Cover story Essay Example for Free

Cover story Essay To investigate what level of obedience participants would show when an authority figure told them to administer electric shocks to another person. Participants: Obtained from advertisements + direct mailing. Self selected or volunteer sample. Â  40 males: 20-50 yrs old from New Haven area in the United Stated of America. Â  Job ranges Included: postal clerks, HS teachers, salesmen, labourers, engineers, etc. Â  Education: one had not finished HS to some who a have degree + qualification in various subjects. Paid: $4.50 regardless of what happened after and before they arrived. This is called COERCIAN. Method and Design: Â  Method: Lab experiment. Â  Observer observed participants for signs of tension/nervousness: sweat, tremble, biting of lips, nervous laughter I. V. /D. V. Â  I. V. There was NO I. V. D. V. Level of obedience; how far theyd go with the voltage to shock the learner. Procedure: LEARNER TASK Â  The teacher (participant) was asked to read a series of word pairs to the learner (confederate), and then read the 1st word of the pair along with the 4 other terms. Learner (confederate) had to indicate which 1 of the 4 terms was originally paired with the 1st word. SHOCK GENERATOR The shock generator perceived to be real professionally made + model printed. There were 30 switches labelled from 15 to 450 volts. 15 volt different between each switch. Â  Labels to describe intensity from slight shock (weakest) to xxx (strongest). Teachers (ppts) were given a 45 volts shock to convince them that the shocks were real. Teacher was told to give shock for every wrong answer while moving a shock level higher on shock generator. Teacher had to read out the voltage to the learner each time they were about to give a shock. Â  If the teacher asked for advice/wanted to stop, experimenter used 4 prods. Example: please continue, this experiment requires that you continue. Controls: Standardised deception. Cover story. Â  Slips of paper drawn (pre-determined teacher). Â  Learner strapped. Standardised prods used by experimenter. Results: (overall %) 65% of ppts continued to shock until 450 volts. Only 35% stopped before. Â  22. 5% stopped at 300 volts. Â  Many showed signed of nervousness and extreme tension. Â  14 displayed nervous laughter; 3 had uncontrollable seizures. Conclusion: Very high rate of obedience 65%. Milgram explained this as being so high because its a strong part of human society. Â  Milgram said: Many situational factors which lead to high rate of obedience.

The Offense Principle :: essays research papers

The Offense Principle claims that individual liberty is justifiably limited to prevent offensive behavior. I believe that the Offense Principle provides the correct liberty limit n principles that the state should invoke. The state should prevent behavior that causes shame, embarrassment and discomfort from pornographic material and cts.There are three conditions that are typically understood to be part of the Offense Principle. The first condition states that behavior must be significantly offensive. A person burping in public is not offensive enough to be limited under this condition. But a man urinating as he walks down the street is significantly offensive and should be limited.The second condition states that the behavior must be offensive to almost everyone. This is an important condition because I think that if only a few people find something offensive, does not constitute the act to be limited. Many people may believe that someone picking his nose in public is offensive but not almost everyone believes this act to be offensive, therefore, this act could not be limited. A man masturbating in public is offensive to almost everyone, therefore, this act should be limited.The final condition states that an offensive act should be limited if you have to go out of your way to avoid the act. An "adult" bookstore containing pornographic material should not be limited because one does not have to go out of their way to avoid the store. They simply just do not enter into the store. But a man and woman having sex on a bench should be limited because one would have to restrain from looking in certain directions to avoid seeing the offensive act.I believe that pornography in public should be banned. This includes stores that sell pornographic material. Instead, these magazines and other pornographic materials should be kept separately in a private room, where you must be an adult to enter and purchase materials. Pornographic material that is kept privately either to be sold or to be viewed or used in the privacy of one's home, should not be banned. I see absolutely no reason why a person should not be allowed to view pornographic material in the privacy of their own home.Some people may argue with me and say that the Harm Principle should be invoked by the government. They may say that pornography increases the likelihood of harm. And I somewhat agree. I am sure that some harm has occurred because of pornography.

