Masculine Identity in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay

Masculine Identity in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Vern L. Bulloughs article, On Being a Male in the Middle Ages, addresses how vital it was for a man living in the middle ages to be sexually active in order to maintain a masculine identity by explaining: Quite clearly, male sexual performance was a major key to being male. It was a mans sexual organs that made him different and superior to the woman. But maleness was somewhat fragile, and it was important for a man to keep demonstrating his maleness by action and thought, especially by sexual action. It was part of his duty to keep his female partners happy and satisfied, and unless he did so, he had failed as a man. (41) If we are to use this reference to†¦show more content†¦Kinney presents a good foundation for the Green Knights role in the story, but she fails to see that as the tester of Gawains masculinities the Green Knight must prove that he is more of a man than Gawain, not just his equal. The Green Knight validates his superior masculinity by proving that Gawain can not stop him from being a man. This is evident in this passage, which takes place after the Green Knight has had his head cut off by Gawain in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Yet the fellow did not fall, nor falter on whit, But stoutly sprang forward on legs still sturdy, Roughly reached out among the ranks of nobles, Seized his splendid head and straightway lifted it. (433-436) As you can see from the above quote, the Green Knight did not show any signs of being less of a man even though Gawain had cut off his head. This enforces the Green Knights fatherly identity since, according to Freud, a child has a fear of being castrated by his father for wanting to engage in a sexual relation with his mother. The Green Knight has proven that he is a father figure for Gawain by showing that he can never be castrated by his son. Therefore, as a father figure that is in possession of a masculine identity aboveShow MoreRelatedMasculinity : Portrayal Of Masculinity2222 Words   |  9 Pagesgiven society at any one time†¦ Although we experience gender to be an internal facet of identity, the concept of masculinity is produced within the institutions of society and through our daily interactions (Kimmel 2000)’ . As the type of behaviour and ideals that constitute as masculine vary depending on the social context of the time, the portrayal of masculini ty in Beowulf and SGGK (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight) will be somewhat different. Traditional traits that are commonly regarded as fittingRead MoreThe Popular Medieval Romance, Sir Gawain And The Green Knight1880 Words   |  8 PagesThe popular medieval romance, â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,† explores many aspects of the Arthurian legend, including chivalry, religion, and courtly love. Although the poem does feature many female characters, one aspect that the Gawain poet does not touch upon is the role and place of women in this feudal society; all of whom live under the objectification of a male driven culture. One might say that the women featured in this romance are focused on more heavily than that of other literatureRead MoreMen and Women in British Literature Essay1194 Words   |  5 Pagesand smart, while men are portrayed as being strong, masculine, and easily tricked. In many of the works covered in the course â€Å"Major British Writers to 1800,â⠂¬  men are advised to refrain from acting lustful, believed that it would harm their overall ability to succeed in whatever the characters aimed to do. An example of this is seen in â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight† when Gawain is deceived by Lady Bertilak in an effort to prove that Sir Gawain is imperfect. The depictions of men and women are veryRead More Sexuality in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay5052 Words   |  21 PagesThe Complications of Sexuality in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Gawains travels in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight suggest a world in which home--i.e., Camelot--is normal, while away--the opposing castle of Hautdesert where Gawain perforce spends his Christmas vacation--is other, characterized by unfamiliarity, dislocation, perversity. And in fact the atmosphere at Hautdesert appears somewhat peculiar, with various challenges to normal sexual identity, and with permutations of physicalRead MoreThe Sonnet Form: William Shakespeare6305 Words   |  26 Pagessonnets were written—the sonnet was the form of choice for lyric poets, particularly lyric poets seeking to engage with traditional themes of love and romance. (In addition to Shakespeare’s monumental sequence, the Astrophel and Stella sequence by Sir Philip Sydney stands as one of the most important sonnet sequences of this period.) Sonnets were also written during the height of classical English verse, by Dryden and Pope, among others, and written again during the heyday of E nglish RomanticismRead MoreStatement of Purpose23848 Words   |  96 Pagessummary or add a paragraph of generalizations and empty statements. IV. Language, Tone, and Voice Think of yourself as an apprentice (scientist, historian, sociologist, etc.) applying to a specific discourse community. Construct a ―professionalâ€â€" identity and voice appropriate to your audience, recognizing that you should simultaneously—and perhaps paradoxically—―soundâ€â€" like a future member of an academic community without losing your personal voice. ï‚ · Use discipline-specific language, concepts, and

Succubus Shadows Chapter 23 Free Essays

