Into the Wild free essay sample

Getting Ready to Read Into the Wild is a nonfiction, full-length text by Jon Krakauer. Published in 1996, it is based on an article Krakauer wrote in Outside Magazine about Christopher McCandless, a young college graduate who went off to Alaska and died in the woods. Because Krakauer’s article drew a huge amount of mail to the magazine, he decided to write a book about this interesting character. He’s a young, idealistic guy who forms a life philosophy based on his experience and his reading in college. His idealism, ironically, leads to his death by starvation. He makes choices that seem foolish as we look at them now. But McCandless genuinely loved the outdoors and wanted to live in the world without all the trappings of money and his middle-class upbringing. Into the Wild is, in a way, a mystery story. We’re unsure as to why he rejects his family, why he’s so angry with them, and why he chooses to head for Alaska. We will write a custom essay sample on Into the Wild or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Quickwrite: * Think about your experience hiking, backpacking, and/or existing in the wild. What are the benefits of any one of these activities? or * Think about some alternative plans you might have to beginning college immediately after high school. What might you do? Why would you do it, and for how long could you see yourself doing that activity? or * Think about an experience you have had when you were alone and made some misjudgments that could have led to disaster but didn’t (it doesn’t have to be in the outdoors). What miscalculations did you make and how did you avert disaster? Activity 2: Introducing Key Concepts We know about characters from their actions, their thoughts, what they say, heir appearance, and what others say about them. This book explores a character, Chris McCandless, and the actions he takes. Before reading about him, complete this pre-reading activity. Read the scenarios below and use specific words to describe the character in the scenario. In groups, you will compare your lists, then turn in your finalized list of descriptive words to your teacher. Mary was from the Valley. She used the word â€Å"like† in front of most of her adjectives when she spoke and talked quite a bit. On her 16th birthday she expected to get a car. It was a given. Her friends thought she would get a pink Maserati, but she was sure her parents would buy her the candy-apple red Alfa Romeo. The day of her birthday came, and as she peered out her bedroom window, she noticed a new car in the driveway, but it was yellow—surely not hers. She thought it may have been the new cleaning woman’s. She did not see any other car in the long driveway. She ran down to get a closer look. It was a new canary-colored convertible Volkswagen bug. On the front driver’s-side seat was a birthday note to her. She burst into tears and ran into the house. What does this mean? Are all biographers impartial? What might we expect from Krakauer? * In the last paragraph, Krakauer introduces the complexity of Chris McCandless. Keep in mind the following four questions as you read the text: 1 Should we admire McCandless for his courage and noble ideas? 2 Was he a reckless idiot? 3 Was he crazy? 4 Was he an arrogant and stupid narcissist? Activity 4: Making Predictions and Ask Questions (Extra Credit) * Find an issue of Outside Magazine and write a one-page report describing the magazine, its audience, the kinds of articles it publishes, and so forth. Then ask yourself these questions: * Why do you think Krakauer wrote this particular book? * Who do you think is the intended audience for this book? Note that the book’s roots can be found in a long article about McCandless in Outside Magazine. Activity 6: First Reading Quickwrites (5 minutes) After you finish each chapter, write down what you think the chapter’s main focus is and what the author is trying to accomplish in that chapter. Here are some other questions to ask yourself:  · What are the issues the author is discussing? (this is basically a summary). What does the author want us to believe? this is the author’s purpose) Because you will be given directed tasks as you read Into the Wild, you will need to flip back and forth in this guide. For example, you might read chapters 1 and 2, practice a reading strategy, skip to the section on vocabulary for those chapters, skip on to the section that gives you strategies for rereading, and so forth. Reading Chapters 1 and 2: The Beginning and the End Note the epigraphs that begin each of these chapters. One is by a friend of Chris McCandless and the other is by McCandless, followed by a quotation from White Fang, by Jack London. In a notebook, keep track of the literary quotations that Krakauer uses in his epigraphs. Make note of all the maps that begin the text. * What is your assessment of Chris McCandless so far? Keep notes as you read, ask questions of the text, and write down your reactions. Reading Chapter 3: Home Jot down your thoughts on the following questions: * What was Westerberg like? What kind of character did he have? * What was McCandless like? What kind of character did he have? Would you have liked to know him? Reading Chapters 4–7: The Journey Study the map that begins Chapter 4 and refer to it as you follow McCandless’s journey. Jot down answers to the following as you read these chapters: * In your notebook, list the people McCandless met along the way. * What was it about McCandless’s personality that made an impression on people? * Note Alex’s journal. Why do you think he avoided using the first person when he talked about himself? (He did not use â€Å"I. †) * What is the purpose of Chapter 4? * Characterize Ronald Franz. What kind of a human being was he? Did he have your sympathy? Why or why not? * What more did you learn about Alex’s relationship with his father? Do you think his anger is justified? Why or why not? Reading Chapters 8–10: The Outcasts * What is the function of these chapters? What is their relationship to the rest of the text? * Why did Krakauer interrupt the McCandless story with Chapters 8 and 9? * Were you surprised that McCandless left trails so that the authorities could find out who he was? * What’s in a name? Does it matter that we have the name we were given by our parents? How do names matter? Does your name fit you? If not, what name would you choose? Why? Reading Chapters 11–13: Family History These three key chapters give background information that will help you piece together the mystery of McCandless. Chapter 11 fills in his personal past; Chapter 12 fills in his family past; and Chapter 13 chronicles McCandless’s family’s grief. Jot down the surprises (if any) that you encountered as you read. * What was McCandless like as a child and as a teen? What was he like as an adult? Were there indications throughout his life as to the kind of person he would become? * Do you think you are essentially the same person you were as a child? How have you changed? Reading Chapters 14 and 15: Krakauer Interjects * Why does Krakauer talk about himself in these two chapters? Do you like his interjections? What is your reaction to his description of his own climbing experience? * How is Krakauer’s life related to McCandless’s? * John Menlove Edwards said that climbing is a â€Å"psycho-neurotic tendency. † Do you think that is so? Always? * Do you think that Edwards defines McCandless? How is he psycho-neurotic? Reading Chapters 16–18: Into the Alaskan Wild Go back to the author’s notes and jot down your thoughts on the questions Krakauer asks at that point: * Was McCandless crazy? * Was he just ignorant? * Did he have a death wish? * Investigate further the wild sweet peas and wild potatoes McCandless ate. Were they toxic? Reading the Epilogue: Grief * What was your initial sense of McCandless’s mental condition compared to what you think now? Have you changed your mind? * What was your reaction to his parents as they visited the bus? Activity 7: Looking Closely at Language Because this reading is a full-length book, there are many new words to learn. You learn most of the words you know from hearing them or reading them. Here are some clues to help you learn new words as you are reading. 1 Notice what comes before and after the word for clues as well as the parts of the word itself you may already know. Link your prior knowledge with what you are reading—make connections to the word or subject. 3 Make predictions about the word’s meaning. 4 Use references to find more about the word. 5 Make connections to a key concept and, if relevant, place the new word and its meaning in your concept dictionary. Activity 8: Rereading the Text Our first reading of a book gives us the story line, the major conflicts, and a sense of what the author intends. The second (or third) reading provides richer analyses and a deeper understanding of the text. In the author’s notes, Krakauer provides a guide to our reading—especially to our subsequent reading of Into the Wild. As you look at the text again, go back to the four questions he asks in his â€Å"notes. † 1 Was McCandless admirable for his courage and noble ideas? 2 Was he a reckless idiot? 3 Was he crazy? 