American Ethnic Literature Essay

American Literature has been an important part of American people for centuries. What makes this type of literature great is that the authors vision is objective and not one sided. Several of the American authors are still considered to be great writers. The books that were written by these authors are still read by people of all ages around the United States. These books are now considered classic literature. American literature is considered American because it was written by American people. Overall, â€Å"editors appear to use an inconsistent combination of citizenship, geographical location, language, and subject matter (that is, the subject of America and the United States) (Hames- Garcia, p. 1, 2003). Most of the American literature was written by white men. In order to be considered American literature it has to be about the United States. There have been many great authors that write about science fiction, but because it is unreal their literature is not considered American literature. Politics also played an important role in literature. It was of great importance to portray the American character as an â€Å"exceptional entity† (Hames-Garcia, p. 1, 2003). In the early twentieth century, writers who were not American white men were not allowed to publish their works. Women writers as well as Black, Latino, American Indian, and immigrant writers were left out altogether. This happened because other ethnic groups were considered to be inferior. It was until the 1970s that feminist began to speak out and rebel against the oppression they were faced with. It is thanks to this reform that the American literature holds diversity. It allows for men and women to have the same opportunity to express their feelings without having to worry about their race or sex. Another type of literature is ethnic literature. This type of literature is often read as an autobiography, even when making no such claims. This is written on a first person point of view. The author’s point of view is specific to their personal beliefs and life stories. It is difficult for this type of author to provide an objectionable story. They are blinded by anger because of what they had to live. The topics these authors write about covers racism and suppression. The definitions and topics will vary depending on the life experiences that each author or their families experienced. The storyline will also vary because each author lived different time periods, and of course things change over time. Ethnic Literature is great because it now holds different point of views. Every person has a different perspective on what happens around them. What allows for this to be great is that each person is entitled not only to have their own belief, but they are able to express their feelings with freedom. No person is afraid of what repercussion might come because they decided to write from their heart. The truth allows readers to realize that life has been harder for some people more than others. It is easy to forget what our ancestors had to experience in order for each individual to encounter freedom. It is now easy for men and women of all races to walk freely around their city. This however came at a price, and this type of literature allows human beings to read and experience in some small way what it was like to live in a world were the color of your skin as well as your sex had a lot to do with the quality of life you lived. American Literature will continue to play an important role in American people. The only way to enjoy this type of literature is to introduce our younger generations to it. This is the perfect material needed to give to young readers so that they can value the lifestyle they are allowed to live today. It is up to us to keep this tradition alive so that our future generation can enjoy it as well. Reference Michael Hames-Garcia. (2003). Which America is ours? Marti’s â€Å"Truth† and the foundations of â€Å"American literature†. Modern Fiction Studies, 49(1), 19-53. Retrieved October 25, 2009, from Research Library. (Document ID: 328665241). Yonjae Jung. (2004). The New Americanist Intervention into the Canon. American Studies International, 42(2/3), 213-225. Retrieved October 26, 2009, from Research Library. (Document ID: 676208971).

Narrative Paragraph Essay

The toddler climbed laboriously up onto the stool, determined to â€Å"help† her mother. But her mother did not notice; she was far too busy with the frantic preparations for the birthday party. Ten three-year-olds and their mothers coming for an afternoon of treats, games and face painting: a herald of another party, ten years from now, when make up would be the order of the day, the child’s father had observed. As the mixer whirred and the dishwasher swished and the oven beeped its warning of impending culinary disaster, the child’s attempt to be a part of the busy-ness was more than her mother could attend to. She did not notice when the girl reached the top of the stool, nor did she see the tiny hand reach out toward the glinting beaters as they beat the pale golden batter. As she faced the oven, removing the first cookie tray, she heard the scream. Whirling, she took in the tiny hand held high, the tragic face, and the stream of scarlet mixing itself into th e cake. A kiss, a cuddle and a band-aid calmed the birthday girl; a shake of her head and a moment of revelation calmed her mother. A birthday candle in a cookie would be just fine. See more: how to start a narrative essay Paragraph Analysis Purpose: to tell a brief story Structure: no real thesis statement, as there is nothing to be proven in this paragraph, but there is an introductory sentence that establishes character, setting and situation, there are body sentences, and there is a concluding sentence that summarizes the resolution of the main conflict Language: language is relatively casual and includes a single example of the language of the three-year-old child to help establish character Features: narrative components such as plot, characters, setting, conflict and resolution are evident; use of onomatopoeia (â€Å"whirred,† â€Å"swished,† â€Å"beeped†) to mimic the distracting effects of the busy kitchen EXPOSITORY PARAGRAPH An expository paragraph explains something; its purpose is to help the reader understand. In order to ensure that the purpose is achieved, the writer of the paragraph may utilize a number of paragraph features and language techniques. One essential feature is logical organization. This may take a number of forms, including demonstrating cause and effect or following a  chronological order. Another important feature is providing support for the explanation being made. This support may consist of examples, illustrations, statistical or expert evidence, or even appropriate anecdotes. A final critical feature is clarity of language. The paragraph may make employ language devices such as metaphors or allusions to help illustrate its points, but they must be relatively straight forward and easy to follow so that no misunderstanding of the important points will occur. By employing these kinds of features and techniques, the writer of an expository paragraph will ensure that the paragraph’s meaning is clear to the reader. Paragraph Analysis Purpose: to explain some of the techniques used by the writer of an expository paragraph to achieve his or her purpose (!) Structure: The first sentence is a topic sentence; the second is the thesis statement. The body sentences list, explain and give examples of the paragraph’s features, and the concluding sentence summarizes the main point of the paragraph. Language: language is relatively formal Features: The paragraph uses a format of making a point followed by examples. There is â€Å"listing† transition (â€Å"One essential feature,† â€Å"Another important feature,† â€Å"A final critical feature†) between sentences to help the flow of the paragraph. PERSUASIVE PARAGRAPH Telephone solicitation is more than just an annoyance to those on the receiving end of the calls. In fact, telephone solicitation can be disastrous for people in all kinds of situations and, thus, must be stopped. For one thing, telephone solicitation typically occurs in the late afternoon and early evening, prime family time. This can cause chaos in two ways. One, continual interruption of shared family meal times, rare as they can be, can put a significant strain on family relationships; this is a troublesome point in light of the divorce statistics of today. Even worse, when families are embroiled in homework wars or are having trouble getting toddlers to bed, a poorly-timed telephone call may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, moving the suffering parents to lose their cool  completely. This could result in a form of domestic violence, verbal or even physical: yet another reason for a family to break apart. Another way in which telephone solicitation can prove dangerous to people stems from its very familiarity. Because so many telephone calls come from telephone solicitors, offering everything from insurance opportunities to vinyl siding, the calls become accepted as a legitimate way to do business. This plays into the hands of criminals. The trust individuals place in the honesty of the legitimate solicitors is extended to those who are, in fact, dishonest and out to abscond with the proceeds of others’ bank accounts. Clearly, in order to save families and their hard-earned dollars, telephone solicitation should be banned. Paragraph Analysis Purpose: to convince the reader that telephone solicitation should be banned Structure: introductory sentence, thesis statement (sentence #2), body sentences which provide examples for points made, a concluding sentence which states the thesis in stronger terms Language: language is emotionally loaded at times (ex., â€Å"disastrous,† â€Å"chaos,† â€Å"embroiled in homework wars,† â€Å"domestic violence†); added words such as â€Å"Clearly† in the concluding sentence makes it difficult to argue against the point Features: strong rhetorical language; a variety of sentence lengths keep the paragraph moving; short sentences highlight and give â€Å"punch† to inflammatory statements (ex., â€Å"This plays into the hands of criminals.†); stops argument by stating that the evidence â€Å"clearly† supports the thesis LITERARY PARGRAPH Holden Caulfield, the narrator and protagonist of J.D.Salinger’s well-known novel, The Catcher in the Rye, is an unreliable narrator. This leads the reader to suspect that Holden’s story is not all that is appears, and coaxes the reader to look more deeply into the character and his situation. Very early in the novel, Holden himself casts doubt on his reliability as a narrator when he confesses to his in-story audience, a psycho-therapist, that he is â€Å"the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It’s awful† (Chapter 3). This self-indictment alerts the reader to the fact that everything Holden says will need to be taken with a grain of salt and that it will be important to look beyond the surface of the text. Later in the  novel, Holden relates a story about his date with a girlfriend in which she tells him to stop yelling at a club. He protests that he â€Å"wasn’t even yelling† but it is clear from his description that he probably was yelling, and that his girlfriend was trying to calm him down. This incident, and others like it, suggests that Holden is not good at monitoring his own behaviour. This again calls into question Holden’s explanations of what goes on in the novel and encourages the reader to look seriously at the words spoken by the other characters, even if they are related through Holden’s eyes. Thus, through both Holden’s explicit assessments of his own personality and the implicit meaning of the events in the story, the reader can see that Holden Caulfield is a less-than-reliable narrator whose story must be examined deeply in order to be understood. Paragraph Analysis Purpose: to interpret and explain an aspect of a literary text Structure: First two sentences work together to alert the reader to the topic and the thesis. The body sentences extend the discussion, and the conluding sentence restated the thesis. Language: language is formal and makes use of integrated quotations to add to the authority of the interpretation Features: identifies the title of the work and the author in the introductory sentence; uses literary terms (i.e., â€Å"unreliable narrator†); uses integrated quotations to support the discussion; remains focused exclusively on the text (no â€Å"real life† references)

