Analysis Of The Novel Americanah By Chimamanda Ngozi...

In Americanah, a novel written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, some characters in the novel face obstacles when coming to terms with their identities. Most prominently, the main character, Ifemelu, undergoes a rough transition when she moves from Nigeria to America and back after thirteen years. Different elements in the novel show what factors came into play when the characters were attempting to find themselves. Both â€Å"African Hybrids: Exploring Afropolitan identity formation in Taiye Selasi’s Ghana must go and Chimamanda Adichie’s Americanah† by Emelda /Ucham and Jairos Kangira and â€Å"Searching for One’s Self at the Crossroads of the Cosmopolitan World: Determining the Importance of Roots for Those Who Travel through Diversities in Chimamanda†¦show more content†¦Although rejecting American customs at first, Ifemelu starts giving in and isolates herself from people in Nigeria, especially her boyfriend Obinze. In order to get a job, Ifemelu also relaxes her hair, mainly because â€Å"it is the closest thing to being like a white person’s hair† (Kangira 48). Even though the article focuses on Ifemelu’s negative opinions of America, she seems to enjoy the academic part of her time and is â€Å"thrilled that she could disagree with professors and get, in return, not a scolding about being disrespectful† (Kangira 48). Furthermore, Ifemelu’s exposure to race in America influences her to start her lifestyle blog, another positive aspect of her move. These changes bring Ifemelu further away from her true identity. Eventually, she cuts her hair despite initial protest, and becomes comfortable with her natural hair. Additionally, Ifemelu stops faking an American accent because she does not think â€Å"it was an accomplishment to sound American† after talking to a telemarketer on the phone (Kangira 48). Despite gaining acceptance of herself in America, Ifemelu feels that â€Å"Nigeria became where she was supposed to be, the only place she could sink her roots in without the constant urge to tug them out and shake off the soil† (Adichie 7). Even though she has lived for 13 years in America, Ifemelu feels a longing for Nigeria,Show MoreRelatedAnalysis Of S Americanah Through A Post Colonial Prism4297 Words   |  18 PagesFaniyi 15 Kayode Faniyi 129013097 Dr. Solomon Azumurana ENG 894 REFRACTING CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE’S AMERICANAH THROUGH A POST-COLONIAL PRISM 1. Introduction Respected Marxist critic Frederic Jameson once described every instance of â€Å"third world literature† as necessarily nationally allegorical (69), an assertion spectacularly assailed by Aijaz Ahmad (77-82). But it is possible to close our eyes to Ahmad’s very valid misgivings and take a bird’s eye view of Jameson’s assertion: read in reaction

Huckleberry Finn a Good Role Model Essay - 633 Words

Huckleberry Finn: A Good Role Model The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn gives a visual look at the time in which the author Samuel Clemens lived. He explains how he felt about his life through the eyes of a young boy named Huckleberry Finn. Huckleberry Finn has many adventures that teach him life lessons we can learn from today. Although there are differing opinions on whether Huck Finn is a good role model for todays young people, I will explain why I think he is. Huck is a good role model for several reasons. First, he believes that slavery is wrong. He believes in treating people equally regardless of color. When Huck sees the widows runaway slave Jim on Jacksons Island, he has mixed emotions about what he should say†¦show more content†¦Finally, Huckleberry Finn thinks life is precious and shouldnt be wasted. This is the most important lesson he can teach todays young people. He and Jim find themselves in a situation as they are floating down the Mississippi River in the fog. All of a sudden, they see a ferry boat and Huck jumps off of the raft to avoid being hit. He swims to shore and meets a family named the Grangerfords. Huck stays with the Grangerfords and gets to know them. The Grangerfords have been feuding with another family named the Sheperdsons. One day a fight breaks out over love between the Grangerfords daughter and the Sheperdsons son. Huck watches from a tree in terror as the two families fight each other to the death. He realizes from this awful experience how easily life can be taken away, and that people should try to come together and work out their problems before they get out of hand. Throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, there are many instances of positive role modeling behavior for young adults in my view. At first sight Hucks actions look questionable to many. I choose to look at Huck as a kid without a lot of adult supervision and support who tries to make his way in the world. He is only human and makes mistakes, but I think he learns from them, and that is all that any of us can try toShow MoreRelatedHuckleberry Finn - Thesis1521 Words   |  7 Pages December 2008 Do you think you have role models in your life? Someone you can look up to and say â€Å"I Want to be like him†. If yes, first of all you have to ask yourself what is a role model? A role Model is a person who serves as a model in a particular behavioral or social role for another Person to emulate. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Twain shows us two Sides of the coin by putting good role models for huck such as: Judge Thatcher, Widow Douglas, Read MoreParental Influence on Huck Finn Essay1587 Words   |  7 PagesParental Influence on Huck Finn In Mark Twains novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the adults in Hucks life play an important role in the development of the plot. Pap, Hucks father, constantly abuses the boy, never allowing him to become an intelligent or decent human being. He beats and attacks Huck whenever they meet up, and tries to destroy Hucks chances of having a normal life. This situation is balanced by several good role models and parent figures for Huck. Jim, the runaway slaveRead MoreThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain1375 Words   |  6 Pagesto mention the years spent growing and maturing physically. Teenagers are stuck in an inbetween state where they must learn who they want to become and what they want to be when they grow older. The same is true for Huckleberry Finn, from the book â€Å"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn† by Mark Twain. This is a book that was written in a time of great confusion over moral codes and standards. It was a world split in half by two differe nt worlds of people; those who opposed, and those who promoted slaveryRead MoreEssay Symbolism: the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn1207 Words   |  5 Pages(Dictionary.com). Numerous authors use the same denotations to illustrate different thoughts or ideas. Mark Twain uses various symbols, such as the river and the land to expose freedom and trouble in his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, uses various concrete objects, such as rivers, to symbolize a diverse range of feelings, emotions, and even actions. The ultimate symbol in the novel is the Mississippi River. Rivers often times symbolize lifeRead MoreEssay on Symbolism in The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn1212 Words   |  5 Pages(Dictionary.com). Numerous authors use the same denotations to illustrate different thoughts or ideas. Mark Twain uses various symbols, such as the river and the land to expose freedom and trouble in his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, uses various concrete objects, such as rivers, to symbolize a diverse range of feelings, emotions, and even actions. The ultimate symbol in the novel is the Mississippi River. Rivers often times symbolize lifeRead MoreTwain And Huck s Intersecting Childhood1318 Words   |  6 PagesIntersecting Childhood Mark Twain is the author of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. It is a humorous and heroic book about a boy, Huckleberry Finn, and a slave, Jim, that run away in order to help Jim gain freedom. Along the way, they run into many troubles and obstacles, but they keep going no, matter what. Their story is heartwarming, controversial, and very famous. Twain uses his own childhood experiences in his books; such as how Huck Finn grows up, the main characters, religion, politics, and hisRead More The Role People Play Essay940 Words   |  4 Pagesdistinguished mostly by the impact others have upon them when they are children. These role models shape everyone’s life into the person we are to become, whether positively or negatively. In Mark Twain’s novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck Finn’s role models all impact Huck’s life and the way he lives throughout the novel. Miss Watson, Widow Douglas, and Jim give Huck positive support, while pap Finn impacts Huck’s life negatively. Miss Watson and Widow Douglas guide Huck throughout hisRead MoreAnalysis Of The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain1697 Words   |  7 PagesAdventures of Huckleberry Finn Throughout the evolution of the world’s societies, the roles of women seem to act as a reflection of the time period since they set the tones for the next generation. Regardless of their own actions, women generally appear to take on a lower social standing and receive an altered treatment by men. In Mark Twain’s pre-civil war novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, lies a display of how society treats and views women, as well as how they function in their roles, specificallyRead MoreBanning The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn written by Mark Twain in Schools1030 Words   |  5 PagesThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn written by Mark Twain might seem like a good book to have high school students read since it’s about a boy named Huckleberry Finn and his adventures through his life by dealing with the struggles that he has or when he finds a runaway slave, named Jim, who is on an island trying to stay hidden so he will not be sold as a slave. Throughout the nove l the reader will see that Huck has an adventurous personality, comes to find out who is father is and tries to helpRead MoreThe Use of the Word - Nigger - in Twains Novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn1238 Words   |  5 Pagesbut has now developed into one of the most derogatory and unfriendly things a person can say? Since 1884, when the book was first published, there has been much controversy regarding the use of the word â€Å"nigger† in the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. Many people all over the world, predominantly the African-American population, feel that the word demoralizes the Blacks, and feel that the novel should be strongly censored from society. Some say that the constant use of the

Cloning Essay Research Paper Cloning It free essay sample

Cloning Essay, Research Paper Cloning. It s the ability to make an exact familial extra of another living thing. This signifier of scientific discipline puts worlds on an about God like degree. We have the ability to make what we want ; nevertheless we want it. We have the ability to raise celebrated people from the past. We have the ability to clone assorted variety meats and tissues for usage in grafts. We have the ability to raise dinosaurs, an animate being that nature wanted to go nonextant. We have the ability to clone worlds. These last two illustrations are where I draw the line for cloning. Worlds have no right to tamper with the natural order of things. The Resurrection of nonextant animate beings, within ground, and the cloning of worlds is something that I wholly disagree with. The cloning of nonextant animate beings is all right with me merely if it is done in a controlled environment with really rigorous security criterions. We will write a custom essay sample on Cloning Essay Research Paper Cloning It or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Nature decided that these animate beings were no longer suited to populate on the Earth, so nature got rid of them. Nature adapted to the loss and maintains a rigorous homeostasis. Now that the engineering of cloning is a really existent thing, people will acquire the thought of raising these animate beings. I feel that the most of import thing to see is that are these animate beings traveling to be harmful to nature if by some opportunity they escape. Nature has made a balance between all of the animate beings in it and presenting an nonextant animate being back into the community will hold major effects. It will upset the natural balance and will destruct nature. An animate being that was nonextant and was brought back into today s environment will hold no natural marauders. They will multiply and over run their environment. They will eat up the nutrient of the other natural animate beings and will do them to travel nonextant. If the animate beings are kept in a secure installation to analyze them, an thought from a recent film, so I think it is a good thought. Human cloning is a bad thought. The thought of making a individual precisely like another individual is a really chilling idea. God didn t intend for another individual to be a perfect familial lucifer with another individual. Having an exact familial reproduction raises some security jobs. If a individual has a ringer and the ringer commits a offense, how are jurisprudence enforcement functionaries traveling to pick out the correct culprit? The two persons are genetically likewise and physically likewise, how can people state them apart? Besides, people with entree to really high security countries could be cloned unwittingly and have their ringer entree information cipher else was intended to see. This would be the perfect manner for other states to descry on the United States. The lone manner that I see that human cloning is all right, is cloning portion of a human. Cloning a bosom or a liver for graft is a great thing. Research workers besides hope that one twenty-four hours, the ability to clone grownup human cells will do it possible to turn new Black Marias and livers and nervus cells. ( Gibbs 49 ) . Which means that new, pristine tissue could be grown in labs to replace damaged or diseased parts of the organic structure. ( Gibbs 56 ) . A image caption says, Marion Vuchetich hopes tissue from her late boy may be the beginning of future organ grafts of her household. ( Gibbs 50 ) . That is the lone manner I can warrant the cloning of a human. 67 % of people surveyed think that cloning is a bad thought. ( Gibbs 55 ) . I am partly with these people. Cloning is a good thought if and merely if it is carried out under really rigorous regulations and guidelines. With out them, the universe will be full of imitators, non of existent people.

