Pessimism…just another form of reality? Essay

A glass is partially filled with water. Is it half empty†¦or is it half full? The day you forget to pack your umbrella just happens to be the one and only day that the weathermen had not expected the torrential downpours that have just made you look like a bedraggled water rat. Do you full and well accept the fact that, that would have happened and you continue to berate yourself for forgetting your umbrella†¦or do you continue on the day with the thought that nothing could have been worse and the fact that rain is only just a bit of water? I am a natural born pessimistic who always expects the worse in any situation, no matter how positive the horizon may look. I look at life as if it were just an amalgamation of wires all leading to the negative terminal. Any positive ray of hope is instantaneously hosed down into a scorched mark on the ground. Therefore, when I first read through the novel the Lord of the Flies in my own spare time, I found that I was compelled by the fascinating slant that William Golding had taken on society in general. To have the sheer courage to produce, what was considered to be nearly ‘blasphemous’ at the time, deserves to be congratulated. If I wore a hat, then yes, I would indeed take my hat off to Golding, as he is truly worthy of such merits. Coral Island. Law and Order. Lord of the Flies. War and riot. Imagine being stranded on an island. No one to disapprove your behaviour, no one to dictate your life. Too much freedom can be a great sin. This example of free will and no discipline is clearly defined through the novel, the Lord of the Flies. A third of the way in, William Golding demonstrates the preliminary stages of human transformation, from the well-educated man to the savage beast. The first four chapters stage the development of Jack, Ralph, Roger and Piggy, who strive to find a new way of life after being abandoned on a desert island. Them fruit. This is the first example of how the children have lost control of their eating habits. Instead of sticking to the traditional – three meals a day – they ate until they were full or they ate as soon as they caught sight of food. Piggy in this case, has severe diarrhoea symptoms, as he has simply stuffed himself with fruit. Therefore, he has to constantly relieve the pain and concentration that contorted his rounded face when he had diarrhoea. As Ralph became conscious of the weight of his clothes he threw them off fiercely. So the well-dressed English School Boy disregarded his relation back to the real world and he felt as if he was finally in control of his life, yet he did not realise that the law and order was slowly receding into the misty horizon. The distinction between the mild-mouthed boys to the brutal fiend became clearer and clearer. To the other boys, a reminder of civilisation troubled them, however to Piggy, the grey shirt was pleasing. The distant reminder of control and security of the adult world calmed his worries. In spite of that, it was Piggy who had been bitterly let down by the adult world, in which he had so much faith. Nonetheless, for Jack, uniform resembled leadership, a thing that he kept close to his heart. Jack and the other bigguns were introduced as some kind of creature, walking in formation behind their leader: Jack. To get his hands on authority, Jack transformed his angelic black-cloaked choirboys into his hunters. The intimidating sinister black-bird look imposed on the rest of the group was already daunting, and it slowly began to change. The wearily obedient choir simply changed one uniform for another. Their black caps slid over like berets, they had mad buzzing eyes, they had painted faces and long hair and they were camouflaged. Jack’s sense of wrong and right spiralled out of control as he donned his new mask, which liberated him from shame and self-consciousness, which enhanced his urge to hunt. Piggy first saw the conch as a hope for rules and a way of forming a small council of leadership. His superior intellect allowed him to think and make rational decisions. However, his ungainly and unattractive appearance meant that he was shunted out from all the little groups, and all his ideas were dismissed without a concern. Unlike Coral Island, Lord of the Flies shows that a band of stranded boys will no longer remain civilised in the face of hunger, but will progressively turn rude and unruly. His eminent and sensible nature outclassed every being on the island and therefore led to him being shunted out like the runt. Before summoning everybody in front of the conch, Piggy had one clear aim: to get rescued. He would do everything that his podgy hands would allow him to do, and if all the boys were to comply with his plans, they would be on the first ship back home. However, due to the lack of control and fight for leadership, any hope of going home grew faint. The embossed and delicate shell steadily grew dark and dirty as Jack’s sooty hands clasped and unclasped it. The conch was a thing of beauty that Piggy caressed and carried safely under his arms. It brought the boys together and seemingly formed a civilised society. However, it was also the destruction of reality and life outside the island. Piggy felt that his thoughts could finally be voiced and that responsibility could be taken seriously, yet Jack whom believed that Piggy talked too much always undermined him. Jack was the one who wanted rules, leaders and hunters; nevertheless, he was the first one to break them. During the course of the four chapters, his perspectives changed as he longed to hunt and kill a pig: Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood. The responsibility that came attached with headship was an added extra that Jack hadn’t bargained for. When he could no longer resist the urge to hunt, he left his duty of keeping the fire going, to rope more boys into his army and war-like chant. He only held respect for the conch because it held a purpose for him, he needed it to become leader and without it, Ralph would be in control. Many dictators mirror his thoughts, while Piggy and the conch represent democracy. The rash and impulsive manner which clouds Jack’s judgement is evident when he orders everyone to build a fire, but only then does he realise that he has no means of lighting it. Spontaneous behaviour patterns suggested that the emotions of some boys would run wild, happy would become ecstatic and angry would become infuriated. So, with the joy of seeing lavish light and feeling the burning heat, the hunters lost their senses and did not even to stop to listen to Piggy. Nonetheless, Piggy received his silent pleasure when the fact dawned on everyone in the company, that the fire had destructively burnt the rest of the firewood like a jaguar. They had lost their first chance of rescue and it dawned to many that they might not ever see that chance again. Due to Jack’s impulsive behaviour, the fire was let out and their means of rescue dwindled. Coral Island. Group and leader. Lord of the Flies. Savages and Chief. Roger’s eyelids fluttered as he felt the exhilarating satisfaction of trying to inflict pain on another human being (Henry). Roger’s nature hardly changes through the book, but it becomes more and more apparent that Roger is an evil and malicious boy. The odd few times that Roger is mentioned, his presence leaves a foggy gloom over the rest of the group of boys. Roger smiled unwillingly and nodded gravely. His solemn and daring looks give him an air of mystery. His true temperament is revealed when he starts to throw stones at Henry, but the taboo of his old life refrained him actually harming Henry. This shows that law and order still lingers around the island, but not for very long. Roger’s vindictive pleasure might overtake any sense of guilt or common sense. At the end of the fourth chapter, the crossed purposes of the main characters are clearly defined. Jack wants to hunt, Ralph wants to be rescued, Roger wants to hurt someone and Piggy wants to keep everything civilised. There is this air of joylessness about him as he smiles unwillingly and looks gravely. All his actions denote a sombre and deathly person who seems to have no warmth or emotion inside him. Samneric symbolise the wavering in-betweens of everyday society. They are what the majority of the boys thought during the entire course of the book. Instead of needing to describe how every boy felt, Golding used Samneric as a means of describing and portraying the general atmosphere. As they were able to be influenced, it is obvious that they would follow anyone who seemed particularly strong in the leadership contest. At the beginning, due to the conch, they stayed closer to law and order. Nevertheless, as everything began to digress into mayhem, they turned to the side on which they thought they would ‘win’. Their ultimate goal was to survive through the whole ordeal and if that meant siding with the more savage party, then that is what they would have had to do ‘win’. Unlike Piggy, they were willing to give up in their beliefs in the hope of coming out on top. Yet, characters like Simon and Piggy always had faith in the outside world, and both rallied to help everyone find the truth. The beacon of light represents many things in the beginning of the novel. It symbolises jurisdiction and as it disappears, things start to fall apart. Simon, shown as a Christ-like figure resembles the peace and well fare of the Christian nature. Piggy uses his understanding to try and make sure that everyone is safe and functional. Ralph wants to use the conch to unite everybody. However, Roger and Jack are shadowing the light of the creamy pink conch. Their guilty conscience and malevolence cover the right path shown by the conch and expose the depths of hell. Their only hope of civilisation without an adult is slowly retreating into the darkness of the opaque and mud-spattered conch. Furthermore, the chapter titles are an indication of how themes transform, not for the best, but in fact take a turn for the worse. There is a trace of hope with the beginning of the story being entitled The Sound of the Shell. It seems to portray that there is still a sense of civil obedience and if given the chance, the boys could lead life of structure. Yet, what we learn is that civilisation is only skin deep, and even though this scenario is set in the 1950s, its concept is ageless. Golding shows that when there is no adult-like figure or one of authority, patterns of behaviour will change. The deviation away from society was symbolised by the ominous chapter tiles: Painted Faces and Long hair, A View to Death, and finally the Cry of the Hunters. Ultimately, the novel had climaxed into a random state of sheer pandemonium. Having analysed the main characters so far in the novel, it is evident each of the different characters represents a different part of society, thus showing that the island as a whole is a microcosm of the world. It portrays how society functions with different elements causing its downfall, or for those who are optimistic among us, causing its upbringing. The boys are allegorical as they convey a symbolic significance. So far it seems that everything has begun to turn sour and the typical 1950s English audience would have been very disapproving of these changes. Jack’s continual submission from his opaque mad look made him even more sinister. As the eyes are typically thought of as the mirrors of the soul in literature, it is right to see that Jack had mad eyes, compared to the mild-mouthed Ralph. However, the thing that struck me most was the fact that nobody cared to notice the disappearance of the boy with the mulberry birthmark, until Piggy happened to mention it. This is one of the first factors that portray how no law and order had been established to keep a check of all those who were present in the surrounding local community. Enormity of the downward stroke. Jack could not possibly bring himself to kill the pig when he first had the chance; consequently he made sure that at the next opportunity, he did what he thought was necessary. He killed the pig not only out of the urge to hunt, but out of the risk of being humiliated; he didn’t want to seem soft like Piggy. Jack’s mask liberated him from shame and self consciousness and thus he was able to lead his pack (his former choirboys) in a march. As he progresses towards the murky depths of evil, Jack, like Roger shows no love or feeling. Everything he does is filled with vengeance and hatred, especially the way he venomously says ‘shut up’ to Piggy. This antipathy is continued when he usurps Piggy’s glasses and then mocks Piggy’s impairing vision. The use of language to depict Jack is always climatic, heated vibrant and imposing. He distances himself from the rest of society and also contributes to the deaths of Simo n and Piggy. At the beginning of Chapter Five – Beast from Water – Ralph knows that everyone must remain together is there is any hope of survival. Yet, nearing the end of the chapter, ambitions start to diverge and the group splits. Ralph simply cannot trust Jack any longer as he let the fire out; therefore Ralph has to resort to keeping the fire going. This initial distinction between hunt and rescue is shown by the line: two continents of experience and feeling unable to communicate. Ralph and Jack are so close, yet so far apart. They may be physically no more than a mile apart, but they are estranged in two completely different perspectives. Apart from the glimmering conch, another whiteness in the gloom was Simon. With an uncertain future waiting on the horizon, Simon had a perilous necessity to speak out and his greater natural understanding allowed him to look ‘outside the box’. He was able to see the world outside the microcosm of the island. The mystic and magical essence of his ability to see into a different dimension meant he was scorned by everyone, including Piggy. Simons heightened sense of awareness permitted him to see the beast for what it really was. Piggy’s contradictory rational nature meant that he found Simon slightly ‘batty’ to say the least. Nevertheless, Simon knew what mankind’s essential illness was and he tried to everything in his power to show the rest of the boys. Coral Island. Friendship and warmth. Lord of the Flies. Blood lust and temptation. Imagine