Thorn Queen Chapter Fifteen

I stood there for several long seconds, staring at Shaya but not really seeing her. â€Å"Thank you,† I said at last, my voice unnaturally flat even to me. She hesitated, eyes worried. â€Å"Is there†¦is there anything I can get for you?† More wine, I thought. But I shook my head. Wine suddenly didn't seem strong enough. I wanted to go home just then and raid my liquor cabinet, seeking solace in my own home and its bed, not this godforsaken Dark Ages fortress. The wine was going to make transitioning between the worlds harder, though. It wasn't impossible but would hardly be as smooth as usual. No, it seemed I might be stuck here for a while. â€Å"I need to see Volusian,† I said. She stepped aside for me, and though I didn't ask for it, she followed me solicitously as I headed downstairs, down to the keep's dungeon. It seemed darker and drearier than it had last time, but maybe that was the wine. Jasmine's cell was easy to spot because four guards stood in the hall outside it. I reached it, and through the bars, I saw Volusian standing in one corner, perfectly still, with his arms crossed over his chest. Jasmine sat as absolutely far from him as she could, her face equal parts fear and sullenness. â€Å"What do you want now?† she snapped. I didn't even look at her. â€Å"Volusian,† I said. â€Å"I have an errand for you. I'll watch Jasmine while you're gone.† Volusian walked forward, passing through the bars and coming to stand in front of me. â€Å"No doubt my mistress has a more urgent task.† â€Å"Moderately. I want you to go back to Tucson and bring me the bottle of tequila I keep in my liquor cabinet. And don't scare Tim.† Volusian remained motionless in that way of his. â€Å"My mistress grows increasingly creative in her ways to torment me.† â€Å"I thought you'd appreciate it.† â€Å"Only in so much as it inspires me to equally creative means to rip you apart when I am able to break free of these bonds and finally destroy you.† â€Å"You see? There's a silver lining to everything. Now hurry up.† Volusian vanished. With him gone, Jasmine grew bolder. She hurried to the front of the cell, holding the bronze bars as best she could with her bound hands. â€Å"When are you going to let me go?† I sat down against the hall's wall, opposite her. I wondered if she'd try any of her stunted magic with me around. â€Å"When are you going to stop asking?† â€Å"You're a real bitch, you know that?† â€Å"Look, little girl,† I growled. â€Å"You do not want to mess with me tonight. I'm not in a good mood.† Jasmine was undeterred. â€Å"I can't believe you're keeping me in here with that†¦that thing! That's just cruel and sadistic.† â€Å"Wow, sadistic's kind of a big word. I didn't think you'd stayed in school long enough to learn that kind of vocabulary.† Her glower darkened. â€Å"When I get out, I'm going to kill you.† â€Å"Then you and ‘that thing' should get along beautifully, seeing as he spends all his time plotting my grisly death too.† She nodded down to her bound hands. â€Å"I can barely feed myself, you know.† â€Å"Barely isn't the same as can't.† But I did feel a little bad about that. Was I really going to keep her in cuffs forever? Yet, how could I not? Maybe I should investigate that potion Rurik had told me about. No†¦that wasn't right either. I sighed, and spent the next half-hour listening to her alternate between insults and whining. It was better than thinking about Kiyo, though. All the while, I was sobering up, so when Volusian finally appeared and handed me over a full bottle of Jose Cuervo, I gave silent thanks that I'd purchased an extra-large bottle. â€Å"Thanks,† I said, rising to my feet. I pointed to Jasmine's cell. â€Å"Now-back to guard duty.† I turned around without a second glance, Jasmine's cries of outrage echoing behind me. Shaya, who had waited silently the whole time, fell in step with me as I walked back upstairs. â€Å"Are you sure there isn't anything I can do for you?† I eyed the bottle. â€Å"See if you can find some little glasses about this big.† I held my fingers out to the size of a shot glass. â€Å"And bring enough for†¦I don't know. You, Rurik†¦hell, anyone who wants to get drunk with me. Even Ysabel.† I was feeling magnanimous tonight. Or, well, at least in a misery-loves-company mood. Shaya's face looked more troubled than ever, but I paid it little concern as I walked outside to a small circular courtyard in the castle's center. This seemed to be a fixture in most gentry holdings. Dorian had a couple. I'd been told that this one had been green in Aeson's time, filled with lilies and lilacs. Now, it was sandy and gravelly, lined with cacti, mesquite, and even some of the thorn trees that had given the land its name. At least the mesquite scented the air, and I decided one perk of the Otherworld was that those trees always seemed to be in bloom. I sat down cross-legged in the middle of the courtyard, noticing that someone had started to set stone tiles into it to create a kind of patio area. It hadn't been there last time, and I wondered if it was Shaya's doing, just like the patches of grass she kept trying to grow around here. Not waiting for shot glasses, I uncapped the tequila and took a long swig, the strong liquor burning my throat. Shaya returned shortly, Rurik following. His face was uncharacteristically serious. After a brief moment of exchanged looks, they joined me on the tiled ground. Shaya set down some tiny cups made of engraved silver. Not quite shot glasses, but they would do. I took the bottle and filled three of them up. â€Å"To the Willow Queen and her child,† I said, holding my cup in the air. I downed it one gulp. â€Å"Damn. Wish I had some salt and lime.† Shaya and Rurik exchanged glances once more-did they honestly think I didn't notice each time?-and then followed my lead with the tequila. Rurik took his down stoically, but Shaya choked on hers. â€Å"What†¦what is this?† she asked, once she was able to speak. â€Å"God's favorite liquor. I should have had Volusian run to the grocery store and get some margarita mix while he was out.† I paused, laughing at the thought. I poured another shot. â€Å"It's made from a kind of cactus, you know.† Shaya eyed the bottle askance. â€Å"Truly?† â€Å"Yup. Huh. I wonder if we could manufacture this stuff. I've seen agave around. I bet we could set up some serious trade with it.† â€Å"I'm not so certain,† she said. Rurik was pouring another glass. â€Å"I don't know. It might appeal to some.† â€Å"Ah, Rurik. I knew we were kindred spirits.† I held up my empty shot glass, studying the way the half-moon's light shone on it. My head was regaining its pleasant buzz again. â€Å"Do you think Maiwenn's going to have a boy or a girl?† â€Å"I don't know,† said Shaya after several moments of silence. â€Å"There are those who can magically determine such things. But I haven't heard of the Willow Queen doing that.† â€Å"Probably not.† Kiyo would have told me. Or would he have? Maybe he would have held on to that news, keeping it as a special secret between him and Maiwenn. I poured another shot but didn't drink it yet. Shitfaced was one thing; sick was another. â€Å"Back in my world, they would have known its gender a long time ago. They also would have been able to tell all sorts of things-its size, if it had any diseases, even if it was twins or triplets. There's this machine we've got. You run a paddle over the mother's stomach, and then you can see the baby up on this screen. Or, sometimes, even earlier, they can take a needle and suck up amniotic fluid to find out the same things.† Rurik and Shaya were staring at me wide-eyed. It was a common expression amongst Otherworldly denizens whenever I began talking about human technology. â€Å"I wonder sometimes if there's any mystery or wonder left in your world at all.† I glanced over and saw Ysabel's form silhouetted in the doorway to the castle. â€Å"Oh, sure. Plenty of it.† I gestured her over. â€Å"Come have a drink. I'm pretty sure I'm too drunk to kill anyone tonight.† Ysabel hesitated a few seconds and then slowly walked over, sitting near Rurik and Shaya, as far from me as she could respectfully go. She grimaced slightly at the tiles as she tucked her flowing silk skirts underneath her. No doubt being on the ground went against her fastidious nature. Rurik cheerfully handed her a tequila shot. She sniffed it, and her scowl returned. My mind was still on babies. â€Å"Seems like ultrasounds would be useful to you guys. I mean, what with the trouble you have having kids.† There was a good chance, I knew, that Maiwenn might not even survive the delivery. Or that her child wouldn't. It was common among the gentry, sort of the cost for their long and healthy lives. I didn't know how I felt about that. I didn't wish death on either of them†¦and yet, how much simpler would things be if there was no Maiwenn and no baby? Even now, I could picture Kiyo by her side, holding her hand. His handsome face would be lined with worry as he spoke words of encouragement. Surely, with his human blood, their baby would be healthy and strong. And Maiwenn was a healer†¦. would that be useful to herself? Maybe. Everything would go well, I was certain, and they'd undoubtedly have a beautiful baby, one that would create a bond between them forever, a bond I could never be a part of†¦. I drank my next shot and noticed that Ysabel had manfully downed hers. â€Å"Nice work,† I said. â€Å"You want another?† She shook her head. â€Å"I don't consider it ladylike to drown oneself in excess, losing hold of inhibitions and all sense of decorum.† â€Å"Of course you don't,† I said. â€Å"I believe,† she added primly, â€Å"that the Willow Queen shares my views.† I smiled, spinning my cup on the ground, watching in fascination as it turned in smaller and smaller circles before coming to a stop. With Maiwenn's baby consuming my thoughts, Ysabel's baiting seemed insignificant tonight. We continued on for a while, Rurik keeping up with me in shots, with Shaya only occasionally indulging. Ysabel seemed to have lost her fear of me and continued her running commentary of barbed remarks. I think knowing I was in a fragile state over Maiwenn's labor had emboldened her. In fact, she was in the middle of some anecdote about how Kiyo and Maiwenn had first gotten involved when her words came to a halt, and her features lit up with surprise. â€Å"My lord!† she cried, springing up just as one of my servants began announcing, â€Å"His royal majesty, King Dorian, of the House of Arkady, caller of earth-â€Å" Dorian strode forward into the courtyard without waiting for his titles to finish. Ysabel fell to her knees before him, face radiant. â€Å"My lord!† He gave her a brief nod of acknowledgment and then swept on past her toward me. I don't think anyone except me saw the devastation that filled her face over the slight. Shaya and Rurik began to rise out of courtesy, but Dorian quickly motioned them down. Unfastening his cloak-it appeared to be navy in the moonlight-he spread it on the ground and sat beside me. â€Å"Well, well, a party, and no one invited me.