Affirmative action in the United States Essay Example for Free

Affirmative action in the United States Essay Tanglewood may have difficulty filling their vacancies in the future because the company has a very large shortage with their sales associates. Even though Spokane has a high unemployment rate and they are able to supply a lot of people with jobs, the chances of closing the gap that is needed to fill the vacancies aren’t likely. Since the sales associates move up to shift leader, department manager, assistant store manager and then store manager then the company can fill the higher level vacancies easier. This then creates the huge shortage with sales associates. As time goes on Tanglewood will have difficulty filling vacancies just because there won’t be enough people that fits the requirements in order to be hired by Tanglewood as sales associates. Tanglewood should engage in a more specific strategy to change their recruiting and promotion practices so that they can target more women and minorities. Spokane doesn’t have a high number of minorities but if Tanglewood changes promotion and recruiting practices then this will help attract the minorities that do live in Washington. There is a high number of females so the company shouldn’t have trouble recruiting females but designing a new affirmative action will help solidify a higher number of female employees. I do believe that if the company promotes different and targets certain regions and areas through secondary schools and other employment agencies then the company can meet their affirmative action goals in a year. Pros and cons of using internal promotion versus external promotion would be that when you use internal promotion you are relying on your employees to produce the qualified candidates that fit the mold that your company is looking for. If you use external promotion then you are going to be able to do a lot more and find more people that have the qualifications. If you use internal promotion is may not take as long as  external promotion because you can give the employees an incentive to bringing in new employees. External promotion may take longer because it is based on who replies to the recruitment or who the employment agencies inform you of. There may not be as many females that aren’t already working in within the company that are going to meet the qualifications of a supervisory position. If the company looks to promote externally they may be hiring more white males into a management position over females and minorities. They may already have some females within the company that can be promoted to that level. 4. I believe that each individual store should continue to create an environment that allows the employees to bring innovation and their own voice to upper management. Each store should work well as a team and want to see each other succeed in order to meet the overall goal for the company as a whole. By incorporating an Affirmative Action plan and changing the Equal Employment Opportunity to better suit the company I feel as if each store will benefit greatly by bringing in people from a different background. The store managers should be responsible for focusing on the applicants qualifications in order for the company to continue the affirmative action. This should be followed up through training and when promotion is to be considered. Once this is set in motion the company will be able to fill the gaps in each position.

Human Resource Management At Walt Disney World Resort Tourism Essay

Human Resource Management At Walt Disney World Resort Tourism Essay Theres probably no place on earth as magical as the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The theme park continues to thrill, delight and exceed its guests expectations nearly 40 years after its opening. The secret to Disneys success is its well-trained, enthusiastic and motivated work force. Its a secret that the founder, Walt Disney himself realized years ago. You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world but it requires people to make the dream a reality, he said. A Brief History The Walt Disney World Resort, is the worlds largest and most visited recreational resort, covering 30,080-acres near Orlando, Florida, USA. The resort was founded with the opening of the Magic Kingdom theme park in 1971. It consists of four theme parks, two water parks, 23 resort hotels, lodges and time-share properties, sports facilities complex, and other recreational venues and entertainment. Epcot park was added in 1982, Disneys Hollywood Studios in 1989 and Disneys Animal Kingdom in 1998. This world famous resort was inspired by the dreams of Walt Disney and his creation of Disneyland in California. The resort is the largest single-site employer in the United States, employing 42,000 people, with over 3,000 different job classifications. More than 1000 people work in the security department alone. Hiring Disney is renowned for being a fun and friendly place at which to work. Its ability to offer attractive incentives make it a desirable place to work and it is constantly evaluating the market to ensure their wages remain competitive. All Disney employees participate in training programs that update them on the latest service techniques, product knowledge, and technology being used in their parks. Disney recruit both internally and externally, advertising vacancies on their website, via the press, job fairs, employment exchanges and colleges. There is a large quantity of college students working in Disney. Employment representatives also travel to Puerto Rico to recruit for positions such as housekeeping, custodial and food and beverage. It s 4 major employment strategies are: Hire the right people Develop people to deliver service quality Provide needed support systems Retain the best people Once potential employees have been identified, interviews follow. The skills and abilities that managers generally look for are: Excellent communication skills Good team player Self motivated Analytical ability Problem solver Leadership potential Strong computer skills Project management skills Relationships-builder Able to manage expectations Personal and professional style Strong business judgment Ability to facilitate and multitask A guest service orientation Disney theme parks promise to provide a superior service in order to create a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦imaginary world where visitors can escape the themes of the real world. To achieve this, the company has to employ people with the proper skills and personalities, who are also motivated, with a clear knowledge of the companys marketing objectives and strategies. Staff have to be polite, well dressed, energetic, enthusiastic, and people-loving, always serving guests whole-heartedly. All staff are provided with an extensive knowledge of the park facilities, rides, and sites. HRM Practises Disney believes in investing in its staff and provide various training programs and learning opportunities for employees to work their way into higher positions. The company promotes from within 70% of the time. Almost everyone including the managers start out in an entry-level hourly job (Disney almost completely promotes from within). There is a program to help hourly workers who want to become part of management, there is another that lets them transfer to the technical unions like plumbers and electricians as an apprentice. That program involves four years of training leading to a very well-paid job. Disney also give educational reimbursement for those who are continuing their education while working for Disney full-time. Supervisors try to create a family-like atmosphere in Disney by offering flexible schedules and on-site day care programs for working parents. . The company also host numerous special events for its employees that are held in the park after hours. Present day human resources practices at Disney are considered to be extraordinary, with all staff being trained in excellent customer satisfaction policies. However HR practices were very poor in the early years of Disney. The Walt Disney Company originated back in 1923, when Walt and Roy Disney started their first animated recording studio. Early animation production was highly labour-intensive. Rigid division of tasks was further delineated on gender lines. By 1941, the Walt Disney Company employed 1,100 people. Ellwood (1998) describes Walt Disney as a notorious workaholic, a perfectionist who pushed his staff relentlessly. Both paternalistic and domineering he rewarded loyalty and punished dissidents. There were no women or black people promoted to senior positions during this period. The company was the only Hollywood studio without union representation and as such was targeted by the American Federation of Labour. Eventually, animators took industrial action over conditions an d lack of recognition in 1941. By the end of the 1990s, the Walt Disney Company had developed into a $23 billion media conglomerate. Cast Members Employees in Disney are called cast members. Quality cast members are a direct result of quality hiring practices. Bonuses are paid to workers who refer new hires. Disney believes its important to have people who have actually worked in different parts of the company, to do the hiring. So these cast