Myth Example

Class V. Caste System Essays - Indian Caste System, Discrimination

Class V. Station System A Class versus a Caste System In any countrys history, a high phase of social advancement is arrived at just when the primary social divisions are framed. The standing framework enters the Hindu society to a level obscure somewhere else. It has some influence in different developments yet in India it has attacked the entirety. It is in this feeling we may talk about the position framework as a marvel particular to India (Pocock 27). The class arrangement of the United States and the standing arrangement of India share regular qualities yet, simultaneously, they diverse from numerous points of view. A standing framework inflexibly confined occupationally, socially, individuals may not wed outside the station. Station framework downgrades and separates individuals as indicated by their hereditary as well as social foundation. There are supposed to be four significant attributes regular of station frameworks. Included are the accompanying: participation into the position is inherited; marriage inside the station is required; portability is almost unimaginable; occupation is firmly identified with standing (Hurst, 1998). On the other hand, a class framework is a general public dependent on various gatherings. These gatherings are made out of individuals whose stratas are regularly identified with word related or property divisions. They are made out of a lot of reliable and stable examples that persevere through time. In the United States it depends on a characterization of people who are assembled into power levels which speak to the auxiliary disparity in the distribution of remunerations, benefits, and assets. These levels are frequently alluded to as the upper, center. Furthermore, lower classes. They to a great extent decide life risks in relating straightforwardly to the wages and instructive organization of every individual class (Davis 65-72). One of the most grounded and most complex instances of the rank framework can be found in Hindu India, where a pecking order of thousands of particular positions reflect strict practice, occupation, region, culture status, or ancestral alliance. Furthermore, their general public is isolated into four social classes: - the Brahmans, clerics and researchers; Kshatriyas, the military and rulers; Vaisyas, ranchers and dealers; and Sudras, workers and workers. Underneath the Sudras were the untouchables, who played out the most humble assignments. The Untouchables are frequently viewed as the polluters incorporate people groups whose occupations are those, for example, beauticians, janitors, leather treaters, butchers, and funeral directors. They were given this title since they reach such toxins as blood, soil, compost, hair, calfskin, menstrual stream, spit and so forth. Prevalently referred to in the past as untouchables, the politically right terms presently utilized are Dalits (the a bused) as well as Harijans (Children of God), a term presented by Mahatma Gandhi. Despite the fact that position isolation is authoritatively unlawful, it is predominant in India (Singh 9-19). An open framework is a general public where individuals can change their financial, lofty and power status without any problem. Interestingly, a shut framework is society in which individuals face extraordinary trouble in changing these statuses. One should remember that no general public is totally open or shut, indeed, all social orders have in any event at least one attributes of both shut and open frameworks. The United States is a genuine case of a generally open framework. This is on the grounds that the US is established upon the suspicion that every individual is given the equivalent chance to accomplish that most extreme degree of achievement at the most elevated level of the class framework. America depends on the conviction that this accomplishment can be reached through capability, commitment to the network and society and through ingenuity and difficult work. Lamentably, this perfect is regularly limited when generalizations appointed to individuals based on sex, age, and race become possibly the most important factor. In lieu of this numerous sociologists regularly see the United States society as an exceptionally shut framework as a result of the high degree racial imbalance. Correspondingly, a Hindu standing framework is a genuine case of a shut framework. In spite of the fact that the standing framework in India was unmistakably increasingly shut before 1900, India despite everything endures comparatively in provincial regions. Individuals in India have customarily acquired their status during childbirth from their folks. As per usual, it is phenomenal for this status to change through an amazing course. Dissimilar to in the United States, individual legitimacy and industriousness abandon reward. It appears that regardless of how

How Much Sex Do We Really Need

How Much Sex Do We Really Need Relationships Spouses & Partners Print How Much Sex Do We Really Need? By Co-Author: Dr. Barbara Winter Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Carly Snyder, MD on January 28, 2020 facebook twitter linkedin Carly Snyder, MD is a reproductive and perinatal psychiatrist who combines traditional psychiatry with integrative medicine-based treatments.   