† â€Å"It was kind of impromptu,† I said, reaching over to pour him a shot. My hand trembled as I held the bottle. Dorian took it from me and finished pouring. He eyed me carefully. â€Å"And yet, it appears to have been going on for some time.† â€Å"Yes. We're toasting the birth of the next king or queen of the Willow Land.† â€Å"So I've heard, which is why I came to see how the news was received here.† Dorian tossed back the tequila. His eyebrows rose in surprise at the taste, but it didn't stop him from pouring another. â€Å"And don't presume her child will inherit. It all depends on strength and power.† His words reminded me distantly of Leith's own inheritance problems, which then reminded me of Leith's declaration of love. Ugh. I'd probably killed our one chance at engineering help. Well, that was a concern for another day. â€Å"How'd you get here so fast?† I asked Dorian. â€Å"Not that fast. I heard hours ago.† Hours ago. Dorian had found out before I had. Probably everyone had. Who was I, after all? Certainly no one who was connected to this birth. I was just another monarch who'd be expected to send jewels or tapestries when the baby was born. I poured another shot, but Shaya reached for it. â€Å"May I have another?† She wasn't a fan of this stuff, but I had a feeling she wanted to stop me from drinking any more. Oh, well. There appeared to be about one more shot in the bottle-though Dorian beat me to that one too. â€Å"You'll make yourself sick,† I warned, reaching for the bottle. Only a few drops poured into my cup. â€Å"I'll take my chances. This is a fascinating substance.† â€Å"It comes from cacti,† I said helpfully, hoping it might deter him from that last shot. It didn't. â€Å"Intriguing,† he said after downing it. â€Å"You should try producing it here. I'm certain a number of people would trade for it.† I couldn't be certain in the near-darkness, but it looked like Shaya rolled her eyes. Part of me resented Dorian's presence, though I had to admit that he did a good job in keeping the subject away from Maiwenn and Kiyo. That didn't stop me from thinking about them, of course, but I couldn't help but smile as he entertained the others. Whether it was part of being a king or just something inherently Dorian, he had a powerful charisma about him that could make everyone laugh and stay captivated. With my social reticence, his were skills I admired-and occasionally envied. As the night wore on, though, I could feel the tequila's effects lessening a little. That wasn't to say I still wasn't drunk as hell; I'd taken down half that bottle myself. But, I wanted to go to bed while I was still in that delirious haze. It didn't stop me from feeling down over Kiyo, but I had to imagine being sober would be worse. Everyone stood up when I did, and I felt my legs struggle for balance. â€Å"Let me assist you,† said Shaya, reaching toward me. Dorian intervened before she could help. â€Å"No, no. Allow me to guide the Thorn Queen to her room. I'd like a few words.† Ysabel's face darkened at this, and he gave her a chastising look. â€Å"Oh, stop it. I'll come to you shortly-provided Eugenie will allow me to stay overnight in her castle.† â€Å"Sure, sure,† I said. â€Å"Come on over. Make yourself at home. Pick out curtains.† He extended his arm to me, and I decided the indignity of letting Dorian guide me was less than that of me falling over in front of my servants. Ysabel's eyes followed us furiously, and I couldn't blame her. If my boyfriend were taking a drunk woman to her bedroom, I'd be pissed too. â€Å"It was very high-handed of you to think I needed your moral support,† I told him once we were out of earshot of the others. â€Å"Right. You only need the moral support of a bottle,† he teased. â€Å"Be honest, Eugenie. Your lover's at the side of a former lover, eagerly awaiting the birth of their child. I'd be distressed as well.† â€Å"Nothing distresses you,† I grumbled. We reached my room, and he followed me in without invitation. â€Å"Plenty of things do,† he said. He frowned, ever so slightly, and it occurred to me he was none too sober himself. I let go of his arm and walked over to the full-length mirror that stood on one side of the room, edged in gold. I'd pinned up my hair earlier and let it down now, wondering if I wanted to bother with sending Nia for a nightgown or if I'd just sleep in my clothes. Standing there, I stared at my body, thinking again of my mother's claims that I was too skinny. I always argued it was an athletic build. Running my hands over the sides of my stomach and down to my hips, I studied my figure. Whatever you wanted to call it, it was slim. â€Å"I can never do that for him,† I said in a small voice. â€Å"I can never give him a baby like she can.† Dorian strolled over and stood behind me, meeting my eyes in the mirror. â€Å"Do you want to?† â€Å"I don't know. Kids were never on my radar†¦it was always a ‘maybe someday' kind of thing. But now†¦knowing I can't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My hips and stomach suddenly seemed as unhealthily skinny as my mother had always said. They would remain untouched and infertile, never filling out with the kind of life Maiwenn's had. I would never share that with Kiyo. I flinched as Dorian reached from behind and placed his hands on the narrowest part of my waist. He rested his head on my shoulder, and I was too weary to shoo him away. â€Å"You speak like someone who's been condemned with infertility or like you've passed your prime.† â€Å"I might as well be.† â€Å"That's not true. You're young. You radiate health and fertility. You could have a dozen children.† I shook my head slowly. â€Å"I can't,† I said sadly. â€Å"I won't. You know I won't, no matter how much you and every other Otherworldly creature want me to.† â€Å"Maybe you'd have a daughter.† â€Å"I can't take the risk.† I knew I'd never be confiding in him sober. â€Å"And what if Kiyo decides he doesn't want that-to be with someone who's always going to be childless? What if he wants more kids? Maybe this baby†¦Maybe he'll go back to Maiwenn. Maybe†¦maybe he'll leave me†¦.† I could feel tears forming in my eyes and hated myself for the weakness. Dorian tightened his grip on my waist. â€Å"He'd be a fool. And you'd be a fool to mourn him if he did. You're more than a childbearing vessel.† â€Å"Not the way everyone talks. Not the way you talk.† To my shock, Dorian spun me around. Still gripping me, he pressed his forehead to mine so that only an inch was between us. I could smell the tequila on his breath, no doubt mirroring my own. â€Å"Eugenie, you're a woman without equal, and no matter how much you annoy the hell out of me and no matter how much I try to get you out of my head-and believe me, both occur regularly-I can't stay away from you. Even if you were barren, I'd take you as my consort in an instant and spend the rest of my life with you-childless, so long as it meant you'd be by my side. I would gladly bring you to my bed with no other thoughts than taking joy from your body. It would be enough.† I swallowed. â€Å"But you're with†¦I mean, what about†¦what about Ysabel? She can have kids†¦.† â€Å"Ysabel,† he said dismissively, â€Å"is nothing. A pale imitation of you-and not even a good one at that.† That was harsh of him, but it filled me with something warm and loved and special. I realized then that no matter the bantering, sexual tension, and many schemes, Dorian really was my friend. I also realized that I wanted so badly then for him to kiss me, to crush his body against mine and run his hands along my bare skin. I wanted to have sex with him against the wall, on the bed, on the floor†¦it honestly didn't matter, so long as our bodies were joined, and I could feel him in me†¦. Whoa. I jerked away, my heart racing, barely stopping myself from doing something I'd regret. Deciding he was my friend was one thing; jumping into bed was another. I knew it was the tequila and my worry over Kiyo causing this. I didn't want to be with Dorian again; I couldn't be. Even if he claimed it would be for love and pleasure, I knew it could never be that simple. There would always be politics and schemes†¦. And so, I did the most unsexy thing I could. I summoned Volusian. The icy, dark presence of my minion caught even Dorian by surprise, and he took a step back. It was the Otherworldly equivalent of a cold shower. Volusian's eyes flicked to him and then turned back to me. â€Å"My mistress requires more intoxication,† he said. â€Å"No.† My magical hold on him trembled ever so slightly. It was nowhere near enough for me to lose control, but the alcohol messed with my power a bit. â€Å"I wanted you to go to the Willow Land and see if there's any news.† â€Å"More romantic errands.† â€Å"Just go,† I snapped, trying to sound as harsh and commanding as I could. As soon as Volusian was gone, Dorian strode angrily to me, all traces of sensuality gone. â€Å"That was stupid, Eugenie. You shouldn't have summoned him after drinking so much.† I turned away from him. â€Å"I need to find out what's going on.† â€Å"You need to banish him. You're going to regret keeping him someday.† â€Å"He's useful,† I protested. â€Å"I don't need any lectures. You should go to Ysabel now. I don't need any more declarations of love today.† â€Å"Oh?† His light tone returned. â€Å"Had a few of those today?† â€Å"Leith,† I admitted. â€Å"He came by tonight to profess his undying devotion and see if he had a chance with me.† Dorian's green eyes watched me carefully. â€Å"And?† â€Å"And, of course not. I had to tell him no a few times before he finally got it.† Dorian didn't bother hiding his satisfaction. â€Å"You've broken the poor boy's heart. And his mother's, no doubt. There'll be no ball now. Would you like me to throw one instead?† â€Å"No.† My sadness was turning into irritability. â€Å"I want you to leave. Go to Ysabel and paint her or tie her up or whatever it is you do together. I'm tired and want to go to bed. Alone.† To my surprise, Dorian didn't protest. Much. â€Å"As you wish. If you need me, you know where I'll be.† â€Å"It would take a lot for me to interrupt you,† I said dryly. Dorian gave me one of his knowing, sly smiles and then left without another word. The thought of him going to Ysabel's bed troubled me more than I would have liked. He'd barely been gone a few minutes when Volusian returned. â€Å"Well?† I asked. My stomach was queasy. I didn't know what I wanted to hear. If it was in Volusian's nature to smile, I swear, he would have. â€Å"The servants of the Willow Land report joyfully that their queen has given birth to a daughter. All are healthy and well.† My body went perfect still, and for a moment, I saw nothing in the room except those glowing red eyes. Finally, I snapped back to myself. â€Å"Thank you, Volusian.† â€Å"Does my mistress require me to learn anything else about this joyous occasion?† There was a sneer in his voice. â€Å"No. Go back to Jasmine. Now.† He obeyed, leaving me alone. I sat on the bed for several minutes, thinking of everything and nothing. I felt numb. I felt every emotion in the world. And when I suddenly ripped the air from the room and used it to smash a vase against the wall, I couldn't say if it was because of Dorian or Kiyo.

