Discuss Jane Austen’s portrayal of her central character in the opening chapters of the novel

Emma by Jane Austen can be described as a social satire of the Regency Age and was first published in 1816. Austen uses the omniscient narrator to immediately introduce the central character, eponymous heroine Emma Woodhouse, in the opening chapter of the novel by describing her as â€Å"handsome, clever and rich with a comfortable home and a happy disposition,† and saying how she â€Å"seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence,† with very â€Å"little to distress or vex her. However, Austen's use of the word â€Å"seemed† may indicate that the reality of Emma's perfect and privileged life may affect her interaction with others and consequently cause her to have many flaws due to the fact that she is good looking, indulged and allowed â€Å"rather too much her own way. † Emma may be described as an exception to society in the way that she is a financially independent with a fortune of thirty thousand pounds, a vast amount of money in the Reg ency age. During this period, many women needed to marry for financial stability and some marriages tended to resemble business contracts as opposed to true love because so much was based on this factor. Perhaps Emma's situation means that she may be one of the few women who is able to marry for love as opposed to finance? Austen often portrays Emma as a meddlesome and interfering character in the opening of the novel. These traits really come across when Mr Knightley, Austen's voice of reason, discusses Harriet's refusal of Mr Martin, an â€Å"intelligent gentleman-farmer,† and blames Emma's influence for her turning down a man who is more than her equal in class and status, factors influential to most marriages in the Regency Age. Austen highlights this importance by referring to different social ranks as the â€Å"first set† and the â€Å"second set. † Mr Knightley guides and advises Emma with well-balanced thoughts and advice that genuinely penetrates through her self-deluding personality. Mr Knightley states realistically that Emma is wrong to meddle with Harriet and encourage her to pursue Mr Elton; he describes Harriet as â€Å"not a sensible girl,† with â€Å"no respectable relations† illustrating the importance of marrying within the right social class and also a weakness in the character of Emma Woodhouse due to the fact that she manipulates situations to suit what she wants and can sometimes avoid reality if it does not agree with her. This weakness can go on to affect and hurt others, for example raising Harriet's hopes and expectations of marrying above her even though this is unlikely to happen. Another character who is responsible for Emma's behaviour is her father, Mr Woodhouse. Mr Woodhouse is at fault due to the fact that he is an over â€Å"indulgent and affectionate† father who fails to see weaknesses in his youngest daughter's character, therefore being unable to correct her mistakes and teach Emma how to consider other people's feelings. Emma's father is also described as â€Å"dearly loved† by her but â€Å"no companion† due to his age and distance from her. Emma's loss of her mother may also affect her personality and explain why she has become so strong-willed and independent minded. The only female influences she has really benefited from include her sister Isabella who moved out after marrying Mr John Knightley and Mrs Taylor her governess who marries Mr Weston, a match Emma feels she is responsible for creating. As well as living within a class-conscious society, Emma conforms to the proper and polite tradition of behaviour, regarded highly at the time. When Mr John Knightley and Isabella come to stay, Emma's â€Å"sense of right,† permits that Mr Knightley dines with them. However, Mr Woodhouse is slightly â€Å"against the inclination† that â€Å"anyone should share with him in Isabella's first day. † This â€Å"sense of right† illustrates how Emma feels it is important to act properly and conform to social etiquette in line with what is â€Å"right. † Although Emma is described as a â€Å"spoiled child† by John Knightley, Austen also illustrates how self-contained her life is on Isabella's visit. Emma urges them not to â€Å"talk of the sea† because it makes her â€Å"miserable† and â€Å"envious† as â€Å"she has never seen it. † Emma's life seems circled around little more than painting and playing the piano and this may be why she feels the need to meddle with other people's relationships for her own amusement. Overall, Austen introduces many themes and social rules and regulations along with the introduction of Emma Woodhouse. Emma seems to be a very lucky and privileged individual although she does not always make the best of her advantageous situation causing her to have an arrogant and self-righteous side to her personality. Emma's situation is not normal and her fortune sets her aside from other women as she does not need to marry for the sake of financial gain and security, this sets her aside from being an accurate reflection of social interaction of the times. However, Emma's conformity when it comes to social class rules and etiquette illustrates the class conscious society of Regency England and the importance of propriety.

Social Network

One way to understand social-networking sites like Facebook and MySpace is to consider that younger digital natives are not necessarily being exhibitionists when they post photographs of themselves and share personal details there. Instead, these users are living a life in which consciousness is spread out evenly over two platforms: real life and the Web. Rather than feeling schizophrenic or somehow pathological, digital natives understand that these two realms divide the self much as speech and the written word divide language, a division that humans have lived with for a long time without going bonkers. (Sarah Frere-Jones, â€Å"Living on the Radio,† The New Yorker, April 20, 2009) Assignment: Do social-networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace enhance a young person's social life or serve as a substitute for a real social life? Compose an essay in which you develop your point of view on this topic. Support your position with arguments and examples drawn from your reading, studies, experience, and observations. **http://grammar. about. com/od/developingessays/a/SATtopic1. htm The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the topic of social networking. Specifically it will discuss the impact of the social networking site Facebook on today's society. Facebook has become a phenomenon for the social networking set, and what makes that so amazing is that Facebook did not even exist until 2004. Three college students created it to allow other students to network and meet each other, and it has caught on with young people around the globe. What impact does Facebook have on today's technologically advanced society? It allows people who probably never would have met each other in person to communicate, it creates new relationships and friendships, and it places distance between people who could communicate in person but instead choose to communicate online, instead. It is just another element of society that is interested in sharing information with the intimacy of a close, personal relationship. Facebook is nothing more than a medium for communication, and yet, it is so much more than that. At a glance, a user can learn everything from what gender a Facebook member is, to what religion they believe in, what school they attend, and their likes and dislikes, all with the click of a mouse.

Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory

In the twentieth century, Sigmund Freud, had been labeled as the father of psychoanalysis. Working with many great theorists in his lifetime, they helped him expand his thinking too create many theories of his own, one in particular, the psychoanalytic theory. Even though many theorists did not agree with his theory, because of his addiction to cocaine, many believe he was one of the greatest. Sigmund Freud was born in Moravia in May 6, 1856 into Jewish parents. In 1860 his family migrated to Vienna, where he resided for about eighty years.He then left Vienna moving to London after the Nazis overran Austria. Since when he was young, Freud wanted to be a scientist. In 1873, Freud enters the medical school of University of Vienna, graduating eight years later. (Hall, 1970) In 1886 He married to Martha Bernays and opened his own practice. (Wollheim, 1971) After studying and working with Jean Charcot a French psychiatrist and Joseph Breuer a Viennese physician, Freud realized that Charco t’s hypnosis treatment was not impressive and Breuer’s conservative view on sexual conflict where the cause of hysteria left Freud working alone.Working alone helped Freud form the foundation of psychoanalytic theory. (Hall, 1970) Psychoanalytic theory is the belief that a dynamic struggle takes place within the human psych between unconscious forces. That’s where the structure of personality takes place. The structure of personality is made up of three main mental entities, Id, Ego, and Superego. Id operates only in the unconscious mind containing basic animal drives as instinctual impulses, hunger, thirst, sex, and aggression.Id follows the pressure principle and demand for instant gratification. Ego represents reason and good sense. Id organizes the ways to handle the delay of gratification by coping with frustration by operating in the reality of principles, seeking to satisfy instinctual demands in way that are practical and socially acceptable. Ego attends to avoid social disapproval. Superego is the interval moral guardian or conscience. Develops by internalizing the moral teachings of parents or other significant others.The ego has to make the compromise between the id and superego. (Quigley, 1998) In the end, balance and interactions of these three parts is determined by our behavior and our ability to meet the life challenges we face. To understand it better in a criminology way an example of the theory would be John is at the mall and sees the diamond on a ring shine right on him and his id thinks, â€Å"I’d like to go and snatch it right off the show case. The ego then says, â€Å"Wait there’s not enough people, you’re in a plain site, let’s wait for the room to get busy. † The superego then says, â€Å"Wait, you can’t do that, you can pay for it. † In 1880s Sigmund Freud started experimenting with cocaine. He believed that cocaine lifted his spirit when he was at a low period i n his life. Freud stated that with brilliant success he was able to observe the effects cocaine took on him when he used small doses, regularly for depression and against indigestion. Cocaine) Because of this experimenting stage many has challenge Freud psychoanalytic theory. In practically, Darwin, who critisized Freud theory because it was generated by confusions arising Freud long standing use of cocaine. (Freud, 2010) Also, Breuer, a mentor and friend, disagree with Freud when it came to talking treatment for hysteria because sexual desires lay at the bottom of all these hysterical neuroses and like stated before Breuer was conservative towards the subject. (Boeree, 1997)In 1939, Sigmund Freud died of cancer to the mouth and jaw, after battling it for almost 20 years. Some of Freud's ideas are tied to his culture and era; other ideas are not easily testable. Some may even of Freud's own personality and experiences. But Freud was a great observer of the human condition, and enoug h of what he said has meaning today that he will be a part of personality textbooks for years to come. Even when theorists come up with dramatically different ideas about how we work, they compare their ideas with Freud's.

The Social Use of Music in Contemporary American Society Essay

The Social Use of Music in Contemporary American Society - Essay Example Music can often define an individual’s place or desired place in society. The blue collar working individuals are often drawn to country music. Country music appeals and sympathizes with the every day events and hard ships experienced by the blue collar worker. Music that is currently popular or considered â€Å"popular music† as a genre, originates from R&B or African American blues or gospel music of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. This music originally was a mixture of European styles of music as well as indigenous music. Music styles such as rap music can be traced back to African Tribal music and chants. In modern day America, rap is an extremely successful and popular genre. It is also sometimes quite controversial as it tends to use explicit language and adult subject matters. Other cultures have also contributed a great deal to popular music of today. These cultures include Ukrainian, Irish, Jewish, Hispanic, Polish, and Scottish. America is the great melting pot and its diversity in popular music styles tells this story. Much of American music incorporates syncopation with irregular beats and long melodies. It has been said that this type of melody and asymmetry is in place in American music as an example o f the vast and wide open spaces of the country. In addition, it can be said that the diversity of American music is synonymous with American freedom and self expression.

Drug policy in Mexico and Colombia Research Paper - 1

Drug policy in Mexico and Colombia - Research Paper Example South America, in stark contrast to its other counterpart North America or U.S.A, the world of riches as we know it, has long being plagued with the curse of poverty and deprivation coupled with alarmingly low levels of overall development. It is known that poverty, chronic unemployment and underemployment and illiteracy often give birth to crimes and Latin America has been no different. In Mexico, unemployment is around 20% while underdevelopment is just the double of unemployment (Gilbert 22). Drug trafficking, with all its vices in this context has been alleged as the prime concern spreading its â€Å"wings† with each passing day not only in Latin American nations but also in the U.S and the whole world. Countries like Mexico and Colombia have been the main architects of drug trafficking throughout the American sub-continent. In the early’80s Colombia used to be the main exporter of drugs and narcotics throughout the world, but with the Colombian government policy ge tting more stringent, Colombian drug-lords started using Mexico, mainly due to its suitable geographic locations to export drugs through Mexico to the U.S. (Rosin, 2). Mexico One prime social policy taken by the Mexican government towards curtailing the drug trafficking is to decrease violence in the Mexican drug market and reduce increasing crime frequency to controllable levels (Venda Felbeb-Brown,1). The ongoing drug war in Mexico is mainly an armed conflict among the several drug cartels fighting each other for market control and also with the Government armed forces installed to fight drug trafficking. Mexico is the main supplier of heroin in U.S.

