Texting and Writing Essay Example for Free

Texting and Writing Essay Throughout these years, many have argued that texting affects writing in different ways. The argument of texting and writing is either a positive or negative influence on the writer. Although some think texting has a negative influence, it is a sufficient way for writers to express ideas frequently, language skills, and increase the amount of time spent writing. Considering the amount of people that use text messaging, it is easy to agree that writing will lack intelligence. Many say texting has a negative influence on writing. They say it does not stress the importance of punctuation in writing. Admittedly, texting expresses lack of emotion. Opposing views claim that it reinforces simplistic writing. However these problems only apply when the writer leans only to texting. According to research done by Michaela Cullington in â€Å"Does Texting affect writing? † texting does not affect writing. She surveyed seven different students and two high school teachers about their opinions on writing. From her research she concluded that people recognize the differences between texting friends and writing formally and know what is appropriate in each situation. Although some teachers disagree with this, Cullington can confidently state that texting has no effect on students writing in general. (Cullington, 87-95) Over the years, texting has become extremely popular. It is used every day, all day. With this method ideas are expressed through writing daily. The ability to text a friend teaches the expression of emotion in writing. Normally the only formal writing being done is when it is assigned. Texting makes it available to practice writing daily. Texting has little effect on language skills. Many argue that with text speak it will affect formal writing. Abbreviating has been in use for decades, and thus is not a new language. Before people can text, they must first know how to spell. Texting can therefore not be a cause of bad spelling. Since texting provides people with the opportunity of engaging with the language through reading and writing, it improves people’s literacy. There may always be a divide in opinion, but the evidence is there. As long as it is made clear that text language is not to be used in formal contexts, and is simply an addition to our language, there will not be a problem. Perhaps texting has become an easy target to blame for the decline in literacy. If we look closely, texting and computer-mediated-communication provide additional practice in reading and writing and help children to learn the relationship between spelling and sounds. Although texting has taken off, it will never take over. As far as I can see our language is safe.

Transplant Rejection: Causes, Types and Prevention

Transplant Rejection: Causes, Types and Prevention Through this project I have researched transplants of organs, cells and tissues, Transplant rejection, the Human Immune System and the role of antibodies. Transplatation is the process where healthy cells, tissue or organs are moved from one site to another. There are different types of transplants and many problems that can occur with transplantation. The largest threat to a successful organ transplant is the Human Immune System, because it rejects the transplant. The role of the human immunity system is to protect the body from harmful, infecting agents. It destroys the transplant recognizing it as foreign and a potential treat to the body. This is known as Transplant Rejection. There are many different types of Transplant Rejection, each with there own diagnosis methods and symptoms. There are different ways of prevention and treatment, including tissue typing to determine the most appropriate donor-recipient match and using Immunosuppressant drugs that suppress the immune system of the recipient. There are two kinds of immunity in a human. The bodys first line of defence is the Innate Immunity and the specific response to the invaders is the Adaptive Immunity. Many white blood cells form the main components of the immune system and they identify and destroy invading agents. There are also different types of immune responses including the Humoral immune response. Antibodies, Y-shaped proteins, form part of the Humoral response. The structure of all antibodies are very similar, except for a small unique region at the ends of the two arms of the Y used for recognising agents. Antibodies can destroy the foreign material or help destroy them by tagging it for attack by other parts of the immune system. Antibodies are very important in transplant rejection, because they form part of the mechanism that rejects the organ or tissue and are one of the most important cells of the Human Immunity System. They help lead to Transplant Rejection and the destruction of the transplanted organ or tissue. INDEX (Jump to): Introduction Hypothesis Transplants Types of Transplants Problems With Transplantation Transplant Rejection Types of Transplant Rejection Diagnosis and Symptoms Prevention and Treatment Potential Further Studies The Human Immune System and Antibodies Types of Immune Responses Conclusion Bibliography Referencing INTRODUCTION: The role of the Human Immunity System is to protect the body from harmful, infecting agents. This protection is very important to keep our bodies healthy and functioning at the best it can, but this protection is also the largest problem in organ and tissue transplants. Transplantation has replaced many people damaged organs with healthy organs and is used to cure many tissue and cell diseases. The Human Immunity System is the largest threat to successful organ and tissue transplants, but why does the Human Immunity reject the transplanted organ or tissue? And is it possible that transplant rejection can be prevented? The body is constantly under attack from harmful substances that can cause damage and destruction to the human body, but we are protected. The human immunity system is bodys natural defence mechanism. What causes an immune response? And how does the immune system respond to foreign materials? Antibodies are an important part in the human immunity system. They can recognize, neutralize and destroy harmful materials, but what exact role does an antibody play in human immunity? Where and why are antibodies produced? Through this project I will explore transplants, transplant rejection, human immunity and the role of antibodies and finally prove or contradict my hypothesis. HYPOTHESIS: Antibodies do not play a role in the rejection of a transplanted organ or tissue. Transplants Transplatation is the action of healthy cells, tissue or organs that are transplanted (grafted) from one site to another. A transplanted organ can replace a recipients damaged, malfunctioning or absent organ and grafting of cells and tissue can also cure many diseases. A kidney (most common), heart, lungs, pancreas, liver, skin, cornea, blood, blood vessels, bone marrow, stem cells, cord blood, intestine, stomach, testis, thymus, bones, tendons, heart valves and veins, hand, Islets of Langerhans and ovaries can now be transplanted. The transplanted organ or tissue is commonly known as a graft. While the lack of organs for transplantation remains an obstacle, the biggest challenge for transplantation is the immune system. It destroys a transplanted graft recognizing it as foreign and a potential treat to the body. [2][7][9][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] Types of Transplants Autografts: Grafts of tissue from one area of the body to another part e.g. Skin transplants, vein extractions, etc. Autografts are not foreign tissue and therefore there is no immune reaction. Allografts: Grafts between members of the same species. Most organ transplants are allografts. Because of genetic differences between the organ and the recipient, the recipients immune system will identify the organ as foreign and attempts to destroy it, causing transplant rejection. Isografts: Forms part of allografts and are grafts between genetically identical individuals. Isografts do not trigger an immune response. Xenografts/ Xenotransplantation: Grafts between members of different species. E.g. the use of organs from other animals, like chimpanzees, baboon and pigs. In Xenografts there is a large risk of rejection and diseases carried in the tissue. [2][7][9][19][20][22] Problems with Transplantation Graft/transplant rejection: The immune system, recognizing the transplanted graft as foreign, will cause a rejection of the graft. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD): T-cells, in the graft from the donor, identify the tissues of the recipient as a foreign antigen and mounts an immune attack against them. This is prevented by removing all T-cells in the graft before transplantation. In rare cases the donated organ may be infected and transmit an agent to the recipient. E.g. TB, rabies, syphilis, hepatitis B, HIV and many other diseases. To prevent this, potential donors are tested for these infections before the transplantation. [2][12][19] Transplant Rejection Transplant rejection is also know as Graft Rejection and organ or tissue rejection. Transplant Rejection occurs when a transplanted organ or tissue is not accepted by the body of the recipient, because the immune system of the recipient attacks and tries to destroy the transplanted organ or tissue. The body identifies the graft as foreign material and therefore triggers a rejection. This is expected because the Human Immunity Systems purpose is to protect the body by identifying and destroying foreign material that are potentially harmful. These harmful substances have proteins called antigens on their surfaces, when the immune system identifies these antigens as foreign, it will start to attack them. The degree and type of response varies according to the type of transplant and the organ or tissue being transplanted. Certain sites in the body are immune privileged, which means they are protected from attack, because immune cells and antibodies do not reach them. The anterior chamber of the eye, the testes and the brain are all immune privileged. Using the patients own tissue for autografts or tissue from an identical twin, isografts, when available prevents transplant rejection as the recipient sees the transplant as self, not as foreign and therefore does not mount an attack. Using a relative (sibling) as a donor is also recommended, because they may have inherited some of the same histocompatibility antigens and therefore the immune response may not be as strong. [2][3][4][7][8][11][12][23] Types of Transplant Rejection: Hyperacute Rejection Hyperacute Rejection is a rare humoral complement-mediated response in recipients with pre-existing antibodies to the donor. This reaction occurs immediately after the transplantation. No treatment is available for it and the graft must be removed quickly to prevent a severe systemic inflammatory response or death. Acute Rejection Acute rejection usually begins one week after the transplant, but it can occur months to years after transplantation. The new organ will be incapable of working at full efficiency. A single episode of acute rejection is not dangerous, if it recognized and treated it rarely leads to organ failure. Acute rejection occurs to some degree in all transplants and is caused by mismatched HLA. The Immune system will recognize the graft as foreign and will mount an attack against it. Acute rejection is a form of Cell-mediated response. Humeroral Rejection Humeroral Rejection is mediated by antibody and complement Immunity. It can occur immediately or during the first week after the transplantation. The antibodies are preformed antibodies or anti-donor antibodies that have developed after transplant. Chronic Rejection Chronic Rejection is the rejection against a graft due to chronic inflammatory and immune response. This rejection occurs over time (sometimes years after the transplant) and may occur from repeated episodes of acute rejection or for other causes not understood. Chronic Rejection is rare and is both antibody cell-mediated immune responses. Chronic rejection is irreversible and there is no successful treatment. Eventually the donor organ is lost, leading to re-transplant or death. [3][7][8][23] Diagnosis and Symptoms Diagnosis of transplant rejection relies on clinical data, including signs and symptoms, lab testing and a tissue biopsy to confirm that the graft has been rejected. The biopsy is interpreted by a pathologist who notes changes in the tissue that suggest rejection. E.g. presence of T-cells and other cell types that may be helpful in diagnosing the type of rejection and any evidence of structural injury or injury to blood vessels in the transplanted tissue. The symptoms of transplant rejection vary depending on the organ or tissue transplanted, but general symptoms include the organ not functioning properly, general discomfort, uneasiness or ill feeling, pain or swelling in the location of organ (rare) and fever (rare). [1][23] Prevention Treatment Tissue Typing Transplant rejection can be reduced through serotyping (tissue typing or crossmatching) before the transplantation to identify the antigens it contains and to determine the most appropriate donor-recipient match. ABO blood typing or HLA (Tissue antigen) typing is performed to ensure that the organ or tissue is as similar as possible to the tissues of the recipient. The antigens responsible for rejection of tissues are called histocompatibility antigens. These antigens are encoded by genes on chromosome 6, called the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC). The MHC is called the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) system in humans. HLA are present on all cells of the body. Each individual has a unique combination of HLA and matching as many histocompatibility antigens will minimize the size and speed of rejection. MHC molecules present antigens to the T-cells of the immune system. When a foreign material enters a body cell, the MHC molecules inside the body cell bind to the antigen and transport it to the body cells surface. The antigen can now be recognized by a T-cell. Immunosuppressant Drugs Immunosuppressant drugs can treat and prevent transplant rejection. The drugs suppress the immune system of the recipient and are usually necessary for all transplants to prevent the graft from being rejected. The drugs should be used for the rest of the transplant recipients life. Most immunosuppressive drugs have the disadvantage of being non-specific and they result in suppression of the entire immune responses and therefore placing the recipient at a higher risk of infections. It is needed to develop more specific immunosuppressive drugs that will suppress only the responses that attack the graft, without dangerous side effects. Drugs like azathioprine (Imuran), methotrexate, cyclophosphamide, prednisone, belatacept, corticosteroids, cyclosporine A, tacrolimus, prednisolone, mycophennolate mofetil, antithymocyte globulin (ATG) and rapamycin are routinely used in different combinations for a safe level of immunosuppression. Side effects of immunosuppression drugs include infections, as the immune system is vital to protect us from infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc). Usually the infections can be controlled by the appropriate antibiotic, antiviral drug, etc. The chance of Cancer is also increased with the use of immunosuppression drugs. [1][2][5][6][7][8][12][16][19][23] Potential Further Studies Demi-Lee Brennan, an Australian whose body changed blood type and adopted the immune system of her donor after a liver transplant. Her body no longer rejects the transplanted liver. Her case is unique and scientists are interested in finding out how this occurred. Duplication of this would be a potential solution to transplant rejection. Some grafts survive despite the presence of anti-donor antibodies. This acquired resistance to antibody-mediated damage is known as Accommodation and is poorly understood. [6][8] The Human Immune System and Antibodies The immune system