Eliezer’s Relationship with God in Night

Hanging On: The Description of Eliezer's Relationship with God in Night World War II breaks out in Europe during the conclusion of the 1930s. Adolph Hitler plunges Germany into darkness while quickly moving to take over bordering countries with his army of Nazis. Eliezer, a boy no more than 15 years old, lives in Hungary, which is dangerously close to Germany. Along with many other Jews, Eliezer is deported from his home and into a world of unimaginable terror. Night is a memoir of those experiences and, more importantly, a stark reminder that these events should never be allowed to repeat themselves.The Holocaust presents one of the most disturbing theological dilemmas of the twentieth century. As a survivor of the Holocaust, Elie Wiesel has to reevaluate God in his world. He does so through his writings, in which he questions God and tells us of the answers, or lack of answers, that he receives. In Night, author Elie Wiesel writes about his devotion as a child, religious observance s, and anger towards God to reveal how he is still a believer in the Jewish faith despite all that happen to him. Auschwitz, Buchenwald, and Treblinka are just a few of the names which evoke nightmares of the Holocaust.The suffering and death at these and other concentration camps were greater than any before endured. Before the Holocaust he had been one of the most devout Jewish children. The Holocaust created a void in the souls of many of those who survived. Elie Wiesel was one of those people. Before the Holocaust he had been one of the most devout Jewish children. Up until the end he waited for God to intervene in Biblical fashion. When that intervention was not forthcoming, he began to doubt in God and in His mercy. He began to accuse God of cruelty against his people.After the torture was over, he had to reevaluate the role of God in his life. He could be forgiving of God and allow Him another chance, as many he had seen had done. Or he could take on the role of God to himsel f and try to define his own destiny. To deal with this, Wiesel has to question God and himself. He does so through his writing. Elie Wiesel tells his heart-wrenching story of his imprisonment in Nazi Germany. He overcame the odds with his strength and will to live. Elie was told by his father to never lose his faith of his religion it would help him through everything, and keep him strong.One should never lose faith or whatever guiding force that may keep them going. This faith was the only force that helped Elie to survive, and without this faith Elie would have surely succumbed to dying. The question now is how far does Elie’s belief in God and in his own faith helps him to go on. He receives many answers, though none are satisfactory. Wiesel thought of God before and during the Holocaust as both the protector and punisher of the Jewish people. Whatever had happened before, he had faith that it was for their good, or one of God's greater plans.Either way, he would accept Go d's will without questioning. When rumors of the Nazis' crimes first reached some of the outlying Jewish towns, like Wiesel's Sighet, no one believed them. The town felt that God was with them and would protect them from anything as horrible as what these rumors suggested. They felt safe and secure in their faith. â€Å"And we, the Jews of Sighet, were waiting for better days, which would not be long in coming now†(17). Others who did not feel guilty believed that God at least had a good reason for punishing the Jews. They thought it must be a test. God is testing us. He wants to find out whether we can dominate our base instincts and kill the Satan within us. We have no right to despair. And if he punishes us relentlessly, it's a sign that he loves us all the more†(53). Faith delayed the revolution that might have erupted in the camps. The younger people felt it would be better to die fighting than to go like lambs to the slaughter. They had knives and a strong will. B ut their elders reminded them, â€Å"You must never lose faith, even when the sword hangs over your head. That's the teaching of our sages†¦ †(40).As long as the elders were willing to accept God's will, the younger people were willing to respect their faith. They still had faith that God had a greater purpose in mind, and though they opposed the idea of suffering, they would suffer with pride that they are part of God's plan. And so Wiesel and his town were indoctrinated without incident into the camps, believing that if their faith endured, they would be saved. Soon the delusions faded and Wiesel began to doubt God. It was not easy for Wiesel to doubt in God, or he would not have held on to his faith with such tenacity.But sooner or later, the seeming meaninglessness of the suffering his people endured had to burst into the consciousness of his seemingly indomitable Jewish faith. In the face of the crematory pit, Elie Wiesel noted, â€Å"For the first time I felt revo lt rise up in me. Why should I bless His name? The Eternal, Lord of the Universe, the All-Powerful and Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank Him for? †(42). He awoke to the idea that he was â€Å"alone-terribly alone in a world without God†¦ †(75). Lack of faith turned quickly to despair. If God wouldn't save His children, who would? No one believed the rumors of peace and safety.In the hospital at Auschwitz, Wiesel met a man consumed with this kind of despair. He said, â€Å"I've got more faith in Hitler than in anyone else. He's the only one who's kept his promises, all his promises, to the Jewish people. †(87). All around Wiesel, the number of faithful were dropping. As hard as they tried to hold on, Wiesel's people were finding it hard to believe in God and what He was allowing to happen. Others, like Wiesel, were given the burden of carrying the questions with them, never to be answered. At the hanging of the angel-faced pipel, Wiesel had an answer, when someone asked, † ‘Where is God now? And I heard a voice within me answer him: ‘Where is He? Here He is-He is hanging here on this gallows†¦ ‘ †(72). God died for the child Wiesel then. The destruction of his faith in the God of his childhood was complete. No longer did his name bring cries of praise from Wiesel. God seemed unworthy in the face of His worshipers to accept their worship. Wiesel cannot deny God His due. If anything he can question it and feel angry about it. He can even try to change it, by reevaluating God's role in the world. That is what many of those he encountered did once they got over the initial anger.Any answer cannot come from man, but from God himself. This is what Moshe the Beadle had tried to tell Wiesel when he was a young boy in Sighet, before the terrors of the Holocaust destroyed his life. Moshe said, â€Å"Man raises himself toward God by the questions he asks Him†¦ That is the true dialogue. Man question s God and God answers. But we don't understand His answers. We can't understand them. Because they come from the depths of the soul, and they stay there until death. You will find the true answers, Eliezer, only within yourself! †(15). There can be no end to the questioning, even if there are no answers.In reading the works of Elie Wiesel, I had to ask God some of the same questions that he did. The storm of emotion followed the paths of anger and despair, and finally ended with the acceptance that Elie Wiesel finds. God is not easy to figure out, and he never will be. With all our knowledge, we cannot guess at his reasons for doing anything. I will never stop wondering what happened, and, more importantly, why, but I will sleep quietly, as long as when I wake I watch to see that there is not another Holocaust, and I pray to God that whatever the reasons for the first one, there never will be a second.The Holocaust presented a call to people everywhere to reevaluate the role o f God in their lives. The pain and suffering that we know took place is in dark contrast to what we would have thought possible in the presence of our God, and anyone who comes in contact with these horrors will be forever shaken in his present faith. Some have reacted with anger toward God, others with denial. Still others reacted with mistrust of all that God had meant before. But by asking questions, some have grown to learn that God never did things the way people expect Him to, and that fact becomes the cornerstone of the new start to their theology.God does not answer questions unless they suit His purposes. This is what we have learned from Auschwitz and from the writings of Elie Wiesel. We must continue to ask questions, continue to challenge God, until, one day, He Himself will give us the answers. And until then we should never feel so secure in faith as to think that Auschwitz could never happen again. We must make certain, through our actions, that it will never happen a gain and to never lose the faith that has been devoted to God.

Philip Gefter

In the world of art, the photograph has conventionally been used to establish original subjects that document and reflect cultures as accurately as possible. However, in Philip Gefter’s essay, â€Å"Photographic Icons: Fact, Fiction, or Metaphor†, Gefter points out that, â€Å"just because a photograph reflects the world with perceptual accuracy doesn’t mean it is proof of what actually transpired. (208)† What Gefter is telling us is that it is that the ordinary reality of the image is not what is important; the metaphoric truth is the significant factor. What makes photojournalism essential is that it helps show us how to view the world in an individualized way. It is, essentially, a public art, and its power and importance is a function of that artistry. From the war photography of Mathew Brady (who was known for moving dead bodies to create a scene) to Ruth Orkin (who directed a second shot to capture â€Å"American Girl in Italy†, when the first â€Å"real† shot was not to her liking), Gefter underscores that, although these shots are not the unedited version of life, this was life, just in a more appealing fashion. Gefter does not feel these photos are historically invalid. In fact, he believes that they are â€Å"proof of facts in real time, moments in history brought to the present. (208)† Seldom are photojournalistic efforts important primarily because of the â€Å"fact† of what they show; their informational value is minor. Such is the case of the 1956 United Press International photograph of Rosa Parks sitting at the front of a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. For many years, we were led to believe that this photograph was taken on that famous day. It was not until many years later that Parks revealed that the photograph was taken over a year after the day she refused to give up her seat on the bus. The power of this photo resides in the image itself. In general, how much of the value we place on a photographic image is based on what’s actually in the photograph, and how much of it is based on what we’re told about the photograph? The photographer isn’t trying to cheat us by being deceitful in some way to history: Rosa Parks did start a revolution by sitting in the front of a bus while a white man sat behind her. The photograph is powerful enough to take us back to that famous day. It makes us feel as though we are stepping onto that bus, looking up to see a sight not seen before. Although it may not have been taken as the moment happened, it gives us an understanding. The manipulations that attended the creation of this picture are invisible, superficial elements. The amount of manipulation that will deprive a photograph of its value depends on the level of value we assign to it. We revere some photographs because they are images of a fact or time in history, others are compelling because they capture an aspect of the human condition, and yet others appeal to us because they point out to us something beautiful; it’s inspiring and exciting to be reminded that the world can be good and charming. All three of these perspectives ring true for the Parks photograph. She is an icon herself; her story is a force of history. She helped define human condition for an entire race of people and bolstered the Civil Rights Movement. And it is, without a doubt, a quiet, beautiful tale of a kind, demure woman who wanted change. As Gefter asserts, â€Å"Here is a staged document that has become a historic reference point (214-215)†, the power of this picture hangs on the basis that this is life. All photographs are subjective viewpoints. At the most fundamental level the photographer has decided where to position the camera, what is in or not in the frame, and when to take the shot. It is most certainly one of the reasons why not everyone who owns a camera is a photographer and not all photographers are the same. The real value of the art of photojournalism is its way of telling us the truth about that moment in time. Whether or not the photo was staged means little if it served its purpose. And the photo of Rosa Parks absolutely served its purpose; it invoked emotion and made us feel as if we were there. Sometimes fiction tells history truer than nonfiction. Photography is an art; it is an illustration of a point of view, or concept. Photography is story telling. Photography is history. Even if they were orchestrated, all of the photos Gefter discusses in his essay are historical documents. They represent a certain way of life, of thinking, a set of beliefs that the people that composed them held dear to them. Would anyone think less of a beautiful portrait just because the people in it posed for the artist? Art has a truth in itself. There are no lies in a work of art, because it is the observer who gives them value, meaning, and content. We need to be just more thorough to decipher the hidden truth. And that where lies most of the excitement of the beauty of a work of art; a brief look into past, in the development of the analysis of their hidden messages which are different for each and every one of us.

