Monday, December 23, 2019
Light vs. Dark in Heart of Darkness Essay - 1268 Words
Light vs. Dark in Heart of Darkness The realism movement of the late nineteenth century produced works in literature that were marked by reduced sentimentality and increased objectivity. The goal was to let details tell the story, and remove noticeable bias of the author through scientific and detailed descriptions. While this form of storytelling undoubtedly is most accurate, it creates difficulties for authors to incorporate their themes into the story. This resulted in an increase in symbolism in realist works. The objects and descriptions within the story are the authorââ¬â¢s vehicle for displaying the values and themes of the work. Light and darkness are symbols commonly used in literature, and have held specific symbolicâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦One of the biggest ways he contrastââ¬â¢s the two is in physical locations themselves. Conrad uses light as a symbol of civilization. Just as darkness is defined as the absence of light, the black jungle represents the absence of white manââ¬â¢s civilization - a civilization marked by corruption and evil. Conradââ¬â¢s description of Brussels in part one is an example of how he uses detail to convey deeper meaning. ââ¬Å"In a very few hours I arrived at a city that always made me think of a white sepulcher.â⬠(953) It is significant that Conrad describes the building Marlow departs from as a white coffin, because the offices in that building are driven by greed and their job is sending men out to their almost certain deaths. The white men in the white town send sailors in search of their white prize, ivory. This cycle of evil begins and ends in this town. Describing the town as white is deceptive, because the town itself possesses an ominous feeling of death. This symbolizes the deception of all the sailors who come to this town in hopes of finding fo rtune and are sent to their deaths. Conrad makes it clear that this is a deception not found in the darkness of the jungle. When Marlow approaches dying slaves in the darkness of a shaded cove, he states: ââ¬Å"They were not enemies, they were not criminals, they were nothing earthly now, - nothing but blackShow MoreRelated The Theme of Darkness in Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay1340 Words à |à 6 PagesThe Theme of Darkness in Conrads Heart of Darkness Works Cited Not Included It has been said that although Conrad may not have been the greatest novelist, he was certainly the greatest artist every to write a novel;. I feel that this is an apt description of Conrads writing style in Heart of Darkness (1902), as he paints many verbal pictures by using expressive words and many figurative descriptions of places and people. An extensive use of words relating to colour, is evident throughoutRead MoreDarkness Can Be Pure, And Light856 Words à |à 4 Pages Darkness can be pure, and light can be tainted. This is the view with which Conrad expresses his work in Heart of Darkness. Conrad through his writing demonstrates how light and Darkness does not always hold rigid values. In Conradââ¬â¢s narrative, the traditional values of light and darkness is not upheld, it can be seen how light can be used to emphasize evil while Darkness or black can be a sign of purity. The motif of light and darkness are present throughout. In his narrative of theRead MoreThe Journey In ââ¬Å"Heart Of Darknessâ⬠Spans Not Only The Capricious1222 Words à |à 5 PagesThe journey in ââ¬Å"Heart of Darknessâ⬠spans not only the capricious waters extending our physical world, but also the perplexing ocean which exists in the heart of man. Through Marlow s somewhat overenthusiastic eyes, we perceive the mystery that is humanity, and the blurred line between darkness and light. It is an expedition into the deepest crevices of the human heart and mind bringing on an awareness, and finally descending into the abyss of hell abiding in each of us. Conradââ¬â¢s use of wordplayRead More Characters, Setting, Themes, and Symbols of Heart of Darkness1248 Words à |à 5 PagesCharacters, Setting, Themes, and Symbols of Heart of Darkness à à à Deep within the chest of every man, woman, and child beats the heart of darkness. On the surface, mankind has achieved a sophisticated level of civilization. Joseph Conrad forces the reader to peel away the pristine layer of sweetness and see the unaltered truth. Heart of Darkness reveals the true nature that lurks behind every smile, handshake, and conversation. Conrads portrayal of the characters, setting, symbols, and ironiesRead MoreGood Vs Evil By Nathaniel Hawthorne1515 Words à |à 7 Pagesof romanticism. Where there were several themes that were encompassed in these works, but the main theme was that of good vs evil. This one theme acts as an umbrella for many others that fall underneath it. The theme of good vs. evil is extremely prevalent within works from the Romanticism period such as The Scarlet Letter, Young Goodman Brown, and even in modern day. Good vs Evil is one of the main themes of the Scarlet Letter which was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, another esteemed author ofRead MoreEssay on Irony in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness1033 Words à |à 5 PagesIrony in Heart of Darkness à à à The use of irony within the ââ¬ËThe Heart of Darknessââ¬â¢ by Conrad is an important notion.à Irony in this novella helps to bring about encapsulating self-discovery and enlightenment of the self.à Furthermore the use of characters and what they represent also brings about communicating what it means to be civilised.à Thus these two facets shall be the focus within my essay. Firstly each of the main characters in Heart of Darkness plays a significant role in theRead MoreComparative Essay1096 Words à |à 5 Pagesanalysis: ââ¬Å"Heart of Darknessâ⬠ââ¬Å"Apocalypse Nowâ⬠Student: Mora Vandenbroele Teacher: Azucena Estigarribia Year: 11th ââ¬Å"Aâ⬠ââ¬Å"Heart of Darknessâ⬠vs. ââ¬Å"Apocalypse Nowâ⬠It is very interesting how humans are so intrigued about the evilness in the world, and the dedication of some men to compare Hell with the Earthly horror. Joseph Conrad, a genius writer, took his time to show this with his masterpiece ââ¬Å"Heart of Darknessâ⬠that wasRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne1368 Words à |à 6 PagesGood vs. Evil ââ¬Å"ââ¬Å"There was witchcraft in little Pearlââ¬â¢s eyes, and her face, as she glanced upward at the minister, wore that naughty smile which made its expression frequently so elvish.â⬠(Hawthorne 145) This, is a misleading description that Nathaniel Hawthorne depicts of Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne, in his classic novel The Scarlet Letter. Pearl is the living product of sin for her mother. Born out of wedlock, Pearl is a unique child that tends to be very moody and unpredictable. HoweverRead More Transformation in Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now Essay1685 Words à |à 7 PagesTransformation in Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now à à à à à Since Francis Ford Coppolaââ¬â¢sà Apocalypse Now was based on Joseph Conrads novel, Heart of Darkness, it is possible to draw many parallels between the two works. Both can be interpreted as metaphors for a journey through the inner self, and each has its own particular message to convey. In many ways they also appear to have similarities to Arthurian Legend, in particular the quest for the holy grail, and other allegorical journeyRead MoreHeart of Darkness/Blood Diamond Essay1194 Words à |à 5 Pagescentre of evil on not only an individual level, but also that of a communal and global level. Contextually there is a superficial alteration in the stimulus (Ivory vs. diamond) for greed and of global awareness towards the issue, although in the century that separates Joseph Conradââ¬â¢s exploration of colonial regime in his novella Heart of Darkness and Edward Zwickââ¬â¢s post-colonial film Blood Diamond, the values driving the major characters and faction s from the different texts are comparably similar. In
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Marketing a W Free Essays
Executive Summary AW Restaurants, Inc. is a chain of fast-food restaurants that specialize in root beer and root beer floats. It is the first fast food restaurant in Singapore and expansion was fast in the early nineties, but in 2003, AWââ¬â¢s Singapore operations came to an end. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing a W or any similar topic only for you Order Now Many Singaporeans grew up eating AW, and that is one reason why many people are protesting for it to make a comeback in Singapore. Hence, our campaign will draw an emotional appeal, focusing on the theme, ââ¬Å"Bringing back the good old memoriesâ⬠. Based on this central theme, this report covers the Public Relations, Sales Promotions, Personal Selling, Direct Marketing and Budget proposed for the nature of our campaign. A survey was conducted and given out to 80 random applicants to find out more about what they think of the organisation. Online research was also done to examine some of the risks or problems faced in the marketplace, its potential, competition, unique selling advantages and AWââ¬â¢s current positioning. Lastly, we have come up with creative strategies to enhance the advertising campaign. Bringing back the good old timesâ⬠focuses on the old days so we will mainly be using traditional media to stay consistent to our theme. As many youngsters these days use social media to connect, we will also be using a few online methods to stay connected to the new generation. Lastly, putting into consideration the aspects of our personal selling, sales promotion, direct marketing and advertising costs, the proposed c osting for the total campaign will be approximately $137,707. IMC Objectives * Advertising To bring back AW to Singapore by creating brand awareness through focussing on our central theme, ââ¬Å"Bringing back the good old daysâ⬠and to create the likeability of amongst 80% of our target audience. * Public Relations To create interest and maintain positive image for AW by drawing as much publicity as possible, and gain huge exposure to reach out to our target audience with 30% additional publicity. * Sales promotion Uses price, coupons to help drive and increase attendance by 30% and to also encourage brand switching. Increase consumption and AWââ¬â¢s sales by at least 3% and to add at least 5% to overall market share by 2015. Agency Introduction Based in Singapore, APG Advertising Pte Ltd was established in 1996 providing a comprehensive range of services. We take the task of understanding the business and propose attractive promotions or campaigns, tailored to your specific industry and budget. We also help clients and our teams put more creativity into campaign planning and capable of handling a variety of advertising for business of different natures. Our teams of professionals, armed with expert knowledge of current trends in the market, embark on providing refreshing marketing ideas to kick start your businesses. We service to not only the local market, but also have our global networks, particularly to Asia, such as Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand. APG Advertising Agency possesses skilled employees who have combined experience of over 25 years servicing to the local and international industry. We are a fully accredited service agency. We have run print ads, bus advertisements, MRT advertisements, radio/television commercials, point of sales ads, marketing brochures, brand building and have even created websites. Some of the big firms who have used our services include Bank of China, Maybank, Hyflux, Serta, etc. Accreditations from well-known Institutions * Association of Accredited Advertising Agents, Singapore (4As) * Institute of Advertising, Singapore (IAS) * Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) * MediaCorp Singapore Group (MCS) Various Campaigns (Pls refer to Appendix) * Aberdeen * Realstar * Singapore International (Motor Show) * Natas Travel Background Research Clientââ¬â¢s Background AW Restaurants, Inc. was established in 1919 in Lodi, California, United States. It is a chain of fast-food restaurants that specialize in root beer and root beer floats. The name AW came about from the surname of the initials Roy W. Allen and Frank Wright. Hence, started the companyââ¬â¢s humble beginnings, as AW. The first fast food restaurant in Singapore was not McDonaldââ¬â¢s or KFC, it was AW. The chainââ¬â¢s expansion was fast in the early nineties, but in the late nineties, the branch at Singapore Zoo closed down, leaving Singapore with seven outlets remaining in 2002. A year later, AWââ¬â¢s Singapore operations came to an end after shutting down their last outlet at Hougang Heartland Mall. Being the first fast food restaurant in Singapore, AW left a huge impact on many Singaporeans as they grew up eating AW. Long before MacDonald, KFC and Burger King came into the picture, it was the most favourite among the teens. It was seen to be ââ¬Å"coolâ⬠hanging out in AW restaurant. Whether it was an easy takeaway (AW drive through), indulging in fast food, or giving a good treat to pamper oneself, AW was always there. Hence, many Singaporeans yearn for AW to make a comeback. On Facebook, there are many pages created by fans, called ââ¬Å"Like to bring back AW in Singaporeâ⬠, ââ¬Å"Bring back AW restaurant in Singaporeâ⬠and many other pages that support AW into coming back to Singapore. The pages have over 18,000 likes and every now and then, fans would post comments on the wall asking when they are making a comeback or why have they left. Whenever Singaporeans visit Malaysia