The Nature of Communication Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Nature of Communication - Assignment Example However, that is not it, the interest factor plays a major role in the players’ desire to play and show up for practices. Moreover, I strongly believe that by playing and meeting up regularly, the team members become better friends. Sometimes when I have had a bad day I can vent out all my frustration during the game on the soccer field and after months of practice sessions together my fellow players understand that I need some space. I also feel that the sheer love for the game and having people around who share the interest and understand the game adds a lot more value to the activity group. If I think of our soccer team in the light of a system, I can safely say that it definitely exhibits the qualities of a system. The striker cannot strike a goal till the midfielder or wingers pass the ball to him, similarly the midfielders cannot do much if they are not adequately supported by the fullbacks and the forwards. The crux of the matter is that the members in a soccer team are highly interdependent on each other.

David Camerons First Speech as Prime Minister Essay Example for Free

David Camerons First Speech as Prime Minister Essay This political speech made by United Kingdom’s new prime minister David Cameron in May 2010 could be considered the beginning of a new era in the politics of the country because, for the first time after World War II, Britain would have a coalition government. David Cameron (born in London in 1966) was elected leader of the Conservative Party in December 2005. He has modernised his Party, the Conservatives, by introducing new ideas such as the environmental defence, gay rights and abortion. He has a fresh, young and moderate image. The conservative leader gave this speech outside No 10 Downing Street right after being appointed Prime Minister. Cameron clearly describes UK’s social and economic situation and points out the main challenges he will have to face during his office. He addresses to the citizens and ask them for their help, but also to the political parties. In fact, one of his objectives for the term is to reform Parliament and to end with two-parties system. Cameron starts thanking the outgoing prime minister, Labour’s Gordon Brown, who succeeded Tony Blair in June 2007. Brown resigned in 11 May 2010 since the general elections left no party able to govern on its own and he could not reach an agreement with the Liberal Democrats to form a government. Labour Party was weak after ruling for 13 years and finally the Liberal opted for the Conservatives, despite they are not so close ideologically to the Tories. The Liberal, with 23% of the seats, and the Conservatives, with 36,1% of the seats, formed a coalition with Cameron as prime minister and Nick Clegg as deputy PM. As Cameron explains in his speech, UK is in need of a strong and stable government, and both parties are willing to work together in spite of their differences. Cameron details as well some of UK’s currents problems, basically the economic crisis and the reform of the political system. In this regard, Clegg had already said during his campaign that UK was immersed in a transition from the twosystem party to a more plural politics. According to him, this is a reform that any government should do to make people trust again in politics. Cameron didn’t agree with Clegg, although it was something he had to accept to make a pact with the Liberals. The Labour Party had already made some changes in the House of Lords, but deeper reforms are needed to finish with the present system, that favours the majority parties (Conservatives and Labour) and is detrimental to third parties. At present the First-Past-The-Post (or simple majority) system is followed in general and local elections. That means that the winner in each of the 650 electoral district gets a seat and all the rest of the votes are wasted. In consequence, the seats obtained by a party are not a real representation of the number of votes. It could even happen that the winner had more people voting against him that for him. Although it provides the country with stable and strong governments, this system has been questioned specially with the raise of the Liberal party, that in May was key to form a government. A referendum on the Alternative vote system is planned for citizens to decide. In the second part of this speech Cameron sends a message to the British society as he says that real change will only be achieved if â€Å"everyone pulls together, comes together, works together†. Cameron mentions some words that represent his centre-right position: freedom, fairness, family, values. At the same time, he is in some way anticipating the unpopular and hard measures he has taken recently. After six months in the government, the coalition has approved a plan to cut spending and reduce to a half deficit, which is the largest structural budget deficit in Europe. The measures of the spending review are not popular: around 500,000 public jobs could be lost in four years; the retirement age will be raised from 65 to 66 years by 2020; rents will be raised for new tenants in council housing; and police budget has been reduced by 20%. Changes will be also introduced in the unemployment subsidies, so that claimants who refuse three job offers will lose their allowance. Students have reacted by protesting violently in front of the Conservative headquarters. They complain specially about the raise in the tuition fees, that will be multiplied by three. The spending review is also facing critics of the Institute of Fiscal Studies: the think-thank believes that the poor will be the most affected by the measures. During the campaign Labour, Liberal and Conservatives agreed on the need to cut spending, but the proposal of Cameron was the hardest. At the same time, the Tories thought the reforms had to start immediately, while the Labour preferred to wait a year until the economic recovery was consolidated. Indeed, some fear that the spending review will not help UK to get out of the crisis, and they claim that the present difficulties are only an excuse to reduce the power of the state (an important principle in the Conservatives’ ideology). On the other side, Conservatives think that the private sector will be able to support the economy and will be reinforced, in spite of the cutback in spending. It is beyond doubt that the financial crisis has affected deeply all Europe, and that something had to be done to reduce the number of British citizens living on the governments subsidies. But it is not that clear that such strong measures had to be taken. UK’s economic situation is not as bad as other countries in Europe (like Greece, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain) and it is still an economic leader. At present I find difficult to say if Cameron’s decision is economically o politically driven. Only time will tell if the consequences on society, and specially on the poorest groups, were really disastrous or only a reasonable price to pay. Regarding Cameron’s intention to reform Parliament and the political system, it seems more like a requirement from the Liberal than a real wish. The Liberal were not as successful as they expected in the general elections, but they still were decisive to form a government. Consequently it could be expected that they wanted to assure to be more represented in upcoming ballots. Both Cameron and Clegg proved to be able to make concessions six months ago. It is already a good beginning, but Cameron has a difficult task in front of him. He brings a progressive message, but he represents a Conservative party. And he will have to negotiate with his partner in the government. I think it is still to early to judge Cameron’s ability to renovate political life and make UK get out of the country.

