Educational Technology Essay Example for Free

Educational Technology Essay With the passage of time, the advances of technology are making their presence felt in every walk of life from space exploration to clean a room. The central though behind these technological advances is to make life more comfortable, efficient, and safe. As such technology is an integral part of daily workaday life. Newer forms of technology are being introduced with improved rates of efficiency, safety, and comfort. In this regard, inclusion of technology in education has also become the hard norm of the present educational system of such a country as the United States of America with the same focus as quoted above. Henceforth, all important areas of educational development have been hinged with the inclusion of technology. One such area of focus today, with regard to the inclusion of technology in education, is the educational development of the disabled and other disadvantage students’ enhanced learning. The present paper examines in detail the inclusion of technology in education with relation to the learning of disabled and disadvantaged students. The paper first of all discusses the present literature on the present state of educational technology and disabled learners; furthermore, the present paper specifically examines studies conducted in the same area to investigate the legitimacy on educational technology inclusion to teach the disabled students, say, English language, and see what difference the technology inclusion makes upon the learning of the students. Literature Review In the past several decades, changing perspectives on the use of technology inclusion in education for the disabled students has caused the curricular guidance to undergo changes that are significant on their own. It was in the time of the 1970s and the 1980s that parents and teachers came to realize the vision that graduating students with disabilities could now go on living and working in the general community environment with some support that differed according to individual. This vision, then, bypassed the shelters of workshops, centers for day treatment, and other massive settings for residential purposes which were indispensable for the previous students. This revolutionary vision then gave birth to â€Å"the development of curricula that were relevant to students’ functioning to everyday life† (Davern, et.al, 2001). In addition to the above, the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 1997) also paved the way for the educators to look for technology inclusion that can boost up learning in the disabled students; hence the premise of this act is that: A free and appropriate public education will be provided for all children with special needs. IDEA 97 emphasizes the participation of students with disabilities in the general curriculum and requires that Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams make many decisions that support and encourage student performance in the general curriculum and general education classroom (Robinson, et.al, 2002). However, when it comes to the participation of the disabled students in the learning of more complex cognitive content (say reading comprehension or learning vocabulary, and so on) with the mainstream education, with their peers, it is seen as an obstacle that these students show a difference of learning from their peers. Hence there are various involvements made by researchers. These interventions focus on overcoming these differences among the two types of learners. â€Å"Curriculum-based assessment†, â€Å"Direct instruction curriculum design†, and â€Å"learning strategies Deshier† are some of them (Carnine, 1989). Today, as such, technology is fast becoming the norm of the area of educating the learners with disabilities. The times of the twenty first century has given rapid rise to technology integration in education. Henceforward, as Dr. Frank B. Withrow, Director of Development Able Company Washington D.C. (2000) notes that â€Å"Technology predictions for the 21st century include sensory prosthetic devices for disabled people. This may be one of the most significant factors in providing all children an equal and appropriate education.† He further points out that â€Å"Cochlear implants are already providing many hard of hearing youngsters with functional hearing.† Moreover, â€Å"Speech synthesizers give voice to mute individuals. New developments in microelectronic lenses may enable a large number of visually disabled people to read printed books† (Frank, 2000) However, it is another thing to investigate the integration of technology and its feasibility with the production: effectiveness of technology with regard to the learning rate of the students with disabilities. In the later part of the paper I would examine the role of technology in relation to this very theme. I would discuss the role of the educational software for the special education. Educational Software and Special Students Today, like all other areas of education, special education is also influenced by the introduction of newer and newer software that provide the educators the opportunities to better teach the disabled students so that their learning can be worth it. Since commercial software for education usually shapes the center of instruction which is technology-based in special education (also for general classroom education), there is a very rapid race among the educational authorities to obtain the most effective and result-oriented software. However, with the advances made in this area, there are certain concerns raised by the educators and researchers about the feasibility of these software packages with regard to effective learning among the disabled students. In this connection, the most common practice found among the educators is that they â€Å"rely on experts in commercial businesses to produce quality educational software for classroom use, with the assumption that the software has been designed to meet the unique learning needs of the population of students for whom it is targeted† (Boone, et.al, 2000). In other words, the consumers of the software assume that the software was properly designed and developed with a population being the focus of that software, for example, students with disabilities, junior school students, students learning English as a second language, and so forth. The net result that these consumers anticipate from the software obtained, as such, is that it will help them improve the learning capabilities of their students – in our case students with learning disabilities and disadvantaged students. On the contrary, Boone et al. (p. 109, 2000) observe that though many of the software developers are aware of the fact that consulting educational experts and researchers is way important in order to develop a result-oriented, population-targeted software, â€Å"some companies still develop software without taking into account education factors that may affect learning† (Boone, et.al, 2000). They point out three major areas regarding such software development for the disabled students, which were major concerns of the educators: 1) The developed software did not have a theoretical base for its formation; 2) There is an overemphasis on such technical aspects of the software as high graphic designs and audio add-ons; and 3) The software development manifested an improper approach toward educational concerns. With these three major concerns, Boone et al. (2000) also list three major areas – investigated in a Delphi research study – which, according to educators, the educational software for the disabled students was proved to be lacking. These areas are: 1) The investigation revealed that software lacked an incorporation or association of higher-level of thinking; 2) The software also lacked a grounding in the educational research and pedagogical investigation of the related teaching content to the disabled students; 3) The last major area of lacking of the educational software for the disabled students was that the software lacked the inclusion of a number of different level skills which can be used to effectively meet an individual’s specific needs. Therefore, Forcier, 1999 (as cited in Boone et al. p. 01, 2000) notes that because of these so complex issues with regard to the educational software, it seems unclear as to which degree such educational improvisation is actually meeting the needs of the educators/teachers and their students. (Boone, et.al, 2000) Evaluation of Software Boone et al. (2000) point out the importance of the educational for the disabled students so that their feasibility can be put to a check. For the evaluation of an educational software, the authors state that many of the educational software developers and publishers are not providing enough information to the educators. This is a practical problem for the educators who opt for a specific software program available in the market suiting the needs of their educational context; however: (Boone, et.al, 2000) â€Å"Educators often find that software they have purchased is not adaptable, does not teach what it purports to teach, or does not support what is occurring in the classroom. For these reasons, educators must independently evaluate software by taking into consideration the following†. (Boone, et.al, 2000) 1) The educators must look for the software’s intended use by monitoring the help that the software lends to achieve their objectives; 2) Content which accompanies the software must be scrutinized; it is also seen whether or not the software has a teacher’s supplement for implementation; 3) â€Å"the instructional presentation and whether the software meets the principles of universal design (i.e., multiple representations of content, multiple means of expression and control, and multiple forms of engagement)† (Boone, et.al, 2000); 4) they should also go for software that is user-friendly: that is easy to use both by the teacher(s) and students; 5) the software should also provide considerable amount of documents and other support; 6) The software should also contain user inputs. With these areas in mind, the authors further come up with the evaluation criteria of the two kinds of evaluation of the software: formative and summative evaluation through the use of the software to make sure of its compatibility with the learning of the disabled students. I discuss both these steps of the evaluations separately so that a thorough understanding of the issue can be grasped. Formative Evaluation and Learning Software for Disabled Students To evaluate the efficiency of software for students with disabilities Boone et al (2000) state that the first and the foremost focus of the educators should be to take into account an area of the students’ learning and/ or other aspects of their life; this are can be the learning characteristics of those students; or their learning goals; or it can be the area of their social skills and goals, and so on. After this specification, the educators should put the software to test on a across-student level, that is to say: Software evaluation by students should involve a high-achieving student, a middle-achieving student, and a low-achieving student who all have a particular disability. This allows the educator to determine the softwares usability across students with a particular disability and, beforehand, to identify specific areas in the software with which particular students may need help (Boone, et.al, 2000). They also give a precaution to the educators that they should not count on the opinions of the parents of the students because it is possible that some software is not efficient to adults; however, the same is greatly enjoyed by the students.

