Comparite to the truman show free essay sample

The Truman Show have numerous similitudes. The setting, characters, topics, clashes, and plot of Fahrenheit 451 all have numerous unmistakable attributes that consider the novel to be contrasted and this specific film. The thoughts of characters, setting and clashes are fundamentally the same as and give you an alternate point of view on each work. The Truman Show and Fahrenheit 451 are fundamentally the same as in that the primary characters manage numerous comparative clashes. One clash that is comparable is that lives are controlled. Truman’s life is the most extreme controlled. His â€Å"creator†, Christof controls what befalls him at some random second. Christof likewise controls what the individuals who watch think and see. He causes them to accept that Truman needs this way of life and could have escaped this life in the event that he needed to, which isn't accurate. In Fahrenheit 451, the administration controls what everybody thinks, does, watches, learns, and that's only the tip of the iceberg. Individuals in their general public aren’t expected to think or read. We will compose a custom paper test on Comparite to the truman appear or on the other hand any comparative point explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page Perusing is appalling to such an extent, that the fire fighter consume the books on the off chance that they find you having or understanding one. They consume the entirety of your assets in a moment. The ideal individual in the public eye is somebody who gazes at their parlor dividers the entire day and overdoses on pills since they have no clue about what they are doing in light of the fact that they aren’t thinking. Another comparative clash is both principle characters need to leave society. All through the film, Truman begins to acknowledge everything is on a cycle and individuals who he never knew, knew him. He attempted to get away from ordinarily and he couldn’t till he confronted his dread of water. At that point he understood as long as he can remember has been a falsehood and he has been living in an arch constrained by somebody. Montag needed to leave society since he sensed that he didn’t have a place and he didn’t need somebody letting him know whether he could peruse or not on the grounds that he really delighted in it. He needed to leave society and he did and lived with individuals who had indistinguishable interests from him. The last case of a comparable clash is love. Truman isn’t adored by his significant other, Meryl. She is simply paid to go through her time on earth with him. He has no clue about that he is living with individuals who lie to him consistently. Montag is additionally not adored by his better half. Their general public has indoctrinated her just to consider her parlor dividers. Mildred didn’t even recall where they initially met. While these two works are fundamentally the same as in strife, they are additionally comparative in different ways. The Truman Show and Fahrenheit 451 are fundamentally the same as in that the principle characters live in a setting that is definitely not a decent spot for them. The similitudes between the settings is that there are not very many individuals who the fundamental characters can trust. In Fahrenheit 451, not exclusively does the general public need information because of their nonexistent books be that as it may, they live in a city where your own neighbors will go against you in a second. In The Truman show everybody has been misleading Truman his better half, father, mother, closest companion and each other individual he meets. The subsequent similitude is the two of them live in controlled social orders. In Fahrenheit 451 the populace is constrained by the legislature enormously. They aren’t permitted to peruse or think. In the Truman show Truman has no clue about that everybody has been watching as long as he can remember on a screen. He has never under any circumstance had protection and everybody is the world has been tuned in. The last case of a comparability in setting is the possibility of oversight. In Fahrenheit 451, the characters are not permitted to peruse and everybody learns similarly. In school they cause perusing to appear to be exhausting and that you could never need to do it. The administration indoctrinates them and controls everything that they watch or see. In the film, The Truman Show, Truman is indoctrinated to accept that he lives in an ordinary domain and carries on with a typical life. Truman is 34 years of age in the film and he has never observed a camera once and there is more than 500,000 of them in his town. Truman is very shielded and has now thought regarding it. These are only a portion of the manners in which the setting looks at in the two works. The Truman show and Fahrenheit 451 are fundamentally the same as due to the characters. Such huge numbers of characters have a comparable â€Å"twin† simply such as itself in the other work. The main comparative characters are Clarisse and Lauren. The two of them are pariahs and attempt to support the principle characters. They change the principle characters perspective. They are the main genuine individuals in the two social orders. Clarisse and Lauren both aren’t permitted to act naturally in their general public that they live in. The two of them wind up vanishing. The second comparable characters are Meryl and Mildred. The two of them genuinely don't adore their spouses and are simply experiencing life doing what their educated not so much caring regarding anybody however their selves. The two characters simply wind up harming Montag or Truman since they never thought about them in any case. The last comparable characters are Montag and Truman. They are both the principle characters who battle and face the contentions. The two of them live controlled lives however need to get away from their general public to know how a genuine society functions and get the opportunity to carry on with a reality. The Truman Show and Fahrenheit 451 have numerous similitudes. The two works have the subjects of oversight, uniqueness versus society, information versus numbness and joy. Every likeness gives you an alternate point of view. These two works are entirely similar.

How Effective Is Police Stop and Search Essay Example for Free

How Effective Is Police Stop and Search Essay This evaluation will concentrate on Section 1 of The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Stop and Search powers). I will take a gander at the utilization of stop and search before the Macpherson report and after the Macpherson report and analyze how it has changed. The utilization of stop and search powers permit the police to handle wrongdoing and hostile to social conduct, and to forestall progressively genuine violations happening for the most part out in the open spots like a Football coordinate. A cop can ask what you are doing, why you’re in a region as well as where you’re going. They additionally have the ability to stop and search you on the off chance that they have ‘reasonable grounds’ to speculate you’re conveying; illicit medications, a weapon, taken property or something which could be utilized to carry out a wrongdoing, for example, a perilous weapon. You must be halted and looked without sensible grounds in the event that it has been affirmed by a senior cop. This can occur on the off chance that it is suspected that; genuine savagery could happen, you are conveying a weapon or have utilized one or you are in a particular area or territory. Nonetheless, you don’t need to respond to any inquiries the cop pose to you. The Police official will note down seven subtleties these incorporate; Ethnicity, Objective of search, Grounds for search, Identity of the official completing the stop and search, Date, Time and Place. Anyway being looked doesn't mean you have been captured, except if any of these variables apply. Sir William McPherson completed a request in 1999 after an examination of the homicide of Stephen Lawrence. The 18-year-old A-Level understudy was lethally cut in an unwarranted assault as he sat tight for a transport in Eltham, south London, in April 1993. No one, at the time was sentenced for his homicide. Anyway in 2006 the Metropolitan Polices Acting Deputy Commissioner, requested a virus case audit that prompted the feelings of Gary Dobson and David Norris in 2011 they were seen as liable by an Old Bailey jury after a preliminary dependent on legal proof. Researchers found a minor bloodstain on Dobsons coat that could just have originated from Mr Lawrence. They additionally found a solitary hair having a place with the adolescent on Norriss pants. The two men have had past run-ins with the law; Dobson was imprisoned for a long time in 2010 for drugs dealing. He is among few men to have been attempted twice for a similar wrongdoing (twofold peril) after the Court of Appeal suppressed his 1996 quittance for the homicide. Norris was sentenced in 2002 for a different charge of racially compromising conduct. Claims of ineptitude and prejudice against Metropolitan cops that were responsible for the case started the first request as did two inner police requests which cleared the Metropolitan itself. Comparable to the stop and search there is no real change in the stop and quest powers for the police. Anyway records of all stop and search activity must be distributed, and a duplicate of the record can likewise be given to the individual in question whenever mentioned accordingly there can be no discriminative motivation to stop somebody as the police need to give composed motivation to the suspect and the police power. The 1981 Brixton riots and the ensuing Scarman report were key factors in the section of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE). It gives the center structure of police powers and defends around stop and search, capture, confinement, examination, distinguishing proof and meeting prisoners. The point of PACE has consistently been to build up a harmony between the forces of the police in England and Wales and the privileges of individuals from people in general. Writing Review The prompt impact of Macpherson saw a decrease in the utilization of stop and search. In London, prevent and look through tumbled from 180,000 of every 1999/00 to 169,000 the next year. Broadly, the quantity of stop and searches fell by 21% and afterward a further 16% from 1998 to 2000. By December 2000, agents of average officials were stating that Macpherson had harmed assurance. Officials, they stated, were ill-equipped to utilize stop and search out of dread of being named supremacist. So William Hague called for there to be an ascent in the utilization of Stop and Search. This was obvious in 2001 when Mr Hague connected an ascent in brutal road wrongdoing in certain territories to a drop in stop and searches of dark individuals since cops dreaded being called supremacist. In any case, this can be contended the same number of dark and Asian individuals including Stephen Lawrences father, Neville, who recorded a grievance subsequent to being halted a year ago said they were all the while being unreasonably focused on. Furthermore, in January figures from the Home Office indicated that the fall in scans was most prominent for white suspects with dark individuals still ive times bound to be halted in London than white individuals. The Equality Act 2010 makes it denied for cops to oppress, annoy or exploit any individual corresponding to age, handicap, sex reassignment, race, religion or conviction, sex and sexual direction, marriage, common association, pregnancy and maternity when utilizing their forces on the ground of secured attributes (Home Office 2011). This shows they have attempted to control the circumstance of bigotry in the power and attempted to end it. Anyway prejudice inside the power returns a long time as before 1984 police were permitted to stop and search whoever they needed in this manner it got simpler and to a greater extent a propensity to target individuals who fit ‘criminal persona’. This laid back way to deal with stop and search caused issues since police got discriminative to the open which can be appeared in the Home office measurements (Police and Criminal Evidence Act, The 1984). Research shows this is as yet happening today despite the fact that the Equality Act 2010 was advanced this is obvious in (equity 2010). Dark individuals are 8 percent almost certain than whites to confront stop and search. Comparable to the McPherson report the Committee said that since the presentation of the report the police have caused enormous walks in the administration they to give to ethnic minority networks and in countering prejudice among its own workforce. This is apparent in the way that sixty-seven of Macpherson’s 70 suggestions have been executed completely or to some extent in the a long time since his report was distributed. Anyway the measurements show that there is still prejudice in the power in this way were McPhersons proposals required or might he be able to have concentrated more on the issue close by? Numerous individuals see that that bigot persona of the powers originates from the possibility that cops are hard, extreme, and won't endure unsatisfactory conduct. This is called cop culture which is difficult to characterize as it has moved from examining around one culture to talking about various societies, for example, ‘subculture’, ‘street culture’, ‘patrol culture’, ‘canteen culture’ (It can be characterized as where the police share a similar feeling of personality which develops around work, hard play and hard drinking), ‘headquarters culture’ and the ‘cardigan squad’ (the delicate and feathery culture). Cop culture can be viewed the same number of various things relying upon how you see the police themselves. In Britain the Scarman report in 1981 uproars in Brixton was compelling and raised the significance of stop and search on youthful dark men who felt they had been unreasonably focused because of their shading. Rowe contends that while not all discoveries were the ‘militaristic style of policing, with poor open commitment t set up proposals identifying with policing for instance on preparing, the job of network policing, lay guests at police headquarters, control and stop and search’. Rowe likewise makes reference to that the proposals referenced in the Scarman report were emphasized in the McPherson report just about 20 years after the fact proposes that the suggestions were not viably actualized in the Scarman report (Rowe 2007:155). Anyway McPherson was all the more frank utilizing the term ‘institutional racism’ that Scarman avoided, making the issue increasingly obvious to the general population. This is apparent when the metropolitan police misused the Stephen Lawrence case because of a blend of expert ineptitude, institutional bigotry and a disappointment of initiative by senior officers’ (McPherson 1999). As far as police culture, institutional bigotry was said to join supremacist generalizing of dark individuals as potential crooks or troublemakers (McPherson 1999). Considering a bigot official can be viewed as a clumsy official as it is finding an absence of comprehension of social decent variety outlined in the presence of social emergency in the metropolitan police subsequently they ought to be retrained or excused. Numerous individuals of been disparaging of the McPherson report one principle analysis is that in spite of the fact that McPherson made 70 genuinely necessary proposals for the power he did little to bring equity for the group of Stephen Lawrence which was the explanation he initially led the request. Anyway 11 years after the request was finished equity was in truth served for the Lawrence family yet not due to McPherson’s proposals. This shows the failings of which the Macpherson Report draws consideration as well, is according to the police examination concerning the homicide of Stephen Lawrence which is significant, yet the clarification with respect to how and why the issues happened is to some degree constrained which should have been noted also. This implies he noticed the issue of bigotry yet didn’t prescribe to return the case on retrial. The issues distinguished by McPherson are not just extraordinary to this case or other racial homicides; but instead they are identified with the social, lawful and authoritative conditions in which this kind of police work ought to be attempted consistently. The stop and search has been demonstrated to be a triumph for the

