Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Consider Atwood’s portrayal of religion in Gilead Essay

Surrounding us we see proof of the manner by which conviction is organized and mishandled. Consider Atwood’s depiction of religion in Gilead Many cutting edge convictions have been blamed for war, or as a method of stifling gatherings of individuals. In ‘The Handmaid’s tale’ Atwood has taken maltreatment of conviction and religion to the outrageous, utilizing it to make a stressing advanced oppressed world where all laws depend on separates from the holy book and the writings have been curved to suit the more remarkable citizenry. It is unthinkable for handmaids, or numerous different individuals from Gilead to check the realness of the concentrates that standard their life as they are taboo from perusing and the good book is kept bolted up. In ‘The Handmaid’s tale’ unrestrained choice is just a memory, distinctive Christian branches are at war with one another. The holy book is utilized to legitimize the systems and practices of Gilead and sexuality has been smothered into something despicable and perilous. Section two offers the peruser their first better than average case of how religion is utilized inside the general public of Gilead. It is in the straightforward utilization of a name that Atwood can promptly set up a connection between her oppressed world and the holy book. ‘Her regular Martha’s dress’. In the good book Martha is simply the sister of Mary who might dedicate herself to the housework while Mary went to hear Jesus talk. Marthas in ‘The Handmaids Tale’ are unmarried, barren ladies who are relied upon to perform family obligations for the high-positioning individuals from Gilead. This is the first run through the peruser is given a case of rank dependent on religion with Gilead, the peruser is made mindful of Handmaids and of the Commander prior in the book yet this is the main evident scriptural reference. Martha isn't significant in the book of scriptures, yet the forces of Gilead has played her job and extended it so they can legitimize including slaves inside their general public. This early model gives the peruser an impression of what kind of society Gilead is and what they can expect further into the book most definitely. In Chapter eleven Offred is offered the chance to get pregnant by the specialist. Offred is stressed over being found engaging in sexual relations with somebody who wasn’t the officer. Offred considers the specialists offer, she realizes it is a hazard ‘but they need to get you in the demonstration, with two observers. ‘ This technique for indicting individuals is taken from Deuteronomy 17:6 ‘At the mouth of two witnesses†¦ will he that is to kick the bucket be killed. ‘ The good book reference is stating that no one can be indicted when it is only their assertion against somebody else’s, this must be a similar path individuals in Gilead specialize in legal matters. Lamentably it would be extremely simple for two individuals to get together and concede to a similar story on the off chance that they needed to outline somebody. It likewise further evacuates uniqueness and freethinking, individuals are as of now expected to go in gatherings of in any event two and the proposal is that one person’s conclusion is futile except if upheld by another person. It additionally makes things exceptionally hard for handmaid’s who are regularly required to be all alone with the commander’s spouse and in the event that there aren’t any observers present, at that point there is no wrongdoing and the handmaids are left in an entirely helpless position. TV in Gilead is blue-penciled, such as everything else. Unmistakably this general public capacities by keeping individuals ve for whatever length of time that conceivable, in the event that they can’t read and their solitary visual diversion in blue-penciled to suit the beliefs of Gilead then they can't generally frame their own sentiments and would be altogether dependant on what others let them know. Anyway the data that originates from the TV enlightens the peruser concerning fights Gilead is engaged with. The odd thing about the fights is that they are occurring with various parts of a similar religion. ‘Angels of the Apocalypse†¦ are clearing out a pocket of Baptist guerrillas’. ‘Five individuals from the blasphemous faction of Quakers have been arrested’. It is conceivable to add more to the news reports than meets the eye. The Baptists are depending on guerrilla fighting that is ordinarily the type of fighting utilized by immature nations that aren’t searching for war. There is additionally a decent lot of incongruity as in the report asserts that the Quakers are shocking or profane when the peruser realizes that the general public of Gilead depends on heresy. This may recommend that Gilead is battling these different parts of Christianity to prevent them from showing to the world, and all the more significantly to the individuals of Gilead that their general public depends on curved facts.

