Lack of Reason in Shakespeares Othello Essay -- GCSE Coursework Shake

Lack of Reason in Shakespeare's Othello William Shakespeare presents the character Othello as an excellent leader in the play, Othello. The hero has strength, charisma, and eloquence. Yet Othello cannot reason. The battlefield and Senate are, at least in Othello, depicted as places of honor, where men speak truly. In addition, the matters of war and state are relatively simple; no one lies to Othello, all seem to respect him. He never even has to fight in the play, with the enemy disappearing by themselves. This simplistic view does not help him in matters of the heart. His marriage is based on tall tales and pity and his friendships are never examined; he thinks that anyone who knows him love him. Thus the ultimate evaluation of Othello must be that, although he leads well and means well, he lacks good judgment and common sense. This becomes most plainly obvious in his final two speeches, where even though the play ends properly, and in a dignified way, Othello never fully realizes or takes responsibility for what has hap pened. These two last orations of Othello are noble in speech and purpose, but lack comprehension. He uses the first to attack himself for his horrible deed; certainly this is the first reaction of anyone who has wrongly killed his beloved. He delivers condemnation upon himself with eloquence and anguish. The latter speech he gives in his final role as a leader, directing the men who remain about how to deal with what has happened and showing them he has purged the evil. In his initial self-loathing and remorse at realizing the truth of Desdemona's innocence, Othello is genuinely anguished. "This look of thine will hurl my soul from heaven, / And fiends will snatch at it." (V.2.325-326) It is clear t... ...this, Othello dies not as a tragic hero, but as someone destroyed by circumstance and evil. But the superficiality of his marriage and the fact that if he had only been honest to his wife and lieutenant he would have found out the truth point in another direction. Othello could lead, but he could not reason. Works Cited and Consulted Armstrong, Edward Allworthy. 1946. Shakespeare's imagination; a study of the psychology of association and inspiration. London: L. Drummond. Gardner, Helen. â€Å"The Noble Moor.† Othello Critical Essays. Ed. Susan Snyder. New York and London: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1988 Shakespeare, William. "The Tragedy of Othello: The Moor of Venice." The Signet Classic Shakespeare. Ed. Alvin Kernan. New York: Penguin Putnam, 1998. Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957.

No Harm Can Come to a Good Man Essay -- Philosophy Religion Essays

No Harm Can Come to a Good Man Whether Socrates is portrayed correctly or not, he certainly was a great man. His contribution to western thought cannot be denied. For even if his teachings were different from what they are known to be at present, his influence on Plato is immense. And so, it is no small matter to describe the tragic passing of such a man as Socrates was and remains for philosophy today. Yet in all the indignation which is expected to arise at the death of Socrates, the panache with which he departs is captured excellently in Plato's â€Å"Apology.† Specifically, at the end of the "Apology," Socrates makes a very important statement that has had great impact on philosophy ever since its original proclamation. The Stoics in particular have taken this to be the cornerstone of their ideology. The statement made is that "you must regard one thing at least as certain—that no harm can come to a good man either in his life or after his death,† (Plato 100). The following examinatio n focuses therefore on a brief explanation of the circumstances which lead to this statement being made by Socrates, as well as a closer look at why he thinks this to be the case. It is assumed that this statement is true, and validation for that assumption is to be sought as well. So, first, why does Socrates make such a bold statement? Verily it is nothing short of his own death sentence. The people who accused and voted against Socrates, have decreed it that he is to die for impiety toward the gods and of corrupting the youth (Plato), in addition, it is known that Socrates has as a companion of sorts a "prophetic voice" to keep his philosophical endeavors regulated. Socrates himself states that this presence has not opposed him at an... ... is safely sustained. Ultimately, the lack of knowledge on the subject of death is no grounds for its presumption to have any negative connotation. Thus Socrates leaves the people and the men of the jury, pronouncing that "it is time for us to go—me to my death, you to your lives. Which of us goes to the better fate, only god knows,† (Plato 100). Works Cited Aurelius, Marcus. "Meditations." Ancient Philosophy. 3rd Ed. Philosophic Classics, vols. 1. Baird, Forrest E., and Walter Kaufman. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2000. Epictetus. "Encheiridion." Ancient Philosophy. 31 Ed. Philosophic Classics, vols. 1. Baird, Forrest E., and Walter Kaufman. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2000. Plato. "Apology." Ancient Philosophy. 3rd Ed. Philosophic Classics, vols. 1. Baird, Forrest E., and Walter Kaufman. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2000. 82-100.

Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 51~53

51 Where Losers Flourish The Sorcerer paced back and forth across the lanai. â€Å"I want to find another pilot, Beth. We can't let him act that way and get away with it.† The Sky Priestess yawned. She was draped across the wicker emperor's chair, wearing a towel she'd wrapped above her breasts at the Sorcerer's request. He said he needed to think. â€Å"Did you ask him why he did it?† â€Å"Of course I asked him. He said he was trying to liven up the game.† â€Å"Worked, didn't it?† â€Å"It's not funny, Beth. We're going to have trouble with him.† The Sky Priestess stood up and put her arms around the Sorcerer. â€Å"You have to have a little faith in me,† she said. â€Å"I can handle Tucker Case.† She didn't want to have this conversation. Not yet. She hadn't told the Sorcerer about Tuck going off course. She had plans for the fair-haired pilot. The Sorcerer pulled away from her and backed up to the rail. â€Å"What if I don't like the way you handle him?† â€Å"And what's that supposed to mean?† â€Å"You know what it means.† She approached him again, this time untucking the towel so it dropped as she stepped into his arms. Her nipples just brushed the front of his shirt. â€Å"‘Bastian, if what happened today proved anything, it proved that Tucker Case is a troglodyte. He's no threat to you. I'm attracted to finesse, not force. Case reacts to force with force. That's why he hit Yamata. You use a gentle touch with a guy like that and he's helpless.† Sebastian Curtis turned away from her. â€Å"I'm not taking the guards off his house, not for a while anyway.† â€Å"You do what you think is best, but it's not good policy to make an enemy of someone whose services you require. So what if he hates the ninjas? I hate the ninjas. You hate the ninjas. But we need them, and we need a pilot. We're not likely to be as lucky next time.† â€Å"Lucky? The man's a reprobate.† â€Å"Tucker Case is a loser. Losers flourish on islands, away from competition. You taught me that.† Flattery might work where seduction seemed to be failing. â€Å"I did?