Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Movie Critic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Film Critic - Essay Example There are not surprising conventions or broad utilization of PC created impacts. The progression of the film is normal as though an individual watches it behind the backs of the principle characters. At the end of the day, the executives would not like to explore different avenues regarding new components of altering and clung to the conventional ways with the goal that the consideration of the crowd would not be diverted by it. Discussing the sound, one ought not that the film includes a great deal of characteristic sounds and barely any music. Obviously, there are sure scenes that have ambient sounds in them. By and large, one may take note of that the utilization of sound is somewhat successful since it doesn't occupy the watchers from the improvement of the plot. Since most of the scenes are fairly emotional, the sentiments that the score inspires are not positive. The executives utilized it to make the climate of dejection and depression when it was fitting. Moreover, the sound of nature, regularly consolidated into the tunes, shows that the activity happens outside. The cinematography of the film is very outstanding. From one viewpoint, there is the point of view of one of the characters from which the story is told. Then again, there numerous scenes when the activity is appeared and there are no critiques enunciated. At specific focuses the film highlights advances, proposing that some time has passed. Since the film doesn't tell a specific scene from one’s life, but instead an enormous piece of it, the incorporation of such progress is suitable. Notwithstanding that, the portrayal, frequently told from the perspective of the fundamental character permits the crowd to see this new dystopian world with their own eyes. I believe that 2010 is a milestone on the planet business since it denotes the finish of good motion pictures with a significant importance on the planet. In the years after most of them basically depended on embellishments or included the old

Saturday, August 22, 2020

What happened when we left an error in an email to 7,000 people - Emphasis

What happened when we left a blunder in an email to 7,000 individuals What happened when we left a blunder in an email to 7,000 individuals I love my activity, on most days. We help individuals with an assignment that millions find unpleasant and dangerous. So its staggeringly compensating to have the option to calm that torment. For me, its the best employment on the planet. Most days. At that point there are the other (fortunately) a lot rarer days, when things don’t very work out as expected. I had one of those days last Tuesday. That was the day we conveyed our e-notice, total with a wailing mistake, to 7,000 supporters. Presently, dear peruser, if you’re ever searching for an ensured approach to appear each mix-up in a bit of composing, that technique takes some beating. I can’t sincerely state its one Id suggest however. We recognized the slip-up in the email when we’d sent it (and before we sent it, in actuality †see underneath). You presumably did, as well. Be that as it may, on the off chance that you missed it, here it is once more (in light of the fact that we’re nothing if not pigs for discipline): While your on that page, don’t neglect to join to Jacob’s free, seven-section language structure and accentuation course. I know: it’s terrible. So dreadful that I could scarcely force myself to type those words. (It should, obviously, have perused you’re.) Others might have the option to pull off an oversight of the fingers, however not us. We clearly should be immaculate in these issues, just in light of what we do. Nor was the incongruity of such a fundamental slip-up in a sentence promoting a punctuation course lost on us. Trust me, a mistake like that truly is the stuff of bad dreams for us. The reaction from our eager endorser base was as quick and solid as it was justifiable. My email inbox immediately topped off with messages from steadfast perusers considering what in the world we were playing at. At first, I was willfully ignorant of the language firestorm that had emitted back at Emphasis HQ. I was on a half-term occasion with my family, and my WiFi association was loose, best case scenario. At the point when I did at last get an association, I nearly wished I’d stayed disconnected somewhat more. The main thing that came through was a text from one of my group, notice me of the blunder. I spent the following hour on the telephone to them, attempting to sort out exactly how the mix-up had sneaked past the net. At that point I began working my way through sending an individual email of expression of remorse and clarification to each individual who’d messaged me. (It was what could be compared to getting into a hair shirt.) I additionally guaranteed them free access to our new e-adapting course, Writing better email, to express gratitude toward them for their difficulty. (In the event that you were one of those individuals, Ill be messaging you a connection today.) Sick reveal to you how they responded in a moment. On the whole, what precisely did turn out badly? All things considered, as I referenced, my underlying oversight of the fingers had been spotted during our editing procedure and properly rectified. However, the rectification had been made in the HTML code. At that point, by one way or another, it was a more established rendition of the code that our mailing framework conveyed. Presently, our editing techniques are quite acceptable (as you would trust). Be that as it may, any procedure is just comparable to its most vulnerable connection, which for this situation was making the last redresses in the code. Obviously, we won’t be doing that once more. (We’ve since changed mailing frameworks, with the goal that we don’t need to.) Im sorry, and I trust you can excuse us this one. Kindly have confidence that, whatever impact it’s had on your perspective on us, it’s nothing contrasted and the spirit looking that’s as yet going on at Emphasis HQ. Be that as it may, there is the thing that might be a useful postscript to this story: the responses I got to my messages of conciliatory sentiment. More than 66% of the individuals I for one messaged set aside the time to compose back (much of the time promptly) to state that no mischief had been done and that, on the off chance that anything, our response to what were at that point calling Yourgate had improved their perspective on Emphasis. Im not all that vain or naã ¯ve to believe that leaving in the blunder was something to be thankful for. In any case, that input proposes that, should you ever fail, you could do more terrible than embrace a comparable methodology. As one reporter put it, ‘These things occur in business. In any case, as you’ve demonstrated, it’s how you react to them that counts.’ That was from the MD of an enormous speculation bank, no less, who invested significant time from his night to keep in touch with me that email. (I was †and still am †so thankful for his reaction and the numerous others I got throughout the following barely any days.) Shockingly, the main certain approach to keep away from botches in what you compose is never to compose anything. Weve got no expectation of doing that and well keep on giving our free guidance to as long as possible. Everything being equal, sooner or later, another mistake will in the long run sneak past the net, regardless of how enthusiastically we attempt to stop that occurrence. For us, its a startling possibility. In this way, whenever you have writer’s square, maybe you can draw comfort from the way that you don’t need to put ‘business-composing adviser’ toward the finish of each email. Since, trust me, that is the most ideal way I know to incapacitate even the most familiar of scholars. Picture credit: Guilhem Vellut

