The Epidemic Of The Aids Epidemic - 1384 Words

The AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, consisted entirely of deaths, illnesses and most of all fear, changing the way society viewed gay men. Being that it was only happening to homosexuals and everyone became super homophobic and believed that the disease was a cause of being gay until it started happening to women too. This affected the entire medical metaphysics in society on what is considered safe methods of having sex and health precautions as well. Before the 1980s hit HIV was thought to originate form Kinshasa which is in Congo. In the 1920 HIV crossed between chimpanzees to humans on the Democratic Republic of humans.(Avert 1). AIDS is caused by HIV and is the last stage of HIV and can lead to death. It attacks every single†¦show more content†¦In this time society was going through much social change. Protests and movements were very present. In the 1960s women’s rights movements, black power movements, and civil rights protest were going on. This influenced the ga y community and sparked energy for them to stand up for their own rights. In 1969 Stonewall riots were occurring in result to the police raiding a gay bar by the name of Stonewall Inn. The legal system in the 1950’s and 1960’s was anti-gay. These groups were being formed to show and prove that society could function. Very few businesses welcomed publicly gay people in the 1950s and 1960s.After the series of riots and the push for social reform gays still faced many obstacles to being openly accepted and integrated into society. After World War II the U.S. government composed a list of those thought to be high security risks, Homosexuals were placed on this list, reason being that the U.S State Department thought they lack emotional stability contrary to heterosexual persons. Homosexuals were denied federal job applications, about 5,000 of them were discharged from the military and 400 were fired from government jobs because people may have suspected them as being ho mosexual.The FBI kept track of the lives of homosexuals. The mail they received, what businesses they

The Legacy Of John Marshall - 1554 Words

Michael J. Scinto Professor Paul Rego American Government (Politics 113) 20 - Nov - 2014 The Legacy of John Marshall Few individuals have left as prominent a mark on the United States as Chief Justice John Marshall. An ardent Federalist, he worked throughout most of his life to separate the powers of national and state government, furthering the agenda of his party long after they dissolved. In Marbury v. Madison, he led the Court in striking down an act of Congress that was in conflict with the Constitution, legitimizing the doctrine of judicial review. Over the course of his thirty-four year term, Marshall oversaw numerous landmark cases, his decisions in which played an undeniably critical role in the early development of American law. Thanks to his firm hand and consistent principles, he was able to secure the institutional power of the Supreme Court in the face of staunch Jeffersonian opposition—affirming its place as an equal among the Executive and Legislative branches of government. The Supreme Court was established in 1789, with its powers stated in Article III of the newly-ratified United States Constitution. In the years leading up to the Marshall era, the Court was little more than a shadow of its future self. It lacked both the prestige and authority of the latter 19th century. John Jay–and his successors, Rutledge and Ellsworth–oversaw few cases, and ever fewer significant ones. Often cited as an example of the early Court’s inefficiency, their mostShow MoreRelatedThurgood Marshall Essay1578 Words   |  7 PagesThurgood Marshall was a great African American Civil Rights activist who changed a lot of lives in the United States. 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Lagrange Theorem Free Essays

SAP transactions and reports Customer-specific transactions and reports Note Note It is possible that the origin of some objects cannot be identified clearly (either as SAP transactions and reports or customer-specific transactions and reports). In this case, the specified number of all transactions and reports is larger than the total of SAP and customer-specific transactions and reports. The possible deviation is due to the fact that only information for used objects is transferred. We will write a custom essay sample on Lagrange Theorem or any similar topic only for you Order Now Objects in managed systems that exist there but are not used in the analyzed period are not transferred ND therefore have no designated origin. Information about customer objects that are not used is only displayed if you have selected the Get All Customer Objects option when you created the analysis. The following result types are displayed for each of the three named groups: Analyzed Not analyzed because, for example, there is no data for the client you specified when creating the analysis. Not analyzed in other clients The analysis fails with specified client due to missing data. Objects are used In other clients. You can base a new analysis with different clients, on this entry. Used. The objects are used in the analysis period and In the systems specified for the analysis. Not used (only affects customer-specific transactions and reports), If you have selected the Get All Customer Objects option when you created the analysis. Example Example You want to know how many transactions and reports were analyzed. The entry Is under All Transactions and Reports, Analyzed (Number). The transactions and reports of a result type, for example, the transactions and reports analyzed, are shown In a table. The following object properties are displayed: Object name, for example, transaction name such as SEES. Object type, for example, T for transaction or R for report. Object description, for example, Data Browser for transaction SEES. Origin, for example, S for SAP displayed in the All Transactions and Reports overview Logical component, displayed for result type Analyzed, Not Analyzed or Not Analyzed in other Clients. SIDE, the system ID specified when creating the analysis; displayed for result type Used. System installation number; displayed for result type Not Used (customer objects). Threshold value, displayed for result type Analyzed, Not Analyzed or Not Analyzed in other Clients. Client specified when creating the analysis; displayed for result type Used. Result, for example, the number of dialog steps in a transaction Object description language You can copy objects of result types Used and Not Used to the rule database. Activities To open a table of transactions and reports, for example, a table of all the analyzed transactions and reports, click on the result type, for example on Analyzed. To copy an object to the rule database, click the result type, for example, Used to open the object table, highlight the object, and choose Add to Rule Database. Note Note When copying the object to the rule database, you get a message informing you that a check step has been created or that the object is already in the rule database. To restrict the results to a specific system, open the input help for System and select a system. By default, the results refer to all systems you specified when creating the analysis. Note Note You can restrict the results by combining systems and time periods. You can choose another results overview tab: Graphical Overview Results in Analysis Structure Details of Analysis Error Statistics More Information Analysis Results Analysis Project Analyses Analysis Projects How to cite Lagrange Theorem, Papers

Analysis Of Persepolis By Marjane Satrapi Essay Example For Students

Analysis Of Persepolis By Marjane Satrapi Essay There are many different influences in the world today; a big one that most people in the world face is religion. Religion is an influence that people first encounter during their childhood. They grow and learn to have faith. People’s perspective on religion is affected by their culture, their family and the events they witness during childhood. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is the story of a young girl growing up in Iran, during the Islamic Revolution, and the war with Iraq. Throughout the novel religion develops along with the plot, in good and bad ways. In the story Marji loses her faith and it changes who she is, religion also changed her lifestyle by the government putting religion into the law. Religion is a topic that people label as vast and confusing, however, Satrapi tells this story of religion through the eyes of a child. This creates a unique perspective that readers can relate to. In Persepolis, Satrapi portrays different perspectives of religion. She shows how religion is interpreted in positive and negative ways by her use of her perspective as a child, first hand experience, and by showing how religion can corrupt politics. As a child, Marji believes in God. She says, â€Å"I was born with religion† (pg 6). Unlike other children, Marji wants to be a prophet when she is older. This idea is not normal for a child or anyone under the Muslim religion since prophets have always been men. Her classmates laugh at her dream of becoming a prophet and her teacher speaks to her parents, but Marji stays true to her passion. Marji believes religion should be used to create good things and change anything bad. Growing up, Marji doesn’t understand why her maid cannot eat at the dinner table with her family or why her friends do not . .wing into adulthood and how her innocent view on life can be changed because of the place she lives. As a child, Marji does not demonize the Muslim religion like others do. This perspective of religion drastically changes as the Islam Regime takes over and religion is used for horrible things. The perspective of a child is important because it shows how without any previous ideas about religion, someone can see how it can be used for good. Satrapi tells her unique story to show the significance of religion in cultures. She shows how important it is to separate religion and state. This concept is still prominent today as people fight for their freedom from religion. Satrapi weaves a memoir that reflects the thoughts of a child on topics that are complex. The simplicity of a child shows how simple the topics can be and how religion can be used for good instead of evil.

Strategic Management Art or Science

200 Powerful Marketing Interview Questions to Hire the Best Team

200 Powerful Marketing Interview Questions to Hire the Best Team Building a strong marketing team isn’t easy. There are tons of companies competing for top talent, and it’s tough to find (and retain) the best fits for your organization. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the industry is projected to experience 10% hiring growth by 2026  (which is faster than average). Plus, the cost of mis-hiring can be high; according to MP Squared, â€Å"a mis-hire costs more than 5 times the candidate’s salary.† Those kinds of stakes are not a joke. From recruiting to interviewing to onboarding, getting the right people onto the right spots in your marketing department  is a long process. A key part of sorting out marketing candidates starts with asking the right interview questions. In this post, you’ll find a total of 165 things to ask interviewees across all different types of roles, to help you figure out what makes a candidate tick and determine whether they’re right for your business. This is useful stuff for the following folks: Marketing Managers: Especially if you’re new to hiring and team-building. HR Professionals: If you’re not marketing savvy, use this guide to move past generic interview questions. Job Hunters: Consider this guide a cheat sheet to what you might encounter. It’s time to get started. Table of Contents: Keeping Organized With Bonus Questions + Interview Scorecard Interviewing Tips General Marketing Interview Questions Marketing Manager / Director Questions Marketing Intern Questions Entry Level Interview Questions Copywriter Interview Questions Product Marketing Interview Questions PR Interview Questions Graphic Designer Interview Questions Social Media Marketing Interview Questions Content Strategist Interview Questions Marketing Analyst Interview Questions SEO Interview Questions Assessing an Interviees Responses

