Montag as Hero in Fahrenheit 451 Essay -- Fahrenheit 451 Essays Papers

Montag as Hero in Fahrenheit 451 Â   Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 was first published in 1933, and its story entails a futuristic world in the middle of a nuclear war. The totalitarian government of this future forbids its people from reading or taking a part in other acts that involve individual thinking. The law against reading is, presumably, fairly new, and the government is faced with the enormous task of destroying all of its citizens' books. This disposal of books is the profession of the main character, Guy Montag, who is officially titled a "fireman." He and his crew raid libraries and homes, burning any books they find before dozens of overjoyed onlookers. Throughout the beginning of the novel, Montag appears to be a ruthless, detestable human being. Surprisingly, however, it is Montag who emerges as the protagonist at the end. Montag is a dynamic character; he is constantly learning, changing, and keeping the reader interested. Ray Bradbury is able to incorporate careful details and ideas which change the re ader's opinion of Montag and allow him to become the hero of the story. As Fahrenheit 451 begins, Guy Montag is burning the books of a house, and is thoroughly enjoying his feast of flames. Bradbury places several subtle metaphors in this section that cause the reader to equate Montag with a detestable, serpent-like human being. As Montag stood "with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world, the blood pounded in his head. . ." (19). Montag even takes on the appearance of a monster in the line, ". . . and his eyes all orange flame with the thought of what came next. . ." (19). It is difficult to understand why Montag loves burning so much, and the fact that he receives so much pleasur... ... story progresses, Montag completely turns his belief system around and becomes an advocate for the salvation of books. He is cast out of his own job and home, but at the last moment his decision saves him from certain destruction by a nuclear bomb. Montag becomes a hero, one of the last few remaining with the power of literature contained in their minds. Fahrenheit 451 shows that a character's personality may have many more facets than are first visible. Bradbury is able to refract the crystal of Montag's character, so that it reflects into each reader's heart a different aspect of humanity. Once Montag becomes more human, Bradbury makes it nearly impossible for the reader to hold grudges about his past. Using this as a tool, Montag, the first apparent antagonist of the story, overcomes the government, which is the real antagonist, and emerges as the hero. Â  

Book Report on How Soon Can I Leave

At first, Miss Bartlett shrank from the hints and persuasions for the reason of not wanting to abandon hope by retreating into a life only with another woman at the age of forty. However, she eventually decided to live with Miss Restrooms with the thought of doing the latter some good instead of needing someplace warmer and someone to take care of. As time went by, Miss Bartlett ran a larger business with the help of MISS Restrooms. Nevertheless, the more well-kept the home Is, the more unsatisfied she felt. But they still lived a happy life until one day Angela, MissRaccoon's niece came for a visit. This visit dramatically provoked the awareness of Miss Bartlett ‘s dependence upon Miss Restrooms and made her regret missing so many opportunities possible. Then she moved back. Only to face the damp and cold cottage. And with no one's help any longer, she had to do all the chores Just like a At the end of the story, Miss Bartlett returned the bungalow. She grown woman. Came to kn ow her folly but It was too late. From my point of view. The story turned out to be a tragedy. I feel strongly sympathetic towards Miss Bartlett.As we know, he lost her mother early, so the family background can be blamed for her incapacity. In comparison, Miss Restrooms is the only girl in a nine-child family. No wonder she can look after the home very well. Moreover, it is quite pathetic for Miss Bartlett to think that she had been treated as a pet plaything. Actually, the seven years living with MISS Bartlett made MISS Restrooms truly appreciate her talents. In other words, MISS Restrooms Is not only helping her, but also finding some meaning In life, a real active life. Last but not the least, the story reminds me of the relationship between parents and children.Take Miss Restrooms as an example, we can simply regard her as an epitome of many parents, or many mothers, more specifically. Mothers are often considerate, concerning a lot over their children, providing food and cloth es, trying their best to take care of all stuff beforehand. Only they can still care about the children even If the children misunderstand them and go away. Back to the story, isn't it great for Miss Restrooms to play a role only as a friend of Miss Bartlett but act like her mother? The death of Miss Restrooms must be caused by the heartbreak of loneliness and lack of sense of purpose.To put it in a nutshell, my understanding of this story can be summarized as a tragedy of improper love. All realization Is too late for both the motherly one and the childlike one. Objectively, parents should love their children In a reasonable way, not by totaling on teen Walt all things prepared. I nee count to teach CNN learn now to level an independent life instead of offering all they want. In the other way round, as a child, he should not take everything for granted. And when he comes to a career, Just learn to deal with it without parents' help. Besides, never let parents down.

