Intelligent Satire in Voltaires Candide Essay -- Candide essays

Intelligent Satire in Candide      Ã‚   In the story Candide, Voltaire uses the experiences of the character Candide and dialogue between characters to dispute the theory by other philosophers that "Everything is for the best in this best of all possible worlds" (Voltaire). Voltaire believed that the society that he lived in had many flaws, flaws which are illustrated throughout the story. Voltaire uses satire to take aim at the military, religion, and societies' emphasis of physical beauty, to illustrate that we do not live in the best of all possible worlds.    One institution that Voltaire takes aim at in Candide is the institution of the military. Voltaire attacks of the military using dialogue between Candide and Martin as they speak during their passage along the shores of England. On their journey they witness the execution of an admiral in the English army. Martin explains to Candide that this admiral was executed for not killing enough people in a battle with a rival French admiral. With this statement, Voltaire illustrates that the military has lost its sense of duty, becoming a machine of brutality instead of an institution to protect the lives of citizens. The manner in which the execution is carried out further illustrates the flaws within this particular society. Instead of secretly executing the admiral, the military made the admiral's execution a ceremony for the public. With this chapter of Candide, Voltaire creates a satirical and brutal view of the not only the military, but also of the citizens of England who come to watch . In most societies, citizens are appalled by such behavior, but in this instance the citizens are accepting of these actions and even condone the murder. All of these points are illu... ...splay what he considers to be the best of all possible worlds. In the story of Candide's travel to the land of Eldorado, Voltaire creates his view of a perfect society, one in which people are kind to one another, money and jewels have no real value to be exploited, and where government is honest. This section of Candide is different from all others, essentially the only positive section of Candide's travels. After analyzing the work, it seems as if the story was not written as a fictional work, but rather a commentary on the state of society throughout Europe.    Works Cited and Consulted: Frautschi, R.L. Barron's Simplified Approach to Voltaire: Candide. New York: Barron's Educational Series, Inc., 1968. Lowers, James K, ed. "Cliff Notes on Voltaire's Candide". Lincoln: Cliff Notes, Inc. 1995. Voltaire. Candide. New York: Viking Publishers, 1998.

Creative People Essay -- Analysis, Dahlén

Dahlà ©n (2008) illustrates creative people as being distinguished by five paradoxes. These paradoxes states that: creative people are characterized by a large measure of conventionality and rebelliousness; creative people make extensive use of both divergent and convergent thinking; creative people are characterized by the fact that they have both abundant energy and a great need for relaxation; creative people is the combination of humility and pride; and creative people are to a great extent both introverted and extroverted (Dahlà ©n, 2008). Change and the accompanying uncertainty throw off ones equilibrium, yet it is these fluctuations, disturbances, and imbalances that are the primary sources of creativity. When considering the paradoxes presented by Dahlà ©n (2008) this writer is a creative person. Creativity is an aspect of human personality and a component of human development. This writer is very interested in coming up with new ideas or enhancing processes that are no longer effective. For example, this writer was recently asked by a manager in the organization, to look at ways the reporting process for the division could be enhanced to reduce the amount of time a State has to wait for a final report after an audit has been conducted. The normal timeframes were taking up to 18 months to produce a final audit report. By being a divergent thinker, this writer was able to look at all the factors and individuals involved in the report writing process and connect them to the end product to reduce the timeframe to 184 days. Dahlà ©n (2008) considers only one half of creative thinking as changing one’s thought process, and the other half is trying to combine ideas into creative results (p. 98). Creativity is the driving ... ...igh (Saednejad, 2008). In an educational organization thinking inside the box is the first step to creative thinking. In an educational setting it is critical to teach a child to think inside the box to avoid them from becoming critical of everything they encounter. It is important for children to learn the facts before they form their own opinion. Conclusion In conclusion, creative thinking is important for innovation. Creative thinking in business is widely viewed as a way to solve complex problems for the benefit of the organization. Change and the accompanying uncertainty throw off ones equilibrium, yet it is these fluctuations, disturbances, and imbalances that are the primary sources of creativity. Investment in creativity gives a company considerably more security than, for example, its assets, age, liquidity, growth or financial strategy.

