Scholarship essay writing help
Paper Presentation Topics In English Literature
Wednesday, August 26, 2020
Dead Poets Society :: essays research papers
"It was Mr Keating's unmitigated maltreatment of position as educator that drove straightforwardly to Neil's death."We are approached to talk about the above proclamation in the wake of viewing the film: "Dead Poets Society". This announcement I feel is strange and when I have completed this exposition you will agree.The school was a dull, good for nothing place where custom and notoriety was put before inventiveness and training. That was until Mr Keating, went to the school as an English educator. He centered around Poetry. He showed the young men to communicate and do what they in their souls needed to do, not what their folks needed them to do.The young men found a photograph of Mr Keating in an old yearbook with the subtitle under perusing "Alan Keating, Leader of the Dead Poets Society." The young men moved toward Mr Keating about what the DPS was. He disclosed to them they would escape around evening time and sit the old In dian cavern and read splendid verse. Neil, one of the more vivacious young men, proposed that their gathering proceed with this custom, and they, thus agreed.Mr Keating showed the young men to appreciate the verse and let them revolt against what they needed to be. He instructed them to be people. In any case, inevitably charges that he was liable for Neil's passing returned flying at him.Neil needed to be an on-screen character. He was awesome at it and acted in the neighborhood creation of: "A Midsummer Night's Dream". His dad, anyway needed him to be a specialist. After Neil's amazing exhibition his dad hurried him home and revealed to him that he was sending him to Military school for an additional ten years to get rid of any further thoughts of his acting.Neil shot himself that night.Students, guardians and educator promptly searched for somebody to fault and the director, Mr Norton selected Mr Keating as the unfortunate substitute.
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Missing Movement free essay sample
Any individual subject to this part who through disregard or configuration misses the development of a boat, airplane, or unit with which he is required over the span of obligation to move will be rebuffed as a court-military may coordinate. â⬠Elements. (1) That the blamed was required in the course for obligation to move with a boat, airplane or unit; (2) That the blamed knew for the forthcoming development of the boat, airplane or unit; (3) That the blamed missed the development for the boat, airplane or unit; and (4) That the denounced missed the development through structure or disregard. Clarification. (1)à Movement. ââ¬Å"Movementâ⬠as utilized in Article 87 incorporates a move, move, or move of a boat, airplane, or unit including a considerable separation and timeframe. Regardless of whether a specific development is significant is an inquiry to be dictated by the court-military thinking about all the conditions. Changes which don't comprise a ââ¬Å"movementâ⬠incorporate practice walks of a brief length with an arrival to the point of flight, and minor changes in area of boats, airplane, or units, as when a boat is moved starting with one billet then onto the next in a similar shipyard or harbor or when a unit is moved starting with one military enclosure then onto the next on a similar post. We will compose a custom paper test on Missing Movement or on the other hand any comparative subject explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page Method of development. (a)à Unit. On the off chance that an individual is required over the span of obligation to move with a unit, the method of movement isn't significant, regardless of whether it be military or business, and incorporates travel by transport, train, airplane, truck, transport, or strolling. The word ââ¬Å"unitâ⬠isn't restricted to a particular specialized class, for example, those recorded in a table of association and hardware, yet additionally incorporates units which are made before the development with the expectation that they have authoritative progression upon landing in their goal paying little mind to their specialized assignment, and units proposed to be disbanded upon landing in their goal. Boat, airplane. On the off chance that an individual is doled out as a team part or is requested to move as a traveler on board a specific boat or airplane, military or sanctioned, at that point missing the specific cruising or flight is fundamental to set up the offense of missing development. (3)à Design. ââ¬Å"Designâ⬠implies deliberately, purposefully, or as per plan and requires explicit aim to miss the development. (4)à Neglect. ââ¬Å"Neglectâ⬠à means the exclusion to accept such measures as are suitable considering the present situation to guarantee nearness with a boat, airplane, or unit at the hour of a planned development, or doing some demonstration without concentrating on its plausible results regarding the imminent development, for example, a takeoff from the region of the forthcoming development to such a separation as would make it likely that one couldn't return in time for the development. (5)à Actual information. So as to be liable of the offense, the blamed must have really known for the forthcoming development that was missed. Information on the specific hour or even of the specific date of the planned development isn't required. It is adequate if the estimated date was referred to by the denounced as long as there is a causal association be-tween the lead of the blamed and the missing for the booked development. Information might be demonstrated by conditional proof. (6)à Proof of nonappearance. That the denounced really missed the development might be demonstrated by narrative proof, as by an appropriate section in a log or a morning report. This reality may likewise be demonstrated by the declaration of staff of the boat, airplane, or unit (or by other proof) that the development happened at a specific time, along with proof that the denounced was genuinely somewhere else around then. Lesser included offenses. (1)à Design. (an) Article 87ââ¬missing development through disregard.
Sunday, August 16, 2020
The Optimal Solution
The Optimal Solution My first two weeks of GEL kicked off to a great start. I really like working (some would even call it playing) with my team. To help us get to know each other, our team leader and I met up over coffee. Or rather, the excuse of coffee since neither of us is a fan. One of his questions posed to me was: What do you want to work on during junior year? Junior Year. Wow. Iâm already half way done. I only have two more years to make the most of MIT. I need to decide what I want out of my MIT experience. I need to decide which classes to take and where that will lead me. That in itself has been an necessarily more stressful decision than it needed to be. And so one of my goals this year is to work on decision making. As the ultimate optimizer engineer, my long convoluted decision making process relies on resources time and people as fuel for information. Iâm always working towards the most optimal solution. But engineers, we donât always have all the information at the same time. Or the amount of information cannot possibly be processed to the highest degree of accuracy for optimization. Often, you have to make judgement calls of whether to launch a shuttle, race a car, finance a project based on limited data in the face of high risk. One of the things the Engineering Leadership Labs (ELLs) teach us is: Itâs better to make a bad decision now than a good one too late. Last April I faced a major decision when choosing between two job offers. One allowed me to spend a summer with my family at home while learning about engineering in the oil industry. The other sent me across the world in Mumbai to get a rare opportunity in project planning on a major oil investment. Better yet I had to make my decision in a week. Everyone deals with decisions their own way. My process looked something like this: As you can see, thereâs no cascade of steps to follow. Itâs a lot of talking and being excited and jumping around. When deciding my summer internship, I even used a decision matrix in which you rate criteria and options separately to weigh your choices against your values. This functioned as a more systemic method to organize how I felt about each option rather than getting tangled in my thinking. My most important factor was family. Others were career skills and playing ultimate this past summer. The final score in the decision matrix is not what determined my decision. Rather, looking back and having that matrix warrants why I made the decision I did. Did my process work? Did I have the most perfect summer? Yes. No. Maybe. In the end I decided to spend my summer in Houston. But! I still got a chance to go hiking in Yosemite after finals! Thats the view of Half Dome wayyyy in the back! We climbed that! California was very pretty 333 And then back home in Houston, I got to play a ton of ultimate with a local club mixed team! (Thats me! #47) And I spent lots of time with my family. Boston just doesnt compare to the Tex-Mex you find back home. Oh and also had a real job! At this very pretty campus. It may not be Google, but we still had a full cafeteria and gym! And there were pancakes for breakfast!!! (I love breakfast.) Parts of my summer I loved; the other parts I disliked intensely. I missed my MIT friends. I missed Boston weather. I missed the flexibility of working when I wanted to. So did I make the wrong decision? Looking back at the decision matrix, I had rated family time, playing ultimate, and learning about engineering in the industry as my top criteria. Turns out, I didnât realize working full-time was such a significant time-commitment and didnât get to spend enough time with my brother. But I found an awesome team to play ultimate with. But I didnât know this at the time. One thing Iâm slowly learning is: Donât judge a good decision by how the consequences turn out. A good decision is based on how well you processed the data available to you at the time. What can I do better? This past week, I had the opportunity to speak with a GEL alum and he gave me a pretty solid piece of advice. Why? Thatâs exactly the question I should ask myself at least 5 times. The root cause analysis we learn in EID and D-Lab Design can be applied to life. Use WHY to critically analyze what motivates you. Then use that as an important factor when making decisions. Why did I decide to direct a play this fall on top of a bazillion other responsibilities? Thatâs a good question for next time.
