Friday, January 31, 2020

Ethinicity And American Culture Essay Example for Free

Ethinicity And American Culture Essay The treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1850 was signed between the American government and the interim government of the military occupied Mexico which resulted in the end of the Mexican-American War. This was intended to bring peace in the disputed territory and the end result was that Mexico ceded a large territory to the United States and its size was reduced by forty-five percent. The land Mexico ceded to the U. S. is now a number of states: Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and California. The military government in Mexico received fair compensation for the territory. The treaty of Guadalupe paved the way for the way for the immigration of Mexicans especially workers to the U. S. this was necessitated by the United States’ need for labor to develop the newly acquired territory. Immigration patterns have been determined by American manual labor needs. The Immigration Process The immigration of Mexicans to the U. S. began soon after the territory was surrendered, the U. S. government sought labor from Mexico to build the railroad which was to connect all the new territory to the other states. Between 1850 and 1880 the U. S. government brought in 55,000 migrant workers from Mexico into the former Mexican territories to work on the railroad. The government preferred Mexican laborers because they were not entitled to any constitutional protection and they could work for substandard wages in the harsh conditions. The process of immigration began to peak up speed in 1910 when the Mexican revolution took place. After the revolution, more then 50,000 Mexican workers immigrated to the U. S. in search of jobs which they felt were better than those available in their home country. Changes over Time Change in the immigration process began to take shape in 1929 when American citizens massively complained that the illegal workers were taking up their job. The government responded by launching major crackdown on immigrants who did not posses the relevant immigration documents. This resulted in the forceful deportation of over two million Mexican of which about one and a half million had been born in the U. S. this was harsh as those born in the U. S. were therefore citizens by birth. The U. S however found itself in a tight spot when it got in World War II in 1942 which elicited the need for Mexican workers. The U. S. acted quickly to remedy the situation by getting into an agreement with Mexican officials and this was known as the Bracero program. Under the program guest Mexican workers would be allowed to enter the U. S. and provide labor on a temporary basis though they would not be afforded the labor protections accorded to their U. S. counterparts. The program run through out the period of World War II and went on up to 1964 as major Corporations had pulled string to ensure that the laborers continued to work as they wanted to cash in on the cheap labor. Since 1964 there was what has been referred to as an unspoken agreement between the undocumented workers, Corporations and the government. The government has intentionally failed to implement border regulations after being lobbied by major corporations which benefit highly from the labor if the immigrants. Though the agreement has been said to benefit all the parties which is utterly false as the immigrant workers are subjected to poor living conditions, are paid substandard wages and do not enjoy the protection of labor unions or practices. In 1986 three million undocumented Mexican-American workers were granted amnesty by the Reagan administration and this consequently made them subject to human rights protections, (Borjas National Bureau of Economic Research, 2007). Effect on Chicano Movement The Chicano movement was vastly affected by the immigration of undocumented as they were not officially recognized by the U. S. government. This meant that they did not enjoy constitutional protection like other American citizen and the movement’s job was harder as attempts at demanding for rights resulted in deportation. Mexican workers therefore did not seek the help of the movement as they fear that its intervention would result of their deportation, (Rosales, 2000). Conclusion The immigration of Mexican to the U. S. began with the need by the U. S. government to have cheap labor for building of a railroad through the territory acquired from Mexico in 1850. The immigration pattern has however been tied only to the manual labor needs of the U. S. as the government allows entry of undocumented Mexican workers when they are in dire need of cheap manual labor like during World War II. The pattern is also evident from the push and pull debate that rages on the undocumented workers. Reference Borjas, G. J. National Bureau of Economic Research. (2007). Mexican Immigration to the United States. Chicago? : University of Chicago Press. Rosales, F. A. (2000). Testimonio: A Documentary History of the Mexican-American Struggle for Civil Rights. Houston: Arte Publico Press. ESSAY TWO Some historians describe the Civil Rights Movement as a two-phase process of a southern movement to guarantee basic human rights and a northern movement focused on economic and social inequalities. In an essay, which incorporates lecture, readings and class discussion analyze this process. Introduction The Civil Rights Movement sought reform in the way the American society treated African Americans and it sought to change the perception. The movement originated in the urban areas of the south after large numbers of African Americans migrated from the rural areas and this was after the abolishment of slavery. The American Civil Rights Movement faced a number of challenges in its quest for equal civil rights for African Americans and other minority groups. This came in the form of legislation which promoted the injustices committed against African Americans by white Americans. The movement was therefore forced to employ different strategies and tactics so as to have its voice and that of its people heard. The movement suffered major losses in the road to the eventual attainment of those rights. The Civil Rights Movement refers to a reform movement of African Americans which sought to attain equal civil rights under the law for all people. It sought to have the abolishment of both public and private acts of discrimination and segregation against African Americans. The movement is said to have originated in the southern urban areas when millions of African Americans migrated from rural areas to the urban centers of the south. The Civil Rights Movement employed various strategies which included: nonviolent strikes, civil disobedience, marches, boycotts, protests rallies and freedom rides. The movement therefore focused on disenfranchisement and the Jim Crow laws in the south. The Civil Rights Movement in the south can be said to have been the most intense as it was in the south that African Americans faced the greatest resistance to their attempts to struggle for equal rights. The south had become the most notorious when it came to the suppression of rights of African Americans. The laws in the south permitted or required four acts of discrimination against African Americans. They included voter suppression or disfranchisement, denial of economic opportunities, private acts and mass racial violence and racial segregation which was first upheld by the U. S. Supreme Court decision in 1896 in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson. It was also in the south that most of the milestone events in the civil rights movement took place in the south which included the: Martin Luther king Jr. assassination, march on Selma, Alabama, Mississippi freedom summer and the Montgomery bus boycott. The south was also home of some of the most important literature to come out of the Civil Rights Movement like Dr. King’s Letter from Birmingham jail. It also home to important Civil Rights Movement landmarks like the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Site. The latter also house a museum which chronicles the American Civil Rights Movement. The challenges of the movement in south emanated from the legislature passing of the Jim Crow laws which legalized segregation in all public facilities. This law meant that African Americans and other non-white citizens were designated different facilities this includes: lavatories, buses, restaurants, housing establishments among others. These went on to be adopted by most local government across the country and this turned to be a major challenge to the Civil Rights Movement. It was the successes of the Civil Rights Movement in the south which made life better for African Americans all over the United States. The civil rights movement culminated in the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965 but of which were a clear symbol of the success of the Civil Rights Movement, (Williams Bond, 1988). Conclusion Despite the major challenges the American civil Rights Movement faced, it managed to succeed in its cause because of its strategies, sacrifices and it resilience. Some of the sacrifices the movement had to contend with included the loss of one of its leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was assassinated. Though this was a major blow the movement managed to remain resilient and it was rewarded with the passing of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act in 1964 and 1965 respectively. The fact that most of the Civil Rights Movement events took place in the south does not mean that the northern part of the country was not involved as activities like the march on Washington took place in the north. The march was the venue for famous â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech by Dr. Martin Luther King. The civil rights movement therefore came along way to achieve success. Reference Williams, J. , Bond, J. (INT) (1988). Eyes on the Prize: Americas Civil Rights Years, 1954- 1965. ISBN 0833514318, 9780833514318: Bt Bound