Jainism vs. Sikhism Essay

Read the assigned chapters for the week and complete the following table. Be as specific as possible when identifying practices, beliefs, rituals, and historical elements. Cite sources in APA formatting. Sikhism as a religion believes in the followings: Core Beliefs Jainism Sikhism 1. Every living being has a soul 2. Sikhism believes in One GOD. 3. Every soul is potentially divine, with innate qualities of infinite knowledge, perception, power, and bliss (masked by its karmas). 4. Sikhism believes Guru Granth Sahib as the last and eternal Gurus of Sikhs. 5. Regard every living being as you do yourself, harming no one and being kind to all living beings. Sikhism believes in Karma- the law of cause and effect. 6. Every soul is born as a heavenly being, human, sub-human or hellish being according to its own karmas. 7. Sikhism believes in Reincarnation. 8. Every soul is the architect of its own life, here or hereafter 6. When a soul is freed from karmas, it becomes free and attains divine consciousness, experiencing infinite knowledge, perception, power, and bliss 9. Sikhism believes in Multiple paths to salvation. 10. Sikhism opposes Pilgrimage,rituals practices 11. Sikhism believes in Karma- the law of cause and effect. Respond to the following questions in 150 to 200 words: 1. What do you think is the most important similarity and which is the most important difference? Use specifics to support your answer. Although Sikhism and Jainism are both South Asian religions with high philosophical values, they differ significantly in their age, diet, ways of salvation, and most importantly, their concept of God. Jainism is the oldest known religion in India being most recently traced back to its latest tirthankara or prophet, Mahavira (599 – 527 BCE), whereas Sikhism is the youngest tradition and began in the 15th century in the state, Punjab. Eventhough both religions believe in karma and reincarnation of the soul, Sikhs are not required to be strict vegetarians, highly contrasting to the vegan diet ofthe Janis. A significant difference between these two eastern religions is their belief in how to attain salvation in their lives. Since Janis do not believe in a single God or multiples gods for that matter, they believe their salvation is gained solely through their own personal struggle and victory. Jains do not believe there is heavenly figure guiding them through life, but rather that the universe is a never-ending cycle. This drastically differs fromthe monotheistic beliefs of Sikhism of how there is only one creator and God,mostly referred to as Allah in the Guru Granth Sahib. Sikhs believe they may gain salvation through serving Allah, and eventually becomes one with God.Both religions practice and revere Ahisma (non-violence), however Jains heavily emphasize this lifestyle more than Sikhs do. This can be seen historically when the Sikhs wanted to rise politically, formed a military and beared arms. 2. Consider the following statement: Sallekhana (â€Å"holy death†) violates the Jain principle of ahimsa because it is an act of violence against oneself. Using examples from Ch. 5 of your text, what points might a follower of Jainism make to argue against this statement? non injury extends to thought, word and action. Mahavira taught that all beings desire life. Therefore no one has the right to take away the life of another being. According to Jainism, the killing of animals is a great sin. Jainism goes further and says that there is life in trees, and plants and there is life in air, water, mud, etc., and that all things have the right to exist.(live) References: http://www.sikhismguide.org/ http://www.religioustolerance.org/sikhism2.htm http://sohum-jainism.blogspot.com/2010/10/jainism-core-beliefs.html http://religion.answers.wikia.com/wiki/What_are_the_5_main_beliefs_of_Jainism http://toseventhheaven.blogspot.com/2010/04/17-significant-differences-between.html http://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_core_belief_for_Sikhism

An Annotated Bibliography Social Media And Depression

An Annotated Bibliography Social Media and Depression Becker, M. W., Alzahabi, R., Hopwood, C. J. (2013). Media Multitasking Is Associated with Symptoms of Depression and Social Anxiety. Cyberpsychology, Behavior Social Networking, 16(2), 132-135. doi:10.1089/cyber.2012.0291 Media multitasking is associated with symptoms of depression and social anxiety according to Mark W. Becker, Reem Alzahabi, and Christopher J. Hopwood’s study. These people conducted an experiment containing 318 participants. And the 318 people completed self-inventory tests to measure their media use, personality, depression, and social anxiety. The study suggests that the increased use of media multitasking show a risk to develop problems related to the individual’s