or Batam, the first thing they think of is to visit the nearest AW restaurant as well. This shows evidence that AW has left a huge impression despite drowning due to intense competition. Demand is undoubtedly high and the memories AW created for its customers is so strong that people are protesting for it to come back until today. Situation Analysis Problems/Risks faced in the Marketplace a) Problems * Viewed as ââ¬Å"Unhealthy Junk Foodâ⬠Being a fast food restaurant chain, AW is perceived as unhealthy and customers may see it as ââ¬Å"just another fast food restaurantâ⬠. Because their menu contains fatty food such as Burger, Chicken, Hot Dogs, French Fries, Nuggets, Ice Cream, Milkshakes etc, it may turn customers off as they do not provide a variety of healthy alternative options. Being a family oriented restaurant, it is important that AW first convince adults or parents to choose their dining experience to be at AW because they are the ones that have the buying power to bring their children to the restaurant. Hence, if adults or parents are convinced that the food offered by AW is generally unhealthy or simply seen as ââ¬Å"junk foodâ⬠, they will not consider bringing their family to dine there regularly, unless for rare treats. * Considered relatively small compared to competitors In 2003, AW was acquired by YUM! Brands. Currently for AW, there are over 1,200 restaurants including 350 international stores in 16 countries and territories. Comparing this figure to other YUM! ââ¬â¢s flagship stores, KFC has about 17,000 restaurants worldwide. McDonaldââ¬â¢s has over 34,000 stores worldwide, while Subway has 35,000 locations around the world. With contrast to the other competitors, AW is relatively small. b) Risks * Of being shut down due to fierce competitions In 1966, AW launched their first business at Dunearn Road, near the former University of Singaporeââ¬â¢s Bukit Timah Campus. The chain was expanding fast, but due to fierce competitions from other fast food competitors, it eventually closed down in 2003. Thus, it is a risk to bring back AW to Singapore as it has been shut down previously due to intense competition. * Of having inability to handle high cost due to small size Given AWââ¬â¢s size, there is a risk of the company not being able to handle the high cost as compared to competitors. Because they are relatively small in comparison to other fast food chain outlets, food inventory, logistics, transportation and other cost may come in as an issue while for ompetitors it is not an issue as they already have many outlets spread in Singapore. Potential The first AW store opened in Singapore in 1966. Back then, people were more conservative and health conscious which led to one of the reasons why AW closed down in Singapore in the early 2000s. However, times have changed. Singaporeans these days are much affluent than they used to be. The younger genera tion is more career-oriented and this leads to more people eating out as they often work overtime. In the current fast-paced society, demand for moreà convenient meals is also increasing. Although awareness of the importance of proper diet increased, fast-food, snacks and soft-drinkà consumption is also still on the rise. Wendyââ¬â¢s was first in Singapore during the 1980s. Not long before their opening, Wendyââ¬â¢s faced the same issue as AW due to intense competition and as a result, collapsed and shut down their outlet which was operating at Far East Plaza and Parkway Parade. However, in 2009, the US fast chain reopened in Singapore at Lau Pa Sat in the Central Business District. Since then, they have grown and just recently opened their 11th restaurant at Jurong East MRT Station. Therefore, despite failing in the earlier years, they manage to make a successful comeback and AW should perhaps make a comeback too. Wendyââ¬â¢s comeback shows evidence that there is potential in the rise of fast food chain outlets. Competition AW operates in the product category of fast food sandwich chains, which is highly competitive and developed. Today,à the three giants in the local fast-food business are McDonaldââ¬â¢s,à Kentucky Fried Chicken and Burger King, with McDonaldââ¬â¢s leading the pack. AW simply cannot compete with the thousands of stores their rivals have world-wide. Although AW does not have the number of units or financial resources that some of its competitors have now, they do have good brand recognition since they bring about childhood memories to Singaporeans. (i) MacDonald The number of people who throngedà MacDonaldââ¬â¢s first outlet opening was so large;à a world record was set for serving the worldââ¬â¢s highest volume of hamburgers in a single day. Today, McDonald has over 120 restaurants across the island serve 1. 2 million customers every week. Around 9,000 employees keep the McDonaldââ¬â¢s restaurants running ship-shape. The popular chain is well-known for its Big Macs, Quarter Pounders, and Chicken McNuggets. Most of the outlets are free-standing units offering dine-in and drive-through service. Today one canà find a McDonaldââ¬â¢s restaurantà in almost every corner of the island and over 40 operating as 24hours stores. About 80% of the restaurants are run by franchisees or affiliates. (ii) Burger King BURGER KING commenced operations in Singapore since 1982 through the opening of its first restaurant at Peninsula Plaza. Over the years, Burger King Singapore Pte. Ltd. perates more than 40 restaurants in Singapore where customers across the island city can enjoy the great and healthy flame-grilled taste of their products. Providing customers with a great dining experience in the areas of convenience, excellent service and friendly surroundings is and also for the wide and unique menu options is what Burger King achieved. In addition to its popular Whopper sandwich, the chain offers a selection of burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, and breakfast items, along with beverages, desserts, and sides. (iii) KFC KFC is the leader in the chicken segment in the Singapore Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry. There are over 15,000à KFCà outlets in 105 countries and territories around the world. Upon entering every KFC outlets, one will be captivated by the chickenââ¬â¢s aroma. At KFC, they offer high quality and great tasting food in a popular array of complete meals such as Daily Savers Meals, Snackers and Family Feast that enable the whole family to share a fun and satisfying experience with all the affordability and convenience of a fast food restaurant. The popular chain is well known for its fried chicken and its various incarnations ââ¬â chicken burgers, drumlets, nuggets, ââ¬Ëpopcornââ¬â¢ chicken. The chicken comes in various flavours ââ¬â original, spicy, crispy. Unique Selling Advantages * Worldââ¬â¢s No. 1 Root Beer A;W Root Beer is the worldââ¬â¢s number one selling root beer float and is still mixed fresh daily and sold at hundreds of AW restaurants. Customers dine at AW to enjoy their signature products like root beers floats, deep fried cheese curdsà and waffles. Long Heritage When people talk about AW in Singapore, they think of the past and memories because it is the first fast food restaurant in Singapore. Hence, the history behind AW is a unique selling point as people will always remember AW as they grew up eating it. Till now, they are still making memories and All American Food. Having a strong history over the brand AW, is what other competitors canââ¬â¢t achieved. Current Positioning Over the years, AW has position themselves as a childhood fast food brand. Some positioning strategy that AW has adopted will be emotional, functional and promotional. The emotional positioning strongly taps into boomersââ¬â¢ memories of their youth at AW, with the objective of creating smiles and reminisce. The functional positioning focuses on the simple indulgence of a great burger just like it was in 1956. The promotional positioning reflects great value for a premium product. AW focus their efforts on baby boomersââ¬â a market virtually ignored by the other fast-food chains. This group, born between 1946 and 1964, grew up with AW drive-ins. The brand truly represents their youth and the simple joys that came along with it. We want to bring back memories of these boomers having countless ââ¬Å"firstsâ⬠at AW growing up: their first trip to a fast-food restaurant, ââ¬Å"graduatingâ⬠to their first Teen Burger, going out on their first date, driving their first carââ¬â these were all very important and rich memories. It was clear that AW is one of the few brands that have the right to align themselves with these milestones in boomersââ¬â¢ lives. We feel that the current positioning is strong and we believe it would work out for our objectives of our campaign. This insight became the basis for an important element of our campaign. IMC Strategies Overall Theme/Big Idea To bring back the fast food chain that Singaporeans grew up loving, focussing on our central theme, ââ¬Å"Bringing back the good old daysâ⬠. * Creative Direction The advertising appeal that we would use to attract the attention of consumers will be through emotional appeal because emotional appeal will be easier for us to relate our BIG IDEA and campaign to our target group. The way our big idea will be conveyed to consumers will be through slice of life execution as it is able to portray a real life situation that consumers may face daily. As our big idea is to bring back the good old times to consumer who patronize AW on their re-opening, our advertising video will be about a man who had a hard time at work as his job pile stacks higher and higher but when he walk into AW and drink their signature root beer float, flash back of the good times he had appeared in his brain making his frown and stressful face to turn into a wide smile, enjoying the moment. Public Relations * Publicity Vehicles Vehicle wraps is one of the most cost efficient advertising tools. Because we believe they have the ability to generate more advertising impressions than any other advertising medium available, we will be hiring three trucks to drive around high traffic areas such as Orchard Road to showcase that AW is coming back to Singapore. We will feature our theme, ââ¬Å"Bringing back the good old memories near youâ⬠to bring awareness to consumers that AW is returning. Inside the truck, it will contain mini cans of AW that we will be selling to the public. For every can purchased at $1, customers will get a free AW balloon to show support for wanting to bring AW back to Singapore. * Community Activities With the proceeds earned from the mini canned drinks, we will be donating 50% of the proceeds to poor families with low income. Since AW is a family restaurant, we want to show the importance of family. Thus, AW will donate proceeds of the earnings to people who deserve it to show our welfare and concern, and to show the community that AW cares about the society. Sales Promotion There are various sales promotional tools that AW can make use of to introduce their come-back in Singapore and so to stimulate trial, repeat or larger purchases. To suit our ââ¬Å"old schoolâ⬠theme campaign, we have decided to make use of 4 different sales promotional tools and they are namely coupons, contests/sweepstakes, price-off deal and frequency programs. Coupons will be distributed using social media website such as Facebook and twitter. A picture of the coupon will be posted on the official Facebook page of AW and this coupon can be printed and will entitle them to 2 different benefits. On the day of the opening, consumers will be able to enjoy 10% off their total bill instantly upon flashing the coupon and after doing so, a bounce back coupons printed in black and white using old school design will also be given to these consumers in order to encourage repeat purchase. The reason of combining this 2 different method is because of our ââ¬Å"old schoolâ⬠theme. Since our theme focuses on bringing back childhood memories of the consumers, it would be more appropriate if we can make use of traditional marketing method. However, we will be using a small part of social media as it has become increasingly popular among teenagers these days that make it a much easier and cost-efficient way to reach out to our consumers. However, this promotion will only be valid for a month to introduce the comeback of AW. Our price-off deals includes set meals which will be available at all times. Since our target audiences are families and our marketing idea is to bring back childhood memories, family set meals is definitely a must-have in our menu. A frequency program will also be combined together with a contest to encourage consumers to try out all the different product that is available on the menu. A frequency card will be issued on your first alacarte purchase and 10 different stamps would need to be collected in order to enjoy the benefit and so to participate in the contest. These 10 collectible stamps represent the different alacarte items; a stamp will be rewarded for each alacarte items being purchased. Collect all 10 different stamps and it will entitle customers to redeem a free ââ¬Å"set meal of the weekâ⬠. Upon redemption, personal data will need to be filled in at the back of the card to redeem their prizes. This can also be reference for our customer database. Personal Selling For our campaign, we will be having staffs going around the event areas to serve and answer any enquiries by our audience. For example, our staffs will explain to them the main objectives of this campaign and the main reason in bringing back AW. These will actually nature relationships with customers by understanding their needs and demands. Not only that, we can