Three men in a boat summary Essay Example for Free

Three men in a boat summary Essay Pampady is a beautiful village in the Kottayam district of Kerala, India. Majority of the people there belonged to Orthodox Syrian Christian Denomination. Karinganamattom Family is one such old time, famous Orthodox Syrian Christian Family, a branch of which is the Moolakara Family into which Our Thirumeni was born. Parents of Thirumeni: Avira, Thirumenis paternal grandfather had two sons Kuruvilla and Chacko. Chacko married Ilachi from the Velukottu family from Veloor. They had four sons and six daughters. Thirumeni was the fifth child among the nine of them. He was born on 1060 Meenam, 24th according to the Malayalam System or on April 5th, 1885 (Sunday) according to the English Calendar. Thirumenis baptismal name is Kuriakose. Though our Thirumenis parents were not very rich, it never hindered their prayerful life. Thirumenis father used to teach the young Kuriakose prayers by making him sit on the fathers lap. Thirumenis mother taught him Psalms from his childhood days. All these instilled Thirumeni to lead a prayerful life from the very young days. House Of Thirumeni: Thirumenis father Chacko, built a house in the Pezhamattathu Plot. This was at the place called Patham Mile (10th Mile), North Of K. K. Road (Kottayam Kumily Road) around 20 km away from Kottayam town. This house was later donated to the Church to built a Kurishum Thotty (Cross) by the family members after the Heavenly Abode of Thirumeni. Now a big cross in the name of Pampady Thirumeni stands in the place where initially the house of Thirumeni was situated. Education: As per the usual custom that prevailed during those times, it was at the age of 5 (1890) that Thirumeni first started his official education. There was at that time, a small school at Karakuzha on the side of K K Road. Later this was moved near to the small church at Pampady. Hence from then on it came to be known as Pallivathulkal School (School near the Church Gate). At that time, a very famous teacher (Aashan) by the name of Madathil Raman Pilla Aashan was teaching there. There were two classes in this school with around 100 students. Class 1 was under Kushumbil Krishna  Pillai from Erivaloor. Class 2 was under Madathil Aashan. But, Madathil Aashan made it a point to look after the well being of all these 100 students of both these classes.Pallivathulkal School All that was taught in this school was the basic arithmetic and to read and write. Those who wanted to go for higher studies had to go to Kottayam, which was not possible at that time due to lack of conveyance. If a person studies for 4-5 years under Madathil Aashan, he would be proficient in all the required knowledge. Our Thirumeni was a very good student who had a craving for knowledge. He keenly listened to all that was taught in the class. Since he was an obedient and a quite child, he was liked by all. Madathil Aashan was well versed in Tamil. Thus most of his students also learned the same. Among them was our Thirumeni. This is the reason why Thirumeni maintained a good collection of Tamil books later. Character Of Thirumeni: 1890 was a time when caste system was at its peak. Many Nair students also studied with Thirumeni. They never used to go out for lunch as they were not supposed to touch or interact with the lower caste people. Thirumeni used to take Coconut and Molasses (Sharkara Thenga) for these students from home, so that they neednt stay hungry. Thus from the younger days Thirumeni had the habit of feeding all those who were hungry. This continued even when he grew up. Thirumeni was known for his hospitality far and wide. Never a person who came to see Thirumeni, returned empty handed!! Prayerful Influence Of Grandma: During the times when he studied under Madathil Aashan, Thirumeni stayed in the Moolakara Family with his Paternal Grandma Unnichi at his home in Pezhamatathu. His Grandma was a devoted servant of God who followed the prayers and lent religiously. She made it a point to tell Thirumeni devotional stories of Mother Mary and Parables of Jesus Christ. Thirumeni used to listen to all of them intensely. This created in Thirumeni a love for the prayerful life. Thirumeni and the Church: From the very young days, Thirumeni loved taking part in the Qurbana. He used to stand right in front of the church to have a full view of the Mass and even jostled his way up. He longed to serve on the madhbaha and take part  in the Holy Mass. The parish priests at that time: Rev Father Parapurathu, Rev Father Kochukulathil and Rev Father Aykarapadavil, helped Thirumeni fulfil his wish. He was so devoted in his duties that the achens decided to ordain him as a Priest. Many church fathers, including Kadavil Mar Athanasius Thirumeni told this news to Pampady Thirumenis father Chacko. But owing to financial difficulties at home, Chacko did not approve of the idea in the beginning. This denial of the offer led to several mishaps at their home, including Kuriakose nearly incapacitating his right hand in a crusher when he was feeding sugar cane into it. Thirumenis right hand had a slight handicap which led him to be a Left Hander. This made Chacko realize that Gods will was the supreme and it was not right to go against the Lord Gods decision. Realising his mistake, Chacko sent word of his willingness to have his son ordained. Kadavil Poulose Mar Athanasius Thirumeni Sub-Deaconship on 5 Feb, 1899 (Age of 14) Thirumeni was made the Sub-Deacon and given title of the Korooyo (sub-deacon) at the Pamapady Church on 5 Feb, 1899 at the age of fourteen by Poulose Mar Athanasios, who was in charge of the Kottayam diocese. Along with Thirumeni at that time itself, Rev Father O.C. Kuriakose of Kandathil and Alexanthrayose Kor Episcope of Kadavumbhagam was given the Sub -deaconship. Later he was elevated to the order of SHAMSHONO (Full-Deacon) Life as a Deacon: Immediately after he was made the Deacon, Thirumeni proceeded to the Old Seminary for his theological studies. The main Malpan (Teacher) at that time was