Culture Clashes in the two novelsThings fall apart Chinua Achebe and Term Paper - 1

Culture Clashes in the two novelsThings fall apart Chinua Achebe and Lolita Vladimir Nabokov - Term Paper Example The following essay is an effort to portray the clash of cultures as the main protagonists interact with the people of different culture, the difficulties they face and the differences they experience. Igbo Okonkwo is a Negro whose interaction with British colonialists’ causes much of chaos in his life and the same is true with Humbert who is unable to understand what is going on in Lolita’s life. In both the novels, protagonists’ lives end in misery making us to think about our lost roots of heritage and our own identity. Chinua Achebe tells us the life of an Igbo who has himself experienced and seen culture of the people falling under the walls of the British colonial power. When British and other whites interfered in simple lives of Africans, it brought chaos and disturbance in their cultural and religious lives. Throughout the novel, people are seen facing conflicting situations in their daily affairs and even in their religious lives. Okonkwo is both a good farmer and a warrior and has gained two titles for his clan; has three wives, is owner of two barns full of yarns and a considerably big house revealing his achievements. He has got this success because of his father’s failures in life, which shows us type of the difficulties he must have borne in his life. He is revered and respected by his clan, as per his custom â€Å"Age was respected among his people, but achievement was revered.  As the elders said, if a child washed his hands he could eat with kings† (Achebe 6). While in Lolita, when Humbert of European origin and Charlotte Haze as well as Lolita, both Americans, get to know each other, it leads to conflicting situations in their lives. The glamour and intellect of Humbert fascinates Charlotte while on the other hand Humbert laughs at the superficial aspects and civilized nature of the Americans. He looks at Charlotte not more than a simple housewife whereas considers Lolita as a sexual symbol. He is

Financial Crisis in Greece (2010-2013) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Financial Crisis in Greece (2010-2013) - Essay Example Public borrowing was undertaken heavily but grossly underreported leading to a debt-to-GDP ratio much above the 3% target. By 2009-2010 it became clear to investors that Greece would not be able to pay its creditors because of a huge fiscal deficit and government debt. The ongoing global financial crisis worsened the economic outlook for the country and it appeared that the country would default on its loan payments. Causes of the Greek Financial Crisis According to Dellas and Tavlas (2013), one of the main causes of the Greek debt crisis was the absence of an adjusting mechanism between money growth and credit growth. Historically, Greece has been running high public debts compared to its GDP which went largely ignored by foreign investors. As a result, there was little incentive for the country to reduce current and fiscal account deficits. Dellas and Tavlas (2013) explain that part of the reason was the fact that Greece did not use the gold standard and its currency was pegged to the Euro. There was an over-reliance by investing and financing countries on the willingness and enthusiasm by Eurozone core countries including Germany to bailout the Greek economy in case of a debt crisis. Throughout this period, the Greek economy continued to charge low interest rates in order to stimulate investment in the economy. As a result, the public borrowing continued to increase pacing the way for a sovereign debt crisis. In a paper presented at the Bank of Greece workshop, Manessiotis (2011) explains that poor fiscal discipline and lack of competitiveness in the economy were major factors that contributed to the crisis. These aspects of the economy should have received urgent priority following Greece’s entry into the Eurozone. Fiscal deficit ran up to 5.3% of GDP after 2006 whereas the target was 3.0%. Moreover, in 2008 the situation worsened with revenue falling by 1.3% compared to GDP while expenditures exceeded GDP by 1.2%. These problems were further exacerb ated by the international financial crisis that began in 2008. Conditions Imposed by IMF on Greece In 2010, it became nearly certain that Greece could not meet its sovereign debt payments and would inevitably default. The implications for the entire Eurozone region would have been severe. Hence, in May 2010, the Eurozone in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) prepared a bailout package worth â‚ ¬110 billion of which the IMF was to contribute â‚ ¬30 billion to enable Greece to improve its economy and avoid defaulting on its debts (Financial Post, 2013). This bailout package was subject to certain conditions. Mainly, the conditions required Greece to improve its fiscal performance and make the economy more competitive and open. The first condition imposed by the IMF required Greece to implement austerity measures in order to control the fiscal deficit. It was required that Greece reduce its public spending in order to narrow the fiscal deficit. Secondly, the fiscal debt problem was to be controlled by a policy of privatization of public assets. This measure would prevent the government from incurring additional debts to finance public organizations. By the end of 2015, the IMF required â‚ ¬50 billion worth of public assets to be privatized. Finally, the IMF required Greece to implement structural reforms in the economy to make it more business-friendly and competitive. This would stimulate business activity and help to strengthen the economy. However, the conditions have not been met satisfactorily

Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 14

Art - Essay Example aphs are used as models to create these paintings, followed by Gerhard Richter’s Photorealism and Over-painted Photographs; who also uses photographs as a major tool for his artistic practice. I will be exploring how a photograph is utilized through out the painting process, and the way it reflects on the painter’s emotional and intellectual aspects . The investigation of both painters will be carried out by looking at these paintings through the French literary theorist and philosopher Ronald Barthes lens, in which he mainly demonstrates in Camera Lucida. My analysis is based on his perception of the nature and essence of photography theories,along with an analysis of portraiture from a philosophical perspective by Professor and Chair Cynthia Freeland in her essayPortraits in Painting and Photography. Both investigations carryout Barthes essential ‘air’whichwill show how this concept of ‘air’ can be used to understand how both artists use photography as a source material.   I argue that a painter who uses photographs as an aiding tool to his/her creative painting practicesfinds the literalprecise reality through their mechanical accurate depiction of the real, yet finds them lacking the essence or ‘air’. This essence will become visible inthe final piece by the collaboration of both the accurate mechanical reality mean of expressiveness (the photograph) with the physical translation of the emotional and intellectual experiences by the human hand. With all the new introductions to new materials and techniques and with the enormous evolvement of digital technology in creating art, more inspirational experiences along with an infinite number of inventive traditional and digital techniques allowed artists to intrigue their motives and intentions in unlimited possible directions. In this regard, I will be exploring how has been utilized by contemporary painters to become part of their artistic experience in the 20th and the 21st century, which

King Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

King - Essay Example He addresses the anxiety of those who criticize his ‘direct action’ as illegal, by distinguishing between the â€Å"two types of laws: just and unjust† (King, 8). Individuals have the moral responsibility not only to obey just laws, but also to disobey unjust laws. King agrees â€Å"with St. Augustine that â€Å"an unjust law is no law at all†Ã¢â‚¬  (King, 8). He holds that a just law is one which is in accordance with morality, uplifts human personality and is equally applicable to the majority and the minority. King categorically asserts that â€Å"law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice† (King, 9). King’s position justifies government action which would be immoral from the perspective of an individual. A government is morally within its rights to strike back at any threat to national security, regardless of the geographical location of the perceived enemy. The government’s foremost duty is to ensure the security of its citizens and preserve the sovereignty of the nation. Although King’s â€Å"inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny† is based on the United States of his era, changing times and vast technological advances in communication and transport have made his position applicable on a global scale (King, 5). Actions in one part of the globe have instant repercussions on distant parts. The interconnectedness of global networks of terror justifies government strikes anywhere in the world. Such strikes cannot be construed as contravention of another nation’s sovereignty. The use of drones in Pakistan in making preemptive strikes against Al Quaeda is justified. Critics cite this as extreme action, but, as King asserts, being â€Å"extremists -- for the extension of justice† King, 11) is acceptable. This validates the Obama government’s action against Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. King acclaims â€Å"the vision to see that inj ustice must be rooted out by strong, persistent and determined action† (King, 12). Governments can resort to extreme actions, resulting in the loss of lives, in the cause of national security. Government intervention in the cause of global justice is also justified. King strongly declares that â€Å"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere† King,  5). It is not possible to insulate America from the rest of the world. Although the role of a ‘global policeman’ may not be acceptable to everyone, responsibility cannot be shirked. Isolationism is a policy which belongs to the past. Intervention on humanitarian grounds, and on the grounds of protection of self-interest, is justified by King’s definition of justice. American intervention in Bosnia stopped the carnage which decimated the land. Again, intervention in Libya struck a blow for democracy. Of course, intervention carries great risks, as is clearly seen in the quagmire of Iraq. In the case of Syria, the escalating casualties call out for intervention. The government continues to restrict its action to the provision of humanitarian and logistical aid to the rebels. This stand is largely based on the perception that Assad is a secular ruler who holds back the surge of Islamic extremism in the Arab world. It is time to realize that, in King’s words, it is wrong â€Å"