Shakespeares Views On Love Essays - Romeo And Juliet, Film

Shakespeare's Views On Love Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeares sixteenth century tragedy, remains one of the most famous, timeless pieces of literature yet created. This bittersweet tale documents the forbidden attraction between two impulsive children, and their tragic suicides. The storys incidents, saturated with Shakespeares views and opinions, reveal the playwrights philosophies on love. Many consider Romeo and Juliet the greatest love story of all time, yet when the love between the two main characters is analyzed, it cannot truly be considered love. Instead Shakespeare wrote this play as a testament of the harsh consequences of reckless lust and attraction, and endeavored to send an admonition. Shakespeare meant not for Romeo and Juliet to define true love, rather, to define what true love is not. The balcony scene of Act II, pulsating with the passionate current existing between the Romeo and Juliet, contains some of the richest, most beautiful poetry ever written. However, from a more critical aspect, this scene also contains some of the most impetuous, melodramatic reactions of two attracted individuals ever chronicled. Though they have only known each other for a few hours, and have not yet shared a hundred words of [each others] utterance (II. ii. 64-65), they immediately devote themselves to each other. Both Romeo and Juliet display a dangerously impulsive nature, as well as an inability to control their emotions, characteristic of their age. The reckless actions of Romeo seem especially thoughtless, considering the danger he faces on the territory of his mortal enemies, the Capulets. Yet he insists in stealing alone in the dark night to see his love Juliet. Romeos remarkably recent and compelling obsession over Rosaline, his old desire[,] doth in his deathbed lie, an young affection gapes to be his heir. / That fair for which love groaned for and would die, / With tender Juliet matched, is now not fair. ( Prolougue Act II, 1-4 ). Thus, Rosaline is swiftly replaced. Mightnt Juliet be replaced that quickly? In an elaborate monologue Romeo worshipfully compares his lady to brilliant, heavenly bodies and beings, such as bright angel (II. ii. 28) with eyes as the fairest stars in all the heaven (II. ii. 15). Romeos departure from the darkness in which he has been hiding and his venture to the light of Juliet, his fair sun (II. ii. 4), symbolizes the dawning of a new age in his life, after the dark night of Rosalines rejection. Romeo appears guilty of desperation; his ecstasy in finding a beautiful girl sharing his attractions blinds common sense. Juliets impulsive behavior proves similar to Romeos. They see each other, exchange a few romantic words, and she allows him to kiss her. Then alone on the balcony she pines for him, swearing to renounce her own family and no longer be a Capulet (II. ii. 38), pledging herself to a boy she has just hardly met. She ignores the impulse to fear this sudden and intense attraction, . . . too rash, to unadvised, too sudden, / Too like the lightning which doth cease to be / ere one can say It lightens. (II. ii. 129-130). Juliet does not realize the wisdom in and significance of her own words, the foreshadowing of her own fate. These theoretical mortal enemies, oblivious of the danger and obstacles that impede their future, transform in a single night to mortal lovers who cannot live without each other. They exchange vows on the moonlit balcony, beneath the heavens, vibrant and volatile, symbolizing the explosive nature of the situation. The situation does swiftly explode in Act III, Scene I, the point at which the play rapidly spirals downward. Mercutio, Romeos comical (and often obnoxious) friend, and Tybalt, Juliets fiery, hot-blooded cousin, clash as a result of reckless insults and the thirst for revenge. When Mercutio falls, Romeo in his fury flies after Tybalt, and in turn kills him. Two beloved lives snuffed out because of visceral rage, emotions let wild and unrestrained. Had this play ended happily, it easily could easily be considered a comical masterpiece. However, the tragic end causes viewers to think about the cause of the plays disastrous events: the deaths of Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, and Tybalt. The deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt were

The Good Bad And The Ugly 2 Essay

The Good Bad And The Ugly 2 Essay The Good Bad And The Ugly 2 Essay Julian Meza 11/25/14 Mr.Taliancich The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Imagine a world where everyone is entitled to their own concealed weapon with the exception of criminals, would there be total chaos or would there be order? "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun." Said LaPierre, the executive vice president in the National Rifle Association, in a public speech following the elementary mass school shooting which took place in Newton, Connecticut. Due to this Generating discussions and fiery debates involving safety issues, gun control, the banning of assault weapons and sniper rifles. In this essay I will show you why everyone without criminal records should be entitled to carry concealed weapons. In doing so crime rates would dwindle. However, if one were so inclined to even mention a Bill of Rights reform needed to combat the gun control issue. The NRA, which are the most passionate and influential factor among the gun advocacy debates, chime in to deny such actions from taking place with arguments placing fault a mong the gun owners behind the trigger. Some steps have already been taken by certain states to restrict weapons such as sniper, assault rifles, and concealed carries in public that were available to the general public, along with the ban of unlicensed dealers selling unregistered weapons without federal background checks. For example, Democrat Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia teamed up with Senator Pat. Toomey to propose an amendment which enforced gun control keeping weapons off the hands of criminals by proposing background checks and mental evaluations at every gun show and online shop, such amendment however has been turned down due to the shortage of votes and support from the state. On another note, a major contributor to the problem according to gun control activists, are the gun shows where unlicensed vendors sell their products without federal consent. Granted that many are not in support of the second amendment from being exercised freely in public, there are certainly advantages to owning a concealed weapon. In a society where crime plagues just about every city, personal safety is a luxury often sought after with the purchase and carrying of a concealed pistol, pepper spray, and tasers. These weapons of choice are often carried without the criminal’s knowledge which helps prevent the crimes from ever taking place. People who want to carry concealed weapons should be required to partake in psychological screenings for safety measures before applying for a background check. Although prerequisite screenings for mental issues would be mandatory to weed out the mentally unstable from ever purchasing a gun, there are also other factors. Evidently, there are a number of disadvantages from allowing people to own a concealed weapon. Some would argue that carrying a weapon would only increase the crime statistic giving those who carry a weapon a chance at doing wrong when given the opportunity. Consequently, the second amendment which is included in the Bill of Rights in combination with the gun pro activists, prevent such bans and gun control to take place arguing that such bans infringes the second amendment and should not be allowed. The second amendment adopted in the month of December on the 15th of the year 1791 written by the nation’s founding fathers, states that â€Å"A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.† (Wikipedia).Though most p eople would agree on the fact that the constitution states gun ownership is to be solely for militia uses and not individual ownership protesters suggest the amendment is in need of an update to keep with current times, yet no action has been taken by authorities or the public to do so. The incident that started all of this buzz happened on December the 12th the year 2013 in Newton, Connecticut when twenty year old Adam Lanza had

Review of The Rainbow by D.H. Lawrence

Review of 'The Rainbow' by D.H. Lawrence The Rainbow, published first in 1915, is the complete and exquisitely organized form of   D.H. Lawrences views about familial relationships. The novel relates the story of three generations of an English family- the Brangwens. As the main  characters move in and out of the storys framework, readers are brought face-to-face before an intriguing theory of passion and power among the familiar social roles of husbands, wives, children, and parents. That Lawrence meant The Rainbow to be a novel about relationships is manifest in the title of the first chapter: How Tom Brangwen Married a Polish Lady. A careful reading will make it easy to perceive Lawrences perception of power-over-passion in a marital relation. Paradoxically, it is the passion that comes first- the passion for power that is inherent in human animals. How Relationships Play Out Of young Tom Brangwen we read, He had not the power to controvert even the most stupid argument so that he would admit things that he did not in the least believe. And thus Tom Brangwens quest for power seems to end in love for Lydia, a Polish widow with a little daughter, Anna. From Lydias pregnancy to childbirth and onwards, Lawrence immerses the readers consciousness in the subtleties of relationship politics. The story then singles Anna out to elaborate upon the theme of marriage and dominance. Annas love for, and subsequent marriage with, William Brangwen ties in with the continued dominance of the patriarchal system in English society of the time. It is in this generations marital relationship that Lawrence creates a flood of nonconformist questioning of tradition. Anna openly expresses her doubts about the validity of religious traditions of creations. We read her defiant words, It is impudence to say that Woman was made out of Mans body, when every man is born of a woman. Banning and Controversy   Given the zeitgeist of the time, it is no wonder that all copies of The Rainbow were seized and burnt. The novel was not published in Britain for 11 years. More ulterior motives for this reaction against the book, perhaps, include the fear of sharpness of Lawrences openness in divulging mans inner weaknesses and the reluctance to accept the helpless dependence that is essentially materialistic in nature.As the story enters the third generation, the author focuses on the most grasping character of the book, namely, Ursula Brangwen. The first instance of Ursulas negation of biblical teachings is her natural reaction against her younger sister, Theresa.Theresa  hits Ursulas other cheek- turned to her in response to the first blow. Unlike the devoted-Christian action, Ursula reacts like a normal child by shaking the wee offender in a subsequent quarrel. Ursula develops into a highly individualistic character giving her creator (Lawrence) a free hand to explore a taboo subject: homosexu ality. The gravity of Ursulas passion for her teacher Miss Winifred Inger and the description of their physical contact is aggravated by Miss Ingers negation of the falsehood of religion. The Failed Relationship Ursulas love for the Polish young man Anton Skrebensky is D.H. Lawrences inversion of the command of dominance between patriarchal and matriarchal values. Ursula falls for a man from her maternal line of descent (Lydia was Polish). Lawrence renders the relationship a failure. Love-and-Power becomes Love-or-Power in Ursulas case.The individualistic spirit of the new age, of which Ursula Brangwen is the prime representative, keeps our young heroine from following the long-established tradition of marital slavery and dependence. Ursula becomes a teacher at a school and, despite her weaknesses, persists in living on her own instead of giving up her studies and job for her love. The Meaning of The Rainbow Like all his novels, The Rainbow testifies for D.H. Lawrences prodigy of keeping the ideal proportion between the constructive and expressive quality of the novel. Of course, we appreciate Lawrence for the wonderful insight and the quality of putting into words what otherwise could only be felt deep in ourselves. In The Rainbow, Lawrence does not rely heavily on symbolism for the novels meaningfulness. The story stands on its own. Still, the title of the novel symbolizes the whole scene of the story. The last passage of the novel is the crux of Lawrences symbolic quality of the narrative. Sitting alone and watching a rainbow in the sky, we are told about Ursula Brangwen: she saw in the rainbow the earths new architecture, the old, brittle corruption of houses and factories swept away, the world built up in a living fabric of Truth, fitting to the over-arching heaven.We know that a rainbow in mythology, especially in the  biblical tradition, is a symbol of peace. It showed Noah that the biblical flood was finally over. So, too, the flood of power and passion is over in Ursulas life. Its the flood that had prevailed for generations.​

