Ray Rice vs. Solange and Jay Z

Violence against one another is not okay either way male or female. The Ray Rice, Jay Z and Collagen incident happened the exact same way Just the opposite sex. This fight within the celebrities had the world talking. â€Å"What Happened? Or is there sound to hear what they're sallying The reason this has an effect on our culture Is because both Jay Z and Ray Rice are huge role models to people. In the music Industry Jay Z Is a role model to people because people want to be just like him.Ray Rice is the man n the NFG and he has people that want to play in the league and that look up to him as their favorite player. The difference between the videos is that one is a male and one is a female whiffs doing the hitting. No one knows what really happened or what caused the fight they Just see hitting. Now since Collagen was hitting Jay Z people didn't make It a big deal, some of the peoples comments were â€Å"Collagen got them hands! Or She can fight! † people were basically worsh ipping her, not understanding that she was attacking him. What if he would have swung back?Then Jay z would have been labeled as a woman beater, but instead he didn't he Just kept moving her. In the middle of everything I still am trying to figure out why Beyond didn't do anything. Instead of people understanding that Collagen is a woman and not hitting her was the right thing to do, people are saying he's a female dog and a vagina. All of this Is because he has respect not only for women but his wife, by not hitting her sister. One thing I did find interesting while researching is that some reporters say he reason Collagen went off like that is because she found out Jay Z has been hitting Beyond.Beyond has a song out and in this song one of her lyrics say sit goes down when it's a billion dollars on an elevator. † Shocker that happened, could that be the reason Beyond wasn't fighting back? Now Ray Rice and his fiancà ©Ã‚ ©e, that whole video was disrespectful to start. Not o nly did he spit on her while she was walking past but he did It again when he got on the elevator. For Ray Rice to do something like that shows that he has no respect for any woman. One person comment was â€Å"l onto care how mad you get never spit on a lady then put your hands on her! ESP. better known as Sports Center was going crazy. Ray Rice was the trending topic all day. He ended up getting suspended and his wife ended up staying with him. She caused all that drama to be right back with him. Some people still call her a Gold- digger, because she Just wants his money. The fight between Ray Rice and his fiancà ©Ã‚ ©e grabbed more attention in the media and throughout the world because he's a football athlete. He has his whole football career ahead of him and he almost threw it al away over hitting a woman.I remember watching ESP. and one of the reporters stated, â€Å"Was he drunk? Does he know what could happen to him? † Number three of media literacy is the ability t o distinguish emotional from reasoned reactions when responding to content and to act accordingly. The emotional part was watching his sympathy for her. In closing, both fights were wrong, both fights shouldn't have happened, but everyone has their problems. No one knows everyone's problems but when you're a star or a celebrity, there is no private life.

The Most Devastating Lifestyle Disease

Disease concept note: Type 2 diabetesBy:College:Course:Professor:Date:Type 2 diabetesDiabetes has been named as one of the most devastating lifestyle disease on the globe. Unlike other diseases caused by lifestyle practices like cancer; it has no curative medicine. If affected one is advised to maintain a strict prescribed routine and medication to help return body cells to their normal functioning. Only two types of diabetes exist and both have the same causes. Apart from Glucose levels; insulin levels dictated by livers production in ones bloodstream that dictate if he or she affected with either type of diabetes strains. In type 2; better as diabetes mellitus, the glucose measure in blood is comparatively high to the insulin to counter it in the blood stream. Insulin is a fluid originating from the liver to facilitate the intake of processed glycogen into all body tissues, glucose is essential as it acts like the fuel that make all the vital organs function. Surprisingly, the two types of diabetes have same origins and use almost the same treatments. A slight disparity is only noticed when two patients in question come from distinct age brackets. If so, there treatment differs. It is mostly adults above 41 years that get the disease due to inactivity and obesity. If exhibited in children the cause is usually narrowed to one hence treatment becomes easy.Signs and Symptomsfrequent thirst and urination When glucose builds up in the body, tissues usually become dehydrated because the glucose will be sucking water from them too maintain it aqueous state. In effect the patient will feel dehydrated, drink water frequently and urinate all the time.Increased hunger; if the tissues exhibit prolonged resistance to insulin, their glucose levels will gradually decrease and this will culminate their inactivity. They will send hunger triggers to the brain and the affected patient will be compelled to feel hungry from time to time.Weight loss; if tissues in the body resist insulin all the time, the body will adjust naturally by slowly burning the glycogen deposits in muscles into glucose. This will lead to a drastic loss of body weight. General body weakness and fatigue; these effects are caused by prolonged hunger and weight loss. The muscles in limbs will be dehydrated and the patient will frequently feel tiredBlurred vision; the body will naturally tend to dehydrate other body organs to stabilize its level of manufactured glucose running in the blood. The eye balls will be dehydrated; this will be followed by an uncomfortable itchy and eventually a blurred vision.Slow scab formation on injuries and sores; high sugar levels hamper the production of heparin; the effect being reduction coagulation. After this; untreated wounds and sores will take long to heal if not heal at all. Acanthosis; this is the appearance of dark spots and skin fold and creases. High Sugar level will cause the body defense system to become weak and the patient will have an altered skin appearance due to fungal and bacterial inhibitionCausesLifestyle; One's lifestyle is always pivotal to how his body functions, if one fat and sugar consumption has risen then he or she is more likely to experience devastating effect of diabetes mellitus. Generic trait transfer; If from the patients lineage there has been history of the diseases then it is more likely that that the disease was inherited.Insulin resistance: when tissues in the body frequently resist insulin, the likelihood of type 2 diabetes to take effect increases. As the absorption rate of glucose reduces the chances of disease creeping in skyrockets. ComplicationsWhen type 2 diabetes goes is not stabilized or of the treatment does not work then the following complications will appear. Note; these complications may appear gradually, or sporadically.Atheroscherosis; it is the hardening and tightening of blood vessels. When blood sugar levels rise they will corrode then clog the walls of veins. This may lead to insensitivity of limbs.Cardiovascular disease; the effect of glucose clogging the walls of blood veins is that the lumen will narrow and blood will pressure will increase. The later consequence of this is heart attack, stroke and eventually death.Neuropathy; high sugar levels cause severe injury on capillaries. he effect of this are tingly, burning, numbness or pain feeling arising from the feet up to other body organs in the thorax. Kidney damage; delicate capillaries located in the kidneys will be damaged and the blood filtration process will halt causing the kidney to fail.RemediesThere is no curative medicine for the disease and medicine is only prescribed to help calm the effects or hasten some the healing process. The below remedies are given as recommendations as they only touch on the patient's lifestyle.Diet check; a diabetic patient must be cautious of the fat and sugar levels in his meal. Foods that have cholesterol, trans fat, and saturated fats should avoided at all costs.Regular exercise; this helps reduce the fat level in blood. Excess fat makes body tissues resistant to insulin. Exercise will also maintain the blood flow in one's body. It doesn't have to vigorous; a 30 minute a day is enough.Weight check; drastic weight loss is a sign of the disease advancing and weight gain to uninfected people increases the infection risk. These are enough reasons to keep ones weight in check. Regular medical checkup; glucose tests should be done regularly to ascertain the sugar levels in ones blood. It is only by the checkups that a patient will monitor the progress of the disease.ReferencesSource of symptoms and signs of type 2 diabeteshttps://www.mayoclinic.org/disease-conditions/type-2-diabets/symptoms-causes/Source of causes and remedies type 2 diabeteshttps://www.everydaydiseases.com/heart-health/heart-disease-and-diabetics

Post-course assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Post-course assignment - Essay Example In the illustrative section of the paper, there would be an analysis and evaluation of the methods, approaches, techniques and resources that will be used to deliver the training. The paper will also narrow down its scope to concentrate on how to incorporate cultural intelligence and cultural awareness into the training programme. This paper will be based on a group of 12 Asian delegation consisting of business executives who are being prepare for an international conference in the United States of America. The paper is therefore being put together to describe the teaching methods and content that will be employed to enable these executives to learn about how to communicate with their American counterparts and integrate culturally into the American society. In attaining this end, the paper will involve the components of Course and Syllabus Design which underline the IBET Certificate training programme. This will mean the application of important ideas and concepts from this aspect of the course to formulate a proper tuition system and design that would help the participants appreciate the course in English Business Communication. In doing this, we assume that the course is going to be held in a five day intensive session which would last for six hours each day with three breaks. This will be held in a conducive environment where all the participants will get the opportunity to interact with me, the tutor or instructor. In general terms, â€Å"a course syllabus provide the blueprint for structured teaching and learning in a training session† (Morrison, 2011 p133). â€Å"A syllabus provide the aims, objectives and targets that a given teaching program is meant to provide to the participants† (Moreno, 2011 p107). In this section of the paper, I will like to indicate how the course would be structured and the kind of syllabus which will be used to teach these

A Demographic Analysis of Mexico Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A Demographic Analysis of Mexico - Assignment Example According to any basic health model, the statistics on Mexico show a shift of lifestyle to a more urbane, aesthetic way of living that is characterized by lifestyle diseases such as obesity. Conversely, this comes with a reduction in conditions such as underweight and wasting as well as stunted growth. A reduction in hunger index from 5.99 in 1999 to 5.10 in 2003 is also noted. These can be attributed to an aggregate improvement in health care and sanitation supported by gains in food security occasioned by an augmented economy. TB prevalence in Mexico can be said to be effectively managed compared to other countries. The cases of infection cited by the World Health Organization in 2009 pale in comparison to most States that have a higher infection index according to data from UNHDR. Again, this can be pegged on improved healthcare. Despite men and women accessing education at a proportionate footing of 51% to 49%, the frequency of women dropping out along the way is decidedly higher in rural areas. A possible explanation lies in the vicious cycle of poverty that sucks in more women whose duties and obligations are largely domestic. These statistics show an indication that the environment in Mexico has reduced disparities of income and social status because of the positive parameters of growth, with an average income of 13500$, the level of poverty has dived from 50% with a fifth of the population reeling in extreme poverty.

TOPIC FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE MUST BE FIRST HAND EXPIERENCE WRITTEN Essay - 1

TOPIC FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE MUST BE FIRST HAND EXPIERENCE WRITTEN IN OWN OWRDS USING THE PRONOUN I - Essay Example I happen to have a very good handwriting, too bad it never helped me in getting good grades when it came to Algebra. I looked around to see a whole lot of people were busy talking and laughing. Some were hard at work and some were simply copying stuff from the others. Thinking that I should also get to work now, I turned my attention to the textbook. I turned the book few pages back to look up some pointers on cyclic equations. Sitting right behind me, Kimberly and Amy were comparing notes about how to best avoid split ends in hair. I tugged at my ponytail, groaning inwardly at their frizzy texture. Suddenly, I realized I had been staring at the same page for past ten minutes, contemplating uselessly on hair care. Bracing myself, I got back to work and resolved not to get distracted again. To my surprise, the first few steps of the problem went well but halfway through I found myself stuck again. Mike, from the other row, chose the moment to disrupt the class with his famous imitation of buzzing bees. Fuming inwardly, I tried to concentrate but to no avail. I ended up spending another five minutes making tiny flowers around the page number and a face right above the Exercise heading. â€Å"This looks better now†, I thought looking at the page number. I looked around to find a completely engrossed Hannah, sitting next to me, had solved the problem and was already jotting down the next one. I felt the usual wave of frustration building up inside me at the difficult nature of this subject. Irritated with my lack of concentration, I compared my work with Hannah’s and learnt that the reason I was stuck with very wrong looking values was because I had made a few dumb mistakes. Taking the lead from her, I set about correcting my work. I was confident that I will be able to solve it then. Hannah was kind enough to explain the equation functions to me. Patiently bearing my occasional spacing out due to noise distractions in

Managing Fisheries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managing Fisheries - Essay Example Since most of the fishing in done outside the territorial waters of coastal nations and done mostly in international deep waters, there is no control over how much fish a company or a ship can catch. To prevent over fishing and depletion of certain stocks such as Cod, Tuna, different methods have been brought it. Some of the methods are fees system and tradable fishing quotas (Tietenberg, 2009). The fees system requires that access to a certain area or fishing region should be controlled by levying fees. The quota system suggests that fishing companies should be assigned a certain capping quota on the amount of fish they catch in a year (Hanley, 2007). This paper examines important issues about fisheries management and how the tradable quota system functions. Fishing on a vast scale by mechanised ships soon disrupts the regeneration of selected fish species such as mackerel, Black cod, tuna. This in turn has disrupted the oceanic bio life cycle as these fishes were higher in the food chain and fed on fish such as carp. When the larger fish are depleted, other predatory fish such as carp have proliferated. These have in turn overfed on the lower part of the food chain, all the way till the planktons, the lowest form of ocean life have not been able to regenerate. As a result, vast patches of seas suddenly turn into lifeless wastes, just as patch of desert does not have any type of life. This is mainly due to over fishing and pollution caused by fishing boats (Perman, 2003). Tradable fishing quotas were designed to prevent such an over fishing of specific fish from the life chain of the seas and oceans. Technically, individual trading quotas – ITQ were allotted to members of a fishery and these quotas determined the amount of specific species that can be caught. Tradable rights include tradable lobster and crab traps, tradable days-at-sea and individual transferable quotas - ITQs. The advantage of ITQs is that it maintains the balance of the ecosystem for a

