Write an essay on democracy
Paper Topics In When The Emperor Was Divin
Tuesday, August 25, 2020
Market Overview Of The Debt Of Singapore â⬠Myassignmenthelp.Com
Question: Examine About The Market Overview Of The Debt Of Singapore? Answer: Presentation This report has been set up so as to get an away from of the tasks of the obligation advertise in Singapore in the here and now period. Among the worldwide financial decrease, it has been seen that there has been a drop in the obligation issuance comprehensively by 13% in the year 2015. This fall has been higher in the Asian nations where the rate has been around 43% for nearby money issuance and the G3 issuance fell by 13% (Room 2017). However the Asian bonds have considered a to be as a benefit class, which has been a critical outcome. Despite the fact that the drawn out budgetary issue of Asia has not changed as there have been the existent of positive financial possibilities rising white collar class and urbanization, yet sloth development of the economy won't just lessen the section of new obligation firms to expand development yet would even affect the capacity of the organizations to renegotiate their current existent obligation (Agarwal and Qian 2014). The obligation market of Singapore has even confronted the issues that have been talked about as different issues have been raised as for the oil and gas area as for their money related challenges. This paper will accordingly dissect the obligation market of Singapore with the goal that a reasonable thought regarding the obligation market can be comprehended. Examination of the Debt Market Corporate Debt Market In the year 2015, the new corporate obligation issuance got drowsy to SGD 174 billion as the financial perspective for the creating economies weakened and the course for the money related arrangements in the created economies turned out to be progressively unsure. By not bearing the lower new issuance sum, the complete exceptional obligation has an ascent by 2% consistently to reach SGD 315 billion because of a specific measure of developing issues. The extraordinary SGD obligation had reached SGD 140 billion while the non-SGD obligation was esteemed at SGD 175 billion (Room 2017). The budgetary organizations that have been appraised very much continued to assume a noteworthy job in the extension and the improvement of the obligation capital market of Singapore. For instance, the Korea Development Bank had gathered more than SGD 450 billion during the year in Dollars and in SGD and three nearby banks of Singapore gave SGD 12 billion inside and out. The obligation showcase hopes to have improved in the year 2016. During the initial a half year the corporate obligation issuance sum had an ascent by 12% as for the comparable period in 2015. There have been different new improvement openings like the secured securities and green securities that can mean higher assorted variety to the contribution of the item in the market of Singapore (Kalotychou, Remolona and Wu 2014). Guarantors and Issuances Being a worldwide center for fixed pay, the outside and the nearby guarantors can raise the non-SGD and the SGD interest in Singapore. The non-SGD corporate obligation of issuance has been seen as 85% of the general obligation issuance in the year 2015, which has underscored solid worldwide highlights of the corporate obligation market of Singapore. The market of SGD corporate obligation continued to pull in an expanded scope of monetary guarantors in the year 2015. The money organizations comprise of 30% of the issuance sum, which was 19% in the earlier year (Room 2017). The different classes of guarantors incorporate government offices, property corporate, non-corporate segments and so forth. The nearby backers have still remained the significant players in the Singapore advertise. The Land Transport Authority has been seen as the biggest non-money related organization of backer and has assembled by and large SGD 2.5 billion of every 2015. The obligation market of Singapore has still been an alluring territory for the issuances in the outside monetary forms. The Non-SGD obligation issuance has been around 85% of the general obligation issuance, which has been lower than the earlier year. The accessibility of a firm overall base of financial specialists that comprises of the protection and bank organizations and reserve administrators have helped the prerequisite for non-SGD named obligation (Jiang, Phillips and Yu 2015). The re-issuances have kept on being the critical driver for the volume of issuance that adds to over 90% of the general volume in the year 2015. The prior accomplishment of issuance has persuaded numerous corporate firms to give the equivalent in the obligation market of Singapore once more. Concerning the languor in the corporate obligation showcase, the quantity of lady and rehashed backers has diminished in the year 2015. On a total perspective, the general number of issues who were tapping the market in 2015 have been more prominent than the normal in the course of the most recent four years, which uncovers that the economical criticalness of the corporate obligation showcase in distributing the need of subsidizing of the neighborhood associations (Amiraslani et al. 2017). So as to make the issuance progressively vivid and alluring, the Asian backers so as to expand the universal capital in Singapore have revealed that they would present Asian Bond Grant plot in 2017. This plan has the arrangement of growing the base of the backers in the security market of Singapore, which would prompt expansion of assorted variety and broadness of the obligation instruments for the speculation society (Farooq, Ahmed and Saleem 2015). There have been a bigger degree of financial specialists who hail from different speculation profiles have been related in the obligation showcase and every last one of them have contributed fundamentally that have prompted the advancement of the corporate obligation market of Singapore. End The investigation of the obligation market of Singapore has uncovered that the market has been growing fundamentally from the earlier year and the worldwide guarantors have indicated more prominent enthusiasm for putting resources into the obligation advertise. Indeed, even idea the overall obligation showcase has gotten languid during the here and now period, the obligation market of Singapore has been pushing forward concerning the worldwide market. The mediators and the framework has a urgent task to carry out as a successful foundation would pull in the financial specialists in the Singapore showcase. It is foreseen that the Singapore market would improve the coming a long time too. Reference List Agarwal, S. what's more, Qian, W., 2014. Utilization and obligation reaction to unforeseen salary stuns: Evidence from a characteristic analysis in singapore.The American Economic Review,104(12), pp.4205-4230. Amiraslani, H., Lins, K.V., Servaes, H. what's more, Tamayo, A., 2017. A Matter of Trust? The Bond Market Benefits of Corporate Social Capital during the Financial Crisis. Farooq, S., Ahmed, S. what's more, Saleem, K., 2015. Overinvestment, Growth Opportunities and Firm Performance: Evidence from Singapore stock market.Corporate Ownership Control, p.454. Jiang, L., Phillips, P.C. what's more, Yu, J., 2015. New approach for building land value records applied to the Singapore private market.Journal of Banking Finance,61, pp.S121-S131. Kalotychou, E., Remolona, E.M. what's more, Wu, E., 2014. What makes fundamental hazard foundational? infection and overflows in the global sovereign obligation advertise. Room, R. 2017.Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). [online] Mas.gov.sg. Accessible at: https://www.mas.gov.sg [Accessed 12 Aug. 2017].