Dr. John Henry doc Holliday :: essays research papers

On August 14, 1851 in Griffin, Georgia, John Henry Holliday was born to Henry Burroughs and Alice Jane Holliday. Their first child, Martha Eleanora, had died on June 12, 1850 at six months of age. When he married Alice Jane McKay on January 8, 1849, Henry Burroughs was a druggist by trade and, later became a wealthy planter, lawyer, and during the War between the States, a Confederate Major. Church records state: "John Henry, infant son of Henry B. and Alice J. Holliday, received the ordinance of baptism on Sunday, March 21, 1852, at the First Presbyterian Church in Griffin." Alice Jane died on September 16, 1866. This was a terrible blow to young John Henry for he and his mother were very close. To compound this loss, his father married Rachel Martin only three months later on December 18, 1886. Shortly after this marriage, the Holliday family moved to Valdosta, Georgia. Major Holliday quickly became one of the town's leading citizens, becoming Mayor, the Secretary of the County Agricultural Society, a Member of the Masonic Lodge, the Secretary of the Confederate Veterans Camp, and the Superintendent of local elections. Because of his family status, John Henry had to choose some sort of profession and he chose dentistry. He enrolled in dental school in 1870 and attended his first lecture session in 1870-1872. Each lecture session lasted a little over three months. He served his required two years apprenticeship under Dr. L.F. Frank. On March 1, 1872, the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery in Philadelphia conferred the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery upon twenty-six men, one of whom was John Henry Holliday. Upon completion of his training and graduation, Dr. Holliday opened an office with a Dr. Arthur C. Ford in Atlanta in 1872. Then, because of the session of the Southern Dental Association, Dr. Arthur C. Ford, D.D.A. was unable to serve patients, until the middle of August. Taking his place was Doc Holliday. John was a good dentist, but shortly after starting his practice, he discovered that he had contracted tuberculosis. Although he consulted a number of doctors, the consensus of all was that he had only months to live. However, they all concurred that he might add a few months to his life if he moved to a dry climate. Following this advice, Doc packed up and headed West. His first stop was in Dallas, Texas, the end of the railroad at the time. Dr. John Henry doc Holliday :: essays research papers On August 14, 1851 in Griffin, Georgia, John Henry Holliday was born to Henry Burroughs and Alice Jane Holliday. Their first child, Martha Eleanora, had died on June 12, 1850 at six months of age. When he married Alice Jane McKay on January 8, 1849, Henry Burroughs was a druggist by trade and, later became a wealthy planter, lawyer, and during the War between the States, a Confederate Major. Church records state: "John Henry, infant son of Henry B. and Alice J. Holliday, received the ordinance of baptism on Sunday, March 21, 1852, at the First Presbyterian Church in Griffin." Alice Jane died on September 16, 1866. This was a terrible blow to young John Henry for he and his mother were very close. To compound this loss, his father married Rachel Martin only three months later on December 18, 1886. Shortly after this marriage, the Holliday family moved to Valdosta, Georgia. Major Holliday quickly became one of the town's leading citizens, becoming Mayor, the Secretary of the County Agricultural Society, a Member of the Masonic Lodge, the Secretary of the Confederate Veterans Camp, and the Superintendent of local elections. Because of his family status, John Henry had to choose some sort of profession and he chose dentistry. He enrolled in dental school in 1870 and attended his first lecture session in 1870-1872. Each lecture session lasted a little over three months. He served his required two years apprenticeship under Dr. L.F. Frank. On March 1, 1872, the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery in Philadelphia conferred the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery upon twenty-six men, one of whom was John Henry Holliday. Upon completion of his training and graduation, Dr. Holliday opened an office with a Dr. Arthur C. Ford in Atlanta in 1872. Then, because of the session of the Southern Dental Association, Dr. Arthur C. Ford, D.D.A. was unable to serve patients, until the middle of August. Taking his place was Doc Holliday. John was a good dentist, but shortly after starting his practice, he discovered that he had contracted tuberculosis. Although he consulted a number of doctors, the consensus of all was that he had only months to live. However, they all concurred that he might add a few months to his life if he moved to a dry climate. Following this advice, Doc packed up and headed West. His first stop was in Dallas, Texas, the end of the railroad at the time.

“Cat in the Rain” by Ernest Hemingway Essay

The story under the title â€Å"Cat in the Rain† was written by Ernest Hemingway, one of the most favourite American novelists, short-story writer and essayist, whose deceptively simple prose style has influenced wide range of writers. So, the story begins with the description of the hotel where two Americans stopped. It was raining, that’s why the couple stayed in and just a cat in the rain attracted the young woman’s attention. She wanted to get the cat inside but failed and was brought another cat. The problem of the story lies very deeply and we are to uncover it. The story is written in one mood which constantly and directly increases. It starts from the beginning where it’s created by a persistent and repeated use of the â€Å"rain† with a number of phrases associating it, such as puddles, deserted square, glistening war monument. Repetition is one of the widely used and favourite stylistic devices of Hemingway. Here he applies it to reveal the relationship of the protagonist to the old hotel owner (she liked †¦ , she liked†¦ ). As the verb â€Å"to like† is not used to characterize relations of the wife to her husband, this contrast is full of the concealed but easily read meaning. Though the cases of repetition in the story may seem a bit obtrusive, their modifications enter into the core of the narration very organically. They carry emotional character, however penetrating the story the deep sorrow becomes evident gradually. We realize that little, as if meaningless, capricious wishes of a young woman reveal the drama of her fate, the absence of comfort in her life, comparable with the cat in the rain. The title of the story anticipates this confrontation and the fact that the cat’s image makes great play twice – just increases the total effect. In fact, the young woman pines for love, for home, for her family. And the purring cat she’d like to have and to stroke is a traditional symbol of home and comfort she lacks so much. She wants warmth, attention, care, joy, happiness; however she is brought the cat – a pitiful substitution of that, what she, a young, beautiful woman needs incredibly. This is the main problem of the novel we tried to uncover. Perhaps the hotel owner didn’t get the reason of her yearnings and took her wish for whim. But dignity, deference and respectfulness of the old man are confronted to egoism and carelessness of George not occasionally. The war monument is also mentioned deliberately. The world George and his wife belong to – is uncomfortable, homeless after-war world, where the fates of young people joined with such hardships and troubles. If to speak about the text itself, it is told in the 3rd person narrative. the description is interlaced with descriptive passages and dialogues of the personages. The author makes extensive use of repetitions to render the story more vivid, convincing, more real and emotional. The author’s style is remarkable for its powerful sweep, brilliant illustrations and deep psychological analysis. Everything he touches seems to reflect the feelings of the heroes. The story reveals the author’s great knowledge of man’s inner world. He penetrates into the subtlest windings of the human heart.

