Conflict Is A Prominent Theme - 1714 Words

Overlooking my journal entries, I found that conflict is a prominent theme. This is because of differences between people and usually it ends up as a conflict that needs to be resolved. With this I want to understand if I am capable of handling conflict in both my career and life. Conflict is common to everyday life. There are different interpretations, but I view conflict as a clash due to different interest or values. Although conflict usually between two or more people, I have also noticed that in my daily life, I encounter conflict within myself and trying to balance this has proved a great challenge. As a person, I think that conflict has both its positive and negative aspects but the most common areas noted not only in the clinical placement, while performing as a student nurse, but also in everyday life while interacting with people. The idea of living in a different country, as an immigrant especially Canada, has opened my eyes to many values. The fact that we are all differe nt, from varying backgrounds, multiple cultures and extraordinary heritage all makes us unique. But this uniqueness ought to pull everyone together but at the same time, it separates people. Everyone is now placed in groups causing difficulty in interaction. Although, personally I am not opposed to conflict, only at its minimum. This is because, I feel without conflict, the world would be boring, if everyone was nice and perfect, with no hint of differences, there would be no fun. The perfectShow MoreRelated Kubrick Lives Essay1157 Words   |  5 Pagesconsidered an auteur, there must be a consistency of style and theme across a number of films. Very few contemporary filmmakers fit into this category. One filmmaker, however, expanded his filmography over four and a half decades, and created a consistent theme and style. That director was Stanley Kubrick. Kubrick was known as a very stylistic filmmaker, so a lot can be said about his film style. His use of music, however, remains the most prominent aspect of Kubrick’s film style, especially as his careerRead MoreThe Robert De Boron s Prose Merlin1368 Words   |  6 Pagesaltered as different authors add to and change the story. Even though the details of the plot have changed over time there are certain aspects and themes that remain strong throughout the different versions. There are three main themes in the legend that have lasted different authors across different eras. The ideas of war, loyalty, and religion are common themes that run through the stories of Robert de Boron’s Prose Merlin, Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Mort d’Arthur, T.H. White’s The Once and Future kingRead MoreAnalysis of The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende Essay823 Words   |  4 PagesHouse of Spirits, Isabel Allende tells the story of many generations of a family in Latin Ame rica. There are three prominent themes in The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende. First, the social divide between those who are â€Å"civilized† and those who are supposed barbarians. Second, the influence of women and their role in society. Third, the clash between social classes. The first major theme in The House of Spirits is the division between civilization and savagery. The country in which the story takesRead MoreA Way Of Talking By Patricia Grace1712 Words   |  7 Pagesfirst person narrative. By keeping the narrator consistent, noting character development is easier and more apparent. The narrator, Hera, copes with internal and external conflicts that revolve around dialect. Her internal struggle stems from the external conflict caused by the characters Jane Frazer and Rose. The external conflict is when Jane Frazer makes a casually prejudiced comment and Rose confronts her. This causes Hera some anxiety as she questions whether she should have done the same, ifRead MoreStory Of An Hour Conflict Analysis1087 Words   |  5 Pages the main conflict prominent in the short story is, ‘is having the happiness of new-found freedom still valid when it is gained through a loss’ because it demonstrates a device for the theme, setting, and stru cture. When asking this question, it is important to look at the message of this short story, as in the theme. Much of the theme is placed on mortality, freedom, and confidence. This quote, aligned after it was revealed Mrs. Mallard’s husband was dead, illustrates how those themes can be presentRead MoreInternal and External Conflict in Hamlet Essay516 Words   |  3 Pagesdrama script ‘Hamlet’, written by William Shakespeare, conflict, both internal and external, was important to the text in a variety of ways. Internal conflict enabled the character development of Hamlet to take place, showing his nature rich in procrastination