Analysing Of The Postponed Barangay Election Politics Essay

Analysing Of The Postponed Barangay Election Politics Essay A Barangay is the smallest unit of government in our country. Under Republic Act 7160 otherwise known as the Local Government Code, the Barangay, as the basic political unit, serves as the primary planning and implementing unit of government policies, plans, programs, projects, and activities in the community, and as a forum wherein the collective views of the people may be expressed, crystallized and considered, and where disputes may be amicably settled (Section 384, R.A. 7160). A Barangay is headed by the Punong Barangay and seven (7) members of Sangguniang Barangay (Section 387, R.A 7160). Their term of office is three (3) years. The next Barangay Election is scheduled to be held on the 25th day of October 2010. The Philippines held its last Barangay Election on the 29th of October 2007. The postponement of the Barangay Election has been a hot issue in congress lately. Since the schedule for the conduct of Barangay Election is fast approaching, congress is currently debating whether to pass a law postponing the upcoming Barangay Election. Should the Barangay Election push through; candidates would be competing for position of Barangay chairman and seven Sangguniang Barangay members. The leaders in congress are proposing to postpone the Barangay Election primarily on the ground of financial constraints. Vice President Jejomar Binay also expresses support for the postponement of the Barangay Election. He is of the opinion that the local government units cannot afford to contribute at least 25% of their annual budget for election expenditures. Under the law, the local government units may be compelled by the Commission on Election (COMELEC) to contribute to fund the Barangay Election expenditures. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile also proposes to postpone the Barangay Election and have it held simultaneously on May 2013 elections. (Enrile pabor ding ipagpaliban ang Barangay, SK Elections, GMA NEWS. 2010) The Philippines held its first automated election during the 2010 National Election. While survey shows that it was the most peaceful election, nevertheless, there were unavoidable election violence that took place. Just like in the past elections, the COMELEC declared that there were fourteen (14) election hotspots. These election hotspots are Ilocos Norte, Abra, Masbate, Nueva Ecija, Western Samar, Eastern Samar, Antique, Basilan, Sulu, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sarangani and Zamboanga Sibugay. (14 Provinces as HOTSPOTS, Sun Star Manila. 2010) In every election, violence is unavoidable despite government and COMELECs effort to minimize the same by introducing reforms such as the computerization of the election. The COMELEC is trying its best to prevent killings and violence and cheating during the election. However, notwithstanding the efforts of COMELEC to prevent or stop these killings and violence, there will still be killings among candidates and supporters during election pe riod. Such unfortunate events are inevitable during election period. The most devastating election related violence was the Maguindanao Massacre. We all heard that more than 50 media men were massacred in Maguindanao. Thus, if the election is held this year, such violence will likely to happen again. Candidates and supporters will surely do everything to win in the election. Hence, if the Barangay Election is postponed, this will be a breathing space for our people to heal the wounds that was caused by the 2010 national election. Though it is temporary, people would not get to suffer again this year. As the saying goes, time heals all wounds. Online dictionary defines it as people eventually get over the bad things happened to them. (Time heals all wounds, Dictionary. n.d.) I agree that aside from budgetary constraints, another strong reason why the upcoming Barangay Election scheduled this 25th day of October 2010 must be postponed is because of the recent hotly contested national Election which divided our countrymen. The recent division among our countrymen which caused personal ill-feelings among candidates and supporters are still fresh and remain unhealed. I finally agree with our government leaders in proposing for the postponement of the upcoming Barangay Election because the holding of another election within the year is too much for us to bear. Our country is currently experiencing huge budget deficit. If we postpone the upcoming Barangay Election, our government will save at least three billion pesos. I believe that our government can use the savings for infrastructure and other basic services for the needs of the poor. I also believe that the upcoming Barangay Election will interrupt COMELECs duty to decide pending election protests from the 2010 national Election promptly. As previously stated, due to the recent hotly contested national Election, our countrymen remain divided up to the present. They are divided because of the support they gave to their respective chosen political party or candidate to the extent of hurting false personal accusations against one another. I am in favor of the postponement of this years Barangay Election in order to heal the wounds of the last presidential Election. I am worried that candidates and supporters will be quarreling again and impute wrongdoing against one another just like in the last 2010 National Election, there were incidents wherein loyal supporters of one camp who accuse the other for being corrupt even without evidence just to destroy his reputation. In another instance, another camp made false accusations that a candidate has psychological problems, such similar false accusations will surely arise again if we conduct the election this year. Thus, unhealed wounds would be opened up again. We cannot afford things to happen again. Division among our people is too deep and if not reminded, our people and the government might break down. Another reason for the Barangay Election to be postponed is because of the huge expenses for the conduct of election. To conduct an election, the COMELEC will spend au to THREE BILLION PESOS (P3,000,000,000.00) for the printing ballots, salary of the teachers, and purchase of election paraphernalia and other election expenses.(Preparation for Barangay and SK Election, Philippine Update Election. 