Kellogg's Market analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Kellogg's Market analysis - Essay Example This has provided a good opportunity to companies like Kellogg’s. Similar emphasis is being placed on products which can provide good nutritional values and energy and are easily portable. Jaffer (2008) points out that with such considerations gaining ground Kellogg’s has repositioned its K-bar as an energy bar. This bar was traditionally positioned as an alternative to its breakfast cereal line, but now it focuses on the consumer’s demand for more natural energy. The company recorded revenues worth $11,776 million during the FY2007, an increase of 8% over FY2006. The key areas in which Kellogg’s operates has been primarily divided into four major segments like North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific. This helps the company in devising segment specific strategies for these geographical regions. For example, in India Kellogg’s launched an SMS advertising campaign to tie in with its offline advertising for corn flake brands (Media Asia, 2004). With use of mobile phones increasing and the growing number of mobile users in the billion strong markets, mobile branding is one of the innovative techniques that are being used by this American MNC. Being a leader in the business, the company has been able to take advantage of its strategic placement and alliance in different markets to successfully experiment with new initiatives. One of the key focus areas for Kellogg’s is the ‘Children segment’. This prompted the company to enter into a multi-year global relationship with Disney in 2002. Some of the st rengths and weaknesses of Kellogg’s can be summarised as follows; Strong Brand Identity: Having a glorious past of more than 100 years Kellogg’s is a well known brand in many parts of the world. The portfolio of product brands offering corn flakes, Keebler, Chocos, Pop-Tarts, Eggo, Cheez-It, Nutri-Grain, Rice Krispies, Special K, Murray, Austin, Morningstar

The Yoruba Rites of Passage Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Yoruba Rites of Passage - Term Paper Example The Yoruba is considered as one of the largest ethnic communities in Africa having a population of approximately 30 million people (Johnson 16). The community is mostly found in countries such as Nigeria, Benin and Togo, though it is possible to find that there are some who have migrated to other countries such as the US and other destinations for immigrants. These subgroups are 20 in number and are as a result of the fact that the community had 20 kingdoms, each led by an independent king and when the kingdoms were dissolved, the communities continued to recognize themselves in that scope. Much of the economic activities conducted by this community mainly involve farming (Akintoye 29). However, due to industrialization and subsequent rapid urbanization, some of the members have migrated to urban areas in search of formal employment, but it is observed that even in these areas, the Yoruba people still engage in crop production though in a minimal scale. As with any other community in Africa and the world in general, the Yoruba’s have their own unique culture which is greatly respected and strictly followed by the members. This is despite the fact that the community is surrounded by diversity, especially in religious dimension, which has the capacity to influence and assimilate these people thereby resulting to abandonment of traditional practices (Ambibola 22). This paper will examine the Yoruba’s culture in the context of rites of passage, i.e. traditional practices conducted in defining moments such as birth, marriage and eventually, death. Birth The birth of a child is an event that is received with great joy and happiness as it involves the introduction of a new life to the world. It facilitates the continuation of a family lineage and the existence of a community, which may otherwise become extinct in the absence of new births to compensate lost lives. The Yoruba people are no different from other communities in recognizing the importance of new births. This may be the reason why every newborn child must undergo two major processes that include welcoming and naming which are celebrated in two different occasions. In these occasions, tradition demands that parties be held and in this case, Iko Omo and Isomo Loruko are the two words that are used to refer to the welcoming and the naming parties respectively (Akintoye 41). In both Iko Omo and Isomo Loruko, the family must ensure that proper planning is done as these are considered to be the most important and probably defining moments for the child’s future. Depending on the financial capability of the family, it is a requirement that food be in plenty and to achieve this, most of the people opt to slaughter a cow or a goat. Buying of new clothes is also a component of these celebrations as family members must look smart and presentable in an effort to signify their status and also to symbolize their joy for the arrival of the new born (Lawal and Sadiku 22). It may be observable that buying of new clothes during important occasions such as Christmas. It is a common practice in most of the societies and this may be interpreted to signify their celebratory mood. It is also common for parents and the family of the newborn to hire celebrities such as musicians to entertain the crowd with music. Also, when these celebrations are in progress, traffic along the streets near the venue of the celebrations may be disrupted as a result of people blocking the roads while singing and dancing such that anyone familiar with the Yoruba culture would definitely tell what is

Different Reactions From The Brine Shrimp Biology Essay

Different Reactions From The Brine Shrimp Biology Essay The objective of the Pharmacology Lab is to find the lethal chemical(s) or the LD50 relevant to a certain genus. In order for a chemical to be considered the LD50, 50% of the population of the organism present in a container must die. A total of three trials and four tests are completed to determine whether or not the chemical has the ability to kill the brine shrimp. The three trials contain 5mL of the chemical in each container, while the four tests have different amounts of the chemical in each container. The amount of water used for both the trials and tests remain constant at 40mL. Once the correct amount of the required substances and brine shrimp are placed into their respective and labeled containers for both trials and tests, they are then moved under a desk light. For the next duration of time, the death rate of the brine shrimp and the physical or behavioral changes visible are observed and recorded. After performing the experiments, the data shows that a great number of t hese selected regular household items have deadly chemicals in them that can kill other living organisms if given the right amount of dosage, including humans. Out of all five products, the LD50 was only found in soda and hydrogen peroxide. Lemon juice, nail polish remover, and hand sanitizer were not considered the LD50 because the death rate percentage was higher than 50%. This research provides a better understanding of how toxic household chemicals are. Products that were created for consuming such as the Lemon Juice and Soda were found to instantly and over a certain amount of time, kill the brine shrimp once in contact. II. Introduction In this experiment, one of the main purposes is to find the LD50 of several household chemicals on Brine Shrimp. LD means lethal dose of a certain product. The LD50 formula gives the estimate of deaths of half a population when receiving the molarity of each chemical. A possible solution to this problem is to perform and experiment where an organism is tested on with different types of chemicals for the death rate. Brine shrimp, the genus used, are aquatic crustaceans that can be grown by adding water and brine shrimp eggs into a tank. This process takes approximately two days. Brine shrimp lives in salt water, but can also survive in regular water for 24 hours. Completing this experiment determines whether they can survive a certain about of chemicals in different time intervals. This lab contains five different chemicals including: nail polish remover, hydrogen peroxide, lemon juice, hand sanitizer, and lemon soda. These household chemicals are tested as the positive controls, whil e the negative control is water. With five positive controls, there would be different results from each chemical. As the experiment takes place through four tests; each containing 3 trials; the observation of the deaths of brine shrimp demonstrates the amount of time they can survive in new obscure habitats. The test of each chemical shows whether there are traces of deadly substances, which could help find the measures of toxicity in each chemical. Testing the toxicity by molarity and time shows the maximum amount of toxicity that humans can handle to be able to survive. The experiment is an example of how living organisms react to chemicals. The brine shrimp will play the role of the organism. However, different organisms will have different reactions depending on their adaptations and physical traits. As the brine shrimp take in the chemicals, the inability to survive increases. The death of the aquatic crustaceans shows how toxic harmless