Piracy in the internet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Piracy in the internet - Essay Example The question here is how the piracy on the internethad affected the economy? While the internet has become a useful resource over the years, piracy on the internet has had a huge impact on the economy. (Thesis) As internet is a renowned medium of communication, it is a viable platform for such illegal activities. And this popularity of internet has led to an increase in the piracy activity. A person who is engaged in the process of piracy can do all his/her activity on the internet including the advertising and sales of the product. Piracy on the internet is a significant criminal problem because of the easiness of performing it, even over a long distance. Generally speaking, the foremost piracy was done on digital music files, and this has caused much damage to the artists and music industry. Apart from this, movie industry is also a victim of piracy on the internet, and this has negatively affected the economies of many countries. II.Online Piracy : An enormous economic problem Pir acy on the internet is a significant economic problem which affects different sectors of the U.S. economy. Piracy is the theft of music, movies, videogames and software. The infringement on the copy right of these entertainment medium can affect the U.S economy on a large scale. There is a huge cast working behind the entertainment industry, and they are recording artists, songwriters, computer technicians, audio engineers, marketing experts, producers, publishers and other creative experts. Internet users, downloading illegally one or two songs or movies, may not show any negative impact on the entertainment industry, but when millions of people do the same, it causes billion dollar loss on entertainment world. When no compensation is allotted to the creative people in the entertainment industry, the effect is devastating. The problem of online piracy is not negligible and is a big enough issue to ignore. It does not only violate copyright and patency, but also steals revenue from creative people working in different fields on a business arena. The American intelligent property business provides high paying employment to many individuals, and infringement on intellectual property steals them off their wages. Loss of American jobs also is another adverse effect of internet piracy. The online theft of intellectual property cannot be considered something different from stealing of products from a retail store. So, the piracy on the internet makes it mandatory for the U.S. legislation to enforce law on the illegal internet pirates. In order to understand the negative effects of internet piracy, it is necessary to scrutinize every aspect of it deeply. A. Online piracy and U.S. economy The piracy on the internet has a tremendous impact on the economy of any country as it is a business which can be done with great aspect of anonymity. Any person or organization can indulge in piracy as internet is a business platform which allows people to conduct commercial activit y under the cover. The piracy is done on music, movies, software and e-books which indicates the amount of damage it can cause to the entertainment industry and other commercial organizations. According to Sprigman and Raustiala (1), â€Å"online piracy is an enormous problem that costs the United States economy about 200 to 250 billion dollars every year†. The piracy on the internet has caused many problems to the American economy, which sometimes can be difficult to gauge. It is the

The Patriot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Patriot - Essay Example The Continental army puts him in charge of the Colonial Militia. Despite of being few, untrained and unorganized, they managed to achieve several victories including a major success in the Battle of Cowpens leading to the ultimate freedom of America. It is critical to assess how a small number of American rebels used various fighting tactics to defeat the relatively huge, well-trained and well-armed British Regular Army. As Martin knew that ill-experienced militia was not able to beat the British army in open battles, he had to train his men for rather different fighting tactics. Martin while talking to his son said that â€Å"Going muzzle-to-muzzle with Redcoats in open fields, it is madness† (The Patriot). The militia trained by Martin and Major Jean Villeneuve of the French army mostly employed Guerilla warfare tactics to fight the British. These tactics helped at damaging British supply lines and routes, recovering goods and harassing the enemy soldiers effectively. During their very first attack on enemy, the militia was shown to be hidden in the fields, trees and behind the rocks to take them suddenly before they could even react. They attacked from all sides individually leaving British soldiers with no other option but to die or flee.

Implementing EMS Recommendations Essay Example for Free

Implementing EMS Recommendations Essay Introduction After an audit had been performed for Riordan Manufacturing, faults were found in current procedures and solutions created to make them more sustainable. Listed below are some barriers that may occur when implementing Riordan’s new strategies and the necessary steps needed to overcome those barriers. Identified as well are methods currently in place to ensure systematic monitoring of the new sustainable practices that have or will be put in place. Identify Barriers Riordan Manufacturing has to identify the barriers they must overcome to become a sustainable organization. The barriers must be broken into two parts, external and internal barriers (Ruark, 2013). External barriers are those that Riordan must follow because of federal laws, state laws, and local policies. Another external barrier is the suppliers the organization contracts to do additional work whether in the United States or another country. The organization is responsible for those non-sustainable issues that the contractor creates. Internal barriers are the ones that the company creates, but can control. The organization will have to hire Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) that understand the issues, create a plan to overcome those issues, and maintain the progress. The SMEs must have the funding in place to start doing their work. They must communicate their findings and provide solutions to Riordan Manufacturing management. Communication is the largest barrier to overcome. The SMEs must establish a target and conduct a plan. Another internal barrier is change, and people don’t like change. The leadership must work hard to get the employees on board to help with the changes. Creating an  additional department supervised by the SMEs that handles these barriers will make Riordan manufacturing a success. How or why they might occur Barriers occur for many reasons, and some of the reasons they occur is the lack of communication from the management down to the lowest level. Communication must flow up and down to understand the organizations target and intents. The communication flow will allow the employees to understand the policies and procedures that Riordan Manufacturing has put in place. Another reason barriers occur are due to the lack of training that the employees do not receive. Having properly trained employees will assist with the proper flow of communication as well as the process and procedures that Riordan will implement. The cost to Riordan Manufacturing to implement any new sustainable plan will be a short term profit lost for the organization. The last important reason barriers occur is because resources are not in place as well as the SMEs to provide the guidance to become sustainable and maintain sustainability. Consider financial, social, ethical, technical, and practical aspects of business Financial cost, social concerns, and the environment are important aspects to the approach in becoming compliant with any legal requirements. The practical aspects barrier Riordan Manufacturing will encounter will be trying to improve their facilities with new pipes, air vents, and drainage systems. Implementing the new measures will have an impact on the technical barrier in the operations of the facilities to produce a product that can cause delays in production. Ethical and social issues are important to any organization that is trying to create and maintain their Environment Management System (EMS). The organization cannot allow anyone to use products or change manufacturing processes as that will be unethical. Describe methods currently in place or necessary to ensure systematic monitoring of new sustainable practices.   Riordan Manufacturing will implement some of the new processes recommended to deal with the oil, ink and the solvent issue. They will make sure to measure the air quality in the factory, recycle the oil keeping track of how  much oil is been used, and how much solvent is been separated from the water. They have several measures of monitoring the three areas in the different facilities, but will need to improve in reporting and making changes when needed. How are they measured or monitored? Updating the existing reporting process for all the areas and conduct meetings with the leadership, employees and stakeholders to see what the best approach to any situation is. Adding additional measures to analyze any situation will allow Riordan Manufacturing to understand what is working and what is failing. Monitoring the air pollution and pounds of waste in all the Riordan Manufacturing facilities will allow them to keep track in monthly bases to improve sustainability. What happens if a recommended practice is not working as it was intended? Different courses of action (COA) must be completed for any one task. This COA allows the organization to decide on the best approach when dealing with any issue. The COA will outline the process, produces, and cost to the project. This different COA also provides the leadership with the different solutions to one issue. If the COA selected is not working they have other COA for the same situation they can quickly implement to solve any problem. Conclusion Riordan manufacturing will implement new solutions to help make them more sustainable. Of course, Riordan will need to identify their internal and external barriers to overcome, and once found putting strategies in place to overcome and avoid them. One of the biggest barriers is communication. Having a barrier of communication prevents the flow of understanding of policies and procedures as well as the targets and intents put in place by Riordan. Updating the reporting system as well as adding an additional measure to analyze situations, will allow Riordan to see which processes are successful and which ones failed. Failed processes will be dealt with by putting together multiple courses of action so that solutions can easily be switched if one is not working as well as anticipated. Business organizations have an obligation to help sustain and preserve the environment for future generations. Riordan has taken the initiative in  developing strategies that will incorporate sustainable business practices to ensure that the company and the employees leave less of a carbon footprint for future generations. Reference Ruark, C. A. (2013, August 9). Eliminating Barriers to Small Business Sustainability. Retrieved from Triple Pundit: http://www.triplepundit.com/2013/08/eliminating-barriers-small- business-sustainability/

The Changing Verbal Portraits of Emily in A Rose for Emily Essay

The Changing Verbal Portraits of Emily in A Rose for Emily  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "A Rose for Emily," by Faulkner, provides not only innumerable details but also a complex structure. Long after the reader has learned to identify and discuss the function of significant detail, they often continue to struggle with the influence of structure on a story. The imagery of changing portraits in "A Rose for Emily" allows the reader to explore both to find meaning. In addition to the literal portrait of Emily's father, Faulkner creates numerous figurative portraits of Emily herself by framing her in doorways or windows. The chronological organization of Emily's portraits visually imprints the changes occurring throughout her life. Like an impressionist painting that changes as the viewer moves to different positions, however, the structural organization provides clues to the "whole picture" or to the motivations behind her transformations. Chronologically, the "back-flung" front door creates the first tableau of a youthful Miss Emily, assiduously guarded by her father. Miss Emily, a "slender figure in white,"1 typifies the vulnerable virgin, hovering in the background, subordinate and passive. The father, "a spraddled silhouette in the foreground, his back to her and clutching a horsewhip" (CS 123), is a menacing dark image assuming the dominant front position. His turned back suggests a disregard for her emotional welfare as he wards off potential danger--or violation of her maidenhead--with his horsewhip. The back-flung door invites suitors in, but only those who meet Grierson standards. Unfortunately, those standards are unattainable--"The Griersons held themselves a little too high for what they really were" (CS 123)--and Miss Emily remains... ...cefully on her funeral bier with a simple image of love and loss, a strand of iron-gray hair resting on the yellowed pillow of an impotent bridal bed. This haunting image is the fianl pen stroke whispering the eulogy of her wasted life. Notes 1 Collected Stories of William Faulkner (New York: Vintage, 1977), 123. Hereafter CS. 2 The southern planter patterned his lifestyle after the English country gentleman (Daniel Boorstin, The American:   The Colonial Experience [Random House, 1958]).   In doing so, he developed a code of conduct that reflected the romanticism of the medevial age.   A feudal mind set--replete with courtly love, a code of honor, and a romantic quest--is evident in several of Faulkner's male characters, e.g., Sutpen in Abaslom, Absalom! and Hightower in Light in August. 3 The Sound and the Fury (New York:   Random House, 1992), 78. The Changing Verbal Portraits of Emily in A Rose for Emily Essay The Changing Verbal Portraits of Emily in A Rose for Emily  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "A Rose for Emily," by Faulkner, provides not only innumerable details but also a complex structure. Long after the reader has learned to identify and discuss the function of significant detail, they often continue to struggle with the influence of structure on a story. The imagery of changing portraits in "A Rose for Emily" allows the reader to explore both to find meaning. In addition to the literal portrait of Emily's father, Faulkner creates numerous figurative portraits of Emily herself by framing her in doorways or windows. The chronological organization of Emily's portraits visually imprints the changes occurring throughout her life. Like an impressionist painting that changes as the viewer moves to different positions, however, the structural organization provides clues to the "whole picture" or to the motivations behind her transformations. Chronologically, the "back-flung" front door creates the first tableau of a youthful Miss Emily, assiduously guarded by her father. Miss Emily, a "slender figure in white,"1 typifies the vulnerable virgin, hovering in the background, subordinate and passive. The father, "a spraddled silhouette in the foreground, his back to her and clutching a horsewhip" (CS 123), is a menacing dark image assuming the dominant front position. His turned back suggests a disregard for her emotional welfare as he wards off potential danger--or violation of her maidenhead--with his horsewhip. The back-flung door invites suitors in, but only those who meet Grierson standards. Unfortunately, those standards are unattainable--"The Griersons held themselves a little too high for what they really were" (CS 123)--and Miss Emily remains... ...cefully on her funeral bier with a simple image of love and loss, a strand of iron-gray hair resting on the yellowed pillow of an impotent bridal bed. This haunting image is the fianl pen stroke whispering the eulogy of her wasted life. Notes 1 Collected Stories of William Faulkner (New York: Vintage, 1977), 123. Hereafter CS. 2 The southern planter patterned his lifestyle after the English country gentleman (Daniel Boorstin, The American:   The Colonial Experience [Random House, 1958]).   In doing so, he developed a code of conduct that reflected the romanticism of the medevial age.   A feudal mind set--replete with courtly love, a code of honor, and a romantic quest--is evident in several of Faulkner's male characters, e.g., Sutpen in Abaslom, Absalom! and Hightower in Light in August. 3 The Sound and the Fury (New York:   Random House, 1992), 78.

