An Inspector Calls Play Essay Example for Free

An Inspector Calls Play Essay ‘An Inspector Calls’ has been called ‘a play of contrasts’. Write about how Priestley presents some of the contrasts in the play. In the play there are wide differences in not only the treatment of Sheila Birling and Eva Smith but also large contrasts in the girls themselves- with Eva being a poor uncared for girl and Sheila being a privileged upper-middle class girl. This not only separates them as they would be unable to fully empathise with each other as they experience widely contrasting lives. This is shown as Mr Birling says â€Å"but I see no point in mentioning the subject – especially -(indicating Sheila.)† The quote paired with the stage direction highlights Mr Birling’s attempts to prevent Sheila from being exposed to the situation. This is done as they feel that Sheila should be protected from merely hearing the awful situations that some girls have to endure. This concern is in contrast with how they view Eva Smith as both parents have minimal concern for the fact that they are partly responsible for Eva having to live on the streets. ‘Theres nothing I can tell him. I told the girl to clear out, and she went.’ The use of ‘nothing’ indicates how Mr Birling views the situation of Eva, as if it was ‘nothing’ that he was at fault for Eva being on the streets and out of a job- a contrast to the sheltered life he creates for Sheila. At both ends of the play there is contrast in the language used by Inspector and Birling in their speeches. The early speech by Mr Birling is one with a much happier and self-supporting view of society compared to the later one by the Inspector which holds a tone of finality and encompasses the idea of being responsible for everyone around you. Both speeches talk of the responsibility we have however; where the Inspector talks of responsibility for all- ‘We dont live alone.’ Mr Birling means to say that we are responsible for ourselves and no more- ‘. We employers at last are coming together to see that our interests’ These speeches indicate the attitudes held by the speaker clearly, with Mr Birling showing concern for ‘we employers’ highlights the socialist view held by Mr Birling as he views they employers as one while entity that need to protect and look after each other with minimal concern for the rest of society.

Ancient River Civilizations :: essays research papers

Approximately 5500 years ago four of the worlds' most prestigious ancient river civilizations had emerged. Our world has been left in astonishment and awe wondering how these civilizations were developed. Egypt and Mesopotamia were the first ancient river civilizations to create cities and their own ways of living. Society, geography, and religion played an enormous role in the development of the ancient cities. Although there is evidence of early Sumerian contact with the Egyptians, Egypt's civilization was largely self-generated and its history and cultural patterns differed from Mesopotamia. The early Dynastic Period was Egypt?s era of initial unification and state building under the guidelines of its first three royal dynasties. In the years between 2660 and 2180 B. C. the basic marks of the cultures of Egypt arose. Egypt was one kingdom and it was divided into provinces, or the names of provinces. Ruling over the kingdom was a pharaoh, who was not only a king but was also seen as a god. Provinces were ruled by nomarchs better known as provincial governors. The Egyptians devised themselves into classes, upper class, middle class, and a lower class. The pharaoh and his family were at the top of the Egyptian class system. People could move from one class to another depending on their situations. Mesopotamian civilization exercised profound and cultural influence throughout west Asia and beyond for about 3,000 years. Mesopotamia had many independent city-states with its own government and ruler. Priests ruled these city-states with other administrators such as organizers and managers. Since turmoil and tension would often arise between the city-states, Mesopotamian Political Unification was rarely achieved. Mesopotamia was constantly invaded by foreigners who would incorporate their culture into newly society and form a new one by force. The Mesopotamian geography affected their society because Mesopotamia was located on an open plain without protection from foreign intrusions. Egypt, on the other hand, was centered on the Nile River ad protected by natural boundaries. This allowed Egypt?s kingdom for prosper and last for thousands of years. Mesopotamia was not considered a nation or country, it was considered a region between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers that established a number of highly organized city-states. Since each city-state was independent there was no capital of Mesopotamia. Religion was very important to the ancient Egyptians the believed in many gods, meaning they were polytheistic.

