Tuesday, December 31, 2019

The Historical Foundation Of People With Disabilities Essay

Historical Foundation: The historical foundation of people with disability has evolved from a place where people with disabilities were hidden away to present time being involved member of their community. disability. One of the first changes for people with disabilities was the Kennedy Era of 1960. President Kennedy used his platform to challenge the quality of life of people with disabilities. When his MR panel found a non-existing care for people with disabilities, their was a removal of mental institutions for their lack of care of their patient (wk 3 slides). Kennedy used his position as President to find what were the current levels of well-being for people with disability. By having a President take people with disabilities needs into consideration was the beginning in a change of improving the life of people with disabilities. Another revolutionary event that changes the history of people with disabilities was the institution of Willowbrook in New York City. The media covera ge of Willowbrook in *** showed the horrible conditions people with disabilities were living in, and the lack of medical or safety concern for the patient at Willobrook (****). The importance of Willowbrook is the America people were seeing how people with disabilities were being taken of and how they were treated as animal and not as people. Although, Willowbrook is a dark time period for people with disabilities, the benefit of the exposure of Willowbrook is the accountability institutions hadShow MoreRelatedLegal And Historical Background Of The Video Foundations Of Inclusion Birth To Five756 Words   |  4 Pages Legal Historical Background of IDEA According to the video Foundations of Inclusion Birth to Five, we have two people to thank for a lot of our advancements in allowing diversity in the classroom Dr. Ann Turnbull and her husband! They spent many hours in the courtroom fighting endless battles in order to get their son the proper and fair education he deserved. Before the seventies when Ann and her husband had fought against the system it was very common for schools to turn away students withRead MoreHow Self Determination, Education, Has On Children Who Have Special Needs Essay1467 Words   |  6 PagesThe purpose of this paper is to explore the effect self-determination, in education, has on children who have special needs. The goal of this paper is to show that people with special needs need to be taught self-determination in order to produce an independent adult who can take care of themselves to their fullest extent. Upon looking at the research cited, it has become evident that a low level of self-determination w ill result in a child that cannot make decisions for themselves. Those studentsRead MoreDisability in Modern British Society1600 Words   |  7 Pagesinequality or disadvantage encountered by disability in modern British Society. Approximately 8.5 million people in the United Kingdom are registered disabled (Office of National Statistics 2002 cited in Giddens 2006:287). Definitions of disability is important to the way in which its nature is investigated and also to its extent in society. This essay will illustrate the broad definitions of disability and the dissimilarity between disability and impairment. It will also discuss howRead MorePortrayal Of The American Girls Professional Baseball League1638 Words   |  7 Pagessports films in American have established connections between movies and American values, with each sports film providing a different perspective and more depth to different values. With the frequent ties of historical context, movies draw upon real athletes, situations, and struggles. The historical context further represents social and cultural beliefs during the time of the movie’s setting, helping to portray the past. This paper will discuss several American values identified throughout the moviesRead MoreSocial Darwinism And Its Effects On Society1256 Words   |  6 PagesMany individuals with disabilities, including physical disabilities, have been treated harshly throughout history. Physical disabilities were thought about and viewed differently in history than they are viewed today. Many things that people do not see as a p hysical disability, today, were seen as a physical disability in the past. These people were discriminated, murdered, and even experimented on. Most of the physically disabled were poor and unemployed. In the late eighteenth through early twentiethRead MoreThe Polio Years : A Long Period Of Captivity Essay1118 Words   |  5 Pagesgrowth and development of rehabilitation facilities, and more importantly the response to the disease by Texans. Oddly, Wooten discusses the fact that other diseases such as, measles, diphtheria, and tuberculosis took more lives than Polio. However, people feared Polio more than the rest. Wooten attributes polio’s terrifying affect to the uncertainty. Several uncertainties such as, how to prevent it, why did some become crippled, why did some die, and why did it only essentially affected children madeRead MoreSpecial Education Essay1700 Words   |  7 Pagesshunned people who were considered different. During the Middle Ages the church provided care for physically or mentally impaired people. The development of techniques associated with special education of today did not emerge until th e Renaissance era. In the mid-1500s Pedro Ponce de Leon succeeded in teaching deaf students in Spain to speak, read, and write. Even though there was success with teaching the deaf, it was not until the late 18th century that attempts were made to educate people withRead MoreCivil Liberties And Civil Rights1329 Words   |  6 PagesCivil Liberties is the right to marry; but, it is actually the Civil Right that extends the right for the LGBT people to marry each other. Civil Rights are mainly about equality for people and the right to be treated equal whereas Civil Liberties state general basic rights for every citizen. Civil Rights focus on individual treatment being equal regardless of age, gender, race, and disability whereas Liberties are broader rights with a focus on freedoms. Freedom from torture, right to life, and rightRead