How Critical is the Critical Period Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

How Critical is the Critical Period - Essay Example It means that if the input of language does not take place after this particular time the individual will experience difficulty in obtaining a complete language. The proof for such a time is restricted, and assistance stems extensively from hypothetical disputes and similarities to other significant stages in biology like visual development, but nevertheless is accepted widely. Such a critical periods nature has however been the fiercest issues debated in cognitive science and psycholinguistics for decade. A Few writers have proposed an "optimal" or "sensitive" time other than a critical one. Some other writers dispute on the reasons that include cognitive mind of language factors and physical maturation. The critical periods duration varies as well greatly in various accounts. In animals, a critical period refers to the biologically determined period during which learning must take place in order for development to happen. During a small window of time, the juvenile bird listens to and copies the song of a tutor; after the critical period closes, such copying is not possible. Blindfolded kitten do not develop normal vision but if the blindfold is removed before eight weeks normal vision can be restored. In humans, if strabismus (crossed eyes) is not corrected in early childhood that is before the age of three a child will not develop normal binocular vision. The critical period for susceptibility to strabismus begins soon after birth and shows continued susceptibility to at least 4.6 years. According to Eric Lenneberg, language acquisition is not possible at the age of two because the human brain is not sufficiently mature. After puberty normal language acquisition is not possible because the brain is physically mature. Lenneberg says that there exists maturational limitations on the period that a primary language can be obtained. The acquisition of the first language depends on neuroplasticity. If the acquisition

Media and the Military :: Media Argumentative Persuasive Argument

Media and the Military      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During the Vietnam War the media was left unchecked and brought the wartime images of death and carnage into America's living room.   These images served as morale killers and eventually turned much of the public against its own government.   During the Gulf War on the other hand, the military filtered what reached the public's eye and morale was kept to all time highs.   In wartime the government should be able to manipulate public opinion by controlling the media.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   War is not pretty, and it is not for the weak at heart.   Images of war should not be broadcast into living rooms live.   During the Vietnam conflict this is what happened.   Pictures and real time video of our troops being slaughtered during battles of the Tet offensive and the siege of Khe Sahn were sent home for all of America to see (Klein 50-51).   Again, war is not pretty and the way you keep morale up is you don't let the public know how bad war really is.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Television is one of the most powerful tools of media and â€Å"by the mid 1960's television had become the most important source for news for most of the American public, and beyond that, perhaps, the most powerful single influence on the public.† (Hallin 106)   So people trusted what reporters like Walter Cronkite were telling them.   They believed it when NBC journalists told them things like, â€Å" the Marines are so bogged down in Hue that nobody will predict when the battle would end†¦more than 500 marines have been wounded and over 100 dead since the in Hue began.† (Klein 51)   Don't get the wrong idea though, these things really happened but the public didn't need to know it.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The constitution and 1st amendment still mean something but national security should come first.   People rioting all over the country in anti war protests should be an issue of national security.   Without the support of your homefront no country can win a war, especially a foreign war (Franklin 250).   It is impossible to get support at home when NBC is showing them pictures of their boys getting massacred every night on the nightly news.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, during the Gulf War in Iraq the horrors of war still existed, maybe not to the same extent, but they were there nonetheless.   These horrors however where kept out of our living rooms by systematic filtering by the US army.   Now the army didn't just seize tapes and erase bad parts.   Very few reporters and cameras were allowed to the front lines.

The Unethical Approach to Immortality

Clint Stoeck Professor Kelly History 1302 19 October 2012 HeLa: The Unethical Approach to Immortality Henrietta Lacks is, one of the greatest contributors medical science and research in the past century. Albeit, she never knew of her contribution. In fact, it took twenty years for her family to be informed about the extensive number of cells that had been produced, and that would continue to be produced, to further studies in the best medical interest of mankind. The ethics of this situation are hardly questionable and this is what â€Å"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks† by Rebecca Skloot discusses.The blatant use of Henrietta Lacks’ tissue without her consent, while it was a huge benefit to the medical field and mankind, was highly unethical and the lack of consent from her and her family have led to the questioning of the moral standards of the medical field. We see Henrietta Lacks and her family as an example of the apathy that the medical field exhibits during this time towards underprivileged people and the lasting effects that it can have on society. The twentieth century was a rather confusing time for the medical field.We were always advancing and consistently on the verge of new technological capabilities. The â€Å"medical revolution† that transpired during the twentieth century began to develop some unintended side effects though. Ethics began to take a back seat to the advancement of medical research and Henrietta Lacks fell victim to these unethical practices. When she discovered â€Å"her biopsy results from the pathology lab: Epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix, Stage I† , she had the cancer removed. Henrietta was able to continue her life without a problem after the removal and thus continued her life as it was, previously to the cancer.She did not know that the cancer had essentially been harvested, not fully removed, and used to produce the largest supply of cells in existence. After Henrietta Lacks’ deat h, the use of her cells continued for years. They have been used as a medium for in vitro fertilization to polio vaccinations. One of the problems that make this situation questionable is the fact that Henrietta Lacks still died from this cancer. She was not helped but used as a genetic farm without knowing, until she expired. The other half of this situation is how Henrietta Lacks passed away which in this case, was excruciatingly painful.The doctors viewed her as a â€Å"miserable specimen† and saw no need to examine her further. After