† She unzipped his pants. â€Å"Sure, that monologue about ninety percent of the endangered species living on islands. That's because they would have died out years ago from real competition. Losers, like Tucker Case.† â€Å"I was talking about unique ecosystems, like the Galpagos, where evolution is speeded up. The way the religions take hold.† â€Å"Same difference.† He yanked her hand out of his pants and pushed her away. â€Å"What's that make us, Beth? What does that make me?† The Sky Priestess was losing on all fronts. There was an element here that she was not in control of, an unknown variable that was affecting the Sorcerer's mood. When sex and flattery don't work, what next? Ah, team spirit. â€Å"It makes us the fittest, ‘Bastian. It makes us superior.† He looked at her quizzically. Easy now, she thought. You're getting him back. She walked slowly back to the emperor's chair and sat down daintily, then threw a leg over either arm and leaned back spread-eagle. â€Å"A quiz, ‘Bastian, a quiz on evolution: Why, after all these years, with all the fossil evidence, doesn't anyone know for sure what happened to the dinosaurs? Don't answer right away. Think.† She fiddled with her left nipple while she waited, and finally a smile came over his face. He really did have great teeth. She had to give him credit for keeping up his dental hygiene all these years on the island. â€Å"No witnesses,† he said finally. â€Å"We have a winner. But more precisely, no surviving witnesses. Losers can only flourish until a dominant species appears, even on an island.† A shade of concern crossed his face. â€Å"But dinosaurs ruled the Earth for sixty million years. You can hardly call them losers.† Could he be any more difficult? â€Å"Look, Darwin, there are absolutely no dinosaurs getting laid tonight. Pick your team.† 52 Don't Know Much About History Tuck twisted the guts out of the stick pen and pried off the end cap with a kitchen knife, making, in effect, a perfect compact blowgun. He found a piece of notebook paper in the nightstand and seated himself on the wicker couch so he had a good diagonal view of the guards posted outside his door. He tore off a small piece of the paper with his teeth, worked it into a sufficiently gooey ball, then fit it into the pen tube and blew. The spit wad sailed through the window and curved harmlessly away from the guards. Too much moisture. He squeezed the next one between his fingers before loading, then let fly to strike the nearest guard in the neck. He brushed at his neck as if waving off an insect, but otherwise didn't react. More moisture. Tuck had taught himself deadly accuracy with the spitball blowgun at a time when he was supposed to be learning algebra. In contradiction to what his teacher had told him, he had never needed to know algebra in later life, but mastery of the spitball was going to come in handy, although this skill had not ended up on his permanent record, as had, presumably, his failure of algebra. The third wad struck the guard in the temple and stuck. He turned and cursed in Japanese. Tuck had prechewed a follow-up shot that took the guard in the neck. The guard gestured with his Uzi. â€Å"Go ahead, fuckstick. Shoot me,† Tuck said, a gleam in his eye. â€Å"Explain to the doc how you shot his pilot over a spit wad.† He tore off another piece of paper with his teeth and chewed it while the guard glared. The corrugated steel storm shutters above the windows were held open with a single wooden strut. The guard clipped the strut and the shutter fell with a clang. Tuck moved to the next window down. He leaned out and fired. A splat in the forehead of guard number two, another strut knocked out, another clanging shutter. One window to go, this one demanding a shot of almost twenty-five feet. Tuck popped his head out and blew. A spiderweb of spittle trailed behind the projectile as it traveled down the lanai. It struck the first guard on the front of his black shirt and he ran toward Tuck, leading with his Uzi. Tuck ducked back inside and the final shutter fell. Tuck heard the guard at each shutter, latching it down. Mission accomplished. With the guards peeking in the window every two minutes, he would have never been able to pull off the coconut dummy switch. And even in the ambient moonlight, he'd have never made it to the bathroom unnoticed. Of course, he couldn't have closed the windows. That would have been suspicious. â€Å"Good night, guys. I'm turning in.† He stood, blowgun waiting, but the shutters remained latched. He quickly turned off the lights and crawled into bed, where he constructed the coconut man and waited until he heard the guards start to talk and smelled tobacco smoke from their cigarettes. Then he tiptoed to the bathroom and made his escape. He half-expected the shower bottom to be nailed down. Beth Curtis had used it to escape only this morning. Maybe she hadn't figured that he knew about it. No, she was nuts, but she wasn't stupid. She knew he knew. She even knew that he knew she knew. So why hadn't she told Sebastian? And she hadn't said anything about their little detour to Guam either – or maybe she had. Sebastian hadn't sent a big postflight check like before. Tuck made a mental note to ask the doc about the check the next time they were on the golf course. For now he snatched up his flippers and mask and headed for the beach. Before entering the water, he pulled a bottle of pills from his pocket – anti-biotics left over from his dickrot – and made sure that the cap was on tight. This might be the only chance he'd have to get medicine to Kimi. He swam around the minefield and went straight into the village and down the path toward Sarapul's house. Women and children were still sitting around outside their houses, the women weaving on small looms by kerosene lantern, the children playing quietly or finishing up dinners off banana leaf plates. Only the smallest children looked at Tuck as he passed. The women turned away, determined, it seemed, not to make eye contact with the strange American. Yet there was no alarm in their ac-tions and no fear, just a concerted effort to not notice him. Tuck thought, This must be what New York was like before the white man came. And with that in mind, he stared at a spot in the path exactly twelve feet in front of him and denied their existence right back. It was better this way. He never knew when he might have to fly one of their body parts to Japan. He made his way quickly up the path and soon he could see a glow near Sarapul's house. He broke into the clearing and saw the old cannibal and Kimi sitting around a fire, working on something. Sewing, it looked like. â€Å"Kimi,† Tuck said, â€Å"you shouldn't be up.† Kimi looked up from his work. There was a huge piece of blue nylon draped over his and Sarapul's laps. â€Å"I feel better. You fixed me, boss.† Tuck handed him the pills. â€Å"Take two of these now and two a day until they're gone.† â€Å"Sarapul give me kava. It make the hurt stop.† â€Å"These aren't for the hurt. These are for infection. Take them, okay?† â€Å"Okay, boss. You want to help?† â€Å"What are you guys making?† â€Å"I'll show you.† Kimi started to rise and his face twisted with pain. Sarapul pushed him back down. â€Å"I will show.† The old cannibal snatched up the kerosene lantern and gestured for Tuck to follow him into the jungle. Tuck looked back at Kimi. â€Å"You take those pills. And don't move around much, I'm not sure how well those stitches will hold. You had a big hole in you.† â€Å"Okay, boss.