Organic foods Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organic foods - Research Paper Example rest in the product and consumption of organic foods presently and it is largely because of better awareness about food produced organically in addition to the customers’ interest in food produced without any incorporation of chemicals or insecticides. The popular trend today does not concentrate on the use of chemical pesticides. c. Future (expert opinion): Organic food industry is bound to grow in the US by staggering proportions in the future given the expanding number of retailers who are willing to sell a large variety of foods. The overwhelmingly giant leaps seen in retail sales of organic foods from â€Å"$3.6 billion in 1997 to $21.1 billion in 2008† (USDA) are evident of obvious future expansion. i. Premium safety: Premium safety and nutrition value are the biggest advantages of organic foods which are known by everyone from well-educated agricultural professionals to common people with no knowledge about agriculture or food trends. This is the kind of advantage which cannot be denied by anyone. Compared with conventionally produced food, organic food penetrates barriers in context of nutrition. ii. Genetic modification: General idea promoted by activists of organic food products is that food produced by these methods is not genetically modified and 100% natural. Such food is totally how it is meant to be in accordance with nature and how it has been consumed since the very beginning when no chemicals or insecticides were known by the world and natural methods were preferred contributing to improved health and less diseases. iii. Natural growth: Because food produced organically does not depend on abundant amounts of artificial fertilizers like the nonorganic food, all fruits and vegetables get to complete their natural life cycle which is significantly important and has many repercussions. When meat is not injected with growth hormones and chemicals or fertilizers are not sprayed on fruits and vegetables, a higher content of nutrients can be

Personal Statement of Interest for Graduate Admission at the University of Baltimore Essay Example for Free

Personal Statement of Interest for Graduate Admission at the University of Baltimore Essay Life always takes me to a new and exciting experience each day. I believe everything that happened to me made me a person better than I am yesterday. It is a roller coasters experience since I meet every ups and down in life I always look forward in the future with much anticipation. I have a heart full of hope and a determined mind to succeed in everything I do. This is why I decided to apply on Baltimore’s graduate program on the field of Public Administration. I have the right mindset and I possess the necessary skills needed for the said program. I am looking forward to a future full of hope. I believe I can make all my dreams a reality come true. My name is (insert your name here) and I am currently studying at the University of Baltimore where I am taking up Bachelors Degree in Business Administration specializing in Human Resource Management. I will be graduating on January 11, 2009. I really cherish this educational institution because it honed me to be the best student that I can be in this field. I believe that the educational experience I had is still not enough that is why I continue to quest for knowledge and pursue another degree this coming Spring Semester of 2009. I wish to pursue another degree which majors in Public Administration specializing in Public Policy and Administration. I consider education as the most important factor geared towards success; and in order to achieve such, hard work and dedication should be exemplified in school. I am determined to succeed in life and continue the said degree until the end. I gained my degree in Applied Science in Business Administration last June 12, 2006 from Monroe College in New Rochelle, NY. I made it on the President and Dean’s List each semester and gained a 3. 5 GPA upon graduation. I treasure every achievement that I receive and impart it to my family and the institution where I am studying. I believe that it is always right to bring back the glory to the ones who assisted you towards success. Gaining recognitions is my way of paying tribute to my mentors and friends. Currently, I am part of the Helen P. Denit Honors Program where I am proud to say that I possess a GPA of 3. 4. I am also an active member of the Caribbean Students Association and Human Resources Society. I am happy being part of the aforementioned affiliations because it adds up meaningful experiences and lessons to my being. I also meet diverse people from different walks of life that made me more prepared for my future profession. Being one of the Dean’s Lister of the University of Baltimore boosted my pride and ego even more. Having a master’s degree in Public Administration will make me a more complete professional. I will be more aware of the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in life. It will be an additional spice to the previous education that I had. The University of Baltimore is equipped of the professors and educational resources that will make me an expert in this field. Studying on the same university where I graduated is like a home away from home. I already feel the warmth and friendliness of future professors and colleagues. Another reason for attending University of Baltimore is the reputation that it possesses when it comes to catering transfer students. When I transferred there from Monroe College, I experience its strong reputation and I felt a smooth transition because of its accessible course schedules. It offers a wide array of information and facilities that helps in cultivating the knowledge to promising students like me. I believe that it is important to stay in this university as a sign of loyalty and integrity. In addition I have learned so much from my professors and classmates especially when it comes to confidence and moral boost. It opened up gates of opportunity for me to stand up and be known for what I am knowledgeable. The educational experiences at University of Baltimore were all priceless. After completing my master’s degree, I am planning to go back to the United States Virgin Islands. I wanted to receive a master’s degree in Public Administration because of my willingness to relocate back home. I believe that it is one of the best things that I can carry with me because it will contribute to my society. Back in the Virgin Islands a degree in Public Administration goes a long way because everything there is centralized around the government. I believe that I will be given the chance to move up easily in an organization because it is a small island working in a private industry where a person’s ability is very limited. I would be able to move around and cross-train in the different fields and departments because I have a degree in Public Administration. Success has been attributed to the lessons learned in the years ahead. These are the little things that help us become prepared for the difficulties that life has to offer Through my hard work and patient, I believe that I will be able to gain a great deal of experience on how to make it big in this field of interest. Furthermore, I realized that rendering my services I Public Administration would bridge gaps between people. In this light, I had to improve and level up my skills in this degree for me to practice the profession. Being an Employee Development Specialist is one of my foremost ambitions. Being on the said career will make way for me to be a pride in the government of the United States Virgin Islands. I know that this is very suitable for my persona because it involves both my undergraduate degree in Human Resource and future degree in Public Administration. Aside from this, I also intend to work out an overall career goal and that is to work and move up in the different careers in the Human Resource Field. There are skills and virtues needed for one to be successful in life. These are not simply found inside our house or outside the classroom. It needs to be gained earned the hard way. Sharing an insight by using my experience to one of my favorite sports will give you a clearer meaning of this. Playing (insert name of favorite sport here) is indeed my cup of tea. But at first I was really hesitant to play because I’m afraid I don’t have any knowledge at all or the right skills to play it good. But as time goes by I was able to grasp all the necessary requirements to meet the goal. Achieving it was never easy. Rather, it involves the presence of mind and the ability to cooperate with everyone in the team. For this I have learned the importance of coordination and team work. I believe that those are the most difficult tasks to achieve. We solely rely on ourselves for everything, and in so doing, there are certain things in life that need to be shared. Heroic acts may seem simple, but these are the things that cause much confusion on the side of people. I believe that just like playing my favorite sport, the filed of Public Administration is a big challenge. It is a long and winding road to take but I will never loose courage to meet the goal. I wish to work on future public policies and administering it all the best that I can. Tantamount learning will compensate the things that I gained from school and this will make me stand out among the rest. As a token of appreciation from my Alma matter, the recognitions I will receive in the future for this field will be dedicated to Baltimore. Education may seem difficult to achieve, but it is the best solution to a better life. There will be tough times but I believe that I can surpass it all. I will learn that through time, I can hone myself and be successful in my chosen path. Regardless of how others try to pull me down, there is no way for them to steal the knowledge that I have acquired over the years. Although it may seem like a dream, I want to be known as someone who has contributed much to my society. Although this may sound off, I believe that anyone can be successful, as long as he puts his heart and soul into it. Hard work and dedication are needed in order to become the striking individual that I want to be. Public Administration covers many areas that gave me challenges and opportunities. Becoming a professional in this field is a life long dream for me that will meet both of my philosophy and career goals. I am more than ready to take courage and travel the journey towards my ambition of being a successful professional of Public Administration in the future and help people the best that I can. All my personal qualities and experiences made me a clearer understanding of this profession as it made me realize the importance of choosing this career. I am a very passionate individual and I use this as one of the driving key to strive hard and be excellent in Public administration. I want to give service to the people and give dedicate to them the best of my capacity and at the same time build a personal relationship with them. Personal experiences gave me learning and responsibilities that molded me to be what I am now. My endeavors in life that I wished to happen at the right time come with great purpose. I believe that I have the capabilities and I am highly motivated to succeed in this career that I choose to take. I want to illustrate the qualities that I have that will help me succeed in pursuing my degree in Public Administration. I see my personal and academic experiences as stages of growth that have helped me to understand my own potential and the road that I wish to take in life. While vast opportunities are before me, I feel that my true calling lies in the fascinating and challenging world of Public Administration. I take one step at a time to manage my skills in a way that will lead to further enhancement and development. Life is a roller coaster and there are certain events where my abilities are put into test which later on taught me how strong I should be. I firmly believe that this is a course that would help me shine as an individual. I thought about my future and what I really wanted to do with my life. I plan to further enhance my craft through this degree and eventually be successful in this field. Highly motivated I believe that having Public Administration as a degree will surely ease the path towards reaching my goals. I look forward to my future with great anticipation. I know that the time has finally come for me to realize my dreams and make them come true. From everything that has been said, I believe that the education and training that University of Baltimore would provide me with, would be of great help in my quest for further studies. My goals and aspirations in life would become one step closer at a time. I would be regarded as the man who lives for tomorrow.