Life After High School Essay

Life after high school is different than the life in high school because it is going to be a lot of responsibilities people have to take care of and it is the biggest part of life to decide what to do in a future. So juniors and seniors should think what they are going to do after graduate from high school and needs to make a plan for their future. Juniors and seniors should know junior and seniors years are very important year. They have a lot of decisions to make and not much time to make them if they didn’t make in time. Their decisions will either make or break their life, and they have to make sure that they make to the best of their ability because there is no turning back. They need to make sure they definitely want to attend college or a year off. They have to make sure that if they are going to attend college they have to have something in mind that they will want to do, to succeed in. Choosing a major can be a very stressful situation so why not sit down and take some time to do it? So they have to be creative, they don’t have to rush, give plenty of time and have to really think what interests them in life. Their major should be something’s they will want to enjoy; something’s that they will be doing for their rest of their life. So juniors and seniors have to think and make plans what they are going to do after graduate from high school. After graduate from high school some students can follow different path. Some people’s plans to attend college and some peoples want to take a year off. According to the Anita Gurian (2001) from New York Times states that â€Å"peoples who are not sure why they’re going to college or what they will do when they get there, taking a year off between high school and college can provide a rich growth experience for the peoples†. If people are planning to go to college they have to know what they want to be and how they plan to get there. They need to know which schools appeals to them and how they are going to pay for their education. According to the Darcy Lyness (2008) â€Å"before selecting the school they have to start asking question themselves about their preference like what are their strength, which learning environment is best for them etc†. Once they have narrowed down their choices they have to make arrangements to visit. According to the Ralph Keyes (2009) â€Å"students should visit when school is in session so they can get a good idea of what life is really like on campus†. Students have to apply on more than one college if they want to go to college because schools are picking from large pool of applicants. They wants to know how well students are and what makes them stand out from everyone else. So they will look at grade point average, SAT scores, class ranks and extracurricular activities. So it is important for students to dedicate time and effort to all these things and they have to choose a career they are interested to do in their future because according to the Anita Gurian (2001) â€Å"75% of students change their majors in the middle or after one year†. At last many people’s wants to be a successful. They don’t want to struggle in life having to worry about the job so peoples decide to go to college to get a better education and find a career job they are interested. Before seniors year ends students needs to make sure what they want to do in the college so they can be focused on that one thing and they should know which college is best for them to get their education for their career job. So before graduate from high school juniors and seniors should know what they are going to do after high schools and need to make plan for their future like going to college or year off and if they are going to college how they are going to pay for their college and choosing the career that interest them.

Racial Ethnic Groups in the United States

Even in 2013 racism and ethic differences are a struggle in the United States. This is mainly due to the fact that unlike fifty years ago when the country was split just black and white, there are now more races involved. Granted, the generations now are much more knowledgeable about the ethic differences, most don’t see any harm in a person judged based on their skin color. However, those who do still find it a problem have taken it to the extreme to let their opinions be known.Take for instance in week five’s reading; the hate that was betrayed against Asian Americans in the radio show where over two dozen Asian Americans were physically injured, thirteen of which had to go to the hospital because their African American classmates decided to fight. However that is not the worst part of that situation. Instead of the security guards and teachers doing something to stop the hate, they let it continue. And this is in every race. Many people in today’s day and age tend to pick more on the Latino groups of America.This is mainly due to the fact that a lot of them are not in the United States legally. Included in these races are people of Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Venezuelan heritage. The main reason for many of these immigrants to come to the United States is to receive a better life. But with this immigration mainly fail to assimilate properly to their local neighborhoods to live the American way. By assimilating in the United States one is able to adopt the cultural traits and/or identity of the host group, Americans, and/or integrate into the primary networks and secondary organizations of the host group.  (Feagin and Feagin)While coming into the country illegally the Latino race automatically puts a bad taste in most American’s mouths because on top of them coming into the country without proper paperwork, they take away jobs that could be used for other Americans simply because Latinos are known for taking a lower pay so that th ey may be paid in cash verses check based on the simple fact that they do not have proper documentation to be working in the United States. According to Milton Gordon, author of the influential Assimilation in American Life, there are many problems with assimilation.This though involved mainly European groups coming into the United States that they were not willing to adjust to the living styles of another country. This being the main problem of immigrants is that they will not forego racial difference to fit into the country. Gordon suggested that this will be the main problem with America in the future. (Page: 31, Racial and Ethnic Relations Census Update, Ninth Edition, 9E by Clairece Booher R Feagin and Joe R. Feagin, Pearson) This of course is not the case with all Latinos though.There are many people of these races that live in the United States legally that are hardworking and want to the properly the American way. These are the kind of people though that end up getting left in the dust because not many realize that some people want to be a part of the country to that extend. These Latin Americans have fully comprehended the concept of acculturation, or cultural assimilation, which is the change of one group’s important cultural patterns to those of the host or dominant group. (Feagin and Feagin) This doesn’t mean though that Latin Americans, or any race, have to give up their entire cultural habits.It simply means that they understand that they came into a different country and they respect the fact that some things culturally are done differently. For instance there were many situations brought up in the video on 60 Minutes regarding the American Canal. Americans see that canal as a water source for their vegetables in the winter, however those from Mexico see it as a dangerous way into the United States. This is of course a problem between the two races because the Americans don’t feel they need to alter the safety  of the cana l so that Mexicans don’t continue to keep drowning in the water in attempts to get into the country illegally.Asian Americans have a huge burden on them just like the Latino races but it’s not as much as being considered â€Å"illegal†. Their pressure is more of an educational outlook. They are expected to excel in school and get great grades at high education at the best colleges. Some of this plays into their benefit though considering the life they will be able to live by better educating themselves. They are pressured with these expectations through their own families though too.For instance it is assumed that if a Caucasian American meets an Asian American while they are at school, such as college, it may be assumed that the Asian American is good at math. It might not be verbally said, but as Americans that is a trait that Asian Americans have always had. This is a trait though that does not , and should not, be given up with trying to fit into the America n way of life. If anything a trait like this only enhances living in America. Take for instance the breakdown of educations in America.Asian-Indian Americans lead the country when it comes to obtaining a Bachelor’s degree from college with 70.1%, Chinese Americans follow with 52. 