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Teaching Philosophy Essay -- Teachers Education School Essays

Teaching Philosophy As a future art educator, I have been encouraging myself in the past four years to explore and absorb as much about art and education as I possibly can. As my college years are drawing closer towards a conclusion, a new chapter of my life is waiting to be discovered. This is the time to gather what I have learned and synthesize my own set of philosophies on teaching. Under my teaching scope, I would want students to learn about meanings and issues in life through art in addition to the technical skills of art making. I would guide and expect my students to express their views and feelings through this creative process. Furthermore, I anticipate students will recognize that art functions in many facets, and that having the ability to criticize and be aware of the arts around them will enable them to appreciate art as an active and engaged participant in the learning process. Last but not least, I would like to share my enthusiasm for art and inspire my students to view art with a whol e new perspective. In order to achieve my goals, specific methods will be...

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Developing a marketing mix for a new product or service Essay

In this assignment I will be looking at how product and services are marketed and look at how a marketing mix is developed using the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. The Marketing Mix provides an excellent framework for developing marketing plan. They are generally accepted as being made up of four parts which are: †¢Product †¢Price †¢promotion †¢place These are ideas to consider when marketing a product and shall be described in more detail below:- The Four ‘P’s Product A product is anything that can be offered to the market to satisfy a customer needs and desires. Product include physical goods, services experiences, events, person, place and etc. It is therefore the combination of goods and service that are offered to the target consumer. A business will constantly change and update its product range and mix to constantly please their customers and be above competitors. A product can be viewed in three different levels: Level 1: The core Product (rather than the physical product) is the benefit of the production that makes it valuable to you. Level 2: The actual product is the physical item. At this level branding and added features and benefits are important as this what will differentiate the product from competitors. Level 3: The augmented product is additional value beyond the physical product: it usually consist of after-sales service, warranties, delivery and so on. The extent of the mix is another significant issue. If a business doesn’t have many products, there is a chance that one will go out of date as newer type of products are in the market and this can seriously damage the business scale. It is recommended to never have one product in one market as if the product isn’t successful and fails this could mean a complete failure of the business. Some businesses will adapt and anticipate change, while  others reacts to the need to change. An example of this is that IPhone makes changes to their products such as their mobile phones, they add more features to their products giving their customers a range of features to look for in a product. Once a business has identified their target group of customers it has to know what products or services it needs to do and provide in order to appeal and attract to them. The information they provide their customers should illustrate the features of the product or service so that the customers know what to expect and it reaches their expectations and the business will make a profit. However it’s important to take into consideration that the benefits to a customer are not always for a practical sense there are psychological benefits such as status for example. An example of this is if everyone has a specific phone and a person went and got the same phone they may get it more for a status reason. The product life cycle concept reflects the theory that product, like people, live a life. They go through 4 stages. The main stages of the product life cycle are: †¢Introduction- researching, developing and then launching the product †¢Growth-when sales are increasing at their fastest rate †¢Maturity-sales are near their highest, but the rate of growth is slowing down, e.g. new competitors in market or saturation †¢Decline-final stage of the cycle, when sales begin to fall So understanding what part of the cycle your product is in will shape your marketing mix. Price Price is the one element of the marketing mix that revenue; the others produce costs. A business must set a price for a product and in deciding the products price; marketing must follow a six-step-process. 1.Select the price objective-This could be to survive or to maximize market share. 2.Determine demand-the higher the price, the lower the demand. 3.Estimate cost-charge a price that covers the cost of producing, distributing and selling the product. 4.Analyze competitors’ costs, prices and offers-take into account its competitors cost and prices setting its price. 5.Select a pricing strategy-there a number of pricing, which is listed below. 6.Select the final place-this is decided after testing on a range of pricing points. Premium pricing This is where the business will keep the price of a product or service high in order to encourage customer to associate it will high quality. Penetration pricing This is when a product is sold into a market at a low initial price in order to generate sales before the price is increased. Economy pricing Economy pricing is the deliberate setting of low price in order to boost sales. Skim pricing when launching a new product there will be less competition in the marketplace. Skimming involves setting as reasonably high initial returns from those consumers willing to buy the new product. Psychological pricing This based on customer pricing method. It relies on consumer’s emotive responses, subjective views and feeling towards specific purchases. Captive product pricing This is a strategy that can apply to products with consumable supplies. This is where the pricing at high prestige levels, otherwise they will not sell; customers equate higher quality with higher prices. Product line pricing This is the pricing of different products within the same product range at different price points. Place Place in marketing mix refers to where the product is purchased from and how it’s distributed. For example, most consumer of confectionery will buy products form retail stores. Businesses need to adapt their marketing mix depending on the end customers- that is whether they are a consumer or reseller- as each seek different benefits from the same product. Distribution A business may use two types of distribution method: indirect or direct. Indirect distribution is when a business sells its products via an intermediary such as wholesaler, who then sells to retailers. Direct distribution is where the business sells and distributes direct to the customers. Choosing indirect distribution may mean that a business loses some of the control over the pricing of their products, as they have offer discounts to wholesalers and retailers, who may choose to pass on saving to their customers. Online The growth of online shopping have given businesses a new place to sell their products to customers. This offers businesses an advantage as they can sell directly to the customers. This mean they can avoid the wholesaler and therefore increasing the profit margin on their products. The promotional mix involves the blending of number of variables to satisfy the needs of a business’s target market and achieve its organizational objectives. With the promotional mix, a business attempts to achieve the best blend of promotional elements to suit their promotional objectives. The components of the promotional mix are: †¢Advertising †¢Sales promotion †¢Personal selling †¢Public relations Advertising This may be defined as paid promotions through various media by businesses, non profit organizations and individual’s that are in some way identified in the advertising message and hope to inform or persuade members of particular audience. Advertisers have many tricked up their selves such as: †¢Excitement †¢Personality power †¢Put-down: Business put down their competitions †¢Jumping on the bandwagon: Advertisements encourage the audience to join the crowd. Personal selling This is where a seller presents a product direct to a consumer often face to face but can be done over the phone and through video conferencing. Public relations This covers a firm’s communications and relationships with its public. This includes customers, suppliers, stockholders, employees, the government, the general public and the society in which the organization operates. This can be formal or informal. Publicity is important part of effective public relations efforts. It can be defined as the non-personal stimulation of  demand for a good, service, person or cause. Sales promotion This is related to marketing activities that fall outside of the categories such as coupons, trade shows, displays, samples and other promotional efforts that occur on an irregular basis. Some of these promotions are short term and opportunistic. In this assignment I have examine how products and services are marketed and look at how a marketing mix is developed using the four p’s: Product, Price, Place and Promotion.

