Letter from Birmingham Jail Essay Example for Free

Letter from Birmingham Jail Essay To safeguard against analysis is a certain something, to persuade the pundit is another. The last is unquestionably all the more testing, however none could state with merit that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a man unsuited for engaging misfortune. In 1963, King was imprisoned for walking without license in the city of Birmingham. His spoilers viewed his activities as, â€Å"unwise and untimely† (King 1), inciting the social equality lobbyist to react with â€Å"Letter From Birmingham Jail†. In it, King uses the three old style claims, scriptural references, different types of talk, and a painstakingly chosen tone to make a brilliantly worded piece that serves the reason for contending his side. A pugnacious piece is any composing that bolsters a particular arrangement of conclusions and convictions. In many cases, they use the three traditional interests so as to convince the crowd of said thoughts. In the letter, King utilizes each of the three. For example, he applies logos, the consistent intrigue, in the lines, â€Å"Several months prior the [Southern Christian Leadership Conference affiliates] here in Birmingham asked [me] to be available to come in to work to take part in a peaceful direct activity program†¦ So I, alongside a few individuals from my staff, am here in light of the fact that I was welcomed here,† (King 1). So as to legitimize his appearance in Birmingham, something many refer to as into question by his individual priests, King presents fundamental rationale. He was there in light of the fact that he was welcomed, an inarguable actuality that awards him explanation behind nearness and serves the purpose of encouraging others to acknowledge his appearance in Birmingham as legitimized. All things considered, this reality would crash and burn if King’s position was nothing outside a man in prison. The subsequent old style bid is ethos, the moral intrigue. Regularly, the moral intrigue develops the author’s appearance, making them into a figure the crowd accepts deserving of tuning in to. In spite of the fact that couple of the cutting edge world would address King’s words, a significant number of his peers saw him inadequately. In this way, so as to persuade these individuals of his position, he needed to feature his better characteristics. In communicating his lineage as, â€Å"being the child, the grandson and the extraordinary grandson of preachers,† (King 7), King effectively portrays himself as a man who has a nearby association with the congregation. This makes him an increasingly legitimate figure to his crowd, especially on the grounds that they are ministers. As a legitimate figure, the crowd is bound to acknowledge his words as obvious and sensible, in this manner expanding chances that they come to concur with his contention. All things considered, such would not happen if all King introduced, as a substantial figure or something else, was rationale. An association with the crowd is similarly as indispensable as all else, all things considered. The last old style offer is poignancy, the passionate intrigue. It serves to make a connection between the contention and the audience’s sentiments, in this manner impassioning the subject for them. Ruler achieves this flawlessly by choosing the ideal mode for his crowd of strict people groups. Sincerely charged scriptural references strike out at King’s perusers, getting a handle on them by the heart and pushing them into consistence. This can be found in the announcement, â€Å"Yes, I consider the to be as the assemblage of Christ. Be that as it may, gracious! How we have flawed and scarred that body through social disregard and through dread of being nonconformists,† (King 7). Lord conjects that the individuals of the congregation have harmed it and, hence, have harmed Christ himself. This announcement would unlawful a passionate reaction from any Christian, especially sentiments of frightfulness and blame. In light of this reaction, the perusers are bound to consider King’s conclusions so as to maintain a strategic distance from further harming Christ and furthermore to look for absolution for prior encroachments. In any case, realizing the two sides as sensible isn't in every case enough. To totally persuade his perusers, King needed to ruin their own perspectives. Direct opposite is a case of a logical gadget, one that presents the contradicting thought to the author’s proposition before calling attention to its imperfections. Of the numerous types of talk King utilizes, this one shows up the most much of the time and serves the biggest job in supporting his motivation of persuading his colleagues. Indeed, it shows up toward the beginning of a significant number of King’s body passages, for example, with the presentation, â€Å"In your announcement you state that our activities, despite the fact that serene, must be censured on the grounds that they encourage viciousness. However, is this a consistent assertion?†(King 5). A case of direct opposite dependent on it and its following line’s assessment of the critic’s conclusion, this utilization of talk takes into account King’s crowd to see the deficiency in their own contention. Besides, it takes into consideration the ministers to additionally consider King’s own position. Had this been finished with savagery, it would have inspired a ghastly reaction. Luckily, King introduced a sort and patient tone all through his letter. He communicated understanding for the clergymen’s sees and moved toward persuading them tenderly. This can, apparently, be seen most clearly in the lines, â€Å"If I have said anything†¦that exaggerates reality and shows a preposterous anxiety, I beseech you to pardon me. In the event that I have said whatever downplays reality and demonstrates my having a persistence that permits me to agree to anything short of fraternity, I ask God to excuse me,† (King 9). Ruler doesn't approach with allegation, requesting that the pastors apologize for their decisions. Rather, he offers statements of regret on his side just in the event that he happened to over advance some line. This mentality is additionally shown in the end, which peruses, â€Å"Yours for the reason for Peace and Brotherhood, Martin Luther King Jr.,† (King 9). By communicating that he is keen on such positive relations in such a positive way, King can wrap everything up, leaving his piece persuading enough to influence the most unbending of adversaries. Lord sets out in his letter to convince his individual church goers of his situations, to show that that his contention is the one that ought to be followed. He achieves this well by utilizing probably the best scholarly instruments for his crowd, in particular as logical gadgets, scriptural references, old style offers, and delicate tone. He began with the tremendous test of convincing his faultfinders. At long last, he left his faultfinders with the much increasingly complex test of forcing themselves to additionally deny his supposition. In the event that present day is any sign, the larger part bombed pitiably, notwithstanding the improvement of society.