Disaster Response Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Disaster Response Plan - Research Paper Example The generic term used for risk management techniques is the disaster control plan or DCP. Out of these early attempts to help lessen the adverse effects of a disaster led to forming of the so-called incident command system (ICS). This system was originally used by cities as a fire-management tool because it was found to be effective. This effectiveness was based on a proven organizational structure that used descriptive terminology that is both comprehensive and powerful but still easy to understand by most people (Woodworth, 2010, p. 1). However, the ICS was expanded and integrated into the national incident management system (NIMS). Although more comprehensive, the NIMS is still largely centered on operationalizing of ICS at the time a disaster strikes. The big purpose is to avoid chaos and confusion that can lead to more serious consequences during and after a disaster. Another key part of the NIMS is the emergency operations center (EOC) that takes care of details such as putting a logistics center, emergency medical services team (EMS) or the triage area (Hogan & Burstein, 2007, p. 147). The EOC will be tasked with activating the emergency operations plan (EOP). With today’s terrorist threats hanging over the horizon, the idea of the NIMS is to give local emergency personnel the training and knowledge to treat emerging or potential disasters an all-hazards context. The idea is to treat each disaster as a worst-case scenario so that local responding emergency personnel are not caught flat-footed when arriving at the scene. Taken in another perspective, it is better to be fully prepared for the worst than arrive unprepared for the sheer scale or magnitude of a disaster if one underestimates the scope of the disaster. Even a minor disaster at first glance should be treated as a potential major disaster if mishandled as things can easily escalate and maybe even get out of hand. The lead agency

Science Lab 2 Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Science 2 - Lab Report Example Using MuseLAB, a log will represent the hurricane and separate six red lizards from the main group present in the mainland. Afterwards, the log shifted toward an island distant from the mainland and represented by a wet patch of grass and undergrowth. This shift was another six red lizards to the wet patch of grass and undergrowth. The MuseLAB software will animate the changes in the colors of the two isolated populations as they differentiate in line with the conditions of the new surroundings. Animations of the different colors of both groups of lizards should account for a physical trait capable of being passed down to the next generations. The offspring of the six red lizards maintained their cover in the mainland even after three generations. On the other hand, the offspring of the other group of lizards in the island slowly adopted green bodies after three generations. The six red lizards use this body color to mimic a different species of extremely poisonous lizards within the same ecosystem. The hurricane did not separates these two spaces thereby allowing the offspring to maintain the red color three generations down the line. In contrast, the brown lizards adopted a green body color to achieve optimal camouflage in a surrounding with thick green vegetation and

Communication and interaction within married couples at church Essay

Communication and interaction within married couples at church - Essay Example This problem depends upon a number of factors, which are both communicational and condemnatory. The principles that underline the seriousness of this problem include blocks like lack of communication, age factor with relevance to immaturity, lack of decision making skills, insensitiveness, early child care situations, and lack of awareness. This prime and most pondered upon issue is being spread like fire all around the researches in contemporary literature, which is why a basis of this issue with reference to its illustration through research will be provided. It is believed that in order for human beings to survive in a society, it is necessary for them to communicate. Is that why man is a social animal? To be accurate, it is true and very much factual. Human beings cannot survive if they are unable to communicate and lack interpersonal skills. Communication skills can be defined as ‘That situation in which a source transmits a message to a receiver with conscious intent to a ffect the latter’s behavior.’ This specifies that the process of expressing thoughts and messages through language or actions is called communication. Hence, it verifies that without the help of communication, human beings cannot continue to exist; especially without speech, because it is thought to be exceedingly imperative as we need to slot in and complete very complex everyday jobs involving collaboration. To validate that proper communication you should be is indispensable; Bach & Grant (2009) said â€Å"There are times, though, when we experience situations where we consider that an interaction did not go smoothly; perhaps we were misunderstood or a friend reacted differently to how we expected.† Explaining the importance of communication between couples, another important term with reference to communication, is ‘nonverbal communication skills’; these skills are meant to make the communicator feel safe, respected, and understood. Petersen (20 07) has verified â€Å"Listening to understand requires a non-judgmental attitude that can go against what most of us were taught, that is, to listen for rights and wrongs.† Therefore, the aspect which has been selected for influencing problems that married couples face is lack of communication. Communication students can directly relate to this topic, as it verifies how lack of communication could reform the society and how these students can elucidate its reach. The fact that problems couples face after marriage has immersed in almost all societies, and what is more essential for elaboration is the fact that it is spontaneously shifting its frame of totality in all societies, which makes it perplexed to be analyzed in a specified precinct. Hence, this problem, its effectiveness and its causes are under assessment with the help of reviewing literature and a qualitative research method. It has been formulated that misunderstandings between couples emerge due to the fact that men and women communicate differently. Instead of communicating with each other, couples tend to talk to others about it and do not gain the idea that this would not solve problems. What needs to be pondered upon is that while staying on this path, couples become hopeless and verify that communication is of no use. Rather than making each other understand the issues they are facing, couples move towards differences which lead to problems like divorces and separations. The specified reason that this topic has been

Traditional Versus Lean Project Management Techniques Information Technology Essay

