Comparing poems Nothings changed Essay Example for Free

Comparing poems Nothings changed Essay The Poem nothings changed is based on Tatamkhulu Afrika himself who spent many years in South Africa and his autobiographical poem which describes most of what him and others had experienced and his own feelings expressed during the policy of Apartheid, introduced by the government in his country. This forced many popular attractions such as beaches, buses and even towns to be changed to white areas only. For some this meant leaving the country forever all just because of the colour of there skin. The poem itself is set out in six stanzas, each including eight fairly short but important lines. This kind of layout and structure in the poem creates a sense of control, showing how the poet is extremely clear about what he is saying and feeling in his head with no sudden actions leading to rage. Within the pattern of the poem the line lengths do also vary from a whole entire stanza to just two little words. For example: District Six. No board says it is: but my feet know, and my hands, and the skin about my bones, and the soft labouring of my lungs,and the hot, white, inwards turning. This shows how the structure of the strong poem changes in the stanzas, gradually getting bigger sentences as the stanza speaks on, giving a feeling of confidence in the poet proving he knows what he is talking about with all the information gathering. The whole poem is written in the present tense, although always recalling past experience he had the poet is constantly reliving the experience as he writes every word. This makes this poem in particular stand out from what were they like? due to the fact it is easy to identify what is going on. The poet also clearly states how he is feeling and what he is exactly doing as he writes, describing every little detail by putting us in his shoes. The poem overall describes how he returns to the wasteland that was once his home and relives the anger he felt when the area was first destroyed. With him seeing the restaurant Which consists of being expensive, stylish, exclusive with a guard at the gatepost it makes him think about the poverty around it especially the working mans cafi across from it were people live without eating from plates and on a plastic table top. This makes him reflect that despite the changing political situation, there are still huge inequalities between blacks and whites. Even though South Africa is supposed to have changed, he knows the new restaurant is really whites only. He feels that nothing has really changed overall. The deep anger he feels makes him want to destroy the restaurant completely to smash the glass with a stone, or a bomb. Secondly the poem what were they like written by Denise Levertov who wrote poems that opposed American fighting in Vietnam in the 1960s. This particular poem is against the typical American ignorance of the Vietnam war. She published the poem to show her true feelings about what the American army themselves had done to the people and the way of life of Vietnam. The structure of the poem is like an interview, having the interviewer or questioner ask all the questions together and then the speaker answer each question after one another. Altogether there are six questions followed by six very surprising answers. Also at the end of the poem the answers are followed by a rhetorical question who can say? This makes the reader think in there head about the answer and shows the unusual treatment Vietnam received by the American army. In the poem itself she compares two different periods, before and after the war had ended showing the interesting experiences people were put in and what she wants answered for. The tone in the first section of the poem includes a thought on curiosity and full of wonder and also could be considered as being questions which are asked quickly and impatiently as when reading them you want to get to the answers straight away. Also the tone of the questioner may seem to be angry and a state of foolishness and insensitivity, yet still having a sense of sadness because of the loss of such an innocent country and the people who lived there during this hectic time. The questioner themselves represent the uninformed Americans and the response being Denise Levertov giving the impression that the questioner should have known more about Vietnam. The responses to the questions seem rather bitter and brutal to the suffering people as when read seem honest and quickly spoken in your head which is what the poet is trying to get at to show the emotion of which happened during the war itself. Overall both poems include some similar qualities, both being completely true and poets experiencing the lives lived out there. Yet nothings changed is describing the life long change of the country since introducing the law of Apartheid in the 1960s and how the country is still living with it, and overcoming the stress and changes the country had to make to change the lives of black and white people which is something of anger and hatred. This is shown by a personal experience form living in the country and visiting local areas and recording the atmosphere of the place. This anger can also be shown in what were they like although this particular poet may have had experience from Vietnam she was not there to see it and includes in her poem questions referring to the fact she wants answers to what has happened in the past war against America. This shows the poems are different one including life experience on unfair laws made and the other just wanted answers on what she believes what happened in the Vietnam war is completely wrong.

Investigate the use of internet activities Essay Example for Free

Investigate the use of internet activities Essay ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This research study will neither be possible nor successful without the enduing support of trusted people in the lives of the researchers. We thank them with all our hearts and tears. The researchers would like to thank our thesis advisers Dr. Lita S. Sagun and Professor Melanie Pacho, for their patience and concerns in the accomplishment of this research paper. Also, the researchers extend a sincerest gratitude to Dean Orlando M. Cabigting, Jr. for his warm support in our data gathering, as well as Engr. Michael V. Benavidez and Prof. Albert A. Vinluan for making it possible. To the panel members, ______________________, _____________________, ______________________ for spending their time to share ideas and suggestions through the development of our paper. To our family and friends, who serve as our inspirations in doing our best to improve ourselves and our thesis as well. We thank them in showing full support and understanding to strengthen our hopes to finish this study. And of course, the most trusted of all, the Almighty God, for the blessings, guidance, knowledge and wisdom that He shared to give us enough perseverance and courage to go beyond success. APPROVAL SHEET The thesis paper hereto entitled INTERNET ACTIVITIES AND SLEEP DEPRIVATION, prepared and presented by MARY ROSE M. LEYSON, LES PAUL C. BUSTAMANTE, LEONY B. BOLAÑOS AND APRIL ROSE C. BILLONES, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Psychology is hereby examined for acceptance and approval. _______________________ Thesis Adviser Approved by the Committee on Oral Examination with a grade of _______ on 14th day of September, 2013. ____________________________________________ Member Member ______________________ Member Accepted as partial fulfilment of the requirement needed in Psychological Thesis Writing for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Dr. LITA S. SAGUN Head, Psychology Program Dr. ORLANDO M. CABIGTING, Jr. Dean, College of Arts and Sciences ABSTRACT Title: Internet Activities and Sleep Deprivation Researchers: Mary Rose M. Leyson, Les Paul C. Bustamante, Leony B. Bolaà ±os, April Rose C. Billones Adviser: Dr. Lita S. Sagun Date: 2012-2013 The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of internet activities that may affect the sleeping hours of a person or else cause of sleep deprivation. The research aims to provide some possible solutions to utilize the cause of sleep deprivation. It is also conducted to the beneficiaries of the study including the students, parents, teachers and future researchers. In order to gather data and information, researchers used the descriptive method through the use of instruments such as survey questionnaires and interview. The interview is conducted to a sleep specialist, Dr. Instrella of Capitol Medical Center to further understand about sleep deprivation. Survey questionnaires are administered to Computer Science students of New Era University as the respondents of the study. For data presentation, statistical