1%; Filipino Americans 48%, Vietnamese Americans at 27. 8%, Asian-Indian Americans with 70. 1%, and White Americans with 30. 7%. (Page: 338, Racial and Ethnic Relations Census Update, Ninth Edition, 9E by Clairece Booher R Feagin and Joe R. Feagin, Pearson) Even according to Gordon, the transition of Asian Americans into the United States society is a lot easier that other races and it has a lot to do with their ability to want to learn and help not only their culture and people but the society of people in which they surround themselves.According to the research done in the Feagin and Feagin text the amount of Asian students not only applying but getting admitted into college is increasing every yea r. A study shows that in 1979 2. 6 percent of students admitted into Brown University were of Asian descent. In 1993 however, it jumped to 14. 8 percent of the students accepted. Many researchers though such as James Madore of the Christian Science Monitor label Asian Americans as â€Å"model minorities†. However they still have their troubles.For instance the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) argued with U. S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas for his use of the term â€Å"model minority† when describing Asian Americans. Thomas argued that Asian Americans â€Å"transcended the ravages caused even by harsh legal and social discrimination† and should not be beneficiaries of government affirmative action because they are â€Å"overrepresented in key institutions. † (Page339: , Racial and Ethnic Relations Census Update, Ninth Edition, 9E by Clairece Booher R Feagin and Joe R.  Feagin, Pearson)The term â€Å"model minority† can be taken as a good or bad quality as explained in the above paragraphs it is all a matter of who is saying it and in what context they are using the title. But it expresses the fact that Asian Americans still face hard consequences in the United States based on assimilation and acculturation because even though some of their traits from their own heritage are beneficial to Americans, Americans then feel offended that someone is coming into the country trying to take over schools and education.It is hard to be an immigrant in the United States and that is understood by a lot of people in the country. But at the same time Americans want to keep their reputation of living the American dream with excellent jobs and families that love and support each other with the right to stick up for what they believe in and the will to pursue their dreams in whatever they wish. It is the some groups of Americans that have backed down to the immigrants of the country and have been belittled by t hose  assimilating into the United States.It is these Americans that create the hate in the country against entire races verses individuals. It is the lack of education on Americans that plays into part of the frustration of the country. No one notices those trying to do things the correct way but that may be because there are so many immigrants in the country that are illegal and take advantage of the fact that they don’t have to do anything to stay in the country. But this is not â€Å"Living the American Dream†.Immigrants that are taking advantage of any state’s aid, or not agreeing to file proper documentation to become a citizen to receive a paycheck instead of a lower pay but being paid in cash are a huge part of the problem. Taxes play into this just as much. Immigrants to America are not stupid. America taxes everything and everyone is required to pay them. Not everyone does though. Having many other races enter the country in this day and age gives th ose of this generation a clue to what happened many years ago when whites and blacks were ordered to stay separated.There are still parts of the country that blacks are not welcomed and they are discriminated against. It is almost as if no laws were overturned. Today there are still about eleven states in the country without a street dedicated to Martin Luther King Junior, and some states say they do not plan on including that street in the maps anytime soon. With racial issues almost always a battle it is almost near impossible to say that everyone one day will be entirely happy and created equal. The battle between White Americans against Asian Americans against Latino Americans and African Americans seems to be a never ending battle.In his research, Gordon believe that â€Å"the integration of African Americans into the core economy and society is well under way†. (Page 205: , Racial and Ethnic Relations Census Update, Ninth Edition, 9E by Clairece Booher R Feagin and Joe R. Feagin, Pearson)This indicates simply that the full migration of different races, though thought to be fixed many years ago, still has many small details to be drawn out. Every person whom goes to school learns about the horrible way that African Americans were treated before any slavery laws were abolished.It is a part of any history class at an early age. Every child in America should be able to answer simple questions such as what was Jim Crow segregation. Could this be that years down the road history is repeating itself only with another race, which race will it be? Will it be all of them? Will it be illegal immigrants? African Americans though were willing to fight for what they believed they had a right to, they stood up and protected themselves and many dies fighting for what they believe in, which is the exact way that Americans are known to live their lives.That quality in itself is one of the most solid reasons as to why African Americans are treated equally in America now as opposed to having different drinking fountains and bathrooms and having to sit in the back of the bus. Many of the challenges facing African Americans today are more subtle and involve a struggle that is more within the African American community than without. Many of these challenges involve fighting negative stereotypes that were born from hip hop videos or the misuse of power and authority by well-known figures in the African American community.The struggle involves pushing against institutional barriers that have been strengthened by those in favor of maintaining a historical precedent or the status quo. For example, it oftentimes seems easier for city leaders to support the new school district that educates the suburban community rather than funding the struggling inner city schools. And simply because an organization has never had an African American leader, does not mean that it never should.Finally, the struggle involves a continued determination to resist an apathet ic attitude toward the problems in the African American community. In many instances, it is not the opinionated few who determine the overall outcome, but the indifference of the majority who are usually directly affected by the decision that they fail to be a part of. Discrimination is described as the actions carried out by members of dominant groups, or their representatives, that have a differential and harmful effect on member of subordinate racial or ethnic groups.Since times of racial issues the word discrimination can be used for other things also. Many people even in the year 2013 are being discriminated for physical or mental differences too. There is so much hate in the United States yet and many people are not aware of it. Discrimination due to skin tone, physical or mental differences can have long tern effects on a person and often cause, like in the Asian cultures, attempts at suicide. These are actions that can be avoided if people would just educate themselves on th e hate that is still in the world.