Vattasheril Geevarghese Malpan. Scaria Malpan of Ilavanamannil, Alexanthrayose Malpan of Mattaykal and P. P Joseph Kathanar (Fr Joseph) of Chakkarakadavil were the other main teachers of Thirumeni. Every Monday morning Thirumeni would walk to Kottayam along with other Pastoral students and would return back on Friday. It was routine for Thirumeni to invite his friends home on Fridays. He enjoyed treating them with tasty food. This hospitality of Thirumeni is well known far and wide and continued till his last days. Slowly the young Deacon became well versed in Syriac Language, Biblical Knowledge and mastered theological treaties and sacraments. He was  a very good student who always respected his teachers and other scholars. His simple life style, discipline, humility and hard work made him a favourite among his teachers. Vattasseril Geevarghese Mar Dionysius (Main teacher of Pamapady Thirumeni) The First Miracle: The young deacon used to stay in Pampady when the seminary closed for vacation. He usually stayed in the Church and always took care to follow the Church Rituals. He used to regularly pray and fast. One year the villagers faced severe famine. All ponds and rivers dried up. All ran here and there in search of water. All crops were destroyed. During this time, on a Sunday after the Holy Mass, the young deacon declared that everyone should pray intensely for three days. Many of the devotees fasted and prayed for rain. But, some unbelievers took this as an opportunity to mock the young deacon. On the third day of the prayer, while congee (kanji / rice porridge) was being served to the poor people on the Northern side of the Church at the Chethimattom Field, the sky darkened and heavy down pour started!!! People had to move to the nearby homes to have their food. The deluge was so heavy that the vessels, like the Chempu (cauldron), in which the congee was made had to be tied to the nearby coconut trees so that they were not swept away in the torrent.Intense prayer of Thirumeni brought forth Heavy Rain Stay in Parumala Church: The young deacon stayed in Parumala seminary as per the instructions of his Holy Malpan, Vattasseril Geevarghese Mar Dionysius. He used to accompany the Malpan to various places. Some time after which Thirumeni got the deaconship, his father Chacko passed away. His father used to constantly worry about the young deacon due to lack of money. Thirumeni himself has told in many occasions that it was very difficult for him to buy even a pair of dress to be used in the Holy Mass. Thirumeni made it a routine to give clothes to the poor on the day of his fathers demise every year (29th of Kanni Masam). Parumala Seminary Ordination as Priest and Ramban: Vattasseril Malpan was impressed by the young deacons prayerful and disciplined life. He felt that the young deacon was apt to be ordained as  the Metropolitan. But before that he needed to be ordained as the Ramban. Thus on 8th July, 1906 the young deacon was ordained as the Kassisso (Full-Priest) by H.G Murimattathu Poulose Mar Ivanios (the first Catholicose of Malankara). The next day the Catholicose ordained him as the Ramban. Thus Pampady Thirumeni was consecrated as the Ramban (Rabban in Syriac) on 9th July, 1906 by the Catholicose H.G.Poulose Mar Ivanios at the Pampady Church. The next day Ramban solemnised his first Holy Mass. H.G Murimattathu Poulose Mar Ivanios (The first Catholicose of Malankara, who ordained Pampady Thirumeni as Kassisso and Ramban) Ramban in Pampady Church After being ordained as the Ramban on 9th July, 1906 by the Catholicose H.G. Poulose Mar Ivanios, Ramban stayed at the Pampady Church. It was during this time that the Pampady Church was rebuilt and the second floor was built to the Nadakashala. The beautiful paintings now seen in the Madbaha of the Church were also drawn during this time. Ramban used to announce in the Church about the planned work and the devotees used to gather together to do these work, which got over very quickly due to the united effort. Ramban was very particular that all the workers should be fed well. The people used to present Ramban with many eatables and harvests when they visited him. And all these were given away to the devotees who used to come to see Ramban. It should be noted that the more he gave, the more he used to get back. Rambans first teacher, Madathil Aashan still continued teaching in the Pallivathulkal school, adjacent to the church. It was Rambans another main hobby to present the students there with eatables. Thus Ramban was loved by one and all.Pampady Church Ramban in Parumala Seminary At this time, as per the instruction of Rambans Malpan H G Vattasseril Thirumeni, Ramban shifted to the Parumala seminary. There he served as the assistant of Kallasheril Punnose Ramban. The stay at Parumala Seminary, where Parumala Thirumenis body was laid to rest was indeed a spiritual renovation for the Ramban. His desire to follow the sanctified foot steps of Parumala Thirumeni raised the Ramban to great heights. He was also appointed to teach Syriac to the church scholars at Parumala Seminary. Vattasseril Thirumeni used to make Ramban write replies for his letters  from foreign lands like Sheema. Rambans Syriac letters were very beautiful and hence his hand writing very impressive. One day, His Grace Abdulla Patriarch, who was staying at the seminary asked Ramban to celebrate the Holy Qurbana. Though initially Ramban was a bit hesitant to Celebrate the Holy Mass in Syriac in front of the Patriarch, it finally resulted in everyone praising Ramban. Pampady Thirumeni as a Ramban Disciples Of Ramban During his stay in Parumala Seminary, Ramban got two disciples: Vattamala Abraham Deacon and Mannukaduppil Kuriakose Deacon. Ramban with the First Catholicose: When the First Catholicose, H.G Murimattathu Poulose Mar Ivanios was not well and was resting at Parumala Seminary, Ramban used to look after him with due care and love. The Catholicose used to term Ramban lovingly as My Ramban (Ente Rambachan). The Bava Thirumeni used to love Ramban so much. Bava