The Stranger free essay sample

The tale quickly begins with Meursault accepting word that his mom kicked the bucket. He appears to be entirely apathetic as he experiences asking off work and going to the memorial service. At the point when he gets back from the memorial service, he essentially goes straight go into typical life as though nothing was unique. He enters a relationship with Marie and becomes a close acquaintence with his local pimp, Raymond. All through, he stays confined from reality around him, being unconcerned with the way that his better half is enamored with him. His aloofness (some way or another) brings about his commitment to Marie and they (alongside Raymond) travel to the sea shore. While at the sea shore, Meursault shoots and murdered an Arab man who was the sibling of Raymonds special lady. After his capture, Meursaults lawyer appears to be appalled at his separation and aloofness to the homicide notwithstanding his moms demise. When Meursault meets with the justice, the officer asserts that Meursault is the antichrist. It is sufficiently significant to him and his story that he even studys the manner in which it caused him to feel, and contemplative quality not showed concerning numerous different subjects throughout his life. Researcher William Conroy says, Since this is for all intents and purposes the main episode of his previous existence that he reviews, it is doubtlessly of vital criticalness for him. 2 It is this critically ignificant occasion of his youth that makes him lose confidence in the request for society and makes him believe that he can't depend on anything, particularly individuals. Without his instructive vocation as verification that difficult work and contemplative devotion can bring about progress and bliss, Meursault settle that life when all is said in done is futile, and that with or without aspiration, the two ways lead to the equivalent frustrating goal. To attempt to shield himself from the certainty of disillusionment, Meursault overcompensates by directing his day by day schedule. At Mamans memorial service, the chaperon ays, If you go gradually, you hazard getting sunstroke. In any case, on the off chance that you go excessively quick, you burn some serious calories and afterward get a chill inside the congregation. She was correct. There was no chance to get out. (p 27) In this example, Meursault is endeavoring to represent the unavoidable, to actually and allegorically attempt to keep himself in a fair compromise temperature astute and inwardly. To manage the conceivable enthusiastic struggle of losing the last relative that the peruser knows about, Meursault decides to focus on his standard controlled way of life, concentrating on the times of the week as opposed to the occasions ranspiring. He is totally aloof, apparently careless in regards to the memorial service as he finishes up, It happened to me that some way or another Id overcame another Sunday, that Mother presently was covered, and tomorrow Id be returning to fill in of course. Truly, nothing in my light nad changed (p 30) As William Conroy puts Meursaults misinformed needs, Sundays trouble Meursault, not his moms passing. 3 By concentrating on the parts of life he can control, similar to his Sunday plan, Meursault can concentrate on the things that do make a difference in his circle, for this situation the insignificant conduct necessities, for example, eing on schedule, going to work, eating, and resting. In opposition to what may be obvious lack of concern on a superficial level, Meursault subliminally attempts to abstain from baffling society Although he doesn't really wish to wed Marie, he assumes the job of sweetheart and even considers marriage since it is the thing that she, and society expect of him saying, I disclosed to her that it didnt truly matter and that on the off chance that she needed to, we could get hitched. (p 41) Similarly, Meursaults communications with the minister and legal advisor just come down to what Meursault needs to do or say to satisfy them so they will disregard him. While recounting to his story to the legal counselor, Meursault says, l wanted to promise him that I resembled every other person, Just like every other person. (p 66) He wouldn't like to be an alien to society, yet rather to conciliate everybody so they won't address or examine his activities, which he fears may disillusion. Maybe the best case of Meursault attempting to please individuals, for almost no close to home increase is his cooperations with Raymond. Upon Raymonds ambiguous solicitation to compose a disputable letter to a lady who had been beaten, and now blamed for cheating by Raymond, Meursault basically takes the ask at face esteem saying, l composed the letter. I did it Just on the grounds that it came to me, yet I attempted my best to please Raymond on the grounds that I didnt have any explanation not to satisfy him. (p 32) Meursaults first thought isn't about the profound quality of the letter, however rather on the off chance that it will fulfill Raymond. This antipathy for frustrating individuals is a contributing variable in his end difficulty, since it is his affiliations and maybe steadfastness to Raymond that places him in the circumstance on the sea shore with the Arab. The defining moment in the novel is when Meursault shoots the Arab since that is first genuine contact with death, and a definitive disillusionment to society as he breaks the most fundamental part of human instinct. It could be contended that Meursault doesn't intend to slaughter the Arab, that the principal shot is discharged simply by some coincidence. He goes to the spot coincidentally, meets the Arab by some coincidence, the sun happens to be disagreeably sweltering, making Meursault awkward. At the point when the edge gets the sun and the reflection flashes into Meursaults eyes, he just reacts precisely like a curled spring-and the firearm goes off. 4 For a man who maintains a strategic distance from death in his life, it appears to be ounterintuitive that he would exact such harm upon another human. However it isn't his hunger for death or retribution that drives this demonstration, yet a ulterior power showed in the sun and warmth that inspires this last activity. By evacuating the fault, rather putting it on lifeless things like the weapon trigger, he disposes of himself from the dreadful viewpoint, not thinking about the consequences in his own life, or the existence he Just took. It is this absence of an understanding and self reflection about the irrevocability of death, conceived of his protection from considering his own emotions from his absence of individual xperiences with death, that keep him from getting a handle on the gravity of his activities. The similitudes between Meursaults involvement with his moms memorial service and the Arabs shooting are frightfully comparable in their treatment of death. Indeed, even Meursault watches the likenesses saying, It was a similar sun as the day I had covered Mother and, similar to at that point, I nad an incredible agony in the torenead where all the veins were beating together under the skin. (p 79) Conroy states the similitudes saying, The sun, the perspiration, the throb, the exhaustion, the shading, the tears, and passing are dela vu; they esuscitate for Meursault the experience of his moms burial service and the feelings he was then inclination. 5 The occasions being so comparative from a physical perspective permits them to reflect the other genuinely too. The last connection between the two occasions is the nearness of death. These likenesses power Meursault to again recollect his other involvement in death, that he has so firmly curbed, and for those repressed feelings to reemerge. As he warms up on the sea shore, those equivalent feelings reemerge and carry demise to the bleeding edge of his psyche causing a response, or the principal shot of The following four shots are of an alternate sort, apparently conflicting to the hypothesis of staying away from death. This cognizant choice to fire four additional occasions at the unmoving body (p 59) shows that the activity is not, at this point persuaded by sheer possibility and response. As researcher Christopher Robinson watches, it is obvious that Meursault feels no feeling, pondering little the demonstration he has Just dedicated, and rather proceeding to portray the grouping of occasions following as opposed to his own emotions about what unfolded. 6 The main regret seen promptly following the shooting s Meursaults remark, And it resembled thumping four fast occasions on the entryway of despondency. (p 59) This, while demonstrating he isn't content with what Just happened goes further as this entryway of misery, he is presently ready to open is the entryway to his own subdued contemplations about death, particularly his moms passing. Regardless of whether he knows it intentionally or not, those thumps, will achieve misery since they are his very own token mortality, a reality he should look in an execution made essential on account of these shots. William Conroy proposes that in terminating into an inactive ody, Meursault is perhaps attempting to slaughter passing, discharging those repressed feelings and giving a purge to the agitated emotions about his moms demise. 7 It is his own particular manner of adapting to death, a subject he needs so far expelled from him, he wants to dispense with it four additional occasions. As Meursault at last is compelled to think about his own passing as execution, he considers the utilization of the guillotine as the technique for capital punishment. He has here and there acknowledged his destiny, because of the absence of an enthusiasm for advancing an intrigue, yet he battles with he idea of pulling for his own demise. The one memory Meursault shares about his dad is the tale of how in spite of being nauseated by the occasion; his father would go to the executions of crooks. While it appalls Meursault as a youngster, in the wake of thinking about his own circumstance, Meursault finishes up, here was nothing more significant than an execution, and that when you come directly down to it, it was the main thing a man could genuinely be keen on.. (p 110) Meursault is starting to see the inspiration to live, to a limited extent since he comprehends the danger of death. It isn't so uch the way that his life will end soon, however the certainty of the guillotine carrying out its responsibility. Without this thin chance of disappointment, Even one out of many was adequate to fix things. (p 111) Meursault is compelled to acknowledge demise, Just as he perceives how valuable life is lastly invites both possibility and inspiration into his circle as he attempts to get away from the irrevocability of his own passing by evolving. At the preliminary, Meursault isn't Judged for

The primary reason that America went to war against Britain in 1812 Essay

The essential explanation that America did battle against Britain in 1812 - Essay Example Be that as it may, strains despite everything stayed between the two countries. The essential explanation concerning why James Madison proclaimed war against Britain can be related with contrasts in the high oceans. In his congressional discourse, Madison expressed that cruisers from Britain damaged the American banner. Moreover, he blamed the British for holding onto people cruising under the American banner (Haberle, 2003). This, he contended, was illegal that oversees the connections between countries. To Madison, the activities of the cruisers appeared to support the British while the Americans kept on anguish. Madison likewise implied that the British had damaged the power of the United States. In this way, he looked for help from congress. Elements that prompted the statement of the war can be related with the choice of the British to drag American residents in warships. Madison guaranteed this presented Americans to noteworthy threats while in their own nation. The activities of the British to utilize American subjects in their fights activated Madison to pronounce war. The British didn't regard America as a sovereign nation. All things considered, the war must be battled to end British control of the United States (Haberle,

Magical Attic Looner Bunny Rocketship Maze

Magical Attic Looner Bunny Rocketship Maze Children learn persistence and problem-solving with this tricky maze! This printable maze activity will challenge early learners' critical-thinking and problem-solving skills while providing a great opportunity to reinforce time-on-task behaviors. A great warm-up or down-time activity for pre-K and kindergarten classes. Looner Bunny needs to reach his rocketship - and it's up to your students to help! BCP Imagines BCP Imagines BCP Imagines designs and develops unique multimedia that brings children and their families creative, fun, shared experiences. Our award-winning cross-platform content encourages creative learning, expression and play while helping kids of ALL ages open their imaginations and look at their world in a new way. BCP Imagines' multi-award winning series Drawing with Mark brings the joy of learning to draw to all ages. The Magical Attic?, where anything is possible,? was created to help foster imagination and creative play while encouraging positive attitudes emphasizing the important lessons of kindness, friendship and helping others. Visit the Magical Attic store or purchase the Drawing with Mark collection!

