Out of Shadows Themes

Change and racism evidently aids the characterization and the development of the text because these significant themes help the portrayal of the characters as they are relatable In society. The text being explored Is â€Å"out of the Shadows† by Jason Wallace. Change reoccurs throughout the text which helps to develop Roberts character. Similarly, the major connotation of racism also engages readers to relate to the changes of Roberts and Van's character. Change is evident in the development of Roberts character as he experiences his journey with Ivan and his friends.At the beginning of the text, Out of the Shadows by Jason Wallace, Robert has an awkward confrontation with his ex-friend Nelson when he was with Ivan. Knowing how Ivan would react, Robert harshly told Nelson to leave him alone and not to mind his business. This is demonstrated in the quote, â€Å"l don't know why I felt surprised, wasn't that what I'd been after? † The use of the soliloquy creates an impre ssion that Robert is realizing he is changing into to someone he isn't. He Is questioning why he was having doubts as that was what he had wanted to achieve In the first place.This obscurity in how Robert feels about becoming a new self helps the Idea that change Is a recurring theme throughout the text. In another scenario, Robert Is responding to his dad why he has not been playing or hanging around with Nelson anymore. In this quote, â€Å"He's not really a friend anymore. † Robert replied with a tone that seemed he was trying to tell himself how he ‘felt' instead of his father. The doubt he is experiencing emphasizes he is trying to turn over a new leaf in order to fit in, and hence Robert deals with change throughout the text.Another significant theme recurring through the text is racism. This is shown in the quote, â€Å"He's using his color to his advantage†. The metaphor used suggests that the author is putting out the fact that racism was still a major i ssue in those times and needed to be viewed differently. Ivan is disgusted by Nelson, who he says is using is color to his advantage because blacks in those time were viewed as the unfortunate. The harsh meaning behind this racist comment, gives people an urge to change and make a difference In racial equality.Van's character persists to tell the readers he does not appreciate the ‘blacks' and always finding a reason to hate on them. This is shown in the line † No, special. He's black. † The italics used for the word, ‘special' emphasizes racial equality is not evident in this text. The composers use of a metaphor shows the scorn and harsh personality of Ivan and thus engages the audience in the relevant issues of society. In conclusion, change and racism are significant themes in the text which are sadly still relevant now in our society.The change in Roberts character gives the reader's a personal insight on how these relevant ideas involving post-colonial Zanzibar, affect people negatively. It is responsible for the portrayal of all the characters in ‘Out of Shadows'. Out of Shadows Essay – Themes By Gregariousness relatable in society. The text being explored is â€Å"out of the Shadows† by Jason Lorene with Ivan and his friends. At the beginning of the text, Out of the Shadows by lasso Wallace, Robert has an awkward confrontation with his ex-friend Nelson when isn't.He is questioning why he was having doubts as that was what he had wanted to achieve in the first place. This obscurity in how Robert feels about becoming a new self helps the idea that change is a recurring theme throughout the text. In another scenario, Robert is responding to his dad why he has not been playing or hanging change and make a difference in racial equality. Van's character persists to tell the word, ‘special' emphasizes racial equality is not evident in this text. The composer's