2010) The money that will be used as an expense to conduct Barangay Election will come from taxes which our taxpayers pay. Because our country is having a huge budget deficit, the money allocated in our budget throughout the year is larger than the money earned or collected by the government. Thus, congress is proposing that the Barangay Election must be postponed. The savings may be used to fund the infrastructure and other social services for the poor. Congress believes that the needs of the citizens should be the prioritized first before electing new officials. Conducting the Barangay Elections would not change the fact that the current or newly elected officials would still be doing their job. The government already spent more than TEN BILLION PESOS (P10,000,000,000.00) in the recent Presidential Election. (Finally, automated elections .2010) Our country just had the most expensive election this year. By postponing the Barangay Election, our government will be able to reduce the budget deficit which our economy greatly needs. The Proponent who wants to have the Barangay Election held this year suggests that it should not be postponed. Her strongest point is the issue of corruption among current officials while I do admit that corruption thrives in our government including Barangays, I submit that conducting as election this year is not the solution to the problem. Election is not the solution to corruption. The proponent for continuation of the Barangay Election this year argues that because of the elections, issues regarding the corrupt officials are exposed during campaign. She argues that during campaign, candidates expose anomalies and corruption. However, they failed to appreciate that the candidates often impute malice and false accusations and concoct evidence of corruption just to destroy the reputation of their opponent. The proponent of this years election failed to notice that I even if election will be held this year, there will still be corruption and several corrupt candidates will still win. Hence, competition will not disappear. The best solution to eradicate corruption is the strict and effectiveness implementation of the law. Thus, the government should see to it that the corrupt officials are prosecuted and punished so that other government officials will be afraid to commit corruption. I believe that the postponement of the Barangay Election has far greater advantage that any possible disadvantage. In financial aspects, the money that may be saved will be used for infrastructures and public service. Hence, our people, especially the poor will greatly benefit from the funds for social services. Because of the recent national election, the people are already divided. Filipinos should be unified especially during his hard times. We should have unity to achieve peace and order in this country. I dont see any disadvantage if we postpone the Barangay Election. Positions of Barangay officials will not be left vacant. Current Barangay officials will just continue to act in their respective official duties. Thus, public service will not be hampered. I agree that the issue of election expense is the main reason why most of our government leaders opt to postpone the upcoming Barangay Election. Secondary is the unhealed wounds that Filipinos suffered by reason of the recent National Election. So many candidates and supporters became enemies because of the election. Another reason why most government officials agreed to postpone the Barangay Election because of the several election protests for the national election are still pending with the COMELEC, the holding of the Barangay Election this year will interrupt COMELECs duty to decide the protests promptly. Therefore, the postponement of the Barangay Election will be a great help for the whole country. Congress should pass a law for the postponement of the Barangay Election and have it held in 2011 or in 2012.

Immanuel Kant Essay

Utilitarianism, Kantian Ethics, Natural Rights Theories, and Religious Ethics A â€Å"utilitarian† argument, in the strict sense, is one what alleges that we ought to do something because it will produce more total happiness than doing anything else would. Act utilitarianism (AU) is the moral theory that holds that the morally right action, the act that we have a moral duty to do, is the one that will (probably) maximize â€Å"utility† (happiness, welfare, well-being). AU is not to be confused with egoism. The egoist really only cares about his own happiness. AU says that everyone’s happiness counts equally. Suppose that executing Joseph would in the long run produce more total happiness than letting him live would. Then according to AU, we ought to execute Joseph. Now if Joseph is a convicted serial murderer who would probably escape and commit more murders if we tried to incarcerate him, then it’s reasonable to think that executing him would be the right thing to do. But what if he has committed no crime? What if he is simply an extremely irritating person with no friends or loved ones, and the many people with whom he has contact in his life are very sensitive and dislike him intensely? Since more total happiness is produced if Joseph dies (the increased happiness of the many who no longer have to endure him outweighs his unhappiness about dying) than if he lives, AU says that it’s right to kill him. This example illustrates what is probably the main objection to AU: it tells us to violate rights/commit injustices when doing so is necessary to produce the greatest total amount of happiness. A â€Å"utilitarian† argument in a looser sense is one that alleges that we ought to do something because of its â€Å"good consequences† (or not do something because of its â€Å"bad consequences†), where good/bad consequences needn’t be limited to what increases or decreases happiness, but might include other things that a strict utilitarian theory attaches no positive or negative intrinsic value to. — An example: â€Å"the FDA shouldn’t approve the ‘morning after’ pill, because it will only promote out-of-wedlock sex. † This argument assumes that out-of-wedlock sex is something that is per se bad, and that the risk of unwanted pregnancy and babies will deter at least some, perhaps many, from engaging in it, thereby reducing the total amount of it. The strict utilitarian rejects the idea that such sex is an intrinsic moral evil, holding instead that if such sex is bad, it is bad only insofar as it causes bad consequences like unwanted pregnancy and babies. — This argument for why the FDA shouldn’t approve the ‘morning after’ pill is better described as â€Å"consequentialist† rather than â€Å"utilitarian. † All strictly utilitarian arguments are consequentialist, but not all consequentialist arguments are strictly utilitarian. The important point is that one needn’t believe that utilitarianism is the correct moral theory in order to believe that consequentist arguments of either the strictly utilitarian kind or other kinds provide good reasons. We can admit that the increase in the happiness to others is a good reason to execute Joseph. But we can say that the fact that it would violate his right to life is an even better reason not to do it. Respect