Possible Factors In Underachievement Of Males Within Education Education Essay

Possible Factors In Underachievement Of Males Within Education Education Essay Sociological studies with regard the underachievement of males, throughout the British education system, appear to be dominated by the analysis of three central phenomena; the idea of bias and inequality which flaws the educational system, the prevalence of a modern day, laddish anti-learning culture (Byers, S. 1998, Never mind theories, under-achieving boys need practical help, _The Independent_, 5th January 1998.) and lastly, the psychology of the male mind. Each of these three interlinked themes will be reviewed within this document, which will focus solely upon the reasons which may held accountable for the identified underachievement of young men, most notably, at a General Certificate of Secondary Education Level (G.C.S.E) throughout the British education system, and internationally, around the world. The use of the term underachievement is widespread throughout educational discourse, and is predominately used in explaining a perceived failure to reach a given potential. Scott .J. Marshall .G. (2005:3). Sociologists, whose area of expertise lies within this particular field, tend to view low academic attainment in terms of factors such as prior attainment or socio-economic disadvantage, however in doing so, they acknowledge the danger of pathologising the underachiever, when in fact, responsibility may lie within the educational system itself. The term underachievement although widely used, appears to be problematic; masking ideological assumptions that concern socially constructed, subjective and relative matters, which concern the group understudy. The underachievement of young men within the education system is undoubtedly an immensely complex and contested field. Irrespective of these issues, the British education system has continued to make use of the term with a combinatio n of ubiquity and confidence. Gillies, D. (2010). Educational potential underachievement and cultural pluralism. Available: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/eitn/display.php?article_id=39. Last accessed 16th Feb 2011. Historical Background The underachievement of young men within the education system has appeared as a continual problem throughout the last decade. Dramatic illustrations from the media and speeches gave by the relevant government bodies have created in a sense a moral panic which has came to characterise many of the debates that surround the complex issue. Evidence from newspaper articles would suggest the underachievement of boys began in 1995. During this time the main professional newspaper, The Times Educational Supplement carried headlines declaring school work was Not for wimps Haigh, G. 1995, Not for wimps,_ The Times Educational Supplement_, 6th October 1995 and later asked Where did we go wrong? Bleach, K. 1997, Where did we go wrong?,_ The Times Educational Supplement_, 14th February 1997. Education correspondents for broadsheet newspapers similarly headlined articles which discussed The Failing Sex and called for schools to provide a Classroom rescue for Britains lost boys. Foster et al. (2001 ) What about the boys? An overview of the debates, in Martino .W. Meyenn .B. What About The Boys, Issues of Masculinity in Schools. Open University Press. Acknowledgement of the underachievement of boys within the education system can also be seen in Stephen Byers 1998 speech. The School Standards Minister, said: We should not simply accept with a shrug of our shoulders that boys will be boys. Speaking at the 11th International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement in Manchester, Mr Byers warned: Failure to raise the educational achievement of boys will mean that thousands of young men will face a bleak future in which a lack of qualifications and basic skills will mean unemployment and little hope of finding work. He disclosed new statistics on the standards of education at the time that had been reached by boys and girls. For example, in addition to girls far outperforming boys at a General Certificate Secondary Education level (G.C.S.E), National Curriculum assessments at seven, eleven and fourteen years of age also highlighted boys underperforming, within English Language in particular. Byers then went on to make an att ack on what he described as the prevailing laddish anti-learning culture. (Byers, S. 1998, Never mind theories, under-achieving boys need practical help, _The Independent_, 5th January 1998.) In response to Stephen Byers identification of male underachievement, Ted Wragg also published an article in the Times Educational Supplement, The Times Educational Supplement Editorial. 1997, Keeping Balance on the Gender Agenda, _ the Times Educational Supplement_, 23rd May 1997. Within this article Professor Ted Wragg warned unless the achievement of boys was improved significantly society would witness immense problems that would continue throughout the 21st century. The then Chief Inspector for Schools, Chris Woodhead too believed the failure of boys, in particular working class boys to be one of the most disturbing problems faced within the entire education system. As a result of such media hype education ministers called for all academic institutions to challenge the laddish anti-learning culture, (Byers, S. 1998, Never mind theories, under-achieving boys need practical help, _The Independent_, 5th January 1998.) which had been allowed to develop. Taking such media build up and government vocalizations into consideration, it would appear something significant entered public consciousness during this time. Despite media and government claims of boys underachievement being a recent phenomenon, problems concerning boys and academic schooling has, in fact, been a longstanding priority with regard to educational studies. In particular the English philosopher John Locke, among others expressed great concern with regard the problems boys faced in language and literacy, in the 17th century. Similarly literature on schooling throughout the 1960s and 1970s cautioned teachers against grouping boys according to their academic ability as it resulted in less academic boys developing negative attitudes towards education and schools. Foster et al. (2001) What about the boys? An overview of the debates, in Martino .W. Meyenn .B. What About The Boys, Issues of Masculinity in Schools. Open University Press. The introduction of the National Curriculum alongside the induction of complex assessment and reporting procedures, many believe, was what initially highlighted the problem of male underachievement in todays society. From 1991 onwards students have been made to complete Standard Assessment Tasks (S.A.T.s) at the ages of seven, eleven and fourteen. Responsibility lies with the educational institutions at this time to ensure pupils achieve the expected standards. Additionally schools undergo rigorous inspection; such inspections appear to be central to the Educational Schools Act 1992, which introduced the implementation of National League Tables. These tables rank schools according to their pupils performance in the Standard Assessment Tasks (S.A.T.s). Many believe such a procedure was what set the scene for the emergence of the boys underachievement debate. In order for schools to survive they had to attract clients in the form of parents, and they could only attract parents if they were able to demonstrate they provided and delivered a high standard of education. Schools were judged to be efficient by the national league tables according to their success in getting pupils to reach the required standards at the ages of seven, eleven and fourteen. In 1996 the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Office for Standards in Education produced a joint report on performance differences between boys and girls in school. Their findings included girls being more successful than boys or broadly as successful in almost all major subjects. They reported girls tended to be more reflective than boys and also better at planning and organising their work. Reactions to these findings that boys are doing less well in school and are also suffering in other respects, such as the disproportionate degree of unemployment, as mentioned previously have varied. Some have identified what they see to be a crucial social problem of the 21st century. Others see it as solely a symptom of a male backlash, creating a sense of moral panic, aimed at clawing back the gains made by women in recent years. In light of such diverse view points, when researching this area for myself it would appear necessary to mantain a sense of balance before finishing upon any su ch conclusion. Official statistics on the academic performance of pupils in Northern Ireland, England and Wales indicate girls have been performing increasingly well compared to boys in terms of their attainment at General Certificate of Secondary Education (G.C.S.E) level examinations in most subjects. As mentioned previously, this development has been the focus of considerable debate in both the popular media and the academic press, with regular pronouncements from politicians and government policy makers. The obvious heated