Red Flags and Warning Signs in the Job Interview Process

Red Flags and Warning Signs in the Job Interview Process Are you excited that you made it to the interview?You have all the reasons to celebrate. It’s not an easy journey these days for your resume.It has had to get through the applicant tracking system, some human hands and beat lots of competition. For all your efforts, you’ve already made considerable progress.But as you may know, you still have a long way to go. And the interview is probably the hardest part of the journey to that dream job.Just as you prepared and learned how to write a great resume, you have to prepare for the interview.Much of the preparation you’ll do is meant for passing the interview. As good as that is, you also need to prepare for other possibilities.As a job seeker, it can be difficult to look beyond your need for a job. With the pending bills and desire for financial stability, you can easily become desperate for a job.Desperation can cost you the job because it’s not an attractive trait to have. But at the same time, it can also land you into problem s.The sad truth is that there are organizations where the people working there are wishing they weren’t. The way they are being treated is not right but since they need the money, they choose to stay.Whether you’re desperate for a job or not, it’s important to remember to look out for yourself. Don’t allow yourself to need a job so much that you get into the wrong work environment. The stress which comes from that costs way too much.INTERVIEW RED FLAGS AND WARNING SIGNSFortunately, with the right information, you can recognize a company in which working might not be as good as it looks.Just as with many situations, there are signs which when you see them, you should get concerned. These are the red flags which warn you of possible danger ahead.To recognize the red flags, you just have to do two things, especially after arming yourself with the information availed here. When you know the kind of things to look out for, it becomes easier to recognize them.Watch and listen care fully â€" you may think that since you’re the one being interviewed, you should only focus on impressing the interviewer. That is not the case. As much as you’re looking for a job, you don’t want to land into the wrong place.From your interaction with the interviewer, try and gather as much information as possible about the company.Although you should be observant from the time you walked into the company’s office, you can know a lot by paying attention to the interviewer.Check the body language. Think about their choice of words. Take note of anything that stands out about them. Use this information to make a wise judgment about the position and company.Ask questions â€" before the interview is over, you’ll be allowed to ask questions. Ensure you have questions and don’t just ask about the pay, benefits and work-from-home options. Anything weird you noticed while watching and listening can be clarified here.Do not settle for answers like “I’ve been working here for the past ten years. It’s a great place to work in.”You want to know what the company is truly like.So ask questions which require some explanations. Read our article about questions you should ask an interviewer.Of course, not being the interviewer limits the kind of questions you can ask and how far you can go.But with some tact, you can get some insight. Combining this with your observations can help you know what working there could be like.Here are some warning signs to look out for. Despite being in need of a job, try not to ignore these signs. Doing so can lead to a stressful employment with negative bosses or toxic work environments. Source: RWA Technology People1. The interviewer is offensiveThe interviewer should be as respectful as the interviewee. Just because they are the decision makers doesn’t give them the right to be rude or insulting. If you experience this kind of behavior, then that is a big red flag.The interviewer is largely the face of the company.This is despite any interaction you’ve had with the receptionist. Your interviewer is the person with whom you interact at length and will answer your questions about the company.If the interviewer is rude, then consider that it might be the norm in the company.If not the company, maybe it’s his own nature.But then if the company allows this kind of nature, what do you think of the other staff? What happens if everyone acts without restraint?Furthermore, how would you work with this person if it turns out that you’ll be working under him?If the interviewer isn’t showing respect to you now, he might not show it later.2. There is emphasis on worki ng hardThere is a good reason why laziness is shunned. It’s not a habit or lifestyle worth celebrating since it brings no benefits. Instead, it comes with a cost.Employers will be most happy to see the results which come from hard work.This is normal and expected. You most likely even have your resume stating that you are hardworking.But when the interviewer mentions three times or more how the company values hard work, your antennas should go up. It’s very likely that the interviewer is trying to let you know the kind of work-life balance the staff have.Research has shown that working too long or too hard isn’t necessarily the way to productivity. However, some companies don’t seem to get it. To them, hard work is the way.Don’t be fooled. An employer talking a lot about hard work even before you’re hired, could indicate an attempt to get you to agree with their terms. It’s a way of making you see the hard work as the norm.The problem is that you don’t know just how hard the “hard work“ is. In the worst of cases, the employees of the company could be overworked and with little pay.If you agree with the hard work policy, you will then be binding yourself to an overworking culture. Getting out of that situation will be challenging.3. You’re given an offer too soonAnother sure red flag is getting an offer too soon. “Too soon” might be subjective, but do you really expect only one interview in these days?And even if you’re having only one interview, how normal is it to quickly conclude that you’re the best fit?Every company seeks to do thorough interviews so as to hire only the best. There’s a deliberate intention to avoid the expense of training a new hire who leaves after two months. This could cause an unending cycle of hiring and re-hiring.If you feel as if you haven’t been taken through a thorough interview but are being offered the job, just ask for 24 hours to respond.If they push you to either take it immediately or leave it, be careful. Consider other aspects of the interview and ask yourself what the interviewer’s conduct could be pointing to.4. The job description is vagueOne of the worst thing that can happen to you is working in a position whose job description is vague.A statement like “working on tasks assigned to you by the supervisor,” without clarity on the kind of tasks those might be, is dangerous. This could lay the ground for being overworked since all kinds of tasks are thrown your way.More than that, you’ll not be able to make any career progress in such a work environment.You’ll have stressful days ahead as you work on numerous unrelated tasks for the sake of moving the company forward.Problems with vague job descriptions are usually an indicator of bigger problems with the management. In some cases, the management may be deliberately using this method to keep people under their control.Wherever job descriptions are vague, you find employees with duplicated roles. Someone m ay work on this task today then someone else works on it tomorrow.Upon asking about it, you might be told that you need to handle another task. That might be true.But what is the real motive? That kind of confusion ensures no growth.If for example you didn’t handle the task well, where is the opportunity to learn and improve?Such environments of confusion are one of the hallmarks of abusive workplaces. Your career will not progress and you might even get sick from frustration.5. The pay isn’t commensurate with the amount of workYou may have worked somewhere before. Or you simply checked Glassdoor for salary comparisons. Either way, you have an idea of what your skills are worth.When you start negotiating with the interviewer and they seem to want to stick to a low pay, be careful.The only option you should consider for a low pay is other benefits like work-from-home options and perks. If none of these are satisfactory and the pay is too low for your skills and experience, consid er