The thesis examines Thomas De Quincey’s opium use as a product of social strain. De Quincey’s collection of work provides evidence that he felt alienated from society prior to his addiction and that his feelings of inadequacy contributed to his dependence on drugs. Utilizing Robert K. Merton’s strain theory, this thesis delineates De Quincey’s aspirational references and perceived failures through an examination of his imagery and interprets his perceptions of human life as a catalyst for his compulsions to cope with opium. De Quincey, strained by the aspirations of an industrial and imperialistic society, looked for several avenues of escape. The Romanticism of William Wordsworth presented De Quincey with a method for alleviating social strain; however, when De Quincey failed to discover the transcendence evident in Lyrical Ballads he turned to the intoxicating effects of opium and retreated from English society.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / To describe the structural strains and cultural conflicts that take place when two social systems confront each other, the concept of Transitional Role was used to analyze the sociological adaptation in the social system, and the concept of Perceptual Distortion of Transitional Roles by different groups was usee to analyze the strain and conflict that continued. In order to locate, describe and analyze Transitional Roles in Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, the social science reserach in five categories of Husbands and Wives, Buyers and Sellers, Priests and Pastors, Administrators and Agitators and Servants and Masters was examined. In order to evaluate the Perceptual Distortion of the Transitional Roles described, the available social science reserach was compared with two samples of novels (those by West Africans and those by Europeans) about West Africa. The following were the findings: (1) Social strain and culture conflict affect both groups, West African and European. (2) Social strains exist in all the above aspects of colonial life. (3) Despite severe dual systemic strain, the colonial social system operated as one viable social system. (4) Not all social strains are resolved immediately by the creation of Transitional Roles and therefore, the historical development of Transitional Roles indicates that they continue to change. (5) Social circles formed around transitional roles and as these social circles proliferated, the basis of a new society was established. Thus a positive resolution of social strain has been located and described in the development of Transitional Roles. The findings of this study resulting from the application of Levels of Transition to culture conflict indicate that: (1) the European novelists see culture conflict as maladjustment existing with the individual African either in the form of reversion to an earlier evolutionary stage or in the form of poor imitation of British culture; and they do not see their own involvement in culture conflict; (2) the African novelists, in contrast, locate culture conflict between the various Levels of Transition or within social relationships between the numerous West African social circles, and secondarily between British and West African Transitional Roles. The findings of this study resulting from the evaluation of Perceptual Distortion suggest that (1) Transitional Role incumbents are more accurate observers than are stabilized role incumbents. (2) Perceivers observe members of their own social system of origin more accurately than they perceive a foreign social system. (3) Segregation, "Time Lag" and ideology distort perception. This analysis substantiates the proposition that novels are of limited value as sources of sociological insights unless they are compared with social science research and unless the orientation in terms of social membership of the novelist is known. The reading public in the est, to the extent that it has depended upon European novels as its source of information about West Africa, is inadequately informed. Americans who rely on this fictional material have looked at West Africa primarily through European eyes. / 2031-01-01

This diploma thesis deals about the points at issue of the psycho-social strain with people taking care of the person dependant on the care of other physical person in the home background. The problems of family home helps in the natural millieu of an individual dependant on the care are getting more and more actual. The aim of this diploma thesis lies in defining the decisive factors of the psycho-social strain on the persons caring of persons dependant on the assistence of other physical person in the home background. The partial aim is to find out in which areas the persons taking care of persons dependant on the asistence of other physical person in the home background feel the increased strain. Another partial aim is to find out whether the persons taking care of persons dependant on the assistence of other physical person in the home background know and apply the principles of mental hygiene. Following the aims of the diploma thesis, there are postulated two research questions. The research question 1: Which kind of stress do the caring persons consider the most relevant in their job? The research question 2: Which possible symptoms of burnt-out effect do the caring persons observe on themselves? The practical part of the diploma thesis is worked out in the form of qualitative research. The method of inquiry and the technique of semi-structuralized interview were used for the purposes of the research. Furthermore, the technique of observation was applied. The research was implemented with the Inventory of symptoms of burnt-out effect adapted for the purpose of this research. The selected file is formed of eight persons taking care of persons dependant on the assistence of other physical person in the home background who complied with the pre-set criteria; the method of so-called "snowball" was chosen. The gained data were evaluated by the method of open coding. The research pointed out the facts and risks that the realization of the care of a person dependant on the care of other physical person in the home background is carrying out. The research pointed out the areas in which these persons feel the increased strain. The area of physical exertion in caring, the consciousness of responsibility in connection with caring, the area of communication and understanding a person dependant on the care and facing up to the fate and watching helplessness are demanding the most for the caring persons. It was found out from the evidences that caring persons consider this activity stressful; they feel both acute and chronical stress during the execution of the care, they feel it in connection with the lack of time and with the responsibility, in connection with the fears of future, but also in connection with not coping with the past. Family and friends, that provide both psychical support and assistence in the realization of the care, help most the persons caring of persons dependant on the care to deal with the demands of this care. As well as solitude and rest, sport activities and culture help them. In connection with caring the engaged persons have the feeling of doing a good thing, but also the feelings of sorrow, doubts and despairs. Those caring persons who perceive the risky factor of burnt-out effect can observe its symptoms on the emotional, rational, physical and social level on themselves. This thesis can contribute to understanding the importance of work of caring persons in the home background. It will deliver the information about the relevant factors of psycho-social strain on the persons taking care of persons dependant on the assistence of other physical person in the home background. Moreover, it can contribute to the eventual development of services corresponding to the needs of the persons taking care of persons dependant on the assistence of other physical person in the home background.

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