† Sarapul disappeared into the jungle. Tuck ran after him and almost ran him over coming out of a patch of small banana trees into an area that cleared into walking trees, mangroves, and palms. About fifty yards ahead, Sarapul stopped near the beach. He stood by what appeared to be a large fallen tree, but when Tuck got closer he saw it was a long sailing canoe. Sarapul grinned up at Tuck, the light from the lamp making him appear like some demon from the dark island past. â€Å"The palu – the navigator – he make. I help.† Sarapul ran the light down the length of the canoe. Tuck could see that one of the tall gunwales was darkened and glazed with age, while the other had been hewn recently and was bright yellow. He could smell the fresh wood sap. There was an outrigger the size of a normal canoe and a platform across the struts. As canoes went, it was a huge structure, and hewing the hull from a single piece of wood with hand tools had taken an incredible amount of work, not to mention skill. â€Å"Kimi did this? This is gorgeous.† Sarapul nodded, his eyes catching the fire of the lamp. â€Å"This boat broken since before the time of Vincent. Kimi is great navigator.† â€Å"He is?† Tuck had his doubts, given the storm, but then again, as Kimi had said, they had survived a typhoon in a rowboat. And this craft was no accident; this was a piece of art. â€Å"So you guys are sewing a sail for this?† â€Å"We finish soon. Then palu will teach me to sail. The Shark People will go to sea again.† â€Å"Where'd you get the nylon for the sail? I can't see Dr. Curtis thinking this is a good idea.† Sarapul climbed into the canoe and dug under a stack of paddles and lines, each hand-braided from coconut fiber, until he came up with a tattered mass of nylon straps, Velcro, and plastic buckles with a few shreds of blue nylon hanging here and there. â€Å"My pack. You guys used my pack?† â€Å"And tent inside.† â€Å"Do you have the stuff that was inside? There were some pills that can help Kimi.† Sarapul nodded. He led Tuck back through the jungle to his house. Kimi had gone inside and was lying down. â€Å"Boss, I don't feel so good.† â€Å"Hang on. I might have some more medicine.† Actually, Tuck had never been sure of all the things that Jake Skye had loaded into the pack. Sarapul retrieved a palm frond basket from the rafters and handed it to Tucker. Tuck found the antibiotics he had been looking for, as well as painkillers and aspirin. Even what was left of his cash was in the basket. All the pills were still dry. Tuck doled out a dose and handed them to the navigator. â€Å"Take these when you have pain, and these take like the other ones, twice a day, okay?† â€Å"You good doctor, boss.† â€Å"You did a hell of a job on that boat.† Kimi seemed distressed. â€Å"You not tell Sorcerer or Vincent's white bitch.† â€Å"No, I won't tell them.† Kimi seemed to breathe easier. â€Å"Roberto come today. He say you must see the canoe. But he say you should no tell the Sorcerer.† â€Å"Roberto told you that.† â€Å"He talk funny now,† Kimi said. â€Å"Like you, kinda. In American. He tell me Sepie is okay. She come home soon.† â€Å"I couldn't get in to see her. There was a guard on the clinic.† â€Å"Dog fuckers,† Kimi said. Then Tuck told the navigator about the golf game and watched as the old cannibal held him while he laughed, then curled with pain. â€Å"I better sleep now, boss. You come back. I take you sailing.† â€Å"You got it.† Tuck backed out of the house and waited until Sarapul joined him with the lamp. â€Å"You know which pills to give him?† Sarapul nodded. Tuck started down the path toward the village, but pulled up a minute later when he heard the cannibal running after him. â€Å"Hey, pilot. Vincent send you to us, huh?† â€Å"I don't know.† â€Å"You tell Vincent I wasn't going to eat you. Okay?† Tuck smiled. â€Å"I'll try to smuggle you some Spam next time I come.† Sarapul smiled back. As he came up on the drinking circle, Tuck stopped and checked his watch. He didn't want to be gone more than a couple of hours. There was little danger that he'd be called to fly, at least not without the warning appear-ance of the Sky Priestess, but Beth Curtis might show up at his bungalow at any time. Funny, he didn't think of the Sky Priestess and Beth as the same person. The Shark men were applying new coats of red paint to their bamboo rifles by the light of a kerosene lamp. They moved around on the logs and Tuck took a seat by Malink. Without a word, the young man who was pouring handed Tuck the cup. He drained it and handed it back. â€Å"What's the deal with the rifles?† Tuck asked Malink. â€Å"Vincent's army,† Malink said. â€Å"Vincent said we must always be ready to fight the enemies of the United States of America.† â€Å"Oh,† Tuck said. â€Å"Why red?† Malink looked at Tuck as if he was something he had stepped in. â€Å"It is the color of Vincent's brother.† â€Å"Yeah?† Tuck didn't get it. â€Å"Vincent's brother, Santa Claus. Red is his color. You must know that.† Tuck couldn't help it. He let his mouth fall open. â€Å"Santa Claus is Vincent's brother?† â€Å"Yes, Santa Claus brings excellent cargo for everyone, but only once a year. He comes in a sleigh on the snow. You know, right?† â€Å"Right. But I don't get the connection.† Malink looked as if it was all he could do not to tell Tuck how incredibly dense he really was. â€Å"Well, we have no snow, so Vincent will come in a plane. Not once a year. When Vincent come, he will bring cargo every day. More than he gives through the Sky Priestess. More than Santa Claus.† â€Å"And Vincent told you this, that he was Santa's brother?† Malink nodded. â€Å"His skinny brother, he say. So we make rifles red.† Malink watched for signs that Tuck was getting it. Tuck wasn't giving them. â€Å"Even Father Rodriguez know about Santa Claus,† Malink insisted. â€Å"Okay,† Tuck said, â€Å"how about moving that cup around the circle a little faster, guys?† â€Å"Vincent will bring us real rifles when he come. We must be always ready to fight,† Malink said. â€Å"Who?† Tuck asked. â€Å"Have you guys ever been attacked?† â€Å"Once,† Malink said. â€Å"When I was boy, some guys from New Guinea come in canoe. We no like those guys. We go in our canoes to kill them.† â€Å"And what happened?† â€Å"It got dark.† â€Å"And?† â€Å"We come home. Those guys from New Guinea pretty lucky no one know how to navigate in the dark.† â€Å"No palu?† Tuck asked, using the native word for â€Å"navigator.† â€Å"Japanese kill them. No palu left, except maybe one.† â€Å"That's why you didn't turn Kimi over to the Sorcerer?† Malink nodded and trouble crossed his brow. â€Å"I am thinking, if Vincent send you, how come the Sorcerer not know you here? And how you not know Santa Claus?† Tuck noticed that the men had stopped painting their rifles and talking among themselves to listen to his answer. There was pressure here, beyond whether he'd be able to drink or not. He told them what they needed to hear. â€Å"Vincent called me from the land of armored possums to come to the island of the Shark People. I am a flyer, as Vincent was a flyer. He does not tell me everything, and he does not tell the Sorcerer everything. Vincent is sometimes mysterious, but we must trust his judgment.† Malink smiled. â€Å"Let us drink to this flyer. Then we go to sleep.† To Tuck, Malink said: â€Å"Tomorrow is the hunt.