Henrietta’s death, word traveled quickly the George Gey laboratory, where her cells where originally cultured. They froze her body and used it as a template to continue their research. They began mass producing her cells in a warehouse in Tuskegee at about twenty thousand vials per day. They began to profit off the production and tell not a word of it to Henrietta’s family because they would be legally entitled to a portion of t he profits.Not only have they disgraced the body of Henrietta Lacks, they blatantly avoid telling the family about their activities after her death. In 1973, the Lacks family learned of their mothers past situation. They could not grasp the concept that the cells were not immortal but replicated millions of times over. However, it seemed to be that all the brothers, in the family, cared about was receiving a portion of the profits made off Henrietta’s cells while the sisters were more concerned about how their mothers’ medical records got into the hands of strangers.During this time, it was an upheld tenet that doctors practiced confidentiality with their patients but they were not legally obligated to do so. This moral dilemma plagued the twentieth century. Patients were only treated properly if they were high paying or highly regarded people of white ethnicity while everyone underneath them were seen as borderline guinea pigs for genetic testing. Henrietta Lacks†™ situation and death, along with her family’s treatment regarding their mother, is a microcosm to the ethics and practices of the twentieth century.People cannot be seen as guinea pigs, but as people that need treatment and help. It is the duty and responsibility of the medical field to uphold high moral and ethical standards and to maintain these standards. It appeared that, during the twentieth century, that the very people that medical field worked to help, were treated with little respect. Henrietta Lacks’ ordeal will serve as a lesson to the medical field in terms of ethics and responsibility towards their patients. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Skloot, p. 8 [ 2 ]. Skloot, p. 75

Womens Role in Literature Essay - 1267 Words

Womens Role in Literature In many works of Literature women play a controversial role, one in which their actions are the cause of conflict in many situations. There are more often then not two reasons for this. One reason why the female character is always caught in the center of the conflict is ignorance, such is the case Shakespeares Hamlet; Prince of Denmark with the character Queen Gertrude as an example. The second reason why women are the cause of the central conflict are that in many instances they are trying to make a stand against society by defying what society holds to be the norm. An example of this would be Sophocles Antigone. In either case, the woman character is cause of the central conflict within the†¦show more content†¦Through their actions, both of these women brought upon much stress upon not only themselves but members of their family as well, allowing for the central conflicts to take place. In Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, it is Queen Gertrudes marriage to Claudius that c auses Hamlet to act as though he has gone crazy. His fathers death was hard enough on him, especially due to the fact that his Uncle Claudius was his fathers murderer. His mothers hasty marriage to him only causes Hamlet to speculate about his mothers involvement in his fathers death. Shakespeare does not make it entirely clear as to whether or not Gertrude took part in the elder Hamlets death, nor does he make certain as to whether or not she took part in any extramarital affairs with Claudius prior to the kings death. It is this uncertainty that drives Hamlet to the brink of insanity. Hamlet is unsure as to whether or not he should hold his mother responsible for his fathers death, and this causes him to act mad towards the others in the court, especially his lover Ophelia. It is the ghost of the elder Hamlet that tells his son not to harm his mother, that she is innocent of his murder. Hamlet listens to his fathers ghost but still resents his mothers remarriage, seeing it as an insult to his father. As a result Hamlet remains in his mad state, and in the classical tragic ending, allShow MoreRelatedFeminism in Novel Makaan of Paigham Afaqui1301 Words   |  6 PagesPaigham Afaqui Feminist literature, as the name suggests, is based on the principles of feminism, and refers to any literary work that centers on the struggle of a woman for equality, and to be accepted as a human being, before being cast into a gender stereotype. Not all these works follow a direct approach towards this goal of equality. It is only through such media that women believed a change was possible in the way they were perceived in society. Not all feminist literature has been written by womenRead MoreGoddess, Whores, Wives and Slaves: Classical Women of Antiquity, written by Sarah B. Pomery1327 Words   |  5 Pagesfocuses on the main categories of women in the literature and society of ancient Greece and Roman over a time period of fifteen hundred years. Pomery focuses on these roles and how they are significant in the development and structure of these great ancient civilizations. Her goal in writing this book was to expand upon her first book, entitled Goddesses as she discusses in the Preface of this book. She wanted to include the significance of all women’s roles beyond just that of Olympian women becauseRead MoreLiterature Review - How to Do It?1653 Words   |  7 PagesWriting A Literature Review and Using a Synthesis Matrix My professor says I have to write a literature review, what do I do? Well, to begin, you have to know that when writing a literature review, the goal of the researcher is to determine the current state of knowledge about a particular topic by asking, â€Å"What do we know or not know about this issue?† In conducting this type of research, it is imperative to examine several different sources to determine where the knowledge overlaps and where itRead MoreThe Cult Of True Womanhood And The Cult Of True Womanhood1194 Words   |  5 Pagesidentity was strictly enforced. The roles of men and women in were sharply defined and as a result, society was very structured. Women were expected to be domesticated due to their physical and emotional nature. In fact, this ideology was so wide-spread that it had a name: The Cult of True Womanhood. The Cult of True Womanhood was characterized by women’s magazines, gift annuals and religious writings of the time. Through the analysis of these mediums, specifically women’s magazines, it is evident thatRead MoreEssay about The Facets of Womans Studies783 Words   |  4 Pagesethnicity, socioeconomic status and sexuality. Women’s studies emerged in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s as a concerned women being misrepresentation and trivialization in the higher education curriculum and as well as being excluded from many positions of power authority as colleges faculty and administrators. An example from the â€Å" Women’s Voices /Feminist Vision† book written by Susan M.Shaw Janet lee was â€Å"the entire course in English or American literature to include not one novel written by a womanRead MoreLiterature And Everyday Life : Toni Morrison s The Dark, And White Privilege And Male Privilege Essay1699 Words   |  7 PagesFrom the