Rachel Akhazemea Essay

In the novel of mice and men John Steinbeck uses the two protagonists Lennie small and George Milton to show morals through-out the novella. Steinbeck uses the main characters to portrait the American dream. I realize Steinbeck vaguely gets us to explore each character feeling by feeling, but in the time of age they’re living in we get a clearer understanding of why they are the way they are. In this essay I will discuss the relationship between both George and Lennie, and why Steinbeck has decided to use two completely different characters in the same content. A rather key way in which Steinbeck introduces Lennie and George is through the use of description. In the opening of the novel, Steinbeck decides to create suspense for the characters. He uses metaphorical language to compare Lennie like an animal â€Å"the way a bear drags his paws†, the idea of Steinbeck doing this allows the reader to assumedly suggest what type of person Lennie is straight away, the imagery of the bear represents how masculine, strong and loud Lennie comes across to be, but on the other hand it could represent how sometimes a bear is unaware of its actions and is dangerous, therefore this foreshadows what happens later on in the novel. Our understanding of Lennie begins to grow as we read further on into the novel. We know Lennie is seen as a strong character physically and George is a strong character verbally, but not so much physically as Lennie. The relationship may face some challenges as they’re dialect is obviously different, you would assume two close friends would show unity in the way they come across, but Steinbeck doesn’t use this typical idea of friendship in the novel. As we read further on in the book we create an image for both characters. We start to realise how Lennie treats George as a father figure. Lennie, despite being slow and easily confused, is sure of this friendship. We see this when Lennie is subjected to answer Crooks’ joke when he says George might abandon him, Lennie jumps to reply â€Å"George wouldn’t do nothing like that† this shows that as dim-witted as Lennie seems, he will continue to reassure himself and believe that George would never leave because of the value of their relationship, from Lennie’s point of view, George is the most important person in his life his guardian and only friend. We also see that Lennie is reluctant and naà ¯ve; â€Å"but I wouldn’t eat none, George I’d leave it all for you. You could cover your beans with it and I wouldn’t touch none of it† the fact that Lennie outbursts in apology after George expresses to him his anger, goes to show the extent of earnestness Lennie has for their relationship, the idea that he is willing to sacrifice his desire (being ketchup) just shows how much he truly cares about George. We also see how much Lennie is dependant of George as he obeys George: â€Å"Yes† Lennie turned his head. â€Å"No, Lennie. Look down there across the river; you can almost see the place† Lennie obeys George† the fact that Lennie obeys George quickly shows there is a certain amount of respect for George, it shows he trusts George in whatever is being said, But we can then perceive this in two ways; a threatening, cruel way, or just the fact that Lennie understands the level of respect required with George. This also suggests to the reader that there are barriers in the relationship that affect how they treat each other, when Lennie chooses to obey George it may also show how Lennie cant decide for himself and he needs George to make his decisions for him. On the other hand, I have explored the way Lennie’s and George’s characters may change once they are around other people. We can also link this to the way George treats Lennie, George who is constructed as a responsible father-like man, and then seen as a reluctant carer to Lennie can be seen as a battle between two personalities in one person. We realise George’s personality changes when he is talking to Lennie and referring to the dream they both share: â€Å"George’s voice became deeper. He repeated his words rhythmically as though he had said them many times before. â€Å"Guys like us work on ranches†¦Ã¢â‚¬  the fact that Georges voice begins to get deeper as he starts to explain the dream shows how he feels towards it, sweet passionate George begins to reveal itself to the reader implying his interest in what he’s explaining, and it becomes more than words that he is speaking. But we then realise the contrast when George is talking amongst his work friends, George refers to Lennie as a â€Å"Crazy bastard† his dialect is a complete transition from when he was explaining the dream passionately. Describing Lennie as a crazy bastard may give the impression to the reader that George pretends he doesn’t understand the way Lennie is when he behaves unnecessary, showing how he may want to seem bigger than what he really is, in front of his work friends. George finds it hard to show his true love and compassion towards Lennie when around other people. In Chapter three George is talking to slim about the past, George explains to him how him and Lennie grew up together as neighbours, George mentions that when he first began travelling with Lennie he found it funny to play pranks on Lennie, but as they grew older they were no longer fun. We realise the relationship comes across barriers and obstacles especially because Lennie had a mental disability. â€Å"George herd Lennies whimpering cry and wheeled about, â€Å"blubbering like a baby! Jesus Christ! A big guy like you!† Lennies lip quivered and tears started in his eyes, â€Å"aw, Lennie† George put his hands on Lennie’s shoulder . â€Å"I aint taking it away for meanness, that mouse aint fresh..ect† Lennie cries like a baby, his reaction can be compared to a baby when they get told off, this may show mental weakness. The main thing about it is seeing a grown man cry, What is also interesting is now that George has made Lennie cry, George is considerably softened up by Lennies tears, Georges quick reply was â€Å"I aint taking it away jus for meanness† this shows George has a passionate side, he doesn’t want Lennie to be upset, but he still needs to show some control. We also recognize the quick transition in George as his emotions change from firm to soft, some people might perceive this is another way, the fact that George switches the way he talks to Lennie so sudden may show he is forced to put on a responsible role, George doesn’t want to be mean to Lennie, but Lennies behaviour forces him to. George’s sharp words can sometimes come across threatening to Lennie, his role of having to be responsible and caring towards him can be challenging for George. Into the second chapter as Lennie and George arrive at the camp and eventually go into meet the boss, George is very keen on being in control. His constant use of language is used to dominate the conversation. â€Å"Whats your name?† â€Å"George Milton† â€Å"and yours?† â€Å"George said, â€Å"His names Lennie small†. This shows us that George is carefully thinking about what may happen if he allows Lennie to talk, with full understanding that if Lennie says something out of content, they might loose their opportunity of working there. When we come to talk about how others may see the relationship, I find the boss’s perceiptive can be very intresting, as the boss is conversating with Small and Milton, the boss starts to suspect that George is using lennie to steal his money â€Å"he hacked his thumbs in his belt and squinted one eye nearly closed. Say what you sellin?† â€Å"huh?† â€Å"I said what stake you got in this guy† The boss miss interprets George’s authority and sees it as a way of George benefiting himself by taking Lennies money. When George knows he uses his authorative role to benefit them from losing their jobs. Later on in the novella, it is evident that George begins to feel fed up with Lennie, having to move locations all the time for every little mistake Lennie does. The fact that George ends ups killing Lennie clearly shows his lack of faith. George comes to a realisation that Lennie can not carry on the journey with him especially when he seems to be limiting him from going anywhere. I believe Steinbeck wants the reader to understand that sometimes you need to do the worst things to get the best results. He uses these two reluctant characters to portrait a hidden hope between them both, but the hope ends up getting crushed once George kills Lennie, which seemed like it was for the best. With a wider insight of what Steinbeck uses the characters for. I’ve analysed the way he uses the American dream with Lennie and George to separate them from the rest of the workmen. Lennie and George both share the same dream which keeps their hope through out their stay at their workplace. George says: â€Å"with us it aint like that. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don’t have so sit in no bar room blowin in our jack jus because we got no place to go, if them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us.. â€Å"the fact that George separates him and lennie from the other guys shows he sees everyone else differently, it shows they have a different mind-set to the rest of the guys and it shows they believe in something bigger and greater than in the walls of the ranch. Throughout the novel, Lennie seems to be unaware of what is right and what is wrong, and this comes across as a burden on george as he has to correct gim for every wrong thing he does. George knows just how easy his life could be without Lennie and all the confusion he causes. We understand this because at the start of the book George tells Lennie how he would get a decent job with nice guys to talk to and a good pay. Then at the end spend as much as he wanted. George’s life has been made harder because of Lennie, and until Lennie goes, he’ll forever be unhappy. When George is conversing with the boss, it’s interesting to see how Lennie can hide his strength which only emphasizes his weakness. The boss seems interested in hearing what Lennie can do, because of his masculinity and size, but now that Lennie has been forbidden to talk by George, he is afraid to communicate; â€Å"The boss pointed a playful finger at Lennie â€Å" he ain’t much of a talker, is he?† he’s sure a hell of a good worker. Strong as a bull† The fact that lennie is described as another animal for the 2nd time in this novel re-enforces Steinbecks idea of Lennie, it repeatedly foreshadows his behaviour now and what it could turn out to be, an animal has a lower mind-set than a human, less knowledgeable and less understanding. This episode also highlights’ how Lennie is weaker than George, Lennies physical build is very deceiving and he is limited by his mental ability and by his utter subjugation to George. We also realise the different types of features used such as imagery, metaphors and similes to dominate the scene or setting. â€Å"A water snake glided smoothly up the pool, twisting its periscope head from side to side, and it swam the length of the pool and came to the legs of a motionless heron that stood in the shallow. A silent head and beak lanced down and plucked it out by the head and the beak swallowed the little snake while its tail waved frantically† the great imagery here is used to begin section 6 to describe a setting like the ‘Garden of Eden’ this gives the reader a hint of what the scene may look like, a paradise heaven. The sliding snake represents the tempting serpent from the Garden of Eden, this symbolism is used to suggest the predatory nature of the world foreshadowing Lennies quick death. The innocent snake narrated in the beginning of the novel is now un-expectedly taken from the world and soon Lennie’s life will be taken from the world just as un expected as the snake. The idea that the snake is classed in a lower category than the Heron shows the difference between George and Lennie, George representing the predator and Lennie as the prey. We can often question ourselves on the way Steinbeck decided to end the book. The ending was certainly optimistic and interesting and especially un-expected. I believe Steinbeck wanted to get across to the readers that in order to pursue our dreams, we have to get rid of what’s stopping us from achieving, and in this case Lennie was topping George. Steinbeck also wants us to realise the amount of determination you need when you desperately want something. A successful way in which Steinbeck ends the novel is in the way he links it to the American Dream. The two protagonists lennie small and george Milton clearly help structure the hole idea of the American dream and the deep morals that come along side it. The American dream tells us that everyone is equal and everyone has same rights to achieve success, as long as effort is put into it. In this case, Lennie and George would love to persue their dream together, but Lennie’s mental ability and slow mindset holds them both back from achieving and becoming successful, Steinbeck clearly show this by proving – in order to persue your dreams, you need full submission, meaning getting rid of anything that is holding you back, and in this case, Lennie. Another way in which we could perceive the way Steinbeck uses the characters to portrait the American dream, is through their characteristics. Pursuing something great requires a lot of determination and a right mind set, it wasn’t that Lennie and George had no determination but lennie wasn’t in the perfect mind state to pursue the dream, so by George ending Lennies life, it allowed the extra stress to be released of Georges shoulders. Steinbeck simply uses this to show the reality side of things. The idea that the dream was reachable, but once George gave up on Lennie the dream became no longer attainable. The American dream was for anyone stable enough to work for what they want and to achieve it, but the purpose of the ending was another way of telling people that having a dream and striving for it is definitely not easy, he also gets us to understand that even though everyone around you may not believe in what you do, it does not mean you should stop believing in it. The main core of this novel was the suspense built between Lennie and George to show having a strong desire for something isn’t impossible.