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 8. TEMPER

WE ENDED UP ON THE BEACH AGAIN, WANDERING AIMlessly. Jacob was still full of himself for engineering my escape. â€Å"Do you think they'll come looking for you?† he asked, sounding hopeful. â€Å"No.† I was certain about that. â€Å"They're going to be furious with me tonight, though.† He picked up a rock and chucked it into the waves. â€Å"Don't go back, then,† he suggested again. â€Å"Charlie would love that,† I said sarcastically. â€Å"I bet he wouldn't mind.† I didn't answer. Jacob was probably right, and that made me grind my teeth together. Charlie's blatant preference for my Quileute friends was so unfair. I wondered if he would feel the same if he knew the choice was really between vampires and werewolves. â€Å"So what's the latest pack scandal?† I asked lightly. Jacob skidded to a halt, and he stared down at me with shocked eyes. â€Å"What? That was a joke.† â€Å"Oh.† He looked away. I waited for him to start walking again, but he seemed lost in thought. â€Å"Is there a scandal?† I wondered. Jacob chuckled once. â€Å"I forget what it's like, not having everyone know everything all the time. Having a quiet, private place inside my head.† We walked along the stony beach quietly for a few minutes. â€Å"So what is it?† I finally asked. â€Å"That everyone in your head already knows?† He hesitated for a moment, as if he weren't sure how much he was going to tell me. Then he sighed and said, â€Å"Quil imprinted. That's three now. The rest of us are starting to get worried. Maybe it's more common than the stories say. . . .† He frowned, and then turned to stare at me. He gazed into my eyes without speaking, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. â€Å"What are you staring at?† I asked, feeling self-conscious. He sighed. â€Å"Nothing.† Jacob started walking again. Without seeming to think about it, he reached out and took my hand. We paced silently across the rocks. I thought of how we must look walking hand and hand down the beach – like a couple, certainly – and wondered if I should object. But this was the way it had always been with Jacob. . . . No reason to get worked up about it now. â€Å"Why is Quil's imprinting such a scandal?† I asked when it didn't look like he was going to go on. â€Å"Is it because he's the newest one?† â€Å"That doesn't have anything to do with it.† â€Å"Then what's the problem?† â€Å"It's another one of those legend things. I wonder when we're going to stop being surprised that they're all true?† he muttered to himself. â€Å"Are you going to tell me? Or do I have to guess?† â€Å"You'd never get it right. See, Quil hasn't been hanging out with us, you know, until just recently. So he hadn't been around Emily's place much.† â€Å"Quil imprinted on Emily, too?† I gasped. â€Å"No! I told you not to guess. Emily had her two nieces down for a visit . . . and Quil met Claire.† He didn't continue. I thought about that for a moment. â€Å"Emily doesn't want her niece with a werewolf? That's a little hypocritical,† I said. But I could understand why she of all people might feel that way. I thought again of the long scars that marred her face and extended all the way down her right arm. Sam had lost control just once when he was standing too close to her. Once was all it took. . . . I'd seen the pain in Sam's eyes when he looked at what he'd done to Emily. I could understand why Emily might want to protect her niece from that. â€Å"Would you please stop guessing? You're way off. Emily doesn't mind that part, it's just, well, a little early.† â€Å"What do you mean early?† Jacob appraised me with narrowed eyes. â€Å"Try not to be judgmental, okay?† I nodded cautiously. â€Å"Claire is two,† Jacob told me. Rain started to fall. I blinked furiously as the drops pelted my face. Jacob waited in silence. He wore no jacket, as usual; the rain left a spatter of dark spots on his black T-shirt, and dripped through his shaggy hair. His face was expressionless as he watched mine. â€Å"Quil . . . imprinted . . . with a two-year-old?† I was finally able to ask. â€Å"It happens.† Jacob shrugged. He bent to grab another rock and sent it flying out into the bay. â€Å"Or so the stories say.† â€Å"But she's a baby,† I protested. He looked at me with dark amusement. â€Å"Quil's not getting any older,† he reminded me, a bit of acid in his tone. â€Å"He'll just have to be patient for a few decades.† â€Å"I . . . don't know what to say.† I was trying my hardest not to be critical, but, in truth, I was horrified. Until now, nothing about the werewolves had bothered me since the day I'd found out they weren't committing the murders I'd suspected them of. â€Å"You're making judgments,† he accused. â€Å"I can see it on your face.† â€Å"Sorry,† I muttered. â€Å"But it sounds really creepy.† â€Å"It's not like that; you've got it all wrong,† Jacob defended his friend, suddenly vehement. â€Å"I've seen what it's like, through his eyes. There's nothing romantic about it at all, not for Quil, not now.† He took a deep breath, frustrated. â€Å"It's so hard to describe. It's not like love at first sight, really. It's more like . . . gravity moves. When you see her, suddenly it's not the earth holding you here anymore. She does. And nothing matters more than her. And you would do anything for her, be anything for her. . . . You become whatever she needs you to be, whether that's a protector, or a lover, or a friend, or a brother. â€Å"Quil will be the best, kindest big brother any kid ever had. There isn't a toddler on the planet that will be more carefully looked after than that little girl will be. And then, when she's older and needs a friend, he'll be more understanding, trustworthy, and reliable than anyone else she knows. And then, when she's grown up, they'll be as happy as Emily and Sam.† A strange, bitter edge sharpened his tone at the very end, when he spoke of Sam. â€Å"Doesn't Claire get a choice here?† â€Å"Of course. But why wouldn't she choose him, in the end? He'll be her perfect match. Like he was designed for her alone.† We walked in silence for a moment, till I paused to toss a rock toward the ocean. It fell to the beach several meters short. Jacob laughed at me. â€Å"We can't all be freakishly strong,† I muttered. He sighed. â€Å"When do you think it will happen for you?† I asked quietly. His answer was flat and immediate. â€Å"Never.† â€Å"It's not something you can control, is it?† He was silent for a few minutes. Unconsciously, we both walked slower, barely moving at all. â€Å"It's not supposed to be,† he admitted. â€Å"But you have to see her – the one that's supposedly meant for you.† â€Å"And you think that if you haven't seen her yet, then she's not out there?† I asked skeptically. â€Å"Jacob, you haven't really seen much of the world – less than me, even.† â€Å"No, I haven't,† he said in a low voice. He looked at my face with suddenly piercing eyes. â€Å"But I'll never see anyone else, Bella. I only see you. Even when I close my eyes and try to see something else. Ask Quil or Embry. It drives them all crazy.† I dropped my eyes to the rocks. We weren't walking anymore. The only sound was of the waves beating against the shore. I couldn't hear the rain over their roar. â€Å"Maybe I'd better go home,† I whispered. â€Å"No!† he protested, surprised by this conclusion. I looked up at him again, and his eyes were anxious now. â€Å"You have the whole day off, right? The bloodsucker won't be home yet.† I glared at him. â€Å"No offense intended,† he said quickly. â€Å"Yes, I have the whole day. But, Jake . . .† He held up his hands. â€Å"Sorry,† he apologized. â€Å"I won't be like that anymore. I'll just be Jacob.† I sighed. â€Å"But if that's what you're thinking . . .† â€Å"Don't worry about me,† he insisted, smiling with deliberate cheer, too brightly. â€Å"I know what I'm doing. Just tell me if I'm upsetting you.† â€Å"I don't know. . . .† â€Å"C'mon, Bella. Let's go back to the house and get our bikes. You've got to ride a motorcycle regularly to keep it in tune.† â€Å"I really don't think I'm allowed.† â€Å"By who? Charlie or the blood – or him?† â€Å"Both.† Jacob grinned my grin, and he was suddenly the Jacob I missed the most, sunny and warm. I couldn't help grinning back. The rain softened, turned to mist. â€Å"I won't tell anyone,† he promised. â€Å"Except every one of your friends.† He shook his head soberly and raised his right hand. â€Å"I promise not to think about it.† I laughed. â€Å"If I get hurt, it was because I tripped.† â€Å"Whatever you say.† We rode our motorcycles on the back roads around La Push until the rain made them too muddy and Jacob insisted that he was going to pass out if he didn't eat soon. Billy greeted me easily when we got to the house, as if my sudden reappearance meant nothing more complicated than that I'd wanted to spend the day with my friend. After we ate the sandwiches Jacob made, we went out to the garage and I helped him clean up the bikes. I hadn't been here in months – since Edward had returned – but there was no sense of import to it. It was just another afternoon in the garage. â€Å"This is nice,† I commented when he pulled the warm sodas from the grocery bag. â€Å"I've missed this place.† He smiled, looking around at the plastic sheds bolted together over our heads. â€Å"Yeah, I can understand that. All the splendor of the Taj Mahal, without the inconvenience and expense of traveling to India.† â€Å"To Washington's little Taj Mahal,† I toasted, holding up my can. He touched his can to mine. â€Å"Do you remember last Valentine's Day? I think that was the last time you were here – the last time when things were still . . . normal, I mean.† I laughed. â€Å"Of course I remember. I traded a lifetime of servitude for a box of conversation hearts. That's not something I'm likely to forget.† He laughed with me. â€Å"That's right. Hmm, servitude. I'll have to think of something good.† Then he sighed. â€Å"It feels like it was years ago. Another era. A happier one.† I couldn't agree with him. This was my happy era now. But I was surprised to realize how many things I missed from my own personal dark ages. I stared through the opening at the murky forest. The rain had picked up again, but it was warm in the little garage, sitting next to Jacob. He was as good as a furnace. His fingers brushed my hand. â€Å"Things have really changed.† â€Å"Yeah,† I said, and then I reached out and patted the back tire of my bike. â€Å"Charlie used to like me. I hope Billy doesn't say anything about today. . . .† I bit my lip. â€Å"He won't. He doesn't get worked up about things the way Charlie does. Hey, I never did apologize officially for that stupid move with the bike. I'm real sorry about ratting you out to Charlie. I wish I hadn't.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"Me, too.† â€Å"I'm really, really sorry.† He looked at me hopefully, his wet, tangled black hair sticking up in every direction around his pleading face. â€Å"Oh, fine! You're forgiven.† â€Å"Thanks, Bells!† We grinned at each other for a second, and then his face clouded over. â€Å"You know that day, when I brought the bike over . . . I've been wanting to ask you something,† he said slowly. â€Å"But also . . . not wanting to.† I held very still – a reaction to stress. It was a habit I'd picked up from Edward. â€Å"Were you just being stubborn because you were mad at me, or were you really serious?† he whispered. â€Å"About what?† I whispered back, though I was sure I knew what he meant. He glared at me. â€Å"You know. When you said it was none of my business . . . if – if he bit you.† He cringed visibly at the end. â€Å"Jake . . .† My throat felt swollen. I couldn't finish. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. â€Å"Were you serious?† He was trembling just slightly. His eyes stayed closed. â€Å"Yes,† I whispered. Jacob inhaled, slow and deep. â€Å"I guess I knew that.† I stared at his face, waiting for his eyes to open. â€Å"You know what this will mean?† He demanded suddenly. â€Å"You do understand that, don't you? What will happen if they break the treaty?† â€Å"We'll leave first,† I said in a small voice. His eyes flashed open, their black depths full of anger and pain. â€Å"There wasn't a geographic limit to the treaty, Bella. Our great-grandfathers only agreed to keep the peace because the Cullens swore that they were different, that humans weren't in danger from them. They promised they would never kill or change anyone ever again. If they go back on their word, the treaty is meaningless, and they are no different than any other vampires. Once that's established, when we find them again -â€Å" â€Å"But, Jake, didn't you break the treaty already?† I asked, grasping at straws. â€Å"Wasn't part of it that you not tell people about the vampires? And you told me. So isn't the treaty sort of moot, anyhow?† Jacob didn't like the reminder; the pain in his eyes hardened into animosity. â€Å"Yeah, I broke the treaty – back before I believed any of it. And I'm sure they were informed of that.† He glared sourly at my forehead, not meeting my shamed gaze. â€Å"But it's not like that gives them a freebie or anything. There's no fault for a fault. They have only one option if they object to what I did. The same option we'll have when they break the treaty: to attack. To start the war.† He made it sound so inevitable. I shuddered. â€Å"Jake, it doesn't have to be that way.† His teeth ground together. â€Å"It is that way.† The silence after his declaration felt very loud. â€Å"Will you never forgive me, Jacob?† I whispered. As soon as I said the words, I wished I hadn't. I didn't want to hear his answer. â€Å"You won't be Bella anymore,† he told me. â€Å"My friend won't exist. There'll be no one to forgive.† â€Å"That sounds like a no,† I whispered. We faced each other for an endless moment. â€Å"Is this goodbye then, Jake?† He blinked rapidly, his fierce expression melting in surprise. â€Å"Why? We still have a few years. Can't we be friends until we're out of time?† â€Å"Years? No, Jake, not years.† I shook my head, and laughed once without humor. â€Å"Weeks is more accurate.† I was not expecting his reaction. He was suddenly on his feet, and there was a loud pop as the soda can exploded in his hand. Soda flew everywhere, soaking me, like it was spraying from a hose. â€Å"Jake!† I started to complain, but I fell silent when I realized that his whole body was quivering with anger. He glared at me wildly, a growling sound building in his chest. I froze in place, too shocked to remember how to move. The shaking rolled through him, getting faster, until it looked like he was vibrating. His shape blurred. . . . And then Jacob gritted his teeth together, and the growling stopped. He squeezed his eyes tight in concentration; the quivering slowed until only his hands were shaking. â€Å"Weeks,† Jacob said in a flat monotone. I couldn't respond; I was still frozen. He opened his eyes. They were beyond fury now. â€Å"He's going to change you into a filthy bloodsucker in just a few weeks!† Jacob hissed through his teeth. Too stunned to take offense at his words, I just nodded mutely. His face turned green under the russet skin. â€Å"Of course, Jake,† I whispered after a long minute of silence. â€Å"He's seventeen, Jacob. And I get closer to nineteen every day. Besides, what's the point in waiting? He's all I want. What else can I do?