Management high performance ip5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Management high performance ip5 - Essay Example This is the second point that will be discussed in the meeting, which will take the form of explaining to the employees the demoralizing and demeaning effects of workplace hostilities on the employees (Simlin, 2006). The supervisor will explain the impact of the employee hostilities as a contributing factor to poor departmental performance, since the employees are demoralized by the hostility and made to feel unappreciated. This in turn lowers their enthusiasm and energy, making them less productive (Harold & Kumar, 2012). This is the third point that will be discussed by the supervisor, aimed at helping the employee understand the desired organizational values of the factory in relation to workplace ethics and cultural diversity. Such values make the factory employ workers from different religious and cultural background without discriminating (Rodriguez, 2006). The supervisor will explain the value of diversity within a workplace in enhancing productivity and performance. The supervisor will also explain the duty and responsibility of the employees to embrace the organizational values, and as such cease the hostilities (Simlin, 2006). Federal Communications Commission (FCC). (2009). Understanding Workplace Harassment: Workplace Harassment is a Form of Discrimination. Retrieved March 15, 2014 from

Leadership Communication Styles Inventory Essay Example for Free

Leadership Communication Styles Inventory Essay As a manager or leader of an organization of any kind, the power and ability to effectively lead others are in the choices made to build a healthy, motivational, and productive relationship with people on your team. We all influence others in some way, its Just that we seldom realize that we do or how we do it. Power in the workplace has traditionally been defined as force, dominance, assertiveness, strength, invincibility, and authority. In forward thinking corporations, power requires a commitment and a plan of action (Hale, 2010). Power and influence are somewhat interchangeable. Power is the capacity of a person, team, or organization to influence others. Power is not the act of changing someonws attitudes or behavior; it is only the potential to do so. You might feel powerful or think you have power over someone else, but this is not power unless you truly have the capacity to influence that person (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2010). One of the hardest lessons of management is that practically everything that has to be done must be done by others. Manager ¤Ã‚ ¬ws duties not only include directing employees ut controlling the budget, assets, and other Jobs within the organization as well. Leadership is the ability to get people to do what they don ¬wt want to do and like it. In other words, the core problem for leaders in any organization involves getting others to do what is required to accomplish the organization ¤es goals (Michelson). The concept of power and its application to leadership and management has gotten a bad reputation. Terms such as power hungry, abuse of power and corrupted by power have diluted powerws real use and meaning and deprived some leaders f the opportunity to understand and use various forms of power to good purposes (Wood, 2010). I like to believe people misuse their power simply because they have it and are unaware of it. When used in a positive, moral, and ethical manner, power is an excellent resource. It requires the perception of dependence, so people might gain power by convincing others that they have something of value, whether or not they actually control that resource. Consequently power exists when others believe that you control resources they want (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 010). People rely on their emotion more frequently than they realize to make decisions, so to become a more powerful influencer, it is wise to consider othews values, personality, and intelligence and express confidence in the personws ability to accomplish the Job. The type of power applied affects the type of influence the power holder has over the other person or work unit. Everyone has power and I d believe that to be a bad thing. The issue becomes what kind of power a person has and how it is used. The most powerful source is based on one osition within an organization and the authority given in that position (Wood, 2010). An abusive boss can lose respect and influence from their team members. As a leader, your influence and power are not only about getting the Job done, itws about the relationships you develop in the workplace. A supervisor on my Job is retiring in a couple ot months and it seems ner whole attitude and demeanor nas changed. She seems to be on a quest to get all the people she wants out of the company and all that she wants promoted before she leaves. The influence and respect that she once possessed is no longer apparent or given to her and the orale in the office is very low. Her tactics to get the Job done are threatening, humiliating, and demeaning for some of the employees. They are afraid to go above her for the fear of retaliation, so they wait and hope that their Jobs are safe until she retires. French and Raven, social psychologists, identified five sources of power legitimate, coercive, reward, expert, and referent that help the dependent person directly or indirectly achieve his or her goals. Legitimate, reward and coercive are sources of power granted formally by the organization and informally by co-workers; hey are positional powers (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2010). Legitimate power is an agreement among organizational members that people in certain roles can request certain behaviors of others. It depends on mutual agreement from those expected to abide by this authority (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2010). True and lasting power comes from being a leader worthy of respect and admiration. If you treat people with dignity and respect, you will build a trusting relationship and people will look up to you, listen to what you say, and want to be like you. Reward power derived from the person ability to control the allocation of rewards valued by others and to remove negative sanctions. Managers have power over the distribution of organizational rewards such as pay, promotions, time off, vacation schedules, and work assignments (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2010). This power comes with the position and can be taken away if the position is removed. Coercive power is the ability to apply punishment. Employees also have coercive power to ensure that co-workers conform to team norms (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2010). You have this kind of power when youwre in a position to punish others if they don ¬wt do what you want. People fear the consequences of not doing what has been asked of them. Expert and referent powers are based on an individuws personal power. These powers are based on charisma, likeability, and positive feelings the leader generates among subordinates (Wood, 2010). There is research suggesting that charismatic leadership is negatively related to harmful behaviors in the workplace. For example, transformational leadership was negatively associated with safety accidents which harisma is a large component of (Hale, 2010). These powers originate from the power holders characteristics and are power bases brought to the organization. Expert power is an individualws or work uws capacity to influence others by possessing knowledge or skills that others value (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2010). This power is based on what you know and will quickly gain you respect and influence in the workplace. It is all about knowing your Job and doing it well and not being afraid in learning all that you can. It could potentially be the basis for a managerial role for an employee. Referent power is a function ofa perso ¬ws interpersonal skills which allows others to identify with them, like them, or respect them and is associated with charismatic leadership (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2010). People are well liked and are considered role models because of their connection and concern for other people. People who are well-liked and respected nave a tremendous amount ot reterent power. A wise leader knows now and when to apply the right amount of power to influence an individual, group, or situation to move an agenda forward (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2010). In order to be an effective leader, a person cannot rely solely on either of these positions of power. Leading by example, offering rewards, or threatening punishments all can be used as power tools to accomplish goals, however more power can be gained by sharing it among the team in a more subtle and counterintuitive way (Wood, 2010). If you want your team to be ethical and respectful of each other, I believe the example should start from the top. Using influence tactics well requires a healthy combination of interpersonal, communication, presentation, and assertiveness techniques, verbal skills such as asserting, probing, ersisting, speaking conversationally, and willingness to ask for favors ( (Selling and Persuaion Techniques ). Influence refers to any behavior that attempts to alter someonws attitudes or behaviors (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2010). You may try to exert your influence through coercion and manipulation and you might even get things done but that isn ¬wt really influencing. Thatws forcing people to do what you want them to do and often against their will. Effective leaders use combinations of various strategies for different purposes under different onditions which can be classified under three categories: retribution, reciprocation, and reason (Michelson).

