Metaphors by Sylvia Plath Essay

Sylvia Plath is well known for her confessional style of writing. Her poem ‘Metaphors’ was written in the 1960’s and expresses her self-loathing during pregnancy. Unlike many poets, Plath isn’t afraid to express her inner feelings throughout her work and explore herself within her poetry. In her poem ‘Metaphors’ Plath uses the ‘I’ voice to make her writing deeply personal and convey her pessimistic attitude towards her body image during pregnancy. ‘Metaphors’ is written in a single stanza structure consisting of nine lines each containing nine syllables. Nine is a recurring and significant number in the poem as metaphor and pregnancy both have nine letters and ‘I’ is the ninth letter of the alphabet. It also may be an underlying reference to the nine months of gestation during pregnancy and the impact pregnancy is having on Plath. The poem is written in the form of blank verse without any regular rhyming pattern; however the meter remains consistent with 9 syllables in each line. Plath creates shockingly vivid imagery of her heavily pregnant body and child within; â€Å"An elephant, a ponderous house.† She uses the word â€Å"ponderous† to create an image of her large, lumbering heavily pregnant body and â€Å"house† to show that she is sheltering something precious within. Plath also compares herself to the humorous image of â€Å"a melon on two tendrils.† This makes the reader picture a heavy, round image staggering on two frail, weak legs. The writer’s constant comparison to humorous, ugly objects such as â€Å"a big loaf† and â€Å"a fat purse† highlight the extent of her depression and self-loathing. Although Plath compares herself to a large, unattractive being, she places great value on her unborn child’s life and compares it to many beautiful, valuable objects; â€Å"ivory† â€Å"fine timbers! She uses comparison between the beautiful baby contained within her and her own self-image; â€Å"Money’s new-minted in this fat purse† which clearly represent the ugliness she sees in herself, concealing her precious child within. The writer claims to be;  Ã¢â‚¬Å"a means† where the child will thrive and grow until birth, â€Å"a stage† for her child to develop and grow within and â€Å"a cow in calf† which emphasizes the self-loathing she feels towards the change in her body. In the second last line on the poem, Plath says; â€Å"I’ve eaten a bag of green apples† which could be a reference to the Bible and the apples that tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden and how her over-indulgence followed by painful consequences are a biblical reference to original sin. Plath compares her situation to that of Eve’s, she believes that she too indulged in the sensual pleasure of over-indulgence and is now facing the consequences of her actions. On a more literal level, it may also be that she has over-eaten and feels bloated as this is often common among pregnant women. Plath ponders what the uncertain future holds for her in her last line; â€Å"Boarded the train there’s no getting off.† She implies that the pregnancy is too far advanced to be terminated and she is solely responsible for the new life within her. As the poem progresses, Plath begins to feel helpless towards the last weeks of her pregnancy, facing an uncertain future and she has no control over the outcome. The overall tone of ‘Metaphors’ is a pessimistic one which highlights the extent of the poet’s self-loathing and depression. This may be related to mental health issues the fragile poet suffered from. Plath’s distorted self-image combined with the love she feels for her unborn child and her uncertainty of what the future may hold for her come together to produce a beautiful, highly emotional poem. She successfully incorporates striking yet shocking imagery to engage the reader into her deepest thoughts and feelings and almost sympathise with her situation. Plath leaves us pondering what the future holds for her through her extremely heart-rending, thought provoking poem.

Dress for Success

Assignment #9 – Dress for Success 1. Do you think Cohen had a right to be offended? Why or why not? Cohen had not a right to be offended. She rebuked and wasn’t allowed to attend such an internal meeting; I think it is not appropriate. The older colleague could understand her that was not right dress for the company and she should not attire such dress another time. The colleague could allow her in such internal meeting for first time. The company does not provide the dress information before the meeting; it is the company’s mistake.And Cohen as a new employee, she is unable to know the dress rule for the meeting. So Cohen should have right to attend the meeting at this time. To fix the problem, the company should have dress code policies that include accessory item as well. And each employee must receive a copy of the policy. 2. Does an employer have an unfettered right to set a company’s dress code? Why or why not? Of course, the employer have an unfette red right to set a company’s dress code.The employer has the power to set a company’s dress code, based on the employees is dependency relationship to company. Although I think that the employer should consider many more factors such as belief, values of employees before setting a dress code. A distinct dress code makes a company distinct which will help the company to maintain brand retention and loyalty. When an employer hired the new employees, they should tell the rule of dress code to the new employees. To do so it can drive the employees know and willing to conform the company’s dress code.And setting a dress code in the workplace will have various benefits to the employees as well as to the company. Firstly, having a dress code will ensure that everyone understands what is expected of them and allows protection for the business. Secondly, by having a policy that stipulates what is appropriate and inappropriate this will also ensure that the business and i ts employees can be free of some forms of sexual harassment or favoritism based on a provocative style of a person's clothes.Thirdly, in order to maintain a professional appearance, managers need to dress slightly better than their employees but still within a comfortable or safe realm befitting their work area. 3. How far would you go to conform to an organization’s dress code? If your boss dressed in a relatively formal manner, would you feel compelled to dress in a like manner to manage impressions? I will be highly conformed to an organization’s dress code. An organization the power to set the dress code, I am the employee and am dependency relationship with the organization; so I have no choice beside conform to the dress code.And the dress code can be the rules of the company, I must follow the rules. Boss has the coercive, reward, and legitimate power. So there is no alternative of ingratiation to manage the impression of boss, so I will follow all the ways (exc ept unethical) to ingratiate the boss. If my boss is dressed in a relatively formal manner, I will try to follow my boss’s formality which he/she likes. But I will not feel compelled to dress in a like manner to manage impressions.

A Worn Path, An Analysis :: American Literature, Literary Analysis

I believe the conflict in the story is an internal one. I think it is the conflict between the old woman's will power and Mother Nature. She encounters many obstacles that would influence most people to give up but she has motivation to get her task done. These encounters include a bush catching onto her dress, a scarecrow frightening her and discouragement from a white man. She also had to climb hills, cross streams and crawl under barbed wire fences which is certainly not considered an easy task for an elderly woman.. If I was forced to deal with these obstacles I know that I would most likely have turned around but her will power was too strong to let Mother Nature win. I believe that the climax is on page 91 when Phoenix arrives at the town. "All right. The doctor said as long as you came to get it, you could have it." At this point I felt a huge sigh of relief because the conflict had officially been solved. Phoenix made a journey to get medicine that was necessary for her grandson and she finally got it! It is as though all of her hard work paid off in the end and as the reader I can feel the emotions of the elder woman. Although I feel as though there are many literary elements throughout this short story such as characterization and theme, I also feel as though symbolism is very important as well. First of all, I believe that the name Phoenix in itself is symbolic for the type of person the old woman truly is. A Phoenix is a mythological creature who dies in fire and rises from ashes only to be stronger. It is as though all of these hardships only make the old woman more determined to complete her journey successfully.

A Living Entity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A Living Entity - Essay Example The third and final branch of the criminal justice system is the corrections department, and in this arm includes jails, probation and parole, and prisons (Cohn, 1977). When an offender breaks the law, the police are the first aspect of the corrections department that the offender will encounter. After the arrest and investigations are completed, the person is then taken to the second arm of the criminal justice, that is the courts, where they are tried and if found guilty, are sentenced to serve a prison term, or a different penalty depending on the offense (Cohn, 1977). The court transfers the guilty person to the corrections department that may include serving a prison sentence, probation and house arrest, rehabilitation, and depending on how severe the offense is capital punishment may apply. Emotional labor It is in the background of these responsibilities and duties to a nation that the criminal justice personnel find themselves in difficult situations. One of the aspects of cr iminal justice system that make the profession more emotionally draining than a typical 9-5 job is the need to make sure that justice prevails at all times. This becomes more difficult because the law protects each individual even if the said person is a known offender to the law enforcement. Therefore, the police may find themselves in situations where a known killer or rapist walks free because they are protected by the law. In events where the police are unable to protect a civilian from the acts of a known offender, or in a case where the prosecution fails to prosecute a suspect fully due to different technicalities, such situations may cause a huge emotional turmoil on the part of the criminal justice personnel. In addition to this, members of the criminal justice system often come in contact with victims of heinous and deviant criminal acts that may cause a tremendous emotional effect on the part of the officer. Therefore, in such situations, members of the criminal justice sy stem can be said to have a high influx of emotions compared to other office jobs. Emotional labor according to the definition is a state emotional regulation that manifests itself in public through facial and other physical bodily expressions. Emotional regulation is the ability by an individual to react to different situations in a way that is socially tolerable and acceptable (Mastracci, 2012). In this manner, individuals must be able to know how to conduct themselves when reacting to a given situation or an occurrence. When police officers are involved in life threatening situations, or when arguing in courts, emotions are likely to boil, and certain people may say or act in a comportment that is not professional. An example of such behaviors may include crying, using excessive force, shouting and calling other people unpleasant names (Mastracci, 2012). In criminal justice, it is essential to train law enforcement officers on the need to regulate their emotions to avoid miscarria ge of justice on account emotional outburst. Some of the ways emotional labor can be reduced is through education and attendance seminars on how to handle and control different situations without letting the weight of the event get the better of the

International Business Organisation Report (SWOT Analysis Only) Essay

International Business Organisation Report (SWOT Analysis Only) - Essay Example Strong opportunity lies in expanding its growth. The company has made sure that in addition to its monetary achievements it also takes care of community interests i.e. encouraging legal way of collection of timber3 and avoiding unnecessary wastage of electricity4 etc. By doing so its image among the customers has been strong. For example, to help those struggling families affected by fire accident in Norply factory in Kyogle recently , Bunnings Warehouse in Lismore conducted a special auction5. In today's competitive market, advertising about the product is very crucial which has been followed strictly by the Bunnings ware house Property trust which resulted in creating an opportunity not only in maintaining the present level of customers (20% of the Australian poulation)6 but also in enhancing the customer number for future. 5. Excellent customer satisfaction : The customer representatives are well versed with product details and explain in simple manner to the customers which opened opportunity for higher customer satisfaction. 6. Diversified business activities: To compete with big firms like K Mart and Big W7, it has entered in to garden and nursery services in addition to its hardware activities.