Adverse Leadership Model

SOU 4: Adverse Leadership Model Jeff Mais Texas A & M University – Commerce Introduction During this semester we have looked at several positive leadership theories, from the most elementary to the more complex. Leadership takes on many different roles and responsibilities of both the leader and follower. Some leaders have the inherent ability to lead their followers successfully, however others cannot. Destructive leadership (Padilla et al, 2007) is such a theory that has been introduced with devastating follower outcomes. This could be viewed in several ways; a good leader with bad followers or bad leader with good followers.Bad or adverse leadership can affect the follower outcomes and ultimately create a terrible work environment for the followers. Poor leaders can have a negative impact on employees and might even damage the company’s bottom line (Leviticus, 2010). In this paper we will further examine the adverse leadership model in figure 1 and explain this model from the leader, follower, environment and outcomes. Adverse Leadership Model The Adverse Leadership Model (ALM) is a model that focuses primarily around bad leaders and subservient followers.Looking at Figure 1, we will start with explaining the various characteristics of the bad leader; poor communicator, micromanager, sets unclear expectations, uses intimidation, and poor people skills. These 5 characteristics define the bad leader and help create the poor environmental conditions examined further. * Poor Communication – Poor leaders don’t value communication with their employees. A poor leader might spend long periods of time away from his desk or office or might ignore staff emails and telephone messages.Listening to others is a low priority, and poor leaders disregard input from staff and might not seem to care about staff opinions (Leviticus, 2010). * Micromanager – Micromanagers are very involved in the smallest details of the follower’s jobs and /or projects. This type of leader behavior can make followers feel inadequate at their jobs and it typically due to insecurities of the leader. * Sets Unclear Expectations – Failing to set clear expectations by the leader can frustrate followers and hinder their ability to be successful.A leader who doesn’t set clear expectations might not give all of the details related to a project or suddenly move the due date creating a moving target for followers. * Uses Intimidation – Leaders might intimidate or bully their followers. Workplace bullying has been an ongoing discussion within the realm of leadership. This type of behavior can decrease worker morale and ultimately could increase turnover. * Poor People Skills – People skills are vital to becoming a great leader, however leaders can be negative people who don’t know how to motivate others.In addition, leaders with poor people skills cannot consider any other opinions but their own. Looking at the characteristics described above, they are all contradictory to the transformational leadership theory putting value into the followers’ opinions and helping employees complete their tasks. Often times the followers have characteristics that enable the leader to remain in an adverse leadership role. However, these followers might not understand how to recognize a good leader from a bad leader. Some of the characteristics include; Low self-esteem, Unambitious, Low maturity, little or no core values, and disengaged. Low self-esteem – Followers with low self-esteem might not have the skills necessary to confront a bullying leader or one that uses intimidation. * Unambitious – These followers have little drive and consider their current situation to be the best they will ever do. Having a follower that isn’t ambitious would be easy for the transformational leader to motivate, due to their ability to engage them and make them part of something larger. * Low ma turity – Often times a follower with a bad leader can be young and immature, lacking both self-esteem and confidence.This makes it easier for the bad leader to intimidate and control the follower. * Little or no core values – The follower must have some kind of core values in order to be a successful leader. If they do not, then the leader can often times take advantage of this and exploit the followers weakness in order to remain in control. * Disengaged – The disengaged follower treats their current position as a job. They are also known as clock punchers, only there to collect a paycheck and are not worried about the company in any way.Although these characteristics are not desirable in a traditional leadership example, they make it easier for the adverse leader to thrive creating a chaotic environment for the workplace. As we further examine figure 1, we can see a direct line between the leader and follower, but no line back from the follower to the leader. This is because in the adverse leadership model, the leader is primarily a dictator and doesn’t allow for a healthy leader-member exchange. This could be due to insecurities by the leader and fear of being out performed.Moving outside of the leader and follower characteristics, we can examine the environment created by this type of leadership. High stress, alienation, and segregation are all felt by the follower due to the dyadic relationship between the leader and follower. High stress can lead to disruption of productivity amongst the team members and other health related issues. Creating a negative atmosphere can backfire because fear can cause stress, and in extreme situations, reductions in performance and efficiency (Riggio, 2009).Alienation and segregation by the leader can also create a feeling of betrayal within followers; this can also allow the members to form sub-groups that become further alienated from the remaining followers. Segregation amongst other team memb ers removes the cohesive bond that should be cultivated by the leader. Further studies by Liu et al. (2012), have revealed a direct correlation between bad leadership and follower creativity. The final portion of the adverse leadership model has to do with follower outcomes, depression and worthlessness.These outcomes are detrimental to the company’s success, due to health related issues from depression alone. Approximately 18. 8 million American adults, or about 9. 5 percent of the U. S. population age 18 and older in a given year, have a depressive disorder (depressionperception. com). This doesn’t include the other health related issues that could be a direct result of working in a stressful environment. In addition to being depressed, followers might feel worthless due to intimidating behavior by the leader. This could also come from bullying by other co-workers who choose to emulate the leader’s social cues.In conclusion, bad leaders can only breed more bad leaders and the only way to stop it is to file complaints with HR or stand up to the bad leader, identifying issues the followers would like to change to be productive and work in a stress free environment. References Leviticus, J. (2010), The top signs of poor leadership. Retrieved from: http://smallbusiness. chron. com/top-signs-poor-leadership-31537. html Liu, D. , Liao, H. , and Loi, R. (2012). The dark side of leadership: A three-level investigation of the cascading effect of abusive supervision on employee creativity.Academy of Management Journal, 55(5), 1187-1212. Padilla, A. , Hogan, R. and Kaiser, R. B. : 2007, The toxic triangle: destructive leaders, susceptible followers, and conducive environments, The Leadership Quarterly, 18, 176–194. Riggio, R. (2009), How to spot a bad leader. Retrieved from: http://www. psychologytoday. com/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/200905/how-spot-bad-leader Adverse Leadership Model Figure 1: Adverse Leadership Model Figure 1: Adverse Le adership Model Environment: * High Stress * Alienation * Segregation Environment: * High Stress * Alienation * Segregation Follower Outcomes: . Depression 2. Worthlessness Follower Outcomes: 3. Depression 4. Worthlessness Follower Characteristics: 1. Low Self-Esteem 2. Unambitious 3. Low Maturity 4. Little or No Core Values 5. Disengaged Follower Characteristics: 6. Low Self-Esteem 7. Unambitious 8. Low Maturity 9. Little or No Core Values 10. Disengaged Leader Characteristics: 1. Poor Communicator 2. Micromanager 3. Sets Unclear Expectations 4. Uses Intimidation 5. Poor People Skills Leader Characteristics: 6. Poor Communicator 7. Micromanager 8. Sets Unclear Expectations 9. Uses Intimidation 10. Poor People Skills