My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult | Summary and Analysis

My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult | Summary and Analysis Anna Transplant Kidney Characters Anna Fitzgerald Anna is a 13-year-old girl from a middle-class family in Rhode Island. Her father, Brian, is a firefighter, and her mother, Sara, is a housewife who used to be a lawyer. Her two older siblings are Jesse and Kate. Jesse is an adult who has had a troubled past and lives in an apartment at the family house. Kate is 16 and has recuperated from leukemia, but the treatments have hurt her kidneys, and she needs a kidney transplant. Anna is a natural choice for the donor because she was conceived to help Kate medically and has made donations to her throughout her life. Anna seeks help from a lawyer, Campbell Alexander, to gain control over her body so she can stop being a donor to Kate. Anna is more mature than her age and often ponders deep questions about her sisters illness and her role in it. Anna struggles with her decisions, and even though she has her outbursts, she is very close to her sister, and at the hearing, she admits that it was Kate who made her decide to instigate the suit. What seemed to be a selfish act of a child was really the love of a sister. Although Kates illness has prevented her from having a normal life, Anna is close to Kate and the rest of her family. She is on the opposite side from her mother in the case, but they are still a close mother and daughter. Her father tries to look after her as well as Kate, and she bonds with Jesse because they both feel like they dont fit in. Annas business relationship with Campbell grows into a more personal one. She is with him in the wreck that ultimately kills her. She does donate the kidney while dying and at Campbells request. At the hearing, she stood up for herself and her sister and ended up saving her sisters life, anyway. Anna, who had always felt invisible in her family, ends up being a heroine. Campbell Alexander Campbell is the lawyer Anna Fitzgerald asks to represent her in her lawsuit against her parents. He seems cold and calculating at first by being single-minded about Annas case and pandering to the media. He has a guide dog, but he will not explain the animals purpose. He makes jokes when people ask him about it. His softer side is revealed through Julia, Annas guardian ad litem, and the flashbacks to their teen romance. He is the product of a wealthy background with parents who are shallow. His epilepsy and, therefore, the reason for the dog, is revealed in court. Although he wins the case, he feels for both sides and when faced with deciding to donate Annas organs, he makes sure Kate is the kidney recipient. He left Julia all those years ago because he did not want her to have to deal with his condition, but Julia chooses to stay with him. He marries her. Sara Fitzgerald Sara is a lawyer turned housewife. As Brians wife and Kate, Jesse, and Annas mother, she does everything she can to keep her family together. She is close to her sister, Suzanne, who is a career woman. She wants Suzanne to be her rescuer, and she wants Anna to be Kates rescuer. She is totally focused on Kates illness and wants to try every treatment possible. She either ignores Jesse or gets angry with him. It is her idea to get pregnant with Anna and for Anna to make donations. She is shocked when Anna sues her and Brian. Her temper and devotion to Kate make her a worthy adversary to Campbell in the courtroom. At first, Sara can not understand why Anna is doing this and estranges herself from Brian, but after all the facts are revealed at the hearing, she understands the conflicts involved and how Anna is her own person who can make her own choices and that Kate can make her own choices, too. She and Brian become a stronger couple, and she makes peace with Anna before her death. She was shattered by Annas death and hoped for her return. Through her family, she healed. Brian Fitzgerald Brian is a dependable husband to Sara and father to Kate, Jesse, and Anna. He is a firefighter who loves his job. His hobby is astronomy, and he makes astronomical references that can relate to his own life. When Anna sues him and his wife, he is surprised but wants to support Anna. He moves her into the fire station so she can have some distance from the home situation. This puts a strain on Brian and Saras marriage, and they just talk about the medical issues. His decision to testify for Anna at the hearing does not help matters. At the hearing, however, he changes his mind and wants Anna to donate. Brian is really conflicted on the matter. He is not only a rescue worker; he likes to rescue everyone around him, and in this case, he cannot. Even though his sister-in-law Suzanne can help the family financially, he wants to be the provider. He is the only one who learns Jesse is the arsonist and sets him on the right path. He grows closer to his wife as they learn how the medical issu es have overshadowed their marriage. He develops a drinking problem after Annas death but conquers it. Jesse Fitzgerald Jesse is the oldest child in the Fitzgerald family. After his sister is diagnosed with leukemia as a toddler, he is still a child himself and often has to give up events for Kate. After Annas birth, he feels useless because he is the sibling that cannot help. He acts out in school and is on a downward spiral into drugs, alcohol, stealing, and arson as he grows up. He tries to project the rebel image around his family, Julia, and Campbell, but his actions show his softer side. He donates platelets to Kate anonymously. He helps Anna out by taking her to the lawyers office and when visiting Kate. Brian finds out Jesse is the arsonist, and Jesse has a breakthrough. He plays with fire because he can control it. Fire is a theme in the book, and Jesse shows the negative side of fire. He becomes a police officer and wins an award. He transforms himself from a destroyer to a rescuer. Julia Romano Julia is the guardian ad litem assigned to represent Anna in the hearing. She has to make a report about which side she supports. She was a rebel as a teenager from a large, poor family and has turned into a responsible adult. She is close to her twin sister. Close sisterly relationships permeate the book, including Anna and Kates and Sara and Suzannes. She had a romance with Annas lawyer, Campbell Alexander, as a teenager despite their class differences. She was hurt when Campbell abandoned her. As she works with him