Thursday, January 30, 2020
Fast Food Nation Essay Example for Free
Fast Food Nation Essay Summary: All Americans effect the huge growth of fast food but adolescents play even more of a vital role in than the average consumer. Not only do teenagers consume fast food, but they work for it and steal from it because they are attracted to it the most. The fast food industry provides the easiest way for young people to get started and continue to succeed in our Fast Food Nation. Our country loves fast food, there is speedy service with cheap tasty food in over one million restaurants world wide. Though we all love it, we do not like the stories behind it. In 2004, Americans spent over 110 billion dollars on fast food, thats more than higher education, computers, computer software and new cars combined (Scholosser, 3). Teenagers provide a huge role in the fast food industry. Teenagers work at these restaurants, eat at these restaurants, are objects of advertisements by these restaurants and steal from these restaurants more than any other age group. Ever since the age of three more than 75 percent of American children can recognize the face of Ronald McDonald. Since our nation is currently being raised around fast food it is only inevitable that as children grow, they only become more of a part of it everyday. The average American child begins to work around the age of 16 doing low wage low labor jobs. At anytime a teenager can walk into any fast food restaurant and apply for a job. Fast food restaurants prefer to employ teenagers because they are easily trained, less expensive to tend to than adults and are easier to control. Also since most teenagers still live at home they can afford to work for wages too low to even support an adult. No other industry in the United States had a workforce so dominated by adolescents. About two-thirds of the nations fast food workers are under the age of twenty (Scholosser, 68). Working in McDonalds is not difficult, but just tedious and long. Since most fast food restaurants are run my machines, it is up to these 17 year-old employs to push buttons and say commands. All Burger King wants is for things to get done faster, not how much effort is put into work, so teenagers feel working at Taco Bell or KFC wont be as difficult as it will a strain. Any teenager working behind the counter at any fast food restaurant is given less respect than animals at the pet store. ... she hates the job and is desperate to quit. Working at the counter she has to deal with rude remarks and complaints. She is often yelled at by strangers angry that their foods taking to long or that something is wrong with their order. One elderly woman threw a hamburger at her because there was too much mustard on it (Scholosser, 81). Though rudeness is a downside to a fast food job, there are perks for kids who do not need a lot. Many of the 200 dollar a week salary is used for teenage spending; clothes, nights out, cars and other desirable things. Teenagers run and continue the fast food work force every day, not because they have to but because its the best option available to them. Though we may not like the way the food is cooked or served; the way it tastes is still great. McDonalds makes a huge profit off of everything; soda fries and sandwiches all profit so largely, and teenagers are one of the most popular customers. A medium soda in McDonalds is $1. 29, it cost McDonalds $4. 25 per gallon of soda syrup, only about 9 cents worth of syrup is used in a medium drink, giving McDonalds almost a 95% profit. Soda consumption among teenagers has doubled within the past 20 years, reaching an average of twelve ounces of soda a day per child. (Scholosser, 54). With French fries McDonalds buy them frozen for 30 cents a pound, then sells them reheated in oil for 6 dollars a pound, pure profit pulled from the hands of teenagers. McDonalds makes billions upon billions of dollars annually by selling things for such a low price but really making the largest profit possible. Recently, fast food restaurants have become more attractive to armed robbers than a clothing store or gas station. Since fast food industries do almost all of their business in cash, others rely on credit card transactions. Robbery in fast food chains is not uncommon at all, even when most of it happens by their own employees, underage teenagers who are desperate for money. Though most of these robberies occur early in the morning or late at night when few people are working. The typical employee stole about $218 a year and according to industry studies, about two thirds of the robberies at fast food restaurants involve current or former employees. (Scholosser, 84). Employees have low pay, high turnover and know the restaurant, why not steal? McDonalds is already a billion dollar industry, many of the people think, its not going to hurt their business, they wont even notice. However these robberies have led to deaths and injuries, and make teenagers realize what horrible conditions they are working in. All Americans effect the huge growth of fast food but adolescents play even more of a vital role in than the average consumer. Not only do teenagers consume fast food, but they work for it and steal from it because they are attracted to it the most. The fast food industry provides the easiest way for young people to get started and continue to succeed in our Fast Food Nation.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Gertrude of Shakespeareââ¬â¢s Hamlet Essay -- Character of Gertrude