Les Demoiselles D’avignon Essay Example for Free

Les Demoiselles D’avignon Essay My museum paper is on the Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, painted by Pablo Picasso in Paris, June-July 1907. Oil on canvas, 8’x7’ 8† (243.9233.7cm). He became one of the greatest and most influential artists of the 20th century and the creator (with Georges Braque) of Cubism. A Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer, Picasso was considered radical in his work. Born October 25, 1881, Malaga, Spain, and after a long prolific career, he died April 8, 1973 in Mougins, France. This was my first time at the Museum of Modern Art; I never went there because I never had everyone to go with me. I went with my cousin; she is an art teacher and who better to go to the Museum of Modern Art with then an art teacher. When we first got to the museum there wasn’t much to see in the lobby. We went on the escalator to the fifth floor were hundreds of people walking all thought-out the galleries. My cousin explained all the different types of art and artists to me as we were walking though the galleries. I ended up in the Alfred H. Barr Jr. Painting and Sculpture Galleries where I seen a painting from a French painter, Fernand Leger called â€Å"Women with a Book† I thought that was the painting that I wanted to do my report on, but when I seen art work from Pablo Picasso like, The Studio, Ma Jolie and The Three Musician I was speechless. Some of his work that I seen at the museum was breathtaking, but one in particular caught my eye; it was the Les Demoiselles d’Avignon. It is located in the Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller, Second Gallery. As you walk into the gallery, the â€Å"Les Demoiselles d’Avignon† is the first painting you see, because of how large it is, and all the bright colors in the art work. When I seen the Les Demoiselles d’Avignon in my art book I through that it was a nice painting, but when I stood right in-front of it I was astonish. The Les Demoiselles d’Avignon is not just a painting; it truly is a master piece. There had to be about thirty people standing around the Les Demoiselles d’Avignon and another twenty people looking at the other art work in the room. Some people were just standing looking at the painting, some taking pictures. As I, started taking pictures of Les Demoiselles d’Avignon I couldn’t help but notice the painting to the right, it was called â€Å"Repose† and to the left was another painting called the â€Å"Two Nudes† both are painted by Picasso. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon are the woman of Avignon, the term demoiselles (meaning â€Å"young ladies†), was a euphemism for prostitutes and â€Å"Avignon† refers not to the French town but to a street in the red-light district of the city of Barcelona where Picasso was a young artist. (Art A Brief History), pg 532. Print. The d’Avignon are actually five prostitutes, and these are five women naked. They’re looking at us, as much as we’re looking at them. The very early studies show a sailor walking into this curtained room where the ladies stand and the woman on the far left now has the traces of having been that man entering the room, and you can even feel a certain masculinity in the sort of sculptural carving of her body and the way that the very large foot is stepping toward the others. It almost seem like it’s a build-up of geometric forms, and if you look at the chest of the woman at the very top right, you can see one of these cubes making up the space underneath her chin, thus the name Cubism. One striking aspect of this painting is the way that it’s staged on which these women are painted, is almost looming out at the viewer. Rather than feeling like these woman are nice and safely set back in some kind of room, that you are peering into. I feel like the woman are almost piled on top of each other. Piled in such a way that the canvas is almost stepping out at the viewer. Its part of the desire of the painting to confront you, I think physically, psychologically, as well as intellectually with everything that’s going on in it. It’s painted in pinkish, peach flesh skin tones against a back drop of brown, white and blue curtains. The figures are very flat and theirs is little illusion that these are real bodies. Looking at the five figu res from left to right, the woman to the far left is standing in profile facing right with her left hand; she reaches up behind her head to hold an orange brown curtain back. She has long straight black hair falling down her back. Her head, from the neck up peers to be in shadow or sun-tan, it’s a darker brown than the pinkish flesh of her body. She stares straight ahead expressionless. Her right eye from the front view is large, simplified and out-lined in black with a black pupil surrounded by brown. Her right arm hangs stiffly by her side. Her breast jets forward in a ruff square shape. Beside this figure, in the center of this painting are two women looking directly forward, straight out of the canvas. Their black eyes are wide and uneven. Their left eye brows extend a sweeping line to form simplify noses. Their mouths are straight lines. The one on the left raises her bent right elbow and places her hand behind her head, as if posing seductively. Her black hair is pulled back and falls behind her left shoulder. Her breasts are half circles; none of the women’s breast has nipples. The women on the right, raises both arms and puts both hands behind her hand. Her dark brown hair is pulled into a high bun. The last two figures don’t fit in with the painting, they are unexpected. The one to the top right stands back, her raised arms parting the blue curtain on which she’s coming out from. Her black hair hangs down her back; one eye socket black and empty. Her nose, like her face is large and elongated, striped diagonally in green across her cheek, suggesting less the face of a human then the forms of an African mask. In front of her, is another woman she is sitting or squatting, elbow on one raised knee which jets forward at the center of the painting almost looks as if her back is facing the viewer, but that is not true because her dark tan face is turned towards the viewer. She raises her arm to her face and beneath her chin is a large ambiguous form recalling a boomerang, it might be her hand, or a piece of melon she’s eating. Her body is flat and her nose is also stripped. Her face looks like a mask, and she has one uneven eye completely white, the other completely blue. The drapery behind them doesn’t hang softly; it looks like shatter pieces of glass with blue and white tones. In the center at the bottom of the painting are assorted fruits on a wrinkle white cloth; a pear, an apple, grapes and a slice of melon. The pear and apple have shrieks of red in them, the melon is reddish too and the grapes are grayish white. In conclusion, my experience at the Museum of Modern Art was delightful. Walking through the museum and seeing ancient statues and painting from so many different decades was so fulfilling. I didn’t realize how much I enjoy looking at art work; I just wanted to see more and more. I kept asking myself, how did they do this? How did they do that? What were they thinking when they paint this? Even though I didn’t get all my answers I was like a sponge, soaking it all up. What a wonderful, amazing day. I will definitely go back. Bibliography: Cothren Michael W., and Marilyn Stokstad. Art: A Brief History 4th ed. Page.531, 19-7. Acquired through the Lillie P. Bliss Bequest (333.1939) Laurence King Publishing Ltd, London. (2010-2007) Print. Museum of Modern Art 11 West 53 Street, New York, NY 10019. April 29, 2012 Pablo Picasso. Les Demoiselles dAvignon. 1907. Oil on canvas, 8 x 7 8 (243.9 x 233.7 cm). Acquired through the Lillie P. Bliss Bequest.  © 2003 Estate of Pablo Picasso/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. http://www.moma.org/ Web. (2012).

Dialog GSM Is A Major Player In Telecommunication Marketing Essay

Dialog GSM Is A Major Player In Telecommunication Marketing Essay Marketing mix is a tool to achieve organisation mission, objective, and other benefits with that organisation satisfy their customer needs, face competition etc. Marketing Mix is used differently between different target markets. For service sector marketing tools include another 3 elements, which are, People In a service sector organisation is not providing goods therefore organisation tends to provide a quality customer service. The organisation staffs are the key factors in service organisation. Eg: Express common culture Process Process is expressing that organisation working effectively. And attract customers through a fast service. Eg: In a bank, sending new credit card automatically when old credit card expired Physical Evidence Physical evidence is a tool to customer to judge about the organisation through outlook of the overall service. Eg: Packing Dialog Dialog GSM is a major player in Telecommunication service in Sri lanka. Its started in 1995.currently dialog expand its network to other services which are, Mobile network Land line Television Broadband Investment Now the dialog plc is one of the largest listed companies on the Colombo stock exchange in terms of market capitalisation. As per their mission, vision and their statement (The future today) the management build a strong brand name through a better service within ten years. Dialog and P7 The Dialog GSM is a service provider therefore it has to use P7 tools to achieve their group gaol. When analysis the past activities of this company It used all P7 to cover all the market segments. Dialog has segmented their network service according the customers revenue which is mainly delivering through the package. These packages are segment aver all population according their income. Dialog came through a penetration policy to capture the market. And currently it use same low level price system to keep a strong barrier to new comers. Sri lanka is a development country and the inflation is high therefore price is a key instrument to operate long term. Earlier mobile phones were used by rich people in Sri lanka but Dialog break this practise and introduce gsm system and provided quality mobile phone with affordable price. Package system, Pre-paid Post Paid Marketing mix Dialog segment their market their network and provide service according the segmentation. Promotion is different according the market. Mostly this company promote package because it is suitable for most of the customer Dialog provide, Free ring tone Free emergency calls Free call dictionary 3G etc Dialog use personal promotion as well http://mayuonline.com/eblog/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/kit_per_second_ad.jpg Dialog captures the market through a better promotion. And they introduce new packages according the seasons. Prices are depends on the packages. Dialog covers the island through a better distribution channels. Every where customers can contact dialog dealers. Customers can buy new mobile sim through dealers or through web. Customers are connecting through a best customer service. Customer can contact directly through a free call from their mobile phone. Dialog split the market but mostly their target is medium revenue level customers. Through that they control 75% market share. Dialog BOD use their marketing mix well from the start. Dialog advertisement include, Personnel selling Advertising Sales promotion Publicity Market mix with some different Dialog GSM is currently doing well in everything but the marketing department and other departments have to be ready to face future competition, Eg: New competitor enters in to the telecommunication market. Current marketing mix is usable to manage current competitors but now more foreign investors are planning to invest in Sri Lanka because of peace and opportunity. Foreign competitors are full of capital as well as in new technology. Dialog introduces new ideas but that is not more enough to compete with future. Product/Service Product is well known to customers. And it is easy to use than other network. Now Dialog has to influence the people who are in out of the country. Therefore Dialog has to identify the new technology which is used by worldwide network companies eg: Virgin mobile Dialog has to cover the whole Island and other Sri lankan citizen who are out of the country Eg: Student. Therefore It is better to invest from now .For that funds allocation and capital investment activities are needed to achieve a certain level improvement in product level. Place Dialog uses all the distribution channels to promote their telecommunication. They need to keep in touch with environmental changes. Dialog can use more e-system to communicate. Price Currently Dialog doing a better price cut promotion but still customer expect more therefore it can lead to new competitors to enter in to market. Dialog can still do market penetration to capture the balance market and dialog has to maintain same customers therefore maintaining price system is important to development country. Dialog has to consider shareholder expectation level to set the price Promotion Dialog is use all the promotion methods there is no doubt about their promotion levels. They have more chances to advertise because the dialog group has television and graphic company. People Dialog staff expresses a common culture and which is described as a strong culture. Staff well trained. Human Resources department is doing well. But still there is a space to improve their service. Sometime customers are waiting to contact. It can reduce through adding some quality staffs. Conclusion Marketing mix is very tactical instrument which has to be used in technical ways. In an entrepreneur company marketing mix is handled through experience but in a large company such as Dialog GSM management has to clearly guide it through decisions. At the same time marketing mix helps to a company to successfully position in a market. Marketing mix can use from a small organisation to large organisation to verify their main product and sub products in same market condition or different market condition.