household chemicals can truly be.This lab will explore the ingredients from the five chemicals used. The observations of the LD50 will determine which chemical is deadlier than the others, causing the public to be more aware of these fatal factors. III. Methods: The brine shrimp are grown by adding water and brine shrimp eggs into a tank. Brine shrimp takes two days to mature enough to be experimented on. The lethal chemical(s) or the LD50 are found by placing different substances mixed with water into containers with nine brine shrimp. Through a series of tests and trials, the lethal chemicals are distinguished. A total of three trials and four tests are completed to determine whether or not the chemical has the ability to kill the brine shrimp. The three trials contain 5ml of the chemical in each container, while the four tests have different amounts of the chemical in each container; (5ml, 10ml, 15ml, and 20ml). The amount of water used for both the trials and tests remain constant at 40ml. Once the correct amount of the required substances the brine shrimp are placed into their labeled containers for both trials and tests. Next, the Brine shrimp are moved under a desk light because they are attracted to any form of light. The death rate and physical or behavioral changes of the brine shrimp are observed and recorded in tests with intervals of 10-minute trials and 5-30 minutes. This lab consists of four tests and three trials for five different chemicals to find the LD50. The positive controls include: Super Chill Lemon Lime soda, hydrogen peroxide, House Recipe lemon juice, 2.2 oz. of Assured Aloe Vera scented hand sanitizer and 2.2 oz. of ONYX Professional lavender scented nail polish remover, while the negative control is water throughout the entire experiment. For each test, there are three trials performed beforehand. Twenty seven brine shrimp are needed for the trials. For each of the three trials, nine brine shrimp are obtained from the twenty seven. Then, 40mL of distilled water is added to the brine shrimp container through pipettes and graduated cylinders; the total volume of water for each trial is 40mL in order to maintain consistency. From each chemical, 5mL are added into the labeled containers of the 40 mL distilled water. Once all substances are added, the containers are placed under direct light from a desk lamp because brine shrimp are att racted to light. Through five tests after the three trials, various amounts of nail polish remover, hydrogen peroxide, lemon juice, hand sanitizer, and Sprite soda are added to its assigned containers. For each test, there will be four containers for the different amounts used of each chemical. The first container contains 5mL of the chemical while the other three containers will have an increase of 5mL from the prior container. This process will be done five times for the five chemicals used. The counts of deceased shrimp after each time interval are recorded over a course of 5 minutes to 30 minutes in percentages. Different reactions from the brine shrimp were recorded in the data table as well as pictures being taken. This procedure was used according to the outline given in order to achieve the objective of this lab. Given a certain the amount of time, three trials and four tests were used. In the procedure, several changes were included, instead of adding 40ml of water with the nine brine shrimp, 40ml of water was added to the desired chemical first to have enough time to collect the brine shrimp for the specific trial and test. IV. Data Data table for Trial: Peroxide (3 trials total) @ (5ml of chemical) PH: 7 Time interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 10 mins move erratically; attracted to light; hitting against the cup 0% 0 10 mins move erratically, attracted to light 11% 1 10 mins move erratically, attracted to light 11% 1 Data table for Test: Peroxide 5mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min has bubbles 0% 0 10 min has bubbles 0% 0 15 min has bubbles 22% 2 20 min has bubbles 22% 2 25 min has bubbles 33% 3 30 min has bubbles 33% 3 Data table for Test: Peroxide 10mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min has bubbles 44% 4 10 min has bubbles 44% 4 15 min has bubbles 44% 4 20 min has bubbles 44% 4 25 min has bubbles 44% 4 30 min has bubbles 44% 4 Data table for Test: Peroxide 15mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min has bubbles 33% 3 10 min has bubbles 44% 4 15 min has bubbles 44% 4 20 min has bubbles 55% 5 25 min has bubbles 55% 5 30 min has bubbles 55% 5 Data table for Test: Peroxide 20mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min has bubbles 33% 3 10 min has bubbles 33% 3 15 min shrimp turn orange 44% 4 20 min has bubbles 55% 5 25 min has bubbles 55% 5 30 min has bubbles 55% 5 Data table for Trial: Nail Polish Remover (3 trials total) @ (5ml of chemical) PH: 7 Time interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 10 mins hitting against the cup under the light 22% 2 10 mins hitting against the cup under the light 22% 2 10 mins hitting against the cup under the light 22% 2 Data table for Test: Nail Polish 5mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min has bubbles 11% 1 10 min has bubbles 22% 2 15 min has bubbles 22% 2 20 min has bubbles 55% 5 25 min has bubbles 66% 6 30 min has bubbles 66% 6 Data table for Test: Nail Polish 10mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min has bubbles 100% 9 10 min has bubbles 100% 9 15 min has bubbles 100% 9 20 min has bubbles 100% 9 25 min has bubbles 100% 9 30 min has bubbles 100% 9 Data table for Test: Nail Polish 15mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min has bubbles 100% 9 10 min has bubbles 100% 9 15 min has bubbles 100% 9 20 min has bubbles 100% 9 25 min has bubbles 100% 9 30 min has bubbles 100% 9 Data table for Test: Nail Polish 20mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min has bubbles 100% 9 10 min has bubbles 100% 9 -15 min has bubbles 100% 9 20 min has bubbles 100% 9 25 min has bubbles 100% 9 30 min has bubbles 100% 9 Data table for Trial: Lemon (3 trials total) @ (5ml of chemical) PH: 2 Time interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 10 mins some floats 100% 9 10 mins transparent with some orange 100% 9 10 mins completely transparent 100% 9 Data table for Test: Lemon 5 mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min completely transparent 100% 9 10 min completely transparent 100% 9 15 min completely transparent 100% 9 20 min completely transparent 100% 9 25 min completely transparent 100% 9 30 min completely transparent 100% 9 Data table for Test: Lemon 10mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min completely transparent 100% 9 10 min completely transparent 100% 9 15 min completely transparent 100% 9 20 min completely transparent 100% 9 25 min completely transparent 100% 9 30 min completely transparent 100% 9 Data table for Test: Lemon 15mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min completely transparent 100% 9 10 min completely transparent 100% 9 15 min completely transparent 100% 9 20 min completely transparent 100% 9 25 min completely transparent 100% 9 30 min completely transparent 100% 9 Data table for Test: Lemon 20mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min completely transparent 100% 9 10 min completely transparent 100% 9 15 min completely transparent 100% 9 20 min completely transparent 100% 9 25 min completely transparent 100% 9 30 min completely transparent 100% 9 Data table for Trial: Hand Sanitizer (3 trials total) @ (5ml of chemical) PH: 7 Time interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 10 mins shrimp turns orange 33% 3 10 mins all on the bottom 33% 3 10 mins against the wall 22% 2 Data table for Test: Hand Sanitizer 5 mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min turns orange 66% 6 10 min turns orange 66% 6 15 min turns orange 77% 7 20 min turns orange 77% 7 25 min turns orange 100% 9 30 min turn orange 100% 9 Data table for Test: Hand Sanitizer- 10mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min turns orange 22% 2 10 min turns orange 33% 3 15 min turns orange 55% 5 20 min turns orange 55% 5 25 min turns orange 88% 8 30 min turns orange 100% 9 Data table for Test:Hand Sanitizer- 15mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min turns orange 44% 4 10 min turns orange 66% 6 15 min turns orange 66% 6 20 min turns orange 66% 6 25 min turns orange 77% 7 30 min turns orange 100% 9 Data table for Test: Hand Sanitizer- 20mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min turns orange 88% 8 10 min turns orange 88% 8 15 min turns orange 100% 9 20 min turns orange 100% 9 25 min turns orange 100% 9 30 min turns orange 100% 9 Data table for Trial: soda (3 trials total) @ (5ml of chemical) PH: 7 Time interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 10 mins bubbles 22% 2 10 mins some are orange 22% 2 10 mins some are orange 22% 2 Data table for Test: soda 5 mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min bubbles 11% 1 10 min bubbles 11% 1 15 min bubbles 11% 1 20 min bubbles 11% 1 25 min bubbles 22% 2 30 min bubbles 22% 2 Data table for Test: soda 10mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min bubbles 55% 5 10 min bubbles 55% 5 15 min bubbles 55% 5 20 min bubbles 55% 5 25 min bubbles 55% 5 30 min bubbles 55% 5 Data table for Test: soda- 15mL Time