The Gertrude of Shakespeareââ¬â¢s Hamlet à à à à Is Gertrude, in the Shakespearean drama Hamlet, a bore? A killerââ¬â¢s accomplice? The perfect queen? A dummy? This paper will answer many questions concerning Claudiusââ¬â¢ partner on the Danish throne. à In her essay, ââ¬Å"Acts III and IV: Problems of Text and Staging,â⬠Ruth Nevo explains how the heroââ¬â¢s negative outlook toward Gertrude influences his attitude toward Ophelia: à Whereas it is precisely his total inability to know her [Ophelia], or for that matter himself, that the scene, in this theatrically simpler view, would allow us to perceive as the center of his anguish. He is tormented precisely by doubts, not by confirmations. And how indeed should he know what Ophelia is? Is she loving and faithful to him despite parental authority? Or compliant to the latter and therefore false to him? What has she been told about him? Is he not testing her with his hyperbolic declaration: à I am very proud, revengeful, ambitious; with more offenses at my back than I have thoughts to put them in, imagination to give them shape, or time to act them in? à His mother has predisposed him to believe in womenââ¬â¢s perfidy, has produced in him a revulsion from sex and the stratagems of sex; he was unable to draw Opheliaââ¬â¢s face by his perusal; she has refused his letters and denied him access; now returns his gifts. What form of devious double-dealing shall he expect? (49-50) à At the outset of the tragedy Hamlet appears dressed in solemn black. His mother, Gertrude, is apparently disturbed by this and requests of him: à à à à à Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted colour off, à à à à And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. à à à à Do not for ever with thy vailed... ...loom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Rpt. from Tragic Form in Shakespeare. N.p.: Princeton University Press, 1972. à Pitt, Angela. ââ¬Å"Women in Shakespeareââ¬â¢s Tragedies.â⬠Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Excerpted from Shakespeareââ¬â¢s Women. N.p.: n.p., 1981. à Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html à Smith, Rebecca. ââ¬Å"Gertrude: Scheming Adulteress or Loving Mother?â⬠Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. of ââ¬Å"Hamletâ⬠: A Userââ¬â¢s Guide. New York: Limelight Editions, 1996. à Wilkie, Brian and James Hurt. ââ¬Å"Shakespeare.â⬠Literature of the Western World. Ed. Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1992. Ã
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 32~33
32 The Missionary Position The guards came for Tucker at sunset, just as he was slipping into the cotton pants and shirt the doctor had left for him. The doctor's clothes were at least three sizes too big for him, but with the bandages he had to put them over, that was a blessing. He still had his own sneakers, which he put on his bare feet. He asked the guards to wait and they stood just inside his door, as straight and silent as terra-cotta soldiers. ââ¬Å"So, you guys speak English?â⬠The guards didn't answer. They watched him. ââ¬Å"Japanese, huh? I've never been to Japan. I hear a Big Mac goes for twelve bucks.â⬠He waited for some response and got none. The Japanese stood impassive, silent, small beads of sweat shining through their crew cuts. ââ¬Å"Sorry, guys, I'd love to hang around with you chatterboxes, but I'm due for dinner with the doc and his wife.â⬠Tuck limped to the guards and offered each an arm in escort. ââ¬Å"Shall we go?â⬠The guards turned and led him across the compound to one of the bungalows on the beach. The guards stopped at the steps of the lanai and Tuck dug into his pants pockets. ââ¬Å"Sorry guys, no cash. Have the concierge put a couple of yen on my bill.â⬠The doctor came through the french doors in a white ice cream suit, carrying a tall iced drink garnished with mango. ââ¬Å"Mr. Case, you're looking much better. How are you feeling?â⬠ââ¬Å"Nothing wrong with me one of those won't cure.â⬠Sebastian Curtis frowned. ââ¬Å"I'm afraid not. You shouldn't drink alcohol with the antibiotics I have you on.â⬠Tucker felt his guts twist. ââ¬Å"Just one won't hurt, will it?â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm afraid so. But I'll make you one without alcohol. Come in. Beth is making a wonderful grouper in ginger sauce.â⬠Tucker went though the french doors to find a bungalow decorated much like his own, only larger. There was an open kitchen nook where Beth Curtis was stirring something with a wooden spoon. She looked up and smiled. ââ¬Å"Mr. Case, just in time. I need someone to taste this sauce.