What Is A Learning Journal Psychology Essay

What Is A Learning Journal Psychology Essay A learning journal is a way of capturing and recording your thoughts, impressions, concerns, questions and reflections. This provides an informal yet focused place to express whatever comes to mind. Its purpose is to enhance further insights on how you learn experiences through the process of writing and thinking about how you learn. Your learning journal is personal and will reflect your experiences, preferences and personality. Why am I completing a learning journal as part of my study of social psychology? The learning journal will help enhance further understanding about social psychology and how we can adapt these personal experiences individually, as social psychology mainly focuses on dealing with social interactions this can help us understand how we can socially connect with ourselves and others through interacting insights and experiences that are reflected in our learning journals. This can influence our perceptions and interpretations of how each of us understands social psychology and how we can observe it which also indicates implications it may have had on your level of understanding and to help identify your strengths, weaknesses and preferred preference of the unit. What do I hope to learn from this assignment? From this assignment i hope to learn skills and abilities that will give me a thorough and deeper knowledge as to how i can express and reflect on my own ideas and to help me understand how they build on what i already know using it in my own independent research. Through the development of this learning journal I also hope that this will not only broaden and reflect my personal views and ideas of the content but to further extend my knowledge of the assignment. This will enable me to gain experience and to help me understand and accomplish intellectual processes, goals and tasks that are required in order to reflect upon. Self and Identity Which aspect of the topic has interested me most? Why? The aspect of this topic that caught my interest would be development of the social self I have found this topic aspect very interesting as it explains and reflects on how people see and identify ones social self. To me this broadens my insights as to how and why each individual is looked upon socially because of their self concept, self esteem, self knowledge and social self. This also demonstrates how each individual is looked upon and how their roles can vary from others which help show the social world that surrounds us and how each one of us can develop and become part of the social world. This not only relates to me but to any individual according to the development of the social self. What are the main ideas, concepts and evidence related to this aspect? The main ideas that cover multiple concepts on how the social world is developing includes the roles we play, the social identities we form, the comparisons we make with each other, our successes and failures, how other people judge us and the surrounding culture. In relation to the development of the social self a concept that related towards this aspect include the looking glass self which is a social psychological concept which was created by Charles Horton Cooley in 1902. This concept states that a person self grows out of societys interpersonal interactions and the perceptions of others. This mainly refers to people shaping their self-concepts based on their understanding of how others perceive them. One evidential way this can be perceived is through social comparisons (Festinger, 1954) which help us evaluate ourselves compared to others. What short quote from the text or reading illustrates an important point related to this aspect? An important point that signifies this aspect is found in the text book states that The self- concept has become a major social-psychological focus because it helps organize our thinking and guide our social behaviour. (PP.68) In stating this tells us that according to our self image we can base this on the way we live in a social world which can have an influence on the way we think and how we portray ourselves and other individuals we can also say that social experiences also play a part in developing ones social self. How is the aspect relevant to my social world? This aspect is relevant to my social world because it demonstrates how our social image and social perceptions can shape who we are and how we are viewed upon. The self can be analysed through multiple stages for the development of the social self, the social self concept Who am I? comes from ones self, social knowledge can explain how an individual predicts themselves. Self esteem self sense of how much their worth and social self which shows how roles as a student, family member and friend which can be used for a group identity. Prejudice and discrimination Which aspect of the topic has interested me the most? Why? An aspect of the topic Racial Prejudice has interested me the most because it shows how people can have a negative evaluation towards certain individuals or groups based on attitudes with certain biological characteristics. I find this of great awareness because racial prejudice affects people and populations all over the world and is linked with discrimination which also exists in today. What are the main ideas, concepts and evidence related to this aspect? The main ideas that come with racial prejudice can somewhat come out of ignorance for disliking others. As racial prejudice has common similarities with stereotyping, discrimination and hatred we know that prejudice is an attitude which is a distinct combination of feelings, inclinations to act, and beliefs. Further Concepts and evidence relating to this aspect include racial prejudice has been found between several self-report measures of religiousness and racial prejudice; however, no experiment has examined the direct effect of religion on racial attitudes. An experiment that was conducted by Jane Elliott (Born 1933) who was an anti-racism activist illustrated how biological characteristics through the experiment Blue eyes, brown eyes which was conducted to identify how biological features play a role in racial prejudice. What short quote from the text or reading illustrates an important point related to this aspect? Racial prejudice illustrates important points that relate towards the topic In the context of the world, every race is a minority. The individual in society (PP.182). This is an important point which clarifies how each individual is categorised in certain groups based on their biological characteristics and how they are viewed based on that fact which connects with racial prejudice and how individuals shape our understanding of racial prejudice to not only use certain attitudes towards biological differences but to categorise and judge that is based on the racial prejudice perspectives of the world. Multiple statements can help shape up how racial prejudice is present Im a Cablinasian. Tiger Woods, (1997) describing his caucasion, black, Indian and asain ancestry is a good example. How is the aspect relevant to my social world? As social reality is distinct from biological realities racial prejudice is relevant to my social world because it exists within todays society and is put into different groups within the sociological world. This is relevant in terms of judging and classifying based on race and, or gender which complies with racism and discrimination that also take place within the social world we live in today because of this racial justice is a problem and puts negative insights on minority groups based on biological characteristics. Due to this aspect becoming relevant to the social world racial prejudice affects many people in the social world based on each individuals attitudes towards certain individuals that shape the social world we live in today. Conformity and obedience Which aspect of the topic has interested me most? Why? One of the interesting aspects i have found in this topic is Milgrams obedience experiment. By Stanley Milgram (1963). I find this aspect of the topic interesting because his experiment demonstrates conformity and obedience to determine how far people were willing to go in order to obey the commands of an authority figure and how this experiment illustrated social influence. What are the main ideas, concepts and evidence related to this aspect? Main ideas that relate to this are evidently contrary to Milgrams conclusion that people blindly obey authorities to the point of committing evil deeds because we are so susceptible to environmental conditions. Because of this social psychology has become one of the most famous and controversial experiments. There are concepts behind conforming as it can be defined as adjusting ones behaviour and or thinking to match those of other people or group standard, the base line as to why people confirm is because it is suggested that everyone does it. It is evident to say that when the first subject of the Milgram experiment, Emily, quit the moment she was told the protocol. This isnt really my thing, she said with a nervous laugh when our second subject, Julie, got to 75 volts and heard Tyler groan, she protested: I dont think I want to keep doing this. Jeremy insisted: You really have no other choice. I need you to continue until the end of the test. In saying so this demonstrates how social influence can affect individuals thoughts, perceptions and behaviors in order to confine with obedience. What short quote from the text or reading illustrates an important point related to this aspect? Milgrams (1965, 1974) experiments tested what happens when the demands of authority clash with the demands of conscience. This illustrates an important point in relation to this aspect because according to Milgram human moral nature includes a tendency to be empathetic, kind and good according to our relationships and group members, this also shows inclination towards being chauvinistic, cruel and evil to others. According to the shock experiments reveal not blind obedience but conflicting moral tendencies that lie deep within based on this social influence plays a role in Milgrams experiment in order for people to show signs of obedience and conformity. How is this aspect relevant to my social world? This aspect is relevant to my social world because in society today we are conforming and being obedient under certain instances for example schools require conformity such as wearing school uniform is an example of compliance conformity which is like norms that we must order and obey. An example of being obedient in todays society would be joining the army you must follow and obey instructions in order to qualify the required norms they have set for you. These are all things that happen in the social world we live in because of this the social world and the larger world we are part of is when an individual fully understands the events that are happening around them. This involves the part of life that affects them and their surroundings and in this case conformity and obedience are clearly recognised in todays social world this is the result of social influence. Conclusions What value has this journal been for my learning of social psychology? This journal has valued in teaching me about social psychology and how it deals with social interactions. This has also helped me understand and explain how the thought, feeling and behavior of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined or implied presence of other people because of this i now have a higher level of knowledge about social psychology. The journal has also observed social psychology as to how it looks at ranges of social topics that have been explained and how people can interact and understand how social psychology is being used. What are the strengths and weaknesses of my journal? For me figuring out my weaknesses is just as important  as figuring out my strengths because I believe that our strengths come from our weaknesses and our weaknesses come from our strengths. I think that a strength that is present in my journal is that it is structured briefly yet descriptive at the same time which makes it reflect upon my understanding of tasks and at the same time has the required information in order to properly state and explain my information. My learning journal is slightly focused more on the topic and should evaluate my points into further detail but aside from that I believe my journal has a good and brief layout in order for anyone to reflect upon. Did I get out of this assignment what I hoped for? Yes i believe that i have acquired some more knowledge towards the desired skills and abilities that I hoped for when writing my journal. This has given me deeper insights to each aspect of the topics. I have expressed and reflected my own personal ideas, this has also helped me build up on what was required for the completion of this learning journal. As I mentioned earlier in my introduction the learning journal has helped enhance my understanding about social psychology and has demonstrated how social psychology can be adapted in the society we live in and how it works around us.

The Entering of a Non-traditional Sport :: Genders Athletics Essays

The Entering of a Non-traditional Sport There are both many social and cultural costs and benefits of an individual (male or female) entering a non-traditional sport for their gender/sex. First, there are a variety of benefits. When women and men enter non-traditional sports, they are showing society that sports don’t have to be limited to one sex or the other. Women and men are setting an example for everyone around them that you people should do whatever you they want to do no matter what. The entering of a non-traditional sport may be easier for an individual when there is positive feedback from the people around him/her. For example, I don’t think that Bev (in the movie Pumping Iron II) would have been able to continue to weight lift if she didn’t have such positive and encouraging coaches and family. Another benefit of entering a non-traditional sport may just simply involve the use of skill. Although a sport, may not be traditional for a certain sex, athletic capability may be enhanced by participating in these other sports. For example, many football players take ballet lessons to work on their balance, grace, and stability. This kind of situation shows that ballet can be used for just performing ballet or it could mean that ballet is useful for other types of performance. Another way to look at entering a non-traditional sport as beneficial is by looking at upward social mobility. Participation in a certain sport can allow a person to better their chances of getting out of a situation or circumstance. An obvious example of upward social mobility is in the movie Girlfight. Diana has a chance to get out of her home and community through her participation in boxing. Because Diana is a women in a non-traditional sport, her chances of getting out are increased, unlike the many male boxers around her. Because other women boxers are rare, the demand for other competitors is high. Being an individual in a non-traditional sport shows uniqueness, and if that individual is good at what they do, this can bring in more attention and possibly help in achieving other things such as athletic scholarships. Also, in regards to females entering non-traditional sports, there is the benefit of proving to themselves and others that women are just as capable, if not even better, as men in performing certain tasks. This would not be such a big deal if historically sports weren’t established with men and only men’s participation and skill emphasized.

The Early Years Of Apple Inc. :: Technology History

Apple was founded on April 1, 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne[10] (and later incorporated January 3, 1977[3] without Wayne, who sold his share of the company back to Jobs and Wozniak) to sell the Apple I personal computer kit. They were hand-built by Steve Wozniak[11][12] in the living room of Jobs' parents' home, and the Apple I was first shown to the public at the Homebrew Computer Club.[13] Eventually 200 computers were built. The Apple I was sold as a motherboard (with CPU, RAM, and basic textual-video chips) Ââ€" not what is today considered a complete personal computer.[14] The user was required to provide two different AC input voltages (the manual recommended specific transformers), wire an ASCII keyboard (not provided with the computer) to a DIP connector (providing logic inverter and alpha lock chips in some cases), and to wire the video output pins to a monitor or to an RF modulator if a TV set was used. Jobs approached a local computer store, The Byte Shop, which ordered fifty units and paid US$500 for each unit after much persuasion. He then ordered components from Cramer Electronics, a national electronic parts distributor. Using a variety of methods, including borrowing space from friends and family and selling various items including a Volkswagen Type 2 bus, Jobs managed to secure the parts needed while Wozniak and Ronald Wayne assembled the Apple I.[15] The Apple II was introduced on April 16, 1977 at the first West Coast Computer Faire. It differed from its major rivals, the TRS-80 and Commodore PET, because it came with color graphics and an open architecture. While early models used ordinary cassette tapes as storage devices, this was quickly superseded by the introduction of a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk drive and interface, the Disk II. Another key to business for Apple was software. The Apple II was chosen by programmers Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston to be the desktop platform for the first "killer app" of the business worldÂâ€"the VisiCalc spreadsheet program.[16] VisiCalc created a business market for the Apple II, and the corporate market attracted many more software and hardware developers to the machine, as well as giving home users an additional reason to buy oneÂâ€"compatibility with the office.[16] (See the timeline for dates of Apple II family model releasesÂâ€"the 1977 Apple II and its younger siblings the II+, IIe, IIc, and IIGS.) According to Brian Bagnall's book, "On the Edge" (pg.

