A Study of Narcissism :: Psychology Essays

A Study of Narcissism Missing works cited Spanning back to the era of ancient Greek mythology, narcissism is currently recognized as an â€Å"infatuation and obsession with one’s self to the exclusion of all others†, and as the egocentric pursuit of one’s gratification, dominance and ambition† (Vaknin 1). This egocentric disorder is named after the ancient Greek myth of Narcissus- a man so enchanted by his own reflection that he pined away before it. The origin of narcissism as an acknowledged psychosis is deeply rooted in the mythological source of its very namesake. Narcissus’ obsession with image shows his self-idolization, but also hints toward an insecurity regarding identity and self worth (Alford 3). According to Ovid’s classic account, Narcissus is quoted saying: â€Å"Am I the lover or beloved? Then why make love? Since I am what I long for, then my riches are So great they make me poor.† (Ovid 464) Parallel in character to Narcissus, those diagnosed with his disorder are consumed by an exaggerated drive for supremacy and control. Characteristic also is a predilection toward entitlement. Narcissists tend to the notion that one is worthy of great admiration and esteem, regardless of his or her accomplishments (Vaknin 5). Present psychology diagnoses this sort of self-fascination as a distinctive mental health illness - Narcissistic Personality Disorder, or NPD as documented in the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistics Manuel (1994). Common characteristics of an individual afflicted by the disorder include: feelings of grandiosity, desiring a state of unequalled brilliance, the need for constant affirmation, and the â€Å"interpersonal exploitation†(DSM 1994) of others for self- achievement. Narcissism is usually seen as an infatuation with self so acute that the welfare of others is ignored. This is due to the narcissistic opinion that people exterior to the ‘self’ simply serve to mirror one’s own importance. As analyzed by Freud, the story of Narcissus and its resulting condition can be divided into two categories: â€Å"regressive† versus â€Å"progressive† (Alford 35). Freud interprets narcissistic behavior as neither sick nor healthy, but indicative of the normal human condition.

The Way We Really Are Essay -- Essays Papers

The Way We Really Are The author of this article portrays how the standard of the â€Å"traditional family† has changed over the past century. The article emphasizes on how marriages are becoming extinct and families are breaking away from the old fashioned way of raising children. For example, having both a father and a mother in the home full-time use to be the definition of â€Å" the traditional family†. The author seems to believe that the majority of society today is becoming accustomed to single parent homes and women being the major breadwinners in the home, thus making this the new â€Å"traditional family† lifestyle. As I was reading the statistics in this article I was very critical in believing the data that was given by the author. There were statistics given about the increase in unwed motherhood, divorce rates falling and rising, how much divorce has increased since the 1950’s and how many people are staying unwed in the later 1900’s. The author gave no indication of where or how she gathered her statistics. I do believe that the divorce rate in America is at an all time high for the start of the new millennium. I believe that Americans are forced to re-evaluate their opinion on what the traditional family is made up of. Children are forced to live with one parent, not having the traditional dream of both a mother and a Father, which is the image of what a real family is portrayed to be in the generation I was brought up with. The traditional ...

Critique of What I’ve Learned from Men

In Barbara Ehrenreich's article â€Å"What I've Learned from Men† she discusses that women can learn a lot from men. How the lack of toughness in a woman's personality can negatively affect their progression and position in life. The author also discusses how some of the â€Å"ladylike† qualities can prove to be hindering to progress. Barbara's article is persuasive because the writing style was appealing, the evidence was logical, and the article was well structured and easy to follow.The article's extreme sarcastic and humorous tone helps transmits the wanted concept, unlike most feminist articles which consists of redundant repetition of needed freedoms, mistakes and needs. A great example of this humorous approach is how the writer avoided falling into the â€Å"ladylike† category by saying, â€Å"We're still too ladylike. Let me try this again- We're still too damn ladylike† (Ehrenreich, 2005, p. 308), using a swear word (damn) to break the existing f emale stereotype.The sarcasms was emphasized in the introduction, where countless differences between the genders have been listed, such a light hearted start give a sense of acceptance of what is to come. On a more serious note, the article discusses, with evidence, important issues. How women think it is their responsibility to â€Å"niceness† attitude in a conversation, and how this alleged responsibility negatively affected the author first hand.Another issue is sexual harassment; the writer speaks from personal experience as she explains the story of the professor that sexually harassed her over the course of a 20 minute conversation; where she did not react as she was maintaining â€Å"nice† environment (Ehrenreich, 2005, p. 308). Such a story appeals to logic, one may wonder, â€Å"How can highly educated prestigious professor react in such an unethical manner? † Examples like this indicate that change must take place to avoid these predicaments.This shor t example also appeals to the emotional side of thinks, as one can sympathize with her position. Finally, the essay was well structured and easy to follow, which made the transmission of the writer's ideas simple. The writer hooks the reader and establishes her agenda in the first couple of paragraphs (through both humorous and direct language). The author then lists her evidence, and also stats her recommendations of â€Å"cutting back on the small acts of deference that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ehrenreich, 2005, p.  308).Lastly, the writer was able to formulate a successful conclusion; she put her recommendation to action by reliving the scenario that took place with the â€Å"prestigious† professor, stating what she would have done differently, how she would take control from the very start by moving her chair away from the professor, reacting negatively to his hollowness and ending it with a confident exit.It is an essential to think about why women are usually sexually harassed . Maybe the answer is for women to toughen up, and step forward to take praise as the writer Barbara suggested. Imagine a male dominated world where sexual harassment is extremely common. Would you like to raise a daughter in such a world? Critique of What I’ve Learned from Men In Barbara Ehrenreich's article â€Å"What I've Learned from Men† she discusses that women can learn a lot from men. How the lack of toughness in a woman's personality can negatively affect their progression and position in life. The author also discusses how some of the â€Å"ladylike† qualities can prove to be hindering to progress. Barbara's article is persuasive because the writing style was appealing, the evidence was logical, and the article was well structured and easy to follow.The article's extreme sarcastic and humorous tone helps transmits the wanted concept, unlike most feminist articles which consists of redundant repetition of needed freedoms, mistakes and needs. A great example of this humorous approach is how the writer avoided falling into the â€Å"ladylike† category by saying, â€Å"We're still too ladylike. Let me try this again- We're still too damn ladylike† (Ehrenreich, 2005, p. 308), using a swear word (damn) to break the existing f emale stereotype.The sarcasms was emphasized in the introduction, where countless differences between the genders have been listed, such a light hearted start give a sense of acceptance of what is to come. On a more serious note, the article discusses, with evidence, important issues. How women think it is their responsibility to â€Å"niceness† attitude in a conversation, and how this alleged responsibility negatively affected the author first hand.Another issue