for rights â€Å"trumps† maximizing utility. Suppose that we want to build a highway that connects two cities. The shorter route would require destroying some scenic wilderness that is enjoyed by some nature lovers. The longer route avoids that but entails a longer driving time for people who commute between the two cities. Which route should the highway be built on? Here it’s plausible to think that we should make the decision on the basis of utilitarian considerations. We look at all the costs and benefits of both alternatives and pick the one with the most favorable benefit to cost ratio. The other three views—Kantian ethics, natural rights theories, and â€Å"religious ethics†Ã¢â‚¬â€all agree that there are many circumstances when maximizing utility would be wrong. Perhaps the strongest objection to AU comes from the natural rights theory: AU is false, because it tells us to violate people’s rights when that’s necessary to maximize utility. The example of Joseph illustrates it, but here’s another example. A surgeon has I healthy and 5 sick and dying patients. Each of the sick and dying patients needs a new organ— one a new kidney, another a new liver, the third a new heart, etc. —and would fully recover if he received it. It so happens that the 1 healthy patient would be a suitable organ donor for all of them. If the surgeon kills the 1 and redistributes his organs, he saves 5. If he does nothing, then 1 is alive and 5 are dead. On the assumption that all six are equally happy, loved by others, and productive of utility for others in society, then the way to maximize utility is to kill the 1. But if he won’t consent to being killed and having his organs transplanted (he doesn’t believe in utilitarianism), then killing him would violate his right to life. The objection is simply that it would be wrong to violate his right even if it’s the way to maximize utility. Kantian ethics is based on what Immanuel Kant claimed is the supreme principle of morality, the Categorical Imperative. Kant claimed that there were a few different but equivalent ways of stating the Categorical Imperative. The first, the Universal Law Formula, says that we should act only on principles that we can will to be a universal law that applies to everyone. The idea here seems to be that when people act immorally, they want everyone else to obey â€Å"the rules† but want to make an exception for themselves. Another way of stating the Categorical Imperative, the one we’ll focus on, is the Principle of Humanity. It says that whenever we act we must be sure always to treat all â€Å"persons† (both ourselves and others) as â€Å"ends† and never as â€Å"mere means. † â€Å"Persons† in Kantian ethics refers to any being with the capacity to make moral judgments and conform to them (where that often requires that one resist various urges, inclinations, and temptations to act against them). Persons have free will and reason. Babies are not yet persons, and cows and pigs never will be. Kant’s Principle of Humanity implies that it is only persons who possess â€Å"dignity† and must be treated as â€Å"ends. † Animals only have a â€Å"use value† and may be treated as mere means or resources. Animals may be used in experiments to test new drugs, but â€Å"persons† may be used in such experiments only with their â€Å"informed consent. † Kantians agree that killing the 1 healthy person in the above example is wrong, even if it maximizes utility for society as a whole. It is wrong because it treats him as a â€Å"mere means. † Kant held that if one commits suicide because one believes that the remainder of one’s life will be filled with more discomfort than pleasure, then one fails to treat oneself as an â€Å"end. † So long as one retains the capacities that make one a person, then one has dignity and one ought to respect this dignity. To think that life is worth living only if it is pleasant is to fail to respect this dignity. Another objection that Kantians have to AU, especially the hedonistic version, is that it is a degrading to humanity to think and act as though pleasure were the point of life. Kantians think that the point of life is the exercise of one’s personhood capacities in moral deliberation and choice. This does not mean that Kantians must oppose all suicide and euthanasia. They support it in cases where people have permanently lost the capacities for free will and reason (e. g. PVS patients like Terry Schiavo). Euthanasia in these cases provides a dignified death. Of course sometimes when people talk about â€Å"dying with dignity† they’re assuming that it’s the need to be cared for by others (e. g. to wear Depends diapers and have them changed by others) that’s â€Å"undignified. † A Kantian has to say that those people have mistaken views about the basis of human dignity. It’s personhood, not the ability to care for oneself without assistance from others, that gives human beings their dignity. Another implication of the Principle of Humanity is that lying is typically wrong. A woman who persuades me to sell her my new car at a low price by telling me a lie that I believe (â€Å"males who drive your model of car are 20 times more likely to develop testicular cancer than males who don’t†) treats me as a mere means. She manipulates me in a way that I would not consent to if I were aware of what her purposes are. What many people have criticized in Kant is not his claim that lies like this one are wrong, but his view that lying is always wrong. In the case where lying to evil people will help to thwart their evil aims (e. g. someone intent on committing murder asks me the whereabouts of his intended victim) Kant held that lying remains wrong. Instead of lying, I should simply not say anything. The main problem with the Principle of Humanity is that it’s not entirely clear what it means to treat another person as an â€Å"end. † It’s been claimed that it means you must treat others in ways that they would not object to if they were morally reasonable, thinking clearly, and well-informed about relevant factual matters. When society puts a thief in prison, it’s treating him as an end, because even though he might object to being incarcerated, he wouldn’t object if he were morally reasonable; he would admit that thieves deserve to go to jail. One problem with this interpretation of the Principle is that it assumes some other, independent standard of what’s â€Å"morally reasonable. † Wasn’t the Principle of Humanity itself supposed to provide that standard? Another problem is that it probably cannot support Kant’s judgment that lying is always wrong. After all, if the morally reasonable thief must admit that he deserves a loss of liberty as punishment for his crimes, shouldn’t a morally reasonable person agree that lying to him is okay as a means of preventing him from committing