Western History

The epic of Gilgamesh is a fascinating must-read chef-d’oeuvre featuring the king Gilgamesh of Uruk and his companion and friend, Enkidu. The work is a reflection of the social values. Religion is a key social value depicted in the Sumerian society. There is the presence of gods and goddesses who have power over the mortal world.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Western History specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Gilgamesh’s words confirm this when he says, â€Å"Where is the man who can clamber to heaven? Only the gods live for ever with glorious Shamash† (George 7). There are also temples in the society like the one in Enlil, as well as religious rituals. After the death of his friend Enkidu, Gilgamesh sets on a quest to find immortality. He travels in search of his ancestor, Uta-naphishtim, who possesses the secrets of immortality. There is a belief in the after life. In fact, he wants to know â€Å"truly, how†¦to enter the company of the gods†¦to possess everlasting life?† (George 18). Friendship is also a social value in the society. Gilgamesh and Enkidu form a strong bond of friendship between them. Together, they embark on a heroic journey to the Cedar forest and beyond. Antigone is a Greek tragedy by Sophocles. Spiritual matters take a center stage in Theban society. There are numerous references to various Greek gods. There is a reference to Hades, Zeus and Apollo. In the beginning, Sophocles says â€Å"justice who dwells with the gods beneath the earth† (Sophocles 11). The gods take a pivotal position in the Theban society. The story revolves around the issue of whether Polynices should get a proper burial according to the laws of the gods. Antigone elevates the religious laws above the state laws. Leadership in the society is another social value depicted in the play. Creon as the king offers defective and inconsistent leadership. He grudg ingly orders Polynices not to get an apposite burial, an important ritual in the society, thus, punishing Antigone for doing it. Family honor is another social value displayed in the play Antigone. Antigone’s desire to bury her brother sets her on a collision path with Creon. She has the determination to protect her brother’s honor and that of her family. In fact, she must act to please â€Å"those that are dead† (Sophocles 77), as they hold more weight than the ruler does. She even tells her that they must do it out of their sisterhood and love even if it means going against their ruler. Creon, on his refusal, appears to be to protecting his family’s honor by punishing those against him in the war.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The last days of Socrates feature a group of dialogues by Plato on the trial of the eminent Greek philosopher Socrates on charges of corrupting the minds of the youth. Immortality and afterlife is a dominant social value in the dialogues. Socrates argues that the soul exists before birth and after death. He does not fear death by virtue that it is not the end of the soul but only to the body. He even refutes the idea of breaking away from jail. Religion and religious beliefs are a social value that dominates the dialogues. In fact, he faces accusations of not recognizing the gods, which he does. He says, â€Å"He believes that the gods are our guardians, and we men are chattel of theirs† (Plato 62b). He says that the oracle at Delphi told him that he was the wisest of all of the men. Socrates depicts ethics and personal principles when he refuses to compromise his beliefs. He eventually meets his demise by taking poison. The Athenian Jury had given him an option of jail and exile, which he declines. He is so steadfast that he could not break from jail, as it is against his principles. He also could not commit suicide, as it is against his beliefs. In fact, he says, â€Å"man ought not to kill himself because he possesses no actual ownership of himself, as he is the property of the gods† (Plato 62c). Beowulf is an English heroic epic that presents courage as a critical social value. Beowulf is a courageous hero. He manages to kill Grendel, a monster who had terrorized Geats, the mother of Grendel and the dragon. His courage enables him to kill Grendel, a monster that had been terrorizing the people. Religion is also a social value that is evident though not so strong. Beowulf is a pagan, a non-believer. Moreover, there is a mention of Almighty God (Haber 701) and the story of Cain and Abel. The author says about Grendel, â€Å"He dwelt for a time in misery among banished monsters, Cain’s clan, outlawed for killing Abel† (Haber 105-110). Grendel the monster, who terrorized the hall of Heorot after killing the sleeping soldiers, did not touch the throne of Hrooga r, as a powerful god protects it. The issue of