An Analysis of Boots Essay -- Health Beauty Products Retail Essays

An Analysis of Boots Introduction The business I have chosen is Boots due to my interest in health and beauty products. Boots is a multi-national company. It has branches all over the world including Thailand and Japan. Boots was established by John and Mary Boots. The first ever Boots store opened in 1849 in Nottingham selling herbal remedies for poor city people. One hundred and fifty four years later Boots now owns 700 retail units which have a value of  £740 million and a gross income of about  £900 million. The Boots organisation is a public limited company (PLC); Boots is a company run by a set of directors and a chairman for investing shareholders. Boots has its shares bought and sold at the Stock Exchange. By this it is open to anyone who trades in this market. When dealing with shares the organisation can issue different types of shares called preference and debenture shares. These shares have a higher status than ordinary shares. Advantages of being a PLC The organisation can become multinational or conglomerates. A good example of this is Boots as they have been bought by BASF a German owned company and due to this they have opened Boots stores in many other countries. Also the organisation can expand to third world countries which Boots has also done. By doing this Boots can use raw materials and nationalise even further. Public limited companies have advantages that they can expand their organisations into different businesses and conglomerates. This protects the firm from dealing in one market. Ø The organisation can be on the stock exchange and this enables them to offer shares for sale publicly. Due to this PLC's can acquire ready capital for further development if they ar... ...communication will be better because it is multidirectional unlike M.I.R stationers. The benefits of a flat structure are that the employees feel valued and are treated quite fairly, their ideas and opinions are also took in consideration. The hierarchical structure is quite complex and different to a flat structure; there are levels of importance and authority from the very beginning. This makes it difficult for staff to communicate to each other. And when communication is poor in any organisation, this has bad effects on the businesses aims and objectives. P6 list appropriately the sources of evidence you used in your research The sources of information I used for my research are: - Boots annual report Hodder GNVQ Business Intermediate GNVQ business Heinmann intermediate Business www.boots-plc.co.uk A leaflet called All about Boots An Analysis of Boots Essay -- Health Beauty Products Retail Essays An Analysis of Boots Introduction The business I have chosen is Boots due to my interest in health and beauty products. Boots is a multi-national company. It has branches all over the world including Thailand and Japan. Boots was established by John and Mary Boots. The first ever Boots store opened in 1849 in Nottingham selling herbal remedies for poor city people. One hundred and fifty four years later Boots now owns 700 retail units which have a value of  £740 million and a gross income of about  £900 million. The Boots organisation is a public limited company (PLC); Boots is a company run by a set of directors and a chairman for investing shareholders. Boots has its shares bought and sold at the Stock Exchange. By this it is open to anyone who trades in this market. When dealing with shares the organisation can issue different types of shares called preference and debenture shares. These shares have a higher status than ordinary shares. Advantages of being a PLC The organisation can become multinational or conglomerates. A good example of this is Boots as they have been bought by BASF a German owned company and due to this they have opened Boots stores in many other countries. Also the organisation can expand to third world countries which Boots has also done. By doing this Boots can use raw materials and nationalise even further. Public limited companies have advantages that they can expand their organisations into different businesses and conglomerates. This protects the firm from dealing in one market. Ø The organisation can be on the stock exchange and this enables them to offer shares for sale publicly. Due to this PLC's can acquire ready capital for further development if they ar... ...communication will be better because it is multidirectional unlike M.I.R stationers. The benefits of a flat structure are that the employees feel valued and are treated quite fairly, their ideas and opinions are also took in consideration. The hierarchical structure is quite complex and different to a flat structure; there are levels of importance and authority from the very beginning. This makes it difficult for staff to communicate to each other. And when communication is poor in any organisation, this has bad effects on the businesses aims and objectives. P6 list appropriately the sources of evidence you used in your research The sources of information I used for my research are: - Boots annual report Hodder GNVQ Business Intermediate GNVQ business Heinmann intermediate Business www.boots-plc.co.uk A leaflet called All about Boots

A Place You Would Like to Visit or to Live in

There are beautiful places all around the world. We all enjoy the Mother Nature. It is a gift to us. I would like to visit and travel all around the world, but the place which is most appealing to me personally is Coimbatore, which is in southern India. It is a beautiful place with scenic views. It is famous for textiles and textile machineries, so it is called the Manchester of South India.The reason I like Coimbatore is for its educational institutions, industries and climate.Firstly, the educational system is one of the best in the country. There are over 63 colleges and universities in and around Coimbatore. For example: Some of them including PSG group of institutions, Avinashilingam university are really good in imparting good education and offer various branches in the field of arts, engineering, medicine etc. To settle down in a place like this, we don’t have to be worried about my family’s education.Secondly, Coimbatore is a place with black soil on earth; cott on grows well in this soil. So the industries are based on this. Coimbatore is one of the largest producers of textiles. Business is done in small and large scale industries, this gives job opportunities for many people around the place.Thirdly, the weather in this place is awesome and satisfying experience. For example: for the most part of the year it is cool and pleasant. Unlike other parts of India this is bordered by western Ghats on the western side, which is one of the vital reason for this climate.