† I'd meant that as a rhetorical question. His words cracked like snaps of a whip. â€Å"Anything. Anything else. You'd be better off dead. I'd rather you were.† I recoiled like he'd slapped me. It hurt worse than if he had. And then, as the pain shot through me, my own temper burst into flame. â€Å"Maybe you'll get lucky,† I said bleakly, lurching to my feet. â€Å"Maybe I'll get hit by a truck on my way back.† I grabbed my motorcycle and pushed it out into the rain. He didn't move as I passed him. As soon as I was on the small, muddy path, I climbed on and kicked the bike to life. The rear tire spit a fountain of mud toward the garage, and I hoped that it hit him. I got absolutely soaked as I sped across the slick highway toward the Cullens' house. The wind felt like it was freezing the rain against my skin, and my teeth were chattering before I was halfway there. Motorcycles were too impractical for Washington. I would sell the stupid thing first chance I got. I walked the bike into the Cullens' cavernous garage and was unsurprised to find Alice waiting for me, perched lightly on the hood of her Porsche. Alice stroked the glossy yellow paint. â€Å"I haven't even had a chance to drive it.† She sighed. â€Å"Sorry,† I spit through my rattling teeth. â€Å"You look like you could use a hot shower,† she said, offhand, as she sprang lightly to her feet. â€Å"Yep.† She pursed her lips, taking in my expression carefully. â€Å"Do you want to talk about it?† â€Å"Nope.† She nodded in assent, but her eyes were raging with curiosity. â€Å"Do you want to go to Olympia tonight?† â€Å"Not really. Can't I go home?† She grimaced. â€Å"Never mind, Alice,† I said. â€Å"I'll stay if it makes things easier for you.† â€Å"Thanks,† she sighed in relief. I went to bed early that night, curling up on his sofa again. It was still dark when I woke. I was groggy, but I knew it wasn't near morning yet. My eyes closed, and I stretched, rolling over. It took me a second before I realized that the movement should have dumped me onto the floor. And that I was much too comfortable. I rolled back over, trying to see. It was darker than last night – the clouds were too thick for the moon to shine through. â€Å"Sorry,† he murmured so softly that his voice was part of the darkness. â€Å"I didn't mean to wake you.† I tensed, waiting for the fury – both his and mine – but it was only quiet and calm in the darkness of his room. I could almost taste the sweetness of reunion in the air, a separate fragrance from the perfume of his breath; the emptiness when we were apart left its own bitter aftertaste, something I didn't consciously notice until it was removed. There was no friction in the space between us. The stillness was peaceful – not like the calm before the tempest, but like a clear night untouched by even the dream of a storm. And I didn't care that I was supposed to be angry with him. I didn't care that I was supposed to be angry with everyone. I reached out for him, found his hands in the darkness, and pulled myself closer to him. His arms encircled me, cradling me to his chest. My lips searched, hunting along his throat, to his chin, till I finally found his lips. Edward kissed me softly for a moment, and then he chuckled. â€Å"I was all braced for the wrath that was going to put grizzlies to shame, and this is what I get? I should infuriate you more often.† â€Å"Give me a minute to work up to it,† I teased, kissing him again. â€Å"I'll wait as long as you want,† he whispered against my lips. His fingers knotted in my hair. My breath was becoming uneven. â€Å"Maybe in the morning.† â€Å"Whatever you prefer.† â€Å"Welcome home,† I said while his cold lips pressed under my jaw. â€Å"I'm glad you came back.† â€Å"That's a very good thing.† â€Å"Mmm,† I agreed, tightening my arms around his neck. His hand curved around my elbow, moving slowly down my arm, across my ribs and over my waist, tracing along my hip and down my leg, around my knee. He paused there, his hand curling around my calf. He pulled my leg up suddenly, hitching it around his hip. I stopped breathing. This wasn't the kind of thing he usually allowed. Despite his cold hands, I felt suddenly warm. His lips moved in the hollow at the base of my throat. â€Å"Not to bring on the ire prematurely,† he whispered, â€Å"but do you mind telling me what it is about this bed that you object to?† Before I could answer, before I could even concentrate enough to make sense of his words, he rolled to the side, pulling me on top of him. He held my face in his hands, angling it up so that his mouth could reach my throat. My breathing was too loud – it was almost embarrassing, but I couldn't care quite enough to be ashamed. â€Å"The bed?† he asked again. â€Å"I think it's nice.† â€Å"It's unnecessary,† I managed to gasp. He pulled my face back to his, and my lips shaped themselves around his. Slowly this time, he rolled till he hovered over me. He held himself carefully so that I felt none of his weight, but I could feel the cool marble of his body press against mine. My heart was hammering so loudly that it was hard to hear his quiet laughter. â€Å"That's debatable,† he disagreed. â€Å"This would be difficult on a couch.† Cold as ice, his tongue lightly traced the shape of my lips. My head was spinning – the air was coming too fast and shallow. â€Å"Did you change your mind?† I asked breathlessly. Maybe he'd rethought all his careful rules. Maybe there was more significance to this bed than I'd originally guessed. My heart pounded almost painfully as I waited for his answer. Edward sighed, rolling back so that we were on our sides again. â€Å"Don't be ridiculous, Bella,† he said, disapproval strong in his voice – clearly, he understood what I meant. â€Å"I was just trying to illustrate the benefits of the bed you don't seem to like. Don't get carried away.† â€Å"Too late,† I muttered. â€Å"And I like the bed,† I added. â€Å"Good.† I could hear the smile in his voice as he kissed my forehead. â€Å"I do, too.† â€Å"But I still think it's unnecessary,† I continued. â€Å"If we're not going to get carried away, what's the point?† He sighed again. â€Å"For the hundredth time, Bella – it's too dangerous.† â€Å"I like danger,† I insisted. â€Å"I know.† There was a sour edge to his voice, and I realized that he would have seen the motorcycle in the garage. â€Å"I'll tell you what's dangerous,† I said quickly, before he could move to a new topic of discussion. â€Å"I'm going to spontaneously combust one of these days – and you'll have no one but yourself to blame.† He started to push me away. â€Å"What are you doing?† I objected, clinging to him. â€Å"Protecting you from combustion. If this too much for you. . . .† â€Å"I can handle it,† I insisted. He let me worm myself back into the circle of his arms. â€Å"I'm sorry I gave you the wrong impression,† he said. â€Å"I didn't mean to make you unhappy. That wasn't nice.† â€Å"Actually, it was very, very nice.† He took a deep breath. â€Å"Aren't you tired? I should let you sleep.† â€Å"No, I'm not. I don't mind if you want to give me the wrong impression again.† â€Å"That's probably a bad idea. You're not the only one who gets carried away.† â€Å"Yes, I am,† I grumbled. He chuckled. â€Å"You have no idea, Bella. It doesn't help that you are so eager to undermine my self- control, either.† â€Å"I'm not going to apologize for that.† â€Å"Can I apologize?† â€Å"For what?† â€Å"You were angry with me, remember?† â€Å"Oh, that.† â€Å"I'm sorry. I was wrong. It's much easier to have the proper perspective when I have you safely here.† His arms tightened around me. â€Å"I go a little berserk when I try to leave you. I don't think I'll go so far again. It's not worth it.† I smiled. â€Å"Didn't you find any mountain lions?† â€Å"Yes, I did, actually. Still not worth the anxiety. I'm sorry I had Alice hold you hostage, though. That was a bad idea.† â€Å"Yes,† I agreed. â€Å"I won't do it again.† â€Å"Okay,† I said easily. He was already forgiven. â€Å"But slumber parties do have their advantages. . . .† I curled myself closer to him, pressing my lips into the indentation over his collarbone. â€Å"You can hold me hostage any time you want.† â€Å"Mmm,† he sighed. â€Å"I may take you up on that.† â€Å"So is it my turn now?† â€Å"Your turn?† his voice was confused. â€Å"To apologize.† â€Å"What do you have to apologize for?† â€Å"Aren't you mad at me?† I asked blankly. â€Å"No.† It sounded like he really meant it. I felt my eyebrows pull together. â€Å"Didn't you see Alice when you got home?† â€Å"Yes – why?† â€Å"Are you going to take her Porsche back?† â€Å"Of course not. It was a gift.† I wished I could see his expression. His voice sounded as if I'd insulted him. â€Å"Don't you want to know what I did?† I asked, starting to be puzzled by his apparent lack of concern. I felt him shrug. â€Å"I'm always interested in everything you do – but you don't have to tell me unless you want to.† â€Å"But I went to La Push.† â€Å"I know.† â€Å"And I ditched school.† â€Å"So did I.† I stared toward the sound of his voice, tracing his features with my fingers, trying to understand his mood. â€Å"Where did all this tolerance come from?† I demanded. He sighed. â€Å"I decided that you were right. My problem before was more about my . . . prejudice against werewolves than anything else. I'm going to try to be more reasonable and trust your judgment. If you say it's safe, then I'll believe you.† â€Å"Wow.† â€Å"And . . . most importantly . . . I'm not willing to let this drive a wedge between us.† I rested my head against his chest and closed my eyes, totally content. â€Å"So,† he murmured in a casual tone. â€Å"Did you make plans to go back to La Push again soon?† I didn't answer. His question brought back the memory of Jacob's words, and my throat was suddenly tight. He misread my silence and the tension in my body. â€Å"Just so that I can make my own plans,† he explained quickly. â€Å"I don't want you to feel like you have to hurry back because I'm sitting around waiting for you.† â€Å"No,† I said in a voice that sounded strange to me. â€Å"I don't have plans go back.† â€Å"Oh. You don't have to do that for me.† â€Å"I don't think I'm welcome anymore,† I whispered. â€Å"Did you run over someone's cat?† he asked lightly. I knew he didn't want to force the story out of me, but I could hear the curiosity burning behind his words. â€Å"No.† I took a deep breath, and then mumbled quickly through the explanation. â€Å"I thought Jacob would have realized . . . I didn't think it would surprise him.† Edward waited while I hesitated. â€Å"He wasn't expecting . . . that it was so soon.† â€Å"Ah,† Edward said quietly. â€Å"He said he'd rather see me dead.† My voice broke on the last word. Edward was too still for a moment, controlling whatever reaction he didn't want me to see. Then he crushed me gently to his chest. â€Å"I'm so sorry.† â€Å"I thought you'd be glad,† I whispered. â€Å"Glad over something that's hurt you?† he murmured into my hair. â€Å"I don't think so, Bella.† I sighed and relaxed, fitting myself to the stone shape of him. But he was motionless again, tense. â€Å"What's wrong?† I asked. â€Å"It's nothing.† â€Å"You can tell me.† He paused for a minute. â€Å"It might make you angry.† â€Å"I still want to know.† He sighed. â€Å"I could quite literally kill him for saying that to you. I want to.† I laughed halfheartedly. â€Å"I guess it's a good thing you've got so much self-control.† â€Å"I could slip.† His tone was thoughtful. â€Å"If you're going to have a lapse in control, I can think of a better place for it.† I reached for his face, trying to pull myself up to kiss him. His arms held me tighter, restraining. He sighed. â€Å"Must I always be the responsible one?† I grinned in the darkness. â€Å"No. Let me be in charge of responsibility for a few minutes . . . or hours.† â€Å"Goodnight, Bella.† â€Å"Wait – there was something else I wanted to ask you about.† â€Å"What's that?† â€Å"I was talking to Rosalie last night. . . .† His body tensed again. â€Å"Yes. She was thinking about that when I got in. She gave you quite a lot to consider, didn't she?† His voice was anxious, and I realized that he thought I wanted to talk about the reasons Rosalie'd given me for staying human. But I was interested in something much more pressing. â€Å"She told me a little bit . . . about the time your family lived in Denali.† There was a short pause; this beginning took him by surprise. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"She mentioned something about a bunch of female vampires . . . and you.† He didn't answer, though I waited for a long moment. â€Å"Don't worry,† I said, after the silence had grown uncomfortable. â€Å"She told me you didn't . . . show any preference. But I was just wondering, you know, if any of them had. Shown a preference for you, I mean.† Again he said nothing. â€Å"Which one?† I asked, trying to keep my voice casual, and not quite managing. â€Å"Or was there more than one?† No answer. I wished I could see his face, so I could try to guess what this silence meant. â€Å"Alice will tell me,† I said. â€Å"I'll go ask her right now.† His arms tightened; I was unable to squirm even an inch away. â€Å"It's late,† he said. His voice had a little edge to it that was something new. Sort of nervous, maybe a little embarrassed. â€Å"Besides, I think Alice stepped out. . . .† â€Å"It's bad,† I guessed. â€Å"It's really bad, isn't it?† I started to panic, my heart accelerating as I imagined the gorgeous immortal rival I'd never realized I had. â€Å"Calm down, Bella,† he said, kissing the tip of my nose. â€Å"You're being absurd.† â€Å"Am I? Then why won't you tell me?† â€Å"Because there's nothing to tell. You're blowing this wildly out of proportion.† â€Å"Which one?† I insisted. He sighed. â€Å"Tanya expressed a little interest. I let her know, in a very courteous, gentlemanly fashion, that I did not return that interest. End of story.† I kept my voice as even as possible. â€Å"Tell me something – what does Tanya look like?† â€Å"Just like the rest of us – white skin, gold eyes,† he answered too quickly. â€Å"And, of course, extraordinarily beautiful.† I felt him shrug. â€Å"I suppose, to human eyes,† he said, indifferent. â€Å"You know what, though?† â€Å"What?† My voice was petulant. He put his lips right to my ear; his cold breath tickled. â€Å"I prefer brunettes.† â€Å"She's a blonde. That figures.† â€Å"Strawberry blonde – not at all my type.† I thought about that for a while, trying to concentrate as his lips moved slowly along my cheek, down my throat, and back up again. He made the circuit three times before I spoke. â€Å"I guess that's okay, then,† I decided. â€Å"Hmm,† he whispered against my skin. â€Å"You're quite adorable when you're jealous. It's surprisingly enjoyable.† I scowled into the darkness. â€Å"It's late,† he said again, murmuring, almost crooning now, his voice smoother than silk. â€Å"Sleep, my Bella. Dream happy dreams. You are the only one who has ever touched my heart. It will always be yours. Sleep, my only love.† He started to hum my lullaby, and I knew it was only a matter of time till I succumbed, so I closed my eyes and snuggled closer into his chest.