recognizes as foreign and attacks anything different from your normal body tissues. Even substances that are only slightly different, for example a transplanted organ or tissue, are considered foreign invaders. The immune system uses histocompatibility antigens to recognize material as self or foreign. Antigens occur on the surface of every cell and the immune system will attack anything that does not display the antigen of that individual. The immune system cannot tell if the foreign material is harmful or not, just that it is different. The transplanted organ or tissue is different and therefore the immune system will try to destroy it. There are two kinds of immunity in a human, Innate Immunity and Adaptive Immunity. The bodys first line of defence against invaders is the Innate Immunity. It is provided by barriers like tears, mucus, skin, saliva and the rapid inflammation of tissue. If an invader gets past the Innate Immunity, the immune system will make a customized defence, the Adaptive Immunity. It is a specific response depending on the specific invader and it has a memory, which allows it to respond better to the specific invader if it attacks again. The Adaptive Immunity does not attack normal body components, only substances it recognizes as non-self. White blood cells (leukocytes) are the main component of the immune system. Macrophages, a type of white blood cells, surround and eat invading materials. Macrophages can also attach to themselves to invading agents and transport them to another part of the immune system to be destroyed. Lymphocytes are specialized white blood cells that identify and destroy invading antigens. Each lymphocyte has a unique antigen receptor on its surface that can bind to a matching antigen on the surface of the foreign invader. They constantly travel throughout the body looking for invaders. All lymphocytes begin as stem cells in bone marrow, but they mature in two different places. Several lymphocytes mature in the bone marrow and they are called B-lymphocytes (B-cells). B-cells form Plasma cells that make antibodies. Each B-cell has a unique receptor on its membrane, called B-cell receptor (BCR) that is designed to fit a specific antigen. When the BCR binds to an antigen molecule, the B-cell surrounds it and breaks it up. The result is the histcompatibilty molecules and then the body B-cell can identify the antigen. Other lymphocytes called T-lymphocytes (T-cells) mature in the thymus. Some T-cells called cytotoic or Killer T-cells directly destroy cells that are displaying a certain antigen on their surface. Other T-cells, Helper T-cells, regulate the immune system by controlling the strength of immune responses. [1][3][5][6][7][8][10][11][23] Types of Immune Responses Humoral Immune Response The Humoral response attack invaders that act outside of cells, like bacteria and poisons. When an invader antigen enters the body, Macrophages take the antigen and attach it to MHC molecules. The MHC molecules display the antigen to the T-helper cells and they attach to the presented antigen. This stimulates the T-helper cells to divide and produce interleukins. The Interleukins activate a B-cell that has bound the antigen. The activated B-cells then divide and secrete antibodies. Antibodies, also called immunoglobulins (lg), are Y-shaped proteins and they are found in blood and other bodily fluids of vertebrates. Antibodies are produced by a kind of white blood cell, called a plasma cell. Surface immunoglobulin are attached to the membrane of the effector B-cells, while antibodies are the secreted into the bloodstream and body cavities. The membrane-bound form of an antibodies is forms part of the BCR on B-cells. The general structure of all antibodies are very similar, except for a small region at the ends of the two arms of the Y used for binding antigens. This allows many different antigen binding sites to exist between the antibodies, allowing the immune system to recognize a wide diversity of antigens. The base of the Y determines how the antibody will destroy an antigen or foreign material. Antibodies into are classified into 5 classes/isotypes: lgM, lgG, lgA, lgD and lgE. They perform different roles and form part of the immune response against foreign objects. The secreted antibodies bind can the antigen and destroy it. Antibodies may also stop the harmful effects of an antigen by attaching to it and neutralizing it. Antibodies also help destroy antigens by tagging it for attack by other parts of the immune system. Cell-mediated Immune Response The Cell-mediated Response attacks invaders, like viruses, that reproduce inside cells. It also destroys cells that cause the growth of improper structures, like cancers. After an invader antigen enters the human body, Macrophages attach the antigen to MHC molecules. The MHC molecules present the antigen to the T-helper cells and they bind the antigen, which motivates the T-helper cells to divide and secrete interleukins. The Interleukins activate killer T-cells. Killer T-cells directly destroy the cell/s that are infected with or that are producing a certain antigen. [3][7][8][10][11] CONCLUSION: My Hypothesis that antibodies do not play a role in the rejection of a transplanted organ or tissue is incorrect. Antibodies are very important in transplant rejection, because they form part of the mechanism that rejects the organ or tissue and they are one of the main components of the Human Immunity System. When the healthy organ or tissue is transplanted into the body of the recipient, it does not have the same tissue antigens of the recipients body. Each human has unique tissue antigens, therefore a perfect match is seldom found. Antibodies form part of humoral rejection response to the transplanted organ or tissue. They are the main element in recognizing a foreign agent, because they have unique antigen binding sites. Antibodies especially play a role in Hyperacute, Humeroral and Chronic Transplant Rejection, as they are all humoral-mediated rejections. Anti-Donor antibodies are secreted by plasma cells after the T-helper cells have collected the transplants antigen and identified it as foreign and non-self. Pre-existing antibodies circulate through the bodily fluids of the human body looking for foreign material to recognize. Some antibodies also form part of the membrane receptor of the B-cells used to identify and recognize antigens of the transplanted organ or tissue. After the antibodies have bond to the foreign antigen of the transplanted organ or tissue, therefore recognizing it, it will decide how to destroy the organ or tissue or if it will tag it for attack from other parts of the immune system. Leading to Transplant Rejection and the destruction of the transplanted organ or tissue. BIBLIOGRAPHY REFERENCING: Websites: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000815.htm, Transplant Rejection, Medline Plus, 23 February 2010, David A. Kaufman, MD, Section Chief, Pulmonary, Critical Care Sleep Medicine, Bridgeport Hospital-Yale New Haven Health System, and Assistant Clinical Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT. http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/T/Transplants.html, Organ Transplants, 1 November 2009 http://www.chfpatients.com/tx/txrejection.htm, Transplant Rejection, CHF Patients, 3 June 2002 http://www.uihealthcare.com/topics/medicaldepartments/surgery/rejection/index.html, Rejection: Organ Transplantation, UI Healthcare, 7 August 2006, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics http://immunology.suite101.com/article.cfm/why_organ_transplants_fail, Why Organ Transplants Fail, Immunology, 5 June 2009, Jitendra Rathod http://discoverysedge.mayo.edu/abo_posxmatch/index.cfm, Overcoming Antibody Barriers to Kidney Transplant, Discoverys Edge, 2010, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/432209-overview, Immunology of Transplant Rejection, eMedicine, 28 July 2009, Prashant Malhotra, MBBS, Fellow, Division of Infectious Diseases, North Shore University Hospital http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transplant_rejection, Transplant Rejection, Wikipedia, 27 March 2010 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_transplant, Organ Transplant, Wikipedia, 21 March 2010 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibody, Antibody, Wikipedia, 23 March 2010 Books: Westen, Trevor. 