MoreConscience/Money, Power, Fame Sat Essay844 Words   |  4 Pageswhich would put them in a financial disability but they don’t care because they want to be known and seen as having this car. But some might use ther conscience and know that the better decision is to buy the more normal and less extravagant car in order to make sure their financial disability is stable even though they want that other crazy expensive car. Many people in this world base their decisionson money, fame, and power over conscience. This causes people to make bad decisions which lead toRead MoreGlobal Ethics and Social Responsibility Essay1078 Words   |  5 Pagessafe, almost 20 percent of people still live in poverty, a similar figure 20 years ago. The impact of poverty hit solid on Peru as it is one of the highest in Latin America. These may be to the due that the population lacking education on health. Environment Lake Titicaca which is located on the borderline of Peru and Bolivia is a specific environmental concern because of its significance and livelihood as resource for agriculture and navigation and for its historical/spiritual value. The extreme

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Main Economic Characteristics Of A Free Market Economy

Though there are three different types of economies that exist – free market economy, planned (also known as command) economy, and mixed economy, this essay will focus mainly on free market and planned economies. It will examine the main economic characteristics of each of the two economies and compare how they differ from each other, while in relation to the UK public sector. A free market economy is based on supply and demand and all major economic decisions are made by individual economic agents such as households and firms and not by governments, which in turn maximises freedom and behaviour, though there will always be government involvement to a certain extent due to things such as price control (Investopedia, 2015). A free market economy is said to be a ‘pure’ capitalist system that is underpinned by private ownership where workers are able to make the most out of what they earn and are free to spend it on whatever they please (Sloman and Garratt, 2013). Price mechanism is also a characteristic of a free market economy. Price mechanism allocated resources through supply and demand – it relates to the effect the market has when it changes occur to prices and results in supply being equal to demand and demand being equal to supply (Sloman and Garratt, 2013). When it comes to the UK public sector, the majority of goods and services are free market though the country as a whole is not simply a free market economy as there are some aspects which could be consideredShow MoreRelatedMarket vs. Command Economy Essay1069 Words   |  5 PagesMarket vs. Command Economy What is the main purpose of the economic system? The main purpose of the economic system is method used to produce and distribute goods and service. The three economic questions are: â€Å"What goods should be produced?† â€Å"How should these goods and services be produced† And â€Å"Who consumes these goods and services?† The characteristic of a market economics is that self-interest is the motivating force in the free market, self regulating market. The interaction of buyers andRead MoreWhat Are the Main Characteristics of ‘Emerging Markets’? Essay1211 Words   |  5 PagesWhat are the main characteristics of ‘emerging markets’? Introduction During the changing of world economy, it is increasingly common to hear the term ‘emerging markets’ and from news and report. In the mid-1980s, the term ‘emerging markets’ was created by the World Bank, and has significant influence on the global business world nowadays (Gwynne, Klak and Shaw 2003). To raise investor’s attention to those developing countries, there are numerous characteristics springing up which are given byRead MoreExplain how resources are allocated in reference to the different economic systems?1686 Words   |  7 PagesAn economic system is the result of individuals (consumers and producers), groups (firms, trade unions, political parties, families etc) and the government coming together and interacting in a legal and social society. The function of an economic system is to resolve the basic economic problem - scarcity which means that the resources are limited but wants are infinite. This distribution has three dimensions: * What is to be produced * How is it to be produced * For whom is it to be produced.Read MoreThe Main Characteristics Of Emerging Markets1417 Words   |  6 PagesThe main characteristics of ‘emerging markets’ Introduction In recent years,there has been a growing concern about the emerging markets,and it is kind of new economic markets in developing countries which likes mature markets but does not meet a criterion of it,and emerging markets is a relevant concept when it comes to the developed countries.While a variety of definitions of the term of emerging markets have been suggested,this essay will use the definition suggested by Arnold and Quelch(1998)whoRead MorePoland s Economic Reform Plan Of 19891711 Words   |  7 Pagesthe same time, Eastern Europeans finally discovered the opportunity to make a transition from centralized socialism to democratic and decentralized form of market economy that was largely modeled on the Western democracies. 