Monday, December 30, 2019

The General Strain Theory And Juvenile Delinquency

Introduction The general strain theory is an established theory that provides a basic understanding relating to different elements leading to specific criminal behaviors. The theory has been of importance in trying to map criminal patterns among individuals involved in criminal behavior, thereby creating a platform for their rehabilitation. The general strain theory has had a close connection to juvenile delinquency, as it creates a platform where psychologists can define some of the key factors prompting teenagers and youths to engage in criminal behaviors. According to Zhang (2008), teenagers and youths tend to become highly vulnerable to lack of emotional control attributed to an aspect of negative emotions, which do not include anger, thereby creating a platform for them to engage in behaviors that would be characterized as criminal. The main research problem of this report is to create a connection between the general strain theory and juvenile delinquency. Literature Review A review of a wide range of literature indicates that researchers have conducted significant research on this particular topic on juvenile delinquency and the impacts that the general strain theory has had in understanding such behaviors. However, the majority of these studies have not been able to provide a clear connection between the negative behaviors shown among teenagers and youths and their criminal behaviors. In most cases, researchers argue that such behaviors may come about due toShow MoreRelatedThe General Strain Theory Of Female Delinquency1253 Words   |  6 Pagestheories. A major theory used to explain female delinquency is the general strain theory (GST). According to Bartollas, â€Å"GST explains female delinquency by contending that many females experience harsh discipline, parental rejection, peer abuse, negative secondary school experience, homelessness, and a strong need for money;† these strains can cause females to cope through delinquent behavior (73). The social learning theory also explains female delinquency as â€Å"some females tend to associate withRead MoreFor the purpose of this research, the proposed theories that will be used are Agnew’s General600 Words   |  3 Pagesresearch, the proposed theories that will be used are Agnew’s General Strain Theory and Labeling Theory. Robert Agnew is one the most recognizable theorist in the criminal justice profession. General Strain Theory is influential very influential with explaining juvenile delinquency. Agnew’s Strain theory is not the main theory of this research but when examining juvenile delinquency as a whole and the beginning it gives an explanation for that not in social science. This theory is used as the basicRead MoreThe Revival of the Strain Theory Essay1272 Words   |  6 Pagesconstantly looking for explanations for criminal patterns and crime rates among juveniles. They have presented many theories to serve as such explanations with strai n theory being one of them; however, like many other theories, strain theory was pushed aside decades ago. It was not until recently that this theory was given new life by criminologist, Robert Agnew. Robert Agnew introduced this new development as the general strain theory. GST was the first supposition that was not tied to social class or culturalRead MoreThe Pattern Of Juvenile Delinquency Is Strain Theory1156 Words   |  5 Pages Another relevant theory in regards to the pattern of juvenile delinquency is Strain Theory. In 1938, Robert Merton developed the theory of Strain to describe how social structures within society may pressure citizens (low socioeconomic status) to commit crimes. Merton felt that too much pressure to achieve goals, such as financial well-being, led to behaviors such as selling drugs. Merton’s theory relates to juvenile delinquency in that adolescents might experience overwhelming stress or pressureRead MoreFactors Of Sociologist Robert Agnews General Strain Theory996 Words   |  4 PagesOverview Sociologist Robert Agnew introduced the General Strain Theory (GST) in 1992, which argues that strain is the leading factor that causes someone to be delinquent or criminally motived. He categorizes three major types of strain that produces delinquency: the failure to achieve positively valued goals, removal of positively valued stimuli, and the introduction of negatively valued stimuli (Agnew et al., 2002, p. 44). These different forms of strain greatly increase the chances for an individualRead MoreThe Chicago School Of Sociology1624 Words   |  7 Pagesresearch is to ascertain if the Chicago school of sociology and â€Å"General Strain Theory (GST) share any type of relationship in regards to stress, criminal behavior that leads to crime, negative emotions base on the community in which they reside, and failure to achieve positively valued goals (i.e., status or money) because of their living conditions or environment† (â€Å"Review of the Roots†, n.d.). Literature Review General Strain Theory symbolizes the most significant theoretic developments in criminologyRead MoreContributing Factors to Juvenile Delinquency1620 Words   |  7 PagesJuvenile delinquency, according to Agnew and Brezina, is the violation of the law by a minor which is any persons under the age of 18 in most states. There are many contributing factors to juvenile delinquency such as domestic issues or stress at school, and there are also four different theories, strain, social learning, control, and labeling, to explain the different prospective of why it is thought that juveniles commence in delinquent behavior. This particular discussion however, is going toRead MoreJuvenile Delinquency A Sociological Approach1408 Words   |  6 PagesA juvenile delinquent is an individual under the age of eighteen years old who fails to abide by the law. When identifying the causes of juvenile delinquency society can