â€Å"Where’ve you been?† asked Roman. I hadn’t landed in Seattle until later the next day. Turns out getting flights from Mexico to the Pacific Northwest can take a little longer than immortal teleportation, particularly on short notice. We will write a custom essay sample on Succubus Shadows Chapter 23 or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"To the edge of the known world and back,† I said, falling onto the couch. Both cats came to me, which I took with some smugness, seeing as they usually fawned all over Roman. â€Å"So, what, South Dakota?† I made a face and covered my eyes with one arm. My trip to locate Seth had only taken twenty-four hours, but really, that was a lot to endure in so short a time. â€Å"I found Seth.† â€Å"Oh.† Roman’s enthusiasm dimmed considerably. â€Å"I guess his disappearance wasn’t as milk carton?Cworthy as Maddie made it sound.† â€Å"Well, I had to – literally – call in a demonic favor to hunt him down.† â€Å"And? Are you guys running into the sunset together now that he’s free?† The mention of sunset made me flinch, recalling how Seth and I had held each other on the beach. â€Å"Not quite. I†¦left him.† â€Å"What’s that mean exactly?† I tried to explain all that had gone down with Seth, but it wasn’t easy. It was almost too much for my brain to wade through, let alone articulate to someone else. When I finished, I felt even more exhausted than before. â€Å"So that’s it? You’re never going to see each other again?† Roman’s voice was skeptical. â€Å"He said he’s not coming back, and I didn’t stick around. So, yeah.† â€Å"I have a hard time believing that. Is he just going to live at that hotel permanently? Even he can’t make that much money.† â€Å"No, he mentioned at dinner that he’d be settling down somewhere else. He just hasn’t decided where.† All was quiet between us for a minute or so. The only sounds were the traffic outside and Aubrey purring near my ear. At last, Roman asked, â€Å"Are you okay?† I glanced over at him in surprise. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Exactly what I said. This can’t be easy on you. I mean, you haven’t even had any downtime since the Oneroi.† I don’t know why his words caught me by surprise. I guess it was because amidst all the woes that were always going on in my life, few people ever asked if I was okay. Maybe they’d given up asking because depressing things were so commonplace for me. How weird, I thought, that Roman had swung from sociopathic to compassionate while Seth had fallen down a darker path. Of course, I had no hard evidence that Roman wasn’t actually a compassionate sociopath. Still, I gave him a smile of gratitude. â€Å"I am okay – or will be eventually. Thanks.† There must have been something in my smile that gave him hope or just made him feel inspired because his own smile grew radiant. I’d forgotten just how beautiful it was, the way it could light up his face. We left dangerous topics alone after that but spent the rest of the night hanging out together. I wasn’t totally okay by any means, but it was nice to simply be ordinary for a while and free of drama. I wondered if that’s what my life would be like now – and what role Roman would play. Still, adjusting to a world without Seth wasn’t easy over the next few days. Even when he’d been with Maddie, even when the sight of him had caused me pain, he’d still been there. And I’d known he was there. Now, the knowledge that he was gone and that he wasn’t coming back left a strange emptiness in my heart, even as the rest of my life began to stabilize. I returned to work, a good thing for the store because Maddie had taken some much-needed time off. I checked on her via Doug and offered to go to her if needed, despite knowing I wouldn’t enjoy listening to her mourn for Seth. Of course, since I was doing the same thing, maybe I shouldn’t have been so quick to turn down commiseration. â€Å"She just wants to be alone right now,† Doug said, leaning in my doorway. He had no joke today, none of his usual wackiness. â€Å"Still upset – but she’s a trouper. I’ll let you know when she’s ready to see anyone.† â€Å"Okay.† My heart went out to her. â€Å"Keep me posted.† It was nearing closing time, and I went out to the store’s main part to help with some of the evening tasks. A few of the staff members were already going home. One of them was Gabrielle. And she was leaving with Cody. â€Å"What’s going on?† I whispered to him while she went to get her purse. He wasn’t even wearing black. â€Å"We’ve gone out a couple times since†¦well, while you’ve been distracted.† He sounded apologetic for his happiness. â€Å"That’s fantastic,† I said. Love was managing to survive somewhere in this world. â€Å"What changed her mind? The concert?† â€Å"A little. I think that opened the door. She’s really excited that I’ll only hang out at night. And that I can show her real vampires.† â€Å"What? You managed to convince her Peter was a vampire?† To the average human, that would be even less likely than Cody being a vampire. â€Å"No, of course not.† His lovesick expression hardened a little. â€Å"But Milton – you know that vampire from Eugene? – he’s been in town this week. Claims he’s visiting friends.† Vampires were very territorial about their hunting grounds, even ones like Peter and Cody who rarely took victims and didn’t kill when they did. â€Å"He hasn’t caused any trouble, but I don’t buy that vacation thing. It’s as ridiculous as Simone just visiting.† â€Å"She is gone, right?† That had been the rumor, and seeing as there’d been no wacky mishaps with two Georginas, I had to believe it was true. I’d never know what her motivation had been. â€Å"Yup, as far as I know. Anyway. Milton. He sure does look like a vampire. Have you seen him? He’s like a modern-day Nosferatu. I took Gabrielle when I went to spy on him at a dance club, and she got really excited. She thinks I have some special knack for finding vampires – at least wannabe ones.