â⬠She was wearing a cream-colored Joan Crawford number with middle line-backer shoulder pads and buff-colored high heels. The dress was straight out of the forties, but Tuck had been around Mary Jean long enough to know that Mrs. Curtis had dropped at least five hundred bucks on the shoes. Evidently, missionary work paid pretty well. She held a hand under Tuck's chin as she presented the spoon. The sauce was sweet citrus with a piquant bite to it. ââ¬Å"It's good,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"Really good.â⬠ââ¬Å"No fibbing, Mr. Case. You're going to have to eat it.â⬠ââ¬Å"No, I like it.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, good. Dinner will be ready in about a half hour. Now, why don't you men take your drinks out on the lanai and let a girl do her magic.â⬠Sebastian handed Tuck an icy glass filled with an orange liquid and garnished with mango. ââ¬Å"Shall we?â⬠he said, leading Tuck back outside. They stood at the railing, looking out at the moon reflecting in the ocean. ââ¬Å"Would you be more comfortable sitting, Mr. Case?â⬠the doctor asked. ââ¬Å"No, I'm fine. And please call me Tuck. Anyone calls me Mr. Case more than three times, I start thinking I'm going to get audited.â⬠The doctor laughed, ââ¬Å"We can't have that. Not with the kind of money you're going to be making. But legally, you know, it's tax-free until you take it back into the United States.â⬠Tuck stared out at the ocean for a moment, wondering whether it was time to give this gift horse a dental exam. There was just too damn much money showing on this island. The equipment, the plane, Beth Curtis's clothes. After Jake Skye's lecture, Tuck had imagined that he might encounter some sweaty drug-smuggling doctor with a Walther in his belt and a coke whore wife, but these two could have just flown in from an upscale church social. Still, he knew they were lying to him. They had referred to the Japanese as their ââ¬Å"staff,â⬠but he'd seen one of them carrying an Uzi out behind the hangar. He was going to ask, he really was, but as he turned to face the doctor, he heard a soft bark at the end of the lanai and looked up to see a large fruit bat hanging from the edge of the tin roof. Roberto. The doctor said, ââ¬Å"Tucker, about the drinking.â⬠Tuck pulled his gaze away from the bat. The doctor had seen him. ââ¬Å"What drinking?â⬠ââ¬Å"You know that we saw the reports on your ââ¬â how should I put it?â⬠ââ¬Å"Crash.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes, on your crash. I'm afraid, as I told you, we can't have you drinking while you're working here. We may need you to fly on very short notice and we can't risk that you might not be ready.â⬠ââ¬Å"That was an isolated incident,â⬠Tuck lied. ââ¬Å"I really don't drink much.â⬠ââ¬Å"Just a momentary lapse of judgment, I understand. And it may seem a bit draconian, but as long as you don't drink or go out of the compound, everything will be fine.â⬠ââ¬Å"Sure, no problem.â⬠Tuck was watching the bat over the doctor's shoulder. Roberto had unfurled his wings and was turning in the sea breeze like an inverted weather vane. Tuck tried to wave him off behind the doctor's back. ââ¬Å"I know this may all seem very limiting, but I've worked with the Shark People for a long time, and they're very sensitive to contact with outsiders.â⬠ââ¬Å"The Shark People? You said you'd explain that.â⬠ââ¬Å"They hunt sharks. Most of the natives in Micronesia won't eat shark. In fact, it's taboo. But the reef fish here often have a high concentration of neurotoxin, so the natives developed shark as a food source. You would think that the sharks, being higher on the food chain, would have a higher concentration of the toxin, wouldn't you?â⬠ââ¬Å"You'd think,â⬠Tuck said, having no idea whatsoever what the doctor was talking about. ââ¬Å"They don't, though. It's as if something in their system neutralizes the toxin. I've done a little research in my spare time.â⬠ââ¬Å"I've seen a lot of shark shows on the Discovery Channel. They go on and on about how harmless sharks are. It's bullshit. Half of these stitches you put in me are because of a shark attack.â⬠ââ¬Å"Maybe they don't have cable,â⬠the doctor said. Tuck turned to him, amazed. ââ¬Å"A joke, Doc?â⬠The doctor looked a little embarrassed. ââ¬Å"I'm going to go see how dinner is coming along. I'll be right back.â⬠He turned and went into the house. Tucker bolted to the end of the lanai where Roberto was hanging. ââ¬Å"Shoo. Go away.â⬠Roberto made a trilling noise and tried to catch Tuck's drink with his wing claw. ââ¬Å"Okay, you can have the mango, but then you have to get out of here.â⬠Tucker held out the piece of cut mango and the fruit bat took it in his wing claw and slurped it down. ââ¬Å"Now get out of here,â⬠Tucker said. ââ¬Å"Go find Kimi. Shoo, shoo.â⬠Roberto tilted his head and said, ââ¬Å"Back off on these people, Tuck. You push them too hard, they'll pull your plug. Just keep your eyes open.â⬠Tuck moved away from the bat with stiff jerking steps out of the line dance of the undead. The bat had said something. It was a tiny voice, high but raspy, the voice of a chain-smoking Topo Gigio, but it was clear. ââ¬Å"You didn't talk,â⬠Tucker said. ââ¬Å"Okay,â⬠said Roberto. ââ¬Å"Thanks for the mango.