Sunday, July 26, 2020

The Road Im On

The Road I’m On Pardon me for the grammatically incorrect tonight title (in the sardonic words of the ever-quotable Winston Churchill, This is the sort of English up with which I will not put!), but Im currently listening to my old 3 Doors Down albums and I really like this song. Which is why it has now made its way into my blog, like several other songs I can think of. Anyway. Life at MIT is moving right along at its usual breakneck pace, but I wouldnt have it any other way. Really, my only complaint is that I havent had all that much time to blog lately. Which isnt to say I havent been thinking about blogging, or continuously scratching down ideas for all the (hopefully) awesome entries Ill be putting up in the next few weeks. As the old phrase goes, so many blogsso little time. Yeah, so Im a little cheesy sometimes what else is new? Luckily, I have about half an hour to jot some thoughts down right now, so I figured I might as well capitalize on the opportunity. As it happens, Im feeling sort of nostalgic and philosophical at the same time, and youre the lucky ones who get to glimpse my innermost(ish) thoughts. And by you, I mean the entire Internet. Doesnt that make you feel special? ;) Seriously though. As May 1 draws ever closer, I cant believe that its already been a year since I decided to go to MIT. In some ways, I am still surprised I got in to MIT. Thats one thing some people forget upon arriving to MIT, I think: being here is not a right, but a privilege I might even go so far as to call it an honor. And unlike in high school, where there are a lot of other people (parents, teachers, guidance counselors, and so on) encouraging you and motivating you to do well, your success in college will, necessarily, have to be almost entirely self-motivated. And I dont say that because professors and advisors here arent supportive they are. But at the end of the day, they arent going to do your psets for you, or call you up and remind you to study for the big physics exam next Wednesday. Youre going to be the one who has to take charge of that. And there will, probably, be a few times you have too much going on and forget that you have some HASS paper due in four days and you havent read the book yet, or that the deadline to officially register for your UROP in the Langer Lab is in about 24 hours, or that you really need to start blogging some more, or And thats okay. Because if youre the kind of person who belongs at MIT, you wont just finish the paper (though you may have to sacrifice a few other things to get there) or manage to finish the UROP application in the nick of time, youll actually learn from the mistake and make sure it doesnt happen again. (Ask me how I know.) Sorry for digressing. I think we were talking about the National Reply Date being in five days or something, yes? Yes. When I got into MIT, I was beyond elated. I had applied back in November or something with the philosophy that I would apply to a bunch of schools, find out where I was admitted, and make my choice from that list. I cant pinpoint exactly when things changed but definitely by mid-February or so, I wanted to get into MIT. I think the blogs may have played a bit of a role in this realization. (And when I say think I mean Im sure, and when I say a bit of a role I mean they were a major factor. Thanks a lot, guys.) I waited to find out where else I had gotten into, but in the long run that was kind of a formality. CPW only confirmed my initial suspicion: MIT was, and is, the best school for me. For many of my friends and classmates, though, it wasnt nearly that straightforward. I even know a good number of admitted 2012s who have only just made up their minds to attend MIT, and many more who are still deciding. So if youre reading this, and youre still making up your mind about where youre going to go next year, rest assured youre not the only one. I cant make the decision for you, obviously. But if knowing more about MIT would help you make a more informed decision, I along with all the other bloggers, students, parents, and others who read these blogs are all here to answer any questions you might have or concerns you want to address. So whether youve already made your choice and want to explain why you chose MIT, or if youre still trying to make up your mindby all means, comment away. Thats what these blogs are here for, after all to bridge the gap between MIT and you. Thats why these blogs exist.

Friday, May 22, 2020

African Diaspora Identity History, Race, Culture, And...

