Human Nature in Lord of the Flies :: Free Essay Writer

Human Nature in Lord of the Flies Good morning/afternoon Mrs. Visser and class, I will be speaking about human nature and what it means to be human. Now what does it truly mean to be human and what makes us human? The main thing about humanity is we see ourselves as superior to nature and the animals in it. We see this in Lord of the Flies when the boys first land on the island. Even though there are animals and plants on the island they disregard it and claim the island as their own. Now what would make man superior to nature, his ability to think? To alter his surroundings to make his life easier? Arrogance or how about that it is how it is always been? Man seems to try and force his views upon others, through different means. Jack for example uses fear and manipulation to control his tribe, while Ralph hung onto the values he was taught in society. Now behind Ralph was piggy, who in the novel represented man’s knowledge and civilized man’s ideals. He was the one Ralph turned to when he was in doubt about what he must do, about what the civilized thing to do would be. Behind Jack was Rodger who represented the savagery and nature instinct that a human has to survive. Simon represented the spirituality and nature in the book. Simon is also one of those that seek the truth. When the beast is mentioned, he was the first and only person until later on to suggest that the beast was human’s. He was the first person to see that the beast was an internal thing. People like Simon who seek the truth soon find that they are not accepted in society. Simon was laughed at when he suggested that the beast was internal. It is in human nature to try and blame something else for our mistakes. This separates him and makes him an outsider as it is in human nature not to accept the truth. Later on when he finds out who and what the beast is, all the boys help to attack and kill him. This shows that it is in human nature to reject the truth as a lie or even insanity. When Simon dies it shows the death of spirituality and a foreshadowing of what the inherit evil in man will do to nature later on. The inherit evil in man is represented by in the following ways by the following people:

Marriage-Comparison Essay

Marriage, the union of two people, is satirically presented by Evelyn Waugh in the novel ‘A Handful of Dust’ and by Edward Albee in the play ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ Both authors adopt a chilling approach to demonstrate the endemic of negative attitudes and pressures of 1930’s London and 1960’s American society placed on to moral institutions such as marriage, with the central protagonists exposed under a powerful ‘microscope’ to reveal the detrimental effects of society. Albee illustrates the emotional strains inflicted on to individuals and couples aspiring to the American Dream and more importantly the result of failing a dream that is unreachable by the majority. In Albee’s play, George and Martha are metaphysically exposed to the ‘peeling away’ of the illusion that surrounds their marriage to reveal the ‘murky opaque depths’ of reality. Waugh on the other hand shows the corrupt and barbaric upper class London society at the time of the Great Industrial Depression, evoking a story of Tony and his manipulative, ‘cat like’ wife Brenda’s failing marriage, and that of the culture and civilisation Waugh so admired. Both Albee and Waugh employ the use of irony in their chosen settings. In ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ as ‘large, boisterous’ Martha turns on the light the audience are subjected to an emotional battlefield. Set in a success driven university campus which is a microcosm of society, it is soon made clear it is not a place of learning, achievement and sophisticated culture, one of lust, deceptions and sadness, a place where ‘musical beds is the faculty sport’. People like Martha are motivated by greed and self interest; this indicates the threat of America being New Carthage, destroyed not by another country but by internal corruption and spiritual emptiness, as George reads from ‘The Decline of the West,’ Albee’s Cold War subtext is clear. In contrast Waugh gently eases the reader in to the amicable setting of rural England, with an absence of ‘harsh words’ and ‘scenes of domestic playfulness’ between the Last’s, indicating an external picture of a content marriage. The setting is an extended metaphor of their marriage. Set in Hetton Abbey, named after Arthurian Legend, indicates their marriage is similarly illusionary. With irony, Brenda is appropriately placed in to the bedroom, Guinevere, wife of King Arthur burnt for adultery; this gives the reader an ominous feel from the outset about the subsequent events. The novel depicts Tony’s love for the ancestral, primogeniture home, which like his marriage is ‘devoid of interest.’ Tony is trapped by the ‘huge and quite hideous house’ as Brenda is in the marriage, suggested by Waugh’s use of death imagery used when describing the house ‘like a tomb.’ The ‘damp had penetrated in to one corner’ further indicates the internal decay of the Last’s ‘not in perfect repair’ marriage. The fact Brenda resents Hetton as she has moved there and left her family home- ‘I shouldn’t feel so badly about it if it were a really lovely house- like my house for instance,’ quickly weaves a negative undercurrent to their apparent happiness. Illusions versus reality feature in the marriages in both Waugh’s and Albee’s works. In ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ George and Martha’s illusionary son provides escapism, acting as a ‘bean bag’ cushioning their tempestuous, ‘crushing’ marriage from reality. However as the son has been talked about the illusion has become reality too the extreme that the illusion now controls them. The son highlights the pretentious society in which George and Martha live, forced to create a son to fill societies illusions of perfection. The son is for Martha to feel she has fulfilled her role as a woman. However the ‘child’ is not only a desire for fecundity within their relationship but also a projection through which they expose their personal desires, needs and problems. Ironically the son that was supposed to bring the couple closer has become a reason to fight being used as a tool to undermine one another. By ‘killing the son,’ George is realising that the illusion has become out of control, Martha has broke the ‘rules’ by telling Nick and Honey, the ‘pawns’ in their games. The ‘child’s’ death signifies a milestone in their understanding of marriage, George no longer has to compromise his world of reality and Martha is no longer in danger of losing herself in a world of ‘Ilyria’. Symbolically this happens the day before the child would turn 21. Through the child, Albee as an absurdist is illustrating his view that a life of illusion was wrong because it created a false content for life. George and Martha’s empty marriage can clearly only survive if they abandon their illusions. Nick also embodies the illusion in ‘Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf.’ Nick represents the Arian race with his ‘blondie’ hair and blue eyes are initially seen as†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ However his marriage to the slim- hipped ‘mouse’ is based upon pretence as the child they married for was only a phantom pregnancy. Added to this monetary gain, just as in the Polly Cockpurse of Waugh’s Belgravia, lies at the core of †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Waugh’s ‘A Handful of Dust’ similarly is based on illusion. The barbaric characters and emotionless buildings provide the reader with an external falsity. Mrs Beaver represents the destructive forces of modernity with her suggestion of ‘chromium plating.’ Mrs Beaver’s character conflicts with Tony’s as she destroys old buildings, Tony clings to every ‘glazed brick or encaustic tile’ at Hetton. Tony’s nostalgic ‘feudal’ nature is arguably one of he main reasons for the breakdown of his marriage. Described as ‘stiff white collar’ suggests he has a refusal to change and ironically at the end is left reading Dickens showing inevitable he is stuck in the past. Tony has been blinded by Hetton which provides him with ‘constant delight and exultation,’ however is ‘formerly one of the notable houses of the country’ and not in ‘perfect repair’ therefore ‘dev oid of interest’ to anyone except Tony. Romanticism dominates through Tony, his search for ideals that his parents possessed ‘inseparable in Guinevere’ are unattainable by Tony. Similarly George and Martha can not reach the ideals set by the American dream. George is symbolic of the past who simply ‘sift(s) everything’ plunging him in to a world of history which is as important to him as Tony’s ‘shining city.’ He is a ‘bog in the history department’ unable to compete with the ‘direct threat’ imposed by ‘well- put- together’ Nick who represents ‘the new wave of the future.’ As a scientist he signifies clinical facts and evidence; he is emotionless like his marriage. At ‘twenty eight’ Nick is successful and a high achiever unlike George at ‘fifty something’ who is still ‘in the History department’ and only ran it ‘for four years, while the war was on, but that was because everyone was away.’ Albee seeks to emphasise the sense of alienation, in modern men. George thus attacks the decay of individualism: ‘You’re the one who’s going to make all that trouble†¦making everyone the same.’ History presents a cynical view, George prophesises as he reads out ‘the west must†¦eventually fall’ materialism dominates over culture resulting in sterile intellectualism. However George bares one key element that Tony realisation does not. George recognises the flaws in his ‘dump’ of a marriage whereas Tony similar to Honey is blinded and does not grasp the ‘sad, sad, sad’ truth embodying his marriage. Tony refuses to accept how ‘warped and separated’ he and Brenda have become. The illusion of George and Martha’s marriage is portrayed through language, for when language stops reality exists. George and Martha’s continual battle of incessant banter and ‘total war’ masks a more sinister and damaging reality and therefore, their fear of silence. Truth is shown through non verbal, theatrical devices ‘throwing flowers’ and the use of a toy gun, creating desperate humour through deep anxiety and expectations. Speech is used to gain power and control in order to deceive others. Ironically George comments ‘Martha’s a devil with language’ showing she is manipulative with her acerbic speech and has dominance in the relationship, ‘(Martha) wears the pants in this marriage because someone has to.’ This use of clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s shows a loss of capacity to speak the truth, ‘Your in a straight line†¦.and it doesn’t lead anywhere†¦.except maybe the grave’ underlined by t he root of terror in the play, the notion of life being meaningless. The regressive language is symbolic of the Martha and George being trapped by their childhoods and therefore they acquire attacking roles in a childish manner. However in contrast the callous Martha uses beautiful language when talking about their child, ‘And his eyes were green†¦green with†¦if u peered so deep in to them†¦so deep†¦bronze†¦bronze parentheses around the irises†¦such green eyes’ showing that when sincerity and love exists the aggressive language stops. At the end the simple, basic language, stripped of all metaphors and clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s reflects the simple, basic reality that George and Martha now face. In contrast to Albee’s use of vibrant and destructive language, in ‘A Handful of Dust’ conventional, banal and ordinary language dominates. Similarly to George and Martha, Brenda and Tony are shown in scenes of childlike playfulness. The alphabet diet is cute and endearing, but has an underlying tension as they are confined by the constraints the diet creates. The emptiness of the emotionless, large dining room they dine in which ‘even today mild elsewhere, it was bitterly cold in the dining hall’ further shows a lack of warmth between characters. The reader’s first encounter of the Lasts boosts a content marriage ‘While he ate breakfast Brenda read to him from the papers’ however the reader is aware of the negative undertones of the monotonous marriage ‘These scenes of domestic playfulness had been more or less continuous in Tony and Brenda’s life for seven years.’ Waugh stylistically and subtly reveals problems through his use of setting ‘There seemed to be no way of securing an even temperature in that room.’ The reader is also lead to question the stab ility of the Lasts marriage through Mrs Beaver comments ‘everyone thought (Brenda) would marry Jock,’ and ‘(Tony’s) a prig. I should say it was time that she began to be bored.’ George and Martha, the quintessentially dysfunctional couple are emotionally trapped by their respective childhoods, as a consequence they both are exposed to low self image and esteem. The history of the couples past is slowly revealed by Albee to the audience. Martha tells Nick and Honey in Act One that her mother died when she was young and she became very close to her father, she married briefly but her father had the marriage annulled. After college she fell in love with George which she thought would please her father. However George is not the high achiever that would satisfy her father. Martha is a lost ‘Daddy’s girl’ who hasn’t left behind the prospect of his unconditional love. George is also revealed to have had a troubled childhood. The revealed plot of his failed novel where a teenager kills both his parents is later publicised by Martha that George was in fact the teenager in his novel. Although the audience doesn’t know whether this is true it does explain George’s guilt about his parents. Albee is suggesting through these parental bonds that human relationships stem from human vulnerability. In ‘A Handful of Dust’ parental roles do not strive in adultous ‘fashionable’ London. Brenda and Tony are ineffectual as parents and as John Andrew reveals he prefers the groom ‘Ben far more.’ Waugh uses John Andrew as a satirical tool to expose the falsity of upper class society. He also reveals Tony’s ineffectualness in disciplining his son and the emotionless Brenda as a direct contrast to Jenny Abdul Akbar who John Andrew is ‘infatuated’ by the attention she provides him with. John Andrew’s death acts as a watershed in the novel. For Brenda the death symbolises her last link with Tony and a chance to escape the world she is trapped by and ironically highlights Tony misjudgement as he does not ‘know Brenda so well’. As Brenda ‘burst in to tears’ this is arguably the realisation that she has thought of John Beaver over her own son and goes to the extremes of immorality of ‘Oh thank God ’ when she is told her son has died, not a reaction expected from a mother that has been told her son has died. The death simply signifies the end of the Lasts marriage ‘Don’t you see Tony, its all over.’ Brenda with her manipulative, ‘cat like’ ways who utilises her female charms to her full advantage and is arguably more responsible for the breakdown of her marriage. As she applies her make up it acts as a symbolic ‘mask’ to cover up the reality of the deceit. In order to get her flat she ‘sat close to Tony on the sofa and ate some sugar out of his cup’ and ‘rubbed against his cheek in the way she had,’ this seductive way highlights the weakness of men. By getting the flat Tony is compromising the repairs he wants to make to Hetton. On the other hand Waugh suggests that it is Tony that it is pushing Brenda in to a society of adultery. Portrayed as an ‘imprisoned princess’ in a castle as though a character in a fairytale, Brenda is frustrated by her limited role and Beaver acts as a lifeline to get her out of the ‘big house.’ She is clearly eager for information of London and ‘jokes that have been going around for six weeks.’ Brenda however stays in control of the marital breakdown. The letter that Brenda leaves is merely a pencil note showing her lack of commitment and respect for Tony. The pencil is symbolic of the marital vows that can easily be erased and irretrievable like death vows ‘Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.’ Waugh uses Tony’s search for a ‘hidden city’ to show Tony’s transition from one period of his life to another. Similarly Brenda moves to London in search of a new chapter in her life. Although we can argue that Tony’s decision to go on the exploration shows courage and strength, someone else has planned the trip therefore it is ineffectual. His journey to enlightenment is made in intellectual darkness symbolically leading to his worst nightmare. Added to this the fever he acquires on his journey is representive of his whole life being a grotesque hallucination. Tony ‘had a clear picture in his mind’ that the city he was searching for would be like a ‘transfigured Hetton’ illustrating that Tony is still trapped in the past, inspiring pathos from the reader. When Tony is faced with the harsh reality of life, his real world is destroyed. Romanticism can not save Tony from reality, it is not a refuge and cannot save a near innocent man from being sacrificed because of his complacency. Arguable through a number of short scenes in the jungle and London, Waugh is trying to show similarities of the two settings ‘her ladyship has gone to live in Brazil’ both uncivilised worlds are ‘oceans apart’ yet are both uncivilised and animalistic, inhabited by ‘savages’. Religion is an occurring theme in both Albee’s play and Waugh novel. Albee uses blasphemy ‘Goddam’ at both the start and end of act one. The audience may not be surprised at this language in the godless environment we are introduced however we are more concerned about Martha’s comment that she was an atheist at school and furthermore the uncertainty of whether she still is. Marriage as a religious bond makes the audience doubt the importance of religion when presented with a ‘sewer’ of a marriage. Religion is represented through Honeys father although it is corrupted by the mention of him having money which further questions Nicks motives for marrying Honey. At the end of the play the mystery of religion begins when language ends through the use of ‘Jesus Christ.’ Injuxtaposition Waugh makes little references to religion. Tony attends church on Sundays from which he gained ‘great satisfaction.’ ‘On days of exceptional clearness, the spires of six churches’ could be seen from Hetton instigating that it is Tony who includes religion in to his life not Brenda. Hetton is a city of romantism and fantasy rather than a city of God. Animal imagery is referred to in both texts, to emphasise the moral crudity of events taking place. As Nick ‘mount(s) (Martha) like a goddam dog’ in order to gain status, it shows the need to succeed overcomes morality. Martha an ‘earth mother’ is tolerant of the ‘lunk heads’ who strive for promotion using her in ‘totally pointless infidelities.’ Waugh however uses animal imagery to further his satirical approach and emphasise the farcical characters. Polly Cockpurse is referred to as being similar to a ‘monkey’ by John Andrew. Money orientated, she is a predator only acting for her own interests, after rich men for their money. Mrs Beaver similarly extends the satirical animal imagery by suggesting she like a beaver, digging for gossip. Both of these characters are deliberately ridiculous, highlighting the absurdity of the glamorous Belgravia backdrop in which these people are created. Similarly Waugh uses pathetic fallacy to emphasise characters’ emotions and relationships. Directly after commenting on the Lasts’ marriage, Waugh makes references to the weather around Hetton ‘mist in the hollows and pale sunshine on the hills†¦..the undergrowth was wet, dark in the shadows’ which directly suggests an ominous feel surrounding the Lasts’ marriage. When Tony goes ‘In search of a city,’ Waugh is suggesting that similar to the waves, Tony is ‘plunging†¦in to the black depths.’ In the same way ‘the sky- over head was neutral and steely with swollen clouds’ symbolically showing that Tony is ‘exposed’ in a world that is unclear. However when Tony has a liaison with Thà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½se de Vitrà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ there was ‘A week of blue water that grew clearer and more tranquil daily, of sun that grew warmer’ presents the idea that Tony is happy although with no clear blue skies he is vulnerable and ‘lost.’ Likewise as Thà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½rà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½se de Vitrà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ ‘said goodbye to Tony’ the ‘Blue water came to an end’ and ‘rain fell continuously’ showing Tony’s emotions are as changeable as the weather. The ‘light breeze’ and ‘brilliant, cool sunshine’ at Tony’s funeral represents that the turbulent emotions have come to an end. In one ‘liquor ridden night’ Martha and George have been forced to face their worst fears. As Martha ‘chews on her ice cubes’ the faà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ade in which surrounds there marriage has been chipped away leaving inner truth and emotion that has previously been undisclosed. In the closing scene to the play, the audience endure a feeling of pathos for Martha and George, encouraged by the pace of the dialogue slowing down and the decrease in volume allowing the audience to reflect. The final images are of George and Martha left ‘just us’ in a state of unity. George sings at the end ‘Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ and Martha replies ‘I am.’ As the song represents being scared of life without illusion this response shows Martha is scared of a life of reality. In contrast ‘A Handful of Dust’ ends with a change of owner and the ending of the regime of tradition at Hetton that controlled Tony symbolising the end of Brenda and Tony’s tumultuous marriage. I agree with Rosa Flannery who suggests the breeding of silver foxes is ‘representative of the new breed of savages that roam England,’ Waugh is presenting a landscape of deceit and greed which prevails in a materialistic world; ‘They lived in pairs; some were moderately tame but it was unwise to rely upon them.’ It is not without sharp irony that Brenda survives, whilst Tony languishes in a†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. In both texts the marriages presented are encapsulated by society’s expectations that they are blinded by illusion. When faced with reality Martha and George can unite, however Tony and Brenda Lasts marriage is as unsubstantial as ‘A Handful of Dust.’

How is Gatsby introduced by Fitzgerald? Essay

Jay Gatsby is presented by Fitzgerald first in Chapter One during a fleeting encounter between the Narrator (Nick Carraway) and Gatsby. Whilst Nick is resting in his garden after a fatiguing evening with Tom and Daisy Buchanan, ‘fifty feet away a figure had emerged from the shadow’ and this is later revealed to be Jay Gatsby’s very first presence in the novel. Although he does not have any dialogue with any other characters and nor has he interacted with any other characters at this point, the reader can gain some insight into what his personality may entail. For instance, the fact that he ‘emerged from the shadow’ may allude to the possibility that he may have had a dark history and that there is something enigmatic about him. It is not a clandestine that Jay Gatsby lives a life of luxury as he possesses ‘more than forty acres of lawn and garden’ and his home is initially referred to as ‘Gatsby’s mansion’, implying that it is of a more than generous size. Furthermore, he holds a party once a week at his home and invites everyone- including Nick. This gives us a further insight into what Jay Gatsby is like. The fact that he holds a party once a week could be due to him wanting to keep his social status amongst his peers at a high level whilst it also acts as a constant reminder of his power and raises the question of whether he enjoys people being reminded of his power or whether he feels the need to remind himself. Moreover, in preparation for his parties, he has been known to waste ‘five crates of oranges and lemons’ during the weekend and every Monday they leave through ‘his back door in a pyramid of pulpless halves’. This is representative of the over-indulgence of the rich at the time and the fact that the wastage is taken out through the ‘back door’ resembles the era of prohibition in the 1920’s whereby many things were done in secret. This could show how Gatsby is attempting to keep his faà §ade of being ‘The Great Gatsby’ by trying to negate any bad qualities he may possess or any immoral actions that he may commit. In addition to this, during the party, ‘a tray of cocktails floated’ around and this reveals to the reader that Gatsby was evidently breaking the law by serving alcohol at his party in 1922 prohibition America. Also indicating that he has a very high level of influence to be able to hold a party with such a  large number of guests and not one of them doubts his motives for serving alcohol – which could be a ploy to attract more people to his parties. Likewise, the guests that attend his parties are little more than carbon copies of each other, where many woman appear to be wearing ‘yellow dresses’. This is symbolic of their attempt to be something that they are not and try to fit in and conform to society’s need to be in the elite or rather, living the American Dream. When the reader finally meets Jay Gatsby, they are already under the influence of many rumours regarding Gatsby that many minor characters mentioned, such as the fact that he is a ‘nephew of cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm’ or that he ‘killed a man’. However, when we meet him through the eyes of Nick Carraway, he gives him a ‘rare smile with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life’. This almost makes the reader forget about everything that Fitzgerald had informed us of because it appears as if we have just met the real Gatsby. From this we can infer that he is a person who has gone through a lot but is at least genuine and despite what he may have done, he is still ‘The Great Gatsby’. From my point of view, it seems that F. Scott Fitzgerald had spent the most part of the beginning of the novel building up an image of Gatsby that was someone who inherited their wealth, had possibly killed someone and was ambiguous. But I believe that this was so that the reader could be shown how the other characters in the novel viewed Gatsby before giving him a chance, and when we finally meet him, we are able to get to know him and slowly build up our own image that I believe will completely contradict the beliefs that the other people in the novel share of Jay Gatsby and by doing this we are able to view the many perspectives that people have of him, allowing us to create a better informed judgment on the controversial character.