Interval Observations Deaths (%) Deaths (#) 5 min bubbles 44% 4 10 min bubbles 44% 4 15 min bubbles 55% 5 20 min bubbles 66% 6 25 min bubbles 66% 6 30 min bubbles 77% 7 Data table for Test: soda 20mL: Time Interval Observations Death (%) Deaths (#) 5 min bubbles 88% 8 10 min bubbles 88% 8 15 min bubbles 88% 8 20 min bubbles 88% 8 25 min bubbles 88% 8 30 min bubbles 88% 8 V. Analysis The LD50 for hydrogen peroxide is approximately 0.24 molars. Hydrogen peroxide has 3% Hydrogen Peroxide (Stabilized), Purpose First Aid Antiseptic/Oral Debriding Agent. Its Inactive Ingredient is Purified Water. Hydrogen peroxide is a deteriorizing agent that is commonly used as a hair bleach when diluted. An Oral debriding agent describes what the hydrogen peroxide can do. This means that the hydrogen peroxide when diulted in water can help heal minor mouth and gum irritation. Since all living organisms have an enzyme called peroxidase, it helps decompose low concentrations hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. . There is no LD50 for nail polish remover. Nail Polish remover has the ingredients: Acetone, aqua, denatonium benzoate, tocopheryl acetate, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, parfum(means perfume in french), Cl 45410(dye), Cl 60730(dye). Denatonium benzoate is a chemical compound known to prevent and discourage people from drinking harmful products. Tocopheryl acetate, also known as vitamin E acetate provides beneficial antioxidant effects. Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, also know as Aloe Vera is a plant. When consumed, it can help relieve irritable bowel syndrome and heartburn. Acetone is an organic compound that is a colorless and flammable liquid. Concluding that acetone is the lethal ingredient and causes the death of the brine shrimp when ingested, it will cause liver problems, which causes the liver to have a hard time breaking them down. Large intake of acetone can lead to unconsciousness and death. There was no LD50 for Lemon; the ingredients in the lemon juice packets include water, lemon juice concentrate, sodium benzoate, sodium bisulfite, and lemon oil. Sodium Benozoate is a type of salt often used a preservative because it works well at killing bacteria, yeast, and fungi. Sodium bisulfite is a food addictive. When in contact with chlorine bleach, it will release harmful fumes.The brine shrimp died within 20 minutes because of the sodium benzoate in the lemon juice packet, which is a type of salt mixed together with vitamin C causes a carcinogen substance called benzene. Benzene is a carcinogen because when exposed into the air, it can cause leukemia. Eating or drinking substances with high levels of benzene can cause vomiting, dizziness, sleepiness, and or death. It may not be lethal enough to kill humans yet, but having a high amount of the lemon juice packets can potentially kill a human or any living organism. There is no LD50 for Hand Sanitizer but the graph decreases and increases because there was a slight change in the number of brine shrimp needed in each container. The ingredients contained in this chemical are: water, triethanolamine, glycerin, propylene glycol, aloe barbadensis gel(another form of aloe vera), carbomer, fragrance, blue 1(dye), yellow 5(dye), and 62% ethyl alcohol. Triethanolamine is a chemical compound that occasionally causes contact allergy. Glycerin is a simple alcohol compound that is used as a sweetener and sometimes a preservative in food and beverages. Propylene glycol is an organic compound used in many applications such as a food addictive called E number 1520, moisturizer in medicine, and a solvent for food coloring. Carbomer is a synthetic polymer that forms an adhesive eye gel. 62% ethyl alcohol is a flammable liquid used as solvents and fuel. The brine shrimp died because of the 62% ethyl alcohol in the hand sanitizer, when consumed can cause death. Alt hough used in wine and any alcoholic drinks, the drinks only contain small concentrations of alcohol, legal enough to drink. The LD50 for Super chill lemon lime soda is approximately 0.19 molars. The ingredients in the soda are carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, natural flavors, potassium citrate and potassium benzoate. High frutose corn syrup is comprised of many corn syrups that has undergone enzymatic(enzymes that catalyze) process that converts glucose into frutose for desired sweetness. There have been health concerns about raising the risks of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Citric acid is a weak organic acid that is a natural preservative and used to add a sour taste to food and soft drinks. Contact with dry citric acid can result in skin or eye irritation. potassium citrate is a food addictive and used to regulate acidity. It is also a potential health hazard when administered incorrectly. Elevated blood levels of potassium citrate can result in heart attacks and death. Potassium benzoate is a food preservative that inhibits the growth of yeast, mold, and some bacteria. T he reason why the brine shrimp died because of potassium citrate in the soft drink. Too much potassium citrate can cause irregular heartbeat and a risk of having a heart attack. Although there are potassium citrate pills sold in stores, they are only recommended if the person had been having a case of fatigue or muscle weakness. The kidney is responsible for eliminating excess potassium in the body. The molarity formula: iM1V1=1M2V2 was used to find the LD50 and true concentration of each chemical after all the substance has been added to container and totaled. The LD50 for Hydrogen Peroxide is 0.24 molars. The LD50 for Super Chill lemon lime soda is 0.19 molars. There are no LD50 for lemon, nail polish remover, and hand sanitizer because the deaths were higher than fifty percent. The standard deviation at 20 ml for Hydrogen Peroxide is approximately 0.833, for Nail Polish remover, lemon, hand sanitizer, and soda is 0. The chemicals included in this experiment are normally used in everyday use in the household. Chemicals such as peroxide are used to clean injuries or cuts. Hand sanitizer is used to clean 99.9% of bacteria on hands. Nail polish remover is used for getting the nail polish off of the fingernails. Lemon juice packets are used in making the dressing for a salad. The LD50 for Nail Polish remover is 1.159 g/kg for humans when digested. Unfortunately, the LD50 for the r est of chemicals are unavailable because they have only been conducted on rats and mice. Although the results of the data were both consistent and gradual in terms of death percentages, a few of the brine shrimp died before 5 minutes of data was recorded. This indicated that the brine shrimp could not live in the high toxicity levels on some of the chemicals used in this experimentation even with the addition of water. VI. Conclusion This lab is significant because the participants are able to discover the true dangers of certain household products such as hydrogen peroxide, soda, hand sanitizer, lemon juice, and nail polish remover. With everyday household chemicals, a personà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s health can be affected, thus finding the LD50 will tell us how toxic a certain item is. The use of the LD50 is to study the amount of a chemical that will kill 50% of the tested animal, which will show us how dangerous a product can truly be. Some insights include the participants testing the dangers of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“harmlessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  products. The lab offered similarities and an opportunity for a hands on experience of the procedures a toxicologist, like finding the cause and effects of poison. By using mathematical formulas like the molarity formula and the standard deviation formula, accurate and reliable data was collected to find the true concentration of the LD50 chemicals. For example, the data and calculat ions from these formulas show that one of the chemicals, Hydrogen Peroxide is the LD50 with a molarity of 0.24 molars. The data tables show that chemicals like the lemon juice, nail polish remover, and hand sanitizer are not the LD50. This is most likely due to the fact that these products contain amounts of citric acid and alcohol which results in death rates that are over 50%. In the trials and tests, many occurrences of errors and mistakes which could have affected the outcome of the results. In one of the hand sanitizer tests, 18mL was added into the mixture of substance instead of 20mL. Instead of counting the number of death at a certain time, some of the intervals were missed by a minute or two. This lab was not as accurate as expected because of the difficulties experienced during the beginning of the lab. For example, lotion was one of the chemicals to be tested on the brine shrimp prior to the lab. However, because the lotion was dense, it was difficult to mix with the wat er. Also, the color made it nearly impossible to see and count the brine shrimp. These errors could be easily avoided in the future by double checking the amount of a substance being added, keeping track of time, and using transparent products. For a clearer understanding several alterations of a procedure outline, being careful with the amount of measurements and constant data collection could be applied in the future.