1976. The Hamlyn Family Medical Dictionary. Hong Kong: Toppan Printing Co. p16,187-188,367-368. Danovith, Gabriel. 2001. Handbook of Kidney Transplantation Third Edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams Wilkins. p17-61,146-162. Malan, Marais.1968. Heart Transplant. Johannesburg: Voortrekkerpers. p21-36. Magazines: Meyer, Rilette. Die grootste geskenk. Vroukeur. August 2009, p22 Unknown. n Geskenk van lewe. Vroukeur. August 2009, p31 Salzwedel, Ilse. Bloed Bande. Huisgenoot. Winter 2008, p22-28 Ramsamy, Prevashni. The Ultimate Donation. February 2006, p30-32 Newspapers: Unknown. Orgaanskenkings gee die geskenk van lewe. Die Burger. 29 September 1998 Hudsen, Mari. So verloop die proses van orgaanskenking. Die Burger. 14 August 2000, p5 Gerber, Jan. Tekort aan skenkers van organe. Die Burger. 14 April 2007 Wessels, Elsa. Nalaat van organe vir oorplanting is grootste geskenk denkbaar. Die Burger. 5 August 1998, p13 Kees, Revona. Orgaanskenkers kan talle lewens red. Die Burger. 31 August 2005, p10 Medical Journals: Chan, Laurence. 2000. Transplant Rejection and its Treatment. Chapter 9 (pg. 9.1 9.13). Cover Picture and Background: Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ab/Outline-body-aura.png

John Cabot :: essays research papers

Earlier this week received word that the famous explorer John Cabot died. He died mysteriously, no one really knowing when, where, or how he died. He was born in Genoa, Italy in 1450. His name was actually Giovanni Caboto, but he would be remembered by the English translation, John Cabot. In 1476, Cabot lived in Venice, Italy, the main trading center for the entire Mediterranean region. He worked there as a merchant and a navigator. Horrible experiences with Arab traders probably influenced Cabot’s decision to find a new sea route to the Far East which would allow merchants to trade directly with Asian traders instead of the Arab traders.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1483, Cabot moved to Bristol, England. He believed that Asia could be reached by sailing west. In 1493, when word of Columbus’ reports of his successful journey to the New World arrived, Cabot convinced King Henry VII that England did not have to sit still while Spaniards helped themselves to the New World. Even though the Pope had given Spain control of all of the new lands in the New World, King Henry VII liked Cabot’s idea. He had this to say about Cabot, â€Å"He was so Passionate about helping England I just couldn’t turn him down.† He paid for Cabot to begin an exploration of the New World because Cabot convinced him that it was possible to reach Asia on a more northerly route than Columbus had taken, and this route would be even shorter. The idea that a northern route existed started the search for the Northwest Passage to the Indies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cabot sailed out of Bristol with his ship, the Matthew, on May 2, 1497. He landed in the New World, believing that he had landed on the east coast of Asia. Even now, we don’t know exactly where he landed. He may have landed in Maine or Newfoundland, Canada. Wherever he landed, he claimed it in the name of King Henry VII. Cabot became the first European explorer to discover the mainland of North America. He sailed further north, making the first recorded attempt to find the Northwest Passage, only to find icy waters. John Cabot :: essays research papers Earlier this week received word that the famous explorer John Cabot died. He died mysteriously, no one really knowing when, where, or how he died. He was born in Genoa, Italy in 1450. His name was actually Giovanni Caboto, but he would be remembered by the English translation, John Cabot. In 1476, Cabot lived in Venice, Italy, the main trading center for the entire Mediterranean region. He worked there as a merchant and a navigator. Horrible experiences with Arab traders probably influenced Cabot’s decision to find a new sea route to the Far East which would allow merchants to trade directly with Asian traders instead of the Arab traders.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1483, Cabot moved to Bristol, England. He believed that Asia could be reached by sailing west. In 1493, when word of Columbus’ reports of his successful journey to the New World arrived, Cabot convinced King Henry VII that England did not have to sit still while Spaniards helped themselves to the New World. Even though the Pope had given Spain control of all of the new lands in the New World, King Henry VII liked Cabot’s idea. He had this to say about Cabot, â€Å"He was so Passionate about helping England I just couldn’t turn him down.† He paid for Cabot to begin an exploration of the New World because Cabot convinced him that it was possible to reach Asia on a more northerly route than Columbus had taken, and this route would be even shorter. The idea that a northern route existed started the search for the Northwest Passage to the Indies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cabot sailed out of Bristol with his ship, the Matthew, on May 2, 1497. He landed in the New World, believing that he had landed on the east coast of Asia. Even now, we don’t know exactly where he landed. He may have landed in Maine or Newfoundland, Canada. Wherever he landed, he claimed it in the name of King Henry VII. Cabot became the first European explorer to discover the mainland of North America. He sailed further north, making the first recorded attempt to find the Northwest Passage, only to find icy waters.

What is property :: essays research papers

What Is Poverty? Jo Goodwin Parker 1. You ask me what is poverty? Listen to me. Here I am, dirty, smelly and with no "proper" underwear on and with the stench of my rotting teeth near you. I will tell you. Listen to me. Listen without pity. I cannot use your pity. Listen with understanding. Put yourself in my pity, worn out, ill-fitting shoes, and hear me. 2. Poverty is getting up every morning from a dirty- and illness-stained mattress. The sheets have long since been used for diapers. Poverty is living in a smell that never leaves. This is a smell of urine, sour milk, and spoiling food sometimes joined with the strong smell of long-cooked onions. Onions are cheap. If you have smelled this smell, you did not know how it came. It is the smell of the outdoor privy. It is the smell of young children who cannot walk the long dark way in the night. It is the smell of the mattresses where years of "accidents" have happened. It is the smell of the milk which has gone sour because the refrigerator long has not worked, and it costs money to get it fixed. It is the smell of rotting garbage. I could bury it, but where is the shovel? Shovels cost money. 3. Poverty is being tired. I have always been tired. They told me at the hospital when the last baby came that I had chronic anemia caused from poor diet, a bad case of worms, and that I needed a corrective operation. I listened politely -- the poor are always polite. The poor always listen. They don't say that there is no money for iron pills, or better food, or worm medicine. The idea of an operation is frightening and costs so much that, if I had dared, I would have laughed. Who takes care of my children? Recovery from an operation takes a long time. I have three children. When I left them with "Granny" the last time I had a job, I came home to find the baby covered with fly specks, and a diaper that had not been changed since I left. When the dried diaper came off, bits of my baby's flesh came with it. My other child was playing with a sharp bit of broken glass, and my oldest was playing alone at the edge of a lake. I made twenty-two dollars a week, and a good nursery s chool costs twenty dollars a week for three children.