â⬠Roberto took off, the beat of his wings like the shuffle of a deck of leather cards. Tuck backed though the french doors into a wicker emperor's chair and sat down. ââ¬Å"Come sit,â⬠Beth Curtis said as she carried a tray to the table. ââ¬Å"Dinner's ready.â⬠ââ¬Å"What kind of drugs have you been giving me, Doc?â⬠ââ¬Å"Broad-spectrum antibiotics and some Tylenol. Why?â⬠ââ¬Å"Any chance they could cause hallucinations?â⬠ââ¬Å"Not unless you were allergic, and we'd know that by now. Why?â⬠ââ¬Å"Just wondering.â⬠Beth Curtis came to him and patted his shoulder. Her nails, he noticed, were perfect. ââ¬Å"You had a fever when they brought you in. Sometimes that can give a person bad dreams. I think you'll feel a lot better after a good meal.â⬠She helped him up and led him to the table, which was set with a white tablecloth and black linen napkins around a centerpiece of orchid sprigs arranged in a crystal bowl. A whole grouper stared up between fanned slices of plantain on a serving tray, his eye a little dry but clear and accusing. Tuck said, ââ¬Å"If that thing starts talking, I want to be sedated ââ¬â and right now.â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh, Mr. Case.â⬠Beth Curtis rolled her eyes and laughed as they sat down to dinner. Tuck could almost feel his body absorbing the nourishment. He told them the story of his journey to the island, exaggerating the danger aspect and glossing over his injuries, Kimi, and his craving for alcohol. He didn't mention Roberto at all. By the time Tucker was in the typhoon, the Curtises were well into their second bottle of white wine. Beth's cheeks were flushed and her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm for Tuck's every word. Tuck really intended to ask about Kimi, their cryptic messages, the guards, the rules for his employment, and of course, where the hell all the money came from, but instead he found himself playing to Beth Curtis like a comedian on a roll and he left the bungalow at midnight quite taken with both himself and the doctor's wife. The Curtises stood arm in arm at the door as the guards escorted Tucker back to his quarters. Halfway across the compound, he did a giddy turn and waved to them, feeling as if he had been the one to consume two bottles of wine. ââ¬Å"What do you think?â⬠the Sorcerer asked his wife. ââ¬Å"Not a problem,â⬠she said, keeping a parade smile pointed Tuck's way. ââ¬Å"I really expected him to be a little more resistant to our conditions.â⬠ââ¬Å"As if he's in a position to bargain. The man has nothing, is nothing. He shatters this little illusion we've given him and he has to face himself.â⬠ââ¬Å"He looks at you like you're some sort of beatific vestal virgin. I don't like it.â⬠ââ¬Å"I can handle that. You just get flyboy ready to do his job.â⬠ââ¬Å"He'll be able to fly within a week. He brought up his navigator again while we were outside.â⬠ââ¬Å"If he's here, you'd better find him.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'll speak to Malink tonight. The Micro Spirit is due in day after tomor-row. If we find the navigator, we can send him back on the ship.â⬠ââ¬Å"Depending on what he's seen,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"Yes, depending on what he knows.â⬠Tucker Case entered his bungalow feeling satisfied and full of himself. Someone had turned on the lights in his absence and turned down the bed. ââ¬Å"What, no mint on the pillow?â⬠He changed into a pair of the doctor's pajama bottoms and grabbed a paperback spy novel from a stack someone had left on the coffee table. They had a TV. There had been a TV in the Curtises' bungalow. He'd have to ask them to get him one. No, dammit, demand a television. What did Mary Jean always say? ââ¬Å"You can sell all day, but if you don't ask for the money, you haven't made a sale.â⬠Good food, good money, and a great aircraft to fly ââ¬â he'd stumbled into the best gig on the planet. I am the Phoenix, rising from the ashes. I am the comeback kid. I am the entire 1980 gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic hockey team. I am the fucking walrus, coo-coo ka-choo. He went into the bathroom to brush his teeth, caught his reflection in the mirror. His mood went terminal. I am never going to get laid again as long as I live. I should have pressed them about Kimi. I didn't even ask about what in the hell kind of cargo I'm going to be flying. I am a spineless worm. I'm scum. I'm the Hindenburg, I'm Michael Milken, Richard Nixon. I'm seeing ghosts and bats that talk and I'm stuck on an island where the only woman makes Mother Theresa look like a lap dancer in a leper colony. I am the man who put the F in failure, the P in pathetic, the G in gullible. I am the ringworm poster boy of Gangrene City. I'm an insane, unemployed bus driver for the death camp cartel. Tuck went to bed without brushing his teeth. 