Diaspora identity is when a group of individuals is displaced from a country of origin and must migrate to a new homeland. In some cases, the migration is forced whereas in others it is voluntary but forced through circumstances. The process of identity becomes central as those that migrate are forced to determine what it means to be a member of a new culture while still maintaining their own heritage and traditions. One way that culture can be honored is through literature. When considering diaspora identity one must consider history, race, culture and language. These four factors are all aspects of self-identification that are impacted through migration. In the case of African diaspora identity, literature has allowed expression of the experiences of those who have entered America with African origins. Literature has allowed free expression when at times the African’s who were brought to America were enslaved without a voice. To fully understand African Diaspora identity on e must understand the four factors of history, culture, race and language and the ways it impacts identity. African diaspora identity is comprised of both the homeland of origin and the new culture and geography. According to the article, â€Å"More than a Tribesman: The New African Diasporan Identity,† The African diaspora identity has much to do with the immigrant’s adopted homeland as it does with their origin. The identity bridges the originating past (tribe) and the contemporary / future (diasporan)Show MoreRelated African Diaspora Essay2370 Words   |  10 Pagessimple terms, the Diaspora as a concept, describes groups of people who currently live or reside outside the original homelands. We will approach the Diaspora from the lenses of migration; that the migration of people through out of the African continent has different points of origin, different patterns and results in different identity formations. Yet, all of these patterns of dispersion and germination/ assimilation represent formations of the Diaspora. My paper will focus Read MoreThe Migration Of Diaspora And Diaspora Studies Essay1727 Words   |  7 Pages‘Diaspora’ has its roots in the Greek word Diaspeirein – â€Å"to scatter about, disperse†. Dia means â€Å"about, across† and Speirein means â€Å"to scatter. Earlier, Diaspora was used to refer to citizens of a dominant city who immigrated to a conquered land with the purpose of colonization, to absorb the territory into the empire. That is why there are a lot of arguments between scholars as to what ‘Diaspora’ and ‘Diaspora studies’ mean. Diaspora is located between cultures, between majority and minorityRead MoreRace Is The Best Definition Of Race965 Words   |  4 PagesOmi and Winant Race is something impacts us all. The origin of the idea of race is hard to trace. What we do know is that without racism the idea of race would not exist. Race in today s world is a built categorization structure that was created to classify people separately. Race has played a tremendous role in our history. Race is hard to define. Michael Omi and Howard Winant had created what is considered the best definition of race. This definition of race includes three epiphenomena. TheRead MoreThe Exploitation Of Africans And Members Of The African Diaspora1635 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout American history, the exploitation of Africans and members of the African diaspora continues as a controversial topic among cultural critics because of America’s unwillingness to accept the flaws of its past. Discussions on whether the sentiments of slavery still impact people of the African diaspora are intricate. Furthermore, the marginalization of people of the African Diaspora continues to complexify the issue. Social concepts in modern America such as education, nationhood, fact makingRead MoreHistory And Culture Of The Negritude Movement1658 Words   |  7 Pagesgathered around issues of black internationalist and race identity initiatives to fight the imperialism by the French government. They found strength in their mutual idea of affirming pride in their shared African heritage and black identity and reclaiming self-respect, self-reliance, and African self-determination. The Negritude movement was a sign of an awakening of race wistfulness for blacks in the African Diaspora and those in Africa. This new race wistfulness stemmed from the rediscovery of an originalRead MoreThe Black And Black British Diaspora2184 Words   |  9 Pagesthrough which the Black British diaspora has been imagined and represented by the theorisations of Paul Gilroy and others. Why does Gilroy (and others) suggest his notion of ‘The Black Atlantic’ as useful for re-imaginin g black identities? Introduction This essay will analyse the concept of ‘The Black Atlantic’ by sociologist Paul Gilroy. Written almost 20 years ago, it is an important concept which has been celebrated as instrumental in the re-imagining of black culture. Its framework will be examinedRead MoreConstructing My Cultural Identity6012 Words   |  25 PagesConstructing My Cultural Identity: A Reflection on the Contradictions, Dilemmas, and Reality This article provides a critical reflective analysis of my life growing up in Jamaica where I attended colonial school, to making the transition to high school in the Canadian context. I examine the elements that have influenced my cultural/racial identity as a person of African ancestry living in the diaspora. I ask questions such as how has colonial education influenced my cultural identity and how I see myselfRead MoreThe Family Aspect Of The Quilt1139 Words   |  5 Pagesquilt. The fragmented image, created by different colors, shapes and patterns, represent the different cultures and races that are all interrelated to each other in the Caribbean. And each individual patch, represents a different island nation, and the thread, cotton and embroidery that weaves the patches together, represents the languages and ideologies that have come together over the course of history, to bond these island nations together. Today, however, the Caribbean countries struggle a greatRead MoreAfrican Vs. African American Experiences And Relations1862 Words   |  8 PagesAfrican vs. African-American Experiences and Relations in Determining the Binding Factor between the Two Groups of People Introduction: Marcus Garvey, a ‘proponent of Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements† (), once stated that â€Å"a people without knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.† (Good Reads Quotes) He was in fact very much so right. Most people in this world care about where they come from, who they descended from and where the backbone ofRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Langston Hughes s The American Dream 3454 Words   |  14 Pages‘America’ is a complex, layered idea; one that becomes all the more complex when the deeply embedded construct of race comes into play. As a black man born into a time of overt racial prejudice, Langston Hughes was all too familiar with the double consciousness that came with life as an American minority. This roller coaster is the subject of the vast majority of his literary work and has continued to be a major presence and inspiration for literary work everywhere today. Hughes shows a deep l oyalty