debate over boys underachievement throughout the 1990s and into the 21st century is not solely connected to Britain, figures suggest male underachievement is a problematic issue in Australia, Canada, The United States of America, parts of Western Europe and Japan. Epstein. D. Et al. (1998) Educating Boys, Learning Gender. Open University Press. Focusing upon the underachievement of boys within the context of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland in particular, I plan to focus upon Symbolic Interactionism as the basis of my own theoretical research. I plan to consider Symbolic Interactionist debates over Britains Lost Boys and the undoubtable underachievement of boys compared to girls in certain subjects, predominately at General Certificate of Secondary Education level (G.C.S.E). Symbolic Interactionists, unlike functionalists and conflict theorists, tend to limit their analysis of education to what they directly observe happening within the classroom. Their main focus is on teacher, pupil relationships and the interaction processes that occur within the classroom. Symbolic Interactionists see the education system as playing a vital role in shaping the way students see reality and themselves. Interactionists such as Howard Becker see school settings as creating serious difficulties for students who are labelled as less academically able than their peers. He believed such students may never be able to see themselves as good students and move beyond such labels. Teacher expectations play a huge role in student achievement from an interactionists point of view and this is a point I would be interested in investigating further with regard to my own research. Labelling theory, was developed predominately by Howard Becker who in Outsiders 1963 argued underachievement to be created by society, in the sense social groups create underachievement by making the rules whose infraction constitutes low attainment and by applying those rules to particular persons and labelling them as such Scott .J. Marshall .G. (2005:341) Becker and Lermert initially developed Labelling Theory, Hargreaves et al showed how it could apply within school settings and Rosenthal and Jacobson suggested that it could create a Self Fulfilling Prophecy in school, such that children defined as bright would in fact live up to such expectations. In education, despite the Rosenthal and Jacobson study, labelling-based self-fulfilling prophecies usually operate to the disadvantage of students. Specific categories of students, based on gender, ethnicity or indeed social background, may be written off as incapable of achieving, setting up a frame of reference in which their failings are noticed and their achievements discounted. Individual students may also be labelled by being told they will never amount to anything, or for example they are no good at a particular subject. Internalised, these labels are carried into new situations, including further and higher education, as a result many believe the failure of the student to be inevitable. Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson conducted a land mark study for this approach in 1968. Firstly, they examined a group of students in accordance with standard IQ tests. The researchers then identified a number of students who they said would likely show a sharp increase in abilities over the coming year. They informed the teachers of these results, and asked them to watch and see if this increase did occur. When the researchers repeated the IQ tests at the end of the year, the students identified by the researchers did indeed show higher IQ scores. The significance of this study lies in the fact that the researchers had randomly selected a number of average students. The researchers found that when the teachers expected a particular performance or growth, it occurred. This phenomenon, where a false assumption actually occurs because someone predicted it, reinforces the notion of a self-fulfilling prophesy. Rosenthal .R. Jacobson .L. (1992) Pygmalion in the Classroom, Teachers Ex pectations and Pupils Intellectual Development. Crown House: Publishing Limited. Ray Rist conducted research similar to the Rosenthal and Jacobson study in 1970. In a kindergarten classroom where both students and teacher were of African American origin, the teacher assigned students to tables based on ability; the so called better students sat at a table closer to her, the average students sat at the next table, and the weakest students sat at the farthest table. Rist discovered that the teacher assigned the students to a table based on the teachers perception of the students skill levels on the eighth day of class, without any form of testing to verify such a placement. Rist also found that the students the teacher perceived as better learners came from higher social classes, while the weak students were from lower social classes. Monitoring the students through the year, Rist found that the students closer to the teacher received the most attention and performed better. The farther from the teacher a student sat, the weaker that student performed. Rist continu ed the study through the next several years and found that the labels assigned to the students on the eighth day of kindergarten followed them throughout their academic journey. Rist, Ray (1970). Student Social Class and Teacher Expectations: The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy in Ghetto Education. Harvard Educational Review 40, 3, 411-451. While Symbolic Interactionists have undoubtedly analysed this self fulfilling process, they have yet to find the exact way in which teachers form such expectations of students. Irrespective of such an issue I feel the Self Fulfilling Prophecy may be a crucial determining factor with regard to answering my own research question. The real importance of Rosenthal and Jacobsons findings at Oak School relates to the potential long-lasting effects of teachers expectations on the scholastic performance of students. It is of interest to explore some later research that examined the ways in which teachers unconsciously communicate their higher expectations to the students whom they believe possess greater potential. A study conducted by Chaiken, Sigler, and Derlega (1974) involved videotaping teacher-student interactions in a classroom situation in which the teachers had been informed that certain children were extremely bright (these bright students had been chosen at random from all the students in the class). Careful examination of the videos indicated that teachers favoured the identified brighter students in many subtle ways. They smiled at these students more often, made more eye contact, and had more favourable reactions to these students comments in class. These researchers go on to report that students for whom these high expectations exist are more likely to enjoy school receive more constructive comments from teachers on their mistakes, and work harder to try to improve. What this and other studies indicate are those teacher expectancies, while their influence is not the only determinant of a childs performance in school, can affect more than just IQ scores. Due in large part to Rosenthal and Jacobsons research, the power of teachers expectations on students performance has become an integral part of our understanding of the educational process. Furthermore, Rosenthals theory of interpersonal expectancies has exerted its influence in numerous areas other than education. In 2002, Rosenthal himself reviewed the literature on expectancy effects using meta-analysis techniques. He demonstrated how the expectations of psychological researchers, classroom teachers, judges in the courtroom, business executives, and health care providers can unintentionally affect the responses of their research participants, pupils, jurors, employees, and patients (Rosenthal, 2002, p. 839). Martino .W. Meyenn .B. (2001) What about the Boys, Issues of Masculinity in Schools. Open University Press. What about the Boys, Issues of Masculinity in Schools is a book which attempts to develop further understandings about masculinity. Such a piece of literature is timely given the continued moral panic that persists about boys disadvantaged status in comparison to girls. Throughout this book the view boys are victims and are attributed with a disadvantaged status remains throughout. Research undertaken with boys spanning Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States is brought together in this collection. The focus for each of the contributors is addressing issues of what about the boys in relation to their own research and informed perspectives on boys and schooling. Many focus on what boys (and girls) themselves say about their experiences of schooling and sexuality and use their voices as a basis for drawing out what the implications might be for those working in schools. In this regard the chapters are written with a broader audience in mind particularly teachers and administrators in schools with the view to using research to illuminate the effects of masculinity in the lives of boys and girls at school. All of the contributors are concerned to highlight the impact and effect of certain forms of masculinity on the lives of boys at school, but locate