Elementary Ethnography in the Movies

A not-so-usual moviegoer can create streams of thought inside the movie house, and the experience of being inside that large, dark hollow can be a quite vivid experience more than the plot of the film in the taking. This is the fine point of tangency of the two essays (sic) â€Å"The Magic of Moviegoing† (essay 1) and â€Å"Sit Down and Shut Up or Don’t Sit by Me† (essay 2). Besides this point of tangency, we see more divergence than convergence for the two essays. Basically, the two essays intentionally or unintentionally teach a lesson of simple social research. Employing the method of ethnography, Essay one draws up a conclusion of movie-going having several rituals in the process. This observation is characteristic of functionalist remark where daily human behavior is made up of different rituals, which serve its â€Å"function† or purpose.   Meanwhile, essay two utilizes the same observation method, but maintains the objective of watching a movie rather than remaining true to the objective research of the social science in action happening right before the author’s eyes. Ethnography employs participant observation – a process where â€Å"the researcher enters the group or situation that he or she is studying†¦to try to understand the motives and meanings of the group of people they are studying.†Ã‚   (Walsh, 2001: 67) The author of essay one amused himself for his discoveries inside the movie house as a participant observer. He says about the movie going ritual: â€Å"But there's another question, equally interesting, that seldom gets examined or even asked. It's not the What but the How of the matter: How do we watch the movies? How do we behave during this pop rite of going to the picture show?† The same amusement goes with the author of the second essay. He says of putting on the shoes of a famous socio-anthropologist, â€Å"I’ve amused myself with a Margaret Mead-like study of the way people come in and take their seats and their antics during the movie.† Analyzing from the point-of-view of the social research process, Essay one sticks with the object of the study – the group or the audience. Meanwhile, essay two keeps its observation only before the start of the film and shifts attention after the start of the film, thereby losing the consistency and intent of the study.   Thus, a small lesson for the student conducting a social research: be clear with your objective and remain objective with the study. Observations made in Essay one reflects behavior of people as a group or more formally, social psychology. Meaning, people act differently as an individual and as a group. The author realizes this by saying thus, â€Å"(the) convergence of disparate people turns into an audience.† Clearly, this is the reason why he posits that film viewing in the sala set is bland and lacking of the necessary effects to rival the vividness of experience and intensity of film viewing as a social experience. However, the first essay is quick to respond to the need of the second essay for attentiveness and ethics in watching movies. It said that, â€Å"when we are most truly alone, we are most truly an audience.† The author of the second essay would have been happy to know that the author of the former agrees with the point of etiquette inside the movie houses. Albeit implicitly, we are sure that second essay agrees that some sort of collective and social interaction during the movie proper is necessary to make the experience more fulfilling. In the whole, the two essays request the attention of movie buffs and the uninitiated alike.   One can be a student of sociology just by doing a thing we like most. A movie house can be a place full of lessons for the social research process. The catch is that one must have a keen eye and good sense of observation to capture life moments and scenes outside of the silver screen. REFERENCES: Atkinson, R. L., Atkinson, R.C., Smith, E., Bem, D., & Nolen-Hoeksma, S. (1953). Hilgard’s Introduction to Psychology, 628-638. Walsh, M. (2001). Research Made Real: A Guide for Students, 66-68.   

The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 6

The next morning was clear and hot again, another beautiful summer day. Elena stretched lazily in her comfy bed, then pul ed on a T-shirt and shorts and padded down to the kitchen for a bowl of cereal. Aunt Judith was braiding Margaret's hair at the table. â€Å"Morning,† Elena said, pouring milk into her bowl. â€Å"Hi, sleepyhead,† said Aunt Judith, and Margaret gave her a big smile and a finger-wiggling wave. â€Å"Keep stil , Margaret. We're about to leave for the market,† she told Elena. â€Å"What are you doing today?† Elena swal owed her mouthful of cereal. â€Å"We're going to pick up Alaric and his friend at the train station and just hang out and catch up,† she said. â€Å"Who?† Aunt Judith asked, her eyes narrowing. Elena's mind spun. â€Å"Oh, uh, you remember, he subbed for Mr. Tanner teaching history last year,† she said, wondering if that was in fact true in this world. Aunt Judith frowned. â€Å"Isn't he a little old to be socializing with high school girls?† Elena rol ed her eyes. â€Å"We're not in high school anymore, Aunt Judith. And he's only about six years older than us. And it's not just girls. Matt and Stefan are coming, too.† If this was Aunt Judith's reaction to the news of their spending time with Alaric, Elena could tel why Meredith was hesitant to tel people about their relationship. It made sense to wait a couple of years, until people thought of her as a grown-up. Since no one here knew al that Meredith had seen and done, she seemed like any other eighteenyear-old to them. It's a good thing Aunt Judith doesn't know Stefan's five hundred years older than I am, Elena thought with a secret smirk. She thinks Alaric's too old. The doorbel rang. â€Å"That's Matt and everybody,† Elena said, rising to put her bowl in the sink. â€Å"See you guys tonight.† Margaret widened her eyes at Elena in silent appeal, and Elena detoured on her way to the door to squeeze the little girl's shoulder. Was Margaret stil worried Elena wouldn't come back? Out in the foyer, she ran her fingers through her hair before opening the door. Standing in front of her was not Stefan, though, but a perfect stranger. A real y good-looking stranger, Elena noted automatical y, a boy about her age with curly golden hair, sculpted features, and bright blue eyes. He was holding a deep red rose in one hand. Elena stood a little straighter, unconsciously pul ing her shoulders back and pushing her hair behind her ears. She adored Stefan, but that didn't mean she couldn't look at other boys, or talk to them. She wasn't dead, after al . Not anymore, she thought, smiling at her private joke. The boy smiled back. â€Å"Hey, Elena,† he said cheerful y. â€Å"Caleb Smal wood!† Aunt Judith said, coming into the hal . â€Å"There you are!† Elena felt herself recoil, but she kept the smile on her face. â€Å"Any relation to Tyler?† she said, outwardly calm, and ran her eyes over him, trying to be subtle, checking for†¦ for what? For signs of his being a werewolf? She realized she didn't even know what those would be. Tyler's good looks had always had a flavor of an animal about them, with his large white teeth and broad features, but had that been a coincidence? â€Å"Tyler's my cousin,† Caleb answered, his smile beginning to turn to a quizzical frown. â€Å"I thought you knew that, Elena. I'm staying with his folks while Tyler's†¦ gone.† Elena's mind raced. Tyler Smal wood had run away after Elena, Stefan, and Damon had defeated his al y, the evil vampire Klaus. Tyler had left his girlfriend – and sometimes hostage – Caroline pregnant. Elena hadn't discussed Tyler and Caroline's fate with the Guardians, so she had no idea what had happened with them in this reality. Was Tyler even a werewolf now? Was Caroline pregnant? And if she was, was it with werewolf or human babies? She shook her head slightly. Brave new world, indeed. â€Å"Wel , don't leave Caleb out on the porch. Let him in,† Aunt Judith instructed from behind her. Elena stood aside, and Caleb moved past her into the hal . Elena tried to reach out with her mind and sense Caleb's aura, to read him to see if he was dangerous, but once again came up against that brick wal . It would take some time to get used to being a normal girl again, and suddenly Elena felt horribly vulnerable. Caleb shifted from foot to foot, looking uncomfortable, and she quickly composed herself. â€Å"How long have you been in town?† she asked, and then kicked herself for treating this boy she obviously was supposed to know like a stranger again. â€Å"Wel ,† he said slowly, â€Å"I've been in town al summer. Did you hit your head over the weekend, Elena?† He grinned teasingly at her. Elena lifted a shoulder, thinking of al she had suffered over the weekend. â€Å"Something like that.† He held out the rose. â€Å"This must be for you.† â€Å"Thank you,† said Elena, confused. A thorn pricked her finger as she took it by the stem, and she stuck the finger in her mouth to stanch the blood. â€Å"Don't thank me,† he said. â€Å"It was just sitting on the front steps when I got here. You must have a secret admirer.† Elena frowned. Plenty of boys had admired her through school, and if this had been nine months ago, she could have made a good guess at who would leave her a rose. But now she didn't have a clue. Matt's battered old Ford sedan pul ed up outside and honked. â€Å"I've got to run, Aunt Judith,† she said. â€Å"They're here. Nice seeing you, Caleb.† Elena's stomach twisted as she walked toward Matt's car. It wasn't just the strangeness of meeting Caleb that was affecting her, she realized, turning the rose's stem absently between her fingers. It was the car itself. Matt's old Ford was the car she had driven off Wickery Bridge back in the winter, panicked and pursued by evil forces. She'd died in this car. The windows had shattered as she hit the creek, and the car had fil ed with icy water. The scratched steering wheel and the dented hood of the car, covered with water, had been the last things she'd seen in that life. But here the car was – as whole again as she was. Pushing the memory of her death from her mind, she waved at Bonnie, whose eager face was visible through the passenger window. She could forget about al those old tragedies, because now they had never happened. Meredith perched elegantly on the swing on her front porch, pushing herself gently back and forth with one foot. Her strong, tapered fingers were stil ; her dark hair fel smoothly across her shoulders; her expression was as serene as ever. There was nothing about Meredith that might show how tensely and busily her thoughts were churning, worries and contingency plans whirring away behind her cool facade. She had spent yesterday trying to figure out what the Guardians' spel had changed for her and her family – particularly her brother, Christian, who Klaus had kidnapped over a decade ago. She stil didn't understand it al , but it was dawning on her that Elena's bargain had more far-reaching consequences than any of them had imagined. But today her thoughts were occupied with Alaric Saltzman. Her fingers tapped anxiously against the arm of the