mood and anxiety levels. With that being said this problem is raising concerns that media is replacing face to face interactions. â€Å"While overall media use among America’s youth increased by 20 percent over the past decade, the amount of time spent multitasking with media (s imultaneously interacting with more than one form of media) increased by over 119 percent over the same period†( Becker, M. W., Alzahabi, R., Hopwood, C. J. (2013)). Media multitasking has now been associated with attention control, meaning how to filter out any useless information and how to ignore distractions. Also in this study they looked at not only mood changes and anxiety disorders they also looked at traits of neuroticism and extraversion. All of theseShow MoreRelatedThe Overuse of Technology in Our Daily Life Essay1452 Words   |  6 Pagesthis question will bring a lot of negative answers, and of course if we ask this question in a survey, â€Å"NO† will be the winner of this survey. 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There is no doubt that social networksRead MoreAre Smartphones Harming Younger Generations?938 Words   |  4 Pagesyears ago was unthinkable. Numerous individuals do not understand how this is an issue. For Unit 4 I choose option 2 because I am mainly focus on smartphones affecting the younger generation which will fall under in technology and social structures category. The media also portrays a big role when it comes to smartphones because it has set a mark for every age group. That smartphones can take high quality pictures and videos, send emails, play video games and of course make phone calls. Stuart HallRead MoreAre Smartphones Harming Younger Generations?884 Words   |  4 Pagesago was unthinkable. Numerous individuals don t understand how this is an issue. For Unit 4 I would choose option 2 because I’m mainly focus on smartphones affecting the younger generation which will fall under in technology and social structures category. The media also portrays a big role when it comes to smartphones because it has set a mark for every age group. That smartphones can take high quality pictures and videos, send emails, play video games and of course make phone calls. Just likeRead MoreAnnotated Bibliography1438 Words   |  6 PagesAssignment: Annotated Bibliography Parampreet Kainth Sheridan College Professor: Chrisoula Benak Date: Friday, March 15th. 2013 Jung, Brain. â€Å"The Negative Effect of Social Media on Society and Individuals | Chron.com. Small Business - Chron.com. Retrieved March 15 2013 lt;http://smallbusiness.chron.com/negative-effect-social-media-society-individuals-27617.htmlgt;. This is an article which talks about how the social networking system, although looks really greatRead MoreAnnotated Bib1556 Words   |  7 PagesSteffane Salters Annotated Bibliography Huey, M. amp; Mcnulty, T. (2005). Institutional Conditions and Prison Suicide: Conditional Effects of Deprivation and Overcrowding. 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Poverty, unemployment, bank failures, social impacts and political consequences were aRead MoreAnnotated Bibliography : Mental Health3645 Words   |  15 PagesAnnotated bibliography 1. Rationale Mental health is a complex phenomenon that consists of a range of diagnoses, treatments and outcomes. Recovery from such experiences has historically meant to completely remove all symptoms of illness, but is now currently thought of as regaining a sense of control over and development of a new meaning and purpose in one’s life, rather than feeling defined by the illness. Each individual understands it in their own personal way, likened to a journey towardsRead MoreThe Effect Of Media On Women s Body Image Essay2058 Words   |  9 PagesEffect of Media on Women’s Body Image In this paper, the belief that the media has a negative effect on the body image of women will be discussed. When a woman sees a representation of the â€Å"ideal body† on advertisements on television, magazines, or social media, they compare it to their own bodies, and when their bodies fail to resemble those seen in the media, a negative body image and negative self-esteem is developed. The issue is that what is seen in the media is unattainable. The media primarilyRead Moreoutline2569 Words   |  11 Pagesï » ¿Work and Labour Studies Program, Department of Social Sciences Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, York University THE FUTURE OF WORK AS/SOSC 1510 9.0 – 2013-14 Lectures: Wednesday 4:30- 6:30 Location: Vari Hall A Course Instructor: David Langille langille@yorku.ca 647 280 7747 Office: Ross North 743 Office Hours: Thursday 3:00-4:00 pm Calendar Description: This course studies the emerging patterns of work in Canadian society. It provides a comprehensive

Alcohol Consumption Of Tertiary Students And The Negative...