Interweaving Characters and Surroundings in Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights :: Wuthering Heights Essays

Wuthering Heights:  Ã‚   Interweaving Characters and Surroundings  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Definitive criteria for judging the success or failure of a work of fiction are not easily agreed upon; individuals almost necessarily introduce bias into any such attempt.   Only those who affect an exorbitantly refined artistic taste, however, would deny the importance of poignancy in literary pieces.   To be sure, writings of dubious and fleeting merit frequently enchant the public, but there is too the occasional author who garners widespread acclaim and whose works remain deeply affecting despite the passage of time.   The continued eminence of the fiction of Emily Bronte attests to her placement into such a category of authors: it is a recognition of her propensity to create poignant and, indeed, successful literature.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights is a novel about lives that cross paths and are intertwined with one another. Healthcliff, an orphan, is taken in by Mr. Earnshaw, the owner of Wuthering Heights. Mr. Earnshaw has two children named Catherine and Hindley. Jealousy between Hindley and Healthcliff was always a problem. Catherine loves Healthcliff, but Hindley hates the stranger for stealing his fathers affection away. Catherine meets Edgar Linton, a young gentleman who lives at Thrushcross Grange. Despite being in love with Healthcliff she marries Edgar elevating her social standing. The characters in this novel are commingled in their relationships with Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. The setting used throughout the novel Wuthering Heights, helps to set the mood to describe the characters. We find two households separated by the cold, muddy, and barren moors, one by the name of Wuthering Heights, and the other Thrushcross Grange. Each house stands alone, in the mist of the dreary land, and the atmosphere creates a mood of isolation. These two places, Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange differ greatly in appearance and mood. These differences reflect the universal conflict between storm and calm that Emily Bronte develops as the theme. Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange both represent several opposing properties which bring about all sorts of bad happenings when they clash. For example, the inhabitants of Wuthering Heights were that of the working class, while those of Thrushcross Grange were high up on the social ladder. The people of Wuthering Heights aspired to be on the same level as the Lintons. This is evident by Heathcliff and Catherine when the peek through their window. In addition, Wuthering Heights was always in a state of storminess while Thrushcross Grange always seemed calm.

Racism among Human Interactions Essay

This essay will shortly focus on cultural diversity as the basis behind racial discrimination; its impact and effects on my community. It is important before in-depth digging on this assignment to consider the subject of racism as first, a belief that radiates passion, capable of igniting different forms of action ranging from discrimination, bulling, oppression, wrong prejudice, violence among others. Racism in accordance to Oxford dictionary is an ideology that holds that a particular racial stratum is characterized with generic abilities or capabilities that is different from other cultural caucus. This specific characteristic is to other culture considered inferior or superior in its whole essence. Some other definitions for racism do hold fast that race is the fundamental identification of human inherent traits (Smedley & Brain 2005). The abilities thereof are a measure of racial dissimilarities that produce visible effect in assuming superiority to other racial groups (Merriam, n. d. ). In another author’s definition for racism, there is a pronouncement that human races possess distinct trait that predetermine their cultural orientation. The orientation thus follows that one’s race is superior and has a predetermined authority to lord control over other races (Macquarie). Legal description of the term racial discrimination according to the submit of U. N. Convention on Racial Discrimination Elimination in March 1966, â€Å"it shall be any form of separation, exclusion, refrain, or preference based on racial origin in terms of color, descendant, nationality, ethnic group which result in impairing or infringing an equality in recognition, exercise of fundamental human right to freedom in affairs such as political platform, socioeconomic, cultural or any other diasporas in life. † British law describes racism as a concept implying the definition as a particular society in terms of their â€Å"nationality, color, ethnic, race or citizenship. A sociologist, David Wellman in 1993 thus defined racism as a cultural convention that defends Whites’ superiority owing to the incapacitated position of the derelict minorities. Feagin, a former president of American Sociological Association, submits recently in a â€Å"theory of racial oppression† in the U. S. , that the White Americans intentionally create and circulate a system of racial discrimination that has presently uncontrollable eaten deep the bone of their society. Major institutions are built on racial segregations in a non accidental manner but direct arrangement. Feagin recognizes that the operating racial system over decades have taken some forms of change, contending that there has been a significant reproduce of elemental seed of racism. The seed is a reflection of the present day’s â€Å"racial hierarchical institutions as far back as seventeenth century. The present day racial witnesses should be fast traced beyond the peripheral but seen as a rather infiltrating, and interconnected phenomenon that cut cross diverse social groups and establishments among the society. Feagin’s view is in contrast to the assumption that racism is more of an attitude or a kind of irrational bigotry that is independent of social organization. This assumption is supported by the psychologist. Human Racism within Neighborhood in my community It is a sad experience to stay in a habitation among the people of unlike minds who do not for any reason believe that men are born equal, be it white or black, Negro or others. It is rather more saddened that there is a constant atmosphere of insecurity to live among people whose signals of dealings with them constantly radiate hatred and disregard of high caliber. Where else does one needs to find rest if not home among neighborhoods? But the neighborhoods are soaked in an aura of perpetual dislike for color, for nationality and for genealogy order than the White they are. This is exemplified in a scenario when there was a call for a meeting to decide the fate of security our community one weekend. The leader do not border inviting a particular black and therefore, erroneously perceiving his opinion may not count but would rather give a second to the best of taught. And even peradventure, should he surpass every expectation; the White race would feel embarrassed and inferior. The leader presumes this may generate a violent attack and it would be in the interest of the community to live out his contribution as black. This is grossly unfair to humanity and the entire race of mankind. I doubt if the lower animals base their condemnation (if only it exists at all) on racism, how come we claim to be a better one called homo sapiens – I hope scientists will re-evaluate man as a social been. Human racism within Service groups and workplace in my community Service groups majorly constitute the White Americans. The cultural diversity is part and par sues of everyday dealings. It all began from the employment process. The communities around me often times neglect high level of hospitality to Black workers and extend apathy even in recruitment process. One researcher named, Dean Karlan with Marianne once found among a study conducted in 2003, that the extent of racial discrimination among people in workplaces is demoralizing. They discovered that people whose names where trace to black genealogy were more than fifty percent likely not to be shortlisted for the second phase of interview when they apply for a similar job with the Whites. This result is one out of the numerous