solve their doubts and recommend ways to satisfy them. Also, our mascots will be going around interacting and bonding with the customers. Customers can take pictures with our mascots or even talk to it. After our campaign, more customers would be informed and will patronize our stores. This will actually brings popularity and publicity for AW. Direct Marketing Online Communication Flyers will be distributed to the public around neighbourhood and town areas. This will help increase the awareness of consumers that are shopping or staying nearby, giving them a heads-up of whatââ¬â¢s going on around them. To ensure that these Flyers will not be treated as junk mail, a free ice-cream coupon will be attached to it. However, consumers can only redeem the free ice cream upon purchasing a set meal. Though our main focus is to publicize re-launching of AW using outdoor, however there is also a need to use new media to reach out to the younger group of consumers who have not heard of AW before. We will plan to reach out to them through the means of social media platforms such as facebook and twitter. We will post pictures about during AW store renovation and what are the varieties of food that AW will be offering to keep them updated and excited to AWââ¬â¢s countdown. We will also set up a local AW website so that the younger generations can find out more about us through this means of platform. Media Strategy Media Mix (a) Advertising Campaign With the results that we have obtained through our surveys, we have decided to come out with an advertising campaign for AW with the objective of letting AW bring back childhood memories and happiness back to our target audience. Our campaign tag line will be ââ¬Å"AW, bringing back the good old times. â⬠This advertising campaign is to promote brand recall to our target audience that AW is back to serve them their favourite Signature Root Beer Float, Curly Fries and their other specialties. We have decided to use local advertising as our aim is to bring AW back to Singapore. Since our campaign objective and big idea is to bring back old memories, we will be using traditional media such as outdoor posters of media class and media vehicle as well to advertise on AW will be coming back to Singapore. Media class is a broad category of media such as broadcast, print, outdoor, interactive and etc. Out of all these, we will be choosing outdoor prints advertisements as many people are expecting to see AW advertisements at outdoor places. Media vehicles will be at bus stops, train stations and even on buses. Thus, for bus stops, we will be having a simple advert of AWââ¬â¢s logo and campaign theme with a digital countdown system at the bottom of the poster, stating how many more days to A;Wââ¬â¢s re-opening. For train stations, we have decided to have our advert to be paste at Toa Payoh station as it is a district located in the central region of Singapore with many housing estates and facilities around them. Hence, it would be great for us to put our advertisements there as it is not that expensive compared to placing it at orchard and Toa Payoh is more of a family oriented place. So, it would be a win-win situation for us as not only could we save money but we would be able to reach out to our target audience which is families as well. Lastly, for buses, we have decided to check a few buses to have AWââ¬â¢s advertisement on them while inside of the bus will have mini advertisement posters hanging on the poles where anybody who takes it will be given a 20% off when purchasing from A;W when they re-open in Singapore. Another media class that we will be choosing is television channels. As for the media vehicles will be television channels such as Channel 8 and Channel 5. The reason why we have chose these 2 channels is because people are expecting to see our advertisements on TV and Channel 5 ; 8 audience are mostly families. Hence, it matches with our target audience. Continuity scheduling technique will be used to re-reach to our target audience so that we can arouse more attention from the public. The television advertisement that we will be coming out with will be more family oriented, focusing on our theme of bringing back the good old times. There will be approximately 4 parts of the scene which depicts how A;W will bring back the good old times to consumers from the new technology world. It will also show how A;W will release their stressful life after visiting A;W where flashback of good old memories made their day a better one. Every week one scene will be played and at the end of the 4 weeks, it will be also the day where A;W re-open in Singapore. Though there are downsides of selecting these media tools such as high production cost and short exposure time but we are confident that with the correct location for our posters to be placed up at and with interesting television advertisement, we will be able to gain the response that we are targeting to achieve. b) Marketing Mix Strategies Product: People remember A;W for their unique root beer float over the years till now. Today, it has franchise locations throughout much of the world, serving a typical fast food menu of hamburgers and French fries, as well as hot dogs. One would be able to enjoy the unique and quality food served in A;W outlets at the same time creating/recalling memories of the past times at A;W. Not only that, A;W pack aging colors of brown, white, orange and yellow also left an impactful impressions to their customers. Place: The place of our campaign will be all around Singapore but putting more focus at Toa Payoh as we are planning to re-open the A;W outlet there. The reason why we choose Toa Payoh is due to the high traffic flow of families around that area. They have many facilities like Safra, Swimming Complex, library, movie theatre and neighbourhood schools which would attract many school kids and families who visit Toa Payoh for their variety of facilities over there. Hence the selection of the location where our main campaign location will be along with the big poster of A;W reopening paste on the train station of Toa Payoh. Price: The price of A;W standard food combos will be approximately from $5 to $8. Prices are stated based on analysis of other competitors price and cost of product. Besides standard food combos which includes main course and their signature root beer float, A;W will also sell ala cart items such as their curly fries, burgers and others. Regular curly fries will be set at $2 will large curly fries will be $3. For their regular signature root beer float will be $2. 95 while large signature root beer float will be $3. 5 and jumbo signature root beer float for two will be charged at $4. 95. Promotion: During the campaign period, customers who visit A;W with the mini advertisement that they took from the busses will be entitled to a 20% discount on standard food combos purchased or a total bill of $5 and above. This promotion will last one month from the day of reopening of A;W at Toa Payoh. The promotion is created to attract the crowd back to A;W and also attention of the public. Campa ign Budget | Description| Quantity| Duration| Pay rate| Total| Public Relations| | 1. | Trucks| 3| 3 hrs| $150/day| $450| 2. | Drivers (3hrs/day)| 3| 3 hrs| $15/hr| $135| 3. | Workers| 6| 3 hrs| $6/hr| $108| 4. | Donations| | | | $150| | Sales Promotion| | 5. | Printing of Coupons| 50,000| | | $1000| 6. | Coupon Value(Digital Coupon)| 50,000| | | $25,000| 7. | Production of Frequency Card| 50,000| | | $3000| | Direct Marketing| | 8. | Production of Flyers| 100,000| | | $2500| 9. | Flyer Distributor| 5 | 10 hours| $6/hr| $300| 10. | Mascot| 1| 8 hours| $8/hr| $64| | Advertising| | 1. | Poster Space: Toa Payoh MRT Station | 1| 2. 5 weeks| | $15,000| 12. | Poster Space: All Toa Payoh Bus Stops| | 2. 5 weeks| | $10,000| 13. | Advertising: Comfort Delgro| | 2. 5 weeks| | $8,000| 14. | Print Productions for posters etc. | | | | $30,000| 15. | TV commercial (15seconds)AirTime on Channel 8| 3 slots/day| 2 weeks| $500/time slot $1500/day| $21,000| 16. | TV commercial (15seconds)AirTime on Ch annel 5| 3 slots/day| 2 weeks| $500/time slot $1500/day| $21,000| | Total| $137,707| Round-Up Budget| $150,000| How to cite Marketing a W, Essay examples
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Good vs. Evil in Batman free essay sample
The Dark Knight is a reflection of how the good responds to the nature of evil. The Joker is the ultimate evil character and throughout the film he puts other characters in a tough situations that force them to choose between right and wrong and ultimately good and evil. Examples of this are seen with the characters Harvey Dent, Batman, and in the lifeboat scenario scene. The Jokerââ¬â¢s main goal is to prove that people are truly evil deep down and he manipulates them to bring that evil out and finds pleasure in destroying the good in people. One of the main characters in The Dark Knight, Harvey Dent, shows one way good reacts to evil. Harvey is the district attorney of Gotham City. Harvey had done much good to the city by putting many of Gothamââ¬â¢s criminals behind bars. Batman once also said to Harvey that he was the symbol of hope that Batman could never be and Batman even referred to him as the ray of light to Gotham. We will write a custom essay sample on Good vs. Evil in Batman or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He is one of the pure good in the film and is constantly being called ââ¬Å"the White Knightâ⬠of Gotham. Because of all of the goodness Dent had brought to Gotham he was considered a hero to the citizens and this made him a prime target for the Jokerââ¬â¢s manipulations. ââ¬Å"You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain. â⬠Dent said this early in the film during a dinner with Bruce and Rachel. This applies to Dent because if he had died in place of Rachel, he would have died with honor and he would be remembered as a hero in Gotham. Since Harvey was the survivor of the Jokerââ¬â¢s deathtrap, he was left finance-less and with half of his face blown-up. The Joker took away the only person he truly had loved and took advantage of Dent at this time and convinced him that no matter how much good you do you will still suffer and live in pain and through this terrible loss and trauma suffered by Dent he turns to evil to seek revenge for the death of Rachel Dawe, his fiance. This led to a conversation between Dent and Batman that proved that the Joker was the reason for Dentââ¬â¢s downfall. Dent started in, ââ¬Å"The Joker chose me. â⬠Where Batman replied, ââ¬Å"Because you were the best of us. He wanted to prove that even someone as good as you could fall. â⬠and finally Dent added, ââ¬Å"And he was right. â⬠He used Dent to help prove his point that there is madness and evil in all people, even those as good as Harvey Dent. At one point the Joker says, ââ¬Å"Madness is like gravity, all it needs is a little push. â⬠He had given Dent that push and his madness fell like gravity because he went from cleaning up the streets of criminals to becoming a criminal who kills others based on the 50/50 chance of a flip of a coin. The Joker was able to turn Dent from pure good to evil all through his manipulation and evil acts. On the other side of the reaction to the Jokerââ¬â¢s evil is shown in the lifeboat scene. This is on the other end of the spectrum when being compared to the way Harvey handled the evil of the Joker because the people in the boats were able to stay good and pure, even the convicts that were probably expected to be the ones to blow up the opposing boat. The Joker wanted the civilians to blow up the convict boat because it would show the selfishness of the good people proving that they arenââ¬â¢t that good at all and in the end the whole experiment failed showing that both the convicts and civilians showed goodness and thought of the other people in the other boat, putting other peopleââ¬â¢s lives before theirs. In the middle of subjecting to evil or remaining good is where we find the protagonist of the movie, Batman. An example of Batman showing a darker side is during the scene where Batman is interrogating the Joker. Batman tries to get information out of the Joker in order to save Harvey and Rachel and the Joker attacks his weakness which is his insecurities and one rule of not being able to kill. Through this manipulation, where the Joker was telling Batman that he isnââ¬â¢t like the policemen and that they are just using him and the Joker and him are very similar because they are outcasts, the Batman turns violent and shoves the Joker up against a wall. His composure is broken. The Joker got inside his head and he cracked. An example how the Batman remains good is how he has so many chances to kill the Joker and get rid of his problem so he can retire from the Batman position but he could not come to do this because it would be against his rule. Killing someone would shatter his goodness. Also the Batman does all he can to save civilians lives, while risking his own life. He cares about the greater good of Gotham city. He is called the Dark Knight because of this struggle between good and evil. Alfred, the butler, had this one line that really stuck out relating to the Joker. It was, ââ¬Å"Some men arenââ¬â¢t interested in anything logical, like money. They canââ¬â¢t be bullied or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn down. â⬠This mirrors the fact the Joker only does these evil things to watch others tumble and fall into the traps of evil and slowly take the world down. All in all, there will always be evil in the world and it all matters on whether or not the good join the evil or remain against it. The reactions to the evil is what really matters.