Representation of Athletes in the Media

There has been an abundance literature on the subject of the representation of female athletes in the media, from television coverage and newspapers to magazines and websites. From ancient Greece where it was not allowed for women to partake in or even watch the Olympic Games and the power and independence of the Amazonian tribal warrior woman, to present day and the struggles with underrepresentation and misrepresentation of female athletes in sport media (George, Hartley, Paris, 2001; Creedon, 1994; Bernstein, 2002).The mass media is a sociocultural machine that churns out influential images and articles about (sporting) issues that reflect ideologies, values and beliefs that shape societies attitudes towards that issue, such as the underrepresentation of female athletes and women’s sport causing society to believe that women’s sporting achievement and participation in sport is inferior or of little value or less exciting then male athletes and male sport (George, Har tly, Paris, 2001; Bernsein, 2002; Duncan, 1990; Sagas et al, 2000; Economos, C. D. , Brownson, R. C. , DeAngelis, M. A. , Foerster, S. B. , Foreman, C. T. , Gregson, J. Kumanyika, S. K. and Pate, R. R. , 2001). Harris (1999) puts it that the ‘attitudes towards the institution of sport generate and support sexist ideologies and beliefs about gender’ (; 98). The literature focusses its research analysis on two main underlying issues, these being the amount of coverage and secondly, the type of representation created in the mass media of female athletes and women’s sport. These issues can be broken down further into ‘sub-issues’ which focus on the representation of women in visual media – photos, verbal descriptors – commentary, contextual – articles (Alexander, 1994; Bernstein, 2002).The amount of coverage in all mass media forms in certain time frames are usually consisting of the analysis of media revolving around the largest spo rting event in history – The Olympics. It has been proven that aside from the two weeks every four years for the Olympics and arguably the two weeks for the Commonwealth Games, sport media coverage of female sports is almost forgotten, non-existent or even ignored (Jones, 2006), for example; less than 10 per cent of coverage increases to an average of 26 per cent during major sporting events such as the Olympics (Bruce, 2008).The media’s coverage of female athletes does not carry a fair portrayal of women in sport but serves to reinforce ideologies that women are inferior and are ‘socially constructed as an alternative to their male counterparts, who play the version of the sport that â€Å"really counts†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Jones and Jackson, 1999. p 99). Many of the ways in which media has been found to represent women can be deconstructed in the photographs used in the media.Lee (1992) found, in his analysis of the Globe and Mail and the New York Times coverage of the 1984 and the 1988 Olympic Games, that male athletes received 60. 4% of the photographic coverage in parallel with the female athletes who had only 26%. So we can already begin to understand how the media is responsible for this under and miss representations of female athletes.Vincent, Imwold, Masemann and Johnson (2002) suggests 4 ways in which one can break down the denotations of imagery; 1 – Competitive: where the athlete is actively pictured partaking in his/her sport, 2 – Non-competitive: this is when an athlete is not actively participating in the sport but is in a setting whereby the sport is apparent, 3 – Active: the athlete is physically doing something other than the sport, for example spectating, 3 – Posed: when the athlete is depicted in a non-sport setting and is posed for the camera.Duncan (1990) suggests women represent ‘otherness’ in photographs when there is a focus on A) women’s physical appearance (the ‘b est looking’, ‘best kept’ athletes are captured more, B) poses with sexual connotations (images revealing body prats to resemble soft-core pornography), C) displays of emotion (tearful athletes, in victory or defeat) and D) sexual differences (women being passive and men as active).So, female athletes being pictured in a way that suggests passiveness, sexually difference and non-competitiveness, for example, will only function to perpetuate ‘otherness’ and inferiority in the sport, therefore cause to devalue and marginalise the accomplishments of female athletes (Jones, 2006). When female athletes do get high percentages of photographic coverage in the media, the photographs depict the female athletes in a passive or non-athletic role.Boutlilier and SanGoivannis’ (1983) study of the 25 year special edition of Sports Illustrated found 60 per cent of the photos of women showed them in this way and those photos depicting men in the same way was o nly 44 per cent. It can be argued this is because, in western culture, women that show traits of active physicality, toughness and aggressiveness are seen in the eyes of society as lesbian, due to these classically masculine sporting characteristics (Kane and Lenskyj, 1989).Homosexuality is only just being appreciated as a socio-acceptable sexuality, France is set to legalize same-sex marriages in 2013. But at the moment it would seem that sporting ideologies are behind the times as far as progression in social changes are concerned. In sport it can be seen as a threat to the male dominance that surrounds sport. A lesbian presence in sport is a threat because it disrupts and challenges the male hegemony by ‘upsetting existing power structures based on gender and sexuality’ (Kane and Lenskyj, 1989, p. 89), this leads to the media and the sporting industry to underrepresent female athletes and/or fix the female athletes with a heterosexual role, like wife or mother, or em phasize their heterosexuality with ‘heterosexy images’ (Griffin, 1992, p 225; Kane and Lenskyj, 1989). Heterosexy images can best be explained like this, ‘for women, being an athlete contradicts the conventional female roles, and thus the media coverage emphazises other aspects of their â€Å"femaleness†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (such as their attractiveness) (Knight and Giuliano, 2002, p 219).Martina Narvatiolva, a professional tennis player who won 18 Grand slam titles through the 80s, has always been open about her homosexuality and due to this fact received less endorsements and sponsorships throughout her career than her predecessor Chris Evert (Creedon, 1998). These two female tennis players both won the same amount of Grand slam singles titles, so it seems like a blatant strike against those who challenge dominant beliefs about male hegemony in sport.Others have learned from this, Nelson (1991) remarks on the LPGA (Ladies Pro Golf Association) and how the ‘[s]p onsors, LPGA staff, and players attempt to†¦ play up marriages and mothers, employ an image consultant to serve as hairstylist and make-up artists and maintain†¦a â€Å"silence so loud it screams†. Sponsors are only interested in sport which gains the most coverage, women’s sport and female athletes do not feature enough in the media for the sponsors to be interested, therefore when females are ‘glammed’ up and conforming to heterosexy images like mother or wife, they are more appropriate for mass media coverage (Berstein, 2002).What has happened and is happening in women’s sport is that women find themselves emphasizing their femininity so that they do not get pigeonholed as socially different, Del Ray (1978) and Felshin (1981) call this the apologetic approach theory. Women such as Jessica Ennis are encouraged to feel like they have to be overtly feminine, for example pose for fashion magazines and take part in interviews which constantl y undermine the achievements of female athletes. Female athletes are conforming to a very old patriarchal ideology of women that is increasingly forgotten in society but is very much the way in sport.This again is proof to what has previously been stated, that sporting ideologies are behind the times in regards to social change. The modern Olympic Games were reborn and were reserved for men only; in the first modern Olympics in 1896 there were not female participants. In the 1900 Games onward the number of women competing gradually grew until one millennia later more athletes competed that ever in 188 events including women’s weightlifting (Berstein, 2002) and now in 2012 is the first ever Olympics to allow female boxing.Women who compete in, what are considered male ‘appropriate’ sports are said to be challenging traditional gender role expectations and so are going against the grain of conventional ideologies in sport and society (Creedon, 1994). Boxing is abso lutely seen as a male dominated sport and so are many others such as rugby, football, basketball and weightlifting, these are considered as ‘male appropriate’ sports.The idea of male and female appropriate sports further increases the social differences between men and women in sport and by imbedding this social dichotomy sexual (physical) difference becomes gender (social) difference (Lenskyj, 1987; Kane and Greendorfer, 1994). This suggests that men and women in sport are equal to partake in any sport but the sport and media industry, by means of this segregation, are prescribing to male dominance through gender appropriating sports.For example, Tuggle and Owen’s (1999) study of the 1996 Olympic Games discovered female athletes were more likely to receive media attention if they competed in female appropriate sports. They found that 61 per cent of media coverage of women was concentrated on swimming, diving and gymnastics. These sports, along with the likes of ice skating and tennis, are ranked more sex appropriate for women because they comprise of graceful, smooth and fluid body movements that require no heavy bodily contact or contests of strength and aggression (Colley, Nash, O’Donnell and Restorick, 1987; Metheny, 1967).If men’s sport and therein masculinity is defined and associated with aggression and violence, then female athletes who take part in these sports are seen to cross the gap and are socially viewed as men and as lesbian and also vice-versa, male athletes who’s sports consists of diving and ice skating are seen and women and therefore ‘soft’ and homosexual (Eisler, 1987). With such a divide in sport, towards male and female, and the medias bias of representation and coverage towards male sport and male athletes then it can only lead the public opinion to assume that female athletes are the ‘social other’ and less important than male athletes.Sabo and Curry Jansen (1992. 176) put that†¦ the skills and strengths of women athletes are often devalued in comparison to cultural standards linked to dominant standards of male athletic excellence, which emphasize the cultural equivalences of hegemonic power, self-control, success, agency and aggression. The dichotomy can be argued as a good thing to inspire young women to play sport, according to one Australian female athlete who posed for a sexy calendar.She said it was ‘nice to feel like a women because you just feel like a dog after training with your hair all wet’ (â€Å"Stars back glamour for promotion†, 1994). She went on to say how young girls today are turned off by sport because ‘they don’t want to look muscle bound and sweaty and ‘grimy’ and that ‘glamorous’ sportswomen in the calendar would encourage girls to participate’’ (Wells, 1994). It would seem that due to the underrepresentation of women’s sport in the media, young girls only see men in sport so automatically will assume they will become muscle bound and hairy.The company that produced the calendar said that ‘the public image of female athletes is â€Å"masculine with hairy armpits† and the calendar presented women who appeared â€Å"feminine, soft and sexy†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Games girls’ fund-raising, 1994). However, one can argue that this type of encouragement into sport will have negative influences on young women such as the hyper-feminine athlete competing for recognition through her attractiveness instead of her achievements, leading away from social change and backing the patriarchal beliefs in sport. Anna Kournikova is a good example case study of this theory.Anna was dubbed tennis’s pin-up girl and in the year 2000 Kournikova was ranked 8th in the world. Usually an 8th seed or and 8th ranked would very rarely get a mention in the media but as one web-based writer put it ‘the Anna Kournikova pheno menon proves you don’t need to win tournaments to get your name- and photo- in the media’ (see Thomas, 2001). Kournikova ‘herself and the people surrounding her orchestrate the type of media coverage and hype she generates†¦As a result she has made millions from endorsements and was ranked No. 4 on this year’s Forbes â€Å"celebrity 100† – higher than any other sportswomen’ (Thomas, 2001). Is the underlying message to young women you have to be attractive to succeed in sport or is it to succeed in sport, like anything else, you need to have the drive, motivation and skills. Mackay (1999) says there is a definitely a positive from athletes such as Kournikova in that girls are encouraged by her to run around and get sweaty and that twenty years ago this was not considered feminine.Perhaps encouraging young women into sports this way and increasing the numbers of women in sport will force the media to change the way they represent wo men in the future. Gender marked sports/ appropriate sports. Leads to Language and stereotypes Journalists and reporters mainly male, women don’t want to cover females, it doesn’t pay aswell. With the passing of Title IX, which sates ‘[n]o person†¦shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in,†¦any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance,’(Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972), so many young women now actively take part in sports.For example, in the United States 2 million young women compared to just 300 000 now take part in school sports (Becker, 1988; National Federation of State High School Associations, 1991). So, all this new interest and up-and-coming talent and increased investments there has been post Title IX, $4 million in 1974 to $16 million (Sullivan, 1985), it begs the question of; why is the media not making any attempts to break out of the patriarchal belief system and encourage socia l change through the images in puts out? Also, who’s interests is it to portray and promote the modern female athletes as role models (Kane and Greendorfer, 1994).