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TheRead MoreThe Four Main Economic Systems and Their Application in South Africa1426 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction An economic system is a manner of approach which is used at solving the three main questions which are: What goods and services should be produced and the amount? How much of the scarce resource should be utilised and how will the goods and services will produced? For whom should the diverse goods and services be produced for and where will the production take place? Economic systems don’t always work accordingly but often so vast and complicated but on the contrast its working out justRead MoreThe Problem Of Extreme Poverty1297 Words   |  6 PagesIn the last 10 years, the end of extreme poverty has been a top priority in the inequality equation. A report by the World Economic Forum s Global Risk states that inequality in 2013 is a big global risk. The world should immediately put in place objectives that abolish extreme inequality around the globe. The net income of 2012 from the 100 richest billionaires was $240 billion, which could end extreme poverty 4 times over. Havin g so much money and power in such few hands, causes depressed demandRead MoreThe Theory Of Economics As A Science1182 Words   |  5 PagesThe economy born since the man realizes that he cannot get everything he wants. The economists analyse the economic problems as it happens, without adding their feelings, thoughts or them owns assumptions. Economics is based essentially in scarcity, if there is not shortage there would be no need of Economics as a science. As there are limited resources choices have to be made in order to allocate resources and factor of productions. According to Anderton (2008:30) when this allocation happens, resultsRead MoreHket Case-Strategy1489 Words   |  6 Pagesfactors that have impacted the profitability of the newspaper industry in general and, specifically in Hong Kong, over the last 20 years: Main factors:- Economy and government policies-China adopted Open Door Policy for businesses. This promoted foreign trade and economic investment, and led to evolvement of many business start-ups. In 1980s, the economy was booming, Hong Kong became magnet for international trade, with its high GDP growth rate, averaging to 5.2%. With improved income and GDP

Saturday, December 14, 2019

The Golden Lily Chapter 1 Free Essays

string(29) " hoping I sounded confident\." MOST PEOPLE WOULD FIND being led into an underground bunker on a stormy night scary. Not me. Things I could explain away and define with data didn’t frighten me. We will write a custom essay sample on The Golden Lily Chapter 1 or any similar topic only for you Order Now That was why I kept silently reciting facts to myself as I descended deeper and deeper below street level. The bunker was a relic of the Cold War, built as protection in a time when people thought nuclear missiles were around every corner. On the surface, the building claimed to house an optical supply store. That was a front. Not scary at all. And the storm? Simply a natural phenomenon of atmospheric fronts clashing. And really, if you were going to worry about getting hurt in a storm, then going underground was actually pretty smart. So, no. This seemingly ominous journey didn’t frighten me in the least. Everything was built on reasonable facts and logic. I could deal with that. It was the rest of my job I had a problem with. And really, maybe that was why stormy underground trips didn’t faze me. When you spent most of your days living among vampires and half vampires, ferrying them to get blood, and keeping their existence secret from the rest of the world†¦ well, it kind of gave you a unique perspective on life. I’d witnessed bloody vampire battles and seen magical feats that defied every law of physics I knew. My life was a constant struggle to hold back my terror of the unexplainable and try desperately to find a way to explain it. â€Å"Watch your step,† my guide told me as we went down yet another flight of concrete stairs. Everything I’d seen so far was concrete – the walls, floor, and ceiling. The gray, rough surface absorbed the fluorescent light that attempted to illuminate our way. It was dreary and cold, eerie in its stillness. The guide seemed to guess my thoughts. â€Å"We’ve made modifications and expansions since this was originally built. You’ll see once we reach the main section.† Sure enough. The stairs finally opened up to a corridor with several closed doors lining the sides. The decor was still concrete, but all the doors were modern, with electronic locks displaying either red or green lights. He led me to the second door on the right, one with a green light, and I found myself entering a perfectly normal lounge, like the kind of break room you’d find in any modern office. Green carpet covered the floor, like some wistful attempt at grass, and the walls were a tan that gave the illusion of warmth. A puffy couch and two chairs sat on the opposite side of the room, along with a table scattered with magazines. Best of all, the room had a counter with a sink – and a coffee maker. â€Å"Make yourself at home,† my guide told me. I was guessing he was close to my age, eighteen, but his patchy attempts at growing a beard made him seem younger. â€Å"They’ll come for you shortly.† My eyes had never left the coffee maker. â€Å"Can I make some coffee?† â€Å"Sure,† he said. â€Å"Whatever you like.† He left, and I practically ran to the counter. The coffee was pre-ground and looked as though it might very well have been here since the Cold War as well. As long as it was caffeinated, I didn’t care. I’d taken a red-eye flight from California, and even with part of the day to recover, I still felt sleepy and bleary-eyed. I set the coffee maker going and then paced the room. The magazines were in haphazard piles, so I straightened them into neat stacks. I couldn’t stand disorder. I sat on the couch and waited for the coffee, wondering yet again what this meeting could be about. I’d spent a good part of my afternoon here in Virginia reporting to a couple of Alchemist officials about the status of my current assignment. I was living in Palm Springs, pretending to be a senior at a private boarding school in order to keep an eye on Jill Mastrano Dragomir, a vampire princess forced into hiding. Keeping her alive meant keeping her people out of civil war – something that would definitely tip humans off to the supernatural world that lurked beneath the surface of modern life. It was a vital mission for the Alchemists, so I wasn’t entirely surprised they’d want an update. What surprised me was that they couldn’t have just done it over the phone. I couldn’t figure out what other reason would bring me to this facility. The coffee maker finished. I’d only set it to make three cups, which would probably be enough to get me through the evening. I’d just filled my Styrofoam cup when the door opened. A man entered, and I nearly dropped the coffee. â€Å"Mr. Darnell,† I said, setting the pot back on the burner. My hands trembled. â€Å"It – it’s nice to see you again, sir.