members working in the casting office, come from all different parts of the Disney organization, and work on 12-month assignments. While prospective cast members wait for their initial interviews, they watch a short video that describes the interview process and outlines what the company expects of them, if theyre successful. Once hired, all new cast members go through the same 1 and a half day training program called Traditions. Its here they learn the basics of being good cast members, from Disney history to direction on how to meet and exceed guest expectations. Cast members learn they must adhere to the companys strict 13 page manual of dress codes, known as the Disney Look. The Disney Look is a rigid code of cast member appearance that imposes a well-scrubbed, all-American look. It details the size of earrings allowed, to the size of finger nails, to the no tolerance rule regarding facial hair and dyed hair for both females and males. Disneys grooming standards make sense when you consider employees to be part of a cast of characters so there is no room for non-conformity. Every employee is instructed in the Seven Guidelines to Guest Service which highlights the need to smile and to be cheerful. From the very start, staff are encouraged to implement a have a nice day! mentality, and to smile the Disney smile all day. Casting Employees are routinely assigned jobs according to age and appearance, a process officially known as casting. The most presentable get the most popular front-line jobs and shifts. For example: Young and pretty workers get jobs that involve a lot of interaction with customers; Haitian women generally work in housekeeping; Older women sell in the shops Older men work in security Puerto Recons work in food preparation African Americans work as stewards or cooks, More than a 100 Africans are employed in the Animal Kingdom, to lend authentic flavour. Anyone who might appear less presentable work on the night shift Cast Members receive some excellent benefits including: Health, Dental, Life Insurance Complimentary Theme Park Passports Learning and Development Opportunities Paid holidays, vacations, and sick days Retirement plan. Scholarship Program 30% Discount on park merchandise Employee Stock Purchase Program Access to a Cast Member-only lake and recreation area with tennis, volleyball, and an Olympic-size swimming pool. Educational Reimbursement Educational Matching Gifts Program Service Awards Employee Cast Member Contests Childcare Centres Credit Unions Employee Stores Cast Members usually work 40 hours or more each week, with quality service being the responsibility of every one. Each one measures service quality levels, establish benchmarks and set goals, as there is no person in charge of quality. Instead of one quality director, Disney has 42,000 of them. (Paton S. M. Service Quality, Disney Style, Quality Digest) Disney University Many hours have been devoted to designing successful employee universities which train workers in the Disneyland philosophy. Walt Disney established the Disney University to teach these unique skills. The University provides cast members with free world-class training in diverse skills including computer applications, professional development, management/leaderships development, health safety, interviewing, business, etc. Empowerment Disney is committed to employee empowerment. Employees are empowered to resolve all guest issues on their own, with managers only getting involved in extreme circumstances. Managers use service measurement teams to empower employees. 1 or 2 employees from each department take note of any service issues that might take from a guests stay at the resort. By keeping records of every problem, and how it was dealt with, helps to reduce the chances of it happening again. To keep up-to-date with their guests expectations, Disney also collects huge amounts of data about guests from opinion polls, surveys, focus groups etc. From this information, the company know that the top three things that guests expect are for the parks to be clean, friendly and fun. Every worker, from the CEO to cleaner, know these 3 expectations well, and is empowered to make them happen. All employees know, too, the definition of quality at Disney: Disney defines quality as attention to detail and exceeding guest expectations. Performance Appraisals Management use performance appraisals and performance surveys, to measure internal service quality. The annual performance appraisal is designed to give the employee a broad perspective of his/her accomplishment from the previous year and to identify upcoming challenges. Another strategy employed by managers to deliver service quality, are monthly development action plans. (DAPs) (Zeithaml and Bitner, 2000) Rewards Disney certainly know the true value of retaining productive employees. Annual turnover amongst its employees is only 20%. This low turnover is made possible by treating employees like resort guests, and the extensive employees reward programs, Disney offers. There are in excess of 50 different reward and recognition programs, that are geared towards maintaining high employee morale, the most prestigious award being the Partners in Excellence program. This award involves one employee nominating another employee (who has excellent attendance and no disciplinary action record). The nominated employee then receives a bronze statue of the company founder, Walt Disney, and is invited to a dinner ceremony where he/she is individually recognized for his/her outstanding accomplishments by company executives. Disney also rewards employees through service pins, attendance awards, and Recognition-O-Grams (ROGs). Recipients usually wear service pins on their uniforms, which they receive service pins on their first, fifth, tenth, twentieth and twenty-fifth anniversaries. Attendance awards are also offered to employees after one, three, five, ten and fifteen years of perfect attendance. The awards range from honorary certificates to a $2000 gift certificate. Recession hits  Disney Theme Parks Like many other industries, the entertainment industry has been affected by the world economic downturn. Early this year, Disney reported a 32% drop in net income for its fiscal first quarter of 2010, attributing the results to the recessions effects on its studio, television and parks. The Walt Disney Co. axed 1,900 jobs from its theme parks in California and Florida. Walt Disney World in Orlando eliminated 1,400 jobs. The original Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, axed 300 positions. The rest of the jobs were eliminated at the companys corporate headquarters at Burbank. These decisions are not made lightly, but are essential to maintaining our leadership in family tourism and reflect todays economic realities, said Mike Griffin, a Walt Disney World spokesman. Those laid off received a 60-day paid administrative leave, a severance package that is based on their years of service, extended medical benefits, and job placement. According to the Los Angeles Times: Disney is bracing for an extended downturn as people skip theme parks to save money. The recession, and the recent decline, has really hit the theme park industry, but it has hit the destination parks more than the regional parks, People are staying closer to home, the newspaper said. Trade Unions Workers are represented by 34 unions, the biggest being the Service Trade Council Union (STCU), The STCU represents about 22,000 F/T and 5,000 P/T workers at Disney World. The SEIU is part of the STCU, a consortium of six trade unions that is the only group certified to bargain with the Disney company. In the last two years alone, Disneyland Resort has successfully negotiated nine agreements with the union. These agreements included wage increases, sick pay and access to seven affordable and reliable health care plans offered through Disneys Signature benefits package for full-time cast members. Conclusion This essay looked at the human resource practises that have been adopted at Disney in order to maximize the delivery of superior guest services. Reasons for the companys success include emphasis on customer service, and a focus on the elements of efficiency, courtesy, show, and safety. It has shown how employee strategies at Disney lead to the attainment of exceptional service quality. Disney takes a lot of care with its casting department and regularly assess its pay packages and new ways of recruiting. It offers a competitive package of wages and incentives to its staff, such as free park admission and discounts on park merchandise. In the past, Disneys theme parks has been fairly recession-proof. But this year, fewer people found their way to the Magic Kingdom as profits were down from 2008-10. Disney said the company manages its operation based on demand, and like any other business it is subject to the ups and downs of the economy Its important that management stress to workers that employee development and empowerment is an on-going process, as the actions of empowered employees have enabled Disney to develop a lasting relationship with millions of guests worldwide. The human resource department must continually develop successful recruiting strategies and effective reward and recognition programs to maintain high morale and promote teamwork.