Learn about our Medical Review Board Carly Snyder, MD Updated on February 19, 2020 franckreporter / Getty Images More in Relationships Spouses & Partners Marital Problems LGBTQ Violence and Abuse Many people wonder how much sex they should be having. They wonder how much sex is enough for a married couple, or if they are “normal” compared to others. Just how important is sex, anyway? These are common questions asked in the offices of couples therapists and sex therapists (and maybe just as commonly, worried about but not asked). It’s risky to cite statistics on sexual satisfaction for a few reasons. This is because much of the data is from self-reported information. We really aren’t 100% confident about the accuracy of the results. While it is important to have an initial reference point for different groups of people, it is typically not what someone is really asking. People actually wish to know if their relationship is healthy. They are wondering if they are enough for their partner or if their partner is indeed enough for them. They are wondering if “too much” or, typically, “too little” sex is at issue in their relationship. Sometimes they are not just wondering. In fact, they are terrified that their relationship is in jeopardy of this concern. Discrepant Desire The question about sexual frequency typically comes when one partner is less satisfied with the amount of sex they are having. This “discrepant desire” level, where one partner wants more or less than the other, is common in committed relationships. It can also be that both partners are displeased with the frequency in which they engage in sexual interaction.?? The good news, however, is that marital satisfaction is not simply a function of sexual frequency. In fact, married couples are looking at the quality of their sexual interaction and not just the quantity.?? What the Research Tells Us First and foremost, the research on marital satisfaction is fraught with difficulties. This is often due to the design of the experiment or the way in which data is collected. Nonetheless, people still need something as a gauge, and research shows that: Generally, there is a decrease in both frequency and satisfaction as couples are together longer.??Sexual frequency diminishes when we consider other factors such as work, chores, children, physical or physiological factors, other relational issues, and so on.??Sexual frequency and sexual satisfaction are both inversely correlated to divorce rates. In other words, as one rate rises, the other goes down.??Research published in 2015 looked at over 2400 married couples and found that the more sex a couple had, the happier they were. Interestingly, though, happiness maxed out at one sexual encounter per week.?? Why Is Once a Week Ideal? This cap can be viewed as the relationship equivalent of the “law of diminishing returns,” which states that when you add more employees to get a job done, there is an increase in productivity, but only to a point. After that point, efficiency drops. So sex once or twice a month might not be sufficient, but more than once per week doesnt increase happiness any further. In fact, in another recent study, couples who were instructed to double the amount of sex they were having were no happier than they were before (with their usual rate of sex). Furthermore, they reported less enjoyment of sex. With the law of diminishing returns, there seems to be a downside to too much sex.?? We know sexual satisfaction is better at certain stages of relationships.  We also know that life gets in the way. It is up to each couple to set their own personal standard and be okay with it. This is what is most critical when considering sexual satisfaction. It’s not about the number, but your experience of that number. Couples who ruminate as to whether or not their frequency is “normal” are those who are likely dissatisfied and may indeed be below the curve. Yet there are couplesâ€"typically, but not always, older and longer married couplesâ€"for whom infrequent sex is just fine. Improving Your Sex Life Discrepant desire can become a real problemâ€"more often quantitatively but sometimes even qualitatively.?? For those whose sex lives are challenged, there are steps you can take. For one, assess your relationship outside of the bedroom. Are you achieving intimacy there? Both physical and emotional intimacy are imperative to your connection. Whatever your love language, whether it be one-on-one time, gifts, kind acts, or kind words, nurture it. If your only love language is sex, you need to work on this. Couples therapists traditionally suggest things like scheduling sex, changing the venue, going on a trip away from the family space, spicing things up or even reenacting your dating sex. These work for some and not others. With testosterone levels highest in the morning, that may be an option for some. If that is ineffective in boosting you in the bedroom, then seek the help of a sex therapist, but not without first ruling out any physical or physiological issues. Sexual desire can be impacted by: Medical diseaseMedicationsHormonesAgingFamily obligations/childrenPhysiological problems or body image issuesSexual beliefs and attitudesPhysical attractionRelational issuesPsychological issues (depression/anxiety)Situational concerns (for example, how you feel about your partner at that moment) If you have had a dry spell, merely engaging in sex can get you back in the game. It will get your rhythm going again and help the flow of bonding hormones like oxytocin and vasopressin.?? You can revive and repair the disengagement you are feeling. Since intimacy and sex are intertwined, sometimes this is all a couple needs to get back on track. Remember, it’s not the number that is important, but the meaning of the question. Staying married is hard enough in the context of today’s challenges and life’s distractions. Those challenges tend to migrate into the bedroom. So as we remain committed, or married, we can be just as happy with less sex. The overall quality of the relationship takes precedence over the bedroom. If you can muddle or dance through the years of less sex, you can make it. A Word From Verywell Communication about desires and feelings about your sex life in an open, honest and respectful way is imperative. Both partners need to feel heard and satisfied in marriage and sexual intimacy is part of a successful marital relationship. One persons desires cannot trump another’s. Instead, it must be a constant discussion so both parties feel safe discussing their feelings and desires. If one person feels insecure or concerned by a possible reduction in their partners sexual interest and conversely, if something is causing ones sex drive to be lower than usual, they must be able to tell their partner why and explore ways to improve things.