role it plays in literature to its looming existence in our everyday lives, race has an undeniable influence on many aspects of our lives. Toni Morri son and Peggy McIntosh, a writer and an activist respectively, both have the urge to understand this presence and impact of race in literature and everyday life specifically. Through self-reflection and attempts to see from others’ perspectives, both Morrison and McIntosh manage to answer their own questions regarding race and its role in literatureRead MoreCompatison of Spotty Handed Villainesses and Keynote Address at the Beijing World Conference on Women.879 Words   |  4 Pagesshe had embraced the dogmatic feminism she dissociated with, the speech would be far more context dependent and the textual integrity of the speech would have been lessened. Atwood challenges the representation of women in literature, arguing that lack of evil women in literature is suppressive to women in society, while Suu Kyi argues that the lack of women in politics is suppressive to women. The title of Atwood’s speech alludes to Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth, emphasising that wome n are multidimensionalRead MoreEssay about Feminism in The Awakening986 Words   |  4 Pagesfor freedom.† Ultimately, this shows how most women, especially Edna Pontellier, try to break free from the burden of society. Kate Chopin’s novel, The Awakening, showcases the feminist critical approach through women’s roles, women characters, influences, and independence. Women’s roles had a major impact on the feminist involvement in the novel. Women are portrayed as being very motherly, and willing to do almost anything for their husbands. However, many women did not have the courage to standRead MoreSocial Issues In American Literature972 Words   |  4 Pages American Literature from its beginnings is shaped by a demand towards reforming society by bringing awareness towards towards social issues and a need to question societal norms.American literature from its beginnings has focused around establishing the American identity , and has also served as a means to address social issues that have plagues American society. The three authors that are representative of these ideals are the following; Hector De St John Crevecoeur Benjamin Franklin, andRead MoreThe Fight For Women s Rights1711 Words   |  7 Pagesmost lasting effects through two large waves in the early 1900’s, whilst fighting for women’s suffrage, and the 1960 ’s to 1970’s, which focused on women in the workplace and counteracting the submissive roles assigned to women in the 1950’s. These political battles for gender equality have left lasting footprints on today’s society by giving women opportunities previously unattainable. Still, the fight for women’s rights is far from over, as today’s females face a new struggle involving the media.

Depression Has Destroyed My Life - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 871 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/04/15 Category Psychology Essay Level High school Tags: Depression Essay Did you like this example? Dear depression, Why did you have to come into my life? What was so special about me? Why couldnt you find someone else to bother and ruin? You have made my life a disaster and you have made it hell. You have put a pit inside of me and have made me sob. You have given me more anxiety than I thought possible and depression I am not done with you. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Depression Has Destroyed My Life" essay for you Create order Because you are still inside of me spreading like a virus multiplying and taking over my body. You are controlling my thoughts and my feelings and somehow you over power me? How is that possible? I can overcome an alcoholic father but I cant overcome you. You are my enemy I cannot beat and every single time I do destroy you. You come back stronger, you are taking away my sleep and my happiness you are a bottomless pit. You make me sick and anxious you give me pain. You are inside of me. Depression you are a genius ticking time bomb. You hit me at my worst moment and give me the harshest level of pain. You have no mercy you have no soul you are ruthless and you are in me. You are mutating my DNA you are is indestructible garbage. Why are you doing this to me? What did I ever do to you? I never bothered you and you are attacking me. Why are you attacking me? Why are you not letting me come out of bed? Why are you making me cry all the time? Why are you making my mother not want to deal with me? Why are you doing this to me? Get out of my body, get out of my mind. You are not welcome. Get the hell out. I dont want you but you are overpowering me you are ruining me. You are ruining my friends you are destroying my self-confidence. And worst of all you are making me give up. Why? Get out, I need you to leave. You arent letting me destroy you. You make me feel weak. I have this feeling that you are giving me. You make me feel like theres a hole of sadness that doesnt ever seem to fill up. But once it reaches a certain amount and once I am that state you explode the bomb and make me scream you make me feel horrible. You make me sit on the floor and shake. And you are laughing evilly you find this comedy and I find it hell. How do you do this. How do you ruin my life? How do you take away my happiness? I never had this in my life. I never had you as a visitor I never asked for you to stay. You make people not want to be around me so you can make me feel lonely. Why do you want me to be lonely you are inside of me and you dont leave just leave? Ill pay for your ticket but I need you to leave. You are a genius you are well thought out. I dont know how I am going to destroy you. But somehow whenever I figure it out you release a poison to get me back under you. Why do you want to stay inside of me? I will not be a gracious hostess anymore. I will fi nd out how to destroy you because you are no longer welcome in my body. Depression I asked you this already I asked you to leave but you refuse and thats something I do not understand. You are inside of me and I cannot seem to get you out. There is not cure for you, there is no vaccine to prevent me from having to host you. You just welcome yourself in, you know the code into my body. When it is not for you to know. You make me farther away from my sister. You make everything fall and you make everything break. I hate you. I hate you so much. I know you will put out your best stuff and your best punches and I will fall and I will break. You might win but somehow, I will have to get back up. You will push me down put I will get back up. Because depression you are a visitor and its time to say goodbye. You will have to find another place to stay because you have been inside of me for too long. I am done with you now leave because otherwise you will lose. It will be a hard lose. It will take time but you will lose because there is no way you are becoming a permanent resident. There is no way you are becoming a constant part of my life. Dont you have other people to tournament? Arent you sick of me because I am sick of you. I will find a way to defeat you depression. This is my body not yours. We are not done here. Make your reservations. Time to go. This is just the beginning so get ready. Im not giving up on you depression. You will now see my best work Game on depression.