The Indigo Spell Chapter Seventeen

ALTHOUGH OUR MAGICAL PLANS had been derailed, Ms. Terwilliger had asked me to come by her room before classes started in the morning so that we could talk strategy and future assignments. I had just enough time to swing by the cafeteria for breakfast and found Jill, Eddie, and Angeline sitting together. It felt like it had been a long time since we'd all been together in some kind of normal setting, and I welcomed this small moment of bonding. It was a refuge in the storm that had been my life recently. Jill was grinning about something that Eddie didn't seem to find so funny. â€Å"He didn't say anything about it to me,† he said. â€Å"Of course not.† Jill laughed. â€Å"He's too embarrassed.† I sat down with my tray. â€Å"Who's too embarrassed?† I assumed any â€Å"he† they were talking about must be Adrian, though it was hard to imagine Adrian embarrassed about anything. â€Å"Micah,† said Jill. â€Å"I talked him into modeling for our sewing club again. And then he got Juan and Travis to do it too. â€Å" â€Å"How'd you manage that?† I asked. Jill had originally gotten involved with Lia through the school's sewing club. Back when Jill and Micah had dated, she'd convinced him to model some very badly made clothes. He'd done it out of adoration, though I wasn't sure he'd really enjoyed it. Jill leaned forward, an excited sparkle in her eyes. â€Å"Claire guilted him into it! It was hilarious. But I don't know how he talked Juan and Travis into it. Maybe they owed him a favor.† â€Å"Maybe they have ulterior motives,† said Eddie. His tone surprised me until I remembered his lesson about the latest social developments around here. What was it? Claire was Micah's new girlfriend. Juan and Travis were his friends, who liked Jill. Eddie didn't like that they liked her. Got it. Apparently, Eddie hadn't kept his opinions to himself because Jill rolled her eyes. â€Å"Will you stop worrying about that?† she asked. She was still smiling but sounded just a little annoyed. â€Å"They're good guys. And I'm not going to do anything stupid. You don't have to lecture me about humans and Moroi. I get it.† Her jade eyes flicked over to me, and her smile faltered a little. She studied me for several long, troubled moments, and I wondered what she was thinking about. Was she still hoping for some romantic resolution between Adrian and me? Was she wondering why Adrian and I kept getting into intimate situations? I kind of wanted to know that too. She finally dragged her gaze away, letting her happy mood return. â€Å"I'm just looking out for you,† Eddie said obstinately. â€Å"You look out for assassins. I can handle these guys. I'm not a child, and besides, these are the most male models we've ever had. It's great. If we could score a couple more, our club could do a whole project on men's clothing.† Eddie still looked way too serious for this discussion. â€Å"Maybe Eddie would volunteer,† I suggested. â€Å"I bet guardian posture would be great on the catwalk.† He blushed, which even I had to admit was adorable. If Jill had been irritated by his earlier overprotectiveness, it was no longer obvious. From her dreamy expression, you'd think Eddie blushing was the most amazing thing she'd ever witnessed. I think he was too overwhelmed at the thought of strutting down a runway to notice. Angeline had been completely silent so far. I glanced over at her, expecting her to have something funny to say about her boyfriend being encouraged to model. But to my surprise, she wasn't paying attention to the conversation at all. She had a geometry book open and was furiously trying to draw some circles freehand. It killed me to watch, but after Kristin's comment about Angeline stabbing someone with a compass, freehand might be best. â€Å"What do you think, Angeline?† I asked, just to see how engrossed she was. â€Å"Do you think Eddie would make a good model?† â€Å"Hmm?† She didn't look up. â€Å"Oh, yeah. You should let Jill try some clothes on you.† Now Jill blushed. Eddie's deepened. Just when I thought this meal couldn't get any more surreal, Trey stopped by. He nudged Angeline's chair with his toe. â€Å"Hey, McCormick.† He nodded toward her graph paper. â€Å"Time to check out your curves.† Rather than answering with some biting response, she looked up instantly, a big smile on her face. â€Å"I've been working on them all morning,† she said. â€Å"I think they're pretty good.† â€Å"They look good from where I'm standing,† said Trey. They were actually the worst circles I'd ever seen, but I guessed Trey wanted to encourage her. I was amazed at how seriously she was treating this math grade. It seemed to me that she was putting it above everything else, even her personal life. She gathered up all her things so that she and Trey could go to the library. Eddie looked disappointed but couldn't protest, lest it give away the truth about Angeline and him. Trey knew we weren't all actually related, but Eddie and Angeline's relationship was still kept secret. I realized then that it was almost time to meet Ms. Terwilliger. I hurriedly finished a banana and told Eddie and Jill I'd see them later. Whether they would talk about male modeling or Jill's dating life, I couldn't guess. I showed up right on the dot for my meeting but found Ms. Terwilliger's room locked and dark. Even in crisis mode, I supposed she was entitled to run a little late now and then, so I settled down on the hallway floor and read ahead for my English class. I grew so absorbed that I didn't realize how much time had passed until I heard the warning bell ring and realized students were starting to fill the halls. I glanced up just as the same harried substitute teacher from before came scurrying up to the door with a set of keys. I scrambled to my feet. â€Å"Ms. Terwilliger's out today?† I asked. â€Å"Is she okay?† â€Å"They don't tell me the reasons,† the sub said brusquely. â€Å"They just ask me to be here. I hope she left an assignment this time.