slow down or prevent the behavior by using strategies. The quality of peer s, family, parenting, community and school area can all be predictors of juvenile delinquency. Theories help us explain why juveniles are engaging in delinquent behavior and it is important to understand why because it helps us explain the motives for theirRead MoreCauses Of Juvenile Delinquency. Authors John Hagan And1601 Words   |  7 PagesCauses of Juvenile Delinquency Authors John Hagan and Bill McCarthy of Cambridge University offer an insight between the relationship between juveniles and their participation to criminal activities. According to them, the primary theories they employed in understanding the dynamics of youth taking to the street are control theory and strain theory (Benjamin, 1999). Through control theory, the authors point out erratic parenting, family deprivation, neglect and abuse and other forms of parental rejectionRead MoreJuvenile criminal gangs have long been a significant issue with the criminal justice establishment.1100 Words   |  5 PagesJuvenile criminal gangs have long been a significant issue with the criminal justice establishment. Youths coming together to commit criminal acts normally attributed to adult and more vicious criminal organizations are now being routinely committed by juveniles. The reasons for these youths in committing the activities have somewhat baffled author tries as well as scholars and rese archers. It must be noted however, that juvenile delinquency is not new; laws in the past have sought to control the

Sunday, December 22, 2019

United States Economic Financial Crisis - 1639 Words

Throughout the years, different events occurred and influenced the global economy positively or negatively. For example, the oil crisis in the ‘70s negatively affected the economy just as bad as the Gulf War did in 1990. On the other side, the end of other wars had a positive effect on the economy, for example World War 2, which boosted the stock market and ended the Great Depression. When multiple negative effects occur at the same time, or when crises last for a long time allowing other negative effects to surface, crises tend to last longer and prevent a pick-up in growth. The current economic-financial crisis was indeed caused by the simultaneous occurrence of events in different parts of the world that all had a negative effect. These events are subtly different and therefore it is common that only one event is held responsible for the crisis. In reality, the world economy became critical due to the mix of four major events: 1) the unrestrained greed of financiers in the U.S. and U.K., which transformed bad mortgages into toxic financial assets 2) the habit of getting deeply indebted in the U.S. and U.K., 3) the excessive liquidity in Europe, 4) the real estate bubble in the U.S. and some European countries (Thomas, 2011) At the beginning of the financial collapse in the United States, many commentators, among which was the President of the Federal Reserve, hastily affirmed that the situation would only affect the United States and at most, the UK, where the banks,Show MoreRelatedWhat Is A Financial Crisis?1671 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is a financ ial crisis? According to Mishkin and Eakins (2015), â€Å"a financial crisis occurs when information flows in financial markets experience a particularly large disruption, with the result that financial frictions and credit spreads increase sharply and financial markets stop functioning. Then economic activity will collapse† (p.165). Throughout history the United States of America has experienced six significant financial crises. Each crisis left the United States of America’s economyRead MoreThe World s Economy Was Devastated1732 Words   |  7 PagesWith the crash of the United States Wall Street, the realm drove into what is now known as the â€Å"Great Recession†. Its neighbour to the north, Canada also felt these affects as unemployment and poverty grew. After a decade of despair, the massive rise in government spending for the Second World War and the reductions in taxes, the economies returned to prosper. With decades of industrialization, populatio n growth and surging economies, the Western World mainly the United States and Canada, becameRead MoreThe 2008 Financial Crisis Essay1326 Words   |  6 Pagesintroduction The 2008 financial crisis led to a sharp increase in mortgage foreclosures primarily subprime leading to a collapse in several mortgage lenders. Recurrent foreclosures and the harms of subprime mortgages were caused by loose lending practices, housing bubble, low interest rates and extreme risk taking (Zandi, 2008). Additionally, expert analysis on the 2008 financial crisis assert that the cause was also due to erroneous monetary policy moves and poor housing policies. The federal governmentRead MoreThe Financial Crisis Of 20071646 Words   |  7 PagesThe most recent financial crisis of 2007 was felt throughout the world, and brought about huge economic consequences that are still being felt to this day. Within the United States, the crisis undoubtedly resulted in a surge in poverty and unemployment, a significant drop in consumption, and the loss of trust in the capitalist economic system. Because of globalization, this crisis was felt through the intertwined global markets, af fecting underdeveloped countries even more. Historical eventsRead MoreLessons Of Resilience : What We Can Learn From The Subprime Mortgage Crisis Essay1499 Words   |  6 PagesLessons in Resilience: What We Can Learn from the Subprime Mortgage Crisis Like all financial markets, the United States housing market is characterized by its cyclical nature. Markets have ups and downs, peaks and troughs, and without variation, the housing market would not contribute to economic activity in the way that it does. Still, while fluctuations are a necessary and often beneficial truth, housing