Nhs Dentistry Review Essay Example

Nhs Dentistry Review Essay Example Nhs Dentistry Review Paper Nhs Dentistry Review Paper The purpose of this analysis is to identify the key findings in â€Å"NHS dental services in England – An independent review led by Professor Jimmy Steele†. The reasons for the commission of the report will be explained and the main findings will be compared with other sources. In 2009 Professor Jimmy Steele – practicing Dental consultant, researcher and the current head of the Dental institute at Newcastle University – led a review into National Health Service (NHS) Dental services in England. The aim of the review is to provide advice to the Government on how NHS dentistry could â€Å"become more accessible and efficient, be delivered to a higher quality and be more preventively focused†(1). Professor Steele and his review team did this by determining the problems in NHS dentistry, reviewing the core principles of the NHS and how they apply to dentistry and finally once there is a clear picture of NHS dentistry and its pros and cons from multiple viewpoints was obtained the review team were able to specify and recommend solutions as well as identify who would be responsible for delivering the changes. The research team began outlining the history of dentistry in the NHS. Prior to the birth of the National Health Service, in 1948, oral health in England was very poor and extraction was favored over treatment (2). Oral health is defined as a standard of health related to the oral and related tissues that allow the individual to eat, speak and socialize without discomfort or embarrassment (3). Patient charges were brought in after three years. Although oral health improved, one area seemed to stagnate and that was that the system focused on treatment rather than prevention. Patients were not taking â€Å"responsibility for their oral health†(4) or being advised to do so. The cited improvement in oral health in the UK is backed up by studies referenced in Dental Public Health – A Primer by Patel Patel. The percentage of edentulous (lacking teeth) adults declined from approximately 38% in 1968 to approximately 12% in 1998 (Kelly et al. , 2000; Gray et al. , 1970)(5). The 90’s saw an increase in private practice as Dentists saw a 7% cut in fees paid by the Government (6). At the time of the report, Dentists were able to decide how much NHS care vs. private care they offered, if they offered NHS care at all. Dentists were also able to pick and choose which treatments they offered via the NHS. As is with the whole of the NHS, Dental services can be controversial. There is diverse opinion in terms of what the public can expect from NHS dentistry and how much they should pay for it. Aside from prescription contribution most of the rest of the NHS is a free at the point of access service and there are many who feel that dental services should be the same. Another rising concern since the 90’s is access, as previously stated many dentists are turning towards private practice and away from the NHS. Access is deals with ease of availability and accessibility of dental services when required (7). Which? Consumer research group stated that 68% of those surveyed, during a parallel study, 90% of those were able to get an NHS dental appointment, however those who not able to were affected severely (8). Through quotes from the public and data from an external survey, the review suggests that the main concerns from the public are access, cost, transparency and quality dentist/patient relationship. Many dentists in the UK, as in many parts of the world, have a dual role as clinician and businessperson. The dentist has to balance good clinical decision-making and prescribing the best care plan with managing their business and meeting costs (9). Dentists are also often faced with what they feel is government bureaucracy and substandard commissioning of services. At the time of the review Dentists were re-numerated for NHS work through UDA’s or Unit of Dental Activity. Each treatment is assigned a value in UDA’s depending on the complexity of the treatment and the dentist is paid a varied amount per UDA depending their contract. The contract comes with a target number of UDA’s to be delivered in a 12-month period. A consequence of this system is that many dentists felt they were operating in a manner contrary to the reasons they entered dentistry in the first place. Dentists had become target driven, looking to meet their UDA target in the most efficient way possible in parallel with optimum patient care, two objectives that some felt were the antithesis of each other. For example same dentist can treat a patient for many years, but when that patient requires a more complex treatment that is not cost effective to the dentist, the patient can be turned away. The patient is then left to find another dentist is the area that will provide the necessary treatment via the NHS, with no clear system on how to do this and a presumably worsening discomfort or pain. Although care is taken to examine the views, needs and motivations for patients, dentists and the Primary Care Trusts (PCT) and Department of Health (DOH), this analysis will focus on the implications for the public and dentists. By highlighting the responsibilities to each other of the three groups, the review team were able to make recommendations on potential changes to the system. The findings and recommendations of this review are grouped according to the three invested and interested parties. Much of the recommendations in regards to what the patient should get centers around information. Multi-platform public information campaigns that support and educate patients to take responsibility for their own oral health and inclusion of oral health benefits in overall recommendations that include reducing alcohol intake and stopping smoking (10). The review also recommends national and local campaigns on â€Å"how to find a dentist and what to expect† when the patient gets there. Access itself features heavily in the recommendations, including emergency care, continuing care and complex care. The Which? report goes further in its recommendations to say that Dentists not taking on NHS patients should have a duty to direct patients to the PCT (11) for further direction to an alternative local NHS dentist. Patient charges is something