Thorn Queen Chapter Twenty-Seven Free Essays

string(74) " myself of that dirty feeling within me or my repulsion at being touched\." When I crossed over to the castle in the Thorn Land, I was surprised to find Nia sitting on the floor beside my rabbit paperweight. Her knees were drawn up, and her face-which appeared tear-streaked-rested on her knees. Yet, when she saw me, her face lit up like the sun bursting from behind clouds. We will write a custom essay sample on Thorn Queen Chapter Twenty-Seven or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"Your majesty!† she cried, springing up. â€Å"Some of them said†¦they said you wouldn’t come back. But I knew. I knew you would.† The devotion in the girl’s eyes was startling. Nia had been another servant passed from Dorian, and it had never occurred to me that she would serve me out of such love. â€Å"Of course I came back,† I said softly. â€Å"Why wouldn’t I?† She averted her eyes. â€Å"After everything that happened, and†¦well, because of Queen Katrice. There are those who assumed you’d abandon us and stay in the world of the humans.† I didn’t bother pointing out that abandoning this land would kill me. I was too shocked by something else. â€Å"They thought†¦they thought I’d just start a war and leave?† â€Å"I knew you wouldn’t,† she said fervently. â€Å"I knew you wouldn’t.† I gave her a small, comforting smile while a knot twisted in my stomach. â€Å"Take me to Shaya and Rurik.† The two of them were surprised by my arrival, but something told me they hadn’t doubted I would return either. I could tell by the compassion on Shaya’s face that what Leith had done to me was common knowledge. To my surprise, it was Rurik I took the most comfort from. He didn’t question my appearance. He offered no sympathies. He simply jumped straight to business. â€Å"We’ve gathered as many soldiers as we could while you’ve been gone,† he said. â€Å"Some are camped outside, and Dorian’s said he’ll send reinforcements-his military’s much larger. The majority of yours is in Highmore. We’ll need to determine the best way to distribute them.† For a moment, I felt dizzy as he continued rattling off military strategy. What was going on? What was I doing? I was a girl from Tucson who’d grown up in a middle-class neighborhood. How on earth was I standing here, listening to a fairy soldier explain how to lead a war? I held up a hand. â€Å"Wait†¦before you go any further. Is there†¦is there any way this can be avoided?† Kiyo’s words came back to me, and I hated to say what I did next. â€Å"Is there any way to make peace?† Rurik’s eyes widened, and shock and anger filled his features. â€Å"Peace? After what-â€Å" Shaya silenced him with a gesture of her own. â€Å"Yes, actually. Katrice sent a rather long letter about it.† â€Å"So†¦we could get her to understand that it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Was an accident? Hardly. â€Å"I mean, could Katrice let all of this go, considering Leith started it?† Shaya cleared her throat uncomfortably, and Rurik looked angry. â€Å"Well,† she began, â€Å"not entirely. For Katrice not to go to war, she demands that we become her subject kingdom and has very specific details on the kinds of tribute and taxes she requires for that. She also†¦she also says that you must marry her nephew in place of her son and tie this kingdom to her through that branch of the family. My impression is she sent a similar list of demands to Dorian-aside from the nephew part-which he refused rather, ah, indelicately.† I stared, my mouth agape. That was not what I had in mind. How could Katrice demand those kinds of things after what Leith had done? How dare she act as though I had done something wrong? Yes, I could imagine her grief for her only son. I wasn’t that heartless. Yet†¦what she was suggesting was ludicrous. And if she thought I would ever, ever let another member of her family lay a hand on me†¦ I turned back to Rurik as though the issue of peace with Katrice had never been mentioned. Later, I would ask Shaya to help me compose a formal response to Katrice’s letter, something along the lines of I am the Thorn Queen. Fuck off. â€Å"What should I do next?† I asked Rurik. He smiled, a fierce delight in his eyes. â€Å"You should speak to the soldiers gathered here and make an official declaration of war. And then you should go to Highmore and speak to the ones there. They don’t even know you as their queen yet, let alone the person sending them to fight. And you should practice up on your magic, both for battle and to show your own people that that Rowan bitch can’t touch you.† I shivered at the feelings his words inspired in me. In Tucson, I’d been trying to hide from my magic, but now it was calling to me again. And with this threat from Katrice-no, this insult from Katrice-there was nothing I wanted more than to summon all the forces of nature and rip her apart. â€Å"Dorian is coming here-today, I think,† said Shaya, interrupting my murderous thoughts. â€Å"Follow his lead. He knows what to do.