right and wrong, strong and weak is strongly evident in the above works. Those who seek to do the right are virtuous, strong willed and courageous to meet the obstacles and death, as they stand by their principles (Buckler et al. 32). Socrates is wrongfully accused. He refuses to give in to his accusers and eventually meets his death. He dies for what he believes is the right. In fact, he could not even entertain the idea of breaking from jail, as it would cause more harm to the Athenians than it would do right to him. Antigone is determined to offer Polynices a commendable burial. For this, she faces the wrath of the king Creon. She succeeds in her quest but eventually meets her death. Eventually, the right triumphs over the wrong, although this comes at a cost, mainly death being the result.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Western History specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Strength and weakness are also dominant in epic stories. The heroes courageously do heroic deeds that are near impossible to help others. Gilgamesh manages to complete a heroic adventure where he defeats an ogre in the cedar forest to restore the supply of timber to the kingdom. He also defeats the bull of heaven sent by Ishtar to plague Uruk. Beowulf, on the other hand, defeats the monster Grendel and a dragon despite the fatal wounds that lead to his death. Religion and politics take a center stage in the societies depicted in the aforementioned stories. Each society is religious. There is the belief of existence of supreme beings in all the stories. Religion assumes a crucial part in the lives of the characters’ decisions and day-to-day lives. Characters try to demystify immortality and afterlife. They want to do the will of the gods by going considerable lengths of consulting the oracles and performing rituals. They have build temples for worship of the gods. Poli tics plays a foremost role in the societies depicted by organization of government with kings in the societies. The rule of law is evident based on the presence of juries to uphold justice as evident in the case of Socrates. Wars fought control the societies and hence the leadership of the society. The role of women in the societies depicted in the stories is a minimal one as compared to that of men. They appear in the periphery of societies. The only woman who plays a chief role is Antigone who is the main character and protagonist. She is courageous, resilient and does not fear death. Mesopotamians, Greeks and Western Europeans value courage and wisdom. Various heroes like Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu achieve a monumental feat, overcoming main obstacles by defeating creatures sent by the gods. Beowulf defeated Grendel, a monster, and later a dragon. Antigone depicted courage by antagonizing King Creon and going against his rule. Socrates was courageous, as he faced the prospect of death, though he stood steadfast and died for his beliefs. Wisdom is present in these societies. The heroes and heroines use their wisdom to overcome their obstacles. Socrates displayed much wisdom in his arguments for his defense. In fact, he claims that an oracle had told him that he was the wisest of all men. This gives the reason behind his trial in a bid to silence him by sentencing him to death. Nevertheless, he happily embraced it as a means to immortality. Death is also present in the end of the stories. Death is inevitable to all. It is the stage to the afterlife. People must perform proper burial rituals to the dead. This is the source of conflict in the story. Of all heroes, Antigone, Gilgamesh, Creon, amongst others mentioned in the paper, Socrates is the most appealing and most difficult according to me. He is intelligent and extraordinarily courageous. He puts across exceptionally thoughtful arguments in his defense. He is also remarkably philosophical, which makes him also extremely difficult to identify and understand.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Works Cited Buckler, John, MacKay, John, and Hill, Bennett. A history of western society.10.Volume  A. New York: Bedford-St. Martins’, 2011. George, Andrew. Epic of Gilgamesh. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1993. Haber, Tom. A Comparative Study of the Beowulf and the Aeneid. New Jersey: Princeton University, 1931. Plato. The last days of Socrates. New York: Free Press, 1901. Sophocles. Antigones. London, Routledge, 1999. This essay on Western History was written and submitted by user Eric Pickett to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

How to Write a Bio thats Targeted and Attention-Getting

