Opression in a Thousand Splendid Suns Essay

Taslima Nasrin once said: â€Å"Those religions that are oppressive to women are also against democracy, human rights, and freedom of expression. † This quote also applies to a book called a thousand splendid suns by Khaled hosseini and Deepa Metha’s Film Water. A thousand splendid suns in a book about two women in Afghanistan with an abusive husband. They struggle for survival and for their human rights that have been overlooked by the Taliban and a patriarchal society. Water is a movie about widows living in India. They are sent to the country side to live with other widows supposedly so they can live pure lives. In actuality they are cast aside and denied the basic respect all humans deserve. Ironically, the only way they can make enough money to survive is by committing acts as impure as it gets. They are forced to turn to prostitution. These two stories show that a cultural society’s refusal to change religious practices causes the oppression of women. The characters Mariam, kalyani, and chuyia demonstrate this. Mariam is a woman living in Afghanistan from the book A Thousand Splendid Suns. Mariam grew up very poor living in a small hut excluded from society. As a child she was taught only to endure and was never given the opportunity to stand up for herself. Mariam was the daughter of a maid that her father Jalil had an affair with and he was very ashamed of this. To solve this â€Å"problem† he got rid of her. Jalil married her off to a much older man named Rasheed. Shortly after the start of their marriage, Rasheed rapes her. He justifies it with the Quran. â€Å"‘It’s what married people do. It’s what the prophet himself and his wives did. There is no shame. ’† (Hosseini, 77). In this quote Rasheed refers to the prophet Muhammad in the Quran. This shows how Rasheed perverted the events Quran, the sacred Islamic text, to justify the rape of a young girl who hadn’t even turned 16. Marrying young girls still in their teens is an old custom that is embedded in Islam and the Afghan culture. Society’s refusal to change this practice caused the ruthless humiliation of a young girl and in the long run made the oppression of all women an accepted practice. Kalyani is a character in the movie Water. She is a widow most likely in her 20s who never met her husband. Her husband died shortly after her marriage and was sent to the ashram as a young girl. Since she is the only young widow in the ashram she is forced to turn to prostitution to bring in extra money so the widows can at least have enough money for 1 meal a day. Her entire life story shows the subjugation of women. She was married at around the age of 10 because of religious traditions that have not changed in hundreds of years. This tradition has given men the power to oppress women. This oppression is shown through the death of the husband. If the husband dies before the wife, the wife is sent away. If the opposite happen the husband is free to remarry as he pleases. This happens because of the religious belief that when a husband dies, half of the woman also dies. This makes it easier to mistreat women because it makes them seem less than human. It is also believed that the death of a husband is punishment for something done in a previous life. Society’s refusal to change theses Hindi beliefs and practices create the oppression of women by making their mistreatment seem justified and by making them seem less than human. Chuyia is a young girl who was married at the age of 8 and was widowed the next day. She doesn’t even remember getting married but is forced to suffer the same fate as Kalyani. She is young and innocent and her innocence causes her to question practices that everyone else simply accepts. Deepa Metha uses this character to point out inconsistencies in the Hindi religion and traditional society. At one point in the story she asks why there isn’t a place for men to go if they are widowed. She is quickly ridiculed by both men and women. This event shows that the refusal to change religious practices has brainwashed both men and women to accept and even endorse the oppression of women. Taslima Nasrin words are clearly tied to the theme of these two stories. She explains in her quote that a religion cannot be providing people basic rights if it discriminates against women. The theme reiterates the same message by declaring that religion can sometimes cause oppression of women. These three characters show how traditions and old religious practices have made the oppression of women possible all over the world. By displaying this message in the authors’ books and movies, the authors hope to encourage all people around the world to not follow blindly old traditions and practices. They want people to decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong. When people fail to do this, bad things start happening such as the oppression, humiliation, and subjugation of women who are actually just as intelligent, strong, and able as any man.

Different Vocal Techniques

Vocal Technique is the method of using one’s voice in a specific manner in singing. IT can be rehearsed and adjusted in such a way that will attribute to better singing. By turning to vocal techniques, the voice can have a better sound and quality. These techniques require the singer to control the voice. The posture of the person while he is singing has an effect on the sound coming out. There are a lot of techniques in singing. These were developed over the years to help singers achieve the full potential of their voices.As time progressed, musical tastes have also changed so singers continue to learn the various techniques involved in different genres of music. As a number of genres emerge, so do the physical anatomy of the voice that is needed in order to strike the chord to suit the feeling of the genre of the song. There are ways to learn how to control the voice in order for the singer to produce the particular sound he is aiming for. Most vocal stysles are divided into classical and non-classical techniques. There are genres such as rock, pop, rnb and more. This paper will talk of the basic vocal techniques that apply in any category and genre.First and foremost, the singer must gain control of his voice. He must concentrate on the three distinct areas that are important in producing the voice. It depends on the style that the singer is attempting to achieve. These different areas respond on various ways but the principles are all the same. One, all singing starts with breathing. The vocal sounds are results of the vibrations in the individual’s larynx. This is created by the air that is formed in the lungs. Breathing is an activity in everyday life so this can be done subconsciously and naturally.For the singer, he must be able to control and regulate the intake as well as the exhalation of his breath in order for him to get the best results of his voice. Singers know the term â€Å"Sub-Glottic Pressure† and take this seriously. Th is is the regulation of the flow of the breathing in and out of the lungs. This allows the air to flow right throught he individual’s vocal tract. This is very simple in terms of theory but when put into effect, it is not as simple as it sounds. The singer realizes that the process is complicated and he must therefore consciously control his breathing.This means that the diaphragm, the muscles, the stomach, the waist and the back must be in proper positioning. Just like anything in life, practice makes perfect. The actual sound that is heard when a person sings is produced by the vocal tract or the throat. This is in conjunction of the cricoid and the thyroid cartilages. The proper anatomical term that singers are also aware of is the vocal folds. They do their best not to strain these cords or strings because once these have been stretched, their singing voice will be affected and the sound it produces will no longer have the same quality.The singer regulates the pitch and t he frequency of the voice by controlling the vocal folds. This is done by breathing and building up the vocal folds that creates the pressure amidst the sub-glottic pressure. The air coming from these folds create the sound. The wider the vocal folds, the more air coming through. The folds then fibrate slowly and creates a low and deep sound. In order to enhance their craft, singers continue to find our more vocal techniques that will allow them to expand their voice. As long as they want to increase the range of their vocal chords, they can soar the high notes.By practicing, they will be able to hit the â€Å"full† voice that they want to achieve with such power. It may seem impossible at first but as long as they know how to do so, then they will not have a hard time pulling this off. Some singers make the mistake of wishing to hit the soaring and the high notes in order to lift the audience up to their feet. Truth is, the proper singing is not really breaking into falsetto or yelling. It is keeping the notes into order and the tone in its place. By practicing the proper vocal techniques, singers will be able to hit the high notes.They can do this the minute they know that they are ready. The proper vocal techniques allow them to prepare for that moment when they have to register their voice in upper scales. There are vocal techniques to expand the individual’s voice. As long as he discovers the connection between the lower vocals and the higher vocals, the singer can practice the vocal techniques needed. In order to explain it properly in this paper, let us call these vocal registers as â€Å"mixed voice† and â€Å"head voice. † The mixed voice is similar to the chest voice because of its low tone. The difference is that it is more subtle.If the singer developed a strong mixed voice then he could hit the high notes with complete vindication. It would also appear to be powerful and in tune. Whereas the head voice is the classical tune. Those who perform in opera and symphonies often use their â€Å"head voice. † Notice that the pitch and tune they sing in is very different from what you hear on MTV and the concerts of your favorite singers. This is because the head voice appears to have a classical tune when it is registered. The most common vocal teachnique is the expansion of the diaphragm. The singer is taught to sing an octave higher than his usual pitch.This exercise forms the bridge between the lower ranges and the higher ranges. Once the singer practice these exercises, he will be able to effortlessly escalate the pitch from low to high. Once the singer is used to doing this vocal technique, he will not notice that he floats through the various registers because he does this naturally. A really good singer can bridge the gap between the lower register and the higher register and appear to be as stong as ever. When the singer does this with his vocal registers, he realizes that he is doing the p roper vocal technique of pacing his diaphragm as well as his posture.It also helps that he does not focus on just hitting the high notes. He must be aware of the vocal registry in order to get to that high pitch. He can do this by practicing his vocal folds over and over again. He can do this for ten minutes every day. (Russell) As soon as the singer figures out the basic vocal techniques, he can understand better the different vocal techniques in the various genres. You see, these various genres are like instruments and the singer is the player of the instrument. In order for the singer to play the instrument better, he must be an expert to begin with.Like in the various musical styles such as pop, country, rock, soul or classical, the singer must consistently serve a function in order to sing properly and hit the notes of the song better. There are more to singing than practicing the vocal chords. Like what have been mentioned in the earlier paragraphs, the singer must also be awa re of his posture and breathing. The most important vocal technique a singer must learn is breathing. The vocal chords need the proper airflow in order to make sound. By vibrating, the voice of the singer can participate in any style or genre of music.Note that the really good singers are those who know how to breathe. (Manning, 110) Take this for example. Whenever some acclaimed singers like Beyonce, Christina Aguilera and Nicole Scherzinger sing in front of a live audience, there are times they lose their breath. That is because they are too energetic that they ignore their breathing vocal technique. This results to their need to catch their breath. Their voices shake and it falters. When they are going to reach for the high notes, their voices shrill. Now compare these with Broadway actors such as Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, popularly known as the leads in â€Å"Wicked.†Different Vocal TechniquesLike Beyonce, Christina Aguilera and Nicole Scherzinger, these two sta ge actresses also sing in front of the live audience but they rarely lose their breathe and miss a note. This is because theater actors are trained to breathe properly. The next vocal technique that must be really given attention to is the torso. This is the very focal point where the breathing procedure takes place. The torso has three chambers. The first chamber is the bottom. This is the area between the lowest rib and the pelvic bone. The second chamber is the middle area. The third chamber is the top, the one in the chest region. A good singer uses chambers 1 and 2.The air he reserves is located in chamber 3. This applies to any genre in singing. A secret technique some singers use is they leave the gateway open so that more air can enter the passage. By standing up straight, they are able to elongate the vibrations of the vocal chords that allow their voice to be executed better and with a finer sound and quality. Try this. Try singing with your shoulders slumped back and stan ding like a hunchback. Your voice will not be as powerful compared to the minute you straighten your back and belt out. Finally, another important vocal technique in singing is taking care of the resonance chambers.This is a very important component because this is where the sound of the voice is enhanced. It depends on the style of the music the singer wants to sing. If he wants to sing with the lowest note, then he can gather the air from chamber 1. These are mostly the rnb and jazz tunes. If he wants to sing pop and rock that shrieks at some parts, then it is best that he turns to chamber 2. Whichever chamber the singer chooses to use, he should feel his diaphragm. He will notice that his breathing repsonds to the pacing of his notes and the way he is singing. These factors are all interconnected.Some singers make the mistake of forcing the pitch to come out of their head. This is because the head is also a form of resonance chamber because of the nasal passages that are apparent . The sinus cavity, the hard palate and the soft palate contrinbue in the â€Å"head voice† that have been discussed before. But there are some music genres that are not appropriate for the head voice. This is when the overtone ring aims through the sound of the low and soft palate. (Mabry, 311) Classical singers resort to the resonance of their soft palate whenever they sing their songs.Examples are Sarah Brightman, who is popularly known for her role as Christine Dae in â€Å"The Phantom of the Opera. † If you want a better and more accessible example, buy Emmy Rossum’s new album â€Å"Inside and Out. † Rossum is Christine in the 2004 movie â€Å"The Phantom of the Opera. † She took a hiatus from making movies to concentrate on making an album. Her debut album â€Å"Inside and Out† features Classical-Pop-Techno songs. Rossum is an example of a singer who uses he soft palate. Now popular singers such as Britney Spears, Fall Out Boy, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Rihanna and Sean Kingston also use their resonance chambers.Country singers such as Dolly Parton, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and Rascal Flatts use both their hard and soft palates. Yodelers such as Shakira can do this by keeping their soft palate at a low key then they aim for the tune by using their head voice. In a nutshell, the important thing to remember from all these pointers on vocal technique is that the larynx affects the tone quality. By lowering the larynx, the pitch of the voice also goes down. When it is at its lowest, the register of the key is low as well. Therefore, whenever the larynx reaches its highest peak, the singer is prepared to reach the high notes as well.

