Discuss Marxism and Functuionalism and Compare

Compare Marxist and Functionalist Perspectives Compare and Contrast Functionalist and Marxist Perspectives Sociology is a systematic way of studying the social world. It seeks to discover the causes and affects of intercommunication and interaction that arise in social relations. â€Å"The science of society† was developed as a discipline in the 19th Century by Auguste Compte, a French philosopher. For him, common sense and the obvious would not suffice; he wanted to build scientific theories based on critical awareness of society. The two main stems of sociological concepts are Positivism and Phenomenology. Both Functionalism and Marxism are Positivist theories. This means that philosophies are built by using scientific research methods to create structural perspectives. Positivism is called macro sociology because it looks at society holistically; it also emphasises the power of Society and how this effects man’s behaviour. Positivism was a philosophy from the Modern Era when society was industrial, England’s culture untolerating, the mass media conservative and pro-establishment. Role in society was extremely important; it was traditional and genders specific. Functionalism provided a static view of society. It was rooted in the work of Emile Durkheim, a French Sociologist and during the later stages, Talcott Parsons. Although functionalism was not a dominant theoretical perspective in sociology until the 1940s and 1950s, it first emerged during the 19th Century. Marxism was founded by a German philosopher, economist and sociologist, Karl Marx. Fredrich Engels also contributed to development the works. Marxism offered a radical alternative to the functionalism perspective and was developed in the 1970s. Both perspectives of Marx and Durkheim, aspired for a Utopian society. Functionalism views society like a biological organism. The parts or institutions of the organism or society function appropriately to ensure the whole structure works efficiently and effectively. The whole has greater power than the individual parts. The three main aims and objectives of functionalism are to maintain order, stability and equilibrium in society. Marxism became increasingly influential due to; the decline in functionalism, its promise to provide answers (which functionalism did not) and its mood reflected that of the times. It originally consisted of three related ideas: a philosophical view of man, a theory of history and an economic and political program. The basic principal was that production equals social enterprise. Man needs to produce food, materials, etc†¦ for survival, and in doing so; man enters into relations with other members of society. From a functionalist perspective, the main parts of society (its institutions such as education, religion and the family) are the foundations for social structure. These institutions have interconnected roles and interrelated norms to form a complete system. All of the institutions have a role to meet the functional prerequisites (society’s basic needs). Integration between the parts is necessary so therefor integration is a functional prerequisites in itself. Social relations are organised, in result of values providing general guidelines for behaviour. Functionalist, Talcott Parsons set out four functional prerequisites essential for society: Goal Attainment- setting goals, e. g. Government/Education, Adaptation- development of material world, e. g. Mass Media/Industry, Integration- promoting harmony and social solidarity, e. g. Religion/Family, Latency- meeting individual needs to satisfy demand, e. g. Family/Mass Media. From a Marxist view, the force of production is the collective term for all things needed for production. The means of production are those parts of production which can be legally owned (land, machinery, and slaves†¦ . Society’s infrastructure was made up of the forces of production plus the social relations. The Superstructure includes the institutions of society and is shaped by the infrastructure. This therefor means that the institutions are primarily determined by economic factors. Marxism relates class not to income or family like functionalism does, instead it is measured on how much land, mach inery†¦ is owned and controlled- so it depends on the means of production. The person(s) who had the most means of production are the ruling class. The ruling class produces the dominant ideas in society. Their domination relies heavily on the exploitation and oppression of others. The employer to employee relationship of exploitation is concealed by ideology. Some accept the ruling class conflict as natural and so are lulled into false consciousness. Functionalism relies on social stratification. Kingsley Davis, an American Sociologist and Demographer said â€Å"As a functioning mechanism society must distribute its members in social positions and induce them to perform the duties of these positions†. Without this casting of society’s members, the institutions would be unbalanced and equilibrium could not be reached. Functionalism sees this as a positive and inevitable aspect of society. In Marxism, the lower classes are exploited because they can be. Social change in Functionalism occurs when one of the institutions alters in some way. These changes only come about when society requests it. These changes in institutions cause society to behave, inevitably different. Marx believed all historical societies contain basic contradictions: the exploitation of one social group by another. Perhaps in a way, Marxism is perhaps a little more realistic than functionalism. Therefor, they cannot survive in the existing form. The major frictions are between the forces and the relations of production. A great deal of the wealth, produced by the workforce is appropriated in the forms of profit by the Capitalists- the ruling class. The wages of the workers are not equivalent to the wealth they produce and so the ruling class was exploiting and oppressing the working class. Marx predicted a new and final epoch. A society that would have complete equality. There would be no new force of production but the relations of production will be transformed. The ownership of production would be collective, as the members of society would share the wealth. The ruling class would no longer exploit or oppress the workers. It is interesting how Functionalists see people as unequal a positive thing and Marxists believe it a negative one. Functionalism fails to recognise social change, contrasting to Marxism which recognises and aspires to it. It is a conservative ideology which ignores the dysfunction’s and assumes every institution is positive for society. Marxism, on the other hand, accepts conflict and the arising social problems. The perspective tries to understand how to overcome societies problems by looking back over history and learning from past mistakes. Functionalists assume that everyone in society is in agreement and shares norms. It believes in the power of the institutions to socialise its members so well that deviance is rare. However, every society has deviants and so this statement is a little too confident. Functionalism shows us clearly the primacy of culture and socialisation via the social institution. Marxism underestimated the resilience of Capitalism, for example, Americas tragedy on the 11th September 2001.