The Pit and the Pendulum essay -- essays research papers

The Dungeon of Madness In this story, Edgar Allan Poe (such as in many of his works) uses the setting to create a dark image inside our minds. He makes this specially through darkness, therefore the character makes a connection with death. â€Å"The physical setting oppresses him in the visions of his graveyard† (1). â€Å"The setting plays an important role in how the narrator discovers the many ways he may die† (2). It is a dungeon full of torturing traps, and the character, as any normal human, feels terror inside his prison and fears his death in any of the cruel ways arranged for him. Still, he has to decide between death and the relief which it brings or life with the interminable agony of being tortured as a lab mouse. The best terror stories create suspense through the setting. Most of the times, the character does not know completely where he is or what enemy or problem he is facing. In â€Å"The Pit and the Pendulum†, the underground prison is dark; as a result, the character compares the place with hell or even his tomb. That is why at the beginning, during his dream-like state, he does not want to open his eyes and we do not know where he is either. The darkness makes the character struggle with the idea of trusting his senses or not. Also, he is afraid to discover more mean ways in which he may die. Poe creates a disgusting atmosphere for the setting. He starts describing the prison as a "damp and hard place." There is no light and the character is not able to s...

Vampire Academy Chapter 18

EIGHTEEN I WOKE UP STARING AT the boring white ceiling of the clinic. A filtered light – soothing to Moroi patients – shone down on me. I felt strange, kind of disoriented, but I didn't hurt. â€Å"Rose.† The voice was like silk on my skin. Gentle. Rich. Turning my head, I met Dimitri's dark eyes. He sat in a chair beside the bed I lay on, his shoulder-length brown hair hanging forward and framing his face. â€Å"Hey,† I said, my voice coming out as a croak. â€Å"How do you feel?† â€Å"Weird. Kind of groggy.† â€Å"Dr. Olendzki gave you something for the pain – you seemed pretty bad when we brought you in.† â€Å"I don't remember that†¦How long have I been out?† â€Å"A few hours.† â€Å"Must have been strong. Must still be strong.† Some of the details came back. The bench. My ankle getting caught. I couldn't remember much after that. Feeling hot and cold and then hot again. Tentatively, I tried moving the toes on my healthy foot. â€Å"I don't hurt at all.† He shook his head. â€Å"No. Because you weren't seriously injured.† The sound of my ankle cracking came back to me. â€Å"Are you sure? I remember†¦the way it bent. No. Something must be broken.† I manage to sit up, so I could look at my ankle. â€Å"Or at least sprained.† He moved forward to stop me. â€Å"Be careful. Your ankle might be fine, but you're probably still a little out of it.† I carefully shifted to the edge of the bed and looked down. My jeans were rolled up. The ankle looked a little red, but I had no bruises or serious marks. â€Å"God, I got lucky. If I'd hurt it, it would have put me out of practice for a while.† Smiling, he returned to his chair. â€Å"I know. You kept telling me that while I was carrying you. You were very upset.† â€Å"You†¦you carried me here?† â€Å"After we broke the bench apart and freed your foot.† Man. I'd missed out on a lot. The only thing better than imagining Dimitri carrying me in his arms was imagining him shirtless while carrying me in his arms. Then the reality of the situation hit me. â€Å"I was taken down by a bench,† I groaned. â€Å"What?† â€Å"I survived the whole day guarding Lissa, and you guys said I did a good job. Then, I get back here and meet my downfall in the form of a bench.† Ugh. â€Å"Do you know how embarrassing it is? And all those guys saw, too.† â€Å"It wasn't your fault,† he said. â€Å"No one knew the bench was rotted. It looked fine.† â€Å"Still. I should have just stuck to the sidewalk like a normal person. The other novices are going to give me shit when I get back.† His lips held back a smile. â€Å"Maybe presents will cheer you up.† I sat up straighter. â€Å"Presents?† The smile escaped, and he handed me a small box with a piece of paper. â€Å"This is from Prince Victor.† Surprised that Victor would have given me anything, I read the note. It was just a few lines, hastily scrawled in pen. Rose – I'm very happy to see you didn't suffer any serious injuries from your fall. Truly, it is a miracle. You lead a charmed life, and Vasilisa is lucky to have you. â€Å"That's nice of him,† I said, opening the box. Then I saw what was inside. â€Å"Whoa. Very nice.† It was the rose necklace, the one Lissa had wanted to get me but couldn't afford. I held it up, looping its chain over my hand so the glittering, diamond-covered rose hung free. â€Å"This is pretty extreme for a get-well present,† I noted, recalling the price. â€Å"He actually bought it in honor of you doing so well on your first day as an official guardian. He saw you and Lissa looking at it.† â€Å"Wow.† It was all I could say. â€Å"I don't think I did that good of a job.† â€Å"I do.† Grinning, I placed the necklace back in the box and set it on a nearby table. â€Å"You did say ? ®presents,' right? Like more than one?† He laughed outright, and the sound wrapped around me like a caress. God, I loved the sound of his laugh. â€Å"This is from me.† He handed me a small, plain bag. Puzzled and excited, I opened it up. Lip gloss, the kind I liked. I'd complained to him a number of times how I was running out, but I'd never thought he was paying attention. â€Å"How'd you manage to buy this? I saw you the whole time at the mall.† â€Å"Guardian secrets.† â€Å"What's this for? For my first day?† â€Å"No,† he said simply. â€Å"Because I thought it would make you happy.† Without even thinking about it, I leaned forward and hugged him. â€Å"Thank you.† Judging from his stiff posture, I'd clearly caught him by surprise. And yeah†¦I'd actually caught myself by surprise, too. But he relaxed a few moments later, and when he reached around and rested his hands on my lower back, I thought I was going to die. â€Å"I'm glad you're better,† he said. His mouth sounded like it was almost in my hair, just above my ear. â€Å"When I saw you fall†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You thought, ? ®Wow, she's a loser.' â€Å" â€Å"That's not what I thought.† He pulled back slightly, so he could see me better, but we didn't say anything. His eyes were so dark and deep that I wanted to dive right in. Staring at them made me feel warm all over, like they had flames inside. Slowly, carefully, those long fingers of his reached out and traced the edge of my cheekbone, moving up the side of my face. At the first touch of his skin on mine, I shivered. He wound a lock of my hair around one finger, just like he had in the gym. Swallowing, I dragged my eyes up from his lips. I'd been contemplating what it'd be like to kiss him. The thought both excited and scared me, which was stupid. I'd kissed a lot of guys and never thought much about it. No reason another one – even an older one – should be that big of a deal. Yet the thought of him closing the distance and bringing his lips to mine made the world start spinning. A soft knock sounded at the door, and I hastily leaned back. Dr. Olendzki stuck her head in. â€Å"I thought I heard you talking. How do you feel?