33 Chasing the Scoop Natives slept side by side, crisscrossed, and piled on the deck of the Micro Spirit until ââ¬â with a thu showing here, or a lavalava there, streams of primary color among all that gelatinous brown flesh ââ¬â it looked as if someone had dropped a big box of candy in the hot sun and they had melted together and spilled their fillings. Amid the mess, Jefferson Pardee, rolled and pitched with the ship, finding three sleeping children lying on him when the ship moved to starboard, a rotund island grandmother washing against him when the ship listed to port. He'd been stepped on three times by ashy callused feet, once on the groin, and he was relatively sure he could feel lice crawling in his scalp. Unable to sleep, he stood up and the mass moved amoebalike into the vacated deck space. A three-quarter moon shone high and bright, and Pardee could see well enough to make his way through to the railing, only stepping on one woman and evoking colorful island curses from two men. Once at the rail, the warm wind washed away the cloying smell of sweat and the rancid nut smell of copra coming from the holds. The moon's re-flection lay in the black sea like a tossing pool of mercury. A pod of dolphins rode the ship's bow wave like gray ghosts. He took several deep breaths, relieved himself over the side, then dug a bent cigarette out of his shirt pocket. He lit it with a disposable lighter and exhaled a contrail of smoke with a long sigh. Thirty years in the tropics had given him a high tolerance for discomfort and inconvenience, but the break in routine was maddening. Back on Truck, he'd be toweling off the smell of stale beer and the residue of an oily tumble with a dollar whore, preparing to pass out with a volume of Mencken under his little air conditioner. No thought of the day to come or the one just passed, for one was like the next and they were all the same. Just cool cloudy sleep that made him feel, if only for a minute, like that young Midwestern boy on an adventure, exhausted from passion and fear, rather than a fat old man worn down by ennui. And here, in the salt and the moonlight, on the trail of a story or maybe just a rumor, he felt the fungus growing in his lungs, the pain in his lower back, the weight of ten thousand beers and half a million cigarettes and thirty years of fish fried in coconut oil pressing on his heart, and none of it ââ¬â none of it ââ¬â was so heavy as the possibility of dashed hopes. Why had he opened himself up to a future and failure, when he had been failing just fine already? ââ¬Å"You can't sleep?â⬠the mate said. Pardee hadn't heard the wiry sailor move to the rail. He was drinking a Bud tallboy, against regulations, and Pardee felt a craving twist like a worm in his chest at the sight of the can. ââ¬Å"You got another one of those?â⬠The mate reached into the deep front pocket of his shorts, pulled out another beer, and handed it to Pardee. It was warm, but Pardee popped the top and drank off half of it in one gulp. ââ¬Å"How long before we make Alualu?â⬠Pardee asked. ââ¬Å"Three, maybe four hour. Sunrise. We drop you on north side of island, you swim in.â⬠ââ¬Å"What?â⬠Pardee looked down to the black waves, then back at the mate. ââ¬Å"The doctor no let anyone go on the island except to bring cargo. You have to swim in on other side of island. Maybe half mile, maybe less.â⬠ââ¬Å"How will I get back to the ship?â⬠ââ¬Å"Captain say he will swing back around the island when we leave. Captain say he wait half an hour. You swim back out. We pick you up.â⬠ââ¬Å"Can't you send a boat?â⬠ââ¬Å"No boat. No break in reef except on south side where we unload. We have many fuel barrel and crates. You will have seven, maybe eight hour.â⬠Pardee had seen the Spirit arrive in Truk lagoon a thousand times; the ship was always surrounded by outboards and canoes filled with excited natives. ââ¬Å"Maybe I can get one of the Shark People to ferry me.â⬠He did not want to get in that water, and he certainly didn't want to swim half a mile to shore, wasn't sure he could. ââ¬Å"Shark People no have boat. They no leave island.â⬠ââ¬Å"No boats?â⬠Pardee was amazed. Living in these islands without a boat was akin to living in Los Angeles without a car. It wasn't done; it couldn't be done. The mate patted Pardee's big shoulder. ââ¬Å"You be fine. I have mask and fins for you.â⬠ââ¬Å"What about sharks?â⬠ââ¬Å"Sharks afraid around there. On most island people afraid of shark. On Alualu shark afraid of people.â⬠ââ¬Å"You're sure about that?â⬠ââ¬Å"No.â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh, good. Do you have another beer?â⬠Three hours later the rising sun lay like a silver tray on the horizon and Jefferson Pardee was having swim fins duct-taped to his feet by the first mate. The deck bustled with excited natives eating rice balls and taro paste, smoking cigarettes, shitting over the railings, and milling around the ship's store, trying to buy Cokes and Planter's cheese balls, Australian corned beef, and, of course, Spam. A small crowd had gathered around to watch the white man prepare for his swim. Pardee stood in his boxer shorts, maggot white except for his forearms and face, which looked like they'd been dipped in red barn paint. The mate stuffed Pardee's clothes and notebook into a garbage bag and handed it to him, then slathered the journalist with waterproof sunscreen, a task on par with basting a hippo. Pardee snarled at a group of giggling children and they ran off down the deck screaming. Pardee heard the ship's big screws grind to a halt and the mate unhooked a chain gate set in the railing. ââ¬Å"Jump,â⬠he said. Pardee looked at the crystal water forty feet below. ââ¬Å"You're out of your fucking mind. Don't you have a ladder?