walking away. Salary negotiations are another area which shows you where the company stands financially. If it’s going down and you’re just getting in, you better be sure of the recovery plan.If they’re trying to reduce costs by paying people less, then that’s not a good place to work.You will likely be working long hours as the company probably also employs fewer people to keep costs low.Working long hours should be under your discretion.Yes, at times you volunteer or simply accept a request to work over the weekend. But when too much work and little pay is the norm, something is not right.6. The interview process is disorganizedYour first impression of the company might be at the parking lot.Maybe the view of the office block or the receptionist’s desk. But apart from all these, the interviewer is the one to paint a more solid picture.The body language, speech, dressing etc aside, how would you rate your interviewer’s overall preparedness for the interview?If it’s below 7 out of 10, make a mental note of it. You will combine this with other insights gained through the process so as to make a decision on the company.If your interviewer is disorganized, is it a big deal?Well, are you disorganized? If no, and you prepared well for the interview, don’t you think she should have done the same?If the interviewer is constantly searching for something and isn’t focused on the interview, be careful.Maybe it’s just a part of the workplace culture.If being disorganized is the kind of thing which renders you unproductive, then keep away from the job. Your productivity will be affected and with that, promotions and pay rises are likely to remain a dream.7. The company/department has no employee turnoverIt’s funny how lies can be spread and designed to cover an ugly truth.And it doesn’t have to be political propaganda. As long as something is being hidden, there is a lurking danger.You probably know that high employee turnover is a sign of dange r.But what about when there is absolutely no or very low turnover?It can be tempting to think everything is fine but deep inside, it could be a big mess.Consider these two possible scenarios behind no or very low turnover claims by a company.There is no upward growth â€" if a company is experiencing growth, its employees should also be growing. When employees are growing, there are promotions and their initial positions become vacant.In other cases, those employees could be growing and deciding to venture into business or get employed by a bigger company. This brings about vacancies and indicate growth opportunities.But if people are not growing or for other reasons aren’t leaving, question it.Since everyone is stuck in their positions, how will you go up?The management is afraid of firing employees â€" this is a big problem as it indicates that the leadership of the company is incompetent. Being afraid of firing employees who need to be fired may arise from different issues.Maybe the manager is just ceremonial and doesn’t have the powers to do so. Maybe he is working with staff who have close connections with the business owner. Maybe he doesn’t have the confidence to do so etc.Whichever the case, that company most likely has unresolved issues.The issues may be ignored but certainly won’t go away.If you join such a company, you’ll be in constant conflict with other team members.This is especially if you are performance-oriented love bringing positive change.Your efforts will be thwarted and frustrations will be high.8. The company/department has high employee turnoverThe opposite of this situation is just as bad, if not worse. When a company has high employee turnover, that is also a red flag.One of the reasons could be that employees are mistreated and thus often leave. It could also be an issue with low pay, being overworked, negative workplace culture etc.Such workplaces have employees who are full of fear that they won’t talk about anything wr ong. They will embrace the wrong and maybe even approve of it.This is what happens in abusive workplaces. The boss can be so tough that no-one dares ask any question.Such an environment is not a healthy one and you should reconsider wanting to join.9. Interviewer badmouths the former office bearerYou’re familiar with and even expect the question about leaving your last job. You know well enough not to speak negatively about your former or current boss.And the same way you should be positive, so should the interviewer. If she speaks negatively about the person who previously occupied the position you’re interviewing for, take note.You may not know her opinion on the former employee but you can ask. For many candidates, when given the opportunity to ask questions, they focus on pay and working hours.But for you, since you’re also seeking to know about the company, ask your questions wisely. Find out why the former employee left, what the day-to-day job is like, what is expected of you if you get hired and similar questions.It is only when you get your interviewer talking that you can get to know some of the hidden stuff. If there is some amount of bad mouthing in the answers, just know that the same could happen when you leave.The answer you receive could also tell you whether the workplace culture is full of gossip and rumors. These are never good for a healthy work environment.10. You’re promised a pay which isn’t put in writingHere is another big one which you should pay attention to.When you get to discuss the pay, take care to get it all in writing. If you have a long list of benefits which you fear you may forget, write them down for reference.If you come to an agreement, all these, together with the terms of promotion and raises, they should be on the offer letter. If anything you decided is not there, raise the matter immediately.Do not accept the offer unless all is clearly on record.This is to protect you from being sidelined for promotions o r being treated to different terms from those agreed upon.Anytime there are inconsistencies between the agreement you had and what is in the offer, be suspicious of possible insincerity.If you work with an insincere boss, you’ll get shortchanged.This can happen either many times or always but not never. It will affect your motivation and overall productivity and later get cited as the reason you’re not promoted.Avoid insincere bosses at all costs.11. Interviewer isn’t enthusiastic about their jobAnother question you must ask the interviewer is what she enjoys about working in the company. If she doesn’t seem happy at the thought of reflecting on her employment, something is wrong.As much as employers want employees who are self-motivated, the work environment has an impact on people. If the environment is not reflective of the attitude expected of the new hire, it won’t work.Negative atmospheres are very strong. And in many cases, that which is bad can more easily affect t he good than the other way round. So, consider choosing not to be negatively influenced.If the one already working in the company struggles to show how the company is fun, don’t think you won’t struggle too.It could be that employees at the company are not treated well, are not fairly compensated or are overworked.Whatever the issue is, once the insider shows that the place may not be what you think it is, beware.12. Your gut feeling says “No”There is something in you, often referred to as your gut feeling, which knows many things even before your mind knows them. As such, your gut feeling can lead you in the right direction.The challenge is usually in following the advice of your gut feeling.Being a visual and logical being, your mind will look for evidence so as to do something. Your gut feeling on the other hand, will know something even before there is physical evidence of it and advice you accordingly.But when your mind can’t substantiate the claims or warnings from y our gut feeling, you tend to ignore them.Then later, depending on the severity of the outcome, you might live with guilt for some time and regret at not heeding the advice.When that voice from within tells you to stop, just follow it. A whisper of the word “No” means that whether physically you can see it or not, there is a real danger lurking.Just follow your instincts and stay safe.CONCLUSIONIn your search for a job, do not get desperate to the point of taking a bad job.A bad job could be one in which you’re overworked, mistreated, disrespected, abused or just paid way below what you should.These are serious dangers which could also impact your own health.Always be on the look out for warning signs and steer clear of bad working environments.