Persuasion Essay Against Online Eduation Essay

Nowadays, everything about the world is accessible at one’s fingertips. Left and right, technological advancements surge throughout stores, offices, and schools. Not only are schools becoming more technology friendly, but online schooling is also growing rapidly. These online schools are attracting millions of teenagers around the world, but they are not as good as they seem. Many teenagers who attend online schools prefer traditional schooling since online schools lack several necessary aspects for learning. Some feel like they do not learn much, if anything at all, and others dislike how detached they feel from their teachers or other students. Although education specialists claim that online education has more benefits, it should not replace traditional education used by the current school system. Granted, online education provides a more flexible schedule. Usually, the students who attend online school have very busy schedules, and online schooling allows them to have a schedule that fits their needs. These students do not have to follow a set time schedule. They are allowed to log in and out of their course whenever their schedule permits, and as long as they complete their assignments by a certain deadline, they pass the course. Also, if a student moves at a slower pace compared to other students, then that student can take his or her time with the lesson. Likewise, if another student learns much faster compared to the average student, then he or she can speed through the lesson without waiting for others. However, attending an online school will lead to a lack of social interaction. Students from online programs can talk to each other through student forums and discussion boards, but they have a very slim chance of meeting face to face considering many of these students live all around the world. With these student forums and discussion boards, the response comments can make an everlasting strand of posts, but no one will be interested enough to read all of them. All of these conflicts make it harder to create long-lasting friendships. In addition, these students do not really get to know each other. Besides that, these students do not get to experience all the activities that traditional schools have to offer like extracurricular clubs. They also cannot create those glorious memories that most people laugh at when they are older and reminiscing. Nevertheless, online education is much cheaper and can save a family a large amount of money. Since these families do not have to pay for tuition, gas, or housing, they can spend their money on other things like house improvements, bills, debts, necessities, college funding, etc. Also, for those who cannot afford to go to a university, an online degree is much easier to achieve. This helps many of those who could not afford to earn a degree to finally attain one. On the contrary, one cannot get as much help from an online program compared to a traditional school. Since online teachers have a limited role in teaching, they try to guide students through the pre-written material. If the teacher is not properly trained to teach online courses, then the students are forced to teach themselves the whole lesson. This can cause students to get frustrated with themselves and not be as motivated to complete their course. To add onto the problem, asking questions is highly more difficult. The students who have questions cannot just raise their hands or stop by their teacher’s office to ask them. They have to wait for answers through e-mails, talk to other students through student forums, or make some sort of appointment with the teacher. In the end, being online educated may involve more work and could take much longer to finish. Most importantly, some online credits are not accepted in traditional schools or colleges. Certain online credits are not accepted because their credits are either not up to par or have no relevancy toward the student’s major. Even though online schools have been given more credibility in the past few years, many still believe that online schooling is much easier than traditional schooling, so college administrators do not take online degrees seriously. Also, some online schools are not accredited by legitimate agencies, and credits from those schools are overlooked completely. In other words, educational specialists should not replace traditional education with online education. Once again, online education not only reduces social activity, but also takes away from the high school experience. In addition, online schools do not offer as much help for students as traditional schools. Lastly, some colleges and universities do  not even accept online credits. While online education may be more viable in the future, they are currently not in the best condition to be implemented into school districts. Until online education is more adaptable to the traditional model, it should not be allowed to jeopardize the learning experience of today’s students.

Marketing (South East Asian Region) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing (South East Asian Region) - Essay Example The business venture can prove to be successful if the company takes couple of distinct steps in the planning process for the foreign market. Such key steps for success in any foreign market are (John R. Darling et.al, 2004): In order to assess and analyze the market potential market research proves to be handy tool. The phenomenal growth in the number of marketing research departments suggests that this technique is being rapidly accepted by the business community. Marketing research itself comprises of studying the; Most of the theories of internationalization have their roots in industrial organisation and economics (from Coase in 1930s through Bain in 1950s to Williamson in the 1970s) and most of these theories were developed as a direct consequence of US MNCs desire to explore the markets of Europe and elsewhere. Since then the world has changed a lot with Asian nations like India taking a big lead in IT sector and China in manufacturing sector. The dominant change in the world economy is of course is the globalisation of markets. This phenomenon is a result of the convergence of the advances in technology, transport processes and production techniques. Globalization of markets and international competition are requiring firms to operate in a multicultural environment. People from different cultures may vary in convenience orientation not only because of time pressures but also because of the value placed on physical or mental comfort. For example, the oil rich consumers or Arabian Gulf coun tries place less value on time and more on high levels of comfort, as their oil wealth fuels convenience-driven demand. But in Southeast Asian nations money and time are more valued than the comfort. Southeast Asia comprises of huge developed markets like Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, besides other significant markets like Vietnam and Myanmar. Southeast Asian markets have made tremendous efforts in restructuring recovering, and strengthening their economies since the 1997 crisis. This recovery is very much visible in the stock market indices of these nations. For example, Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI), Singapore's Straits Times Index (STI) Thailand Index (SET) and Indonesia's Jakarta Stock Exchange Composite Index (JCI) have been on an upswing throughout the year 2006. These nations led by China and India are being termed as Asian tigers as a tribute to the consistent performances in their economies. Though there are country specific issues affecting the entry modes and the extent of entry by any MNC, still the overall environment appears to be investment

Critique on Salvador Dali's Persistence of Memory Essay

Critique on Salvador Dali's Persistence of Memory - Essay Example The essay "Critique on Salvador Dali's Persistence of Memory" aims to analyze Salvador Dali's famous painting called "Persistence of Memory". When one thinks of eccentric modern painters, one of the first names that come to mind is that of Salvador Dali. Perhaps Dali’s most well-known artwork, and certainly the one that made him famous, is his painting â€Å"Persistence of Memory,† originally called â€Å"Melting Clocks.† By analyzing this surrealistic piece of art, one can begin to understand the concepts behind the â€Å"visual aesthetic thought† triangle â€Å"Surrealism attempts to further our understanding of the human condition by seeking ways of fusing together our perceived conscious reality with our unconscious dream state†). The Spanish painter became well-known in his lifetime for his unusual way of looking at things and his willingness to share these visions with the greater world population. Dali's images - his bent watches, his figures , halfhuman, half chest of drawers – have made him the most famous of all Surrealist painters†. Typically painting images he saw in dreams or nightmares and consistently pushing the envelope in terms of subject matter, Dali had a wide range of interests that became reflected in his artwork, such as the work of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud or the mathematical genius of Albert Einstein, both of whose work have been associated with this painting. To create this painting in 1931, Dali said his limp watches were inspired by the remains of a very strong Camembert cheese.

The United States Army Corps of Engineers Essay

The United States Army Corps of Engineers - Essay Example The agency is mainly concerned with public projects as concerns environmental protection, disaster management such as hurricanes control, military technology design, recreational facilities and corporation with other government agencies to ensure a sustainable technology and national security. Besides running and managing most of the nation’s Hydro Electric Power Dams, it is conversely the arm of the federal government acting to support the locals in case of a natural disaster. Every year, the agency responds to more than 30 natural disasters both in the USA and elsewhere, with flooding being the most common disaster faced. One of the main activities the USACE is involved with is the reconstruction of infrastructure in Iraq and Afghanistan. The history of the Corps dates back to the origins of the nation in the early 18th century, mostly during the revolutionary war .It came about as a desire to combat the several challenges facing the forces in terms of technical capabilities and skilled labor. Later in the 19th Century, the Corps resolved to inculcate civilians in to its mission to serve in areas with highly specialized labor as well as to quiet political demands of the locals. Today, the USACE is a large Federal Agency with branches all over and serving more than 130 countries worldwide. Regardless of the noble tasks associated with the Army Corps, coupled with its great success in most of its projects, the USACE has been criticized for mismanagement of funds and environmental risks in the projects allocated to it. Its projects have often subsidized personal interests at the cost of taxpayers’ money. Besides, the Agency has a dark history of blurring its costs so as to justify its projects. One of its projects, the design and construction of levees to curb Hurricane Flooding in New Orleans, was described by the American Society of Civil Engineers as the greatest civil engineering catastrophe in history (Bernhardt & Walsh, 2003). This was after hurricane Katrina cracked the levees and flooded the larger area of New Orleans, destroying property and lives. With other several and similar examples, it is clear that the Agency is failing to manage effectively its projects, as well as costing citizens lots of millions. This paper scrutinizes the Agency’s Data Management System, which is core towards an effective system, paying special regard to the causes of the systems lack of integrity. The author will also examine examples where the system has been described as a total failure. The conclusion section will entail recommendations towards implementing a more honest system and how to avoid future failures of the system. In 1802, the Congress created an Army Corps of Engineers to focus on supporting Military activities. With the progress of the century, the Corps became involved with civilian activities mainly flood control and river direction. With the growing demand for humanitarian activities, more and more missions outs ide the military circle crept in, and today’s Corps has faced 200 years of mission creep (Edward, 2012). The expansion go-aheads passed by the Congress since the 18th Century has not been taking clear considerations on the management of the Agency. Rather, the focus was on eradicating the threats posed by natural disasters. Such a process allows for large possibilities of over budgeting. In one instance in 1836, the House Ways and Means Committee discovered that more than a quarter of the Agency’s projects were over budget. Another expansion mishap was seen in the 1930s where flood control projects were seen as a job creation strategy (Edward, 2012). Many government agencies, including USACE worked to drain many wetlands all over the nation. With