† â€Å"Huh,† I said. â€Å"That’s somehow bizarre, funny, and cute all at the same time. Maybe a little disturbing.† He grinned at that, showing his fangs. â€Å"What’s she think of the teeth? You can’t hide those if you’re up close and personal all the time.† â€Å"Told her I had them cosmetically done.† He looked very pleased. â€Å"She thinks it’s hot.† His new romance left me in a good mood when I finally took off. I stepped outside into the chilly night, surprised I didn’t mind it so much. Something about the clean, brisk air seemed refreshing to me, and for the first time in a while, I regretted moving out of Queen Anne. It would have been nice to walk home on this early winter evening, instead of climbing into the plastic and metal of my car. There was nothing to be done for it, though. I turned the ignition and checked my cell phone before heading out of the parking lot. I often left the ringer off while working, and three calls had come in for me. I had a voice mail for each. The first was from a few hours ago, from Erik. He spoke in his usual genteel tones, but I could hear some urgency underneath. He told me he’d come up with some theories about my contract and wanted to talk to me soon. The next message was from Roman, from about an hour ago. He knew my work schedule perfectly and was calling to see what kind of takeout I wanted. If I called as I was leaving, he said, he’d probably have food by the time I walked in. I felt my lips turn into a smile at that – one that promptly dropped when I heard the last message. It had come in five minutes ago and was from Erik again. â€Å"Georgina – â€Å" That was it. Just my name, tense and strangled. After that came static, what sounded like the phone dropping, and then the voice mail ended. I stared at my phone as though it were a totally foreign object. I had never, ever heard Erik call me by my first name. My car was already headed toward his store when I dialed him back. It was too late for the store to be open, but that was the number my cell phone had logged. No answer came. I tried his home number, just to be safe, and received no answer there either. My fear increased, as did my speed. Easy traffic moved me along, but I still felt like his store might as well be hundreds of miles away. I made it there in fifteen minutes, which was actually pretty remarkable. The store’s lights were on, though everything else in the strip mall and its lot was dark. I parked right in front, in a handicapped spot, and tore out of my car, nearly coming to a halt at what I found. The glass of the door and window were smashed, with glittering shards covering the sidewalk. Even if the door had been locked, I could have reached right in to open it. I pushed through, stepping inside to find more destruction. Fountains still tinkled, music still played, but everything else was in shambles. Bookshelves knocked over. Statuary in pieces. Jewelry cases broken – and empty. â€Å"Erik?† I called, hurrying through the store. There was no answer. I passed the register, saw the drawer hanging open, and suspected I’d find it as empty as the cases. I was heading for the store’s back room when I heard a small noise. Turning, I peered around wildly and caught a glimpse of a hand, behind the checkout counter. There, I found Erik sprawled on the floor, pale despite his dusky skin. A hand lay over his stomach, which was a pool of dark blood. His eyes were glassy, and for a moment, I thought he was dead. Then the lids twitched, and his eyes focused on me. â€Å"Miss Kincaid†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I dialed 911 while simultaneously trying to rip my coat off. I screamed at them to send an ambulance and pressed the light fabric of the trench coat into his stomach. The effort was futile. A red strain promptly began spreading through the cloth. â€Å"Don’t say anything,† I pleaded when I saw his lips move. They were blue-tinged. â€Å"Someone’s coming. You’ll be okay.† I wanted to ask a hundred questions: what had happened, who had done this. None mattered. Only saving him did – and besides, the scenario seemed painfully clear. A break-in, one in which he must have interfered. Two bullet holes on the wall revealed what had happened to his stomach. The third shot had hit. â€Å"Miss Kincaid†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His voice was so small, barely a croak. â€Å"Shh. We’ll talk later, after the paramedics come. Save your strength.† â€Å"There won’t be a later,† he gasped. I swear, he tried to smile. â€Å"Not†¦for†¦me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"They’ll be here in, like, five minutes,† I countered. â€Å"Doesn’t matter. Too weak. Too much blood.† â€Å"No,† I said desperately. â€Å"No.† Even as I begged, my hysteria growing, I knew he was right. He had lost too much blood. He was only alive now because this was a slow-killing wound. Even if paramedics walked in right now, they wouldn’t get him away in time to save him. With his age and recent illness, he wouldn’t come back from this. Still, I denied it. â€Å"You’ll be okay. Listen – â€Å" â€Å"You listen.† There was no real force behind the command, but I shut up. One of his hands clung to me. â€Å"It’s not†¦your contract.† I was confused, my mind still on his condition and the store. Then, I caught the context. â€Å"Let the contract go. We’ll worry about it later.† His grip tightened. â€Å"There must be another. Two contracts.† â€Å"There†¦what? No. That’s not how it works. I know that for sure. One contract per soul. I signed one. Now, please. Don’t say anything else.† â€Å"Find it,† he coughed. There was blood on his lips. â€Å"Find†¦it.† â€Å"I will, I will.† I would have agreed to anything, though what he was saying made no sense. My words must have comforted him because he relaxed ever so slightly. There was still no question that he must be in agonizing pain, though. I glanced up at the front of the store, willing myself to hear sirens. â€Å"They’ll be here,† I said. â€Å"Too†¦late. You†¦you can stop the pain.