that was always going to feature, according to the review patient charges underwent a severe simplification in 2006 from close to 400 fees to 3 cost bands for different treatments (12). The suggestion is that the simplification was too extreme and that any future review of the charging scheme should increase the cost bands to 10 and that they should align with the cost of the provision of the treatments and finally that patients should be incentivized to take good care of their oral health. Recommendations for changes in the contract between dentists and PCT’s look to shift dentists to be re-numerated based on activity, quality and continued care as opposed to just activity. There is also a clear suggestion that care providers, the clinic owners, should ultimately be responsible for quality of care as well as for quality of the treatment environment. The review is also careful to advise that any changes in the contract should be piloted before full rollout, as this was identified as lacking in previous changes. The public can only benefit from further education on and a greater investment in their own public health. Any education campaigns should be targeted heavily on the young in order to change the mindset of a generation with information being provided via appropriate media to affect all current and future dental patients. Patients would also benefit from a demystifying of the dental profession with more open communication from the dentists about the treatment they receive. A change in the dental contracts as recommended in the review should allow dentists to begin seeing their patients as individuals again and allow them to spend more time with their patients and ultimately bring more dentist back to the NHS, which in turn would improve access. A more engaged patient as a result of education would also let the dentist feel confident in prescribing long-term care plans rather than acute treatment. In conclusion NHS dentistry must balance the delivery of services to the public as and when they requires or desire it with a suitable incentive programme that drives dentists to deliver against these needs all whilst maintaining a reasonable cost to the patient and the PCT’s. The sources cited in this analysis agree that prevention should be prioritized over treatment, however this requires patient participation and engagement, which can be achieved with public information campaigns and more open dentist/patient relationships. NHS dentistry in England is a complex machine that requires slow and steady change with continued feedback from the public and dental professionals in order to continue to evolve and maintain high standards of care and become preventively focused. References 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 10 ,12. . 2013. . [ONLINE] Available at: blackcountry. nhs. uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/The-Steel-Review. pdf. [Accessed 08 May 2013]. 8, 11. . 2013. . [ONLINE] Available at: which. co. uk/documents/pdf/independent-review-of-nhs-dentistry-which-response-178905. pdf. [Accessed 14 May 2013]. 3. Meera Patel Nakul Patel, 2006. Dental Public Health. Edition. Radcliffe Publishing Ltd. p5 5. Patel Patel, p14 7. Patel Patel, p46

Theories of subjectivity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Theories of subjectivity - Essay Example Foucault rejected centuries-old assumptions concerning subjectivity. Rather than starting with the Enlightenment ideal of full self-knowledge and self-aware agency, Foucault shifts the critical focus onto â€Å"discourse,† a broad concept that he uses to refer to language and other forms of representation – indeed, all human mechanisms for the conveyance of meaning and value. (Hall 2004, p. 91) In an attempt to illustrate some analogies regarding Foucault’s concept of discourse, Tony Davies (1997) compared his notions with other theorists. According to him, discourse for Foucault is what the relations of productions are for Marx, the unconscious for Freud, the impersonal laws of language for Saussure, ideology for Althusser: the capillary structure of social cohesion and conformity. (p. 70) This paper is about Judith Butler’s response to Foucault’s theory of subjectivity. Particularly our discussion will revolve around the premise of gender identity, which is Butler’s own response to Foucault’s â€Å"body† as the main driver behind subjectivity. Butler used Foucault’s notions extensively, either as a basis for her own notions or to criticize its weak assumptions. Michel Foucault, is one with eminent philosophers such as Nietzsche and Freud in his insight that the body has a key role in determining subjectivity. For Foucault, a living body is a constellation of powerful and often conflicting urges and impulses that give rise to different forms of subjectivity according to the organism’s internal organization and the â€Å"disciplinary† effects of socially regulated practices and norms. (Atkins 2005, p. 3) Foucault regards the body as having a pivotal role in the structuring of our subjectivities, our perceptions and our understanding. And so, Foucault’s â€Å"subject† is neither entire autonomous nor enslaved, neither the originator of the discourses and practices

Immigration Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Immigration - Research Paper Example The border which separates the United States and Mexico is an important ground which has led to speeding the process of this illegal immigration (Bowden 2007). It is a process which lays many impacts on the lives of the people who live in Mexico as well as the United States. Many questions have been raised on this issue as to whether what needs to be done to cope up with this issue and whether this border has led to provide any benefits. A balanced solution to this problem should be found out and the illegal immigrants from Mexico who come to the United States for a better future should be considered and legalization for them should be an option. Not only this, they should be given due rights but regulation of this immigration should also be done so that the influx of the number of people does not overshadow the opportunities of the people who already reside in the United States. This paper further provides an in depth analysis on pros and cons of illegal immigration and supports the presence and benefits of illegal immigrants for