Chapter 14 Snape’s Grudge

No one in Gryffindor Tower slept that night. They knew that the castle was being searched again, and the whole House stayed awake in the common room, waiting to hear whether Black had been caught. Professor McGonagall came back at dawn, to tell them that he had again escaped. Throughout the day, everywhere they went they saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognize a large picture of Sirius Black; Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything from tiny cracks in the walls to mouse holes. Sir Cadogan had been fired. His portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the seventh floor, and the Fat Lady was back. She had been expertly restored, but was still extremely nervous, and had agreed to return to her job only on condition that she was given extra protection. A bunch of surly security trolls had been hired to guard her. They paced the corridor in a menacing group, talking in grunts and comparing the size of their clubs. Harry couldn't help noticing that the statue of the one-eyed witch on the third floor remained unguarded and unblocked. It seemed that Fred and George had been right in thinking that they — and now Harry, Ron, and Hermione — were the only ones who knew about the hidden passageway within it. â€Å"D'you reckon we should tell someone?† Harry asked Ron. â€Å"We know he's not coming in through Honeyduke's,† said Ron dismissively. â€Å"We'd've heard if the shop had been broken into.† Harry was glad Ron took this view. If the one-eyed witch was boarded up too, he would never be able to go into Hogsmeade again. Ron had become an instant celebrity. For the first time in his life, people were paying more attention to him than to Harry, and it was clear that Ron was rather enjoying the experience. Though still severely shaken by the night's events, he was happy to tell anyone who asked what had happened, with a wealth of detail. â€Å"†¦ I was asleep, and I heard this ripping noise, and I thought it was in my dream, you know? But then there was this draft†¦I woke up and one side of the hangings on my bed had been pulled down†¦I rolled over†¦and I saw him standing over me†¦like a skeleton, with loads of filthy hair†¦holding this great long knife, must've been twelve inches†¦and he looked at me, and I looked at him, and then I yelled, and he scampered. â€Å"Why, though?† Ron added to Harry as the group of second year girls who had been listening to his chilling tale departed. â€Å"Why did he run?† Harry had been wondering the same thing. Why had Black, having got the wrong bed, not silenced Ron and proceeded to Harry? Black had proved twelve years ago that he didn't mind murdering innocent people, and this time he had been facing five unarmed boys, four of whom were asleep. â€Å"He must've known he'd have a job getting back out of the castle once you'd yelled and woken people up,† said Harry thoughtfully. â€Å"He'd've had to kill the whole house to get back through the portrait hole†¦then he would've met the teachers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Neville was in total disgrace. Professor McGonagall was so furious with him she had banned him from all future Hogsmeade visits, given him a detention, and forbidden anyone to give him the password into the tower. Poor Neville was forced to wait. outside the common room every night for somebody to let him in, while the security trolls leered unpleasantly at him. None of these punishments, however, came close to matching the one his grandmother had in store for him. Two days after Black's break-in, she sent Neville the very worst thing a Hogwarts student could receive over breakfast — a Howler. The school owls swooped into the Great Hall carrying the mail as usual, and Neville choked as a huge barn owl landed in front of him, a scarlet envelope clutched in its beak. Harry and Ron, who were sitting opposite him, recognized the letter as a Howler at once — Ron had got one from his mother the year before. â€Å"Run for it, Neville,† Ron advised. Neville didn't need telling twice. He seized the envelope, and holding it before him like a bomb, sprinted out of the hall, while the Slytherin table exploded with laughter at the sight of him. They heard the Howler go off in the entrance hall — Neville's grandmother's voice, magically magnified to a hundred times its usual volume, shrieking about how he had brought shame on the whole family. Harry was too busy feeling sorry for Neville to notice immediately that he had a letter too. Hedwig got his attention by nipping him sharply on the wrist. â€Å"Ouch! Oh — thanks, Hedwig.† Harry tore open the envelope while Hedwig helped herself to some of Neville's cornflakes. The note inside said: Dear Harry and Ron, How about having tea with me this afternoon 'round six? I'll come collect you from the castle. WAIT FOR ME IN THE ENTRANCE HALL; YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED OUT ON YOUR OWN. Cheers, Hagrid â€Å"He probably wants to hear all about Black!† said Ron. So at six o'clock that afternoon, Harry and Ron left Gryffindor Tower, passed the security trolls at a run, and headed down to the entrance hall. Hagrid was already waiting for them. â€Å"All right, Hagrid!† said Ron. â€Å"S'pose you want to hear about Saturday night, do you?† â€Å"I've already heard all abou' it,† said Hagrid, opening the front doors and leading them outside. â€Å"Oh,† said Ron, looking slightly put out. The first thing they saw on entering Hagrid's cabin was Buckbeak, who was stretched out on top of Hagrid's patchwork quilt, his enormous wings folded tight to his body, enjoying a large plate of dead ferrets. Averting his eyes from this unpleasant sight, Harry saw a gigantic, hairy brown suit and a very horrible yellow-and-orange tie hanging from the top of Hagrid's wardrobe door. â€Å"What are they for, Hagrid?† said Harry. â€Å"Buckbeak's case against the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures,† said Hagrid. â€Å"This Friday. Him an' me'll be goin' down ter London together. I've booked two beds on the Knight Bus†¦.† Harry felt a nasty pang of guilt. He had completely forgotten that Buckbeak's trial was so near, and judging by the uneasy look on Ron's face, he had too. They had also forgotten their promise about helping him prepare Buckbeak's defense; the arrival of the Firebolt had driven it clean out of their minds. Hagrid poured them tea and offered them a plate of Bath buns but they knew better than to accept; they had had too much experience with Hagrid's cooking. â€Å"I got somethin' ter discuss with you two,† said Hagrid, sitting himself between them and looking uncharacteristically serious. â€Å"What?† said Harry. â€Å"Hermione,† said Hagrid. â€Å"What about her?† said Ron. â€Å"She's in a righ' state, that's what. She's bin comin' down ter visit me a lot since Chris'mas. Bin feelin' lonely. Firs' yeh weren' talking to her because o' the Firebolt, now yer not talkin' to her because her cat –â€Å" â€Å"?C ate Scabbers!† Ron interjected angrily. â€Å"Because her cat acted like all cats do,† Hagrid continued doggedly. â€Å"She's cried a fair few times, yeh know. Goin' through a rough time at the moment. Bitten off more'n she can chew, if yeh ask me, all the work she's tryin' ter do. Still found time ter help me with Buckbeak's case, mind†¦She's found some really good stuff fer me†¦reckon he'll stand a good chance now†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Hagrid, we should've helped as well — sorry –† Harry began awkwardly. â€Å"I'm not blamin' yeh!† said Hagrid, waving Harry's apology aside. â€Å"Gawd knows yeh've had enough ter be getting' on with. I've seen yeh practicin' Quidditch ev'ry hour o' the day an' night — but I gotta tell yeh, I thought you two'd value yer friend more'n broomsticks or rats. Tha's all.† Harry and Ron exchanged uncomfortable looks. â€Å"Really upset, she was, when Black nearly stabbed yeh, Ron. She's got her heart in the right place, Hermione has, an' you two not talkin' to her –â€Å" â€Å"If she'd just get rid of that cat, I'd speak to her again!† Ron said angrily. â€Å"But she's still sticking up for it! It's a maniac, and she won't hear a word against it!† â€Å"Ah, well, people can be a bit stupid abou' their pets,† said Hagrid wisely. Behind him, Buckbeak spat a few ferret bones onto Hagrid's pillow. They spent the rest of their visit discussing Gryffindor's improved chances for the Quidditch Cup. At nine o'clock, Hagrid walked them back up to the castle. A large group of people was bunched around the bulletin board when they returned to the common room. â€Å"Hogsmeade, next weekend!† said Ron, craning over the heads to read the new notice. â€Å"What d'you reckon?† he added quietly to Harry as they went to sit down. â€Å"Well, Filch hasn't done anything about the passage into Honeydukes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry said, even more quietly. â€Å"Harry!† said a voice in his right ear. Harry started and looked around at Hermione, who was sitting at the table right behind them and clearing a space in the wall of books that had been hiding her. â€Å"Harry, if you go into Hogsmeade again†¦I'll tell Professor McGonagall about that map!† said Hermione. â€Å"Can you hear someone talking, Harry?† growled Ron, not looking at Hermione. â€Å"Ron, how can you let him go with you? After what Sirius Black nearly did to you! I mean it, I'll tell –â€Å" â€Å"So now you're trying to get Harry expelled!† said Ron furiously. â€Å"Haven't you done enough damage this year?† Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but with a soft hiss, Crookshanks leapt onto her lap. Hermione took one frightened look at the expression on Ron's face, gathered up Crookshanks, and hurried away toward the girls' dormitories. â€Å"So how about it?† Ron said to Harry as though there had been no interruption. â€Å"Come on, last time we went you didn't see anything. You haven't even been inside Zonko's yet!† Harry looked around to check that Hermione was well out of earshot. â€Å"Okay,† he said. â€Å"But I'm taking the Invisibility Cloak this time.† On Saturday morning, Harry packed his Invisibility Cloak in his bag, slipped the Marauder's Map into his pocket, and went down to breakfast with everyone else. Hermione kept shooting suspicious looks down the table at him, but he avoided her eye and was careful to let her see him walking back up the marble staircase in the entrance hall as everybody else proceeded to the front doors. â€Å"Bye!† Harry called to Ron. â€Å"See you when you get back!† Ron grinned and winked. Harry hurried up to the third floor, slipping the Marauder's Map out of his pocket as he went. Crouching behind the one-eyed witch, he smoothed it out. A tiny dot was moving in his direction. Harry squinted at it. The minuscule writing next to it read Neville Longbottom. Harry quickly pulled out his wand, muttered, â€Å"Dissendium!