The Golden Lily Chapter 12

WHEN I SHOWED UP for my dinner date, Brayden was sitting at a booth with a laptop. â€Å"I got here early,† he explained. â€Å"Figured I should get in some work. Did you get yours done?† â€Å"I did, actually. I was researching self-defense classes. You won't believe what I found.† I sat down on his side of the booth so that I could use his laptop. Like usual, he smelled like coffee. I'd never get tired of that, I decided. I directed him to a website I'd found just before coming here. The site looked like one I could have made about ten years ago and had a lot of over-the-top animated images on it. Wolfe School of Defense – Malachi Wolfe, instructor. â€Å"Really?† Brayden asked. â€Å"Malachi Wolfe?† â€Å"He can't help his name,† I said. â€Å"And look – he's actually got a number of awards and commendations.† Some of the awards were even recent. Most were from at least a few years ago. â€Å"Here's the best part.† I clicked on a link entitled â€Å"Upcoming Classes.† Malachi Wolfe had a pretty busy schedule, but there was one promising part. He was holding a four-week class, starting tomorrow, that met once a week. â€Å"This isn't exactly the kind of instructor I'd had in mind,† I admitted, â€Å"but it starts right away.† â€Å"Not a very long course,† added Brayden. â€Å"But it'd give you a good intro. Why the interest?† An image of the alley flashed back into my mind, the figures in the dark and the helpless feeling as I was shoved against the wall. My breath started to catch, and I had to remind myself that I was no longer in the alley. I was in a well-lit restaurant, with a boy who liked me. I was safe. â€Å"Just, uh, something I feel it's important for a woman to learn,† I said. â€Å"Although†¦ it's open to men and women both.† â€Å"Trying to sign me up?† At first I thought he was being serious, but when I looked up, he was smiling. I grinned. â€Å"If you want. I was thinking of – my brother. He wants to do this too.† â€Å"Probably best if I don't. Although, I was going to take martial arts as a college elective.† Brayden shut off his laptop, and I moved back over to the other side of the booth. â€Å"Anyway, you've got a pretty tight-knit family. Not sure if I should force myself into that.† â€Å"Probably a smart idea,† I agreed, thinking that he didn't know the half of it. Dinner was good, as was our subsequent conversation about thermodynamics. Despite the compelling topic, however, I found my mind was wandering a lot. I had to keep tuning back into what Brayden was saying. The attack and Adrian's offhand comment about vampire hunters had given me a lot to think about. Still, we stayed at the restaurant for a long time. So much so that when we left, I saw it was completely dark. I wasn't parked that far away – and not even in a remote spot – but suddenly, the anticipation of a walk alone in the dark made me freeze up. Brayden was saying something about seeing me at the dance and then noticed my reaction. â€Å"What's wrong?† he asked. â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stared off down the street. Two blocks. That's how close my car was. There were people out. And yet, I was choking up. â€Å"Would you walk me to my car?† â€Å"Sure,† he said. He didn't even think twice about it, but I was mortified the entire way. As I'd told Eddie and Adrian, I didn't usually need help from others. Needing it for something like this was especially humiliating. Rose wouldn't need an escort, I thought. Even Angeline wouldn't. She'd probably beat up a few pedestrians on the way, just to stay in practice. â€Å"Here we are,† said Brayden, once we reached Latte. I wondered if he thought less of me for needing an escort. â€Å"Thanks. I'll see you Saturday?† He nodded. â€Å"You sure you want to meet there? I can pick you up.† â€Å"I know. And I wouldn't mind going in your car. No offense, Latte.† I gave the car's side a comforting pat. â€Å"But I'll have to drive my brother and sister. Easier this way.† â€Å"Okay,† he said. The smile he gave me was almost shy, contrasting with his earlier confidence in academic topics. â€Å"Can't wait to see your costume. I got mine from a theatrical company. Not an ideal reproduction of Athenian garb, of course, but the best I could find.† I'd nearly forgotten that I'd left my costume in the hands of Lia. Brayden wasn't the only one interested in seeing what I'd be wearing. â€Å"Looking forward to it,† I said. After a few moments, I wondered why he wasn't leaving. He still wore that shyness and uncertainty, as though he were trying to work up the nerve to say something. Only, as it turned out, speaking wasn't what he wanted to do. With a great show of courage, he stepped forward and kissed me. It was nice, though once again a little underwhelming. From the look on Brayden's face, however, he might have been sent to new heights. Why didn't I have the same reaction? Maybe I'd done something wrong after all. Or maybe I was deficient? â€Å"See you Saturday,† he said. I made a mental note to add kissing to my list of research topics. I got back to Amberwood and texted Adrian as I was walking into my dorm. There's a defense class that starts tomorrow night. $75. Despite his interest last night, I was a little skeptical of whether he'd snapped out of his depression enough to be up for something like this. I wasn't even sure if he was going to his art classes anymore. A minute later, I got his answer: I'll be there. This was followed by another text: Can u spot me the cash? Jill was walking into the dorm, just as I was, both of us barely getting in before curfew. She didn't even notice me and instead looked troubled and pensive. â€Å"Hey,† I called. â€Å"Jill?† She stopped halfway through the lobby and blinked in surprise upon seeing me. â€Å"Oh, hey. Were you out with your boyfriend?† I winced. â€Å"Not sure I'd call him that yet.† â€Å"How many times have you gone out?† â€Å"Four.† â€Å"He's taking you to the dance?† â€Å"I'm meeting him there.† She shrugged. â€Å"Sounds like a boyfriend to me.† â€Å"Sounds like you're quoting something from Kristin and Julia's dating guidebook.† That brought a fleeting smile, but it didn't last. â€Å"I think it's just common sense.† I studied her, still trying to get a feel for her mood. â€Å"Are you okay? You looked like something was bothering you. Is it†¦ is it Adrian? Is he still upset?† For a moment, I was actually more worried about Adrian than her. â€Å"No,† she said. â€Å"I mean, well, yes. But he's a little better. He's excited about learning selfdefense with you.† The bond would never cease to amaze me. I'd only communicated with Adrian a minute ago. â€Å"‘Excited?'† I asked. That seemed like an astonishingly strong reaction. â€Å"It's a distraction. And a distraction's the best thing for him in these moods,† she explained. â€Å"He is still upset, though. He's still depressed over his dad.† â€Å"I shouldn't have taken him to San Diego,† I murmured, more to myself than her. â€Å"If I'd refused, he wouldn't have been able to get there.† Jill looked skeptical. â€Å"I don't know. I think he would've found a way, with or without you. What happened between them was going to happen eventually.† She sounded remarkably wise. â€Å"I just feel terrible seeing Adrian like this,† I said. â€Å"These moods come and go for him. Always have.† Jill got a faraway look in her eyes. â€Å"He's laid off the drinking a little bit – for my sake. But then that just opens him up for†¦ well, it's hard to explain. You know how spirit drives people insane? When he's down like this and sober, it makes him more vulnerable.† â€Å"Are you saying Adrian's going crazy?† That was not a complication I was ready for. â€Å"No, not exactly.† She pursed her lips as she thought. â€Å"He just gets a little scattered†¦ weird. You'll know it when you see it. He kind of makes sense but kind of not. Gets dreamy and rambles. But not in the way I do. It's got like a – I don't know – mystical feel. But it's not actually magical. It's just him kind of†¦ losing it temporarily. It never lasts and, like I said, you'll know it when you see it.† â€Å"I think I might have†¦Ã¢â‚¬  An unexpected memory flashed back to me, of just before Sonya and Dimitri had arrived. I'd been at Adrian's, and he'd looked at me strangely, like he was just noticing me for the first time. Thinking about it still sent chills through me. My God, Sage. Your eyes. How have I never noticed them? The color†¦ like molten gold. I could paint those†¦ â€Å"Girls?† Mrs. Weathers was at her desk, shutting things down for the night. â€Å"You need to get to your rooms.† We nodded obediently and moved toward the stairs. When we reached Jill's floor, I stopped her before she could leave. â€Å"Hey – if Adrian's not the problem, then what was bothering you when you came in? Is everything okay?† â€Å"Huh? Oh, that.† She flushed in a cute kind of way. â€Å"Yeah. I guess. I don't know. Micah†¦ um, well, he kissed me tonight. For the first time. And I guess I was just kind of surprised at how I felt about it.† I was surprised they hadn't kissed before and supposed I should be grateful. Her words resonated with me. â€Å"What do you mean? Did it feel a lot less exciting than you expected? Like you were just touching someone's lips? Like you were kissing a relative?† She gave me a puzzled look. â€Å"No. That's crazy. Why would you think that?† â€Å"Um, just guessing.† I suddenly felt silly. Why had it felt that way for me? â€Å"It was great, actually.† A faraway look came over her. â€Å"Well, almost. I couldn't quite get into it as much as I wanted because I was worried about my fangs. It's easy to hide them talking and smiling. But not while kissing. And all I kept thinking was, ‘What am I going to say if he notices?' And then I started thinking about what you and everyone else said. About how this thing with Micah isn't a good idea and how I can't keep things hands-off forever. I like him. I like him a lot. But not enough to risk exposing the Moroi†¦ or endanger Lissa.† â€Å"That's a noble attitude.† â€Å"I guess. I don't want to end things yet, though. Micah's so nice†¦ and I love all the friends I've made by being with him. I guess I'll just see what happens†¦ but it's hard. It's a wake-up call.† She looked so sad as she went into her room. Continuing on to mine, I felt bad for Jill†¦ but at the same time, I was relieved. I'd stressed over her casual dating of Micah, worried we'd be facing some dramatic, romantic situation where she refused to give him up because their love was too great and transcended their races. Instead, I should have had more faith in her. She wasn't as immature as I sometimes thought. Jill was going to realize the truth and resolve this on her own. Her words about Adrian also stuck with me, particularly when I picked him up the next evening for our first self-defense class. He got into my car with a cheery attitude, seeming neither depressed nor crazy. He was, I noticed, dressed very nicely, in clothes that would have been an excellent choice for the visit to his father. He noticed my attire as well. â€Å"Wow. I don't think I've ever seen you in anything so†¦ casual.† I had on olive green yoga pants and an Amberwood T-shirt. â€Å"The class description said to dress in comfortable workout clothes – like I texted you earlier.† I gave his raw silk shirt a meaningful look. â€Å"This is very comfortable,† he assured me. â€Å"Besides, I don't own any workout clothes.† As I shifted the car into drive, I caught sight of Adrian's left hand. At first, I thought he was bleeding. Then, I realized it was red paint. â€Å"You're painting again,† I said in delight. â€Å"I thought you'd stopped.† â€Å"Yeah, well. You can't take painting classes and not paint, Sage.† â€Å"I thought you'd stopped those too.† He gave me a sidelong glance. â€Å"Nearly did. But then I remembered I'd convinced some girl that if she gave me a chance and got me into those classes, I'd follow through on them. That'll teach me.† I smiled and pulled into traffic. I'd left a little early so that Adrian and I had time to take care of our registration. When I'd called the Wolfe School of Defense earlier today, an agitated man had told me to just show up with the money since we were down to the last minute. The address was outside of downtown, in a residence set on sprawling grounds that had made no attempts to go green and thwart the climate. The desert still held claim here, giving the house a dismal, forlorn look. If not for WOLFE printed on the mailbox, I would've thought we had the wrong place. We pulled up into the gravel drive – no other cars were there – and stared. â€Å"This is the kind of place you see in movies,† said Adrian. â€Å"Where careless people run into serial killers.† â€Å"At least it's still light out,† I said. Ever since the alley, darkness had taken on a whole new menace for me. â€Å"Can't be that bad.† Adrian opened the car door. â€Å"Let's find out.† We rang the doorbell and were immediately met with the sounds of barking and scampering feet. I stepped back uneasily. â€Å"I hate poorly trained dogs,† I muttered to Adrian. â€Å"They need to behave and be kept in line.† â€Å"Just like the people in your life, huh?† asked Adrian. The door opened, and we were met by a fifty-something man with a grizzled blond beard. He was wearing Bermuda shorts and a Lynyrd Skynyrd T-shirt. Also, he had an eye patch. â€Å"This is incredible,† I heard Adrian murmur. â€Å"Beyond my wildest dreams.† I was taken aback. The eye patch made me think of Keith's glass eye, which in turn made me think of my role in him acquiring it. It wasn't a memory I liked being reminded of, and I wondered at the odds of running into another one-eyed man. This guy nudged the herd of dogs aside – which appeared to be some sort of Chihuahua mix – and barely managed to step outside without them following before he shut the door. â€Å"Yeah?† he asked. â€Å"We're, uh, here for the class. The self-defense class.† I felt the need to clarify, in case he also taught about dog breeding or riding the high seas. â€Å"I'm Sydney, this is Adrian. I called this morning?† â€Å"Ah, right, right.† He scratched his beard. â€Å"You got the money? Cash only.† I produced one hundred and fifty dollars and handed it over. Out of habit, I nearly asked for a receipt, but then thought better of it. He stuffed the cash into the pocket of his shorts. â€Å"Okay,† he said. â€Å"You're in. Go ahead and wait in the garage until the others show up. The side door's unlocked.† He gestured to a large, industrial looking building – twice the size of the house – over on the far side of the lot. Without waiting around to see if we'd comply, he slipped back inside to the barking dogs. The garage's interior, I was relieved to see, was the first thing here that looked like it had some semblance of legitimacy. There were clean mats on the floor and mirrors on some of the walls. A TV and VHS player sat on a cart, along with some defense-related tapes covered in dust. Slightly more disconcerting was some of the decor, like a pair of nunchucks hanging on the wall. â€Å"Don't touch those!† I warned, seeing Adrian head toward them. â€Å"That's not the kind of guy whose stuff you want to mess with.† Adrian stayed hands-off. â€Å"Do you think we'll get to learn to use these?† â€Å"Weapons weren't in the class description. It's about basic self-defense and hand-tohand.† â€Å"Why bother then?† Adrian strolled over to a glass case displaying several types of brass knuckles. â€Å"That's the kind of stuff Castile does all day. He could have showed us.† â€Å"I wanted someone a little more approachable,† I explained. â€Å"What, like Captain McTropicalShorts back there? Where on earth did you find him anyway?† â€Å"Just did an Internet search.† Feeling a need to defend my research, I added, â€Å"He comes highly recommended.† â€Å"By who? Long John Silver?† Despite myself, I laughed. Over the next half hour, the rest of our class trickled in. One was a woman who looked to be about seventy. Another was a mother who'd just had her fourth child and decided she needed to â€Å"learn to protect them.† The last two women in the class were in their mid-twenties and wore T-shirts with angry girl-power catchphrases. Adrian and I were the youngest in the group. He was the only man, not counting our instructor, who asked that we simply refer to him as Wolfe. I was beginning to get a bad feeling about all of this, particularly as class started. The six of us sat on the floor while Wolfe leaned against one of the mirrors and looked down upon us. â€Å"If you're here,† he began. â€Å"You probably want to learn to use those right away.