Monday, January 6, 2020

Zoos The Federal Animal Welfare Act - 1167 Words

Zoos often claim they are modern day arks, providing a safe, comfortable environment; making animals happy and content; educating the world about wildlife; and saving species from the brink of extinction while at the same time providing vital research into the lives of animals. There is a moral presumption against keeping wild, defenseless animals in captivity. The zoo is a prison for animals who have been sentenced without a trial. Either we have duties to animals or we do not. I feel that we have a duty and responsibility to animals and need to provide them with respect not neglect. Living conditions are crucial to an animal’s survival. Captivity cannot begin to replicate what it means to be free. Living in an enclosed prison†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Many animal rights advocates and even some conservationists argue that what zoos teach is not a love of animals but rather the acceptance of human domination of nature† (Rudy 124). Keeping animals in zo os sends the message that animals are commodities and that humans are justified in locking them up. It is hard to perceive how providing entertainment could possibly justify keeping wild animals in captivity. A zoo isn’t the best place for the conservation of animals. If people want to see wild animals in real life, they can observe wildlife in the wild or visit a sanctuary. A true sanctuary does not buy, sell, or breed animals, but takes in unwanted exotic pets, surplus animals from zoos or injured wildlife that can no longer survive in the wild. Removing animals from the wild will further endanger the wild population because the remaining animals will be less genetically diverse and will have more difficulty finding mates. Also, â€Å"the lack of genetic diversity among captive animals also means that surviving members of endangered species have traits very different from their conspecifics in the wild† (Jamieson 172). Lions are a popular zoo animal, but the ma jority â€Å"are ‘generic’ animals of hybrid or unknown sub specific status, and therefore of little or no value inShow MoreRelatedZoos And Animal Purposes Of Zoos1727 Words   |  7 PagesZoos and similar facilities that publicly exhibit wild animals have existed throughout history, beginning as far back as Ancient Egypt. In the past, animals were kept in small cages and used by rulers to display their wealth and satisfy the curiosity and fascination surrounding wild creatures. Society’s views about zoos have changed. No longer are people willing to view animals pacing nervously back and forth behind bars. Instead, the public has begun to express concern for the welfare of the animalsRead MoreZoos And Conservation For Animals1574 Words   |  7 Pageswild animals in our world. However, is keeping wild animals in captivity really the best way to take care of them? A zoo or aquarium is an establishment that maintains a collection of wild animals, in enclosures, to display to the public. The American public loves to visit zoos and aquariums because they believe it’s educational and they’ll be able to see animals from a variety of continents. The concepts of zoos and aquariums have been around for centuries and the standard of care for animals hasRead MoreThe Future Of Zoos During The World Of Activists Attacks1495 Words   |  6 PagesThe Future of Zoos In the Midst of Activists’ Attacks In an increasingly threatening environmental crisis, zoos are participating in the conservation of species. The biodiversity of the animal and plant worlds is being deeply affected, on the one hand by the disruption of ecosystems caused mainly by climate change and deforestation, and on the other hand, by the globalization of trade, travel, transport, and tourism. These two factors are increasingly reducing animals’ habitats and endangering manyRead MorePersuasive Essay On Animal Cruelty1373 Words   |  6 PagesIf animals could talk, what would they say? They would stand up for themselves. As you read these, another innocent animal is being abused, neglected, or being harmed in some other way. Animal cruelty is wrong and happening all over the world although one may not notice. Animals in zoos and circuses are abused. They are used for testing, although there are many other alternatives. Companies use them for their leather and fur products. Circuses force them to do tricks and keep them in cages. ThereRead MoreIn An Increasingly Threatening Environmental Crisis, Zoos1752 Words   |  8 Pagesenvironmental crisis, zoos are participating in the conservation of species. The biodiversity of the animal and plant worlds is being deeply affected, on the one hand by the disruption of ecosystems caused mainly by climate change and deforestation, and on the other hand, by the globalization of trade, travel, transport, and tourism. These two factors are increasingly reducing animals’ habitats and endangering many species (Keulartz 336). The evolution of the preservation role of zoos precipitated theRead MoreExotic Animals1518 Words   |  7 PagesAndrea Davis Mrs. Smith ENGL 1101 15 November 2011 Exotic Animals Are More than Just Pets The exotic animal trade is a growing industry in which exotic animals are bred, sold, and traded in massive amounts. Millions of exotic animals are being kept in private residences, small roadside zoos, and traveling wild animal exhibits. Sadly, beautiful and majestic animals are being held captive in unfortunate living conditions. They are being deprived the enrichment and companionship that they requireRead MoreThe Cruelty Of Animals And Animals1945 Words   |  8 Pages Tons of people in the world that love animals and enjoy having their company. This is why most people have pets around their household. With these pets we often train them to do special tricks for example with dogs, the classic ‘shake’ or ‘rollover’ is something owners love seeing. With every new trick that they learn, we give them treats and lots of love. With the treat and love that we give our pets, they feel loved and happy, maintaining their health and happiness and that also makes the ownersRead MoreShould Animals Be Banned?1742 Words   |  7 PagesShould the Use of Animals in Circuses Be Banned? People have been flocking to see the dancing animals at the circus for ages, but how much do you really know about what goes on behind the scenes? The use of animals in the circus has a long history dating all the way back to ancient Rome. In fact, the first established circus in history, Circus Maximus, used animals. Even in those ancient times, the use of animals to entertain humans proved to be a very lucrative business. For the people that attendRead MoreAnimal Experimentation Should Not Be Allowed1631 Words   |  7 Pages100 million animals are poisoned, blinded, and killed every year in the United States in outdated product tests for cosmetics, personal-care products, household-cleaning products, and even fruit juices? It is said that every three seconds an animal dies while being held in laboratories. Animals are living creatures, who deserve to be more than just a science experiment. Animal experimentation should not be allowed. Whether it is called animal testing, animal experimentation or animal researchRead MoreAnimal Welfare Act Of 1966. Before 1966, Almost Of Animals,1660 Words   |  7 PagesAnimal Welfare Act of 1966 Before 1966, almost of animals, family pets as well, were being taken away by thieves and burglars because a lot of laboratories were paying others to do the messed up dirty work all so they could test on them with all sorts of chemicals. Between 1908-1973, President Lyndon B. Johnson saw this and the heard cries and sorrow of the people and didn’t agree with what was going on. On August 24th, 1966 President Johnson created a nameless act in order to ensure and protect