Case Study of a Philosophical Argument of Francis Bacon Assignment

Case Study of a Philosophical Argument of Francis Bacon - Assignment Example The essential framework of Bacon's theory can be summed up by saying that he insisted that a good scientist should not be an ant and mindlessly gather data but nor should he be a spider and spin empty theories. Any good scientist will lie somewhere between the two, and gather data and formulate theories and scientific truths from these observations of nature. This thought of Bacon's has been credited with perhaps setting the ball rolling on the huge amount of scientific advances made in the 17th century, simply because the old methods did not rely on observation and thought. Bacon believed, as scientists do today, that science is something that should follow certain outlines and procedures. Experimentation is key because it leads people to the truth, rather than something that simply propels their own personal ideas and desires. Truth is ultimately what we aim for in science today, and it seems odd that this would be a novel idea in the 17th century, but Bacon's philosophy was one of the first to suggest objective empiricism as a method in science However, although this might sound obvious to the modern reader, there are some philosophical arguments that have been used for and against the ideas of Bacon. For example, the scientific method relies on observations, but there is also the point that the senses themselves are unreliable and can lead to bias, whether we free our minds from idols or not. It is difficult to know whether our observations on nature and science are true because of how they work.; optical illusions are a good example of an argument against scientific inquiry in this way. However, it has to be suggested that there are no other ways of observing any scientific inquiry apart from to use the senses, because they are all we have. All tests rely on measurements, images or results that have to be viewed to be noted down and to form theories from them. There is very little else a scientist can do when it

Find a topic about math and relate to interior& architecture design Essay

Find a topic about math and relate to interior& architecture design major - Essay Example To better understand the importance of mathematics in architecture, the most initial thing is to come up with a clear understanding regarding the concept of architecture itself. It hence refers to a system of structures and buildings that tend to form a space standard for the people’s activities and lives, as well as the art of creating these structures and buildings in correspondence to the cognitive laws that governs beauty. It follows from this definition that there exist two aspects of Architecture notion. On the other hand, Architecture is a specific kind of technological advancement that is intended for the formation of a space standard for activity and lives of people. The architects should hence be conversant with the mechanical laws so as to ensure that the proper mechanical stability and strength regarding the given structures and buildings. Architecture comes out as a form of Fine Art that should be created by an architect in his "structures and buildings with correspondence to the laws of shape and beauty. This means that an architect has to be accorded clear guideline by the Principles and Laws of Beauty and Harmony in his/her creativity. As a form of Fine Art, Architecture is closely connected to other types of Fine Arts including Music, Painting, and Sculpture. In this correlation the idea of creating emerging mathematical concepts, as well as the Mathematical Harmony tend to arise. It is hence unfeasible make cognitive statements on all the scientific attainments of Mathematical Harmony in a brief essay. Based on the historical perspectives, there is a clear relationship that emerges between metaphysics and physics, and the fact that architecture has always been a perfect contender with regards to the metaphysical representation with its inherent geometrical character. Thus, what can be found as a societal body of knowledge will usually be symbolically represented in its established

Family-Oriented Pre-Trial Intervention Essay Example for Free

Family-Oriented Pre-Trial Intervention Essay Pre-trial intervention (PTI) has been shown to be more effective when the family is involved in the process.   Most PTI programs focus on the treatment given before release from confinement.   Family-oriented PTI programs look beyond the prison set-up and attempt to establish a community for the accused to return to (Dembo, 2003). The reality is that the social stigma against persons released from prison facilities poses a strong hindrance against re-integration into the community efforts towards rehabilitation (Tate, Reppucci, Mulvey, 1995).   By conducting regular and in-depth discussions with the family regarding rehabilitation, the basic social support system of the accused is assured (Dembo, 2003). The present study will replicate a family-intervention system conducted by Dembo, Schmeidler, and Wothke (2003) wherein families were trained to address the rehabilitative process a family-member was undergoing with the end goal of improving PTI.   However, in the study conducted by Dembo et al., the dependent variable was measured through self-report data. The present research will use indicators of reintegration into society along with repeated delinquent acts to assess whether or not family-intervention is indeed a rehabilitative process.   The succeeding sections will reflect the design and method of the research.   The research questions to be answered by the present study will also be clarified in order to show a clear direction of the research being conducted. Research Questions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The present research will attempt to answer the question as to whether or not family-oriented pre-trial intervention programs improve rehabilitative efforts by increasing the incidence of community participation and integration as well as decreasing the incidence of delinquent behavior.   This question may be answered by looking into the activities engaged in by the offender upon release and with the introduction of family PTI.   The research has several hypotheses: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   That family PTI will increase community involvement; 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   That family PTI will decrease delinquent behavior; and 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   That family-oriented PTI programs are more effective in fostering rehabilitation than offender-centered PTI. Evaluation Population The main thrust of the research is to assess the efficacy of a proposed pre-trial intervention program.   A family-oriented program will thus be administered to one experimental group while a non-family-oriented program will be applied to another group.   These programs will be administered to one group of individuals and their families. By doing so, there will be greater parallelism in the comparison of the two programs.     Ã‚  Ã‚   Considering that the family set-up is most relevant in the case of minors, the present study will limit its population to juvenile delinquents (Alexander Parsons, 1973). In particular, this research will limit its population to minors still living with their parents.   In order to obtain a sufficient number of participants, several penal facilities will be asked for consent for the participation of their detained juvenile delinquents who have not yet started with their PTI programs.   This will control for confounding effects of other PTI programs which may be administered by the penal facility. Evaluation Design The design to be used in the present research is the experimental design.   The experimental design has been lauded as the most rigorous design.   It is essentially the gold standard of research designs because of its ability to isolate the independent variables being studied and their relationship with the dependent variables (Creswell, 2009). This is the most appropriate design for the research to be conducted because the juvenile delinquents who will give consent to participation in the experiment will be randomly assigned into two groups.   These two groups are the experimental and control groups.   Moreover, previous research has shown that rigorous methods provide the best results with respect to reduced recidivism in studies of juvenile delinquents (Latimer, 1999). The experimental and control groups will be identical in all regards except for the presence of family-intervention in the experimental group.   In both groups, the juvenile delinquent will undergo identical PTI processes wherein they will receive treatment and training regarding rehabilitative practices. However, in the first group there will be an added intervention wherein the researchers will actively foster a dialogue with the family of the juvenile delinquent in order to help them understand and cope with their child’s rehabilitation.   In order to assess whether changes have truly resulted, a pre-intervention assessment will be administered to the participants and their families.   After a period of six months the assessment will be administered again in order to track any changes in disposition and placement of the juvenile delinquents. Population and Sample The study will limit the number of participants to forty due to the longitudinal nature of the study and due to the need for in-depth counseling to be undertaken with the families involved.   Time and resource constraints would not support a study involving an experimental group of more than twenty families. The participants will be chosen primarily based on their prior reception of PTI treatment and the fact of residence with family members.   Demographic factors such age, gender, social status and family situation will be recorded and assessed but will not serve as criteria for acceptance into participation.   By doing so, the experiment retains a higher external validity.   However, the recording of these factors will broaden the discussion and interpretation of results as the effect these factors play on the rehabilitation of participants may emerge as serendipitous findings.

In part two of Silas Marner Essay Example for Free

In part two of Silas Marner Essay The readers are also told that that Godfrey is in fact, secretly married to Molly Farren, with whom he was a child. Dunstan is the only other person who is aware of this situation and blackmails Godfrey, threatening to inform the Squire, how his handsome son is married to that nice, young women, Molly Farren, and was very unhappy that he couldnt live with his drunken wife. (Chapter 3 pg 22) Godfrey fears the Squire finding out because he worries about losing his position of the upcoming squire, and also Nancy Lammeter, since he must irrevocably lose her as well as his inheritance. (Chapter 3 pg 24) So although we are told that Godfrey is, open-faced and good natured, he also could be considered as a very self centered and self serving character. He doesnt face up to the consequences of his actions, and has secrets which he is not prepared to reveal incase they affect his current life style. Inside, he is very conniving and two faced. When Silas turns up at the Red House on New Years Eve, seeking a doctor, holding a little girl and revealing how a woman is injured in the snow outside, Godfrey knows straight away who it is and is shocked and afraid. He is worried that Molly will reveal his secret to the villagers. There was a terror in his mind at that moment the women might not be dead. (Chapter 13 pg 99) He is more concerned with finding her dead than the possibility of saving her, because it will leave him free to marry Nancy, and his inheritance will be safe. Yet again to the villagers, Godfrey appears to have the best interest of the women in mind, by making sure she is not injured and to be assistance. However his inner thoughts betray his shallowness and his ultimate self interest. Deeper down there was a sense that he ought to except the miserable wife and fulfill the claims of the helpless child. But he had no moral courage enough to contemplate the active renunciation of Nancy as possible as him (Chapter 13 pg 101) Equally, his treatment of Eppie is also self serving. Godfrey has the opportunity to claim her, but chooses not to. Silas says, fill anybody shoes, theyve got a right to take her from me, (Chapter 13 pg 102). His other opportunities include: Marrying Nancy (which he does); Starting a fresh, (which he does); having Eppie in the open, but still wedding Nancy, (Which he does not do) Godfrey is anxious but ultimately his attitude is that his life will be better in the future with Nancy if he leaves his secret behind, if she is [dead] I shall be a good fellow in the future. (pg 101) Whereas Silas embraces Eppie, Its a lone thing and Im a lone thing. (pg 102) This turns out to be a fundamental change in the lives of the two men. After 16 years, Silas life has changed enormously since taking on Eppie. He isnt as shallow, and always worrying about money because he has a loving daughter who loves him. His work has slowed down, and he now socializes with the villagers, and has fashionably taken up smoking a pipe! More importantly, his faith has been restored, and is very content because he believes he has everything. Silas did not highly enjoy smoking but a humble sort of acquaintance in what was held to be good had become a strong habit of that new self which has been developed in him since he had found Eppie. (Chapter 16, pg 124) In comparison to Silas, Godfreys life hasnt turned out so positively. He feels discontent that he hasnt achieved anything in his life, because the use of squire has stopped and he feels that he is less than his father. Unfortunately Nancy and he remain childless, and he has no heir. I wanted to pass for childless once, Nancy I shall pass for childless now against my wish (Chapter 20 pg 151) Godfrey finally admits to parentage because he wants to adopt Eppie, to be able to make her an heir, and continue the family name within the Red House. He wants his child to become a lady and have a better life. Once more, even though this change may benefit Eppie, ultimately Godfreys reasons are self serving. Eppies response to Godfreys offer isnt as he expected. She declines his offer, as she wants to remain with her father that brought her up from a small child. She doesnt want to be a lady. Eppie wants to live in a way she is accustomed to, with different friends on the same social group as her own. Marrying Aaron would be forbidden if she was a lady, as he isnt upper class. On the other hand, Eppie isnt familiar with Godfrey, and doesnt see him as a father. Eppie would be lost without Silas, as they do everything together they drink from the same cup. Eppie fears of Silas going back to his old ways if she leaves him and wants to stay loyal to him, as he was the one who took her in as his own. I cant feel as Ive got any father but one Ive always thought of a little home where hed sit in the corner, and should fend and do everything for him: I cant think of no other home. (Chapter 19, pg 150) With the arrival of Eppie, both mens lives have been changed in very different ways. Silas is content with his life, his faith has been restored and his social life is better than ever. Whereas, Godfrey is disappointed with the arrival of Eppie, as he had all he ever wanted until she arrived, and his secret had been kept safe until then. Silas life in Lantern Yard consisted of faith, love, trust and relationships. After being framed and removed from the church, he decides to move to Raveloe, where he isolated himself from the community. Then his gold was stolen from his home, by Godfreys younger brother Dunstan. While Silas is out, Eppie then appears on his doorstep on New Years Eve, after her mother left her while she was injured. Silas takes her in and cares for her as if shes his own blood, believing she is a gift from god to replace his gold. From the up bringing of Eppie, he manages to bring himself out of isolation and regain his faith, relationships, respect and love. Eppie was beneficial to Silas in more ways than one. In Godfreys life, though, his secrets are hidden from the beginning until Eppie arrives. When he realized it was Molly outside Silas house, he was more concerned with finding her dead than alive, to prevent his secrets from being published. The main opportunity was to claim Eppie, but at first, he thought that his life in the future would be better with Nancy if Eppie was remained unclaimed. Unfortunately Nancy is unable to have children and produce an heir for him. This is when Godfrey realizes, as her biological father, that she could be that upcoming heir he desperately needs, to prevent his name leaving the Red House as a Squire. Godfrey puts forward an opportunity to Eppie, for her to move in with himself and Nancy, as, he would provide her with a better future. Eppies response isnt as he expected she says no! The reason is that Eppie doesnt want to lead the life of a lady, and have to change the social group of which she is part. Eppie wants to remain with Silas and look after him until the end, just like he has cared for her. This choice of Eppies, has rewarded those who nurtured her in this case, Silas. Overall, George Eliot wrote this book as a very moralistic novel. Silas deserved to be loved by Eppie as he provided her with a loving home, family and religion; all out of the goodness of his heart. So when Eppie decides she wants to stay with him, it rewards him and returns his gratitude. On the other hand, all of Godfreys choices were self serving. In the beginning he had an opportunity to claim Eppie from Silas, but failed to, supposing that his life will be improved with Nancy, without the difficulties of Eppie. Later on in the novel, he recognizes he made the wrong decision, as Nancy is unable to produce any heirs to take his place. Once more his actions are convenient for him because, he now realizes that Eppie could take that that position. In spite of this when Eppie declines his offer, he deserves it, as in the past he has been a selfish coward. Therefore it proves that life can change, because of the path you choose to lead!!   Kate Martyn English Coursework! 1 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Miller section.