† I wasn’t entirely sure what that meant. The only thing I felt certain of was that I wasn’t quite ready to go over the maps Rurik had laid out and examine all the troop placements he had in mind. I’d always sucked at Risk and had a feeling this would be similar. Besides, I hadn’t returned to the Thorn Land to make war-not right at this second, at least. I’d come because of the dream from last night, the dream where I’d felt at peace. Because at the moment, I felt no peace. A gentry queen wanted to lead armies in and kill my people-and I was supposed to do the same to her. I’d just broken up with my boyfriend, someone I loved dearly, because I-possibly irrationally-held him responsible for not protecting me from an assailant. And as for that assailant†¦well, his face still flashed in my mind, and no matter how much time passed, I couldn’t seem to rid myself of that dirty feeling within me or my repulsion at being touched. You read "Thorn Queen Chapter Twenty-Seven" in category "Essay examples" I swore to Rurik that I’d talk to him later, that I needed some time to myself first, and left them both for one of the castle’s enclosed gardens. It was the one I frequently meditated in, where Shaya was still attempting to grow grass and where Kiyo and I had made love. I sat down there cross-legged, taking in the sun on the orange rocks around me and relishing in the faint breeze that stirred the branches of the mesquite and smokethorn trees. A tiny lizard scurried off behind a rock, and I heard what sounded like a hummingbird-or a big-ass bee-in a cluster of nearby flowers. I cleared my mind and tried to communicate with and heal the land like I had before, but for whatever reason, the connection didn’t come. Panic seized me. Had the events with Leith broken something within me? Had I lost my ability to revive the kingdom? I sat there sweating, wondering what would happen to the land if I couldn’t connect to it. The heat eventually made me sleepy, and I lay down on the grass, my hands digging into the earth. When I woke up, two things immediate became apparent. First, I felt†¦better. I felt strong and refreshed, and all around me, the colors and scents seemed stronger and more vivid. I still wasn’t happy about the impending war, but that horrible feeling in me†¦the bitterness Leith had left†¦well, it had lessened. The air hummed around me, and for a disorienting second, I couldn’t tell where I ended and the land began. It was then that I realized why my meditation hadn’t worked. I had been in no condition to heal the land. It had had to heal me. I was energized now, ready to do anything. Ready to lead a war. The other thing I noticed after waking was that Jasmine was sitting right beside me, gray eyes staring into mine. I bolted upright. â€Å"What the hell are you doing here?† I exclaimed. â€Å"You’re not supposed to be loose.† Girard’s cuffs were still upon her, and she jerked her head back toward the castle. â€Å"I’m not exactly loose.† I followed her motion and saw a dozen guards, all keeping a respectful distance, but all watching Jasmine closely. When Volusian had disappeared, Rurik had undoubtedly increased her security detail. â€Å"Jasmine,† I said, â€Å"I’m not really in the mood for your banter, okay? Save your whining and insults for a day when I don’t have to worry about having caused a war.† Her face was perfectly calm. â€Å"I heard what happened to you.† I braced for smugness. â€Å"Yeah, I’m sure everyone has.† â€Å"I’ll fight for you, you know.† â€Å"Look, I’m sure-wait. What did you say?† I stared at her, waiting to see that composure crack. It didn’t. She was still serious and actually looked older than her age. â€Å"He had no right. I told you before: no one does that to a daughter of Storm King. Not even to you.† I was speechless for a moment, still waiting for a punch line. â€Å"Jasmine†¦you hate me.† She nodded. â€Å"Yup. But that doesn’t change what happened. No one does that to our father either and gets away without punishment. Dorian should stab Katrice too.† I decided not to mention that nothing had been done to our father technically, seeing as he had died years ago. â€Å"What will you do exactly?† â€Å"Same thing you will. Fight. Use my magic. Summon monsters.† â€Å"But†¦I mean, even if you’re trying to, um, protect our family honor, you realize you’re still helping me in the process, right? I thought you wanted to destroy me and go have Dad’s world-conquering grandson.† â€Å"Oh,† she said sweetly, â€Å"I still do. And I will. But we’re going to deal with Katrice first. Our father’s heir cannot be born from rape. I told you before-only someone worthy. That bastard wasn’t, and his mother has to pay for it. Once she’s done†¦well, then I’ll deal with you. Besides, someone’s got to take her kingdom when we kill her. Might as well be me.† Whoa. There were so many parts of Jasmine’s logic that were flawed that I didn’t even know where to start. I didn’t entirely know the story of her own conception, but my mother had been raped. God knew how many other women Storm King had taken advantage of; I found it hypocritical of Jasmine to take such a high moral ground about his heir in light of that. Still, I couldn’t deny the fact that she would be useful, and if that was the reasoning it took for her to help me, so be it. It would also be handy to not have her trying to kill me. â€Å"Well, then, thanks,† I said at last. I decided not to mention just then that there was no way in hell I would ever let her rule the Rowan Land. Details, details. Jasmine looked supremely pleased. â€Å"So I can go free then, right?