The American Dream in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn...

When people think of the American Dream, they think of individuals who climb up from the bottom of society to the top through hard work and determination. This way they could gain possession of the materialist things they always wanted and live a joyful life as well as provide for their families. One also thinks of a society free of prejudice and discrimination where everyone is considered to have an equal status. Yet, when Mark Twain wrote his book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, he intended to reveal the darker side of humanity and how things actually occurred after the Civil War. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;One of the aspects of the American Dream is the pursuit of wealth by means of hard work and determination. In his book,†¦show more content†¦For quite some time, Huck’s father disappeared from town only to arrive later when he heard that his son had acquired a small fortune. He then threatens to beat Huck â€Å"down a peg† so that he would remind him of his status in the family only hoping to get the fortune for his booze. Things only get worse when Pa learns that Huck has become the first member of the family to learn to read, and consequently takes him away from town down the river into a small cabin. Cleverly, Pa doesn’t want to abandon Huck just yet for he continuously threatens the Father about the fortune he has hidden until Huck finally fakes his own death. Pa would be a fine example of a specimen who was unworthy of his breath by the way he treated Huck. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;According to the American Dream, everyone should be declared equal. At that time in society, the law just recently declared to follow that motive. In a dream, everyone has an equal status in society, be free from discrimination, and have the right to express themselves as individuals. In his book, Mark Twain decided to unveil the mask of what was truly happening in society. Even though slavery was outlawed, there was still the problem of who would enforce it. Evidently, no one cared for it in the South as blacks were still being treated just the same way they were before the Civil War. Jim’s status as a human continuously diminished even though he proved himself time and again that he wasShow MoreRelatedThe Grapes Of Wrath And Huckleberry Finn Analysis819 Words   |  4 PagesThe American Dream is a dream in which life is fuller, better, happier and free. In the two books Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, and The Grapes of Wrath by John St einbeck,   each book shows the American Dream in a different way. In The Grapes of Wrath, the American Dream is shown as in illusion. That being because America is going through the Great Depression and it’s very difficult to make a living or even have food on a plate. However, in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the AmericanRead MoreMark Twain : Seeing America s Flaws1593 Words   |  7 PagesTwain: Seeing America’s Flaws â€Å"You don’t know about me, without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer , but that ain’t no matter. That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain and he told the truth, mainly. There was things he stretched, but mainly he told the truth† (qtd. in Jones 237). That was the very first line in Mark Twain’s controversial book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Samuel L. Clemens, as a young boy, grew up on the Mississippi and learned the ways of southern societyRead MoreThe Banning of Texts Such as Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay1047 Words   |  5 PagesOne of the most common things banned and or challenged is that of written text. One such text is, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. It has been banned in Concord, Massachusetts on the basis of â€Å"it being more suited to the slums than to intelligent respectable people† (Banned 1) and the overall vulgarity of the text. Because of vulgarity and seemingly unintelligent writin g, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was banned and challenged by the Concord Public Library in Massachusetts and the Brooklyn PublicRead MoreHuckleberry Finn - Thesis1521 Words   |  7 Pagesemulate. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Twain shows us two Sides of the coin by putting good role models for huck such as: Judge Thatcher, Widow Douglas, And many more. On the other side he shows us also bad examples of role models, characters like Pap, the king, and the duke. Throughout the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain Shows us through Huck the importance of a role model in ones life. Throughout the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn we meet manyRead MoreAnalysis Of Mark Twain s The Tale Of Adventures Of Huckleberry Fin 1468 Words   |  6 Pagesin his era by using his realistic writing style and mixing with his experience as a boy growing up in missouri, Twain wrote classics no other would dare write about at this time. Twain stepped out of societies bubble and wrote the tale of Adventures of Huckleberry Fin. Through is writing, Twain was open about the horrors of slavery and let the people of the world know his views, beliefs, and experience. This tale defined Twains ability to prove to the world that he meant what he said and was not afraidRead MoreMark Twain s Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn1562 Words   |  7 PagesMark Twain was an American writer whose works act as social commentary on issues including racism, poverty and class distinctions. His most distinguished novels, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleber ry Finn (1885) convey the vanquished way of life in the pre-Civil War Mississippi Valley and life on the river. His unpretentious, colloquial, yet poetic style and wide-ranging humor embodies the development of ideologies based upon the American Dream. Twains’ life andRead MoreThe American Concept Of Self Creation1647 Words   |  7 PagesThe American concept of Self-Creation is a theme throughout American Literature and represented in the American society. An individual assuming a new identity to avoid danger or ridding themselves of a past life, are two examples of the literary concept of Self-Creation. In Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, we see the main character undergo several examples of â€Å"self-creation† during the course of the story for various motivations including those mentioned above. Throughout Adventures ofRead MoreHuckleberry Finn American Experience Essay1569 Words   |  7 Pagesslaves throughout the nation. Mark Twain’ s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn expresses the American experience and captures the same idea of acquiring freedom, both physical and mental escape, through the characters Huckleberry Finn and Jim, who both physically escape their dangerous and threatening living arrangements, and the raft that aides Huckleberry and Jim in their quest and exploration of themselves and a new life. The concept of the â€Å"American experience† in this novel is centralized aroundRead MoreThe Relationship Between Trilling, And Huckleberry Finn By Leo Marx1315 Words   |  6 PagesFrom Mr. Eliot, Mr. Trilling, and Huckleberry Finn by Leo Marx In this essay, Leo Marx is talking about how the ending of the story in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is not well connected to the whole meaning of the events that happens throughout the story. He is saying that the ending of the story throws out completely the plot. Marx is explaining how interesting was the journey that Huck and Jim had, searching for Jim s freedom, but to him everything what they did to get Jim out of thisRead MoreRealism And Realism : The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain Essay1316 Words   |  6 Pagespoint that most of the people in the literature field that drew a boundary between Romanticism and Realism by end of Civil War. From 1865, American literature was seeking for a new direction. Before the Realism, people focused on the abstract ideas that were pursuing the idealism. However, people woke up from the dream of idealism and realized the reality that American society had faced. The urgent and pressing society that they faced helped them t o walk out from the idealism. They had to turn their face

A Doll S House 1 - 3753 Words

A Doll’s House Themes Marriage Women and Femininity Men and Masculinity The Home Respect and Reputation Love Lies and Deceit Money Love and Marriage As a play focused around the marriage between Nora and Torvald, A Doll s House can be seen as an exploration of love and marriage, or even, more profoundly, on whether there can be love in marriage. At the beginning of the play, Nora and Torvald appear to be very happily married, even to themselves. Nora talks joyfully about her love for Torvald, and Torvald refers to Nora using affectionate pet names. Their loving marriage stands in stark contrast with the lives of the other characters: the marriages of Krogstad and Mrs. Linde were based on necessity rather than love, and were unhappy.†¦show more content†¦When revealing the secret of how she borrowed money to finance the trip to Italy, she refers to it as her â€Å"pride† and says it was fun to be in control of money, explaining that it was â€Å"almost like being a man.† Although she comes to regret her decision to borrow money, Nora’s dissatisfaction with her status as a woman intensifies over the co urse of the play. In the final scene she tells Torvald that she is not being treated as an independent person with a mind of her own. Her radical solution to this issue is to leave domestic life behind, despite Torvald s declaration that he will change. Nora s decision suggests that she, and the play, see the issue as only partially with Torvald. The more fundamental issue is with domestic life as it was conceived and lived at the time, in the way it legally and culturally infantilized women and made it impossible for them to be recognized or treated as full individuals. Meanwhile, the men of the play are also expected to fill a certain role. Both Torvald and Krogstad are very ambitious, driven not only by the need to provide for their families but also by a desire to achieve higher status. Respectability is of great concern to both of them; when Nora’s borrowing is revealed, Torvald’s first thoughts are for his reputation. Meanwhile, Krogstad is fixated on achieving success now that he has â€Å"gone straight,† and intends to one day take over Torvald’s job and run the bank. 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It assesses the many struggles and hardships that women faced because of marriage â€Å"laws† that were crucial during that time period. The society was male- dominated with no equality. Nora is the protagonist in A Doll’s House and the wife of a man named Torvald. This play is about Nora’s voyage to recognizing her self- determination and independence. She transforms from a traditional, reserved woman to