Small farmers

Small farmers Small farmers produce most of the food that we consume globally. But North and South, smallholder producers are leaving the land and food production is becoming increasingly the concern of big business. Does it matter? On 31 March fourteen international panelists considered the most salient issues confronting small farmers today in the IFAD-supported debate Failing the farmer? on BBC World. How important is small scale farming? How can development of small scale farming contribute to poverty reduction? Why should we care about small scale farming? What problems are encountered in implementing effective policies that should support small scale farmers? How important is global market access? The global discussion about poverty reduction is usually strictly related with farmers with small land holdings because the majority of the worlds poor belong to such households. Secondly, it has been estimated that about 70 percent of worlds poor are concentrated in rural areas where two out of three billion rural people reside in about 450 million small farms. Furthermore, the UN Millennium Project Task Force on Hunger estimates that in small scale farms reside about half of worlds hungry people including three quarters of Africas malnourished children (WDR, 2008). Improvement in the situation of the small scale farmers will likely result in a decreasing of the population living in poverty. Therefore in order to reduce rural poverty, policies are needed to support small-scale farming and have to be addressed in particular to women and children. The concept of Food Sovereignty provides an important framework for policy makers to design such measures. The association Via Campesina defines Food Sovereignty as the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems. It puts those who produce, distribute and consume food at the heart of food systems and policies rather than the demands of markets and corporations. It defends the interests and inclusion of the next generation. It offers a strategy to resist and dismantle the current corporate trade and food regime, and directions for food, farming, pastoral and fisheries systems determined by local producers. Food sovereignty prioritizes local and national economies and markets and empowers peasant and family farmer-driven agriculture, artisanal fishing, pastoralist-led grazing, and food production, distribution and consumption based on environment al, social and economic sustainability. Food sovereignty promotes transparent trade that guarantees just income to all peoples and the rights of consumers to control their food and nutrition. It ensures that the rights to use and manage our lands, territories, waters, seeds, livestock and biodiversity are in the hands of those of us who produce food. Food sovereignty implies new social relations free of oppression and inequality between men and women, peoples, racial groups, social classes and generations (Via Campesina, 2008). The idea of Food Sovereignty points out the fundamental right of the human being to be able to consume and produce food locally, according to the local environment conditions and cultures. The agro food industry and the rapid globalization of markets are the main drivers of these changes in the food-chain structure: the production strategies in the agro food business are defined mainly by economic terms; moreover, a long-term view in food and agricultural sy stems is needed and has to keep in count the efficiency, quality and sustainability of the production. Nowadays the international society is aware of the damage caused by industrial farming system all over the planet: it is a major contributor to global warming through intensive use of fossil fuels for fertilizers, agrochemicals, production, transport, processing, refrigeration and retailing; crop and livestock genetic diversity has been lost through the spread of industrial monocultures reducing resilience in the face of climate; agrochemical nutrient pollution causes biological dead zones and other relevant environmental problems; human activity produces more nitrogen than all natural processes combined (FAO, 2008). According to the stated reasons the current model of industrialized food production appears to be not sustainable. It makes farmers increasingly dependent on external inputs (pesticides, fertilizers, veterinary support, hormones, etc.) and big amount of external capita l. This industrialized production system is usually intensive and not linked to a correct soil management or conservation strategy. The export oriented production systems are not created to respect local ecological conditions or to meet local food needs and farmers lose control over production decisions. The National Commission on Small Farms reported the following, Small farms contribute more than farm production to our society. Small farms embody a diversity of ownership, cropping systems, landscapes, biological organization, culture, and traditions. Since the majority of farmland is managed by a large number of small farm operators, the responsible management of soil, water, and wildlife encompassed by these farms produce significant environmental benefits. Decentralized land ownership produces more equitable economic opportunity for people in rural communities, and offers self employment and business management opportunities (National Commission on Small Farms, 1998). The survival of small scale farming it is a crucial issue because small farming system often permits an higher differentiation of the production, relies on a long historic experience with local resources (water, soil, climate, plant and animal varieties) and farmers are capable to produce the optimal quantity and q uality of food with less external inputs. Products are mainly grown for their own families and consumers of the same region and tend to meet local food needs. This model, based on small scale farms, is also labour intensive, a resource that is available in abundance in most regions of the world, instead of capital intensive like the extensive farms production system. Moreover, the outputs of production are deeply linked to the soil and therefore its correct management in a long term perspective will be more likely pursued. Smallholders face significant challenges that obstacle their participation in new marketing opportunities. Markets in the developing world are characterized by imperfections such as lack of information on prices and technologies, high transaction costs, and credit constraints. Moreover, the modern production systems often expect larger supply volumes, favoring larger farmers. With the increasing number of free trade agreements affecting both national and international commodity markets, smallholder farmers are forced to compete not only with their local producers, but also with farmers from other countries as well as domestic and international agribusinesses. Sharpen marketing skills are also needed by small scale farmers: the opportunity for smallholders to raise their incomes from agricultural production, natural resource management, and related rural enterprises increasingly depends on their ability to sell their goods not just at local, but also regional and even international ma rkets. Nowadays, technological advances require investments in human and physical capital, as well as advanced relationships with a wide network of suppliers and traders of inputs and services. In this environment, small scale farmers are difficult to locate the required financial resources and integrate. Seems to be hard to point out the reasons why effective policies are not being implemented: many economic interests are involved and usually in the society small scale farmers are stakeholders with limited power. One possible solution could come from changes in the demand in the agro food market: we assist in a raise of the demand of high quality local product from the consumers, in particular in Europe; secondly, the value for rural services (rural tourism, social farming and other activities) is rapidly increasing, bringing more opportunities for small scale farmers. These changes can be the drivers for the implementation of sound policies directed in particular to rural areas and to small scale farmers. List of participants in the debate Kevin Cleaver Assistant President, IFAD and farmer Working to enable small farmers, we can slow down the migration from rural to urban areas. Pedro Sanchez Director of Tropical Agriculture, Earth Institute, Columbia University The crucial factor is to fertilize the soil and manage water supplies. GM is a political issue, with no proven risk. Paul Nicholson European co-coordinator, La Via Campesina Via Campesina coined the expression and is working to promote food sovereignty (national food security). Makanjuola Olaseinde Arigbede Union of Small and Medium Scale Farmers of Nigeria and farmer Smallholder farmers labour on their farms, not merely to feed their beleaguered families but entire nations, despite the great obstacles placed in their way at all levels. Simeon Greene Relationship Director, Windward Banana Development Without Fair Trade, the Windward Islands would be out of the banana market. Theyre able to survive because consumers in the UK have taken the decision to buy Fair Trade Produce. Esther Penunia Secretary General, Asian Farmers Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA) Farmers tend to be poorly organized only 10 per cent are organized into farmers groups. So, although they represent a large constituency, they have little influence politically. This must change! Peter Robbins Ex-commodities trader, author and activist Liberalization and the collapse of international commodity agreements has led to the impoverishment of farmers in producing countries. We need to reinstate international commodity agreements. Duncan Green Head of Policy, Oxfam Oxfam is now looking to develop policy on the wider agricultural debate not just on trade. Specifically were looking at how to support and empower farmers. Norah Olembo Executive Director, Africa Biotech Stakeholders Forum The big issue is acceptance. Worldwide this type of science has been seen as humans tampering with Gods work. Science becomes hard for ordinary people to comprehend, but one can move a gene from one plant to the other. Its all about education. We have not seen any harm to humans. Andrew Bennett Biotechnology Marketing Lead, Europe-Africa, Monsanto Each year the global population grows by more than 70 million and agriculture is required to produce more food with limited land and water resources. But biotechnology can help. Over the next decade biotechnology promises to deliver products that address land and resource limitations, with qualities such as drought tolerance, as well as deliver products with direct consumer benefits. Crawford Falconer Agriculture Chairman, World Trade Organization (WTO) International trade works if you have the right social and economic policies in place within countries already. Countries cant isolate themselves forever. Louise Fresco Professor, Sustainable Development, University of Amsterdam Small farmers around the world are leaving the land because life is too hard and they need other sources of income as well. Globalization brings opportunities for the developing world, but markets will not take care of poor people. Catherine Kainja Kaluluma Minister for Education, Government of Malawi Anthony Gooch Head, Media and Public Diplomacy, European Commission

Satanism :: essays research papers

Welcome to the hidden world of Satanism, where evil is embraced, not feared. According to a 1989 â€Å"Seventeen† survey, Satanism is believing that Judeo-Christian religions suppress man’s natural urge to seek out pleasure. Followers follow the devil and turn toward evil for pleasure. Teenagers are affected greatly by Satanism. There are many methods used to lure young people into joining satanic groups. The first initial approach is inviting a young person to a meeting on a certain topic, appealing to the their curiosity. The goal of this is to psychologically manipulate the teen during the meeting. Another approach is to have a party which offers alcohol or drugs with the same goal as the meeting. This method seems to promise the unrestricted fulfillments and desires. Blackmail and the promising of supernatural powers could also be used to lure teens into Satanism. Every group uses a different method, but most of them seem to work. There are several factors that put teenagers at risk for Satanism. These include low self-esteem, alienation from peer groups, and curiosity about sex and drugs. Some people even think that poor parenting at an early age can cause the child as a teen to become involved in Satanism. The first problem is emotional withdrawal from parents. The second reason is being exposed to violence or being the victim of a violent act. Since Satanism uses forms of violence, such teenagers do not find it repulsive . The third parent-child interaction that involves risk is the parents demanding strict religious observance while not following the rules themselves. Here are some of the questions that teens can ask themselves to see if they are becoming involed in Satanism. The more that are answered yes the more that teen is at risk. 1. My parents often ignore me. 2. I want to experiment with drugs, but I am afraid of being caught. 3. I was physically or sexually abused as a child. 4. I have been robbed or beaten up. 5. It is not unusual to see violence in my neighborhood. 6. My parents make me go to church. 7. Adults so not seem to understand my taste in music. 8. My parents have given me too many rules. 9. I don’t feel good enough about myself to ask a special boy/girl on a date. 10. I enjoy playing Dungeons and Dragons or similar board games.

Edgar Allen Poe :: essays research papers

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) Written and Contributed by SUGABUGA456 Edgar Allan Poe was one of America’s famous poets, fiction short-story writers, and literary critics. He is known as the first master of short story form especially in tales of horror, and mystery. The work he produced was considered to be some of the most influential literary criticism of his time. His poems made him one of the most famous figures in American literary history. His influence on literature is seen in all literature books in schools everywhere. Some of his famous writings is that of "Annabel Lee"; his detective story, "The Murders in Rue Morgue"; "The Pit and the Pendulum" and "The Tell-Tale Heart" are the best among his horror stories; and The Raven one of his best poems which among all these, made him very famous in 1845. "The Fall of the House of Usher", and "The Masque of the Red Death", made him a forerunner of symbolism, and impres sionism. Poe antagonized many people with a scathing campaign against an American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for supposed plagiarism. Later that year Poe admitted to being drunk, which further separated him from the public. Poe’s later years were full of economic hardship and ill health. Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 19, 1809. He was orphaned at the early age of two, his father deserted the family and his mother died all before he was three in 1811, then Poe became a ward and was raised as a foster child by John Allan, a wealthy merchant of tobacco, and his wife Frances in Richmond, VA but they never legally adopted him. Taken by the Allan family to England at the age of six, Poe was placed in a private school. In 1826 Poe enrolled at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. where he acquired gambling debts that John Allan refused to pay. Eventually, Poe was forced to withdraw from the university, and Allan prevented his return to the university and broke off Poe’s engagement to Sarah Elmira Royster, his Richmond sweetheart. His relationship with Allan was declined and he moved from his foster father and enlisted in the army. Also in 1827, he went to Boston where he wrote his fist book "Tamerlane and other poems" that he sold for $.12 a copy but it didn’t sell. He served a two year term while waiting for an appointment to the US Military Academy.