Nutritional Advice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nutritional Advice - Essay Example BMI cannot be used for people with a high percentage of muscle mass. This implies that in order to stay healthy, the athlete can increase his or her weight above the normal BMI range provided that the mass that is gained come mostly from muscle gain instead of fat. Given all these, it can be easily deduced that the principle behind the athlete's nutrition program would be to prevent muscle wasting from intensive cardiovascular physical activity by providing energy sources that would spare the muscles, the body's protein from being utilized for energy; and to provide just enough energy for the body to build muscles without gaining much fat. Such is not as easy as it sounds. In order to be successful in gaining muscles, all the three energy sources must be critically controlled: Carbohydrate intake must be controlled only to the extent that all can be utilized for energy and not converted to fat; protein intake must only be limited to the needs of the body to prevent fat synthesis as well as body system complications that might arise (e.g. kidney failure); fat intake must be limited only to the needs of the body but not so much as to affect its other functions such as the synthesis of other body components (e.g. cholesterol and hormones) and the solution of the fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K (Whitney, Cataldo, et. al. 92-196).

Injuries Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Injuries - Research Paper Example Bursa is never inflamed on its own but when it is used for a long period, or there is an injury on a joint that exerts a pressure on it, then it inflames. Over usage and injury also causes the sac to fill with extra fluid that exerts pressure around its surrounding tissue. This pressure causes pain and inflammation of the sac and swelling. Age factor plays a vital role in causing Bursitis. Bursitis is mainly caused in shoulders because shoulders have most frequent motion than any other body part. However, the pain caused is aggravated after a night’s sleep that hinders the flow of normal activity. Other areas where these is a great chance of bursitis are â€Å"elbows, hips, knees and base of thumb† (Vigorita et al., 2007). The treatments of Bursitis include many methods but the most common ones are icing, use of inflammatory medicines, physical therapy, and rest. These four methods not only relieve the pain but also reduce the swelling. According to Orthopedic Pathology , â€Å"treatment of bursitis includes usage of NSAIDs. Aspiration and bursectomy are options for more chronic conditions. Intrabursal tetracycline should be used in chronic olecranal bursitis† (Vigorita et al., 2007). References Vigorita, V. J., Ghelman, B., & Mintz, D. (2007). Orthopaedic Pathology. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Florida's 18 congressional district Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Florida's 18 congressional district - Essay Example In order to understand the political preferences of this region’s citizens it is necessary to refer to the general and the political demographics of this district. Florida is a region with an estimated population of 17,019,068 people. A percentage of 22.8% of its population is under 18 years old while female persons have been estimated to a percentage of 51.2% (Fortreport, 2010). Another important demographic characteristic of this region is that most of citizens are white (78%); it would be also necessary to refer to the high level of ownership (about 70%) and the rather low percentage of persons (12.5%) that live at a below poverty level (Fortreport, 2010). The most recent demographics on Florida congressional district 18 refer to the year 2000 – published by the US Census Bureau. Florida congressional district 18 has a population of about 640 thousands people. About half of its citizens are female persons; white people have been estimated to a percentage of 83.9% - higher than the average level of the Florida region as presented above; the ownership level in this district has been estimated to 47.9% - which can be characterized as rather low if taking into consideration the relevant demographics of Florida region. It should be noted that the percentage of the district’s foreign born population is rather high – estimated to 54%; on the other hand, individuals that live at a below poverty level are about 19% - a high percentage compared to the 12.5% percentage of people of similar status across Florida (US Census Bureau, Fast Facts for Congress, 2010). Traditionally, the region supports the Republicans; the district’s current incumbent, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, belongs to Republicans; however, there are also different political trends mostly representing the views of specific communities, especially the Hispanics. In 2008 the candidates of Republicans –

Ethical Dillemas and Decision Making Processes Essay

Ethical Dillemas and Decision Making Processes - Essay Example In this essay the researcher attempts to briefly describe various ethical frame-works that are currently used to evaluate and critically engage with the relevance and urgency of values in social work. The researcher believes that it is important to do so because it helps people understand, grapple with and clearly articulate the complexities and contestations involved in values in social work thus helping to build shared meaning and provide alternate explanatory frameworks to aid analysis of ethical dilemmas. The process of reflection on ethical issues is a level deeper than a concrete problem-solving exercise that may not require an in-depth exploration of personal values. A combination of these two can not only decrease the ease with which social workers may come to a decision in crisis situations but also provide people with a richer understanding of the stakes involved in this profession and encourage people to reflect upon their own dispositions and actions, thus ensuring greate r ethicality in their practise and leaving open the possibility of constant dialogue and support. The researcher moves on to examine the vignette provided and attempt to analyse it in relation to the various ethical frame-works and directives for social values that are available in the field of social service. To conclude, the researcher also tries to point out, staying within the scope of this essay, the critiques of the various theories that were elaborated on as well as his own take on some of the issues discussed.

Innovation and Sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Innovation and Sustainability - Essay Example Causes of deforestation include but are not limited to wood extraction, expansion of agriculture as well as of the infrastructure. Along with satisfying certain human needs, deforestation has conventionally given rise to a lot of problems like climatic change and extinction of several species of animals and plants. A very obvious consumption habit of humans is the consumption of land. In the past two centuries, urban sprawl has surfaced as one of the outcomes of industrial revolution, as more people have moved to the urban areas in search of better opportunities and improved lifestyle. Consequentially, urban areas have spread to the lands that were previously undeveloped. One of the production habits is also related to deforestation. After cutting the trees, the wood retrieved from them is used for making numerous products. Trees are used for all kinds of purposes that include but are not limited to getting fruits, spices, nuts, latex, medicines, cork, fibers, natural resins, oils and timber. Most of these are eatables and are the fundamental elements that make our cuisines diverse and rich. Others like timber are of huge decorative significance. Timber is employed in the manufacturing of all kinds of furniture, floors and walls. Timber is also used as support for raising tents and fixing the wooden framework for concreting slabs. Urban sprawl has enabled humans to develop more industries, schools and hospitals for the wellbeing of the society. Establishment of these industries has increased the production of all sorts of goods including sports equipment, crockery and food ingredients. In order to conserve the forests, it is imperative that more markets are found that demand the products retrieved from the forests. This approach of sustainable use originates in the fact that adequate management of forests can help

The Democrats and Republicans before the Civil War Essay

The Democrats and Republicans before the Civil War - Essay Example Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina severely beat abolitionist Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts with a cane after the latter made an impassioned speech about the deteriorating situation in the disputed state of Kansas, where hostilities had exploded around the issue of slavery (â€Å"Bleeding Kansas†). The Democratic Party platform (Cooper 36–39), resolutely promoting the interests of the Southern slaveholders, was explicit in its calls for limited Federal government powers -- in effect placing more authority in the hands of individual states. A portion of the opening statement that stated it would be â€Å"inexpedient and dangerous† for the Federal government to â€Å"exercise doubtful constitutional powers† left very little mystery regarding the remaining thrust of the document. Adopting a â€Å"strict constructionist† interpretation of the Constitution, the Democrats further posited that general powers were not granted to the central government in relation to commerce, to conduct â€Å"improvements,† or to assume debt for the individual states. Also addressed were the national administration’s right to disperse funds from public lands or to charter a national bank. All of the aforementioned matters had a direct bearing on the ultimate ability of the central government to exercise any overarching powers to control individual states, especially on the slavery question. A weak, non-invasive, decentralized government was exactly what Southern politicians desired. While the Democratic platform gradually worked up to addressing the issue of slavery directly, the Republican Party immediately got to the heart of the matter (Cooper 39–40). Right at the outset, their platform declared that Kansas should be admitted to the Union as a free state. Refuting the Democratic Party’s desire for a weak Federal government, the Republicans declared that the Constitution conferred sovereign power to Congress over the