Celies Transformation in Alice Walkers Color Purple Essay

Celies Transformation in The Color Purple Celie is not a typical protagonist. In Alice Walkers The Color Purple, the main character Celie is an ugly, poor girl who is severely lacking in self-confidence. However, Celie transforms throughout the course of the novel and manages to realize herself as a colorful, beautiful, and proud human being. Celie becomes a powerful individual. The Color Purple follows Celies transformation from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. What is remarkable is the fact that this transformation does not merely compose the plot of the novel, it also dominates the layout of the pages. The books chapters are not written in a typical fashion as each chapter is a letter written from†¦show more content†¦____. The way Celies stepfather and Mr. ____ bargain over her is well described in the book and we can truly understand how Celie is being treated; The women he [Mr. ____] had helping him done quit. His mammy done said No More. He say, Let me see her again. Pa call me. Celie, he say. Like it wasnt nothing. Mr. ____ want another look at you1. Mr. ____ treats her just as bad as her stepfather once did; she is in the house only to take care of the household, the children and to fulfil Mr. ____s sexual desires. Celies transformation from Mr. ____s slave into an independent women is successful thanks to two strong women that become role models for Celie in her everyday life; Shug Avery and Sofia. Sofia is a role model in a more unconscious way for Celie then Shug is. Sofias whole appearance and behaviour is proud, she lets no one sit on her and Celie is, at first, jealous of Sofias self-confidence and tries to destroy it by giving her husband Harpo the advice to beat her to make her obedient; I think about this when Harpo ast me what he ought to do to make her mind. [---] I think bout how every time I jump when Mr. _____ call me, she [Sofia] look surprise. And like she pity me. Beat her. I say2. When this does not work, Celie realises that Sofia is someone to become more alike, not someone to destroy. Shug Avery, on the other hand, is the women who is not only a theoretical role model, likeShow MoreRelatedEssay on Race and Class in Alice Walkers Color Purple1622 Words   |  7 PagesThe Color Purple  Ã‚     Ã‚   An important  Ã‚  juncture in Alice Walkers The Color Purple is reached when Celie first recovers the missing letters from her long-lost sister Nettie. This discovery not only signals the introduction of a new narrator to this epistolary novel but also begins the transformation of Celie from writer to reader. Indeed, the passage in which Celie struggles to puzzle out the markings on her first envelope from Nettie provides a concrete illustration of both Celies particularRead MoreThe Color Purple by Alice Walker926 Words   |  4 PagesThe award-winning novel, â€Å"The Color Purple† by Alice Walker, is a story about a woman going through cruel things such as: incest, rape, and physical abuse. This greatly written novel comes from a very active feminist author who used many of her own experiences, as well as things that were happening during that era, in her writing. â€Å"The Color Purple† takes place in the early 1900s, and symbolizes the economic, emotional, and social deprivation that African American women faced in Southern statesRead MoreCritical Essay on the Color Purple1343 Words   |  6 PagesWalker’s Purple is Not Just a Color Alice Walker’s epistolary novel The Color Purple demonstrates how the mistreatment of a woman cannot prevent her from fulfilling her destiny. The protagonist and narrator of the novel, Celie, is a young, uneducated black girl who is verbally and sexually abused by her supposed father, Alphonso. He fathers two children with her, kidnapping both and presumably killing one, if not both. Because of the unwarranted trauma, she struggles for the rest of her lifeRead MoreFeminine Narrative in Alice Walkers The Color Purple Essay1472 Words   |  6 Pagesincluding Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, has been considered by critics as effectively using â€Å"narrative techniques† to make readers cry (Warhol 183). Emphasizing on these matters, Robyn R. Warhol, the author of â€Å"Narration Produces Gender: Femininity as Affect and Effect in Alice Walker’s The Color Purple†, analyzes the usefulness of the novel’s narration approaches, focusing on th e meaning of Nettie’s letters to Celie and especially the fairy-tale unity in Celie’s last letter. Using The Color PurpleRead MoreThe Color Purple by Alice Walker921 Words   |  4 PagesAlice Walker’s realistic novel, The Color Purple revolves around many concerns that both African American men and women faced in an era, where numerous concerns of discrimination were raised. Religious and gender issues are confronted by the main characters which drive the plot and paint a clear image of what life may possibly have been like inside an African American home. Difficulties were faced by each and every character specifically Celie and Nettie who suffered heavy discrimination throughoutRead MoreThe Color Purple by Alice Walker Summary, Main Idea, Conflict, Point of View, Setting and Tone.1399 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"The Color Purple† by Alice Walker is a series a letters by and to the main character, Celie. The book begins with fourteen year old Celie wri ting to God about her father raping her and taking away her children. After Celies mother dies, Celie focuses on protecting her sister, Nettie, from her fathers sexual advances and encourages her to run away. A widower called â€Å"Mr. __† wants to marry Nettie, but their father rejects him. Eventually Celie marries Mr. __, who later is called Albert, and herRead MoreComparative Essay; to Kill a Mockingbird and the Colour Purple3841 