Emotion As Described And Theorized By Antonio Damasio

In this essay I will discuss the particulars of emotion as described and theorized by Antonio Damasio. First, I will explain Damasio’s three-stage definition of emotion, and then apply this definition to an evolutionary perspective of emotion; more specifically, the evolutionary and biological benefits of an organism possessing emotion. Next, I dive deeper into Demasio theory of emotion, by distinguishing between his idea of primary and secondary emotions. By way of Damasio’s three-stage definition of emotion and an experiment he conducts on brain damaged patient, I will then discuss whether or not humans are always aware of how their emotions influence their behavior. Next, I will temporarily suspend my focus on Damasio’s work to explain how Block and Chalmers distinguish between conscious awareness and conscious experience. Subsequently, I will resume my focus on Damasio’s work, by evaluating how the aforesaid experiment applies to Damasio’s brain damaged patient. Finally, I will conclude by reflecting on the overall picture of emotion and emotional experience, and use it to discuss the prospects and motivations of building emotional machines. Antonio Damasio considers the phenomena of emotion and feeling on a continuum that consists of three discrete stages that distinguish different types of emotional processing: state of emotion, state of feeling, state of feeling made conscious. The first stage, state of emotion, is the body and brain’s automatic and nonconscious

The Strain On Taxpayer s Money Essay - 1429 Words

The strain on taxpayer’s money to sustain an inmate has been the source of many debates in recent years. Per the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, on average, it costs 31,286 dollars to house one inmate. Some Maximum-Security prisons cost as much as 60,000 dollars an inmate and goes on to name that the most expensive prison, Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, costs approximately 90,000 dollars a year (The Law Dictionary, 2012). While the thought of alleviating the cost associated with jails and prisons, is an unreachable goal, the goal of lowering the number of recidivist and in turn lowering overcrowding is attainable. Prison programs that do their best to rehabilitate offenders often see a cycle of returners coming through their doors in a matter of years or even months. Once the rehabilitated offenders are released, they often find themselves without the proper tools to find jobs or housing and resort to illegal activity to support themselves; thus, landing them back in jail or prison. The adv antage of allowing offenders to partake in reentry programs is the wide range of services that can be beneficial to their reentry back into society and it explains the importance of having reentry programs in corrections. Having quality programs for offenders such as educational programs, work release programs, and drug abuse programs. A proper program geared towards reducing recidivism should appease the many issues an offender may have which requires correctional funds to be allocated to reentryShow MoreRelatedHazardous Waste and Superfund Sites1143 Words   |  5 PagesStrain on Superfund At its inception, Superfund was initially asked to identify and clean-up hazardous waste sites. However, thirty years later the United States is facing additional new threats to the health and safety of the American people. 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The Host Chapter 53 Condemned Free Essays

string(48) " Ian had been the one to link the two absences\." The Seeker’s host body was named Lacey; a dainty, soft, feminine name. Lacey. As inappropriate as the size, in my opinion. We will write a custom essay sample on The Host Chapter 53: Condemned or any similar topic only for you Order Now Like naming a pit bull Fluffy. Lacey was just as loud as the Seeker-and still a complainer. â€Å"You’ll have to forgive me for going on and on,† she insisted, allowing us no other options. â€Å"I’ve been shouting away in there for years and never getting to speak for myself. I’ve got a lot to say all stored up.† How lucky for us. I could almost make myself glad that I was leaving. In answer to my earlier question to myself, no, the face was not less repugnant with a different awareness behind it. Because the awareness was not so very different, in the end. â€Å"That’s why we don’t like you,† she told me that first night, making no change from the present tense or the plural pronoun. â€Å"When she realized that you were hearing Melanie just the way she was hearing me, it made her frightened. She thought you might guess. I was her deep, dark secret.† A grating laugh. â€Å"She couldn’t make me shut up. That’s why she became a Seeker, because she was hoping to figure out some way to better deal with resistant hosts. And then she requested being assigned to you, so she could watch how you did it. She was jealous of you; isn’t that pathetic? She wanted to be strong like you. It gave us a real kick when we thought Melanie had won. I guess that didn’t happen, though. I guess you did. So why did you come here? Why are you helping the rebels?† I explained, unwillingly, that Melanie and I were friends. She didn’t like that. â€Å"Why?† she demanded. â€Å"She’s a good person.† â€Å"But why does she like you?† Same reason. â€Å"She says, for the same reason.† Lacey snorted. â€Å"Got her brainwashed, huh?