Spirit Bound Chapter Nineteen

â€Å"ARE YOU CRAZY?† I ASKED. He gave me the same wordless look he always did when I asked that question. I sighed and tried again. â€Å"A party? That's pushing it, even for you. People just died! Guardians. Priscilla Voda.† Not to mention, people had just come back from the dead. Probably best to leave that part out. â€Å"This isn't the time to get trashed and play beer pong.† I expected Adrian to say that it was always a good time for beer pong, but he remained serious. â€Å"Actually, it's because people died that there's going to be a party. It's not a kegger type. Maybe party's not even the right word. It's a†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He frowned, grasping at words. â€Å"A special event. An elite one.† â€Å"All royal parties are elite ones,† I pointed out. â€Å"Yeah, but not every royal is invited to this. It's the†¦ well, elite of the elite.† That really wasn't helping. â€Å"Adrian–â€Å" â€Å"No, listen.† He made that familiar gesture of his that indicated frustration, running his hand through his hair. â€Å"It's not so much a party as a ceremony. An old, old tradition from†¦ I don't know. Romania, I think. They call it the Death Watch. But it's a way to honor the dead, a secret that's been passed on through the oldest bloodlines.† Flashbacks of a destructive secret society at St. Vladimir's came back to me. â€Å"This isn't some Mana thing, is it?† â€Å"No, I swear. Please, Rose. I'm not all that into it either, but my mom's making me go, and I'd really like it if you were there with me.† Elite and bloodline were warning words to me. â€Å"Will there be other dhampirs there?† â€Å"No.† He then added quickly, â€Å"But I made arrangements for some people you'll approve of to be there. It'll make it better for both of us.† â€Å"Lissa?† I guessed. If ever there was an esteemed bloodline, hers was it. â€Å"Yeah. I just ran into her at the medical center. Her reaction was about like yours.† That made me smile. It also piqued my interest. I wanted to talk to her more about what had happened during her visit to Dimitri and knew she'd been avoiding me because of it. If going to some silly royal ritual or whatever it was could get me to her, then so much the better. â€Å"Who else?† â€Å"People you'll like.† â€Å"Fine. Be mysterious. I'll go to your cult meeting.† That earned me a return smile. â€Å"Hardly a cult, little dhampir. It really is a way to pay last respects to the people killed in that fight.† He reached out and ran a hand along my cheek. â€Å"And I'm glad†¦ God, I'm so glad you weren't one of them. You don't know†¦.† His voice caught, the flippant smile trembling for a moment before stabilizing again. â€Å"You don't know how worried I was. Every minute you were gone, every minute I didn't know what had happened to you†¦ it was agony. And even after I heard you were okay, I kept asking everyone at the medical center what they knew. Had they seen you fight, did you get hurt†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I felt a lump in my throat. I hadn't been able to see Adrian when I'd returned, but I should have sent a message, at least. I squeezed his hand and tried to make a joke of something that really wasn't funny. â€Å"What'd they say? That I was a badass?† â€Å"Yeah, actually. They couldn't stop talking about how amazing you were in battle. Word got back to Aunt Tatiana too about what you did, and even she was impressed.† Whoa. That was a surprise. I started to ask more, but his next words brought me up short. â€Å"I also heard you were yelling at anyone you could to find out about Belikov. And that you were beating down the guardians' doors this morning.† I looked away. â€Å"Oh. Yeah. I†¦ Look, I'm sorry, but I had to–â€Å" â€Å"Hey, hey.† His voice was heavy and earnest. â€Å"Don't apologize. I understand.† I looked up at him. â€Å"You do?† â€Å"Look, it's not like I didn't expect this if he came back.† I glanced back at him hesitantly, studying his serious expression. â€Å"I know. I remember what you said before†¦.† He nodded, then gave me another rueful smile. â€Å"Of course, I didn't actually expect any of this to work. Lissa tried to explain the magic she used†¦ but good God. I don't think I could ever do anything like she did.† â€Å"Do you believe?† I asked. â€Å"Do you believe he's no longer Strigoi?† â€Å"Yeah. Lissa said he's not, and I believe her. And I saw him from a distance out in the sun. But I'm not sure it's a good idea for you to try to see him.† â€Å"That's your jealousy talking.† I had absolutely no right to sound accusing, considering the way my heart was all tangled up over Dimitri. â€Å"Of course it's jealousy,† said Adrian nonchalantly. â€Å"What do you expect? The former love of your life comes back–from the dead, no less. That's not something I'm really excited about. But I don't blame you for feeling confused.† â€Å"I told you before–â€Å" â€Å"I know, I know.† Adrian didn't sound particularly upset. In fact, there was a surprisingly patient tone in his voice. â€Å"I know you said him coming back wouldn't affect things between us. But saying one thing before it happens and then actually having that thing happen are two different things.† â€Å"What are you getting at?† I asked, kind of confused. â€Å"I want you, Rose.† He squeezed my hand more tightly. â€Å"I've always wanted you. I want to be with you. I'd like to be like other guys and say I want to take care of you too, but†¦ well. When it comes down to it, you'd probably be the one taking care of me.† I laughed in spite of myself. â€Å"Some days I think you're in more danger from yourself than anyone else. You smell like cigarettes, you know.† â€Å"Hey, I have never, ever said I was perfect. And you're wrong. You're probably the most dangerous thing in my life.† â€Å"Adrian–â€Å" â€Å"Wait.† With his other hand, he pressed his fingers over my lips. â€Å"Just listen. It'd be stupid for me to think that your old boyfriend coming back isn't going to have any effect on you. So do I like you wanting to see him? No, of course not. That's instinct. But there's more, you know. I do believe that he's a dhampir again. Absolutely. But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"But what?† Adrian's words had me more curious than ever now. â€Å"But just because he isn't a Strigoi doesn't mean it's entirely gone from him. Hold on.† Adrian could see my mouth opening in outrage. â€Å"I'm not saying he's evil or means to be evil or anything like that. But what he went through†¦ It's huge. Epic. We really don't know much about the changing process. What effect did that kind of life have on him? Are there violent parts of him that might suddenly lash out? That's what I'm worried about Rose. I know you. I know you aren't going to be able to help yourself. You'll have to see him and talk to him. But is it safe? That's what no one knows. We don't know anything about this. We don't know if he's dangerous.