â⬠ââ¬Å"You can't climb ladder with fins.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'll take the fins off until I get in the water.â⬠ââ¬Å"No. Straps broken. You have to jump.â⬠Pardee shook his head and the flesh on his shoulders and back followed suit. ââ¬Å"It's not gonna happen.â⬠Suddenly the children Pardee had frightened came running around the bridge like a squealing pack of piglets. Two little boys broke formation and ran toward the journalist, who looked around just as he felt four tiny brown hands impact with his back. Pardee saw sky, then water, then sky, then the island of Alualu laying on the sea like a bad green toupee, then the impact with the water took his breath, ripped the mask from his face, and forced streams of brine into his sinuses strong enough to bring blood. Before he could even find the surface, he heard the ship's screws begin to grind as the Micro Spirit steamed away. Two excited boys shook Malink awake. ââ¬Å"The ship is here and the Sorcerer is coming!â⬠The old chief sat up on his grass sleeping mat and wiped the sleep from his eyes. He slept on the porch of his house, part of the stone foundation that had been there for eight hundred years. He stood on creaking morning legs and went to the bunch of red bananas that hung from the porch roof. He tore off two bananas and gave them to the boys. ââ¬Å"Where did you see the Sorcerer?â⬠ââ¬Å"He comes across Vincent's airstrip.â⬠ââ¬Å"Good boys. You go eat breakfast now.â⬠Malink went to a stand of ferns behind his house, pulled aside his thu, and waited to relieve himself. This took longer every day it seemed. The Sorcerer had told Malink that he had angered the prostate monster and the only way to appease him was to quit drinking coffee and tuba and to eat the bitter root of the saw palmetto. Malink had tried these things for almost two full days before giving up, but it was too hard to wake up without coffee, too hard to go to sleep without tuba, saw palmetto made his stomach hurt, and he seemed to have a headache all the time. The prostate monster would just have to remain angry. Sometimes the Sorcerer was wrong. He finished and straightened his thu, passed a thundering cannonade of gas, then went back to the sitting spot on the porch to get his cigarettes. The women had made a fire to boil water for coffee; the smoke from the burning coconut husks wafted out of the corrugated tin cookhouse and hung like blue fog under the canopy of breadfruit, mahogany, and palm trees. Malink lit a cigarette and looked up to see the Sorcerer coming down the coral path, his white lab coat stark against the browns and greens of the village. ââ¬Å"Saswitchâ⬠(good morning), Malink said. The Sorcerer spoke their lan-guage. ââ¬Å"Saswitch, Malink,â⬠the Sorcerer said. At the sound of his voice Malink's wife and daughters ran out of the cookhouse and disappeared down the paths of the village. ââ¬Å"Coffee?â⬠Malink asked in English. ââ¬Å"No, Malink, there is no time today.â⬠Malink frowned. It was rude for anyone to turn down an offer of food or drink, even the Sorcerer. ââ¬Å"We have little Tang. You want Tang? Spacemen drink it.â⬠The Sorcerer shook his head. ââ¬Å"Malink, there was another man here with the pilot you found. I need to find him.â⬠Malink looked at the ground. ââ¬Å"I no see any other man.â⬠The Sorcerer didn't seem angry, but just the same, Malink didn't like lying to him. He didn't want to anger Vincent. ââ¬Å"I won't punish anyone if something happened to him, if he was hurt or drowned, but I need to know where he is. Vincent has asked me to find him, Malink.â⬠Malink could feel the Sorcerer staring a hole in the top of his head. ââ¬Å"Maybe I see another man. I will ask at the men's house today. What he look like?â⬠ââ¬Å"You know what he looks like. I need to find him now. The Sky Priestess will give back the coffee and sugar if we can find him today.â⬠Malink stood. ââ¬Å"Come, we find him.â⬠He led the Sorcerer through the village, which appeared deserted except for a few chickens and dogs, but Malink could see eyes peeking out from the doorways. How would he ex-plain this when they asked why the Sorcerer had come? They passed out of the village, went past the abandoned church, the graveyard, where great slabs of coral rock kept the bodies from floating up through the soil during the rainy season, and down the overgrown path to Sarapul's little house. The old cannibal was sitting in his doorway sharpening his machete. Malink turned to the Sorcerer and whispered, ââ¬Å"He rude sometime. He very old. Don't be mad.â⬠The Sorcerer nodded. ââ¬Å"Saswitch, Sarapul. The Sorcerer has come to see you.