treatments are percentage and weighted mean. Researchers also used the Epworth Sleepiness Scale to determine the sleepiness of the respondents after using the internet. Researchers’ objective is to give awareness for the possible cause and effect of sleep deprivation to the students in using internet so as to be the starting point of letting this usual thing to us. This study provides information to the parents and teachers about the risk of having sleep deprivation amongst students. This study was conducted at New Era University in Computer Science Department with 207 respondents. Through random selection, there are 126 male respondents and 81 female respondents. According to age, there are 49 participants in 15-16, 83 participants in 17-18, 57 participants among age 19-20, and 18 participants from age 21 and above. The study found out that male respondents are more likely to have sleep deprivation if they continue not to control their time facing the internet every night than female respondents. Based on the results, researchers recommend limiting the time of using the internet, have a time-management, use of library books or any printed material for doing assignments and also provide a comfortable room to sleep with. TABLE OF CONTENTS Title pagei Dedication.ii Acknowledgement..iii Approval Sheet.iv Abstract..v Table of Contents..vii CHAPTER 1. The Problem and Its Background1 Statement of the Problem4 Assumptions5 Significance of the Study..6 Scope and Delimitation 7 Definition of Terms.7 2. Review of Related Literature..12 Theoretical Framework..23 Conceptual Framework.26 3. Research Methodology.28 Research Design .28 Respondents..28 Research

Assessing And Solving Ethical Dilemmas Philosophy Essay

Assessing And Solving Ethical Dilemmas Philosophy Essay Honesty is the cornerstone of character. The honest man or woman seeks not merely to avoid criminal or illegal acts , but to be scrupulously fair, upright, fearless in both action and expression .Honesty pays dividends both in dollars and in peace of mind. B.C Forbes What are Ethical dilemmas Ethical dilemmas occur generally when a person is made to choose between two or more alternatives and all of them seem right from different perspectives. Such dilemmas have a very blurred line between right and wrong thus complicating the decision making process for a person. Sometimes its not even a question of right or wrong but which of the alternatives is more viable. Decision is further made difficult by the varying amount of impact of each decision on the profitability, share price, market share, competitiveness, relations and various other factors. For e.g. should wealthier person be forced to pay more taxes for poor people in the society. Why ethical dilemmas exist For any organization, its difficult to maintain harmony as opinions of individuals vary, stakes are high and emotions run strong. This may give rise to ethical issues which in turn can become ethical dilemmas, also known as ethical paradox. Let us first try to understand as to how ethics can be maintained in an organization as well as individual: Justice It talks about rights and laws, rules and regulations, fairness etc. The good thing about it is that it accentuates on equality and believes in providing justice to all irrespective of any cast, creed etc. This helps in establishing ethical standards and the enforcement may cause people or organization to abide by the law and remain ethical. Care Nothing can beat positive organizational climate and the value for each others feelings. Strong personal connections and trust over each other may make ethical decisions simpler by simplifying the lines between good and bad. Power Sometimes power and influence and the resultant fear to abide by the rules and regulations keep people on track. If the autocratic behavior of a leader denounces unethical steps then it makes his/her followers also to choose the correct path guided by him. Community These days we find the topic of Corporate Social Responsibility being taken up very seriously by the organizations. To keep themselves in the good books of community, the firms have started acting in the welfare of community which itself closes some unethical measures by company. Profession One cant deny clashes between personal and professional codes. Both the employee and employer should be careful in choosing each other else it will lead to lot of unrest and instability to both the parties. Differences and issues related to work work give rise to conflicts. The differences can come from various factors like working style, personal differences etc but if the difference is due to an ethical clash, then it can have serious repercussions. The following diagram shows us that an individual does have ethical issues with the organization on whole or with the team due to which he may not be able to deliver his 100% best in the work he undertakes. How to resolve ethical dilemmas As such there are no fixed rules to decide what is to be followed in case of ethical dilemmas. As stated earlier its not just about right or wrong decisions but taking a decision which one feels is more appropriate in a given context. However there are some methods suggested by various people in the field of business ethics for deciding which better decision to be chosen by an organization or individual under given circumstances. For e.g. Organizations and individuals can choose to follow many of the suggested ethical theories for moving ahead with their decisions. But the most useful and most effective method of choosing an ethical decision seems to be finding a similar example of ethical dilemma in past with any other individual or organization. Analyzing the actions, the reasons for actions the consequences of those actions which took in the past gives us a very good idea about the direction in which a person should proceed in case of ethical dilemmas. Therefore before deciding o n any plan of action a person must analyze all the possible consequences of the act and must check for how are the actions in line with the moral values and principles governing the organization or individual. Few of the right consequences by taking right decision can be: Substantially improve society. Help maintaining a moral course in turbulent times Cultivate strong teamwork and productivity Support employee growth and meaning An insurance policy they help ensure that policies are legal Promote a strong public image Ethical dilemmas from Hindu epics In this part of the project we would describe the various ethical dilemma situations from the Hindu epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana. The situations described are very much character centric and hence each situation would be described in context of the character. But these situations from these epics can very clearly be seen even in present conditions across the world at individual level, family level, organization level or country level. Following are the characters and their ethical dilemma situations from epics : Bhishma : Bhishma also known as Gangaputra, meaning the son of Ganges (the holy river). The context of ethical dilemma being mentioned here with Bhishma is about his fighting the war of Mahabharata from the side of Kauravas while he always wanted the victory of his opponents Pandavas. This ethical dilemma shows how even a very powerful and highly knowledgeable person like Bhishma do fall in the ethical dilemma trap and are not able to make out clearly that which of the decisions are better to go with. Lets analyze the ethical dilemma of Bhishma on following criteria. Why such a dilemma happened Bhishma was an obedient son. He during the reign of his father, Shantanu took a pledge that he will always abide by the orders of the king. He also pledged that he will never marry and wont ever become the king himself. So at the time of Mahabharata war he was in dilemma because he was binded by his pledge towards following the orders of king and hence to fight the war from the side of Kauravas but at the same time he knew very well that objective of Kauravas for the war was not good. He knew that Pandavas are the true people for owning the throne of Hastinapur. He was actually confused between whether it is right to break his earlier pledge of obedience for what he considered right or to blindly follow his pledge. This is a perfect example of a manager in present condition who is trapped in a quandary to follow or refuse the decision by top management if he finds them in conflict with his own ethics though following them might pave way for his lucrative career. Consequences of Decision As per his decision of fighting for Kauravas against Pandavas, finally Bhishma lost the fight with Arjuna and died after the war was over. During his last moments he mentioned that it was a mistake on his part to