A Series Of Unfortunate Events, Analysis

A Series Of Unfortunate Events, Analysis This movie tells about The Baudelaires orphans: Violet; Klaus; and Sunny. Violet is fourteen years old, Klaus is twelve years old, and Sunny is still an infant. Each of these orphans has awesome ability: Violet can find and create everything from the things around her as good as a scientist; Klaus loves reading so much and amazingly he remembers all what he read even in details; and then Sunny, the youngest, her teeth are so strong and she bites almost everything. Their parents are killed in a fire that also destroyed their house. Mr. Poe, the family banker, then sends the children to live with Count Olaf, an actor who is their closest relative. Count Olaf treats the children awfully. Soon The Baudelaires know that Count Olaf just wants to take their parents richness. One time because of a coincidence, Mr. Poe thinks that Count Olaf is not a responsible parent so that Mr. Poe takes back the children from Count Olaf. Olaf, pretending to have an emotional goodbye with The Baudelaires, promises that he will find them again and get their fortune. Mr. Poe sends the children to live with their uncle, Dr. Montgomery Montgomery, a cheerfully herpetologist. The Baudelaires live happily with Uncle Monty. Nonetheless, Count Olaf comes in disguise to Uncle Montys house as his new assistant for herpetology and he killed Uncle Monty. The orphans are then sent to live with Aunt Josephine who lives in a house on the edge of a cliff above the Lake Lachrymose. However, Count Olaf catches the children wherever they go in order to get an opportunity to grab the Baudelaires wealth. He does camouflages to fool other guardians of the Baudelaires. Count Olaf causes the death of Aunt Josephine and makes himself as if he is the childrens savior. As a result, Mr. Poe gives custody back to Count Olaf, seeing how he rescued the children. Mr. Poe reveals to Count Olaf that he would not inherit the childrens fortune even if they died, with the exception of blood relatives, or married couples. Count Olaf invites Mr. Poe and people he knows to his play which stars himself and Violet as the leads. It is a trap for the Baudelaires so that Count Olaf can gain access to Violets inheritance. Klaus notices Count Olafs bad plan. Somehow he ruins the play and makes people realize the tyranny of Count Olaf and then arrest him. Moreover, Klaus notices that the death of his parents is not merely an accident, but it was Count Olafs deed. Eventually, the Baudelaires are safe and kept away from Count Olaf. The reason the writer choose this movie to be analyzed is because the writer is indeed interested in this movie from the first time the writer saw it. This movie is one of 21th century literary works which depicts chains of a unique story which is not clichà ©. From its title, it is discernible that this movie imparts a kind of tragedy which involves life/moral values. Moreover, it involves the hamartia, anagnorisis, peripeteia, and catharsis. This is why the writer decides to use Aristotelian theory to analyze this movie, because hamartia, anagnorisis, peripeteia, and catharsis are the key elements of the theory. Having considered the above facts, the writer proposes a study entitled The Hamartia, Anagnorisis, Peripeteia and Catharsis in Brad Silberlings (2004) Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events. FIELD OF THE STUDY The field of the study is literature, especially movie. SCOPE OF THE STUDY This study will discuss about Aristotles theory of tragedy, about Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events movie, mostly its hamartia, anagnorisis, peripeteia, and catharsis. PROBLEM FORMULATION What are the Hamartia, Anagnorisis, Peripeteia, and Catharsis in the movie? How are the Hamartia, Anagnorisis, Peripeteia, and Catharsis represented cinematographically in the movie? To what extent do those elements affect the movie? OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The writer wants the readers notice and comprehend the meanings of Hamartia, Anagnorisis, Peripeteia, and Catharsis and also their existence. The writer wants to show how the key elements of Aristotelian theory are depicted in Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events movie cinematographically. The writer wants to evince how the key elements affect the movie. HYPOTHESES Only few people know the movie of Lemony Snickets A Serie s of Unfortunate Events. Also, only few people comprehend what Aristotelian theory is about well, including the hamartia, anagnorisis, peripeteia, and catharsis. Many people do not know that this movie is impressive, that using the Aristotelian theory to analyze the movie can give people some significant life values. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY This study concentrates on the movie entitled Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events and on the Aristotles theory of tragedy especially the key elements. Entertainment, knowledge, and wisdom are benefits that can be obtained from this study. By watching or observing Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events movie, the readers are going to get pleasant or fun. Through signification of the Aristotelian theory, it will broaden the readers knowledge. Moreover, by understanding the life/moral values in the movie through catharsis, the readers are going to be conscious that the values do enlarge their wisdom. DEFINITION OF TERMS Action A unit of happening. (Paredes, 1986). Imitation/Mimesis Mimesis means copying another persons action or way of doing something. Plot Plot is the imitation of the action or the arrangement of the incidents. Plot is also the first principle and the soul of a tragedy. (Hibbard Frenz, 1954). Meanwhile, according to Cooper (1979), plot is the principle of life. Character Character is that which reveals moral purpose, showing what kinds of things a man chooses or avoids. (Hibbard Frenz, 1954, p. 170). Spectator Spectator is the synonym of audience. (Good, 2008). Tragedy Tragedy (as opposed to epic) relies on an enactment (dramatic performance), not on narrative (the author telling a story). (Leyg, 1996). According to Cooper (1979), a tragedy is a mimesis, not of people but of their actions and life. However, Kennedy (1979) said that tragedy is an imitation not only of a complete action, but of events inspiring fear or pity. Furthermore, he said that tragedy is about the realization of the unthinkable. Tragic Hero The tragic hero is a great man who is neither a paragon of virtue and justice nor undergoes the change to misfortune through any real badness or wickedness but because of some mistake. (Leyg, 1996). Tragic hero is one who is not pre-eminent in moral virtue, who passes to bad fortune not through vice or wickedness, but because of some piece of ignorance, and who is of high repute and great good fortune. (Cooper, 1979). Hamartia Hamartia is the characters fatal flaw. In other words, it is an intellectual mistake or an error in judgment. Anagnorisis Recognition or discovery (anagnorisis): the revelation of some fact not known before, or some persons true identity. (Kennedy, 1979, p.943). Peripeteia Peripeteia is a reversal of circumstances or turning point. (Aswers, 2007). According to Watson (2002), peripeteia is a reversal is a change of a situation to its opposite. Catharsis It is purgation, purification, and clarification of pity and fear. REVIEW OF LITERATURE In this study the writer focuses in Aristotles theory of tragedy which includes hamartia, anagnorisis, peripeteia, and catharsis as its key elements. This can help the writer to analyze the hamartia, anagnorisis, peripeteia, catharsis in Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events movie. The form of drama called tragedy was born in the fifth century B.C. It is Aristotles famous definition. (Kennedy, 1979). Aristotle was one of important ancient philosophers from Greek. He was born in Stagira, a town in Macedonia in 384 B.C. Aristotle is a whole university in himself. (Hibbard Frenz, 1954). He influenced medieval science and logic and on literary theory since the Renaissance. Since the Renaissance, his name has been associated most often with his concepts of tragic catharsis, anagnorisis, and unity of action. (Answers, 2007). His theory will be applied in this study, which is theory of tragedy. Aristotles Theories Cooper (1979), stated that a work cannot be a tragedy if there were no action. Hibbard Frenz (1954), said that without action there cannot be a tragedy. The tragic event involves a fall from greatness, brought by the agents free action. (Perrine, 1974). Aristotles theory which is prior to his theory of tragedy is theory of responsibility. Aristotles theory of responsibility was established through his theories of character acquisition and action. Theory of Character Acquisition His theory of character acquisition states that people get their character from repetitively demonstrating actions they think are best. Theory of Action Theory of action distinguishes between what actions are voluntary or not voluntary. (Watson, 2002). Theory of Tragedy Nowadays the best tragedies are about a few families only. For a tragedy is an imitation, not of men, but of an action and of life, and life consists in action, and its end is a mode of action, not a quality. (Hibbard Frenz, 1954, p.170). It is the nature of tragedy that the protagonist must fall from power and from happiness. The recognition, combined with reversal, will produce either pity or fear; and actions producing these effects are those