Saturday, November 30, 2019
Vincent van Goghs Joy Essay Example For Students
Vincent van Goghs Joy Essay Vincent van Gogh was a famous Dutch Post-Impressionist artist, whose unique artwork revolved around a curious joy of absorbing nature and its surroundings, then transforming what he saw into a distinctive style of expressionist art. Vincent created this distinctive style by expressing his emotions with a certain method of brush strokes and the color he blended with his brush strokes into his paintings. The van Gogh family and a number of powerful artists of that period had a great deal of influence on how Vincent van Gogh created his unique and colorful brush strokes Wallace 9. The family influence on his unique and distinctive style of art began the day he was born on March 30, 1853. Vincent was born into a family of religious and artistic relatives who were mourning the death of his older brother. Vincents brother was born and died by stillbirth on the exact date that Vincent was born, a year later. It was a very odd coincidence and even odder when their parents gave Vincent Willem van Gogh the exact name they had given his older brother. The stillborn baby was buried in a graveyard next to the familys church where his father was a Protestant minister. We will write a custom essay on Vincent van Goghs Joy specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The gravestone of Vincents brother was inscribed with the words VINCENT VAN GOGH 1852 Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for such is the KINGDOM OF GOD Sweetman 7. The death of his older brother effected Vincent throughout his life, and his curiosity of his older brother with the exact name, birth date and date of death, would take Vincent on long walks past his brothers grave. Torterolo 8. He would turn these curious walks from his home to his brothers grave into an adventure of wonder and he began exploring the colors and textures of nature. He was a typical, ordinary child with a special gift of wonder and curiosity and would spend hours examining every detail of color and texture within a flower, leaf, bush, insect and anything of nature that caught his eye. Instead of playing with other children, he would prefer to play alone outside and was drawn to discovering nature like a bee to honey. As Vincent explored the road to and from the graveyard, he examined the colors and textures on a small scale, remembering every detail at an early age. As he grew older, these details would contribute to help him paint the larger scales of landscapes, trees, skies and water. Vincents nature walks became more interesting and meaningful when his younger brother, Theodorus Theo van Gogh was able to accompany him. Theo was two years younger than Vincent and became his closest companion throughout his life. Together they would spend hours playing and exploring the Dutch countryside. Later in life, Vincent would write over 600 letters to Theo explaining the many colors he was mixing in his paintings, comparing them to the colors and textures they discovered on their nature walks when they were young boys. His mother, Anna Cornelia Carbentus who liked to sketch and paint wildflowers in her spare time as a hobby, was born into a family of art dealers. Vincents father, Theodorus Dorus van Gogh was a Protestant minister who came from a large family of religious ministers and art dealers. This combination of influences from his mothers background in art and his fathers religion became an inner struggle for Vincent. These influences also had a deep impact on his life, how he viewed art and would eventually lead him to paint with dramatic bright colors and develop his own unique style of painting. The religious background of his father drew him towards the dramatic religious experiences that were portrayed in many masterpieces of art that Rembrandt created. Rembrandts paintings were a mixture of drama and tenderness, and of dark and light colors. This mixture of drama and colors caught Vincents curiosity and became another great influence in the development of his unique color and style. The influence of these dark, dramatic, powerful scenes with light tender highlighted glows within them stayed with Vincent throughout his entire life and were revealed in many of his own paintings. .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f , .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f .postImageUrl , .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f , .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f:hover , .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f:visited , .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f:active { border:0!important; } .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f { 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; } .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f:active , .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f .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; } .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3cf99148ff8800778fde02dfd796477f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: What influence has Vincent van Gogh EssayVincents namesake, Doruss brother, was known as Uncle Cent and was a wonderful influence in Vincents life. He introduced Vincent and Theo to the world of art by telling stories of great artists and their work. Vincent was an excellent student and loved to read. He was not sure what his career would be but he knew he had to go to work and help his family. Uncle Cent helped Vincent get started in the art world at the early age of sixteen. Uncle Cent was a respected art dealer who helped him get an apprentice position, at The Hague School south of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. This was the introduction of his life into the world of art. Vincent worked at The Hague and was intrigued by the masterpieces that he worked with on a daily basis. Vincents joy of art grew with the new and exciting experiences at his job. It was evident that he enjoyed his work when The Hague promoted him and transferred him to The Goupil in London. In London, he followed the same pattern exploring the countryside, except that his small scale of evaluating color and texture, grew from evaluating flowers, leaves, bushes, and insects to a larger scale of historical architecture, bridges, and famous sculptures. He would take many long walks to and from work reviewing every detail of architecture and style of the decorative buildings of London. Living in London became a turning point in Vincents life. He was very happy working at his job and he met his landowners daughter, Eugenie and secretly fell in love with her. Eugenie did not share his affections and rejected any relationship with Vincent. He was devastated and Eugenies rejection started a series of deteriorating events in Vincents life. This deterioration was reflected in his work at The Goupil and eventually he was fired. He was no longer interested in anything in life except religion. He became obsessed with religion and was developing a negative outlook towards society. After being fired from The Goupil, his life took a gloomy turn for the worse. Vincent moved to Borinage, a coal-mining district in Belgium. The dark, dismal poverty stricken lifestyle of Borinage attracted Vincent. Although he was obsessed with religion and thought he needed to endure hardship of any kind, he was a sensitive and good- hearted individual and sincerely felt that this was his calling in life. He was so absorbed in his own life he did not understand the balance of eating versus not eating, giving his own clothes to people in need, ending up with rags for himself. This behavior began to take a toll on his mental and physical health. It was uncanny that he could function within a normal world during this period, but it also seemed that his main concern was to describe this way of life in letters to Theo Van Gogh The Letters. His dismal life in Borinage, came close to causing his death, but these letters to Theo seemed to keep him in reality. The letters Vincent wrote to Theo were an outlet from living in Borinage and eventually gave him strength to overcome his obsession of wanting to live like a martyr. He left the Borinage moved home to his parents home and began to paint. His first attempt at using color was without instruction and based on what he knew from the outside natural environment. As a result, he experimented with primary colors and used more earth tones and black and color mixtures. He became very obsessed with painting and tried to portray his martyr like experiences in the Borinage of Belgium on canvas. Using field workers as models, he created a painting called The Potato Eaters Van Gogh The Paintings. The Potato Eaters portrayed the dismal, dark colors of his Borinage experience and conveyed a new result for Vincents color and method in his paintings Table 1. Table 1 The Potato Eaters Vincent felt this was the best artwork he had ever created. He was excited and started making plans to move to Paris and become an artist when his father suddenly died. His life was so isolated and unrealistic that his fathers death did not seem to impact him at all. .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa , .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa .postImageUrl , .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa , .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa:hover , .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa:visited , .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa:active { border:0!important; } .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa { 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; } .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa:active , .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa .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; } .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u2c580fb8ec8f981471b4ff07485eeefa:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Van Gogh and Kandinsky EssayVincent moved to Paris where he moved in with his brother Theo and looked at color differently than the dark dismal shadows he had seen in Borinage. Vincent saw color in a new way: the powerful light he had admired in the art of Rembrandt and Tintoretto turned into the delicate tonal gradations that characterize his Parisian landscapes Torterolo 40. Vincent became interested in the mixture of color in paints and knew he needed instruction, so he enrolled in the famous Parisian studio by Cormon. The action of enrolling in a studio was remarkable for Vincent as he was never comfortable taking instruction of art from anyone. He had grown from a very sweet inquisitive child into a martyr wanting to express his oppressive experiences in art and now wanting to learn and develop a new experience of color and method in his paintings. All in all, this remarkable, positive move to Paris, enrolling in the studio by Cormon, was such an improvement to his lifestyle, that one could actually see it in his choice of color and brushstrokes with which he painted. From his studio experience, he learned how colors were created on canvas without the natural light of nature and his thick application of paint and color to the canvas was very different from the applications of other artists of that period. His instructor thought this was an odd way of applying paint to canvas and was very harsh and critical of his style and methods. Vincent was more critical of his style than his instructor, and worked harder at perfecting his style and methods. He loved the bright, vibrant colors he produced and continued to paint them in the future. His unique method of painting consisted of his emotions, styles of brush strokes and mixtures of color within his brush strokes. Author, Robert Wallace, described Vincents method of painting as: It was a method to fuse what he saw, and what he felt, as quickly as possible into statements that were revelations of himselfWallace 7. This description was an exact overview of his short career as a painter. Table 2 Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat The painting method that he developed over the short span of his career was short, abrupt, brush strokes leaving thick lines of paint on the surface of the canvas. His work titled Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat revealed the thick lines of paint which were transformed into different shades of color as the brushstroke continued across the canvas Table 2. Another example of his famous artwork was named Starry Night. This painting illustrated the different shades of color by the movement and swirling motions of his paintbrush Table 3. Table 3 Starry Night Towards the end of his life, Vincents emotions and his declining health, revealed a more dramatic spontaneous brushstroke and color mixture. His unique emotional use of color within his paintings was a variety of primary colors reduced and enhanced in his painting titled Fishing Boats on the Beach at Saintes-Maries de-la-Mer Table 4. Table 4 Fishing Boats on the Beach at Saintes-Maries de-la-Mer A wonderful tribute to accompany Vincent van Goghs art was his personal letters he wrote to his brother Theo expressing his inner feelings of the artwork he created. The letters coincide with his art and explained events in his life of how he developed the unique style and color of his paintings Van Gogh The Letters. The combination of his art and writings revealed his joy of peaceful walks through nature and then producing vibrant colorful works of art from his visions.
Monday, November 25, 2019
Theoretical Models in Understanding Working Memory
Theoretical Models in Understanding Working Memory Ericsson and Kintsch (1995) model The first model which attempts to explain how working memory functions is the Ericsson and Kintsch (1995) model which explains that all individuals utilize skilled memory in everyday tasks however most these memories are stored in long term memory and then subsequently retrieved through various forms of retrieval mechanismsAdvertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Theoretical Models in Understanding Working Memory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More (Gobet, 2000). Ericsson and Kintsch explain that it would be impossible to hold so to speak all memories within our working memory rather what occurs is that individuals hold only a few concepts related to a task within their working memory and then use those as indicators to retrieve the information from long term memory (Licata, 2009). This process which they described as long term working memory can actually be compared to the card catalo g within a library which stores information regarding particular books and then directs people to which specific shelf they are located (Gobet, 2000). This is a faster and more effective system as compared to merely stacking all the books within a library on tables and expecting people to find exactly what they are looking for. Baddeley and Hitch (1974) multi-component model The second model for understanding the processes involved in working memory is the Baddeley and Hitch (1974) multi-component model which states that working memory operates via a system of slave systems and a central controller which supervises the transmission and coordination of information (RepovÃ
Baddeley, 2006). The first slave system of the Baddeley and Hitch (1974) model is called the phonological loop which stores the sound of language. This system operates via a method of continuous repetition where in order to prevent the decay of accumulated words, phrases, meanings etc. the system continuously re peats the content thus refreshing it and ensuring that a person doesnt forget it. For example, remembering peopleââ¬â¢s names, numbers and associated information regarding a particular individual is governed by this system (RepovÃ
Baddeley, 2006). The second slave system is called the visual-spatial sketchpad which is involved in the storage and retrieval of visual and spatial information. Aspects related to this system come in form of visual images such as colors, shapes and the location of various objects and places of interest (Baddeley, Allen Hitch, 2011). Facilitating the proper operation of both systems in the Baddeley and Hitch (1974) model is the central executive system which is responsible for directing the processes related to systematizing information towards relevant processes while at the same time minimizes or outright eliminates inappropriate or irrelevant information from being disseminated (Baddeley, Allen Hitch, 2011).Advertising Looking for resea rch paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It must also be noted that under this particular model the central executive also handles the delegation of processes when more than one activity is being done at the same time. Cowan model The last model for explaining how working memory functions is the Cowan model which is rather unique in that it considers working memory as not being a separate system but is actually part of long term memory unlike other models and explanations which indicate a separation between the two (Sà ¶rqvist Rà ¶nnberg, 2012). Combining the Concepts One way of combining the various models into a cohesive whole is to consider that working memory is indeed the result of retrieval mechanisms as indicated by the Ericsson and Kintsch (1995) model however by integrating the Baddeley and Hitch (1974) model we can come to understand that these retrieval mechanisms are in fact part of the central executive as described by Baddeley and Hitch. As such it can be assumed that memory is the direct result of a complex relationship between retrieval mechanisms, the central executive and the slave systems which comprise the long term storage of memories which are only retrieved when necessary via memory triggers within working memory (Hamamà © et al., 2012). When combined with the Cowan model it can be assumed that working memory and long term memory are indeed integrated with working memory acting as a means of triggering long term memory to function thus indicating some form of inherent connection between the two. Reference List Baddeley, A. D., Allen, R. J., Hitch, G. J. (2011). Binding in visual working memory: The role of the episodic buffer. Neuropsychologia, 49(6), 1393-1400. Gobet, F. (2000). Retrieval structures and schemata: A brief reply to Ericsson and Kintsch. British Journal Of Psychology, 91(4), 591.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample o n Theoretical Models in Understanding Working Memory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Hamamà ©, C. M., Vidal, J. R., Ossandà ³n, T., Jerbi, K., Dalal, S. S., Minotti, L., Lachaux, J. (2012). Reading the minds eye: Online detection of visuo-spatial working memory and visual imagery in the inferior temporal lobe. Neuroimage,à 59(1), 872-879. Licata, I. (2009). A Dynamical Model for Information Retrieval and Emergence of Scale-Free Clusters in a Long Term Memory Network. Emergence: Complexity à Organization, 11(1), 48-57. RepovÃ
, G. G., Baddeley, A. A. (2006). The multi-component model of working memory: Explorations in experimental cognitive psychology. Neuroscience,à 139(1), 5-21. Sà ¶rqvist, P., Rà ¶nnberg, J. (2012). Episodic Long-Term Memory of Spoken Discourse Masked by Speech: What Is the Role for Working Memory Capacity?. Journal Ofà Speech, Language Hearing Research, 55(1), 210-218.