the country (America) and the nation. Illegal immigration is an act as the name implies of breaking the law and entering another state. But a question arises that is this law above the life of a person and his right to secure his future and work for a better life and earning. The Mexican border has been considered as a right choice by many people living in the United States because for them it has actually restricted the number of people entering their country illegally but for the people living there, this border has actually served to obstruct their opportunities of earning a living and raising their families. Illegal immigration along this border has been showing inclining rates and it has even been seen that this influx has been raised after this border was actually created (Bowden 2007). The illegal immigrants work in farms and do not enjoy the privileges and rights that their American counterparts do. They work on lower pays and do not receive good working conditions. This is because their employers know that these workers will not be able to raise their voices due to fear of being deported (Lilly 2008 & Welch 2007). Illegal Immigrants are not welcomed by the governments for any other reason than the economic benefits they bring to them and the jobs they fill including the lower level and lower wage high effort jobs like cleaning, serving in the pubs and clubs and clearing off the streets. The unavailability of rights and equality measures for these illegal immigrants who are, certainly, helping the country in one way or the other is questionable (Mailonline, 2006). Groff (2010) also points towards the unethical practice of using illegal immigrants without giving them equal rights or incentives within the boundaries of the country. â€Å"It's like taking someone and making them without a nation† (Groff, 2010). These issues need to be addressed and a solution needs to be considered for this problem. It is not economically favorable for the United States to deport all these workers because it will lead to a loss of valuable employees and a considerable reduction in workforce. At the same time, it will also not be economically feasible to arrange for transport for the evacuation of the millions of immigrants (Lilly, 2008). Hence, a better solution would be to actually legalize the workers who are already working in the country. The Mexicans who come in search of job opportunities should be

Dc Motor Principle of Operation Essay Example for Free

Dc Motor Principle of Operation Essay Principles of operation In any electric motor, operation is based on simple electromagnetism. A current-carrying conductor generates a magnetic field; when this is then placed in an external magnetic field, it will experience a force proportional to the current in the conductor, and to the strength of the external magnetic field. As you are well aware of from playing with magnets as a kid, opposite (North and South) polarities attract, while like polarities (North and North, South and South) repel. The internal configuration of a DC motor is designed to harness the magnetic interaction between a current-carrying conductor and an external magnetic field to generate rotational motion. Lets start by looking at a simple 2-pole DC electric motor (here red represents a magnet or winding with a North polarization, while green represents a magnet or winding with a South polarization). Every DC motor has six basic parts axle, rotor (a. k. a. , armature), stator, commutator, field magnet(s), and brushes. In most common DC motors (and all that BEAMers will see), the external magnetic field is produced by high-strength permanent magnets1. The stator is the stationary part of the motor this includes the motor casing, as well as two or more permanent magnet pole pieces. The rotor (together with the axle and attached commutator) rotate with respect to the stator. The rotor consists of windings (generally on a core), the windings being electrically connected to the commutator. The above diagram shows a common motor layout with the rotor inside the stator (field) magnets. The geometry of the brushes, commutator contacts, and rotor windings are such that when power is applied, the polarities of the energized winding and the stator magnet(s) are misaligned, and the rotor will rotate until it is almost aligned with the stators field magnets. As the rotor reaches alignment, the brushes move to the next commutator contacts, and energize the next winding. Given our example two-pole motor, the rotation reverses the direction of current through the rotor winding, leading to a flip of the rotors magnetic field, driving it to continue rotating. In real life, though, DC motors will always have more than two poles (three is a very common number). In particular, this avoids dead spots in the commutator. You can imagine how with our example two-pole motor, if the rotor is exactly at the middle of its rotation (perfectly aligned with the field magnets), it will get stuck there. Meanwhile, with a two-pole motor, there is a moment where the commutator shorts out the power supply (i. e. , both brushes touch both commutator contacts simultaneously). This would be bad for the power supply, waste energy, and damage motor components as well. Yet another disadvantage of such a simple motor is that it would exhibit a high amount of torque ripple (the amount of torque it could produce is cyclic with the position of the rotor). So since most small DC motors are of a three-pole design, lets tinker with the workings of one via an interactive animation (JavaScript required): Youll notice a few things from this namely, one pole is fully energized at a time (but two others are partially energized). As each brush transitions from one commutator contact to the next, one coils field will rapidly collapse, as the next coils field will rapidly charge up (this occurs within a few microsecond). Well see more about the effects of this later, but in the meantime you can see that this is a direct result of the coil windings series wiring: Theres probably no better way to see how an average DC motor is put together, than by just opening one up. Unfortunately this is tedious work, as well as requiring the destruction of a perfectly good motor. Luckily for you, Ive gone ahead and done this in your stead. The guts of a disassembled Mabuchi FF-030-PN