societal biases forming a giant procedural method in application for job where cultural diversity triumph. I supposed securing job should rather be of intellectual competence and acumen instead of racial introduction that may corrupt the seed of greatness towards achieving the employing institution’s mission statement and its objectives. Despite the fact that blacks in this community can barely afford a day hospital bill without insurance, they are mostly faced with the major health hazard at workplace without a corresponding compensation to make up for the risk of life involved. This could be traced down to the aged fought battle on black slavery. The white society would rather hide under the canopy of existing racial system and enslave fellow mankind. I wonder where the world is heading to at this age long civilization era. If I could be opportune to effect any change in my community, I will gladly revisit this aspect of racial diversity and treat all men equally at workplace. The means of livelihood is a sensitive part of one’s live. That should not be negotiated for any racial operating system in a society with diverse culture. It should be left undiluted as this would be an eventual benefit to the company if nothing but just excellence is the sole key for employment. The disparity in the salary scale I would balance once an individual can prove his or her worth irrespective of the cultural diversity. Human racism within clubs, local governments, and schools The extension of induction to the minority black in my community for a cooperative cohabitation in a club is not a known issue but a taboo. Blacks rather form one in their own minority shell. Members of the club benefit in no small ways. They are treated equal and one among themselves. This makes it possible for numerous assistances members’ enjoy at either on an occasion or whenever there arise the need to give moral or/and financial support. The unity covers the shame of fellow individuals in the club. An applicant into the club of different race suffers these whole benefits even though he lives within this people. The psychological trauma is enough to initiate mental disturbance, mania, depression and bipolar syndrome (some psychiatric diseases) owing to a huge sense of delineation and alien among fellow human being. The presence of cultural diversity among schools at all levels of studies is certain. Students from different homes prefer one school to the others. Privilege to attend is denied by the prevailing racial discrimination. The racial prejudice begins when some school authorities reject applications from people of a particular nationality. At times, the low socioeconomic income of a racialized group of people dictates where to send their children for schooling and not a direct rejection. All tends to same racism resulting from cultural diversity. Other form of racism within exists among the students themselves. We have heard cases where a student arose on a red morning and began to shoot sporadically into the air. Over thirty six casualties were recorded. This man was a black who felt injured by cumulative experience of racial discrimination. Conclusion The people in leadership position often times play a lip service to this very sensitive issue of unfair racial human interactions as a result of cultural diversity. Concerning leaders in my community, we do quite share the same believe that one must be very careful in an attempt to resolve the ideas of inequality birthed from cultural diversity. One example is the record of black massacre in South Africa. The killing in this region in a part is due to an overwhelming dominance of Black Africans playing key roles in the economy of the country. I do disagree that there is no way to resolve it permanently. Military enforcement in a way may assist in ensuring adherence to laws pertaining to racial discrimination among societies with diverse culture. There should be gradual introduction of minority interest for the sake of balancing the democracy we practice though with caution to avoid undue attention and popularity. Government installation should be enforced by the legislature to base campaign in a way to effect eradication of racism in communities. When men of icon in the society openly campaign for racial equality, their loyal supporters would reason with them and change. The impact of media is one of the most essential tools in correcting the society for racial discrimination. Some media publicize the goods of the white and the ugly of the black. Media staff should try playing neutrality and conducting themselves in a professional manner, sharing my idea to contribute in eradicating the obnoxious outcomes resulting from cultural diversity. References Feagin, Joe R. (2006). Systemic Racism: A Theory of Oppression. NY: Routledge. Feagin, Joe R. (2000). Racist America: Roots, Current Realities, and Future Reparations. NY: Routledge. Allen, Theodore. (1994). ‘The Invention of White Race†. Volume 1, London, UK. Smedley and Brian D. (2005) â€Å"Race as Biology if Fiction, Racism as a Social Problem is Real. † American Psychologist 60: 16-30. Cazenave, Noel A. and Darlene Alvarez Maddern. 1999. â€Å"Defending the White Race: White Male Faculty Opposition to a White Racism Course. † Race and Society. http://www. rohan. sdsu. edu/%7Ergison/againstracism. htm. Retrieved on June 14, 2008.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 15 PRESSURE

IT WAS SPRING BREAK IN FORKS AGAIN. WHEN I WOKE UP on Monday morning, I lay in bed for a few seconds absorbing that. Last spring break, I'd been hunted by a vampire, too. I hoped this wasn't some kind of tradition forming. Already I was falling into the pattern of things in La Push. I'd spent Sunday mostly on the beach, while Charlie hung out with Billy at the Blacks' house. I was supposed to be with Jacob, but Jacob had other things to do, so I wandered alone, keeping the secret from Charlie. When Jacob dropped in to check on me, he apologized for ditching me so much. He told me his schedule wasn't always this crazy, but until Victoria was stopped, the wolves were on red alert. When we walked along the beach now, he always held my hand. This made me brood over what Jared had said, about Jacob involving his â€Å"girlfriend.† I supposed that that was exactly what it looked like from the outside. As long as Jake and I knew how it really was, I shouldn't let those kinds of assumptions bother me. And maybe they wouldn't, if I hadn't known that Jacob would have loved for things to be what they appeared. But his hand felt nice as it warmed mine, and I didn't protest. I worked Tuesday afternoonJacob followed me on his bike to make sure I arrived safelyand Mike noticed. â€Å"Are you dating that kid from La Push? The sophomore?† He asked, poorly disguising the resentment in his tone. I shrugged. â€Å"Not in the technical sense of the word. I do spent most of my time with Jacob, though. He's my best friend.† Mike's eyes narrowed shrewdly. â€Å"Don't kid yourself, Bella. The guy's head over heels for you.† â€Å"I know,† I sighed. â€Å"Life is complicated.† â€Å"And girls are cruel,† Mike said under his breath. I supposed that was an easy assumption to make, too. That night, Sam and Emily joined Charlie and me for dessert at Billy's house. Emily brought a cake that would have won over a harder man than Charlie. I could see, as the conversation flowed naturally through a range of casual subjects, that any worries Charlie might have harbored about gangs in La Push were being dissolved. Jake and I skipped out early, to get some privacy. We went out to his garage and sat in the Rabbit. Jacob leaned his head back, his face drawn with exhaustion. â€Å"You need some sleep, Jake.† â€Å"I'll get around to it.† He reached over and took my hand. His skin was blazing on mine. â€Å"Is that one of those wolf things?† I asked him. â€Å"The heat, I mean.† â€Å"Yeah. We run a little warmer than the normal people. About one-oh-eight, one-oh-nine. I never get cold anymore. I could stand like this†he gestured to his bare torso†in a snowstorm and it wouldn't bother me. The flakes would turn to rain where I stood.† â€Å"And you all heal fastthat's a wolf thing, too?† â€Å"Yeah, wanna see? It's pretty cool.† His eyes flipped open and he grinned. He reached around me to the glove compartment and dug around for a minute. His hand came out with a pocketknife. â€Å"No, I do not want to see!