“Bonum Ex” Principle Essay

The principle â€Å"bonum ex integra causa, malum ex quocumque defectu† means â€Å"an action is good when it is good in every respect; it is wrong when it is wrong in every respect.† This means that in order that an action may posses in an essential degree — no action is absolutely perfect — its moral perfection, it must be in conformity with the law in three respects. First, the action, considered under the character by which it ranks as an element of conduct, must be good. The physical act of giving another person money may be either an act of justice, when one pays a debt, or it may be an act of mercy or benevolence, as it is if one give the money to relieve distress. Both, of these actions possess the fundamental element of goodness (bonum ex objecto). The motive, if there is a motive beyond the immediate object of the act, must also be good. If one pays a man some money that one owes him with the purpose, indeed, of paying one’s debts, but also with the ulterior purpose of enabling him to carry out a plot to murder one s enemy, the end is bad, and the action is thereby corrupted. The end which is the motive must also be good (bonum ex fine). Thus, an action, otherwise good, is spoiled if directed to an immoral end; conversely, however, an action which in its fundamental character is bad is not rendered good by directing it to a good end. The end does not justify the means. The circumstances under which the action is performed should be in entire conformity with reason, otherwise it lacks something of moral completeness, though it may not be thereby rendered totally immoral. We frequently say that something which a person has done was right enough in itself, but he did not do it in the proper place or season. Hedonism The supreme good of man according to Aristippus is pleasure or the enjoyment of the moment, and pleasure is essentially gentle motion. Pleasure can never  be bad, and the primary form of it is bodily pleasure. But, in order to secure the maximum of pleasure, prudent self-control is necessary; and this is virtue. Epicurus held that pleasure is the chief good; but pleasure is rest, not motion; and the highest form of pleasure is freedom from pain and the absence of all desires or needs that we cannot satisfy. Hence an important means towards happiness is the control of our desires, and the extinction of those that we cannot gratify, which is brought about by virtue Utilitariansism Utilitarianism is a modern form of the Hedonistic ethical theory which teaches that the end of human conduct is happiness, and that consequently the discriminating norm which distinguishes conduct into right and wrong is pleasure and pain. Moral Positivism Positivism asserts that sense experiences are the only object of human knowledge, but does not prove its assertion. It is true that all our knowledge has its starting point in sense experience, but it is not proved that knowledge stops there. Positivism fails to demonstrate that, above particular facts and contingent relations, there are not abstract notions, general laws, universal and necessary principles, or that we cannot know them. Moral Rationalism Rationalism is used to designate any mode of thought in which human reason holds the place of supreme criterion of truth; in this sense, it is especially applied to such modes of thought as contrasted with faith. In other words, man’s ultimate truth is what our reason dictates. Communism In its more general signification communism refers to any social system in  which all property, or at least all productive property, is owned by the group, or community, instead of by individuals. Thus understood it comprises communistic anarchism, socialism, and communism in the strict sense. The complete equality sought by communism is a well-meant but mistaken interpretation of the great moral truths, that, as persons and in the sight of God, all human beings are equal; and that all have essentially the same needs and the same ultimate destiny.

Do Corporate Incentive Programs Pay Thesis Proposal

Do Corporate Incentive Programs Pay - Thesis Proposal Example According to a survey conducted by Incentive Federation in 2005, organizations implement incentive programs with aim to: boost morale; show concern for workers; generate leads; improve customer service; improve quality and productivity; foster teamwork (Incentive Performance Center, 2008). Of these, increase in workers’ productivity and efficiency is an important corollary of the corporate incentive programs. A Russell Index study on publicly held stocks of Fortune magazine’s list of â€Å"100 Best Companies to Work For† observed that since 1998, these companies have returned to the investors five times that they could have earned by a broader market index, such as the S&P 500 (Incentive Performance Center, 2008). This undoubtedly exemplifies the relationship between â€Å"best places to work for† and return on investment (ROI) viewed from the stand point of investors. But does the same relationship hold good for productivity and efficiency; more important ly in organisations that are outside the gambit of Fortune magazine’s list of 100 best companies to work for; though, the researcher personally believes it to be. Further, does â€Å"best-place-to-work-for† include corporate incentive? Therefore, it becomes necessary to empirically verify that corporate incentive programs invariably do have a strong positive correlation with workers’ productivity and overall organisational efficiency.... This undoubtedly exemplifies the relationship between â€Å"best places to work for† and return on investment (ROI) viewed from the stand point of investors. But does the same relationship hold good for productivity and efficiency; more importantly in organisations that are outside the gambit of Fortune magazine’s list of 100 best companies to work for; though, the researcher personally believes it to be. Further, does â€Å"best-place-to-work-for† include corporate incentive? Therefore, it becomes necessary to empirically verify that corporate incentive programs invariably do have a strong positive correlation with workers’ productivity and overall organisational efficiency. In other words, do corporate incentive programs work well in enhancing workers’ productivity and organizational efficiency? It also becomes necessary to understand about the elements that are contained in the recipe of â€Å"best-place-to-work-for† and their interrelatio nships; and how they are correlated? Literature Review In pursuit of this research question, it is intended that a thorough understanding of the current conditions in the field of study is made so that besides being familiar with the studies undertaken so far and current thinking on relevant issues, the researcher is also aware of the general problems and opportunities existing in this field of research. Nonetheless, the necessity of identifying the key gears of this study and developing sufficient insight on how they work cannot be overestimated. The researcher identified a three-component assembly for this research: (1) corporate incentives, (2) workers’ productivity, and (3) organisational

Ethnic and morality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethnic and morality - Essay Example Friedrich Nietzsche had a personal belief that morality is anti-nature. In fact, Nietzsche states that, â€Å"Every naturalism in morality-that is every health morality-is dominated by an instinct of life† (349). Indeed, Nietzsche helps us to define the idea of anti-nature by asserting that a human being is seemingly refuting the reality by denying their personal passion. In fact, according to Nietzsche and his moral philosophy, the healthiest moralities accommodate natural aspects while the unhealthy moralities negate nature. Nature derives human desires, which consequently define individual personality and how human beings behave. As such, I hold this fact and strongly oppose Nietzsche’s notion that morality is anti-nature. Friedrich Nietzsche observes that human beings should have the free will to choose what they want without coercion from any external forces. He further quotes that, â€Å"Anti-natural molarity-that is almost every morality which has so far been ta ught, revered, and preached-turns conversely against the instincts of life: it is condemnation of these instincts† (349). He also disputed the common notion that religions like Christianity drive human life and consequently asserted that religion and dominance of morality inhibits human nature. In this context, Nietzsche argued that ardent followers of a certain religion ignore the nature of humanity since religion forces individuals to behave in a manner that will please the supreme ruler of the reference religion. Friedrich Nietzsche holds that religion especially Christianity opposes human nature because it gives a leeway to individuals to adopt religious doctrines about human life hence limiting individuals from celebrating nature. Indeed, Nietzsche states that the most general foundation of every religion and morality is, â€Å"Do this and that, refrain from this and that,-then you will be happy† (352)! He uses this explanation to support the concept of anti-nature in morality. Notably, Nietzsche refers to morality as anti-nature by asserting that human desires control what individuals do, do not do, and confirms that morality distracts the course of nature. Nevertheless, various philosophers identify with the fact that nature generates human desires that consequently define human personality and morality. For instance, Immanuel Kant’s moral philosophy and other philosophers like Locke and Hobbes argues that moral requirements rely on a standard of rationality which is either based on desire instrumental principles of rationality or on rational intuition. This contradicts with Nietzsche’s assumption that human nature is prone to alteration by both morality and religion. Most specifically, I note that Nietzsche depicts religious people like Christians as hypocrites who can do anything to please God at the expense of altering their human nature. Ideally, Christians are rational beings who do not have such morality. Indeed, very fe w Christians would identify with Nietzsche’s argument since his ideas discourage Christians from following their religion. Notably, Nietzsche’s argument that religion alters human nature by allowing Christians to adopt variant aspects of life that prevent them from celebrating life is misguided. This is because Christians have morals that allow then to enjoy their lives just like any other person. In fact, his argument is not universal since it only addresses Christians thus leaving a significant would population. Assuredly, Nietzsche discourages people from

Judgment Heuristic and Biases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Judgment Heuristic and Biases - Essay Example These heuristics are very useful but at times can leads to severe and systematic errors. ( Harding,707 and Tversky, Kahneman,1124) In case of representative heuristics (Tversky and Kahneman, 1126), the likelihood of an event is judged based upon the extent to which it represents the essential features of the parent population or the generating process. Representative heuristic is generally used by people to make judgment or impression about someone or something. (Koning, 1) The relative frequency of an event often depends on the availability or accessability of the object or the event under perception memory or construction of imagination. This is availability heuristics. (Garns, 1) A bias is any of a wide range of observer effects identified in cognitive science and social psychology including very basic statistical, social attribution, and memory errors that are common to all human beings. Biases drastically skew the reliability of anecdotal and legal evidence. (Doughert and Franco-Watkins, 23) For example, the apparent distance of an object is determined in part by its clarity. The more sharply the object is seen, the closer it appears to be.