4 Was he a narcissist who perished out of arrogance and stupidity—and was he undeserving of the considerable media attention he received? Make marginal notes as you reread the text. When you respond to the chapter questions, cite the text, if necessary, where you find evidence for your judgments. Chapters 1 and 2 Each chapter begins with a short epigraph (a quotation that is relevant to that chapter). Now that you have a better sense of Chris McCandless’s story, why do you think these epigraphs are relevant to these chapters? Chapter 3 * How would you characterize McCandless’s relationships with other people: his parents, his sister, Westerberg? * What did his friends make of his secretive life? Chapters 4–7 As you read, see if you can find evidence of Alex’s preparation for Alaska: Read Thoreau’s â€Å"On the Duty of Civil Disobedience† and consider how Alex might have incorporated Thoreau’s advice into his life philosophy. Read some of Jack London’s work that we know influenced Alex: The Call of the Wild, White Fang, â€Å"To Build a Fire,† â€Å"An Odysse  Consider McCandless’s family history. * Does that change your view of him? * Characterize each of McCandless’s family members. What are their strengths and weaknesses? * Was McCandless reasonable in his reaction to his parents’ past? Should he have forgiven them? * How do you think the information about his parents affected McCandless? * Does his anger at them explain something about McCandless’s choices in life? * Chapter 12 ends with McCandless’s mother talking about a dream (nightmare? ) that she had. Have you ever had such a thing happen to you? Should we take dreams such as these seriously. Into the Wild free essay sample In the world of journalism, there is a code of ethics known as journalistic integrity, which when followed, ensures that the work done by journalists meets certain standards. Journalistic integrity includes fair, unbiased material with truth and accuracy. This is a tough job, and journalists sometimes let their own experiences and opinions interfere with journalistic integrity. A very obvious example of this is Jon Krakauer’s account of the odyssey of Chris McCandless: Into the Wild. He shows a lack of objectivity, along with a lack of impartiality, based off of his obsession with the American Spirit. We will write a custom essay sample on Into the Wild or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is very easy to notice this lack of objectivity and impartiality throughout the book. Throughout Into the Wild, Krakauer uses examples of the â€Å"American Spirit,† and applies it to both his life and Chris McCandless’s. When he was writing the book, Krakauer felt a connection to Chris because of their similarities, including the American Spirit. This connection brought a lot of criticism to Krakauer, because it made it hard for him to say anything negative about Chris. There are several examples of Krakauer’s American Spirit, which was overall shown through his thrill for adventure. Krakauer shows that in his youth he â€Å"†¦ devoted most of my waking hours to fantasizing about, and then undertaking, ascents of remote mountains in Alaska† (Krakauer 134). What he means here is that he always had a hunger for climbing. He also shows off his thrill for adventure here: â€Å"How would it feel, I wondered, to be balanced on that bladelike summit ridge, worrying over the storm clouds building in the distance† (Krakauer 133). This quote really stands out, as he is attracted to what most people fear. Like many people, he â€Å"†¦was stirred by the dark mystery of mortality† (Krakauer 155). In other words, he was interested in and embraced the fact that at some point his life would end, and he had no idea when. Krakauer’s parents had a different version of the American Spirit. Krakauer states that he and his siblings â€Å"†¦were hectored to excel in every class, to win medals in science fairs, to be chosen princess of the prom, to win election to student government† (Krakauer 148). As you can see here, his parents had very different ideas for Krakauer’s life than he did. Throughout the book, Krakauer seems to glorify most of McCandless’s actions, even a lot of the illogical ones. He is so impartial because in lot of ways he sees himself in Chris, so he only wanted to focus on the smart and brave things that he did. You can tell that Krakauer sees himself in McCandless from the way he compares himself to him; at one point he states that â€Å"†¦Like McCandless, figures of male authority aroused in me a confusing medley of corked fury and hunger to please† (Krakauer 134). This shows that he hated society, yet he still cared about what people thought about him. When it comes to objectivity, Krakauer does not do a very good job; at many points he puts himself into the story, such as here: â€Å"As a youth, I am told, I was willful, intermittently reckless, moody† (Krakauer 134). In this quote, he is also comparing himself to McCandless; this is furthermore showing that he is bias. He even has chapters about himself going though his own personal experiences, which is a lack of objectivity. Also, whenever he does talk about McCandless, he often inserts his own opinions into the story. From his opinions, it makes it very obvious that Krakauer admires almost everything that McCandless did during his odyssey. While Krakauer is obviously a strong supporter of McCandless and his great adventure, he also tells it accurately. Even though he makes attempts to justify the extremely stupid and reckless things that McCandless did on his journey, Krakauer still does in fact mention all of, or at least most of, the stupid and reckless things that Chris did on his journey. He includes the opinions of many of McCandless’s critics, along with many of his supporters. Krakauer also includes many of McCandless’s journal entries throughout the book, with some very long, and others as short as â€Å"MOOSE! † (Krakauer 166). McCandless wrote this when he shot a moose, which he later recalled as one of the worst tragedies of his life, because the moose quickly spoiled. While Krakauer does in fact make his story accounting the life of Chris McCandless accurate, he also certainly fails to make it impartial and unbiased. He seems to justify all of Chris’s mistakes poorly conceived plans. The fact that Krakauer used this technique likely drove people away from the book; it is also likely that this pulled other people towards the book. Overall, this book is bias, yet it still has accurate and honest accounts. Throughout all of Into the Wild Krakauer seems to have no regards for the rules of journalistic integrity. As a result, the reader does not get a full, genuine portrayal of Chris McCandless’s journey; they instead see McCandless through the eyes of Krakauer, which is overall just a reflection of Krakauer himself. As a result of Krakauer’s lack of ability to leave himself out of the story, along with his personal opinions of McCandless, the biography completely lacks the integrity of journalism. Into The Wild free essay sample Into the Wild tells so much about the person Chris Mishandles was, his story, and the tragedy of it all. But only a few chapters explain how he became the way he did and how It led him to do some of the things he did. He thought differently, worked at a deferent pace, and embraced life unlike any other. But, why? Many things In Chris life shaped him and made him the way he was before his tragic ending. Chris was always fearless. On page 109, It talks about how Chris father, Walt, took Chris on a three day hike, when he was eight, In the Shenandoah to climb Old Rag.Then Walt talks about how himself, his wife, kids from the other marriage, and Chris went to climb Long Peaks In Colorado. At 13,000 feet, Walt wanted to turn around and go back but Chris wanted to keep going. He wouldve risked the dangerous path. We will write a custom essay sample on Into The Wild or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Even later on, when he left to Alaska, he would take risks and do dangerous things. Walt had said, He didnt think the odds applied to him. He had no fears, and he did what he wanted. Chris never followed rules nor listened to anyone. He did his own thing at his own pace and the majority of the time, he was better at it than anyone else.But hed also et into trouble. Chris got an F in high school physics because he refused to write a paper in the format the teacher wanted. This same characteristic can be seen later on during his trip, when he worked at McDonalds, he would work at a slow pace all the time but hed always show up on time. He got into the habit of doing things how he wanted to do them when he was younger and thats how it always stayed. Chris friend, Giggler, explained how he would think a lot about heavy-duty stuff. It seems that Chris always wants to help and do things that are farther than his reach and bigger than him.His friends talk about how hed walk around Washington talking to prostitutes and homeless people. He once tried to convince his friends to help stop the racial oppression in South Africa. He was a dreamer, and that affected everything he did. In conclusion, throughout his whole life, Chris was always the same person. He was fearless and never followed rules. He followed his own path and did things at his own pace. He thought a lot about deep things, and he was a dreamer. Even later on, during his adventure across the country, we read about these same characteristics In the things he does and the people he talked to.He was an unique Individual. How it led him to do some of the things he did. He thought differently, worked at a different pace, and embraced life unlike any other. But, why? Many things in Chris Chris was always fearless. On page 109, it talks about how Chris father, Walt, took Chris on a three day hike, when he was eight, in the Shenandoah to climb Old Rag. Went to climb Long Peaks in Colorado. At 13,000 feet, Walt wanted to turn around and during his adventure across the country, we read about these same characteristics in the things he does and the people he talked to. He was an unique individual.

