Mirror by Sylvia Plath, Analysis

In the Poem ‘Mirror’ by Sylvia Plath, there is a continuing theme of change. In the beginning the changes are simple, like the acts of day turning to night, but at the end we see the life changes of a woman in particular. Through the use of metaphor and personification in the poem, Plath creates images of water, reflections, and colors as having human characteristics to emphasize the strong theme of change throughout the poem. From the beginning of the poem, we see that it revolves around water. We find out that the mirror is â€Å"unmisted† and â€Å"swallows† everything. We see that by the end of the poem, a girl is drowning and a fish is rising to take over her. In the poem water is both a reflecting surface and an actual lake. So, water, in this poem, is both clear and mysterious. In line 2 the word â€Å"swallow† is used as a metaphor for reflecting. The word makes us think of water, which can itself swallow things, taking them beneath its surface. In lines 10-11 we find out that the mirror is a lake, shifting from the silver of a mirror to the silver of clear water. After that we see that a woman is searching the reaches of the water for who she really is. Later on in line 14, the tears of the woman are another form of water, and she is physically interacting with the water of the lake by stirring it up in her hands. In lines 17-18 the young girl is drowning, and the old woman is rising. It seems most likely that the water is a metaphor for time, or aging. (Shmoop Editorial Team) From silver to pink to moonlight, this poem uses colors and light to give the reader images as they read about a mirror. In line 1 the color gives the major clue that the speaker is not a person, but a personified mirror. Since this is the first line, we think of the color silver throughout the poem whenever we think of the mirror. In lines 7-8 the mirror is silver, but now we get the image of the pink wall, that the mirror most often reflects. Later in line 8, we find out that this speckled pink wall is like part of the mirror's heart, which leads us to think of the color red. In line 9 we get our first glimpse of darkness, which separates the mirror from the pink wall. The mirror also mentions that faces play a part in this separation. Later in the poem we hear that, the candles and the moon are liars, and that the light that they provide is false. The mirror's declaration personifies the candles and the moons, giving them human qualities, like the ability to lie. (Shmoop Editorial Team) In a poem about a mirror, we can expect a lot of reflections. Plath only uses the word â€Å"reflect† once, though. Instead of just repeating this word again and again, she uses personification and metaphor to get her point across. The emphasis on reflections in this poem shows the importance of appearance to the woman in the poem. Line 2 is also an example of personification because mirrors don't see or swallow anything but Plath's poem makes this character so believable that we have to remind ourselves that mirrors don't have eyes or mouths. In line 6 the metaphor is that the mirror is reflecting the opposite wall, not â€Å"meditating on† it and the personification is that mirrors don't meditate, but people do. In lines 7-8 we have another example of personification used to create a metaphor for reflection because mirrors don't see and they don't look. In line 11 the mirror is a lake, and a woman is searching its waters to learn something about herself. The woman is treating her reflection in the water as if it could reveal something about herself, and not just her appearance. (Shmoop Editorial Team) In line 13 Plath used the word reflect but not without some personification. The mirror is providing an accurate reflection, as if it takes pride in what it does, or as if it has some loyalty to this woman that is constantly looking at herself. In lines 18-19 we see reflections physical power; however this power is only a figurative. There is a young girl and a figurative old woman in the waters of the lake. This line takes reflections from being about present appearances and makes them about past and future appearances, all through the metaphor of drowning and rising in the waters of the lake. By this evidence through the poem in its entirety, the theme clearly stands out in the poem; and the use of metaphor and personification give abundant evidence that the poem is directed toward a theme of change.