† and shoved his bag into the statue, but before he could climb in himself, Neville came around the corner. â€Å"Harry! I forgot you weren't going to Hogsmeade either!† â€Å"Hi, Neville,† said Harry, moving swiftly away from the statue and pushing the map back into his pocket. â€Å"What are you up to?† â€Å"Nothing,† shrugged Neville. â€Å"Want a game of Exploding Snap?† â€Å"Er — not now — I was going to go to the library and do that vampire essay for Lupin –â€Å" â€Å"I'll come with you!† said Neville brightly. â€Å"I haven't done it either!† â€Å"Er — hang on — yeah, I forgot, I finished it last night!† â€Å"Great, you can help me!† said Neville, his round face anxious. â€Å"I don't understand that thing about the garlic at all — do they have to eat it, or –â€Å" He broke off with a small gasp, looking over Harry's shoulder. It was Snape. Neville took a quick step behind Harry. â€Å"And what are you two doing here?† said Snape, coming to a halt and looking from one to the other. â€Å"An odd place to meet –â€Å" To Harry's immense disquiet, Snape's black eyes flicked to the doorways on either side of them, and then to the one-eyed witch. â€Å"We're not — meeting here,† said Harry. â€Å"We just — met here.† â€Å"Indeed?† said Snape. â€Å"You have a habit of turning up in unexpected places, Potter, and you are very rarely there for no good reason†¦I suggest the pair of you return to Gryffindor Tower, where you belong.† Harry and Neville set off without another word. As they turned the corner, Harry looked back. Snape was running one of his hands over the one-eyed witch's head, examining it closely. Harry managed to shake Neville off at the Fat Lady by telling him the password, then pretending he'd left his vampire essay in the library and doubling back. Once out of sight of the security trolls, he pulled out the map again and held it close to his nose. The third floor corridor seemed to be deserted. Harry scanned the map carefully and saw, with a leap of relief, that the tiny dot labeled Severus Snape was now back in its office. He sprinted back to the one-eyed witch, opened her hump, heaved himself inside, and slid down to meet his bag at the bottom of the stone chute. He wiped the Marauder's Map blank again, then set off at a run. Harry, completely hidden beneath the Invisibility Cloak, emerged into the sunlight outside Honeydukes and prodded Ron in the back. â€Å"It's me,† he muttered. â€Å"What kept you?† Ron hissed. â€Å"Snape was hanging around.† They set off up the High Street. â€Å"Where are you?† Ron kept muttering out of the corner of his mouth. â€Å"Are you still there? This feels weird†¦Ã¢â‚¬  They went to the post office; Ron pretended to be checking the price of an owl to Bill in Egypt so that Harry could have a good look around. The owls sat hooting softly down at him, at least three hundred of them; from Great Grays right down to tiny little Scops owls (â€Å"Local Deliveries Only†), which were so small they could have sat in the palm of Harry's hand. Then they visited Zonko's, which was so packed with students Harry had to exercise great care not to tread on anyone and cause a panic. There were jokes and tricks to fulfill even Fred's and George's wildest dreams; Harry gave Ron whispered orders and passed him some gold from under the cloak. They left Zonko's with their money bags considerably lighter than they had been on entering, but their pockets bulging with Dungbombs, Hiccup Sweets, Frog Spawn Soap, and a Nose-Biting Teacup apiece. The day was fine and breezy, and neither of them felt like staying indoors, so they walked past the Three Broomsticks and climbed a slope to visit the Shrieking Shack, the most haunted dwelling in Britain. It stood a little way above the rest of the village, and even in daylight was slightly creepy, with its boarded windows and dank overgrown garden. â€Å"Even the Hogwarts ghosts avoid it,† said Ron as they leaned on the fence, looking up at it. â€Å"I asked Nearly Headless Nick†¦he says he's heard a very rough crowd lives here. No one can get in. Fred and George tried, obviously, but all the entrances are sealed shut†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry, feeling hot from their climb, was just considering taking off the cloak for a few minutes when they heard voices nearby. Someone was climbing toward the house from the other side of the hill; moments later, Malfoy had appeared, followed closely by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy was speaking. â€Å"†¦should have an owl from Father any time now. He had to go to the hearing to tell them about my arm†¦about how I couldn't use it for three months†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. â€Å"I really wish I could hear that great hairy moron trying to defend himself†¦'There's no ‘arm in ‘im, ‘onest –‘†¦That Hippogriff's as good as dead –â€Å" Malfoy suddenly caught sight of Ron. His pale face split in a malevolent grin. â€Å"What are you doing, Weasley?† Malfoy looked up at the crumbling house behind Ron. â€Å"Suppose you'd love to live here, wouldn't you, Weasley? Dreaming about having your own bedroom? I heard your family all sleep in one room — is that true?† Harry seized the back of Ron's robes to stop him from leaping on Malfoy. â€Å"Leave him to me,† he hissed in Ron's ear. The opportunity was too perfect to miss. Harry crept silently around behind Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, bent down, and scooped a large handful of mud out of the path. â€Å"We were just discussing your friend Hagrid,† Malfoy said to Ron. â€Å"Just trying to imagine what he's saying to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. D'you think he'll cry when they cut off his Hippogriff's –â€Å" SPLAT! Malfoy's head jerked forward as the mud hit him; his silverblond hair was suddenly dripping in muck. â€Å"What the –?† Ron had to hold onto the fence to keep himself standing, he was laughing so hard. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle spun stupidly on the spot, staring wildly around, Malfoy trying to wipe his hair clean. â€Å"What was that? Who did that?† â€Å"Very haunted up here, isn't it?† said Ron, with the air of one commenting on the weather. Crabbe and Goyle were looking scared. Their bulging muscles were no use against ghosts. Malfoy was staring madly around at the deserted landscape. Harry sneaked along the path, where a particularly sloppy puddle yielded some foul-smelling, green sludge. SPLATTER! Crabbe and Goyle caught some this time. Goyle hopped furiously on the spot, trying to rub it out of his small, dull eyes. â€Å"It came from over there!† said Malfoy, wiping his face, and staring at a spot some six feet to the left of Harry. Crabbe blundered forward, his long arms outstretched like a zombie. Harry dodged around him, picked up a stick, and lobbed it at Crabbe's back. Harry doubled up with silent laughter as Crabbe did a kind of pirouette in midair, trying to see who had thrown it. As Ron was the only person Crabbe could see, it was Ron he started toward, but Harry stuck out his leg. Crabbe stumbled — and his huge, flat foot caught the hem of Harry's cloak. Harry felt a great tug, then the cloak slid off his face. For a split second, Malfoy stared at him. â€Å"AAARGH!† he yelled, pointing at Harry's head. Then he turned tail and ran, at breakneck speed, back down the hill, Crabbe and Goyle behind him. Harry tugged the cloak up again, but the damage was done. â€Å"Harry!† Ron said, stumbling forward and staring hopelessly at the point where Harry had disappeared, â€Å"you'd better run for it! If Malfoy tells anyone — you'd better get back to the castle, quick –â€Å" â€Å"See you later,† said Harry, and without another word, he tore back down the path toward Hogsmeade. Would Malfoy believe what he had seen? Would anyone believe Malfoy? Nobody knew about the Invisibility Cloak — nobody except Dumbledore. Harry's stomach turned over — Dumbledore would know exactly what had happened, if Malfoy said anything — Back into Honeydukes, back down the cellar steps, across the stone floor, through the trapdoor — Harry pulled off the cloak, tucked it under his arm, and ran, flat out, along the passage†¦Malfoy would get back first†¦ how long would it take him to find a teacher? Panting, a sharp pain in his side, Harry didn't slow down until he reached the stone slide. He would have to leave the cloak where it was, it was too much of a giveaway in case Malfoy had tipped off a teacher — he hid it in a shadowy corner, then started to climb, fast as he could, his sweaty hands slipping on the sides of the chute. He reached the inside of the witch's hump, tapped it with his wand, stuck his head through, and hoisted himself out; the hump closed, and just as Harry jumped out from behind the statue, he heard quick footsteps approaching. It was Snape. He approached Harry at a swift walk, his black robes swishing, then stopped in front of him. â€Å"So,† he said. There was a look of suppressed triumph about him. Harry tried to look innocent, all too aware of his sweaty face and his muddy hands, which he quickly hid in his pockets. â€Å"Come with me, Potter,† said Snape. Harry followed him downstairs, trying to wipe his hands clean on the inside of his robes without Snape noticing. They walked down the stairs to the dungeons and then into Snape's office. Harry had been in here only once before, and he had been in very serious trouble then too. Snape had acquired a few more slimy horrible things in jars since last time, all standing on shelves behind his desk, glinting in the firelight and adding to the threatening atmosphere. â€Å"Sit,† said Snape. Harry sat. Snape, however, remained, standing. â€Å"Mr. Malfoy has just been to see me with a strange story, Potter,† said Snape. Harry didn't say anything. â€Å"He tells me that he was up by the Shrieking Shack when he ran into Weasley — apparently alone.† Still, Harry didn't speak. â€Å"Mr. Malfoy states that he was standing talking to Weasley, when a large amount of mud hit him in the back of the head. How do you think that could have happened?† Harry tried to look mildly surprised. â€Å"I don't know, Professor.† Snape's eyes were boring into Harry's. It was exactly like trying to stare down a Hippogriff. Harry tried hard not to blink. â€Å"Mr. Malfoy then saw an extraordinary apparition. Can you imagine what it might have been, Potter?† â€Å"No,† said Harry, now trying to sound innocently curious. â€Å"It was your head, Potter. Floating in midair.† There was a long silence. â€Å"Maybe he'd better go to Madam Pomfrey,† said Harry. â€Å"If he's seeing things like –â€Å" â€Å"What would your head have been doing in Hogsmeade, Potter?† said Snape softly. â€Å"Your head is not allowed in Hogsmeade. No part of your body has permission to be in Hogsmeade.