Sunday, December 29, 2019

The Tyger By William Blake - 1290 Words

Successful businessmen will tell you that its how you treat the â€Å"lower-level† employees that will determine your success. If those who do the grunt work are happy, the company will likely prosper. This notion dates back to the chivalric era in which knights and noblemen would place their trust in the blacksmith to forge high quality armour and weapons. The blacksmith was held in high regard for a lower-class citizen, and became a sort of anomaly in the hierarchy of a kingdom. William Blake evokes the image of a blacksmith as creator in his poem â€Å"The Tyger† to comment on the social and political situations of the times. He chooses a rough, rude and labour-driven artist as a way of rejecting the aesthetic features of art for more practical, albeit destructive forms. A blacksmith is an artist of war, a creator of destruction. The tiger is the object of destruction. The speaker is questioning the creator as to why he would create something so powerful yet destructive, the same questions one would likely ask a blacksmith as he creates his weapons of war. The inquisitive tone of the poem allows the speaker to wonder about the things that are created for destruction and why their creator would allow them to exist. The tiger is one of those creations, as the speaker enquires in the first and last stanza in almost an apostrophic tone, â€Å"What immortal hand or eye. / Could [Dare] frame thy fearful symmetry?† (Blake 3-4, 23-24 – line 24 differentiation noted in brackets). The speaker isShow MoreRelatedThe Tyger By William Blake Essay969 Words   |  4 PagesThe Tyger is a six-stanza poem written by an American poet, William Blake. This poem has many interpretation, in a way you could say it is a biblical as well as a symbolic poem, as à ¢â‚¬ËœThe Tyger’ is actually the contrast to one of Blake s other poem, The Lamb, both poems are from the book of â€Å"Songs of Innocence and Experience†. If you are familiar with the Christian Bible, it states â€Å"Jesus is the Lamb of God.† The Tyger is comprised of unanswered questions as to who could have created a terrifyingRead MoreWilliam Blake : The Tyger900 Words   |  4 PagesFerociously Created (Favorite Poem Written by William Blake: The Tyger) Poetry often has a way of speaking to certain people. Maybe not everyone can connect to every poem, but more so a specific poem. Maybe they can relate something that happened to them in their life that is similar to that in the poetry. Many times that is the case, sometimes others just simply like poems as well. They hear the words that it is saying and get exactly what it is trying to say and it speaks to them. This is a greatRead MoreThe Tyger By William Blake1168 Words   |  5 Pagesto question their God and the way the world is. William Blake’s compilation of poems called the Songs of Innocence and Experience questions the good and evil in the daily lives of human beings. This collection of poems includes The Tyger, a partnered poem in the series with The Lamb. Blake offers a new way of interpreting God through His creations in The Tyger. Blake demonstrates the fierceness of the tyger’s creator throughout the poem. The tyger is viewed as a vicious creature that pe ople viewRead MoreThe poem The Tyger by William Blake877 Words   |  3 PagesThese wise words of King James verse (1:5) of the bible portrays an underlying message that although we should follow in God’s path, we are not expected to follow blindly. Likewise, in the poem â€Å"The Tyger† by William Blake, it’s theme is a reflection of what this quote implies. Throughout this poem, Blake explores the possibility of questioning God while using the structure of the poem, as well as the irony of God’s character, and several sound devices in hopes of communicating a message, that to questionRead MoreThe Lamb And The Tyger By William Blake1330 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Blake is an English poet, painter, and printmaker from the eighteenth century. With his unique way with words and mastery craftsmanship, he created an illustration collection of poems called Songs of Innocence and Experience in 1789. His most famous poems from Songs of Innocence and Experie nce are â€Å"The Lamb and The Tyger†. These poems use animals to attest to God’s role as the Creator, yet they possess contrasting tones and language of the speaker and present conflicting views of God’s powerRead MoreWilliam Blake s The Tyger1132 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Blake’s â€Å"The Tyger† and Tragedies William Blake wrote a set of poems in his collection Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. Some of the poems in each collection were meant to be read together to show the difference between innocence and experience. Many people question why Blake wrote a two part series to his poems and what they could actually mean. Two specific poems, â€Å"The Lamb† and â€Å"The Tyger,† were meant to be read together. â€Å"The Lamb† is a part of Blake’s Songs of Innocence andRead MoreThe Lamb And The Tyger By William Blake996 Words   |  4 Pagescreated, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible† (Colossians 1:16). William Blake wrote poems about this very subject. In his twin poems, â€Å"The Lamb† and â€Å"The Tyger†, Blake uses different literary techniques such as sound, imagery and symbolism to echo the common theme of creation along with how it is viewed differently. William Blake’s use of sound in his poems, â€Å"The Lamb† and â€Å"The Tyger†, enhance the central idea of creation and the question of how one God can create such differentRead MoreSymbolism In The Tyger By William Blake901 Words   |  4 Pagespower must be brought into question. William Blake’s poem â€Å"The Tyger† accurately portrays this reality and brings this thinking of God into the light with his poem. In â€Å"The Tyger†, William Blake uses rhyme scheme, figurative language, and symbolism to convey the question of why God would allow for there to be evil, and create evil Himself. Blake’s use of rhyme scheme throughout the poem adds a rhythm and set pattern in the poem. For example, in â€Å"The Tyger†, Blake uses the rhyme scheme AABB throughoutRead MoreThe Tyger And The Lamb By William Blake991 Words   |  4 Pagesand event that has ever existed may have had bad effects in one situation, but good effects for another situation. And every human, by extension, has aspects about them that can be viewed as both good and evil. In his poems, â€Å"The Tyger† and, â€Å"The Lamb†, author William Blake explores the ideas of duality, and how each thing must have an equal opposite. He uses both these poems to further ruminate on this dichotomy and brings up many questions in the context of religion. He seeks to point out that inRead MoreThe Lamb and The Tyger by William Blake Essay1758 Words   |  8 Pages William Blake, a unique poet of the literary canon, is one of the most critiqued poets of all time. Having a rather unique stylistic approach to topics, especially religion, Blake seems to contradict himself in his own writing and, therefore, sparks questions in the readers’ minds on specific subjects. Two of his poems in particular have been widely critiqued and viewed in various lights. â€Å"The Tyger,† written in 1774, and â€Å"The Lamb,† written five years later in 1789, are considered companion poems

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Stevensons Use of Literary Techniques in The Strange Case...