Agency Relationship Within Business Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1066 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? Question 1 Agency-Relationship is a relationship in which one person has legal authority to act on behalf of another. Agent has a legal and ethical responsibility to make decision that furthers the interests of the shareholders. When the interests of the agents and shareholders conflicts each other, an agency problem will be appeared. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Agency Relationship Within Business Finance Essay" essay for you Create order There are several examples of companies which had serious Agency-Relationship problems and resulted their Chief Executive Officers sent to jail. For the first example, a former chairman and a executive director of publicly listed Field Group Holdings Limited, charged by Hong Kongs Independent Commission Against Corruption, have been convicted at the District Court of conspiracy to defraud shareholders of the company and the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (SEHK) in relation to a fake joint venture in a gas pipeline project in Chongqing, Mainland China and of money laundering in relation to the proceeds. To complete the fraudulent scam, the CEOs further caused the SEHK and the shareholders of Field Group Holdings Limited to approve the issue and allotment of the shares to the shareholders. They were found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to defraud. To prevent this kind of agency-relationship problem, first, is to encourage employees to identify the risk and notify to the ma nager. The management should develop and implement control over these kinds of circumstances. For the second example, a former research executive at a biotech company has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud shareholders that she and others caused the biotech company to issue false claims about a test to detect Down syndrome. The crime carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison along with fines potentially reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars. The problem in this case is Elizabeth Dragon who knew the truth about the test, but she told the public it was a near-perfect success. She misled investors with overstated information about a significant new product that never to be made. Investors interest was harmed as they were believed in those fault information. As a result, the company image was damaged as well. Public will lost their faith in the company. To prevent this kind of agency-relationship problem, the management should implement a set of mon itoring employee to handle research and development test data and result. Limit few employees can be accessed to the important data base. For the third example, a toy holdings company and its CEO had announced that it had purchased majority share interest in a manufacturing company. The Purchase price was to be large amount in stock and cash. The facts was the CEO and the toy holdings company has only paid half of the cash amount to the exiting majority shareholder of which the CEO had to burrow the funds from an investor. The CEO had expressed to the exiting shareholder that he needed to have control of the entity before he could secure the rest of the funds needed to complete the transaction. No other monies have ever been paid. The CEO finally has pleaded guilty of defrauding shareholders. The Company has lost all credibility due to unpaid invoices with wholesalers. The interest of the shareholders was not secured. To prevent this kind of agency-relationship problem, the management should reconcile bank statement within a month of receipt in order to detect any irregularities. Periodic reviews of contracts, financial documents, and accounting policies should be keeping checking so as to detect any irregularities. Some control plan can be set by the management for detecting and preventing fraudulent activities in the company. The management should be monitored the control plan regularly to ensure the control plans are effective and working. Question 2 Assuming our company ABC has the initial investment and cash flow as below table. We are going to demonstrate the estimate cash flows for the first 5 years by several investment appraisal methods for Project A. Estimate Cash flowÃÆ' £Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ Year Project A 0 -100000 1 60000 2 40000 3 30000 4 30000 Assume the initial investment amount is $10,000. Estimate cash flow is as the table shows. Net Present Value (NPV) Suppose the desired interest rate of return is 10% per annum. Year Discount factor Cash flow PV 0 1 -100000 -100000 1 0.909 60000 54540 2 0.826 40000 33040 3 0.751 30000 22530 4 0.683 10000 6830 ÃÆ' £Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ ÃÆ' £Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ NPV 16940 The NPV is $16,940 which is positive. The returning on the investment is over the interest rate 10 per annum. The investment project should be taken. Advantage NPV can provide us absolute value when considering taking the project or not. It considers the time value of money that irrespective of the exact time at which the cash flow is made. Disadvantage NPV cannot apply on intangible benefits. The size of the investment has not been measured. Internal Rate of Return (IRR) The NPV at 10% is $16,940. If now the rate of return is 20%, the NPV will be $-70. Year Discount factor Cash flow PV 0 1 -100000 -100000 1 0.833 60000 49980 2 0.694 40000 27760 3 0.579 30000 17370 4 0.482 10000 4820 ÃÆ' £Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ ÃÆ' £Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ NPV -70 The estimated IRR is 19.96%. (Formula: 10+(16940)x(20-10)/(16940+70)=19.96%) If we need 12% return on the investment, the project should be taken. Advantage it is a simple way to communicate the value of the investment to people who doesnt know the estimation details. Disadvantage Unrealistic rates of return are given. For the above case, the investment is financially attractive and should be taken immediately. But in the real world, IRR of 19.96% implies there is an opportunity to reinvest future cash flows at 19.96%, rather than an actual return of 19.96%. IRR approach cannot be applied on mutually exclusive projects. The Payback Period Year Project A Cumulative Cash Flow 0 -100000 0 1 60000 60000 2 40000 100000 3 30000 130000 4 10000 140000 The payback period is 2 years. The investment project is acceptable. Advantages It is easy to calculate and simple to use. Profitable opportunities for long-term investment will not be overlooked as they involve a shorter wait for revenues to flow. Disadvantage Time value of money and inflation are not considered. It only concerns the liquidity of the cash flow, not the effect on business profitability. It ignores cash flows beyond the cutoff date. It biased against long-term projects, such as research and development. The Profitability Index (PI) According to the above calculation, we are using the figures to calculate the PI as shown in the table below. Initial investment $100,000 NPV 16940 PV $116,940 The profitability index is 1.1694. (Formula: (116940/100000)) Since the PI greater than 1.0, which means this project has positive NPV, the project should be taken. Advantage It is easy to understand and communicate. It considers all cash flows of the investment and the time value of money. Disadvantage It only can be used for divisible projects. It ignores the size of the investment.