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Software Requirements Specification Template
Programming Requirements Specification Template CptS 322ââ¬Software Engineering 9 February 2005 The accompanying commented on format will be utilized to finish the Software Requirements Specification (SRS) task of WSU-TC CptS 322. The teacher must favor any alterations to the general structure of this report. Layout Usage: Text contained inside point sections (ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢) will be supplanted by your venture explicit data as well as details.For model, will be supplanted with either ââ¬ËSmart Homeââ¬â¢ or ââ¬ËSensor Networkââ¬â¢. Emphasized content is incorporated to quickly comment on the motivation behind each segment inside this layout. This content ought not show up in the last form of your submitted SRS. This spread page isn't a piece of the last format and ought to be evacuated before your SRS is submitted. Affirmations: Sections of this report depend on the IEEE Guide to Software Requirements Specification (ANSI/IEEE Std. 30-1984). The SRS layouts of Dr. Orest Pilskalns (WSU, Vancover) and Jack Hagemeister (WSU, Pullman) have additionally be utilized as aides in building up this layout for the WSU-TC Spring 2005 CptS 322 course. Programming Requirements Specification Lead Software Engineer Prepared for WSU-TC CptS 322ââ¬Software Engineering Principles I Instructor: A. David McKinnon, Ph. D. Spring 2005 Revision History Date |Description |Author |Comments | | Document Approval The accompanying Software Requirements Specification has been acknowledged and affirmed by the accompanying: |Signature |Printed Name |Title |Date | |Lead Software Eng. | |A.David McKinnon |Instructor, CptS 322 | Table of Contents Revision Historyii Document Approvalii 1. Introduction1 1. 1 Purpose1 1. 2 Scope1 1. 3 Definitions, Acronyms, and Abbreviations1 1. 4 References1 1. 5 Overview1 2. General Description2 2. 1 Product Perspective2 2. 2 Product Functions2 2. 3 User Characteristics2 2. 4 General Constraints2 2. 5 Assumptions and Dependencies2 3. Explicit Requi rements2 3. 1 External Interface Requirements3 3. 1. 1 User Interfaces3 3. 1. 2 Hardware Interfaces3 3. 1. 3 Software Interfaces3 3. 1. 4 Communications Interfaces3 3. 2 Functional Requirements3 3. 2. 1 3. 2. 2 3. 3 Use Cases3 3. 3. 1 Use Case #13 3. 3. 2 Use Case #23 3. Classes/Objects3 3. 4. 1 3. 4. 2 3. 5 Non-Functional Requirements4 3. 5. 1 Performance4 3. 5. 2 Reliability4 3. 5. 3 Availability4 3. 5. 4 Security4 3. 5. 5 Maintainability4 3. 5. 6 Portability4 3. 6 Inverse Requirements4 3. 7 Design Constraints4 3. 8 Logical Database Requirements4 3. 9 Other Requirements4 4. Examination Models4 4. 1 Sequence Diagrams5 4. 3 Data Flow Diagrams (DFD)5 4. 2 State-Transition Diagrams (STD)5 5. Change Management Process5 A. Appendices5 A. 1 Appendix 15 A. 2 Appendix 25 1. Acquaintance The presentation with the Software Requirement Specification (SRS) report ought to give a diagram of the total SRS document.While composing this record please recall that this archive ought to contain the e ntirety of the data required by a product specialist to satisfactorily plan and execute the product item portrayed by the necessities recorded in this report. (Note: the accompanying subsection comments on are to a great extent taken from the IEEE Guide to SRS). 1. 1 Purpose What is the motivation behind this SRS and the (target group) for which it is composed. 1. 2 Scope This subsection should: (1) Identify the product product(s) to be delivered by name; for instance, Host DBMS, Report Generator, and so on (2)Explain what the product product(s) will, and, if fundamental, won't do (3)Describe the use of the product being indicated. As a bit of this, it should: (a) Describe every single significant advantage, destinations, and objectives as accurately as possible.For model, to state that one objective is to give viable revealing abilities isn't in the same class as saying parameter-driven, client determinable reports with a 2 h turnaround and on-line passage of client parameters. (b) Be steady with comparable proclamations in more elevated level details (for instance, the System Requirement Specification) , on the off chance that they exist. What is the extent of this product item. 1. 3 Definitions, Acronyms, and Abbreviations This subsection ought to give the meanings everything being equal, abbreviations, and shortened forms required to appropriately decipher the SRS. This data might be given by reference to at least one appendixes in the SRS or by reference to different archives. 1.4 References This subsection should: (1)Provide a total rundown of all archives referenced somewhere else in the SRS, or in a different, determined report. 2)Identify each archive by title, report number â⬠if pertinent â⬠date, and distributing association. (3)Specify the sources from which the references can be gotten. This data might be given by reference to an addendum or to another archive. 1. 5 Overview This subsection should: (1) Describe what the remainder of the SRS contains (2) Explain how the SRS is sorted out. 2. General Description This segment of the SRS ought to portray the general factors that influence ââ¬Ëthe item and its necessities. It ought to be clarified that this segment doesn't state explicit necessities; it just makes those prerequisites more obvious. 2. 1 Product PerspectiveThis subsection of the SRS places the item into viewpoint with other related items or ventures. (See the IEEE Guide to SRS for additional subtleties). 2. 2 Product Functions This subsection of the SRS ought to give a synopsis of the capacities that the product will perform. 2. 3 User Characteristics This subsection of the SRS ought to depict those general attributes of the possible clients of the item that will influence the particular prerequisites. (See the IEEE Guide to SRS for more details).2. 4 General Constraints This subsection of the SRS ought to give a general portrayal of whatever other things that will restrain the developerââ¬â¢s alternat ives for structuring the framework. See the IEEE Guide to SRS for a halfway rundown of conceivable general imperatives). 2. 5 Assumptions and Dependencies This subsection of the SRS should list every one of the elements that influence the necessities expressed in the SRS. These elements are not plan imperatives on the product yet are, fairly, any progressions to them that can influence the prerequisites in the SRS. For instance, a presumption may be that a particular working framework will be accessible on the equipment assigned for the product item. On the off chance that, actually, the working framework isn't accessible, the SRS would then need to change likewise. 