† 53 How the Shark People Got Their Name When the pounding came at his door just after dawn, Tuck prepared himself mentally to meet the smiling face of Sebastian Curtis, who would be overly cheerful at the prospect of trouncing the pilot at another round of gravel golf, but when he opened the door, there was Beth Curtis wearing a long-sleeved white cotton dress and a huge sun hat with a brim that fell over her face like a lampshade. Tuck had on hand-me-down boxer shorts that showed more of his morning bulge than he was comfortable with. Strange, a month ago he was ready to sell his soul for this physiological phenomenon, and today it was an embarrassment. â€Å"Good morning,† he said. â€Å"I was expecting the doc.† â€Å"Oh, did you two have plans?† â€Å"No, I just†¦never mind. Would you like to come in for some coffee?† He gestured to the small kitchen nook. â€Å"Why don't you make yourself a cup and bring it with you? I have something to show you.† â€Å"Sure. Just give me a second.† She waited by the door while he threw a pot of water on the stove, dressed quickly and combed his hair, then poured the water over some coffee grounds and stirred in some powdered milk. â€Å"I'm ready. What's up?† â€Å"I want to show you something on the other side of the island.† â€Å"Outside of the compound?† â€Å"Near the village. I think you'll enjoy it.† Tuck walked with her out into the morning sun, nursing his coffee as they went. There were no guards in sight anywhere. The wide gate to the runway was open. â€Å"Where's the ninjas?† â€Å"You call them that too? That's funny.† She laughed, but because he couldn't see her face under the hat, he couldn't tell if there was any sincerity in it. She put her hand on his arm and let him lead her across the runway like a Victorian lady under escort. â€Å"Do you ever miss your family?† she asked as they walked. Tuck was taken by surprise. â€Å"My family? No. We parted on less than favorable terms. I fell out of contact with them long before I came out here.† â€Å"I'm sorry. Really. Is it difficult for you?† Tuck thought she might be joking. â€Å"My mother and my uncle are my only real family. They married after my father was killed. I wasn't pleased.† â€Å"You're kidding. I thought they only did that in West Virginia. Aren't you from California?† â€Å"She married my father's brother, not her brother. Still, I don't miss them.† â€Å"What about your friends?† Tuck thought for a second. Things had changed for him since he'd last seen Jake Skye. In a way he'd taken on some responsibility. He was acting on his own, without a net. He wished that he could tell Jake about it. â€Å"Yeah, I miss my friends sometimes.† â€Å"Me too, Tucker. I'd like to be your friend.† â€Å"You have Sebastian.† â€Å"Yes, I do, don't I.† They walked in silence until they entered the village, which was deserted except for a few dogs and too many roosters. â€Å"Where is everybody?† Tuck reminded himself not to let it appear that any of this was familiar to him. â€Å"Is this where the natives live?† â€Å"They're all at the beach. Today is the day of the hunt.† â€Å"The hunt?† â€Å"You'll see. It's a surprise.† As they passed the bachelors' house, Tuck peeked through he door. He could see someone sleeping inside. Beth led the way to the beach and Tucker looked back. Sepie stood in the doorway wearing only a bandage around her ribs. She waved and Tuck risked a quick smile and turned away. They were going to give him away. One hint of recognition and he was screwed. The women, children, and old men were all lined up on the beach. Tuck had never seen most of the women and children. There must have been three hundred people there. The only familiar face was Favo, the old man from the drinking circle, who showed no recognition when he looked at Tuck. The younger men were out in the water, standing knee deep on the reef in the light low-tide surf. Each of the men held a five-foot-long stick with a rope tied at one end. They wore long knives tucked into cords tied around their waists. â€Å"Fishing?† Tuck asked. â€Å"Just watch,† Beth said. â€Å"This is how the Shark People got their name.† Tuck spotted Malink coming out of the jungle with four other men. Each carried a large plastic bucket. â€Å"They make the buckets out of net floats from the huge factory ships,† Beth Curtis said. â€Å"The plastic is tougher than anything they can make.† â€Å"What's in them?† Tuck watched as each man swam out to the reef holding a bucket on his head. â€Å"Pig and chicken blood.† Two men helped Malink onto the reef and took his bucket from him. Malink looked out to sea and said something in his native language, then looked to the people on the beach as if to say, â€Å"Ready.† The chief shouted a command to the men in the water and they dumped the buckets of blood. Soon they were all knee deep in crimson surf and the bloodstain swept out into the ocean in a great cloud. â€Å"Isn't that dangerous?† Tuck asked. â€Å"Of course. It's insane.† Interesting choice of words. Tuck was surprised that no one seemed to notice or make a big deal of Beth's presence. â€Å"Why aren't they drumming and kowtowing to you?† â€Å"They aren't allowed to when I'm dressed like this. It's a rule. I need my privacy at times.† â€Å"Of course,† Tuck said. A fin appeared in the water about twenty yards out from the reef. Someone shouted and Tuck recognized Abo from his warrior's topknot. Malink nodded and Abo dove into the water and swam toward the shark. Before he was ten yards out, the fin turned toward him. More fins appeared and as Malink nodded, more young men dove into the water with their sticks. â€Å"Shit, this is suicide,† Tuck said. He watched as the first shark made a pass at Abo, who moved out of its way like a bullfighter. â€Å"You've got to stop this.† Tuck couldn't remember ever feeling such panic for another human being. Beth Curtis squeezed his arm. â€Å"They know what they're doing.† The shark circled and made a second pass at Abo, but this time the young warrior didn't move out of the way. He shoved his stick into the shark's jaws as if it was a bit, then flipped himself on the shark's back and wrapped the cord just behind the pectoral fins, then back to the other end of the stick so it wouldn't come out. The water boiled around Abo as the shark thrashed, but Abo stayed on and, holding the stick like handlebars, he pulled back to keep the shark from diving and steered him into the shallow water of the reef, where the other men waited with their knives drawn. A roar went up from the crowd on the beach as Abo turned the shark over to the slaughterers and held up his arms in triumph. The men on the reef slit the shark's belly and cut off a huge hunk of the liver, which they handed to Abo. He bit into it, tearing out a ragged chunk and swallowing as blood ran down his chest. Soon others were steering sharks onto the reef and the water beyond was alive with fins. The red cloud expanded as the sharks died and bled and more came to take their place. The gutted sharks were brought onto the beach, where the women continued the butchering, handing pieces of the raw flesh to the children as treats or prying out serrated teeth and giving them to little boys as trophies. One of the men actually stood up on the back of a huge hammerhead that he was steering to the reef and nearly castrated himself on the dorsal fin as he fell. But the shark was held fast and died on the reef with the others. In half an hour the shark hunt was over. The sea was red with blood for a thousand yards in all directions and the beach was littered with the corpses of a hundred sharks: black tips, white tips, hammerheads, blue, and mako. Some of the deadliest creatures had been taken like they were guppies in a net, and not one of the Shark People was hurt, although Tuck noticed that many were bleeding from abrasions on the inside of their thighs where they had rubbed against the sharks' skin during their ride. The Shark People were ecstatic, and every one of them was drenched in blood. Tuck was stunned. He'd never seen such courage or such slaughter before, and he was getting the willies thinking about all the time he had spent swimming in these waters at night. Malink walked up the beach dragging a leopard shark by its gills. His Buddha belly was dripping in blood. He looked up at Tucker and risked a smile. â€Å"That's the chief,† Beth Curtis said. â€Å"He's really too old for this, but he won't stay on shore.