William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice Essay

William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare features, Shylock a very controversial character due to his religion, profession and personal traits. Professionally Shylock lends money to people in debt, in order to gain interest and profit. Although, this is very much central to our modern way of life, in the Elizabethan period, money lending was not accepted as an acceptable profession. Throughout The Merchant of Venice Shylock is portrayed as menacing, inhumane and slightly eccentric, yet at times misunderstood and induces sympathy from the reader. His personal traits and beliefs evoke complex emotions. We cannot decide whether Shylock is an†¦show more content†¦Sympathy is created, as it is apparent that Shylock cannot trust, nor befriend anyone in the play, not even his own daughter. This is clear evidence of one way in which Shylock is more sinned than sinning. Shylock places profit above love. When Jessica, his daughter, steals from him and leaves him, it is clear that Shylock is very distraught. However, it is difficult to ignore what appears to be Shylocks priority -the loss of money. As, money lending is Shylocks profession; it is obvious money is very important to him. When discussing the loss of his daughter and ducats, Shylock describes how he would rather his money returned to him than his daughter and would infact like to have revenge against her. Shylock: I would my daughter were dead at my feat, and the jewels in her ear. Immediately it is clear how heartless, inhumane, unforgiving and sinister Shylock is. To place profit above the life of his daughter demonstrates how wrong Shylocks priorities are and is clear evidence of how Shylock is sinning. Shylock is more sinned against than sinning by the fact that every character in the play is against him. Shylock has no family or friends to rely upon or trust. He is constantly mocked and insulted by many characters throughout The Merchant of Venice. The firstShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeares Merchant of Venice2271 Words   |  10 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Merchant of Venice In many ways, shylock is a more difficult character for a modern audience than for an Elizabethan audience. With close reference to Act 1 scene 3, Act 3 scene 1 and Act 4 scene 1 show how an actor might reveal the human being behind the stereotype. The merchant of Venice is a play written in Elizabethan times by William Shakespeare. The play is set in Elizabethan Venice. The play starts with Antonio, a rich merchant, who isRead More Responsibilities in William Shakespeares Merchant of Venice1212 Words   |  5 PagesResponsibilities in William Shakespeares Merchant of Venice The small and seemingly insignificant details in a story often hold together an entire theme of the work. This phenomenon is recognizable in the plays of William Shakespeare, as a speech or incident with a minor character can point the audience to a much larger truth about the work as a whole. The Merchant of Venice contains such a minor character, Lancelot, whose story gives a clue to the reader about the roles of the other charactersRead More Homosexuality in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice1474 Words   |  6 PagesHomosexuality in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice With every great story line comes a theme. William Shakespeare created an art of intertwining often unrecognizable themes within his plays. In Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice, one hidden theme is the idea of homosexuality. This theme might not have even been noticed until modern Shakespeare fans discovered them. According to Alan Bray’s book, Homosexuality in Renaissance England, â€Å"the modern image of ‘the homosexual’Read MoreShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice1694 Words   |  7 PagesShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice Introduction One of the most interesting and dramatic characters in ‘The Merchant of Venice’ is the rich, despised money-lending Jew Shylock. It is impossible to judge Shylock’s character by our own modern Standards, simple because Shakespeare wrote this play for play goers in Elizabethan times. This was very different to modern times for two reasons. Firstly, people watching the play would not find itRead MoreShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice1401 Words   |  6 PagesShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice The play begins in Venice where the wealthy merchant Antonio is talking to his young friends about the reasons for the depression. Antonio claims not to understand himself his sad nature. 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In the many dramatic pieces of theatrical production written and the diverse individuality he ahs been able to write about many characters created through greatRead MoreRelationships in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice3131 Words   |  13 PagesRelationships in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeares most popular plays and Act 1 Scene 3 is a key scene. There are three characters involved in the scene and these are: Antonio, Bassanio and Shylock. Shakespeare portrays their characters effectively as well as the contrasting relationships between them. He uses various themes, his language and style and the plot of the bond to achieve this. Before I lookRead MoreEssay William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice2277 Words   |  10 PagesWilliam Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice Introduction The three versions of the Merchant of Venice