† Knowing Ms. Terwilliger, I had a feeling it was going to be another â€Å"homework† day. I shuffled into the classroom after the sub, feeling a knot of anxiety in my stomach. The next hour was agonizing. I barely heard as the sub told us to work on homework. Instead, I kept sneaking glances at my cell phone, hoping a text would come from Ms. Terwilliger. No such luck. I went from class to class but was too distracted to give anything my full attention. I even shocked myself in English when I nearly mixed up Henry IV with Henry VI while answering an essay question. Thankfully, I caught myself before committing that embarrassing mistake to paper. When I returned to Ms. Terwilliger's classroom for my independent study at the day's end, I was expecting the sub to tell me I could leave early again. Instead, I found Ms. Terwilliger herself, rifling through papers on her desk. â€Å"You're back!† I exclaimed. â€Å"I thought something had happened to you.† â€Å"Not me,† she said. Her face was pale and drawn. â€Å"But someone else wasn't so lucky.† â€Å"No. Not again.† I sank into a chair, and all the fears I'd been carrying around today came crashing down on me. â€Å"I'd hoped we'd protected those girls.† Ms. Terwilliger sat down opposite me. â€Å"It wasn't one of them. Last night, Veronica targeted one of my coven members. Alana.† It took me several moments to truly process that. â€Å"Your coven . . . you mean, like a full-fledged witch?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Someone like you?† Her face gave me the answer before she spoke. â€Å"Yes.† I was reeling. â€Å"But you said she only went after young girls.† â€Å"Normally she does. That way she can capture youth and beauty along with power.† Ms. Terwilliger didn't look like she had to worry about someone stealing her youth anytime soon. Fatigue and stress were taking their toll on her, making her look older than she was. â€Å"Now, some magic users who perform this spell are only concerned about power, not getting younger. That's never been Veronica's style, though. She's vain. She always wanted the superficial benefits – not to mention easier victims. Someone like my coven sister would be more difficult to take, so this is surprising behavior.† â€Å"It means you could be a target,† I said. â€Å"You've been saying all this time that you're safe, but now everything's different.† Ms. Terwilliger shook her head, and a bit of steely resolve flashed in her eyes. â€Å"No. Maybe she did this to throw me off, to make me think it's someone else behind the spells. Or maybe to make me think she's not interested in you. Whatever the reason, she won't target me.† I admired Ms. Terwilliger for thinking so well of her sister, but I couldn't share her confidence that sisterly affection would overcome an evil quest for youth and power. â€Å"No offense, ma'am, but isn't there a slight chance you could be wrong about her coming for you? You said she'd only go after young novices, but obviously, that's not the case. She's already doing things you didn't expect.† Ms. Terwilliger refused to back down. â€Å"Veronica may do any number of terrible things, but she won't face me unless she's absolutely forced to.† She handed over a new spell book and a small drawstring bag. â€Å"Just because she went after an older witch, it doesn't mean you're out of danger. I've marked some pages I want you to go over. There's a spell there I think will prove particularly useful. I've gathered some components for you, and you should be able to cast the rest yourself – just make sure you do it somewhere remote. Meanwhile, I still need to make you that secondary charm. There's just so much to do lately.† A mix of emotions swirled within me. Once again, I was amazed that Ms. Terwilliger would go to such lengths for me. Yet I couldn't shake my fear for her. â€Å"Maybe you should make one for yourself, just in case.† She gave me a wan smile. â€Å"Still pushing that, hmm? Well, once I've secured yours, I'll see about another. It may take a while, however. What I have in mind for you is particularly complex.† That made me feel even worse. She always looked so worn out lately, and all these things she was doing for me were only intensifying the situation. But no matter how many arguments I made, she refused to listen. I left her classroom feeling upset and confused. I needed to vent to someone. Obviously, my choices were limited in this matter. I texted Adrian: V attacked a real witch last night. Ms. T won't protect herself. She's only worried about me. As usual, I received a quick response: Wanna talk about it? Did I? I wasn't the type to sit and analyze my feelings, but I did actually want company. I knew I shouldn't spend more time around Adrian than I had to when my feelings for him were already so mixed. But he was the only person I wanted to talk to. I have to cast some spells for her now. Want to pick me up and come along? My answer was a smiley face. She'd told me to go somewhere remote, so I picked Lone Rock Park again. When Adrian and I arrived, it was smoldering in the late-afternoon heat, and I found it hard to believe Christmas was only a couple weeks away. I'd dressed in layers, just like before, and took off my Amberwood hoodie as Adrian and I trekked across the rocky terrain. He took off a coat as well, and I had to do a double take when I saw what he was wearing underneath. â€Å"Really?† I asked. â€Å"Your AYE shirt?† He shot me a grin. â€Å"Hey, it's a perfectly good shirt. I think I'm going to see if I can start a chapter on Carlton's campus.† Carlton was the college he took art classes at. It was pretty small and didn't even have fraternities or sororities. â€Å"A chapter?† I scoffed. â€Å"Don't you mean the only chapter?† â€Å"Gotta start somewhere, Sage.† We reached the same spot where I'd practiced with Ms. Terwilliger, and I tried to ignore the scorch marks on the ground. Adrian had decided to turn this into a desert picnic and had brought along a basket containing a blanket and a thermos of lemonade. â€Å"I figured we could stop at Pies and Stuff on the way back since I know how much you like that place,† he explained, deadpan, as he poured me a cup. â€Å"Hopefully this'll tide you over after the spell.† â€Å"I wish this was over,† I said, running my hand over the weathered leather of Ms. Terwilliger's latest book. It was an old handwritten one called Summonings and Conjurations. â€Å"I hate living with the uncertainty, worrying that Veronica's lurking behind every corner. My life's already complicated enough without witches coming after me.† Adrian, face serious, stretched out on the blanket and propped his head up with his elbow. â€Å"If she's even coming after you.