murder? The Principle of Humanity is sometimes interpreted as supporting the Principle of Autonomy. The Principle of Autonomy says that everyone has the right to live his/her life in accordance with his/her own views about religion, the meaning of life, the moral virtues, dignity and honor, etc., so long as one doesn’t infringe on the right of others to do the same. (Since this principle asserts the existence of a certain moral right, certain natural rights-based moral theories might also support it). You violate my autonomy if restrict my liberty for my own good on the basis of values that I reject. Consider two examples. First, you knock a cup of coffee out of my hands before I can drink from it. I object, but only because I assume, incorrectly, that there’s nothing wrong with the coffee; in fact, it contains poison. You have not violated my autonomy, because your interference can be justified by an appeal to my own values. Second, a competent, adult Jehovah’s Witness refuses to consent to a blood transfusion because it’s against his religion, but his friends force him to have one anyway, because they are convinced that he has misinterpreted the Biblical passage that forbids the â€Å"eating of blood. † In this case the Principle of Autonomy is violated. I think that the Jehovah’s Witness is better off having the life-saving transfusion. The Principle of Beneficence tells doctors to do what is in their patients’ best interests. Hence, this Principle supports ignoring the JW’s wishes and giving him the transfusion. This is a case in which the Principle of Autonomy conflicts with the Principle of Beneficence. I agree with the AMA that the doctor may not treat the JW without his â€Å"informed consent. † Hence, in this sort of case the value of respecting autonomy trumps the value of doing what’s best for the person. Are there any cases where the two principles conflict but beneficence overrides respect for autonomy? Our textbook correctly mentions libertarianism as one natural rights based moral theory. (Natural rights are supposed to be moral rights that exist whether or not the government recognizes and protects them. They are not to be confused with legal rights). Let me make a two points about libertarianism. It holds that our basic human rights include rights to life, liberty, and private property. The right to life is only a â€Å"negative† right (a right not to be killed by others), not a â€Å"positive† right (a right to be provided by one’s society the minimum nutrition and other goods that one needs to stay alive, if one cannot obtain them oneself). Other natural rights theorists disagree with the libertarian, holding that we have â€Å"positive† as well as â€Å"negative† natural rights. A right to decent, affordable health or to free health care if one is poor is an example of a â€Å"positive† right. Second, in saying that someone has a natural right to do x, we’re not necessarily saying that it’s morally permissible to do x. All we’re saying is that others do not have the right to interfere, to use coercion to prevent him from doing it. Consider a racist giving a public speech in which he advocates denying black people the right to vote. To say that he has a natural right to free speech only means that others (especially the government) are forbidden to step in and prevent him from speaking. It doesn’t mean that there’s nothing morally wrong with his speech. There obviously is—promoting racism is immoral. And in saying that we think his speech is immoral we don’t violate his free speech rights. We exercise our own. There are many different varieties of religious ethics, but we should focus on three religious ethics ideas often introduced into biomedical ethics controversies in this country. They are: i) The â€Å"sanctity of life† doctrine—it is absolutely forbidden either to perform or fail to perform some action with the aim of causing or facilitating the death of any innocent human being (oneself or another), whether or not the person to die consents to the act or omission, and whether or not he is better off with a quick and painless death. Hence, euthanasia (voluntary or not) is forbidden. The taking of innocent human life is God’s prerogative, not man’s. No human being has the right to â€Å"play God. † On the basis of the â€Å"sanctity of life† doctrine many religious people oppose the legalization of physician-assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia. (They usually have other objections to legalization not based on this doctrine). ii) â€Å"Unnatural† acts are wrong. Though in-vetro fertilization and surrogate birthing are both wrong for this reason, the use of fertility drugs by a couple that has had difficulty in conceiving is not. iii) (Roman Catholicism only) The Doctrine of Double Effect– It is permissible to perform an act the evil consequences of which one foresees but does not intend (e. g. the death of an innocent human being), so long as the intended good consequences of the act outweigh or justify the unintended but foreseen bad consequences. It is permissible to perform an act with such consequences, even though it would be impermissible to perform it if the evil were intended as an end or as a means to bringing about some other end. — The â€Å"craniotomy† and â€Å"hysterectomy† examples and RC moral theology’s rejection of consequentialism. The craniotomy is supposed to be wrong, because the baby’s death is intended as a means to saving the mother. (It is supposed to be wrong, even though both mother and baby will die if the craniotomy is not performed). The hysterectomy is supposed to be permissible, because in that case the baby’s death is a foreseen but unintended side-effect of the hysterectomy. The claim that people who condemn homosexuality, masturbation, surrogate motherhood, reproductive cloning, etc. as wrong because â€Å"unnatural† are relying on religious ideas is controversial. Contemporary Roman Catholic philosophers who defend the natural law theory of morality (e. g. John Finnis) deny that their view presupposes a belief in God and God’s purposes (though it is certainly compatible with such a belief). They hold that we can know by means of unaided reason that these things are wrong. The natural law theory, they claim, is different from the â€Å"divine command theory of right and wrong. † According to the latter, what makes an act wrong is that it violates a divine command. So to know that homosexuality, for example, is wrong, we would have to know that the Bible, or Quran, or whatever, is the revealed word of God and read it to see if it includes a prohibition on homosexuality. Since the belief that the Bible or whatever is the revealed word of God rests on religious faith, it follows that a condemnation of homosexuality based on the divine command theory likewise depends on faith.