Friday, November 22, 2019
Affirmative Action Curbed in California
Affirmative Action Curbed in California Essay By William ClaiborneWashington Post Staff WriterFriday, June 2, 1995; Page A01LOS ANGELES, JUNE 1 California Gov. Pete Wilson (R), vowing to lead a growing conservative movement to end three decades of racial and gender preferences as an antidote to discrimination, today signed an executive order abolishing a wide range of affirmative action programs affecting hiring and contracting in state agencies. Wilson, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, eliminated or sharply cut back scores of affirmative action policies or programs that are not mandated by state or federal laws or that exceed those laws. He also abolished 118 boards and commissions created to advise state agencies on ethnic and gender diversity issues. Although he has no direct authority to order policy changes for public schools, colleges and universities, Wilson told his appointees on state educational governing boards that he wants them to dismantle race and gender preference programs that are not required by law. As mayor of San Diego in the 1970s, Wilson championed affirmative action, adopting a plan to increase the hiring of minority workers and requiring major city contractors to adopt similar programs. But opposition to affirmative action has become a common theme of the Republican presidential candidates and many Republicans in Congress. Flanked today by a group of Forestry Department firefighters from various minorities, who the governors aides said symbolize Californians who resent a public perception that they were hired on the basis of preferential treatment, Wilson said affirmative action is not only unfair, it stigmatizes the achievements of those it was intended to help. His order repeals affirmative action orders signed by three previous governors, including Republicans Ronald Reagan and George Deukmejian. In a statement released earlier, Wilson said great societal guilt had stimulated the creation of affirmative action programs in the 1960s and would undermine the very foundation of the American dream if hiring and contract programs based on race and gender preference were not rolled back. Wilson blamed the misfired good intentions of leaders dating back to John F. Kennedy for programs he said unfairly discriminated against certain ethnic groups to compensate others for past injustices. The Republican governor said he would aggressively pursue further cutbacks in preferential treatment for minorities and women in order to assure a new era of meritocracy. This executive order is an historic step forward. By itself, it doesnt complete the change we must make. Special preferences remain embedded in state and federal law. I vow to fight for changes in those laws, Wilson said. Sean Walsh, the governors press secretary, said Wilson is the first governor to roll back affirmative action programs. He said the order would affect all of the states approximately 150,000 full-time job positions. According to the California State Employees Association, about 60 percent of the state government work force is white, 16 percent Hispanic, 12 percent black, 6 percent are Asian and the remaining 6 percent from other groups. Wilsons action appeared designed to capitalize on public dissatisfaction with minority preference programs and on a backlash against what is characterized as reverse discrimination, while at the same time setting him apart from the eight other contenders for the GOP presidential nomination, none of whom are sitting governors. It comes a day after senior White House officials said President Clinton is still weeks or even months away from completing a review he has ordered of federal affirmative action programs. Wilson already had announced his support of a proposed 1996 state ballot initiative that would go further than todays order by abolishing affirmative action in all state hiring, contracting and university admissions practices. At least six other states Washington, Florida, Illinois, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada have similar ballot initiative campaigns in the works. Critics accused Wilson of flip-flopping on the issue in hopes of helping a presidential campaign that has been hampered by his slow recovery from his throat operation his remarks today were read out by a member of his cabinet and a sluggish fund-raising effort. He wants to be the voice of the angry white males, said Ramona Ripston, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California. READ: Sweatshop Labor: Wearing Thin Essay She noted that Wilsons come-from-behind reelection last year was boosted by his vociferous support for Proposition 187, the ballot initiative aimed at cutting off social services for illegal immigrants, another popular backlash measure. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, in a statement, called Wilsons order a desperate effort to recover his bid for the presidency by further polarizing Californians. MALDEF said Wilsons action was as noble as previous governors attempts to keep African Americans out of public schools in the South. Affirmative action orders signed by three previous governors Deukmejian, Edmund G. Jerry Brown Jr. (D) and Reagan were repealed by Wilson, who said they had encouraged the gradual development of racial and gender-based preferences and set asides. Among the agencies affected by Wilsons order is the state transportation department, Caltrans, which is required by agreement with the federal government to allocate 20 percent of its contracting funds to minority-owned firms. Wilson ordered Caltrans to negotiate a new agreement lowering that goal to 10 percent. He also ordered Caltrans to abolish an informal policy of awarding small purchase contracts of $500 or less to women or minority-owned firms and to make such decisions based on non-preferential competitive pricing. The governor ordered the Department of Forestry, which has a 50 percent goal for the hiring of women and minorities as seasonal firefighters, to eliminate that program and hire on the basis of merit. He eliminated a requirement that the racial and gender ratio on job interview panels for civil service and career executive positions mirror that of the population as a whole, and directed the Department of Water Resources to end its practice of setting aside two-thirds of all student intern openings for minority candidates. Words/ Pages : 980 / 24
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Comment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Comment - Essay Example The post further states that we should begin to be mindful of the waste we dump into our environment and stop giving much thought to the big cars we want to drive without caring about the effect it has in our environment (Kasting and Seifert 123). The importance of caring for our natural resources like the water catchment areas and reducing the rate of using fossil fuels to help restore our environmental sanity is also highlighted in this post. The industrial revolution increased the need for more raw materials and this prompted the increased degradation of our natural resources to help feed the demand for industrialization but at the expense of destroying our environment. Technological growth has also not had any significant impacts on the fight to end global warming but has created avenues for people to have shortcuts and cheats in accomplishing their tasks (Kasting and Seifert 123) In conclusion, I want to concur with the post that all the blame of the environmental damage so far done on our environment is on human beings due to the activities and inactivity towards preserving Godââ¬â¢s gift to
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Meter Dose Inhaler verses Nebulizer Treatment Research Paper
Meter Dose Inhaler verses Nebulizer Treatment - Research Paper Example Patients frequently ask health care providers as to which is a better mode of administration in terms of efficacy, convenience and safety. This triggered me to find evidence to ascertain as to which of the two is a better mode of administration in acute wheezing. Thus, it was both problem focused and knowledge focused trigger that generated the clinical question. Names/Types of research sources used The research source used was PubMed. Summation of the research findings as related to the clinical question Rodrigo and Rodrigo (1998) performed a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study to compare the efficacy of salbutamol (or albuterol) delivered by either metered-dose inhaler plus spacer (MDI-spacer) or by nebulization, and to determine the relationships between physiologic responses and plasma salbutamol concentrations. The study revealed that bronchodilatation remained same with metered dose inhalation and nebulization, but side effects were more with nebulization because of higher levels of plasma salbutamol due to increased absorption. Deerajanawong et al (2005) conducted a prospective randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with an aim to compare the efficacy of salbutamol aerosol therapy given metered dose inhaler and nebulization in young children with acute wheezing. ... From the study, it was evident that metered dose inhalers are as efficacious as nebulization to administer albuterol in young children with wheezing. Infact, the study revealed that metered dose inhalers were more convenient in this regard. Integration of research findings Administration of albuterol can be done either through metered dose inhalers or nebulization in acute wheezing conditions in children. Both methods of administration are equally efficacious. However, nebulization is more time consuming and has risk of side effects. Potential practice changes based on research evidence Metered dose inhaler would be recommended as the preferred of administration of albuterol in children with acute wheezing since it is easier to administer, takes less time in the process, can be given anywhere and has less side effects References Deerojanawong, J., Manuyakorn, W., Prapphal, N., Harnruthakorn, C., Sritippayawan, S., Samransamruajkit, R. (2005). Randomized controlled trial of salbutamol aerosol therapy via metered dose inhaler-spacer vs. jet nebulizer in young children with wheezing. Pediatr Pulmonol., 39(5), 466-72. Delgado, A., Chou, K.J., Silver, E.J., Crain, E.F. (2003). Nebulizers vs metered-dose inhalers with spacers for bronchodilator therapy to treat wheezing in children aged 2 to 24 months in a pediatric emergency department. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med., 157(1), 76-80. Rodrigo, C., and Rodrigo, G. (1998). Salbutamol treatment of acute severe asthma in the ED: MDI versus hand-held nebulizer. Am J Emerg Med., 16(7),
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Protective Equipment Is to Reduce Employee Exposure to Hazards Essay Example for Free
Protective Equipment Is to Reduce Employee Exposure to Hazards Essay Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products.[1] Slower oxidative processes like rustingor digestion are not included by this definition. The flame is the visible portion of the fire. If hot enough, the gases may become ionized to produce plasma.[2] Depending on the substances alight, and any impurities outside, the colorof the flame and the fires intensity will be different. Fire in its most common form can result in conflagration, which has the potential to cause physical damage through burning. Fire is an important process that affects ecological systems across the globe. The positive effects of fire include stimulating growth and maintaining various ecological systems. Fire has been used by humans for cooking, generating heat, signaling, and propulsion purposes. The negative effects of fire include water contamination, soil erosion, atmospheric pollution and hazard to human and animal life.[3] | Fire Technology is a peer-reviewed academic journal publishing scientific research dealing with the full range of actual, possible, and potential fire hazards facing humans and the environment.[1] It publishes original contributions, both theoretical and empirical, that contribute to the solution of problems in fire safety and related fields. It is published bySpringer in conjunction with the National Fire Protection Association.[2] Arson[1] is the crime of intentionally and maliciously setting fire to buildings, wildlandareas,[2] cars[3][4] or other property with the intent to cause damage. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires. Arson often involves fires deliberately set to the property of another or to ones own property as to collect insurance compensation.[5] Heat In physics and chemistry, heat is energy transferred from one body to another by thermal interactions.