The app is live, but are you ready to apply COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

The app is live, but are you ready to apply COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog The MIA/MPA Spring 2016 and Fall 2016 applications for admission have been live for a week now. (Yay! Or yikes?!) Many of you are contemplating how best to climb the difficult mountainand not lose your heads in the processso  I wanted to remind you of a few things before you begin the process of admission. Tip 1: Subscribe to the Admissions Blog In the coming weeks, I’ll switch gears from student life content to admissions-related content. You don’t want to miss any tips so make sure you subscribe to the blog here. (I also recommend you review our archived posts from the past year for additional tips.) Tip 2: Review the Top 10 Tips This post offers friendly reminders on the best way to contact us, why you shouldn’t create duplicate applications, and more. So check it out;  you may read something really interesting. Tip 3: Tell us what to do Yes, you read that right. If you have any burning questions about the admission process, just Submit An Idea for this blog via our web form and I’ll write about it. No admissions topic is off limits, so send us your silliest or most thoughtful questions! Tip 4: Study the Application Checklist Sticking to a checklist may seem like a no brainer, but so many applicants forget to complete a thing or two from the list. (So watch out!) Everything on the checklist must be on file with the Admissions Office by the appropriate deadline. So if you’re missing anything, you’re application won’t be reviewed  by the Admissions Committee. Wondering where that checklist is? Click here to see it for yourself. Tip 5: Read the directions carefully This one seems just as obvious, but pay close attention to the application instructions. I rewrote them for this cycle, and added a note  about using the same name and email address for every component of the admissions process  (e.g.,  application packet, test scores and transcripts). Its important to be consistent with all of your application materials since several pieces are coming from a third party. For example, if you apply to SIPA using your American name or your married name, but you took the GRE using your given name, then chances are we wont know the test scores are yours. So be consistent! Tip 6: Plan ahead The deadline(s) for admission may seem far away, but theyll creep up on you before you know it. So start your research now and make preparations for recommendation letters, test scores and transcripts sooner rather than later. Youll be surprised at how slow the process the can be, so its best to be proactive to ensure you meet  the application  deadline(s). Dont recall when everythings due? Just look to the right of this post under  the Upcoming Deadlines section. Photo courtesy of HBO.

Physics Atomic Force Microscopy - 1429 Words

ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY 1. Introduction to Atomic Force Microscopy An atomic force microscope (AFM) is a type of scanning probe microscope (SPM). An AFM uses a cantilever with a probe to scan over a sample’s surface. The probe is a sharp tip (3 to 6 ï  ­m pyramid; 15 to 40 nm end radius) such as the one shown in Fig. 1. As the tip of the AFM approaches the surface, at close range, attractive forces between the sample surface and the tip of the AFM causes the cantilever to deflect towards the surface. As the cantilever moves close to the surface, when the tip tends to make contact with it, increasingly repulsive forces take over and causes the cantilever to deflect away from the surface. A laser beam is used to detect cantilever movements towards or away from the surface. The laser beam is reflected back from the cantilever to a position-sensitive photo diode (PSPD). The deflections due to the interaction between the tip and the sample’s surface causes slight changes in the angle with which the laser beam reflects off the cantilever as shown in Fig. 2. This change in the angle of reflected beam is detected by the PSPD. Thus, if the tip passes over a depression on the sample, the resulting deflection of the cantilever causes a change in the angle and direction at which the laser beam reflects f rom the cantilever to the PSPD. AFM uses a feedback loop to continuously control the position of the tip (Fig. 3). By controlling the tip, an accurate surface imaging and topographicShow MoreRelatedThe Physics Of Atomic Force Microscopy1259 Words   |  6 Pages Abstract Atomic Force Microscopy was the method used to analyze samples inorder to identify their surface composition and determine their top structure. Compiled data was used to calculate the roughness of the sample. Introduction Atomic Force Microscopy is a powerful tool used to identify the surface structure of a solid by contouring the top layer with a sharp tipped probe and amplifying the hills and troughs viaRead MoreCopper Iron Alloy Of Different Thickness By Electrodeposition Technique1153 Words   |  5 Pagesproject, I fabricated thin films of cobalt iron alloy of different thickness by electrodeposition technique and studied the domain and dynamics of the domain walls by taking measurements from magnetic force microscopy (MFM). I measured the roughness by taking measurements from Atomic force microscopy. I characterized the films with XRD which showed the crystal structure of the film. The SEM images of Cobalt iron film exhibited nano crystallized structure and the variation of granular size as a functionRead MoreStructural And Electrical Properties Of Pva Ag Nanocomposite Films1738 Words   |  7 PagesEl-Kader *, Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt ABSTRACT In the present work, PVA-Ag nanocomposite films with thickness 0.18 mm, constant silver content (0.4 wt. %) and with different time of reaction (0.1, 3, 5, 7, 9 h) were prepared by chemical reduction method. Structure, surface topology, photoluminescence and electrical properties of PVA-Ag nanocomposite were studied using x-ray diffraction (XRD), electrometer, atomic force microscope (AFM)Read MoreUsing Graphene And Its Effects On The Environment2317 Words   |  10 Pages CHAPTER-3: Properties2.1. Form and structure Delocalized electrons in favor of the network. Whether it is freely suspended graphene has the inherent ripples or not been resolved Monte Carlo simulations [ and transmission electron microscopy study. The microscopic corrugations is estimated as having a transverse size of about 8-10 nm displacement height from 0.7 to 1 nm approximately. Height stacked SiO2 - subnanometer fluctuations platelet ketone graphene on a silicon substrate byRead MoreStructure, Photoluminescence And Electrical Properties Of Pva Ag2311 Words   |  10 PagesAbd El-Kader *, Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt ABSTRACT In the present work, PVA-Ag nanocomposite films with thickness 0.18 mm, constant silver content (0.4 wt. %) and different time of reactions (0.1, 3, 5, 7, 9 h) were prepared by chemical reduction methods. Structure, surface topology, photoluminescence and electrical properties of PVA-Ag nanocomposite were studied using x-ray diffraction (XRD), electrometer, atomic force microscope (AFM)Read MoreEnhancement Of Optical And Electrical Studies On Pva Ag Nanocomposite Films2347 Words   |  10 Pages xxxxxxxxxxx Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt ABSTRACT In the present work, PVA-Ag nanocomposite films with thickness 0.18 mm, constant silver content (0.4 wt. %) and different time of reactions (0.1, 3, 5, 7, 9 h) were prepared by chemical reduction methods. Surface topology, optical and electrical properties of PVA-Ag nanocomposite were studied using absorption spectroscopy, electrometer, atomic force microscope (AFM) and photoluminescenceRead MoreEffects Of Point And Line Defects On The Properties Of Graphene9719 Words   |  39 Pagesare inevitable at the time of production can alter the structural properties of any engineering materials. Developing graphene with specific structural properties depends upon controlling these defects, either by removing or deliberately engineering atomic structure to gain or tailoring specific properties. In the present article, a comprehensive review of defective graphene sheets with respect to its mechanical and thermal properties are presented and examined. Key Words: Graphene; point defects; lineRead MoreThe Theory Of Graphene On Science And Future Electronic Technology1905 Words   |  8 Pagesgraphene held together through weak Van der Waals forces.6 â€Å"Few-layer graphene† (very thin films of graphite, called FLG) was produced as early as 1948 by G. Ruess and F. Vogt7 but single-layer graphene, a single carbon atom thick, was not isolated successfully until 2004 at the University of Manchester by Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov.1 Their work was published in the highly influential journal Science, and was subsequently awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010, for â€Å"ground-breaking experiments regardingRead MoreThe Effect Of Carbon Nanotubes On Other Fields Of Materials Science2155 Words   |  9 Pagesof sp2 bonds, like the ones seen in graphite. This bonding structure, stronger than the sp3 bonds found in diamond, provides the molecules with their unique strength. Nanotubes naturally align themselves into ropes hel d together by Van der Waals forces. Under high pressure, nanotubes can merge together, trading some sp2 bonds for sp3 bonds, thus acquiring great possibility for producing strong, unlimited-length wires through high-pressure nanotube linking. 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Graduation Speech My Experience - 1594 Words