Storm Born Chapter Fifteen

I don't care how old you get or how tough you are. Nothing, nothing at all, can ever replace your mother taking care of you when you're sick. The feel of a cool, wet cloth touched my head, and the sound of familiar humming just barely penetrated my weary brain. I opened my eyes and saw the same funny-shaped pieces of sunlight cast through my blinds onto the bedroom ceiling. Only this time, their positions had changed, their colors dimmer and darker orange. The humming abruptly stopped. â€Å"Eugenie?† â€Å"Mom,† I croaked. My throat felt torn and raw. She moved into my field of vision, face drawn with worry. I couldn't believe it. She looked almost entirely normal. Her hair had a bit of a wind-swept look, and I could see a few bruises. Other than that, she seemed fine, not like she'd just endured a paranormal attack and subsequent magically induced maelstrom. For just a moment, I questioned my own memories. Had I imagined what happened? Had it been a trick or a vision? No. I felt like shit. No delusion could have caused this pain. â€Å"You're okay?† I asked doubtfully. She nodded. â€Å"Fine. What about you?† I tentatively attempted to make contact with the muscles in my body. They told me to leave them the fuck alone. â€Å"I hurt.† She adjusted the cloth on my head, making it fractionally more perfect. As she leaned over, a lock of her hair slipped forward, and I made out muddy fingerprints on her neck. No. Definitely not my imagination. â€Å"I called Roland. He was up in Flagstaff with Bill. He's on his way back now – should be here in a couple of hours.† â€Å"Mom†¦how'd you recover?† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"You were really messed up from those spirits. Don't you remember?† â€Å"I got a little shaken up but nothing worse. Nothing like you.† She frowned, giving a little sigh. â€Å"God, how I wish you were a lawyer instead. Or maybe a pharmacist.† â€Å"What do you remember happening?† â€Å"Not much,† she admitted. â€Å"I remember going after one of those†¦creatures. After that, it's a blur. I must have panicked. Your living room is, uh, going to need some help.† I closed my eyes, feeling tired. My living room would probably need to be bulldozed and rebuilt from scratch. No telling how the rest of the house had fared. It could probably collapse at any moment. My room actually looked kind of normal. A few things were knocked over, probably casualties of stray gusts of wind. â€Å"You've got people here who want to see you.† I opened my eyes. â€Å"Who?† â€Å"No one I know. A man and a woman.† â€Å"Is the man a fox?† She stared at me, confused. â€Å"A fox? He's very handsome, yes, but, sweetie†¦maybe I should send them away. You don't sound like you're better yet.† â€Å"No, no, let me talk to them.† I had a feeling the missing pieces of what had happened during and after the storm lay with Kiyo. â€Å"And I need to talk to them†¦alone.† My mother looked hurt. â€Å"It's not personal. It's business.† She started to argue, then shook her head and stood up. â€Å"I'll go get them.† While she was gone, I dared a hasty assessment of my appearance. I was still in my underwear and camisole. The top in particular was ripped and dirty. I pulled the covers up almost to my neck and ran a hand over my hair and face. I could feel more dirt on my skin plus a scab on my cheek, distantly reminding me of a shard of something flying out and cutting me. My hair stuck out everywhere. I attempted to smooth it down, but then my mom returned with Kiyo and a strange woman. â€Å"I'll be in the kitchen if you need me,† Mom said protectively. She pulled the door closed behind her, all but a crack. Kiyo's face told me all I needed to know about the way I looked. â€Å"You should see the other guy,† I said. A small smile broke over his face. â€Å"I did. He's in pieces in the other room.† â€Å"Oh.† He beckoned to the woman. â€Å"Eugenie, this is Maiwenn, queen of the Willow Land.† I started in surprise. She didn't look like a Willow Queen. Of course, I'm not sure what exactly I expected – maybe something akin to Glinda the Good Witch. But this woman looked like Surfer Girl Barbie. Her skin glowed with a deep bronze tan. Platinum blond hair fell in supermodel waves to her waist. Her eyes were the color of the sea in the sun, blue-green with long lashes. She wore a simple blue dress, a bit old-fashioned but nothing that screamed, â€Å"I'm a fairy queen.† It was looser than the form-fitting gowns other gentry women seemed to favor but was still quite pretty. My feelings of inadequacy about my appearance increased tenfold. â€Å"Nice to meet you,† I said. I could hear the tentativeness in my voice. Kiyo might swear to her character, but I still carried a lot of apprehension around the gentry, monarch or no. â€Å"And you,† she said. Her voice was rich and sweet, her face serene. â€Å"I'm sorry I could not heal you too.† â€Å"‘Too'? Oh†¦was it you? Did you heal my mother? She doesn't remember anything†¦.† She nodded. â€Å"I didn't have the power to heal you both. She was more severely injured, and with your age and stamina – and your blood – well, I thought you'd have an easier time recovering.† I thought about the aches and pains shooting through my body. Easier? That might be a subjective term. â€Å"You made the right choice. Thanks. I'll be fine.† Kiyo stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned against the wall. â€Å"Eugenie doesn't like to admit weakness. It's one of her more charming traits.† I shot him a glare, and Maiwenn offered a small, polite smile. â€Å"Nothing wrong with that.† She approached me and extended a hand toward my face. â€Å"I think I have enough strength for a small healing. May I?