Free Essays on Terrorism & America

Terrorism & America Terrorism wasn’t something that Americans thought much of up until the 1990’s. Prior to the 90’s, Americans felt secure against any major political violence at home. Since then, we have been introduced to growing ways of our vulnerability. With 9/11 and the Oklahoma City bombings in 1995 killing 169 has raised the possibility of a sustained campaign of violence on U.S. soil. There hasn’t been a war on U.S. soil since the Civil War. The problem with terrorism now is that we don’t know what to expect. The hostility built up mostly in the Middle East has yet to seriously backfire on us. We have to understand what terrorism is and how to deal with it in order to take part in counter terrorism. Terrorist’s actions aren’t considered acts of war. Rather, proof that they can beat us and get away at it. Webster’s Third International Dictionary defines terrorism as  ¹the systematic use of terror as a means of coercion.  ²An atmosphere of threat or violence. What Americans really think of when something like 9/11 or the Oklahoma City bombings happen is, why? Definition What terrorism really is as far as the U.S. government sees it is, â€Å"premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by sub national groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence and audience.† This definition has four main elements. The first, premeditation, means there must be an intent and prior decision to commit the act that would qualify as terrorism. It isn’t a matter of accident. The second element, political motivation, is what all terrorists have in common and separates them from other violent criminals, it is the claim to be serving some greater good. The noncombatant target element explains itself. Terrorists attack people who cannot defend themselves with violence in return. The final part of terrorism deals with sub national groups. This would be a... Free Essays on Terrorism & America Free Essays on Terrorism & America Terrorism & America Terrorism wasn’t something that Americans thought much of up until the 1990’s. Prior to the 90’s, Americans felt secure against any major political violence at home. Since then, we have been introduced to growing ways of our vulnerability. With 9/11 and the Oklahoma City bombings in 1995 killing 169 has raised the possibility of a sustained campaign of violence on U.S. soil. There hasn’t been a war on U.S. soil since the Civil War. The problem with terrorism now is that we don’t know what to expect. The hostility built up mostly in the Middle East has yet to seriously backfire on us. We have to understand what terrorism is and how to deal with it in order to take part in counter terrorism. Terrorist’s actions aren’t considered acts of war. Rather, proof that they can beat us and get away at it. Webster’s Third International Dictionary defines terrorism as  ¹the systematic use of terror as a means of coercion.  ²An atmosphere of threat or violence. What Americans really think of when something like 9/11 or the Oklahoma City bombings happen is, why? Definition What terrorism really is as far as the U.S. government sees it is, â€Å"premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by sub national groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence and audience.† This definition has four main elements. The first, premeditation, means there must be an intent and prior decision to commit the act that would qualify as terrorism. It isn’t a matter of accident. The second element, political motivation, is what all terrorists have in common and separates them from other violent criminals, it is the claim to be serving some greater good. The noncombatant target element explains itself. Terrorists attack people who cannot defend themselves with violence in return. The final part of terrorism deals with sub national groups. This would be a...

CLA labor of hero Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CLA labor of hero - Essay Example With regard to their births, Herakles, therefore, was superior in strength to Theseus as he hailed from a union between man and god (Powell, 2012). Herakles labors resulted as a punishment for his murdering of his wife – princess Megara and all their children albeit with madness bestowed upon him by Hera. Theseus labors, on the other hand, were because of his quest to claim his birthright by taking the sword and sandals back to King Aegeus (Powell, 2012). Both Herakles and Theseus were faced with labors, which they overcame despite everyone expecting them to fail. Herakles endured twelve labors while Theseus was faced with six labors. Herakles transcended his labors purely due to sheer strength while Theseus succeeded primarily due to his wit. Besides, Herakles was at most times supported by deities – Hermes and Athena - whenever he needed them while Theseus never had the support of deities. The hero-myth dichotomy refers to the hero’s movement from the normal world, into the supernatural facet where challenges are encountered and transcended, and finally the hero comes back to help men. The hero-myth has key markers such as one divine parent – for example Zeus in the case of Herakles. Another key characteristic of the hero-myth is that the birth of the hero may be unusual – such as in the case of Herakles where his birth was delayed by the intervention of Hera. Another key marker of the hero-myth is the great strength that the hero possesses – for instance – Perseus who kills the monster Medusa. Almost all of the Greek mythical heroes were male. This orientation depicted the state of affairs at the time in Greece where males were assumedly warriors while the females were expected to handle house chores and bring up children. One of the key roles of the male heroes was to deliver society from the enclaves of suffering, as well as suffering. In addition, the male heroes’

Electrical Energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Electrical Energy - Essay Example This have made the technologists to search for more energy efficient practices and hence could achieve major break through in energy efficiency as it is reported that the efficiency have really doubled since 1954. The reports available show that the fuel mix has more or less remained constant since 1980 (Lave, 291). According to the reports of U.S. Department of energy, half the quantity f electricity generated is from coal, nuclear plants account for 20 percent of the generated electricity, while hydroelectric plants contributes 7 percent and finally renewable energy and petroleum products account for 2 percent each. The significant thrust has been given by most of the state administrations to maximize the use of the renewables. But the major challenge in the use of renewables is said to be absence of feasible electricity storage system. The estimates say that according to the prevailing conditions 8 to 10 hours of sunlight is adequate to generated electricity for 24 hours but lack of efficient and low cost units to store this energy is the major drawback (Lave, 291). So is the case of wind energy also. The availability of wind and period of electricity demand don't match, the wind in required manner are not available especially during the summer months when the electricity demand is at its peak.