Multinational Business in Japan and South East Asia Term Paper

Multinational Business in Japan and South East Asia - Term Paper Example Japanese economic growth following the American occupation wars remarkable for its magnitude, speed, and downright relentlessness. Between 1957 and 1984, Japan's gross national product increased from $3.08 billion to $1.261 billion, a 42-fold jump. Moreover, Japan's economy grew at an annual rate of 9 percent per year during the high-growth years of the 1960s. How was this economic miracle achieved? Japan has employed a version of "developmental capitalism" that allows for a much greater government role in promoting Japan's international competitiveness than is typical in Anglo-American liberal capitalism. Japanese business and government leaders started to develop and implement policies aimed at promoting national economic growth following the end of the U.S occupation of Japan in 1952. The government has positively influenced economic growth through wise macroeconomic policies. Business in Japan has maintained very close relations with the bureaucracy and politician.  Japan's gro ss national savings at its zenith reached nearly 40 percent in the post-war period. Between 1960 and 1980, the Japanese saved around 20 percent of their disposable personal income. The high level of savings of households provided banks and other financial institution with ample funds for heavy investment in the private sector. Japan has invested heavily in developing an effective education and training system. Companies are responsible for providing technical training to the persons they hire.  Japan's economic success can be explained by largely the Cold War and the relationship between the United States and Japan that it produced. The cold war rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union led the United States to shelter Japan from the vagaries of international politics, permitting the Japanese to focus their attention and resource on achieving economic growth. Advocates of "free rider" in which the U.S-Japan relationship has supported Japanese economic growth. The Unit ed States provided cheap technology transfer to Japan following World War II and promoted the Japanese economic build-up through its international trade policy. From an economic standpoint, the contrast between the 1990s and the cold war years can be seen by looking at Japan's real economic growth rate. In 1992, Japan's economy entered a period of stagnation with economic growth rates much below the previous average. In retrospect, it is clear that the Japanese economy became dominated by a financial bubble in the 1980s and early 1990s. In May 1989, the government tightened its monetary policies to suppress the rise in the value of assets such as land. By the end of 1990, the Tokyo stock market had fallen 38%, wiping out 300 trillion yen (the US $ 2.07 trillion) in value, and land prices dropped steeply from their speculative peak. This plunge into recession is known as the "bubble economy". The post-bubble recession continued through the second half of the 1990s.  

Chicano Art Essay Example for Free

Chicano Art Essay Chicano art started in Mexican American communities within sustain of the civil rights society, suitable a national art progress with global span which includes CARA exhibition, Los fours and the other exhibitions. The appearance, institutional carry out the ritual though innovation, mythic construct; political and civilizing engagement. During the 1960’s there was a lot going on the world, not only did Chicano had to stand up for them. They wanted to find ways to express Chicanos, in searching of ways one popular movement came which is the art. First of all, phantom sighting after the Chicano movement was developed in the early 2000’s this exhibit wanted to still reveal about the Chicano society. The meaning of their exhibit was broken down into three reasons. According to the book, number one- Chicano art produces to be seen, does not exist in the art world. Number two- self identified Chicanos who refuse the category. Number three- homonym’s for sighting sitting, citing â€Å"actions that turn the apparitional into something real†. I agree with those terms, however this exhibit was made and feels modernize. In which the book, states that it is a visual of everyday life; therefore we have to understand that each of the artists will view the world differently. Further than a century of discrimination adjacent to one of the biggest alternative residing in the United States with the purpose of continues now. Hispanics are targets of unfairness and are not proffer equivalent opportunities in jobs and learning. The prejudice dates back toward the finish of the Mexican War while thousands of Mexicans became American citizens overnight. .according to history, this happened, because of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. That helped them to settle in America. Unfortunately they had a rough time in America, and later than in the three generation of individual born in America Chicanos resolute to uprising. Secondly, another exhibition called Chicano vision American painter on verge, this exhibit consist majority of paintings. â€Å"They were Chicano looked and at the world though Chicano eyes† , during a reading came across this appealing quote. Hence it correlates with the book of this title. The book has come up with so many flaws and positive aspects. One issue was struggled to gain acceptance in the gallery world, as stated in the book. Rather than waiting around, the artists would go and display their works anywhere that has people, example the book said â€Å"in public places wall† this has grab viewers attention because most people think of tagging or graffiti. However that is not the reason, artists have reason to put such a mural or scene on the wall. They wanted to tell a story, and expressing how they felt. Wondering what types of influences did artists have? Music, expressionism, impressionism, and photorealism were the reasons as mentioned in the book. Glugio†Gronk†Nicandro one influence was listening to the Beatles; Carlos Almarez has painting style similarity as an expressionism. John Valdez has an excellent photorealism painting, called Car show; that painting could easily be mistaken as a photo, if the artist did not explain what medium was used. In the late 1960’s and 1970’s formed social and political literacy, according to the book; therefore 1965 there was a popluar civil right activist, Cesar E Chavez. Who is known to fight with the famers to gain respect and equality; the iconographic figure is sun mad by Ester Hernandez. One great example is frank Romero, who creates the death of Ruben Salazar the painting is remembering on Ruben Salazar’s death, because he was known as a writer and activist during the 1960’s involve with the Chicano movement. In addition, the Chicano Movement not just do the unruly early life of the 20th century form a strong alteration here the connotations linked with Mexican-Americans nevertheless they as well did sculpture, paintings, perform to outward appearance a cultural personality exceptional and definitely their hold. For the most part viewing on Southern California during the 1940’s to the current, Chicano Art looked into older ancestry from Mexican painters like Rivera, Siqueiros, and Kahlo, and they follow certain styles and images. Third exhibition, â€Å"Chicano Art: Resistance and Affirmation, 1965-1985toured major museums around the United States† as the author states, and known too CARA. This is an intriguing response from New York Times. â€Å"But where the Whitney show remains largely an attempt by art-world insiders to simulate an outsider art, Chicano Art: Resistance and Affirmation is the real thing, coming straight from the heart and mind of an entire culture, and having both the vitality and the limitations that such breadth of intention and intensity of feeling bring. † Agreement within the statement is highly recommended, those artists have work hard and fought for their place to put an art show; and illustrate to the world who are the Chicanos and what is going on in life. Overall all three exhibitions are admirable, but they each have similarities and differences. The exhibits discusses about these topics; people, culture, history and political aspects. Phantom sighting is view- conceptual over representative; that was stated in a lecture in class. Chicano Visions was look as creating an identity according to the book. CARA points of reasoning, is taken though all different ways such as â€Å"cultural studies, feminist theory, anthropology and semiotics† in which the author states.

Radiocarbon Dating in Archeology

Radiocarbon Dating in Archeology The science of archaeology has undeniably enriched mankind’s history and has helped to quench the quest to understand our past cultures in a better way. Understanding the age and period of existence of the excavated fossils and other organic objects will help the archaeologist to unravel human history and evolution in a scrupulous manner (Taylor 24). Archaeologists utilize one of the revolutionary methods called the radio carbon dating to determine the approximate age of the organic materials including plant and animal parts up to 50000 years (Long). Radiocarbon dating technique is primarily based on the radioactive decay of Carbon-14 isotope. Developed by a team of researchers under the leadership of Dr. Willard Libby, this technique had revolutionized the way the archaeological advancements are made in learning about the past civilization and cultures, changes occurred in the earth and in its climate. Radiocarbon dating enable archaeologists to provide proof of authenticity to the excavated artifacts’ period of usage and thus by collaborating with the efforts with historians and anthropologists, the unwritten history can be precisely explained. Significance Desmond Clark (1979) opinions that if radio carbon dating technique were not discovered, we would still be foundering in a sea of imprecisions sometime bred of inspired guesswork but more often of imaginative speculation (Clark, 1979:7). According to Higham (1999) C14 method can be described as ‘the radio carbon revolution’ which has significantly impacted our understanding about evolution and also cultural emergence of human species. Taylor (1987) suggests C-14 technique as one of the most significant discoveries of 20thcentury that touches the realms of many disciplines including archaeology. Prior to the development of radiocarbon dating it was difficult to determine the age of the artifacts unless it was accompanied with some chronologically specific things like a coin. Otherwise archaeologists had to resort t to the method of relative dating where by comparing with stratigraphically close objects [objects which are buried at the same depth will be approximately of t he same era.] clue regarding the time period and historical styles were assumed or rather guesstimated. But the advent of carbon-14 dating tools has opened up the new scope of absolute dating where scientists could predict the age of excavated artifacts and objects with great precision up to 50,000 years old. For example, if a tree was found to be used in an excavated piece of architecture, by determining the age of the tree or the period when the tree was cut down for construction, the era to which the excavated architecture exactly belongs can be estimated (Michels, J W). The Method of Carbon-14 Technique Archaeologists rely on the various radiometric dating techniques- based on the radioactive properties of unstable chemical atoms to determine the age of the materials. Researchers from the field of Physics have discovered that radioactive molecules are unstable and they undergo decay to attain a stable structure at a specific rate which is directly determined by the atomic number and mass of the decaying atom (Polach, H.A and. Currie, L.A). Based on this constant of the radioisotope of carbon, 14-C or carbon -14 the age of the organic material is assessed. In the biosphere carbon-14 is created by the collision of a neutron, exited by the cosmic ray collides with a nitrogen atom. The isotope of carbon thus produced is radioactive and it will undergo decay at a constant rate (Berger and H.E Suess). The carbon isotope is also absorbed during photosynthesis by plants and reaches animal body when they consume plant parts. It also reaches the organisms through respiration along with normal carbon-12. It is assumed that in a living object carbon-14 which undergoes decay is replaced at a steady rate. The carbon dating technique takes the assumption that al l livings have fairly same percentage of 14C isotope in their body and also that the ratio of carbon-12 to carbon -14 present in the biosphere and inside the living plants and animals remain constant. After the death of the organism the carbon intake is stopped. Then the amount of carbon-12 in the body will not reduce but the amount of carbon-14 undergoes reduction due its radioactivity. Carbon-14 isotope will undergo decay at an exponential rate to form the stable nitrogen-14.Thus by comparing the relative quantity of carbon -12 and carbon -14 in an organic matter excavated scientists can predict the age of the object (R.E Taylor and M.J Aitken). The following equation is used to determine the carbon-14 decay. Where N is the current amount, N_o is the original amount, lambda is the proportionality constant for the growth rate (which is negative for decay), and t is the amount of time that has passed. Figure: 1 Carbon -14 lifecycle. Source: (Brain, 2014) The half-life of carbon-14 is 5730 years. This implies that it takes 5730 years for half of the 14C atoms in the organic matter to get decayed. When an organism is dead the intake of the carbon-14 stops and in a 5730 year time period, half of the amount of carbon-14 present in the organic matter would have undergone beta decay to form stable Nitrogen-14. The burning of a small piece of the excavated organic matter and measuring the electrons emitted during the process by the decaying carbon-14 by radiation counters enable to quantify the amount of carbon -14 present in the material. This data will help the scientists to relationship of Nitrogen-14 and Carbon-14 atom and can be used to predict the age of the artifact directly. Limitations This method assumes that the ratio of C-14 to C-12 in the atmosphere and in the living organism will be a constant. But studies have showed a slight fluctuation in this ratio over the millennia and hence there is a possibility and consequent discrepancy in calculation too (Currie). Another limitation is the difficulty in estimating the age of things which are older than 50000 years as the amount of C-14 in such samples become absolutely undetectable due to complete decay. Conclusion Despite all the limitations radio carbon dating will remain as a significant tool for archaeologist around the globe to compare and understand the evolution of human culture and civilization. Advancements in this field like accelerator techniques of carbon-14 dating (C. Tuniz, J.R Bird, D.Fink, and G.F Herzog 60) conducted with the help of mass spectrometer have increased the range of the technique up to 100000 years (Nave). Thus undoubtedly radiocarbon dating remains one of the significant tools for the archaeologist to explain the evolution and cultural emergence in a more accurate manner. Works cited Brain, Marshall. How Carbon-14 Dating Works. 03 October 2000. HowStuffWorks.com.  http://science.howstuffworks.com/carbon-14.htm> 18 March 2009. Berger and H.E Suess (eds.). University of California Press, Los Angeles.. 1979: Pp. 7-31. Print Clark, J.D. Radiocarbon Dating and African Prehistory. In, Radiocarbon Dating. Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference, Los Angeles and La Jolla, 1976. Currie, LLoyd A. The Remarkable Metrological History Of Radiocarbon Dating [II]. Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 109.2 (2004): 185-217 Higham, Thomas. The Method. 1999. http://www.c14dating.com/int.html.04 Nov 2014. Long, Kelly. Why Is Radiocarbon Dating Important to Archaeology. California State Parks.http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=24000> 1 March 2009. Michels, J W. Dating methods in archaeology. Seminar Press, 1973. Nave, R. Accelerator techniques for carbon dating. http://hyperphysics.phyastr.gsu.edu/hbase/nuclear/cardat.html>15 April 2009. Polach, H.A and. Currie, L.A. Exploratory analysis of the international radiocarbon cross- calibration data: consensus values and interlaboratory error. Preliminary note. Radiocarbon,. 1980: -35-933.Print. Taylor, R.E. 1987. Radiocarbon Dating. An archaeological perspective. Academic Press, Orlando, USA. Taylor R.E and M.J Aitken. (eds) 1997. Chronometric dating in Archaeology. Advances in Archaeological and Museum Science, volume 2. Oxford University, England Tuniz, J.R Bird, D.Fink, and G.F Herzog.. Accelerator Mass Spectrometry: Ultrasensitive analysis for global science. CRC Press. 1998.