† I shouted as soon as I realized what he was thinking. â€Å"Put that away!† Jacob chuckled, but shoved the knife back where it belonged. â€Å"Fine. It's a good thing we heal, though. You can't go see just any doctor when you're running a temperature that should mean you're dead.† â€Å"No, I guess not.† I thought about that for a minute. â€Å" And being so bigthat's part of it? Is that why you're all worried about Quil?† â€Å"That and the fact that Quil's grandfather says the kid could fry an egg on his forehead.† Jacob's face turned hopeless. â€Å"It won't be long now. There's no exact age it just builds and builds and then suddenly† He broke off, and it was a moment before he could speak again. â€Å"Sometimes, if you get really upset or something, that can trigger it early. But I wasn't upset about anythingI was happy.† He laughed bitterly. â€Å"Because of you, mostly. That's why it didn't happen to me sooner. Instead it just kept on building up inside meI was like a time bomb. You know what set me off? I got back from that movie and Billy said I looked weird. That was all, but I just snapped. And then II exploded. I almost ripped his face offmy own father!† He shuddered, and his face paled. â€Å"Is it really bad, Jake?† I asked anxiously, wishing I had some way to help him. â€Å"Are you miserable?† â€Å"No, I'm not miserable,† he told me. â€Å"Not anymore. Not now that you know. That was hard, before.† He leaned over so that his cheek was resting on top of my head. He was quiet for a moment, and I wondered what he was thinking about. Maybe I didn't want to know. â€Å"What's the hardest part?† I whispered, still wishing I could help. â€Å"The hardest part is feeling out of control,† he said slowly. â€Å"Feeling like I can't be sure of myselflike maybe you shouldn't be around me, like maybe nobody should. Like I'm a monster who might hurt somebody. You've seen Emily. Sam lost control of his temper for just one second and she was standing too close. And now there's nothing he can ever do to put it right again. I hear his thoughtsI know what that feels like â€Å"Who wants to be a nightmare, a monster? â€Å"And then, the way it comes so easily to me, the way I'm better at it than the rest of themdoes that make me even less human than Enbry or Sam? Sometimes I'm afraid that I'm losing myself.† â€Å"Is it hard? To find yourself again?† â€Å"At first,† he said. â€Å"It takes some practice to phase back and forth. But it's easier tor me.† â€Å"Why?† I wondered. â€Å"Because Ephraim Black was my father's grandfather, and Quil Ateara was my mother's grandfather.† â€Å"Quil?† I asked in confusion. â€Å"His great-grandfather,† Jacob clarified. â€Å"The Quil you know is my second cousin.† â€Å"But why does it matter who your great-grandfathers are?† â€Å"Because Ephraim and Quil were in the last pack. Levi Uley was the third. It's in my blood on both sides. I never had a chance. Like Quil doesn't have a chance.† His expression was bleak. â€Å"What's the very best part?† I asked, hoping to cheer him up. â€Å"The best part,† he said, suddenly smiling again, â€Å"is the speed.† â€Å"Better than the motorcycles?† He nodded, enthusiastic. â€Å"There's no comparison.† â€Å"How fast can you ?† â€Å"Run?† he finished my question. â€Å"Fast enough. What can I measure it by? We caught what was his name? Laurent? I imagine that means more to you than it would to someone else.† It did mean something to me. I couldn't imagine thatthe wolves running faster than a vampire. When the Cullens ran, they all but turned invisible with speed. â€Å"So, tell me something I don't know,† he said. â€Å"Something about vampires. How did you stand it, being around them? Didn't it creep you out?† â€Å"No,† I said curtly. My tone made him thoughtful for a moment. â€Å"Say, why'd your bloodsucker kill that James, anyway?† he asked suddenly. â€Å"James was trying to kill meit was like a game for him. He lost. Do you remember last spring when I was in the hospital down in Phoenix?† Jacob sucked in a breath. â€Å"He got that close?† â€Å"He got very, very close.† I stroked my scar. Jacob noticed, because he held the hand I moved. â€Å"What's that?† He traded hands, examining my right. â€Å"This is your funny scar, the cold one.† He looked at it closer, with new eyes, and gasped. â€Å"Yes, it's what you think it is,† I said. â€Å"James bit me.† His eyes bulged, and his face turned a strange, sallow color under the russet surface. He looked like he was about to be sick. â€Å"But if he bit you ? Shouldn't you be ?† He choked. â€Å"Edward saved me twice,† I whispered. â€Å"He sucked the venom outyou know, like with a rattlesnake.† I twitched as the pain lashed around the edges of the hole. But I wasn't the only one twitching. I could feel Jacob's whole body trembling next to mine. Even the car shook. â€Å"Careful, Jake. Easy. Ca in down.† â€Å"Yeah,† he panted. â€Å"Calm.† He shook his head back and forth quickly. After a moment, only his hands were shaking. â€Å"You okay?† â€Å"Yeah, almost. Tell me something else. Give me something else to think about.† â€Å"What do you want to know?† â€Å"I don't know.† He had his eyes closed, concentrating. â€Å"The extra stuff I guess. Did any of the other Cullens have extra talents? Like the mind reading?† I hesitated a second. This felt like a question he would ask of his spy, not his friend. But what was the point of hiding what I knew? It didn't matter now, and it would help him control himself. So I spoke quickly, the image of Emily's ruined face in my mind, and the hair rising on my arms. I couldn't imagine how the russet wolf would fit inside the RabbitJacob would tear the whole garage apart if he changed now. â€Å"Jasper could sort of control the emotions of the people around him. Not in a bad way, just to calm someone down, that kind of thing. It would probably help Paul a lot,† I added, teasing weakly. â€Å"And then Alice could see things that were going to happen. The future, you know, but not absolutely. The things she saw would change when someone changed the path they were on† Like how she'd seen me dying and she'd seen me becoming one of them. Two things that had not happened. And one that never would. My head started to spinI couldn't seem to pull in enough oxygen from the air. No lungs. Jacob was entirely in control now, very still beside me. â€Å"Why do you do that?† he asked. He tugged lightly at one of my arms, which was bound around my chest, and then gave up when it wouldn't come loose easily. I hadn't even realized I'd moved them. â€Å"You do that when you're upset. Why?† â€Å"It hurts to think about them,† I whispered. â€Å"It's like I can't breathe like I'm breaking into pieces†It was bizarre how much I could tell Jacob now. We had no more secrets. He smoothed my hair. â€Å"It's okay, Bella, it's okay. I won't bring it up again. I'm sorry.† â€Å"I'm fine.† I gasped. â€Å"Happens all the time. Not your fault.† â€Å"We're a pretty messed-up pair, aren't we?† Jacob said. â€Å"Neither one of us can hold our shape together right.† â€Å"Pathetic,† I agreed, still breathless. â€Å"At least we have each other,† he said, clearly comforted by the thought. I was comforted, too. â€Å"At least there's that,† I agreed. And when we were together, it was fine. But Jacob had a horrible, dangerous job he felt compelled to do, and so I was often alone, stuck in La Push for safety, with nothing to do to keep my mind off any of my worries. I felt awkward, always taking up space at Billy's. I did some studying for another Calculus test that was coming up next week, but I could only look at math for so long. When I didn't have something obvious to do in my hands, I felt like I ought to be making conversation with Billythe pressure of normal societal rules. But Billy wasn't one for filling up the long silences, and so the awkwardness continued. I tried hanging out at Emily's place Wednesday afternoon, for a change. At first it was kind of nice. Emily was a cheerful person who never sat still. I drifted behind her while she flitted around her little house and yard, scrubbing at the spotless floor, pulling a tiny weed, fixing a broken hinge, tugging a string of wool through an ancient loom, and always cooking, too. She complained lightly about the increase in the boys' appetites from all their extra running, but it was easy to see she didn't mind taking care of them. It wasn't hard to be with herafter all, we were both wolf girls now. But Sam checked in after I'd been there for a few hours. I only stayed long