TV Programs (or Magazines) -Marketing Behavior Class- Essay

TV Programs (or Magazines) -Marketing Behavior Class- - Essay Example This allowed one to analyze their specific behaviors and relationships to others within society. The two magazines which I was familiar with were compared to Entertainment Weekly and Life and Style. I wasn’t familiar with these two particular magazines and had rarely identified with them. When reading both magazines, it could be seen that they were based on the â€Å"Yuppie† lifestyle, as well as one which was interested in being an experiencer. This was from an individual who was looking at concepts that were created from self – expression and the ability to identify with the fashions and latest trends as a form of the expression. The belief with the experience is created from the fashions and trends also leading to the latest growth in society and holding a specific social status (Linquist, Sirgy, 2003: p. 133). It could also be noted that these two magazines targeted women that were younger, living in cosmopolitan areas and which were interested in the enterta inment and leisure which were a part of both of these areas. The extreme differences between both of the magazines are one which is important to note, specifically because it shows how the attitudes and behaviors constitute the main demographics which one has.

Paracetamol solubility in cosolvants Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Paracetamol solubility in cosolvants - Assignment Example Based on the experimental results, the molarity of paracetamol varies with percent alcohol in an exponential rate unlike the nearly linear relationships established by the same solute with propylene and glycerol. Such is an evidence of decrease in polarity aside from the findings that for homologous n-alcohols, increase in the length of carbon chain and complexity in molecular structure, which is also true for ketones, contribute to the lowering of solubility. Thus, since alcohols like methanol, ethanol, and propanol possess full miscibility with water and consist of polar molecules at the same time, greater extent of drug solubility can be expected for a paracetamol in an aqueous system with alcohol as the co-solvent. Due to this high level of solubility, the relationship between the concentrations of paracetamol and of alcohol becomes graphically non-linear whereas co-solvents other than alcohols bearing insignificant effect on solubility make a more linear variation with less stee p slope upon dissolution of the drug

IPad's Security Breach Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

IPad's Security Breach - Coursework Example This report is concerned with understanding the practice of hackers and justification of their act and also how companies can deal with security issues like this for a more secured approach to maintain the privacy of individuals. 1. Determine if hacking into a Web site is ever justifiable, applying your theory to a real-world case in which someone hacked into a system, including the name of the company and details. Hacking is the technique of acquiring information or modification of data from a system or website. Hacking involves several purposes and it’s not always an illegal issue for acquiring information from the websites. Hacking can be conducted for several activities where it can be justifiable for the act as it might not harm anybody or might sometimes be done for the betterment of more secured approach. Hacking can be a justifiable action when all information of the system is free to access which don’t need any intellectual property and security permission. Som etimes hacking is done by people for solely learning purposes to know the system how they operate and the programming techniques used into a system or website. ... The hacker group Lulz Security used a simple SQL overloading technique to hack the systems and retrieve the passwords of the customers (Debatewise, 2011). The explanation of the hackers regarding the issue explains how the companies are less concerned about the information protection and their act is to find the loop hole of the system so that the company can rectify and review their system security to protect important information of customers who can be an important personality who rely on their system to provide information to the websites (BBC Technology, 2011). 2. Create a corporate ethics statement for a computer security firm that would allow or even encourage activities like hacking. As a corporate ethical statement from a computer security firm the statement should be like ‘Good offence is the best defense for the firm’. Computer firm encouraging hacking can influence the hackers to hack their own system and the competitors system to understand the loop hole of the security system. This can give a stronger base to the company to identify the threats to a system from the unethical hackers of the world who can be a possible threat at any point of time. Being offensive to identify the gaps and loops in the system can develop a more secured system which allows hackers to penetrate into different system and implement security programs to void those issues. These types of hackers are known as white hackers. To catch the thieves and employing the same technique of the thieves can recognize and defend the security threats of the firm (Mathew, n.d.). A person knowing the technique of hacking and implementing those techniques to

The common drivers contributing to employee satisfaction at a later Dissertation

The common drivers contributing to employee satisfaction at a later stage in Hong Kong - Dissertation Example Primary data has been collected by the researcher through questionnaire from employees that are at their later part of their career. This data has been analysed by the researcher using regression analysis and correlation techniques. The findings of the research study have revealed that recognition is the most important factor that can be helpful in increasing the employee satisfaction level. Compensation has been found as the second most important factor. Other factors such as job longevity and identity also have a positive impact on employee satisfaction though these are not as important as the other two. Table of Contents Abstract 1 1. INTRODUCTION 4 1.1. Background Information: 4 1.2. Research Problem: 4 1.3. Purpose of the Study: 4 1.4. Significance of the Study: 4 1.5. Research Questions: 5 1.6. Scope of the Study: 5 1.7. Dissertation Outline: 5 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 7 2.1. Introduction: 7 2.2. What is Employee Satisfaction? 7 2.3. Factors that Lead to Employee Satisfaction: 8 2. 4. Work Satisfaction and Gender 11 2.5. Work Satisfaction and Age 12 2.6. Job Satisfaction Theories 14 2.6.1. Content theories 15 2.6.2. Process Theories 22 2.7. Relationship between Employee Satisfaction and Performance: 26 2.9. Summary: 28 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: 29 3.1. Introduction: 29 3.2. Research Objective: 29 3.3. Purpose of Research: 30 3.4. Research Approach 31 3.5. Research Strategy 31 3.6. Research Method 32 3.7. Conceptual Framework 33 3.8. Variables under Investigation: 33 3.8.1. Dependent Variable: 34 3.8.2. Independent Variables 34 3.9. Collection of Data 34 3.9.1. Sources of Data 35 3.9.2. Population Selection: 36 3.9.3. Sample Method Selection   36 3.9.4. Sample Method   36 3.10. Hypothesis 36 3.11. Ethical Issues 37 3.12. Data Analysis: 38 3.14. Limitations 39 3.15. Summary 39 4. DATA DESCRIPTION 41 4.1. Analysis of ‘Questionnaire for Employees’ 41 4.2. Analysis of Questionnaire for Managers 50 5. DATA ANALYSIS 60 5.1. Introduction: 60 5.2. Analy sing the Data Using Regression Analysis 60 Analysing each of the independent variable one by one 60 Analysing all the independent variables at the same time 67 5.3. Summary 75 6. DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS 76 6.1. Introduction 76 6.2. Discussion 76 6.3. Conclusion 76 6.4. Recommendations 78 6.5. Contributions 78 6.6. Limitations 78 6.7. Further study 79 List of References 80 APPENDIX A 89 APPENDIX B 94 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Background Information: An individual or a person passes from different phases or stages during his or her whole career. It is important to acknowledge here that the level of employee satisfaction and motivation is different at different phases of careers. There can be different factors responsible for the difference in the level of the employee satisfaction and motivation at different phases of careers. It is important for the HR mangers and organisations to identify the factors which contribute to the employee satisfaction at different phases of careers (Ulrich and Brockbank, 2005). This research study will explore and investigate the factors responsible for the employee satisfaction at later stage of their career in Hong Kong. 1.2. Research Problem: The research problem which will be investigated in this research study is related to the factors and elements which are responsible for motivating and satisfying the employees at the later stage of their careers. It is im

Political Economy of Oil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Political Economy of Oil - Essay Example The crises that started with the oil crisis in 1970s extended to Gulf War in the 90s. There are different terrorist threats today that affect oil resources such as oil refineries in Saudi Arabia. The deteriorating law and order situation in Iraq also resulted in fear of disruption of oil supply. There are threats of war with Iran that bring greater fears of volatility in the oil-producing region. These & other such factors have kept oil prices very high and they affect current market scenario. The hope for stability in oil prices is dependent on both political & economic stability. Transportation, heating, power generation, the plastics, pharmaceuticals and synthetic fibre industries are the main ways in which oil is consumed. Demand for oil is greater in the developed nations compared to the developing economies. United States of America solely generates a quarter of world oil demand. Asia comes next with Japan having the highest consumption of oil. In Europe no one country can be considered highest oil consuming country instead the demand is evenly generated by all European nations, The demand for oil diminished considerably in Soviet Union after its collapse.US demand for energy is greater and its dependence on oil producing countries is also increasing. The oil supply is mainly provided by large companies operating in countries with large reserves of oil. Countries like UAE, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Norway and Kuwait are some of the oil rich countries and are main suppliers of oil to the world. Since supply side of equation plays a crucial role in stabilty of oil markets, the countries producing oil have been trying to stabilize the price of crude oil through production policy. However, the interest of world economy does not lie in bringing stability by production manipulation. Since oil is a resource that depletes with time so its value increases with time as well. A country cannot let go of its future worth or value by increasing its production at the current market price. It is not in the economic interests of such oil producing countries to pursue a production policy incompatible with their own economic interests. Countries like Saudi Arabia have been contributing to the world economy in general and other Western and developed economies like Japan in particular by supplying more oil than it should. For instance Saudi Arabia, of the largest oil producers, increased its production of oil after the oil crises of 1979, resulting in a downward crude-oil price trend in world markets. This manipulation by any country or cartel cannot reap economic benefits in the long run. The market factors should be allowed to play their due role instead of manipulation. There is an increasing trend in demand for crude oil because consumption is greater than the supply. Market economy is the best way to allocate resources. The concept of oil peak suggests that once we reach the stage of peak the economy will be greatly affected. Similarly experts say that world oil reserves will also reach its peak in not so distant future resulting in price hikes and economic recession along with geopolitical repercussions. Oil Situation in USA If we consider the oil peak theory according to which there will be a sharp decline in supply because demand is constantly increasing whereas the speed of finding or exploring new oil sources is not matching that then we come to know that the oil