Race Relations in the USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Race Relations in the USA - Essay Example Nowadays, a large portion of our country feels that bigotry and the meanings thereof are a relic of times gone by †we have Affirmative Action, which tries to bring the nation’s ethnic minorities, particularly the African Americans, out of the disservices a methodical segregation has driven them into, what is all the more today an African American is our nation’s President. Plainly, this shows there is no fundamental oppression the non-whites in our nation, as the whites have surrendered the force they once used. However, exactly how obvious is that? Only a little assessment uncovers that while the facts demonstrate that there is no institutional bigotry in the United States, and obvious prejudice isn't endured in any way, there are as yet racial connotations to practically all parts of life. Honestly, these racial connotations are available in relations between non-whites themselves too, yet while we can't characterize the race relations totally, it is as yet a â⠂¬Å"white† issue. Nowadays when a large portion of the clearly supremacist tones of our nation have been covered and when obvious bigot activities and discourse are disliked, yet in addition rebuffed, there is an increasingly unavoidable type of inalienable predisposition that exists inside us. Most individuals from our general public have verifiable predispositions †or, in other words that they have inclinations without deliberately monitoring them. A great deal of the time, individuals do respond with a specific goal in mind when managing individuals of other ethnic networks without understanding that they are demonstrating a concealed inclination. The Social Psychology Network has set up an Implicit Association Test online whereby they have surveyed an enormous number of individuals in regards to their concealed inclinations concerning Whites and African Americans. The aftereffects of the tests are surprising: 73% of the complete test takers show a programmed inclinati on of changing force for White individuals, with just 16% of the test takers demonstrating any sort of inclination for the African Americans. The predisposition is so all around shrouded that we don't have any acquaintance with it exists, but then the test outcomes unmistakably show exactly how tricky and wide spread it is. Another factor that entangles race relations is the way that we have a marvel called â€Å"White Privilege† that is unavoidable, however which we don't admit to. As indicated by Robert Jensen, the United States is molded by White Privilege; he conversed with a traditionalist white understudy of his who additionally concurred that in a world run by white individuals them two had frequently profited by the way that they were likewise white (â€Å"White Privilege†). In any case, there is a pattern to overlook the way that the world is tilted to support a specific race in our nation, and there is still weight on there being equivalent open doors for all residents regardless of station or doctrine. As indicated by Jensen this is a definitive white benefit: â€Å"the benefit to recognize you have unmerited benefit yet disregard what it means† (â€Å"White Privilege†). This doesn't imply that white individuals misuse the privileges of others to be the place they are at the present time, yet that there are entryways that are opened to them all the more promptly in light of the shade of their skin. Peggy McIntosh, in her exposition â€Å"Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack† has not just discussed how there is requirement for us to address the white benefit, however has likewise distinguished and recorded 50 things that she, as a white individual, gets the opportunity to encounter, which other ethnic minorities don't get the opportunity to encounter more often than not. It is just educational, most definitely, to find out pretty much all the ordinary things where White individuals have an imperceptible bit of leeway or benefit over individuals from other ethnic networks. For example, as per the rundown, McIntosh can promptly disregard â€Å"

Word of the Week! Scruples Richmond Writing

Word of the Week! Scruples Richmond Writing Here comes a word we often hear but rarely think about when we use it. When I think of scruples, I have always imagined someone like Dame Maggie Smiths character from Downton Abbey, who had more scruples than teacups. Griffin Trau nominated our word; he graduated in December, double majoring in Leadership and International Studies. Since then, he has enrolled in URs Master of Liberal Arts program and has one more year of eligibility on our Football team. According to Griffin, This one is interesting for its root in Latin scrupus meaning small pebble, or more figuratively anxiety. The word is sometimes used in its historic sense in landscaping for the small pebbles used in driveways, paths, or buffer zonesyou know, the ones that always end up in your shoes (that might be how the Romans came up with anxiety). In 2009, I walked the remains of a Roman road in Yorkshire, and it would make me anxious to think of little rocks in my sandals with miles to go to reach the next vicus or oppidum. In fact, my reading tells me that Roman roads were amazingly maintained. Id doubt too many scruples vexed travelers.   Yet travelers today take their scruples with them, such as refusing to eat certain foreign foods or, in a gaff I long ago made in a pub, tipping where a local culture does not accept gratuities. How we went from pebbles to moral or ethical sensibility is anyones guess. OED Online gives a first use as a noun, meaning a very small unit of measurement, from 1382.   That appears to have been lost, as well as its use as a verb. In that case The OED traces it to 1627, meaning to hesitate based on a moral or ethical principle. It also had a broader meaning to hesitate or doubt, usage that seems to have faded completely today. A fleeting adjectival usage appears as well, scrupling. Lets not descend further into this as it would be, at best, a scrupling pursuit. Proper usage today would be as follows, She was a Countess from a well regarded English family, and she had many scruples about who should be admitted to her inner circle of associates.Another native of England, Alfred Hitchcock, noted that There is nothing to winning, really. That is, if you happen to be blessed with a keen eye, an agile mind, and no scruples whatsoever.” A less morally fraught use would involve paying attention to detail, as with After someone broke into his unlocked car, John became scrupulous about making sure he locked the car doors every night. Think of the two words we still associate with this Latinate antiquity: scrupulous and its shiftless sibling, unscrupulous. For the verb, I would scruple to use it in a modern sentence. Thats a pity. Scruple has a rich history and losing its verbal form robs the language of richness, since it adds a moral sense to our hesitation or anxiety. That said, I am no scrupulous guardian of the past. Changes to our language as often enrich as impoverish. Yet I have scruples about many words we lose, for with them a scruple of nuance can vanish; it is the greatest thing I fear as our language changes. See all of our Words of the Week here.

The, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Wheres Spot - 1694 Words

Battered copies of Goodnight Moon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Where’s Spot?, The Little Engine that Could, and countless other children’s books can be found in homes across America. Stories about old ladies whispering â€Å"hush† and starving caterpillars who eat everything in sight may seem silly and insignificant, but research studies suggest that reading aloud to infants and toddlers has positive impacts on their brain development. According to the U.S. Department of Education, â€Å"Children develop much of their capacity for learning in the first three years of life, when their brains grow to 90 percent of their eventual adult weight† (Start Early, Finish Strong). Seeing that the most substantial brain development occurs during the first†¦show more content†¦Jenet J. Erickson, a former assistant professor in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University, further expounds on this belief. She said: The ways mothers nurture their children’s individual growth is the critical influence on their development. Although men can and do take on this work of nurturing, much of the day-to-day work and responsibility for this nurturing care continues to ‘rest with women.’ †¦ Mothers are the most important influence on intellectual development and children’s learning because they often spend the most time with the child. During a child’s infancy, the cognitive stimulation and emotional support mothers provide lay the foundation for intellectual and linguistic functioning throughout development. This research paper will explore a few reasons why mothers should frequently read aloud to their infants and toddlers: reading aloud can stimulate early language and literacy skills, and it can strengthen mother-child bonds that support healthy social-emotional development. Reading Aloud to Infants and Toddlers Stimulates Early Language and Literacy Skills Reading aloud to infants and toddlers stimulates healthy human development, especially in regards to early language and literacy skills (Denny). By reading aloud to infants and toddlers on a regular basis, parents can provide a base for literacy skills that will lead to reading achievements later in life. The U.S. Department of Education article entitled Start Early,

Compromise and Marriage in Pride and Prejudice Essay...

Compromise and Marriage in Pride and Prejudice It is not unusual for an individual to disagree with social customs or expectations. Some people are only happy when they can rebel against society. Most mature adults eventually realize that compromise is necessary to achieve happiness. This is the case in the early nineteenth century England setting of Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. In the novel, Miss Elizabeth Bennet is a lively, independent woman, whose familys financial situation and whose strong mindedness suggest that she may never marry. Mr. Darcy, is a rigid and proper man, who falls in love with Elizabeth, despite their differences. By the end of the novel, Elizabeth and Darcy learn to compromise, and, in doing†¦show more content†¦She reveals these sentiments through Charlotte remarks concerning her marriage to Mr. Collins. I am not romantic you know. I never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins character, connections, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness is as fair, as most people can boast on entering the marriage state. (Austen, 95) Elizabeth, as Sherry points out, is not particularly romantic either, however unlike Charlotte, Elizabeth has a certain picture of an ideal marriage in her mind, and therefore would never marry for reasons other than love. We assume that since Elizabeth is the main character, this is how Jane Austen sees marriage. Since Elizabeth would not marry without love, we can also assume that Jane Austen sees what Charlotte does as immoral. Elizabeth also feels that marriages formed by passion alone are just as bad as marriages formed without love. Elizabeth reflects on her sister Lydias marriage; But how little permanent happiness could belong to a couple who were only brought together because their passions were stronger then their virtue, she could easily conjecture (Austen, 232) We again see reasons besides love as the reason for marriage. Jane Austen is not very optimistic about marriage, in fact there are almost no happy marriages in the novel at all. Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Bennet, Lydia an d Wickham, and Charlotte and Mr. Collins are examples of the ill-matched andShow MoreRelatedThe Austen Marriage1601 Words   |  7 PagesThe females in Pride and Prejudice have their moral values reflected in their marriage. They each have a predetermined standard – whether it is love or monetary gain, or superficial or complex – of what constitutes a marital relationship. According to Zimmerman, â€Å"the character from whose point of view much of the action is seen is Elizabeth† (67). She is either the one being married or is the one giving opinion on another’s marriage. Jane Austen utilizes Elizabeth as the crux of the plot’s movementRead MoreRealism in Pride and Prejudice1412 Words   |  6 PagesPerley Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a complex novel mixing romance with comedy with an unprecedented quality of realism. Austens techniques require the reader to pay close attention and to actively interpret what it is they are reading unlike other light novels which you can passively work your way through. Pride and Prejudice is centrally concerned with the ideals and necessities of marriage in the early nineteenth century. Austen used a variety of features to make the novel Pride and PrejudiceRead MoreA Short Summary and Analysis About the Book ‘’ Pride and Prejudice’’1448 Words   |  6 PagesMazhenov Dauren Student