America Is In The Heart Free Essays

I. Authors Biography Carlos Bulosan is said to be one of the earliest and most influential of Asian American writers. 1 He was a Filipino born on November 2, 1911 in Pangasinan to a rural and peasant family in the village of Mangusmana located near the town of Binalonan. We will write a custom essay sample on America Is In The Heart or any similar topic only for you Order Now His family strived to make both ends meet to make a living and send their children to school like many other Filipinos at that time of economic turmoil; brought by the increasing wealth and power possessed by the elite. Carlos, committed to help support his family, went searching for a better life for himself, continued his education, and made the choice to travel to America with high hopes to reach his ambitions. II. Summary American is in the Heart is the autobiography of Carlos Bulosan, who begins his story by narrating his childhood life in his town Mangusmana. He lives alongside his father in a farm where they both work in. On the other hand, his mother lives in the city with one of his brothers and younger sister. Because of this living arrangement, Carlos has never met some of his older siblings. One of the sons Macario is said to be â€Å"the hope of the family†. They hope that when he graduates he will return home and find a teaching job to help support their family and pay their debts. He attends high school in another village, and because of this their family pawns their land one hectare at a time in order to compensate for his expenses. Unfortunately, things don’t go as the family hopes for and Macario loses the teaching job. Due to the harsh economic conditions at that time, children like Carlos were working and doing what they could to help support their families. Carlos, at five years of age eventually moved to Binalonan to work in the fields. His salary goes to his mother for paying the moneylender, and to Macario’s schooling. When he isn’t working the fields, he is with his mother, assisting her with her barter business that allowed him to travel to  neighboring villages with her. In these villages, Carlos observed the middle class and their way of life, and later on he grows a loathing towards them. Whilst in the Philippines, Amando, Macario, and Carlos were made to believe that America stood for equality and justice, and ultimately they all separately make their journey to America. Upon their arrival in America, they are faced with the brutal reality of the great exploitation that the Filipinos are subjected to by the Whites. Carlos is amazed by ruthlessness and inhuman treatment that the Whites have shown toward Filipinos, and is forced to move place to place due to one misfortunate event after another. Carlos struggles to sustain a job with a close to nothing salary and with unsanitary living conditions, but his job and stay is always immediately cut short when conflict stirs between Filipinos and Whites forcing him to flee to another town. To add to his pitiful state, many times he is beaten and assaulted because of the discrimination the Americans have toward the Filipinos. Ultimately Carlos and his companions develop a sense of activism, and fought for the Filipinos and their rights in Filipino labor and rights movements. Their effort to assemble the workers brought them right into the conflict involving agricultural interests. Their labor movement ultimately became associated with revolutionary units. In the succeeding events of his life, Carlos is diagnosed with tuberculosis, and was said to been confined in the hospital for a period of two years. Once he was released, he and his friends grew to be greatly involved in the movement for Filipino civil rights. They then assembled a group of Filipinos with the ambition of achieving American citizenship for Filipinos in America. Unfortunately their efforts were not enough and they loose the fight. When the time came that World War II erupted, Carlos and his fellow Filipinos were prohibited from enlisting in the army. Even to the point where the Philippines was being occupied and seized, they were still disallowed to enlist. Due to this, the Filipinos where forced to start a movement fighting for their desire to join the armed forces, which eventually resulted with the United States president giving a special proclamation that would allow Filipinos to do so. III. Analysis America Is In the Heart being an autobiography novel, it didn’t have that much symbolism. It was a straightforward novel and the author Bulosan, narrated the events of his life clearly and vividly. Throughout the story, you can’t help but feel sorry for him (Buloson) and all the tragedies and struggles he encountered. To rate this novel, I would say that I have nothing too criticizing to comment about it. The plot is very similar to other stories involving the struggles of Filipinos whilst under the power of oppressors. Overall, the novel was a good reminder and eye opener on the reality of discrimination showed toward Filipinos, which is still very much relevant today. Also, it reminds us of the strong fighting spirits that Filipinos possess. This novel is certainly a good piece of literature that is purely and truly Filipino. IV. Insights The life story of Carlos Bulosan in â€Å"America In The Heart† is something I can greatly empathize with. I like himself, went to America at a very young age of nine, with a hopeful heart that America was a land of opportunity. In school I was thought that America fought for equality and everyone was given the same opportunities. I thought, I could go see all the places that I saw in movies, and I generally thought my family and I would have a better life. My naà ¯ve nine-year-old heart was shattered after a few months, when I learned that America isn’t all that beautiful, as it seemed, especially for Filipino Migrants. Finding work was hard even with an undergraduate diploma. Filipinos were looked down on because of how â€Å"uncivilized† the Philippines was. And based on observation, some Americans really do tend to show a bias toward Filipinos. At that point, I then missed our comfortable home and lifestyle back in the Philippines. We had time to go out with the family and enjoy the good things in life; while in the States my parents rarely were home at the same time due to work, and the main agenda was paying the bills. Sometimes we Filipinos complain a whole lot about our country. We aspire for  the western life, and what it can give to us. I think a big reason why this is so, is because throughout history we have always been so oppressed by these western nations. We were made to believe that these nations will always be better, but if there’s one thing that I’ve learned it’s that: we Filipinos are hardworking, loyal, and God fearing people, and possessing these attributes bring us far and past the hardships given to us. How to cite America Is In The Heart, Papers America Is in the Heart Free Essays America Is In the Heart Summary The plot of America is in the Heart parallels its author’s personal experiences. The protagonist, who is also named Carols (though he goes by the nickname ‘Also’ when In the Philippines and tells others to call him ‘Carl’ while in the united States) Is a young boy working with his father on their farm in the Philippines at the book’s opening. After a period of working throughout the island of Luzon Carols immigrates to the united States, where he continues to work as a migrant laborer until he realizes he is capable of writing in English and pledges to bring his family members jack to life through the written word. We will write a custom essay sample on America Is in the Heart or any similar topic only for you Order Now He also often uses literature to connect with the united States Itself; Carols reads classic American authors like Whitman and Melville in an attempt to discover and understand a side of the united States far removed from the prejudice and pain of the American society he found himself in. On one occasion Carols and some acquaintances were attacked by a group of white men for no reason other than their race, only to be greatly aided by the white men and women working in a hospital. Walking down the marble stairway of the hospital, I began to wonder at the paradox of America. Joss ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s tragedy was brought about by railroad detectives, yet he had done no harm of any consequence to the company. On the highway, again, motorists had refused to take a dying man. And yet in this hospital, among white people– Americans like those who had denied us– we had found refuge and tolerance. Why was America so kind and yet so cruel? Was there no way to simplifying things in this continent so that suffering would be minimized? Was there no common denominator on which we could all meet? I was angry and confused, and wondered if I would ever understand this paradox. (Bulbous 147) The rod â€Å"paradox† perfectly summarizes Carols’ experiences in the United States. Like Carols searched for America through the works of great American authors, the reader can look through Bullion’s work and glimpse at an early 20th century America in conflict with itself. The 1 united States, which had Just entered the long years of the Great Depression when Carols arrives In Seattle, is revealed In the novel as consisting of two very different halves, and Carols is constantly vexed by the inconsistent nature of the United States. In America Carols experiences both great kindnesses and great realties, often within the same moment, and this strange combination often drives Carols to tears. He experiences no shortage of prejudice in the united States, and the results of these prejudices range from verbal slights to severe physical and sexual abuse. Yet despite the many hardships and prejudices Carols faces, he comes to think of America in a very positive light?the kindnesses he benefits from in the United States combine with a more intangible sense of hope in the potential of America. Within Bullion’s work the reader finds tropes that should sound familiar to anyone who has taken elementary school American history classes; there is assurance and a faint tint of pride in the possibilities of America; by the end of the novel Carols has faith that this is a nation where great things can and do happen, and he ends the novel by stating that nothing will ever take this faith from him again. By recognizing the two halves of this paradox and forgiving the united States for its comes to with his various inconsistent childhood and adult perceptions of America. His ability to not only make these understandings but allow them to evolve throughout his time in the United States makes Bulbous a credible and fascinating source of information on the America that he lived within and further complicates the already tangled and wide-ranging opinions of what the word â€Å"American† should mean at all. By allowing his audience to peek into his experiences through his protagonist and namesake, Carols Bulbous shows how America both defines and is defined by the masses who venture onto its shore in an attempt to find the lives they were meant to live. The Small Key Summary â€Å"The Small Key† is a beautiful account of the feeling of a man, whose first wife died, ND his second wife. As the story opens Lateran describes in a few lines the rural setting of the story. The man and his wife live far from any neighbors. Their house is surrounded by wild bamboo. Her husband is a very hard working prosperous farmer. They are having lunch and the man cannot linger as the fields need plowing. His wife is not feeling well so as he leaves he tells her he will ask Tia Maria, an aunt or a neighbor, to stop by. Once the husband is gone the wife begins to fold his coat. A small key falls to the floor and the woman, in her late twenties, looks almost old. She tries to throw herself into her work on the laundry but her eyes keep going too small trunk in the corner of the room. She knows in that trunk are the clothes of her husband’s late first wife. She tries to tell her self what does it matter if her husband keeps the clothes of his first wife, after all she is dead. She begins to wonder why her husband feels he has to carry to key to the chest with him in his coat when he leaves the house. When the husband arrives home happy that the plowing is completed, Tia Maria meets him at the gate and tells him his wife is sick. The Small Key† is a short story by Philippine author Pas Lateran. It is about a woman named Solaced who is married to a man named Pedro Bubby. They live on a farm. One morning Solaced finds herself knowing that the farm will produce plenty but that she still had some inner feeling of discontent. She planned to mend some of her husband’s shirts, which were in a locked trunk. Pedro took out from his pocket a string which held two keys, one large and shiny and one small and rusty. He gave Solaced the large key to his trunk and put the small key back in his Jacket pocket. Since it was hot that morning, he removed his coat before leaving to work in the field. When he was gone, Solaced began to fold the Jacket and the small key fell to the floor. It is obvious that Pedro values the small key while Solaced fears it. Solaced knows that the small key is a key to a different trunk. She tries to busy herself so that she will not think about what the smaller trunk contains, but she cannot stop thinking about it and reveals that the small trunk contains clothing that belonged to Padre’s first wife. She wonders why it is that he keeps her old clothing and why he seems to eave a special feeling about them. She obviously fears that Pedro still loves his first wife even though she has been dead for many years by now. She reveals that she hates the things in the small trunk and worries that they will destroy the relationship of the small trunk, Solaced opens it. At this point, Pedro returns home to find Solaced in bed supposedly with a fever. It turns out she does not. The next morning Pedro discovers a pile of ashes and half burnt clothing in the backyard. He realizes what Solaced has done and rushes to look in the trunk to confirm it. Solaced has indeed, earned his first wife’s clothing. Pedro is angry and bitter that this has happened and he expects that Soloed will explain things later. He thinks to himself that he will forgive her because he loves her but that even if she did it out of love for him, it will always remain a matter of some resentment toward her for doing it. The Summer Solstice Summary â€Å"Summer Solstice† is a short story that has received recognition both critical and praising. Written by Nick Joaquin, the story takes place in sass Philippines during the festival days of SST. John. There is a pro-woman feel to the story, which has rendered a lot of debate and attention considering the setting is in a time where women must be submissive. In this analysis, learn about the setting, the themes and symbolism that this short and interesting story incarnates. The Train, or otherwise known as the Tartaric, was a three day festival that celebrated a ritual of fertility. This was done only by women. Many men frowned upon the extravagant dances and plays surrounding the ritual. â€Å"Summer Solstice† is set during the three days of the SST. John’s festival. Lupine, a Filipino woman who feels closed to her womanhood, is aired to Paean, who is no doubt loyal to her. They have three small boys and live a somewhat wealthy life as they have a Cambridge driver named Entry and a maid and cook named Mad. Guide is a cousin of Paeans who comes back to the Philippines after studying in Europe. The story starts when the family is enjoying the days of the SST. John’s festival until Guide makes suggestive comments to Lupine, and even bending down to kiss her feet. This makes her leave abruptly and have a discussion with her husband the coming night. Lupine secretly found herself intrigued by the attention of Guide; she felt that he was correct in saying that women should be ravished and men should adore them. This causes her to participate in the last night of the festival, which is the Train ritual. Paean goes with her and tries to drag her back once the dancing begun, but she runs from him to the women. He tries to take her back but the women in the crowds beat him out, leaving him helpless. As the two return home, Paean says he must whip his wife because he loves her and feels that she needs to be put in her place. To this, she shouts and says she wants to be adored, not respected and orders him to kiss her feet. How to cite America Is in the Heart, Papers