This literature review will consider causal factors contributing to the heavy alcohol consumption of tertiary students and the negative consequences of binge drinking. Why do young adults engage in binge drinking? Why does the rate of alcohol consumption go higher when young people go to university? This literature review highlights that tertiary students drink more compared to their non-student peers because of the social and physical environment (e.g. sporting events, shared flats or house). The definition of binge drinking will be first and then literatures will be compare and constrast to justify the findings. Following these, this literature review will discuss the strengths and limitations of the New Zealand studies. Finally, further studies concerning heavy alcohol consumption of young New Zealanders will be suggested. Before we go any further, it is appropriate to define first what binge drinking is. Binge drinking is a drinking episode where a person drinks pass the point of intoxication in a short period of time or until the person losses control (Hutton, 2012; McEwan, 2009). The standard drink limit recommended by the New Zealand government is no more than six 10g ethanol per occasion for men and no more than four 10g of ethanol for women (Kypri, Paschall, Langley, Baxter, Bourdeau, 2010; Kypri, Paschall, Maclennan, Langley, 2007; Kypri, Langley, McGee, Saunders, Williams, 2002; Kypri, Paschall, Langley, Baxter, Cashell-Smith, Bourdeau, 2009). BingeShow MoreRelatedWhy The Drinking Age During The U.s. Should Be Lowered1300 Words   |  6 PagesCourse/class Date Why the drinking age in the U.S. should be lowered to 18 Getting to 18 years of age is an important milestone for a US resident because it is the legal age for independence, allowing the individual to make his or her decisions regarding tobacco smoking, driving and even joining the armed forces while being treated as an adult by the justice system. While this statement is essentially accurate, it is untrue concerning the ability to purchase and drink alcohol. This is because the USRead MoreThe Social Alcohol Network : Exploring The Competing Roles Of Social Stigma Essay3725 Words   |  15 PagesThe Social Alcohol Network: Exploring the competing roles of social stigma and the celebration of youth drunkenness through the use of social networking sites and the impact of alcohol brands. 1. Introduction Concern regarding alcohol consumption amongst youth is not a new issue – New Zealand has a long-standing history of alcohol consumption, and the risks and benefits of alcohol consumption have been well documented (McEwan, et al. 2010). On one hand it is seen in a positive light as a socialRead MorePersonal And Physical Consequences Of Amed Use1943 Words   |  8 PagesPersonal and Physical Consequences of AMED Use: A Survey Questionnaire LYLE RIGHETTI 43250750 Abstract Our study’s aim was to investigate the personal and physical consequences associated with alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AmED) in comparison to alcohol use alone. A web-based format for the online version of the Alcohol Timeline Followback (TLFB) was completed by 876 students during their second week tutorial of Introduction to Psychology 105. Of these students, 625 were used for theRead MoreEffects Of Alcohol And Academic Achievement2319 Words   |  10 PagesIntroduction Overview University students are synonymous with drinking and testing their limits. Maybe it’s some kind of rite of passage or merely peer pressure but when you consider the average age of students these days it hard to gain some kind of perspective. According to the most recently available data, the median age of college students is 21.6 years, while for university students; the median age is 22.8 years (see Appendix A). (Dale, 2012) The question needs to be asked; why young adults

Organizational Culture And Human Resource Management

Research by Newman Nollen (1996) indicated that organization performance is better in the companies which there is congruency between national culture and human resources practices. If the human resources management practices are not in line with the basic tenets shared by employees, it will lead to dissatisfaction, lack of commitment and discomfort among the employees (Early, 1994). Introduction Culture affects and governs all facets of life by influencing values, attitudes and behavior of a society, while organizational culture relates to the unique modes of carrying out their activities (Dartey-Baah, 2013). Furthermore, the nature of organizational culture is largely influenced by the cultural orientation of the individual forming†¦show more content†¦Under the high hierarchical company structure in china (which scores 80 in Hofestede’s