Traditional Versus Lean Project Management Techniques Information Technology Essay Project management is a structured approach towards managing projects. It is defined as The application of knowledge skills, tools and the techniques to project activities in order to meet stakeholders needs and expectations from a project (Burke, 2003). The project management team is responsible for finding methods of meeting the control budgets and schedule rather than justifications for not meeting them (Ballard and Howell, 1997). Developing a fully integrated information and control system to plan, instruct, monitor and control large data amounts, quickly and accurately for problem solving and decision making will determine the success of the manager. Projects are temporary production systems. Production is defined as designing and making things. Designing and making something for the first time is done through a project, which is arguably the fundamental form of production system. Three fundamental goals of production systems are (Ballard and Howell, 2003) Deliver the product Maximize value Minimize waste Lean Project Management Performance improvement for competitive advantage is a general characteristic of practitioners in most industries (Porter, 1985). In project management for satisfactory performance the consideration of time, cost and quality is not adequate. Performance is described in terms of attaining value effectively and efficiently where effectiveness is maximising value of output whereas, efficiency refers to minimising or elimination non value-adding items in production. Beside a stream, dont waste water, even in a forest, dont waste firewood. Chinese Proverb The systems those are structured to deliver the product while maximizing value and minimizing waste, are said to be lean projects (Ballard and Howell, 2003). Lean is the term originally coined in 1990 by Womack, Jones and Roos to describe the Toyota Production System (Reeves, 2007). A production system which was capable of producing more and better vehicles in less time, less space and using fewer labour hours was given the name Lean. Organizations can reduce project timelines and costs by eliminating waste and focusing on value creation for the customer. The bottom line with lean is: if the action does not provide value to the end customer then it is waste. Lean refers to a general way of thinking and specific practices that emphasize less of everything fewer people, less time, lower costs (Reeves, 2007). Lean project management has been constructed by drawing together two approaches: management of projects and lean production. For project management performance improvement, the management of project focuses on meeting customer needs effectively while lean production aims at meeting customer needs efficiently utilised in lean project management. The justification of lean production with management of project is done at the methodological level (Horman and Kenley). Lean Project Management Methodology Management of Projects Methodology Lean Production Methodology Figure 1: Generation of Lean Project Management Methodology Fig. 1: Generation of Lean Project Management Methodology Lean product development helps improve a companys competitive advantage. Its application in the automobile industry has brought significance performance improvement. But this does not mean that lean production is applicable to only automobile industry. Many non manufacturing companies like the one those are involved in product development, transportation, accounting, hospital, sales, administration, vehicle repair and many others are making use of the lean principles. There are five traditional lean principles that are applicable outside the automobile industry (Womack and Jones, 2003) value to the customer value stream to provide the product or service that the customer values seamless flow of the product or service pull mode- provide the customer with the product or service in a timely fashion perfection for continuous improvement Traditional versus Lean Project Management Techniques Lean project management differs from traditional project management in the goals it pursues, the structure of its phases, the relationship between phases and the participants in each phase. The traditional production methodology manages conversion of an input to an output. Lean production is managing the production process by converting input to output, by minimising the input flow waste and maximising the value of the output efficiently. Thus the lean production methodology has flow management and management of value in addition to the input, conversion and output of the conventional project management technique. The traditional approach focuses on efficiency rather than value, whereas in lean production the focus is on minimising waste (efficiency) and maximising value of output (effectiveness). Under lean production with the introduction of the notion of value, effectiveness is expanded. In the traditional approach, value is not given much importance. Customers requirements are compromised which extends barely further than market requirements and lowering costs. Lean production emphasises on maximising the value of output by satisfying the customers specific requirements. The change in the production management from conventional to lean production management is because: Inappropriate control mechanisms and performance improvement efforts are used in conventional methodology. Poorly understood and addressed quality under traditional method. These show poor efficiency and effectiveness in the production process which roots from inadequate understanding of the production process. The change in production method from traditional to lean was to add to the existing approach and make it more appropriate for contemporary and complex production systems. Lean Product Development Lean product development encompasses numerous inter-related techniques. The first technique is supplier involvement. Instead of being involved for detailed design specification, suppliers are involved from the beginning of a new product. Since it is the responsibility of the suppliers to develop complete modules for the product, often without detailed specifications, black box engineering is used. Second technique is simultaneous engineering which means performing different activities parallely in the development effort. Parallel development helps reduce time. Another technique is the use of cross-functional teams which consists of members from different functional areas in the company, to facilitate the development of products that are easy to manufacture and assemble. This technique aims at integrating rather than coordinating all the functional aspects in the product from the beginning. When individuals work together to develop a new product, the physical proximity that arises results in the team being integrated. To improve communication, create stronger commitment towards the project and bringing focus for cross-functional problem solving, one should use the heavyweight team structure where the project manager has direct access to and is responsible for the work of all those involved. Instead of detailed specifications because of visions and objectives the whole project is straegically managed. Even though a company implements these techniques, it does not achieve lean product development in a simple way, for successful lean product development the company has to approach these interrelated techniques as a whole. Techniques other than Lean Product Development Lean is a continuous process improvement technique that can be used to evaluate, analyze and improve how a company delivers values to its customers. However this is only one of the several approaches, some other techniques are six sigma and theory of constraints (TOC). Lean focuses on the flow of value to a companys customers whereas six sigma focuses on individual problems, which shows the companys ability to satisfy the customers needs and TOC focuses on the constraints and how to minimize those to improve the volume of throughput within a system. Another technique is lean six sigma which combines the analytical tools of six sigma with the speed and customer value focus of lean to optimize the improvement process. For companies undertaking continuous improvement initiative, it is important for them to first determine the goal, and then apply the appropriate method to achieve the goal. Lean Project Delivery System Theoretical and practical investigations led to the emergence of the Lean Project Delivery System emerged in 2000. It is in the process of on-going development through experimentation. The job of the project delivery system is not only fulfilling the customer needs, but also help the customer decide their needs. It is necessary to understand the customers purpose and constraints, exposure of customer to alternative means for accomplishing their purposes and help them understand the end results of their desires. The lean project delivery system model consists of four phases: Project Definiton, Lean Design, Lean Supply and Lean Assembly. The four phases are a set of interconnecting triads, where some downstream activity takes place from the subsequent phase in each triad. Alteration Decommissioning Commissioning Fabrication Logistics Product Design Design Concepts Purposes Detailed Engineering Design Criteria Operation Maintenance Installation Process Design Use Lean Assembly Lean Supply Project Definition Lean Design Work Structuring Production Control Learning Loops Fig. 2: Lean Project Delivery System. Project Definition Project definition is the first phase in project delivery system which consists of determining the purposes (customer and stakeholder purposes and values), design criteria for translating those purposes for both product and process, and design concepts against which purposes and criteria can be tested and developed. The movement through these three need not follow any specific sequence, although the logical starting point seems to be the purpose. To reveal to stakeholders the consequences of their needs and different value generation possibilities, the cycle through these three modules is necessary. The involvement of stakeholders is a must for the best outcome from the project definition phase. Typical stakeholders can be the client (holds the contract), users of the facility, governing agencies, designers, installers, operators, fabricators, etc. The Lean Design phase should be launched only after bringing the three modules of project definition into alignment. (Project Definition Process: Appendix 1) Lean Design The alignment of values, concepts and criteria is the gate between Project Definition and Lean Design. At the functional systems level, developing and aligning product and process design can lead towards Lean Design. If at all the search for value reveals opportunities that are consistent with customer and stakeholder constraints, the project may go back to Project Definition stage. In order to allow more time for developing and exploring alternatives, the decisions are deferred systematically until the last responsible moment. This differentiates the Lean Design from the traditional practice of selecting options and executing design tasks as soon as possible causing rework and disruption because of conflicts in decisions made by specialists. Lean Supply Lean Supply consists of detailed engineering, fabrication, and delivery. To know what to detail and fabricate, and when to deliver the components, the system requires prerequisite product and process design. Also Lean Supply helps reduce the lead time for information and materials. Lean Assembly Lean Assembly begins with the delivery of materials and the relevant information for their installation. When the client has beneficial use of the facility, which typically occurs after commissioning and start-up the assembly completes. Comparison of Lean and Non-Lean Project Delivery System Lean Non-Lean Focuses on production system Focuses on transactions and contracts Transformation, flow and value goals Transformation goal Downstream players involved in upstream decisions Sequential decisions by specialists thrown over the wall Product and process designed together Process design begins after product design is complete Considers all product life cycle stages in design Not all product life cycle stages are considered Activities performed at last moment Activities performed as soon as possible Systematic efforts to reduce supply-chain lead times Separate organizations link together through the market and take what the market offers Incorporates learning into project, firm and supply-chain management Learning occurs periodically Stakeholders interests aligned Stakeholders interests not aligned Sized buffers located to perform their function of absorbing system variability Sized buffers located for local optimization -(Ballard and Howell, 2003) The Difficult Path to Lean Product Development Lean product development is not an easy thing to do. Several factors can hinder attempts to achieve lean product development. The different factors are: Cross-functional team is a technique that helps an organization in lean product development. They might be having a positive impact on the development effort, but creating cross-functional teams is a difficult task. Even today development is regarded to be a task for the Research and Development department, this shows lack of cross-funtional focus in the organization which ultimately leads to difficulty in creating cross-funtional integration. Simultaneous engineering is another technique towards lean product development, but working with concurrent activities and thus overlapping phases in the development effort is a very complicated task. It is impsossible for the individual engineers to perform simultaneous activities. Coordination of the lean product development effort is not an easy task. For coordination, regular meetings with the whole group needs to be held which is a time consuming activity. If the size of the group is large it resulted in longer meetings with repeated discussions and it may also happen that individuals from one department may find it difficult to understand discussions on issues on other department than the one he is from. Organizations face difficulty in coordinating a visionary-led development project, where visions also create problems. Requesting for detailed design specifications disturb the visionary-led projects. For any project, the suppliers must be involved from the beginning of he project, which results in difficulties for the suppliers to give detailed estimate of costs demanded by the top management. The desire to have the flexibility of black box engineering and known cost of the detailed estimate approach, obstructs a lean process. Hindering factors are more easily identified. Other than the hindering factors in the process of implementing lean product development, there are some supporting factors, which helps in the implementation of lean product development (Appendix 2) Benefits Despite lean being originated in manufacturing, it is now applied in many other business areas including product development, administration, accounting, project management and many others, because of its generic approach of eliminating waste to create more value for customer. A variety of lean product development techniques when applied to project management can reduce project timelines, increase customer value and reduce costs. Some other benefits of lean project management are, it helps increase the productivity, higher quality products, reduction in order processing errors, etc. Conclusion An alternative method to project management is lean project management. The lean approach to project management has worked successfully in potentially difficult and complex areas. The approach contributes to project management performance by focusing on the effectiveness and efficiency of delivering value that is satisfying client needs. Its implementation offers the potential for faster product development with fewer engineering hours, improved manufacturability of products, higher quality products, fewer production start-up problems, and faster time to market. Lean implementations have also yielded improvements in the value generated for clients, users and producers, and also a reduction in waste, including waiting time for resources, process cycle times, inventories, defects and errors, and accidents. It also led to a high level of commitment and motivation from the team, and to the satisfaction of the client organization. Lean thinking when paired with an appropriate agile development methodology can provide significant benefits to an organization. It has the advantage of reducing risk to the client, with the right balance of quality, performance and value for money. Lean product development is the beginning of the journey of continuous improvement. Lean techniques are not simply management tools but rather they embody a culture that needs to be enforced from the top leadership down throughout the company. Systematic implementation of lean in all areas of project management will yield benefits that other improvement methods cannot.

Family vs. Society Essay -- Racism Racial Equality Essays

Family vs. Society As children, our parents instill in us beliefs that we carry with us throughout our lives. Many beliefs we are taught have been passed on through generations. One such belief is racism. Racism was widespread in the past, but is strongly discouraged in today's society. Perhaps it is our families, or perhaps it is society that teaches us racism. If we were to look at our families and the mixtures of cultures in our towns, maybe then we would get some sort of understanding as to why racism is so prevalent even today in the year two thousand. Many times it is through our parents and grandparents that racism is passed down to us. Perhaps they don't intend to teach us, but it is through subtle ways that we are taught this. Throughout history, many of us have been taught to look down upon those whom are different than ourselves. I personally wasn't raised this way, but my grandparents were. Many comments they have made throughout the years have often made me feel uncomfortable. I hate to say it, but I am often embarrassed by my own grandparent's ignorance. I've often wondered why they were raised like that. Only after reading Randall Bass's "Fear and Difference," could I get some sort of understanding. He states, "People are considered 'others' when they are perceived to be in competition with or threatening the very core of a culture's sense of self-identity" (210). This sentence made me realize that people feel threatened when another culture with different beliefs mixes with their own. It was then that I become conscious of the fact that my great-grandparents might have felt threatened by the actions of another person or ethnic group, therefore denouncing and condemning them in front of their own children. .. ...s diversity, yet in this day and age there is still widespread racism. "Why," is the question we need to ask ourselves? Why, if we are raised to believe that all of us are different and all of us are special, is there still the fight between races occurring? The answer to these questions might very well be answered if we look very close to home. The only way to solve this dilemma is to teach our children to look past color, creed, gender, age and religion with hope for a better and stronger society in the future. Works Cited Takaki, Ronald. "A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America." 1993. Border Texts: Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co, 1999. 589-596. Bass, Randall. "Fear and Difference." Border Texts. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co, 1999. 205-210. Cose, Ellis. "What's White, Anyway?" Newsweek 11 September 2000. 13 pars. 15 September 2000. .