Solution for Cryptography and Network Security 4th Edition free essay sample

Passive attacks: release of message contents and traffic analysis. Active attacks: masquerade, replay, modification of messages, and denial of service. Â  The assurance that the communicating entity is the one that it claims to be. Access control: The prevention of unauthorized use of a resource (i. e. , this service controls who can have access to a resource, under what conditions access can occur, and what those accessing the resource are allowed to do). Data confidentiality: The protection of data from unauthorized disclosure. Data integrity: The assurance that data received are exactly as sent by an authorized entity (i. e. , contain no modification, insertion, deletion, or replay). Nonrepudiation: Provides protection against denial by one of the entities involved in a communication of having participated in all or part of the communication. Availability service: The property of a system or a system resource being accessible and usable upon demand by an authorized system entity, according to performance specifications for the system Plaintext, encryption algorithm, secret key, ciphertext, decryption algorithm. We will write a custom essay sample on Solution for Cryptography and Network Security 4th Edition or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Permutation and substitution. One key for symmetric ciphers, two keys for asymmetric ciphers. A stream cipher is one that encrypts a digital data stream one bit or one byte at a time. A block cipher is one in which a block of plaintext is treated as a whole and used to produce a ciphertext block of equal length. Cryptanalysis and brute force. Ciphertext only. One possible attack under these circumstances is the brute-force approach of trying all possible keys. If the key space is very large, this becomes impractical. Thus, the opponent must rely on an analysis of the ciphertext itself, generally applying various statistical tests to it. Known plaintext. The analyst may be able to capture one or more plaintext messages as well as their encryptions. With this knowledge, the analyst may be able to deduce the key on the basis of the way in which the known plaintext is transformed. Chosen plaintext. If the analyst is able to choose the messages to encrypt, the analyst may deliberately pick patterns that can be expected to reveal the structure of the key. An encryption scheme is unconditionally secure if the ciphertext generated by the scheme does not contain enough information to determine uniquely the corresponding plaintext, no matter how much ciphertext is available. An encryption scheme is said to be computationally secure if: (1) the cost of breaking the cipher exceeds the value of the encrypted information, and (2) the time required to break the cipher exceeds the useful lifetime of the information. The Caesar cipher involves replacing each letter of the alphabet with the letter standing k places further down the alphabet, for k in the range 1 through 25. There is the practical problem of making large quantities of random keys. Any heavily used system might require millions of random characters on a regular basis. Supplying truly random characters in this volume is a significant task. 2. Even more daunting is the problem of key distribution and protection. For every message to be sent, a key of equal length is needed by both sender and receiver. Thus, a mammoth key distribution problem exists. 2. 13 A transposition cipher involves a permutation of the plaintext letters. 2. 14 Steganography involves concealing the existence of a message.

Americas War with Spain

America’s war with Spain was as a result of conflicting interested between the United States and Spain. The Americans declared war against Spain in a bit to end the Spanish rule in Cuba (Graves, 2000). The Spanish rule in Cuba had been characterized by endless atrocities against the people of Cuba. The American public was enraged by the Atrocities that were being committed by the Spanish government which prompted a revolt against Spain.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on America’s War with Spain specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More William McKinley was the then American President was very reluctant to declare war Against Spain but he could not escape the immense pressure from the Angry American public. Signs of impending war between the two nations had been from 1873 but the situation got worse in 1897. What provoked the American Government most was the sinking of the American battleship by the pe rceived Spanish forces in Havana harbor in 1897 (Graves, 2000). This paper will highlight the Spanish-American war in details. From the beginning of the 19th century, America was against colonization of the countries in the Caribbean region by the European governments. Since Madrid and Washington were both interested in having control over Cuba, there was no way a conflict between the two governments could be avoided (Alger, 2010). After Spain had established a colony in Cuba, the Cuban people were agitated to fight for their independence because of the atrocities that were being committed by the Spanish rule in their country. The Cuban people declared war with the Spanish colonial authorities that lasted for over a decade ranging between 1868 and 1878. The Spanish colonial authorities managed to put down the uprising but some Cuban revolutionaries such Jose Marti continued to fight for their country’s autonomy while in exile (Alger, 2010). Jose Marti and his fellow revolutio naries decided to embark on a guerilla campaign to fight the Spanish authorities in 1885 but their plan did not turn out as successful as they had expected (Dolan, 2001). The Spanish colonial authorities managed to contain the uprising by cutting down the supply of weapons and any other form of assistance by moving residents to reconcentartion camps where they could easily be monitored by the Spanish military forces. This brutal strategy by the Spanish colonial authorities received a lot of condemnation from the United States. The action by the Spanish authorities in Cuba was seen as extermination by McKinley who was the then president of the United States. The Spanish authorities later claimed that Cuba was just like a province under the Spanish empire and not necessarily a colony because the island had been under its control for over four centuries (Dolan, 2001). Spain claimed that Cuba played a vital role in the country’s economy and therefore they could no afford to lose the most prestigious island.Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This new attitude by Spain sparked a lot of fury in Cuba and the United States because it was seen a sheer indignation (Trask, 1996). These latest claims by Spain was a major catalyst in the of the already existing conflict between Spain and the United States. The United States also had plans of having control over the entire American continent but its conflict with Spain was delaying its plans. The United States also had business interest in Cuba that was being hampered by the Spanish rule. The revolt in Cuba was greatly affecting the shipping and sugar industries in America and therefore prompting the U.S government to call for stability in the island (Trask, 1996). President McKinley wanted the revolt to be ended diplomatically and to ensure that, he sent Steward Woodford to negotiate for Cuban autonomy. The negoti ations were successful and Cuba was granted autonomy in January 1898 (Venzon, 2003). The sinking of the U.S battleship in Havana by the Spanish officers that broke the diplomatic convention between the two countries sparked animosity. The Cuban government had only been in power for eleven days when hell broke loose. The U.S has deployed its naval force to Cuba to try and stop the new riots that had been ignited by the Spanish officers. The sinking of the U.S battleship in February 1898 resulted in the death of 266 American sailors. This led to a public outcry in the United States and at this moment America had lost its patience with Spain (Venzon, 2003). A swift response was demanded by the American public and therefore Washington did not have any other option but to declare war against Madrid. The American Congress immediately approved $ 50 million to be used by defense forces to fight Spain. Although the cause of the explosion of the ship was not exactly known, there was no way a diplomatic approach could be used to solve this conflict (Dolan, 2001). Further public investigations proved that the explosion was external therefore war was inevitable. In April, 1898, President McKinley sent American troops to Cuba to help end the civil war after seeking permission from the already willing congress. The Senate agreed that the intervention was only to help Cuba gain independence and completely withdraw after their mission was accomplished. The U.S government sent an ultimatum to Spain on April 20, 1898 but Spain responded by breaking its diplomatic relationship with America (Alger, 2010). From April 23, both Washington and Madrid declared war and the U.S Navy immediately went into action by beginning a blockade of Cuba.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on America’s War with Spain specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The U.S Army was not well prepared for war at the time of declaration but later joined the naval forces after getting the necessary supplies for the war. The Army received an extra boost from volunteers and other National Guard units bringing its total number to 220,000 from the initial target of 78,000 (Dolan, 2001). The American Army forces were consoled by the fact that the Spanish forces were not in any way better than them. By April 29, The US navy forces had put the Spanish fleet under their control (Trask, 1996). Madrid immediately recalled Pascal Cervera from Cape Verde Islands to lead the Spanish onslaught. Pascual came with four cruisers and three destroyers ready for war. The action officially began on July 1, when the American forces attacked the areas occupied by the Spanish forces especially garrisons and seized the enemy positions in the village of El Caney , San Juan Hill and Kettle Hill (Venzon, 20003). The Spanish forces under the command of Admiral Cervera were completely overwhelmed by the dominant American forces with many causali ties being reported on the Spanish side alone (Venzon, 2003). During this confrontation, almost 474 Spaniards were killed and wounded. This was a major achievement by the American forces because they also managed to capture 1,750 Spaniards as prisoners with only one American being killed in the process. On July 17, the Spanish forces of around 24,000 soldiers officially surrendered to the American forces. The American force was organized in almost ten cavalries that gave the little chance for the Spanish forces to respond (Alger, 2010). Santiago was forced to surrender because resisting the U.S attacks would lead to more deaths. The pro-independent rebels in Cuba were also very instrumental in helping the American forces to win the war (Alger, 2010). The American forces continued camp in Cuba for a month after the war but their withdrawal was accelerated by yellow fever that had began to cripple the force. Roosevelt, who was the deputy army commander immediately requested Washington to withdraw forces because 75% of the American soldiers were not fit to fight to because yellow fever (Dolan, 2001). The American forces started to withdraw from Cuba on August 7. The black soldiers were left behind to support the young regime in Cuba. Although many American soldiers left Cuba having contracted yellow fever, there mission had been successful because Cuba had finally become independent and was free from the brutal Spanish colonial rule (Dolan, 2001).Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In conclusion, the 1898 war between the United States and Spain was cause by both political and economic reasons. The Spanish colonial rule in Cuba was very brutal and his caused a revolt by the native people. The riots in Cuba affected the economy of America because its shipping industry and sugar investments in Cuba were under threat. The American government decided to join forces with pro-independence Cubans rebels to bring down the Spanish colony for Cuba to become completely autonomous. The American forces won the war to guarantee the Cuban people their independence. References Alger, R. (2010). The Spanish-America war. New York, NY: Read Books Design. Dolan, E. (2001). The Spanish-American war. New York, NY: Twenty-First Century Books. Graves, K. (2000). The Spanish-American war. New York, NY: Capstone Press. Trask, D. (1996). The war with Spain in 1898. New York, NY: University of Nebraska Press. Venzon, A. (2003). America’s war with Spain: A selected bibliography. New York, NY: Scarecrow. This research paper on America’s War with Spain was written and submitted by user Sullivan Reed to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Erik Erikson In Search for Your Own Self. Before the Identity Crisis Hits