enough to ascertain that Jacob was fine and there was no news, and then I had to escape. The aura of love and contentment that surrounded them was harder to take in concentrated doses, with no one else around to dilute it. So that left me wandering the beach, pacing the length of the rocky crescent back and forth, again and again. Alone time wasn't good for me. Thanks to the new honesty with Jacob, I'd been talking and thinking about the Cullens way too much. No matter how I tried to distract myselfand I had plenty to think of: I was honestly and desperately worried about Jacob and his wolf-brothers, I was terrified for Charlie and the others who thought they were hunting animals, I was getting in deeper and deeper with Jacob without ever having consciously decided to progress in that direction and I didn't know what to do about itnone of these very real, very deserving of thought, very pressing concerns could take my mind off the pain in my chest for long. Eventually, I couldn't even walk anymore, because I couldn't breathe. I sat down on a patch of semidry rocks and curled up in a ball. Jacob found me like that, and I could tell from his expression that he understood. â€Å"Sorry,† he said right away. He pulled me up from the ground and wrapped both arms around my shoulders. I hadn't realized that I was cold until then. His warmth made me shudder, but at least I could breathe with him there. â€Å"I'm ruining your spring break,† Jacob accused himself as we walked back up the beach. â€Å"No, you're not. I didn't have any plans. I don't think I like spring breaks, anyway.† â€Å"I'll take tomorrow morning off. The others can run without me. We'll do something fun.† The word seemed out of place in my life right now, barely comprehensible, bizarre. â€Å"Fun?† â€Å"Fun is exactly what you need. Hmm† he gazed out across the heaving gray waves, deliberating. As his eyes scanned the horizon, he had a flash of inspiration. â€Å"Got it!† he crowed. â€Å"Another promise to keep.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† He let go of my hand and pointed toward the southern edge of the beach, where the flat, rocky half-moon dead-ended against the sheer sea cliffs. I stared, uncomprehending. â€Å"Didn't I promise to take you cliff diving?† I shivered. â€Å"Yeah, it'll be pretty coldnot as cold as it is today. Can you feel the weather changing? The pressure? It will be warmer tomorrow. You up for it?† The dark water did not look inviting, and, from this angle, the cliffs looked even higher than before. But it had been days since I'd heard Edward's voice. That was probably part of the problem. I was addicted to the sound of my delusions. It made things worse if I went too long without them. Jumping off a cliff was certain to remedy that situation. â€Å"Sure, I'm up for it. Fun.† â€Å"It's a date,† he said, and draped his arm around my shoulders. â€Å"Okaynow let's go get you some sleep.† I didn't like the way the circles under his eyes were beginning to look permanently etched onto his skin. I woke early the next morning and snuck a change of clothes out to the truck. I had a feeling that Charlie would approve of today's plan just about as much as he would approve of the motorcycle. The idea of a distraction from all my worries had me almost excited. Maybe it would be fun. A date with Jacob, a date with Edward I laughed darkly to myself. Jake could say what he wanted about us being a messed-up pairI was the one who was truly messed up. I made the werewolf seem downright normal. I expected Jacob to meet me out front, the way he usually did when my noisy truck announced my arrival. When he didn't, I guessed that he might still be sleeping. I would waitlet him get as much rest as he could. He needed his sleep, and that would give the day time to warm a bit more. Jake had been right about the weather, though; it had changed in the night. A thick layer of clouds pressed heavily on the atmosphere now, making it almost sultry; it was warm and close under the gray blanket. I left my sweater in the truck. I knocked quietly on the door. â€Å"C'mon in, Bella,† Billy said. He was at the kitchen table, eating cold cereal. â€Å"Jake sleeping?† â€Å"Er, no.† He set his spoon down, and his eyebrows pulled together. â€Å"What happened?† I demanded. I could tell from his expression that something had. â€Å"Embry, Jared, and Paul crossed a fresh trail early this morning. Sam and Jake took off to help. Sam was hopefulshe's hedged herself in beside the mountains. He thinks they have a good chance to finish this.† â€Å"Oh, no, Billy,† I whispered. â€Å"Oh, no.† He chuckled, deep and low. â€Å"Do you really like La Push so well that you want to extend your sentence here?† â€Å"Don't make jokes, Billy. This is too scary for that.† â€Å"You're right,† he agreed, still complacent. His ancient eyes were impossible to read. â€Å"This one's tricky.† I bit my lip. â€Å"It's not as dangerous for them as you think it is. Sam knows what he's doing. You're the one that you should worry about. The vampire doesn't want to fight them. She's just trying to find a way around them to you.† â€Å"How does Sam know what he's doing?† I demanded, brushing aside his concern for me. â€Å"They've only killed just the one vampirethat could have been luck.† â€Å"We take what we do very seriously, Bella. Nothing's been forgotten. Everything they need to know has been passed down from father to son for generations.† That didn't comfort me the way he probably intended it to. The memory of Victoria, wild, catlike, lethal, was too strong in my head. If she couldn't get around the wolves, she would eventually try to go through them. Billy went back to his breakfast; I sat down on the sofa and flipped aimlessly though the TV channels. That didn't last long. I started to feel closed in by the small room, claustrophobic, upset by the fact that I couldn't see out the curtained windows. â€Å"I'll be at the beach,† I told Billy abruptly, and hurried out the door. Being outside didn't help as much as I'd hoped. The clouds pushed down with an invisible weight that kept the claustrophobia from easing. The forest seemed strangely vacant as I walked toward the beach. I didn't see any animalsno birds, no squirrels. I couldn't hear any birds, either. The silence was eerie; there wasn't even the sound of wind in the trees. I knew it was all just a product of the weather, but it still made me edgy. The heavy, warm pressure of the atmosphere was perceptible even to my weak human senses, and it hinted at something major in the storm department. A glance at the sky backed this up; the clouds were churning sluggishly despite the lack of breeze on the ground. The closest clouds were a smoky gray, but between the cracks I could see another layer that was a gruesome purple color. The skies had a ferocious plan in store for today. The animals must be bunkering down. As soon as I reached the beach, I wished I hadn't comeI'd already had enough of this place. I'd been here almost every day, wandering alone. Was it so much different from my nightmares? But where else to go? I trudged down to the driftwood tree, and sat at the end so that I could lean against the tangled roots. I stared up at the angry sky broodingly, waiting for the first drops to break the stillness. I tried not to think about the danger Jacob and his friends were in. Because nothing could happen to Jacob. The thought was unendurable. I'd lost too much alreadywould fate take the last few shreds of peace left behind? That seemed unfair, out of balance. But maybe I'd violated some unknown rule, crossed some line that had condemned me. Maybe it was wrong to be so involved with myths and legends, to turn my back on the human world. Maybe No. Nothing would happen to Jacob. I had to believe that or I wouldn't be able to function. â€Å"Argh!† I groaned, and jumped off the log. I couldn't sit still; it was worse than pacing. I'd really been counting on hearing Edward this morning. It seemed like that was the one thing that might make it bearable to live through this day. The hole had been festering lately, like it was getting revenge for the times that Jacob's presence had tamed it. The edges burned. The waves picked up as I paced, beginning to crash against the rocks, but there was still no wind. I felt pinned down by the pressure of the storm. Everything swirled around me, but it was perfectly still where I stood. The air had a faint electric chargeI could feel the static in my hair. Farther out, the waves were angrier than they were along the shore. I could see them battering against the line of the cliffs, spraying big white clouds of sea foam into the sky. There was still no movement in the air, though the clouds roiled more quickly now. It was eerie lookinglike the clouds were moving by their own will. I shivered, though I knew it was just a trick of the pressure. The cliffs were a black knife edge against the livid sky. Staring at them, I remembered the day Jacob had told me about Sam and his â€Å"gang.