consider himself above the nation or taking the side of an army which was not fighting for good reason. Conclusion By analyzing the character of Bhishma , we can conclude that though his intentions for serving his king were good but he made a mistake by blindly following it without reflecting on his decisions from time to time. He should have realized that welfare of the kingdom is an insurmountable purpose in priority and his personal decisions shouldnt defeat it. This lesson can be implemented in present scenario when an individual feels obliged on joining an organization and stops thinking if the organization is leading in the right path. He has to rationally figure out if the managerial decisions: legitimizes managerial actions strengthens the coherence and balance of the organizations culture improves trust in relationships between individuals and groups Supports greater consistency in standards and qualities of products/services. Cultivates greater sensitivity to the impact of the enterprises values and messages. An analogy with Corporate real life case Hyundai Chairperson went to jail for embezzlement and breach of trust Problem: In late April 2006, Hyundai Motor Company chairman, Chung Mong-koo was arrested. This example would show us that the society interest prevails over individuals interest. Problem Details: The following month he was accused on charges of breach of trust, embezzling company funds, and causing damage to companies in the Hyundai group. Consequences: In April 2006, the directors of Hyundai apologized to the public and said the Chung family would donate assets worth Won 1 trillion to society. In June 2006, Chung appeared in court and admitted his guilt to a certain extent Karna : Eldest of the Pandava brothers, but not known to any of his brothers. Loyal friend of Duryodhana. Ethical dilemma of karna has been analyzed on following basis : Why such a dilemma happened Karna was son of Kunti (Mother of pandavas). He was born before kuntis marriage and hence because of fear of social repubation, kunti floated the child in the river. Karna was brought up by Adhirath, the chariot driver of king. Karna was supported by Duryodhan when he was not accepted by anyone else. Duryodhana made him king of Ängdesh. All these benefits by Duryodhan made karna indebted to him. For rest of his life karna promised to be loyal to Duryodhan in return of all these benefits. Here again we can see that an issue of loyalty against moral values of karna coming into play. This is because karna was always aware of what is morally right and what is morally incorrect but because of his loyalty to Duryodhana he decided to remain loyal in place of being morally correct in his own eyes. Consequences of Decision As a consequence of his decision to remain loyal to a person (Duryodhan) instead of being moral or doing what is in benefit of larger people, Karna fought in the Mahabharata war from side of Kauravas. He was finally killed by Arjuna. Conclusion Here also we see that karna was considering his loyalty towards a person (Duryodhana) to be more important than his moral values and doing the things for betterment of larger people. This analogy of karna can very well in this context be related to the way employees of Enron remained loyal to their top management by concealing the actual condition of the organization from the larger number of stakeholders. They did not go for morally correct decision of informing the condition of the degrading organization to the stakeholders. An analogy with Corporate real life case Dell Investors filed suit Over Accounting Practices Problem: A group of investors had filed a lawsuit in Feb, 2007 alleging that Dell had used illegal accounting methods to hide secret kickback payments paid by Intel .This case would show us that though being associated with the firm , the investors didnt get deter to complain against Dell. Problem Details: According to allegations, the payments from Intel were meant to ensure that Dell used only Intel Processors in its PCs according to suit. The investors claimed that Dells profits were inflated by hundreds of millions of dollars. Consequences: Regulators from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York launched an investigation of Dells accounting practices due to which Dell had failed to file its quarterly earnings numbers for the periods ending Aug. 4, 2006 and Nov. 3, 2006, leading the Nasdaq stock exchange to take the decision of dropping Dell from its listing board for some period of time. Yudhisthira: Eldest son of Pandu, former king of Hastinapur. He is considered to be the best judge of right and wrong things. On the basis of his such a great knowledge he was awarded the title of dharmraj(King of right doings). But in Mahabharata we see even yudhishthira was caught in the web of ethical dilemma. Why such a dilemma happened This situation happened when Yudhishthira was invited by his younger brother Duryodhana for dhyut krida, a game of gambling. Those days the art of gambling used to make or break a kings reputation. Any person refusing to be a part of this game was considered either a coward or penniless. Yudhishthira as a king was well aware of the risk associated with the game yet he went beyond his limits by betting on his wife and ultimately losing to Duryodhan. Even though in the midst of the game, he had a clue of his losing out badly yet to prove he was strong enough to take the game further, he not only insulted his wife but tarred his own image. Consequences of Decision As a consequence of giving priority to his impression on society over what he believed to be morally and ethically correct, it led to the decline of the fame of Yudhishthira. He lost his fame and respect in the eyes of the people who considered him to be a real distinguisher of right and wrong. This game of gambling is a blemish on the character of Yudhishthira till date. Conclusion By analyzing the character of Yudhishthira, his act, reasons for act consequences of act we can conclude that decisions by people must be based on what is ethically correct rather than acting to inflate ones ego. An analogy with Corporate real life case Samsung paid $ 90 m in DRAM case Problem: Samsung paid $90m to bring to an end lawsuits brought against it by 41 US states as a result of its role in a worldwide DRAM price-fixing cartel. This would show us how in a bid to control the market (similar to Yudhishthiras claim to pride though he knew that he was committing mistake ), Samsung fell in the trap. Problem Details: Samsung, Elpida, Hynix and Infineon were all found guilty by the US Department of Justice of conspiring to set memory prices between July 1999 and June 2002 Consequences: In May 2006, Samsung, Hynix and Infineon agreed to pay $160m to settle a class-action brought against them by individuals who claimed they were financially harmed by the alleged conspiracy. Vibhishan : Vibhishan was the brother of Ravana. He was aware of the reality of Rama his real powers. For this reason he suggested Ravana to know the reality of Rama and move towards him making shri Rama his friend instead of making him his enemy. The dilemma faced by vibhishana is mentioned on following basis : Basis of existence of Dilemma : Vibhishan knew that Ramas power stood superior to that of his own brother (Ravana).He tried persuading Ravana to follow the path of goodness and extend a friendship relation to Rama. But when all his efforts went in vain, he was in a dilemma of whether to stay with his brother country at the time of war or should he stand in support of Rama, a person who he considered right. Hence here we see Vibhishana getting trapped between being a good obedient brother or being an enemy of his own brothers and country. Consequences of decision taken: He was insulted by his brother in front of society and ordered to leave his kingdom. This all happened after all the efforts taken by Vibhishana to pacify his brothers and Ramas relations. Later he decided to follow the path which he believed to be morally correct and a path towards achieving Moksha. He went to Rama and became his friend and a very important advisor against battle with Ravana. At the end after winning the battle Rama offers the kingdom of Ravana to Vibhishana as gift of his friendship and his gratitude towards his help and support in the war. Conclusion : Here again we see an ethical dilemma faced by a character between his loyalty towards personal relations and an ethical path. But here if we see in detail about the conditions, actions taken and consequences faced by the character, we can conclude that at the end Vibhishana took the right decision of joining with Rama. As we can see that by joining with Rama Vibhishana ensures that the effects of battle should be minimal on the citizens of his own country Lanka. With deeper