Erik Erikson In Search for Your Own Self. Before the Identity Crisis Hits The idea of searching for one’s own identity is far from being new; as a matter of fact, people noticed quite long ago that at certain age, one starts to pick all sorts of various attitudes, trying to figure out which one suits him-/her better and helps survive in the given environment the most.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Erik Erikson: In Search for Your Own Self. Before the Identity Crisis Hits specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, it is really hard to imagine what the entire humankind would be doing without Erik Erikson’s theory about the identity crisis and how it affects people’s behavior. Learning more about the biography and the theoretical findings of the psychologist, one can see how incredibly helpful Erikson’s pieces of advice were, are and will be for the majority of the humankind. Erikson was one of those people whose life track one could predict since the day they wer e born. Even being a little kid, he was extremely interested in the way people interact and the way things influence them as they grow up (Erikson). However, his passion did not boil down to guesswork; even being a boy, he experienced enough identity-related issues to have certain idea of the results at the very beginning of his future research. As the psychologist recalled, â€Å"having been born a Dane and having had to stand the scorn of German children against a foreign-born child† (Friedman 40). Weirdly enough, Erikson did not consider his talents as something out of the ordinary for the first time and, when choosing the track for his studies, picked arts.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Just to think what could have happened to the identities of millions of people if Eriksson became an accomplished artist he wanted to†¦ However, the Providence made him bum p into Anna Freud one day, which predetermined his further track as the world’s renowned psychologist. As Friedman explains, talking to Anna Freud took Erikson to the place long forgotten – his own childhood, and the memories of how fun it was to learn about the human nature took their toll: â€Å"When they both were in analysis with Anna Freud [†¦] this advice to take charge had called to mind a woodcut he had completed of himself as a little boy on a ship looking away from Theodor and Karla and toward the captain† (80). However, as time passed, Erikson managed to show what he was capable of; not only did he defeat is fears, but also researched them thoroughly and uncompromisingly, coining the term â€Å"identity crisis† and showing the ways out of this psychological problem. As the author of the term explained himself, identity crisis was â€Å"the temporary absence of ‘a sense of what one is, of knowing where one belongs, of knowing what on e wants to do’† (Friedman 161). Thus, it is obvious that Erik Erikson has contributed a lot to the further development of psychology and helped to understand the peculiarities of people’s psychological development at certain stages. Owing to the findings of the psychologist, modern teenagers have a plenty of excuses for their deviant behavior, which alone proves that learning more about Erikson is a worthy thing to do. In addition, Eriksson proved that the deviation can be considered a way to adjust to the rules of the society, which proves that people are meant to be social animals and that a rebellion is a part of being a human, and it is by far not its worst part.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Erik Erikson: In Search for Your Own Self. Before the Identity Crisis Hits specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Jokes aside, solving the mysteries of a human nature is a hard task, and Eriksson deserves ap preciation for what he did for psychology and its further development, as well as for the entire humankind. Erikson, Erik H. Identity: Youth and Crisis, New York City, NY: W. W. Norton Company, 1994. Print. Friedman, Lawrence Jacob. Identity’s Architect: A Biography of Erik Eriksson. Harvard, MA: Harvard University Press, 2000. Print.

IMAGE RESEARCH (THE HISTORY OF WESTERN ART) Article

IMAGE RESEARCH (THE HISTORY OF WESTERN ART) - Article Example In the same way, in both images, the persons depicted are wearing red porphyry given the fact that they were Roman Emperors. The decorative features are also present in both images as seen from the visible contours. On top of this, the heads and necks of both images are white. Similar works to these images can be found in the Museo Capitalino which is in Rome (Italy), Museo Archeologico which is in Naples together with Pushkin Museum found in Moscow and Kunsthistorisches Museum (Vienna). The collection of images in these museums is made of marble and includes the busts of various early Roman Emperors. The above image which is also known as the Luncheon of the Boateng party by Pierre-Auguste Renoir is similar to the images of â€Å" A Bar at the Falies- Bergre† and â€Å"Maulin de la Galette† (Adams 434-435). The images depict the evolution of artistic style in France towards impressionilism. They show optical realism and an intelligent use of the properties of light to show artistic style for communication with the audience. The images are made on oil on canvas. The use of bright colours is evident in all these images. Colours in these images are highlight various components of the images and hence engage the audience. Similar images can be found in Musee d’Orssey (Paris, France), Courtlaud Institute of Art Gallery (London, England) and National Gallery of Art Collection (Washington D.C., United States). The images depict the nineteenth century impressionism that was popular in Paris in the 1860s. The above image of the Basilica of San Lorenzo whose location is in Florence is similar to the early Christians Basilicas like the San Vitale (Adams 159). Both images indicate that the Basilicas were constructed using bricks on the exterior. The architectural design of the Basilicas ensured that they stood out from other buildings in the neighborhood. They both have high domes and they significantly tower above the other buildings. Worship centers were of great

Paper for class MIS 2100 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Paper for class MIS 2100 - Essay Example Having qualified personnel who can utilize information systems is critical to the success and growth of an organization. As a student, I have realized how important it is for me to learn about these systems in order to guarantee success in the future business career. Secondly, prior to taking this class, I simply viewed business systems as tools used in businesses for daily operations. However, after taking this class, I have learnt that information systems are a major source of competitive advantage, especially in the current business environment. I have learnt that information systems help businesses reduce the cost of doing business, and this ensures that products and services are offered at a lower cost. Through information systems, businesses can be innovative and come up with new products and services that satisfy the needs of the market better and efficiently. Overall, by taking this class, I have learnt not only how to use information systems to carry out daily business activ ities but also use them to set the business ahead of the rest in the market. Finally, the MIS 2100 class has enabled me understand the ethical and social issues raised by information systems. By using technology to carry out business activities, organizations expose themselves to a great risk which may affect their operations and their relationship with the society. For instance, information systems pose major challenges on people’s privacy since personal information is exchanged through different computer systems before arriving at the final destination. Through this process, private information may be leaked to unauthorized parties, and this may lead to serious ethical problems. Through this class, I have learnt how to use such systems responsibly in order to avoid some of these ethical and social challenges. By taking this class, I have leant that although technology is beneficial to the business, it can cause serious problems if not well used. This might comprise the