â⬠Sarapul looked up and glared at them. He had red chicken feathers stuck in his hair, two severed chicken feet hung from a cord above his head. ââ¬Å"All the sorcerers are dead,â⬠Sarapul said. ââ¬Å"He is just a white doctor.â⬠Malink looked at the Sorcerer apologetically, then turned back to Sarapul. ââ¬Å"He wants to see the man you found with the pilot.â⬠Sarapul ran his thumb over the edge of his machete. ââ¬Å"I don't know what happened to him. Maybe he went swimming and a shark got him. Maybe someone eat him.â⬠Sebastian Curtis stepped forward. ââ¬Å"He won't be hurt,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"We are going to send him out on the ship.â⬠ââ¬Å"I want to go to the ship,â⬠Sarapul said. ââ¬Å"I want to buy things. Why can't we go to the ship?â⬠ââ¬Å"That's not the issue here, old man. Vincent wants this man found. If he's dead, I need to know.â⬠ââ¬Å"Vincent is dead.â⬠The Sorcerer crouched down until he was eye-to-eye with the old cannibal. ââ¬Å"You've seen the guards at the compound, Sarapul. If the man isn't at the gate in an hour, I'm going to have the guards tear the island apart until they find him.â⬠Sarapul grinned. ââ¬Å"The Japanese? Good. You send them here.â⬠He swung his machete in front of the sorcerer's face. ââ¬Å"I have a present for them.â⬠Curtis stood. ââ¬Å"An hour.â⬠He turned and walked away. Malink ambled along behind him. ââ¬Å"Maybe he is right. Maybe the man drown or something.â⬠ââ¬Å"Find him, Malink. I meant it about the guards. I want this man in an hour.â⬠ââ¬Å"He is gone,â⬠Sarapul said. ââ¬Å"You can come out.â⬠Kimi dropped out of the rafters of Sarapul's little house. ââ¬Å"What is he talking about ââ¬â guards?â⬠ââ¬Å"Ha!â⬠Sarapul said. ââ¬Å"He knows nothing. He didn't even know I had this.â⬠Sarapul reached down and pulled out a headless chicken he had been sitting on. ââ¬Å"He is no sorcerer.â⬠ââ¬Å"He said there were guards.â⬠Kimi said. Sarapul laid his chicken on the ground. ââ¬Å"If you are afraid, you should go.â⬠ââ¬Å"I have to find Roberto.â⬠ââ¬Å"Then let them send the guards,â⬠Sarapul said, brandishing his machete. ââ¬Å"They can die just like this chicken.â⬠Kimi stepped back from the old cannibal, who was on the verge of foaming at the mouth. ââ¬Å"We friends, right?â⬠ââ¬Å"Build a fire,â⬠Sarapul said. ââ¬Å"I want to eat my chicken.ââ¬
Monday, January 6, 2020
Abraham Lincolns Second Inaugural Address - 1093 Words
ââ¬Å"The pattern of the prodigal is: rebellion, ruin, repentance, reconciliation, restorationâ⬠(Edwin Louis Cole). Abraham Lincolnââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Second Inaugural Addressâ⬠is a speech that highlights every point in Coleââ¬â¢s quote. He, Lincoln, talks about how the south manages to rebel, how their economy will be left in ruin, how they will repent and be forgiven by both God and the North, how the North and the South will reconcile, and finally he talks of how the nation will move on to restoration. Abraham Lincolnââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Second Inaugural Addressâ⬠emphasizes the reconciliation of a torn apart nation by appealing to pathos, logos, and ethos and by using diction to appeal to the listenerââ¬â¢s emotion. The American Civil War began on April 12, 1861 when the Southern United States seceded from the union. The first battle, taking only thirty-four hours, caused Lincoln to officially rally troops against the South. Most Northern Americans would eventually learn to love Lincolnââ¬â¢s courage; however, many Southern Americans would despise Lincoln. Throughout the civil war many lives were lost, and many families were torn apart. Lincoln would remain a strong figure throughout the war. He would give his people hope, he would give his people courage, and he would give his people strength. Around the time the Civil War was drawing to a close, Lincoln was being reelected. The general of the Confederacy, Robert E. Lee, surrendered after a battle in Virginia. His troops surrendered in April, a little over aShow MoreRelatedAbraham Lincolns Second Inaugural Address877 Words à |à 4 PagesAbraham Lincoln s Second Inaugural Address In the Second Inaugural Address (1865), Abraham Lincoln contemplates that they, as a United Nation, should reflect on the effects of the Civil War and move towards a better future for this nation. He addresses God and the issue of slavery in order to encourage the Northern and Southern states towards reconciliation. Lincoln tries to reveal his intention by utilizing figurative diction, parallel syntax, and a shifting tone. Abraham Lincoln usesRead MoreThe Rhetorical Analysis Of Abraham Lincolns Second Inaugural Address1045 Words à |à 5 PagesPresident Abraham Lincoln speaks to this ideology in his Second Inaugural Address during the conclusion of the Civil War. Lincolnââ¬â¢s optimistic tone highlights his belief that the country can reunite, but only by changing their past dynamics of division to unification. He does so by urging the North to care can for and consider those that ââ¬Å" borne the battleâ⬠referencing the South and for the whole nation to have a ââ¬Å"malice toward noneâ⬠and ââ¬Å"charity for allâ⬠mentality (Lincoln 14). Lincolnââ¬â¢s useage ofRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of President Abraham Lincolns Second Inaugural Address874 Words à |à 4 Pages On Saturday, March 4, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln gave his Second Inaugural Address. Instead of speaking about what he is going to do politically for the coming 4 years, he decided to speak about the unity of the country because ââ¬Å"there [was] less occasion for an address.