African American and Ebonics Essay

What if all of America spoke in Ebonics? â€Å"What up cuz† or â€Å"Holla at me. † That would be crazy right? Sharice, Travis, Rickia, and I did a report on the evidence for the critical element of the Oakland school board proposal and the convention that temporary African American Vernacular Forms (AAV) of speaking show strong influence from West-African languages. The Oakland school board proposed to the state that the kids learning will be improved with the recognition and understanding of Ebonics. My article came from the internet, and it is titled â€Å"A Case of Ebonics. † Ebonics is a critical language, with powerful elements of a distinct language, spoken by many Americans of African descent, a language marked by a long and rich history. While most other languages are restricted to specific geographical regions, Ebonics is a way of speaking shared by a large percentage of African-Americans living everywhere in the United States. Ebonics has been branded as a poor form of Standard English. Some think of it as lazy lips and lazy thinking. Because Ebonics held on to many leftover characteristics from West African languages, there has been debate as to whether it is a language of American English or another language altogether. Ebonics has a long history that began in Africa. It started when people from many different African villages were brought to American slave markets. The slave owners often purposely mixed the slaves by tribe so that they could not communicate directly in the language of a single tribe. For them to communicate with each other, the slaves developed a pidgin language, a mixture of various African languages. Over the centuries, this early pidgin blended with aspects of â€Å"Standard English† to form â€Å"Black English† but it still has many of the features of its ancestor. That is, many of the unique forms of Ebonics can be identified as leftovers of West African languages. For example some researchers say that the word for cat in several African languages also means â€Å"man. † For this reason our expression â€Å"cool cat† is derived from Ebonics. Despite these differences, Ebonics is a language that fully serves the needs of its users. Its grammar is just as complicated as Standard English. It’s just a different grammar. The meaning of â€Å"He didn’t do nothing† is perfectly understood by all Ebonics speakers, and by standard English speakers as well. A man by the name of Ishmael Reed makes clear the use of Ebonics indicates neither a lack of education nor an inability to speak in other tongues: â€Å"You not gone make me give up Black English. When you ask me to give up Black English you askin me to give up my soul. But for reasons of commerce, transportation, and hassle less mobility in everyday life, I will talk to 411 in the language both the operator and I can understand† (Lederer 4). I agree with Reed that everyone needs to learn and master Standard English to have the best chance to succeed in America. In certain contexts, someone (like a manager) might make a judgment about the way we black people talk. If we want to become successful we must learn Standard English. I hope that the movement of correction for Ebonics movement will work against the widespread disrespect of the way most African-American youth talk. People should be less defensive about the language in which we live and move and maybe we can better position to employ both the Ebonics and the standard codes and to reap the full fruits of our American civilization. If people were less defensive about Ebonics maybe then we as people could associate Standard English with Ebonics. And with all of this we could reap the full fruits of our American civilization.

How Are Human Beings Similar to and Different from the Gods Essay

In Greek mythology, specifically in Homer’s eminent epics; (the Iliad and the Odyssey), the gods are depicted according to anthropological means. They basically resemble human beings in form as well as in behavior. One must understand first that the Greeks had very much appreciated the human form. Contrary to the Egyptians, for example, who had portrayed their gods with human features incorporating some animalistic bodily features as well. Many other civilizations’ gods also had a certain idiosyncratic factor; they were above human beings, on an entirely superior level, to a point where there was a palpable barrier between gods and humans. A Pharaoh, for instance, would be like a god but there would still be a division between him and the people. The Greeks also had no bible, or holy sacrament. All they had were myths with no precise moral or lesson, other than the mere fact that â€Å"life’s a bitch†. Throughout Homer’s epics, the gods display human emotions such as anger and love. They were petty, having numerous sexual affairs with humans. And like humans, they even shared a diverse personality range. Each god acted very differently from the other. Zeus, for example, was a womanizer and could even be viewed as a knave. Whereas Neptune loved humankind; always helping humans in need. Or Poseidon, as seen in the Odyssey, liked to hold a grudge on Odysseus for blinding his son. The gods were all over the place with emotions and personalities. They would even love you one day and then stab you in the back the next. However, there is one very crucial difference between the two: gods, unlike the humans, were immortal, and being immortal was one of the attributes which rendered them as gods aside from having certain powers. It was also nearly impossible to become a god, and if one had become a god there was always a catch. Achilles, for instance, had become immortal except for one place on his body which was vulnerable – his heel (since it didn’t touch the â€Å"holy water† his goddess mother, Thetis, immersed him in). And of all the places that one could attack him; Paris, according to myth, had ended up killing him with an arrow aimed at his heel, thus infecting him and ultimately ending his â€Å"immortal† life. In conclusion, there is very little that can differentiate the Greek gods with humans, because essentially the gods were humans, sharing many similarities, since the Greeks were true humanists.

Bristol and Liverpool: the Demise and Rise of Rival Ports in the Eighteenth Century Slave Trade.