Creative Writing Essay

He didn’t look anything like I’d expected. That was when I realised something was wrong. Bad thoughts were rushing through my head at a million miles an hour. I could hear and see nothing for miles except for his dark outline. Confusion and worry was all I could think and I could feel myself shaking. The footsteps were getting louder so I slowly backed away, trying not to make it obvious. Why had I agreed to this, it had been spur of the moment when I’d been upset over that stupid boy from math class. I should have known better than to be so stupid. Then he realised what was happening ‘Sweetie it’s fine. Don’t move I’ll look after you.’ his voice was deep but somehow reassuring. For a second it calmed me down. He sounded so nice, had I jumped to conclusions? Maybe he was just worried about the age gap. I started to walk towards him and he got a beer out of his bag. ‘Have some of this darling.’ He offered it to me but that was one thing I knew to reject. I wasn’t going to be even stupider and drink alcohol in this situation. He turned towards the car and signaled for me to follow. Slowly I trailed behind with my feet scuffling along the floor as I considered my options. I was scared but I didn’t want to believe he would be horrible after how well we had got on before we had met. So I followed him along the path towards what I supposed was his car at the end of the street. I felt in my pocket, my phone was there safely, it would all be fine. I can look after myself I remember thinking. If only I had known. When I reached the car we both got in, with not a word uttered from either of us. He started the car and I plucked up the courage to ask where we were going. ‘Wouldn’t you like to know’ he laughed. He revved the car and off we went through the streets. My heart started to beat faster and faster, it was out of control. I started to shake. My conscience kicked in. Stop Amber, Take control. ‘Please I don’t think this is a good idea, I want to go home’ I stuttered quietly. He laughed in my face. ‘Please, Please.’ I shouted louder but he wasn’t listening. We carried on driving. I noticed where we were driving to; it was towards the abandoned warehouse on the edge of town. I was angry with myself especially for agreeing to meet in the middle of no where, that should have been the first sign of something not being right. Who would have wanted to meet there unless they weren’t who they said they were. What shall I do? How do I get out of here? So many thoughts were swirling round my head. Then the car stopped. He started to get closer, his hand was moving down my thigh and his face was getting closer and closer to mine. I tried to move away but I could feel his warm breath on my face. He had his hand clenched tightly onto my arm so I couldn’t move. I kicked and he grabbed me even harder. I could feel his sweaty hand moving up my skirt and under my tights. I couldn’t talk, I was frozen with fear. Then I don’t know what came over me but suddenly I wasn’t scared anymore. I spat as hard as I could in his face. His shock made him pull back, this was my chance to get out. I hit him as hard as my arms would let me, moved back and then kicked him in the face. I saw his hand move towards the lock button on the car. As quick as I could I pushed the door open and fell to the street floor. Grabbing my bag I got up and ran as fast as my legs could go. I could hear shouting and screaming from behind but I daren’t look back. He was running after me, I could hear his feet pounding against the street floor. I felt a hand grab my shoulder and push me against the floor. ‘I think she’s waking up’ I heard people whispering around me. Slowly I opened my eyes and above me I could see what seemed to be a doctor and a man dressed in a suit. ‘Amber, are you okay? Do you remember what happened the other day?’ The other day? Last thing I remember was lying on the street floor looking into those dark brown eyes. Then I looked to the side and I could faintly make out the body of a man asleep on a bed next to me. As they saw me look over they started to draw the curtain around him but not before I saw them. Handcuffs locking him to the bed. It was him.

