A Streetcar Named Desire Essays

A Streetcar Named Desire Essays A Streetcar Named Desire Paper A Streetcar Named Desire Paper Essay Topic: A Streetcar Named Desire Literature Some critics suggest that Williams takes no sides in the conflict between Blanche Stanley. Do you agree? I feel that this statement is partially untrue; at certain points through the play Williams chooses a side to tell the story from rather than a favourite character. Blanches initial character was to represent that of Williams and Stanleys, the bad aspects of life that abuse the weak. Although saying this about Stanley he does show some true good qualities and genuine emotions within the play and at the same time Blanche shows the whit and knowledge to rise above Stanley. Throughout A Streetcar Named Desire Williams can switch from one character to another in who he is favouring, and who has the power in the scene can change almost instantly with either force from Stanley or a quick witted line from Blanche. He portrays faults in both Stanley and Blanche and we see from the very beginning of the play that they have many differences, starting from their backgrounds and upbringing. The only thing that ties them together and the one reason they are introduced is Stella, Stanleys wife and Blanches sister. The awkward first meeting shows the ower struggle immediately from the first scene, although both characters are civil towards each other, even though it may be difficult for Stanley. [Drawing involuntarily back from his stare]: You must be Stanley. Im Blanche. Blanche is the visitor and yet is the one to start the conversation. She has introduced herself to Stanley in his own house. The audience would expect him to be a bit more welcoming and instead he is quite hostile towards her, Stanley has no respect from women and sees them as either sex objects or someone to clean up after him his lack of respect is also shown when he begins making conversation with er whilst removing his clothes, has also has absolutely no respect for what others think or if they would be uncomfortable with a half naked man around. He does ask if its all right to remove his top after his long day at work but before she replies has already removed it, he just assumes that she will be happy as she is in his home. This shows he is not really interested in her answer and it was just a formality and it was just a shocking moment of politeness that he even asked. Blanche thinks she can use this for an advantage to herself, he would be so simple, like a toy for her to play ith and manipulate, it seems apparent that she is not ware of how strong his character actually is. There are quite a few scenes within the play where it seems that Blanche has the upper hand in what is going on, showing slight favouritism from Williams. In scene two for example as Blanche is getting changed, Stanley is outside getting quite annoyed and almost reverts to the animal within him, shown when he starts throwing her belongings and acting irrationally at the amount of belongings Blanche has and how expensive he believes they are, Stanley assumes that Blanche has swindled the Kowalskis out of money when Belle Reeve was lost to the family. As Blanche enters from the bathroom the conversation ensues. At first Blanche seems to belittle Stanley and his supposed manly card game, making it almost seem like a childs game with his child-like friends I understand theres to be a little card part to which we ladies are cordially not invited. Beginning the conversation with this gives Blanche the upper hand from the start. During their lengthy discussion a battle takes place for control which switches places many times. When ou walked in here last night, I said to myself My sisters married a man of course that was all I could tell about you This shows Blanche to be flattering and rather flirtatious giving her the upper hand. An example of Stanley getting control is when he shouts [booming] now lets cut the re-bop! This is a clear indication that Stanley uses a more violent way of getting his own way, whereas Blanche prefers to out wit or flatter her victims. He hasnt been fooled by Blanches flattery and he seems fed up with it, with this comes his control of the conversation and with slight suggestion that Williams favours him at this point. Yet at the end of their part in scene two it is Blanche who comes out on top and in control with the power. Here all of them are, all papers I herby endow you with them! here Stanley cant respond with anything as it seems like he has got what he wishes but it is Blanche with the last words. On the other hand when Stanley mentions the baby he may regain some of that control by sharing a secret Blanche doesnt know and playing Blanche with her own games, by being smart mouthed and using his intelligence rather than brute force. Williams takes no sides in deciding Blan che and Stanleys personalities. They are both portrayed as bad people. Stanley, a rapist and a dominant husband who always wants things his way and Blanche being a former prostitute whos outspoken even when it is rude. One instance of this is when she firsts meets with Stella after a long time apart. But you, youve put on some weight, yes, youre just as plump as a partridge. It seems the ordeal she faced in Belle Reeve has turned her bitter and now she resents her sister; this can be shown when she talks to Stella about what happened. How in hell do you think all that sickness and dying was paid for? Death is expensive, Miss Stella Sit there and stare at me, thinking I let the place go! There is evidence of Stanley always wanting his way is in scene three, when the card game takes place, he feels that he has all control in the house and doesnt need permission or feel the need to ask out of common courtesy. [Stanley stalks fiercely through the portieres into the bedroom. He crosses to the small white radio and snatches it off the table. With a shouted oath, he tosses the instrument out of the window] He doesnt consider the fun that Blanche and Mitch are having hilst listening to the radio, or the possibilities Mitch has of forming a relationship with Blanche all he cares about is what he wants happens. Williams not only shows Stanleys fierce animal behaviour but his lack of consideration for others. The ending to this play actually seems to lean in Stanleys favour. After raping Blanche and keeping his wife, including newborn son, the fact that Blanche is leaving is another added bonus seeing as he has regained control and power over his house. Whats more is that because Blanches growing insanity peaks at the end of the play, Stella seems to have no choice but to elieve Stanley is telling the truth when saying Blanche lied about the rape as Blanches state of mind does her no favours when it comes to who is telling the truth. On the other hand one person doesnt believe him, and that is Mitch. [Fiercely] you, you done this, all o your God damn interfering with things Having angered one of his best friends Stanley hasnt won everything in the end. The interesting thing about A streetcar named desire is that the play and the feature film have different endings, with the film showing Stella leaves Stanley at the end, permanently. Judging on this ending I believe that Williams takes no sides in the conflict between Blanche and Stanley as Blanche may go to a mental institution, but Stanley looses everything dear to him. Although it isnt what Williams wrote, it is a more audience friendly ending with the bad character getting found out. This was designed specifically for cinema so good has to conquer evil, even if it is only a minor win of the battle. Although Stanley seems to get the last laugh in the play, throughout it I believe Williams shows them both equally in personalities, lines and their endings.