index), the manager is more likely to hold the value that he has more power and rights, thus, more priorities than his subordinates. so the managers have more rights to be assigned overseas to gain experiences and knowledge. Conversely, in a small power distance culture like US (index 31 in Hofestede’s culture dimension), power is rather equally distributed among the members and employees. For oversea assignment in US, all suitable candidates are equally considered and carefully selected by employers. Detailed expatri ate policy is also provided to guide and govern the assignment (jian wangye; Kopp, 1994). Long-term orientation Apart from the high power structure, the other distinction of Chinese companies is interpersonal (guanxi) networks within the organization (managing the human resource in Chinese-western joint). Guanxi is adopted from the Chinese language of â€Å"relationship† having good guanxi is synonymous with positive functioning in society (Tsui Lau, 2002). In China, employees may be invited for dinner together when they first meet, in the middle of a project and when the project is finished. They build up relationships at work and to personalize the guanxi keep the relationship deep and long, so in the future, they could get possible help from each other if there is any difficulty in both work and personal life. SimilarShow MoreRelatedOrganizational Culture And Human Resource Management Essay2510 Words   |  11 Pagesdiscuss the concept of organizational culture, the internal and external factors and its relation to human resource management. 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The Host Chapter 4 Dreamed Free Essays

string(32) " barely breathe under his grip\." It is too dark to be so hot, or maybe too hot to be so dark. One of the two is out of place. I crouch in the darkness behind the weak protection of a scrubby creosote bush, sweating out all the water left in my body. We will write a custom essay sample on The Host Chapter 4: Dreamed or any similar topic only for you Order Now It’s been fifteen minutes since the car left the garage. No lights have come on. The arcadia door is open two inches, letting the swamp cooler do its job. I can imagine the feel of the moist, cool air blowing through the screen. I wish it could reach me here. My stomach gurgles, and I clench my abdominal muscles to stifle the sound. It is quiet enough that the murmur carries. I am so hungry. There is another need that is stronger-another hungry stomach hidden safely far away in the darkness, waiting alone in the rough cave that is our temporary home. A cramped place, jagged with volcanic rock. What will he do if I don’t come back? All the pressure of motherhood with none of the knowledge or experience. I feel so hideously helpless. Jamie is hungry. There are no other houses close to this one. I’ve been watching since the sun was still white hot in the sky, and I don’t think there is a dog, either. I ease up from my crouch, my calves screaming in protest, but keep hunched at the waist, trying to be smaller than the bush. The way up the wash is smooth sand, a pale pathway in the light of the stars. There are no sounds of cars on the road. I know what they will realize when they return, the monsters who look like a nice couple in their early fifties. They will know exactly what I am, and the search will begin at once. I need to be far away. I really hope they are going out for a night on the town. I think it’s Friday. They keep our habits so perfectly, it’s hard to see any difference. Which is how they won in the first place. The fence around the yard is only waist high. I get over easily, noiselessly. The yard is gravel, though, and I have to walk carefully to keep my weight from shifting it. I make it to the patio slab. The blinds are open. The starlight is enough to see that the rooms are empty of movement. This couple goes for a spartan look, and I’m grateful. It makes it harder for someone to hide. Of course, that leaves no place for me to hide, either, but if it comes to hiding for me, it’s too late anyway. I ease the screen door open first, and then the glass door. Both glide silently. I place my feet carefully on the tile, but this is just out of habit. No one is waiting for me here. The cool air feels like heaven. The kitchen is to my left. I can see the gleam of granite counters. I pull the canvas bag from my shoulder and start with the refrigerator. There is a moment of anxiety as the light comes on when the door opens, but I find the button and hold it down with my toe. My eyes are blind. I don’t have time to let them adjust. I go by feel. Milk, cheese slices, leftovers in a plastic bowl. I hope it’s the chicken-and-rice thing I watched him cooking for dinner. We’ll