Nursing Informatics Article Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nursing Informatics Article Review - Essay Example r them to be provided with all necessary information so that their provision of care can be more efficient since this will help in improving patient outcomes. Nurses have for a long time, played a pivotal role in health provision, but despite their efforts, Sensmeier notes that they are being left behind by government healthcare policies. She declares that if the government is indeed willing to reform the healthcare system, it is essential that nurses be actively involved because it is they, more than any other medical practitioner, who have an active knowledge of patient problems, as well as most weaknesses in healthcare provision. Therefore, nurses should take new technology to bring about a change in health care, and this should include an inclusion of nursing informatics in patient care. Nursing informatics should be given a prominent role in breaking the barriers that prevent nurses from being more efficient in their work because it provides them with much needed information con cerning how to bring care to their patients at a personalized level. The article recommends that the future of healthcare depends on ensuring nurses receive at least a bachelor’s degree whose significant parts involve informatics, allowing them leadership positions within healthcare as well as ensuring that they all provided with the opportunity to practice without any barriers as has previously been the case. Susan Rosenberg and Jeff Rodik in their article declare the role of bedside nurses in informatics is quite limited in scope and this is mainly because it is normally not included in their training. They state that most organizations, which have implemented go-live projects, tend to ignore including bedside nurses for ongoing maintenance as required for clinical application programs (Rosenberg & Rodik, 2012). Go-live projects tend to be discontinued after one week and this does not provide bedside nurses with ample time to utilize the system on behalf of their patients. These

Professional teacher Essay Example for Free

Professional teacher Essay Development takes what is there as a valuable starting point, not as something to be replaced, but a useful platform on which to build. To do so is to recognise not only that teachers do have valuable existing expertise but also that, if teachers are forced to choose, they will usually revert to their secure established ways of doing things. The metaphor of ‘building on what is already there’ is not, however, satisfactory because it suggests adding on something separate to what is there, something extra on top. The concept of development, in contrast, implies that whatever is added, whatever is new, will be integrated with what is there already, and will indeed grow from what is there. † McIntyre and Hagger (1992, p. 271) This places the teacher in a position of power and responsibility. It means that the teacher is the arbiter of change. If a proposed change does not meet with the approval of the teacher, then there is little likelihood that the change will be introduced. What sometimes happens is that, where a proposed reform partly meets with the approval of a teacher, the proposed change is revised. It may be scaled down, some of the less acceptable aspects removed or emphases may be changed. The proposed reform undergoes a process of customization to suit the circumstances and priorities of the individual teacher. This position of power in relation to change and reform also brings with it considerable responsibility. Teachers must be attuned to the need for change. They need to be proactive, able to take initiatives in relation to change but also to make sound judgments about the value and relevance of any change, proposed by others or initiated by themselves. They cannot afford to reject all change outright or be dismissive of it. To do so would be to abandon a professional obligation to work in the interests of students and the future of society. Every professional teacher must be able to articulate fully the bases for his or her own practical theory. Being explicit about one’s own practical theory is essential for a number of reasons. First, it ensures that explanations of the bases for actions in the classroom can be provided and the expectation of professional accountability discharged. Second, knowing in detail one’s practical theory facilitates the process of review and revision. Here the position of the teacher is somewhat akin to that of a medical expert or flight engineer. Only expert knowledge of how the human body or plane operates can provide a basis for the correction of malfunctions. Thirdly, it allows for a fuller and quicker assessment of proposals for change. Areas of compatibility/incompatibility and the flaws inherent in existing and proposed practical theories can be more readily identified. Moreover, it is more likely that unsound proposals for change will be detected. Interpreting student teacher learning as learning by reflection on can be taken a step further by also applying this idea to other components of teacher education, such as group seminars on campus. The realistic approach can be used at the level of a class on campus by creating an experience in that class which is the basis for learning for a whole group. One example is the idea of organizing 10-minutes lessons given by student teachers to their fellow students. Korthagen, F. A. J. Nevertheless, what teachers do as they design their approaches to teaching has many of the hallmarks of theory building. They address significant problems related to student learning, they design and experiment with ways of solving those problems, they inquire into the relative effectiveness of these ways by using data from observations, tests and feedback from others to assist them, they identify patterns which give rise to predictions about what is likely to happen, and they build bases for professional action.

Difficulties discussing patient sexual health

Difficulties discussing patient sexual health Hesitancy In Taking History From A Female Client Sexuality assessment and counseling are part of the nurse’s professional role, but only few nurses integrate this awareness into practice in a proper way. Getting a sexual history is an inbuilt piece of the client meeting, however, numerous health care professionals neglect to address this subject with their clients. This could be credited to distress that numerous healthcare professionals may have with the subject (Shukla, Yourchock Coutcher, 2013). During my community rotation of reproductive health at Salimabad colony, the family I was assigned to was a 4 membered family living in 2 adjacent apartments with 4 bedrooms. Only one lady was at home with whom I conducted my interview. She was the mother of 3 daughters. I started with the general components of history, such as information about their family members, their education, and their health status etc. She was responding to my questions in a decent manner without any hesitation. After that I asked the client about the problems related to her reproductive health. Her reply was pretty awkward. She replied that I don’t know how to explain it to you because you are a male student. I felt very uncomfortable with her reply that I didn’t even try to intervene in between and explore more about her concerns. At the time of the incident I felt terrible and disregarded. I found the response of the client very bizarre. I also felt helpless because at that time I was not able to figure out that what I should say to the client to make her comfortable. In the wake of confronting the dismissal from the patient, numerous questions popped into my brain. First and foremost, what made the client so uncomfortable? After all I told her that the information won’t be disclosed to an irrelevant person. Secondly, why did I hesitate to intervene to make the client comfortable? Moreover, why didn’t the client realize that I was there to help her? If she’d tell me about her problems than I could’ve guided her about the solutions. I reflected and analyzed the possible causes because of which the incident occurred. According to Magnan, Reynolds Galvin (2005), various hindrances exist to consolidating thought of patient sexuality into nursing practice, including individual, institutional, patient-related variables and Personal elements, for example, nurses’ attitudes about sexuality and sexual behavior. There are a lot of barriers concerning poor healthcare like, social, religious, cultural and economic. Among these socio-cultural is the most crucial. In a developing country like Pakistan, the culture and religion have more significance than any other aspect of life. According to Walston (2005), Involving men in reproductive health is particularly challenging in countries whose culturally defined gender roles may hinder men’s participation. For establishing an effective and therapeutic communication, it is necessary for a healthcare professional to overcome these barriers. To overcome these issues, the healthcare professional shouldn’t be hesitant while taking the history about reproductive health. According to Jayasuriya Dennick (2011), there are many barriers