† I nodded, not entirely sure what I was agreeing to. Her fingertips grazed my cheek, icy cold but gentle. A tingle ran through me, and she drew back, suddenly looking pale and tired. Kiyo started to help her when she stumbled, but she waved him off. â€Å"There. No scarring this way.† My fingers examined the place she had touched. No more scab. â€Å"Thank you.† Silence fell, and I looked from face to face. With me in bed and them hanging around so casually, I didn't really feel like I was having a meeting with a bona fide queen. It was all so informal. â€Å"What happened?† They exchanged uncertain glances. â€Å"We're not really sure,† he said. â€Å"You and your mother were both unconscious. The elemental was dead, and your living room†¦it looks kind of bad.† â€Å"But†¦that was it?† His eyebrows rose. â€Å"What more could there be?† â€Å"There was no storm when you showed up?† They exchanged conspiratorial looks again, and something about their solidarity rankled me. â€Å"Tell us what you remember,† Maiwenn said. I did, starting with the spirit attack and ending with the vicious storm. Neither spoke when I finished. Kiyo sighed. â€Å"What?† I demanded. â€Å"What happened? You obviously know.† â€Å"It's complicated.† â€Å"Everything's complicated lately. Let me guess. It was the magic, wasn't it? Storm King's inherited power?† He didn't answer. She did. â€Å"Yes. It seems it has been passed down after all.† â€Å"Can I stop it? Keep it locked up so it doesn't come out again?† â€Å"Not likely. You might be able to bury it so it isn't consciously used, but†¦if it's there, it's likely to burst out again when your emotions let loose. You'll get the same kind of disastrous results if you don't learn to manage it.† â€Å"I don't want it.† I shuddered, recalling that horrible blackness and deadly lightning. Uneasily, I remembered what Volusian had told me, that embracing my magic could protect me and those I loved. I looked at Maiwenn nervously, hating what I was about to ask. â€Å"But I don't want to hurt anyone either. Can you teach me to use it? Or at least control it?† Kiyo's eyes widened. â€Å"Eugenie, no – â€Å" â€Å"What do you expect me to do?† I demanded. The expression on his face mirrored what I felt inside. â€Å"It's not like I want to do this. But you saw what happened. I destroyed my house, and worse, I nearly killed my mother. And myself.† He sighed but didn't argue. Maiwenn regarded him calmly. â€Å"She's right.† â€Å"I know. But I don't have to like it.† â€Å"I don't know if I can teach you or not,† she murmured, turning back to me. â€Å"Your magic – storm magic – is a very physical, outward sort of power. Healing is more internal. Less aggressive. Some of the basics will be the same, but we'll probably have to find you a teacher with similar powers.† Like someone who can call up pieces of the earth and rip castles apart, I thought. I didn't give voice to that. Kiyo and I might be â€Å"friends,† but I immediately knew he wouldn't like me getting close to Dorian. â€Å"Kiyo says you're against the invasion thing, that you weren't a supporter of Storm King.† â€Å"Yes. That was part of the reason I wanted to meet you. I'm happy you survived today, Eugenie Markham, but†¦this possibility of the prophecy coming true alarms me. I've spent years believing Storm King had no children. Your existence causes all sorts of complications.† It occurred to me then that Maiwenn might have slept easier if I'd been killed today. â€Å"So is it true?† she asked. â€Å"You have no intention of fulfilling the prophecy?† â€Å"Of course not.† â€Å"Turning one's back on such power can't be easy. Even now, you're considering his magic.† â€Å"That's a necessity. I don't want it. Besides, none of this is about power. It's about keeping my world safe. You forget that until a few weeks ago, I had no clue about any of this. In most ways – me whipping up a storm aside – I still consider myself human. I'm not going to let some army subjugate or destroy my race.† â€Å"You see?† Kiyo said to her. â€Å"I told you.† I could still see the doubt on her face. â€Å"I'm serious. I don't want to usher in some terrible era of gentry domination. I sure as hell don't want to be a plaything for every gentry guy. And even if the worst happens† – I shuddered, remembering the elemental's proximity – â€Å"well, there are ways of making sure I don't actually get or stay pregnant.† I didn't feel like getting into logistics with her. â€Å"Hopefully, I can just keep up the avoidance, though. I'm not jumping into anyone's bed soon.† Sympathy replaced Maiwenn's doubt. â€Å"Yes. I'm truly sorry for what you've endured. It sickens me. I honestly can't imagine it. You've surpassed your fearless reputation. I couldn't have coped so bravely.† I thought again about the terror that had filled me when the elemental had me trapped. The tears. The desperation. I didn't know how brave I'd really been. Kiyo's eyes met mine then, and while Maiwenn looked distracted with thought, I think he might have glimpsed a little of my emotion. Affection for me burned on his face, and I fell into it. The moment shattered when a loud voice sounded outside my room. â€Å"What the fuck happened in here? No way am I cleaning this up!† Kiyo straightened up, alarmed, but I waved away his concern. â€Å"Don't worry. It's just my housemate.† Sure enough, Tim burst in, outrage written all over him. He wore buckskin pants and a matching vest over his bare chest. Feathers decorated his black hair. Beads ringed his neck. His face fell as soon as he saw me. â€Å"Oh God, Eug. Are you all right?† I started to give him the â€Å"other guy† line, then opted for simplicity. â€Å"Fine.† He jerked his thumb behind him. â€Å"That room's in pieces.† â€Å"I know. Don't worry. I'll clean it up.† â€Å"What happened?† â€Å"You're better off not knowing. Tim, this is Kiyo and Maiwenn.† Remembering himself, Tim raised his right hand in a sort of â€Å"How, white man† kind of way. â€Å"I am Timothy Red Horse. May the Great Spirit smile down upon you.