on Annas case, she is attracted to him even though she tries to resist it. She is good with Anna and Kate because she talks to them like they are real teenagers. At the hearing, she is unable to pick a side. She finally learns why Campbell left her after he has a seizure at the hearing. When she finds out he has epilepsy, she refuses to abandon him. They get married. Kate Fitzgerald Kate is diagnosed with leukemia as a toddler. When her brother, Jesse, does not match her for bone marrow donation, their mother Sara has the idea to get pregnant with a baby who is a genetic match for Kate. Anna is born, and she donates to Kate on several occasions. Kate struggles with being a normal teenager and having cancer because her appearance is affected, and her first boyfriend had cancer and died. At 16, Kate is cancer free, but the treatments have affected her kidneys, and she needs a kidney transplant. It is assumed Anna will be the donor, but she files a lawsuit to gain control over her body so she can stop donating. Anna reveals at the hearing that Kate was suicidal and urged her not to donate a kidney. Kate wanted her sister to be free of obligations to her. The judge rules for Anna, but after Anna dies in a wreck, Kate gets Annas kidney. She recovers and becomes a dance teacher. She had told Julia she wanted to be a ballerina because she could have control over her bo dy. Duracell Dan He is the homeless man Jesse bribes to keep his arson materials. He is with Jesse at one of his fires and tells Jesse a homeless man is in the burning building. This forces Jesse to save the man. Suzanne Crofton Suzanne is Saras older sister. She is a single, career woman who lives a different life than Sara. She is a support during Kates illness and even tries to help financially. Vern Stackhouse Vern is a sheriff and friend of the Fitzgerald family. He serves Sara with papers related to Annas lawsuit. He is around during the hearing and provides assistance to the family and Campbell. Isobel Romano Isobel is Julias identical twin sister and roommate. She had a bad breakup and cautions Julia against Campbell. Toward the end, Isobel and Campbell seem to come to an understanding. Objects/Places Providence Hospital This is where Kate is diagnosed and has her treatments and other stays. Anna is also a patient here as a donor. Her birth and death occur here. The Fitzgerald House This is the home of the Fitzgeralds where Brian, Sara, Kate, and Anna live. Jesse lives in an adjoining apartment. The Fire Station This is where Brian works and where he and Anna live to give Anna some distance from her mother and the case. The rooftop is a favorite place to watch the stars. The Locket Brian gives the locket to Anna as a child after one of her donations. It is a thank you present for helping Kate. Thirteen-year-old Anna sells it at a pawnshop to raise money for attorney fees. The Courthouse This is where the hearing is. Campbell and Annas secrets are revealed here. Campbell Alexanders Office Anna first meets Campbell here to initiate the lawsuit. Dr. Chances Office This is the office of the oncologist that diagnoses and treats Kate. The idea for Annas conception begins here. It is also where Annas donations are suggested. Duracell Dans Hideaway It is an underpass where a homeless man lives. He stashes the materials Jesse uses for arson. Jesses Apartment The apartment is part of the Fitzgerald house. From items in the apartment and other clues, Brian figures out that Jesse is the arsonist. This is where he confronts his son. The Wheeler School The Wheeler School is the private high school where Campbell and Julia met. Julias Apartment Julia lives here with her twin sister, Isobel. This is where she and her sister talk about Campbell. Campbells Apartment Campbells apartment is very sterile and high tech. It seems to reflect his personality. Julia reveals she does not like it, and he agrees. Shakespeares Cat Julia goes to the gay bar Shakespeares Cat to forget Campbell. Hercules the Goldfish A pet Kate got for her birthday. Sara saves him from near death a couple of times. Themes Fire Fire is a common theme in the book, and it ties much of the plot together. The passages that preface each section concern fire. Brian is a firefighter. Jesse sets fires. Kates illness can be compared to a fire because it is out of control and destroys everything in its path. Anna compares her initiating the lawsuit to fire. Brian says a fire should be allowed to burn unchecked. He is referring to Kates illness in that they should let it run its course without interference. He uses fire to make points in conversations with his coworkers. Brain connects fire to the story of Pandora s Box and hope. Hope is what he has left as Kates father. He is trying to put out the home fires, which include Kates illness, Annas lawsuit, Saras stubbornness, and Jesses troubles. Julia puts out the fire Brian starts in the kitchen; and in her role as guardian ad litem, she tries to put out fires. She also rescues Campbell. People that put out fires are rescuers. Characters in the book fill the rescuer roles. Brian is a rescuer on the job and in his family. Anna is Kates medical rescuer. Campbell points out at the hearing that people are not obligated to rescue by sharing a story of a homeless woman who let people die in a fire. Suzanne is Saras rescuer. Jesse goes from arsonist to rescuer. At the hearing, it is revealed that Kate wanted to be Annas rescuer for once. At the end of the book, it rains, and this puts out the fires of the characters burning throughout the book. Jesses inner fire is put out with Brians help, and he redeems himself. Kates fire is stopped, and she becomes healthy because of the kidney transplant. Campbell and Julias fire is contained because they reunite. Sara and Brians fire from Kates illness and Annas lawsuit and death is also contained, and they become a stronger couple. Astronomy Brians hobby is used to make points throughout the book. Some of the passages preceding the sections make astronomical references. Annas real name comes from a constellation named Andromeda, whose story is she is punished because of her mother, but she is rescued. The constellation resembles arms tied together. This can be applied to Annas story because her mother is pressuring her to donate, but with the hearing and the wreck, Anna is rescued. Brians talking about watching supernovas dies is comparable to the family and others watching Kate die. The story of Orpheus illustrates how death is inevitable. Sara continues the theme by comparing Kates sick face to the moons Brian likes, moons that are still, remote, cold.