This class, UWP 104FY, has lead me to realize the areas I struggle in and how I overcame those struggles. When I entered this class, I lacked practice with writing and was unable to adjust my habits to accommodate the flow of this course. I had not written an essay, except for research papers, since my fall quarter of freshman year. It was especially hard for me to adjust my time to account for all the activities in the class. Since the course is a hybrid course, I only had one face-to-face meeting with the class. Half of the class requires self-pace and constant checking of what needed to be accomplished. With my initial abilities, I was unable to excel in the course. However, as the course progressed, I was able to change some of my†¦show more content†¦As I learn about myself more throughout the course, I became more curious about the things I write about. I had originally accepted things as they are because following is much simpler and easier to do, but as the course pr ogressed, I became more curious and frequently generated new ideas to incorporate into my writing. When I first started the Annotated Bibliography, the course reader was a great help in outlining a template to follow. The Annotated Bibliography doesn’t require too much thinking, so I merely followed what needed to be done. The Annotated Bibliography still required knowledge of the general topics I would like to summarize. The summary themselves did not require me to be creative, but the brief assessment of the entries’ usefulness did. The assessment allowed me to connect ideas that I never thought would come together. It was very interesting to make these connections, and I started to generate more ideas about how I can incorporate these for the Literature Review. However, I did not use these ideas for my Literature Review because I restricted my topic more towards a specific research question. The Literature Review allowed me to general new ideas. Reading those articl es I have chosen offered me a variety of options to let my ideas flow and integrate with each other. Synthesis of these literature requires curiosity and the ability to generate new ideas. I struggled with synthesizing the materials, but I enjoyed makingShow MoreRelatedGraduation Speech : My Experience880 Words   |  4 Pagesinto the class and what my thoughts were. I was very excited to be taking the class and I was very curious as to what the course would be like. Prior to this class my entire coursework have been online and this is the first time in some time that I was on campus so I was really ready for that in class interaction. I can remember telling my mentors and my Godly counsel that I was taking multicultural counseling and they were very excited about the work of the Lord they see in my life. I was also worriedRead MoreGraduation Speech : My Experience Essay1735 Words   |  7 PagesGraduation The long buildup to one of my happiest experiences began many years ago, when I first started school. This experience isn’t just one single event that occurred in the span of a day, but a transition that took place over a few months. Even on my very first day of kindergarten, it was already clear to me that going to school wasn’t going to be something that I enjoyed. I was very shy and withdrawn, and the other kids weren’t at all interested in being friends with me. Despite my effortsRead MoreGraduation Speech : My Experience957 Words   |  4 PagesI can remember a presentation I gave to my school when I was in grade 4. Students were nominated by their teachers from grade 4 to grade 6 and the students were asked to give a speech on a particular question. I believe it was my first big presentation, so I made sure I practiced many times at home in front of my parents and on my own in front of a mirror as well. When it came time for me to present, I forgot all th e words to my presentation. I remember feeling embarrassed, but also disappointedRead MoreGraduation Speech : My Experience877 Words   |  4 PagesMy experience in education from kindergarten to being a senior in high school was very challenging but rewarding. Throughout my schooling, I was blessed to have some exceptional teachers and coaches that had taught me life lessons and challenged me to be a better person outside the classroom and a better student in the classroom. From kindergarten to being a senior in high school, I attended three different types of schools in the South Carolina School system. I attended a small private ChristianRead MoreGraduation Speech : My Experience913 Words   |  4 Pagesof spending the summer abroad in Hong Kong through UCLA for my college classes. From the beginning, I knew that my goal of this summer abroad was to understand how to work with a culture very different than my own. I would be lying if I stated that I wasn’t a challenge to adjust, but with my patience, understanding, and my desire to succeed, I eventually prevailed. I pushed through my fear of not doing well enough and decided to try my best. The skills I learned in communicating with people whomRead MoreGraduation Speech : My Experience Essay1654 Words   |  7 PagesThe long, gloomy buildup to my joyful experience began many years ago, when I first started school. Even on my very first day of kindergarten, it was already clear to me that going to school wasn’t going to be something that I enjoyed. I was very shy and withdrawn, and the other kids weren’t at all interested in being friends with me. Despite my efforts to try and fit in, they never seemed to like me as much as they all liked each other, The kids in my class didn’t see my quiet nature as shyness, butRead MoreGraduation Speech : My Experience Essay1873 Words   |  8 Pagesworst classes throughout my school years. In all of my English classes, I was always behind n o matter how hard I tried to catch up and stay ahead. As I grew up I was always worried about what we would be doing in English even if it was just going over a story and digging into it; I always made myself more nervous than I needed to be. Going through many different English classes to try to get to graduation was the only way I could get through. Based on previous academic experiences, reflecting back onRead MoreGraduation Speech : My Educational Experience915 Words   |  4 Pages My educational experience is just now beginning as of now I am taking an English class also over summer I took an online academic skills class. Although online classes don’t do college justice you don’t really get the full college experience. As of now I am just focusing on my general education then eventually I hope to attend an RN program. So as of my educational experience this far would be high school and as Dweck author of Brainology would say I had a fixed mindset during high sch ool even duringRead MoreGraduation Speech : My First Experience905 Words   |  4 PagesIn my twenty nine years of life I have met every type of teacher. I remember when I was in kindergarten having a strict teacher that never let anything slip by. When I was in fifth grade I learned what it was to have no extra help, I repeated fifth grade. The one type of teacher I will never forget is my Junior year social studies teacher, she encouraged me throughout that year to be the best at everything I did in school. You will have these type of teachers throughout your life, the strict teacherRead MoreGraduation Speech : My Personal Experience909 Words   |  4 Pageslearn from their mistake because my parents gave me the opportunity to fail and later on in life I achieved success from my fail and my personal experience as well as sherry connects with how failure improved education. For example in her essay, â€Å" In Praise of the F word†, she states how countless students do not have the skills they need to succeed and how diplomas for students don’t value anything. Furthermore, she in the essay it also give a personal experiences about her son and h ow she as a parent

What Extent Can Racism Be Prevented in Society Free Essays

To what extent do you think racism can be prevented in society? Racism has long been a critical issue in our society and while many measures have been taken to prevent racism, it is a controversial issue as to whether racism can really be eliminated. Many are confident that racism can be prevented, while others are not as convinced. Hence, my topic for this essay is to discuss the extent to which racism can be prevented. We will write a custom essay sample on What Extent Can Racism Be Prevented in Society or any similar topic only for you Order Now Perception is the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through our senses. It’s a way of regarding, understanding and interpreting something. However while perception is an unavoidable part of our life, it has also been said to encourage racism. It is said to encourage racism through two aspects; visual and auditory perception. Firstly, visual perception is our ability to see while auditory perception is our ability to hear. Both are natural abilities that we are born with and we use them on a daily basis but yet, it can be a dangerous tool. For example, when people see a â€Å"black† person, they may immediately respond by thinking that they are inferior, because society has influenced them to think that way. Similarly, when people hear someone with an African accent, that person can be subjected to racism because we have been influenced to think that Africans are an inferior race. In both cases, visual and auditory perception has aided in us to be racist! Another issue is that to stop racism, we first must identify what is classified to be racist and what isn’t but how do we even begin to measure the severity of racist comments? For example, in the article, John Terry was accused for racist abuse against Ferdinand. While many believes that Terry is guilty of being racist, there also others that argues that Terry did not mean what he said as an insult but rather as a challenge to what he believed had been said to him. The chief magistrate believed that Terry was only repeating the words that he believed Ferdinand had accused him of saying. How do we judge what is considered to be racist and what isn’t? How do we begin to measure what is a â€Å"severe† racist comment and what can be let off? If someone only said racist comments to defend themselves because another erson is attacking them verbally, should they be let off? Lastly, who has the â€Å"power† to decide whether something is classified as racist or not? However, on another note, there is a number of ways that racism can be eliminated in our society. A lot of measures have been taken to prevent racism and many campaigns and petitions have been set up to challenge racism. This has resulted in increased awareness on th e important issue of racism and society has really opened their eyes and started to think before they speak. Many people have become more careful when choosing their words to ensure that they do not offend anyone. Racist comments are so regarded with contempt that people who engage in racism are often criticized severely by society and these people can even be imprisoned. Thus, this measure has also resulted in a decrease in racist cases in our society. However, in my opinion, while racist cases have decreased dramatically, I do not think that racism can ever be eliminated completely in society. Firstly, even though people who engage in racism can be imprisoned, this does not necessarily stop people from engaging in racism when they are alone or when they are with their close friends who share the same views as them. Furthermore, children who grow up in families that engage in racism will influence them to think that racism is okay and it is extremely difficult to change their way of thinking as its our word against their family’s. Due to the increased advancement of technology, it is also very easy for people to post racist comments anonymously, resulting in a whole new way of engaging in racism that is difficult to stop. Thus, I do not believe that racism can be eliminated entirely, but I do believe that racism is a very serious issue and we should all play a part to try and decrease the number of racist cases in society. We should always do what we want others to do unto us, and I am sure that none of us would want to be judged based on our race. Most importantly, we should all play our individual role and to think twice before we speak and to understand that our tongue is a sharp tool, and what we say can affect someone’s life in ways that we do not understand. How to cite What Extent Can Racism Be Prevented in Society, Papers

What Extent Can Racism Be Prevented in Society Free Essays

To what extent do you think racism can be prevented in society? Racism has long been a critical issue in our society and while many measures have been taken to prevent racism, it is a controversial issue as to whether racism can really be eliminated. Many are confident that racism can be prevented, while others are not as convinced. Hence, my topic for this essay is to discuss the extent to which racism can be prevented. We will write a custom essay sample on What Extent Can Racism Be Prevented in Society or any similar topic only for you Order Now Perception is the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through our senses. It’s a way of regarding, understanding and interpreting something. However while perception is an unavoidable part of our life, it has also been said to encourage racism. It is said to encourage racism through two aspects; visual and auditory perception. Firstly, visual perception is our ability to see while auditory perception is our ability to hear. Both are natural abilities that we are born with and we use them on a daily basis but yet, it can be a dangerous tool. For example, when people see a â€Å"black† person, they may immediately respond by thinking that they are inferior, because society has influenced them to think that way. Similarly, when people hear someone with an African accent, that person can be subjected to racism because we have been influenced to think that Africans are an inferior race. In both cases, visual and auditory perception has aided in us to be racist! Another issue is that to stop racism, we first must identify what is classified to be racist and what isn’t but how do we even begin to measure the severity of racist comments? For example, in the article, John Terry was accused for racist abuse against Ferdinand. While many believes that Terry is guilty of being racist, there also others that argues that Terry did not mean what he said as an insult but rather as a challenge to what he believed had been said to him. The chief magistrate believed that Terry was only repeating the words that he believed Ferdinand had accused him of saying. How do we judge what is considered to be racist and what isn’t? How do we begin to measure what is a â€Å"severe† racist comment and what can be let off? If someone only said racist comments to defend themselves because another erson is attacking them verbally, should they be let off? Lastly, who has the â€Å"power† to decide whether something is classified as racist or not? However, on another note, there is a number of ways that racism can be eliminated in our society. A lot of measures have been taken to prevent racism and many campaigns and petitions have been set up to challenge racism. This has resulted in increased awareness on th e important issue of racism and society has really opened their eyes and started to think before they speak. Many people have become more careful when choosing their words to ensure that they do not offend anyone. Racist comments are so regarded with contempt that people who engage in racism are often criticized severely by society and these people can even be imprisoned. Thus, this measure has also resulted in a decrease in racist cases in our society. However, in my opinion, while racist cases have decreased dramatically, I do not think that racism can ever be eliminated completely in society. Firstly, even though people who engage in racism can be imprisoned, this does not necessarily stop people from engaging in racism when they are alone or when they are with their close friends who share the same views as them. Furthermore, children who grow up in families that engage in racism will influence them to think that racism is okay and it is extremely difficult to change their way of thinking as its our word against their family’s. Due to the increased advancement of technology, it is also very easy for people to post racist comments anonymously, resulting in a whole new way of engaging in racism that is difficult to stop. Thus, I do not believe that racism can be eliminated entirely, but I do believe that racism is a very serious issue and we should all play a part to try and decrease the number of racist cases in society. We should always do what we want others to do unto us, and I am sure that none of us would want to be judged based on our race. Most importantly, we should all play our individual role and to think twice before we speak and to understand that our tongue is a sharp tool, and what we say can affect someone’s life in ways that we do not understand. How to cite What Extent Can Racism Be Prevented in Society, Papers