is sexual harassment; the writer speaks from personal experience as she explains the story of the professor that sexually harassed her over the course of a 20 minute conversation; where she did not react as she was maintaining â€Å"nice† environment (Ehrenreich, 2005, p. 308). Such a story appeals to logic, one may wonder, â€Å"How can highly educated prestigious professor react in such an unethical manner? † Examples like this indicate that change must take place to avoid these predicaments.This shor t example also appeals to the emotional side of thinks, as one can sympathize with her position. Finally, the essay was well structured and easy to follow, which made the transmission of the writer's ideas simple. The writer hooks the reader and establishes her agenda in the first couple of paragraphs (through both humorous and direct language). The author then lists her evidence, and also stats her recommendations of â€Å"cutting back on the small acts of deference that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ehrenreich, 2005, p.  308).Lastly, the writer was able to formulate a successful conclusion; she put her recommendation to action by reliving the scenario that took place with the â€Å"prestigious† professor, stating what she would have done differently, how she would take control from the very start by moving her chair away from the professor, reacting negatively to his hollowness and ending it with a confident exit. It is an essential to think about why women are usually sexually harasse d.Maybe the answer is for women to toughen up, and step forward to take praise as the writer Barbara suggested. Imagine a male dominated world where sexual harassment is extremely common. Would you like to raise a daughter in such a world? Ehrenreich, B. (2005). What I've learned from men. In A. Abusalim, N. Bilikozen, T. Ismail, & S. Sayed (Eds. ), Where I stand: The center and the periphery (1st ed. ) (pp. 307-311). United Arab Emirates: Oriental Press.

Submission of summary

First introduces the concepts and tools of strategy analysis. Here we can see some of the basic economic and positioning concepts and models of strategy analysis but we can not see how to use it. The overriding concern of each chapter is help to see how to apply the various models introduced (e. g. micro – and the macro economic characteristics). Part One also emphasises that one of the key differences between strategy and results is perfect knowledges of management and having to deal with often very imperfect knowledge in the domain of the strategist.However, it is ossible using advantage and gaining position are key for organizations to become and remain successful. All world recognise, however, that many educational institutions have similar courses of strategy (such as economics and business). Finally, strategies and organizations need to put decisions into practise. Part One have not only to introduce the many models of strategy analysis so that students can become famili ar with them and their use, but also to highlight the limitations of such models and thus avoid unnecessary thinking. Chapter Second comprises chapters which focus on strategy implementation and practice.From this perspective, questions (what, where, how) of organizational structures, cultures and processes become the focus of attention. This section also retains first chapters about strategy but this chapter put the basics for strategy. In particular, the chapter describes the key levels and the debates each has engendered. Also, this chapter Interpreting how micro – and macro level are associated. Chapter Third and Four analyzing about the micro – and macro economics of strategy. This chapters are very Importance for strategy development. Chapter three Is described about micro theory.It researches ow to effectively affect the organization with a certain strategy. Big attention Is placed on the market, supply and demand. Discussions give explanations for this chapter how the supply and demand Intervening In the market. Examples of strategies let to understand and analyze mistakes which can Interfere for company to develop hereafter. Macro theory Is described In the Chapter Fourth where Is discussing about the maln factors. These factors can play a role for company In the future. In this Chapter Is Interpreted how managers have to use the strategy effectively from the economic failures.So, manager may lay out plans for the future and the smoothly conduct the planned strategy. Do not forget about that macroeconomic analyzed economy as a whole functioning. In this Chapter Is seeking to Identify strategic factors which are determined GDP, Inflation and unemployment. Data obtained on the basis Is calculating and analyzing various statistical Indicators who say about micro – and macro – state of the economy. So, how are accepted economic decisions. In the Chapter Fifth Is wrlttlng about very Important topic for strategy – Industry analysis and competltlve strategy.How Is wrlttlng, strategy can not exlct without the concept of competltlve strategy. The successful firm has to analyze the competltlon and need to know how It can help for strategy. It Is possible to achieve success with the common market segments, quality Improvement and practice are starting to show in Chapter Three and Four. And in this chapter further explores not only the competitive strategy, but also to the importance of the strategy. Using The Porter's five forces industry analysis framework is not difficult to manage further industrial activity and make it more attractive.It is easier to attract company profits. Also in this Chapter The value chain and the balanced scorecard has big value for strategy. We can easily analyze the company's financial performance. In general, this Chapter can not to be separated from basics of economy because it helps successful development of the company's internal and external activities, evaluate the compa ny's progress and determine the strategy thinking. If we want to understand competitive strategy we have to analyze its position using the economy. The Chapter Sixth is illustrated very specifically using economic factors.This is continuetion of micro – and macro – basics of theories and most important factors about competitive strategy. This Chapter shows how companies, employees and customers have to understand their position of the demand and supply side. All of this leads to the development of the company's business model which perfectly answers the question: â€Å"where money comes from? † A business model defines how the company develops, provides and maintains the value. One more Chapter is about competitive strategy which analyzing the strategic capacity.This is Chapter Seventh hich is seeking to understand more about strategy and favorable factors for it. The whole bases are of resource-based and competences which helps to know how to manage the busines s value and development. From the beginning of Chapter Seventh main topics are resource-based and competences. A clear and rigorous analysis of resource-based and the relevant competences concepts provides with the theoretical grounding and depth of analysis vital to understanding business and corporate level strategy. Everything is continuing in next Chapter where is talking how to movie from theory to practice.In this Chapter strong emphasis on strategy in practice but it is not enough. It helps to place only strategy into the broader context of organization and management. Chapter Eight present the total life cycle model which is analyzing three main themes. It is the theme of start-ups and the role of entrepreneurs, concerned with issues of corporate failure and turnarounds and how entry strategies are conceived to organized resistance. These themes perfectly reflect the benefits of providing a system we Just have to use it very sensibly. Each of these practical examples brings out its own lesson.It requires a lot of due diligence and flexibility. That is, each strategy can make the new developments. Also we can use the life cycle model to develop the perfect market but everything is changing, nothing on the move, changing and strategy management. This cycle can be used anyway and go purposefully toward a goal, not to include everything, but the most effective use of assertions. Thus, the strategy may have a lot of options. It needs to adapt and everything to calculate and see every detail. After all, every detail can be expensive the entire company.