The Indigo Spell Chapter Twenty-One

SOME PART OF ME BEGGED FOR there to be a mistake. I watched the footage three more times, tossing crazy theories around in my head. Maybe Master Jameson had a twin who wasn't a fanatic who hated vampires. No. The video didn't lie. Only the Alchemists did. I couldn't ignore this. I couldn't wait. I needed to resolve this immediately. If not sooner. I sent Marcus a text as soon as my plane was on the ground: We meet tonight. No games. No runaround. TONIGHT. There was no response from him by the time I got back to my dorm. What was he doing? Reading Catcher in the Rye again? If I'd known what dive he was holed up in, I would've marched over there right then. There was nothing I could do but wait, so I called Ms. Terwilliger both as a distraction and to buy some freedom. â€Å"Nothing to report,† she told me when she answered. â€Å"We're still just watching and waiting – although, your extra charm is almost complete.† â€Å"That's not why I'm calling,† I said. â€Å"I need you to get me a curfew extension tonight.† I felt bad using her for something totally unrelated, but I had to do this. â€Å"Oh? Are you paying me an unexpected visit?† â€Å"Er – no. This is for something else.† She clearly thought that was funny. â€Å"Now you use my assistance for personal matters?† â€Å"Don't you think I've earned it?† I countered. She laughed, something I hadn't heard from her in a while. She agreed to my request and promised to call the dorm's front desk right away. As soon as we hung up, my phone chimed with the expected message from Marcus. All the text contained was an address that was a half hour away. Assuming he was ready for me now, I grabbed my messenger bag and got on the road. In light of my past meetings with Marcus, I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd led me to a department store or karaoke bar. Instead, I arrived at a vintage music shop, the kind that sold vinyl records. A large CLOSED sign hung on the door, emphasized by dark windows and an empty parking lot. I got out of my car and double-checked the address, wondering if my GPS had led me astray. My earlier zeal gave way to nervousness. How careless was this? One of Wolfe's first lessons was to avoid sketchy situations, yet here I was, exposing myself. Then, from the shadows, I heard my name whispered. I turned toward the sound and saw Sabrina materialize out of the darkness, carrying a gun as usual. Maybe if I showed her the one in my glove compartment, we could have a bonding moment. â€Å"Go around back,† she said. â€Å"Knock on the door.† Without another word, she returned to the shadows. The back of the building looked like the kind of place that screamed mugging, and I wondered if Sabrina would come to my aid if needed. I knocked on the door, half expecting some kind of speakeasy situation where I'd be asked for a password like â€Å"rusted iguana.† Instead, Marcus opened the door, ready with one of those smiles he kept hoping would win me over. Strangely, tonight it put me at ease. â€Å"Hey, gorgeous, come on in.† I stepped past him and found we were in the store's back room, which was filled with tables, shelves, and boxes of records and cassette tapes. Wade and Amelia stood against a wall in mirrored stances, their arms crossed over their chests. Marcus shut the door behind me and locked it. â€Å"Glad to see you back in one piece. Judging from your text – and your face – you found something.† All the rage I'd been holding in since my discovery came bursting out. I retrieved my laptop from my bag and had to resist the urge to slam it against a table. â€Å"Yes! I can't believe it. You were right. Your insane, far-fetched theory was right. The Alchemists have been lying! Or, well, some of them. I don't know. Half of them don't know what the other half's doing.† I expected some smug remark from Marcus or at least an â€Å"I told you so.† But that handsome face was drawn and sad, reminding me of the picture I'd seen of him and Clarence. â€Å"Damn,† he said softly. â€Å"I was kind of hoping you'd come back with a bunch of boring video. Amelia, go swap with Sabrina. I want her to see this.† Amelia looked disappointed to be sent away, but she didn't hesitate to obey his order. By the time Sabrina came back in, I had the video cued up to the correct time. They gathered around me. â€Å"Ready?† I asked. They nodded, and I could see a mix of emotions in all of them. Here it was, the conspiracy theory they'd all been waiting to prove. At the same time, the implications were staggering, and the three of them were well aware of how dangerous what they were about to see could be. I played the video. It was only a few seconds long, but they were powerful ones as that bearded figure appeared on the screen. I heard an intake of breath from Sabrina. â€Å"It's him. Master Jameson.† She looked between all our faces. â€Å"That's really the Alchemist place? He's really there?† â€Å"Yes,† said Wade. â€Å"And that's Dale Hawthorne with him, one of the directors.† That triggered a memory. â€Å"I know that name. He's one of Stanton's peers, right?† â€Å"Pretty much.† â€Å"Is it possible she wouldn't know about a visit like this?† I asked. â€Å"Even at her level?† It was Marcus who answered. â€Å"Maybe. Although, walking him right in there – even to the secure level – is pretty ballsy. Even if she doesn't know about the meeting, it's a safe bet others do. If it were completely shady, Hawthorne would've met him off-site. Of course, the secure list means this wasn't out in the open either.† So, it was possible Stanton hadn't lied to me – well, at least not about the Alchemists being in contact with the Warriors. She'd certainly lied about the Alchemists knowing about Marcus since he'd said he was a notorious figure to most higher-ups. Even if she was ignorant about Master Jameson, it didn't change the fact that other Alchemists – important ones – were keeping some dangerous company. Maybe I didn't always like their procedures, but I'd desperately wanted to believe they were doing good in the world. Maybe they were. Maybe they weren't. I just didn't know anymore. When I dragged my eyes from the frozen frame of Master Jameson, I found Marcus watching me. â€Å"Are you ready?† he asked. â€Å"Ready for what?† He walked over to another table and returned with a small case. When he opened it, I saw a small vial of silver liquid and a syringe. â€Å"What is – oh.† Realization hit me. â€Å"That's the blood that'll break the tattoo.† He nodded. â€Å"Pulling the elements out creates a reaction that turns it silver. It takes a few years, but eventually, the gold in your skin will fade to silver too.† All of them were looking at me expectantly, and I took a step back. â€Å"I don't know if I'm ready for this.† â€Å"Why wait?† asked Marcus. He pointed at the laptop. â€Å"You've seen this. You know what they're capable of. Can you keep lying to yourself? Don't you want to go forward with your eyes open?† â€Å"Well . . . yes, but I don't know if I'm ready to have some strange substance injected into me.† Marcus filled the syringe with the silver liquid. â€Å"I can demonstrate on my tattoo if it'll make you feel better. It won't hurt me, and you can see that there aren't any dire side effects.† â€Å"We don't know for sure that they've done anything to me,† I protested. He had a logical argument, but I was still terrified of taking this step. I could feel my hands shaking. â€Å"This could be a waste. There may be no group loyalty compulsion in me.† â€Å"But you also don't know for sure,† he countered. â€Å"And there's always a little loyalty put in the initial tattoo. I mean, not enough to make you some slave robot, but still. Wouldn't you feel better knowing everything's gone?† I couldn't take my eyes off the needle. â€Å"Will I feel any different?† â€Å"No. Although you could walk up to someone on the street and start telling them about vampires.† I couldn't tell if he was joking or not. â€Å"Then you'd just get thrown into a psych ward.† Was I ready for this? Was I really going to take the next step into becoming part of Marcus's Merry Men? I'd passed his test – which he'd been right about. Clearly, this group wasn't useless. They had eyes on the Alchemists and the Warriors. They also seemingly had the Moroi's best interests at heart. The Moroi – or, more specifically, Jill. I hadn't forgotten Sabrina's offhand remark about the Warriors being interested in a missing girl. Who else could it be but Jill? And did this Hawthorne guy have access to her location? Had he passed it on to Master Jameson? And would this information put those around her at risk, like Adrian? They were questions I didn't have the answers to, but I had to uncover them. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"Do it.† Marcus didn't waste any time. I think he was afraid I'd change my mind – which, perhaps, was not an unfounded fear. I sat down in one of the chairs and tipped my head to the side so that he'd have access to my cheek. Wade gently held my head with his hands. â€Å"Just to make sure you stay still,† he told me apologetically Before Marcus started, I asked, â€Å"Where'd you learn to do this?† His face had been solemn with the task ahead, but my question made him smile again. â€Å"I'm not technically tattooing you, if that's what you're worried about,† he said. I was actually worried about a lot of things. â€Å"These are just some small injections, just like being re-inked.† â€Å"What about the process itself? How'd you find out about it?† It was probably a question I should have asked before I sat down in this chair. But I hadn't expected to be doing this so soon – or suddenly. â€Å"A Moroi friend of mine theorized about it. I volunteered to be a guinea pig, and it worked.† He switched to business mode again and held up the needle. â€Å"Ready?† I took a deep breath, feeling like I was standing on the edge of a precipice. Time to jump. â€Å"Go ahead.† It hurt about as much as re-inking did, just a number of small pricks on my skin. Uncomfortable, but not really painful. In truth, it wasn't a long process, but it felt like it took forever. All the while, I kept asking myself, What are you doing? What are you doing? At last, Marcus stepped back and regarded me with shining eyes. Sabrina and Wade smiled too. â€Å"There you go,† Marcus said. â€Å"Welcome to the ranks, Sydney.† I took my compact out of my purse to check the tattoo. My skin was pink from the needle's piercing, but if this process continued to be like re-inking, that irritation would fade soon. Otherwise, the lily looked unchanged. I also didn't feel that changed on the inside. I didn't want to storm the Alchemist facility and demand justice or anything like that. Taking him up on his dare to tell an outsider about vampires was probably my best bet to see if my tattoo had been altered, but I didn't really feel like doing that either. â€Å"That's it?† I asked. â€Å"That's it,† Marcus said. â€Å"Once we get it sealed, you won't have to worry about – â€Å" â€Å"I'm not getting it sealed.† All those smiles vanished. Marcus looked confused, as though he might have misheard. â€Å"You have to. We're going to Mexico next weekend. Once that's done, the Alchemists won't ever be able to get to you again.† â€Å"I'm not getting it sealed,† I repeated. â€Å"And I'm not going to Mexico.† I gestured toward my laptop. â€Å"Look what I was able to pull off! If I stay where I'm at, I can keep finding out more. I can find out what else the Alchemists and Warriors are doing together.† I can find out if Jill is in danger. â€Å"Getting permanently marked and becoming an outcast kills all those opportunities for me. There's no going back after that.† I think Marcus almost always got his way, and this new development totally threw him off. Wade took up the argument. â€Å"There's no going back now. You're leaving a trail of bread crumbs. Look at what you've done. You already made inquiries about Marcus. Even if you haven't gotten super-friendly with the Moroi, the Alchemists still know you spend a lot of time with them. And one day, someone may realize you were there when the data was stolen.† â€Å"No one knows it was stolen,† I said promptly. â€Å"You hope they don't,† corrected Wade. â€Å"These little things are enough to raise red flags. Keep doing more, and you'll make it worse. They'll finally notice you, and that's when it'll be over.† Marcus had recovered from his initial shock. â€Å"Exactly. Look, if you want to stay where you're at until we go to Mexico, that's fine. Make your peace with it or whatever. After that, you need to escape. We'll keep working from the outside.† â€Å"You can do whatever you want.† I began packing up my laptop. â€Å"I'm going to work from the inside.† Marcus caught hold of my arm. â€Å"You're setting yourself up for a fall, Sydney!† he said sternly. â€Å"You're going to get caught.† I pulled away from him. â€Å"I'll be careful.† â€Å"Everyone makes mistakes,† said Sabrina, speaking up for the first time in a while. â€Å"I'll take that risk.† I slung my bag over my shoulder. â€Å"Unless you guys are going to forcibly stop me?† None of them answered. â€Å"Then I'm going. I'm not afraid of the Alchemists. Thank you for everything you've done. I really do appreciate it.† â€Å"Thank you,† said Marcus at last. He shook his head at Wade, who looked like he wanted to protest. â€Å"For getting the data. I honestly didn't think you'd be able to pull it off. I figured you'd return empty-handed, though I still would've broken the tattoo for you. A for effort, you know. Instead, you just proved what I'd thought before: you're remarkable. We could really use you.† â€Å"Well, you know how to get in touch with me.† â€Å"And you know how to get in touch with us,† he said. â€Å"We'll be here all week if you change your mind.† I opened the door. â€Å"I won't. I'm not running away.† Amelia called goodbye to me when I got into my car, oblivious to the fact that I'd just defied her beloved leader. As I drove back to Amberwood, I was amazed at how free I felt – and it had nothing to do with the tattoo. It was the knowledge that I had defied everyone – the Alchemists, the Warriors, the Merry Men. I didn't answer to anyone, no matter the cause. I was my own person, able to take my own actions. It wasn't something I had a lot of experience with. And I was about to do something drastic. I hadn't told Marcus and the gang because I'd been afraid they really would stop me. When I got back to Amberwood, I went straight to my room and dialed Stanton. She answered on the first ring, which I took as a divine sign that I was doing the right thing. â€Å"Miss Sage, this is unexpected. Did you enjoy the services?† â€Å"Yes,† I said. â€Å"They were very enlightening. But that's not why I'm calling. We have a situation. The Warriors of Light are looking for Jill.† I wasn't going to waste any time. â€Å"Why on earth would they do that?