Friday, May 8, 2020

Factors Influencing Deviant Or Criminal Behavior - 932 Words

In previous summaries it was discussed that there are numerous theories that attempt to explain criminal behavior including biological, psychological, social, economic etc. These theories share a common understanding that there are factors influencing deviant or criminal behavior that predispose some individuals to aggressive, violent or criminal behavior. While these theories give a convincing argument that crime is caused by biological, psychological, social and economic factors. They tend to focus on one train of thought and excluding other factors that play a major role in crime causation. This often results in limited understanding of a phenomena and can cause one to miss the â€Å"big picture.† In this summary, it is argued that people are not born good or bad, instead, they learn to be good or bad based on their surrounding environment and their definition of the situation. No one is immune to deviant or criminal behavior. In fact, one can argue that we are all criminal. We have all been guilty of breaking the law at one point or another in life. What separates us from other criminals is the fact that we were not caught or labelled as such. The line between deviant or criminal and noncriminal behavior is very thin. Everyone has the potential to become a criminal, but most are controlled by the bond to society (Hirschi, 1969). As argued by social learning theories, individuals learn criminal behavior through observation and interactions with others. This goes withoutShow MoreRelatedDeviance And Its Effect On Society Essay1436 Words   |  6 PagesDeviance is any behavior that does not conform to the dominant norms or values in a society or social group. Deviance can be either non-criminal or criminal. In today’s society, citizens view deviance behavior as activities that are associated with alcoholism, larceny, lying, gambling, cross-dressing, wa lking around nude in public places, and so forth. These are just a few examples of what societal members view as deviance. People who decide to engage in such behavior are declared to be deviants. The conceptRead MoreAre Criminals Born or Made?1016 Words   |  5 PagesAre criminals born or made? A criminal is defined as someone who has committed a crime. Psychologists have come up with many theories and reasons about why people commit crimes. The two main explanations lie in genetic and environmental factors, which relates to the nature and nurture debate. Studies have been carried out to explain criminal behavior. Some suggest that criminals are born; these are twin and adoption studies. On the other hand there are also studies that have been conducted to proveRead MoreThe Theory Of Differential Association Essay1501 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Why do criminals commit crime? How to we learn to commit crime? These questions can be answered using social learning theory. Social learning approach is the assumption that all human behavior is socially learned (Thompson, Bynum 2013 115). The theory of differential association was developed by Edwin Sutherland to try and explain the development of criminal behavior. Essentially what this theory says is that deviant group behavior results from normative conflict. Normative conflictRead MoreThe Nature And Structure Of Criminal Behavior1707 Words   |  7 Pagesorigins of deviant behavior in the society. However, in order to understand the nature and structure of criminal behavior, there is need to understand a myriad of factors, such as societal functions, beliefs, norms, values, as well as sanctions. All these are part of a system in the society, and they play a significant role in influencing the behavior of individuals. For this reason, scholars have come up with social theories, which aim to explain why some individuals indulge themselves in deviant actsRead MoreHotel Rwanda vs. Erin Brockovich1660 Words   |  7 PagesDifferent Ways to Murder Thousands of People Hotel Rwanda and Erin Brockovich are two provocative films that take a look at separate deviant acts but still present similar dangerous social problems. The conflicts that are portrayed are different in the means of operation but both share a similar end with the endangerment of thousands of people. We will examine how these deviant decisions affect both their societies and the reasons behind these atrocious acts. Hotel Rwanda is a very graphic film filledRead MoreA Norm Is A Rule Of Behavior Of Individuals In Society1491 Words   |  6 PagesA norm is a rule of behavior of individuals in society or groups, Emile Durkheim sociological founder considered norms to be social factors that exist in individual’s society of independence that creates the shapes of our behaviors and thoughts (Crossman, 2017). In the terms of not having sociality without social control the society would have no function without enforcing social orders that make daily life and the complex division of labor possible (Crossman, 2017). Social order is produced byRead MoreInfluences Of Social Bonds And Perceived Social Expectations On Adolescent Deviant Behavior Essay1172 Words   |  5 PagesInfluences of Social Bonds and Perceived Social Expectations on Adolescent Deviant Behavior Although juvenile arrest rates have declined by 65% from 1996 to 2014 (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2015), juvenile delinquency is undoubtedly still a concern for practitioners, communities, and policy-makers in the United States. Seeking explanations of adolescent delinquency is a continuing quest by the social sciences to aid prevention and intervention efforts. Several questsRead MoreCauses Of Crime : Theory Reflection1680 Words   |  7 PagesCauses of Crime: Theory Reflection There are rarely simple answers when it comes to human behavior. Criminological theories have evolved greatly over the years as new measuring tools have become available, more communication pathways available for researchers to work together, and as the world has changed and advanced in numerous ways. The platform of criminal theories has evolved from primarily focusing on the individual, to looking towards the environmental and social influences, and on to encompassRead MoreJuvenile Delinquency Should Be Punished Or Rehabilitated For Their Crimes1094 Words   |  5 Pagesmust first be obtained and data analyzed for conclusions. There are specific traits that juveniles have that help determine the risk of delinquency in a child. These can be caused by a vast number of environmental factors ranging from simple peer pressure to as grave as relying on deviant acts for survival due to parental neglect or abuse. A big problem with the solution to delinquency is whether delinquents shou ld be punished or rehabilitated for their crimes. A child is at risk of becoming delinquentRead MoreJuvenile Delinquency Week 8 Jose1344 Words   |  6 Pagesinvolvement in deviant activities such as fighting and causing mayhem. It is widely believed that this was necessitated by the fact that his father was also a heroin addict. Substance abuse has tendencies of inhibiting ones senses and may cause someone to engage in activities he wouldn’t engage in if would he be in his right mind. Such are examples of family or community related factors that have increased the levels of child delinquency on society today. The intelligence of parents is the main factor (Rutter

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Succubus Revealed Chapter 15 Free Essays