† This latter part seemed to be for Maiwenn in particular. She smiled formally. Kiyo appeared to oscillate between hilarity and disgust. Greetings done, Tim walked over to me, shaking his head ruefully. â€Å"You're into some crazy shit.† â€Å"You might want to find another place to stay,† I said seriously. â€Å"I don't think it'll be safe around here.† â€Å"Are you kidding? I'm never going to find this good a deal. What's a little death and destruction?† â€Å"Tim – â€Å" His face sobered. â€Å"Don't worry, Eug. I know what you do. If things heat up, I'll get out.† â€Å"Did you see the living room? That's pretty hot.† â€Å"Yeah, but so long as the house is standing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You're more difficult than I am.† I remembered I was supposed to find a witch to boost the wards around my house. I'd forgotten. Instead, I had created some wards of my own, but they weren't very strong, as evidenced by the recent invasion. A witch couldn't keep everything out but would do a better job than me. Tim grinned. â€Å"Well, let's not get carried away. Anyway. You look like you're in the middle of something. You want anything? Chicken soup? Foot massage?† â€Å"You can get me a Milky Way. And see if my Def Leppard CD survived the war zone.† â€Å"Don't get your hopes up on that last one.† He said goodbye to the others and left. â€Å"An odd man,† mused Maiwenn. â€Å"You have no idea.† Yet, while Tim and I had bantered, I'd noticed Maiwenn and Kiyo speaking quietly to each other in the corner. She had rested a hand on his arm as they talked, and there had been something almost†¦intimate in the way they stood together. Like they were comfortable being in each other's personal space. Very comfortable. I remembered Kiyo's resolute support of her, his claim that he worked with her because he believed in her cause. But was that truly it? Or was there more? She was a â€Å"good friend.† They stood apart now, but a jealous, ugly feeling kindled in my chest. She finally turned away from him and gave me a small, tight smile. â€Å"I don't mean to be rude, but†¦I'm not feeling well and must return home.† â€Å"It's no problem. Thanks for coming, and†¦thank you for healing my mother.† Maiwenn nodded, and I could tell she really was sick. Weariness ringed those lovely eyes. â€Å"I'm happy to. And I'm glad we were able to talk. You have no idea how relieved I am to see where you stand. I'll do what I can to keep others from trying to†¦take liberties with you.† Kiyo's fingertips brushed her arm to stop her, and I watched that contact with a critical eye. â€Å"Wait for me outside.† She nodded and then swept out of the room in all her golden beauty. Kiyo walked over to my bed and sat down, running a hand along my cheek. â€Å"I'm glad you're okay. When I walked in†¦I thought you were dead.† â€Å"I'm hard to kill,† I said lightly. He smiled, shaking his head with exasperation. â€Å"I can believe that.† Reaching down, he picked up my hand and brought it to his lips, eyes on mine. He lingered a moment, and my skin burned where he kissed me. Then carefully, gently, he laid my hand back down, lacing his fingers with mine. â€Å"I'm going to make sure she crosses over okay, and then I'll be back to stay with you.† â€Å"You gonna take care of me? Massage my feet and feed me chicken soup?† â€Å"Anything you want,† he promised. â€Å"That's what friends do.† He kissed my hand again and then stood up. â€Å"Be back in a few minutes.† I could still feel where he'd kissed me, but for once, my infatuation with him went on hold. I was thinking about the conversation I'd just had. It still bothered me, but I'd meant what I said. Learning gentry magic was about the scariest thing – other than rape by a mud elemental – that I could imagine right now. Yet, I wanted no more storms in my living room, no storms anywhere that I was incapable of controlling. And for what it was worth, that meant getting a grip on my power. I knew whom I had to go to for that control, and it held its own set of terrors. Necessary evils, though. I had no choice. So while I waited for Kiyo's return, I began a mental to-do list. Summon Volusian. Plot strategy. Buy high-heeled shoes†¦

Charles Dickens Great Expectations - 1223 Words

Beloved author Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 in Portsmouth, England. Growing up in a life of poverty, his childhood hardships provided the inspiration to write a myriad of classic novels including his 1861 seminole masterpiece, Great Expectations (â€Å"BBC History - Charles Dickens†). Great Expectations follows the life of an orphan named Pip, who’s perspective of the world is altered when he is attacked by an escaped convict in his parents’ graveyard in the town of Kent. Throughout his mission to propel himself up the social classes, Pip meets a slew of individuals who both aid and hamper his journey of self improvement. Pip finds that throughout the course of his quest for life enhancement, his expectations of happiness and social classes wildly differ from that of his future reality (Moore). Throughout the novel, Dickens expands on his overarching theme of love, affection, and family versus wealth, class, and materialism — a theme that P ip will eventually learn in a difficult manner. Using literary devices such as imagery, foreshadowing, and symbolism, Dickens explains a variety of themes and motifs to tie into and fully support his overarching theme along with the addition of symbols, adding to the reader’s clarity of the novel and emphasis of the overarching theme. (Great Expectations - Two Historical Moments†). Dickens’ use of vivid imagery greatly helps the reader to fully understand the points and themes he is trying to relay. Whether it be the theShow MoreRelatedGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1113 