A Short Diary of our History Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Short Diary of our History - Term Paper Example The defining event in the 19th Century of American history was the expansion of westward. In other words, it was not the simple story of â€Å"Empire of Liberty†. I am of the view that cited expansion in 60 years after the purchase of Louisiana in fact destroyed the Republic earlier than it was expected (Foner 63). After one hundred and fifty years of civil war, number of Americans blamed civil war of slavery. It did not necessarily mean to target specific segment of the society. The civil war provided American people a chance to face slavery as an issue boldly (Foner). In my own view, slavery around the globe in general and specifically in the modern world raised many eyebrows about the norms of a civilized society. This reminds me the era of free trading of slaves in the Roman Empire, which was at that time considered a civilized nation amongst the comity of nation. The Industrial Revolution, which spread over fifty years, played a key role toward economic my development. I consider it a great change in terms of conversion of hand knitted production to machine made production in the factory premises. The spinning and weaving machines, which were operated through the power of water switched over to steam power. This really helped me in boosting industrial growth. Further, there can be no difference of opinion amongst the architects of American economy that it has changed the American society and economy revolutionarily (Foner 107). Apart from other economies involved in the First World War, the war in question proved blessings in disguise for me and the American people in terms of rapid growth of their economy. I can say that mentioned War increased many opportunities of employment, remuneration for us besides handsome profits to the indigenous industry. Out of this war, America becomes the great power of the world as well as the most favored credit

Environmental geography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Environmental geography - Essay Example Scientists agree that hunting played a more significant role in the formation and life of the ancient people, and thereby determined its development. Speaking of hunting, hunting methods used by ancient people should be noted. Hunting for large animals is difficult to imagine without the use of specific method. However, those hunting tools used by Neanderthals were too fragile and not allowed to deal with such animals. Hunting process more than anything else has stimulated the development of collectivism: hunting on large animals was always performed with all the forces of the primitive community. It is the labor process which from the beginning to the end helped to unite members of society. Finally, thousand-year experience and knowledge about the world gave the way from the difficult situation. Primitive man began not only to take from nature, but to restore its wealth. People have long noticed that the corns of plants that fall into good ground subsequently germinated. They also realized that the small little animals, found during hunting, should not be killed. People began to sow grain deliberately and domesticate and breed animals. In the Mesolithic dog was domesticated. Gradually in the Neolithic period primitive people moved from hunting and gathering to agriculture and animal husbandry, by appropriating management practices to reproduction. This transition has been called the Neolithic revolution. Agriculture was spread on the land with the most favorable conditions: the warm climate, fertile soil, wild grasses. The invention of agriculture and animal husbandry, according to scientists, determined the future of mankind. From now, there were unprecedented prospects for increasing the necessary of food for human life. Agriculture provided a person with a constant number of necessary products, the production of which it could control.

Discrimination based on disease status Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Discrimination based on disease status - Essay Example As a result, they will hide their conditions from the public in order to avoid such discrimination. This is not only disadvantageous to them but to the wider society as well. For instance, if an individual understands that he has contracted the deadly Ebola virus, he is likely to keep this information to himself for fear of discrimination, in the end, the person may end up infecting more people, thereby affecting the entire society. It is important that person who suffer from such conditions are not be viewed as a danger to society but instead handled with love and given the support needed. In this series for instance, in reference to the Zombies, Vicar Oddie, a member of the church in Roarton village, says that the government was putting back the dangerous friends into the community. Although such people may appear dangerous, it is important for the society to embrace them and look for ways of helping them. In handling people with such conditions however, great care needs to be take n to prevent further infections. Morally, the idea of discrimination based on disease in indefensible. This is based on three important points. First, such discrimination is in violation of individual justice. Discrimination based on health conditions is just as bad as discrimination based on things such as skin color, gender and religion. In this sense, people are treated unfairly not because of the mistakes of their own making but because of conditions they have no control over. It is obvious that such people are unjustly treated in the society.

African american essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

African american - Essay Example However, even though blacks had to go such conditions, the diverse African culture was still embroidered in their emotional state which remained apart of them as observed by Margaret Walker in her quotes, i.e. they still practice and held their norms from the past centuries to the present, avoiding the white culture despite the humiliating actions they were put through. This happened in the 1700 era where there was massive slave trade in the West African region. Millions of African descend were sold to the America and European countries. It was carried out in three parts hence the name Middle Passage. First, the Europeans carried goods such as firearms, iron, clothes and many more to the West African countries. On arrival, millions of people were captured and taken by force inform of slaves for exchange of goods. In fact, one of the slave narrates how her mother was forcefully taken and the only message she left that he be a good boy. The slaves were then shipped to America where the Europeans exchanged them for commodities such as sugar and cotton which were shipped to European countries. Captives were then left in America. Here they were exposed to various oppressions by the whites. First, whites had big tracks of land which were to be cultivated. The slaves were forced to work on those plantations producing crops while suffering severe tortures. Indeed they worked tirelessly on the plantations, with almost no food offered to them, while any complain would result into ruthless agony which caused them physical pain, castrating many deaths among the captives. This is shown from the slave narrative video where the slaves were subjected to thrashing while they were naked. The slaves were also made to bear inhuman housing conditions. Many people were put into small rooms. They had to excrete in containers provided to them in the rooms if not cubes, it was irritating and pathetic (Inikori and Stanley,