string(40) " off of you when you were feeling blue\." It was easier said than done, and once Hugh and Roman gave me some space, the full impact of what had taken place really and truly hit me. Seth was Kyriakos. Kyriakos was Seth. We will write a custom essay sample on Succubus Revealed Chapter 15 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Even after witnessing what I had with my own eyes, I don’t think I would have believed it if something inside me . . . some gut instinct . . . hadn’t told me it was all true. Not that I’d ever suspected it. Not that I’d ever dreamed it. The draw that I’d felt to Seth had been strong, no question, just as the draw to his other incarnations had been. I’d always felt there was something special about Seth in particular, though, and wondered now what might have set this life apart from the rest. Did some part of me – or some part of him? – recognize that this was the last chance for us to be together? Was that where the urgency was coming from? Or was it more about the passage of time and whom I had become? Recent years had made me more jaded about life as a succubus, and I wondered if perhaps that was what made him and our love so precious to me at this point in time. Our love, which had just blown up before my eyes. I called in sick to work the next day, something that didn’t really go over all that well. It was Christmas Eve, one of the busiest days for Santa and his mall team, but I didn’t care. There was no way I could face that chaos, not after what had happened with Seth. I was told curtly that if I didn’t come into work, then I shouldn’t expect to be rehired next year. I almost laughed and only barely managed to cling to some shred of professionalism, as I gravely informed my manager that I’d take that risk. Next Christmas, I’d most likely be in Las Vegas. Even if I wasn’t, I was pretty sure I could manage to get by without minimum wage and my foil dress. Finding Seth proved trickier. He didn’t answer my phone calls, and when I went to his condo, no one answered. Neither his nor Margaret’s car was parked out front, leading me to believe they were either doing last-minute Christmas shopping or visiting Terry and Andrea. If it was the former, I had no way of locating Seth easily. If it was the latter, I certainly wasn’t going to barge into Terry’s house and demand Seth speak to me. The situation might be dire, but I still had my boundaries. It would’ve been so easy to use these obstacles as the means to dodge talking to Seth altogether. Despite my assurances to Hugh and Roman, I really didn’t want to see Seth. Well, the part of me that was in love with him did. That part was in agony every moment we weren’t together. But the rest of me didn’t want to face that expression again, that terrible hurt on his face. I didn’t want to confront the reality of what I was. Despite agreeing to see Seth, I really hadn’t been able to truly convey to Roman and Hugh just how agonizing the thought of facing up to my sins was. I hadn’t been able to handle the wrongness of what I’d done then; I could barely do it now. I’d sold my soul, blighted away the memories of all those I’d loved . . . all because I didn’t want to accept the responsibility of what a terrible thing I’d done. You’d think after almost a millennium and a half, that fear and self-preservation would have changed. I guess it hadn’t. Or maybe it had. The fact that I was trying to find Seth now was proof that I had changed a little, enough to attempt another conversation after his adamant rejection of me. â€Å"Kincaid?† I glanced behind me. I was standing in line at a coffee shop Seth occasionally patronized to sit and write. Coming here had been a long shot, and I hadn’t been all that surprised to see he wasn’t around. Last I knew, he hadn’t been here in ages, especially with everything going on in his family. Apparently, this place had other patrons I hadn’t known about. â€Å"Doug,† I said in surprise. I quickly placed my order for a white chocolate mocha and then waved as Doug strolled over to me. He’d just come in, and fine drops of water covered his black hair. â€Å"What are you having?† I gestured to the barista. Doug looked a little surprised but only hesitated a moment before ordering an inhumanly sized cup of drip. â€Å"Thanks,† he told me, when I handed it over to him. â€Å"You want to sit a minute?† I asked. My original intention had been to grab the mocha and go. I didn’t know what Doug’s plan was, but some perverse urge made me want to try to get a moment with him. â€Å"Sure,† he said, looking a little uncertain. â€Å"But just for a minute. I’ve got to be at work in an hour.† â€Å"We don’t want you to be late for that,† I agreed, settling down at a small table that gave us a fine view of the sleet outside. Seattle wasn’t really known for white Christmases. â€Å"All those last-minute shoppers trying to get their boxed sets.† The ghost of a smile crossed his face. â€Å"You know it. I’m surprised you aren’t at work. Is it true? I heard you were, uh, working elf duty at a mall on the Eastside.† I grimaced. â€Å"Painfully true. But I quit today.† His eyebrows rose. â€Å"On Christmas Eve? That’s cold, Kincaid. Think of the children.† â€Å"I know. But, well, something came up. . . .† I glanced away, unable to meet his eyes as all my troubled feelings threatened to surface. â€Å"Yeah, I can tell,† he said. I dared a look back. â€Å"What do you mean?† Doug shrugged. â€Å"I don’t know. Just this vibe I always got off of you when you were feeling blue. You read "Succubus Revealed Chapter 15" in category "Essay examples" You put on a good face for most of the world, but when something hurts you, your energy changes. Christ.† He took a big drink of coffee. â€Å"Now I’m sounding all New Agey and shit.† â€Å"Well, whatever it is, your instincts are right.† I reconsidered. â€Å"Though ‘blue’ is kind of an understatement. More like navy. Or even black.† â€Å"Mortensen?† he guessed. I shook my head and glanced away again. â€Å"You don’t want to hear about that.† Although, perhaps some part of him would be glad to know Seth and I were through. It’d be vindication after what we did to Maddie. â€Å"Try me,† said Doug. When I didn’t answer, he sighed. â€Å"Kincaid, I don’t hate you. I’m not happy about what went down, but in some weird, twisted way, I do still care about you. If something’s wrong, you can tell me. Did Mortensen hurt you?† â€Å"No,† I said. Then: â€Å"Well, yes, but not without cause. I hurt him first.† â€Å"Ah.† I dragged my gaze back to Doug. His eyes were dark and serious, no trace of enjoyment in my suffering. â€Å"I’ve been trying to find him today . . . trying to get a hold of him. But I think he’s avoiding me. No, I know he’s avoiding me.