Business in Bangladesh Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business in Bangladesh - Research Paper Example Businessmen may also be faced with the problem of looking for employees who are skilled enough to do the work needed. These are just examples of what businessmen should take into consideration before even attempting to tap into a developing country. I have chosen Bangladesh as the subject developing country for this research paper. As a developing country, it may seem, on its face, that Bangladesh is not usually considered as a profitable country to do business in. However, if we were to omit the financial condition of the Bangladeshis and focus instead on the resources of the country, the situation would be different. Bangladesh is home to an abundant source of agricultural products, particularly coal and gas, as well as other raw materials such as â€Å"lime stone, silicone sand and hard rock,† all of which are used in a variety of industries. At the moment, the country is focused on the garments and textile industry, particularly in the export of cotton materials. Other ind ustries that Bangladesh is involved in include the â€Å"tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizers, sugar and light engineering† (Bangladesh.com). ... The country is, at the moment, already heavily competing with other garments producers such as China, because aside from the cheap labor available, the production of garments do not require the worker to be literate, let alone with an academic degree (Bajaj). Findings In the previous paragraph, pointed out that Bangladesh is already engaged in quite a number of business industries and the country is also rich in natural and agricultural resources. What with all their resource wealth, the country would have been a developed country by now. However, this is obviously not the case because the Bangladeshis fail to utilize what they have properly. Because of the lack of technology and communication systems available, utilization of resources is indeed a challenge. This fact also triggers in an investment drought, where businessmen are afraid to invest in such a country, because they may end up spending more than what they get in return. Before embarking on a business project, businessmen have to first determine the â€Å"core competencies and strengths† of the area where they plan to do business in. To do this, there is a need for companies to seek help from government agencies and other organizations or groups in their target area so they can learn more about the people who live in the same (Engel). Indeed, a smart business move would be to first conduct a thorough study of the business location, the people who are expected to work in the company and the target consumers. In the following sections, I shall point out the factors that contribute to the business environment of a place, and how these factors affect the success of a business. Culture

Interpretive planning Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Interpretive planning - Research Proposal Example in the first section, and in the second section, I have intended to chose one main type of interpretive media from each site as brochures and other Media advertisement strategies in NPA and the online ad placing and feed back forum advertisement in eBay ,and so on, and to assess their effectiveness as interpretive media for the public, and indicate their strengths and weaknesses. When the concept of interpretation is taken it can be explained with two of its attributes as philosophy and theory. Interpretive philosophy. Interpretation in very common term can be seen as just one discipline among many communication disciplines, with each having its own strengths and weaknesses. Our duty is to pick the best in the given. According to Freeman Tilden, who is referred to as the father of interpretation, it is an educational activity that reveals the meaning and relationships by using original objects, first hand experience and illustrative media, rather than simply serving to communicate factual information. To put it in a nutshell ,and assembling all the important elements that forms the keys to successful interpretation is by explaining inter-relationships, enriching visitors' experiences, and interpretation is an ART and not a science. ( Van Matre, 1990 ) When looked upon Philosophy of interpretation , it can be said that it is the parameters in the field interpretive program. As per Tilden interpretation is enrichment for the areas of communication. It can be discussed with three parameters as , (Beck, L & Cable, T 1998) Extension is a process that involves teaching and information flow for a specific outcome of process . Environmental education can be described as the process that helps in recognising values and clarifying concepts ,that would help to develop skills and attitudes necessary to understand and appreciate the interrelatedness among people, their culture and their biophysical surroundings'. Public relations According to Fazio and Gilbert PR could be easily explained as an important mode of communication , whose success in great scale attributes to the managements success. Theory in interpretation-underlying theory is an successful interpretation followed by effective planning helps us to achieve the particular goal. As explained earlier ,interpretation is neither a pure science nor a pure art., so as a result interpretive theory draws on a range of theories with them, with the three main things being, communication, ,recreation theory and the third education theory. (McArthur, S 1998) Communication theory : Communication is the key for any management success and there are different methods and different media whose prime target is to gain empathy with the target public. Recreation theory While communication theory is about 'how' to send the message to the target audience, Recreation theory

The conflict between Russia and Chechen Republic Essay

The conflict between Russia and Chechen Republic - Essay Example But, the 1st Chechen war turned out to be Russia’s Vietnam as Russian army was forced to retreat in 1996. In 1999, Russia started the second Chechnya war which was officially declared successfully over by the Russian federation in 2009. Both the wars caused thousands of causalities and devastating economic and social effects for both the sides (Mirovalev). Even though Russian military operations were officially declared over in Chechnya, the continuous series of terror attacks in Russia, such as 2002 Moscow theatre hostage, 2003 suicide attacks in rock concert, 2004 Russian passenger planes bombings, and in recent, 2010 Moscow subway suicide bombings put a serious question over the Russian government’s declaration of the end of war and the control of situation (Trenin 2; â€Å"Timeline†). The purpose of this research paper is to analyze the Russia-Chechnya conflict through various aspects. By means of various researches and available data, the paper discusses history of the conflict and evaluates overall trajectory of it. Definition of war has always been controversial as there isn’t universal agreement among experts over specific characteristics and attributes of conflict that would categorize it as a war. Political science also doesn’t offer convincing and detailed definition of war (Moseley). For instance, the Correlates of War Project (COW), an academic scientific study on wars, defines war as a military conflict in which the number of battlefield deaths is more than 1000. The definition is clearly invalid as according to the criteria of this definition, the Falklands War, which involved about 900 deaths, can’t be called as a war, but less significant â€Å"Football War† between Honduras and El Salvador with about 2100 causalities qualify as a war (Gvosdev and Stigler). The definition of war is highly dependent on the individual’s perceptions on free will and determinism. Marcus Cicero defines war as â€Å"a violent struggle†; while Karl

Art Fund Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Art Fund Proposal - Essay Example Impressionists did not use color black but rather used dark greens, blues and purples to convey shadows and darkness. The impressionists included Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, August Renoir, and Edgar Degas. They painted en Plein air, meaning that the painting was outdoors and that it tried to capture those fleeting moments of beauty as well as the vivid colors that sunlight illuminated. They were less fascinated in symbolism and in a form. However the main characteristics include relatively thin, small but visible brush strokes, it involves open composition, emphasizes on accuracy in the depiction of lights in its changing qualities, ordinary subject matter, common, visual angles that are unusual and inclusion of movement. I chose to fund on impressionist mostly because of the artists in the group. I feel they were focused and dedicated to painting. For instance Claude, Monate prioritized on the mixing of colors and then afterwards he would think of which image to paint. I also like this category of artwork due to the fact that it was motivated by photography which had started to gain popularity by then and it went on to represent momentary action in the fleeting lights of landscape and day to day lives of people. Examples of artworks Some of the examples of impressionism artworks that would be amusing for acquisition by the fund include Port of Dieppe, evening, 1882, water lilies, 1916 both by Claude Monet, the visitor, about 1880 by Mary Cassatt, at the cafe, about 1879, still life, 1869 by Henry Fantin-Latour Market analysis In determining the marketability of impressionist art, the price indices must be computed. Impressionist art is not a homogeneous commodity and therefore not traded in well organized markets such as stocks and bonds. It has special features which include reputation and reliability which make it be characterized by a hierarchy of sub-markets. The primary market normally involves the artist taking the artwork for sale at local exhibitions, galleries and also taking directly to the customer. This normally serves to give artists an opportunity to signal their abilities mostly to the secondary market. Selling is normally by auctioning (Agnello, 1986, 446). However, auction does not capture the f luctuations in the prices of low demand and paintings that are out of fashion. Factors that may affect demand and supply include external factors such as those characteristics that surround the sale and end up affecting prices as well as returns, sale of out-of-fashion paintings, repeat sales, selling of works that have got a low public interest. The supply is affected by the demand factor and also the availability of funds (Agnello, 1986, 447). The relationship between demand and supply for the impressionism art is similar to that of luxury goods. There is a limited supply, making art have a higher value. Also, exclusivity associated with the art normally leads to higher prices thus affecting the demand curve. The indicators that may point towards the inelastic demand curve include change in taste, threat of substitutes, pricing and accessibility and changes in income (Mamarbachi & Favato, 2013, 4) Performance of the market The vogue to invest in the art has received a large boost from the availability of the art price data (Campbell, 2013, 2). However there are a number of inefficiencies in this market art as an investment has remained risky (Ralevski, 2008, 2)The art market has lead to much stronger economic expansion in some countries including brazil, India, China, Russia and South Africa. China particularly has modified profoundly the geographical structure of the global art market. In Beijing Hong Kong and Singapore their governments support strongly major cultural

Justice with Mercy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Justice with Mercy - Essay Example As defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary Justice is â€Å"the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or assigning the merited rewards or punishments† (Duff and Garland 44). Justly assigning the rewards and punishments associated with an action/infraction are particularly important to a Naval Officer. An officer must impartially distinguish the facts in a non-judicial punishment (NJP) case and issue punishment in a fair, impartial, practical and effective manner. Merriam-Webster also defines justice as â€Å"the quality of being just, impartial, or fair† (Duff and Garland 44). While being impartial will usually be the simple part to a NJP case the issue of being just or fair leaves some ambiguity. From the point of view of Plato, justice is one of the four main cardinal virtues that need to be upheld by all humans (Mill 35). Plato’s student contends that virtuous behavior needs to be at the ce nter stage of human behavior. In his review, this state of fairness is the basement upon which moral maturity is anchored. Just like Aristotle, Plato contends that fairness principle is central to the execution of justice. In this regard, individuals need to be entitled and to get exactly what is due to them. According anything more than whatever they deserve implies that justice in this regard is excessive (Konow 1188). Conversely, according them less of whatever they deserve implies that justice is deficient. Although it could be very difficult to determine and measure the exact amount of what people deserve, the perfect justice principle offers useful insights that can be used to attain this. At this point, it is certain that justice is a virtuous principle that greatly promotes fairness. In particular, it ensures that good persons within the society are rewarded while those who pursue evil deeds are punished accordingly. To a great extent, this enhances harmonic living as a bala nce is maintained between the societal good and evil. In this respect, individuals inhabiting such a society appreciate the importance of the virtue and employ it in restoration and maintenance of social order. Undoubtedly, a society that lacks justice is likely to be characterized by a high degree of disorganization. Examining the Socratic principles we find that justice is entrenched in various ethical principles. In light of utilitarianism for instance, ends must justify the means. In a game of chess, if a parent violates the rules of chess in order to teach the child how to play the games we find that the ends justify the means. Though a trivial example the same application of righteousness of action can be expanded and applied to a larger context. According to Rawls utilitarian moral ethics state that the best action or avoidance of action is determined by the usefulness of the implementation of an action or inaction (Rawls 42). In short, the morally right act or avoidance of a n act is grounded based on the outcome of the action or avoidance of action† (Mill 52). Utilitarians believe that punishment is allowed if it brings greater happiness to the greater number of persons in society. In his research, Rawls emphasizes that punishment is justifiable if it effectively promotes societal interests, otherwise it should be disallowed (Rawls 56). In essence,