Stevensons Use of Literary Techniques in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Robert Louis Stevensons Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde tells of how a scientist abuses his knowledge so that he can become another being but the double he becomes is one that cannot be directly blamed for his crimes and actions. Throughout the story Stevenson uses many different literary techniques to convey how the characters feel. These can be categorized into many different themes: the double, hypocrisy, suppression leading to violence, the beast in man, secrecy and control. Structures, language and style also contribute to illustrating the social, historical, cultural and moral points Stevenson making in this†¦show more content†¦This act is morally wrong, and Stevenson uses the simile, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦like a damned Juggernaut, to illustrate this. Hyde probably thought that no one would see him trample on the girl and unleash his wrath on the girl and is a clear example of one of the points that Stevenson is attempting to make in his novella, that everyone has an evil side somewhere inside themselves. We get our first sight of the main theme, duality between good and evil, when Stevenson gives a description of the street that Mr. Utterson and Richard Enfield are strolling down. The street is described as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦thrivingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and the shops as having à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦an air of invitation, like rows of smiling saleswomen. These descriptions given by the author immediately lighten the mood and give an impression of everyone being lively and light-hearted. However, in the next paragraph the mood completely changes for the worse, and suddenly the street that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦instantly caught and pleased the eye of the passenger, is spoilt by the appearance of an old gloomy building. The building is described as having à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦in every feature marks of prolonged and sordid negligence. This contrast in descriptions gives the impression that there is something very weird and sinister about this building, and is another example of the gothic genre used by Stevenson. StevensonShow MoreRelated Stevensons Use of Literary Techniques in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1060 Words   |  5 PagesStevensons Use of Literary Techniques in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde In his novella Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson explores the dual nature of Victorian man, and his link with an age of hypocrisy. Whilst writing the story he obviously wanted to show the people of the time what happened behind closed doors. In Jekylls suicide note he makes the following observation I have observed that when I wore the semblance of Edward Hyde, none could come near toRead MoreJekyll And Hyde Character Analysis708 Words   |  3 Pagespotions. Dr. Jekyll tried several things to stop the transformations, but nothing worked. He knew he would transform into Hyde permanently. The letter was his last conscious act as Dr. Jekyll. For this reason, Dr. Jekyll makes the decision to kill himself rather than allow Mr. Hyde liberate on the world. In the novel, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde focuses on a conception of humanity as dual in nature, although the theme does not emerge fully until the last chapter, when the complete storyRead More Analysis of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson2888 Words   |  12 PagesAnalysis of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson In an attempt to consider the duality tale, one narrative inevitably finds its way to the top of the heap as the supreme archetype: Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Immense disagreement permeates the pages of literary criticism relevant to the meaning of the story. Yet, for all of the wrangling focused on the psychology, morality, spirituality, and sociality of the story, itRead MoreThe Way Robert Louis Stevenson Uses Literary Techniques in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde1103 Words   |  5 PagesThe Way Robert Louis Stevenson Uses Literary Techniques in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a novella that was written an 1886 and has gone down in history as one of the most famous works of gothic horror fiction. The term Jekyll and Hyde personality is used in society today to depict someone with a dual personality who is a kind of schizophrenic, describing someone who lives a double life of outward morality and inward iniquity. AtRead MoreComparrison of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and the Picture of Dorian Grey1946 Words   |  8 PagesThe term gothic fiction implies a British literary genre from the late eighteenth, and early nineteenth century. The modernized term seems to have been generalized into anything that is dark, gloomy, or depressing. Gothic novels often time posses an emphasis on portraying the terror, a prominent use of supernatural circumstances, the presence of highly stereotyped characters, and the attempt to display techniques of literary suspense. There are also other parallels among this vastly popular genreRead More How Does Robert Louis Stevenson use literary techniques to illustrate2496 Words   |  10 PagesHow Does Robert Louis Stevenson use literary techniques to illustrate the social, historical and moral points he is trying to make in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde? Throughout the Novella, ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’, the author Robert Louis Stevenson uses a wide range of literary techniques in a skilful and sophisticated way to help achieve his effects and put his points across. Stevenson’s unique use of language is vital to the success of the Novella, with the structural and linguistic devices playingRead More Good and Evil in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson4276 Words   |  18 PagesGood and Evil in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson Throughout the story of â€Å"The Strange Case Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde†, the author, Robert Louis Stevenson, presents his idea of the duality of man- where we all have a dark, wicked side within us, where evil is held in waiting to surface, but we hide it away, we pretend it does not exist, and we keep it tame. He presents this idea by using two protagonists, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, who are actually the sameRead More Robert Louis Stevenson was born November 13, 1850 in Edinburgh, Scotland1906 Words   |  8 PagesRobert Louis Stevenson was born November 13, 1850 in Edinburgh, Scotland Throughout his childhood, he suffered chronic health. A Study of Robert Louis Stevenson’s use of settings, characters and symbolism in ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’. Robert Louis Stevenson was born November 13, 1850 in Edinburgh, Scotland throughout his childhood; he suffered chronic health problems that confined him to bed. He lived in constant fear of death and some people believe that this was whereRead More Stevenson and Conrad: The Duality of Human Nature 1793 Words   |  8 Pagesown novellas. Stevenson employs this theme throughout his novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and similarly Conrad employs this theme throughout his novella Heart of Darkness. In both novellas the theme is found in the literary devices of symbolism and personification. Although both works embody the theme of the duality of human nature, each author takes their own individual approach in utilizing literary techniques to help preserve this crucial theme. Robert Louis Stevenson was bornRead More Considering The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as an Effective Representation of Evil3122 Words   |  13 PagesConsidering The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as an Effective Representation of Evil The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, originally published in 1886 by Robert Louis Stevenson, arguably remains a popular novella even today because of its representations of evil and themes concerned with evil such as morality. Originally written for a Victorian audience, the text follows the conventions of the time - for example, the Georgian style of introducing and