† â€Å"Do the sharks ever get any of them?† â€Å"Sometimes. Usually just a bite. A lot of sutures, but no one's been killed since I've been on the island.† No one hunting sharks, anyway, Tuck thought. A little girl who had been helping her mother shyly peeked over the carcass of a big hammer-head, then ran up to Tucker and quickly touched him on the knee before retreating to the safety of her mother. â€Å"That's strange,† Beth Curtis said. â€Å"The women and girls won't have anything to do with a white man. Even when they come to Sebastian, they talk to him through a brother or husband – and he speaks their language.† Tuck didn't answer. He was still looking at the little girl's back. She had a massive pink scar that ran like a smile from her sternum, under her arm, to her backbone at exactly the place where the kidney would be. Tuck felt sick to his stomach. â€Å"I think I've seen enough, Beth. Can we go?† â€Å"Can't deal with the sight of blood?† â€Å"Something like that.† As they walked back through the village, Tuck noticed a woman and a little boy sitting outside of one of the cookhouses. The mother was holding the boy and singing to him softly as she rocked him. Both of his eyes were bandaged with gauze pads. Tucker approached the woman and she pulled the child to her breast. Beth Curtis caught Tuck's arm and tried to pull him back. Tuck shook her off and went to the woman. â€Å"What's wrong with him?† Tuck asked. The woman slid across the gravel, away from him. â€Å"Tucker!† Beth Curtis said, â€Å"Leave her alone. You're scaring her.† â€Å"It's okay,† Tuck whispered to the woman. â€Å"I'm the pilot. Vincent sent me.† The woman seemed to calm down, and although her eyes went wide with wonder, she managed a small smile. Tuck reached out and touched the child's head. â€Å"What's wrong with him?† The woman held out the boy as if presenting him for baptism. â€Å"He is chosen,† she said. She looked at the Sky Priestess for approval. Tuck stood and backed away from her. He was afraid to look at Beth, afraid that he might strangle her on the spot. Instead, calmly, deliberately, although it took all his effort to keep from shaking, he said, â€Å"We'd better get back.† He led the way through the village and back to the compound.

Our Teacher, Our Hero Essay

â€Å"You’ve better changed being naughty & playful†¦or else you’ll hurt not just me Carl!†¦ â€Å"Now, start cleaning our room†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"You do you work properly then you may go now, okay? That’s a very normal incident in a Freshmen’s atmosphere. We can’t deny the reality that 1st year level is under adjustment period to the new world they have just taken in†¦Thank you so much for all the very patient & kind teachers†¦They perform their being 2nd parent to us†¦I love my Teachers as they love us,They take their livesto their duties & roles†¦ They are very noble†¦ One of our favourite Teacher that inspires us is Miss Kendall†¦Her life story is so sad. Her father left her when her mother got sick. She is still single at the age of 32. She must work hard for her sick mother. She also helped her brothers & sister in their schooling. She told us that she has many dreams for her family & for her career as a teacher that’s why she is not yet ready to get married to her boyfriend. She told us that she’s not yet ready to balance teaching & having family of her own. â€Å"Uuuuuyyy, uuuuyyyyyy†¦Ma’am ha†¦We saw your bf this morning Ma’am Kendall†¦Uuuyyyy†¦You’re a good match Ma’am†¦Your pretty &hi’s handsome†¦he-he-he†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Sssshhh, sssshhh†¦stop teasing me girls†¦We’re still under knowing each other†¦he-he-he† â€Å"But Ma’am really you’re a good match†¦please don’t forget to invite us Ma’am on your wedding, okay?†¦He-he-he! Pretty sure, we will all be there Ma’am†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Sssshhhaaa, sssshhhaaa†¦That’s enough now. Let’s have your practice for your LitMus Pieces now†¦Please call the other candicates Chris†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Okay Ma’am, I’ll call them outside†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Susan, Alfred†¦pls. get inside now†¦we’re getting ready for our practice now†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Now, let’s start with Alfred for his vocal so lo†¦Ready now Alfred†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Alfred singing his contest song†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..) (Ma’am Kendall applause Alfred for his performance†¦) â€Å"Alfred you’re getting better now†¦but you still need to practice more, Okay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Thank you so much Ma’am for your great support†¦I promise to do it better†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It’s my great pleasure supporting you in times like this†¦be the best you can,okay?†¦Next, let’s have Susan for her Filipino Declamation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Basilio? Crispin? Mgaanakko? Nasaanna kayo?†¦Nandito n siNanay†¦.Mgaanakko? Nasaan kayo?†¦Basilio? Crispin?†¦Basiliooooooooooo†¦Crispiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnn†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Bravo, bravo, Susan†¦You’re getting better everyday†¦It’s another great performance†¦I know, you can be everybody’s beat†¦ha-ha-ha!† â€Å"Thank you so much Ma’am†¦I’m getting better every day because of your great help Ma’am Kendall†¦I’m good because you’re also good Ma’am†¦ â€Å"I agree with you Susan†¦You, Ma’am Kendall & all teachers are our happiness & inspiration in school†¦ â€Å"Thank you also Susan for your kind words†¦It adds joy to my heart as you say it†¦You’re all the reason why I am here†¦he-he-he†¦Chris it’s your turn now†¦Ready?† â€Å"Yes Ma’am†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ballooooooot, Ballooooooooot†¦For sale†¦for sale Nutritious Ballooooot†¦For sale delicious Ballooooot†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Hey, girl! Come here!I’ll your ballot! (Drunk man)†¦How much is ten pieces?† †¦ †Thirteen each Sir†¦130 all in all Sir†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†What?!?†¦your over-pricing young girl†¦That’s so expensive†¦here’s what is good to your Ballot†¦Uuummm†¦Uuummm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Oh no!!! No!!!Pls stop it!huhuhu†¦pls stop it Sir†¦pls†¦What have you than to my Ballot†¦huhuhu†¦what have you done? You have no pity, drunkard†¦huhuhu†¦You’ll be paying for this†¦huhuhu†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Wooowww!!! Amazing performance Chris†¦you did a great job! Your really getting better in your piece Chris†¦Congratulations! I am so happy that you really are practicing so well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Thank you so much Ma’am†¦we are so happy doing this for all of us Ma’am†¦We will try to win in our contest.