Bladerunner †Humanity and Nature Essay

The central theme of Bladerunner is the relationship between humanity and nature. More specifically it has a purpose in showing how science can negatively influence this fragile relationship. Set in Los Angeles of 2019 we see the decadence of western society into an inhumane harsh impersonal, technology-dominated realm. The inhabitants who fight for their daily survival are in desperate want for nature, contact with which is denied to them by the unrestricted scientific progress and the consequent exploitation of the natural world conducted for the sole purpose of profit. Humanity is also losing touch with it’s own nature. The compassion, the empathy, the love and the emotion are all rare or absent. This ailing relationship between humanity and nature is conveyed through the means of scene setting, dialogue, plot, camera techniques and other film features. All these elements of cinematography synthesise to create an effective portrayal of the unifying theme. In Bladerunner the most prominent element of cinematography is mise en scene. It generates a context for the film and therefore makes the plot and themes acceptable. To set an appropriate scene different variables need to be controlled. These variables include location, props, lighting and colour. In general the location of the plot is in the vast urban canyons of 2019 LA. The imposing dark buildings, the dirty fog, perpetual rain and the crowded dark streets devoid of vegetation make up the backdrop of most scenes. All this is filmed in dark lighting, which complements the effect produced by the fog in obscuring the living details. From this the responder acknowledges the deterioration of society, the harsh conditions that the humans are subjected to and the way the human spirit itself is progressively destroyed under such conditions. Filming such a location at night provides the director with the opportunity to use chiaroscuro (a technique of strong contrast) to further convey the dominance of technology over humanity. For example in outdoor scenes the garish flickering neons are obtrusively visible but they fail to illuminate the obscure, dark, fogged surroundings, including the multitudes of faceless people. The prominent visibility of artificial things over human presence together with the qualities of the location indicates the degradation of human life under the rule of science. The clothing worn by characters is an important choice made as part of setting the scene. Most of the street people wear hooded dark clothing covering their whole body. This is possibly to protect them from the rain but it also hides their faces and their eyes from the camera and from us, creating an impersonal atmosphere in conjunction with the harshness of the surroundings. We get a feeling that everyone hides from everyone else and human interpersonal interaction is limited to the bare necessity. Sometimes the style of clothing worn by characters tells us something about the characters themselves. For example the trenchcoat style garments worn by Deckard are a throwback to the ? 20s and ? 30s detective genre in film, and the responder instantly sees Deckard as such. There are times when the clothing worn gives us an insight into the themes of the film. When we first see meet Racheal (and we think she is a human), her outfit with geometric â€Å"power dressing† shape, the black hues and the perfect hair create an impression of power and efficiency, qualities that are valued in androids. The next time we meet her we see her in a fur coat and underneath, a soft white blouse. Then when she lets her hair down the transformation is complete. By now we know that she is a replicant and for a replicant to be so human is ironic when the ? real’ humans don’t show such qualities. This irony elucidates the deteriorated nature of humanity very effectively. The film is not only able to show the way humanity has lost contact with nature but also how much they appreciate and want it back in their society. The unicorn dream-scene conveys this effectively. The soft back lighting, the low tonal contrast, the colour and the lush vegetation create a setting that is very different to the usual scenes. It is contrasted with real world to further reinforce the lack of nature in society. The short length of the scene, and the fact that the scene is only Deckard’s dream, conveys the elusiveness of nature and shows us that humans still ? dream’ of having the presence of nature back in their world-weary lives. Another method used by the cinematographers to show the want for nature is through the presence of artificial animals. While the artificiality of the animals shows the destruction of nature the way humans still keep them as pets conveys their yearning to bring back nature. The decay of human spirit is also shown through the dialogue. In Bladerunner the scarcity of the dialogue itself potrays the lack of human interaction and consequently the lack of empathy or emotion. Characters only speak when it is necessary for their own survival and comfort but not for the sake of emotional involvement. However, the replicant slaves, who supposedly feel no emotion, interact more sensitively with each other. This irony again has the effect of showing the dehumanisation suffered by this society. The absence of nature and the way society deals with this is revealed through the way they refer to nature. For example at Tyrell’s office Decker asks Racheal if the owl is artificial, to which she replies â€Å"of course it is. † A similar conversation that occurs later between Salome (Zhora) and Decker about artificial snakes, further reinforcing the sad truth. Another common literary language feature that is used in Bladerunner is symbolism. The film is filled with visual symbolic codes. The unicorn, a mythical creature, which, according to myth, is a fragile and elusive being of beauty known for its rarity. In the film it symbolises the rarity of nature and it’s beauty and fragility. There are other symbols that signify the elusive presence of nature in human life. One is the unnaturally weak and indistinct sun. The sun is the source of all life on earth and nature’s sustaining energy. The weakened presence of the sun is possibly due to the fog but the importance lies not in the cause of the weakness. The dim sun is an indication that nature is being destroyed or is already destroyed. Another symbol is the motif of the human eye. Close to the beginning of the film we are presented with an ECU of Holden’s eye reflecting bursts of flame. The fiery human spirit. The motif carries on throughout the film, the close up of eyes during the Voigt-Kampff tests, Mr Chew’s eye shop, the glowing eyes of the owl and the gruesome death of Tyrell. In many cases we encounter human figures whose eyes are hidden. The important example is Tyrell whose eyes are hidden by the thick glasses, but this is also true for the â€Å"little people† or