thought we realize that his decision was out of his true love and respect for his country for he knew that by joining Rama, undesired damages of his kingdom can be avoided. Hence by observing this situation of Vibhishana we can also say that what actually looked to be a person who shifted to the enemy camp in the time of war and who was considered as a traitor by his own citizens was actually the real person concerned about the safety of his country. Here is a very good example by which we can explain that followi ng ethical decisions may seem to be against some of the known and dear ones in the short run but finally it is the ethically and morally correct decisions which are really good for the betterment of the organizations. This example of ethical decision resulting in loss for an organization in the short run but finally coming out as the most beneficial decisions ever taken in history for the organization in long term can be seen very well from the ethical decision taken by Johnson Johnson while calling back all its medicines which were considered fatal for the health of people consuming these medicines. As a result of this decision organization faced a huge short run financial loss even it looked that company may go for bankruptcy but now finally it is seen by everybody that Johnson Johnson is the top organization in its field and has a very good brand value and is perceived as one of the best ethically driven organizations. An analogy with Corporate real life case SEC fined TREND Micro CEO Problem: The allegation of suspicious trading of shares by Chen, chief executive and co founder of leading anti- virus firm Trend Micro on the major Chinese Internet Portal Sina.com. She was found to be in partner with the wrong dealings by his own husband too. This example would show us that one shouldnt keep silent over his/her close ones misdeeds. Problem Details: Apart from allegations of insider trading, there was also an inquiry into whether Ms Chen under reported her holdings in Trend Micro chares. Consequences: the CEO of Trend Micro was ordered to pay a fine by US Financial watchdogs. Also the US Securities and Exchange Commission did its investigations following the allegations. The company suffered huge losses due to it. Conclusion from the Project Most prominent ethical dilemma from Epics : By the study of various characters from Mahabharata we have seen that there is prominent type of ethical dilemma which exists across large number of characters. This prominent type of dilemma is the dilemma of loyalty versus moral values. Here by loyalty we mean that loyalty of a person can be towards anything. This loyalty in case of Bhishma was towards his own pledge of protecting his king. In case of Karna this loyalty is towards Duryodhana. Here the reason of loyalty is again different. While in case of Bhishma the reason of loyalty is his pledge in case of Karna reason of loyalty is his being indebted to Duryodhan because of the benefits given by Duryodhan to him. Similarly for Yudhishthira the inclination was towards popularly accepted beliefs rather than his own inner voice telling him not to go ahead with the game. In Ramayana, Vibhishan on the other hand was an example to show that ethically taken decisions stand much superior to ones worldly relations. Existence of similar dilemma in present scenario : The ethical dilemma faced by the large number of characters in Mahabharta can be seen in present scenario as well. This dilemma of loyalty versus personal moral values of an individual can also be seen in case of Enron failure. Here also as already explained above, employees found it their duty to remain loyal to the organization or top management by not concealing the degrading condition of organization to outside public. Conclusion : From all the above mentioned examples we can conclude that following ethically and morally correct decisions are the ones which an organization or an individual should always go with though they may be hard to follow. This is because these decisions may look difficult and harmful when viewed in short term perspectives but these are truly the decisions which are going to be beneficial in long run. All successful individuals and organizations are those which have a respected and trustworthy image in the minds of the public and stakeholders it has. This kind of image of individuals and organizations is never built in a day or so but is an effect of continuous dealings of ethical or moral values. According to Universalist theory of Business Ethics too, the interest of the larger mass prevails over individual interests It rightly says that the best moral choices are those that you want others to do , even when you cannot make yourself an exception , and ,that respect others as persons.

Robert Burns :: essays research papers

Robert Burns is a man of the most impassioned temper; with passions not strong only, but noble, and of the sort in which great virtues and great poems take their rise. It is his love towards his country, people, and nature that inspires him. That opens his eyes to its beauty, leading his heart and voice to praise them with his passion. Robert Burns was born January 25, 1759, in a straw-thatched cottage, to William and Agnes Burns. His mother had a great store of folklore songs and ballads, and his father tried at all costs to surround his children with good reading and conversation. At the age of seven, his father moved the family to Mt.Otiphant from Alloway. In 1773, at the age of only 15, Robert composed his first song, Handsome Nell, in honor of the village blacksmith's daughter. In 1777, that family moved to Lochlea. In 1778, Robert was fortunate enough to have a summer term of schooling at Kirkoswald. " It is said he ate his meals with Fergusson's poems in one hand and his spoon in the other." (Essay on Burns, 24) Returning to the farm, he composed Poor Mailie's Elegy, Winter, and other early pieces, under a blooming interest to become a poet of the people, or as he put it, "a Scottish bard." In 1784 his father died, and Robert, with his brother Gilbert, moved to Mossgiel, in Mauchline. Most of Robert's best work was accomplished here. At the age of 26, Robert helped his brother out on the farm. Every chance he got, during the day, he would pull his book out of his pocket and begin to read, and think out themes. At night, he would climb up into his attic room, where he would write his thoughts down before going to bed. He wrote ballads, epistles, epitaphs, satires, and dedications. He wrote of winter, spring, and summer, of rivers, braes, and uplands. He wrote of anything, and of everything, that could have ever passed his mind working through those hard days on his farm. One thing that inspired Robert with great esteem is nature, this opens his eyes to great beauty, making his heart and voice express his praises. "There is a true old saying, 'Love furthers knowledge:' but above all, it is the living essence of that knowledge which makes poets; the first principle of its existence, increase, activity. Not

Creating own signature for use in web :: essays research papers

In this tutorial I will show you how to make a custom user bar. I will be making a Photshop CS user bar. 1) Make a new document with sizes widht: 350 height: 19 with a transparent background. 2) Make a suitable gradient and apply it. 3) Now get a logo, when I usually search for images i use Google Images, find your logo and open it up in Photoshop. 4) Now it's time to remove your logo from the background, get the polygonal lasso tool and carefully cut it out. 5) Now go to Edit > Copy, then open the user bar document (the one where you applied a gradient), then create a new layer and go to Edit > Paste. 6) Now with this layer selected go to Edit > Transform > Scale and resize your logo or reposition it if you wish. 7) Now right click on the layer and select Blending Options and give it a little outer glow with these settings: 8) Now make a new layer and get the Elliptical Marquee Tool and drag it from about point 1 to point 2. 9) Now get the Gradient Tool and use these settings: and now drag it vertical from point 1 to point 2: 10) And now you have a nice light effect, create a new layer and fill it with a 45 degree scanline with opacity from 10% - 15% if you don't have a 45 degree scanline make a new document with dimensions 3x3 with a transparent background and do a maximum zoom, now get the pen tool (make shure your color is set to black) and draw what I've done in this picture: When you are done go to Edit > Define Pattern and name it what you want and click ok. Now you can close this document because the pattern is permanently saved in Photoshop. Here is what you should have so far: 11) Now it's time to put some text, I will use font Visitor which you can get from this link: http://dafont.