† â€Å"I know that,† said Harry, striving to keep his face free of guilt or fear. â€Å"It sounds like Malfoy's having hallucin –â€Å" â€Å"Malfoy is not having hallucinations,† snarled Snape, and he bent down, a hand on each arm of Harry's chair, so that their faces were a foot apart. â€Å"If your head was in Hogsmeade, so was the rest of you.† â€Å"I've been up in Gryffindor Tower,† said Harry. â€Å"Like you told –â€Å" â€Å"Can anyone confirm that?† Harry didn't say anything. Snape's thin mouth curled into a horrible smile. â€Å"So,† he said, straightening up again. â€Å"Everyone from the Minister of Magic downward has been trying to keep famous Harry Potter safe from Sirius Black. But famous Harry Potter is a law unto himself. Let the ordinary people worry about his safety! Famous Harry Potter goes where he wants to, with no thought for the consequences.† Harry stayed silent. Snape was trying to provoke him into telling the truth. He wasn't going to do it. Snape had no proof — yet. â€Å"How extraordinarily like your father you are, Potter,† Snape said suddenly, his eyes glinting. â€Å"He too was exceedingly arrogant. A small amount of talent on the Quidditch field made him think he was a cut above the rest of us too. Strutting around the place with his friends and admirers†¦The resemblance between you is uncanny.† â€Å"My dad didn't strut,† said Harry, before he could stop himself. â€Å"And neither do I.† â€Å"Your father didn't set much store by rules either,† Snape went on, pressing his advantage, his thin face full of malice. â€Å"Rules were for lesser mortals, not Quidditch Cup-winners. His head was so swollen –â€Å" â€Å"SHUT UP!† Harry was suddenly on his feet. Rage such as he had not felt since his last night in Privet Drive was coursing through him. He didn't care that Snape's face had gone rigid, the black eyes flashing dangerously. â€Å"What did you say to me, Potter?† â€Å"I told you to shut up about my dad!† Harry yelled. â€Å"I know the truth, all right? He saved your life! Dumbledore told me! You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for my dad!† Snape's sallow skin had gone the color of sour milk. â€Å"And did the headmaster tell you the circumstances in which your father saved my life?† he whispered. â€Å"Or did he consider the details too unpleasant for precious Potter's delicate ears?† Harry bit his lip. He didn't know what had happened and didn't want to admit it — but Snape seemed to have guessed the truth. â€Å"I would hate for you to run away with a false idea of your father, Potter,† he said, a terrible grin twisting his face. â€Å"Have you been imagining some act of glorious heroism? Then let me correct you — your saintly father and his friends played a highly amusing joke on me that would have resulted in my death if your father hadn't got cold feet at the last moment. There was nothing brave about what he did. He was saving his own skin as much as mine. Had their joke succeeded, he would have been expelled from Hogwarts.† Snape's uneven, yellowish teeth were bared. â€Å"Turn out your pockets, Potter!† he spat suddenly. Harry didn't move. There was a pounding in his ears. â€Å"Turn out your pockets, or we go straight to the headmaster! Pull them out, Potter!† Cold with dread, Harry slowly pulled out the bag of Zonko's tricks and the Marauder's Map. Snap picked up the Zonko's bag. â€Å"Ron gave them to me,† said Harry, praying he'd get a chance to tip Ron off before Snape saw him. â€Å"He brought them back from Hogsmeade last time –â€Å" â€Å"Indeed? And you've been carrying them around ever since? How very touching†¦and what is this?† Snape had picked up the map. Harry tried with all his might to keep his face impassive. â€Å"Spare bit of parchment,† he said with a shrug. Snape turned it over, his eyes on Harry. â€Å"Surely you don't need such a very old piece of parchment?† he said. â€Å"Why don't I just — throw this away?† His hand moved toward the fire. â€Å"No!† Harry said quickly. â€Å"So!† said Snape, his long nostrils quivering. â€Å"Is this another treasured gift from Mr. Weasley? Or is it — something else? A letter, perhaps, written in invisible ink? Or — instructions to get into Hogsmeade without passing the Dementors?† Harry blinked. Snape's eyes gleamed. â€Å"Let me see, let me see†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he muttered, taking out his wand and smoothing the map out on his desk. â€Å"Reveal your secret!† he said, touching the wand to the parchment. Nothing happened. Harry clenched his hands to stop them from shaking. â€Å"Show yourself!† Snape said, tapping the map sharply. It stayed blank. Harry was taking deep, calming breaths. â€Å"Professor Severus Snape, master of this school, commands you to yield the information you conceal!† Snape said, hitting the map with his wand. As though an invisible hand were writing upon it, words appeared on the smooth surface of the map. â€Å"Mooney presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business.† Snape froze. Harry stared, dumbstruck, at the message. But the map didn't stop there. More writing was appearing beneath the first. â€Å"Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Mooney and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git.† It would have been very funny if the situation hadn't been so serious. And there was more †¦ â€Å"Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a professor.† Harry closed his eyes in horror. When he'd opened them, the map had had its last word. â€Å"Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball.† Harry waited for the blow to fall. â€Å"So †¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Snape softly. â€Å"We'll see about this †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He strode across to his fire, seized a fistful of glittering powder from a jar on the fireplace, and threw it into the flames. â€Å"Lupin!† Snape called into the fire. â€Å"I want a word!† Utterly bewildered, Harry stared at the fire. A large shape had appeared in it, revolving very fast. Seconds later, Professor Lupin was clambering out of the fireplace, brushing ash off his shabby robes. â€Å"You called, Severus?† said Lupin mildly. â€Å"I certainly did,† said Snape, his face contorted with fury as he strode back to his desk. â€Å"I have just asked Potter to empty his pockets. He was carrying this.† Snape pointed at the parchment, on which the words of Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs were still shining. An odd, closed expression appeared on Lupin's face. â€Å"Well?† said Snape. Lupin continued to stare at the map. Harry had the impression that Lupin was doing some very quick thinking. â€Å"Well?† said Snape again. â€Å"This parchment is plainly full of Dark Magic. This is supposed to be your area of expertise, Lupin. Where do you imagine Potter got such a thing?† Lupin looked up and, by the merest half-glance in Harry's direction, warned him not to interrupt. â€Å"Full of Dark Magic?† he repeated mildly. â€Å"Do you really think so, Severus? It looks to me as though it is merely a piece of parchment that insults anybody who reads it. Childish, but surely not dangerous? I imagine Harry got it from a joke shop –â€Å" â€Å"Indeed?† said Snape. His jaw had gone rigid with anger. â€Å"You think a joke shop could supply him with such a thing? You don't think it more likely that he got it directly from the manufacturers?† Harry didn't understand what Snape was talking about. Nor, apparently, did Lupin. â€Å"You mean, by Mr. Wormtail or one of these people?† he said. â€Å"Harry, do you know any of these men?† â€Å"No,† said Harry quickly. â€Å"You see, Severus?† said Lupin, turning back to Snape. â€Å"It looks like a Zonko product to me –â€Å" Right on cue, Ron came bursting into the office. He was completely out of breath, and stopped just short of Snape's desk, clutching the stitch in his chest and trying to speak. â€Å"I — gave — Harry — that — stuff,† he choked. â€Å"Bought — it†¦in Zonko's†¦ ages — ago†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Well!† said Lupin, clapping his hands together and looking around cheerfully. â€Å"That seems to clear that up! Severus, I'll take this back, shall I?† He folded the map and tucked it inside his robes. â€Å"Harry, Ron, come with me, I need a word about my vampire essay — excuse us, Severus –â€Å" Harry didn't dare look at Snape as they left his office. He. Ron, and Lupin walked all the way back into the entrance hall before speaking. Then Harry turned to Lupin. â€Å"Professor, I –â€Å" â€Å"I don't want to hear explanations,† said Lupin shortly. He glanced around the empty entrance hall and lowered his voice. â€Å"I happen to know that this map was confiscated by Mr. Filch many years ago. Yes, I know it's a map,† he said as Harry and Ron looked amazed. â€Å"I don't want to know how it fell into your possession. I am, however, astounded that you didn't hand it in. Particularly after what happened the last time a student left information about the castle lying around. And I can't let you have it back, Harry.† Harry had expected that, and was too keen for explanations to protest. â€Å"Why did Snape think I'd got it from the manufacturers?† â€Å"Because†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lupin hesitated, â€Å"because these mapmakers would have wanted to lure you out of school. They'd think it extremely entertaining.† â€Å"Do you know them?† said Harry, impressed. â€Å"We've met,† he said shortly. He was looking at Harry more seriously than ever before. â€Å"Don't expect me to cover up for you again, Harry. I cannot make you take Sirius Black seriously. But I would have thought that what you have heard when the Dementors draw near you would have had more of an effect on you. Your parents gave their lives to keep you alive, Harry. A poor way to repay them — gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks.† He walked away, leaving Harry feeling worse by far than he had at any point in Snape's office. Slowly, he and Ron mounted the marble staircase. As Harry passed the one-eyed witch, he remembered the Invisibility Cloak — it was still down there, but he didn't dare go and get it. â€Å"It's my fault,† said Ron abruptly. â€Å"I persuaded you to go. Lupin's right, it was stupid, we shouldn't've done it –â€Å" He broke off; they reached the corridor where the security trolls were pacing, and Hermione was walking toward them. One look at her face convinced Harry that she had heard what had happened. His heart plummeted — had she told Professor McGonagall? â€Å"Come to have a good gloat?† said Ron savagely as she stopped in front of them. â€Å"Or have you just been to tell on us?† â€Å"No,† said Hermione. She was holding a letter in her hands and her lip was trembling. â€Å"I just thought you ought to know†¦Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed.†