† In a surprise, Rommel rushed hurriedly inside our classroom and telling something bad news to Ma’am and his catching his breath†¦Rommel is Ma’am Kendall’s nephew†¦ â€Å"Tita Ram†¦please, pls†¦be in a hurry†¦Lola was brought to the hospital†¦she was again attacked of her Asthma†¦she seemed not to look good this time Tita†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"What?†¦My goodness†¦oh my, oh my Good Lord, pls help my mother†¦ Please†¦Lord God please help her again this time†¦Okay†¦let’s go†¦Excuse me class†¦I should attend my mother in the hospital†¦Take good care of yourself†¦Be home early Okay?†¦Don’t go anywhere†¦Go home early okay?†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Okay, Ma’am†¦don’t worry about us Ma’am†¦please take care also Ma’am†¦Please be calm & relax Ma’am†¦we will help pray to God, that your mother will get better Ma’am†¦Ã¢â‚¬  We were speechless while following Ma’am Kendall on her way to the hospital†¦we just stared to each other without any sound from ourselves†¦I just realized we are all shocked†¦after a while, I asked my classmates to follow me in my prayers for Ma’am Kendall’s mother†¦We prayed not just for that moment but every moment we pray to God, we include our teachers in our prayers†¦Let us all pray for our Heroes, our Teachers†¦

Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil by Claude Monet

Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil The following is an analysis and an interpretation of Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil. This oil on canvas painting can be found in the High Museum of Art. Claude Monet, the artist of this piece painted this in 1873, right as the Impressionism Movement was beginning. Monet played the important role of one of the founders of the Impressionism Movement with his works like Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil. Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil is from a series of paintings that Monet did while in Argenteuil. In the artwork Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil, the lighting used throughout the painting, brushstroke techniques, perspective, and color all play an important role in the piece, as well as in the Impressionism Movement. Impressionist artists attempted to capture candid shots of their subjects outdoors showing the effects of sunlight on different objects at different times of day. Claude Monet was no exception to this statement. Like in Claude Monet’s Rouen Cathedral: The Portal (in Sun) (Garnier, 824), sunlight is an important part in scene created in Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil, though is not the real subject of the piece like it is in Rouen Cathedral: The Portal (in Sun). In Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil, Claude Monet used darker hues of the colors to capture the light and the absence of light throughout the painting. The sun itself cannot be seen, but the intensity of the colors orange, yellow, white, green, and red throughout the tree suggest that there is some sunlight present. The sky is spotted with clouds almost to the point where you can’t see the sky, but there is some blue still seen through the clouds. Monet was obviously wanting to capture the essence of the Autumn season, and did so with the right use of lighting that would not have been possible without the brushstrokes Monet used. The brushstrokes that are used throughout a painting can help classify what movement the painting may have came out of. Impressionist painters created a distinctive short, choppy brushstroke to create better lighting. In painting Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil, Monet uses this technique all over the canvas. At close inspection, the colors red, white, yellow and blue placed side by side looked unintelligible as they are placed throughout the trees on the left side of the painting. At a distance, however, the colors begin to mix into different variations of orange, green, yellow, white, blue, and red, making the palette more interesting. This technique is used on the entire painting. The water’s reflection of the trees uses the same technique. Like in Claude Monet’s first major Impressionism painting, Impression: Sunrise (Garnier, 823), the painting Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil also uses the brushy strokes. Both use a body of water’s reflection in the piece, making the water itself more interesting, and giving Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil perspective. The technique most artists use to project an illusion of the three-dimensional world onto a two-dimensional surface is called perspective. Objects are painted smaller the farther away from the audience is supposed to be, and are painted bigger the closer the audience is supposed to be. A vanishing point is helpful in creating perspective. This technique helps to make up a sense of depth in a piece of art. In Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil, perspective is created by the body of water that is in the foreground of painting. This body of water is going off into the distance in which you cannot see it’s end. In the background, there are buildings that are barely visible, making them appear to be farther away. This technique draws the audience’s eye to the center of the piece, perhaps at the building that is set of into the distance. Color has value, hues, and intensities that differ from piece to piece. Color can also be broken down into color schemes. Color is always a very important part to any work of art. Impressionism painters usually only used the primary colors blue, red, and yellow in their works, like Monet did in Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil. They did this so they could place the primary colors side by side to create secondary colors like the greens and oranges seen in the trees in Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil. This technique was used because Impressionists believed that color is not a permanent characteristic and changes due to weather, lighting, or reflection, which is true in this painting as the leave are all changing colors. The color of the water in Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil effects the colors of the reflections of the trees, boats, and buildings very little. Impressionism paintings have an overall luminosity because the painters avoided blacks and earth colors. Shadows in the painting are composed of many complimentary colors, like on the sides of the boats on the left side of the water in Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil. Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil by Claude Monet was interesting and very tranquil to analysis and an interpret. This oil on canvas painting can be found in the High Museum of Art, but was originally painted in 1873 in France, right as the Impressionism Movement was beginning. Monet played the important role of one of the founders of the Impressionism Movement with his works like Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil. In the artwork Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil, the lighting used throughout the painting, brushstroke techniques, perspective, and color all play an important role in the piece, as well as in the Impressionism Movement. Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil is an amazing work of art that will not soon be forgotten by its many adoring fans.