Sunday, May 24, 2020
The Deeper Meanings of Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay
The Deeper Meanings of Young Goodman Brown Young Goodman Brown, a story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, should be interpreted on a psychoanalytical level rather than a religious one. It is my observation that Young Goodman Brown may very well be the first published work alluding to divisions of the mind and personality theory. Although religion is a direct theme throughout the story, Young Goodman Brown appears to be an allegory with deeper meanings. To explore properly my position concerning the dynamics of Young Goodman Brown, it is necessary to understand Freuds structural model. The development of Freuds structural model presents an understanding of the struggles between the conscious and unconscious forces of theâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦The pleasure-seeking id is clearly dominating its control over the superego. Another part of the psyche that is critical in controlling the impulses of the id is called the superego. With the superego our innate tendencies of the id are properly restrained. When Goodman Brown questions the travelers advice to continue the journey, he is allowing his superego to take charge. This is shown when he confidently declares, I have scruples, touching the matter thou wotst of (Hawthorne 274). Goodman Brown also shows signs of his fighting superego when he firmly asserts, My mind is made up. Not another step will I budge on this errand... (Hawthorne 276). In the story, Brown is frequently stopping and reconsidering his commitment to the traveler, which is comparable to what an id and superego would do. The superego focuses on moral standards to justify decisions. An example of this is when Goodman Brown sat himself down at the stump of a tree and refused to go any farther (Hawthorne 276). For Goodman Brown to stop this way, his superego must have had just enough doubt to cause him to want to stop in his tracks. The staff, which is fashioned from a maple branch by the guide, can be interpreted as a symbolic link. This link connects the dark, inner forces (the id) with the higher, rational forces that govern our benevolence (the superego). When Goodman Brown states that he will go no further, theShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Young Goodman Brown1179 Words à |à 5 Pagesââ¬Å"Young Goodman Brownâ⬠is an odd story with a deeper meaning than is apparent on the surface. Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote his short story ââ¬Å"Young Goodman Brownâ⬠in 1835 with what seems like the intentions of gothic and romance features. However, looking further into the story of ââ¬Å"Young Goodman Brown,â⬠it is clear to see that there is a possibility that the imagery displayed can lead to some interesting theories behind Hawthornes purpose, imagery, and symbolism in the text. Throughout the story, HawthorneRead MoreYoung Goodman Brown from a Moral Standpoint1352 Words à |à 6 PagesHawthorne discov ered that his ancestors were founders and Puritan leaders of the Salem witch trials. Shortly after this tragic finding, he wrote ââ¬Å"Young Goodman Brown,â⬠a tale that is considered one of the greatest in American literature. Analyzing Nathaniel Hawthorneââ¬â¢s work from a moral perspective can help illuminate his short story: ââ¬Å"Young Goodman Brown.â⬠Hawthorne was both prideful and embarrassed in the actions of his ancestors. According to Jacqueline Shoemaker, Hawthorne felt pride in seeingRead MoreThe Moral Complexity Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown1681 Words à |à 7 PagesThe Moral Complexity Nathaniel Hawthorneââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Young Goodman Brownâ⬠is about a Christian man, the title character who walks through a dark and dreary forest, witnessing some people in his community he thought were godly walking deeper into the ââ¬Å"path of evil.â⬠He has to make a decision whether to keep walking towards the satanic meeting or go back home. The characters Hawthorne chooses have some relation to either the trials or the Christian way of life. Back in the middle 1900s, the society relied heavilyRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown1400 Words à |à 6 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne, the author of ââ¬Å"Young Goodman Brown,â⬠was born in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1804. Hawthorne, born into a Puritan family who was struggling financially, had never met his father. He had died when Hawthorne was but a boy of four years old. This, along with embarrassments brought upon by other ancestors, seemed to affect his writing and perhaps even inspired parts of ââ¬Å "Young Goodman Brown.â⬠Hawthorne had one ancestor, a Puritan judge, who persecuted Quakers, and another, who had takenRead MoreThe Brown s A Forest, And The Devil !1742 Words à |à 7 PagesThe Brownââ¬â¢s, A Forest, and The Devil! Oh My Hawthorneââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Young Goodman Brownâ⬠tells a tale of when man, who is supposedly good in nature, faces temptation and evil head on. The story, much like the tale of Adam Eve, is an allegory for the evil and selfishness of mankind; for young Goodman Brown s fight with his inner temptations and his outward struggle with the devil himself represents mankind s lost encounter within the battle of good and evil. Though it is not clear whether the events inRead MoreCompare And Contrast Scarlet Letter And Young Goodman Brown1485 Words à |à 6 Pageshumiliate her and Goodman Brownââ¬â¢s hopelessness after seeing people he trusts conversing with the devil. In Hawthorneââ¬â¢s The Scarlet Letter, Hester gains a new strength from the letter A after recognizing the evil nature of Puritan society. Whereas in Hawthorneââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Young Goodman Brown,â⬠witnessing Puritanââ¬â¢s hypocrisy first hand, Goodman Brown falls into despair and confusing. Although depict ed in different lights, Hawthorneââ¬â¢s characters in The Scarlet Letter and ââ¬Å"Young Goodman Brownâ⬠ultimately revealRead MoreAnalysis Of Hawthorne s The Man s Fall 1438 Words à |à 6 PagesCalvinistic, and ancient beliefs that form the basis of Hawthorneââ¬â¢s work (Hawthorne 392). Besides, the researcher notes that Hawthorneââ¬â¢s life is authentic although fictional. There is a psychological aspect of the story in that the manââ¬â¢s fall is unavoidable. The narration contains metaphoric and literal journey of the newlywed male character. However, he is making the treacherous journey with the devil himself therefore creating a spiritual crisis. Goodman Brownââ¬â¢s decision is ambiguous to his audience becauseRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne979 Words à |à 4 Pageswell-known dark romanticist and author of ââ¬Å"Young Goodman Brown,â⬠and ââ¬Å"The Scarlet Letter,â⬠displays a love for story and symbols. Goodman Brown in ââ¬Å"Young Goodman Brown,â⬠chooses to question his faith and sells himself out of everyone because he does not believe in anyone. Whereas Hester in ââ¬Å"The Scarlet Letter,â⬠was thrown away from everyone because of her actions. Hawthorneââ¬â¢s usage of light and dark imagery in both, ââ¬Å"The Scarlet Letter,â⬠and ââ¬Å"Young Goodman Brown,â⬠represents good and evil, and the difficultyRead MoreThe Theme Of Faith In Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown945 Words à |à 4 PagesHawthorneââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Young Goodman Brownâ⬠, is a coming of age story of saints and sinners. Goodman Brown, our main character and narrator, leads us through his experience of the forest and the temptations to give into sin. Yet, it seems he is the most affected within this journey, by his wife of 3 monthsââ¬âFaith. Faith, as well as the puritan societyââ¬â¢s as a wholeââ¬âis represented as innocence and pure. As the story progresses any reader can conclude that no t one member of the puritan society is untainted fromRead MoreAnalysis Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Great Gatsby 1416 Words à |à 6 PagesEdgar Allan Poe, born in the year 1809, in Boston, Massachusetts, was also a writer in Dark Romanticism. An orphan at a young age, Poe was going through a tough childhood. He took in gambling in his college years, and enlisted in the army. Struggling through poverty, he managed to win a contest with his short story, and he started devoting his life to writing. He married his young cousin, Virginia, who was 13 years old in the year 1836. Dark Romanticism is a genre branched off of Romanticism, whereas