eat this tonight. Juice, a bag of apples. Baby carrots. These will stay good till morning. I hurry to the pantry. I need things that will keep longer. I can see better as I gather as much as I can carry. Mmm, chocolate chip cookies. I’m dying to open the bag right now, but I grit my teeth and ignore the twist of my empty stomach. The bag gets heavy too quickly. This will last us only a week, even if we’re careful with it. And I don’t feel like being careful; I feel like gorging. I shove granola bars into my pockets. One more thing. I hurry to the sink and refill my canteen. Then I put my head under the flow and gulp straight from the stream. The water makes odd noises when it hits my hollow stomach. I start to feel panicked now that my job is done. I want to be out of here. Civilization is deadly. I watch the floor on my way out, worried about tripping with my heavy bag, which is why I don’t see the silhouetted black figure on the patio until my hand is on the door. I hear his mumbled oath at the same time that a stupid squeak of fear escapes my mouth. I spin to sprint for the front door, hoping the locks are not latched, or at least not difficult. I don’t even get two steps before rough, hard hands grab my shoulders and wrench me back against his body. Too big, too strong to be a woman. The bass voice proves me right. â€Å"One sound and you die,† he threatens gruffly. I am shocked to feel a thin, sharp edge pushing into the skin under my jaw. I don’t understand. I shouldn’t be given a choice. Who is this monster? I’ve never heard of one who would break rules. I answer the only way I can. â€Å"Do it,† I spit through my teeth. â€Å"Just do it. I don’t want to be a filthy parasite!† I wait for the knife, and my heart is aching. Each beat has a name. Jamie, Jamie, Jamie. What will happen to you now? â€Å"Clever,† the man mutters, and it doesn’t sound like he’s speaking to me. â€Å"Must be a Seeker. And that means a trap. How did they know?† The steel disappears from my throat, only to be replaced by a hand as hard as iron. I can barely breathe under his grip. You read "The Host Chapter 4: Dreamed" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"Where are the rest of them?† he demands, squeezing. â€Å"It’s just me!† I rasp. I can’t lead him to Jamie. What will Jamie do when I don’t come back? Jamie is hungry! I throw my elbow into his gut-and this really hurts. His stomach muscles are as iron hard as the hand. Which is very strange. Muscles like that are the product of hard living or obsession, and the parasites have neither. He doesn’t even suck in a breath at my blow. Desperate, I jab my heel into his instep. This catches him off guard, and he wobbles. I wrench away, but he grabs hold of my bag, yanking me back into his body. His hand clamps down on my throat again. â€Å"Feisty for a peace-loving body snatcher, aren’t you?† His words are nonsensical. I thought the aliens were all the same. I guess they have their nut jobs, too, after all. I twist and claw, trying to break his hold. My nails catch his arm, but this just makes him tighten his hold on my throat. â€Å"I will kill you, you worthless body thief. I’m not bluffing.† â€Å"Do it, then!† Suddenly he gasps, and I wonder if any of my flailing limbs have made contact. I don’t feel any new bruises. He lets go of my arm and grabs my hair. This must be it. He’s going to cut my throat. I brace for the slice of the knife. But the hand on my throat eases up, and then his fingers are fumbling on the back of my neck, rough and warm on my skin. â€Å"Impossible,† he breathes. Something hits the floor with a thud. He’s dropped the knife? I try to think of a way to get it. Maybe if I fall. The hand on my neck isn’t tight enough to keep me from yanking free. I think I heard where the blade landed. He spins me around suddenly. There is a click, and light blinds my left eye. I gasp and automatically try to twist away from it. His hand tightens in my hair. The light flickers to my right eye. â€Å"I can’t believe it,† he whispers. â€Å"You’re still human.† His hands grab my face from both sides, and before I can pull free, his lips come down hard on mine. I’m frozen for half a second. No one has ever kissed me in my life. Not a real kiss. Just my parents’ pecks on the cheek or forehead, so many years ago. This is something I thought I would never feel. I’m not sure exactly what it feels like, though. There’s too much panic, too much terror, too much adrenaline. I jerk my knee up in a sharp thrust. He chokes out a wheezing sound, and I’m free. Instead of running for the front of the house again like he expects, I duck under his arm and leap through the open door. I think I can outrun him, even with my load. I’ve got a head start, and he’s still making pained noises. I know where I’m going-I won’t leave a path he can see in the dark. I never dropped the food, and that’s good. I think the granola bars are a loss, though. â€Å"Wait!