disasters and market crashes are crises that should and can be avoided with proper foresightRead MoreThe Global Financial Crisis Of Broward College920 Words   |  4 PagesResearch Paper: The Global Financial Crisis Michelle Beira Broward College There have been few financial crises in the United States. The Global Financial Crisis of 2008 to 2009 was the most recent and before that was The Great Depression of the 1930s. The Global Financial Crisis actually began in 2007 when prices of homes tanked. It not only affected the U.S. but it also affected economies overseas. The entire investment banking industry, some of the biggest insurance companies, enterprisesRead MoreThe Global Financial Crisis and The Regulation of Investment Banks1154 Words   |  5 Pagesimportant role in stimulating investments in the United States both from individuals and corporate. The global financial environment has over the last decade experienced enough changes as can be witnessed from the key economic indicators. These changes have significantly impacted various stakeholders such as financial markets, money markets, capital markets and the general micro and macro economics players. Countries have been hit by recession and economic meltdowns. The impacts of these changes areRead MoreEssay on Mortgage Crisis on Money Supply1480 Words   |  6 PagesImpact of the Mortgage Crisis on Money Supply in the US AMESIA HARRIS FINANCE 364 PROFESSOR CROSS Impact of the Mortgage Crisis on Money Supply in the US This paper presents the effects of expansionary monetary policy to macro economic variables in the economy. The United States of America recorded a mortgage crisis since 2007. The financial sector issued out massive amounts of money to individuals to acquire homes. This was in line with government campaigns for equitable housing of US citizensRead MoreChina And China Case Study1578 Words   |  7 PagesDiscrepancies, some of the distinctions in the information on the US imports from the PRC and Chinese fares to the US are explained by the changes in sending out costs from China and import costs in the US for products transported directly from one state to the other. Part of these differences is associated with the transfer of property during the delivery, which leads to a price premium when the owner changes (Xu, 2012). The publication of official statistics on the US trade is often accompanied byRead MoreThe World Experienced A Tremendous Financial Crisis Essay1131 Words   |  5 Pagestremendous financial crisis which rooted from the U.S housing market; moreover, it is considered by many economists as one of the worst recession since the Great Depression in 1930s. After posing a huge effect on the U.S economy, the financial crisis expanded to Europe and the rest of the world. It brought governments down, ruined economies, crumble financial corporations and impoverish individual lives. For example, the financial crisis has resulted in the collapse of massive financial institutions

Friday, December 13, 2019

Storm Born Chapter Eighteen Free Essays

It was like deja vu. Two fights, two blackouts, and two â€Å"mornings after† back in my own bed. Talk about tedious. We will write a custom essay sample on Storm Born Chapter Eighteen or any similar topic only for you Order Now Only this time, I wasn’t alone in bed. I knew Kiyo was with me even before I opened my eyes. I recognized his smell, the way his arms wrapped around me. They held me with delicacy now, not with the fierceness that usually seized him. â€Å"You don’t quit,† I murmured, blinking the sleep out of my eyes. â€Å"Even wounded, you’re still trying to get me back in bed.† â€Å"I’ve already got you here.† He lay on his side, his eyes staring into mine. Smiling, he ran a hand over my hair, smoothing it back. â€Å"I was so worried about you.† I snuggled against him, slowly dredging up memories from last night. â€Å"I was worried about you too. What happened? Why wouldn’t you change back?† â€Å"I did†¦eventually.† Well, that was obvious. I waited expectantly, needing more. â€Å"Being a kitsune isn’t just about the novelty of turning into a fox. It’s more than that. It’s like†¦I also can turn into – I don’t know – a fox god. No. That’s not right. I don’t know how to describe it.† â€Å"A superfox?† His soft laughter vibrated against my forehead, and he kissed the skin there. â€Å"That’s not quite right either. The foxes of the Otherworld are like the progenitors of mortal foxes in this world. They’re stronger, more powerful, wilder. I can change into one of those, but to do so†¦I almost have to give up my humanity. They’re too animal, too†¦I don’t know, primordial. When I’m a normal red fox, I’m still pretty much the same as I am now unless I’ve been in that form for a really long time. Then the human part starts to go. But for your ‘superfox,’ I’m already gone in one transformation. I can hang on to only a few human instincts – like that I had to fight that thing and that I had to protect you.† I took all this in, frowning. â€Å"But that doesn’t explain why you didn’t change back.† â€Å"It takes time to go in and out of that form. The change is more than physical. I have to give up my human nature to go in, my fox nature to come out. Both are hard. That’s why it took me awhile to even help in the first place. I had to make a quick call, even though it left you undefended. I thought I’d do more damage in the other form.† â€Å"Yeah, you did do a pretty good job. But you sure scared me there.† I fell silent, recalling those terrible moments of uncertainty while I bled all over myself. â€Å"When did you finally change back?† â€Å"Not long after you passed out, I think.† â€Å"That would explain why I’m still alive.† He nodded. â€Å"You lost a lot of blood. You needed ten stitches.† I blinked. â€Å"Did you take me to a doctor?† He grinned. â€Å"You bet I did.