Ikrandraco - Facts and Figures

Ikrandraco - Facts and Figures Name Ikdrandraco (Ikran dragon, after the flying creatures from Avatar); pronounced EE-krahn-DRAY-coe Habitat Rivers and lakes of Asia Historical Period Early Cretaceous (120 million years ago) Size and Weight About 30 inches long and a few pounds Diet Fish Distinguishing Characteristics Moderate size; distinctive bill structure; possible throat patch for holding fish About Ikrandraco Ikrandraco is an odd choice to honor the Ikran, or mountain banshees, of Avatar: this early Cretaceous pterosaur was only about two and a half feet long and a few pounds, whereas the Ikran from the hit movie are majestic, horse-sized, flying creatures that the Navi ride into battle against their human antagonists. Once you get past its name, though, Ikrandraco avatar may have been a truly unique pterosaur: some paleontologists claim that it had a pouch on the underside of its distinctively shaped bill in which it stored recently caught fish, which would make it similar to the modern pelican. However, not everyone is convinced by this putative anatomical feature of Ikrandraco (made of soft tissue, a throat pouch would have no chance of surviving in the fossil record), nor by the hypothesis that this pterosaur skimmed over the surface of lakes and trapped wiggling prey in its submerged lower jaw. The fact is that it can be difficult to infer the everyday behavior of a 120-million-year-old reptile by analogy with modern birds, and the possibility remains that Ikrandraco fed in more conventional fashion, like other pterosaurs of the early Cretaceous period, simply diving into the water and swallowing its fill of fish.

Multi Culture Models of Health and Social Inclusion Essay

Multi Culture Models of Health and Social Inclusion - Essay Example This essay stresses that people with learning disability are always faced with a lot of difficulties when accessing health care in the United Kingdom. One major source of difficulty is that they are unable to access relevant and adequate information regarding their problems, and the various health care agencies that have the capability of solving their problems. For instance, people who are deaf are unable to get an access to certain health care advertisements, basically because these advertisements are not able to use languages that deaf people can understand. On this note, these people might not gain an access to the health care information being passed, and thus it may compromise their health status. Life expectancy of people with learning disability is also short. For instance, in the year 1929, the life expectancy of a child who was born with a learning disability was 9 years.   As the discussion highlights  in the periods of 1930s, the average death of a person living with learning disability rose to 22 years for women, and 15 years for men. However, in the current years, the average death rate for a person living with learning disability has risen to 35 years. This is still a very low age, and hence this health issue has to be tackled.   Others include low expectation of services, mainly because of a previous bad experience when they went to seek medical attention, and certain problems or diseases only associated with learning disabilities

Security findemental (Work place violence policy exerise) Essay

Security findemental (Work place violence policy exerise) - Essay Example Thus, policies are usually applicable in normal and ideal conditions. Policies are common in workplaces, institutions, teams, boards, and committees. In places where the people involved are in different groups, each group usually has its own policies to follow. Policies are usually short, precise, and accurate. Policies usually define later or possible courses of action that should be followed in varying circumstances. Generally, policies control the particular actions of concerned people in different circumstances or times. A security policy is of paramount importance in any workplace. It defines and guides the particular doings of employees regarding the maintaining of peace and calm in a workplace, and possible actions should the situation turn violent (Karen, 58). This paper seeks to examine and outline the security policy of ABC Company. It describes the possible actions that employees should take in case of physical danger in the company, from either outside or within the premises. The security manager has drafted this particular policy and its purpose is to guide the actions of all employees in the event of issues concerning workplace violence and possible physical harm like gun threats in the company. When outlining this policy, the security manager has taken into consideration that potential sources of harm can be from outsiders or from fellow employees. The ABC company security team upholds nil lenience to any kind of violent behavior within the company. The intention of this policy is to offer guidance that will preserve an atmosphere at and inside the company premises and proceedings that are void of hostility or any threat of aggression. Aggressive character or any example or form of hostility, direct or indirect, is forbidden at ABC Company, its grounds, and at any occasions or ceremonies of the company. Such behavior by a