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
The New Orleans Conceived Craftsman - 1657 Words
It s four years since Frank Ocean s last collection, Channel Orange, and 13 months since he guaranteed the postliminary, Boys Don t Cry, would be discharged. In a time when numerous significant specialists are productive ââ¬â, for example, Drake ââ¬â or universal ââ¬â Rihanna, Beyoncà © ââ¬â the New Orleans-conceived craftsman has taken as much time as is needed and stayed under the radar. Past a modest bunch of visitor vocal appearances, an a capella track on Kanye West s The Life of Pablo, a two-minute representation of tune called Memrise and an appearance in a Calvin Klein advertisement, next to no has been seen or gotten notification from Ocean. The anticipation was broken on 1 August, when baffling footage ââ¬â purportedly recorded in 2015 ââ¬â showed up on the site boysdontcry.co. For about 48 hours, a camera was settled on a highly contrasting CCTV-like setup that demonstrated within a void stockroom and a line of apparatus. We saw a substantial heap of speakers, potentially taken from an establishment by the craftsman and companion of Ocean Tom Sachs, that is as of now being appeared at Brooklyn Museum in New York. On occasion, a figure ââ¬â later uncovered to be Ocean ââ¬â would arrive and begin to cut, bore and sand boards of wood. These pictures would circle, and once in a while new camera points were presented. Yet, once the viewer acknowledged there was no peak or plot turn to come ââ¬â unless you consider the minute when he quickly checked his telephone a true to life highlight ââ¬âShow MoreRelatedMarley : Reggae s Best Vocalist And Musician1811 Words à |à 8 Pagesactuated what Marley cal led positive vibrations in all who heard it. Despite how you heard it - political music suitable for moving, or move music with a strong political subtext ââ¬â Marley s music was a capable mixture for vexed times. Marley was conceived on Jamaica to a youthful dark mother and a more established white father. A gifted musical performer, a teenaged Marley shaped a vocal trio in 1963 with companions Neville Bunny O Riley Livingston and Peter McIntosh The gathering individuals hadRead MoreTexas Rangers13480 Words à |à 54 Pagesarchitecture constructed since the Pyramids were built upon the sandsâ⬠(as Hoesli once not altogether wryly referred to it),it was surely a high-water mark in contemporary architecture,an uncompromising,extravagant masterwork that seemed to inaugurate the new postwar era. While simultaneously in the United States the figures of Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies van der Rohealso loomed large(Wright was just completing plans on the research tower for the Johnson Wax complex in Racine,Wisconsin,while Mies vanRead MoreMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words à |à 702 PagesDESIGN DIRECTOR SENIOR DESIGNER SENIOR MEDIA EDITOR George Hoffman Lise Johnson Carissa Doshi Dorothy Sinclair Matt Winslow Amy Scholz Carly DeCandia Alana Filipovich Jeof Vita Arthur Medina Allison Morris This book was set in 10/12 New Caledonia by Aptaraà ®, Inc. and printed and bound by Courier/Westford. The cover was printed by Courier/Westford. This book is printed on acid-free paper. Copyright à © 2009, 2006, 2004, 2001, 1998, 1995, 1992, 1989, 1986, 1981, 1976 John Wiley Sons
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
The Stupidest Angel Chapter 15~17 Free Essays
string(43) " at the last second and offering his hand\." Chapter 15 A MOMENTARY FLASH OF MOLLY ââ¬Å"By the purple horn of Nigoth, I command thee to boil!â⬠screeched the Warrior Babe. What good was a higher power, after all, if he wouldnââ¬â¢t help you cook your ramen noodles? Molly stood over the stove, naked, except for a wide sash from which was slung the scabbard for her broadsword at the center of her back, giving the impression that she had won honors in the Miss Nude Random Violence Pageant. Her skin was slick with sweat, not because sheââ¬â¢d been working out, but because sheââ¬â¢d chopped up the coffee table with her broken broadsword and burned it, along with two chairs from the dining-room set, in the fireplace. We will write a custom essay sample on The Stupidest Angel Chapter 15~17 or any similar topic only for you Order Now The cabin was sweltering. The power hadnââ¬â¢t gone out yet, but it would soon, and the Warrior Babe of the Outland dropped into survival mode a little sooner than most people. It was in her job description. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s Christmas Eve,â⬠said the Narrator. ââ¬Å"Shouldnââ¬â¢t we eat something more festive? Eggnog? How about sugar cookies in the shape of Nigoth? Do you have purple sprinkles?â⬠ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢ll get nothing and like it! You are but a soulless ghost that vexes me and stirs in my mind like spiders. When my check arrives on the fifth, you shall be banished to the abyss forever.â⬠ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m just saying, hacking up the coffee table? Screaming at the soup? I think you could channel your energies in a more positive way. Something in the holiday spirit.â⬠In a momentary flash of Molly, the Warrior Babe realized that there was a line she could cross, when the Narrator actually became the voice of reason, as opposed to a niggling voice trying to get her to act out. She turned the burner down to medium and went to the bedroom. She pulled a stool over to the closet and climbed up on it so she could reach to the back shelf. The problem with marrying a guy who was six foot six, is you often find yourself scaling the counters to get to stuff that he placed there for convenience. That, and you needed a riding steam iron in order to press one of his shirts. Not that she did that very often, but if you try to get a crease straight in a forty-inch sleeve once, youââ¬â¢re as likely as not to give up ironing altogether. She was nuts already, she didnââ¬â¢t need help from trying to perform frustrating tasks After feeling around on the top shelf, brushing over the spare holster for Theoââ¬â¢s Glock, her hand closed on a velvet-wrapped bundle. She climbed down from the stool and took the long bundle to the couch, where she sat down and slowly unwrapped it. The scabbard was made of wood. Somehow it had been laminated with layers of black silk, so that it appeared to drink the light out of the room. The handle was wrapped in black silk cord and there was a cast bronze hand guard with a filigreed dragon design. The ivory head of a dragon protruded from the pommel. When she pulled the sword from the scabbard, her breath caught in her throat. She knew immediately that it was real, it was ancient, and it had to have been exorbitantly expensive. It was the finest blade she had ever seen in person, and a tashi, not a katana. Theo knew she would want the longer, heavier sword for working out, that she would spend hours training with this valuable antique, not lock it in a glass case to be looked at. Tears welled up in her eyes and the blade turned to a silver blur in her vision. He had risked his freedom and his pride to buy her this, to acknowledge that part of her that everyone else seemed to want to get rid of. ââ¬Å"Your soup is boiling over,â⬠said the Narrator, ââ¬Å"you sentimental sissy-girl ââ¬Å" And it was. She could hear the hiss of the water hitting the hot burner. Molly leaped to her feet and looked around for a place to set the sword. The coffee table had long since gone to ash in the fireplace. She looked to the bookshelf under the front window, and in that second there was a deafening snap as the trunk of a big pine gave way outside, followed by lighter crackles and snaps as it took out branches and smaller trees on the way to the ground. Sparks lit up the night outside, and the lights went out as the entire cabin shook with the impact of the tree hitting in the front yard. Molly could see the downed power lines out by the road arcing orange and blue through the night. Silhouetted in the window was a tall dark figure, standing there,just looking at her. Although a lot of single people attended, the Lonesome Christmas party was never supposed to have been a pickup scene, an extension of the holiday musical chairs that went on at the Head of the Slug. People did occasionally meet there, become lovers, mates, but that wasnââ¬â¢t the purpose. Originally it was just a get-together for people who had no family or friends in the area with whom to spend Christmas, and who didnââ¬â¢t want to spend it alone, or in an alcohol-induced coma, or both. Over the years it had become somewhat more ââ¬â an anticipated event that people actually chose to attend instead of more traditional gatherings with friends and family. ââ¬Å"I canââ¬â¢t imagine a more heinous horror show than spending the holidays with my family,â⬠said Tucker Case as Theo rejoined the group. ââ¬Å"How about you, Theo?