The Conflict Of The United States - 967 Words

If the conflict of differences of opinions were to happen between authorities, then â€Å"they would lessen the respectability of the leaders, weaken the authority that they have, and distract the plans that they may have had†, as stated in Federalist 70 (3). Having too many leaders at once leads to chaos because people start to question what is being said to be true or false. He says that they may split the community into the most violent and incompatible groups, observing differences to the different individuals who composed the magistracy. He says that â€Å"a plurality tends to conceal faults and destroy responsibility. It is safer to have a single object for the jealousy and watchfulness of the people, and that all multiplication of the executive would be more dangerous than friendly to liberty. It is more narrowly watched and readily suspected with just one executive.† (3) Having more than one leader to watch causes confusion and while people are watching on e leader, the other can be doing things out of integrity. He advocates for it because the singular executive has centralized powers, has accountability, has unity and brings energy. Hamilton had proposed the Annapolis Convention which fell short of successful. He proposed the convention to discuss the trade barriers that the states had but only five states sent representatives out of thirteen, which was not enough to make important decisions. Hamilton, the Secretary of Treasury, had many thoughts on what would beShow MoreRelatedThe Conflict Of The United States1380 Words   |  6 PagesThe beginning of the United States is largely rooted in a history of conflict. Lost in this history are the struggles of Native-Americans who played an integral role in shaping the nation. The development of the United States is a dialogue of culture clash wherein Indigenous nations desperately fought for their survival against conquering cultures and ideologies. Conquest narratives often fail to contextualize the true plight of Indigenous peoples in protecting their land. These Indigenous used variousRead MoreThe Conflict Of The United States855 Words   |  4 Pagesthat overtime has become forgotten. In the twenty-first century, it is difficult to realize that an actual genocide is happening. The individuals in this region are experiencing a harsh and difficult life that begin in the year of 2003. Given, the conflict of Darfur began in the year of 2003 involving over 300,00 people being murdered and more then two million being displaced. Everyday individuals are being raped, murdered, displaced, and their villages are being burned down. The violence increasesRead MoreThe Conflict Of The United States863 Words   |  4 Pagesviolence, especially in some Asian countries. These situations can be caused by a war for many years, terrorists or natural disaster. Today, because of the war in Syria, millions of refugees are trying to move to other countries, including the United States. Therefore, it is necessary for US to take in refugees because it is our responsibility and morality to care about victims and refugees. There are a lot of reason reason can cause people to flee their homelands and become refugees. For exampleRead MoreThe Conflict Of The United States1342 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Joseph Brennan Jr. once said, â€Å"Religious conflict can be the bloodiest and cruelest conflicts that turn people into fanatics.† They often lead into wars and indefinite massacres. These kind of tensions tend to occur because of a fear that grows inside a country’s majority from a significant increase of another minor ethnic or religious group. That is the case Myanmar or Burma is facing today. According to the CNN journalist Ivan Watson, the conflict is happening between Buddhists, who are estimatedRead MoreConflicts And Fusions Of The United States1189 Words   |  5 PagesConflicts and fusions As we all know, the year 1865 was an essential year for people in the United States. It was also a beginning for American people to unify their countries and also a beginning for slaves’ freedom. However, it was also the year 1865 when American people lost a great leader, Abraham Lincoln. In Lincoln’ s 200th birthday, Obama said, â€Å"It s a humbling task, marking the bicentennial of our 16th President s birth-humbling for me in particular, because it s fair to say that weRead MoreEthnic Conflict in the United States678 Words   |  3 PagesEthnic Conflict in the United States The United States is considered a melting pot because of the vast array of different cultures, ethnicities, and religious groups who all live within its borders. Other countries with fewer cultural differences have been torn apart by the conflicts that arise between these differing groups. It is believed by some that the United States has been able to avoid such ethical conflicts as have brought down other nations but looking at American history it is evidentRead MoreConflict Resolution Of The United States1511 Words   |  7 Pageswonderful world of conflict resolution; more importantly, conflict resolution in the church. For the past six weeks students have constantly studied the different type of conflicts as well as the different methods of resolving the conflicts in question. This paper will cover a variety of the types of conflicts and some of the resolution learned in the class this year. In addition to that, the paper will also detail different case studies of the Bible where these particular conflicts are shown, howRead MoreThe Conflict Between China And The United States1386 Words   |  6 PagesHuntington’s theory of the â€Å"clash of civilizations† through cultural divisions in the context of the increasing global conflict between China and The United States. In essence, the â€Å"clash of civilizations† between China and the United States will be primarily based on the problem of cultural hegemony in the 21st century struggle for global dominance between these two modern nation states. Huntington’s theory provides ample evidence of the growing clash of religious cultural values, which are often basedRead MoreThe Conflict in Darfur and United States Involvement877 Words   |  4 PagesThe conflict in Darfur refers to the fighting that is happening in the western region of Sudan known as Darfur. These fights have been taking place since 2003 and have continued to today. Similarities can be made to the Rwandan Genoc ide; there is a government funded and armed militia that is not officially supported by the government that is killing a local population. The citizens of the region of Darfur that are being killed are not Arabic, like the majority of the rest of Sudan is, however, theyRead MoreThe Importance Of Foreign Conflicts In The United States1571 Words   |  7 Pagesearly years of this country’s founding. As the world’s only remaining superpower, should the United States remain globally vigilant? Should the United States ever shy away in the fact of glaring evidence of human rights abuses around the world? Should the United States let these countries maintain their freedom and right to govern themselves without outside interference? US involvement in foreign conflicts is a waste of resources, lives and money. US resources should be used to benefit its citizens

Essay about The Hypocrisy of Religion - 660 Words