Chapter 6 Talons and Tea Leaves

When Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the Great Hall for breakfast the next day, the first thing they saw was Draco Malfoy, who seemed to be entertaining a large group of Slytherins with a very funny story. As they passed, Malfoy did a ridiculous impression of a swooning fit and there was a roar of laughter. â€Å"Ignore him,† said Hermione, who was right behind Harry. â€Å"Just ignore him, it's not worth it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Hey, Potter!† shrieked Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin girl with a face like a pug. â€Å"Potter! The Dementors are coming, Potter! Woooooooooo!† Harry dropped into a seat at the Gryffindor table, next to George Weasley. â€Å"New third-year course schedules,† said George, passing then, over. â€Å"What's up with you, Harry?† â€Å"Malfoy,† said Ron, sitting down on George's other side and glaring over at the Slytherin table. George looked up in time to see Malfoy pretending to faint with terror again. â€Å"That little git,† he said calmly. â€Å"He wasn't so cocky last night when the Dementors were down at our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?† â€Å"Nearly wet himself,† said Fred, with a contemptuous glance at Malfoy. â€Å"I wasn't too happy myself,† said George. â€Å"They're horrible things, those Dementors†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?† said Fred. â€Å"You didn't pass out, though, did you?† said Harry in a low voice. â€Å"Forget it, Harry,† said George bracingly. â€Å"Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been, he came back all weak and shaking†¦They suck the happiness out of a place, Dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there.† â€Å"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match,† said Fred. â€Å"Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?† The only time Harry and Malfoy had faced each other in a Quidditch match, Malfoy had definitely come off worse. Feeling slightly more cheerful, Harry helped himself to sausages and fried tomatoes. Hermione was examining her new schedule. â€Å"Ooh, good, we're starting some new subjects today,† she said happily. â€Å"Hermione,† said Ron, frowning as he looked over her shoulder, â€Å"they've messed up your timetable. Look — they've got you down for about ten subjects a day. There isn't enough time.† â€Å"I'll manage. I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall.† â€Å"But look,† said Ron, laughing, â€Å"see this morning? Nine o'clock, Divination. And underneath, nine o'clock, Muggle Studies. And –† Ron leaned closer to the timetable, disbelieving, â€Å"look — underneath that, Arithmancy, nine o'clock. I mean, I know you're good, Hermione, but no one's that good. How're you supposed to be in three classes at once?† â€Å"Don't be silly,† said Hermione shortly. â€Å"Of course I won't be in three classes at once.† â€Å"Well then –â€Å" â€Å"Pass the marmalade,† said Hermione. â€Å"But –â€Å" â€Å"Oh, Ron, what's it to you if my timetable's a bit full?† Hermione snapped. â€Å"I told you, I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall.† Just then, Hagrid entered the Great Hall. He was wearing his long moleskin overcoat and was absent-mindedly swinging a dead polecat from one enormous hand. â€Å"All righ'?† he said eagerly, pausing on his way to the staff table. â€Å"Yer in my firs' ever lesson! Right after lunch! Bin up since five getting' everthin' ready†¦hope it's OK†¦me, a teacher†¦hones'ly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He grinned broadly at them and headed off to the staff table, still swinging the polecat. â€Å"Wonder what he's been getting ready?† said Ron, a note of anxiety in his voice. The Hall was starting to empty as people headed off towards their first lesson. Ron checked his schedule. â€Å"We'd better go, look, Divination's at the top of North Tower. It'll take us ten minutes to get there†¦Ã¢â‚¬  They finished breakfast hastily, said goodbye to Fred and George and walked back through the hall. As they passed the Slytherin table, Malfoy did yet another impression of a fainting fit. The shouts of laughter followed Harry into the Entrance Hall. The journey through the castle to North Tower was a long one. Two years at Hogwarts hadn't taught them everything about the castle, and they had never been inside North Tower before. â€Å"There's — got — to — be — a — short — cut,† Ron panted, as they climbed the seventh long staircase and emerged on an unfamiliar landing, where there was nothing but a large painting of a bare stretch of grass hanging on the stone wall. â€Å"I think it's this way,† said Hermione, peering down the empty passage to the right. â€Å"Can't be,† said Ron. â€Å"That's south. Look, you can see a bit of the lake outside the window†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry was watching the painting. A fat, dappled-gray pony had just ambled onto the grass and was grazing nonchalantly. Harry was used to the subjects of Hogwarts paintings moving around and leaving their frames to visit each other, but he always enjoyed watching them. A moment later, a short, squat knight in a suit of armour had clanked into the picture after his pony. By the look of the grass stains on his metal knees, he had just fallen off. â€Å"Aha!† he yelled, seeing Harry, Ron and Hermione. â€Å"What villains are these, that trespass upon my private lands! Come to scorn at my fall, perchance? Draw, you knaves, you dogs!† They watched in astonishment as the little knight tugged his sword out of its scabbard and began brandishing it violently, hopping up and down in rage. But the sword was too long for him; a particularly wild swing made him overbalance, and he landed facedown in the grass. â€Å"Are you all right?† said Harry, moving closer to the picture. â€Å"Get back, you scurvy braggart! Back, you rogue!† The knight seized his sword again and used it to push himself back up, but the blade sank deeply into the grass and, though he pulled with all his might, he couldn't get it out again. Finally, he had to flop back down onto the grass and push up his visor to mop his sweating face. â€Å"Listen,† said Harry, taking advantage of the knight's exhaustion, â€Å"we're looking for the North Tower. You don't know the way, do you?† â€Å"A quest!† The knight's rage seemed to vanish instantly. He clanked to his feet and shouted, â€Å"Come follow me, dear friends, and we shall find our goal, or else shall perish bravely in the charge!† He gave the sword another fruitless tug, tried and failed to mount the fat pony, gave up, and cried, â€Å"On foot then, good sirs and gentle lady! On! On!† And he ran, clanking loudly, into the left side of the frame and out of sight. They hurried after him along the corridor, following the sound of his armor. Every now and then they spotted him running through a picture ahead. â€Å"Be of stout heart, the worst is yet to come!† yelled the knight, and they saw him reappear in front of an alarmed group of women in crinolines, whose picture hung on the wall of a narrow spiral staircase. Puffing loudly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione climbed the tightly spiraling steps, getting dizzier and dizzier, until at last they heard the murmur of voices above them and knew they had reached the classroom. â€Å"Farewell!† cried the knight, popping his head into a painting of some sinister-looking monks. â€Å"Farewell, my comrades-in-arms! If ever you have need of noble heart and steely sinew, call upon Sir Cadogan!† â€Å"Yeah, we'll call you,† muttered Ron as the knight disappeared, â€Å"if we ever need someone mental.† They climbed the last few steps and emerged onto a tiny landing, where most of the class was already assembled. There were no doors off this landing, but Ron nudged Harry and pointed at the ceiling, where there was a circular trapdoor with a brass plaque on it. â€Å"‘Sibyll Trelawney, Divination teacher,'† Harry read. â€Å"How're we supposed to get up there?† As though in answer to his question, the trapdoor suddenly opened, and a silvery ladder descended right at Harry's feet. Everyone got quiet. â€Å"After you,† said Ron, grinning, so Harry climbed the ladder first. He emerged into the strangest-looking classroom he had ever seen. In fact, it didn't look like a classroom at all, more like a cross between someone's attic and an old-fashioned tea shop. At least twenty small, circular tables were crammed inside it, all surrounded by chintz armchairs and fat little poufs. Everything was lit with a dim, crimson light; the curtains at the windows were all closed, and the many lamps were draped with dark red scarves. It was stiflingly warm, and the fire that was burning under the crowded mantelpiece was giving off a heavy, sickly sort of perfume as it heated a large copper kettle. The shelves running around the circular walls were crammed with dusty-looking feathers, stubs of candles, many packs of tattered playing cards, countless silvery crystal balls, and a huge array of teacups. Ron appeared at Harry's shoulder as the class assembled around them, all talking in whispers. â€Å"Where is she?† Ron said. A voice came suddenly out of the shadows, a soft, misty sort of voice. â€Å"Welcome,† it said. â€Å"How nice to see you in the physical world at last.† Harry's immediate impression was of a large, glittering insect. Professor Trelawney moved into the firelight, and they saw that she was very thin; her large glasses magnified her eyes to several times their natural size, and she was draped in a gauzy spangled shawl. Innumerable chains and beads hung around her spindly neck, and her arms and hands were encrusted with bangles and rings. â€Å"Sit, my children, sit,† she said, and they all climbed awkwardly into armchairs or sank onto poufs. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat themselves around the same round table. â€Å"Welcome to Divination,† said Professor Trelawney, who had seated herself in a winged armchair in front of the fire. â€Å"My name is Professor Trelawney. You may not have seen me before. I find that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye.† Nobody said anything to this extraordinary pronouncement. Professor Trelawney delicately rearranged her shawl and continued, â€Å"So you have chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts. I must warn you at the outset that if you do not have the Sight, there is very little I will be able to teach you†¦Books can take you only so far in this field†¦Ã¢â‚¬  At these words, both Harry and Ron glanced, grinning, at Hermione, who looked startled at the news that books wouldn't be much help in this subject. â€Å"Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearings, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future,† Professor Trelawney went on, her enormous, gleaming eyes moving from face to nervous face. â€Å"It is a Gift granted to few. You, boy,† she said suddenly to Neville, who almost toppled off his pouf. â€Å"Is your grandmother well?† â€Å"I think so,† said Neville tremulously. â€Å"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you, dear,† said Professor Trelawney, the firelight glinting on her long emerald earrings. Neville gulped. Professor Trelawney continued placidly. â€Å"We will be covering the basic methods of Divination this year. The first term will be devoted to reading the tea leaves. Next term we shall progress to palmistry. By the way, my dear,† she shot suddenly at Parvati Patil, â€Å"beware a red-haired man.† Parvati gave a startled look at Ron, who was right behind her and edged her chair away from him. â€Å"In the second term,† Professor Trelawney went on, â€Å"we shall progress to the crystal ball — if we have finished with fire omens, that is. Unfortunately, classes will be disrupted in February by a nasty bout of flu. I myself will lose my voice. And around Easter, one of our number will leave us for ever.† A very tense silence followed this pronouncement, but Professor Trelawney seemed unaware of it. â€Å"I wonder, dear,† she said to Lavender Brown, who was nearest and shrank back in her chair, â€Å"if you could pass me the largest silver teapot?† Lavender, looking relieved, stood up, took an enormous teapot from the shelf, and put it down on the table in front of Professor Trelawney. â€Å"Thank you, my dear. Incidentally, that thing you are dreading — it will happen on Friday the sixteenth of October.† Lavender trembled. â€Å"Now, I want you all to divide into pairs. Collect a teacup from the shelf, come to me, and I will fill it. Then sit down and drink, drink until only the dregs remain. Swill these around the cup three times with the left hand, then turn the cup upside down on its saucer, wait for the last of the tea to drain away, then give your cup to your partner to read. You will interpret the patterns using pages five and six of Unfogging the Future. I shall move among you, helping and instructing. Oh, and dear,† — she caught Neville by the arm as he made to stand up, â€Å"after you've broken your first cup, would you be so kind as to select one of the blue patterned ones? I'm rather attached to the pink.