English Literature: Frankenstein Essay Essay

Frankenstein was written by Mary Shelley when she was only eighteen years old after a nightmare she had. It was first published on 1st January 1818 and was an instant success. Using the style of the ‘Gothic Novel’, Frankenstein was the first science-fiction book ever written. Almost two centuries later it has become not only a widely read classic, but also one of the most influential novels ever written. Frankenstein is a moral tale that deals with issues and ethics of medical and scientific advancement and how far humans should go in tampering with nature. The story raises questions as to who should have final power over life and human nature, God or humans. Shelley calls her book a ‘Modern Prometheus’, because there are many similarities in the plots. The Greek God, Prometheus, gave the human race fire, out of pity so they could eat, but also brought them danger, and was punished for it by Zeus. Prometheus was a hero to humans, but Dr. Victor Frankenstein is a villain because he did nothing to contribute to the world; he did everything for himself rather than using his knowledge for the good of others. Shelley does not express her views, but simply tells a story. The story explores the dire consequences of meddling in such serious matters. In a dramatic and shocking way she is more persuasive and challenging to people than if she had directly preached her views. Without directly telling people what they ought to think, she is powerfully able to make people question the morality of their actions in a day of rapid scientific advances. The ‘Gothic Novel’ was a very popular style of writing in the late eighteenth to mid-nineteenth century. Shelley used this style because she knew it would appeal to the masses. Its use of horror, violence and the supernatural was exciting, intriguing and macabre. Although at one level it was frightening, it was also intriguing and compelling. Although on the surface it repelled, at a deeper level a reader was drawn to the horror, just as the curious are drawn to view victims of an accident. Her clever use of horror disguises her Puritanical views by letting the dire outcome of an obsessed doctor who creates a monster speak for itself. Victor Frankenstein Dr. Victor Frankenstein is the main protagonist of the novel and is a complex character. The bulk of the story is told from his point of view, revealing his struggle to deal with the responsibility for the tragic consequences of his ‘playing God’ by creating a monster from dead bodies he stole from graves. Frankenstein is a very egotistical and conceited man. He believes totally in his own ability and power. He is self-centred, but at the same time lacks self-awareness. ‘†¦ I doubted not that I should ultimately succeed. ‘ p. 42 Frankenstein’s ego is so immense that he comes to see himself as God-like. His dream to create a physically superior race that will worship him as its God is the dream of a megalomaniac. He has delusions of grandeur almost to the point of considering himself as the Saviour of the world. Although Dr. Frankenstein admits that he was at first unsure about whether he should perform the act of human creation this hesitancy is quickly taken over by his arrogance and desire to succeed. He thinks he can do no wrong. ‘I doubted at first†¦ but my imagination was too much exalted†¦ to permit me to doubt of my ability†¦ ‘ p. 42 Frankenstein in one sense is an idealist in that he wanted to create a perfect race, a better race than current, imperfect humanity. He has a vision of an army of physically superior humans with high intelligence. However the reality of his method is to combine a collection of different body parts from different human beings, with different proportions, from graves and vaults. His ideal is very different to reality, showing how out of touch with reality he really is. It also shows his immorality, for he disregards authority and has a lack of respect for the dead. Frankenstein’s readiness to mutilate and steal bodies shows that he thinks of the deceased bodies as merely physical carcasses for use at his disposal. He seems to have no morals or ethics at all and doesn’t even think about the consequences if he was caught. ‘I collected bones from charnel-houses; and disturbed, with profane fingers, the tremendous secrets of the human frame. ‘ p. 43 Frankenstein’s obsession with creation drives him to break down the boundaries of life and death. He is oblivious to the outside world and nothing else matters to him. ‘†¦ Still urged on by an eagerness which perpetually increased, I brought my work near to a conclusion. ‘ p. 43 But once creating his being, when the Monster awakes, Frankenstein is terrified by it, and runs away. His ideal of a perfect, flawless being is crushed at the sight of his hideous creation. Frankenstein instantly rejects the Monster, fleeing from its outstretched arms. He is judgemental and shallow, judging his creation on looks, not personality. However, scientists are supposed to be objective instead of subjective. ‘†¦ Now I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished’ P.

Why Can’t Kmart Be Successful While Target and Walmart Thrive?

What drives some companies to succeed while others languish? Successful companies develop a system of a few truly unique capabilities that help them create differentiated value for their chosen customers. Retailers provide many case studies in capabilities-driven success, one of the most compelling of which is the big discounter triad of Walmart, Target and Kmart. And in this fourth-quarter retail season, we thought it would be helpful to take a closer look at what really distinguishes these competitors because they provide valuable insight into the key components of a winning corporate strategy. We believe that all successful companies — Walmart and Target included — know precisely how they provide value for customers. They make a deliberate choice about their â€Å"way to play† in the market, guided primarily by what those companies do uniquely well: their distinctive capabilities. We define capabilities not as â€Å"people capabilities,† but as the interconnected people, knowledge, systems, tools and processes that create differentiated value. They then select a set of products and services that best leverage those unique capabilities and optimally suit their chosen way to play. Most important, they avoid markets, products or services that require new or disparate capabilities, and thus threaten the company's focus. Focus for us, therefore, is not about picking just one market, but rather about choosing one coherent way of competing. The true story about Walmart's and Target's success is that they have gone to great lengths to focus internally on building capabilities and product offerings that suit their way to play. Kmart, by contrast, has failed to develop a unique or differentiated way to play, and all that goes with it. Let's take a closer look. Walmart's success doesn't just stem from impressive logistics, aggressive vendor management and its position as a low-cost retailer. What really underlies Walmart's advantage is a coherent and differentiated approach to the market. †¢ Their well-defined way to play focuses on â€Å"always low prices† for a wide range of consumer items, from food to prescriptions to electronics. †¢ They support their low-cost way to play with an integrated system of capabilities, including: real estate acquisition; no frills store design; and superior supply chain management involving among others expert point-of-sale data analytics. Their product and service mix is kept tightly aligned with their way