of ______basic__________ needs. 3. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs proposes that ___lower basic needs_________ needs must be satisfied before ____higher growth________ needs will become motivatorsRead MoreCarl Rogers : A Humanistic Approach1295 Words   |  6 Pagesactual experiences. Carl Rogers not only had a humanistic approach, but he allowed the client full control of his or her therapy sessions. Allowing the client to control his or her therapy sessions gave the client the ability to reach within and figure out what’s causing distress. This type of session is called â€Å"non-directive† (Kirschenbaum, 2014). The article â€Å"Client-Centered Therapy† by Harvard Mental Health notes, â€Å"with this method, the therapist refrains from asking questions. The therapist rarelyRead MoreMeaning Therapy : New Challenges And The Future1514 Words   |  7 Pagesdeath, and misery are dominating the media. It seems like that is all we as humans think about. Psychologist have come up with a type of therapy that is supposed to help people discover and create meanings and values in their lives out of painful experiences. It’s called Meaning Therapy. The idea originated from Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy (Wong 2015). Meaning Therapy (MT) focuses on the positive psychology of making life worth living in spite of suffering and limitations. It gives hope of finding meaning

The Odyssey Of Homer, A Homeric Epic Essay - 1550 Words

The Odyssey of Homer, a Homeric epic translated by Richmond Latimore, has an abundance of women, all of whom fulfill various roles within the narrative. In The Odyssey, women are portrayed as obstacles, or, more specifically, temptations that men need to surmount in order to obtain what they truly desire. As a result, women are associated with negativity in the reader’s mind; however, it is this depiction as negative temptations that grants them power within the epic. Women, such as Penelope, Circe, and Kalypso, act as catalysts who drive the Homeric tale forward. Penelope, in The Odyssey, is depicted as a weak woman, one who is unable to take a stand against the suitors who â€Å"will not go back to [their] own estates, nor will [they] go elsewhere until she marries whichever Achaian man she fancies† (II. 127-128 pg. 42). Marrying Penelope entails receiving a dowry from her father and, of course, some of the wealth that Odysseus has amassed over the years. Antinoos, a suitor, declares that â€Å"she has been denying the desires of the Achaians. For she holds out hope to all, and makes promises to each man, sending [them] messages, but her mind has other intentions† (I. 90-92 pg. 41). The material treasures that are attached to Penelope are what the suitors desire, and what makes her desirable; and, so, Penelope is transformed into the obstacle that the suitors need to â€Å"conquer† in order to reach that ultimate goal of accruing wealth. It could be argued that the wealth that isShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Mysterious H omer, Author of The Odyssey and The Iliad663 Words   |  3 PagesThe Mysterious Homer, Author of The Odyssey and The Iliad   A sketchy figure by the name of Homer is given credit for the two great epic poems of ancient Greece. The Odyssey and The Iliad influenced Greek culture, education, and morality. Little is known about Homer and many scholars question whether he existed at all. (Encarta) Some say two different unknown authors wrote the two poems. (Britannica) Others say that many oral poets were responsible for the finished products. (Britannica) In thisRead MoreHomer: The Most Famous Greek Poet751 Words   |  4 Pages Whether Homer was real or not, a group of people, a boy or a girl; one thing we are sure of is that â€Å"Homer† wrote two of the best epic poems. The Iliad, which was based on the tenth year of the Trojan War and the Odyssey, which was about a guy named Odysseus who goes on many adventures as he tried to get home to his son and his wife. From what we know Homer was the most famous of all Greek poets because of his written works, his legendary history, and his influen tial work. â€Å"Hateful toRead MoreComparing The Iliad And The Odyssey905 Words   |  4 PagesThis short essay will identify five traditional epic characteristics that are evident in both the Iliad and the Odyssey. The first epic characteristic evident in both epics is catalogs and genealogies. For instance, Book VIII of the Odyssey features a list of participants in the game (115-125) and the Iliad Book II features a catalog of ships (484-759). Secondly, both epics start in media res. The Odyssey starts ten years after the Trojan War and the Illiad starts nine years after the start of theRead MoreHomer: Blind or Captive Essay513 Words   |  3 PagesHave you ever wondered who Homer is? Have you ever heard of Homer? Do you know what he wrote? Do you know when he lived? All of these questions will be answered in the following paragraphs. Homer is an interesting man, not much is known about him, and what is known about him is questioned by the â€Å"Homeric Question,† he composed The Iliad and The Odyssey, and that is what his life is based off of. Homer means blind or captive. He was said to be born in 800 BCE, but their is no exact date butRead MoreEssay on Gender in the Odyssey1002 Words   |  5 PagesOdysseus values and character traits serve as a paradigm of the ideal Homeric Greek man. The god-like Odysseus is crafty, valiant, wise, and eloquent. He gains much of his knowledge through travel, the meeting of different cultures and peoples and