played a major role in forcing the Ramban to become the Catholicose, when Vakathanam Kaaruchira Pilaksinos Metropolitan disagreed to continue as the Catholicose.Second Catholicose (Vakathanam Bava / Vailcattu Bava) Pothenpuram Hill Pothenpuram is a beautiful hill which interlocks the places Pampady and Meenadom. Pampady lies in the Eastern region of the hill and the rest is Meenadom. It was told that a deep hum was heard if someone stamps the Hill, and hence the origin of the name Pothenpuram. It is also believed that the name originated because there were many Bisons during that time and hence the name Pothenpuram. (A literal translation may well be Bison Back). Pigs, porcupines and bisons used to roam freely along this tract. Mar Kuriakose Dayara and the Church is situated on the raised plateau, amidst this hill.Pampady Dayara, amidst Pothenpuram Hill Placed centrally between Meenadom and Pampady, it invites co-operative effort from both Meenadom and Pampady region for its all round development. The mile long hill is skirted by fertile paddy fields yielding a rich harvest of mundakan and viruppu varieties of paddy. Till well into the 20th century human inhabitation was limited to the fringes of these paddy fields, it is said. The land was ideal for coconut and areca nut farms. Treated and processed areca nut found ready market in bordering Tamil Nadu areas. Traders from Tamil Nadu used to come and stay in Pothenpuram to deal in  Korappakku giving the name adakkakalom to one of the plain stretches on the hill. The Pothenpuram Hill was initially in the hands of an ancient aristocratic Nair family (Karthavu Family), who resided at a place called Kothala in Pampady. Later this family grew financially weak and hence the various regions of the Hill was sold to different people. Thus the place where the Dayara lies came in the hands of Madathil Aashan, the revered teacher of Pampady Thirumeni.Madathil Aashan Reason for the establishment of Dayara: In the mean time, Pampady Church was closed due to the fight between the two factions. This disturbed Rambans prayerful and pious life. It came to the extent that Ramban had to move away from the Church. It was indeed painful for Ramban to leave behind Pampady Church where he was staying the past ten years and which was his home church. One day, on the way to the Pallithazham school, Madathil Aashan visited Ramban. Seeing the grief-stricken face of Ramban, Aashan understood the situation. Ramban explained about the fight and the result of the same in a sorrowful tone. Aashan comforted the Ramban by suggesting that the Ramban make an ashram and a Church and to move over there. Ramban wanted to know how it could be done, as there was no money. Aashan assured that he would give the land and that the rest would all take place without any worry. Ramban conceded to his beloved masters advice. Ramban invited Cheriya Madathil Velyachan (Valiya Yacob Kathanar) also to see the place. Hence along with the Achan and Aashan, Ramban went and saw Pothenpuram. They liked it immensely and the registration took place on 15 Chingam, 1087. Construction of the Well: The construction of a well was started on 8th Idavom, 1089. Ramban used to come from Pampady to inspect the work. On 25th of that month, Ramban built a tent. On 31st, water was seen in the well. On 1st Midhunam, Ramban started staying in the tent there. After the construction of the well was over, Ramban thought about constructing the Dayara. But due to lack of money, it did not proceed. Instead Ramban decided to rent a house. But due to unavailability of a suitable house, even that idea was abandoned. Slowly Ramban, with the help of a few others started collecting money for the construction of Dayara from the people of Meenadom and Pampady. Construction of the Church: Ramban decided to build a temporary church there at the earliest. Thus the church was built at the place of the current Nadakashala of the Church. Ramban celebrated the Holy Mass for the first time here on 15th Makaram, 1090 along with the celebration of Mother Marys Festival of Seeds (vithu vila perunnal). Many people attended this function. Karinganamattathil Chacko used to stay with Ramban during this time, as a token of his love and respect for the Ramban.Church at Pampady Dayara Ramban: A Guardian for all Ramban soon became a guardian for those in and around the place. He used to take Syriac classes for the children and devoted his time in prayers. Everyday devotees used to bring fruits and other crops to the Dayara. All these were given away to those who came to visit Ramban. Ramban made it a point to show hospitality to who ever came to visit him and gave them food till their stomachs were full!! The same was the case with social service and alms giving.Ramban: Kuriakose Mar Gregorios Thabore Dayara: Soon after the church construction was over, on 13th Medom 1090, Vattasseril Mar Dionysius Thirumeni visited the Dayara. He liked the place very much and stayed there for three days and later proceeded to the Pazhaya Seminary. He christened the Dayara as Thabore Dayara. Ramban: A strict teacher Ramban was a very strict teacher. He used to beat even the best students if they showed lack in studies or indiscipline. Afterwards Ramban used to feel sad about the incident. He used to apply oil and hot water bags to the hurt areas. He also used to buy eatables and present to his disciples later. Church Re-Construction: The stone laying function of todays Dayara Church took place on 28th May, 1920. This was conducted by Yuyakim Mar Ivanios Metropolitan of Kandanad diocese. When the central pillar of the church was constructed, many witnessed a shining star in the sky. This took place in the after noon. The Church was consecrated on 20th January, 1923 by Geevarghese Mar Dionysius Thirumeni and Vakathanathu Mar Pilaksinos Thirumeni. Only very few know who and what Thomas the deaf and dumb, but remarkably loyal servant of Rambachan was or his daily chores in the service of his beloved master. Thomas came on Mithunam 18, 1090, as Rambachans cook. He