being stranded on an island which had been taken over by a wave of friendly fire. Oxymoronic as it may be, the fire used to be friendly, once, until it was used as an instrument of vengeance. The recurrent vicissitudes lead to the destruction of the island and some of the people on it. Jack was engulfed by the notion of doing a dance and making sacrifices to solve his apparent problems, disparate to Piggy who knew of the imminent frenzy. As the basic elements of law and order break down, Roger tests the limits of leadership and friendship by standing against Jack. Even though he was in his element, when he started to act as the pig in the centre of the circle, he knew that he had to wait to reach his ultimate goal: power. The moment of Simon’s death is a significant point in the novel, and perhaps is the most important. If there had been any optimism on the island, it was in the form of Simon. His ethereality, reassurance and hushed tone of voice even made the pragmatic Piggy calm down. Coincidentally, the second Simon died; the dead parachutist leaves the island from across the mountain top. The phosphorescence gave a wraithlike message to the rest of islanders. As it ebbed away in the receding waters, the storm seemed like the lyrical death of an innocent and saintly being. The halo effect created by the minuscule flies sent out a feeling of true quintessence and integrity. Had there been a slight sliver of hope, it was diminished by the demise of the Piggy in the following chapters. Although Ralph sacrificed Piggy’s dignity by telling Jack his nickname, Ralph needed Piggy as he had the brains. Piggy was thinker and Ralph was essentially the doer. Without Piggy, Ralph would have not had the ideas, and without Ralph, Piggy could not have led a group of rowdy school boys. When first lighting the fire, Ralph to thinks of Piggy as a mere tool, but he soon realises how important Piggy us as he knows his own limitations – Only, decided Ralph as he faced the chief’s seat, I can’t think. Not like Piggy. When Ralph loses his grip in sanity, something flittered there in front of his mind like a bat’s wing, obscuring his idea; he was highly dependent on Piggy’s comfort. Piggy had an obscene importance to Ralph, as whenever he was without Piggy, Ralph would hear Piggy calling him a kid. Ralph showed he cared for Piggy by accompanying him to get his glasses back. He returns the warmth and confidence by telling Piggy: you keep right close to me. His immense shock when Piggy died was portrayed by the thought that the silence was complete and Ralph’s lips formed a word but no sound came. He even felt the alone in Piggy’s absence – There was no Piggy to talk sense. The final resentment of hatred towards the adult world was portrayed when Ralph wept for the end of innocence and he mourned for the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy. Connected with Piggy’s death is the demise of the conch. Piggy’s life ends with the conch clutched in his hands, meaning when Piggy is destroyed, law and order is destroyed as well. Piggy was the first person to see the conch, and was associated with it from start to finish. Always holding it in high regard, he was the only boy on the island who actually realised how important it was, so protecting it from Jack and Roger. He knew that it was the only thing keeping him sae from Jack’s savages. Unseemingly so, Ralph also felt a kind of affectionate reverence with the conch after Simon’s death. He found comfort as he took the shell caressingly with both hands and knelt, leaning against the trunk. Beast from Water. Beast from Air. There was always that little beastie that would creep up from the shadows when your mummy had finished tucking you into bed and left you alone to face the death-defying journey through the night, every night. Every child has his or her own fear and William Golding used the Beast to execute an intense feeling of doubt and trepidation into the minds of the boys. The darkness of man’s heart is the evil that everyone will have to overcome, yet, the consternation will differ from person to person. There was the literal beast, which Jack and his savages made ritualistic sacrifices to, in an attempt to keep it pleased. This shows that the tribe believed in the materialistic values and rites the out ancestors used to believe in. The dead parachutist symbolises how, if not given the time to think, man would return to their basic animal instincts. On the other hand, more scientific and pragmatic boys like Simon and Piggy saw through this faà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ade. Even though he had been ostracised because of he was in the centre of the social derision. Piggy’s supreme intellect would simply not allow him accept the ideas of beasties. Simon’s numinous temperament means that he isn’t subjugated by the Beast, like the littl’uns. The Beast is the root of all evil, and the crescendo at the beginning of the chapter showed us (by personification) that an inanimate object was taking on a human form. Simon is like the Bringer of Truth, and after he has found out who the beast really is, he tried to enlighten the whole tribe, as the personal inconvenience means nothing to him. His motivation to tell to the truth as soon as possible led him to his death. The reason the boys have been stranded on the island is because the have been evacuated from the supposed ‘dangers’ of war in the adult world. It was only by fluke that the officer happened to land on the island just in time to save Ralph from being brutally murdered. Our imagination need not be let loose to imagine the horrific events that would have followed, had the officer not whistled in embarrassment at the sight before him. The memories of ages ago would not have returned to the savages, had they not seen a sign of authority. Being only fifteen when writing this essay, I cannot say that I have had all the experience, but I consistently find that people around me try to shelter my knowledge and push me deeper into the confinements of ‘safety’. Yet, surely there has to be a limit to how far you can ground a child and hide them from the truth? As adults are able to corrupt the world in which we live in, they try to blindfold us, in the name of protection. So, aren’t you just teaching us to blindly blunder into life? I am sure that you will agree with me in saying that William Golding wasn’t a pessimist. Though the people of his time may have branded him with innumerate foul names, you must believe that he only showed the virulent realities of the human nature. So if everything in the Lord of the Flies was written by William Golding, his ideas must have a shred of credible reality. The worsening, mood, weather and scenery all contributed to the hazardous conclusion. These aspects weren’t pessimistic to say the least; they were just showing the veritable truth. Unpalatable as it may be, the truth has to be adhered to and novels like Coral Island only seem to be handing out sugar-filled table spoons of hope. Hope in a whimsical world that simply does not exist. Coral Island. Optimism, definitely, and fantasy. Lord of the Flies. Pessimism, maybe, but reality.

