Rhetorical Essay: “A faceless Man’s Plea”
Chicago journalist Mike Royko once wrote a column, “A Faceless Man’s Plea,” which condemned the VA when it wouldn’t pay for a reconstructive surgery that would let a Vietnam veteran chew and swallow his food. The author intends to persuade the VA to pay for Leroy Bailey’s reconstructive surgery in order to compensate the sacrifices of the serviceman.
Royko shapes his column around the life of a man who lost his face at war. Using imagery, Royko mentions that Leroy Bailey, a serviceman from the infantry in Vietnam, lost his face tragically due to a rockets’ explosion. With a straightforward tone, Royko says that the young serviceman was condemned to an unpleasant life because he “no longer had a face.” At this point of the column, the author represents Leroy Bailey as a martyr who lost his face for another man’s cause.
Royko mentions that the young serviceman will be denied from most of the “pleasures of men,” by doing so the author implies that the serviceman will suffer from an emotional depression due to low self-esteem. Moreover, Royko touches the audience’s emotions by saying “BUT THERE IS ONE THING he would like to be able to do one day […] He would like to eat solid food.” The serviceman desires the ability to eat once again, most of us don’t value this ability because we “take it for granted.”
At the beginning of the column, Royko’s tone is solely pragmatic because he holds back his emotions. However, the column’s tone changes drastically when Royko divulges that “THE VA REFUSED REFUSED TO PAY” for the medical bills of Leroy Bailey. The columnist is enraged that the VA is not willing to assist the serviceman financially. Moreover, the serviceman believes that the VA considers his surgery “cosmetic” rather than “reconstructive,” the word “cosmetic” implies that the serviceman is performing the surgery for narcissistic reasons. However, the serviceman is performing the “reconstructive”surgery because he wants to restore the form and function of his jaw.
In the final paragraph, Royko states that Leroy Bailey will not be able to “sit down and eat at the […] table.” He demonizes the VA for not assisting Leroy Bailey with his reconstructive surgery, the organizations is supposed to aid the distress of the serviceman. Royko then states that the VA has enough money to make the San Clemente properties “prettier” but does not have enough money to pay for the reconstructive surgery of a serviceman.
Three Stage Counseling Model
Introduction
Gerard Egan published the first edition of “the Skilled Helper” in 1975. He added to the concepts of Carl Rogers by putting together a concept on helping based on skills required at different stages, which became known as “Three stage counseling model”. Egan believed that the core conditions of Empathy, Congruence and unconditional positive regard which Carl Rogers initially identified maybe necessary but are not sufficient. Within this essay I am going to demonstrate my knowledge of the core conditions and how these are used within Egan’s Three-Stage Counseling Model.
Empathy
This is being able to enter the clients own world by stepping into their shoes and being with them from moment to moment. By reflecting back what the client has said and staying with them at their own pace. An empathic listener is able to perceive the clients thoughts, feeling, behaviours and experiences like they were their own. It is important for the listener to recognize their own feelings as they may have shared the same experience as the client however their feelings would have been different from the client as each individual sees things differently, this is called identification and not empathy.
Rogers 1975 (resource material COSCA 2011)
“entering the private perceptual world of the other and becoming thoroughly at home in it” “communicating your sensings of his/her world as you look with fresh and unfrightened eyes at elements of which the individual is afraid”.
Congruence
This is when the counsellor is being genuine and open with the client and able to disclose what he/she is really thinking and feeling in an honest way. This allows the client to see the counsellor as a real person and can enable the client to feel safe enabling them to be more honest with the counsellor, and more likely to grow in a positive way. Egan 1986 (resource material COSCA 2011)
“genuine people being at home with themselves in all their interactions. They are spontaneous, assertive, consistent and non defensive when threatened”.
Unconditional Positive Regard
Accepting and respecting the client with a non judgmental attitude at all times, being warm and caring no matter what the client discloses. This does not mean the counsellor approves of their behavior, it merely means they see them as equal human beings. Rogers 1996 (Margaret Hough, Counseling skills and Theory)
“Clients are valued without any conditions attached, even when they experience themselves as negative, bad or frightened”.