Carrefour China - French Hypermarket Retail Chain Essay

Carrefour China - French Hypermarket Retail Chain - Essay Example With sales reaching 78 billion dollars annually, Carrefour stands as the second largest retailer after Walmart, in the world market. (Lin and Liang, 2002). Carrefour has established its presence in Asian countries like Malaysia, Taiwan, China, South Korea and Singapore. Though its growth in the Chinese market has been restricted by the governmental regulations like the mandatory requirement of a local joint-venture partner, Carrefour has increased its market share and successfully followed a policy of regional penetration in China. Carrefour has slowly and steadily made a foray in the retail industry in China, largely by taking up strategic local partners. With an agreement with the Guangzhou General Merchandise Group of south Chinas Guangdong province, the French company has laid the foundation of a lucrative joint venture in 2002. It also has joint venture undertakings in Kunming, the capital of southwest Chinas Yunnan province, and in Harbin, the capital of northernmost Heilongjiang province. 2 (Xinhua News Agency, 2002). Carrefour operates over 71 supermarkets across China and has been said to have purchased a total of 1.5 billion U.S. dollars worth of commodities from China in the year 2001. 3 (Xinhua News Agency, 2002). The latest Carrefour store became operational in January 2006, in Shanghai. The main competitors of Carrefour are Wal-Mart China, with 42 stores in the country, and Germany-based Metro Group, with 29 stores. 4. (China Frenchiser, 2006). Carrefour has an array of over 600 products sold through its retail stores and hypermarkets spread across diverse Chinese regions. Its products include grocery, detergent and personal care goods, fish farm and poultry, dairy and milk, snacks, bakery, snacks, frozen foods and beverages, and non-food items like kitchen-grade utensils. In addition to the above, Carrefour also stocks electrical goods, clothes, toiletries, luggage accessories and cleaning products. 5(Carrefour, 2006). The Carrefour stores are based on the concept of self-service, that provides the customer with the freedom to browse the products at their pace and thus exposing them to attractive display and packaging.     

P.O.S (Points of Sales system) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

P.O.S (Points of Sales system) - Essay Example POS System Requirements The system requirements will comprise of hardware and software. These specifications will vary in terms of the terminal either client or the server. POS Software There will be several software required to ensure smooth running of the system both at the client and server terminal. The POS application which makes the entire system functional will be internally developed. This is to ensure its customization to stores requirements and functionality. It will be installed in the serve terminal. The preferred platform will be windows 7 operating system. This is because of its user friendliness and compatibility with all software designed for windows.Access database will be used, due to the size of the business, to track inventory. QuickBooks2010 accounting software will be installed this will cater for the production of accounting reports. On the other hand, client computers will be installed withmagnetic and barcode data recognition software,credit card authorizatio n software, printers software, and windows 7 operating software. Furthermore, all the terminals will be connected to the server through the Local Area Network (LAN) and the Wide Area Network (WAN). This will enhance transmission of information between the terminals. Kaspersky antivirus 2011will be installed to all the terminals to enhance system security i.e. hacking and virus associated by networking. This antivirus is automatically updated through the internet. In addition, Ultra Exit 2M software will be installed in the sever computer to track burglary in the store. The Ultra Exit 2M will be mounted on the exit points to enhance security. POS Hardware Computers The retail store will have twelve client computersof Intel Core 2 duo, with 1 GB RAM, 1.5 GHz processor speed and a HDD of 80 GB. They will be the main primary sales transaction keying points and will be password controlled for individual clerks. The main data input will be digital, magnetic data and manually keyed data. O utput from the terminals will be generally sales receipts and terminal sales report. The server computer will serve as control and backup purposes to the terminal points. It will be anIntel Core i3; with 4 GB RAM, 3GHz processor speed and a HDD of 1TB.The outputs will involve sales reports, accounting reports such as inventory level analysis. Cash Drawer and Printer There will be receipt driven Dot matrixprinters with a tear bar and a locking cash drawer with plastic inserts which separates notes from coins at every client computer. The printers will serve to receive sales receipt data input from respective computers and output a hardcopy of sales receipt. Finally, as a control measure upon printing the receipt the cash drawer will open. Portable Bar code Scanner and Magnetic stripe reader These devices will be at every clerk desk to facilitate fast and accurate data input, and efficient customer service. Magnetic stripe will facilitate input of magnetic data from customer’sc redit cards to the POS system.Products within the store will have a unique bar code strip for easier identification. Therefore, bar code scanner will assist to match products with their bar codes and input their prices to the system. Wireless Payment System This will be meant to make payment by customers more effective, as they will

Epic Party Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Epic Party - Essay Example lan for a "School for the Art of the Theatre," sponsored by his admirers Yeats and Pound, he toyed with the idea that the school would "produce ONLY Hamlet" (although in so varied and imaginative a way that the production "will be able to be visited many times without the audience being able to say we have seen it before"). The play was to be repeated, with a difference, over and over again. World War I put an end to these plans; the space was requisitioned for another purpose, and the model stages dismantled. 35 This left the Kessler Hamlet, the Cranach Press Hamlet, as the only form in which Craig would realize his ideal "production" of the play. Craigs drawings for Stanislavski had included his famous "black figures," cutout characters in dramatic poses, included in photographs as three-dimensional cardboard or wooden miniatures, designed to communicate with the actors for the Moscow Hamlet. 36 Intrigued by the black figures, which looked uncannily like woodcuts, Count Harry Kessler, who had long been his patron and promoter in Germany, proposed that Craig might illustrate something for the Cranach Press: perhaps Antony and Cleopatra, or  Miltons Comus. To which Craig is said to have replied that they might as well do Hamlet.† (Easton, L.M.) The birthday present for Milton will be the DVD of a movie titled The Devil’s Advocate (1997) and the reason for chosen present is the relevance of this movie with that of Milton’s epic ‘Paradise Lost’.