How to Write a Bio thats Targeted and Attention-Getting You’ve probably heard multiple times that there’s no â€Å"one-size-fits-all† resume. But what about bios? Is there a one-size-fits-all bio? My answer is steadfastly, â€Å"No.† You need to understand how to write a bio thats targeted to each audience youre addressing, based on that audiences  focus, interests, and needs. I personally have an entire Word document devoted to copious versions of my bio. Each one is geared toward a specific audience. How to Write a Bio for Myself (Brenda Bernstein) The bio that goes along with my How to Make Resume Writing Fun webinar starts as follows: Brenda Bernstein, Certified Master Resume Writer (CMRW), Certified Executive Resume Master (CERM), and accomplished editor and LinkedIn trainer, believes that resume writing does NOT have to be a drag! Notice that the facts about me are resume specific, and I set up my audience to think this presentation will make resume writing more palatable. What if I’m doing a presentation about LinkedIn? Here’s how I craft that bio: Brenda Bernstein is the #1 Amazon-best-selling author of How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile, now in its 12th edition and recently released in full-color print. A compelling speaker, award-winning businesswoman and top-certified resume writer, Brenda has worked with hundreds of professionals and executives who understand the value of an effective LinkedIn profile. Not surprisingly, the LinkedIn-related bio contains evidence of my LinkedIn expertise and experience. Third, here’s the beginning of my bio, written for a Yale audience where I was giving back-to-back presentations on resume and LinkedIn profile writing: Brenda Bernstein, MC ’91[1], is the author of the #1 Best-Selling e-book, How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile. Now owner and senior editor of The Essay Expert, recovering lawyer (NYU ’98), Certified Master Resume Writer, and sought-after LinkedIn trainer, Brenda began her editing â€Å"career† wordsmithing her friends’ articles for the Yale Daily News. As you can see, the audience and the topic inform what I emphasize in each bio. I literally write a new bio every time an organization or website asks me for one! How to Write a Bio for a Client (Tamira Johnelle) Recently, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to write two bios for Tamira Johnelle. You’ll find out more about this sparkling woman in a moment. For now, what I want to convey is the difference in the bios I wrote for her. The first was for a conference for women entrepreneurs. The second was for her website. As you read the bios, look for the emphasis of each and the clear differences, all of which stem from Tamira’s target audience. Women Entrepreneurs Conference Bio: Tamira Johnelle is turning her own weight loss story into one of the fastest-growing businesses of its kind. Her impressive accomplishment of going from size 18 to size 6 in 7 months, while eating dessert every day, is not her only claim to fame. Check out the growth of her following: from 1,639 followers to 11,550 followers in 4 weeks! She has created  a 16-week virtual course as well as a one-on-one coaching program for people struggling with their weight, giving them the blueprint to her success and helping them on their journey to weight  loss freedom. Tamira’s recipe collection of delicious, healthy main dishes and desserts, From a Size 18 to a Size 6 in 7 Months While Eating Dessert Daily, The MAIN DISH EDITION is selling like hotcakes. And people have responded amazingly well to her recipe videos on Facebook Live and Periscope. When you meet this no-nonsense, exuberant entrepreneur, you’ll understand why she is an inspiration to anyone wanting to enjoy both their food and their lives. Website Bio: Tamira Johnelle, who went from a size 18 to a size 6 in 7 months, is an inspiration to anyone who has been struggling with their weight for years and who feels like a failure because of it. Tamira grew up on the American junk food diet. As a girl, she would hide candy under the pillow, and wake up in the middle of the night to eat it. In the morning she woke up hungry for more. This cycle of unhealthy eating was consuming her life. As much as she tried to talk herself out of her patterns, she could not stop these overwhelmingly powerful cravings. This might sound familiar to you. As she grew older, Tamira wrestled with her weight, going on unrealistic diets she couldnt keep. Eat salads all day? Are you kidding? Tamira was not about to give up desserts forever- but she did want to be healthy and look great in a size 6 dress. She knew there must be a better way to get amazing and sustainable weight loss results. One important step was learning how to cook. Tamira is self-taught and in 7 years has come  up with a whole cookbook full of recipes that completely satisfy and that will stop your junk food cravings.  