Americas Culture Essays -- Cultural Society Multiculturalism Essays

America’s Culture America is cultural diversity. It is not home to one race or one culture. The building of American history was done through Irish, Black, Japanese, Korean, and many other cultures combined. The people of these various backgrounds came together for a common cause. To attempt create the society that they believed was better than there original origin’s way of life. Many of these founders undertook great hardships and some even death to create something that some people many times overlook or take for granted. If you look at our American society as a whole, you will notice that many Americans share certain beliefs and even customs in common. From the objects in our houses to the food we eat and the clothing they wear. Being American has become more than just a place of birth on a passport. America is a way of life. It is a culture all of its own. Some may argue that America is simply the place where you can live freely and safely, but not a true culture or origin because some bel ieve that one’s true culture is the culture of the society that grandparents of years past had before migrating to the United States. But, I see America as more than just that. I am proud of my family’s heritage and what traditions we do continue, but I believe that my family has become greatly assimilated to the "Mainstream Culture" of America. I define "Mainstream Culture" as the "American way of life," The standards and traditions that society has developed on how Americans should live. I do not see this as a negative happening. It is an inevitable idea that happens to every immigrant family that has been newly introduced to the United States. Immigrants do not forget their ethic culture, they simply adapt. Bhararti Mukherjee... ...nd something that has become respected though out the world. There is a sense of pride that comes along with saying that you come from such a great country. Let’s hope that this great culture that exists in this great country never stops being taught. Bibliography Bray, Thomas. "Memorial Day and Multiculturalism." Detroit News 24 May 1998. 16 pars. 15 September 2000 . Kitchens, Marshall "Discussion Board." Oakland University; 2000. Http://www.oakland.edu/~kitchens Mukherjee, Bhararti. "Two Ways to Belong in America." BorderTexts: Cultural Readings for Contemporary Writers. Ed. Randall Bass. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, 1999. 116-119. Takaki, Ronald. "A Different Mirror." BorderTexts: Cultural Readings for Contemporary Writers. Ed. Randall Bass. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, 1999. 589-596.

Personal Narrative - Mother Ireland :: Example Personal Narratives

Mother Ireland My family is proud to boast a long and rich history mothered by the Emerald Isle of Erin, which is Gaelic for Ireland. My family's clan was first called the O'Neills, and we inhabited the outskirts of a small village which now goes by the name of County Cork. We were minstrels, actors and musicians in the courts of our family's home for many generations. An interesting piece of recent history about my family is that we are closely related to the Kennedys on my father's side. My grandmother was one of the Davises, who in some way were related intimately to the Fitzgeralds, who were John F. Kennedy's mother's close family. And not too many people know this, but one of the young Kennedy ladies had the good fortune of marrying the famous Mr. Arnold Schwartzenagger. I wish to go even farther back, though, to the era of the Medieval Renaissance on the Isle, when my family owned their own lands and estate, and the head of our family was known as one of the first rulers of Ireland. Our family's castle and lands remain standing to this day, but are inhabited by no one for failure to pay twenty million dollars in back taxes over the past three hundred years. So now our family's castle sits as a tourist attraction on the coast of Erin, as a reminder of the rich and time-honored beauty it has brought and will always bring to the Island. Our family owes its debt of gratitude to one young man. The rule who was living in our family's castle at the time had two sons. At the time, having two sons meant that the ruler would have to entrust his lands and properties to one of them when he died. Since the ruler could not decide whom to entrust the castle to, he told them to have boat race around the shores of Roan Innish ("Isle of the Seals, a small island off the coast of Ireland). So it was determined that whoever was first to touch the shoreline on the other side of the island would inherit all of his father's wealth. Well, the race was long and hard, and the younger son grew so tired that he could not row one second longer even though he was so close to the shoreline.