John Adams Essay free essay sample

Adams is described as a bold, righteous man whose character was undeniably the fire behind the American revolution. Adams played a key role throughout the entire beginning of colonial America and contributed to its independence immensely. The three most significant events In which Adams played a large role in American history was his pursuit In being a lawyer and protecting the soldiers In the Boston Massacre, his trip to France, and the drafting of the Declaration of Independence.These events were most prevalent out of the many things Adams contributed and personified Adams struggle and push for American Independence. John Adams was a lawyer, scholar and political figure. A leading champion of independence Adams was a prominent lawyer and public figure and was highly educated. He was highly Influential and one of the key founding fathers of the united States. In the early stages of his life and Importance for the American cause, Adams had at first made what many call a mistake. We will write a custom essay sample on John Adams Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, Adams backed and protected the soldiers who were involved in the 1770 Boston Massacre. This act of justice reflected Adams fierce integrity. His part in this political drama only increased his public standing and in the long run made him more respected than ever. This act of firm belief established the fairness and principle in Adams mind that no man in a free country should be denied the right to counsel and a fair trial.. . (66). This mindset from the beginning had transferred and this basis later became the roots for American independence.Adams had taken on many trials, often taking the risky side, but had always stood behind his firm beliefs. Adams always wanted to ensure that the innocent were protected and even though he disagreed with British policies, he wanted to ensure the British soldiers got a fair trial. Moreover, this act of courage only solidified his honesty and loyalty. It proved to the public that he would stand up for what he believed in. That message would later become confirmed and the outlook of these cases created what would be the flashlight in Adams life.Continuing on his path for independence, Adams next significant events were his trips to France. He was at first apprehensive but with his overriding sense of duty, his need to serve, his ambition, and as a patriot fiercely committed to the fight for Independence he would not have done otherwise (179). Accompanied, on both occasions, by his eldest son, John Adams sailed for France aboard the Boston In 1778. Adams went on a treacherous trip selling through many storms but was determined. Adams was also entering unusual territory for he did not speak French.HIS first trip was largely unproductive and Adams returned only to be called back for a second time In 1779. On the second trip, Adams secured the recognition of the united States as an Independent government through his Dutch connections. During this visit, he also negotiated a loan by the Dutch and he negotiated with the Dutch a treaty of amity and commerce. During the second trip he helped create the Treaty of Paris with Benjamin Franklin and John Jay which ended the American Revolution. His strength in politics and the ambition towards independence.Lastly, Adams was a part of the drafting of the Declaration of Independence which was a beacon of his hard work and dedication. John Adams was an important figure in both the First and Second Continental Congresses in 1774 and 1775. He had also been an important opponent of British policies before the American Revolution arguing against the Stamp Act and other actions. He was chosen to be part of the committee to draft the Declaration of Independence, and although he deferred to Thomas Jefferson to write the first draft Adams was a major leader and has been the roots of the movement.

MacbethS Supernatural Scenes Explained Essays - Free Essays

MacbethS Supernatural Scenes Explained Essays - Free Essays MacbethS Supernatural Scenes Explained Macbeths supernatural scenes explained In todays rational and scientifically explainable world, it would be hard for us to believe in supernatural intervention in our every day lives unlike during the times of the Shakespearean plays. In Shakespeares Macbeth, there are three examples of this kind of thing: one with the witches, one with a ghost of a best friend, and one with the a few apparitions. In the first nonrational scene three old dirty hags (witches) are discussing where they should meet Macbeth to persuade him into thinking he should be the nest king. When Macbeth finally meets the three witches on the heath like they had planed, him and his best friend Banquo are there. The witches know form years of experience that people that are Thanes always want to be king some day no matter what it takes. With the witches knowing this, they make Macbeth think that he is to be king or made king by saying All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!(I, iii, 50) Therefor most of what the witches say they know because the have many years of experience and wisdom under their sleeves. Banquo, knowing what the witches had said, has to be dealt with by Macbeth. So Macbeth hires a hit man to take care of Banquo, and at Macbeths dinner party all the seats are filled except for Banquos. Macbeth, feeling guilty about his best friend, starts to hallucinate and thinks he is seeing Banquos ghost in his seat. So Macbeth says to everyone The table is full(III,iv,46) and everyone thinks he is physco. Macbeth starts talking to the so called ghost that he thinks is sitting there saying Thou canst say I did it.(III,iv,50) With Macbeth saying this it lets everyone know about the guilt that Macbeth feels and some of the other people know the crime he has committed as well. In the last witch scene Macbeth wants to see some things or people that he should beware of in the future. So the witches give Macbeth the descriptive physique of three apparitions: one of a solider in battle, one of a king that is a kid, and one of a bleeding child. While the witches call the apparitions out Macbeth sees them, and again it could be a figment of his imagination or it could be because it is at night and he cant see very well. So maybe there are some things in the Elizabethan era that then could not be explained and they were considered supernatural. But now as we look back into that era we can most likely find a rational explanation for most of the things called supernatural in that day, like the witches, Banquos ghost and the apparitions. In todays society most things are scientifically explainable. In todays rational and scientifically explainable world, it would be hard for us to believe in supernatural intervention in our every day lives unlike during the times of the Shakespearean plays. In Shakespeares Macbeth, there are three examples of this kind of thing: one with the witches, one with a ghost of a best friend, and one with the a few apparitions. In the first nonrational scene three old dirty hags (witches) are discussing where they should meet Macbeth to persuade him into thinking he should be the nest king. When Macbeth finally meets the three witches on the heath like they had planed, him and his best friend Banquo are there. The witches know form years of experience that people that are Thanes always want to be king some day no matter what it takes. With the witches knowing this, they make Macbeth think that he is to be king or made king by saying All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!(I, iii, 50) Therefor most of what the witches say they know because the have many years of experience and wisdom under their sleeves. Banquo, knowing what the witches had said, has to be dealt with by Macbeth. So Macbeth hires a hit man to take care of Banquo, and at Macbeths dinner party all the seats are filled except for Banquos. Macbeth, feeling guilty about his best friend, starts to hallucinate and thinks he