[1][2] The transfer of energy can occur in a variety of ways, among them conduction,[3] radiation,[4] and convection. Heat is not a property of a system or body, but instead is always associated with a process of some kind, and is synonymous with heat flow and heat transfer. Heat flow from hotter to colder systems occurs spontaneously, and is always accompanied by an increase in entropy. In a heat engine, internal energy of bodies is harnessed to provide useful work. The second law of thermodynamicsprohibits heat flow directly from cold to hot systems, but with the aid of a heat pump external work can be used to transport internal energy indirectly from a cold to a hot body. Transfers of energy as heat are macroscopic processes. The origin and properties of heat can be understood through the statistical mechanics of microscopic constituents such as molecules and photons. For instance, heat flow can occur when the rapidly vibrating molecules in a high temperature body transfer some of their energy (by direct contact, radiation exchange, or other mechanisms) to the more slowly vibrating molecules in a lower temperature body. Oxygen is a chemical element with symbol O and atomic number 8. Its name derives from the Greek roots á ½â¬Ã ¾Ã Ãâ (oxys) (acid, literally sharp, referring to the sour taste ofacids) and -à ³ÃÅ'à ½Ã ¿Ãâ (-gà ¿nos) (producer, literally begetter), because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition. Atstandard temperature and pressure, two atoms of the element bind to form dioxygen, a colorless, odorless, tasteless diatomic gas with the formula O2. This substance is an important part of the atmosphere, and is necessary to sustain most terrestrial life. A fire extinguisher, flame extinguisher, or simply an extinguisher, is an active fire protection device used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergency situations. It is not intended for use on an out-of-control fire, such as one which has reached the ceiling, endangers the user (i.e., no escape route, smoke, explosion hazard, etc.), or otherwise requires the expertise of a fire department. Typically, a fire extinguisher consists of a hand-held cylindrical pressure vessel containing an agent which can be discharged to extinguish afire. Fire prevention is a function of many fire departments. The goal of fire prevention is to educate the public to take precautions to prevent potentially harmful fires, and be educated about surviving them. It is a proactive method of reducing emergencies and thedamage caused by them. Many fire departments have a Fire Prevention Officer.In the general sense of preventing harmful fires, many aspects are discussed in the articles Fire protect ion and Fire safety. Wildfire suppression refers to the firefighting tactics used to suppress wildfires. Firefighting efforts inwildland areas requires different techniques, equipment, and training from the more familiar structure firefighting found in populated areas. Working in conjunction with specially designed firefighting aircraft, these wildfire-trained crews suppress flames, construct firelines, and extinguish flames and areas of heat to protect resources and natural wilderness. Wildfire suppression also addresses the issues of the wildland-urban interface, where populated areas border with wildland areas. Firewall may refer to: * Firewall (construction), a barrier inside a building or vehicle, designed to limit the spread of fire, heat and structural collapse * Firewall (automobile), the part of the vehicle that separates the engine from the driver and passengers * Firewall (computing), a technological barrier designed to prevent unauthorized or unwanted communications between computer networks or hosts * Firewall (Physics), a blast of Hawking Radiation seen by a freely falling observer upon crossing the horizon of a black hole. Firetrap firetrap is a British clothing company, founded in 1991,[1] specialising in premium menswear and accessories. It is the main brand within the WDT company (World Design and Trade), which also owns its sister brand Fullcircle along with previous brands SC51 and Sonnetti. Firetrap is firmly established internationally and is sold in more than 30 countries[2] and 1,500 stores worldwide. There are eight stand-alone stores in the UK: a Covent Garden store in London and others in Belfast, Liverpool, Leeds, EdinburghWestfield[disambiguation needed], Sheffield Nottingham (2010).[3] The brand is a key player worldwide with a new store in Dubai and concessions throughout Europe including Italy, Germany and France. Conflagration A conflagration or a blaze is an uncontrolled burning that threatens human life, animal life, health, or property. A conflagration can be accidentally begun, naturally caused (wildfire), or intentionally created (arson). Arson can be accomplished for the purpose of sabotage or diversion, and also can be the consequence of pyromania. During conflagration the property is damaged or destroyed by fire. Sometimes the conflagration produces a firestorm, in which the central column of rising heated air induces strong inward winds, which supply oxygen to the fire. Conflagrations can result in casualties, deaths, or injuries from smoke inhalation orburns. Combustion Combustion (pron.: /kÃâ¢mÃËbÃÅ's.tÃÆ'Ãâ¢n/) or burning is the sequence of exothermic chemical reactions between a fuel and an oxidant accompanied by the production of heat and conversion of chemical species. The release of heat can produce light in the form of either glowing or aflame. Fuels of interest often include organic compounds (especially hydrocarbons) in the gas,liquid or solid phase. In a complete combustion reaction, a compound reacts with an oxidizing element, such asoxygen or fluorine, and the products are compounds of each element in the fuel with the oxidizing element. For example: CH4 + 2 O2 ââ â CO2 + 2 H2O + energy A simple example can be seen in the combustion of hydrogen and oxygen, which is a commonly used reaction in rocket engines: 2 H2 + O2 ââ â 2 H2O(g) + heat The result is water vapor. Complete combustion is almost impossible to achieve. In reality, as actual combustion reactions come to equilibrium, a wide variety of major and minor species will be present such as carbon monoxide and pure carbon (soot or ash). Additionally, any combustion in atmospheric air, which is 79 percent nitrogen, will also create several forms of nitrogen oxides. Fire point The fire point of a fuel is the temperature at which it will continue to burn for at least 5 seconds after ignition by an open flame. At theflash point, a lower temperature, a substance will ignite briefly, but vapor might not be produced at a rate to sustain the fire. Most tables of material properties will only list material flash points, but in general the fire points can be assumed to be about 10 à °C higher than the flash points. However, this is no substitute for testing if the fire point is safety critical. Degree Celsius Celsius, also known as centigrade,[1] is a scale and unit of measurement for temperature. It is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius (1701ââ¬â1744), who developed a similar temperature scale. The degree Celsius (à °C) can refer to a specific temperature on the Celsius scale as well as a unit to indicate a temperature interval, a difference between two temperatures or anuncertainty. The unit was known until 1948 as centigrade from the Latin centum translated as 100 and gradus translated as steps From 1743 until 1954, 0 à °C was defined as the freezing point of water and 100 à °C was defined as the boiling point of water, both at a pressure of one standard atmosphere with mercury being the working material. Although these defining correlations are commonly taught in schools today, by international agreement the unit degree Celsius and the Celsius scale are currently defined by two different temperatures: absolute zero, and the triple point of VSMOW (specially purifi ed water). This definition also precisely relates the Celsius scale to the Kelvin scale, which defines the SI base unit ofthermodynamic temperature with symbol K. Absolute zero, the lowest temperature possible at which matter reaches minimum entropy, is defined as being precisely 0 K and âËâ273.15 à °C. The temperature of the triple point of water is defined as precisely 273.16 K and 0.01 à °C. This definition fixes the magnitude of both the degree Celsius and the kelvin as precisely 1 part in 273.16 (approximately 0.00366) of the difference between absolute zero and the triple point of water. Thus, it sets the magnitude of one degree Celsius and that of one kelvin as exactly the same. Additionally, it establishes the difference between the two scales null points as being precisely 273.15 degrees Celsius (âËâ273.15 à °C = 0 K and 0 à °C = 273.15 K).[3] Fahrenheit Fahrenheit (symbol à °F) is a temperature scale based on one proposed in 1724 by, and named after, the physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686ââ¬â1736).[1] Within this scale, the freezing of water into ice is defined at 32 degrees, while the boiling point of water is defined to be 212 degrees on Fahrenheits original scale the freezing point of brine was zero degrees. The Fahrenheit scale was replaced by the Celsius scale in most countries during the mid to late 20th century, though Canada retains it as a supplementary scale that can be used alongside Celsius.[2][3][4][5] Fahrenheit remains the official scale of the United States,Cayman Islands, Palau, Bahamas and Belize.[6] The Rankine temperature scale was based upon the Fahrenheit temperature scale, with its zero representing absolute zero instead. Personal protective equipment Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearers body from injury. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, electrical, heat, chemicals, biohazards, and airborne particulate matter. Protective equipment may be worn for job-relatedoccupational safety and health purposes, as well as for sports and other recreational activities. Protective clothing is applied to traditional categories of clothing, and protective gear applies to items such as pads, guards, shields, or masks, and others. The purpose of personal protective equipment is to reduce employee exposure to hazards when engineering and administrative controls are not feasible or effective to reduce these risks to acceptable levels. PPE is needed when there are hazards present. PPE has the serious limitation that it does not eliminate the hazard at source and may result in employees being exposed to the hazard i f the equipment fails.[1]
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Orlando Furioso Clarifies Vergilââ¬â¢s Ending in The Aeneid Essay -- Orlan
Orlando Furioso Clarifies Vergilââ¬â¢s Ending in The Aeneidà à à à à Ariosto adapts and transforms Vergilââ¬â¢s final episode of The Aeneid into his own conclusion in Orlando Furioso. The final scenes in the epics parallel one another in many ways, yet also show distinct differences. Ruggiero and Rodomont represent Aeneas and Turnus, respectively, and the actions of Ariostoââ¬â¢s characters can be interchanged with their corresponding charactersââ¬â¢ acts in The Aeneid. Ariosto reminds us of controversy and questions that Vergil elicits in his conclusion and responds interpretively, reshaping the ending and clarifying ambiguities. Does Vergil intend to write such an abrupt, controversial ending? Some critics suggest that Vergil meant to complete the story with a more upbeat, joyous tone, but he died before he completed task. They propose a Book XIII that incorporates a large ceremonial marriage between Aeneas and Lavinia into the story as a "happy" ending. Others insinuate that Vergil purposefully concludes the heroic poem to leave questions for readers. Ariosto incorporates a vast, joyful wedding between Ruggiero and Bradamant into his novel before mimicking Vergilââ¬â¢s ending; he argues that Vergil intended to end where he did. Even though we often yearn to read a "happy" ending, an abrupt, controversial ending provokes more contemplation. Ariosto suggests that Vergil planned to arouse his readersââ¬â¢ minds, and not satisfy their common desire for a "happy" ending, by introducing discord. Does Turnus pose a threat? From one point of view, Aeneas seems to always have the military upper hand, and Turnus seems physically inferior, thus not threatening. However, from a different perspective Turnus is deceptive, thus menacing. When he thinks h... ...this act to remind us how brutal Aeneas is when he kills without hesitation. Ariosto addresses the multiple ambiguities Vergil leaves behind. He indicates that a "happy" ending is not always required to please readers and transforms Vergilââ¬â¢s controversial ending into a straightforward conclusion by adapting Rodomontââ¬â¢s character to Turnus and Ruggieroââ¬â¢s character to Aeneas. When the heroââ¬â¢s foe poses a threat and proves capable of defending himself, we do not feel sorry for his death because the hero obviously must kill to defend his own life. We find comfort in Vergilââ¬â¢s ending by superimposing these interpretations and corrections by Ariosto into The Aeneid. Works Cited Waldman, Guido, trans. Orlando Furioso. By Ludovico Ariosto. New York: Oxford University Press, 1983. Fitzgerald, Robert, trans. The Aeneid. By Vergil. New York: Random House, 1983. Ã
Monday, November 11, 2019
The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 24. SNAP DECISION
I LAY FACEDOWN ACROSS THE SLEEPING BAG, WAITING for justice to find me. Maybe an avalanche would bury me here. I wished it would. I never wanted to have to see my face in the mirror again. There was no sound to warn me. Out of nowhere, Edward's cold hand stroked against my knotted hair. I shuddered guiltily at his touch. ââ¬Å"Are you all right?â⬠he murmured, his voice anxious. ââ¬Å"No. I want to die.â⬠ââ¬Å"That will never happen. I won't allow it.â⬠I groaned and then whispered, ââ¬Å"You might change your mind about that.â⬠ââ¬Å"Where's Jacob?â⬠ââ¬Å"He went to fight,â⬠I mumbled into the floor. Jacob had left the little camp joyfully ââ¬â with a cheerful ââ¬Å"I'll be right backâ⬠ââ¬â running full tilt for the clearing, already quivering as he prepared to shift to his other self. By now the whole pack knew everything. Seth Clearwater, pacing outside the tent, was an intimate witness to my disgrace. Edward was silent for a long moment. ââ¬Å"Oh,â⬠he finally said. The tone of his voice worried me that my avalanche wasn't coming fast enough. I peeked up at him and, sure enough, his eyes were unfocused as he listened to something I'd rather die than have him hear. I dropped my face back to the floor. It stunned me when Edward chuckled reluctantly. ââ¬Å"And I thought I fought dirty,â⬠he said with grudging admiration. ââ¬Å"He makes me look like the patron saint of ethics.â⬠His hand brushed against the part of my cheek that was exposed. ââ¬Å"I'm not mad at you, love. Jacob's more cunning than I gave him credit for. I do wish you hadn't asked him, though.â⬠ââ¬Å"Edward,â⬠I whispered to the rough nylon. ââ¬Å"I . . . I . . . I'm -ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Shh,â⬠he hushed me, his fingers soothing against my cheek. ââ¬Å"That's not what I meant. It's just that he would have kissed you anyway ââ¬â even if you hadn't fallen for it ââ¬â and now I don't have an excuse to break his face. I would have really enjoyed that, too.â⬠ââ¬Å"Fallen for it?â⬠I mumbled almost incomprehensibly. ââ¬Å"Bella, did you really believe he was that noble? That he would go out in a flame of glory just to clear the way for me?â⬠I raised my head slowly to meet his patient gaze. His expression was soft; his eyes were full of understanding rather than the revulsion I deserved to see. ââ¬Å"Yes, I did believe that,â⬠I muttered, and then looked away. But I didn't feel any anger at Jacob for tricking me. There wasn't enough room in my body to contain anything besides the hatred I felt toward myself. Edward laughed softly again. ââ¬Å"You're such a bad liar, you'll believe anyone who has the least bit of skill.