† He was so hard to hear now, I had to lean close. Even then, I didn’t fully parse his words until a few moments later. â€Å"I’m trying.† I shifted the coat a little, which was proving totally ineffectual. â€Å"A kiss†¦one kiss†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My eyes went wide. â€Å"No. No. It’ll kill you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Even as I said the words, I realized how stupid they were. This gunshot was already going to kill him. He was going to die. One kiss. He wanted a kiss to speed his dying, just as I’d given Luc. I’d never performed that deed again, nor had I wanted to. Maybe it had been mercy, but I’d felt like a killer. And yet, just like I had then, I knew it would ease the passing†¦. I shook my head. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Nyx†¦showed me. Showed me my death: you.† He coughed again and could speak no more. Still, he clung to life, with pain on his face and pleading in his eyes. Nyx? Nyx had shown him his death†¦. In the far reaches of my mind, I remembered finding him one day, right after Nyx had visited him and shown him a vision. He’d recoiled from me at first and then later shrugged it off, laughing it away as the remnants of a nightmare. But I understood now. He’d seen his death – seen me causing it. He’d been afraid of me in those moments. My man in the dream had been a lie, but all the other visions she’d shown had been true. My role in Erik’s death had been destined†¦just not in any malicious way. That was how her dreams often worked. Never quite what you expected. And so, for the second time, I became an angel of mercy†¦an angel of death†¦whatever. I hunched down and kissed him, ignoring the blood on his mouth. Just like with Luc, there was only a breath of life left. Five more minutes, and Erik would have been gone without me. That tiny bit of life was as pure and good as I’d known it would be. Erik would be rewarded in the afterlife. As I lifted my head and watched peace settle over his features, faint feelings flitted through me, as sometimes happened when I took energy. There was affection for me. It wasn’t romantic love. More like fatherly love. Friendship. Fondness. And underneath it was a warning, a warning for me he never got to convey. I was so caught up in those last bursts of life, that I was only distantly aware when the lights and sirens came. Someone lifted me away, and I saw people huddling around him – too late. I stared at the commotion that followed – paramedics, police. I saw it without seeing it, answered questions without even knowing what I said. A policeman with kind eyes took it all down and spoke to me gently, often repeating himself. I don’t know how long it all took. Maybe an hour, maybe more. I only remember assuring them over and over that I was okay, that I was going home, and that I would answer any other questions that came up. But when I drove away, still in shock, still barely grasping what had happened, I didn’t go to West Seattle. I went to Pioneer Square, parking in a lucky street spot and then winding my way through the partying crowds. A few people gave me curious looks when I walked into the Cellar, looks I gave no heed to as I honed in on Jerome’s table. He drank alone tonight, his dark eyes watching me intently as I approached. â€Å"Georgie,† he said when I came to a stop in front of him, â€Å"what’s the point of shape-shifting if you’re going to walk around with blood on you?† I looked down, only then registering the stains on my shirt. I turned back to him, ignoring the shape-shifting suggestion. â€Å"Erik’s dead,† I told him, my voice flat. Jerome’s face displayed no reaction. â€Å"How?† â€Å"A break-in. Somebody shot him.† Jerome sipped his bourbon and remained silent. â€Å"Well? Don’t you have anything to say?† He scowled. â€Å"What do you expect me to say? Should I cry? Put on sackcloth and ashes? Humans die all the time, Georgie. You’re the one who mourns them – not me. I have no sentiment for any of them. You know that. And certainly not for him.† I did know that. When Duane – one of Jerome’s former employees – had been killed, the demon’s only reaction had been annoyance. â€Å"What’s weird†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I paused, putting to words what had been coalescing in the back of my mind this whole time. â€Å"What’s weird is that someone would break into a New Age store at all. It’s not a good place for a robbery.† â€Å"If it has money, it’s a good place for a robbery. If it’s in a deserted strip mall, with only an old man there, it’s even a better place for a robbery. Were the valuables gone?† â€Å"Yes,† I admitted. â€Å"Then why are you here wasting my time?† â€Å"The glass.† â€Å"The glass?† â€Å"The glass was broken from the inside,† I said. â€Å"The pieces were scattered on the sidewalk. Whoever did it didn’t break the glass to get in. It just looked that way.† Jerome sighed irritably. â€Å"After everything you’ve seen, can you honestly question the behaviors of humans?† â€Å"It just seems strange that someone like Erik – someone who deals in the supernatural and who had – † I hesitated, about to say that he’d been pondering my contract. Instead, I said, â€Å"Who had just been involved with a big immortal blowout would be the victim of this by coincidence.† â€Å"Coincidences happen.† â€Å"I don’t believe in coincidences anymore.† â€Å"Then replay your own words. Your ‘big immortal blowout’ is the answer. They might not live in our world, but do you think dream creatures don’t have connections here?† I frowned. â€Å"What are you saying?