â⬠There was another guy standing with Tuck and Gabe, a balding blond guy who looked like an athlete gone to fat, wearing a red Star Fleet Command shirt and dress slacks. Theo recognized him as Joshua Barkerââ¬â¢s stepfather/momââ¬â¢s boyfriend/whatever, Brian Henderson. ââ¬Å"Brian,â⬠Theo said, remembering the guyââ¬â¢s name at the last second and offering his hand. You read "The Stupidest Angel Chapter 15~17" in category "Essay examples" ââ¬Å"How are you? Are Emily and Josh here?â⬠ââ¬Å"Uh, yeah, but not with me,â⬠Brian said. ââ¬Å"We sort of had a falling-out.â⬠Tucker Case stepped in. ââ¬Å"He told the kid that there was no Santa Claus and that Christmas was just a brilliant scheme cooked up by retailers to sell more stuff. What else was it? Oh yeah, that Saint Nicholas was originally famous because he brought back to life some children whoââ¬â¢d been dismembered and stuffed into a pickle jar. The kidââ¬â¢s mom threw him out.â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh, sorry,â⬠Theo said. Brian nodded. ââ¬Å"We hadnââ¬â¢t been getting along that well.â⬠ââ¬Å"He sort of fits right in with us,â⬠Gabe said. ââ¬Å"Check out the cool shirt.â⬠Brian shrugged, a little embarrassed. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s red. I thought it would be Christmasy. Now I feel ââ¬â à » ââ¬Å"Ha,â⬠Gabe interrupted. ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t worry about it. The guys in the red shirts never make it to the second commercial break.â⬠He punched Brian gently in the arm in a gesture of nerd solidarity. ââ¬Å"Well, Iââ¬â¢m going to run out to the car and grab another shirt,â⬠said Brian. ââ¬Å"I feel silly. I have all my clothes in the Jetta. Everything I own, really.â⬠As Brian walked toward the door, Theo suddenly remembered. ââ¬Å"Oh, Gabe, I forgot. Skinner got out of the car. Heââ¬â¢s rolling in something foul out there in the mud. Maybe you should go with Brian and see if you can get him back in the car.â⬠ââ¬Å"Heââ¬â¢s a water dog. Heââ¬â¢ll be fine. He can stay out until the party is over. Maybe heââ¬â¢ll jump up on Val with muddy paws. Oh, I hope, I hope, I hope.â⬠ââ¬Å"Wow, thatââ¬â¢s kinda bitter,â⬠Tuck said. ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s because Iââ¬â¢m a bitter little man,â⬠Gabe said. ââ¬Å"In my spare time, I mean. Not all the time. My work keeps me pretty busy.â⬠Brian had skulked away in his Star Trek shirt. As he opened one side of the double doors, the wind caught the door and whipped it back against the outside church wall with a gunshot report. Everyone turned to watch the big man shrug sheepishly, and Skinner, muddy and wet to the core, came trotting in, carrying something in his jaws. ââ¬Å"Wow, heââ¬â¢s really tracking in a mess,â⬠Tuck said. ââ¬Å"I never realized the perks of having a flying mammal as a pet before.â⬠ââ¬Å"Whatââ¬â¢s that heââ¬â¢s carrying in his mouth?â⬠asked Theo. ââ¬Å"Probably a pinecone,â⬠Gabe said without looking. Then he looked ââ¬Å"Or not.â⬠There was a scream, a long protracted one, that started with Valerie Riordan and sort of passed through all the women near the buffet. Skinner had presented his prize to Val, dropped it on her foot, in fact, thinking that because she was standing near food, and she was still the Food Guyââ¬â¢s female (for who could think of food without thinking of the Food Guy?), she would, therefore, appreciate it, and perhaps reward him. She didnââ¬â¢t. ââ¬Å"Grab him!â⬠Gabe yelled to Val, who looked up at him with the most articulate glare he had ever seen. Perhaps it was the weight of her M D. that gave it eloquence, but without a word, it said: You have got to be out of your fucking mind. ââ¬Å"Or not,â⬠Gabe said. Theo crossed the room and made a grab for Skinnerââ¬â¢s collar, but at the last second the Lab grabbed the arm, threw a head fake, then ducked out of Theoââ¬â¢s reach. The three men started to give chase, and Skinner frisked back and forth across the pine floor, his head high and proud as a Lippizaner stallion, pausing occasionally to shake a spray of mud onto the horrified onlookers. ââ¬Å"Tell me itââ¬â¢s not moving,â⬠shouted Tuck, trying to cut Skinner off at the buffet table. ââ¬Å"That hand is not moving.â⬠ââ¬Å"Just the kinetic energy of the dog moving through the arm,â⬠said Gabe, having gone into a sort of wrestling stance. He was used to catching animals in the wild and knew that you had to be nimble and keep your center of gravity low and use a lot of profanity. ââ¬Å"Goddammit, Skinner, come here. Bad dog, bad dog!â⬠Well, there it was. Tragedy. A thousand trips to the vet, a grass-eating nausea, a flea you will never, ever reach. Bad dog. For the love of Dog! He was a bad dog. Skinner dropped his prize and assumed the tail-tucked posture of absolute humility, shame, remorse, and overt sadness He whimpered and ventured a look at the Food Guy, a sideways glance, pained but ready, should another BD come his way. But the Food Guy wasnââ¬â¢t even looking at him. No one was even looking at him. Everything was fine. He was good. Were those sausages he smelled over by that table? Sausages are good. ââ¬Å"That thing is moving,â⬠Tuck said. ââ¬Å"No, itââ¬â¢s not. Oh, yes it is,â⬠said Gabe. There was another series of screams, this time a couple of man-screams among the women and children. The hand was trying to crawl away, dragging the arm along behind it. ââ¬Å"How fresh does that have to be to do that?â⬠Tuck asked. ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s not fresh,â⬠said Joshua Barker, one of the few kids in the room. ââ¬Å"Hi, Josh,â⬠said Theo Crowe. ââ¬Å"I didnââ¬â¢t see you come in.â⬠ââ¬Å"You were out in your car hitting a bong when we got here,â⬠Josh said cheerfully. ââ¬Å"Merry Christmas, Constable Crowe.â⬠â⬠ââ¬ËKay,â⬠Theo said. Thinking fast, or what seemed like it was fast, Theo took off his Gore-Tex cop coat and threw it over the twitching arm. ââ¬Å"Folks, itââ¬â¢s okay. I have a little confession to make. I should have told you all before, but I couldnââ¬â¢t believe my own observations. Itââ¬â¢s time I was honest with you all.â⬠Theo had gotten very good at telling embarrassing things about himself at Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and confession seemed to be coming even easier since he was a little baked. ââ¬Å"A few days ago I ran into a man, or what I thought was a man, but was actually some kind of indestructible cybernetic robot. I hit him doing about fifty in my Volvo, and he didnââ¬â¢t even seem to notice.â⬠ââ¬Å"The Terminator?â⬠asked Mavis Sand. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢d fuck him.â⬠ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t ask me how he got here, or what he really is. I think weââ¬â¢ve all learned over the years that the sooner we accept the simple explanation for the unexplained, the better chance we have of surviving a crisis. Anyway, I think that this arm may be part of that machine.â⬠ââ¬Å"Bullshit!