† â€Å"You too, Sydney,† he said, forcing a stiff smile. â€Å"You’ve certainly grown up.† â€Å"Thank you, sir,† I said, unsure if that was a compliment. Tom Darnell was my father’s age and had brown hair laced with silver. There were more lines in his face since the last time I’d seen him, and his blue eyes had an uneasy look that I didn’t usually associate with him. Tom Darnell was a high-ranking official among the Alchemists and had earned his position through decisive action and a fierce work ethic. He’d always seemed larger than life when I was younger, fiercely confident and aweinspiring. Now, he seemed to be afraid of me, which made no sense. Wasn’t he angry? After all, I was the one responsible for his son being arrested and locked away by the Alchemists. â€Å"I appreciate you coming all the way out here,† he added, once a few moments of awkward silence had passed. â€Å"I know it’s a long round-trip, especially on a weekend.† â€Å"It’s no problem at all, sir,† I said, hoping I sounded confident. You read "The Golden Lily Chapter 1" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"I’m happy to help with†¦ whatever you need.† I still wondered what exactly that could be. He studied me for a few seconds and gave a curt nod. â€Å"You’re very dedicated,† he said. â€Å"Just like your father.† I made no response. I knew that comment had been intended as a compliment, but I didn’t really take it that way. Tom cleared his throat. â€Å"Well, then. Let’s get this out of the way. I really don’t want to inconvenience you any more than is necessary.† Again, I got that nervous, deferential vibe. Why would he be so conscientious of my feelings? After what I’d done to his son, Keith, I would’ve expected rage or accusations. Tom opened the door for me and gestured me through. â€Å"Can I bring my coffee, sir?† â€Å"Of course.† He took me back into the concrete corridor, toward more of the closed doors. I clutched my coffee like a security blanket, far more frightened than I’d been when first entering this place. Tom came to a stop a few doors down, in front of one with a red light, but hesitated before opening it. â€Å"I want you to know†¦ that what you did was incredibly brave,† he said, not meeting my eyes. â€Å"I know you and Keith were – are – friends, and it couldn’t have been easy to turn him in. It shows just how committed you are to our work – something that’s not always easy when personal feelings are involved.† Keith and I weren’t friends now or then, but I supposed I could understand Tom’s mistake. Keith had lived with my family for a summer, and later, he and I had worked together in Palm Springs. Turning him in for his crimes hadn’t been difficult for me at all. I’d actually enjoyed it. Seeing the stricken look on Tom’s face, though, I knew I couldn’t say anything like that. I swallowed. â€Å"Well. Our work is important, sir.† He gave me a sad smile. â€Å"Yes. It certainly is.† The door had a security keypad. Tom punched in a series of about ten digits, and the lock clicked in acceptance. He pushed the door open, and I followed him inside. The stark room was dimly lit and had three other people in it, so I didn’t initially notice what else the room contained. I knew immediately that the others were Alchemists. There was no other reason they’d be in this place otherwise. And, of course, they possessed the telltale signs that would have identified them to me even on a busy street. Business attire in nondescript colors. Golden lily tattoos shining on their left cheeks. It was part of the uniformity we all shared. We were a secret army, lurking in the shadows of our fellow humans. The three of them were all holding clipboards and staring at one of the walls. That was when I noticed what this room’s purpose was. A window in the wall looked through to another room, one much more brightly lit than this one. And Keith Darnell was in that room. He darted up to the glass separating us and began beating on it. My heart raced, and I took a few frightened steps back, certain he was coming after me. It took me a moment to realize he couldn’t actually see me. I relaxed slightly. Very slightly. The window was a oneway mirror. He pressed his hands to the glass, glancing frantically back and forth at the faces he knew were there but couldn’t see. â€Å"Please, please,† he cried. â€Å"Let me out. Please let me out of here.† Keith looked a little scragglier than the last time I’d seen him. His hair was unkempt and appeared as though it hadn’t been cut in our month apart. He wore a plain gray jumpsuit, the kind you saw on prisoners or mental patients, that reminded me of the concrete in the hall. Most noticeable of all was the desperate, terrified look in his eyes – or rather, eye. Keith had lost one of his eyes in a vampire attack that I had secretly helped orchestrate. None of the Alchemists knew about it, just as none of them knew about how Keith had raped my older sister Carly. I doubted Tom Darnell would’ve praised me for my â€Å"dedication† if he’d known about my sideline revenge act. Seeing the state Keith was in now, I felt a little bad for him – and especially bad for Tom, whose face was filled with raw pain. I still didn’t feel bad about what I’d done to Keith, however. Not the arrest or the eye. Put simply, Keith Darnell was a bad person. â€Å"I’m sure you recognize Keith,† said one of the Alchemists with a clipboard. Her gray hair was wound into a tight, neat bun. â€Å"Yes, ma’am,† I said. I was saved from any other response when Keith beat at the glass with renewed fury. â€Å"Please! I’m serious! Whatever you want. I’ll do anything. I’ll say anything. I’ll believe anything. Just please don’t send me back there!† Both Tom and I flinched, but the other Alchemists watched with clinical detachment and scrawled a few notes on their clipboards. The bun woman glanced back up at me as though there’d been no interruption. â€Å"Young Mr. Darnell has been spending some time in one of our Re-education Centers. An unfortunate action – but a necessary one. His trafficking in illicit goods was certainly bad, but his collaboration with vampires is unforgiveable. Although he claims to have no attachment to them†¦ well, we really can’t be certain. Even if he is telling the truth, there’s also the possibility that this transgression might expand into something more – not just a collaboration with the Moroi, but also the Strigoi. Doing what we’ve done keeps him from that slippery slope.