Magazines

1. What is the origin of the word `magazine? The etymology of the word ‘magazine’ goes back to Arabic mahazin from the word hazana, which meant to store, French magasin, which meant a storehouse, from Old French magazin (possibly via Old Italian magazzino). As we saw, in both cases the stem store was meant.[1] 2. Name 3 general interest magazines and 3 special interest magazines. General interest magazines are â€Å"Newsweek†, â€Å"People†, and â€Å"the Time†. For special interest magazines I would point out â€Å"Car and Driver†, â€Å"Science Magazine†, â€Å"Molecular Medicine†. 3. What is a muckraker? Name 2 and their most famous stories. is an American English term for one who investigates and exposes issues of corruption that violate widely held values, such as political corruption, corporate crime, child labor, conditions in slums and prisons. The most important muckraker work was Ralf Nader’s Unsafe at Any Speed, which let to stop production of the Chevrolet Corvair in 1965. Wayne Barrett, investigative journalist, senior editor of the Village Voice; wrote on mystique and misdeeds in Rudy Giuliani's conduct as mayor of New York City, Grand Illusion: The Untold Story of Rudy Giuliani and 9/11 (2006). 4. What is 2nd class postage? Why is it so important to magazines? Second class postage stamp is a low cost solution for the mailing service. It allows full compensation if the product is lost or damaged and allows delivering large magazine sized items, the last advantage is that by second class posting the magazines will be delivered in three days.[2] 5. Think of a particular segment of the mass audience that could be served by a magazine but doesn’t seem to be. Describe the audience and the sort of magazine that would appeal to this collection of readers. On a separate piece of paper, prepare a mock-up of the cover for your new magazine. There is a massive need among people to â€Å"Mind the danger!† I would call my magazine in this way. This would be a magazine which warns people of different dangers in using, e.g. electricity, gas, vehicles, electrical equipment, all types of equipment, devices and materials that may be dangerous for a man, a child, anyone. I suppose that this segment, which is a huge segment and by its nature the magazine would be classified as a â€Å"general [1] http://www.bartleby.com/61/44/M0024400.html [2] http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?catId=400030;mediaId=3500019

Glass Managerie essays

Glass Managerie essays The Glass Managerie In The Glass Managerie,by Tennesee Williams, symbols are used to describe the characters in the play. Laura, a very frail and insecure character from the play, lives in a world of illusions. Crippled with one leg shorter than the other from a childhood illness, she lives her life through her collection of glass animals. They provide Lauras refuge from reality. One particular glass animal the fragile and rare unicorn symbolizes the characters sufferings. The brilliant use of the imagery of the glass unicorn helps express the emotional anguish of Laura. Only when the unicorn loses its horn, and become like the other glass horses does Laura too break free from her fantasy world and snap into reality and realize that she is not a freak as she thought she was. The obsession that Laura has for her glass ornaments is first eminent in scene two where she is seated in her delicate ivory chair, washing and polishing her collection. It is also in this scene where it is obvi ous that her mother has criticized her many times for her unusual fascination of the glass animals because at the sound her mother approaching, she nervously shoves away them away. And before entering the room, the mother, Amanda, peeks through the door to see what Laura is doing and purses her lips, opens her eyes very wide, rolls them upward and shakes her head (11). Amanda scorns Laura for deceiving her by pretending to go to business school even though she dropped out. Her reason was that it frightened her so bad it made her sick in the stomach (35). Because Laura does not have the courage to live a normal sociable life, the glass animals in this scene represent her hopes and dreams of another life. This fantasy life that Laura longs for is probably why she thought she could get away with deceiving her mother about going to business school. In scene three, the glass ornaments repres...

Atomic Number 2 on the Periodic Table

Atomic Number 2 on the Periodic Table Helium is the element that is atomic number 2 on the periodic table. Each helium atom has 2 protons in its atomic nucleus. The atomic weight of the element is  4.0026. Fast Facts: Atomic Number 2 Element Name: HeliumElement Symbol: HeAtomic Number: 2Atomic Weight: 4.002Classification: Noble GasState of Matter: GasNamed For: Helios, the Greek Titan of the SunDiscovered By: Pierre Janssen, Norman Lockyer (1868) Interesting Atomic Number 2 Facts The element is named for the Greek god of the sun, Helios, because it was initially observed in a previously unidentified yellow spectral line during the 1868 solar eclipse. Two scientists observed the spectral line during this eclipse: Jules Janssen (France) and Norman Lockyer (Britain). The astronomers share credit for the element discovery.Direct observation of the element did not occur until 1895, when Swedish chemists Per Teodor Cleve and Nils Abraham Langlet identified helium emanations from cleveite, a type of uranium ore.A typical helium atom contains 2 protons, 2 neutrons, and 2 electrons. However, atomic number 2 can exist without any electrons, forming what is called an alpha particle. An alpha particle has an electrical charge of 2 and is emitted during alpha decay.The isotope containing 2 protons and 2 neutrons is called helium-4. There are nine isotopes of helium, but only helium-3 and helium-4 are stable. In the atmosphere, there is one atom of helium-3 for every milli on helium-4 atoms. Unlike most elements, the isotopic composition of helium greatly depends on its source. So, the average atomic weight may not really apply to a given sample. Most of the helium-3 found today was present at the time of the Earths formation. At ordinary temperature and pressure, helium is an extremely light, colorless gas.Helium is one of the noble gases or inert gases, which means it has a complete electron valence shell so its not reactive. Unlike gas of atomic number 1 (hydrogen), helium gas exists as monatomic particles. The two gases have comparable mass (H2 and He). Single helium atoms are so small they pass between many other molecules. This is why a filled helium balloon deflates over time the helium escapes through tiny pores in the material.Atomic number 2 is the second most abundant element in the universe, after hydrogen. However, the element is rare on Earth (5.2 ppm by volume in the atmosphere) because nonreactive helium is light enough that it can escape Earths gravity and be lost to space. Some types of natural gas, such as that from Texas and Kansas, contain helium. The primary source of the element on Earth is from liquefaction from natural gas. The largest supplier of the gas is the United States. The source of helium is a non-renewable resource, so there may come a time when we run out of a practical source for this element. Atomic number 2 is used for party balloons, but its primary use is in the cryogenic industry for cooling superconducting magnets. The principal commercial use of helium is for MRI scanners. The element is also used as a purge gas, to grow silicon wafers and other crystals, and as a protective gas for welding. Helium is used for research into superconductivity and the behavior of matter at a temperature approaching absolute zero.One distinctive property of atomic number 2 is that this element cannot be frozen into a solid form unless it is pressurized. Helium remains liquid down to absolute zero under normal pressure, forming a solid at temperatures between 1 K and 1.5 K and 2.5 MPa pressure. Solid helium has been observed to possess a crystalline structure. Sources Hampel, Clifford A. (1968).  The Encyclopedia of the Chemical Elements. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. pp.  256–268.Meija, J.; et al. (2016). Atomic weights of the elements 2013 (IUPAC Technical Report). Pure and Applied Chemistry. 88 (3): 265–91.Shuen-Chen Hwang, Robert D. Lein, Daniel A. Morgan (2005). Noble Gases.  Kirk Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. Wiley. pp. 343–383.  Weast, Robert (1984).  CRC, Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Boca Raton, Florida: Chemical Rubber Company Publishing. pp.  E110.

Chinese History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Chinese History - Essay Example The paper tells that the Ming Literature texts address issues of consumption in both negative and positive ways. However, they are not detached from a discourse of morality, governance and universal order discourse that links humanity from any class in the society. In the Ming China, the majority of the population was busy with issues of whether to consume enough of the available necessities of life to avoid death rather than the choices about consumption. The difference of access was clear in the choices in terms of the range of commodities to be used. The elite are the ones who make decisions on how things out to be. Therefore, as Clunas points out, â€Å" in the pre-industrial world of goods of the Ming elite is a clear parallel to the situation described by Adrian Forty as intrinsic to the more complex world of the nineteenth century in Europe and America†. Thus, the writings reveal the manner in which consumption f luxury goods affected decision-making and class struggles in Ming China. In my opinion, The Ming Literature texts address issues of consumption in Ming China and show that Ming was a materialistic individual who wanted to preserve the culture and class system of ancient China. The issue in Ming China was not about what to consume but about the amount to consume with respect to the different classes that people occupied. This clearly shows the class anxieties between the elite and the low classes where the elite wanted to preserve their status by all means. This explains the consumption of luxurious goods by the elites.

[ Art ] Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

[ Art ] Assignment - Essay Example Sobek is also known as the god of the crocodiles. The people pray to Sobek to protect them as they travel towards the Nile river to fetch drinking water. As time went on, Sobek’s powers included other matters, not only protecting the people from the sudden deadly attacks of the crocodiles. Egyptian Mythology states that Sobek, not another popular god, Nun, created the world. Sobek was depicted as the god who rose from within the River Nile to take the form of a man having a distinct crocodile shape. Specifically, the people of the Fayoum (Arsinoite nome), Kom Ombo, and parts of Thebes worshipped the crocodile god Sobek. The numerous temples were erected to pay religious homage to Sobek. The people prayed to Sobek to give them plentiful harvest. The farm lands were dependent on the Nile River. The Nile River’s drought would reduce the Egyptian Nile River lines’ farm crop outputs. The people pray to Sobek to keep the Nile River flowing. With the Nile River’s flowing, the farm lands have a steady supply of irrigation water. In the temples, the priests would bring a live crocodile into the temple. The people would take care of the crocodile’s every need until its death. After the crocodile’s death, the crocodile is mummified. In Egyptian history, the pharaohs were considered as gods. Consequently, the pharaohs are mummified after their death. Just like the Pharaoh gods, the mummified body of the crocodile is buried in special â€Å"god† tomb (Verhoogt 8). Later, Sobek became the patron of the Pharaoh’s army. Sobek was described as either a crocodile or a man with a crocodile head. Sobek is described as holding an ankh. The ankh is the symbol of Sobek’s power to destroy or reverse evil acts. In addition, the ankh was described as having the power to bend knives in order to protect the king from life-threatening danger. Sobek was described as having the speed and strength of a crocodile. Sobek was not selfish.