â⬠came a shout from outside the front doors. Just then the doors flew open, the wind whipped into the room carrying with it a horrid stench. Standing there, framed in the cathedral doorway, stood Santa Claus, holding Brian Henderson in his red Star Trek shirt, by the throat. A group of dark figures were moving behind them, moaning something about IKEA, as Santa pressed a .38 snub-nose revolver to Brianââ¬â¢s temple and pulled the trigger. Blood splattered across the front wall and Santa threw the body back to Marty in the Morning, who began to suck the brains out of dead Brianââ¬â¢s exit wound. ââ¬Å"Merry Christmas, you doomed sons aââ¬â¢ bitches!â⬠said Santa. Chapter 16 SO So that sucked. Chapter 17 HE KNOWS IF YOUââ¬â¢VE BEEN BAD OR GOODâ⬠¦ While she was horrified by what was going on in the doorway of the chapel, with the gunfire and brain-sucking and the threats, Lena Marquez couldnââ¬â¢t help but think: Oh, this is so awkward ââ¬â both my exes are here. Dale was standing there in a Santa suit, mud and gore dripping onto the floor while he roared with anger, and Tucker Case had immediately headed to the back of the room and dived under one of the folding buffet tables. There was screaming and a lot of running, but mostly people stood there, paralyzed by the shock. And Tucker Case, of course, was acting the consummate coward. She was so ashamed. ââ¬Å"You, bitch!â⬠dead Dale Pearson shouted, pointing at her with the snub-nose .38. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re lunch!â⬠He started across the open pine floor. ââ¬Å"Look out, Lena,â⬠came a shout from behind her. She turned just in time to sidestep as the buffet table behind her rose, spilling chafing dishes full of lasagna onto the floor. The alcohol burners beneath the pans spilled blue flame across the tabletops and onto the floor as Tucker Case stood up with the table in front of him and let out a war cry. Theo Crowe saw what was happening and pulled an armload of people aside as Tuck barreled through the room, the tabletop in front of him, toward the throng of undead. Dale Pearson fired at the tabletop as it approached, getting off three shots before Tuck impacted with him. ââ¬Å"Crowe, get the door, get the door,â⬠Tuck shouted, driving Dale and his undead followers back out into the rain. The blue alcohol flame climbed up Daleââ¬â¢s white beard, as well as spilling down Tuckââ¬â¢s legs as he pushed out into the darkness. Theo loped across the room and reached outside to catch the edge of the door. A one-armed corpse in a leather jacket ducked around the edge of Tuckââ¬â¢s buffet-table barrier and grabbed at Theo, who put a foot on the corpseââ¬â¢s chest and drove him back down the steps. Theo pulled the door shut, then reached around and grabbed the other one. He hesitated. ââ¬Å"Close the damned door!â⬠Tuck screamed, his legs pumping, losing momentum against the undead as he reached the bottom of the steps. Theo could see decayed hands clawing at Tuck over the edge of the table; a man whose lower jaw flapped on a slip of skin was screeching at the pilot and trying to drive his upper teeth into Tuckââ¬â¢s hand. The last thing Theo saw as he pulled the door shut was Tucker Caseââ¬â¢s legs burning blue and steaming in the rain. ââ¬Å"Bring one of those tables over here,â⬠Theo shouted. ââ¬Å"Brace this door. Jam the table under the handles.â⬠There was a second of peace, just the sound of the wind and rain and Emily Barker, who had just seen her ex-boyfriend shot and brain-sucked, sobbing. ââ¬Å"What was that?â⬠shouted Ignacio Nuà ±ez, a rotund Hispanic who owned the village nursery. ââ¬Å"What in the hell was that?â⬠Lena Marquez had instinctively gone to Emily Barker, and knelt with her arm around the bereft woman. She looked to Theo. ââ¬Å"Tucker is out there. Heââ¬â¢s out there.â⬠Theo Crowe realized that everyone was looking at him. He was having trouble catching his breath and he could feel his pulse pounding in his ears. He really wanted to look to someone else for the answers, but as he scanned the room ââ¬â some forty terrified faces ââ¬â he saw all the responsibility reflected back to him. ââ¬Å"Oh fuck,â⬠he said, his hand falling to his hip where his holster was usually clipped. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s on the table at my house,â⬠Gabe Fenton said. Gabe was holding the buffet table that was braced sideways under the double latches of the church doors. ââ¬Å"Pull the table,â⬠Theo said, thinking, I donââ¬â¢t even like the guy. He helped Gabe pull the table aside and crouched in a sprinterââ¬â¢s stance, ready to go, as Gabe manned the latches. ââ¬Å"Close it behind me. When you hear me scream, ââ¬ËLet me in, well ââ¬â ; Just then there was a crash behind them and something came flying through one of the high, stained-glass windows ââ¬â throwing glass out into the middle of the room. Tucker Case, wet, charred, and covered with blood, pushed himself up from the floor where he had landed and said, ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t know who parked under that window, but youââ¬â¢d better move your car, because if those things climb on it, theyââ¬â¢ll be coming through that window behind me.â⬠Theo looked at the line of stained-glass windows running down the sides of the chapel, eight on each side, each about eight feet off the ground and about two feet across. When the chapel had been built, stained glass was at a premium and the community poor, thus the small, high windows, which were going to be an asset in defending this place. There was only one large window in the whole building ââ¬â behind where the altar used to stand, but where now stood Mollyââ¬â¢s thirty-foot Christmas tree ââ¬â a six-by-ten-foot large cathedral-shaped stained-glass depiction of Saint Rose, patron saint of interior decorators, presenting a throw pillow to the Blessed Virgin. ââ¬Å"Nacho,â⬠Theo barked to Ignacio Nuà ±ez, ââ¬Å"see if you can find something in the basement to board up that window.â⬠As if on cue, two muddy, decaying faces appeared at the opening through which Tuck had just dived, moaning and trying to get purchase on the windowsill with their skeletal hands to climb in. ââ¬Å"Shoot them!â⬠Tuck screamed from the floor. ââ¬Å"Shoot those fucking things, Theo!â⬠Theo shrugged, shook his head. No gun. Something flashed by Theo and he spun to see Gabe Fenton running hell-bent-for-leather at the window, holding before him a long stainless-steel pan full of lasagna, evidently intent upon diving through the window in a pastafarian act of self-sacrifice. Theo caught the biologist by the collar, stopping him like a running dog at the end of his leash. His arms and legs flew out before him and he managed to hang on to the pan, but nearly eight pounds of steaming cheesy goodness sailed on through the window, scorching the attackers and Pollocking the wall around the window with red sauce. ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s it, throw snacks at them, thatââ¬â¢ll slow them up,â⬠shouted Tuck. ââ¬Å"Fire a salvo of garlic bread next!â⬠Gabe regained his feet and jumped right up in Theoââ¬â¢s face, or he would have if he had been a foot or so taller. ââ¬Å"I was trying to save us,â⬠he said sternly to Theoââ¬â¢s sternum. Before Theo could answer, Ignacio Nunez and Ben Miller, a tall, ex-track star in his early thirties, called for them to clear the way. The two men were coming to the broken window with another of the buffet tables. Gabe and Theo helped Ben hold the table against the wall while Nacho nailed the table to the wall. ââ¬Å"I found some tools in the basement,â⬠Nacho said between hammer blows. Animated dead fingernails clawed at the tabletop as they worked. ââ¬Å"I hate cheese!â⬠screamed the corpse, who had enough equipment to still scream. ââ¬Å"It binds me up.â⬠The rest of the undead mob began pounding on the walls around them. ââ¬Å"I need to think,â⬠Theo said. ââ¬Å"I just need a second to think.â⬠Lena was dressing Tucker Caseââ¬â¢s wounds with gauze and antibiotic ointment from the chapelââ¬â¢s first-aid kit. The burns on his legs and torso were superficial, most of the alcohol fire having been put out by the rain before it could penetrate his clothing, and while his leather bomber jacket had protected him somewhat from his dive through the window, there was a deep cut on his forehead and another on his thigh. One of the bullets that Dale had fired through the table had grazed Tuckââ¬â¢s ribs, leaving a gash four inches long and a half inch wide. ââ¬Å"That was the bravest thing Iââ¬â¢ve ever seen,â⬠Lena said. ââ¬Å"You know, Iââ¬â¢m a pilot,â⬠said Tuck, like he did this sort of thing every day. ââ¬Å"I couldnââ¬â¢t let them hurt you.