to play and capabilities system: avoiding big-ticket items (e. g. , furniture or large appliances) where it has no cost advantage, or where new service capabilities might be required. And it innovates constantly within its chosen constraints: e. g. , tailoring product assortments to loca l trends. Target caters to a similar â€Å"money-saving† market, but offers a very different value proposition, focuses on different capabilities and has a different product portfolio. Target's way to play emphasizes design-forward apparel and home decor for image-conscious consumers. Everything from store layout to advertising to inventory conveys an eye for style. †¢ Its capabilities system supports this way to play with image advertising, â€Å"mass prestige† sourcing (with the use of private brand and exclusive offerings), pricing, and the management of urban locations. †¢ In product and service mix, Target is similar to Walmart in many ways, but Target satisfies the needs of its younger, image-conscious shoppers by stocking more furniture, clothing and exclusive designer merchandise than Walmart. Kmart, the least successful of the group, is struggling to define its way to play, describing itself as a â€Å"mass merchandising company that offers customers quality products through a portfolio of exclusive brands and labels. † Yet, that definition could describe just about any retailer. As a Walmart customer, you know you'll save money and still feel welcome. At Target, you know you'll get fashionable products at prices that feel reasonable. What, then, is Kmart's niche? Walk through a Kmart store and you'll discover designers like Jaclyn Smith in the low-budget ambience of a warehouse. They carry Kenmore appliances, which may require high-touch sales assistance that many Sears customers expect and many Kmart stores lack. In short, Kmart has not established an identifiable way to play that reflects both customers' needs and its own capabilities. Harry Cunningham, the founder of Kmart, allegedly admitted that Sam Walton (the founder of Walmart) â€Å"not only copied our concepts, he strengthened them. † The lack of a clear concept about how to reach the market, in our view, is the single most important factor in explaining why Kmart's fortunes have fallen so far, compared to its two rivals. Without a clear way to play, and capabilities to support it, a company cannot achieve the coherence it needs to truly excel at what it does, and thus outpace competitors. http://blogs. hbr. org/cs/2010/12/why_cant_kmart_be_successful_w. html Kmart (sometimes stylized as K-Mart), is an American chain of discount stores headquartered in the United States. The chain purchased Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Walmart and Target, with stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands, and Guam (which houses the world's largest Kmart). [2] As of January 29, 2011, Kmart operated a total of 1,307 (6 closing by early 2011) Kmart stores across 49 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands. This store count included 1,278 discount stores, averaging 93,000 sq ft (8,600 m2), and 29 Super Centers, averaging 169,000 sq ft (15,700 m2). [3] Kmart became known for its â€Å"Blue Light Specials. † They occurred at surprise moments when a store worker would light up a mobile police light and offer a discount in a specific department of the store. At the height of Kmart's popularity, the phrase â€Å"attention Kmart shoppers† also entered into the American pop psyche, appearing in films and other media such as Troop Beverly Hills, Six Days Seven Nights, Rain Man, Beetlejuice, and Dawn of the Dead. Kmart's world headquarters was located in Troy, Michigan, but since the purchase of Sears, has been relocated to Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Kmart also exists in Australia and New Zealand (see Kmart Australia), although it now has no relation to the American stores except in name, after U. S. equity in the Australian business was purchased in the late 1970s. https://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Kmart As outlined in â€Å"Private Equity May Be The Only Way To Save Sears,† as restructuring and turnaround advisers and investors, we here at ACM Partners are often asked about the big retail â€Å"stories of the day† (meaning companies on the brink of distress). GAP, Tiffany & Co. and now Sears and Kmart are the most recent â€Å"big cases† we’ve received the majority of inquiries about. Here, then, is our take on what’s in store for Kmart (which hedge fund manager Eddie Lampert officially took control of in 2003, post-bankruptcy): Do we need Kmart anymore? While â€Å"during the early years, Kmart was the fastest-growing of the â€Å"big three† discounters (Kmart, Wal-Mart and Target), easily outpacing their key competition,† Kmart, like its parent-company Sears (which acquired the discount retailer in 2005), has lost significant market share through a ombination of poor market strategy and by being â€Å"squeezed out† by â€Å"sexier† (ie Target) or more affordable (ie Wal-Mart) competitors. In short, â€Å"Kmart is trapped between Wal-Mart and Target, becoming the merchandiser in the middle — and ultimately, the discounter in the muddle. † On the consumer side, it's difficult to say Kmart would be particularly missed – since the retailer provides few unique product or experiential offerings – except in geographic areas particularly dependent on the retailer. On a personal note, while I worked at a Kmart as a teenager, I don't believe I've stepped foot in one in more than decade (nor would have any particular reason to). I do, however, visit Target almost monthly. If yes, can Kmart be turned around? What does the executive team need to do? Here, then, it's a question again of â€Å"Where did Kmart go wrong? † Let's take a look at some core areas in which Kmart could generate a turnaround. Strategy, Strategy, Strategy: Kmart failed to see the writing on the retail wall before initially filing bankruptcy in 2002 (and, some would argue, continues to ignores it). All retailers, even discount ones, must have a coherent pricing-and-product strategy in order to appeal to core consumers. As the brand stands now, Kmart offers very little in terms of â€Å"must-have† items for any particular consumer segment. †¢ Management â€Å"Expansion†: By all accounts, Kmart is an exceptionally insular company, meaning very few outsid ers have been brought in to â€Å"refresh† the store's brand. Consequently, errors in judgment and purchasing have been magnified by continued mismanagement, while fights and fiefdoms have prevented the company from moving forward into the 21st century. Instead of squeezing every last penny from the dying brand, Lampert must insist on reviving both methods and management if Kmart is to reassert its relevance. †¢ Logistics: As a discount player, Kmart has lost nearly every round of the logistics game, from management of its supply-chain to in-store sku measurements. For instance, because Kmart measured potential profitability by gross margin ercentages rather than by sales-per-square, the retailer has and continues to stock higher-margined goods in place of faster-moving products, leading to a decrease in inventory turn-over. Furthermore, inefficient ordering and supply-chain management means everything's cost more and arrives later than at Kmart's competitors. Combine these factors, and you get a dying retailer on the brink of disappearing from the American landscape. Like we outlined in â€Å"Private Equity May Be Only Way To Save Sears,† â€Å"With a market cap of only $3. 5 billion, it wouldn’t be tough to get the financing for a going-private transaction † for Sears Holdings Corporate. In short, the market is not going to allow a $40B+ asset-based retailer simply disappear. Ergo, once again, private equity may end up being the only answer for what ails these dying retailers. Margaret Bogenrief is a partner with ACM Partners , a boutique crisis management and distressed investing firm serving companies and municipalities in financial distress. She can be reached at [email  protected] com.