† Christian had said the same thing to Lissa. I examined Adrian intently. It sounded like a convenient excuse to keep Dimitri and me apart. Yet, I saw truth in those deep green eyes. He meant it. He was nervous about what Dimitri might do. Adrian had also been honest about being jealous, which I had to admire. He hadn't ordered me not to see Dimitri or tried to dictate my behavior. I liked that too. I extended my hand and laced my fingers with Adrian's. â€Å"He's not dangerous. He's†¦ sad. Sad for what he's done. The guilt's killing him.† â€Å"I can imagine. I probably wouldn't forgive myself either if I suddenly realized I'd been brutally killing people for the last four months.† Adrian pulled me to him and kissed the top of my head. â€Å"And for everyone's sake–yes, even his–I really hope he is exactly the way he was. Just be careful, okay?† â€Å"I will,† I said, kissing his cheek. â€Å"Inasmuch as I ever am.† He grinned and released me. â€Å"That's the best I can hope for. For now, I've got to head back to my parents' for a little bit. I'll come back for you at four, okay?† â€Å"Okay. Is there anything I should wear to this secret party?† â€Å"Nice dress clothes are fine.† Something occurred to me. â€Å"If this is so elite and prestigious, how are you going to get a lowly dhampir like me in?† â€Å"With this.† Adrian reached for a bag he'd set down upon entering. He handed it to me. Curiously, I opened the bag and gaped at what I saw. It was a mask, one that just covered the top half of the face around the eyes. It was intricately worked with gold and green leaves and bejeweled flowers. â€Å"A mask?† I exclaimed. â€Å"We're wearing masks to this thing? What is this, Halloween?† He winked. â€Å"See you at four.† We didn't actually put on the masks until we arrived at the Death Watch. As part of the secret nature of it all, Adrian said we didn't want to call any attention to ourselves while going to it. So we walked across the Court's grounds dressed up–I wore the same dress I'd worn to dinner at his parents'–but not getting much more notice than the two of us usually did when we were together. Besides, it was late, and a lot of the Court was getting ready for bed. Our destination surprised me. It was one of the buildings that non-royal Court workers lived in, one that was very near Mia's. Well, I supposed the last place you'd look for a royal party would be at the home of a commoner. Except we didn't go to any of the apartments inside. Once we stepped into the building's lobby, Adrian indicated we should put our masks on. He then took me over to what appeared to be a janitor's closet. It wasn't. Instead, the door opened to a staircase leading down into darkness. I couldn't see the bottom, which put me on high alert. I instinctively wanted to know the details of every situation I entered. Adrian seemed calm and confident as he headed down, so I took it on faith he wasn't leading me to some sacrificial altar. I hated to admit it, but curiosity over this Death Watch thing was temporarily taking my mind off Dimitri. Adrian and I eventually reached another door, and this one had two guards. Both men were Moroi, both masked like Adrian and me. Their postures were stiff and defensive. They said nothing but simply looked at us expectantly. Adrian said a few words that sounded like Romanian, and a moment later, one of the men unlocked the door and gestured us inside. â€Å"Secret password?† I murmured to Adrian as we swept past. â€Å"Passwords, actually. One for you and one for me. Every guest has a unique one.† We stepped into a narrow tunnel lit only by torches embedded in the walls. Their dancing flames cast fanciful shadows as we passed by. From far ahead, the low murmur of conversation reached us. It sounded surprisingly normal, like any conversation you'd hear at a party. Based on Adrian's description, I'd half-expected to hear chanting or drums. I shook my head. â€Å"I knew it. They keep a medieval dungeon under the Court. I'm surprised there aren't chains on the walls.† â€Å"Scared?† Adrian teased, clasping hold of my hand. â€Å"Of this? Hardly. I mean, on the Rose Hathaway Scale of Scariness, this is barely a–â€Å" We emerged out of the hall before I could finish. An expansive room with vaulted ceilings spread out before us, something that boggled my spatially challenged brain as I tried to recall just how far underground we'd gone. Wrought-iron chandeliers holding lit candles hung from the ceiling, casting the same ghostly light the torches had. The walls were made of stone, but it was a very artful, pretty stone: gray with reddish flecks, polished into smooth round pieces. Someone had wanted to keep the Old World dungeon feel but still have the place look stylish. It was a typical line of royal thinking. Fifty or so people were milling around the room, some huddled in groups. Like Adrian and me, they wore formal clothing and half masks. All the masks were different. Some had a floral theme like mine, while others were decorated with animals. Some simply had swirls or geometric designs. Even though the masks only covered half the guests' faces, the sketchy lighting went a long way to obscure any other identifying features. I scrutinized them carefully, hoping I might pick out details that would give someone away. Adrian led me out of the entryway and over toward a corner. As my view of the area expanded, I could see a large fire pit in the middle of the room, embedded in the stone floor. No fire burned in it, but everyone kept well away. For a moment, I had a disorienting flash of deja vu, thinking back to my time in Siberia. I'd been to a type of memorial ceremony there too–though hardly one with masks or passwords–and everyone had sat around a bonfire outdoors. It had been in Dimitri's honor, as all those who had loved him sat and told stories about him. I tried to get a better look at the fire, but Adrian was intent on keeping us behind the bulk of the crowd. â€Å"Don't bring attention to yourself,† he warned. â€Å"I was just looking.† â€Å"Yeah, but anyone who looks too close is going to realize you're the shortest person here. It'd be pretty obvious you're a dhampir. This is elite old blood, remember?† I frowned at him as much as I could through the mask. â€Å"But I thought you said you'd made arrangements for me to be here?† I groaned when he didn't answer. â€Å"Does ‘making arrangements' mean just sneaking me in? If so, those guys were kind of crap security.† Adrian scoffed. â€Å"Hey, we had the right passwords. That's all it takes. I stole–er, borrowed them off my mom's list.† â€Å"Your mom's one of the people who helped organize this?† â€Å"Yup. Her branch of the Tarus family's been deep inside this group for centuries. They apparently had a really big ceremony here after the school attack.