Jungs View of Religion Essay Example for Free

Jungs View of Religion Essay I will be explaining Jung understands and his views of religion. Jung first starts with the key concept of the mind which is the three concepts of consciousness – consciousness, personal unconsciousness and the collective consciousness. Consciousness is where we actively make decisions and choices. The thoughts are based on a sensory experience e. g. the things we see, smell, hear, touch and taste. These are directly accessible. The personal conscious is out thoughts, feelings, urges which are difficult to bring to the consciousness and they are not directly accessible. They have been environmentally determined. The collective unconsciousness is inherited and the thoughts are shared by everyone – archetypes (inherited ideas: first prints or partners that form the basic blue print for major dynamic counterparts of the human personality. ) Jung believes that the archetypes pre exist in the collective unconscious of humanity. They determine how we both perceive and behave. Archetypes are the source of the ideas or images that is inherited instead of the ideas themselves. The experiences you have construct/create uniform images. We inherit a functional disposition to produce the same or very similar ideas not inherit the idea. This is the reason for a dream dictionary, for example a person could be dreaming that their friend is falling. So the falling is the image drawn from the archetype and the friend is from their experience. So the collective unconscious means that many of our ideas will be shared with people. There are different types of shared archetype examples are: the person – this is the mask that covers out true natures for the benefit of society. The mask could be good impressions of what is expected of us by others or the false impression to manipulate others behaviour and opinions. In our dreams the may manifest itself in images of ourselves appearing at a party in disguise. The shadow – this is our darker sides of us. In dreams it might reveal itself in the form of personification of evil e. g. Satan or monster. It could be deeper of our personality identity beings to be lost and individuals experience the chaos of getting closer to the material structure of psychic life. This commonly is found in the woods. The animus – is the masculine side of a female. They may appear as an exotic, sensual, young man or as heroes. The anima – is the female side of a male. They may appear as a  dancing girl, seductresses or goddess. Jung believes that the way neuroses(mental illness is caused by being psychically imbalanced) occurs is that it arises from being psychically imbalanced (so we become mentally ill if the when the psychic energy – psychological energy by which the work of the personality is performed isn’t flowing as well as it could. To maintain mental health all of the features of the personality need to be balanced so the psychic flows properly. There needs to be a balance between conscious and unconscious and the different archetype. If you fail to do this according to Jung this causes a mental disorder. Jung says through individuation (figuring out who you are and becoming your own self) you become psychically balanced personality through the addition of the range of archetypes into the conscious personality. There are two main process of individuation; the first part is when they come to terms with the outer environment with its challenges through work, friendship and relationship. The second part is from a middle age onwards is to come to terms with one’s own personality. For example a mid-life crisis, this is when someone is in the middle of their life they want what they never had in their youth age e.g. a sports car. They want to become psychically balanced as they missed out when they was youths. The things that come from the archetype such as images or thoughts are considered to be religious. Jung redefines religious thought as the numinous. This relies on Rudolf Otto’s understanding of the religious or numinous experience. According to Otto’s a numinous experience affects our consciousness which is caused by something external to our consciousness. Any experience which is archetypal in origin can be stated as religious. All archetypal images are ineffable (indescribable) . Our images of god are themselves archetypal. The concept of god is one of these primordial images (an archetype). Everyone is born with the tendency to generate religious images of god and angels . the actual image that we have of god are through our experiences in the world. An example of a case study is where Miss Miller had a dream about a moth’s desire for light. Jung said this parallel between god and light can be found in countless religious traditions e. g. the Aztec preoccupation with the sun and the Christian view of Jesus as ‘light of the world’. The role of religion is the process of individuation. The two reasons he gave was the self archetype this guides and controlled the innate process of individuation. Individuation is a religious process. The second reason is the self archetype generates images of wholeness. For example the mandala – means circle and is perfectly balanced, the design is symmetrical which represents the balance and wholeness same with Islamic art instead the repetitive patterns to show his eternality. Jung argues that god images are beneficial to our health. The images are used by the mind to individuate the personality, the personality then achieve its goal of integration. Religion now becomes clear, the ones that reject religion are therefore less likely to individuate successfully and is most likely to experience neurosis as a result. Jung concludes that the existence of an actual god is similar to Freud’s – there is no proof either way. We don’t know where the archetype actually comes from and we don’t know the origin of the-psyche because there are ineffable. As a psychic reality – god is real to those who experience the effect of archetypes. Jung always considered religious beliefs to be a natural expression of the collective unconscious.

Essay on the Genius of Ralph Ellison -- Biography Biographies Essays

The Genius of Ralph Ellison      Ã‚   I am an invisible man. With these five words, Ralph Ellison ignited the literary world with a work that commanded the respect of scholars everywhere and opened the floodgates for dialogue about the role of African-Americans in American society, the blindness that drove the nation to prejudice, and racial pluralism as a forum for recognizing the interconnection between all members of society regardless of race. I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me. . . . That invisibility to which I refer occurs because of a peculiar disposition of the eyes of those with whom I come in contact. A matter of the construction of their inner eyes, those eyes with which they look through their physical eyes upon reality (Ellison, 1). Roughly autobiographical in nature, Ellison's Invisible Man is also a chronology constructed to parallel the history of African-Americans, from slavery, Emancipation, subjugation, and a rising consciousness of injustice perpetrated against them. However, Ellison's literary finesse produced an opus that draws in every member of American society. Rather than alienating whites by portraying a man victimized by a racist system, Ellison appeals to the universal needs of humanity to be valued, recognized, and respected. Through his portrayal of an enigmatic, complex, invisible protagonist he makes the reader reflect upon the societal dynamics that marginalize people and create the unsettling climate that the protagonist's needs and feelings may be identical to those of the reader. Ellison's life has been called representative of that of African-Americans of his era. Born in 1914 to parents of farming and small business backgrounds, he grew up in O... ...s movement, to the current crossroads of affirmative action and other contemporary race issues. He transformed these issues from being matters of race to matters of humanity.    I am an invisible man. The pain of racism and diminished humanity rings through the work. Ellison's own life met with many of the same challenges, yet he made the story one not limited to the African American community. As the last sentence of the book asks, Who knows but that, on the lower frequencies, I speak for you?    Bibliography Bloom, Harold. Ed. Modern Critical Interpretations: Invisible Man. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers. 1999. Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man. New York: Random House. 1952. Ellison, Ralph. Juneteenth. New York: Random House. 1999. McSweeny, Kerry. Invisible Man: Race and Identity. Boston: Twayne Publishers. 1988.      