Religious leaders ought to be the epitome of goodness and morality and are supposed to live lives worthy of emulation. Yet, in Voltaire’s Candide and Goethe’s Faust, the church is infested with hypocrisy what with religious leaders being hypocritical characters that are corrupt, greedy and immoral. These are seen in so many instances in both texts as will be discussed below. High–ranking church officials, according to Voltaire, are deeply engrossed in promiscuity as depicted in the lines, â€Å"I am infact the daughter of Pope Urban the Tenth and the Princess of Palestrina† (535). The fact that the Pope, despite his vows of celibacy as a priest and leader of the Catholic Church, has a mistress and a daughter (the Old Woman) is very†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, Voltaire implies that a superior of the abbey by name reverend father Croust is gay (543). Ironically, the church is laden with such people as this Jesuit colonel. Voltaire therefore us es this ironic character to point out the existence of church hypocrisy and corruption in his time. Meanwhile, man’s inhumanity to man is something that should never be witnessed in Christian communities. Yet Voltaire talks about religious leaders who carry out the so-called â€Å"auto-da-fe† against those who disagree with them on trivial theological issues. For example, the Inquisition hangs Pangloss for voicing his ideas and orders for Candide to be flogged for merely â€Å"listening with an air of approval† (529). The authorities executing Pangloss for talking and ordering the flogging of Candide for merely listening shows that ironically, christians are the ones promoting inhumane acts to fellow men. This, in no small measure, symbolizes the hypocrisy and corruption that is rampant in Christian communities. In addition, Goethe also portrays hypocrisy in religion in the scene where in response to Gretchen’s question of â€Å"Do you believe in God?† Faust answers: My darling who may say I believe in God? Ask priests and sages, their reply Looks like sneers that mock and prod The one who asked the question. (752) The fact that Gretchen, being a christian, is easily deceived into believingShow MoreRelatedHypocrisy And Religion In Tartuffe By Moliere841 Words   |  4 PagesTartuffe by Moliere is a play that is centered on the theme of hypocrisy and religion. However, in this case, religion has been utilized as a contrivance to expose the duplicity of the characters. More so, the play comprises several unique characters, Tartuffe being the protagonist, hence his name being used as the title of the drama (Moliere 28). Apparently, hypocrisy is somewhat slippery, but to some individuals it is evident. For instance, Tartuffe is being regarded as a hypocrite because it isRead MoreHypocrisy Within Religious Groups : Religion1424 Words   |  6 PagesHypocrisy Within Religious Groups Did you know that since 2012 more than 7.5 million people are no longer active in any type of religion or religious group (Grant, 2013)? Looking back on the past as well as the rich history of faith in God that can be found throughout American History it is almost surprising the amount of people who no longer take a claim to religion. Over the course of the last 30 to 40 years religious communities have had cycles of high or low attendance. Now as times are changingRead More The Hypocrisy of Religion in Moby Dick Essay1403 Words   |  6 PagesThe Hypocrisy of Religion in Moby Dick Stubb decides to give Old Fleece a lecture on religion after waking him to complain about his overcooked whale steak. Not only does Stubb ask Fleece to preach to the sharks who are making a considerable din eating the dead whale chained to the ship, but he compares Fleeces inability to correctly cook a whale steak to Fleeces un-Christian ways. This passage is an excellent example of the theme of the hypocrisy of religion in Moby Dick. BeforeRead MoreThe White Mans Religion: a Savage Hypocrisy Essay897 Words   |  4 Pages When people choose to follow a religion they agree to practice the tenets and standards put forth by that religion. If a person is a practicing Christian they would need to follow the teachings of love and kindness that are given forth by Jesus Christ. Frederick Douglass in his work, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself, and William Apess in his work, An Indians Looking-Glass for the White Man both disagree with the form of Christianity practicedRead MoreThe Progressive Era and Religion818 Words   |  3 Pagesshort story Maggie: A Girl of the Streets critiques many of these ideas. His biggest critique was that of religion and the standards and hypocrisy of it. This essay will argue that Crane critiques the hypocrisy of Christianity and Christians through the characterization of a wide range of characters in his novel. The most prominent example of Crane’s critique against religion and it’s hypocrisy is Maggie’s mother Mary. Even her name is a critique for it could reference religious symbol Mary, motherRead MoreReligious Hypocrisy In Frederick Douglass861 Words   |  4 Pagestime of Jesus Christ, religious hypocrisy has run rampant throughout those who held power. Countless lives have been affected by others twisting religious interpretation in order to fit their own needs. Slaveholders used religion and scripture to their advantage when disciplining slaves, sometimes even if they did no wrong. Religious hypocrisy is especially relevant in the life of Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass’s life story depicts how religious hypocrisy committed by both slaves and slaveholdersRead MoreWilliam Moliere s Tartuffe As A Threat Of Reason1138 Words   |  5 PagesThe Role of Reason in Religion What happens when hypocrisy invades religion in the absence of reason? This is the very question that Moliere addresses in Tartuffe as he establishes his characters. In satire characters are usually very one dimensional and unchanging. They are simply there to represent an idea. Therefore, rather than using character development, Moliere uses character establishment to shape his story and theme. This is most notably seen in the last two scenes of act one in TartuffeRead MoreExamples Of Hypocrisy In The Adventures Of Huck Finn1542 Words   |  7 Pagesinhumanity towards man shaped society? Man’s inhumanity towards man has played a profound role in humans throughout history. Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huck Finn is an example of him using satire to reach his readers denouncing slavery and religious hypocrisy giving examples of man’s inhumanity towards man. His main objective in using satire in Huck Finn was to protest the evil practices that were so frequent in the Frontier. By using satire this made it more appealing and enjoyable for readers and hopefullyRead MoreChronicle Of A Death Foretold By Gabriel Garcia Marquez1224 Words   |  5 PagesMarquez, the novella â€Å"Chronicle Of A Death Foretold† is a pseudo-journalistic depiction of the death of a young, Arab man more than two decades after it happened. Set in Catholic Colombia, where every character’s actions are intrinsically shaped by religion, the author explores deeper societal issues within this town of God-fearing individuals. Although a judicial inquest concluded two brothers, Pedro and Pablo Vicario, murdered Santiago Nasar, for allegedly taking their sister’s virginity, the narratorRead MoreMorality in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay717 Words   |  3 Pages Twain was heavily critical of religion and it’s supposed â€Å"moral righteousness†; in his eyes, Twain saw the institution of religion as hypocritical, impractical, and convoluted. Needless to say, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn hold considerable importance in reflecting Mark Twain’s satirical view on the religious society of his time. Mark Twain introduces his satire of religion in the first few chapters of the novel. A major theme of the novel is the hypocrisy and double standards that are evident

Willy Loman And The American Dream Analysis - 1075 Words