Trade Liberalization Essay Example for Free

Trade Liberalization Essay Trade is very critical in any country as it ensures that although countries have different production capabilities they can acquire all types of goods. Different capabilities arise due to the fact that different countries have different natural resources, educational capabilities, varying physical capital as well as the technological knowledge. Trade liberalization entails the reduction of limitations on trade across countries. Artificial barriers as well as other forms of distortions are reduced. (Alvarado S and Morici P, 1992, 59). Protectionism is completely eliminated and tariffs which entail the raising of import prices, quotas that see to it that there is physical limitation on goods that can be imported as well as non tariff barriers like regulation and legislation that hinder easy entry for foreign competitors are eliminated. The US is committed to ensuring that countries eradicate barriers as is seen through its efforts in General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and World Trade Organization (WTO) and in Free Trade Area (FTA).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Trade liberalization or policies ensure that economies are open to trade and investments with the rest of the world. It is crucial for any nation if sustained economic growth is to be attained. Free trade ensures the creation of jobs, better working conditions and the over all economic growth. No country can attain economic growth, which comes along with improved standards of living if it is in exclusion with the rest part of the world. In other words, no country is self-sufficient. Trade openings as well as foreign direct investment ensure economic success especially in third world countries. Trade liberalization has seen many third world countries develop competitive advantages in the production of certain products thus increasing their production and consequently increasing the profits derived from them. This has seen the number of people living in the margins of poverty decrease. It is evident that countries focus on the outward development rather than inward developments thrive more. Such countries focus more on the interrelated relationship with other countries and together all the parties involved benefit. Countries as India, Vietnam and Uganda are relevant examples of how faster growth and poverty reduction is realized when trade liberalization takes place. Lowering of tariffs comes along with quick growth compared to those who do not. (www.kent.ac.uk).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Trade liberalization benefits the poor more. Protection is associated with large implicit subsidies that most third world countries cannot afford. Liberalization of trade ensures that the poor people‘s incomes increase with almost the same proportion as the total population as a whole increases. With trade liberalization there is the creation of jobs, which can suit the semi and the unskilled workers in a nation, such a move, ensures their graduation from a lower social status to a higher one. Again, the reduced inequality gap that had been observed since the 1990s was partly due to trade liberalization and its effects on the economic growth. More gains can be accrued if many barriers to trade are eliminated. Third world countries are more likely to benefit from trade liberalization as a percentage of their GDP than the developed countries since their economies tend to be more or highly protected and also because they face more barriers. (www.imf.org).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     To maximally leap the benefits of trade liberalization it is important that countries specialize in producing goods that they have a comparative advantage in. The opening of their markets and ensuring that their companies compete internationally then follow this. This necessitates stiff competition and increased efficiency that ensures that prices go down making the goods more attractive and affordable. Demand consequently rises and there is continued or increased production to match it. As the businesses, boom the Gross National Income rises and all people benefit from it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Trade liberalization encourages or facilitates the increased imports of strategic goods and services, attracts foreign direct investment and enhances technological transfers. It also ensures the development of endogenous capacities as well as the development of infrastructure that is appropriate to support national objectives for industrial development.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     It can indirectly be beneficial to a country’s natural resources as with the increased trade, countries can acquire the finances needed to support environmental protection, its conservation as well as remediation efforts. Although there are potential negative effects associated with trade liberalization policies that promote the positive effects ought to be enhanced. It is also important to ensure that institutional as well as human capacities of developing countries or those that are in the transition process to the market economies are well organized. This would ensure effective integration between the environment, trade and development policies. Negative effects or impacts of trade should be avoided and curbed before they even emerge and once they start being manifested, they should be addressed quickly. It is important to take into account the sustainability of a country’s environmental as well as natural resources when designing the trade liberalization policies. This will go a long way in ensuring that there are fewer or no adverse effects. In Bangladesh, the shrimp culture became beneficial with the introduction of liberalization. The economic gains included the increased GDP that recorded an increase of approximately 70 %. Exports increased and there was the increased employment rate for the locals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Copper mining in Chile also benefited from trade liberalization. It saw the increased GDP from the sector. The sector contributed to the country’s total exports to a tune of 41% despite the fact that it created employment for just a few people. The liberalization ensured that there was increased private participation and this meant that efficiency and effectiveness would be enhanced. New technologies could easily be adopted and they ensure that costs of production were lowered, competitiveness increased and it was possible to explore previously marginalized areas. (www.kent.ac.uk). This is crucial in ensuring that rural development is attained. Diversified economic development is vital for third world countries as it reduces the rural urban migration and ensures rural development. Infrastructures are developed in areas that could have remained under developed as third world countries lack adequate capital to ensure unified development.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Liberalization enhances competition which works to increase innovation and exploration. It ensures that there is effective exploration especially in areas that had previously been marginalized. It also encourages the use of environmentally friendly technologies geared to ensure that there is minimal harm to the environment. With increased exports or trade in general there is the generation of foreign exchange, attraction of external investment and the creation of employment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Free trade ensures that there is the creation of trade and domestic production is substituted with cheaper imports. Trade creation is important as it ensures that there is effective production efficiency. (Peloso J, 2005, 154). Factors that determine the effects on trade depend on whether there are lower prices due to tariff reduction and if the price changes are responsive to the supply and demand in the market.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Trade liberalization can be defined as a form of trade where a neutral approach is taken and there is minimal government control. Most developing countries that register minimal growth had a history of poor implementation issue in totality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Trade liberalization and free trade ensures positive externalities that lead to increased or greater competition that ensures there is much efficiency in resource allocation, economies of scale as well as technological spill over effects. It reduces rent seeking – behaviour and promotes the increased flow of technological knowledge across the globe. There is a greater access to new goods be they capital or intermediate. There is also a faster rate in the imitation of advanced techniques that enable third world countries to prosper economically.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     It makes exports more competitive especially in the international markets since it involves the reduction in exchange rates distortion as well as export duties. Trade liberalization and free trade in third world countries ensures that there is export diversification among countries involved. Trade restrictions that hinder or act as an obstacle to trade are erased.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Some third world countries especially in Africa would greatly benefit from increased trade through trade liberalization. Most of them have poor infrastructure that would need huge capital to develop in trying to increase the rates of production. Their inadequate capital makes them it hard to acquire new and more efficient technology needed to ensure that there is considerable economic growth and development. Others are inhibited by their geographical locations in ensuring that they develop economically. With trade liberalization acquisition of goods that land locked countries like Uganda is made easier. Many gains are earned when countries exploit their comparative advantage in the face of free trade and trade liberalization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     History proves that inward development among the third world countries where their governments intervene or control the economy are not effective in ensuring economic growth. In the 1960s and 70s when this approach was used it was characterized by ineffective or deficient infrastructures, underdeveloped financial markets as well as poor human capital resources. Through trade liberalization, it was possible to acquire external finances that would steer up the economy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The overall effects of trade liberalization are highly correlated to a country’s political, economical as well as social organization. It is also affected by the way reforms are created and implemented for instance reforms on import liberalization and the approach that is taken for example through tariff reduction, structure unification or reduced duty rates.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     In Tunisia, trade liberalization enhanced export promotion that created changes in the country’s economic growth and external payments. Import liberalization saw the promotion of domestic production that strengthened competition and consequently the economy’s efficiency was enhanced. It ensured trade competition with neighboring countries like Morocco, Algeria and Egypt. Liberalization of telecommunication sector made significant changes in the country’s economic development. Economic expansion in the country is also attributed to the increased privatization of most sectors making them more efficient and effective.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Trade liberalization can be of much importance to third world countries especially because through trade agreements there is the enhancement of the rule of law among the countries involved. Good governance, transparency as well as fair enforcement of contracts is ensured in the countries involved. (Wallace L, 1999, 89). Corruption is in most case eradicated as the rule of law is reinforced and it promotes foreign direct investment. Property rights are also empowered and they ensure that there is effective investment in the involved countries. This ensures that there is increased savings as well as investment and exchange. The competition that comes along with free trade benefits the poor especially in the third world countries where they are susceptible to exploitation by the elites or by a few monopolies. It promotes equality and eradicates the manipulation of trading activities. Free trade also encourages reforms in various sectors of the economy and consequently promotes growth. It sees to it that there is efficiency as the policies established are critical. Again democracies can be effectively strengthened with the establishment of free trade. Free trade in addition to promoting the flow of goods and services it also entails the transmission of ideas and values. Self confidence is therefore ensured as freedom is ensured.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The World Bank reported of the overwhelming growth that came along with the reduction of trade barriers, it estimates that in the 90s the per capita of such countries rose by almost thrice. (www.usemb.gov.do). Trade liberalization encourages domestic reforms that are needed in third world countries. Freedom and openness promote effective governance and macroeconomic policies that ensure there is economic growth. The economic gains arising from increased trade would be effective in ensuring that third world countries reduce the burden of seeking foreign assistance that comes with strings attached or conditional ties.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     According to the numerous studies conducted by World Bank and also by the University of Michigan there are more gains attributed to trade liberalization especially in developing countries where trade barriers are approximately four times more than in developed countries. Another study by International Institute of Economics established that millions of people subjected to abject poverty especially in the third world countries would have their living standards improved with the global free trade. (www.usemb.gov.do). Trade liberalization and free trade therefore increases the flow of trade and benefit the third world countries. References: IMF. 2001. Global Trade Liberalization and the Developing Countries. Retrieved on 11th April 2008 from http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/ib/2001/110801.htm Jennifer Peloso. 2005. Free Trade. H.W. Wilson Publishers. P 154 Sylvia Alvarado, Peter Morici.1992. The Premise and the Promise: Free Trade in the Americas. Transaction Publishers. P 59 America U Santos Paulino. Trade liberalization and economic performance among selected developing countries. Retrieved on 11th April 2008 from http://www.kent.ac.uk/economics/papers/papers-pdf/2000/0012.pdf. Michael McGee. 2006. Benefits of Free Trade Agreements for Developing Countries. Retrieved on 11th April 2008 from http://www.usemb.gov.do/FCS-e.htm Laura Wallace. 1999. Adjusting to the Challenges of Globalization. International