Frostbite Chapter 10

Ten THE SKI TRIP COULDN'T HAVE come a moment too soon. It was impossible to get the Dimitri and Tasha thing out of my head, but at least packing and getting ready made sure I didn't devote 100 percent of my brain power to him. More like 95 percent. I had other things to distract me, too. The Academy might- rightfully- be overprotective when it came to us, but sometimes that translated into pretty cool stuff. Example: The Academy had access to a couple of private jets. This meant no Strigoi could attack us at an airport, and it also meant we got to travel in style. Each jet was smaller than a commercial plane, but the seats were cushy and had lots of leg room. They extended far enough back that you could practically lie down to sleep. On long flights, we had little consoles in the seats that gave us TV movie options. Sometimes they'd even break out fancy meals. I was betting this flight, however, would be too short for any movies or substantial food. We left late on the twenty-sixth. When I boarded the jet, I looked around for Lissa, wanting to talk to her. We hadn't really spoken after the Christmas brunch. I wasn't surprised to see her sitting with Christian, and they didn't look like they wanted to be interrupted. I couldn't hear their conversation, but he'd put his arm around her and had that relaxed, flirty expression that only she could bring out. I remained fully convinced that he could never do as good a job as me of taking care of her, but he clearly made her happy. I put on a smile and nodded at them as I passed down the aisle toward where Mason was waving at me. As I did, I also walked by Dimitri and Tasha sitting together. I pointedly ignored them. â€Å"Hey,† I said sliding into the seat beside Mason. He smiled at me. â€Å"Hey. You ready for the ski challenge?† â€Å"As ready as I'll ever be.† â€Å"Don't worry,† he said. â€Å"I'll go easy on you.† I scoffed and leaned my head back against the seat. â€Å"You're so delusional.† â€Å"Sane guys are boring.† To my surprise, he slid his hand over mine. His skin was warm, and I felt my own skin tingle where he touched me. It startled me. I'd convinced myself Dimitri was the only one I'd ever respond to again. It's time to move on, I thought. Dimitri obviously has. You should have done it a long time ago. I laced my fingers with Mason's, catching him off guard. â€Å"I do. This is going to be fun.† And it was. I tried to keep reminding myself that we were here because of a tragedy, that there were Strigoi and humans out there who might strike again. No one else seemed to remember that, though, and I admit, I was having a difficult time myself. The resort was gorgeous. It was built to sort of look like a log cabin, but no pioneer cabin could have held hundreds of people or had such luxury accommodations. Three stories of gleaming, golden-colored wood sat among lofty pine trees. The windows were tall and gracefully arched, tinted for Moroi convenience. Crystal lanterns- electric, but shaped to look like torches- hung around all the entrances, giving the entire building a glittering, almost bejeweled look. Mountains- which my enhanced eyes could just barely make out in the night- surrounded us, and I bet the view would have been breathtaking when it was light out. One side of the grounds led off to the skiing area, complete with steep hills and moguls, as well as lifts and tow ropes. Another side of the lodge had an ice rink, which delighted me since I'd missed out that one day by the cabin. Near that, smooth hills were reserved for sledding. And that was just the outside. Inside, all sorts of arrangements had been made to cater to Moroi needs. Feeders stayed on hand, ready to serve twenty-four hours a day. The slopes ran on a nocturnal schedule. Wards and guardians circled the entire place. Everything a living vampire could want. The main lobby had a cathedral ceiling and an enormous chandelier hanging over it. Its floor was intricately tiled marble, and the front desk stayed open around the clock, ready to indulge our every need. The rest of the lodge, hallways and lounges, had a red, black, and gold color scheme. The deep shade of red dominated over the other hues, and I wondered if its resemblance to blood was a coincidence. Mirrors and art adorned the walls, and little ornamental tables had been placed here and there. They held vases of pale green, purple-spotted orchids that filled the air with a spicy scent. The room I shared with Lissa was bigger than our dorm rooms put together and had the same rich colors as the rest of the lodge. The carpet was so plush and deep that I immediately shed my shoes at the door and walked in barefoot, luxuriating in the way my feet sank into that softness. We had king-size beds, covered in feather duvets and set with so many pillows that I swore a person could get lost in them all and never be seen again. French doors opened on to a spacious balcony, which, considering we were on the top floor, would have been cool if not for the fact it was freezing outside. I suspected the two-person hot tub on the far end would go a long way to make up for the cold. Drowning in so much luxury, I reached an overload point where the rest of the accommodations started swimming together. The jetted marble bathtub. The plasma-screen TV. The basket of chocolate and other snacks. When we finally decided to go skiing, I had to practically drag myself from the room. I could probably have spent the rest of my vacation lounging in there and been perfectly content. But we finally ventured outside, and once I managed to push Dimitri and my mother out of my head, I started to enjoy myself. It helped that the lodge was so enormous; there was little chance of running into them. For the first time in weeks, I was able to finally focus on Mason and realize just how much fun he was. I also got to hang out with Lissa more than I had in a while, which put me in an even better mood. With Lissa, Christian, Mason, and me, we were able to get kind of a double-date thing going. The four of us spent almost all of the first day skiing, though the two Moroi had a bit of trouble keeping up. Considering what Mason and I went through in our classes, he and I weren't afraid to try daring stunts. Our competitive natures made us eager to go out of our way to outdo each other. â€Å"You guys are suicidal,† remarked Christian at one point. It was dark outside, and tall light posts illuminated his bemused face. He and Lissa had been waiting at the bottom of the mogul hill, watching Mason and me come down. We'd been moving at insane speeds. The part of me that had been trying to learn control and wisdom from Dimitri knew it was dangerous, but the rest of me liked embracing that recklessness. That dark streak of rebelliousness still hadn't let me go. Mason grinned as we skidded to a halt, sending up a spray of snow. â€Å"Nah, this is just a warm-up. I mean, Rose has been able to keep up with me the whole time. Kid stuff.† Lissa shook her head. â€Å"Aren't you guys taking this too far?† Mason and I looked at each other. â€Å"No.† She shook her head. â€Å"Well, we're going inside. Try not to kill yourselves.† She and Christian left, arm and arm. I watched them go, then turned back to Mason. â€Å"I'm good for a while longer. You?† â€Å"Absolutely.† We took a lift back up to the top of the hill. When we were just about to head down, Mason pointed. â€Å"Okay, how about this? Hit those moguls there, then jump over that ridge, swing back with a hairpin turn, dodge those trees, and land there.† I followed his finger as he pointed out a jagged path down one of the biggest slopes. I frowned. â€Å"That one really is insane, Mase.† â€Å"Ah,† he said triumphantly. â€Å"She finally cracks.† I glowered. â€Å"She does not.† After another survey of his crazy route, I conceded. â€Å"Okay. Let's do it.† He gestured. â€Å"You first.† I took a deep breath and leapt off. My skis slid smoothly over the snow, and piercing wind blasted into my face. I made the first jump neatly and precisely, but as the next part of the course sped forward, I realized just how dangerous it really was. In that split second, I had a decision to make. If I didn't do it, I'd never hear the end of it from Mason- and I really wanted to show him up. If I did manage it, I could feel pretty secure about my awesomeness. But if I tried and messed up †¦ I could break my neck. Somewhere in my head, a voice that sounded suspiciously like Dimitri's started talking about wise choices and learning when to show restraint. I decided to ignore that voice and went for it. This course was as hard as I'd feared, but I pulled it off flawlessly, one insane move after another. Snow flew up around me as I made each sharp, dangerous turn. When I safely reached bottom, I looked up and saw Mason gesturing wildly. I couldn't make out his expression or words, but I could imagine his cheers. I waved back and waited for him to follow suit. But he didn't. Because when Mason got halfway down, he wasn't able to pull off one of the jumps. His skis caught, and his legs twisted. Down he went. I reached him at about the same time some of the resort staff did. To everyone's relief, Mason hadn't broken his neck or anything else. His ankle did appear to have a nasty sprain, however, which was probably going to limit his skiing for the rest of the trip. One of the instructors monitoring the slopes ran forward, fury all over her face. â€Å"What were you kids thinking?† she exclaimed. She turned on me. â€Å"I couldn't believe it when you did those stupid stunts!† Her glare fixed on Mason next. â€Å"And then you had to go ahead and copy her!† I wanted to argue that it had all been his idea, but blame didn't matter at this point. I was just glad he was all right. But as we all went inside, guilt began to gnaw at me. I had acted irresponsibly. What if he'd been seriously injured? Horrible visions danced through my mind. Mason with a broken leg †¦ a broken neck†¦ What had I been thinking? No one had made me do that course. Mason had suggested it†¦ but I hadn't fought back. Goodness knew I probably could have. I might have had to endure some mockery, but Mason was crazy enough about me that feminine wiles probably would have stopped this madness. I'd gotten caught up in the excitement and the risk- much as I had in kissing Dimitri- not giving enough thought to the consequences because secretly, inside of me, that impulsive desire to be wild still lurked. Mason had it too, and his called to me. That mental Dimitri voice chastised me once more. After Mason was safely returned to the lodge and had ice on his ankle, I carried our equipment back outside toward the storage buildings. When I went back inside, I went through a different doorway than I normally used. This entrance was set behind a huge, open porch with an ornate wooden railing. The porch was built into the side of the mountain and had a breathtaking view of the other peaks and valleys around us- if you felt like standing around long enough in freezing temperatures to admire it. Which most people didn't. I walked up the steps to the porch, stomping snow off my boots as I did. A thick scent, both spicy and sweet, hung in the air. Something about it felt familiar, but before I could identify it, a voice suddenly spoke to me out of the shadows. â€Å"Hey, little dhampir.