† â€Å"That I thought it was too convenient for the Oneroi’s overlord to walk away. He knew he couldn’t touch me or any other immortal. But a human? One who had been actively involved with thwarting him?† Jerome shrugged. â€Å"It’s revenge. He could arrange for that. We can’t prove it – and we can’t do anything. Make sure you understand that. I’m not going to avenge your friend, if that’s what you’re asking for.† I hadn’t expected him to. In fact, I really wasn’t sure what I’d expected of him at all. Why had I come here? Because I was in shock. Because what had happened to Erik didn’t make sense. Because Jerome often had answers for me. This time, he did too†¦but I wasn’t sure that I believed them. The old adage came back: How do you know if a demon is lying? His lips are moving. â€Å"Okay,† I said with a small nod. His eyes narrowed a little. I think he was surprised I’d given in so quickly. Glancing down, I shape-shifted the blood away. â€Å"I’m going to go home and†¦I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m going to do.† My confusion wasn’t faked, and I hoped it would be enough to clear any suspicion. And really, what did he have to be suspicious of? I didn’t even know. Two contracts. Jerome didn’t try to stop me. I drove home with almost no realization of what I was doing until I pulled into the parking lot under my building. As soon as I opened my condo’s door, I caught the faint smell of Chinese food. It smelled delicious, yet at the same time, it had that slight twinge of food that had been sitting around for a while. Roman sprawled on the couch, staring at nothing as far as I could tell. The TV was off. The cats remained unpetted. â€Å"I’m sorry I didn’t call,† I said. â€Å"You won’t believe what – â€Å" â€Å"I’ve got something for you,† he said. â€Å"Two somethings, actually.† The odd tone of his voice was about the only thing that could have stopped me from gushing about what had gone down at Erik’s tonight. Even now, the events in the store were so surreal that it hardly seemed like something that had happened to me. Surely it was something I’d seen in a movie. I sat down in the armchair near Roman, the queasy feeling in my stomach growing as I wondered what else could possibly happen tonight. â€Å"What is it?† He handed me a piece of paper. â€Å"This was under the door when I got back with the food. I didn’t mean to read it, but†¦well, it wasn’t in an envelope or anything.† I took it wordlessly, immediately recognizing the scrawled writing. Seth’s. To a lot of people it would be undecipherable, but I’d had a lot of practice in decoding his sloppy penmanship. Georgina, When I woke up without you in Mazatln, I was so angry. I felt betrayed and abandoned and wondered if you’d been playing me the entire time. Then, the more I thought about your words, the more my life began to come into focus. I still don’t want to deal with the mess here in Seattle. I don’t want to face Maddie. I don’t want to face myself. But, I realized, I do want you to be proud of me. Maybe â€Å"proud† isn’t the right word. Respect? Like? Love? I’m not sure, but the events at Erik’s have still left an impression. Really, lying in your arms has left an impression. I meant what I said: I’d rather be alone than not be with you. Even apart, though, I can’t stand the thought of you being disappointed in me. To regain your good opinion, I would risk almost anything. I’d even come back here to face my demons. And I have come back here, despite how much I wish I could run away. Disappearing won’t erase the bad things around me, however. Maybe you’re a messenger of some sort, some agent of destiny. If not for you, I almost certainly wouldn’t have returned, but it turns out I needed to. Terry and Andrea received their results yesterday. She only has months to live, something that I’d almost swear was the doctor’s joke. Only a few weeks ago, she seemed perfectly fine. I don’t want to face that, any more than I want to face everything else. But they need me more than ever now, and I love them. I love them so much that I realize my own life and wants don’t matter. As soon as I finish this book, I’m putting everything else – even the new series – on hold. None of it matters. Only they do. They’ll need me in the next few months. They’ll need me more in the months after that. I don’t know when we’ll see each other again – though you’ll notice I say â€Å"when† and not â€Å"if.† Like I mentioned in Mexico, I know better than to think the universe will keep us apart. Regardless, I want you to be happy wherever your life takes you – and I hope someday I can be worthy of your respect again. I also want you to know that in returning, I don’t expect anything from you. I just wanted to make sure you understood what I did†¦and how you’ve affected me. – Seth I looked up at Roman, who had been studying me while I read. I didn’t know what astonished me more: Seth returning – because of me – or the god-awful news about Andrea. Both were monumental in their own ways. One was a tragedy of epic proportions. I swallowed, afraid if I fully processed it all, I’d start crying. â€Å"I’m not sure how much more I can handle tonight,† I said in a small voice. Roman’s face was a mixture of sympathy and cynicism. â€Å"Well, you’ve got one more thing.† He handed me a magazine. It was a trashy celebrity gossip one that was a popular source of mockery over at the bookstore. I couldn’t imagine why he was giving something so trivial to me, in light of everything else that had gone on. One page was marked with a Post-it, and I flipped to it. It was a spread of assorted celebrity shots, the kind of candids that paparazzi delighted in: actors out with their children, pop stars spotted in Las Vegas nightclubs. I skimmed over the two pages, feeling a frown grow on my face as I tried to figure out why on earth I’d care about this right now. Then, I found it. It was a small picture, shoved off to the side between much more interesting and larger ones of badly dressed actors. The caption read: Best-selling author Seth Mortensen enjoys some natural beauty in Mazatln. And it showed Seth and me kissing on the beach. How to cite Succubus Shadows Chapter 23, Essay examples