History of Gender in Fashion

History of Gender in Fashion Role of designers need not be gender biased or biology biased. A detailed scrutiny into gender and sex shows one is biological and other societal. For instance, females, biologically are designed to give birth. Once they have given birth and performed the mammalian function, they can take up a role of hunter or a warrior. The terms hunter and nester refer to masculine and feminine. Masculine describes an approach that is abstract in nature, usually focused on a splendid thought, the way of a hunter. Contrary to this, feminine approach is considered to be orchestrating detailed decisions contributing to wider set of objectives, the way of a nester. Regardless of sex, fashion designers can be categorized into 3 groups- Hunter, Nester and nester- hunter designer. Hunter designers are those who have focused approach on one thing but to do that very efficiently. Designers in nester group have broad minded approach. They aspire to take steps in sequence contributing to a decision keeping i n mind long term objectives. Fashion was not always a gendered occurrence. Until eighteenth century, both men and women decked themselves with elaborate dresses. Costume historians have elaborated that gender distinction in dress was not that prominent until nineteenth century. Men and women in elite class often emulated abundant show of rich velvets, fine silks, lace, decorative footwear, wigs, head embellishments and scented powders. Men in pink suits, gold and silver jewelry and embroidered shirts were considered very masculine, regardless of choice of color or ornaments worn. The more intricate the dress, the higher used to be the status of the wearer in the society. Fashion was not only a womens affair then. It became feminized since nineteenth century when gender representation became stronger than societal class. With the turn of century, not only fashion became more feminized, but male identity went through a distinct change with modernization. Early theorists related fashion to the social status of women. The affluent displayed their wealth by ornamenting their wives and daughters exuding an air of sophistication. The women also spent endless efforts and hours to be ladies. At the end of eighteenth century bourgeois male went through the great masculine renunciation, as a result of which men gave up wearing all the bright colors and jewelry leaving it to the womens domain. In post industrial societies, men were guided by occupational spheres. Their business and casual attire were starkly different. Also age segmentation has played a very prominent role in defining mens style. Amongst women, age segmentation is only for those who want to believe in it. Although the designer fashion tends to extend beyond the boundaries of masculinity, the gender fashion still exists between male and female fashion. To that extent, fashion may be assumed to be cultural, affecting consumers perception and experience of design.The impact of gender is very evident in the visual appearances in consumers mind. For instance, pink for the girl and blue for the boy goes the clichà © defining gender by color coding. In the designer world, industrial design is thought as male and textile design as female. Even design is rendered into gender stereotypes like feminine lace, dolls for girls, masculine leather, etc. As industriliazation took place, social stratas on clothing transformed in eterms of occupation. The social chasm between lower class, middle and upper class was huge during the industrial era. Clothes were almost unavailable for the poor but were in abundance for the rich- for whom changes in fashions were created. Members of other social classes were just expected to emulate the rich if they wished to appear fashionable. By late nineteenth century clothes had become cheaper and accessible to lower classes of society. Middle and upper class women spent substantial amount of their incomes on fashionable clothes. Mens social clothing became more and more simplified. Infact the concept of uniforms and dress codes gained importance to showcase the ranks in the bureaucratic organizations. In the twentieth century, clothes seem to have lost their economic relevance but not their symbolic relevance. This is because clothes are available in all price ranges to suit all pockets. Those with l imited resources can still emulate fashion by creating personal styles which are expression of their identities rather than imitating styles of the affluent. Appearance of fashion indicated sudden appearance of a new social bond and a social temporality with time, fashion trends have changed. It has been dominated by cult, uniqueness, inspiration from local and foreign models. Fashion instituted the social power of minute signs which has an astonishing mechanism of social distinction of those who dress in an innovative way. It also draws inspiration from ancestral heritage and social norms. Fashion perhaps forms a major part in the construction of a social identity. It is an indication of how people in different eras showcased their positions and status boundaries. The most visible marks of social status and gender has been broadly showcased by Fashion. Fashion dictates the choices that people make in the form of culture, norms and appropriateness of the occasion. For instance, hats were a huge fashion statement and were worn to either showcase recognised or desired social status. Fashion clothing also revealed the occupation, social class and regional origin of a person. It distinguishes elite fashion from everyday fashion. There is very less in common amongst dressing style of a secretary a homemaker, a businessman and a law enforcement officer. As a social phenomenon, it has been treated as futile because of huge association of outward appearance with women. The face of fashion defines its phenomena. Female fashion emanates uniqueness and change. Mens interest in fashion is dictated by their occupation generally but womens interest depends upon their fascination with beauty. Now the nature of fashion seems to have changed. From nineteenth century when fashion was more on well defined standard of societal appearance has now evolved into being more contemporary. It has become indistinct, multifaceted and highly fragmented. New styles have been evolved over the years. Societies have changed dramatically in the past few decades. Social class has become less prominent in the contemporary society of today. Instead of class differentiation there is fragmentation of cultures within socities. 1960s was a special era in the sense where fashion emerged in lower status groups and adopted by the affluent. This fashion phenomena defied age and social barriers conveying pride to the trendsetter. In early 90s, designers triesd to be innovative by adding feminine elements to menswear.Also there seemed to be a female dominance over the culture. Fashion for women fits the definition of conflicted supremacy. Women have held contrasting position in different times ranging from marginally unconcealed to conservative to acceptable fashionable to feminine dominance and empowerment in 90s. Turrow believes lifestyles are now in hypersegmentation which isolates each lifestyle in its own niche. People are more likely to frequent changes in their lifestyle now. The mulitplicity of changes that such lifestyle in a contemporary society presents the opportunity to an indidual to break away from tradition.Todays individual constructs a send of identity from his past, present and future events, commitments and aspirations. The individual styles have also gone through frequent changes in line with their changing lifestyles. Personal orientation, income, education, family careers, social position influence a persons taste in fashion. The younger generation today, usually with more affluent background have post modernist attitude towards identity. Attitude of younger women towards fashion is that of liberalization, power and personal panache. Men are now borrowing elements of costumes from women. Problems are faced when there is persistence to keep male gender above the female one . Today men spend lot of time and money on hair styling, appearance, fashionable clothing and skin products. These men are being coined as metrosexual. A metrosexual man willingly displays his masculinity from his ability to consume, showcase his toned physique to assert his identity as an urban middle class man.Yet again, fashion is being used to exhibit gender identity. Fashions most imminent characteristic is that it changes. With multiple demands on clothing and dressing, change is the only constant. Cross-dressing has come up as a welcome antidote to confining concepts of society and gender. It offers alternative ways to visualize and dress up a gender and might end up freeing the consumers restrictive thoughts on gender dressing. Realm of fashion in undergoing a radical change. Fashion contributes to newer definitions of social identities and newer attributes to personal preferences. Today because of globalization, fashion houses have to constantly innovate, think out of the box as consumers are no longer fashion victims. Gender studies in design have now challenged these contentious gender, sterotypes, cultural and societal outlook. Female designers earlier have been more prevalent in ceramics, textile designs and men more prominent in abstract art and advertising designs. These self, societal and cultural divisions are breaking down now. Men and women both have critical roles to play as consumers and producers of design. People select styles to suit their identity, lifestyle and societal norms. Fashion is a choice not a compulsion. It is not a simple process to achieve equivalence between design and customer preference. Designers today are pushing gender based boundaries in fashion and almost pulverizing them. They are bringing to life their vision of what they consider fashion. Designers are now teaming up with people who have different perspectives to make an impact in all their designs. They take pride in and gain strength from the richness of a multicultural society and recognize it as a continuous growth . They work in an environment where they contribute their thoughts freely and create designs. These designs are sated with utmost creativity, uniqueness, abstractness and intricacy at the same time. This has become the definition of success. Sources Used http://books.google.com/books?id=vphcHONAXmwCprintsec=frontcoverdq=what+is+fashion+as+an+identityhl=enei=G8I1TbSfBo6AhQet4pi_Cwsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=1ved=0CCMQ6AEwAA#v=onepageqf=false http://books.google.com/books?id=jxtMLGIdQ8cCpg=PA323dq=challenge+gender+and+stereotypes+in+fashionhl=enei=7i02TZ7PDcb-4wbn-M3fAgsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=8ved=0CFEQ6AEwBw#v=onepageq=challenge%20gender%20and%20stereotypes%20in%20fashionf=false http://books.google.com/books?id=LUWTJWXZ2QQCpg=PA10dq=male+and+female++fashionhl=enei=YVk1TdKHKonKhAfon7m8Cwsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=1ved=0CCwQ6AEwAA#v=onepageq=male%20and%20female%20%20fashionf=false