their research and/or discussion within the context of the boys education debates outlined by Foster, Kimmell and Skelton in the introductory chapter. Many have also indicated what the implications of their research are for daily practice in schools and classrooms. In this sense, the research documented here has major implications for the professional development of teachers in schools and for st udent teachers in tertiary institutions. Sociologists like Bob Connell (1987, 1995) have been particularly influential in drawing attention to how social, cultural and historical factors have influenced the various ways in which masculinity comes to be defined and embodied by boys and men. We see the contributors of this book building on this work. They highlight that there are many forms of masculinity that are played out in the context of a complex set of power relations in which certain types of masculinity are valued over others. Many also draw attention to the role of a dominant form of masculinity, which comes to be defined in opposition to femininity, and highlight that association with the feminine for boys can often lead to other boys questioning their sexuality (see also Frank,1987, 1993). Other factors such as race, class, ethnicity and geographical location are also taken up to develop an understanding of the various ways in which boys learn to relate and behave in certain social situations and within particular educational institutions. In this sense feminist educators and theories also inform the perspectives on boys and schooling elaborated in this book. Such perspectives have contributed significantly to producing valuable insights into the links between gender and power (Davies 1993; Steinberg et al. 1997), specifically in terms of illuminating boys social practices and ways of relating at school. All contributors recognize that schools are important arenas of power where masculinities and femininities are acted out on a daily basis through the dynamic processes of negotiation, refusal and struggle (Giroux and McLaren 1994). In other words, these papers illustrate that there are indeed social constraints and power imbalances in educational sites, but that gender regimes are more shifting and contradictory than theorists supposed in the seventies and eighties (Jackson and Salisbury 1996; Kenway et al. 1997). In this sense, each chapter included in this collection builds on studies into boys at school which have been undertaken by Kessler et al. (1985), Walker (1988), Mac an Ghaill (1994) and Epstein (1994). The contributors also suggest ways forward and beyond the popular and simplistic views which stress the need for boys to reclaim lost territory. There is a powerful discourse of neglect informing many of the popularist debates about the boys which continue to assert that provision for the educational needs of girls has been at the expense of boys (Yates 1997). Moreover, the idea or assumption that boys are somehow victims or losers now competing with girls who have suddenly become the winners is also refuted strongly by the various positions that are taken up in this book. Compounding such a position is the view that biology needs to be given equal consideration in developing an understanding of boys behaviours and learning orientations. This argument continues to be promulgated within the context of these debates about the boys (see submissions to Australian inquiry into boys education at http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/eewr/Epfb/sublist.htm) as if appeals to biological sex differences and essentialism are somehow outside the effects of certain power relations (see Fausto-Sterling 2000). As Peterson (2000) has illuminated, appeals to biological determinism have been used historically to enforce a binary categorization of gendered behaviours always within the context of and in response to the perceived power gained by women. Moreover, as Lingard and Douglas (1999) have lucidly illustrated, the debates about the boys in the nineties have been characterized by a strong backlash against feminism and this continues to be the case as we enter the new millennium. If we are indeed to encourage diversity and citizenship in multicultural societies it is crucial that issues of opportunity, access and distributed success before grounded in debates about gendered educational outcomes. Collins et al. (2000) have addressed this in a recent governmental report on the factors influencing the educational performance of males and females in school and their post-school labour destinations. In line with the positions taken up in that report, we believe that policy formulation and curriculum development in schools must avoid the popularist tendency to assert a binary oppositional and competing victims perspective on the factors impacting on the social and educational experiences of boys and girls. This will only lead to homogenizing and normalizing boys and girls on the basis of biological sex differences and, hence, reinforce the very versions of masculinity which the research shows have detrimental consequences for both the former and the latter. This book, therefore, is offered as an attempt to provide a more informed perspective on the social practices of masculinity impacting on boys lives at school. We hope that it will have the effect of moving the debates beyond the feminist backlash rhetoric which persists in casting boys as the new victims. If anything, as the contributors of this book argue, the issue that needs to be addressed is the investment that many boys, men and schools have in promoting a particular version of masculinity which is to their detriment in the sense that it limits them from developing a wider repertoire of behaviours and ways of relating. Until a commitment is made, particularly by men and boys themselves, to addressing the role that sexuality, homophobia and misogyny continue to play in how many of them define and negotiate their Masculinities, we believe that very little will change. Connolly .P. (2004) Boys and Schooling in the Early Years. Routledge Falmer Press. Boys underachievement in education has now become a international concern, prioritised highly b government bodies around the world. Boys and Schooling in the early years represents the first study of its kind to focus solely upon young men and their achievement within the education system. Throughout this book this is a powerful argument for the need to begin tackling the problem of boss lower educational performance in the early years. This proved entirely beneficial as it includes one of the most detailed analyses of national statistics regarding gender differences in educational achievement from the early years right through until compulsory schooling. Together with original and in depth case studies which vividly capture the differing experiences and perspectives of 5-6 year old boys, this book sets out the nature of the problems facing young boys in education and highlights a number of practical ways in which they can begin to be addressed. This is entirely relevant as i am conc erned about boys lower levels of achievement. This book follows the sandwich model: for the filling, juicy case studies of two contrasting schools in Northern Ireland; and, around the outside, nourishing chapters of theorizing, a critical review of the rhetoric and reality of the problem, and a detailed discussion of the strategies needed to sort everything out. Of these, probably the most useful is the chapter that sets the factual record straight, dismissing some current explanations of boys under-achievement: its not their brains, neurons or testosterone that are to blame; it isnt a question of girls holding boys back, or the feminization of schools, or an epidemic of laddish behavior. Rather, Connolly argues, the key factor in boys poor educational performance relative to girls is masculinity itself or, rather, masculinities. This is the rationale for the case studies that follow: one school in an affluent, peaceful, middle-class area, and another in a seriously disadvantaged working-class area, riven by sectarian violence. It is also the starting point for the authors research questions: what are the dominant forms of masculinity in the early years, and how do they influence boys attitudes towards schooling? Between October 2001 and June 2002, Connolly spent a day a week in each of the two primary schools, observing five and six-year-old boys, and interviewing boys, teachers and parents. In the middle-class school, dinosaurs are cool but reading is rubbish, while, on the other side of the tracks, resistance to school reaches dizzy heights. Boys in this school are not without enthusiasms, but these appear to be football, fighting, wrestling, pulling down girls trousers and marching with the local loyalist flute band. The chapter on home-school relations in this school is even more depressing, as parents describe how the teachers discourage their children from even entering for the 11-plus. Bad news all round then, including the research process itself: in particular, there are some dodgy interview questions that virtually invite the boys, across the class divide, to assert their innate superiority: If you had a choice, would you want to be girls or boys?; Would