† Wow, she’s worse than the first one. Yes, I agreed. I can see why the Seeker was so obnoxious. Can you imagine having that in your head all the time? I wasn’t the only thing Lacey objected to. â€Å"Do you have anywhere better to live than these caves? It’s so dirty here. Isn’t there a house somewhere, maybe? What do you mean we have to share rooms? Chore schedule? I don’t understand. I have to work? I don’t think you understand†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jeb had given her the usual tour the next day, trying to explain, through clenched teeth, the way we all lived here. When they’d passed me-eating in the kitchen with Ian and Jamie-he threw me a look that clearly asked why I hadn’t let Aaron shoot her while that was still an option. The tour was more crowded than mine. Everyone wanted to see the miracle for themselves. It didn’t even seem to matter to most of them that she was†¦ difficult. She was welcome. More than welcome. Again, I felt a little of that bitter jealousy. But that was silly. She was human. She represented hope. She belonged here. She would be here long after I was gone. Lucky you, Mel whispered sarcastically. Talking to Ian and Jamie about what had happened was not as difficult and painful as I’d imagined. This was because they were, for different reasons, entirely clueless. Neither grasped that this new knowledge meant I would be leaving. With Jamie, I understood why. More than anyone else, he had accepted me and Mel as the package deal we were. He was able, with his young, open mind, to grasp the reality of our dual personalities. He treated us like two people rather than one. Mel was so real, so present to him. The same way she was to me. He didn’t miss her, because he had her. He didn’t see the necessity of our separation. I wasn’t sure why Ian didn’t understand. Was he too caught up in the potential? The changes this would mean for the human society here? They were all boggled by the idea that getting caught-the end-was no longer a finality. There was a way to come back. It seemed natural to him that I had acted to save the Seeker; it was consistent with his idea of my personality. Maybe that was as far as he’d considered it. Or maybe Ian just didn’t have a chance to think it all through, to see the glaring eventuality, before he was distracted. Distracted and enraged. â€Å"I should have killed him years ago,† Ian ranted as we packed what we needed for our raid. My final raid; I tried not to dwell on that. â€Å"No, our mother should have drowned him at birth!† â€Å"He’s your brother.† â€Å"I don’t know why you keep saying that. Are you trying to make me feel worse?† Everyone was furious with Kyle. Jared’s lips were welded into a tight line of rage, and Jeb stroked his gun more than usual. Jeb had been excited, planning to join us on this landmark raid, his first since I’d come to live here. He was particularly keen to see the shuttle field up close. But now, with Kyle putting us all in danger, he felt he had to stay behind just in case. Not getting his way put Jeb in a foul mood. â€Å"Stuck behind with that creature,† he muttered to himself, rubbing the rifle barrel again-he wasn’t getting any happier about the new member of his community. â€Å"Missin’ all the fun.† He spit on the floor. We all knew where Kyle was. As soon as he’d grasped how the Seeker-worm had magically transformed into the Lacey-human in the night, he’d slipped out the back. I’d been expecting him to lead the party demanding the Seeker’s death (I kept the cryotank always cradled in my arms; I slept lightly, my hand touching its smooth surface), but he was nowhere to be found, and Jeb had quashed the resistance easily in his absence. Jared was the one to realize the jeep was gone. And Ian had been the one to link the two absences. You read "The Host Chapter 53: Condemned" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"He’s gone after Jodi,† Ian had groaned. â€Å"What else?† Hope and despair. I had given them one, Kyle the other. Would he betray them all before they could even make use of the hope? Jared and Jeb wanted to put off the raid until we knew if Kyle was successful-it would take him three days under the best circumstances, if his Jodi still lived in Oregon. If he could find her there. There was another place, another cave we could evacuate to. A much smaller place, with no water, so we couldn’t hide there long. They’d debated whether they should move everyone now or wait. But I was in a hurry. I’d seen the way the others eyed the silver tank in my arms. I’d heard the whispers. The longer I kept the Seeker here, the better chance that someone would kill her. Having met Lacey, I’d begun to pity the Seeker. She deserved a mild, pleasant new life with the Flowers. Ironically enough, Ian was the one who took my side and helped hurry the raid along. He still didn’t see where this would lead. But I was grateful that he helped me convince Jared there was time to make the raid and get back before a decision was made about Kyle. Grateful also that he was back to playing bodyguard. I knew I could trust Ian with the shiny cryotank more than anyone else. He was the only one I would let hold it when I needed my arms. He was the only one who could see, in the shape of that small container, a life to be protected. He could think of that shape as a friend, something that could be loved. He was the best ally of all. I was so grateful for Ian, and so grateful for the obliviousness that saved him, for the moment, from pain. We had to be fast, in case Kyle ruined everything. We went to Phoenix again, to one of the many communities that spun out from the hub. There was a big shuttle field to the southeast, in a town called Mesa, with several Healing facilities nearby. That was what I wanted-I would give them as much as I could before I left. If we took a Healer, then we might be able to preserve the Healer’s memory in the host body. Someone who understood all the medicines and their uses. Someone who knew the best ways to get to unattended stashes. Doc would love that. I