within the learner. The first and the foremost is the deficiency of knowledge. A few students omit a sexual history in light of the fact that they dont comprehend its applicability to a specific clinical situation. It is less demanding to ask an intrusive question if one comprehends the pertinence of the inquiry and is thus ready to advocate it – both to oneself and to the client. The second barrier within the learner is problems with terminology. In sexual history-taking, students may be confronted with vocabulary or behavior with which they are unfamiliar. According to Jayasuriya Dennick (2011), students may be hesitant to seek clarification, particularly where sexual activity is concerned, for fear of appearing sexually inexperienced, or unversed in sexual behavior. The third barrier is the concern about patient’s perception of student. Students some of the time express worry about picking up clients trust or bringing on offense by their inquiries (Jayasuriya Dennick 2011). The other set of barriers is barriers within the learning environment. The most significant barrier of this set is cultural barriers. According to Jayasuriya Dennick (2011), in some cultures, sex is allied by shame. This feeling of taboo penetrates into medical culture as well. Indeed, healthcare professionals who do talk about sexual wellbeing may limit themselves to medical’ issues such as infections, while evading issues relating to sexual lifestyle. While reflecting on my role, I realized that I shouldn’t have kept quiet. I shouldn’t have hesitated and should’ve intervened and said something to make the client comfortable. I should’ve shown professionalism which might have helped the client understand and realize the purpose of taking the sexual history. If I encounter similar situations in the future, I’ll try not to hesitate and along with that I’ll try to make the patient comfortable by telling her the significance of taking the reproductive health history. After studying the literature now I know that for an effective communication, health care providers should respect the feelings, sexual values, lifestyle and social norms and limitations of the client. And they should have the current knowledge about regarding sexual health. In addition, talking about reproductive health can be difficult for clients and health care providers as well, but continuous practicing and use of effective skills can promote communication and it will also help to ensure the best possible care (Association of reproductive health professionals April, 2008). As we know that students learn a lot from clinical experiences so for that purpose, students could watch a specialist take a sexual history from a client or they could watch a video of the same methodology or they could partake in a role-play activity (Jayasuriya Dennick 2011). In conclusion, involvement of male in reproductive health is also necessary as female health care providers to promote a healthy sexual life. Male involvement in reproductive health can be achieved through the use of effective therapeutic communication skills, training and practice, current knowledge regarding reproductive health so that a better role can be played as a nurse. References Magnan, M., Reynolds, K., Galvin, E. (2005). Barriers to addressing patient sexuality in nursing practice.Medsurg Nursing,14(5), 282. Shukla, V., Yourchock, B., Coutcher, M. (2013). Overcoming Barriers Regarding Sexual History Taking: Case Reports.Journal Of Therapy Management In HIV Infection,1(2), 3639. Walston, N. (2005). Challenges and opportunities for male involvement in reproductive health in Cambodia.Phnom Penh: POLICY Project/Cambodia. Jayasuriya, A., Dennick, R. (2011). Sexual history-taking: using educational interventions to overcome barriers to learning.Sex Education,11(01), 99112. Association of Reproductive Health Professionals. (2008, April).What You Need to Know Talking to Patients About Sexuality and Sexual Health. Retrieved from http://http://www.arhp.org/uploadDocs/sexandsexfactsheet.pdf

Brave New World Essays :: essays research papers

Brave New World Essay Test   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Q: How does life in Brave New World change John?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A: Life in The Brave New World changes John in an unusual way. Being a child from the savage reservation, John was taught that morality, rather than conditioned by the Controller. John learned his rights and wrongs from his mother, and his own experiences. John knew a personal relationship was valued, and everyone loved one another. He learned that religion was a major part of his morals. Sex was something done with a mate that is loved.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When John was brought to the Brave New World, his inhibitions were happening by other people right in front of him. He saw sex as a common occurrence, and nobody really had any emotion toward it. Everyone enjoyed it, but not spiritually. In sense, sex did not light an eternal flame for the Brave New World like it did in the savage reservation. A piece of a mother and father could be put together for a child in the savage society, but in the Brave New World, everyone had their own life. There were no personal relationships, and there was no love. Also, drugs were looked down upon by the reservation, and yet, in the Brave New World, drugs, specifically soma, are the food for life. Instead of living through rough situations, society went on soma holidays for their problems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All these â€Å"wrongs† to John, were making him upset. John tried to give the hospital workers freedom. He threw away their soma, and made them more upset. The workers rioted against John, and he realized he could not change society. John argued with the Mustapha Mond about the way society was, but it seemed Mond had a response to everything. John decided to indulge himself in the Brave New World’s lifestyle. John tried sex, and soma, and enjoyed it. John knew he had sinned to his own religion, and he felt so wrong, that he murdered himself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The change that John went through was simple. John actually committed his inhibitions. John normally, and in theory, would never do those things. John would only have sex with his soul mate for life, and would absolutely not do soma. Society turned John around so much, that he did all of this, and did what society called happiness. He committed suicide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Q: What faults does John find with the philosophy of happiness, identity, and social stability.

Tfeminist Approach on Jane Eyre

CHAPTER 1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING â€Å"Behind every book is a man; behind the man is a race; and behind the race are the natural and social environments whose influence is unconsciously reflected†, this we must know, if the book is to speak its whole message. In simple word, we have now reached at the point where we wish to understand and enjoy literature, and the first step toward it is to know its essential qualities as exact definition is impossible. † -Author Unknown Introduction When we begin the study of literature, we find it has always two aspects, one of the simple enjoyment and appreciation and the other of analysis and exact description. Usually it happens when we go through literature in our classroom either by ourselves or by our teachers one thing matters very much and that is the importance of literature for students? Until our concept is not clear we can never understand what literature is? We need time and understanding to nurture our spirits. In broader sense, perhaps literature means simply written records of the race, including all its history and sciences, as well as its poems and novels, and in narrower sense literature is the artistic record of life and most of our writing excluded from it. A history or a science may be a literature sometimes but only when we forget the subject matter and the presentation of facts in the simple beauty of its expression. So some such experience as this awaits us when we begin the study of literature with its two aspects of simple enjoyment and appreciation and the other if analysis and exact description. Like when a song appeals to the ear or a noble book to the heart we discover a new world for the moment, at least, a completely new world which is very different from our own world and it sees that we are in a place of dreams and magic. Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become. † – C. S Lewis, a British scholar and novelist. As stated in the quotation by C. S. Lewis, literature not only describes reality but also adds to it. Yes, literature is not merely a depiction of reality; it is rather a value-addition. Literary works are portrayals of the thinking patterns and social norms prevalent in society. They are a depiction of the different facets of common man's life. Classical literary works serve as a food for thought and a tonic for imagination and creativity. Exposing an individual to good literary works, is equivalent to providing him/her with the finest of educational opportunities. On the other hand, the lack of exposure to classic literary works is equal to depriving an individual from an opportunity to grow as an individual. â€Å"Do you think I can stay to become nothing to you? Do you think I am an automaton a machine without feelings? and can bear to have my morsel of bread snatched from my lips and drop of living water dashed from my cup? Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain and little, I am soulless and heartless? you think wrong! I have as much soul as you? and full as much heart! It is my spirit that addresses your spirit; just as if we had both passed through the grave, and we stood at God’s feet, equal? as we are! † -Charlotte Bronte The above passage is an excerpt from the novel ‘Jane Eyre’. Feminism is both an intellectual commitment and a political movement that seeks justice for women and the end of sexism in all forms. However, there are many different kinds of feminism. Feminists disagree about what sexism consists in, and what exactly ought to be done about it; they disagree about what it means to be a woman or a man and what social and political implications gender has or should have. Nonetheless, motivated by the quest for social justice, feminist inquiry provides a wide range of perspectives on social, cultural, and political phenomena. Important topics for feminist theory and politics include: the body, class and work, disability, the family, globalization, human rights, popular culture, race and racism, reproduction, science, the self, sex work, and sexuality. Some forms of feminist theory question basic assumptions about gender, gender difference, and sexuality, including the category of â€Å"woman† itself as a holistic concept, further some are interested in questioning the male/female binary completely (offering instead a multiplicity of genders). Other forms of feminist theory take for granted the concept of â€Å"woman† and provide specific analyzes and critiques of gender inequality, and most feminist social movements promote women's rights, interests, and issues. Feminism is not a single ideology. Over-time several sub-types of feminist ideology have developed. Early feminists and primary feminist movements are often called the first-wave feminists, and feminists after about 1960 the second-wave feminists. More recently, a new generation of feminists have started third-wave feminism. Whether this will be a lasting evolution remains to be seen as the second-wave has by no means ended nor has it ceded to the third-wave feminists. Moreover, some commentators have asserted that the silent majority of modern feminists have more in common ideologically with the first-wave feminists than the second-wave. For example, many of the ideas arising from Radical feminism and Gender feminism (prominent second-wave movements) have yet to gain traction within the broader community and outside of Gender Studies departments within the academy. For example, Radical feminism argues that there exists an oppressive patriarchy that is the root cause of the most serious social problems. Violence and oppression of women, because they are women, is more fundamental than oppressions related to class, ethnicity, religion, etc. Radical feminists have been very vocal and active in influencing attitudes and state-wide school curriculum standards. Thus, it is not unusual for feminism to be equated with the ideas proposed by Radical feminism. Some find that the prioritization of oppression and the universalization of the idea of â€Å"Woman,† which was part of traditional Radical feminist thinking, too generic, and that woman in other countries would never experience the same experience of being â€Å"woman† than women in Western countries did. Some radical feminists advocate separatism—a complete separation of male and female in society and culture—while others question not only the relationship between men and women, but the very meaning of â€Å"man† and â€Å"woman† as well. Some argue that gender roles, gender identity, and sexuality are themselves social constructs Other feminists believe that there may be social problems separate from or prior to patriarchy; they see feminism as one movement of liberation among many, each affecting the others. In this section, we will explore some of the main schools of feminist thought. In addition, feminist literary theory is a complex, dynamic area of study that draws from a wide range of critical theories, including psychoanalysis, Marxism, cultural materialism, anthropology, and structuralism. Feminism brings many things to philosophy including not only a variety of particular moral and political claims, but ways of asking and answering questions, constructive and critical dialogue with mainstream philosophical views and methods, and new topics of inquiry. Feminist philosophers work within all the major traditions of philosophical scholarship including analytic philosophy, American Pragmatist philosophy, and Continential philosophy. Entries in the Encyclopedia appearing under the heading â€Å"feminism, approaches† discuss the impact of these traditions on feminist scholarship and examine the possibility and desirability of work that makes links between two traditions. Feminist contributions to and interventions in mainstream philosophical debates are covered in entries in this encyclopedia under â€Å"feminism, interventions†. Entries covered under the rubric â€Å"feminism, topics† concern philosophical issues that arise as feminists articulate accounts of sexism, critique sexist social and cultural practices, and develop alternative visions of a just world. In short, they are philosophical topics that arise within feminism. Although there are many different and sometimes conflicting approaches to feminist philosophy, it is instructive to begin by asking what, if anything, feminists as a group are committed to. Considering some of the controversies over what feminism is provides a springboard for seeing how feminist commitments generate a host of philosophical topics, especially as those commitments confront the world as we know it. The term ‘feminism’ has many different uses and its meanings are often contested. For example, some writers use the term ‘feminism’ to refer to a historically specific political movement in the US and Europe; other writers use it to refer to the belief that there are injustices against women, though there is no consensus on the exact list of these injustices. Although the term â€Å"feminism† has a history in English linked with women's activism from the late 19th century to the present, it is useful to distinguish feminist ideas or beliefs from feminist political movements, for even in periods where there has been no significant political activism around women's subordination, individuals have been concerned with and theorized about justice for women. So, for example, it makes sense to ask whether Plato was a feminist, given his view that women should be trained to rule (Republic, Book V), even though he was an exception in his historical context. Although feminist literary theory is often described simply as the use of feminist principles and techniques to analyze the textual constructions of gendered meaning, feminists' definitions of gender and of feminism have undergone a number of significant alterations since the early 1970s. By adopting already existing feminist insights and applying them in new ways, literary theorists transform them, thus creating an increasingly diversified field of study. The researchers prefer to conduct this study because of their personal choice and interest. They selected this kind of tudy due to the fact that it seems to prove of real value to them. Definitely this subject of study is the thing that they always wanted to learn more about. Since the researchers are all feminine this chosen study allows them to find out why most of the women have played a subordinate role to men in human societies. Also, to discover how women’s lives have change throughout history and to understand why wom en’s experience is different from men’s. Conceptual and Theorethical Framework It is through reading such great literary and poetic works, that one understands life. They help a person take a closer look at the different facets of life. In many ways, it can change one's perspective towards life. Lives of brilliant achievers and individuals who have made a valuable contribution to society, are sketched in their biographies. These works give the readers an insight into the lives of these eminent people, while also serving as a bible of ideals. True, languages are the building blocks of literature. But the study of literature cannot be restricted to only studying languages. In fact, literature cannot be confined to an educational curriculum. A degree in language and literature is perhaps unable to provide one, with everything that literature can offer. Literature, is definitely, much more than its literary meaning, which defines it as ‘an acquaintance to letters'. It, in fact, lays the foundation of an enriched life; it adds ‘life' to ‘living'. According to Sandra M. Gilbert and Susan Gubar, Mary Wollstonecraft’s ‘A Vindication of the Rights of Women (1792)’ â€Å"presents the first fully elaborated feminist criticism of misogynist images of women in literature, as well as the fist sustain agument for female