† he yells. Shut up, I think, but I don’t yell back. He’s running after me. I can hear his voice getting closer. â€Å"I’m not one of them!† Sure. I keep my eyes on the sand and sprint. My dad used to say I ran like a cheetah. I was the fastest on my track team, state champion, back before the end of the world. â€Å"Listen to me!† He’s still yelling at full volume. â€Å"Look! I’ll prove it. Just stop and look at me!† Not likely. I pivot off the wash and flit through the mesquites. â€Å"I didn’t think there was anyone left! Please, I need to talk to you!† His voice surprises me-it is too close. â€Å"I’m sorry I kissed you! That was stupid! I’ve just been alone so long!† â€Å"Shut up!† I don’t say it loudly, but I know he hears. He’s getting even closer. I’ve never been outrun before. I push my legs harder. There’s a low grunt to his breathing as he speeds up, too. Something big flies into my back, and I go down. I taste dirt in my mouth, and I’m pinned by something so heavy I can hardly breathe. â€Å"Wait. A. Minute,† he huffs. He shifts his weight and rolls me over. He straddles my chest, trapping my arms under his legs. He is squishing my food. I growl and try to squirm out from under him. â€Å"Look, look, look!† he says. He pulls a small cylinder from his hip pocket and twists the top. A beam of light shoots out the end. He turns the flashlight on his face. The light makes his skin yellow. It shows prominent cheekbones beside a long thin nose and a sharply squared-off jaw. His lips are stretched into a grin, but I can see that they are full, for a man. His eyebrows and lashes are bleached out from sun. But that’s not what he is showing me. His eyes, clear liquid sienna in the illumination, shine with no more than human reflection. He bounces the light between left and right. â€Å"See? See? I’m just like you.† â€Å"Let me see your neck.† Suspicion is thick in my voice. I don’t let myself believe that this is more than a trick. I don’t understand the point of the charade, but I’m sure there is one. There is no hope anymore. His lips twist. â€Å"Well†¦ That won’t exactly help anything. Aren’t the eyes enough? You know I’m not one of them.† â€Å"Why won’t you show me your neck?† â€Å"Because I have a scar there,† he admits. I try to squirm out from under him again, and his hand pins my shoulder. â€Å"It’s self-inflicted,† he explains. â€Å"I think I did a pretty good job, though it hurt like hell. I don’t have all that pretty hair to cover my neck. The scar helps me blend in.† â€Å"Get off me.† He hesitates, then gets to his feet in one easy move, not needing to use his hands. He holds one out, palm up, to me. â€Å"Please don’t run away. And, um, I’d rather you didn’t kick me again, either.† I don’t move. I know he can catch me if I try to run. â€Å"Who are you?† I whisper. He smiles wide. â€Å"My name is Jared Howe. I haven’t spoken to another human being in more than two years, so I’m sure I must seem†¦ a little crazy to you. Please, forgive that and tell me your name, anyway.† â€Å"Melanie,† I whisper. â€Å"Melanie,† he repeats. â€Å"I can’t tell you how delighted I am to meet you.† I grip my bag tightly, keeping my eyes on him. He reaches his hand down toward me slowly. And I take it. It isn’t until I see my hand curl voluntarily around his that I realize I believe him. He helps me to my feet and doesn’t release my hand when I’m up. â€Å"What now?† I ask guardedly. â€Å"Well, we can’t stay here for long. Will you come back with me to the house? I left my bag. You beat me to the fridge.† I shake my head. He seems to realize how brittle I am, how close to breaking. â€Å"Will you wait for me here, then?† he asks in a gentle voice. â€Å"I’ll be very quick. Let me get us some more food.† â€Å"Us?† â€Å"Do you really think I’m going to let you disappear? I’ll follow you even if you tell me not to.† I don’t want to disappear from him. â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  How can I not trust another human completely? We’re family-both part of the brotherhood of extinction. â€Å"I don’t have time. I have so far to go and†¦ Jamie is waiting.† â€Å"You’re not alone,† he realizes. His expression shows uncertainty for the first time. â€Å"My brother. He’s just nine, and he’s so frightened when I’m away. It will take me half the night to get back to him. He won’t know if I’ve been caught. He’s so hungry.† As if to make my point, my stomach growls loudly. Jared’s smile is back, brighter than before. â€Å"Will it help if I give you a ride?† â€Å"A ride?