which tragedy represents. Nonetheless, the problem with Aristotles famous definition is not in agreeing in how to translate it, but rather how to interpret it. Definition of Tragedy The arrangement of tragedy should be complex, not simple, and it should present a mimesis of things that arouse fear and pity, as this is what is peculiar to the tragic mimesis. Tragedy is a mimesis not only of a complete action, but also of things arousing pity and fear, emotions most likely to be stirred when things happen unexpectedly but because of each other. A tragedy is a mimesis of an action and it is only because of the action that it is a mimesis of the people engaged in it. (Cooper, 1979). A tragedy is an imitation of an action that is serious, accomplishing through incidents that arouse pity and fear the purgation of these emotions. (Kennedy, 1979, p.899). Tragedy causes the emotions of pity and fear in the hearts of all men, then affords a pleasurable relief. In other words, the spectator at a tragedy, following the tribulations of the tragic hero, himself suffers vicariously, is emotionally moved, and as a result of the experience, finds pleasurable relief. (Hibbard Frenz, 1954). In a tragedy a hero suffers due to hamartia and then knowledge comes of ignorance followed by a reversal in fortune with a feeling of purification in the character. (Answers, 2007). Key Elements of Theory Hamartia: Hamartia is the Greek word. It means error, transgression, flaw, or weakness of character. (Kennedy, 1979). Hamartia is a tragic error caught in a crisis situation; the protagonist makes an error in judgment or action, missing the mark, and disaster results. In other words, hamartia is the fall of a noble man caused by some excess or mistake in behavior. The main character break a divine or moral law which leads to disastrous consequences. Despite the horrible events befalling the tragic hero, tragedies celebrate the human spirit, in the confrontation of difficult situations and the accountability of a character for his or her own actions. (Answers, 2007). The protagonist in the story is not a perfectly good man nor yet a bad man; his misfortune is brought upon him not by vice and depravity but by some error of judgment. The heros downfall is his own fault, the result of his own free choice, not the result of pure accident or villainy. Accident, villainy or fate may contribute to the downfall but only as cooperating agents: they are not alone responsible. The combination of the heros greatness and his responsibility for his own downfall describes his downfall as tragic rather than as merely pathetic. (Perrine, 1974). Anagnorisis: It means a recognition or discovery. Recognition is a change from ignorance to knowledge, producing love or hate between the persons destined for good or bad fortune. (Hibbard Frenz, 1954). Recognition is a change from ignorance to knowledge, tending either to affection; it determines in the direction of good or ill fortune the fates of the people involved. (Cooper, 1997). Anagnorisis is commonly applied to any self-knowledge the hero gains as well as to insight to the whole nature or condition of mankind. (Watson, 2002). The discovery induces a startling effect. Peripeteia: Cooper (1997), remarked that a peripeteia occurs when the course of events takes a turn to the opposite in the way described. According to Kennedy (1979), reversal or peripeteia is an action that turns out to have the opposite effect from the effect its doer had intended. Peripeteia occurs when a situation seems to developing in one direction, then suddenly reverses to another. Reversal is a series of incidents or a train of action tending to bring about a certain end but resulting in something wholly different. (Hibbard Frenz, 1954, p.170). The change of fortune for the hero should be an event that occurs contrary to the audiences expectations and that is therefore surprising. Catharsis: Purification of plot events, so that the central characters errors become cleansed by his or her recognitions and suffering. Through a course of events involving pity and fear, the purification of those painful or fatal acts, pity and fear it archives the purgation. It is simply an intellectual clarification of the meaning of the tragic happenings. Catharsis is also the purging of the emotions of pity and fear that are aroused in the viewer of a tragedy. Therefore, it is related to the psychology of the spectator, the public is purged of its fear and pity. (Paredes, 1986). Actually, catharsis is the positive social function of tragedy. It purifies the audiences feelings of pity and fear so that in real life we understand better whether we should feel them. Further, it purges pity and fear so that we can face life with less of these emotions or more control over them. K. METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS This study uses qualitative research, applied research, or library research. The reason is because field of this study is literature which interpretation is the prime provision. Therefore, desk work or library research is appropriate and suitable to commit for this study. K.1 Method of Data Collection After deciding what study that would be done, which is a study of Aristotelian theory of tragedy, the writer searched the materials. Movie of Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events, pictures, and data about this movie are the first materials that would be gained. The writer is going to keep looking for data about Aristotles theories especially his theory of tragedy which consists of the key elements (hamartia, anagnorisis, peripeteia, and catharsis). Those theory elements become essential to analyze the movie. The writer collected the data needed by visitting the library and reading some books related to the study. Also the writer looked for the data from the internet. For the further plans/steps, the writer will keep looking for the data and searching them through both written and electronic sources to enrich the primary data for this study. K.2 Data Analysis The title of the movie is Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events. The complete information about the movie can be read as follows: Title : Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events Year : 2004 Genre : Drama Director : Brad Silberling Film Stars : Jim Carrey, Emily Browning, Liam Aiken, Meryl Streep, Jude Law The movie tells about three orphans (The Baudelaires) who are adopted by a bizarre and mysterious actor named Count Olaf. He attempts to steal The Baudelaires parents richness. The Baudelaires try to get away from Olaf any time they can but Olaf can find them wherever they go. The avoidance of The Baudelaires towards Olaf leads these pitiful orphans to a series of unfortunate events. To analyze the movie, the writer uses the Aristotelian theory. Aristotles theory concerns with tragedy. According to Aristotle, in a tragedy a hero suffers due to hamartia and then knowledge comes of ignorance (anagnorisis) followed by a reversal (peripeteia) in fortune with a feeling of purification (catharsis) in the character. In analyzing the study, the writer will explain more about the research questions from the problem formulation. Using Aristotelian theory, the writer will show the key elements in the movie and why they are called as the way they are. Then the writer depicts the existence of the key elements through cinematography to show the evidences. Further, the writer describes how the movie is so affected by the key elements and how come the movie and the key elements foster one another. L. REFERENCES Cooper, D. E. (Ed.). (1997). Aesthetics: The classic readings. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Ltd. Good, M. (2008). Cambridge advanced learners dictionary. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Hibbard, A., Frenz, H. (Ed.). (1954). Writers of the western world. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. Kennedy, X. J. (Ed.). (1979). Literature: An introduction to fiction, poetry, and drama. Toronto: Little, Brown and Company. Perrine, L. (Ed.). (1974). Literature: Structure, sound, and sense. USA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. WEBSITES Answers. (2007, June 6). In Aristotelian. Retrieved April 17, 2012, from http://www.answers.com/topic/aristotelian#ixzz1ez5h7jOW Berardinelli, J. (2004, April 5). Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events. ReelViews. Retrieved April 11, 2009, from http://www.reelviews.net/movies/l/lemony_snicket.html Leyg, H. (1996, June 24). Aristotles tragedy. In Aristotle the elements of tragedy. Retrieved June 21, 2012, from http://www.ohio.edu/people/hartleyg/ref/aristotletragedy.html Paredes, R. (1986, April 27). Aristotles definition of tragedy. In Introduction to philosophy. Retrieved June 21, 2012, from http://www.paredes.us/tragedy.html Watson, J. (2002, September 9). My class notes. In Aristotles tragedy. Retrieved May 2, 2012, from http://johnwatsonsite.com/MyClassNotes/Texts/Antigone/AntigAristotleTrag.html

Content Teaching - Research Paper :: essays research papers