A Brief Overview of British Literary Periods

A Brief Overview of British Literary Periods Although historians have delineated the eras of British literature in different ways over time, common divisions are outlined below.   Old English (Anglo-Saxon) Period (450–1066) The term Anglo-Saxon comes from two Germanic tribes, the Angles and the Saxons. This period of literature dates back to their invasion (along with the Jutes) of Celtic England circa 450. The era ends in 1066, when Norman France, under William, conquered England. Much of the first half of this period, prior to the seventh century, at least, had oral literature. A lot of the prose during this time was a translation of something else or legal, medical, or religious in nature; however, some works, such as Beowulf,  and those by period poets Caedmon and Cynewulf, are important. Middle English Period (1066–1500) The Middle English period sees a huge transition in the language, culture, and lifestyle of England and results in what we can recognize today as a form of â€Å"modern† (recognizable) English. The era extends to around 1500. As with the Old English period, much of the Middle English writings were religious in nature; however, from about 1350 onward, secular literature began to rise. This period is home to the likes of Chaucer, Thomas Malory, and Robert Henryson. Notable works include Piers Plowman and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.   The Renaissance (1500–1660) Recently, critics and literary historians have begun to call this the â€Å"Early Modern† period, but here we retain the historically familiar term â€Å"Renaissance.† This period is often subdivided into four parts, including the Elizabethan Age (1558–1603), the Jacobean Age (1603–1625), the Caroline Age (1625–1649), and the Commonwealth Period (1649–1660).   The Elizabethan Age was the golden age of English drama. Some of its noteworthy figures include Christopher Marlowe, Francis Bacon, Edmund Spenser, Sir Walter Raleigh, and, of course, William Shakespeare.  The Jacobean Age is named for the reign of James I. It includes the works of John Donne, Shakespeare, Michael Drayton, John Webster, Elizabeth Cary, Ben Jonson, and Lady Mary Wroth. The King James translation of the Bible also appeared during the Jacobean Age.  The Caroline Age covers the reign of Charles I (â€Å"Carolus†). John Milton, Robert Burton, and George Herbert are some of the notable figures. Finally, the Commonwealth Age was so named for the period between the end of the English Civil War and the restoration of the Stuart monarchy. This is the time when Oliver Cromwell, a Puritan, led Parliament, who ruled the nation. At this time, public theaters were closed (for nearly two decades) to prevent public assembly and to combat moral and religious transgressions. John Milton and Thomas Hobbes’ political writings appeared and, while drama suffered, prose writers such as Thomas Fuller, Abraham Cowley, and Andrew Marvell published prolifically. The Neoclassical Period (1600–1785) The Neoclassical period is also subdivided into ages, including The Restoration (1660–1700), The Augustan Age (1700–1745), and The Age of Sensibility (1745–1785). The Restoration period sees some response to the puritanical age, especially in the theater. Restoration comedies (comedies of manner) developed during this time under the talent of playwrights such as William Congreve and John Dryden. Satire, too, became quite popular, as evidenced by the success of Samuel Butler. Other notable writers of the age include Aphra Behn, John Bunyan, and John Locke. The Augustan Age was the time of Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift, who imitated those first Augustans and even drew parallels between themselves and the first set. Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, a poet, was prolific at this time and noted for challenging stereotypically female roles. Daniel Defoe was also popular.   The Age of Sensibility  (sometimes referred to as the Age of Johnson) was the time of Edmund Burke, Edward Gibbon, Hester Lynch Thrale, James Boswell, and, of course, Samuel Johnson. Ideas such as neoclassicism, a critical and literary mode, and the Enlightenment, a particular worldview shared by many intellectuals, were championed during this age. Novelists to explore include Henry Fielding, Samuel Richardson, Tobias Smollett, and Laurence Sterne, as well as the poets William Cowper and Thomas Percy. The Romantic Period (1785–1832) The beginning date for the Romantic period is often debated. Some claim it is 1785, immediately following the Age of Sensibility. Others say it began in 1789 with the start of the French Revolution, and still, others believe that 1798, the publication year for William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s book Lyrical Ballads, is its true beginning. The time period ends with the passage of the Reform Bill (which signaled the Victorian Era) and with the death of Sir Walter Scott. American literature has its own Romantic period, but typically when one speaks of Romanticism, one is referring to this great and diverse age of British literature, perhaps the most popular and well-known of all literary ages. This era includes the works of such juggernauts as Wordsworth, Coleridge, William Blake, Lord Byron, John Keats, Charles Lamb, Mary Wollstonecraft, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Thomas De Quincey, Jane Austen, and Mary Shelley. There is also a minor period, also quite popular (between 1786–1800), called the Gothic era.   Writers of note for this period include Matthew Lewis, Anne Radcliffe, and William Beckford. The Victorian Period (1832–1901) This period is named for the reign of Queen Victoria, who ascended to the throne in 1837,  and it lasts until her death in 1901.  It was a time of great social, religious, intellectual, and economic issues, heralded by the passage of the Reform Bill, which expanded voting rights. The period has often been divided into â€Å"Early† (1832–1848), â€Å"Mid† (1848–1870) and â€Å"Late† (1870–1901) periods or into two phases, that of the Pre-Raphaelites (1848–1860) and that of Aestheticism and Decadence (1880–1901). This period is in strong contention with the Romantic period for being the most popular, influential, and prolific period in all of English (and world) literature. Poets of this time include Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Christina Rossetti, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and Matthew Arnold, among others. Thomas Carlyle, John Ruskin, and Walter Pater were advancing the essay form at this time.  Finally, prose fiction truly found its place under the auspices of Charles Dickens, Charlotte and Emily Bronte, Elizabeth Gaskell, George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans), Anthony Trollope, Thomas Hardy, William Makepeace Thackeray, and Samuel Butler.    The Edwardian Period (1901–1914) This period is named for King Edward VII and covers the period between Victoria’s death and the outbreak of World War I. Although a short period (and a short reign for Edward VII), the era includes incredible classic novelists such as Joseph Conrad, Ford Madox Ford, Rudyard Kipling, H.G. Wells, and Henry James (who was born in America but who spent most of his writing career in England), notable poets such as Alfred Noyes and William Butler Yeats, as well as dramatists such as James Barrie, George Bernard Shaw, and John Galsworthy. The Georgian Period (1910–1936) The Georgian period usually refers to the reign of George V (1910–1936) but sometimes also includes the reigns of the four successive Georges from 1714–1830. Here, we refer to the former description as it applies chronologically and covers, for example, the Georgian poets, such as Ralph Hodgson, John Masefield, W.H. Davies, and Rupert Brooke. Georgian poetry today is typically considered to be the works of minor poets anthologized by Edward Marsh. The themes and subject matter tended to be rural or pastoral in nature, treated delicately and traditionally rather than with passion (like was found in the previous periods) or with experimentation (as would be seen in the upcoming modern period).   The Modern Period (1914–?) The modern period traditionally applies to works written after the start of World War I. Common features include bold experimentation with subject matter, style, and form, encompassing narrative, verse, and drama. W.B. Yeats’ words, â€Å"Things fall apart; the center cannot hold† are often referred to when describing the core tenet or â€Å"feeling† of modernist concerns. Some of the most notable writers of this period, among many, include the novelists James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, Aldous Huxley, D.H. Lawrence, Joseph Conrad, Dorothy Richardson, Graham Greene, E.M. Forster, and Doris Lessing; the poets W.B. Yeats, T.S. Eliot, W.H. Auden, Seamus Heaney, Wilfred Owens, Dylan Thomas, and Robert Graves; and the dramatists Tom Stoppard, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett, Frank McGuinness, Harold Pinter, and Caryl Churchill. New Criticism also appeared at this time, led by the likes of Woolf, Eliot, William Empson, and others, which reinvigorated literary criticism in general. It is difficult to say whether modernism has ended, though we know that postmodernism has developed after and from it; for now, the genre remains ongoing. The Postmodern Period (1945–?) The postmodern period begins about the time that World War II ended. Many believe it is a direct response to modernism. Some say the period ended about 1990, but it is likely too soon to declare this period closed.  Poststructuralist literary theory and criticism developed during this time. Some notable writers of the period include Samuel Beckett, Joseph Heller, Anthony Burgess, John Fowles, Penelope M. Lively, and Iain Banks. Many postmodern authors wrote during the modern period as well.

Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Film - Essay Example She’s an elegant and beautiful girl but with a tomboy attitude and dress sense as a result of being brought up by her father and older brother, after her mother died giving birth to her. She’s frequently seen dressed in Samurai warrior attire and rarely if ever in the traditional woman’s kimono dress. Despite some of her stronger and feistier attributes, however, she is nonetheless gentle, kind and honest. The Empress is really the antagonist here although at first it seems like it may be her son, Emperor Wu. She is a strong leader and comes across at first as wise yet firm. However, despite her soft spot for her son, the Empress Shuang is hard and cruel. She is ruled by ancient social traditions and beliefs and any sign of kindness is swamped by this. Again, she is an elegant woman but her fury makes her appear ugly and After a change in the plot the protagonist has to make a new decision to achieve the goal and restore the world to some form of balance (Aside from the new relationship she has with Emperor Wu, Jiao mission is still important. However, Jiao’s heritage is discovered but her secret mission remains secret. She now must carry out an alternative plan in order to complete the mission she’s been assigned to). The year is 202 BC. Dwelling in rural China is a flourishing tribe derived from the Manchu. They are a self sufficient community that focus their efforts on farming and martial arts and traditions. They dress in traditional clothing rich in texture and colour and each and every citizen of the tribe dedicated their lives to maintaining the prosperity and ongoing happiness of the tribe. They are led by a man named Delun. He is a wise man with a greatest devotion and commitment to his people. Over the past few years Delun had led his tribe through the unification of Middle China and into the Han Dynasty with reasonable success. But now China was approaching a time where Delun

I Thought I Knew What good management was Article

I Thought I Knew What good management was - Article Example Any type of supervision that would give the manager authority, respect and trust over the long run. It was only through attitude surveys and interviews that the manager was able to see what was causing psychological or social problems. This showed that it was difficult to know what was really creating problems between successful relationship development or gain dedication to the SFD business goals. Peace (2001) discusses many different false rumors spreading through the business which was guiding certain employee behaviors. There was also resistance to change making it even more difficult to come up with a business strategy that would gain employee commitment. The first thing that the author had to do was get to the root of what was creating SFD problems in the first place. This was not an easy task because of the poor organizational culture at SFD. Not much as far as leading with an HR focus could be done because of these values of being informal, problems with managers not wanting to discuss their emotions, and problems with breaking down barriers to good communication. Peace (2001) was having difficulties changing the organizational culture for one that would be flexible and also motivated to get results of the new strategic plan. The manager at SFD learned a great deal about how to well manage people, using positive words and less autocratic management styles. What the people in the article needed was a manager that would give consideration to human relations, but also see when employee emotional responses. As said before, it was during a time period where culture was different to today, but does show that companies need to have a solid strategic plan before they can even begin to identify cultural development. Letting employees and junior managers in the organization communicate directly for shared control brought a good satisfaction and changes of attitudes. One of the biggest learning