Rational Choice Theory Human Essay Example for Free

Rational Choice Theory Human Essay Kidnapping John was an ordinary struggling employee of a newspaper firm. One cannot tell by appearances what the mind is capable of, or is it situations that can arouse criminal intelligence in any one of us. However, it is when thoughts transform into actions that crime is committed and what is it that causes this transformation: opportunity. Crime Script John sat thinking of possible options. It has been a mistake to switch two jobs in three years. Not only did he not have a decent designation, he barely made enough to sustain himself, let alone repay the 00 loan installments. Mr. Woolmar, the Boss, did not even know his full name properly in the six months that he had worked, let alone give him any financial help. He would have to do something drastic, something quick and maybe even something illegal. And it would have to be alone. Nothing in office, there were too many cameras. The next-door neighbours just had a baby kidnapping? Yes, but not a baby. Rob someone, take their cash, ATM, and car. Parking lots are good for that, no police, and hardly any public to get alerted and call 911. Yes, parking lots, that is where most crimes are committed, at least in the movies. Resources and setting up John required first of all, a gun. The only person whom he knew had a gun was his colleague, Sarah, who after attempted burglary at her residence had obtained an official permit to keep a gun for self-defense. He mentioned having to write an article on gun engineering and asked if he could borrow it for a few hours†¦office time only. He would take it at twelve ‘o clock, study the components, and return it at five before she leaves for home. Sarah, as her permit allowed her to carry the gun on her person, bought it to office the next day. All he cared about was that it was small in size, not too visible in his coat. Could have been a toy gun, some do look scarier than the real thing. The mask was cut out of a ladies polo neck shirt that he had bought at Labels yesterday, two holes for the eyes, a little slit for breathing and one for talking. Black, and cotton, he did not want the stifling nervous feeling to make him faint. A sports bag, to carry everything and sports gear, to look like: ‘I have just left gym and an going home. ’ This disguise also allowed him to wear joggers, which made less noise as he approached. Another factor that made him soundless was the linoleum floor of the parking lot. Linoleum is especially designed to absorb noise and shock from car tyres so that parking lots are serene. Little did floor manufacturers know how this ‘benefit’ would transform into a security hazard. He had also chosen a parking area that is mostly vacant during office lunch hours. A block away from his office was Hallman’s Securities: home to few of the richest brokers in the city. These were people who had it all and more. For them, a few thousand dollars amiss would not matter. All this was information gained from his very own newspaper articles. Actors and doing it As soon as it was One, John changed into his sports gear in the restroom, signed out ‘Gone for lunch’ walked two blocks down and started jogging as he approached the parking lot. A few stretches and he even smiled at a few lady lawyers walking out with their coffee flasks who waved back distracted. Most cars he had noticed parked in the morning, as he had stopped on his way to office, were not there. The red BMW was missing, it had particularly caught his attention because of its shine. The guard on duty was nowhere to be seen, lunch hours for everyone, hopefully. He continued with his stretches and hoped for the gentleman who had parked his Vitz at exactly 8:45, at the other end, to come out after a few more minutes when the movement died down. And there he was, navy blue shirt, maroon tie, grey trousers and the salt and pepper hair. Not really elderly enough to make John feel guilty, more of a younger wealthy CEO variety. John could now understand ‘rob the rich, give to the poor. ’ Ducking under the fichus undergrowth, John quickly put on his mask and sprinted to the other end. The gentleman nonchalantly put the keys in the lock, the rustling of leaves in the wind providing further cover to Johns hurried arrival. It was only â€Å"I have a gun, do as I say! ’ that made him stop, stiffen and put his hands up. â€Å"Get into the car, fast, don’t look back! † and John crouched low in the back seat. Once in the car, he could talk more, explain his situation, now that the gun was out of the view. â€Å"Give me your wallet, watch, and anything else that you are carrying! And you had better not hold anything back or else † said John as he poked the nozzle into his ribs. But the white-faced man was too shocked to comply. â€Å"Can’t you hear me?!! † and the second jolt startled his poor victim into action. John felt like an actor in a play. He had to force the ruthlessness into his voice; it was not coming naturally. Maybe that is how all criminals feel the first time. He wished he had not started this, but it was too late now, he had started committing the offence, might as well go all the way and reap the reward. At least he could thank his oratory skills for not fumbling with the words or faltering in volume to give away his own apprehensions. â€Å"Now you have to drive to the nearest ATM, NORMALLY, smile at people as they pass, NO ONE MUST SUSPECT, YOU UNDERSTAND! † said John, and the car started. Both the villain and the victim were on auto-pilot, like a robot drove the grey-haired man, knowing exactly where to turn, to stop at red lights, stare straight ahead, not looking here or there. John kept his gaze and nozzle fixated at his victim, ignoring the need to look around lest he give away the game. It was a slow mechanical drive. The car stopped at the ATM. It was one of those booth varieties. â€Å"I will wait outside† said John. â€Å"Take out your maximum and be out in two minutes, or I will come and shoot you inside. † Those two minutes seemed like eternity. John kept looking at his watch. What if the man had two cell phones, and had given John only one. What if he will look up the window and see a blue uniform holding a gun at him? A girl passed by the pavement, oblivious of everything except the tune in her I-pod. Then he heard the thud of the booth and saw a flash of Navy blue. Alerted to his teeth, he only breathed as he realized it was his fellow, not the cops. The man turned around and handed the cash. â€Å"That was all the limit allowed. † Silence as John counted the nine hundred and fifty dollars. Add that to the six hundred in the wallet, the five hundred the Tissot would go for, John realized that he would have to execute Part B of the plan, steal the car. Anyway it would be better to have the car to drive off in than to have to disappear from the crime on foot. â€Å"Drive and stop where I tell you! † China town was what John had in mind, there were less phone booths and more Chinese than American in that area. It would take longer for an American to get help there than anywhere else in New York. Jumping onto the passenger seat, John shouted’ â€Å"Get Out! † at the back alley. Yanking the mask off and driving at full speed John neither looked left or right as he speeded to the little repair shop run by the Mexican who had repaired the almost falling-apart foxy belonging to his Indian friend, Ranjeet. That was the only place he had ever seen a shady deal done, when suddenly a brand new Volvo was deposited by two high schoolers who walked away with cash in their pockets and smiles on their faces. The economic and emotional decadence that had disgusted him then, seemed so all right and understandable now. A crime does not feel like a crime if your needs are greater than the needs of your victim. Here too, the actions seemed rehearsed. Stop the car near the garage, walk inside, but a cigarette and open the packet to find the 4 smokes and the amount the Mexican feels is appropriate for the new arrival. Which was appropriate for John as well: A full two thousand and five hundred dollars. He may even give four hundred to charity to wash away his sin. He was just waiting for a taxi as he saw the Vitz being slowly pushed into the repair shop and the gate being closed. A few directions to the Indian cab driver, a speedy drive to office, a rush to the restroom where John changed back into his office attire, leaving the clothes and joggers in the huge trash bin, John was back at his desk at 2:15. â€Å"Rather early lunch? Was it a date? † asked Bob, his colleague â€Å"Yeah, sort of† said John as he finished formatting the article on why it is dangerous to polish guns on your own inside the house. â€Å"Here Sarah, thanks a lot, how do u use this thing? † Rational Choice Theory Human beings are rational creatures. That is why God created heaven and hell. We make the right choices there, because God is always watching. But cops are not always watching, so it is possible for would-be criminals to get away with a lot of things since â€Å"where there is a will, there is a way. † Crime arises when motivation meets opportunity. One may have the mind but not the means. If crimes such as Johns are to be prevented, either one or both of these factors would have to be reduced/removed from society. Motivation for crimes of financial nature, such as Johns, arises from need. It is not a case of a rich man trying to get richer by swindling the shareholders of his company. It is performing the big crime of kidnapping for a few thousand dollars. As said ‘Rationality involves an end/means calculation† (Sutton). Kidnappers may face lengthy terms in prison. The harsh sentences imposed and the poor risk-to-benefit ratio compared with other crimes have caused kidnapping for ransom virtually to die out in the United States. It may be that John was not aware of the consequences of getting caught. Here the question arises as to what were the violent actions the loan shark had threatened to take, that provoked John to risk something greater. A loan shark, is someone who illegally charges interest over the states legal limit, which could range up to, or even over 100% and threatens violence or damage to a persons reputation. John could have come clean to the local police and requested for security. However, if the motivating factor was damage to reputation, it would have been disastrous for John as his career as a writer in a newspaper. A more comprehensive approach is needed to reduce the incidence of such crimes. The government may need to create public awareness about the seriousness and penalties of committing various crimes so that the law is not taken lightly in times of stress. The underlying problem, however, is economical. â€Å"With the new decade of 2010 upon us, little has changed and further victimizing seems inevitable as financial desperation increases globally in more households† (Sifakis, 1999). The government must crack down on the loan shark system and introduce schemes of credit borrowing from the State itself depending on merit and below market interest rates. In fact, why not without interest at all? Interest has been looked down upon in a few religions of the world because it makes the poor, poorer and the rich, richer. Had John had access to such a borrowing system, he may not have fallen prey to a local loan shark. John’s situation mentions that he has no family or friends. A very often and sad situation in the new American society is the loneliness of the individual. In other cultures, expenses and liabilities are shared by family members especially those living in a joint family system. Such a system also automatically keeps an emotional check and an eye on every member where deviance in behaviour or mood is immediately noticed. Problems are discussed and sorted out. When society becomes individualistic and there is less and less of a support structure, financial and psychological factors combine to breed crime Motivation is all in the mind. But the body acts only if there is an opportunity. If there is a situation in which the crime can be performed. John chose not to rob a bank because he did not have access to professional assistants. John chose not to defraud his employer because he lacked the IT expertise and there were surveillance cameras in office. He had the motivation for both of these, but did not have the opportunity so the crimes were not committed. Therefore the government needs to focus on situational crime prevention. This includes making public areas safer for people. Parking lots and parks often get deserted. More surveillance cameras must be installed. Security guards must be employed in shifts. Criminals commit crime mostly because they think they will not get caught. A general awareness of crime prevention must be installed in society. Situational crime prevention does not mean obtaining permits for guns. The more guns there are out there, the more the chances of anyone getting hurt. Obviously a gun is made to kill. One in ten will. The danger of it falling into the wrong hands is too great. Guns get jammed and fire at the wrong times. There have been numerous deaths around the world because of guns kept at home. Another factor in urban crime prevention is to assimilate the various ethnicities of a metropolitan into the community whole-heartedly. â€Å"Immediate steps can be taken to reclaim the urban environment and recreate a sense of community. Migrants in multicultural cities, who have internalized the culture conflict between two worlds, can be assisted in gaining new identities and allegiances† (United Nations Team, 1995). Poverty-stricken, derelict areas on the outskirts of metropolitans are like breeding areas or crime ports, where goods can be deposited, sold, purchased out of need but always with a racial revenge in the subconscious. In John’s case the Mexican was a character, which symbolized this mafia. If at the end of his crime, John did not have a place to sell the Vitz, the crime may not have arisen at all, since no one would be carrying four thousand dollars cash anyway. The crime had not been completed until John sold the car. The victim had time to contact the authorities. However, in such situations a victim’s reactions are often late especially if the aggressor is strong or loud. While the victim was inside the ATM booth he could have looked into the CCTV camera and made signs to indicate his situation. A compulsory self-defense course must be introduced at all private and public schools so that victims are at least able to respond for help at the right time and place. This would ensure a lot of criminals being taken off guard. After a crime is committed, it is the States responsibility to punish. â€Å"The Swiftness, Severity, and Certainty of punishment are the key elements in understanding a laws ability to control human behavior† (Keel, 1997). The rational choice theory states that the benefit of the crime is greater than the pain: ‘Choice can be controlled through the perception and understanding of the potential pain or punishment that will follow an act judged to be in violation of the social good, the social contract,† (Lilly, Cullen and Ball, 1995). Whenever a crime attempt is aborted, a criminal punished, the story must flash on the media and be registered into the minds of the public, for human beings learn readily by example. Some societies go to the extent of public floggings and executions, so that all ye may learn. Utilizing the media for the good of the community is a governmental responsibility. The State may do much but it is the power of the people that can also be quite a deterrent to crime. † Self-help schemes have proven highly effective in well-organized communities. Specific crime prevention measures, such as neighbourhood block watches and neighbourhood courts, work best in partnership with local authorities, scrupulously avoiding vigilantism. † (United Nations Team, 1995. ) In many metropolitans, for example in Karachi, citizens have joined hands with the local area police to make their localities / cities safer places to live in; an organization named CPLC (Citizens Police Liaison Committee) with the slogan ‘Lets beat crime together’ has distributed car stickers with phone numbers easily displayed so that anyone who notices anything suspicious may inform it. Conclusion All efforts of the State and citizens alike must be more focused on eradicating ‘the way’ (that is, opportunity) because it is easier to eradicate than ‘the will’ (that is, motivation), which requires a long-term strategy. ‘To err is human† and the devil may open his workshop anywhere but as long as there is no opportunity, crime commission does not occur. The rational choice theory states that motivation and opportunity combine for crime commission. However sometimes motivation is not a factor at all. Even if the State and community are ideal, there are serial killers and psychopaths who commit crimes only because there are opportunities. John had the opportunity to kidnap and commit theft and he would have done it even if he were a serial killer who had a fetish for killing grey-haired men, instead of having been driven to it because of financial problems. Sometimes it is just temptation or the thrill of doing something daring and forbidden, that replaces motivational factors such as poverty or racism. So we may conclude that opportunity of crime can be equal to possibility of crime and though economic and sociological environments must be such that they deter crime, it is more relevant for the authorities to focus on situational crime prevention. References Kopel, D. B. (1995). Guns: who should have them?.. New York: Prometheus books. Keel, R. O. (1997). Rational Choice and Deterrence Theory. Lilly, J. Robert, Cullen, Francis T. and Ball, Richard A. (1995). Criminological Theory: Context and Consequences (2nd ed. ). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc. Sifakis, C. (1999). The Mafia Encyclopedia Checkmark Books Sutton, D, Ronald V. Clarke. Retrieved May 17th, 2010 from http://www. criminology. fsu. edu/crimtheory/clarke. htm United Nations. (1995, April). Stop Crime. Retrieved May 17th, 2010, from http://www. un. org/ecosocdev/geninfo/crime/dpi1646e. htm