Section A – Survey Results  multiple choice By asking students about their situation in school, linked to the teaching-style of their teachers, I found out in which way students are influenced by the way their teachers try to submit the knowledge to them. The survey was supposed to indirectly find out how effective the current teaching-style of the teachers is. For that, the following statements were evaluated by the students (The numbers in parentheses display how much the surveyed students agreed with the statements  â€Å"Counting Mechanism† on page 3): -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Teachers should base teaching more on contents† (5 points) -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The way teachers teach is keeping the student’s attention† (1.5 points) -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Teachers stay focused in the topic† (-1 point) -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Teachers have a way of teaching that is the right way of learning for me as an individual† (-2 points) -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"If I would be a teacher I would give less time in class to work on homework† (-18 points) As we can see, the only point where the surveyed students agree is, that they would not reduce the homework in class, even though I think most students just handled the statement as â€Å"Students should have less time for homework in class.† In my opinion they didn’t really think about a situation where they would be teachers but only amount the situation they want to be in as students. All other results vary so much that the difference between the surveyed students is so big that they almost even each other out which shows us they all have different needs. Counting mechanism:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  25 ½ points for strong agreement   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  17 points for agreement   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  0 points for â€Å"don’t care†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  -17 points for disagreement   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  -25 ½ for strong disagreement Accordingly, the highest score for each question can be 25 ½ if all 17 surveyed people indicated a strong agreement and -25 ½ if all 17 surveyed people indicated a strong disagreement. Section B – Survey Results  open-ended The answers to the open-ended questions show that most students don’t really focus on the actual teaching but more on the material environment they are in, like â€Å"Air-Conditioning† or the school building. Most of the questions were answered that way so that I’m just going to consider a couple questions and answers which apply to the topic. The most important thing teachers have to do different is†¦ †¦lesson plans †¦explaining assignments The way that makes me understand the content the best is†¦ †¦interaction with the lesson plans †¦clear visual aids Teachers focus too much on†¦ †¦tests and lecturing †¦discipline Teachers neglect†¦ †¦interaction with kids who are struggling

Last Sacrifice Chapter Fifteen

I DIDN'T LIKE TO SEE Victor Dashkov proven right. But, oh, was he ever. With Lissa's proclamation, the room that had been holding its breath suddenly exploded. I wondered if there had ever been a peaceful Council session in Moroi history or if I just kept coincidentally tuning into controversial ones. What followed today reminded me a lot of the day the dhampir age decree had passed. Shouting, arguments, people out of their chairs †¦ Guardians who normally lined the walls and watched were out among the people, looks of concern on their faces as they prepared for any disputes that might go beyond words. As quickly as Lissa had been at the center of everything, the room seemed to forget her. She sat back down, and Christian found her hand again. She squeezed it tightly, so much so I wondered if she was cutting off his circulation. She stared straight ahead, still reeling. Her mind wasn't focused on all the chaos, but everything her eyes and ears perceived came through to me. Really, the only attention my friends received was when Daniella came over and scolded Adrian for nominating outside his family. He shrugged it off in his usual way, and she huffed off, realizing–like many of us–that there was really no point in trying to reason with Adrian. You'd think that in a room where everyone was scrambling to push their own family's advantage, every single person would therefore be arguing that Lissa's nomination was invalid. That wasn't the case, however–particularly because not everyone in the room was royal. Just as I'd noted earlier, Moroi from all over had come to witness the events that would determine their future. And a number of them were watching this Dragomir girl with interest, this princess from a dying line who could allegedly work miracles. They weren't ravenously chanting her name, but many were in the thick of the arguments, saying she had every right to step up for her family. Part of me also suspected that some of her â€Å"common' supporters simply liked the idea of thwarting the royal agenda. The young couple that had been harassed by Lady Badica weren't the only ones there who'd been pushed around by their â€Å"betters.' Most surprisingly, there were some royals speaking up for Lissa too. They might be loyal to their own families, but not all of them were heartless, selfish connivers. Many had a sense of right and wrong–and if Lissa had the law on her side, then she was in the right. Plus, lots of royals simply liked and respected her. Ariana was one person who advocated for Lissa's nomination, despite the competition it created. Ariana knew the law well and undoubtedly realized the loophole that allowed Lissa to run would fail when election time came. Still, Ariana stood her ground, which endeared her to me even more. When the real voting did come, I hoped Ariana would win the crown. She was intelligent and fair–exactly what the Moroi needed. Of course, Ariana wasn't the only one who knew the law. Others picked up on the loophole and argued the nomination of a candidate that no one could vote for was pointless. Normally, I would have agreed. On and on the debate raged while my friends sat quietly in the hurricane's eye. At long last, the matter was settled the way most decisions should be: through voting. With Lissa still denied her Council seat, that left eleven members to determine her future. Six of them approved her candidacy, making it official. She could run. I suspected some of those who voted for her didn't truly want her running, but their respect for the law prevailed. Many Moroi didn't care what the Council said. They made it clear they considered this matter far from over, proving what Victor had said: this was going to rage on for a while, getting worse if she actually passed the tests and made it to the voting stages. For now, the crowd dispersed, seeming relieved–not only because they wanted to escape the yelling but also because they wanted to spread this sensational news. Lissa continued saying little as she and our friends left. Walking past the gawkers, she remained a model of regality and calmness, like she'd already been declared queen. But when she finally escaped it all and was back in her room with the others, all those locked-up, frozen feelings exploded. â€Å"What the hell were you guys thinking?' she yelled. â€Å"What have you done to me?' Along with Adrian, Christian, and Eddie, the rest of the conspirators had shown up: Tasha, Abe, and my mom. All of them were so completely stunned by this reaction from sweet Lissa that none of them could reply now. Lissa took advantage of their silence. â€Å"You set me up! You've put me in the middle of a political nightmare! Do you think I want this? Do you really think I want to be queen?' Abe recovered first, naturally. â€Å"You won't be queen,' he said, voice uncharacteristically soothing. â€Å"The people arguing about the other part of the law are right: no one can actually vote for you. You need family for that.' â€Å"Then what's the point?' she exclaimed. She was furious. She had every right to be. But that outrage, that anger †¦ it was fueled by something worse than this situation alone. Spirit was coming to claim its price and making her even more upset than she would have been. â€Å"The point,' said Tasha, â€Å"is everything crazy you just saw in the Council room. For every argument, for every time someone drags out the law books again, we have more time to save Rose and find out who killed Tatiana.' â€Å"Whoever did it must have an interest in the throne,' explained Christian. He rested a hand on Lissa's shoulder, and she jerked away. â€Å"Either for themselves or someone they know. The longer we delay their plans, the more time we have to find out who it is.' Lissa raked her hands through her long hair in frustration. I tried to pull that coil of fury from her, taking it into myself. I succeeded a little, enough that she dropped her hands to her side. But she was still pissed off. â€Å"How am I supposed to look for the murderer when I'm tied up doing all those stupid tests?' she demanded. â€Å"You won't be looking,' said Abe. â€Å"We will.' Her eyes widened. â€Å"That was never part of the plan! I'm not going to jump through royal hoops when Rose needs me. I want to help her!' It was almost comical. Almost. Neither Lissa nor I could handle â€Å"sitting around' when we thought the other needed our help. We wanted to be out there, actively doing what we could to fix the situation. â€Å"You are helping her,' said Christian. His hand twitched, but he didn't try to touch her again. â€Å"It's in a different way than you expected, but in the end, it's going to help her.' The same argument everyone kept using on me. It also made her just as angry as it had made me, and I desperately tugged at the wave of instability spirit kept sending through her. Lissa peered around the room, looking accusingly at each face. â€Å"Who in the world thought of this idea?' More uncomfortable silence followed. â€Å"Rose did,' said Adrian at last. Lissa spun