motor (the same model that Solarbotics sells) are available for you to see here (on 10 lines / cm graph paper). This is a basic 3-pole DC motor, with 2 brushes and three commutator contacts. The use of an iron core armature (as in the Mabuchi, above) is quite common, and has a number of advantages2. First off, the iron core provides a strong, rigid support for the windings a particularly important consideration for high-torque motors. The core also conducts heat away from the rotor windings, allowing the motor to be driven harder than might otherwise be the case. Iron core construction is also relatively inexpensive compared with other construction types. But iron core construction also has several disadvantages. The iron armature has a relatively high inertia which limits motor acceleration. This construction also results in high winding inductances which limit brush and commutator life. In small motors, an alternative design is often used which features a coreless armature winding. This design depends upon the coil wire itself for structural integrity. As a result, the armature is hollow, and the permanent magnet can be mounted inside the rotor coil. Coreless DC motors have much lower armature inductance than iron-core motors of comparable size, extending brush and commutator life. Diagram courtesy of MicroMo The coreless design also allows manufacturers to build smaller motors; meanwhile, due to the lack of iron in their rotors, coreless motors are somewhat prone to overheating. As a result, this design is generally used just in small, low-power motors. BEAMers will most often see coreless DC motors in the form of pager motors. Again, disassembling a coreless motor can be instructive in this case, my hapless victim was a cheap pager vibrator motor. The guts of this disassembled motor are available for you to see here (on 10 lines / cm graph paper). This is (or more accurately, was) a 3-pole coreless DC motor. I disembowel em so you dont have to

Essay on Sonnet 130 and Passionate Shepherd To His Love -- Sonnet essa

Sonnet 130 and Passionate Shepherd To His Love In William Shakespeare's Sonnet 130 and Christopher Marlowe's The Passionate Shepherd To His Love, the themes of unconditional love, opulent treasures, and vivid imagery are all conveyed throughout the poems but through different point of views. The theme of unconditional love is expressed through the two poems. The poet proclaims his affection for her by telling his "love" that he will give her anything in the world if she would just be with him. "And if these pleasures may thee move, come live with me, and be my love." His words show that he is willing to do anything and everything for her by giving her "a gown made of the finest wool" or even "coral clasps and amber studs" just for her to "live with him and be my (his) love." However, the poet knows that he can not give her these offerings because the gifts that he is willing to give her are merely tokens of exaggerations and are listed to show his beloved that this is how much he wants her. Whereas in Sonnet 130, the poet is earnest and truthful in what he writes about his love. "I love to hear her speak, yet well I know that music hath a far more pleasing sound, yet, I think my love as rare as any she belied with false compare." This shows his honesty in speaking about his object of affection, yet he achieves the same sense of unconditional love that the poet in Marlowe's poem tries to delineate without using embellishments. The speaker in Sonnet 130 doe sn't hyperbolize about his "rare" love using a plethora of exaggerations to portray his fondness for his "mistress" as the poet in Marlowe's poem did. Even though the two poems have the theme as unconditional love, the portrayals of it are achieved th... ...de. Nevertheless, in Sonnet 130, the persona uses imagery of her physical appearance to show his love. The poet in Sonnet 130 does not use imagery of riches but uses commonplace substances to reveal his love for her. "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; coral is far more red than her lips' red" and then he discusses how even though she is just an average woman, he loves her with all his heart. Although the two poets uses different elements to express their love, the meaning of their devotion for their loved ones are portrayed eminently. Even though the two poems express the themes of unconditional love, opulent treasures, and vivid imagery, they have differences within their similarities. These similarities and differences within the poems not only make the themes more lucid, but they also help to show the intent of the poets' writings.

The Host Chapter 16: Assigned

The ledge of the rock exit was worn down, but it scraped my palms and shins as I scrambled through it. It hurt, stiff as I was, to wrench myself erect, and my breath caught. My head swam as the blood flowed downward. I looked for only one thing-where Jared was, so that I could put myself between him and his attackers. They all stood frozen in place, staring at me. Jared had his back to the wall, his hands balled into fists and held low. In front of him, Kyle was hunched over, clutching his stomach. Ian and a stranger flanked him a few feet back, their mouths open with shock. I took advantage of their surprise. In two long, shaky strides, I moved between Kyle and Jared. Kyle was the first to react. I was less than a foot from him, and his primary instinct was to shove me away. His hand struck my shoulder and heaved me toward the floor. Before I could fall, something caught my wrist and yanked me back to my feet. As soon as he realized what he'd done, Jared dropped my wrist like my skin was oozing acid. â€Å"Get back in there,† he roared at me. He shoved my shoulder, too, but it wasn't as hard as Kyle's push. It sent me staggering two feet back toward the hole in the wall. The hole was a black circle in the narrow hallway. Outside the small prison, the bigger cave looked just the same, only longer and taller, a tube rather than a bubble. A small lamp-powered by what, I couldn't guess-lit the hallway dimly from the ground. It cast strange shadows on the features of the men, turning them into scowling monster faces. I took a step toward them again, turning my back to Jared. â€Å"I'm what you want,† I said directly to Kyle. â€Å"Leave him alone.