history :: essays research papers

Primary Documents Task 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  GNP: The total market value of all goods and services produced by a nation. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Economy: management of resources 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Culture: the arts, beliefs and customs of a group at a certain time 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Technology: application of scientific knowledge 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Social: living together in a community 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Political: structure or affairs of a government 1.Social History-, Charles Manson and the Sharon Tate murder and Abe Lincoln freed slaves, declaration of independence 2.Political History- JFK assassination, Pres. Clinton?s impeachment trial, Florida vote scandal. 3.Scientific/Technological History- Silicon Valley, Bill Gates Microsoft Empire, atom bomb 4.Economic History- stock market crash of the 30?s that led to the great depression, 5.Cultural History- Woodstock, martin Luther?s Lutheran church and Mardi gras 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What you think the document says in broad terms. We will not stand for an unjust govt 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To whom is the document written? To the king of England 3. Include examples of how the Declaration of Independence illustrates The five themes It explains the history of America from their time. How trade was cut off, how they were deprived trials and for quartering troops among their towns. Constitution: It was the setting up of laws and rules for their new country away from a king, with their own constitutional government. Amendments   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Amendment I [Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, Petition (1791)] Amendment II [Right to Bear Arms (1791)] Amendment III [Quartering of Troops (1791)] Amendment IV [Search and Seizure (1791)] Amendment V [Grand Jury, Double Jeopardy, Self-Incrimination, Due Process (1791)] Amendment VI [Criminal Prosecutions - Jury Trial, Right to Confront and to Counsel (1791)] Amendment VII [Common Law Suits - Jury Trial (1791)] Amendment VIII [Excess Bail or Fines, Cruel and Unusual Punishment (1791)] Amendment IX [Non-Enumerated Rights (1791)] Amendment X [Rights Reserved to States (1791)] 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Military figures show that the number of people dismissed from the military for reasons related to homosexuality rose last year to the highest total since 1987. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Donald Blom and the fact that he no longer has a right to bear arms due to his criminal record is very likely that he will go to prison for bearing arms 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Not up to date 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  uuu 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Bethe Feltman killed her two young children in Jefferson County in 1998, the prosecution and defense lawyers agreed she was insane, no jury decided her fate and no one ever argued that she should be put to death. The Rocky Mountain News reports. 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Bethe Feltman killed her two young children in Jefferson County in 1998, the prosecution and defense lawyers agreed she was insane, no jury decided her fate and no one ever argued that she should be put to death. history :: essays research papers Primary Documents Task 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  GNP: The total market value of all goods and services produced by a nation. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Economy: management of resources 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Culture: the arts, beliefs and customs of a group at a certain time 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Technology: application of scientific knowledge 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Social: living together in a community 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Political: structure or affairs of a government 1.Social History-, Charles Manson and the Sharon Tate murder and Abe Lincoln freed slaves, declaration of independence 2.Political History- JFK assassination, Pres. Clinton?s impeachment trial, Florida vote scandal. 3.Scientific/Technological History- Silicon Valley, Bill Gates Microsoft Empire, atom bomb 4.Economic History- stock market crash of the 30?s that led to the great depression, 5.Cultural History- Woodstock, martin Luther?s Lutheran church and Mardi gras 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What you think the document says in broad terms. We will not stand for an unjust govt 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To whom is the document written? To the king of England 3. Include examples of how the Declaration of Independence illustrates The five themes It explains the history of America from their time. How trade was cut off, how they were deprived trials and for quartering troops among their towns. Constitution: It was the setting up of laws and rules for their new country away from a king, with their own constitutional government. Amendments   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Amendment I [Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, Petition (1791)] Amendment II [Right to Bear Arms (1791)] Amendment III [Quartering of Troops (1791)] Amendment IV [Search and Seizure (1791)] Amendment V [Grand Jury, Double Jeopardy, Self-Incrimination, Due Process (1791)] Amendment VI [Criminal Prosecutions - Jury Trial, Right to Confront and to Counsel (1791)] Amendment VII [Common Law Suits - Jury Trial (1791)] Amendment VIII [Excess Bail or Fines, Cruel and Unusual Punishment (1791)] Amendment IX [Non-Enumerated Rights (1791)] Amendment X [Rights Reserved to States (1791)] 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Military figures show that the number of people dismissed from the military for reasons related to homosexuality rose last year to the highest total since 1987. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Donald Blom and the fact that he no longer has a right to bear arms due to his criminal record is very likely that he will go to prison for bearing arms 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Not up to date 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  uuu 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Bethe Feltman killed her two young children in Jefferson County in 1998, the prosecution and defense lawyers agreed she was insane, no jury decided her fate and no one ever argued that she should be put to death. The Rocky Mountain News reports. 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Bethe Feltman killed her two young children in Jefferson County in 1998, the prosecution and defense lawyers agreed she was insane, no jury decided her fate and no one ever argued that she should be put to death.

Things Fall Apart: Literary Analysis