The Blue Sword CHAPTER FOURTEEN

She woke up with a jolt, hearing her name, â€Å"Harry,† and for a moment she did not know where she was, but was convinced she was a prisoner. It was only Jack, standing in the doorway of the bedroom. She sighed and relaxed, conscious that much of her panic was caused by the fact that her right hand had closed only on bedclothes. Jack was looking at her quizzically; the white-knuckled right fist was not lost on him. â€Å"It's right here,† he said, nodding to his left, where Gonturan hung from a peg on the wall, next to silver-hiked Dalig and long Teksun. She unbent her fingers one by one, and with her left hand smoothed the bedding. Senay and Terim sat up and quietly began pulling on their boots, and Narknon lay down with an offended grunt over the pillow Harry had just vacated. There was food on the table again, and silent Ted stood to one side, poised and waiting to fill a plate or a cup. Harry came into the front room with her left arm close to her side and her hand across her stomach; Gonturan was hanging over her right shoulder. â€Å"Jack,† she said, â€Å"do you suppose I could borrow a – a belt from you? I seem to have †¦ lost mine.† Jack looked at her and then at the saffron- and blue-sashed waists of her two companions. â€Å"Lost?† he said, knowing something of Hill sashes. â€Å"Lost,† said Harry firmly. Ted put down his coffee-pot and went off to search for a leather Outlander belt. The sky was red when two dozen grim Outlanders set out beside three Hillfolk, one wearing a brass-buckled Outlander belt, heading north and west away from the Outlander fort. â€Å"We include one first-rate bugler,† said Jack cheerfully. â€Å"At least we'll know whether we're coming or going.† His men were dressed in the Homelander uniform of dull brown, with the red vertical stripe over the left breast that indicated Damarian duty. Harry permitted herself a twinge of nostalgia for her first sight of those uniforms, in the little clattering train, sitting opposite her brother. She asked, â€Å"Is it indiscreet, or merely putting a good face on it that you're wearing your proper uniforms?† Jack replied, staring toward the mountains, â€Å"It is that most of us have little useful clothing that is not of army issue.† He turned to her and smiled. â€Å"And besides, familiarity also breeds comfort. And I think, just now, we might do well to think of morale whenever we can.† They jogged steadily, with much jingling of tack from the fort horses; Harry had forgotten how noisy bits and chains and stirrups were, and felt that the Northerners would hear them coming from behind the mountains. They stopped just before dawn, in a valley at the beginning of the foothills. â€Å"Tonight,† said Senay, â€Å"we must go east into these hills, for there my village is.† Harry nodded. Jack looked uneasy. â€Å"Harry,† he said, â€Å"I'm not sure my lot will be very welcome in Senay's home town. If you like, we can ride a little farther along the way, so as not to lose time, and meet you near the pass – at the foot of the final trail to it, perhaps.† â€Å"Mm.† Harry explained this to Senay, who looked at Jack and then Harry with surprise. â€Å"We will all ride together,† she said. â€Å"We are comrades.† Harry did not need to translate. Jack smiled a little. â€Å"I wonder if Corlath would approve.† Terim had caught the king's name, and asked Harry what was said. â€Å"He would say the same, of course,† Terim replied. â€Å"It is true we are often enemies, but even when we are enemies, we are nearer each other than we can ever be to the Northerners, at least so long as only human blood runs in our veins. It is why this war is so bitter. We cannot occupy the same land. It has always been thus.† â€Å"We don't occupy the same land particularly well ourselves, however human we may be,† said Jack, and when Terim looked inquiringly at him, Jack put it in Hill-speech. Terim chewed his lip a minute. â€Å"Yes, we fight, and usually we do not love each other; but we are still the same. The Northerners are not. You will see. Where their feet step, it will be as if our land were sown with salt.† Jack looked at Harry, and Harry looked at Jack. â€Å"I am not sure of this,† she said. â€Å"I know the wizardry their folk produce is different than the Hillfolk's, and †¦ I know that any possibility of a part-blood Northerner is looked on with disgust and †¦ fear. You call someone half-North, thidik, and they may be forgiven for trying to kill you. Evidently,† and Harry's voice was very even, â€Å"Hill and Outlander blood is supposed to cross more gracefully.† As Jack stared at his horse's neck, Senay leaned toward him, and touched his horse's mane. â€Å"We are like enough, Jack Dedham; we all follow Harimad-sol.† Jack smiled. â€Å"We all follow Harimad-sol.† Harry said, â€Å"Jack, you are not following me. Don't you start.† Jack looked at her, still smiling; looked up, for his stolid gelding Draco was a hand and a half shorter than Sungold. But he did not answer. They rested most of the day and started off again an hour before sunset, following Senay's directions. The desert was behind them now, and so neither the sun nor the conspicuousness of traveling through empty country would force them to march only by night. It was near midnight when two men stepped into the path before them, and held up torches that suddenly burst into fire. Everyone blinked, and the Outlander horses tossed their heads. Then a voice behind one torch said sharply, â€Å"Who are you, who travel to the town of Shpardith?† Senay replied, â€Å"Thantow, have you forgotten me so quickly?† Thantow walked forward, holding his torch high, and Senay dismounted. â€Å"Senay you are,† he said, and those near behind could see him smile. â€Å"Your family will be pleased to see you return to them,† although his eyes wandered over them, and the jingling of bits was very loud in Harry's ears. â€Å"These are my comrades,† Senay said simply, and Thantow nodded. He muttered a few words to his companion, who turned and trotted off, the light of his torch bobbing dizzily till he disappeared around a bend of the rocky way. Harry dismounted, and Narknon reappeared from the darkness to sit under Sungold's belly and watch the goings-on, and make sure she wasn't being left out of anything interesting. Senay turned to Harry and introduced her reverently as â€Å"Harimad-sol,† whereupon Thantow swept her a very elegant Hill bow, which included the hand gestures of respect, and Harry tried not to shuffle her feet. They all moved forward again, and after a few minutes the narrow path opened up. It broadened slowly till it turned into a round patch of grass encircled by a white path that gleamed mysteriously in the torchlight. A little breeze wandered around them, and the smell was like roses. Thantow led them around the white path, and at the end of the circle opposite was a tall building of brown and grey stone, built into the mountainside, with moss and tiny, carefully cultivated trees bordering its roof. In the windows of this building lights were appearing. As they approached nearer, the wooden door crashed open, and a child in what was probably a nightgown came flying out, and unerringly sprang into Senay's arms. â€Å"You've been gone weeks and weeks,† the child said accusingly. â€Å"Yes, love, but I did tell you I would be,† said Senay, and the child buried her face in Senay's diaphragm and said, â€Å"I missed you.† Three other people emerged from the still-open door. First was a tall old man carrying a lantern, and limping on one leg; a younger woman strode behind him, then hurried forward to say, â€Å"Rilly, go inside.† Senay gently disengaged the reluctant Rilly, who backed up, one foot at a time, toward the house, not caring whom she might run into, till she bumped into the doorframe, fell through it, and disappeared from view. The young woman turned back to Senay, and embraced her long and silently. When the old man came up to them, he called Senay daughter. Harry blinked, for this man was certainly the local lord, the sola, of this place; but then, to be able to send his daughter so far to the laprun trials, perhaps it was not surprising. The third person was a young man, Senay's brother, for they both looked like their father; and he patted her arm awkwardly and said, â€Å"How was it?† He looked about sixteen. Senay smiled at him. â€Å"I was well defeated,† she said, in the traditional phrase, â€Å"and I wear my sash so,† and her fingers touched the torn rent. Harry sighed. â€Å"This is Harimad-sol,† Senay said, â€Å"who wielded the sword that cut my sash. She took the trials.† The old man turned to look at her sharply, and Harry met his gaze, wondering if he would comment on her obviously Outlander cast of features under the Hillman's hood; but he looked at her a moment, the lantern light shining in her eyes, and then bowed himself, and said, â€Å"My house is honored.† Only then did his eyes drop to the blue hilt just visible beyond the edge of her cloak. He turned to look at the rest of them, and his quiet face gave nothing away as he looked at two dozen Outlander cavalry standing uneasily at his threshold. â€Å"These are my comrades,† Senay said again, and her father nodded; and the woman, Senay's stepmother, said formally, â€Å"They are welcome.† Terim and Jack followed Harry and Senay into the house, while Jack's men and horses were led along the stone ridge of mountainside that the sola's house was built against, to a long low hall. â€Å"It is the village meeting-place,† Senay explained. â€Å"Many of our Hill towns have them, near the sola's house, for there we can all come together to talk or to celebrate; and when it is necessary we can shelter our friends and stable their horses.† Harry nodded slowly. â€Å"And if you must †¦ defend?† The old man smiled without humor. â€Å"There are caves, and twisting paths that lead pursuers to walls of stone or cliffs; and we can disappear if we must. You would not have come easily to this place if Senay had not guided you. The Hills are not good country for conquerors; there are too many holes in them.† â€Å"Yes,† murmured Jack. The room they entered was a large one; there were rugs on the floors and walls, and a long low table beside a long window, although it was closely curtained now. â€Å"Rilly,† said her mother firmly, â€Å"you may stay up for a short while, but you must put your robe and your boots on.† Rilly disappeared again. Servants entered the room bringing malak and small fat cakes, and Rilly reappeared and snuggled down by Senay, who put an arm around her. Harry waited, wondering if she would have to explain their errand; but Senay said with the same simplicity as she had explained the Outlanders as her comrades: â€Å"We go to stop the Northerners who come through the Madamer Gate. Who is there that can come with us?† Sixteen riders joined them in the morning when they set out once more, and Harry began to feel a trifle silly riding at the head of what was becoming at least a company if not an army. But it was obviously expected of her to ride first, chin in the air, staring forthrightly ahead. It's better than one mad Outlander on a Hill horse, she thought. What would I have done if Senay and Terim hadn't followed me, if Jack hadn't been at the fort? â€Å"Jack,† she said. â€Å"Mmm?† â€Å"Have you ever seen Ritger's Gap?† â€Å"No. Why?