The Return: Nightfall Chapter 13

Much later that night, Elena couldn't sleep. She didn't want to be hemmed in inside the Tall Room, she said. Secretly, Stefan worried that she wanted to go outside and track the malach that had attacked the car. But he didn't think she was able to lie, now, and she kept bumping against the shut window, chiming to him that she just wanted air. Outside air. â€Å"We should put some clothes on you.† But Elena was bewildered – and stubborn.It's Night†¦. This is my Night Gown, she said.You didn't like my Day Gown. Then she bumped the window again. Her â€Å"Day Gown† had been his blue shirt, which, belted, made a sort of very short chemise on her, coming to the middle of her thighs. Right now what she wanted fit in with his own desires so completely that he felt†¦a bit guilty over the prospect. But he allowed himself to be persuaded. They drifted, hand in hand, Elena like a ghost or angel in her white nightgown, Stefan all in black, feeling himself almost disappear where the trees obscured the moonlight. Somehow they ended up in the Old Wood, where skeletons of trees mixed with the living branches. Stefan stretched his newly improved senses to the widest but could only find the normal inhabitants of the forest, slowly and hesitantly returning after being frightened off by Damon's lash of Power. Hedgehogs. Deer. Dog-foxes, and one poor vixen with twin kits, who hadn't been able to run because of her children. Birds. All the animals that helped to make the forest the wondrous place it was. Nothing that felt like malach or seemed as if it could do any harm. He began to wonder if Damon had simply invented the creature that influenced him. Damon was a tremendously convincing liar. He was telling the truth, Elena chimed.But either it's invisible or it's gone now. Because of you. Your Power. He looked at her and found her looking at him with a mixture of pride and another emotion that was easily identified – but startling to see out of doors. She tilted her face up, its classic lines pure and pale in the moonlight. Her cheeks were rose pink with blushing, and her lips were slightly pursed. Oh†¦hell, Stefan thought wildly. â€Å"After all you've been through,† he began, and made his first mistake. He took hold of her arms. There, some sort of synergy between his Power and hers started to bring them, in a very slow spiral, upward. And he could feel the warmth of her. The sweet softness of her body. She still was waiting, eyes closed, for her kiss. We can start all over again,she suggested hopefully. And that was true enough. He wanted to give back to her the feelings she had given to him in his room. He wanted to hold her hard; he wanted to kiss her until she trembled. He wanted to make her melt and swoon with it. He could do it, too. Not just because you learned a thing or two about women when you were a vampire, but because he knew Elena. They were really one at heart, one soul. Please?Elena chimed. But she was so young now, so vulnerable in her pure white nightgown, with her creamy skin flushing pink in anticipation. It couldn't be right to take advantage of someone like that. Elena opened her violet-blue eyes, silvered by the moonlight, and looked right at him. Do you want†¦She said it with sobriety in the mouth but mischief in her eyes†¦.to see how many times you can make me say please? God, no. But that sounded so grown-up that Stefan helplessly took her into his arms. He kissed the top of her silky head. He kissed downward from there, only avoiding the little rosebud mouth that was still puckered in lonely supplication.I love you. I love you. He found that he was almost crushing her ribs and tried to let go, but Elena held on as tightly as she could, holding his arms to her. Do you want – the chime was the same, innocent and ingenuous – to see how many times I can make yousay please? Stefan stared at her for a moment. Then, with a sort of wildness in his heart, he fell on the little rosebud mouth and kissed it breathless, kissed it until he himself was so dizzy that he had to let her go, just an inch or two. Then he looked into her eyes again. A person could lose themselves in eyes like that, could fall forever into their starry violet depths. He wanted to. But more than that, he wanted something else. â€Å"I want to kiss you,† he whispered, right at the portal of her right ear, nipping it. Yes.She was definite about that. â€Å"Until you faint in my arms.† He felt the shiver go through her body. He saw the violet eyes go misty, half closing. But to his surprise he got back an immediate, if slightly breathless, â€Å"Yes,† from Elena out loud. And so he did. Just short of swooning, with little shivers going through her, and little cries that he tried to stop with his own mouth, he kissed her. And then, because it was Time, and because the shivers were starting to have a painful edge to them, and Elena's breath was coming so quick and hard when he let her breathe that he really was afraid that she might pass out, he solemnly used his own fingernail to open a vein in his neck for her. And Elena, who once had been only human, and would have been horrified by the idea of drinking another person's blood, clasped herself to him with a small choked sound of joy. And then he could feel her mouth warm, warm against the flesh of his neck, and he felt her shudder hard, and he felt the heady sensation of having his blood drawn out by the one he loved. He wanted to pour his entire being out in front of Elena, to give her everything that he was, or ever would be. And he knew that this was the way she had felt, letting him drink her blood. That was the sacred bond they shared. It made him feel that they had been lovers since the beginning of the universe, since the very first dawning of the very first star out of the