the street people. If the eyes symbolise the human spirit then it is also true that the concealment of the eyes represent the destruction of this spirit. The characters and the way they respond to events in the plot is the most significant way through which the creators of the film express their concerns about the relationship between humanity and nature. It is through the characters and the way they are influenced by the society in which they live that the audience are able to receive the majority of information about that society. To make up a character the director (Ridley Scott) has to synthesis the acting, the physical qualities of the actors, the costume, the lighting and the camera work. Harrison Ford plays Deckard; a Detective who is forced to put up in insensitive wall around him so as to carry out his job properly, but with the help of Racheal and Batty his soul comes through. The seriousness, the no-nonsense speech and the mechanical execution of his tasks all contribute to this image of a tough guy cop. It is also sad to see that he is forces hide his emotions and sentiments for the sake of survival in this harsh world. By the end of the film we sense that if Batty and Racheal had not saved him his spirit would have been lost under the pressure. Rutger Hauer has possibly the most appropriate natural qualities to play Roy Batty (robot? ). The ? Aryan look’, a western cultural assumption of superiority and the Swedish accent with the concise overtones which is particularly effective in a quiet voice make him the perfect super/sub-human replicant. To enhance the effect the hair is died white, his body and face is always lit up to prominence, and almost always the image is shot from underneath making him look surrealistically handsome and at the same time imposing. However the way he responds to the events in the plot show that he has more ? humanity’ in him that the people who consider themselves human. The most memorable instance is they way he moaned for the death of Pris. He is not ashamed to return to the most basic instinct of openly showing emotion. This beautiful scene along with other such human responses from a replicant serves to convey the suppression of human nature in the society. Rachael is played by Sean Young as the replicant who doesn’t know she is an android. The character’s function is similar to that of Batty. To show the deterioration of everything ? human’ in the world of 2019. Her transformation itself carries the message. When she thought she was a human her conduct was much like a robot; the emotionless soulless state of mind everyone is in. But once she begins to realise that she is replicant her appearance becomes increasingly ? human’. This humanisation is portrayed through the use of costumes, the use of varying light and the use of ECU. Tyrell is the other character who has an important function in conveying the themes. Genuinely lacking emotions or empathy, his main objective is the profit margin. He is part of the corporate dictatorship that has suppressed the spirit of the people and destroyed the natural world. His character is the total antitheses of Batty. The overconfidence in his intelligence, the impersonal way in which he addresses other characters, the opulent surrounding in which he lives show him as powerful tyrant. The irony is that he holds the status of God when he is not even fit to be a human. Thus through the development of characters and their response to the events of the plot, Ridley Scott and the actors communicate the way relationship between humanity and nature has evolved (deteriorated) into the world of 2019 LA. In effect all the techniques mentioned above portray a society of individuals who are weary of the world they live in. They are rejects who lead a pitiful existence in a wasteland called earth because they are not fit enough to go the out-world colonies. Suppressing their own natural instincts for the sake of physically surviving they really the walking dead. Scientific progress conducted not for the best interests of humanity but for the best interests of business has effectively brought about the progressive degradation of society. By exploiting and destroying the natural world human can no more find solace or beauty so as to recuperate their weary minds and rekindle their dying spirits. In summary the techniques that are unique to film such as camera, lighting, costuming, colour and location works in conjunction with common literary techniques such as visual symbolism, irony and characterisation to effectively convey the relationship between humanity and nature.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 8. Waiting For The Damn …

8. Waiting For The Damn Fight To Start Already â€Å"Jeez, Paul, don't you freaking have a home of your own?† Paul, lounging across my whole couch, watching some stupid baseball game on my crappy TV, just grinned at me and then – real slow – he lifted one Dorito from the bag in his lap and wedged it into his mouth in one piece. â€Å"You betterVe brought those with you.† Crunch. â€Å"Nope,† he said while chewing. â€Å"Your sister said to go ahead and help myself to anything I wanted.† I tried to make my voice sound like I wasn't about to punch him. â€Å"Is Rachel here now?† It didn't work. He heard where I was going and shoved the bag behind his back. The bag crackled as he smashed it into the cushion. The chips crunched into pieces. Paul's hands came up in fists, close to his face like a boxer. â€Å"Bring it, kid. I don't need Rachel to protect me.† I snorted. â€Å"Right. Like you wouldn't go crying to her first chance.† He laughed and relaxed into the sofa, dropping his hands. â€Å"I'm not going to go tattle to a girl. If you got in a lucky hit, that would be just between the two of us. And vice versa, right?† Nice of him to give me an invitation. I made my body slump like I'd given up. â€Å"Right.† His eyes shifted to the TV. I lunged. His nose made a very satisfying crunching sound of its own when my fist connected. He tried to grab me, but I danced out of the way before he could find a hold, the ruined bag of Doritos in my left hand. â€Å"You broke my nose, idiot.† â€Å"Just between us, right, Paul?† I went to put the chips away. When I turned around, Paul was repositioning his nose before it could set crooked. The blood had already stopped; it looked like it had no source as it trickled down his lips and off his chin. He cussed, wincing as he pulled at the cartilage. â€Å"You are such a pain, Jacob. I swear, I'd rather hang out with Leah.† â€Å"Ouch. Wow, I bet Leah's really going to love to hear that you want to spend some quality time with her. It'll just warm the cockles of her heart.† â€Å"You're going to forget I said that.† â€Å"Of course. I'm sure it won't slip out.† â€Å"Ugh,† he grunted, and then settled back into the couch, wiping the leftover blood on the collar of his t-shirt. â€Å"You're fast, kid.I'll give you that.