† Startled, I realized someone was indeed standing on the porch. A guy- a Moroi- leaned against the wall not far from the door. He brought a cigarette up to his mouth, took a long drag, and then dropped it to the floor. He stamped the butt out and crooked me a smile. That was the scent, I realized. Clove cigarettes. Warily, I stopped and crossed my arms as I took him in. He was a little shorter than Dimitri but wasn't as lanky as some Moroi guys ended up looking. A long, charcoal coat- probably made out of some insanely expensive cashmere-wool blend- fit his body exceptionally well, and the leather dress shoes he wore indicated more money still. He had brown hair that looked like it had been purposely styled to appear a little unkempt, and his eyes were either blue or green- I didn't have quite enough light to know for sure. His face was cute, I supposed, and I pegged him to be a couple years older than me. He looked like he'd just come from a dinner party. â€Å"Yeah?† I asked. His eyes swept over my body. I was used to attention from Moroi guys. It just usually wasn't so obvious. And I usually wasn't bundled up in winter clothing and sporting a black eye. He shrugged. â€Å"Just saying hi, that's all.† I waited for more, but all he did was stuff his hands into the coat's pockets. With a shrug of my own, I took a couple steps forward. â€Å"You smell good, you know,† he suddenly said. I stopped walking again and gave him a puzzled look, which only made his sly smile grow a little bigger. â€Å"I†¦ um, what?† â€Å"You smell good,† he repeated. â€Å"Are you joking? I've been sweating all day. I'm disgusting.† I wanted to walk away, but there was something eerily compelling about this guy. Like a train wreck. I didn't find him attractive per se; I was just suddenly interested in talking to him. â€Å"Sweat isn't a bad thing,† he said, leaning his head against the wall and looking upward thoughtfully. â€Å"Some of the best things in life happen while sweating. Yeah, if you get too much of it and it gets old and stale, it turns pretty gross. But on a beautiful woman? Intoxicating. If you could smell things like a vampire does, you'd know what I'm talking about. Most people mess it all up and drown themselves in perfume. Perfume can be good†¦especially if you get one that goes with your chemistry. But you only need a hint. Mix about 20 percent of that with 80 percent of your own perspiration†¦mmm.† He tilted his head to the side and looked at me. â€Å"Dead sexy.† I suddenly remembered Dimitri and his aftershave. Yeah. That had been dead sexy, but I certainly wasn't going to tell this guy about it. â€Å"Well, thanks for the hygiene lesson,† I said. â€Å"But I don't own any perfume, and I'm going to go shower all this hot sweaty action off me. Sorry.† He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered it to me. He moved only a step closer, but it was enough for me to smell something else on him. Alcohol. I shook my head at the cigarettes, and he tapped one out for himself. â€Å"Bad habit,† I said, watching him light it. â€Å"One of many,† he replied. He inhaled deeply. â€Å"You here with St. Vlad's?† â€Å"Yup.† â€Å"So you're going to be a guardian when you grow up.† â€Å"Obviously.† He exhaled smoke, and I watched it drift away into the night. Heightened vampire senses or no, it was a wonder he could smell anything around those cloves. â€Å"How long until you grow up?† he asked. â€Å"I might need a guardian.† â€Å"I graduate in the spring. But I'm already spoken for. Sorry.† Surprise flickered in his eyes. â€Å"Yeah? Who is he?† â€Å"She's Vasilisa Dragomir.† â€Å"Ah.† His face split into a huge grin. â€Å"I knew you were trouble as soon as I saw you. You're Janine Hathaway's daughter.† â€Å"I'm Rose Hathaway,† I corrected, not wanting to be defined by my mother. â€Å"Nice to meet you, Rose Hathaway.† He extended a gloved hand to me that I hesitantly took. â€Å"Adrian Ivashkov.† â€Å"And you think I'm trouble,† I muttered. The Ivashkovs were a royal family, one of the wealthiest and most powerful. They were the kind of people who thought they could get anything they wanted and walked over those in their way. No wonder he was so arrogant. He laughed. He had a nice laugh, rich and almost melodious. It made me think of warm caramel, dripping from a spoon. â€Å"Handy, huh? Each of our reputations precedes us.† I shook my head. â€Å"You don't know anything about me. And I only know of your family. I don't know anything about you.† â€Å"Want to?† he asked tauntingly. â€Å"Sorry. I'm not into older guys.† â€Å"I'm twenty-one. Not that much older.† â€Å"I have a boyfriend.† It was a small lie. Mason certainly wasn't my boyfriend yet, but I hoped Adrian would leave me alone if he thought I was taken. â€Å"Funny you didn't mention that right away,† Adrian mused. â€Å"He didn't give you that black eye, did he?† I felt myself blushing, even in the cold. I'd been hoping he wouldn't notice the eye, which was stupid. With his vampire eyes, he'd probably noticed as soon as I stepped onto the porch. â€Å"He wouldn't be alive if he did. I got it during †¦ practice. I mean, I'm training to be a guardian. Our classes are always rough.† â€Å"That's pretty hot,† he said. He dropped this second cigarette to the ground and put it out with his foot. â€Å"Punching me in the eye?† â€Å"Well, no. Of course not. I meant that the idea of getting rough with you is hot. I'm a big fan of full-contact sports.† â€Å"I'm sure you are,† I said dryly. He was arrogant and presumptuous, yet I still couldn't quite force myself to leave. The sound of footsteps behind me made me turn. Mia came around the path and walked up the steps. When she saw us, she stopped suddenly. â€Å"Hey, Mia.† She glanced between the two of us. â€Å"Another guy?† she asked. From her tone, you would have thought I had my own harem of men. Adrian gave me a questioning, amused look. I gritted my teeth and decided not to dignify that with a response. I opted for uncharacteristic politeness. â€Å"Mia, this is Adrian Ivashkov.† Adrian turned on the same charm he'd used on me. He shook her hand. â€Å"Always a pleasure to meet a friend of Rose's, especially a pretty one.† He spoke like he and I had known each other since childhood. â€Å"We aren't friends,† I said. So much for politeness. â€Å"Rose only hangs out with guys and psychopaths,† said Mia. Her voice carried the usual scorn she harbored for me, but there was a look on her face that showed Adrian had clearly caught her interest. â€Å"Well,† he said cheerfully, â€Å"since I'm both a psychopath and a guy, that would explain why we're such good friends.† â€Å"You and I aren't friends either,† I told him. He laughed. â€Å"Always playing hard to get, huh?† â€Å"She's not that hard to get,† said Mia, clearly upset that Adrian was paying more attention to me. â€Å"Just ask half the guys at our school.† â€Å"Yeah,† I retorted, â€Å"and you can ask the other half about Mia. If you can do a favor for her, she'll do lots of favors for you.† When she'd declared war on Lissa and me, Mia had managed to get a couple of guys to tell everyone at school that I'd done some pretty awful things with them. The ironic thing was that she'd gotten them to lie for her by sleeping with them herself. A flicker of embarrassment passed over her face, but she held her ground. â€Å"Well,† she said, â€Å"at least I don't do them for free.† Adrian made some cat noises. â€Å"Are you done?† I asked. â€Å"It's past your bedtime, and the grown-ups would like to talk now.† Mia's youthful looks were a sore point with her, one I frequently enjoyed exploiting. â€Å"Sure,† she said crisply. Her cheeks turned pink, intensifying her porcelain-doll appearance. â€Å"I have better things to do anyway.† She turned toward the door, then paused with her hand resting on it. She glanced toward Adrian. â€Å"Her mom gave her that black eye, you know.† She went inside. The fancy glass doors swung shut behind her. Adrian and I stood there in silence. Finally, he took out the cigarettes again and lit another. â€Å"Your mom?† â€Å"Shut up.† â€Å"You're one of those people who either has soul mates or mortal enemies, aren't you? No in-between. You and Vasilisa are probably like sisters, huh?† â€Å"I guess.† â€Å"How is she?† â€Å"Huh? What do you mean?† He shrugged, and if I didn't know better, I'd have said he was overdoing casualness. â€Å"I don't know. I mean, I know you guys ran away†¦and there was that stuff with her family and Victor Dashkov†¦.† I stiffened at the reference to Victor. â€Å"So?† â€Å"Dunno. Just figured it might be a lot for her to, you know, handle.† I studied him carefully, wondering what he was getting at. There had been a brief leak about Lissa's fragile mental health, but it had been well-contained. Most people had forgotten about it or assumed it was a lie. â€Å"I've got to go.† I decided avoidance was the best tactic just now. â€Å"Are you sure?† He sounded only mildly disappointed. Mostly he seemed as cocky and amused as before. Something about him still intrigued me, but whatever it was, it wasn't enough to combat everything else I was feeling, or to risk discussing Lissa. â€Å"I thought it was time for the grown-ups to talk. Lots of grown-up things I'd like to talk about.† â€Å"It's late, I'm tired, and your cigarettes are giving me a headache,† I growled. â€Å"I suppose that's fair.† He drew in on the cigarette and let out the smoke. â€Å"Some women think they make me look sexy.† â€Å"I think you smoke them so you have something to do while thinking up your next witty line.† He choked on the smoke, caught between inhaling and laughing. â€Å"Rose Hathaway, I can't wait to see you again. If you're this charming while tired and annoyed and this gorgeous while bruised and in ski clothes, you must be devastating at your peak.† â€Å"If by ‘devastating' you mean that you should fear for your life, then yeah. You're right.† I jerked open the door. â€Å"Good night, Adrian.† â€Å"I'll see you soon.† â€Å"Not likely. I told you, I'm not into older guys.† I walked into the lodge. As the door closed, I just barely heard him call behind me, â€Å"Sure, you aren't.†