Here are just a few of the delicious items you’ll find in From a Size 18 to a Size 6 in 7 Months While Eating Dessert Daily, The MAIN DISH EDITION: Tasty, Satisfying Entrees: Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken, Salmon Cakes, Black Bean Avocado Quesadillas Desserts that Won’t Have You Thinking about Junk Food All Day: Turmeric-Lemon Kidney Bean Cake, Maple-Cayenne Cookies, Maple-Pineapple-Lime Sorbet But recipes will only get you 20% there. Tamira has developed an entire lifestyle that has helped her and others get and keep the weight off through positive affirmations, healthy meals, exercise and a host of other methods. She has created  a 16-week virtual course as well as a one-on-one coaching program for people struggling with their own weight, giving them the blueprint to her success and helping them on their journey to weight  loss freedom. [This bio is followed by four compelling success stories.] What do you notice about these bios? Do you see how Tamira’s entrepreneurial successes, which are highlighted in the conference bio, would be inappropriate on her website? They would turn people off. But the entrepreneurs want to know about this stuff because they want the same kind of success. And notice how her own longer story, the details of her recipes, and her clients’ weight loss successes, which are key to her persona on her website, take a back seat in a bio for an audience of entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs couldn’t care less about the client with lupus whose inflammation all but disappeared in two weeks. How to Write a Bio for Yourself! Do you have a bio at the ready to send out whenever you’re asked for one? If you do, take a moment before pressing â€Å"send† to make sure you’ve tailored the bio to your audience. There’s no one-size-fits-all bio! And if you need help with how to write a bio, The Essay Expert will be happy to help! Check out our bio writing packages. [1] Morse College, a residential college at Yale, and my graduating year (1991).

Marketing plan development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing plan development - Essay Example Also there is still perception among some of the customers that fast-food are rich in fat and are not healthy. As far as specific is concerned, sandwiches are treated as the most favorite as it holds over 30 % of the market share. Research has shown that, people mainly love sandwiches due to the trend of short lunch breaks triggering the demand for light snacks and lunches. At this point of time Hotdog doesn’t top the menu list of the people of UK when it comes to Fast Foods (Mintzberg and Quinn, 1996, p. 67). After analyzing the market scenario, business and product life cycle it is believed that out of the four probable strategies market development strategy could be best suited. Market development strategy is used when an existing product is launched in a new market. The risk factor in this case is medium. It is suggested that American Hot Dog Cart should focus on designing an efficient distribution network and repositioning strategy. One of the most famous ways to expand market reach is to setup franchisee network. Most of the major food chains follow this strategy. As mentioned in before, fast foods especially non vegetarian fast foods are still perceived as high-fat unhealthy products. This something the American Hot Dog has to change. Certain degree of augmentation can help the company in creating product differentiation. For example providing salads along with hot-dog can help the company successfully reposition the product. Also social media channels can be used to directly engag e with the customers. Social media can be used to show the target customers the way the food is being made. The main USP of the marketing campaign is the healthy ingredients and low fat content to change the perception (Palepu and Bernad, 2007, p. 65). Out of the four strategies Cost Leadership seems best suited for American Hot Dog Cart. The UK fast food market is a broad one. Hence the company may use the industry

Reflective Memo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reflective Memo - Essay Example When the Sprint website did not load, a decision was taken to replace it with AT&T. For the final choice, I based the outcome on three separate criteria: $50 or less per month, minimum of one year plan, and any additional features. The Appendix showed all the choices in a chart so that the Executive Director could easily differentiate between the three choices. After the table, some pictures of the three company’s cell phones were included so that the Executive Director could get a visual on what the phones looked like. This was meant to help reinforce his decision. The peer review helped me to tighten the report and cut out any unnecessary words. The whole point of a report like this is to keep it short and concise because management does not have time to weed through all the â€Å"garbage.† I feel confident that the best choice was made based on the data at hand, and I know that the Executive Director will be pleased with the