† She walked over and made me lie back down. Touching and bending my ankle, she assessed it for damage and finally shook her head when finished. â€Å"You're lucky. With all the noise you made coming in here, I thought your foot had been amputated. Must have just been shock.† She stepped back. â€Å"I'd feel better if you sat out from your normal trainings tomorrow, but otherwise, you're good to go.† I breathed a sigh of relief. I didn't remember my hysteria – and was actually kind of embarrassed that I'd thrown such a fit – but I had been right about the problems this would have caused me if I'd broken or sprained it. I couldn't afford to lose any time here; I needed to take my trials and graduate in the spring. Dr. Olendzki gave me the okay to go and then left the room. Dimitri walked over to another chair and brought me my shoes and coat. Looking at him, I felt a warm flush sweep me as I recalled what had happened before the doctor had entered. He watched as I slipped one of the shoes on. â€Å"You have a guardian angel.† â€Å"I don't believe in angels,† I told him. â€Å"I believe in what I can do for myself.† â€Å"Well then, you have an amazing body.† I glanced up at him with a questioning look. â€Å"For healing, I mean. I heard about the accident†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He didn't specify which accident it was, but it could be only one. Talking about it normally bothered me, but with him, I felt I could say anything. â€Å"Everyone said I shouldn't have survived,† I explained. â€Å"Because of where I sat and the way the car hit the tree. Lissa was really the only one in a secure spot. She and I walked away with only a few scratches.† â€Å"And you don't believe in angels or miracles.† â€Å"Nope. I – â€Å" Truly, it is a miracle. You lead a charmed life†¦. And just like that, a million thoughts came slamming into my head. Maybe†¦maybe I had a guardian angel after all†¦ Dimitri immediately noticed the shift in my feelings. â€Å"What's wrong?† Reaching out with my mind, I tried to expand the bond and shake off the lingering effects of the pain medication. Some more of Lissa's feelings came through to me. Anxious. Upset. â€Å"Where's Lissa? Was she here?† â€Å"I don't know where she is. She wouldn't leave your side while I brought you in. She stayed right next the bed, right up until the doctor came in. You calmed down when she sat next to you.† I closed my eyes and felt like I might faint. I had calmed down when Lissa sat next to me because she'd taken the pain away. She'd healed me†¦ Just as she had the night of the accident. It all made sense now. I shouldn't have survived. Everyone had said so. Who knew what kind of injuries I'd actually suffered? Internal bleeding. Broken bones. It didn't matter because Lissa had fixed it, just like she'd fixed everything else. That was why she'd been leaning over me when I woke up. It was also probably why she'd passed out when they took her to the hospital. She'd been exhausted for days afterward. And that was when her depression had begun. It had seemed like a normal reaction after losing her family, but now I wondered if there was more to it, if healing me had played a role. Opening my mind again, I reached out to her, needing to find her. If she'd healed me, there was no telling what shape she could be in now. Her moods and magic were linked, and this had been a pretty intense show of magic. The drug was almost gone from my system, and like that, I snapped into her. It was almost easy now. A tidal wave of emotions hit me, worse than when her nightmares engulfed me. I'd never felt such intensity from her before. She sat in the chapel's attic, crying. She didn't entirely know why she was crying either. She felt happy and relieved that I'd been unharmed, that she'd been able to heal me. At the same time, she felt weak in both body and mind. She burned inside, like she'd lost part of herself. She worried I'd be mad because she'd used her powers. She dreaded going through another school day tomorrow, pretending she liked being with a crowd who had no other interests aside from spending their families' money and making fun of those less beautiful and less popular. She didn't want to go to the dance with Aaron and see him watch her so adoringly – and feel him touching her – when she felt only friendship for him. Most of these were all normal concerns, but they hit her hard, harder than they would an ordinary person, I thought. She couldn't sort through them or figure out how to fix them. â€Å"You okay?† She looked up and brushed the hair away from where it stuck to her wet cheeks. Christian stood in the entrance to the attic. She hadn't even heard him come up the stairs. She'd been too lost in her own grief. A flicker of both longing and anger sparked within her. â€Å"I'm fine,† she snapped. Sniffling, she tried to stop her tears, not wanting him to see her weak. Leaning against the wall, he crossed his arms and wore an unreadable expression. â€Å"Do†¦do you want to talk?† â€Å"Oh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She laughed harshly. â€Å"You want to talk now? After I tried so many times – â€Å" â€Å"I didn't want that! That was Rose – â€Å" He cut himself off and I flinched. I was totally busted. Lissa stood up and strode toward him. â€Å"What about Rose?† â€Å"Nothing.† His mask of indifference slipped back into place. â€Å"Forget it.† â€Å"What about Rose?† She stepped closer. Even through her anger, she still felt that inexplicable attraction to him. And then she understood. â€Å"She made you, didn't she? She told you to stop talking to me?† He stared stonily ahead. â€Å"It was probably for the best. I would have just messed things up for you. You wouldn't be where you are now.† â€Å"What's that supposed to mean?† â€Å"What do you think it means? God. People live or die at your command now, Your Highness.† â€Å"You're being kind of melodramatic.† â€Å"Am I? All day, I hear people talking about what you're doing and what you're thinking and what you're wearing. Whether you'll approve. Who you like. Who you hate. They're your puppets.† â€Å"It's not like that. Besides, I had to do it. To get back at Mia†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Rolling his eyes, he looked away from her. â€Å"You don't even know what you're getting back at her for.† Lissa's anger flared. â€Å"She set up Jesse and Ralf to say those things about Rose! I couldn't let her get away with that.† â€Å"Rose is tough. She would have gotten over it.† â€Å"You didn't see her,† she replied obstinately. â€Å"She was crying.† â€Å"So? People cry. You're crying.† â€Å"Not Rose.† He turned back to her, a dark smile curling his lips. â€Å"I've never seen anything like you two. Always so worried about each other. I get her thing – some kind of weird guardian hang-up – but you're just the same.† â€Å"She's my friend.† â€Å"I guess it's that simple. I wouldn't know.