darkness. It was something very primitive, and very deeply ingrained in him. When he first felt the flow of blood into her mouth, he had to stifle a cry against her hair. And then he was whispering to her, fierce, involuntary things about how he loved her and how they could never be parted, and endearments and absurdities wrenched from him in a dozen different languages. And then there were no more words, only feelings. And so they slowly spiraled up in the moonlight, the white nightgown sometimes wrapping itself around his black-clad legs, until they reached the top of the trees, living and standing but dead. It was a very solemn, very private ceremony of their own, and they were far too lost in joy to look out for any danger. But Stefan had already checked for that, and he knew that Elena had, too. There was no danger; there was only the two of them, drifting and bobbing with the moon shining down like a benediction. One of the most useful things Damon had learned lately – more useful than flying, although that had been something of a kick – was to shield his presence absolutely. He had to drop all his barriers, of course. They would show up even in a casual scan. But that didn't matter, because if no one could see him, no one could find him. And therefore he was safe. Q.E.D. But tonight, after walking out of the boardinghouse, he had gone out to the Old Wood to find himself a tree to sulk in. It wasn't that he minded what human trash thought of him, he thought venomously. It would be like worrying what a chicken thought of him just before he wrung its neck. And, of all things he caredleast about, his brother's opinion was number one. But Elena had been there. And even if she had understood – had made efforts to get the others to understand – it was just too humiliating, being thrown out in front of her. And so he had retired, he thought bitterly, into the only retreat he could call home. Although that was a little ridiculous, since he could have spent the night in Fell's Church's best hotel (its only hotel) or with any number of sweet young girls who might invite a weary traveler in for a drink†¦of water. A wave of Power to put the parents to sleep, and he could have had shelter, as well as a warm and willing snack, until morning. But he was in a vicious mood, and he just wanted to be alone. He was a little afraid to hunt. He wouldn't be able to control himself with a panicked animal in his present state of mind. All he could think of was ripping and tearing and making somebody very, very unhappy. The animals were coming back, though, he noticed, careful to use only ordinary senses and nothing that would betray his presence. The night of horror was over for them, and they tended to have very short memories. Then, just as he had been reclining on a branch, wishing that Mutt, at least, had sustained some sort of painful and lasting injury,they had appeared. Out of nowhere, seemingly. Stefan and Elena, hand in hand, floating like a pair of happy wingd Shakespearean lovers, as if the forest wastheir home. He hadn't been able to believe it at first. And then, just as he was about to call down thunder and sarcasm on them, they had started their love scene. Right in front of his eyes. Even floating up to his level, as if to rub it in. They'd begun kissing and caressing and†¦more. They'd made an unwilling voyeur out of him, although he'd become more angry and less unwilling as time passed and their caresses had become more passionate. He'd had to grind his teeth, when Stefan had offered Elena his blood. Had wanted to scream that there had been a time when this girl had been his for the taking, when he could have drained her dry and she would have died happily in his arms, when she had obeyed the sound of his voice instinctively and the taste of his blood would make her reach heaven in his arms. As she obviously was in Stefan's. That had been the worst. He'd had to dig his nails into his palms when Elena had wrapped herself around Stefan like a long, graceful snake and had fastened her mouth against his neck, as Stefan's face had tipped toward the sky, with his eyes shut. For the love of all the demons in hell, why couldn't they just get done with it? Thatwas when he noticed that he wasn't alone in his well-chosen, commodious tree. There was someone else there, sitting calmly right beside him on the big branch. They must have appeared while he was engrossed in the love scene and his own fury, but still, that made them very, very good. No one had snuck up on him like that in over two centuries. Three, perhaps. The shock of it had sent him tumbling off the branch – without turning on his vampire ability to float. A long lean arm reached out to catch him, to haul him to safety, and Damon found himself gazing into a pair of laughing golden eyes. Who thehellare you? he sent. He didn't worry about it being picked up by the lovers in the moonlight. Nothing short of a dragon or an atomic bomb would catch their attention now. I'm the hell Shinichi,the other boy replied. His hair was the strangest Damon had seen in a while. It was smooth and shiny and black everywhere except for a fringe of uneven dark red at the tips. The bangs he tossed carelessly out of his eyes ended in crimson and so did the little wisps all round his collar – for he wore it slightly long. It looked as if tongues of dancing, flaring flame were licking at the ends of it, and gave singular emphasis to his answer:I'm the hell Shinichi. If anyone could pass as a devil come up straight from Hell, this boy could. On the other hand, his eyes were the pure golden eyes of an angel.Most people just call me Shinichi alone , he added soberly to Damon, letting those eyes crinkle a little to show that it was a joke.Now you know my name. Who are you? Damon simply looked at him in silence.