Employee Engagement in the Oil & Gas Sector Essay Example for Free

Employee Engagement in the Oil Gas Sector Essay 1. Introduction According to Aon Hewitt (2012), employee engagement refers to the â€Å"state of emotional and intellectual involvement that motivates employees to do their best work through examination of employees’ level of engagement relative to the organisation’s antecedents† (p.5). Scarlett (2010) defines employee engagement as â€Å"the measurable degree of an employee’s positive or negative emotional attachment to their job, colleagues and organisation that profoundly influences their willingness to learn and perform at the workplace†. White (2011) however states that â€Å"employee engagement represents an alignment of maximum job satisfaction with maximum job contribution† (p. 5). Varied statistics show that employee engagement is a pertinent aspect in enhancing an organisation’s productivity. Beddoes (2011) states that engagement levels are stabilising globally with a 58% increase in 2011 as compared to 56% in 2010, with the greatest levels experienced in Asia Pacific and Europe. After the economic crisis, engagement levels lagged but economic indicators show increasing improvement between 2009 and 2010 around the globe (Aon Hewitt, 2012). Minton (n.d.) states that four out of ten employees are not engaged translating into 58% engaged and 42% partially or totally disengaged, with motivational factors, career development opportunities, employee recognition and the organisation’s reputation playing a major contributory factor to the results. This study has developed the following objectives (1) identification of employee engagement levels/models, (2) identification of employee engagement drivers. (3) Identification of effective ways to engage employees, (4) advantages realised by having an engaged work force. 2. Engagement Model/ Levels Aon Hewitt (2012) define engagement model as â€Å"a model that determines employee engagement levels in the organisation through examining employees’ level of engagement towards the organisation in the relation to the set organisational antecedents† (p.5). This model states that engagement in one’s work or organisation is an individual choice but regularly influenced by group affiliations, developed by the employees, psychological and behavioural capacity regarding the organisation. The management particularly human resource managers should incorporate, encourage and develop the model’s components while relating with the employees. The model incorporates three main components (1) ‘Say component’ that encourages the management and employees to think and speak highly of the organisation and its activities to colleagues, potential employees and clients. (2) ‘Stay component’ that encourages the employees to continually desire to be part of the company through encouraging recognition, appraisal, teamwork and team building activities thus reducing employee turnover and encouraging potential employees and clients (Schneider, White Paul 1998). (3) ‘Strive component’ that encourages growth of an organisational culture that encourages hard work and achievement of success, thus enhancing input of extra effort from employees which in turn enhances commitment and increased productivity. Incorporation of the above model leads to more engaged employees, which lead to increased quality delivery, client satisfaction and sales, which eventually leads to increased efficiency (Organ, Posdako ff Mackenzie 2006). 3. Engagement Drivers Sijts and Crim (2006) define engagement drivers as factors that increase employee engagement in organisation through effective management of engagement levels. These drivers identify potential improvement areas in the organisation pertaining to employee engagement. These drivers are interrelated thus work in unison. Engagement drivers therefore help management identify lacking areas that prohibit employee potential, thus enhancing focus on improvement efforts that enhance productivity through increased employee commitment (Organ, Posdakoff MacKenzie 2006). 3.1 Quality of Work Life Quality of work life refers to creation of a work environment whereby employees’ activities are prioritised through execution of work structure activities that deem the activities less routine thus more rewarding to the employees (Sigy, Efraty, Siegel Lee 2001). It therefore involves creation of a conducive physical environment through availing the required resources necessary for work execution such as proper safety clothing and equipment thus enhancing productivity and engagement. It also involves enhancement of a work-life balance policy, which enables employees to clearly define and separate their work and social lives thus enhancing growth of an all-rounded employee, which enhances engagement leading to increased productivity (Richard Deci 2000). 3.2 Company Practices The organisation’s practices greatly contribute to employee engagement levels. Integration of interactive human resource policies enhances employee involvement in decision making, which in turns motivates them thus enhancing employee engagement (Aon Hewitt 2012). Introduction of effective management performance policies will enhance creation of efficient performance management and appraisal systems, which will recognise employees’ work input thus increasing their engagement leading to increased productivity (Cook, 2008). Extensive brand alignment through increased marketing and advertising will enhance engagement, as employees will view the organisation as a long-term venture as it has demonstrated continuity of operations (Payne 2012). Increasing and developed organisational reputation will enhance engagement, as employees will be more at ease to work in a reputable organisation thus demonstrating its continuity and job security. Development of a diversity culture relating to the organisation’s activities and employment of diverse individuals concerning race or gender, will enhance engagement, as it will eradicate any occurrences or fears of discrimination. According to Hynes (2012), creation of an effective communication system and structure will ensure that any important information pertaining to employees work activities or welfare are timely relayed thus enhancing growth and development of work interrelationships which enhance efficiency and effectiveness of operations. 3.3 Total Rewards Organisations should clearly outline its reward structure, as this will contribute to the engagement or disengagement of employees. Clear definition of employees’ expected pay and benefits package will enhance clear understanding about the pay package thus enhancing engagement (Harter, Schmidt Theodore 2012). The oil and gas sector should also clearly stipulate systems used to determine recognition payments regarding bonus allocation. 3.4 Opportunities To effectively enhance employee engagement, organisations in the oil and gas sector should clearly outline career opportunities available to employees who want to further advance their careers within the organisation regarding promotions and transfers that contribute to career development. Organisations should also outline the available learning and development opportunities within the organisation (Richard Deci 2000). Such opportunities could include sponsorships, study leave and provision of work-study allowances. 3.5 People People involved in the management, operational and end-user aspects of the organisation have a great impact on employees’ engagement. Organisations should therefore enhance creation of a proper work structure and culture that will enhance effective cooperation and communication among management, employees and customers (Aon Hewitt, 2012).This will in turn enhance development of interrelationships, leading to increased efficiency and effectiveness through increased employee engagement. 3.6 Work Activities An organisation’s work structure can contribute to either engagement or disengagement of employees within the organisation. Development of an elaborate and conclusive work structure will enhance clear development of work tasks, work processes, provision of necessary resources, hence providing the employees with a sense of accomplishment through effective and efficient execution of allocated work (Sahoo Mishra 2012). This will therefore lead to increased employee engagement. 4. Ways to Engage Employees Employee engagement is essential to organisations in the oil and gas sector as it enhances efficiency and effectiveness through increased production. Incorporation of various aspects has been identified as potential ways to increase employee engagement. These aspects include (1) Enhancement of employee career opportunities by creating career path for employees through training them in preparation for their next career role by creation of lateral growth opportunities (Aon Hewitt, 2012). (2) Increasing employee recognition through providing them with feedback regarding their work activities and how to improve on them by providing the necessary reinforcements and also rewarding them for work well done (Cook, 2008). (3) Management should strive to engage the employees more with the organisation through its vision, mission and objectives by explaining to them why the employer is the most desirable by offering a compelling proposition, reward and work experience structure thus enhancing the organisation’s reputation as the most preferred employer (Payne, 2012). (4) Creation of an engaging communication structure through enhancement of corporate communication which will appeal to employees emotional, behavioural, psychological and social aspects thus enhancing commitment to the organisation (Hynes, 2012). (5) Increased management of employee performance as employees will be effectively rewarded for their efforts thus enhancing employee engagement. (6) Provision of favourable pay as it will enhance employee engagement through provision of a pay and benefits package that is relative to their work performance (Zablah et al. 2012). 5. Advantages of having Engaged Employees Employee engagement directly relates and affects employee efficiency and effectiveness in relation to performance. Several advantages are extended to organisations in the oil and gas sector, which have employees who are actively engaged in the organisation and its production activities: * Employees exhibit high levels of performance as they are highly motivated leading to increased production that enhances efficiency and effectiveness. * Development of an interrelating link between employee engagement and profits realised thus leading to increased revenues that enhance organisational growth. * Leads to increased employee retention and loyalty, which enhances business success through efficient and effective production. * Enhances creation of a competitive environment which increases production thus enhancing effectiveness and increased profits. * Enhances team-work that provides new ideas that enhance innovation and creativity thus enhancing creation of new and effective products. * Development of brand ambassadors through employees for the organisations products thus enhancing marketing and advertising activities which enhance profit realisation. 6. Recommendations i. Oil and gas companies should encourage employee engagement through creation of an organisational culture that develops engagement, through increased employers, leaders and stakeholders involvement in the process by enhancing team work and being a part of the process. ii. Increasing focus on drivers that provide the greatest impact in organisational improvement such as increasing opportunities for improvement which leads to increased rate of return due to increased profits. iii. Increased recognition of employee efforts through provision of feedback which in turn motivates them thus increasing productivity. iv. Organisations should continually connect with employees through regular communication of organisation’s strategy, which keeps them focussed on achievement of set organisational objectives. v. Creative creation of employee career growth opportunities by re-navigating employees’ expectations towards growth in areas that will satisfy growing business needs such as lateral movements. vi. Selecting employees during recruitment who show aspects that encourage engagement such as loyalty, diversity and work aggressiveness. 7. Conclusion Employee engagement is a pertinent aspect in management of employees in the oil and gas industry. Clear understanding of the aspect regarding its impact on the organisation and application of the findings can lead to increased employee engagement through increased productivity, which increases the overall profits realised thus enhancing the sector’s growth. This has led to the identification and incorporation of various engagement models/ levels by organisations and they include stay and strive components. It has led to the identification of engagement drivers which enhance understanding of the drivers that contribute to increased employee engagement and how they can be incorporated. Engagement drivers include (1) Quality of work life which incorporates physical work environment and work-life balance. (2) Company practices which incorporate human resource policies, performance management, brand alignment, organisational representatives, diversity and communication. (3) Total rewards which incorporate pay, benefits and recognition. (4) Opportunities drive, which incorporates career opportunities, learning and development. (5) People drive, which incorporates management, employees, colleagues, people-focus and clients. (6) Work activities, which incorporate work tasks, work processes, resources and a sense of accomplishment. The study has also identified ways of enhancing employee engagement which include increasing career opportunities, increased recognition, enhancing organisational reputation, enhancing communication, enhancing performance management, and provision of fair remuneration in relation to one’s contribution. Employee engagement extends various advantages to the organisations, which include increased revenues, increased productivity, quality delivery, decreased turnover, increased employee loyalty and enhanced organisational reputation. Employee engagement is therefore a pertinent aspect in the oil and gas industry and should be considered to ensure that the organisations have increased quality delivery, productivity and revenue generation.

Case Study. Champion Essay Example for Free

Case Study. Champion Essay CASE: Rebhan v. Pop Warner Little Scholars, INC FACTS: Gator Rebhan is the former head coach of Suniland Sundevils. They were two time National Champions, including a victoy of 56-6 in the championship game. That following week, Pop Warner suspended Rebhan indefinitely alleging he intentionally ran up the score, which is a violation of Pop Warner rules. Rebhan filed a suit claiming that Pop Warner did not follow their own rules, in two instances. First, the referees failed to reward the ball to the opponents after each score until the deficit was less than 36. Rebhan was also never contacted or interviewed by Pop Warner to get his side of the story. ISSUE: Was Pop Warner within its rights to suspend Rebhan for running up the score, without hearing from him first? HOLDING: According to â€Å"We Own This Game†, Gator Rebhan dropped his lawsuit against Pop Warner in the following year. RATIONALE: Although the suit was dropped, Rebhan did hold a very strong case to be reinstated. Pop Warner broke its own league rules by not interviewing him prior to his suspension. Had they done so, they might have come to a different conclusion after he argued that he was trying to protect his own players after the opposing team stacked the box with 11 men. They might also realize that had the officials done their part correctly, Rebhan’s team would never have been rewarded the ball after the deficit reached greater than 36. According to â€Å"We Own This Game†, Rebhan’s suspension expired, and there was no reason for him to follow through with the case. Gator Rebhan was allowed to coach the Suniland Sundevils for the following season.