learns from suffering and mistakes. He is an aristocrat and a warrior of all warriors. We first learn of many of these traits in Homers Iliad. Agamemnon, the commander of the Greek army always calls on Odysseus for assignments that required someoneRead More A Comparison of Homeric Formalism in The Iliad and The Odyssey1339 Words   |  6 PagesHomeric Formalism in The Iliad and The Odyssey Much that is terrible takes place in the Homeric poems, but it seldom takes place wordlessly... no speech is so filled with anger or scorn that the particles which express logical and grammatical connections are lacking or out of place. (from Odysseus Scar by Erich Auerbach)    In his immaculately detailed study comparing the narrative styles of Homer to those of the Bible, Erich Auerbach hits upon one of the most notable intriguesRead More Aeneid and Odyssey - A Comparison between Aeneas, Achilles and Odysseus1031 Words   |  5 PagesAeneid and Odyssey - A Comparison between Aeneas, Achilles and Odysseus      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A comparison between Virgils hero, Aeneas, and the Homeric heroes, Achilles and Odysseus, brings up the question concerning the relevance of the difference between the Homeric heroes and Aeneas. The differences in the poets concerns are explained by the fact that Virgil lived many years after Homer, giving Virgil the advantage of a more developed literary and philosophical society than Homer had at his disposalRead MoreThe Iliad And The Odyssey1060 Words   |  5 PagesHomer once said, â€Å"Hateful to me as the gates of Hades is that man who hides one thing in his heart and speaks another.† (The Iliad pg.405) The quote is relevant to the stories Homer created during the period of the Trojan War. Homer orally performed two of his best works The Iliad and The Odyssey. Homer’s stories are old and probably translated differently than their original telling. Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey still show the basic human emotions and are an insp iration to other authors, poetsRead MoreThe Homeric Odyssey By Christopher Mcquarrie And Directed By Bryan Singer831 Words   |  4 PagesThe Homeric Odyssey is a timeless work that shadows the adventures of Odysseus. The main story involves Odysseus’ journey to return home after the Trojan War. Specifically in scrolls 8-12 of the Homeric Odyssey, Homer skips around the journey occasionally to show the audience the construction of the hero of the epic, namely, Odysseus. The events in Homer’s epic are not in chronological order; however, the events are effective on guiding Odysseus as a storyteller. Scrolls 8-12 of the Homeric OdysseyRead MoreComparing The Odyssey And O Brother Where Art Thou1279 Words   |  6 PagesThe â€Å"Odyssey†, one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer, and â€Å"O Brother Where Art Thou†, a 2000 a film written, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. At first thought you would not think the movie â₠¬Å"O Brother Where Art Thou† and â€Å"The Odyssey† have anything in common. It is however, the modern film depiction of the troubles of a man during the depression and is molded by the ancient struggles of Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey. â€Å"The Odyssey† is about a Greek warrior and is

The Similarities Between Classical Music and Ellingtons free essay sample

Music and Elongations Jazz One of the greatest tragedies In the 20th century can be seen In the debasing of the Jazz genre as a unworthy equal to its predecessor, European Classical music. This can be seen in various statements about Jazz, such as Boris Gabbling commit, The Jazz Mania has taken on the character of a lingering illness and must be cured by means of forceful intervention. l This conflict can be traced through out the history of Jazz, as Classical composers have relatively disregarded this new type of music.Before Duke Elongations Cotton Club performances, Jazz play on the radio was legated for late night audience only. This sub-culture treatment has led many critics to disregard the Jazz movement as a dance craze, or unsuccessful recreations of Classical pieces. This slandering of Jazz has not only created a false image of the music, but it has also lead too full disconnection between the two genres. It is for this reason that I propose in my paper to show the relationship between these two musical categories.My hopes in demonstrating these similarities is to disassemble the schism of Ignorance built between the two, and place both Jazz and Classical music on equal footing. Critics of Jazz have always perpetuated this schism by utilizing the reasoning behind Jazz, that of it being a free form interpretation, to question the legitimacy of calling a Jazz leader a composer. For how can one be styled as a proper composer and still remain true to the Traditional Jazz concepts?The classic composer has at their disposal highly skilled musicians who are trained to work within professional bodies, such as a symphony orchestra or string quartet, and who then relies on the efficiency of these professionally trained bodies to Interpret his scores as he sees fit. On the surface this appears to run contradictory to the Jazz composer whom, Has to write for specific combinations which do not ex ist until he brings them Into being, and to rely on highly individual executable whose personal style must be blended together to give expression to his own ideas without;losing their individuality. Yet to interpret this blending of highly individualistic sounds as proof of a schism between this and the