† I sat down cross-legged, careful to keep a lot more distance than in the Velvet Suite. â€Å"Ms. Terwilliger won't listen to me. She just keeps stressing over me.† â€Å"Let her,† he suggested. â€Å"I mean, I totally get why you're worried about her. I am too. But we have to accept that she knows what she's talking about. She's been involved with this stuff a lot longer than we have.† I couldn't help but smile at that. â€Å"Since when are you involved with magic?† â€Å"Since I started looking after you and being all manly and brave.† â€Å"Funny, I don't remember it that way.† I worked to keep a straight face. â€Å"If you think about all the rides I gave you, me getting you into college . . . well, it kind of seems like I'm looking after you.† He leaned toward me. â€Å"I guess we look after each other.† We locked eyes and smiled, but there was nothing sensuous about it. There was no trick here, no sly move on Adrian's part to advance on me. And there was no fear on my part. We were just two people who cared about each other. It reminded me of what had initially drawn us together – before all the romantic complications. We connected. Against all reason, we understood each other, and – as he said – we looked out for each other. I'd never had a relationship quite like that with anyone and was surprised at how much I valued it. â€Å"Well, then, I guess I'd better get to work.† I glanced back down at the book. â€Å"I haven't had a chance to look at what she wants me to do. It doesn't sound like a defensive book.† â€Å"Maybe you're graduating from fireballs to lightning bolts,† Adrian suggested. â€Å"I bet it'd be a lot like throwing ninja stars. Except, well, you could incinerate people.† When I found the page Ms. Terwilliger had marked, I read the title aloud: â€Å"Callistana Summoning.† â€Å"What's callistana mean?† asked Adrian. I scrutinized the word, making sure I was deciphering the elaborate script correctly. â€Å"I don't know. It's kind of like the Greek word for ‘beautiful,' but not quite. The spell's subtitle is ‘For protection and advanced warning.'† â€Å"Maybe it's some kind of shield, like the one Jackie had,† suggested Adrian. â€Å"An easier one.† â€Å"Maybe,† I agreed. I wouldn't mind a little bit of invulnerability. I opened up the bag Ms. Terwilliger had given me. Inside, I found dragon's blood resin, a small bottle of gardenia oil, branches of juniper berries, and a glittering smoky quartz crystal, rutilated with lines of gold. Although she'd provided the ingredients, the spell's directions required that I use and measure them in a very specific way, which made sense. As usual, it was the caster's work that powered the magic. Adrian sat up and read over my shoulder. â€Å"It doesn't really say what happens when you cast it,† he pointed out. â€Å"Yeah . . . I'm not really excited about that part.† Presumably, the caster was supposed to just know what she was doing. If this was some kind of protective shield, then maybe the shield would materialize around me, just as it had for Ms. Terwilliger. â€Å"Well, no point in wasting time. We'll find out soon enough.† Adrian chuckled as he watched me walk over to a clear piece of land. â€Å"Am I the only one amazed that you now perform magic blindly?† â€Å"No,† I assured him. â€Å"You're not the only one.† I had to pluck the juniper berries off one by one and make a small ring with them, saying, â€Å"Fire and smoke,† each time I placed one on the ground. When I finished, I anointed each berry with a drop of the oil and recited, â€Å"Breath and life.† Inside the circle, I lit a small pile of the resin and rested the smoky quartz on top of it. Then I stepped back and reread the spell, committing the words and gestures to memory. Once I was satisfied I knew it, I handed it to Adrian and shot him a hopeful look. â€Å"Wish me luck,† I said. â€Å"You make your own luck,† he replied. I tried not to roll my eyes and turned toward the circle. I recited the spell's complex Greek incantation, pointing in the four cardinal directions as I spoke, per the book's instructions. It was startling how quickly the magic welled up within me, filling me with that blissful power. I spoke the last words, pointing at the juniper circle as I did. I felt the magic pour from me and into the quartz. Then I waited for something to happen. Nothing did. I looked back at Adrian, hoping he noticed something I hadn't. He shrugged. â€Å"Maybe you did it wrong.† â€Å"It worked,† I insisted. â€Å"I felt the magic.† â€Å"Maybe you just can't see it. At the expense of getting myself in trouble here, you should know how amazing you look when you do that stuff. All graceful and – † His eyes went wide. â€Å"Um, Sydney? That rock is smoking.† I glanced back at the circle. â€Å"That's just the resin that's – â€Å" I stopped. He was right. Smoke was coming out of the quartz. I watched, fascinated, and then slowly, the quartz began to melt. Rather than dissipate into a puddle, though, the liquid began to re-form into a different shape, one that soon hardened into something new and unexpected: a crystalline dragon. It was small, able to fit in a palm, and glittered just like the dark brown quartz had. The dragon looked more like the serpentine kind usually associated with Chinese culture rather than the winged types of European myth. Every detail was meticulously carved, from the tendrils of its mane to the scales on its hide. It was stunning. Also, it was moving. I screamed and backed up, running into Adrian. He put an arm around me and held me as protectively as he could, though it was clear he was just as freaked out. The dragon opened its crystal eyelids and peered at the two of us with tiny golden eyes. It elicited a small croak and then began walking toward us, its small claws scraping against the rocks. â€Å"What the hell is that?† Adrian demanded. â€Å"Do you really think I know?† â€Å"You made it! Do something.