† â€Å"I am wondering, in a foresightful commanding sort of way, how ridiculous a few dozen of us strung out across it are going to look when – if – the Northerners do in fact decide to use it.† Jack grimaced. â€Å"Not very – silly, I mean. I believe it's a very narrow place; there's a valley spread out on the far side of it, but the gap itself we should be able to bottle up for some time, even the few of us.† Harry expelled her breath. â€Å"I do keep thinking how much of a fool's errand this is.† Jack smiled. â€Å"A noble and well-meaning fool's errand at least.† That night Harry dreamed: Ritger's Gap, the Madamer Gate, was a thin cleft of rock, no more than two-horse width; on the south side was a small rocky plateau, which then fell away abruptly into the forested mountainside. On the north was a wide bowl of valley with some dull brush and loose rock covering it; uneven footing, she thought in her dream, and no protection. Not a battlefield of choice. The valley led slowly up to the final narrow gap in the rock. She turned in her dream, and saw a little string of riders, the leader on a tall chestnut horse that gleamed like fire in the sun, striding up the path to the rocky plateau. She had seen these riders before, toiling up that mountainside. The familiarity of the vision comforted her; perhaps she had, after all, made the right choice when the path had forked. Perhaps she would justify Luthe's faith in her. And Corlath? She woke with a start. There was the greyness before true dawn in the sky, but she arose nonetheless and began to stir the fire. She noticed, with a flash of fear and anger, that her hand trembled; and then the fire burned up, and in its red heart she saw two faces. First was Corlath's. He stood quietly, staring at something she could not see; and he looked sad, and the sadness wrung her heart as though she were the cause of it. Then his face became the flames of a campfire again, but they flickered and rearranged themselves and became the face of Aerin, who smiled wryly, and it came into Harry's mind that perhaps Aerin had something to do with Senay and Terim following her, and Jack having sent Richard alone to argue for the General Mundy. Harry smiled a little, weakly, herself, at the face in the fire. Aerin looked away, as if something had caught her attention, and there was a blue glint at her side, which might have been Gonturan's hilt, or only the snapping of a small fire. â€Å"Do we ride out early, then?† said Jack, his voice rough with sleep. â€Å"Yes,† said Harry. â€Å"I don't like my dreams – and I †¦ suspect that I am supposed to pay attention to some of my dreams.† Their voices caused other sleepers to stir, and by the time the sun rose up over the crest of the Hills on their right, they had ridden some miles. â€Å"We will be there by tomorrow,† said Harry at their midday halt; and the grimness of her own voice surprised her. She was sitting on the ground as she spoke, and Narknon came to her, and wrapped herself around her shoulders and back like a fur cloak, as if to comfort her. There was a scuffle, suddenly, to one side, and Harry whipped around, one hand on Gonturan. A tall woman strode out from the trees, two of Jack's soldiers, looking tousled, slightly annoyed, and slightly afraid, standing on her either side. One of them held half a loaf of bread and the other a drawn dagger; but he held it like a bread knife. The woman was dressed in brown leather; there was a woven blue belt, sky blue, a color that comforted the eye, around her waist, and a dull crimson cap on her head; and she wore a quiver of arrows over her shoulder and carried loosely in her hand a long bow, with blue beads the color of her belt twisted just below the handgrip. â€Å"I am Kentarre,† she said. â€Å"Forgive the abruptness of my arrival.† â€Å"The filanon,† breathed Senay, standing stiffly at Harry's side. â€Å"The who?† muttered Harry; and then to the tall woman, â€Å"You have just proven to us that we need to post sentries, even to eat a mouthful of bread. We thought ourselves alone here, and our haste to our own ends has made us careless.† â€Å"Sentries, I think, would not have stopped me, and you see – † and Kentarre held up her bow – â€Å"I come in peace to you, for I cannot notch an arrow before any of your people might stop me.† She spoke Hill-speech, but her accent was curious, and the inflections were not predictable. Harry found she had to listen closely to be sure she heard correctly, for she was not that accustomed to the Hill tongue herself. Perhaps it was her attention that caught the unspoken â€Å"even† before â€Å"I cannot notch an arrow,† and she smiled faintly. Kentarre stood quite still, smiling in return. Narknon came to sit, in her watch-cat disguise, at Harry's feet. She gave Kentarre one of her long clear-eyed looks and then, without moving, began to purr. One mark in your favor, thought Harry, for Narknon's judgment is usually pretty good. â€Å"What do you wish of us?† she said. Kentarre said, â€Å"We have heard, even in our high Hilltops, where we talk often to the clouds but rarely to strangers, that she has come who carries the Lady Aerin's sword into battle once more; and we thought that we might seek her, for our mothers' mothers' mothers followed her long ago, when Gonturan first came to Damar in the hands of the wizard Luthe. So we made ready for a long journey; and then we found that Gonturan, and the sol who carries her, were coming to us; and so we waited. Three weeks we have waited, as we were told; and you are here; and we would pledge to you.† In the last sentence Kentarre's lofty tone left her, and she looked, quickly and anxiously, into Harry's face, and color rose to her cheekbones. Harry was doing some rapid calculations. Three weeks ago she had sat in a stone hall and eaten breakfast with a tall thin man who had told her that he had no clear-cut fortune for her, but that she should do what she felt she must do. Harry met Kentarre's gaze a little ruefully. â€Å"If you knew so well when we would be here, perhaps you know also how pitifully few we are and how heedless an errand we pursue. But we would welcome your help in holding the Northerners back for what time we may, if such is also your desire.† The last finger of the hand holding the bow gently spun one of the blue beads on its wire; and Harry thought that Kentarre was not so much older than herself. â€Å"Indeed, we do wish it. And if any of us remain afterward, we will follow you back to your king, whom we have not seen for generations, for in this thing perhaps all of what there is left of the old Damar must come together, if any of it is to survive.† Harry nodded, thinking that perhaps Kentarre's people would be convinced to go without her when the time came, for Corlath was likelier to be pleased to see them without his mutineer in their midst; but such thoughts were superfluous till they found out if any of their number would survive a meeting with the Northerners. Kentarre turned and stepped briskly back into the woods. â€Å"The filanon,† Senay murmured again. â€Å"The which?† Harry said. â€Å"Filanon,† she repeated. â€Å"People of the trees. They are archers like none else; it is said they speak to their arrows, which will turn corners or leap obstacles to please them. They are legends now; even my people, who live so near their forests, have believed that they no longer exist, even if the old tales are true, and once the filanon, with their blue-hung bows, did live high in the mountains where no one else went.† She paused a moment, and added, â€Å"Very rarely one of us has found one of the blue beads; they are thought to be lucky. My father has one that his father found when he was a little boy. He was wearing it the day the gursh – boar – gored him, and he said that it would have had him in the belly, and killed him, if the blue bead had not turned the beast at the last.† Jack said, â€Å"Tell me, Captain, do you always take in the loose wanderers you find in the woods if they offer to fall in with you?† Harry smiled. â€Å"Only when they tell stories that I like. Three weeks ago I was talking to a †¦ wise man who told me that †¦ things would happen to me. I am inclined to believe that this is one of them. Besides, Narknon likes her.† Jack nodded. â€Å"I prefer to believe you. Although I have my doubts about your tabby's value as a judge of character.† He blinked at her once or twice. â€Å"You're different, you know, than you were when you still lived with us Outlanders. Something deeper than the sunburn.† He said this, knowing its truth, curious to see its effect upon the young woman he had once known, had once watched staring at the Darian desert. Harry looked at him, and Jack was sure she knew exactly what was passing through his mind. â€Å"I am different. But the difference is a something riding me as I ride Sungold.† She looked wry. Jack chuckled. â€Å"My dear, you are merely learning about command responsibility. If you were mine, I'd promote you.† They finished their noon meal without seeing anything more of Kentarre; but as they mounted, many of them looking nervously around for more tall archers to burst from the bushes upon them, the materialization suddenly took place. Kentarre stood before Harry with a dark-haired man at her elbow; he carried a bow too, but among the blue beads at its grip was one apple-green one; and his tunic was dun-colored. Then Harry without turning her head saw that the path was lined with archers; she nodded blandly as if she had expected them to appear like this – which in fact she rather had – and moved Tsornin off. Kentarre and the man fell in with her and Jack and Senay and Terim, and the rest of the archers followed after the last horses had passed. Kentarre walked with as free and swinging a pace as Sungold. There were about a hundred of her new troop, Harry found, when they stopped again. With them were about twenty hunting-cats: bigger-boned, with broader flatter skulls than Narknon's, and more variety of color than Harry had seen among Corlath's beasts. Narknon herself kept carefully at Harry's heels: even the indomitable Narknon seemed to feel discretion was the better part of valor when faced with twenty of her own kind, and each of them a third larger than herself. Harry and her company found a little rock bowl, sheltered from the northwest wind that had begun to blow that afternoon, and all of them clustered in it, around several small fires. The archers unstrung their bows and murmured to or over their arrows, and the others watched them surreptitiously. Bows seemed as outlandish to the sword-bearers as feathers on one of their horses. Jack's men felt absently for revolvers that weren't on their hips. At dawn they set off again, and now Harry felt that she rode into her dream; perhaps she would wake up yet and find herself in the king's tent, with unknown words on her lips and Corlath's hands on her shoulders, and pity in his eyes. They rode, the archers striding long-legged behind them, up a narrow trail into the mountain peaks; up the dark unwelcoming slopes to the border of the North. The cold thin air bit at their throats, and the sun was seen as scattered falls of light through the leaves. The ground underfoot was shaly, but Tsornin never stumbled; his ears were hard forward and his feet were set firmly. Harry tapped her fingernail on the big blue stone in the hilt of Gonturan and thought of a song she'd sung as a child; the tune fluttered through her mind, but she couldn't quite catch the words. It made her feel isolated, as though her childhood hadn't really happened – or at least hadn't happened as she remembered it. Perhaps she'd always lived in the Hills; she'd se en Sungold foaled, and she had been the one first to put a saddle on his young back, and had trained him to rear and strike as a warhorse. Her stomach felt funny. They reached Ritger's Gap, the Madamer Gate, before sunset, spilling out across the little plateau that lay behind it, with trees at its back and only bare rock rising around it to the mountaintop, a few bowlengths above them. There was a long shallow cave to one side, where the mountain peak bent back on itself, and low trees protected much of the face of it. â€Å"We'll sleep in something resembling shelter tonight,† said Jack cheerfully. â€Å"At least as long as the wind doesn't veer around and decide to spit at us from the south.