† Sure enough, Neville had no sooner reached the shelf of teacups when there was a tinkle of breaking china. Professor Trelawney swept over to him holding a dustpan and brush and said, â€Å"One of the blue ones, then, dear, if you wouldn't mind†¦thank you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  When Harry and Ron had had their teacups filled, they went back to their table and tried to drink the scalding tea quickly. They swilled the dregs around as Professor Trelawney had instructed, then drained the cups and swapped over. â€Å"Right,† said Ron as they both opened their books at pages five and six. â€Å"What can you see in mine?† â€Å"A load of soggy brown stuff,† said Harry. The heavily perfumed smoke in the room was making him feel sleepy and stupid. â€Å"Broaden your minds, my dears, and allow your eyes to see past the mundane!† Professor Trelawney cried through the gloom. Harry tried to pull himself together. â€Å"Right, you've got a crooked sort of cross†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He consulted Unfogging the Future. â€Å"That means you're going to have ‘trials and suffering' — sorry about that — but there's a thing that could be the sun. Hang on†¦that means ‘great happiness'†¦so you're going to suffer but be very happy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You need your Inner Eye tested, if you ask me,† said Ron, and they both had to stifle their laughs as Professor Trelawney gazed in their direction. â€Å"My turn†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Ron peered into Harry's teacup, his forehead wrinkled with effort. â€Å"There's a blob a bit like a bowler hat,† he said. â€Å"Maybe you're going to work for the Ministry of Magic†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He turned the teacup the other way up. â€Å"But this way it looks more like an acorn†¦what's that?† He scanned his copy of Unfogging the Future. â€Å"‘A windfall, unexpected gold.' Excellent, you can lend me some. And there's a thing here,† he turned the cup again, â€Å"that looks like an animal†¦yeah, if that was its head†¦it looks like a hippo†¦no, a sheep†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Professor Trelawney whirled around as Harry let out a snort of laughter. â€Å"Let me see that, my dear,† she said reprovingly to Ron, sweeping over and snatching Harry's cup from him. Everyone went quiet to watch. Professor Trelawney was staring into the teacup, rotating it counterclockwise. â€Å"The falcon†¦my dear, you have a deadly enemy.† â€Å"But everyone knows that,† said Hermione in a loud whisper. Professor Trelawney stared at her. â€Å"Well, they do,† said Hermione. â€Å"Everybody knows about Harry and You-Know-Who.† Harry and Ron stared at her with a mixture of amazement and admiration. They had never heard Hermione speak to a teacher like that before. Professor Trelawney chose not to reply. She lowered her huge eyes to Harry's cup again and continued to turn it. â€Å"The club†¦an attack. Dear, dear, this is not a happy cup†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I thought that was a bowler hat,† said Ron sheepishly. â€Å"The skull†¦danger in your path, my dear†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Everyone was staring, transfixed, at Professor Trelawney, who gave the cup a final turn, gasped, and then screamed. There was another tinkle of breaking china; Neville had smashed his second cup. Professor Trelawney sank into a vacant armchair, her glittering hand at her heart and her eyes closed. â€Å"My dear boy — my poor dear boy — no — it is kinder not to say — no — don't ask me†¦.† â€Å"What is it, Professor?† said Dean Thomas at once. Everyone had got to their feet, and slowly they crowded around Harry and Ron's table, pressing close to Professor Trelawney's chair to get a good look at Harry's cup. â€Å"My dear,† Professor Trelawney's huge eyes opened dramatically, â€Å"you have the Grim.† â€Å"The what?† said Harry. He could tell that he wasn't the only one who didn't understand; Dean Thomas shrugged at him and Lavender Brown looked puzzled, but nearly everybody else clapped their hands to their mouths in horror. â€Å"The Grim, my dear, the Grim!† cried Professor Trelawney, who looked shocked that Harry hadn't understood. â€Å"The giant, spectral dog that haunts churchyards! My dear boy, it is an omen — the worst omen — of death!† Harry's stomach lurched. That dog on the cover of Death Omens in Flourish and Blotts — the dog in the shadows of Magnolia Crescent†¦Lavender Brown clapped her hands to her mouth too. Everyone was looking at Harry, everyone except Hermione, who had gotten up and moved around to the back of Professor Trelawney's chair. â€Å"I don't think it looks like a Grim,† she said flatly. Professor Trelawney surveyed Hermione with mounting dislike. â€Å"You'll forgive me for saying so, my dear, but I perceive very little aura around you. Very little receptivity to the resonances of the future.† Seamus Finnigan was tilting his head from side to side. â€Å"It looks like a Grim if you do this,† he said, with his eyes almost shut, â€Å"but it looks more like a donkey from here,† he said, leaning to the left. â€Å"When you've all finished deciding whether I'm going to die or not!† said Harry, taking even himself by surprise. Now nobody seemed to want to look at him. â€Å"I think we will leave the lesson here for today,† said Professor Trelawney in her mistiest voice. â€Å"Yes†¦please pack away your things†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Silently the class took their teacups back to Professor Trelawney, packed away their books, and closed their bags. Even Ron was avoiding Harry's eyes. â€Å"Until we meet again,† said Professor Trelawney faintly, â€Å"fair fortune be yours. Oh, and dear,† — she pointed at Neville, â€Å"you'll be late next time, so mind you work extra-hard to catch up.† Harry, Ron, and Hermione descended Professor Trelawney's ladder and the winding stair in silence, then set off for Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration lesson. It took them so long to find her classroom that, early as they had left Divination, they were only just in time. Harry chose a seat right at the back of the room, feeling as though he were sitting in a very bright spotlight; the rest of the class kept shooting furtive glances at him, as though he were about to drop dead at any moment. He hardly heard what Professor McGonagall was telling them about Animagi (wizards who could transform at will into animals), and wasn't even watching when she transformed herself in front of their eyes into a tabby cat with spectacle markings around her eyes. â€Å"Really, what has got into you all today?† said Professor McGonagall, turning back into herself with a faint pop, and staring around at them all. â€Å"Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class.† Everybody's heads turned toward Harry again, but nobody spoke. Then Hermione raised her hand. â€Å"Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and –â€Å" â€Å"Ah, of course,† said Professor McGonagall, suddenly frowning. â€Å"There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?† Everyone stared at her. â€Å"Me,† said Harry, finally. â€Å"I see,† said Professor McGonagall, fixing Harry with her beady eyes. â€Å"Then you should know, Potter, that Sibyll Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favorite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues –† Professor McGonagall broke off, and they saw that her nostrils had gone white. She went on, more calmly, â€Å"Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She stopped again, and then said, in a very matter-of-fact tone, â€Å"You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in.† Hermione laughed. Harry felt a bit better. It was harder to feel scared of a lump of tea leaves away from the dim red light and befuddling perfume of Professor Trelawney's classroom. Not everyone was convinced, however. Ron still looked worried, and Lavender whispered, â€Å"But what about Neville's cup?† When the Transfiguration class had finished, they joined the crowd thundering toward the Great Hall for lunch. â€Å"Ron, cheer up,† said Hermione, pushing a dish of stew toward him. â€Å"You heard what Professor McGonagall said.† Ron spooned stew onto his plate and picked up his fork but didn't start. â€Å"Harry,† he said, in a low, serious voice, â€Å"You haven't seen a great black dog anywhere, have you?† â€Å"Yeah, I have,† said Harry. â€Å"I saw one the night I left the Dursleys'.† Ron let his fork fall with a clatter. â€Å"Probably a stray,† said Hermione calmly. Ron looked at Hermione as though she had gone mad. â€Å"Hermione, if Harry's seen a Grim, that's — that's bad,† he said. â€Å"My — my uncle Bilius saw one and — and he died twenty-four hours later!† â€Å"Coincidence,† said Hermione airily, pouring herself some pumpkin juice. â€Å"You don't know what you're talking about!† said Ron, starting to get angry. â€Å"Grims scare the living daylights out of most wizards!† â€Å"There you are, then,† said Hermione in a superior tone. â€Å"They see the Grim and die of fright. The Grim's not an omen, it's the cause of death! And Harry's still with us because he's not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better kick the bucket then!† Ron mouthed wordlessly at Hermione, who opened her bag, took out her new Arithmancy book, and propped it open against the juice jug. â€Å"I think Divination seems very woolly,† she said, searching for her page. â€Å"A lot of guesswork, if you ask me.† â€Å"There was nothing woolly about the Grim in that cup!† said Ron hotly. â€Å"You didn't seem quite so confident when you were telling Harry it was a sheep,† said Hermione coolly. â€Å"Professor Trelawney said you didn't have the right aura! You just don't like being bad at something for a change!† He had touched a nerve. Hermione slammed her Arithmancy book down on the table so hard that bits of meat and carrot flew everywhere. â€Å"If being good at Divination means I have to pretend to see death omens in a lump of tea leaves, I'm not sure I'll be studying it much longer! That lesson was absolute rubbish compared with my Arithmancy class!† She snatched up her bag and stalked away. Ron frowned after her. â€Å"What's she talking about?† he said to Harry. â€Å"She hasn't been to an Arithmancy class yet.† ****** Harry was pleased to get out of the castle after lunch. Yesterday's rain had cleared; the sky was a clear, pale gray, and the grass was springy and damp underfoot as they set off for their first ever Care of Magical Creatures class. Ron and Hermione weren't speaking to each other. Harry walked beside them in silence as they went down the sloping lawns to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. It was only when he spotted three only-too-familiar backs ahead of them that he realized they must be having these lessons with the Slytherins. Malfoy was talking animatedly to Crabbe and Goyle, who were chortling. Harry was quite sure he knew what they were talking about. Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking impatient to start. â€Å"C'mon, now, get a move on!† he called as the class approached. â€Å"Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!† For one nasty moment, Harry thought that Hagrid was going to lead them into the forest; Harry had had enough unpleasant experiences in there to last him a lifetime. However, Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees, and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there. â€Å"Everyone gather 'round the fence here!† he called. â€Å"That's it — make sure yeh can see — now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books –â€Å" â€Å"How?† said the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy. â€Å"Eh?† said Hagrid. â€Å"How do we open our books?† Malfoy repeated. He took out his copy of The Monster Book of Monsters, which he had bound shut with a length of rope. Other people took theirs out too; some, like Harry, had belted their book shut; others had crammed them inside tight bags or clamped them together with binder clips. â€Å"Hasn' — hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?† said Hagrid, looking crestfallen. The class all shook their heads. â€Å"Yeh've got ter stroke 'em,† said Hagrid, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. â€Å"Look –â€Å" He took Hermione's copy and ripped off the Spellotape that bound it. The book tried to bite, but Hagrid ran a giant forefinger down its spine, and the book shivered, and then fell open and lay quiet in his hand. â€Å"Oh, how silly we've all been!† Malfoy sneered. â€Å"We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!† â€Å"I — I thought they were funny,† Hagrid said uncertainly to Hermione. â€Å"Oh, tremendously funny!† said Malfoy. â€Å"Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!