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why aren't you angry with me?â⬠I whispered. ââ¬Å"Why don't you hate me? Or haven't you heard the whole story yet?â⬠ââ¬Å"I think I got a fairly comprehensive look,â⬠he said in a light, easy voice. ââ¬Å"Jacob makes vivid mental pictures. I feel almost as bad for his pack as I do for myself. Poor Seth was getting nauseated. But Sam is making Jacob focus now.â⬠I closed my eyes and shook my head in agony. The sharp nylon fibers of the tent floor scraped against my skin. ââ¬Å"You're only human,â⬠he whispered, stroking my hair again. ââ¬Å"That's the most miserable defense I've ever heard.â⬠ââ¬Å"But you are human, Bella. And, as much as I might wish otherwise, so is he. . . . There are holes in your life that I can't fill. I understand that.â⬠ââ¬Å"But that's not true. That's what makes me so horrible. There are no holes.â⬠ââ¬Å"You love him,â⬠he murmured gently. Every cell in my body ached to deny it. ââ¬Å"I love you more,â⬠I said. It was the best I could do. ââ¬Å"Yes, I know that, too. But . . . when I left you, Bella, I left you bleeding. Jacob was the one to stitch you back up again. That was bound to leave its mark ââ¬â on both of you. I'm not sure those kinds of stitches dissolve on their own. I can't blame either of you for something I made necessary. I may gain forgiveness, but that doesn't let me escape the consequences.â⬠ââ¬Å"I should have known you'd find some way to blame yourself. Please stop. I can't stand it.â⬠ââ¬Å"What would you like me to say?â⬠ââ¬Å"I want you to call me every bad name you can think of, in every language you know. I want you to tell me that you're disgusted with me and that you're going to leave so that I can beg and grovel on my knees for you to stay.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm sorry.â⬠He sighed. ââ¬Å"I can't do that.â⬠ââ¬Å"At least stop trying to make me feel better. Let me suffer. I deserve it.â⬠ââ¬Å"No,â⬠he murmured. I nodded slowly. ââ¬Å"You're right. Keep on being too understanding. That's probably worse.â⬠He was silent for a moment, and I sensed a charge in the atmosphere, a new urgency. ââ¬Å"It's getting close,â⬠I stated. ââ¬Å"Yes, a few more minutes now. Just enough time to say one more thing. . . .â⬠I waited. When he finally spoke again, he was whispering. ââ¬Å"I can be noble, Bella. I'm not going to make you choose between us. Just be happy, and you can have whatever part of me you want, or none at all, if that's better. Don't let any debt you feel you owe me influence your decision.â⬠I pushed off the floor, shoving myself up onto my knees. ââ¬Å"Dammit, stop that!â⬠I shouted at him. His eyes widened in surprise. ââ¬Å"No ââ¬â you don't understand. I'm not just trying to make you feel better, Bella, I really mean it.â⬠ââ¬Å"I know you do,â⬠I groaned. ââ¬Å"What happened to fighting back? Don't start with the noble self-sacrifice now! Fight!â⬠ââ¬Å"How?â⬠he asked, and his eyes were ancient with their sadness. I scrambled into his lap, throwing my arms around him. ââ¬Å"I don't care that it's cold here. I don't care that I stink like a dog right now. Make me forget how awful I am. Make me forget him. Make me forget my own name. Fight back!â⬠I didn't wait for him to decide ââ¬â or to have the chance to tell me he wasn't interested in a cruel, faithless monster like me. I pulled myself against him and crushed my mouth to his snow-cold lips. ââ¬Å"Careful, love,â⬠he murmured under my urgent kiss. ââ¬Å"No,â⬠I growled. He gently pushed my face a few inches back. ââ¬Å"You don't have to prove anything to me.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm not trying to prove something. You said I could have any part of you I wanted. I want this part. I want every part.â⬠I wrapped my arms around his neck and strained to reach his lips. He bent his head to kiss me back, but his cool mouth was hesitant as my impatience grew more pronounced. My body was making my intentions clear, giving me away. Inevitably, his hands moved to restrain me. ââ¬Å"Perhaps this isn't the best moment for that,â⬠he suggested, too calm for my liking. ââ¬Å"Why not?â⬠I grumbled. There was no point in fighting if he was going to be rational; I dropped my arms. ââ¬Å"Firstly, because it is cold.â⬠He reached out to pull the sleeping bag off the floor; he wrapped it around me like a blanket. ââ¬Å"Wrong,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"First, because you are bizarrely moral for a vampire.â⬠He chuckled. ââ¬Å"All right, I'll give you that. The cold is second. And thirdly . . . well, you do actually stink, love.â⬠He wrinkled his nose. I sighed. ââ¬Å"Fourthly,â⬠he murmured, dropping his face so that he was whispering in my ear. ââ¬Å"We will try, Bella. I'll make good on my promise. But I'd much rather it wasn't in reaction to Jacob Black.â⬠I cringed, and buried my face against his shoulder. ââ¬Å"And fifthly . . .â⬠ââ¬Å"This is a very long list,â⬠I muttered. He laughed. ââ¬Å"Yes, but did you want to listen to the fight or not?â⬠As he spoke, Seth howled stridently outside the tent. My body stiffened to the sound. I didn't realize my left hand was clenched into a fist, nails biting into my bandaged palm, until Edward took it and gently smoothed my fingers out. ââ¬Å"It's going to be fine, Bella,â⬠he promised. ââ¬Å"We've got skill, training, and surprise on our side. It will be over very soon. If I didn't truly believe that, I would be down there now ââ¬â and you'd be here, chained to a tree or something along those lines.â⬠ââ¬Å"Alice is so small,â⬠I moaned. He chuckled. ââ¬Å"That might be a problem . . . if it were possible for someone to catch her.â⬠Seth started to whimper. ââ¬Å"What's wrong?â⬠I demanded. ââ¬Å"He's just angry that he's stuck here with us. He knows the pack kept him out of the action to protect him. He's salivating to join them.â⬠I scowled in Seth's general direction. ââ¬Å"The newborns have reached the end of the trail ââ¬â it worked like a charm, Jasper's a genius ââ¬â and they've caught the scent of the ones in the meadow, so they're splitting into two groups now, as Alice said,â⬠Edward murmured, his eyes focused on something far away. ââ¬Å"Sam's taking us around to head off the ambush party.â⬠He was so intent on what he was hearing that he used the pack plural. Suddenly he looked down at me. ââ¬Å"Breathe, Bella.â⬠I struggled to do what he asked. I could hear Seth's heavy panting just outside the tent wall, and I tried to keep my lungs on the same even pace, so that I wouldn't hyperventilate. ââ¬Å"The first group is in the clearing. We can hear the fighting.â⬠My teeth locked together. He laughed once. ââ¬Å"We can hear Emmett ââ¬â he's enjoying himself.â⬠I made myself take another breath with Seth. ââ¬Å"The second group is getting ready ââ¬â they aren't paying attention, they haven't heard us yet.â⬠Edward growled. ââ¬Å"What?â⬠I gasped. ââ¬Å"They're talking about you.â⬠His teeth clenched together. ââ¬Å"They're supposed to make sure you don't escape. . . . Nice move, Leah! Mmm, she's quite fast,â⬠he murmured in approval. ââ¬Å"One of the newborns caught our scent, and Leah took him down before he could even turn. Sam's helping her finish him off. Paul and Jacob got another one, but the others are on the defensive now. They have no idea what to make of us. Both sides are feinting. . . . No, let Sam lead. Stay out of the way,â⬠he muttered. ââ¬Å"Separate them ââ¬â don't let them protect each other's backs.â⬠Seth whined. ââ¬Å"That's better, drive them toward the clearing,â⬠Edward approved. His body was shifting unconsciously as he watched, tensing for moves he would have made. His hands still held mine; I twisted my fingers through his. At least he wasn't down there. The sudden absence of sound was the only warning. The deep rush of Seth's breathing cut off, and ââ¬â as I'd paced my breaths with his ââ¬â I noticed. I stopped breathing, too ââ¬â too frightened to even make mylungs work as I realized that Edward had frozen into a block of ice beside me. Oh, no. No. No. Who had been lost? Theirs or ours? Mine, all mine. What was my loss? So quickly that I wasn't exactly sure how it happened, I was on my feet and the tent was collapsing in ragged shreds around me. Had Edward ripped our way out? Why? I blinked, shocked, into the brilliant light. Seth was all I could see, right beside us, his face only six inches from Edward's. They stared at each other with absolute concentration for one infinite second. The sun shattered off Edward's skin and sent sparkles dancing across Seth's fur. And then Edward whispered urgently, ââ¬Å"Go, Seth!â⬠The huge wolf wheeled and disappeared into the forest shadows. Had two entire seconds passed? It felt like hours. I was terrified to the point of nausea by the knowledge that something horrible had gone awry in the clearing. I opened my mouth to demand that Edward take me there, and do it now. They needed him, and they needed me. If I had to bleed to save them, I would do it. I would die to do it, like the third wife. I had no silver dagger in my hand, but I would find a way ââ¬â Before I could get the first syllable out, I felt as if I was being flung through the air. But Edward's hands never let go of me ââ¬â I was only being moved, so quickly that the sensation was like falling sideways. I found myself with my back pressed against the sheer cliff face. Edward stood in front of me, holding a posture that I knew at once. Relief washed through my mind at the same time that my stomach dropped through the soles of my feet. I'd misunderstood. Relief ââ¬â nothing had gone wrong in the clearing. Horror ââ¬â the crisis was here. Edward held a defensive position ââ¬â half-crouched, his arms extended slightly ââ¬â that I recognized with sickening certainty. The rock at my back could have been the ancient brick walls of the Italian alley where he had stood between me and the black-cloaked Volturi warriors. Something was coming for us. ââ¬Å"Who?â⬠I whispered. The words came through his teeth in a snarl that was louder than I expected. Too loud. It meant that it was far too late to hide. We were trapped, and it didn't matter who heard his answer. ââ¬Å"Victoria,â⬠he said, spitting the word, making it a curse. ââ¬Å"She's not alone. She crossed my scent, following the newborns in to watch ââ¬â she never meant to fight with them. She made a spur-of-the-moment decision to find me, guessing that you would be wherever I was. She was right. You were right. It was always Victoria.â⬠She was close enough that he could hear her thoughts. Relief again. If it had been the Volturi, we were both dead. But with Victoria, it didn't have to be both. Edward could survive this. He was a good fighter, as good as Jasper. If she didn't bring too many others, he could fight his way out, back to his family. Edward was faster than anyone. He could make it. I was so glad he'd sent Seth away. Of course, there was no one Seth could run to for help. Victoria had timed her decision perfectly. But at least Seth was safe; I couldn't see the huge sandy wolf in my head when I thought his name ââ¬â just the gangly fifteen-year-old boy. Edward's body shifted ââ¬â only infinitesimally, but it told me where to look. I stared at the black shadows of the forest. It was like having my nightmares walk forward to greet me. Two vampires edged slowly into the small opening of our camp, eyes intent, missing nothing. They glistened like diamonds in the sun. I could barely look at the blond boy ââ¬â yes, he was just a boy, though he was muscular and tall, maybe my age when he was changed. His eyes ââ¬â a more vivid red than I had ever seen before ââ¬â could not hold mine. Though he was closest to Edward, the nearest danger, I could not watch him. Because, a few feet to the side and a few feet back, Victoria was staring at me. Her orange hair was brighter than I'd remembered, more like a flame. There was no wind here, but the fire around her face seemed to shimmer slightly, as if it were alive. Her eyes were black with thirst. She did not smile, as she always had in my nightmares ââ¬â her lips were pressed into a tight line. There was a striking feline quality to the way she held her coiled body, a lioness waiting for an opening to spring. Her restless, wild gaze flickered between Edward and me, but never rested on him for more than a half-second. She could not keep her eyes from my face any more than I could keep mine from hers. Tension rolled off of her, nearly visible in the air. I could feel the desire, the all-consuming passion that held her in its grip. Almost as if I could hear her thoughts, too, I knew what she was thinking. She was so close to what she wanted ââ¬â the focus of her whole existence for more than a year now was just so close. My death. Her plan was as obvious as it was practical. The big blond boy would attack Edward. As soon as Edward was sufficiently distracted, Victoria would finish me. It would be quick ââ¬â she had no time for games here ââ¬â but it would be thorough. Something that it would be impossible to recover from. Something that even vampire venom could not repair. She'd have to stop my heart. Perhaps a hand shoved through my chest, crushing it. Something along those lines. My heart beat furiously, loudly, as if to make her target more obvious. An immense distance away, from far across the black forest, a wolf's howl echoed in the still air. With Seth gone, there was no way to interpret the sound. The blond boy looked at Victoria from the corner of his eye, waiting on her command. He was young in more ways than one. I guessed from his brilliant crimson irises that he couldn't have been a vampire for very long. He would be strong, but inept. Edward would know how to fight him. Edward would survive. Victoria jerked her chin toward Edward, wordlessly ordering the boy forward. ââ¬Å"Riley,â⬠Edward said in a soft, pleading voice. The blond boy froze, his red eyes widening. ââ¬Å"She's lying to you, Riley,â⬠Edward told him. ââ¬Å"Listen to me. She's lying to you just like she lied to the others who are dying now in the clearing. You know that she's lied to them, that she had you lie to them, that neither of you were ever going to help them. Is it so hard to believe that she's lied to you, too?â⬠Confusion swept across Riley's face. Edward shifted a few inches to the side, and Riley automatically compensated with an adjustment of his own. ââ¬Å"She doesn't love you, Riley.