Existence of the soul

Existence of the soul Introduction There are a number of big philosophical questions that commonly interest philosophers. Chief among these questions is the existence of the soul. What will become of me when I die? Will I cease to exist or not? And if I do continue to exist will I remain in my current form or that of another life form? These are questions which are frequently discussed when talking about the soul. Platos work on life after death is regarded as one of the very first pieces of written philosophical work on the existence of the soul. Platos Phaedo is an attempt to answer these questions; an attempt to prove that the soul pre-exist the body and that it continues to live after death. Platos Phaedo must therefore be discussed if a conclusion is to be reached on whether the soul pre-exist the body. Much of Platos work, unlike many other philosophical writings, is in dialogue. Platos dialogues are named after the central character, which in this case, is Phaedo. Besides Phaedo, other important characters in t he dialogue are Echecrates with whom the dialogue begins with, Socrates who is the main character in the dialogue, Simmias of Thebes, a follower of the philosopher Pythagoras and Cebes whom also is a follower Pythagoras. Phaedo centres on the death of Socrates, who was sentenced to death in 399BC for corrupting the minds of the youth and denouncing the gods. After the trial, Socrates is in prison waiting to be condemned by drinking Hemlock and this is the point of Platos Phaedo which begins to look at life after death. It is clear that the introductory section of the dialogue takes place from (60a) whereby Socrates after massaging his leg states that pleasure and pain are closely related, despite the fact they are opposites. The point Socrates makes here seems logical as empirical experience shows that people cannot appreciate the ups of life without having the downs. Socrates then goes on to claim that anyone wise will follow him to death, as a wise person or a philosopher long to be released from the body. This is an important point of Platos dialogue as it ignites the discussion of the immortality of the soul. Why would Socrates claim that those who are wise should follow him to death shortly? For Socrates death is simply a release of the soul from the body. Socrates believes that firstly he will be entering the company of good and wise gods and secondly he expects to enter the company of dead people that are better than those still alive, thus it is good to leave life (Daniel Hill lecture notes, 2008). Furthermore the body for Socrates is a hindrance for a philosopher seeking the truth. The bodys demands such as food, drink and sex are not the concerns of a true philosopher and more so the body cannot provide reliable information, our senses constantly deceive us. (A fine examplemaybe example). The truth is the real nature of any given thing i.e. justice in itself, which has never been perceived by anybody. In order to reach the uncontaminated truth one mu st be pure and uncontaminated. Socrates goes as far to say the philosophers occupation consists precisely in the freeing and separation of the soul from body (Daniel Hill lecture notes, 2008). However by arguing this point Socrates is presuming that life exist after death, something which provokes Cebes to raise an objection questioning Socrates line of thought by highlighting that it is widely accepted that when one dies the soul may be released from the body and dispersed like smoke and so destroyed Cebes challenge is one which Socrates must respond to and he does so by producing four arguments to support his claim that the soul is immortal. First is the Argument from Opposites which aims to show the cycle of death and rebirth must go on forever. Secondly is the Theory of Recollection which aims to show that the reasoning part of the soul did exist before birth, thus making it plausible to hold that it will also exist after death. Third is the affinity argument, which concerns its elf too with the reasoning part of the soul, in particular the nature of the Forms and the control of desires. The final argument Plato introduces considers the soul as the cause of life. The Argument of Recollection is what must be discussed in detail due to as stated above it concerns itself with the pre-existence of the soul. Theory of Recollection The Theory of Recollection is introduced by Cebes, who briefly outlines the argument as follows: that all learning is just really recollection and that by recollecting it shows that we must have learned sometime before; which is impossible unless our souls existed somewhere before they entered this human shape. So it seems that the soul is immortal (Daniel Hill Lecture Notes 2008). Simmias then asks Cebes to remind him how the proof of Socrates theory of learning as recollection goes and Cebes provides two reasons. Firstly Cebes puts forth that when people are asked questions, if the question is put in the right way they can answer everything correctly, which they could not possibly do unless they were in possession of knowledge (Daniel Hill Lecture Notes 2008); and secondly if you confront people with a diagram or anything like that, the way in which they react provides the clearest proof that the theory is correct (Daniel Hill Lecture Notes 2008). Cebes argument is very vague; howe ver the point he seems to be trying to make can be understood by using a mathematical question. For example if you were asked, what is 6+33? You would give the answer of 39, yet it is unlikely that you would have learnt that exact sum beforehand, so the fact that you recognised it shows that you must have learnt it in a previous life. Cebes answer for Simminas is allusive thus Plato introduces Socrates to give the argument in full detail. In Phaedo Socrates begins with the suggestion that one can only recollect what one has learnt at some previous point. Socrates too understands that recollection is the process of being reminded of something and uses the example of lovers who are reminded of the person they love, when they recognise a piece of clothing or any other private property owned by their lover (Plato 2003). However to have prior knowledge of all things gained from experience within the world would be absurd, thus Plato outlines what he means is that we have knowledge of abs tract entities or as Plato describes the knowledge of Forms. What does Plato mean by abstract entities or Forms? Plato means entities such as justice, beauty, goodness and holiness etc. The example he gives is equality. Plato writes in Pheado We admit, I suppose, that there is such a thing as equality not equality of stick to stick and stone to stone and so on, but something beyond all that and distinct from it absolute equality (Plato 2003). Its seems what Platos argument is trying to show is that there is a concept of equality which is recollected when we view certain objects, such as two sticks of similar length or if we feel the weight of two stones of similar weight and we know whether or not they are of equal weight because we understand the concept of equality without it ever being taught. However what must be understood is that Plato is not saying that equality is within the sticks and stones themselves, as they may appear equal to me but unequal to another; but rather by seeing the sticks and the stones that we get the idea of absolute equality.Socrates then continues to highlight that we are aware that sticks and stones do fall short of being equal, but to be conscious of the fact that they fall short means that we must have a the concept of what it is to be perfectly equal. However how do we know of this equality when Plato denies empirical knowledge as reliable? Socrates answers That we must have had some previous knowledge of equality before the time when we first realised (Plato 2003). Therefore Socrates deduces that we obtained our knowledge of equality before birth. So if this holds true with equality then it must hold true with all other abstract entities or Forms such as beauty and justice. However Socrates continues claiming that Each of us loses this knowledge at the moment of birth, but afterwards by pertinent exercise of our senses, recover the knowledge which we once had before, I suppose that we call learning (Plato 2003). Hence Socra tes concludes that all learning is recollection. Socrates then moves on to present an alternative explanation to support his argument claiming that someone who truly knows a subject ought to be able to explain it to others, yet most people cannot explain the things that he (Socrates) has been explaining to Simmias (http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/phaedo/section5.rhtml). Socrates explains that if someone can be brought to recollect knowledge of the kind he is explaining and then able to explain that knowledge to others, then it goes to show that knowledge existed in a past life and it was forgotten the at birth. Simmias raises an objection to this point stating that perhaps we gain knowledge at birth, but Socrates simply reminds him that if we possessed it at birth then surely it would be absurd to lose it at the exact same moment we gained that knowledge. Socrates then concludes that the existence of the soul before birth is as certain as the existence of beauty, goodness, and all things in themselves that the soul supplies knowledge of when we see the physical things that approximate to them Platos argument Platos argument seems to be coherent and reaches a sound conclusion that the soul pre-exist birth. However the argument has been criticised by many philosophers due to the gaps within the argument. These gaps within Platos argument must be explored in order to come to a conclusion on whether the Theory of Recollection does prove that the soul pre-exist the body. A chief criticism of Platos theory of recollection stems from the foundation of his argument. Plato discusses two different kinds of knowledge; intrinsic knowledge of the Forms (goodness, beauty and equality etc.) and the recollection of knowledge, and this is where the problem lies. In Phaedo Socrates is intent on showing that what we know was present before birth However Plato gives no explanation of when before birth we acquire this knowledge or how. Further, if we did come into this world knowing of abstract qualities such as justice, holiness and equality etc, the next thought would be that when did we first come into co ntact with these abstract qualities?. Plato gives no time frame and this is important as it obvious that when we, as humans get to a certain age all of us tend to know similar concepts such as those of the Forms described by Socrates in Phaedo. Further, Plato maintains that no true knowledge can come about from experience and that knowledge is innate; therefore experience from a previous life could not have given us the knowledge of the Forms, such as equality, beauty and justice etc. On the other hand in Platos defence that it could be said that our very first soul was created with such knowledge; that is our first soul was created with the knowledge of Forms. However there are those that object to this line of view claiming that Plato does not provide an answer on how the cycle of birth and death of the soul begin? And if it has a beginning how can it end? (http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/phaedo/section5.rhtml). Owen Mcleod highlights this fact stating If the soul cannot die, then the soul is indestructible. The general principle being assumed here seems to be that if x cannot die, then x is indestructible. But.If x is destructible, then x can die. This is clearly false. Inanimate objects of all sorts rocks, shoes, corporations can be destroyed, and hence are destructible, but they do not literally die upon destructionMore so is Platos meaning of equality. Plato advances equality not just as a relation to two objects but as a property in itself. Yet we wouldnt normally think of a single stick on its own of being able to have the property of equality and so forthFurther Platos knowledge as discussed above is not that of future events or empirical knowledge but that of the knowledge of the Forms. Therefore for the Argument from Recollection to work the Theory of Forms must be accepted. This is as Hackforth states: the doctrine of Forms is with that of the souls existence before its incarnation: in other words, they stand and fall together. Attempts to p rove the Theory of the Forms may succeed or fail, but what the significance here is that Platonised Socrates does not explicitly prove or justify the Theory of the Forms Another problem of Platos argument is regarding the type of judgment that Recollection of the Forms leads us to make.If as Plato states that everything we perceive in the world, including those sense perceived judgments; are sustained by the Forms, it would suggest that all human beings judgments are correct, as the Forms are pure truth. Yet this conclusion would be widely inaccurate as human beings make many incorrect judgments, the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster is a testament to this as it was human errors which resulted in destroying the lives of thousands of people. Conclusion Platos Theory of Recollection is a coherent argument and one which attempts to prove that the soul does pre-exist the body. Plato Phaedo works on many grounds due to the fact that we as human beings can relate too much of what Plato has written. It is widely accepted that when humans look at an object we can be reminded of a particular person or event. Therefore it does not seem strange to think of abstract qualities such as equality in the same way. Nonetheless, the Theory of Recollection rest upon premises which once examined shows misgivings within the argument. Plato Argument from Recollection relies heavy on his Theory of Forms which he assumes are not doubtable and due to this the Theory of Recollection automatically proves the existence of the soul. Yet the Forms are susceptible to doubt, as discussed before if humans decisions are imbued by the Forms then surely the Forms are doubtable as human beings decisions are incorrect time after time. Further modern day philosophy has simply described Phaedo as a religious doctrine supported by poets (Hackforth 1992), suggesting that Phaedo may have proved the pre-existence of the soul in Ancient Greek, yet now in the modern era it is must be seen as no more than a religious doctrine which was widely accepted at the time. Against modern philosophy Platos argument does not appear to be justified. Karl Poppers falsification theory, for example, demands that any suggestion that is put forward must be done so in terms that allows it to be falsified. If the idea requires certain assumptions that are impossible to prove, like the Theory of the Forms, then we cannot consider it as being valid Yet the context in which the dialogue was written must be considered when evaluating the Theory of Recollection. Socrates is condemned to death and his final hours are upon him, it is clear that Socrates purpose in the dialogue is to explain his views on death to his friends. Socrates lack of concern in the face of death surprises Cebes and Simminas and this prompts Socrates to convey his views on the immortality of the soul. Furthermore the period the dialogue was written, it was universally accepted that life existed after death. Thus Plato task is to link life after death to life before death. Therefore a modern reader must bare this in mind when considering Platos Theory of Recollection. Thus after examining Platos Theory of Recollection it can be concluded that though the argument is coherent, key premises are subject to criticism which undermines Platos argument. Furthermore with development of modern philosophy and developments in science the Theory of Recollection is subject to further failings, thus to a modern reader it would be difficult to accept the Theory of Recollection as golden proof for the pre-existence of the soul, yet at the time Plato wrote Phaedo the argument would have been accepted by a great number of people.