Words   |  16 PagesOne Will Take What He Is Given The purpose of Alice Walker’s novel The Color Purple and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is to demonstrate the hardships that are met when ignorance and tradition bring about the influence of sexism, racism and genuine prejudice to the general public. Ignorance is the root cause of prejudice as it prevents one to see beauty, so when it comes to dealing with the discriminating behavior held in this social order, the vast majority of people are judged by the labelRead MoreThe Color Purple Character Analysis1362 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"The Transformation of Celie in The Color Purple† The 1900’s – a time when blacks were segregated from whites and women were seen as inferior to men. Alice Walkers character Celie, from The Color Purple, was ugly and terrified as a young girl. Though many trials and tribulations, she would become strong and independent. In addition, Celie built up a resistance to the hurt and suffering that she painfully endured from her stepfather and husband. She eventually allowed herself to not take simpleRead MoreDouble Discrimination Exposed in The Color Purple Essay953 Words   |  4 Pageswomen.nbsp; Black women have had to face unbelievable odds at obtaining self-assurance. nbsp; nbsp; nbsp;African-American woman have had to deal with being black and female, a double-edged sword.nbsp; In her novel, The Color Purple, author Alice Walker introduces southern black female characters that not only faced slavery, but sexism, racism and oppression.nbsp; Through a series of letters, mostly addressed to god, by the main character Celie, we travel through a span of thirtyRead MoreColors And Independence In Alice Walkers The Color Purple1555 Words   |  7 Pages Alice Walker’s masterpiece, The Color Purple, uses ordinary things such as clothes, colors, jobs, and money as strong symbolism. In this book, pants symbolize independence. Pants change the way society views and treats a person. They also convey that a person is strong, confident, free, and equal to others. Alice Walker shows the reader how wearing pants can have a big effect on a person’s life, especially if that person is a woman in the early twentieth century. From the beginning of time to less

Thorn Queen Chapter Eight Free Essays

string(67) " borders the Rowan Land, and two of their villages are very close\." Kiyo was gone the next morning, as I’d suspected he would be. We’d stumbled inside to my little-used bedroom once it started raining, and his side of the bed was cold, telling me he’d left some time ago. I sighed, trying not to let the knowledge of him being with Maiwenn get me down, and headed out to see what was going on in Queen Eugenie’s domain. We will write a custom essay sample on Thorn Queen Chapter Eight or any similar topic only for you Order Now The first thing I picked up on was that everyone was really excited that it had rained. We’d returned to normal sunny conditions this morning, but last night’s rain had brought the land to life. Cacti bloomed. The trees seemed stronger. And while there were no ostensible signs of excess water, I could sense it in the ground and even slightly in the air. Had having sex caused it? Maybe. Maybe not. Regardless, I was pleased with my good deed. I made motions to leave, but Rurik stopped me. â€Å"Don’t you want to question the prisoners?† I paused. What I wanted was to go home, shower, and change into clean clothes. â€Å"Can’t you do that?† I asked. He frowned. â€Å"Well, certainly, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But it should be my job. That was the unspoken message. I suspected Aeson would have never done such a thing. He would have left it to thugs. I knew if I delegated it to Rurik, he’d do it without (much) complaint. There was something in his eyes, though, that told me he expected more of me than an ordinary monarch. I’d never expected to gain such regard from him-or to feel so uneasy about it. Rurik had pissed me off to no end in the past, but suddenly, I didn’t want to disappoint him. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"Let’s do it.† I’d interrogated plenty of monsters, gentry, and even humans in my day. But there was something weird about interrogating prisoners. It was strange enough to learn that I actually had a dungeon in the castle. There were even shackles on the wall, but thankfully, our two prisoners weren’t bound. They were a man and a woman, both ragged and sullen. He looked my age; she looked older. I entered the bronze-barred cell, Rurik and another guard behind me. I crossed my arms over my chest and swallowed my misgivings. I was Eugenie Markham, badass shaman and slayer of Otherworldly miscreants. This was no different from any of my other jobs. â€Å"Okay,† I told the prisoners, my voice harsh. â€Å"We can make this easy or hard. Answer my questions, and it’ll go a lot faster and smoother for all of us.† The woman glared at me. â€Å"We don’t answer to you.† â€Å"That’s the funny thing,† I said. â€Å"You do. You’re in my land. You’re under my rule, my jurisdiction.† She spat on the ground. â€Å"You’re a usurper. You stole the land from Aeson.† Considering the way power was always shifting in the Otherworld, I found that statement ludicrous. â€Å"Everyone’s a usurper here. And in case you haven’t heard, I didn’t steal the land from him so much as blow him up.† Her face remained hard, but I saw the slightest flicker of fear in the guy’s face. I turned to him. â€Å"What about you? You going to be reasonable? Are you going to tell me where the girls you kidnapped are?