as he developed from a cowardly griever to a confident man no longer fearful of the unknown. This character development illustrates the main themes of revenge, good vs. evil, and more. Conflict in this text provides the main protagonist (Hamlet)Read MoreThemes And Empathetic Characters In The Outsiders By S. E. Hinton800 Words   |  4 Pagesâ €Å"The Outsiders†, by S.E. Hinton, has stayed popular because of its relevant themes and empathetic characters. It follows a greaser named Ponyboy and his gang’s conflict with the Socials, a rival gang. 50 years after its publication it is still being read, partly due to its realistic teenage viewpoint and strong characters. Another reason that it is still read is its powerful themes. It is still relevant because of the gang activity we see today. The following paragraphs will explain and expand onRead MoreImagery Throughout History Has Been A Big Factor In Creating1389 Words   |  6 PagesImagery throughout history has been a big factor in creating social norms and acts as a site of conflict. Throughout time, we have used art pieces such as stories, mythology, paintings and movies as a way of conflict, to get a point across, or to tell a story. A big theme presented over time has been the ideologies of women and their role. Through time, we are able to see the way in which the roles of a female has been continuously constructed and reconstructed over and over again. This paper willRead MoreFriend Of My Youth : Conflicting Perspectives Between Relationships1664 Words   |  7 Pagesin displaying the central theme of the story. It also presents different perspectives on life and its outcomes. The point of view displayed in the story is first person, specifically the daughter’s perspective. This tactic chosen by Monro gives a unique standpoint within the story, and portrays the conflict of interest between the narrator and the mother. It also converts to third person to create character development midway through the story; there is another conflict between two key charactersRead MoreAlistair Macleod- Modern World Versus Traditional World Essay905 Words   |  4 Pagesfishermen and farmers. The author repeatedly examines similar themes and issues in his short stories such as isolation, choices versus consequences and the concept of dyin g culture. However, the most prominent theme deals with the contrast between the rural ways of life and the more modern city life. This theme is not only limited to the Maritime culture; it is something that can be universally understood. His reason for utilizing this theme is to prove that the modern way of life is not always better

Analysis Of The Book 1984 - 1182 Words

WAR IS PEACE. FREEDOM IS SLAVERY. IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH. Can a world ever be like the scenario that occurs in the the story 1984? Everywhere you go, the government or party in other words are always watching you. They watch you in your house through your telescreen which you could never turn off and they hear you through the bushes. If you do any illegal actions the police might capture you and send you to the Ministry of Love where you would be torchered and beaten up. Actions that includes free thoughts, love, and even expressing who you are could bring in punishments. Writing a diary or opposing the government are also prohibited. In fact, thinking rebellious thoughts is the worst crime one would want to do. As in every modern book, there are plethora of themes in the book, 1984. One of the most powerful themes in this book is it is very difficult to control someone when they are glued to a thought. To begin with, the main character of 1984, Winston Smith, hates Big Brother who is basically the most powerful ruler of Oceania, the area Winston lives in. In addition, Winston keeps a hidden diary in which he writes all his evil thoughts about how he hates the party and their laws. In chapter 1 part 1, it says, â€Å"His pen had slid voluptuously over the smooth paper, printing in large neat capitals — DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER over and over again, filling half a page.