† He sighed, momentarily thoughtful, then snapped back to sarcastic mode. â€Å"Anyway. Mia. So you got back at her over what she did to Rose. But you're missing the point. Why did she do it?† Lissa frowned. â€Å"Because she was jealous about me and Aaron – â€Å" â€Å"More to it than that, Princess. What did she have to be jealous about? She already had him. She didn't need to attack you to drive that home. She could have just made a big show of being all over him. Sort of like you are now,† he added wryly. â€Å"Okay. What else is there, then? Why did she want to ruin my life? I never did anything to her – before all this, I mean.† He leaned forward, crystal-blue eyes boring into hers. â€Å"You're right. You didn't – but your brother did.† Lissa pulled away from him. â€Å"You don't know anything about my brother.† â€Å"I know he screwed Mia over. Literally.† â€Å"Stop it, stop lying.† â€Å"I'm not. Swear to God or whoever else you want to believe in. I used to talk to Mia now and then, back when she was a freshman. She wasn't very popular, but she was smart. Still is. She used to work on a lot of committees with royals – dances and stuff. I don't know all of it. But she got to know your brother on one of those, and they sort of got together.† â€Å"They did not. I would have known. Andre would have told me.† â€Å"Nope. He didn't tell anyone. He told her not to either. He convinced her it should be some kind of romantic secret when really, he just didn't want any of his friends to find out he was getting naked with a non-royal freshman.† â€Å"If Mia told you that, she was making it up,† exclaimed Lissa. â€Å"Yeah, well, I don't think she was making it up when I saw her crying. He got tired of her after a few weeks and dumped her. Told her she was too young and that he couldn't really get serious with someone who wasn't from a good family. From what I understand, he wasn't even nice about it either – didn't even bother with the ? ®let's be friends' stuff.† Lissa pushed herself into Christian's face. â€Å"You didn't even know Andre! He would never have done that.† â€Å"You didn't know him. I'm sure he was nice to his baby sister; I'm sure he loved you. But in school, with his friends, he was just as much of a jerk as the rest of the royals. I saw him because I see everything. Easy when no one notices you.† She held back a sob, unsure whether to believe him or not. â€Å"So this is why Mia hates me?† â€Å"Yup. She hates you because of him. That, and because you're royal and she's insecure around all royals, which is why she worked so hard to claw up the ranks and be their friend. I think it's a coincidence that she ended up with your ex-boyfriend, but now that you're back, that probably made it worse. Between stealing him and spreading those stories about her parents, you guys really picked the best ways to make her suffer. Nice work.† The smallest pang of guilt lurched inside of her. â€Å"I still think you're lying.† â€Å"I'm a lot of things, but I'm not a liar. That's your department. And Rose's.† â€Å"We don't – â€Å" â€Å"Exaggerate stories about people's families? Say that you hate me? Pretend to be friends with people you think are stupid? Date a guy you don't like?† â€Å"I like him.† â€Å"Like or like?† â€Å"Oh, there's a difference?† â€Å"Yes. Like is when you date a big, blond moron and laugh at his stupid jokes.† Then, out of nowhere, he leaned forward and kissed her. It was hot and fast and furious, an outpouring of the rage and passion and longing that Christian always kept locked inside of him. Lissa had never been kissed like that, and I felt her respond to it, respond to him – how he made her feel so much more alive than Aaron or anyone else could. Christian pulled back from the kiss but still kept his face next to hers. â€Å"That's what you do with someone you like.† Lissa's heart pounded with both anger and desire. â€Å"Well, I don't like or like you. And I think you and Mia are both lying about Andre. Aaron would never make up anything like that.† â€Å"That's because Aaron doesn't say anything that requires words of more than one syllable.† She pulled away. â€Å"Get out. Get away from me.† He looked around comically. â€Å"You can't throw me out. We both signed the lease.† â€Å"Get. Out!† she yelled. â€Å"I hate you!† He bowed. â€Å"Anything you want, Your Highness.† With a final dark look, he left the attic. Lissa sank to her knees, letting out the tears she'd held back from him. I could barely make sense out of all the things hurting her. God only knew things upset me – like the Jesse incident – but they didn't attack me in the same way. They swirled within her, beating at her brain. The stories about Andre. Mia's hate. Christian's kiss. Healing me. This, I realized, was what real depression felt like. What madness felt like. Overcome, drowning in her own pain, Lissa made the only decision she could. The only thing she could do to channel all of these emotions. She opened up her purse and found the tiny razor blade she always carried†¦ Sickened, yet unable to break away, I felt as she cut her left arm, making perfectly even marks, watching as the blood flowed across her white skin. As always, she avoided veins, but her cuts were deeper this time. The cutting stung horribly, yet in doing it, she was able to focus on the physical pain, distract herself from the mental anguish so that she could feel like she was in control. Drops of blood splattered onto the dusty floor, and her world began spinning. Seeing her own blood intrigued her. She had taken blood from others her entire life. Me. The feeders. Now, here it was, leaking out. With a nervous giggle, she decided it was funny. Maybe by letting it out, she was giving it back to those she'd stolen it from. Or maybe she was wasting it, wasting the sacred Dragomir blood that everyone obsessed over. I'd forced my way into her head, and now I couldn't get out. Her emotions had ensnared me now – they were too strong and too powerful. But I had to escape – I knew it with every ounce of my being. I had to stop her. She was too weak from the healing to lose this much blood. It was time to tell someone. Breaking out at last, I found myself back in the clinic. Dimitri's hands were on me, gently shaking me as he said my name over and over in an effort to get my attention. Dr. Olendzki stood beside him, face dark and concerned. I stared at Dimitri, truly seeing how much he worried and cared about me. Christian had told me to get help, to go to someone I trusted about Lissa. I'd ignored the advice because I didn't trust anyone except her. But looking at Dimitri now, feeling that sense of understanding we shared, I knew that I did trust someone else. I felt my voice crack as I spoke. â€Å"I know where she is. Lissa. We have to help her.†

To Kill a Mockingbird – Dill Harris Character Sketch