Psychological Perspectives for Health and Social Care Essay Example for Free

Psychological Perspectives for Health and Social Care Essay Psychologists uses a range of perspectives and approaches when studying how individuals think, feel and behave. Some researchers may focus on one specific perspective, whilst other researchers study a more diverse approach that may incorporate multiple points of views. Each perspective aims to offer explanations for different aspects of human behaviour. The behaviourist approach’s influence to health care The behaviourist approach is based on the concept of explaining behaviour through observation and the belief in which our environment is what causes us to behave differently. The behavioural learning model learning is the result of conditioning. The foundation of conditioning is that a reward following a desirable response performs as a reinforcer and increases the possibility that the desirable response will be repeated. Reinforcement is said to be the core of the behaviourist approach. Furthermore, once a desired behaviour established, irregular reinforcement maintains the behaviour. The behaviourist theory approaches are frequently used in weight loss, smoking cessation, assertiveness training and anxiety-reduction programs. The significance of frequently and consistently rewarding desired behaviour immediately and not rewarding undesirable behaviour is crucial to the success of a behaviourist approach to learning. The principles of classical conditioning have been applied in many therapies. As its name suggests, behavioural therapy is focused on human behaviour and looks to eliminate unwanted or abnormal behaviour. Typically this type of therapy is used for those with behavioural problems or mental health conditions that involve unwanted behaviour. Examples of this include: addictions, anxiety, and methodical desensitization for phobias, aversion therapy and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Practitioners of behavioural therapy believe that behaviour is learned and can therefore be un-learned through therapy. As well as the behaviour  itself, behavioural therapists will look at thoughts and feelings that lead to the behaviour or occur as a result of the behaviour to comprehend the issue at a greater level. Aversion therapy is a form of treatment that utilizes behavioural principles to eliminate unwanted behaviour as it follows, if all behaviour is learned it can be unlearned. In this therapeutic method, the unwanted stimulus is repeatedly paired with discomfort. The objective of the conditioning process is to command that the individual associates the stimulus with unpleasant or uncomfortable sensations. There are many reasons why behaviour could perhaps be unlearned; this could be due to behaviour in which is destructive or undesirable. These undesirable behaviours come about as individuals associate them with pleasure; the brain learns that, such as, drinking may allow one to feel relaxed a lowers stress levels. This is somewhat fine, however if one becomes reliant on the substance and it begins to take a dominant part in one’s life then this has become an undesirable behaviour. It is one’s choice to unlearn that alcohol equals pleasure. Aversion therapy goes about eliminating this behaviour by attempting to break the association between alcohol and pleasure. The therapy, in the case of alcoholism, involves the patient drinking while together having a negative stimulus directed. The negative stimulus could be an emetic drug (one that causes the patient to vomit when drinking alcohol) such as an emetic drug, one that encouraging vomiting when alcohol is consumed like disulfiram (a synthetic compound used in the treatment of alcoholics to make drinking alcohol produce unpleasant after-effects), or an electric shock administered whenever the patient drinks. In short, then he patient is punished for drinking and, for the same reason a parent punishes a child, a successful outcome is to reduce or completely eliminate their undesirable behaviour. The cognitive approach’s influence to health care Cognitive therapy for depression has its roots in the cognitive theory of depression (Beck, 1967). It is an active, structured, problem-focused, and  time-limited approach to treatment which is based on the premise that depression is maintained by negatively biased information processing and dysfunctional beliefs. Treatment is designed to help patients learn to think more adaptively and thereby experience improvements in affect, motivation, and behaviour. The effectiveness of cognitive therapy for depression has been demonstrated in over 30 clinical trials (Dobson, 1989). The general approach in cognitive therapy for depression involves guiding patients through a number of structured learning experiences. Patients are taught to monitor and write down their negative thoughts and mental images to recognize the association between their thoughts, feelings, physiology, and behaviour. They learn to evaluate the validity and utility of these cognitions, test them out empirically, and change dysfunctional cognitions to reflect a more adaptive viewpoint. As therapy progresses, patients learn to identify, evaluate, and modify underlying assumptions and dysfunctional beliefs that may have predisposed them to depressive reactions. The therapist also teaches (or reactivates) adaptive coping skills such as breaking down large problems into smaller, more manageable steps, and decision-making by cost-benefit analysis. Activity scheduling, self-monitoring of mastery and pleasure, and graded task assignments are commonly used early in therapy to help patients overcome inertia and expose themselves to potentially rewarding experiences. Patients typically require approximately eight sessions to gain a reasonable level of mastery with the model and the skills involved. A significant reduction in symptoms often occurs during this initial stage of therapy. The remaining sessions are used to evaluate and modify dysfunctional beliefs that impair functioning and make the patient vulnerable to future depressive episodes, build relapse prevention skills, and discuss termination issues. According to my research, many patients show a remission of symptoms in 8-12 sessions. A full course of treatment is considered to be 14-16 sessions although severe cases can take longer. Maintenance of treatment gains is enhanced by occasional booster sessions during the first year after one’s termination. The humanistic approach’s influence to health care Humanist learning theorists view learning as a function of the whole person and believe that learning cannot take place unless both the cognitive and affective domains are involved. The individual’s capacity for self-determination is a vital segment of the humanist theory. For example, the humanist theory is used to help post myocardial infarction (a syndrome that involves the inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart); patients regain a sense of personal control over their health care management. The focus of the humanistic perspective is on the self of one individual which translates into you, and your perception of your individual experiences. This approach argues that one is free to choose his own behaviour, rather than responding to environmental stimuli and reinforcers. Issues dealing with one’s self-esteem, self-fulfilment, and requirements are seen as dominant. The key focus is to assist one’s personal development. Two major theorists associated with this view are Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow. All patients grow with success and do better when achievements are recognized and reinforced. Respecting the whole person in a supportive environment can encourage learning. Learning is also fostered through structuring information appropriately and presenting it in meaningful segments with appropriate feedback. There are a vast variety of conditions that should be encountered before an individual can develop on becoming self-actualized. According to the ‘needs hierarchy’ described by Abraham Maslow, individuals must first secure their basic organismic needs (including adequate food, clothing and shelter necessary to keep them alive). Having achieved the essentials, they next build up and work to achieve: a feeling of adequate safety, a sense of belonging (to one or more social groups and relationship), and a sense of self-respect and social respect. Self-actualization, the drive for one to do all that he desires to do with his life, is something that only occurs as a influence of behaviour after all the earlier needs are adequately satisfied and a state of contented happiness is achieved. For instance, the media create unrealistic, and for most individuals  unattainable ‘ideal’ image, especially for women and adolescent girls. The majority of models exposed publicly are greatly below the ‘normal’ weight for their age and height. In the humanistic vision, human dysfunctions are caused by a faulty or interrupted development process; essentially human issues regarding to immaturity, or commonly of the social/emotional variety. The aim of humanistic therapy is to promote social or emotional maturity and growth. Through assisting service user’s to resume their disrupted developmental processes in healthy directions, patients are helped by professionals in order to grow up and out the of the immature mental and emotional states that contribute to the pain one may feel or cause pain upon others. The psychodynamic approach to health care Anxiety is a feeling of worry, extreme nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. The condition gives of an uncomfortable feeling of fear or an approaching disaster and could perhaps negatively reflects the thoughts and bodily reactions an individual may encounter when presented with a situation that is unable to be managed. When an individual experiences the feelings of anxiety, their thoughts may often actively assess the different situations without intentionally doing so; the individual may too develop predictions of how they will cope founded on past experiences. Despite the fact that some anxiety is a normal response to difficult and stressful circumstances, whereas the anxiety level is abnormally high an individual may lack the awareness of how to effectively control the issue. Anxiety can take many forms, and several of these may consist of: An intense physical response due to the arousal of the nervous system leading to the physical symptoms (which may involve the racing of a heartbeat). A cognitive response referring to the thought about the issue and the individuals ability to manage with it. Those which encounter the condition of anxiety may often feel negative about most situations and think unenthusiastic thoughts. A behavioural response which could consist avoidance or unusual behaviour including aggression, restlessness or  irrational behaviour. An emotion response reflecting the high level of distress the individual is confronted with. There is just not one cause of anxiety, however there are a number of factors that could contribute to the development of anxious thoughts, feelings and behaviour. The many factors comprise of: Hereditary many research has suggested that those with a family history of anxiety are more likely to also develop anxiety. Biochemical reasons Research suggests that individuals who experience a high level of anxiety may have an imbalance of chemicals in the brain that regulate feelings and physical reactions. Certain life experiences Particular life experiences can allow individuals more vulnerable to anxiety. Events such as a family break-up, abuse, ongoing bullying, and/or workplace conflict can be stress factors that challenge a persons coping resources and leave them in a vulnerable state to experiencing anxiety. https://www.psychology.org.au/publications/tip_sheets/anxiety/ References: Euromed Info [Online] Available from: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/behavioral-cognitive-humanist-approaches.html/ (Date accessed 19/01/15) Cognitive-behavioural approaches and weight management: an overview. (2000) [Online] Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10918780 (Date accessed 19/01/15) Cognitive Therapy for Depression [Online] Available from: http://www.apa.org/divisions/div12/rev_est/cog_depr.html (Date accessed 19/01/15) What Is Aversion Therapy? (2015) [Online] Available from: http://psychology.about.com/od/typesofpsychotherapy/f/aversion-therapy.htm (Date accessed 09/02/15] DEPRESSION: MAJOR DEPRESSION UNIPOLAR VARIETIES (2015) [Online] Available from: http://www.swamh.com/poc/view_doc.php?type=docid=9714cn=5 (Date accessed 09/02/15) Humanistic Approach (2015) [Online] Available from: http://www.psychologistworld.com/issues/humanistic-approach.php [Date accessed 09/02/15] Theory in Humanistic Psychology [Online] Available from: http://www.depression-guide.com/humanistic-psychology-therapy.htm [Date accessed 11/02/15] Psychotherapy (2015) [Online] Available from: http://www.gulfbend.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=docid=10441 [Date accessed 11/02/15] Aversion Therapy Alcoholism Drug Therapy (2013) [Online] Available from: http://www.the-alcoholism-guide.org/aversion-therapy.html [Date accessed 11/02/15]