Transgender and feminism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Transgender and feminism - Essay Example That said, one notices that diversity indicates strength, not weaknesses. Despite polarization and fragmentation, no force can nullify inclusive coalition politics (Connell, 2012). This paper will talk about transgender, with transgender feminists being marginalized from the mainstream of the womens movement. It will then explain relationship between transgender and feminism. Transgender individuals have been subject to extended scrutiny. Feminist literature is among the examination of these individuals. These literatures are the first to expose the antagonistic relationship between feminism and transgender individuals (Riley, 2015). A study by Butler (2010), defined transgender as ‘those who gender identity, expression, or behavior is different from those typically associated with their assigned sex at birth (Butler, 2010, pp 2). Every time the transgender feminists, who had been previously silenced, begin to speak out, some feminists begin to rethink on what they stand for or who they represent. In many cases, the idea of rethinking by feminists leads to the painful realization of their biases. However, in the end, the feminists would have widened their perspectives and constituency (Butler, 2010). Studies indicate that, feminists movements that have expanded their views are encouraging transgender individuals to take part in the feminist revolut ion (Connell, 2012; Riley, 2015). This expands the scope of their movement. The feminism movement formed by transgender individuals is called transfeminism as noted in the study by Koyama (2001). In the past, trans-men have contributed significantly to feminism than trans-women. Experts believe that is important for more trans-women to participate in feminism movements in order to increase the chance of liberating the women (Koyama, 2001). Many people think that transfeminism is in place to take over the existing feminist institutions. However, this is not possible because

Painful Ankle Medical Treatment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Painful Ankle Medical Treatment - Case Study Example Medications: The patient has been on analgesics broad-spectrum antibiotics regimen that ended three days ago; provided at the clinic. No other medication currently.Allergies: The client has a specific protein food allergies, cannot eat eggs. There is no known drug allergies.Immunisation: Tetanus injection immediately after the cut (one week ago) scheduled for a repeat (booster) in three weeks’ time (Greaves and Johnson 2002, p.38).SH: the patient is married, living with the wife and two children. He is a farmer while his wife owns a grocery shop. Does not smoke but occasionally takes alcohol.His hobbies include reading, listening to music and tending the flowers.O/E: Stable general outlook. Not sick-looking. NAD on examination of the head, Neck, back, chest. Hands.Left foot: The ankle joint is swollen. The patient reports painful joint and cannot walk well.ROM: ROM: Active: Flexion- Cannot flex the ankle due to pain on anterior aspect Extension- full range; with minimal pain o n movementAbduction- painful Adduction- painfulMedial Rotation- painful Passive: Flexion- full range; with pain on anterior aspect the ankleExtension- full range; painful Abduction- full range; painfulMedial Rotation- painfulResistive: Flexion-with intense pain on anterior aspect of ankleExtension- painful Abduction- painfulMedial Rotation- painfulImpression: Ankle sprain

Andragogical Theory and Adult Literacy Programs Essay

Andragogical Theory and Adult Literacy Programs - Essay Example This approach contrasted with the age-old perspective based on the outcome of education, with pedagogy being the only theoretical framework for the education of both adults and children. For andragogy to begin its transition into future use, a testable instrument is required to be developed to measure â€Å"whether andragogical assumptions are being incorporated in instructional settings† (Taylor & Kroth, 2009, p.10). Knowles’ predictions for the future of adult education included that it would restructure all of education, which would become a life-long endeavor. Therefore, junior and high school students need not bother memorizing facts; the curriculum of education for the young would need to shift from an emphasis on subject mastery, to learning-skills. Moreover the curriculum would be centred on problem areas or questions, â€Å"rather than on fragmented subject areas† (Knowles, 1962, p.275). It is concluded that Knowles’ predicted a new world with a n ew purpose for education. Knowles highlighted learning what is not yet known, and the creation of a new culture through empowerment. References Knowles, M.S. (Winter 1978). Androgogy: Adult learning theory in perspective. Community College Review, 5(3): pp.9-20. Knowles, M.S. (1970, 1980).

The Southern Stereotype Essay Example for Free

The Southern Stereotype Essay Ever since Scarlett O’Hara struggled to find love and Andy Taylor was elected Mayberry’s Sheriff, filmmakers and television producers have yet to lose any fondness for stereotyping the southern culture. There are many who despise any form of labeling or stereotyping within the media, fearing false characterizations or inaccurate portrayals of southern customs, traditions, and people. Exposure to southern stereotypes through media is an appealing element in the American lifestyle that can render endearing impressions, contribute genuine metaphors, and provide viewers with a unique and fascinating (whether positive or negative) glimpse toward a regional culture. The mass media, or media at large, would include motion picture makers, television producers, news programs, newspapers, radio, magazines, or any source which has the capability to deliver images or messages to the masses. It seems to be common knowledge that the mass media has inundated homes all across the fruited plain for decades with images of southern stereotypes. Ask a few dozen strangers to describe a southerner in sixty seconds or less and the common descriptions most may have of southern folks are reasonably unsurprising. A few details that come to mind when describing a southerner may include the following: a strong accent or drawl, ignorant, lazy, a barefoot mountain person, an inbred, a hillbilly with buck teeth and overalls, a hick with a pick-up truck and a gun rack, and a moonshiner with a big beer belly. Most will also agree that the mental figures or perceptions on hand are those branded in the brain by the mass media, film makers, and theatre companies. â€Å"When you think of stereotypes, you often only think of negative ones. There are also positive stereotypes – the South being a land of nature and holding onto traditions,† said Tom Hanchett, staff historian at the Levine Museum of the New South. (Baldwin 1-2). Hillbilly, country bumpkin, cracker, trailer trash, and redneck are all common labels given or used to perpetuate the southern stereotype. Notwithstanding the practice of political correctness teeming in today’s culture, is considered tolerable and acceptable by movie makers and the media to ridicule those who may fall within the parameters of what is termed as the classic southern stereotype. These are pointed descriptions, but they are true and the American culture loves (and loves to hate) the southern stereotype and it is here to stay. Now what about those who may have that southern stereotypical drawl? Southern accents do not make one stupid; being stupid does. Southerners should be proud of the southern accent. However, the media has managed to cause dismay among many southerners who possess the engaging and attractive drawl. Should a visitor traveling to North Dakota, view a Fargo native as stupid or ignorant because of the distinct accent heard there? Should a North Dakota resident ridicule a person from the Bronx because of the peculiar accent heard there? Somehow people are ashamed of their unique speech patterns rather than being proud of a colloquial accent. The southern stereotype will be here for a long time to come, so love it and embrace it. According to Jack G. Shaheen in his essay titled, â€Å"The Media’s Image of Arabs,† Hollywood producers must have instant kits that contain sunglasses, Arab clothing, tents, and mosques in order to provide a snapshot of Hollywood’s stereotypical Arab (99). Undoubtedly, the same holds true when depicting the typical southern example. Whether one considers it right or wrong, Hollywood, along with the mass media, has poured countless whimsical images of the southern stereotype into our culture. Often, movie makers will focus on undesirable characteristics, but they are almost always based in fact. Much of what is believed to be true of today’s southerners stem from the culture’s ancestors’ actions or beliefs. These likeable characteristics have come to be accepted as widespread truths and a part of American life. Diffused through media broadcasters over the past fifty years, Americans from all regions of the country have welcomed and embraced the southern type along with all the distinguishing traditions, foods, beliefs, apparel, folklore and superstitions. Cartoons, caricatures, comedy sketches, television commercials, advertisements, situation comedies, movies, editorials, news programs, comic books, music, novels, and television dramas have all helped to capture and immortalize this fascination of the southern stereotype. Yearning for a simpler time, society sometimes craves the patriotic, down-home qualities of the good country people. In response, the mass media relents and continues to draw enthusiasts to those television shows featuring southern stereotypes. The Andy Griffith Show, perhaps one of the most adorable and enduring television programs of all time, features a full cast of southern stereotypes (hicks and hillbillies) and re-runs of the popular family comedy just as popular today as they ever were. Other popular and charming television shows centering on southerners include: Hee Haw, The Beverly Hillbillies, Pettticoat Junction, Green Acres, Gomer Pyle U. S. M. C. , Matlock, In the Heat of the Night, The Waltons, and Designing Women. Although the characters are often portrayed as backward, slow, and ignorant, the shows are lined with good nature and moral lessons. Viewers admire their quaint ways with a warm attitude. Joan Voight wrote an interesting piece in AdWeek Magazine regarding advertising and stereotypes. Within the article, Voight cited advertising professional, Jim Ferguson. â€Å"Everything is too politically correct. Humor is always at the expense of somebody, but the only groups you can make fun of anymore are Texans and Italians. † (Voight, 17). America has become a nation filled with the notion that any labeling and stereotyping should be discarded and Americans should be offered rights of protection from anything that may offend or trample on one’s beliefs, feelings, or cultural identity. Unlike other persecuted groups, southerners have made little attempt to diffuse or negate the southern stereotype within the mass media. Should southerners insist that the media apply the same, overbearing rules of political correctness, it may result in a destruction of the true and cherished culture. Doug Nye, a writer for The State newspaper, cites author John Jakes. â€Å"Maybe it’s because southerners just haven’t gotten around to adopting ‘victimhood’ as a policy. They don’t have a lobbying group,† Many of the southerners’ old-fashioned characteristics such as forthrightness, fine manners, hospitality, chivalry, honor, and noble morals could be forsaken and forgotten. (Nye, 2). Believe it or not, Elvis Presley continues to rule and define southern tradition from the grave. Allison Graham, a professor of media and communication studies at the University of Memphis notes that Elvis never appeased audiences with renderings of Shakespeare. â€Å"Elvis veered dramatically from the established path to national acceptance. He stayed unreconstructed to the end of his life. † (Graham, 116). Having been labeled as a howling hillbilly and a hillbilly clown, Americans still embraced this southern Memphis boy and elevated him to a cultural icon. Today, countless followers of this distinguished southerner still flock to his Memphis homestead, attend Elvis conventions, and impersonate his southern style of entertainment. Elvis is one of many who may have fit the media’s stereotype but ignored the criticisms and pressed forward to gain unprecedented favor with America’s culture. Strong into the twenty-first century, the redneck and hillbilly phenomenon continues to thrive. Jeff Foxworthy popularized the genre of southern humor with â€Å"You Might Be a Redneck, If †¦Ã¢â‚¬  jokes that have a universal attraction with nearly all audiences. Mocking his own people, Foxworthy evokes more humor than ridicule from outside entities. Another television example is the animated television show, King of the Hill. This situation comedy appears realistic and true to life as a Texas family are the victims of irreverent satire. Again, television writers and producers have managed to capture and maintain a large viewing audience who find the southern stereotype charming. Although many continue to fight against any portrayal of the southern stereotype, the hillbilly image is here to stay and it should remain within our media and culture for many more decades to come. Is it possible to define American culture without the southern stereotype? It is a part of America’s regional culture, it is an appealing element to the American way of life, and it should be both preserved and celebrated.