† He turned his attention back to the fuzzy game. I stood there for a second, and then I stalked off to my room, muttering about alien abductions. Back in the day, you could count on Paul for a fight pretty much whenever. You didn't have to hit him then – any mild insult would do. It didn't take a lot to flip him out of control. Now, of course, when I really wanted a good snarling, ripping, break-the-trees-down match, he had to be all mellow. Wasn't it bad enough that yet another member of the pack had imprinted – because, really, that made four of ten now! When would it stop? Stupid myth was supposed to be rare, for crying out loud! All this mandatory love-at-first-sight was completely sickening! Did it have to be my sister? Did it have to be Paul? When Rachel'd come home from Washington State at the end of the summer semester – graduated early, the nerd – my biggest worry'd been that it would be hard keeping the secret around her. I wasn't used to covering things up in my own home. It made me real sympathetic to kids like Embry and Collin, whose parents didn't know they were werewolves. Embry's mom thought he was going through some kind of rebellious stage. He was permanently grounded for constantly sneaking out, but, of course, there wasn't much he could do about that. She'd check his room every night, and every night it would be empty again. She'd yell and he'd take it in silence, and then go through it all again the next day. We'd tried to talk Sam into giving Embry a break and letting his mom in on the gig, but Embry'd said he didn't mind. The secret was too important. So I'd been all geared up to be keeping that secret. And then, two days after Rachel got home, Paul ran into her on the beach. Bada bing, bada boom – true love! No secrets necessary when you found your other half, and all that imprinting werewolf garbage. Rachel got the whole story. And I got Paul as a brother-in-law someday. I knew Billy wasn't much thrilled about it, either. But he handled it better than I did. ‘Course, he did escape to the Clearwaters' more often than usual these days. I didn't see where that was so much better. No Paul, but plenty of Leah. I wondered – would a bullet through my temple actually kill me or just leave a really big mess for me to clean up? I threw myself down on the bed. I was tired – hadn't slept since my last patrol – but I knew I wasn't going to sleep. My head was too crazy. The thoughts bounced around inside my skull like a disoriented swarm of bees. Noisy. Now and then they stung. Must be hornets, not bees. Bees died after one sting. And the same thoughts were stinging me again and again. This waiting was driving me insane. It had been almost four weeks. I'd expected, one way or another, the news would have come by now. I'd sat up nights imagining what form it would take. Charlie sobbing on the phone – Bella and her husband lost in an accident. A plane crash? That would be hard to fake. Unless the leeches didn't mind killing a bunch of bystanders to authenticate it, and why would they? Maybe a small plane instead. They probably had one of those to spare. Or would the murderer come home alone, unsuccessful in his attempt to make her one of them? Or not even getting that far. Maybe he'd smashed her like a bag of chips in his drive to get some? Because her life was less important to him than his own pleasure†¦ The story would be so tragic – Bella lost in a horrible accident. Victim of a mugging gone wrong. Choking to death at dinner. A car accident, like my mom. So common. Happened all the time. Would he bring her home? Bury her here for Charlie? Closed-casket ceremony, of course. My mom's coffin had been nailed shut†¦ I could only hope that he'd come back here, within my reach. Maybe there would be no story at all. Maybe Charlie would call to ask my dad if he'd heard anything from Dr. Cullen, who just didn't show up to work one day. The house abandoned. No answer on any of the Cullens' phones. The mystery picked up by some second-rate news program, foul play suspected†¦ Maybe the big white house would burn to the ground, everyone trapped inside. Of course, they'd need bodies for that one. Eight humans of roughly the right size. Burned beyond recognition – beyond the help of dental records. Either of those would be tricky – for me, that is. It would be hard to find them if they didn't want to be found. Of course, I had forever to look. If you had forever, you could check out every single piece of straw in the haystack, one by one, to see if it was the needle. Right now, I wouldn't mind dismantling a haystack. At least that would be something to do. I hated knowing that I could be losing my chance. Giving the bloodsuckers the time to escape, if that was their plan. We could go tonight. We could kill every one of them that we could find. I liked that plan because I knew Edward well enough to know that, if I killed any one of his coven, I would get my chance at him, too. He'd come for revenge. And I'd give it to him – I wouldn't let my brothers take him down as a pack. It would be just him and me. May the better man win. But Sam wouldn't hear of it. We're not going to break the treaty. Let them make the breach. Just because we had no proof that the Cullens had done anything wrong. Yet. You had to add the yet, because we all knew it was inevitable. Bella was either coming back one of them, or not coming back. Either way, a human life had been lost. And that meant game on. In the other room, Paul brayed like a mule. Maybe he'd switched to a comedy. Maybe the commercial was funny. Whatever. It grated on my nerves. I thought about breaking his nose again. But it wasn't Paul I wanted to fight with. Not really. I tried to listen to other sounds, the wind in the trees, it wasn't the same, not through human ears. There were a million voices in the wind that I couldn't hear in this body. But these ears were sensitive enough. I could hear past the trees, to the road, the sounds of the cars coming around that last bend where you could finally see the beach – the vista of the islands and the rocks and the big blue ocean stretching to the horizon. The La Push cops liked to hang out right around there. Tourists never noticed the reduced speed limit sign on the other side of the road. I could hear the voices outside the souvenir shop on the beach. I could hear the cowbell clanging as the door opened and closed. I could hear Embry's mom at the cash register, printing out a receipt. I could hear the tide raking across the beach rocks. I could hear the kids squeal as the icy water rushed in too fast for them to get out of the way. I could hear the moms complain about the wet clothes. And I could hear a familiar voice†¦. I was listening so hard that the sudden burst of Paul's donkey laugh made me jump half off the bed. â€Å"Get out of my house,† I grumbled. Knowing he wouldn't pay any attention, I followed my own advice. I wrenched open my window and climbed out the back way so that I wouldn't see Paul again. It would be too tempting. I knew I would hit him again, and Rachel was going to be pissed enough already. She'd see the blood on his shirt, and she'd blame me right away without waiting for proof. Of course, she'd be right, but still. I paced down to the shore, my fists in my pockets. Nobody looked at me twice when I went through the dirt lot by First Beach. That was one nice thing about summer – no one cared if you wore nothing but shorts. I followed the familiar voice I'd heard and found Quil easy enough. He was on the south end of the crescent, avoiding the bigger part of the tourist crowd. He kept up a constant stream of warnings. â€Å"Keep out of the water, Claire. C'mon. No, don't. Oh! Nice, kid. Seriously, do you want Emily to yell at me? I'm not bringing you back to the beach again if you don't – Oh yeah? Don't – ugh. You think that's funny, do you? Hah! Who's laughing now, huh?