Protecting and Preserving Our Environment Essay

Our planet Earth is dying. This is a fact that we are experiencing, caused by our own behaviors. The term â€Å"dying’’ is true, because our lifestyle is causing serious damage to the environment and might lead to the termination of humanity if those actions are not stopped. We all share a role in protecting and preserving our environment because it is the primary and the only place for us to live and develop new generations. We all are consumers, but there is a huge difference between a wise consumer and an average consumer in terms of protecting the environment and homeland. As consumers, we always look for the lowest price without putting in mind the potential damage a product can cause to our environment. A perfect example is plastic bottles. We always buy plastic bottled products without knowing whether they are recyclable or not. In fact, it is estimated that 80% of plastic bottles are not being recycled (Greenupgrader.com). A nonrecyclable plastic bottle may last as long as 1000 years before it biodegrades completely (Answers.com). Another notable fact is that 1 ton of recycled plastic bottles would save more than 7.4 cubic yards of landfill (Earth911.com). If we all move to buying recyclable bottles and recycle them, we would save our environment from mountains of discarded bottles. Also, we may save our environment from tons of toxic vapors caused by burning plastic bottles. Controlling air pollution is another crucial factor in preserving our environment. In the past, people were not worried about the potential harm the environment is exposed to because of their acts; however, they became much concerned and alarmed nowadays after they sensed the symptoms of the global warming. We all know about global warming and its side effects. We also know that we are all accused of that problem because of our actions, but why don’t we stop it? If we all try to reduce main factors of air pollution; we would decrease the global warming, and how is very easy. Reducing the use of fossil fuels is an excellent example. Hybrid or fully electric cars can produce 25% to 90% less toxic emissions than an ordinary gas powered vehicle (carbon-monoxide-poisoning.com). This means if we buy hybrid or fully electric cars; then we would contribute to the environment by reducing tons of toxic emissions from fossil fuel powered vehicles. Those toxic emissions cause about 51% of Carbon Monoxide in the air; which is an extremely toxic gas and fatal in high concentrations (thegoodairlady.com). Another great example of reducing air pollution is sharing a ride when commuting to work or school. Sharing a ride or â€Å"carpooling† reduces the number of running vehicles on roads and thus reducing the toxic emissions from them. If 500 people use carpooling every working day, then we would contribute to the environment by reducing as much as 60% of the total carbon monoxide in the air. Controlling air pollution is extremely important; however, excessive water consumption is even much more important and essential to humanity and next generations. Water is becoming scarce in different parts of the world, and this is because we don’t know how vital water conservation is. It is estimated that over 1.5 billion people worldwide do not have access to safe and fresh water to drink (Matt Scott). Isn’t 1.5 billion an astonishing number? , and don’t you think it is time to reduce our consumption not only for us, but also for the next generations? There are many ways to conserve water. One good example is the use of low flow shower head. A low flow shower head may reduce about 15 gallons of water during an average 10 minute shower (environment.nationalgeographic.com). In addition, we all have to regularly check our house for water leaks. Undiscovered water leakage could waste as much as 15,000 gallons of water a year. Moreover, try to avoid filling the bathtub and instead use the overhead shower. Taking a bath wastes about 70 gallons of water, while a normal 10 minute shower wastes only 20 gallons. The difference may not be significant, but over a long period, it does matter. Finally, I think if the majority of us went to one of the mentioned solutions and acted mindfully, then we would save our precious environment from pollution, water scarcity, and many other serious environmental issues. Environment conservation starts with me, you and all occupants of planet earth, so let us start protecting our lives and have a brighter future for the next generations. Works Cited Gunzelmann, Doug. â€Å"Plastic Bottle Facts Make You Think Before You Drink† August 2008 www.greenupgrader.com/3258/plastic-bottle-facts-make-you-think-before-you- drink/ Gunner, John. â€Å"How Long a Plastic Bottle Last Before it Decompose† April 2010 www.wiki.answers.com/Q/How_long_for_plastic_water_bottle_to_decompose Earth 911 â€Å"Plastic Recycling Facts† June 2007 www.earth911.com/recycling/plastic/plastic-bottle-recycling-facts/ Carbon Monoxide Poisoning â€Å"A Guide to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning† www.carbon-monoxide-poisoning.com/article5-hybrid-car-emissions.html Sage Blossom Consulting. ‘’Car Pollution Facts’’ August 2007. www.thegoodairlady.com/car_pollution_facts_000233.html/ Matt, Scott. â€Å"40 Shocking Facts About Water’’ June 2009. www.metadornetwork.com/change/40-shocking/facts-about-water/ National Geographic â€Å"Water Conservation Tips† www.environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/water-conservation- tips/