The Vampire Diaries: The Fury Chapter Thirteen

â€Å"You think we're supposed to-look inside?† Matt said. â€Å"I don't know,† Elena said miserably. She didn't want to see what was inside that tomb now any more than she had when Tyler had suggested opening it to vandalize it. â€Å"Maybe we won't be able to get it open,† she added. â€Å"Tyler and Dick couldn't. It started to slide only when I leaned on it.† â€Å"Lean on it now; maybe there's some sort of hidden spring mechanism,† Alaric suggested, and when Elena did, with no results, he said, â€Å"All right, let's all get a grip, and brace ourselves-like this. Come on, now-â€Å" From his crouch, he looked up at Damon, who was standing motionless next to the tomb, looking faintly amused. â€Å"Excuse me,† Damon said, and Alaric stepped back, frowning. Damon and Stefan each gripped an end of the stone lid and lifted. The lid came away, making a grinding sound as Damon and Stefan slid it to the ground on one side of the tomb. Elena couldn't bring herself to move closer. Instead, fighting nausea, she concentrated on Stefan's expression. It would tell her what was to be found in there. Pictures crashed through her mind, of parchment-colored mummified bodies, of rotting corpses, of grinning skulls. If Stefan looked horrified or sickened, disgusted†¦ But as Stefan looked into the open tomb, his face registered only disconcerted surprise. Elena couldn't stand it any longer. â€Å"What is it?† He gave her a crooked smile and said with a glance at Bonnie, â€Å"Come and see.† Elena inched up to the tomb and looked down. Then her head flew up, and she regarded Stefan in astonishment. â€Å"What is it?† â€Å"I don't know,† he replied. He turned to Meredith and Alaric. â€Å"Does either of you have a flashlight? Or some rope?† After a look inside the stone box, they both headed for their cars. Elena remained where she was, staring down, straining her night vision. She still couldn't believe it. The tomb was not a tomb, but a doorway. Now she understood why she had felt a cold wind blow from it when it had shifted beneath her hand that night. She was looking down into a kind of vault or cellar in the ground. She could see only one wall, the one that dropped straight down below her, and that one had iron rungs driven into the stone, like a ladder. â€Å"Here you go,† Meredith said to Stefan, returning. â€Å"Alaric's got a flashlight, and here's mine. And here's the rope Elena put in my car when we went looking for you.† The narrow beam of Meredith's flashlight swept the dark room below. â€Å"I can't see very far inside, but it looks empty,† Stefan said. â€Å"I'll go down first.† Bonnie hadn't moved. She was still standing there with that utterly abstracted expression on her face, as if she saw nothing around her. Without a word, she swung a leg over the edge of the tomb, twisted, and began to descend. â€Å"Whoa,† said Stefan. He tucked the flashlight in his jacket pocket, put a hand on the tomb's foot, and jumped. Elena had no time to enjoy Alaric's expression; she leaned down and shouted, â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"Fine.† The flashlight winked at her from below. â€Å"Bonnie will be all right, too. The rungs go all the way down. Better bring the rope anyway.† Elena looked at Matt, who was closest. His blue eyes met hers with helplessness and a certain resignation, and he nodded. She took a deep breath and put a hand on the foot of the tomb as Stefan had. Another hand suddenly clamped on her wrist. â€Å"I've just thought of something,† Meredith said grimly. â€Å"What if Bonnie's entity is the Other Power?† â€Å"I thought of that a long time ago,† Elena said. She patted Meredith's hand, pried it off, and jumped. She stood up into Stefan's supporting arm and looked around. â€Å"My God†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It was a strange place. The walls were faced with stone. They were smooth and almost polished-looking. Driven into them at intervals were iron candelabra, some of which had the remains of wax candles in them. Elena could not see the other end of the room, but the flashlight showed a wrought-iron gate quite close, like the gate in some churches used to screen off an altar. Bonnie was just reaching the bottom of the rung ladder. She waited silently while the others descended, first Matt, then Meredith, then Alaric with the other flashlight. Elena looked up. â€Å"Damon?† She could see his silhouette against the lighter black rectangle that was the tomb's opening to the sky. â€Å"Well?† â€Å"Are you with us?† she asked. Not â€Å"Are you coming with us?† She knew he would understand the difference. She waited five heartbeats in the silence that followed. Six, seven, eight†¦ There was a rush of air, and Damon landed neatly. But he didn't look at Elena. His eyes were oddly distant, and she could read nothing in his face. â€Å"It's a crypt,† Alaric was saying in wonder, as his flashlight scythed through the darkness. â€Å"An underground chamber beneath a church, used as a burial place. They're usually built under larger churches.† Bonnie walked straight up to the scrolled gate and placed one small white hand on it, opening it. It swung away from her. Bonnie walked straight up to the scrolled gate and placed one small white hand on it, opening it. It swung away from her. Bonnie stopped. This is it, thought Elena, her breath catching in her throat. Oh, my God, this is it; this is really it. She had the sudden intense sensation of being in the middle of a lucid dream, one where she knew she was dreaming but couldn't change anything or wake up. Her muscles deadlocked. She could smell fear from the others, and she could feel the sharp edge of it from Stefan beside her. His flashlight skimmed over objects beyond Bonnie, but at first Elena's eyes could make no sense of them. She saw angles, planes, contours, and then something leaped into focus. A dead-white face, hanging grotesquely sideways †¦ The scream never got out of her throat. It was only a statue, and the features were familiar. They were the same as on the lid of the tomb above. This tomb was the twin of the one they had come through. Except that this one had been ravaged, the stone lid broken in two and flung against the wall of the crypt. Something was scattered about the floor like fragile ivory sticks. Bits of marble, Elena told her brain desperately; it's only marble, bits of marble. They were human bones, splintered and crushed. Bonnie turned around. Her heart-shaped face swung as if those fixed blank eyes were surveying the group. She ended directly facing Elena. Then, with a shudder, she stumbled and pitched violently forward like a marionette whose strings have been cut. Elena barely caught her, half falling herself. â€Å"Bonnie? Bonnie?