â⬠ââ¬Å"Really?â⬠Lena said, pausing for a moment to look into his eyes. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m sorry I was ââ¬â you were ââ¬â à » ââ¬Å"Actually, you probably couldnââ¬â¢t tell, but that thing with the table? Just a really badly executed escape attempt.â⬠Tuck winced as she fastened the bandage over his ribs with some tape. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re going to need stitches,â⬠Lena said. ââ¬Å"Any place I missed?â⬠Tuck held up his right hand ââ¬â there were tooth marks on the back of it welling up with blood. ââ¬Å"Oh my God!â⬠Lena said. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re going to have to cut his head off,â⬠said Joshua Barker, who was standing by watching. ââ¬Å"Whose?â⬠Tuck said. ââ¬Å"The guy in the Santa suit, right?â⬠ââ¬Å"No, I mean your head,â⬠said Josh. ââ¬Å"Theyââ¬â¢re going to have to cut off your head or youââ¬â¢ll turn into one of them.â⬠Most everyone in the chapel had stopped what they were doing and gathered around Tuck and Lena, seemingly grateful for a point of focus. The pounding on the walls had ceased, and with the exception of the occasional rattling of the door handles, there was only the sound of the wind and rain. The Lonesome Christmas crowd was stunned. ââ¬Å"Go away, kid,â⬠said Tuck. ââ¬Å"This is no time to be a kid.â⬠ââ¬Å"What should we use?â⬠asked Mavis Sand. ââ¬Å"This okay, kid?â⬠She held a serrated knife that theyââ¬â¢d been using to cut garlic bread. ââ¬Å"That is not acceptable,â⬠Tuck said. ââ¬Å"If you donââ¬â¢t cut his head off,â⬠said Joshua, ââ¬Å"heââ¬â¢ll turn into one of them and let them in.â⬠ââ¬Å"What an imagination this kid has,â⬠said Tuck, flashing a grin from face to face, looking for an ally. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s Christmas! Ah, Christmas, the time when all good people go about not decapitating each other.â⬠Theo Crowe came out of the back room, where heââ¬â¢d been looking for something they could use as a weapon. ââ¬Å"Phone lines are down. Weââ¬â¢ll lose power any minute. Is anyoneââ¬â¢s cell phone working?â⬠No one answered. They were all looking at Tuck and Lena. ââ¬Å"Weââ¬â¢re going to cut off his head, Theo,â⬠Mavis said, holding out the bread knife, handle first. ââ¬Å"Since youââ¬â¢re the law, I think you should do it.â⬠ââ¬Å"No, no, no, no, no, no,â⬠said Tuck. ââ¬Å"And furthermore, no.â⬠ââ¬Å"No,â⬠said Lena, in support of her man. ââ¬Å"You guys have something you want to tell me?â⬠Theo said. He took the bread knife from Mavis and shoved it down the back of his belt. ââ¬Å"I think you were onto something with that killer-robot thing,â⬠Tuck said. Lena stood up and put herself between Theo and Tuck. ââ¬Å"It was an accident, Theo. I was digging Christmas trees like I do every year and Dale came by drunk and angry. Iââ¬â¢m not sure how it happened. One minute he was going to shoot me and the next the shovel was sticking out of his neck. Tucker didnââ¬â¢t have anything to do with it. He just happened along and was trying to help.â⬠Theo looked at Tuck. ââ¬Å"So you buried him with his gun? Tuck climbed painfully to his feet and stood behind Lena. ââ¬Å"I was supposed to see this coming? I was supposed to anticipate that he might come back from the grave all angry and brain hungry, so I should hide his gun from him? This is your town, Constable, you explain it. Usually when you bury a body they donââ¬â¢t come back and try to eat your brains the next day.â⬠ââ¬Å"Brains! Brains! Brains!â⬠chanted the undead from outside the chapel. The pounding on the walls started again. ââ¬Å"Shut up!â⬠screamed Tucker Case, and to everyoneââ¬â¢s amazement, they did. Tuck grinned at Theo. ââ¬Å"So, I fucked up.â⬠ââ¬Å"Ya think?â⬠Theo said. ââ¬Å"How many?â⬠ââ¬Å"You should cut his head off over the sink,â⬠said Joshua Barker. ââ¬Å"That way it wonââ¬â¢t make as big a mess.â⬠Without a word, Theo reached down and picked Josh up by the biceps, then walked over and handed him to his mother, who looked as if she were going into the first stages of shock. Theo touched his finger to Joshââ¬â¢s lips in a shush gesture. Theo looked more serious, more intimidating, more in control than anyone had ever seen him. The boy hid his face in his motherââ¬â¢s breasts. Theo turned to Tuck. ââ¬Å"How many?â⬠Theo repeated. ââ¬Å"I saw maybe thirty, forty?â⬠ââ¬Å"About that,â⬠Tuck said. ââ¬Å"Theyââ¬â¢re in different states of decay. Some of them just look like thereââ¬â¢s little more than bone, others look relatively fresh, and pretty well preserved. None of them seems particularly fast or strong. Dale maybe, some of the fresher ones. Itââ¬â¢s like theyââ¬â¢re learning to walk again or something.â⬠There was a loud snap from outside and everyone jumped ââ¬â one woman literally leaping into a manââ¬â¢s arms with a shriek. They all fell into a crouch, listening to a tree falling through branches, expecting the trunk to come crashing through the ceiling beams. The lights went out and the whole church shook with the impact of the big pine hitting the forest floor. Without missing a beat, Theo snapped on a flashlight heââ¬â¢d had in his back pocket in anticipation of a power outage. Small emergency lamps ignited above the front door, casting everyone in a deep-shadowed directional light. ââ¬Å"Those should last about an hour,â⬠Theo said. ââ¬Å"There should be some flashlights in the basement, too. Go on. What else did you see, Tuck?â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, theyââ¬â¢re pissed off and theyââ¬â¢re hungry. I was kind of busy trying not to get my brains eaten. They seemed pretty adamant about the brain-eating thing. Then theyââ¬â¢re going to IKEA, I guess.â⬠ââ¬Å"This is ridiculous,â⬠said Val Riordan, the elegantly coiffed psychiatrist, speaking up for the first time since the whole thing had started. ââ¬Å"Thereââ¬â¢s no such thing as a zombie. I donââ¬â¢t know what you think is happening here, but you donââ¬â¢t have a crowd of brain-eating zombies.â⬠ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢d have to agree with Val,â⬠Gabe Fenton said, stepping up beside her. ââ¬Å"Thereââ¬â¢s no scientific basis for zombieism ââ¬â except for some experiments in the Caribbean with blowfish toxins that put people in a state of near death with almost imperceptible respiration and pulse, but there was no actual, you know, raising of the dead.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah?â⬠said Theo, giving them an eloquent deadpan stare. ââ¬Å"Brains!â⬠he shouted. ââ¬Å"Brains! Brains! Brains!â⬠came the responding chant from outside; the pounding on the walls resumed. ââ¬Å"Shut up!â⬠Tuck shouted. The dead did. Theo looked at Val and Gabe and raised an eyebrow. Well? ââ¬Å"Okay,â⬠Gabe said. ââ¬Å"We may need more data.â⬠ââ¬Å"No, this canââ¬â¢t be happening,â⬠said Valerie Riordan. ââ¬Å"This is impossible.â⬠ââ¬Å"Dr. Val,â⬠Theo said. ââ¬Å"We know whatââ¬â¢s happening here. We donââ¬â¢t know why, and we donââ¬â¢t know how, but we havenââ¬â¢t lived in a vacuum all our lives, have we? In this case, denial ainââ¬â¢t just a river in Egypt, denial will kill you.â⬠Just then a brick came crashing through one of the windows and thumped into the middle of the chapel floor. Two clawlike hands caught the window ledge and a beat-up male face appeared at the window. The zombie pulled up enough so that he could hook one elbow inside the window, then shouted: ââ¬Å"Val Riordan went down on the pimply kid who bags groceries at the Thrifty-Mart!â⬠A second later, Ben Miller picked up the brick and hurled it back through the window, taking out the zombie face with a sickening squish. As Ben and Theo lifted the last of the buffet tables into place to be nailed over the window, Gabe Fenton stepped away from Valerie Riordan and looked at her like sheââ¬â¢d been dipped in radioactive marmot spittle. ââ¬Å"You said you were allergic!â⬠ââ¬Å"We were almost broken up at the time,â⬠said Val. ââ¬Å"Almost! Almost! I have third-degree electrical burns on my scrotum because of you!â⬠Across the room, into Lena Marquezââ¬â¢s ear, Tucker Case whispered, ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t feel so bad about hiding the body now, how ââ¬â¢bout you?