belonged to the Ooppootil family of Veloor Karickamattom. His father was a regular help for the late Palampadom Vakil. Thomas has spoken at length, of course, in sign language to P.C Yohannan Ramban. Pottan as Thomas was called by some, was very intelligent and had a grasp of most things happening around him. He would take his part whenever he could contribute meaningfully. The way he pictured in sign language personages like Mahatma Gandhi, the Viceroy, Patriarch Bava, Wattacheril Thirumeni, Kurichi Valiya Bava Thirumeni and Julius Metropolitan has been quite memorable. He seemed to pose as though the whole of Pothenpuram was his own. Every tall coconut palm you see on the hill slopes was indeed planted by him, watered by him from the pond of Charothuparambil and Kizhakkemuri. Because they were fruits of his labour he would not part with any of the produce that Pothenpuram yielded. He would express himself without any reserve to anyone. In fact people around had some respect for his temper. He wouldnt even spare Pampady Thirumeni! Thirumenis devoted Pottan

Memory Strategies Essay -- essays research papers

Memory Strategies 2 Abstract   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The research is demonstrating the use of memory strategy in an educational setting; this study examines the use of chunking on telephone numbers by students on campus. There were a total of 40 students that participated, and they were split into two groups consisting of 20 students per group. The control group used chunking as their memory strategy for memorizing a list of 10 telephone numbers. In contrast, the experimental group has used no specific strategy to memorize the list of numbers that was given to them. Each group was given 15 minutes to memorize their list of 10 telephone numbers and they had 5 minutes to write it down on paper. People that used memory strategies has shown to have memorized more telephone numbers, than people who don’t use any memory strategy to remember their list of numbers. Memory Strategies 3 Memory Strategies and Chunking   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People have shown to have better recall on certain tasks when they use specific memory strategies. There are many types of strategies that people can use to improve their memory, but everyone has an effective strategy that suites them most. For activities involving memorizing a list of 10 telephone numbers, chunking would be the best method because it helps aids the sequence of numbers. People can remember about seven items give or take two, which is between five and nine items (Shiffrin, R. M., & Nosofsky, R. M. 1994). There’s a certain amount of items that everyone can store in their short-term memory. That’s why it’s important for people to find an effective way of remembering all of the information.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Relatively large amounts of information are contained in a small number of units by chunking items together into composite units (Bousfield, A. K., & Bousfield, W. A. 1966). A strategy like chunking can be used to break larger units into smaller ones, so people can have an easier way of comprehending the information that is given to them. This process of separating the items can help a person learn things step by step, which increases their chances of recall. Telephone numbers can be separated into 3 groups, for instance 847 - 504 – 8761. People can start by memorizing 847, then 504 and finally 8761, instead of trying to remember the numbers all together.... ...nbsp; 14. Tape Recorded Lecture   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this study, 13 people have answered â€Å"No,† when they were asked if they used any specific memory strategies. There was 10 people that has used the recall and recite method to memorize things, 8 people used word association to try relate materials to something their familiar with. Also, there were 7 people that wrote information down in order to rehearse it, while 5 people used flashcards to go over their material. There are 3 groups of 2 people that used color coding, reading things out loud and making a note to remember things. On the contrary, there are 5 groups of memory strategies that a person has used: they practice with others, meditate; remember things by listening, sing a song or rhyme and tape-recorded the lecture. The students who have used memory strategies mentioned above, are the ones that have scored higher on recall. Memory Strategies 12 N= 40 (19 Hispanic/Spanish Descent, 13 Black/African-American, 7 Asian/ Pacific Islander & 1 Other) N= 40 (32 Females & 8 Males)

Night World : Spellbinder Chapter 12

Fhea settled on the box springs, not the most comfortable seat. â€Å"Now, this all happened back in the days when there was still magic, okay? And Helle-wise could do magic, and so could most of the people in her tribe. She was the daughter of Hecate Witch-Queen-â€Å" â€Å"She was a witch?† Roz sounded intrigued. â€Å"Well-they didn't call it that then. They called her a Hearth-Woman. And she didn't look like a Halloween witch. She was beautiful: tall, with long yellow hair-â€Å" â€Å"Like you.† â€Å"Huh? Oh.† Thea grinned. â€Å"Thanks, but, no. Helle-wise was really beautiful-and she was smart and strong, too. And when Hecate died, Hellewise became co-leader of the tribe. The other leader was her sister, Maya.† Rosamund's whole head was above the mattress now. She was listening with fierce, if skeptical, interest. â€Å"Now, Maya.† Thea chewed her lip. â€Å"Well, Maya was beautiful, too: tall, but with long black hair.† â€Å"Like that girl who came to the vet's after you.† Thea was briefly startled. She'd forgotten Rosamund had seen Blaise. â€Å"Well-uh, maybe a little. Anyway, Maya was smart and strong, too-but she didn't like having to share the leadership with Hellewise. She wanted to rule alone, and she wanted something else. To live forever.† â€Å"Sounds like a good idea to me,† Rosamund growled. â€Å"Well-yeah, there's nothing wrong with being immortal, I agree. Except, see, that it all depends on how much you're willing to pay to be it. Okay? Following me?