3. Explicit Requirements This will be the biggest and most significant area of the SRS.The client prerequisites will be exemplified inside Section 2, yet this segment will give the D-necessities that are utilized to control the projectââ¬â¢s programming plan, execution, and testing. Every necessity in this area ought to be: â⬠¢ Correct â⬠¢ Traceable (both forward and in reverse to earlier/future antiques) â⬠¢ Unambiguous â⬠¢ Verifiable (I. e. , testable) â⬠¢ Prioritized (concerning significance as well as security) â⬠¢ Complete â⬠¢ Consistent â⬠¢ Uniquely recognizable (typically through numbering like 3. 4. 5. 6) Attention ought to be paid to the carefuly compose the prerequisites introduced in this area so they may effortlessly got to and understood.Furthermore, this SRS isn't the product configuration report, thusly one ought to keep away from the propensity to over-oblige (and accordingly structure) the product venture inside this SRS. 3. Outside Interface Requirements 3. 1. 1 User Interfaces 3. 1. 2 Hardware Interfaces 3. 1. 3 Software Interfaces 3. 1. 4 Communications Interfaces 3. 2 Functional Requirements This area portrays explicit highlights of the product venture. Whenever wanted, a few prerequisites might be determined in the utilization case group and recorded in the Use Cases Section. 3. 2. 1 3. 2. 1. 1 Introduction 3. 2. 1. 2 Inputs 3. 2. 1. 3 Processing 3. 2. 1. 4 Outputs 3. 2. 1. 5 Error Handling 3. 2. 2 â⬠¦ 3. 3 Use Cases 3. 3. 1 Use Case #1 3. 3. 2 Use Case #2 â⬠¦ 3. 4 Classes/Objects 3. 4. 1 3. 4. 1. 1 Attributes 3. 4. 1. 2 Functions 3. 4. 2 â⬠¦ 3. 5 Non-Functional RequirementsNon-practical necessities may exist for the accompanying traits. Regularly these necessities must be accomplished at a framework wide level as opposed to at a unit level. Express the necessities in the accompanying segments in quantifiable terms (e. g. , 95% of exchange will be handled in under a second, framework personal time may not surpass 1 moment for each day, ;gt; multi day MTBF esteem, and so forth). 3. 5. 1 Performance 3. 5. 2 Reliability 3. 5. 3 Availability 3. 5. 4 Security3. 5. 5 Maintainability 3. 5. 6 Portability 3. 6 Inverse Requirements State any *useful* opposite necessities. 3. 7 Design Constraints Specify configuration compels forced by different gauges, organization approaches, equipment restriction, and so forth cap will affect this product venture. 3. 8 Logical Database Requirements Will a database be utilized? Assuming this is the case, what sensible necessities exist for information groups, stockpiling abilities, information maintenance, information honesty, and so forth 3. 9 Other Requirements Catchall segment for any extra necessities. 4. Examination Models List all investigation models utilized in creating explicit necessities recently given in this SRS. Each model ought to incorporate a presentation and an account portrayal. Moreover, each model ought to be recognizable the SRSââ¬â¢s prerequisites. 4. 1 Sequence Diagrams 4. 3 Data Flow Diagrams (DFD) 4. 2 State-Transition Diagrams (STD) 5. Change Management ProcessIdentify and depict the procedure that will be utilized to refresh the SRS, varying, when venture extension or prerequisites change. Who can submit changes and by what means, and by what method will these progressions be endorsed. A. Supplements Appendices might be utilized to give extra (and ideally accommodating) data. In the event that present, the SRS ought to expressly state whether the data contained inside an addendum is to b
Friday, July 31, 2020
Symphony 9, Op. 95 From the New Blog
Symphony 9, Op. 95 âFrom the New Blogâ Reading a seven-month-old issue of People, I discovered this week that Gwen Stefani, in addition to designing a bizarre new line of clothing, has now taken to paying an entourage of four Japanese girls to follow her around as a living fashion accessory. Her inspiration in this endeavor was apparently the girls who hang out in the Harajuku shopping district of Japan and wear funky punk-rocker clothing. It occurred to me that when I am wealthy and powerful (no doubt as a result of my MIT education), rather than buying a huge house or a penthouse apartment or taking lavish and exotic vacations, Im just going to use my fortune to pay people to follow me around and make me look cooler. Id like to dedicate this entry to the 44 people who checked out my blog yesterday even though I havent updated in 6 days; you guys are my American Idols. I also discovered while reading Guns, Germs, and Steel that the QWERTY keyboard that Western Civilization knows and loves so well was actually designed to reduce typing speed. It turns out that on the first typewriters ever invented had a tendency to jam up if adjacent keys were struck rapidly in succession. So, the QWERTY keyboard was created with two goals in mind: a) minimize the number of adjacent keys struck while typing, therefore requiring as much separation of the hands as possible b) slow typing speed to prevent and key breakage at all. To accomplish the latter, designers placed the most common letters on the left of the keyboard, ensuring that right-handed typists would be forced to rely on their weaker hand as much as possible. In the 1930s, when typewriter were more durable, making these initial design specifications obsolete, the typewriter/secretary industry (Big Typewriter) was already powerful enough to resist any change in keyboard layout, even though studies with improved layouts, such as the Dvorak keyboard, showed that the QWERTY keyboard was 95 percent less efficient. So, I decided that itd be a good idea to learn how to use the Dvorak keyboard and thereby increase my efficency 20 times. Plus, I thought I could put it on my resume and then have an amusing anecdote to tell when asked about it at interview. Unfortunately, according to Froogle, Dvorak keyboards normally run in the range of $60, and even a set of overlaying stickers, to convert a normal keyboard to Dvorak, would set me back about $20. Thats just stupid. So, Im hoping that Ill either be able to find one abandoned in a basement when I get back to MIT or that Ben will buy me one to advance the cause of my blogging. Wish me luck! Ill be back at MIT tomorrow night to organize my train-wreck-war-zone-hit-by-a-tornado mess of a room. Oh, and I shudder to think at how fast Mitra would type on a Dvorak.