â⬠She turned and kissed him hard enough to make him forget for a second that heââ¬â¢d just been shot, set on fire, beaten up, and bitten. For years the dead had listened, and the dead knew. They knew who was cheating with whom, who was stealing what, and where the bodies were hidden, as it were. Besides the passive listening ââ¬â those sneaking out for a smoke, sideline conversations at funerals, the walking and talking in the woods, and the sex and scare-yourself activities some of the living indulged in in the graveyard ââ¬â there were also those among the living who used a tombstone as some sort of confessional, sharing their deepest secrets with someone who they thought could never talk, saying things they could never say in life. There were some things that people thought no one else, the living or the dead, could possibly know, but they did. ââ¬Å"Gabe Fenton watches squirrel porn!â⬠screeched Bess Leander, her dead cheek pressed against the wet clapboard siding of the chapel. ââ¬Å"That is not porn, thatââ¬â¢s my work,â⬠Gabe explained to his fellow partyers. ââ¬Å"He doesnââ¬â¢t wear pants! Squirrels, doing it, in slow motion. Pantsless.â⬠ââ¬Å"Just that one time. Besides, you have to watch in slow motion,â⬠Gabe said. ââ¬Å"Theyââ¬â¢re squirrels.â⬠Everyone turned their flashlights on something else, like they really werenââ¬â¢t looking at Gabe. ââ¬Å"Ignacio Nuà ±ez voted for Carter,â⬠came a call from outside. The staunch Republican nursery owner was caught like a deer in the flashlights as everyone looked at him. ââ¬Å"I was only in this country a year. Iââ¬â¢d just become a citizen. I didnââ¬â¢t even speak English very well. He said he wanted to help the poor. I was poor.â⬠Theo Crowe reached over and patted Nachoââ¬â¢s shoulder. ââ¬Å"Ben Miller used steroids in high school. His gonads are the size of BBs!â⬠ââ¬Å"That is not true,â⬠exclaimed the track star. ââ¬Å"My testicles are perfectly normal size.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah, if you were seven inches tall,â⬠said Marty in the Morning, all dead, all the time. Ben turned to Theo. ââ¬Å"Weââ¬â¢ve got to do something about this.â⬠The others in the room were looking from one to the other, each with a look on his or her face that was much more horrified than when theyââ¬â¢d been only facing the prospect of an undead mob eating their brains. These zombies had secrets. ââ¬Å"Theo Croweââ¬â¢s wife thinks sheââ¬â¢s some kind of warrior mutant killer!â⬠shouted a rotted woman who had once been a psych nurse at the county hospital. Everybody in the chapel sort of looked at one another and nodded, shrugged, let out a sigh of relief. ââ¬Å"We knew that,â⬠yelled Mavis. ââ¬Å"Everybody knows that. Thatââ¬â¢s not news.â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh, sorry,â⬠said the dead nurse. There was a pause; then, ââ¬Å"Okay, then. Wally Beerbinder is addicted to painkillers.â⬠ââ¬Å"Wallyââ¬â¢s not here,â⬠said Mavis. ââ¬Å"Heââ¬â¢s spending Christmas with his daughter in L.A.â⬠ââ¬Å"I got nothing,â⬠said the nurse. ââ¬Å"Someone else go.â⬠ââ¬Å"Tucker Case thinks his bat can talk,â⬠shouted Arthur Tannbeau, the dead citrus farmer. ââ¬Å"Who wants to sing Christmas carols?â⬠said Tuck. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢ll start. ââ¬ËDeck the hallsâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ And so they sang, loud enough to drown out the secrets of the undead. They sang with great Christmas spirit, loud and off-key, until the battering ram hit the front doors. How to cite The Stupidest Angel Chapter 15~17, Essay examples
Monday, May 4, 2020
The Human Lifespan
Questions: 1: Describe physical, intellectual, emotional and social development for each of the life stages of an individual .1.1: Discuss the nature-nurture debate in relation to the development of an individual .1.2: Evaluate how nature and nurture may affect the physical, intellectual, emotional and social development of two stages of the development of an individual .2: Explain the potential effects of five different life factors on the development of an individual .3: Explain the influence of two predicable and two unpredictable major life events on the development of an individual .4: Explain two theories of ageing .4.1: Discuss two major theories of ageing in relation to the development of the individual .4.2: Evaluate the influence of two major theories of ageing on health and social care provision .5: Explain the physical and psychological changes which may be associated with ageing. 5.1: Discuss the effects on self-esteem and self-confidence of the physical changes associated with age ing. Answers: 1.) From many centuries the human lifespan has been described in stages. The physical, intellectual, emotional and social development for each of the life stages of an individual can be understood first by understanding the life stages. The life stage of an individual includes infancy that ranges from the birth till two years of the individual life. In this stage the individuals physical ability is limited as a baby, as they can sit without help and can walk for short distances. Intellectually the child is learning new tasks and things. They even try to communicate with their parents in words. Emotionally a child starts to bond with family members and people around them. They are most attached to their siblings and parents as they get a sense of security around them. This sense of security is important for them to experience as this will help them in their growing years and rest of their life. Socially they will start integrating with kids of their own age as their ability to recogni ze names and faces develop. They will start to share things and intermingle with kids around them. Early childhood that is the age between 3-8 a child has developed a lot physically and can do tasks like climbing stairs without any help. They are able to draw, write and speak clearly. Around the age of 8 they are able to catch and throw objects and have developed a good sense of balance. Intellectually they would communicate in full sentences and can even count the numbers. They will start developing a personality and will constantly learn from the behavior of people around them. Emotionally and socially they would get happy and excited around kids of their own age. They would love to play and show their excitement and sadness related to everyday life. Adolescence is ages between 9-18, it is when the teens hit as they are called Teenagers and will show major body changes. These changes occur do to hormonal release that turns a child into a reproductive adult. Intellectually they sta rt thinking about their aims and goals in life. Their ability to logically solve problems on their own develops. Emotionally it is a hard time for the teenagers as the raging hormones will make them cranky, frustrated, and confused. They are attracted to the opposite sex and want to explore their sexuality. Socially it is a time of their life when they are most comfortable with people of their own age as they are meet new friends and have relationships. Early Adulthood is the time from age 19-45 through this age the physical changes have led to a deepened voice. Emotionally they have developed themselves around relationships such as marriage. They have a stable social life with relationships, long time friends etc. Middle Adulthood is the time between ages 46-65 when the physical capability of the body starts declining as skin loses elasticity, and wrinkles are visible. Muscles lose their tone and therefore slackness develops. Hearing and sight issues are experienced by an individua l. Intellectually a person is still developing as many tend to turn things they have missed out in their early adulthood like returning to education etc. They have an advantage of experience which helps them to be wise with their decisions. Emotionally it is again a challenging time as the hormones are creating havoc. Social development grows as many have no responsibilities as kids have left the homes and they are retired from their jobs. These people tend to mix with their peers to enjoy life and causal talk. Later adulthood is the life after age 65+ at this stage the aging process has taken its toll. The skin becomes thin and the muscles grow even weaker. Bones are brittle and stiffer. Intellectually a person has developed and lot. So it does not result in reduction. Emotionally these people love to spend time around their kids and family. Socially they spend time with their friends and families. 