† â€Å"Shut up, Malfoy,† said Harry quietly. Hagrid was looking downcast and Harry wanted Hagrid's first lesson to be a success. â€Å"Righ' then,† said Hagrid, who seemed to have lost his thread, â€Å"so — so yeh've got yer books an'†¦an'†¦now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He strode away from them into the forest and out of sight. â€Å"God, this place is going to the dogs,† said Malfoy loudly. â€Å"That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him –â€Å" â€Å"Shut up, Malfoy,† Harry repeated. â€Å"Careful, Potter, there's a Dementor behind you –â€Å" â€Å"Oooooooh!† squealed Lavender Brown, pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock. Trotting toward them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures Harry had ever seen. They had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-colored beaks and large, brilliantly, orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures. â€Å"Gee up, there!† he roared, shaking the chains and urging the creatures toward the fence where the class stood. Everyone drew back slightly as Hagrid reached them and tethered the creatures to the fence. â€Å"Hippogriffs!† Hagrid roared happily, waving a hand at them. â€Å"Beau'iful, aren' they?† Harry could sort of see what Hagrid meant. Once you got over the first shock of seeing something that was half horse, half bird, you started to appreciate the Hippogriffs' gleaming coats, changing smoothly from feather to hair, each of them a different color: stormy gray, bronze, pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut, and inky black. â€Å"So,† said Hagrid, rubbing his hands together and beaming around, â€Å"if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer†¦Ã¢â‚¬  No one seemed to want to. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, approached the fence cautiously. â€Å"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' Hippogriffs is, they're proud,† said Hagrid. â€Å"Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do.† Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle weren't listening; they were talking in an undertone and Harry had a nasty feeling they were plotting how best to disrupt the lesson. â€Å"Yeh always wait fer the Hippogriff ter make the firs' move,† Hagrid continued. â€Å"It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt.† â€Å"Right — who wants ter go first?† Most of the class backed farther away in answer. Even Harry, Ron, and Hermione had misgivings. The Hippogriffs were tossing their fierce heads and flexing their powerful wings; they didn't seem to like being tethered like this. â€Å"No one?† said Hagrid, with a pleading look. â€Å"I'll do it,† said Harry. There was an intake of breath from behind him, and both Lavender and Parvati whispered, â€Å"Oooh, no, Harry, remember your tea leaves!† Harry ignored them. He climbed over the paddock fence. â€Å"Good man, Harry!† roared Hagrid. â€Å"Right then — let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak.† He untied one of the chains, pulled the gray Hippogriff away from its fellows, and slipped off its leather collar. The class on the other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath. Malfoy's eyes were narrowed maliciously. â€Å"Easy now, Harry,† said Hagrid quietly. â€Å"Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink†¦Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry's eyes immediately began to water, but he didn't shut them. Buckbeak had turned his great, sharp head and was staring at Harry with one fierce orange eye. â€Å"Tha's it,† said Hagrid. â€Å"Tha's it, Harry†¦now, bow.† Harry didn't feel much like exposing the back of his neck to Buckbeak, but he did as he was told. He gave a short bow and then looked up. The Hippogriff was still staring haughtily at him. It didn't move. â€Å"Ah,† said Hagrid, sounding worried. â€Å"Right — back away, now, Harry, easy does it –â€Å" But then, to Harry's enormous surprise, the Hippogriff suddenly bent its scaly front knees and sank into what was an unmistakable bow. â€Å"Well done, Harry!† said Hagrid, ecstatic. â€Å"Right — yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!† Feeling that a better reward would have been to back away, Harry moved slowly toward the Hippogriff and reached out toward it. He patted the beak several times and the Hippogriff closed its eyes lazily, as though enjoying it. The class broke into applause, all except for Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were looking deeply disappointed. â€Å"Righ' then, Harry,† said Hagrid. â€Å"I reckon he migh' let yeh ride him!† This was more than Harry had bargained for. He was used to a broomstick; but he wasn't sure a Hippogriff would be quite the same. â€Å"Yeh climb up there, jus' behind the wing joint,† said Hagrid, â€Å"an' mind yeh don' pull any of his feathers out, he won' like that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry put his foot on the top of Buckbeak's wing and hoisted himself onto its back. Buckbeak stood up. Harry wasn't sure where to hold on; everything in front of him was covered with feathers. â€Å"Go on, then!† roared Hagrid, slapping the Hippogriffs hindquarters. Without warning, twelve-foot wings flapped open on either side of Harry, he just had time to seize the Hippogriff around the neck before he was soaring upward. It was nothing like a broomstick, and Harry knew which one he preferred; the Hippogriff's wings beat uncomfortably on either side of him, catching him under his legs and making him feel he was about to be thrown off; the glossy feathers slipped under his fingers and he didn't dare get a stronger grip; instead of the smooth action of his Nimbus Two Thousand, he now felt himself rocking backward and forward as the hindquarters of the Hippogriff rose and fell with its wings. Buckbeak flew him once around the paddock and then headed back to the ground; this was the bit Harry had been dreading; he leaned back as the smooth neck lowered, feeling he was going to slip off over the beak, then felt a heavy thud as the four ill-assorted feet hit the ground. He just managed to hold on and push himself straight again. â€Å"Good work, Harry!† roared Hagrid as everyone except Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle cheered. â€Å"Okay, who else wants a go?† Emboldened by Harry's success, the rest of the class climbed cautiously into the paddock. Hagrid untied the Hippogriffs one by one, and soon people were bowing nervously, all over the paddock. Neville ran repeatedly backward from his, which didn't seem to want to bend its knees. Ron and Hermione practiced on the chestnut, while Harry watched. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had taken over Buckbeak. He had bowed to Malfoy, who was now patting his beak, looking disdainful. â€Å"This is very easy,† Malfoy drawled, loud enough for Harry to, hear him. â€Å"I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it†¦I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?† he said to the Hippogriff. â€Å"Are you, you great ugly brute?† It happened in a flash of steely talons; Malfoy let out a high pitched scream and next moment, Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Malfoy, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his robes. â€Å"I'm dying!† Malfoy yelled as the class panicked. â€Å"I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!† â€Å"Yer not dyin'!† said Hagrid, who had gone very white. â€Å"Someone help me — gotta get him outta here –â€Å" Hermione ran to hold open the gate as Hagrid lifted Malfoy easily. As they passed, Harry saw that there was a long, deep gash on Malfoy's arm; blood splattered the grass and Hagrid ran with him, up the slope toward the castle. Very shaken, the Care of Magical Creatures class followed at a walk. The Slytherins were all shouting about Hagrid. â€Å"They should sack him straight away!† said Pansy Parkinson, who was in tears. â€Å"It was Malfoy's fault!† snapped Dean Thomas. Crabbe and Goyle flexed their muscles threateningly. They all climbed the stone steps into the deserted entrance hall. â€Å"I'm going to see if he's okay!† said Pansy, and they all watched her run up the marble staircase. The Slytherins, still muttering about Hagrid, headed away in the direction of their dungeon common room; Harry, Ron, and Hermione proceeded upstairs to Gryffindor Tower. â€Å"You think he'll be all right?† said Hermione nervously. â€Å"Course he will. Madam Pomfrey can mend cuts in about a second,† said Harry, who had had far worse injuries mended magically by the nurse. â€Å"That was a really bad thing to happen in Hagrid's first class, though, wasn't it?† said Ron, looking worried. â€Å"Trust Malfoy to mess things up for him†¦Ã¢â‚¬  They were among the first to reach the Great Hall at dinnertime, hoping to see Hagrid, but he wasn't there. â€Å"They wouldn't fire him, would they?† said Hermione anxiously, not touching her steak-and-kidney pudding. â€Å"They'd better not,† said Ron, who wasn't eating either. Harry was watching the Slytherin table. A large group including Crabbe and Goyle was huddled together, deep in conversation. Harry was sure they were cooking up their own version of how Malfoy had been injured. â€Å"Well, you can't say it wasn't an interesting first day back,† said Ron gloomily. They went up to the crowded Gryffindor common room after dinner and tried to do the homework Professor McGonagall had given them, but all three of them kept breaking off and glancing out of the tower window. â€Å"There's a light on in Hagrid's window,† Harry said suddenly. Ron looked at his watch. â€Å"If we hurried, we could go down and see him. It's still quite early†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I don't know,† Hermione said slowly, and Harry saw her glance at him. â€Å"I'm allowed to walk across the grounds,† he said pointedly. â€Å"Sirius Black hasn't got past the Dementors yet, has he?† So they put their things away and headed out of the portrait hole, glad to meet nobody on their way to the front doors, as they weren't entirely sure they were supposed to be out. The grass was still wet and looked almost black in the twilight. When they reached Hagrid's hut, they knocked, and a voice growled, â€Å"C'min.† Hagrid was sitting in his shirtsleeves at his scrubbed wooden table; his boarhound, Fang, had his head in Hagrid's lap. One look told them that Hagrid had been drinking a lot; there was a pewter tankard almost as big as a bucket in front of him, and he seemed to be having difficulty getting them into focus. â€Å"‘Spect it's a record,† he said thickly, when he recognized them. â€Å"Don' reckon they've ever had a teacher who lasted on'y a day before.† â€Å"You haven't been fired, Hagrid!† gasped Hermione. â€Å"Not yet,† said Hagrid miserably, taking a huge gulp of whatever was in the tankard. â€Å"But's only a matter o' time, I'n't, after Malfoy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"How is he?† said Ron as they all sat down. â€Å"It wasn't serious, was it?† â€Å"Madam Pomfrey fixed him best she could,† said Hagrid dully, â€Å"but he's sayin' it's still agony†¦covered in bandages†¦moanin'†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"He's faking it,† said Harry at once. â€Å"Madam Pomfrey can mend anything. She regrew half my bones last year. Trust Malfoy to milk it for all it's worth.† â€Å"School gov'nors have bin told, o' course,† said Hagrid miserably. â€Å"They reckon I started too big. Shoulda left Hippogriffs fer later†¦one flobberworms or summat†¦Jus' thought it'd make a good firs' lesson's all my fault†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It's all Malfoy's fault, Hagrid!† said Hermione earnestly. â€Å"We're witnesses,† said Harry. â€Å"You said Hippogriffs attack if you insult them. It's Malfoy's problem that he wasn't listening. We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened.† â€Å"Yeah, don't worry, Hagrid, we'll back you up,† said Ron. Tears leaked out of the crinkled corners of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes. He grabbed both Harry and Ron and pulled them into a bone-breaking hug. â€Å"I think you've had enough to drink, Hagrid,† said Hermione firmly. She took the tankard from the table and went outside to empty it. â€Å"Ah, maybe she's right,† said Hagrid, letting go of Harry and Ron, who both staggered away, rubbing their ribs. Hagrid heaved himself out of his chair and followed Hermione unsteadily outside. They heard a loud splash. â€Å"What's he done?† said Harry nervously as Hermione came back in with the empty tankard. â€Å"Stuck his head in the water barrel,† said Hermione, putting the tankard away. Hagrid came back, his long hair and beard sopping wet, wiping the water out of his eyes. â€Å"That's better,† he said, shaking his head like a dog and drenching them all. â€Å"Listen, it was good of yeh ter come an' see me, I really –â€Å" Hagrid stopped dead, staring at Harry as though he'd only just realized he was there. â€Å"WHAT D'YEH THINK YOU'RE DOIN', EH?† he roared, so suddenly that they jumped a foot in the air. â€Å"YEH'RE NOT TO GO WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK, HARRY! AN, YOU TWO! LETTIN' HIM!† Hagrid strode over to Harry, grabbed his arm, and pulled him to the door. â€Å"C'mon!† Hagrid said angrily. â€Å"I'm takin' yer all back up ter school an' don' let me catch yeh walkin' down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth that!†