The condition known as delirium

The condition known as delirium Introduction This assignment will examine the condition known as delirium and will focus on a clinical case study (please see appendix 1. for the full overview of the clinical case study) of a gentleman called Halim* who has presented in the emergency department with his two daughters. This assignment will be separated into two distinct parts; the first part of this assignment will provide a clinical overview of delirium and will explore what the condition is, the common features, clinical causes and interventions available to manage and treat the condition. This will provide the reader with an understanding of the components that constitute the condition of delirium. The second part of the assignment will then focus on placing the acquired knowledge of delirium on to the clinical case study of Halim so that a more detailed clinical exploration can be completed; with focus being placed on the role of the practitioner and their interventions in addressing the key issues. *To protect and respect client confidentiality all names have been changed and any identifiable data censored for the purpose of this assignment. Delirium Clinical Overview Delirium, also sometimes referred to as an acute confusional state, is a common clinical condition that presents with individuals experiencing disturbances in consciousness, cognitive function and perception, which has an acute onset and fluctuating course (NICE, 2010). The important clinical characteristic of a delirium is that the onset is quite rapid; it may present and develop within a very short period of time, usually over the course of a few hours or days (Brown Boyle, 2002). It is not uncommon for an individual to present to hospital settings with symptoms of delirium and it is important to acknowledge that individuals who already are hospital inpatients or in a care setting may also develop delirium; it is a condition that traverses the inpatient and community settings. Literature suggests that there are two types of delirium; hypoactive delirium is characterised by individuals experiencing withdrawal, lethargy, introversion and sleepiness whereas people with hyperactive delirium have heightened arousal, restlessness, agitation and aggression (NICE, 2010). There is also a third variation where individuals may experience a mixture of both hyper and hypoactive symptoms which can make diagnosis very difficult. It is suggested that delirium can often be mistaken for dementia, worsening of pre-existing cognitive problems and old age; however delirium is a clinical syndrome that differs from these other conditions as it is the sudden and acute onset that tends to vary throughout the course of the day that identifies it as delirium rather than any other disorder (Meagher, 2001). It is reported frequently within the literature (Wong et al., 2010; NICE, 2010; Meagher, 2001; Brown Boyle, 2002; Cole, 2004 and Siddiqi House, 2006) that patients with delirium experience a reduced ability to focus and concentrate; perceptual disturbances which includes delusions, paranoia and hallucinations; fluctuations in presentation; difficulty in following conversation or direction; rambling or changing topic; disorganised thinking and disturbances in consciousness. In addition to these clinical symptoms there also may be mood disturbances and changes in neurological presentation with individuals experiencing changes in muscle tone, tremor and involuntary jerking (Map of Medicine, 2011). Delirium occurs due to underlying physical pathology (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) and although symptoms may present as symptoms of mental illness the condition itself has originated usually from some kind of underlying infection, disease or event that has impacted on the individuals physical health status (Wong et al., 2010). Examples of possible causes for delirium include; hypovolaemic shock, cardiac failure, myocardial infarction, head trauma, seizure, metabolic disorders such as liver or renal failure, fluid and electrolyte imbalance, infection, malignancy, dehydration, post operative state, pain, constipation or urinary retention. In addition to these common causes delirium may also be induced by individuals experiencing complications from drug interactions and withdrawal; and included in this is prescribed medications, illicit drugs and alcohol (Map of Medicine, 2010). Delirium is a very serious condition and it cannot be underestimated as the mortality rate for individuals is very high even after discharge from hospital for up to 12 months (McCusker et al., 2002), other complications from delirium also include patients having to stay longer in hospital which means they are exposed longer to hospital acquired infections, persistent cognitive deficits and an increased risk of the individual being discharged into residential care rather than return to living independently are also factors (Wong et al., 2010). With the symptoms of delirium presenting as the onset of an acute mental illness it is possible for debate to arise as to which clinical team should be responsible for the management of the patient; additionally; in light of the evidence presented; it would be easy for the individual with delirium to be overlooked or not be investigated for the reasons behind the onset of the condition which is probably why the mortality rate is so high; underlying physical conditions that are not assessed, treated or managed will continue to affect the health status of the individual. Statistically more than half of delirium cases go unrecognised by health professionals (Inouye et al., 1998). Prevention of delirium is more effective than treating it once it has developed (Brown Boyle, 2002) therefore it is important for healthcare professionals to be aware of the risk factors, symptoms and causes of delirium for individuals under their care either in hospital or in the community. If delirium has already developed then it is the responsibility of the healthcare team to manage the condition quickly and efficiently to reduce further problems and difficulties for the individual; recognizing the mortality rates associated with a diagnosis of delirium should facilitate efficiency. To assist with obtaining a clearer clinical perspective of delirium and the impact it has on an individual a clinical case study shall now be explored. Halim Clinical Exploration Halim was admitted to the emergency department and when the clinical history was obtained from his daughters it was identified that there had been a rapid change in his cognitive status which had been observed within a 24 hour period as his daughter had not been alerted to any concerns when she had spoken to him the previous evening. In light of the evidence it is possible for practitioners at this point to consider that Halim has developed an acute syndrome such as delirium and the next stage is to explore this further. On completion of the basic observations it was evident that there are physical abnormalities present. From visual observation of the patient it is clear he has altered mental status, dry skin and cracked lips. From clinical measurement of heart rate, blood pressure, temperature and oxygen saturation levels, there is further evidence of physical abnormalities that may contribute to changes in cognitive function to such an acute degree. Obtaining clinical history often involves information being sought from third parties to support clinical findings particularly if the patient is impaired cognitively. Halims daughters were able to give an account of a gentleman who had experienced marital problems and divorce due to alcohol misuse and evidence remains that he continues to consume alcohol regularly. In addition to this there is a history reported of Halim neglecting his diet to the extent his daughters provide food for him when they visit, he also engages in health limiting behaviours by smoking and consuming high levels of caffeine on a daily basis. The history obtained from Halims daughters identifies a gentleman who is successfully self- employed, he has hobbies and interests although his social network has reduced and although he engages in health limiting behaviours such as smoking, drinking alcohol and neglecting his dietary needs; he has remained independent within his own home. The evidence suggests there has been an acute change and with this information and the clinical evidence indicating Halim is experiencing tachycardia, high temperature, hypotension and dehydration the clinical evidence provides a strong indication that he is experiencing symptoms of delirium. Further investigations are required to gain a greater understanding of what physical changes have occurred so that underlying causes are treated, however the practitioner should take some time to explain to the family members what tests are being completed and what the medical team are treating Halim for. The family must be very distressed by the changes to their father and by communicating the outcomes of the assessment and responding to any questions they may have will be beneficial as it is reported that the experience of delirium is frightening for both the patient and their carers and the value of reassurance cannot be underestimated (Mohta et al., 2003; Jacobson Schreibman, 1997). Managing Halim in terms of obtaining his consent to agree to treatment and investigations may be difficult because of the level of cognitive change and because his understanding and judgement may be impaired because of the delirium; therefore it is important that the practitioner and family are familiar with legal frameworks and hospital policies that are in place to ensure the rights of all parties are being protected. An example of this would be practitioners being familiar with the hospitals delirium policy, being well versed in patients rights and by having knowledge about legislation such as the Mental Capacity Act (The Stationary Office, 2005). As stated previously the experience of delirium may be frightening for Halim and therefore the practitioner should endeavour to implement nursing and care strategies that reduce distress, improve orientation, address physical health status and ultimately minimise the duration and impact of the delirium. Examples of the interventions that can be implemented include; working with the multi disciplinary team to treat the underlying cause of the delirium. This may include providing pain control, regulation of bowel and bladder function, ensuring adequate diet and fluid intake is promoted and recorded. Another intervention that is reported to be effective in supporting patients with delirium is for care staff to provide a safe and therapeutic environment. This would mean that Halim is offered reassurance and support, all activities are carefully explained; and for Halim this may mean that a Farsi speaking interpreter is found to facilitate communication between him and the medical team as he reverts to the language of his birth when speaking with the clinicians. In expanding the opportunity to communicate with Halim, this may increase his comprehension of what the medical team are trying to achieve and reassure him that the procedures being carried out; like attempting to obtain a urine screen. Due to the life threatening nature of Delirium it is essential for all physical screens and assessments to be carried out to ensure early identification of the reason for the onset of the condition, if the therapeutic interventions are unable to be implemented due to Halim remaining agitated and acutely confused then as a last resort medication may be considered in an attempt to reduce his level of arousal enough to ensure clinical procedures and care can be delivered. Psychotropic medication can be prescribed in delirium in an attempt to reduce the levels of distress and agitation and for Halim it may be beneficial to ease his levels of arousal enough so that medical interventions can take place; it is important to note however that psychotropic medications have side effects that include; extra pyramidal side effects, mobility impairment, sedation and cardiac interaction therefore they must be used with extreme caution and Halim should be monitored closely. Conclusion Halim has presented to the emergency department with a delirium and the impact of this on his health and welfare should not be underestimated by practitioners. With mortality rates in delirium being worthy to note it is essential that care pathways are developed to ensure the physical health and mental wellbeing of patients like Halim are met concurrently. Clinical, environmental and behavioural interventions are acknowledged to reduce the impact, intensity and duration of the condition; therefore practitioners should work intensively to ensure a delirium presentation is treated efficiently and effectively to ensure mortality rates are reduced and recovery is facilitated as quickly as possible.