swing. Then she schooled herself into stil ness again. Self-discipline was where Meredith found her strength, and if Alaric, her boyfriend – or at least, he had been her boyfriend†¦ actual y her perhaps engaged-to-be-engaged, sort of almost fiance, before he left town – turned out to have changed toward her in the months they'd been apart, wel , no one, not even Alaric, would see how that would hurt her. Alaric had spent the past several months in Japan, investigating paranormal activity, a dream come true for a doctoral student in parapsychology. His study of the tragic history of Unmei no Shima, the Island of Doom, a smal community where children and parents had turned against one another, had helped Meredith and her friends to understand what the kitsune were doing to Fel ‘s Church, and how to fight it. Alaric had been working at Unmei no Shima with Dr. Celia Connor, a forensic pathologist who, despite her ful academic credentials, was the same age as Alaric, only twenty-four. So, clearly, Dr. Connor was bril iant. From his letters and emails, Alaric had been having the time of his life in Japan. And he'd certainly found a lot of interests in common with Dr. Connor. Perhaps more so than with Meredith, who had only just graduated from a smal -town high school, no matter how mature and intel igent she might be. Meredith gave herself a mental shake and sat up straighter. She was being ridiculous, worrying about Alaric's relationship with his col eague. She was pretty sure she was being ridiculous, anyway. Fairly sure. She gripped the arms of the swing more tightly. She was a vampire hunter. She had a duty to protect her town, and she had, with her friends, protected it wel already. She wasn't just an ordinary teenager, and if she needed to prove that to Alaric again, she was confident she could, Dr. Celia Connor or no Dr. Celia Connor. Matt's rattletrap of an old Ford sedan chugged up to the curb, Bonnie in front with Matt, Stefan and Elena sitting close together in the back. Meredith rose and crossed the lawn toward it. â€Å"Is everything okay?† said Bonnie, round eyed, when she opened the door. â€Å"Your face looks like you're heading off to battle.† Meredith smoothed her features into impassivity and scrambled for an explanation that wasn't, I'm worried about whether my boyfriend still likes me. Quickly and easily, she realized there was another reason she was tense, a true one. â€Å"Bonnie, I have a duty to help look out for everyone now,† Meredith said simply. â€Å"Damon's dead. Stefan doesn't want to hurt humans, and that handicaps him. Elena's Powers are gone. Even though the kitsune were defeated, we stil need protection. We'l always need to be careful.† Stefan tightened his arm around Elena's shoulders. â€Å"The things that make Fel ‘s Church so appealing to the supernatural, the ley lines that have attracted al kinds of beings here for generations, are al stil here. I can sense them. And other people, other creatures, wil sense them, too.† Bonnie's voice rose in alarm. â€Å"So it's al going to happen again?† Stefan rubbed the bridge of his nose. â€Å"I don't think so. But something else might. Meredith's right, we have to be vigilant.† He dropped a kiss onto Elena's shoulder and rested his cheek against her hair. There was no question, Meredith thought wryly, why this particular supernatural being was drawn to Fel ‘s Church, anyway, and it wasn't because of the ley lines running through the area. Elena toyed with a single dark red rose, something Stefan must have brought her. â€Å"Is that the only reason you're worried, Meredith?† she asked lightly. â€Å"Your duty to Fel ‘s Church?† Meredith felt herself flush a little, but her voice was dry and calm. â€Å"I think that's reason enough, don't you?† Elena grinned. â€Å"Oh, it's reason enough, I suppose. But could there be another one?† She winked at Bonnie, whose anxious expression lightened in response. â€Å"Who do we know who wil be fascinated by al the tales you have to tel ? Especially when he finds out that the story's not over yet?† Bonnie turned al the way around in her seat, her smile growing. â€Å"Oh. Oh. I see. He won't be able to think of anything else, wil he? Or anyone else.† Now Stefan's shoulders relaxed, and up in the driver's seat Matt let out a chuckle and shook his head. â€Å"You three,† he said affectionately. â€Å"Us guys never stood a chance.† Meredith looked straight ahead and lifted her chin slightly, ignoring them al . Elena and Bonnie knew her too wel , and the three of them had spent enough time scheming together that she should have known they'd see through her plan in a minute. But she didn't have to admit to it. The solemn mood in the car had lifted, though. Meredith realized they were al doing it on purpose, reaching out gently and careful y with jokes and lighthearted teasing, trying to ease the pain Elena and Stefan must both be feeling. Damon was dead. And while Meredith had developed a cautious, wary respect for the unpredictable vampire during their time in the Dark Dimension, and Bonnie had felt, Meredith thought, something warmer, Elena had loved him. Real y loved him. And even though Damon and Stefan's relationship had been rocky, to say the least, for centuries, he had been Stefan's brother. Stefan and Elena were hurting, and everyone knew it. After a minute, Matt's eyes flicked up to the rearview mirror to glance at Stefan. â€Å"Hey,† he said, â€Å"I forgot to tel you. In this reality you didn't disappear on Hal oween – you stayed the starting wide receiver and we took the footbal team al the way to the state championships.† He grinned, and Stefan's face opened in simple pleasure. Meredith had almost forgotten that Stefan had played with Matt on their high school footbal team before their history teacher, Mr. Tanner, died at the Hal oween haunted house and everything went to hel . She had forgotten he and Matt had been real friends, playing sports and hanging out, despite the fact that they'd both loved Elena. And maybe still do both love Elena? she wondered, and glanced quickly at the back of Matt's head from under her eyelashes. She wasn't sure how Matt felt, but he had always struck her as the kind of guy who, when he fel in love, stayed in love. But he was also the kind of guy who would always b e too honorable to try to break up a relationship, no matter what he felt. â€Å"And,† Matt went on, â€Å"as the quarterback of the state champions, I guess I'm a pretty good prospect for col eges.† He paused and broke out in a wide, proud smile. â€Å"Apparently, I have a ful athletic scholarship to Kent State.† Bonnie squealed, Elena clapped, and Meredith and Stefan burst out with congratulations. â€Å"Me, me now!† Bonnie said. â€Å"I guess I studied harder in this reality. Which was probably easier, since one of my best friends didn't die first semester and was available to help tutor me.† â€Å"Hey!† Elena said. â€Å"Meredith was always a better tutor than me. You can't blame it on me.† â€Å"Anyway,† Bonnie continued, â€Å"I got into a four-year col ege! I didn't even bother to apply to any in our other life because my GPA was not high. I was going to take nursing classes at the community col ege like Mary did, even though I'm not sure I'm real y cut out to be a nurse because, yuck, blood and other fluids. But, anyway, my mom was saying this morning that we should go shopping for my room at Dalcrest before Labor Day.† She shrugged a little. â€Å"I mean, I know it's not Harvard, but I'm pretty excited.† Meredith joined in the congratulations quietly. She had, in fact, gotten into Harvard. â€Å"Ooh. And! And!† Bonnie was bouncing in her seat with excitement. â€Å"I ran into Vickie Bennett this morning. She's definitely not dead! I think she was surprised when I hugged her. I forgot we weren't real y friends.† â€Å"How is she?† asked Elena interestedly. â€Å"Did she remember anything?† Bonnie tilted her head. â€Å"She seems fine. I couldn't exactly ask her what she remembered, but she didn't say anything about being dead or vampires or anything. I mean, she was always a little bit blah, you know? She did tel me she saw you downtown last weekend and you told her what color lip gloss she ought to buy.† Elena raised her eyebrows. â€Å"Real y?† She paused and went on uncertainly, â€Å"Is anybody else feeling weird about al of this? I mean, it's wonderful – don't get me wrong. But it's weird, too.† â€Å"It's confusing,† Bonnie said. â€Å"I'm grateful, obviously, that al the horrible things are gone and everybody's okay. I'm thril ed to have my life back. But my father blew up at me this morning when I asked where Mary was.† Mary was one of Bonnie's older sisters, the last one living at home besides Bonnie. â€Å"He thought I was trying to be funny. Apparently she moved in with her boyfriend three months ago, and you can imagine how my dad feels about that.† Meredith nodded. Bonnie's dad was the protective paternal type, and pretty old-fashioned in his attitudes toward his daughters' boyfriends. If Mary was living with her boyfriend, he must be apoplectic. â€Å"Aunt Judith and I have been fighting – at least, I think so. But I can't find out exactly why,† Elena confessed. â€Å"I can't ask, because obviously I should already know.† â€Å"Shouldn't everything be perfect now?† Bonnie said wistful y. â€Å"It seems like we've been through enough.† â€Å"I don't mind being confused, as long as we can go back to real life,† Matt said earnestly. There was a little pause, which Meredith broke, reaching for something to take them out of their somber thoughts. â€Å"Pretty rose, Elena,† she said. â€Å"Is that a gift from Stefan?† â€Å"No, actual y,† Elena said. â€Å"It was sitting on my front stoop this morning.† She twirled it between her fingers. â€Å"It's not from any of the gardens on our street, though. No one has such beautiful roses.† She smiled teasingly at Stefan, who tensed up once more. â€Å"It's a mystery.† â€Å"Must be from a secret admirer,† Bonnie said. â€Å"Can I see?† Elena handed it up to the front seat, and Bonnie turned the stem around careful y in her hand, looking at the blossom from al angles. â€Å"It's gorgeous,† she said. â€Å"A single, perfect rose. How romantic!† She pretended to swoon, lifting the rose to her forehead. Then she flinched. â€Å"Ouch! Ouch!† Blood ran down her hand. Much more blood than ought to come from the prick of a thorn, Meredith noted, already reaching into her pocket for a tissue. Matt pul ed off the road. â€Å"Bonnie – † he began. Stefan breathed in sharply and leaned forward, his eyes widening. Meredith forgot about the tissue, fearing the sudden sight of blood had caused Stefan's vampiric nature to take over. Then Matt gasped and Elena said sharply, â€Å"A camera, quick! Someone give me your phone!† with such a tone of command that Meredith automatical y handed Elena her phone. As Elena pointed the camera phone at Bonnie, Meredith final y saw what had startled the others. The dark red blood was running down Bonnie's arm, and as it ran, it had streamed into twists and curves from her wrist to her elbow. The trickles of blood spel ed out a name over and over. The same name that had been haunting Meredith for months.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 12. Some People Just Don’t Grasp …