which I have watched are: 1. Channel 4 television version for their Schools Broadcasting Programmes 2. Trevor Nunns version 3. National Theatre Company version directed by Jonathan Miller and starring Laurence Olivier as Shylock Act IV scene 1 is an intense scene in the play where we see many of the plays main themes such as justice and mercyRead MoreShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice Essay1128 Words   |  5 PagesShylock in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice I am a Jew a famous saying from Shylock in Merchant of Venice that clarifies the merchant brotherhood of a wealthy city. Merchant of Venice contains rascals and heroes. The audiences will soon realise that Shylock, the Jewish money lender, is shown as a villain within the wealthy city. Is this really what Shakespeare had intended? This testimony given proposes that Shylock is more of a deceitful character Read More Mens Control in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice1437 Words   |  6 PagesControl in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice In Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, the scene opens to reveal a society controlled by men. Men, who live in the foreground of Venetian society, wield their power in business, government, and family life. In the background, women conduct their lives quietly. They are subservient to their husbands and fathers and are regarded as helpless and in need of male guidance in areas of decision making. Though in Shakespeare’s time such a

Last Sacrifice Chapter Two Free Essays

string(34) " my problems win without a fight\." AS ALWAYS, IT WAS DISORIENTING. Faces and skulls, translucent and luminescent, all hovered around me. They were drawn to me, swarming in a cloud as though they all desperately needed to say something. We will write a custom essay sample on Last Sacrifice Chapter Two or any similar topic only for you Order Now And really, they probably did. The ghosts that lingered in this world were restless, souls who had reasons that kept them from moving on. When Lissa had brought me back from the dead, I’d kept a connection to their world. It had taken a lot of work and self-control to learn to block out the phantoms that followed me. The magical wards that protected the Moroi Court actually kept most ghosts away from me, but this time, I wanted them here. Giving them that access, drawing them in †¦ well, it was a dangerous thing. Something told me that if ever there was a restless spirit, it would be a queen who had been murdered in her own bed. I saw no familiar faces among this group but didn’t give up hope. â€Å"Tatiana,’ I murmured, focusing my thoughts on the dead queen’s face. â€Å"Tatiana, come to me.’ I had once been able to summon one ghost easily: my friend Mason, who’d been killed by Strigoi. While Tatiana and I weren’t as close as Mason and I had been, we certainly had a connection. For a while, nothing happened. The same blur of faces swirled before me in the cell, and I began to despair. Then, all of a sudden, she was there. She stood in the clothes she’d been murdered in, a long nightgown and robe covered in blood. Her colors were muted, flickering like a malfunctioning TV screen. Nonetheless, the crown on her head and regal stance gave her the same queenly air I remembered. Once she materialized, she said and did nothing. She simply stared at me, her dark gaze practically piercing my soul. A tangle of emotions tightened in my chest. That gut reaction I always got around Tatiana–anger and resentment–flared up. Then, it was muddled by a surprising wave of sympathy. No one’s life should end the way hers had. I hesitated, afraid the guards would hear me. Somehow, I had a feeling the volume of my voice didn’t matter, and none of them could see what I saw. I held up the note. â€Å"Did you write this?’ I breathed. â€Å"Is it true?’ She continued to stare. Mason’s ghost had behaved similarly. Summoning the dead was one thing; communicating with them was a whole other matter. â€Å"I have to know. If there is another Dragomir, I’ll find them.’ No point in drawing attention to the fact that I was in no position to find anything or anyone. â€Å"But you have to tell me. Did you write this letter? Is it true?’ Only that maddening gaze answered me. My frustration grew, and the pressure of all those spirits began to give me a headache. Apparently, Tatiana was as annoying in death as she had been in life. I was about to bring my walls back and push the ghosts away when Tatiana made the smallest of movements. It was a tiny nod, barely noticeable. Her hard eyes then shifted down to the note in my hand, and just like that–she was gone. I slammed my barriers back up, using all my will to close myself off from the dead. The headache didn’t disappear, but those faces did. I sank back on the bed and stared at the note without seeing it. There was my answer. The note was real. Tatiana had written it. Somehow, I doubted her ghost had any reason to lie. Stretching out, I rested my head on the pillow and waited for that terrible throbbing to go away. I closed my eyes and used the spirit bond to return and see what Lissa had been doing. Since my arrest, she’d been busy pleading and arguing on my behalf, so I expected to find more of the same. Instead she was †¦ dress shopping. I was almost offended at my best friend’s frivolity until I realized she was looking for a funeral dress. She was in one of the Court’s tucked away stores, one that catered to royal families. To my surprise, Adrian was with her. Seeing his familiar, handsome face eased some of the fear in me. A quick probe of her mind told me why he was here: she’d talked him into