Charlemagne the man values and orientation

Charlemagne the man values and orientation To understand Charlemagne as a ruler you have to understand Charlemagne â€Å"The Man.† From what we can tell from Charlemagne’s personal qualities, he was a man of great stature known for being a great warrior, scholar, and politician. He was well spoken and charismatic. He valued his family, he related well to foreigners, had a positive personality, and was strong willed and athletic. Because of these qualities he was often very well respected and admired. In playing those roles he would not only be able to conquer but build trust and unity amongst the people. He was an incredible warrior whom displayed an iron will. Although he was one of greatness on the battlefield he possessed the ability of establishing friendships and was known for his generosity. Charlemagne was also respected as a scholar based on his willingness to learn, and his desire to promote education throughout his kingdom. Charlemagne studied Greek, spoke fluent Latin, and was well versed in the libe ral arts. He used his love for learning to study the world around him in order to keep informed of this issues and cultures surrounding and throughout his empire. Charlemagne respected, defended, and supported the Catholic Church during his life, which reinforced his Christian morality and beliefs. It was his Christian orientation and moral Charlemagne 3 compass that helped give him direction in promoting not only unity, but most importantly, civilization within his kingdom. Because of the ferocity with which he defended his beliefs and convictions, and the open-minded way that he viewed the world and mankind, Charlemagne became a wise, multi-faceted, and charismatic leader that the masses first feared, yet came to revered and trust. Charlemagne was not only adept at organizing, making informed decisions, but quite willing to act on those decisions, while persuading and motivating others to willingly follow him. As a â€Å"MAN† then, he had the personality traits that not onl y made him a conqueror, but most importantly, an â€Å"empire builder† of civilized society. MILITARY LEADER/STRATEGIST Charlemagne was an aggressive and courageous warrior, and military leader. During the first thirty years of his rule as king, he had many successful military campaigns, which enabled him to expand and consolidate the Frankish nation, expand his landholdings, and strengthen his military forces. His conflicts included those against the Lombards, Bavarians, Spanish, Byzantines, Avars, and the Saxons (Snell, 2006). Charlemagne 4 His military strategy often included the use of heavy cavalry and a strategy of separating his army into two forces upon entering enemy territory so that he could envelope the enemy in a â€Å"pincer† type movement, attacking them from different directions. Charlemagne believed that by effectively using warfare he would be able defend his kingdom from potential enemies, increase the borders of his realm, and promote the spread of Christianity. Because of his exceptional military accomplishments on the battlefield including his willingness to lead from the front, Charlemagne deservingly earned the title of a â€Å"warrior king†, making himself a force to be reckoned with throughout western Europe as well as gaining the respect from the noble class which helped provide him with political leverage that he would later need to help him to unify the diverse population that he conquered.

Substance abuse documentation confidentiality Research Paper

Substance abuse documentation confidentiality - Research Paper Example According to 10A NCAC 26B .0102, the state, individuals or area facilities with access to confidential information must take the affirmative measures in safeguarding such information. Any confidential information must not be released, except in accordance to G.S 122C-51 through the 122C-56. The release of confidential information regarding substance abusers must be based on federal regulations of the part 2 of 42 C.F.R. The confidentiality of records for drug and alcohol abusers adopted by the G.S. 150B-14(c) must be pursued unless in case of restrictive rules (Ganley, 2005). Each area within the facilities of the state maintaining confidential information record must provide a secure place for storing the records. Also, they must develop the written policies and procedures on controlled access for the records. All area of the state must ensure authorized access of such records. The director in each state facility must ensure the presence of the clinical staff members to protect and explain the records when the legal person of the client demands the review of the records. Delegated employees develop the procedures and policies on the provision of safeguards to enhance controlled access of such information (Martin & Moracco, 2008). The director of the state facility must ensure that all people involved in handling confidential information know the terms and conditions provided under G.S. 122C-52 through to 122C-56, and the facility must develop written procedures and policies based on the rules. The facility must provide trainings to all individual authorised access of confidential information. The individual in training must indicate their understanding of the governing requirements confidentiality through signing a statement of compliance and understanding (Ganley, 2005). Employees must sign the statement upon employment and in case the revisions happens

Gangnam style Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gangnam style - Essay Example It is famous for its wealthy inhabitants. During the last half century, the town has proliferated to become a hub of the wealthiest upper class in South Korea. The Gangnam style in the song is denoting this elite wealth culture and the lifestyle that has sprung around that area. Gangnam Style, was done by Park Jae-sang, commonly known as PJS, and went viral on YouTube and other media. In his music Gangnam dancing style, PJS talks about people’s behavior in reference to the Gangnam area. â€Å"The people of the Gangnam are so good looking as they can afford to have plastic surgery and have a luxurious lifestyle." Money is not a problem in the Gangnam estate. The video brings out a contrast to the lifestyle that is found in the city. Park Jae-sang refers himself as Gangnam that is a contrast to the lifestyle that the residents live. The meaning rather mocks the culture and attitude of such people who live in Gangnam do not talk about their lives much, only those who dreams to be in such a lifestyle keep talking about it in the streets. The wannabe and posers put take a resemblance of the Gangnam style. The dance had hit billboards in major countries through the social media and has much influence on the culture of the world in the year 2012. The song topped in the song billboard in a couple of countries namely, USA, Italy, Japan, Australia, China to mention but a few. The sensational song has managed to receive the world recognition through You Tube among other social media. In the first day of release got over-whelming 500,000 views that made it You Tube most popular song in the world. â€Å"Gangnam Style, this little video has received close to a billion times view and is now rated as the most viewed and liked YouTube Viral video ever. It might not seem like something important fact to many who are unaware of the bigger and wider trend that

Prokaryotuc and eukarytotic cell & endocrine and exocine glands Essay

Prokaryotuc and eukarytotic cell & endocrine and exocine glands - Essay Example Prokaryotic organisms like bacteria have cell walls that have peptidoglycan. Bacteria are unique organisms that have this material inside their cell walls and no any other organism has this material. Some of the eukaryotic cells have cell walls for example eukaryotic animal cells do not have cell walls while eukaryotic plant cells as well as fungi have cell walls that consist of cellulose and chitin (Black 93). Prokaryotic cells lack a nucleus but there is a central nuclear region. In addition, prokaryotes also have a single molecule of DNA that is circular in shape. Nucleus is the most important and unique part of eukaryotic cells and maximum DNA of the cell is present in the nucleus and multiple molecules are present (Campbell and Farrell 16). In prokaryotes, DNA is located in the nuclear region that does not have any membrane while in eukaryotes DNA is enclosed in Nucleus covered by nuclear envelope (Black 80). Eukaryotic organisms are bigger in size as compared to prokaryotic org anisms for example eukaryotic organisms consist of size from1 micrometer to 1 millimeter while prokaryotic organism consists of size from 1 to 10 micrometers. Eukaryotic animals have centrioles and centrosome while eukaryotic plants, fungi, algae and prokaryotic organisms do not have centrioles and centrosome. ... example, all eukaryotic cells have mitochondria except oddball parasites and all eukaryotic plants have chloroplasts that help in the food making process with the help of photosynthesis (Campbell and Farrell 19). Binary fission is the cell division process in prokaryotes while in eukaryotes, cells divide through mitosis and meiosis. Prokaryotic cells divide by asexual reproduction but eukaryotes divide by asexual as well as sexual reproduction (Black 80). Prokaryotes as well as eukaryotes can be autotrophic (generating food themselves) as well as heterotrophic (getting food from other sources). Examples of prokaryotes are bacteria while plants and animals can be taken as examples of eukaryotes. Autotrophic prokaryotes are photosynthetic (who make organic food using energy from sunlight) as well as chemosynthetic (who make organic food using energy from inorganic chemicals) while eukaryotes are photosynthetic but not chemosynthetic (Black 81). Difference between Endocrine and Exocrine Glands Human body consists of two types of glands that are endocrine and exocrine. Endocrine system contains glands that are responsible for discharging their secretions. Endocrine glands are responsible for discharging their secretions within the body while exocrine glands secrete on the body surface. The secretions that are secreted by the glands are the hormones (Clark 229). There are number of hormones that move from here to there in the body in the flow of blood. Level of hormones is influenced due to minerals in the blood, stress, infection in the body and misbalance in the fluid. Both exocrine glands and endocrine glands are formed from epithelial tissue (Clark 229). Exocrine glands secrete with the support of ducts while in endocrine glands, no distinct ducts are present for