† I scoffed. â€Å"Not a chance.† â€Å"But I’m helping you!† â€Å"Yeah, and in the same breath, you talked about how you want to usurp me. Look†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I glanced back at her guardians. I would have to consult with Rurik about those least likely to try to knock her up, now that Volusian was missing. Some of my soldiers were female. â€Å"You can wander the castle more-under guard, of course. And I’ll see about†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I frowned, suddenly recalling my helpers at Art’s house. They were close to Jasmine’s age, relatively speaking, and for Markelle at least, I had no doubts whatsoever of her loyalty. I wondered if she might have the makings of a bodyguard/friend. â€Å"I’ll see about getting someone your own age to hang out with you.† Jasmine scowled. â€Å"That’s not what I had in mind.† â€Å"Yeah, well, your cell in the dungeon is still available.† She gave me her trademark sullen glare and then stormed off back inside. Nonetheless, I felt like she really would help me, and frankly, I was going to need everyone I could find to get me out of this mess. Kiyo had implied that Katrice might call in some allies, and if this became about multiple kingdoms squaring off†¦ I stood up, suddenly feeling ill about it all once more. The flames of passion and initiative that had flared in me earlier began to flicker uneasily. I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t lead an army. I couldn’t go to war. What was I thinking? Trying to shake off my building panic attack, I headed back toward the castle, wanting to hide in my room for a while. I passed Rurik along the way. He’d apparently been seeking me, hoping I’d go talk to the gathered soldiers and inspire them-particularly since word had come that Dorian was almost here. I nodded quickly, promising anything, so long as I could get a moment to compose myself and summon my earlier confidence. All of this was overwhelming me. I needed to be alone, lest I start crying. Only, I was apparently still a ways from being left alone. Ysabel was standing outside my bedroom, arms crossed. Apparently, my earlier suspicions had been right. She really did hang out in the hall waiting for me. â€Å"No magic lessons,† I told her. â€Å"Magic lessons?† she exclaimed, straightening up. She was as immaculate as ever, her red hair twisted into myriad braids. â€Å"I’m never teaching you anything again. My lord is sending me away-and all because of you!† The land might have healed me, but there were only so many weird revelations I could handle today. Jasmine becoming my ally currently held the lion’s share. â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"My lord is on his way,† she hissed. â€Å"And he sent word that I was to pack up my things and be prepared to leave. He has a small group of guards ready to escort me away.† â€Å"So?† I shrugged, eyeing my door longingly. â€Å"Isn’t that what you wanted?† She took a step toward me. â€Å"He’s not sending me back to the castle. He’s sending me back to my village-back to my children. Don’t you understand? He’s through with me! He’s casting me aside because of you!† The anger and hate on her face made me guess she’d forgotten I could suffocate her. As it was, she was in my personal space so much that I feared she might actually attempt physical blows. I wanted to tell her that Dorian casting her aside had little to do with me. That was just Dorian’s way. Shaya had said Ysabel was one in a string of mistresses who resembled me. He’d grown tired of her, just like the rest, but that wasn’t my fault. Telling her that wouldn’t help, though. â€Å"I’m sorry. But, I mean, won’t you be glad to see your kids?† â€Å"Glad?† she cried. â€Å"What do I have to give them? What do I have to show for my time at court? I have nothing. I came to Dorian’s court to improve my children’s lives-to bring us wealth. Now I have to return empty-handed, tossed aside to our backwoods village.† Ouch. I didn’t know what to say, didn’t know whether to laud a mother’s attempts to improve her kids’ lives or look down on someone who’d tried to do it via sleeping with a king. â€Å"I’m sorry,† I said wearily. â€Å"I’m sure you’ll figure out something.† I started to turn away, and to my astonishment, she grabbed my shoulder and spun me toward her. I think she’d been about to hurl an insult, but I gave her no chance. I still wasn’t ready to be touched, and she’d caught me off guard. With no second thoughts, my instincts summoned up magic, the air shoving her away from me and slamming her-hard-into a wall. She stood there, dazed, and I gasped, horrified at what I’d brutally done without even thinking. I really was turning into my father’s daughter. â€Å"Are you okay?† I asked, stepping toward her when she didn’t move. She jerked away from me, which I hoped meant no concussion. â€Å"This isn’t over. I will never forgive you for taking him from me! I’ll make you pay. He’s mine. Do you understand? Mine.