† No one said anything for a long second. â€Å"Tricky bugger,† Ian finally muttered, eyes wide with horror. â€Å"I said get back in there,† Jared hissed behind me. I turned halfway, not wanting Kyle out of my sight. â€Å"It's not your duty to protect me at your own expense.† Jared grimaced, one hand rising to push me back toward the cell again. I skipped out of the way; the motion moved me toward the ones who wanted to kill me. Ian grabbed my arms and pinned them behind me. I struggled instinctively, but he was very strong. He bent my joints too far back and I gasped. â€Å"Get your hands off her!† Jared shouted, charging. Kyle caught him and spun him around into a wrestling hold, forcing his neck forward. The other man grabbed one of Jared's thrashing arms. â€Å"Don't hurt him!† I screeched. I strained against the hands that imprisoned me. Jared's free elbow rammed into Kyle's stomach. Kyle gasped and lost his grip. Jared twisted away from his attackers and then lunged back, his fist connecting with Kyle's nose. Dark red blood spattered the wall and the lamp. â€Å"Finish it, Ian!† Kyle yelled. He put his head down and hurtled into Jared, throwing him into the other man. â€Å"No!† Jared and I cried at the same moment. Ian dropped my arms, and his hands wrapped around my throat, choking off my air. I clawed at his hands with my useless, stubby nails. He gripped me tighter, dragging my feet off the floor. It hurt-the strangling hands, the sudden panic of my lungs. It was agony. I writhed, more trying to escape the pain than the murdering hands. Click, click. I'd only heard the sound once before, but I recognized it. So did everyone else. They all froze, Ian with his hands locked hard on my neck. â€Å"Kyle, Ian, Brandt-back off!† Jeb barked. No one moved-just my hands, still clawing, and my feet, twitching in the air. Jared suddenly darted under Kyle's motionless arm and sprang at me. I saw his fist flying toward my face, and closed my eyes. A loud thwack sounded inches behind my head. Ian howled, and I dropped to the floor. I crumpled there at his feet, gasping. Jared retreated after an angry glance in my direction and went to stand at Jeb's elbow. â€Å"You're guests here, boys, and don't forget it,† Jeb growled. â€Å"I told you not to go looking for the girl. She's my guest, too, for the moment, and I don't take kindly to any of my guests killing any of the others.† â€Å"Jeb,† Ian moaned above me, his voice muffled by the hand held to his mouth. â€Å"Jeb. This is insane.† â€Å"What's your plan?† Kyle demanded. His face was smeared with blood, a violent, macabre sight. But there was no evidence of pain in his voice, only controlled and simmering anger. â€Å"We have a right to know. We have to decide whether this place is safe or if it's time to move on. So†¦ how long will you keep this thing as your pet? What will you do with it when you're finished playing God? All of us deserve to know the answers to these questions.† Kyle's extraordinary words echoed behind the pulse thudding in my head. Keep me as a pet? Jeb had called me his guest†¦ Was that another word for prisoner? Was it possible that two humans existed that did not demand either my death or my torture-wrung confession? If so, it was nothing less than a miracle. â€Å"Don't have your answers, Kyle,† Jeb said. â€Å"It's not up to me.† I doubted any other response Jeb could have given would have confused them more. All four men, Kyle, Ian, the one I didn't know, and even Jared, stared at him with shock. I still crouched gasping at Ian's feet, wishing there was some way I could climb back into my hole unnoticed. â€Å"Not up to you?† Kyle finally echoed, still disbelieving. â€Å"Who, then? If you're thinking of putting it to a vote, that's already been done. Ian, Brandt, and I are the duly designated appointees of the result.† Jeb shook his head-a tight movement that never took his eyes off the man in front of him. â€Å"It's not up for a vote. This is still my house.† â€Å"Who, then?† Kyle shouted. Jeb's eyes finally flickered-to another face and then back to Kyle. â€Å"It's Jared's decision.† Everyone, me included, shifted their eyes to stare at Jared. He gaped at Jeb, just as astonished as the rest, and then his teeth ground together with an audible sound. He threw a glare of pure hate in my direction. â€Å"Jared?† Kyle asked, facing Jeb again. â€Å"That makes no sense!† He was not in control of himself now, almost spluttering in rage. â€Å"He's more biased than anyone else! Why? How can he be rational about this?† â€Å"Jeb, I don't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jared muttered. â€Å"She's your responsibility, Jared,† Jeb said in a firm voice. â€Å"I'll help you out, of course, if there's any more trouble like this, and with keeping track of her and all that. But when it comes to making decisions, that's all yours.† He raised one hand when Kyle tried to protest again. â€Å"Look at it this way, Kyle. If somebody found your Jodi on a raid and brought her back here, would you want me or Doc or a vote deciding what we did with her?† â€Å"Jodi is dead,† Kyle hissed, blood spraying off his lips. He glared at me with much the same expression Jared had just used. â€Å"Well, if her body wandered in here, it would still be up to you. Would you want it any other way?† â€Å"The majority -â€Å" â€Å"My house, my rules,† Jeb interrupted harshly. â€Å"No more discussion on this. No more votes. No more execution attempts. You three spread the word-this is how it works from now on. New rule.† â€Å"Another one?† Ian muttered under his breath. Jeb ignored him. â€Å"If, unlikely as it may be, somehow this ever happens again, whoever the body belongs to makes the call.† Jeb poked the barrel of the gun toward Kyle, then jerked it a few inches toward the hall behind him. â€Å"Get out of here. I don't want to see you anywhere around this place again. You let everyone know that this corridor is off-limits. No one's got any reason for being here except Jared, and if I catch someone skulking around, I'm asking questions second. You got that? Move. Now.