Analysis On Bharati Mukherjee English Literature Essay

Analysis On Bharati Mukherjee English Literature Essay In turn, Mukherjee lays claim to an America that is both constantly transforming, and transformed by, the new immigrant. As the title of her short stories collection â€Å"The Middle Man† and Other Stories (1988) suggests, each protagonist from a different part of the world functions as a mediator of cultures, negotiating the â€Å"two-way transformation† (Mukherjee, â€Å"AUP† 141) of either an expatriate or immigrant experience in America. That the collection won the National Book Critics Circle Award undeniably affirms the appeal of such a Maximalist narrative strategy professing to give an equal voice to each immigrant group. On further analysis, however, it is clear that Mukherjee’s representation of a fluid American (trans)national identity influenced by diversity is ultimately predicated on the foregrounding of differences. Despite Mukherjee’s call for America to go beyond multiculturalism in its treatment of new immigrants, her own postcolo nial immigrant subjectivity-inevitably shaped by her elite British and American educational background-remains aligned with white hegemony, which continues to hierarchize its immigrants on the bases of ethnicity, class and gender. After all, Mukherjee specifically reveals in Jasmine that â€Å"[e]ducated people are interested in difference† (33). Keeping Mukherjee’s explicitly stated literary agendas in mind, this chapter will attempt to examine the ironies in Mukherjee’s postcolonial subjectivity in the novel Jasmine and the two short stories â€Å"A Wife’s Story† and â€Å"The Tenant,† both from â€Å"‘The Middleman’ and Other Stories† collection. Radical alterity of India From the vantage point of a successful female intellectual in America, Mukherjee disavows India precisely because its repressive patriarchy severely limits women’s opportunities in life, insofar as the sanctity of women’s lives is largel y disregarded and constantly endangered. However, â€Å"feudal compliance was [precisely] what still kept India an unhealthy and backward nation† (Mukherjee, Jasmine 77). This necessitates that Mukherjee’s heroines break the vicious cycle of being locked into arranged marriages that technically seal their fates with violent subjugation. In Mukherjee’s short story â€Å"The Tenant,† Maya’s claim that â€Å"[a]ll Indian men are wife beaters† (99) may be an exaggeration, but the more disturbing revelation is that â€Å"the groom’s mother was absolute tyrant of the household† (Mukherjee, Jasmine 147) in India. Indeed, generations of Indian women have also been physically abusing female subordinates deemed to have transgressed patriarchal norms. Yet, when meted out to any woman who defends or is interested in the pursuit of an education, such domestic violence is clearly a violation of basic human rights, unjustified to an America t hat champions the inalienable rights of every individual to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In Jasmine, Jyoti’s mother suffers strikes from her husband because she supports Jyoti’s aspiration to continue her studies and become a doctor. In the short story â€Å"A Wife’s Story,† Panna’s mother is beaten by her illiterate mother-in-law because she enrolled in French class at the Alliance Franà §aise. The fact that even these Brahmin wives are not spared the rod underscores that physical violence against women cuts across the entire caste system, denying all women personal and professional progress. These scenarios emphatically portray the radical alterity of India, insofar as it becomes utterly incomprehensible to Americans who privilege individualism and gender egalitarianism. Aligned with these values, Mukherjee attempts to consolidate her status approval from the American market by positioning herself â€Å"not as [an] advantaged in side[r] of Asian culture but as similarly disadvantaged as [her] Anglo readers in finding that Asian component bizarre, distasteful, and difficult to comprehend† (Shirley Lim, â€Å"AG† 161) as well. As Mukherjee reveals, it is necessary to give Jasmine â€Å"a society that was so regressive, traditional, so caste-bound, genderist, that she could discard it† (â€Å"IMC† 19) in exchange for a rebirth in America. In exposing the oppression inherent in India’s patriarchal structure, Mukherjee situates her decolonizing impulse as one that embraces emancipation in America, a land that seemingly affords women endless opportunities to attain self-actualization.

Profnessional paper (exdended nursing roles) Term

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An Unannounced Inspection Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

An Unannounced Inspection - Case Study Example Likewise, it was noted that the plant manager is not within the premises and the area where the employee who complained works is reported to be currently undergoing a major renovation for a process change for the product in the line. The Questions and Responses How would you act, what actions should you take, and what would you do? According to OSHA inspection standards, employers should be aware that inspections are regularly conducted without the need for advance notice or any presentation of warrant to inspect. In this case, an employee reported a complaint, which is one of the requirements where OSHA would be able to enter and inspect the worksite without obtaining a warrant or even the employer’s express consent. Therefore, the only expected and appropriate action that should be taken is to allow the OSHA inspector to undertake the needed inspection and to address all inquiries or questions regarding the complaint in the worksite under major renovation; with proper advice of the matter from the plant manager. One could call the authorized officer in charge of safety and the plant manager just to formally advise them that the OSHA inspector is currently at the plant and to enable one to effectively assist the inspector, as duly and lawfully required. Should you challenge the validity of the OSHA inspector's request, or their right to enter the workplace? One has not authority to challenge the validity of the OSHA inspector’s request because by virtue of law, specifically relating to â€Å"Section 5(a)(1) of the Act, known as the â€Å"General Duty Clause,† which requires that every working man and woman must be provided with a safe and healthful workplace† (Occupational Safety & Health Administration, 2002, p. 1), the disgruntled worker has the right to forward any perceived concern that could possible endanger his health and safety in the work setting. Or should you request a warrant to enter the workplace, and thereby gain some time to make sure everything is in order back in the plant? There really is nothing to hide at the plant and the OSHA inspector could even assist in recommending the most appropriate methods to ensure that safety and security of the workers are addressed; while the major renovation for a process change for the product in the line is taking place. Can you gain any time to check with your in-area safety supervisor first? Or, should you immediately comply with the request for the inspection? Explain your answers. As previously noted, one strongly believes that the policy of the organization in terms of reporting relevant incidents (including the area safety supervisor and even the plant manager) must be followed and adhered to. Doing so does not mean that one is buying extra time but following protocols and policies in reporting relevant incidents within the organization for proper approval, as needed. Scenario #2: Serious Near-Miss Crane Incident Brief Case Overview Being the EH&S pr ofessiona

End-of-Life Ethical Dilemma for Nurses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

End-of-Life Ethical Dilemma for Nurses - Essay Example In a qualitative study, the differences in the ethical burden on end-of-life decisions between nurses and doctors were determined.   Although the research covered small sampling, which included seven doctors and 14 nurses working in critical areas, it never failed to convey the universal dilemma encountered by healthcare workers which is the struggle to arrive at a conclusive and moral decision regarding euthanasia.   Furthermore, the study’s findings concluded that the main difference in mercy killing is that physicians are to deal with the â€Å"decision making itself† whilst nurses have to â€Å"live with these decisions†.   Mercy killing is the kind of problem that does not leave the patient the sole right to decide.   It comes in varied forms of condition where the end result is the termination of the life of the patient.   Although a patient voluntarily requests for the termination of his life, ethical considerations must be taken into account.   More often a terminally ill patient is depressed so that the only solution he regards to, is death.   This issue leaves nurses and physicians the responsibility of determining the mental and emotional capability of the patient to decide for himself.   There is also the issue of the legality of the family to represent the unconscious, clinically dead patient and to request for discontinuation of life support.  Ã‚   Across the world, euthanasia has occupied a constant seat in the debate regarding morality.

Pinterest Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pinterest - Research Paper Example Pinterest Community is an archive site that articulates different forms of communication given the fact that the community takes into account the aspect of technology at hand. These forms of communication include; Email has turned into a standard manifestation of business correspondence, particularly for short messages that oblige movement. This sort of engineering based correspondence permits you to deal with a ton of clients, and also accomplices and different stakeholders without long discussions. Advanced programming of Pinterest permits one to send the same email to all invested individuals with the goal that you can keep the message, name, and items in the front line of their brains. Messaging has turned into the most individual manifestation of business correspondence the extent that Pinterest Community and their movement is considered. While you may give your email location to numerous individuals, your particular content number is saved for a couple of close cohorts. Your correspondences by content have a tendency to be more critical than email. In the event that Pinterest business is moving excessively gradually, this has been considered a channel to analyze whether there is message exploitation. Interpersonal organization destinations, for example, Facebook and Myspace has been a vital apparatus to contact of different society through offering of thoughts the extent that Pinterest group is of concern. The group has changed in accordance with these types of correspondence style to a more casual methodology. Rather than deals pitches, spot messages on these locales that sound like you have a great arrangement for your companions. The statement "website" is another way to say "web log." Amateurs frequently compose these destinations, however getting a blogger to survey an item or administration might be a great approach to spread the saying about your little

CHILDREN BULLING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

CHILDREN BULLING - Essay Example Most of the times, especially in schools, cyber bullying is done with the intention of socially alienating the victim from the rest of the peers (Li, 372). Cyber bullying goes one step further and also involves the use and distribution of text messages and pictures of a sexual nature. The social media is often used to publicize such images and subsequently, request sexual favours (Varjas et al., 270). Cyber bullying has increased to such an extent that and become so menacing that formal laws were passed in various countries to put a stop to this activity. Cyber bullying not only makes life uncomfortable for the victims, but also causes psychological problems, especially for school kids, teenagers and even for adults at times. Numerous researches have been conducted to study cyber bullying and to understand how it affects individuals. As a result of these studies, it was found that cyber bullying victimization rates were 28.7% in November 2009 (Donegan, 35). The popularity of social media has led to the rise of websites like Facebook and Twitter. According to a 2010 study, the most commonly used technologies by teenagers are cell phones and internet. This shows that these two technologies are the primary mediums which are used for cyber bullying. The research analyzed in this paper is a study conducted by Mishna et al., published in 2010. The research studies the phenomenon of cyber bullying in 2186 middle and high schools. Following numerous researches conducted on this topic, this research was conducted to study how the students, especially the victims, react to cyber bullying, which technologies are most commonly used for cyber bullying and what psychological impact do events like these have on the victims and the witnesses. Even though the phenomenon of cyberbullying is relatively new, various researches are being conducted on this topic and laws are being passed making cyberbullying illegal. This goes to show

The Effect of performance appraisal policies on the Level of the Thesis Proposal

The Effect of performance appraisal policies on the Level of the Employees Engagement in Hail University- Saudi Arabia (Women Branch) - Thesis Proposal Example independent variables in affecting mediating variables of peer pressure is investigated and this is then weighed against the outcome of dependent variables pertaining to employee engagement levels.After postulating the problem statement and indicating the purpose of the research, the research questions of the study are then posited. This is followed by the framework of the research and a discussion of the various variables. This is followed by a research methodology section which indicates how data is to be collected. This will be by conducting a qualitative and quantitative study of employee engagement levels in Hail University, Saudi Arabia women’s branch, by collecting and reviewing both primary and secondary sources of data. Employee engagement is affected by a number of factors. Bakker and Demerouti (2008) indicate a variety of factors such as job resources, the salience of such resources and personal resources as some of such factors that affect employee engagement. The importance of employee engagement is underscored by the associated benefits of this engagement. Such benefits include improved performance and a willingness on the part of the employee to go the extra mileBakker and Demerouti (2008). Other surveys have found such employee engagement to be positively related in-role performance. These are just some of the benefits that are expected when employees are engaged in their work. One of the many factors that can be expected to affect employee engagement levels is performance appraisal policies of an organization. This is because performance appraisal policies are policies, and like any other policy; they are bound to affect the relationship that exists between the employee and the organization. Performance appraisal is usually targeted at assessing employees’ productivity and determining whether they are working in accordance to the company’s goals and objectives. Moreover, such appraisal is then used to determine appropriate rewards and/or