† He pointed at the nunchucks. I caught sight of Adrian's face in the mirror. His expression said, Yes, that is exactly what I want to learn. â€Å"Well, too bad,† said Wolfe. â€Å"You aren't ever going to use them. Not in this class, anyway. Oh, they've got their uses, believe me. Saved my ass more than once when I was out bowhunting in Alaska a few years ago. But if you pay attention to what I'm going to tell you, you won't ever need to pick those up, seeing as we don't have a rabid moose problem here in Palm Springs.† The new mom raised her hand. â€Å"You used nunchucks on a moose?† Wolfe got a haunted look in his eyes. â€Å"I used all sorts of things on that bastard. But that's neither here nor now. Because here's the thing. With a little common sense, you won't need weapons. Or fists. You.† To my shock, Wolfe pointed at me and fixed me with a steely, one-eyed stare. â€Å"What did I tell you to do when you arrived?† I gulped. â€Å"Give you cash, sir.† â€Å"And after that?† â€Å"You told us to come wait out here.† He nodded in satisfaction, so apparently my answering of the obvious had gone well. â€Å"We're two miles from any other houses and about a mile from the highway. You don't know me, and let's face it, this place looks like something from a serial killer film.† Out of the corner of my eye, Adrian flashed me a triumphant look. â€Å"I sent you out into a remote building with hardly any windows. You went inside. Did you look around as you were walking over here? Did you scan the surroundings in here before coming all the way inside? Did you check the exits?† â€Å"I – â€Å" â€Å"No, of course you didn't,† he interrupted. â€Å"No one ever does. And that is the first rule of self-defense. Don't assume anything. You don't have to live your life in fear, but know what's around you. Be smart. Don't go blindly into dark alleys or parking lots.† And like that, I was hooked. Wolfe was astonishingly well prepared. He had lots of stories and examples of attacks, ones that kept reminding me: humans are some of the most vicious creatures out there, not vampires. He showed us pictures and diagrams of various unsafe places, pointing out vulnerabilities and providing pretty practical advice that should've been obvious to most people – but wasn't. The more he spoke, the more foolish I felt about what had happened with Sonya. If those guys had wanted to attack Sonya badly enough, they would've found a way somehow. But there were a million things I could have done to be more cautious and possibly avoid the confrontation that went down that night. That idea turned out to be a huge part of Wolfe's philosophy: avoidance of danger in the first place. Even when he finally moved on to discuss some very basic moves, his emphasis was on using them to get away – not to stick around and beat your attacker into the ground. He let us practice some of these moves in the last half hour of the class, having us pair up to work with classmates and a dummy since we didn't really want to hurt each other. â€Å"Thank God,† said Adrian, when we broke out to practice. He and I were partners. â€Å"I thought I'd come to a fight class to learn how not to fight.† â€Å"But he's right,† I said. â€Å"If you can avoid the fight, so much the better.† â€Å"But what if you can't?† asked Adrian. â€Å"Like with your sword-wielding friends? What do you do once you're in trouble?† I tapped our blank-faced stuffed practice dummy. â€Å"That's what this is for.† Wolfe's main move today was on how to break out of someone's hold if we were grabbed from behind. He had a couple of techniques which weren't much more complex than headbutting or stomping on feet. Adrian and I took turns being the attacker while the victim practiced the maneuvers – in slow motion and with almost no contact on our partners. That was what the dummies were for. I was about five inches shorter than Adrian and seemed pretty implausible as an attacker, which made us both laugh each time I made a move. Wolfe chastised us for not being serious enough but gave us high marks for learning the techniques. This made me feel a little arrogant, enough so that when Adrian turned his back to get a water bottle, I sneaked up from behind and flung my arms around him, pinning his arms in turn. Wolfe had shown us how to break that type of hold, and I honestly thought Adrian had seen me coming enough to slip away before I even touched him. Apparently not. He froze, and for one moment, we stood locked in time. I could feel the silk of his shirt against my skin and the warmth of his body. The lingering scent of the overpriced cologne he wore floated around me. No smoke for a change. I'd always told him the cologne couldn't be worth what he spent, but suddenly, I reconsidered. It was amazing. I was so awash in sensory overload that I was caught completely unaware when he did push me away. â€Å"What are you doing?† he exclaimed. I'd thought he'd be impressed at my sneak attack, but there was neither approval nor humor on his face. My own smile faded. â€Å"Testing if you could handle a surprise attack.† My tone was hesitant. I didn't know what I'd done wrong. He looked uncomfortable. Almost upset. â€Å"What's the matter?† â€Å"Nothing,† he said gruffly. For a moment his eyes locked onto me with an intensity that left me breathless. Then, he glanced away, as though he couldn't handle looking at me. I felt more confused than ever. â€Å"Never thought I'd see the day when you'd throw your arms around a vam – someone like me.† I barely even noticed his public slipup. His words drew me up short. He was right. I'd touched him without even thinking about it – and not just a formal Moroi handshake, like usual. Sure, it was in the context of our class, but I knew that I never could have done this a few months ago. Touching him now had seemed perfectly natural. Was that why he was upset? Was he worried about the Alchemists and me? Wolfe strolled by. â€Å"Nice work, girl.† He gave Adrian a teeth-rattling slap on the back. â€Å"You were totally unprepared for her.† This seemed to distress Adrian even more, and I could've sworn I heard him mutter, â€Å"That's for damned sure.† Some of Adrian's swagger returned during the car ride home, but he was still quiet and thoughtful. I again tried to figure out his shift in mood. â€Å"Do you need to stop by Clarence's for blood?† Maybe the class had exhausted him. â€Å"Nah,† he said. â€Å"Don't want you to be late. But maybe†¦ maybe you can come by this weekend, and we can do a group trip over there?† â€Å"I've got the dance on Saturday,† I said apologetically. â€Å"And I think Sonya was going to take Jill to Clarence's tomorrow after school. Probably she can pick you up too.† â€Å"I suppose,† he said. He sounded disappointed, but one day wasn't that long to wait for blood. Maybe he was afraid Sonya would recruit him for experiments again – which wouldn't be a bad thing, I thought. Suddenly, he straightened up from his slouch. â€Å"Speaking of Sonya†¦ I was thinking of something earlier. Something Wolfe said.† â€Å"Why, Adrian. Were you paying attention after all?† â€Å"Don't start, Sage,† he warned. â€Å"Wolfe's crazy, and you know it. But when he was giving all his words of wisdom, he mentioned that stuff about not giving out personal info to strangers and how victims are often staked out in advance. Remember?† â€Å"Yeah, I was there,† I said. â€Å"Like, an hour ago.† â€Å"Right, so. Those guys who attacked you and Sonya seemed to know she was a vampire – the wrong kind, but still. The fact that they showed up with a sword implies they did some research. I mean, it's possible they just noticed her on the street one day and were like, ‘Ooh, vampire.' But maybe they've been watching her for a while.† Noticed her on the street†¦ I gasped as a million pieces fell into place in my mind at once. â€Å"Adrian, you're a genius.† He flinched in surprise. â€Å"Wait. What?† â€Å"The week before the attack. Sonya and I got dinner, and we were stopped by some random guy who claimed he knew her from Kentucky. She was pretty freaked out because she was a Strigoi the whole time she was there, and obviously, she didn't hang out with humans a lot back then.† Adrian took a few moments to turn this over in his mind. â€Å"So†¦ you're saying they've been checking into her for a while.† â€Å"Actually, you're saying that.† â€Å"Right. Because I'm a genius.† More silence as we both considered the implications of Sonya's situation. When Adrian spoke again, his tone wasn't nearly so light. â€Å"Sage†¦ last night. You never acknowledged my comment about vampire hunters.† â€Å"The Alchemists have no records of modern vampire hunters,† I said automatically. â€Å"My dad once said that occasionally, some random human discovers the truth. I'd figured her attack was something like that – not some huge organized group or conspiracy.† â€Å"Is it remotely possible that somehow, somewhere, the Alchemists might have missed something? And what do you mean by ‘modern' exactly?† Alchemist history had been drilled into me nearly as much as the philosophies that governed our actions. â€Å"A long time ago – like, back in the Middle Ages – when the Alchemists were forming, a lot of factions had different ideas on how to deal with vampires. Nobody thought humans should associate with them. Those who eventually formed my group decided the best way was to work with Moroi just enough to keep them separate from humans. But there were others who didn't take that approach. They thought the best way to keep humans free was to eradicate vampires – through any means.† I was relying on facts again, my old armor. If I reasoned away this argument, then I wouldn't have to acknowledge what it would mean if there were people actively hunting Moroi. â€Å"Sounds like vampire hunters to me,† Adrian pointed out. â€Å"Yes, but they weren't successful. There were just too many vampires, Moroi and Strigoi, for a group like this to take out. The last records we have of them are from, oh, I'd say the Renaissance. Those hunters eventually faded away.† Even I heard the uncertainty in my voice. â€Å"You said that sword had alchemy symbols on it.† â€Å"Old ones.† â€Å"Old enough to be from the time that splinter group was breaking away?† I sighed. â€Å"Yes. That old.† I wanted to close my eyes and sink into my seat. Cracks were appearing in my armor. I still wasn't entirely sure I could accept the idea of vampire hunters, but I could no longer rule out their possibility. I could see Adrian studying me out of the corner of my eye. â€Å"Why the sigh?† â€Å"Because this is all stuff I should have put together sooner.† He seemed very pleased at the acknowledgment. â€Å"Well, you don't believe in vampire hunters. Makes it hard to really consider them an actual threat when you operate in a world of facts and data, huh? But then†¦ how would they have stayed under your radar for so long?† Now that Adrian had given me the seeds, my mind was already working out the idea. â€Å"Because they're only killing Strigoi – if these hunters exist. If some group were taking out Moroi, your people would notice. The Strigoi aren't organized the same way, and even if they noticed, it's not like they're going to report killings to us. Plus, Strigoi are killed all the time by Moroi and dhampirs. A few dead ones would just be written off to you guys – if anyone even found them. Toss a Strigoi out in the sun, and you'd never even know they'd been there.† Relief poured through me at my conclusion. If a group like this did exist, they couldn't be killing Moroi. Strigoi-hunting was still dangerous, however. Only Alchemists could be trusted to deal with those fiends' deaths and keep them secret from average humans. â€Å"Could you ask other Alchemists about hunters?† Adrian asked. â€Å"No, not yet. I might be able to dig through some records, but I could never bring this up officially. They'd stick to my dad's theory – that it was just some random, weird group of humans. Then they'd laugh me away.† â€Å"You know who wouldn't laugh you away?† â€Å"Clarence,† we both said in unison. â€Å"Not a conversation I look forward to,† I said wearily. â€Å"But he might really know something after all. And all his paranoia might pay off. All that home security? If this group really has it in their heads to come after Sonya, then she might be in even more danger than we realized.† â€Å"We need to tell Belikov. He excels at that protection thing. He won't sleep if we convince him she's in trouble – which seems likely after the sword attack.† I noticed that this was the first time Adrian had ever spoken about Dimitri without bitterness. In fact, Adrian's words and praise sounded legitimate. He did believe in Dimitri's skill. I said nothing about my observation, though. If Adrian was going to get over his hatred of Dimitri, it needed to come gradually and without any outside â€Å"help.† I dropped Adrian off with plans to talk later. When I got back to Amberwood, I was immediately flagged down by Mrs. Weathers. What now? I was ready to hear that Angeline had set something on fire. Instead, Mrs. Weathers's face looked calm – pleasant, even – and I dared to hope for the best. â€Å"Some things came for you, dear,† she said. From a small office behind her desk, she produced two hangers with zipped garment bags on them. â€Å"A short, energetic woman dropped these off.† â€Å"Lia.† I took the hangers, wondering what contents I'd find inside. â€Å"Thank you.† I started to turn away, but Mrs. Weathers spoke again. â€Å"One more thing. Ms. Terwilliger left something for you too.† I tried to keep my face neutral. I was already drowning in Ms. Terwilliger's latest assignments. What now? Mrs. Weathers handed me a large envelope that felt like it had a book in it. Scrawled on the outer side was: Not classwork. Maybe you won't hate this. I thanked Mrs. Weathers again and took my haul up to my room. After depositing the costumes on my bed unopened, I promptly tore into the envelope. Something about her note made me feel uneasy. I wasn't entirely surprised to see it was another spell book. What did surprise me was that unlike the others I pored over for her, this one was new. Modern. There was no publisher listed on it, so it was probably someone's home project, but it had clearly been printed and bound within the last few years. That was startling. I'd pointedly never asked Ms. Terwilliger about her magic-using pals and their lifestyle but had always assumed they were reading the dusty old volumes she had me translate and copy. That they might be working from their own, new, and updated books hadn't even crossed my mind – though it should have. I had no time to beat myself up, though, not once I got a look at the book's title. The Invisible Dagger: Practical Spells for Offense and Defense. Flipping through the pages, I saw that the spells were exactly as the title suggested but written in a more modern way than I was used to. Their origins were cited, times and places. Those varied wildly, but what didn't was the spells' efficiency. All were either the kind of spells that could be cast in very little time or ones that could be made in advance for immediate destructive effects – like the fire charm. These were exactly the kinds of spells I'd been asking Ms. Terwilliger about. Angry, I stuffed the book back in the envelope. How dare she try to lure me in with this? Did she think this would make up for everything she'd put me through? Mrs. Weathers would still be downstairs, and I had half a mind to drop the book off and tell her it had been sent to me in error. Or I could simply leave it on Ms. Terwilliger's desk first thing in the morning. I wished now I hadn't even opened it. â€Å"Returning to sender† unopened would have made a powerful statement, that she wasn't going to trick me into her magic ring by finding a topic of interest to me. Mrs. Weathers knew about my connection to Ms. Terwilliger, though, and would simply tell me to return it tomorrow if I tried giving it back tonight. So, I'd have to hang on to this until the morning. I consoled myself by getting out some tape. I couldn't undo opening the envelope, but there'd be something psychologically soothing about resealing it. Yet, as I started to unwind the tape, my mind spun back to my evening with Adrian and Wolfe. Wolfe had calmed me a bit in his constant reminders that most attacks were random and came from carelessness on the victim's part. Knowing that and what to look for had made me feel empowered. He'd offhandedly mentioned attacks of a more premeditated or personal nature, but those clearly weren't his focus. Nonetheless, they brought me back to my discussion with Adrian. What if there was truth to Clarence's stories? What if vampire hunters were real? We'd all known Sonya's attack wasn't random, but if she really was dealing with some faction that had existed since the Middle Ages†¦ well, then. My and Adrian's fears would be correct. They would probably come for her again. No amount of avoiding isolated parking spots or walking confidently would stop them. I looked down at the envelope and decided not to seal it quite yet.