African American Vernacular Essay

According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, the definition of vernacular is â€Å"of, relating to, or being a nonstandard language or dialect of a place, region, or country. † In terms of African American history, the evolution of vernacular is very important and a very unique part of the culture. The African American vernacular has aided the development of a distinct culture in terms of what African Americans were subjected to from the installation of slavery. The African American vernacular was used as a way to expose the atrocities that African Americans were imperiled to through songs and language. â€Å"Go down Moses ,† a spiritual and â€Å"Strange Fruit,† performed by Billie Holiday are two songs that represent the vernacular of African American culture. â€Å"Go down Moses,† was a song that had a Christian religious theme that spoke of the Israelites being enslaved by Pharaoh in Egypt’s land. Spirituals had ambiguous meanings that included a reverence for Christianity and a desire to be free from the bondages of slavery. â€Å"Strange Fruit† was a song originally written as a poem that exposed racism against African American and called for a social change. Although they bear some similarities, the differences between â€Å"Go down Moses† and â€Å"Strange Fruit† include setting, meaning and cultural impact. According to The Norton Anthology of African American Literature by Henry Louis-Gates Jr, Spirituals were a very important part of African American culture during the time of slavery. And still are today, although they are widely known as gospels. Spirituals have a Christian religious theme and are usually performed a cappella with a single melody. (Gates Jr, 2003) African American Spirituals are the predecessor to the blues, gospels, jazz and rap/hip-hop. Spirituals are also referred to as Negro spirituals, Black spirituals, folk songs and jubilees. Spirituals were sung to provide comfort and ease the pain of the harsh daily tasks that slaves were submitted to. They were also seen as an expression of spiritual devotion and a yearning for freedom from the bondages of slavery. (Gates Jr, 2003) They were also a means of releasing pent up emotions and expressing sorrow. More importantly, they served a subversive purpose. Songs like â€Å"Steal away to Jesus,† â€Å"Swing low,† â€Å"Sweet Chariot,† â€Å"Didn’t my Lord Deliver Daniel? † and â€Å"Go down Moses†served a dual purpose during the times of slavery. Spirituals were used as a code between the slaves to aide with the task of attempting to escape slavery or the thought of escaping from bondage. â€Å"Go down Moses† first recorded by Paul Robeson, is a song riddled with ambiguous tones. On the surface, this song tells the story of the Israelites as slaves, which is found in the books of Genesis and Exodus. Moses was called by God to instruct Pharaoh to free the Israelites from the bondages of slavery. â€Å"Go down Moses, way down in Egypt’s land, tell old Pharaoh to let my people go† is one line from the song. African slaves forcefully bought to the Americas were converted to Christianity and although they weren’t taught to read or write, they were taught the teachings of the bible. White slave owners used the stories of the sufferings of the Israelites and the affirmation of â€Å"life after death† which is seen throughout the bible, to justify slavery. (Gates Jr. 2003) In the song, â€Å"Go down Moses,† Pharaoh represented the White Slave owners, Israel represented the African American Slaves and Egypt represented the Americas or the United States. â€Å"Strange Fruit† is a song most famously recorded and performed in 1939 by Billie Holiday. The song was written as a poem by Abel Meerpol, a teacher. According to The Norton Anthology of African American Literature, the poem exposed racism in the United States. It shed light on the lynching of African American men in the South. Lynching’s occurred in other regions of the United States, but mainly in the South. â€Å"Strange Fruit† is commonly known as a song of social change. As mentioned before, this poem helped to expose racism in the U. S. During this time, many people were fighting for the civil rights of African American that had been stymied by institutionalized racism. Jim Crow laws of the South are an example of institutionalized racism. Jim Crow laws limited the civil rights of African American and deemed them second class citizens. Even during the days of slavery, there were many efforts made that helped to expose the atrocities that occurred against African Americans. This included photographs and written works such as books and newspaper articles. During the early 20th century, racism against African Americans was exposed via songs that called for a change of societal practices and views. â€Å"Southern trees bear a strange fruit, blood on the leaves and blood at the root, black bodies swinging in the southern breeze†¦Ã¢â‚¬  are some of the lyrics of the song â€Å"Strange Fruit. † â€Å"Here is fruit for the crows to pluck, for the rain togather, for the wind to suck, for the sun to rot, for the trees to drop, here is a strange and bitter crop† are more lyrics to the same song. Imagining a black body swinging from a tree, it can be viewed as a strange fruit or a bitter crop. Hearing the song performed, makes the lyrics and the meaning more ominous. As mentioned before, Billie Holiday recorded the song in 1939 but almost 25 years later, Nina Simone also recorded the song. Concerning the sub-genre social change music, there are many songs written and performed that exposes the way of life for African Americans. This includes â€Å"The Revolution will not be televised† recorded by Gil Scott-Heron in 1970 and â€Å"The Message† recorded by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five in 1982. Both these songs are considered important to the evolution of African American vernacular because just like â€Å"Strange Fruit† it exposed the racism, prejudices and discrimination that African Americans were subjected to and how it affected their lives. Both the songs â€Å"Go down Moses† and â€Å"Strange Fruit† have an abundance of differences as was mentioned. However they differ in setting or time, meaning and cultural impact. Spirituals were originally sung during the times of slavery, during the 18th and 19th century. They were seen as a reverence to the Christian religion while at the same time, they were also seen as a yearning for freedom from the bondages of slavery. Spirituals developed into gospel songs