Misguided Gothic Authors :: gothic

Misguided Gothic Authors      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In many ways the fascination with the gothic style of art, represented by music, literature, film, and others, is nothing more than a way for the observer to escape from real life and its many responsibilities. Gothic art claims to be profound and contain great esoteric meaning with life changing impact, yet the characters and the message are more often weak, unproductive, crippled, or even mad. Examples of this flaw in the argument in favor of the gothic imagination are given in the works by Beethoven, Goethe, Rice, and Gilman. It will be revealed that these authors have been misguided often by their own escapist nature to create a false reality and promote it as meaningful. In truth, the gothic imagination is the imagination of those who are looking for an excuse for their laziness and purpose behind their protective depression.      Ã‚   There is no question that the work of Beethoven are tremendous and phenomenal. His talent as a composer has rarely been closely met. The maturation of his compositions show a growth of important musical literature that admitted have changed the world within and without the realm of music. This fact has been a powerful tool carried by those promoting the gothic imagination for far too long. It is true that Beethoven was deaf and that he had difficult relations with his family as well as various women in his life. This gives no call for belief that he was any different than any of the other millions of people in the world that have been in the same situation. It is suggested that his great works were due to his suffering and gothic mind. It is suggested that he struggled and transcended because he was a gothic hero. The abuse of the contributions of such a remarkable musician is almost in excusable. In attempts to justify their own suffering and to give excuse for their inabil ity to operate within normal human society, the gothics will say that Beethoven was misunderstood, suffered, and died miserably, and so will they. They have given up to the world and now feel justified in doing so.      Ã‚   Beethoven was a man with a great amount of talent and influence in his world which does set him apart somewhat from others. He also had a great deal of pain in his life which sets him apart from very few others in this world.

Like Water for Chocolate Essay

Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Squalevella Bantam Doubleday Dell Pub (Trd); ISBN: 0553472550 Copyright 1994 CHAPTER ONE. JANUARY. Chrutnuw Ro/ INGREDIENTS 1 can of arOin 1/2 choriw aaye oreyano 1 can of chitej rrano 10 haro ro PREPARATION: Take care to chop the onion fine. To keep from crying when you chop it (which is so annoying!), I suggest you place a little bit on your head. The trouble with crying over an onion is that once the chopping gets you started and the tears begin to well up, the next thing you know you just can’t stop. I don’t know whether that’s ever happened to you, but I have to confess it’s happened to me, many times. Mama used to say it was because I was especially sensitive to onions, like my great-aunt, Tita. Tita was so sensitive to onions, any time they were being chopped, they say she would just cry and cry, when she was still in my greatgrandmother’s belly her sobs were so loud that even Nancha, the cook, who was halfdeaf, could hear them easily. Once her wailing got so violent that it brought on an early labor. And before my greatgrandmother could let out a word or even a whimper, Tita made her entrance into this world, prematurely, right there on the kitchen table amid the smells of simmering noodle soup, thyme, bay leaves, and cilantro, steamed milk, garlic, and, of course, onion. Tita had no need for the usual slap on the bottom, because she was already crying as she emerged, maybe that was because she knew then that it would be her lot in life to be denied marriage. The way Nancha told it, Tita was literally washed into this world on a great tide of tears that spilled over the e dge of the table and flooded across the kitchen floor. That afternoon, when the uproar had subsided and the water had been dried up by the sun, Nancha swept up the residue the tears had left on the red stone floor. There was enough salt to fill a ten-pound sack-it was used for cooking and lasted a long time. Thanks to her unusual birth, Tita felt a deep love for the kitchen, where she spent most of her life from the day she was born. When she was only two days old, Tita’s father, my great-grandfather, died of a heart attack and Mama Elena’s milk dried up from the shock. Since there was no such thing as powdered milk in those days, and they couldn’t find a wet nurse anywhere, they were in a panic to satisfy the infant’s hunger. Nancha, who knew everything about cooking-and much more that doesn’t enter the picture until later offered to take chargeof feeding Tita. She felt she had the best chance of `educating the innocent child’s stomach,† even though she had never mauled or had children. Though she didn’t know how to read or write, when it came to cooking she knew everything there was to know. Mama Elena accepted her offer gratefully, she had enough to do between her mourning and the enormous responsibility of running the ranch and it was the ranch that would provide her children the food and education they deserved-without having to worry about feeding a newborn baby on top of everything else. From that day on, Tita’s domain was the kitchen, where she grew vigorous and healthy on a diet of teas and thin corn gruels. This explains the sixth sense Tita developed about everything concerning food. Her eating habits, for example, were attuned to the kitchen routine: in the morning, when she could smell that the beans were ready, at midday, when she sensed the water was ready for plucking the chickens, and in the afternoon, when the dinner bread was baking, Tita knew it was time for her to be fed. Sometimes she would cry for no reason at all, like when Nancha chopped onions, but since they both knew the cause of those tears, they didn’t pay them much mind. They made them a source of entertainment, so that during her childhood Tita didn’t distinguish between tears of laughter and tears of sorrow. For her laughing was a form of crying. Likewise for Tita the joy of living was wrapped up in the delights of food. It wasn’t easy for a person whose knowledge of life was based onthe kitchen to comprehend the outside world. That world was an endless expanse that began at the door between the kitchen and the rest of the house, whereas everything on the kitchen side of that door, on through the door leading to the patio and the kitchen and herb gardens was completely hers-it was Tita’s realm. Her sisters were just the opposite: to them, Tita’s world seemed full of unknown dangers, and they were terrified of it. They felt that playing in the kitchen was foolish and dangerous. But once, Tita managed to convince them to join her in watching the dazzling display made by dancing water drops dribbled on a red hot griddle. While Tita was singing and waving her wet hands in time, showering drops of