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 24

Once I'd assured Evan I wasn't calling him a son of a bitch, I got off the phone and turned to Roman. â€Å"The vessel's not anywhere around here. It's up in BC.† Roman's eyes had followed my finger to White Rock on the map. â€Å"Okay, you get points for the compelling name, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything.† â€Å"Yes! It means everything. The Army's been a distraction from the beginning, when the seal was created, when Ephraim talked to Cedric†¦and when Jerome was summoned. They staged their event on the Space Needle- here , but they didn't actually do anything until Jerome was taken. As soon as he was, they acted out to draw Cedric's attention here, away from his own territory.† Realization lit Roman's features. Sociopath or not, he'd always been smart. â€Å"Because Grace then hid the vessel in Cedric's territory.† I nodded. â€Å"That's where it's at. She needed Cedric gone, in case he noticed its presence before it was hidden. I think he's down here for the thing with Ephraim, but if I call now and tell him-â€Å" â€Å"No,† said Roman quickly. â€Å"We can't tell anyone.† â€Å"What is up with you?† I exclaimed, standing up. â€Å"The clock's ticking. We may not have time for a leisurely drive before the stasis ends.† â€Å"Chance we've gotta take, love.† He rose as well. â€Å"Grab your keys. Let's go.† I started heading toward my bedroom, then hesitated. â€Å"Damn. I told Seth I'd consider taking him with me. Too late now.† Roman considered. â€Å"No, do it.† â€Å"Why?† I asked in surprise. â€Å"I'll go invisibly. I don't know if anyone'll notice you leaving, but if they're tracking you, better they think you're on a romantic getaway. Even masked, I don't want anyone in power seeing my face yet.† That put me in a weird situation. Roman's entire reasoning throughout all of this was increasingly bizarre. There was also the debate I'd had last night, about whether I should let the balcony date shine on us as my last beautiful moment with Seth or if I should eke out a few more seconds. Letting it end at last night would have been the poetic thing to do†¦but I was made of baser stuff. I called him as soon as I was on the road and picked him up shortly thereafter. He rode in the front with me while Roman lounged invisibly in the back, which was creepy, to say the least. Fortunately, none of my talk with Seth was sappy or romantic. He sensed the urgency crackling around me and asked questions about my reasoning for the trip. I answered as thoroughly as I could, all the while trying to drive the speed limit. I couldn't risk the delay of a ticket-or count on supernatural charms to get me off. It took a little less than two hours to get there. We'd accidentally left the atlas at home but had all but memorized the directions anyway, which were straightforward. When we'd almost reach the park where the aforementioned rock was, I had the sense to call Peter and tell him not to go outside. â€Å"You think I'm stupid?† he asked. â€Å"I know as well as you the stasis is about to end.† â€Å"Yeah,† I agreed. â€Å"But it might not end like you're thinking.† We disconnected. â€Å"This is it, isn't it?† asked Seth. A sign directed us to the beach's parking lot, and I turned toward it. â€Å"Yeah, I think so.† I could feel myself starting to panic. â€Å"God, I'm afraid†¦I don't know what'll happen†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Seth reached over and patted my shoulder. â€Å"Easy, Thetis. This'll end the way it's supposed to. Do what you have to do, and we'll manage the best we can.† I parked the car and looked over at him. So much burned between us, it was a wonder it didn't suffocate Roman. Seth was right. This was the end, and we would face it and do what needed to be done, no matter how hard. That was one of the wonderful things about Seth. He knew what the right thing was. We got out of the car. Seth and I headed off down the beach, hand in hand. It was low tide, and the receding waters had revealed a landscape that had almost as much gravel as sand. Once you moved farther inland, though, the terrain turned green and grassy-probably the result of park maintenance crews. Semiahmoo Bay itself stretched off into a dark, choppy vastness that would have probably been blue and beautiful on a nicer day. Heavy gray clouds obscured most of the land surrounding the far sides of the bay, and I thought I heard a rumble of thunder, something that wasn't so common in the mild Pacific Northwest. I hoped we'd find what we needed soon because it looked like a storm was about to break out. Ah, metaphor. Seth interrupted my ponderings. â€Å"That,† he said, â€Å"is a white rock.† I came to a halt, turning my attention from the larger panorama to the path in front of me. There, about eighty feed ahead of us, was a white rock-a huge, white rock. And from the looks of it, Evan hadn't been exaggerating when he'd said it was about five hundred tons. â€Å"I kind of feel stupid wasting my time with scraps of white gravel,† I mused, brushing hair out of my eyes. The wind promptly whipped it back. â€Å"It was so obvious†¦and yet not. Shall we?† I nodded, and we approached the rock, our steps filled with both eagerness and apprehension. After all this time and all the failed efforts, it didn't seem possible that we'd really done it. Something was going to happen. Something had to happen. â€Å"Whoa,† I breathed, staring up at the rock's top when we reached it. It was so massive that it covered us in shadows. â€Å"I can see why people thought this came from the gods.† Seth was looking down. â€Å"Unfortunately, we've got to direct our attention to less lofty places. How are we supposed to find this? Just dig at random?† If Seth and I were alone, that would have been the method. Now, I was hoping Roman would reveal some insight about where the vessel was-if it was even here. A small part of me panicked that us ending up here might have been the biggest misdirection of all. I scanned the ground around the rock, but there was nothing indicative of a recent digging. On a beach like this, all of the ground was uneven. â€Å"Something like that,† I said, needing Roman to pick up on his cue. Seth had let go of my hand when we reached the rock, but now he caught hold of it again and pulled me to him. â€Å"Georgina†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I dragged my eyes from the ground and met his. My adrenaline was up, ready for the conclusion to this adventure†¦and yet, my heart was heavy, knowing what the consequences of this would be. I squeezed Seth's hands and stepped closer, resting my head against his chest. His heart beat heavy within. No doubt his emotions were tangled up as well. â€Å"I know,† I said softly. â€Å"I feel the same way.† He held me tight and kissed my forehead. â€Å"When we find Jerome†¦when you free him†¦it'll go quickly, won't it?† â€Å"Yeah. I don't know how long it'll take, but†¦well, I think it'll be pretty fast. That's how it was when he was taken.† â€Å"And that's it.† â€Å"I guess.† We stood there, both of us hurting and confused. I didn't think anything could be worse than when Seth had forcibly ended things back in December. I understood now that he'd done it because he thought it would be for the greater good, but it still smarted. And this†¦this was a pain of a different type. When Seth and I first kissed back at my apartment, I thought this could all be a vacation for me, just as it was for the vampires. Seth would be my sunshine, something I could have a brief fling with before returning to my dreary immortality. I could take the memories with me, and that would be enough. Only now, standing with him, I realized it wouldn't be enough. It would only hurt more now, knowing exactly what I could never have again. I would never make love with Seth again, never have these intimate moments of comfort and rapport. He wasn't mine anymore. He never could be again. â€Å"I don't know what to do,† Seth said, kissing my forehead. â€Å"What do you mean? We don't have a choice.