Compare - Contrast Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Compare - Contrast Paper - Essay Example Thus, Emily spends years with a corpse and her death unravels the ambiguity of Homer Barron’s disappearance. Simultaneously, the short story of Turman Capote â€Å"A Christmas Memory† from written from an autobiographical reflective aspect; thus, it entails the tale of two friends living with far away relatives in destitution. Hence, this narrative centralizes around the adventures and experiences of two odd-age friends, an elderly eccentric spinster and a young boy of seven named Buddy. Throughout, their course of friendship even in their pecuniary famines, their time together was ecstatic and memorable (Turman). Thus, Capote has intertwined his narrative of reminiscence in a fictionist character of Buddy, who does not feel the adversity of life in the presence of his elderly cheerful distant cousin. Hence, their simple life is full of happiness because of their cheerful disposition and behaviour. Absence of companionship brings immense changes in a person’s lif e. Thus, people tend to accept isolation and keep their past memories alive to cherish them. William Faulkner’s monstrous and gothic Southern tale is a compilation of many unconventional themes of the late twentieth century. Thus, this short tale entails death, isolation, absence of companionship, murder, rigid Southern aristocratic norms and most prominently the theme of necrophilia. Moreover, it also entails sub-themes as obsession, denial, radical change in society, haunting memories and the aspect of austerity in clemency. Isolation since childhood impacted on Emily’ mental stability and she transformed into an eccentric individual, who could go to extreme extent to save her memories or literally to bring back the dead loved ones into her life. She couldn’t accept the death of her father on the second day of his funeral; subsequently, she kept the corpse of her lover in her house, which further proved her insanity (necrophilia). Instead of cherishing the mem ories from her past she kept the physical corpse with herself, to comfort from dead Homer Barron’s companionship. Thus, â€Å"the strand of iron-gray hair† ( Kriszner, p.125) with the skeleton Homer Barron’s corpse further corroborates that she couldn’t let go her past. On the other hand, Turman Capote’s brief and highly influenced autobiographical narrative entails the main themes of friendship, joyous memories, simplicity, paucity, compassion and generosity, separation, isolation and eventually death along with stark realities of life. Thus, the author has enabled his readers to take a peek into the lives of two odd age cousins, who cherished the company of one another without getting gloomy about the deficiencies in their lives. Thus, the fruit cake season, kite flying, searching for the best tree for Christmas decoration and unwrapping presents were the most precious and memorable experiences of a seven year old Buddy with his sixty plus female cousin. Hence, throughout the story the author has been narrating this tale in present tense just to cherish those past moments spent with his elderly friend. The author has articulated his tale in a manner, which serves rightly to his intensions, to feel the happiness of past and to recall it in a present tense to emphasize on the aspect that the memories with her cannot be dead or become a past phenomenon. Hence, his readers are neither surprised due to any grotesque element nor

Demand and Supply Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Demand and Supply Analysis - Essay Example b) The relationship between the quantity demanded and the price is of negative relationship while that between quantity supplied and price shows a positive relationship. Quantity demanded of a commodity according to the theoretical information is the quantity of a commodity that a buyer is willing and able to purchase at the prevailing market prices (McEachern, 2011). When prices go up few buyers will be willing to buy depending on the nature of the good. This shown by the negative gradient depicted by the demand function of -2, it means that for every 1 unit increase in price quantity demanded reduces by 2 units. Quantity supplied on the other hand is with reference to suppliers and producers. It is defined as the quantity of goods and services that a provider is willing and able to produce and supply at the prevailing market prices (McEachern, 2011). Suppliers are always willing to supply more when prices are high as opposed to when they go down. This is depicted by the positive gr adient of the supply curve of +1. This means that if prices are increased by 1 unit, quantity supplied also increases by 1 unit. c) The slope of the demand function is -2; this means that an increase in price by 1 unit solicits a reduction in quantity demanded by 2 units. d) The slope of the supply function is of +1. This means that an increase in price by 1 unit solicits an increase in quantity supplied by the same unit. 12. ... 1. Among the ten countries, price elasticity of demand for food is high in Tanzania and it decreases sequentially with Tanzania having the highest price elasticity all the way to the US having the lowest elasticity. This is explained by the general principle that with general increase in income demand for food normally goes down while that of luxury and junky foods goes up (Tucker, 2008). Developing countries still have a population that is still of the need of basic needs like food, this explains the reason as to why developing countries like Tanzania have high price elasticity of demand. Both the quantity demanded and supplied of the commodities in Tanzania is composed of food and food products. The agricultural products also add to the supply of food into the economy (Tucker, 2008). Consumers in developing countries with relation to food are related to then food prices and their income. Rise in income in such countries leads to an increased consumption. Changes in prices also thre aten the food consumption patterns in such countries. The only food consumption that is not threatened is that of basic staple foods. This implies that there is high purchase of foods and foodstuffs in Tanzania than the same is for the US. High purchases are realized in staple foods. On the contrary, consumption of high value foods like meat experiences high purchases in the US (McEachern, 2011). 2. Fig. 2: Tax effect on demand and Supply 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Before taxation is imposed on the commodity, the equilibrium quantity is Qe while the equilibrium price is Pe. Tax has the tendency of normally increasing prices of commodities as well as

Direct Service Staff Turnover in Supported Living Arrangements Essay

Direct Service Staff Turnover in Supported Living Arrangements - Essay Example There were not any of the agencies that collected data on the number of workers that served Montana's disability population. However, employees are derived from workers performing various occupations: social and human service assistants, home health aides, nursing aides, orderlies and attendants, physical therapy aides, and home care aides. The turnover rate is also contributed to the following: voluntary quits, terminations, promotions, uncontrollable events, and layoffs. Several other factors contributed to the high turnover as well: lack of management and/or coworker support, inadequate wages and/or benefits, inadequate training for handling challenging situations, poor working conditions (stress, ambiguous roles, inadequate consumer care), lack of career advancement opportunities, and other factors (risk of injury, fear of liability lawsuits, etc.). Hatton, C., Emerson, E., Rivers, M., et al. (2001). Factors associated with intended staff turnover and job search behavior in services for people with intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 45, 258-270. Zeynep Ton and Robert S. Huckman examined the employee turnover rate and its association with operating performance. Most retailers do operate with high levels of employee turnover. Thus, the focus of the research study is a major retail chain. Ton and Huckman surveyed several factors within the retai... Larson, S. A. & Lakin, K. C. (1999). Longitudinal study of recruitment and retention in small community homes supporting persons with developmental disabilities. Mental Retardation, 40, 267-280. "Managing the Impact of Employee Turnover on Performance: The Role of Process Conformance" Zeynep Ton and Robert S. Huckman examined the employee turnover rate and its association with operating performance. Most retailers do operate with high levels of employee turnover. Thus, the focus of the research study is a major retail chain. Ton and Huckman surveyed several factors within the retail chain. Does the high employee turnover rate affect the overall job performance Is employee turnover voluntary Is it caused by decreased job performance The study found that the high employee turnover rate did not ultimately affect the overall job performance. Actually, the increased motivation and ideas that new employees bring to the chain are good. On the other hand, employee turnover is, often times, voluntary and contributes to the decreased job performance of a chain. However, employee turnover does not affect chains in which employees are conforming to the rules of the chain as much as chains in which employees are not conforming. The performance of the chain is affected more negative in chains where employees are not conforming to the rules of the chain. The overall result of the survey was that the high turnover rate is associated with the decreased job performance at a chain. Managers of the chains that have the high turnover rate of employees could decrease the turnover by imposing the rules of the chain in a more disciplinary way. Robert S. Huckman, Harvard University and NBER, and Zeynep Ton, Harvard University, March