Health Promotion in Nursing Practice Essay

Health promotion has become a key part of healthcare in today’s health industry. Promoting healthy lifestyles and behaviors and prevention of disease has shifted to a forefront position in the arena of healthcare. Health promotion is defined by the World Health Organization as â€Å"the process which enables people to improve control over the determinants of health and as a result to improve their own health.†(Jadelhack, 2012, p. 65) Promoting wellness and developing strategies to obtain this including confrontation of obstacles and barriers to wellness has become mainstream in nursing practice. Nurses now incorporate areas of education, practice, methodology, and research which has set them at the cutting edge in health promotion. Studies have shown that health promotion is highly cost-effective and as health costs rise, targeting diseases that are preventable such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, COPD, and communicable diseases such as Hepatitis and HIV can greatly diminish healthcare costs. Promoting prevention rather than just curing disease after it occurs will reduce healthcare costs exponentially. In the past, nurses provided patient education arranged at teaching patients how to manage current illness, the focus was on the present. In today’s nursing the focus is now on maintaining optimum health and behaviors that promote healthy lifestyles in effect heading off disease before it occurs. The spotlight is now on future health and management of wellness and on remaining healthy. In order to do this, nurses must possess a strong understanding of the disease process and interventions that can be made in order to guide the patient and communities. They also must be well educated and knowledgeable in evidence-based practice and methods to coach and teach patients as well as  family members. Nurses play a key role in guiding decisions in health by individuals, families and communities. They must understand theories, models and practices and be equipped to implem ent interventions as well as evaluate effectiveness and redesign the approach to meet the desired outcome. As people become more aware of the benefits of good health and aware of their own health, community wellness is likely to improve. In order to facilitate and implement these changes, information delivery must be adequate and appropriate. Nurses must be educated in the delivery of health education and equipped to head off barriers to learning before they happen. Understanding cultural diversity and learning models promote better education of patients and communities. Advocating for healthy behaviors and lifestyles must be implemented and promoted at every contact with the patient. This is already seen in action by incentives for smoking cessation and weight loss by organizations and insurance companies. The public must be given the appropriate tools to enable them to make the changes necessary to promote wellness goals. In addition, optimizing opportunities during patient contact must be made. Every contact is an opportunity to advance healthy behaviors and to education patients and f amilies. Clinic visits alone should not be the only interaction nurses utilize to address health promotion. Dressing changes, injections, home health visits, and telephone contact are all optimal times to promote healthy behavior and educate patients. The platform for teaching comes in many settings for nurses and must be utilized to the highest extent possible. Health promotion comes in three formats, primary, secondary, and tertiary. The first level of health care, or primary prevention is provisioned to promote health and prevention of disease. The second level or secondary prevention is aimed at early identification of disease. Targeting high risk individuals in which the disease process has not yet manifested itself in order to promote measures that minimize the effects of disease. The third level of health care is known as tertiary prevention. This level of care involves care of disease that is already established. It works to restore the best level of function and disease management. It also promotes diminishing any further advancement of the disease process. The main difference bet ween the three levels of care is primarily the extent of disease and the level of affliction faced by the patient. Primary level of care deals mainly with  healthy individuals who have not yet displayed evidence of disease. This level deals with lessening the propensity for disease through methods such as vitamins, immunizations, weight control, smoking cessation and other healthy lifestyle behaviors. The secondary level addresses care geared towards maintaining the level of health the patient is currently at and preventing advancement of disease. An example of this would be a patient who has a family history of hypertension whose blood pressure readings are increasingly elevated. Health promotion would be designed to avoid onset of the disease as well as health lifestyle changes to limit the already present risk. In tertiary prevention, care involves addressing health conditions and disease that have already manifested. The goal of this level is to return the patient to an optimal level of functioning and preventing further progression of the disease. Support of the patient’s current health status and educating them to prevent complications as a result of the disease. This is demonstrated as educating a Hepatitis C patient on the importance of discontinuing alcohol consumption and safe sex practices to prevent transmission and coinfections. The nursing role extends well beyond primary care and basic skills. Health promotion is a progressive way nurses can assist patients, providers and communities in implementing and advocating for wellness and prevention of disease. References Baker, D. (2007). Media Review: Health Promotion in Nursing Practice. Retrieved from http://www.acme-articles.com/article/Healthcare_Systems/Health_Promotion_In_Nursing_Practice/87821 Jadelhack, R. (2012). Health Promotion in Nursing and Cost-Effectiveness. Journal of Cultural Diversity, 19(2), 65-68. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/eds/detail?vid=3&sid=ac36e1ac-7283-45be-9086 d4f5b296ea41@sessionmgr4001&hid=4205&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ==#db=ccm&AN=2011602897 Lopes M., de Fatima Antero Sousa Machado, M., Barroso, L., Macà ªdo, E., Costa, R., & de Sousa Furtado, L. (2013). Health Promotion in the Perception of the Strategy of Family Health Nursing Professionals. 14(1), 60-70. Retrieved from