† I started to ask what had happened to him looking out for me, but he had a point. I was the one who'd summoned this thing. No matter where we moved or backed up to, the dragon continued to follow and make a small, high-pitched screeching noise that sounded like nails on a chalkboard. I groped for my cell phone and tried to dial Ms. Terwilliger, but there was no reception out here. Darting over to the blanket, I grabbed the spell book and then hurried back to Adrian's side. I flipped to the index, looking up callistana. There I found two entries: Callistana – Summoning and Callistana – Banishing. You would've thought the two would be near each other in the book, but they were pages apart. I flipped to the latter and found the instructions brief and to the point: Once your callistana has been fed and rested, you may summon and banish it at will for a year and a day. A short incantation followed. I looked up at Adrian. â€Å"It says we have to feed it.† â€Å"Will that make it shut up?† he asked. His arm was around me again. â€Å"I honestly don't know.† â€Å"Maybe we can outrun it.† All my instincts about hiding the supernatural world kicked in. â€Å"We can't just leave it for some hiker to find! We have to get it some food.† Not that I had any clue what to feed it. Hopefully humans and vampires weren't on the menu. A look of determination crossed Adrian's features. In a great show of bravery he lunged for the picnic basket and actually managed to scoop the dragon up in it. He slammed down the lid, and the mewling faded but didn't stop. â€Å"Wow,† I said. â€Å"Manly and brave.† Adrian regarded the basket with dismay. â€Å"I just hope that thing doesn't breathe fire. At least it's contained. Now what do we do?† â€Å"Now we feed it.† I made a decision. â€Å"We take it to Pies and Stuff.† I didn't know if dragons ate pie, but that was the closest food source we had. Besides, I was pretty sure I'd be able to get a cell phone signal there. So, Adrian drove us back to the little diner while I gingerly held the noisy basket. He went inside, and I stayed in the car and tried to call Ms. Terwilliger. I was sent to voice mail and didn't even bother with formalities. Was she never near her phone anymore? â€Å"Call me now,† I said through gritted teeth. The dragon's screeching was really starting to get to me. Adrian returned in about ten minutes carrying two bags. I stared in amazement as he got in the car. â€Å"Did you buy out the store?† â€Å"I didn't know what kind it wanted,† he protested. Between the two bags, we had half a dozen slices of different kinds of pies. Each one's container was neatly labeled. â€Å"I really don't know either,† I said. Adrian sifted through the bags and pulled out a slice of coconut cream. â€Å"If I were a dragon, this is what I'd go for.† I didn't argue, mainly because that statement had no logical argument. He took the lid off the pie and then looked at me expectantly. With a gulp, I opened the basket's lid and prayed the dragon wouldn't climb out and claw my face off. Adrian quickly set the pie down in the basket. Nervously, we both leaned forward to watch. At first, the dragon looked as though it really would climb out after us. Then it noticed the pie. The little crystal creature sniffed at the slice, circled it a few times, and then began gnawing at the pie in teeny-tiny bites. Best of all, the screeching stopped. We watched in wonder as the dragon made its way through a third of the coconut cream pie. Then, without warning, it rolled over onto its back and began to snore. Adrian and I sat there, frozen, and then finally dared to look at each other. â€Å"I guess you were right about the flavor,† I said. â€Å"Do you think you can banish it now?† he asked. â€Å"Is it fed and rested enough?† I retrieved the spell book to double-check the incantation. â€Å"Time to find out.† I recited the words. Smoke fluttered from the dragon's body. He began to shimmer, and within moments, we were looking at an inert piece of smoky quartz. In another valiant display, Adrian picked it up but held it as far away as possible as he studied it. The ringing of my phone startled both of us, and he dropped the crystal back into the basket. I looked at the phone's screen and saw Ms. Terwilliger's name. â€Å"You made me summon a dragon!† I exclaimed. â€Å"I most certainly did not,† she responded. â€Å"Callistanas are a type of demon.† I froze. â€Å"A demon.† â€Å"Well,† she amended. â€Å"A very minor and generally benign kind.† I didn't reply for a while. â€Å"Sydney? Are you still there?† â€Å"You had me summon a demon,† I replied, voice stiff. â€Å"You know how I feel about evil and the supernatural. You've spent all this time trying to convince me that the magic we do is all for some greater good in the battle against evil, and yet you made me summon a creature of hell.† â€Å"Creature of hell?† She snorted. â€Å"Hardly. You know nothing about demons. I told you it's benign, didn't I? Callistanas can be very useful. They'll warn you if dark magic is nearby and will even try to defend you if you're attacked – not that they can do much damage.† I wasn't buying it. â€Å"If they're so useful, then why don't you have one?† â€Å"Oh, well, I'm at a level where I can sense dark magic on my own. That, and – if you'll forgive my language – callistanas are a real pain in the ass. They make the most irritating noise when they're hungry. Cats are more than adequate for my needs.† â€Å"Yeah,† I said. â€Å"I kind of noticed the noise part. I fed it some pie and turned it back into a rock.† â€Å"There, you see?† She sounded happier than I'd heard her in days. â€Å"Look at the progress you've made already. No matter what comes of this mess we've found ourselves in, I'm more convinced than ever that I made the right choice in guiding you on the magical path.† I had too much going on to really appreciate the compliment. â€Å"So what do I do now?† â€Å"It'll disappear on its own after a year and a day. Until then, you can call it when you need it. You can try to train it. And of course, you'll have to feed it. Whatever you choose to do, it will be loyal to you. It bonds with the first person it sees and will need to spend time with you . . . Sydney? Are you there?† I'd gone silent again. â€Å"The first person it sees?† I finally managed to ask. â€Å"Not the caster?† â€Å"Well, usually they're one and the same.† I glanced over at Adrian, who was eating a piece of blackberry pie while listening avidly to my side of the conversation. â€Å"What happens if there were two people there when it opened its eyes? Adrian was with me when I summoned it.† Now she paused. â€Å"Oh? Hmm, well, I probably should've said something before you cast the spell.† That had to be the understatement of the century. â€Å"You should've told me a lot of things before I cast it! What does it mean that the dragon – demon, whatever – saw both of us? Did it bond with both of us?† â€Å"Look at it this way,† Ms. Terwilliger said, after several moments of thought. â€Å"The callistana thinks of you two as its parents.†