A history of refugees

A history of refugees According to the United Nations, a refugee is a person who flees their home country due to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion. From ancient to recent times, from poor areas to developed countries, refugees could be seen almost everywhere. Nowadays, although the global economy has been developing very fast, the problem of refugee still exits. With the old issues remain unsolved, the new ones also emerging, the situation of refugees did not improve a lot much. The number of refugees has kept raising and their geographical distribution has kept widening, how to find the solution to refugee problems has become a cross-century challenge for the whole world. Poverty is one of the fatal roots of the refugee problem. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in their report on the global food and agricultural situation, points out that there are still 13% of the human species on earth (about 800 million) are still starving. And the phenomenon is most serious in the African continent there were about 400 million people lack of food or clothes; Asia following Africa sees the less worst situation there are about 300 million people are still suffering from hunger all day long; And the population in Latin America who live under the poverty line reach the number of 70 million. We notice that, the number of refugees in each continent refers to a considerable proportion of the number of people suffer from starvation. The latest United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) statistics shows that there are more than 2100 million refugees in total worldwide, of which 8.44 million in Asia, 5.33 million in Africa, 1.04 million in North Ame rica, 570 thousand in Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe is home for 564 thousand refugees among whom mostly come from Africa, Asia and Latin America. In recent years, our whole world sees the continuous development of science and technology along with the global economy. However, food shortage is still a very fatal and serious problem. In a report released by Food and Agricultural Organization in March, it demonstrated that due to continuous natural disasters, there are now 60 million people living in 33 different countries are facing various degrees of food insecurity problems. The report, entitled Shortage of Food and Crops, said that some African area in the south of sub-Saharan region is facing the most serious food deficit 16 countries in that area are in extreme food shortage. In East Africa, although the situation of the year-long drought has been improved last year, yet 18 million people live in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Sudan and Tanzania still need the international community to continue to provide emergency food aid. In Mozambique and other southern African countries, the recent outbreak of floods caused severe damage to crops, and these countries also need access to food aid too. Many countries in Asia are also troubled by the shortage of food. Serious food crisis has begun in Afghanistan due to continuing civil war and drought. East and Central Asia countries such as Armenia, Georgia and Tajikistan are also in the need of food aid due to the droughts happened in their domestics. Food shortages directly threaten the lives of local residents, in order to survive, the population in poor area was forced to leave their homes and become refugees of no fixed abodes. Another reason for refugee problems are very difficult to solve is the deteriorating economic situation and the over grown population in some certain countries. Lets take the case of Africa for instance. In recent years, with the African political situation is easing and the economic situation began to improve, people seem to think that everything is going to be OK. However, there are still many countries out there lack of funds for development and many countries are carrying very heavy debt. According to international organizations latest statistics, the total external debt of the entire Africa reached 360 billion US dollars. It is more than 24 times of what it was 30 years ago. Heavy debt, on the one hand, brings deathly heavy burden to the African countries, and also seriously hampered Africas economic and social development strategies. Africas share in international trade continue to decline, till now they only have 2% while the foreign direct investment put in the whole Africa c ontinent every year is only 1.5% of total international investment. Relatively backward economic conditions lead to the fact that the proportion of poor people in Africa is far more than that in other continents. Africas population accounts for over 12% of the total population of the whole world, yet, Africas GDP is only about 2% of that of the globe. Africa now has a population of about 700 million; the average annual population growth rate is 3%, with the growth in agriculture only goes to 2.5% per year. In some countries, there might be even negative growth in agriculture. There cant be enough food grown to feed the fast increasing population. Too fast growth of population has also caused a shortage or even depletion of natural resources in some parts of Africa. According to researches, every year in Africa, more than 4 million hectares of forests are destroyed. There are severe desertification in many areas which leads to abnormal climate change, floods, droughts and pests. Human destruction contributed a lot in creating this vicious cycle. The ecological environment in many African countries is deteriorating, many places are no longer suitable for living, and the former local residents were forced to leave and find other places to live. Besides, race, religious conflicts and territorial disputes caused intensification of the conflict and wars could be counted as another reason for refugees. In the Middle East, Israeli-Palestinian conflict which has last for a century has one worst consequence that it created a ripple of Palestinian refugees and the problem of these refugees even have an influence throughout the whole Middle East region. The wave of refugee formed by this conflict was the biggest and longest one in history. Currently, among the 21 million refugees worldwide, the Palestinian refugees make up the biggest part with a number of 3.5 million in total. From the emergence of the first generation of Palestinian refugees till now, the problem of them has continued for over 50 years and we could not even clearly see the hope to solve it. The problem of Palestinian refugees has become a big obstacle to remaining peace between Israel and Pakistan. Balkans refugee problems caused by the ethnic conflicts are quite bad too. Since the broke up of the civil war in the early nineties in the 20th century, the number of refuges in the Balkans has reached millions, of which women and children are the majority. In March, ethnic Albanians extremists had a large-scale armed conflict with the government forces; it caused another new refugee flow in Macedonia. The long-lasting civil war in Afghanistan make more than 7 million refugees ran away to Iran and Pakistan. In South Africa, the largest number of refugees could be found in Angola and Mozambique. These two countries recent 20 years were occupied by civil war or natural disasters, millions of people become displaced refugees. In Central Africa, because of the armed tribal conflict between Rwanda and Burundi, more than 2 million refugees fled to eastern Congo (DRC) region, and led to the conflict between Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, as well as Burundi and Uganda. It once caused the refugee c risis. The situation of refugees in eastern Africa is also increasingly worse: the war between Eritrea and Ethiopia lasts for over 10 years forced thousands of refugees flew to other countries; The Sudans civil war which nearly lasts for 50 years, forced large number of refugees fled to Ethiopia, bar Doyle, Central Africa and Kenya to survive; Now, in Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Colombia and other countries, bloody conflicts and terrorist activities are still forcing local residents to flee their homes and become homeless refugees. Natural disasters are also important reasons contributed to the refugee problem which we cannot ignore. According to materials released by international organizations, that the average death caused by natural disasters every year is 1.44 million, 57 thousand injured and 5 million homeless. Severe famine caused by natural disasters kills at least 73.6 thousand every year. In the past decade, various types of natural disasters caused the loss of 608 billion U.S. dollars in total and millions of refugees left their home and become wandering. Refugees not only bring problems to developing countries, but also bring burdens to developed countries. Large numbers of people move from developing countries to developed countries every year and among them, there are a lot of illegal immigrants who just becomes the economic refugees. Their existence with uncertainty of safety and economical support lead to social problems in developing countries. After World War II, to deal with the refugee issue left in Europe by the war, the international community set up a temporary agency in Geneva to solve the European refugee problem in the year 1951. It was responsible for the specific work of resettlement of the refugees. Later on, with the increasing number of refugees all over the world, this agencys scope also expanded and finally become the current United Nations Higher Commission of Refugees (UNHCR). UNHCR is funded mainly by contributions from the international community, 2% of the annual budget allocation by the United Nations, and the remaining 98% of pledges by countries. The annual budget of the UNHCR in the early ninetieth in the 20th century was 120 million and that in the year 2002 was 78 million U.S dollars. The current agent of UNHCR, former Prime Minister of Netherland Ruud Lubbers holds the opinion that to solve the refugee problem, the budget every year should at least be more than 110 million dollars. Resettlement work is a systematic project, in addition to rescue. At present, there are three major and general solutions to the refugee problems: voluntary repatriation; local integration and third- country resettlement. After the United Nations Higher Commission of Refugees was founded, the scope of its assistance activities continued to change: European refugees in the 1950s; focus move on to Africa in 1960-1970s; in the late 1970s, serious refugee problems have been all over Asia, Africa, and Latin American continents, the total number of refugees grow over 10 million; After the cold war in the late 1990s, ethnic conflicts and religious conflicts have become increasingly prominent in some parts of the world. Conflicts, civil wars and political instabilities led to large-scale influx of refugees. United Nations statistics show that in the last ten years in the 20th century, the number of refugees in the world increased by a variety of more than 7 million, from 15 million in 1990 to 22 million in the early of the year 2000. Among them, the worlds total number of refugee in 1991 was 17 million while this data became 23 million in 1993 and later in 1995 to a record 27 million. World Refugee Day occurs on June 20. The day was created in 2000 by a special United Nations General Assembly Resolution. June 20 had previously been commemorated as African Refugee Day in a number of African countries. In the United Kingdom World Refugee Day is celebrated as part of Refugee Week. Refugee Week is a nationwide festival designed to promote understanding and to celebrate the cultural contributions of refugees, and features many events such as music, dance and theatre. History tells us that the refugee problem is threatening our step of development in secure and peace. There are so many complicated reasons that cause the problem of refugee and there is no simple solution to it. Human beings must face the fact that we have these problems all around and work out ways to effectively eliminate this piece of dark shadow that has always been on our planet.

The Improvement of Automobile Fuel Economy :: Cars Fuel Oil Automobiles Essays

The Improvement of Automobile Fuel Economy Abstract In today’s society, it has been determined by energy analysts that fuel consumption is increasing at an alarming rate. This is due to the large influx of drivers on the road, and the increase in travel demands. Since energy is not a finite commodity, there have to be certain movements taken to improve the fuel economy in automobiles. Certain technological advances have been discovered, such as reduction in vehicle weight, and improvements in the engine design, that can greatly increase the efficiency of the automobiles. However, these improvements will come at a cost ultimately to the consumer. With government mandates on average fleet mpg ratings increasing by the year 2001, it is becoming imperative that there be a joint venture between industry and government to meet these guidelines, in the effort to increase fuel efficiency. Introduction: In today’s world, one of the major topics of the day is the unknown future of energy. Energy is a commodity that is devoured by the entire world. However, it is also something that, in many senses, cannot be restored. Take, for instance, gasoline. Today’s society is extremely dependent on the role of the automobile as a means of transportation. However, with the exponential growth of our dependency on cars, the use of gasoline, and in many cases its waste, has grown enormously also. Therefore it is understandable that the growing depletion of gasoline has lead to the furthering of initiatives to improve the overall fuel efficiency of automobiles. In fact, the improvements have been increasing year by year. However, there has also been a steady increase in the price of petroleum, along with the steady increase in its demand. Supply, however, is an entity that is uncertain. This is because the majority of the world’s oil supply comes from unstable areas, namely the Middle East. Despite these uncertainties, the automobile, in this case in the United States, is becoming more and more the principal means of transportation for the masses. The days of the trolley, and other means of public transportation have long since passed, and the automobile has been intertwined into the American lifestyle. This domination has also, in fact, spread across the border toward Canada, and across the sea to most of Western Europe. Despite a faint resurgence of public transportation, such as buses and trains, the automobile is still the primary mode of personal transportation in the United States.