† He jabbed the gun at Kyle again. I was amazed that the three assassins immediately stalked back up the hallway, not even pausing to give me or Jeb a parting grimace. I deeply wanted to believe that the gun in Jeb's hands was a bluff. From the first time I'd seen him, Jeb had shown every outward appearance of kindness. He had not touched me once in violence; he had not even looked at me with recognizable hostility. Now it seemed that he was one of only two people here who meant me no harm. Jared might have fought to keep me alive, but it was plain that he was intensely conflicted about that decision. I sensed that he could change his mind at any time. From his expression, it was clear that part of him wanted this over with-especially now that Jeb had put the decision on his shoulders. While I made this analysis, Jared glowered at me with disgust in every line of his expression. However, as much as I wanted to believe that Jeb was bluffing, while I watched the three men disappear into the darkness away from me, it was obvious there was no way he could be. Under the front he presented, Jeb must have been just as deadly and cruel as the rest of them. If he hadn't used that gun in the past-used it to kill, not just to threaten-no one would have obeyed him this way. Desperate times, Melanie whispered. We can't afford to be kind in the world you've created. We're fugitives, an endangered species. Every choice is life-or-death. Shh. I don't have time for a debate. I need to focus. Jared was facing Jeb now, one hand held out in front of him, palm up, fingers curled limply. Now that the others were gone, their bodies slumped into a looser stance. Jeb was even grinning under his thick beard, as though he'd enjoyed the standoff at gunpoint. Strange human. â€Å"Please don't put this on me, Jeb,† Jared said. â€Å"Kyle is right about one thing-I can't make a rational decision.† â€Å"No one said you had to decide this second. She's not going anywhere.† Jeb glanced down at me, still grinning. The eye closest to me-the one Jared couldn't see-closed quickly and opened again. A wink. â€Å"Not after all the trouble she took to get here. You've got plenty of time to think it through.† â€Å"There's nothing to think through. Melanie is dead. But I can't-I can't-Jeb, I can't just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jared couldn't seem to finish the sentence. Tell him. I'm not ready to die right this second. â€Å"Don't think about it, then,† Jeb told him. â€Å"Maybe you'll figure something out later. Give it some time.† â€Å"What are we going to do with it? We can't keep watch on it round the clock.† Jeb shook his head. â€Å"That's exactly what we're going to have to do for a while. Things will calm down. Even Kyle can't preserve a murderous rage for more than a few weeks.† â€Å"A few weeks? We can't afford to play guard down here for a few weeks. We have other things -â€Å" â€Å"I know, I know.† Jeb sighed. â€Å"I'll figure something out.† â€Å"And that's only half the problem.† Jared looked at me again; a vein in his forehead pulsed. â€Å"Where do we keep it? It's not like we have a cell block.† Jeb smiled down at me. â€Å"You're not going to give us any trouble, now, are you?† I stared at him mutely. â€Å"Jeb,† Jared muttered, upset. â€Å"Oh, don't worry about her. First of all, we'll keep an eye on her. Secondly, she'd never be able to find her way out of here-she'd wander around lost until she ran into somebody. Which leads us to number three: she's not that stupid.† He raised one thick white eyebrow at me. â€Å"You're not going to go looking for Kyle or the rest of them, are you? I don't think any of them are very fond of you.† I just stared, wary of his easy, chatty tone. â€Å"I wish you wouldn't talk to it like that,† Jared muttered. â€Å"I was raised in a politer time, kid. I can't help myself.† Jeb put one hand on Jared's arm, patting lightly. â€Å"Look, you've had a full night. Let me take the next watch here. Get some sleep.† Jared seemed about to object, but then he looked at me again and his expression hardened. â€Å"Whatever you want, Jeb. And†¦ I don't-I won't accept responsibility for this thing. Kill it if you think that's best.† I flinched. Jared scowled at my reaction, then turned his back abruptly and walked the same way the others had gone. Jeb watched him go. While he was distracted, I crept back into my hole. I heard Jeb settle slowly to the ground beside the opening. He sighed and stretched, popping a few joints. After a few minutes, he started whistling quietly. It was a cheery tune. I curled myself around my bent knees, pressing my back into the farthest recess of the little cell. Tremors started at the small of my back and ran up and down my spine. My hands shook, and my teeth chattered softly together, despite the soggy heat. â€Å"Might as well lie down and get some sleep,† Jeb said, whether to me or to himself, I wasn't sure. â€Å"Tomorrow's bound to be a tough one.† The shivers passed after a time-maybe half an hour. When they were gone, I felt exhausted. I decided to take Jeb's advice. Though the floor felt even more uncomfortable than before, I was unconscious in seconds. The smell of food woke me. This time I was groggy and disoriented when I opened my eyes. An instinctive sense of panic had my hands trembling again before I was fully conscious. The same tray sat on the ground beside me, identical offerings on it. I could both see and hear Jeb. He sat in front of the cave in profile, looking straight ahead down the long round corridor and whistling softly. Driven by my fierce thirst, I sat up and grabbed the open bottle of water. â€Å"Morning,† Jeb said, nodding in my direction. I froze, my hand on the bottle, until he turned his head and started whistling again. Only now, not quite so desperately thirsty as before, did I notice the odd, unpleasant aftertaste to the water. It matched the acrid taste of the air, but it was slightly stronger. The tang lingered in my mouth, inescapable. I ate quickly, this time saving the soup for last. My stomach reacted more happily today, accepting the food with better grace. It barely gurgled. My body had other needs, though, now that the loudest ones had been sated. I looked around my dark, cramped hole. There weren't a lot of options visible. But I could barely contain my fear at the thought of speaking up and making a request, even of the bizarre but friendly Jeb. I rocked back and forth, debating. My hips ached from curving to the bowled shape of the cave. â€Å"Ahem,† Jeb said. He was looking at me again, his face a deeper color under the white hair than usual. â€Å"You've been stuck in here for a while,† he said. â€Å"You need to†¦ get out?† I nodded. â€Å"Don't mind a walk myself.