† It took me a moment to catch on. I pulled back the covers and lifted the skirt of one of my racier and rarely used nightgowns – how’d I get dressed in that anyway? – and saw black stitches standing out starkly against my skin, off to the side of my stomach. â€Å"You did this?† I exclaimed. â€Å"You stitched me up? Without a doctor?† â€Å"I am a doctor. I do this all the time.† â€Å"Yeah†¦to cats and dogs. Not to people.† â€Å"It’s exactly the same. We’re animals too.† I eyed the stitches uneasily. The skin around them was red. â€Å"Was everything sanitized?† He made a disparaging sound in his throat. â€Å"Of course it was. The standards are the same. Come on, stop worrying. It was either that or let you bleed to death in the car. I had a kit in the back and used it.† â€Å"How’d you have enough light out there?† â€Å"The overhead lamp still worked.† I couldn’t believe he’d stitched me up in a smashed car with a vet’s kit. Improvisation at its best. â€Å"Did the car actually start?† â€Å"Sort of†¦I got us back to the freeway before it died. I found your cell phone and called Tim.† â€Å"Poor Tim. When I first told him I was a shaman, I think he thought it was as fake as his own Indian charade.† â€Å"Wait – he’s not actually Indian? I’ve been trying forever to figure out what tribe he’s from.† â€Å"He’s from the tribe of Tim Warkoski. It’s ridiculous, but – â€Å" The air in the room rippled, pressure building. I had to blink a few times to ensure the shimmering around us wasn’t in my head. Kiyo propped himself up, alert and wary. The pressure abruptly faded. A rift from the Otherworld opened up in front of us, and suddenly Dorian stood on a small table in the corner. Not unexpectedly, it promptly broke under his weight, making a horrible crashing sound as its pieces and contents fell to the floor. To his credit, he sidestepped the disaster rather gracefully, easily landing both feet on the floor. I winced, seeing the anchor ring lying among the debris. I’d set it on the table, not considering the consequences of Dorian arriving exactly where it lay. â€Å"What the hell – † Kiyo started to climb out of bed, but I was in his way. I laid a restraining hand on his chest. â€Å"No, it’s all right. He’s here for our next lesson. Jesus†¦I can’t believe it’s that time already.† I’d lost a lot of time since the car. Dorian wore his usual simple but fine clothes, covered by another elaborate robe. This one was black satin, edged in silver and small seed pearls. If the present circumstances surprised him, he didn’t show it. He kept his face typically unimpressed and sardonic. His smile twisted as he regarded us. â€Å"I can come back later if it’s more convenient. I do so hate to interrupt.† â€Å"No, no,† I said hastily, sitting up and swinging my legs over the bed’s edge. The movement uncomfortably tugged the skin around my stitches. â€Å"We were just, um†¦resting.† Dorian arched an eyebrow. â€Å"You rest in that?† I glanced down, flushing. I’d worn this exactly once when Dean and I had gone to Mexico for a weekend. The nightgown was pale green, its top and bottom hems ornamented with elaborate green leaves and tiny pink flowers. The mid-thigh-length skirt was sheer chiffon. Note to self: Never let Kiyo dress me again, unconsciousness notwithstanding. Tim chose that moment to walk in, summoned by the noise. â€Å"Eug, what†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His mouth dropped – and not just because of me. I looked around at us all: me in my nightgown, Kiyo bare-chested, Dorian in his extravagant robes, and Tim in his Native getup. â€Å"God,† I muttered, standing up, â€Å"we look like the Village People.† I pulled the terry cloth robe over me, wondering how I always seemed to be half-naked lately. Tim continued to stare, wearing the shocked look of one who has just walked in on his parents having sex. â€Å"Everything’s fine,† I told him. He still didn’t move, and I waved a hand in front of his face. â€Å"Hey, wake up. Think you can make some breakfast?† He blinked. â€Å"It’s three in the afternoon.† I gave him a pathetic look. The familiarity of it seemed to snap him back to normal. He could never resist it. That, or he felt he owed me food for the free rent. â€Å"What do you want?† â€Å"Eggs and toast.† â€Å"Healthy or unhealthy toast?† I considered. â€Å"Healthy.† â€Å"Are your, uh, friends eating too?† I glanced at the other two men. â€Å"I’d love to,† replied Dorian with a cordial half-bow. â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"Famished,† said Kiyo, eyes still narrowed on Dorian. â€Å"Thanks, Tim, you’re the best.† I practically pushed him out the door. â€Å"Charming man,† remarked Dorian politely. He glanced around. â€Å"And a charming room.† The broken table aside, the room’s other contents included: a pile of laundry, the wicker chair, a case of ammunition, a dresser, and a small desk with my laptop and a half-finished puzzle of the Eiffel Tower. The room didn’t have a lot of space, so everything had been jammed in. It all seemed so chintzy compared to the opulence of his bedroom. Kiyo also got out of bed, wearing just a pair of jeans. â€Å"You want to tell me again what’s going on?† â€Å"I already did.† I opened my dresser and pulled out a pair of jeans and a shirt that said I’LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO CRY ABOUT on it. â€Å"We’re doing my next lesson.† â€Å"She can’t do it today,† Kiyo told Dorian. â€Å"She was in a fight last night.† â€Å"Unless I’m mistaken, she gets in a fight every night.† â€Å"This one was bad. She was injured. Didn’t you see the stitches?† â€Å"My humble eyes had better things to occupy themselves with than her stitches.† â€Å"Hey, guys?† I snapped. â€Å"I’m still here, you know. Stop talking about me in the third person.† Kiyo walked over and touched my arm. â€Å"Eugenie, this is crazy. You need to go back to bed.† â€Å"Today’s lesson will not require physical exertion,† said Dorian primly. â€Å"There, you see?† I said. â€Å"I’ve got to keep going with our deal.