ID: 20123464 Undergraduate Foundation English 5/ ENG0005 07/11/2012 A Short Summary And Analysis Of The Book ‘’ Pride and Prejudice’’ By Jane Austen BACKGROUND INFORMATION - BIOGRAPHY Jane Austen was born in 1775 at Steventon, Hampshire in southern England, where her father was a minister. She was the sixth child in a family of seven children. The family was very close, and Jane had a particular closeness to her sister Cassandra. Although she attended boardingRead MorePride and Prejudice: Exploring the Chasm Between Love and Marriage in Georgian England1675 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Pride and Prejudice†, is a novel which explores the huge chasm between love and marriage in Georgian England. Jane Austen’s presentation of passion and matrimony reiterates the fact that marriage is a â€Å"business arrangement†. Austen uses irony to make fun of polite society in this satire and Austen also emphasizes the point that social hierarchy dictates whom you can marry. The pressures of men and women in Georgian England are revealed through her exploration of the aristocracy’s prejudice againstRead MoreThe Price Of Love By Jane Austen1315 Words   |  6 PagesPrice of Love Within the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, the concept of marriage is presented in the form of a contract, true sense of love, and what society deems is acceptable, which leads to different outcomes as a result of the actions taken throughout the novel. The union of marriage during this period of time was highly prioritized within society. While it was prioritized by society, there were different motives behind the holy union. Marriage was seen as an accomplishment andRead MoreEssay on Jane Austens Pride And Prejudice1580 Words   |  7 Pagesabove him. On the other hand, an individual with too little pride has an attitude of mediocrity and this hinders self-realization. Disproportionate pride blinds moral judgment, creates intolerance and deters relationships. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin is a novel that portrays individual characters who demonstrate a lack of balance in the way they perceive themselves and as a result they create ruin. Pride and Prejudice tells the most cherished love stories that take place in theRead MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1649 Words   |  7 PagesIn her novel, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen is pre-occupied with the theme of marriage. Marriage is a central issue of a woman’s life but it was even more crucial for the women of her society where women were largely dependent on the men in their lives. As a result, women pursued socio-economic stability through marriage. However, it is clear through the novel that Austen did not agree with this part of her society. In Pride and Prejudice, she gives preference to a marriage which is based on loveRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen1076 Words   |  5 PagesHanan 1 Sydney Hanan Dean, Period 4 AP Literature 13 Oct. 2014 Pride and Prejudice Foil Character Essay In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, several characters serve as foils to others. One such character is Mr. Wickham, who, by contrast, reveals Mr. Darcy’s true qualities and intentions to Elizabeth Bennet. Moreover, the distinct differences between Lady Catherine and Mrs. Bennet’s characters reveal much about early nineteenth century society as a whole. Each of these characters highlights importantRead MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice By Rudyard Kipling s The Charge Of The Light Brigade1133 Words   |  5 Pagesworld. This is evident through the correlation of Jane Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice, Rudyard Kipling’s If and Alfred. Lord Tennyson’s The Charge of the Light Brigade with J.J Abrams 2009 Star Trek. Through Star Trek’s antagonist, Nero and his resemblance to Austen’s character, Mr. Wickham, the Neo-Classical belief that an ‘uncivil’ person was uneducated, disrespectful, primitive and brutish is stressed. In Pride and Prejudice, this is evident when Darcy ‘demands justice’ in his letter addressingRead MoreElizabeth as a Woman of Independent Mind in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice1234 Words   |  5 PagesElizabeth as a Woman of Independent Mind in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice In Jane Austens novel Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet is shown to be an opinionated, headstrong young woman. Her unconventional independence challenges the 19th century stereotype of high society women, who tended to conform to the expectations of society. Though her prejudiced judgement of others fails her sometimes, Elizabeth has a lively, playful disposition, that delights

Last Sacrifice Chapter One Free Essays

I DON’T LIKE CAGES. I don’t even like going to zoos. The first time I went to one, I almost had a claustrophobic attack looking at those poor animals. We will write a custom essay sample on Last Sacrifice Chapter One or any similar topic only for you Order Now I couldn’t imagine any creature living that way. Sometimes I even felt a little bad for criminals, condemned to life in a cell. I’d certainly never expected to spend my life in one. But lately, life seemed to be throwing me a lot of things I’d never expected, because here I was, locked away. â€Å"Hey!’ I yelled, gripping the steel bars that isolated me from the world. â€Å"How long am I going to be here? When’s my trial? You can’t keep me in this dungeon forever!’ Okay, it wasn’t exactly a dungeon, not in the dark, rusty-chain sense. I was inside a small cell with plain walls, a plain floor, and well †¦ plain everything. Spotless. Sterile. Cold. It was actually more depressing than any musty dungeon could have managed. The bars in the doorway felt cool against my skin, hard and unyielding. Fluorescent lighting made the metal gleam in a way that felt harsh and irritating to my eyes. I could see the shoulder of a man standing rigidly to the side of the cell’s entrance and knew there were probably four more guardians in the hallway out of my sight. I also knew none of them were going to answer me back, but that hadn’t stopped me from constantly demanding answers from them for the last two days. When the usual silence came, I sighed and slumped back on the cot in the cell’s corner. Like everything else in my new home, the cot was colorless and stark. Yeah. I really was starting to wish I had a real dungeon. Rats and cobwebs would have at least given me something to watch. I stared upward and immediately had the disorienting feeling I always did in here: that the ceiling and walls were closing in around me. Like I couldn’t breathe. Like the sides of the cell would keep coming toward me until no space remained, pushing out all the air †¦ I sat up abruptly, gasping. Don’t stare at the walls and ceiling, Rose, I chastised myself. Instead, I looked down at my clasped hands and tried to figure out how I’d gotten into this mess. The initial answer was obvious: someone had framed me for a crime I didn’t commit. And it wasn’t petty crime either. It was murder. They’d had the audacity to accuse me of the highest crime a Moroi or dhampir could commit. Now, that isn’t to say I haven’t killed before. I have. I’ve also done my fair share of rule (and even law) breaking. Cold- blooded murder, however, was not in my repertoire. Especially not the murder of a queen. It was true Queen Tatiana hadn’t been a friend of mine. She’d been the coolly calculating ruler of the Moroi–a race of living, magic-using vampires who didn’t kill their victims for blood. Tatiana and I had had a rocky relationship for a number of reasons. One was me dating her great-nephew, Adrian. The other was my disapproval of her policies on how to fight off Strigoi–the evil, undead vampires who stalked us all. Tatiana had tricked me a number of times, but I’d never wanted her dead. Someone apparently had, however, and they’d left a trail of evidence leading right to me, the worst of which were my fingerprints all over the silver stake that had killed Tatiana. Of course, it was my stake, so naturally it’d have my fingerprints. No one seemed to think that was relevant. I sighed again and pulled out a tiny crumpled piece of paper from my pocket. My only reading material. I squeezed it in my hand, having no need to look at the words. I’d long since memorized them. The note’s contents made me question what I’d known about Tatiana. It had made me question a lot of things. Frustrated with my own surroundings, I slipped out of them and into someone else’s: my best friend Lissa’s. Lissa was a Moroi, and we shared a psychic link, one that let me go to her mind and see the world through her eyes. All Moroi wielded some type of elemental magic. Lissa’s was spirit, an element tied to psychic and healing powers. It was rare among Moroi, who usually used more physical elements, and we barely understood its abilities–which were incredible. She’d used spirit to bring me back from the dead a few years ago, and that’s what had forged our bond. Being in her mind freed me from my cage but offered little help for my problem. Lissa had been working hard to prove my innocence, ever since the hearing that had laid out all the evidence against me. My stake being used in the murder had only been the beginning. My opponents had been quick to remind everyone about my antagonism toward the queen and had also found a witness to testify about my whereabouts during the murder. That testimony had left me without an alibi. The Council had decided there was enough evidence to send me to a full-fledged trial–where I would receive my verdict. Lissa had been trying desperately to get people’s attention and convince them I’d been framed. She was having trouble finding anyone who would listen, however, because the entire Moroi Royal Court was consumed with preparations for Tatiana’s elaborate funeral. A monarch’s death was a big deal. Moroi and dhampirs–half- vampires like me–were coming from all over the world to see the spectacle. Food, flowers, decorations, even musicians †¦ The full deal. If Tatiana had gotten married, I doubted the event would have been this elaborate. With so much activity and buzz, no one cared about me now. As far as most people were concerned, I was safely stashed away and unable to kill again. Tatiana’s murderer had been found. Justice was served. Case closed. Before I could get a clear picture of Lissa’s surroundings, a commotion at the jail jerked me back into my own head. Someone had entered the area and was speaking to the guards, asking to see me. It was my first visitor in days. My heart pounded, and I leapt up to the bars, hoping it was someone who would tell me this had all been a horrible mistake. My visitor wasn’t quite who I’d expected. â€Å"Old man,’ I said wearily. â€Å"What are you doing here?’ Abe Mazur stood before me. As always, he was a sight to behold. It was the middle of summer–hot and humid, seeing as we were right in the middle of rural Pennsylvania– but that didn’t stop him from wearing a full suit. It was a flashy one, perfectly tailored and adorned with a brilliant purple silk tie and matching scarf that just seemed like overkill. Gold jewelry flashed against the dusky hue of his skin, and he looked like he’d recently trimmed his short black beard. Abe was a Moroi, and although he wasn’t royal, he wielded enough influence to be. He also happened to be my father. â€Å"I’m your lawyer,’ he said cheerfully. â€Å"Here to give you legal counsel, of course.’ â€Å"You aren’t a lawyer,’ I reminded him. â€Å"And your last bit of advice didn’t work out so well.’ That was mean of me. Abe–despite having no legal training whatsoever–had defended me at my hearing. Obviously, since I was locked up and headed for trial, the outcome of that hadn’t been so great. But, in all my solitude, I’d come to realize that he’d been right about something. No lawyer, no matter how good, could have saved me at the hearing. I had to give him credit for stepping up to a lost cause, though considering our sketchy relationship, I still wasn’t sure why he had. My biggest theories were that he didn’t trust royals and that he felt paternal obligation. In that order. â€Å"My performance was perfect,’ he argued. â€Å"Whereas your compelling speech in which you said â€Å"if I was the murderer’ didn’t do us any favors. Putting that image in the judge’s head wasn’t the smartest thing you could have done.’ I ignored the barb and crossed my arms. â€Å"So what are you doing here? I know it’s not just a fatherly visit. You never do anything without a reason.’ â€Å"Of course not. Why do anything without a reason?’ â€Å"Don’t start up with your circular logic.’ He winked. â€Å"No need to be jealous. If you work hard and put your mind to it, you might just inherit my brilliant logic skills someday.’ â€Å"Abe,’ I warned. â€Å"Get on with it.’ â€Å"Fine, fine,’ he said. â€Å"I’ve come to tell you that your trial might be moved up.’ â€Å"W-what? That’s great news!’ At least, I thought it was. His expression said otherwise. Last I’d heard, my trial might be months away. The mere thought of that–of being in this cell so long–made me feel claustrophobic again. â€Å"Rose, you do realize that your trial will be nearly identical to your hearing. Same evidence and a guilty verdict.’ â€Å"Yeah, but there must be something we can do before that, right? Find proof to clear me?’ Suddenly, I had a good idea of what the problem was. â€Å"When you say â€Å"moved up,’ how soon are we talking?’ â€Å"Ideally, they’d like to do it after a new king or queen is crowned. You know, part of the post-coronation festivities.’ His tone was flippant, but as I held his dark gaze, I caught the full meaning. Numbers rattled in my head. â€Å"The funeral’s this week, and the elections are right after †¦ You’re saying I could go to trial and be convicted in, what, practically two weeks?’ Abe nodded. I flew toward the bars again, my heart pounding in my chest. â€Å"Two weeks? Are you serious?’ When he’d said the trial had been moved up, I’d figured maybe it was a month away. Enough time to find new evidence. How would I have pulled that off? Unclear. Now, time was rushing away from me. Two weeks wasn’t enough, especially with so much activity at Court. Moments ago, I’d resented the long stretch of time I might face. Now, I had too little of it, and the answer to my next question could make things worse. â€Å"How long?’ I asked, trying to control the trembling in my voice. â€Å"How long after the verdict until they †¦ carry out the sentence?’ I still didn’t entirely know what all I’d inherited from Abe, but we seemed to clearly share one trait: an unflinching ability to deliver bad news. â€Å"Probably immediately.’ â€Å"Immediately.’ I backed up, nearly sat on the bed, and then felt a new surge of adrenaline. â€Å"Immediately? So. Two weeks. In two weeks, I could be †¦ dead.’ Because that was the thing–the thing that had been hanging over my head the moment it became clear someone had planted enough evidence to frame me. People who killed queens didn’t get sent to prison. They were executed. Few crimes among Moroi and dhampirs got that kind of punishment. We tried to be civilized in our justice, showing we were better than the bloodthirsty Strigoi. But certain crimes, in the eyes of the law, deserved death. Certain people deserved it, too–say, like, treasonous murderers. As the full impact of the future fell upon me, I felt myself shake and tears come dangerously close to spilling out of my eyes. â€Å"That’s not right!’ I told Abe. â€Å"That’s not right, and you know it!’ â€Å"Doesn’t matter what I think,’ he said calmly. â€Å"I’m simply delivering the facts.’ â€Å"Two weeks,’ I repeated. â€Å"What can we do in two weeks? I mean †¦ you’ve got some lead, right? Or †¦ or †¦ you can find something by then? That’s your specialty.’ I was rambling and knew I sounded hysterical and desperate. Of course, that was because I felt hysterical and desperate. â€Å"It’s going to be difficult to accomplish much,’ he explained. â€Å"The Court’s preoccupied with the funeral and elections. Things are disorderly–which is both good and bad.’ I knew about all the preparations from watching Lissa. I’d seen the chaos already brewing. Finding any sort of evidence in this mess wouldn’t just be difficult. It could very well be impossible. Two weeks. Two weeks, and I could be dead. â€Å"I can’t,’ I told Abe, my voice breaking. â€Å"I’m not †¦ meant to die that way.’ â€Å"Oh?’ He arched an eyebrow. â€Å"You know how you’re supposed to die?’ â€Å"In battle.’ One tear managed to escape, and I hastily wiped it away. I’d always lived my life with a tough image. I didn’t want that shattering, not now when it mattered most of all. â€Å"In fighting. Defending those I love. Not †¦ not through some planned execution.’ â€Å"This is a fight of sorts,’ he mused. â€Å"Just not a physical one. Two weeks is still two weeks. Is it bad? Yes. But it’s better than one week. And nothing’s impossible. Maybe new evidence will turn up. You simply have to wait and see.’ â€Å"I hate waiting. This room †¦ it’s so small. I can’t breathe. It’ll kill me before any executioner does.’ â€Å"I highly doubt it.’ Abe’s expression was still cool, with no sign of sympathy. Tough love. â€Å"You’ve fearlessly fought groups of Strigoi, yet you can’t handle a small room?’ â€Å"It’s more than that! Now I have to wait each day in this hole, knowing there’s a clock ticking down to my death and almost no way to stop it.’ â€Å"Sometimes the greatest tests of our strength are situations that don’t seem so obviously dangerous. Sometimes surviving is the hardest thing of all.’ â€Å"Oh. No. No.’ I stalked away, pacing in small circles. â€Å"Do not start with all that noble crap. You sound like Dimitri when he used to give me his deep life lessons.’ â€Å"He survived this very situation. He’s surviving other things too.’ Dimitri. I took a deep breath, calming myself before I answered. Until this murder mess, Dimitri had been the biggest complication in my life. A year ago–though it seemed like eternity–he’d been my instructor in high school, training me to be one of the dhampir guardians who protect Moroi. He’d accomplished that–and a lot more. We’d fallen in love, something that wasn’t allowed. We’d managed it as best we could, even finally coming up with a way for us to be together. That hope had disappeared when he’d been bitten and turned Strigoi. It had been a living nightmare for me. Then, through a miracle no one had believed possible, Lissa had used spirit to transform him back to a dhampir. But things unfortunately hadn’t quite returned to how they’d been before the Strigoi attack. I glared at Abe. â€Å"Dimitri survived this, but he was horribly depressed about it! He still is. About everything.’ The full weight of the atrocities he’d committed as a Strigoi haunted Dimitri. He couldn’t forgive himself and swore he could never love anyone now. The fact that I had begun dating Adrian didn’t help matters. After a number of futile efforts, I’d accepted that Dimitri and I were through. I’d moved on, hoping I could have something real with Adrian now. â€Å"Right,’ Abe said dryly. â€Å"He’s depressed, but you’re the picture of happiness and joy.’ I sighed. â€Å"Sometimes talking to you is like talking to myself: pretty damned annoying. Is there any other reason you’re here? Other than to deliver the terrible news? I would have been happier living in ignorance.’ I’m not supposed to die this way. I’m not supposed to see it coming. My death is not some appointment penciled in on a calendar. He shrugged. â€Å"I just wanted to see you. And your arrangements.’ Yes, he had indeed, I realized. Abe’s eyes had always come back to me as we spoke; there’d been no question I held his attention. There was nothing in our banter to concern my guards. But every so often, I’d see Abe’s gaze flick around, taking in the hall, my cell, and whatever other details he found interesting. Abe had not earned his reputation as zmey–the serpent–for nothing. He was always calculating, always looking for an advantage. It seemed my tendency toward crazy plots ran in the family. â€Å"I also wanted to help you pass the time.’ He smiled and from under his arm, he handed me a couple of magazines and a book through the bars. â€Å"Maybe this will improve things.’ I doubted any entertainment was going to make my two-week death countdown more manageable. The magazines were fashion and hair oriented. The book was The Count of Monte Cristo. I held it up, needing to make a joke, needing to do anything to make this less real. â€Å"I saw the movie. Your subtle symbolism isn’t really all that subtle. Unless you’ve hidden a file inside it.’ â€Å"The book’s always better than the movie.’ He started to turn away. â€Å"Maybe we’ll have a literary discussion next time.’ â€Å"Wait.’ I tossed the reading material onto the bed. â€Å"Before you go †¦ in this whole mess, no one’s ever brought up who actually did kill her.’ When Abe didn’t answer right away, I gave him a sharp look. â€Å"You do believe I didn’t do it, right?’ For all I knew, he did think I was guilty and was just trying to help anyway. It wouldn’t have been out of character. â€Å"I believe my sweet daughter is capable of murder,’ he said at last. â€Å"But not this one.’ â€Å"Then who did it?’ â€Å"That,’ he said before walking away, â€Å"is something I’m working on.’ â€Å"But you just said we’re running out of time! Abe!’ I didn’t want him to leave. I didn’t want to be alone with my fear. â€Å"There’s no way to fix this!’ â€Å"Just remember what I said in the courtroom,’ he called back. He left my sight, and I sat back on the bed, thinking back to that day in court. At the end of the hearing, he’d told me–quite adamantly–that I wouldn’t be executed. Or even go to trial. Abe Mazur wasn’t one to make idle promises, but I was starting to think that even he had limits, especially since our timetable had just been adjusted. I again took out the crumpled piece of paper and opened it. It too had come from the courtroom, covertly handed to me by Ambrose–Tatiana’s servant and boy-toy. Rose, If you’re reading this, then something terrible has happened. You probably hate me, and I don’t blame you. I can only ask that you trust that what I did with the age decree was better for your people than what others had planned. There are some Moroi who want to force all dhampirs into service, whether they want it or not, by using compulsion. The age decree has slowed that faction down. However, I write to you with a secret you must put right, and it is a secret you must share with as few as possible. Vasilisa needs her spot on the Council, and it can be done. She is not the last Dragomir. Another lives, the illegitimate child of Eric Dragomir. I know nothing else, but if you can find this son or daughter, you will give Vasilisa the power she deserves. No matter your faults and dangerous temperament, you are the only one I feel can take on this task. Waste no time in fulfilling it. –Tatiana Ivashkov The words hadn’t changed since the other hundred times I’d read them, nor had the questions they always triggered. Was the note true? Had Tatiana really written it? Had she–in spite of her outwardly hostile attitude–trusted me with this dangerous knowledge? There were twelve royal families who made decisions for the Moroi, but for all intents and purposes, there might as well have only been eleven. Lissa was the last of her line, and without another member of the Dragomir family, Moroi law said she had no power to sit on and