either of you like to be a girl? The boys answers fall smoothly into the stereotyped trap prepared for them. Nevertheless, this book asks some serious questions, not least of which is: why do we worry so much about gender differences when social class has a much greater impact on achievement? Furthermore, why are so many teachers apparently so willing to accept their pupils low levels of achievement on entry as a sure and certain guide to the future? And, lastly, when are we going to learn what Bronwen Davies tried to teach us long ago (in Frogs and Snails and Feminist Tales) about the need to go beyond male-female dualism, so that we can position ourselves, and our pupils, as neither male, nor female, but human. Im yet to be convinced that studies such as Connollys are going to help us take this tremendous step forward. Head .J. (1999) Understanding the Boys, Issues of Behavior and Achievement. Falmer Press. Attention is given to general aspects of learning and assessment before examining the response of boys to specific subjects within the curriculum. Personal, social and health education concerns are addressed. http://www.dropshippers.co.za/ This text aims to increase understanding of the potential causes of underachievement, violence and even suicide amongst teenage boys. Suicide has dramatically increased among young males and academic underachievement is common. The author argues that it is therefore important to understand the young male psyche. The text addresses questions such as: has male behavior in school worsened, or has media hype inflated the proportions of a good story; what is at the root of male violence; and are biological or social explanations telling the whole story? The author shows that it is only by engaging boys in arenas of thought and feeling that we can understand and help overcome the difficulties faced by boys today. The issue of boys work and behavior in school has created considerable public interest and has undoubtedly polarized opinion, with some claiming it is the greatest social problem of our time, while other asserts it is merely an expression of male backlash intended to divert attention and resources from the need of girls and women. The first of the two sections within this book contains a review discussion of the various explanatory models biological, social and psychological. Emerging message is schools and teachers matter in academic performance can be made and we need not see the failing or difficult boys as inevitably trapped in their current position. Head believed the key to successful intervention was in understanding the boys and attempting to see things from their perspective. Martino .W. et al. (2003) so whats a boy, addressing the issues of masculinity and schooling. Open University Press. So whats a bay? is a timely volume. It comes at a critical point in the expanding debate regarding boys and schools. Juxtaposed against an increasingly strident and often times stark mass media, this book offers a sober and contemporary view of boys and their place in that confused environment called school. However, not content to simply cite data and/or repeat refrains found elsewhere, the authors have avoided the boy crisis trap and raised the debate by taking an appealing, narrative approach. One can hear and appreciate the voices of boys (all kinds of different boys) through this volume! More Articles of Interest MALE TEACHERS AND THE BOY PROBLEM: AN ISSUE OF RECUPERATIVE EDUCATING BOYS: TEMPERING RHETORIC WITH RESEARCH EDITORIAL WHATS TO FEAR: CALLING HOMOPHOBIA INTO QUESTION Real Men or Real Teachers: Contradictions in the lives of men elementary http://dw.com.com/redir?tag=rbxira.2.a.10destUrl=http://www.cnet.com/b.gif The book is divided into three, roughly equal sections. Part 1, Normalization and Schooling, sets the general scene and brings the reader into the lives of boys with discussions regarding body image, emerging masculinities, bullying/harassment, and friendships. The second part, Diverse Masculinities, delves into the central issue of how boys see themselves, their developing sexuality, cultural/home conditions, how they are seen by others, and how

Essay --

Cauvery River Dispute - The Cauvery river dispute is one of the longest river dispute today. The dispute began in 1974 when the 50 year old agreement between the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Collapsed. The Cauvery basin covers majorly 3 states and 1 UT – i.e. it originates Talacauvery in Coorg in Mysore state and then flows to Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry. But the Use and development of Cauvery Waters were regulated by agreements of 1892 and 1924, which were solely between the Mysore and Tamil Nadu. According to the Karnataka government the 1924 agreements states the discontinuation of the water supply to Tamil Nadu after 50 year. In 1990, SC directs centre to constitute Cauvery Water dispute tribunal (CWDT). The tribunal heard both the parties and reached a conclusion that Karnataka should release 205TMC of water to Tamil Nadu, every month. Karnataka denied the ruling and argued that it is impossible to implement the decision as in failed monsoons many areas of Karnataka are left without water. In that case they have to transfer water at the cost of their own people. In August 1998 the Centre constituted the Cauvery River Authority to ensure the implementation of the CWDT. The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) announced its final verdict on 5 February 2007, after 16 years. The Tribunal made the two agreements of 1892 and 1924 functional. According to the verdict, Tamil Nadu was supposed to get 419 billion ft ³ of Cauvery water while Karnataka was supposed to get 270 billion ft ³. But the Karnataka still didn’t release the water as per the tribunal ruling. On 19 September 2012, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and also the Chairman of the Cauvery River Authority, ordered Karnataka government to release around 9,000 cus... ...sing rapidly.† Karnataka depends heavily on Cauvery to fulfil its drinking needs where as Tamil Nadu depends on Cauvery for irrigation. Wide scale Rice cultivation in Tamil Nadu is one of the reasons that Cauvery needs so much water. The question is why the food security of Tamil Nadu depends heavily on rice, as TN doesn’t have the resources to grow rice in such quantities. According to R K Sivanappan, former head of the Water Technology Centre of the Coimbatore Agricultural University, â€Å"Tamil Nadu could meet all its municipal water requirements by reducing the area under paddy cultivation by just 2 per cent from the present level of 2.7 million ha†. Bothe states should start looking for other methods to solve their water woes or should try to get into a mutual understanding, instead of politicising the issue. Nishant Sharma Radio Stream Essay -- Cauvery River Dispute - The Cauvery river dispute is one of the longest river dispute today. The dispute began in 1974 when the 50 year old agreement between the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Collapsed. The Cauvery basin covers majorly 3 states and 1 UT – i.e. it originates Talacauvery in Coorg in Mysore state and then flows to Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry. But the Use and development of Cauvery Waters were regulated by agreements of 1892 and 1924, which were solely between the Mysore and Tamil Nadu. According to the Karnataka government the 1924 agreements states the discontinuation of the water supply to Tamil Nadu after 50 year. In 1990, SC directs centre to constitute Cauvery Water dispute tribunal (CWDT). The tribunal heard both the parties and reached a conclusion that Karnataka should release 205TMC of water to Tamil Nadu, every month. Karnataka denied the ruling and argued that it is impossible to implement the decision as in failed monsoons many areas of Karnataka are left without water. In that case they have to transfer water at the cost of their own people. In August 1998 the Centre constituted the Cauvery River Authority to ensure the implementation of the CWDT. The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) announced its final verdict on 5 February 2007, after 16 years. The Tribunal made the two agreements of 1892 and 1924 functional. According to the verdict, Tamil Nadu was supposed to get 419 billion ft ³ of Cauvery water while Karnataka was supposed to get 270 billion ft ³. But the Karnataka still didn’t release the water as per the tribunal ruling. On 19 September 2012, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and also the Chairman of the Cauvery River Authority, ordered Karnataka government to release around 9,000 cus... ...sing rapidly.† Karnataka depends heavily on Cauvery to fulfil its drinking needs where as Tamil Nadu depends on Cauvery for irrigation. Wide scale Rice cultivation in Tamil Nadu is one of the reasons that Cauvery needs so much water. The question is why the food security of Tamil Nadu depends heavily on rice, as TN doesn’t have the resources to grow rice in such quantities. According to R K Sivanappan, former head of the Water Technology Centre of the Coimbatore Agricultural University, â€Å"Tamil Nadu could meet all its municipal water requirements by reducing the area under paddy cultivation by just 2 per cent from the present level of 2.7 million ha†. Bothe states should start looking for other methods to solve their water woes or should try to get into a mutual understanding, instead of politicising the issue. Nishant Sharma Radio Stream