† She sounded legitimately surprised, but if there was one thing in all of this that I believed wholeheartedly, it was that the Alchemists were exceptional liars. â€Å"Because they know if Jill's whereabouts got out, it could throw the Moroi into chaos. Their focus is still on the Strigoi, but they wouldn't mind seeing thing go bad for the Moroi.† â€Å"I see.† I always wondered if she paused to gather her thoughts or if it was simply for effect. â€Å"And how exactly did you learn this?† â€Å"That guy I know who used to be with the Warriors. We're still friendly, and he's been having doubts about them. He mentioned hearing them talk about finding a missing girl that could cause all sorts of trouble.† Maybe it was wrong to drag Trey into this lie, but I seriously doubted Stanton would interrogate him anytime soon. â€Å"And you assume this is Miss Dragomir?† â€Å"Come on,† I exclaimed. â€Å"Who else would it be? Do you know any other Moroi girls? Of course it's her!† â€Å"Calm down, Miss Sage.† Her voice was flat and untroubled. â€Å"There's no need for theatrics.† â€Å"There's a need for action! If they might be on to her, then we need to get out of Palm Springs immediately.† â€Å"That,† she said crisply, â€Å"is not an option. A lot of planning went into getting her to her current location.† I didn't believe that argument for a second. Half our job was doing damage control and adapting to rapidly changing situations. â€Å"Yeah? Well, did you also plan on those psycho vampire hunters finding her?† Stanton ignored the jab. â€Å"Do you have any evidence at all that the Warriors actually have concrete data about her? Did your friend supply you with details?† â€Å"No,† I admitted. â€Å"But we still need to do something.† â€Å"There's no ‘we' here.† Her voice had gone from flat to icy. â€Å"You do not decide what we do.† I nearly protested and then caught myself. Horror set in. What had I just done? My initial intent had been to either get Stanton to take legitimate action or else find out if she might accidentally reveal knowledge of a Warrior connection. I'd thought mentioning Trey would give me valid backup since I could hardly tell her the real reason I feared for Jill. Yet, somehow, I'd gone from a request to a demand. I'd practically yelled an order at her. That wasn't typical Sydney behavior. That wasn't typical Alchemist behavior. What had Wade said? You're leaving a trail of bread crumbs. Was this because I'd broken the tattoo? This was no crumb. This was a full loaf. I was on the verge of insubordination, and my mind could suddenly imagine that list Marcus kept warning about, the one that kept track of every suspicious thing I did. Was Stanton already updating that list right now? I had to fix this, but how? How on earth did I take this back? My mind was racing frantically, and it took several moments for me to calm down and start thinking logically. The mission. Focus on the mission. Stanton would understand that. â€Å"I'm sorry, ma'am,† I said at last. Be calm. Be deferential. â€Å"I'm just . . . I'm just so worried about this mission. I saw my dad at the services, you know.† That would be a fact she could check on. â€Å"You had to have seen how it was that night I left. How bad things are between us. I . . . I have to make him proud. If things fall apart here, he'll never forgive me.† She didn't respond, so I prayed that meant she was listening intently . . . and believing me. â€Å"I want to do a good job here. I want to fulfill our goals and keep Jill hidden. But there have already been so many complications no one predicted – first Keith and then the Warriors. I just never feel like she's fully safe now, even with Eddie and Angeline. It eats at me. And – † I was no actress who could muster tears, but I did my best to make my voice crack. â€Å"And I never feel safe. I told you, when I asked to go to the services, how overwhelming it is with the Moroi. They're everywhere – and the dhampirs too. I eat with them. I'm in class with them. Being with other Alchemists this last weekend was a lifesaver. I mean, I'm not trying to dodge my duties, ma'am. I understand we have to make sacrifices. And I've gotten better around them, but sometimes the stress is just unbearable – and then when I heard this thing about the Warriors, I cracked. All I could think about was that I might fail. I'm sorry, ma'am. I shouldn't have flipped o ut on you. I was out of control, and it was unacceptable.† I cut off my rant and tensed as I waited for her response. Hopefully I'd given her enough to dismiss any thoughts of me being a dissident. Of course, I might have just come off as a totally weak and unstable Alchemist who needed to be pulled from this mission. If that happened . . . well, maybe I'd have to take Marcus up on Mexico. Her characteristic pause was especially painful this time. â€Å"I see,† she said. â€Å"Well, I'll take this all into consideration. This mission is of the utmost importance, believe me. My earlier questioning of your information was not some weakening of our resolve. Your concerns have been heard, and I will decide the best course of action.† It wasn't exactly what I wanted, but hopefully she would be true to her word. I really, really wanted to believe she was on the up-and-up. â€Å"Thank you, ma'am.† â€Å"Is there anything else, Miss Sage?† â€Å"No, ma'am. And . . . and I'm sorry ma'am.† â€Å"Your apology is noted.† Click. I'd paced while I'd talked and now stood staring at the phone. A gut instinct told me I really had driven Stanton to take some sort of action. The mystery was whether that action would prove beneficial or catastrophic for me. Falling asleep was difficult after that, and it had nothing to do with Veronica for a change. I was too keyed up, too anxious about what had happened with Marcus and Stanton. I tried to seize that feeling of freedom again, using it to strengthen me. It was only a spark this time, flickering with my new uncertainties, but it was better than nothing. I fell asleep sometime around three. I had a vague sense of a couple hours passing before I was swept into one of Adrian's dreams, back in the reception hall. â€Å"Finally,† he said. â€Å"I almost gave up checking in. I thought you were going to pull an all-nighter.† He'd stopped wearing his suit in these dreams, probably because I always showed up in jeans. Tonight he wore jeans also, along with a plain black T-shirt. â€Å"Me too.† I wrung my hands and began pacing here as well. The nervous energy from my waking self had carried over into the dream. â€Å"A lot of stuff's kind of happened tonight.† The dream felt real, solid. Adrian was sober. â€Å"Didn't you just get back? How much could've happened?† When I told him, he shook his head in amazement. â€Å"Man, Sage. It's all or nothing with you. Never a dull moment.† I came to a halt in front of him and leaned against a table. â€Å"I know, I know. Do you think I just made a huge mistake? God, maybe Marcus was right, and there was some compulsion forcing me to be loyal in the tattoo. I'm free for one hour and completely go over the edge with my superior.† â€Å"It sounds like you covered your tracks,† he said, though a small frown appeared on his face. â€Å"But I would be disappointed if they sent you somewhere less stressful. That seems like it might be the worst-case scenario from everything you said.† I started laughing, but it was the hysterical kind. â€Å"What in the world's happened to me? I was doing crazy stuff way before Marcus broke the tattoo tonight. Meeting with rebels, chasing evil sorceresses, even buying that dress! Yelling at Stanton is just one more thing on a long list of insanity. It's just like I said at Pies and Stuff: I don't know who I am anymore.† Adrian smiled and clasped my hands, taking a few steps toward me. â€Å"Well, first off, I'm the expert in insanity, and this is nothing. And as for who you are, you're the same beautiful, brave, and ridiculously smart caffeinated fighter you've been since the day I met you.† Finally, he put â€Å"beautiful† at the top of his list of adjectives. Not that I should have cared. â€Å"Sweet talker,† I scoffed. â€Å"You didn't know anything about me the first time we met.† â€Å"I knew you were beautiful,† he said. â€Å"I just hoped for the rest.† He always got this glint in his eyes when he complimented my looks, like he was seeing so much more than just my actual appearance. It was disorienting and heady . . . but I didn't mind. And that wasn't the only thing I suddenly found overwhelming. How had he gotten so close to me without me even realizing it? It was like he had secret stealth abilities. His hands were warm on mine, our fingers locked together. I still had remnants of that earlier joy within me, and being connected to him amplified those feelings. The green of his eyes was as lovely as usual, and I wondered if mine had the same effect on him. There was a little amber mixed with the brown that he had once said looked like gold. He's the only one who never tells me to do anything, I realized. Oh, sure, he asked me to do lots of things, often with cajoling and fast talking. But he made no demands on me, not like the Alchemists or Marcus. Even Jill and Angeline tended to preface their requests with, â€Å"You have to . . .† â€Å"Speaking of that dress,† he added, â€Å"I still haven't seen it.† I laughed softly. â€Å"You couldn't handle it.† He raised an eyebrow at that. â€Å"Is that a challenge, Sage? I can handle a lot.† â€Å"Not if our history is any indication. Each time I wear some moderately attractive dress, you lose it.† â€Å"That's not exactly true,† he said. â€Å"I lose it no matter what you're wearing. And that red dress was not ‘moderately attractive.' It was like a piece of heaven here on earth. A red, silky piece of heaven.† I should've rolled my eyes. I should've told him I wasn't here for his personal entertainment. But there was something in the way he was looking at me and something in the way I felt tonight that made me want to see his reaction. Breaking the tattoo hadn't affected anything between us, but it – and the deeds I'd done this weekend – had left me feeling bold. For the first time, I wanted to take a risk with him, despite my usual set of logical arguments. Besides, there was nothing dangerous in letting him look. I manipulated the dream the way he'd taught me. A few moments later, the lacy minidress replaced my jeans and blouse. I even summoned the heels, which bumped my height up. I was still nowhere near as tall as him, but the small boost brought our faces closer together. His eyes widened. Still holding my hands, he took a step back so that he could take in the whole look. There was almost something tangible to the way his gaze swept my body. I could practically feel every place it touched. By the time his eyes reached mine again, my breathing was heavy, and I was acutely aware that there really wasn't that much clothing between the two of us. Maybe there was something dangerous in letting him look after all. â€Å"A piece of heaven?† I managed to ask. He slowly shook his head. â€Å"No. The other place. The one I'm going to burn in for thinking what I'm thinking.† He'd moved toward me again. His hands released mine and moved to my waist, and I noticed I wasn't the only one breathing heavily. He pulled me to him, bringing our bodies together. The world was all heat and electricity, thick with tension that was only one spark away from exploding around us. I was balancing on another precipice, which wasn't easy to do in heels. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and this time I was the one who drew him closer. â€Å"Damn,† he murmured. â€Å"What?† I asked, never taking my eyes off his. He ran his hands over my hips. â€Å"I'm not supposed to kiss you.† â€Å"It's okay.† â€Å"What is?† â€Å"It's okay if I kiss you.† Adrian Ivashkov wasn't easy to surprise, but I surprised him then when I brought his mouth toward mine. I kissed him, and for a moment, he was too stunned to respond. That lasted for, oh, about a second. Then the intensity I'd come to know so well in him returned. He pushed me backward, lifting me so that I sat on the table. The tablecloth bunched up, knocking over some of the glasses. I heard what sounded like a china plate crash against the floor. Whatever logic and reason I normally possessed had melted away. There was nothing but flesh and fire left, and I wasn't going to lie to myself – at least not tonight. I wanted him. I arched my back, fully aware of how vulnerable that made me and that I was giving him an invitation. He accepted it and laid me back against the table, bringing his body down on top of mine. That crushing kiss of his moved from my mouth to the nape of my neck. He pushed down the edge of my dress and the bra strap underneath, exposing my shoulder and giving his lips more skin to conquer. A glass rolled off and smashed, soon followed by another. Adrian broke off his kissing, and I opened my eyes. He had an exasperated look on his face. â€Å"A table,† he said. â€Å"A goddamned table.† A few moments later, the table was gone. I was in his apartment, on his bed, and was glad that I no longer had silverware underneath me. With the venue change complete, his lips found mine again. The urgency in the way I responded surprised even me. I never would've thought myself capable of a feeling so primal, so removed from the reason that usually governed my actions. My nails dug into his back, and he trailed his lips down the edge of my chin, down the center of my neck. He kept going until he reached the bottom of the dress's V-neck. I let out a small gasp, and he kissed all around the neckline, just enough to tease. â€Å"Don't worry,† he murmured. â€Å"The dress stays on.† â€Å"Oh? Is that your decision to make?† â€Å"Yes,† he said. â€Å"You're not losing your virginity in a dream. If that's even possible. I don't want to deal with the philosophical side of it. And besides, there's no need to rush anyway. Sometimes it's worth lingering on the journey for a while before getting to the destination.† Metaphors. This was the cost of making out with an artist. I nearly said as much. Then his hand slid up my bare leg, and I was lost again. Maybe the dress was staying on, but he didn't mind taking liberties with it. That hand slipped under my dress, running along the side of my leg and up to my hip. I burned where he touched me, and everything within me became focused on that hand. It was moving far too slowly, and I grabbed it, ready to urge it on. Adrian chuckled and caught hold of my wrist, pulling my hand away and pinning it down against the covers. â€Å"Never thought I'd be the one slowing you down.† I opened my eyes and met his. â€Å"I'm a quick study.† All that burning and animal need within me must have shone through because he caught his breath and lost the smile. He released my wrist and cupped my face in his hands, bringing his face down only a whisper away from mine. â€Å"Good God, Sydney. You are – † The passion in his eyes turned to surprise, and he suddenly looked up. â€Å"What's wrong?† I asked, wondering if this was some weird part of â€Å"the journey.† He grimaced and began to fade away before my eyes. â€Å"You're being woken up.†