In China Achebe's Things Fall Apart, the Bib culture is depicted as a civilized society although it is quite the contrary. The Bib tribe is first portrayed as a civilized society t o those who live amongst it with good morals, a safe environment along with its leaders, and a stable r elision. Throughout the novel,it is clear that the Bib people are not a civilized society. In Things Fall Apart, Known is an important male role who disagrees with his culture and whether or not his cultural traditions are moral.This is evident in Known when Chin a Achebe states,†Known had felt for the first time a snapping inside him†¦ When they heard an I enfant crying in the thick forest. † (Achebe, 61) This is an example of a conflict dealing with morals because Known is said to have this horrid feeling as they are passing by the thick forest, and they hear an in fan's cry he feels bad about the situation because that baby was put there for being a twin and it was t radiation to thro w twins in the Evil Forest.Known realizes that this is not morally correct and is inhuman en Just like it wouldn't be correct to follow through with this tradition now a days in any culture. Of of, FAA, a columnist of Ghanaian states in her column on the book, Things Fall Apart,†He could have censored all the gory details if he chose to †¦. The throwing of twins into the evil forest etc.All of these fly in the face of our general human values today,† meaning that such a tradition now a days w loud be immoral and wrong and the author gave us such details and made them important so they he could portray a better picture about what kind of society the Bib are, an uncivilized society. The Bib society practices such as having more than one wife, the male being the lea deer of the souse, and the family violence seen in the novel provide another reason as to why the e Bib society is uncivilized.For example, in the novel it says,†She was Ginkgo's second wife, Kef, who m he nearly shot,†( Achebe, 39) when speaking of the time Awoken almost shoots his sec ND wife for a small misunderstanding, this quote shows both the practices of having more than on e wife and family violence, which are both corrupt practices. This information being provided to the re adders by the author helps better understand how the Bib society is and whether or not it is civilized. Like polygamy and attractor and the violence it sometimes engenders against women,† states Poof, FAA a, when explaining how the Bib society practices and actions shown in the novel would go against social norms today and are not very civilized practices and actions to begin with. The tragic death of Awakening, being killed by his fatherly figure,the novel's protagonist SST, and tragic hero is another major reason as to why the Bib are not civilized. My father the y have killed me,†leukemia said as he ran towards Awoken,†who drew his machete and cut him down. â€Å"(Achebe, 61). These two quotes are used to explain how Awakening dies and also to show the d reek side of Awoken and how far he would go to be seen as not weak, they whole event in the no vela can be used as an example to show how the Bib are uncivilized because first, Awakening was killed because Ann., the goddess, said he must be killed and second because it is is murder and murder I s morally wrong. The killing of Awakening who had become a part of Ginkgo's family,† writes Poof, F FAA when explaining that the murder of Awakening by his so called father was provided by the author to understand the novel, and most of all culture and society of the Bib, and how they are coarse and uncivilized in many ways. The Bib society is uncivilized despite the fact that it is first shown as a civilized society .Whether or not the Bib society was civilized is important because it shows how times have chaw engaged, this novel having been written in the sass's and even though the culture may be diffe rent, man y practices, actions, and beliefs shown in the novel affected many and are still being put to practice now a days in different 2 ways. These actions were not morally Justified back then but no one was punished, it was not stopped, it was allowed. Unlike today where women can be the leaders of the house, murder is never Justified, ND throwing twin babies in a forest is wrong. Things Fall Apart (Literary Analysis) Things Fall Apart Literary Analysis Okonkwo and his father, Unoka, were two very different people. With just one wife and nothing to leave behind to his only son, Unoka was seen as a failure in the eyes of his village. Okonkwo, however, became a titled man with three wives and a successful harvest every season. He was well respected in his community, despite his impulsive tendencies and rigidness. Although he despised Unoka, Okonkwo would not have grown to be the man that he did if it weren't for his father. Okonkwo was aware of his father's chronic laziness growing up and he knew firsthand the consequences of that kind of lifestyle.He learned from Unoka's mistakes, and as an adult tried to become the opposite of him. â€Å"Okonkwo was ruled by one passion- to hate everything his father had loved. One of those things was gentleness and another was idleness. † He didn't want to be judged based on the faults his father, and he proved that he was indeed everything Unoka was not: Strong, successful, determined and hardworking. Okonkwo also lived in perpetual fear of being perceived as weak, as his father had been. This fear drove him to do reckless things such as kill Ikemefuna, who had regarded Okonkwo as a father-figure. Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak. † Such impulsive actions proved him to be tough on the outside, but only weakened him on the inside. Okonkwo came to love Ikemefuna like a son, because he was much more like himself than his own biological son, Nwoye. However, he would never show his affection and later became deeply depressed by what he'd done. Nwoye, too, chose a very different path than his father. Okonkwo always thought Nwoye was lazy and feminine, much like Unoka. â€Å"‘†¦ I have done my best to make Nwoye grow into a man, but there is too much of his mother in him. ‘Too much of his grandfather,' Obierika thought, but he did not say it. The same th ought also came to Okonkwo's mind. † Later in Nwoye's life, he defied his father's wishes and joined the Christian church. Upon hearing this news, Okonkwo disowned him as a son. I think this shows that how we're raised greatly influences the people we become as adults. Okonkwo, who's father didn't have many expectations of him, created high expectations for himself. However, Nwoye failed to meet Okonkwo's high standards and eventually gave up on trying to please him.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 20 VOLTERRA

WE BEGAN THE STEEP CLIMB, AND THE ROAD GREW CONGESTED. As we wound higher, the cars became too close together for Alice to weave insanely between them anymore. We slowed to a crawl behind a little tan Peugeot. â€Å"Alice,† I moaned. The clock on the dash seemed to be speeding up. â€Å"It's the only way in,† she tried soothe me. But her voice was too strained to comfort. The cars continued to edge forward, one car length at a time. The sun beamed down brilliantly, seeming already overhead. The cars crept one by one toward the city. As we got closer, I could see cars parked by the side of the road with people getting out to walk the test of the way. At first I thought it was just impatiencesomething I could easily understand. But then we came around a switchback, and I could see the filled parking lot outside the city wall, the crowds of people walking through the gates. No one was being allowed to drive through. â€Å"Alice,† I whispered urgently. â€Å"I know,† she said. Her face was chiseled from ice. Now that I was looking, and we were crawling slowly enough to see, I could tell that it was very windy. The people crowding toward the gate gripped their hats and tugged their hair out of their faces. Their clothes billowed around them. I also noticed that the color red was everywhere. Red shirts, red hats, red flags dripping like long ribbons beside the gate, whipping in the windas I watched, the brilliant crimson scarf one woman had tied around her hair was caught in a sudden gust. It twisted up into the air above her, writhing like it was alive. She reached for it, jumping in the air, but it continued to flutter higher, a patch of bloody color against the dull, ancient walls. â€Å"Bella.† Alice spoke quickly in a fierce, low voice. â€Å"I can't see what the guard here will decide nowif this doesn't work, you're going to have to go in alone. You're going to have to run. Just keep asking for the Palazzo dei Priori, and running in the direction they tell you. Don't get lost.