See order instructions Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

See order instructions - Case Study Example Whichever way the debate goes, the obvious fact is that in manning the college sports, the NCAA earns a lot of revenue and as such, a little token of appreciation would be necessary to the contributing athletes. This paper will argue that the NCAA has been unfair to college athletes, and since it benefits in many ways from college games, college athletes should receive part of the income just like employee athletes of the body do. The tussle between the NCAA and the college athletes make headlines in April when the Northwestern University Basketball players presented the National Labor Relations Board with a proposal to form a union. The idea of the union is to protest against the NCAA which does not treat them like employee athletes. The debate was further ignited by government officials stating that the NCAA was in no way liable to the students since they were not recognized as employees of the body. The reiterations further claimed that the students should be awarded by their colleges since it is they who benefit most from participating in the games. Normally, the only rewards offered to successful college athletes are scholarships, medical covers, and expert coaching. According to Bowen (n.p.), the students’ demands are deep-rooted, largely being influenced by the fact that schools themselves have to struggle much to make more money out of sports. Again, it seems like coaches of college teams are t he biggest beneficiaries, reaping from the students’ games more than they do. For instance, the coach of the University of Kentucky basketball team makes approximately $5.5 million every season. Broadcasters on their part make an approximate $1 billion off the games. This happens even as schools try to accommodate more tournaments and games every season just so their athletes can be better exposure and earn some rewards from their skills. One

International Marketing Plan For Allianz Marketing Essay

International Marketing Plan For Allianz Marketing Essay Allianz is an international company specializing in the provision of financial services, and the companys headquarters is in Munich, Germany. In the global business world of today, companies cannot afford to just remain domestic, as this could lead to a decline in the companys reputation and business. Serious companies have to work hard on their international presence, to ensure that their stakes in the market are maintained and increased. Founded in the year 1890, Allianz has branches in more than 70 countries and more than 180,000 employees worldwide. The company has acquired about 60 million customers to whom it provides property and casualty insurance services, health insurance, life insurance asset management and banking services. Allianz started to go international in the late 19th century when the company opened a branch office in London. Allianz now also has branches in Paris, Italy, Great Britain, Netherlands, Brazil, Spain, and USA. Allianz hopes to expand into Eastern Euro pe and establish branches either in Hungary or turkey. Since international marketing plans revolve around certain factors, the company will have to complete a thorough analysis of the countries in question, so as to determine the feasibility and viability of international services in these countries. This report will also discuss the viability of establishing branches in the Turkish or Hungarian market place. The Company is aiming to establish the organization in a global market. In order to do this an effective international marketing plan would have to be developed. Situation analysis The goal of this international marketing plan is the provision of specific directions for the companys marketing activities. Research will be carried out in various areas like segmentation, marketing, pricing strategy, targeting and positioning, promotional strategy, control and implementation, in order to achieve set goals. This marketing plan will also detail what the company can achieve with such an international marketing strategy and hoe this plan will help in realizing company objectives. When an organization has decided that it is beneficial to go international and start operations in another country, it is necessary to define company policies on international marketing and the companys objectives for creating promotional campaigns that are efficient. As long as Allianz continues to offer superior services that are efficient, then the company will be better than a domestic company. As the global market continues to grow bigger and population increase continues, the company must engage in effective international marketing, in order to acquire and maintain more clients. (An in depth analysis of Insurance Industry) Interest in Hungary and Turkey Numerous variables function within an international company such as this, which deals in a global market. These variables can influence the companys strategy either directly or indirectly. Being well implanted in various parts of the world Allianz seeks to invest other markets in Europe. Marketing strategy At Allianz, the goal of business is the acquisition of clients and maintaining these clients as customers. The companys international marketing strategy should reflect this, as the company continues to build its reputation. The strategies that would be used for this international marketing will be a push/promotional strategy and pull/selling strategy. The push/promotional strategy will use the companys trade promotion activities and sales force to create consumer demand internationally. The pull/selling strategy involves expenses on promotions for consumers and advertising in order to build up consumer demand for services SWOT analysis The sections highlighted below constitute the most relevant issues for Allianz, and the success of the company. Strengths The companys strengths include: a brand new international approach, staff experience, targeted focus and marketing prowess. Allianz would have to take advantage of these strengths in order to utilize the companys opportunities and also manage threats effectively. Possible weaknesses to the companys international campaign are basically those problems inherent in new product and financial services marketing. Allianzs Strengths also include Product differentiation Superior experience: since the Allianz team is quite experienced in marketing, the company has to capitalize on this experience and bring it to bear on the international market Popularity of the company: strong companies like Allianz tend to have a kind of cult or customer loyalty for many years, which will be brought to bear on the international scene Weaknesses Launching new products and services internationally brings disadvantages of having to build a whole new market structure Opportunities A growing international market Potential for continued improvement Vertical integration: Allianz also has the potential to integrate more services into its international presence and add more branches in various parts of the world Threats The latent competition ensures that there would be other companies who will begin to offer similar services internationally. Unforeseen economic downturn may also reduce fluid/disposable income in spite of a strong domestic economy and anticipated continuous growth. Marketing mix The company should Endeavour to employ a wide range of advertising promotions and communications in order to achieve set out international marketing goals Marketing budget The companys marketing budget must be reviewed and the marketing director would assume responsibility for the budget, excluding the budget for developing the company website. The budget for the international marketing campaign needs to be evaluated on a quarterly basis, with adjustments made to media vehicles, advert schedules, and effective frequency as required Promotion As part of international marketing promotions, there should be grand PR parties and sports events held and organized for prospective clients. Local, national and international media will also be used and sales personnel will be stationed in target market locations like shopping malls and concerts and other related events Financial projection In order to make Allianzs financial services more appealing internationally, the company will have to look towards market segmentation. In looking towards market segmentation, the company will be able to identify specific customer characteristics of interest in specific financial services. As noted on the website of the Center for Business Planning, the purpose of for segmenting a market is to allow the sales/marketing program to focus on the subset of prospects that are most likely to purchase what the company offers, and this can help to ensure the highest yield/return for sales/marketing expenditures, if done properly. (Center for Business Planning, 2009) The international marketing plan developed by Allianz must make a careful analysis of market research to lead to useful decisions regarding the nature of the market in hungary, and of the potential clients in that country. To be able to satisfy the needs of these customers, the company must identify ways to understand its internal and external situation, including the market environment, the customer and the capabilities of the company PEST Analysis Political Factors Increased service tax on premium 5% discount on corporate premium Hike in FDI limit Pricing control in general insurance Favorable regulation for rural insurance Economic Factors Increase in Gross Domestic Savings Social Factors Low insurance coverage Rise in elderly population Growth of insurance Technological Factors Automation of processes Increase in CRM solutions Internet driven information era (Insurance Industry: An Analysis) Implementation and control Allianzs international marketing efforts will be designed to launch and provide sales of goods and services. The marketing director will be in charge of tracking the various programs and changes might be made to the marketing mix if there are no appreciable results. Attention should also be given to some other factors like economic recession, extremely low sales, and the expensive nature of certain types of media that will be used for the international marketing plan, as these factors might influence the budget and marketing mix. The companys international marketing efforts will be reviewed quarterly. Differences between revenue and sales goals during the first year of operation will be the main source of comparison. Customers feedback will also be sought on marketing efforts and there will be surveys and focus groups organized to evaluate the efficacy of adverts. Conclusion Assessment of external factors can help a company to position itself within the environment in which the company operates. Although there are various macroeconomic factors that can affect a company like Allianz, the direction and strength of major industry shaping trends can be gauged by environmental factor assessment. This type of assessment may seem to pose a threat on some occasions but on the other hand, this assessment can create new opportunities. During the environmental assessment, it is vital to seek out new opportunities for business, feasible market places and other companies with which some form of cooperative arrangement can be built. In order to be successful internationally, Allianz needs to understand, anticipate and take advantage of the changes in the business environment. The international environment does have a big impact on the determination of market decisions. A large part of international marketing requires the scanning of the external environment that affec ts Allianz, so that the company can respond profitably to the trends and market requirements of the targeted market. Allianz hopes to expand into Eastern Europe and establish branches either in Hungary or turkey. Due to Global currency issues and the effects of previous economic recessions which have created problems for the company and the services it renders, I believe that Hungary will be a more viable location for the company to invest internationally, as this country is more open to foreign investment. Industries in this country are also expanding and this represents more opportunity for the companys financial services. The firm has also been advised to take a long term view. This is a good strategy for the company, as most emerging markets are long term based, to guard against the negative effects of economic downturns

Business Ethics :: essays research papers

How to behave toward oneself and toward other individuals is a matter of making choices: whether to be friendly or unfriendly; whether to tell the truth or lie; whether to be generous or greedy; whether to study in order to pass an exam or to spend valuable study time watching television and cheat to pass it. These, and all other questions about how people act toward themselves and one another are dealt with in a field of study called ethics. Another name for ethics is morality. Because both words suggest customary ways of behavior, they are somewhat misleading. It had to do with what should or should not be done. Divide practical wisdom into two parts: moral philosophy and political philosophy. They’re defined together as a â€Å"true reasoned state of capacity to act with regard to the things that are good or bad for man† (Drucker, 1996). One statement of the problem is business organizations, as well as members of society in general, are plagued by the fact that there are liars, cheats, and thieves among us. Liars, cheats, and thieves are not new nor are they likely to disappear. People will do anything and go to whatever extent to get what they want. This is why there’s a lack of ethics. Definition of terms: The word ethics is derived from the Greek ethos, meaning â€Å"character,† the pattern of behavior or personality found in an individual or group; moral constitution, moral strength, self discipline and fortitude (Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia). The other is from the Latin mores, meaning â€Å"custom† (Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia). Business Ethics refers to what is right or wrong, or good or bad, human behavior. The concept of business ethics is â€Å"being able to look at your face in the mirror†(Drucker, 1996). Ethics is a code of conduct and values that is accepted by society as being right and proper. Code of ethics is simply a compilation of the rules that are meant to govern the conduct of members of a particular organization or profession. Moral philosophy and political philosophy is true and reasoned state of capacity to act with regard to the things that are good or bad for man. In the daily scramble to get ahead, earn a profit, and outwit competitors, some people don’t play by the rules. Sometimes the culprits are respected and ordinarily well-behaved persons even though they are accused of a crime or offense. Business Ethics :: essays research papers How to behave toward oneself and toward other individuals is a matter of making choices: whether to be friendly or unfriendly; whether to tell the truth or lie; whether to be generous or greedy; whether to study in order to pass an exam or to spend valuable study time watching television and cheat to pass it. These, and all other questions about how people act toward themselves and one another are dealt with in a field of study called ethics. Another name for ethics is morality. Because both words suggest customary ways of behavior, they are somewhat misleading. It had to do with what should or should not be done. Divide practical wisdom into two parts: moral philosophy and political philosophy. They’re defined together as a â€Å"true reasoned state of capacity to act with regard to the things that are good or bad for man† (Drucker, 1996). One statement of the problem is business organizations, as well as members of society in general, are plagued by the fact that there are liars, cheats, and thieves among us. Liars, cheats, and thieves are not new nor are they likely to disappear. People will do anything and go to whatever extent to get what they want. This is why there’s a lack of ethics. Definition of terms: The word ethics is derived from the Greek ethos, meaning â€Å"character,† the pattern of behavior or personality found in an individual or group; moral constitution, moral strength, self discipline and fortitude (Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia). The other is from the Latin mores, meaning â€Å"custom† (Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia). Business Ethics refers to what is right or wrong, or good or bad, human behavior. The concept of business ethics is â€Å"being able to look at your face in the mirror†(Drucker, 1996). Ethics is a code of conduct and values that is accepted by society as being right and proper. Code of ethics is simply a compilation of the rules that are meant to govern the conduct of members of a particular organization or profession. Moral philosophy and political philosophy is true and reasoned state of capacity to act with regard to the things that are good or bad for man. In the daily scramble to get ahead, earn a profit, and outwit competitors, some people don’t play by the rules. Sometimes the culprits are respected and ordinarily well-behaved persons even though they are accused of a crime or offense.