† â€Å"We always have a choice, Thetis. After this, even when you're a succubus again†¦I don't know. I wanted so badly to protect you from all the world's hurts. I still do. But after being with you this last week, I'm starting to wonder if-â€Å" â€Å"You have got to be fucking kidding me.† Seth and I looked up in surprise. I would have expected Roman to come bust up our romantic interlude or maybe even Grace, in defense of her prize. What I was not expecting, however, was Dante. I didn't know where he'd come from. He stepped around the side of the rock like he'd been lurking behind it, but I suspected he'd just walked up to us unnoticed in our moment of lovers' angst. Anger radiated off him, and his eyes were as dark and stormy as the sea beyond us. And as soon as I saw him, I needed no drawn-out questioning, no build-up to a revelation. I didn't need to ask what he was doing there because I suddenly knew. â€Å"You're the summoner,† I said. â€Å"Of course.† There was a dismissive tone to his voice as he said that, like it was an insult that anyone else could have played that role. â€Å"Who else? I wasn't kidding when I told you I was the best in the area. I can't honestly believe you never even considered me. No, scratch that. Of course I can believe that. No matter how jaded or sorrowful you get, there's still that Pollyanna piece of you that wants to believe the best in those you care about.† â€Å"You say that like it's a bad thing,† I said, feeling my own anger grow. Being played this whole time was bad enough. But being played by my own boyfriend? Unacceptable. And yet†¦he was right. It had been stupid of me not to consider him, yet I couldn't believe he would have subjected me to all this torment. â€Å"It is a bad thing. I was hoping I could break you of it, but I guess not.† His eyes flicked to Seth's face and then back to mine. â€Å"Of course, I can't really talk about naà ¯vet? ¦ since you were screwing me over this whole time. Or, well, screwing him.† There wasn't really anything I could respond with. I could hardly say, â€Å"It's not what you think,† because†¦well, it was exactly what he thought. Regardless of his role in Jerome's summoning, the fact remained that I had cheated on Dante, and I'd been caught. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said lamely, my hand still clutching Seth's tightly. He'd taken a step forward. He wasn't blocking me from Dante, but there was definitely a protective stance going on. â€Å"Yes, yes, I know.† Dante gave an exasperated sigh. â€Å"Damn it, Georgina. What does it take with you? I never gave you shit about your job. I was trying to make a good life for us. And yet†¦you still went back to him . As soon as you could fuck him without hurting him, you jumped right on it.† â€Å"Trying to make a good life†¦is that why you did all this?† I remembered Greg's comments about how anyone assisting a demon in this affair would be getting paid in concubines and TVs. In Dante's case, it had been much more basic. He'd simply been paid in money, enough to buy me jewelry and flowers and start talking about sharing a home with me. â€Å"Succubus, what else was I supposed to do?† He was still speaking to me in a mocking tone, but I could see the raw anguish on his features. It tore at my heart. â€Å"You can enslave kings and rock stars. There was no way you were going to stick with me forever, not where I was going. The palms barely pay the bills, and the window for when my spells could really pay off has passed.† â€Å"None of that mattered,† I said resolutely. â€Å"I would have stayed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Yet, even as I spoke, I recognized the contradiction. So did Dante, as he gestured at a thus-far silent Seth. Seth seemed very intent on something. Dante rolled his eyes. â€Å"Yes. Clearly.† â€Å"I never wanted this†¦never wanted you to literally make deals with the devil.† â€Å"What did you expect from me? You know what I am. You got involved with me because you wanted to walk on the dark side. This deal was my biggest chance-the biggest payoff I was going to get for my power. She needed the best, and she could pay for my services.† â€Å"She†¦Grace.† Dante gave me a twisted smile. â€Å"I should have known you'd figured that part out too and had been sitting on it. Even when you trusted me†¦you still didn't really trust me. Maybe you aren't as oblivious as I thought. And when I got to your place and saw the atlas-well, that's when I knew I'd underestimated you. You're lucky Grace just sent me up here and didn't come herself. We might get you out of here alive after all.† Seth and I still stood close, close enough that when he spoke into my ear, he barely had to raise his voice at all. â€Å"The watch,† he breathed. â€Å"It's in the watch.† I had no time to process that further because suddenly, Seth broke from me and advanced on Dante. â€Å"Look, just leave her alone, okay? You caught her. She caught you. Call it even, and let us go.† I stared. It was uncharacteristically aggressive for him. â€Å"Even?† exclaimed Dante. â€Å"It is not even. I did what I did because I love her.† Seth's voice was level yet hard. â€Å"Love her? You got her caught up in that cult mess. You nearly got her killed by a demon.† Dante glowered and took a step toward Seth. â€Å"That wasn't supposed to happen. Jerome came up with the Canada thing on the fly. She wasn't supposed to be caught in the middle of this. The plan was for her to wait out the stasis like everyone else, and then return to normal once Grace was in power. Grace messed up when she told Nanette about her meddling, but then Grace made sure Nanette wouldn't fuck with her again. I worked to keep Georgina safe.† Cedric had told the truth. He really hadn't told Nanette about my theories; Grace had. â€Å"Yeah, you did a great job.† â€Å"It's not my fault!† yelled Dante. â€Å"Say what you want about me, my reasons were noble. Whereas hers†-he pointed at me-â€Å"were in keeping with the selfish little whore she's been her entire life.† And then†¦the unexpected truly happened. Seth sprang forward and punched Dante. I didn't know what was more surprising, that Seth would be so aggressive or that he could throw such a clean punch. He'd thrown himself at a mugger once, and while it had been wonderfully brave, it hadn't been nearly as precise or coordinated. I had no idea where he'd learned that. Dante appeared as startled as me. He staggered back from the blow and took a moment to recover. Then, with a snarl, he leapt toward Seth. Seth only partially dodged the blow-on purpose, it seemed-and fell back with the impact, causing both men to collapse to the ground. They grappled around a bit, trying to get leverage and blows in, and for a moment, I was too stunned by it all to react. Then, finally, Seth's words hit me. The watch . I hurried over to them, careful not to get hit by a flailing limb. Seth caught a glimpse of me and did his best to grab a hold of Dante's wrist and thrust it toward me. Dante kept squirming, however-I had a feeling he'd been in a few more fights in his life than Seth had-and increased his struggles once he realized what was happening. The watch. It made sense, really. Grace wore her part of the seal around her neck. Dante would want to keep his safe as well, and why not hidden in the only accessory that he-by his own admission-ever wore? At last, Seth managed to immobilize Dante's wrist just long enough for me to get my fingers under the watch's straps. I gave a hard jerk, using more strength than I thought possible, and the strap broke. The watch came away in my hand, and I scurried back as Dante yelled in rage. Seth eased up on restraining Dante, now that our goal was achieved. As soon as he was free, however, Dante came after me, and Seth shot up to catch a hold of him. I continued backing up, the watch clutched in my hand, until I hit something-or rather, someone. I turned and found myself staring into Grace's cold, hard eyes. Whereas Dante had seemed to appear out of nowhere, I knew Grace actually had. I froze, and behind me, the sounds of fighting stopped. I think the guys were just as surprised as me to see her-or maybe not. Dante had all but said he'd told Grace we were here. â€Å"Georgina,† she said. â€Å"You are such a good employee†¦and yet, you're also a bad one.