Maybe :: Essays Papers

Maybe It is extremely difficult to peer up into the heavens on a dark, clear night and not wonder if there are others, somewhere up there, wondering the same thing. The expanse is overwhelming, even before scientists spout their estimates and approximations. The grain-of-sand analogies don’t seem to say any more than we already know. It’s big. It’s real big. And each pinpoint of light seems to have the same answer for our questioning eyes: Maybe. If you just felt a rush of wonder, a breath of intellectual curiosity, then you just fell victim to an emotional literary technique. Though my intent was not to persuade you to any one point of view on extra-terrestrial life, I was trying to capture your attention as an audience. My attempt was not overly zealous because that would have worked against me. I tried to calculate it so as to engage your imagination without insulting your intelligence. It is a stratagem that is commonly used by those members of a profession based on logic whose target audience has a relatively high level of expected knowledge. Is there life somewhere else in the Universe? We don’t really know. The truth is, we won’t know until we’ve either found life, or we’ve searched every star in vain. Recent technological and strategical advancements have helped our attempt to answer this ultimate question. Though the resulting optimism may precede itself, it is, nonetheless, refreshing. An April 1996 article entitled â€Å"Searching For Life On Other Planets,† published by Scientific American, suggests that we will very likely have answers in the next decade. Making such a speculation without immediately losing all credibility is a feat that this article and its authors accomplish remarkably well. Every text, no matter what the field or subject, must persuade its reader in some form or another. Even small articles, written solely with the intent to inform, must persuade the reader that what they have written is true. Professors Roger Angel and Neville Woolf utilize logical appeal, or logos, during the majority of â€Å"Searching for Life on Other Planets† to obtain this end. That is to say, they created the article using systematic documentation and well-known example.

Essays on Heroes in Cyrano De Bergerac :: Cyrano Bergerac

Cyrano De Bergerac – Heroes Every generation has its own heroes that display, what they believe to be, ideal characteristics. While each is different in their own way, many of these role models share similar qualities. Most tend to have courage, strength, compassion, or another respected trait, but this is not necessarily why they win the adoration of their followers. Cyrano De Bergerac is a perfect example of how many protagonists win our allegiance because his sensibilities will not be denied, because he lives life to the hilt, and because he is a victim of his surroundings. If there was ever a figure who would not be denied his sensibilities, it is Cyrano. When lovers admit, "I'd die for you," it is usually only a figure of speech. Cyrano actually crossed over enemy lines every day simply to mail love letters. He also confessed to her, "My mother made it clear that she didn't find me pleasant to look at. I had no sister. Later, I dreaded the thought of seeing mockery in the eyes of a mistress. Thanks to you I've at least had a woman's friendship, a gracious presence to soften the harsh loneliness of my life. " When Cyrano admits, "My heart always timidly hides its self behind my mind," the reader can instantly relate to this dilemma but it is the fact that Cyrano is able to overcome it that makes him a hero. Not on ly is Cyrano filled with emotion, but he also goes out of his way to live life to the fullest. Cyrano's introduction to the reader definitely leaves a lasting impression. Not only does he banish an actor from the theater for performing poorly, but he proceeds to recite poetry while dueling with another member of the audience. Every moment of Cyrano's life is filled with action like this. When he was informed that one hundred men were going to kill his friend, Lignià ©re, he was thrilled with the idea of fighting all these men at once, and, of course, he succeeded. How could anyone not love this man who takes Carpe Diem to its most extreme form? Also, Cyrano is a victim of his surroundings. This may be the one characteristic that completely wins over the reader. Cyrano's most obvious flaw is his grotesque nose, but this would not be so awful if the people around him didn't care.

Christmas Song Essay -- Analysis, Christmas Carol

To many people a warm crackling fire brings about memories of the Christmas season. By listening to some of the Christmas carols played throughout the festive holiday season, it is easy to pick up on this. In one such Christmas carol, they mention â€Å"chestnuts roasting on an open fire† in this line fire is the provider of warmth light, and good spirits. By roasting the chestnuts the fire gives food and allows people to share with one another in a warm comfortable atmosphere. A second popular Christmas carol that mentions fire it â€Å"Let it Snow†. In this song, one of the main verses is â€Å"Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, And since we've no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow†. In this verse fire is representative of the winter time and gives delight, along with warmth and light, to the person singing the song. Light is something that goes hand in hand with the Christmas holiday, but something that is not a common thought when it comes to Christmas is darkness. The example of fire and light also holds true for Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. Before the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the spirits of his seven years dead business partner Jacob Marley, and the Ghosts of Christmas’s past, present, and future, he despises Christmas and everything about it, almost forcing his clerk, Bob Cratchit to work Christmas day. Even his always cheerful nephew Fred cannot seem to break through the hatred. But while Scrooge worked as an apprentice for Mr. Fezziwig, the hatred was not present. But through the series of events that happened in his life. Scrooge grew to hate the whole Christmas season. After he is shown what will happen to him if he doesn’t change his ways, Scrooge wakes up the ne... ...Christmas Carol reflects how much love and generosity of spirit are present among people: the greater the â€Å"good cheer† the brighter the scene, the more greed, self-centeredness, or hostility, the more absolute the darkness. An example discussed in the novel was the amount of light and therefore, spirit, love and generosity, present in the moor where the miners work. In contrast to the miners light, was the gloom surrounding Scrooge before he was visited by the three ghosts. Although Scrooge was surrounded by murkiness, greed and self-centeredness before the ghosts visited him, by the time he went to his nephew Fred’s party there much more light, love and generosity present. Fire light and warmth play an important role in The Christmas Carol but darkness and gloom play an equally important role in representing the characteristics of people in the scene.

China’s Environmental Issues Essay

China has many environmental issues, severely affecting its biophysical environment as well as human health. Rapid industrialization as well as lax environmental oversight have contributed to the problems. The Chinese government has acknowledged the problems and made various responses, resulting in some improvements, but the responses have been criticized as inadequate. As of 2012 there is increased citizen activism regarding government decisions which are perceived as being environmentally damaging. (Wikipedia) As China’s economic growth continues to blossom in 2007, with the countries GDP hitting 11.4%, alongside China gets hit by an environmental crisis. Sixteen of the world’s twenty most polluted cities are in China. Experts say the Chinese government has made serious efforts to clean up and achieved many of the bid commitments. Beijing’s pledge to host a â€Å"Green Olympics† in the summer of 2008 signaled the country’s willingness to address its environmental problems for example. However, an environmentally sustainable growth rate remains a serious challenge for the country. (http://www.cfr.org/china/chinas-environmental-crisis/p12608) China’s major environmental issues: * Water- China suffers from water shortage and water pollution. About one-third of China’s population lacks access to clean drinking water. s part of its effort to harness the nation’s water supply, China has a large dam-building program with over twenty-five thousand dams nationwide–more than any other nation. The dam projects are not only a high cost in terms of money, but also in farmland loss, ecological damage, and forced migration of millions of people, says the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Jennifer L. Turner, director of its China Environment Forum, in a report for the Jamestown Foundation. * Land- Desertification in China leads to the loss of about 5,800 square miles of grasslands every year, an area roughly the size of Connecticut. The Worldwatch Institute, an environmental watchdog and research organization, reports that excessive farm cultivation, particularly overgrazing, is one of the leading causes of desertification. As the deforestation grows, so do the number of sandstorms; a hundred were expected between 2000 and 2009. Desertification also contributes to China’s air pollution problems, with increasing dust causing a third of China’s air pollution. * Greenhouse gases- In 2008, China surpassed the United States as the largest global emitter of greenhouse gases by volume. (Not per capita however) The increase in China’s emissions is primarily due to the country’s reliance on coal, which accounts for over two-thirds of its energy consumption, contributing to sulfur dioxide emissions causing acid rain.