water down on the griddle so they would â€Å"dance,† Rosaura was cowering in the corner stunned by the display. Gertrudis, on the other hand, found this game enticing, and she threw herself into it with the enthusiasm she always showed where rhythm, movement, or music were involved. Then Rosaura had tried to join them-but since she barely moistened her hands and then shook them gingerly, her efforts didn’t have the desired effect. So Tita tried to move her hands closer to the griddle. Rosaura resisted, and they struggled for control until Tita became annoyed and let go, so that momentum carried Rosaura’s hands onto it. Tita got a terrible spanking for that, and she was forbidden to play with her sisters in her own world. Nancha became her playmate then. Together they made up all sorts of games and activities having to do with cooking. Like the day they saw a man in the village plaza twisting long thin balloons into animal shapes, and they decided to do it with sausages. They didn’t just make real animals, they also made up some of their own, creatures with the neck of a swan, the legs of a dog, the tail of a horse, and on and on. Then there was trouble, however, when the animals had to be taken apart to fry the sausage. Tita refused to do it. The only time she was willing to take them apart was when the sausage was intended for the Christmas rolls she loved so much. Then she not only allowed her animals to be dismantled, she watched them fry with glee. The sausage for the rolls must be fried over very low heat, so that it cooks thoroughly without getting too brown. When done, remove from the heat and add the sardines, which have been deboned ahead of time. Any black spots on the skin should also have been scraped off with a k nife. Combine the onions, chopped chiles, and the ground oregano with the sardines. Let the mixture stand before filling the rolls. Tita enjoyed this step enormously, while the filling was resting, it was very pleasant to savor its aroma, for smells have the power to evoke the past, bringing back sounds and even other smells that have no match in the present. Tita liked to take a deep breath and let the characteristic smoke and smell transport her through the recesses of her memory. It was useless to try to recall the first time she had smelled one of those rolls-she couldn’t, possibly because it had been before she was born. It might have been the unusual combination of sardines and sausages that had called to her and made her decide to trade the peace of ethereal existence in Mama Elena’s belly for life as her daughter, in order to enter the De la Garza family and share their delicious meals and wonderful sausage. On Mama Elena’s ranch, sausage making was a real ritual. The day before, they started peeling garlic, cleaning chiles, and grinding spices. All the women in the family had to participate: Mama Elena, her daughters, Gertrudis, Rosaura, and Tita, Nancha, the cook. And Chencha, the maid. They gathered around the diningroom table in the afternoon, and between the talking and the joking the time flew by until it started to get dark. Then Mama Elena would say: â€Å"That’s it for today.† For a good listener, it is said, a single word will suffice, so when they heard that, they all sprang into action. First they had to clear the table, then they had to assign tasks: one collected the chickens, another drew water for breakfast from the well, a third was in charge of wood for the stove. There would be no ironing, no embroidery, no sewing that day. When it was all finished, they went to their bedrooms to read, say their prayers, and go to sleep. One afternoon, before Mama Elena told them they could leave the table, Tita, who was then fifteen, announced in a trembling voice that Pedro Muzquiz would like to come and speak with her. After an endless silence during which Tita’s soul shrank, Mama Elena asked: â€Å"And why should this gentleman want to come talk to me?† Tita’s answer could barely be heard: â€Å"I don’t know.† Mama Elena threw her a look that seemed to Tita to contain all the years of repression that had flowed over the family, and said: â€Å"If he intends to ask for your hand, tell him not to bother. He’ll be wasting his time and mine too. You know perfectly well that being the youngest daughter means you have to take care of me until the day I die.† With that Mama Elena got slowly to her feet, put her glasses in her apron, and said in a tone of final command: . II â€Å"That’s it for today.† Tita knew that discussion was not one of the forms of communication permitted in Mama Elena’s household, but even so, for the first time in her life, she intended to protest her mother’s ruling. â€Å"But in my opinion â€Å"You don’t have an opinion, and that’s all I want to hear about it. For generations, not a single person in my family has ever questioned this tradition, and no daughter of mine is going to be the one to start.† Tita lowered her head, and the realization of her fate struck her as forcibly as her tears struck the table. From then on they knew, she and the table, that they could never have even the slightest voice in the unknown forces that fated Tita to bow before her mother’s absurd decision, and the table to continue to receive the bitter tears that she had first shed on the day of her birth. Still Tita did not submit. anxieties sprang to her mind. Doubts and the next week she didn’t speak a single word to her. What passed for communication between them resumed when Mama Elena, who was inspecting the clothes each of the women had been sewing, discovered that Tita’s creation, which was the most perfect, had not been basted before it was sewed. â€Å"Congratulations,† she said, â€Å"your stitches are perfect -but you didn’t haste it, did you?† â€Å"No,† answered Tita, astonished that the sentence of silence had been revoked. `Then go and rip it out. Baste it and sew it again and then come and show it to me. And remember that the lazy man and the stingy man end up walking their road twice.† â€Å"But that’s if a person makes a mistake, and you yourself said a moment ago that my sewing was . â€Å"Are you starting up with your rebelliousness again? It’s enough that you have the audacity to break the rules in your sewing.† â€Å"I’m sorry, Mami. I won’t ever do it again.