Congo Rainforest Ecosystem

Congo Rainforest Ecosystem Kaili Zhang There is a plethora of research on rainforests ecosystem, but the Congo forest has received little apprehension. By comparing to other tropical forests, this ecosystem remains astoundingly healthy. However, its size has significantly reduced due to the impending degradation. It extends over 13 countries that lie within the equator (CARPE, 2013). This region is a home of developing countries where people rely directly on the forest resources for their survival. For this reason, the habitat receives immense threat with its hardwood and biodiversity slowly degraded. Suffice to say that the healthy state of the forests is due to the conservation measures that focus on managing the resources from the imminent danger of the growing population. It has sophisticated hydrological network with Congo River portraying a huge source of water across West Africa. This ecosystem presents enormous benefits to the balance of ecology and existence of diversity. Location The absolute location of Congo rainforest is 99Â ° North and 79Â ° west. It lies within the equatorial region of central Africa. This ecosystem stretches along the Democratic republic of Congo, Guinea, Equatorial, and Rwanda. This is a stretch along the equator, thus cutting across most of the central African countries. Climate This rainforest does well with ostensibly high precipitation, humidity, and temperature. For that reason, it shows a relatively high rainfall with two seasons of March-June and August-November. It has about 117 raining days annually. In this case, an average of 1800mm of rainfall is received within this ecosystem. The dry season begins in November stretches through to March. Temperatures in this place hits high pitch to support the robust vegetation. Here temperatures show stability throughout the seasons with an average of 15Â °C difference of day and night temperatures. In essence, the region has a range of 20Â °-27Â °C annually. However, regions along the rivers and stream often become cool up to 12Â °C (Abernethy, Coad, Taylor, Lee, Maisels, 2013). On the other hand, the humidity maintains at high levels due to the evergreen vegetation. It is usually ranging at 80-90% degrees. The rivers and the rich vegetation support the hydrological system that maintains the conventional rainfall within the region. With high evapotranspiration, it is obvious that the corresponding precipitation will be high. Apparently, the factual evidence of high temperature is because of its location, which is the equator. Therefore, the sun is always shining in the region for about 12 hours daily. With the healthy vegetation, this energy is retained, thus keeping the ecosystem warm. Weather and its patterns In essence, this region is under the tropical climate classification portrayed by high temperatures and high precipitation. It experiences extreme weather pattern due to the underlying emissions, with significant changes in temperatures. In most cases, Congo Forest has extensive cold day and nights with also more hot days and nights. The emissions seem substantial for these changes. Landforms The areas depict a gorge surrounding a valley. Mount Foungouti running in the far south rises above 930 meters with its northern raise being 650 meters. The areas show a sedimentary rock with sand and gravel evident across the forest. However, the top soils are usually replenished due to frequent runoffs that remove organic matter. In the lowlands, the soils are rich of humus from the decaying plants and animals. In this area the soils presents aluminum oxides and iron. Evidently, the region is a low-lying basin that shows little tectonic activities. Most of the geologic activities have ceased for years showing that the area is stable. The heavy rainfall mainly orchestrates erosion and weathering. This is the major agent of erosion; however, the closely compacted vegetation detains its effect. Therefore, the soils in this region are still young showing less vegetation, but high organic processes. Drainage pattern The Congo basin demonstrates a Mosaic drainage pattern in that its tributaries arise within a circular form within the ecosystem. River Congo is a central component of hydrology for this ecosystem. It is the second largest river globally for its volume. It has a mosaic structure of rivers with its tributaries converging at the far west to form the Congo River. It has a discharge of 40,000 m3/s causing great erosion through abrasion, scouring, and lifting earth along its course. In this case, the river shall have enormous deposits in form of alluvial compounds downstream and into the Atlantic Ocean. During the raining season, flooding occurs in the region since the R. Congo bursts its bank at this time spreading to the neighboring villages. In the quest to avoid excessive drainage, the region has invested in structural techniques. Along the rivers, there are dykes that help in reducing the velocity of water. Consequently, gibbons and erection of rock walls along the riverbanks come out as the popular structural ways of mitigating flooding. Biome The ecosystem is a tropical forest with relatively high temperatures, rainfall, and humidity. With high rainfall and huge pile of litter, decomposition is slow making the soils devoid of nutrients. The ecology inhabits vast biodiversity with over 10000 species of plants with 30% endemic to this region. Consecutively, it houses endangered wildlife like elephants, bonobo, mountain gorillas, and the chimpanzees (Turvey, 2012). In addition, the ecosystem has decomposers like earthworms, bacteria, mushroom, banana slug, and fungus. The dominant autotrophs come out as the Caesalpiniacae trees, papyrus, Cyperaceae, Okoume trees, and Echnochloa (Chamber Roberts, 2014). Ecosystem characteristics and services Congo rainforest is one of the tropical ecosystems that have high primary production. Therefore, it has a profound ability to support diverse organisms from secondary producers to decomposers or scavengers. It has many canopies with tall trees supported by stretching taproots. This prevents underground growth, thus less detritus activities. The different canopies support adverse communities of birds, animals, and butterflies. This ecosystem has diverse services like supporting of the entire ecology. They offer energy due to the vast tree and plant communities that in turn allows for nutrients cycling up the chain among consumers and detritus. It is therefore, a critical place for the storage of food and energy. Moreover, the region offers provision services in form of raw materials like wood, water, minerals, food, medicines, or ornaments. The communities have used certain trees like the bromeliads and Epiphytic orchids as medicines for decades. The other service is their cultural significance as they offer sanctuary for native and traditional religious practices. Finally, this ecosystem demonstrates a crucial place in regulating services. Apparently, it has a huge carbon sink and enhances the purification of air and water. For this reason, the Congo forest is one of the areas of carbon sequestration, thus the regulation of climate. Habitat It is a habitat of diverse populations of endangered and threatened species. The forest is one of the wildest tropical habitats for animals like mountain gorillas and the forest elephants. The canopies houses birds with over 100 species endemic to this habitat. Most of the snake here are only present in this habitat. Certain plants and animal communities tend to be robust over the rest. The okapi, apes, mouse deer, chimpanzee, elephants, and monkeys are the main primary consumers with the leopards, crocodiles, and lions as the secondary consumers. On the other hand, African oak, mahogany, and red cedar, which are broad leaves trees dominate this ecosystem at the higher canopy. Food web This ecosystem portrays an exemplary food web with crocodiles, leopards, and lions on the higher trophic level. The primary production ranges from vegetation to tree fruits. The okapi, apes, and mouse deer supports the secondary consumers. At the lower level of the trophic level are the insects, fungi, and bacteria. The food chain often takes a simple route from the producer right to decomposition. For instance; Tree fruitselephant banana slugs The forest elephant is a relatively smaller than the other African elephant making it fit for the ecological niche. They forage on trees leaves and shrubs. Their skin is difficult for predation and large enough to scare away predators. In essence, they can circumvent under trees due to their small size. This animal is best situated for the tropical rainforest ecosystem, more so its influence in facilitating the germination of African eggplant that has to pass through their duct. In this ecosystem, there is different symbiotic interaction. The bonobo-dialium interaction is one of the positive mutualism within the forest. Dialium tree species are dominant in the region and produce sweet juicy fruits that the Bonobo feeds on. The Bonobo in turn digests the fruits passing the seeds along their guts, thus degrading the hard cuticle and after releasing the seeds in their feces, they are able to germinate. The Bonobo through endozoochory helps Dialium in seed germination and dispersal, thus maintaining their population. On the other hand, a strangler fig is one of the parasites that grow in tree and by reaching up they cover the tree denying them light for photosynthesis later killing them. This is common in the high canopies of Congo forest. Evidently, the human-land interaction comes out as the major threat to the sustainability of this forest. People engage in illegal poaching and encroachment of forest for wood and timber. This has led to the extensive degradation of the forests causing a magnanimous loss of different habitats. Activities such as mining of gold have led to destruction of large tracts of forests within the area. This ecosystem is stable, though it has had numerous anthropogenic threats. However, organizations like WWF and local conservation agencies have ensured that encroachment is minimized and forge to protect endangered species like the bush elephants. The banning of elephant products is a critical step in the preservation of this ecosystem. Works Cited Abernethy, K. A., Coad, L., Taylor, G., Lee, M. E., Maisels, F. (2013). Extent and ecological consequences of hunting in Central African rainforests in the twenty-first century . Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, Vol. 368, Iss. 1625, 1. CARPE. (2013). The Forests of the Congo Basin. A Preliminary Assessment, 1=39. Chamber, J. Q., Roberts, D. A. (2014). Ecology: Drought in the Congo Basin . Nature, 509 , 36-37. Turvey, M. (2012, November 7 ). The Congo Basin. Retrieved November 22, 2014, from Prezi: https://prezi.com/utopv9ph0a7k/the-congo-basin/

Social inequality in 1820s Essay examples -- essays papers

Social inequality in 1820s Social equality has been a goal of America since its very beginning. However, it was only an intention to be socially equal, but not a goal. Social equality or the fact that all men were created equal only applied to the white man. There was no intention in meaning that the blacks and Indians or even the women were equal. In the eyes of the delegates, and the common white majority, blacks, indians, and women were not an issue. To them, it was apparent that blacks were kids, Indians were savages, and women were homemakers. From the late 18th century to the mid 19th century was the greatest era of social and racial inequality in all American history. The Declaration of Independence states, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." This infamous passage written by Thomas Jefferson on July 4th, 1776, states that ALL men are created equal and are entitled to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. Although this statement has been argued about its actual meaning hundreds of times by students, philosophers, historians, etc., it still is relevant in discussing the true intentions of the new nation. If all men were created equal then why were there slaves? Why did the government deny the Indians of their rights? Why was there so much injustice? That phrase simply meant that all free citizens were politically equal. This did not apply to blacks or women under the eyes of the signers. As time went by, the meaning "All Men are created equal" took a meaning different t han that of the common people in 1776. The years following the establishment of the new nation were times of refining and tuning of the new government. The question of the true meaning of "All Men are Created Equal" arised again and again until it influenced the minds of Americans that is was time for social equality. In order to understand the reasons why blacks were treated so cruelly and socially unequal is to understand the perspective of whites in the era from the late 18th century to the late 19th century. "It (the south) must pettify the institution and its own reactions, must begin to boast at its own Great Heart. To have heard them talk, indeed, you would have thought the sole reason ... ...m to move in the dead of winter. In other words, the Indians were said to have had rights, but never really had any because the American Government constantly changed the rules because of their lack of respect towards the Indians and their belief that they were inferior. In Conclusion, the period between the late 18th century to the mid 19th century was one of the most socially and racially unequal times in all of AMerican History. The rights described in our Declaration of Independence were irrelevant to minorities, the assumption that "All Men Are Created Equal" was only applied to white men and not minorities like Blacks and Indians. Blacks were treated like children in this period, thought to be inferior and uncivilized and therefore not even rights. Even worse, Indians were promised rights and land, only to have both stripped from them by the American government through means of "treaties", agreements, and war. This period was truly one of the most wrong and unequal periods of American History, however, it was a landmark in the creation of a new nation. While all these social inequalities existed, America flourished and grew to be one of the greatest nations in the world.

Sin, Guilt and Shame in The Pardoners Tale Essay -- The Canterbury Ta

   Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Pardoner's Tale," a relatively straightforward satirical and anti-capitalist view of the church, contrasts motifs of sin with the salvational properties of religion to draw out the complex self-loathing of the emasculated Pardoner. In particular, Chaucer concentrates on the Pardoner's references to the evils of alcohol, gambling, blasphemy, and money, which aim not only to condemn his listeners and unbuckle their purses, but to elicit their wrath and expose his eunuchism. Chaucer's depiction of the Pardoner in "The General Prologue" is unsparing in its effeteness; he has "heer as yelow as wax/ But smoothe it heeng as dooth a strike of flex/ By ounces heenge his lokkes that he hadde...But thinne it lay, by colpons, oon by oon" (677-681). The pale, lanky qualities of his hair relate to his androgynous makeup, and the repetition of "heeng" ironically foreshadows his castration. Further hints of the Pardoner's being a eunuch, such as "A vois he hadde as smal as hath a goot/ No beerd hadde he, ne never shold have," are interspersed between description of his "feined flaterye and japes" that accompany his selling of false relics (707). The assumption can be drawn that the Pardoner's status as a man is also one of "feined flaterye and japes," that he relies on words to compensate for what he considers a body as fraudulent as his relics. In this sense, the relics become a substitute for the Pardoner's loss of masculinity, yet also a symbol of his incompleteness. The Pardoner's need to flaunt them corresponds with his desire to boast of his hypocrisy, a preemptive, self-deprecating strike that ensures future resentment from his audience: "Thus can I preche again that same vice/ Which th... ... I wol thee helpe hem carye./ They shal be shrined in an hogges tord" (664-7). The Pardoner is speechless, and his repressed motive to expose the direct connection between his relics and his testicles is finally made by someone else. After the knight restores tranquillity, it leads one to wonder whether the Pardoner's underlying intent may have been to expiate his guilt and face his shame.    Works Cited and Consulted Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales in The Riverside Chaucer. General Ed. Benson, Larry D. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1987.   Pichaske, David R.  Ã‚  Ã‚   "Pardoner's Tale." The Movement of the Canterbury Tales: Chaucer's Literary Pilgrimage.   New York:   Norwood Editions, 1977   Rossignol, Rosalyn.  Ã‚   "The Pardoner's Tale."   Chaucer A to Z: The Essential Reference to His Life and Works.  Ã‚   New York:   Facts On File, Inc., 1999   

Battle of Ap Bac :: essays research papers

Battle of Ap Bac final draft   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the early times of the Vietnam War there were two main sides, the Viet Cong who were rebels and opposed the South Vietnamese government, and the ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) which was on the side of the South Vietnamese government. This was one the very first times these two opposing forces had met in battle. On January 2, 1963 the battle of Ap Bac proved to be much more than a normal battle. Many things happened there that were unclear and not resolved. There were many different stories of what happened those days at Ap Bac. This paper will portray what I believed happened at Ap Bac given the evidence at hand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The two accounts that I read had many holes and missing parts that I found to be not credible. Account two clearly states that ARVN had forces of over three thousand troops mostly from the Seventh Infantry Division, and the Viet Cong with only two hundred forty soldiers with the help of fifty guerrillas. Later on in account two it says that after the battle the ARVN lost sixty one troops with a hundred or more injured, and the Viet Cong only an estimated twelve. Right off the start this seems completely unrealistic. And here is why the ARVN had nearly ten to one odds with exceptionally superior fire power consisting of helicopters, artillery, and armed vehicles and only manage to kill twelve enemy soldiers. Also what I have learned from the past is that the government often does not give an exact number of people that died suggesting that the numbers came from another source which I found to be not credible. In account two it says â€Å"ARVN losses were heavy (si xty-one killed and about one hundred wounded.† The numbers in account two appear to be much too exact. Account two is very much statistical and everything is based on or around statistics which to me looks unbelievable. The second account is seen as a major loss and the ARVN were unable to overrun the out numbered Viet Cong. It seems to me to be a story that was built up very high and had lots of power like a tale of a heroic infantry, and then shot down and demolished into nothing but talk.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the contrary account one seems to be much more realistic and truthful.