Modernism Art Essay

As some critics contended, postmodernism represents a break with the modernist notion that architecture should be technologically rational, austere and functional, discuss the ways in which one postmodern architect has developed strategies which overcome these tendencies. Juxtaposition is seen between the characteristics of early 20th century modern architecture and the artistic endeavours of postmodernism that followed. To represent the ‘Less is More’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg16) notion the modernist tendencies had adopted, Robert Venturi built a ‘Ghost Structure’ to imply architecture had no longer become an art form and was merely just a ‘spectator’ (Architecturerevived, 2011) in society. This essay will discuss ways in which the architect Robert Venturi adopts methods to overcome these tendencies that architecture has lost meaning and ways in which he attempts to remove himself with any links with the ‘post-modernist’ movement that he is viewed in having. Modern Architects saw their role as ‘reformers,’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg16) and tended to break with tradition and start anew. Considering it was a new revolutionary movement they tended to ignore potential problems and focused on the new modern advancements available. A modernist tendency was to build individually however Venturi claimed that a ‘building derives meaning from its context’ (Out Of the Ordinary, 2002) and evidently each individual location requires a different form of architectural style to represent this. In Venturi’s book ‘Complexity and Contradiction’ he quotes ‘familiar things seen in unfamiliar context become perceptually new as well as old’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg43) here he perhaps means in order for art to become worthy of aesthetic appreciation the viewer needs to see it in a different context. For example, Tracy Emin’s unmade bed was placed in an art gallery and was more acceptable and appreciated as ‘art’ rather than being viewed in its original, everyday context. Venturi was focused on the reason behind and the visual perception of architecture, he believed that in applying a ‘medley of styles’ (S.V.Moos, 1987, pg32) opposed to an ‘either/or ‘(R.Venturi, 1966, pg16) mind-set would offer a varied combination of architectural styles. Thus enabling to a successful response to the multitude of tastes society desired, as he was well aware that there were an  array of underlying problems of everyday life. Problems that modernist architects tended to ignore due to their concern of the solution not corresponding with what they believed to be their perfect design. Venturi disregards modernist tendencies as he favours a more eclectic style rather than the ‘less is more’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg16) approach modernism supports. Venturi aims to ensure his buildings have ties with historical architecture thus to draw meaning and value. This was to evoke a sense of familiarity whilst still staying in context with a more modern environment. Venturi believed in using his knowledge from what he had learned and new had worked in the past, so sought to apply these techniques to his designs. An example of this is Venturi’s State Mosque of Iraq; (Ref 1) finished in 1982. Here Venturi sought to draw from numerous styles and periods, specifically, Art Nouveau. The purpose of incorporating so many previous instances was to provide meaning and depth to architecture once more. Venturi was inspired by the work of Edwin Lutyen’s Capital Buildings in New Delhi as Lutyen had successfully managed to integrate historical themes to look postmodern however with an underlying modernist culture. Post-modernist architects questioned the modernist tendency that form depends on function. Walter Gropius quoted ‘aesthetic image and monumentality of a design are more important than functionalism.’ (Architecturerevived, 2011) However the context of the building was all the more important. Venturi championed this and consequently revived the tendency to ‘change things around’ (Architecturerevived, 2011) to develop and discover a more motivating form. He believed that the simplicity of modernist designs were so minimal that they therefore could easily be manipulated to communicate historic and ornamental tendencies of the past whilst taking advantage of the modern advancements in technology and construction all the while considering the users requirements. An example of this is the Vanna Venturi House, (Ref 2) completed in 1961 which has multiple references to past periods and styles. Firstly the street faà §ade denotes Michelangelo’s Porta Pia in Rome, Alessondra Vittoria’s Villa  Barabo at Maser and finally the Nymphaeum at Palladio. Venturi quotes to ‘recognising the complexities and contradictions’ (S.V.Moos, 1987, pg244) in which this building instils, nevertheless was an ideal way to overcome his statement that ‘less is a bore.’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg17) Additionally Venturi’s love of distortion over ‘straightforward’ and ‘ambiguous’ over ‘articulation’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg16) notion is a prime example of how he overcame the modernist tendency of clean, designed and hence forth the exclusion of design traits. Venturi was similarly intrigued by the parallel of how design in the past related to the hierarchy of upper and lower classes of his today and whether or not the aesthetics of said classes could be outlined into categories that reflected the social divisions. More precisely he connected classical modern architecture with that of ancient upper classes such as ruins of palaces and the contrast of how they were erected differently from that of how Venturi describes as ‘ordinary’ peoples buildings. (Learning from Las Vegas, 1972) Everything appears to be in relation to, form, space and social responsibility also implying modern architecture seems to have forgotten the art of steganography in which was not only significantly spanning across four centuries from the 15th to the 19th century but was also how architects learnt to progress, appreciate and respect the aesthetic awareness of form. This can be related back to the Renaissance in which the development of form has been linked to the visual for centuries. Venturi wanted to instil ‘new perceptions of old functions’ (Architecturerevived, 2011). He sought to draw from the past and carefully extract relevant features and characteristics and with the buildings context in the forefront of his mind, apply them. An illustration of is how he exhibited historical examples from Baroque and Egyptian architecture to symbolise frames and overwhelm small window openings. He symbolically implied unconventional messages or problems he thought society needed to address, an  example of this being The Guild House, completed in 1963, (Ref 3) Philadelphia. It displays a system of layers with artistic meaning,  organisation and a well thought out design process which represents the importance of historical and architectural discourse. By instilling a gold-plated TV Ariel on top of the building signified what Venturi described as the ‘relevant revolution of today.’ (Architecturerevived, 2011) It communicated the underlying idea that the importance of architecture could potentially be forgotten with the advancement of TV and media. Venturi was concerned that the development of these new technologies were influential on art, ‘a machine for living while practical, is emotionless,’ (Molly Jacques, 2009) and that all reference to historical architecture could be perceived as irrelevant or even worse, lost in the progressing society he found himself in. Therefore the TV Ariel became demonstrative of this, a representation based on the theme of classical architecture. It was also said to represent the buildings inhabitants, by simply stereotyping the occupants, believing they watch too much TV, and alas the symbolic connotation of classical statues in cathedrals. Modern architects had pragmatic views. They believed technological advances allowed for the disregard of all historical periods and movements. Led by the new approach of ‘machines for living’ (The Arts – Le Corbusier, Dominic Gallagher) as Le Corbusier cited, inevitably led to the demise of decorative and aesthetics in favour for more organised and geometrical buildings, in addition to this there was a new enthusiasm for building vertically. Venturi believed that the introduction of this technologically motivated notion advertently simplified architecture so much so it had seen a departure from the ‘experience of life.’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg17) Consequently becoming focused on what characterised as Realism. Venturi studied people in their everyday life and routines, purposely so as not to exclude designing for social problems and consequently to design for the truth. A somewhat stark contrast to the modernist notion of designing for simplification or t he ‘Less is More’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg16) idea, as stated by Miles Van De Rohe. This evidently left many social questions unanswered or as Paul Rudolf, a prominent modernist architect quoted ‘all problems can never be solved.’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg16) Furthermore the development of new materials and constructional technological advances allowed for modernist architects to design freely with focus on spatial forms and  geometric proportions. Miles Van De Rohes Pavilion’s illustrate this as they lacked any sort of reference to the past as his desire and purpose was to exploit new technologies to the fullest and have no recognized relation to the past whatsoever. Venturi opposed this as he looked to past historical architecture for inspiration and saw relevance in previous movements and styles. This allowed him to design with meaning and by combing new methods of construction and technology allowed him to develop and erect innovative buildings that reflected historical traits whilst still fitting into a modern society. A further modernist view was that architecture was about a blend on technology and art, and to inevitably reform some sort of style they believed had become lost in tradition. They admired the emerging new developments, especially in transportation and new materials becoming available. They tried to instil this new, sleek, streamlined look in their buildings. It was almost as if they wanted to draw a line under the past and render a new concept of design to follow with the new advances that were being made in other fields. Nonetheless Venturi held on to his belief that architecture hadn’t become so much as lost but instead had been forgotten. Stating that ‘conventional elements’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg43) could be applied using the advanced methods the modernists championed, and that some sort of balance could be achieved. It suggests a complete rejection of the past is not relevant in order to move forward in not only a social aspect but also to cater for what appeared to be, a demand for a new architectural style. Venturi was positive in regards to the new materials and construction methods now available and did not deny that they were not beneficial to society in his today and stating ‘conventional elements’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg43) constructed in ‘unconventional ways’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg43) supports this. As does his design for the Vanna Venturi House, (Ref 2) constructed in 1961 in which an array of modernist materials were used, such as steel. Yet he chose to mix both development in techniques and materials with historical features to create a design that was visually, functionally and constructed successfully in design. Venturi became interested in the Las Vegas Strip (Ref 4) leading him to write the book ‘learning from Las Vegas’ published in 1972. He came to the conclusion that the city had been built to accommodate for the  technologically savvy society. The architectural advertisement method Vegas seemed to have adopted had all been carefully angled to appeal to the people now driving down the strip. This was an original concept in which to appeal to an audience not necessarily on foot. The architecture almost becomes an advertisement in itself and the landscape inadvertently develops into its notorious messy, chaotic and fast paced form, which also reflected the traits the city and people in it had undertook. The architecture became a direct contrast to the modernist tendencies as the strip ‘serves culture rather than dictates it.’ (Architecturerevived, 2011) this was perhaps as Vegas was competitive and needed to directly interact with its audience in order to entice them. Venturi was inspired to take aspects of how Las Vegas had so forcefully removed the constraints of which had seemed to be put upon architecture and apply it, however in a not so embellished manner. Venturi states how The Guild House (Ref 3) was built with these intentions as well as having a ‘vernacular’ (Perkowitz, 2002) idea in mind. He went on to exploit every available inch of building space obtainable, by building up six-stories high. An attribute in fact of the modernist conception, however Venturi came to this design conclusion to enable the inhabitants to interact more conveniently with the outside. This was said to be purposely done so as not to break up the prevailing aesthetics of the street, nonetheless still managed to introduce another dimension to it. A fragmented outline of the Southern faà §ade directly contrasts with the smooth surface of the North. This intentionally done so as the building was built for the elderly so rather than isolate, the distorted faà §ade in fact drew the outside in, to allow for maximum interaction in a visual nature. Venturi attempts to imply a Baroque Palazzo style upon the Guild House (Ref 3) by the introduction of white tiles on the lower and upper levels of the building. Which was believed to have ‘symbolic’ and ‘representational’ (S.V.Moos, 1987, pg25) components that merge as a whole which in avertedly was to reflect the architectural connotation of the structure. It was understood that the Guild House (Ref 3) was built on a system of layers. Layers of artistic meaning and organisation, each one symbolising the importance of the  historical and architectural discourse. This is reinforced by Venturi testifying ‘knowledge instead of learning’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg12) supports the fact he draws upon what was effective in the past and relates it to his own compositions. He breaks up the historical foundations and is driven and instils a sense of the past throughout his designs. The modernist notion of designing for what the architect believed society wanted rather than needed impacted primarily upon the poorer societies. Hence forth Venturi was particularly careful when building The Guild House perhaps to show designing with the context and user in mind can be achieved successfully without social problems having to be ignored or forgotten, again a tendency modern architecture seemed to adopt in fear of losing aesthetic value. Venturi sought to prove you could have both. In reflection it can be said that Venturi is extremely knowledgeable and has an in-depth understanding and appreciation for historical architecture in which he feel shouldn’t be forgotten but instead should be admired and inspire future movements. Despite modernism striping what Venturi believed was the ‘art’ from architecture he fought to overcome these tendencies are drew upon relevant historic features and characterisations and applied them liberally to his design, in accordance to their context. Nevertheless he understood that designing for the user was significant and not to exclude social problems. He undertook the modernist concept of advanced ways to construct and recognised and understood the developing society, yet he chose not to ignore historic references and applied them in a system of layers within his designs to accommodate for the advanced civilization whilst electing to apply asceticism for both a functional and visual