The Varying Roles Of General Contractors Construction Essay

The Varying Roles Of General Contractors Construction Essay Many changes happen to a project during its life-cycle, the most significant of which is a change in the contractual relationship between the parties involved which is the objective of this dissertation to identify a feasible contractual solution to how a general contractor is able to act as both a main contractor and turnkey contractor within a single project. Keywords: collaboration, contract, general contractor, novation, private consortium, public authority, rights and responsibilities Introduction In a construction project there are several parties involved in the completion of the project. These parties can be from the public sector, the private sector or the third sector. The key parties are the owner/client, the architect/engineer and the general contractor. Between these parties there are business agreements in the form of contracts to complete the work in the project, such as: design, engineering, construction, management and maintenance. A construction project is ready for execution after the client/owner (hereafter called client) has completed the prerequisites such as decision on the scope of the project, acquires the funds, the land (site) and necessary approvals from the relevant authorities for the land use and the projects purpose. Upon meeting the criteria for establishing a project, the client will approach architects to submit designs for its selection, or provide a design and full construction specifications There are many ways in which the project could be executed. One way is when the client creates the project under a new company and establishes the various departments such as design, development, building and operations within that company and can execute the project with full control. Alternatively, dependent on many things such as the clients status (i.e. individual, company, consortium, government authority, funding agency, not-for-profit organization, international or regional development banks, etc.,), funding, site, etc., the project could be executed by the client using any of the construction works projects methods which will be later elaborated on in this document. Generally works contracts are awarded in two ways, as a turnkey contract where the client awards the entire project to a turnkey contractor or under a main contract where a general contractor gets to construct the significant portion of the facility (and the design and technical and services are sub-contracted by the client). Problem Statement During the project many changes could happen to the client-contractor relationship, the client and/or the contractor could be bought out by a competitor or investor, merged with another entity or liquidated and become insolvent. For the purpose of this dissertation, let us consider that the change has happened to the client and therefore the contractual relationship that existed with the previous owner and the general contractor is altered. For business reasons the new owner decides to change the relationship with the general contractor, and the general contractor is agreeable to that change to also act as a turnkey contractor for the project. Research Questions What kind of project will allow the general contractor to change its role? How can a general contractor act as both a main contractor and a turnkey contractor within a single project? Delimitation This study is written from a practical perspective, not legal, perspective, and focuses on the relationship between the client and general contractor in a building construction project to identify the parameters within which the general contractor is able to be both a main contractor and a turnkey contractor within a single project. Research Method The research for this study was conducted through qualitative and analytical methods from primary and secondary sources such as: interviews, published articles, reports, documents and books, internet websites, and public domain materials from internet websites (electronic books, archived documents etc.). Definitions Agreement (Also: Contract) A legal document that binds two or more parties to specific and implied obligations. Client-architect contract A written form of contract between architect and client for professional architectural services. Client-contractor contract Contract between owner and contractor for a construction project. Consortium A group of private sector entities who have joined together to bid for a project. Design-Build (DB) A procurement or project delivery arrangement whereby a single entity is entrusted with both design and construction of a project. Design-Bid-Build (DBB) Traditional contracting method in which design and construction phases of a construction project are bid and performed by two independent contractors under two distinct contracts. Design-Build-Finance-Operate (DBFO) Design, Build, Finance and Operate. A contract whereby one company undertakes a contract to perform these things for the length of the concession. General contractor A business entity that provides independent contractor services to owners directly or with the use of subcontractors. Main contractor A company that agrees to furnish labour, materials, equipment and associated services to perform the work as specified for a specified price. Private sector The domain where projects are funded with capital other than from taxes. Public sector The government domain where projects are funded with monies that comes in whole or in part from taxes. Special purpose vehicle (SPV) The project company established by the sponsors which has as its sole purpose the delivery of a project. Subcontract A written form of agreement between the turnkey or main contractor and another contractor or supplier for the satisfactory performance of services or delivery or material as set forth in the plans and specifications for a specific project. Turnkey contractor An individual, company, firm, partnership, corporation, association or other legal entity that is permitted by law to provide the necessary design and construction services, including engineering, architecture, construction contracting, and contract administration. 1.0 Contracts Prior to analysing which form of project will allow the general contractor to change its role and how is the general contractor allowed to change roles within a single project, it is necessary to outline what each individual contractual role and responsibilities are within a project. Such identification allows for a more accurate analysis to answer the research questions presented in the problem statement section of this study. 1.1 What is a Turnkey Contract? A turnkey contract is a business agreement between the client and a general contractor, where the general contractor (now turnkey contractor) is responsible for the design, engineering, construction and management of the project. The construction industry refers to the turnkey contractor as a single point of responsibility, a phrase that reflects the turnkey contractors role and contractual obligations. Note: The client can award the turnkey contract to either an architect or a general contractor, however this dissertation continues on the premise that a general contractor is awarded the turnkey contract. The turnkey contract is a product of the Design-Build (DB) project delivery system i.e. it is a method by which the client controls the project from start to finish. The turnkey contractor may subcontract an architect to perform the design work and trade contractors to perform specific works in the turnkey contract. A turnkey contract can also be used in a Design-Build-Operate (DBO) project delivery strategy. While the turnkey contractor is responsible for providing design, engineering, construction and management services, it is also obligated to operate the facility once it is fully constructed and equipped for purpose. The purpose of DBO is to provide the client with the opportunity to let a turnkey contractor in a multidisciplinary contract: to design, build and operate as opposed to individual agreements to govern the different facets of a project (Sunna, 2009). In a DB project the client has a direct relationship with the general contractor, and the general contractor has a direct relationship with the architect as shown in Figure 1. In the DBO project, the client has a direct relationship with the general contractor, where the turnkey contract (see Figure 1) will include stipulations for operating the facility once completed. Figure An example of a DB project delivery system 1.2 What is a Main Contract? The main contract is a contract awarded by the client to a general contractor to execute the main construction works in the project. The client initially awards the chosen architect to prepare drawings, specifications, and other design elements for the project. After the architects submission is received the client then puts to tender the construction works for the project. This could be broken into several tenders, one of which is the main construction work. The general contractor who wins this bid is awarded the main contract. The general contractor (now main contractor) may subcontract one or more trade contractors to carry out specific works in the main contract. The main contract is a result of the Design-Bid-Build (DBB) project delivery system, a method through which the client controls the project. DBB consists of three parties: the client, the design party and the construction party. The client is responsible for providing the project site, all the necessary clearances from the relevant authorities and funding for the architect and contractors to complete the project. The budget is an important part of the project as it allows the architect to design a building that meets the clients requirements and it determines the scope of the project. The design party includes the architect, specification writers (consultants), engineers (structural, electrical, mechanical), interior designers, quantity surveyors and other participants the architect considers necessary for completing the project. The clients involvement in the project is to monitor and evaluate progress and perform quality assurance that the turnkey contractor is moving according to schedule and within budget. The turnkey contractor in turn liaises with the client and subcontractors on a regular basis to perform its quality, quantity, time and budget control. The construction party consists of the main contractor who is responsible for providing the workforce, material, equipment, machinery and professional expertise to complete the project in accordance with the design and plan documents which are provided by the architects. In a DBB project the client has a direct relationship with the architect and the main contractor (where the architect and contractor have an indirect relationship) shown in Figure 2. Figure An example of a DBB project delivery system 2.0 Private Finance Initiative This section focuses on the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) in an effort to answer the research question: What kind of project will allow the general contractor to change its role? The research on project delivery systems and procurement methods show that the PFI involves both the public sector and the private sector working in collaboration to develop a project. 2.1 What is the Private Finance Initiative? The private finance initiative (PFI) is a way by which public infrastructure projects are funded with private capital. Initiated by the Australian and United Kingdom governments, PFI has been adopted in many countries by corporations, national governments, and international bodies such as the World Bank and the World Trade Organization. In general, under PFI, the government (public sector) is the client and invites the private sector to bid on a project, which includes construction work, services, operation and maintenance. Because these projects require a variety of inputs the government and a single private company or a consortium of companies in the private sector place a bid on the project, and work in collaboration to execute the project. The concept of PFI is to involve the private sector in public sector services or projects, because it has multiple positives it enables governments to provide national infrastructure such as bridges, motorways, power-supply, etc., at an earlier and quicker pace to the public; it provides business opportunities to the private sector; it increases employment; and, it offers better value for money. When a project is awarded, the public and private parties (in this case the government and private companies) create a new private company to manage the project and deposit the required funds in this projects accounts. These funds are used to initiate and implement the project. For a construction project after the building is fully operational, if the private companies made an agreement for the maintenance of the building over a period of for example, 25 years; the government will reimburse the cost of the project (including interest) over time. Alternatively, the government does not pay the private companies their share of the costs but allows the private companies to maintain, operate and manage the facility (bridge, toll road etc.) and recoup their costs and some profit over an agreed number of years. PFI is also known as Design-Build-Finance-Operate/Maintain (DBFO, DBFM or DBFO/M). The private sector designs, finances and constructs a new facility under a long-term lease, and/or operates and maintains the facility during the term of the lease. The private consortium transfers the new facility to the public sector at the end of the lease term. 2.1.1 Contract Process under PFI A government authority signs a contract with a private party (a company or a group of companies) creating a public-private partnership (PPP). The PPP is created for the purpose of providing the PFI contract. A PPP is a legally-binding contract between a public authority and a private consortium for the provision of assets and the delivery of services that allocates responsibilities among the various partners. Before the PPP is established a private company creates a new company in collaboration with other private companies, this is referred to as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). The SPV is made up of private investors, a construction company, a maintenance company and a bank lender/s. SPV contracts with the government creating a PPP, and also with general contractors responsible for constructing and maintaining the building or infrastructure facility. The banks funding PFI projects are repaid by SPV, from payments received from the government over the duration of the PFI contract. The repayments are based on the SPVs ability to meet the requirements specified in the contract. 