Pursuit of Happiness in the American Dream In Arthur Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman, Willy Lomans pursuit of the American Dream is characterized by his selfishness, demonstrating how the American Dream can subtly turn into the American Nightmare. However, Willy’s role is quite important because he often led to failure through the creation of the American Dream and the real world. To fully understand the storyline of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, one must evaluate each member of the Loman family. The death of Willy Loman implies that the American Dream brings hope to many but an American nightmare to most. Death of a Salesman is a play that is based off a sympathetic, candid, and mocking tone. The characters in this play†¦show more content†¦Arthur Miller makes Willy Loman the protagonist in this tragedy. Willy Loman wanted to impress everyone and show people that he was not a failure in the American Dream but soon falls from his noble position. Miller uses flashbacks to reveal events that occ urred before the time of the play. Miller foreshadows what will happen in the future between Willy and Biff Loman. Willy’s accident foreshadows his suicide at the end of Act II. â€Å"Willy’s distorted idea of the American Dream brings about his demise.† (Stone) Miller symbolizes plants and trees which Willy longs for. The plants and trees represents strength, hope, and well-being for Willy. The seeds in the story represent Willy’s attempt to provide for his family and make money but he is not guaranteed anything of value. The plot occurs within the two main acts. Miller introduces three main theme in act I. In the first act, the protagonist Willy becomes happy living in his flashbacks and dreams and his reality conflicts with his hopes. Miller makes this act seems very promising that there will be a good end. Miller makes the first act most important because it is showing the characters and the background of why the characters act a certain way. Miller also uses certain literary devices to help better understand the main protagonist Willy and the miserable life that led to the ending of act II. The play Death of a Salesman is mainly a story of a dream andShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Willy Loman And The American Dream1553 Words   |  7 PagesIn one of Arthur Miller’s play, â€Å"Death of a Salesman† written in 1949; it uncovers the betrayal of the American Dream. Willy Loman, one of the characters in â€Å"Death of a Salesman† who believes that finding success is very easy, but in reality’s he only finds his success in own imagination. In Act one of the play, Willy Loman stated â€Å"Bigger than Uncle Charley! Because Uncle Charley is not †¦ Liked. He’s Liked, but not well Liked (p21).† This quote expresses that being liked is not the key to successRead MoreEssay about The American Dream in Death of a Salesman1371 Words   |  6 Pagesof American life and consumerism. It relates the story of a common man who portrays this lifestyle. Other issues explored in the play include: materialism, procrastination and alienation. The play was set in 1948, in a time where The American Dream was highly regarded, despite the Depression. The American Dream was a belief that emerged in the later half of the nineteenth century, that if you work hard you will achieve success and prosperity. The American Dream affects our view of Willy Loman asRead MoreComparing Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and Fences by August Wilson 1403 Words   |  6 Pa gesto achieve the American dream as it relates to each character; both of which fail in drastic yet similar ways. The American dream has always been an important factor in many American’s lives as it is to Troy Maxson the protagonists of Fences and to Willy Loman the protagonist of Death of a Salesman. Willy Loman and Troy Maxson are both hardworking men of different cultural backgrounds, with striking similarities in the way they try to achieve and fail to achieve the American dream of their era andRead MoreThemes Of Death Of A Salesman1286 Words   |  6 Pagescentered on the events that take place at the end of Willy Loman’s life. From the opening act, we learn that Willy and his family struggle to behave as a united front when they face financial pressures and strained familial bonds. This causes Willy to become desperate for success and validation. Death of a Salesman has commonly been interpreted as an analysis of the American dream. Within the ideal American so ciety, citizens believe that the American dream allows each individual an equal opportunity toRead MoreWilly Loman as a Tragic Hero in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman1218 Words   |  5 PagesWilly Loman as a Tragic Hero in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Should Willy Loman of Arthur Millers classic, Death of a Salesman be regarded as a tragic hero, or merely a working-class, socially inadequate failure? Described by Miller as a self-destructive, insecure anti-hero, it seems almost impossible for Loman to be what is known as a tragic hero in the classical sense, but with the inclusion of other factors he maybe a tragic hero, at least in the modernRead MoreAnalysis Of The Play Death Of A Salesman 954 Words   |  4 PagesCharacter Analysis 1.Willy Loman. Although the main protagonist of the play, Willy Loman does not come to a certain self-realization. Searching and sifting through his memories (which cannot be completely taken as the truth as he reinvents them in a way to make them out as a golden era) he fails to recognize his slanted reality he’s lived in made up of his delusions. His forged relationship with his son Biff, is based solely off Willy’s hopes that he will fulfill the ‘American Dream’, whileRead More Modern Tragic Hero Essay1304 Words   |  6 Pagesplays, features the life of Willy Loman, a delusional salesman with a grandiose plan to live the American dream. As a result to the tragic events of Willy Loman’s life starting with his father’s abandonment, and ending with his suicide, Willy Loman never lives the life he has always dreamed. Although, arguably discredited as a tragic hero, Willy Loman attains the qualities essential to credit him as a tragic hero of modern tim es. Whether or not Willy Loman is a tragic hero in DeathRead MoreDeath Of Salesman By F. Scott Fitzgerald1515 Words   |  7 Pageslaw of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.† In the play Death of Salesman by Arthur Miller, the protagonist Willy Loman is depicted as a man who has failed in life; he spent most of his life reminiscing the past. This affected his life greatly, especially his relationship with his son, Biff Loman. Nevertheless, in the novel, The Great Gatsby by Francis Scott Fitzgerald, the protagonist, Jay Gatsby undergoes a major change in life; he goes from beingRead MoreDeath Of A Salesman Symbolism Analysis1145 Words   |  5 Pagesitems have over the Loman family. One reoccurring symbol throughout the story was the silk stockings. The silk stockings are representative of Willys Shame, guilt, and infidelities. Throughout the story, Willy scolds Linda for mending her stockings. Willy says, â€Å"What’s that?† Linda replies, â€Å"Just mending my stockings. They’re so expensive.† In an angry tone, Willy then says,â€Å"I won’t have you mending stocking in this house! Now throw them out!† (1445). In the critical analysis â€Å"Family Values in DeathRead MoreAmerican Dream Derailed in The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman1486 Words   |  6 PagesThe American dream originated when immigrants came to America searching for new opportunities and a better life. In the early 1900’s all people could do is dream; however, those dreams gave many different meanings to the phrase â€Å"American dream†, and for the most part, wealth and hard work play a very large role in the pursuit of â€Å"the d ream†. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, and Arthur Miller’s drama, Death of a Salesman, both protagonists, Jay Gatsby and Willy Loman, are convinced