experience. As some critics contended, postmodernism represents a break with the modernist notion that architecture should be technologically rational, austere and functional, discuss the ways in which one postmodern architect has developed strategies which overcome these tendencies. Juxtaposition is seen between the characteristics of early 20th century modern architecture and the artistic endeavours of postmodernism that followed. To represent the ‘Less is More’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg16) notion  the modernist tendencies had adopted, Robert Venturi built a ‘Ghost Structure’ to imply architecture had no longer become an art form and was merely just a ‘spectator’ (Architecturerevived, 2011) in society. This essay will discuss ways in which the architect Robert Venturi adopts methods to overcome these tendencies that architecture has lost meaning and ways in which he attempts to remove himself with any links with the ‘post-modernist’ movement that he is viewed in having. Modern Architects saw their role as ‘reformers,’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg16) and tended to break with tradition and start anew. Considering it was a new revolutionary movement they tended to ignore potential problems and focused on the new modern advancements available. A modernist tendency was to build individually however Venturi claimed that a ‘building derives meaning from its context’ (Out Of the Ordinary, 2002) and evidently each individual location requires a different form of architectural style to represent this. In Venturi’s book ‘Complexity and Contradiction’ he quotes ‘familiar things seen in unfamiliar context become perceptually new as well as old’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg43) here he perhaps means in order for art to become worthy of aesthetic appreciation the viewer needs to see it in a different context. For example, Tracy Emin’s unmade bed was placed in an art gallery and was more acceptable and appreciated as ‘art’ rather than being viewed in its original, everyday context. Venturi was focused on the reason behind and the visual perception of architecture, he believed that in applying a ‘medley of styles’ (S.V.Moos, 1987, pg32) opposed to an ‘either/or ‘(R.Venturi, 1966, pg16) mind-set would offer a varied combination of architectural styles. Thus enabling to a successful response to the multitude of tastes society desired, as he was well aware that there were an array of underlying problems of everyday life. Problems that modernist architects tended to ignore due to their concern of the solution not corresponding with what they believed to be their perfect design. Venturi disregards modernist tendencies as he favours a more eclectic style rather than the ‘less is more’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg16) approach modernism supports. Venturi aims to ensure his buildings have ties with historical architecture thus to draw meaning and value. This was to evoke a sense of  familiarity whilst still staying in context with a more modern environment. Venturi believed in using his knowledge from what he had learned and new had worked in the past, so sought to apply these techniques to his designs. An example of this is Venturi’s State Mosque of Iraq; (Ref 1) finished in 1982. Here Venturi sought to draw from numerous styles and periods, specifically, Art Nouveau. The purpose of incorporating so many previous instances was to provide meaning and depth to architecture once more. Venturi was inspired by the work of Edwin Lutyen’s Capital Buildings in New Delhi as Lutyen had successfully managed to integrate historical themes to look postmodern however with an underlying modernist culture. Post-modernist architects questioned the modernist tendency that form depends on function. Walter Gropius quoted ‘aesthetic image and monumentality of a design are more important than functionalism.’ (Architecturerevived, 2011) However the context of the building was all the more important. Venturi championed this and consequently revived the tendency to ‘change things around’ (Architecturerevived, 2011) to develop and discover a more motivating form. He believed that the simplicity of modernist designs were so minimal that they therefore could easily be manipulated to communicate historic and ornamental tendencies of the past whilst taking advantage of the modern advancements in technology and construction all the while considering the users requirements. An example of this is the Vanna Venturi House, (Ref 2) completed in 1961 which has multiple references to past periods and styles. Firstly the street faà §ade denotes Michelangelo’s Porta Pia in Rome, Alessondra Vittoria’s Villa Barabo at Maser and finally the Nymphaeum at Palladio. Venturi quotes to ‘recognising the complexities and  contradictions’ (S.V.Moos, 1987, pg244) in which this building instils, nevertheless was an ideal way to overcome his statement that ‘less is a bore.’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg17) Additionally Venturi’s love of distortion over ‘straightforward’ and ‘ambiguous’ over ‘articulation’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg16) notion is a prime example of how he overcame the modernist tendency of  clean, designed and hence forth the exclusion of design traits. Venturi was similarly intrigued by the parallel of how design in the past related to the hierarchy of upper and lower classes of his t oday and whether or not the aesthetics of said classes could be outlined into categories that reflected the social divisions. More precisely he connected classical modern architecture with that of ancient upper classes such as ruins of palaces and the contrast of how they were erected differently from that of how Venturi describes as ‘ordinary’ peoples buildings. (Learning from Las Vegas, 1972) Everything appears to be in relation to, form, space and social responsibility also implying modern architecture seems to have forgotten the art of steganography in which was not only significantly spanning across four centuries from the 15th to the 19th century but was also how architects learnt to progress, appreciate and respect the aesthetic awareness of form. This can be related back to the Renaissance in which the development of form has been linked to the visual for centuries. Venturi wanted to instil ‘new perceptions of old functions’ (Architecturerevived, 2011). He sought to draw from the past and carefully extract relevant features and characteristics and with the buildings context in the forefront of his mind, apply them. An illustration of is how he exhibited historical examples from Baroque and Egyptian architecture to symbolise frames and overwhelm small window openings. He symbolically implied unconventional messages or problems he thought society needed to address, an  example of this being The Guild House, completed in 1963, (Ref 3) Philadelphia. It displays a system of layers with artistic meaning, organisation and a well thought out design process which represents the importance of historical and architectural discourse. By instilling a gold-plated TV Ariel on top of the building signified what Venturi described as the ‘relevant revolution of today.’ (Architecturerevived, 2011) It communicated the underlying idea that the importance of architecture could potentially be forgotten with the advancement of TV and media. Venturi was concerned that the development of these new technologies were influential on art, ‘a machine for living while practical, is emotionless,’ (Molly Jacques,  2009) and that all reference to historical architecture could be perceived as irrelevant or even worse, lost in the progressing society he found himself in. Therefore the TV Ariel became demonstrative of this, a representation based on the theme of classical architecture. It was also said to represent the buildings inhabitants, by simply stereotyping the occupants, believing they watch too much TV, and alas the symbolic connotation of classical statues in cathedrals. Modern architects had pragmatic views. They believed technological advances allowed for the disregard of all historical periods and movements. Led by the new approach of ‘machines for living’ (The Arts – Le Corbusier, Dominic Gallagher) as Le Corbusier cited, inevitably led to the demise of decorative and aesthetics in favour for more organised and geometrical buildings, in addition to this there was a new enthusiasm for building vertically. Venturi believed that the introduction of this technologically motivated notion advertently simplified architecture so much so it had seen a departure from the ‘experience of life.’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg17) Consequently becoming focused on what characterised as Realism. Venturi studied people in their everyday life and routines, purposely so as not to exclude designing for social problems and consequently to design for the truth. A somewhat stark contrast to the modernist notion of designing for simplification or t he ‘Less is More’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg16) idea, as stated by Miles Van De Rohe. This evidently left many social questions unanswered or as Paul Rudolf, a prominent modernist architect quoted ‘all problems can never be solved.’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg16) Furthermore the development of new materials and constructional technological advances allowed for modernist architects to design freely with focus on spatial forms and geometric proportions. Miles Van De Rohes Pavilion’s illustrate this as they lacked any sort of reference to the past as his desire and purpose was to exploit new technologies to the fullest and have no recognized relation to the past whatsoever. Venturi opposed this as he looked to past historical architecture for inspiration and saw relevance in previous movements and styles. This allowed him to design with meaning and by combing new methods of construction and technology allowed him to develop and erect innovative buildings that reflected historical traits whilst still fitting into a  modern society. A further modernist view was that architecture was about a blend on technology and art, and to inevitably reform some sort of style they believed had become lost in tradition. They admired the emerging new developments, especially in transportation and new materials becoming available. They tried to instil this new, sleek, streamlined look in their buildings. It was almost as if they wanted to draw a line under the past and render a new concept of design to follow with the new advances that were being made in other fields. Nonetheless Venturi held on to his belief that architecture hadn’t become so much as lost but instead had been forgotten. Stating that ‘conventional elements’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg43) could be applied using the advanced methods the modernists championed, and that some sort of balance could be achieved. It suggests a complete rejection of the past is not relevant in order to move forward in not only a social aspect but also to cater for what appeared to be, a demand for a new architectural style. Venturi was positive in regards to the new materials and construction methods now available and did not deny that they were not beneficial to society in his today and stating ‘conventional elements’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg43) constructed in ‘unconventional ways’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg43) supports this. As does his design for the Vanna Venturi House, (Ref 2) constructed in 1961 in which an array of modernist materials were used, such as steel. Yet he chose to mix both development in techniques and materials with historical features to create a design that was visually, functionally and constructed successfully in design. Venturi became interested in the Las Vegas Strip (Ref 4) leading him to write the book ‘learning from Las Vegas’ published in 1972. He came to the conclusion that the city had been built to accommodate for the technologically savvy society. The architectural advertisement method Vegas seemed to have  adopted had all been carefully angled to appeal to the people now driving down the strip. This was an original concept in which to appeal to an audience not necessarily on foot. The architecture almost becomes an advertisement in itself and the landscape inadvertently develops into its notorious messy, chaotic and fast paced form, which also reflected the  traits the city and people in it had undertook. The architecture became a direct contrast to the modernist tendencies as the strip ‘serves culture rather than dictates it.’ (Architecturerevived, 2011) this was perhaps as Vegas was competitive and needed to directly interact with its audience in order to entice them. Venturi was inspired to take aspects of how Las Vegas had so forcefully removed the constraints of which had seemed to be put upon architecture and apply it, however in a not so embellished manner. Venturi states how The Guild House (Ref 3) was built with these intentions as well as having a ‘vernacular’ (Perkowitz, 2002) idea in mind. He went on to exploit every available inch of building space obtainable, by building up six-stories high. An attribute in fact of the modernist conception, however Venturi came to this design conclusion to enable the inhabitants to interact more conveniently with the outside. This was said to be purposely done so as not to break up the prevailing aesthetics of the street, nonetheless still managed to introduce another dimension to it. A fragmented outline of the Southern faà §ade directly contrasts with the smooth surface of the North. This intentionally done so as the building was built for the elderly so rather than isolate, the distorted faà §ade in fact drew the outside in, to allow for maximum interaction in a visual nature. Venturi attempts to imply a Baroque Palazzo style upon the Guild House (Ref 3) by the introduction of white tiles on the lower and upper levels of the building. Which was believed to have ‘symbolic’ and ‘representational’ (S.V.Moos, 1987, pg25) components that merge as a whole which in avertedly was to reflect the architectural connotation of the structure. It was understood that the Guild House (Ref 3) was built on a system of layers. Layers of artistic meaning and organisation, each one symbolising the importance of the historical and architectural discourse. This is reinforced by Venturi testifying ‘knowledge instead of learning’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg12) supports the fact he draws upon what was effective in the past and relates it to his own compositions. He breaks up the historical foundations and is driven and instils a sense of the past throughout his designs. The modernist notion of designing for what the architect believed society wanted rather than needed impacted primarily upon the poorer societies. Hence forth Venturi was particularly careful when building The Guild House perhaps to show designing  with the context and user in mind can be achieved successfully without social problems having to be ignored or forgotten, again a tendency modern architecture seemed to adopt in fear of losing aesthetic value. Venturi sought to prove you could have both. In reflection it can be said that Venturi is extremely knowledgeable and has an in-depth understanding and appreciation for historical architecture in which he feel shouldn’t be forgotten but instead should be admired and inspire future movements. Despite modernism striping what Venturi believed was the ‘art’ from architecture he fought to overcome these tendencies are drew upon relevant historic features and characterisations and applied them liberally to his design, in accordance to their context. Nevertheless he understood that designing for the user was significant and not to exclude social problems. He undertook the modernist concept of advanced ways to construct and recognised and understood the developing society, yet he chose not to ignore historic references and applied them in a system of layers within his designs to accommodate for the advanced civilization whilst electing to apply asceticism for both a functional and visual experience.