Political Environment of Firms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Political Environment of Firms - Essay Example Brazil Aerospace It got started when the government gave technological support to private firms through the Centro Tecnico da Aeronautica (CTA) established in 1947 in Sao Paulo, being the most advanced research institution among the industrializing countries. The state allowed private ownership to the production of aerospace but gave the technological support and increased allocation of resources in science and technology. The partnership between the public and the military allowed the advancement of the industry (Goldstein, 2022, pp. 525). For national security, Brazil could not depend on imported military equipment and it could not also allow them to be produced by foreign manufactures, the industry was owned fully by the government but was governed by private law and was managed by a competent autonomous management that created good relations between the management and the Ministry of Aeronautics. The ministry made the local environment complimentary due to financial, fiscal, mark eting, regulatory and international responsibilities. The firm also got financing through a state development bank which benefited from tax holidays. Production began in 1970 with the support from foreign partners and negotiated co-production and licensing in order to achieve faster market penetration by assembling other those producing high-tech components. The two best seller planes were national design although most parts were imported. The company also collaborate with many firms to supply final components. The strategy which worked is the partnership between the multinational corporation, local private entrepreneurs, and state owned enterprises that had accumulated huge resources. The company also focussed on the export market and allowed longer production runs and stimulated customers to bring in new ideas for technical change and the demand for exemplary performance standards. The aircrafts were sold to Middle East markets and the foreign exchange was important. This success continued up to 1990s when another model was launched. The worsening economy led to conglomeration and new ownership designed a new organization charts (Lebouc, 1980, pp 43). The Aerospace of Indonesia It was developed by an individual called Habibie after completing a doctorate in engineering who returned in Indonesia in 1974 and was appointed by President Suharto as Research and Technology Minister in 1978. Habibie argued that an aerospace was a strategic national necessity and that technological excellence was necessary for achieving national independence as well as acceleration for economic stimulation. This would lead to cultural and political integrity. Although Indonesia has shallow technological base with underdeveloped capital goods and weak domestic capabilities, to absorb and produce technological goods the minister decided to steer into full assembly. He took control of the procurement of the industry and he has good government finance control (Makka, 1996, pp 123). The international manufacturers saw an attractive Indonesia market and MBB licensed IPTN to assemble a helicopter and other smaller aircrafts. The first assembly was in 1983 and despite the many difficulties certification was secured from the U.S. and many Muslim countries. This gave Indonesia a lot of prestige. The IPTN strove to become an international subcontractor and at sometime, Boeing sent over 50

A rose for Emliy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A rose for Emliy - Essay Example The first such symbol is the idea of decay in terms of the image of Ms. Emily, her family and her house. Once the best house in the most important part of the city, it became an eyesore as times and tastes changed. The character of Emily also presents a symbol of decay as the townspeople give her respect but it is only due to her old family name and her somewhat aristocratic family ties. As such she becomes a link to the traditional values that have all but gone from the town. As the story progresses, we get continual hints how Emily might have had difficulties in letting go of relationships and at the very end of the tale we are shown that Emily not only killed her lover when he wanted to leave her but she also kept his rotting body in the house. Even worse, she slept next to it for many years until she herself died and her secret was eventually revealed. The voice of the town, i.e. the society formed by the town shares the blame for making her this way. Additionally, her father also shares the blame since it was he who thought of her to be socially higher than anyone else to the point that he rejected the men who wanted to marry her. Sad as it may be, the dead body for Emily could have been a symbol for love and human emotion which she could never have in her real life due to social pressures. Amongst these pressures, the voice of the town i.e. the demands of society mixed with the voice of her father to put her in constant conflict. She fought against the will of her father while she was trying to be a good daughter. She fought to keep the man she loved from going away and could only do so by killing him. She engaged in a battle with the whole town to keep them outside her head and outside her house so that her secret could not be revealed. With her life, she won all those battles simply because she outlived her father, did not let go of her lover and kept the city outside her house. At the same time, she lost all those

Foundations of Microeconomics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Foundations of Microeconomics - Assignment Example On the other hand, adult users are mostly addicts and as such, adults’ demand is less price elastic compared to teenagers’ demand. a) It is incorrect that a tax that does not have a deadweight loss cannot raise any revenue for the government. When the demand of a good is perfectly inelastic, a tax would have no effect on the quantity or any deadweight loss. However, the tax would still raise revenue for the government. In the graph above, the demand curve is perfectly inelastic. An introduction of tax shifts the supply curve inwards from Se to S*. The quantity supplied reduces from qe to q*. However, the price remains constant. In such a case where the demand of a good is perfectly inelastic, there is no deadweight loss yet the government is still able to raise revenue through taxation. b) It is incorrect that a tax that raises no revenue for the government cannot have any deadweight loss. When the government imposes a 100% tax on goods, sellers will not supply any of the good and the tax will raise no revenue. However, the tax has a large deadweight loss as it reduces the quantity sold to zero. When the government imposes a 100% tax on a good, there will be no supply of that good and the supply curve will be equal to the price axis. The tax will not raise any revenue for the government and it will have a large deadweight loss as shown in the figure

Concepts of Health Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Concepts of Health Behavior - Essay Example Views regarding the interaction between the two concepts come from all directions. Thus, the initial action of health professionals and authorities is to define and categorize the said relationship between health and behavior. There are important terms to define in the study of the relationship between health and behavior. The aspects to be defined to be able to achieve a deeper understanding of the relationship between health and behavior include behavior, health and risk factors. Behavior, also referred to as biobehavioral sciences can be defined as the aspect of the field of study related to the empirical data and analyses of animal and human behavior with the inclusion of the different types of sciences pertinent to the study such as neuroanatomy, neurology, neurochemistry, endocrinology, immunology, psychology, psychiatry, epidemiology, ethnology, sociology, anthropology and new interdisciplinary fields such as behavioral genetics, psychoneuroimmunology, and behavioral medicine. Health is another aspect of the study which is defined as the state of wellness. In terms of the definition related to behavior, it is defined as the state of resistance or recovery from different types of issues that can affect the body such as disease, illness, and intervention.

Sustainability and Luxury Fashion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Sustainability and Luxury Fashion - Essay Example The paper "Sustainability and Luxury Fashion" looks into the sustainability on brand perception in the fashion industry in the two countries; Sweden and the United Kingdom; most importantly the impacts.Arguably, Europe was and still is a core part of the cradle of civilization and two countries that played extra crucial roles in the whole process are the United Kingdom and Sweden. In the fashion world, these two nations have made impressive strides too. They both filled with strong fashion brands that have so far withstood the test of time. Most of these brands can as well be further categorized as luxury fashion brands. Their image is at present glorious but considering how volatile the industry is, the big job is not getting to the top, the good brand loosely hanging perception is the very hard task.From its inception, the fashion industry in the United Kingdom and Sweden has never been short of variables. Hence, so as to keep up with the ever-evolving values, adopting a sustainabl e approach is advised. But this hasn’t always been the case. For the young consumers, sustainability is not very relevant a word in their very dynamic and very synthetic consumers’ dictionary. At this consumer’s age, ironically, change is the only constant thing. Change is pre- programmed in every young brain. The trick is evolving with the change, sleekly, of course, so as to still a factor in sustainability. All fashion brands in these two countries are at the huge risk of toiling to the top and implementing strategies.