DCQ Sontag Essay

Photography shows us the world, but only the world the photographer creates. According to Sontag, photos show that we understand through a photo in the way we see the picture. Seeing photos can limit our understanding because we only see the picture not whats going on around it. In other words the viewer only sees what’s within the frame. Images allowed us to see situations that occurred; however, it is extremely limited in what the audience can see. I qualify Sontag’s claim that photography limits our understanding of the world because nothing is picture perfect. A picture is just a snapshot or quick image of something distorted. Photography has accomplished the task of manipulation to the point where images do not exhibit the honesty. In general photography is used to trick the audience’s eyes. For example, ads are displayed every day in our lives distorting the honesty portrayed. Long ago when a cigarette commercial came on they had enhanced the color, and edited all the little details that appeals to our emotions, making cigarettes look good. The only problem is cigarette isn’t good for anyone, but the viewers wouldn’t get that message due to the changes the photographers have made. Following this further Sontag infers that nothing that comes from a photo can really be understood. The reason for that is because photography shows everything but context. Photography gives people a small glimpse of reality, but the realities have been manipulated to the photographer’s idealism. However as Sontag pointed out photography takes the gaps in our mental pictures and replaces them. Photograph gives proof and confirms the past, but it does not exhibit the honesty a citizen would have lived through. For example if no pictures were captured during the Holocaust time period, it would be hard for people to believe that all the torturing actually occurred. Images allowed us to get a glimpse of what the Jews went through but the feelings and emotions aren’t the same. One cannot say they truly understand how the Jews felt, without actually experiencing what the Jews did. It takes one to be there to experience the emotions and tears the Jews had as the gas killed them and family. Sontag says understanding can only come from what is shown.. There is much  more to life than what meets the eye, and this can be exemplified and proved in many different ways. Pretend that someone knows nothing about the tragic events that occurred on September 11, 2001. A photo is placed in front of Them. They take a look. It appears to be a man dressed in what appears to be in work clothes but the thing that strikes their attention first, the thing that stands out most is that he is upside down. Odd they think. The background behind the man is what looks to be a steel like structure. Maybe if their senses are sharp that day you’ll come to the conclusion that this is an image of a man who decided to end his life by jumping off the top of a tall building while in midair. However, did the photograph show them what was going on around him? The building he jumped off of? A hijacked commercial airlines plane crashed into it leaving the building to go up in flames and ready to collapse with smoke pouring out the windows. Leaving him and at least 1,000 other people trapped on the high floors of the tower. This man, this falling man, was surrounded by absolute chaos, destruction, death, a living hell, but they would never know. He looks so calm, so serene even though he is more than well aware that his life is about to end in a matter of seconds. To the person looking at the photo they only see it as Sontag says they do. Through what they see in the picture, not what is really occurring. To an extent, yes, photography does limit us in the view of the world like Sontag refers to. Pictures are taken by photographers who chose what they wish to express and how they wish life to appear to be. By doing this, reality has changed, becoming manipulated into something that it truly is not. It is now a reality created from the human mind, influenced by its wants, desires and emotions. Photography also fails to give us background, or deeper knowledge about the photo. Pictures lack the emotion experienced by the person taking the picture (how hard it may have been to get the picture the photographer wanted). Yet pictures can sometimes invoke an emotional response (a gruesome death, a spectacular sunset). Pictures lend to a greater understanding of what is happening around the world. When someone sees the faces of others in places they never will travel to, they start to understand the emotion they show. Words sometimes can not do justice to the things you are able to see. Pictures only help the reader  better understand his/her meaning of what is actually taking place. Yet, do not be fooled by everything you see today. Technology has taken photography to a new level. Make certain you trust your source first. The old saying â€Å"Believe only half of what you see and nothing that you hear† no longer rings true. Be skeptical, but keep your eyes and mind open at the same time. Qualifying Sontag, a single photograph of an event, place, time or whatever will only give you a limited perspective of that event, place or whatever. However it does not limit our understanding of something. It simply gives a single viewpoint or snapshot for us to base an overall understanding. Susan Sontag claims in her passage, â€Å"On Photography†, that photography limits our understanding of the world. However, the truth is that photography enhanced our understanding of the world. It allows us to see things that would be otherwise impossible to see. Sontag argues that photography does not allow people to truly understand things and that it does not teach any ethical or political knowledge. The truth is that it deepens our understanding and expands our knowledge of the world around us. Without photography, people would have no idea of what surrounded them and what happened before their time. Photography produces a visual history of the world, thus producing a greater appr eciation for it.