Friday, May 22, 2020
How to Solve a Redox Reaction Problem
This is a worked example redox reaction problem showing how to calculate volume and concentration of reactants and products using a balanced redox equation. Key Takeaways: Redox Reaction Chemistry Problem A redox reaction is a chemical reaction in which reduction and oxidation occur.The first step in solving any redox reaction is to balance the redox equation. This is a chemical equation that must be balanced for charge as well as mass.Once the redox equation is balanced, use the mole ratio to find the concentration or volume of any reactant or product, provided the volume and concentration of any other reactant or product is known. Quick Redox Review A redox reaction is a type of chemical reaction in which reduction and oxidation occur. Because electrons are transferred between chemical species, ions form. So, to balance a redox reaction requires not only balancing mass (number and type of atoms on each side of the equation), but also charge. In other words, the number of positive and negative electrical charges on both sides of the reaction arrow are the same in a balanced equation. Once the equation is balanced, the mole ratio may be used to determine the volume or concentration of any reactant or product as long as the volume and concentration of any species is known. Redox Reaction Problem Given the following balanced redox equation for the reaction between MnO4- and Fe2 in an acidic solution: MnO4-(aq) 5 Fe2(aq) 8 H(aq) ââ â Mn2(aq) 5 Fe3(aq) 4 H2O Calculate the volume of 0.100 M KMnO4 needed to react with 25.0 cm3 0.100 M Fe2 and the concentration of Fe2 in a solution if you know that 20.0 cm3 of solution reacts with 18.0 cm3 of 0.100 KMnO4. How to Solve Since the redox equation is balanced, 1 mol of MnO4- reacts with 5 mol of Fe2. Using this, we can obtain the number of moles of Fe2: moles Fe2 0.100 mol/L x 0.0250 L moles Fe2 2.50 x 10-3 mol Using this value: moles MnO4- 2.50 x 10-3 mol Fe2 x (1 mol MnO4-/ 5 mol Fe2) moles MnO4- 5.00 x 10-4 mol MnO4- volume of 0.100 M KMnO4 (5.00 x 10-4 mol) / (1.00 x 10-1 mol/L) volume of 0.100 M KMnO4 5.00 x 10-3 L 5.00 cm3 To obtain the concentration of Fe2 asked in the second part of this question, the problem is worked the same way except solving for the unknown iron ion concentration: moles MnO4- 0.100 mol/L x 0.180 L moles MnO4- 1.80 x 10-3 mol moles Fe2 (1.80 x 10-3 mol MnO4-) x (5 mol Fe2 / 1 mol MnO4) moles Fe2 9.00 x 10-3 mol Fe2 concentration Fe2 (9.00 x 10-3 mol Fe2) / (2.00 x 10-2 L) concentration Fe2 0.450 M Tips for Success When solving this type of problem, its important to check your work: Check to make certain the ionic equation is balanced. Make certain the number and type of atoms is the same on both sides of the equation. Make certain the net electrical charge is the same on both sides of the reaction.Be careful to work with the mole ratio between reactants and products and not the gram quantities. You may be asked to provide a final answer in grams. If so, work the problem using moles and then use the molecular mass of the species to convert between units. The molecular mass is the sum of the atomic weights of the elements in a compound. Multiply the atomic weights of atoms by any subscripts following their symbol. Dont multiply by the coefficient in front of the compound in the equation because youve already taken that into account by this point!Be careful to report moles, grams, concentration, etc., using the correct number of significant figures. Sources Schà ¼ring, J., Schulz, H. D., Fischer, W. R., Bà ¶ttcher, J., Duijnisveld, W. H., eds (1999). Redox: Fundamentals, Processes and Applications. Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg ISBN 978-3-540-66528-1.Tratnyek, Paul G.; Grundl, Timothy J.; Haderlein, Stefan B., eds. (2011). Aquatic Redox Chemistry. ACS Symposium Series. 1071. ISBN 9780841226524.
Sunday, May 10, 2020
Anorexia And Bulimi A Psychological Disorder - 773 Words
Health Science Anorexia and Bulimia Written by: Monique Chavez Nadia Jimenez Ashley Lopez Monica C. Every few secondââ¬â¢s people are dying all around the world from diseases and different illnesses. Most of these diseases that are attacking us, involve the destruction of our immune system, but there are others that include attacking our thoughts and mind. Anorexia and Bulimia happen to be one of them that goes much further than just thinking yourself as fat. Itââ¬â¢s a psychological issue that has become increasing over the years, because of the pressure of society. Young women and even men are feeling the need to damage their bodies in order to ââ¬Å"blendâ⬠or ââ¬Å"fitâ⬠in. Letââ¬â¢s begin withâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦The purging can include using laxatives, vomiting, enemas, and exercising excessively, in order to get rid of the calories that were consumed. Again the non-profit organizations separates bulimia into two categories; like anorexia it too has a purging, the second is non-purging (HelpGuide.org). Unfortunately the people who suffer from e ating disorders are the younger crowds of females, who are between the ages of 12-23. Although both sexes may suffer from the disease, it is proven by studies from the UK that ââ¬Å"93% of the women reported having negative thoughtsâ⬠(266). It usually approaches them when they enter high school, because it becomes apparent to them that ââ¬Å"body imageâ⬠is important to media and popular culture. Food and water is one of our main sources of survival. Just as the Sun provides life to the plants, we work exactly the same way with food. Our body depends on the food for energy and its nutrients. Without it our bodies would stop functioning correctly and would work ten times harder in order for us to live our everyday lives. Imagine starving your body and the results of how you would feel and act? It probably wouldnââ¬â¢t feel very good. The results of doing so come with consequences. For example with anorexia, there will always be a dramatic weight loss and yet still f eel fat. They also develop an obsession of counting calories and having a fixation on
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Succubus Revealed Chapter 13 Free Essays