† â€Å"You’ll patch it up,† said Doug. â€Å"I don’t know. I don’t think we can this time.† † ‘This time,’ † he scoffed. â€Å"Kincaid, the first moment I saw you and Mortensen together, there was something there. I don’t know how to describe it. I was always surprised you guys never went out. I was surprised when he started going out with Maddie, though they seemed happy enough until . . . well, you know. Until he figured out he should be going out with you.† He paused, thinking. â€Å"Anyway, I talk a good talk about love in my songs but really don’t know shit about it in real life. From what I do know, though, I feel like it’s going to take more than whatever argument this is to keep you guys apart.† â€Å"Thanks,† I said. â€Å"That’s nice of you . . . but you don’t know. What I did was pretty terrible.† â€Å"What you guys did to Maddie was pretty terrible,† said Doug. â€Å"But I’ve forgiven you.† â€Å"You have?† I asked, startled. â€Å"Yeah.† He seemed a little surprised by the admission. â€Å"I mean, it helps that this neurosurgeon asked her out last week. I can forgive a lot if it means having a doctor brother-in-law. But in all seriousness? I know you guys didn’t mean to hurt her, just like you didn’t mean to hurt Mortensen here. What you did do is screw up majorly in the forthcomingness department.† â€Å"Forthcomingness?† I repeated. He waved me off. â€Å"Whatever. It’s a word. If you guys had been honest with yourselves and with her, you could’ve saved everyone a world of hurt. Keep that in mind now.† â€Å"You’re a regular relationship guru,† I said, earning me another scoff. Yet, as wise as his words sounded, I still didn’t think there was any way to fix this thousand-year-old hurt. Before I could muster another comment, my phone rang. I looked down at the display in surprise. â€Å"It’s Seth.† â€Å"You better answer it, then,† said Doug. With a gulp, I did. â€Å"Hello? Yeah. Uh-huh . . . sure. Okay . . . I understand. Okay. Bye.† I disconnected and Doug gave me a questioning look. â€Å"That didn’t sound all that warm and fuzzy.† â€Å"Seth wants me to come to Christmas dinner tomorrow,† I said disbelievingly. â€Å"Well, that’s a good sign,† said Doug. I shook my head. â€Å"I don’t think it is. He said he doesn’t want to create more upset in the girls’ lives and just wants me there for appearances, to make them happy. He made it clear that nothing’s changed, nor does he expect it to.† â€Å"I guess it’s more of a lukewarm sign, then,† said Doug. I sighed, and Doug gently chucked my chin. â€Å"Cheer up, Kincaid. You wanted to talk to him. Here’s your chance, no matter what he said. Don’t waste it.† I mustered a smile. â€Å"How’d you get so wise, Doug?† He finished his coffee in a gulp. â€Å"Fuck if I know.† Doug’s words were the kind that you hear in movies and books, the kind that power the against-all-odds comeback we love to see. It was my one chance, my chance to break through Seth’s walls and surmount the insurmountable problems between us. But Seth made sure I never had the chance. I arrived on my own, laden with presents, and was immediately directed to entertain the girls. Seth made the request, since he and most of the other adults (except Ian, who only marginally counted as an adult anyway) were dug in inside the kitchen, and it seemed very reasonable. Normally, I wouldn’t have minded either, except I had the gut feeling Seth was purposely keeping us far apart and constantly surrounded by people. So, I played with the girls, only half-listening as they excitedly told me about what they’d gotten for Christmas. The only time my brooding thoughts shifted from Seth was when Brandy remarked about how more presents had shown up under their tree this morning than could be accounted for. â€Å"No one will own up to having gotten some of the presents. Mom and Dad think Uncle Seth did it. He thinks Grandma did it,† Brandy said in a soft voice, so the littler ones wouldn’t overhear her. â€Å"What kind of presents?† I asked. She shrugged. â€Å"Just toys . . . but lots of them. Like, Mom and Dad got Morgan some Princess Ponies. But this morning ? There were some Power Prism Ponies there too.† I vaguely remembered Carter and Morgan discussing those very ponies. â€Å"Maybe Santa came by,† I said. Brandy rolled her eyes, looking skeptical. â€Å"Maybe.† When dinner came, there was no avoiding being near Seth. Everyone expected us to sit together, and he could hardly ask to move somewhere else. But again, with so many people around, it didn’t matter. I wasn’t going to bring up any dangerous topics in the middle of Christmas dinner, and Seth knew that. Both of us were silent, simply listening as the others talked excitedly about the day and how happy they were that Andrea was feeling better. When dinner ended, Seth was the first one up and made a big deal about how all the guys should do dishes tonight while the ladies of the household retired to the living room. Everyone was pleased with this idea, except for Ian and me. â€Å"What is it with you guys and Christmas?† asked Andrea conspiratorially. I was sitting with her on the loveseat watching as Kendall directed Morgan’s ponies into an epic battle to the death. â€Å"Huh?† I asked, glancing away from the battlefield. â€Å"You and Seth,† said Andrea. â€Å"I remember last Christmas, you guys were the same. Isn’t this supposed to be the happiest day of the year?† I repressed a grimace. Last Christmas, I’d found out that Seth had slept with Maddie in an effort to â€Å"protect me† from a relationship with him. Yeah. That hadn’t been a great holiday either. â€Å"We’ve got nothing against Christmas,† I said bleakly. â€Å"Just . . . some issues to sort out.† She frowned. â€Å"Is it about his tour? I figured you’d be for that.† â€Å"What tour?† â€Å"His publisher wants him to go traveling right after New Year’s. Seth had originally refused because of . . . well, me. But I’ve felt so good lately, I told him he shouldn’t waste the chance.† I hadn’t known about that. I wondered if it was something that had just come up in the last day or if Seth simply hadn’t told me beforehand. The tour would fall before my Las Vegas transfer, and I wouldn’t have put it past Seth to decline it in order to maximize his time with me. Well, at least before things went bad. â€Å"That’s not it,† I said after several seconds, when I realized she was expecting an answer from me. â€Å"It’s . . . complicated.† â€Å"It always is,† she said wisely. I looked past her, toward the kitchen, where I could just barely see the Mortensen men moving around with the dishes. â€Å"For now, I’d just settle for a few moments alone.† She made no comment about that, but later, when the guys returned to the living room, she said very casually, â€Å"Seth, would you mind going upstairs to get my red cardigan? I left it on the foot of the bed.