† â€Å"Palazzo dei Priori, Palazzo dei Priori,† I repeated the name over and over again, trying to get it down. â€Å"Or ‘the clock tower,' if they speak English. I'll go around and try to find a secluded spot somewhere behind the city where I can go over the wall.† I nodded. â€Å"Palazzo dei Priori.† â€Å"Edward will be under the clock tower, to the north of the square. There's a narrow alleyway on the right, and he'll be in the shadow there. You have to get his attention before he can move into the sun.† I nodded furiously. Alice was near the front of the line. A man in a navy blue uniform was directing the flow of traffic, turning the cars away from the full lot. They U-turned and headed back to find a place beside the road. Then it was Alice's turn. The uniformed man motioned lazily, not paying attention. Alice accelerated, edging around him and heading for the gate. He shouted something at us, but held his ground, waving frantically to keep the next car from following our bad example. The man at the gate wore a matching uniform. As we approached him, the throngs of tourists passed, crowding the sidewalks, staring curiously at the pushy, flashy Porsche. The guard stepped into the middle of the street. Alice angled the car carefully before she came to a full stop. The sun beat against my window, and she was in shadow. She swiftly reached behind the seat and grabbed something from her bag. The guard came around the car with an irritated expression, and tapped on her window angrily. She rolled the window down halfway, and I watched him do a double take when he saw the face behind the dark glass. â€Å"I'm sorry, only tour buses allowed in the city today, miss,† he said in English, with a heavy accent. He was apologetic, now, as if he wished he had better news for the strikingly beautiful woman. â€Å"It's a private tour,† Alice said, flashing an alluring smile. She reached her hand out cf the window, into the sunlight. I froze, until I realized she was wearing an elbow-length, tan glove. She took his hand, still raised from tapping her window, and pulled it into the car. She put something into his palm, and folded his fingers around it. His face was dazed as he retrieved his hand and stared at the thick roll of money he now held. The outside bill was a thousand dollar bill. â€Å"Is this a joke?† he mumbled. Alice's smile was blinding. â€Å"Only if you think it's funny.† He looked at her, his eyes staring wide. I glanced nervously at the clock on the dash. If Edward stuck to his plan, we had only five minutes left. â€Å"I'm in a wee bit of a hurry,† she hinted, still smiling. The guard blinked twice, and then shoved the money inside his vest. He took a step away from the window and waved us on. None of the passing people seemed to notice the quiet exchange. Alice drove into the city, and we both sighed in relief. The street was very narrow, cobbled with the same color stones as the faded cinnamon brown buildings that darkened the street with their shade. It had the feel of an alleyway. Red flags decorated the walls, spaced only a few yards apart, flapping in the wind that whistled through the narrow lane. It was crowded, and the foot traffic slowed our progress. â€Å"Just a little farther,† Alice encouraged me; I was gripping the door handle, ready to throw myself into the street as soon as she spoke the word. She drove in quick spurts and sudden stops, and the people in the crowd shook their fists at us and said angry words that I was glad I couldn't understand. She turned onto a little path that couldn't have been meant for cars; shocked people had to squeeze into doorways as we scraped by. We found another street at the end. The buildings were taller here; they leaned together overhead so that no sunlight touched the pavementthe thrashing red flags on either side nearly met. The crowd was thicker here than anywhere else. Alice stopped the car. I had the door open before we were at a standstill. She pointed to where the street widened into a patch of bright openness. â€Å"Therewe're at the southern end of the square. Run straight across, to the right of the clock tower. I'll find a way around† Her breath caught suddenly, and when she spoke again, her voice was a hiss. â€Å"They're everywhere?† I froze in place, but she pushed me out of the car. â€Å"Forget about them. You have two minutes. Go, Bella, go!† she shouted, climbing out of the car as she spoke. I didn't pause to watch Alice melt into the shadows. I didn't stop to close my door behind me. I shoved a heavy woman out of my way and ran flat out, head down, paying little attention to anything but the uneven stones beneath my feet. Coming out of the dark lane, I was blinded by the brilliant sunlight beating down into the principal plaza. The wind whooshed into me, flinging my hair into my eyes and blinding me further. It was no wonder that I didn't see the wall of flesh until I'd smacked into it. There was no pathway, no crevice between the close pressed bodies. I pushed against them furiously, fighting the hands that shoved back. I heard exclamations of irritation and even pain as I battled my way through, but none were in a language I understood. The faces were a blur of anger and surprise, surrounded by the ever-present red. A blond woman scowled at me, and the red scarf coiled around her neck looked like a gruesome wound. A child, lifted on a man's shoulders to see over the crowd, grinned down at me, his lips distended over a set of plastic vampire fangs. The throng jostled around me, spinning me the wrong direction. I was glad the clock was so visible, or I'd never keep my course straight. But both hands on the clock pointed up toward the pitiless sun, and, though I shoved viciously against the crowd, I knew I was too late. I wasn't halfway across. I wasn't going to make it. I was stupid and slow and human, and we were all going to die because of it. I hoped Alice would get out. I hoped that she would see me from some dark shadow and know that I had failed, so she could go home to Jasper. I listened, above the angry exclamations, trying to hear the sound of discovery: the gasp, maybe the scream, as Edward came into someone's view. But there was a break in the crowdI could see a bubble of space ahead. I pushed urgently toward it, not realizing till I bruised my shins against the bricks that there was a wide, square fountain set into the center of the plaza. I was nearly crying with relief as I flung my leg over the edge and ran through the knee-deep water. It sprayed all around me as I thrashed my way across the pool. Even in the sun, the wind was glacial, and the wet made the cold actually painful. But the fountain was very wide; it let me cross the center of the square and then some in mere seconds. I didn't pause when I hit the far edgeI used the low wall as a springboard, throwing myself into the crowd. They moved more readily for me now, avoiding the icy water that splattered from my dripping clothes as I ran. I glanced up at the clock again. A deep, booming chime echoed through the square. It throbbed in the stones under my feet. Children cried, covering their ears. And I started screaming as I ran. â€Å"Edward!