The Unsolved Case of the Oakland County Child Killer

The Unsolved Case of the Oakland County Child Killer The Oakland County Child Killer (OCCK) is an unknown responsible for the unsolved murders of four or more children, two girls and two boys, in Oakland County, Michigan, in 1976 and 1977. The Murders From February 1976 to March 1977, in Oakland County, Michigan, four children were kidnapped, held for up to 19 days, and then murdered. The killer would then dress them in their freshly pressed clothing, and leave their bodies carefully positioned on blankets of snow or laying in full sight next to a road. The murders resulted in the largest murder investigation in U.S. history at that time, but it failed to produce a suspect. Mark Stebbins In the afternoon on Sunday, February 15, 1976, 12-year-old Mark Stebbins of Ferndale, Michigan,  disappeared after  leaving  the American Legion Hall to go home to watch television. Four days later, on February 19, his body was found around 12 miles from his home, laying in a snowbank in a parking lot in Southfield. He was dressed in the same clothes that he had was wearing on the day that he was abducted, but they were cleaned and pressed. An autopsy determined that he had been with an object and strangled to death. Rope burns were discovered on his wrists, indicating that his hands had been tightly bound. Jill Robinson In the late afternoon of Wednesday, December 22, 1976, 12-year-old Jill Robinson of Royal Oak, got into an argument with her mother and decided to pack a bag and run away from home. It was the last day that she was seen alive. The next day, on December 23, her bicycle was discovered behind a store located on Main Street in Royal Oak. Three days after, her body was found lying on the side of Interstate 75 near Troy within full sight of the Troy police station. An autopsy determined that Jill had died from a shotgun blast to her face. Like Mark Stebbins, she was fully clothed in the clothing that she had worn when she disappeared. Placed next to her body, police found her backpack which was intact. Like Mark, her body appeared to be carefully placed on a pile of snow. Kristine Mihelich On Sunday, January 2, 1977, at around 3 p.m., 10-year-old Kristine Mihelich of Berkley, went to the nearby 7-Eleven and bought some magazines. She was never to be seen alive again. Her body was discovered 19 days later by a mail carrier who was on his rural route. Kristine was fully dressed and her body positioned in the snow. The killer had also closed Kristines eyes and folded her arms across her chest. Although her body was left along a rural road in Franklin Village, it was left in full view of several homes. An autopsy later revealed that she had been smothered. The Task Force Following Kristine Mihelich’s murder, authorities announced that they believed that the children had been murdered by stalking the area. An official task force was formed specifically to investigate the murders. It was made up of law enforcement from 13 communities and led by the Michigan State Police. Timothy King On Wednesday, March 16, 1977, at around 8 p.m., 11-year-old Timothy King left his Birmingham home with $0.30 cents to buy candy, his skateboard tucked under his arm. He was headed to a drugstore near his house in Birmingham. After making his purchase, he left the store through the back exit which led to a parking lot where he seemed to disappear into thin air. With yet another case of an  abducted and likely murdered child on their hands, the authorities decided to perform a massive search throughout the entire Detroit area. Television news stations and Detroit newspapers heavily reported about Timothy and the other murdered children. Timothy Kings father appeared on television, pleading with the kidnapper to not hurt his son and to let him go. Marion King, Timothys mother, wrote a letter that said she hoped she would see Timothy soon so that she could give him his favorite meal, Kentucky Fried Chicken. The letter was printed in â€Å"The Detroit News.† On the night of March 22, 1977, Timothy Kings body was found in a ditch alongside a road in Livonia. He was fully clothed, but it was obvious that his clothes had been cleaned and pressed. His skateboard had been placed next to his body. An autopsy report showed that Timothy had been sexually assaulted with an object and smothered to death. It was also revealed that he had eaten chicken before he was murdered. Before Timothy Kings body was found, a woman came forward with information about the missing boy. She told the task force that on the same night that boy went missing, she saw him talking to an older man in the parking lot behind the drugstore. She described Timothy and his skateboard. Not only had she seen Timothy, but she also got a pretty good look at the man he was talking to, as well as his car. She told the authorities that the man was driving a blue AMC Gremlin with white stripes on the side. With her help, a police sketch artist was able to do a composite drawing of the older man and of the car he was driving. The sketch was released to the public. Profile of the Killer The task force developed a profile of the based on descriptions given by witnesses who saw Timothy talking to a man on the night that he was abducted. The profile described a white male, dark complected, age 25 to 35, with shaggy hair and long sideburns. Because the person seemed to be able to gain the trust of children, the task force believed that the killer was possibly a police officer, doctor, or a clergyman. The profile went on to describe the killer as someone who was familiar with the area and probably lived alone, possibly in a remote area, since he was able to for several days without friends, family or neighbors knowing. The Investigation Over 18,000 tips came into the task force, and all of them were investigated. Although there were other crimes that the police discovered while doing their investigations, the task force had not gotten any closer to capturing the killer.   Allen and Frank Detroit psychiatrist Dr. Bruce Danto  and a member of the task force team received a letter a few weeks after Timothy King was murdered. The letter was written by someone who called themselves Allen. and claimed to be the of his roommate Frank who was the Oakland County Child Killer. In the letter, Allen described himself as guilt-ridden, remorseful, scared, suicidal, and on the brink of losing his mind. He said that he had been with Allen on many road trips looking for boys, but that he was never present when Frank abducted the children or when he murdered them Allen also wrote that Frank drove a Gremlin, but that he had junked it in Ohio, never to be seen again. To offer investigators a motive for the murders, Allen said that Frank killed children while fighting in Viet Nam and was traumatized by it. He was taking revenge on rich people so that they would suffer like he did while in Viet Nam. Allen wanted to work out a deal and offered to turn over incriminating pictures that could be used as evidence against Frank. In exchange, he wanted the Governor of Michigan to sign an agreement that would give him immunity  from prosecution. Dr. Danto agreed to meet Allen at a bar, but Allen did not show up and he was never heard from again. In December 1978 the decision was made to discontinue the task force and the state police took over the investigation.