around and glared at him. â€Å"She did not! She wouldn't do this to me!' â€Å"She did,' he said. â€Å"I talked to her in a dream. It was her idea, and †¦ it was a good one.' I didn't really like how that seemed to come as a surprise to him. â€Å"Besides, you kind of put her in a bad situation too. She kept going on about how much the town she's in sucks.' â€Å"Okay,' snapped Lissa, ignoring the part about my plight. â€Å"Supposing that's true, that Rose passes this â€Å"brilliant' idea on to you, then why didn't anyone bother to tell me? Didn't you think a little warning might help?' Again, it was just like me complaining about how my jailbreak had been kept a secret from me. â€Å"Not really,' said Adrian. â€Å"We figured you'd react exactly like this and have time to plan a refusal. We kind of gambled that if you were caught on the spot, you'd accept.' â€Å"That was kind of risky,' she said. â€Å"But it worked,' came Tasha's blunt response. â€Å"We knew you'd come through for us.' She winked. â€Å"And for what it's worth, I think you'd make a great queen.' Lissa gave her a sharp look, and I made one more attempt to drag away some of the darkness. I concentrated on those churning emotions, imagining them in me instead of her. I didn't pull it all but managed enough to take the fight out of her. Rage suddenly flared in me, blinding me momentarily, but I was able to push it off to a corner of my mind. She suddenly felt exhausted. I kind of did too. â€Å"The first test is tomorrow,' she said quietly. â€Å"If I fail it, I'm out. The plan falls apart.' Christian made another attempt to put his arm around her, and this time, she let him. â€Å"You won't.' Lissa didn't say anything else, and I could see the relief on everyone's faces. No one believed for a second she liked this, but they seemed to think she wasn't going to withdraw her nomination, which was as much as they could hope for. My mother and Eddie had said nothing this entire time. As was common for guardians, they'd kept to the background, remaining shadows while Moroi business was conducted. With the initial storm passing over, my mother stepped forward. She nodded toward Eddie. â€Å"One of us is going to try to stay near you at all times.' â€Å"Why?' asked Lissa, startled. â€Å"Because we know there's someone out there who isn't afraid to kill to get what they want,' said Tasha. She nodded toward Eddie and my mom. â€Å"These two and Mikhail are really the only guardians we can trust.' â€Å"Are you sure?' Abe gave Tasha a sly look. â€Å"I'm surprised you didn't get your special guardian â€Å"friend' on board.' â€Å"What special friend?' demanded Christian, instantly picking up on the insinuation. Tasha, to my astonishment, flushed. â€Å"Just a guy I know.' â€Å"Who follows you with puppy-dog eyes,' continued Abe. â€Å"What's his name? Evan?' â€Å"Ethan,' she corrected. My mother, looking exasperated by such ridiculous talk, promptly put an end to it– which was just as well since Christian looked like he had a few things to say. â€Å"Leave her alone,' she warned Abe. â€Å"We don't have time for it. Ethan's a good guy, but the fewer people who know about this, the better. Since Mikhail has a permanent post, Eddie and I will do security.' I agreed with all of what she'd just said, but it struck me that to get my mother on board, someone–probably Abe–had filled her in on all the illicit activity that had occurred recently. He was either really convincing or she loved me a lot. Grudgingly, I suspected both were true. When Moroi were at Court, their guardians didn't need to accompany them everywhere, meaning my mom would most likely be free of her assignment while Lord Szelsky stayed here. Eddie didn't have an assignment yet, which also gave him flexibility. Lissa started to say something else when a sharp jolt in my own reality snapped me away from her. â€Å"Sorry,' said Sydney. Her slamming on the brakes was what had brought me back. â€Å"That jerk cut me off.' It wasn't Sydney's fault, but I felt irritated at the interruption and wanted to yell at her. With a deep breath, I reminded myself that I was simply feeling spirit's side effects and that I couldn't allow it to make me act irrationally. It would fade, like always, yet some part of me knew I couldn't keep taking that darkness from Lissa forever. I wouldn't always be able to control it. Now that I was back to myself, I looked out the windows, taking in our new surroundings. We weren't in the mountains anymore. We'd reached an urban area, and while the traffic was hardly heavy (seeing as it was still the middle of the human night), there were definitely more cars on the road than we'd seen in a while. â€Å"Where are we?' I asked. â€Å"Outskirts of Lexington,' Sydney said. She pulled over to a nearby gas station, both to refill and so we could plug Donovan's address into her GPS. His place was about five miles away. â€Å"Not a great part of town, from what I hear,' Dimitri said. â€Å"Donovan runs a tattoo parlor that's only open at night. A couple of other Strigoi work with him. They get partiers, drunk kids †¦ the kind of people that can easily disappear. The kind Strigoi love.' â€Å"Seems like the police would eventually notice that every time someone went for a tattoo, they disappeared,' I pointed out. Dimitri gave a harsh laugh. â€Å"Well, the â€Å"funny' thing is that they don't kill everyone who comes in. They actually give tattoos to some of them and let them go. They smuggle drugs through the place too.' I regarded him curiously, as Sydney slipped back into the car. â€Å"You sure know a lot.' â€Å"I made it my business to know a lot, and Strigoi have to keep a roof over their heads too. I actually met Donovan once and got most of this straight from the source. I just didn't know where exactly he worked out of until now.' â€Å"Okay, so, we've got the info on him. What do we do with it?' â€Å"Lure him out. Send in a â€Å"customer' with a message from me needing to meet him. I'm not the kind of person he can ignore–well, that he used to not–never mind. Once he's out, we get him to a place we choose.' I nodded. â€Å"I can do that.' â€Å"No,' said Dimitri. â€Å"You can't.' â€Å"Why not?' I asked, wondering if he thought it was too dangerous for me. â€Å"Because they'll know you're a dhampir the instant they see you. They'll probably smell it first. No Strigoi would have a dhampir working for him–only humans.' There was an uncomfortable silence in the car. â€Å"No!' said Sydney. â€Å"I am not doing that!' Dimitri shook his head. â€Å"I don't like it either, but we don't have a lot of options. If he thinks you work for me, he won't hurt you.' â€Å"Yeah? And what happens if he doesn't believe me?' she demanded. â€Å"I don't think he can take the chance. He'll probably go with you to check things out, with the idea that if you're lying, they'll just kill you then.' This didn't seem to make her feel any better. She groaned. â€Å"You can't send her in,' I said. â€Å"They'll know she's an Alchemist. One of those wouldn't work for Strigoi either.' Surprisingly, Dimitri hadn't considered that. We grew quiet again, and it was Sydney who unexpectedly came up with a solution. â€Å"When I was inside the gas station,' she said slowly, â€Å"they had, like, one rack of makeup. We could probably cover most of my tattoo up with powder.' And we did. The only compact the station sold wasn't a great match for her skin tone, but we caked enough of it on to obscure the golden lily on her cheek. Brushing her hair forward helped a little. Satisfied we'd done all we could, we headed off to Donovan's. It was indeed in a rundown part of town. A few blocks away from the tattoo parlor, we spotted what looked like a nightclub, but otherwise, the neighborhood appeared deserted. I wasn't fooled, though. This was no place you'd want to walk around alone at night. It screamed â€Å"mugging.' Or worse. We checked out the area until Dimitri found a spot he felt good about. It was a back alley two buildings away from the parlor. A gnarled wired fence stood on one side while a low brick building flanked the other. Dimitri instructed Sydney on how to lead the Strigoi to us. She took it all in, nodding along, but I could see the fear in her eyes. â€Å"You want to look awed,' he told her. â€Å"Humans who serve Strigoi worship them– they're eager to please. Since they're around Strigoi so much, they aren't as startled or terrified. Still a little afraid, of course, but not as much as you look now.' She swallowed. â€Å"I can't really help it.' I felt bad for her. She strongly believed all vampires were evil, and we were sending her into a nest of the worst kind, putting her at great risk. I knew also that she'd only ever seen one live Strigoi, and despite Dimitri's coaching, seeing more could completely shell shock her. If she froze in front of Donovan, everything could fall apart. On impulse, I gave her a hug. To my surprise, she didn't resist. â€Å"You can do this,' I said. â€Å"You're strong–and they're too afraid of Dimitri. Okay?' After a few deep breaths, Sydney nodded. We gave her a few more encouraging words, and then she turned the corner of the building, heading toward the street, and disappeared from our sight. I glanced at Dimitri. â€Å"We may have just sent her to her death.' His face was grim. â€Å"I know–but we can't do anything now. You'd better get into position.' With his help, I managed to make it onto the roof of the low building. There was nothing intimate in the way he hoisted me up, but I couldn't help but have the same electric feeling all contact with him caused or note how easily we worked together. Once I was securely positioned, Dimitri headed for the