Bristol and Liverpool: The demise and rise of rival ports in the eighteenth century slave trade. In the early eighteenth century, Bristol’s dominant position as a slave trading port remained virtually unchallenged. Yet, by the end of the century, Liverpool firmly established its status as Britain’s leading slave trading port, surpassing Bristol completely. Despite some similarities between the rival ports, a number of factors, decisions and circumstances serve to explain Liverpool’s magnificent rise and Bristol’s consequent demise. The ports differing geographical locations, markets, trade goods, vessels, voyages and war impacts all played a role in Liverpool’s subversion of Bristol. The decision-making and business capabilities of the merchants also proved influential in the developments of the ports. This essay argues that most importantly, the Bristolian merchants’ poor economic and market decisions, compared with the exceptional business acumen of Liverpudlian merchants, sealed the fate of both ports. Bristol’s geographical location and new parliamentary legislation acted favourably to propel the town into the slave trade. The location of the River Severn and Bristol Channel encouraged early involvement in trade over the waterways, stimulating the development of the port city. Contributions to Atlantic trade also initiated Bristol’s role in the sugar trade, following the capture of Jamaica in 1655. [1] However, increased competition in the trade of sugar thrust Bristol merchants into the trade of slaves. An Act passed in 1698 further encouraged Bristol’s participation in slave trading, stating that any subject of Great Britain could trade to any part of Africa â€Å"between Cape Blanco and the Cape of Good Hope†, successfully ending the London Company’s monopoly. 2] Bristol’s geography served to hinder the port’s trading ability, mainly due to difficulties in navigating the meandering River Avon, its wide tidal range, and industrial waste in the river. Geographical location and legislation also contributed to Liverpool’s commencement in the slave trade. Located on the coast in northwest England, Liverpool benefited from close proximity to many industrial and textile producing centres such as Manchester, Birmingham and Sheffield. A network of rivers, including the River Mersey, made the port easily accessible to the many incoming and outgoing vessels. 3] The Isle of Man provided a useful off shore base, allowing for trade with Ireland and entry into the contraband trade with Spain. The Grenville Treaty of 1747 soon ended this arrangement, forcing Liverpudlian merchants to consider new options for trade. Utilizing the knowledge and wealth gained from contraband trade, the merchants developed vessels and goods specially suited to the African market, putting them towards gaining entrance to the slave trade. [4] Small vessels and on board slave revolts lessened the slave carrying capacity and efficiency of Bristol merchants ships. The smaller size of Bristol vessels perhaps resulted from the winding nature of the River Avon, with navigation difficult for larger ships. The period 1727 to 1769 provides an example of seventy Bristol vessels, one at fifty tons, thirteen at fifty-one to seventy-one tons, and thirty-eight at seventy-six to one hundred tons. [5] Even before Liverpool’s rise, London outshone Bristol in tonnage, 5,925 tons to 4,250 tons at a value of 137,000 to 98,820 pounds Stirling. [6] The origins of slaves purchased by Bristolians, coupled with lengthy on shore waiting times for slave deliveries, both reduced carrying capacity and efficiency of vessels. A concentration of suicide prone Ibo slaves and rebellious Ibibio slaves caused many problems. Consequently, merchants received instruction to shackle and bolt slaves from the popular Bight of Biafra region, to reduce the loss of slaves on board vessels. [7] Liverpool merchants similarly witnessed slave revolts, but they experienced superior carrying capacity and efficiency of vessels. Liverpool specialised in manufacturing fast slaving vessels in the docks of the River Mersey. [8] Liverpool’s carrying capacity far exceeded that of Bristol, as demonstrated in the 1100 ton Kent of 1773, the largest ship built in Northern England. 9] Such large ships and the capacity of five slaves per two tons, allowed for maximum vessel efficiency, and in 1753, 101 Liverpool vessels managed to carry over 30,000 slaves to the Americas. Poor vessel conditions for slaves resulted from maximising carrying capacities, and up to a third of slaves died. [10] One renowned incident on board the Zong di splays how captains attempted to avoid the loss of slaves: Captain Collingwood threw 132 sickly slaves overboard in order to claim insurance, rather than risk not selling them in the Americas. 11] Unbearable conditions on board also resulted in increased mutinies between 1751 and 1775, which Mannix and Cowley attribute to ruthless Liverpudlians’ efforts to save money by reducing the size of crews on vessels. [12] Slaving voyages and their destinations impacted greatly on Bristol’s attempts to gain prominence in the slave trade. Bristol’s shorter voyage time gave merchants a distinct advantage over London, and until the 1730s most Bristol voyages travelled to the Bight of Biafra where they encountered little competition. 13] Most Bristol voyages targeted Old Calabar, which oversupplied male slaves, leading to many trading failures. Merchants such as James Rogers only managed a delivery rate of seventy-three per cent from this region. [14] Bristol destination choi ces remained conservative, including Angola and the Gold Coast, despite increasing competition there from Liverpool. [15] The rise of Liverpool caused a vast reduction in voyages made by Bristolians. Jamaican voyages fell from sixty-nine to twenty-five per cent from 1728 to 1730. [16] As a result, the period of 1786 to 1807 produced only 240 voyages, compared with 2,473 from Liverpool. 17] Voyages direct to Jamaica became a common trend by 1750, with 104 trips taking place between 1749 and 1755, compared with seventy-four voyages following various triangle trade patterns. [18] Liverpool merchants achieved more numerous and varied voyages and destinations compared with Bristol. Liverpool’s first slave trade voyage departed in 1708, which is a much later entry than Bristol. Despite Bristol’s early advantage and established market destinations, Liverpool succeeded in creating new slaving destinations in areas such as Sierra Leone, Cameroon and Gabon. 19] In contrast with Bristol’s prioritisation of the region, only one voyage took place to Old Calabar in 1793 out of forty-seven voyages, instead thirty-six sailed to Angola where slaves were much more desirable. [20] In 1771 alone, 105 vessels travelled to Africa, obtaining 28,200 slaves. [21] In Jamaica, Liverpool trade comprised seventy-four per cent of delivered slaves and seventy-two per cent of visiting vessels. Liverpool’s dominant presence at Atlantic slave trade destinations displays the port’s numerous options, and their lack of presence at the unpopular sites displays their competent business choices. The choice of trade goods further influenced Bristol’s success as a slave trading port. James Rogers' voyages, perhaps not entirely typical of Bristol trading, provided African merchants with East Indian and English textiles, bar iron, gunpowder, beads, hardware and liquor. [22] Other Bristol merchants traded with refined sugar, haberdashery, window glass, bottled beer, wrought iron, woollens, copper and brass, in return for slaves. Wales generally provided the tin and iron for Bristol’s supplies. 23] Once in Africa, in addition to slaves, Bristol merchants requested items such as wax, ivory and redwood, either for sale in the Americas or back in Bristol. [24] Interestingly, Bristolians sent little linen to the African coast in comparison with other slave trading ports. [25] Linen stood as a leading commodity in Liverpool’s choice of trading goods, giving the port a considerable advantage over Bristol. Linen formed ninety-one per cent of all British exports to No rth America and West Africa, which Liverpool benefited from due to its easy acquisition of Lancashire cottons and Manchester textiles. 26] Manchester’s provision of checks and silk handkerchiefs contributed to the expulsion of Bristol’s German, French and Scottish textiles from the market. [27] In addition to linen, Liverpool traded copper and brass from Staffordshire, salt from Cheshire, and firearms from Birmingham. Liverpool also re-exported a number of goods from East India, such as Chintz, glass beads, cotton and calicoes. [28] The careful assortment of trade goods meant numerous colonies demanded trade with Liverpool. A number of international conflicts severely hindered Bristol’s progress in the slave trade. Throughout the eighteenth century conflicts existed with France, Spain and America. Bristol’s location in relation to the Bristol Channel meant a great number of vessels were lost to french privateers. [29] Consequently, Bristol successfully turned to privateering during the Spanish Succession from 1702 to 1713. The capture of over seventeen of its vessels by the Spaniards deepened Bristol’s involvement in privateering further during the Seven Years War (1756 to 1763). Trade with the West Indies suffered in consequence, due to the heavy amount of investment in privateers. 30] The American War of Independence and subsequent loss of American colonies hampered the triangular trade, which Bristolians heavily relied on. Shipping from the United States dropped from approximately 21,202 tons in 1773-7 to 12,326 in 1778-80. [31] Bristol’s slave trade experienced war in an entirely negative way during this period. On the other hand, Liverpool made substantial gains from G reat Britain’s involvement in international conflicts. Williamson, an observer of the War of the Austrian Succession 1739 to 1748, stated that: â€Å"trade flourished and spread her golden wings so extensively that if they had ossessed it seven years longer, it would have enlarged the size and riches of the town to a prodigious degree†[32] Involvement in conflicts meant that the dockyards on the River Mersey fitted out many ships in order to fill the void left by Bristol’s departure from trade. Slave trading voyages increased considerably during the wars, and vessels successfully avoided meeting French privateers due to Liverpool’s advantageous geographical location. War also enabled Liverpool merchants to take advantage of price differentials between England and the colonies. Profits inevitably resulted, which contrasts starkly with Bristol’s experience of the wars. [33] Vast potential existed for profit in the slave trade, yet when factoring in costs, Bristol struggled to reap the benefits of the system. Loss of slaves in the middle passage presented one expense, as Captain Black’s letter to James Rogers depicted. His voyage lost thirteen female slaves, fifty-six males and sixteen sailors. [34] Bristol merchants also paid generous wages, commissions and financial incentives to captains and slave sellers in order to ensure a loyal partnership. 35] When Robert Thiennison’s brother, a cook on Rogers’ Pearle, died, he requested wages of 55 shillings for a month’s work, revealing the high wages paid by Bristolians. High duties also frustrated Bristol merchants, especially those on tobacco, which is something they specialised in. [36] David Richardson offers an estimated return of 7. 8 to 19. 8 per cent on Bristol voyages, ho wever Rogers’ voyages barely managed three per cent profit, and the highest estimate still comes in lower than the profits made by Liverpudlians. 37] Liverpudlian merchants made significantly higher profits in the slave trade, primarily due to cunning commercial decisions. Manipulated stock records enabled merchants to avoid paying duties on up to twenty per cent of the tobacco shipped into the port. [38] Proposed estimates suggest that 100-ton ships returned profits of 750 pounds Stirling based on five Negroes per two tons. [39] The Liverpool vessel Lively produced a 300 per cent profit in 1737, but most voyages secured around ten per cent profit, which barely proved sufficient considering the risks involved in slaving. 40] One particular Liverpool voyage achieved a profit of 8000 pounds Stirling (before deductions for victuals and trade goods), with costs approximately comprising duties of 134 pounds, Doctor wages of thirteen pounds, Captain salary of 4 pounds per 104 made on total returns, and commission costs of 454 pounds Stirling. [41] Liverpudlians clearly possessed a unique capability to make large profits, despite mounting costs. The merchant oligarchy of Bristol overlooked crucial investments in port facilities in favour of spending profits on luxurious lifestyles, proving detrimental to their trade accomplishments. Instead, investments centred around the urban â€Å"renaissance† taking place in the city, rather than focusing on shifting towards industrialisation[42]. Prioritising Caribbean ventures over local industrial schemes demonstrates a further hindrance to the development of Bristol. [43] It appears that Bristolians’ preferences centred on funding a lifestyle founded on wealth and consumption, reflected in the growing local demand for sugar and tobacco. Furthermore, Bristol did not invest in the port until the nineteenth century, when developments included a floating harbour, which proved highly inefficient also. 44] Comparatively, the port of Liverpool received extensive urban development as a result of profits made in the slave trade. The city underwent considerable expansion and urban growth, facilitating merchants’ ability to exploit the Atlantic trade system and various markets. The city’s wealth stemmed from the merchants, hence their control over city d evelopments. Subsequently, profits funded financial structures and transport networks including canals, enabling Liverpool to maintain control over sources of goods such as the salt of Cheshire. 45] Investment in the docklands proved most influential, earning Liverpool the title of largest ship construction site in England, with sixty-one of the 161 English-built slave vessels manufactured in Liverpool. [46] The swift response to mercantile needs and construction of the Midlands canal network resulted in the shipment of valuable, high demand trade goods to Liverpool, not Bristol. A notable shift in Bristol’s priorities may account for Liverpool’s eclipse of Bristol as the leading slave trading port in England. The transition to specialisation in the sugar trade proves the most convincing causal factor in the reduced role in slave trading. The Bristolian pleasures derived from sugar, tobacco and snuff consumption drove merchants to focus on supplying the domestic market with what locals demanded. [47] The sugar industry thrived in Bristol, which is reinforced by the sustained existence of twenty sugarhouses between 1720 and 1775. [48] Tobacco and sugar faced restrictions regarding direct trade to foreign countries, perhaps further encouraging Bristolians to cater to local markets. 49] One argument proposes that Bristol became more conservative, simply preferring safer, more profitable trade options as they arose. A Jamaican agent noted that â€Å"Bristol†¦is rich enough, but don’t care to launch out much†. John Wesley, an abolitionist, also observed Bristol’s â€Å"love of money and ease†. [50] The increasing abolitionist environment and comparative ease of the sugar trade perhaps rendered the Bristolians content with exiting the slave trade. The lack of familial slaving dynasties and a reluctance to engage in mercantile competition with close ties offer two further justifications for Bristol’s demise in the slave trade. Bristol failed to secure dynasties through which to pass commercial knowledge and wealth to, mainly because eighteen of the leading twenty-five Bristol merchants died as bachelors. Encouraging others to continue the slave trade proved particularly difficult. The problems faced in re-exporting tobacco presented one deterrent, and the inevitable encounters with disease on the African coast and challenges in securing return goods also discouraged new entrants to the trade. [51] Bristol merchants tended to form strong, friendly connections with fellow traders, making ruthless competition difficult. To â€Å"wage war† against familial, banking or residential associates would destroy useful connections and jeopardise one’s reputation. [52] Liverpool merchants, on the other hand, formed strong bonds and maintained family dynasties, but did not refrain from competition, further enhancing their prominence. [53] The Bristol merchants experienced limitations in available market options, which presented a sizeable obstacle to success in the slave trade. Bristol traders lacked the vital trade goods necessary for securing demand from markets that would stock vessels with healthy slaves from desirable locations. Merchants such as Rogers tended to focus on Jamaica and Grenada to sell their slaves, places whose markets displayed an aversion to slaves from Old Calabar due to their poor health and high mortality. [54] These detrimental oversights in buying unsuitable slave cargoes and being unaware of the slave preferences at plantations provided great motivation to move away from trading in slaves. Bristol persisted in trading commodities with Jamaica, South Carolina and Charlestown, however they gained no advantage over Liverpool or even London. 