Friday, December 13, 2019

Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 20~23 Free Essays

string(31) " he had bought the day before\." 20 Leadership’s a Bitch The storm had been easy on the Shark People. A little thatch lost from a roof here and there, a cookhouse blown over, some breadfruit and coconuts stripped from the trees, but not enough to cause hardship. Some seawater had washed into the taro patch, but only time would tell if it was enough to kill the crop. We will write a custom essay sample on Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 20~23 or any similar topic only for you Order Now The Shark People went slowly about the business of cleaning up, the women doing most of the work while the men sat in the shade of the men’s house, drinking alcoholic tuba and pretending to discuss important religious matters. Mainly they were there to pass the heat of the day and get good and drunk before dinner. Malink, the high chief of the Shark People, was late rising. He awoke shivering and afraid, trying to figure out how to interpret a strange dream. He rolled off of his grass sleeping mat, then rose creakily and ambled out of the hut to relieve himself at the base of a giant breadfruit tree. He was a short, powerfully built man of sixty. His hair was bushy and gone completely white. His skin, once a light butterscotch, had been burned over the years to the dark brown of a tarnished penny. Like most of the Shark men, he wore only a cotton loincloth and a wreath of fresh flowers in his hair (left there by one of his four daughters while he slept). The image of a shark was tattooed on his left pectoral muscle, a B-26 bomber on the other. He went back into the hut and pulled a steel ammo box out of the rafters. Inside lay a nylon web belt with a holster that held a portable phone, his badge of leadership, his direct line to the Sorcerer. The only time he had ever used it was when one of his daughters had come down with a fever during the night. He had pushed the button and the Sorcerer had come to the village and given her medicine. He was afraid to use the phone now, but the dream had told him that he must deliver a message. Malink would have liked to go down to the men’s house and discuss his decision for a few hours with the others, but he knew that he couldn’t. He had to deliver the dream message. Vincent had said so, and Vincent knew everything. As he pushed the button, he wished he had never been born a chief. The High Priestess was also sleeping late, as she always did. The Sorcerer jostled her and she pulled the sheets over her head. â€Å"What?† â€Å"I just got a call from Malink. He says he’s had a message from Vincent.† The High Priestess was awake now. Wide awake. She sat upright in bed and the Sorcerer’s eyes fell immediately to her naked breasts. â€Å"What do you mean he’s had a message from Vincent? I didn’t give him any message.† The Sorcerer finally looked up at her face. â€Å"He was terrified. He said that Vincent came to him in a dream and told him – get this – to tell me that ‘the pilot was alive and on his way, and to wait for him.'† She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and shook her head. â€Å"I don’t get it. How did he know about a pilot coming? Did you say something?† â€Å"No, did you?† â€Å"Are you kidding? I’m not stupid, Sebastian, despite what you might think.† â€Å"Well, how did he find out? The guards don’t know anything. I haven’t said anything.† â€Å"Maybe it’s a coincidence,† she said. â€Å"Maybe he was just having bad dreams from the storm. Vincent is all he thinks about. It’s all any of them think about.† The Sorcerer stood and backed away from the bed, eyeing her suspiciously. â€Å"Coincidence or not, I don’t like it. I think you need to have an audience with the Shark People and give them a direct message from Vincent. This whole operation depends on us being the voice of Vincent. We can’t let them think that they can reach him directly.† He turned and started out of the room. â€Å"Sebastian,† she said and the Sorcerer paused and looked over his shoulder at her. â€Å"What about the pilot? What if Malink is right about the pilot being on his way?† â€Å"Don’t be stupid, Beth. The only way to control the faithful is to not become one of them.† He turned to leave and was struck in the back of the head by a high-velocity whiskey tumbler. He turned as he dropped to the floor grasping his head. The High Priestess was standing by the bed wearing nothing but a fine golden chain at her hips and an animal scowl. â€Å"You ever call me stupid again and I’ll rip your fucking nuts off.† 21 How the Navigator Got from There to Here Watching the sharks circle the boat, Tuck felt as if he was being sucked down the vortex of a huge bathroom drain. â€Å"We need a better weapon,† Tuck said. He remembered a movie once where Spencer Tracy had battled sharks from a small boat with a knife lashed to an oar. â€Å"Don’t we have any oars?† Kimi looked insulted. â€Å"What wrong with me?† â€Å"Not whores. Oars!† Tucker pantomimed rowing. â€Å"For rowing.† â€Å"How I know what you talking about? Malcolme always say oars. ‘Bloody oars,’ he say. No, we don’t have oars.† â€Å"Bail,† Tuck said. The navigator began scooping water with the coffee can as Tuck did his best to bail with his hands. A half hour later the boat was only partially full of water and the sharks had moved on to easier meals. Tucker fell back onto the bow to catch his breath. The sun was still low in the morning sky, but already it burned his skin. The parts of his body not soaked with seawater were soaked with sweat. He dug into the pack and pulled out the liter bottle of water he had bought the day before. You read "Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 20~23" in category "Essay examples" It was half-full and it was all they had. Tuck eyed the navigator, who was bailing intently. He’d never know if Tuck drank all of the water right now. He unscrewed the cap and took a small sip. Nectar of the gods. Keeping his eye on Kimi, he a took a large gulp. He could almost feel his water-starved cells rejoicing at the relief. As he bailed, Kimi sang softly in Spanish to Roberto, who clung to his back. Whenever he tried to hit a high note, his voice cracked like crumpled parchment. Salt was crusted at the corners of his mouth. â€Å"Kimi, you want a drink?† Tucker crawled onto the gas tank and held the bottle out to the navigator. Kimi took the bottle. â€Å"Thank you,† he said. He wiped the mouth of the bottle on his dress and took a deep drink, then poured some water into his palm and held it while Roberto lapped it up. He handed the bottle back to Tucker. â€Å"You drink the rest. You bigger.† Tucker nodded and drained the bottle. â€Å"Who’s Malcolme?† â€Å"Malcolme buy me from my mother. He from Sydney. He a pimp.† â€Å"He bought you?† â€Å"Yes. My mother very poor in Manila. She can’t feed me, so she sell me to Malcolme when I am twelve.† â€Å"What about your father?† â€Å"He not with us. He a navigator on Satawan. He meet my mother in Manila when he is working on a tuna boat. He marry her and take her to Satawan. She stay for ten years, but she not like it. She say women like dirt to Micronesians. So she take me and go back to Manila when I am nine. Then she sell me to Malcolme. He dress me up and I make big money for him. But he mean to me. He say I have to get rid Roberto, so I run away to find my father to finish teach me to be a navigator. They hear of him on Yap. They say he lost at sea five year ago.† â€Å"And he was the one that taught you to navigate?† Tucker knew it was a snotty question, but he had no idea what to say to someone whose mother had sold him to a pimp. Kimi didn’t catch the sarcasm. â€Å"He teach me some. It take long time to be navigator. Sometime twenty, thirty year. You want learn, I teach you.† Tucker remembered how difficult it had been to learn Western navigation for his pilot’s license. And that was using sophisticated charts and instru-ments. He could imagine that learning to navigate by the stars – by memory, without charts – would take years. He said, â€Å"No, that’s okay. It’s different for airplanes. We have machines to navigate now.† They bailed until the sun was high in the sky. Tuck could feel his skin baking. He found some sunscreen in the pack and shared it with Kimi, but it was no relief from the heat. â€Å"We need some shade.