Dell Goes Back to its PC Roots Essay

Dell is a computer company that made its name by first selling personal computers directly to customers through their website, catalogs, and over the phone. As time passed, Dell expanded into related product lines while battling aggressive rivals such as Hewlett Packard and Apple, striving to be the number one consumer brand in the United States. Despite considerable research and marketing investment, Dell’s strategy to expand into other related product lines did not succeed, and the company was forced to regain its focus on PC sales. This case includes the steps taken by Dell to uphold its legendary PC roots. Key Marketing Issues †¢Brand – A name, term, design, symbol, or other feature that identifies one marketer’s product as distinct from those of other marketers. Dell is shining up its brand by improving customer service, which is especially important as PC sales grow more slowly throughout the industry and competitors dig in to defend market share. †¢Early Adopters – People who adopt new products early, choose new products carefully, and are viewed as â€Å"the people to check with† by later adopters. Dell is not looking to pioneer revolutionary new lines for early adopters, but has gone back to their PC roots, emphasizing related home office products. †¢Innovators – First adopters of new products. †¢Line Extensions – Development of a product that is closely related to existing products in the line but is designed specifically to meet different customer needs. Over the years, Dell has expanded into related product lines while battling rivals, hoping to obtain larger revenues. †¢Product Line – A group of closely related product items viewed as a unit because of marketing, technical, or end-use considerations. Over the years, Dell has expanded into related product lines while battling aggressive rivals, hoping to derive an ever-larger portion of revenues and profits from a wider mix of products for use beyond the home office. †¢Product Mix – The composite, or total, group of products that an organization makes available to customers. Dell has returned to its PC roots, emphasizing computers and laptops, inkjet and laser printers, networking equipment, and related products for home office use, after the failure of their consumer electronics strategy. †¢Product Life Cycle – The progression of a product through four stages: introduction, growth, maturity, and decline. Dell introduced the Dell Digital Jukebox and Dell Music Store to compete with Apple’s iPods and iTunes store. However, Apple had so much momentum that Dell was forced to discontinue its own brand of music players. Personal Case Analysis I learned that Dell first made is name selling personal computers directly to customers through its website, catalogs, and phone orders. With a long history of marketing technology-based products, Dell has become a well-known U.S. brand. Despite considerable research, Dell’s attempt to enter the lucrative $100 billion world of consumer electronics did not succeed. Although Dell faces intense competition from other consumer electronics companies, they never stop looking for new ways to shine up its brand by improving customer service, an especially important step as PC sales grow more slowly throughout the industry and competitors dig in to defend market share. Case Questions 1-Why would Dell not pioneer revolutionary new products for innovators and early adaptors the way its competitor Apple does? According to wsu.edu, an early adaptor is a person who quickly adopts something new-usually a technological innovation. Our text defines innovators as first adopters of new products. Today Dell has gone back to its PC roots, emphasizing computers and laptops, inkjet and laser printers, networking equipment, and related products for home and office use. Because of its’ failed attempts to launch new products, the company is not looking to pioneer revolutionary new lines for innovators or early adopters. Instead it adds new features to products with a proven market, finds ways to make production more cost effective, and seeks to distribute both Dell and non-Dell products as efficiently as possible. 2-In what stage of the product life cycle do personal computers appear to be? How does this explain Dell’s attempt to expand into consumer electronics? According to answers.ask.com, a product’s life cycle describes the stages products experience when introduced to the market. There are four general stages including: introductory stage, when marketers raise awareness of the product; growth stage, when increase in market share is sought; mature stage, when producers of the product have maximized market share and minimized costs and the decline stage, when competitors entering the market erode market share and profits begin to decline (anwers.ask.com). The stage that Dell’s personal computers appear to be in is the maturity stage. With a long history of marketing technology-based products, Dell has become a well-known U.S. brand. Their management saw the brand as a strength to exploit in marketing new flat-screen televisions, tiny digital music players, and other non-computer products. Dell launched its consumer electronics items just as major technological developments were roiling the industry and changing how consumers buy and use such products. Dell was caught in the crossfire of intense competition. At the start of the consumer electronics initiative, the company introduced the Dell Digital Jukebox and the Dell Music Store, putting it on a competitive collision course with Apple’s popular iPods and iTunes store. Dell discontinued its brand and has been reselling products made by Samsung and other manufacturers. This allows Dell to satisfy customer demand for certain for consumer electronics without incurring the high cost of research and development. 3-How far can Dell widen its product mix without hurting the company’s credibility? For example, what might be the impact of new products such as Dell motorcycles or Dell frozen pastries? According to enotes.com, the product mix of a company, which is generally defined as the total composite of products offered by a particular organization, consists of both product and individual products. A product line is a group of products within the product mix that are closely related, either because they function in a similar manner, are sold to the same customer groups are marketed through the same types of outlets, or fall within given price ranges. Over the years, Dell has become a popular U.S. brand, which was viewed as a strength to emerge into the market of new flat screen televisions, digital music players, and other products. Although Dell did a considerable amount of research and development to make these products a success, the strategy did not succeed. For this reason, Dell should not attempt to widen its product mix, because it has been proven that doing so will hurt the company’s creditability. Dell motorcycles or Dell frozen pastries would definitely hurt the company’s creditability, because they are known as a number one computer company. Dell should continue to develop and emphasize computers, printers, and other home office related products to maintain its creditability. Conclusions For Dell to continue to successfully market to its consumers and uphold its legendary PC roots and name brand, they must develop the optimal product line by understanding buyers’ goals. The product life cycle is also an important concept to make sure the introduction, alteration, and termination of a product are timed and executed properly, helping to better maintain profitable products and drop unprofitable ones. Although Dell does not pioneer revolutionary new products for innovators and early adopters the way its competitors does, they stand strong in the PC market. Line extensions, however, are used to successfully take market share from competitors.