coming because she didn’t want him left alone. I could understand why. He was completely drunk. It was a wonder he could stand, and in fact, I strongly suspected the wall he leaned against was all that held him up. His brown hair was a mess–and not in the purposeful way he usually styled it. His deep green eyes were bloodshot. Like Lissa, Adrian was a spirit user. He had an ability she didn’t yet: he could visit people’s dreams. I’d expected him to come to me since my imprisonment, and now it made sense why he hadn’t. Alcohol stunted spirit. In some ways, that was a good thing. Excessive spirit created a darkness that drove its users insane. But spending life perpetually drunk wasn’t all that healthy either. Seeing him through Lissa’s eyes triggered emotional confusion nearly as intense as what I’d experienced with Tatiana. I felt bad for him. He was obviously worried and upset about me, and the startling events this last week had blindsided him as much as the rest of us. He’d also lost his aunt whom, despite her brusque attitude, he’d cared for. Yet, in spite of all this, I felt †¦ scorn. That was unfair, perhaps, but I couldn’t help it. I cared about him so much and understood him being upset, but there were better ways of dealing with his loss. His behavior was almost cowardly. He was hiding from his problems in a bottle, something that went against every piece of my nature. Me? I couldn’t let my problems win without a fight. You read "Last Sacrifice Chapter Two" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"Velvet,’ the shopkeeper told Lissa with certainty. The wizened Moroi woman held up a voluminous, long-sleeved gown. â€Å"Velvet is traditional in the royal escort.’ Along with the rest of the fanfare, Tatiana’s funeral would have a ceremonial escort walking alongside the coffin, with a representative from each family there. Apparently, no one minded that Lissa fill that role for her family. But voting? That was another matter. Lissa eyed the dress. It looked more like a Halloween costume than a funeral gown. â€Å"It’s ninety degrees out,’ said Lissa. â€Å"And humid.’ â€Å"Tradition demands sacrifice,’ the woman said melodramatically. â€Å"As does tragedy.’ Adrian opened his mouth, undoubtedly ready with some inappropriate and mocking comment. Lissa gave him a sharp headshake that kept him quiet. â€Å"Aren’t there any, I don’t know, sleeveless options?’ The saleswoman’s eyes widened. â€Å"No one has ever worn straps to a royal funeral. It wouldn’t be right.’ â€Å"What about shorts?’ asked Adrian. â€Å"Are they okay if they’re with a tie? Because that’s what I was gonna go with.’ The woman looked horrified. Lissa shot Adrian a look of disdain, not so much because of the remark–which she found mildly amusing–but because she too was disgusted by his constant state of intoxication. â€Å"Well, no one treats me like a full-fledged royal,’ said Lissa, turning back to the dresses. â€Å"No reason to act like one now. Show me your straps and short-sleeves.’ The saleswoman grimaced but complied. She had no problem advising royals on fashion but wouldn’t dare order them to do or wear anything. It was part of the class stratification of our world. The woman walked across the store to find the requested dresses, just as Lissa’s boyfriend and his aunt entered the shop. Christian Ozera, I thought, was who Adrian should have been acting like. The fact that I could even think like that was startling. Times had certainly changed from when I held Christian up as a role model. But it was true. I’d watched him with Lissa this last week, and Christian had been determined and steadfast, doing whatever he could to help her in the wake of Tatiana’s death and my arrest. From the look on his face now, it was obvious he had something important to relay. His outspoken aunt, Tasha Ozera, was another study in strength and grace under pressure. She’d raised him after his parents had turned Strigoi–and had attacked her, leaving Tasha with scarring on one side of her face. Moroi had always relied on guardians for defense, but after that attack, Tasha had decided to take matters into her own hands. She’d learned to fight, training with all sorts of hand-to-hand methods and weapons. She was really quite a badass and constantly pushed for other Moroi to learn combat too. Lissa let go of a dress she’d been examining and turned to Christian eagerly. After me, there was no one else she trusted more in the world. He’d been her rock throughout all of this. He looked around the store, not appearing overly thrilled to be surrounded by dresses. â€Å"You guys are shopping?’ he asked, glancing from Lissa to Adrian. â€Å"Getting in a little girl time?’ â€Å"Hey, you’d benefit from a wardrobe change,’ said Adrian. â€Å"Besides, I bet you’d look great in a halter top.’ Lissa ignored the guys’ banter and focused on the Ozeras. â€Å"What did you find out?’ â€Å"They’ve decided not to take action,’ said Christian. His lips curled in disdain. â€Å"Well, not any punishment kind of action.’ Tasha nodded. â€Å"We’re trying to push the idea that he just thought Rose was in danger and jumped in before he realized what was actually happening.’ My heart stopped. Dimitri. They were talking about Dimitri. For a moment, I was no longer with Lissa. I was no longer in my cell. Instead, I was back to the day of my arrest. I’d been arguing with Dimitri in a cafe, scolding him for his continued refusal to talk to me, let alone continue our former relationship. I’d decided then that I was done with him, that things were truly over and that I wouldn’t let him keep tearing my heart apart. That was when the guardians had come for me, and no matter what Dimitri claimed about his Strigoi-time making him unable to love, he had reacted with lightning speed in my defense. We’d been hopelessly outnumbered, but he hadn’t cared. The look on his face–and my own uncanny understanding of him–had told me all I needed to know. I was facing a threat. He had to defend me. And defend me he had. He’d fought like the god he’d been back at St. Vladimir’s Academy, when he’d taught me how to battle Strigoi. He incapacitated more guardians in that cafe than one man should have been able to. The only thing that had ended it– and I truly believe he would have fought until his last breath–had been my intervention. I hadn’t known at the time what was going on or why a legion of guardians would want to arrest me. But I had realized that Dimitri was in serious danger of harming his already fragile status around Court. A Strigoi being restored was unheard of, and many still didn’t trust him. I’d begged Dimitri to stop, more afraid of what would happen to him than me. Little had I known what was in store for me. He’d come to my hearing–under guard–but neither Lissa nor I had seen him since. Lissa had been working hard to clear him of any wrongdoing, fearing they’d lock him up again. And me? I’d been trying to tell myself not to over-think what he had done. My arrest and potential execution took precedence. Yet †¦ I still wondered. Why had he done it? Why had he risked his life for mine? Was it an instinctive reaction to a threat? Had he done it as a favor to Lissa, whom he’d sworn to help in return for freeing him? Or had he truly done it because he still had feelings for me? I still didn’t know the answer, but seeing him like that, like the fierce Dimitri from my past, had stirred up the feelings I was so desperately trying to get over. I kept trying to assure myself that recovering from a relationship took time. Lingering feelings were natural. Unfortunately, it took longer to get over a guy when he threw himself into danger for you. Regardless, Christian and Tasha’s words gave me hope about Dimitri’s fate. After all, I wasn’t the only one walking a tenuous line between life and death. Those convinced Dimitri was still Strigoi wanted to see a stake through his heart. â€Å"They’re keeping him confined again,’ said Christian. â€Å"But not in a cell. Just in his room, with a couple of guards. They don’t want him out around Court until things settle down.’ â€Å"That’s better than jail,’ admitted Lissa. â€Å"It’s still absurd,’ snapped Tasha, more to herself than the others. She and Dimitri had been close over the years, and she’d once wanted to take that relationship to another level. She’d settled for friendship, and her outrage over the injustice done to him was as strong as ours. â€Å"They should have let him go as soon as he became a dhampir again. Once the elections are settled, I’m going to make sure he’s free.’ â€Å"And that’s what’s weird †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Christian’s pale blue eyes narrowed thoughtfully. â€Å"We heard that Tatiana had told others before she–before she–‘ Christian hesitated and glanced uneasily at Adrian. The pause was uncharacteristic for Christian, who usually spoke his mind abruptly. â€Å"Before she was murdered,’ said Adrian flatly, not looking at any of them. â€Å"Go on.’ Christian swallowed. â€Å"Um, yeah. I guess–not in public–she’d announced that she believed Dimitri really was a dhampir again. Her plan was to help him get more acceptance once the other stuff settled down.’ The â€Å"other stuff’ was the age law mentioned in Tatiana’s note, the one saying dhampirs turning sixteen would be forced to graduate and start defending Moroi. It had infuriated me, but like so many other things now †¦ well, it was kind of on hold. Adrian made a strange sound, like he was clearing his throat. â€Å"She did not.’ Christian shrugged. â€Å"Lots of her advisors said she did. That’s the rumor.’ â€Å"I have a hard time believing it too,’ Tasha told Adrian. She’d never approved of Tatiana’s policies and had vehemently spoken out against them on more than one occasion. Adrian’s disbelief wasn’t political, though. His was simply coming from ideas he’d always had about his aunt. She’d never given any indication that she wanted to help Dimitri regain his old status. Adrian made no further comment, but I knew this topic was kindling sparks of jealousy within him. I’d told him Dimitri was in the past and that I was ready to move on, but Adrian–like me–must have undoubtedly wondered about the motivations behind Dimitri’s gallant defense. Lissa began to speculate on how they might get Dimitri out of house arrest when the saleswoman returned with an armful of dresses she clearly disapproved of. Biting her lip, Lissa fell silent. She filed away Dimitri’s situation as something to deal with later. Instead, she wearily prepared to try on clothes and play the part of a good little royal girl. Adrian perked up at the sight of the dresses. â€Å"Any halters in there?’ I returned to my cell, mulling over the problems that just seemed to keep piling up. I was worried about both Adrian and Dimitri. I was worried about myself. I was also worried about this so-called lost Dragomir. I was starting to believe the story could be real, but there was nothing I could do about it, which frustrated me. I needed to take action when it came to helping Lissa. Tatiana had told me in her letter to be careful whom I spoke to about the matter. Should I pass this mission on to someone else? I wanted to take charge of it, but the bars and suffocating walls around me said I might not be able to take charge of anything for a while, not even my own life. Two weeks. Needing further distraction, I gave in and began reading Abe’s book, which was exactly the tale of wrongful imprisonment I’d expected it to be. It was pretty good and taught me that faking my own death apparently wouldn’t work as an escape method. The book unexpectedly stirred up old memories. A chill went down my spine as I recalled a Tarot reading that a Moroi named Rhonda had given to me. She was Ambrose’s aunt, and one of the cards she’d drawn for me had shown a woman tied to swords. Wrongful imprisonment. Accusations. Slander. Damn. I was really starting to hate those cards. I always insisted they were a scam, yet they had an annoying tendency to come true. The end of her reading had shown a journey, but to where? A real prison? My execution? Questions with no answers. Welcome to my world. Out of options for now, I figured I might as well try to get some rest. Stretching out on the pallet, I tried to push away those constant worries. Not easy. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw a judge banging a gavel, condemning me to death. I saw my name in the history books, not as a hero, but as a traitor. Lying there, choking on my own fear, I thought of Dimitri. I pictured his steady gaze and could practically hear him lecturing me. Don’t worry now about what you can’t change. Rest when you can so you’ll be ready for tomorrow’s battles. The imaginary advice calmed me. Sleep came at last, heavy and deep. I’d tossed and turned a lot this week, so true rest was welcome. Then–I woke up. I sat upright in bed, my heart pounding. Peering around, I looked for danger–any threat that might have startled me out of that sleep. There was nothing. Darkness. Silence. The faint squeak of a chair down the hall told me my guards were still around. The bond, I realized. The bond had woken me up. I’d felt a sharp, intense flare of †¦ what? Intensity. Anxiety. A rush of adrenaline. Panic raced through me, and I dove deeper into Lissa, trying to find what had caused that surge of emotion from her. What I found was †¦ nothing. The bond was gone. How to cite Last Sacrifice Chapter Two, Essay examples

Poster Graphics Essays - Modern Art, French Art, Posters

Poster Graphics The 1890's was the beginning of the first poster graphics. Not only have these posters been seen as advertisements but they are also looked upon as works of art. Two excellent examples of different work done during this period are Alphonse Mucha's Lorenzaccio (1898) and Henri Toulouse- Lautrec's Jardin de Paris (1893). Each poster is equally exquisite in it's line, style, color, composition, and perspective. Alphonse Mucha was born in 1860 and traveled to Paris in 1890. He designed posters in the fashionable "Byzantine" style of ornamentation. In Mucha's Lorenzaccio this can clearly be seen. The poster is a cropped image in the vertical "pillar" style with elaborate ornamentation through out. There is written word on the top and bottom as typical of many of his works. By the writing around the figure we can see that the poster was intended to be made for Sarah Bernhardt. The poster exhibits intricate, flowing line with sharp outlines. The active, curvilinear line dominates the picture. It's dramatic, decorative design can be seen through the dragon that looks straight into our eyes. There are distinct monochromatic colors of green, brown and red. Lorenzaccio is a heavily detailed, two dimensional poster with no middle ground. The subject is off in thought in the poster. The clothing she is wearing particularly adds to the active line. The background is extremely decorative. Altogether the poster is created with a compartmentalized composition. I would characterize Mucha's work in the Art Nouveau style because of his use of decorative style with simplified forms. His sharp, curvilinear line; full color tones, and Cloisonisme composition add to the stylistic qualities. However, I believe that Henri Toulouse- Lautrec's Jardin de Paris is especially well designed as the use of a poster and work of art. I prefer this poster better because of its different approach to advertising in a clear, eye catching way, and its use of distortion for effect. Much of Lautrec's style comes from Cheret from the English Arts and Crafts movement. The impact of Lautrec's work can also be seen through other artists as Pablo Picasso in his The Blue Room (1901). His subject, which he used many times in his work, is Jane Avril. In this poster we see her as the orchestra member would. Lautrec creates her as a broad silhouette with a face that looks tired and unhappy. Jardin de Paris is unique in that the flowing form of the orchestra member brings us up to the picture where the distinct color is used on the dancer. Lautrec uses bright red and yellow to accentuate her, and uses gray and black for the rest of the composition. He uses simplified forms with distinct, dark outlines. In this work, like Mucha's, there are two dimensional, Cloisonisme qualities created in a vertical "pillar" form. The asymmetrical objects help to create the foreground/ background qualities. The instrument works as a carrier for our eyes to move back and forth from the foreground and background. The orchestra member also creates an exiting "picture frame" around Jane Avril. The use of angular lines draw the viewers eye to and fro. This can be seen in the angle of the instrument, the backstage, and particularly how the dancer's is bent. Altogether this is a very bold and striking work. I believe Jardin de Paris to be from the English Arts and Crafts movement because of its emphasis on flat figures, simplified forms and sharp outlines. Both posters exhibit stylistic qualities from both the English Arts and Crafts movement, Art Nouveau and a little Japonisme.