† â€Å"Nope.† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thea floundered. Any Night Person would know immediately what she was talking about, even if by some outrageous chance they hadn't already heard the story. But of course humans were different. â€Å"Well, you see, it was a matter of what she had to do. No ordinary spell would make her immortal. She tried all sorts of things, and Hellewise even helped her. And finally they figured out what kind of spell would do it-but then Hellewise refused.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because it was too awful. No, don't ask me,† Thea added as Rosamund's interest level immediately shot up. â€Å"I'm not going to tell you. It's not a subject for kids.' â€Å"What, what? If you don't tell me, I'm just going to imagine even worse things.† Thea sighed. â€Å"It had to do with babies, okay? And blood. But that's not the point of this story-† â€Å"They killed babies?† â€Å"Not Hellewise. Maya did. And Hellewise tried to stop her, but-† â€Å"I bet she drank the blood.† Thea stopped and looked hard at Rosamund. Human kids were ignorant, but not dumb. â€Å"Okay, yes, she drank the blood. Satisfied?† Roz grinned, nodded, and sat back, listening avidly. â€Å"Okay, so then Maya became immortal. But the thing was, she didn't know until afterward the price she'd have to pay. She would live forever-but only if she drank the blood of a mortal creature every day. Otherwise, she'd die.† â€Å"Like a vampire,† Rosamund said with relish. Thea was shocked for an instant, then she laughed at herself. Of course humans knew about vampires- the same way they knew about witches. Silly legends filled with misinformation. But that meant Thea could tell her own story without fear of being believed. â€Å"Just like a vampire, actually,' she said impressively, holding Rosamund's eyes. â€Å"Maya was the first vampire of all. And all her children were cursed to be vampires, too.† Roz snorted. â€Å"Vampires can't have children.† She looked doubtful. â€Å"Can they?† â€Å"The ones descended from Maya can,† Thea said. She wasn't going to say the word â€Å"lamia† to a human. â€Å"It's only the kind who get made into vampires by being bitten that can't. Maya had a vampire son called Red Fern and she bit people. That's the story, you see-Maya wanted to make everybody like her. So she started biting people in the tribe. And eventually Hellewise decided she had to stop it.† â€Å"How?† â€Å"Well, that was the problem. Hellewise's tribe wanted to fight with Maya and the other vampires. But Hellewise knew if they did that, they'd probably all get killed. Both sides. So Hellewise challenged Maya alone to a duel. Single combat.† Rosamund pushed the mattress over with a thump. â€Å"I'd fight a duel with Mr. Hendries-he's the boys' trekleader.† She jumped on the mattress and attacked a pillow with hands and feet-and teeth. â€Å"I'd win, too. He's out of shape.† â€Å"Well, Hellewise didn't want to fight, but she had to. She was scared, because as a vampire Maya was a lot stronger now.† For a moment, Thea thought about it, visualizing the old story the way she had as a child. Seeing Hellewise in her white leather shift, standing in the dark forest and waiting for Maya to come. And knowing that even if she won the fight, she'd probably die-and being brave enough to keep standing there. Being willing to give up everything for the people she loved, and for peace. I don't think I could ever be that brave. I mean, I'd certainly hope I would be, but I have a terrible feeling that I wouldn't. And then a strange thing happened. At that instant, she seemed to hear a voice, not her usual mind-voice, but one that was urgent and almost accusatory. Asking a question as if Thea hadn't just decided on the answer. Would you give up everything? Thea shifted. She didn't usually hear voices. I suppose that's what Hellewise must have been thinking, she told herself uneasily. â€Å"So what happened? Hey! Thea! What happened?† Rosamund was war-dancing on the mattress. â€Å"Oh. Well, it was a terrible fight, but Hellewise won. She drove Maya away. And the tribe was left in peace, and they all lived happily ever after†¦ um, except Hellewise. She died of her wounds.† Rosamund stopped dancing and stared in disbelief. â€Å"And you're telling me this to make me feel better? I never heard such a lousy story.† Her chin began to tremble. Thea forgot she was dealing with a human child. She held out her arms the way she had to Bud the puppy, the way she would have to any creature in pain-and Rosamund threw herself into them. â€Å"No, no,† Thea said, anxiously cuddling. â€Å"You see, the point is that Hellewise's people lived on, and they were free. And that may seem like a little thing, because they were just a little tribe, but that little tribe got bigger and bigger, and they stayed free. And all the witches in the world are descended from them, and they all remember Hellewise and honor her. It's a story every mother tells her daughters.† Rosamund breathed irregularly for a moment. â€Å"What about her sons?† â€Å"Well, her sons, too. When I say ‘daughters' I mean ‘sons and daughters.' It's just shorter.† One green eye looked up from a mop of shaggy hair. â€Å"like ‘he' and ‘him' are supposed to mean ‘she' and ‘her,' too?† â€Å"Yeah.† Thea thought. â€Å"I guess maybe neither is the best system.† She shrugged. â€Å"The important thing is that one woman's courage kept us-them- all free.† â€Å"Look.† Rosamund straightened up, staring through the hair. â€Å"Are you just jerking my chain or is that a true story? Because frankly you seem like a witch to me.† â€Å"That's what I was going to say,† an amused voice behind Thea said. Thea's head snapped around. The door was open a few inches and a woman was standing there. She was tall and lanky, with little glasses and long silky brown hair. Her expression reminded Thea of a look Eric got sometimes, a look of very sweet puzzlement, as if he'd suddenly been struck by one of life's overwhelming mysteries. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that she was a stranger. An Outsider. A human. Thea had been blurting out the secrets of the Night World, the history of the witches, and a human adult had been listening. Suddenly her hands and feet went numb. The golden haze disappeared, leaving her in a cold, gray reality. â€Å"I'm sorry,† the human was saying, but to Thea the voice seemed to come from a distance. â€Å"I didn't mean to startle you. I was just kidding. I really was enjoying the story-sort of a modern legend for kids, right?† Thea's eyes focused on another human behind the adult. Eric. He'd been listening, too. â€Å"Mom's such a kidder,† he said nervously. His green eyes were apologetic-and intense. As if he were trying to make a connection with Thea. But Thea didn't want to be connected. Couldn't be, to these people. She was surrounded by humans, trapped in one of their houses. She felt like the rattlesnake in a circle of big creatures with sticks. Sheer, raw panic overtook her. â€Å"You should be a writer, you know?† the human woman was saying. â€Å"All that creativity†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She took a step inside the room. Thea stood up, dumping Rosamund on the floor. They were coming at her-by now, the very walls seemed to be closing in. They were alien, cruel, sadistic, terrorizing, evil, not-her-kind. They were Cotton Mather and the Inquisition and they knew about her. They were going to point at her in the street and cry â€Å"Witch!† Thea ran. She slipped between Eric and his mother like a frightened cat, not touching either of them. She ran down the hall, through the living room, out the door. Outside, the sky was clouded over and it was getting dark. Thea only stopped long enough to get her bearings, then headed west, walking as fast as she could. Her heart was pounding and telling her to go faster. Get away, get away. Go to earth. Find home. She turned corners and zigzagged, like a fox being chased by the hounds. She was ten minutes from the house when she heard an engine pacing her. She looked. It was Eric's jeep. Eric was driving and his mother and Rosamund were passengers. â€Å"Thea, stop. Please wait.† Eric stopped the jeep and jumped out. He was on the sidewalk in front of her. Thea froze. â€Å"Listen to me,† he said in a low voice, turning away from the jeep. â€Å"I'm sorry they came, too-I couldn't stop them. Mom feels awful. She's crying, Roz is crying†¦ please, won't you come back?† He looked close to crying himself. Thea just felt numb. â€Å"It's okay. I'm fine,† she said at random. â€Å"I didn't mean to upset anybody.† Please let me go away. â€Å"Look, we shouldn't have eavesdropped. I know that. It was just†¦ you're so good with Rosamund. I never saw anybody she liked so much. And†¦ and†¦ I know you're sensitive about your grandma. That's why you're upset, isn't it? That story is something she told you, isn't it?† Dimly, somewhere in the pit of Thea's mind, a light shone. At least he thought it was a story. â€Å"We have family stories too,† Eric was saying, an edge of desperation in his voice. â€Å"My grandpa used to tell us he was a Martian-I swear to God this is true. And then he went to my kindergarten Back to School and I'd told all the kids he was a Martian, and they made these beep-beep noises at him and laughed, and I felt so bad. He was really embarrassed†¦.† He was babbling. Thea's numbness had receded enough that she felt sorry for him. But then a shape loomed up and she tensed again. It was his mother, silky hair flying. â€Å"Look, Thea,† Eric's mother said. Her expression was wretched and earnest. â€Å"Everybody knows your grandma, knows how old she is, how she's a little†¦ quirky. But if she's scaring you-if she's telling you any kind of weird stuff-† â€Å"Mom!† Eric shouted through his teeth. She waved a hand at him. Her little glasses were steamed up. â€Å"You don't need to deal with that, okay? No kid needs to deal with that. If you want a place to stay; if you need anything-if we need to call social services-â€Å" â€Å"Mom, please, I'm begging you. Shut up.† Social services, Thea was thinking. Dear Isis, there'll be some sort of investigation. The Harmans in court. Gran accused of being senile-or being part of some cult. And then the Night World coming in to enforce the law†¦. Her terror peaked and left her deadly calm. â€Å"It's okay,† she said, turning her gaze toward Eric. Not looking at him, but going through the motions exactly. â€Å"Your mom's just trying to be helpful. But really†-she turned the same face toward his mother-â€Å"everything's okay. Gran isn't strange or anything. She does tell stories-but she doesn't scare anybody.† Is that good enough? Close enough to whatever you believe? Will it make you leave me alone? Apparently so. â€Å"I just don't want to be responsible for you and Eric-well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Eric's mom exhaled nervously, almost a laugh. â€Å"Breaking up?† Thea made a sound that was also almost a laugh. â€Å"Don't worry. I'd never want that.† She turned a smile on Eric, looking down because she couldn't meet his eyes. â€Å"I'm sorry if I got- touchy. I was just-embarrassed, I guess. Like you said about your grandpa.† â€Å"Will you come back with us? Or let us take you home?† Eric's voice was soft. He wanted her to go back to his house. â€Å"Just home, if you don't mind. I've got homework.† She lifted her eyes, making herself smile again. Eric nodded. He didn't look happy, but he wasn't as upset as he had been. In the backseat of the jeep, Rosamund pushed up against Thea and squeezed her hand. â€Å"Don't be mad,† she hissed, fierce as ever. â€Å"Are you mad? I'm sorry. Want me to kill somebody for you?† â€Å"I'm not mad,† Thea whispered, looking over the top of Rosamund's shaggy head. â€Å"Don't worry about it.† She had reverted to the strategy of any trapped animal. Wait and watch for your chance. Don't fight until you see a real opportunity to get away. â€Å"See you tomorrow,† Eric said as she got out of the jeep. His voice was almost a plea. â€Å"See you tomorrow,† Thea said. It wasn't time to get away yet. She waved until the jeep was gone. Then it was time. She dashed inside, up the stairs, and straight to Blaise. â€Å"Wait a minute,† Blaise said. â€Å"Go back. So you're saying they didn't believe any of it.