The United States Economic Development in the World War II Essay

The United States Economic Development in the World War II - Essay Example This essay outlines the efficiency of the economic policies of American government in war and post-war period, that led to strongly improved performance of the economy in the world. There are several reasons that led to wage rise during the Second World War. One reason that led to the rise in wage rates during the Second World War was the increased efficiency in jobs. Millions of residents of the United States of America who worked in occupations that were less productive moved to more efficient occupations. By acquiring efficient jobs, they earned more from their occupations. During the Second World War, wages also increased because productivity was equally improved. The improvement in productivity was brought about by better technologies that were put in place. The United States of America got its resources using an array of methods. One of them was excessive use of taxation. High taxes were imposed on workers as a way of mobilizing resources. The Congress collaborated with Roosevelt to impose heavy taxes as a way of mobilizing resources. The rates of marginal taxes increased from 81 per cent to about 94 per cent during the entire duration of the Second World War. The income level that was subjected to tax was also lowered Following the World War II, the increase in the demand of consumers for commodities fueled a robust economic growth. One industry that benefited from the consumer demand was the motor vehicle industry. To add to that, electronic and aviation industries witnessed enormous growth. ... The army was well marshaled to a force that was feared in the battlefield during the entire season of the war. By the year 1945, the military of the United States of America comprised of at least 13 000 000 million men, in addition to women who were in unison. This jump started the successful tradition in battle fields the United States of America has enjoyed till today. The industrial strength of the United States was also a crucial factor that was observed not only during but also after the Second World War. As much as they imported most of the resources they used outside the nation, their Gross domestic product stood the highest across the entire world. This margin was very large compared to those of other parts of the world (Young, 2013). During the post war era, the industry was transformed into an economic powerhouse still being witnessed today in the United States of America. These are of the reasons that led to the success of the United States as far as economic growth was co ncerned. They were able to recognize some of the gaps by other countries which they filled well. The post war prosperity that was witnessed in the United States of America after the Second World War was such a golden chance to the capitalists. This was attributed to maturity in bonds of about 200 million dollars from the years between 1945 to 1973.These bonds were financed by their work force that was educated. The post war prosperity and economic growth was also brought about by the increased number of farm workers who secured jobs in cities and towns across the United States of America. Before the Second World War, the economics of the United States ditched into a great depression. This occurred in the period between 1929 to 1941.In 1932, the

Causes of Renaissance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Causes of Renaissance - Essay Example Apart from that, urbanization of cities and growth of commerce provided a suitable background for the rise of Renaissance. Before the twelve century, Italy was mostly rural with only several small urban centers. However, the established trade relationships with Byzantine and Muslims guaranteed the flow of money and goods that added to the development of commerce and, subsequently, to the wealth of the country as a whole. (Mantin 62-63)The following, in its turn, led to the growth of individual and self-governed cities-states with their own banking and political systems. Consequently, by the time the central and northern European cities were still ruled by monarchs, cities in Italy enjoyed high levels of autonomy that penetrated into various aspects of life. The atmosphere of prosperity and freedom was established and appeared to be quite conductive for the beginning of Renaissance. Furthermore, decentralization of power weakened the influence of church and its strict doctrines on people as well as contributed to the prosperity of people in Italy. The medieval society was totally subdued by the dominant rule of a church. It made impossible social development and did not allow any intellectual or economic advancement, viewing them as contradictory to Christian doctrines. The situation changed in the thirteen century when the power and prestige of the Pope were questioned. At that time, monarchs and common people started to challenge the overwhelming influence of the church with its constant proclamations of asceticism.