Cuba’s Environmental Problems

When socialism was introduced to Cuba, the idea was that it would be more eco-friendly than capitalism. Instead, the Revolution to quickly controlled two major factors that eventually led to environmental problems in developing countries: population growth and poverty. Contributing to the issue of poverty in Cuba are the financial, economic and commercial blockades imposed by the United States. In order to preserve the environment in Cuba and combat these issues, serious action was necessary. The amount of environmental damage falls into two categories: a) small-scale environmental destruction committed by individuals through illegal hunting, deforestation, dumping of waste into aquatic ecosystems, etc. ; or b) large-scale environmental destruction resulting from major projects and industries approved by governmental agencies and owned by international companies, like hotel chains and mining companies after the Special Period, and agriculture before the Special Period†. [1] The opportunity for Cuba to protect its environment came after the fall of the Soviet Union and the strengthening of the US blockade in 1990. This period, referred to as the Special Period (1990-2000), witnessed a decrease in many environmentally damaging activities both by choice and by necessity, but also resulted in many decisions to resuscitate the Cuban economy. After the Earth Summit in 1992, following Fidel Castro’s speech regarding the condition of the environment on a global scale, Cuba designed and implemented a variety of programs, administrative structures, and public awareness activities to promote sound environmental management and sustainable development. What is most important is the damage that ahs already been done and the efforts to reverse these conditions. Currently, there are many efforts to bring the Cuban environment to a sustainable level. When the former socialist countries of Eastern Europe ended trade and financial relationships with Cuba, the island was forced to make severe adjustments. The emergency measures implemented by the Cuban government aimed at preventing the total economic collapse of the regime, have been referred to by the leadership as the â€Å"special period in peacetime. † This Special Period brought about â€Å"the creation of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (CITMA) in 1994 [which] provided an important impetus for environmental policy and management on a national scale. †[2] In 1995 the National Environmental Strategy (EAN) was designed, but was not approved by the government until 1997. Since then the EAN â€Å"is the guiding document of Cuban environmental policy, establishing the principles upon which the national environmental efforts are based. †[3] The strategy identifies the main environmental issues in Cuba and proposes ideas and various methods to prevent, solve or minimize these problems. The strategy goals are to improve environmental protection and the use of natural resources in an attempt to meet sustainable social and economic development objectives. Evaluations of Cuba's environmental record in comparison with Eastern European records shows â€Å"that environmental deterioration in Cuba over more than three decades of socialist rule responded to specific conditions not usually found in developing countries†¦ but were present in the former Soviet Union and the former Eastern European socialist countries. [4] As a result of this, Kirwin Shaffer states that: Consequently, central planning ignored local environmental concerns. Also, the absence of private ownership and the lack of citizen input in decision making meant that all decisions affecting the local level were made with regard to how they fit with the overall national plan. Results and impacts at the local level were secondary. Which leads to these conclusions: Cuban agricultural and industrial development following the Soviet models have had similar consequences for water, soil and air pollution as found in Europe. 5] The current Cuban stance that attempts to blame the USSR for these effects in Cuba benefits Cuba’s political system because it takes the blame away from the state, but it is not served by the historical record. The glorified â€Å"greening† of Cuba during the 1990s has beneficial impacts over the short term, but, according to Diaz-Briquets and Perez-Lopez, economic costs and turns toward a development model based on tourism may soon erode those short-term gains. Cuba's pollution and contamination problems are widespread, and not completely the result of Soviet-style development projects. Yet, there is no doubt that many of the current environmental problems in Cuba result mainly from sovietization of the Cuban economy. Soil erosion and soil degradation are the main problems in agriculture. These problems started primarily due to the intensification of mechanized agriculture and the use of petrochemical herbicides and pesticides. [6] Agriculture is just one of the many environmental issues the island faces. In terms of the land, â€Å"the harm caused by permanent crops to these lands is primarily due to a lack of crop rotation causing soil depletion, poor agro-technical management and insufficient fertility measures. †[7] In 1970 La zafra de los diez millones, took place, in which the Cuban government attempted to break all historic sugar production records by producing a ten million ton sugar harvest. [8] The government fell short of their goal by two tons, but by this point the damage was already done. Because crops take so much nutrients from the land, farmers alternate crops each year to allow the land to recover. During la zafra de los diez millones crops were not alternated which took a heavy toll on the land. In Cuba, poorly designed and implemented agricultural development policies have been a major contributor to the degradation of the country’s soils: Soil degradation continued apace with the agricultural practices that came to prevail in Cuba during the first half of the twentieth century as more and more virgin islands were brought under sugarcane and livestock production. There is mounting evidence that the pace of soil deterioration intensified during the second half of the century, principally because of the widespread adoption of modern agricultural practices, particularly from the 1960s to the late 1980s. As in the Soviet Union and other socialist economies, the collectivization of the rural sector was regarded as necessary for achieving the goals of a centrally planned command economy. Collectivization would make possible economies of scale and bring the advantages of mechanization and modern scientific agriculture. 9] After the collectivization of land agrarian reforms were implemented to return the land to the state and to its’ citizens. But this shift in land ownership could have major environmental implications, especially after the fall of the Soviet Union. After the Soviets left Cuba, Cuban farming suffered a shortage of imported agricultural goods; leaving Cuban farmers to use traditional farming practices and some more modern techniques (such as rip irrigation) that are more environmentally friendly: The post-Soviet agricultural model is less dependent on imported agricultural practices that had been abandoned for their alleged backwardness: the large-scale use of beasts of burden, increased reliance on organic fertilizers and biological pest controls, the abandonment of marginal soils that had been brought under cultivation and made productive only by the intensive use of agricultural inputs, and a shift of urban labor to the countryside. [10] According to Diaz-Briquets and Perez-Lopez, more important than this change in agricultural practices, is that transferring the control of lands to farmers who are closely tied it, â€Å"and whose economic well-being will depend on the stewardship of the natural resource base, there is the expectation that the trend of soil deterioration†¦. may at least be slowed down†¦. [but] it is too early tell how successful the new agricultural policies will be. †[11] At this point, many of Cuba’s natural resources are in danger of extinction. Because Cuba has exported sugarcane as its main commodity, sugarcane has replaced natural flora and fauna. There was a time before 1959 when over 30 different kinds of bananas grew on the island, but most of the banana trees have been replaced by sugarcane. Cuba’s crops and animals have been affected by pests and diseases introduced from abroad; coastal pollution and excessive hunting also present severe threats to wildlife populations. [12] Water aquifers have been contaminated by pollutants (and saltwater on the coasts) and their levels are declining due to nearly unrestricted use. Similarly, waterflows reaching the coasts are also highly contaminated, which constantly hurts coral reefs and breeding grounds. Dam and reservoir construction has hurt coastal lagoons and mangroves: Cuba’s fresh water system (rivers/lakes/aquifers) has very serious problems. Under Castro’s policy of voluntad hidraulica, which called for not a single drop of fresh water to â€Å"be lost† to the ocean, the government has built over 1,000 large and small dams throughout the entire island, covering 1. 4% of Cuba’s territory. Although the benefits to Cuban agriculture are clear in terms of increased irrigated land (close to 1 million hectares), the ecological effect has been quite negative in terms of lowering the water’s oxygen level and increasing salinity. Dams have also blocked the dispersal of sediment and fresh water runoff over mangrove areas, contributing to a 30% average reduction of mangrove coverage and biodiversity loss[13] In fact, â€Å"the bays of Cuba are some of the most polluted in the world. Industrial, agricultural and human discharges into the sea, as well as deforestation for strip mining, have contributed to the pollution. [14] Water diversion to reservoirs is linked to the â€Å"virtual destruction of the oyster bed and major decline in the fish catch in the Casilda coastal region of southern Santa Clara Province. †[15] These factors, along with the excessive use of aquifer waters and wells used for sugar and citrus irrigation are contributing to the salinization of the water in Cuba. â€Å"Extensive water logging of coastal aquifers has lead to salinization and soil erosion. It has been estimated in 1991 that 600,000 ha have light to modest salinization levels, while the remainder show high levels of salinization. [16] The main source of water pollution lies in the industrial facilities, warehouses, and workshops and service entities located around the bay. Fifty-three industrial facilities are located in the immediate proximity of the bay, and another 84 industries produce waste that indirectly discharges into the bay through tributary streams. [17] These industrial areas include the port and the nickel industries that add to the contamination of the water supply. The port activity itself is also one of the major sources of contamination for the bay. It is estimated that the ships served in the port generate 150,000 tons of refuse per year. 18] Deforestation is also a factor contributing to the poor state of Cuba’s environment. Forests have not suffered nearly as much as the land, with conservation efforts bringing Cuba's forests back to their 1945 levels, but conservation of forests has not meant saving all woodlands. One of the main problems environmentalists have with deforestation in Cuba is the fact that many of the available estimates regarding how much of the original forest cover remained before the revolution are based on rough figures made by observers with no credible statistical information. According to Eudel Eduardo Cepero: The irrational use of forests has become common practice under the Castro regime. As no current data are available on the actual total area of cover forest, the value of Cuba’s forest resources is unknown. Most of the remaining natural forests are in poor condition from being overexploited. An average of 200 forest fires occur each year, affecting some 5,000 hectares of forest. Reforestation has been precarious, due to poor quality seeds, a low survival rate of plantings, and a narrow range of forest species utilized. 19] The National Environmental Strategy offers statistics to support Cepero’s claims by offering statistical information, but not listing sources to verify its facts; it also states that the forests in Cuba have grown over the last few years, but that there is still much work to be done with regards to improving the forest cover in Cuba: Although the forest cover has increased constantly in the recent years – in th e last 43 years increasing to a total coverage of 2, 696, 587. 9 hectares, bringing us to a forested index of 24. 54% in 2005 – after-effects still persist from years of irrational exploitation of Cuban forests which practically eradicated our most valuable woodland resources†¦. Problems persist with the quality of most native forests as a consequence of prior mismanagement and exploitation – particularly in the most important watersheds. Problems also exist in the nation’s seedbed sources, which do not meet productivity or quality expectations. In addition, a lack of updated forest management plans, insufficient silviculture of forested areas, and insufficiencies and deficiencies in management plans continue to present challenges[20] The EAN suggests that more work be done to investigate invasive plant species that re threatening the native plants. It says that the survival rate of tree plantations and the success rate of trees growing to full maturity have improved over the last few years, but that the numbers are still substantially low when compared to the anticipated numbers. Also, the range of forest species used in â€Å"forestry activities† has been inadequate. Also suffering from the effects of sovietization and the special period is the biological diversity of the island. â€Å"A substantial, unquantified loss of biodiversity exists, due, among other reasons, to improper management of certain ecosystems, the application of intensive farming, the marketing of endangered species, as well as conditions making it easy for important genetic resources to leave the countryâ€Å". 21] Coral reefs, mangroves, the original forest (which used to cover most of the island) and rainforests are ecosystems that are suffering in Cuba. According to the EAN, the leading causes of this loss of biodiversity are: [1] Changes, fragmentation, or destruction of habitat/ecosystems/landscapes due primarily to changes in land use and inadequate practices employed in fishing, harvest, and agricultural soil preparation, among others. Overexploitation of resources, for example fishing and forestry resources. [3] Degradation and contamination of soils, water, and the atmosphere. 4] Introduction of exotic invasive species that displace or affect the functioning of ecosystems and native species. [5]Insufficient regulatory and control mechanisms to prevent and punish illegal activities, including unlawful hunting and fishing, trade in threatened species and other natural resources. [6]Climate change and the resulting intensification of dry periods, the incidence of torrential rains, temperature increase, sea level rise, in addition to the intensity and frequency of extreme natural disasters such as hurricanes. [7] Forest fires. [22] The EAN lists the goals it wishes to achieve and the necessary steps that should be taken in order to achieve these goals. Among these goals are increasing the amount of forest coverage to 26. 7% of national territory; have one million hectares of forest maintained by the National System of Criterion and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management; complete National Forestry Planning in 2007; reduce amount of lands affected by forest fires; 69% of forest cover used as a buffer to protect coastal areas, soils, water and conservation forests; management program for invasive plant species. 23] Before the Special Period much of the air pollution in Cuba was the result of its’ dependence on Soviet and Eastern European vehicles and factories that were contaminating the air: Urban pollution, could be partly traced to Cuba’s extreme reliance on inefficient and highly contaminating Soviet and Eastern European-built vehicles and factories. In the agricultural sector, a practice that resulted in much environmental damage was the promotion of Sovietstyle, large-scale state farm production model based on widespread mechanization, heavy chemical inputs (e. . , fertilizers and herbicides), and extensive irrigation[24] Air pollution in Cuba has increased significantly in the years since the Soviets left the island. â€Å" The absence of mitigation measures for emissions, inadequate control measures on the levels of noise generated by different activities, scarce information about the harmful effects on health and social behavior, the poor technical state of transport, and a lack of standards for emissions are also present. [25] There are few environmental reports available to the public that are based on analytical information that is collected systematically in the field and processed in laboratories. Cuban scientists state that: The two main sources of sulfuric gases within the city limits are the old thermal power plants of Tallapiedra in the Old Havana neighborhood and the Antonio Maceo plant in Regla, across the Bay of Havana. In both of these neighborhoods they recorded the highest level of environmental pollution, measuring up to 7. milligrams of sulfides per square decimeter per day at the Tallapiedra Power Plant†¦. Three secondary sources in the metallurgic, chemical and construction ind ustries were also associated with air pollution, all of them located in the environs of Havana Bay. [26] The Ministry of Public Health, better endowed for this purpose than other branches of government, has produced or published few precise documents dealing with health conditions and environmental degradation. Sulfur oxides, undesirable residues of combustion that are produced mostly in power plants when sulfur-rich fuels are burned, create respiratory problems and cause acid rain. Cuba replaced part of the vanished Soviet fuel imports of the late 1980s with domestic crude containing roughly six percent sulfur. It is used mostly in power plants and to run cement factories. [27] Diaz-Briquets and Perez-Lopez point out that the means of transportation in Cuba are getting old and, due to poor maintenance and inadequate resources to obtain parts, they are polluting and becoming harmful to the environment. Their conclusion is that â€Å"As long as the economic crisis continues, Cuba will not be able to modernize its fleet of cars, trucks, and buses (other than for those few vehicles serving the tourist industry)†. [28] If the Cuban government would allow media to spread environmental education to the citizens of Cuba and to the rest of the world, not only would it help efforts within Cuba to protect and improve the environment but it would also help efforts to improve the environment on a global level. The strategy points out that Article 27 of the Constitution of the Republic says: The state protects the nation’s environment and natural resources and recognizes their close relationship with sustainable economic and social development to make human life more rational and to ensure the survival, well being and security of present and future generations. It is the responsibility of proper governmental agencies to apply this policy. It is the duty of the citizens to contribute to the protection of the water, atmosphere, and the conservation of soil, wild flora and fauna and all the rich potential of nature. [29] Since Cuba has declared a national sovereignty over its natural resources and is actively working to restore and protect them, the state must also exercise rights over the country’s environment and resources. Similarly, Cuba must develop a national tendency towards â€Å"integrated natural resource management, commercial environmental management, and urban environmental management as fundamental traits of Cuban environmental management. †[30] The current embargo the United States has placed on Cuba keeps the island from growing economically. Which means that , since the economy is not changing or being stimulated, the people of Cuba are suffering. Meaning, because man poor, urban people cannot afford daily necessities, they resort to alternate ways to get everyday goods; even if it means depleting the natural resources. With the current government in Cuba and the restrictions caused by the embargo, it is hard to think that the Cuban environment will improve much in the next decade or two; but the National Environmental Strategy offers hope to the idea that Cuba’s environment will improve. The â€Å"National Environment Strategy 2007-2010† is dedicated to improving the environmental conditions of Cuba and finding a way to meet sustainable social and economic development goals. The eradication of extreme poverty is an achievement rooted in the very foundations of the revolutionary process. Achieving this is essential to the pursuit of environmental sustainability, first and foremost because extreme poverty cannot coexist with a healthy environment. The solution to this challenge is one of the principal achievements that Cuba can effectively show to the world. 31] The future of environmental reforms in Cuba will be influenced by a variety of cultural, economic, social, and political factors. Ultimate success or failure, however, will likely depend more on thorough laws, money, human capital, public involvement in environmental decision making, use of incentive-based tools, and international support. Strong environmental laws are a necessary foundation for sustaina ble development, but success will only occur with the continuing political will to implement and enforce them.