† Kiyo looked darkly from me to Dorian. â€Å"Your ‘deal’ doesn’t seem to be doing a lot of good. I thought it was going to keep your would-be rapists away.† I had turned my back to them, opened the robe, and started pulling my jeans on. I froze, considering. â€Å"The fachan wasn’t trying to rape me,† I said slowly. â€Å"He wanted to kill me.† â€Å"Are you sure?† â€Å"He tried to throw me through a windshield. That’s not very romantic.† â€Å"A fachan?† asked Dorian. I shed the robe and nightgown and pulled the shirt over my head before turning back around to face them. I gave Dorian the short version of what had happened. He stood up from where he’d been leaning against my desk and strolled over to the window, hands clasped behind his back. â€Å"A fachan,† he mused. â€Å"Here. Curious.† â€Å"Not really. Not compared to anything else that’s happened to me,† I reminded him. He pointed out the window. â€Å"You live in a desert. Fachans like bodies of water. You have a lot of enemies, my dear, but I doubt any fachan would hate you enough to show up here of his own volition.† â€Å"What are you saying?† asked Kiyo. â€Å"That someone went to considerable trouble to summon him here. Someone with either a lot of raw power or simply an affinity for water creatures.† â€Å"Who could do that?† I asked. â€Å"Any number of people. Maiwenn could.† Kiyo took a few dangerous steps toward him. â€Å"Maiwenn didn’t do that.† Dorian smiled, unfazed by Kiyo’s intimidating presence. They were the same height, but Dorian’s frame was lean and slim, Kiyo’s broader and more muscled. â€Å"You’re probably right,† Dorian said after several tense moments of silence. â€Å"Particularly since she’s been so under the weather lately.† Kiyo’s face grew darker. I glanced back and forth uneasily, uncertain as to what I was in the middle of. â€Å"Do you guys know each other?† Dorian extended a hand to Kiyo, cool and collected. â€Å"I know of you, but I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced. I am Dorian, king of the Oak Land.† Kiyo grudgingly took his hand. â€Å"I know who you are.† â€Å"This is Kiyo,† I said. â€Å"Delightful to meet you. You’re a†¦kitsune.† Dorian said the word in an odd tone. It wasn’t exactly disrespectful, but it clearly implied they were not equals. I grabbed both their arms and steered them out. â€Å"No pissing contests. Come on. It’ll only take Tim about five minutes to whip up the food.† Whatever antagonism existed between Kiyo and Dorian, it took a break as the gentry king entertained himself with the rest of my house. He was like a kid, unable to keep his hands off of everything. Well, everything that wasn’t made of plastic or an iron affiliate. My living room was a veritable wonderland, with everything conveniently piled up in junk heaps for him to explore. â€Å"What’s the purpose of this?† He held a fluorescent pink Slinky, tossing it from side to side so he didn’t have to touch the plastic extensively. My impression was gentry could touch the taboo substances in small doses with minor discomfort; prolonged exposure grew much more uncomfortable. Charge it up with power, and it could kill them. â€Å"It doesn’t really have a purpose,† I decided. â€Å"You just sort of†¦play with it when you’re bored.† He tossed it back and forth, watching it spring up in arches. â€Å"Let me see it,† I said. I held it, closing my eyes. My focus was back now with the excruciating pain vanquished. I concentrated on the Slinky, putting a small piece of my essence into it. I handed it back. â€Å"Wrap it up and take it with you. It’ll be my anchor.† He grinned. With so many other distractions, we eventually had to drag him to the kitchen table when the food was ready. â€Å"Haven’t you ever been in the human world before?† I asked, once we all sat down. â€Å"There you go again, assuming we all just traipse over here for no good reason.† â€Å"So you haven’t.† â€Å"Well, actually, I’ve vacationed here a number of times. Not in this desolate place, of course, but several other nice spots.† I rolled my eyes and slapped butter on my toast. It was made of good, hearty bread, chock-full of whole wheat and about a billion other grains. You could use this stuff as sandpaper. I doused my coffee with sugar and cream, gulping it to chase down some ibuprofen. I might not be dying anymore, but myriad aches and stiffness filled my body. I didn’t think I could handle regularly getting into high-magnitude fights every other night. When the whole prophecy thing had surfaced, I had joked that I preferred attempts on my life to sexual advances. I didn’t really believe that anymore. At least when the bad guys wanted my clothes off, it bought me some time. That fachan, however, had had no intentions short of crushing me. And he’d done a pretty good job of doing that. I had never fought something so massive before. Most of my fights, before this all started, had been with spirits and elementals. I could take them out with barely any effort. The fachan had been in a different league. The spirit army from the other day had also been new. Dorian’s words rang back to me. The fachan had been deliberately sent. But by whom? One of the many who had a grudge against Odile? Someone like Maiwenn who wanted the prophecy to fail? Maiwenn herself? This latter thought bothered me. She’d seemed more or less trustworthy, despite her bland personality. If she turned into an enemy, it was going to create some serious friction between Kiyo and me. We finished breakfast, and Dorian declared we had to go outside for our lesson. I took one look at him and the scalding sunshine and saw imminent disaster for that perfect, alabaster skin. Figuring he wouldn’t want my prissy, vanilla sunscreen, I dug him out a wide-brimmed cotton hat of Tim’s that looked only mildly ridiculous. â€Å"Are you going to be able to do this?† I asked, leading Dorian out to my back patio. Tim had left for drumming practice, but Kiyo followed us, still watchful. â€Å"Your magic’s weaker on this side.