† He had the giggling toddler by the ankle when I reached them. She had a bucket in one hand, and her jeans were drenched. He had a huge wet mark down the front of his t-shirt. â€Å"Five bucks on the baby girl,† I said. â€Å"Hey, Jake.† Claire squealed and threw her bucket at Quil's knees. â€Å"Down, down!† He set her carefully on her feet and she ran to me. She wrapped her arms around my leg. â€Å"UncaJay!† â€Å"How's it going, Claire?† She giggled. â€Å"Qwil aaaaawl wet now.† â€Å"I can see that. Where's your mama?† â€Å"Gone, gone, gone,† Claire sang, â€Å"Cwaire pway wid Qwil aaaawl day. Cwaire nebber gowin home.† She let go of me and ran to Quil. He scooped her up and slung her onto his shoulders. â€Å"Sounds like somebody's hit the terrible twos.† â€Å"Threes actually,† Quil corrected. â€Å"You missed the party. Princess theme. She made me wear a crown, and then Emily suggested they all try out her new play makeup on me.† â€Å"Wow, I'm really sorry I wasn't around to see that.† â€Å"Don't worry, Emily has pictures. Actually, I look pretty hot.† â€Å"You're such a patsy.† Quil shrugged. â€Å"Claire had a great time. That was the point.† I rolled my eyes. It was hard being around imprinted people. No matter what stage they were in – about to tie the knot like Sam or just a much-abused nanny like Quil – the peace and certainty they always radiated was downright puke-inducing. Claire squealed on his shoulders and pointed at the ground. â€Å"Pity wock, Qwil! For me, for me!† â€Å"Which one, kiddo? The red one?† â€Å"No wed!† Quil dropped to his knees – Claire screamed and pulled his hair like a horse's reigns. â€Å"This blue one?† â€Å"No, no, no†¦,† the little girl sang, thrilled with her new game. The weird part was, Quil was having just as much fun as she was. He didn't have that face on that so many of the tourist dads and moms were wearing – the when-is-nap-time? face. You never saw a real parent so jazzed to play whatever stupid kiddie sport their rugrat could think up. I'd seen Quil play peekaboo for an hour straight without getting bored. And I couldn't even make fun of him for it – I envied him too much. Though I did think it sucked that he had a good fourteen years of monkitude ahead of him until Claire was his age – for Quil, at least, it was a good thing werewolves didn't get older. But even all that time didn't seem to bother him much. â€Å"Quil, you ever think about dating?† I asked. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"No, no yewwo!† Claire crowed. â€Å"You know. A real girl. I mean, just for now, right? On your nights off babysitting duty.† Quil stared at me, his mouth hanging open. â€Å"Pity wock! Pity wock!† Claire screamed when he didn't offer her another choice. She smacked him on the head with her little fist. â€Å"Sorry, Claire-bear. How about this pretty purple one?† â€Å"No,† she giggled. â€Å"No poopoh.† â€Å"Give me a clue. I'm begging, kid.† Claire thought it over. â€Å"Gween,† she finally said. Quil stared at the rocks, studying them. He picked four rocks in different shades of green, and offered them to her. â€Å"Did I get it?'7 â€Å"Yay!† â€Å"Which one?† Vlaaaaw/obdem!!† She cupped her hands and he poured the small rocks into them. She laughed and immediately clunked him on the head with them. He winced theatrically and then got to his feet and started walking back up toward the parking lot. Probably worried about her getting cold in her wet clothes. He was worse than any paranoid, overprotective mother. â€Å"Sorry if I was being pushy before, man, about the girl thing,† I said. â€Å"Naw, that's cool,† Quil said. â€Å"It kind of took me by surprise is all. I hadn't thought about it.† â€Å"I bet she'd understand. You know, when she's grown up. She wouldn't get mad that you had a life while she was in diapers.† â€Å"No, I know. I'm sure she'd understand that.† He didn't say anything else. â€Å"But you won't do that, will you?† I guessed. â€Å"I can't see it,† he said in a low voice. â€Å"I can't imagine. I just don't†¦ see anyone that way. I don't notice girls anymore, you know. I don't see their faces.† â€Å"Put that together with the tiara and makeup, and maybe Claire will have a different kind of competition to worry about.† Quil laughed and made kissing noises at me. â€Å"You available this Friday, Jacob?† â€Å"You wish,† I said, and then I made a face. â€Å"Yeah, guess I am, though.† He hesitated a second and then said, â€Å"You ever think about dating?† I sighed. Guess I'd opened myself up for that one. â€Å"You know, Jake, maybe you should think about getting a life.† He didn't say it like a joke. His voice was sympathetic. That made it worse. â€Å"I don't see them, either, Quil. I don't see their faces.† Quil sighed, too. Far away, too low for anyone but just us two to hear it over the waves, a howl rose out of the forest. â€Å"Dang, that's Sam,† Quil said. His hands flew up to touch Claire, as if making sure she was still there. â€Å"I don't know where her mom's at!† Til see what it is. If we need you, HI let you know.† I raced through the words. They came out all slurred together. â€Å"Hey, why don't you take her up to the Clearwaters'? Sue and Billy can keep an eye on her if they need to. They might know what's going on, anyway.† â€Å"Okay – get outta here, Jake!