† This was followed by a whole tirade of ranting and insults about how much she hated me and would see me destroyed. She kept her distance, though, so apparently my brief lapse into violence had done some good. After a while, I had no patience for it and simply went into my bedroom, leaving her out there. I locked the door but could still hear her going on and on. Remembering Rurik saying that I should go out and talk to the people who could possibly be dying for me, I tried to distract myself from Ysabel by looking through the room’s closet. I figured I should probably wear something gentry, and Nia had kept me well-stocked. The spark was rekindling in me, that need to take revenge against Leith and show Katrice we couldn’t be pushed around. I would prove a strong leader for those out there. I was pulling out a silvery blue silk dress that looked suitable when Ysabel’s shouting finally stopped. With a sigh of relief, I started to drape the dress over a chair-and caught a glimpse out the small window. There was an army out there. I immediately backed away, trying to block out the sea of faces encamped outside. I dropped the dress, feeling dizzy. The reality of it all hit me, and I again felt helpless and out of my league. A sharp knock sounded on the door, momentarily breaking through my panic. Anger was an easier emotion to deal with, and I hurried over, yanking the door open. â€Å"Look, I told you there’s nothing I can do about-â€Å" I stopped. It wasn’t Ysabel outside my door. It was Dorian. How to cite Thorn Queen Chapter Twenty-Seven, Essay examples

Adoption journal Essay Example For Students

Adoption journal Essay In 1991 a study was conducted using 916 respondents to find attitudes towards transracial adoption. . 71% of those surveyed believed that race should not be a factor in who should be allowed to adopt a child. However, those respondents in a highest age category, such as 64 or older, were 63% less likely to approve of transracial adoption, compared to the younger age category. African-American women were 84% less likely than African-American men to approve of transracial adoption. Caucasian men were 72% less likely to approve. The importance and practice to considering transracial adoptions, and having transracial populations is discussed. Areas of consideration areas follows: Background, History and Controversy, Previous Studies of Attitudes towards transracial adoption, Purpose and Rationale, Methods, Procedures, Results, Bivariate Anaylsis (a study using charts and tables), Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis (all categories are considered which may also include two or more group s), Discussion (the results of the studies), and the outcome of all the areas of consideration. Adopting children of another race raises many questions because of the background of the child. Adopting a child of another race is of special interest, and should be carefully considered. Many questions regarding the background of minority children need to be answered before following through with an interracial adoption. For instance, Should minority-group children be adopted by parents of another race? Can the parents provide the racial and ethnic identity that children need to cope with racism? Are cultural experiences and racial identity important to the well being of a child? Are these children better off than they would be if left to live in the foster-care or institutional system? Does placing the child with the same race discriminate against the child? Will these children experience any long term disadvantages if adopted outside their race. As the study shows, many questions should be answered before considering a transracial adoption. In 1972 the National Association of the Black Social Workers opposed adoptions of another race. This issue expanded efforts among adoption practitioners and policymakers to bring about more same-race adoptions. Then, in the 1980s, efforts increased by transracial adoption advocates to remove race and ethnicity as considerations. Results of experiential studies have varied and are often surrounded by limitations. Previous studies show that people in the United States are divided evenly between those who approve of transracial adoptions and those who do not. These findings have been consistent in samples using people that were racially mixed. The studies also show that different Countries have mixed results when the studies are done. Mexican-American respondents with higher incomes were more likely to anticipate identity conflicts when adopting children from another race. Age had a significant influence in Canada especially in older than 65 years of age. This age group was more likely to strongly disagree with transracial adoption than younger persons in Canada. In another study (country not given), sex, age, education, income, and occupation were not an issue. Results of this study from 916 respondents provide a practical view of the attitudes towards transracial adoption. There are several assumptions that exist in this area and more studies need to be done with different age groups and from different countries as well. These public studies are especially important since the development of public policies towards transracial adoption tends to be influenced by public opinion. Bibliography:

Elizabeth Lavenza in Frankenstein Essay Example

Elizabeth Lavenza in Frankenstein Paper In her Introduction to the 1831 edition of Frankenstein, Mary Shelly characterized her revisions as principally those of style and added that she had not introduced any new ideas and circumstances or altered the storys core and substance. After reading the original (1818) and the revised (1831) version of Frankenstein, I believe the changes that Shelly has made to the 1831 edition are far more than Just a variation in style or cosmetic. She does make a few changes to the characters profiles and their relationship in the 1831 edition. In this essay, I am going to use the most ignificant woman character in this novel, Elizabeth Lavenza, Victor Frankensteins fianc? ©e, to present my finding. In the original and the revised versions, the story begins with the letters of Captain Robert Walton to his sister and the narration of Victor Frankenstein to Walton. Victor starts with his family background and early childhood, telling Walton about his father, Alphonse, and his mother, Caroline, and how they get married. He then goes on describing how his childhood companion, Elizabeth Lavenza, entered his family. It is at this point in the narrative that the 1818 and revised versions of Frankenstein diverge. I must record an incident which took place when I was four years of age. My father had a sister, whom he tenderly loved, About the time I mentioned she died; and a few months afterwards he received a letter from her husband, acquainting him with his intention of marrying an Italian lady, and requesting my father to take charge of the infant Elizabeth, the only child of his deceased sister My father did not hesitate, and immediately went to Italy, that he might accompany the little Elizabeth to her future home We will write a custom essay sample on Elizabeth Lavenza in Frankenstein specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Elizabeth Lavenza in Frankenstein specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Elizabeth Lavenza in Frankenstein specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer From this time Elizabeth Lavenza became my playfellow, and, as we grew older, my friend. (1818 original version) In the original version, Elizabeth is Victors cousin, the daughter of Alphonses sister. When Victor is four years old, Elizabeths mother dies and she is adopted into the Frankenstein family. Caroline plays no role at all in making the decision to bring Elizabeth into Victors life. When I was about five years old my father had gone by himself to Milan, my mother, accompanied by me, visited this abode. She found a peasant and his wife, hard working, bent down by care and labour, distributing a scanty meal to five hungry babes. Among these there was one which attracted my mother far above all the rest The peasant woman, perceiving that my mother fixed eyes of wonder and admiration on this lovely girl, eagerly communicated her history the result was that Elizabeth Lavenza became the inmate of my parents housemy more than sister the beautiful and adored companion of all my occupations and my pleasures. 1831 edition) In the 1831 edition, it is Victors mother, Caroline, who finds Elizabeth and sets about Elizabeths arrival, Victors mother says, l have a pretty present for my Victor- tomorrow he shall have it. (1831 edition) Caroline decides at the moment of the doption that Elizabeth and Victor should marry someday. I think the change of Elizabeths past brings to the 1831 edition presents a better marriage equality picture between Victors father and mother. When Victors father returns from his trip to Milan, Elizabeth is playing with Victor at home. Caroline explains what has happened and her own desire to make Elizabeth a member of the family is shared by her husband. Her interest in helping the less fortunate has made her fulfilled her role as a mother of a daughter as well as a son. This change adds a view that is missing from the 1818 version in which Elizabeth comes to the Frankenstein home as the result of a decision made by two men, Victors uncle and his father. In addition, the love relationship between Victor and Elizabeth in the 1818 original version is clearly incestuous because they share the same bloodline. In the 1831 edition, Elizabeth is an adopted child that eventually receives the name of cousin. As a result, the later version has removed any suggestion of an incestuous relationship because Elizabeth is converted into an unrelated person of Victor. With the above evidence in mind, I cannot agree with Shelly that her changes in he 1831 edition are merely related to lexical concerns. However, I must say the main plot is not much of a difference between the 1818 and the 1831 editions. Be it a three volumes in the 1818 original version or a single full volume in the 1831 edition, the story is still about a crazy scientist who is fascinated with the secret of life, discovers it, and brings a hideous monster to life. While I agree that the influence of Elizabeth is an important element of the novel to notice, I dont think this character is given significant importance in a direct role and therefore, altering my experience of the novel as a whole.