string(34) " began with were pretty standard\." Roman was impossible to live with after that. He refused to tell me any more details, only that Seth needed to undergo hypnosis and that more would be revealed once that happened. ââ¬Å"But donââ¬â¢t you think I should know now?â⬠I demanded, for what felt like the hundredth time the following day. We will write a custom essay sample on Succubus Revealed Chapter 13 or any similar topic only for you Order Now ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t want to influence either of you,â⬠came the response. ââ¬Å"Just in case Iââ¬â¢m wrong.â⬠ââ¬Å"I thought you said youââ¬â¢d figured it out! Youââ¬â¢re saying now that thereââ¬â¢s a chance you might be wrong?â⬠ââ¬Å"Thereââ¬â¢s always a chance,â⬠he said pragmatically. ââ¬Å"But I donââ¬â¢t think Iââ¬â¢m wrong.â⬠And with that infuriating response, there was nothing I could do except wait and speculate. I couldnââ¬â¢t figure out what exactly Roman planned on doing with hypnosis, but at least it seemed relatively safe. I wouldnââ¬â¢t have put it past Roman to say, ââ¬Å"Letââ¬â¢s stage a trap for some demons and use Seth as bait.â⬠There were worse things than being hypnotized into clucking like a chicken, I supposed. It took a number of days to get an answer. The delay came from finding a time when both Seth and Hugh were available. Despite his many formidable skills, hypnosis apparently wasnââ¬â¢t in Romanââ¬â¢s repertoire. It was, however, in Hughââ¬â¢s, which I found kind of surprising. When I asked him about it, he explained that heââ¬â¢d once been at a medical conference, during which participants were required to take a certain number of seminars. Heââ¬â¢d chosen hypnosis because he thought it would be a blow-off class. ââ¬Å"It was actually harder than it seemed,â⬠he remarked. ââ¬Å"I did some more follow-up on it after the conference. Dabbled here and there. Havenââ¬â¢t put it to much use since then, aside from an ill-fated date last year.â⬠ââ¬Å"Are you going to be able to do what Roman needs you to today?â⬠I nodded toward my living room, where Roman was pacing like a caged animal. We were all waiting on Seth to show up, and Roman kept obsessing over small details necessary to create ââ¬Å"the perfect hypnotic environment.â⬠He was constantly adjusting the lighting and moving the recliner. Sometimes heââ¬â¢d put it in the center of the room. Other times, heââ¬â¢d drag it to the side, where there were more shadows. Weââ¬â¢d given up on trying to advise him. He was too irritable and wound up. Hugh frowned, watching Roman. ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t know. What he asked me to do . . . well, itââ¬â¢s pretty basic, as far as technique goes. Itââ¬â¢s what he wants me to do with it thatââ¬â¢s kind of wacky. Iââ¬â¢ve read up on it a little this week, and honestly . . . I donââ¬â¢t know if itââ¬â¢s going to work.â⬠I still didnââ¬â¢t know what ââ¬Å"itâ⬠was and had resigned myself to patience. Seth arrived shortly thereafter, mood bright and optimistic. Andreaââ¬â¢s improvement after Carterââ¬â¢s visit had been remarkable, and it was affecting everyone in the household. I crossed my fingers every day that Hell wouldnââ¬â¢t send someone back to undo what Carter had done. Seth gave me a half hug and kissed me on the lips, a further sign of his good mood since he was usually so reserved in front of others. ââ¬Å"You missed a good time,â⬠he told me. He was wearing a Princess Bride shirt today. ââ¬Å"I took Kendall and the twins Christmas shopping. They got Ian some used copies of The Metamorphosis and Candide.â⬠ââ¬Å"Heââ¬â¢s into those?â⬠I asked. ââ¬Å"I mean, theyââ¬â¢re great books, but I just never thought of them as his thing.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, they arenââ¬â¢t mainstream best sellers ââ¬â like some peopleââ¬â¢s sellout books ââ¬â so heââ¬â¢s into the elitist appeal. He likes to go to coffee shops ââ¬â obscure ones that youââ¬â¢ve never been to, naturally ââ¬â and pretend to read counterculture literature. Heââ¬â¢ll be glad to have the new material.â⬠Sethââ¬â¢s amusement faded as he took in the living room, with all its drawn shades and Roman carefully arranging the recliner (again). Noticing our attention, Roman paused and glanced between the three of us. ââ¬Å"I wasnââ¬â¢t sure what background noise would work best, so I loaded a few different things onto my iPod. Iââ¬â¢ve got ocean waves, wind chimes, and white noise.â⬠Hugh shrugged. ââ¬Å"Makes no difference to me. Iââ¬â¢m not the one being hypnotized.â⬠ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m still not sure I can be hypnotized,â⬠said Seth. ââ¬Å"But if it doesnââ¬â¢t matter . . . hmm, are there seagulls with the ocean waves?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠said Roman. ââ¬Å"Then letââ¬â¢s go white noise.â⬠Roman obligingly started it up, filling the room with what sounded more like faulty radio reception than soothing neutral sounds. ââ¬Å"Maybe you should keep it at a low volume,â⬠I suggested delicately. ââ¬Å"You know, you donââ¬â¢t want it to be so soothing that Seth falls asleep.â⬠Roman looked dubious, but at a nod from Seth, the volume decreased. I might not understand how hypnotizing Seth was going to play into Hellââ¬â¢s greater plans, but so long as Roman believed it was necessary, Seth got to call the shots. Seth gave me a quick hand squeeze and a smile that was meant to be reassuring. He didnââ¬â¢t like immortal affairs but had accepted this crazy venture for me. Following Romanââ¬â¢s direction, Seth settled himself into the recliner and eased it back. Hugh pulled up a stool near Seth, but Roman and I sat on the periphery of the living room. Hypnosis required a minimum of distractions, which we clearly were. Iââ¬â¢d even had to lock the cats up in my bedroom earlier, to make sure Aubrey and Godiva didnââ¬â¢t decide to jump on Sethââ¬â¢s lap mid-session. ââ¬Å"Okay,â⬠said Hugh, after clearing his throat. ââ¬Å"Are you ready?â⬠He took out a small notepad, filled with his illegible writing. It was the most low-tech thing Iââ¬â¢d seen him use in a while. ââ¬Å"Ready as Iââ¬â¢ll ever be,â⬠said Seth. Hugh glanced at Roman and me briefly, perhaps in case we had a last-minute change of heart, and then returned to the notepad. ââ¬Å"Okay, close your eyes and take a deep breath. . . .â⬠I was familiar with some of the basics of hypnosis, and the exercises that Hugh began with were pretty standard. You read "Succubus Revealed Chapter 13" in category "Essay examples" Although Seth had been joking, I too honestly wondered if he could be hypnotized. Part of his nature as a writer was to focus on all the details of the world, making it difficult to hone in on one thing sometimes. Of course, he could also show single-mindedness for his work, and that was the attribute that soon came out. After a few minutes of guided breathing, it became clear that Seth was definitely growing more and more relaxed. I almost thought heââ¬â¢d actually fallen asleep, until Hugh began asking him questions. Seth responded, eyes closed, voice perfectly steady. ââ¬Å"I want you to go back,â⬠said Hugh. ââ¬Å"Back in your memories. Go past your thirties, into your twenties. From there, think about your college years. Then high school.â⬠He allowed a pause. ââ¬Å"Are you thinking about high school?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠said Seth. ââ¬Å"Okay. Go further back in time, back to middle school. Then elementary school. Can you remember a time before then? Before you started school?â⬠There was a slight delay before Seth spoke. Then: ââ¬Å"Yes.â⬠ââ¬Å"What is your earliest memory?â⬠ââ¬Å"In a boat, with my father and Terry. Weââ¬â¢re on a lake.â⬠ââ¬Å"What are they doing?â⬠ââ¬Å"Fishing.â⬠ââ¬Å"What are you doing?â⬠ââ¬Å"Watching. Sometimes I get to help hold a pole. But mostly I just watch.â⬠I felt a knot form in my stomach. I didnââ¬â¢t fully understand Romanââ¬â¢s strategy here, but there was something terribly personal and vulnerable about what we were doing, listening to these memories. Seth rarely spoke of his father, who had passed away when Seth was in his early teens, and it seemed wrong to ââ¬Å"makeâ⬠him do it in this state. ââ¬Å"Go back even further. Can you remember anything before that? Any earlier memories?