Case

It is obviously that the senior partner that I have made an appointment with already has done her ‘interviews' with different competitors who is trying to selling the similar product to the same person. The senior partner IS already done her homework between the four or five competitors, including the office machine you are trying to sell. When the senior partner asked me about why my machine is better than bran X; I simply reinstated the benefits of why my machine is better than bran X. I gave the best pitch I could to her with all of my true knowledge about the office machine and benefits that would help her.There are some â€Å"What l? ‘ scenarios that could of played out with my appointment with the prospect: 1 . Could of told the senior partner that the machine that am selling to her has this many more features, benefits, and any other small function and exaggerate its description. This would have been an unethical conflict because I am pitching false advertisement to my buyer, whether or not it is true or false. 2. Another way that I could of responded to her is to say that my machine is the best because of this and that, and flat out say a little white lie. It would have been easy to tell her a little white lie about our office machines. Could of thrown out the paper or even crumple up the paper and say that the company's marketing research of the Brand X 2000 is full of crap. That company is trying to make themselves look better than the rest, and put down their competitors, whether or not I know it was an obvious lie. If was to do any one of the three that I have just listed, that would of bee an ethical conflict. If I was to tell her little white lies, that would be another ethical conflict between the company and the prospect. Companies want to build a relationship with their potential buyers, and continue to grow the allegations.By having an employee from the company lie to their buyers would crumble the relationship, potentially ending it. This ethical conflict would not be just any ethical conflict, but a business ethical conflict. However, I believe that there is an business ethical conflict that occurred in this case. The business ethical conflict is how the company, the one company the prospect has in mind, gave her their Market Research Brand X, 2000. It violated the business ethic code. That specific business is targeting their competitors, bring their reputation down, allowing that company to shine above the rest.My response to the chart on the piece of paper was neutral and was the most professional response, despite how angry I was. Would you try to reverse your prospect's decision? Why or Why not? I would not try to reverse my prospect's decision, especially if it seems like she has a) basically made up her mind on which machine to get, but needs ensure that she listened to the different office machines and b) she did her ‘homework' on the competitors office machine. The reason why would not rever se is because if she is almost certain on which type of office machine to SE, it would be a waste of both, the prospect's and mine's time. Case Bed Bath & Beyond (B&B, vim. Featherbedding. Comb the power retailer of domestics and home furnishings, has annual sales of $7 billion and a net Income of $562 million. The firm's profitability can be explained by Its Increasing gross profit margins at the same time It decreases selling, general, and administrative (AS) expenses as a percent of sales.B Is able to Increase Its gross profit margins due o Its excellent atmosphere, wide assortments, and a deep variety within most merchandise lines. Its control over AS expenses is partly due to the outsourcing of its distribution centers to a third party. B has opened hundreds of stores over the last few years, ranging in size from 30,000 to 80,000 square feet. Because it uses a flexible real-estate strategy, B is able to situate in a variety of locations. B is now also being allowed into large shopping centers. In the past, department store anchor tenants blocked B.In 2004, B had about 630 stores with a total of 20. Million square feet o f store space. By the end of 2008, these numbers had expanded to nearly 1,000 stores with 31 million square feet of store space. Its long-term goal is to operate 1,300 stores. In addition, B plans to remodel and expand many existing stores. In 2003, B purchased Christmas Tree Shops (www. Chromatography's. Com), a chain of stores specializing in software and household items. Although the Christmas Tree Shops' name suggests that it concentrates on Christmas merchandise, the chain Is positioned against Pier 1 (win. . Piper . Com). In March 2007, 88&8 acquired buybuyBABY (www. buybuybaby. Com), a retailer specializing in infant and toddler merchandise. In December 2007, B opened Its first foreign 88&8 store In Ontario, Canada. In May 2008, B purchased a 50 percent equity Interest In Home & More, a Mexican home goods retailer that operated two stores In Mexico City. B management (as well as many retail analysts) attributes the chain's strong sales performance to Its superior customer ser vice. B&B Is obsessive about Its consumers receiving a consistently high level of customer service.For example, one cent shopper at a suburban Long Island store reported that a sales clerk was highly attentive: When the shopper asked the clerk where she could find a set of dishes listed on a bridal registry, the clerk immediately dropped what she was doing. The clerk then located the dishes and stood by the shopper as she decided whether to purchase the set and even had the dishes brought to a nearby checkout so that the the checkout to facilitate the transaction. In 2008, B&B was tied for second place in an annual study of the top â€Å"20 Most Competitive Retailers† in the United States.The study, conducted by Capering win. Capering. Com) and W Ratings Corporation (handwritings. Com), measured the ability of retailers to beat consumer expectations and deliver superior profitability. Each firm's rankings were based on its profits over the prior five years and the responses f rom a sample of 6,000 consumers. Questions 1. Explain how Bed Bath & Beyond practices the retailing concept. 2. Evaluate Bed Bath & Beyond growth plans. 3. How can Bed Bath & Beyond further increase the overall quality of its customer service? 4. Explain the concept of value from the perspective oaf Bed Bath & Beyond customer. Case Research on the history of Jet Blue (operational and performance highlights/ lowlights/milestones from 2000 to present) a. Identify the â€Å"strategic service vision† of Jet Blue, I. E. , target market, service concept, operating strategy, and service delivery system. Did their operating strategy and delivery system support the needs of their target market? B. From the research facts, did the owners/management of Jet Blue strictly adhere to their strategic service vision? Cite specific instances in their history to support your answer. C. How did Jet Blue achieve competitive advantage?What nominative service strategy did they use? Explain thoroughly. 2. What are the indicators used to measure quality and satisfaction in the airline industry? How did Jet Blue perform in terms of airline quality and satisfaction ratings through the years relative to Southwest and Air Train Airways? 3. How did Jet Blue perform on important airline metrics such as â€Å"cost per available seat m ile† relative to its competitors? 4. What do you mean by block time or block hours? A. How did Jet Blue and Its pilots perform on this productively metric relative to competitors? B. Given the figures and the facts, what do you think contributed to JetBlue's emotionally of productivity? C. Discuss the technology tool called â€Å"operational recovery system† that Jet Blue uses. How did this tool help Jet Blue achieve aircraft productivity? 5. Identify Jet Blue's service qualifiers, service winners and service losers. 6. Compare the routes flown by Jet Blue and Southwest. How did the choice of routes flown by these two airlines contribute to their success in the industry? Now that Southwest has entered the Boston route, what should Jet Blue's strategy be in order to retain its customers in that area? Lessons: 1. Crawls management preparedness Is a must! Service recovery can be viewed as a means to establish a loyal customer base. Case 4 By Clark Dustin-Young lowlights/mi lestones from 2000 to present) a. Identify the â€Å"strategic service vision† of Jet Blue, I. E. , target market, service concept, operating strategy, and service delivery a. How did Jet Blue and its pilots perform on this productivity metric relative to competitors? B. Given the figures and the facts, what do you think contributed to Jet Blue's minimization of productivity? C. Discuss the technology tool called â€Å"operational 1. Crisis management preparedness is a must! Case Bed Bath & Beyond (B&B, vim. Featherbedding. Comb the power retailer of domestics and home furnishings, has annual sales of $7 billion and a net Income of $562 million. The firm's profitability can be explained by Its Increasing gross profit margins at the same time It decreases selling, general, and administrative (AS) expenses as a percent of sales.B Is able to Increase Its gross profit margins due o Its excellent atmosphere, wide assortments, and a deep variety within most merchandise lines. Its control over AS expenses is partly due to the outsourcing of its distribution centers to a third party. B has opened hundreds of stores over the last few years, ranging in size from 30,000 to 80,000 square feet. Because it uses a flexible real-estate strategy, B is able to situate in a variety of locations. B is now also being allowed into large shopping centers. In the past, department store anchor tenants blocked B.In 2004, B had about 630 stores with a total of 20. Million square feet o f store space. By the end of 2008, these numbers had expanded to nearly 1,000 stores with 31 million square feet of store space. Its long-term goal is to operate 1,300 stores. In addition, B plans to remodel and expand many existing stores. In 2003, B purchased Christmas Tree Shops (www. Chromatography's. Com), a chain of stores specializing in software and household items. Although the Christmas Tree Shops' name suggests that it concentrates on Christmas merchandise, the chain Is positioned against Pier 1 (win. . Piper . Com). In March 2007, 88&8 acquired buybuyBABY (www. buybuybaby. Com), a retailer specializing in infant and toddler merchandise. In December 2007, B opened Its first foreign 88&8 store In Ontario, Canada. In May 2008, B purchased a 50 percent equity Interest In Home & More, a Mexican home goods retailer that operated two stores In Mexico City. B management (as well as many retail analysts) attributes the chain's strong sales performance to Its superior customer ser vice. B&B Is obsessive about Its consumers receiving a consistently high level of customer service.For example, one cent shopper at a suburban Long Island store reported that a sales clerk was highly attentive: When the shopper asked the clerk where she could find a set of dishes listed on a bridal registry, the clerk immediately dropped what she was doing. The clerk then located the dishes and stood by the shopper as she decided whether to purchase the set and even had the dishes brought to a nearby checkout so that the the checkout to facilitate the transaction. In 2008, B&B was tied for second place in an annual study of the top â€Å"20 Most Competitive Retailers† in the United States.The study, conducted by Capering win. Capering. Com) and W Ratings Corporation (handwritings. Com), measured the ability of retailers to beat consumer expectations and deliver superior profitability. Each firm's rankings were based on its profits over the prior five years and the responses f rom a sample of 6,000 consumers. Questions 1. Explain how Bed Bath & Beyond practices the retailing concept. 2. Evaluate Bed Bath & Beyond growth plans. 3. How can Bed Bath & Beyond further increase the overall quality of its customer service? 4. Explain the concept of value from the perspective oaf Bed Bath & Beyond customer.

Ku Klux Klan’s Effect on America Essay

The first Klan had first started around the year of 1860’s. The first klan had lead up to the effects of the 1920’s. The KKK had a tumultious start, and it had a major effect on America in the 1920’s. The first klan began in Tennessee, by six Confederate Army Officers, in the winter of 1865. Ku klux Klan rose about four million and spread from the South into the Midwest region and Northern states and even into Canada. The name of the Ku Klux Klan is â€Å"derived from the Grrek word ‘kyklos,’ meaning circle† (Wikimedia Foundation). ‘Klan was added for the purpose of alliteration† (â€Å"Ku Klux Klan†). The infamous burning-cross icon became a symbol of the KKK in the 1920’s, which was one of many tactics used for intimidation. Perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic of Klan members were the white robes they wore along with cone shaped hats that covered their faces. These costumes accomplished their goal of making them look more outlandish and terrifying, and for the intimidation of their victims (Smith). The Klan was pretty selective in accepting members, only WASPs (White Anglo-Saxon Protestants) could become members. These members possessed the ideology of white supremacy to all other races and ethnic divisions, similar to the concept of Neo-Nazism, however they claim to have based their beliefs on Christian values and nativism. It is often thought that the KKK only hated African-Americans, but many other groups acquired hatred from the Klan, such as Jews, Catholics , homosexuals and various immigrant groups. Anti-Defamination League). Even though the stock started to gain their stocks and shares didn’t stop the Great Depression from happening (Kelly). Many people wonder why any group of people would posses such a hatred Dubbs 3 for certain groups of people. While there is no legitimate justification, one factor contributing to their hate was the rapid economic progression in the North, and the stagnant economy of the South. This may have been what angered the white southerners so much that they put blame onto the black population, along with leftover racial disputes from the times of slavery (Trueman). People of today also wonder how society could permit such destruction of life, and also support it. Back then, the Klan had many sources of income including membership fees, funds acquired from various events and sales of Klan propaganda, as well as free will donations. â€Å"This income made the Klan’s many forms of media and strategy possible, such as mass mailings, pamphlets and public events and protests. They also did community service projects such as ‘adopt a highway’ programs to make themselves look good in the eyes of their communities† (Anti-Defamanation League). The members of the Ku Klux Klan did everything in their power to prevent the black community from exercising their newly acquired rights, which was often done during massive events. During a typical KKK event, they dressed in robes symbolizing their rank, then went on nighttime raids, during which they would whip and murder blacks and any of their supporters (â€Å"Ku Klux Klan†). These events, unfortunately, were extremely effective. This lack of a political presence is what allowed the Klan to exist for such a long period of time. KKK existed from the initial founding until around 1870, â€Å"when congress passed the KKK act which allowed authorities to end such activities by force and penalize anyone who affiliated with terrorist organizations† (â€Å"Ku Klux Klan†). At this time, blacks were the only targets of the KKK, for the most part.