† Dorian draped his elegant robes over a lawn chair. â€Å"Not me who needs to do the magic. And really, I doubt you will either. Not in the way you’re thinking of. Hmm†¦yes, this area may work better than I’d hoped.† He surveyed the patio area and the small grassless yard surrounded by a stucco wall. Dragging up another chair, he set it near the center of the patio, facing the house, and beckoned me to it. I sat down. â€Å"Now what? More meditation?† He shook his head. â€Å"Now we need a bowl of water.† â€Å"Kiyo? Can you grab us one? There’s a big ceramic bowl in the back of one of my cupboards.† Kiyo silently complied, looking as though leaving us alone for even one minute would result in Dorian trying something. I found that protectiveness endearing, albeit a bit over the top. And then Dorian did try something. â€Å"What are those?† I exclaimed. â€Å"Think of them as†¦learning aids.† He had produced a handful of silken cords from the deep pockets of his robe, all in different colors. â€Å"What are you – no. You are not serious.† He had moved behind my chair and grasped my hands. I jerked away. â€Å"You’re trying to tie me up?† â€Å"Not for sinister purposes, I assure you, although if you’d like to experiment with them later, I’d be happy to show you their various and sundry uses. For now, simply trust me that they’ll be useful.† I continued to regard the cords warily. He shook his head, smiling. Moving behind me, he gently ran his hands down my arms. â€Å"You still don’t trust me. And yet you do. An interesting mix. You fear me but want to connect with me. Do you remember what I said the night we met?† He knelt down, speaking softly in my ear. â€Å"This is exactly the way it will be when you come to my bed. You’ll surrender yourself, and though it’ll scare you, you’ll exult in it too.† â€Å"I think you’re imagining more to our charade than there is. And I don’t really see myself feeling exultant over being tied up.† â€Å"Have you ever tried it?† His fingers slowly slid back up to the sleeves of my shirt, like butterflies on my skin. It was†¦nice. I shrugged him off. â€Å"No. And I don’t need to. Besides, whatever your kinky intentions are, it doesn’t matter. I’ve got something going with Kiyo.† â€Å"Ah. Of course you do. From what I hear, he’s always ‘got something going.'† I stiffened. â€Å"Don’t try to cause trouble.† â€Å"I’m attempting nothing of the sort. Just stating a fact. A man with human blood is just as appealing to our women as you are to our men.† â€Å"I already know about Maiwenn.† â€Å"I see. What do you know?† â€Å"The truth. They used to be involved. Now they’re not.† â€Å"Ah. And that doesn’t bother you? Especially considering it’s likely she’ll try to kill you someday?† I turned around as much as I could and glared at him. â€Å"I meant it: Don’t try to pick a fight. I trust Kiyo, and I like Maiwenn. End of story. Now if you’re going to tie me up, just get it over with.† He rose from his crouch, the sensuality gone from his voice as he began the business of binding me. â€Å"I’d never dream of picking a fight. Your pet fox in there will break my neck if I so much as look at you the wrong way.† â€Å"Don’t act like you’re actually afraid of him. You can supposedly bring down buildings.† I relaxed back in the chair and let him tie my hands together behind me. He took a long time in doing it, like he was weaving or braiding. â€Å"Why, Eugenie, are you saying you’d wager on me in a fight? I’m touched. Very touched. Although, I do hear foxes have very sharp claws. How are those scratches on your back, by the way?† Kiyo walked out just then, carrying the bowl of water. He froze when he saw Dorian tying a cord above my breasts and around my upper arms. â€Å"What’s this?† â€Å"An awakening,† said Dorian. â€Å"It’s fine,† I said. â€Å"Set the water over there.† Kiyo did so and then stood next to me, arms crossed and eyes on the gentry king. Again, Dorian took his time in tying my upper body. He used multiple cords, and able to see better this time, I realized he had indeed woven them into an intricate pattern. Aesthetic and functional. â€Å"There.† With a last tight knot, he straightened up and regarded his work. â€Å"Not bad. It seems I haven’t forgotten how to tie a decent knot after all. One more thing, and we’re set.† â€Å"One more thing† turned out to be a blindfold. â€Å"No way,† I said. â€Å"Eugenie, my sweet, your outraged protests are adorable, but they only continue to slow us down. If you want me to help you, then let me. If you don’t, then take me to one of those places where human women wear revealing clothing and quickly lose their virtue through alcohol.† I let him blindfold me, feeling uneasy. I trusted Kiyo and sort of trusted Dorian, but the other bindings had already unsettled me. I didn’t like being trapped or in someone else’s control. The bright world went dark as fabric covered my eyes. â€Å"This is all giving me a bad feeling,† Kiyo said nearby. â€Å"On the contrary,† said Dorian, â€Å"it’s giving me a very warm, very pleasant feeling. But I suppose we should return to the lesson at hand, hmm?† â€Å"Is this the part where you explain the bondage getup?† I asked. â€Å"Or where I find out you just did it for fun.† â€Å"No, no. As hilarious as that would be, I do have my reasons. Now. I’m going to pick up this bowl of water that Kato so kindly fetched – â€Å" â€Å"It’s Kiyo,† came the irritated response. â€Å"So sorry. Anyway, I’m going to set it somewhere out here in this miniature wasteland, and you will tell me where it is.† â€Å"Oh. I get it. I’m supposed to, like, work on my non-visual senses? Listen to where you set it?† â€Å"You won’t use any of your physical senses at all.