Seperation of a Mixture Lab Report Essay Example

Seperation of a Mixture Lab Report Paper In order to operate the iron from the mixture, take a bar magnet inside of a Copilot bag, and swirl it through the mixture. 5. The iron will stick to the magnet, and lift the magnet out of the mixture. All iron in the mixture should be on the magnet. 6. The iron taken out of the mixture is then measured to find the mass of the retrieved iron. 7. Next, the salt will be separated from the mixture. In order to do this, a ring stand must be set up with an iron ring and a glass funnel. Take a piece of filter paper and fold it as demonstrated by Mrs Monotone, and place it in the funnel. 8. Place a mall beaker under the funnel for the filtered water. 9. Put the remaining mixture in the funnel. 10. Pour some water in a beaker, record the amount of water and pour it in the funnel. The mixture will begin to filter and drain the salt, leaving behind the sand. More water may need to be added depending on if the salt particles are fully dissolved or not. 11. The sand has been recovered. Take the filter paper, unfold it, weigh its mass, and place it in the chemical oven to dry before measuring. 12. While the sand is in the chemical oven, take a hot plate, and place the beaker tit the filtered salt water on the hot plate. We will write a custom essay sample on Seperation of a Mixture Lab Report specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Seperation of a Mixture Lab Report specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Seperation of a Mixture Lab Report specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The water will begin to boil, and eventually, the salt will be clearly visible and separated. 13. Once the salt is fully dried out, and no water remains in the beaker, remove the beaker with tongs for it will be extremely hot. Measure the beaker with the salt in it and subtract the original mass of the mall beaker to find the mass of the recovered salt. 14. The sand should be dry by now. Take the sand on the filter paper out of the chemical oven with extreme caution, place it on the scale, measure its mass, and then abduct the original mass of the filter paper in order to find the mass of the recovered sand. 15. The mixture is now separated into the three substances of sand, salt, and iron. Scientific Background: In order to complete this lab report, the following concepts must be understood. First, the difference between a mixture and a pure substance. A mixture is two or more pure substances combined, that keep their separate chemical identities and properties. The amounts of each pure substance in a mixture can change therefore the physical properties of a mixture depend on its composition, ND the composition of a pure substance is constant giving pure substances characteristic physical properties that do not change. Physical properties that are used to describe pure substances include solubility, magnetism, and boiling point, which are all characteristics used in this lab. The next concept is physical changes. Physical changes separate the components of a mixture, such as separating the iron, sand, and salt in this lab. Physical changes that can be used to separate mixtures include filtration, evaporation, and distillation. Mass recent composition is a way to express the real composition of a mixture by the amount of each component. In order to do this, the substances must be separated quantitatively. Lastly, percent yield which describes the efficiency of the recovery operation is calculated to separate the mixture. (Handout) Observations: The observations for this lab are as follows: The original mixture is a brownish color, and the difference between the different substances can easily be determined by sight. When the water was poured into the mixture of sand and salt during the filtration process, the altered water was coming through slowly in large drops. During the filtration process, the salt seemed to not be dissolving as quickly as thought, and more water was needed. When the salt water was being boiled, all of the sudden the water turned into what looked like foam and the salt started popping. When the sand was taken out of the chemical oven, salt particles that had not been dissolved were found on the bottom of the filter paper. The iron had a high magnetism, while sand and salt had none at all. The salt had a high solubility in water while the sand did not. The physica l appearance of the iron resembled rough tiny little black hairs. Data: The data for this lab is from data table B, as well as answers to post-lab questions 6 and 7. Data Table B: Separation of a Mixture: Mass of Original Mixture: 2. Egg Mass of Recovered Iron: . G Mass of Recovered Salt: . Egg Mass of Recovered Sand: . Egg Total Mass of Recovered Solids: 2. Egg Post-Lab Questions: 6. Mass percentage of salt: Mass percentage of sand: 46% Mass percentage of iron: 17% 7. Percent yield for salt = 46% Percent yield for sand = 47% Percent yield for iron = 29% Conclusion: Results: In this lab, the largest amount of recovered solids was the sand. The smallest amount of recovered solids was the iron. The total mass of recovered solids was greater than the original mixtures mass. Disunion: During this lab a mixture of the pure substances salt, iron, and sand were separated by different ways of physical change. The physical changes used in this lab report were filtration, evaporation, and distillation. The physical properties used in this lab report were magnetism, solubility, and boiling point. Error: The total mass of recovered solids was greater than the original mixtures ass. This could be because of inaccurate math or measurements. Also it was observed that in the chemical oven. Other ways that this lab could have obtained more accurate results would be using hot water during the filtration process instead of cold water. The hot water would most likely help to dissolve the tougher salt particles. The same filter paper used during lab was not the same filter paper that was measured for mass. This could have affected the ending result of mass of recovered sand, because the filter paper used could have been a different mass than the filter paper actually weighed.