† This shows that WinstonShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Book 1984 1452 Words   |  6 Pagesdepth going into how it might affect the person or society as a whole. Obviously torture and force were as real today as when our main source of insight, the novel, 1984, was written. This book talks about the horrors of torture our main character was forced into. This comes as a hard pill to swallow knowing that the author of the book more than likely got his inspiration from the totalitarian governments in existence during his time of life. More real than anything else in life is fear through tortureRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book 1984 1725 Words   |  7 Pages There are three main conflicts in the novel 1984. The first conflict in the book is an individual’s freedom, Winston’s rights and freedom, namely freedom of speech and his privacy, he is constantly being watched and cannot even think his own thoughts without being arrested by the ThinkPolice, also, Winston is constantly paranoid that there are always â€Å"telescreens† around in the trees and in the bushes, and all attempts to record thoughts are prohibited, â€Å"there was of course no way of knowing whetherRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Year 1984 1544 Words   |  7 PagesPart A– Summary In the year 1984, a 39 year old man named Winston lived in a totalitarian society set in in the nation of Oceania, in London, England. All of the people who live in the â€Å"Outer Party† were monitored via telescreens and were forced to believe whatever the ruling head Big Brother said. The history books were rewritten constantly to suite Big Brother. Unhappy with the society which he lives in, Winston decides to take the risk of writing a diary to assert his independence and protestRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Year Of 1984 1920 Words   |  8 Pages In the supposed year of 1984 ( the main protagonist has no clue of the actual year), we meet Winston Smith, a 40-year old man , who lives in a run down and decaying part of Eurasia called Airstrip One, or where our modern day England would be located. The people in the book seem as bare and lifeless as the country, although, there is a certain quality to Winston that sets him apart from the rest of the general population , or the others he meets throughout the book; the ability to think and thinkRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book 1984 By George Orwell1362 Words   |  6 PagesKathie Tejada Professor Antonio Tomà ¡s Guerrero Dà ­az COLI 214B 1984 This novel, 1984, is a dystopia and takes place in Oceania where people live in a totalitarian society. The author, George Orwell, wrote this as if he was looking into the future and what it was going to turn in to. This group of people, called The Party, have control over everything and everyone, and they have a leader, known as Big Brother, who is everywhere throughout the novel and the people look up to him. They invented a languageRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book 1984 By George Orwell1084 Words   |  5 Pages1984 was written by British author George Orwell. The main character is an average man by the name of Winston Smith. Winston does not agree with the ideals of the party; this gets him arrested by the thought police. 1984 proclaims what could happen if people just let the government do all their thinking for them. 1.In the world of 1984, what is considered orthodox is not the same as the actual world. In the book in order to be considered orthodox one must never question the party or have any individualRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book 1984 By George Orwell1493 Words   |  6 Pagessteadily bringing us closer to the world of Big Brother because the government has the ability to collect information from devices that are constantly being in use such as cell phones, televisions, and computers without our consent. In the book entitled 1984, George Orwell reveals how Oceania was a world where no one could be trusted; an action as simple as thinking was considered a violation of the law and you could be arrested for it. Individuals were living in a society where their own thoughtsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book 1984 By George Orwell1288 Words   |  6 PagesControlled freedom Present day society is very much like society in the book 1984. Although, some of the procedures have diminished slightly, they still do exist, and are still current in today’s society. it’s a shame that most people fail to see that our â€Å"free† nation is actually still controlled. we are being manipulated in such a manner that we do not see by propaganda, media, lies, and yes even torture. Many citizens can say that here in America we are free nation or have freedom, but do weRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book 1984 And The Hunger Games 1032 Words   |  5 PagesCorrupt governments, totalitarianism, and no recollection of the previous years, can describe not only the book, 1984, but also the book, the Hunger Games. The two books share many similarities, from districts to ministries and thought police to peacekeepers. These books both share a glimpse into the future after a world war. They both predict that the futuristic societies will be separated into parts, the upper class being very wealthy and receiving many advantages, and the lower class workingRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book 1984 By George Orwell1088 Words   |  5 Pages1984 The book that I chose for my first book report was 1984 by George Orwell. The story begins by introducing a man named, Winston Smith, a simple man from the country known as Oceania. He lives in a small flat within London, on the Island known as Airstrip One. Winston is a part of the outer party, which is a part of the ruling party within Oceania, and is a low ranking member who works for the Ministry of Truth as a propaganda officer. The people of the ruling party are constantly being watched