† I heard him walk away, presumably with the water, but I couldn’t tell where he set it. He paced and paced in circles, kicking rocks and scuffing his shoes so I was clueless by the time he returned to me. When he spoke next, his words were right by my ear again. â€Å"Now, given freedom, even with just a blindfold, you’d be inclined to move and want to use something – anything – to find the water. You’d turn around, sniff the air, whatever. Now you have to accept that all of that is gone. You cannot rely on what you usually can. You are trapped and powerless – more or less. Give in to that. Open yourself up to whatever comes. Find the water.† â€Å"How?† â€Å"By reaching out to it. Tap into a sense other than the usual five. Remember the exercises we did last time, about reaching beyond yourself – in this world, not the spirit one.† â€Å"I thought magic was inborn. Isn’t that what separates humans and gentry?† â€Å"It is inborn. And your inner magic summons and controls storms. To do that, you must summon and control the appropriate elements. And to do that, you must be able to find them. Hence, you focus outward.† â€Å"How do I do that?† â€Å"Just concentrate. But relax too. Think about the water. How it feels, what it’s like. Spread your consciousness out around you, but don’t go into a trance and let your spirit slip out. That’d be cheating.† â€Å"How long does it take?† â€Å"As long as you need.† He retreated, and I sat there and waited for some revelation. Okay. Somewhere around me was a bowl of water. And something inside of me was supposed to be able to sense it. I wouldn’t have believed any of it if the living room on the other side of the patio door didn’t stand as proof of my supernatural powers. But I hadn’t had to think to cause the storm. This was different. All I mostly felt at first was my own body. Dorian’s binds didn’t hurt me, but they were snug. The stitched-up cut stung a little. The back of my head ached. My leg muscles felt stretched and inflamed. I slowly took inventory of every part of me, assessing how each one felt. I could feel the beat of my own heart, the steadiness of my breathing. After that, I started concentrating on the stuff around me. I heard someone, Dorian maybe, slide up a chair and sit down. A plane droned overhead. One of my neighbors kept a bird feeder, and sparrows regularly chirped and squabbled around it. The harsher cries of less melodic birds sounded in the distance. My street had few houses and was removed from real traffic, but a block or so away, a car started and then drove off. I thought about water, its appeal growing as the sun beat down. I had put on my own sunscreen and was grateful for it. Still, I could feel sweat pouring off of me. Water would be cool, refreshing. My mom’s house had a pool, and suddenly I wanted nothing more than to dive into that crystal-blue surface. I thought about the bowl of water, thinking of its cool temperature, the wetness on my skin. I tried to feel it, to call to it. â€Å"There,† I said at last. I don’t know how much time had passed. Awhile. â€Å"Where?† asked Dorian. â€Å"Four o’clock.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"She means over there,† I heard Kiyo say. Presumably he pointed. â€Å"No,† said Dorian. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Sorry.† â€Å"Was I close?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Not even a little?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Damn it! Get me out of this.† I wriggled against my constraints. â€Å"Hardly.† Dorian’s voice held mild surprise. â€Å"We must try again.† â€Å"Oh, dear lord. This might be even more boring than the meditation,† I grumbled. â€Å"Can I at least get something to drink?† He hesitated. â€Å"Actually, I think your odds will increase if you’re thirsty.† â€Å"Oh, come on – â€Å" â€Å"Here we go,† said Dorian. I heard him get up and walk around again, and once more, I couldn’t tell where the bowl ended up. When he returned to his chair, I tried again. More time passed as I concentrated my little heart out. At one point, I heard someone get up and move toward the door. â€Å"Who is that?† â€Å"Me,† said Dorian. â€Å"I’m bored.† â€Å"What? You’re my teacher.† â€Å"The kitsune will call if you need me.† â€Å"I don’t believe this,† I said when he was gone. â€Å"Hey, this was your idea,† said Kiyo. I heard him shift in a chair, getting comfortable. I was on the verge of my next guess when Dorian came outside again. â€Å"There. Nine o’clock.† Kiyo must have pointed again. â€Å"No,† said Dorian. He made me do it again, and by then, I was furious. My poor muscles, already put through enough, were locking up from lack of movement. The heat was unbearable. To make matters worse, Kiyo asked if Dorian wanted something to drink and then went inside. He returned, and I heard the sound of a two-liter of pop opening, followed by the filling of two glasses. After that, they started carrying on casual conversation. â€Å"Eugenie will be at my Beltane ball,† Dorian explained, â€Å"as my special guest.† â€Å"Sounds great.† â€Å"Your enthusiasm is palpable.† â€Å"Just not my thing, that’s all.† â€Å"Ah, pity. Because if you wanted to come, I’d be happy to extend the invitation.† â€Å"I wouldn’t want you to go to any trouble.† â€Å"It’s no trouble at all. You could come with Eugenie. I always make special arrangements for dignitaries’ entourages and servants.† â€Å"Will you two shut up?† I asked. â€Å"I’m working here.† They fell silent. Water, water. I needed that goddamned water so that Dorian would untie me and I could return to air conditioning. I’d also drink a gallon of water while I was at it. Maybe two or three. In fact, when I found that stupid bowl, I’d dump it over my head. Sweat pooled along the hem of my shirt and where the cords and blindfold pressed against my skin. I’d probably sweated away the sunscreen and would burn. As if my body hadn’t been through enough. Where the hell was that water? Why couldn’t I find it? I thought again about my mom’s pool, vowing I’d pay her a visit tomorrow. God, it was so hot. I just wanted to be cooler. Water, water, water. I felt like Helen Keller. Or maybe one of those people in the Lakota sun dances where excessive heat exposure induced hallucinations. Maybe I could imagine the water. I sighed, and then, somehow, I felt coolness touch me. It was a reprieve from the heat. I straightened up as much as I could. Had I done it? Was this what it felt like to touch the water? The third time was the charm. Yes. There it was again. Like cool, moist air blowing at me from the east. I could taste its dampness, hanging around me like humidity in the sauna. I inclined my head in the direction I’d sensed the cool air. â€Å"I’ve got it. Three o’clock.