† His voice was cheerful. He sprang to his feet with surprising agility. I crawled to the edge of my hole, staring out at him cautiously. â€Å"I'll show you our little washroom,† he continued. â€Å"Now, you should know that we're going to have to go through†¦ kind of the main plaza, so to speak. Don't worry. I think everyone will have gotten the message by now.† Unconsciously, he stroked the length of his gun. I tried to swallow. My bladder was so full it was a constant pain, impossible to ignore. But to parade right through the middle of the hive of angry killers? Couldn't he just bring me a bucket? He measured the panic in my eyes-watched the way I automatically shrank back farther into the hole-and his lips pursed in speculation. Then he turned and started walking down the dark hall. â€Å"Follow me,† he called back, not looking to see if I obeyed. I had one vivid flash of Kyle finding me here alone, and was after Jeb before a second passed, scrambling awkwardly through the opening and then hobbling along on my stiff legs as fast as I could to catch up. It felt both horrible and wonderful to stand straight again-the pain was sharp, but the relief was greater. I was close behind him when we reached the end of the hall; darkness loomed through the tall broken oval of the exit. I hesitated, looking back at the small lamp he'd left on the floor. It was the only light in the dark cave. Was I supposed to bring it? He heard me stop and turned to peer at me over his shoulder. I nodded toward the light, then looked back at him. â€Å"Leave it. I know my way.† He held out his free hand to me. â€Å"I'll guide you.† I stared at the hand for a long moment, and then, feeling the urgency in my bladder, I slowly put my hand on his palm, barely touching it-the way I would have touched a snake if for some reason I was ever forced to. Jeb led me through the blackness with sure, quick steps. The long tunnel was followed by a series of bewildering twists in opposing directions. As we rounded yet another sharp V in the path, I knew I was hopelessly turned around. I was sure this was on purpose, and the reason Jeb had left the lamp behind. He wouldn't want me knowing too much about how to find my way out of this labyrinth. I was curious as to how this place had come to be, how Jeb had found it, and how the others had wound up here. But I forced my lips tightly together. It seemed to me that keeping silent was my best bet now. What I was hoping for, I wasn't sure. A few more days of life? Just a cessation of pain? Was there anything else left? All I knew was that I wasn't ready to die, as I'd told Melanie before; my survival instinct was every bit as developed as the average human's. We turned another corner, and the first light reached us. Ahead, a tall, narrow crevice glowed with light from another room. This light was not artificial like the little lamp by my cave. It was too white, too pure. We couldn't move through the narrow fracture in the rock side by side. Jeb went first, towing me close behind. Once through-and able to see again-I pulled my hand out of Jeb's light grip. He didn't react in any way except to put his newly freed hand back on the gun. We were in a short tunnel, and a brighter light shone through a rough arched doorway. The walls were the same holey purple rock. I could hear voices now. They were low, less urgent than the last time I'd heard the babble of a human crowd. No one was expecting us today. I could only imagine what the response would be to my appearance with Jeb. My palms were cold and wet; my breath came in shallow gasps. I leaned as close as I could to Jeb without actually touching him. â€Å"Easy,† he murmured, not turning. â€Å"They're more afraid of you than you are of them.† I doubted that. And even if there were any way that it could be true, fear turned into hatred and violence in the human heart. â€Å"I won't let anybody hurt you,† Jeb mumbled as he reached the archway. â€Å"Anyway, might as well get used to this.† I wanted to ask what that meant, but he stepped through into the next room. I crept in after him, half a step behind, keeping myself hidden by his body as much as possible. The only thing harder than moving myself forward into that room was the thought of falling behind Jeb and being caught alone here. Sudden silence greeted our entrance. We were in the gigantic, bright cavern again, the one they'd first brought me to. How long ago was that? I had no idea. The ceiling was still too bright for me to make out exactly how it was lit. I hadn't noticed before, but the walls were not unbroken-dozens of irregular gaps opened to adjoining tunnels. Some of the openings were huge, others barely large enough for a man to fit through stooped over; some were natural crevices, others were, if not man-made, at least enhanced by someone's hands. Several people stared at us from the recesses of those crevices, frozen in the act of coming or going. More people were out in the open, their bodies caught in the middle of whatever movement our entrance had interrupted. One woman was bent in half, reaching for her shoelaces. A man's motionless arms hung in the air, raised to illustrate some point he'd been making to his companions. Another man wobbled, caught off balance in a sudden stop. His foot came down hard as he struggled to keep steady; the thud of its fall was the only sound in the vast space. It echoed through the room. It was fundamentally wrong for me to feel grateful to that hideous weapon in Jeb's hands†¦ but I did. I knew that without it we would probably have been attacked. These humans would not stop themselves from hurting Jeb if it meant they could get to me. Though we might be attacked despite the gun. Jeb could only shoot one of them at a time. The picture in my head had turned so grisly that I couldn't bear it. I tried to focus on my immediate surroundings, which were bad enough. Jeb paused for a moment, the gun held at his waist, pointing outward. He stared all around the room, seeming to lock his gaze one by one with each person in it. There were fewer than twenty here; it did not take long. When he was satisfied with his study, he headed for the left wall of the cavern. Blood thudding in my ears, I followed in his shadow. He did not walk directly across the cavern, instead keeping close to the curve of the wall. I wondered at his path until I noticed