Spirit Bound Chapter Twenty-one Free Essays

THERE WAS LITTLE MORE MIKHAIL and I could say to each other after that. I didn’t want him to get in trouble for what he’d done, and I let him lead us out of the guardians’ building in silence. As we emerged outside, I could see the sky purpling in the east. We will write a custom essay sample on Spirit Bound Chapter Twenty-one or any similar topic only for you Order Now The sun was nearly up, signaling the middle of our night. Briefly flipping into Lissa’s mind, I read that the Death Watch had finally ended, and she was on her way back to her room–worried about me and still annoyed that Christian had shown up with Mia. I followed Lissa’s example, wondering if sleep might ease the agony that Dimitri had left in my heart. Probably not. Still, I thanked Mikhail for his help and the risk he’d taken. He merely nodded, like there was nothing to thank him for. It was exactly what he would have wanted me to do for him if our roles had been reversed and Ms. Karp had been the one behind bars. I feel into a heavy sleep back in my bed, but my dreams were troubled. Over and over, I kept hearing Dimitri tell me he couldn’t love me anymore. It beat into me over and over, smashing my heart into little pieces. At one point, it became more than a dreamlike beating. I heard real beating. Someone was pounding on my door, and slowly, I dragged myself out of my awful dreams. Bleary-eyed, I went to the door and found Adrian. The scene was almost a mirror of last night when he’d come to invite me to the Death Watch. Only this time, his face was much grimmer. For a second, I thought he’d heard about my visit to Dimitri. Or that maybe he’d gotten in a lot more trouble than we’d realized for sneaking half of his friends into a secret funeral. â€Å"Adrian†¦ this is early for you†¦.† I glanced over at a clock, discovering that I’d actually slept in pretty late. â€Å"Not early at all,† he confirmed, face still serious. â€Å"Lots of stuff going on. I had to come tell you the news before you heard it somewhere else.† â€Å"What news?† â€Å"The Council’s verdict. They finally passed that big resolution they’ve been debating. The one you came in for.† â€Å"Wait. They’re done?† I recalled what Mikhail had said, that a mystery issue had been keeping the Council busy. If it was finished, then they could move on to something else–say, like, officially declaring Dimitri a dhampir again. â€Å"That’s great news.† And if this really was tied into when Tatiana had had me come describe my skills†¦ well, was there really a chance I might be named Lissa’s guardian? Could the queen have really come through? She’d seemed friendly enough last night. Adrian regarded me with something I’d never seen from him: pity. â€Å"You have no idea, do you?† â€Å"No idea about what?† â€Å"Rose†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He gently rested a hand on my shoulder. â€Å"The Council just passed a decree lowering the guardian age to sixteen. Dhampirs’ll graduate when they’re sophomores and then go out for assignments.† â€Å"What?† Surely I’d misheard. â€Å"You know how panicked they’ve been about protection and not having enough guardians, right?† He sighed. â€Å"This was their solution to increasing your numbers.† â€Å"But they’re too young!† I cried. â€Å"How can anyone think sixteen-year-olds are ready to go out and fight?† â€Å"Well,† said Adrian, â€Å"because you testified that they were.† My mouth dropped, everything freezing around me. You testified that they were†¦ No. It couldn’t be possible. Adrian gently nudged my arm, trying to shake me out of my stupor. â€Å"Come on, they’re still wrapping up. They made the announcement in an open session, and some people are†¦ a little upset.† â€Å"Yeah, I’ll say.† He didn’t need to tell me twice. I immediately started to follow, then realized I was in my pajamas. I quickly changed and brushed my hair, still scarcely able to believe what he’d just said. My preparation only took five minutes, and then we were out the door. Adrian wasn’t overly athletic, but he kept a pretty good pace as we headed toward the Council’s hall. â€Å"How did this happen?† I asked. â€Å"You don’t really mean that†¦ that what I said played a role?