2.1.2 PFI Project Organisation Structure See Figure 3, the SPV is divided into subgroups: A holding company, private investors/bank lenders and a services or operating company. The primary contract is between the government and the SPV, and the requirements in the specification transmit from the SPV to the holding company, the investors and operating company through secondary contracts, and then filter down to the trade contractors. Figure Example of a PFI project organisation structure What kind of project will allow the general contractor to change its role? A PFI project created through the partnership of the government and the SPV allows for a general contractor to change its role. As shown in Figure 2, the SPV is a part client (from the SPVs perspective) and a turnkey contractor (from the governments perspective). 2.2 How PFI allows a general contractor to change their role Once a PPP contract is signed a new company is formed to finance the project. Referring to Figure 2, the SPV is considered as the client in this project because the government requires additional funding for the service or building project and is allowing the private party (the holding company, the investors and operating company) to partially privatise the project. However, the government is still part owner; from the governments perspective the SPV is both a part owner and a general contractor. Note: In a PFI project a client can also be a general contractor, depending on the project, this is known as owner-builder. In Figure 2 the SPV is both financing and operating the project, depending on how the SPV wants deliver the project, Figure 2 assumes that the general contractor (in the project environment) is a main contractor, therefore the SPV will have a client-contractor relationship. But the government is still a part client to the project therefore the SPV is also considered as the turnkey contractor to the project. 3.0 Novation This section focuses on Novation which is a situation in which a main contractor can be also turnkey contractor. 3.1 What is Novation? The business dictionary defines novation as the substitution of an original party to a contract with a new party, or substitution of an original contract with a new contract. Once the original party is replaced, the original partys obligations are discharged, and the new party is responsible for the replaced partys obligations. Novation can only occur when all the parties involved agree to replacing a party or replacing a contract. For example: novation might occur when one company buys another company where both companies are providing project services to the client, in this case the single company formed by the merger of the two companies will receive the novated contract. By replacing the obligations of the original party the main contractor all the parties involved (client, architect/engineer, and main contractor) in the original contract must agree for the replacing to take place. If the agreement to replace comes into effect, the new party will take over the responsibilities and obligations of the replaced party, i.e. the new general contractor will become a replacement to the original main contractor. According to Michael Rowlinson (2010), if the main contractor is being replaced with a new general contractor the clients role in the project remains unchanged (the client being the contracting party). 3.2 Process of Novation In the early phases of a DBB project, the design work is carried out by an architect selected by the client. The contract between the client and architect specifies the professional services the architect will provide for the projects duration. Part of the contract may include stipulations for the architect to be novated to a general contractor, see figure 4. When the novation occurs, for example; after a general contractor is awarded the main contract before the project is implemented, the client novates the client-architect contract to the main contractor, thereby novating the architects responsibilities and obligations. Generally, the architect is re-hired by the general contractor to complete the design work. The client is only passing the risk and responsibility for design to the general contractor after the tender. In a DB project, the general contractor is completely liable for the design work, including the selection of architects. With novation the client selects the architect and novates them to the general contractor at a later stage. Figure 4 illustrates how novation affects the contractual relationship in a DBB project. The Client (A) contracts with an architect (B) and with a general contractor (C). Later, the client wants to create a single point of responsibility for both design and construction, therefore the client (A) novates the architects rights and responsibilities to the general contractor. Figure Example of before and after effect of novation in a DBB project 4.0 The Case Study A case study is used to illustrate the practice of PFI projects. This case will provide insight to the role of the public and private parties, and how this information is used to find how a general contractor is able to act as both a main and turnkey contractor. 4.1 Newcastle PFI Project Medical Service Facilities Development A contract was signed between the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust (public party) and a private consortium led by Equion plc, in May 2005. The contract was signed for a PFI project consisting of developing the Freeman Hospital and Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle, United Kingdom (UK). The purpose of this project is to improve the medical services in Newcastle, and transferring all of the hospital services from the Newcastle General Hospital site to the new facilities available in the Freeman Hospital and the RVI sites. The Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust promoted the project, which had a total capital of approximately GBP 300M. The PFI project involved constructing new facilities, renovating and refurbishing the existing facilities. The Freeman Hospital will receive a cancer and renal services centre, and a new multi-storey car park. RVI received an operating theatre, a new accident emergency department, with all the clinical support services required, such as neurosciences, infectious diseases, traumatic orthopaedics, dermatology and critical care. Additionally, childrens services were integrated into a purpose-built facility adjoining the main development, (Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust, 2005). Figure Newcastle PFI project organisation structure See Figure 5, the PFI was established to make the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust responsible for the clinical care of patients, maintenance of equipment and existing facilities, technologically advancement medical equipment, and managing the multi-storey car park, after the new facilities were fully equipped for their purpose. Healthcare Support (Newcastle) Limited, controlled by Equion plc, (through subcontracts) provided the designing and construction work, non-clinical services and maintenance for a period of 38 years. 5.0 Discussion The research on PFI in section 2.0 of this dissertation explains that the public authority is the client in a PFI project; however the public authority is collaborating with a private consortium for ownership of the project. Through this ownership the public authority is allowing the private consortium to partially privatise the finished facility and/or service once the project is complete. Because the public authority requires the facility and/or service to be available, the private consortium is responsible for providing it. Therefore the private consortium is responsible for the design and construction of the project. The private consortium is made-up of separate entities: a holding company, a construction company, an operation and maintenance company, bank lender/s and private investors. The design and construction works are subcontracted to the construction company. Theoretically, the public authority can novate their rights and responsibilities to the private consortium making them the client, however in PFI the private consortium is responsible for completing the project, and novation would not alter their responsibilities in the projects organisation structure. However, if the public authority novated their rights and responsibilities for the project to the private consortium, the private consortium is able to privatise the project in its entirety. Using the data presented in the previous section, the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust is the client through PFI and Healthcare Support (Newcastle) Limited is the private consortium. See Figure 5, the relationship between the Trust and Healthcare Support is a PPP contract: they are legally bound to each other for the provision of the facilities and services within the project. The relationship between Healthcare Support and Laing ORourke is a design and construct contract, whereby Laing ORourke is responsible for the design and construction through a subcontract of the PPP. From Laing ORourkes perspective, Healthcare Support is Laing ORourkes client. It is important to consider that Healthcare Support, although collaborating with Trust, is still responsible for outcome of the project i.e. is responsible for the quality of the design, engineering, construction, management and maintenance for the project. These responsibilities are typical of a turnkey contractor. Now Healthcare support is both a client and a turnkey contractor within the project. In further detail, Healthcare Support is a turnkey contractor to the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust, and a client to Laing ORourke. It is also important to note that Laing ORourke is responsible for the design and construction of the new facilities; however Interserve (Facilities Management) Ltd. is legally obligated to Healthcare Support for the maintenance of both the existing facilities and advanced medical equipment. From a Healthcare Supports perspective Laing ORourke is a turnkey contractor (see Figure 5). If Healthcare Support contracted with an architect and a general contractor separately, the general contractor would be a main contractor. Theoretically, the Trust collaborates with Healthcare support, Healthcare support then contracts with an architect to design the project, after the design is approved general contractors place their bids. Healthcare awards the winning general contractor a main contract. 6.0 Summary In the beginning of the PFI project, the public authority is the client and the holding company is a turnkey contractor. The holding company then subcontracts an architect for the design, once the design is approved; the holding company tenders the construction work. The holding company then subcontracts a general contractor for the construction work, where the general contractor is now the main contractor within the project, shown in Figure 6. Figure Example PFI project If the holding company is bought out by a competitor or investor, merges with another entity, the holding company can novate the architects rights and responsibilities to the main contractor, if all the parties agree to this contractual change. The main contractor is now the turnkey contractor, shown in Figure 7. Figure Follow-up to Figure 6 including novation Alternatively, if the holding company becomes bankrupt during the project, the holding company can novate its rights and responsibilities to the new holding company that substituted the original party. This new holding company can re-organise the contracts (through novation) to make the main contractor a turnkey contractor, responsible for the design, engineering, construction and management services for the rest of the project. 7.0 Conclusion Based on the finding of this study, during the project due to changes in the client or contractor status the client-contractor relationship can evolve and a general contractor can act as both a main contractor and a turnkey contractor within a single project through PFI procurement. However, this can only occur through novation: If the client decides to change the relationship with the general contractor, and the general contractor is agreeable to that change, the client is able to novate the contract. A general contractor is able to initially act as a main contractor; however only through novation can a main contractor become a turnkey contractor, because novation occurs within a single project. Therefore a general contractor is able to act as both a main and turnkey contractor in different phases during the projects duration through a novation of the original contract. 8.0 Putting into Perspective The information presented in this dissertation may be used by private sector clients/owners who may or may not have professional experience in building construction projects, and wish to know alternative options when choosing project delivery systems to implement their project. Prospective owners may choose to use the information in this dissertation when considering stipulations for novation in their agreements with building professionals i.e. architects and general contractors, if they (the owner) wish to have control over the designs that dictate the buildings final appearance, and then transfer the responsibility for any ongoing design work to the general contractor. This dissertation can provide an undergraduate studying a degree relevant to project management and the building industry, with information pertaining to alternative contracting and relationships between individual parties in different phases of building construction projects.