Frida Kahlo Essays - Visual Arts, Arts, Self-portraits, Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo Essays - Visual Arts, Arts, Self-portraits, Frida Kahlo Frida Kahlo Frida Kahlo was a Mexican self-portrait artist who was also a feminist icon. She was born on July 6, 1907, in Coyocoan, Mexico. Frida started to paint after she was roughly injured in a bus accident. She has two older sisters and one younger sister. When she was 6, she had polio which caused her to be bedridden for a few months. At the age of 18, her right leg and pelvis was damaged due to a horrific bus accident. This lead her to a lifetime of chronic pain and caused her to limp when she walked but she was encouraged to do more activities to help her recover. Frida Kahlo began painting in the late 1920s. In 1928, a Mexican muralist named Diego Rivera encouraged her artwork and the two of them married on the next year. By 1932, Frida added more graphic and surrealistic elements in her artwork. As we can see in her self-portraits, the work was deeply personal, including the story of her second miscarriages.After being diagnosed that she had gangrene in her right foot, Frida spent nine months of her life in the hospital and had quite a few operations during that time. But, she continued to paint and support political causes despite having limited mobility. A few months later, part of her right leg was amputated in order to stop the spread of the gangrene. When she was deeply depressed, Frida was hospitalized again in April 1954 due to her poor health, and the fact that some people reported she attempted suicide. The next two months, she returned to the hospital with bronchial pneumonia. Couple of days after her 47th birthday, Frida died on July 13, 1954 at her house.Since her death, Frida's fame as an artist has only grown. In 1958, her beloved Blue House was opened as a museum. Frida was viewed by many people as an icon of female creativity. The feminist movement of the 1970s led to renewed interest in her life and work. In the early 21st century, her life was the subject of a film entitled "FRIDA'", starring Salma Hayek as Frida Kahlo and Alfred Molina as Diego Rivera. Below, I have chosen five paintings that she painted, all the five of them were self-portraits. Frida Kahlo was known as the master of self-portraits and he portraits was known to be the finest ever created. Most of her paintings were self-portraits. She love to paint herself because she was often alone and she said that she was the subject she knew best. She often include many features to express her feelings and the condition she had at that time. Self-portrait with Monkey (1938) Mexicans believe that monkey is a symbol of lust. But as i can see from the portrait, monkey was depicted as a gentle creature with tenderness. The monkey even put its arm around Frida's neck, which shows that the monkey seems wants to protect her. The background in this painting is a big curtain of leaves, which she often use on the other portraits she painted later. Behind her serious and straight face, there seems to be an expression of sadness. It looks like that she is dealing with all her problems. Thinking About Death (1943) Throughout her life, Frida was tortured by numerous illness. Polio at age 6 had left Frida Kahlo's right leg thinner than her left. Some scholars believe Kahlo also suffered from spina bifida. And, at age 18, Kahlo suffered 11 fractures in her right leg and a crushed and dislocated foot, among many other injuries, when her bus collided with a trolley car. She underwent as many as 35 operations over the course of her life as a result of the accident. This self portrait was painted in 1943 in which during that time, Frida's health was becoming worse and she had to be bedridden most of the time. Due to all of those conditions, it is absolutely making sense that she made this painting entitled Thinking About Death'. The death is symbolized by the painting of a skull and crossbones on her forehead. Again, she put herself on a background of green leaves, which is also known as a symbol of

The College Entrance Essay What Not to Do

The College Entrance Essay What Not to Do SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips What’s the point of the essay? Put yourself in the admissions officers’ shoes. They’ve got hundreds, maybe thousands of data sets to review, one for each potential student. Imagine the big conference table where these folders are spread out under the fluorescent lights. You’re just one folder in a pile, and the essay is their one window into who you are. What about the rest of my application? Sure, grades show you can study and that you care about academic success; test scores show something of critical thinking skills; extracurriculars and volunteer work show you’re â€Å"well-rounded.† But everyone knows that these things, for most college-bound students, are standard. People have been telling you they’re â€Å"important for college† since you were in 8th grade, and admissions officers know that. So there’s a limited amount even a 4.0 GPA and a perfect score on the SAT can say about your readiness for many aspects of college. College isn’t high school 2.0 See, college isn’t just classes and parties; it’s a transition between childhood and adulthood. Plenty of kids with high GPAs and great test scores can have a hard time in college due to the lack of supervision and the less defined reward structure. In other words, high schoolers with determined parents can be coaxed or bribed into hundreds of hours of AP studying, varsity sports practice and all kinds of SAT prep. Those kids might build great applications that get them the acceptance letters they want. But none of that stuff will help them once they’re on campus. In addition to possessing academic prowess, students who get the most out of college know what they want and are willing to work for it. They are mature, self-motivated, curious, and able to think outside the box. In short, they’re (mostly) ready to be responsible adults. Why do different schools have different prompts? Different schools are looking for different variations on this ready-for-adulthood theme; Juilliard wants students who apply this maturity and determination to their art. Tiny liberal arts schools want students who will bring their passions to enriching the community on campus. Ivies want students who are clearly head and shoulders above their peers. But all colleges want students who, as alumni, will enhance their alma mater’s reputation, whatever it may be. And the admissions essay is unique in its ability to convey much of the information that could convince a school you’ll be able to handle the job of succeeding, not just in school, but in life. To that end, here are our top 3 tips on what not to write in your college admissions essay. 