royally structured Classical composer Is a false Impression. This fallacy can be attributed to overemphasized the sporadic and Improvisational aspects of Jazz and refusing to address the simplistic question of how much room is there for personal interpretation within the context of composed writing?Complete artistic improvisational is only accomplished by the single performer, but Yet the moment a group or a collective Improvisational steps in some relatively simple and more or less Inflexible convention becomes essential If mere chaos Is to be kept at bay. 3 This Is why Duke Elongations Orchestra played such an Integrate role In his development of musical scores. It is here that we see the originality of Duke Elongating, for in his tailoring a piece around the performer, he created the impression of pure interpretations within the framework of structure.As Duke once said, Anoth er theory they hold is that there is such thing as a unadulterated improvisation without any preparation or anticipation. It is my firm belief that there have some idea what he was going to play, before he started4 This is an important aspect to bear in mind for this argument, for the mistake that Classical critics make is this distortion of the improvisational aspect to such extremes that one would believe that no compositional writing takes place.While obviously some improvisation happens in Jazz assembles, it is not that extreme, and in Elongations case this improvisation of certain musicians was actually written in the piece. Elongating work is centered on the interplay between written and improvised music. 5 As one can see both types of composers utilize their musicians to express theyre given message and while it is through this utilization that subtle differences arise, it is hardly enough to claim this schism.To most people the infusion of African tonality into Duke Elongations music to create Negro art, questions the connection between European music and Jazz. Here Constant Lambert responds to this. If anyone doubts the essential element of European sophistication in Jazz, it is a simple matter for his to compare a typical piece of Jazz, such as Duke Elongating Swampy River, first with a lyric by Grief and then with a record of African music.It must be clear to even the most prejudiced listener that apart from a few rhythmical peculiarities the Elongating piece has far more in common with the music of Grief6 One must understand that even when Duke infused the two tonalities of music; he still was ob ligated to work within guidelines of the European Harmonic tradition. Yet by him keeping with this tradition he is not obligated to write music in the form of previous composers such as Stravinsky, Mozart, or Bach, for to do that would delegate Elongations music as a duplicate work. Here is the contradiction, for no Classical composer has ever been chastise for creativity in their sound, and yet how do you explain the criticism of Elongations work? The intentional fusing of African and European tonality is nothing more than a continuation of numerous inventive techniques used by musicians as seen in the changing sounds and techniques of Classical music over time? Thus to criticize Duke for his originality one would also have to condemn original composers such as Debussy, whos use of the whole-tone scale, instead of the traditional scale of Western music, allowed him to achieved a new nuances of mood and expression.Music is a universal aspect in which the inherit purpose of composing is expression. In Don Giovanni Mozart treats the interplay of social and sexual tensions with keen insight into human character that transcends the comic framework, Just as Die Jabberer ¶et (1791) transcends, with its elements of ritual and allegory about human harmony and enlighte nment, the world f the Viennese popular theatre from which it springs8 As one can see this expression of the artist is relevant to Classical music, but can the same be said about Jazz?Some critics explain Jazz is nothing more than entertainment, and yet in this declaration these critics overlook the implication of the music. The purpose of Jazz is to express the conditions of the time, and for a critic to denote that the music cannot do so is not only ridicules but logically incorrect. First of all, who knows more about an artists music than the said artist? We know that Don Giovanni has meaning to it cause of the authors intended purpose, thus for Duke Elongations music to have the being asked whether Jazz music will ever be accepted seriously.I think so; and it has to be accepted as serious music because it is the only type which describes this gage if serious music is supposed to be descriptive of a period, then Jazz will have to be used to describe this, the Jazz age. Since I th ink Jazz is serious thing, I must be serious in my choice of song titles. 9 Thus one can see the purpose of Elongations music is to describe the era in which he lives in, very similar to the Classical era composers and the Romantic era imposers.In response to the enjoyably of Elongations music, I admit that Elongations music has melody in which patrons danced to, but the dance-ability of the music is not inherent but rather an interpretation by the targeted audience. As Duke once indicated, No notes represent swing. You cant write swing because swing is the emotional element in the audience. 