† â€Å"It’s really for his own good,† said the third clipboard-wielding Alchemist. â€Å"We’re doing him a favor.† A sense of horror swept over me. The whole point of the Alchemists was to keep the existence of vampires secret from humans. We believed vampires were unnatural creatures who should have nothing to do with humans like us. What was a particular concern were the Strigoi – evil, killer vampires – who could lure humans into servitude with promises of immortality. Even the peaceful Moroi and their half human counterparts, the dhampirs, were regarded with suspicion. We worked with those latter two groups a lot, and even though we’d been taught to regard them with disdain, it was an inevitable fact that some Alchemists not only grew close to Moroi and dhampirs†¦ but actually started to like them. The crazy thing was – despite his crime of selling vampire blood – Keith was one of the last people I’d think of when it came to getting too friendly with vampires. He’d made his dislike of them perfectly obvious to me a number of times. Really, if anyone deserved to be accused of attachment to vampires†¦ †¦ well, it would be me. One of the other Alchemists, a man with mirrored sunglasses hanging artfully off his collar, took up the lecture. â€Å"You, Miss Sage, have been a remarkable example of someone able to work extensively with them and keep your objectivity. Your dedication has not gone unnoticed by those above us.† â€Å"Thank you, sir,† I said uneasily, wondering how many times I’d hear â€Å"dedication† brought up tonight. This was a far cry from a few months ago, when I’d gotten in trouble for helping a dhampir fugitive escape. She’d later been proven innocent, and my involvement had been written off as â€Å"career ambition.† â€Å"And,† continued Sunglasses, â€Å"considering your experience with Mr. Darnell, we thought you would be an excellent person to give us a statement.† I turned my attention back at Keith. He’d been pounding and shouting pretty much nonstop this whole time. The others had managed to ignore him, so I tried as well. â€Å"A statement on what, sir?† â€Å"We’re considering whether or not to return him to Re-education,† explained Gray Bun. â€Å"He’s made excellent progress there, but some feel it’s best to be safe and make sure any chance of vampire attachment is eradicated.† If Keith’s current behavior was â€Å"excellent progress,† I couldn’t imagine what poor progress looked like. Sunglasses readied his pen over his clipboard. â€Å"Based on what you witnessed in Palm Springs, Miss Sage, what is your opinion of Mr. Darnell’s state of mind when it comes to vampires? Was the bonding you witnessed severe enough to warrant further precautionary measures?† Presumably, â€Å"further precautionary measures† meant more Re-education. While Keith continued to bang away, all eyes in my room were on me. The clipboard Alchemists looked thoughtful and curious. Tom Darnell was visibly sweating, watching me with fear and anticipation. I supposed it was understandable. I held his son’s fate in my hands. Conflicting emotions warred within me as I regarded Keith. I didn’t just dislike him – I hated him. And I didn’t hate many people. I couldn’t forget what he’d done to Carly. Likewise, the memories of what he’d done to others and me in Palm Springs were still fresh in my mind. He’d slandered me and made my life miserable in an effort to cover up his blood scam. He’d also horribly treated the vampires and dhampirs we were in charge of looking after. It made me question who the real monsters were. I didn’t know exactly what happened at Re-education Centers. Judging from Keith’s reaction, it was probably pretty bad. There was a part of me that would have loved to tell the Alchemists to send him back there for years and never let him see the light of day. His crimes deserved severe punishment – and yet, I wasn’t sure they deserved this particular punishment. â€Å"I think†¦ I think Keith Darnell is corrupt,† I said at last. â€Å"He’s selfish and immoral. He has no concern for others and hurts people to further his own ends. He’s willing to lie, cheat, and steal to get what he wants.† I hesitated before continuing. â€Å"But†¦ I don’t think he’s been blinded to what vampires are. I don’t think he’s too close to them or in danger of falling in with them in the future. That being said, I also don’t think he should be allowed to do Alchemist work for the foreseeable future. Whether that would mean locking him up or just putting him on probation is up to you. His past actions show he doesn’t take our missions seriously, but that’s because of selfishness. Not because of an unnatural attachment to them. He†¦ well, to be blunt, is just a bad person.† Silence met me, save for the frantic scrawling of pens as the clipboard Alchemists made their notes. I dared a glance at Tom, afraid of what I’d see after completely trashing his son. To my astonishment, Tom looked†¦ relieved. And grateful. In fact, he seemed on the verge of tears. Catching my eye, he mouthed, Thank you. Amazing. I had just proclaimed Keith to be a horrible human being in every way possible. But none of that mattered to his father, so long as I didn’t accuse Keith of being in league with vampires. I could’ve called Keith a murderer, and Tom would have probably still been grateful if it meant Keith wasn’t chummy with the enemy. It bothered me and again made me wonder who the real monsters were in all of this. The group I’d left back in Palm Springs was a hundred times more moral than Keith. â€Å"Thank you, Miss Sage,† said Gray Bun, finishing up her notes. â€Å"You’ve been extremely helpful, and we’ll take this into consideration as we make our decision. You may go now. If you step into the hall, you’ll find Zeke waiting to take you out.† It was an abrupt dismissal, but that was typical of Alchemists. Efficient. To the point. I gave a polite nod of farewell and one last glance at Keith before opening the door. As soon as it shut behind me, I found the hallway mercifully silent. I could no longer hear Keith. Zeke, as it turned out, was the Alchemist who had originally led me in. â€Å"All set?