The Forbidden Game The Hunter Chapter 4 Free Essays

string(41) " box and felt slick between her fingers\." Jenny felt as if a black riptide was trying to suck her underwater. It was him. The boy from the game store. We will write a custom essay sample on The Forbidden Game: The Hunter Chapter 4 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Every detail of his face was reproduced perfectly, but it wasn’t a photograph. It was a drawing, like the snake and the wolf. The boy’s hair was colored silvery-white with blue shadows. The artist had even captured his dark eyelashes. The portrait was so lifelike it looked as if those eyes might blink at any minute, as if the lips might speak. And it radiated menace. Danger. â€Å"What’s the matter?† Audrey was saying. Her face swam in and out of focus as Jenny looked up. Jenny’s eyes fixed on the beauty mark just above Audrey’s upper lip. Audrey’s lips were moving, but it was a minute before Jenny could make sense of the words. â€Å"What’s wrong, Jenny?† What could Jenny say? I know this guy. I saw him at the store. He’s a real person, not some made-up character in a game. So†¦ So what? That’s what they would ask her. What difference did it make? So the game must have been invented by somebody who knew the guy, and the guy had modeled for the picture. That would explain why the box was blank: Maybe it wasn’t even a real, mass-produced game at all. Or maybe the guy was crazy, had a fixation with this particular game, and had bleached his hair and dressed up to look like the game character. Dungeons and Dragons, Jenny thought suddenly-people were supposed to get heavily into that, sometimes even go overboard. That’s the answer. At least, it was the answer somebody here tonight would give. Tom, maybe, because Jenny could tell he wanted to play, and once Tom made up his mind on anything, he was immovable. Dee, because danger always kicked her. Zach, because the game involved art; or Summer, because she thought it was â€Å"cute.† They all wanted to play. A good hostess didn’t get hysterical and ruin a party because she had shadows on the brain. Jenny forced a smile. â€Å"Nothing,† she said, letting go of Audrey’s wrist. â€Å"Sorry. I thought I recognized that picture. Silly, huh?† â€Å"You been drinking the cough syrup again?† Michael inquired from the other side of the table. â€Å"Are you all right, Thorny? Really?† Tom asked seriously. His green-flecked eyes searched hers, and Jenny felt her smile become more stable. She nodded. â€Å"Fine,† she said firmly. Tom got up and dimmed the track lighting. â€Å"Hey,† said Michael. â€Å"We need it dark,† Dee told them, â€Å"for this next part. The reading of the oath.† She cut a glance at them, the whites of her eyes shining like smoky pearls. ‘What oath?† Michael said warily. â€Å"The Oath of the Game,† Tom said. His voice was sinister. â€Å"It says here that we each have to swear that we’re playing this game of our own free will, and that the game is real.† Tom turned the lid of the box around for them to see. On the inside cover, above the printed instructions, was a large symbol. It was like a squared-off and inverted U, the two uneven horns of the letter pointing downward. It was deeply impressed in the cover and colored-as well as Jenny could tell in the dim light-rusty red. I will not ruin this party, I will not ruin this party, Jenny thought. I will not. Tom was reading from the instructions: † ‘There is a Shadow World, like our own but different, existing alongside ours but never touching. Some people call it the world of dreams, but it is as real as anything else’†¦ and then it says that entering the Shadow World can be dangerous, so you play at your own risk.† He grinned around the group. â€Å"Actually, it says that the game can be hazardous to your life. You have to swear you understand that.† â€Å"I don’t know if I like this anymore,† Summer said. â€Å"Come on,† said Dee. â€Å"Live dangerously. Make it happen.† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Summer was taking this seriously. She pushed soft light curls off her forehead and frowned. â€Å"Is it getting warm in here?† â€Å"Oh, swear, already,† said Michael. â€Å"Let’s get this thing over with. I swear I understand that this game may kill me before I’m old enough to get a McJob like my brother Dave.† â€Å"Now you.† Dee stretched out a black-spandex-covered leg to nudge Zachary. â€Å"Swear.† â€Å"I swear,† Zach said in bored tones, his thin face unreadable, his gray eyes cool as ever. Summer sighed, capitulating. â€Å"Me, too, then.† Audrey adjusted her houndstooth jacket. â€Å"Me, three,† she said. â€Å"And what about you, Deirdre?† â€Å"I was just about to, Aud. I swear to have a great time and kick the Shadow Dude’s ass.† Tom had gotten up and was lurking over Jenny. â€Å"How about it, devil woman? I swear-do you?† Normally Jenny would have jabbed an elbow upward into his ribs. At the moment all she could manage was a colorless smile. They all wanted to do it. She was the hostess. They were her guests. Tom wanted it. â€Å"I swear,† she said and was embarrassed when her voice cracked. Tom cheered and tossed the box lid in the air. Dee’s foot flashed out, kicking it back toward him. It fell on the floor by Jenny. You jerk, if you really cared about me, you’d care about how I felt, Jenny thought in a rare moment of anger toward Tom. Then she squelched the thought. It was his birthday. He deserved to be indulged. Something about the box lid caught her eye. For just an instant the upside-down it looked as if it were printed in red foil. It had-flashed-Jenny thought. But of course it couldn’t have. Everyone was kneeling around the table. â€Å"Okay,† said Dee. â€Å"All the little dollies in the parlor? Then somebody’s got to turn a card. Who wants to be first?† Jenny, feeling that if she was going to do this she might as well do it thoroughly, reached out and took the top card. It was glossy white like the game box and felt slick between her fingers. You read "The Forbidden Game: The Hunter Chapter 4" in category "Essay examples" She turned it over and read: † ‘You have gathered with your friends in this room to begin the Game.'† There was a pause. Then Summer giggled. â€Å"Sort of an anticlimax,† Audrey murmured. â€Å"Who’s next?† â€Å"Me,† said Tom. He leaned over Jenny and took a card. He read, † ‘Each of you has a secret you would rather die than reveal.'† Jenny stirred uneasily. It was just coincidence, because these were pre-printed cards. But it did sound almost as if someone were answering the question she’d thought of earlier. â€Å"My turn,† Summer said eagerly. She read, † ‘You hear the sound of footsteps from one of the rooms above.'† She frowned. â€Å"But there aren’t any rooms above. This is a one-story house.† Tom chuckled. â€Å"You’re forgetting yourself. We’re not in this house. We’re in that house.† Summer blinked, her large blue eyes traveling over the pastel, basket-adorned walls of the Thornton living room. Then she looked at the Victorian paper house, with the seven paper dolls neatly arranged in the parlor like a group of guests too polite to go home. â€Å"Oh!