The Vampire Diaries: The Fury Chapter Nine

â€Å"Well, at least I didn't get taken over,† Bonnie said. â€Å"But I'm sick of this psychic stuff anyway; I'm tired of the whole thing. That was the last time, absolutely the last.† â€Å"All right,† said Elena, turning away from the mirror, â€Å"let's talk about something else. Did you find anything out today?† â€Å"I talked with Alaric, and he's having another get-together next week,† Bonnie replied. â€Å"He asked Caroline and Vickie and me if we wanted to be hypnotized to help us deal with what's been happening. But I'm sure he isn't the Other Power, Elena. He's too nice.† Elena nodded. She'd had second thoughts about her suspicions of Alaric herself. Not because he was nice, but because she had spent four days in his attic asleep. Would the Other Power really have let her stay there unharmed? Of course, Damon had said he'd influenced Alaric to forget that she was up there, but would the Other Power have succumbed to Damon's influence? Shouldn't it be far too strong? Unless its Powers had temporarily burned out, she thought suddenly. The way Stefan's were burning out now. Or unless it had only been pretending to be influenced. â€Å"Well, we won't cross him off the list just yet,† she said. â€Å"We've got to be careful. What about Mrs. Flowers? Did you find out anything about her?† â€Å"No luck,† said Meredith. â€Å"We went to the boardinghouse this morning, but she didn't answer the door. Stefan said he'd try to track her down in the afternoon.† â€Å"If somebody would only invite me in there, I could watch her, too,† Elena said. â€Å"I feel like I'm the only one not doing anything. I think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She paused a moment, considering, and then said, â€Å"I think I'll go by home-by Aunt Judith's, I mean. Maybe I'll find Robert hanging around in the bushes or something.† â€Å"We'll go with you,† Meredith said. â€Å"No, it's better for me to do it alone. Really, it is. I can be very inconspicuous these days.† â€Å"Then take your own advice and be careful. It's still snowing hard.† Elena nodded and dropped over the windowsill. As she approached her house, she saw that a car was just pulling out of the driveway. She melted into the shadows and watched. The headlights illuminated an eerie winter sight: the neighbors' black locust tree, like a bare-branched silhouette, with a white owl sitting in it. As the car roared past, Elena recognized it. Robert's blue Oldsmobile. Now, that was interesting. She had an urge to follow him, but a stronger urge to check the house, make sure everything was all right. She circled it stealthily, examining windows. The yellow chintz curtains at the kitchen window were looped back, revealing a bright section of kitchen inside. Aunt Judith was closing the dishwasher. Had Robert come to dinner? Elena wondered. The yellow chintz curtains at the kitchen window were looped back, revealing a bright section of kitchen inside. Aunt Judith was closing the dishwasher. Had Robert come to dinner? Elena wondered. Elena wished she could see more than just her aunt's profile in the flickering light of the TV. It gave her a strange feeling to look at this room, knowing that she could only look and not go in. How long had it been since she realized what a nice room it was? The old mahogany whatnot, crowded with china and glassware, the Tiffany lamp on the table next to Aunt Judith, the needlepoint pillows on the couch, all seemed precious to her now. Standing outside, feeling the feathery caress of the snow on the back of her neck, she wished she could go in just for a moment, just for a little while. Aunt Judith's head was tilting back, her eyes shutting. Elena leaned her forehead against the window, then slowly turned away. She climbed the quince tree outside her own bedroom, but to her disappointment the curtains were shut tight. The maple tree outside Margaret's room was fragile and harder to climb, but once she got up she had a good view; these curtains were wide open. Margaret was asleep with the bedcovers drawn up to her chin, her mouth open, her pale hair spread out like a fan on the pillow. Hello, baby, Elena thought and swallowed back tears. It was such a sweetly innocent scene: the nightlight, the little girl in bed, the stuffed animals on the shelves keeping watch over her. And here came a little white kitten padding through the open door to complete the picture, Elena thought. Snowball jumped onto Margaret's bed. The kitten yawned, showing a tiny pink tongue, and stretched, displaying miniature claws. Then it walked daintily over to stand on Margaret's chest. Something tingled at the roots of Elena's hair. She didn't know if it was some new hunter's sense or sheer intuition, but suddenly she was afraid. There was danger in that room. Margaret was in danger. The kitten was still standing there, tail swishing back and forth. And all at once Elena realized what it looked like. The dogs. It looked the way Chelsea had looked at Doug Carson before she lunged at him. Oh, God, the town had quarantined the dogs, but nobody had thought about the cats. Elena's mind was working at top speed, but it wasn't helping her. It was only flashing pictures of what a cat could do with curved claws and needle-sharp teeth. And Margaret just lay there breathing softly, oblivious to any danger. The fur on Snowball's back was rising, her tail swelling like a bottle brush. Her ears flattened and she opened her mouth in a silent hiss. Her eyes were fixed on Margaret's face just the way Chelsea's had been on Doug Carson's. Margaret's face just the way Chelsea's had been on Doug Carson's. But the snow, settling like a blanket around her, seemed to deaden the words into nothingness. A low, discordant wail was started in Snowball's throat as it flicked its eyes toward the window and then back to Margaret's face. â€Å"Margaret, wake up!† Elena shouted. Then, just as the kitten pulled back a curved paw, she threw herself at the window. She never knew, later, how she managed to hang on. There was no room to kneel on the sill, but her fingernails sank into the soft old wood of the casing, and the toe of one boot jammed into a foothold below. She banged against the window with her body weight, shouting. â€Å"Get away from her! Wake up, Margaret!† Margaret's eyes flew open and she sat up, throwing Snowball backward. The kitten's claws caught in the eyelet bedspread as it scrambled to right itself. Elena shouted again. â€Å"Margaret, get off the bed! Open the window, quick!† Margaret's four-year-old face was full of sleepy surprise, but no fear. She got up and stumbled toward the window while Elena gritted her teeth. â€Å"That's it. Good girl†¦ now say, ‘Come in.' Quick, say it!† â€Å"Come in,† Margaret said obediently, blinking and stepping back. The kitten sprang out as Elena fell in. She made a grab for it, but it was too fast. Once outside it glided across the maple branches with taunting ease and leaped down into the snow, disappearing. A small hand was tugging at Elena's sweater. â€Å"You came back!† Margaret said, hugging Elena's hips. â€Å"I missed you.† â€Å"Oh, Margaret, I missed you-† Elena began, and then froze. Aunt Judith's voice sounded from the top of the stairs. â€Å"Margaret, are you awake? What's going on in there?† Elena had only an instant to make her decision. â€Å"Don't tell her I'm here,† she whispered, dropping to her knees. â€Å"It's a secret; do you understand? Say you let the kitty out, but don't tell her I'm here.† There wasn't time for any more; Elena dived under the bed and prayed. From under the dust ruffle, she watched Aunt Judith's stocking feet come into the room. She pressed her face into the floorboards, not breathing. â€Å"Margaret! What are you doing up? Come on, let's get you back in bed,† Aunt Judith's voice said, and then the bed creaked with Margaret's weight and Elena heard the noises of Aunt Judith's fussing with the covers. â€Å"Your hands are freezing. What on earth is the window doing open?† â€Å"And now there's snow all over the floor. I can't believe this†¦ Don't you open it up again, do you hear me?† A little more bustling and the stocking feet went out again. The door shut. Elena squirmed out. â€Å"Good girl,† she whispered as Margaret sat up. â€Å"I'm proud of you. Now tomorrow you tell Aunt Judith that you have to give your kitty away. Tell her it scared you. I know you don't want to†-she put up a hand to stop the wail that was gathering on Margaret's lips-â€Å"but you have to. Because I'm telling you that kitty will hurt you if you keep it. You don't want to get hurt, do you?