† With that Tita succeeded in calming Mama Elena’s anger. For once she had been very careful, she had called her â€Å"Mami† in the correct tone of voice. Mama Elena felt that the word Mama had a disrespectful sound to it, and so, from the time they were little, she had ordered her daughters to use the word Mami when speaking to her. The only one who resisted, the only one who said the word without the proper deference was Tita, which had earned her plenty of slaps. But how perfectly she had said it this time! Mama Elena took comfort in the hope For one thing, she wanted to know who started this family tradition. It would be nice if she could let that genius know about one little flaw in this perfect plan for taking care of women in their old age. If Tita couldn’t marry and have children, who would take care of her when she got old? Was there a solution in a case like that? Or are daughters who stay home and take care of their mothers not expected to survive too long after the parent’s death? And what about women who marry and can’t have children, who will take care of them? And besides, she’d like to know what kind of studies had established that the youngest daughter and not the eldest is best suited to care for their mother. Had the opinion of the daughter affected by the plan ever been taken into account? If she couldn’t marry, was she at least allowed to experience love? Or not even that? Tita knew perfectly well that all these questions would have to be buried forever in the archive of questions that have no answers. In the De la Garza family, one obeyedimmediately. Ignoring Tita completely, a very angry Mama Elena left the kitchen, and for that she had finally managed to subdue her youngest daughter. Unfortunately her hope was short-lived, for the very next day Pedro Muzquiz appeared at the house, his esteemed father at his side, to ask for Tita’s hand in marriage. His arrival caused a huge uproar, as his visit was completely unexpected. Several days earlier Tita had sent Pedro a message via Nancha’s brother asking him to abandon his suit. The brother swore he had delivered the message to Pedro, and yet, there they were, in the house. Mama Elena received them in the living room, she was extremely polite and explained why it was impossible for Tita to marry. â€Å"But if you really want Pedro to get married, allow me to suggest my daughter Rosaura, who’s just two years older than Tita. She is one hundred percent available, and ready for marriage At that Chencha almost dropped right onto Mama Elena the tray containing coffee and cookies, which she had carried into the living room to offer don Pascual and his son. Excusing herself, she rushed back to the kitchen, where Tita, Rosaura, and Gertrudis were waiting for her to fill them in on every detail about what was going on in the living room. She burst headlong into the room, and they all immediately stopped what they were doing, so as not to miss a word she said. They were together in the kitchen making Christmas Rolls. As the name implies, these rolls are usually prepared around Christmas, but today they were being prepared in honor of Tita’s birthday. She would soon be sixteen years old, and she wanted to celebrate with one of her favorite dishes. â€Å"Isn’t that something? Your ma talks about being ready for marriage like she was dishing up a plate of enchiladas! And the worse thing is, they’re completely different! You can’t just switch tacos and enchiladas like that!† Chencha kept up this kind of running commentary as she told the others-in her own way, of course-about the scene she had just witnessed. Tita knew Chencha sometimes exaggerated and distorted things, so she held her aching heart in check. She would not accept what she had just heard. Feigning calm, she continued cutting the rolls for her sisters and Nancha to fill. It is best to use homemade rolls. Hard rolls can easily be obtained from a bakery, but they should be small, the larger ones are unsuited for this recipe. After filling the rolls, bake for ten minutes and serve hot. For best results, leave the rolls out overnight, wrapped in a cloth, so that the grease from the sausage soaks into the bread. When Tita was finishing wrapping the next day’s rolls, Mama Elena came into the kitchen and informed them that she had agreed to Pedro’s marriage-to Rosaura. Hearing Chencha’s story confirmed, Tita felt her body fill with a wintry chill: in one sharp, quick blast she was so cold and dry her cheeks burned and turned red, red as the apples beside her. That overpowering chill a lasted a long time, and she could find no respite, not even when Nancha told her what she had overheard as she escorted don Pascual Muzquiz and his son to the ranch’s gate. Nancha followed them, walking as quietly as she could in order to hear the conversation between father and son. Don Pascual and Pedro were walking slowly, speaking in low, controlled, angry voices. †Why did you do that, Pedro? It will look ridiculous, your agreeing to marry Rosaura. What happened to the eternal love you swore to Tita? Aren’t you going to keep that vow?† â€Å"Of course I’ll keep it. When you’re told there’s no way you can marry the woman you love and your only hope of being near her is to marry her sister, wouldn’t you do the same?† Nancha didn’t manage to hear the answer, Pulque, the ranch dog, wentrunning by, barking at a rabbit he mistook for a cat. â€Å"So you intend to marry without love?† â€Å"No, Papa, I am going to marry with a great love for Tita that willnever die.† Their voices grew less and less audible, drowned out by the crackling of dried leaves beneath their feet. How strange that Nancha, who was quite hard of hearing by that time, should have claimed to have heard this conversation. Still, Tita thanked Nancha for telling her-but that did not alter the icy feelings she began to have for Pedro. It is said that the deaf can’t hear but can understand. Perhaps Nancha only heard what everyone else was afraid to say. Tita could not get to sleep that night, she could not find the words for what she was feeling. How unfortunate that black holes in space had not yet been discovered, for then she might have understood the black hole in the center of her chest, infinite coldness flowing through it. Whenever she closed her eyes she saw scenes from last Christmas, the first time Pedro and his family had been invited to dinner1 the scenesgrew more and more vivid, and the cold within her grew sharper. Despite the time that had passed since that evening, she remembered it perfectly: the sounds, the smells, the way her new dress had grazed the freshly waxed floor, the look Pedro gave her . . . That look! She had been walking to the table carrying a tray of egg-yolk candies when she first felt his hot gaze burning her skin. She turned her head, and her eyes met Pedro’s. It was then she understood how dough feels when it is plunged into boiling oil. The heat that invaded her body was so real she was afraid she would start to bubble-her face, her stomach, her heart, her breasts-like batter, and unable to endure his gaze she lowered her eyes and hastily crossed the room, to where Gertrudis was pedaling the player piano, playing a waltz called the Eyes of Youth.† She set her tray on a little table in the middle of the room, picked up a glass of Noyo liquor that was in front of her, hardly aware of what she was doing, and sat down next to Paquita Lobo, the De Ia Carzas’ neighbor. But even that distance between herself and Pedro was not enough1 she felt her blood pulsing, searing her veins. A deep flush suffused her face and no matter how she tried she could not find a place for her eyes to rest. Paquita saw that something was bothering her, and with a look of great concern, she asked: â€Å"That liquor is pretty strong, isn’t it?† â€Å"Pardon me?† â€Å"You look a little woozy, Tita. Are you feeling all right?† â€Å"Yes, thank you.† â€Å"You’re old enough to have a little drink on a special occasion, but tell me, you little devil, did your mama say it was okay? I can see you’re excited-you’re shaking and I’m sorry but I must say you’d better not have any more. Yo u wouldn’t want to make a fool of yourself.