† he asked. â€Å"So it seems,† I said, still a bit stunned over what had just taken place. I knew now that my earlier debriefing on the Palm Springs situation had simply been a convenience for the Alchemists. I’d been in the area, so why not have an in-person meeting? It hadn’t been essential. This – seeing Keith – had been the real purpose of my cross-country trip. As we walked back down the hallway, something caught my attention that I hadn’t noticed before. One of the doors had a fair amount of security on it – more so than the room I’d just been in. Along with the lights and keypad, there was also a card reader. At the top of the door was a deadbolt that locked from outside. Nothing fancy, but it was clearly meant to keep whatever was behind the door inside. I stopped in spite of myself and studied the door for a few moments. Then, I kept walking, knowing better than to say anything. Good Alchemists didn’t ask questions. Zeke, seeing my gaze, came to a halt. He glanced at me, then the door, and then back at me. â€Å"Do you want†¦ do you want to see what’s in there?† His eyes darted quickly to the door we’d emerged from. He was low-ranking, I knew, and clearly feared getting in trouble with the others. At the same time, there was an eagerness that suggested he was excited about the secrets he kept, secrets he couldn’t share with others. I was a safe outlet. â€Å"I guess it depends on what’s in there,† I said. â€Å"It’s the reason for what we do,† he said mysteriously. â€Å"Take a look, and you’ll understand why our goals are so important.† Deciding to risk it, he flashed a card over the reader and then punched in another long code. A light on the door turned green, and he slid open the deadbolt. I’d half-expected another dim room, but the light was so bright inside, it almost hurt my eyes. I put a hand up to my forehead to shield myself. â€Å"It’s a type of light therapy,† Zeke explained apologetically. â€Å"You know how people in cloudy regions have sun lamps? Same kind of rays. The hope is that it’ll make people like him a little more human again – or at least discourage them from thinking they’re Strigoi.† At first, I was too dazzled to figure out what he meant. Then, across the empty room, I saw a jail cell. Large metal bars covered the entrance, which was locked with another card reader and keypad. It seemed like overkill when I caught sight of the man inside. He was older than me, mid-twenties if I had to guess, and had a disheveled appearance that made Keith look neat and tidy. The man was gaunt and curled up in a corner, arms draped over his eyes against the light. He wore handcuffs and feet cuffs and clearly wasn’t going anywhere. At our entrance, he dared a peek at us and then uncovered more of his face. A chill ran through me. The man was human, but his expression was as cold and evil as any Strigoi I’d ever seen. His gray eyes were predatory. Emotionless, like the kinds of murderers who had no sense of empathy for other people. â€Å"Have you brought me dinner?† he asked in a raspy voice that had to be faked. â€Å"A nice young girl, I see. Skinnier than I’d like, but I’m sure her blood is still succulent.† â€Å"Liam,† said Zeke with a weary patience. â€Å"You know where your dinner is.† He pointed to an untouched tray of food in the cell that looked like it had gone cold long ago. Chicken nuggets, green beans, and a sugar cookie. â€Å"He almost never eats anything,† Zeke explained to me. â€Å"It’s why he’s so thin. Keeps insisting on blood.† â€Å"What†¦ what is he?† I asked, unable to take my eyes off of Liam. It was a silly question, of course. Liam was clearly human, and yet†¦ there was something about him that wasn’t right. â€Å"A corrupt soul who wants to be Strigoi,† said Zeke. â€Å"Some guardians found him serving those monsters and delivered him to us. We’ve tried to rehabilitate him but with no luck. He keeps going on and on about how great the Strigoi are and how he’ll get back to them one day and make us pay. In the meantime, he does his best to pretend he’s one of them.† â€Å"Oh,† said Liam, with a sly smile, â€Å"I will be one of them. They will reward my loyalty and suffering. They will awaken me, and I will become powerful beyond your miniscule mortal dreams. I will live forever and come for you – all of you. I will feast on your blood and savor every drop. You Alchemists pull your strings and think you control everything. You delude yourselves. You control nothing. You are nothing.† â€Å"See?† said Zeke, shaking his head. â€Å"Pathetic. And yet, this is what could happen if we didn’t do the job we did. Other humans could become like him – selling their souls for the hollow promise of immortality.† He made the Alchemist sign against evil, a small cross on his shoulder, and I found myself echoing it. â€Å"I don’t like being in here, but sometimes†¦ sometimes it’s a good reminder of why we have to keep the Moroi and the others in the shadows. Of why we can’t let ourselves be taken in by them.† I knew in the back of my mind that there was a huge difference in the way Moroi and Strigoi interacted with humans. Still, I couldn’t formulate any arguments while in front of Liam. He had me too dumbstruck – and afraid. It was easy to believe every word the Alchemists said. This was what we were fighting against. This was the nightmare we couldn’t allow to happen. I didn’t know what to say, but Zeke didn’t seem to expect much. â€Å"Come on. Let’s go.† To Liam, he added, â€Å"And you’d better eat that food because you aren’t getting any more until morning. I don’t care how cold and hard it is.† Liam’s eyes narrowed. â€Å"What do I care about human food when soon I’ll be drinking the nectar of the gods? Your blood will be warm on my lips, yours and your pretty girl’s.† He began to laugh then, a sound far more disturbing than any of Keith’s screams. That laughter continued as Zeke led me out of the room. The door shut behind us, and I found myself standing in the hall, numbed. Zeke regarded me with concern. â€Å"I’m sorry†¦ I probably shouldn’t have shown you that.† I shook my head slowly. â€Å"No†¦ you were right. It’s good for us to see. To understand what we’re doing. I always knew†¦ but I didn’t expect anything like that.