† â€Å"No,† said Margaret, her blue eyes filling. â€Å"But-â€Å" â€Å"And you don't want the kitty to hurt Aunt Judith, either, do you? You tell Aunt Judith you can't have a kitten or a puppy or even a bird until-well, for a while. Don't tell her that I said so; that's still our secret. Tell her you're scared because of what happened with the dogs at church.† It was better, Elena reasoned grimly, to give the little girl nightmares than to have a nightmare play out in this bedroom. Margaret's mouth drooped sadly. â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"I'm sorry, sweetie.† Elena sat down and hugged her. â€Å"But that's the way it has to be.† â€Å"You're cold,† Margaret said. Then she looked up into Elena's face. â€Å"Are you an angel?† â€Å"Uh†¦ not exactly.† Just the opposite, Elena thought ironically. â€Å"Aunt Judith said you went to be with Mommy and Daddy. Did you see them yet?† â€Å"I-it's sort of hard to explain, Margaret. I haven't seen them yet, no. And I'm not an angel, but I'm going to be like your guardian angel anyway, all right? I'll watch over you, even when you can't see me. Okay?† â€Å"Okay.† Margaret played with her fingers. â€Å"Does that mean you can't live here anymore?† Elena looked around the pink-and-white bedroom, at the stuffed animals on the shelves and the little writing desk and the rocking horse that had once been hers in the corner. â€Å"That's what it means,† she said softly. â€Å"When they said you went to be with Mommy and Daddy, I said I wanted to go, too.† Elena blinked hard. â€Å"Oh, baby. It's not time for you to go, so you can't. And Aunt Judith loves you very much, and she'd be lonely without you.† Margaret nodded, her eyelids drooping. But as Elena eased her down and pulled the bedspread over her, Margaret asked one more question. â€Å"But don't you love me?† Oh, stupid, stupid, Elena thought, forging through the banked snow to the other side of Maple Street. She'd missed her chance to ask Margaret whether Robert had been at dinner. It was too late now. Robert. Her eyes narrowed suddenly. At the church, Robert had been outside and then the dogs had gone mad. And tonight Margaret's kitten had gone feral-just a little while after Robert's car had pulled out of the driveway. Robert has a lot to answer for, she thought. But melancholy was pulling at her, tugging her thoughts away. Her mind kept returning to the bright house she'd just left, going over the things she'd never see again. All her clothes and knickknacks and jewelry-what would Aunt Judith do with them? I don't own anything anymore, she thought. I'm a pauper. Elena? With relief, Elena recognized the mental voice and the distinctive shadow at the end of the street. She hurried toward Stefan, who took his hands out of his jacket pockets and held hers to warm them. â€Å"Meredith told me where you'd gone.† â€Å"I went home,† Elena said. That was all she could say, but as she leaned against him for comfort, she knew that he understood. â€Å"Let's find someplace we can sit down,† he said, and stopped in frustration. All the places they used to go were either too dangerous or closed to Elena. The police still had Stefan's car. Eventually they just went to the high school where they could sit under the overhang of a roof and watch the snow sift down. Elena told him what had happened in Margaret's room. â€Å"I'm going to have Meredith and Bonnie spread it around town that cats can attack, too. People should know that. And I think somebody ought to be watching Robert,† she concluded. â€Å"We'll tail him,† Stefan said, and she couldn't help smiling. â€Å"It's funny how much more American you've gotten,† she said. â€Å"I hadn't thought about it in a long time, but when you first came you were a lot more foreign. Now nobody would know you hadn't lived here all your life.† â€Å"We adapt quickly. We have to,† Stefan said. â€Å"There are always new countries, new decades, new situations. You'll adapt, too.† â€Å"You'll learn, in time. If there is anything†¦ good†¦ about what we are, it's time. We have plenty of it, as much as we want. Forever.† † ‘Joyous companions forever.' Isn't that what Katherine said to you and Damon?† Elena murmured. She could feel Stefan's stiffening, his withdrawal. â€Å"She was talking about all three of us,† he said. â€Å"I wasn't.† â€Å"Oh, Stefan, please don't, not now. I wasn't even thinking about Damon, only about forever. It scares me. Everything about this scares me, and sometimes I think I just want to go to sleep and never wake up again†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In the shelter of his arms she felt safer, and she found her new senses were just as amazing close up as they were at a distance. She could hear each separate pulse of Stefan's heart, and the rush of blood through his veins. And she could smell his own distinctive scent mingled with the scent of his jacket, and the snow, and the wool of his clothes. â€Å"Please trust me,† she whispered. â€Å"I know you're angry with Damon, but try to give him a chance. I think there's more to him than there seems to be. And I want his help in finding the Other Power, and that's all I want from him.† At that moment it was completely true. Elena wanted nothing to do with the hunter's life tonight; the darkness held no appeal for her. She wished she could be at home sitting in front of a fire. But it was sweet just to be held like this, even if she and Stefan had to sit in the snow to do it. Stefan's breath was warm as he kissed the back of her neck, and she sensed no further withdrawal in Stefan's body. No hunger, either, or at least not the kind she was used to sensing when they were close like this. Now that she was a hunter like he, the need was different, a need for togetherness rather than for sustenance. It didn't matter. They had lost something, but they had gained something, too. She understood Stefan in a way she never had before. And her understanding brought them closer, until their minds were touching, almost meshing with each other's. It wasn't the noisy chatter of mental voices; it was a deep and wordless communion. As if their spirits were united. â€Å"I love you,† Stefan said against her neck, and she held on tighter. She understood now why he'd been afraid to say it for so long. When the thought of tomorrow scared you sick, it was hard to make a commitment. Because you didn't want to drag someone else down with you. Particularly someone you loved. â€Å"I love you, too,† she made herself say and sat back, her peaceful mood broken. â€Å"And will you try to give Damon a chance, for my sake? Try to work with him?† â€Å"I'll work with him, but I won't trust him. I can't. I know him too well.† â€Å"I followed Mrs. Flowers today.† Stefan's lip quirked. â€Å"All afternoon and evening. And you know what she did?† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Three loads of wash-in an ancient machine that looked like it was going to explode any minute. No clothes dryer, just a wringer. It's all down in the basement. Then she went outside and filled about two dozen bird feeders. Then back to the basement to wipe off jars of preserves. She spends most of her time down there. She talks to herself.† â€Å"Just like a dotty old lady,† said Elena. â€Å"All right; maybe Meredith's wrong and that's all she is.† She noticed his change of expression at Meredith's name and added, â€Å"What?† â€Å"Well, Meredith may have some explaining to do herself. I didn't ask her about it; I thought maybe it was better coming from you. But she went to talk to Alaric Saltzman after school today. And she didn't want anyone to know where she was going.† Disquiet uncoiled in Elena's middle. â€Å"So what?† â€Å"So she lied about it afterward-or at least she evaded the issue. I tried to probe her mind, but my Powers are just about burnt out. And she's strong-willed.† â€Å"And you had no right! Stefan, listen to me. Meredith would never do anything to hurt us or betray us. Whatever she's keeping from us-â€Å" â€Å"So you do admit that she's hiding something.† â€Å"Yes,† Elena said reluctantly. â€Å"But it's nothing that will hurt us, I'm sure. Meredith has been my friend since the first grade†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Without knowing it, Elena let the sentence slip away from her. She was thinking of another friend, one who'd been close to her since kindergarten. Caroline. Who last week had tried to destroy Stefan and humiliate Elena in front of the entire town. And what was it Caroline's diary had said about Meredith? Meredith doesn't do anything; she just watches. It's as if she can't act, she can only react to things. Besides, I've heard my parents talking about her family-no wonder she never mentions them. Elena's eyes left the snowy landscape to seek Stefan's waiting face. â€Å"It doesn't matter,† she said quietly. â€Å"I know Meredith, and I trust her. I'll trust her to the end.† â€Å"I hope she's worthy of it, Elena,† he said. â€Å"I really do.†