† The tarp was gone. He rifled the pack, looking for something they could use for shade, but for once Jake Skye’s bag of tricks failed them. By noon Tuck was cursing himself for pouring out the gallon of fresh water during the storm. Kimi sat in the bottom of the boat, stroking Roberto’s head and mumbling softly to the panting bat. Tuck tried to pass the time by cleaning his cuts and applying the antibiotic ointment from Jake’s first-aid kit. By turning his back and crouching, he was able to create enough privacy to check on his damaged penis. He could see infection around the sutures. He imagined gangrene, amputation, and consequently suicide. Then, looking on the bright side, he realized that he would die of thirst long before the infection had gone that far. 22 Finding Spam The octopus jetted across the bottom, over a giant head of brain coral, and tucked itself into a tiny crevice in the reef. Sarapul could see the light purple skin pulsing in the crevice three fathoms down. He took a deep breath and dove, his spear in hand. The octopus, sensing danger, changed color to the rust brown of the coral around it and adjusted its shape to fit the crannies of its hiding place. Sarapul caught the edge of the crevice with his left hand and thrust in his spear with his right. The spear barely pierced one of the octopus’s tentacles and it turned bright red in a chromatic scream, then released its ink. The ink expanded into a smoky cloud in the water. Sarapul dropped his spear to wave the ink away before making another thrust. But his air was gone. He left his spear in the crevice and shot to the surface. The octopus sensed the opening and jetted out of the crevice to a new hiding place before Sarapul knew it was gone. Sarapul broke the surface cursing. Only three fathoms, eighteen feet, and he couldn’t stay down long enough to tease an octopus out of its hole. As a young man, he could dive to twelve fathoms and stay down longer than any of the Shark men. He was glad that no one had been there to see him: an old man who could barely feed himself. He pulled off his mask and spit into it, then rinsed it with seawater. He looked out to sea, checking for any sign of the sharks that lived in abund-ance off the reef. There was a boat out there, perhaps half a mile off the reef, drifting. He put on his mask and looked down to get a bearing on his spear so he could retrieve it later. Then he swam a slow crawl toward the drifting boat. He was winded when he reached the boat and he hung on the side for a few minutes, bobbing in the swell, while he caught his breath. He made his way around to the bow and pulled himself up and in. A huge black bat flew up into his face and winged off toward the island. Sarapul cursed and said some magic words to protect himself, then took a deep breath and examined the bodies. A man and a woman – and not long dead. There was no smell and no swelling of the bellies. The meat would still be fresh. It had been too long since he’d tasted the long pig. He pinched the man’s leg to test the fat. The man moaned. He was still alive. Even better, Sarapul thought. I can eat the dead one and keep the other one fresh! PART TWO Island of the Shark People 23 Deus Ex Machina The Sky Priestess first appeared in 1944 on the nose of a B-26 bomber. Conjured out of cans of enamel by a young aviator named Jack Moses, she lay cool and naked across the aluminum skin, a red pump dangling from a dainty toe, a smile that promised pleasure that no mortal woman could offer. As soon as Moses laid the final brushstroke on her black-seamed stocking, he knew there was something special about this one, something electric and alive that would break his heart when they flew her off to the Pacific. He caught a kiss in his palm and placed it gently on her bottom, then backed down the ladder to survey his work. He stood on the tarmac for perhaps half an hour, just looking at her, charmed, wishing that he could take her home, or to a museum, or lift her off the skin of the bomber and put her on the ceiling of a cathedral. Jack Moses didn’t notice the major standing at his side until the older man spoke. â€Å"She’s something,† the major said. And although he wasn’t sure why, he removed his hat. â€Å"Ain’t she,† Moses said. â€Å"She’s off to Tinian tomorrow. Wish I was going with her.† The major reached out and squeezed Moses’s shoulder; he was a little short of breath and the Sky Priestess had set off a stag film in his head. â€Å"Put some clothes on her, son. We can’t have muffin showing up on a newsreel.† â€Å"Yes, sir. I don’t have to put a top on her, do I?† The major smiled. â€Å"Son, you put a top on her, I’ll have you court-marshaled.† â€Å"Yes, sir.† Moses saluted the major and scampered back up the ladder with his brushes and his red enamel and painted a serpentine scarf between her legs. A week later, as a young pilot named Vincent Bennidetti was leading his crew across the runway to take the Sky Priestess on her first mission, he turned to his navigator and said, â€Å"I’d give a year’s pay to be that scarf.† A half century away, Beth Curtis pinned a big red bow into her hair, then, one at a time, worked sheer black-seamed stockings up her legs. She stood in front of the mirror and tied the red scarf around her waist, letting the ends trail long between her legs. She stepped into the red pumps, did a quick turnaround in the mirror, and emerged from her bungalow to the sound of the Shark People’s drums welcoming her, the Sky Priestess. Vincent Bennidetti and his crew flew the Sky Priestess on twelve missions and sank six Japanese ships before a fusillade from a Japanese destroyer punctured her wing tanks and took out her right engine. But even as they were limping back toward Tinian, trailing smoke and fuel, the crew of the Sky Priestess knew she watched over them. They were, after all, charmed. For the price of a blown kiss or a pat on the bottom, the Sky Priestess had ushered them into battle like a vicious guardian angel, shielding them even as the other bombers in their squadron flamed into the sea around them. She had shown them where to drop their bombs, then led them through the smoke and the flak back to Valhalla. Home. Safe. The copilot chattered over the intercom to the navigator, airspeed, fuel consumption, and now descent rate. If they lost any more airspeed, the B-26 would stall, so Captain Vinnie was bringing her down into sweet, thick lower air at the rate of a hundred feet per minute. But the lower they flew, the faster the fuel would burn. â€Å"I’m going to level her off at two thousand,† Captain Vinnie said. The navigator did some quick calculations and came back with: â€Å"At two thousand we’ll be short of base by three hundred miles, Captain. I recommend we level at three thousand for a safer bailout.† â€Å"Oh ye of little fucking faith,† Vincent said. â€Å"Check your charts for somewhere we can ditch her.† The navigator checked their position on the charts. There was a flyspeck atoll named Alualu about forty nautical miles to the south. And it showed that it was now in American hands. He relayed the information to the captain. â€Å"The chart shows an uncompleted airstrip. We must have chased the Japs out before they finished it.† â€Å"Give me a course.† â€Å"Sir, there might not be anything there.† â€Å"Ya fuckin’ mook, look out the window. You see anything but water?† The navigator gave him the course. Vincent patted the throttles and said, â€Å"Come on, sweetheart. You get us there safe and I’ll build you a shrine.† Sarapul was heading for the beach and the men’s drinking circle when he heard the drums welcoming the Sky Priestess. That white bitch was stealing his fire again. He’d been thinking all afternoon about what he would say at the drinking circle: how the Shark People needed to return to the old ways and how he had just the ritual to get everyone started. Nothing like a little cannibalism to get people thinking right. But now that was all ruined. Everyone would be out on the airstrip, drumming and chanting and marching around like a bunch of idiots, and when the Sky Priestess finally left and the men finally did show up at the drinking circle, all they would talk about was the wonderful words of Vincent. Sarapul wouldn’t be able to get a word in edgewise. He took the path that led away from the village and made his way toward the runway. After all, the Sky Priestess might pass out some good cargo and he didn’t want to miss out on his share. Sarapul had been permanently banished from the village of the Shark People ever since one of the chief’s grandchildren had mysteriously disap-peared and was later found in the jungle with Sarapul, who was building a child-sized earthen oven (an oom) and gathering various fragrant fire woods. Oh, the men tolerated him at the nightly drinking circle, and he was allowed to share in the village’s take of shark meat, and the members of his clan saw to it that he got part of the wonderful cargo passed out by the Sorcerer and the Sky Priestess, but he was forbidden to enter the village when women and chil-dren were present. He lived alone in his little hut on the far side of the island and was regarded by the Shark People as little more than a monster to frighten children into behaving: â€Å"You stay inside the reef or old Sarapul will catch you and eat you.