These core conditions are essential throughout the counselling process, as they will naturally help to build a rapport between the counsellor and the client. It is important that the client feels valued from the beginning as this will help them to open up, once a mutual trust and respect has been established. In addition, with unconditional positive regard, the client must feel that they can discuss any subject without fear of being judged. Allowing the client to progress in their own way, to becoming their own “self”. Egan’s Three-Stage Model is a solution focused way of working with clients who are struggling to cope with difficult situations or feel they are not living to their full potential. Effective listening is paramount within a helping relationship which involves many skills one of which is the SOLER position. S- Sit squarely
O- Open posture
L- Lean towards client
E- Eye contact with client not staring but looking interested in what they are saying R- Relax
This is an important skill in active listening as it shows the client he/she has the counsellors full attention and the counsellor is able to observe both verbal and non verbal communication such as body language, facial expressions. Egan Stage 1- By incorporating the Core Conditions of Empathy, Congruence and Unconditional Positive Regard, the counsellor builds a non
judgemental warm and trusting relationship with the client. Enabling the counsellor to help the him/her tell their story, exploring new perspectives and becoming aware of any blind spots which are affecting unused opportunities. Exploring Skills used in stage one
Communicating empathy, Congruence and Unconditional Positive Regard Attention
Active Listening
Paraphrasing and Reflecting
Open ended questions were appropriate
Clarifying
Summarising
Egan Stage 2- Helping the client to look forward to the future by exploring options and possible goals. The client is encouraged to consider new perspectives concentrating on what he might do to cope more effectively and realize what resources he/she will need to achieve this. Understanding skills used in stage 2
All skills in stage one
Advanced empathy
Helping client recognize patterns and themes
Self-disclosure
Challenging
Immediacy (taking place right now in counselling situation)
Goal setting
Egan Stage 3- Helping the clients resolve the problem situation by finding a suitable coping strategy and make a plan of action on how they are going to carry this out. Helping the client evaluate their new behaviour. Action skills used in stage 3
All skills in stage 1 & 2
Brainstorming
Creative thinking
Problem solving
Decision making
Planning
Evaluating
Theory to plan action (Knowledge of how behaviour is changed & maintained)
Gerard Egan’s model is influenced by the Humanistic Person Centered Approach and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Stage 1 – Person Centered Approach were the client is the expert on his/her experiences and problems looking at solutions on how to solve them, enabling them to reach their full potential. Stage 2- Person Centered Approach along with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy were the aim is to identify the thinking that is causing unwanted feelings and behaviours and learn to replace this thinking with positive thoughts. This can result in behaviours that are more positive. The theory does not focus on events from the past but focuses on current difficulties in the here and now. CBT aims to teach new skills and new ways of reacting.
Stage 3- Cognitive behavioural Therapy
Conclusion
Gerard Egan (the skilled helper)
The goals of using the model are to help people “to manage their problems in living more effectively and develop unused opportunities more fully’, and to ‘help people become better at helping themselves in their everyday lives.”
Bibliography
Gerard Egan (7th Edition) The skilled Helper, Brooke & Cole
Margaret Hough (3rd Edition) Counselling skills and theory, Hodder education
Resource Material COSCA 2011
Lying In A Hammock; A Controversial Ending Analysis
Lying in a Hammock; A controversial Ending The poem “Lying in a Hammock at William Duffy’s Farm in Pine Island, Minnesota” by James Wright has a very controversial and debatable ending. Throughout the poem, Wright describes what is around him in what seems to be a calm, relaxed tone. He states “Over my head, I see the bronze butterfly, Asleep on the black trunk, Blowing like a leaf in green shadow” (Barnet, Burton and Cain 530) explaining how he is physically relaxed and is noticing all of his surroundings. His tone is rather dreamlike, almost as if he is in a different state of mind.
In the last sentence, Wright states “I have wasted my life”, yet is unclear on how so, for the rest of the poem does not really explain why. While many critics think he is saying he wasted his life laying in a hammock and daydreaming all day, I believe just the opposite. I think that Wright is saying he wasted his life being too busy and did not take the time to relax in a hammock and take in the beauty of the nature around him. What I find most intriguing about this poem, is that Wright left it up to the reader to decide how they would like to interpret the ending.