† I turned all of this over in my mind, trying to decide how I felt. I hated when people were obsessed with status and appearances, yet it was hard to fault them wanting to honor those who had been killed–particularly when a majority of them had been dhampirs. The Strigoi attack on St. Vladimir's was a memory that would forever haunt me. Before I could ponder much further, a familiar sensation swept me. â€Å"Lissa's here,† I said, looking around. I could feel her nearby but didn't spot her immediately in the sea of masks and shadows. â€Å"There.† She stood apart from some of the others, wearing a rosehued dress and a white and gold mask with swans on it. Through our link, I felt her searching for anyone she knew. I impulsively started to go to her, but Adrian held me back, telling me to wait while he retrieved her. â€Å"What is all this?† she asked when she reached me. â€Å"I figured you'd know,† I told her. â€Å"It's all top secret royal stuff.† â€Å"Too top secret for me,† she said. â€Å"I got my invite from the queen. She told me it was part of my heritage and to keep it to myself, and then Adrian came and said I had to come for your sake.† â€Å"Tatiana invited you directly?† I exclaimed. Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised. Lissa would have hardly needed sneaking in like I did. I figured someone would have made sure she got an invitation, but I'd assumed it had all been Adrian's doing. I glanced around uneasily. â€Å"Is Tatiana here?† â€Å"Likely,† said Adrian, voice annoyingly casual. As usual, his aunt's presence didn't have the same impact on him that it did the rest of us. â€Å"Oh, hey. There's Christian. With the fire mask.† I didn't know how Adrian spotted Christian, aside from the not-so-subtle mask metaphor. With his height and dark hair, Christian easily blended in with the other Moroi around him and had even been chatting with a girl standing nearby, which seemed out of character. â€Å"No way did he get a legit invite,† I said. If any Ozeras had been deemed special enough to come to this, Christian wouldn't have been one of them. â€Å"He didn't,† agreed Adrian, making a small gesture for Christian to join us. â€Å"I gave him one of the passwords I stole from Mom.† I gave Adrian a startled look. â€Å"How many did you steal?† â€Å"Enough to–â€Å" â€Å"Let us come to attention.† A man's booming voice rang out through the room, halting both Adrian's words and Christian's steps. With a grimace, Christian returned to where he'd been standing, cut off from us now on the other side of the room. It looked like I wouldn't have the chance to ask Lissa about Dimitri after all. Without any direction, the others in the room began forming a circle around the fire pit. The room wasn't big enough for us to make a single-layered circle, so I was still able to stay behind other Moroi as I watched the spectacle. Lissa stood by me, but her attention was fixated across from us, on Christian. She was disappointed that he hadn't been able to join us. â€Å"Tonight we come to honor the spirits of those who died fighting the great evil that has plagued us for so long.† This was the same man who had called us to attention. The black mask he wore glittered with silver swirls. He wasn't anyone special that I recognized. It was probably safe to assume that he was someone from an important bloodline who happened to have a good voice for bringing people together. Adrian confirmed it. â€Å"That's Anthony Badica. They always recruit him as an emcee.† Anthony seemed more like a religious leader than an emcee right now, but I didn't want to answer back and attract anyone's notice. â€Å"Tonight we honor them,† continued Anthony. I flinched as almost everyone around us repeated those words. Lissa and I exchanged startled looks. Apparently, there was a script we hadn't been told about. â€Å"Their lives were taken from us too soon,† continued Anthony. â€Å"Tonight we honor them.† Okay, this script might not be so hard to follow after all. Anthony kept talking about how terrible the tragedy was, and we repeated the same response. The whole idea of this Death Watch still weirded me out, but Lissa's sadness permeated the bond and began to affect me too. Priscilla had always been good to her–and polite to me. Grant might have only been Lissa's guardian a short time, but he had protected her and helped her. In fact, if not for Grant's work with Lissa, Dimitri might still be a Strigoi. So, slowly, the gravity of it all began to hit me, and even if I thought there were better ways to mourn, I appreciated the acknowledgment the dead were getting. After a few more refrains, Anthony gestured someone forward. A woman in a glittering emerald mask came forward with a torch. Adrian shifted beside me. â€Å"My darling mother,† he murmured. Sure enough. Now that he'd pointed it out, I could clearly make out Daniella's features. She tossed her torch into the fire pit, and it lit up like the Fourth of July. Someone must have doused that wood with either gasoline or Russian vodka. Maybe both. No wonder the other guests had kept their distance. Daniella melted into the crowd, and another woman came forward holding a tray with golden goblets. Walking around the circle, she handed a cup to each person. When she ran out, another woman appeared with a tray. As the goblets were distributed, Anthony explained, â€Å"Now we will toast and drink to the dead, so that their spirits will move on and find peace.† I shifted uncomfortably. People talked about restless spirits and the dead finding peace without really knowing what that meant. Being shadow-kissed came with the ability to see the restless dead, and it had taken me a long time to gain control so that I didn't see them. They were always around me; I had to work to keep them blocked out. I wondered what I'd see now if I let down my walls. Would the ghosts of those killed the night of Dimitri's attack be hovering around us? Adrian sniffed his cup as soon as he got it and scowled. For a moment, I felt panic until I sniffed mine too. â€Å"Wine. Thank God,† I whispered to him. â€Å"From your face, I thought it was blood.† I recalled how much he hated blood that wasn't straight from the source. â€Å"Nah,† he murmured back. â€Å"Just a bad vintage.† When everyone had their wine, Anthony raised his cup over his head with both hands. With the fire behind him, it gave him an almost sinister, otherworldly look. â€Å"We drink to Priscilla Voda,† he said. â€Å"We drink to Priscilla Voda,† everyone repeated. He brought the goblet down and took a sip. So did everyone else–well, except for Adrian. He gulped half his down, bad vintage or not. Anthony raised his cup over his head again. â€Å"We drink to James Wilket.