(118) Anna refers to the pleasant memory of catching stars after learning she can stay at the fire station. The punctuation of meteor showers during Brian and Annas conversation symbolizes what is hard for them to say. Anna compares astronomy maps to trying to find direct ion in her own life. Anna talks about astronomy to Campbell during the hearing. She talks about how stars are there even if one cannot see them. This applies to how oblivious parents, especially Anna and Campbells, can be to their children. Brian feels he lives on a different planet because of the situations of Anna and Jesse. He talks about cultures looking between the stars and realizes he has been looking at the wrong things. While rescuing Campbell from his seizure, he thinks about how astronomy of the past makes astronomy today inaccurate and says it is because the earths axis shakes. This tells the reader the life-shaking events of the book such as Kates illness and Campbells condition affects the perceptions of the people involved. After Annas death, Brian thinks about how the brightness of a star can overshadow another star, and when the other star is seen, it is too late. This applies to how Kate overshadowed Anna, and when Anna finally asserts herself, she dies. After Annas death, Kate reveals that her father said he could see Anna reincarnated in the stars. Roles The characters in the book play different roles. Anna is in the donor role for her sister when she would rather be in the role of a teenager who has friends and plays hockey. The lawsuit is Annas way of resisting her lifelong role. Throughout the book, she imagines herself in outlandish adventure roles, and after winning the hearing, Campbell thinks she will have fantastic roles in 10 years. Anna concludes that that the role she wants most is to be Kates sister. In the hearing, it is revealed that Anna does not mind playing the donor role, but Kate is tired of being the recipient. By getting Anna not to donate a kidney, Kate can be Annas savior, and they would have reversed roles for once. Jesse point out to Anna before she begins the lawsuit that the siblings have their own roles in the familyhe as the troublemaker, Kate as the martyr, and Anna as the peacemaker. Jesse changes roles by the end of the book. At first, he does not see himself as a rescuer because he cannot rescue Kate. After he has a breakthrough with his father, he goes from arsonist to police officer or savior. Sara and Brians roles go beyond being parents. Sara wants to play the savior role for Kate, but she has to get Anna to play that role. She demonstrates that she expects sisters to help each other as her sister, Suzanne, helps her. Sara has conflicts with the mother/lawyer role. After the lawsuit begins, Sara tries to balance being a mother to Anna and a lawyer on the opposing side of the lawsuit. This is a constant struggle until Sara realizes she is a good mother, and she should not try to save her children from themselves. Brian is the savior and mediator as he tries to save everybody in the family and acts as a buffer between Anna and Sara. Campbell has the lawyer role as he panders to the media and questions the witnesses at the hearing. He could be seen in a rescuer role as he rescues Anna from donating to Kate. He also has the romantic role with Julia, but this does not come to fruition until the end of the book after his secret is revealed. Julia has a mediator role as Annas guardian ad litem and a romantic role with Campbell after she learns the truth. Julias role as a sister is shown with her twin, Isobel. Ethical Dilemmas At the heart of My Sisters Keeper is an ethical dilemma: Should thirteen-year-old Anna be forced to give her kidney to her dying sister? Through much of the novel, it seems like Anna does not want to give Kate her kidney because she is tired of being a store of spare parts for Kate. Since she was born, Anna has undergone a number of painful procedures to save Kates life. Kate suffers from cancer and conditions related to the illness and its treatment. Her familys life has been focused on Kates illness and its potential recurrence during times of remission, since before Anna was born. Indeed, Anna was created to be a perfect sibling match for Kate. The Fitzgeralds went to a geneticist who created several embryos with the couples sperm and eggs, then figured out which one matched Kate. That embryo was implanted in Sara and became Anna. At the time, there was public controversy over their decision because Anna was seen as a designer baby. The ethical debate led to a talk show appearance for the couple, as well as hate mail. More than anyone else in the family, Sara sees no ethical dilemmas, neither in how Anna was created nor in making Anna suffer to try to keep Kate alive. Sara only responds to the latest crisis and the best solution at hand. When necessary, taking from Anna to give to Kate is no dilemma for her. The result is that Kate has lived longer than her doctor ever expected, but at the cost of a balanced family. The needs of Kate and her illness are put above all else, with Sara diligently guarding those interests at the expense of her husband and other children. Even Julia, the court-appointed guardian of Annas interests, cannot make a decision on what should be done. Annas lawsuit brings all these issues and the ethical dilemma to the forefront. With Campbell acting as her lawyer, she seeks the right to decide whether she gives up a kidney. Annas true motivation in her quest for medical emancipation is yet another ethical dilemma. As she reveals on the stand during the hearing, the reason that Anna has brought the lawsuit was for Kates benefit. Kate cannot tell her mother that she does not want to have the transplant. Kate is aware of the toll her illness has had on everyone and she seems tired of fighting. In fact, she has tried to kill herself before. This situation brings up the ethical dilemma: Should Kate be allowed to die when a measure can be taken to save her life? None of these ethical dilemmas is allowed to reach its full conclusion in the story. The novel ends with Anna suffering an injury that leads to brain death. As executor of her medical rights, Campbell authorizes the kidney transplant. Kates cancer goes into remission, and she has a normal life. But she knows that she is alive because Anna died. She believes that one sister had to die for the other to survive, another