Chinese-English code-switching in Fashion Magazines Essay

Chinese-English code-switching in Fashion Magazines - Essay Example The essay "Chinese-English code-switching in Fashion Magazines" concerns the Fashion Magazines and Chinese-English code-switching in them. Editors of fashion magazines pay close attention to the contexts of linguistics and how they relate to the reader. Catalogues of genre and cultural meaning play important roles in determining and feeding into target audiences so that the magazines make a profit. Both utilizations of code-switching describe how readers view text and absorb it from various geographical areas. The term code-switching derives from the linguistic term denoting the concurrent utilization of more than a single language in conversation. John Gibbons made the first major attempt to study it at Hong Kong University where the students spoke ‘university talk’. It is especially used in context of sociocultural linguistics, which is the study of how linguistic structure clarifies how a speaker’s selectivity of a specific language is influenced by social cont exts in which it is given. In the middle of the English sentence, the Chinese symbol for â€Å"a† and â€Å"whose† is inserted rather than the English word. The hypothesized reason to why this occurs is due to the fact that bilinguals are not completely efficient in the second language. The variety of contexts may be race, gender, ethnicity, age, and sexuality. These factors are acknowledged when implementing code-switching into media forms like magazines. Magazines are a main media source used because of how broad of an audience it reaches. The age group can vary from teens to the elderly and has the capability to reach its audience members via stores, mail, street stands, etc. Fashion in particular has dominated the market since the eighteenth century when the first Gentleman’s magazine came out in London (Ashish, 2009). This is why code-switching has been incorporated into this form of media outlet in an effort to get the target audience to respond in the des ired manner. In Japan, the implication of foreign language into magazines of fashion is not subsidiary to any subject restrictions (Haarmann, 2000). With such a limitless palette in which to work with, the editors as well as advertisers were able to target their audience better. The four context motivators to utilizing code-switching first came to light in the late 1970s when Cantonese-English code-switching arose in Hong Kong (David and Li, 2003). Euphemism was a sociolinguistic phenomenon that illustrated relation connections with the community with its focus being to relay the intended message of the speaker (Wenzhao, 2001). It is the act of replacing a potentially rude or offensive word with a lesser one, not only to appease the listener but to protect the speaker from trouble. Although, it can be amusing, it can be misleading. Bilingual punning derived from the intent to assign double meaning (David and Li, 2003). The way it is done is by taking two different words in two diffe rent languages and combining them into a sentence to form a joke or amusing sentence, hence the term pun. In this context, the meaning of specificity is not far from what it implies in that English is used in place of Chinese/Cantonese words for either the reason that the English word is more specific or general (David and Li, 2003). Therefore, the sentence is issued the way it was initially intended. Lastly, the

Finance and Public Administrators Research Paper

Finance and Public Administrators - Research Paper Example There are also a number of roads that need to be repaired and the plan is to start with the ones that have the greatest need. In addition to those capital requirements the expenses relating to the day to day operations of the city needs to be taken into account. Non-profit organizations play a useful role in the city and so a certain level of funding is normally made available to them so that they can continue to achieve their goals. The Budget According to Horngren et al (2000, p. 178 -180), a budget is the financial plan of an organization which is communicated in quantitative terms. It forms a blueprint for management to follow in an upcoming period and outlines the operational goals for a specific period of time. It states where financial resources will come from and what they will be used for. Planning is achieved through the budgeting process and forms the basis for decisions made by management. Horngren further states that budgets represent a major aspect management control sy stems. As long as they are administered in an appropriate manner they have the following characteristics. they compel planning they provide criteria for performance; and they promote the coordination and communication of activities in the organization. Planning is a major function of the budget as it seeks to quantify the plan. The plan specifies the type, quantity and quality of services that will be provided, estimating the costs and deciding how they will be paid for. The Council prepares the estimates of income than will be generated from various services provided at a cost by the city. These services include and are not limited to transportation, water and sewage. Other income generators include property tax and corporation tax, and income tax. The expenditure includes both capital and current expenditures. The performance criteria are useful both for staff and for sub-contractors who perform jobs in the city. They set the standard for achieving the goals and objectives of the departments. In coordinating and communicating the plan all the management personnel in these departments coordinate the tasks for their subordinates so that the goals of Council will be achieved. The objectives of the departments are communicated in such a way that they are clearly understood by employees. Controlling and administering the budget helps to ensure that resources are obtained and expended based on plans. Budgets are used to monitor the flow of resources to ensure that they are used as intended and that there are no significant over-runs. According to Chan (2009) the annual budget prepared in the public sector is not only a planning document but also includes projections of revenue collection as the law authorizes well as information on expenditure that has been proposed by executives and approved by the legislature. This implies that the budget is used as tool for management control as well legislative oversight. Any transactions and activities undertaken have to be i n keeping with the budget. Chan (2009) indicates that this type of accounting is described as management accounting in business and budgetary accounting in the public sector. It is in this same way that the City Council will go about controlling and managing public funds. Table 2 shows a summary version of the city’s budget for the fiscal year ending 31st March 2012. Summary of Budgeted Expenditure for the Fiscal Year Ending 31 March 2012 Budget Allocation/Revenue $10,000,0000

International Students Essay Example for Free

International Students Essay Most young people believe that studying in a different country is a privilege because they are able to experience other cultures, and learn from them. However, in the United States it is not as good as they thought because International students have much more pressure being in this country, and sometimes they cannot handle it very well. Therefore, in the United States the life of an international student is very unfavorable if people compare it to the life of an American student. International students have to learn a new language to study, they cannot work while studying, and their tuition is much more expensive. When people moves to the United Stated to study they imagine that it will be very helpful, and they believe that learning a new language (English) will not be a problem. However, when they really start studying their major, they find out that it is not easy since people have to really understand and appreciate the language. First of all, in order to have success in university in the United States people have to compose a number of essays which if people do not understand their structure, they will be incorrect , so international students have to really learn English, and they have to know how to write it in order to have success. Also, for them to have success in university they have to participate in class, and analyze an amount of readings, and because they are international students, it is very difficult to achieve since they believe that Americans are going to laugh at them or make jokes of them if they say something incorrectly. For example, some Americans do not realize sometimes how hard is for international students being in a different country, with different people, learning a new language, and experiencing different cultures, so some of them do not really appreciate the effort that international students put on being in the United States. They just think that it is easy and do not care about how they feel. On the other hand, American students since they are in middle school they are taught how to write very good essays , so when they get in college they do not have any problem creating essays. They know their structure and have a very superior vocabulary, so they can compose excellent essays. In addition, since American students speak English very well, they do not have any problem participating in class. They have confidence in themselves, so they will not be afraid of saying something wrong. Consequently, because American students do not have to learn any language to study their mayor, it is much easier for them to achieve excellent grades. Most university students feel the necessity of working since they would like to have their own money in order to be independent from their parents. It is not the exception for International students because they also feel the necessity of working to be independent from their parents or whoever is responsible for them. However, for international students to work in the United States it is very difficult because they are only allowed to work on campus. These kinds of jobs are very limited since some of the campuses in which they study are very small. Also for an international student to find a job on campus is difficult because people prefer to employee an American student who is not going to have any problem speaking the language. For example, last semester a friend from Venezuela who is studying at Miami Dade College decided that he wanted to get a job in order to have his own money. He went to every single place where he could be employee. However, when he went to all these places, all the people told him that at that time they did not need any person, so he realize that to get a job on campus was very difficult, and not only that but a few weeks later he noticed that a new person was working in the campus coffee, so he proves that for an international student to get a job on campus is very difficult. On the contrary, American students can work wherever and whenever they want and it does not matter if they are studying or no. They can have their own money and support themselves while being in university. As a result, the fact that they can work while studying really helps them to have more confidence and to achieve better possessions. Because American students can work while studying, it is better to be a citizen of the United States than an international student. The most important difference between International students and American students is the tuition that they pay. International students are require to pay a very expensive tuitions if it is compare with the tuitions that American students have to pay. The tuition is very inequality, and it is only because they are international al students. Sometimes it seems to be very difficult for international students to pay the tuition because it is very expensive. For instance, an international student who studies in Miami Dade College is require to take twelve credits or more per semester which represents three thousand seven hundred dollars. However, an American student only has to pay for the same amount of credits twelve hundred dollars per semester. It is very inequality and unfair that just because they are from a different country, they would have to pay so much more money than an American student. On the contrary, it is very easy for American students to pay the tuition that the university requires. They can even pay for it with their own money. Therefore, it is easy for them to achieve their goals, and to have their independency from their parents. In conclusion, an international student has to put a lot of effort if he or she wants to be success in college. However, although American students also have to put a lot of effort to be success, it is easier for them since they already know the language, they can work while studying, and their tuition is pretty much inexpensive. Also, people have to keep in mind that being an American student is a privilege, and they should take advantage of it in order to achieve their goals in life.