55] Furthermore, Bristol failed to respond to new markets such as the Ceded Islands including Dominica and St Vincent, leaving the opportunity wide open for Liverpool. Liverpool slave traders successfully seized every new market opportunity that arose, providing numerous market options for the diverse trade goods they supplied. After trade opened up in 1750, Liverpool launched into trade with Upper Guinea and other markets in America, where they made g ains over Bristol. 56] Liverpool also possessed advantageous contacts throughout the West African coast, especially Sierra Leone. [57] In contrast to Bristol, Liverpool concentrated on lesser markets such as Barbados and the Leeward Islands. Barbados supplied over fifty per cent of Liverpool’s imports after 1735, closely followed by Chesapeake, the Leeward Islands and Jamaica. The range of trade goods supplied, and entrance into the trade at a time of colonial economy deceleration also enabled Liverpool merchants to almost monopolise the Anglo-American commercial market. 58] Liverpool merchants conducted business on the coast of Africa from the Senegal River to Ambriz[59], where healthy slave populations attribute to the demand for Liverpool commerce in a vast number of West Indian locations. With so many options for destinations to conduct trade with slaves, it is unsurprising that Liverpool ousted the port of Bristol from its dominant position. Despite the numerous causes a ttributed to the demise of Bristol, the inability of merchants to make economical, competent business decisions ultimately present the most significant explanations. Bristolians paid munificent salaries to captains and crew, as well as allowing privileges, daily charges and commission payments. Captains ate and drank excessively on shore, eroding profits considerably. Less profit also resulted from fully manning vessels, with the knock on effect of needing to charge more for slaves. [60] Bristol merchants found themselves outbid for slaves in Old Calabar, driving them to purchase unhealthy slaves. Their condition worsened further due to cheap provisions on board. [61] Consequently, prices achieved in the Americas for slaves were lower. The Bristol merchants justifiably earned a reputation as extravagant and unbusinesslike squanderers, who treated their Captains like â€Å"young gentlemen on the Grand Tour†. [62] A credit crisis in 1793 caused many merchants to go bankrupt, putting an end to the slave trade for the majority of Bristolians. [63] The lack of business acumen amongst Bristol merchants proved detrimental to their success. Conversely, the business expertise and economical ability of Liverpudlian merchants secured the city’s title of the most successful slave trading port in Europe. Liverpool merchants trained their crew better, paid lower wages, and minimized outfitting costs. Additionally, merchants were economical by paying wages annually not monthly, and refusing cabin privileges, primages and port allowances. For example, crew ate salt beef and drank rum punch on board their vessel, compared with Bristol crewmembers’ excessive drinking of Madeira on shore. [64] Low expenditure enabled Liverpudlians to sell slaves for four to five pounds Stirling less than other traders, underselling Bristolians considerably. 65] Accepting Bills of Exchange avoided reliance on return goods for payment, giving flexibility to merchants, which allowed them to return direct to Africa to embark more slaves. Liverpool merchants skilfully evaded customs administrators by importing â€Å"damaged† and therefore duty free goods, and disembarking â€Å"underweight† hogsheads, only to re-export them at heavier weights. [66] These tricks meant payment of less duty ta x, maximising profits. Resourceful and imaginative actions and decisions thrust Liverpool to record heights never reached by Bristol in the slave trade. Liverpool’s skilful rise to prominence in the slave trade undoubtedly provides explanation for Bristol’s demise from a once eminent slave trading port. Geographical location, vessel size, voyages, trade goods, international conflicts, market destinations, and urban development all provide convincing explanations of Bristol’s fall from the position of leading British port. However, problems could easily have been overcome or averted had the Bristol merchants possessed strong business capability, judgement skills and knowledge. Perhaps Bristol’s priorities did shift toward catering for the domestic market. Nevertheless, the Bristolians’ lack of skills and knowledge, so clearly possessed by Liverpool merchants, sealed Bristol’s demise from a once world-leading slaving port to an average sugar-importing town. Liverpool on the other hand, traded slaves on such a grand scale that it secured its position amongst Europe’s leading port towns far beyond the abolition of the slave trade. Word Count: 3,258 BIBLIOGRAPHY Primary Sources An account of the ships employed in the African trade, from the ports of London and Bristol, belonging to the separate traders to Africa; with the value of the said ships and cargoes, and the number of Negroes usually carried by the said ships, London, 1713, Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Gale Group. Captain W. Black of the Ship Jupiter to James Rogers, owner of The Jupiter, 20th August 1790, James Rogers Papers, Public Record Office, C/107/12, http://www. englandpast. net/education/. Great Britain, Parliament, An act for the better improvement of the trade to Africa, by establishing a regulated company, London, 1708, Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Gale Group. Letter To Captain Richard Prankard commander of the Unity Snow to Angola, Bristol, 29 January 1732, Bristol Central Reference Library, The Jefferies Collection: Volume 13, http://www. englandpast. net/education/. Letter from Robert Thiennison (? ) to James Rogers, slave ship owner concerning his brother who was a ship’s cook on the Pearl, Mr. Rogers London 15 August, 1786, Public Record Office, C107/8, http://www. englandpast. et/education/. Secondary Sources Behrendt, Stephen D. , â€Å"Markets, Transaction Cycles, and Profits: Merchant Decision Making in the British Slave Trade†, The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 58, No. 1, 2001, pp. 171-204. Behrendt, Stephen D. , â€Å"The Annual Volume and Regional Distribution of the British slave trade, 1780-1807†, Journal of African Hi story, Vol. 38, 1997, pp. 187-211. Benezet, Anthony, Some historical account of Guinea, its situation, produce, and the general disposition of its inhabitants. With an inquiry into the rise and progress of the slave trade, its nature, and lamentable effects. Also a republication of the sentiments of several authors of note on this interesting subject: particularly an extract of a treatise written by Granville Sharpe, Philadelphia, 1771, http://www. gutenberg. org/files/11489/11489-h/11489-h. htm. Clarkson, Thomas, The history of the rise, progress, and accomplishment of the abolition of the African slave-trade by the British parliament, Vol. 1, London, 1808, http://www. gutenberg. org/files/12428/12428-8. txt. Clemens, Paul G. E. , â€Å"The Rise of Liverpool, 1665-1750†, The Economic History Review, Vol. 9, No. 2, 1976, pp. 211-225. Enfield, William. An essay towards the history of Leverpool, drawn up from papers left by the late Mr. George Perry, and from other materials since collected, by William Enfield. With views of the principal public structures, a chart of the harbour, and a map of the environ, 2nd Ed. , 1774. Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Gale Group. Hyde, F. , Parkinson, B. , & Marriner, S. , â€Å"The Nature and Profitability of the Liverpool Slave Trade†, The Economic History Review, Vol. 5, No. 3, 1953, pp. 368-377. Jones, S. J. â€Å"The Growth of Bristol: The Regional Aspect of City Development†, Transactions and Papers (Institute of British Geographers), No. 11, 1946, pp. 57-83. Klein, Herbert S. , â€Å"The English Slave Trade to Jamaica, 1782-1808†, The Economic History Review, Vol. 31, No. 1, 1978, pp. 25-45. MacInnes, C. M. , â€Å"Bristol and the slave trade†, in Patrick McGrath (ed. ), Bristol in the Eighteenth Century, Newton Abbot, 1972. Mackenzie-Grive, Averil, The Last Years of the English Slave Trade: Liverpool, 1750-1807, London, 1941. Morgan, Kenneth, â€Å"Bristol and the Atlantic Trade in the Eighteenth Century†, The English Historical Review, Vol. 07, No. 424, 1992, pp. 626-650. Morgan, Kenneth, â€Å"Bristol West India Merchants in the Eighteenth Century†, Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, Vol. 3, 1993, pp. 185- 208. Morgan, Kenneth, â€Å"James Rogers and the Bristol slave trade†, Historical Research, Vol. 76, No. 192, 2003, pp. 189-216. Morgan, Kenneth, â€Å"Shipping Patterns and the Atlantic Trade of Bristol, 1749-1770†, The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 46, No. 3. , 1989, pp. 506-538. Richardson, David, â€Å"Shipboard Revolts, African Authority, and the Atlantic Slave Trade†, The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 8, No. 1, 2001, pp. 69-92. Richardson, David, â€Å"Slavery and Bristol’s ‘Golden Age’†, Slavery and Abolition, Vol. 26, No. 1, 2005, pp. 35-54. Williams, Gomer, History of the Liverpool privateers and Letters of Marque: With an account of the Liverpool slave trade, London, 1897. Williams, Eric, â€Å"The Golden Age of the Slave System in Britain†, The Journal of Negro History, Vol. 25, No. 1, 1940, pp. 60-106. Websites Liverpool & The Slave Trade, http://www. liverpoolinpictures. com/Slavery_in_Liverpool. htm —à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€œ [1] S. J. Jones, â€Å"The Growth of Bristol: The Regional Aspect of City Development†, Transactions and Papers (Institute of British Geographers), No. 11, 1946, pp. 64; 71. [2] Great Britain, Parliament, An act for the better improvement of the trade to Africa, by establishing a regulated company, London, 1708, Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Gale Group. [3] Eric Williams, â€Å"The Golden Age of the Slave System in Britain†, The Journal of Negro History, Vol. 25, No. 1, 1940, p. 67. [4] Gomer Williams, History of the Liverpool privateers and Letters of Marque: With an account of the Liverpool slave trade, London, 1897, pp. 67-468. [5] C. M. MacInnes, â€Å"Bristol and the slave trade†, in Patrick McGrath (ed. ), Bristol in the Eighteenth Century, Newton Abbot, 1972, p. 173. [6] An account of the ships employed in the African trade, London, 1713, Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Gale Group. [7] David Richardson, â€Å"Slavery and Bristol’s ‘Gold en Age’†, Slavery and Abolition, Vol. 26, No. 1, 2005, p. 44; David Richardson, â€Å"Shipboard Revolts, African Authority, and the Atlantic Slave Trade†, The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 58, No. 1, 2001, pp. 74, 80. 8] Eric Williams, p. 69. [9] Averil Mackenzie-Grive, The Last Years of the English Slave Trade: Liverpool, 1750-1807, London, 1941, p. 16. [10] F. Hyde, B. Parkinson, & S. Marriner, â€Å"The Nature and Profitability of the Liverpool Slave Trade†, The Economic History Review, Vol. 5, No. 3, 1953, p372; Anthony Benezet, Some historical account of Guinea, Philadelphia, 1771. [11] Thomas Clarkson, The history of the rise, progress, and accomplishment of the abolition of the African slave-trade by the British parliament, Vol. 1, London, 1808. 12] David Richardson, â€Å"Shipboard Revolts, African Authority, and the Atlantic Slave Trade†, p. 77. [13] David Richardson, â€Å"Slavery and Bristol’s ‘Golden Age’†, pp. 42-3. [14] Kenneth Morgan, â€Å"James Rogers and the Bristol slave trade†, Historical Research, Vol. 76, No. 192, 2003, pp. 195, 200. [15] Kenneth Morgan, â€Å"Bristol and the Atlantic Trade in the Eighteenth Century†, The English Historical Review, Vol. 107, No. 424, 1992, p. 641. [16] Similarly, South Carolinian voyages also fell by twenty-fiver per cent. Ibid. , p. 640. [17] Stephen D. Behrendt, â€Å"The Annual Volume and Regional Distribution of the British slave trade, 1780-1807†, Journal of African History, Vol. 38, 1997, p. 189. [18] Kenneth Morgan, â€Å"Shipping Patterns and the Atlantic Trade of Bristol, 1749-1770†, The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 46, No. 3. , 1989, pp. 515, 532. [19] Morgan, â€Å"Bristol and the Atlantic Trade in the Eighteenth Century†, p. 641. [20] Stephen D. Behrendt, â€Å"Markets, Transaction Cycles, and Profits: Merchant Decision Making in the British Slave Trade†, The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 58, No. 1, 2001, p. 88. [21] William Enfield, An essay towards the history of Leverpool, 2nd Ed. , 1774. [22] Morgan, â€Å"James Rogers and the Bristol slave trade†, p. 197. [23] Morgan, â€Å"Bristol and the Atlantic Trade in the Eighteenth Century†, p. 635. [24] Letter To Captain Richard Prankard commander of the Unity Snow to Angola, Bristol, 29 January 1732, Bristol Central Reference Library, The Jefferies Collection: Volume 13. [25] Morgan, â€Å"Bristol and the Atlantic Trade in the Eighteenth Century†, p. 635. [26] Ibid. ; Eric Williams, p. 67. [27] Gomer Williams, p. 467. 28] Liverpool & The Slave Trade, http://www. liverpoolinpictures. com/; Enfield, p. 85. [29] MacInnes, p. 175. [30] Morgan, â€Å"Bristol and the Atlantic Trade in the Eighteenth Century†, pp. 630-2. [31] Jones, p. 76; Ibid. [32] Mackenzie-Grive, p. 4. [33] Paul G. E. Clemens, â€Å"The Rise of Liverpool, 1665-1750†, The Economic History Review, Vol. 29, No. 2, 1976, p. 210. [34] Captain W. Black of the Ship Jupiter to James Rogers, owner of The Jupiter, 20th August 1790, James Rogers Papers, Public Record Office, C/107/12 [35] Richardson, â€Å"Slavery and Bristol’s ‘Golden Age’†, p. 40. 36] Morgan, â€Å"Bristol and the Atlantic Trade in the Eighteenth Century†, p. 645. [37] Morgan, â€Å"James Rogers and the Bristol slave trade†, p. 215. [38] Clemens, p. 215. [39] However, restrictions of two Negroes per ton reduced potential profits to 200 pounds Stirling per voyage. Hyde et al. , p. 372. [40] Liverpool & The Slave Trade, http://www. liverpoolinpictures. com. [41] Gomer Williams, p. 471. [42] Richardson, â€Å"Slavery and Bristol’s ‘Golden Age’†, p. 46-7. [43] Kenneth Morgan, â€Å"Bristol West India Merchants in the Eighteenth Century†, Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, Vol. , 1993, p. 205. [44] Morgan, â€Å"Bristol and the Atlantic Trade in the Eighteenth Century†, p. 628. [45] Clemens, p. 212-7. [46] Herbert S. Klein, â€Å"The English Slave Trade to Jamaica, 1782-1808†, The Economic History Review, Vol. 31, No. 1, 1978, p. 42. [47] Richardson, â€Å"Slavery and Bristol’s ‘Golden Age’†, p. 47. [48] Jones, p. 71. [49] Morgan, â€Å"Bristol and the Atlantic Trade in the Eighteenth Century†, p. 646. [50] Morga n, â€Å"Bristol West India Merchants in the Eighteenth Century†, p. 204. [51] Ibid. , p. 203. [52] Ibid. , p. 205. [53] Clemens, p. 217. 54] Morgan, â€Å"James Rogers and the Bristol slave trade†, pp. 205, 209, 215. [55] Clemens, p. 219. [56] Richardson, â€Å"Slavery and Bristol’s ‘Golden Age’†, p. 46. [57] Morgan, â€Å"James Rogers and the Bristol slave trade†, p. 199. [58] Clemens, pp. 213-8. [59] Behrendt, â€Å"Markets, Transaction Cycles†, p. 172. [60] Gomer Williams, p. 471. [61] Morgan, â€Å"James Rogers and the Bristol slave trade†, pp. 196, 203. [62] Mackenzie-Grive, p. 4. [63] Morgan, â€Å"Bristol and the Atlantic Trade in the Eighteenth Century†, p. 633. [64] Gomer Williams, p. 471; MacInnes, p. 170. [65] Ibid. , p. 470. [66] Clemens, pp. 215, 221.