Antrax Island essays

Antrax Island essays In the article Soviets Leave Anthrax Legacy by Bruce Finley, Mr. Finley states how we are affected today by the Cold War 11 years ago. From what Finley says in this article, Muynoq, an island in Uzbekistan, has enough supervirulent brown powder to extinguish humanity. Soviet scientists tested very deadly bio-weapons there. This is a problem for Americans today because the Aral Sea is shrinking. This means that the Aral Sea is leaving a land bridge to the north that can spread anthrax. Also, this is a possibility for terrorists to reach this island, and spread anthrax. There are several arguments for and against the U.S. paying to clean up the damage in and around the Aral sea. Although it wasnt the U.S. who caused this, and it is not in the United States, it is an obligation because the U.S. is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and can be doing the world a great favor by cleaning up this mess, and preventing the spread of anthrax throughout the world. I would advise Presi dent Bush to clean up the mess. It is important for him to do this because the U.S. is trying to prevent terrorism, and this is a great way to do it. It will prevent the world from getting sick as well. Although Soviets should be responsible for cleaning this up, it is advisable for the U.S. to take action, and help clean up the world. ...

Remote Sensing - Overview, Types and Applications

Remote Sensing - Overview, Types and Applications Remote sensing is the examination or the gathering of information about a place from a distance. Such examination can occur with devices (e.g. - cameras) based on the ground, and/or sensors or cameras based on ships, aircraft, satellites, or other spacecraft. Today, the data obtained is usually stored and manipulated using computers. The most common software used in remote sensing is ERDAS Imagine, ESRI, MapInfo, and ERMapper. A Brief History of Remote Sensing Modern remote sensing began in 1858 when Gaspard-Felix Tournachon first took aerial photographs of Paris from a hot air balloon. Remote sensing continued to grow from there; one of the first planned uses of remote sensing occurred during the  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹U.S. Civil War when messenger pigeons, kites, and unmanned balloons were flown over enemy territory with cameras attached to them. The first governmental-organized air photography missions were developed for military surveillance during World Wars I and II but reached a climax during the Cold War. Today, small remote sensors or cameras are used by law enforcement and the military in both manned and unmanned platforms to gain information about an area. Todays remote sensing imaging also includes infra-red, conventional air photos, and Doppler radar. In addition to these tools, satellites were developed during the late 20th century and are still used today to gain information on a global scale and even information about other planets in the solar system. For example, the Magellan probe is a satellite that has used remote sensing technologies to create topographic maps of Venus. Types of Remote Sensing Data The types of remote sensing data vary but each plays a significant role in the ability to analyze an area from some distance away. The first way to gather remote sensing data is through radar. Its most important uses are for air traffic control and the detection of storms or other potential disasters. In addition, Doppler radar is a common type of radar used in detecting meteorological data but is also used by law enforcement to monitor traffic and driving speeds. Other types of radar are also used to create digital models of elevation. Another type of remote sensing data comes from lasers. These are often used in conjunction with radar altimeters on satellites to measure things like wind speeds and their direction and the direction of ocean currents. These altimeters are also useful in seafloor mapping in that they are capable of measuring bulges of water caused by gravity and the varied seafloor topography. These varied ocean heights can then be measured and analyzed to create seafloor maps. Also common in remote sensing is LIDAR - Light Detection and Ranging. This is most famously used for weapons ranging but can also be used to measure chemicals in the atmosphere and heights of objects on the ground. Other types of remote sensing data include stereographic pairs created from multiple air photos (often used to view features in 3-D and/or make topographic maps), radiometers and photometers which collect emitted radiation common in infra-red photos, and air photo data obtained by earth-viewing satellites such as those found in the Landsat program. Applications of Remote Sensing As with its varied types of data, the specific applications of remote sensing are diverse as well. However, remote sensing is mainly conducted for image processing and interpretation. Image processing allows things like air photos and satellite images to be manipulated so they fit various project uses and/or to create maps. By using image interpretation in remote sensing