Drug Addiction and Thesis Statement

Drugs addiction is a problem faced by many people of the world, it is a topic that interests many writers, and they wish to write an essay on drugs for this topic. Drugs are very harmful and keep the capability of dragging an individual towards death and destruction. People all over the world want to eradicate the adverse situation of drug addiction from this world and this is the reason why they are busy in writing essays on drugs.Essays on drugs are of many types such as war on drugs essay, essay on performance enhancing drugs in sports, essay on drug abuse, essay on illegal drugs, essay on drug addiction, essay on drug use, essay on drugs and alcohol and essay on drug testing, etc. The essays on drugs should be initiated by bringing in the information related to the topic of the essay on drug. You should know what drugs are.In an essay on drugs, you will have to write about drugs, their affects and the reasons due to which people use them, you have to include the information about why the drugs are so famous and how harmful are they. A persuasive essay on drugs will be one, which will be according to the topic of the essay on drugs. It should have a full-fledged introduction, which should introduce the topic completely. The introduction should also have a thesis statement that should be the main idea of the essay on drugs.A thesis statement should be based on the essay question to which your essay on drugs is an answer. A thesis statement of an essay on drugs can be one sentence or more than one sentence but it is suggested that it should be only one sentence. Essays on drug abuse or essays on drug addiction should be written by arranging the ideas in a format that should be understandable. You should divide your ideas in different paragraphs for an essay on drug abuse or for war on drugs essay.One paragraph should contain one idea and should not go towards a second idea, as it will reduce the comprehensiveness of the paragraph of essay about drugs. The essa ys on drugs should be written by researching the topic of drugs thoroughly so that the writer can depict information knowledgably. If you feel disturbed by an exercise of writing an essay on drugs, you can also get plagiarism free essays on drugs from custom writing websites, which are there for your assistance and support in terms of writing essays on drugs.