† The brown eyes that looked up at her, dilated and disoriented, were Bonnie's own frightened eyes. â€Å"But what happened?† Elena demanded. â€Å"Where did it go?† â€Å"I am here.† Above the plundered tomb, a hazy light was showing. No, not a light, Elena thought. She was sensing it with her eyes, but it was not light in the normal spectrum. This was something stranger than infrared or ultraviolet, something human senses had not been built to see. It was being revealed to her, forced on her brain, by some outside Power. â€Å"The Other Power,† she whispered, her blood freezing. â€Å"No, Elena.† The voice was not sound, in the same way that the vision was not light. It was quiet as star shine, and sad. It reminded her of something. â€Å"I've been waiting for you,† Honoria Fell's voice said softly. â€Å"Here I can speak to you at last in my own form, and not through Bonnie's lips. Listen to me. Your time is short, and the danger is very great.† Elena found her tongue. â€Å"But what is this room? Why did you bring us here?† â€Å"You asked me to. I couldn't show you until you asked. This is your battleground.† â€Å"I don't understand.† â€Å"This crypt was built for me by the people of Fell's Church. A resting place for my body. A secret place for one who had secret powers in life. Like Bonnie, I knew things no one else could know. I saw things no one else could see.† â€Å"You were psychic,† Bonnie whispered huskily. â€Å"In those days, they called it witchery. But I never used my powers for harm, and when I died they built me this monument so that my husband and I could lie in peace. But then, after many years, our peace was disturbed.† The eldritch light ebbed and flowed, Honoria's form wavering. â€Å"Another Power came to Fell's Church, full of hatred and destruction. It defiled my resting place and scattered my bones. It made its home here. It went out to work evil against my town. I woke. â€Å"I have tried to warn you against it from the beginning, Elena. It lives here below the graveyard. It has been waiting for you, watching you. Sometimes in the form of an owl-â€Å" An owl. Elena's mind raced ahead. An owl, like the owl she had seen nesting in the belfry of the church. Like the owl that had been in the barn, like the owl in the black locust tree by her house. White owl†¦ hunting bird†¦ flesh eater†¦ she thought. And then she remembered great white wings that seemed to stretch to the horizon on either side. A great bird made of mist or snow, coming after her, focused on her, full of bloodlust and animal hate†¦ â€Å"No!† she cried, memory engulfing her. She felt Stefan's hands on her shoulders, his fingers digging in almost painfully. It brought her back to reality. Honoria Fell was still speaking. â€Å"And you, Stefan, it has been watching you. It hated you before it hated Elena. It has been tormenting you and playing with you like a cat with a mouse. It hates those you love. It is full of poisoned love itself.† Elena looked involuntarily behind her. She saw Meredith, Alaric, and Matt standing frozen. Bonnie and Stefan were next to her. But Damon†¦ where was Damon? â€Å"The Snow Dance!† Meredith said sharply. â€Å"Yes. And this time they will kill until the last of them is killed.† â€Å"We have to warn those people,† Matt said. â€Å"Everyone at that dance-â€Å" â€Å"You will never be safe until the mind that controls them is destroyed. The killing will go on. You must destroy the Power that hates; that is why I have brought you here.† There was another flux in the light; it seemed to be receding. â€Å"You have the courage, if you can find it. Be strong. This is the only help I can give you.† â€Å"Wait-please-† Elena began. The voice continued relentlessly, taking no heed of her. â€Å"Bonnie, you have a choice. Your secret powers are a responsibility. They are also a gift, and one that can be taken away. Do you choose to relinquish them?† â€Å"I-† Bonnie shook her head, frightened. â€Å"I don't know. I need time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"There is no time. Choose.† The light was dwindling, caving in on itself. Bonnie's eyes were bewildered and uncertain as she searched Elena's face for help. â€Å"It's your choice,† Elena whispered. â€Å"You have to decide for yourself.† Slowly, the uncertainty left Bonnie's face, and she nodded. She stood away from Elena, without support, turning back to the light. â€Å"I'll keep them,† she said huskily. â€Å"I'll deal with them somehow. My grandmother did.† There was a flicker of something like amusement from the light. â€Å"You've chosen wisely. May you use them as well. This is the last time I will speak to you.† â€Å"But-â€Å" â€Å"I have earned my rest. The fight is yours.† And the glow faded, like the last embers of a dying fire. With it gone, Elena could feel the pressure all around her. Something was going to happen. Some crushing force was coming toward them, or hanging over them. â€Å"Stefan-â€Å" Stefan felt it too; she could tell. â€Å"Come on,† Bonnie said, her voice panicked. â€Å"We have to get out of here.† â€Å"We have to get to the dance,† Matt gasped. His face was white. â€Å"We have to help them-â€Å" â€Å"Fire,† cried Bonnie, looking startled, as if the thought had just come to her. â€Å"Fire won't kill them, but it will hold them off-â€Å" â€Å"Alaric.