Normative development way of using stages of development

Normative development way of using stages of development Normative development is viewed as a way of using stages of development, matching ages to ability or skills and using the milestones approach' (Dryden, L et al 2005 p68) Milestones demonstrate what most children are likely to be doing by a specific age for example being able to hold your head up, look and communicate between the ages of 0 to 8 months and started walking and talking by the ages of 24 and 36 months. However, these may be helpful documented series of steps but there are individual factors that may influence the childs individual development. Beaver. M, et al (2002) p100/101 These influences are now recognised as being critical in the growth and development of the brain and in the process of how children learn and develop. The adult is the most important factor in childrens learning and part of the of adults role is to gain important knowledge of the factors and life experiences surrounding the child that are influencing the childs holistic development. (Dryden, L et al 2005 p68) Along with observations, all background information and relevant knowledge surrounding the individual child can be taken into consideration. This assists the practitioner in understanding the stage of development the child is that and helps to provide essential and efficient learning and support for the child. Some of these may include genetic or medical factors where inherited genes impact on a childs physical development. For example, a child with additional support needs may not walk or talk at the documented milestones of 24 and 36 months, so the medical model of disability would, in the past, concentrate on what the child was unable to do. When working with any child, practitioners should provide a suitable curriculum that changes to the needs of the individual child. Adults providing the necessary learning that supports the individual child will be respecting, responsive and be able to concentrate on what the child is able to do and get it right for the individual. (Dryden, L et al (2005) p69) Kellmer Pringle (1980) highlighted four developmental needs that have to be met equally to ensure development and these include the need for love and security, the need for new experiences, the need for praise and recognition and the need for responsibility, cited in Essential Early Years, Dryden, L et al (2005). The availability and influence of love, affection and security can impact on the childs mental and social development and these needs can be met by the parents or main carer by providing a stable, continuous, dependable and loving relationship. In practice, practitioners will have the responsibility to be aware of promoting positive relationships and by ensuring they put this into action they can influence positive outcomes for children. Pre-birth to Three: Positive Outcomes for Scotlands Children and Families, (2010) Other influences on a childs development can include environmental factors of overcrowding in housing, air pollution or poverty. Poverty can have a severe effect on a childs holistic development, for example a child may live in an area that is dangerous to play so the childs play is restricted. Lindon, J (2010) p205 This restriction could influence on the childs social and emotional development. Children living in an environment of poor or no income may see their basic needs not being met and because of this may underachieve at school. Practitioners should work alongside parents and gain background knowledge of the childs home situation to enable them to provide the appropriate care, support and learning the individual child needs. Appendix 1 It is with this in mind that the Scottish Government has decided that practitioners are required to use the Pre-birth to Three documented guidance to help children and young people improve their outcomes. Adam Ingram, Minister for Children and Early Years explains: Through prevention and early intervention, we can provide children with the social and emotional support needed to help fulfil their potential and break the cycles of underachievement which often blight some of our most disadvantaged communities. Pre-birth to Three: Positive Outcomes for Scotlands Children and Families, (2010) My knowledge of the childs holistic development now includes an understanding of how the developing brain influences a childs learning and development. I gained knowledge of how the critical period from pregnancy to around three years can have an influence on the outcomes the child is likely to have in later life. During pre-birth a babys brain cells are developing, connecting and communicating and this is enabling the baby to learn and develop some of their senses and in particular, taste and hearing. It is during this period that the mothers emotional experiences can influence and affect the babys developing brain. (Pre-birth to Three: Positive Outcomes for Scotlands Children and Families, (2010)). Brain development relies on the formation and connection of cells and these connections can grow quickly with the help of the babys early experiences and relationships. However, the mothers use of either drugs or alcohol can be badly damaging for the developing brain. (Dryden, L et al 2005 p68) The developing brain makes many more connections than required and if the baby has had proper care and support in the first year of life, some of the connections can start to be removed. In order for further brain development to progress appropriately there must be sufficient involvement and action through interactions with others for the child. These interactions allow the child to revisit and reinforce the brain connections and keep alive the signals already made. I believe it is crucial for practitioners to have knowledge of the developing brain because they will understand the learning process that children use in their normal development and how this can impact on their future outcomes. It is during our very best earliest years and even pre-birth that a large part of the pattern for our future adult life is set. (Scottish Government, 2008d, p1) The Scottish Government has introduced a document of national guidance for early years establishments to guide practitioners in providing the best start every child deserves. Pre-birth To Three: Positive Outcomes for Scotlands Children and Families lays out the requirements, support and information practitioners need to provide children and their families the best opportunities available. The four key principles are: Rights of the Child, Relationships, Responsive Care and Respect and within these principles are nine equal features of practice that can be used to support staff in their implementation of the key principles. These features include: Role of staff, Attachments, Transitions, Observations, Assessment and planning, Partnership Working, Health and Wellbeing, Literacy and Numeracy, Environments and Play. (Birth to Three document 2010 p11) I used this guidance for my own professional development and self-evaluation of observations of a child under three and I have related my findings of Shannons development to some relevant theorists and their theories around normative development. Observation one seen Shannon interact in role play with another child and an adult. The play is initiated by Shannon by telling Uncle Dale I am a dolly. Uncle Dale knows that this statement from Shannon means she wants to play her game. Bruce, T (2006) suggests that children aged from 2 to 3 years will become absorbed in symbolic play where they pretend to be someone else and in this case the talking doll. Moreover, from the ages of 3 to 4, children will develop Theory of Mind by trying out what it is like to be someone else. Bruce, T (2006) p328 Appendix 2 In observation two, I believe I was able to maintain the positive relationship I have with Shannon and this is shown through her confident interactions with me with the pretend spider. My sensitive actions and interactions of smiles, hugs and giggles enabled her to feel safe, secure and loved within an environment that was not her home. Through these interactions, she can build on her ability to create other relationships, build up trust and satisfy her individual social and emotional needs and development. I n addition, Shannon was able develop her physical development by carrying out simple age related physical movements involving her fine motor skills and hand to eye coordination when holding the spoon to ice the cakes. Beaver. M, et al (2002) p76 This planned experience enabled me to respect Shannon as a unique individual. Through my responsive care I was able to reassure Shannon that, as a significant adult in her life, I was reliable and trustworthy and would respond to her needs. This will enable her to feel secure within herself and able to trust other adults. As she had built up trust and a positive relationship with me, she was able to express herself through her imaginary play and develop her social and emotional development. Observation two also gave me the opportunity to assess Shannons language and communication development. Lindon, J (2010) explains how children can use gestures and sounds to attract and hold the attention of adults. Lindon, J (2010) p122. I believe Shannons gesture of clapping her hands when finished the task showed she wanted to get my attention and also relayed to me her sense of excitement and accomplishment. This form of communication by Shannon was rewarded from me through responsive care of praise and recognition, a feature of the Skinners behaviourism theory of language. (Skinner. B.F), as cited by Lindon, J (2010) P115 Appendix 3 In observation 3 I observed Shannon using patterns of repeated behaviour (schema) in her play by repeatedly connecting and disconnecting the toys she was playing with. Piaget believed that children organise their thinking to past experiences and events and linked them to what will happen next. Lindon, J (2010) p 29 In the context of Shannons observation, I believe the connecting and disconnecting of the doll and parts were her way of trying to organise her thoughts and making sense of her world, i.e. she was getting a new friend (connection) and Mason was not going back to Donnas (disconnection). Shannons level of development can be related to Piagets theory of stages of cognitive development and in particular the Pre-operational stage where language abilities develop quickly.