Reading Response Essay

The September Sisters, by Jillian Cantor, is a story about two sisters, Abigail, the oldest and Becky the youngest. They both fight a lot and make each other’s life miserable, that’s all they do, then Becky disappears in the middle of the night, Abby struggles to cope with her own feeling of guilt and loss. Aby meets a new neighbor, Tommy, who with time, discover that love can bloom, even when it’s surrounded by thorns. This is shown by the author with tone, imagery and similes. Abigail feels a sense of guilt through the disappearance of Becky, they would always fight for no reason or for stupid reasons and now that she realizes that she’s gone. She struggles with this deep feeling of sorrow. â€Å"I felt this sudden surge of guilt, as if I should’ve heard everything, should’ve heard Becky get out of bed,† page 13. Throughout the book whole book, the tone is always said as guilt and grief. â€Å"Every time I got in the swimming pool or I looked at the inner tube, I thought about Becky swimming toward me, wanting the pink one so bad, I’d feel so guilty, and I’d think, why didn’t I just let her have it? What was the big deal anyway? She could’ve had this one thing; it wouldn’t have been so much to give,† page 296. Jillian Cantor gives us a very strong feeling of sorrow and grief to capture, which tells us the theme throughout the story. There’s also a big amount of similes used to show the theme. â€Å"Our house is like a prison, something that sometimes feels like it’s keeping me in, locked away, not keeping other people out,† page 17. Abigail feels trapped with all this situation of her sister missing, rather than feeling protected, its vice-versa. Another example is, â€Å"The kiss was short, and when he pulled back, I could see his breath, like frosting, lighting up the air,† page 189. When Aby uses â€Å"frosting,† it’s sweet and good, so Aby describes his presence as sweet air, making her happy, which goes with the theme of innocence of young love. The way Jillian Cantor captures images about what is going on is by giving imagery. â€Å"Becky’s hair was straight, dirty blond, and just past her shoulders. She had green eyes and pinkish sunburned skin in the summer. She had dimples. She had some freckles on her nose. She had two-inch scar just above her right elbow, from the time she fell off her bike. She was four feet eight inches tall, and she weighted seventy-three pounds. She was ten years old,† page 28. The author uses vivid amount of sentences to imagine how Becky looked before she went missing. â€Å" I felt his lips moving over mine, his tongue pushing slowly into my mouth, and it all felt perfectly and warm and so nice,† page 315. Abigail is comfortable with his presence when she’s with him and feels warmth by his side. I certainly picture this scene as it goes. The warmth of love and innocence is captured in this quote. Jillian Cantor really gives out the theme by expressing himself with tone, imagery and similes; even though there’s hard times in life, love always makes its way through, it will be there, through thick and thin. This innocent young love was told in this story with Tommy and Abigail. Abigail struggled with the disappearance of her younger sister but the love that Tommy and her gave each other made love bloom, through this hard situation of her family and her.