† I thought of the boysthe werewolvesthrowing themselves into the empty air. The image of the falling, spiraling figures was still vivid in my mind. I imagined the utter freedom of the fall I imagined the way Edward's voice would have sounded in my headfurious, velvet, perfect The burning in my chest flared agonizingly. There had to be some way to quench it. The pain was growing more and more intolerable by the second. I glared at the cliffs and the crashing waves. Well, why not? Why not quench it right now? Jacob had promised me cliff diving, hadn't he? Just because he was unavailable, should I have to give up the distraction I needed so badlyneeded even worse because Jacob was out risking his life? Risking it, in essence, for me. If it weren't for me, Victoria would not be killing people here just somewhere else, far away. If anything happened to Jacob, it would be my fault. That realization stabbed deep and had me jogging back up to the road toward Billy's house, where my truck waited. I knew my way to the lane that passed closest to the cliffs, but I had to hunt for the little path that would take me out to the ledge. As I followed it, I looked for turns or forks, knowing that Jake had planned to take me off the lower outcropping rather than the top, but the path wound in a thin single line toward the brink with no options. I didn't have time to find another way downthe storm was moving in quickly now. The wind was finally beginning to touch me, the clouds pressing closer to the ground. Just as I reached the place where the dirt path fanned out into the stone precipice, the first drops broke through and splattered on my face. It was not hard to convince myself that I didn't have time to search for another wayI wanted to jump from the top. This was the image that had lingered in my head. I wanted the long fall that would feel like flying. I knew that this was the stupidest, most reckless thing I had done yet. The thought made me smile. The pain was already easing, as if my body knew that Edward's voice was just seconds away The ocean sounded very far away, somehow farther than before, when I was on the path in the trees. I grimaced when I thought of the probable temperature of the water. But I wasn't going to let that stop me. The wind blew stronger now, whipping the rain into eddies around me. I stepped out to the edge, keeping my eyes on the empty space in front of me. My toes felt ahead blindly, caressing the edge of the rock when they encountered it. I drew in a deep breath and held it . . waiting. â€Å"Bella.† I smiled and exhaled. Yes? I didn't answer out loud, for fear that the sound of my voice would shatter the beautiful illusion. He sounded so real, so close. It was only when lie was disapproving like this that I could hear the true memory of his voicethe velvet texture and the musical intonation that made up the most perfect of all voices. â€Å"Don't do this,† he pleaded. You wanted me to be human, I reminded him. Well, watch me. â€Å"Please. For me.† But you won't stay with me any other way. â€Å"Please.† It was just a whisper in the blowing rain that tossed my hair and drenched my clothesmaking me as wet as if this were my second jump of the day. I rolled up onto the balls of my feet. â€Å"No, Bella!† He was angry now, and the anger was so lovely. I smiled and raised my arms straight out, as if I were going to dive, lifting my face into the rain. But it was too ingrained from years of swimming at the public poolfeet first, first time. I leaned forward, crouching to get more spring And I flung myself off the cliff. I screamed as I dropped through the open air like a meteor, but it was a scream of exhilaration and not fear. The wind resisted, trying vainly to fight the unconquerable gravity, pushing against me and twirling me in spirals like a rocket crashing to the earth. Yes! The word echoed through my head as I sliced through the surface of the water. It was icy, colder than I'd feared, and yet the chill only added to the high. I was proud of myself as I plunged deeper into the freezing black water. I hadn't had one moment of terrorjust pure adrenaline. Really, the fall wasn't scary at all. Where was the challenge? That was when the current caught me. I'd been so preoccupied by the size of the cliffs, by the obvious danger of their high, sheer faces, that I hadn't worried at all about the dark water waiting. I never dreamed that the true menace was lurking far below me, under the heaving surf. It felt like the waves were fighting over me, jerking me back and forth between them as if determined to share by pulling me into halves. I knew the right way to avoid a riptide: swim parallel to the beach rather than struggling for the shore. But the knowledge did me little good when I didn't know which way the shore was. I couldn't even tell which way the surface was. The angry water was black in every direction; there was no brightness to direct me upward. Gravity was all-powerful when it competed with the air, but it had nothing on the wavesI couldn't feel a downward pull, a sinking in any direction. Just the battering of the current that flung me round and round like a rag doll. I fought to keep my breath in, to keep my lips locked around my last store of oxygen. It didn't surprise me that my delusion of Edward was there. He owed me that much, considering that I was dying. I was surprised by how sure that knowledge was. I was going to drown. I was drowning. â€Å"Keep swimming!† Edward begged urgently in my head. Where? There was nothing but the darkness. There was no place to swim to. â€Å"Stop that!† he ordered. â€Å"Don't you dare give up!† The cold of the water was numbing my arms and legs. I didn't feel the buffeting so much as before. It was more of just a dizziness now, a helpless spinning in the water. But I listened to him. I forced my arms to continue reaching, my legs to kick harder, though every second I was facing a new direction. It couldn't be doing any good. What was the point? â€Å"Fight!† he yelled. â€Å"Damn it, Bella, keep fighting.† Why? I didn't want to fight anymore. And it wasn't the light-headedness, or the cold, or the failure of my arms as the muscles gave out in exhaustion, that made me content to stay where I was. I was almost happy that it was over. This was an easier death than others I'd faced. Oddly peaceful. I thought briefly of the clichs, about how you were suppose to see your life flash before your eyes. I was so much luckier. Who wanted to see a rerun, anyway? I saw him, and I had no will to fight. It was so clear, so much more defined than any memory. My subconscious had stored Edward away in flawless detail, saving him for this final moment. I could see his perfect face as if he were really there; the exact shade of his icy skin, the shape of his lips, the line of his jaw, the gold glinting in his furious eyes. He was angry, naturally, that I was giving up. His teeth were clenched and his nostrils flared with rage. â€Å"No! Bella, no!† My ears were flooded with the freezing water, but his voice was clearer than ever. I ignored his words and concentrated on the sound of his voice. Why would I fight when I was so happy where I was? Even as my lungs burned for more air and my legs cramped in the icy cold, I was content. I'd forgotten what real happiness felt like. Happiness. It made the whole dying thing pretty bearable. The current won at that moment, shoving me abruptly against something hard, a rock invisible in the gloom. It hit me solidly across the chest, slamming into me like an iron bar, and the breath whooshed out of my lungs, escaping in a thick cloud of silver bubbles. Water flooded down my throat, choking and burning. The iron bar seemed to be dragging me, pulling me away from Edward, deeper into the dark, to the ocean floor. Goodbye, I love you, was my last thought.

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