Science Investigatory Project Essay Example for Free

Science Investigatory Project Essay Abstract The pineapple is one of the leading products in the Philippines, as it thrives in tropical climates. However, the pineapple peelings have low commercial value and are therefore merely thrown away, contributing to the Philippines waste problem. This study entitled â€Å"Saccharification of Pineapple Ananas comosus peelings through Dilute Acid Hydrolysis† was conducted to know the concentration of sugar content which can be used for other purposes like bioethanol. Three samples were used, each sample was composed of two trials; S1T1 (60 degree Celsius for 30 min. ), S1T2 (60 degree Celsius for 60 min.), S2T1 (70 degree Celsius for 30 min.), S2T2 (70 degree Celsius for 60 min.), S3T1 (80 degree Celsius for 30 min.), S3T2 (80 degree Celsius for 60 min). The phenol- sulfuric acid method was used to determine the concentration of sugar content present in the substrate. The test revealed that the dilute acid hydrolysis is an effective way and can saccharify pineapple peelings based on the standard curve. However, the temperature and time was found out that they both have no significant difference in yielding greater concentration of sugar as what as the statistical analysis revealed using Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann Whitney U-test. INTRODUCTION Background of the study Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit which are coalesced berries. Pineapples are the only bromeliad fruit in widespread cultivation. It can be grown as an ornamental, especially from the leafy tops. Some sources say that the plant will flower after about 24 months produce a fruit during the following six months while others indicate a 20-month timetable. Pineapple is eaten fresh or canned or juiced. It is popularly used in desserts, salads, as a complement to meat dishes and infruit cocktail. The popularity of the pineapple is due to its sweet-sour taste containing 15% sugar and malic and citric fruit acids. It is also high in vitamin B1, B2, B6 and C. Its protein-digesting enzyme bromelain seems to help digestion at the end of a high protein meal. In the Philippines, pineapple leaves are used as the source of a textile fiber called pià ±a. The pineapple is a herbaceous short-lived perennial plant which grows to 1.0 to 1.5 metres ( 3.3 to 4.9 ft) tall. The plant only produces one fruit and then dies. Commercially suckers that appear around the base are cultivated. It has 30 or more long, narrow, fleshy, trough-shaped leaves with sharp spines along the margins that are 30 to 100 centimetres (1.0 to 3.3 ft) long, surrounding a thick stem. In the first year of growth the axis lengthens and thickens, bearing numerous leaves in close spirals. After 12 to 20 months the stem grows into a spike-like inflorescence up to 15 cm long with over 100 spirally arranged, trimerous flowers, each subtended by a bract. Flower colours vary, depending on variety, from lavender, through light purple to red. The ovaries develop into berries which coalesce into a large, compact, multiple accessory fruit. The fruit of a pineapple is arranged in two interlocking helices, eight in one direction, thirteen in the other, each being a Fibonacci number. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pineapple) Saccharification is the process of breaking a complex carbohydrate into its monosaccharide components. It is the hydrolysis of carbohydrates such as cellulose and starch. It increases hydrolysis rates by reducing product inhibition of enzymes and reduces tank usage by combining the processes into one (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saccharification) Phenol Sulfuric Acid Method is an example of a colorimetric method that is widely used to determine the total concentration of carbohydrates present in foods. A clear aqueous solution of carbohydrates to be analyzed is placed in a test tube, then phenol and sulfuric acid are added.The solution turns a yellow- orange color as a result of the interaction between the carbohydrates and phenol. The sulfuric acid causes all non- reducing sugars to be converted to reducing sugars so that this method determines the total sugar present. This method is non- stoichemetric and so it is necessary to prepare a calibration curve using a series of standard known carbohydrate concentration (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phenol-sulfuric acid method). Dilute Acid Hydrolysis is a process of hydrolyzing lignocellulosic materials by subjecting dried lignocellulosic material in a reactor to a catalyst comprised of a dilute solution of a strong acid to lower the activation energy of cellulose hydrolysis and ultimately obtain higher sugar yields (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dilute acid hydrolysis). Statement of the Problem This study aims to saccharify pineapple Ananas comosus peelings through dilute acid hydrolysis. Specifically, the study attempts: 1. To know whether the dilute acid hydrolysis is an effective way of yielding concentration of sugar from pineapple peelings; 2. To determine whether the temperature has an effect on the concentration of sugar; 3. To determine whether the length of time of reacion can affect the concentration of sugar that will be obtained. Hypothesis: 1. The dilute acid hydrolysis is an effective way of yielding a greater concentration of sugar. 2. The higher the temperature of the solution, the greater the concentration. 3. The longer the time of reaction, the greater the concentration of sugar that will be obtained. Significance of the study On average, 435,000 metric tons of pineapples are produced annually in the Philippines, which is one of the country’s leading commercial fruit products. However, there are a lot of unused excess parts of the pineapple, notably the peelings, which are considered as waste and contribute to the country’s garbage problem. This study aims to utilize pineapple peelings as a substrate for Saccharification process through dilute acid hydrolysis. By means of this, the concentration of sugar present in this biomass can be determined which can be use for other purposes and for other studies such as producing bioethanol or even biofuel. Scope and Limitation This study is limited to the use of pineapple Ananas comosus peelings as a substrate for the saccharification process. The peel samples were bought from the market. The experiment was conducted at Chemical Engineering where the chemicals and other laboratory materials were obtained located at University of the Philippines at Los Baà ±os, Laguna from November to December 2010. The study focuses only on the determination of the concentration of sugar present in the pineapple peelings. Definition of Terms Absorbance- is defined as the ratio of the radiant flux absorbed by a body to that incident upon it. Glucose- is called as a simple sugar or monosaccharide Saccharification the process of breaking a complex carbohydrate (as starch or cellulose) into its monosaccharide components Spectrophotometer- consists of two instruments, namely a spectrometer for producing light of any selected color (wavelength), and a photometer for measuring the intensity of light. Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is a clear, colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is very corrosive. Sugar- is a term for a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose characterized by a sweet flavor. In food, sugar almost exclusively refers to sucrose, which primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet. Standard curve- is a quantitative research tool, a method of plotting assay data that is used to determine the concentration of a substance. It can be used in many biological experiments.