Thorn Queen Chapter Twenty-Two

I woke up with a headache even worse than the one I'd gotten shooting tequila on the night of Luisa's birth. Pain thudded to a steady drumbeat in my head, though at the same time, my senses felt foggy as a boring plaster ceiling slowly came into focus above me. Nausea welled up in my stomach, and I worried I was going to get sick. It had happened the last time I'd come crashing through the worlds. And speaking of the worlds†¦where was I? Easy enough to figure out, my groggy brain quickly realized. I'd been pulled out from the Otherworld, which meant I could either have been sent to the Underworld or the human world. The fact that I was still alive indicated I'd gone onto the latter. Why on earth would Abigail summon me to-fuck. There it was: the nausea again. I bit my lip and tried to sit up, not wanting to choke on my own vomit. Only, when I tried to rise, I didn't get very far. My hands were stretched above my head, tied to the headboard of the bed I lay on. No, not tied-cuffed. Cuffed with heavy steel, industrial-strength handcuffs. Bound or no, I did manage some semblance of sitting, just as my stomach betrayed me. A bowl got shoved under my face right at that moment, and I was grateful to spare the bedding and my clothes. I threw up twice before my benefactor gently asked, â€Å"Any more?† â€Å"I don't think so.† I squinted up and found myself looking into the face of a young girl, heavily freckled and brown-haired, with a nose a bit too small for the rest of her facial features. She was still cute enough, though, and-she was a gentry. For a moment, I wondered if I'd gotten confused about the banishment. Was I still in the Otherworld? No. This was definitely the human world. I could sense it. There was a way that magic hung in the air-or, rather, didn't hang in the air around here. The girl took the bowl away and returned with a damp cloth. She wiped my face with it and then my mouth. A moment later, she returned with a glass of water, which I drank gratefully. All of her movements were gentle and graceful. â€Å"What's your name?† I asked. â€Å"Cariena.† â€Å"That's really pretty. Where am I, Cariena?† I asked, tugging at the handcuffs. Those things weren't going to budge. The girl sat down on a chair in the corner. â€Å"In the world of the humans.† â€Å"I know that.† I tried hard not to let my tone get harsh. My leather from the fight was gone; I wore a T-shirt and underwear. â€Å"But where? What is this place?† She glanced around, as though the room might offer some secret insight. The walls were painted pale gray and matched the bedspread, a pattern of purple and grayish blue flowers. There was a small dresser in the corner, along with her chair, as well as the narrow twin bed I lay in. There wasn't a lot of space here-and no windows at all. â€Å"The Red Snake Man's house.† â€Å"The Red Snake-son of a bitch. Art.† My mind was still fuzzy, and I had a hard time grasping all the details of what had happened. I remembered bits and pieces of the fight. I remembered chasing the soldier and then Abigail banishing me†¦ But it was all still disjointed, and I had no recollection of how I'd gotten here. It was possible that was simply from the trauma of tearing through the worlds. Someone could have smacked me upside the head too, but the pain throbbing in my skull wasn't that type. As I'd noted earlier, it was more like the hangover type. Only worse. â€Å"Where is he now?† I asked. Cariena shook her head. â€Å"I don't know. He doesn't explain his activities to us.† â€Å"Us? Are there†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Again, my addled brain tried to remember what I already knew. Why couldn't I line up my thoughts? It was like I had both the buzz and the hangover from drinking, all wrapped up into one. Us. Art. Red Snake Man. â€Å"Are there†¦others like you here? Other girls?† She nodded. â€Å"How many?† â€Å"Five-no, four. They took Fara yesterday. Isanna's next.† â€Å"They who?† â€Å"One of the men. They come sometimes. They look at us. Sometimes they just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She looked away, unwilling to meet my eyes. â€Å"Sometimes they just†¦visit. But sometimes they make a deal with the Red Snake Man to take one of us.† â€Å"Art,† I murmured. â€Å"His name is Art. Red Snake Man seems to give him some semblance of respect.† I started to rub my eyes and then realized I couldn't with the cuffs. â€Å"Are the other girls chained up too?† â€Å"Only the ones who resist.† â€Å"Well, yeah, I guess that would include me. I take it you're not one?† â€Å"Not anymore.† â€Å"Why don't you leave? You must have some magic†¦even a little.† Cariena held up her hands. She didn't have handcuffs like me, but snug iron bracelets hugged each wrist, each with a tiny lock. The skin was red and swollen where the iron touched. â€Å"Jesus†¦so you're blocked from your magic. But, I mean, can't you just walk out the door?† â€Å"There's iron†¦iron everywhere. The windows, the doors. They're all bound with iron and spells. And locks. Besides†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her blue eyes widened slightly. â€Å"I don't know where I would go†¦not in this world†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Home,† I said fiercely. â€Å"You'll go home. I'll take you there.† She shook her head, face sad. â€Å"There's no escape from here. Not even for you.† I eyed her curiously. â€Å"Do you know who I am?† â€Å"You are the Thorn Queen. Storm King's daughter. You are my sovereign.† She gave a deferential nod of respect. â€Å"And I know you are a great warrior and magic user. But if the Red Snake Man caught even you, then there's no hope for any of us. Moria tried to escape, and she died out there.† â€Å"Moria did escape. She didn't die, and-† I stopped. Why was my brain such mush? Why was I thinking so slowly? A great warrior and magic user. I didn't need my hands to get out of here. I had my magic. The iron and steel that stunted Cariena's magic had hardly any effect on me, and I would have had enough time by now to rebuild my stores of power. I reached into myself and then to the world around, seeking water and air, though not certain what I'd do with them. Blow the headboard apart? Oxidize the handcuffs? The decision turned out not to matter. Nothing happened. I felt nothing. I felt†¦well, human. I felt as I had for years, long before I'd had any clue I could touch any sort of Otherworldly magic. I was cut off. My mind touched only empty space. â€Å"What's wrong with me?† I asked, true panic starting to unravel in me. â€Å"My magic's gone. The steel shouldn't affect me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It's not the steel,† a voice suddenly said. â€Å"It's the nightshade. And I think you're overdue.† Art strolled into the room, looking as dashing as ever with his tanned skin and movie-star smile. I had nothing but contempt for him and instinctually tried to break the cuffs. Nightshade†¦nightshade. Where had I heard that before? Rurik, I realized. He'd advised something called a tincture of nightshade to completely cut off Jasmine from her magic. Was that what I'd been given? He'd said it was the most effective†¦but that it made those with human blood feel dazed and sick. All of a sudden, I knew this fuzzy hangover feeling didn't have anything to do with me being banished. There was no real purpose in discussing nightshade with Art, so I got right to the point. â€Å"I'm going to kill you.† Art laughed that hearty, deep laugh I'd once found endearing. â€Å"Forgive me if I'm not scared.† He turned to Cariena. â€Å"Go get some more nightshade for Eugenie. And make sure Isanna is dressed and ready to go when Abigail returns.† Cariena was practically out of the room before he finished speaking. â€Å"I can't believe it,† I said. â€Å"It's really true. When I first started putting together this fairy sex-trade theory, I thought it was as crazy as Roland thought it was. But it's really true. Where's this Isanna going? Is Abigail taking her to her new owner?† He leaned back and crossed his legs. â€Å"I suppose you could say that. I like to think of it as her new loving home. The man who bought her is very eager to welcome her.† â€Å"You're a fucking bastard,† I growled. â€Å"Selling them like they're property.† â€Å"Might as well be. And if it makes you feel better, I don't sell all of them. Cariena there†¦hmm, well, she's not pretty enough to get a good price. Easier to keep her around for house calls.† â€Å"House calls.† I started to feel sick again, and it had nothing to do with the nightshade. â€Å"Basically, you're whoring her out. You sell sex slaves and run a brothel-and yet, all the while, you play hero shaman like you're doing the world a good deed. Roland couldn't say enough nice things about you.† Art straightened up, feet hitting the floor as a flash of anger shone in his eyes. â€Å"I am doing the world a good deed-this world. Those girls? They're nothing. They aren't human. And you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shook his head. â€Å"You're one to talk about image. You play hero shaman too, when in reality you're off commanding gentry armies. Does Roland know? Does he know what you really are? I'm sure he has to know you're a half-breed mongrel, but does he really know the extent of it?