Physiology of Manic Depression

Physiology of Manic Depression Bre Wilson Manic Depression, or more commonly known as Bipolar disorder, is a disorder that causes the patient affected to cycle through periods of depression and mania (NIMH n.d.). There are three general types of Bipolar Disorder and then a fourth category for those who do not fall within any of the previous categories. Bipolar I Disorder is defined by manic episodes that last at least 7 days and then a depressive episode lasting at least two weeks. Symptoms may be severe enough to seek immediate medical care. Bipolar II Disorder is defined by recurring depressive, and hypomanic episodes, but not to the extent of Bipolar I. Cyclothymic Disorder is defined by numerous periods of hypomania and depression that lasts longer than two years in adults, (for one year for children), but the symptoms exhibited do not fit the within the categories of a simple hypomanic episode or a simple depressive episode. The final category is Other Specified and Unspecified Bipolar and Related Disorders which is def ined as bipolar tendencies, and symptoms, that do not meet the requirements within the previous three categories (NIMH n.d.). The true cause of Bipolar Disorder is unknown but scientists believe that it could be due to many environmental and genetic factors, as well as chemical imbalances within the brain- such as: GABA, serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine (Bressert 2016). Some people experience rapid cycling of episodes while others experience a prolonged period of time between cycles of episodes. The exact cause behind the rapid cycling is unclear but researchers believe that its due to the consistent misfiring of receptors causing mayhem within the Central Nervous System. These neurotransmitters play a huge role in a persons circadian rhythm, their emotional expression and regulation, their behavior and how well they respond to stress. After years of study, Manic Depression is now thought to be a result of serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine imbalance, as well as a GABA defect within the hippocampus (Frey 2007). GABA, a relative of Glutamate, is a primary inhibitory neurotransmitter which means that it mediates other neurotransmitters to prevent over exertion. Glutamate is the most abundant neurotransmitter present within the Central Nervous System. Its hypothesized that erratic misfiring of the Glutamate receptors within the brain could possibly be the cause of GABA fluctuations (Frey 2007). This causes the neurotransmitters that GABA mediates, (norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin), to fluctuate unpredictably as well causing the mood swings, sleeplessness, depression and self-destructive behavior expressed by patients diagnosed with Manic Depression. Dopamine, which acts on the D receptors in the brain, is the neurotransmitter that regulates a persons feelings of pleasure and emotional reward. Norepinephrine , which acts on alpha and beta adrenergic receptors, is the terminal neurotransmitter of the Sympathetic Nervous System. Norepinephrine is the fight or flight molecule. Serotonin, which acts on the 5-HT receptors within the brain, is the neurotransmitter that fosters feelings of happiness and well-being. Modifying the effectiveness, or quantity, of these three neurotransmitters is what leads mania, hypomania, and depression exhibited in patients with Manic Depression. People who are experiencing a manic episode often engage in risky behaviors, (binge drinking or promiscuity), exhibit restlessness, and experience disruptions in their sleep patterns. Manic episodes can be triggered chemically within the brain, or they can be triggered by external factors such as: excessive stress, a change in diet or exercise, excessive caffeine intake, antidepressant medication, and certain other medications as well (Bressert 2016). Dopamine plays a role in the behaviors exhibited by patients in manic episodes. Dopamine acts on the D receptors within the brain and cause a person to be emotionally satisfied. When the receptors cannot receive dopamine due to a blockage, or antagonist, emotional satisfaction is dramatically lowered- causing patients to engage is risky behavior to try to fulfill their emotional needs. Rapid firing of norepinephrine receptors cause unpredictable, behavior due to the influence on the sympathetic nervous system. Some studies suggest that mania is due to certain circadian cues and insist that treatment for manic depression be scheduled around a persons circadian rhythm (Roybal et al 2007). Serotonin plays a role in mania because patients have decreased binding affinity at 5-HT receptors during a manic episode (Yatham 2010). Serotonin and norepinephrine play a major role in mania but has also been linked to the depressive episodes as well. Depressive episodes almost always follow manic episodes which is most likely the result of neurotransmitter reuptake and are the result of neurotransmitter imbalance within the brain. Many times, manic depression is often misdiagnosed as depression since depressive episodes are easier to diagnose than manic episodes, and therefore an antidepressant is prescribed. However, when a patient takes an antidepressant, such as a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, it doesnt allow the active reuptake of serotonin which often leads to a manic episode because of the reduced binding (Yatham 2010). In contrast with manic episodes, brain serotonin 5-HT receptor binding is increased during bipolar depressive episodes. Treating manic depression is often very complex and combines a process of finding just the right regime of medication, as well as psychotherapy. Although manic depression is a life-long illness that cannot be totally eradicated, many patients can lead a semi-normal, productive life if properly medicated. Typical treatments for bipolar disorder include: psychotherapy, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and some Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (NIMH n.d.). In some cases, doctors will prescribe a medication to combat the depression, a medication to combat the mania, and then medication to combat any side effects caused by the other medications. Patients who exhibit a higher rate of serotonin 5-HT binding prior to starting medication had a higher chance of recurring episodes, even while taking medication, than did those who had a lower rate of serotonin 5-HT binding prior to medication (Parsey 2013). Lithium was a drug that works within the nervous system to strengthen the neural connections between cells to increase cell signaling therefore limiting the frequency and intensity of manic-depressive episodes. Lithium was ant icipated to have success rates as high as 70%-80% but studies now indicate that Lithium really has a success rate of approximately 40% and comes with a plethora of side effects (Surgeon General Report for Mental Health). Modafinil is an alpha-adrenergic agonist and directly stimulated the receptors within the brain (modafinil.com n.d.). The reuptake of noradrenaline by the noradrenergic is decreased and increase excitatory glutamatergic transmission is increased. This decreases GABAergic transmission, resulting in the elimination of GABA receptor signaling which could combat symptoms of bipolar depression by limiting the abundance of GABA receptor misfiring (modafinil.com n.d.). Studies show a significant improvement in depressive symptoms in the patients who received the experimental drug (Modafinil) by the second week with maintained improvement throughout the remainder of the experiment (Frye 2007). The drug did not seem to affect mania however, because during the experimental pe riod, there was no significant difference between the emergence of mania or in hospitalizations due to mania (one per group) (Frye 2007). Works Cited Bressert, S. (2016). Causes of Bipolar Disorder. Psych Central.   Ã‚   Frey B. N., Andreazza A. C., Nery F. G., Martins M. R., Quevedo J., Soares J. C., Kapczinski F. (2007). The role of hippocampus in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder. Behavioral Pharmacology, 18(5-6):419-30 Frye, M. A., Grunze, H., Suppes, T., Mcelroy, S. L., Keck, P. E., Walden, J., . . . Post, R. M. (2007). A Placebo-Controlled Evaluation of Adjunctive Modafinil in the Treatment of Bipolar Depression. American Journal of Psychiatry, 164(8), 1242-1249. Modafinil (Provigil). (n.d.). Retrieved March 29, 2017, from https://www.modafinil.com/ National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). Retrieved March 28, 2017, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml#part_145402 Parsey RV, Olvet DM, Oquendo MA, Huang YY, Ogden RT, Mann JJ. (2013). Higher 5-HT(1A) Receptor Binding Potential During a Major Depressive Episode Predicts Poor Treatment Response: Preliminary Data from a Naturalistic Study. Neuropsychopharmacology. Roybal, K., Theobold D., Graham A., DiNieri, J. A., Russo, S. J., Krishnan, V., Chakravarty, S., Peevey, J., Oehrlein N., Birnbaum S., Vitaterna, M. H., Orsulak, P., Takahashi J. S., Nestler, E. J., Carlezon Jr., W.A., and McClung C. A. (2007). Mania-like behavior induced by disruption of CLOCK. PNAS. Surgeon General Report for Mental Health. (n.d.). Accessed March 28, 2017.  Ã‚   Yatham, L. N., Liddle, P F., Erez, J., Kauer-SantAnna, M., Lam, R. W., Imperial M., Sossi, V., and Ruth, T. J. (2010). Brain serotonin-2 receptors in acute mania. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 47-51

Analysis of Lucina Matlock by Edgar Lee Masters :: essays research papers

The major poets of the early twentieth century tended to reflect in their poetry elements of the rural, agrarian society in which they lived, much of their work focused on traditional American values and yet foreshadowed the changing character of America, hinting at the factors that ushered the changes of the twentieth century: war, urbanization, technological development, increased mobility, and the emergence of minority voices in culture. Edgar Lee Masters indited 243 poems about the people buried in the Spoon River?s Cemetery, which is where the poem Lucinda Matlock came from. Each character speaks from the grave about his own epigraph. Lucinda lived a very long life of ninety-six years. From what Masters conveyed with his poem, it seemed like Lucinda enjoyed her life and was very satisfied with everything she had accomplished. In the first few lines of the poem she talks about going to different dances and how the frequently switched partners, until one day she met Davis. They were soon married and stayed together for seventy years. She and Davis had twelve children, but eight of them died. How the eight children died when never explained in the poem, but it could relate to the time period in which the poem was placed in. In the early 1900?s it was normal to have many children, but unless a family had the resources needed, some of the children may die. She also did many activities such as spinning, weaving, kept the house up and also nursed the sick, which could relate to the time period this poem is taking place in also. The intent that the author was trying to get across is one that, people could life happy live s in a very simplistic way, such as Lucinda did. In his poems, Masters used free verse patterns to make his subjects seem more natural. There are really no historical or literary allusions in this poem. Although she barely includes any similes or metaphors in her poem, there are a few. Lucinda says at the end of the poem ?Life is too strong for you?It takes life to love Life?. Lucinda has a very satisfied tone, which means that she was very happy with her life. By saying that, she is relating that she was very satisfied and happy with her life. Although these poems do not say much about the era that they are in or the social class that these people come from a person could tell a lot just by the poem.

Was Eugenics Ever Moral? Essay -- human species, charles darwin

Eugenics is the study or belief in the possibility of improving the qualities of the human species. Sounds good, right? But the question here is, is it moral to sacrifice someones life or the ability for someone to create life in the name of science? Surely Francis Galton and Gregor Mendel thought so. In the nineteenth century, biology was at its peak. Charles Darwin, who just happens to be Galton’s cousin, had just introduced his idea of survival of the fittest. Galton then took that thesis and dissected it. The result of that mess was what we know today as eugenics. The initial proposal was for genetically perfect people to reproduce with others of the same kind. It was believed that mixing the inferior people and the so called perfect beings would â€Å"yield a corruption of blood†(Lombardo,8). It was not until the Civil War ended when America started exploring this new world of genetics. People came up with the belief that â€Å"genetics appeared to be the cause behind human social problems - such as pauperism, nomadism, criminality,alcoholism, feeble-mindedness, rebelliousness and prostitution - as the inheritance of defective germ plasm† (Allen,4). As bizarre as this sounds, eugenicists and their wealthy followers swore by this. With this idea in mind, doctors in prison and mental institutions started sterilizing the inmates and patients. Their reasoning for doing this was that it was better to sterilize these genetically impaired people and let them go knowing there won’t be any other generations of that same problem than to keep them locked up under taxpayers dollar. How could this have been moral? Even Galton, the man who officially named this branch of science called this negative eugenics. These men and women were sterilized... ...t still isn’t, and it never will be. Works Cited Allen, Garland E. "Social Origins of Eugenics." Essay 1:Social Origins. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2014. "Buck v. Bell." LII / Legal Information Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2014. "Doctors Trial: The Medical Case of the Subsequent Nuremberg Proceedings." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 10 June 2013. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. "EugenicsArchive.Org: Image Archive on American Eugenics Movement." EugenicsArchive.Org: Image Archive on American Eugenics Movement. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014. "First Amendment." LII / Legal Information Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. Lombardo, Paul. Three Generations, No Imbeciles. Baltimore: JHU, 2008. Print. Meikos, David. "Eugenics Research Methods." Essay 3: Research Methods. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.