opposite side of the building Sydney had gone around. He lurked just around the corner, and then there was nothing to do but wait. It was agonizing–and not just because we were on the verge of a fight. I kept thinking about Sydney, what we'd asked her to do. My job was to protect the innocent from evil–not thrust them into the middle of it. What if our plan failed? Several minutes passed, and I finally heard footsteps and muttered voices at the same time a familiar wave of nausea moved through me. We'd pulled the Strigoi out. Three of them walked around the building's corner, Sydney in the lead. They came to a halt, and I spotted Donovan. He was the tallest–a former Moroi–with dark hair and a beard that reminded me of Abe's. Dimitri had given me his description so I wouldn't (hopefully) kill him. Donovan's henchmen hovered behind him, all of them alert and on guard. I tensed, my stake gripped tightly in my right hand. â€Å"Belikov?' demanded Donovan, voice harsh. â€Å"Where are you?' â€Å"I'm here,' came Dimitri's response–in that cold, terrible Strigoi voice. He appeared from around the building's opposite corner, keeping to the shadows. Donovan relaxed slightly, recognizing Dimitri–but even in darkness, Dimitri's true appearance materialized. Donovan went rigid–suddenly seeing a threat, even if it was one that confused him and defied what he knew. At the exact same moment, one of his guys jerked his head around. â€Å"Dhampirs!' he exclaimed. It wasn't Dimitri's features that tipped him off. It was our scent, and I breathed a silent prayer of thanks that it had taken them this long to notice. Then, I leapt off the roof. It wasn't an easy distance to jump–but not one that would kill me. Plus, my fall was broken by a Strigoi. I landed on one of Donovan's guys, knocking him to the ground. I aimed my stake at his heart, but his reflexes were quick. With my lighter weight, I was easy to shove off. I'd expected it and managed to keep my footing. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sydney dropping low and hurrying off out of here, per our instructions. We wanted her away from the crossfire and had told her to go to the car, readying herself to take off if things went bad. Of course, with Strigoi, things were always bad. Donovan and his other guy had both gone for Dimitri, assessing him as the greater threat. My opponent, judging from his fanged smile, didn't seem to regard me as a threat at all. He lunged toward me, and I dodged away, but not before snaking out a kick that took him in the knee. My hit didn't seem to hurt him, but it did ruin his balance. I made another strike at staking and was thrown off again, hitting the ground hard. My bare legs scraped against the rough cement, tearing skin. Because my jeans had grown too dirty and torn, I'd been forced to wear a pair of shorts from the backpack Sydney had brought me. I ignored the pain, shooting right back up with speed the Strigoi didn't expect. My stake found his heart. The hit wasn't as hard as I would have liked, but it was enough to throw him off, then allowing me to drive the stake in further and finish him. Not even waiting to see him fall, I jerked my stake out and turned toward the othe rs. I hadn't hesitated once in the battle I'd just fought, but now, I paused at what I saw. Dimitri's face. It was †¦ terrifying. Ferocious. He'd had a similar look when he'd defended me at my arrest–that badass warrior god expression that said he could take on hell itself. The way he looked now †¦ well, it took that fierceness to a whole new level. This was personal, I realized. Fighting these Strigoi wasn't just about finding Sonya and helping Lissa. This was about redemption, an attempt to destroy his past by destroying the evil directly in his path. I moved to join him, just as he staked the second henchman. There was power in that strike, much more power than Dimitri needed as he shoved the Strigoi against the brick wall and pierced his heart. It was impossible, but I could imagine that stake going straight through the body and into the wall. Dimitri put more attention and effort into that kill than he should have. He should have responded like I had and immediately turned to the next threat, once the Strigoi was dead. Instead, Dimitri was so fixated on his victim that he didn't notice Donovan taking advantage of the situation. Fortunately for Dimitri, I had his back. I slammed my body into Donovan's, shoving him away from Dimitri. As I did, I saw Dimitri pull out his stake and then slam the body against the wall again. Meanwhile, I'd successfully drawn Donovan's attention and was now having a difficult time eluding him without killing him. â€Å"Dimitri!' I yelled. â€Å"Come help me. I need you!' I couldn't see what Dimitri was doing, but a few seconds later, he was by my side. With what almost sounded like a roar, he leapt at Donovan, stake out, and knocked the Strigoi to the ground. I breathed a sigh of relief and moved in to help with the restraint. Then, I saw Dimitri line up his stake with Donovan's heart. â€Å"No!' I dropped to the ground, trying to both hold Donovan and push away Dimitri's arm. â€Å"We need him! Don't kill him!' From the look on Dimitri's face, it was unclear if he even heard me. There was death in his eyes. He wanted to kill Donovan. The desire had suddenly taken precedence. Still trying to hold Donovan with one arm, I smacked Dimitri in the face with my other hand–going for the side I hadn't punched the other night. I don't think he felt the pain in his adrenaline rage, but the hit got his attention. â€Å"Don't kill him!' I repeated. The command made it through to Dimitri. Our struggle, unfortunately, gave Donovan maneuvering room. He started to break free of us, but then, as one, Dimitri and I threw ourselves into holding Donovan. I was reminded of the time I'd questioned Strigoi in Russia. It had taken a whole group of dhampirs to restrain one Strigoi, but Dimitri seemed to have unnatural strength. â€Å"When we were interrogating, we used to–‘ My words were interrupted when Dimitri decided to utilize his own method of interrogation. He gripped Donovan by the shoulders and shook him hard, causing the Strigoi to keep hitting his head against the cement. â€Å"Where is Sonya Karp?' roared Dimitri. â€Å"I don't–‘ began Donovan. But Dimitri had no patience for Strigoi evasion. â€Å"Where is she? I know you know her!' â€Å"I–‘ â€Å"Where is she?' I saw something on Donovan's face that I'd never seen in a Strigoi before: fear. I'd thought it was an emotion they simply didn't possess. Or, if they did, it was only in the battles they fought with one another. They wouldn't waste time with fear around lowly dhampirs. But oh, Donovan was scared of Dimitri. And to be honest, I was too. Those red-ringed eyes were wide–wide, desperate, and terrified. When Donovan blurted out his next words, something told me they were true. His fear wasn't giving him a chance to lie. He was too shocked and unprepared by all of this. â€Å"Paris,' he gasped out. â€Å"She's in Paris!' â€Å"Christ,' I exclaimed. â€Å"We cannot road trip to Paris.' Donovan shook his head (in as much as he could with Dimitri shaking him in return). â€Å"It's a small town–an hour away. There's this tiny lake. Hardly anyone on it. Blue house.' Vague directions. We needed more. â€Å"Do you have an addr–‘ Dimitri apparently didn't share my need for more information. Before I could finish speaking, his stake was out–and in Donovan's heart. The Strigoi made a horrible, blood-curdling scream that faded as death took him. I winced. How long until someone heard all this and called the police? Dimitri pulled his stake out–and then stabbed Donovan again. And again. I stared in disbelief and horror, frozen for a few moments. Then, I grabbed Dimitri's arm and began shaking him, though I felt like I would have had more effect shaking the building behind me. â€Å"He's dead, Dimitri! He's dead! Stop this. Please.' Dimitri's face still wore that terrible, terrible expression–rage, now marked with a bit of desperation. Desperation that told him if he could only obliterate Donovan, then maybe he could obliterate everything else bad in his life. I didn't know what to do. We had to get out of here. We had to get Sydney to disintegrate the bodies. Time was ticking, and I just kept repeating myself. â€Å"He's dead! Let it go. Please. He's dead.' Then, somewhere, somehow, I broke through to Dimitri. His motions slowed and finally stopped. The hand holding the stake dropping weakly to his side as he stared at what was left of Donovan–which wasn't pretty. The rage on Dimitri's face completely gave way to desperation †¦ and then that gave way to despair. I tugged gently on his arm. â€Å"It's over. You've done enough.' â€Å"It's never enough, Roza,' he whispered. The grief in his voice killed me. â€Å"It'll never be enough.' â€Å"It is for now,' I said. I pulled him to me. Unresisting, he let go of his stake and buried his face against my shoulder. I dropped my stake as well and embraced him, drawing him closer. He wrapped his arms around me in return, seeking the contact of another living being, the contact I'd long known he needed. â€Å"You're the only one.' He clung more tightly to me. â€Å"The only one who understands. The only one who saw how I was. I could never explain it to anyone †¦ you're the only one. The only one I can tell this to †¦' I closed my eyes for a moment, overpowered by what he was saying. He might have sworn allegiance to Lissa, but that didn't mean he'd fully revealed his heart to her. For so long, he and I had been in perfect sync, always understanding each other. That was