† White-hot rage burned within the drug-induced haze of my mind. â€Å"I think you forgot the part where I'm going to kill you.† â€Å"And you forgot the part where I said I'm not worried.† Cariena returned holding a coffee mug. I eyed it warily. â€Å"What are you going to do with me?† I demanded. â€Å"You would have killed me already if you could, yet you probably aren't going to let me go now that I know your dirty secret. Are you going to sell me off too? Keep me for yourself since you don't like gentry?† Art shook his head and approached my bed. â€Å"Eugenie, you couldn't pay me enough to keep you around. I'd take one of these idiot girls any day. Turn on the microwave, and they're so scared that they'll stay docile for weeks.† He gestured Cariena to his side and reached down to hold my head in place. I realized what he was going to do and began thrashing. With one hand he tried to keep me still, and with the other he partially held my mouth open. â€Å"Do it,† he said. Obediently, Cariena poured the liquid from the mug into my half-open mouth. As she did, she mouthed, I'm sorry. The stuff tasted horrible, and I gagged on it. I tried to spit it out, but Art promptly covered my mouth until I had to swallow. That bitterness flowed down my throat, and I could feel a new wave of numbness start to sweep over me. â€Å"Yes,† said Art, almost cheerfully. â€Å"You're trouble. I don't want you. I don't know any human who would. But fortunately, we got an offer from someone who isn't.† I think he was smiling that stupid smile again, but I could never say for sure. The force of the nightshade flooded through me, pulling me into fuzziness, then darkness, and then sleep. I immediately noticed two things when I came to later. One was that Art was still in the room, though I think he'd just returned and hadn't been watching me sleep. The other thing I noticed was that I was uncuffed. I didn't waste any time. I promptly leapt out of the bed and charged him. Unfortunately, I didn't really make it off the bed so well. The nightshade was chugging along in my system, and my limbs barely had the energy to stay upright. I fell off the bed and collapsed into an ungraceful pile on the floor. Cariena was there too, holding a bundle of clothing, and started to come help me. Art shook his head, and she froze. â€Å"Looks like you won't be killing me today,† he said. â€Å"You fucking bastard,† I said, tossing one arm on the bed and attempting to pull myself up. â€Å"How long was I out?† â€Å"Oh, an hour or so. That's usually the worst part of it for humans. Now that you're bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, Cariena's going to help you look respectable.† I glared at him. I didn't know who'd stripped me down to this T-shirt and underwear, but if it had been him, he'd die extra slow. The scathing look he gave me suggested, however, that he found as little pleasure in me as I did in him. â€Å"You can't keep me here,† I warned, managing at last to sit back on the bed. â€Å"Someone's going to come looking for me.† â€Å"Who?† he asked. â€Å"You were the idiot who wandered off from your people. None of them saw you taken. None of them saw me or any of my companions-well, except for your two meager guards, and they won't say anything to anyone ever again.† With a sinking feeling, I knew he was right. Nobody knew what had happened to me. I'd mentioned the Yellow River theory off and on to a few of my friends, but none of them had any reason to suspect that was connected to my post-battle disappearance. If anything, they'd probably think there'd been another demon on the loose. â€Å"Who the hell were your companions anyway?† I demanded, recalling the trained fighters. â€Å"Did you hire a mercenary army or something?† Art only smiled. â€Å"Cariena, get her dressed.† To me, he said, â€Å"Cooperate, or she'll be the one who suffers for your disobedience.† He left, shutting the door behind him. I heard the snick of a lock. Across the room, Cariena watched me with big, terrified eyes. She feared both me and Art. I sighed. â€Å"It's okay. I'll get dressed. I don't want to run around in my underwear anyway.† Visibly relieved, she stepped forward and unfurled what she held: a dress. A gentry-style dress. â€Å"You have got to be kidding me,† I said. â€Å"Isn't there something else?† Cariena cringed. â€Å"It's all he gave me.† I eyed the bedspread, almost wondering if I could go all Scarlett O'Hara and make something for myself. Then, seeing Cariena's pale face, I yielded again. I wouldn't let Art beat her or give her to some guy because of me. I took the dress from her but discovered I couldn't put it on without help, not with my weak muscles and groggy motor control. Being in that state infuriated me. I hated being helpless. More upsetting still was that I was essentially free, unbound and able to move about†¦but I had no means to fight or defend myself. I could barely even stand. I was a prisoner in my own body. The dress was a mix of lavender and pale blue. I guess you'd call it periwinkle, which I'd always thought was a dorky name. It was made of smooth, clingy velvet that hugged my body and laced up the back corset-style. The sleeves were long and form-fitting, and the scoop neckline was much lower than my usual style. I'd only wear something that showed that much cleavage if I was going on a date with Kiyo-or trying to coax a favor from Dorian. Kiyo and Dorian. It sounded pathetic and all damsel-in-distress, but I would have given anything to have them here right now. Cariena clasped her hands and studied me almost adoringly. â€Å"You look beautiful, your majesty. I see now why you have so many suitors back in our world.† Our world. â€Å"Well, I don't think my beauty plays quite as much a role as you think.† She produced a brush and undid the knotted ponytail in my hair. â€Å"I don't know if I want to be beautiful or not. I used to think I did. But since I'm not, no one will take me from here.† She sounded grateful. â€Å"You are beautiful,† I said sharply, angry at what Art had said. â€Å"And someone is going to take you from here-me.† Cariena gave me a small, sad smile, but for the first time, I thought there might be something like hope in her eyes. A knock at the door startled her back into timid mode as she leapt up from where she'd sat beside me. â€Å"Oh! He's here.† â€Å"Who?† I asked. Surely Art wouldn't have knocked. The lock clicked, and the door opened. Leith walked in. â€Å"Leith!† I exclaimed. He looked as I'd seen him before, clad in a red and white silk shirt, dark hair glossy and swept from his face in a ponytail. I wanted to jump up but knew I'd fall to the floor again. â€Å"Thank God.† Someone did know I was here. I wasn't lost forever. I wanted to tell Cariena we were on the verge of freedom, but she was already scurrying out of the room and hastily shutting the door. â€Å"Eugenie,† breathed Leith, striding toward me. He knelt on the ground and caught hold of my hands where I sat. â€Å"You are stunning†¦as beautiful as I remember. No, more so. You can't imagine how I've missed you.† A chill crept along my spine. Something was very, very wrong here. â€Å"Leith†¦we have to get out of here. You have to help me-and these girls. There are horrible things going on here.† â€Å"We can leave,† he said. â€Å"But not quite yet. Not until everything's settled.† I tested his hand to see if I could free mine. I couldn't. â€Å"Until what's settled?† â€Å"Until then,† he continued, as though I hadn't spoken, â€Å"you'll have to stay here where no one can find you. But I promise I'll visit you every day.† â€Å"I can't stay here! I have to get back to†¦anywhere that's not here. Tucson. The Thorn Land. Anywhere! Leith, what the hell is going on? Why are you here?† â€Å"Because you are. Because Art got you for me.† That chill down my spine spread to the rest of my body until I felt cold all over. I tried jerking my hand away again but didn't possess the strength. â€Å"How do you know Art? Oh God. Please tell me you aren't working with him.† He shrugged. â€Å"It's a mutually beneficial relationship. I help him collect girls in our-in the Otherworld.† â€Å"Girls from my kingdom,† I said, the realization coming suddenly. â€Å"That's why none of yours were ever taken.† Leith had the grace to look sheepish. â€Å"I don't take important ones, Eugenie. Just peasants. No one notices they're missing.† â€Å"Their parents do.† â€Å"Look, it doesn't matter. My soldiers help round them up, and I bring them to Art and Abigail to do what it is they do.† My soldiers. The soldiers who always wore red, just like Leith did now. Normally, red shirts made me think of Star Trek extras, but in this case, it was in tribute to the Rowan Land's flag and emblem. The soldiers Jasmine and others had seen weren't Aeson's deserters. They'd been sent by Leith to help Art and Abigail with their abductions. â€Å"They sell them, Leith! How can you stand by and enable that? They sell those girls to horny guys against their will. What can you possibly get out of it to justify having that on your conscience?† â€Å"This.