political, economic and legal equality. Wollstonecraft’s critique of the disparity between the types of obedience to God expected on Adam and Eve in John Milton’s â€Å"Paradise Lost† is a prime example of this. She says, â€Å"Men appear to me to act in a very unphilosophical manner when they try to secue thr good conduct of women by attempting to keep them always in a state of childhood,†an observation that she uses to support her claim that men are not, as was the prevailing notion during her era, inherently more reasonable? and therefore better suited to philosophy and the creation of art? than women. In A Room of One’s Own [Shakespeare’s Sister] (1929), Virginia Woolf highlights the gap between the broad range of women depicted in English literature â€Å"from about 1470† to the renaissance ( 1377 ) and the lack of women creating English literature. She says, â€Å"if women has no existence save in the fiction written by men, one would imagine her a person of the utmost importance; very various; heroic and mean; splendid and sordid; infinitely beautiful and hideous in the extreme; as great as man; some think even better. But this is woman in fiction† (1378). Woolf explain that this is because although â€Å"some of the most profound thoughts in literature fall from her lips; in real life she could hardly read, could scarcely spell, and was the property of her husband†(1379). She then constructs a fictional sister, Judith, for William Shakespeare and speculates on the ways in which the Bard’s equally talented sister might come to an unfortunate end (1380-1381) in order to illustrate that the absence of women writers in the literary canon is symptomatic of a lack of opportunities and education for women, not a lack of talent in women. These two issues- misogynist representations of women in literature and the obstacle faced by female authors (which lead to the recovery of texts by female authors )? have continued to be important touchstones of feminist literary theory and criticism. Feminist studies as an academic field arose from the second? wave feminist movement in the 1960, and often came into conflict with New Criticism, which was the period’s primary mode of literary analysis (Messer-Davidow 304). Social phenomena Images of Women Education Culture and Beliefs The Roles and Images of Women in the Society Research Paradigm Figure 1. Statement of the Problem This study focused on the roles and images of women in the society as presented in the novel â€Å"Jane Eyre†. It sought to answer the following problems: 1. How did the following factors contribute in shaping the image of the female character in the story: a. Social phenomena b. Culture and beliefs c. Education 2. What traits of the female character are depicted in the story? 3. How does this traits affected the other characters in the story? 4. What is the implications of the roles of the characters to the following factors: a. Family b. Modern women c. Racism Research Methodology The researcher use the descriptive method of research, which describes and interprets what is. It is concerned with conditions of relationships that exist; practices that prevail; beliefs, processes that are going on; effects that are being felt, or trends that are developing. According to Leedy, this is a method that simply looks with intense accuracy the phenomena of the moment and describes precisely what the researcher sees. The researcher apply the descriptive method of research particularly in literary criticism, which deals with different dimensions of literature as a collection of texts through which authors evoke more or less fictitious worlds for the imagination of readers. The researcher make use of the descriptive research in literary criticism along with the feminism approach, is an approach about ideas or beliefs from feminist point of view and women's subordination, individuals have been concerned with and theorized about justice for women. Significance of the Study Literature not only pleases us but instructs us also. The authors who attain to the eminence of the classics are those who exercise their imagination on the serious problems of life and explain or elucidate them through fiction. Such are the problem of the good and evil in life, love, duty, beauty, truth, etc. the reader too in the course in his life comes to grips with one or the other of these problems. She is baffled and perhaps would give up but for the guidance from the classics. They give her not a tangible solution but the heroic temper that enables her to pass through the ordeal and survive brutal shocks. Our tragedies show us how to preserve the emotional balance which is the sign of a healthy woman. In this respect biographies and authobiograpies are most useful. If we fail to find a kindred soul in actual life we can find any number of them amongst the dead. Literatures thus widen our contact and we enjoy life more abundantly. Literature provides a common platform for discussion and exchange of thoughts and social or political reforms through exposition those writings with the purpose have played their part in the eradication of a number of ills to which we are heirs. Literature does not openly preach like the man in the pulpit. Literature elevates our minds, and ennobles our character. It is a criticism of life and its high seriousness servers to mould our minds. From the pettiness of life we pass over to the natural beauties or the domain of fundamental emotions mirrored in the lyrics, the pure and spontaneous forms of literature. Our goal here is not to survey the history of feminism — as a set of ideas or as a series of political movements — but rather is to sketch some of the central uses of the term that are most relevant to those interested in contemporary feminist philosophy. The references we provide below are only a small sample of the work available on the topics in question; more complete bibliographies are available at the specific topical entries and also at the end of this entry. Very broadly, then, one might characterize the goal of feminism to be ending the oppression of women. But if we also acknowledge that women are oppressed not just by sexism, but in many ways, e. g. , by classism, homophobia, racism, ageism, ableism, etc. , then it might seem that the goal of feminism is to end all oppression that affects women. Moreover this study was conducted to provides a wide range of perspectives on social cultural, education and political phenomena highlighting the issues about feminism. Likewise, the aim of this study is to discuss the impact of these traditions on feminist scholarship and examine the possibility and desirability of work that makes links among the different aspects of life of a woman. Scope and Delimitation of the Study The emergence of feminist literary criticism is one of the major developments in literary studies in the past thirty years or so. This article attempts to give an overall view of feminist literary criticism, its discovery of early women novelists and feminist readings. Since feminist literary criticism has re-discovered the forgotten texts, from the 17th century onwards, written by women whose contribution to the emergence of the novel genre is undeniable, and included them in the critical evaluations, it is quite important to present them both in a historical and literary perspective. Thus the first part of this article is largely devoted to the literary achievements of these early women writers. The second part of the article mainly concentrates on the most recent phase of feminist criticism  by trying to offer a theoretical perspective so that the reader is provided with a broad view of its developments. It would, however, be an incomplete discussion of feminist literary perspectives if feminist readings were excluded from the argument. Therefore the third part of the article deals with feminist readings of texts, showing their crucial differences from the male readings. The major strategy in this part is to point to a comprehensive perspective by using the deconstructive critical approach. In fact, throughout this article the deconstructive approach plays an important role, not only in arguing how the dominant discourses are challenged and disrupted, but also in demonstrating that there can be no universal and privileged meanings and values in literary traditions. Instead, there are only multiple meanings. To exemplify this view, the article concludes with a deconstructive reading of a postmodern text. This study focused on the novel entitled ‘Jane Eyre’ by Charlotte Bronte. In the century and a half since Jane Eyre was first published it has been cast as everything from a garden variety romance to a feminist tract. Jane Eyre is a tremendously romantic book, and Jane’s love story is absolutely central to the tale. In the best sense it is a book about survival, about a girl with nothing but her wits, her determination, her powerful sense of justice and honor, who survives and even finds happiness. The choice of stories is dependent upon the following points: 1. ) a novel that reflect aspects of feminism; 2. ) it was written by female writer; 3. ) it was written in English; 4. ) it has an interpretation of issues concerning feminist theory and approach. Definition of Terms To provide a clearer and