Criticism of William Saroyans Five Ripe Pears :: Childhood Memories Novels Essays

Criticism of William Saroyans' Five Ripe Pears The boy declared that the pears were both the evidence of theft and the proof of innocence. In William Saroyans Novel, Five Ripe Pears, the critical approach that I decided to use is psychoanalytic criticism. I do know about Five Ripe Pears as a novel because I have done a paper on this novel before but I had no idea what psychoanalytic criticism was. Saroyans device of addressing Mr.Pollard (the principal) directly and using I really dominated the novel for me. It is almost like Saroyan is trying to be back in his childhood years. The style that Saroyan chooses by using figurative language and many metaphors really helped understand this essay for me. For example, Among the leaves I watched the pears, fat and yellow and red, full of the stuff of life, from the sun, and I wanted. Another thing to consider would be the point of view of narrator in style. By doing this Saroyan really wants the reader to know what he is talking about when he says, But it was not to eat. It was not to st eal. It was to know, the pear. Of life-the sum of it-which could decay. With this phrase that Saroyan uses it really threw me off as a reader. He was waiting for the perfect moment, almost like it was not about the pears anymore, but about his life. Saroyan wanted to grab that perfect moment in his life before it decayed or ended. What I really want to know is what does psychoanalytic criticism have to do with William Saroyans works and novels. I thought maybe that if I knew what this was I could apply it to what I already know about William Saroyans writings. I thought that Saroyan would say that psychoanalytic criticism is something that readers use to break down the author. Maybe to get beneath the novel and get those hidden meanings. I thought that this phrase was really just something that people use to explain why the author is talking about a certain subject or why the author has the novel end in a certain why. But what would William Saroyan do with this? A sensible Man is no less nave at six than at sixty, but few men are sensible. I think that if I knew what psychoanalytic criticism means to Saroyan as a writer I might know what he means when he says this.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

A summary: When Scout was six, Dill (Charles Baker Harris) comes to visit his aunt and becomes good friends with the Finches. The children in Maycomb spend all their free time of summer trying to get Boo (Arthur) Radley come out of his house. None of the children have ever seen the mysterious man that lives next door, but they never find out that he is actually shut up in this house. After the summer is over, Scout enters school and gets into trouble because she already knows how to read and to write. She is always constantly getting into fights with boys like Walter Cunningham, the son of a poor farmer. During that year, Scout and her older brother Jem begin to find things in a hole in a tree on the Radley property as they pass it going to and from school. The next summer, Dill returns and the three continue their plans to make Boo Radley emerge from his house. They try to use a fishing pole to stick a note onto one of the windows of the Radleys. One night they decided to sneak up t o one of the windows to have a peek inside. Jem reaches the porch when a shadow appears and the three of them run for their lives just as a shotgun blast is heard. Jem gets caught on the fence by his pants so he has to slip out of them in order to escape. Later he tries to go get the pants that he lost and is afraid. A little bit later Scout hears that the pants were mended very strangely and lying on the fence. The next fall, the children make their first snowman. During this cold spell, Miss Maudie's house burns down and Scout and Jem have to stand outside for fear that their house might also burn down. While they are shivering in the cold, someone wraps a blanket around scout without their knowing it. All indications point to Boo Radley putting the blanket around her. About this time, the children begin to hear in the town that their father is a "nigger- lover." Atticus warns his children never to fight about this, but at Christmas time when one of Scout's cousins makes the same statement, she bloodies his nose. That Christmas, both children receive air rifles but they are given instructions that they must never kill a

Impressionism and Post Impressionism

Impressionism and Post-Impressionism Eras Impressionism is the art movement that began in France in the 19th century. Claude Motet's work, Impression, sole eleven, or Impression, Sunrise, is where the name for the movement was derived. Various styles such as thin, small brush strokes, open composition, accurate depiction of light, ordinary subject matter, movement, and unusual visual angles were used in art during this time period. Impressionists broke the traditional guidelines of painting which drew a hostile reaction from the public at first.Instead of specific details their art depicted visual effects using various lord, shading, and short strokes leaving out much of the detail and capturing what was being observed at a given moment. (Impressionism, 2013) Impressionist artists were also liberated from painting only indoors by the innovation of storing paint in tubes. This technology allowed artists to pain outside which led them to create pieces that featured landscapes and were more focused on capturing natural light in their work. (Minded, 3. 20) In the sass's when Impressionism was beginning to grow in popularity, France was undergoing major changes in the political arena.Napoleon Ill had Just been defeated n a war against Prussia. During his rule France saw industrial and economic growth but certain freedoms such as press and assembly had been suppressed. Following his rule, France established the Third Republic. In the beginning there was conflict between royalists and a group referred to as The Commune, a socialist group. After five years of fighting the royalists of the Republic ultimately won by executing hundreds of The Commune in an event now known as The Bloody Week. During this time thousands of France also fled the country to places like England, Spain, and even he United States.Due to all the hostility by the opposing sides France stayed under martial law for five years. There were also religious impacts during this time period. Most notably w as the separation of the Church from the state. This legislation made the Church property of the state and required that religion be removed from schools. Additionally churches were only allowed to remain open if they held public political meetings in the evenings. Education reform was also in the works that focused increasing the availability of further education and training in technology.France in the 19th Century, 2013) Post-Impressionism immediately followed Impressionism beginning in the sass's. The actual term was first used by Roger Fry a British artist and art critic in 1910. Post-Impressionism typically refers to the time period since French painter, Dour Meant. The style of Post-Impressionism continued the use of vivid colors, thick paint application, real-life subject matter, and distinct brush strokes that were all common during Impressionism. Additionally artists also highlighted geometric forms, and used strange or uninformed colors.A foundation for quite a few 20th-c entury contemporary trends evolved because of the work of Post- Impressionist artists. (Post-Impressionism, 2013) World War II, a paramount world event was happening during the Post-Impression period. Many in France welcomed this war as a way to defeat Germany after the Franco-Prussian War in 1871. Attitudes soon changed regarding the war. Soldiers grew tired and hesitant to attack. Due to the war the economy in France was devastated during this time by German invasion in major industrial areas.America was a relief for France during the war providing DOD, money, and raw materials in 1917. Following the war France was in a poor state economically and the government struggled as well. France's economy continued to struggle even after the war as they were behind in industry. Germany and Great Britain both beat France industrially regardless of the great industry and infrastructure that was in France. (France in the 20th Century, 2013) There are many similarities and a few differences b etween art during the Impressionism and Post- Impressionism Eras.Both art forms were neither realistic nor abstract, dealt with legalistic subject matter a lot of which were landscapes and the artist's uses of colors to show light sources. Additionally both periods used some of the same techniques in relation to distinct brush strokes, thick application of paint, and use of vivid and sometimes unrealistic paint colors. Even though Post-Impressionist artists carried on several of the Impressionist innovations there were also new things introduced. Post- Impressionist artist used unnatural forms and colors to portray things in the natural world while Impressionists works were more realistic.Also, Impressionist artists had sees of a concern for expression and structure than Post-Impressionist artists. (Minded, 3. 20) Post-Impressionism continued much of the work of Impressionism. The use of real subject matter, the ability to do art outdoors, and the artists approach to color selection s and applications are all examples of how Impressionism had stylistic impacts on Post-Impressionism. These similarities can be better understood by analyzing works from each era. Claude Monet was an Impressionist artist. His work, Houses of Parliament, is an oil painting that he produced in approximately 1901.In this work Monet portrays his view of the houses of Parliament across the Thames River in London from his room in the Savoy Hotel. As in most works of this time period Monet used abstract shapes, muted colors, and a distinct light source that shows the exact time of day, late afternoon, in which he completed this work. (The Houses of Parliament, 2013) In contrast to this work is Vincent van Sago's Post- Impressionist work, Irises. Van Gogh completed this and many of his works from within the confines of Stain Paul-De-Mausoleum, an asylum in France. Van Gogh spent any of his days painting the gardens that surrounded the clinic.As seen in Irises, van Gogh uses bright vibrant c olors, lighting sources that resemble a bright, sunny day, and much more realistic techniques than in Motet's Houses of Parliament. (Vincent van Gogh, 2013) Houses of Parliament relates to Irises because they represent the differences between Impressionism and Post-Impressionism art styles and techniques. You can see in Irises a lot of the techniques that started during the Impressionist period but that were refined during Post-Impressionism, specifically in he detail of the brush strokes, more realistic feel, and brighter colors used in the piece.Post Impressionism influenced the art world by bringing painting into a more realistic phase and by introducing new techniques that are still used in painting today. The use of various colors to portray light sources, while beginning during Impressionism, was highly elevated during Post-Impressionism. Additionally the radical approach and independent styles used by post-impressionist artist and their resolve of pursuing exclusive artistic expression intensely influenced future groups of artists. The Met Post-Impressionism, 2013). References Impressionism. (2013). Impressionism and Post Impressionism Impressionism is the art movement that began in France in the 19th century. Claude Monet’s work, Impression, soleil levant, or Impression, Sunrise, is where the name for the movement was derived. Various styles such as thin, small brush strokes, open composition, accurate depiction of light, ordinary subject matter, movement, and unusual visual angles were used in art during this time period. Impressionists broke the traditional guidelines of painting which drew a hostile reaction from the public at first. Instead of specific details their art depicted visual effects using various colors, shading, and short strokes leaving out much of the detail and capturing what was being observed at a given moment. (Impressionism, 2013) Impressionist artists were also liberated from painting only indoors by the innovation of storing paint in tubes. This technology allowed artists to pain outside which led them to create pieces that featured landscapes and were more focused on capturing natural light in their work. (MindEdge, 3. 20) In the 1870’s when Impressionism was beginning to grow in popularity, France was undergoing major changes in the political arena. Napoleon III had just been defeated in a war against Prussia. During his rule France saw industrial and economic growth but certain freedoms such as press and assembly had been suppressed. Following his rule, France established the Third Republic. In the beginning there was conflict between royalists and a group referred to as The Commune, a socialist group. After five years of fighting the royalists of the Republic ultimately won by executing hundreds of The Commune in an event now known as The Bloody Week. During this time thousands of France also fled the country to places like England, Spain, and even the United States. Due to all the hostility by the opposing sides France stayed under martial law for five years. There were also religious impacts during this time period. Most notably was the separation of the Church from the state. This legislation made the Church property of the state and required that religion be removed from schools. Additionally churches were only allowed to remain open if they held public political meetings in the evenings. Education reform was also in the works that focused increasing the availability of further education and training in technology. (France in the 19th Century, 2013) Post-Impressionism immediately followed Impressionism beginning in the 1890’s. The actual term was first used by Roger Fry a British artist and art critic in 1910. Post-Impressionism typically refers to the time period since French painter, Edourd Manet. The style of Post-Impressionism continued the use of vivid colors, thick paint application, real-life subject matter, and distinct brush strokes that were all common during Impressionism. Additionally artists also highlighted geometric forms, and used strange or uninformed colors. A foundation for quite a few 20th-century contemporary trends evolved because of the work of Post-Impressionist artists. (Post-Impressionism, 2013) World War II, a paramount world event was happening during the Post-Impression period. Many in France welcomed this war as a way to defeat Germany after the Franco-Prussian War in 1871. Attitudes soon changed regarding the war. Soldiers grew tired and hesitant to attack. Due to the war the economy in France was devastated during this time by German invasion in major industrial areas. America was a relief for France during the war providing food, money, and raw materials in 1917. Following the war France was in a poor state economically and the government struggled as well. France’s economy continued to struggle even after the war as they were behind in industry. Germany and Great Britain both beat France industrially regardless of the great industry and infrastructure that was in France. (France in the 20th Century, 2013) There are many similarities and a few differences between art during the Impressionism and Post-Impressionism Eras. Both art forms were neither realistic nor abstract, dealt with realistic subject matter a lot of which were landscapes and the artist’s uses of colors to show light sources. Additionally both periods used some of the same techniques in relation to distinct brush strokes, thick application of paint, and use of vivid and sometimes unrealistic paint colors. Even though Post-Impressionist artists carried on several of the Impressionist innovations there were also new things introduced. Post-Impressionist artist used unnatural forms and colors to portray things in the natural world while Impressionists works were more realistic. Also, Impressionist artists had less of a concern for expression and structure than Post-Impressionist artists. (MindEdge, 3. 20) Post-Impressionism continued much of the work of Impressionism. The use of real subject matter, the ability to do art outdoors, and the artists approach to color selections and applications are all examples of how Impressionism had stylistic impacts on Post-Impressionism. These similarities can be better understood by analyzing works from each era. Claude Monet was an Impressionist artist. His work, Houses of Parliament, is an oil painting that he produced in approximately 1901. In this work Monet portrays his view of the houses of Parliament across the Thames River in London from his room in the Savoy Hotel. As in most works of this time period Monet used abstract shapes, muted colors, and a distinct light source that shows the exact time of day, late afternoon, in which he completed this work. (The Houses of Parliament, 2013) In contrast to this work is Vincent van Gogh’s Post-Impressionist work, Irises. Van Gogh completed this and many of his works from within the confines of Stain Paul-de-Mausole, an asylum in France. Van Gogh spent many of his days painting the gardens that surrounded the clinic. As seen in Irises, van Gogh uses bright vibrant colors, lighting sources that resemble a bright, sunny day, and much more realistic techniques than in Monet’s Houses of Parliament. (Vincent van Gogh, 2013) Houses of Parliament relates to Irises because they represent the differences between Impressionism and Post-Impressionism art styles and techniques. You can see in Irises a lot of the techniques that started during the Impressionist period but that were refined during Post-Impressionism, specifically in the detail of the brush strokes, more realistic feel, and brighter colors used in the piece. Post Impressionism influenced the art world by bringing painting into a more realistic phase and by introducing new techniques that are still used in painting today. The use of various colors to portray light sources, while beginning during Impressionism, was highly elevated during Post-Impressionism. Additionally the radical approach and independent styles used by post-impressionist artist and their resolve of pursuing exclusive artistic expression intensely influenced future groups of artists. (The Met Post-Impressionism, 2013).