ethical conundrum. Control One issue that shapes many of the characters and situations in the novel is that of control. Nearly every major character in My Sisters Keeper is looking for control over some part of their existence in the face of disease. Anna, for example, seems to want to control her body and what is taken from it as evinced by her lawsuit. While it is later revealed that she actually filed the suit at Kates behest, Anna is still looking to control the situation to give her sister what she wants. Anna knows she cannot control her mother, her family, or her sisters illness, but she seeks control of her own destiny. Kate and Sara would like control of the opposite sides of the same coin. Kate wants to control her existence and the toll she puts on her family. She would like to become a ballerina if she grows up because she believes they have control over their bodies. Sara has spent her life since the diagnosis of Kates cancer trying to control the disease as well as Kates life. Sara has done everything in her power, including creating Anna, in an attempt to control Kates destiny. Sara has controlled all she could to keep Kate alive, without truly examining the consequences to herself and her family. One of the costs of Saras focused assault on Kates disease is the loss of closeness with Jesse. Both Brian and Sara have given up on Jesse, who repeatedly acts out. He loves his sisters and has done what he can to keep Kate alive, most notably giving his blood regularly to boost her platelets. But he has also moved into an apartment over the family garage to be separate from, yet still part of, his family. He sets fires to get attention and to feel a sense of control over something. Jesse knows the fires, car theft, and substance abuse are all masks for his pain, but he needs a parent to care about him. Brian reclaims control over his son when he finds evidence that Jesse set fires. Annas lawyer, Campbell, is also obsessed with control. He has suffered from epileptic seizures since the age of eighteen, but he keeps his condition a secret. Whenever someone asks why he has a service dog, he gives an obviously untrue answer. He allowed his condition to end his high school romance with Julia without telling her why. He controlled the situation because he believed she should be free of the burden of caring for someone with his condition. Familial Bonds The importance of familial, especially sibling, relationships is another underlying theme of My Sisters Keeper. Despite all the problems created by Kates illness and Saras quest to keep Kate alive, the Fitzgeralds remain a family. Though Brian and Sara have their problems, they work together to keep the family together amidst the disruptive force of Kates illness. Even Jesse, the delinquent son, still lives at home and is there to help out when Kate is ill or Anna needs his support. In turn, Anna helps her brother get out of jail when he is arrested for stealing the judges vehicle. Anna also does all she can to help her sister. While the pair squabble as sisters do when they share a room, Anna files the lawsuit to give Kate what she wants. All the siblings resent what has happened to them, but respond to the needs of the others in their family when the situation calls for it. After Annas unexpected death, the family grieves separately but eventually grows closer again. Like Kate and Anna, Julia and her twin sister, Izzy, are close. Julia allows her to move in after a painful breakup. Izzy wants to protect her from Campbell. While Campbells relationship with his parents is not close at all, it serves as an illuminating contrast to the Fitzgeralds and the Romanos. Style Point of View Each chapter in the book is told from the first person point of view. All the main characters narrate a chapter. They even have their own fonts. Picoult could have made this Kates story since it is the central issue, but she allows the characters to share their own stories. Kate has one chapter, and it is the final one. The other characters have more than one chapter each. The reader can see the effects of Kates illness on the Fitzgerald family. Everyone in the family despairs about Kates illness and Annas lawsuit, but they have different perspectives. The reader sees Campbell and Julias thoughts on the lawsuit and also their feelings about each other. By viewing Annas thoughts, the reader can see she does not take her decision to sue her parents lightly and that she is smart and perceptive. Jesse seems like an unlikable person, but his thoughts and actions show his pain over Kates illness and his helplessness. The reader sees Saras desperation to heal Kate at all costs and the epiphany she has during the hearing. The author shows Brians conflict over supporting his children when the family is in a divisive crisis. Campbells tough side as a lawyer and softer side with Julia are in his chapters. His growing friendship with Anna is shown. Because of the mystery of the guide dog, the reader wonders what Campbells medical problem is. Julia is able to see the Fitzgeralds objectively, so the reader gets an unbiased strangers view. After the intertwining of the characters viewpoints, the chapter from Kates point of view is surprising and enlightening. Up until her chapter, she was always a character seen by everyone else. Setting The book is set in Providence, Rhode Island. The medical settings are Kates hospital room and Dr. Chances office, which are both located in Providence hospital. Although Kate goes through tough times in her hospital room, Anna goes there to visit her sister despite the lawsuit. It is in Dr. Chances office that Sara gets the idea of having another child. His suggestions of how Anna can donate to Kate start there. The hospital is where Sara finds out about the lawsuit. The Fitzgerald house, which includes Jesses apartment, is another setting. It is in the house where Kates leukemia signs begin, and she has other medical problems there. The house is where family arguments such as between Kate and Sara take place. Brian finds materials around the apartment that make him realize Jesse is the arsonist. The homeless man, Duracell Dans, place at the underpass is where the rest of Jesses materials are kept. Campbell and Julias flashbacks are at the Wheeler School, which is a private high school in Rhode Island where they met. The class differences between Campbell and Julia and the other students reactions to their relationship occur at the school. Campbells apartment is part of the story because