Words   |  5 Pagesadventures that the male characters go on. This seems to be relevant in a lot of movies and books like the story Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. In Great Expectations there are multiple female characters like Estella, Biddy, and Miss Havisham who all play a large part in the main character, Pip’s life. One of the first that we meet the character Estella in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations is when Pip goes to Miss Havisham’s to play with her. The two kids play the game beggar my neighbor when EstellaRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1347 Words   |  6 Pagespoor status of the economy, social mobility does not seem to be occurring at high rates, with the poor getting poorer and rich getting richer. Despite this, social mobility is alive and well, and has been for centuries. In his novel, Great Expectations, Charles Dickens voices the concerns of many that lived in Victorian England during the 19th century by promoting such a desire to live life in a more prosperous social class. One of the most fundamental and reoccurring themes in the novel is that ofRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1426 Words   |  6 Pages Twelve-year-old Charles dickens gets ready for bed after a long day at the blacking house. These Victorian-aged memories will provide him with many ideas for his highly acclaimed novel Great Expectations. Set in 1830 England, Great Expectations is a coming-of-age story about a common innocent boy named Pip and his road to becoming a gentleman through the influence of others. Pip is influenced both positively and negatively by Estella, Herbert, and Magwitch. Estella left a huge impression on PipRead MoreGreat Expectations by Charles Dickens984 Words   |  4 PagesCharles Dickens utilizes his life for inspiration for the protagonist Pip in his novel Great Expectations. They both struggle with their social standing. Dickens loved plays and theatre and therefore incorporated them into Pip’s life. Dickens died happy in the middle class and Pip died happy in the middle class. The connection Dickens makes with his life to Pip’s life is undeniable. If readers understand Dickens and his upbringing then readers can understand how and why he created Pip’s upbringingRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations943 Words   |  4 Pages This is true in many cases but none as much as in Great Expectations. In many ways the narrator/protagonist Pip is Charles Dickens in body and mind. While there are many differences between the story and Charles Dickens life there remains one constant. This constant is the way Pip as the narra tor feels, because these feelings are Dickens s own feelings about the life he lead. Since Great Expectations was written towards end of Charles Dickens life, he was wiser and able to make out the mistakesRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1375 Words   |  6 PagesGreat Expectations by Charles Dickens and The Talented Mr Ripley by Anthony Minghella present similar criticisms of society to a large extent. Both of these texts consider the criticisms of rich social contexts (wealth and status), societal morality (whether a society is good or not. Status [can lead to the wrong people being in a high position i.e. making bad decisions affecting the community/society] Appearance [society appears to be moral/good (if you’re from a higher status) {dickens criticisesRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens924 Words   |  4 Pagesa character driven novel, or a mix of the two. In order for a novel to be character driven, it must revolve more around the charactersâ⠂¬â„¢ individual thoughts, feelings, and inner struggles, rather than around the quest of the story. Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, is a character driven novel. While the story does have a plot, it is not contingent upon that plot, but rather is reliant upon its characters and their natures. This is evident from the beginning of the novel. From the opening ofRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations1669 Words   |  7 PagesCharles Dickens He was one of England s greatest authors of the 1800 s, better known as the Victorian era. The various themes and ideas of that time are perfectly showcased in his many novels and short stories, such as Nicholas Nickelby, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, and A Christmas Carol. Much of the inspiration for these works came from the trials and conflicts that he dealt with in his own life. His volumes of fictional writing show the greatRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations1017 Words   |  5 Pagesexperiencer is somewhere else absorbing knowledge of a different setting.This abstract adventure is seized by author Charles Dickens in Great Expectations. Great Expectations is historical fiction giving readers comprehension of the Victorian Era.Upon the reading, readers begin to catch on the intended purpose and its significance. A person who lived during the Victorian Era was Charles Dickens himself.He grew up during a time where differences in social class were to an extreme degree.Dickens went throughRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations1344 Words   |  6 Pagessomething that is not what they truly need? Often, they use social class to fill a void in their lives that can not be filled by materialistic possessions. Many people realize this, but it is often too late. Charles Dickens demonstrates the effects of social climbing in his novel, Great Expectations. This novel explores the connections and effects of human nature and society, which are the two most powerful forces that guide people’s decisions. Some may say that social climbing is good, but as will be