â⬠Edward's soft voice was compelling, almost hypnotic. ââ¬Å"She never has. She loved someone named James, and you're no more than a tool to her.â⬠When he said James's name, Victoria's lips pulled back in a teeth-baring grimace. Her eyes stayed locked on me. Riley cast a frantic glance in her direction. ââ¬Å"Riley?â⬠Edward said. Riley automatically refocused on Edward. ââ¬Å"She knows that I will kill you, Riley. She wants you to die so that she doesn't have to keep up the pretense anymore. Yes ââ¬â you've seen that, haven't you? You've read the reluctance in her eyes, suspected a false note in her promises. You were right. She's never wanted you. Every kiss, every touch was a lie.â⬠Edward moved again, moved a few inches toward the boy, a few inches away from me. Victoria's gaze zeroed in on the gap between us. It would take her less than a second to kill me ââ¬â she only needed the tiniest margin of opportunity. Slower this time, Riley repositioned himself. ââ¬Å"You don't have to die,â⬠Edward promised, his eyes holding the boy's. ââ¬Å"There are other ways to live than the way she's shown you. It's not all lies and blood, Riley. You can walk away right now. You don't have to die for her lies.â⬠Edward slid his feet forward and to the side. There was a foot of space between us now. Riley circled too far, overcompensating this time. Victoria leaned forward onto the balls of her feet. ââ¬Å"Last chance, Riley,â⬠Edward whispered. Riley's face was desperate as he looked to Victoria for answers. ââ¬Å"He's the liar, Riley,â⬠Victoria said, and my mouth fell open in shock at the sound of her voice. ââ¬Å"I told you about their mind tricks. You know I love only you.â⬠Her voice was not the strong, wild, catlike growl I would have put with her face and stance. It was soft, it was high ââ¬â a babyish, soprano tinkling. The kind of voice that went with blond curls and pink bubble gum. It made no sense coming through her bared, glistening teeth. Riley's jaw tightened, and he squared his shoulders. His eyes emptied ââ¬â there was no more confusion, no more suspicion. There was no thought at all. He tensed himself to attack. Victoria's body seemed to be trembling, she was so tightly wound. Her fingers were ready claws, waiting for Edward to move just one more inch away from me. The snarl came from none of them. A mammoth tan shape flew through the center of the opening, throwing Riley to the ground. ââ¬Å"No!â⬠Victoria cried, her baby voice shrill with disbelief. A yard and a half in front of me, the huge wolf ripped and tore at the blond vampire beneath him. Something white and hard smacked into the rocks by my feet. I cringed away from it. Victoria did not spare one glance for the boy she'd just pledged her love to. Her eyes were still on me, filled with a disappointment so ferocious that she looked deranged. ââ¬Å"No,â⬠she said again, through her teeth, as Edward started to move toward her, blocking her path to me. Riley was on his feet again, looking misshapen and haggard, but he was able to fling a vicious kick into Seth's shoulder. I heard the bone crunch. Seth backed off and started to circle, limping. Riley had his arms out, ready, though he seemed to be missing part of one hand. . . . Only a few yards away from that fight, Edward and Victoria were dancing. Not quite circling, because Edward was not allowing her to position herself closer to me. She sashayed back, moving from side to side, trying to find a hole in his defense. He shadowed her footwork lithely, stalking her with perfect concentration. He began to move just a fraction of a second before she moved, reading her intentions in her thoughts. Seth lunged at Riley from the side, and something tore with a hideous, grating screech. Another heavy white chunk flew into the forest with a thud. Riley roared in fury, and Seth skipped back ââ¬â amazingly light on his feet for his size ââ¬â as Riley took a swipe at him with one mangled hand. Victoria was weaving through the tree trunks at the far end of the little opening now. She was torn, her feet pulling her toward safety while her eyes yearned toward me as if I were a magnet, reeling her in. I could see the burning desire to kill warring with her survival instinct. Edward could see that, too. ââ¬Å"Don't go, Victoria,â⬠he murmured in that same hypnotic tone as before. ââ¬Å"You'll never get another chance like this.â⬠She showed her teeth and hissed at him, but she seemed unable to move farther away from me. ââ¬Å"You can always run later,â⬠Edward purred. ââ¬Å"Plenty of time for that. It's what you do, isn't it? It's why James kept you around. Useful, if you like to play deadly games. A partner with an uncanny instinct for escaping. He shouldn't have left you ââ¬â he could have used your skills when we caught up to him in Phoenix.â⬠A snarl ripped from between her lips. ââ¬Å"That's all you ever were to him, though. Silly to waste so much energy avenging someone who had less affection for you than a hunter for his mount. You were never more than a convenience to him. I would know.â⬠Edward's lips pulled up on one side as he tapped his temple. With a strangled screech, Victoria darted out of the trees again, feinting to the side. Edward responded, and the dance began again. Just then, Riley's fist caught Seth's flank, and a low yelp coughed out of Seth's throat. Seth backed away, his shoulders twitching as if he were trying to shake off the pain. Please, I wanted to plead with Riley, but I couldn't find the muscles to make my mouth open, to pull the air up from my lungs. Please, he's just a child! Why hadn't Seth run away? Why didn't he run now? Riley was closing the distance between them again, driving Seth toward the cliff face beside me. Victoria was suddenly interested in her partner's fate. I could see her, from the corner of her eyes, judge the distance between Riley and me. Seth snapped at Riley, forcing him back again, and Victoria hissed. Seth wasn't limping anymore. His circling took him within inches of Edward; his tail brushed Edward's back, and Victoria's eyes bulged. ââ¬Å"No, he won't turn on me,â⬠Edward said, answering the question in Victoria's head. He used her distraction to slide closer. ââ¬Å"You provided us with a common enemy. You allied us.â⬠She clenched her teeth, trying to keep her focus on Edward alone. ââ¬Å"Look more closely, Victoria,â⬠he murmured, pulling at the threads of her concentration. ââ¬Å"Is he really so much like the monster James tracked across Siberia?â⬠Her eyes popped wide open, and then began flickering wildly from Edward to Seth to me, around and around. ââ¬Å"Not the same?â⬠she snarled in her little girl's soprano. ââ¬Å"Impossible!â⬠ââ¬Å"Nothing is impossible,â⬠Edward murmured, voice velvet soft as he moved another inch closer to her. ââ¬Å"Except what you want. You'll never touch her.â⬠She shook her head, fast and jerky, fighting his diversions, and tried to duck around him, but he was in place to block her as soon as she'd thought of the plan. Her face contorted in frustration, and then she shifted lower into her crouch, a lioness again, and stalked deliberately forward. Victoria was no inexperienced, instinct-driven newborn. She was lethal. Even I could tell the difference between her and Riley, and I knew that Seth wouldn't have lasted so long if he'd been fighting this vampire. Edward shifted, too, as they closed on each other, and it was lion versus lioness. The dance increased in tempo. It was like Alice and Jasper in the meadow, a blurred spiraling of movement, only this dance was not as perfectly choreographed. Sharp crunches and crackings reverberated off the cliff face whenever someone slipped in their formation. But they were moving too fast for me to see who was making the mistakes. . . . Riley was distracted by the violent ballet, his eyes anxious for his partner. Seth struck, crunching off another small piece of the vampire. Riley bellowed and launched a massive backhanded blow that caught Seth full in his broad chest. Seth's huge body soared ten feet and crashed into the rocky wall over my head with a force that seemed to shake the whole peak. I heard the breath whoosh from his lungs, and I ducked out of the way as he rebounded off the stone and collapsed on the ground a few feet in front of me. A low whimper escaped through Seth's teeth. Sharp fragments of gray stone showered down on my head, scratching my exposed skin. A jagged spike of rock rolled down my right arm and I caught it reflexively. My fingers clenched around the long shard as my own survival instincts kicked in; since there was no chance of flight, my body ââ¬â not caring how ineffectual the gesture was ââ¬â prepared for a fight. Adrenaline jolted through my veins. I knew the brace was cutting into my palm. I knew the crack in my knuckle was protesting. I knew it, but I could not feel the pain. Behind Riley, all I could see was the twisting flame of Victoria's hair and a blur of white. The increasingly frequent metallic snaps and tears, the gasps and shocked hissings, made it clear that the dance was turning deadly for someone. But which someone? Riley lurched toward me, his red eyes brilliant with fury. He glared at the limp mountain of sand-colored fur between us, and his hands ââ¬â mangled, broken hands ââ¬â curled into talons. His mouth opened, widened, his teeth glistening, as he prepared to rip out Seth's throat. A second kick of adrenaline hit like an electric shock, and everything was suddenly very clear. Both fights were too close. Seth was about to lose his, and I had no idea if Edward was winning or losing. They needed help. A distraction. Something to give them an edge. My hand gripped the stone spike so tightly that a support in the brace snapped. Was I strong enough? Was I brave enough? How hard could I shove the rough stone into my body? Would this buy Seth enough time to get back on his feet? Would he heal fast enough for my sacrifice to do him any good? I raked the point of the shard up my arm, yanking my thick sweater back to expose the skin, and then pressed the sharp tip to the crease at my elbow. I already had a long scar there from my last birthday. That night, my flowing blood had been enough to catch every vampire's attention, to freeze them all in place for an instant. I prayed it would work that way again. I steeled myself and sucked in one deep breath. Victoria was distracted by the sound of my gasp. Her eyes, holding still for one tiny portion of a second, met mine. Fury and curiosity mingled strangely in her expression. I wasn't sure how I heard the low sound with all the other noises echoing off the stone wall and hammering inside my head. My own heartbeat should have been enough to drown it out. But, in the split second that I stared into Victoria's eyes, I thought I heard a familiar, exasperated sigh. In that same short second, the dance broke violently apart. It happened so quickly that it was over before I could follow the sequence of events. I tried to catch up in my head. Victoria had flown out of the blurred formation and smashed into a tall spruce about halfway up the tree. She dropped back to the earth already crouched to spring. Simultaneously, Edward ââ¬â all but invisible with speed ââ¬â had twisted backward and caught the unsuspecting Riley by the arm. It had looked like Edward planted his foot against Riley's back, and heaved ââ¬â The little campsite was filled with Riley's piercing shriek of agony. At the same time, Seth leaped to his feet, cutting off most of my view. But I could still see Victoria. And, though she looked oddly deformed ââ¬â as if she were unable to straighten up completely ââ¬â I could see the smile I'd been dreaming of flash across her wild face. She coiled and sprang. Something small and white whistled through the air and collided with her mid-flight. The impact sounded like an explosion, and it threw her against another tree ââ¬â this one snapped in half. She landed on her feet again, crouched and ready, but Edward was already in place. Relief swelled in my heart when I saw that he stood straight and perfect. Victoria kicked something aside with a flick of her bare foot ââ¬â the missile that had crippled her attack. It rolled toward me, and I realized what it was. My stomach lurched. The fingers were still twitching; grasping at blades of grass, Riley's arm began to drag itself mindlessly across the ground. Seth was circling Riley again, and now Riley was retreating. He backed away from the advancing werewolf, his face rigid with pain. He raised his one arm defensively. Seth rushed Riley, and the vampire was clearly off-balance. I saw Seth sink his teeth into Riley's shoulder and tear, jumping back again. With an earsplitting metallic screech, Riley lost his other arm. Seth shook his head, flinging the arm into the woods. The broken hissing noise that came through Seth's teeth sounded like snickering. Riley screamed out a tortured plea. ââ¬Å"Victoria!â⬠Victoria did not even flinch to the sound of her name. Her eyes did not flicker once toward her partner. Seth launched himself forward with the force of a wrecking ball. The thrust carried both Seth and Riley into the trees, where the metallic screeching was matched by Riley's screams. Screams that abruptly cut off, while the sounds of rock being ripped to shreds continued. Though she spared Riley no farewell glance, Victoria seemed to realize that she was on her own. She began to back away from Edward, frenzied disappointment blazing in her eyes. She threw me one short, agonized stare of longing, and then she started to retreat faster. ââ¬Å"No,â⬠Edward crooned, his voice seductive. ââ¬Å"Stay just a little longer.â⬠She wheeled and flew toward the refuge of the forest like an arrow from a bow. But Edward was faster ââ¬â a bullet from a gun. He caught her unprotected back at the edge of the trees and, with one last, simple step, the dance was over. Edward's mouth brushed once across her neck, like a caress. The squealing clamor coming from Seth's efforts covered every other noise, so there was no discernible sound to make the image one of violence. He could have been kissing her. And then the fiery tangle of hair was no longer connected to the rest of her body. The shivering orange waves fell to the ground, and bounced once before rolling toward the trees.
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