To Kill A Mocking Bird :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

Proposals: To examine the character of Atticus Finch as a hero in Harper Lees’ â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird. â€Å"To kill a Mockingbird†, an acclaimed novel, by Harper Lee is recognised throughout the world. Having read her novel, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1960 soon after its publication, I was compelled to consider the novel in greater depth but was particularly intrigued to examine the character of Atticus Finch as a hero. Maycomb, a fictional town in the Southern States of America plays host to the novel during the period of 1933-1935. â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† follows a lawyer and his family prior to and during a legal case to defend a black male, Tom Robinson, charged of raping a white female, Mayella Ewell. This occurs in a very white orientated town. Atticus Finch, Attorney and father of two children only plays a brief part in the opening chapter but as this epic novel progresses so does his importance. It becomes apparent that Atticus Finch, arguably the novel’s main character, is extremely well respected in Maycomb by the majority of its residents. If someone expresses a dislike towards him he will still try to do his â€Å"best to love everybody†. Atticus is a man of extreme integrity and some say that it is through his mouth that Harper Lee expresses her own morality, an opinion that I share. He represents a true gentleman; his conduct is always courteous despite any provocation whether privately or publicly. This is enhanced by the very carefully selected word choice. Atticus is able to use language stylishly when appropriate but he can also communicate very simplistically such as when in a moment of crisis he can talk straightforwardly, for example to Jem and Scout, to enhance understanding. Atticus is a devoted family man; he manages to care for his children without the help of their mother, who died. Harper Lee gives Atticus a very â€Å"modern style† re garding parenting (in comparison to other families in the 1930’s i.e. principally he was a single parent). This could perhaps be a reflection on Atticus’s opinion that everyone has the right to be an individual and because of this we should not be judged. He is one person in a select few who feel that coloured people should be able to have the same standard of living as their white counterparts. Atticus is open to all opinions and will accept each individual for their own beliefs regardless of whether or not these differ from his own.

Realities Behind Deceiving Appearances Essay

According to Alfred Kazin, â€Å"In every great novel of society†¦ what counts is the reality behind the appearance† (Kazin, 1981, 297). In other words, he’s saying that the best books are those that include one or more realities behind appearances. The novel first I chose is called Perfect by Ellen Hopkins. This book has four main characters; Cara, Sean, Kendra, and Andre, who are all teens struggling to fit the ideal of perfection, even if it means hurting and lying to themselves and others. The other novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain tells a story of a runaway slave named Jim and a young boy Huck, running from the dangers of his father. Together they are trying to get to the North but run into many roadblocks. This adventure includes deceit, danger, excitement and most of all, friendship. Both of these novels show reality behind experiences through its actions, dialogs, and the characters themselves! In the following paragraphs, I will comp are and explain the reality behind appearances such as friends or family, disguises and secrets in both novels, Perfect and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Jim, a runaway slave from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn shows many realities behind deceiving appearances. An example of a deceiving appearance is when Huck and the duke paint Jim all blue and dressed him up in King Lear’s outfit before leaving to town. Huck doesn’t want to risk Jim being taken away and sold back into slavery so they disguise him as a â€Å"sick arab-but harmless when not out of his head† (Twain 157) so that he won’t have to uncomfortably lay tied up in the wigwam all day. The reality behind this disguise is that Jim is a kind and harmless runaway slave. After a tiring adventure, Jim talks to Huck about his family. When telling stories to Huck, he reveals a reality behind a deceiving appearance about his daughter Elizabeth. When Jim’s daughter was young, she got very sick. When she was better, Jim had told her to shut the door but she just stood there smiling at him. He repeated himself and again, she just smiled at him. Thinking that she was being naughty and a rebel, he smacked her across the head as a punishment. When he slams the door shut and she doesn’t budge, wince, or make any notice of it, Jim realizes â€Å"Oh, she was plumb deef en dumb, Huck, plumb deef en dumb† (Twain 156). The biggest and most important reality behind a deceiving appearance is that along this adventure, Jim was  freed from slavery. After all the trouble Tom put him through, Tom finally fesses that Jim was free because â€Å"Old Miss Watson died two months ago, and she was so ashamed she ever was going to sell him down the river, and said so; and she set him free in her will† (Twain 289). The duke and the king from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are very mischievous people. They are full with illusions, lies, and intelligence. The first reality behind appearance Huck saw is their names. On the day they first meet, both men claim they were a king and a duke in order to receive pity and to be spoiled by Jim and Huck. While Huck sees through this appearance, Jim does not. Later on in the story, the king cons the people of a religious camp in order to get some money. He pretends to be a pirate who changed his ways after he was robbed and now is working his way back to the ocean in order to change all pirates. He gives credit to the people of the town to earn their pity and succeeds. â€Å"‘Don’t you thank me, don’t you give me no credit; it all belongs to them dear people in Pokeville camp-meeting, natural brothers and benefactors of the race, and that dear preacher there, the truest friend a pirate ever had’† (Twain 132). The reality behind the king’s appearance is that it was all an act and that he is just a cheater. Even after this silly event, the king and the duke are still greedy for more. When they find out that a man who has a lot of money for a relative has died, they head towards the town. There, they pretended to be the uncle of three girls who are very sweet and innocent. Eventually, the actual heirs to the money show up and start to expose the duke and the king. They have a more authentic english accent and state that the handwritings when compared to an old letter aren’t the same. In my novel, Perfect by Ellen Hopkins, there are four main characters struggling to fit an ideal of perfection. One of the main characters is named Kendra. Kendra is a senior in high school and everything you would want to be. She’s popular, on the cheer team, rich, and most of all, skinny. Kendra’s obsession with perfection comes with dangerous consequences as she is willing to do anything to achieve it. The most deceiving illusion when it comes to Kendra is her appearance itself. Kendra has gone through many plastic surgeries to look as she is now. With a rhinoplasty already  scheduled, she is also hoping to get a boob job which her stepfather refuses to allow. Along with the plastic surgery, in order to lose weight, Kendra eats as little as possible. Kendra believes she is fat, being 5’ 10† and 122 pounds. Though everyone tells her she’s not, she states that the â€Å"stinking mirror doesn’t lie. Everytime I walk by, it shouts out, †˜Hey. Chub. When are you going to lose those fifteen pounds of ugly-ass flab? Do you want to stay size four forever?’† (Hopkins, 23). The reality behind Kendra’s illusion is that she’s already beautiful and dangerously skinny. With every calorie she doesn’t eat, she inches closer and closer to death. One of the reasons why she believes that she’s not beautiful is because her boyfriend Conner left her. She believed he left her because she wasn’t good and pretty enough. The thought of this tortures her because Conner was her first love, the first person whom she gave her heart and soul to. She later finds out that Conner is in the hospital because of an accident. The reality is that Conner didn’t get into an accident, he tried killing himself and he didn’t leave her because he thought she was ugly. He left her because he had fallen in love with someone else. When Kendra leaves her beauty agent for Xavier, she begins to work with a man named Gilles. Xavier tells Kendra that Gilles is one of the â€Å"biggies† and that she needs keep him happy. â€Å"I have to keep Gilles happy. He likes the way I look. Especially naked† (Hopkins 496). Gilles and Xavier claim that they love her but in all honesty, they are taking advantage of her. If they rea lly did love her as she is, they wouldn’t abuse her body with pills, sex and surgeries. The appearance of Gilles loving her for her style and determination masks the reality that in order to do business, she must trade it with her service to him. Another character who has a deceiving appearance in the novel Perfect is a girl named Cara. Cara, like Kendra is also on the cheer team, beautiful, rich, has good grades and a wonderful sexy boyfriend but is she really all the things people make her out to be? Cara has a secret, one that could ruin her reputation; She’s a lesbian. Her boyfriend Sean is just an appearance. An appearance to make her seem straight when in reality, she’s a lesbian. When Sean finds out about her secret after they break up, he exposes her by taking a photo of Cara and her lover making love and sharing it to all of her â€Å"friends†. After this incident, all of Cara’s friends leave her and  began calling her cruel names such as slut and dyke. â€Å"I can’t believe Cara broke up with Sean. Neither can half the senior class†¦ They’re chopping her into little pieces: †¦is a slut anyway, †¦always was full of it, †¦serious commitment issues† (Hopkins 306). The comfort and companionship of her friends was all an appearance in which the reality was just to use Cara for their own benefit. Because of this incident, Cara finally decides to tell her parents. â€Å"‘Dani said I should press charges†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Mom’s eyes grew steadily more severe. ‘I think it’s best to let it drop. If this becomes public knowledge, the media will smear it all over the headlines. Our reputation will be ruined. Bad enough we had to deal with all the flak about Conner.’ She straightened her blouse, as if it had been wrinkled by the very idea of her children disgracing her name† (Hopkins 535). The definition of parents is a mother and a father and that’s exactly what Cara’s parents are. A mother and father, nothing more. Though they do provide Cara with materialistic needs, it is all for her mother’s reputation. Her heartless parents with their high expectations are so extreme that it causes her twin brother Conner to kill himself. The idea of loving and supportive parents is just an appearance that the Sykes family create when the cold truth is that they don’t hold any familial bonds with each other. In the preceding paragraphs, I have compared and explained the realities behind appearances in both novels, Perfect and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. As Alfred Kazin was saying, realities behind deceiving appearances make a book more interesting to read. It also makes the readers realize that there are many illusions in our daily lives. Through the characters, we can perhaps learn a lesson on how to act, spot, and deal with these realities behind appearances.