† â€Å"No.† â€Å"The hell it isn’t!† I heard Dorian get up. He sighed. â€Å"I think we’d better quit for the day.† â€Å"But I swear I had it! I could feel it! I was thinking about water so hard.† â€Å"I know you were.† He undid the blindfold, and I looked up. Billowing clouds, colored like lead, inked out the sky. Wind blew at me from the east – not imagined after all – picking up in strength. Great, heavy drops fell around us, landing with loud splashes. Water at last. How to cite Storm Born Chapter Eighteen, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Hide and Seek Essay Example For Students

Hide and Seek Essay In Hide and Seek, the boy is terribly competitive, he almost treats the game like a military campaign; taking the game very seriously and is trying his best to stay hidden from the other children. This character is probably more suited to the situation that the boy in Leaving School finds himself as he evidently enjoys games of strategy. He is in fact so serious about this game, that he withstands the cold floor of the tool shed and tries his best not to sneeze. Throughout the poem he is acutely aware of his physical discomfort and sensitivity which contrasts with his lack of emotional sensitivity, however in Leaving School the readers attention is focused on the boys emotional discomfort. In Hide and Seek, he former tries to outwit the other children and believes that they will think him remarkably clever, when in reality they are laughing at him. Because he fails to realise this, he is in truth over estimating his own capabilities and under estimating theirs. The reader is able to empathise in part with the other children as the boy is portrayed as insensitive and over confident. Conversely the boy in Leaving School lacks confidence, he has no strategic plan , he was told to think of the timetable as a game of Battleships which involves deciphering codes, he is however found wandering aimlessly upstairs in the wrong shoes unable to adhere to the regimented existence. He understands that he isnt suited to this newly adopted lifestyle and the reader may infer that because he is more sensitive to his own inadequacies he is consequently more sensitive to his own predicament, unlike the boy in Hide and Seek. He could only read certain things and he didnt like the work, which implies he couldnt actually do the work. This strongly implies that he wasnt one of the more academic students. Unlike the boy in Hide and Seek who refuses to give up, he is aware that he may be inept and has given up doing most tasks. He realises that the teacher thinks he is absent minded from quite early on in the poem as she is constantly chastising and publicly humiliating him for not doing things properly. That he is further alienated and traumatised is defined in his inability to carry out the simplest of tasks such as brushing his teeth or getting ready for bed. The boy in Leaving School says he wasnt listening, suggesting to the reader that he doesnt fit in. In Hide and Seek the boy is also not listening but in the sense that he is unable to interpret Their words and laughter for what it actually represents. The boy in Leaving School almost accepts the daily humiliation of having his name read out as routine, the feelings of alienation are a constant part of his life. For the boy in Hide and Seek the realisation that he is not accepted by the others comes in the moment that he leaves the shed and finds that Nothing stirs they have all long since gone and left him alone, unwittingly playing the game that he was never really a part of. Both boys are hiding, one literally and the other by retreating into his own world where he doesnt listen and daydreams about the day he leaves school. He realises he doesnt fit in while the boy in hide and seek does want to be there even though hes not wanted initially. He cant see that the others dont like him and is therefore deluding himself. At the end of both poems the reader is left with bad feelings. In Hide and Seek the feeling of something sinister dominates as even nature reflects his emotions The bushes hold their breath in suspense and the garden has darkened as has his optimistic mood. .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285 , .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285 .postImageUrl , .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285 , .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285:hover , .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285:visited , .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285:active { border:0!important; } .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285:active , .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285 .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8a6f2202e7707a4a5f3ade7b54cb9285:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: A Day In The Life Of Catherine Bana EssayIt is an emotional milestone for the character as he comes to realise that perhaps his own childish perception of being central to the world was not reality. The reader is left with a question and it is assumed that the boy is left with many. In Leaving school the reader is left with an enigmatic line as the boy seemingly either retreats into his own world where in his minds eye he enacts the day he leaves school or he is possibly recounting what had actually happened to him as he was on his way home. In both poems the reader is left to question the outcome.