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 3

Chapter 3 The angel will tell me nothing of what happened to my friends, of the twelve, of Maggie. All he'll say is that they are dead and that I have to write my own version of the story. Oh, he'll tell me useless angel stories – of how Gabriel disappeared once for sixty years and they found him on earth hiding in the body of a man named Miles Davis, or how Raphael snuck out of heaven to visit Satan and returned with something called a cell phone. (Evidently everyone has them in hell now.) He watches the television and when they show an earthquake or a tornado he'll say, â€Å"I destroyed a city with one of those once. Mine was better.† I am awash in useless angel prattle, but about my own time I know nothing but what I saw. And when the television makes mention of Joshua, calling him by his Greek name, Raziel changes the channel before I can learn anything. He never sleeps. He just watches me, watches the television, and eats. He never leaves the room. Today, while searching for extra towels, I opened one of the drawers and there, beneath a plastic bag meant for laundry, I found a book: Holy Bible, it said on the cover. Thank the Lord I did not take the book from the drawer, but opened it with my back to the angel. There are chapters there that were in no Bible I know. I saw the names of Matthew and John, I saw Romans and Galatians – this is a book of my time. â€Å"What are you doing?† the angel asked. I covered the Bible and closed the drawer. â€Å"Looking for towels. I need to bathe.† â€Å"You bathed yesterday.† â€Å"Cleanliness is important to my people.† â€Å"I know that. What, you think I don't know that?† â€Å"You're not exactly the brightest halo in the bunch.† â€Å"Then bathe. And stand away from the television.† â€Å"Why don't you go get me some towels?† â€Å"I'll call down to the desk.† And he did. If I am to get a look at that book, I must get the angel to leave the room. It came to pass that in the village of Japhia, the sister village of Nazareth, that Esther, the mother of one of the priests of the Temple, died of bad air. The Levite priests, or Sadducees, were rich from the tributes we paid to the Temple, and mourners were hired from all the surrounding villages. The families of Nazareth made the journey to the next hill for the funeral, and for the first time, Joshua and I were able to spend time with Maggie as we walked along the road. â€Å"So,† she said without looking at us, â€Å"have you two been playing with any snakes lately?† â€Å"We've been waiting for the lion to lay down with the lamb,† Joshua said. â€Å"That's the next part of the prophecy.† â€Å"What prophecy?† â€Å"Never mind,† I said. â€Å"Snakes are for boys. We are almost men. We will begin work after the Feast of Tabernacles. In Sepphoris.† I was trying to sound worldly. Maggie seemed unimpressed. â€Å"And you will learn to be a carpenter?† she asked Joshua. â€Å"I will do the work of my father, eventually, yes.† â€Å"And you?† she asked me. â€Å"I'm thinking of being a professional mourner. How hard can it be? Tear at your hair, sing a dirge or two, take the rest of the week off.† â€Å"His father is a stonemason,† Joshua said. â€Å"We may both learn that skill.† At my urging, my father had offered to take Joshua on as an apprentice if Joseph approved. â€Å"Or a shepherd,† I added quickly. â€Å"Being a shepherd seems easy. I went with Kaliel last week to tend his flock. The Law says that two must go with the flock to keep an abomination from happening. I can spot an abomination from fifty paces.† Maggie smiled. â€Å"And did you prevent any abominations?† â€Å"Oh yes, I kept all of the abominations at bay while Kaliel played with his favorite sheep behind the bushes.† â€Å"Biff,† Joshua said gravely, â€Å"that was the abomination you were supposed to prevent.† â€Å"It was?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Whoops. Oh well, I think I would make an excellent mourner. Do you know the words to any dirges, Maggie? I'm going to need to learn some dirges.† â€Å"I think that when I grow up,† Maggie announced, â€Å"I shall go back to Magdala and become a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee.† I laughed, â€Å"Don't be silly, you are a girl. You can't be a fisherman.† â€Å"Yes I can.† â€Å"No, you can't. You have to marry and have sons. Are you betrothed, by the way?† Joshua said: â€Å"Come with me, Maggie, and I will make you a fisher of men.† â€Å"What the hell does that mean?† Maggie asked. I grabbed Joshua by the back of his robe and began to drag him away. â€Å"Don't pay any attention to him. He's mad. He gets it from his mother. Lovely woman, but a loony. Come now, Josh, let's sing a dirge.† I began improvising what I thought was a good funeral song. â€Å"La-la-la. Oh, we are really, really sad that your mom is dead. Too bad you're a Sadducee and don't believe in an afterlife and your mom is just going to be worm food, la-la. Makes you think that you might want to reconsider, huh? Fa-la-la-la-la-la-wacka-wacka.† (It sounded great in Aramaic. Really.) â€Å"You two are silly.† â€Å"Gotta go. Mourning to do. See you.† â€Å"A fisher of women?† Josh said. â€Å"Fa-la-la-la, don't feel bad – she was old and had no teeth left, la-la-la. Come on, people, you know the words!† Later, I said, â€Å"Josh, you can't keep saying creepy things like that. ‘Fisher of men,' you want the Pharisees to stone you? Is that what you want?† â€Å"I'm only doing my father's work. Besides, Maggie is our friend, she wouldn't say anything.† â€Å"You're going to scare her away.† â€Å"No I won't. She's going to be with us, Biff.† â€Å"Are you going to marry her?† â€Å"I don't even know if I'm allowed to marry at all, Biff. Look.† We were topping the hill into Japhia, and we could see the crowd of mourners gathering around the village. Joshua was pointing to a red crest that stood out above the crowd – the helmet crest of a Roman centurion. The centurion was talking to the Levite priest, who was arrayed in white and gold, his white beard reaching past his belt. As we moved into the village we could see twenty or thirty other soldiers watching the crowd. â€Å"Why are they here?† â€Å"They don't like it when we gather,† Joshua said, pausing to study the centurion commander. â€Å"They are here to see that we don't revolt.† â€Å"Why is the priest talking to him?† â€Å"The Sadducee wants to assure the Roman of his influence over us. It wouldn't do to have a massacre on the day of his mother's funeral.† â€Å"So he's watching out for us.† â€Å"He's watching out for himself. Only for himself.† â€Å"You shouldn't say that about a priest of the Temple, Joshua.† It was the first time I ever heard Joshua speak against the Sadducees, and it frightened me. â€Å"Today, I think this priest will learn who the Temple belongs to.† â€Å"I hate it when you talk like that, Josh. Maybe we should go home.† â€Å"Do you remember the dead meadowlark we found?† â€Å"I have a really bad feeling about this.† Joshua grinned at me. I could see gold flecks shining in his eyes. â€Å"Sing your dirge, Biff. I think Maggie was impressed by your singing.† â€Å"Really? You think so?† â€Å"Nope.† There was a crowd of five hundred outside the tomb. In the front, the men had draped striped shawls over their heads and rocked as they prayed. The women were separated to the back, and except for the wailing of the hired mourners, it was as if they didn't exist. I tried to catch a glimpse of Maggie, but couldn't see her through the crowd. When I turned again, Joshua had wormed his way to the front of the men, where the Sadducee stood beside the corpse of his dead mother, reading from a scroll of the Torah. The women had wrapped the corpse in linen and anointed it with fragrant oils. I could smell sandalwood and jasmine amid the acrid sweat of the mourners as I made my way to the front and stood by Joshua. He looked past the priest and was staring at the corpse, his eyes narrowed in concentration. He was trembling as if taken by a chill wind. The priest finished his reading and began to sing, joined by the voices of hired singers who had made the journey all the way from the Temple in Jerusalem. â€Å"It's good to be rich, huh?† I whispered to Joshua, elbowing him in the ribs. He ignored me and balled up his fists at his sides. A vein stood out on his forehead as he burned his gaze on the corpse. And she moved. Just a twitch at first. The jerk of her hand under the linen shroud. I think I was the only one who noticed. â€Å"No, Joshua, don't,† I said. I looked for the Romans, who were gathered in groups of five at different points around the perimeter of the crowd looking bored, their hands resting on the hafts of their short swords. The corpse twitched again and raised her arm. There was a gasp in the crowd and a boy screamed. The men started backing away and the women pushed forward to see what was happening. Joshua fell to his knees and pressed his fists to his temples. The priest sang on. The corpse sat up. The singers stopped and finally the priest turned to look behind him at his dead mother, who had swung her legs off of the slab and looked as if she was trying to stand. The priest stumbled back into the crowd, clawing at the air before his eyes as if it some vapor was causing this horrible vision. Joshua was rocking on his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks. The corpse stood, and still covered by the shroud, turned as if she was looking around. I could see that several of the Romans had drawn their swords. I looked around and found the commanding centurion standing on the back of a wagon, giving signals to his men to stay calm. When I looked back I realized that Joshua and I had been deserted by the mourners and we stood out in the empty space. â€Å"Stop it, now, Josh,† I whispered in his ear, but he continued to rock and concentrate on the corpse, who took her first step. The crowd seemed to be transfixed by the walking corpse, but we were too isolated, too alone now with the dead, and I knew it would only be seconds before they noticed Joshua rocking in the dirt. I threw my arm around his throat and dragged him back away from the corpse and into a group of men who were wailing as they backed away. â€Å"Is he all right?† I heard at my ear, and turned to see Maggie standing beside me. â€Å"Help me get him away.† Maggie took one of Joshua's arms and I took the other as we dragged him away. His body was as stiff as a walking staff, and he kept his gaze trained on the corpse. The dead woman was walking toward her son, the priest, who was backing away, brandishing the scroll like a sword, his eyes as big as saucers. Finally the woman fell in the dirt, twitched, then lay still. Joshua went limp in our arms. â€Å"Let's get him out of here,† I said to Maggie. She nodded and helped me drag him behind the wagon where the centurion was directing his troops. â€Å"Is he dead?† the centurion asked. Joshua was blinking as if he'd just been awakened from a deep sleep. â€Å"We're never sure, sir,† I said. The centurion threw his head back and laughed. His scale armor rattled with the tossing of his shoulders. He was older than the other soldiers, gray-haired, but obviously lean and strong, and totally unconcerned with the histrionics of the crowd. â€Å"Good answer, boy. What is your name?† â€Å"Biff, sir. Levi bar Alphaeus, who is called Biff, sir. Of Nazareth.† â€Å"Well, Biff, I am Gaius Justus Gallicus, under-commander of Sepphoris, and I think that you Jews should make sure your dead are dead before you bury them.† â€Å"Yes sir,† I said. â€Å"You, girl. You are a pretty little thing. What is your name?† I could see that Maggie was shaken by the attention of the Roman. â€Å"I am Mary of Magdala, sir.† She wiped at Joshua's brow with the edge of her shawl as she spoke. â€Å"You will break someone's heart someday, eh, little one?† Maggie didn't answer. But I must have shown some reaction to the question, because Justus laughed again. â€Å"Or perhaps she already has, eh, Biff?† â€Å"It is our way, sir. That's why we Jews bury our women when they are still alive. It cuts down on the heartbreak.† The Roman took off his helmet, ran his hand over his short hair, and flung sweat at me. â€Å"Go on, you two, get your friend into the shade. It's too hot out here for a sick boy. Go on.† Maggie and I helped Joshua to his feet and began to lead him away, but when we had gone only a few steps, Joshua stopped and looked back over his shoulder at the Roman. â€Å"Will you slay my people if we follow our God?† he shouted. I cuffed him on the back of the head. â€Å"Joshua, are you insane?† Justus narrowed his gaze at Joshua and the smile went out of his eyes. â€Å"Whatever they tell you, boy, Rome has only two rules: pay your taxes and don't rebel. Follow those and you'll stay alive.† Maggie yanked Joshua around and smiled back at the Roman. â€Å"Thank you, sir, we'll get him out of the sun.† Then she turned back to Joshua. â€Å"Is there something you two would like to tell me?† â€Å"It's not me,† I said. â€Å"It's him.