† Harry was listening to the northern breeze; it sneered at her. â€Å"It won't,† she said. Jack cocked an eyebrow at her, but she said no more about it. The plateau was loud with the panting of men and horses; they had hurried to arrive, just as her dream had told her they would, or must; the last hour, men and horses had had to scramble up, side by side. Harry leaned against Sungold's shoulder, grateful for the animal solidity of him; he turned his head to chew gently on her sleeve till she petted him. After a minute of staring around her she slowly followed Narknon as the cat paced up to the Gap itself and stared into the valley beyond. Even Narknon seemed subdued, but perhaps it was the day's hard miles. Two riders abreast could pass the narrow space in the rock, perhaps, but their knees would touch. On this side of the Gap, the plateau sloped up to the shoulders of the narrow cleft and down the other side, where men and clever-footed horses might climb. Harry stared through, and became conscious of Sungold's warm breath on the back of her neck. Narknon leaped down from her perch beside the cleft, turned her back on it, and began to wash. Harry stood in the Gap itself, and leaned against the spot Narknon had vacated. A pebbly slope dropped down away from her to a scrub-covered valley between the mountain's arms; there was a lower valley wall on the far side, but it fell away into foothills. Harry felt her sight reaching away, into the harsh plain beyond the dun-colored valley and scattering of low sharp hills; and on the edge of the plain she saw a haze that eddied and drifted, like a tide coming in, exploring the shore before it, reaching out to stroke the little hills before it swe pt over them. Harry turned and went back to her company. She said to no one in particular, â€Å"They will be here tomorrow.† It was a silent camp that night; everyone seemed almost superstitiously afraid to polish a dagger one last time in too obvious a fashion; much quiet checking of equipment went on, but it was a shadowy sort of motion. No one met another's eyes and there was no bright ring of metal on metal. Even footfalls were muffled. Jack's bay gelding Draco and Harry's Sungold had become friends over the days of carrying their riders side by side. The Outlander horses were always set out on a picket line while the Hill horses wandered where they would, never far from the human campsite; and Sungold and Draco stood nose to nose often, murmuring to each other perhaps about the weather and the footing of the day past; perhaps about the eccentricities and preoccupations of their riders. Tonight they stood near together with their heads facing the same way – watching us, Harry thought, looking back at them; or watching that awful northwest wind. Sungold nicked one ear back, then forward again, and stamped. Draco turned his head to blow thoughtfully at his companion, and then they both settled down for a nap, one hind leg slack, their eyes dim and unfocused. Harry watched enviously. The north wind gibbered. â€Å"Draco, who knows almost as much about battles as I do, has told young Sungold that he should get a good night's sleep. I, world-weary warrior that I am – that's hard to say after too many hours in the saddle – am about to say the same thing to you, my brilliant young Captain.† Harry sighed. â€Å"Do stop calling me Captain. Carrying Gonturan is enough; and she's not your legend.† â€Å"You'll get used to it, Captain,† said Jack. â€Å"Would you deny me one small amusement? Don't answer that. Go to sleep.† â€Å"Perhaps if I could stand on three legs and let my eyes glaze over, it would help,† she replied. â€Å"I do not feel like sleeping and I †¦ dread dreaming.† â€Å"Hmm,† said Jack. â€Å"Even those of us who aren't compelled to believe in what we dream aren't happy about dreams the night before a battle, but that's †¦ inevitable.† Harry nodded, then got up to unroll her blanket and dutifully laid herself down on it. Narknon couldn't settle either; she paced around the fire, wandered over to touch noses with Sungold, returned, lay down, paced some more. â€Å"I'll send Kentarre and her people into the woods on either side of the Gap, looking down on the valley; we can all mob together here – and see what comes.† â€Å"Splendid,† said Jack from his blanket, as he pulled off his boots. â€Å"I couldn't arrange it better myself.† Harry gave a breathless little laugh. â€Å"There isn't much to be organized, my wise friend. Even I know that.† Jack nodded. â€Å"You could send us through that crack in the rock two at a time, to get cut in pieces; I would then object. But you aren't going to. Go to sleep, General.† Harry grunted. Harry's eyes stayed open, and saw the cloud come across the moon, and heard the whine of the north wind pick up as the clouds strangled the moonlight. She heard the stamp of a horse from the picket line, and an indeterminate mumble from an uneasy sleeper; and Narknon, who had finally decided to make the best of it by going to sleep, snored faintly with her head on Harry's breast. And beyond these things she heard †¦ other things. She had set no sentries, for she knew, as she knew the Northerners would face them tomorrow, that they were not necessary. It was a small piece of good fortune that every one of her small company might have the chance of sleep the night before the battle, and it would be foolish not to accept any good fortune she was offered. But as she lay awake and solitary she heard the stamp of hooves not shod with iron, the shifting of the bulk of riding-animals that were not horses, the sleeping snores of riders that were not human. Then her mind drifted for a few almost peaceful minutes; but she heard a rustle, and as her drowsy mind slowly recognized the rustle as a tent flap closing she heard Corlath's voice say sharply, â€Å"Tomorrow.† She sat up in shock; Narknon slithered off her shoulder and rearranged herself on the ground. Around her were the small dead-looking heaps of her friends and followers, the red embers of campfires, the absolute blackness of the curve of rock and the shifting blackness that was the edge of the trees. She turned her head and could faintly see the silhouette of horse legs, and she heard the ring of iron on a kicked rock. Jack was breathing deeply; his face was turned away from the dying fire glow, and she could not see his expression; she even wondered if he were feigning sleep as a good example for her. She looked at Narknon, stretched out beside her; her head was now over Harry's knees. There was no doubt that she was sincerely asleep. Her whiskers twitched, and she muttered low in her throat. Harry lay down again. The wind sniggered around the rocks, but overhead it flung itself, laughing shrilly, through the mountains, into the quiet plains of Damar, bearing with it the inhuman whispers and moans of the Northern army. Harry shivered. A finger of breeze touched her cheek and she recoiled; it ran over her shoulder and disappeared. She pulled the blanket over her face. She must have slept, for when she pushed the blanket away from her face again the mountain was edged with dawn and her mouth tasted sticky. She sat up. Narknon was still asleep. Jack's eyes were open. He was staring grimly at nothing; she watched his eyes pull into focus to look at her. He sat up, saying nothing, and put his elbows on his knees, and rubbed his hands over the grey stubble of hair on his head. Other bodies were stirring. There was a small spring-fed pool in a fist of rock where the front of the shallow cave was sheltered by the trees; one of Jack's men filled a tin at it and brought it to one of Kentarre's archers, who had produced a slender tongue of flame from last night's ashes. Harry stared dreamily at the little fire till something black came between her and it, which proved to be Jack, kneeling down at their own bed of embers. Harry got up, kicking her blankets off, and went to fetch another tin of water. Jack smiled at her when she returned. She tried to smile back; she wasn't sure how successful she was. While they waited for the water to boil, Harry walked to the Madamer Gate and stared through it. The top of her head stood above the rock cleft, and the north wind howled down on her; her scalp felt tight and cold. The haze still hung where she had seen it the evening before, at the beginning of the foothills; but this morning she felt she could see flashes of color and motion within it. The color was the color of fear. The wind chewed into her and she went back to the cave. They were all sitting, hunkered down around their tiny fires; and they were all watching her; or all but Jack, who was shaving. She admired the steadiness of his hand as he bent over a ragged bit of mirror propped against a rock on the ground. She stopped just before the shadow of the cave began. â€Å"Stay out of the wind while you can,† she said. â€Å"It's not †¦ the right sort of wind.† Terim looked up, as if he could see the shape of the wind itself, and not only the way it shook the leaves and bounced pebbles from the rockfaces. â€Å"The Northerners send their wind to chill us,† he said. Harry remembered the creeping touch on her face the night before. â€Å"Yes,† she said slowly. â€Å"To chill us – but I think also to discover us. I prefer that we tell it no more than we must.