Judaism, Christianity, Islam Essay

The three oldest religions are Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Judaism is a one of the oldest religions known to people. Judaism is a monotheistic religion, which means that Jewish people pray to only one g-d. There weren’t too many religions like this when it originated which made Judaism very unique at the time. Moses was one of the most famous Jewish prophets. He led the Jewish people out of slavery, led them to Mount Sinai and received the Ten Commandments, a set of rules that people even today still follow. The Jews have many customs and traditions. Among them are circumcision, bar or bat mitzvah, special rituals and prayers to be said during a wedding and during death and mourning. Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin of the penis. The rite of circumcision is one of the most ancient practices of Judaism. Circumcision is done because of a Commandment by God to Abraham as it is written in the Torah and as a sign of commitment of Jewish people. The Torah is Judaism’s most important text. It contains the Five Books of Moses and is the source of the Ten Commandments. Bar or Bat mitzvah’ is when a child reaches the age of maturity, 13 for boys, and 12 for girls, and is ready to become an adult their community. At that age, a child becomes responsible for his actions and is obligated to observe the commandments. This ceremony is incorporated into an ordinary Sabbath service. During a Jewish wedding, the bride and groom get married under a special cloth called a â€Å"chuppah† or special canopy. Another tradition that is followed during a Jewish wedding is the breaking of a small glass at the end of the ceremony. This is to symbolize that even though this is a happy event, people should still remember the hardships that were faced before the Jewish people got to that place in time. During death and mourning, a Jewish family will sit â€Å"shiva† which is sitting in mourning for seven days after the death of a loved one. Some other customs are wearing a kippah on the head in a synagogue or wearing a tallit, a prayer shawl, while praying. Christianity is one of the world’s major monotheistic religions. Christianity takes the beliefs and practices very seriously. The central figure in Christianity is Jesus Christ. As the Son of God, he came to earth to teach about love and fellowship. He represents the person that all Christians must strive to be. Christians believe that he is the only one that ever lived on earth that can be called perfect from all worldly sins. The important thing to understand was that Jesus was God. He was here on earth to teach of God’s plan for all of humanity and to save the people of the world from their transgressions. In Christianity, God is almighty and rules over all of heaven and earth. He is the one that created the earth and one day will cast judgment over the entire earth. Christians understand that through Jesus Christ, people can be saved from this judgment. By believing that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, the Spirit of God is exists in all believers, and that God is almighty in power. A person can be saved from this judgment. Christians believe in heaven and hell. Heaven is the place where believers would enjoy the presence of God and other believers and freedom from suffering and sin. Hell is where unbelievers and sinners are punished for their sins committed during the course of their lives. Baptism is one of the most important sacraments in Christianity. It involves application of or immersion in water, a blessing, and the pronouncement, â€Å"I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. † Most Christian churches baptize both infants and adults, but some believe that baptism is only rightly performed on adults. Views of baptism vary, but common views of the rituals include: it grants or symbolizes salvation, commemorates Christ’s death and resurrection, fulfills the command of Jesus to baptize, cleanses away sins, confers grace, and publicly expresses one’s faith. Christianity also teaches about the importance of attending Holy Mass. It’s important for Christians to keep their Sabbath according to the commandments. It is observed on the seventh day which usually falls on a Sunday or Saturday and is considered a weekly day of rest from work. The day is spent fasting and praying and attending Holy Mass. At Mass, followers are taught about the teachings in the bible through scripture readings. The celebration of Mass would conclude with the sharing of communion. Communion represents the Passover that Jesus celebrated with his twelve disciples on the eve of His death. It is an integral part of Christian worship. It causes Christians to remember the Lord’s death and resurrection and to look for His glorious return in the future. Holidays, feasts and fasts are a significant part of Christian religious practice. The feast days celebrate joyous and sorrowful historical events such as the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, while the fast days provide a special opportunity to focus on self-reflection, self-discipline and repentance. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and it runs for forty days. During the forty days Christians fast and pray which represents the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness fasting and praying. Lent is followed by Easter which represents the return of Jesus from the wilderness. Easter starts from Palm Sunday. His death and resurrection is observed during Easter. Special Services are kept in the church during this week and ends with Easter Sunday, the day that Jesus rose from the dead. Islam is a simple and practical religion. It has established, clear, and easily understandable beliefs and laws that any follower or student of the religion can easily understand. Islam affirms belief in a decent, civilized society. Islam also does not demand impossible goodness of its followers, but it recognizes that all human beings make mistakes and sin. No one is exempt. Islam preaches peace, mercy, justice, tolerance, equality, love, truth, forgiveness, patience, morality, sincerity and righteousness. Islam is the religion that preaches the Oneness of God, the Oneness of mankind and the Oneness of the Message. Muslims believe that there is only one supreme God, Allah. In Islam to believe in Allah is not only to believe in Allah’s existence but also to believe in all Allah’s attributions, to worship Allah alone, and to obey all Allah’s commands. Islam teaches about the five pillars: Shahada, Salah, Seyam, Zakat and Hajj. Shahada is the verbal commitment and pledge that there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. It is the duty of every Muslim, male and female, after reaching the age of puberty, to perform five Salats or prayers at specific times during the day and night. These five specific times are: – Dawn, Noon, Afternoon, Sunset, and Night. A ritual called Wudu, which is the cleaning several parts of the body with water, is a prerequisite to Salat. Fasting during the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the lunar calendar, is from sun up to sun down only and is an obligation on every healthy adult Muslim, male or female. Fasting is total abstinence from eating, drinking, smoking, gum chewing, intimate relations, and taking anything into the body. If a person is ill and needs to take medication, he/she cannot fast. Fasting is also a time to discipline one’s self from bad behaviors, such as; arguing and saying mean things. Those who are ill or unable to fast for health or reasons of age are exempt from fasting. However, they should feel the poor one meal for every day they miss of fasting. Women who are pregnant, menstruating, or nursing, or any who are traveling, are also exempt from fasting. However, when their situation changes, they make up the days of fasting or feed the poor one meal for each day of fasting they missed. Zakat is an annual obligatory charity on every Muslim, male or female, who possesses over the last year money or property that exceeds their minimum needs. The requirement is 2. 5% of one’s excess wealth. The performance of the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia is required once in a lifetime of every Muslim, if financially able, as well as physically able. Hajj begins every year during the month of Dul Hejja. Dul Hejja is the 12th month of the Islamic calendar year. The Hajj is a spiritual journey where a Muslim forgets all worldly things and devotes his/her attention and time to Allah alone. Islam looks at the woman as an equal, mature and capable partner of a man, without whom a family cannot exist and teaches that men and women are all the creation of Allah, existing on a level of equal worth and value. In some societies women are treated according to ancestral customs and tribal tradition, but in Islam they are treated with full respect and honor. Islam preserves women’s honor and dignity, and requires that she must be treated with respect and honor. Her femininity should not be exploited in any way, rather she is to be regarded and treated as human individual whose sexuality does not enter into her relationship with any person other than her husband. In Islam marriage cannot take place unless the female freely agrees to it and a dowry is given to her. Islam puts priorities for the husbands and wives. The responsibility for providing for the family is on the husband, while the responsibility to care for the house and raising the children is on the wife. These are the main priorities, but cooperation between the husband and the wife is required and highly recommended.