Week 3 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Week 3 - Coursework Example The Act also has a crucial provision, Â §404 which requires companies to evaluate their internal financial-reporting controls on an annual basis. While the intention of this legislation is clear, the outcome is still debatable in terms of the benefits it brings to the company and the economy as compared to the costs. Some of the provisions that bring this debate include those that cover issues related to insider trading, auditor independence, internal controls, corporate responsibilities, and internal controls. After the collapse of Enron and WorldCom that left shockwaves throughout the corporate world and left investors in the biggest accounting scandal in history, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) was enforced. This act has become the most significant legislation that embraces corporate governance in the United States since the securities laws of the 1930s. SOX has resulted in a number of changes in the regulatory environment and governance in the United States, including requiring separate analysts of the financial statements from underwriters, requiring senior management to certify their company’s quarterly financial statements, heightened disclosure, and requiring attorneys to report fraud or crimes when detected without delay. While the intention of SOX is clear, there has been a debate about its effects. Proponents of this legislation maintain the fact that it helps investors be more confident in the safety of their investments because it has helped in improving the accuracy of th e financial reports and transparency. On the other hand, opponents argue that compliance to this Act results in a greater burden to public firms, especially those which are small because of increased average costs as a result of the new regulations. Studies show that SOX has resulted in a dramatic increase in companies’ compliance costs. Even though this cost has now reduced as

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay Example for Free

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops criticism of society by contrasting Huck and Jims life on the river to their dealings with people on land. Twain uses the adventures of Huck and Jim to expose the hypocrisy, racism, and injustices of society. Throughout the book hypocrisy of society is brought out by Hucks dealings with people. Miss Watson, the first character, is displayed as a hypocrite by Huck Pretty soon I wanted to smoke, and asked the widow to let me. But she wouldnt. ?And she took snuff too; of course that was all right, because she done it herself (Twain 8). Huck did not understand why she does not want him to smoke, That is just the way with some people. They get down on a thing when they dont know nothing about it (Twain 8). When Huck encounters the Grangerfords and Shepardsons he describes Colonel Grangerford as, ? a gentleman, you see. He was a gentleman all over; and so was his family(Twain 86). On Sunday when Huck goes to church he sees the hypocriticalism of the families, The men took their guns along, ? The Shepardsons done the same. I t was pretty ornery preaching-all about brotherly love, and such-like? (Twain 90). Huck with his anti-society attitude, you would presume that he would have no problem in helping Jim. Yet he fights within himself about turning over Jim to the authorities, by this action within Huck shows that he must have feelings that slavery is correct so that the racial bigotry of the time may be seen. This decision for Huck is monumental even though he makes it on the spot. He has in a way decided to turn his back on everything that home stands for, this allows us to leave our thought of bigotry behind and begin to see Jim for what he really is a man. Hucks attitude for Jim is racist which is seen when he decides to play a trick on Jim during their voyage. After Huck plays his trick his attitude toward Jim begins to change, It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger; but I done it, and I warnt ever sorry for it afterward, neither (Twain 72). The dialogue throughout the book between Huck and Jim illustrates that Jim is more than property and that he is a human being with feelings, and hopes for a better future. The river provides a place for Huck and Jim to escape the harsh society around them and develops into a god. The river provides a pathway for the action to progress, unlike other forms of travel it proceeds to guide the book in one direction down a set path. The god-likeness of the river controls the adventures, It is the River ? that will not let them land at Cairo, where Jim could have reached freedom; it is the Rive that separates them ? the River that reunites them, ? (Eliot 333). Society has lost the moral meaning of the river, ? the river was forgotten, and precisely by the dwellers in cities, by the worshippers of the machine (Trilling 325). It is through the adventure of Huck and Jim that Twain tries to show the power that can only be displayed by the natural force of the river, ? the river was forgotten, and precisely by the dwellers in cities, by the worshippers of the machine (Trilling 325). Whenever Huck goes to shore he eventually seeks the refuge of the raft and the river. The problems of society become apparent to Huck when he goes ashore, while watching the gun fight between the Grangerfords and Shepardsons he becomes ill with the violence between these two families, I wished I hadnt ever come ashore that night, to see such things (Twain 94). The river never deals with the insignificant matters of society, and allows Huck the freedom to be himself. The river is freedom, the land is oppression, and that oppression is most evident to Jim. In Hucks dealings with society he sees people for who they truly are, He sees the real world; and he does not judge it-he allows it to judge itself (Eliot 329). Huck is rejuvenated by the river, when he goes ashore he faces society and all the injustices that it carries. When he returned to the raft he felt free again, Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft dont. you feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft (Twain 96). The river becomes the place where freedom is felt for Huck and Jim on a grand scale. The end of the novel may appear to distract from the maturing of Huck and seem to regress Huck back to the state he was at the beginning of the novel. When Twain really was just trying to fade Huck out, Huck Finn must come from nowhere and be bound nowhere (Eliot 335). The return of Tom, with his elaborate scheme to free Jim is merely to set Huck into the background of the novel again. Tom returns to let the reader see the transformation of Huck, Mark Twain, ? Huck Finn whose fate it must always be to seek a freedom beyond the limits of any civilization, ended his novel by contrasting Toms and Hucks sense of the Territory. (Pearce 361). The ending simply shows the changes Huck has gone through during his voyage to the boyish attitude him and Tom shared at the beginning of the novel. Huck and Jims adventures allow us the chance to examine the society they live in. It also gives us an opportunity to examine society today along with ourselves. Freedom the one thing that both Huck and Jim are searching for they only find on the river. Twain is showing us in this story that sometime we must break away from society and what the world views as correct and just. He is showing us that we have the strength inside to stand on our own and make decisions for ourselves. Twain, through Huck, gives us the chance to see all the things in the world as they really are. Not so that we judge the world but so we can stand up for what is right.

The Shaping of Character of Pecola Through Her Family and Her Society Essay Example for Free