† Her voice was as flat and emotionless as ever, except unlike in the past, I had a feeling she was actually planning to kill me now. â€Å"Why?† I asked, playing for time. â€Å"You had a good job under Jerome.† â€Å"Under being the operative word. I wasn't going to spend the rest of my existence as someone's second-in-command and certainly not their co-second-in-command.† â€Å"She has the seal,† I heard Dante say behind me. â€Å"I know she does,† Grace replied. â€Å"You gave it to her.† â€Å"Hey, I-â€Å" She raised her hand, and Dante screamed. Jerking my head around, I saw him writhing in pain, like he was suspended by strings that she controlled. After enduring Nanette's wrath, I knew how truly excruciating demonic torture was, and I couldn't stand to see anyone else go through that. Seth looked from me to Dante, clearly unsure what to do. Fistfights might be out of his comfort zone, though they were something he could do. But this? Totally different. â€Å"Let him go!† I said. As stupid as it was, I reached out and tried to shake her, but I would have had as much luck budging the huge glacial rock beside her. â€Å"I should never have relied on someone who was close to-â€Å" Her words were cut off when she suddenly went flying through the air, slamming into the rock. The impact seemed to surprise more than it hurt her, and mercifully, her torture of Dante stopped. She looked around, eyes wide and confused. â€Å"What the-â€Å" Roman materialized out of the air and strode toward her, fierce and frightening. Finally, I thought. Without my immortal senses, I couldn't feel his aura or signature, but something told me he was wielding a considerable chunk of his power as he advanced. Doing so was risky. It would make his identity known to any greater immortals nearby, though with all the drama in Seattle, there probably weren't any in the area to sense him. Cedric certainly wasn't around. Grace gave a sharp intake of breath. â€Å"You†¦I remember your signature.† That was all the warning she gave before fire streaked from her hands toward Roman. He didn't move or bat an eyelid, but the fire hit an invisible wall. It arced around him, leaving him unscathed. â€Å"Georgina,† he said, not taking his eyes off Grace. â€Å"The vessel's over by the north side of the stone's base.† I wasted no time in hurrying over to the spot he'd indicated. I heard Grace's outrage and caught her moving toward me in my periphery. But then, her anger turned to pain. Roman had blasted her with something, and her attention returned to him. My own attention was on the rocky ground as I began digging with my bare hands. In my zeal, I'd once again forgotten a spade. Seth was by my side in an instant, clawing at the sandy surface with me. Large, fat drops of rain began falling on us, but I didn't have time to care. â€Å"Who's stronger?† he asked as the sounds of fighting raged behind us. If Roman's appearance startled him, he was ignoring it for now. â€Å"I don't know,† I said. The ground was getting harder to dig in. It was damp and caked together from a recent rain, and I could feel it building up under my nails. â€Å"Roman can theoretically be as strong as Jerome, and I'm guessing she's less powerful than Jerome. I don't know for sure, and he might be holding back. The more power he uses, the more he alerts others that he's here.† My fingers hit something hard, and Seth and I both worked to pry it out. It was a wooden box, an old cigar case from the looks of it. I managed a good hold on it, and it began lifting out. â€Å"Here,† I said, pausing. I tossed him my purse and then immediately returned to my digging. â€Å"Get my phone. Look in the numbers, and you'll find Mei. Call her. Tell her where we're at.† The cigar box came up out of the earth. â€Å"You want me to call a demon?† he asked in shock. â€Å"We need her. Tell her where we're at. Then get away from here. Get in my car and go.† â€Å"Georgina-â€Å" â€Å"Go!† I shouted. Seth hesitated for the space of a heartbeat, then got up and ran with my purse, keeping well away from the combatants. I didn't know if Mei would react to a call from a mortal. I didn't even know if she'd answer, nor did I know if she could be trusted. I was relying on instinct-and that na;ve hope about everyone's good side-that she and Grace weren't collaborating. Roman's scream caused me to look up sharply. He was on his back, Grace advancing. What looked like lightning crackled toward him, though just with the fire, it split away. Only, it got a lot closer to him than before. He was weakening. Frantically, I scraped sand off the cigar box. It looked deceptively easy to open, but when I attempted to pry the lid up, nothing happened. It wouldn't budge, and I knew no efforts of mine would make it happen. Turning to the watch I'd taken from Dante, I peered at it. The face was a pale brown marbleized pattern-one that easily blended in with the seal. It was an ingenious hiding spot. I smashed the watch against the cigar case, and on the third try, the glass cracked. I plucked away the pieces and tried to pull up the face. It was embedded firmly. Taking a small shard of the watch's surface, I slipped it under the seal's edge, and after a few moment's pressure, everything fell apart, and†¦there was no seal. I stared. Gears, watch hands, pieces of glass, and the face†¦but no seal. Seth had been certain. I had been certain. Dante had no other place on him that he would keep it. Carter had said it was possible that the summoner might hide the seal elsewhere, and if Dante had done that, we were screwed. â€Å"Fuc-â€Å" I cut my own profanity off and stared at my wrist, at the glittering watch winking up at me. No. Surely it wasn't this obvious. Dante had given me the watch before Jerome had been summoned, and then I'd lost it right around the time of the summoning. I'd blamed it on myself, but was it possible that Dante had actually briefly taken it back†¦? Jerking the watch off my wrist, I didn't hesitate to give it the same treatment as Dante's watch. It killed me to shatter that beautiful gold-and-glass piece of work, but when the filigree face popped out, I found a piece of smoky quartz that complemented Grace's. Dante needed more credit. He'd kept the seal close to him and hidden it where no one who was looking for it-i.e., me-would ever think to search. The seal was useless, though, without the other half. Looking up, I saw that Grace had her hand around Roman's neck and was lifting him off the ground. He was completely limp. I didn't quite understand, but something told me he'd completely shut off all his power. Why? It was suicide. I wanted to scream, to run over and save him, but there was nothing I could do. Her back was to me, but I could imagine the gleam in her eyes. â€Å"When I kill you,† she hissed, â€Å"my position will be secured.