10 The dance-ability of Jazz cannot be used as a distinguishing character, because one can always point to ballet, the waltz, or other manners of dance perpetuated against the backdrop of classic music.Last, large mount of spectators not only dance to Classical music but attend concert halls to listen to their performer, is this critic also indicating that in hearing Classical music one does not find enjoyment? As one author indicates, Like Mozart he, (referring to D uke Elongating) wrote music specifically designed for dance and concert and, again like Mozart, fudged the distinction between the two by the originality and consistency of his vision. al Thus as one can see that both Jazz and Classical music are reflection of their artists ideals and social conditions, while also consisting of an enjoyable element to their audience. In this ongoing analysis between the similarities of Elongating and Classical music, one must bear in mind the fundamental composition of all music. The basic elements found in the composition of all musical sound is melody, harmony, tone color, texture, rhythm, and form. While all music is created through combining these elements, the unique sound of a specific musical genre is dependent upon the proportion ratio of the mixture. 12 As one can see the originality of Jazz rests not in the creation of new elements, but rather with their unique utilization.An example of this can be seen in the accenting of rhythm in Jazz music hush leading some critics to refer it as Rhythmic music. In all honesty Jazz is neither more or less rhythmic than any other types of music, it Just simply uses rhythm in a different manner. 13 One of the clearest examples between of this link that I have been refereeing to can be seen in Elongations relationship with Delis. Yet Before I make the comparison between Elongations Jazz and Delis European impressionism and lyrical romanticism, a note must be made.I am in no way inferring that either composer played an integrate part in the development of the others style. Elongations sensitive impressionism shows considerable development before his actual encounter with Delis, and there is little proof that Elongations style would have changed if he had not even encountered Delis work. The real connection between these two is in the way they both utilize the impressionist technique in their music. Delis close adherence to the impressionist view can be seen in his focus on the mood or emotion stimulated by a scene.Elongations focus on reactions to events indicates how both composers scale, it is well known that Delis was an admirer of early minstrel shows of the 19th century. 4 These shows were the only theatrical medium in which gifted blacks performers of the period could support themselves and play their m usic. In them we see the employment of great blues singers such as Ma Rainy and Bessie Smith. Yet contrary to their own propaganda, minstrel shows musical repertoire has an only quasi-black influenced, not the full integration that is often portrayed. 5 The connection of this music can also be seen as the embracing of the African slave culture, while the extent of this embracement is arbitrary, the influence is still there. Yet like Gershwin this employment of the African tonality is not as pronounced in Delis, and yet the concept still advocates an unseen bridge between Classical and Elongating. While on the surface it may appear that the influence that ragtime played on Jazz has no relevance in this comparative analysis, the truth is ragtime is very much European.While it is common knowledge that European marching bands had immense influence on the development of ragtime,16 1 have decided to focus on the role of syncopation rhythm. This is made up of two essential elements, first in the placement of stress on a weak beat, and the second is the creation of a strong impulse on a subdivision oaf beat, called an in-between beat. Now weak beats and in-between beets are also known collectively as off beats, hence the rationale on why syncopated rhythm is referred to as a offbeat rhythm.Yet the important factor to remember is, musicians have always employed this type of rhythm as a stylistic method, with the only differential aspect in regards to rag time is the employment on a large-scale basis. Yet to the regard of many critics, a full composition cannot be based solely on this rhyme, thus only difference in the ragtime implications and that f Classical music is the extent of the utilization. Now that we have made the connection between ragtime and Classical the question is now asked, does such a relationship exist for Elongating?If one wanted to see the contribution of ragtime on Elongating, all they had to do was look at his first piece ever composed, Soda Fountain Rag. Elongations early life was spent in the company of the great ragtime pianist whose impact on him as a musician is unfounded. As Elongating himself indicated, Those ragtime pianists sounded so good to me, and they looked so good! Particularly when they flashed their left hands. 17 As one can see, while syncopated rhythm is an integral aspect of Jazz, it is in no way limited only to this musical category. From Bach to Mozart, Beethoven and even Tchaikovsky employed it as a stylistic feature in their pieces. In conclusion, one can see the shared characteristics of the two musical styles. Yet I find myself pressing again the reasoning for this paper, for I must submit that I am in no way declaring that Classical music equates Jazz. The two musical categories are different in numerous ways, but one must wonder does this difference Justify the mistreatment of Jazz. Throughout history great innovations have been created not thought the passive means, but through the torrent fires of dissent.