Trait anxiety between gifted and nongifted students Article

Trait anxiety between gifted and nongifted students - Article Example The research also informs about the test conducted among the high school students in their level of anxiety to recognize their traits and make a clear statements notifying the grades and rankings. As the students are in their teenage which is the period transformation of younger ones to adults, their generous and anxious about their qualities with which they are identified.General Trait Anxiety between the Gifted and the Non-Gifted Students: The test is held to find out the level of anxiety that is established to exhibit their special qualities which is gifted and is there in them by birth and which is acquired by aiming and targeting by non-gifted students. In both the cases, the anxiousness leads them to put forth their efforts which may be successful or may not be successful. But there is high probability that intelligence whether gifted or induced, coupled with sincere hard work always pays. And the success is sweetest of all fruits.Concealed Anxiety in the gifted and non-gifted students: The gifted students are more determined and dedicated towards their ambitions which are kept hidden in the heart and nurtured. Their devotion to their goals, never allows them to deviate their concentration to other habits and change their tendency.

Street art Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Street art - Research Paper Example The traditional graffiti have been increasingly espoused as a technique of advertising, and its trajectory leading its artists perform their tasks on contract basis as graphic artists for corporations in some particular cases. The street art is in itself a paradigm of hybridism in the global visual culture, a postmodern genre that is distinguished by real-time practice than by the sense of unified theory, movement, or message. This artistic work is a community of practice with its own learned, rules, codes, techniques of communication, and hierarchies of prestige. Historical analysis explains that the street art movement all began in New York in the 1960s by young adults who sprayed words and together with other images on the walls and trains. Their artistic paintings appeared impressive with colorful and energetic styles, and were hence called graffiti. Ideally, such paintings were seen by that society as an expression of the youths to rebel against the society and to reject the set rules of the country. Street art begun as an underground, anarchic, in-your-face appropriation of the public visual surfaces, and has now become a major part of visual space in several towns and cities, and recognized as an art movement crossing over into the museum and gallery system. Traditionally, the graffiti artists primarily used their free-hand aerosol paints to produce their works but have currently transformed used to the innovations brought about by the technologically developments to include other media and techniques.

The Hemingway Hero Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Hemingway Hero - Essay Example In words, the Hemingway heroes are "courageous, confident and introspective", and "he does not let his fears get to him (http://engliterarium.blogspot.com) "Although Ernest Hemingway's heroes have different names they are fundamentally the same person, drawing from the same traumatizing experiences. However emotionally disturbed, Hemingway's heroes always seem to have some hope guiding them into the future. Their characteristics are all very similar, and the characters often seem to blend seamlessly into each other" (http://www.directessays.com). Another way of describing the Hemingway hero is someone who has grace under pressure. The Hemingway heroes are described as "code heroes". "Hemingway defined the Code Hero as 'a man who lives correctly, following the ideals of honor, courage and endurance in a world that is sometimes chaotic, often stressful, and always painful.' He measures himself by how well he handle the difficult situations that life throws at him. In the end the Code Hero will lose because we are all mortal, but the true measure is how a person faces death. He believes in "Nada," a Spanish word meaning nothing. Along with this, there is no after life" (http://engliterarium.blogspot.com). In "A Days Wait", the hero is not the boy but his father. The story is very simple. It was about a boy and his dad, an encounter when the boy is sick and the father was taking care of his some. The father was typical of a Hemingway hero, similar to Nick, the hero in the story, "Father and Son". Although the boy reflects worries and anxieties, the father was the opposite. Amidst the emotional pressure of taking care of a sick loved one, the father remained calmed, that's why he was also able to calm down the boy thus removing his fears. This is a show of "grace under pressure" a characteristic of a Hemingway hero In the story "In Another Country", the hero is the narrator. He is living the ordinary life of a man who has wounded leg caused by the war. The character is similar to what we have described above as a Hemingway hero - guided by hope in the future and at the same time he believes in the "nada" concept, meaning there is no after life. The man showed hope through his sickness, hopeful that he is going to get well and recover even he is in a foreign country, but the loss of his wife to death will never be recovered again. This painful reality reflects a depressing scenario on the life of a person and this is typical of a Hemingway hero. As stated above, the hero has a traumatizing experience. In the Story "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place", we witness an old man who is enveloped by darkness as signified by his blindness and his desire to be in the cafe. The young waiter could not relate to him as the former is happy with his life, especially having a wife. But the old man was depressed and finds respite in drinking. This story hero is so much reflective of a Hemingway hero who is suffering emotionally so that he even tried to commit suicide. Although, this is of course a revelation of Hemingway's later suicide decision, still the character was fighting and struggling for a well-lighted place. He still refused to succumb to darkness. Ironically, Harry is the one that resembles the character of a non-hero. "Where most of Hemingway's stories feature protagonists who speak little and reflect nothing at all about their motivations and