12. Some People Just Don't Grasp The Concept Of â€Å"Unwelcome† I was right on the edge of sleep. The sun had risen behind the clouds an hour ago – the forest was gray now instead of black. Seth'd curled up and passed out around one, and I'd woken him at dawn to trade off. Even after running all night, I was having a hard time making my brain shut up long enough to fall asleep, but Seth's rhythmic run was helping. One, two-three, four, one, two-three, four – dum dum-dum dam – dull paw thuds against the damp earth, over and over as he made the wide circuit surrounding the Cullens' land. We were already wearing a trail into the ground. Seth's thoughts were empty, just a blur of green and gray as the woods flew past him. It was restful. It helped to fill my head with what he saw rather than letting my own images take center stage. And then Seth's piercing howl broke the early morning quiet. I lurched up from the ground, my front legs pulling toward a sprint before my hind legs were off the ground. I raced toward the place where Seth had frozen, listening with him to the tread of paws running in our direction. Morning, boys. A shocked whine broke through Seth's teeth. And then we both snarled as we read deeper into the new thoughts. Oh, man! Goaway, Leah! Seth groaned. I stopped when I got to Seth, head thrown back, ready to howl again – this time to complain. Cut the noise, Seth. Right. Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!He whimpered and pawed at the ground, scratching deep furrows in the dirt. Leah trotted into view, her small gray body weaving through the underbrush. Stop whining, Seth. You're such a baby. I growled at her, my ears flattening against my skull. She skipped back a step automatically. What do you think you're doing, Leah? She huffed a heavy sigh. It's pretty obvious, isn't it? I'm joining your crappy little renegade pack. The vampires' guard dogs. She barked out a low, sarcastic laugh. No, you're not. Turn around before I rip out one of your hamstrings. Like you could catch me.She grinned and coiled her body for launch. Wanna race, O fearless leader? I took a deep breath, filling my lungs until my sides bulged. Then, when I was sure I wasn't going to scream, i exhaled in a gust. Seth, go let the Cullens know that it's just your stupid sister – thought the words as harshly as possible. deal with this. On it!Seth was only too happy to leave. He vanished toward the house. Leah whined, and she leaned after him, the fur on her shoulders rising. You're just going to let him run off to the vampires alone? I'm pretty sure he'd rather they took him out than spend another minute with you. Shut up, Jacob. Oops, I'm sorry – meant, shut up, most high Alpha. Why thehellare you here? You think I'm just going to sit home while my little brother volunteers as a vampire chew toy? Seth doesn't want or need your protection. In fact, no one wants you here. Oooh, ouch, that's gonna leave ahuge mark. Ha, she barked. Tell me who does want me around, and I'm outta here. So this isn't about Seth at all, is it? Of course it is. I'm just pointing out that being unwanted is not a first for me. Not really a motivating factor, if you know what I mean. I gritted my teeth and tried to get my head straight. Did Sam send you? If I was here on Sam's errand, you wouldn't be able to hear me. My allegiance is no longer with him. I listened carefully to the thoughts mixed in with the words. If this was a diversion or a ploy, I had to be alert enough to see through it. But there was nothing. Her declaration was nothing but the truth. Unwilling, almost despairing truth. You're loyal tome now? I asked with deep sarcasm. Uh-huh. Right. My choices are limited. I'm working with the options I've got. Trust me, I'm not enjoying this any more than you are. That wasn't true. There was an edgy kind of excitement in her mind. She was unhappy about this, but she was also riding some weird high. I searched her mind, trying to understand. She bristled, resenting the intrusion. I usually tried to tune Leah out – I'd never tried to make sense of her before. We were interrupted by Seth, thinking his explanation at Edward. Leah whined anxiously. Edward's face, framed in the same window as last night, showed no reaction to the news. It was a blank face, dead. Wow, he looks bad,Seth muttered to himself. The vampire showed no reaction to that thought, either. He disappeared into the house. Seth pivoted and headed back out to us. Leah relaxed a little. What's going on?Leah asked. Catch me up to speed. There's no point You're not staying. Actually, Mr. Alpha, I am. Because since apparently I have to belong tosomeone – and don't think I haven't tried breaking off on my own, you know yourself how wellthat doesn ‘t work – choose you. Leah, you don't like me. I don't like you. Thank you, Captain Obvious. That doesn't matter to me. I'm staying with Seth. You don't like vampires. Don't you think that's a little conflict of interest right there? You don't like vampires either. But Iam committed to this alliance. You aren't. I'll keep my distance from them. I can run patrols out here, just like Seth. And I'm supposed to trust you with that? She stretched her neck, leaning up on her toes, trying to be as tall as me as she stared into my eyes. will not betray my pack. I wanted to throw my head back and howl, like Seth had before. This isn't your pack! This isn't even a pack. This is just me, going off on my own! What is it with you Clearwaters? Why can't you leave me alone? Seth, just coming up behind us now, whined; I'd offended him. Great. I've been helpful, haven't I, Jake? You haven't madetoo much a nuisance of yourself, kid, but if you and Leah are a package deal – if the only way to get rid of her is for you to go home†¦. Weil, can you blame me for wanting you gone? Ugh, Leah, you ruin everything! Yeah, I know,she told him, and the thought was loaded with the heaviness of her despair. I felt the pain in the three little words, and it was more than I would've guessed. I didn't want to feel that. I didn't want to feel bad for her. Sure, the pack was rough on her, but she brought it all on herself with the bitterness that tainted her every thought and made being in her head a nightmare. Seth was feeling guilty, too. Jake†¦ You're not really gonna send me away, are you? Leah's not so bad. Really. I mean, with her here, we can push the perimeter out farther. And this puts Sam down to seven. There's no way he's going to mount an attack that outnumbered. It's probably a good thing†¦. You know I don't want to lead a pack, Seth. So don't lead us,Leah offered. I snorted. Sounds perfect to me. Run along home now. Jake,Seth thought. belong here. I do like vampires. Cullens, anyway. They're people to me, and I'm going to protect them, 'cause that's what we're supposed to do. Maybe you belong, kid, but your sister doesn't And she's going to go wherever you are – I stopped short, because I saw something when I said that. Something Leah had been trying not to think. Leah wasn't going anywhere. Thought this was about Seth,I thought sourly. She flinched. Of course I'm here for Seth. And to get away from Sam. Her jaw clenched. don't have to explain myself to you. I just have to do what I'm told. I belong to your pack, Jacob. The end. I paced away from her, growling. Crap. I was never going to get rid of her. As much as she disliked me, as much as she loathed the Cullens, as happy as she'd be to go kill all the vampires right now, as much as it pissed her off to have to protect them instead – none of that was anything compared to what she felt being free of Sam. Leah didn't like me, so it wasn't such a chore having me wish she would disappear. She loved Sam. Still. And having him wish she would disappear was more pain than she was willing to live with, now that she had a choice. She would have taken any other option. Even if it meant moving in with the Cullens as their lapdog. don't know if I'd go that far, she thought. She tried to make the words tough, aggressive, but there were big cracks in her show. I'm sure I'd give killing myself a few good tries first. Look, Leah†¦ No,you look, Jacob. Stop arguing with me, because it's not going to do any good. I'll stay out of your way, okay? I'll do anything you want Except go back to Sam's pack and be the pathetic ex-girlfriend he can't get away from. If you want me to leave – she sat back on her haunches and stared straight into my eyes – you're going to have tomake me. I snarled for a long, angry minute. I was beginning to feel some sympathy for Sam, despite what he had done to me, to Seth. No wonder he was always ordering the pack around. How else would you ever get anything done? Seth, are you gonna get mad at me if I kill your sister? He pretended to think about it for a minute. Well†¦ yeah, probably. I sighed. Okay, then, Ms. Do-Anything-I-Want Why don't you make yourself useful by telling us what you know? What happened after we left last night? Lots of howling. But you probably heard that part. It was so loud that it took us a while to figure out that we couldn't hear either of you anymore. Sam was†¦Words failed her, but we could see it in our head. Both Seth and I cringed. After that, it was clear pretty quick that we were going to have to rethink things. Sam was planning to talk to the other Elders first thing this morning. We were supposed to meet up and figure out a game plan. I could tell he wasn't going to mount another attack right away, though. Suicide at this point, with you and Seth AWOL and the bloodsuckers forewarned. I'm not sure what they'll do, but I wouldn't be wandering the forest alone if I was a leech. It's open season on vamps now. You decided to skip the meeting this morning?I asked. When we split up for patrols last night, I asked permission to go home, to tell my mother what had happened – Crap! You told Mom?Seth growled. Seth, hold off on the sibling stuff for a sec. Go on, Leah. So once I was human, I took a minute to think things through. Well, actually, I took all night. I bet the others think I fell asleep. But the whole two-separate-packs, two-separate-pack-minds thing gave mea lot to sift through. In the end, I weighed Seth's safety and the, er, other benefits against the idea of turning traitor and sniffing vampire stink for who knows how long. You know what I decided. I left a note for my mom. I expect we'll hear it when Sam finds out . .. Leah cocked an ear to the west. Yeah, I expect we will,I agreed. So that's everything. What do we do now?she asked. She and Seth both looked at me expectantly. This was exactly the kind of thing I didn't want to have to do. guess we just keep an eye out for now. That's all we can do. You should probably take a nap, Leah. You've had as much sleep as I have. Thought you were going to do what you were told? Right. That's going to get old,she grumbled, and then she yawned. Well, whatever. I don't care. I'll run the border, Jake. I'm not tired at all.Seth was so glad I hadn't forced them home, he was all but prancing with excitement. Sure, sure. I'm going to go check in with the Cullens. Seth took off along the new path worn into the damp earth. Leah looked after him thoughtfully. Maybe a round or two before I crash†¦. Hey Seth, wanna see how many times I can lap you? NO! Barking out a low chuckle, Leah lunged into the woods after him. I growled uselessly. So much for peace and quiet. Leah was trying – for Leah. She kept her jibes to a minimum as she raced around the circuit, but it was impossible not to be aware of her smug mood. I thought of the whole â€Å"two's company† saying. It didn't really apply, because one was plenty to my mind. But if there had to be three of us, it was hard to think of anyone that I wouldn't trade her for. Paul?she suggested. Maybe,I allowed. She laughed to herself, too jittery and hyper to get offended, i wondered how long the buzz from dodging Sam's pity would last. That will be my goal then – to be less annoying than Paul. Yeah, work on that I changed into my other form when I was a few yards from the lawn. I hadn't been planning to spend much time human here. But I hadn't been planning to have Leah in my head, either. I pulled on my ragged shorts and started across the lawn. The door opened before I got to the steps, and I was surprised to see Carlisle rather than Edward step outside to meet me – his face looked exhausted and defeated. For a second, my heart froze. I faltered to a stop, unable to speak. â€Å"Are you all right, Jacob?† Carlisle asked. â€Å"Is Bella?† I choked out. â€Å"She's†¦ much the same as last night. Did I startle you? I'm sorry. Edward said you were coming in your human form, and I came out to greet you, as he didn't want to leave her. She's awake.† And Edward didn't want to lose any time with her, because he didn't have much time left. Carlisle didn't say the words out loud, but he might as well have. It had been a while since I'd slept – since before my last patrol. I could really feel that now. I took a step forward, sat down on the porch steps, and slumped against the railing. Moving whisper-quiet as only a vampire could, Carlisle took a seat on the same step, against the other railing. â€Å"I didn't get a chance to thank you last night, Jacob. You don't know how much I appreciate your†¦ compassion. I know your goal was to protect Bella, but I owe you the safety of the rest of my family as well. Edward told me what you had to do___† â€Å"Don't mention it,† I muttered. â€Å"If you prefer.† We sat in silence. I could hear the others in the house. Emmett, Alice, and Jasper, speaking in low, serious voices upstairs. Esme humming tunelessly in another room. Rosalie and Edward breathing close by – I couldn't tell which was which, but I could hear the difference in Bella's labored panting. I could hear her heart, too. It seemed†¦ uneven. It was like fate was out to make me do everything I'd ever sworn I wouldn't in the course of twenty-four hours. Here I was, hanging around, waiting for her to die. I didn't want to listen anymore. Talking was better than listening. â€Å"She's family to you?