† Suddenly, she jerked her head back toward me. For a moment, I thought I'd attracted her attention, but she wasn't looking at me. She was looking beside me, having sensed what I no longer could: the signature of another greater immortal. Mei stood there, hard and grim. I'd always considered her stone-faced, but the look she wore was truly terrifying, and I cringed. She and Grace locked gazes, and then a few seconds later, Grace flung Roman away. He landed with a hard thud and lay still for a moment. Then, he lifted his head and slowly began crawling across the sand toward me, every movement seeming to cause him agony. â€Å"You have seriously screwed things up,† said Mei. â€Å"I have improved my situation,† said Grace evenly. â€Å"And I can improve yours.† â€Å"I don't need your help-especially when I reveal that you were behind all this. The others will reward me. Jerome will reward me.† â€Å"You're an idiot! Do you want to spend the rest of eternity working for someone else?† â€Å"My time will come,† Mei returned smoothly. â€Å"And I'd rather work for him than you.† And without any more banter, they lunged at each other. It was a bizarre fight. Half of it seemed very human, complete with physical blows and grappling. At the same time, there was definitely a supernatural element to it, as they wielded the same kind of elements and invisible blows Grace and Roman had. The rain was pouring down, drenching both of them. With their abilities, they could have remained impervious, but they were too distracted by each other. Roman was still crawling toward me. Holding onto the seal and the box, I hesitantly moved to meet him half-way. â€Å"Can you open it?† I asked, handing him the box. His breathing was heavy and pained, but he gripped the box like I had and tried to pry the lid open. His fingers clenched the wood, and I saw exertion on his face, both of a physical and magical level. At last, he grimaced. â€Å"No. Not a greater immortal power I inherited.† I looked up at the demonesses. There was a slight shimmer around both of them. As the battle intensified, they were in danger of shifting to their true immortal forms, which would be bad for me to see. â€Å"Who's stronger?† I asked. â€Å"They're evenly matched,† said Roman, following my gaze. â€Å"Grace is a little worn down, though.† I hoped it would be enough. Hugging the box to my chest, I watched them fight, ready to look away if they totally shifted form. I'd always thought they had a hard sort of beauty, but now, it was all hardness and no beauty, and it wasn't difficult to see that under their human facades, they were truly demons of hell. I could also see what Roman meant about them being evenly matched. Each time one gained an advantage, the other took it back. Until, just when it seemed Grace might be getting the better of Mei, Mei suddenly came on full force with an attack of unseen blasts that caught Grace off-guard and made her stumble back. With inhuman speed, Mei reached forward and ripped the choker from Grace's neck. Equally fast, she threw it toward me and then turned back to block Grace, who seemed to realize the end was near. I grabbed hold of the necklace with trembling fingers and pulled off the crescent-shaped piece of the seal. I placed it next to Dante's half, unsure what to do, but as soon as they were close enough, they merged together into one whole disc. â€Å"Put it on the box,† said Roman. â€Å"Hurry.† I pressed the seal onto the box's top, and again, it seemed to know what to do, embedding itself in the wood's surface, almost like it melted. And with that, there seemed to be no other option. I opened the lid. The power that blasted out of it knocked both Roman and me backward, and at the same time, I felt a different sort of power snap into my body. The strings that bound my soul to Hell reattached. My immortal essence coursed through me, and with it, I felt all the other abilities Hell had granted me return. I felt strong. Charged. Invincible. My senses tuned back in to the unseen world, and the blast of powerful immortal auras filled the air. And there, in the rain, light and color slowly coalesced out of the box and into a man-shaped form. A few minutes later, it took on a completely human appearance. One that looked like John Cusack. Grace and Mei halted their attack, both staring. Carefully, hesitantly, Mei then took a few steps back. Jerome paid her no attention. He was focused on Grace. â€Å"Oh man,† I said softly. â€Å"You are so fucked.†

Theoretical dimensions involving criminal behavior Research Paper

Theoretical dimensions involving criminal behavior - Research Paper Example Cultural norms are actions and practices that are well-accepted in society, while deviant actions are those that are not acceptable. All forms of crime are considered deviant. It is not acceptable for a person to break into the house of someone else and take everything. It is not acceptable for a person to randomly kill another person. Thus, deviants, most especially, criminals, need to be punished in order for them to be accepted again into society. Theories on Criminal Behavior One of the sociological theories that were applied to criminal behavior was Durkheim’s concept of anomie. Anomie is the mismatch between a person’s (or a group’s) beliefs and that of the majority. When a feeling of anomie exists, then the two groups can not exist in the presence of the other. One has to give way, usually, the smaller group adapting the norms of the larger group. When the smaller group decides to continue going against the norms, then conflict would occur. The concept of anomie was used by Robert King Merton and other sociologists to develop what they refer to as the Strain Theory. The strain theory states that social structures and norms within society may pressure citizens to commit crime. It follows Durkheim’s study of anomie and suicide. He believed that a person commits suicide due to a feeling of insignificance and alienation. Merton used Durkheim’s views to further explain deviance and criminal behavior. ... et of social relationships in which members of the society or group are variously implicated." Anomie, the state of normlessness, arises when there is "an acute disjunction between the cultural norms and goals and the socially structured capacities of members of the group to act in accord with them." (Merton, 1968) Merton then links all the three concepts and believes that discontinuities between culture and structure cause deviance. Source: Wikipedia.org If Merton’s theory would be applied to the social context at present, an example we can use is the common belief that crimes increase in times of economic crisis. People have certain cultural practices, and these practices are supported by the structure (government and economy). Once the structure breaks down, like in an economic crisis, the people would have to adjust their practices. Those who cannot adjust to the new structure, or those who does not want to adjust, tend to do crimes. It’s like a person who steals mo ney from the bank so that he or she can buy food and other basic needs. Robert Agnew further explained Merton’s theory, believing that a theory should not be tied to social class or culture. He popularized the general strain theory, which focused more on an individual’s immediate social environment. He argued that an individual's actual or anticipated failure to achieve positively valued goals, actual or anticipated removal of positively valued behavior, and actual or anticipated presentation of negative behavior all result in strain. For example, if an individual fails to get the kind of attention that he or she expects from others, then that would cause that individual to feel bad about other people. These situations are more common among children, and if this kind of feeling builds up, then