† She was just putting the card back when they all heard the noise from above. Footsteps. A quick light patter, like a child running on a wooden floor. Summer shrieked and looked in terror at the ceiling. Dee jumped up, her dark eyes blazing. Audrey stiffened. Michael grabbed at her, and she smacked his hand away. Zach’s face was turned up; even his ponytail seemed to be tense. But Tom burst into laughter. â€Å"It’s squirrels,† he got out finally. â€Å"They run on the roof all the time, don’t they, Jenny?† Jenny’s stomach was knotted. Her voice wavered slightly as she said, â€Å"Yes, but-â€Å" â€Å"But nothing. Somebody else take a card,† Tom said. Nobody did. â€Å"All right, I’ll do it myself. This is for you, Mike.† He flipped a card. â€Å"‘You go to the door to get some air, but it seems to be stuck,'† he read. He looked around at the group. â€Å"Oh, come on. It’s a game. Here, look.† He stood up in a fluid motion and went to the sliding glass door that looked out on Jenny’s backyard. Jenny saw his fingers moving, flipping the locks on the handle. A sense of dread overwhelmed her. â€Å"Tom, don’t!† she said. Before she knew what she was doing, she jumped up and took his arm. If he didn’t try the door-if he didn’t try it-the card couldn’t come true. Tom was jerking at the handle, ignoring her. â€Å"There’s something wrong with it-there must be another lock.† â€Å"It’s stuck,† Michael said. He ran a hand through his rumpled dark hair, an oddly helpless gesture. â€Å"Don’t be stupid,† Audrey snapped. Dee’s sloe eyes were glittering. Her hand darted out and she took a card. † ‘None of the doors or windows in this house will open,'† she read. Tom went on yanking furiously at the door. It wouldn’t budge. Jenny caught his arm again. She was trembling all over with a sense of danger. â€Å"Take another card,† Zach said softly. There was something strange about his thin face-it was almost trancelike. Zombied out. â€Å"No!† Jenny said. Zachary was taking the card himself. ‘Wo,† said Jenny again. She had to stop this, but she couldn’t let go of Tom. â€Å"Zach, don’t read it.† â€Å"‘You hear a clock strike nine,'† Zachary read softly. â€Å"Jenny doesn’t have any clocks that strike,† Audrey said. She looked at Jenny sharply. â€Å"Do you? Do you?† Jenny shook her head, her throat clogged. Every inch of her skin seemed to be raw, waiting. Listening. Clear and sweet, the chimes rang out. The chimes of the clock at the game store, the clock she couldn’t see. It seemed to be coming from far above. It began to strike the hour. One. Two. Three. Four. â€Å"Oh, God,† Audrey said. Five. Six. Seven. At nine, Jenny thought. See you later-at nine. Eight†¦ â€Å"Tom,† Jenny whispered. The muscles in his arm were hard under her hand. Now, too late, he turned toward her. Nine. Then the wind came. At first Jenny thought the riptide had gotten her. Then she thought it must be an earthquake. But all the time she had the sensation of air rushing by her, as if a hurricane had come in through the closed sliding glass door. A black, roaring hurricane that burned even as it froze. It hurt her like a physical thing, shaking her body and blinding her. She lost track of the room. The only thing real was the fistful of Tom’s shirt she held. Finally she lost track of that, too. The pain stopped for a while, and she just drifted. She woke up on the floor. It was like the only other time she’d ever fainted, when she and Joey had both been home sick with the flu. She’d jumped out of bed suddenly to tell him to turn down that stupid cartoon-and the next thing she knew she was waking up with her head in a wastebasket. Lying on the carpeted floor of her room, then, she had known that time had passed, without being sure how she knew it. This was the same. Painfully Jenny lifted her head and blinked to bring the far wall into focus. It didn’t work. Something was wrong. The wall itself, which should have been pastel-colored and hung with weavings and baskets, was wrong. It was paneled with some dark wood, and an Oriental screen stood in front of it. Heavy velvet curtains obscured a window. A brass candlestick was attached to the wall. Jenny had never seen any of the things before. Where am I? The oldest question in the book, the biggest cliche. But she really didn’t know. She didn’t know where she was or how she had gotten there, but she knew that whatever was going on was all wrong. Was-beyond her experience. Things like this didn’t happen. It had happened anyway. The two ideas jostled in her mind. She was already disoriented, on the verge of panic. Now she began to shake, and she felt a swelling in her throat. No. Start screaming now and you’ll never stop, she told herself. Don’t think about it. You don’t have to deal with it. Just find Tom. Tom. For the first time Jenny looked at the floor. They were all lying there, Zach with his blond ponytail streaming out behind him (on a moss-green carpet worked with cabbage roses, but don’t think about that, don’t think about that now), Summer with her light curls cradled protectively in her small arms, Audrey with her French twist coming loose. Dee’s long legs were sprawled near the window, and Michael’s stocky body was curled in a ball beside her. Tom was lying against the wall-where the sliding glass door should have been. As Jenny got up unsteadily and began moving toward him, he stirred. â€Å"Tom? Are you okay?† She took his hand, and when his warm, strong fingers closed around hers, she felt better. He groaned and opened his eyes. â€Å"Hell of a headache,† he muttered. â€Å"What happened?† â€Å"I don’t know,† Jenny said in a small, precise voice. She was still close to having hysterics. She hung on to his hand hard enough to bruise. â€Å"We’re not in the living room anymore.† It was just the truth, and she had to say it. She needed to share it with someone, the way Summer had needed to share about her dog being put to sleep. But Tom scowled. â€Å"Don’t be stupid,† he said, and Jenny felt the little needle stab she always did when he snapped at her. â€Å"We can’t be anywhere else. Everything’s fine.† All his good humor had vanished, along with the rakish charm of his smile. His neat brown hair was just slightly mussed, and his green-flecked eyes looked both dazed and angry. He’s defensive, Jenny realized. Scared that it’s his fault. She tried to squeeze his hand, but he was getting up. So were the others. Dee was rubbing the back of her neck, looking around with quick, alert movements. She reached down and pulled a groaning Michael to his feet. Audrey was standing, too, her hands automatically going to fix the combs in her auburn hair even as she stared at the room. Summer was cowering by the spindly-legged table that had taken the place of Jenny’s mother’s coffee table. Only Zach didn’t seem frightened. He was standing and his clear gray eyes were open, but his lips moved soundlessly and he looked-entranced. As if he were moving in a dream. Nobody said a word. They all looked around stupidly, trying to make sense of their surroundings. They were standing in a Victorian parlor, lushly carpeted, furnished with Gothic Revival tables and chairs. A green lamp with a silk fringe hung from the ceiling. It looked like the perfect place for a seance. Jenny recognized it. She’d seen the pattern of the cabbage-rose carpet printed on tagboard. Zach had cut out the paneling with an X-Acto knife, and Audrey had put together that mahogany table. They were in the paper house. It had come alive around them. They were inside it†¦. Jenny’s hands came slowly up to cover her mouth. Her heart had begun a deep, sick pounding. â€Å"Oh, my God,† Summer whispered. Then, with gathering force, â€Å"Oh, my God, oh, my God-â€Å" Michael began to giggle hysterically. â€Å"Shut up,† Audrey said, breathing hard. â€Å"Both of you, shut up!† Dee went to the wall and touched a candlestick, fingers dark against the bright brass. Then she reached up and stuck her fingers in the candle flame. â€Å"Dee!