† â€Å"Right. At worst Eric's mom thinks Gran's bonkers. But it was a close call. For a while there I thought she might want to get Gran declared unfit or something.† The two of them were sitting on the floor by Blaise's bed where Thea had collapsed. Blaise was eating candy corn with one hand and scribbling on a yellow legal pad with the other, all the while listening attentively. Because that was the thing about Blaise. She might be vain and self-centered, quarrelsome, hot-tempered, lazy, unkind to humans, and generally hard to live with, but she came through for family. She was a witch. I'm sorry I said you might be a little like Maya, Thea thought. â€Å"It's my fault,† she said out loud. â€Å"Yes, it is,† Blaise said, scribbling. â€Å"I should have just found some way to keep him at a distance in the beginning.† But of course, it was because of Blaise that she hadn't. She'd thought Eric was safer with her than he would have been with Blaise. She'd thought that somehow†¦ somehow†¦ Things would work out. That was it. There had always been some secret underlying hope that there could be a future with Eric. Some little hiding place where she'd kept the hope that things could be all right. But now she had to face reality. There was no future. The only thing she could give Eric was death. And that was all he could give her. She'd realized that, all in one terrible explosion of insight when she'd seen Eric's mother in the room. There was no way for them to be together without being discovered. Even if they ran away, someday, somewhere, the Night People would find them. They'd be brought before the joint Night World Council, the vampire and witch elders. And then the law would be fulfilled†¦. Thea had never seen an execution, but she'd heard of them. And if the Harmans tried to stop the Council from killing her, it would start a war. Witches against vampires. Maybe even witches against witches. It could mean the end of everything. â€Å"So it doesn't look like we have to kill the mother,† Blaise said, frowning at her scribbles. â€Å"On the other hand, if we kill the kids, the mother's bound to be unhappy, and might make a connection. So to be safe-â€Å" â€Å"We can't kill any of them,† Thea said. Her voice was muted but final. â€Å"I don't mean ourselves. I'm going to call one of our friendly vampire cousins. Ash-he's supposed to be out on the West Coast somewhere, isn't he? Or Quinn, he likes that kind of thing. One quick bite, let the blood run out-â€Å" â€Å"Blaise, I am not going to let vampires kill Eric. Or anybody,† she added as Blaise opened her mouth. â€Å"It's not necessary. Nobody needs to die.† â€Å"So you have a better idea?† Thea looked at a statue of Isis, the Queen of Egyptian Goddesses, on the desk. â€Å"I†¦ don't know. I thought of the Cup of Lethe. Make them forget everything about me. But it might look suspicious-this entire family with a gap in their memory. And kids at school would wonder why Eric doesn't remember my name anymore.† â€Å"True.† Thea stared at the moon held between Isis's golden horns. Her brain, which had been working so coldly and logically, helping her to survive, was stalling now. There had to be a way to save Eric and his family-or what was the point of living herself? Then she saw it. â€Å"What I really think would be best,† she said slowly, because it hurt like a physical pain, â€Å"would be for Eric to stop caring about me. To fall in love with someone else.† Blaise sat back. She stirred the candy corn with long, elegant nails. She ate a piece. â€Å"I admire you,† she said. â€Å"Very sensible.† â€Å"Not yon,† Thea said through clenched teeth. â€Å"You understand that, right? A human. If he falls in love with another girl he'll forget about me without any Lethe. Nobody will disappear or have amnesia; nobody will get suspicious.† â€Å"Okay. Although I would've liked to try him. He's got a strong will-I think he'd have held out for a while. Been a challenge.† Thea ignored this. â€Å"I still have some of his blood. The question is, do you have something you've been holding back, some love spell that will completely blow him out of the water?† Blaise ate another piece of candy corn. â€Å"Of course I do.† She narrowed her gray eyes. â€Å"Also, of course, it's a forbidden spell.† â€Å"I figured. Blaise, I'm now the princess of forbidden spells. One more doesn't matter. But I'll do the actual working, I don't want you to get in trouble.† â€Å"You won't like it. It involves the bezoar stone from the stomach of an ibex-which I just happened to pick up while we were living with Aunt Gerdeth.† Ibex were an endangered species. But this one was already dead. â€Å"I'll do the working,† Thea said stubbornly. â€Å"You really care about him, don't you?† â€Å"Yes,† Thea whispered. â€Å"I still think we're soul-mates. But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Would you give up everything? â€Å"I don't want to be the reason he dies. Or the reason a war starts between the Harmans and the rest of the Night World. And if I have to give him up, I'd rather do it myself, make sure he's safe with somebody else who loves him.† â€Å"Have you got somebody picked out?† â€Å"Her name is Pilar.† Thea looked at her cousin suddenly. â€Å"Blaise? When Luke asked you what you wanted, and you said nothing you could have†¦ what did you mean?† Blaise tilted her head back and examined the ceiling. Then she looked down. â€Å"Does anybody ever want anything they can have? Really?† â€Å"I†¦ don't know.† Blaise clasped her knees and rested her chin on them. â€Å"If we can have things, we don't really want them anymore. So there's always something out there that we're wanting and not able to get†¦ and maybe that's good.† It didn't sound good to Thea. It sounded like one of those terrible lessons in Life 101 that were supposed to make you more mature. â€Å"Let's do the spell,† she said.