† He nervously glanced at his companion. She gave him a hard look, its message easily interpretable: Don’t talk. I sighed. I didn’t want to resort to torture. All-powerful ruler or not, it was just an ugly thing I didn’t want to dirty my hands with. I had a feeling my iron athame pointed at their throats would go a long way to get them to communicate. Instead, I opted for another solution. Producing my wand, I stepped away from the others and spoke the words to summon Volusian. The momentary cold descended upon us, and then the spirit stood before me. Rurik and the guard were growing accustomed to this, but the prisoners gasped. â€Å"Volusian,† I said. â€Å"Got a task for you.† â€Å"As my mistress commands.† I gestured to the prisoners. â€Å"I need you to put muscle on them. Get them to talk.† Volusian’s red eyes widened slightly, the closest he ever came to looking happy. â€Å"But you can’t kill them,† I added hastily. â€Å"Or hurt them-much.† The pseudo-happiness disappeared. â€Å"Start with the guy,† I said. Volusian sidled across the cell and was only reaching his hand out when the guy cracked. â€Å"Alright! Alright! I’ll talk,† he cried. â€Å"Stop, Volusian.† The spirit stepped back, his glum expression growing. â€Å"I don’t know anything about girls disappearing,† the man said. â€Å"We aren’t taking them.† â€Å"You’ve been preying on people,† I pointed out. â€Å"And girls have been vanishing near your base of operation. Seems kind of suspicious.† He shook his head frantically, eyeing Volusian warily. â€Å"No, it’s not us.† â€Å"Have you heard of them disappearing?† â€Å"Yes. But it’s not us.† His words were adamant. â€Å"Yeah, well, I find it hard to believe they’re all running off. If it’s not you, then who is it?† â€Å"You’re a fool,† the woman snapped. â€Å"What would we do with a group of girls?† â€Å"The same thing men usually use girls for,† I replied. â€Å"We can barely feed our own people! Why would we take on more mouths to feed?† That was kind of a good question. â€Å"Well, you still haven’t really given me another explanation.† â€Å"We heard a monster’s doing it,† the man blurted out. â€Å"A monster,† I repeated flatly. I looked over to Rurik who simply shrugged. I turned back to the prisoners. â€Å"Any details on this monster?† Neither responded. It was strange, particularly considering how some prejudiced part of me still regarded most gentry as dishonest, but I believed them about not taking the girls. I thought the monster explanation was bullshit, but they might honestly have believed it to be true. Volusian took a step forward without my command, and the guy hastily spoke. â€Å"The monster lives in our land. In the Ald-Thorn Land, that is.† â€Å"How do you know that?† I asked. â€Å"Because only girls from the Thorn Land have disappeared,† the woman said. â€Å"Westoria borders the Rowan Land, and two of their villages are very close. You read "Thorn Queen Chapter Eight" in category "Essay examples" Skye and Ley. But they’ve had no one go missing.† â€Å"You guys seem to know a lot about this for allegedly not being involved.† â€Å"We don’t need to be involved. We raid both sides of the border-word gets around.† She spoke of her raiding as a matter of pride, and I tried not to roll my eyes. â€Å"Okay. Let’s put the girls on hold. Where did the fire demons come from?† No answer. I sighed again. â€Å"Volusian.† Volusian swiftly moved forward again and wrapped his hand around the guy’s throat. Most spirits had little substance, but with his power, Volusian was as solid as any of us, his touch cold and deadly. The man screamed and crumpled to the ground. â€Å"Stop! Stop!† yelled the woman. â€Å"I’ll tell you.† I halted Volusian and looked at her expectantly. The man remained on the floor, rubbing his throat and moaning. The skin on his neck bore bright red marks. The woman looked angrier than ever. â€Å"It’s our leader who summons them. Cowan.† â€Å"You expect me to believe some vagrant has that kind of power?† I asked. â€Å"Why isn’t he off working for a noble?† â€Å"He was a noble, one of Aeson’s advisors. He preferred to live a rough life, rather than work for someone like you.† â€Å"Aeson did have a noble named Cowan,† Rurik said. â€Å"Her story isn’t implausible.† I suddenly felt weary. None of these were the answers I wanted. No leads on the girls, and now I had a rogue noble who could summon demons. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"That’s all I’ve got for now.† â€Å"What are you going to do with us?† the woman demanded. â€Å"Another excellent question,† I murmured. â€Å"Aeson would have killed them,† said Rurik. â€Å"And you know I’m not Aeson.† Would setting them free accomplish anything? Much of what they’d done had been from hunger and desperation, not that that justified robbing and potentially killing and kidnapping. If I freed them out of guilt, I doubted they’d learn their lessons and go on to become upright citizens. I certainly wasn’t going to kill them, though. I didn’t even want to hold them in this cell much longer. The guard who’d accompanied Rurik cleared his throat. â€Å"Your majesty, you could sentence them to a work detail.† â€Å"A work detail?† â€Å"There are others like them, other criminals, who serve a term doing labor as punishment for their deeds.† â€Å"Like digging your aque†¦whatever,† said Rurik. That didn’t sound so bad. And hey, it might actually be useful. I gave the order and was assured the two prisoners would be transported to their work site. The whole thing felt a little strange. Here I was judge, jury, and-if I chose-executioner. No one argued with my decision. No one questioned the time I set-six months. Although, Rurik’s arched eyebrow made me think he would have sentenced them to life. â€Å"Okay,† I said when we’d emerged out of the lower levels of the castle and I’d sent away Volusian. â€Å"Now I’m going home.† Shaya suddenly rounded the corner. â€Å"There you are,† she said anxiously. â€Å"I’ve been looking for you.† â€Å"I’m leaving.† Her face turned confused. â€Å"But Prince Leith is here to see you.† â€Å"Who†¦oh.