† As I repeated the words, I realized James Wilket was one of Priscilla's guardians. This crazy group of royals really was showing respect to dhampirs. We went through the other guardians one by one, but I kept my sips small, wanting to keep a level head tonight. I was pretty sure that by the end of the name list, Adrian was faking his sips because he'd run out. When Anthony finished naming all who had died, he held his cup up again and approached the blazing fire, which had begun to make the small room uncomfortably hot. The back of my dress was growing damp with sweat. â€Å"To all those lost by the great evil, we honor your spirits and hope they will move on in peace to the next world.† He then dumped the remainder of his wine into the flames. All this talk of spirits lingering in the world certainly didn't go along with the usual Christian afterlife beliefs that dominated Moroi religion. It made me wonder just how old this ceremony really was. Once more, I had an urge to drop my barriers and see if any of this had really drawn ghosts to us, but I feared what I'd find. Besides, I promptly got distracted when everyone else in the circle began dumping their wine into the fire as well. One by one, going clockwise, each person approached. All was silent as this happened, save for the crackling in the fire pit and shifting of logs. Everyone watched respectfully. When my turn came, I fought hard not to tremble. I hadn't forgotten that Adrian had sneaked me in here. Lowly Moroi weren't allowed, let alone dhampirs. What would they do? Declare the space violated? Mob me? Cast me into the fire? My fears proved unfounded. No one said or did anything unusual as I poured out my wine, and a moment later, Adrian stepped forward for his turn. I melted back beside Lissa. When the entire circle had gone up, we were led into a moment of silence for the departed. Having witnessed Lissa's kidnapping and subsequent rescue, I had a lot of dead to ponder. No amount of silence would ever do them justice. Another unspoken signal seemed to pass through the room. The circle dispersed, and the tension lifted. People again fell into small chatty groups, just like at any other party, though I did see tears on the faces of some. â€Å"A lot of people must have liked Priscilla,† I observed. Adrian turned toward a table that had mysteriously been arranged during the ceremony. It sat against the back wall and was filled with fruit, cheese, and more wine. Naturally, he poured a glass. â€Å"They aren't all crying for her,† he said. â€Å"I find it hard to believe they're crying for the dhampirs,† I pointed out. â€Å"No one here even knew them.† â€Å"Not true,† he said. Lissa quickly caught his meaning. â€Å"Most of the people who went on the rescue would have been guardians assigned to Moroi. They couldn't all be Court guardians.† She was right, I realized. We'd had too many people with us at the warehouse. Many of these Moroi had undoubtedly lost guardians that they'd become close to. Despite the disdain I often had for these types of royals, I knew some had probably formed legitimate friendships with and attachments to their bodyguards. â€Å"This is a lame party,† a voice suddenly said. We turned and saw that Christian had finally made his way over to us. â€Å"I couldn't tell if we were supposed to be having a funeral or summoning the devil. It was kind of a half-assed attempt at both.† â€Å"Stop it,† I said, surprising myself. â€Å"Those people died for you last night. Whatever this is, it's still out of respect for them.† Christian's face grew sober. â€Å"You're right.† Beside me, I'd felt Lissa light up inside when she saw him. The horrors of their ordeal had brought them closer together, and I recalled the tenderness they'd shared on the ride back. She offered him a warm look and got a tentative smile in return. Maybe some good would come of all that had happened. Maybe they'd be able to fix their problems. Or maybe not. Adrian broke into a grin. â€Å"Hey. Glad you could make it.† For a moment, I thought he was speaking to Christian. Then I looked and saw a girl in a peacock mask had joined us. With the mingling people and masks, I hadn't noticed that she was purposely standing near us. I peered at her, seeing only blue eyes and golden curls before I finally recognized her. Mia. â€Å"What are you doing here?† I asked. She grinned. â€Å"Adrian got me a password.† â€Å"Adrian apparently got passwords for half the party.† He seemed very pleased with himself. â€Å"See?† he said, smiling at me. â€Å"I told you I'd make this worth your while. The whole gang's here. Nearly.† â€Å"This is one of the weirdest things I've ever seen,† said Mia, glancing around. â€Å"I don't see why it has to be a secret that the people who got killed were heroes. Why can't they wait for the group funeral?† Adrian shrugged. â€Å"I told you, this is an ancient ceremony. It's a holdover from the Old Country, and these people think it's important. From what I know, it used to be a lot more elaborate. This is the modernized version.† It occurred to me then that Lissa hadn't said a single word since we'd noticed Christian had come with Mia. I opened myself to the bond, feeling a flood of jealousy and resentment. I still maintained Mia was one of the last people Christian would be involved with. (Okay, it was hard for me to imagine him involved with anyone. His getting together with Lissa had been monumental.) Lissa couldn't see that, though. All she saw was him continually hanging out with other girls. As our conversation continued, Lissa's attitude grew frostier, and the friendly looks he'd been giving her began to fade. â€Å"So is it true?† Mia asked, oblivious to the drama unfolding around her. â€Å"Is Dimitri really†¦ back?† Lissa and I exchanged glances. â€Å"Yes,† I said firmly. â€Å"He's a dhampir, but no one believes it yet. Because they're idiots.† â€Å"It just happened, little dhampir.† Adrian's tone was gentle, though the topic clearly made him uncomfortable too. â€Å"You can't expect everyone to get on board with it right away.† â€Å"But they are idiots,† said Lissa fiercely. â€Å"Anyone who talks to him can tell he's not a Strigoi. I'm pushing for them to let him out of his cell so that people can actually see for themselves.† I wished she would push a little harder for me to get to see him, but now wasn't the time to talk about that. Eyeing the room, I wondered if some people would have trouble accepting Dimitri because of his role in the deaths of their loved ones. He hadn't been in control of himself, but that wasn't enough to bring back the dead. Still uncomfortable around Christian, Lissa was growing restless. She also wanted to leave and check on Dimitri. â€Å"How long do we have to stay here? Is there more to–â€Å" â€Å"Who the hell are you?† Our little cluster turned as one and found Anthony standing by us. Considering most of us were here illicitly, he could have been speaking to anyone. But, based on where his gaze was fixed, there was no question who he meant. He was talking to me.