Theme Of Light And Dark Imagery In Oedipus The King

Sophocles’ masterful work, Oedipus the King, exemplifies the significance of imagery within literature. The perpetual presence of light and dark imagery effectively strengthens the dramatic aspects of catharsis, anagnorisis and mimesis. These factors continually impose the audience to establish a personal connection with the literary work. As an individual, Oedipus possesses the unfortunate attribute of hubris; his ego ultimately causes his tragic demise and convincingly elicits catharsis, an emotional outcry from the spectators. His sight frequently sways due to his sentiments and it compels him to live ignorantly despite the calamitous truth of his origins. He profoundly disregards any indication of a secluded prophecy, one that†¦show more content†¦Me or any man who lives in light† (Sophocles 22). Within this quotation, the light metaphorically exemplifies knowledge and principle, while the darkness establishes the presence of ignorance and deception. Oedipus does not suggest that Tiraeus, a blind male, is incapable of hurting him, but rather, that the seer’s falsehood cannot damage his stature. Oedipus’ arrogance renders him to the point where he is incapable of interpreting the truth of his origins and profoundly desires to maintain his authority as the sovereign of Thebes. Consequently, his conduct incites catharsis from the audience as they witness the gradual collapse of a prominent, dramatic figure. Sophocles additionally utilises imagery to reinforce his clutch on the sentiments of the audience, during Oedipus’ revelation to the truth of his origins. In agony and grief, he states, â€Å"I am deserted, dark, and where is sorrow stumbling? Whence flits that voice so near? Where, demon, will you drive me† (Sophocles 72). Oedipus exposes his vulnerability and sorrowful nature, as he learns that his ignorance blinds his sense of practicality. Sophocles utilises the terms, â€Å"deserted† (Sophocles 72) and â€Å"dark† (Sophocles 72) to exemplify the monarch’s impression of blindness and abandonment after his horrific actions. The presence of dark imagery effectively forces an evocation of emotion from the audience as they helplessly look upon the tragic hero’s fate. With the utilization of light andShow MoreRelatedOedipus The King By Sophocles1432 Words   |  6 Pages The play â€Å"Oedipus the king† by Sophocles began with Oedipus as a King, and ended with his downfall. Oedipus’s fall from his noble status was not by accident or caused by another person, rather Oedipus himself is to be blamed for his adversity. The play uses many symbols, places, motifs, themes, ideas, and imagery to give the audience a sense of reality and foreshadow the fate of Oedipus. Symbols relating to the three way crossroad and Oedipus’s swollen foot were referred to a number of times. MotifsRead More The Search for Truth in Anton Chekhovs The C herry Orchard and Sophocles Oedipus Rex1281 Words   |  6 Pagessinful pride that leads to ignorance in their respective works, The Cherry Orchard and Oedipus Rex. In each drama, certain characters are slapped in the face with the truth; the light is revealed. However, these characters make the connection when it is too late. Their destruction is already destined to become a reality, a horrid fate that could have been prevented. Both Chekhov and Sophocles present the universal theme that an open mind, constantly in search for truth, is the mark of a worthy individualRead More Essay on Light and Dark in Antigone1194 Words   |  5 PagesUse of Light and Dark in Antigone    The Golden Age of Greece is noted for its many contributions to the creative world, especially in its development of the play. These performances strived to emphasize Greek morals, and were produced principally for this purpose. Antigone, by Sophocles, is typical. The moral focused on in Antigone is the conflict between physis (nature) and nomos (law), with physis ultimately presiding over nomos. Throughout Antigone, King Creon is a symbol for nomos, whileRead MoreThe Role Of The Chorus And Its Impact On The Audience2287 Words   |  10 Pages THE ROLE OF THE CHORUS AND ITS IMPACT ON THE AUDIENCE IN OEDIPUS THE KING Angad Dev Singh History of Drama and Theater I Optional Research Paper Tenth of December 2014 The chorus is an essential feature of Greek classical drama. Instances of various types of dance, singing, and speech are some elements of a Greek chorus. â€Å"Composed of similarly costumed men, they performed on the orchestra located beneath the stage. The chorus stayed in the orchestraRead MoreThemes of Antigone2022 Words   |  9 PagesThe Themes of Antigone Antigone is credited as one of the best works of Sophocles, ranked by most modern critics above Oedipus the King. There are many aspects of Antigone that make it the play critics love to decipher and rave about. Antigone must be received as the canon of ancient tragedy: no tragedy of antiquity that we possess approaches it in pure idealism, or in harmony of artistic development hails critic Berhardy (Theatre History). He goes on to rave It is the first poem produced byRead MoreGreek Mythology8088 Words   |  33 Pagesthat  resembled  human  society  in  its  levels  of  authority  and  power.  However,  a  crucial  difference   existed  between  gods  and  human  beings:  Humans  died,  and  gods  were  immortal.  Heroes  also  played   an  important  role  in  Greek  mythology,  and  stories  about  them  conveyed  serious  themes.  The  Greeks   considered  human  heroes  from  the  past  closer  to  themselves  than  were  the  immortal  gods.   A   Gods   Given  the  multiplicity  of  myths  that  circulated  in  Greece,  it  is  difficult  to  present  a  single  version  of  the   genealogy  (family  history)  of  the  godsRead More Modernism Essay examples3205 Words   |  13 Pageswere revealed. This provided freedom for the reader to think about what the author was presenting through the text. The work was created through the inner feelings and workings of the characters and the symbols hidden in the plot and setting. The way themes and points of view were selected went against the earlier convention also. Sigmund Freuds Interpretation of Dreams in 1899 opened the door to previously undiscovered value in the human unconscious. This led to a whole new emphasis of individualismRead Moretheme of alienation n no where man by kamala markandeya23279 Words   |  94 PagesKEY LITERARY ELEMENTS SETTING This tragedy is set against the background of the Oedipus legend. It illustrates how the curse on the House of Labdacus (who is the grandson of Cadmus, founder of Thebes, and the father of Laius, whose son is Oedipus) brought about the deaths of Oedipus and his wife-mother, Jocasta, as well as the double fratricide of Eteocles and Polynices. Furthermore, Antigone dies after defying King Creon. The play is set in Thebes, a powerful city-state north of Athens. AlthoughRead MoreAmerican Literature11652 Words   |  47 Pagescharacteristics often involve the persecution of a young woman who is forced apart from her true love Style: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · short stories and novels hold readers attention through dread of a series of terrible possibilities feature landscapes of dark forests, extreme vegetation, concealed ruins with horrific rooms, depressed characters Effect: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · today in literature we still see portrayals of alluring antagonists whose evil characteristics appeal to one s sense of awe today in literatureRead MoreThe Role of the Artistic Director in a Theater Production2388 Words   |  10 Pagesexecuting the artistic vision of the play. The artistic director is considered to be a creative or interpretive artist as they interpret another person’s work. Production Meeting: A production meeting is when the music director, choreographer, set, light, sound, and costume designers meet with the artistic director to discuss and create the production concept. Dramaturg: The dramaturg goes out to different cities and reads plays. He or she also tries to locate translations of the play, writes articles