better understanding of the present discussion, the following terms were defined conceptually and operationally: Literature- written works with artistic value written works such as fiction, poetry, drama, and criticism that are recognized as having important or permanent artistic value. Feminism- belief in women’s rights: belief in the need to secure, or a commitment to securing, rights and opportunities for women equal to those of men. Racism- belief in racial superiority: the belief that people of different races have different qualities and abilities, and that some races are inherently superior or inferior. Culture- people with shared beliefs and practices: a group of people whose shared beliefs and practices identify the particular place, class, or time to which they belong. Beliefs- acceptance of truth of something, acceptance by the mind that something is true or real, often underpinned by an emotional or spiritual sense of certainty. | | Misogynist-hatred of women, the hatred of women as sexually defined group. Sexism- sex discrimination, discrimination against women or men because of their sex. Classisism-discrimination because of class, discrimination or prejudice based on social or economic class. Perspective- particular evaluation of something, a particular evaluation of a situation or facts, especially from one person’s point of view. Holistic-relating to a whole, including or involving all of something, especially all, of somebody’s physical, mental, and social conditions, not just physical symptoms in the treatment of illness. Ideology- system of social beliefs, a closely organized system of beliefs, values and ideas forming the basis of a social,

All Quiet on the Western Front Essay

In the novel ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ by Erich Maria Remarque, the main character Paul Bà ¤umer’s development shows the horrors of the First World War and the effect it had on the young men who fought in it. Paul Bà ¤umer is the main character whom is nineteen years old, Bà ¤umer volunteered for the army along side four of his classmates. Some parts in the novel is written in past tense when Paul Bà ¤umer is collecting his thoughts. Most of the novel is written in Present tense. During the novel we see Paul Bà ¤umer changing as a person, he has just left school and is a young boy with no experiences. By the end of this novel end even half way through he had become a well experienced man. Paul Bà ¤umer is the main character and also the narrator. At just nineteen years of age, Bà ¤umer volunteers for the German Army. Before war is a young creative and passionate person who had lots of love for his family. As the war went on Bà ¤umer changed as a person. Bà ¤umer and four of his classmates joined because they felt it was their patriotic duty. After a while of being in the trenches Bà ¤umer starts to get visions of being in Kantoreks class as he gave his great ‘iron youth speech.’ He soon realises Kantorich persuaded the class to join. â€Å"During the drill time Kantorek gave us long lectures until the whole of our class went under his shepherding to the District Commandant and volunteered.† Bà ¤umer felt he was doing right by his country but he soon feels he can’t tell anyone about his experience in the army and where his families are concerned he feels like an outsider. People like Kantorek are hypocrites, urging young pupils to join up whilst not volunteering himself. Kemmerich dies. This is the first death we experience as readers in the novel which is very upsetting. â€Å"I became faint, all at once I can not do anymore†¦ He is dead. The face is still wet from the tears. The eyes are half open and yellow like old horn buttons.† Bà ¤umer feels upset and dark inside, he has just lost his best friend, and they grew up together, school buddies. He is almost like a brother to Bà ¤umer. I feel sorry for Bà ¤umer at this point in the novel because I would hate to lose any of my friends or classmates if I was in the army because I think you would need a lot of friends and good people around to keep your spirits high. This is one of Bà ¤umers most important memories because they got revenge on Himmelstoss. Himmelstoss was a postman before he enlisted in the war. He is a corporal who trains the recruits. Himmelstoss likes punishing the young recruits and is very harsh and strict. â€Å"Tjaden wets his bed†¦ Himmelstoss maintained that it was sheer laziness and invented a method worthy of himself for curing Tjaden†¦ with mattress of wire netting.† The young men ended up unwell or with the cold because of this they ended up sleeping on the floor. Bà ¤umer and his friends got revenge by getting him from behind with a big white bed sheet and they covered his mouth with a pillow so he could not scream. Tjaden pulled down Himmelstoss’ trousers with a whip in his mouth. The training camp is harsh and full of sadness, I would not like to be there. Baume describes the front line as a mysterious whirlpool. â€Å"I am in still water far away from its center. I feel the whirl of the vortex sucking e slowly, irresistibly, inescapably into itself. The front line is a line along which apposing armies face each other and is horrific because you are face to face and it is very hard to stay alive. Bà ¤umer feels different from everyone else in his hometown because he feels he is different, they are different. He has been away for so long he does not feel at home anymore. He’s not just a boy anymore, he’s now a man. I feel so much respect for Bà ¤umer by this stage because he has done so well and all army men deserve respect. When Bà ¤umer returns home from leave he feels obliged to volunteer for a dangerous night patrol. Whilst in ‘No-Man’s Land’ Bà ¤umer gets lost. Paul hides in a shell – hole but a bomb goes off behind him when he is alone. â€Å"This is the first time I have killed with my hands†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bà ¤umer feels so guilty for killing the French man. He starts to think about the French mans life and his family. â€Å"If only he had run two yards further to the left, he might now be sitting in the trench over there and writing a letter to his wife.† This changes Bà ¤umers character for the better because he now realises how precious life is. Bà ¤umer feels hatred against the war and realises it’s a bad thing. I personally think war should be illegal because what is the point in killing human beings for victory. I don’t think that’s a victory, it’s a crime to kill. If we are not at war you would be sent to prison and just because its war that makes it ok? The situation has got a lot worse for the German Army by this late stage in the Novel. In this part Bà ¤umer and Katazinsky are the last two soldiers alive from all the characters whom were introduced at the beginning of the Novel. Kat gets hit by a shrapnel at this point leaving him with a smashed shin. Bà ¤umer carried him back to camp on his back, only to discover on their arrival that a splinter had hit Kat on the back of the head and killed him on the way. Kats death makes Bà ¤umer careless to weather he dies in war or not and also he can now face the rest of his life without any fear. I feel sorry for Bà ¤umer at this point because he must feel so alone. Bà ¤umer is now alone without a friend in the trenches because the war has taken all of them away and now Bà ¤umer is all alone. â€Å"Let the months and years come, they can take nothing from me, they can take nothing more. I am so alone, and so without hope that I can confront them without fear.† At the end of the novel Bà ¤umer is careless of his life. He has changed dramatically since the beginning. At the beginning Paul was a young boy with lots of dreams, now he is a man who is careless. I feel very lucky that none of my family died during the war and it’s a very emotional thing to go into. This book is important and should be read by future generations to show how life was and that they should realise how life was and that they should notice how lucky they are. This book makes you have so much for our soldiers.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 7 REPETITION