† Tom rapped out. â€Å"It’s real,† Dee said, looking at her fingertips. â€Å"It burns.† â€Å"Of course it’s not real!† Audrey said. â€Å"This is all-some kind of illusion. Like virtual reality-â€Å" Dee’s eyes flashed. â€Å"It is not virtual reality. My mom’s a computer expert-she knows what real VR is. Not the Pac-Man kind you get with video games. Even they can’t do anything like this. Besides, where’s the computer? Where’s our helmets?† She smacked a flattened hand against the wall. â€Å"No, this is real.† Michael was feeling a chair, still half giggling. â€Å"So maybe it was some of Audrey’s mushrooms. What were they called? Shiitake? Maybe it’s a judgment on us.† â€Å"Take it easy, Mike,† Tom said. He looked angry, which Jenny knew meant he was feeling uncertain. She watched him, all the while stroking the smooth mahogany of a tabletop. She felt the same compulsion that Dee and Michael obviously did-to touch things here. She kept expecting them to feel like cardboard, but they were real. â€Å"Okay,† Tom said, â€Å"we’re not in the living room. We’ve been-moved somehow. Somebody’s playing a joke on us. But we don’t have to just stand around like idiots and take it.† â€Å"What do you suggest we do?† Audrey said acidly. Tom strode over to the parlor doorway, which opened on a dim hall. â€Å"The guys can come with me and scout around; you girls stay here and keep your eyes open.† Dee threw him a scornful look, then turned narrowed eyes on â€Å"the guys.† Michael was tapping on the walls, muttering, and Zach was just staring, the skin of his face drawn tight over bones. Jenny wanted to go to him, but she couldn’t move. â€Å"Good luck,† Dee said to Tom. â€Å"Hurry back to protect us.† â€Å"Don’t anybody leave,† Summer said, her blue eyes wet. â€Å"You protect Jenny,† Tom snarled at Dee, thrusting his face close to hers. Jenny felt an instant of throbbing warmth, which was immediately swept away by coldness. How could anyone protect anyone here? Dee crossed the room and put an arm, hard as a boy’s, around Jenny’s shoulders. â€Å"Right,† she said. â€Å"I think we should stay together,† Michael said nervously. â€Å"Oh, what’s the difference?† Audrey said. â€Å"It’s not really happening anyway. We’re not here.† â€Å"Then what is it?† Summer asked, on the verge of hysteria. â€Å"Where are we?† â€Å"In the Game.† The voice came from the corner of the room, from the shadow behind the Oriental screen. It was a voice that didn’t belong to any of the group, but one that was familiar to Jenny. She’d only heard it once before, but she couldn’t mistake it. Like water over rock, it was full of elemental music. Every head turned. The boy stepped out of the shadows. He was just as beautiful as he had been in the store. But here, against the backdrop of this quaint and fussy room, he looked even more exotic. His hair shone in the dimness like white cat’s fur or mountain snow. He was wearing a black vest that showed the smooth, hard muscles of his bare arms, and pants that looked like snakeskin. His eyes were heavy-lidded, shielded by long lashes. He was smiling. Summer gasped. â€Å"The picture. The paper doll in the box. It’s him- â€Å" â€Å"The Shadow Man,† Michael said hoarsely. â€Å"Don’t make me laugh,† Tom said. Lip curled, he looked the apparition up and down. â€Å"Who the hell are you? What do you want?† The boy in black took another step forward. Jenny could see the impossible daylight color of his eyes now, though he wasn’t looking at her. His gaze swept over the others, and Jenny could see it affect them, like a wave of cold air that caused them to draw together. She could see each of them reacting as they looked into his face and saw-something there. Something that caused their eyes to go wide and suspicion to turn to fear. â€Å"Why don’t you call me Julian?† â€Å"Is that your name?† Tom said, much more quietly. â€Å"It’s as good as anything else.† â€Å"Whoever you are, we’re not scared of you,† Dee said suddenly, letting go of Jenny and stepping forward. It sounded like the truth, as if Dee, anyway, was not afraid, and it seemed to encourage the others. â€Å"We want to know what’s going on,† Tom said, loudly again. â€Å"We haven’t done anything to you. Please just let us go home,† Summer added. â€Å"You can’t go home again,† Zach murmured. It was the first time he’d spoken. He was wearing a strange half smile. â€Å"Bud, you’re in worse shape than I am,† Michael told him in a low voice. Zach didn’t answer. Only Jenny stayed back, not moving, not speaking. Her sense of dread was getting stronger all the time. She was remembering a look like a starving tiger’s. â€Å"At least tell us what we’re doing here,† Audrey said. â€Å"Playing the Game.† They all stared at him. â€Å"You agreed to play. You read the rules.† â€Å"But-playing? What playing? You mean-â€Å" â€Å"Don’t talk to him about it, Mike,† Tom interrupted. â€Å"We’re not going to play his stupid game.† He’s so scared, Jenny thought. He still thinks this is all his fault. But it isn’t, Tom, it isn’t____ â€Å"I mean,† the boy in black said to Michael, â€Å"that you all swore you were playing of your own free will and that you knew the Game was real. You invoked the rune Uruz.† He sketched a shape in the air with his finger, an inverted U. Jenny noticed that the snake tattoo she’d seen on his wrist in the store had vanished. â€Å"You pierced the veil between the worlds.† Audrey laughed, a sharp false sound like glass shattering. Michael breathed, â€Å"This is nuts.† Dee’s expression said that she agreed. â€Å"What’s a rune?† Audrey opened her mouth, then shut it again tightly, shaking her head. Julian’s lip quirked and he lowered his voice. â€Å"It’s magic,† he said. â€Å"A mystical letter from an ancient alphabet. In this case designed to let you walk between the worlds. If you don’t understand it, you shouldn’t be messing with it.† â€Å"We didn’t mean to mess with anything,† Summer whispered. â€Å"It’s all a mistake.† The fear in the room had heightened. Jenny could sense it like a yellow aura enveloping them all. â€Å"No mistake. You chose to play the Game,† the boy said again. â€Å"Now you play until you win-or I do.† â€Å"But why?† Summer said, almost sobbing. â€Å"What do you want from us?† Julian smiled, then looked past her. Past all of them, to the one person who hadn’t said a word since he’d entered the room. To Jenny. â€Å"Every game has a prize,† he said. Jenny met the impossibly blue eyes and knew she’d been right. They stood for a moment, looking at each other. Julian’s smile deepened. Tom looked back and forth between them. Understanding slowly dawned on his face. â€Å"No †¦Ã¢â‚¬  he whispered. â€Å"Every game has a prize,† the boy repeated. â€Å"Winner take all.† â€Å"No!† Tom said and launched himself across the room. Tom lunged at the boy in black-and drew up short. His eyes were fixed on something at his feet. Jenny couldn’t understand it-it was as if he saw something terrifying there on the carpet. He turned to get away from it and stopped. It was behind him, too. Slowly he backed up against the wall. Jenny was staring at him in dismay. It was like watching one of the mimes out at Venice Beach. A very good mime-Jenny could tell that the things Tom was facing were small, that they were trying to climb up his legs, and that he was terribly afraid of them. But there was nothing on the carpet. â€Å"Tom,† she said in a thin voice and took a step. â€Å"Don’t come near me! They’ll get you, too!† It was awful. Tom, who was never afraid of anything, was cornered by empty air. His lips were drawn back from his teeth, his chest was heaving. â€Å"What is it?† Summer whimpered. The others were all staring in silence. How to cite The Forbidden Game: The Hunter Chapter 4, Essay examples