which are a main staple of the black church in the United States. â€Å"Strange Fruit† was written, recorded and performed during the 19th century. And although slavery had been abolished for maybe 80 years, African Americans still dealt with prejudices, racism and discrimination. These social change songs were developed to expose those prejudices. The lyrics of â€Å"Strange Fruit† mention the â€Å"black bodies swinging†¦ from the poplar trees. † Unlike spirituals, social change had no ambiguous meaning. It meant to directly display the ugliness of what was going on at the time. One more similarity that should be mentioned which highlight the uniqueness concerning African American vernacular in the way in which both these songs were sung. The tone in which Paul Robeson performs â€Å"Go down Moses’ is similar to the way Billie Holiday and Nina Simone performed â€Å"Strange Fruit. † You can see, hear, and feel the soul, essence, pain, and significance of both songs when they were performed. That sense of soul is the one unique component of African American vernacular that sets us apart from all the others.

The purpose of Dante's journey Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The purpose of Dante's journey - Research Paper Example As such, the story is heavily influenced by the Catholic teachings during his time (the Medieval period) as shown by belief in these three states as well as an earth-centric view of the universe (before a more correct one was discovered by Copernicus and proved by Galileo which is helio-centric, for which he was forced to recant under pain of death during the period of the Inquisition) as evidenced by the story's placement of Hell at the center of concentric circles that was more or less consistent with the Ptolemic conception of the universe at that time. The story of his journey is an allegory that tells of his resentments at being forced to live outside his country (exiled) due to numerous political enemies who betrayed him. But the story of â€Å"Divine Comedy† has many other allusions to more crucial or important things in life that really matter the most such as loyalty and trust. Further evidence of the other aspects is a reference to the people who cannot decide their minds and practice fence-sitting to wait and see who wins in a political struggle before they will make their own stand known. In a sense, Dante's work is a stinging indictment of the people he had met during his lifetime but offers a redemption for some although a more potent message in this story presented as a collection of poems or songs is that punishment must fit the gravity of the crime committed. Discussion Dolce Stil Novo means the â€Å"sweet new style† in Italian and believed to be first used by Dante himself in a section on Purgatorio. The term actually referred to a new style of writing which was focused more on a theme of love than on any other topic. The new style of Dolce Stil Novo was a literary movement credited with improving the poetry of the time, such as the better quality of intellectual discussions, most especially when it pertains or refers to a female body in an adoring or idolizing manner. But perhaps more importantly, this style of writing conceive d the ideals or features of feminine beauty in terms of being similar to the creatures coming from Paradise. This idealistic form of feminine beauty is compared not to a physical type of beauty but rather in more spiritual terms. As Dante was a foremost exponent of this new writing style, his portrayal of Beatrice (his platonic love) is an example of the kind of love that is angelic and hence the woman served as a bridge to God for divine love. It is no wonder that Beatrice was the one who guided Dante towards Heaven. La Vita Nuova literally means the new life and this pertains to a Medieval genre of the courtly love (a noble expression of love that was at times illicit among members of a nobility) in which the male lover shows his love through his acts chivalry. These acts may constitute of anything that was considered honorable, brave and noble at that time. Courtly love is a special kind of love that is based partly on sexual attraction and spiritual discipline as it is mostly so rt of an unrequited or unfulfilled love (such as that of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet). It can be best described as an odd mixture of bravery, humility and courtesy with a good sprinkling of adulterous love as well that was a part of the prevailing culture of the nobility. Dante used this style of writing because he himself was a victim of an unrequited love during his childhood as well as into his adulthood. Courtly love as expressed through acts of chivalry is now largely a lost trait among the modern males; today,

People, Profit and Price Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

People, Profit and Price - Essay Example Q2: What do you mean by income elasticity? Identify the symbolic form of income elasticity. Income elasticity of demand refers to the reaction of demand to change in consumers' income. In other words, it is the extent of change in demand to a change in consumers' income. Income elasticity of demand is calculated by the ratio of percentage change in demand to income (Anon., 2005, p.22). According to Anon (2005, p.22) it is represented as: Income Elasticity of Demand = In symbolic form, eY=  Where eY =Income elasticity of demand; Y =income of consumer, Q=quantity demand, Y=proportionate change in income Q: 3 what is mean by production function? What is the use of production function in production analysis? The production function refers to a technological relationship between input and output (Anon., 2005, p.50).It indicates the output of a business, industry, or economy for the input. When it comes to the use of production function in production analysis, assume a firm that uses N amount of inputs, such as, machinery, labor, and materials, for producing a single output. Production function (q=f(x)) is used to summarize the technological possibilities of that firm. Here, q represents the output and x=(x1, x2†¦xn)' is an N?1 vector of inputs (Coelli, Prasada, Christopher and George, 2005, p.12). Q: 4 what are the characteristic features of free market economics? How are the central problems of resource allocation solved in such economic? Characteristics of free market economy include: consumers, producers, private owners, and government are primary actors, three actors (consumer, producer, property owners) are driven by self-interest while