Film analysis paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Film analysis paper - Essay Example The final concept is Zoe’s lack of openness to the therapist. These concepts will be explored in the film, and their application in the film will be determined. The consequences of this concept to the relationship will be determined (Lanham and Rowman 5). The most evident concept seen in this film is Zoe’s sex addiction. Sex addiction is the escalating and persistence in sexual engagement in spite of an increase in negative consequences to others or oneself. Just like another addiction efforts to stop this addiction can be in vain. This concept of sex addiction is observed in the initial scenes of the movie, right after Zoe visits Quinton Canosa. During her visit, she gets attracted to Quentin, the owner of Quinton Canosa. Their first meeting begins, and this is even more evident when Zoe takes the contract papers to him to sign for the beginning of their business partnership. Interestingly, this turns out to be a sexual connection for them (Lanham and Rowman 12). The concept of sex addiction is well applied in the film. Zoe is not fully satisfied with her husband and instead of talking things out she decides to look for comfort elsewhere. Zoe often meets up with Quinton where she finds the satisfaction of her addiction. She does this over and over, and even spends time at work thinking about her meetings with Quinton. It  affects her devotion to her career during one time she is set to meet with a client at a hotel, but she fails to turn up on time. She then arrives very late when the client is leaving and lies that her daughter fell sick. Addiction consequently affects Zoà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s relationship with her kids since she even misses out on occasions that are important to her children with excuses of being sick and sometimes having a lot of work in the office. However, this constant meeting with Quinton increases her addiction. She one time

Movie Analysis Of The Film Legion

Movie Analysis Of The Film Legion The movie opens with a scene of a vast, barren land with a womans voice on the background solemn and weary. The woman narrates about her memories of her mother constantly reminding her to always have a heart-to-heart talk with God. This was true until that moment they were left by her father (the husband). Instead, she only talks about the Apocalypse, saying that God has become tired of this crazy bullshit. The next scene is in Los Angeles, the 23rd of December 1:02 am. There is darkness filled with chaotic sounds such as sirens, the loud thunder and shattering of glass with a reflection of a bloody moon. Then came Michael, falling from the sky. He went to a dark alley, pulled an ornate knife and started peeling of his coat, revealing his wings (through shadow). He began tearing his wings from his back using the sharp knife. To tend his wounds, Michael went inside a weapon/gun/survival shop (GUN AND SPORT WORLD), killing the person guarding it from the inside. He used a fishing wire to stitch the horrendous holes on his back left by the detachment. He raced along racks and racks of guns, searching for weapons the right ones. Meanwhile, two cops, Burton and Estevez, patrols downtown in their police car (LAPD). Burton blurted how burning the streets would make him happy. A fresh start, thats what this place needs. he said. Estevez was not even finished expressing his thoughts when a loud explosion commenced almost right in front of them. Michael gradually appears from the smoke carrying two huge sports bag. He was confronted by the two cops, ordering him to drop the bags and to position his hands behind his head. Estevez slowly approached him and attempted to cuff his hands but as soon as he was near, Michael was able to grab him to be used as a human shield. Burton, while pointing the gun towards Michael and commanding him to let go of his partner, suddenly had his head shaking like mad. The now possessed Burton reminded and warned Michael that this was not the orders given to him by God and if he continues he will die together with the baby (human races only hope).Michael was able to kill the possessed c op, leaving both cops lifeless. He drove away using the police car. The movie continues with the scene showing what is going to be the main venue of the movies highlights. There is a couple of old silver trailers which looked like has not moved from the ground for a long period of time. Then, there was Jeep Hanson, bolted awake from a bad