† Seth was about to sit down – far away from me, of course – but sprang up instantly at the request. As soon as he’d disappeared up the stairs, Andrea nudged me with her elbow. I turned to her, startled, and she jerked her head toward the stairs. Go, she mouthed. I glanced around, saw no one was paying much attention to me, and hurried after Seth. I found him in the bedroom, staring around curiously for the sweater that most likely didn’t even exist. When he saw me in the doorway, he sighed heavily, realizing he’d been tricked. â€Å"I don’t have time for this,† he said, attempting to move past me. I put out my arm to block the door. â€Å"Seth, please. Just listen to me. Just for a few minutes.† He stood there, only a few inches away, and then backed up. Since he apparently didn’t want to push past and risk touching me, he must have decided distance was better, even at the risk of being trapped in the room. â€Å"Georgina, there is nothing you can say. Nothing that can change what happened between us.† â€Å"I know that,† I said. â€Å"I’m not going to try.† He eyed me suspiciously. â€Å"You aren’t?† I swallowed, all words and thoughts fading from me as I stared into his eyes. There it was – that look. That same look of hurt and utter devastation that Kyriakos had worn so many centuries ago. It was looking out at me through Seth’s eyes. I nodded. â€Å"We need to know about your contract. We just want to know some details.† â€Å"To help you?† he asked. â€Å"To help both of us. From what we’ve gathered, Hell violated my contract when it wrote yours. And that makes the conditions of yours contradictory. We might be able to get them both invalidated . . . but we need to understand yours better.† Seth leaned against the wall, eyes staring vacantly ahead as his thoughts turned inward. â€Å"I don’t even understand the details of my contract. I barely remember it. . . . I mean, I do and don’t. What went down . . . with the hypnosis . . . it’s real and it’s not.† I started to take a step forward, wanting badly to touch him and comfort him since he was clearly distraught. Caution held me back. â€Å"You have to try. Right now, if you don’t, then you’re going to go to Hell when you die. Doesn’t matter if you become a saint before then. That contract brands your soul . . . unless, well . . . we’re not sure if there was some condition that if you and I got back together, then you’d be free. That’s what we need to know.† â€Å"Does it matter?† he asked. â€Å"Seeing as that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen – doesn’t look like it was ever going to happen, if all those lives were any indication.† â€Å"Well, I mean, yeah . . . it matters in that the more information we have, the better our case.† â€Å"Can’t you just have Hugh look it up?† I shook my head. â€Å"Not without raising attention. It’d be better if we can get the details from you.† â€Å"Well, sorry, then. I don’t remember anything more than what I told you. And honestly? I don’t care.† â€Å"How can you not care?† I asked incredulously. â€Å"It’s your soul we’re talking about!† â€Å"I’ll take my chances,† he said. A spark of anger permeated the sorrow that had clung to me these last couple days. â€Å"There are no ‘chances.’ It’s a done deal. Your soul belongs to Hell. Nothing’s going to change it.† â€Å"Does it really matter? You gave your soul to Hell.† â€Å"For you!† I cried. â€Å"I did it for you. To save you. I would do it a hundred times over if I had to.† Seth scoffed. â€Å"Why didn’t you just not cheat on me one time?† â€Å"I was young, and I was stupid,† I said, amazed at how levelly I could acknowledge that. â€Å"I was scared, and I felt like you were so far away from me. Like I wasn’t part of your priorities anymore. It was all about work and music for you.† â€Å"And you never thought about talking to me about any of that first? You know you can always bring anything up to me.† I sighed. â€Å"To you, maybe. Not to Kyriakos. He . . . you . . . may have meant well but wasn’t always so easy to get through to.† â€Å"But I am him,† argued Seth, though he sound a little unsure. â€Å"Er, was.† â€Å"Yes and no,† I said. â€Å"Look, I’m no expert on reincarnation, but from what I know, even though the soul and some parts of the character are constant, there’s still, like . . . evolving taking place. You grow and change. That’s the point of reincarnation. You’re the same person, but you aren’t. You weren’t perfect back then. Hell, you aren’t now. Maybe you – Seth – can handle talking about this . . . maybe after ten lives, you’ve developed enough relationship maturity. Back then? I’m not so sure. I obviously didn’t have it either.† â€Å"Obviously,† he repeated. His gaze held me for a long time, and this time, I couldn’t tell what he was feeling. At least there was no overt hate or anything. Either that, or he’d simply learned to conceal it. Finally, he said, â€Å"I meant it. I don’t remember the contract details. . . . Just that I would be allowed to keep finding you.† â€Å"That’s it?† I said. â€Å"Nothing else? If there’s anything more . . . I mean, the stakes here are huge, Seth. I know you said you’d take your chances, but remember when we’re talking about your soul, we’re looking beyond the scope of one human life. We’re looking at eternity.† â€Å"There you go again,† he said, with a small, rueful smile. â€Å"Making an argument for the sanctity of the soul, a soul you threw away.† â€Å"And I told you before, I’d do it again.† â€Å"So you wouldn’t have to face me and look me in the eye after what you’d done.† â€Å"In part,† I said. â€Å"But also to save your life. To give you a chance at happiness. Because at that moment . . . that was more important than my eternity.† Seth took a long time to answer, and I again wished I knew what was happening behind those brown eyes. Whose thoughts were stirring in there? His or Kyriakos’s? Or any of the other men I’d had turbulent romances with? â€Å"You didn’t want to face me then,† he said at last. â€Å"But here you are. Why? To save your own soul?† â€Å"To save both our souls,† I said. Seth straightened up from his slouch against the wall and moved toward the door. â€Å"I can’t help you. I mean it – I don’t remember anything else. Now. If you’d please make some polite excuse to the others and leave, I’d really appreciate it.† He came to stand in front of me in the doorway, and for a half a second, time stood still as we studied each other, only a few inches apart. A thousand feelings warred within me, powered by a thousand years’ worth of lifetimes. With a slow nod, I yielded and let him walk past me. He didn’t look back. How to cite Succubus Revealed Chapter 15, Essay examples