government is driven by social welfare, all factors of production are the property of private owners, owners have the right to buy and sell through market mechanism, competition exists when there is freedom to allocate resources. Decision making is decentralized since individual economic actors are free to allocate th eir resources. Resource allocation is defined by individual economic agents. Economic actors pursue their interest but resource allocation is in interest of society (Anderton, 2006, p.22). Q: 5 explain the term â€Å"economic costs†? How do these differ from accounting costs? Use examples to illustrate your answer The economic cost (EC) is greater than the accounting cost (AC) because EC includes both explicit accounting cost and implicit cost which is the value of owner's personal resources.EC incorporates implicit costs that could have been gained when same resources are invested somewhere else. If a couple decides to invest $100,000 on building for opening a restaurant. Implicit costs would be 3 percent or $3,000 or the money earned from some other investment. It is because of different rate of return in mutual funds (9 percent) and capital investment (6 percent) on $100,000(Musgrave and Elia, 2001). Task: 2 Explain the causes of market failure. Should market failure alway s invite government intervention? Discuss the different ways in which government intervene in the market. Give example in support of your answer? Introduction "Market failure is a blanket term used by economists to describe situations in which markets might not work and/or markets might

Assignment 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 5

Assignment 2 - Essay Example ng, investigating and comprehending concepts for the main objective of concept advancement, description, contrasting, explanation, classification, modification and substantiation. Conceptual analysis is further a course of investigation that delves into concepts for their stage of advancement as portrayed by their interior framework, applications and interaction to other concepts. In fact, conceptual analysis outlines the center for supplying definitions of abstract concepts. It has varied standing in learning. From the time when it was introduced in learning, it was clear that it is a fundamental tool for advancement of theory. However, it is clear that conceptual analysis is complicated. It is evident that it does not provide clear means to contribute to further theoretical knowledge (Sowa, 2006). Conceptual analysis does not provide significant theoretical foundation of learning. In reference to Sowa (2006), it is a random and an informal process that constrains the development of science. It can lead to huge worry and anxiety for the reason that there are no strict rules on how to conduct the process of conceptual analysis. This means that researchers can fail to determine the best way to carry out the whole process that includes going through large mass of literature. Due to the fact that conceptual analysis has an easy attribute, the work at the end of the process is associated with poor quality. It is clear that conceptual analysis requires a lot of thorough work, patience and elevated levels of cognitive abilities which many researchers lack, thereby lowering the quality of the end result. Conceptual analysis may lead to a value attachment, thereby moralising the concept in analysis in case there are any values attached. This may bar the analytic process and destroy the entire research. On the other hand, concept critical thinking lacks a moral feature and value attachment turns out to be useless in the current analysis. There is a desire to increase

Categories of Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Categories of Crime - Essay Example As stated previously, criminal law differs from civil law in that it requires an agent of the government, whether state or federal, to charge someone accused of a crime and prove that they are guilty of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Except in cases where the accused has foregone, or waived, his right to a trial by a jury, the decision of guilt or innocence must be determined by a jury of his or her peers, usually a twelve-person group of randomly selected citizens that have no knowledge of the crime that the defendant has committed (American Bar Association, 2011). This is to help protect the accused by forcing the jury to make a decision of guilt or innocence based on what they hear in the courtroom, not what they have read, heard, or seen somewhere else (American Bar Association, 2011). The two most common types of crimes prosecuted in state courts involve felonies and misdemeanors. Felonies are the more serious of the two, and usually come with a penalty of no less than 12 months in prison, and can be punishable by death in some states (Cornell University Law School, 2010). ... After the War for Independence, a push was made for less of a harsh legal system, and through the years certain crimes have undergone evolution. For example, murder was split into two categories, and a bill was duly passed by the 1794 Pennsylvania legislature to include felony murder in the category of first-degree murders (McClain, and Kahan, 2002). Other crimes as well, such as the actions that constitute a misdemeanor, have seen their own evolution through the legal system since colonial times (McClain, and Kahan, 2002). Espionage and treason differ from felonies and misdemeanor crimes in that they are most often considered federal crimes, and as such are usually tried in a federal court, not by state courts. As per the Federal Judiciary System, the federal courts are involved because the United States is quite often the party in the case. Even in cases of industrial espionage, or trade secrets, it is a federal crime made so by the Economic Espionage Act of 1996, in which two sect ions, according to the House of Representatives and Title 18 of the United States Code, criminalized the act of both foreign economic espionage, and commercial economic espionage. Espionage, according to the Miriam-Webster Dictionary, is defined as â€Å"the practice of spying or using spies to obtain information about the plans and activities especially of a foreign government or competing company†, while according to the Constitution, treason is an act of war against levied one’s own country (U.S. Government Printing). More specifically, it is defined in modern times by the U.S. Code, Title 18, which states, in part, that whoever has allegiance to the United