† Stefan spoke with the ring of command. â€Å"You go back. Take the others; do what you can. I'll stay-â€Å" â€Å"I think we all should leave!† Alaric shouted. He had to shout to be heard over the deafening noise surrounding them. His weaving flashlight showed Elena something she hadn't noticed before. In the wall next to her was a gaping hole, as if the stone facing had been ripped away. And beyond was a tunnel into the raw earth, black and endless. Where does it go? Elena wondered, but the thought was lost among the tumult of her fear. White owl†¦ hunting bird†¦ flesh eater†¦ crow, she thought, and suddenly she knew with blinding clarity what she was afraid of. â€Å"Where's Damon?† she screamed, dragging Stefan around as she turned, looking. â€Å"Where's Damon?† â€Å"Get out!† cried Bonnie, her voice shrill with terror. She threw herself toward the gate just as the sound split the darkness. It was a snarl, but not a dog's snarl. It could never be mistaken for that. It was so much deeper, heavier, more resonant. It was a huge sound, and it reeked of the jungle, of the hunting bloodlust. It reverberated in Elena's chest, jarred her bones. It paralyzed her. The sound came again, hungry and savage, but somehow almost lazy. That confident. And with it came heavy footfalls from the tunnel. Bonnie was trying to scream, making only a thin whistling sound. In the blackness of the tunnel, something was coming. A shape that moved with a rangy feline swing. Elena recognized the snarl now. It was the sound of the largest of the hunting cats, larger than a lion. The tiger's eyes showed yellow as it reached the end of the tunnel. And then everything happened at once. Elena felt Stefan try to pull her backward to get her out of the way. But her own petrified muscles were a hindrance to him, and she knew that it was too late. The tiger's leap was grace itself, powerful muscles launching it into the air. In that instant, she saw it as if caught in the light of a flashbulb, and her mind noted the lean shining flanks and the supple backbone. But her voice screamed out on its own. â€Å"Damon, no!† It was only as the black wolf sprang out of the darkness to meet it that she realized the tiger was white. The great cat's rush was thrown off by the wolf, and Elena felt Stefan wrench her out of the way, pulling her sideways to safety. Her muscles had melted like snowflakes, and she yielded numbly as he put her against the wall. The lid of the tomb was between her and the snarling white shape now, but the gate was on the other side of the fight. It was an impossible match. The black wolf, vicious and aggressive though it might be, didn't stand a chance. One swipe of the tiger's huge claws laid the wolf's shoulder open to the bone. Its jaws snarled open as it tried to get a bone-cracking grip on the wolf's neck. But then Stefan was there, training the blaze of the flashlight into the cat's eyes, thrusting the wounded wolf out of the way. Elena wished she could scream, wished she could do something to release this rushing ache inside her. She didn't understand; she didn't understand anything. Stefan was in danger. But she couldn't move. â€Å"Get out!† Stefan was shouting to the others. â€Å"Do it now; get out!† Faster than any human, he darted out of the way of a white paw, keeping the light in the tiger's eyes. Meredith was on the other side of the gate now. Matt was half carrying and half dragging Bonnie. Alaric was through. The tiger lunged and the gate crashed shut. Stefan fell to the side, slipping as he tried to scramble up again. â€Å"We won't leave you-† Alaric cried. â€Å"Go!† shouted Stefan. â€Å"Get to the dance; do what you can! Go!† The wolf was attacking again, despite the bleeding wounds in its head, and its shoulder where muscle and tendon lay exposed and shining. The tiger fought back. The animal sounds rose to a volume that Elena couldn't stand. Meredith and the others were gone; Alaric's flashlight had disappeared. â€Å"Stefan!† she screamed, seeing him poised to jump into the fight again. If he died, she would die, too. And if she had to die, she wanted it to be with him. The paralysis left her, and she stumbled toward him, sobbing, reaching out to clutch him tightly. She felt his arm around her as he held her with his body between her and the noise and violence. But she was stubborn, as stubborn as he was. She twisted, and then they faced it together. The wolf was down. It was lying on its back, and although its fur was too dark to show the blood, a red pool gathered beneath it. The white cat stood above it, jaws gaping inches from the vulnerable black throat. But the death-dealing bite to the neck didn't come. Instead the tiger raised its head to look at Stefan and Elena. But the death-dealing bite to the neck didn't come. Instead the tiger raised its head to look at Stefan and Elena. The whiskers were straight and slender, like silver wires. Its fur was pure white, striped with faint marks like unburnished gold. White and gold, she thought, remembering the owl in the barn. And that stirred another memory†¦ of something she'd seen†¦ or something she'd heard about†¦ With a heavy swipe, the cat sent the flashlight flying out of Stefan's hand. Elena heard him hiss in pain, but she could no longer see anything in the blackness. Where there was no light at all, even a hunter was blind. Clinging to him, she waited for the pain of the killing blow. But suddenly her head was reeling; it was full of gray and spinning fog and she couldn't hold on to Stefan. She couldn't think; she couldn't speak. The floor seemed to be dropping away from her. Dimly, she realized that Power was being used against her, that it was overwhelming her mind. She felt Stefan's body giving, slumping, falling away from her, and she could no longer resist the fog. She fell forever and never knew when she hit the ground.