† The image came back to me. The moderately cute guy from the party. The Rowan Queen’s son, who hadn’t been all that annoying. â€Å"Why is he here?† â€Å"After your last visit, I dispatched those with any affinity for metal out to search for copper. They found a lot of it-thought it’s been difficult to extract-and I sent out word that we’d be in a position to set up trade for it soon. Leith is here to negotiate on behalf of his mother.† â€Å"Man,† I said. â€Å"You guys move fast.† Her looked turned wry. â€Å"Well, yes, but there’s also the fact that you invited him to visit sometime. He’s taking you up on the offer. In fact, I suspect seeing you is more important than the trade negotiations.† â€Å"Good thing. Because I’m not so good in the way of negotiations.† I never wore a watch and had left my cell phone back in Tucson. I had no idea what time it was, only that I was spending more and more time in the Otherworld. Seeing Leith was only going to delay me further. â€Å"I’ll see him. But it’s going to be fast.† Shaya looked relieved. I think she’d worried I would bolt, which was a very good fear to have. As we walked to the chamber Leith was waiting in, she gave me a curious look. â€Å"Perhaps you’d†¦like to change and clean up first?† I looked at my clothes. They were pretty badly wrinkled, and I didn’t doubt that I had grass in my hair from last night. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"The less appealing he finds me, the better.† Unfortunately, that proved impossible. When we entered the room, Leith leapt up, face aglow with delight. â€Å"Your majesty! It’s so wonderful to see you again.† He swept me a half-bow and kissed my hand. â€Å"You look amazing.† He was apparently into the grunge look. â€Å"I hope you don’t mind me arriving like this. When my mother heard the news of your find, she wanted to make sure we could get in on it as soon as possible.† â€Å"Sure,† I said, taking my hand back. â€Å"No problem.† The room was a comfortable parlor that still bore the signs of Aeson’s tastes in decorating. Tapestries, lots of velvet, and dark colors. Everyone waited for me to sit on one of the plush sofas and then followed suit. I made a point of kind of sprawling on mine. It wouldn’t have been out of the range of gentry etiquette for Leith to come snuggle up beside me. As it was, he was still beaming at me and seemed a bit put out when Shaya jumped right in. â€Å"So, your highness. We’d like to discuss trading our copper for your wheat.† As they began to talk, I had a sudden flashback to that god-awful board game my mother used to make me play, Pit. I let my mind wander as the two of them hashed out the finer details of matters I didn’t entirely understand. My thoughts drifted to some upcoming jobs I had, the mystery of the demons and the missing girls, and of course, Kiyo. Always Kiyo. Leith and Shaya wrapped up their negotiations fairly quickly. From the happy look on her face, I took it our team had come out ahead. With a polite bow in my direction, Shaya rose, holding some papers to her chest. â€Å"If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to have these written up and formalized so that the prince can sign them before he leaves.† I took this as my cue to entertain him, but nothing readily came to mind. I couldn’t really talk to him about reality TV or American politics. Finally, lamely, I said, â€Å"Thanks for your help. I mean, with the trade and everything.† He grinned. â€Å"We’re getting as much out of it as you. Maybe more.† â€Å"Shaya didn’t seem to think so,† I said, speaking without thinking. This made him laugh. â€Å"She’s a good negotiator. You’re lucky to have her.† He leaned forward. â€Å"Especially since I’m guessing this really isn’t your†¦well, let’s just say it’s not one of your normal pastimes.† The frankness caught me by surprise. I’d expected him to remain starstruck and silly, like most of the guys around here who wanted to hit on me. Leith’s current expression wasn’t lecherous or adoring now, just knowing and sympathetic. â€Å"No, it’s really not. This is a kind of a big life change.† â€Å"And yet, you knew you’d be taking this on when you defeated Aeson.† I hesitated. Both Shaya and Rurik had hinted to me on a number of occasions that I really shouldn’t elaborate on the totally unexpected-and unwanted-nature of my queen-ship. Even if I hadn’t fought Aeson with the specific intent of supplanting him, the point remained now that I was stuck with this. Coming across as weak and whiny to those outside my inner circle could create more problems. â€Å"Well, yeah,† I said brightly. â€Å"We just didn’t anticipate this many problems when the land changed.† â€Å"But this is how your world is?† â€Å"The part I live in. But we’ve had a long time to get used to it and figure out ways to survive and get water in. I gave Shaya books on how to construct some of that stuff, so hopefully she’ll find someone to do it.† His brow furrowed. â€Å"Is there any way I could take a look? I might able to help.† For a moment, I wondered if this was his new ploy to schmooze me-until I recalled what Shaya had said about him having a brilliant mind for technology, inasmuch as the gentry could. If he could parse diagrams and whatnot, it might be worth getting closer to him. â€Å"Sure,† I said. â€Å"We could certainly use it.† He smiled again, and as it lit up his face, even I could acknowledge he was pretty good-looking. Not like Kiyo, of course. Or even†¦well, like Dorian. But pretty cute. â€Å"I’ll set to it as soon as I can. If there’s anything else I can do to make this easier for you, I’ll do it.† There was an enraptured look on his face. Yeah, he definitely had a crush, but he didn’t irritate me in the way so many other more obnoxious suitors did. An odd thought occurred to me. â€Å"Leith†¦here’s something you might be able to help with. Have you ever heard of girls disappearing from the Rowan Land? In the areas that border my land?