Ebola: Route of Transmission, Life Cycle and Treatment

Ebola: Route of Transmission, Life Cycle and Treatment It is hypothesized that Ebola outbreaks are zoonotic in origin, however the true reservoir in unsubstantiated.8 The conceding belief is that fruit bats are the reservoir for the Ebolavirus, but due to their migration patterns and apparent lack of disease it has been challenging to study this effectively to yield a substantiated conclusion.28 It is further theorized that transmission to humans comes from preparation and consumption of infected bushmeat or the handling of infected animals.8 Some scientists believe that non-human primates contract Ebola from eating fruit soiled with body fluids from infected fruit bats, however there may also be direct animal to animal transmission.8 There is also evidence that domesticated animals such as pigs and dogs contract the virus.29 Once a human is infected from a zoonotic source it is then transmitted from person to person via direct contact with blood, secretions, organs and other bodily fluids of infected people. Ebolavirus is also transmitt ed during burial ceremonies where individuals come into direct contact with an infected deceased person.30 Healthcare workers taking care of those infected have frequently been infected themselves, due to improper infection control procedures.30 Recent evidence has shown a sexual transmission from Ebola, as semen can test positive for Ebola months after the disease has subsided.30 The WHO and CDC both report that Ebolavirus can not be transmitted through aerosols. However, there are a few studies and evidence to support that it is a possible mode of transmission. It is believed that there was animal to animal as well as animal to human transmission of the Reston virus from cynomolgus macaques in a US quarantine facility.31 The outbreak demonstrated intercage infection and in some cases with distance between the cages. In a study, rhesus macaques were infected through aerosols of the Zaire virus, with a median mass diameter ranging from 0.8 and 1.2m.32 Evidence of the respiratory tract being the primary site of infection, can be inferred from the viral concentration being the greatest in the lungs.8 Pathogenesis The incubation period for Ebolavirus ranges from 2 to 21 days and humans are non-infectious until symptoms appear.30 Ebolavirus presents with a sudden onset of fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. As the disease progresses vomiting, diarrhea and a rash present. During the latent stages of the disease, patients develop impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding.30 Patients will present with labs with low white blood count (WBC), low platelets, elevated liver enzymes (AST and ALT).30 The mortality rate varies among the different subtypes of Ebolavirus. The Zaire virus has an average of 77% mortality rate, Sudan virus 49.8%, Bundibugyo 30.55% and Reston virus and Tai Forest virus both have a 0% mortality rate.5 The range in mortality rates across all subgroups go from 100% to 0%. However, when looking specifically at the Zaire virus the range is 47% to 100%.5 Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention EBOV is difficult to distinguish early on from other infectious diseases in the area like malaria, typhoid fever and meningitis.30 In order to confirm initial symptoms are caused by EBOV healthcare workers should perform ELISA, antigen-capture detection tests, serum neutralization test, RT-PCR, electron microscopy, or virus isolation by cell culture.30 All samples are an extreme biohazard risk and can only be done under biosafety level (BSL) 4. There are currently only 10 BSL 4 labs in the US and 47 worldwide33, leading to an insufficient resource for testing and research. Current treatment for EBOV is supportive care through re-hydration as well as treatment for specific symptoms. There are currently no vaccines or approved treatment for EBOV, however there are many in development. During a recent outbreak, a US physician was treated with an experimental drug (ZMapp). He eventually went on to give a blood transfusion to another patient with EBOV in hopes of treatment; both recovered well. Evidence suggest that antibody support along with platelets and fluids could provide a key in future treatments. Currently, higher level medical facilities pose better outcomes due to their ability to assist with organ deterioration while the patient is trying to survive the viral infection. Prevention and Control is best achieved through case management, surveillance, contact tracing, good laboratory services, safe burials, and social mobilization.30 By limiting the interaction with wildlife, which are known to be reservoirs of the disease, we can limit the transmission into human hosts. If an individual becomes infected proper quarantine procedures should be put in place to ensure the disease does not spread. Proper quarantine measures include isolating infected patients in medical facilities with only essential personal entering and leaving the patients room. All essential medical personnel should don personal protective equipment (PPE) at all time, which includes a single use gown, respirator with full face shield, 2 pairs of gloves, single use boot covers, and single use apron.34 Educating the population in these endemic areas as to these quarantine procedures, not touching infected animals, and proper burial techniques can vastly improve outcomes during outbreaks.3 0 Weight and Discrimination: Legal Issues Weight and Discrimination: Legal Issues Ther L. Richardson Abstract Discrimination against overweight and obese people has existed for millennia but it is just in recent decades that discrimination against the overweight has been seen as a crime and research has begun in this field. Despite some research going back as far as the 1940’s the majority of research did not start until almost the 1970’s. With the pace that American law is driven there has not been considerable progress made to this point. Current research is being conducted to stem both the lack of progress and make inroads of societal progress. Current understanding and legislation may empower an entire class of world citizens, and change perception of weight discrimination and obesity while leveling the employment and earnings playing field. Weight and Discrimination: Legal Issues in Weight Discrimination According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) between 2009 and 2010 more than 35 percent of adults across the U.S. and Canada were considered obese, (McGuire, 2011, pp. 368-369) based on the BMI. The Body Mass Index or BMI is a scale that assigns a number value that is calculated from a persons weight and height. BMI is used to provide an indicator of body fat ratio or level and is used by the healthcare industry to screen people for weight categories. While the rates of obesity in adults has been slowing over the past decade or so, the world population has become more media centric and the idea of the ideal body type has certainly been affected by the mass media and the influence of Hollywood movies, sports and television. This change in the perception of the ideal body image has almost certainly affected the rates and types of discrimination as well. In the workplace, obese workers are considered lazy, incompetent, and lacking self-control. While women’s wages are lower on average then men’s, obese women’s wages are even more out of proportion. It has also been shown that many human resource representatives do not even know it is illegal to not interview, or decline to hire someone based on their weight. As ideal body image changes to leaner more fit athletic and â€Å"underwear model† looking individuals the more overweight and obese individuals pale in comparison. The contrast effect then sets up and impossible scenario where the obese worker or applicant can never meet the mind’s eye image of the ideal employee. Perception of weight discrimination and obesity Sutin and Terracciano (2013) conducted research on perceived weight discrimination and obesity. They examined whether weight discrimination is associated with risk of becoming obese by follow-up survey among those not obese at baseline, and to test whether weight discrimination is associated with risk of remaining obese at follow-up among those already obese at baseline (Sutin Terracciano, 2013). This research was conducted through both face to face interviews and a survey returned by mail to the Health and Retirement Study, which is a nationally representative longitudinal survey conducted by the University of Michigan. They found that weight discrimination was reported by those that became obese during the time between the baseline and follow-up interviews, for the most part among participants who weren’t obese at the time of the baseline measurements. Those subjects who reported that they experienced discrimination based on their weight were over three times more likely to remain obese at follow-up instead of dropping below the obesity threshold on the Body Mass Index (BMI) than those who did not experience such discrimination. Of the sample that was normal weight at baseline, there was not enough data for the analysis, but of the 14 participants in the normal weight category who reported weight discrimination in their follow-up, none became obese as described by the BMI (Sutin Terracciano, 2013). Sutin and Terracciano (2013) remark that â€Å"body weight is a highly visible, personal characteristic that can evoke strong stereotypes and strong reactions from others,† and easily contribute to stereotyping and discrimination as well. Weight discrimination and harassment are also thought to be associated with behaviors which increase the risk of weight gain, these behaviors include excessive food intake (binge eating) and decreased physical inactivity (Friedman Puhl, 2012, p. 2, 3). Obese persons who feel discriminated against may tend to avoid situations where there weight would make them stand out, for instance going out dancing, and thus gaining the benefit of the exercise that might be gained by that activity. People that feel stigmatized tend to feel less confident and able to engage in physical activity and thus avoid not only exercise, but also social activity that could lead to physical activity and exercise such as line dancing or other forms of social activities like sports, and games. Weight bias can have a significant impact on social, economic, psychological and physical health. Social and economic consequences include social rejection, poor quality of relationships (Friedman Puhl, 2012, p. 2, 3). Current legal protections in the united states and results of litigation Katz and Lavan (2008) conducted research on limited legal protections of obese employees as a class, and lawsuits against employers who took adverse employment actions based on obesity against obese employees and former employees who have begun to prevail in lawsuits against those employers. They analyzed of a random sample of 80 cases to attempt to identify factors that increase an obese plaintiffs likelihood of success and found that an employee in the private sector, particularly a non-professional employee, has a significantly greater likelihood of winning than do others. Additionally, they found that an unemployed individual or an individual filing suit under legislation other than state discrimination laws or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has a statistically greater chance of prevailing as well. According to Katz and Lavan (2008), because obesity is often considered a problem wherein the obese individuals are blamed for their own weight, people see obesity as an issue of personal responsibility versus a chronic condition and this may well may have a different impact on public opinions and support for anti-discrimination laws and lawsuits. There are many facets to the discrimination towards obesity that may not even be perceived by those that are being discriminated against. For example, applicants for employment may be judged on their appearance, not just on their qualifications. Rejected candidates may not be aware of weight-related factors (Katz Lavan, 2008). One surprising result that was mentioned was that the discrimination against obesity is contagious. In one study cited by Katz and Lavan, in two experiments, average-weight male job applicants were rated more negatively when seen with an overweight compared to a normal weight female. This shows that the stigmatizati on and discrimination can spread simply due to association. The overweight and more specifically the morbidly obese are often given the blame for their own condition. Another impression that people hold is that of obese people being less tidy or having poor personal hygiene, this often has a lot to do with appearance. Supervisors or management may even react differently to overweight individuals, causing them to treat overweight employees differently on the job than more attractive employees (Katz Lavan, 2008). In addition, the discrimination against obese persons is not limited to the workplace by any means, obese persons are reminded, or are made to feel in everyday encounters with family members, peers, health care providers, and strangers that they deviate from social norms and are inferior to those who are not obese (Katz Lavan, 2008 pg. 3). When it comes to the current legal state, more and more it appears that Title VII (the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, 1964) and the Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990 have not been very useful to litigants either, except in cases where the litigant that is claiming discrimination was morbidly obese. If an individual claimed that they were discriminated against but not because of an actual disability but instead because of their employer’s perception that they had a disability from being overweight when in fact they could perform the jobs assigned without impediment, then that litigant was in fact more likely to win (Katz Lavan, 2008 pg. 3). In addition much discussion on their part about recent litigation and the ADA, Katz and Lavan (2008) stated that courts have generally viewed obesity as a voluntary condition and therefore disqualified it as a disability under ADA. They cite few cases that have held that obesity on its own constitutes a disability (Katz Lavan, 2008 pg. 4). Obesity and obtaining work and fair wages Pagan Dà ¡vila (1997) conducted a study to explore the relationship between obesity, occupational attainment, and earnings using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to investigate the occupational selection of obese individuals. They then estimated the earnings functions that accounted for the occupational attainment of the overweight. Much the same as many other researchers they found that women seemed to pay a steeper penalty than men did as men tended to migrate into employment where their weight did not play as big of a role (Pagan Dà ¡vila, 1997). The authors did not elaborate on these types of employment other than to say service based, although the authors did at one point elude to truck drivers and movers. In all, the reported findings they said did tend to complement the existing body of work. Their research did not seem to bring much new to the table other than the fact that they had some theories on crowding, but it did support previous theory and work mentioned. Because there is very little research so far to review each new item add to the totality of the available data. In addition, they were the only authors that eluded to the use of migration into employment where their weight did not play as big of a role in their earning potential. Research into the efforts to pass new laws Puhl, Heuer Sarda (2010) conducted research assess the public support for potential legislation to prohibit weight-based discrimination against obese individuals in the United States, and to examine whether certain message frames about weight discrimination influence public support. Their participants were randomly assigned to read one of the four paragraphs that framed the topic of weight discrimination in a distinct way (or a control condition with no paragraph). Participants were then asked to indicate their level of support for six anti-discrimination laws. Participants were a national sample of 1114 participants (48% women, 52% men), with a mean age of 44.78 years (Puhl et al., 2011). The results of their study showed that there was some support for laws that would prohibit weight-based discrimination. Gender differences were observed across experimental conditions thus indicating that â€Å"some message frames may increase support for certain laws among women, but not men. Message frames however, had no effect on support for laws with specific provisions to prohibit weight discrimination in the workplace† (Puhl et al., 2011). This suggested that the public held support for those particular legal measures was both consistent and high at approximately 65% of men and 81% of women, regardless of how the issue of weight discrimination was framed to the public (Puhl et al., 2011). Just as most of the articles do, the authors of this article point out that weight discrimination stems from pervasive societal stigma and stereotypes that obese persons are lazy, lacking in self-discipline and are personally at fault for their inability to lose weight, and that unfortunately, weight bias takes a significant toll on emotional and physical health for those who are affected, increasing vulnerability to depression, low self-esteem, poor body image, suicidal behaviors, unhealthy eating patterns, eating disorders and avoidance of physical activity and social exclusion. One interesting comment of note is their mention that recent estimates suggest that the prevalence of weight discrimination in the United States has increased by 66% over the past decade, and is now comparable with prevalence rates of racial discrimination in America (Puhl et al., 2011). Their results have led them to conclude that women express a stronger degree of agreement than men do with idea that ther e should be new laws about weight discrimination and that the government should take a more active and aggressive role to protect overweight people from size/weight discrimination. Discussion Currently, in the United States there are little or no legal protections to prohibit discrimination against an individual based solely on body shape, size, or weight, and employers basically have the right to hire anyone they want without regard to preference to thinner and more attractive applicants. Some employers have even been found to penalize heavy employees in unfair ways. Weight-based discrimination is pervasive around the world and it is damaging and worsens health disparities for obese people, in essence creating a self-fulfilling prophecy (Puhl et al., 2011). There was considerable agreement within the literature, with many studies concluding that weigh based discrimination does exist, it is pervasive, and it is experienced more by women than men (Puhl et al., 2011), (Pagan Dà ¡vila, 1997), and (Katz Lavan, 2008) for example. Many practitioners in the psychological and sociological communities’ believe that it is critical for the public health community to recognize that this type of institutionalized bias is, in fact, both a social injustice, and a public health issue. In addition many of those individuals also feel that it is past due to look long and hard legislatively, at equal protections and definitions of obesity as a syndrome. History has demonstrated that legislation has the power to reduce institutionalized bias against stigmatized groups, thus researchers, advocacy groups and the public health community can help promote protective legislation for overweight and obese persons (Puhl et al., 2011). Public support is going to be key in enacting any weight bias legislation, and the research findings provide a springboard to explore public attitudes toward laws that prohibit discrimination based on weight. Because of women’s potentially increased vulnerability to weight stigmatization as compared to men in nearly all of these studies, over time they are more likely experience unfair treatment because of their weight, and are therefore they are far more supportive of legislation to combat Obesity discrimination. Some researchers such as Puhl et al., 2011, Pagan Dà ¡vila, 1997, and Katz and Lavan, 2008have suggested that women are more vulnerable to weight discrimination than men and may experience weight discrimination at lower levels of body weight than men do. Additionally there are roles and jobs that are typically filled by men that tend to favor some amount of over-weightiness such as movers being able to handle large or bulky items. Conclusion In order to make inroads against this type of discrimination is education of the population, overt intolerance of the discrimination, strong advocacy in support of litigation and legislation, and a public awareness campaign, and some strong rulings to create precedence. Of course almost universally as always, more research is needed. While it is generally accepted that there is weight based discrimination, it is important that there be a solid body of work to bring it to light, and in conjunction with medical research into the causes of obesity it may be possible to determine what the leading factors in obesity, continued obesity, and combating obesity are. In addition research needs to be done into the effects of socialization on obesity. One of the experienced side effects of obesity being anti-social behavior one cannot help but to wonder what if anything would be the overall effect of purposely involving the morbidly obese in social activity that bolstered self-confidence without judgment, possibly without even focusing on weight. References Friedman, R., Puhl, R. (2012). Weight Bias A Social Justice Issue A Policy Brief. 2012 Rudd Report, 2012 Rudd Report (2012), 2, 3. Katz, M., Lavan, H. (2008). Legality of Employer Control of Obesity. Journal of Workplace Rights, 13(1), 59-71. doi:10.2190/WR.13.1.e McGuire, S., Shields M., Carroll M.D., Ogden C.L., (2011). Adult Obesity Prevalence in Canada and the United States. NCHS Data Brief no. 56, Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics, 2011. Advances in Nutrition: An International Review Journal, 2(4), 368-369. Pagà ¡n, J., Dà ¡vila, A. (1997). Obesity, Occupational Attainment, and Earnings. Social Science Quarterly, 78(3), 756 770. Puhl, R., Heuer, C., Sarda, V. (2010). Framing Messages About Weight Discrimination: Impact On Public Support For Legislation. International Journal of Obesity, 35(10), 863 872. Sutin, A. R., Terracciano, A., Newton, R. L. (2013). Perceived Weight Discrimination and Obesity. PLoS ONE, 8(7), e70048.