1.1) Nature is responsible for the development of a fetus into an adult. The genetic makeup that results a person to have certain traits and features is all a part of nature. But these inherited genes only influences their appearance, their behavior is influenced by their environment and upbringing. Both of these factors are a part of Nurture as it directly affects a child behavior. 1.2) The two stages that we would see the affect of nature and nurture are childhood and adolescence. Physical development is affected by both nature and nurture. In childhood almost all children show the capacity to walk, imitate and use simple tools. Their stature, eye color and facial structure are all part of nature giving them their appearance due to their inherited genes. Nurture is the environment conditions that partner with nature to influence their development. Nurture also affects the physical appearance of the children as stress; nutrition and activity all influence their growth. Intellectually a child grows depending on both nature and nurture collectively. As research as shown that children are less productive if they are too shy and do not have friends. Socially this could be the result of parents not encouraging them to make new friends. These kids are not socially outgoing and therefore have no one to talk and spend time with. During adolescence nurture plays a great part as youngsters who have a typical environment during growing up, show a strong reflection of their environment in their behavior. If the child is from a stable, warm and loving family that has given him adequate nutrition nature steps in and ensures whether he has inherited the ability to acquire new skills quickly or not. But if it is the opposite as the child is genetically blessed with good genes but is from a family where he was not given adequate nutrition they usually fail to develop intellectual skills, even when they have the potential to develop them. 2) The 5 different life factors that can affect an individual in case of bullying are:- Socially a person who is getting bullied will not talk to others and would tend to be limited to himself. Genetic factors are related to inherited genes that influence the development of the individual eg: stunted growth which can result in the individual getting bullied Physical factors are the physical abilities of an individual that can affect the individual development eg: being handicapped, scars Intellectual factors are some like bullying which can stop individual ability to learn Emotionally:-bullying can result in lower self esteem and can result in an individual suffering from anxiety and depression. 3 ) Predictable factors:- Joining school:- Physical development is occurring as in school nutrition and exercise is taken care of at utmost priority. Intellectually they will grow as they have to learn about their classes. Emotionally a person is more independent which can lead to happiness. It can even result in emotions such as loneliness and being scared. Leaving home: it is a predictable factor and can cause a change in their diet and nutrition. It can be socially enriching as a person can go out more but can also result in him getting into alcoholism. Intellectually they can grow as now they have to learn about new things like mortgages, gas and water expenses etc. Unpredictable factors:- Serious accident/illness:-illnesses like diabetes cause a person to have emotional, physical and intellectual changes. They are limited to certain conditions and places which hampers their overall development Relationships changes:- people grow apart in relationships which causes individuals to become weak emotionally and even physically if they are not taking care of their nutrition. 4) Social disengagement theory states that aging is an inevitable which can cause a mutual withdrawal of a person from its social system. Another theory is activity theory that states that there is a direct relationship between the amount of activity a person does with the satisfaction he or she gets. It related to the disengagement theory as many believe that older people give up their role in the society. According to this theory if older people remain active mentally and physically and maintain their social life they can prevent disengagement. 4.1) Social disengagement theory states that aging people disengage from the society and tend to separate themselves from others. Activity theory states that older people sometimes need to disengage but should always have a active lifestyle. 4.2) Social disengagement theory states that ageing is inevitable which results in mutual withdrawal among older people from the social system they belong to. We all know that relationship change with age therefore as a person ages their social engagement decreases. But this theory garnered a lot of criticism as it gives a vague and bleak outlook about ageing. This theory does not account about the various Personality types in individuals which can result in various levels of disengagement or maybe no changes in a persons social life. Sometimes it is possible that the person remains active in their social circle even after they age. According to Activity theory people who are active in participating and interacting socially at an older age tend to be happier than people who have secluded themselves. This theory supports the belief that staying active while aging results in satisfying life. But even this theory gathered criticism from people who believed that peoples expectations and attitudes change with changing circumstances. 5) Aging causes many physical changes some of these changes are :- 1) Hormonal changes:- levels of hormones like estrogen in women and testosterone in males decreases with age causing people to go transition. This irregularity causes menopause in women which gives them night sweats, hot flashes and mood swings. Men also suffer from irregular testosterone levels that result in insomnia, palpitations, low libido, poor memory and urinary problems. 2) Degeneration of senses:- Sense of hearing decreases with age. Hearing loss occurs due to the cells that do not regrow resulting in permanent damage in hearing. Old people have difficulty in hearing people around them which leads to frustration. They are not able to understand properly and often face the issue of continuous ringing in the ear. Many face issues with sight as well, as they are not able to see clearly and would need prescription lenses. Psychological changes that occur while aging are:- 1) Role changes:-older people tend to spend more time with their family. Loss of income, partner and job results in major life changes that can be difficult to cope up with. This results in decreasing self confidence and self esteem. 2) Ageism is the unfair treatment that older people get from others. It impacts their confidence, financial situation and job prospects. This discrimination leads them to feel worthless and vulnerable often leading to anxiety and depression. 5.1) Physical changes that occur due to aging like loss of teeth, wrinkles, and brittle bones results in loss of confidence and self esteem. They are embarrassed about their looks and lose their integrity. This can lead to depression and anxiety. Incontinence is another issue that arises with aging. Urinary incontinence can limit them to freely move around and experience life in a normal way. Deafness is common among old whom can develop gradually as we age and can be sudden as well. This result in people feeling frustrated as they are not able to understand others properly. Older people tend to feel that they are a burden to others as they are worthless. Loss of hearing and sight causes them to be dependent on others as they lose their independence to move freely on their own. However the support of family and friends can lead them to live a normal and satisfying life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)