† Actually, scaring children was the only real joy Sarapul had left in life. As he emerged from the jungle, the old cannibal saw the torches where the Shark People waited in a semicircle around a raised platform. He stopped in a grove of betel nut palms, sat on the ground, and watched. He heard a click from the PA speakers mounted on the gate across the runway and the Shark People stopped drumming. Two of the Japanese guards ap-peared out of the compound and Sarapul felt the hair rise on his neck as they rolled back the gate and fifty years of residual hatred rose in his throat like acid. The Japanese had killed his wife and children, and if there was any single reason to return to the old ways of the warrior, it was to take revenge on the guards. Music blared out of the PA speakers: Glenn Miller’s â€Å"String of Pearls.† The Shark People turned toward the gate and dropped to their knees. Pillars of red smoke rose from either side of the gate and wafted across the runway like sulfurous serpents. The distant whine of airplane propellers replaced the big band sound from the PA and grew into a roar that ended with a flash and explosion that sent a mushroom cloud of smoke a hundred feet into the night sky. And half-naked, the Sky Priestess walked out of the smoke into the moonlight. Chief Malink turned to his friend Favo and said, â€Å"Excellent boom.† â€Å"Very excellent boom,† Favo said. â€Å"There it is,† the copilot said. The B-26 was sputtering on her last few drops of fuel. Vincent nosed her over and started his descent. â€Å"There’s a strip cut right across the center of the island. Let’s hope we didn’t bomb the shit out of it when the Japs had it.† His last few words seemed unusually loud as the engine cut out. â€Å"No go-around, boys. We’re going down. Rig for a rough one and be ready for extreme dampness if we come in short.† Vincent could see patches of dirt on the airstrip, as well as fingers of vines and undergrowth from the jungle trying to reclaim the clearing. â€Å"You going in gear up?† the copilot asked, thinking that they might have a better chance of survival going over a bomb crater if they skidded in on the plane’s belly. â€Å"Gear down,† Bennidetti said, making it a command. â€Å"We might be able to land her gear up, but she’d never take off again.† â€Å"Gear down and locked,† the copilot said. They glided in about ten feet over the reef. A dozen Shark men who were standing on the reef dove underwater as the airplane passed over them as silent and ominous as a manta ray. Bennidetti flared the B-26 to drop the rear gear first and they bounced over a patch of ferns and began the rocket slide down the coral gravel airstrip. Without the engines to reverse thrust, Vincent had only the wheel brakes to stop the bomber. He applied them gingerly at first, then, realizing that the runway was obscured by vines that might be covering a bomb crater, laid into them, causing the wheels to plow furrows into the gravel and filling the still air with a thick white cloud of dust. â€Å"We still burning?† Vincent asked the copilot over the rumble. The copilot looked out the window. â€Å"Can’t see anything but a little black smoke.† The bomber rolled to a stop and a cheer went up from the crew. â€Å"Everybody out. Now,† Vincent ordered. â€Å"We still might have fire. They stumbled over each other to get out of the plane into the dust cloud. Bennidetti led them away at a run. They were a hundred yards from the plane before anyone looked back. â€Å"She looks okay, Captain. No fire.† That set off a round of cheering and backslapping and when they turned around again they saw group of native children approaching them from the jungle led by a proud ten-year-old boy carrying a spear. â€Å"Let me handle this,† Vincent told the crew as he dug into his flight suit pocket for a Hershey bar. â€Å"Hey, squirts, how you doing?† The boy with the spear stood his ground, keeping his eye trained on the downed bomber while the other children lost their nerve and backed away like scolded puppies. â€Å"We’re Americans,† Vincent said. â€Å"Friendly. We are bringing you many good things.† He held the chocolate bar out to the spear boy, who didn’t move or take his eyes off of the airplane. Vincent tried again. â€Å"Here, kid. This stuff tastes good. Chocolate.† He smacked his lips and mimed eating the candy bar. â€Å"You savvy American, kid?† â€Å"No,† the boy said. â€Å"I no speak American. I speak English.† Vincent laughed. â€Å"Well, I’m from New York, kid. We don’t speak much English there. Go tell your chief that Captain Vincent is here with presents for him from a faraway and most magical place.† â€Å"Who she?† the kid asked, pointing to the image of the Sky Priestess. â€Å"She your queen?† â€Å"She works for me, kid. That’s the Sky Priestess. She’s bringing presents for your chief.† â€Å"You are chief?† Vincent knew he had to be careful here. He’d heard of island chiefs refusing to deal with anyone but Roosevelt because he was the only American equal to their status. â€Å"I’m higher than chief,† Vincent said. â€Å"I’m Captain Vinnie Fuckin’ Bennidetti, Bad-ass of Brooklyn, High Emperor of the Allied Forces, Pilot of the Magic Sky Priestess, Swinging Dick of the Free Fuckin’ World, and Protector of the Innocent. Now take me to your chief, squirt, before I have the Sky Priestess burn you to fucking ashes.† â€Å"Christ, Cap’n!† the bombardier said. Vincent shot him a grin over his shoulder. The kid bowed his head. â€Å"Christ, Cap’n. I am Malink, chief of the Shark People.† The Sky Priestess came out of the smoke and took her place in the middle of the semicircle of Shark People. Women kept their eyes to the ground even as they pushed their children forward, hoping that they would be the next to be chosen. The Sky Priestess threw the tails of her scarf over her shoulder and the music from the PA system stopped abruptly. The Shark People fell to their knees and waited for her words, the words of Vincent. It had been months since anyone had been chosen. Malink rose and approached the Sky Priestess with a coconut shell cup of the special tuba they had made for her. He was as stunned by her now as when he had first seen her painted on the side of Vincent’s plane. She drained the cup and handed it back to the chief, who bowed over it. â€Å"Still tastes like shit,† she said. â€Å"Tastes like shit!† the Shark People chanted. Beth Curtis turned her head to suppress a smile and a belch. When she turned back to Malink, her eyes were fury. â€Å"Who speaks for Vincent?† â€Å"The Priestess of the Sky,† Malink answered. â€Å"Who brings the words and cargo from Vincent?† â€Å"The Priestess of the Sky,† Malink repeated. â€Å"And who takes the chosen to Vincent?† â€Å"The Priestess of the Sky,† Malink said again, backing away a step. He’d never seen her so angry. â€Å"And who else, Malink?† â€Å"No one else.† â€Å"Damn straight no one else!† She spat so violently she nearly disengaged the bow from her hair. â€Å"You told the Sorcerer that Vincent came to you in a dream. This is not true.† The Shark People gasped. Despite what the Sky Priestess and the Sorcerer thought, Malink had told none of his people about the dream. But Malink was confused. He had dreamed of Vincent. â€Å"Vincent said that the pilot is coming. That he is still alive.† â€Å"Vincent speaks only through me.† â€Å"But – â€Å" â€Å"No coffee or sugar for a month,† the Sky Priestess said. She pulled her scarf from her shoulders and the music began again. The Shark People watched as she walked away. There was an explosion across the runway and the Sky Priestess disappeared into the smoke. How to cite Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 20~23, Essay examples