Twilight 4. INVITATIONS

4. INVITATIONS In my dream it was very dark, and what dim light there was seemed to be radiating from Edward's skin. I couldn't see his face, just his back as he walked away from me, leaving me in the blackness. No matter how fast I ran, I couldn't catch up to him; no matter how loud I called, he never turned. Troubled, I woke in the middle of the night and couldn't sleep again for what seemed like a very long time. After that, he was in my dreams nearly every night, but always on the periphery, never within reach. The month that followed the accident was uneasy, tense, and, at first, embarrassing. To my dismay, I found myself the center of attention for the rest of that week. Tyler Crowley was impossible, following me around, obsessed with making amends to me somehow. I tried to convince him what I wanted more than anything else was for him to forget all about it – especially since nothing had actually happened to me – but he remained insistent. He followed me between classes and sat at our now-crowded lunch table. Mike and Eric were even less friendly toward him than they were to each other, which made me worry that I'd gained another unwelcome fan. No one seemed concerned about Edward, though I explained over and over that he was the hero – how he had pulled me out of the way and had nearly been crushed, too. I tried to be convincing. Jessica, Mike, Eric, and everyone else always commented that they hadn't even seen him there till the van was pulled away. I wondered to myself why no one else had seen him standing so far away, before he was suddenly, impossibly saving my life. With chagrin, I realized the probable cause – no one else was as aware of Edward as I always was. No one else watched him the way I did. How pitiful. Edward was never surrounded by crowds of curious bystanders eager for his firsthand account. People avoided him as usual. The Cullens and the Hales sat at the same table as always, not eating, talking only among themselves. None of them, especially Edward, glanced my way anymore. When he sat next to me in class, as far from me as the table would allow, he seemed totally unaware of my presence. Only now and then, when his fists would suddenly ball up – skin stretched even whiter over the bones – did I wonder if he wasn't quite as oblivious as he appeared. He wished he hadn't pulled me from the path of Tyler's van – there was no other conclusion I could come to. I wanted very much to talk to him, and the day after the accident I tried. The last time I'd seen him, outside the ER, we'd both been so furious. I still was angry that he wouldn't trust me with the truth, even though I was keeping my part of the bargain flawlessly. But he had in fact saved my life, no matter how he'd done it. And, overnight, the heat of my anger faded into awed gratitude. He was already seated when I got to Biology, looking straight ahead. I sat down, expecting him to turn toward me. He showed no sign that he realized I was there. â€Å"Hello, Edward,† I said pleasantly, to show him I was going to behave myself. He turned his head a fraction toward me without meeting my gaze, nodded once, and then looked the other way. And that was the last contact I'd had with him, though he was there, a foot away from me, every day. I watched him sometimes, unable to stop myself- from a distance, though, in the cafeteria or parking lot. I watched as his golden eyes grew perceptibly darker day by day. But in class I gave no more notice that he existed than he showed toward me. I was miserable. And the dreams continued. Despite my outright lies, the tenor of my e-mails alerted Ren? ¦e to my depression, and she called a few times, worried. I tried to convince her it was just the weather that had me down. Mike, at least, was pleased by the obvious coolness between me and my lab partner. I could see he'd been worried that Edward's daring rescue might have impressed me, and he was relieved that it seemed to have the opposite effect. He grew more confident, sitting on the edge of my table to talk before Biology class started, ignoring Edward as completely as he ignored us. The snow washed away for good after that one dangerously icy day. Mike was disappointed he'd never gotten to stage his snowball fight, but pleased that the beach trip would soon be possible. The rain continued heavily, though, and the weeks passed. Jessica made me aware of another event looming on the horizon – she called the first Tuesday of March to ask my permission to invite Mike to the girls' choice spring dance in two weeks. â€Å"Are you sure you don't mind†¦ you weren't planning to ask him?† she persisted when I told her I didn't mind in the least. â€Å"No, Jess, I'm not going,† I assured her. Dancing was glaringly outside my range of abilities. â€Å"It will be really fun.† Her attempt to convince me was halfhearted. I suspected that Jessica enjoyed my inexplicable popularity more than my actual company. â€Å"You have fun with Mike,† I encouraged. The next day, I was surprised that Jessica wasn't her usual gushing self in Trig and Spanish. She was silent as she walked by my side between classes, and I was afraid to ask her why. If Mike had turned her down, I was the last person she would want to tell. My fears were strengthened during lunch when Jessica sat as far from Mike as possible, chatting animatedly with Eric. Mike was unusually quiet. Mike was still quiet as he walked me to class, the uncomfortable look on his face a bad sign. But he didn't broach the subject until I was in my seat and he was perched on my desk. As always, I was electrically aware of Edward sitting close enough to touch, as distant as if he were merely an invention of my imagination. â€Å"So,† Mike said, looking at the floor, â€Å"Jessica asked me to the spring dance.† â€Å"That's great.† I made my voice bright and enthusiastic. â€Å"You'll have a lot of fun with Jessica.† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He floundered as he examined my smile, clearly not happy with my response. â€Å"I told her I had to think about it.† â€Å"Why would you do that?† I let disapproval color my tone, though I was relieved he hadn't given her an absolute no. His face was bright red as he looked down again. Pity shook my resolve. â€Å"I was wondering if†¦ well, if you might be planning to ask me.† I paused for a moment, hating the wave of guilt that swept through me. But I saw, from the corner of my eye, Edward's head tilt reflexively in my direction. â€Å"Mike, I think you should tell her yes,† I said. â€Å"Did you already ask someone?† Did Edward notice how Mike's eyes flickered in his direction? â€Å"No,† I assured him. â€Å"I'm not going to the dance at all.† â€Å"Why not?† Mike demanded. I didn't want to get into the safety hazards that dancing presented, so I quickly made new plans. â€Å"I'm going to Seattle that Saturday,† I explained. I needed to get out of town anyway – it was suddenly the perfect time to go. â€Å"Can't you go some other weekend?† â€Å"Sorry, no,† I said. â€Å"So you shouldn't make Jess wait any longer – it's rude.† â€Å"Yeah, you're right,† he mumbled, and turned, dejected, to walk back to his seat. I closed my eyes and pressed my fingers to my temples, trying to push the guilt and sympathy out of my head. Mr. Banner began talking. I sighed and opened my eyes. And Edward was staring at me curiously, that same, familiar edge of frustration even more distinct now in his black eyes. I stared back, surprised, expecting him to look quickly away. But instead he continued to gaze with probing intensity into my eyes. There was no question of me looking away. My hands started to shake. â€Å"Mr. Cullen?† the teacher called, seeking the answer to a question that I hadn't heard. â€Å"The Krebs Cycle,† Edward answered, seeming reluctant as he turned to look at Mr. Banner. I looked down at my book as soon as his eyes released me, trying to find my place. Cowardly as ever, I shifted my hair over my right shoulder to hide my face. I couldn't believe the rush of emotion pulsing through me – just because he'd happened to look at me for the first time in a half-dozen weeks. I couldn't allow him to have this level of influence over me. It was pathetic. More than pathetic, it was unhealthy. I tried very hard not to be aware of him for the rest of the hour, and, since that was impossible, at least not to let him know that I was aware of him. When the bell rang at last, I turned my back to him to gather my things, expecting him to leave immediately as usual. â€Å"Bella?† His voice shouldn't have been so familiar to me, as if I'd known the sound of it all my life rather than for just a few short weeks. I turned slowly, unwillingly. I didn't want to feel what I knew I would feel when I looked at his too-perfect face. My expression was wary when I finally turned to him; his expression was unreadable. He didn't say anything. â€Å"What? Are you speaking to me again?† I finally asked, an unintentional note of petulance in my voice. His lips twitched, fighting a smile. â€Å"No, not really,† he admitted. I closed my eyes and inhaled slowly through my nose, aware that I was gritting my teeth. He waited. â€Å"Then what do you want, Edward?† I asked, keeping my eyes closed; it was easier to talk to him coherently that way. â€Å"I'm sorry.† He sounded sincere. â€Å"I'm being very rude, I know. But it's better this way, really.† I opened my eyes. His face was very serious. â€Å"I don't know what you mean,† I said, my voice guarded. â€Å"It's better if we're not friends,† he explained. â€Å"Trust me.† My eyes narrowed. I'd heard that before. â€Å"It's too bad you didn't figure that out earlier,† I hissed through my teeth. â€Å"You could have saved yourself all this regret.† â€Å"Regret?† The word, and my tone, obviously caught him off guard. â€Å"Regret for what?† â€Å"For not just letting that stupid van squish me.† He was astonished. He stared at me in disbelief. When he finally spoke, he almost sounded mad. â€Å"You think I regret saving your life?† â€Å"I know you do,† I snapped. â€Å"You don't know anything.† He was definitely mad. I turned my head sharply away from him, clenching my jaw against all the wild accusations I wanted to hurl at him. I gathered my books together, then stood and walked to the door. I meant to sweep dramatically out of the room, but of course I caught the toe of my boot on the door jamb and dropped my books. I stood there for a moment, thinking about leaving them. Then I sighed and bent to pick them up. He was there; he'd already stacked them into a pile. He handed them to me, his face hard. â€Å"Thank you,† I said icily. His eyes narrowed. â€Å"You're welcome,† he retorted. I straightened up swiftly, turned away from him again, and stalked off to Gym without looking back. Gym was brutal. We'd moved on to basketball. My team never passed me the ball, so that was good, but I fell down a lot. Sometimes I took people with me. Today I was worse than usual because my head was so filled with Edward. I tried to concentrate on my feet, but he kept creeping back into my thoughts just when I really needed my balance. It was a relief, as always, to leave. I almost ran to the truck; there were just so many people I wanted to avoid. The truck had suffered only minimal damage in the accident. I'd had to replace the taillights, and if I'd had a real paint job, I would have touched that up. Tyler's parents had to sell their van for parts. I almost had a stroke when I rounded the corner and saw a tall, dark figure leaning against the side of my truck. Then I realized it was just Eric. I started walking again. â€Å"Hey, Eric,† I called. â€Å"Hi, Bella.† â€Å"What's up?† I said as I was unlocking the door. I wasn't paying attention to the uncomfortable edge in his voice, so his next words took me by surprise. â€Å"Uh, I was just wondering†¦ if you would go to the spring dance with me?