† I took off running, not for the dirt path through the weedy hedge, but in the shortest line toward the forest. I hurdled the first line of driftwood and then ripped my way through the briars, still running. I felt the little tears as the thorns cut into my skin, but I ignored them. Their sting would be healed before I made the trees. I cut behind the store and darted across the highway. Somebody honked at me. Once in the safety of the trees, I ran faster, taking longer strides. People would stare if I was out in the open. Normal people couldn't run like this. Sometimes I thought it might be fun to enter a race – you know, like the Olympic trials or something. It would be cool to watch the expressions on those star athletes' faces when I blew by them. Only I was pretty sure the testing they did to make sure you weren't on steroids would probably turn up some really freaky crap in my blood. As soon as I was in the true forest, unbound by roads or houses, I skidded to a stop and kicked my shorts off. With quick, practiced moves, I rolled them up and tied them to the leather cord around my ankle. As I was still pulling the ends tight, I started shifting. The fire trembled down my spine, throwing tight spasms out along my arms and legs. It only took a second. The heat flooded through me, and I felt the silent shimmer that made me something else. I threw my heavy paws against the matted earth and stretched my back in one long, rolling extension. Phasing was very easy when I was centered like this. I didn't have issues with my temper anymore. Except when it got in the way. For one half second, I remembered the awful moment at that unspeakable joke of a wedding. I'd been so insane with fury that I couldn't make my body work right. I'd been trapped, shaking and burning, unable to make the change and kill the monster just a few feet away from me. It had been so confusing. Dying to kill him. Afraid to hurt her. My friends in the way. And then, when I was finally able to take the form I wanted, the order from my leader. The edict from the Alpha. If it had been just Embry and Quil there that night without Sam†¦ would I have been able to kill the murderer, then? I hated it when Sam laid down the law like that. I hated the feeling of having no choice. Of having to obey. And then I was conscious of an audience. I was not alone in my thoughts. So self-absorbed all the time,Leah thought. Yeah, no hypocrisy there, Leah,I thought back. Can it, guys,Sam told us. We fell silent, and I felt Leah's wince at the word guys. Touchy, like always. Sam pretended not to notice. Where's Quil andJared? Quit's got Claire. He's taking her to the Clearwaters'. Good. Sue will take her. Jared was going to Kim's,Embry thought. Good chance he didn't hear you. There was a low grumble through the pack. I moaned along with them. When Jared finally showed up, no doubt he'd still be thinking about Kim. And nobody wanted a replay of what they were up to right now. Sam sat back on his haunches and let another howl rip into the air. It was a signal and an order in one. The pack was gathered a few miles east of where I was. I loped through the thick forest toward them. Leah, Embry, and Paul all were working in toward them, too. Leah was close – soon I could hear her footfalls not far into the woods. We continued in a parallel line, choosing not to run together. Well, we're not waiting all day for him. He'll just have to catch up later. ‘Sup, boss?Paul wanted to know. We need to talk. Something's happened. I felt Sam's thoughts flicker to me – and not just Sam's, but Seth's and Collin's and Brady's as well. Collin and Brady – the new kids – had been running patrol with Sam today, so they would know whatever he knew. I didn't know why Seth was already out here, and in the know. It wasn't his turn. Seth, tell them what you heard. I sped up, wanting to be there. I heard Leah move faster, too. She hated being outrun. Being the fastest was the only edge she claimed. Claimthis, moron, she hissed, and then she really kicked it into gear. I dug my nails into the loam and shot myself forward. Sam didn't seem in the mood to put up with our usual crap. Jake, Leah, give it a rest. Neither of us slowed. Sam growled, but let it go. Seth? Charlie called around till he found Billy at my house. Yeah, I talked to him,Paul added. I felt a jolt go through me as Seth thought Charlie's name. This was it. The waiting was over. I ran faster, forcing myself to breathe, though my lungs felt kinda stiff all of a sudden. Which story would it be? So he's all flipped out. Guess Edward and Bella got home last week, and†¦ My chest eased up. She was alive. Or she wasn't dead dead, at least. I hadn't realized how much difference it would make to me. I'd been thinking of her as dead this whole time, and I only saw that now. I saw that I'd never believed that he would bring her back alive. It shouldn't matter, because I knew what was coming next. Yeah, bro, and here's the bad news. Charlie talked to her, said she sounded bad. She told him she's sick. Carlisle got on and told Charlie that Bella picked up some rare disease in South America. Said she's quarantined. Charlie's going crazy, 'cause even he's not allowed to see her. He says he doesn't care if he gets sick, but Carlisle wouldn't bend. No visitors. Told Charlie it was pretty serious, but that he's doing everything he can. Charlie's been stewing about it for days, but he only called Billy now. He said she sounded worse today. The mental silence when Seth finished was profound. We all understood. So she would die of this disease, as far as Charlie knew. Would they let him view the corpse? The pale, perfectly still, unbreathing white body? They couldn't let him touch the cold skin – he might notice how hard it was. They'd have to wait until she could hold still, could keep from killing Charlie and the other mourners. How long would that take? Would they bury her? Would she dig herself out, or would the bloodsuckers come for her? The others listened to my speculating in silence. I'd put a lot more thought into this than any of them. Leah and I entered the clearing at nearly the same time. She was sure her nose led the way, though. She dropped onto her haunches beside her brother while I trotted forward to stand at Sam's right hand. Paul circled and made room for me in my place. Beatcha again,Leah thought, but I barely heard her. I wondered why I was the only one on my feet. My fur stood up on my shoulders, bristling with impatience. Well, what are we waiting for?I asked. No one said anything, but I heard their feelings of hesitation. Oh, come on! The treaty's broken! We have no proof – maybe sheis sick†¦. OH, PLEASE! Okay, so the circumstantial evidence is pretty strong. Still†¦ Jacob.Sam's thought came slow, hesitant. Are you sure this is what you want? Is it really the right thing? We all know what she wanted. The treaty doesn't mention anything about victim preferences, Sam! Is she really a victim? Would you label her that way? Yes! Jake,Seth thought, they aren't our enemies. Shut up, kid! Just 'cause you've got some kind of sick hero worship thing going on with that bloodsucker, it doesn't change the law. They are our enemies. They are in our territory. We take them out. I don't care if you had fun fighting alongside Edward Cullen once upon a time. So what are you going to do when Bella fights with them, Jacob? Huh?Seth demanded. She's not Bella anymore. You gonna be the one to take her down? I couldn't stop myself from wincing. No, you're not. So, what? You gonna make one of us do it? And then hold a grudge against whoever it is forever? I wouldn't†¦ Sure you won't. You're not ready for this fight, Jacob. Instinct took over and I crouched forward, snarling at the gangly