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

KATOLICKA KLASICNA GIMNAZIJA S PRAVOM JAVNOSTI U V Essays

KATOLICKA KLASICNA GIMNAZIJA S PRAVOM JAVNOSTI U VITOVITICI SEMINARSKI RAD IZ FILOZOFIJE HERMANN HESSE: SIDDHARTHA Odlican uvod. Djelo je lijepo sazeto. Odlican (5) V. Lackovic Vidovic Ucenica: Andrea Spoljaric VIROVITICA, travanj, 2012. UVOD Nalazimo u vremenu kad se covjek trazi kao duhovno bice i istrazuje nesto vise od fizickog postojanja. Buduci da sam i sama obuzeta egzistencijalnim pitanjima, odlucila sam procitati djelo Hermanna Hessea - Siddhartha. Smatram da ce mi pomoci u pronalazenju nekih odgovora jer vjerujem da djelo ima snazan utjecaj na citatelje, a Hermann Hesse je poznat po svojim filozofski orijentiranim djelima. U ovom seminaru opisat cu objektivno i ukratko prepricati sva poglavlja djela. RAZRADA Siddhartha, zgodan i postovan sin Brahmana, zivi sa svojim ocem u drevnoj Indiji. Svi u selu ocekuju da ce Siddhartha biti uspjesan Brahman poput svoga oca. Uziva u skoro idilicnom zivotu sa svojim najboljim prijateljem Govindom, ali potajno je nesretan. Izvodi sve rituale svoje religije, i cini sto religija nalaze, sto bi mu trebalo donijeti srecu i mir. Ipak, osjeca da nesto nedostaje. Njegov otac i obitelj jos uvijek nisu postigli prosvjetljenje, on osjeca da ostajanje s njima nece rijesiti pitanja koja ima o prirodi i svom postojanju. Siddhartha vjeruje da je njegov otac stekao sve znanje koje njegovo drustvo ima za ponuditi, ali cezne za necim drugim. Jednog dana, grupa lutajucih estetika zvanih samani je prosla kroz grad. Gladni su i gotovo goli i moraju moliti za hranu. Vjeruju da prosvjetljenje moze biti postignuto kroz esteticizam, odbacivanje tijela i tjelesne privlacnosti. Put koji samani propovijedaju je prilicno drukciji od puta kojemu je Siddhartha bio ucen, i on vjeruje da ce mu osigurati neke odgovore koje trazi. Odlucuje da ce slijediti taj novi put. Siddharthin otac ne zeli da se pridruzi samanima, ali ne moze ga odgovoriti. Govinda takodjer zeli pronaci put do prosvjetljenja i slijedi Siddharthu u novom zivotu. Siddhartha se brzo prilagodio nacinima Samana zbog strpljenja i discipline koju je stekao u Brahmanskoj tradiciji. Naucio je kako se osloboditi tradicionalnih okova svijeta i gubi zelju za necim svojim, odjecom, seksualnoscu i svim stvarima osim onima potrebnima za zivot. Njegov cilj je pronaci prosvjetljenje eliminacijom samoga sebe. Uspjesno se odrice svih zadovoljstava svijeta. Suncem isprzen i izgladnjen, Siddhartha uskoro prestaje biti djecak koji je prije bio. Govinda pohvaljuje Samane i pokazuje moralno i dusevno poboljsanje koje su obojica stekli otkako su se preobratili. No, Siddhartha je jos uvijek nezadovoljan. Put negiranja samoga sebe za njega ne osigurava trajno rjesenje. Istice kako su najstariji samani zivjeli mnogo godina, ali tek moraju postici pravo duhovno prosvjetljenje. Samani su bili jednako neuspjesni kao i Brahmani koje su Sidarta i Govinda napustili. U to vrijeme, Siddhartha i Samani su culi price o novom svetom covjeku imenom Gotama Buda, koji je postigao potpuno spiritualno prosvjetljenje zvano Nirvana. Govinda uvjerava Siddharthu da bi obojica trebali napustiti Samane i traziti Gatamu. Siddhartha i Govinda informiraju vodju Samana o svojoj odluci o odlasku. Vodja je nezadovoljan, no Siddhartha ga usutka svojim gotovo magicnim, tihim pogledom. Siddhartha i Govinda pronalaze Gotamin kamp sljedbenika i primljeni su. Siddhartha je zadovoljan Gotamom, te su on i Govinda pouceni novom putu. Dok je Govinda uvjeren da se pridruzi Gotamu, Siddhartha jos uvijek ima sumnje. Nije zapazio kontradikcije u Gotamovom ucenju. Siddharthina pitanja o tome kako moze obuhvatiti jedinstvo svih stvari, odgovoreno je time da mora nadjacati fizicki svijet. Shvaca da mu Budizam nece dati odgovore koje treba. Nazalost, ostavlja Govindu i pocinje traziti smisao zivota, postignuce koje nece ovisiti o religioznim ucenjima. Siddhartha odlucuje poceti zivot bez meditacije i spiritualnih zadataka kojima je tezio. Umjesto toga uci iz uzitaka tijela i materijalnog svijeta. U svom novom istrazivanju, Siddhartha upoznaje prijateljskog vozaca skele, potpuno zadovoljnog svojim jednostavnim zivotom. Siddhartha prelazi rijeku i dolazi u grad. Ondje, predivna kurtizana Kamala mu zapada za oko. Zna da bi ga ona najbolje naucila o svijetu ljubavi, ali ona ga nece uciti dok ne dokaze da se uklapa u materijalni svijet. Nagovara ga da bude trgovac. Uz njenu pomoc, Siddhartha se uskoro zaposljava sa trgovcem zvanim Kamaswami i pocinje uciti kako trgovati. Dok on uci, Kamala postaje njegova ljubavnica i uci ga sve sto zna o ljubavi. Godine prolaze, Siddharthin posao se poboljsava. Uskoro postaje bogat covjek i uziva u dobitima zivota. Kocka, pije i plese, te mu je sve sto postoji ono sto moze posjedovati.