The pros and cons of the mobile phone Essay Example for Free

The pros and cons of the mobile phone Essay In the last couple of decades, there has been a tremendous step forward in the world of technology. So many of the new inventions have become more familiar to us and much easier to get at any time. And with these new devices that make lots of thing easier, the world around us suddenly changed. For example the mobile phone is used by almost everyone today, so when you meet a new person, their cell phone number is among the basic information you get about them. However cell phones have disadvantages as much as advantages. Pros Always connected You are always connected and anyone who knows your mobile phone can contact you. You can speak to them, text them, send pictures and use lots of other features. Internet access Now most of the mobile phone service providers have GPRS, EDGE or 3G enabled network. You can receive and send emails, always have the newest information, get the exact location of markets, hotels or any other places you need while travelling towards them, download music and movies. Entertainment You can use your phone to listen to music while walking to school or work, play games or watch movies. Cons Always connected? Some times mobile phones can fail you just when you need them the most. You may be at a location where there is no network, your battery can be empty, the providers’ network might be overloaded and your call can suddenly stop, or your phone can simply malfunction. Health hazard Using mobile phone for a long time without break is definitely bad for your health. There have been some studies about the possible radiation from cell phones. The radiation isn’t really that dangerous, unless you’re talking on your phone non stop. But even if you’re not using it that often it can still damage your hearing, especially if talking on the phone is combined with loud music on your headphones. Using mobile phones is very important in today’s world, but we need to make sure that we get enough time for face to face communication to our family and friends, and make sure we don’t overuse mobile phones to the extent for it to become bad for our health.

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Policy Analysis

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Policy Analysis Policy Analysis on Female Genital Mutilation FGM The policy on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), adopted by the Human Rights Commission of Ontario, Canada, in 1996 (and further revised it in 2000) acknowledges the practice as an internationally recognized violation against women and girls human rights and looks at the domestic implications of Canadas obligations as a signatory to international conventions and treaties which recognize FGM as a human rights violation. The policys focus is on the practice of FGM in Canada by immigrant groups who have brought the practice to the country from their countries of origin in Africa and parts of the Middle East and Asia. The policy looks at human rights issues as well as health, social and criminal law concerns. The Ontario Commission acknowledges the complex social and cultural roots of FGM and the need for dialogue and education initiatives within the at-risk communities in Ontario and across Canada. However, it underlines that arguments based on a defence of cultural or religious values sh ould not be accepted as justification for the practice, nor for discriminating against women who have been subjected to, or perceived to have been subjected to, genital mutilation. Significantly, immigrant groups and advocacy organizations in Canada have acknowledged the need to deal with FGM as an internationally recognized health and human rights concern. This essay will first of all define FGM and look at the reasons the practice has survived in some regions despite international condemnation. It will also give a summary of the key elements of the Ontario Commissions policy, the arguments it uses to justify its actions and also show that in this case, the need to protect and promote the rights of women and girls is more important than concerns of cultural imperialism. The policy adopted by the Human Rights Commission of Ontario on FGM is based on the over-arching argument that the importance of good health to a womans well-being and that of her family and society cannot be overstated. Without reproductive health and freedom, women cannot fully exercise their fundamental human rights, such as those relating to education and employment. Womens disproportionate poverty, low social status, and reproductive role expose them to high health risks, resulting in needless and largely preventable suffering and deaths. The benefits of eliminating the harmful and painful practice of FGM are easily demonstrated, yet the practice persists for cultural and traditional reasons. FGM is a gender-specific violation of the rights of girls and women to physical integrity. Over the years, FGM has become recognized not only as a health hazard and a form of violence against women and girls, but also as a human rights issue under international law. Efforts at the international level, particularly by United Nations agencies, have placed FGM on womens health and human rights agendas. FGM is practised by many ethnic groups, from the east to the west coast of Africa, in southern parts of the Arabian peninsula, along the Persian Gulf and among some migrants from these areas in Europe, Australia and North America. It has also been reported in some minority groups in India, Malaysia and Indonesia. In these societies, FGM is considered a rite of passage preparing young girls for womanhood and marriage. However, often performed without anaesthetic under septic conditions, FGM or female circumcision as it is sometimes called, can cause death or permanent health problems as well as severe pain. Despite these grave risks, its practitioners look on it as an integral part of their cultural and ethnic identity, and some perceive it as a religious obligation. The most severe form of FGM, infibulation, which involves removal of the clitoris, results in trauma that is repeated after each childbirth. In many communities FGM is believed to reduce a womans libido, and thereby is further believed to help her resist illicit sexual acts. Cultural ideals of femininity and modesty, which include the notion that girls are clean and beautiful is also another reason for which FGM is carried out (WHO). The practice has been condemned in many international fora and by womens groups as a manifestation of gender inequality and an attempt by society to exert total control over women. In countries where FGM is widely practised, however, it is often supported by both men and women, usually without question, and anyone departing from the norm may face condemnation, harassment. It is often practised even when it is known to inflict harm upon girls because the perceived social benefits of the practice are deemed higher than its disadvantages (UNICEF, 2005a). Though no religious scriptures prescribe the practice, practitioners often believe it has religious support. Religious leaders take varying positions with regard to FGM: some promote it, some consider it irrelevant to religion, and others contribute to its elimination. In most societies, the procedure is considered a cultural tradition, which is often used as an argument for its continuation (WHO). Local structures of power and authority, such as community leaders, religious leaders, circumcisers, and even some medical personnel can contribute to upholding the practice. The age at which the procedure is performed varies depending on the ethnic group and location. It is sometimes performed on babies, more commonly on girls between ages 4 and 8, but also in adolescence, or as late as the time of marriage or during the first pregnancy. Adult women are under pressure to submit to it in order to ensure the status which marriage and childbearing confer and to demonstrate solidarity with fa mily and community. Younger women and girls have no choice at all (UNFPA). The Human Rights Commission of Ontario has successfully and forcefully used several arguments to make its case against the practice of FGM among minority communities living on Canadian territory. International Law: FGM has been condemned by numerous international and regional bodies including the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the Organization of African Unity and the World Medical Association. In 1995, the Platform for Action of the World Conference on Women in Beijing included a section on the girl child and urged governments, international organizations and Non-governmental groups to develop policies and programmes to eliminate all forms of discrimination against the girl child including FGM. The United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women defines violence against women as encompassing, inter alia, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women. The Commission underlines that in various African countries where the procedure is performed, comprehensive action plans have been developed by womens groups to attempt to eliminate the practice- although overall progress has been slow. FGM has been outlawed in Sudan since 1946, but it continues to be widely practised. In Burkina-Faso and Egypt, resolutions were signed by the respective Ministers of Health in 1959, recommending that only partial clitoridectomy be allowed, and decreeing that it be performed only by doctors. In 1978, as a direct result of the efforts of the Somali womens movement, Somalia established a Commission to abolish infibulation. In 1984, participants from twenty African countries, as well as representatives of international organizations attending a seminar in Dakar, Senegal, on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children and recommended that the practice be abolished. African states acknowledged that there was a need to establish strong, on-going education programmes for meaningful progress towards elimination of the practice. Rights of the Child: The policy points to the link between FGM and the rights of the child, saying that the Convention on the Rights of the Child asserts that children should have the possibility to develop physically in a healthy and normal way, with adequate medical attention and be protected from all forms of cruelty. The Convention establishes the rights of children to gender equality, to freedom from all forms of mental and physical violence and maltreatment and to the highest attainable standard of health. An article of the Convention explicitly requires States to take all effective and appropriate measures to abolish traditional practices prejudicial to the health of children. FGM and health rights: The physical and psychological health complications resulting from genital mutilation of women have been extensively documented. The partial or complete loss of sexual function constitutes a violation of a womans right to physical integrity and mental health. Domestic implications of international human rights law: the Commission argues that since Canada plays a prominent role in the international arena as a supporter and promoter of womens human rights and is a signatory to over twenty major international conventions and treaties, the province of Ontario would be in compliance with its obligations by taking steps to eradicate this practice. Domestic or national courts are required to interpret implementing legislation in conformity with international convention insofar as the domestic legislation permits. This is also the case in Europe where legislation prohibiting the practice of FGM exists in Sweden, France and Great Britain where the procedure carries a penalty of imprisonment. Criminal Law: The Criminal Code can be used to control the transportation of female children outside the country for the purpose of obtaining FGM. A memorandum was issued to all Chiefs of Police and the Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police, stating that FGM is a criminal offence. In 1997, FGM was included in the Criminal Code and put under aggravated assault- any person who commits an aggravated assault is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years. If a parent is present and is in agreement with the act of FGM being performed on their child as well as if the parent performs the operation themselves can be convicted. Duty to report: In Ontario, a duty to report FGM exists under the policy of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO). Under the CPSO policy, the performance of female circumcision, excision, infibulation and/or reinfibulation by a physician licensed in Ontario, unless medically indicated, would be regarded as professional misconduct. Under Ontarios Child and Family Services Act,42 there is a duty to report information with respect to a child who is in need of protection. This duty exists despite the provisions of any other Act. If a person has reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is or may be in need of protection, the person is obliged to report the suspicion to appropriate authorities. The Ontario Human Rights Code: The Ontario Human Rights Code, recognizes the inherent worth and dignity of every person in Ontario. The creation of a society in which all persons can live and work in an environment that is free from discrimination is central to the policy objectives of the Ontario Human Rights Commission in virtue of the Code. There are new immigrants to Canada who may not be aware that some of their traditional or culturally rooted attitudes and values may result in practices that are clearly in conflict with Canadian law, including the Ontario Human Rights Code. FGM is practised within certain immigrant groups- where the families might not consider the operation as a form of physical or sexual abuse. The Commission does recognise the need to treat such issues in a sensitive manner and to educate the public on human rights issues. The need to work with communities: The Commission acknowledges the complex social and cultural roots of FGM and the need for dialogue and education initiatives within the at-risk communities in Ontario and across Canada. However, it is the Commissions view that arguments based on a defence of cultural or religious values should not be accepted as justification for the practice, nor for discriminating against women who have been subjected to, or perceived to have been subjected to, genital mutilation. The Commission is committed to working with members and organizations of the at-risk communities, as well as with other agencies in the public sector in developing public education initiatives around FGM. The efforts of the Commission, together with those of the affected communities and concerned organizations, can help to create an environment in which people are encouraged to eradicate the practice, without imposing a threat to the dignity and cultural identity of the affected communities. The Commissions focus is very correctly on eradicating FGM among immigrants in Toronto which are from the regions where FGM is practised. It is estimated that there are 70,000 immigrants and refugees from Somalia and 10,000 from Nigeria. Reliable statistics on the incidence of FGM are not available. However, based on discussions with members of the communities that are at risk, there is some evidence to indicate that FGM is practised in Ontario and across Canada and that in some cases, families from those communities send their daughters out of Canada to have the operation performed. The Commission is working with local non-governmental groups to spread the message. The National Organization of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women of Canada has prepared a workshop manual for health care workers and facilitators working with communities that have traditionally practised FGM. The aim is to educate participants about the health and legal consequences of FGM, to correct misperceptions and fallacies about the tradition and to support efforts to eradicate the practice. As there were no co-ordinated efforts between various professionals and institutions, and no consistent policy in Canada regarding FGM, members of affected communities requested that the Minister Responsible for Womens Issues establish an Ontario FGM Prevention Task Force. The Task Force, an inter-ministerial/agency/community initiative, was mandated to develop and recommend strategies and policies designed to provide support for girls and women who have been subjected to FGM, to prevent the practice, and to support community work by, and for women affected by genital mutilation. The focus is not on imposing a foreign value system (the concept of cultural imperialism) on societies in Africa etc. but asking immigrants and religious groups which have come to live in Canada to act in accordance with the countrys concerns about the health of women and their reproductive rights. The policy is therefore based around the idea of the empowerment of women and of ensuring an end to discrimination. The Commissions policy has had a direct impact on immigrant communities living in Ontario but also helped to publicise the problem in other parts of Canada and the world. In 1994, in a landmark ruling, Canada also became the first Western country to recognise FGM as grounds for granting asylum. The Human Rights Commission of Ontario has therefore taken a courageous and ground-breaking policy stance to tackle a serious violation of the rights of women.