Cultural context of the play Essay

How does Miller use the character of Alfieri to involve the audience and illustrate the cultural context of the play? Alfieri is used in a multitude of ways by Miller to help the play at various stages. He is a character in the play, which other characters interact with, however, he is displaced somewhat because he comments on the goings on of the play, expands on what has happened to make it clearer to the audience, links scenes together and to a certain extent takes the role of a narrator. The character of Alfieri as a lawyer is wisely chosen. Lawyers at that time were seen as a sign of bad luck as with priests, because they were symbols of the law and â€Å"law has not been a friendly idea since the Greeks were beaten†. This shows that Alfieri does not always bring good news and often brings about the things that people do not want to hear, like when Eddie goes to him and asks what he can do to get rid of Marco and Alfieri tells him that there is nothing he can do. The majority of characters in this play are immigrants who have tried to make a living by living in America so at one point or another they would have wanted to avoid the law. Alfieri being a lawyer also shows us how he is above the other immigrants as they are still uneducated, living lives of hard labour using colloquiums such as â€Å"yiz† which indicates a lack of control or status. However, Alfieri is educated and now has status. The language he uses is so much more formal than that of Beatrice or Eddie. Although Alfieri have status he may not have real respect, just the grudging respect for his status. Others do not see him as one of them , â€Å"see how uneasily they nod to me†. Realistically, Alfieri is the only one of them who has achieved the American Dream, worked his way form poverty to having a good life. Arthur Miller himself was the son of an immigrant and he supported himself through college by working on the docks, so he knew where to come from when writing about the hardships and unreliability of living a life like Eddies. In the area and time that the play is set, the rules of community, the code of honour, is more important than the state laws. Disobeying these unwritten laws and betraying the community could result in ostracization. As with Romeo and Juliet this play features people breaking the family laws, then being suitably punished for it. The issues in this play are ones that have been studied before and will be used again due to the fact that they are still relevant. You will always have people that want to do something that is not against the law but going against traditions in their communities and will often cause them a worse fate then if they were breaking a state law. People can relate to disobeying these community rules. Alfieri’s prologue introduces the play. He sets the scene and tells us a bit about the history and culture of where the play is set, where men where â€Å"justly shot by unjust men†. He also says in his epilogue that people now â€Å"settle for half†¦ we are quite civilized, quite American†. With statements like that you can tell that uncivilized things are going to happen. The opposite of how people are now will come out, the real them. Alfieri also tells us that what we are about to see is not just an ordinary one of his cases, and not simply the â€Å"petty troubles of the poor†. Not only in Alfieri’s prologue does he give us hints to what will happen in the play. Ina act one when Eddie goes to Alfieri and asks what he can do to get Rodolpho out, Alfieri says that Eddie must let go of Catherine and let her live her own life â€Å"because after all -what other way can it end? † he is almost predicting that if Eddies protective behaviour continues then it shall end in a bad way. The epilogue, also delivered by Alfieri helps us to understand things better as well. After all the commotion and high emotions of Eddies death, Alfieri is there, calm and collected as ever and gives us enough of an explanation to get us thinking, but also one that lets us make our own minds up. It offers a sense of rounding off. Alfieri reminds us f why we first liked Eddie, and talks of what a good character he was and how we will all like him far more than Alfieri’s â€Å"sensible clients†. Eddie died because he did what he wanted to and Alfieri can see the strength in this action, however, believes it is â€Å"better to settle for half† in order to survive and for there to be peace. Once again, as in the prologue Alfieri is at ease with us the audience. He is relaxed and allowing himself to be honest, to say what he really thinks. Alfieri comments are almost like what you would do to yourself in your head when analyzing or thinking something over. He is going through his thoughts in an almost soliloquy type way. When I went to see the play A View form a Bridge in the Questors theatre in Ealing the role of Alfieri was show to just as much the boob that he was in the svincter . if your happy and you know it clap your hands (clap clap) alice the camel had 95 humps†¦. ride alice ride du du dum cheesh. Im but a little bit bit bit bit show but a little bit bit bit shame but a little bit bit bit , bit bit bit. Peters pepper picked another pickle bearing pussy pepper raaah!!! Vivadixiesubmarine transmitionplot I think that Alfieri is a very good character to have in the play as he manages to fill in all the gaps where extra explanation is needed, such as after scenes. He also acts as an unofficial scene changer, and marks when time has passed or the setting is different. As well as all of this he also points people in the direction of doing things. If it was not for him telling Eddie that the only way he could get rid of Rodolpho was to phone immigration then he would not of thought of it.