High School Enrollment System Essay

I. 1 Background of the Study This project looks at an Enrollment System for a high school. It stores details of students, year, and section. It may also be use as local assessment of the MEIN Business H. S. for their fees. The enrollment is designed for use by staff and other authorized user in the high school office to enable them to easily produce information required by the different people in the high school. Computing technology has an impact on almost every aspect of daily life. Computer applications abound in art, business, entertainment, science, engineering and medicine. For students who  think logically, enjoy solving problems and have an interest in software development, Computer Science is a good study choice. Students develop skills in logical thinking, creative problem-solving and communication. Classes often incorporate a team approach, requiring clear communication among members as they solve a problem and explain their solution to others. Students gain both hands-on design experience as well as theoretical knowledge. This combination of skills provides an advantage to graduating students because of the broad range of skills possessed. Classes are generally small, averaging less than 25 students. The faculty works on such fascinating topics as virtual reality, high-speed networks, parallel computing, computer security, embedded applications, Internet technologies and multimedia. Students work alongside faculty in department labs equipped with state-of-the-art computing equipment. Students can gain extra experience in the Student Chapter of the ACM (affiliated with the national organization), which hosts technical and social activities as well as the Honors Co-op Program which provides paid internships during the senior year at local companies. A web application or web app is an application that is accessed via  the Internet or an Intranet. Web applications are popular due to ubiquity of the client. The ability to update and maintain web applications without distributing and installing software on potentially thousands of client computers are key reasons for their popularity. A significant advantage of building web applications to support a standard browser feature is the ability to perform as specified, regardless of the operating system installed on a given client. The proponents decided to adapt web application in their study because it enables the students, faculty, and administrators of the  institution to gain 24-hour access and use to the proposed system via a client computer without any needs of installing or distributing any software. I. 2 Statement of the Problem The MEIN Business H. S. is using a manual system for their enrollment facility. The inaccuracies of information were minimal, like the identification of level per year and sometimes the registrar personnel were making a mistake with the number of subject—but the possibility of encountering a more difficulties and tedious task was still at hand. One of the problems that the institution would like to include in the  study was the lack manpower in the accounting department. In the accounting office or the cashier, MEIN Business H. S. only had two personnel to accommodate the students during the payment of fees for their enrolment. The outcome was that the school had a hard time in accommodating those large numbered students, and that made it hard for other students to wait in line. Another problem of the school was the generation of forms. The students needed to fill-up the student information slip, advising slip, and three (3) copies of the registration forms for the copy and record of the accounting office, the registrar and for the student themselves. Students were consuming a lot of time in doing such. Since the students are manually filling-up the official documents the school, data Redundancy has a great possibility in causing further complexity in the enrolment process. An added problem was that when the students were getting their subjects and schedule for the semester, the students had to refer to the bulletin boards for the available subjects, schedule, and slots. Since the said information was posted, it would only mean that the updates were not monitored effectively. To keep the students updated at all times, the availability of the subjects and slots should be monitored. If a subject only has 5 slots available and there are still a number of students who would be enrolling that subject, students should be informed of someone has availed the slots already so that there wouldn’t be any wasted time just by falling in line again just to look for another available slot. I. 3 Assumption and Hypothesis This study is sought to answer the following questions and assumptions, to wit: ?What are the advantages of using an automated enrollment system? ?What are the important Components that should be used in completing this project? ?What are the tools that will be used to able for the proponent to complete this study? To aid the researcher on the study, the following hypothesis is formulated, to wit: The advantages that the proposed automated Enrollment system are: †¢Cost savings and cost avoidance †¢Quicker response †¢Accuracy †¢Getting the needed information †¢Backup and security The following are the important component in terms of student’s information: †¢Student Number †¢School Year †¢Section ID †¢Year level †¢Schedule ID †¢Teacher ID †¢Fee code The tools that will be used in completing this project is Microsoft Access 2003 as its backend and the Microsoft visual basic 6. 0 as its Front end, this tools are compatible with windows platform. I. 4 Significance of the Study Due to the increasing population of MEIN Business H. S. this study helped the school regarding their enrollment transactions. The proposed system aimed to benefit the school in their enrollment facilities such as maintaining the files, assessment of fees and especially the enrollment itself. The proposed system aimed to benefit the following: The School The main beneficiary of the study is MEIN Business H. S. MEIN Business H. S. would be adapting the new innovation of technology through web that will make their work with optimum performance. The developed system will compensate the flaws and problems that the company is encountering. Employees would not have to worry preparing forms for the customers and reports for the managers because the system will supply it for them. Registrar and Accounting Office With regards to the registrar’s office the proposed system will help the school in maintaining the data of the students and the school will not use the manual data gathering. MEIN Business H. S. will just need to check the database for the records needed. Students The students will benefit by means of not having a hard time in falling in line and waiting for their turn to register and pay for their tuitions. The students can pay their tuitions via the internet. Proponents The proponents would also be a beneficiary of the study since the proponents would value the importance of enhancing their skills and work performance while grasping knowledge throughout the study. Future Researchers For the future researchers, this study could be used for their reference in having a local enrollment system if the future researchers would like to formulate a system such as this. I. 5 Scope and Delimitation of the Study The proposed of system was a portal type system that covered the major processes in the enrollment system of MEIN Business H. S. namely: Registration of the current students, class scheduling and sectioning, assessment of fees, file maintenance, report generation (registration form, assessment slip, student master list, and other forms and reports essential to the system). The proposed system included the processing of student’s personal records and the mode of payment that the student would choose. The new students or transferees have a limited access over the online enrolment system. Since they do not have an account or profile in the system, they could only view the following: courses offered;  available schedule, subjects, and slots; projected amount of the tuition fee. When the student logs in his/her account, there would be tabs or menus that would contain options that the student might want to do in the system. He/she could find updates in his/her account (assessment fees), the pre-registration form for enrollment with the class schedule, and other forms that would be needed for the accomplishment of the records or the student. The student would also be given a selection for the mode of payment that he/she would like to avail (i. e. Online via credit card, Cash or Installment). The forms that would be needed from  the enrollee would be passed on-line. The online payment would be through the means of entering the bank account number of the enrollee, course code, student or ID number, and the bank account number of the school itself. Users of the system have their own account with different access levels. Students can view the subjects that are available, pay their tuition fees and view their grades online. The student will be given a selection of the mode of payment. Administrators have total access to the system. The portal system was not connected by any means to the current web page that the school is using. The proposed system would only be used for enrollment purposes only. The study does not cover the computation of students’ grades since only the final grade is needed to verify if the student passed the pre-requisite of a particular subject, entrance examinations and other web messaging services such as forums/threads, online voting/polling, and e-mail 1. 6 Theoretical Framework Inquiry of Students Requirements User Illustrates theoretical framework of MEIN Business High School Enrollment. Inquiry of Students, Requirements, Registration, Student Listing of Assessment, Enrollment and Student Report are the seven  entities that are interconnected to the user. Registration Student listing MEIN Business H. S. Enrollment System Assessment Enrollment Student Report 1. 7 Conceptual Framework Registration Enrollment of Students Generates properly Print official receipt Illustrates the conceptual framework of MEIN Business High School Enrollment System. Registration, Processing Modification, Assessment of Students, Enrollment of Students, Generates Properly and Print Official Receipt. These are the six entities that are interconnected with the user. Processing modification Assessment of Students MEIN Business H. S. Enrollment System User.