† I screamed, knowing it was useless. The crowd was too loud, and my voice was breathless with exertion. But I couldn't stop screaming. The clock tolled again. I ran past a child in his mother's armshis hair was almost white in the dazzling sunlight. A circle of tall men, all wearing red blazers, called out warnings as I barreled through them. The clock tolled again. On the other side of the men in blazers, there was a break in the throng, space between the sightseers who milled aimlessly around me. My eyes searched the dark narrow passage to the right of the wide square edifice under the tower. I couldn't see the street levelthere were still too many people in the way. The clock tolled again. It was hard to see now. Without the crowd to break the wind, it whipped at my face and burned my eyes. I couldn't be sure if that was the reason behind my tears, or if I was crying in defeat as the clock tolled again. A little family of four stood nearest to the alley's mouth. The two girls wore crimson dresses, with matching ribbons tying their dark hair back. The father wasn't tall. It seemed like I could see something bright in the shadows, just over his shoulder. I hurtled toward them, trying to see past the stinging tears. The clock tolled, and the littlest girl clamped her hands over her ears. The older girl, just waist high on her mother, hugged her mother's leg and stared into the shadows behind them. As I watched, she tugged on her mother's elbow and pointed toward the darkness. The clock tolled, and I was so close now. I was close enough to hear her high-pitched voice. Her father stared at me in surprise as I bore down on them, rasping out Edward's name over and over again. The older girl giggled and said something to her mother, gesturing toward the shadows again impatiently. I swerved around the fatherhe clutched the baby out of my wayand sprinted for the gloomy breach behind them as the clock tolled over my head. â€Å"Edward, no!† I screamed, but my voice was lost in the roar of the chime. I could see him now. And I could see that he could not see me. It was really him, no hallucination this time. And I realized that my delusions were more flawed than I'd realized; they'd never done him justice. Edward stood, motionless as a statue, just a few feet from the mouth of the alley. His eyes were closed, the rings underneath them deep purple, his arms relaxed at his sides, his palms turned forward. His expression was very peaceful, like he was dreaming pleasant things. The marble skin of his chest was barethere was a small pile of white fabric at his feet. The light reflecting from the pavement of the square gleamed dimly from his skin. I'd never seen anything more beautifuleven as I ran, gasping and screaming, I could appreciate that. And the last seven months meant nothing. And his words in the forest meant nothing. And it did not matter if he did not want me. I would never want anything but him, no matter how long I lived. The clock tolled, and he took a large stride toward the light. â€Å"No!† I screamed. â€Å"Edward, look at me!† He wasn't listening. He smiled very slightly. He raised his foot to take the step that would put him directly in the path of the sun. I slammed into him so hard that the force would have hurled me to the ground if his arms hadn't caught me and held me up. It knocked my breath out of me and snapped my head back. His dark eyes opened slowly as the clock tolled again. He looked down at me with quiet surprise. â€Å"Amazing,† he said, his exquisite voice full of wonder, slightly amused. â€Å"Carlisle was right.† â€Å"Edward,† I tried to gasp, but my voice had no sound. â€Å"You've got to get back into the shadows. You have to move!† He seemed bemused. His hand brushed softly against my cheek. He didn't appear to notice that I was trying to force him back. I could have been pushing against the alley walls for all the progress I was making. The clock tolled, but he didn't react. It was very strange, for I knew we were both in mortal danger. Still, in that instant, I felt well. Whole. I could feel my heart racing in my chest, the blood pulsing hot and fast through my veins again. My lungs filled deep with the sweet scent that came off his skin. It was like there had never been any hole in my chest. I was perfectnot healed, but as if there had been no wound in the first place. â€Å"I can't believe how quick it was. I didn't feel a thingthey're very good,† he mused, closing his eyes again and pressing his lips against my hair. His voice was like honey and velvet. â€Å"Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, hath had no power yet upon thy beauty,† he murmured, and I recognized the line spoken by Romeo in the tomb. The clock boomed out its final chime â€Å"You smell just exactly the same as always,† he went on. â€Å"So maybe this is hell. I don't care. I'll take it.† â€Å"I'm not dead,† I interrupted. â€Å"And neither are you! Please Edward, we have to move. They can't be far away!† I struggled in his arms, and his brow furrowed in confusion. â€Å"What was that?† he asked politely. â€Å"We're not dead, not yet! But we have to get out of here before the Volturi† Comprehension flickered on his face as I spoke. Before I could finish, he suddenly yanked me away from the edge of the shadows, spinning me effortlessly so that my back was tight against the brick wall, and his back was to me as he faced away into the alley. His arms spread wide, protectively, in front of me. I peeked under his arm to see two dark shapes detach themselves from the gloom. â€Å"Greetings, gentlemen,† Edward's voice was calm and pleasant, on the surface. â€Å"I don't think I'll be requiring your services today. I would appreciate it very much, however, if you would send my thanks to your masters.† â€Å"Shall we take this conversation to a more appropriate venue?† a smooth voice whispered menacingly. â€Å"I don't believe that will be necessary.† Edward's voice was harder now. â€Å"I know your instructions, Felix. I haven't broken any rules.† â€Å"Felix merely meant to point out the proximity of the sun,† the other shadow said in a soothing tone. They were both concealed within smoky gray cloaks that reached to the ground and undulated in the wind. â€Å"Let us seek better cover.† â€Å"I'll be right behind you,† Edward said dryly. â€Å"Bella, why don't you go back to the square and enjoy the festival?† â€Å"No, bring the girl,† the first shadow said, somehow injecting a leer into his whisper. â€Å"I don't think so.† The pretense of civility disappeared. Edward's voice was flat and icy. His weight shifted infinitesimally, and I could see that he was preparing to fight. â€Å"No.† I mouthed the word. â€Å"Shh,† he murmured, only for me. â€Å"Felix,† the second, more reasonable shadow cautioned. â€Å"Not here.† He turned to Edward. â€Å"Aro would simply like to speak with you again, if you have decided not to force our hand after all.† â€Å"Certainly,† Edward agreed. ‘†But the girl goes free.† â€Å"I'm afraid that's not possible,† the polite shadow said regretfully. â€Å"We do have rules to obey.† â€Å"Then I'm afraid that I'll be unable to accept Aro's invitation, Demetri.† â€Å"That's just fine,† Felix purred. My eyes were adjusting to the deep shade, and I could see that Felix was very big, tall and thick through the shoulders. His size reminded me of Emmett. â€Å"Aro will be disappointed,† Demetri sighed. â€Å"I'm sure he'll survive the letdown,† Edward replied. Felix and Demetri stole closer toward the mouth of the alley, spreading out slightly so they could come at Edward from two sides. They meant to force him deeper into the alley, to avoid a scene. No reflected light found access to their skin; they were safe inside their cloaks. Edward didn't move an inch. He was dooming himself by protecting me. Abruptly, Edward's head whipped around, toward the darkness of the winding alley, and Demetri and Felix did the same, in response to some sound or movement too subtle for my senses. â€Å"Let's behave ourselves, shall we?† a lilting voice suggested. â€Å"There are ladies present.† Alice tripped lightly to Edward's side, her stance casual. There was no hint of any underlying tension. She looked so tiny, so fragile. Her little arms swung like a child's. Yet Demetri and Felix both straightened up, their cloaks swirling slightly as a gust of wind funneled through the alley. Felix's face soured. Apparently, they didn't like even numbers. â€Å"We're not alone,† she reminded them. Demetri glanced over his shoulder. A few yards into the square, the little family, with the girls in their red dresses, was watching us. The mother was speaking urgently to her husband, her eyes on the five of us. She looked away when Demetri met her gaze. The man walked a few steps farther into the plaza, and tapped one of the red-blazered men on the shoulder. Demetri shook his head. â€Å"Please, Edward, let's be reasonable,† he said. â€Å"Let's,† Edward agreed. â€Å"And we'll leave quietly now, with no one the wiser.