† That was the last straw! To have Paquita Lobo think she was drunk. She couldn’t allow the tiniest suspicion to remain in Paquita’s mind or she might tell her mother. Tita’s fear of her mother was enough to make her forget Pedro for a moment, and she applied herself to convincing Paquita, any way she could, that she was thinking clearly, that her mind was alert. She chatted with her, she gossiped, she made small talk. She even told her the recipe for this Noyo liquor which was supposed to have had such an effect on her. The liquor is made by soaking four ounces of peaches and a half pound of apricots in water for twenty-four hours to loosen the skin1 next, they are peeled, crushed, and steeped in hot water for fifteen days. Then the liquor is distilled. After two and a half pounds of sugar have been completely dissolved in the water, four ounces of orange-flower water are added, and the mixture is stirred and strained. And so there would be no lingering doubts about her mental and physical well-being, she reminded Paquita, as if it were just an aside, that the water containers held 2.016 liters, no more and no less. So when Mama Elena came over to ask Paquita if she was being properly entertained, she replied enthusiastically. â€Å"Oh yes, perfectly! You have such wonderful daughters. Such fascinating conversation!† Mama Elena sent Tita to the kitchen to get something for the guests. Pedro â€Å"happened† to be walking by at that moment and he offered his help. Tita rushed off to the kitchen without a word. His presence made her extremely uncomfortable. He followed her in, and she quickly sent him off with one of the trays of delicious snacks that had been waiting on the kitchen table. She would never forget the moment their hands accidentally touched as they both slowly bent down to pick up the same tray. That was when Pedro confessed his love. â€Å"Sen on to Tita, I would like to take advantage of this opportunity to be alone with you to tell you that I am deeply in love with you. I know this declaration is presumptuous, and that it’s quite sudden, but it’s so hard to get near you that I decided to tell you tonight. All I ask is that you tell me whether I can hope to win your love.† â€Å"I don’t know what to say . give me time to think.† â€Å"No, no, I can’t! I need an answer now: you don’t have to think about love, you either feel it or you don’t. I am a man of few words, but my word is my pledge. I swear that my love for you will last forever. What about you? Do you feel the same way about me?† â€Å"Yes!† Yes, a thousand times. From that night on she would love him forever. And now she had to give him up. It wasn’t decent to desire your sister’s future husband. She had to try to put him out of her mind somehow, so she could get to sleep. She started to eat the Christmas Roll Nancha had left out on her bureau, along with a glass of milk, this remedy had proven effective many times. Nancha, with all her experience, knew that for Tita there was no pain that wouldn’t disappear if she ate a delicious Christmas Roll. But this time it didn’t work. She felt no relief from the hollow sensation in her stomach. Just the opposite, a wave of nausea flowed over her. She realized that the hollow sensation was not hunger but an icy feeling of grief. She had to get rid of that terrible sensation of cold. First she put on a wool robe and a heavy cloak. The cold still gripped her. Then she put on felt slippers and another two shawls. No good. Finally she went to her sewing box and pulled out the bedspread she had started the day Pedro first spoke of marriage. A bedspread like that, a crocheted one, takes about a year to complete. Exactly the length of time Pedro and Tita had planned to wait before getting married. She decided to use the yarn, not to let it go to waste, and so she worked on the bedspread and wept furiously, weeping and working until dawn, and threw it over herself. It didn’t help at all. Not that night, nor many others, for as long as she lived, could she free herself from that cold. TO BE CONTINUED Next month’s recipe, Chabeta weooina Cake. CHAPTER TWO. FEBRUARY. Chabefa Wany Cake INGREDIENTS. 175 aranw refinco granetlate0 uyar 300 yram cake flour, fteo’ three tim& 17eay arateo peel of one lime PREPARATION: Place five egg yolks, four whole eggs, and the sugar in a large bowl. Beat until the mixture thickens and then add two more whole eggs repeat, adding the remaining eggs tw o at a time until all the eggs have been added. To make the cake for Pedro and Rosaura’s wedding, Tita and Nancha had to multiply this recipe by ten, since they were preparing a cake not for eighteen people but for 180. Therefore, they needed 170 eggs,which meant they had to arrange to have that number of good eggs on thesame day. To get that number of eggs together, they preserved all the eggs laid by the best hens for several weeks. This preserving technique had been employed on the ranch since time immemorial to ensure a supply of this nourishing and indispensable food throughout the winter. The best time to preserve eggs is August or September. The eggs must be very fresh. Nancha preferred to use only eggs laid the same day. The eggs are placed in a cask containing crumbled sheep fodder, allowed to cool, and then covered completely. This will keep the eggs fresh for months. If you want them to keep for more than a year, place the eggs in an earthenware crock and cover them with a ten-percent lime solution. Cover tightly to keep the air out and store in the wine cellar. Tita and Nancha had chosen to use the first method because they didn’t need to keep the eggs fresh for that many months. They had placed the cask containing the preserved eggs between them under the kitchen table and were taking the eggs out of it as they put the cake together. When she had beaten barely a hundred eggs, the phenomenal energy required for the task began to have a bad effect on Tita’s mood. To reach the goal of 170 seemed unimaginable. Tita beat the mixture while Nancha broke the eggs and added them to it. A fit of trembling shook Tita’s body and she broke out in goose bumps when each new egg was broken. The egg whites reminded her of the testicles of the chickens they had castrated the month before. Roosters that are castrated and then fattened up are called capons. The family had decided to serve capons at Pedro and Rosaura’s wedding because they would impress everyone with the quality of the dinner, as much for the amount of work required in their preparation as for the extraordinary flavor of the birds themselves. As soon as the date of the wedding was set for the twelfth of January, they ordered two hundred roosters to be bought for castrating and fattening up. This task fell to Tita and Nancha. Nancha because of her experience and Tita as punishment for feigning a headache to avoid her sister Rosaura’s engagement. â€Å"I won’t stand for disobedience,† Mama Elena told her, â€Å"nor am going to allow you to ruin your sister’s wedding, with your acting like a victim. You’re in charge of all the preparations starting now, and don’t ever let me catch you with a single tear or even a long face, do you hear?†