† He gestured around. â€Å"Art and Abigail share things with me†¦their knowledge from this world. I take it back to mine.† I stared in disbelief. â€Å"And then you pass it off as your own. That's why everyone thinks you're such a technological genius. Did you really devise those irrigation plans for me yourself?† â€Å"No,† he admitted. â€Å"I had help. But does it really matter? Look, you don't know what it's like. You're strong. Your magic grows more powerful every day. But me? I'm a joke. I can't inherit. Proving myself with my ‘genius' was the only way to get any respect†¦and even that wouldn't be good enough to let me inherit. Until I met you.† â€Å"Leith-â€Å" â€Å"I know what you said, but my feelings haven't changed. I love you. And I know if you just spend a little more time with me, you'll love me too. We connect. There's something between us. It's more than just about power.† I leaned back. It was the only way I could put distance between us. â€Å"I'm not so sure about that. You think I'm your meal ticket to holding on to the Rowan Land.† â€Å"Not just that land, but all the lands! This world too. Eugenie, when you bear my son, you'll see that I'm right.† There was a zealous glow in his eyes, and I couldn't decide if he was crazy or just really, really believed these things would be true if he said them. Maybe there wasn't a difference. â€Å"I can make you happy-and I know you can make me happy. You're so beautiful†¦.† He moved up to sit beside me on the bed and ran one hand along my velvet-covered leg. â€Å"Leith†¦don't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I just need to get you pregnant,† he said earnestly. â€Å"Don't you understand? If I bring you back to our world carrying my child, everything will be solved. Art told me†¦he told me how you stop yourself from conceiving. How you take some potion every day.† His hand moved up to my hip while his other touched my face and stroked my hair. I tried to back away, but his grip was too strong in my addled state. â€Å"He said if you're away from it long enough that you'll be able to have a baby†¦.† I swallowed. My heart was threatening to pound out of my chest. â€Å"No†¦it won't work. You can't get me pregnant-because I already am.† His caresses froze. â€Å"What?† â€Å"You were right before about me being involved with Dorian. Kiyo was a cover. He's not worthy-he's no one I'd want to father my child. Dorian and I have been lovers for a long time now in secret. We were afraid of what his enemies would do if they found out. I've been pregnant for†¦Ã¢â‚¬  What wouldn't show? â€Å"†¦two months. It's too late for you, Leith.† He had gone perfectly still, save for his eyes, which were searching my face thoroughly. â€Å"I don't believe you. You're lying. Everyone knows how you bicker with the Oak King. You aren't lovers.† â€Å"We are. He'll kill you when he finds out.† Leith shook his head and slid his hand from my hip to my stomach. â€Å"There's nothing here. Not yet.† Panic flooded me, and for a moment I couldn't breathe. Every other time I'd come close to being raped flashed through my mind-and there had been far more of those times than I would have liked. And every time, I had escaped the situation. Yet that never made the next time any less terrifying. This was no exception. â€Å"Leith, please don't do this.† His hand moved fumblingly to my breast, and then he pushed me back against the bed. â€Å"It's okay,† he said, speaking as one would to a child. â€Å"It'll be okay. You'll like it. I promise.† â€Å"Don't do this!† His mouth was on my neck, and lovesick boy or no, there was definitely a man's sexual need there. I struggled against him, trying desperately to free myself, but I might as well have truly been a child. With that fucking drug in me, both my body and brain were a mess. My body had none of its ability to fight him or stop him from pushing up my skirt. My brain had no clever ways to talk him out of this. And as he took off his own clothes and laid his body on top of mine, pressing me down, I realized he needed no handcuffs to keep me subdued. The strength of his hands pinning my wrists was more than enough.

Motif of Eyes in the Great Gatsby

Taylor Hultquist Mr. Sudak English 11 18 March 2013 The motif of eyes in The Great Gatsby Eyes are the gateway to the soul, or so the old saying goes. People’s eyes can convey their feelings – their anger, excitement, or worry. Eyes can also convey subconscious emotions, revealing hidden depths that might not otherwise be apparent. In The Great Gatsby we are introduced to many characters whose eyes effectively reveal their personalities. The author explores the symbolism of eyes as Nick, the narrator, observes the lives and interactions of his friends on Long Island.One of his acquaintances, Daisy, is a flighty girl, married to a retired football player. Her husband, Tom Buchanan, embodies the classic tough-white-male aura. These two and the majority of other east coast characters are eventually seen as immoral, and the author’s portrayal of their eyes foreshadowed this development. Through a complex analysis of The Great Gatsby, one can argue that eyes are used as a motif that symbolizes the â€Å"loss of virtue in America. † Through the eyes of our narrator, James Gatsby and Tom Buchanan represent the east coast American ideal.Nick considers their wealth, social status, and confidence to be the level that he strives to attain. What he does not first understand is that these qualities ultimately lead to each man’s demise. Although Tom and Gatsby had many differences, they shared the common flaw of lost virtue. When Nick reconnects with his old friends, his first impression of Tom Buchanan is that â€Å"two shining, arrogant eyes had established dominance over [Tom’s] face† (9). In this passage we witness Fitzgerald’s reference to eyes and his characterization of them with the adjective of â€Å"arrogant. These overwhelming eyes are the first feature Nick notes, and he claims even they communicate Tom’s stuck-up attitude. Tom’s eyes make him appear to be â€Å"always leaning aggressively fo rward† (9) – clearly a negative personality trait. Virtue is defined as a quality considered morally good or desirable in a person. Referencing the quote above, one can make the inference that Tom’s character falls outside of this definition. This is a trend, which carries throughout this novel continuously with all of Nick’s ‘east coast friends. During the same evening Nick notes that Daisy’s eyes â€Å"flashed around her in a defiant way, rather like Tom’s, and she laughed with thrilling scorn† (20). This quote is juxtaposed to an unflattering insight into Daisy’s character, as Nick observes in the insincerity of her comments about sophistication and the falsity of his evening spent with her and Tom. Yet despite all this, he still acknowledges that Daisy’s character always seems to be promising â€Å"gay and exciting things† have already happened and are still yet to come.Daisy represents the wild side of h igh end New York, but we see that this lifestyle is not quite as superior as everyone believes it to be. In fact, Daisy seems to view it in quite a bittersweet manner and cries that it is not entirely satisfying. What Fitzgerald is displaying through the two figures of Tom and Daisy is that while they want for nothing, they long for everything. In order to satisfy their desires they turn to money and society, and still find these lacking. Nick moved from Midwestern America to the East Coast.Cities have historically been viewed as centers of depravity, while rural areas represent simplicity and thus a kind of innocence. Every time the characters travel between the Eggs and the city, they pass beneath a billboard containing the infamous eyes of Dr. TJ Eckleburg. His eyes are â€Å"blue and gigantic† with â€Å"retinas one yard high,† all rising â€Å"above the grey land and spasms of bleak dust† below (26). These eyes are witness as the characters venture to the c ity – Tom for his affair, Daisy looking for ‘fun,’ even Gatsby to meet the man who fixed the World Series.These fraudulent actions reveal the corrupted natures of characters, and in effect the corruption of people at large. The billboard’s eyes are equated to the eyes of God, eyes witnessing everything everywhere. Just as one would feel shame knowing God was watching their deceitful actions, one should feel shame being scrutinized by TJ Eckleburg. The commercialism of the billboard is additionally reflective of the increasing commercialism of America, and of its citizens growing obsession with material wealth. Tom and Daisy’s lifestyle is the epitome of this, as they solely pursue money and fun and have no interest in their moral states of being.Yet just as this couple’s lives lack true joy – as displayed through Fitzgerald’s apt descriptions of their eyes – so will anyone’s who obsessively pursues the ‘Ameri can Dream’ of endless wealth. Works Cited Dictionary. com. â€Å"Virtue. † Dictionary. com. Dictionary. com, n. d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Australia: Scribner, 1925. E-book. â€Å"The Great Gatsby; Symbols and Motifs. † Eyes of T. J. Eckleburg. Blog Spot, May 2011. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Benjamin Franklin Quotes. † LibertyQuotes. Liberty-Tree. ca, 2005. Web. 20 Mar. 2013.