I WASN'T SURE WHAT THE HELL I WAS DOING HERE Was I trying to push myself back into the zombie stupor? Had I turned masochisticdeveloped a taste for torture? I should have gone straight down to La Push I felt much, much healthier around Jacob This was not a healthy thing to do. But I continued to drive slowly down the overgrown lane, twisting through the trees that arched over me like a green, living tunnel My hands were shaking, so I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. I knew that part of the reason I did this was the nightmare, now that I was really awake, the nothingness of the dream gnawed on my nerves, a dog worrying a bone. There was something to search for. Unattainable and impossible, uncaring and distracted but he was out there, somewhere. I had to believe that. The other part was the strange sense of repetition I'd felt at school today, the coincidence of the date. The feeling that I was starting overperhaps the way my first day would have gone if I'd really been the most unusual person in the cafeteria that afternoon. The words ran through my head, tonelessly, like I was reading them rather than hearing them spoken: It will be as if I'd never existed. I was lying to myself by splitting my reason for coming here into just two parts. I didn't want to admit the strongest motivation. Because it was mentally unsound. The truth was that I wanted to hear his voice again, like I had in the strange delusion Friday night. For that brief moment, when his voice came from some other part of me than my conscious memory, when his voice was perfect and honey smooth rather than the pale echo my memories usually produced, I was able to remember without pain. It hadn't lasted; the pain had caught up with me, as I was sure it would for this fool's errand. But those precious moments when I could hear him again were an irresistible lure. I had to find some way to repeat the experience or maybe the better word was episode. I was hoping that dj vu was the key. So I was going to his home, a place I hadn't been since my ill-fated birthday party, so many months ago. The thick, almost jungle-like growth crawled slowly past my windows. The drive wound on and on. I started to go faster, getting edgy. How long had I been driving? Shouldn't I have reached the house yet? The lane was so overgrown that it did not look familiar. What if I couldn't find it? I shivered. What if there was no tangible proof at all? Then there was the break in the trees that I was looking for, only it was not so pronounced as before. The flora here did not wait long to reclaim any land that was left unguarded. The tall ferns had infiltrated the meadow around the house, crowding against the trunks of the cedars, even the wide porch. It was like the lawn had been floodedwaist-highwith green, feathery waves. And the house was there, but it was not the same. Though nothing had changed on the outside, the emptiness screamed from the blank windows. It was creepy. For the first time since I'd seen the beautiful house, it looked like a fitting haunt for vampires. I hit the brakes, looking away. I was afraid to go farther. But nothing happened. No voice in my head. So I left the engine running and jumped out into the fern sea. Maybe, like Friday night, if I walked forward I approached the barren, vacant face slowly, my truck rumbling out a comforting roar behind me. I stopped when I got to the porch stairs, because there was nothing here. No lingering sense of their presence of his presence. The house was solidly here, but it meant little. Its concrete reality would not counteract the nothingness of the nightmares. I didn't go any closer. I didn't want to look in the windows. I wasn't sure which would be harder to see. If the rooms were bare, echoing empty from floor to ceiling, that would certainly hurt. Like my grandmother's funeral, when my mother had insisted that I stay outside during the viewing. She had said that I didn't need to see Gran that way, to remember her that way, rather than alive. But wouldn't it be worse if there were no change? If the couches sat just as I'd last seen them, the paintings on the wallsworse still, the piano on its low platform? It would be second only to the house disappearing all together, to see that there was no physical possession that tied them in anyway. That everything remained, untouched and forgotten, behind them. Just like me. I turned my back on the gaping emptiness and hurried to my truck. I nearly ran. I was anxious to be gone, to get back to the human world. I felt hideously empty, and I wanted to see Jacob. Maybe I was developing a new kind of sickness, another addiction, like the numbness before. I didn't care. I pushed my truck as fast as it would go as I barreled toward my fix. Jacob was waiting for me. My chest seemed to relax as soon as I saw him, making it easier to breathe. â€Å"Hey, Bella,† he called. I smiled in relief. â€Å"Hey, Jacob,† I waved at Billy, who was looking out the window. â€Å"Let's get to work,† Jacob said in a low but eager voice. I was somehow able to laugh. â€Å"You seriously aren't sick of me yet?† I wondered. He must be starting to ask himself how desperate I was for company. Jacob led the way around the house to his garage. â€Å"Nope. Not yet.† â€Å"Please let me know when I start getting on your nerves. I don't want to be a pain.† â€Å"Okay.† He laughed, a throaty sound. â€Å"I wouldn't hold your breath for that, though.† When I walked into the garage, I was shocked to see the red bike standing up, looking like a motorcycle rather than a pile of jagged metal. â€Å"Jake, you're amazing,† I breathed. He laughed again. â€Å"I get obsessive when I have a project.† He shrugged. â€Å"If I had any brains I'd drag it out a little bit.† â€Å"Why?† He looked down, pausing for so long that I wondered if he hadn't heard my question. Finally, he asked me, â€Å"Bella, if I told you that I couldn't fix these bikes, what would you say?† I didn't answer right away, either, and he glanced up to check my expression. â€Å"I would say that's too bad, but I'll bet we could figure out something else to do. If we got really desperate, we could even do homework.† Jacob smiled, and his shoulders relaxed. He sat down next to the bike and picked up a wrench. â€Å"So you think you'll still come over when I'm done, then?† â€Å"Is that what you meant?† I shook my head. â€Å"I guess I am taking advantage of your very underpriced mechanical skills. But as long as you let me come over, I'll be here.† â€Å"Hoping to see Quil again?† he teased. â€Å"You caught me.† He chuckled. â€Å"You really like spending time with me?† he asked, marveling. â€Å"Very, very much. And I'll prove it. I have to work tomorrow, but Wednesday we'll do something nonmechanical.† â€Å"Like what?† â€Å"I have no idea. We can go to my place so you won't be tempted to be obsessive. You could bring your schoolworkyou have to be getting behind, because I know I am.† â€Å"Homework might be a good idea.† He made a face, and I wondered how much he was leaving undone to be with me. â€Å"Yes,† I agreed. â€Å"We'll have to start being responsible occasionally, or Billy and Charlie aren't going to be so easygoing about this.† I made a gesture indicating the two of us as a single entity. He liked thathe beamed. â€Å"Homework once a week?† he proposed. â€Å"Maybe we'd better go with twice,† I suggested, thinking of the pile I'd just been assigned today. He sighed a heavy sigh. Then he reached over his toolbox to a paper grocery sack. He pulled out two cans of soda, cracking one open and handing it to me. He opened the second, and held it up ceremoniously. â€Å"Here's to responsibility,† he toasted. â€Å"Twice a week.† â€Å"And recklessness every day in between,† I emphasized. He grinned and touched his can to mine. I got home later than I'd planned and found Charlie had ordered a pizza rather than wait for me. He wouldn't let me apologize. â€Å"I don't mind,† he assured me. â€Å"You deserve a break from all the cooking, anyway.† I knew he was just relieved that I was still acting like a normal person, and he was not about to rock the boat. I checked my e-mail before I started on my homework, and there was a long one from Renee. She gushed over every detail I'd provided her with, so I sent back another exhaustive description of my day. Everything but the motorcycles. Even happy-go-lucky Renee was likely to be alarmed by that. School Tuesday had its ups and downs. Angela and Mike seemed ready to welcome me back with open armsto kindly overlook my few months of aberrant behavior. Jess was more resistant. I wondered if she needed a formal written apology for the Port Angeles incident. Mike was animated and chatty at work. It was like he'd stored up the semester's worth of talk, and it was all spilling out now. I found that I was able to smile and laugh with him, though it wasn't as effortless as it was with Jacob. It seemed harmless enough, until quitting time. Mike put the closed sign in the window while I folded my vest and shoved it under the counter. â€Å"This was fun tonight,† Mike said happily. â€Å"Yeah,† I agreed, though I'd much rather have spent the afternoon in the garage. â€Å"It's too bad that you had to leave the movie early last week.† I was a little confused by his train of thought. I shrugged. â€Å"I'm just a wimp, I guess.† â€Å"What I mean is, you should go to a better movie, something you'd enjoy,† he explained. â€Å"Oh,† I muttered, still confused. â€Å"Like maybe this Friday. With me. We could go see something that isn't scary at all.† I bit my lip. I didn't want to screw things up with Mike, not when he was one of the only people ready to forgive me for being crazy. But this, again, felt far too familiar. Like the last year had never happened. I wished I had Jess as an excuse this time. â€Å"Like a date?† I asked. Honesty was probably the best policy at this point. Get it over with. He processed the tone of my voice â€Å"If you want. But it doesn't have to be like that.† â€Å"I don't date,† I said slowly, realizing how true that was. That whole world seemed impossibly distant. â€Å"Just as friends?† he suggested. His clear blue eyes were not as eager now. I hoped he really meant that we could be friends anyway. â€Å"That would be fun. But I actually have plans already this Friday, so maybe next week?† â€Å"What are you doing?† he asked, less casually than I think he wanted to sound. â€Å"Homework. I have a study session planned with a friend.