† The look on his face showed that this was the last question he’d expected from me. â€Å"I†¦beg your pardon?† â€Å"Girls have been disappearing from my land, right near your borders.† What were those names? â€Å"Skye and Ley. But the people I talked to say nothing’s happening to your girls. Do you know anything about this?† He shook his head, utterly confused. â€Å"No†¦I’m afraid I don’t know very much about the lives of those people.† Leith’s words weren’t contemptuous by any means, but there was an implication that villagers and peasants just weren’t people he associated with. It reminded me of Rurik’s comments about how Aeson would have never troubled himself to investigate bandits or missing girls unless they directly affected him. Leith wasn’t as much of an asshole as Aeson, but he and his mother were likely just as out of touch as any other noble. I think a fair amount of disappointment must have shown on my face because he suddenly grew eager to make me feel better. â€Å"But I swear, I’ll look into this when I return. I’ll ask Mother, and we’ll send messengers out to report back. I’ll find out everything I can for you.† I smiled at his enthusiasm. â€Å"Thanks, Leith. It’s really great of you to help.† â€Å"Helping a pretty queen is no trouble at all. By the way, have you ever thought about getting a crown?† We talked a little longer, and I found he actually was a really nice guy, given to moments of humor and intelligence. It wasn’t enough for me to jump into bed with him, but I appreciated finding someone else to connect with in the Otherworld. Shaya returned at last with the paperwork-hand-printed on scrolls, of course-and while Leith signed, we got a hold of the engineering books for him. His eyes widened with delight, and I swear, he probably could have sat down and started reading then and there on the floor. Instead, he took the hint that I had other things to do, and after many more compliments and hand kisses, he took his leave. â€Å"You’ve given him another open invitation,† Shaya pointed out. â€Å"Yeah, I know. But he’s harmless. I like him.† â€Å"None of them are harmless, your majesty.† I couldn’t entirely tell if she was joking or not. â€Å"Well, it’ll be worth the hassle if he can solve our water problem and help with the girls.† â€Å"The girls?† I gave her a quick recap of my interrogation with the prisoners. Her face turned thoughtful as she processed my words. â€Å"Skye and Ley†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Do you know those towns?† She nodded. â€Å"They and Westoria are configured in a way that places them equidistant from a gateway. A crossroads.† â€Å"What, to my world?† She nodded again. â€Å"Huh. I wonder if that’s a coincidence. I wonder†¦I wonder if it’s possible that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  One of my crazier ideas came to me. â€Å"Do you think those girls could be leaving and going to my world?† â€Å"I don’t know. Shining ones do often cross over. It’s not unheard of.† â€Å"Yeah, I know. To cause trouble. Or to steal women.† I had to fight a scowl on that one. My own mother had been one such woman, abducted and forced to be my father’s mistress. â€Å"You think these girls are going to go kidnap guys so they can have kids?† The easy ability to conceive was why so many humans got kidnapped. Usually, it was gentry men taking human women. Shaya’s smile turned wry. â€Å"I somehow doubt it would come to that. Women have been known to cross over, spend time in your world, and return pregnant. They don’t need to bring the men back.† Fair point. Well, this was certainly a weird development. I’d have to wait and see what Leith reported back, but I supposed if these girls weren’t actually being abducted†¦well, there was little for me to do. Admittedly, I’d always fought adamantly against gentry sneaking to the human world, but I wasn’t sure where the right and wrong of this situation lay. â€Å"I guess that’d be easier to deal with than a monster taking them. Still leaves that stupid demon problem.† I sighed. â€Å"Well, one issue at a time, I guess.† â€Å"Are you leaving now?† â€Å"Yes. Finally. Thanks for handling this today.† â€Å"Of course,† she said. She actually sounded like she meant it. Her pleased expression turned momentarily hesitant. â€Å"Although†¦there’s something you should know. Someone else responded right away to the trade offer.† â€Å"That’s good news.† â€Å"It’s Dorian.† â€Å"Oh.† Of course Dorian would respond. How could he stay away from an opportunity to put me at his mercy? â€Å"You can deal with it, though, right?† â€Å"Well, that’s just it. He’s specifically requested that you talk to him. At his home.† â€Å"What?† I stared. â€Å"He†¦he can’t do that.† That wry smile of hers returned. â€Å"He’s a king. He can do anything he wishes.† â€Å"Yeah, but Leith came here! Dorian just wants me to go to him so that he can taunt me.† And no doubt flaunt Ysabel in front of me. â€Å"Leith’s kingdom needs copper more than Dorian’s. I suspect Dorian is doing this as a personal favor to you.† â€Å"That’s not exactly how I’d put it.† She shook her head, the amusement now warring with exasperation. â€Å"I know there’s tension between you, but I suspect if you could be nice to King Dorian, he might make us a very generous deal. One that could help us immensely.† A generous deal. The Oak Land was flourishing. I didn’t doubt they had all sorts of food and other items we could use. I thought about those poor people in Westoria and even about my prisoners who’d spoken of having too many mouths to feed. I sighed. â€Å"Fine. I’ll talk to him. And I’ll even be nice.† I started to turn away, needing more than ever to get back to my own home. Then I glanced back behind me. â€Å"But Shaya? Just to be safe, you might want to keep looking for more trade partners.† How to cite Thorn Queen Chapter Eight, Essay examples