â⬠asked Hugh. He seemed uneasy, a sharp contrast to Sethââ¬â¢s utter calmness. â⬠No. ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Try,â⬠said Hugh. ââ¬Å"Try to go back further.â⬠ââ¬Å"I . . . Iââ¬â¢m in a kitchen. The kitchen at our first house, in a high chair. My momââ¬â¢s feeding me, and Terryââ¬â¢s walking through the door. He runs to her and hugs her. Heââ¬â¢s been gone all day, and I donââ¬â¢t understand where heââ¬â¢s been.â⬠School, if I had to guess. I tried to put an age on this memory, using what I knew of the age difference between the brothers. How long did kids stay in high chairs? And how young would he have to be to not understand the concept of school? Three? Two? ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s great,â⬠said Hugh. ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s really great. Now keep going even more. Go back to something even earlier.â⬠I frowned, thinking they were kind of pushing it now. I was no expert in human memory, but I thought Iââ¬â¢d once read about how two was the age when memories really began forming. Seth seemed to struggle with this as well, frowning despite his otherwise calm exterior. ââ¬Å"Okay,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢ve got one.â⬠ââ¬Å"Where are you?â⬠said Hugh. ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t know.â⬠ââ¬Å"What do you see?â⬠ââ¬Å"My motherââ¬â¢s face.â⬠ââ¬Å"Anything else?â⬠ââ¬Å"No. Thatââ¬â¢s all I remember of that.â⬠ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s okay,â⬠said Hugh. ââ¬Å"Now find something else before that. Any memory. Any image or sensation.â⬠ââ¬Å"Thereââ¬â¢s nothing,â⬠said Seth. ââ¬Å"Try,â⬠said Hugh, not looking nearly as confident as he sounded. ââ¬Å"It doesnââ¬â¢t matter how vague it is. Anything you can remember. Anything at all.â⬠ââ¬Å"I . . . thereââ¬â¢s nothing,â⬠said Seth, the frown deepening. ââ¬Å"I canââ¬â¢t remember anything before that.â⬠ââ¬Å"Try,â⬠repeated Hugh. ââ¬Å"Go further back.â⬠This was getting ridiculous. I opened my mouth to protest, but Roman caught hold of my arm, silencing me. I glared at him, hoping I could convey all my frustrations at what they were doing to Seth in one look. Roman simply shook his head and mouthed Wait. ââ¬Å"I remember . . . I remember faces. Faces looking at me. Everyoneââ¬â¢s so much bigger than me. But theyââ¬â¢re mostly shadows and light. I canââ¬â¢t see . . . canââ¬â¢t comprehend much detail.â⬠Seth paused. ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s it. Thatââ¬â¢s all there is.â⬠ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re doing good,â⬠said Hugh. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re doing great. Just listen to the sound of my voice, and keep breathing. We need to go back even earlier. What do you remember before that? Before the faces?â⬠ââ¬Å"Nothing,â⬠said Seth. ââ¬Å"Thereââ¬â¢s nothing there. Just blackness.â⬠Roman shifted in his chair, going rigid. He leaned forward, eyes bright and excited. Hugh glanced over questioningly, and Roman gave an eager nod. Swallowing, Hugh turned back to Seth. ââ¬Å"I need you . . . to go past the blackness. Go to the other side of it.â⬠ââ¬Å"I canââ¬â¢t,â⬠said Seth. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s a wall. I canââ¬â¢t cross it.â⬠ââ¬Å"You can,â⬠said Hugh. ââ¬Å"Listen to my voice. Iââ¬â¢m telling you, you can. Push back in your memories, past the memories of this life, to the other side of the blackness. You can do it.â⬠ââ¬Å"I . . . I canââ¬â¢t ââ¬â â⬠Seth cut himself off. For a moment, there was no other sound save the white noise on Romanââ¬â¢s iPod, though it was a wonder I couldnââ¬â¢t hear the pounding of my own heart. The frown that had been intensifying on Sethââ¬â¢s face abruptly smoothed out. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m there.â⬠Hugh shifted awkwardly, disbelief registering on his face. ââ¬Å"You are? What are you doing? Where are you?â⬠ââ¬Å"I . . .â⬠The frown returned, but it was different in nature. It was distress from the memory itself, not the effort. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m bleeding. In an alley.â⬠ââ¬Å"Are you . . . are you Seth Mortensen?â⬠Hughââ¬â¢s voice was a whisper. â⬠No. ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Whatââ¬â¢s your name?â⬠ââ¬Å"Luc.â⬠The frown smoothed again. ââ¬Å"And now Iââ¬â¢m dead.â⬠ââ¬Å"Go back to the alley,â⬠said Hugh, regaining his courage. ââ¬Å"Before you . . . before, um, Luc died. How did it happen? Why were you bleeding?â⬠ââ¬Å"I was stabbed,â⬠said Seth. ââ¬Å"I was trying to defend a woman. A woman I loved. She said we couldnââ¬â¢t be together, but I know she didnââ¬â¢t mean it. Even if she didnââ¬â¢t, I still wouldââ¬â¢ve died for her. I had to protect her.â⬠It was about that point that I stopped breathing. ââ¬Å"Where are you?â⬠Hugh reconsidered his question. ââ¬Å"Do you know the year?â⬠ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s 1942. I live in Paris.â⬠Roman reached across me to a stray catalog on a chair. Producing a pen, he scrawled something on the catalogââ¬â¢s cover and then handed it to Hugh. Hugh read it and then gently placed it on the floor. ââ¬Å"Tell me about the woman,â⬠he said to Seth. ââ¬Å"Whatââ¬â¢s her name?â⬠ââ¬Å"Her name is Suzette.â⬠Someone let out a strangled gasp. Me. I stood up then, and Roman jerked me back down. A million protests sprang to my lips, and he actually had the audacity to clamp a hand over my mouth. He shook his head sharply and hissed in my ear, ââ¬Å"Listen.â⬠Listen? Listen? He had no idea what he was asking. He had no idea what he was hearing. For that matter, I wasnââ¬â¢t sure either. All I knew was that there was no way this could be happening. Much like the night Iââ¬â¢d gotten into bed with Ian, I had the surreal feeling that the only way any of this could be real was if Iââ¬â¢d accidentally stumbled into someone elseââ¬â¢s life. ââ¬Å"Tell me about Suzette,â⬠said Hugh. ââ¬Å"She has blond hair and blue eyes,â⬠said Seth levelly. ââ¬Å"She moves like music, but none of the music I make can compare to her. Sheââ¬â¢s so beautiful . . . but so cruel. Not that I think she means to be. I think she believes sheââ¬â¢s helping.â⬠ââ¬Å"Go back now,â⬠said Hugh. ââ¬Å"Back to your childhood, Seth ââ¬â I mean, Luc. Go back to your earliest memories as Luc. Are you there?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠said Seth. ââ¬Å"What do you see?â⬠ââ¬Å"My motherââ¬â¢s funeral, though I donââ¬â¢t understand it. She was sick.â⬠ââ¬Å"Okay. I need you to go back again, younger and younger, back until you hit more blackness. Can you do that? Can you find it again?â⬠Again, the rest of us held our breath, waiting for Seth to respond. ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠he said. Hugh exhaled. ââ¬Å"Go to the other side of that blackness, back before Luc. You can cross it. You did it before.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes. Iââ¬â¢m there.â⬠ââ¬Å"What is your name now?â⬠ââ¬Å"My name is Etienne. I live in Paris . . . but itââ¬â¢s a different Paris. An earlier Paris. There are no Germans here.â⬠ââ¬Å"What do you do for a living?â⬠ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m an artist. I paint.â⬠ââ¬Å"Is there a woman in your life? Girlfriend? Wife?