† I’d meant my words to be a demand, but they came out with more of a pleading note. He lit a cigarette without breaking stride, and I didn’t bother chastising him for it. â€Å"It’s apparently been a hot topic for a while. It was a pretty close vote. The people pushing for it knew they’d need to show a lot of evidence to win. You were their grand prize: a teen dhampir slaying Strigoi left and right, long before graduation.† â€Å"Not that long,† I muttered, my fury kindling. Sixteen? Were they serious? It was ludicrous. The fact that I had been unknowingly used to support this decree made me sick to my stomach. I’d been a fool, thinking they’d all ignored my rule breaking and had simply paraded me in to praise me. They’d used me. Tatiana had used me. When we reached it, the Council hall was in as much chaos as Adrian had implied. True, I hadn’t spent a lot of time in these kinds of meetings, but I was pretty sure that people standing up in clusters and yelling at each other wasn’t normal. The Council’s herald probably didn’t usually scream himself hoarse trying to bring order to the crowd either. The only spot of calm was Tatiana herself, sitting patiently in her seat at the center of the table, just as Council etiquette dictated. She looked very pleased with herself. The rest of her colleagues had lost all sense of propriety and were on their feet like the audience, arguing amongst themselves or anyone else ready to pick a fight. I stared in amazement, unsure what to do in all this disorder. â€Å"Who voted for what?† I asked. Adrian studied the Council members and ticked them off on his fingers. â€Å"Szelsky, Ozera, Badica, Dashkov, Conta, and Drozdov. They were against it.† â€Å"Ozera?† I asked in surprise. I didn’t know the Ozera princess–Evette–very well, but she’d always seemed pretty stiff and unpleasant. I had new respect for her now. Adrian nodded over to where Tasha was furiously addressing a large group of people, eyes flashing and arms waving wildly. â€Å"Evette was persuaded by some of her family members.† That made me smile too, but only for a moment. It was good that Tasha and Christian were being acknowledged amongst their clan again, but the rest of our problem was still alive and kicking. I could deduce the rest of the names. â€Å"So†¦ Prince Ivashkov voted for it,† I said. Adrian shrugged by way of apology for his family. â€Å"Lazar, Zeklos, Tarus, and Voda.† That the Voda family would vote for extra protection wasn’t entirely a surprise, considering the recent slaughter of one of their members. Priscilla wasn’t even in her grave yet, and the new Voda prince, Alexander, seemed clearly unsure what to do with his sudden promotion. I gave Adrian a sharp look. â€Å"That’s only five to six. Oh.† Realization dawned. â€Å"Shit. Royal tiebreaker.† The Moroi voting system had been set up with twelve members, one for each family, and then whoever the reigning king or queen was. True, it often meant one group got two votes, since the monarch rarely voted against his or her own family. It had been known to happen. Regardless, the system should have had thirteen votes, preventing ties. Except†¦ a recent problem had developed. There were no Dragomirs on the Council anymore, meaning ties could occur. In that rare event, Moroi law dictated that the monarch’s vote carried extra weight. I’d heard that had always been controversial, and yet at the same time, there wasn’t much to be done for it. Ties in the Council would mean nothing ever got settled, and since monarchs were elected, many took it on faith that they would act in the best interests of the Moroi. â€Å"Tatiana’s was the sixth,† I said. â€Å"And hers swayed it.† Glancing around, I saw a bit of anger on the faces of those from the families who had voted against the decree. Apparently, not everyone believed Tatiana had acted in the best interest of the Moroi. Lissa’s presence sang to me through the bond, so her arrival a few moments later was no surprise. News had spread fast, though she didn’t yet know the fine details. Adrian and I waved her over. She was as dumbfounded as we were. â€Å"How could they do that?† she asked. â€Å"Because they’re too afraid that someone might make them learn to defend themselves. Tasha’s group was getting too loud.† Lissa shook her head. â€Å"No, not just that. I mean, why were they even in session? We should be in mourning after what happened the other day–publicly. The whole Court, not just some secret part of it. One of the Council members even died! Couldn’t they wait for the funeral?† In her mind’s eye, I could see the images from that grisly night, where Priscilla had died right before Lissa’s eyes. â€Å"But was easily replaceable,† a new voice said. Christian had joined us. Lissa took a few steps away from him, still annoyed about Mia. â€Å"And actually, it’s the perfect time. The people who wanted this had to jump at their chance. Every time there’s a big Strigoi fight, everyone panics. Fear’ll make a lot of people get on board with this. And if any Council members were undecided before this, that battle probably pushed them over.