it is described as being modern and up-to-date but not warm like Campbell at first. Julia tells Campbell after they reconcile that she does not like his apartment. Julias apartment is where she and her sister discuss Campbell. Julia goes to a bar called Shakespeares Cat to try to escape Campbell. The fire station is a setting where Brian works, and he and Anna live to get away from the lawsuit at home. The fire station is a rescue place in different ways. Not only does it house the firefighters, but it also gives Brian an escape from the house and medical drama. On the rooftop, he can practice his astronomy hobby. Anna escapes there to get away from the pressures of her mother and the lawsuit. The courthouse is where the hearing is held. Campbells secret is revealed there, and the truth behind the lawsuit is also revealed there. Some settings serve as places that save the characters. The hospital obviously saves Kates life. The fire station saves Brian and Anna. The courthouse saves the Fitzgerald family and Campbell and Julias relationship. Language and Meaning At the beginning of each section, the language of passages from famous works refer to the books situations and themes. Annas first memory storys language sets the tone for the rest of the book. The language in the main part of the book is simple, but medical terms are used often. They are well explained. Sara, Kate, and Anna have as much medical knowledge about Kates condition as anyone else. Sara uses medical language to try to save Kate. Kate uses it, along with the language of a frustrated teenager, who is concerned about appearance and dating. Anna also mixes it with her own concerns about her life outside Kate. Legal language is used in the petition and in the hearing. The medical language helps Kate, but the legal language helps Anna. Sara analyzes words as she ponders situations. For example, she talks about how there is no word for a parent whose child dies. (703) Anna tries to figure out language, too. Brian and Anna use the language of astronomy and legends in an attempt to figure the world out. Brian uses his firefighter language to demonstrate situations. There is a combination of characters thoughts and dialogue. Because of his medical knowledge as a rescue worker, Brians thoughts let the reader know what is wrong with Campbell. Julias language with the Fitzgeralds is that of the mediator, which is part of her role as guardian ad litem even though she is not as conciliatory toward Campbell. The characters thoughts allow the readers to understand them; their dialogue does not sufficiently describe the characters. For example, Annas thoughts reveal her maturity beyond her 13 years. Jesse projects a tough-guy image to everyone with crude language, but his thoughts reveal his softer feelings about his family. Campbell is similar in that he acts like the tough lawyer, but his flashbacks to Julia and his present-day thoughts unveil his romantic side. Getting ready for the last day of the trial, Campbell, Brian, Jesse, Anna, and Sara note that it is raining at the beginnings of their chapters. These words quench the fires that have been raging in the book. Structure The chapters are not numbered. They are titled by the characters names. There is a prologue with a quote and then a short story by Anna. The sections are started by a day of the week and a passage. Saras chapters are flashbacks titled by years until her chapter called Present Day where she joins the present. She begins with Kates diagnosis and goes through the milestones of Kates illness. Campbell and Julias chapters are in the present, but they have flashbacks to their time together in high school. There is an epilogue by Kate set in a time in the future. The plot zigzags back and forth between the present and the past; it depends on the speaker. The book chronicles the events of the Fitzgerald family out of order mainly after Kates diagnosis: Annas birth; Annas donations; Anna, Kate, and Jesses childhoods; and the hearing and its aftermath. Campbell and Julias professional and personal stories and sections of the past about their teen relationship are mixed in. Multiple Points of View One striking feature of My Sisters Keeper is the way Picoult uses multiple first-person narrators to tell the story. A first-person point of view tells the story from one characters perspective in his or her own voice. Each section in the novel is made up of parts designated by the name of the character whose voice and perspective is being revealed. Picoult emphasizes the differences in these voices through the use of different fonts for different characters. The use of multiple voices allows readers the ability to understand the situations from different standpoints. The way Sara sees Kates cancer and Annas lawsuit is quite different from Annas viewpoint, Jesses position, and Campbells and Julias judgment. The result is a rounded, dramatic narrative. Flashback/flash-forward Several characters use flashbacks and flash-forwards as part of their narratives. Flashbacks look back in time, while flash-forwards describe future events. The only major character in the book who does not get a voice in the main chapters is Kate. She speaks only in the prologue and epilogue, eight years after the novels end. In the prologue, she talks about how she imagined killing her sister and that she only existed i

Red Badge of Courage :: essays research papers

Red Badge of Courage Book Report The main point in The Red Badge of Courage is Henry Flemings fear about how he will do in his first skrimish in the Civil War. Henry was a young man who lived on a farm with his mother. He dreamed about what fighting in a war would be like, and dreamed of being a hero. He dreamed of the battles of war, and of what it would be like to fight in those glorious battles. His mother was wise and caring. She did not want him to go to war. She gave him hundreds of reasons on why he was needed on the farm and not in the war. He didn't want to stay in the farm and do nothing, so he enlisted in the miliatary. After joining he found himself, with nothing to do. He became friends with two other soldiers, John Wilson and Jim Conklin. John was an obnoxious soldier, but he becomes one of Henry's best friends. Jim was tall, he was a childhood friend of Henry's. They all were exiceted about going to war. They started marching. After a few days Henry realized that they were going around in circles. They just continued marching without a reason. During this time Henry starts to