The Golden Lily Chapter 14

â€Å"OH, LORD,† I SAID. â€Å"What's wrong?† asked Brayden. â€Å"Is everything okay?† â€Å"Hard to say.† I put the phone back in my purse. â€Å"I hate to do this, but I have to go take care of something outside. I'll be back as quickly as I can.† â€Å"Do you want me to go with you?† I hesitated. â€Å"No, it's okay.† I had no idea what to expect out there. It was best if Brayden wasn't subjected to it. â€Å"I'll hurry.† â€Å"Sydney, wait.† Brayden caught hold of my arm. â€Å"This†¦ this is the song you requested, isn't it?† The one we'd been dancing to had just ended, and a new one was on – or, well, an old one. It was about thirty years old. I sighed. â€Å"Yes. It is. I'll be fast, I promise.† The temperature outside was pleasant, warm but not oppressively so. We were allegedly due for a rare bit of rain. As I walked toward the parking lot, some of Wolfe's lessons came back to me. Check your surroundings. Watch for people lurking near cars. Stay in the light. Make sure to – â€Å"Adrian!† All reasonable thoughts vanished from my head. Adrian was lying on my car. I ran over to Latte as fast as the dress would allow me. â€Å"What are you doing?† I demanded. â€Å"Get off of there!† I automatically checked for dents and scratches. Adding insult to injury, Adrian was actually smoking as he lay on the hood and stared up at the sky. Clouds were moving in, but a half-moon could occasionally be seen. â€Å"Relax, Sage. I won't leave a scratch. Really, this is surprisingly comfortable for a family car. I would've expected – † He turned his head toward me and froze. I had never seen him so still – or so quiet. His shock was so thorough and intense that he actually dropped his cigarette. â€Å"Ahh,† I cried, springing forward, lest the burning cigarette damage the car. It landed harmlessly on the asphalt, and I quickly stamped it out. â€Å"For the last time, will you get off of there?† Adrian slowly sat up, eyes wide. He slid off the hood and didn't seem to leave any marks. Obviously, I'd have to check it later. â€Å"Sage,† he said. â€Å"What are you wearing?† I sighed and stared down at the dress. â€Å"I know. It's red. Don't start. I'm tired of hearing about it.† â€Å"Funny,† he said. â€Å"I don't think I could ever get tired of looking at it.† Those words drew me up short, and a rush of heat went through me. What did he mean? Was I so outlandish-looking that he couldn't stop staring at the crazy spectacle? Surely†¦ surely he wasn't implying that I was pretty†¦ I promptly got back on track, reminding myself that I needed to think about the guy inside, not out here. â€Å"Adrian, I'm on a date. Why are you here? On my car?† â€Å"Sorry to interrupt, Sage. I wouldn't have been on your car if they'd let me into the dance,† he said. A little of his earlier awe had faded, and he relaxed into a more typical Adrian pose, leaning back against Latte. At least he was standing and less likely to do damage. â€Å"Yeah. They generally frown on letting twenty-something guys into high school events. What did you want?† â€Å"To talk to you.† I waited for him to elaborate, but the only response I received was a brief flash of lightning above. It was Saturday, and I'd been around campus all day, during which he could've easily called. He'd known the dance was tonight. Then, inhaling the smell of alcohol that hung in the air around him, I knew nothing he did should really surprise me tonight. â€Å"Why couldn't it have been tomorrow?† I asked. â€Å"Did you really have to come here tonight and – † I frowned and looked around. â€Å"How did you even get here?† â€Å"I took the bus,† he said, almost proudly. â€Å"A lot easier getting here than to Carlton.† Carlton College was where he took art classes, and without his own transportation, he'd come to rely heavily on mass transit – something he'd never done before in his life. I'd been hoping Sonya or Dimitri had dropped him off – meaning they'd pick him up again. But of course that wouldn't happen. Neither one of them would have brought a drunken Adrian here. â€Å"So I guess I have to take you home then,† I said. â€Å"Hey, I got myself here. I'll get myself home.† He started to take out a cigarette, and I gave him a stern headshake. â€Å"Don't,† I said sharply. With a shrug, he put the pack away. â€Å"And I have to take you home. It's going to storm soon. I'm not going to make you walk in the rain.† Another flash of lightning emphasized my words, and a faint breeze stirred the fabric of my dress. â€Å"Hey,† he said, â€Å"I don't want to be an incon – â€Å" â€Å"Sydney?† Brayden came striding across the parking lot. â€Å"Everything okay?† No, not really. â€Å"I'm going to have to leave for a little bit,† I said. â€Å"I have to give my brother a ride home. Will you be okay waiting? It shouldn't be that long.† I felt bad even suggesting it. Brayden didn't really know anyone at my school. â€Å"Maybe you could find Trey?† â€Å"Sure,† said Brayden uncertainly. â€Å"Or I can come with you.† â€Å"No,† I said quickly, not wanting him and drunken Adrian in the car. â€Å"Just go back and have fun.† â€Å"Nice toga,† Adrian told Brayden. â€Å"It's a chiton,† said Brayden. â€Å"It's Greek.† â€Å"Right. I forgot that was tonight's theme.† Adrian gave Brayden an appraising look, glanced over at me, and then turned back to Brayden. â€Å"So. What do you think of our girl's ensemble tonight? Pretty amazing, huh? Like Cinderella. Or maybe a Greek Cinderella.† â€Å"There's really not much about it that's truly Greek,† said Brayden. I winced. I knew he didn't mean to be insensitive, but his words stung a little. â€Å"The dress is historically inaccurate. I mean it's a very nice dress, but the jewelry's anachronistic, and the fabric's nothing that ancient Greek women would have had. Certainly not that color either.† â€Å"What about those other Greek women?† asked Adrian. â€Å"The flashy smart ones.† His forehead wrinkled, as though it were taking every ounce of his brain to come up with the word he wanted. And, to my astonishment, he did. â€Å"The hetaerae.† I honestly hadn't believed he'd retained anything from our conversation in San Diego. I tried not to smile. â€Å"The hetaerae?† Brayden was even more astonished than I was. He gave me a scrutinizing look. â€Å"Yes†¦ yes. I suppose – if such materials were hypothetically possible in that era – that this is something you'd expect to see find on a hetaera instead of the average Greek matron.† â€Å"And they were prostitutes, right?† asked Adrian. â€Å"These hetaerae?† â€Å"Some were,† agreed Brayden. â€Å"Not all. I think the usual term is courtesan.† Adrian was completely deadpan. â€Å"So. You're saying my sister's dressed like a prostitute.† Brayden eyed my dress. â€Å"Well, yes, if we're still speaking in hypothetical – â€Å" â€Å"You know what?† I interrupted. â€Å"We need to go. It's going to rain any minute now. I'll take Adrian home and meet you back here, okay?† I refused to let Adrian continue to play whatever game he had going to torment Brayden – and, by extension, me. â€Å"I'll text you when I'm on my way back.† â€Å"Sure,† said Brayden, not looking very sure at all. He left, and I started to get into the car until I noticed Adrian trying – and failing – to open the passenger side door. With a sigh, I walked over and opened it for him. â€Å"You're drunker than I thought,† I said. â€Å"And I thought you were pretty drunk.† He managed to get his body into the seat, and I returned to my own side just as raindrops splashed on my windshield. â€Å"Too drunk for Jailbait to feel,† he said. â€Å"The bond's numb. She can have an Adrian-free night.† â€Å"That was very thoughtful of you,† I said. â€Å"Though I'm guessing that's not the real reason you were hitting the bottle. Or why you came here. As far as I can tell, all you've accomplished is to mess with Brayden.† â€Å"He called you a prostitute.† â€Å"He did not! You baited him into that.† Adrian ran a hand through his hair and leaned against the window, watching the rapidly unfolding storm outside. â€Å"Doesn't matter. I've decided I don't like him.† â€Å"Because he's too smart?† I said. I remembered Jill and Eddie's earlier comments. â€Å"And unmemorable?† â€Å"Nah. I just think you can do better.† â€Å"How?† Adrian had no answer, and I had to ignore him for a bit as my attention shifted to the road. Storms, while infrequent, could come up fast and furious in Palm Springs. Flash floods weren't uncommon, and the rain was now pouring down in sheets, making visibility difficult. Fortunately, Adrian didn't live that far away. That was a double blessing because, when we were a couple blocks from his apartment, he said: â€Å"I don't feel so well.† â€Å"No,† I moaned. â€Å"Please, please do not get sick in my car. We're almost there.† A minute or so later, I pulled up at the curb outside his building. â€Å"Out. Now.† He obeyed, and I followed with an umbrella for myself. Glancing over at me as we walked to the building, he asked, â€Å"We live in a desert, and you keep an umbrella in your car?† â€Å"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?† He dropped his keys, and I picked them up, figuring I'd have an easier time unlocking the door. I flipped on the nearest light switch – and nothing happened. We stood there for a moment, together in the darkness, neither of us moving. â€Å"I have candles in the kitchen,† said Adrian, finally taking a few staggering steps in that direction. â€Å"I'll light some.† â€Å"No,† I ordered, having visions of the entire building going down in flames. â€Å"Lie on the couch. Or throw up in the bathroom. I'll take care of the candles.† He opted for the couch, apparently not as sick as he'd feared. Meanwhile, I found the candles – atrocious air freshening ones that smelled like fake pine. Still, they cast light, and I brought a lit one over to him, along with a glass of water. â€Å"Here. Drink this.† He took the glass and managed to sit up long enough to get a few sips. Then, he handed the glass back and collapsed against the couch, draping one arm over his eyes. I pulled up a nearby chair and sat down. The pine candles cast fragile, flickering light between us. â€Å"Thanks, Sage.† â€Å"Are you going to be okay if I leave?† I asked. â€Å"I'm sure the power will be on by morning.† He didn't answer my question. Instead, he said, â€Å"You know, I don't just drink to get drunk. I mean, that's part of it, yeah. A big part of it. But sometimes, alcohol's all that keeps me clearheaded.† â€Å"That doesn't make sense. Here,† I prompted, handing the water back to him. As I did, I cast a quick look at my cell phone's clock, anxious about Brayden. â€Å"Drink some more.† Adrian complied and then continued speaking, arm back over his eyes. â€Å"Do you know what it's like to feel like something's eating away at your mind?† I'd been about to tell him I needed to leave, but his words left me cold. I remembered Jill saying something similar when she was telling me about him and spirit. â€Å"No,† I said honestly. â€Å"I don't know what it's like†¦ but to me, well, it's pretty much one of the most terrifying things I can imagine. My mind, it†¦ it's who I am. I think I'd rather suffer any other injury in the world than have my mind tampered with.† I couldn't leave Adrian right now. I just couldn't. I texted to Brayden: Going to be a little longer than I thought. â€Å"It is terrifying,† said Adrian. â€Å"And weird, for lack of a better word. And part of you knows†¦ well, part of you knows something's not right. That your thinking's not right. But what do you about that? All we can go on is what we think, how we see the world. If you can't trust your own mind, what can you trust? What other people tell you?† â€Å"I don't know,† I said, for lack of a better answer. His words struck me as I thought how much of my life had been guided by the edicts of others. â€Å"Rose once told me about this poem she'd read. There was this line, ‘If your eyes weren't open, you wouldn't know the difference between dreaming and waking.' You know what I'm afraid of? That someday, even with my eyes open, I still won't know.† â€Å"Oh, Adrian, no.† I felt my heart breaking and sat down on the floor near the couch. â€Å"That won't happen.† He sighed. â€Å"At least with the alcohol†¦ it quiets the spirit and then I know if things seem weird, it's probably because I'm drunk. It's not a great reason, but it's a reason, you know? At least you actually have a reason instead of not trusting yourself.† Brayden texted back: How much longer? Irritated, I answered back: Fifteen minutes. I looked back up at Adrian. His face was still covered, though the candlelight did a fair job of illuminating the clean lines of his profile. â€Å"Is that†¦ is that why you drank tonight? Is spirit bothering you? I mean†¦ you seemed to be doing so well the other day†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He exhaled deeply. â€Å"No. Spirit's okay†¦ in as much as it ever is. I actually got drunk tonight because†¦ well, it was the only way I could bring myself to talk to you.† â€Å"We talk all the time.† â€Å"I need to know something, Sage.† He uncovered his face to look at me, and I suddenly realized how close I was sitting. For a moment, I almost didn't pay attention to his words. The flickering dance of shadow and light gave his already good looks a haunting beauty. â€Å"Did you get Lissa to talk to my dad?† â€Å"What? Oh. That. Hang on one second.† Picking up my cell phone, I texted Brayden again: Better make that thirty minutes. â€Å"I know someone got her to do it,† Adrian continued. â€Å"I mean, Lissa likes me, but she's got a lot going on. She wouldn't have just thought one day, ‘Oh, hey. I should call Nathan Ivashkov and tell him how awesome his son is.' You got her to do it.† â€Å"I've actually never talked to her,† I said. I didn't regret my actions at all but felt weird at being called out on them. â€Å"But I, uh, may have asked Sonya and Dimitri to talk to her on your behalf.† â€Å"And then she talked to my old man.† â€Å"Something like that.† â€Å"I knew it,† he said. I couldn't gauge his tone, if it was upset or relieved. â€Å"I knew someone had to have prompted her, and somehow I knew it was you. No one else would have done it for me. Not sure what Lissa told him, but man, she must have really won him over. He was crazy impressed. He's sending me money for a car. And upping my allowance back to reasonable levels.† â€Å"That's a good thing,† I said. â€Å"Isn't it?† My phone flashed with another text from Brayden. The dance will nearly be over by then. â€Å"But why?† Adrian asked. He sat down on the floor beside me. There was an almost distraught look to him. He leaned closer to me and then seemed shocked as he realized what he was doing. He leaned back a little – but only a little. â€Å"Why would you do that? Why would you do that for me?† Before I could answer, another text came in. Will you even be back in time? I couldn't help be annoyed that he wasn't more understanding. Without thinking, I typed back: Maybe you should just leave now. I'll call you tomorrow. Sorry. I flipped the phone over so I wouldn't see any other messages. I looked back at Adrian, who was watching me intently. â€Å"I did it because he wasn't fair to you. Because you deserve credit for what you've done. Because he needs to realize you aren't the person he's always thought you were. He needs to see you for who you really are, not for all the ideas and preconceptions he's built up around you.† The power in Adrian's gaze was so strong that I kept talking. I was nervous about meeting that stare in silence. Also, part of me was afraid that if I pondered my own words too hard, I'd discover they were just as much about my own father and me as Adrian and his. â€Å"It should have been enough for you to tell him who you are – to show him who you are – but he wouldn't listen. I don't like the idea of using others to do things we can do ourselves, but this seemed like the only option.† â€Å"Well,† Adrian said at last. â€Å"I guess it worked. Thank you.† â€Å"Did he tell you how to get in touch with your mother?† â€Å"No. His pride in me apparently didn't go that far.† â€Å"I can probably find out where she is,† I said. â€Å"Or†¦ or Dimitri could, I'm sure. Like you said before, they must let letters in.† He almost smiled. â€Å"There you go again. Why? Why do you keep helping me?† There were a million answers on my lips, everything from It's the right thing to do to I don't know. Instead, I said, â€Å"Because I want to.† This time, I got a true smile from him, but there was something dark and introspective about it. He shifted closer to me again. â€Å"Because you feel bad for this crazy guy?† â€Å"You aren't going to go crazy,† I said firmly. â€Å"You're stronger than you think. The next time you feel that way, find something to focus on, to remind you of who you are.† â€Å"Like what? Got some magic object in mind?† â€Å"Doesn't have to be magic,† I said. I racked my brain. â€Å"Here.† I unfastened the golden cross necklace. â€Å"This has always been good for me. Maybe it'll help you.† I set it in his hand, but he caught hold of mine before I could pull back. â€Å"What is it?† he asked. He looked more closely. â€Å"Wait†¦ I've seen this. You wear this all the time.† â€Å"I bought it a long time ago, in Germany.† He was still holding my hand as he studied the cross. â€Å"No frills. No flourishes. No secret etched symbols.† â€Å"That's why I like it,† I told him. â€Å"It doesn't need embellishment. A lot of the old Alchemist beliefs focused on purity and simplicity. That's what this is. Maybe it'll help you have clarity of mind.† He had been staring at the cross, but now he lifted his gaze to meet mine. Some emotion I couldn't quite read played over his features. It was almost like he'd just discovered something, something troubling to him. He took a deep breath and, his hand still holding mine, pulled me toward him. His green eyes were dark in the candlelight but somehow just as enthralling. His fingers tightened on mine, and I felt warmth spread throughout me. â€Å"Sage – â€Å" The power suddenly came back on, flooding the room with light. Apparently, with no concern for electrical bills, he'd left all the lights on when he went out earlier. The spell was broken, and both of us winced at the sudden brightness. Adrian sprang back from me, leaving the cross in my hand. â€Å"Don't you have a dance or a curfew or something?† he asked abruptly, not looking at me. â€Å"I don't want to keep you. Hell, I shouldn't have bothered you at all. Sorry. I assume that was Aiden texting you?† â€Å"Brayden,† I said, standing up. â€Å"And it's okay. He left, and I'm just going to go back to Amberwood now.† â€Å"Sorry,† he repeated, moving toward the door with me. â€Å"Sorry I ruined your night.† â€Å"This?† I nearly laughed, thinking of all the crazy things I contended with in my life. â€Å"No. It'd take a lot more to ruin my night than this.† I started to take a few steps and then paused. â€Å"Adrian?† He finally looked directly at me, once again nearly knocking me over with his gaze. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"Next time†¦ next time you want to talk to me about something – anything – you don't have to drink to work up the courage. Just tell me.† â€Å"Easier said than done.† â€Å"Not really.† I tried for the door again, and this time, he stopped me, resting a hand on my shoulder. â€Å"Sage?† I turned. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"Do you know why I don't like him? Brayden?† I was so astonished he'd gotten the name right that I couldn't voice any answers, though several came to mind. â€Å"Because of what he said.† â€Å"What part?† Seeing as Brayden had said many things, in great detail, it wasn't entirely clear which Adrian was referring to. â€Å"‘Historically inaccurate.†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ Adrian gestured at me with his other hand, the one not on my shoulder. â€Å"Who the hell looks at you and says ‘historically inaccurate'?† â€Å"Well,† I said. â€Å"Technically it is.† â€Å"He shouldn't have said that.† I shifted, knowing I should move away†¦ but I didn't. â€Å"Look, it's just his way.† â€Å"He shouldn't have said that,† repeated Adrian, eerily serious. He leaned his face toward mine. â€Å"I don't care if he's not the emotional type or the complimentary type or what. No one can look at you in this dress, in all that fire and gold, and start talking about anachronisms. If I were him, I would have said, ‘You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen walking this earth.'† My breath caught, both at the words and the way he said them. I felt strange inside. I didn't know what to think, except that I needed to get out of there, away from Adrian, away from what I didn't understand. I broke from him and was surprised to find myself shaking. â€Å"You're still drunk,† I said, putting my hand on the door knob. He tilted his head to the side, still watching me in that same, disconcerting way. â€Å"Some things are true, drunk or sober. You should know that. You deal in facts all the time.† â€Å"Yeah, but this isn't – † I couldn't argue with him looking at me like that. â€Å"I have to go. Wait†¦ you didn't take the cross.† I held it out to him. He shook his head. â€Å"Keep it. I think I've got something else to help center my life.† The Golden Lily: A Bloodlines Novel