† I echo. â€Å"I’ll make you a deal. You wait here while I gather more food, and I’ll take you anywhere you want to go in my jeep. It’s faster than running-even faster than you running.† â€Å"You have a car?† â€Å"Of course. Do you think I walked out here?† I think of the six hours it took me to walk here, and my forehead furrows. â€Å"We’ll be back to your brother in no time,† he promises. â€Å"Don’t move from this spot, okay?† I nod. â€Å"And eat something, please. I don’t want your stomach to give us away.† He grins, and his eyes crinkle up, fanning lines out of the corners. My heart gives one hard thump, and I know I will wait here if it takes him all night. He is still holding my hand. He lets go slowly, his eyes not leaving mine. He takes a step backward, then pauses. â€Å"Please don’t kick me,† he pleads, leaning forward and grabbing my chin. He kisses me again, and this time I feel it. His lips are softer than his hands, and hot, even in the warm desert night. A flock of butterflies riots in my stomach and steals my breath. My hands reach for him instinctively. I touch the warm skin of his cheek, the rough hair on his neck. My fingers skim over a line of puckered skin, a raised ridge right beneath the hairline. I scream. I woke up covered in sweat. Even before I was all the way awake, my fingers were on the back of my neck, tracing the short line left from the insertion. I could barely detect the faint pink blemish with my fingertips. The medicines the Healer had used had done their job. Jared’s poorly healed scar had never been much of a disguise. I flicked on the light beside my bed, waiting for my breathing to slow, veins full of adrenaline from the realistic dream. A new dream, but in essence so much the same as the many others that had plagued me in the past months. No, not a dream. Surely a memory. I could still feel the heat of Jared’s lips on mine. My hands reached out without my permission, searching across the rumpled sheet, looking for something they did not find. My heart ached when they gave up, falling to the bed limp and empty. I blinked away the unwelcome moisture in my eyes. I didn’t know how much more of this I could stand. How did anyone survive this world, with these bodies whose memories wouldn’t stay in the past where they should? With these emotions that were so strong I couldn’t tell what I felt anymore? I was going to be exhausted tomorrow, but I felt so far from sleep that I knew it would be hours before I could relax. I might as well do my duty and get it over with. Maybe it would help me take my mind off things I’d rather not think about. I rolled off the bed and stumbled to the computer on the otherwise empty desk. It took a few seconds for the screen to glow to life, and another few seconds to open my mail program. It wasn’t hard to find the Seeker’s address; I only had four contacts: the Seeker, the Healer, my new employer, and his wife, my Comforter. There was another human with my host, Melanie Stryder. I typed, not bothering with a greeting. His name is Jamie Stryder; he is her brother. For a panicked moment, I wondered at her control. All this time, and I’d never even guessed at the boy’s existence-not because he didn’t matter to her, but because she protected him more fiercely than other secrets I’d unraveled. Did she have more secrets this big, this important? So sacred that she kept them even from my dreams? Was she that strong? My fingers trembled as I keyed the rest of the information. I think he’s a young adolescent now. Perhaps thirteen. They were living in a temporary camp, and I believe it was north of the town of Cave Creek, in Arizona. That was several years ago, though. Still, you could compare a map to the lines I remembered before. As always, I’ll tell you if I get anything more. I sent it off. As soon as it was gone, terror washed through me. Not Jamie! Her voice in my head was as clear as my own spoken aloud. I shuddered in horror. Even as I struggled with the fear of what was happening, I was gripped with the insane desire to e-mail the Seeker again and apologize for sending her my crazy dreams. To tell her I was half asleep and to pay no attention to the silly message I’d sent. The desire was not my own. I shut off the computer. I hate you, the voice snarled in my head. â€Å"Then maybe you should leave,† I snapped. The sound of my voice, answering her aloud, made me shudder again. She hadn’t spoken to me since the first moments I’d been here. There was no doubt that she was getting stronger. Just like the dreams. And there was no question about it; I was going to have to visit my Comforter tomorrow. Tears of disappointment and humiliation welled in my eyes at the thought. I went back to bed, put a pillow over my face, and tried to think of nothing at all. How to cite The Host Chapter 4: Dreamed, Essay examples