dream, covered with sweat and breathing deep. He got up from bed, stepped out of one of the trailers, gazed up to the diners roof where a large sign glows PARADISE FALLS GAS N GRUB and contemplated. Then came Charlie, a very pregnant girl who asked Jeep if he is alright and shared that she could not sleep because of the constant kicking of the baby. They had a deep conversation about how he worries about her too much even though the baby is not his. Jeep said that she can laugh like everybody else but he believes that she can be better with him and that they can raise the baby together. Charlie just kissed him on the cheek and left. It is now morning, a regular day for the keepers of the diner. Bob, the owner and Jeeps father, is shown trying to fix the TV while a black named Percy is cooking on the grill. They had a short conversation about their partnership and relationship. While on the other side of the diner, there is a beautiful girl, Audrey, seductively leaning over a jukebox. She is the epitome of rebellion. Watching their daughter move her hips to the beat, Howard and Sandra Anderson were both disgusted. The couple and the daughter had a few exchanges as to why she dressed like that and how she did not fail in answering them back every time. A black Cadillac driven by a black, Kyle, blazed the desert path. He passed a weathered road sign ENTERING PARADISE FALLS, NEXT SERVICES 50 MILES. He grabbed his cell phone only to find out that there is no signal in the area. He then spotted the diner just up the road ahead. He pulled over and got out of the car. Leaning next to the broken phones is Charlie. Kyle grabbed a crumpled hand drawn map and showed it to the very pregnant woman who was then smoking. He let out a statement that smoking is not going to do any good for the baby. Intrigued, Charlie said that she might consider quitting. Kyle asked Charlie if he is anywhere near where he is going by showing the map. Charlie said he is not even close. Jeep saw the two talking and asked if everything is alright. Charlie said that the man is just lost and needs a phone, and that was when they both entered the diner. Bob, upon seeing cigarette sticks held by Charlie, claimed that it is about time for her to quit smoking due to her condition. Charlie replied that he is not in the position to tell her that since he also smokes that heavy. Charlie then gave a pack of cigarettes to Kyle. Kyle is about to ask Bob if he can use his phone when Howard butted in to verify when will their car be fixed. Bob went out of the diner and into the mechanics bay only to find out that Jeep is not doing his job fixing the car, instead, the man is busy cleaning up a small crib for Charlies. Bob became upset and started confronting Jeep about what he is doing with his life, about his obsession towards Charlie and about his future. Bob thinks that it is time for him to leave the place. Jeep said otherwise, saying that he is constantly having dreams about Charlie and about something that he needs to do but having a hard time figuring it out. Bob told him that he had same visions when he was young, which only led him to his mediocre life right now. Bob walks back to the diner. Dark clouds form and line the horizon to the south. Jeep shifts his gaze up to the north highway. Same thing. A storm is coming. Meanwhile, back into the diner, Kyle is again about to address Bob on using the phone when something caught Bobs attention. The TV is on snow-screen. Bob gave it a final wallop and the picture snaps into the STARK GRAPHIC OF THE EMERGENCY BROADCASTING SYSTEM accompanied by its hollow tone which filled the diner. Percys old battery-powered radio did the same thing, hollow tone station after station. Kyles conversation with his son was cut off and dial tone was lost. Audrey speculated that it can be a terrorist attack. Bob calmed everyone down (especially Mrs Anderson) and speculated that this was just a line problem. A beat up Eighties Cutlass Supreme pulled off the highway and stopped abreast the pump station. An old lady stepped out of the car with her metal frame and wheels of a walker. Grandma entered the diner and ordered, commented on how unusual the name Charlie is for a girl. The old woman smiled to the Andersons and said that things will be over soon. Jeep entered the diner and quietly huddled with Bob about the cars condition. He said that he could try to fix the car but it might take time. Bob was upset about the news. Moments later, Charlie handed over the order and started having a conversation with the guest. As what seemed to be a sudden turn of event, Gladys started cursing and exclaiming that all babies should burn including Charlies. Mortified with what she heard, Sandra tried silencing Gladys but she failed, only to be called a cunt who always complain. Shocked