† At midmorning Harry saddled Sungold, unrolled the tops of her boots and lashed them to her thighs, settled her leather vest with particular care across her shoulders, and Gonturan against her hip. Shield and iron-bound helm hung ready from the front of the saddle; Sungold turned to look at her. The saddle looked strange, unbalanced, without the bulky knapsacks strapped around it. Draco chewed his bit, and Tsornin pointed an ear briefly at the sound. Shortly before noon Harry sent Kentarre and her archers and their big soft-footed cats out beyond the Gate, into the last trees on the mountains' shoulders rising above the haggard valley. Harry watched anxiously, for the covering of stunted trees was not good, and she felt that every blue bead would be visible; but the archers disappeared as if they were no more than thrown pebbles. Harry was sure that whatever approached them knew the Gate was held against them – knew and smiled at the tale the wind brought; but she could do no more. Jack saw them for the first time just before Kentarre led her archers away. He was staring through a narrow black spyglass; his hands were as steady as they had been with his razor. Harry could keep hers from chafing and plucking at each other only by thinking about it constantly; she clamped them on her sword belt. They felt damp. Harry had been watching those coming toward them all morning and it took her a moment to understand Jack's sudden grunt of comprehension. The fog had flowed into the mouth of the valley, and now it resolved itself into a mass of dark moving shapes which still seemed to cast more shadow than they should, for they were very near. â€Å"Mount,† said Harry. The wind chuckled wildly as it tore at their hair, and pinged madly off metal as helms were settled in place, and dragged at the fingers of gloves, and sword tips, and horse tails. Sungold stood with his nose in the Gate; Draco stood at Harry's knee, stolidly, ears pricked. Harry could feel Tsornin tremble, but it was impatience; and she bit her lip in shame for herself and pride for her horse. Terim's horse tossed its head anxiously and switched its tail; Terim's face beneath the helm was unreadable. Narknon reappeared from wherever she had spent the morning, licking her chops; she hadn't been satisfied with porridge this morning. She polished her whiskers carefully, then came to the head of the column, to sit between Tsornin and Draco. â€Å"Narknon, my dear,† said Harry, â€Å"why don't you go sleep by the fire for now, till †¦ till we come back? This isn't your sort of hunting.† Narknon looked up at her, perfectly aware that she was being addressed; then she lowered her gaze again and stared out across the valley. â€Å"The filanon's cats went with them,† said Jack. â€Å"You'll hurt her feelings if you try to leave her behind.† Harry said fiercely, â€Å"This is not the time to make silly jokes.† â€Å"On the contrary, Captain,† replied Jack. â€Å"This is exactly the time.† Harry swallowed and looked out at the Northerners again. At the front of the army before them was a rider on a white horse. The horse was magnificent, as tall as Sungold, with the same proud head and high tail; red ribbons fluttered from its forelock and crest. His reins were golden glints against its snowy neck; and the rider's heavy sword was a great golden bar at his side. Beside him a dark rider on a mud-colored beast carried a banner: white, with a red bird on it, a bird of prey with a curved beak. â€Å"No army can move that fast,† said Jack. â€Å"No,† said Harry. The white horse screamed and Sungold answered, rearing; Harry punched his neck with a closed fist, and he settled back, but his haunches were tensed under him, waiting to hurl them forward. â€Å"Very well,† said Harry. â€Å"We will go to meet them now.† A rain of arrows fell from the sky into the dark sea at their feet, and some of the dark many-shadowed shapes fell, and weird cries drifted up to the watchers at the Gate. â€Å"At least arrows pierce them,† Harry heard Terim say. Sungold's ears lay flat to his head, and he pranced where he stood. Harry could hear the horses moving up close behind her; Senay and Terim stood with their horses' front feet half up the rock slope on either side of the Gap. â€Å"Jack,† said Harry. â€Å"You wait here; we'll come back when we're ready for a breather, and you can argue with them for a while.† â€Å"As you say, Captain,† said Jack. And he whispered, â€Å"Good luck, Harimad-sol.† Harry gestured to Jack's trumpeter, and they sallied out under a banner of bright brass notes, for they carried no other. Sungold leaped down the slope, and the white stallion reared and neighed; his rider turned him and galloped to one side, and the lightless mass of the army surged up the sides of the valley. War-cries rang in harsh throats, twisted by ill-shaped tongues. The ground before the Gate was in Harry's favor, for there was little room to maneuver, and no room for the overwhelming numbers of the Northerners to sweep around their small adversaries and crush them. Each side must fight on a narrow front; it was a question merely of how long the Hillfolk had the strength to fight, for there were always replacements for any Northerner who fell or grew weary. Harry pulled Gonturan from her scabbard and swung her once, shrilling through the air, splitting the northern wind into fragments that fell, crying, under Sungold's feet. â€Å"Gonturan!† yelled Terim. â€Å"Harimad-sol and Gonturan!† called Senay, not to be outdone; and then the Hillfolk met the Northerners. Sungold plunged and struck with teeth and hooves as Gonturan cut and thrust; and Harry felt the yellow wave rising in her mind and was glad of it, for her intellect was of little use, and that the wrong sort, just now; and she noticed that Gonturan was wet with blood, but that the blood seemed an odd color. Clouds massed to cover the sun, but they kept breaking up and drifting away again, and the Hillfolk fought more strongly for this proof that the black army was not all-powerful. Harry was dimly aware that Draco's head was at her knee again, and there was a momentary lull when her right arm could drop and her small shield rest heavily on her leg, and she said, â€Å"Where did you come from?† â€Å"It looked as if you never would come back and give us a chance, and we got tired of waiting,† said Jack; and then the battle swelled around them again, and the clank of metal and the bash of blows rose up and smothered them. There was a smear of blood along Sungold's neck, and as he tossed his head, foam flew backward and ran down Harry's forearm. Those they fought were hard to see clearly, even from as close as a sword stroke. Harry saw better than most and still she could not say why she was sure that those she faced were not all human. Some glittering eyes and swift arms were human enough; but others seemed to swing from curiously jointed shoulders and hips, and the eyes were set oddly in odd-shaped skulls – although perhaps the skulls were all right, and the helms were deliberately misshapen. Some of the horses too were true horses; but some had hides that sparkled like scales, and feet that hit the ground unlike hooves, and teeth that were pointed like a dog's. Minutes passed and Gonturan had a life of her own; and the next time Harry saw Jack, Draco crashed into them from one side and Jack's stirrup caught at her ankle; and he yelled, â€Å"You might think of retiring for a few minutes, Captain; we've upset them, and we deserve it.† Harry looked around puzzled, but it was true; her handful had driven the dark army back; they were halfway down the valley again. â€Å"Oh,† she said. â€Å"Umm. Yes.† â€Å"Back!† shouted Jack, standing in his stirrups. â€Å"Back to the Gap!† The trumpeter picked it up, for he had followed Jack when the colonel struggled to reach Harry, as he had followed Colonel Dedham often before in years and battles past; and never yet had he received a wound that hindered his playing, although the border skirmishes he was acquainted with had little prepared him for this day. He was tired and bloody now, and it took him a moment to fill his lungs to make his trumpet speak; but then the notes flew out again, over the heads of the combatants, and Harry's company collected themselves to fall back to the Gap. Harry saw Senay near at hand, and then the others, one at a time, turning, half aware, in their saddles, hearing the notes of the retreat; some picking up the cry and throwing it farther; the filanon had a long clear singing note that they passed among themselves. As the Hill and Outlander horses wheeled to gallop away and Harry prepared to fol low them, suddenly the white stallion was before her. This one almost looked like a real horse, she thought; but its teeth were bared, and they were the sharp curved fangs of a flesh-eater. Its bit came to a sharp point on each side of its jaw, so it could slash an opposing horse with a sideways twist of its head. Its long ears were flat to its skull, and its blue eyes rolled. It reared and screamed its stallion scream again, and Sungold answered; but when her horse's front feet hit the earth again, he leaped forward; and Harry saw the other stallion's rider sweep his golden sword up in challenge. Gonturan glittered in the sunlight; but when they met, the blow was of more than physical strength. The other rider's sword drew no blood, but Harry reeled in her saddle; the noise the sword had made against her fresh-stained and pitted shield sent waves of fear through her, and her yellow war-rage went grey and dim. Sungold reared and shrieked; the white stallion was not quick enough, and when the chestnut swerved away there was blood on the other's neck and shoulder and rein. This seemed to drive the white horse mad, and it came again; Harry heard through the deadening thunder in her ears that the other rider laughed. She raised her eyes to where his should be, under his blazing white helm, and saw spots of red fire; below that, teeth were bared in a grin in a jaw that might once have been human. The power that washed over that face, that rolled down the arms and into the sword and shield, was that of demonkind, and Harry knew she was no match for this one, and in spite of the heat of Gonturan in her hand her heart was cold with fear. The two stallions reared again, and reached out to tear each other; the white stallion's neck was now ribboned with blood, like the real ribbons he wore in his mane. Harry raised her sword arm, and felt the shock of the answer; the hilts of the swords rang together, and sparks flew from the crash, and it seemed that smoke rose from them and blinded her. The other rider's hot breath was in her face. His lips parted and she sa w his tongue; it was scarlet, and looked more like fire than living flesh. Her arm was numb. The contact lasted only a moment; Sungold wrenched himself and his rider free, and Harry's legs held her on his back from habit, while she struggled only not to drop her sword. Sungold bit the white stallion just above the tail, and the horse kicked; too late, for Sungold again twisted out of the way and bit him again on the flank, and the blood flowed from the long wicked gash. The white stallion threw up his head and lunged forward, away from his enemy. Harry heard the rider laugh again, although he made no attempt to rein his horse around for another attack; an attack that Harry knew would be her last defense. He could wait. He knew the strength of his army and the size of the force that chose to try and block it, for the wind he sent had told him. But it was then, as the white stallion ran from them, and the banner-bearer turned to follow its leader, that from the black ground-swell a long stripy body rose and flung itself snarling at the mud-colored beast. Sungold was leaping forward again before Harry was aware of her legs closing around him; for it was Narknon. The cat slashed at the rider, and dropped away again, and then sprang at the beast's face and seized its nose in her teeth; purple blood welled out and poured down Narknon's matted sides. The beast reared, trying to tear at the cat with its clawed forefeet, but Narknon twisted in mid-air. The beast came to the ground again as its rider made a sword cut at the cat, but it missed, for Gonturan got in its way. And the beast reared up once more, mad with pain, and flung itself over backward; and neither beast nor rider rose again, and the red-and-white banner was trampled underfoot.