Gender inequality in Education

Gender inequality in Education This report has been written because the main aim of this research project is to investigate if there is a gender gap between boys and girls achievement in schools. Whether the education system was biased to one gender? If so what are the factors which cause this? Are there any possible solutions that can be used to solve this? The reasons behind why boys do not achieve as well as girls in school. The objectives of this report are to discuss, to discover and investigate why there is gender gap also why boys lack behind girls. This report examines to discuss the causes of this gender gap in schools for girls and boys. The issues that will be discussed in this report are as follows: the history behind the gender gap in achievement in schools because boys were once doing better than girls. The reason for this was that girls had to stay home has housewives also girls had to gain more marks in 11 plus exams than boys. Another aspect that will be looked at are schools too feminised which m ay give an advantage to girls. Other ideas which will be argued are how the curriculum is implemented and how subjects are assessed in schools. Other factors that may affect boys achievement in schools are peer pressure from friends if they worked hard in school they may be stereotyped as a geek also learning styles may affect attainment. But does social class and ethnicity affect the achievement of children in schools. However there are subjects that favour boys than girls and vice a versa such as boys do better than girls in maths and science but on the other hand girls do better in English. This report will evaluate factors that can improve this gap by having single sex classes and single sex schools. The report will contrast the for and the against arguments of having single sex classes and single sex schools. Definitions of the word gender differences Literature review There has been a lot of work done on boys and girls achievement in schools: narrowing down the gap. In 1960 young boys were 21 times more likely to attend university than girls. It can be suggested that the changing world is having an impact on boys achievement in terms of boys attainment in schools and that of girls success in schools. It was suggested that the equal pay act and that of the sex discrimination act (1970) changed the emphases of education policy and that can be noted as a key period of history that changed the objectives of girls in terms of careers and attainment. Girls had to achieve higher marks in their 11 plus examination than boys. Elwood J et al (1998, p.5) states that 11 plus examination à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ children used to be selected for secondary schooling, were deliberately skewed so that girls had t achieve better results than boys. The period 1950-1960 found the reasons behind this was because boys matured later than girls which would not have been fair to l eave out boys from attending grammar schools. But in 1990 their was concern over boys achievement in schools. It has been suggested that in societies such as the UK the socialisation process as it operated at least up to the 1970s meant that many parents socialised their daughters to show dependence, obedience, conformity and domesticity whereas boys were encouraged to be dominant, competitive and self-reliant. Also when young children saw their parents acting out traditional gender roles many would perceive these roles as natural and inevitable leading girls and boys to imagine their futures as fulltime housewives and mothers and as fulltime paid employees respectively. In schools teachers praised girls for feminine qualities and boys for masculine qualities; boys and girls were encouraged to opt for traditional male and female subjects and then for traditional male and female careers. Furthermore in certain sections of the mass media [and especially perhaps in teenage magazines] girls were encouraged to recognize the all importance of finding Mr. Right and settling down to a life of blissf ul domesticity in their traditional housewife-mother roles. Cole (2006, p.26) suggests that even before children go to school their parents will treat a boy and girl very different. Even in society throughout history this has occurred. A lot of research has gone into this; your gender is an issue from the minute you are born. Automatically society will say how a girl will behave and how a boy will behave. If it is a boy, oh hes like that because hes a boy and boys always take longer to grasp it. Girls, even in the late 1960s were more likely than boys to gain 5 or more GCE Ordinary Level pass grades. From the 1960s to the 1980s the percentages of girls and boys gaining 5 or more GCE Ordinary Level pass grades gradually increased but the so-called gender gap in educational attainment increased especially once the GCSE was introduced primarily because girls have maintained their traditional higher attainment levels in Arts and Humanities subjects but also reduced [and in some years overturned] the traditional attainment gaps in favour of boys in Mathematics and Science subjects. The GCSE was introduced in 1988 and from then onwards the female- male gender difference in educational achievement at GCSE level widened as differences between the [ higher] female pass rates and the male pass rates in Arts and Humanities widened and females narrowed or sometimes reversed the traditional higher male pass rates in Mathematics and science subjects. It has been claimed that the relative improvement of female educational achievements can be explained partly by the nature of the new GCSE courses .This has been disputed, however, on the grounds that several factors have contributed to these trends. By the late 1980s females were more likely than males to gain two or more Advanced Level passes and during the course of the 1990s they also became more likely to gain 3 or more A level passes. Females also soon became more likely than males to gain A grades in almost all Advanced Level subjects Nevertheless gender differences in examination performance at Advanced level are smaller than at GCSE level. In 2007-2008 69.3% of girls and 60.1% of boys achieved 5 or more GCSE Grade A*-C passes; 51.3% of girls and 42.0% of boys achieved 5 or more GCSE Grade A*-C passes including English and Maths. The gender difference in examination success varies considerably from subject to subject. For example girls in 2007-2008 girls outperformed boys by 14% in English, 16% in Design and Technology, 9% in Modern Foreign Languages, 17% in Art and Design and 12 % in English Literature but by only 1% in Mathematics, 2% in Core Sciences, 1% in Chemistry and 2% in Classical Studies. Although the data are not presented here Girls are now more likely to gain A* and A grades in most but not all GCSE subjects. Other areas the research will focus on are schools too feminised, advantage for girls but disadvantage for boys. Hutchings (2002) states the phrase feminisation is used simply to refer to the fact that there are more female teachers than male, especially in the primary sector. (Biddulph, 1997 cited in Skelton et el, 2007) state that the current situation is often presented as one which is detrimental to the educational experiences and opportunities of boys with the implication that boys do better when taught by men teachers. (Skelton et el, 2007) suggest that Another use of the phrase feminisation of schools is in relation to the idea that the predominance of females has led to the delivery of the curriculum, assessment practices and the management and organisation of the classroom becoming more feminine in nature. Female teachers are more lenient on boys than male teachers also male teachers can be role models for pupils which will enable the child to be motivated to learn and succe ed in education. Findings have suggested that it is vital to keep the subjects taught in curriculum interesting for children to learn about in class. This may enable children to be motivated to learn and gets rid of the label of boringness of lessons. Jackson (2006, p.127) states that if students find the curriculum boring, it provides little incentive for them to counter the uncool to work discourse. Methods of assessment have been identified particularly frequently as a key factor in this bias against boys. An increased amount of assessed coursework has been suggested to explain boys doing less well at GCSE and A levels, with the argument being that boys do less well at coursework because of their preferred learning styles (Skelton et al, 2007). Girls do less well at sudden death exams (timed exams previously unseen by the candidate) which rely on last-minute revision and require self-confidence. This latter form of assessment has been argued to favour boys, and was the basis for O level exams (the exams that preceded GCSEs in Britain). Bleach, 1998, cited in Skelton et al, 2007 In fact, however, girls results were already improving before the GCSE assessment model was introduced. And further, Arnot et al. (1999) discuss how a reduction in the coursework component in public examinations in the 1990s did little to alter the pattern of gender achievement (Skelton et al, 2007). Another issue could be masculinity peer pressure from friends Jackson (2006, p.74) states that the uncool to work this statement is suggesting that if boys work hard at school they will not be cool. (Jackson, 2006, p.84) Those who seem to be most disadvantaged as a result of the discourse are those who attempt to balance academic work and popularity but can not manage to do both successfully. This is a powerful predictor in a lot of schools, this is seen as social status of pupils needs to be popular and be part of a group. A lot of pupils will feel being unpopular is not as good as anything else. Also it will lead to negative impact. Both girls and boys have to act as they are chilled, relaxed, laid back when it comes to the academic side of work. As the relative rate of female educational improvement increased it came to be argued that this might be explained to some extent by biological factors. Experiments investigating the brain activities of male and female babies suggested that differences in the structures of female and male brains respectively may mean that females have genetically determined linguistic advantages which would explain females especial facility with language based subjects. It was also suggested that girls earlier maturity means that they can concentrate more effectively and are better organised especially in relation to course work. This was considered to be a significant point because the relative improvement in female GCSE results was associated especially with the introduction of coursework-based assessments which had been absent from the GCE Ordinary Level examinations which the GCSE replaced. However in relation to these theories it should be noted that male-female differences in Advanced level lan guage examination results are small, that the relationships between physical and intellectual maturity are uncertain and that gender differences in examination results cannot be explained only by the presence or absence of coursework. Other factors that may affect attainment are different learning styles, both boys and girls learn differently, but we need to be careful we do not stereotype on gender. When looking at the gender debate it has been suggested by Coffield (2004) that consideration to learning styles is important when establishing the link as to why there is a gap between boys and girls due to peer pressure for the boys what their friends may think if they achieved well in school, the way boys are assessed in schools for instance boys do better in exams than coursework. Examples of these could be boys would prefer to learn kinaesthetically by doing things such as experiments or activities and girls would learn well visually by seeing. Interest in learning styles has grown rapidly in recent years and perceived differences in the learning styles of boys and girls are one of the most frequently expressed explanations for the gender gap in achievement. This argument is also based on the presumption that if boys are naturally different to girls because of their biological make-up, then it follows that they will have different approaches to learning (Noble and Bradford, 2000; Gurian, 2002). Studies have shown that the vast majority of boys and girls prioritise a teachers individual ability as a teacher, and their level of care for their students, rather than a teachers gender. Skelton et al (2009), Francis et al (2008). Boys to better in maths than girls research by Hargreaves et al into pupils stereotypical attitudes to mathematics and English has shown that stereotypes succeed among pupils, with most believing that maths is a boys subject where boys do better, and English a girls subject where girls do better. DfES (2007, p. 3) Boys outperform girls in Maths at Key Stage 2, and continue to outnumber girls at higher level maths. But there is a large gender gap favouring girls in English. On the other hand girls do better in English than boys On the other hand women do better on reading comprehension and vocabulary than men do. APA report state that some verbal tasks show substantial mean differences favouring females. Whitepaper on gender differences in achievement Social class and ethnicity according to Cole (2006, p.29) states that Gender is not the strongest predictor of attainment. Social class attainment gap at key stage 4 is three times as wide as gender gap. DfES (2007, p.3) Analysis of the attainment data shows that other factors or a combination of factors, such as ethnicity and social class, have a greater bearing on educational achievement than gender considered on its own. Gender differences in educational achievement are far smaller than social class differences in educational achievement. Students of