vote with the Council that made our decisions. Some pretty bad laws had already been made, and if the note was true, more would come. Lissa could fight those laws–and some people wouldn’t like that, people who had already demonstrated their willingness to kill. Another Dragomir. Another Dragomir meant Lissa could vote. One more Council vote could change so much. It could change the Moroi world. It could change my world–say, like, whether I was found guilty or not. And certainly, it could change Lissa’s world. All this time she’d believed she was alone. Yet †¦ I uneasily wondered if she’d welcome a half-sibling. I accepted that my father was a scoundrel, but Lissa had always held hers up on a pedestal, believing the best of him. This news would come as a shock, and although I’d trained my entire life to keep her safe from physical threats, I was starting to think there were other things she needed to be protected from as well. But first, I needed the truth. I had to know if this note had really come from Tatiana. I was pretty sure I could find out, but it involved something I hated doing. Well, why not? It wasn’t like I had anything else to do right now. Rising from the bed, I turned my back to the bars and stared at the blank wall, using it as a focus point. Bracing myself, remembering that I was strong enough to keep control, I released the mental barriers I always subconsciously kept around my mind. A great pressure lifted from me, like air escaping a balloon. And suddenly, I was surrounded by ghosts. How to cite Last Sacrifice Chapter One, Essay examples

United States Immigration History

It is quite difficult nowadays for anyone to accurately provide a full description of the ethnic or even racial composition of America due to the complexities associated with it. From the onset, America was a multicultural and multiethnic society with different ethnic groups staying together. However, the indigenous people of America especially North America, were replaced and absorbed by Europeans who immigrated into America as settlers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on United States Immigration History specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Europeans imported Africans mostly from the Caribbean and West Africa who also helped in the dilution of the ethnical composition of America. As a result of immigration of new races into America, mixed races soon emerged because of intermarriages, consensual liaisons and sexual exploitation especially of black women by their white masters. It should be noted that the immigratio n history has highly influenced the ethnical and racial composition of America. A century ago, people from southern and Eastern Europe migrated in large numbers into America adding to the diversity of racial composition in America. However, the recent immigrants from Asia and Latin America have changed the aspect of cultural and phenotypic diversity. On the same note, the distinction between various racial and ethnic groups is becoming more and more unclear due to increased intermarriages and the increasing number of people with mixed ancestry. Consequently, the significance that race and ethnicity had in the American society is declining since people are becoming less concerned with the ethnical or racial background of others. On the same note, it has been noted that people from mixed ancestry identify themselves as natives of either race depending on the prevailing circumstances. However, outside America every person is simply American. Recent studies show that there is a possibil ity of different racial divisions emerging because of the differentiation that is practiced nowadays. Arguably, American society has been largely categorized into brown and black people who are disadvantaged and other groups of immigrants who are allowed to integrate with the white majority. This type of categorization is expected to lead to emergency of conflicts especially because immigration is still occurring in large numbers. As a matter of fact, with the recent rate of immigration, it has been projected that non-Hispanic whites will no longer be the majority by the end of the century. In the 19th century, there was an influx of people from Europe and Asia into America which made the race composition issue very complex to date. Apart from increased immigration, rate of intermarriages between different races has exploded in recent years thus further complicating the race and ethnical aspect in American society.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can he lp you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It has been argued that if the trend persists, then approximately a quarter of African Americans, Asian Americans and as much as a half of Hispanic Americans will in one way or the other have a mixed ancestry history. Reporting about the origin of people is becoming a hard nut to crack given that people are either unwilling or unable to accurately declare their ancestry. Many people of mixed ancestry will want to be identified as Native Americans while others believe that there exists a superior race and will thus choose it when asked about their origin. There has been decreased discrimination on grounds of one’s race or ethnical background mostly due to immigration that has led to increased diversity. In addition, increased rates of mixing among members of different races or ethnical groups have increased people’s knowledge about multicultural ancestry. Subsequently, the ideologies and boundaries of racial and ethnic composition will change in the years to come. It is important to note that immigration policies instituted by the government are less likely to influence people’s ideas about racial and ethnic boundaries. This essay on United States Immigration History was written and submitted by user Mall0ry to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.