â⬠ââ¬Å"Thereââ¬â¢s a woman, but sheââ¬â¢s none of those. I pay to be with her. Sheââ¬â¢s a dancer named Josephine.â⬠I began to feel ill. The world was spinning, and I lowered my head, willing everything to settle back to its rightful order. I didnââ¬â¢t need to hear Seth next describe Josephine. I couldââ¬â¢ve done it down to the last curl. ââ¬Å"Do you love her?â⬠Hugh asked Seth. ââ¬Å"Yes. But she doesnââ¬â¢t love me back.â⬠ââ¬Å"What happens to her?â⬠ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t know. I ask her to marry me, but she says she wonââ¬â¢t. That she canââ¬â¢t. She tells me to find someone else, but there is no one else. How can there be?â⬠Hugh had no answer for that, but he had his rhythm now. He kept repeating the pattern, pushing Seth back further and further through impossible memories, always crossing that black wall, always asking Sethââ¬â¢s name and location, where he was, and if there was a woman whoââ¬â¢d broken his heart. ââ¬Å"My name is Robert. I live in Philadelphia, the first of my family born in the New World. We run a newspaper, and I love a woman who works for us. Her name is Abigail, and I think she loves me too . . . but she disappears one night without a word.â⬠ââ¬Å"My name is Niccol. Iââ¬â¢m an artist in Florence. Itââ¬â¢s 1497 . . . and thereââ¬â¢s this woman . . . this amazing woman. Her name is Bianca, but . . . she betrays me.â⬠ââ¬Å"My name is Andrew. Iââ¬â¢m a priest in southern England. Thereââ¬â¢s a woman named Cecily, but I canââ¬â¢t allow myself to love her, not even when the plague takes me. . . .â⬠On and on it went, and with each step Hugh helped Seth take back, part of my heart broke. All of this was impossible. Seth couldnââ¬â¢t have lived all these lives and times he was describing ââ¬â and not just because of the obvious problems of life and death as we knew them. Seth wasnââ¬â¢t just describing his lives. He was describing mine. I had lived every one of these lives that Seth described. I had been Suzette, Josephine, Abigail, Bianca, Cecily . . . They were all identities Iââ¬â¢d assumed, people Iââ¬â¢d become when Hell had transferred me to new places over the centuries. I would reinvent myself, take on a new name, appearance, and vocation. For every one of my identities Seth mentioned, I had lived a dozen more. But the ones he talked about . . . the ones he claimed to know as well, they were the ones that stuck out to me. Because although Iââ¬â¢d had countless lovers, in countless places, there were a handful who had struck some part of my soul, a handful whom I had truly loved, despite the impossibility of our situations. And Seth was touching upon every one of them, checking them off like items on a grocery list. Only, he wasnââ¬â¢t just talking about these men Iââ¬â¢d loved. He was talking about being them. Whereas I had created these lives, he was acting as though heââ¬â¢d been born into them, born as these lovers Iââ¬â¢d had, only to die and be reborn again in some other place with me. . . . It was impossible. It was terrifying. And eventually, it stopped. ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s it,â⬠said Seth at last. ââ¬Å"I canââ¬â¢t go back further.â⬠ââ¬Å"You know you can,â⬠said Hugh. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢ve done it before. Are you at the blackness again?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes . . . but itââ¬â¢s different than before. Itââ¬â¢s not like the others. Itââ¬â¢s more solid. Harder to cross. Impossible to cross.â⬠ââ¬Å"Not impossible,â⬠said Hugh. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢ve already proven that. Cross back to the next life.â⬠ââ¬Å"I canââ¬â¢t.â⬠The thing was, I was beginning to agree with Seth. I didnââ¬â¢t think there was anything else he could go back to, not if he was paralleling my lives. Iââ¬â¢d jumped ahead of him at one point and made some educated guesses on what he would say, and Iââ¬â¢d been right each time. I knew how many great loves Iââ¬â¢d had as a succubus, and there were none left. Before Seth, there had been eight. ââ¬Å"Push through,â⬠urged Hugh. ââ¬Å"I canââ¬â¢t,â⬠said Seth. ââ¬Å"They wonââ¬â¢t let me. Iââ¬â¢m not supposed to remember.â⬠ââ¬Å"Remember what?â⬠ââ¬Å"That life. The first life.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why not?â⬠ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s part of the bargain. My bargain. No, wait. Not mine. Hers, I think. Iââ¬â¢m not supposed to remember her. But how can I not?â⬠It was another of those rhetorical questions, and Hugh looked to Roman and me for help. The imp had been confident there for a while, once the lives began rolling off so easily, but this was something different. Seth wasnââ¬â¢t making a lot of sense, not that this had all been particularly crystal clear so far. Roman made gestures that seemed to be both encouraging and impatient, with a general notion that Hugh should improvise. ââ¬Å"Whoââ¬â¢s this bargain with?â⬠asked Hugh. ââ¬Å"I . . . I donââ¬â¢t know. Theyââ¬â¢re just there, waiting for me in the blackness. After the first life. Iââ¬â¢m supposed to go on to the light, but I canââ¬â¢t. Thereââ¬â¢s something missing. Iââ¬â¢m incomplete. My life has been incomplete . . . but I canââ¬â¢t remember why. . . .â⬠Seth furrowed his brow, straining with the effort of remembering. ââ¬Å"I just know I canââ¬â¢t move on. So they make a bargain.â⬠ââ¬Å"Whatââ¬â¢s the bargain?â⬠ââ¬Å"I canââ¬â¢t remember.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes, you can,â⬠said Hugh, surprisingly gentle. ââ¬Å"You were just talking about it.â⬠ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t remember the details.â⬠ââ¬Å"You said it was about you being incomplete. Something was missing.â⬠ââ¬Å"No . . . someone. My soul mate.â⬠Sethââ¬â¢s breathing, which had been so steady throughout all of this, grew a little shaky. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m supposed to go on with her, into the light. I can feel it. I wasnââ¬â¢t supposed to live that life alone. I wasnââ¬â¢t supposed to go to the light afterward alone. But sheââ¬â¢s not there. Sheââ¬â¢s not anywhere I can get to now. They say theyââ¬â¢ll give me a chance to find her, a chance to find her and remember. They say I can have ten lives to be with her again but that one is used up. Then I have to go with them forever.â⬠ââ¬Å"This life that you canââ¬â¢t remember,â⬠prompted Hugh. ââ¬Å"You said itââ¬â¢s your first life, right? The one thatââ¬â¢s on the other side of this, uh, extra thick wall of blackness? The life they say youââ¬â¢ve already used?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠said Seth. ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s the first. The one Iââ¬â¢m supposed to forget.â⬠ââ¬Å"You can remember it,â⬠said Hugh. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re already remembering parts of it, things you arenââ¬â¢t supposed to. Go to the other side of the blackness, before the bargain, before your death. What do you remember?â⬠ââ¬Å"Nothing.â⬠ââ¬Å"Do you remember a woman? Think about the bargain. The soul mate. Can you remember her?â⬠Sethââ¬â¢s silence stretched into eternity. ââ¬Å"I . . . yes. Kind of. I feel her absence, though I donââ¬â¢t understand it at the time.