both sexes who are eligible for free school meals are far less likely than students of both sexes ineligible to be successful at both levels of the education system. Some ethnic differences in educational achievement are also greater than gender differences in educational achievement. Statistics on the gender gap between boys and girls Attainment at each end of the distribution of grades also varies by gender. Girls are more likely than boys to gain an A* grade at GCSE. Boys are a little more likely to gain a G grade at GCSE or to gain no GCSEs at all. The largest gender differences (a female advantage of more than ten percentage points on those gaining an A*-C GCSE) are for the Humanities, the Arts and Languages. Smaller gender differences (a female advantage of five percentage points or less) tend to be in Science and Maths subjects. Some of these achievement patterns have been relatively stable over six decades of exam results, particularly in English Language and Literature, French, Art and Design and Religious Studies. There have been changing patterns over the years. In Maths, there has been a shift from a male advantage averaging 4 percentage points prior to 1991 to a slim female advantage of 1-2 percentage points in recent years. In Geography, there has be en a widening of the gap in girls favour, and in History, there has been variation but with girls now doing much better than boys. This research will explore possible solutions we can use to solve this gap such as single sex schools which may help girls to speak out. Times online (2004) Girls in mixed classrooms refrain from speaking up and answering questions. Another way of solving the gender gap is by having single sex classes in mixed schools so that teachers can meet different learning styles for boys. Research has shown that girls obtain better results in single sex schools in comparison to mixed schools Curtis (2009). Odone (2004) conversely, that boys do not want to study foreign languages or shine in English literature in case they are mocked as poofs. Garner (2008) Differences in how male and female brains work mean single-sex schooling will make a comeback leading head mistress in the Independent. However the disadvantages of sex schools Blair (2006) Girls schools feature highly in the league tables because they are highly selective, their children come from particular social backgrounds and they hav e excellent teachers. BBC News (2006) While both single-sex and co-education have passionate advocates, half a century of research has so far revealed no striking or consistent differences one way or the other. Odone (2004) Children, will inhabit a mixed society later, so let them start young, with mixed classes. Younger et al (2005, p.89) found that boys and girls may feel more at ease in single sex classes, feel more able to interact with learning and feel free to show interest in the lesson without inhibition. It was felt that there can be positive effects on achievement for boys in modern languages and girls in science and maths. (Dcfs (2007) Methodology The methods that will be used to gather research for this project will be as follows: the use of books to get information on issues affecting gender differences in achievement at schools and what theorist have already found around this agenda. The internet will be useful for this research project because you can research recent and up to date statistical information on the gender gap and get government published on this debate. Journals will be useful for the research project to collect recent data and changes in the debate around boys and girls achievement in schools and narrowing down the gap. These methods of researching are called secondary research. Secondary research is the use of material, which has been researched by someone else. The different research methods for secondary research are as follows: technology based research is to do with researching from the computer to get your information, which has a lot of benefits such as the internet provides online libraries; e-books, journals and encyclopaedias such as infed. The main electronic databases that will be used for this research are as follows education research complete, education online and SwetsWise. The key read that will be used will be based on gender differences and achievement in school also how the search found a number of journals, but some were irrelevant, to the research topic. Search engines help you through the mass of information on the internet two most popular search engines are Bing, google advanced search and google scholar also on the internet you can search for newspaper articles. However web sources may not always be reliable so researchers need to find out how accurate the information there are number of ways to assess the accuracy of the sites. According to Walliman and Buckler (2008, p.92) compare the data with other sources and is it biased many use the web to promote ideas. The reasons for choosing to do the research project as a desk study were as follows: to find out what has already been researched in this field and arguments that have already been produced around this agenda. However the reasons for not choosing the fieldwork approach method were because it will be time consuming and availability of schools to carry out the research is limited and difficult to get a place in schools to do observations. The advantages of the desk study approach are as follows; able to collect, understand and interpret data also to limit costs such as travelling costs. The disadvantages of desk study may be the availability of books from the library In contrast the advantages of the interview approach (structure and unstructured) advantages of structured interviews are time management can be controlled, results are simple to gather and the questions are securely set in advance. the disadvantages of structured interviews are there might be other questions to ask and you cant develop on questions. The advantages of unstructured interviews are there is a lot of time, you can develop questions and it is a relaxed method. Disadvantages of the interview approach are as follows: The disadvantages of unstructured interviews are the interview can simply be a chat, not all the participants are asked the same questions and only some of the questions are asked. Indirect observation is when a participant gets their information from viewing from far. Direct observation is when a participant obtains information by combining with the circumstances they are watching. Advantages of the observation approach (direct and indirect) the advantages of observations are actions can be seen in the normal surroundings and observations can both be direct or indirect. Disadvantages of the observation approach (direct and indirect) the disadvantages of observations are they are lengthy and not consistent. Qualitative vs. quantitative Analysis There was clear evidence that in the era of the 11+ pass marks were set higher for girls than for boys so as to prevent girls from taking a disproportionate share of Grammar School places. From the early 1950s until the late 1960s girls were less likely than boys to be entered for GCE Ordinary Level examinations. In any case in the 1950s and early 1960s many pupils left school at age 15 having taken no official national examinations. The candidate pass rate in GCE O Level examinations was higher for girls than for boys from the early 50s to the late 1960s so that despite the higher entry rates for males the percentages of male and female school leavers actually passing 5 or more GCE O levels were fairly similar although females did usually outperform males by 1-2% each year. This overall statistic masked the facts that girls outperformed boys by considerable margins in Arts and Humanities subjects and that boys usually outperformed girls but by smaller margins in Mathematics and Scie nce subjects. In order to analyse the relative educational improvement from the 1980s onwards we must distinguish between factors accelerating the rate of female improvement and factors restricting the rate of male improvement. Females and males educational achievements have improved but the rate of female improvement has been faster and this widened the female-male achievement gap especially at GCSE level. Remember, however, that gender, social class and ethnicity are interconnected. Girls are more successful than boys in all ethnic groups but middle class boys are still more educationally successful than working class girls in all ethnic groups. Gender differences in educational achievement are smaller than social class differences in educational achievement and some ethnic differences in educational achievement. Research has shown that Of the 71,286 girls who sat GCSEs in single-sex schools over the three-year period, on average all did better than predicted on the basis of their end of primary SATS results. By comparison, of the 647,942 who took exams in mixed-sex schools, 20% did worse than expected. This means that girls in single sex schools can be expected to do better in their school, in comparison to girls in mixed schools. Studies have shown that girls in mixed sex classes tend to refrain from speaking up and boys dont want to study English to avoid being mocked as poofs', therefore single sex schools would help to resolve this issue as they will remove this pressure between the genders and allow both boys and girls to participate freely. Also Single sex schools will benefit students as male and female brains work differently. Girls can relate to emotions more and are seen as caring and talkative they can sit and talk about emotions whereas boys are more likely to do practical things instead of talking of emotions, hence why boys fail in English. So perhaps, as this leading head mistress, quoted in the Independent suggests, single sex classes need to be implemented to meet the learning strategies of the different sexes. Mainly English and foreign languages is where I believe that pupils need a gender based curriculum as was suggested by the DFES (2007) report it remarks that of the core subjects, the gender gap is widest in English; overall, the differences in language and literacy skills are given as the main cause of the gender gap in attainment. It is suggested that there is around 10% children leaving education with 5 Cs and above girls since 1968 have been slowly achieving better than boys according to Dcfs report into gender. It is a step towards the well researched idea that genders learn differently therefore it is possible to suggest that gender specific learning amongst boys and girls will close the statistical gap of attainment. Although the dfes report suggest that is no substantial evidence to back this up I believe that children will benefit from this approach. Another issue that I found is that boys tend to do better on spatial skills; they find mathematics and science more interesting to learn about. But on the other hand girls to better on verbal, comprehension and vocabulary skills than boys do. This table shows the gap in 1989 was just 6% but 10yrs later it had increased to 10%. It is suggested by S. Ball (2008) that this gap is an overall statistic and not subject specific he suggests that in 2004 the deviations of this gap was just 1% and that in some subjects boys achieve better results than girls therefore it is not valid to say that all boys or all girls achieve less in GCSE levels Conclusions In conclusion doing this research project on boys and girls achievement in schools and narrowing down the gap. The research found that there is not as big as a gap as people thought. The main factors that affect boys achievement are peer pressure and schools too feminised. The research also found that single sex schools and classes do not make that much difference but it found that girls have more confidence to participate in class discussion. In conclusion, the history of the gender gap shows that the gender gap itself has always been present in education, but was hidden by the advantage given to boys in 1960s, and it was often harder for girls to progress into further education, since it was not expected of them, therefore affecting the gender gap in the sense that there were lower numbers of girls then boys progressing. Over the years boys have improved and so have girls, maintaining the gender gap but showing that boys are adapting to the changes and are working harder to keep up. The gender differences in boys and girls does show that they learn in different ways, and these differences are, now more then ever, taken into account in teaching methods, lesson planning and assessment methods, and there is evidence showing that Boys are fighting back at A levels, with their results improving more rapidly than girls (BBC, 2004),however, it is important to recognise that there are girls and boys who wont fit into these gendered patterns and therefore focus should still be placed on the individual and not the biologically predisposed expectations, (Phoenix, 2004, pg 34). We could also conclude that this improvement could be the first sign that boys are now realising they will have to fight to maintain their place in the workforce, as history shows women have been seen as servants to the state (Steedman, 1 985, cited in Arnot and Ghaill, 2006, pg 19). This oppression of women, like other cases where parts of society have been repressed (e.g. repression of the afro-Caribbean population), resulted in women fighting or rebelling for their place in society, which is not something the male population has had to do. Therefore acting as a source of motivation for women to make sure they are treated as equals and to progress in life, where as men have missed out on this and until recently, have lacked the motivation to fight for their place. Now men are in a place of competition with women and are now beginning to see that its not particularly clever to under-achieve (BBC, 2004).