Blood Promise Chapter TwentyFour

I’d never seen it coming. Hell, no one had. Avery had made a good show of being an air user. Each Moroi had a very low level of control in each element. She’d just barely done enough with air to make it seem like that was her specialization. No one had questioned her further because honestly, who would have ever expected another spirit user around? And since she was out of school, she had no reason to be tested anymore or forced to demonstrate her ability. No one was there to call her on it. The more I thought about it, the more the little signs were there. The charming personality, the way she could talk people into anything. How many of her interactions were spirit controlled? And was it possible†¦ was it possible that Adrian’s attraction had been compulsion on her part? I had no reason to feel happy about that, but†¦ well, I did. More to the point, what did Avery want with Lissa? Avery compelling Adrian into liking her wasn’t too out there. He was good-looking and came from an important family. He was the queen’s great-nephew, and although family members of the current monarch could never inherit the throne immediately afterward, he’d have a good future, one that would always keep him in the highest circles of society. But Lissa? What was Avery’s game there? What did she have to gain? Lissa’s behavior all made sense now-the uncharacteristic partying, weird moods, jealousy, fights with Christian†¦ Avery was pushing Lissa over the edge, causing her to make horrible choices. Avery was using some sort of compulsion to spin Lissa out of control, alienating her and putting her life in danger. Why? What did Avery want? It didn’t matter. The why wasn’t important. The how was, as in how I was going to get out of here and back to my best friend. I looked down at myself, at the delicate silk dress I wore. Suddenly, I hated it. It was a sign of how I’d been, weak and useless. I hastily took it off and ransacked my closet. They’d taken away my jeans and T-shirt, but I’d at least been allowed to keep my hoodie. I put on the green sweater dress, seeing as it was the sturdiest thing I had, feeling moderately more capable. I slipped the hoodie on over it. It hardly made me feel like a badass warrior, but I did feel more competent. Sufficiently dressed for action, I returned to the living room and started that pacing that tended to help me think better-not that I had any reason to believe I was going to come up with new ideas. I’d been trying to for days and days with no luck. Nothing was going to change. â€Å"Damn it!† I yelled, feeling better with the outburst. Angry, I flounced into the desk chair, amazed that I hadn’t simply thrown it against the wall in my frustration. The chair wobbled, ever so slightly. Frowning, I stood up and looked at it. Everything else in this place was state-of-the-art. Odd that I’d have a faulty chair. I knelt down and examined it more closely. There, on one of the legs, was a crack near where the leg joined with the seat. I stared. All of the furniture here was industrial strength, with no obvious joints. I should know, seeing how long I’d beat this chair against the wall when I first arrived. I hadn’t even dented it. Where had this crack come from? Slamming it over and over had done nothing. But I hadn’t been the only one to hit it. That very first day, I’d fought with Dimitri and come after him with the chair. He’d taken it from me and thrown it against the wall. I’d never paid attention to it again, having given up on breaking it. When I’d later tried cracking the window, I’d used an end table because it was heavier. My strength hadn’t been able to damage the chair-but his had. I picked up the chair and immediately slammed it into that diamond-hard window, half-hoping I might kill two birds with one stone. Nope. Both remained intact. So I did it again. And again. I lost track of how many times I slammed that chair into the glass. My hands hurt, and I knew despite my recovery, I still wasn’t at full strength. It was infuriating. Finally, on what felt like my gazillionth try, I looked at the chair and saw the crack had grown bigger. The progress renewed my will and strength. I hit and hit, ignoring the pain as the wood bit into my hands. At long last, I heard a crack, and the leg broke off. I picked it up and stared in amazement. The break hadn’t been clean. It was splintered and sharp. Sharp enough to be a stake? I wasn’t sure. But I knew for a fact that wood was hard, and if I used enough force, I might be able to hit a Strigoi’s heart. It wouldn’t kill one, but the blow would stun. I didn’t know if it’d be enough to get me out of here, but it was all I had now. And it was a hell of a lot more than I’d had one hour ago. I sat back on the bed, recovering from my battle with the chair and tossing the makeshift stake back and forth. Okay. I had a weapon now. But what could I do with it? Dimitri’s face flashed in my mind’s eye. Damn it. There was no question about it. He was the obvious target, the one I’d have to deal with first. The door suddenly clicked open, and I looked up with alarm. Quickly, I shoved the chair into a dark corner as panic raced through me. No, no. I wasn’t ready. I hadn’t fully convinced myself to stake him. It was Inna. She carried a tray but didn’t wear her usual subservient expression. The brief look she gave me was filled with hate. I didn’t know what she had to be pissed off about. It wasn’t like I’d caused her any damage. Yet. I strode over like I was going to examine the tray. Lifting the lid, I saw a ham sandwich and french fries. It looked good-I hadn’t eaten in a while -but the adrenaline running through me had shoved any appetite I might have to the background. I glanced back up at her, smiling sweetly. She shot me daggers. Don’t hesitate, Dimitri had always said. I didn’t. I jumped at Inna, throwing her so hard against the floor that her head slammed back. She looked dazed, but quickly recovered and tried to fight back. I wasn’t drugged up this time-well, not much-and my years of training and natural strength finally showed themselves again. I pressed my body against her, keeping her firmly in place. Then, I produced the stake I’d had concealed and pressed those sharp points against her neck. It was like being back in the days of pinning Strigoi in alleys. She couldn’t see that my weapon was a chair leg, but the sharp points got her attention as I dug them into her throat. â€Å"The code,† I said. â€Å"What is the code?† Her only response was a string of obscenities in Russian. Okay, not a surprise, considering she probably didn’t understand me. I flipped through the meager Russian-English dictionary in my head. I’d been in the country long enough to pick up some vocabulary. Admittedly, it was equivalent to a two-year-old’s, but even they could communicate. â€Å"Numbers,† I said in Russian. â€Å"Door.† At least, that’s what I hoped I said. She said more impolite things to me, her expression defiant. It really was the Strigoi interrogation all over. My stake bit harder, drawing blood, and I forcibly restrained myself. I might question whether I had the strength to pierce a Strigoi heart with this, but severing a human’s vein? Cake. She faltered a little, apparently realizing the same thing. Again, I attempted my broken Russian. â€Å"Kill you. No Nathan. Never†¦Ã¢â‚¬  What was the word? The church service came back to me, and I hoped I had it right. â€Å"Never eternal life.† It got her attention. Nathan and eternal life. The things most important to her. She bit her lip, still angry, but her tirade had stopped. â€Å"Numbers. Door,† I repeated. I pushed the stake in harder, and she cried out in pain. At last she spoke, rattling off a series of digits. Russian numbers were something I had memorized pretty solidly, at least. They were essential for addresses and phone numbers. She cited seven numbers. â€Å"Again,† I said. I made her say it three times and hoped I had it. But there was more. I was pretty sure the outer door had a different code. â€Å"Numbers. Door. Two.† I felt like a caveman. Inna stared, not quite getting it. â€Å"Door. Two.† Understanding glinted in her eyes, and she looked mad. I think she’d hoped I wouldn’t realize the other door had its own code. More cutting with the stake made her scream seven more numbers. Again, I made her repeat them, realizing I had no way to know if she was telling me the truth at least until I tried the numbers. For that reason, I decided to keep her around. I felt guilty about what I did next, but these were desperate times. In guardian training, I’d been taught both to kill and to incapacitate. I did the latter this time, slamming her head back against the floor and rendering her unconscious. Her expression went slack, her eyelids drooping. Damn. I was reduced to hurting teenage humans. Standing up, I moved to the door and punched in the first set of numbers, hoping I had them right. To my complete and utter astonishment, I did. The electronic lock clicked, but before I could open the door, I just barely made out another click. Someone had unlocked the outer door. â€Å"Shit,† I muttered. I pulled away from the door immediately, picked up Inna’s unconscious body, and hurried to the bathroom. I set her in the tub as gently as possible and had just shut the bathroom door when I heard the main door open. I felt the telltale nausea that signaled a Strigoi was nearby. I knew one of the Strigoi could smell a human, and I hoped shutting her away would be enough to mute Inna’s scent. I emerged from the hall and found Dimitri in the living room. I grinned at him and ran into his arms. â€Å"You’re back,† I said happily. He held me briefly and then stepped back. â€Å"Yes.† He seemed slightly pleased at the greeting, but soon his face was all business. â€Å"Have you made your decision?† No hello. No how are you feeling? My heart sank. This wasn’t Dimitri. â€Å"I have more questions.† I went over to the bed and lay down in a casual way, just like we always did. He followed a few moments later and sat on the edge, looking down at me. â€Å"How long will it take?† I asked. â€Å"When you awaken me? Is it instantaneous?† Once more, I launched into an interrogation session. Honestly, I was running out of questions, and at this point, I didn’t really want to know the intricacies of becoming Strigoi. I was becoming more and more agitated with each passing moment. I had to act. I had to make use of my fleeting opportunity here. And yet†¦ before I could act, I had to reassure myself that this really wasn’t Dimitri. It was stupid. I should know by now. I could see the physical changes. I’d seen his coldness, the brutality. I’d seen him come fresh from a kill. This wasn’t the man I’d loved. And yet†¦ for that one fleeting moment earlier†¦ With a sigh, Dimitri stretched out beside me. â€Å"Rose,† he interrupted, â€Å"if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were stalling for time.† Yeah, even as a Strigoi, Dimitri knew how I thought and schemed. I realized if I was going to be convincing, I had to stop playing dumb and remember to be Rose Hathaway. I put on a look of outrage. â€Å"Of course I am! This is a big deal. I came here to kill you, and now you’re asking me to join you. You think this is easy for me to do?† â€Å"Do you think it’s been easy for me to wait this long?† he asked. â€Å"The only ones who get choices are Moroi who willingly kill, like the Ozeras. No one else gets a choice. I didn’t get a choice.† â€Å"And don’t you regret that?† â€Å"No, not now. Now that I’m who I was meant to be.† He frowned. â€Å"The only thing hurt is my pride-that Nathan forced me and that he acts as though I’m indebted to him. Which is why I’m being kind enough to give you the choice now, for the sake of your pride.† Kind, huh? I looked at him and felt my heart breaking all over again. It was like hearing the news of his death once more. I suddenly grew afraid I might cry. No. No tears. Dimitri always talked about prey and predators. I had to be the predator. â€Å"You’re sweating,† he said suddenly. â€Å"Why?† Damn, damn, damn. Of course I was sweating. I was contemplating staking the man I loved-or thought I’d loved. And along with sweat, I was sure I was giving off pheromones of my agitation. Strigoi could smell all of those things, too. â€Å"Because I’m scared,† I whispered. I propped myself up and stroked the edge of his face, trying to memorize all of his features. The eyes. The hair. The shape of his cheekbones. In my imagination, I overlaid the things I remembered. Dark eyes. Tanned skin. Sweet smile. â€Å"I†¦ I think I’m ready, but it’s†¦ I don’t know. It’s such a big thing.† â€Å"It’ll be the best decision of your life, Roza.† My breathing was growing rapid, and I prayed he’d think it was because of my fear of being turned. â€Å"Tell me again. One more time. Why do you want to awaken me so badly?† A slightly weary look crossed his face. â€Å"Because I want you. I’ve always wanted you.† And that’s when I knew. I finally realized the problem. He’d given that same answer over and over, and each time, something about it had bothered me. I’d never been able to pinpoint it, though. Now I could. He wanted me. Wanted me in the way people wanted possessions or collectibles. The Dimitri I’d known†¦ the one I’d fallen for and slept with†¦ that Dimitri would have said he wanted us to be together because he loved me. There was no love here. I smiled at him. Leaning down, I kissed him gently. He probably thought I was doing it for the reasons I always did, out of attraction and desire. In truth, it was a goodbye kiss. His mouth answered mine, his lips warm and eager. I held out the kiss a little longer, both to fight back the tears leaking out of my eyes and to lull him into an unsuspecting state. My hand closed around the chair leg, which I’d hidden in my hoodie pocket. I would never forget Dimitri, not for the rest of my life. And this time, I wouldn’t forget his lessons. With a speed he wasn’t ready for, I struck out and plunged the stake through his chest. My strength was there-sliding the stake past the ribs and straight into his heart. And as I did it, it was like piercing my own heart at the same time. Blood Promise Chapter TwentyFour I’d never seen it coming. Hell, no one had. Avery had made a good show of being an air user. Each Moroi had a very low level of control in each element. She’d just barely done enough with air to make it seem like that was her specialization. No one had questioned her further because honestly, who would have ever expected another spirit user around? And since she was out of school, she had no reason to be tested anymore or forced to demonstrate her ability. No one was there to call her on it. The more I thought about it, the more the little signs were there. The charming personality, the way she could talk people into anything. How many of her interactions were spirit controlled? And was it possible†¦ was it possible that Adrian’s attraction had been compulsion on her part? I had no reason to feel happy about that, but†¦ well, I did. More to the point, what did Avery want with Lissa? Avery compelling Adrian into liking her wasn’t too out there. He was good-looking and came from an important family. He was the queen’s great-nephew, and although family members of the current monarch could never inherit the throne immediately afterward, he’d have a good future, one that would always keep him in the highest circles of society. But Lissa? What was Avery’s game there? What did she have to gain? Lissa’s behavior all made sense now-the uncharacteristic partying, weird moods, jealousy, fights with Christian†¦ Avery was pushing Lissa over the edge, causing her to make horrible choices. Avery was using some sort of compulsion to spin Lissa out of control, alienating her and putting her life in danger. Why? What did Avery want? It didn’t matter. The why wasn’t important. The how was, as in how I was going to get out of here and back to my best friend. I looked down at myself, at the delicate silk dress I wore. Suddenly, I hated it. It was a sign of how I’d been, weak and useless. I hastily took it off and ransacked my closet. They’d taken away my jeans and T-shirt, but I’d at least been allowed to keep my hoodie. I put on the green sweater dress, seeing as it was the sturdiest thing I had, feeling moderately more capable. I slipped the hoodie on over it. It hardly made me feel like a badass warrior, but I did feel more competent. Sufficiently dressed for action, I returned to the living room and started that pacing that tended to help me think better-not that I had any reason to believe I was going to come up with new ideas. I’d been trying to for days and days with no luck. Nothing was going to change. â€Å"Damn it!† I yelled, feeling better with the outburst. Angry, I flounced into the desk chair, amazed that I hadn’t simply thrown it against the wall in my frustration. The chair wobbled, ever so slightly. Frowning, I stood up and looked at it. Everything else in this place was state-of-the-art. Odd that I’d have a faulty chair. I knelt down and examined it more closely. There, on one of the legs, was a crack near where the leg joined with the seat. I stared. All of the furniture here was industrial strength, with no obvious joints. I should know, seeing how long I’d beat this chair against the wall when I first arrived. I hadn’t even dented it. Where had this crack come from? Slamming it over and over had done nothing. But I hadn’t been the only one to hit it. That very first day, I’d fought with Dimitri and come after him with the chair. He’d taken it from me and thrown it against the wall. I’d never paid attention to it again, having given up on breaking it. When I’d later tried cracking the window, I’d used an end table because it was heavier. My strength hadn’t been able to damage the chair-but his had. I picked up the chair and immediately slammed it into that diamond-hard window, half-hoping I might kill two birds with one stone. Nope. Both remained intact. So I did it again. And again. I lost track of how many times I slammed that chair into the glass. My hands hurt, and I knew despite my recovery, I still wasn’t at full strength. It was infuriating. Finally, on what felt like my gazillionth try, I looked at the chair and saw the crack had grown bigger. The progress renewed my will and strength. I hit and hit, ignoring the pain as the wood bit into my hands. At long last, I heard a crack, and the leg broke off. I picked it up and stared in amazement. The break hadn’t been clean. It was splintered and sharp. Sharp enough to be a stake? I wasn’t sure. But I knew for a fact that wood was hard, and if I used enough force, I might be able to hit a Strigoi’s heart. It wouldn’t kill one, but the blow would stun. I didn’t know if it’d be enough to get me out of here, but it was all I had now. And it was a hell of a lot more than I’d had one hour ago. I sat back on the bed, recovering from my battle with the chair and tossing the makeshift stake back and forth. Okay. I had a weapon now. But what could I do with it? Dimitri’s face flashed in my mind’s eye. Damn it. There was no question about it. He was the obvious target, the one I’d have to deal with first. The door suddenly clicked open, and I looked up with alarm. Quickly, I shoved the chair into a dark corner as panic raced through me. No, no. I wasn’t ready. I hadn’t fully convinced myself to stake him. It was Inna. She carried a tray but didn’t wear her usual subservient expression. The brief look she gave me was filled with hate. I didn’t know what she had to be pissed off about. It wasn’t like I’d caused her any damage. Yet. I strode over like I was going to examine the tray. Lifting the lid, I saw a ham sandwich and french fries. It looked good-I hadn’t eaten in a while -but the adrenaline running through me had shoved any appetite I might have to the background. I glanced back up at her, smiling sweetly. She shot me daggers. Don’t hesitate, Dimitri had always said. I didn’t. I jumped at Inna, throwing her so hard against the floor that her head slammed back. She looked dazed, but quickly recovered and tried to fight back. I wasn’t drugged up this time-well, not much-and my years of training and natural strength finally showed themselves again. I pressed my body against her, keeping her firmly in place. Then, I produced the stake I’d had concealed and pressed those sharp points against her neck. It was like being back in the days of pinning Strigoi in alleys. She couldn’t see that my weapon was a chair leg, but the sharp points got her attention as I dug them into her throat. â€Å"The code,† I said. â€Å"What is the code?† Her only response was a string of obscenities in Russian. Okay, not a surprise, considering she probably didn’t understand me. I flipped through the meager Russian-English dictionary in my head. I’d been in the country long enough to pick up some vocabulary. Admittedly, it was equivalent to a two-year-old’s, but even they could communicate. â€Å"Numbers,† I said in Russian. â€Å"Door.† At least, that’s what I hoped I said. She said more impolite things to me, her expression defiant. It really was the Strigoi interrogation all over. My stake bit harder, drawing blood, and I forcibly restrained myself. I might question whether I had the strength to pierce a Strigoi heart with this, but severing a human’s vein? Cake. She faltered a little, apparently realizing the same thing. Again, I attempted my broken Russian. â€Å"Kill you. No Nathan. Never†¦Ã¢â‚¬  What was the word? The church service came back to me, and I hoped I had it right. â€Å"Never eternal life.† It got her attention. Nathan and eternal life. The things most important to her. She bit her lip, still angry, but her tirade had stopped. â€Å"Numbers. Door,† I repeated. I pushed the stake in harder, and she cried out in pain. At last she spoke, rattling off a series of digits. Russian numbers were something I had memorized pretty solidly, at least. They were essential for addresses and phone numbers. She cited seven numbers. â€Å"Again,† I said. I made her say it three times and hoped I had it. But there was more. I was pretty sure the outer door had a different code. â€Å"Numbers. Door. Two.† I felt like a caveman. Inna stared, not quite getting it. â€Å"Door. Two.† Understanding glinted in her eyes, and she looked mad. I think she’d hoped I wouldn’t realize the other door had its own code. More cutting with the stake made her scream seven more numbers. Again, I made her repeat them, realizing I had no way to know if she was telling me the truth at least until I tried the numbers. For that reason, I decided to keep her around. I felt guilty about what I did next, but these were desperate times. In guardian training, I’d been taught both to kill and to incapacitate. I did the latter this time, slamming her head back against the floor and rendering her unconscious. Her expression went slack, her eyelids drooping. Damn. I was reduced to hurting teenage humans. Standing up, I moved to the door and punched in the first set of numbers, hoping I had them right. To my complete and utter astonishment, I did. The electronic lock clicked, but before I could open the door, I just barely made out another click. Someone had unlocked the outer door. â€Å"Shit,† I muttered. I pulled away from the door immediately, picked up Inna’s unconscious body, and hurried to the bathroom. I set her in the tub as gently as possible and had just shut the bathroom door when I heard the main door open. I felt the telltale nausea that signaled a Strigoi was nearby. I knew one of the Strigoi could smell a human, and I hoped shutting her away would be enough to mute Inna’s scent. I emerged from the hall and found Dimitri in the living room. I grinned at him and ran into his arms. â€Å"You’re back,† I said happily. He held me briefly and then stepped back. â€Å"Yes.† He seemed slightly pleased at the greeting, but soon his face was all business. â€Å"Have you made your decision?† No hello. No how are you feeling? My heart sank. This wasn’t Dimitri. â€Å"I have more questions.† I went over to the bed and lay down in a casual way, just like we always did. He followed a few moments later and sat on the edge, looking down at me. â€Å"How long will it take?† I asked. â€Å"When you awaken me? Is it instantaneous?† Once more, I launched into an interrogation session. Honestly, I was running out of questions, and at this point, I didn’t really want to know the intricacies of becoming Strigoi. I was becoming more and more agitated with each passing moment. I had to act. I had to make use of my fleeting opportunity here. And yet†¦ before I could act, I had to reassure myself that this really wasn’t Dimitri. It was stupid. I should know by now. I could see the physical changes. I’d seen his coldness, the brutality. I’d seen him come fresh from a kill. This wasn’t the man I’d loved. And yet†¦ for that one fleeting moment earlier†¦ With a sigh, Dimitri stretched out beside me. â€Å"Rose,† he interrupted, â€Å"if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were stalling for time.† Yeah, even as a Strigoi, Dimitri knew how I thought and schemed. I realized if I was going to be convincing, I had to stop playing dumb and remember to be Rose Hathaway. I put on a look of outrage. â€Å"Of course I am! This is a big deal. I came here to kill you, and now you’re asking me to join you. You think this is easy for me to do?† â€Å"Do you think it’s been easy for me to wait this long?† he asked. â€Å"The only ones who get choices are Moroi who willingly kill, like the Ozeras. No one else gets a choice. I didn’t get a choice.† â€Å"And don’t you regret that?† â€Å"No, not now. Now that I’m who I was meant to be.† He frowned. â€Å"The only thing hurt is my pride-that Nathan forced me and that he acts as though I’m indebted to him. Which is why I’m being kind enough to give you the choice now, for the sake of your pride.† Kind, huh? I looked at him and felt my heart breaking all over again. It was like hearing the news of his death once more. I suddenly grew afraid I might cry. No. No tears. Dimitri always talked about prey and predators. I had to be the predator. â€Å"You’re sweating,† he said suddenly. â€Å"Why?† Damn, damn, damn. Of course I was sweating. I was contemplating staking the man I loved-or thought I’d loved. And along with sweat, I was sure I was giving off pheromones of my agitation. Strigoi could smell all of those things, too. â€Å"Because I’m scared,† I whispered. I propped myself up and stroked the edge of his face, trying to memorize all of his features. The eyes. The hair. The shape of his cheekbones. In my imagination, I overlaid the things I remembered. Dark eyes. Tanned skin. Sweet smile. â€Å"I†¦ I think I’m ready, but it’s†¦ I don’t know. It’s such a big thing.† â€Å"It’ll be the best decision of your life, Roza.† My breathing was growing rapid, and I prayed he’d think it was because of my fear of being turned. â€Å"Tell me again. One more time. Why do you want to awaken me so badly?† A slightly weary look crossed his face. â€Å"Because I want you. I’ve always wanted you.† And that’s when I knew. I finally realized the problem. He’d given that same answer over and over, and each time, something about it had bothered me. I’d never been able to pinpoint it, though. Now I could. He wanted me. Wanted me in the way people wanted possessions or collectibles. The Dimitri I’d known†¦ the one I’d fallen for and slept with†¦ that Dimitri would have said he wanted us to be together because he loved me. There was no love here. I smiled at him. Leaning down, I kissed him gently. He probably thought I was doing it for the reasons I always did, out of attraction and desire. In truth, it was a goodbye kiss. His mouth answered mine, his lips warm and eager. I held out the kiss a little longer, both to fight back the tears leaking out of my eyes and to lull him into an unsuspecting state. My hand closed around the chair leg, which I’d hidden in my hoodie pocket. I would never forget Dimitri, not for the rest of my life. And this time, I wouldn’t forget his lessons. With a speed he wasn’t ready for, I struck out and plunged the stake through his chest. My strength was there-sliding the stake past the ribs and straight into his heart. And as I did it, it was like piercing my own heart at the same time.