â⬠He also addressed the effects of the Civil War, which ended about a month after Lincoln gave this speech. He spoke of the effects of the Civil War and offered his vision for the future of the United States of America in manyRead More##ssination Of Martin Luther King Jr. And Abraham Lincolns Second Inaugural Address914 Words à |à 4 PagesAssassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. and President Abraham Lincolns Second Inaugural Address were both written to acknowledge how war and hatred has destroyed our nation. Robert F. Kennedyââ¬â¢s purpose was to clarify the lack of equality and to offer sympathy to those who have been affected by hate crimes. Kennedy adopts a humanistic and humble tone in order to inform his mostly black audience of Dr. Kingââ¬â¢s death. On the other hand, Abraham Lincolnââ¬â¢s purpose was to set the platform of unity in a nationRead MoreEquality Between African Americans And Women Essay1424 Words à |à 6 Pagesthat strove to gain equal rights for both African Americans and women. These two individuals took it upon themselves to achieve the seemingly impossible, and our nation is a better place due to their desire to seek change where change was needed. Abraham Lincoln and Elizabeth Stanton used their speeches and written works to fuel changes in this nation that are still seen today, and I can wholeheartedly say that this nation is a better place due to their desires to seek justice for those who were notRead MoreIn Abraham Lincolnââ¬â¢s Second Inaugural Address, President Lincoln addresses a divided nation. Both600 Words à |à 3 PagesIn Abraham Lincolnââ¬â¢s Second Inaugural Address, President Lincoln addresses a divided nation. Both the Union and the Confederacy are bitter to each other towards the end of the war. However, Lincoln calls both the north and the south to set aside their issues that divided them in order to heal their broken n ation. Lincoln uses a slew of rhetorical methods in his speech such as tone, diction, and syntax to further assist him in achieving his purpose of uniting the nation. Lincolnââ¬â¢s optimistic toneRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Essay examples842 Words à |à 4 Pagesï » ¿Rhetorical Analysis Abraham Lincolnââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Second Inaugural Addressâ⬠and Emily Dickinsonââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Success is Counted Sweet,â⬠are two inspirational pieces of art that fall under two different types of discourses. The ââ¬Å"Second Inaugural Address,â⬠is a great example and definition of what Rhetoric is. It encompasses all four resources of languages- argument, appeal, arrangement, and artistic devices. ââ¬Å"Success is Counted Sweet,â⬠doesnââ¬â¢t cover the four resources of language that apply to rhetoric; therefore, itRead MoreThe Legacy Of Abraham Lincoln1217 Words à |à 5 PagesAbraham Lincoln was born in the year 1809 on February 12th in the town of Hardin County, Kentucky to Thomas and Nancy Lincoln. Growing up Lincoln had no proper education, consequently he read books and educated himself. During Lincolnââ¬â¢s young adult years, he worked a various number of jobs as a shopkeeper, surveyor, and a postmaster. In 1832, Lincoln became a captain of the Hawk War against the Native Americans. Shortly after the war was over, he began his political career and was elected to theRead MoreThe Second Inaugural Address By Abraham Lincoln852 Words à |à 4 PagesThe primary source I have chosen is the ââ¬Å"Second Inaugural Addressâ⬠by Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address on March 4, 1865. Lincoln delivered his address as the Civil War was drawing to a conclusion and the final ends towards slavery. His address was to thousands of spectators, but was intended for a national and international audience. Some of the conspirators involved with Lincolnââ¬â¢s assassination such as John Wilkes Booth, George Atzerodt, and John Surratt wereRead MoreAbraham Lincoln s Second Inaugural Address1070 Words à |à 5 PagesOn March 4, 1865 Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address as president of the United States. The inaugural address came at the very end of the American Civil War, and just a mon th before the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Prior to this address, the United States had been split into two different independent states, the Union and the Confederacy. Throughout Abraham Lincolnââ¬â¢s first term and the very beginning of his second, Lincoln had to deal with the secession of the eleven states
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