still the case, no matter if we were together, no matter if I was with Adrian. Dimitri had always kept his heart and feelings guarded until meeting me. I thought he'd locked them back up, but apparently, he still trusted me enough to reveal what was killing him inside. I opened my eyes and met his dark, earnest gaze. â€Å"It's okay,' I said. â€Å"It's okay now. I'm here. I'll always be here for you.' â€Å"I dream about them, you know. All the innocents I killed.' His eyes drifted back to Donovan's body. â€Å"I keep thinking †¦ maybe if I destroy enough Strigoi, the nightmares will go away. That I'll be certain I'm not one of them.' I touched his chin, turning his face back toward mine and away from Donovan. â€Å"No. You have to destroy Strigoi because they're evil. Because that's what we do. If you want the nightmares to go away, you have to live. That's the only way. We could have died just now. We didn't. Maybe we'll die tomorrow. I don't know. What matters is that we're alive now.' I was rambling at this point. I had never seen Dimitri so low, not since his restoration. He'd claimed being Strigoi had killed so many of his emotions. It hadn't. They were there, I realized. Everything he had been was still inside, only coming out in bursts–like this moment of rage and despair. Or when he'd defended me from the arresting guardians. The old Dimitri wasn't gone. He was just locked away, and I didn't know how to let him out. This wasn't what I did. He was always the one with words of wisdom and insight. Not me. Still, he was listening now. I had his attention. What could I say? What could get through to him? â€Å"Remember what you said earlier?' I asked. â€Å"Back in Rubysville? Living is in the details. You've got to appreciate the details. That's the only way to defeat what the Strigoi did to you. The only way to bring back who you really are. You said it yourself: you escaped with me to feel the world again. Its beauty.' Dimitri started to turn toward Donovan again, but I wouldn't let him. â€Å"There's nothing beautiful here. Only death.' â€Å"That's only true if you let them make it true,' I said desperately, still feeling the press of time. â€Å"Find one thing. One thing that's beautiful. Anything. Anything that shows you're not one of them.' His eyes were back on me, studying my face silently. Panic raced through me. It wasn't working. I couldn't do this. We were going to have to get out of here, regardless of whatever state he was in. I knew he'd leave, too. If I'd learned anything, it was that Dimitri's warrior instincts were still working. If I said danger was coming, he would respond instantly, no matter the self-torment he felt. I didn't want that, though. I didn't want him to leave in despair. I wanted him to leave here one step closer to being the man I knew he could be. I wanted him to have one less nightmare. It was beyond my abilities, though. I was no therapist. I was about to tell him we had to get out there, about to make his soldier reflexes kick in, when he suddenly spoke. His voice was barely a whisper. â€Å"Your hair.' â€Å"What?' For a second, I wondered if it was on fire or something. I touched a stray lock. No, nothing wrong except that it was a mess. I'd bound it up for battle to prevent the Strigoi from using it as a handhold, like Angeline had. Much of it had come undone in the struggle, though. â€Å"Your hair,' repeated Dimitri. His eyes were wide, almost awestruck. â€Å"Your hair is beautiful.' I didn't think so, not in its current state. Of course, considering we were in a dark alley filled with bodies, the choices were kind of limited. â€Å"You see? You're not one of them. Strigoi don't see beauty. Only death. You found something beautiful. One thing that's beautiful.' Hesitantly, nervously, he ran his fingers along the strands I'd touched earlier. â€Å"But is it enough?' â€Å"It is for now.' I pressed a kiss to his forehead and helped him stand. â€Å"It is for now.'

History of Deforestation

History of Deforestation Introduction Deforestation was largely driven by the need to meet man’s needs. In the beginning, these were subsistence-based and individualistic; therefore, the level of destruction was not as enormous.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on History of Deforestation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Ancient populations highly depended on wood for fuel, and needed access to land for agriculture. The rise of industrialisation deflated pressures on forests for fuel, but technological developments caused commercialisation of tree-cutting. Patterns of deforestation since early modern times 1600s In the 1600s, deforestation was employed in order to provide man with land for agricultural use. Fire was the preferred method of forest balding among native populations. However, because the population was small, the effects of their activities were not as substantial at the time.1 Later on, European settlers started moving into areas that were previously dominated by natives. They regarded forests as features that needed to be removed. In fact, most farmers in those early times spent most of their time clearing forests, making fences and establishing a new system of agriculture. Implements were few and far between, thus making the methods of deforestation less dependent on technology. However the pioneer farmer was still well aware of the importance of his forests in his life. He did not plan on eliminating all forests because they were crucial resource points. They provided him with food for fuel and house fencing. Forests were also a rich source of nuts, berries and other products. Axmen did most of the clearing through direct cutting. Alternatively, they would cut vital elements of the tree in order to cause the upper part of the tree to fall off gradually.2Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More 1700s In the 1700s shipbuilding became a common activity. The birth of the naval store affected the pattern of deforestation in Britain. A naval store encompassed all those products that were needed in order to run ships. Sails, ropes and planks in the ships required products derived from trees. In the previous century, pioneer farmers had discovered the commercial value of certain tree products. Alongside the products, timber itself was sold to various households through community markets. The products that were derived from trees included tar, turpentine, pitch and potash; they could all be used for various purposes. A critical shift in the eighteenth century occurred when farmers in North America stopped relying on their own citizens to provide a market for their timber-derived products. These were exported to distant locations in Europe; exporting towns were all areas that firmly depended upon the existence of wood to operate. At that time, much of the economy revolved ar ound timber. In the 1600s, most naval supplies for the British navy did not come from North America; they emanated from the Scandinavian countries. However, this dramatically changed when the US was discovered as a source for the products.3 Hemp was obtained from the barks of trees after the trees had been cut off. Individuals would make incisions in certain parts of trees so as to facilitate the collection of the sap, which was later collected in barrels, distilled and sold. Actual use of wood for construction also contributed to massive deforestation in the US. Some of the planks would be employed in the creation of ships. These vessels were small but much in number. Constructors wanted to incorporate the risk of returning empty vessels. Alongside the ship industry, construction of log cabins or houses also contributed towards greater deforestation. Certain individuals built sawmills that would guarantee an ample supply of wood to their townsmen as well as to other external market s. In fact after 1720, numerous sawmills began flourishing.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on History of Deforestation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Most of them were based on contracts between local administrators and apprentices. They were supposed to engage in the deforestation of local trees for the local population first before they could use them for commercial purposes. After several of these sawmills came up, a thriving commercial wood industry emerged. Most of these mills were found very near the forest for convenience. A number of them were primitive in nature because they employed manual labour or simple fulcrums for movement.4 The latter types were powered using water sources and were more efficient than the former type. An export industry started to emerge around the felling of tress. The US began exporting planks and boards to various markets through its coastal towns. This was especially prevalent af ter 1775. Wood was a critical source of energy for most communities in the eighteenth century, and that contributed towards massive deforestation. At the time, most settlers relied upon the use of charcoal for their personal energy use. Iron smelters were one of the most vital consumers of wood in the late 1700s. Iron consumption was common in Britain as far back as the seventeenth century. However, production was low-cost in England because they had discovered coke as a source of energy.5 The same did not occur in the US. Most iron smelters relied upon wood for energy. Furnaces were constructed in a manner that necessitated the use of charcoal. In another part of the world i.e. Japan, forests were also used for a myriad of purposes. Some supplies would be utilised by the army while others were employed domestically for heating and cooking.Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, a rapid rise in population meant that forests were inadequate to meet man’s needs. Leaders realized that they needed to alter their patterns of deforestation in order to make it sustainable. This country started a community forest management project that would spearhead the plantation of several tree species. Therefore this part of the earth was one of the initial countries to start reforestation projects. Environmentalism in Japan began in 1660 but intensified in the eighteenth century. Successes were reported years later, i.e. in the twentieth century. 1800s Fuel consumption levels were so high in iron-smelting furnaces thus making it imperative to fell massive acres of trees. In fact, pig iron led to forest recession and shortages in several parts of North America. A number of entrepreneurs had to abandon their furnaces because they lacked ample sources of coal. Usually, most furnace owners either leased or bought forested areas in order to cover their fuel needs. However, such activities contributed to the detriment of forests in approximately ten to fifteen years. Therefore, charcoal burners were responsible for this tragedy in the forests. Unlike their British counterparts, the Americans preferred to use this environmentally unfriendly method because the type of iron that coal made was in demand. Additionally, there was an abundance of wood in the US compared to Britain, which had already started experiencing shortages from as early as the 1600s. In the US, charcoal burning was done through creation of pits in forests. This had a sterilising effect on soil and prevented re-growth of trees in the future. Charcoal burning also ruined tree stands and changed their composition if the tree grew back. Land clearing for farming still continued in the US. However, farmers were sometimes overwhelmed by the amount of pasture land that they created after deforestation. They needed woodland for fuel and pasture for their livestock. Therefore, farmers needed to strike a balance between crop land and land to be used for pasture or woodlands. This continued into the 1800s. After 1860, some stakeholders realized that forests in the US were in danger and they began talking about it. Such individuals were especially concerned about the use of slash and burn techniques. 1900s Energy use in the 1900s changed dramatically, after the discovery petroleumbased products; a lot of pressure was taken off trees. Deforestation was done in order to obtain wood for construction rather than energy use. Additionally, the industrial era depended more on iron than on wood. Colonising countries wanted to preserve their own wood resources so they started tapping their colons’ resources. Deforestation in West Africa was commonplace. Other European countries also secured their own supplies of timber from countries such as Malaysia. The US started getting its resources from Brazil and the Philippines while Japan banked its own trees. It depended on Indonesia and other South Eastern countries.6 Therefore, one may assert that there was a global spread of deforestation. In less-developed parts of the world, tree cutting continued for farming purposes but also for commercial use. In developed nations, creation of paper, construction and other wood-derived products continued to perpetuate the needs for destruction of forests. After the 1960s, some improvements emerged because of the growth of environmentalists and other tree lovers. This caused a decrease in forest destruction and the use of wood alternatives.7 Differences between old and new patterns of use of forests Tree cutting in the old era was done in order to meet immediate needs. Commercial uses of timber were not a priority for those communities. Most wanted to access farmland and provide pasture for their livestock. Since there was plenty of wood supply, most ancient communities did not give much thought to their tree- cutting activities. Therefore, one might add that d eforestation was done on a subsistence level. Individuals lacked the machines and technology needed to engage in massive deforestation. Additionally, because populations were still low in number, forest use was minimal in nature.8 However, current patterns reveal that most deforestation is commercially-based. It is driven by enterprises and can thus prove to be more detrimental than the old approach. Even if deforestation is done for agricultural purposes, one may find that these attempts are often state sponsored and are done in order to facilitate large-s scale agricultural production. Cases such as Indonesia and Brazil are ideal examples of this new pattern of forest use. Their governments actively promoted rural development through construction of roads and commercial agriculture. This is quite different from the kind of forest destruction that was done by European settlers in the US. Their major concern was to meet their immediate needs. Globalisation is also another theme that can be found in new patterns of forest use but not in old ones. Although some wood-derived products were transported to Britain from the US, it was evident that in the seventeenth century, most forests were to be used by locals. Furthermore, it was the locals who did most of the deforestation; they only exported the derivatives of those products to other nations. In new patterns of forest use, distant countries initiated deforestation in different states. Therefore, the process took on an international dimension. For instance, the United States sourced its products from Brazil while Japan sourced its products from Indonesia. This reflects the globalization of deforestation and the need for self preservation. Most developed nations wanted to bank their forests while still enjoying the benefits of wood products. The spread of deforestation may have been caused by international stakeholders just as much as it was caused by locals.9 New patterns of forest use are also different from ol d patterns because current endeavours reflect conservation policies. Many environmentalists have spearheaded efforts in various sectors that directly or indirectly depend on deforestation for survival. These individuals have contributed towards the minimisation of unwarranted forest destruction. Such environmentalists did not exist in the ancient times. Developments in energy sources and technology have minimised the use of trees as sources of fuel in developed nations. This was not true in the past since coal was a vital cause of deforestation. Logging was often done in order to meet energy needs domestically and commercially. Smelting of iron and other industrial related needs took place through wood- derived fuels. Currently, forests are useful for the creation of certain products. However, these products cannot be created from certain parts of trees; they must come from the large scale elimination of trees. Therefore, while new patterns of forest use may have been propelled by o ther needs, they still present a serious threat to forests.10 Conclusion Man has always seen forests as a means to an end; trees enable him to meet his needs. However, changing technological advancements and needs altered the patterns of forest use. Some of the objectives that motivated man to cut trees were eliminated in subsequent times while new ones came into existence. This explains the prevalence of globalisation (international sourcing of wood) and large scale deforestation as trends in forest use today. Bibliography Braudel, F, The Structures of Everyday Life, Harper and Row, New York, 1979. Brimblecombe, P and Pfister, C, The Silent Countdown, Springer, New York, 1990. Cronon, W, Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists and the Ecology of New England, Hill and Wang, NY, 1983. Dargavel, J, Fashioning Australia‘s Forests, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1995 Goudie, A, The Human Impact on the Environment, 2d ed, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1986 Radkau, J, Nature and Power: A Global History of the Environment, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2008. Schama, S, Landscape and Memory, Alfred Knopf, New York, 1995. Thirgood, J, Man and the Mediterranean Forest: A History of Resource Depletion, Academic Press, New York, 1981. Williams, M, Americans and their Forests: A Historical Geography, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,1989. Williams, M, Deforesting the Earth: From prehistory to global crisis, University of Chicago press, Chicago, 2003. Footnotes 1W Cronon, Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists and the Ecology of New England, Hill and Wang, NY, 1983. 2 S Schama, Landscape and Memory, Alfred Knopf, New York, 1995. 3 M Williams, Deforesting the Earth: From prehistory to global crisis, University of Chicago press, Chicago, 2003. 4M Williams, Americans and their Forests: A Historical Geography, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,1989. 5 P Brimblecombe and C Pfister, The Silent Countdown, Springer, New York, 1990. 6 J Radkau, Natur e and Power: A Global History of the Environment, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2008. 7 A Goudie, The Human Impact on the Environment, 2d ed, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1986. 8 J Dargavel, Fashioning Australia‘s Forests, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1995. 9 F Braudel, The Structures of Everyday Life, Harper and Row, New York, 1979. 10 J Thirgood, Man and the Mediterranean Forest: A History of Resource Depletion, Academic Press, New York, 1981.