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 21

There was really only one thing I could say. â€Å"You're here to kill me.† That would have been a great cue for him to say something like, â€Å"No, of course not† or â€Å"Why would you think that?† Any of those responses, or a variation, would have been immensely reassuring. Instead he said: â€Å"Not yet.† â€Å"Shit.† I took a couple steps back, knowing it wouldn't do any good. Even if I'd been in full succubus mode, there was no way I could fight against him. Roman was a nephilim, Jerome's half-human bastard son. Nephilim were a kind of odd mix between lesser and greater immortals. Nephilim hadn't been around since the universe's creation, but they had been born immortal and could potentially possess the same range of powers as a greater immortal. Roman was every bit as strong as Jerome, but unlike my boss or his equals, Roman didn't answer to any higher power. He was rogue, which made him dangerous when he was pissed off. And he had every right to be pissed off at me. Angry at the way Heaven and Hell hunted their kind down, Roman and his twin sister Helena had gone on a vigilante hunting spree to get back at other immortals. I hadn't known that when he and I were dating, and eventually, I'd been instrumental in stopping them-and getting his sister killed. â€Å"What are you doing here then?† I asked at last. Roman's posture was casual as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. He looked exactly as I remembered, enormously tall compared to me, with soft black hair and those gorgeous eyes. â€Å"You sound disappointed,† he said. â€Å"Do you want me to kill you?† â€Å"No! Of course not. But I can't really think of any other reason you'd be here. Somehow I doubt you're here for a social call.† Despite my fear, my sarcasm still managed to function. Carter had told me it was unlikely Roman would ever return to Seattle, knowing that he and Jerome would be on the lookout. Except, I realized uneasily, Jerome was no longer here to keep watch. â€Å"I'm here to help find my illustrious sire.† Roman's voice was smug as he spoke, and I was sure he was taking a great amount of pleasure in watching my reaction. I hoped he was satisfied because while my jaw didn't exactly hit the floor, it came pretty close. â€Å"Bullshit.† â€Å"Why don't you believe me?† â€Å"Because you have no reason to!† My fear was being overridden again, this time by incredulity. â€Å"You hate Jerome.† â€Å"Yeah, that's true.† â€Å"Stop playing with me then. You're not here to help.† â€Å"No? Then how come I helped you with the seal's notes?† â€Å"You didn't-† I froze for a moment. â€Å"Oh lord. That was you.† â€Å"Really,† said Roman amiably. â€Å"You should be a lot nicer, considering all the things I've done for you.† â€Å"Yeah? I don't recall you wasting your time wandering aimlessly along beaches.† â€Å"Nah. I've been too busy blowing up stoves and carrying injured damsels to bed.† I sank into a chair and closed my eyes. â€Å"It really wasn't Carter.† The angel had been telling the truth about noninterference. I opened my eyes again. â€Å"And you gave me the matches, didn't you? That's exactly the kind of fucked-up thing you'd do.† He put on an offended air. â€Å"That was pretty nice of me, considering how you looked like you were ready to have a withdrawal seizure then and there.† â€Å"This doesn't make sense. You can't be here to help find Jerome. What's really going on?† â€Å"Does the reason matter if I help find him?† â€Å"Yes! It matters if you want to find him, only so you can promptly destroy him.† â€Å"I don't want to destroy him.† â€Å"I have no reason to trust you.† His eyes narrowed a bit. â€Å"And I have no reason to trust you, if memory serves.† I shrugged, almost too weary to be afraid anymore. â€Å"Well, then, we're even, huh? Except, of course, that you can channel your mistrust into blowing me off the face of the earth.† â€Å"And you could tell the demon horde out there that there's a nephilim in the city.† Roman laughed. â€Å"Oh, they'd love that, wouldn't they? If one of them could hunt down and kill a nephilim, that'd pretty much cinch their position here.† â€Å"Yeah, like I'd get a chance to tell anyone.† I sighed. â€Å"Roman, if you're not going to destroy me, then what exactly do you want with me? Why did you save me all those times?† â€Å"Because you're the only one in this fucking town with any chance of finding Jerome. And you can move around a lot more freely than I can.† â€Å"Um, last time I checked, you're the one in the Junior Smiting League, not me. I don't have any pow-abilities right now to defend myself.† â€Å"Yeah, but if you're caught poking around, people aren't going to declare open season on you†¦I mean, aside from that bitch demoness.† I grimaced at the memory, and Roman pushed forward. â€Å"Look, Georgina, we can sit and argue whether I'm going to kill you or not, or we can try to figure this out and get your boss back. Then we can explore me killing you in more depth.† â€Å"God,† I groaned, standing up. I needed my cigarettes. Roman watched me light up. â€Å"New habit since I was last around.† â€Å"Old one, actually. And I'm not in the mood for lecturing.† I sat back down, feeling much more settled with my nicotine. Aubrey wandered out shortly thereafter, apparently not afraid of a sociopathic-yet still eerily sexy-immortal hanging out with us. â€Å"So, what's there to figure out? It was Grace. You said you saw the seal around her neck.† Roman eased himself into a chair from my kitchen table and scooted up. â€Å"I did. Makes sense that she'd keep it as close to her as possible, though that takes some balls to have it out in the open that much.† â€Å"So why won't you let me tell anyone, then?† He tsked. â€Å"Think, Georgina. Who are you going to tell? Which demon in this whole mess do you think you can trust? None of them like Jerome. None of them want him back.† â€Å"I was going to tell Hugh.† â€Å"You can't tell anybody . I was walking along with you today when Cedric popped in.† It figured. There was no telling how long Roman had been following me invisibly. â€Å"If he was telling the truth about not telling Nanette about your theories, then that means one of your friends tipped her off.† â€Å"No,† I said stubbornly. â€Å"It's more likely that Cedric was lying. None of them would have betrayed me.† To my complete and utter astonishment, Aubrey jumped on Roman's lap. He scratched her head absentmindedly. â€Å"Well, believe what you want, but I don't think it's safe to tell anyone yet. Except me, of course.† â€Å"Right. The guy who wants me dead.† â€Å"Eh, we can talk about that later. For now, let's go over what we know.† I wasn't really keen on the casual way we were tossing around my impending doom, nor did I like that I still didn't know why he was here. Keeping my mind on Jerome did help, though, and it was nice to finally have someone to truly brainstorm this stuff with. â€Å"We know Grace was the demon who helped with the summoning,† I said. â€Å"There could be more, you know.† â€Å"Yeah, but there's only one archdemon position.† â€Å"True. Just don't rule other possibilities out. She and that other demoness here are pretty tight.† I thought about Mei, whose poker face was as good as Grace's. â€Å"Yeah†¦although, they seem to be operating pretty independently now. But, for the sake of argument, we'll stick with Grace. So, we know she was part of the summoning and has half of the seal. What we don't know: where the other half of the seal is, who helped her, and where Jerome actually is.† â€Å"Kind of daunting,† he mused. A thought suddenly came to me. â€Å"Wait a minute†¦you might make this simpler. A greater immortal can break up Jerome's prison. With you, we don't need to actually find the whole seal to free him-or get the half we know about from Grace.† Roman turned sheepish. â€Å"Well†¦I don't know for sure that I can do that.† â€Å"Why not? You've got the same powers as Jerome.† â€Å"My strength is the same as his when it comes to fighting and whatnot, but I don't have exactly the same powers. I'm not truly a greater immortal. I don't know if I could break him out without the seal.† â€Å"Lovely. We're back to where we started.† â€Å"I don't know. We should just take this one step at a time. Let's keep trying to find him and figure out where the other half of the seal is.† â€Å"We're running out of time,† I murmured, stubbing out the cigarette. â€Å"So, why are you smoking again?† â€Å"That's not really important right now,† I snapped. â€Å"I don't know. If I had a mortal body, I'd be kind of worried about that.† â€Å"I'm not mortal. And I'll be back to my normal self in a few days at most. Probably much sooner.† â€Å"Is it because of Mortensen?† â€Å"We are not talking about that right now.† â€Å"Never thought you'd be one to take a break-up so hard, seeing how easily you deal them out. In fact†¦has anyone ever even broken up with you before?† I fixed him with a glare, so annoyed that I didn't care if he wanted to try to kill me. â€Å"We are not talking about that right now.† â€Å"Fine, fine. What other info do we have, then?† I racked my brain. â€Å"The cult†¦the Army of Darkness. I think there's a connection with Jerome's summoning and their activities. Whoever's controlling them-well, Grace, I guess-times their stunts to take attention away from other things.† I recapped what I knew of their stunts and what they lined up with. â€Å"Not all of their activities correspond exactly to some part of the summoning, though. At least not that I know about.† Roman was thoughtful. â€Å"Hmm†¦well, it's possible some may not line up with anything. A few may be red herrings, sort of to establish their presence. I didn't always follow you to Canada, so I don't know exactly what they're like.† â€Å"Wow. Your stalkerdom has limitations.† â€Å"Seemed like a big pain,† he said. â€Å"Aside from maybe going to Tim Hortons.† Nephilim couldn't teleport like greater immortals, so he was limited with normal transportation when following me around. Uneasily, thinking of my activities with Seth, I wondered just how much Roman had spied on me. It wouldn't have been the first time he'd taken a front-row seat to my intimate activities. If he wasn't going to mention it, I wasn't going to. â€Å"They've been quiet ever since the day of the summoning, when they were down here. I guess Grace has nothing left for them to do,† I said. â€Å"Likely†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His mind was still apparently spinning with suspicion. â€Å"But if I were you, I'd talk to them again.† I cringed. â€Å"No†¦I want to be done with them. You don't know these guys like I do. It's ridiculous.† â€Å"All I know is that you've got to turn over every rock you can find-no pun intended-if you're going to rescue Jerome.† â€Å"Oh, I've got to, huh?† I asked. I didn't really like the presumption in his voice. â€Å"I thought you were going to help find him too?† â€Å"I will. Tomorrow. When are you going to search again?† I thought about it. â€Å"Noon. After work.† There was a knock at the door, and I moved over to the eye hole. â€Å"It's Dante,† I murmured. To his credit, he usually knocked first before using his key. I rested my hand on the knob and gave Roman a questioning look. â€Å"I'll find you at noon,† he said. â€Å"Hold the door open a sec after you let him in.