Narrative Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Narrative - Essay Example Instead of becoming anguished at the knowledge that he proudly brings across a personal account of how he gradually led Fortunato to his ill fate of death in his palazzo, I feel that he plainly needs to be understood of a principle that nobody should dare underestimate. It is as though not even great friendship could save from breaking a man like Montresor who justifies himself by claiming that he is the kind who would not let an insult by anyone pass without getting redressed. He states â€Å"I must not only punish, but punish with impunity† and this makes a reader realize the severity or gravity of Fortunato’s shortfall in an occasion of insult which, to the part of the wronged friend, occurs impossible to forgive (Poe). Apparently, even if Montresor provides no specific details of the manner he was gravely disappointed or disgraced by Fortunato, I can readily gain an insight of understanding the ground for conflict when he begins with an exaggeration – â€Å" The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could.† Through their conversation, one would have an ease of recognizing that both Montresor and Fortunato belonged to the upper class of an Italian society since the former had mansion and the latter was a connoisseur of wine. Though no particulars are mentioned regarding the place where the two exactly met other than carnival, this is sufficient hint of a spot in which Fortunato could be found inebriated upon drinking heavily. At this stage, Montresor is said to have entered the scene and communicated the Amontillado in possession, the lure of which Fortunato had not been able to resist in his imagination despite the fact that he was already high in spirits. Eventually, Fortunato kept exclaiming â€Å"Amontillado!† so that this portion of the story indicates Poe’s use of foreshadowing where Montresor must have known his friend’s weakness prior so he may work around this aspect to carry out his pla n of revenge. He looks widely aware of the drunken man’s affairs and his serious fascination for liquor that he had thus acquired the opportunity to take advantage of his poor situation, knowing that Fortunato was subject to being a victim of his own foolishness and addiction to spirits. Then because this is the case, Montresor felt confident that he could effortlessly drag his target toward his course of entrapment which was merely due to Fortunato’s illusion over the non-existent Amontillado. It appears that in his perspective, Montresor had sought triumph and resolution of conflict through instances of irony. For one, he expressed concern in the health of Fortunato, convincing him to decline their going to the vaults for he knew well that he would be opposed and his friend would insist and not cease in urging for them to proceed on seeing the precious cask. Such irony may be observed effective because of the growing sense of curiosity in Fortunato where it seems the re was no way he could be held back from foolish madness for what he believed to be an exquisite object of intoxication. Poe chose to present him wearing the suit of a jester with bells to symbolize the folly attached to his character and another irony goes with his name as he was often bound

Topic in Environmental Chemistry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Topic in Environmental Chemistry - Essay Example 2). They are usually made of 60-90 different congeners. PCBs with high number of chlorine tend to be more stable and resistant to biodegradation and favored by many industries, thus higher health and environmental risks. It is used by industries as insulation fluid in capacitors, transformers and electrical systems. Due to industrialization and constant dumping of PCBs by the factories surrounding the river, it is accumulated deeply into the sediments found at the bottom, can easily spread though out the river once disturbed and caused bioaccumulation in the food chain, from the aquatic plants, microorganisms, fishes then to humans. PCBs are harmful to human health and it is believed to cause several diseases to those who consumed contaminated fishes and water such as male sterility, birth defects and reproductive disorders, liver dysfunction, headache and fatigue (Barbalace par. 3-4). Sources of PCBs in the Hudson River were traced using analytical chemistry techniques that provided congener specific analysis of Aroclors. Aroclors are trade name of some commercial PCB mixture and can be used to trace their company manufacturer. This method provided information to the scientists on how PCBs behave in various media, a cutting edge scientific technique was used to determine the sources and destinations of PCBs (Manning part 1 par. 7). Aside from recycling mills with a dumping rate of 2.3 kg/year, General Electric Company, having two manufacturing plant in Fort Edward and Hudson Falls, New York, was the major source of PCBs with a dumping rate of 5000kg/yr into the Hudson River. For twenty five years, (1952 to 1977) GE has been dumping PCBs into the Hudson River, which made the PCBs accumulated in the seabed through the years and contaminating the fishes and other aquatic resources which people consume and considered a great health and environmental risk (Manning par t 1 par. 8-10). Contrary to the people in the community think, the