sand-colored wolf across the circle. Jacob!Sam cautioned. Seth, shut up for a second. Seth nodded his big head. Dang, what'd I miss? Quthought. He was running for the gathering place full-out. Heard about Charlie's call†¦. Were getting ready to go,I told him. Why don't you swing by Kim's and drag Jared out with your teeth? We're going to need everyone. Come straight here, Quil,Sam ordered. We've decided nothing yet. I growled. Jacob, I have to think about what's best for this pack. I have to choose the course that protects you all best. Times have changed since our ancestors made that treaty. I†¦ well, I don't honestly believe that the Cullens are a danger to us. And we know that they will not be here much longer. Surely once they've told their story, they will disappear. Our lives can return to normal. Normal? If we challenge them, Jacob, they will defend themselves well. Are you afraid? Are you so ready to losea brother? He paused. Or a sister? he tacked on as an afterthought. I'm not afraid to die. I know that, Jacob. It's one reason I question your judgment on this. I stared into his black eyes. Do you intend to honor our fathers' treaty or not? I honor my pack. I do what's best for them. Coward. His muzzle tensed, pulling back over his teeth. Enough, Jacob. You're overruled.Sam's mental voice changed, took on that strange double timbre that we could not disobey. The voice of the Alpha. He met the gaze of every wolf in the circle. The pack is not attacking the Cullens without provocation. The spirit of the treaty remains. They are nota danger to our people, nor are they a danger to the people of Forks. Bella Swan made an informed choice, and we are not going to punish our former allies for her choice. Hear, hear,Seth thought enthusiastically. thought I told you to shut it, Seth. Oops. Sorry, Sam. Jacob, where do you think you're going? I left the circle, moving toward the west so that I could turn my back on him. I'm going to tell my father goodbye. Apparently there was no purpose in me sticking around this long. Aw, Jake – don't do that again! Shut up, Seth,several voices thought together. We don't want you to leave,Sam told me, his thought softer than before. So force me to stay, Sam. Take away my will. Make me a slave. You know I won't do that Then there's nothing more to say. I ran away from them, trying very hard not to think about what was next. Instead, I concentrated on my memories of the long wolf months, of letting the humanity bleed out of me until I was more animal than man. Living in the moment, eating when hungry, sleeping when tired, drinking when thirsty, and running – running just to run. Simple desires, simple answers to those desires. Pain came in easily managed forms. The pain of hunger. The pain of cold ice under your paws. The pain of cutting claws when dinner got feisty. Each pain had a simple answer, a clear action to end that pain. Not like being human. Yet, as soon as I was in jogging distance of my house, I shifted back into my human body. I needed to be able to think in privacy. I untied my shorts and yanked them on, already running for the house. I'd done it. I'd hidden what I was thinking and now it was too late for Sam to stop me. He couldn't hear me now. Sam had made a very clear ruling. The pack would not attack the Cullens. Okay. He hadn't mentioned an individual acting alone. Nope, the pack wasn't attacking anyone today. But I was.

Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe

Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe The story of â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† by Edgar Allan Poe is full of conflict from beginning to end. The narrator of this story does not reveal why such a conflict exists other than to say someone has impugned his honor. Poe makes use of irony, symbolism among other linguistics means to tell a revenge story under Montresor’s, the murderer, view and ideas. Even knowing the narrator is not reliable and he probably is mad, the reader stands on his side from the beginning to the end of the conflict. This article will try to analyze the tools used by Poe to create this short story. The Style of Poe in â€Å"The cask of amontillado† Strengthening readers’ comprehension of his writing is also a key function of the imagery Poe uses. The variety of stylistic devices used by Poe to create the atmosphere of horror and terror includes the setting, one of the things the author uses to paint a dark and gloomy picture in the reader’s mind. For example: as de scribed by him in the beginning of the short story â€Å"It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival seasonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  or like in this paragraph: â€Å"At the most remote end of the crypt there appeared another less spacious. Its walls had been lined with human remains, piled to the vault overhead, in the fashion of the great catacombs of Paris. Three sides of this interior crypt were still ornamented in this manner. From the fourth side the bones had been thrown down, and lay promiscuously upon the earth, forming at one point a mound of some size. Within the wall thus exposed by the displacing of the bones, we perceived a still interior crypt or recess, in depth about four feet, in width three, in height six or seven. It seemed to have been constructed for no especial use within itself, but formed merely the interval between two of the colossal supports of the roof of the catacombs, and was backed by one of their circumscribing walls of so lid granite†. Imagery in Poe’s style of writing clearly involves readers in the story, and his use of complex vocabulary ensures that readers understand his themes and implications. The use of symbolism is what makes Poe’s short story even more interesting. Symbolism, according to the The Dictionary of Literary Terms, is an object, person, idea, etc. used in a literary work, film, etc., to stand for or suggest something else with which it is associated either explicitly or in some more subtle way. It may not be clear for some readers, but in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† the fight between two social class conflict and the aristocratic social codes is very well pictured. Montresor meets Fortunato â€Å"as if by chance† when it is clear that Montresor already of Fortunato’s attendance during the Carnival celebration at a banquet. When Montresor leads the intoxicated Fortunato into the blind wall in the subterranean passages of Montresorâ€℠¢s family grave and takes him prisoner, he already has mortar and trowel prepared for walling up his victim. Since Fortunato had given Montresor a Masonic sign and asked him if he were a Mason, a question which response was that Fortunato was nothing more than a real stone mason and the murderer laughingly showed the real trowel he had with him, it can also be a humorous imitation of the French Freemasonry, whose motto was â€Å"libertà ©, à ©galità ©, fraternità ©.†