† That was pretty wise reasoning for Christian, and Lissa was impressed, despite her troubled feelings for him right now. The Council’s herald finally managed to make his voice heard over the shouts of the audience. I wondered if the group would have quieted down if Tatiana herself had started yelling at them to shut up. But no. That was probably beneath her dignity. She was still sitting there calmly, like nothing unusual was going on. Nonetheless, it took several moments for everyone to settle down and take their seats. My friends and I hurriedly grabbed the first ones we could find. With peace and quiet achieved at last, the weary-looking herald yielded the floor to the queen. Smiling grandly at the assembly, she addressed them in her most imperious voice. â€Å"We’d like to thank everyone for coming today and expressing your†¦ opinions. I know some are still unsure about this decision, but Moroi law has been followed here–laws that have been in place for centuries. We will have another session soon to listen to what you have to say in an orderly fashion.† Something told me that was an empty gesture. People could talk all they wanted; she wouldn’t listen. â€Å"This decision–this verdict–will benefit the Moroi. Our guardians are already so excellent.† She gave a condescending nod toward the ceremonial guardians standing along the room’s walls. They wore typically neutral faces, but I was guessing that, like me, they probably wanted to punch half the Council. â€Å"They are so excellent, in fact, that they train their students to be ready to defend us at an early age. We will all be safer from tr agedies like that which recently occurred.† She lowered her head a moment in what must have been a show of grieving. I recalled last night when she’d choked up over Priscilla. Had that been an act? Was her best friend’s death a convenient way for Tatiana to push forward with her own agenda. Surely†¦ surely, she wasn’t that cold. The queen lifted her head and continued. â€Å"And again, we’re happy to listen to you register your opinions, although by our own laws, this matter is settled. Further sessions will have to wait until an adequate period of mourning has passed for the unfortunate departed.† Her tone and body language implied that this was indeed the end of the discussion. Then, an impertinent voice suddenly broke the room’s silence. My voice. â€Å"Well, I’d kind of like to register my opinion now.† Inside my head, Lissa was shouting: Sit down, sit down! But I was already on my feet, moving toward the Council’s table. I stopped at a respectful distance, one that would let them notice me but not get me tackled by guardians. And oh, they noticed me. The herald flushed bright red at my rule breaking. â€Å"You are out of line and in violation of all Council protocol! Sit down right now before you are removed.† He glanced over at the guardians, like he expected them to come charging forward right then. None of them moved. Either they didn’t perceive me as a threat, or they were wondering what I was going to do. I was also wondering this. With a small, delicate hand gesture, Tatiana waved the herald back. â€Å"I daresay there’s been so much breach of protocol today that one more incident won’t make a difference.† She fixed me with a kind smile, one that was apparently intended to make us look like friends. â€Å"Besides, Guardian Hathaway is one of our most valuable assets. I’m always interested in what she has to say.† Was she really? Time to find out. I addressed my words to the Council. â€Å"This thing you’ve just passed is utterly and totally insane.† I considered it a great feat on my part that I didn’t use any swear words there because I had some adjectives in mind that were much more fitting. Who said I didn’t understand Council etiquette? â€Å"How can any of you sit there and think it’s okay to send sixteen-year-olds out to risk their lives?† â€Å"It’s only two years’ difference,† said the Tarus prince. â€Å"It’s not like we’re sending ten-year-olds.† â€Å"Two years is a lot.† I thought for a moment about when I’d been sixteen. What had happened in those two years? I’d run off with Lissa, watched friends die, traveled around the world, fallen in love†¦. â€Å"You can live a lifetime in two years. And if you want us to keep being on the front lines–which most of us willingly do when we graduate–then you owe us those two years.