1. Don’t write about the easiest thing High schoolers have a bad reputation for being shallow. Adults tend to think of them as Facebook-obsessed, smartphone-dependent text-monsters who do whatever (and only) what their friends do. Along with these charming characteristics, teenagers are also seen as closed minded and self-obsessed. The essay is a chance to prove definitively that you are not one of these teenage whiners who thinks only of themselves, and one way to do that is to really put some thought into your topic. In other words, don’t write about the first thing you think of, or the thing you think you could most easily tailor to the prompt. Let’s look at an example: one of the 2014-2015 Common Application essay promptsis, â€Å"Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?† If you ask the average high schooler this question, some of the most common answers will be not making the team, not getting a desired grade, or losing the student government election. These are easy kinds of failure to talk about; they are the most obvious. But you want to show that you understand all the things failure can mean: disappointing someone you love, doing something you know is wrong, giving up when you could’ve persevered. Some kinds of failure are painful to think about, but hiding from painful feelings is exactly what teenagers are expected to do. Be unexpected. Think about the prompt from multiple perspectives and try to make it your own. 2. Don’t write about something lots of kids have done This one might seem obvious, but let’s examine it using another prompt from the current Common App: â€Å"Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.† Again, do not write about the most obvious things: graduating to Eagle Scouts, your Bar Mitzvah or your first job (unless you have an amazing twist on those old tales). Even events that may seem less common than the ones above aren’t: thousands of kids each year write essays about their mission trips, their parents’ divorces, and moving to new towns or schools. Maybe it seems like nobody at your school has done it, but that doesn’t mean kids at other schools all over the country aren’t doing it right now. Do a little research, give it some thought, and reach for an essay that will make the admissions counselors think, â€Å"oh, right, that’s the kid who was in the circus for a year.† 3. Don’t write about something that happened to you, write about something you did This one is less about your topic and more about the way you frame it. Let’s examine it using another Common App prompt: â€Å"Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?† This might seem like an impossible prompt to answer with something you do, and that’s why I chose it. When most people think of the word ‘content,’ they think of relaxing or lounging in a private space. But content actually means â€Å"in a state of peaceful happiness,† or â€Å"satisfied with a certain level of achievement, good fortune, etc., and not wishing for more.† Peaceful, here, doesn’t mean restful: it means untroubled, complete. This state can easily be attained through doing. See, they don’t really care about the place or environment you’re describing. They care about how your answer reflects your personality, maturity, and ability to think and write creatively. Note the question â€Å"What do you do or experience there?† So while a ton of students will answer this prompt with â€Å"my bedroom,† or â€Å"the hammock in the garden,† they’re losing ground by not considering the other varieties of contentment: a strong tennis player practicing forehands, a musician picking out strings for his guitar, a volunteer working with infants in the hospital nursery. Don’t worry about seeming weird or being wrong; the point isn’t to â€Å"do it right,† as it is in so many high school courses. The point is to communicate something unique and deep about yourself. 4. Consider the Bigger Picture The essay is only one part of the college application. Other parts include your GPA, extracurricular activities, and SAT / ACT score. If you're late in junior year or already in senior year though, you don't have too much leverage to increase your GPA and activities those have already been set by your high school career. The only two things you can affect at this point would be the essay, which you should write well, and your SAT / ACT score. Be sure to ensure your SAT score is good enough or ACT score is good enough. If not, seriously consider retaking it, as even a couple of weeks of study can boost your admissions chances a lot. For more information on admissions essays, see these resources: Essay Hell New York Times lesson plan for Common Application essay prep Essay Tips from the Admissions Office at Lewis Clark We at PrepScholar Online SAT Prep aren’t just SAT experts, we’re also admissions experts. If you liked what you read above, subscribe to our blog to the right to keep updated on the information we’re sharing not just with our customers, but with the whole world. Like what you read? Get our free Ebook to SAT prep!