â⬠ââ¬Å"Have you made it back yet?â⬠asked Hugh. ââ¬Å"To the first life?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes.â⬠ââ¬Å"What is your name?â⬠ââ¬Å"Kyriakos.â⬠ââ¬Å"Do you know where you are? Where you live?â⬠ââ¬Å"I live south of Pafos.â⬠The name meant nothing to Hugh, but it meant everything to me. I began to slowly shake my head, and Roman gripped hold of my arm again. Iââ¬â¢m not sure what he was afraid Iââ¬â¢d do. It seemed to be an all-purpose attempt to keep me from interrupting the nightmare unfolding before me, either with word or movement. He neednââ¬â¢t have worried. The rest of me was frozen. ââ¬Å"Do you know the year?â⬠asked Hugh. ââ¬Å"No,â⬠said Seth. ââ¬Å"What do you do?â⬠Hugh asked. ââ¬Å"Whatââ¬â¢s your job?â⬠ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m a musician. Unofficially. Mostly I work for my father. Heââ¬â¢s a merchant.â⬠ââ¬Å"Is there a woman in your life?â⬠â⬠No. ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"You just said there was. Your soul mate.â⬠Seth considered. ââ¬Å"Yes . . . but sheââ¬â¢s not there. She was, and then she wasnââ¬â¢t.â⬠ââ¬Å"If she was, then you must be able to remember her. Whatââ¬â¢s her name?â⬠He shook his head. ââ¬Å"I canââ¬â¢t. Iââ¬â¢m not supposed to remember her.â⬠ââ¬Å"But you can. Youââ¬â¢re already doing it. Tell me about her.â⬠ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t remember,â⬠said Seth, the faintest touch of frustration in his voice. ââ¬Å"I canââ¬â¢t.â⬠Hugh tried a new tactic. ââ¬Å"How do you feel? How do you feel when you think of her?â⬠ââ¬Å"I feel . . . wonderful. Complete. Happier than I ever believed possible. And yet . . . at the same time, I feel despair. I feel horrible. I want to die.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why? Why do you feel both happiness and despair?â⬠ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t know,â⬠said Seth. ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t remember.â⬠ââ¬Å"You do. You can remember.â⬠ââ¬Å"Roman,â⬠I breathed, finding my voice at last. ââ¬Å"Make this stop.â⬠He only shook his head, eyes riveted on Seth. Romanââ¬â¢s entire body was filled with tension and eagerness, anxiously straining forward for the last pieces of info to fill out the theory heââ¬â¢d put together. ââ¬Å"She . . . I loved her. She was my world. But she betrayed me. She betrayed me and tore my heart out.â⬠ââ¬Å"Her name,â⬠said Hugh, catching some of Romanââ¬â¢s excitement. ââ¬Å"What was her name?â⬠ââ¬Å"I canââ¬â¢t remember,â⬠said Seth, shifting uncomfortably. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s too terrible. They made me forget. I want to forget.â⬠ââ¬Å"But you didnââ¬â¢t,â⬠said Roman, suddenly standing up. ââ¬Å"You didnââ¬â¢t forget it. What is it? What is the womanââ¬â¢s name?â⬠Sethââ¬â¢s eyes flew open, either because of his own inner turmoil or from Roman breaking the trance. Either way, the calm state of relaxation was gone. Raw emotions played over Sethââ¬â¢s features: shock, sorrow, hate. And as he gazed around and reoriented himself to his surroundings, his eyes ââ¬â and all of those dark, terrible feelings ââ¬â focused on me. ââ¬Å"Letha,â⬠he gasped. ââ¬Å"Her name is Letha.â⬠How to cite Succubus Revealed Chapter 13, Essay examples
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf Review
'Mrs. Dalloway' by Virginia Woolf Review Mrs. Dalloway is a complex and compelling modernist novel byà Virginia Woolf. It is a wonderful study of its principal characters. The novel enters into the consciousness of the people it takes as it subjects, creating a powerful, psychologically authentic effect. Although quite rightly numbered amongst the most famed modernist writers - such as Proust,à ââ¬â¹Ã¢â¬â¹Joyce, andà ââ¬â¹Lawrence - Woolf is often considered to be a much gentler artist, lacking the darkness of the male contingent of the movement. With Mrs. Dalloway, though, Woolf created a visceral and unyielding vision of madness and a haunting descent into its depths. Overview Mrs. Dalloway follows a set of characters as they go about their lives on a normal day. The eponymous character, Clarissa Dalloway, does simple things: she buys some flowers, walks in a park, is visited by an old friend and throws a party. She speaks to a man who was once in love with her, and who still believes that she settled by marrying her politician husband. She talks to a female friend with whom she was once in love. Then, in the final pages of the book, she hears about a poor lost soul who threw himself from a doctors window onto a line of railings. Septimus This man is the second character central in Mrs. Dalloway. His name is Septimus Smith. Shell-shocked after his experiences inà ââ¬â¹World War I, he is a so-called madman who hears voices. He was once in love with a fellow soldier named Evansa ghost who haunts him throughout the novel. His infirmity is rooted in his fear and his repression of this forbidden love. Finally, tired of a world that he believes is false and unreal, he commits suicide. The two characters whose experiences form the core of the novel - Clarissa and Septimus - share a number of similarities. In fact, Woolf saw Clarissa and Septimus as more like two different aspects of the same person, and the linkage between the two is emphasized by a series of stylistic repetitions and mirrorings. Unbeknownst to Clarissa and Septimus, their paths cross a number of times throughout the day - just as some of the situations in their lives followed similar paths.Clarissa and Septimus were in love with a person of their own sex, and both repressed their loves because of their social situations. Even as their lives mirror, parallel, and cross - Clarissa and Septimus take different paths in the final moments of the novel. Both are existentially insecure in the worlds they inhabit - one chooses life, while the other commits suicide. A Note on Style of Mrs. Dalloway Woolfs style - she is one of the most foremost proponents of what has become known as stream of consciousness - allows readers into the minds and hearts of her characters. She also incorporates a level of psychological realism that Victorian novels were never able to achieve. The every day is seen in a new light: internal processes are opened up in her prose, memories compete for attention, thoughts arise unprompted, and the deeply significant and the utterly trivial are treated with equal importance. Woolfs prose is also enormously poetic. She has a very special ability to make the ordinary ebb and flow of the mind sing.Mrs. Dalloway is linguistically inventive, but the novel also has an enormous amount to say about its characters. Woolf handles their situations with dignity and respect. As she studies Septimus and his deterioration into madness, we see a portrait that draws considerably from Woolfs own experiences. Woolfs stream of consciousness-style leads us to experience the m adness. We hear the competing voices of sanity and insanity. Woolfs vision of madness does not dismiss Septimus as a person with a biological defect. She treats the consciousness of the madman as something apart, valuable in itself, and something from which the wonderful tapestry of her novel could be woven.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)