The Evolution of Peekay in the Power of One free essay sample

The Evolution of Peekay in the Power of One Think back to when you were five years old. Were you sent to a boarding school with kids a couple years older than you? Were you persecuted and bullied for being a â€Å"redneck† or for just being who you were? Chances are, the answer to these questions should be â€Å"no†. However, a small little boy growing up in Africa during the mid-1990s can probably describe every single tortuous day that he went through in this situation. His name is Peekay, and he is the narrator in Bryce Courtenay’s award-winning novel, The Power of One. Peekay describes his life form being a small five-year old boy to a teenager. Along the way, he meets many mentors and friends, such as Hoppie Groenewald, a champion boxer, â€Å"Doc†, a retired professor, and Geel Piet, a boxing coach. With the help of his mentors and friends, Peekay evolves from being an unsure little boy into a mature young man – living life without camouflage, with the ability to overcome adversity and strong faith in the power of one. We will write a custom essay sample on The Evolution of Peekay in the Power of One or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In Book One, Peekay hides behind a wall of camouflage in order to protect him from anything set out to threaten his survival; however, with the help of mentor Hoppie Greonewald, he overcomes his dependence on it. Camouflage, or to conceal something by making it match its surroundings, especially in appearance, is what most high school students try to do while on campus. They try to blend in, and not be the odd person out. Peekay does the exact same thing during the first half of the novel. In his first boarding school, Peekay learns that to stand out is dangerous and disappearing into the masses is the best camouflage. In fact, he becomes quite good at it. â€Å"I had become an expert at camouflage. My precocity allowed me, chameleonlike, to be to each what they required me to be. (Courtenay, 472). Peekay frequently needs to present himself in various guises in order to survive the system. He compares himself to a chameleon that is so adept at camouflage that he can submit his own will to that of everyone else. However, we see Peekay become antsy – he has the desire to become a champion, and he must find a way to camouflage while still a winner. He poses this dilemma in the following statement: My camouflage, begun so many years before under the persecution of the Judge, was now threatening to become the complete man. It was time to slough the mottled and cunningly contrived outer skin and emerge as myself, to face the risk of exposure, to regain the power of one. I had reached the point where to find myself was essential. (472). After years of being subjected to the Judge’s gibes, Peekay finally realizes that it is time that he reveals his true self and face whatever challenges appear along the way. He receives help by stumbling upon Hoppie Greonewald, a train conductor and boxing champion. Hoppie only spends a day with Peekay, but teaches him many important lessons. His idiom, â€Å"First with the head and then with the heart, that’s how a man stays ahead from the start† stays with Peekay throughout his life (103). It is a saying that Peekay uses to defeat his opponents in boxing matches, and it is one that inspires him. Hoppie also gives Peekay something much more important and valuable: the power of one. Peekay notes, â€Å"Even though Hoppie had passed briefly through my life†¦. he had managed to change my life†¦. Hoppie had sensed my need to grow, my need to be assured that the world around me had not been specially arranged to bring about my undoing. He gave me a defense system, and with it he gave me hope. † (103). As a result, Hoppie’s gift of the power of one, along with his quote, gives Peekay the inspiration to defeat his need of camouflage. Throughout the novel, we see Peekay constantly battling adversity, and every time he manages to succeed, he is faced with more challenges. As a five-year old boy in a boarding school, Peekay is intimidated and bullied by the Judge and his friends, and he is subjected to cruel and harsh punishment. However, he does not let this faze him. He decides never to cry, because crying is a sign of weakness. After Peekay abstains from crying after watching his pet chicken and best friend Granpa Chook die, the Judge becomes frustrated. â€Å"Then he