† â€Å"Oh. Okay. Maybe next week.† He walked me to my car, less exuberant than before. It reminded me so clearly of my first months in Forks. I'd come full circle, and now everything felt like an echoan empty echo, devoid of the interest it used to have. The next night, Charlie didn't seem the smallest bit surprised to find Jacob and me sprawled across the living room floor with our books scattered around us, so I guessed that he and Billy were talking behind our backs. â€Å"Hey, kids,† he said, his eyes straying to the kitchen. The smell of the lasagna I'd spent the afternoon makingwhile Jacob watched and occasionally sampledwafted down the hall; I was being good, trying to atone for all the pizza. Jacob stayed for dinner, and took a plate home for Billy. He grudgingly added another year to my negotiable age for being a good cook. Friday was the garage, and Saturday, after my shift at Newton's, was homework again. Charlie felt secure enough in my sanity to spend the day fishing with Harry. When he got back, we were all donefeeling very sensible and mature about it, tooand watching Monster Garage on the Discovery Channel. â€Å"I probably ought to go.† Jacob sighed. â€Å"It's later than I thought.† â€Å"Okay, fine,† I grumbled. â€Å"I'll take you home.† He laughed at my unwilling expressionit seemed to please him. â€Å"Tomorrow, back to work,† I said as soon as we were safe in the truck. â€Å"What time do you want me to come up?† There was an unexplained excitement in his answering smile. â€Å"I'll call you first, okay?† â€Å"Sure.† I frowned to myself, wondering what was up. His smile widened. I cleaned the house the next morningwaiting for Jacob to call and trying to shake off the Litest nightmare. The scenery had changed. Last night I'd wandered in a wide sea of ferns interspersed with huge hemlock trees. There was nothing else there, and I was lost, wandering aimless and alone, searching for nothing. I wanted to kick myself for the stupid field trip last week. I shoved the dream out of my conscious mind, hoping it would stay locked up somewhere and not escape again. Charlie was outside washing the cruiser, so when the phone rang, I dropped the toilet brush and ran downstairs to answer it. â€Å"Hello?† I asked breathlessly. â€Å"Bella,† Jacob said, a strange, formal tone to his voice. â€Å"Hey, Jake.† â€Å"I believe that we have a date† he said, his tone thick with implications. It took me a second before I got it. â€Å"They're done? I can't believe it!† What perfect timing. I needed something to distract me from nightmares and nothingness. â€Å"Yeah, they run and everything.† â€Å"Jacob, you are absolutely, without a doubt, the most talented and wonderful person I know. You get ten years for this one.† â€Å"Cool! I'm middle-aged now.† I laughed. â€Å"I'm on my way up!† I threw the cleaning supplies under the bathroom counter and grabbed my jacket. â€Å"Headed to see Jake,† Charlie said when I ran past him. It wasn't really a question. â€Å"Yep,† I replied as I jumped in my truck. â€Å"I'll be at the station later,† Charlie called after me. â€Å"Okay,† I yelled back, turning the key. Charlie said something else, but I couldn't hear him clearly over the roar of the engine. It sounded sort of like, â€Å"Where's the fire?† I parked my truck off to the side of the Blacks' house, close to the trees, to make it easier for us to sneak the bikes out. When I got out, a splash of color caught my eyetwo shiny motorcycles, one red, one black, were hidden under a spruce, invisible from the house. Jacob was prepared. There was a piece of blue ribbon tied in a small bow around each of the handlebars. I was laughing at that when Jacob ran out of the house. â€Å"Ready?† he asked in a low voice, his eyes sparkling. I glanced over his shoulder, and there was no sign of Billy. â€Å"Yeah,† I said, but I didn't feel quite as excited as before; I was trying to imagine myself actually on the motorcycle. Jacob loaded the bikes into the bed of the truck with ease, laying them carefully on their sides so they didn't show. â€Å"Let's go,† he said, his voice higher than usual with excitement. â€Å"I know the perfect spotno one will catch us there.† We drove south out of town. The dirt road wove in and out of the forestsometimes there was nothing but trees, and then there would suddenly be a breathtaking glimpse of the Pacific Ocean, reaching to the horizon, dark gray under the clouds. We were above the shore, on top of the cliffs that bordered the beach here and the view seemed to stretch on forever. I was driving slowly, so that I could safely stare out across the ocean now and then, as the road wound closer to the sea cliffs. Jacob was talking about finishing the bikes, but his descriptions were getting technical, so I wasn't paying close attention. That was when I noticed four figures standing on a rocky ledge, much too close to the precipice. I couldn't tell from the distance how old they were, but I assumed they were men. Despite the chill in the air today, they seemed to be wearing only shorts. As I watched, the tallest person stepped closer to the brink. I slowed automatically, my foot hesitating over the brake pedal. And then he threw himself off the edge. â€Å"No!† I shouted, stomping down on the brake. â€Å"What's wrong?† Jacob shouted back, alarmed. â€Å"That guyhe just jumped off the cliff! Why didn't they stop him? We've got to call an ambulance!† I threw open my door and started to get out, which made no sense at all. The fastest way to a phone was to drive back to Billy's. But I couldn't believe what I'd just seen. Maybe, subconsciously, I hoped I would see something different without the glass of the windshield in the way. Jacob laughed, and I spun to stare at him wildly. How could he be so calloused, so cold-blooded? â€Å"They're just cliff diving, Bella. Recreation. La Push doesn't have a mall, you know.† He was teasing, but there was a strange note of irritation in his voice. â€Å"Cliff diving?† I repeated, dazed. I stared in disbelief as a second figure stepped to the edge, paused, and then very gracefully leaped into space. He fell for what seemed like an eternity to me, finally cutting smoothly into the dark gray waves below. â€Å"Wow. It's so high.† I slid back into my seat, still staring wide-eyed at the two remaining divers. â€Å"It must be a hundred feet.† â€Å"Well, yeah, most of us jump from lower down, that rock that juts out from the cliff about halfway.† He pointed out his window. The place he indicated did seem much more reasonable. â€Å"Those guys are insane. Probably showing off how tough they are. I mean, really, it's freezing today. That water can't feel good.† He made a disgruntled face, as if the stunt personally offended him. It surprised me a little. I would have thought Jacob was nearly impossible to upset. â€Å"You jump off the cliff?† I hadn't missed the â€Å"us.† â€Å"Sure, sure.† He shrugged and grinned. â€Å"It's fun. A little scary, kind of a rush.† I looked back at the cliffs, where the third figure was pacing the edge. I'd never witnessed anything so reckless in all my life. My eyes widened, and I smiled. â€Å"Jake, you have to take me cliff diving.† He frowned back at me, his face disapproving. â€Å"Bella, you just wanted to call an ambulance for Sam,† he reminded me. I was surprised that he could tell who it was from this distance. â€Å"I want to try,† I insisted, start ing to get out of the car again. Jacob grabbed my wrist. â€Å"Not today, all right? Can we at least wait for a warmer day?† â€Å"Okay, fine,† I agreed. With the door open, the glacial breeze was raising goose bumps on my arm. â€Å"But I want to go soon.† â€Å"Soon.† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"Sometimes you're a little strange, Bella. Do you know that?† I sighed. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"And we're not jumping off the top.† I watched, fascinated, as the third boy made a running start and flung himself farther into the empty air than the other two. He twisted and cartwheeled through space as he fell, like he was skydiving. He looked absolutely freeunthinking and utterly irresponsible. â€Å"Fine,† I agreed. â€Å"Not the first time, anyway.† Now Jacob sighed. â€Å"Are we going to try out the bikes or not?† he demanded. â€Å"Okay, okay,† I said, tearing my eyes away from the last person waiting on the cliff. I put my seat belt back on and closed the door. The engine was still running, roaring as it idled. We started down the road again. â€Å"So who were those guysthe crazy ones?† I wondered. He made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat. â€Å"The La Push gang.† â€Å"You have a gang?† I asked. I realized that I sounded impressed. He laughed once at my reaction. â€Å"Not like that. I swear, they're like hall monitors gone bad. They don't start fights, they keep the peace.† He snorted. â€Å"There was this guy from up somewhere by the Makah rez, big guy too, scary-looking. Well, word got around that he was selling meth to kids, and Sam Uley and his disciples ran him off our land. They're all about our land, and tribe pride it's getting ridiculous. The worst part is that the council takes them seriously. Embry said that the council actually meets with Sam.† He shook his head, face full of resentment. â€Å"Embry also heard from Leah Clearwater that they call themselves ‘protectors' or something like that.