could imagine all the questions he’d be dying to ask. First the shuttle field. I was sad that Jeb was missing this, but he’d have so many other chances in the future. Though it was dark, a long line of small snub-nosed shuttles drifted in to land while others took flight in an endless stream. I drove the old van while the others rode in the back-Ian in charge of the tank, of course. I circled the field, staying clear of the busy local terminal. It was easy to spot the vast, sleek white vessels that left the planet. They did not depart with the frequency of the smaller ships. All I saw were docked, none preparing to leave immediately. â€Å"Everything’s labeled,† I reported to the others, invisible in the dark back. â€Å"Now, this is important. Avoid ships to the Bats, and especially the See Weeds. The See Weeds are just one system over-it takes only a decade to make the round trip. That’s much too short. The Flowers are the farthest, and the Dolphins, Bears, and Spiders all take at least a century to go one way. Only send tanks to those.† I drove slowly, close to the crafts. â€Å"This will be easy. They’ve got all kinds of delivery vehicles out here, and we blend in. Oh! I can see a tank truck-it’s just like the one we saw them unloading at the hospital, Jared. There’s a man looking over the stacks†¦ He’s putting them onto a hover cart. He’s going to load them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I drove even slower, trying to get a good look. â€Å"Yes, onto this ship. Right into the open hatch. I’ll circle back and make my move when he’s in the ship.† I pulled past, examining the scene in my mirrors. There was a lit sign beside the tube that connected the head of the ship to the terminal. I smiled as I read the words backward. This ship was going to the Flowers. It was meant to be. I made a slow turn as the man disappeared into the hull of the ship. â€Å"Get ready,† I whispered as I pulled into the shadow made by the cylindrical wing of the next enormous ship over. I was only three or four yards from the tank truck. There were a few technicians working near the front of the Flower-bound vessel and others, farther away, out on the old runway. I would be just another figure in the night. I cut the engine and hopped down from the driver’s seat, trying to look casual, like I was only doing my job. I went around to the back of the van and opened the door a crack. The tank was right at the edge, the light on top glowing dull red, signifying that it was occupied. I lifted it carefully and closed the door. I kept up an easy rolling pace as I walked to the open end of the truck. But my breathing sped up. This felt more dangerous than the hospital, and that worried me. Could I expect my humans to risk their lives this way? I’ll be there. I’ll do it myself, just like you would. On the off chance you get your way, that is. Thanks, Mel. I had to force myself not to keep glancing over my shoulder at the open hatch where the man had disappeared. I placed the tank gently atop the closest column in the truck. The addition, one among hundreds, was not noticeable. â€Å"Goodbye,† I whispered. â€Å"Better luck with your next host.† I walked back to the van as slowly as I could stand to. It was silent in the van as I reversed out from under the big ship. I started back the way we’d come, my heart hammering too fast. In my mirrors, the hatch remained empty. I didn’t see the man emerge before the ship was out of sight. Ian climbed into the passenger seat. â€Å"Doesn’t look too hard.† â€Å"It was very good luck with the timing. You might have to wait longer for an opportunity next time.† Ian reached over to take my hand. â€Å"You’re the good-luck charm.† I didn’t answer. â€Å"Do you feel better now that she’s safe?† â€Å"Yes.† I saw his head turn sharply as he heard the unexpected sound of a lie in my voice. I didn’t meet his gaze. â€Å"Let’s go catch some Healers,† I muttered. Ian was silent and thoughtful as we drove the short distance to the small Healing facility. I’d thought the second task would be the challenge, the danger. The plan was that I would-if the conditions and numbers were right-try to lead a Healer or two out of the facility under the pretext that I had an injured friend in my van. An old trick, but one that would work only too well on the unsuspecting, trusting Healers. As it turned out, I didn’t even have to go in. I pulled into the lot just as two middle-aged Healers, a man and a woman wearing purple scrubs, were getting into a car. Their shift over, they were heading home. The car was around the corner from the entrance. No one else was in sight. Ian nodded tensely. I stopped the van right behind their car. They looked up, surprised. I opened my door and slid out. My voice was thick with tears, my face twisted with remorse, and that helped to fool them. â€Å"My friend is in the back-I don’t know what’s wrong with him.† They responded with the instant concern I knew they would show. I hurried to open the back doors for them, and they followed right behind. Ian went around the other side. Jared was ready with the chloroform. I didn’t watch. It took just seconds. Jared hauled the unconscious bodies into the back, and Ian slammed the doors shut. Ian stared at my tear-swollen eyes for just a second, then took the driver’s seat. I rode shotgun. He held my hand again. â€Å"Sorry, Wanda. I know this is hard for you.† â€Å"Yes.† He had no idea how hard, and for how many different reasons. He squeezed my fingers. â€Å"But that went well, at least. You make an excellent charm.† Too well. Both missions had gone too perfectly, too fast. Fate was rushing me. He drove back toward the freeway. After a few minutes, I saw a bright, familiar sign in the distance. I took a deep breath and wiped my eyes clear. â€Å"Ian, could you do me a favor?