Self reflectio on the module of acoounting information system Essay

Self reflectio on the module of acoounting information system - Essay Example Skills Learned From closer assessment of my personal and professional skills, it is apparent that the following skills were developed from the course: analytical skills, critical thinking, and intellectual growth from increased inputs on AIS concepts and theories, comprehension skills, the ability to interpret and apply required tasks and activities, and increased understanding of financial and accounting operations of an organization, among others. Further, skills to enable me to comply with the needed follow through in the module are likewise improved: prioritization of tasks or time management, problem-solving skills, introspection and even decision-making skills. The given lectures do not only provide the required explanation for terms being the subjects of discussion; but more importantly, learning goals are identified and illustrations are provided to guide and enhance learning skills. For instance, the topic on transactions processing gave students the lay-outs for sales or re venue cycle, as well as other cycles such as the purchasing, payroll and fixed asset cycle. These lay-outs assisted students in understanding the theories through visual representation of elements and interactions among stakeholders: managers, different departments, and external institutions (suppliers, government, and customers). I realized, however, that there were some topics which are generally difficult to understand given the nature and level of complicated concepts that were presented. For example, the topic on IS auditing was a fairly difficult topic that aimed to provide concepts in the most concise form. It, however, was successful in providing a general overview of the audit techniques and steps from a student’s perspective. Both critical and analytical skills are improved in this phase. I realized that for students who developed a deeper interest in the subject would need to make additional research or undertake additional courses on that topic alone. The topic on security and control is an interesting, relevant and contemporary issue that is highly important in terms of applicability to global organizational settings. Due to the technological developments accorded by the internet age, various organizations that opted to implement electronic applications (such as online banking, selling transactions through electronic business, and delivery of health care) need to be serious about awareness on this subject. My interpretative, analytic and application skills are enhanced as the subject of security breaches are closely studied. The topic on recovery procedures and control measures are most useful to inform me on the critical aspects of ensuring security in various phases of the operations in the organization, not only in information technology, but in other areas such as personnel, physical lay-out and structure, among others. It is my personal belief that other topics were fairly presented in a very generalized manner with the objective of pr oviding the necessary information that could be sourced from these: supply chain management, logistics and competitive advantage. These concepts should be discussed in more detail in other management courses like marketing. Another subject that is felt to have a wide range of complex topics and sub-topics is the area of systems development that presented other equally

Black Board Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Black Board - Essay Example The blackboard enables student to effectively manage their studies by providing access to course modules and valuable tutorials. It also allows students to exchange information with their lecturer, classmates and tutors. As of every other service, there is a need to evaluate the effectiveness of the Blackboard in helping the students to achieve excellence in their field of study and also its market appeal. To do this, the SWOT - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats- strategic tool learned in the Business and Management Systems lecture will be used in evaluating the level of service the Blackboard can offer. The primary strength of the service is the inclusion of the feature Personal Tutorial (PT) and Personal Development Planning (PDP). The feature enables students to communicate with their tutor and clarify matters on a certain topic. It also permits Contents of Course Modules to be uploaded in their 'native format'(meaning the format of the course content can be uploaded as it is whether it is a Word document, Excel Spreadsheet or even a movie file). This feature enables students to fully appreciate the lectures that they were given. The idea is that the student can remember the discussion on a certain topic when the format used in their lecture is used for their private study. This feature is also quite powerful in terms of appeal to users because the student can now seek help, advice and notes from well-versed tutors anytime they want whether they are at home or in their native countries - this may arise due to some unforeseen events necessitating the need to travel. It must also b e remembered that learning gaps is surely to occur due to communication problems between the lecturer and international students who are not yet adept in using the English language. With the use of the PT and PDP, the students can clarify some points, in which communication problem occurred, with the tutor and other students. The Blackboard is also remarkable due to its Content Collection because it enables students to see announcements made involving their subjects. All announcements for all Blackboard sites the student belongs to are aggregately posted. This eliminates the need to browse through all the subjects to check for announcements. Other virtual learning environments do not provide this feature. Besides the announcement feature, the Content Collection section enables past exam papers and grades to be viewed for review in the future. These facilities are definitely plus factors in terms of attractiveness of the service because it enables the student to have an easily accessible future reference source. Another noteworthy feature is the Assignment facility which enables students to pass assignments in electronic data form. This enables the students to pass assignments even if they are in faraway places. Another plus of the service is that the username and password format are very easy to remember (username format uses the student registration's number preceded with a W and the last number deleted, password format uses the student's registered birth date as a default password). The provision for storage of accomplished works by the Portfolio feature also adds to the market appeal of the service. This added feature, non-existent in virtual

Multimedia Report Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Multimedia Report - Article Example I wondered how parents find joy in parenting a child who does not grow intellectually and socially; is unable to interact with parents and siblings; does not exhibit sensory and conscious awareness, communication and personality factors associated with personhood. I wondered how parents of anencephalic children find joy in parenting. I found an answer in a North Carolina News 14 video about a Charlotte family invited by an organ donor organization to ride a float in the Pasadena Rose Bowl Parade. The video was well-done, with still shots of the baby, family, and footage of parent comments, and information. During Shannon’s pregnancy, baby Skylar, a girl, was found to be anencephalic. She had a brain stem and open neural tube, said by our book to sometimes be caused by a lack of folic acid in the mother’s body (Page 36). They decided to carry her to term. They did this in order to donate her organs (her liver cells), to give meaning to Skylar’s life, to help anoth er family (the mother explained), to keep from â€Å"focusing on the dark side† (as the father said). Skylar lived for 99 minutes, after birth, surrounded by family and friends, and died in her mother’s arms. The photos clearly show love and compassion and parenting joy in this child. The mother commented, â€Å"She really changed our lives†. ... 5 video clip and article, together, about a Colorado boy with anencephaly (brain stem only, open neural tube) who has miraculously lived for his first birthday celebration. Most babies with anencephaly do not live even until birth, and even then not more than minutes, usually. His mother and grandparents clearly love him. He is cuddled and held. Mom explains that he cannot see, hear, suck, crawl, sit, and has no teeth. She expresses pain that she will soon have to bury him, yet she brags about how he smiles sometimes and how they once â€Å"got him to laugh† (Vanderputte, 2009). They celebrate every milestone, not knowing if there will be another. Mom says, â€Å"He’s a miracle. He’s changed so many people’s lives†. Because I am captivated by this theme of the joys of parenting, and how it overcomes difficulties as great as a lack of apparent personhood and consciousness, I am impressed by her courage in finding parenting joy. In this particular art icle, however, I am most intrigued by the mother’s statement that they â€Å"got him to laugh†, and the excitement in her report of his smiles, and their ability to â€Å"celebrate every milestone†. It is possible, though unlikely, that modern medicine is mistaken and that children without a brain can express emotion, consciousness and learning. If not, the mother is projecting hopes onto a child incapable of fulfilling them. Yet she does so and feels joy. If we are â€Å"programmed to respond positively to babies† (Brooks, 2010, p 3), is parenting joy simply parental projection, in this case? Two among six reasons that people reportedly take on the parenting role are to feel excitement at children’s growth and development and to feel accomplishment in helping children grow (p 4). If growth and development are lacking,

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia - Research Paper Example Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, or ALL, is the most common malignant carcinoma in pediatric patients (Cipoloti et al., 2003). It is characterized by abnormal proliferation of leukemic blasts that are poorly differentiated, leading to inadequate hematopoiesis (Siddique et al., 2011). Pathogenesis There are several studies that dissect the underlying cellular events responsible for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The basic mechanism for abnormal proliferation of any cell remains the same. The cell cycle consists of different phases with various check points to control abnormal division. The most important are the transition from G1 to S phase and G2 to M phase. Division of cell only takes place after receiving instructions from some external stimulation (Cipoloti et al., 2003). There are various mechanisms by which cells are regulated for division. This includes stimulation from special molecules called mitogenic substances, inhibition by various anti-proliferative cytokines and regulation by adjacent cells. Most of the cancer cells including those involved in ALL, abandon these regulatory mechanisms. Various studies including one by Cipoloti et al. tried to isolate mutations in those tumor suppressor genes that are responsible for keeping a check during cellular division. An example is the inactivation of p15 gene in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.... According to the report, Notch 1 is a signaling pathway crucial for the development of T-cells and its mutation is found commonly in patients with ALL. To verify the extent of this abnormal expression, real time PCR was used to detect the gene and its mutation. It was evident in the results that most patients had overexpression of Notch 1 gene that contributed to overproliferation of T cells in ALL (Lin et al., 2012). Subtypes It is important to remember that there is no single cause of cancerous growth of cells in ALL, but various factors unite together and lead to this abnormal proliferation. Moreover, there are various subtypes within ALL, such as precursor B-Cell and T-Cell leukemia. All these subgroups show some variation in their pathogenesis. A study by Teuffel et al. in 2008 focused on anemia and survival in children suffering from various subtypes of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In the above mentioned cohort study, 1162 patients were analyzed for the subtype of ALL and thei r associated Hb levels. It was evident that patients with the T cell subtype had a higher level of hemoglobin as compared to the B cell precursor type. Moreover, less severe anemia was associated with an increased survival rate in early childhood. This explains that various subtypes have different impacts on the hematopoietic system and, therefore, variable survival rate. Risk Factors Few risk factors have been isolated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Those which are assumed to be associated with ALL are poorly verified and contain diverse controversial evidence. A matched control case study found that increased maternal age is associated with increased incidence of ALL. Paternal age showed no association and only a weak link