Night World : Daughters of Darkness Chapter 12

What happened then was interesting. Mary-Lynnette got to see the sisters do all the things she'dmissed earlier in the clearing. All the hissing and the clawed fingers. Just like the movies. Except that when a vampire hissed, it sounded real. Like a cat, not like a person imitating a cat. All three girls jumped up and stood ready to fight. There wasn't any weird grimacing. But Jade and Kestrel were showing teeth that were long and beautifully curved, coming to delicate feline points that indented the lower lip. And something else. Their eyes changed. Jade's silvery-green eyes went even more silvery. Kestrel's golden eyes looked jewel-yellow, like a hawk's. Even Rowan's eyes had a dark light in them. â€Å"Oh, boy,† Mark whispered. He was standing beside Jade, staring from her to Ash. Ash said, â€Å"Hi.† Don't look at him, Mary-Lynnette told herself. Herheart was pounding wildly and her knees were trembling. The attraction of particle to antiparticle,she thought, remembering a line from last year'sphysics lass. But there was another, shorter namefor it, and no matter what she said to herself, she couldn't keep it out of her mind. Soulmates. Oh, God, I really don't want this. Please, please, Ididn't ask for this. I want to discover a supernova and study mini-quasars at the Gamma Ray Observatory. I want to be the one who solves the mystery of where all the dark matter in the universe is. I don't want this. It should have happened to someone like BunnyMarten, someone who spent timelonging for romance. The only thing Mary-Lynnette longed for wassomebody to understand †¦ †¦ to understand the night with you,a distant part ofher mind whispered. And instead here she was, stuck with a guy whose own sisters were terrified of him. It was true. That was why they were standingpoised to fight, making threatening noises. Even Kestrel was afraid of him. The moment Mary-Lynnette realized that, anger washed out the trembling dismay inside her. Whatever she felt about Ash, she wasn't afraid of him. â€Å"Don't you ever knock?† she said and walked toward him. Strode toward him. She had to hand it to her new family. Both Jadeand Kestrel tried to grab her and keep her from getting close to their brother. Protecting her. MaryLynnette shook them off. Ash eyed her warily. â€Å"Oh. You,† he said. Unenthusiastically. â€Å"What are you doing here?† â€Å"It's my uncle's house.† â€Å"It's your aunt's house and you weren't invited.† Ash looked at his sisters. Mary-Lynnette could justsee little wheels turning in his head. Had they already told about the Night World or not? Of course, if they hadn't, their behavior should be giving somebody a due. Most human girls didn't hiss. Ash held one finger up. â€Å"Okay. Now, listen† Mary-Lynnette kicked him in the shins. She knew it was inappropriate, she knew it was uncalled-for, but she couldn't stop herself. She just had to. â€Å"Oh, for God's sake,† Ash said, hopping backward. â€Å"Are you crazy?† â€Å"Yes, she is,† Mark said, abandoning Jade and hurrying forward to take Mary-Lynnette's arm. â€Å"Everybody knows she's crazy. She can't help it.† He backedup, pulling. He was looking at Mary-Lynnette as if she'd taken all her clothes off and started to dance the mambo. So were Kestrel and Jade. Their eyes had gone ordinary, their teeth retracted. They'd never seen anyone treat their brother quite this way. And to have a human doing it †¦ If the girls had superhuman strength, Ash was undoubtedly even stronger. He could probably flatten Mary-Lynnette with one blow. She still couldn't help it. She wasn't afraid of him, only of herself and the stupid floating feeling in her stomach. The way her legs wanted to fold under her. â€Å"Will somebody just tell her not to do that anymore?† Ash was saying. Kestrel and Jade looked sideways at Mary-Lynnette. Mary-Lynnette shrugged at them, her breath coming quickly. She saw that Rowan was looking at her, too, butnot in the same dumbfounded way. Rowan looked worried and surprised and sorry. â€Å"You've met,† she said. â€Å"I should have told you,† Mary-Lynnette said. â€Å"Hecame to our house. He was asking my stepmotherabout you and your friends-saying that he needed to approve them because he was head of the family.† All three girls looked at Ash with narrowed eyes. â€Å"So you have been around,† Kestrel said. â€Å"Forhow long?† Rowan said quietly, â€Å"What are -you really doinghere?† Ash let go of his shin. â€Å"Can we all sit down and talk about this like reasonable people?† Everyone looked at Mary-Lynnette. She took a deep, calming breath. She still felt as if her entire skin was electrified, but her heart was slowing down. â€Å"Yes,† she said and worked at looking normal so they'd know her temporary insanity was over. As he helped her to the couch, Mark whispered, â€Å"I have to tell you, I've never seen you act so immature before. I'm proud of you.† Even big sisters have to have some off time, Mary-Lynnette thought. She patted him vaguely and sat, feeling tired. Ash settled in a plush-covered chair. Rowan andKestrel sat beside Mary-Lynnette. Mark and Jade shared an ottoman. â€Å"All right,† Ash said. â€Å"Now can we fast introduce ourselves? I presume that's your brother.† â€Å"Mark,† Mary-Lynnette said. â€Å"Mark, that's Ash.† Mark nodded. He and Jade were holding hands. Mary-Lynnette saw Ash's eyes drop to their intertwined fingers. She couldn't tell anything from his expression. â€Å"Okay. Now.† Ash looked at Rowan. â€Å"I'm here to take you back home, where everyone misses you violently.† Jade breathed, â€Å"Give me a break.† Kestrel said, â€Å"What if we don't want to be taken?† and showed her teeth briefly. Mary-Lynnette didn't find that strange. What she found strange was that Ash didn't return the smile. He didn't look lazy or sardonic or smug right then. He looked like somebody who wants to get a job over with. Rowan said, â€Å"We can't go home, Ash.† Her breathing was slightly irregular, but her chin was high. â€Å"Well, you have to come home. Because otherwisethere are going to be some fairly drastic consequences.† â€Å"We knew that when we left,† Jade said, with aslittle emotion as Rowan. Her chin was high, too. â€Å"Well, I don't think you've really thought itthrough.† Ash's voice had an edge. â€Å"We'd rather die than go back,† Jade said. Kestrel glanced at her quickly, one eyebrow raised. â€Å"Oh, well, fine, I'll just make a note of that,† Ash said tightly. Then his expression darkened. He lookedmore determined than Mary-Lynnette would have thought he could look. Not in the least like a big blond cat. Like a lanky, elegant pale tiger. â€Å"Now, listen,† he said. â€Å"There are a few smallthings that you don't understand, and I don't have any time to play games. So how about we send yourlittle friends home and then we can all have a fam ily talk.† Mary-Lynnette's hands clenched into fists. Mark clutched at Jade, who pushed him awayslightly with her elbow. She was frowning. â€Å"I think maybe you'd better,† she said. â€Å"I'm not going to leave you.† Rowan bit her lip. â€Å"Mark †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I'm not going. Don't try to protect me. He's not stupid, sooner or later he's going to find out that we know about the Night World.† Rowan drew in her breath involuntarily. Kestrel's expression never changed, but her muscles. tensed as if for a fight. Jade's eyes went silver. Mary-Lynnette sat very still. They all looked at Ash. Ash looked heavenward. â€Å"I know you know,† he said with deadly patience.†I'm trying to get you out, you poor sap, before I find out how much you know.† The sisters stared. Mary-Lynnette opened hermouth and then shut it again. â€Å"I thought you didn't like humans,† Mark said. â€Å"I don't; I hate them,† Ash said with brittle cheer. â€Å"Then why would you want to cut me a break?†Ã¢â‚¬ Because if I kill you, I have to kill your sister,† Ash informed him, with a smile that would have fit in perfectly at the Mad Hatter's tea party. â€Å"So what; she kicked you.† Ash stopped tossing answers back like footballs. â€Å"Yeah, well, I may change my mind any minute.† â€Å"No, wait, † Jade said. She was sitting with legs folded under her, staring at her brother fiercely. â€Å"This is just too weird. Why would you care whathappens to a human?† Ash didn't say anything. He looked at the fire place bitterly. It was Rowan who said softly, â€Å"Because they're soulmates.† An instant of silence, then everybody started talking explosively. â€Å"They're what? You mean, like what Jade and Iare?† â€Å"Oh, Ash, this is rich. I just wish our father were here to see this.† â€Å"It is not my fault, â€Å"Mary-Lynnette said. She found everyone turning toward her, and realized that her eyes were full. Rowan leaned across Kestrel to put her hand on Mary-Lynnette's arm. â€Å"You mean it's really true?Mark said, looking from Mary-Lynnette to Ash. â€Å"It's true. I guess. I don't know what it's supposed to be like,† Mary-Lynnette said, concentrating on making the tears go away. â€Å"It's true,† Ash said moodily. â€Å"It doesn't meanwe're going todo anything about it.† â€Å"Oh, you've got that right,† Mary-Lynnette said. She was glad to be angry again. â€Å"So let's all just pick up our toys and go home,†Ash said in the general direction of his sisters. â€Å"We'llforget all about this; we'll just agree that it neverhappened.† Rowan was watching him, shaking her head slightly.There were tears in her eyes, but she was smiling. â€Å"I never thought I'd hear you say something likethat,† she said. â€Å"You've changed so much-I can't believe it.† â€Å"I can't believe it, either,† Ash said bleakly. â€Å"Maybe it's a dream.† â€Å"But you have to admit now that humans aren'tvermin. You couldn't be soulmates with vermin.† â€Å"Yes. Fine. Humans are terrific. We all agree; nowlet's go home.† â€Å"When we were kids, you were like this,† Rowan said. â€Å"Before you started acting like you were better than everyone. I always knew a lot of that was just show. To hide how scared you were. And I always knew you didn't really believe a lot of the horriblestuff you said. Somewhere inside, you're still that nice little kid, Ash.† Ash produced his first really flashingsmile of theevening. â€Å"Don't bet on it.† Mary-Lynnette had listened to all this feeling shakier and shakier. To conceal it, she said to Rowan, â€Å"I don't think your aunt thought so.† Ash sat up. â€Å"Hey, where is the old hag, anyway?I need to have a talk with her before we leave.† This silence seemed endless. â€Å"Ash †¦ don't you know?† Rowan said. â€Å"Of course he knows. Ten to one, he did it,† Kestrel said. â€Å"What is it that I'm supposed to know?† Ash said, with every sign of being about to lose his patience. â€Å"Your aunt's dead,† Mark told him. â€Å"Somebody staked her,† Jade added. Ash looked around the room. His expression said he suspected it was a practical joke. Oh, God, Mary Lynnette thought numbly, when he's startled and bewildered like that he looks so young. Vulnerable. Almost human. â€Å"Somebody †¦ murdered †¦ Aunt Opal. That's what you're telling me?† â€Å"Are you telling us that you don't know?† Kestrel asked. â€Å"What have you beendoing all night, Ash?† â€Å"Banging my head against a rock,† Ash said. â€Å"Thenlooking for you. When I walked in you were talking about me.† â€Å"And you didn't run across any livestock tonight?Any-let's say-goats?† Ash gave her a long, incredulous look. â€Å"I fed, if that's what you're asking. Not on a goat.Whatdoes this have to do with Aunt Opal?† â€Å"I think we'd better show him,† Rowan said. She was the one who got up and lifted the fold ofrug away from the goat. Ash walked around thecouch to see what she was doing. Mary-Lynnette turned to watch his face. He winced. But he controlled it quickly. Rowan said quietly, â€Å"Look at what was in the goat's mouth.† Ash picked up the black flower gingerly. â€Å"An Iris. So?† ‘Been to your club recently?† Kestrel asked. Ash gave her a weary look. â€Å"If I had done this, why would I sign it with an iris?† â€Å"Maybe to tell us who did it.† â€Å"I don't have to kill goats to say things, you know. I can talk.† Kestrel looked unimpressed. â€Å"Maybe this way the message has a little more impact.† â€Å"Do I looklike the kind of person who wastes time turning goats into pincushions?† â€Å"No. No, I don't think you did this,† Rowan said inher quiet way. â€Å"But somebodydid-probably whoever killed Aunt Opal. We've been trying to figure outwho.† â€Å"Well, who have we got for suspects?† Everyone looked at Mary-Lynnette. She looked away. â€Å"There's one who's pretty prime,† Mark said. â€Å"Hisname's Jeremy Lovett. He's a real-â€Å" â€Å"Quiet guy,† Mary-Lynnette interrupted. If anyonewas going to describe Jeremy, it was going to be her. â€Å"I've known him since elementary school, and I would never,ever have believed he could hurt any body-especially an old lady and ananimal.† â€Å"But his uncle was crazy,† Mark said. â€Å"And I'veheard things about hisfamily-â€Å" â€Å"Nobodyknows anything about his family,† Mary-Lynnette said. She felt as if she were struggling to keep her head above water, with barbells tied to herwrists and ankles. What was dragging her downwasn't Mark's suspicion – It was her own. The littlevoice in her head that was saying, â€Å"But he seemed like such a nice guy†Ã¢â‚¬â€œand which meant, of course, that he wasn't. Ash was watching her with a brooding, intent expression. â€Å"What does this Jeremy look like?† Something about the way he said it irritated MaryLynnette beyond belief. â€Å"What do you care?† Ash blinked and shifted his gaze. He shrugged minimallyand said with forced blandness, â€Å"Just curious.† â€Å"He'svery handsome,† Mary-Lynnette said.Gooda way to let out her anger and frustration. â€Å"And the thing is that he looks very intelligent andsensitive-it's not empty good looks. He's got hair that's sort of the color of Ponderosa pinecones andthe most wonderful brown eyes†¦. He's thin andtan and a little bit taller than me, because I'm normally looking at his mouth†¦.† Ash didn't look pleased. â€Å"I saw somebody vaguelylike that at the gas station -in town.† He turned to Rowan. â€Å"You think he's some kind of outlawvampire?† â€Å"Obviously not a made vampire because MaryLynnette has watched him grow up,† Rowan said. â€Å"I was thinking more that he might be renegade lamia.But there's not much use in trying to figure it out from here. Tomorrow we can go and see him, and then we'll know more. Right?† Mark nodded. Jade nodded. Mary-Lynnette took adeep breath and nodded. Ash nodded and said, â€Å"All right, I see why you can't go home until this is solved. So, we'll figureout who killed Aunt Opal, and then we'll take the appropriate action, and then we'll go home. Got it?† His sisters exchanged glances. They didn't answer. As she and mark walked back to their house,Mary-Lynnette noticed that Sirius had lifted abovethe eastern horizon. It hung like a jewel, brighterthan she had ever seen it before-much brighter. Itseemed almost like a miniature sun, flashing with blue and gold and violet rays. She thought the effect must be psychological,,until she remembered that she'd exchanged blood with three vampires.