† â€Å"Anything you want.† â€Å"I want fast food.† He laughed. â€Å"No problem.† We switched seats in the parking lot, and I drove up to the ordering box. â€Å"What do you want?† I asked Ian. â€Å"Nothing. I’m getting a kick out of watching you do something for yourself. This has to be a first.† I didn’t smile at his joke. To me, this was sort of a last meal-the final gift to the condemned. I wouldn’t leave the caves again. â€Å"Jared, how about you?† â€Å"Two of whatever you’re having.† So I ordered three cheeseburgers, three bags of fries, and three strawberry shakes. After I got my food, Ian and I switched again so I could eat while he drove. â€Å"Eew,† he said, watching me dip a french fry into the shake. â€Å"You should try it. It’s good.† I offered him a well-coated fry. He shrugged and took it. He popped it into his mouth and chewed. â€Å"Interesting.† I laughed. â€Å"Melanie thinks it’s gross, too.† That’s why I’d cultivated the habit in the beginning. It was funny now to think how I’d gone out of my way to annoy her. I wasn’t really hungry. I’d just wanted some of the flavors I particularly remembered, one more time. Ian finished off half my burger when I was full. We made it home without incident. We saw no sign of the Seekers’ surveillance. Perhaps they’d accepted the coincidence. Maybe they thought it inevitable-wander the desert alone long enough, and something bad would happen to you. We’d had a saying like that on the Mists Planet: Cross too many ice fields alone, and wind up a claw beast’s meal. That was a rough translation. It sounded better in Bear. There was a large reception waiting for us. I smiled halfheartedly at my friends: Trudy, Geoffrey, Heath, and Heidi. My true friends were dwindling. No Walter, no Wes. I didn’t know where Lily was. This made me sad. Maybe I didn’t want to live on this sad planet with so much death. Maybe nothingness was better. It also made me sad, petty as it was, to see Lucina standing beside Lacey, with Reid and Violetta on the other side. They were talking animatedly, asking questions, it looked like. Lacey was holding Freedom on her hip. He didn’t look especially thrilled about this, but he was happy enough being part of the adults’ conversation that he didn’t squirm down. I’d never been allowed near the child, but Lacey was already one of them. Trusted. We went straight to the south tunnel, Jared and Ian laboring under the weight of the Healers. Ian had the heavier one, the man, and sweat ran down his fair face. Jeb shooed the others back at the tunnel entrance and then followed us. Doc was waiting for us in the hospital, rubbing his hands together absently, as if washing them. Time continued to speed up. The brighter lamp was lit. The Healers were given No Pain and laid out facedown on the cots. Jared showed Ian how to activate the tanks. They held them ready, Ian wincing at the stunning cold. Doc stood over the female, scalpel in hand and medicines laid out in a row. â€Å"Wanda?† he asked. My heart squeezed inward painfully. â€Å"Do you swear, Doc? All of my terms? Do you promise me on your own life?† â€Å"I do. I will meet all of your terms, Wanda. I swear it.† â€Å"Jared?† â€Å"Yes. Absolutely no killing, ever.† â€Å"Ian?† â€Å"I’ll protect them with my own life, Wanda.† â€Å"Jeb?† â€Å"It’s my house. Anyone who can’t abide by this agreement will have to get out.† I nodded, tears in my eyes. â€Å"Okay, then. Let’s get it over with.† Doc, excited again, cut into the Healer until he could see the silver gleam. He set the scalpel quickly aside. â€Å"Now what?† I put my hand on his. â€Å"Trace up the back ridge. Can you feel that? Feel the shape of the segments. They get smaller toward the anterior section. Okay, at the end you should feel three small†¦ stubby things. Do you feel what I’m talking about?† â€Å"Yes,† he breathed. â€Å"Good. Those are the anterior antennae. Start there. Now, very gently, roll your finger under the body. Find the line of attachments. They’ll feel tight, like wires.† He nodded. I guided him a third of the way down, told him how to count if he wasn’t sure. We didn’t have time for counting with all the blood flowing free. I was sure the Healer’s body, if she came around, would be able to help us-there must be something for that. I helped him find the biggest nodule. â€Å"Now, rub softly in toward the body. Knead it lightly.† Doc’s voice went up in pitch, turned a little panicky. â€Å"It’s moving.† â€Å"That’s good-it means you’re doing it right. Give it time to retract. Wait till it rolls up a bit, then take it into your hand.† â€Å"Okay.† His voice shook. I reached toward Ian. â€Å"Give me your hand.† I felt Ian’s hand wind around mine. I turned it over, curled his hand into a cup, and pulled it close to Doc’s operation site. â€Å"Give the soul to Ian-gently, please.† Ian would be the perfect assistant. When I was gone, who else would take such care with my little relatives? Doc passed the soul into Ian’s waiting hand, then turned at once to heal the human body. Ian stared at the silver ribbon in his hand, his face full of wonder rather than revulsion. It felt warmer inside my chest while I watched his reaction. â€Å"It’s pretty,† he whispered, surprised. No matter how he felt about me, he’d been conditioned to expect a parasite, a centipede, a monster. Cleaning up severed bodies had not prepared him for the beauty here. â€Å"I think so, too. Let it slide into your tank.† Ian held the soul cupped in his hand for one more second, as if memorizing the sight and feel. Then, with delicate care, he let it glide into the cold. Jared showed him how to latch the lid. A weight fell off my shoulders. It was done. It was too late to change my mind. This didn’t feel as horrible as I’d anticipated, because I felt sure these four humans would care for the souls just as I would. When I was gone. â€Å"Look out!