† His voice broke on the last word. â€Å"I thought it was girls' choice,† I said, too startled to be diplomatic. â€Å"Well, yeah,† he admitted, shamefaced. I recovered my composure and tried to make my smile warm. â€Å"Thank you for asking me, but I'm going to be in Seattle that day.† â€Å"Oh,† he said. â€Å"Well, maybe next time.† â€Å"Sure,† I agreed, and then bit my lip. I wouldn't want him to take that too literally. He slouched off, back toward the school. I heard a low chuckle. Edward was walking past the front of my truck, looking straight forward, his lips pressed together. I yanked the door open and jumped inside, slamming it loudly behind me. I revved the engine deafeningly and reversed out into the aisle. Edward was in his car already, two spaces down, sliding out smoothly in front of me, cutting me off. He stopped there – to wait for his family; I could see the four of them walking this way, but still by the cafeteria. I considered taking out the rear of his shiny Volvo, but there were too many witnesses. I looked in my rearview mirror. A line was beginning to form. Directly behind me, Tyler Crowley was in his recently acquired used Sentra, waving. I was too aggravated to acknowledge him. While I was sitting there, looking everywhere but at the car in front of me, I heard a knock on my passenger side window. I looked over; it was Tyler. I glanced back in my rearview mirror, confused. His car was still running, the door left open. I leaned across the cab to crank the window down. It was stiff. I got it halfway down, then gave up. â€Å"I'm sorry, Tyler, I'm stuck behind Cullen.† I was annoyed – obviously the holdup wasn't my fault. â€Å"Oh, I know – I just wanted to ask you something while we're trapped here.† He grinned. This could not be happening. â€Å"Will you ask me to the spring dance?† he continued. â€Å"I'm not going to be in town, Tyler.† My voice sounded a little sharp. I had to remember it wasn't his fault that Mike and Eric had already used up my quota of patience for the day. â€Å"Yeah, Mike said that,† he admitted. â€Å"Then why -â€Å" He shrugged. â€Å"I was hoping you were just letting him down easy.† Okay, it was completely his fault. â€Å"Sorry, Tyler,† I said, working to hide my irritation. â€Å"I really am going out of town.† â€Å"That's cool. We still have prom.† And before I could respond, he was walking back to his car. I could feel the shock on my face. I looked forward to see Alice, Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper all sliding into the Volvo. In his rearview mirror, Edward's eyes were on me. He was unquestionably shaking with laughter, as if he'd heard every word Tyler had said. My foot itched toward the gas pedal†¦ one little bump wouldn't hurt any of them, just that glossy silver paint job. I revved the engine. But they were all in, and Edward was speeding away. I drove home slowly, carefully, muttering to myself the whole way. When I got home, I decided to make chicken enchiladas for dinner. It was a long process, and it would keep me busy. While I was simmering the onions and chilies, the phone rang. I was almost afraid to answer it, but it might be Charlie or my mom. It was Jessica, and she was jubilant; Mike had caught her after school to accept her invitation. I celebrated with her briefly while I stirred. She had to go, she wanted to call Angela and Lauren to tell them. I suggested – with casual innocence – that maybe Angela, the shy girl who had Biology with me, could ask Eric. And Lauren, a standoffish girl who had always ignored me at the lunch table, could ask Tyler; I'd heard he was still available. Jess thought that was a great idea. Now that she was sure of Mike, she actually sounded sincere when she said she wished I would go to the dance. I gave her my Seattle excuse. After I hung up, I tried to concentrate on dinner – dicing the chicken especially; I didn't want to take another trip to the emergency room. But my head was spinning, trying to analyze every word Edward had spoken today. What did he mean, it was better if we weren't friends? My stomach twisted as I realized what he must have meant. He must see how absorbed I was by him; he must not want to lead me on†¦ so we couldn't even be friends†¦ because he wasn't interested in me at all. Of course he wasn't interested in me, I thought angrily, my eyes stinging – a delayed reaction to the onions. I wasn't interesting. And he was. Interesting†¦ and brilliant†¦ and mysterious†¦ and perfect†¦ and beautiful†¦ and possibly able to lift full-sized vans with one hand. Well, that was fine. I could leave him alone. I would leave him alone. I would get through my self-imposed sentence here in purgatory, and then hopefully some school in the Southwest, or possibly Hawaii, would offer me a scholarship. I focused my thoughts on sunny beaches and palm trees as I finished the enchiladas and put them in the oven. Charlie seemed suspicious when he came home and smelled the green peppers. I couldn't blame him – the closest edible Mexican food was probably in southern California. But he was a cop, even if just a small-town cop, so he was brave enough to take the first bite. He seemed to like it. It was fun to watch as he slowly began trusting me in the kitchen. â€Å"Dad?† I asked when he was almost done. â€Å"Yeah, Bella?† â€Å"Um, I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to Seattle for the day a week from Saturday†¦ if that's okay?† I didn't want to ask permission – it set a bad precedent – but I felt rude, so I tacked it on at the end. â€Å"Why?† He sounded surprised, as if he were unable to imagine something that Forks couldn't offer. â€Å"Well, I wanted to get few books – the library here is pretty limited – and maybe look at some clothes.† I had more money than I was used to having, since, thanks to Charlie, I hadn't had to pay for a car. Not that the truck didn't cost me quite a bit in the gas department. â€Å"That truck probably doesn't get very good gas mileage,† he said, echoing my thoughts. â€Å"I know, I'll stop in Montesano and Olympia – and Tacoma if I have to.† â€Å"Are you going all by yourself?† he asked, and I couldn't tell if he was suspicious I had a secret boyfriend or just worried about car trouble. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Seattle is a big city – you could get lost,† he fretted. â€Å"Dad, Phoenix is five times the size of Seattle – and I can read a map, don't worry about it.† â€Å"Do you want me to come with you?† I tried to be crafty as I hid my horror. â€Å"That's all right, Dad, I'll probably just be in dressing rooms all day – very boring.† â€Å"Oh, okay.† The thought of sitting in women's clothing stores for any period of time immediately put him off. â€Å"Thanks.† I smiled at him. â€Å"Will you be back in time for the dance?† Grrr. Only in a town this small would a father know when the high school dances were. â€Å"No – I don't dance, Dad.† He, of all people, should understand that – I didn't get my balance problems from my mother. He did understand. â€Å"Oh, that's right,† he realized. The next morning, when I pulled into the parking lot, I deliberately parked as far as possible from the silver Volvo. I didn't want to put myself in the path of too much temptation and end up owing him a new car. Getting out of the cab, I fumbled with my key and it fell into a puddle at my feet. As I bent to get it, a white hand flashed out and grabbed it before I could. I jerked upright. Edward Cullen was right next to me, leaning casually against my truck. â€Å"How do you do that?† I asked in amazed irritation. â€Å"Do what?† He held my key out as he spoke. As I reached for it, he dropped it into my palm. â€Å"Appear out of thin air.† â€Å"Bella, it's not my fault if you are exceptionally unobservant.† His voice was quiet as usual – velvet, muted. I scowled at his perfect face. His eyes were light again today, a deep, golden honey color. Then I had to look down, to reassemble my now-tangled thoughts. â€Å"Why the traffic jam last night?† I demanded, still looking away. â€Å"I thought you were supposed to be pretending I don't exist, not irritating me to death.† â€Å"That was for Tyler's sake, not mine. I had to give him his chance.† He snickered. â€Å"You†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I gasped. I couldn't think of a bad enough word. It felt like the heat of my anger should physically burn him, but he only seemed more amused. â€Å"And I'm not pretending you don't exist,† he continued. â€Å"So you are trying to irritate me to death? Since Tyler's van didn't do the job?† Anger flashed in his tawny eyes. His lips pressed into a hard line, all signs of humor gone. â€Å"Bella, you are utterly absurd,† he said, his low voice cold. My palms tingled – I wanted so badly to hit something. I was surprised at myself. I was usually a nonviolent person. I turned my back and started to walk away. â€Å"Wait,† he called. I kept walking, sloshing angrily through the rain. But he was next to me, easily keeping pace. â€Å"I'm sorry, that was rude,† he said as we walked. I ignored him. â€Å"I'm not saying it isn't true,† he continued, â€Å"but it was rude to say it, anyway.† â€Å"Why won't you leave me alone?† I grumbled. â€Å"I wanted to ask you something, but you sidetracked me,† he chuckled. He seemed to have recovered his good humor. â€Å"Do you have a multiple personality disorder?† I asked severely. â€Å"You're doing it again.† I sighed. â€Å"Fine then. What do you want to ask?† â€Å"I was wondering if, a week from Saturday – you know, the day of the spring dance -â€Å" â€Å"Are you trying to be funny?† I interrupted him, wheeling toward him. My face got drenched as I looked up at his expression. His eyes were wickedly amused. â€Å"Will you please allow me to finish?† I bit my lip and clasped my hands together, interlocking my fingers, so I couldn't do anything rash. â€Å"I heard you say you were going to Seattle that day, and I was wondering if you wanted a ride.† That was unexpected. â€Å"What?† I wasn't sure what he was getting at. â€Å"Do you want a ride to Seattle?† â€Å"With who?† I asked, mystified. â€Å"Myself, obviously.† He enunciated every syllable, as if he were talking to someone mentally handicapped. I was still stunned. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Well, I was planning to go to Seattle in the next few weeks, and, to be honest, I'm not sure if your truck can make it.† â€Å"My truck works just fine, thank you very much for your concern.† I started to walk again, but I was too surprised to maintain the same level of anger. â€Å"But can your truck make it there on one tank of gas?† He matched my pace again. â€Å"I don't see how that is any of your business.† Stupid, shiny Volvo owner. â€Å"The wasting of finite resources is everyone's business.† â€Å"Honestly, Edward.† I felt a thrill go through me as I said his name, and I hated it. â€Å"I can't keep up with you. I thought you didn't want to be my friend.† â€Å"I said it would be better if we weren't friends, not that I didn't want to be.† â€Å"Oh, thanks, now that's all cleared up.† Heavy sarcasm. I realized I had stopped walking again. We were under the shelter of the cafeteria roof now, so I could more easily look at his face. Which certainly didn't help my clarity of thought. â€Å"It would be more†¦ prudent for you not to be my friend,† he explained. â€Å"But I'm tired of trying to stay away from you, Bella.† His eyes were gloriously intense as he uttered that last sentence, his voice smoldering. I couldn't remember how to breathe. â€Å"Will you go with me to Seattle?† he asked, still intense. I couldn't speak yet, so I just nodded. He smiled briefly, and then his face became serious. â€Å"You really should stay away from me,† he warned. â€Å"I'll see you in class.† He turned abruptly and walked back the way we'd come.