Colonial America essays

Colonial America essays Colonial America was a successful establishment in less than a hundred years. The first official census of the United States was 3,900,000 in 1790. Most of the population came from a high birthrate from the settlers; while the other half of the population came from the intense immigration of slaves. While the settlers came in hope of a better life, their goals could not be reached without hard work, work that they were not accustomed to. This called for the need of slavery. Captured Native Americans were also used as slaves, but that eventually did not work anymore. With no one else working on the land, the colonists needed major help. Slavery was one of the most important reasons people moved to colonial America. Slaves were imported mostly from West Africa, and they had no choice but to do what they were told. But the slaves obviously did not work for themselves. They worked for colonists from Europe, mostly England. Colonists started to move to America in hope of living a better life. If your status was not that great in England, coming to America was a chance to improve your status. Colonists were offered land to live and work on, and there was lots of land to be distributed so living expenses would also be a lot cheaper. This gave the lower-class better opportunities for a better life. Also, if you were an indentured servant, after you serve your time, you were given land of your own and no longer worked for anyone but yourself. Another reason why so many people to moved to America was because England was overpopulated. They forced Englishmen off the land and exported them to America. But England did not export their good men; they exported poor people, and prisoners (mostly all lower classes). England felt that they needed to get people off their land because if the population continued to grow, it could lead to disasters for the country. So people came to Colonial America for various reasons, whether it be f...

How Non-Profit Content Marketing Became a Year-Long Internal Win

How Non-Profit Content Marketing Became a Year-Long Internal Win We usually look at blogging and content marketing as an external benefit. It brings in traffic, creates our platform, establishes our expertise, and hopefully generates leads. But we cant forget: blogging is  for the writer  as much as it is for the reader. I hadnt considered how that would also apply to a team, and not just the individual. I was surprised to learn how non-profit content marketing could benefit an organization internally. I spoke with Scott from the North Dakota Interagency Program for Assistive Technology  (NDIPAT), a non-profit organization that matches people with disabilities with technology that can help them live life independently. Recently, their entire team took on the challenge of executing a content marketing plan for a year. How did that year turn out? I sat down with him and asked him about their journey, and their progress. Julie: Was it difficult to get your team to blog? Scott: Not really. We all knew the importance of blogging. Plus wed been doing a newsletter for a long time – bi-monthly over ten years – so this was a natural transition for us. Blogging lets us get more content out more regularly. The biggest challenge is that we have five bloggers spread out in two geographic locations. We dont really have a difficult time coming up with ideas. Narrowing down ideas is where its hard. Were trying to get the right content mix for the blog. Julie: What have you seen happen with your team as you worked on blogging together? Scott: From our standpoint, blogging provides a way for us to research topics, and understand things better.  It gives us an internal resource to go back to for reference. One person does the work of researching and writing a post, and we all benefit from it. Our entire team is building a great resource to use. Our blog is right up at the top, now. Weve been holding steady with our content. Julie: What are the success youre seeing from your blogging? Scott: There have been several instances of people contacting us about something they read on our blog, saying that they didnt know there was a solution for them until they read our blog posts. People have also called us and asked us questions based on blog posts. Were being more proactive as far as assistive technology within the state, in terms of how were blogging. One state does a podcast that they are known for, but their blogging is lessening. Our blog is right up at the top, now. Weve been holding steady with our content. SEO is important, too, and consistently our blog posts are up at the top on general key terms in the assistive technology field. Hitting the first or second page within a few days of a post going live is a big deal, I think. It means Google is coming back often if its appearing that soon. Hitting the first or second page within a few days of a post going live is a big deal. Julie: Do you ever consider not blogging any more? Scott: Weve never thought about stopping blogging, though weve changed our frequency, from three posts to two posts per week, due to staff changes. I dont know if well go back to three, but weve never considered ending our blogging. Its not an option. When we started, we were going to do a year for sure, and now that weve done that, and written over 100 posts, were going to keep going. Its just too valuable to stop, especially internally. It really is. Its almost like continuing education for you and your staff. Each writer has to do the research and writing, and then let the rest of staff read it. Its a professional growth piece for our staff, each time they write a blog post. With our field the way it is, our research happens online. Thats where the information is at, and its vast–no one has the same disability and needs. Individuals are unique, so finding a solution is unique. Thats why finding information and being able to share it is important. We can cover topics from so many angles for a larger audience.

Deuteronomy 1-18 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Deuteronomy 1-18 - Essay Example It is therefore the Lord has declared man to be His image and glory (1 Corinthians 11:7). As a result, man’s relation to God looks for worshipping the Lord exclusively and complying with all the commandments manifestly described in the Scriptures. Book of Deuteronomy manifestly recounts the bounties of the Lord upon the Israelites, throughout the discussion, and in return requires His worship on the one side, and instructs them to be committed, dedicated and loyal towards Him on the other. Hence, the Biblical teachings in general and the Book of Deut in particular, clearly believe in monotheism, and preach the same to the Israelites that the Scripture does not allow having even the least suspicion about the singularity of divinity or monotheism altogether. The Old Testament (OT) reveals the very reality that since the House of Jacob is the favorite nation of the Lord, the Israelites should be the spiritual leader of the entire world in order to spread the holy message of the Lord to all human beings. Moreover, Almighty God had multiplied them many times from the era of their patriarchs onward (Deuteronomy 1:10-11); consequently, they became equivalent to the stars of heaven for multitude. He is the Lord, Who is actually the God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward (Deut10:17). Thus, since Almighty God is the God of all the gods and lords, all creatures are bound to worship Him only, and for seeking His support for obtaining worldly and eternal bliss eventually. In addition, God had promised the Israelites of blessing the wise men among them with power to rule over the world (Deut 1:13-15). As a result, the generations of the Israelites, beginning from King Joseph, ruled over Egypt for several decades till they turned their backs to the word of God, and thus were deprived of their previous