An analysis of the Luncheon of the boating party

An analysis of the Luncheon of the boating party Introduction The painting titled Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre Augusta Renoir was done in the year 1881. This painting was guided by real life models all of whom being Renoir’s friends who had gathered on the balcony of the Maison Fournaise , a boat commonly found in Chatou, France. The boat was floating along the Seine River and it apart from the roof, its balcony was basically open to an impressive view.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on An analysis of the Luncheon of the boating party specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Subject matter Pierre Augusta Renoir was an impressionist whose works mostly feature his close friends. The Luncheon of the Boating Party is no different and it includes approximately fourteen individuals. Some of the most prominent characters as from the painting include: Gustave Caillebotte-this was a fellow artist and a close friend to Renoir. He later came to be the custodian of the painting. From the work, he is seated in the forefront wearing a white singlet. He was a revered impressionist and was also a determined boater. Aline Charigot-this is the lady seated in the foreground wearing a black dress. In the painting she is playing with a small black dog. She would later get married to Renoir. Charles Ephrussi This was one of Renoir’s wealthy friends and he was an amateur art historian. He was also a collector and at times doubled up as the senior editor of a magazine called the Gazette des Beaux-Arts. In the painting, he is in the far background sporting a black top hat and, white shirt and a black coat. Jules Laforgue this was Ephrussi’s personal secretary who also happened to possess some poetic skills. He sometimes took on the role of an art critic. Though it has not been confirmed, he is suspected to be the young man dressed casually in a brown jacket and speaking to Ephrussi in the background. In the middle of the composition is an actres s known as Ellen Andrà ©e. She is the one drinking from a glass and she sits directly opposite Raoul Barbier; a baron who happened to be Renoir’s friend.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Louise-Alphonsine she is positioned in the periphery of the composition, to the left of the painting and she has a traditional straw boater on her head. She is bent over the railing of the balcony, smiling and she is supporting her head in her right hand. Alphonsine Fournaise, Jr.-This is Louise’s brother and he is standing next to his sister also wearing a traditional straw bloater. He is the one who took care of the boat rental he is the leftmost character in the painting. Eugà ¨ne Pierre Lestringez-he is wearing a boater and is positioned to the right of the composition in the right hand corner. Paul Lhote-This was Lestringez’s close friend and he was also an ar tist. In the painting he is placed next to Lestringez and they both have been depicted flirting with Jeanne Samary-an actress. Visual characteristics The positioning of the artist was such that he was able to achieve a well balanced painting aside from capitalizing on the dispersion of light to obtain clear and appealing images. The light was also used to capture the mood of the event and Renoir made sure that he used all available reflectors to ensure that the painting was evenly lit. From what we can pick out of the painting, the light mostly came from an opening to the side of the balcony. In order to ensure that the light was evenly spread across the entire composition, Renoir used the white singlets of the two men as well as the large tablecloth in the foreground to disperse it as per his requirements. In order to obtain a well spaced composition and still illustrate the celebratory mood of the event, Renoir made an effort to ensure that he could get in as many characters as p ossible in the background and then put fewer individuals in the foreground. By so doing, the painting developed some element of space without making the party look empty.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on An analysis of the Luncheon of the boating party specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As far as the usage of color is concerned, the artist made sure that white colors stood prominently in the foreground, middle-ground and background of the painting. This was contrasted by an almost uniform usage of black colors in order to avoid a bleaching effect. The usage of color in this painting is most impressive with the background having some lighter tones and the foreground bearing some darker shades bring about the element of distance from the balcony to the trees in the far background. Mood The mood of the painting is celebratory, with the artist trying to illustrate that characters presented in the composition were having a good time. aside from the strategic use of light and color, Renoir managed to lighten the mood of the scene by properly capturing the happy looks on the faces of the characters as well as ensure that the positioning of the characters was in such a way that it depicted some sense of interaction. Personal involvement with the painting Initially, my attention to the painting was almost drawn to focus on the three characters in the right foreground of the composition. At first I thought that the man wearing a white shirt and a black tie, and leaning in towards the two seated characters was a waiter taking an order. It is only after focusing on the literature and paying further attention to the entire scenario that I was able to figure out that this was a boat. The lady playing with the dog (Aline Charigot), also captured my attention and I kept wondering why she had chosen to ignore the bulky man in a white singlet next to her, and instead focus her attention to the dog. After completi ng the assignment I was also in a position to notice more individuals in the background and even appreciate the various interactions at the time of the party. I definitely agree with the book authors that participation and analysis enhance a viewer’s appreciation of art. This is because from the personal experience in this project, I was able to see much more from the work of art after I was done with the analysis than the first time I looked at the painting. Artistic form, subject matter and content work together to send out the desire message of a composition. From this analytical experience, it is easy to notice how the three work together. The painting would not have relayed the same message had the colors and lighting been ignored or if Renoir had chosen to ignore the importance of balancing the subjects in the work.

Don Quixote A Parody

Don Quixote A Parody It is a masterpiece that is known all over the world. Since its first publication more than two hundred and seventy seven years ago it has remained one of the favorites of university students and those who appreciate a great piece of literature. It is a novel that is easy to remember and appreciate because the title itself, Don Quixote.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Don Quixote: A Parody specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The title is already an invitation to read. According to one commentator there is popular appeal and the novel strikes a chord among readers (Cascardi, 2002, p.127). There is a reason why Miguel de Cervantes Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra’s novel is well-known and greatly appreciated. This is because the novel is a good example of how an author used parody. What is a Parody? It is therefore important to first understand the meaning of parody. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary a parody is â€Å"a literary or musical work in which the style of an author or work is closely imitated for comic effect† (Merriam-Webster, 2010, p.1). There are two things that need to be emphasized here in order to have a clear understanding of what a parody is. First of all there is a previous work that has been completed and used as a basis by the writer to create a parody. In other words there is an artistic work that was completed beforehand and that work will be parodied by the author. Secondly, it must be made clear that the author who is doing the parody is not simply copying or using another person’s work as a basis or inspiration of his work. To parody means to imitate or create something that ridicules the original. The purpose of course is for entertainment. A parody can be very effective depending on the ability of the writer and the subject matter used as a basis for writing the parody – the more popular and well-love the subject matter the better. Chiva lry and Romance In the case of Don Quixote it is a literary masterpiece and the popular body of work used as a basis for the parody are the numerous novels of chivalry that were famous three centuries ago. In a time when there was no television and radio, the stories about knights and their adventures are the most important form of entertainment available in post-medieval Europe (Paulson, 1998, p.3). There were knights in shining armor and there were beautiful women in trouble that requires to be rescued. The romance and adventure created a powerful mixture that resulted in a form of entertainment that serves as a distraction from a monotonous life before modern conveniences like cars, refrigerators, and microwave ovens became the norm. But after a while there are those who became tired of reading the same thing.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There are those wh o desired for alternatives and there are those who cannot believe the simplicity and the exaggerated stories found in those novels. This is the reason why Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra parodied these chivalric novels, there was a significant response from the reading public (Paulson, 1998, p.4). It has to be understood that â€Å"parody in Don Quixote is not simply a technique but the backbone of all the adventures in the novel† (Cascardi, 2002, p.173). The author wanted everyone to see the truth behind the exaggerated tales of knights who are almost invincible and always gets to save the day no matter the odds that were stacked against them. The author was able to show this not by giving a serious lecture but by using parody and in effect using humor to show that something is going on for so long that people are used to it and no one dared question the effect or significance of these chivalric novels. The author therefore went on to create a character that is very much differ ent from the usual characterization of a strong and courageous knight. The byproduct is Don Quixote. The parody is seen in the fact that he was not a young man on the verge of discovering his identity and trying to prove to the world his courage and skill in battle. In stark contrast, Don Quixote is already fifty years old and the only reason that he was able to play the part of a knight is because he had time in his hands and he had access to a small amount of money that allowed him to own a bony old horse. He also was in possession of a few tools he mistaken as weapons that a real knight could use and he also had in his service a servant that he thought was a knight’s page. The parody starts at the very beginning of the novel because the author said that Don Quixote sold his property so that he can buy books about knights and their adventures. The reader is immediately made aware of the foolishness of his actions and that mirrors what happened to the people living in 17th c entury Europe. The parody gets to the next level when Don Quixote even in his old age and very limited means decided to not only read but to become a knight. He wanted to emulate what he has read in romances of chivalry. Thus, with an old armor and a bony old horse he went out to rescue damsels in distress and perform mighty deeds even if to the outside world he seemed ill-suited for the job and more so, he looked ridiculous (Paulson, 1998, p.1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Don Quixote: A Parody specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is a masterpiece that both young and old can enjoy because they can relate to it. The teenager who happens to hold Don Quixote in his or her hands will immediately understand the parody. They will appreciate how Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra tried to make an indirect but effective criticism with regards to the excesses of the Spanish court and society’s obsession with knights in shining armor who seem perfect no matter from what angle they are viewed from. Those who are older can also appreciate this novel because of the sad and ridiculous behavior of an old man who had seen better days and desperately tried to recapture the glory of the old days. This means that a parody is not only meant to make people laugh and distract them from the monotony of daily existence. A parody is meant to point out a problem but done using humor instead of using a boring and ineffective lecture. Conclusion A parody is to use what is already popular and well-known and then to use it as a basis for writing something about an important topic. But it is common knowledge that people will not listen or take time to read a boring piece of literature. They would only read if they are not only informed but also entertained. This is the genius of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. He wanted to speak out against the 17th century’s obsession with romantic novels about knights and damsel s in distress. But instead of writing an article that no one would read, he decided to create Don Quixote and his message came across loud and clear. This is the power of parody. Cascardi, Anthony. The Cambridge Companion to Cervantes. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Merriam-Webster. Parody. Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2010. Web. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parody. Paulson, Ronald. Don Quixote in England: The Aesthetic of Laughter. MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More