† I tried to shift my thoughts back to everyday things and wipe that horror from my mind. I looked down at my coffee. It was untouched and had grown lukewarm. I grimaced. â€Å"Can I get more coffee before we go?† I needed something normal. Something human. â€Å"Sure.† Zeke led me back to the lounge. The pot I’d made was still hot. I dumped out my old coffee and poured some new. As I did, the door burst open, and a distraught Tom Darnell came in. He seemed surprised to see anyone here and pushed past us, sitting on the couch and burying his face in his hands. Zeke and I exchanged uncertain looks. â€Å"Mr. Darnell,† I began. â€Å"Are you okay?† He didn’t answer me right away. He kept his face covered, his body shaking with silent sobs. I was about to leave when he looked up at me, though I got the feeling he wasn’t actually seeing me. â€Å"They decided,† he said. â€Å"They decided about Keith.† â€Å"Already?† I asked, startled. Zeke and I had only spent about five minutes with Liam. Tom nodded morosely. â€Å"They’re sending him back†¦ back to Re-education.† I couldn’t believe it. â€Å"But I†¦ but I told them! I told them he’s not in league with vampires. He believes what†¦ the rest of us believe. It was his choices that were bad.† â€Å"I know. But they said we can’t take the risk. Even if Keith seems like he doesn’t care about them – even if believes he doesn’t – the fact remains he still set up a deal with one. They’re worried that willingness to go into that kind of partnership might subconsciously influence him. Best to take care of things now. They’re†¦ they’re probably right. This is for the best.† That image of Keith pounding on the glass and begging not to go back flashed through my mind. â€Å"I’m sorry, Mr. Darnell.† Tom’s distraught gaze focused on me a little bit more. â€Å"Don’t apologize, Sydney. You’ve done so much†¦ so much for Keith. Because of what you told them, they’re going to reduce his time in Re-education. That means so much to me. Thank you.† My stomach twisted. Because of me, Keith had lost an eye. Because of me, Keith had gone to Re-education in the first place. Again, the sentiment came to me: he deserved to suffer in some way, but he didn’t deserve this. â€Å"They were right about you,† Tom added. He was trying to smile but failing. â€Å"What a stellar example you are. So dedicated. Your father must be so proud. I don’t know how you live with those creatures every day and still keep your head about you. Other Alchemists could learn a lot from you. You understand what responsibility and duty are.† Since I’d flown out of Palm Springs yesterday, I’d actually been thinking a lot about the group I’d left behind – when the Alchemists weren’t distracting me with prisoners, of course. Jill, Adrian, Eddie, and even Angeline†¦ frustrating at times, but in the end, they were people I’d grown to know and care about. Despite all the running around they made me do, I’d missed that motley group almost the instant I left California. Something inside me seemed empty when they weren’t around. Now, feeling that way confused me. Was I blurring the lines between friendship and duty? If Keith had gotten in trouble for one small association with a vampire, how much worse was I? And how close were any of us to becoming like Liam? Zeke’s words rang inside my head: We can’t let ourselves be taken in by them. And what Tom had just said: You understand what responsibility and duty are. He was watching me expectantly, and I managed a smile as I pushed down all my fears. â€Å"Thank you, sir,† I said. â€Å"I do what I can.† How to cite The Golden Lily Chapter 1, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Marvin Hugley Jr. (2231 words) Essay Example For Students

Marvin Hugley Jr. (2231 words) Essay Marvin Hugley Jr. Tim WelchEnglish 1025/22/17Title: Robert Frost The unexamined life is not worth living, Know thyselfThe great philosopher Socrates stated these ideas and made it his duty to fulfill his own reasoning. He knew that as human beings, we are a complex system of natures product that is still very enigmatic to ourselves. Thus, to fully comprehend oneself as an individual, one must look inward and seek the cause and function of ones own natural condition. Many methods are effective in ones search, and this fact holds evident to our own differences, some use social interaction as a form of investigation, while others may find solitary confinement as a more productive approach. Through my own personal path to clarity and understanding, it has proved invaluable to myself that the reading of literature and poetry has a profound effect upon fulfillment. By associating oneself into the thoughts and theories of the writer, one can gain an insight into their personal condition. Robert Frost include s much thought and examples into his own behavior as well as others. Through the analysis of Robert Frosts poetry, one attains an insight into oneself, and a deeper perspective of the human condition. Poems such as The Death of a Hired Man, The Road Not Taken, and Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening all are incorporated with his thoughts of the natural human condition, and delve into his own definitive bearing.Poetry, he wrote, was one step backward taken, resisting time-a momentary stay against confusion.(Baym 1116) The confusion that Frost recalls is the chaos that is included in the search for oneself, and poetry to him was an elapse from the confusion. Itgave him comfort to read and write of his thoughts, emotions, and beliefs, and analyze them in a humanistic nature that many could relate to and enjoy. In the 1930s when writers tended to be political activists, he was one whose old-fashioned values were inappropriate, even dangerous, in modern times. Frost deeply resented this criticism, and responded with a new hortatory, didactic kind of poetry. (Baym1116) This style of poetry created an atmosphere that urged the reader to generate perception into the moral subject and envision the meaning behind them. Frost shared with Thoreau and Emerson the belief that everybody is a separate individuality and that collective enterprise could do nothing but weaken the self. (Baym 1116) This theory that Frost shared with the famous transcendentalists conveys that he was a firm believer that ones freedom of others is essential the development for the further understanding of oneself. To many transcendentalists, the pure act of coexisting within nature as an entity, creates a sense of closeness and spirituality within the human mind that is open to hear it. Frost opens the eyes of many to the griefs of country life in Death of a Hired Man, where he explores the humanistic conditions of belongings, empathy, intolerance, and dignity. Mary and Warrens farm was Silas only place to call home, where he knew he would always be accepted even if he werent welcome. Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in. (Frost 1122) This was home for Silas, even if his rich brother lived thirteen miles away, who was a somebody, Silas wouldnt be made ashamed to please his brother. This powerful and sound dignity stressed by Frost, exemplifies his stern belief to uphold ones own pride in oneself. Also, Silas wanted to return with one other wish than to ditch the meadow, he told Mary that he wants to teach Harold, to pass on his one true talent. The human need of belongingness isvery evident within Silas as he hopes to pass on his skill and teach his wisdom to others, to belong and to have something to belong in. He thinks that if he could teach him that, hed be some good perhaps to someone in the world. (Frost 1122) Silas wanted to have a last hope for himself, to save his last self-respect. Silas is a character that Frost uses very well to convey his personal ideals of the effect that belongingness has on deprived humans.Another character that Frost portrays to the reader as certain elements of humanistic qualities is Mary. After so many years he still keeps finding good arguments he sees he might have used. I sympathize. I know how it feels to think of something right to say too late. (Frost 1120) Marys empathetic morals are her strongest features. She feels very sorry that Silas will end his life with nothing. Poor Silas, so concerned with other folk, and nothing to look backward to with pride, and nothing to look forward to with hope. (Frost 1122) Frost uses light as a soft method to urge his view of her tenderness to Silas and its importance to his well-being.Part of the moon was falling down the we stDragging the whole sky with it to the hills.Its light poured softly in her lap/ She saw it.And spread her apron to it. She put out her handAmong the harp like morning-glory strings,Taut with the dew from garden bed to eves,As if she played unheard some tendernessThat wrought on him beside her in the night. (Frost 1122) Sympathy and tenderness are true virtues, and one may be blessed with the same if givenout to all. Mary is shown to the reader as a saint like personality, who is aware of Silas situation, and is willing to give her respect. Mary is Frosts prime illustration of a being with great qualities and a tremendous feeling for the human condition. This perfect model is more illuminate due to the final character, Warren.Warren is a stern man whose own intolerance and blunt views, limit his capacity for others pain and troubles. To Warren, Silas is a nobody, someone who has a poor conception of responsibility and proper judgment. Yet, Warren is simply very different to that of Silas. Independence and free will are the unequal components that the two diverse men share. Silas felt the home that he once know was no that of his own, so he traveled as a light wind and care free as a child.Frost masters his own technique as he brings light upon the basic needs of humans, through Silas, Mary, and Warren. The readers are put into the situation themselves, and the ideas of belongingness, understanding, and intolerance are questioned and demand review to ones own perception to the situation of needs. This method may aid the reader to increase his or her own insight as a member to belong to, as a person of care to others, without cold feelings of intolerance.The Road Not Taken is a powerful poem that Frost tells of his decisions and the impact that they have had on him as a man, as well as exploring the humanistic qualities of making a decision and fate. The poem begins as a fork in the road, with regrets that both cannot be chosen, he tells of how he looked down b oth as to foretell the coming, hoping to see a difference. Yet his decision was simply based on the wear of the grass, that he chose the untaken path. He indicates to the reader that the fate that one undergoesis nothing of ones own decision, in fact very little control is ever placed in our hands. It is the attitude that one takes, that shows the difference in us. Frost finally confesses is true thoughts to the reader in the end of the poem.I shall be saying this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in the wood, and I-Took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference. (Frost 1128)Here we see Frost advising to the reader that since our choice really is very insignificant, the only fulfillment one can undertake is finding the good in our choice, and being content with our being. This is not an easy perspective to handle; yet the gratification that comes with it is overwhelming. Such is a human quality that has been with us ages since. The regre t that one feels due to a poor decision is simply the lack of seeking the good within. If one is to become truly content with them, the ability to look within for the good is essential. Frost probes the necessary elements of happiness, which is the most fundamental aspect of human desire. The feeling of happiness is often misguided with material means and false representation. One may own great fortunes and vast land, and still be without happiness and the content of fate. Frost sees the value of such conditioning and understands the misconception; fate is an uncontrollable force that is a part of all. The understanding of such a force is available to the open minded, and unthinkable to the blunt and obtuse. Soapstone for Unmarked Women EssayWorks CitedBaym, Nina. The Notron Anthology of American Literature. Fifth edition, vol 2. Ed. Juliae Reidhead. Unites States of America, 1998Wright, Eric. Death of a hired man. Rockland, MA: Wheeler Publishers, 2002. Print.