† Demetri sighed in frustration. â€Å"At least let us discuss this more privately.† Six men in red now joined the family as they watched us with anxious expressions. I was very conscious of Edward's protective stance in front of mesure that this was what caused their alarm. I wanted to scream to them to run. Edward's teeth came together audibly. â€Å"No.† Felix smiled. â€Å"Enough.† The voice was high, reedy, and n came from behind us. I peeked under Edward's other arm to see a small, dark shape coming toward us. By the way the edges billowed, I knew it would be another one of them. Who else? At first I thought it was a young boy. The newcomer was as tiny as Alice, with lank, pale brown hair trimmed short. The body under the cloakwhich was darker, almost blackwas slim and androgynous. But the face was too pretty for a boy. The wide-eyed, full-lipped face would make a Botticelli angel look like a gargoyle. Even allowing for the dull crimson irises. Her size was so insignificant that the reaction to her appearance confused me. Felix and Demetri relaxed immediately, stepping back from their offensive positions to blend again with the shadows of the overhanging walls. Edward dropped his arms and relaxed his position as wellbut in defeat. â€Å"Jane,† he sighed in recognition and resignation. Alice folded her arms across her chest, her expression impassive. â€Å"Follow me,† Jane spoke again, her childish voice a monotone. She turned her back on us and drifted silently into the dark. Felix gestured for us to go first, smirking. Alice walked after the little Jane at once. Edward wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me along beside her. The alley angled slightly downward as it narrowed. I looked up at him with frantic questions in my eyes, but he just shook his head. Though I couldn't hear the others behind us, I was sure they were there. â€Å"Well, Alice,† Edward said conversationally as we walked. â€Å"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to see you here.† â€Å"It was my mistake,† Alice answered in the same tone. â€Å"It was my job to set it right.† â€Å"What happened?† His voice was polite, as if he were barely interested. I imagined this was due to the listening ears behind us. â€Å"It's a long story.† Alice's eyes flickered toward me and away. â€Å"In summary, she did jump off a cliff, but she wasn't trying to kill herself. Bella's all about the extreme sports these days.† I flushed and turned my eyes straight ahead, looking after the dark shadow that I could no longer see. I could imagine what he was hearing in Alice's thoughts now. Near-drownings, stalking vampires, werewolf friends â€Å"Hm,† Edward said curtly, and the casual tone of his voice was gone. There was a loose curve to the alley, still slanting downward, so I didn't see the squared-off dead end coming until we reached the flat, windowless, brick face. The little one called Jane was nowhere to be seen. Alice didn't hesitate, didn't break pace as she strode toward the wall. Then, with easy grace, she slid down an open hole in the street. It looked like a drain, sunk into the lowest point of the paving. I hadn't noticed it until Alice disappeared, but the grate was halfway pushed aside. The hole was small, and black. I balked. â€Å"It's all right, Bella,† Edward said in a low voice. â€Å"Alice will catch you.† I eyed the hole doubtfully. I imagine he would have gone first, if Demetri and Felix hadn't been waiting, smug and silent, behind us. I crouched down, swinging my legs into the narrow gap. â€Å"Alice?† I whispered, voice trembling. â€Å"I'm right here, Bella,† she reassured me. Her voice came from too far below to make me feel better. Edward took my wristshis hands felt like stones in winterand lowered me into the blackness. â€Å"Ready?† he asked. â€Å"Drop her,† Alice called. I closed my eyes so I couldn't see the darkness, scrunching them together in terror, clamping my mouth shut so I wouldn't scream. Edward let me fall. It was silent and short. The air whipped past me for just half a second, and then, with a huff as I exhaled, Alice's waiting arms caught me. I was going to have bruises; her arms were very hard. She stood me upright. It was dim, but not black at the bottom. The light from the hole above provided a faint glow, reflecting wetly from the stones under my feet. The light vanished for a second, and then Edward was a faint, white radiance beside me. He put his arm around me, holding me close to his side, and began to tow me swiftly forward. I wrapped both arms around his cold waist, and tripped and stumbled my way across the uneven stone surface. The sound of the heavy grate sliding over the drain hole behind us rang with metallicfinality. The dim light from the street was quickly lost in the gloom. The sound of my staggering footsteps echoed through the black space; it sounded very wide, but I couldn't be sure. There were no sounds other than my frantic heartbeat and my feet on the wet stonesexcept for once, when an impatient sigh whispered from behind me. Edward held me tightly. He reached his free hand across his body to hold my face, too, his smooth thumb tracing across my lips. Now and then, I felt his face press into my hair. I realized that this was the only reunion we would get, and I clutched myself closer to him. For now, it felt like he wanted me, and that was enough to offset the horror of the subterranean tunnel and the prowling vampires behind us. It was probably no more than guiltthe same guilt that compelled him to come here to die when he'd believed that it was his fault that I'd killed myself. But I felt his lips press silently against my forehead, and I didn't care what the motivation was. At least I could be with him again before I died. That was better than a long life. I wished I could ask him exactly what was going to happen now. I wanted desperately to know how we were going to dieas if that would somehow make it better, knowing in advance. But I couldn't speak, even in a whisper, surrounded as we were. The others could hear everythingmy every breath, my every heartbeat. The path beneath our feet continued to slant downward, taking us deeper into the ground, and it made me claustrophobic. Only Edward's hand, soothing against my face, kept me from screaming out loud. I couldn't tell where the light was coming from, but it slowly turned dark gray instead of black. We were in a low, arched tunnel. Long trails of ebony moisture seeped down the gray stones, like they were bleeding ink. I was shaking, and I thought it was from fear. It wasn't until my teeth started to chatter together that I realized I was cold. My clothes were still wet, and the temperature underneath the city was wintry. As was Edward's skin. He realized this at the same time I did, and let go of me, keeping only my hand. â€Å"N-n-no,† I chattered, throwing my arms around him. I didn't care if I froze. Who knew how long we had left? His cold hand chafed against my arm, trying to warm me with the friction. We hurried through the tunnel, or it felt like hurrying to me. My slow progress irritated someoneI guessed Felixand I heard him heave a sigh now and then. At the end of the tunnel was a gratethe iron bars were rusting, but thick as my arm. A small door made of thinner, interlaced bars was standing open. Edward ducked through and hurried on to a larger, brighter stone room. The grille slammed shut with a clang, followed by the snap of a lock. I was too afraid to look behind me. On the other side of the long room was a low, heavy wooden door. It was very thickas I could tell because it, too, stood open. We stepped through the door, and I glanced around me in surprise, relaxing automatically. Beside me, Edward tensed, his jaw clenched tight.