† Jacob's hands were clenched into fists, as if he'd like to hit something. I'd never seen this side of him. I was surprised to hear Sam Uley's name. I didn't want it to bring back the images from my nightmare, so I made a quick observation to distract myself. â€Å"You don't like them very much.† â€Å"Does it show?† he asked sarcastically. â€Å"Well It doesn't sound like they're doing anything bad.† I tried to soothe him, to make him cheerful again. â€Å"Just sort of annoyingly goody-two-shoes for a gang.† â€Å"Yeah. Annoying is a good word. They're always showing offlike the cliff thing. They act like like, I don't know. Like tough guys. I was hanging out at the store with Embry and Quil once, last semester, and Sam came by with his followers, Jared and Paul. Quil said something, you know how he's got a big mouth, and it pissed Paul off. His eyes got all dark, and he sort of smiledno, he showed his teeth but he didn't smileand it was like he was so mad he was shaking or something. But Sam put his hand against Paul's chest and shook his head. Paul looked at him for a minute and calmed down. Honestly, it was like Sam was holding him backlike Paul was going to tear us up if Sam didn't stop him.† He groaned. â€Å"Like a bad western. You know, Sam's a pretty big guy, he's twenty. But Paul's just sixteen, too, shorter than me and not as beefy as Quil. I think any one of us could take him.† â€Å"Tough guys,† I agreed. I could see it in my head as he described it, and it reminded me of something a trio of tall, dark men standing very still and close together in my father's living room. The picture was sideways, because my head was lying against the couch while Dr. Gerandy and Charlie leaned over me Had that been Sam's gang? I spoke quickly again to divert myself from the bleak memories. â€Å"Isn't Sam a little too old for this kind of thing?† â€Å"Yeah. He was supposed to go to college, but he stayed. And no one gave him any crap about it, either. The whole council pitched a fit when my sister turned down a partial scholarship and got married. But, oh no, Sam Uley can do no wrong.† His face was set in unfamiliar lines of outrageoutrage and something else I didn't recognize at first. â€Å"It all sounds really annoying and strange. But I don't get why you're taking it so personally.† I peeked over at his face, hoping I hadn't offended him. He was suddenly calm, staring out the side window. â€Å"You just missed the turn,† he said in an even voice. I executed a very wide U-turn, nearly hitting a tree as my circle ran the truck halfway off the road. â€Å"Thanks for the heads-up,† I muttered as I started up the side road. â€Å"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention.† It was quiet for a brief minute. â€Å"You can stop anywhere along here,† he said softly. I pulled over and cut the engine. My ears rang in the silence that followed. We both got out, and Jacob headed around to the back to get the bikes. I tried to read his expression. Something more was bothering him. I'd hit a nerve. He smiled halfheartedly as he pushed the red bike to my side. â€Å"Happy late birthday. Are you ready for this?† â€Å"I think so.† The bike suddenly looked intimidating, frightening, as I realized I would soon be astride it. â€Å"We'll take it slow,† he promised. I gingerly leaned the motorcycle against the truck's fender while he went to get his. â€Å"Jake†I hesitated as he came back around the truck. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"What's really bothering you? About the Sam thing, I mean? Is there something else?† I watched his face. He grimaced, but he didn't seem angry. He looked at the dirt and kicked his shoe against the front tire of his bike again and again, like he was keeping time. He sighed. â€Å"It's just the way they treat me. It creeps me out.† The words started to rush out now. â€Å"You know, the council is supposed to be made up of equals, but if there was a leader, it would be my dad. I've never been able to figure out why people treat him the way they do. Why his opinion counts the most. It's got something to do with his father and his father's father. My great-grandpa, Ephraim Black, was sort of the last chief we had, and they still listen to Billy, maybe because of that. â€Å"But I'm just like everyone else. Nobody treats me special until now.† That caught me off guard. â€Å"Sam treats you special?† â€Å"Yeah,† he agreed, looking up at me with troubled eyes. â€Å"He looks at me like he's waiting for something like I'm going to join his stupid gang someday. He pays more attention to me than any of the other guys. I hate it.† â€Å"You don't have to join anything.† My voice was angry. This was really upsetting Jacob, and that infuriated me. Who did these â€Å"protectors† think they were? â€Å"Yeah.† His foot kept up its rhythm against the tire. â€Å"What?† I could tell there was more. He frowned, his eyebrows pulling up in a way that looked sad and worried rather than angry. â€Å"It's Embry. He's been avoiding me lately.† The thoughts didn't seem connected, but I wondered if I was to blame for the problems with his friend. â€Å"You've been hanging out with me a lot,† I reminded him, feeling selfish. I'd been monopolizing him. â€Å"No, that's not it. It's not just meit's Quil, too, and everyone. Embry missed a week of school, but he was never home when we tried to see him. And when he came back, he looked he looked freaked out. Terrified. Quil and I both tried to get him to tell us what was wrong, but he wouldn't talk to either one of us.† I stared at Jacob, biting my lip anxiouslyhe was really frightened. But he didn't look at me. He watched his own foot kicking the rubber as if it belonged to someone else. The tempo increased. â€Å"Then this week, out of nowhere, Embry's hanging out with Sam and the rest of them. He was out on the cliffs today.† His voice was low and tense. He finally looked at me. â€Å"Bella, they bugged him even more than they bother me. He didn't want anything to do with them. And now Embry's following Sam around like he's joined a cult. â€Å"And that's the way it was with Paul. Just exactly the same. He wasn't friends with Sam at all. Then he stopped coming to school for a few weeks, and, when he came back, suddenly Sam owned him. I don't know what it means. I can't figure it out, and I feel like I have to, because Embry's my friend and Sam's looking at me funny . . and† He trailed off. â€Å"Have you talked to Billy about this?† I asked. His horror was spreading to me. I had chills running on the back of my neck. Now there was anger on his face. â€Å"Yes,† he snorted. â€Å"That was helpful.† â€Å"What did he say?† Jacob's expression was sarcastic, and when he spoke, his voice mocked the deep tones of his father's voice. â€Å"It's nothing you need to worry about now, Jacob. In a few years, if you don't well, I'll explain later.† And then his voice was his own. â€Å"What am I supposed to get from that? Is he trying to say it's some stupid puberty, coming-of-age thing? This is something else. Something wrong.† He was biting his lower lip and clenching his hands. He looked like he was about to cry. I threw my arms around him instinctively, wrapping them around his waist and pressing my face against his chest. He was so big, I felt like I was a child hugging a grown-up. â€Å"Oh, Jake, it'll be okay!† I promised. â€Å"If it gets worse you can come live with me and Charlie. Don't be scared, we'll think of something!† He was frozen for a second, and then his long arms wrapped hesitantly around me. â€Å"Thanks, Bella.† His voice was huskier than usual. We stood like that for a moment, and it didn't upset me; in fact, I felt comforted by the contact. This didn't feel anything like the last time someone had embraced me this way. This was friendship. And Jacob was very warm. It was strange for me, being this closeemotionally rather than physically, though the physical was strange for me, tooto another human being. It wasn't my usual style. I didn't normally relate to people so easily, on such a basic level. Not human beings. â€Å"If this is how you're going to react, I'll freak out more often.† Jacob's voice was light, normal again, and his laughter rumbled against my ear. His fingers touched my hair, soft and tentative. Well, it was friendship for me. I pulled away quickly, laughing with him, but determined to put things back in perspective at once. â€Å"It's hard to believe I'm two years older than you,† I said, emphasizing the word older. â€Å"You make me feel like a dwarf.† Standing this close to him, I really had to crane my neck to see his face. â€Å"You're forgetting I'm in my forties, of course.† â€Å"Oh, that's right.† He patted my head. â€Å"You're like a little doll,† he teased. â€Å"A porcelain doll.† I rolled my eyes, taking another step away. â€Å"Let's not start with the albino cracks.† â€Å"Seriously, Bella, are you sure you're not?† He stretched his russet arm out next to mine. The difference wasn't flattering. â€Å"I've never seen anyone paler than you well, except for† He broke off, and I looked away, trying to not understand what he had been about to say. â€Å"So are we going to ride or what?† â€Å"Let's do it,† I agreed, more enthusiastic than I would have been half a minute ago. His unfinished sentence reminded me of why I was here.