† The next day we met the angel for the first time. Mary and Joseph said that Joshua had left the house at dawn and they hadn't seen him since. I wandered around the village most of the morning, looking for Joshua and hoping to run into Maggie. The square was alive with talk of the walking dead woman, but neither of my friends was to be found. At noon my mother recruited me to watch my little brothers while she went to work with the other women in the vineyard. She returned at dusk, smelling of sweat and sweet wine, her feet purple from walking in the winepress. Cut loose, I ran all over the hilltop, checking in our favorite places to play, and finally found Joshua on his knees in an olive grove, rocking back and forth as he prayed. He was soaked in sweat and I was afraid he might have a fever. Strange, I never felt that sort of concern for my own brothers, but from the beginning, Joshua filled me with divinely inspired worry. I watched, and waited, and when he stopped his rocking and sat back to rest, I faked a cough to let him know I was coming. â€Å"Maybe you should stick with lizards for a while longer.† â€Å"I failed. I have disappointed my father.† â€Å"Did he tell you that, or do you just know it?† He thought for a moment, made as if to brush his hair away from his face, then remembered that he no longer wore his hair long and dropped his hands in his lap. â€Å"I ask for guidance, but I get no answer. I can feel that I am supposed to do things, but I don't know what. And I don't know how.† â€Å"I don't know, I think the priest was surprised. I certainly was. Maggie was. People will be talking about it for months.† â€Å"But I wanted the woman to live again. To walk among us. To tell of the miracle.† â€Å"Well, it is written, two out of three ain't bad.† â€Å"Where is that written?† â€Å"Dalmatians 9:7, I think – doesn't matter, no one else could have done what you did.† Joshua nodded. â€Å"What are people saying?† â€Å"They think that it was something the women used to prepare the corpse. They are still going through purification for two more days, so no one can ask them.† â€Å"So they don't know that it was me?† â€Å"I hope not. Joshua, don't you understand that you can't do that sort of thing in front of people? They aren't ready for it.† â€Å"But most of them want it. They talk about the Messiah coming to deliver us all the time. Don't I have to show them that he has come?† What do you say to that? He was right, since I could remember there was always talk of the coming of the Messiah, of the coming of the kingdom of God, of the liberation of our people from the Romans – the hills were full of different factions of Zealots who skirmished with the Romans in hope that they could bring about the change. We were the chosen of God, blessed and punished like no other on earth. When the Jews spoke, God listened, now it was God's turn to speak. Evidently, my best friend was supposed to be the mouthpiece. But at that moment, I just didn't believe it. Despite what I'd seen, Joshua was my pal, not the Messiah. I said, â€Å"I'm pretty sure the Messiah is supposed to have a beard.† â€Å"So, it's not time yet, is that what you're saying?† â€Å"Right, Josh, I'm going to know when you don't. God sent a messenger to me and he said, ‘By the way, tell Joshua to wait until he can shave before he leads my people out of bondage.'† â€Å"It could happen.† â€Å"Don't ask me, ask God.† â€Å"That's what I've been doing. He's not answering.† It had been getting darker by the minute in the olive grove, and I could barely see the shine in Josh's eyes, but suddenly the area around us was lit up like daylight. We looked up to see the dreaded Raziel descending on us from above the treetops. Of course I didn't know he was the dreaded Raziel at the time, I was just terrified. The angel shone like a star above us, his features so perfect that even my beloved Maggie's beauty paled by comparison. Joshua hid his face and huddled against the trunk of an olive tree. I guess he was more easily surprised by the supernatural than I was. I just stood there staring with my mouth open, drooling like the village idiot. â€Å"Fear not, for behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all men. For on this day, in the city of David, is born a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.† Then he hovered for a second, waiting for his message to sink in. Joshua uncovered his face and risked a glance at the angel. â€Å"Well?† the angel said. It took me a second to digest the meaning of the words, and I waited for Joshua to say something, but he had turned his face skyward and seemed to be basking in the light, a silly smile locked on his face. Finally I pointed a thumb at Josh and said, â€Å"He was born in the city of David.† â€Å"Really?† said the angel. â€Å"Yep.† â€Å"His mother's name is Mary?† â€Å"Yep.† â€Å"She a virgin?† â€Å"He has four brothers and sisters now, but at one time, yes.† The angel looked around nervously, as if he might expect a multitude of the heavenly host to show up at some point. â€Å"How old are you, kid?† Joshua just stared, smiling. â€Å"He's ten.† The angel cleared his throat and fidgeted a bit, dropping a few feet toward the ground as he did so. â€Å"I'm in a lot of trouble. I stopped to chat with Michael on the way here, he had a deck of cards. I knew some time had passed, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  To Joshua he said, â€Å"Kid, were you born in a stable? Wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger?† Joshua said nothing. â€Å"That's the way his mom tells it,† I said. â€Å"Is he retarded?† â€Å"I think you're his first angel. He's impressed, I think.† â€Å"What about you?† â€Å"I'm in trouble because I'm going to be an hour late for dinner.† â€Å"I see what you mean. I'd better get back and check on this. If you see some shepherds watching over their flocks by night would you tell them – uh, tell them – that at some point, probably, oh – ten years or so ago, that a Savior was born? Could you do that?† â€Å"Sure.† â€Å"Okey-dokey. Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth, goodwill toward men.† â€Å"Right back at you.† â€Å"Thanks. Bye.† And as quickly as he had come, the angel was gone in a shooting star and the olive grove went dark again. I could just make out Joshua's face as he turned to look at me. â€Å"There you go,† I said. â€Å"Next question?† I suppose that every boy wonders what he will be when he grows up. I suppose that many watch their peers accomplish great things and wonder, â€Å"Could I have done that?† For me, to know at ten that my best friend was the Messiah, while I would live and die a stonecutter, seemed too much of a curse for a ten-year-old to bear. The morning after we met the angel, I went to the square and sat with Bartholomew the village idiot, hoping that Maggie would come to the well. If I had to be a stonecutter, at least I might have the love of an enchanting woman. In those days, we started training for our life's work at ten, then received the prayer shawl and phylacteries at thirteen, signifying our entry into manhood. Soon after we were expected to be betrothed, and by fourteen, married and starting a family. So you see, I was not too young to consider Maggie as a wife (and I might always have the fallback position of marrying Joshua's mother when Joseph died). The women would come and go, fetching water, washing clothes, and as the sun rose high and the square cleared, Bartholomew sat in the shade of a tattered date palm and picked his nose. Maggie never appeared. Funny how easy heartbreak can come. I've always had a talent for it. â€Å"Why you cry?† said Bartholomew. He was bigger than any man in the village, his hair and beard were wild and tangled, and the yellow dust that covered him from head to toe gave him the appearance of an incredibly stupid lion. His tunic was ragged and he wore no sandals. The only thing he owned was a wooden bowl that he ate from and licked clean. He lived off of the charity of the village, and by gleaning the grain fields (there was always some grain left in the fields for the poor – it was dictated by the Law). I never knew how old he was. He spent his days in the square, playing with the village dogs, giggling to himself, and scratching his crotch. When the women passed he would stick out his tongue and say, â€Å"Bleh.† My mother said he had the mind of a child. As usual, she was wrong. He put his big paw on my shoulder and rubbed, leaving a dusty circle of affection on my shirt. â€Å"Why you cry?† he asked again. â€Å"I'm just sad. You wouldn't understand.† Bartholomew looked around, and when he saw that we were alone in the square except for his dog pals, he said, â€Å"You think too much. Thinking will bring you nothing but suffering. Be simple.† â€Å"What?† It was the most coherent thing I'd ever heard him say. â€Å"Do you ever see me cry? I have nothing, so I am slave to nothing. I have nothing to do, so nothing makes me its slave.† â€Å"What do you know?† I snapped. â€Å"You live in the dirt. You are unclean! You do nothing. I have to begin working next week, and work for a lifetime until I die with a broken back. The girl I want is in love with my best friend, and he's the Messiah. I'm nothing, and you, you – you're an idiot.† â€Å"No, I'm not, I'm a Greek. A Cynic.† I turned and really looked at him. His eyes, normally as dull as mud, shone like black jewels in the dusty desert of his face. â€Å"What's a Cynic?† â€Å"A philosopher. I am a student of Diogenes. You know Diogenes?† â€Å"No, but how much could he have taught you? Your only friends are dogs.† â€Å"Diogenes went about Athens with a lamp in broad daylight, holding it in people's faces, saying he was looking for an honest man.† â€Å"So, he was like the prophet of the idiots?† â€Å"No, no, no.† Bart picked up a small terrier and was gesturing with him to make his point. The dog seemed to enjoy it. â€Å"They were all fooled by their culture. Diogenes taught that all affectations of modern life were false, that a man must live simply, outdoors, carry nothing, make no art, no poetry, no religion†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Like a dog,† I said. â€Å"Yes!† Bart described a flourish in the air with the rat dog. â€Å"Exactly!† The little dog made as if to upchuck from the motion. Bart put him down and he wobbled away. A life without worry: right then it sounded wonderful. I mean, I didn't want to live in the dirt and have other people think me mad, like Bartholomew, but a dog's life really didn't sound bad. The idiot had been hiding a deep wisdom all these years. â€Å"I'm trying to learn to lick my own balls,† Bart said. Maybe not. â€Å"I have to go find Joshua.† â€Å"You know he is the Messiah, don't you?† â€Å"Wait a minute, you're not a Jew – I thought you didn't believe in any religion.† â€Å"The dogs told me he was the Messiah. I believe them. Tell Joshua I believe them.† â€Å"The dogs told you?† â€Å"They're Jewish dogs.† â€Å"Right, let me know how the ball licking works out.† â€Å"Shalom.† Who would have thought that Joshua would find his first apostle among the dirt and dogs of Nazareth. Bleh. I found Joshua at the synagogue, listening to the Pharisees lecture on the Law. I stepped through the group of boys sitting on the floor and whispered to him. â€Å"Bartholomew says that he knows you are the Messiah.† â€Å"The idiot? Did you ask him how long he's known?† â€Å"He says the village dogs told him.† â€Å"I never thought to ask the dogs.† â€Å"He says that we should live simply, like dogs, carry nothing, no affectations – whatever that means.† â€Å"Bartholomew said that? Sounds like an Essene. He's much smarter than he looks.† â€Å"He's trying to learn to lick his own balls.† â€Å"I'm sure there's something in the Law that forbids that. I'll ask the rabbi.† â€Å"I'm not sure you want to bring that up to the Pharisee.† â€Å"Did you tell your father about the angel?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Good. I've spoken to Joseph, he's going to let me learn to be a stonecutter with you. I don't want your father to change his mind about teaching me. I think the angel would frighten him.† Joshua looked at me for the first time, turning from the Pharisee, who droned on in Hebrew. â€Å"Have you been crying?† â€Å"Me? No, Bart's stench made my eyes water.† Joshua put his hand on my forehead and all the sadness and trepidation seemed to drain out of me in an instant. He smiled. â€Å"Better?† â€Å"I'm jealous of you and Maggie.† â€Å"That can't be good for your neck.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Trying to lick your own balls. It's got to be hard on your neck.† â€Å"Did you hear me? I'm jealous of you and Maggie.† â€Å"I'm still learning, Biff. There are things I don't understand yet. The Lord said, ‘I am a jealous God.' So jealousy should be a good thing.† â€Å"But it makes me feel so bad.† â€Å"You see the puzzle, then? Jealousy makes you feel bad, but God is jealous, so it must be good, yet when a dog licks its balls it seems to enjoy it, but it must be bad under the Law.† Suddenly Joshua was yanked to his feet by the ear. The Pharisee glared at him. â€Å"Is the Law of Moses too boring for you, Joshua bar Joseph?† â€Å"I have a question, Rabbi,† Joshua said. â€Å"Oh, jeez.† I hid my head in my arms.