† Roman turned invisible, and I pulled the door open. Dante came in, and I stood there a few more moments until I felt the sweep of someone moving past me. Everything had happened so quickly today that I barely had time to realize that not only I had just made contact with the guy who wanted to kill me, but I'd also just made arrangements to spend time with him. Man. This was going to keep me up when I tried to sleep later. I shut the door and gave Dante a quick kiss on the cheek. He was carrying a bag, and I had to do a double-take. â€Å"Did you buy something from Macy's?† I exclaimed. â€Å"I somehow imagined you stepping into a department store would be like a vampire stepping into the sunlight-I mean, current situation aside.† Dante rolled his eyes and set the bag down. Crossings his arms, he leaned against the wall. â€Å"Well, maybe I'm in stasis too. Forget about this for a sec and tell me if you've gotten yourself on any demon's shit list today.† There it was again, the sweet concern in spite of his best efforts. â€Å"Not that I know of, but hey, the day's not over yet.† I glossed over the specifics of who I'd gone searching with, mainly emphasizing that my time at the beach hadn't turned up anything. I also mentioned Cedric's visit and his claims that he hadn't told Nanette about my suspicions. Dante seemed skeptical of that. Finally, I wrapped up with Grace's appearance, and at that point I faltered. I wanted to tell Dante about my amazing discovery, about how Grace had the seal. Yet Roman had urged me to keep it all to myself. Why? Was he really that mistrustful of everyone? Did he have his own ulterior motives? Against my better judgment, I bit my lip on telling Dante about my discovery. It killed me to do it, particularly since I had a feeling Dante could have some insight. Roman's warning was too strong, however, as was my fear that he might actually still be around invisibly. And of course, I could hardly tell Dante about Roman. Fortunately, Dante didn't pick up on any omission of information. â€Å"You had kind of a full day, succubus. Did the corporate demon ever come talk to you?† â€Å"Not yet. I haven't had a chance to talk with the gang to see if he's been making the rounds.† I eyed the Macy's bag, dying to know what was in it. Dante kicked it behind him. â€Å"What are you going to tell him?† I shrugged. â€Å"I don't know. I'll tell him what I know about Seattle, and as far as recommendations†¦well, I don't know.† I could no longer trust Grace, and Mei's role was still a mystery. Dante noted my change of feelings but not the reasons. â€Å"From what you'd said before, I thought you were a fan of Grace and that other demoness.† â€Å"Mei,† I supplied. â€Å"I don't know. It's all just wearying.† Eager to shift away from the subject, I pointed at the bag. â€Å"Are you going to tell me what's in that?† He gave me one of his mocking grins. â€Å"Why do you think it has anything to do with you?† â€Å"Because there's no way you'd shop at Macy's for yourself. You dress only marginally better than Carter.† Dante shook his head, wearing a long-suffering look. â€Å"Fine, fine. I'll keep it for myself.† He picked up the bag and headed off down the hall. After a few moments, I followed and tackled him in the doorway to my bedroom. â€Å"Come on! Give it up.† I snatched the bag away, but my victory was small since he didn't put up a fight. I opened it up and gasped at what I found. Folds and folds of shimmering purple fabric, silk the color of new spring crocuses. Hesitantly, I lifted it out of the bag, revealing a long, ankle-length robe. I looked up at him in astonishment. â€Å"What's this?† â€Å"You're the one with years and years of higher learning,† he pointed out, looking extremely pleased with himself. â€Å"You tell me.† I held it up, gauging its height. It looked just about perfect. â€Å"It's gorgeous. What's the occasion?† â€Å"I was tired of hearing you bitch about that ratty one you've got. And tired of seeing it, to be honest.† He ignored my glare. â€Å"Besides, you've had a, uh, difficult time lately. Even for you.† I thought back to other things, like the flowers and breakfast. All the attempts at dinners. â€Å"Dante-â€Å" He pressed a finger to my lips. â€Å"Look, be quiet a second. I'm not blind. I can tell how much all of this is stressing you out. And fuck, if I could get my hands on that bitch demon†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Anger glinted in his eyes, and he took a moment to shake it off. â€Å"Anyway, you can keep making your jokes or whatever and keep doggedly doing your best to sleuth away and find Jerome, but you're running yourself into the ground. You're depressed. You're distracted. When we talk, it's like your mind's somewhere else. Same with our sex life.† I opened my mouth to argue, but I wasn't sure what to say. He was right. I had been distracted, but a good part of that-particularly during intimate activities-hadn't had anything to do with Jerome. It had been Seth on my mind. Dante kept speaking before I could get a word out. â€Å"See, now, you're going to apologize. Because that's what you do-but there's no need, succubus. If anyone gets some selfish time right now, it's you. In another week or so, things'll be back to normal, and I'll be the selfish one.† Something in my heart twisted. Everyone said he was scum, but in the end, it turned out I was the untrustworthy one. I averted my eyes. â€Å"So where's the robe fit in?† â€Å"Something to cheer you up. Since your wardrobe's been trimmed.† â€Å"Dante, you've been getting me a lot of stuff lately. You don't have to throw money at me-money you don't have-to make me feel better.† â€Å"If I didn't have it, I wouldn't ‘throw' it,† he remarked dryly. â€Å"And anyway†¦I'm not really the kind of guy who does, like†¦the candles or the moonlit beaches or recites poetry.† I grimaced. â€Å"I don't mind staying away from beaches for a while.† â€Å"But,† he continued, â€Å"I know you well enough to know that mochas and silk make you smile, and that, at least, is something I can do.† My heart twisted further, and I reached out to catch hold of his hand. I understood what he was saying. It wasn't in his nature to do over-the-top romantic gestures, but material purchases were something he could handle, and it was the only way to show me he cared. My guilt redoubled because no matter what he said, I knew he was tight on cash. Yet, my actions and fixation with Seth were worrying Dante enough that he felt he had to do something. I was driving him to it. â€Å"You're sweet,† I said. â€Å"But don't worry. It'll be our secret.† He brushed his fingers through my hair. â€Å"Not that sweet. Look in the bag.† I did. Underneath the robe, unnoticed by me, was a bottle of bubble bath. I held it up questioningly. â€Å"I thought we could take a bath together.† I laughed. â€Å"That's almost romantic. You might be closer to moonlit beaches than you think. Although, my bathtub's kind of small.† â€Å"I know,† he said. â€Å"That's what I meant about it not being very sweet. Mostly I want to see what kind of interesting positions we can cram ourselves into while naked and in a small space.† â€Å"Well, thank God that in a world gone mad, some people never change.† It turned into a wet, soapy mess, but it was more fun than I expected. No matter what he claimed, the whole feat was semi-romantic. Conversation was easy and light, and we laughed and joked a lot. I almost forgot about Seth-almost. But when things started to get a little hot and heavy, I pulled back. No matter how sexy it was to be wet and naked with someone, it just didn't feel right if that person wasn't Seth. What made me feel worse was that Dante was accommodating about my mood. He figured my lack of desire was part of my stress, and so we eventually left the tub as chastely as we'd entered. We toweled each other off and then curled up on the couch and watched TV together while I tried not to feel too guilty about the purple robe wrapped around me. I decided the next day to finally add myself back to the bookstore's work schedule. I only put me down for part-time shifts until the demon business was settled, but at this point, it seemed unlikely I'd be recalled to Canada again. My limbo status couldn't last forever if I wanted to keep my job; Warren's leniency would only last so long. Roman and I had our plans to go to Edmonds at noon, so for my first official day back, I only worked a morning shift. Part of that shift involved coming in before the store was even open, and I welcomed the solitude. The store always soothed me, and if ever there was a time I needed soothing, it was right now. It was short-lived, however, since my other coworkers began trickling in not long after my arrival. Maddie was among them. â€Å"Hey,† she said brightly, popping into my office. â€Å"Is this another check-in or are you back for good?† â€Å"For good, I think. Not that it matters. It looks like everything's been fine without me.† She grinned and shut the door behind her. â€Å"Oh, we've missed you, believe me. No one's been here to referee my fights with Doug.† I laughed and watched her sit down. â€Å"Well then, I guess I got back just in time. Nice shoes.† Maddie extended her legs and admired her candy apple red pumps. â€Å"Thanks. Nordstrom's having a sale.† The brown leather Mia heels I currently wore were among my favorites, but after a week now with no shape-shifting, my wardrobe was starting to make me stir-crazy. It was kind of like my hair, I realized. I hadn't realized how dependent I was on shape-shifting to enhance my appearance. I'd lauded myself for living like a human when in truth, I'd been cheating the whole time. Seeing my wistful look, Maddie asked, â€Å"You want to go downtown for lunch and check it out?† I shook my head with regret. Looking at shoes sounded a lot better than looking at rocks. â€Å"Can't. I've got to meet someone.† â€Å"Ah, well, let me know when you get some time. You know I'm game.† Silence fell, and Maddie shifted uncomfortably. She bit her lip, like she wanted to say something. I started to prompt her, but she spoke first. â€Å"So, what did you think of the condo listings?† â€Å"Oh, they were†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Fuck. I'd never even read through them. Roman and Dante had spent more time looking at them than I had. Which one had Dante mentioned? â€Å"They were great. I really liked that new one-the one where you can still get in on the choices and stuff.† Her eyes lit up. â€Å"Ooh, yeah. I loved that one too. I actually looked them up on the builder's website. It doesn't look like there are many left, but there has to be at least one, or they wouldn't be listed. We should go down there and talk to them in person.† I smiled, feeling horrible about the lie. â€Å"Sure†¦but it may be awhile before I can get a break. We'll have to do it and the shoe trip at the same time.† Maddie nodded, face kind and sympathetic. â€Å"No problem. I understand.† More silence fell, and I realized it wasn't the condos that she wanted to talk to me about. That had been a distraction to build up her own courage. â€Å"Maddie, what's going on?† Her cheery look disintegrated into something much more glum. It was startling. I was so used to her always being in a good mood that the thought of something upsetting her was on par with the laws of physics breaking down. She met my eyes and immediately looked away. â€Å"Oh God. I can't believe I'm about to bring this up.† I was seriously worried now. â€Å"You can tell me. It's okay. What's up?† She sighed. â€Å"It's Seth.† Oh, fuck.