an area can be studied without being physically present there. The processing and interpretation of remote sensing images also have specific uses within various fields of study. In geology, for instance, remote sensing can be applied to analyze and map large, remote areas. Remote sensing interpretation also makes it easy for geologists in this case to identify an areas rock types, geomorphology, and changes from natural events such as a flood or landslide. Remote sensing is also helpful in studying vegetation types. Interpretation of remote sensing images allows physical and biogeographers, ecologists, those studying agriculture, and foresters to easily detect what vegetation is present in certain areas, its growth potential, and sometimes what conditions are conducive to its being there. Additionally, those studying urban and other land use applications are also concerned with remote sensing because it allows them to easily pick out which land uses are present in an area. This can then be used as data in city planning applications and the study of species habitat, for example. Finally, remote sensing plays a significant role in GIS. Its images are used as the input data for the raster-based digital elevation models (abbreviated as DEMs) - a common type of data used in GIS. The air photos taken during remote sensing applications are also used during GIS digitizing to create polygons, which are later put into shapefiles to create maps. Because of its varied applications and ability to allow users to collect, interpret, and manipulate data over large often not easily accessible and sometimes dangerous areas, remote sensing has become a useful tool for all geographers, regardless of their concentration.

External environment , business strategy Coursework

External environment , business strategy - Coursework Example Under the competitive environment, also referred to as the task or industry environment, the strategist takes into consideration the decisions, actions and moves initiated by rival firms in the same industry. The PESTEL analysis and five forces model would delineate the opportunities that an organization can tap. At the same time, various threats that the organization should be vary of would also be uncovered with the help of this analysis. These threats and opportunities are kept in mind and correlated with internal strengths and weaknesses while deciding various strategic issues including which businesses should the company invest money in. The objectives are also set keeping in mind the opportunities available to the organization. Under the political factors, the strategist has to take into consideration the political stability, ideology of the ruling government as well as its attitude towards various businesses. The economic factors include interest rates, income levels, unemployment rates, and rate of inflation prevailing in the country. In general, recessionary conditions can have an adverse impact on companies. Rising affluence of people may prove to be a boon to companies especially to those operating in the entertainment and leisure sector. The social factors include the opinions, beliefs, values and attitudes of the people. Number of women in the workforce, concern for health and fitness are also socio-cultural aspects, the increase in which can provide a boost to certain industries. Technological aspects too impact businesses. A company operating in the cell phone or computer manufacturing industry may confront a short product life cycle. In order to sustain in such an environment such company will have to constantly invest in research and development and manufacture state-of-the-art technologically advanced products. The issue of global warming has necessitated that all companies adopt ‘green’ measures. This may

Quantitve and qualitative method of research, sociology Essay

Quantitve and qualitative method of research, sociology - Essay Example Research methodology is the procedural framework within which the research is conducted. The methodology would depend upon the topic to be researched and the specific research questions are the primary drivers. Positivism (quantitative with hypothesis testing) and interpretivism (qualitative with hypothesis generalizations) are the different types of research philosophies, each has its own purposes and advantages. Research philosophy highlights two different schools of thought on the how to conduct research. Arguments should be evaluated in different ways because primarily arguments have different roles and purposes and people assess according to the purpose in their mind. At times arguments provide useful information depending on one’s knowledge of how the world works. In a different setting, one can take an abstract approach and ask what follows from a given set of information and then decide on the outcome. Arguments can be evaluated in two qualitatively different ways – in terms of their deductive correctness or in terms of inductive strength (Rips, 2001). Quantitative methodology is a positivist approach in sociology research. Positivism is characterized by operational definitions, objectivity, replicability and causality (Bryman, 1984). Through questionnaire items the concepts can be operationalized; objectivity can be obtained by maintaining distance between the observer and the observed. By applying the same research instrument in another context replication can be maintained and causality is handled through path analysis and related regression techniques. Quantitative investigations look for â€Å"distinguishing characteristics, elemental properties and empirical boundaries’ and tend to measure â€Å"how much† or â€Å"how often† (Nau, 1995 cited by Amaratunga et al.,). Quantitative research designs determine the truth value of propositions and allow flexibility in the