† I asked Carlisle. It had caught my notice before, when he'd said I'd helped the rest of his family, too. â€Å"Yes. Bella is already a daughter to me. A beloved daughter.† â€Å"But you're going to let her die.† He was quiet long enough that I looked up. His face was very, very tired. I knew how he felt. â€Å"I can imagine what you think of me for that,† he finally said. â€Å"But i can't ignore her will. It wouldn't be right to make such a choice for her, to force her.† I wanted to be angry with him, but he was making it hard. It was like he was throwing my own words back at me, just scrambled up. They'd sounded right before, but they couldn't be right now. Not with Bella dying. Still†¦ I remembered how it felt to be broken on the ground under Sam – to have no choice but be involved in the murder of someone I loved. It wasn't the same, though. Sam was wrong. And Bella loved things she shouldn't. â€Å"Do you think there's any chance she'll make it? I mean, as a vampire and all that. She told me about†¦ about Esme.† Tel say there's an even chance at this point,† he answered quietly. â€Å"I've seen vampire venom work miracles, but there are conditions that even venom cannot overcome. Her heart is working too hard now; if it should fail†¦ there won't be anything for me to do.† Bella's heartbeat throbbed and faltered, giving an agonizing emphasis to his words. Maybe the planet had started turning backward. Maybe that would explain how everything was the opposite of what it had been yesterday – how I could be hoping for what had once seemed like the very worst thing in the world. â€Å"What is that thing doing to her?† I whispered. â€Å"She was so much worse last night. I saw†¦ the tubes and all that. Through the window.† â€Å"The fetus isn't compatible with her body. Too strong, for one thing, but she could probably endure that for a while. The bigger problem is that it won't allow her to get the sustenance she needs. Her body is rejecting every form of nutrition. I'm trying to feed her intravenously, but she's just not absorbing it. Everything about her condition is accelerated. I'm watching her – and not just her, but the fetus as well – starve to death by the hour. I can't stop it and I can't slow it down. I can't figure out what it wants† His weary voice broke at the end. I felt the same way I had yesterday, when I'd seen the black stains across her stomach – furious, and a little crazy. I clenched my hands into fists to control the shaking. I hated the thing that was hurting her. It wasn't enough for the monster to beat her from the inside out. No, it was starving her, too. Probably just looking for something to sink its teeth into – a throat to suck dry. Since it wasn't big enough to kill anyone else yet, it settled for sucking Bella's life from her. I could tell them exactly what it wanted: death and blood, blood and death. My skin was all hot and prickly. I breathed slowly in and out, focusing on that to calm myself. â€Å"I wish I could get a better idea of what exactly it is,† Carlisle murmured. â€Å"The fetus is well protected. I haven't been able to produce an ultrasonic image. I doubt there is any way to get a needle through the amniotic sac, but Rosalie won't agree to let me try, in any case.† â€Å"A needle?† I mumbled. â€Å"What good would that do?† â€Å"The more I know about the fetus, the better I can estimate what it will be capable of. What I wouldn't give for even a little amniotic fluid. If I knew even the chromosomal count†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You're losing me, Doc. Can you dumb it down?† He chuckled once – even his laugh sounded exhausted. â€Å"Okay. How much biology have you taken? Did you study chromosomal pairs?† â€Å"Think so. We have twenty-three, right?† â€Å"Humans do.† I blinked. â€Å"How many do you have?† â€Å"Twenty-five.† I frowned at my fists for a second. â€Å"What does that mean?† â€Å"I thought it meant that our species were almost completely different. Less related than a lion and a house cat. But this new life – well, it suggests that we're more genetically compatible than I'd thought.† He sighed sadly. â€Å"I didn't know to warn them.† I sighed, too. It had been easy to hate Edward for the same ignorance. I still hated him for it. It was just hard to feel the same way about Carlisle. Maybe because I wasn't ten shades of jealous in Carlisle's case. â€Å"It might help to know what the count was – whether the fetus was closer to us or to her. To know what to expect.† Then he shrugged. â€Å"And maybe it wouldn't help anything. I guess I just wish I had something to study, anything to do.† â€Å"Wonder what my chromosomes are like,† I muttered randomly. I thought of those Olympic steroids tests again. Did they run DNA scans? Carlisle coughed self-consciously. â€Å"You have twenty-four pairs, Jacob.† I turned slowly to stare at him, raising my eyebrows. He looked embarrassed. â€Å"I was†¦ curious. I took the liberty when I was treating you last June.† I thought about it for a second. â€Å"I guess that should piss me off. But I don't really care.† â€Å"I'm sorry. I should have asked.† â€Å"S'okay, Doc. You didn't mean any harm.† â€Å"No, I promise you that I did not mean you any harm. It's just that†¦ I find your species fascinating. I suppose that the elements of vampiric nature have come to seem commonplace to me over the centuries. Your family's divergence from humanity is much more interesting. Magical, almost.† â€Å"Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo,† I mumbled. He was just like Bella with all the magic garbage. Carlisle laughed another weary laugh. Then we heard Edward's voice inside the house, and we both paused to listen. â€Å"I'll be right back, Bella. I want to speak with Carlisle for a moment. Actually, Rosalie, would you mind accompanying me?† Edward sounded different. There was a little life in his dead voice. A spark of something. Not hope exactly, but maybe the desire to hope. â€Å"What is it, Edward?† Bella asked hoarsely. â€Å"Nothing you need to worry about, love. It will just take a second. Please, Rose?† â€Å"Esme?† Rosalie called. â€Å"Can you mindBella for me?† Iheard the whisper of wind as Esme flitted down the stairs. â€Å"Of course,† she said. Carlisle shifted, twisting to look expectantly at the door. Edward was through the door first, with Rosalie right on his heels. His face was, like his voice, no longer dead. He seemed intensely focused. Rosalie looked suspicious. Edward shut the door behind her. â€Å"Carlisle,† he murmured. â€Å"What is it, Edward?† â€Å"Perhaps we've been going about this the wrong way. I was listening to you and Jacob just now, and when you were speaking of what the†¦ fetus wants, Jacob had an interesting thought.† Me?What had thought? Besides my obvious hatred for the thing? At least I wasn't alone in that. I could tell that Edward had a difficult time using a term as mild as fetus. â€Å"We haven't actually addressed that angle,† Edward went on. â€Å"We've been trying to get Bella what she needs. And her body is accepting it about as well as one of ours would. Perhaps we should address the needs of the†¦ fetus first. Maybe if we can satisfy it, we'll be able to help her more effectively.† â€Å"I'm not following you, Edward,† Carlisle said. â€Å"Think about it, Carlisle. If that creature is more vampire than human, can't you guess what it craves – what it's not getting? Jacob did.† I did? I ran through the conversation, trying to remember what thoughts I'd kept to myself. I remembered at the same time that Carlisle understood. â€Å"Oh,† he said in a surprised tone. â€Å"You think it is†¦ thirsty?† Rosalie hissed under her breath. She wasn't suspicious anymore. Her revoltingly perfect face wasall lit up, her eyes wide with excitement. â€Å"Of course,† she muttered. â€Å"Carlisle, we have all that type O negative laid aside for Bella. It's a good idea,† she added, not looking at me. â€Å"Hmm.† Carlisle put his hand to his chin, lost in thought. â€Å"I wonder†¦ And then, what would be the best way to administer___† Rosalie shook her head. â€Å"We don't have time to be creative. I'd say we should start with the traditional way.† â€Å"Wait a minute,† i whispered. â€Å"Just hold on. Are you – are you talking about making Bella drink blood?† â€Å"It was your idea, dog,† Rosalie said, scowling at me without ever quite looking at me. I ignored her and watched Carlisle. That same ghost of hope that had been in Edward's face was now in the doctor's eyes. He pursed his lips, speculating. â€Å"That's just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I couldn't find the right word. â€Å"Monstrous?† Edward suggested. â€Å"Repulsive?† â€Å"Pretty much.† â€Å"But what if it helps her?† he whispered. I shook my head angrily. â€Å"What are you gonna do, shove a tube down her throat?† â€Å"I plan to ask her what she thinks. I just wanted to run it past Carlisle first.† Rosalie nodded. â€Å"If you tell her it might help the baby, she'll be willing to do anything. Even if we do have to feed them through a tube.† I realized then – when I heard how her voice got all loveydovey as she said the word baby – that Blondie would be in line with anything that helped the little life-sucking monster. Was that what was going on, the mystery factor that was bonding the two of them? Was Rosalie after the kid? From the corner of my eye, I saw Edward nod once, absently, not looking in my direction. But I knew he was answering my questions. Huh. I wouldn't have thought the ice-cold Barbie would have a maternal side. So much for protecting Bella – Rosalie'd probably jam the tube down Bella's throat herself. Edward's mouth mashed into a hard line, and I knew I was right again. â€Å"Well, we don't have time to sit around discussing this,† Rosalie said impatiently. â€Å"What do you think, Carlisle? Can we try?† Carlisle took a deep breath, and then he was on his feet. â€Å"We'll ask Bella.† Blondie smiled smugly – sure that, if it was up to Bella, she would get her way. I dragged myself up from the stairs and followed after them as they disappeared into the house. I wasn't sure why. Just morbid curiosity, maybe. It was like a horror movie. Monsters and blood all over the place. Maybe I just couldn't resist another hit of my dwindling drug supply. Bella lay flat on the hospital bed, her belly a mountain under the sheet. She looked like wax – colorless and sort of see-through. You'd think she was already dead, except for the tiny movement of her chest, her shallow breathing. And then her eyes, following the four of us with exhausted suspicion. The others were at her side already, flitting across the room with sudden darting motions. It was creepy to watch. 1 ambled along at a slow walk. â€Å"What's going on?† Bella demanded in a scratchy whisper. Her waxy hand twitched up – like she was trying to protect her balloon-shaped stomach. â€Å"Jacob had an idea that might help you,† Carlisle said. I wished he would leave me out of it. I hadn't suggested anything. Give the credit to her bloodsucking husband, where it belonged. â€Å"It won't be†¦ pleasant, but – â€Å" â€Å"But it will help the baby,† Rosalie interrupted eagerly. â€Å"We've thought of a better way to feed him. Maybe.† Bella's eyelids fluttered. Then she coughed out a weak chuckle. â€Å"Not pleasant?† she whispered. â€Å"Gosh, that'll be such a change.† She eyed the tube stuck into her arm and coughed again. Blondie laughed with her. The girl looked like she only had hours left, and she had to be in pain, but she was making jokes. So Bella. Trying to ease the tension, make it better for everyone else. Edward stepped around Rosalie, no humor touching his intense expression. I was glad for that. It helped, just a little bit, that he was suffering worse than me. He took her hand, not the one that was still protecting her swollen belly. â€Å"Bella, love, we're going to ask you to do something monstrous,† he said, using the same adjectives he'd offered me. â€Å"Repulsive.† Well, at least he was giving it to her straight. She took a shallow, fluttery breath. â€Å"How bad?† Carlisle answered. â€Å"We think the fetus might have an appetite closer to ours than to yours. We think it's thirsty.† She blinked. â€Å"Oh. Oh.† â€Å"Your condition – both of your conditions – are deteriorating rapidly. We don't have time to waste, to come up with more palatable ways to do this. The fastest way to test the theory – â€Å" â€Å"I've got to drink it,† she whispered. She nodded slightly – barely enough energy for a little head bob. â€Å"I can do that. Practice for the future, right?† Her colorless lips stretched into a faint grin as she looked at Edward. He didn't smile back. Rosalie started tapping her toe impatiently. The sound was really irritating. I wondered what she would do if I threw her through a wall right now. â€Å"So, who's going to catch me a grizzly bear?† Bella whispered. Carlisle and Edward exchanged a quick glance. Rosalie stopped tapping. â€Å"What?† Bella asked. â€Å"It will be a more effective test if we don't cut corners, Bella,† Carlisle said. â€Å"Ifthe fetus is craving blood,† Edward explained, â€Å"it's not craving animal blood.† â€Å"It won't make a difference to you, Bella. Don't think about it,† Rosalie encouraged. Bella's eyes widened. â€Å"Who?† she breathed, and her gaze flickered to me. â€Å"I'm not here as a donor, Bells,† I grumbled. â€Å"‘Sides, it's human blood that thing's after, and I don't think mine applies – â€Å" â€Å"We have blood on hand,† Rosalie told her, talking over me before I'd finished, like I wasn't there. â€Å"For you – just in case. Don't worry about anything at all. It's going to be fine. I have a good feeling about this, Bella. I think the baby will be so much better.† Bella:s hand ran across her stomach. â€Å"Well,† she rasped, barely audible. â€Å"I'm starving, so I'll bet he is, too.† Trying to make another joke. â€Å"Let's go for it. My first vampire act.†