The Shaping of Character of Pecola Through Her Family and Her Society Essay The Bluest eyes is the work of Toni Morrison. In this novel we can see that there are many characters that are very interesting to analyze it. Because the characters are very characteristic. We can see at the main character of the bluest eyes, Pecola. Pecola has psychological problem that is very interesting to analyze. So in here I want to analyze the character of Pecola that is shaped from her family and her society. In here the big question for analyze the changing of Pecola’s character: What make Pecola want to have blue eyes and get it until she seems crazy? And for this question, I use close reading and Psychoanalysis for know about the changing of Pecola’s Character and what the psychology problem in herself. Psychoanalysis Psychoanalysis studies the often times skewed ways in which the mind expresses feelings. Those feelings range from anxiety and fear to hostility and sexual desire, and they can originate in a range of sources, from the traumas of personal history to the instincts of the body. Psychoanalysis is also concerned with the dynamics of interpersonal relations with the way the self is formed through interactions with its familial and sociocultural environment. Depending on the school of psychoanalysis one heeds, the study of mind’s operation in literature should be concerned either with the unconscious and the instincts or with the family, personal history, and the social world that shapes the self. Several reading strategies emerge from these psychoanalytic theories. A text might be read for the way unconscious material manifests itself through indirect means- images or descriptions that evoke psychological issues. The relation between characters might be studied for what they disclose about family dynamics and the way such dynamics shape selves. A psychoanalysis reading might also attend to such themes or issues as separation, loss, boundaries, fusion with others, and the struggle to form a coherent and functioning self out a damaging context or traumatic personal history. Finally, language itself can be studied as a means of instantiating unconscious processes and working through some of the issues an emerging self faces as it struggles for adult existence or as it seeks to come to terms with disturbing unconscious material. Pecola, her family and her society Pecola is a girl who eleven years old. Her father is Cholly Breedlove and her mother is Pauline Breedlove and her brother is Sammy. They are a poor family. In the beginning story have been described they have ugliness and describing of their ugliness is very clear. â€Å"Mrs. Breedlove, Sammy Breedlove, and Pecola Breedlovewore their ugliness, put it on, so to speak, although it did not belong to them. The eyes, the small eyes set closely together under narrow foreheads. The low, irregular hairlines, which seemed even more irregular in contrast to the straight, heavy eyebrows which nearly met. Keen but crooked noses, with insolent nostrils. They had high cheekbones, and their ears turned forward. Shapely lips which called attention not to themselves but to the rest of the face. You looked at them and wondered why they were so ugly; you looked closely and could not find the source. † (Morrison: 30) Pauline has bad character. She is a mother but she does not like a mother. Even she is more love to her boss’ daughter than her daughter. She feels disgusted to her daughter. She does her daughter like Pecola is not her daughter. She always treat Pecola and through ill treatment makes Pecola hate herself. Cholly, he is worst father. He is a drinker and he hate her daughter, Pecola. Even he rape Pecola. You can imagine that if there is a father rape her daughter? It shows to us he is worst father in the world. There are some characters that effect Pecola’s character. There are Frieda and Claudia who always love and keep Pecola from enable dangerous from their society. For example when Bay Boy, Woodrow Cain, Buddy Wilson, Junie Bug tried to mock Pecola, Frieda actually helped Pecola and made the black boys go away from them. Since that menstruation Pecola was in Claudia’s house because she had no house. Frieda and Claudia are very kind to her. They always play together. At one moment, when Frieda, Claudia and Pecola discussed about what they must do. The first proposal from Frieda to Pecola was go to Mr. Henry’s house to see girlie magazine. Suddenly in middle their discussion, blood was running down in her legs. Claudia was very panic and Frieda suddenly knew what they have to do. â€Å"Frieda said, Oh. Lordy! I know. I know what that is! What? Pecolas fingers went to her mouth. Thats ministratin. Whats that? You know. Am I going to die? she asked. Noooo. You wont die. It just means you can have a baby! (21) And her mother came and helped Frieda that is helping Pecola. After that happen, in the night they lay down in the bed and Frieda and Claudia awe and respect to Pecola because it means that Pecola is now grown up. There is a question from Pecola Is it true that I can have a baby now? and that question was answered by Frieda and said that â€Å"sure†. And Pecola asked again to Frieda â€Å"but†¦how? † and â€Å"Oh, said Frieda, somebody has to love you. . and Pecola asked again How do you do that? I mean, how do you get somebody to love you? but that question was not answered by Frieda because she had been asleep. Somebody has to love you? â€Å"Somebody has to love you. † That is the answer for Pecola where when the maturity that is signed by menstruation and based on the answer of Frieda how Pecola can have a baby. I think that statement â€Å"somebody has to love you† make Pecola think about how the way someone loves her. But the fact, there is no one love her include her family. That evidences are her mother didn’t like her, her father and her friends too. They hate her very much because of her ugliness. From at that time she thought to how the way somebody loves her and actually she has no her own standard of beauty based the standard of beauty generally in America. That is has white skin and has blue eyes. Her mind has been suggested by that standard of beauty. So she wants to have a pair of blue eyes. If she had a pair of blue eyes and can fulfill the standard of beauty, there’s somebody love her. But actually and true fact she did not have blue eyes and can’t fulfill the standard of beauty. Contrast to Pecola’s longing who want to fulfill the standard of beauty and everyone loves her. She even accept cruel treatment form her society especially from her family. Like I said before, her father and her mother did not like her very much. One day, when Frieda and Claudia visited to Pecola’s house, there is something happen that make Pauline was very anger. â€Å"Mrs. Breedlove yanked her up by the arm, slapped her again, and in a voice thin with anger, abused Pecola directly and Frieda and me by implication. Crazy fool my floor, mess look what you ork get on out now out crazy my floor, my floor my floor. Her words were hotter and darker than the smoking berries, and we backed away in dread. The little girl in pink started to cry. Mrs. Breedlove turned to her. Hush baby, hush. Come here. Oh, Lord, look at your dress. Dont cry no more. Polly will change it. †(85) That borned out that Pauline did not love Pecola very much and she prefer that baby than her daughter, Pecola. Her father is very cruel. He raped her own daughter and this made Pecola thought that her life is very bad and make her frustration. She thought that if she had a white skin and beautiful girl maybe her mother and her father did not do bad thing to her. So do her friends. Her friends did bad thing to Pecola too. She was ever mocked by black boys (Bay Boy,Woodrow Cain, BuddyWilson, Junie Bug ), â€Å"Black e mo. Black e mo. Yadaddsleepsnekked. Black e mo black e mo ya dadd sleeps nekked. Black e mo † and Maureen did too â€Å"I am cute! And you ugly! Black and ugly black e mos. I am cute! †. Everything her friends and her family did to Pecola made Pecola hated herself. Her face was very ugly and her body was black skin. The ugliness from herself have made her think about herself. One day, she has ever seen in front of the mirror and thought that she was really ugly and everyone did not want she is there. â€Å"Long hours she sat looking in the mirror, trying to discover the secret of the ugliness, the ugliness that made her ignored or despised at school, by teachers and classmates alike. She was the only member of her class who sat alone at a double desk. The first letter of her last name forced her to sit in the front of the room always. But what about Marie Appolonaire? Marie was in front of her, but she shared a desk with Luke Angelino. Her teachers had always treated her this way. They tried never to glance at her, and called on her only when everyone was required to respond. †(Morrison, 37) She thought that how beautiful she is if she has blue eyes. Yeah she wanted to have blue eyes. So their friend like and love her and did not something make her be anger and hate at herself. Why, look at pretty-eyed Pecola. We mustnt do bad things in front of those pretty eyes. Pretty eyes. Pretty blue eyes. Big blue pretty eyes. Run, Jip, run. Jip runs, Alice runs. Alice has blue eyes. Jerry has blue eyes. Jerry runs. Alice runs. They run with their blue eyes. Four blue eyes. Four pretty blue eyes. Blue-sky eyes. †(Morrison, 37) For reach her purpose to get blue eyes, she went to meet Soaphead who work in church. Do what for you? I cant go to school no more. And I thought maybe you could help me. Help you how? Tell me. Dont be frightened. My eyes. What about your eyes? I want them blue. (Morrison, 146) But Soaphead lies Pecola. He made something that did not make sense. He tried to lie with reaction of the dog. If the dog had strange behavior, it meant that her purpose had been acceded. She had blue eyes. But the dog behaves strangely and made Pecola thought that she has had blue eyes. In the end, she seemed crazy because she always talk with her own self. She felt she have had a pair blue eyes. The bluest eyes she had than Alice and Jerry in storybooks, bluer than Joanna’s, bluer than Michelena’s. pecola had the bluest eyes than her friends. Pecola and Psychological Problem Psychoanalysis discuss psychological problem in character. Character that loss identity and happen struggle at self to be interesting discussion in The Bluest Eyes novel. The main character is Pecola. In the beginning story there’s no happen in Pecola’s mind but after she always get ill treatment from her mother, her father and her friends, her character has changed. Her society makes herself change. Pecola does not thank to God upon her body’s condition. Even she hates herself and want to be the other that have blue eyes. Everything she has done include goes to Church to meet Soaphead that she believe can accede her dream want to have a pair of blue eyes. Unfortunately, she is just eleven years old girl and does not know that her condition can’t change because that is nature form birth. Soaphead is easier to lie her and make her seem crazy because she feel she have had blue eyes and in the end story she seems talk to herself and proud to have blue eyes. How sad she is. â€Å"The Bluest Eye portrays in poignant terms the tragic condition of the blacks in racist America. It examines how the ideologies perpetuated by the dominant groups and adopted by the marginalgroups influence the identity of the black women. Bombarded by image of white beauty, Morrison’s characters lose themselves to selfhatred and their only aim in life is to be white. They try to erase their heritage, and eventually like Pecola Breedlove, the protagonist,who yearns for blue eyes, have no recourse except madness. †(Bharati, Joshi, 39) Conclusion The bluest eyes is a novel that tell about the tragic condition of the black in racist America. Pecola that have black skin and does not fulfill the standard of beauty feel suffer and do everything to do fulfill that standard although in the end of the story she seems crazy because she has hallucination have a pair of bluest eyes. It show psychological problem at herself. Her family and her society that make her become to want the standard of beauty.

Performance related pay

Performance related pay Performance Related Pay The aim of this essay is to identify if performance related pay (PRP) actually work. In this paper analysis of PRP will be discussed. This is going to be accomplished by looking at some researches that was conducted by different authors. An introduction of performance related pay by Inland Revenue will be discussed, whether it really helped the management to accomplish their goals or not. In early days 1990s employer from both the private and the public sectors put a greater emphasis on paying for performance and attempting to incentivise remuneration in order to improve individual and organisational performance based culture. According to Armstrong the schemes base pay on an assessment of individuals job performance. Although such schemes are not identical, they provide individual with financial rewards in the form of increase to basic pay or cash bonuses which are linked to the assessment of performance, usually in relations to agreed objectives. He suggested that pay is linked to performance measured by a number of specific objectives (for example sales targets or customer satisfaction). This reflects a move towards rewarding output rather than input, using qualitative rather than quantitative judgement (Fowler 1998). Performance related pay turn out to be extensively used in the public sector (for example, local government, the NHS and teachers), for which a government of both complexions have supported the idea. There are number of benefits of performance related pay that was identified by Armstrong (1999). He noted that performance related pay can be used to motivate individuals and consequently develop them and the organisational performance. It can persuade managers to examine the progression of objectives settings as part of their advance to supervising the department or branch. It helps the organisation to attract and retain people through financial rewards and competitive pay and reduces ‘golden handcuff effects or poor performer staying with an employer and also meets a basic human need to be rewarded for achievement. Marchington and Wilkinson stated that, it is hard to find ultimate proof to determine the success of performance related pay; even though it has been broadly supported, and practitioners in particular give the impression to retain huge loyalty in its qualities. In recent years there has been an additional vigilant assessment of the ideas behind performance related pay. They are many studies that suggest that performance related pay can strengthen and contribute to the organisational and individual performance than those suggesting it cannot. Lewis (1998, p74) noted that, â€Å"If employers are generally in agreement with both the principle and practise of performance related pay, they will be motivated to better the job performance and beneficial organisational outcomes will follow. On the other hand, if they are not in agreement with either principle or practice of performance related pay then they will not be motivated to perform more effectively in their jobs and such organisatio nal outcomes will not follow†. He argued for more concentration to the softer side of the performance related pay procedure, for instance greater involvement in agreeing objectives, response in a developmental manner, although he observes that in the financial service organisation he examined, managers have a tendency to impose objectives to workers. Marsden and Richardson (1994) analysed the introduction of performance related pay at the Inland Revenue on the grounds that it should act as a motivator. They query over 2000 workers in relation to the impact of PRP on their own behaviour as well on other judgement pertaining to performance was made in the course of staff appraisals. On the research they conducted they found that the majority of Inland Revenue workers were in favour of performance related pay other than minority who felt antagonistic to it. They also discovered that any optimistic motivational effects of performance related pay have been, at most, very modest among workers. To make it worse, there was a comprehensible evidence of some demotivation between workers. The distribution of performance related pay was seen by a lot of workers as to be unjust. Awards were given only to those who had received good ratings, but many respondents felt that the appraisal scheme had been contaminated. The observable demotivation between employees was warring for proponents of performance related pay, 55 percent believed that it had contributed to demoralize workers self-confidence, and 62 percent assumed it had sourced jealousy between them. A number of employees felt that the sum of money involved was not huge enough to give good reason for a change in performance. Lawler (1999) noted that anything less than 10 percent of salary is too little for performance related pay. Many staff felt that they were not capable to improve. Therefore the introduction of performance related pay did not work for Inland Revenue management the reason being most of the workers did not support it. There are many other criticisms directed at performance related pay. The complexity of appraisal, the complexity of planning objectives, the risk of prejudice or perceived bias, the high expenditure of management, the predicament connected with a focus on the individual and the complicatedness of organising and distributing the essential degree of administrative commitment (Torrington et al 2002 p 604-5). In addition performance related pay inspires elevated expectations individuals respond to it because there is a hope of more money and the hope has to be considerably if it is to be attractive. Management therefore frequently introduces the system by indicating how much individual can look forward to. A theme echoed broadly in the performance related pay literature is that people consider it as a good practice in principle, and certainly it is hard to object to the view that hardworking and effective employees should be paid more than those who do the opposite.