Part Five Chapter X

X Gavin was wearing sunglasses against the glare of the morning sun, but that was no disguise: Samantha Mollison was sure to recognize his car. When he caught sight of her, striding along the pavement alone with her hands in her pockets and her head down, Gavin made a sharp left turn, and instead of continuing along the road to Mary's, crossed the old stone bridge, and parked up a side lane on the other side of the river. He did not want Samantha to see him parking outside Mary's house. It did not matter on work days, when he wore a suit and carried a briefcase; it had not mattered before he had admitted to himself what he felt about Mary, but it mattered now. In any case, the morning was glorious and a walk bought him time. Still keeping my options open, he thought, as he crossed the bridge on foot. There was a small boy sitting by himself on a bench, eating sweets, below him. I don't have to say anything †¦ I'll play it by ear †¦ But his palms were wet. The thought of Gaia telling the Fairbrother twins that he was in love with their mother had haunted him all through a restless night. Mary seemed pleased to see him. ‘Where's your car?' she asked, peering over his shoulder. ‘Parked it down by the river,' he said. ‘Lovely morning. I fancied a walk, and then it occurred to me that I could mow the lawn if you – ‘ ‘Oh, Graham did it for me,' she said, ‘but that's so sweet of you. Come in and have a coffee.' She chatted as she moved around the kitchen. She was wearing old cut-off jeans and a T-shirt; they showed how thin she was, but her hair was shiny again, the way he usually thought of it. He could see the twin girls, lying out on the freshly mown lawn on a blanket, both with headphones in, listening to their iPods. ‘How are you?' Mary asked, sitting down beside him. He could not think why she sounded so concerned; then he remembered that he had found time to tell her, yesterday, during his brief visit, that he and Kay had split up. ‘I'm OK,' he said. ‘Probably for the best.' She smiled and patted his arm. ‘I heard last night,' he said, his mouth a little dry, ‘that you might be moving.' ‘News travels fast in Pagford,' she said. ‘It's just an idea. Theresa wants me to move back to Liverpool.' ‘And how do the kids feel about that?' ‘Well, I'd wait for the girls and Fergus to do their exams in June. Declan's not so much of a problem. I mean, none of us wants to leave †¦' She melted into tears in front of him, but he was so happy that he reached out to touch her delicate wrist. ‘Of course you don't †¦' ‘†¦ Barry's grave.' ‘Ah,' said Gavin, his happiness snuffed out like a candle. Mary wiped her streaming eyes on the back of her hand. Gavin found her a little morbid. His family cremated their dead. Barry's burial had only been the second he had ever attended, and he had hated everything about it. Gavin saw a grave purely as a marker for the place where a corpse was decomposing; a nasty thought, yet people took it into their heads to visit and bring flowers, as though it might yet recover. She had got up to get tissues. Outside on the lawn, the twins had switched to sharing a set of headphones, their heads bobbing up and down in time to the same song. ‘So Miles got Barry's seat,' she said. ‘I could hear the celebrations all the way up here last night.' ‘Well, it was Howard's †¦ yeah, that's right,' said Gavin. ‘And Pagford's nearly rid of the Fields,' she said. ‘Yeah, looks like it.' ‘And now Miles is on the council, it'll be easier to close Bellchapel,' she said. Gavin always had to remind himself what Bellchapel was; he had no interest in these issues at all. ‘Yeah, I suppose so.' ‘So everything Barry wanted is finished,' she said. Her tears had dried up, and the patches of high angry colour had returned to her cheeks. ‘I know,' he said. ‘It's really sad.' ‘I don't know,' she said, still flushed and angry. ‘Why should Pagford pick up the bills for the Fields? Barry only ever saw one side of it. He thought everyone in the Fields was like him. He thought Krystal Weedon was like him, but she wasn't. It never occurred to him that people in the Fields might be happy where they are.' ‘Yeah,' said Gavin, overjoyed that she disagreed with Barry, and feeling as if the shadow of his grave had lifted from between them, ‘I know what you mean. From all I've heard about Krystal Weedon – ‘ ‘She got more of his time and his attention than his own daughters,' said Mary. ‘And she never even gave a penny for his wreath. The girls told me. The whole rowing team chipped in, except Krystal. And she didn't come to his funeral, even, after all he'd done for her.' ‘Yeah, well, that shows – ‘ ‘I'm sorry, but I can't stop thinking about it all,' she said frenetically. ‘I can't stop thinking that he'd still want me to worry about bloody Krystal Weedon. I can't get past it. All the last day of his life, and he had a headache and he didn't do anything about it, writing that bloody article!' ‘I know,' said Gavin. ‘I know. I think,' he said, with a sense of putting his foot tentatively on an old rope bridge, ‘it's a bloke thing. Miles is the same. Samantha didn't want him to stand for the council, but he went ahead anyway. You know, some men really like a bit of power – ‘ ‘Barry wasn't in it for power,' said Mary, and Gavin hastily retreated. ‘No, no, Barry wasn't. He was in it for – ‘ ‘He couldn't help himself,' she said. ‘He thought everyone was like him, that if you gave them a hand they'd start bettering themselves.' ‘Yeah,' said Gavin, ‘but the point is, there are other people who could use a hand – people at home †¦' ‘Well, exactly!' said Mary, dissolving yet again into tears. ‘Mary,' said Gavin, leaving his chair, moving to her side (on the rope bridge now, with a sense of mingled panic and anticipation), ‘look †¦ it's really early †¦ I mean, it's far too soon †¦ but you'll meet someone else.' ‘At forty,' sobbed Mary, ‘with four children †¦' ‘Plenty of men,' he began, but that was no good; he would rather she did not think she had too many options. ‘The right man,' he corrected himself, ‘won't care that you've got kids. Anyway, they're such nice kids †¦ anyone would be glad to take them on.' ‘Oh, Gavin, you're so sweet,' she said, dabbing her eyes again. He put his arm around her, and she did not shrug it off. They stood without speaking while she blew her nose, and then he felt her tense to move away, and he said, ‘Mary †¦' ‘What?' ‘I've got to – Mary, I think I'm in love with you.' He knew for a few seconds the glorious pride of the skydiver who pushes off firm floor into limitless space. Then she pulled away. ‘Gavin. I – ‘ ‘I'm sorry,' he said, observing with alarm her repulsed expression. ‘I wanted you to hear it from me. I told Kay that's why I wanted to split up, and I was scared you'd hear it from someone else. I wouldn't have said anything for months. Years,' he added, trying to bring back her smile and the mood in which she found him sweet. But Mary was shaking her head, arms folded over her thin chest. ‘Gavin, I never, ever – ‘ ‘Forget I said anything,' he said foolishly. ‘Let's just forget it.' ‘I thought you understood,' she said. He gathered that he should have known that she was encased in the invisible armour of grief, and that it ought to have protected her. ‘I do understand,' he lied. ‘I wouldn't have told you, only – ‘ ‘Barry always said you fancied me,' said Mary. ‘I didn't,' he said frantically. ‘Gavin, I think you're such a nice man,' she said breathlessly. ‘But I don't – I mean, even if – ‘ ‘No,' he said loudly, trying to drown her out. ‘I understand. Listen, I'm going to go.' ‘There's no need †¦' But he almost hated her now. He had heard what she was trying to say: even if I weren't grieving for my husband, I wouldn't want you. His visit had been so brief that when Mary, slightly shaky, poured away his coffee it was still hot.