Does Specific Types of Post- Acute of Care Congestive Heart Failure Article

Does Specific Types of Post- Acute of Care Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) - Article Example An evaluation of the methods is used to determine the methods which can be employed to improve the management of the condition and prevent readmission. Congestive heart failure is a draining ailment with an increasing prevalence in various sections and regions of the world especially among the elderly people. This illness is one of the major causes of hospital admission in various health care facilities around the globe (Khatibzadeh et al, 2013). The treatment cost that is associated with this condition is approximated to be $ 20 billion. Medical therapy for the condition has ensured that the survival rates have been increased. However, beneficial effect on the quality of lives of patients has not been widely reported. Up to 20% of patients with congestive heart failure are normally readmitted to the hospitals and health facilities within thirty days of discharge (Lloyd-Jones et al., 2005). This number or rate of readmission however varies region wisely and is also dependent on the insurance coverage that each of these patients have. These costs of readmission have necessitated the assessment of the various conditions that pres ent a risk of admission and interventions have been developed to prevent readmission. The prevalence of congestive heart failure diseases around the world presents a fundamental challenge to the healthcare system. Many patients suffering from this condition have to be placed under acute care within the hospitals, and this does not always end the problem (Calvillo–King et al., 2013). Once the patient conditions improve, discharge becomes imminent and the lack of proper care after discharge leads to readmission of the patients. This research seeks to identify the effectiveness of the post-acute care interventions in the prevention of hospital readmission. These interventions have mainly been adopted and implemented in seeking to ensure the patients receive comprehensive care and are not

English Literature Coursework Essay Example for Free

English Literature Coursework Essay Compare and contrast at least two short stories by Edgar Allen Poe, paying particular attention to setting, atmosphere, characterisation, theme and language. Throughout this essay I will be comparing and contrasting Edgar Allen Poes The Black Cat and The Cask of Amontillado. Edgar Allen Poe had a particular preference to what though was good writing he believed that a story should build suspense and tension and all techniques should be used to build this tension for a big finish, his unity of effects. Many of Poes stories are very gothic and sinister, this can be seen to have been influenced by the long chain of very traumatic events in his life such as losing both parents, losing his wife, alcoholism and hallucinations. He should never be called crazy himself but his stories often involve crazy narrators and characters. I will firstly start of with the setting in The Cask of Amontillado, this is a story set in old Italy in which our main character Montressor has been gravely insulted by Fortunato and to find his revenge he buries him alive deep underneath his mansion. The setting in the Cask is sinister and also ironic. Its set in a mansion during the carnival, the mansion itself is very gothic and creepy which gives us the gothic element, but the fact that its set during carnival is very ironic as carnival is supposed to be a time of joy and gaiety not a time for evil murders such as this. The reason this murder actually takes place is also due to the carnival, as during it a lot of social boundaries are dropped and laws are less firmly enforced which gives him this chance to get away with murder. The deed itself is set deep in Montressors cellar, his catacombs, which provides is with a very gothic atmosphere. The deeper they descend into the cellar can also been seen as irony for descending into hell which gives us another layer to the setting of this tale. The Black Cat is a story set all at home in which a very strange series of events take place and the narrator who was once a very fond animal lover becomes their enemy and ends up killing one cat and attempting to kill his second but instead kills his wife, who he walls up in his cellar and accidently walls up the cat alive with her. During this time we witness his slow decent into utter madness. The setting as I said is all at the narrator home, this is ironic as the home is where we are supposed to feel most secure and most safe but it this tale its where these crazy and rather disturbing events take place, this affects the reader in a way which makes them think that the home is maybe not so secure as they once thought and challenges their views of safety and security. The safety of home is a total contrast to the sinister events that take place. This is similar to the Cask as all deaths in both stories take place in the narrators home, but is contrasted as in the Cask he was more in control of where the death could have taken place as he was more sane, but it in The Black Cat he is less in control and the death of his wife was more spur of the moment. The murder in the cask was very much thought out and everything was planned to the last detail but in the black cat he is often drunk or not in a safe state of mind when the murders are committed. I will now compare and contrast the atmosphere in both stories. In the Cask Poe creates a gothic atmosphere by describing the scenery very vivid and in a hugely gothic detail. Such as upon the damp ground of the catacombs of the montressors which gives up a vivid image of a huge damp cellar lined with cob-webs and rats. Also the madness of the carnival is ironic for the madness of the deeds thats going to take place. In the black cat the gothic atmosphere is created by the huge range of gothic literature and very dramatic writing. During the story there are series of very perverse doings such as the pair of deaths one being a cat and the other his wife. There are also lots of hints towards to supernatural elements starting off with the connection between black cats and witches by the narrators wife, which we can assume played on his mind throughout the story and may have lead to part of his downfall. Both stories have a huge intensity and a great build up of tension. Both stories create terror and a gothic atmosphere. Now I will discuss the largest of all subjects from the two stories, the narrators. The narrator in the Cask is a very proud man and not easily annoyed as Poe says that he say bared most of Forunatos but once he is gravely insulted he believes he has to go to the extremity of murder to gain his revenge and regain his dignity. Id say the character is actually rather reliable as he doesnt seem to be insane, just getting revenge the only way he thinks he can, and he often mentions that what hes doing is just part of human nature and everyone does it just maybe not on this scale. His state of mind is pretty secure, he seems to know exactly what hes doing and just how hes going to do it and everything seems very much planned out to the utter last detail. His only slip would seem to be right at the end when he starts to call out Fortunatos name where it would seem that hes starting to feel regret already for what hes doing. Hes very manipulative as he knows exactly what things to say to make Fortunato come with him, such as mentioning Luchresi as he knows that Fortunato would be in competition with him and would be jealous to see him take it to Luchresi instead of him, he basically uses him as a lure, even though that is all we hear about Luchresi its enough to sway Fortunato into the montressors deep vaults. Now for the narrator in the black cat, at the beginning of the story he is made out to be a very respectful and animal loving character. In the case of this particular character I can easily say that he is unreliable as he is clearly insane. Unlike the narrator in the cask, during his mental disintegration he starts to hallucinate. Such as the enormous, flat cat he imagines in house after the death of his first cat, and secondly the gallows appearing in the tuft of white hair on the second cat. The gallows are used as foreshadowing, maybe his death, or another death in his household or his impending capture. Throughout the story the narrators state of mind deteriates slowly, one reason for this could be his alcoholism that had taken control of him. He calls the alcohol fiend intemperance which he says had altered his for the worse, this shows that the narrator can see whats slowly happening to himself but blames it on the alcohol as he calls it a fiend. This adds another layer to the alcohol and leads up to believe that the narrators state of mind is not totally secure. So unlike the narrator in the cask we feel that he is rather out of control of his actions and his state of mind. The third subject comparison I will make is in the language of the two stories. In the cask Poe uses a huge array of linguistic devices. There is extensive vocabulary throughout the prose which gives it depth and great vivid detail such as deep dark crypt; this has two descriptive adjectives and alliteration in a tiny space. This gives the tale imagery of this evil crypt and mysterious vaults. He also uses several instances of repetition to describe and give the story yet another layer or depth and emphasis in particular important events in the prose; a succession of loud and shrill screams. He also has a wide range of sentence structure, simple, compound and complex. The complex sentences in this prose build tension and then a compound or simple on for impact. All of these techniques create and build tension and intensity. There is also irony, for example the use of appearance versus reality where the narrator presents himself as one way when infact in reality it is clearly obvious they are not. Foreshadowing is also used, this is when a particular event is mentioned or hinted at will become later in the story. Such as when Fortunato is suffering from a cough and upon entering the vaults has a sudden coughing fit after which montressor requests that they leave but fortunate insists that; the coughs a mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough. This is seen as foreshadowing his future, true he will not die of a cough, but he will die in these vaults. In the black cat Poe uses irony in his very first paragraph, mere household events when we know that they are clearly far from mere household events. Poe also uses personification; the most rhetorical is when he personifies the alcohol to give it another layer and it would also give someone to blame his irrational behaviour on. The use of irony is noticeable when the narrator reveals that his first cats name was Pluto, who, in Greek mythology, is the lord of the underworld. This could also tap into the supernatural element of the tale which could be the reason for the narrators physiological downfall. Poe uses the technique of rhetorical questions to probe at the reader and leave an unanswered question in the readers head. Such as; who has not, a hundred times, found himself committing a vile or a silly action, for no other reason that because he knows he should not?. This particular rhetorical question is basically talking about this perverse side in everyone and about basic human nature, which is something that we can all relate to as readers and could also, be the narrator trying to justify his actions as part of everyday human nature. Poes vocabulary is very vicious, emotive and demonic, such as demons, exhault, damned and agony. These emotive words play on the emotions and are much better than just normal descriptive words. Once again, like the Cask, intensity is created and built throughout the story, and both have foreshadowing, symbolism and good diction. An example of foreshadowing in the black cat could be the narrators hallucination of the gallows appearing in his second cats fur, this could be foreshadowing a death that he could be related to including himself. The last category I will be comparing and contrasting is themes in the tale. In the cask Poe explores several themes, such as the dropping of moral boundaries at the time of carnivals and their consequences, such as crime. Poe is just using this extremity to show this. Revenge is also another theme explored in this tale and once again this is an extremity to show that. It is also to explore the narrators state of mind and to entertain the reader. In the black cat Poe explores the idea that everyone has a perverse side and uses this extremity to show that. Like the cask, it also explores the narrators state of mind and to entertain the reader.