Charles Baker Harris, who is commonly referred to as Dill, is a little boy in the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird and plays the role of a cardboard character. Dill is sincere friends with Scout and Jem and spends his summers with Aunt Rachel. Dill represents the naivety and innocence of childhood and is a very intriguing character. Dill appears to be younger than his actual age. In the beginning of the novel, Dill had a short stature and appeared to be four years of age, when in actuality, wassix years of age. â€Å"How old are you,’ asked Jem, ‘four and a half (Lee, Page 7)? ’† â€Å"‘Goin’ on seven (Lee, Page 7). † â€Å"‘Scout yonder’s been readin’ ever since she was born and she ain’t even started school yet. You look puny for goin’ on seven (Lee, Page 7). ’† The quotes from the novel are from a conversation between Jem and Dill when they met. Jem initially assumes that Dill is four and a half years because of his youthful appearance and petite body. Dill corrects Jem, stating that he is actually six years of age and is turning seven. Dill says in the last quote that he is quite small for his age. The quotes prove that Dill has a youthful appearance, small stature and appears younger than what he actually is. Dill also has white hair and a pair of blue eyes. â€Å"†¦ his hair was snow white and stuck to his head like duckfluff; he was a year my senior but I towered over him. As he told us the old take his blue eyes would lighten and darken†¦ (Lee, Page 8). † The quote from the novel is from the time when Scout is describing Dill’s hair and eyes. The quote is proof that Dill has white hair and blues eyes because this quote states that Dill’s hair was white with a duckfluff texture. The quote is also proof that Dill has blue eyes because the quote mentioned that Dill has a pair of blue eyes. Dill is of Caucasian race, given the fact that Dill has blue eyes. People of the Caucasian race are the only ones who can possess blue eyes. A positive trait that Dill possesses is his gift for storytelling and whimsical imagination. Dill would always make up peculiar stories about his life and share them with Scout and Jem. â€Å"Refreshed by food, Dill recited this narrative: having been bound in chains and left to die in the basement (there were basements in Meridian) by his new father, who disliked him, and secretly kept alive on a raw field peas by a passing farmer who heard his ries for help, Dill worked himself free by pulling the chains from the wall. Still in wrist monocles, he wandered two miles out of the Meridian where he discovered a small animal show and was immediately engaged to wash the camel. He traveled with the show all over Mississippi until his infallible sense of direction told him he was in Abbot Country, Alabama, just across the river from Maycomb. He walked the rest of the way (Lee, Page 140). † Another positive character trait that Dill possesses is his developed empathy for people. Dill desires fair treatment of every human being, regardless of race. â€Å"‘It was just something I couldn’t stand. ’ Dill said (Lee, Page 198). † â€Å"‘Dill, that’s his job. Why, if we didn’t have prosecutors—well we couldn’t have defense attorneys, I reckon (Lee, Page 199). ’† â€Å"Dill exhaled patiently. ‘I know all that, Scout. It was the way he said it made me sick, plain sick (Lee, Page 199). ’† â€Å"‘He’s supposed to act that way, Dill, he was cross—(Lee, Page 199)’. † â€Å"‘He didn’t act that way when—‘(Lee, Page 199). â€Å"‘Dill, those were his own witnesses (Lee, Page 199). ’† â€Å"‘Well, Mr. Finch didn’t act that way to Mayella and old man Ewell when he cross-examined them. The way that man called him ‘boy’ all the time an’ sneered at him, an’ looked ar ound at the jury every time he answered—(Lee, Page 199)’. † â€Å"‘Well, Dill, after all he’s just a Negro (Lee, Page 199)’. † â€Å"‘I don’t care one speck. It ain’t right, somehow it aint right to do ‘em that way. Hasn’t anybody got any business talkin’ like that—it just makes me sick (Lee, Page 199)’. The quotes from the novel are from a conversation between Dill and Scout after watching the trial of Tom Robinson for a while (Tom Robinson was a black man who was accused of sexually assaulting a white woman and was put on trial, despite the lack of evidence of the rape. The trial is unfair to Tom because the trial took place during the time when racism was prominent in the southern United States. The prosecutors and judges treated Tom disrespectfully and unfairly in the trial because he was black). In the conversation, it was shown that Dill was upset by the unfairness of the trial and the cruelty of the people towards Tom Robinson because he was black. Scout tries to comfort Dill, but Dill was far too upset by the injustice. In the last quote, Dill says to Scout that Tom shouldn’t be treated with disrespect because he was a Negro. The prejudice and unfairness of the trial reveals Dill’s empathy and desire for equal and respectful treatment of everyone, regardless if they’re black or white. This scenario in the novel causes Dill’s character to mature, such that he gains strong moral values like Atticus (Atticus is Scout’s father who is defending Tom Robinson and believes that black people should be treated equally and with respect, despite the fact that most of Maycomb’s citizens were racist). A trait of Dill’s that needs improvement is his naivety and his tendency to jump to conclusions without discussing his problems to anyone. Dill shows his naivety in the novel by running away from his parents because he believed that his parents didn’t love or care about him. Dill’s voice went on steadily in the darkness: ‘the thing is, what I’m trying to say is—they do get on a lot bettwe without me, I can’t help them any. They ain’t mean. They buy me everything I want, but it’s now-you’ve-got-it-go-play-with-it (Lee, Page 143)’. † The quote from the novel is from when Dill was e xplaining to Scout about why he ran away from his parents. Dill explains that he doesn’t feel loved by his parents because all his parents just do is give Dill material possessions to keep him occupied, instead spending time with him. What Dill really desires is not toys, but his parent’s time. Dill’s parents obviously love and care for Dill, but Dill is naive as to assume that his parents don’t. Instead of Dill discussing his situation with his parents or asking to spend time with him, Dill, with his naive mind, runs away from his parents. The fact that Dill ran away from his parents is proof that he is naive. â€Å"Jem gave a reasonable description of Boo: Boo was about sex-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained—if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time (Lee, Page 13). † â€Å"‘Let’s try to make him come out,’ said Dill. ‘I’d like to see what he looks like (Lee, Page 13). ’† â€Å"Our first raid came to pass only because Dill bet Jem The Gray Ghost against two Tom Swifts that Jem wouldn’t get any farther than the Radley gate. In all his life, Jem had never declined a dare. Jem thought about it for three days. I suppose he loved honor more than hid head for Dill wore him down easily (Lee, Page 13). † â€Å"‘You’re scared,’ Dill said, the first day (Lee, Page 13). † â€Å"‘Ain’t scared, just respectful,’ said Jem (Lee, Page 13). † â€Å"But Dill got him the third day, when he told Jem that folks in Meridian certainly weren’t as afraid as the folks in Maycomb, that he’d never seen such scary folks as the ones in Maycomb. That was enough to make Jem march to the corner, where he stopped and leaned against the light-pole, watching the gate hanging crazily on its homemade hinge (Lee, Page 13). †