Adult Life

What I feel the definition of being an adult means to be mature and responsible with your things that you have to do in life to life basics. Age doesn’t have anything to do with being mature or being in the adult section. It’s about self realization of you becoming mature. Some people when there maturing there starting college, or a new job, or even just going through with your life. When you are an adult you can make life judgments without any ones help from family or friends. You start identifying yourself of how independent you can be by your own. One important thing that you need to be an adult is responsibility.You would need responsibility towards your family, friend members, and yourself. As a member of society you would need to engage in the community you live in, so you know your whereabouts in the place you live at. You can have a social responsibility which means to volunteer and recycle to keep the place clean. If you’re a responsible friend you would help him or her to make a good decision before he realizes he make a bad mistake. Be there for hem whenever he needs help. A responsible adult will take care of their family and help support them when they need it. Your family should be an important thing in your life.Also you should be respectful of your mom and dad, brothers and sisters. A good father or mother for your child. Without responsibility you won’t be able to fulfill your duties of being a good parent. Without it you might forget to pick up dinner for your wife. Or you could be late to pick up your son from soccer practice. As an adult, you would need to be financially responsible to support yourself. You can’t expect to be taking care of a family if you can barely support yourself. It’s an adult’s responsibility to pay the bills of the house, and worry about the money to see if he has enough to support himself.But a responsible adult is usually good with money, so he won’t be low for the month. He would know how to save money, or not waste it on anything that is not necessary. And know when to use the money if they absolutely need it, or if it’s a requirement thing. Respect is also an important part of being an adult. For example if you got hired at a job, and you don’t like someone your goanna have to learn how to deal with them. Adults have to learn how to deal with one another in daily basics. They don’t let little things get in the way of there working environment.They don’t let there emotions get the best of them. They have self control which comes from being or becoming an adult. One of my role models for being an adult is my father. He is responsible by, he pays the bills, makes sure he has food in the table, and money in the bank. When things get bad or stressful he just keeps a calm mind and thinks of what the solutions are cause that’s what a responsible adult does. My dad is teaching me of responsibility not by tell ing me, but as me just watching him and seeing what he has to do to maintain us. I respect him for everything he has done too keep us in place. Adult Life What I feel the definition of being an adult means to be mature and responsible with your things that you have to do in life to life basics. Age doesn’t have anything to do with being mature or being in the adult section. It’s about self realization of you becoming mature. Some people when there maturing there starting college, or a new job, or even just going through with your life. When you are an adult you can make life judgments without any ones help from family or friends. You start identifying yourself of how independent you can be by your own. One important thing that you need to be an adult is responsibility.You would need responsibility towards your family, friend members, and yourself. As a member of society you would need to engage in the community you live in, so you know your whereabouts in the place you live at. You can have a social responsibility which means to volunteer and recycle to keep the place clean. If you’re a responsible friend you would help him or her to make a good decision before he realizes he make a bad mistake. Be there for hem whenever he needs help. A responsible adult will take care of their family and help support them when they need it. Your family should be an important thing in your life.Also you should be respectful of your mom and dad, brothers and sisters. A good father or mother for your child. Without responsibility you won’t be able to fulfill your duties of being a good parent. Without it you might forget to pick up dinner for your wife. Or you could be late to pick up your son from soccer practice. As an adult, you would need to be financially responsible to support yourself. You can’t expect to be taking care of a family if you can barely support yourself. It’s an adult’s responsibility to pay the bills of the house, and worry about the money to see if he has enough to support himself.But a responsible adult is usually good with money, so he won’t be low for the month. He would know how to save money, or not waste it on anything that is not necessary. And know when to use the money if they absolutely need it, or if it’s a requirement thing. Respect is also an important part of being an adult. For example if you got hired at a job, and you don’t like someone your goanna have to learn how to deal with them. Adults have to learn how to deal with one another in daily basics. They don’t let little things get in the way of there working environment.They don’t let there emotions get the best of them. They have self control which comes from being or becoming an adult. One of my role models for being an adult is my father. He is responsible by, he pays the bills, makes sure he has food in the table, and money in the bank. When things get bad or stressful he just keeps a calm mind and thinks of what the solutions are cause that’s what a responsible adult does. My dad is teaching me of responsibility not by tell ing me, but as me just watching him and seeing what he has to do to maintain us. I respect him for everything he has done too keep us in place.

Free Essays on Hally From “Master Harold And The Boys“

Hally from â€Å"MASTER HAROLD†¦and the boys† Athol Fugard’s â€Å"MASTER HAROLD†¦and the boys† is an indictment of the ignorance, racism and hatred that is continued even in today’s society. Harold, or Hally, is the true example of a precocious white teenage boy, and â€Å"the boys,† Sam and Willie, are black men, who work for Hally and his family. Fear and ignorance bind Harold and the boys in these discriminating roles. The capitalization of the title of this play shows the irony of Hally’s youth to that of Sam and Willie’s wisdom. The status of their relationships can be determined not only because Hally is white and Sam and Willie are black, but also because it is known that the boys play servant roles just from the title of the play. However, Hally’s camaraderie relationship with Sam and Willie is defined in the opening scene where Sam and Willie are cleaning the family-owned tearoom while practicing for a ballroom dancing competition. Hally cheerfully enters the room and exclaims, â€Å"How’s it chaps?† (pg. 1284) and a same level of respect for one another can be seen. Hally and the boys chat and Sam informs Hally that his mother called and said Hally’s father would be returning home. Immediately Hally’s mood changes, instead of the cheerful person he walked in as, a know-it-all appears who denies Sam’s statements. He confronts Sam’s statement with an accusation that he heard wrong. â€Å"Sam’s definitely made a mistake. He’s definitely heard wrong† (pg. 1285). This immediate turn down on the faith of Sam’s word shows an unsteady level of respect that Hally might have for Sam, and foreshadows Hally’s ending behavior in th e play. Hally’s obliviousness to discrimination is seen when on pg. 1286 Sam and himself are discussing the brutal tactics that take place in jails. â€Å"I’ve heard enough Sam, it’s a bloody awful world when you come to think of it. People can be real bastards,† ... Free Essays on Hally From â€Å"Master Harold And The Boysâ€Å" Free Essays on Hally From â€Å"Master Harold And The Boysâ€Å" Hally from â€Å"MASTER HAROLD†¦and the boys† Athol Fugard’s â€Å"MASTER HAROLD†¦and the boys† is an indictment of the ignorance, racism and hatred that is continued even in today’s society. Harold, or Hally, is the true example of a precocious white teenage boy, and â€Å"the boys,† Sam and Willie, are black men, who work for Hally and his family. Fear and ignorance bind Harold and the boys in these discriminating roles. The capitalization of the title of this play shows the irony of Hally’s youth to that of Sam and Willie’s wisdom. The status of their relationships can be determined not only because Hally is white and Sam and Willie are black, but also because it is known that the boys play servant roles just from the title of the play. However, Hally’s camaraderie relationship with Sam and Willie is defined in the opening scene where Sam and Willie are cleaning the family-owned tearoom while practicing for a ballroom dancing competition. Hally cheerfully enters the room and exclaims, â€Å"How’s it chaps?† (pg. 1284) and a same level of respect for one another can be seen. Hally and the boys chat and Sam informs Hally that his mother called and said Hally’s father would be returning home. Immediately Hally’s mood changes, instead of the cheerful person he walked in as, a know-it-all appears who denies Sam’s statements. He confronts Sam’s statement with an accusation that he heard wrong. â€Å"Sam’s definitely made a mistake. He’s definitely heard wrong† (pg. 1285). This immediate turn down on the faith of Sam’s word shows an unsteady level of respect that Hally might have for Sam, and foreshadows Hally’s ending behavior in th e play. Hally’s obliviousness to discrimination is seen when on pg. 1286 Sam and himself are discussing the brutal tactics that take place in jails. â€Å"I’ve heard enough Sam, it’s a bloody awful world when you come to think of it. People can be real bastards,† ...