† This time, I glanced back at the audience. The reactions were mixed. Some clearly agreed with me, nodding along. Some looked as though nothing in the world would change their minds about the decree being just. Others wouldn’t meet my eyes†¦. Had I swayed them? Were they undecided? Embarrassed at their own selfishness? They might be the keys. â€Å"Believe me, I would love to see your people enjoy their youth.† This was Nathan Ivashkov speaking. â€Å"But right now, that’s not an option we have. The Strigoi are closing in. We’re losing more Moroi and guardians every day. Getting more fighters out there will stop this, and really, we’re just letting those dhampirs’ skills go to waste by waiting a couple years. This plan will protect both our races.† â€Å"It’ll kill mine off faster!† I said. Realizing I might start shouting if I lost control, I took a deep breath before going on. â€Å"They won’t be ready. They won’t have all the training they need.† And that was where Tatiana herself made her master play. â€Å"Yet, by your own admission, you were certainly prepared at a young age. You killed more Strigoi before you were eighteen than some guardians kill their entire lives.† I fixed her with a narrow-eyed look. â€Å"I,† I said coldly, â€Å"had an excellent instructor. One that you currently have locked up. If you want to talk about skills going to waste, then go look in your own jail.† There was a slight stirring in the audience, and Tatiana’s we’re pals face grew a little cold. â€Å"That is not an issue we are addressing today. Increasing our protection is. I believe you have even commented in the past that the guardian ranks are lacking in numbers.† My own words, thrown back at me from last night. â€Å"They need to be filled. You–and many of your companions–have proven you’re able to defend us.† â€Å"We were exceptions!† It was egotistical, but it was the truth. â€Å"Not all novices have reached that level.† A dangerous glint appeared in her eye, and her voice grew silky smooth again. â€Å"Well, then, perhaps we need more excellent training. Perhaps we should send you to St. Vladimir’s or some other academy so that you can improve your young colleagues’ education. My understanding is that your upcoming assignment will be a permanent administrative one here at Court. If you wanted to help make this new decree successful, we could change that assignment and make you an instructor instead. It might speed up your return to a bodyguard assignment.† I gave her a dangerous smile of my own. â€Å"Do not,† I warned, â€Å"try to threaten, bribe, or blackmail me. Ever. You won’t like the consequences.† That might have been going too far. People in the audience exchanged startled looks. Some of their expressions were disgusted, as though they could expect nothing better of me. I recognized a few of those Moroi. They were ones I’d overheard talking about my relationship with Adrian and how the queen hated it. I also suspected a number of royals from last night’s ceremony were here too. They’d seen Tatiana lead me out and no doubt thought my outburst and disrespect today were a type of revenge. The Moroi weren’t the only ones who reacted. Regardless of whether they shared my opinions, a few guardians stepped forward. I made sure to stay exactly where I was, and that, along with Tatiana’s lack of fear, kept them in place. â€Å"We’re getting weary of this conversation,† Tatiana said, switching to the royal we. â€Å"You can speak more–and do so in the proper manner–when we have our next meeting and open the floor to comments. For now, whether you like it or not, this resolution has been passed. It’s law.† She’s letting you off! Lissa’s voice was back in my head. Back away from this before you do something that’ll get you in real trouble. Argue later. It was ironic because I’d been on the verge of exploding and letting my full rage out. Lissa’s words stopped me–but not because of their content. It was Lissa herself. When Adrian and I had discussed the results earlier, I’d noted one piece of faulty logic. â€Å"It wasn’t a fair vote,† I declared. â€Å"It wasn’t legal.† â€Å"Are you a lawyer now, Miss Hathaway?† The queen was amused, and her dropping of my guardian title now was a blatant lack of respect. â€Å"If you’re referring to the monarch’s vote carrying more weight than others on the Council, then we can assure you that that has been Moroi law for centuries in such situations.† She glanced at her fellow Council members, none of whom raised a protest. Even those who’d voted against her couldn’t find fault with her point. â€Å"Yeah, but the entire Council didn’t vote,† I said. â€Å"You’ve had an empty spot in the Council for the last few years–but not anymore.† I turned and pointed at where my friends were sitting. â€Å"Vasilisa Dragomir is eighteen now and can fill her family’s spot.