How attitudes towards studying children have evolved Essay -- Childhoo

This assignment intends to identify how attitudes towards studying children have been evolving over time, whilst also identifying three key principles which should be aspired to when implementing such research. A range of theoretical perspectives and methodologies shall also be explored with examination on children’s roles and their involvement being evident throughout. Researching children is in no way a new phenomenon however there has been a considerable shift in paradigm which has led to increasing amounts of research being carried out ‘with’ children rather than ‘on’ children (Christensen and James, 2008). This could be because of the growing interest in children’s rights to participate (James and Prout, 1997), which as suggested by O’kane (2008) occurred in the late 1980’s. However it is difficult to determine whether this shift in paradigm occurred as a result of natural changes in researcher’s attitudes or as a direct result of new legislation (2008). As at a similar time, in 1989, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) (UNCRC ) was enforced, giving children the right to participate and be heard in matters affecting their lives. This difficulty is evident by Schaffer (1990) suggesting developmental theories have strongly influenced policies thus indicating, as res earcher’s knowledge on children and childhood develop attitudes and policy change. In contrast O’Kane (2008, p.125) states â€Å"changes reflect an acknowledgement of children’s rights†. Views on childhood have and still continue to change (Waller, 2009). The contemporary view that children are empty vessels (Skinner, 1974) is being disregarded as children are no longer perceived as passive recipients in an adult world (O’Kane, 2008... ...exist as if the researcher were to allow the cost to the individual to be weighed out by the benefit towards society (ref) the whole study would be compromised with both the researcher and their research losing validity in the eyes of others (Green, 2003). In conclusion this assignment has identified that attitudes towards studying children have and still continue to change, although it is evident attitudes are still dominated by a western perspective and some changes have been more embraced than others. The findings within this assignment support the view that children now have a participatory role within research, however it also identifies that participation is only possible if the researchers fully embrace children as competent beings and aspires to the key principles of consent, listening and responding to children and adheres to ethical codes of conduct.

Fight Club Essay -- essays research papers

The film ‘Fight Club’ follows, to some degree of accuracy, the archetypal paradigm of the apocalyptic guidelines discussed in English 3910. Specifically the movie mostly deals with the genre of the personal apocalypse. Thus, following suit in relation to such works as ‘Lancelot’, ‘The Violent Bear it away’ and ‘Apocalypse Now’. ‘Fight Club’, essentiality contains the basic premise of these works, that is the purging of one’s identity through extreme measures and crisis; to ultimately arrive at a personal revelation in the end. Like ‘Apocalypse Now’, the audience is lead by narration to give a reflecting insight into the apocalyptic journey of young professional named Jack. Jack works a regular nine to five office job for an insurance company and suffers from insomnia. He finds his cure in attending support groups for the mortally afflicted. One of the first groups he attends is a testicular cancer group and discovers, through an exercise referred to as â€Å"pairing up† (to share brotherly emotion with your fellow mortally afflicted), that crying with and hugging these people makes him feel better. He, although he does not have testicular cancer, is spiritual impotent and this group allows him to fill that void in his life. He gets addicted to this, and begins attending different support groups everyday, his faking becomes his foma, he knows like the bokonist, that his new â€Å"religion† is lies. â€Å"I didn't say anything,† he explains as he forges a series of diseases. â€Å"They always assumed the worst.† Nonetheless, his search for tears and experiencing other people’s pain gave meaning to his identity. â€Å"Live by the foma that make you brave and kind and healthy and happy (‘the books of Bokonon 1:5’, Vonnegut, 1963).† Jack has no trouble weeping in these strangers’ arms until he meets another phony, Marla, a support-group â€Å"tourist† and a reflection of himself that he finds objectionable. She claims to like the emotional workout of being with these people, which is â€Å"cheaper than a movie.† However, when Marla abruptly begins to attend all the meetings he is attending. He becomes irritated by her presence because she is a fraud too and doesn’t belong in his grandfallon. Her company reminds him that he is impostor and he doesn’t like that. They workout a deal where they split the days up between them. She gets the breast cancer and emphysema group while he takes the testicu... ... side by side, looking on as the national credit building explodes in flames. With their debt they owed to the material world purged to zero, they head off in a fresh direction as the new Adam and Eve. Like Willard in ‘Apocalypse Now’, Jack’s revelation at the end of his hellish journey is left unclear and complex. In the voice of his narration, perhaps there is a conclusion: â€Å"You are not your job. You are not how much you have in the bank. You are not the contents of your wallet. You are not your khakis. You are not a beautiful unique snowflake. What happens when you can’t sleep? What happens then is there’s a gun in your mouth. And what happens next is you meet Tyler Durden. Let me tell you about Tyler. He had a plan. In Tyler we trusted. Tyler says self-improvement is masturbation. Tyler says-self-destruction might be the answer.† Conceivably, there is a Tyler Durden inside the soul of us all waiting to be called. â€Å"I’m simply what you needed and wanted,† Durden said the moment Jack realized they were the same person. Director of ‘Apocalypse Now’, Francis Ford Coppala said it best in an interview during the release of his movie, â€Å"I believe that the end was always about choice.†

The Eighteenth Emergency - Look closely at the words used by Byars by analysing the words used in the quotes. :: English Literature

The Eighteenth Emergency - Look closely at the words used by Byars by analysing the words used in the quotes. ‘The Eighteenth Emergency’ Target: Look closely at the words used by Byars by analysing the words used in the quotes. At the beginning of the novel ‘The Eighteenth Emergency’ Byars presents Mouse as being scared because Marv is after him. In the middle Byars describes encounters between Marv and Mouse in a way that creates tension. Later on in the novel Byars presents Mouse as beginning to change because he was only thumped in the mouth by Marv. At the end of the novel Mouse is shown to be bold and strong, and therefore Mouse is shown to change from being weak and minute in the world to being courageous and confident in himself. At the beginning of the novel Mouse is presented as being really scared and weak because Marv is after him. The text ‘Some boys are going to kill me’ shows that he is scared and exaggerating. Also ‘He started thinking again about Marv Hammerman’ is showing he is always thinking about him, which shows he is worried. ‘He came up in his mind the way monsters do in horror movies, big and powerful with the same cold, unreal eyes.’ This shows you what Mouse thinks Marv looks like, big and a person who doesn’t care how scruffy he is, despite his power to frighten people. Monsters in horror movies tend to be strong, scary characters. ‘Cold, unreal eyes’ suggests that Marv Hammerman has no feelings which is not normal and suggests he is animal-like. In the middle of the exciting story, Byars describes encounters between Marv Hammerman and Mouse in a way that we are made to feel sorry for Mouse even though it is his fault, also it creates tension. The sentence ‘Mouse thought his own face might have been made of thin rubber, it was changing expression so rapidly’ shows he doesn’t know what to do, and is just standing, waiting for Hammerman to hit him. Also, Byars is holding back information in the sentence as she is not telling us whether his expressions are of hatred or worrying. ‘Hammermans nostrils widened a little, and Mouse wondered if Hammerman could smell fear the way animals could.’ The words ‘nostrils widened’ and ‘smell fear’ suggests Mouse is relating Marv Hammerman to a savage beast, ready to pounce. Later in the novel Mouse is presented as a changed boy because he retaliated a little which stops Marv Hammerman from hitting him again. This suggests that Mouse had found courage. The phrase, ‘Mouse seemed bigger’ shows us that he is more noticeable by people