think differently about war. He becomes scared about running away from a battle. Lieutenant Hasbrouck, a young lieutenant of Henry's regiment was an extremely brave man. He, unlike the other officers, cared about and defended his troops performance, and made sure that they got the recognition they deserved. He was a true leader and Henry and John wanted to be just like him. After a while, they finally discover a battle taking place. Jim gives Henry a yellow envelope with a packet inside. He is sure that he will die, and says that this will be his first and last battle. The troops manage to hold off the rebels during the first attack, but the rebels came back again and again with more reinforcements driving the soldiers back. Henry becomes scared, confuse, and goes into a trance when he sees his forces backing down. He finally gets up and starts to run like a "chicken", who has lost the direction of safety. After he has run away he starts to think about his actions. At first he thinks of himself as a coward for running, and later he feels that he was just saving himself for later. He thinks nature does not want him to die, eventhough his side was losing. He believed he was intelligent to run, and

MacDonalds The Princess and the Goblin Essays -- MacDonald Princess G

MacDonald's The Princess and the Goblin The Princess and the Goblin is a story about self-realisation and the expansion of limits. The princess, Irene, is able to come to certain conclusions about herself with the help of her grandmother, who lives in the attic upstairs in the palace. The grandmother guides Irene through her rite of passage into adulthood, and helps to bring the princess and Curdie together in the end. However, the reader never really knows whether the grandmother even exists, and it is this uncertainty that causes the reader to question whether she is a personification of a force within Irene that is driving her to achieve all that she does. There are many elements of fairy tales that exist within the grandmother's world and Irene's relationship with her grandmother and her nurse, Lootie. Archetypes such as the attic, birds, the moon, and fire exist within her grandmother's world and archetypes such as the underground exist within the world she guides Irene through. The grandmother embodies characteristic s of the good witch with supernatural powers, who guides Irene on her journey, while Lootie embodies characteristics of a wicked witch, who hinders her right of passage into adulthood. Irene's first encounter with her grandmother is one of ambivalence, which parallels the stage of puberty she is in. This is the stage of her journey when she is not sure how far from the safety of her mother figure, the nurse, she should wander. Irene does not stay very long with her grandmother, as she is not fully ready to leave childhood. There are elements of Charles Perrault's Little Red Riding Hood and The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood in Irene's first visit with her grandmother. Her discovery of the grandmother is very... ...hat exist in this story follow the fairy tale tradition. The princess is transformed into a young woman with the aid of a helper. This helper is her grandmother, who gives her the tools to cut the invisible thread, and be led by her own powers. The princess discovers another world beyond her nursery and the walls of the palace that becomes more and more real every time she lets go of someone's hand. Bibliography MacDonald, George. The Princess and the Goblin. London: Penguin Books Ltd., 1996 Perrault, Charles. "Little Red Riding Hood." in Folk & Fairy Tales. Eds. Martin Hallett and Barbara Karasek. 2nd edition. Peterborough, Ontario: Broadview Press Ltd., 1996. 25-27. Perrault, Charles. "The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood." in Folk & Fairy Tales. Eds. Martin Hallett and Barbara Karasek. 2nd edition. Peterborough, Ontario: Broadview Press Ltd., 1996. 40-48.

Pistol Poets :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Title: The Pistol Poets Author: Victor Gischler Date Published: February 2004 Number of Pages: 340 1. Most Significant Characters   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this story there were not many characters other than the main characters who had much importance on the outcome of the story. The most significant characters in the story were two characters by the names of Jay Morgan and Harold Jenks. Jay Morgan- Professor Jay Morgan was a man who very stressed who was forced to switch schools to teach each year. Switching schools caused many problems for Morgan. Some of the problems included were financial troubles and social troubles. Jay Morgan did not have a steady paycheck because of all his switching. Morgan had very little time to make many friends because he was never at one school for more than 6-8 months.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Professor Jay Morgan was a man who was not a very loyal person whatsoever. Morgan was very untrustworthy and often made decisions that were deemed irresponsible and irrational. Aside from Morgan’s lack of good judgment he was overall a very nice person and he was a good friend to many. Harold Jenks- Harold Jenks also known as Jenks was a hardcore gangster who in his teenage years thought about nobody other than himself. As Jenks grew older he also grew wiser and realized that he could not keep up his gangster ways. Harold Jenks was feared in his neighborhood but in all actuality he was a man with a very kind heart, and someone who had intentions in all the right places. Harold Jenks’ slip up was most definitely hanging out with the wrong types of people. 2. Minor Characters   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There were many characters who had minor impacts on the outcome of the story, some of these characters include a girl by the name of Ginny Conrad and a man by the name of professor Greg Valentine. Ginny Conrad- Ginny was a girl who loved to be spontaneous and wild. Ginny was a student at Eastern Oklahoma University and was a very hard working student. She was a person who got along with many people and was also very easy-going. Greg Valentine- Professor Greg Valentine was a man who very much like Jay Morgan was not very trustworthy at all. All though Professor Valentine was not trustworthy many people would often seek him for advice because of his very caring personality. Professor Valentine was a man who was easy to talk to and often gave very good advice on complex situations.