† In all of this chaos, her birthday had been overlooked, even by me. The eyes in the room turned on Lissa–something she did not like. However, Lissa was used to being in the public eye. She knew what was expected of a royal, how to look and carry herself. So, rather than cringing, she sat up straight and stared ahead with a cool, regal look that said she could walk up to that table right now and demand her birthright. Whether it was that magnificent attitude alone or maybe a little spirit charisma, she was almost impossible to look away from. Her beauty had its usual luminous quality, and around the room, a lot of the faces held the same awe for her that I’d observed around Court. Dimitri’s transformation was still an enigma, but those who believed in it were indeed regarding her as some kind of saint. She was becoming larger than life in so many people’s eyes, both with her family name and mysterious powers–and now the alleged ability to restore Strigoi. Smug, I looked back at Tatiana. â€Å"Isn’t eighteen the legal voting age?† Checkmate, bitch. â€Å"Yes,† she said cheerfully. â€Å"If the Dragomirs had a quorum.† I wouldn’t say my stunning victory exactly shattered at that point, but it certainly lost a little of its luster. â€Å"A what?† â€Å"A quorum. By law, for a Moroi family to have a Council vote, they must have a family. She does not. She’s the only one.† I stared in disbelief. â€Å"What, you’re saying she needs to go have a kid to get a vote?† Tatiana grimaced. â€Å"Not now, of course. Someday, I’m sure. For a family to have a vote, they must have at least two members, one of whom must be over eighteen. It’s Moroi law–again, a law that’s been in the books for centuries.† A few people were exchanging confused and surprised looks. This was clearly not a law many were familiar with. Of course, this situation–a royal line reduced to one person–wasn’t one that had occurred in recent history, if it had ever occurred at all. â€Å"It’s true,† said Ariana Szelsky reluctantly. â€Å"I’ve read it.† Okay, that was when my stunning victory shattered. The Szelsky family was one I trusted, and Ariana was the older sister of the guy my mom protected. Ariana was a pretty bookish kind of person, and seeing as she’d voted against the guardian age change, it seemed unlikely she’d offer this piece of evidence if it weren’t true. With no more ammunition, I resorted to old standbys. â€Å"That,† I told Tatiana, â€Å"is the most fucked-up law I have ever heard.† That did it. The audience broke into shocked chatter, and Tatiana gave up on whatever pretense of friendliness she’d been clinging to. She beat the herald to any orders he might have given. â€Å"Remove her!† shouted Tatiana. Even with the rapidly growing noise, her voice rang clearly through the room. â€Å"We will not tolerate this sort of vulgar behavior!† I had guardians on me in a flash. Honestly, with how often I’d been dragged away from places lately, there was almost something comfortably familiar about it. I didn’t fight the guardians as they led me to the door, but I also didn’t let them take me without a few parting words. â€Å"You could change the quorum law if you wanted, you sanctimonious bitch!† I yelled back. â€Å"You’re twisting the law because you’re selfish and afraid! You’re making the worst mistake of your life. You’ll regret it! Wait and see–you’ll wish you’d never done it!† I don’t know if anyone heard my tirade because by then, the hall was back to the chaos it had been in when I entered. The guardians–three of them–didn’t let go of me until we were outside. Once they released me, we all stood around awkwardly for a moment. â€Å"What now?† I asked. I tried to keep the anger out of my voice. I was still furious and worked up, but it wasn’t these guys’ fault. â€Å"Are you going to lock me up?† Seeing as it would bring me back to Dimitri, it would almost be a reward. â€Å"They only said to remove you,† one of the guardians pointed out. â€Å"No one said what to do with you after that.† Another guardian, old and grizzled but still fierce looking, gave me a wry look. â€Å"I’d take off while you can, before they really have a chance to punish you.† â€Å"Not that they won’t find you if they really want to,† added the first guardian. With that, the three of them headed back inside, leaving me confused and upset. My body was still revved for a fight, and I was filled with the frustration I always experienced whenever I was faced with a situation I felt powerless in. All that yelling for nothing. I’d accomplished nothing. â€Å"Rose?† I shifted from my churning emotions and looked up at the building. The older guardian hadn’t gone inside and still stood in the doorway. His face was stoic, but I thought I saw a twinkle in his eye. â€Å"For what it’s worth,† he told me, â€Å"I thought you were fantastic in there.† I didn’t feel much like smiling, but my lips betrayed me. â€Å"Thanks,† I said. Well, maybe I’d accomplished one thing. How to cite Spirit Bound Chapter Twenty-one, Essay examples