Gold: Demand, Supply and Impact

Gold: Demand, Supply and Impact Introduction India shares a unique relationship with gold, one that is very complex and timeless. From Hindu mythology to various cultural traditions, gold is deeply embedded in the Indian psyche. It’s a symbol of purity, prosperity, good luck, status and wealth. Every Indian, rich or poor, living in city, town or village, is a potential first time buyer or , as in most cases, a repeat buyer. Gold purchases serve a two-fold purpose- that of an ornament and an investment. The emotional and sentimental attachment to gold further adds to the complexity as gold is passed on from one generation to the next. Right from the time a child is born to the time of marriage, gold finds a place in all the rituals and traditions. In addition to this, the religious significance of gold in India means festivals and temple offerings are other important triggers for high sales of gold. Our aim is to study what triggers the Indian consumer to buy gold, the changing trends in purchase behavior, the impact of this on India’s financial stability and to recommend ways to monetize gold or suggest alternate instruments that can curb the investment demand for gold in the country. We analyzed the existing literature on gold to systematically understand current understanding regarding the factors that act as triggers for the Indian gold consumer. We will then compare this with our primary research in an attempt to draw a clearer picture of the gold market in India and suggest ways to monetize it. Section 2: Brief Review of Literature Section 3: Gold: Demand, Supply and Impact on Financial Stability Demand for Gold The ‘Report of the Working Group to Study the Issues Related to Gold and Gold Loans NBFCs in India’, constituted by RBI, states that the demand for gold in India cannot be compared with that of the demand for gold in other parts of the world. The 1.3 plus billion population of India would continue to generate demand for gold, especially through imports. The demand is from both investors in gold and gold jewelry consumers. Due to various cultural, religious, economic and social reasons, the gold demand in India is autonomous. The benefit that it offers by way of long-run inflation hedge, high liquidity and also, the absence of substitutes with similar risk-return profile makes it an attractive asset to store. The convenience of cash based transactions and absence of documentation hassle (no paper trail, tax obligations etc.) further makes it a preferred channel for money laundering. Hence the committee concludes that attempting to curb the gold demand in India would a dif ficult and complex task. Also, historically gold has a been a measure of economic power of kingdoms and nations. In recent times, particularly after the 2008 crisis, gold as an investment asset has drawn attention and the prices of gold soared in the aftermath of the crisis. (International Journal of scientific research and management) Studies show a strong correlation (0.83 for the 2006Q3–2013Q2) between gold imports and inflation expectations of Indian households, indicating that one reason for high gold demand is its use as an inflation hedge. (Selected Issues Paper on India, IMF, 2014) Source: http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/scr/2014/cr1458.pdf Source: http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/indias-gold-imports-are-starting-to-weigh-down-the-economy/1/195178.html Price Sensitivity of Consumers The Bloomberg BusinessWeek article titled â€Å"Correlations: Indias Gold Grab† says that the 23% fall in gold price since October, 2013 shifted the investors away from gold to risky but high return equities. Contrary to this, the Indian gold consumers took advantage of the price drop. Consequently, the purchases in April and May were so high that it began to show in the widening trade deficit. This mid-April slump was the largest in more than three decades and it pushed the banks, traders, and jewelers in India to import more than 100tons of gold. This indicates the complex behavior of Indian consumers with respect to gold price which does not match the typical investor profile. Yet most buyers of gold consider the metal from both consumption and investment angle. Source: Changing Trends of Consumers Retailers K. Balaji and Dr. Maheshwari in the research paper titled â€Å"A Paradigm Shift in the Buying Behavior of Indians Towards Gold Jewelry – A Theoretical Approach with Reference to the Growth of Branded Retailers† posits that as Indian jewelry market matures, the changing consumer preferences are expected to lead to a more organized industry while share of family jewelers is expected to decline. The Indian consumer is moving from unbranded to branded jewelry with fashion trends dictating more and more of the purchase decisions. Although, currently the market is fragmented across the value chain with more than 30,000 players with modern retailers making only 4-6% of the share. It further states that with rising population and income levels there will be an overall increase in spending, including spending on aspirational products which includes gems jewelry. The tastes are changing and the consumer is focusing on more modern and intricate designs as compared to the traditi onal chunky ones. Isha Datwani, founder of Anmol Jewelers says, â€Å"The biggest change we see is that younger people are buying gold†. This working class of young Indians have their own views and opinions and the role of elders as influencers in gold purchase is reducing. Also this new set of Indian consumers has an increased focus on transparency, service, brands and fashion. Also the new set of branded chains, through innovative branding and advertising, are targeting the aspirational class of Indian women by positioning gold as more than an investment, as something that is deeply rooted in our culture and intended to make a woman look more beautiful. The have resorted to new ways of segmenting and usage (e.g. creating new occasions for purchase) to attract new sets of consumers. Source: Technopak Analysis Section 3: Supply of Gold Impact on Financial Stability Gold supply comes from imports, mining, sales of gold reserves, and â€Å"old gold scrap† (the recycling of gold). (IJSRM volume 2 issue 2 Feb 2014). Against the backdrop of high inflation, negative real deposit rates, gain in international gold prices and expectations of further increase, India’s gold imports increased from about 1.5 percent of GDP in 2004-08 to 3 percent in 2011-13. (Muneesh Kapur and Rakesh Mohan) . Source: http://goldminersreport.com/library/the-ascendency-of-real-gold-demand/ RBI gold swap scheme http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-07-02/news/51030718_1_yellow-metal-gold-international-bullion-banks Source: http://www.dgcmagazine.com/cant-keep-indians-from-their-gold/ A high inflation for long duration lowers the real rates, resulting in increased gold imports and decreased household financial savings. Gold imports in turn weaken the rupee and worsen the current account deficit. (Selected Issues Paper on India, IMF, 2014) Considering the nature of demand for gold in India, restrictions on gold imports should be considered as a temporary measure as over time these may become less effective (e.g.: increase in smuggling). To ensure macroeconomic stability, we need to reduce the gold imports in long run. For this, its demand as ‘store of value’ must be curbed which is possible by lowering inflation and increasing real returns on bank deposits. (India Article IV Consultation, IMF, 2014) Section 4: Measures to moderate the demand for Gold and monetize it The RBI Reports describes various measures to curb the demand for gold and monetize the idle gold stocks: Gold Loans: These are a flexible channel to improve the financial inclusion in the country, especially for the illiterate and semi-literate people who may need to raise loans for medical emergency or need education loans or even for business loans by SMEs. There is a huge untapped gold stock lying idle in hands of individuals (anywhere between 18000 to 20000 tonnes), out of which only a small fraction (about 3 %) is being monetized through gold loans. Gold Bank: The Group has suggested the setting up of ‘Gold Bank’ or ‘Bullion Corporation of India’ as a ‘backstop facility’ that will lend (provide refinancing) to institutions against the collateral of gold. It can also play a role in retailing functions like recycling and pooling of idle gold. Gold Recycling: There is a large stock of idle gold, both with individuals and with institutions like Temples as devotees offer gold jewellery in large quantities. There is also estimated 300 tonnes of scrap gold that comes into the system every year. So, by finding means to recycle the idle and scrap gold, we can turn an unproductive asset into a financially productive one. Buy-back by Banks: Currently, banks are operating a uni-directional channel- importing and selling gold. The Group has suggested that the canalising agencies like banks and nominated agencies should function bi-directionally, i.e., they should also be able to buy back tamper proof gold coins at transparent prices. Monetization through banks: Another alternative that the paper suggests is to allow banks to accept gold deposits from the public and use these gold deposits as a hedge, thus monetizing gold till it is redeemed. New gold-backed products: The Working Group has also suggested introduction of gold-back products to monetize the idle gold stocks and at the same time reduce the demand for physical gold. These are broadly classified into five categories: Products like Modified Gold Deposit Scheme in which gold taken as deposit is recycled to meet domestic demand and returned at maturity, thus monetizing privately held gold stocks. Products like Gold Accumulation Plan, Gold Certificate, e-Gold Plan through Banking Channel, Paper Gold that facilitate systematic investment in gold. Gold Accumulation Plan would help those who can purchase gold in small amounts and delays the gold imports till the required amount of gold is accumulated and actually delivered. Products like Gold linked Account and Gold Securities which allow active portfolio management by providing flexibility to buy and sell gold similar to ETFs. Under Gold Linked Account the transaction takes place outside the country thus eliminating gold import. Products like Gold linked Dual Account and Gold Securitisation, which are derivative products that enable customers to take positions depending upon their view of gold prices. Products like Gold Pension in which the customer will keep his gold with the bank and in return receive a monthly pension. References: Sheetal Dubey, Anamika Hardia (2014), â€Å"Demand Supply Trends of Sparkling Metal†,  International Journal of scientific research and management (IJSRM). Retrieved from  http://ijsrm.in/v2-i2/7 ijsrm.pdf Muneesh Kapur, Rakesh Mohan (2014), â€Å"India’s Recent Macroeconomic Performance: An  Assessment and Way Forward†, IMF, WP/14/68. Retrieved from  http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/wp/2014/wp1468.pdf International Monetary Fund, Selected Issues Paper on India, January 2014. Retrieved from  http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/scr/2014/cr1458.pdf FICCI-Technopak Report on Unlocking the Potential of India’s Gems Jewelry Sector, January, 2010. K.U.B. Rao and others (2013), Report of the Working Group to Study the Issues Related to Gold Import and Gold Loans NBFCs in India, Reserve Bank Of India. K. Balaji, Dr. Maheshwari (2014), â€Å"A Paradigm Shift in the Buying Behavior of Indians Towards Gold Jewelry – A Theoretical Approach with Reference to the Growth of Branded Retailers† Prabhudatta Mishra, Swansy Afonso (2013), â€Å"Correlations: Indias Gold Grab†, Bloomberg BusinessWeek. Bibliography India, Article IV Consultation (2014), IMF Country Report No. 14/57, http://goldresearcher.com/gold-supply-2/ http://goldresearcher.com/supply-demand/indias-gold-market/