a large square of darker ground that took up the center of the floor-a very large space. No one stood on this darker ground. I was too frightened to do more than notice the anomaly; I didn't even guess at a reason. There were small movements as we circled the silent room. The bending woman straightened, twisting at the waist to watch us go. The gesturing man folded his arms across his chest. All eyes narrowed, and all faces tightened into expressions of rage. However, no one moved toward us, and no one spoke. Whatever Kyle and the others had told these people about their confrontation with Jeb, it seemed to have had the effect Jeb was hoping for. As we passed through the grove of human statues, I recognized Sharon and Maggie eyeing us from the wide mouth of one opening. Their expressions were blank, their eyes cold. They did not look at me, only Jeb. He ignored them. It felt like years later when we finally reached the far side of the cavern. Jeb headed for a medium-sized exit, black against the brightness of this room. The eyes on my back made my scalp tingle, but I didn't dare to look behind me. The humans were still silent, but I worried that they might follow. It was a relief to slip into the darkness of the new passageway. Jeb's hand touched my elbow to guide me, and I did not shrink away from it. The babble of voices didn't pick up again behind us. â€Å"That went better than I expected,† Jeb muttered as he steered me through the cave. His words surprised me, and I was glad I didn't know what he'd thought would happen. The ground sloped downward under my feet. Ahead, a dim light kept me from total blindness. â€Å"Bet you've never seen anything like my place here.† Jeb's voice was louder now, back to the chatty tone he'd used before. â€Å"It's really something, isn't it?† He paused briefly in case I might respond, and then went on. â€Å"Found this place back in the seventies. Well, it found me. I fell through the roof of the big room-probably shoulda died from the fall, but I'm too tough for my own good. Took me a while to find a way out. I was hungry enough to eat rock by the time I managed it. â€Å"I was the only one left on the ranch by then, so I didn't have anyone to show it to. I explored every nook and cranny, and I could see the possibilities. I decided this might be a good card to keep up my sleeve, just in case. That's how we Stryders are-we like to be prepared.† We passed the dim light-it came from a fist-sized hole in the ceiling, making a small circle of brightness on the floor. When it was behind us, I could see another spot of illumination far ahead. â€Å"You're probably curious as to how this all got here.† Another pause, shorter than the last. â€Å"I know I was. I did a little research. These are lava tubes-can you beat that? This used to be a volcano. Well, still is a volcano, I expect. Not quite dead, as you'll see in a bit. All these caves and holes are bubbles of air that got caught in the cooling lava. I've put quite a bit of work into it over the last few decades. Some of it was easy-connecting the tubes just took a little elbow grease. Other parts took more imagination. Did you see the ceiling in the big room? That took me years to get right.† I wanted to ask him how, but I couldn't bring myself to speak. Silence was safest. The floor began to slant downward at a steeper angle. The terrain was broken into rough steps, but they seemed secure enough. Jeb led me down them confidently. As we dropped lower and lower into the ground, the heat and humidity increased. I stiffened when I heard a babble of voices again, this time from ahead. Jeb patted my hand kindly. â€Å"You'll like this part-it's always everyone's favorite,† he promised. A wide, open arch shimmered with moving light. It was the same color as the light in the big room, pure and white, but it flickered at a strange dancing pace. Like everything else that I couldn't understand in this cavern, the light frightened me. â€Å"Here we are,† Jeb said enthusiastically, pulling me through the archway. â€Å"What do you think?†

Macbeth And Victor Frankenstein Responsible For Their Own...

To what extent are the characters of Macbeth and Victor Frankenstein responsible for their own downfalls? Both Frankenstein and the Tragedy Of Macbeth are pieces of literature with very similar protagonists, whose downfalls are widely considered to be brought about by nobody but themselves. They have determination and chance of greatness, with a selfish side that shows till their end. Despite their selfish similarities and moments of madness, they were written both at very different times, by very different authors. One, a respected male playwright pandering to the monarch of the time, and the other a young female writer with a Gothic horror dà ©but that presents the fate of those gripped with excessive ambition. The texts use the usual†¦show more content†¦The actions of Macbeth might not have been the actions of Macbeth at all, but rather the actions of a puppet being played with by the witches. â€Å"Brave Macbeth† who â€Å"deserves this name† is obviously a highly regarded man by all. Macbeth embodies a feature of Aristotle’s tragic hero-that they must have a noble stature. At one point King Duncan goes so far as to say â€Å"Noble Macbeth hath won† directly. Laying the foundation for Macbeth’s character as a noble hero sets up the reader to experience a massive juxtaposition once they realise how far he has fallen, later on in the play. These subtle suggestions of nobility serve as a short cut for Shakespeare, not having to go into detail about what he has done to make him noble, just that that is what he is. Frankenstein is in the same boat as Macbeth when it comes to his nobility. He was certainly considered a genius by his peers â€Å"he is so gentle, yet so wise; his mind is so cultivated when he speaks.† Unlike Macbeth, Frankenstein’s journey isn’t hidden from the reader. It is detailed from the start of his life to help the reader witness his growing and learning possibly to a point where the reader is growing and learning themselves. The point of putting the two characters on pedestals is to better justify the character’s arrogance. Being told you’re excellent by almost everyone is enough to make anyone haughty. By giving them clear character flaws with a clear explanation, the reader can relate to the two men, more