† Jeb suddenly shouted. The gun came up in his hands, pointed past us. We whirled toward the danger, and Jared’s tank fell to the floor as he jumped toward the male Healer, who was on his knees on the cot, staring at us in shock. Ian had the presence of mind to hold on to his tank. â€Å"Chloroform,† Jared shouted as he tackled the Healer, pinning him back down to the cot. But it was too late. The Healer stared straight at me, his face childlike in his bewilderment. I knew why his eyes were on me-the lantern’s rays danced off both his eyes and mine, making diamond patterns on the wall. â€Å"Why?† he asked me. Then his face went blank, and his body slumped, unresisting, to the cot. Two trails of blood flowed from his nostrils. â€Å"No!† I screamed, lurching to his inert form, knowing it was far too late. â€Å"No!† How to cite The Host Chapter 53: Condemned, Essay examples

Sun Also Rises By Hemingway Essays - English-language Films

Sun Also Rises By Hemingway Madam Adam: Hemingway's exploration of Man in The Sun Also Rises ?It's really an awfully simple operation, Jig,' the man said. ?It's not really an operation at all.' Much of Hemingway's body of work grows from issues of male morality. In his concise, ?Hills Like White Elephants,? a couple discusses getting an abortion while waiting for a train in a Spanish rail station bar. Years before Roe v. Wade, before the issues of abortion rights, mothers' rights, and unborn children's rights splashed across the American mass consciousness, Ernest Hemingway assessed the effects of abortion on a relationship, and, more specifically, he examined a man's role in determining the necessity of the procedure and its impact on his psyche and his ability to love. The Sun Also Rises continues the investigation of the morality of being a man in longer, more foundational form. Rather than dealing with such a discrete issue as ?Hills Like White Elephants,? the novel discusses questions of masculinity on a large scale by testing an array of male characters, each perfect in some traditionally masculine traits, with a woman perfectly designed to cut to their flaws. The three most important of these controlled experiments balance each other particularly well. Lady Brett's treatment of Jake Barnes, Pedro Romero, and, much more briefly, Count Mippopopolous allows Ernest Hemingway to exhibit the infinite fallibility of Man as his most fundamental and important quality rather than exulting the tough-guy, ubermench cult he is often credited with popularizing. Ernest Hemingway says he slapped Max Eastman's face with a book? and Max Eastman says he threw Hemingway over a desk and stood him on his head in a corner? They both tell of the face-slapping, but Mr. Hemingway denies Mr. Eastman threw him anywhere or stood him on his head in any place, and says that he will donate $1,000 to any charity?for the pleasure of Mr. Eastman's company in a locked room with all legal rights waved. Hemingway's penchant for adventure, belief in honor, and outward male pride often manifested themselves in well-publicized scandals such as his 1937 rumble with Max Eastman. Some of his stories, like surviving on bananas and rum in the African jungle after suffering two plane crashes, have integrated themselves into American folklore. The author seemed to live the romantic, wild lifestyle his novels reported. And Hemingway did lead an exciting life?hunting in Africa, fishing off Cuba, battling in Spain, and drinking in France. However, Hemingway killed himself in July of 1961, so he obviously found shortcomings in the commingling of fiction and reality that he created. Consequently, a reading of The Sun Also Rises that examines the failures of its male characters as a study of qualities men ought to have inevitably proves anemic?all of them suffer from flaws the author purposely highlights. Hemingway cannot deny the importance and existence of heroic acts even within a novel containing no complete hero. Rather, the defects of the men with whom Lady Brett cultivates relationships throughout the book represent the obstacles that all men must overcome as the necessary action of heroism. His story, ?The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber,? follows the full cycle of this process, from the emasculation of its protagonist when his wife witnesses his flight from a lion on safari, to his murder as a result of conquering his fear. Noticeably, though, the heroic completion of Francis Macomber who grows, awfully brave, awfully suddenly'? immediately precedes the death he suffers not in the fangs of his previous adversary but at the hands of his wife, society's representative on that plot of savannah. Jake Barnes, the narrator in The Sun Also Rises, does not clearly recount the moments that stole the physical component of his masculinity. The novel simply informs the reader of the presence of such a war injury, which becomes Lady Brett, his professed love's excuse for her incomplete attention to him. But Jake's basic failing as a man paradoxically provides him with an increased tolerance for Brett and his ability to, somewhat objectively, relate a story about her sexual activity. Barnes also wields a cool tone before any emotional situation in completing the tough task of tracking Ashley. The man refuses any connection to an outside character deeper than drinking and banter. For instance, in Burguete he responds, Drink up, Harris,? to a new fishing buddy's admission, I say, Barnes. You don't know what this all means to me.? Arthur Waldhorn notes in his Reader's Guide to Ernest Hemingway, ?what Jake offers himself is a self-study course in emotional pragmatism.?