Deception Point Page 52

Only fifteen feet away, Gabrielle Ashe stood in the shadows, rigid. From the den came the harmonious clink of crystal snifters and the crackle of the fire. 58 In a panic, the young NASA technician dashed through the habisphere. Something terrible has happened! He found Administrator Ekstrom alone near the press area. â€Å"Sir,† the technician gasped, running up. â€Å"There's been an accident!† Ekstrom turned, looking distant, as if his thoughts were already deeply troubled with other matters. â€Å"What did you say? An accident? Where?† â€Å"In the extraction pit. A body just floated up. Dr. Wailee Ming.† Ekstrom's face was blank. â€Å"Dr. Ming? But†¦ â€Å" â€Å"We pulled him out, but it was too late. He's dead.† â€Å"For Christ's sake. How long has he been in there?† â€Å"We think about an hour. It looks like he fell in, sank to the bottom, but when his body bloated, he floated up again.† Ekstrom's reddish skin turned crimson. â€Å"Goddamn it! Who else knows about this?† â€Å"Nobody, sir. Only two of us. We fished him out, but we thought we better tell you before-â€Å" â€Å"You did the right thing.† Ekstrom exhaled a weighty sigh. â€Å"Stow Dr. Ming's body immediately. Say nothing.† The technician felt perplexed. â€Å"But, sir, I-â€Å" Ekstrom put a large hand on the man's shoulder. â€Å"Listen to me carefully. This is a tragic accident, one I deeply regret. Of course I will deal with it appropriately when the time comes. Now, however, is not the time.† â€Å"You want me to hide his body?† Ekstrom's cold Nordic eyes bore down. â€Å"Think about it. We could tell everyone, but what would that accomplish? We're about an hour off from this press conference. Announcing that we've had a fatal accident would overshadow the discovery and have a devastating effect on morale. Dr. Ming made a careless mistake; I have no intention of making NASA pay for it. These civilian scientists have taken enough of the spotlight without my letting one of their slipshod errors cast a shadow over our public moment of glory. Dr. Ming's accident remains a secret until after the press conference. Do you understand?† The man nodded, pale. â€Å"I'll stow his body.† 59 Michael Tolland had been at sea enough times to know the ocean took victims without remorse or hesitation. As he lay in exhaustion on the expansive sheet of ice, he could just make out the ghostly outline of the towering Milne Ice Shelf receding in the distance. He knew the powerful Arctic current flowing off the Elizabethan Islands spiraled in an enormous loop around the polar ice cap and would eventually skirt land in northern Russia. Not that it mattered. That would be months from now. We've got maybe thirty minutes†¦ forty-five at the most. Without the protective insulation of their gel-filled suits, Tolland knew they would be dead already. Thankfully, the Mark IXs had kept them dry-the most critical aspect of surviving cold weather. The thermal gel around their bodies had not only cushioned their fall, but it was now helping their bodies retain what little heat they had left. Soon hypothermia would set in. It would start with a vague numbness in limbs as the blood retreated to the body's core to protect the critical internal organs. Delirious hallucinations would come next, as the pulse and respiration slowed, cheating the brain of oxygen. Then, the body would make a final effort to conserve its remaining heat by shutting down all operations except the heart and respiration. Unconsciousness would follow. In the end, heart and respiration centers in the brain would stop functioning altogether. Tolland turned his gaze toward Rachel, wishing he could do something to save her. The numbness spreading through Rachel Sexton's body was less painful than she would have imagined. Almost a welcome anesthetic. Nature's morphine. She had lost her goggles in the collapse, and she could barely open her eyes against the cold. She could see Tolland and Corky on the ice nearby. Tolland was looking at her, eyes filled with regret. Corky was moving but obviously in pain. His right cheekbone was smashed and bloody. Rachel's body trembled wildly as her mind searched for answers. Who? Why? Her thoughts were muddled by a growing heaviness inside her. Nothing was making sense. She felt like her body was slowly shutting down, lulled by an invisible force pulling her to sleep. She fought it. A fiery anger ignited within her now, and she tried to fan the flames. They tried to kill us! She peered out at the threatening sea and sensed their attackers had succeeded. We're already dead. Even now, knowing she would probably not live to learn the whole truth about the deadly game being played out on the Milne Ice Shelf, Rachel suspected she already knew who to blame. Administrator Ekstrom had the most to gain. He was the one who sent them out on the ice. He had ties to the Pentagon and Special Ops. But what did Ekstrom have to gain by inserting the meteorite beneath the ice? What did anyone have to gain? Rachel flashed on Zach Herney, wondering if the President was a coconspirator or an unknowing pawn? Herney knows nothing. He's innocent. The President obviously had been duped by NASA. Now Herney was only about an hour away from making NASA's announcement. And he would do so armed with a video documentary containing endorsements from four civilian scientists. Four dead civilian scientists. Rachel could do nothing to stop the press conference now, but she vowed that whoever was responsible for this attack would not get away with it. Summoning her strength, Rachel tried to sit up. Her limbs felt like granite, all her joints screaming in pain as she bent her legs and arms. Slowly, she pulled herself to her knees, steadying herself on the flat ice. Her head spun. All around her the ocean churned. Tolland lay nearby, gazing up at her with inquisitive eyes. Rachel sensed he probably thought she was kneeling in prayer. She was not, of course, although prayer probably had as good a chance of saving them as what she was about to attempt. Rachel's right hand fumbled across her waist and found the ice ax still bungeed to her belt. Her stiff fingers gripped the handle. She inverted the ax, positioning it like an upside down T. Then, with all her energy, she drove the butt downward into the ice. Thud. Again. Thud. The blood felt like cold molasses in her veins. Thud. Tolland looked on in obvious confusion. Rachel drove the ax down again. Thud. Tolland tried to lift himself onto his elbow. â€Å"Ra†¦ chel?† She did not answer. She needed all her energy. Thud. Thud. â€Å"I don't think†¦,† Tolland said, â€Å"this far north†¦ that the SAA†¦ could hear†¦ â€Å" Rachel turned, surprised. She had forgotten Tolland was an oceanographer and might have some idea what she was up to. Right idea†¦ but I'm not calling the SAA. She kept pounding. The SAA stood for a Suboceanic Acoustic Array, a relic of the Cold War now used by oceanographers worldwide to listen for whales. Because underwater sounds carried for hundreds of miles, the SAA network of fifty-nine underwater microphones around the world could listen to a surprisingly large percentage of the planet's oceans. Unfortunately, this remote section of the Arctic was not part of that percentage, but Rachel knew there were others out there listening to the ocean floor-others that few on earth knew existed. She kept pounding. Her message was simple and clear. THUD. THUD. THUD. THUD†¦ THUD†¦ THUD†¦ THUD. THUD. THUD. Rachel had no delusions that her actions would save their lives; she could already feel a frosty tightness gripping her body. She doubted she had a half hour of life left in her. Rescue was beyond the realm of possibility now. But this was not about rescue.