A close examination of “Lying in a Hammock at William Duffy’s Farm in Pine Island, Minnesota” reveals that he is noticing all of the minute details in the nature around him, and is taking in the scenery and animals. This is not something that someone would do if they were lying in a hammock daydreaming and wasting their life away. Another way of interpreting this surprising ending is to believe that it means nothing. Thom Gunn states “The final line is perhaps exciting because we are surprised to encounter something so different… but it is certainly meaningless” (Modern American Poetry 1).
This point of view is completely different from the other two discussed, for it is saying that the last line has no purpose. Gunn says “The more one searches for an explicit meaning in it, the vaguer it becomes” (Modern American Poetry 1), which in a sense, it does, but I still believe the last sentence is there for a reason. Wright describes in detail what he is seeing while he is laying in a hammock, and Bruce Henrickson believes the opposite of Gunn. Henrickson says “I take each image to be an epiphany, arranged in order of increasing power, leading to the discovery of a subjective correlative in the final line” (Modern American Poetry 1).
The idea of there being no meaning at all in the last line, and the idea of there being meaning behind every detail in the poem are very conflicting thoughts. Both of these critics’ impressions of the poem are unique and different, yet I still believe the last line has a deeper meaning. Even if one believes the last line has a hidden meaning, there can still be different interpretations of it. As said in the introduction, one can understand the last line “I have wasted my life” in two different ways.
One idea is that Wright has wasted his life up to that point by not enjoying the subtle things around him. The other is that Wright has wasted his life lying in a hammock not doing anything productive. R. J. Spendal believes that Wright is saying he has wasted his life by doing nothing. “[The central conflict…] is the opposition between an impulse to change and failure or inability to do so” (Spendal 1). Spendal is saying that Wright is aware that he has wasted his life, but is frustrated and is unwilling to change.
The chicken hawk that was “looking for home” represents Wright, and his quest for fulfillment. But just like the bird, Wright “floats” and does not heartily pursue his dreams (Spendal 1). The end of the poem where Wright says “I lean back, as the evening darkens and comes on” is a metaphor for Wright giving up and resigning to a state of irresolution, where Spendal says “this hardly seems the posture of aroused insight”. Spendal is certain that Wright does not want to change, and that he is not having some sort of life changing epiphany at the end.
I believe the opposite- that Wright has suddenly realized he should do something with his life and not waste it like he has been. The nature of this poem is what really lead me to believe that Wright had had a sudden realization about his life. Wright’s tone and description showed that he was seeing these details for the first time and that he did not usually lie in a hammock and relax like this. When Wright says: “I lean back, as the evening darkens and comes on”, I interpret that as being the moment when he finally relaxes and realizes what he has been missing.
Unlike Spendal’s idea of that being a metaphor for giving up, I believe he is having an epiphany and it suddenly hits him that he has wasted his life. In a conversation between Bruce Henrickson and James Wright, Wright says: “…looking back on that poem I think that final line … is a religious statement …perhaps I’ve been wastefully unhappy in the past because through my arrogance or whatever… I haven’t allowed myself to pay true attention to what was around me” (Modern American Poetry 1).
Wright even says himself that he hadn’t allowed himself to slow down and notice the beauty surrounding him, so he had wasted his life up until that point. “Wright was an innovator, especially in the use of his titles, first lines, and last lines, which he used to great dramatic effect…” (Wikipedia 1), which goes to show that he is known for his shocking endings or strangely long titles. “Lying in a Hammock at William Duffy’s Farm in Pine Island, Minnesota” is one of Wright’s best known poems, not only for its grace but for its debatable ending.
Critics have many different opinions about what Wright meant by saying “I have wasted my life”. Whether they thought it had no meaning at all, or that it meant he wasted his time lying in a hammock, anything could be the answer. My conclusion is that Wright recognized he had been missing out on the little things around him while he was lying on the hammock. The tone and details are what led me to believe this, even without the support of agreeing critics. Although many critics argue against my conclusion, I feel they have neglected to take in the poem as a whole. Wright finally realized what he had been missing.