The new way for process sales Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The new way for process sales - Essay Example oup-level resistance which includes resistance to change due to group norms, group cohesiveness and groupthink and escalation of commitment; as well as 3) individual-level resistance which includes resistance to change due to uncertainty and in security, selective perception and retention as well as habits (Bushman, M., 2008; George et al.). In an organization, when change threatens jobs, power or status in an organization, when threat is perceived to be so real and large, resistance can be expected. Absence of consultation before effecting change can result to negative acceptance of the proposed change. When introducing a change, it is important that it is properly communicated. Rewards and possible benefits for adopting change should be fair enough for the adjustments as well as investments involved. The common cause for resistance is the parochial self-interest. When this change deviates from the self-interest of the people involve, expect resistance to crop up. Another cause of resistance to change can be misunderstanding and lack of trust. People would usually look for hidden agenda in a change proposal. When there is misunderstanding on the objectives behind a change, increasing resistance can be observed (Rogers and Shoemaker, 1971). Another cause of resistance to change is contradictory assessments and low tolerance for change. When the proposed change conflict the assessments of the people, there is a tendency to prove that their assessment is the opposite of those proposing the change. There also people who have low tolerance for change. Once these people reach a level when they can accept change anymore, the tendency is to repel the change since they cannot take more of it (Worren et al., 1999). Other reason for resistance is when the elements of the organization feel threaten. If the elements in the organization feel that their status or security is threaten (loss of comfort, pay or status), they would naturally repel change. Another reason for

International Accounting Standard Individual Assignement Essay

International Accounting Standard Individual Assignement - Essay Example "Most other efforts to bring clean water to the underserved citizens had relied on volunteerism and had ultimately failed. Those efforts were not market-based and proved to be unsustainable" Kaputt said. MIBW4A established a strong and mutually profitable partnership with the water vendors to help in the distribution of low salt level drinking water to the consumers (Salzman, 2012, p.5). Profitability: To create a sustainable business enterprise with a potential of generating revues excess of the operational costs, and be able to finance future growth. In addition, the company aims at establishing itself by developing quality brands, popular among its consumers. Community Building: MIBW4A would employ and hire technical and casual staff to service their water filters and serve the vendors or other distributors. Besides, the company will focus on community educational programs about benefits of consuming clean water. Corporate Social Responsibility - Environment: MIBW4A will bear the cost of externalities incurred in the process of boiling the water, by ensuring reduced deforestation (popularly associated with charcoal burning). This would be attained by reducing the demand and need for bottled and bagged water, which potentially pollutes and litter the environment. With a daily average of 150-350 venders, the company estimated that each consumer will need at least 1 litre clean drinking water on a daily basis. Within the first year, the company planned to acquire 50 water filters. By the end of three years of operation, MIBW4A estimates their customer base to reach 3000, thus calling for acquisition of more filters in the subsequent years. After conducting an extensive market research, MIBW4A introduced its purified water products priced at USD 0.08 per litre. By only attracting 12% of the potential consumers, the company estimated daily average sales of 450,000 litres of clean