let out a howl, a mixture of anger and anguish. ‘ Why don’t you cry?. ’ he sobbed and started to kick blindly at me. † (50). This is the first of many challenges that Peekay overcomes. Showing the Judge that he will not cry takes guts and willpower. Later in the novel, Peekay exacts his revenge on the Judge by knocking him unconscious and inscribing his name on the Judge’s body. Another challenge that Peekay overcomes is his rejection by Oxford, a prestigious college, for a scholarship. This seems to surprise everybody, especially after Peekay had done great in the interview and scored high on the entrance test. The people around me became accustomed to me winning. It was a habit that they shared, an indulgence they took for granted. I could see they were shocked and bitterly disappointed that, their having done their part, I had somehow failed them. Miss Bornstein and Mrs. Boxall were distraught beyond belief, having quickly convinced themselves of some kind of plot. 466-467) Peekay does not let this bring him down. Instead of accepting other scholarship offers, he decides to take a year off and work in the mines of Northern Rhodesia. He becomes a â€Å"grizzly man†, or a person who works with explosives along with having to be on watch for long periods of time. Peekay uses his boxing skills to excel at being a grizzly man. Peekay is a strong-willed boy, and he will not let adversity bring him down. Whether it is being bullied by kids at school, or not getting a scholarship to Oxford, he finds a way to fight through the pain and sorrow. Peekay develops more and more natural instincts to overcome adversity as the novel continues. The power of one is something that Peekay uses throughout the novel as inspiration and guidance. The belief of the power of one is perhaps the prominent theme in this novel. Peekay refers to it time and time again. He receives the power of one from Hoppie, a champion boxer who spends a day with Peekay. â€Å"He had given me the power of one – one idea, one heart, one mind, one plan, one determination† (103). Peekay develops the power of one to help him focus on his future goals, endure current hardships, and influence those around him. This holds true in the end of the novel, where Peekay and the Judge coincidentally meet again in a bar. After a fight, which he wins, Peekay exits the bar, and stands alone outside. He then narrates the last paragraph of the novel, in a calm and collected tone. I walked slowly toward the western-style salon doors and then out of the Crud Bar. Outside, high above me, a full moon, pale as skimmed milk, floated in a day sky. I felt clean, all the bone-beaked loneliness birds banished, their rocky nests turned to river stones. Cool, clear water bubbled over them, streams in the desert. 513) Peekay spends the last moments of the novel by himself, demonstrating the power of one one idea, one heart, one mind, one plan, one determination. He completes his payback on the Judge using the ideas that he had learned from his many mentors. Using Hoppie’s idiom, â€Å"First with the head and then with the heart† (103), and Doc’s many teachings of life and the mind, Peekay gain s a psychological advantage on the Judge. He plans his moves out perfectly, using combinations of boxing moves such as the â€Å"Geel Piet Eight† and a â€Å"Solly Goldman Thirteen† to finish the Judge off. Finally, he uses determination and the willpower to never give up and finish the fight. The power of one, a well-documented idiom throughout the novel, is embraced by Peekay as an inspiration and guidance through times of hardship and adversity. Peekay, once an insecure, troubled adolescent, grows into a confident, poised, young adult living without a guise, triumphing over challenges and difficulties, and believing in the power of one. He overcomes his dependency on camouflage thanks to the help of Hoppie Greonewald, and he defeats adversity and hard times by grinding it out and making instinctive decisions that ease his troubles. Finally, he uses the power of one as the goal for his life, which he eventually achieves at the end of the novel. Peekay’s transition from a timid boy into a mature young man is a true inspiration to many young adults today. Peekay coins the phrase, â€Å"Never give up† with his â€Å"don’t quit† attitude and his knack of getting back up when life knocks him down. He not only survives, but becomes a champion and a leader by using the belief of the power of one.