and stirred with what Gladys has said to Sandra, Howard stood and tried making Gladys apologize for what she said. Gla dys lunges towards Howard and took a bite out of his neck which made him crumbled to the floor. Percy threw a pan to the old woman which broke her neck. Surprisingly, she is still standing, ready to assault anyone in the diner. She jumped and started walking on the wall and up to the ceiling like a lizard/crab, landed right in front of Bob, who was shooting his shotgun, slapped him, and knocked him unconscious. The shotgun clatters at Jeeps feet. Jeep snatches it and aims at grandma but cannot pull the trigger. He does not have enough courage to do so. Gladys screamed he cannot save HER and rocketed straight at him when suddenly three gunshots came from behind which knocked Gladys dead. It was Kyle with his gun. Percy, Kyle, Sandra and Audrey frantically carry Howard, his neck bandaged, to the Escalade. Kyle drove as fast as he could, hitting the gas hard. Audrey noticed the dark clouds ahead but was not sure what it was. Kyle grips the wheel, picking up speed. Suddenly, hundreds of tiny bugs begin to hit the windshield. They are not clouds, they are flies! The car then entered the swarm. Everyone is screaming. Back to the diner, Jeep is puking into a toilet bowl. Bob is tending his sored cheek. The father and son had a conversation about what happened moments ago. Jeep is hurting inside, telling his father how coward he was not being able to pull the trigger. Bob comforted his son by telling him that it was alright and that not everybody can play hero. They heard the sound of the front door chimes. Kyle, Percy, Sandra and Audrey carry Howard into the diner, all of them gasping for air. They narrated what happened on their way and Percy raced for the back to get his Bible and to start praying. A police cruiser skidded to a wild stop in front of the diner. It was Michael. Charlies face lit up when she saw the police car but froze a few feet from the car when she saw those piercing eyes of Michael. In moments, Bob, Kyle and Jeep formed a protective shield in front of Charlie. Bob raised his shotgun and demanded Michael to show his teeth. Michael let out a dangerous smile and snatched the gun from Bob, telling them that they do not have much time and possessed people like Gladys will arrive in no time. Michael distributed the weapons from the cars trunk and ordered everyone to go back inside the diner and seal the place. Everybody is clueless of what is happening. That night, two headlights appear in the darkness. An ice cream truck rolls slowly toward the diner. The eerie music emanates from the speaker on its roof. A tall figure stepped out of the van. The ice cream man is unnaturally thin. His gaze snaps up to the roof, jaw unhinges, bolts to the diner with startling speed. Michael and the men started firing. Bullets rip into the creatures body, knocking him on his back, arms and legs still twitched. Not long after, numerous headlights appear from the darkness as what seemed to be a parade of commuters. The men let loose with ferocious firepower. Explosions here and there, tires blow out, engines crash; vehicles swerve and collide with one another. Dark shapes bolt from the burning vehicles, scattering and surveying the condition of the area. They converge the diner form all directions, they move so fast it is as if their feet do not touch the ground. The men followed Michaels instructions and cut down everything in sight. Casings drop from their weapons like mad. Bodies burst and crumble to the ground. Suddenly, something got a hold of Howards body. It was torn away from Sandra. Howard screamed for help. Sandra dived for Howards stretched hands. It was a teenager about Audreys age. See what you made me do, mother!? Charlie and Audrey rushed to Sandras side. Howard screamed as his body is torturously stretched. Then, another disfigured man punched through the window, grabbed Charlies hands. Jeep came to rescue and grabbed her free arm just before shes pulled through. Without the help, Howard is ripped from his familys hands and out of the window. The dark figures started to pull back as if they had what they want. Charlie was still struggling from the rip of the creepy man when a sound of metal slashing flesh was heard. It was Michael who managed to disarm the possessed. Jeep and Charlie scooted away from the window as Michael lit up the night with successive firepower. After the incident, Bob demanded some explanation of what was going on. Michael told them that this is extermination; that the weakest willed are the easiest to turn. Those people were possessed by angels. Percy pointed out what he knows is that angels are the good guys, followed by a statement from Bob that he does not even believe in God. Michael said that their beliefs do not matter right now as the only thing that matters is the safety of Charlies baby. This intrigued Charlie, saying that she is just a regular waitress not worthy of any saving. The fallen angel stressed the fact that she bears the child who is the only hope for mankind, the Messiah. Either your child lives or Mankind dies, he said. They guarded from the roof in shifts of two. Percy and Kyle were first. They had a conversation about Percy being in army for two tours and about the gun Kyle used to kill grandma. They were surrounded with coldness. Percy let out a memory when he was a kid, when his father used to remind him to be happy and be satisfied with life until the very last day. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Bob was cooking while Sandra stared blankly at her prescriptions. Bob, noticing how distressed Sandra is, offered a can of beer. Sandra politely accepted it and sipped a little, reminded her of Howard and how he was the beer drinker in the family. Sandra burst to tears. Jeep and Michael had a conversation about everything going on and about Michaels past. Michael narrated that he was once the general of His army and that his love and hope for mankind has not yet lessened. Jeep questioned Michael as to why he continued believing in mankind. He shared that he had witnessed mankind abuse the gift given to them through wars and killings. He also shared how he saw some people not lose hope which Some people, realize that being lost is so close to being found. He said that Jeep is one of those people, that Jeep is one of the reasons he is doing this right now. Michael headed for the roof, left Jeep staring after him, deep in thought. There is a faint glint of sunlight, the 24th of December. Michael is searching the horizon for movement. Sandra awakened, heard the voice of Howard calling her. Sandra rushed to the back door, pushed the tables blocking her way out. Kyle tried to stop Sandra but her determination and longing to see her husband helped her knock the black man, hit his head on the table. Audrey tried to do the same thing but was pushed back. Percy came to get a hold of the hysterical woman who managed to get out and was just a few feet away from the nailed husband. Suddenly, Howards body, covered with boils and pustules, exploded, shooting acidic juice around him. Percy was able to shield Sandra by making an about-face while holding her tightly. They managed to go back inside the diner. He came to a stop and fell, revealing the whole back side of his body, melted by the acid. Percy just died in front of Bob. Bob was so devastated by the death of his friend. Tears fell from his eyes. Meanwhile, a scene showed Sandra being tied by Bob and Michael. In a booth, Audrey watched as her mother is being restrained. She returned her attention to Percys radio, tuning, trying to find something in the static. After a while, she called everyones attention as she finely tuned the radio for the hint of a voice. It was a broadcast about a resistance formed against the possessed people on the outskirts of Las Vegas, also in Red Rock National in the northern Mojave Desert area. Michael countered everyones belief that they can head to Red Rock National for refuge, saying it is too risky to leave. Charlie stood at the sink, filled her lungs with smoke from the cigarette. She caught a look at herself in the mirror, run her hand along the curvature of her belly. Tears welled up in her eyes. Jeep and Charlie had a conversation about her not willing to give birth to the Messiah, about Jeeps unconditional love towards her and how she did not like the entire thing. Jeep left her in hurt and frustration, telling her to let him know if she is done feeling sorry for herself. Audrey and Kyle are bundled on the roof together, keeping watch. Kyle was teaching Audrey on how to hold a gun. Kyle was surprised, it is as if Audrey has been holding one all her life. Audrey stared to the red nothingness surrounding them. Then she shared why their family was on their way to Scottsdale. She told him that her parents believed that a more wholesome place would help her change her ways. The conversation turned into passionate kissing and touching. Then all of a sudden, the diner came back to life. The jukebox started filling the room with music, TV glowed with bright rolling static and the electric fans started spinning. After a moment, headlights appear on the highway. A Family Minivan stopped at the pump. A man jumped out of the car and, seeing that the coast is clear, raced around to the gas pump. Then an army of dark shades swarmed in fast. Kyle and Audrey tried all their might to warn the family about the trap but were too late. The man was bitten; splats of blood filled the vans windows. The mother and son frantically avoided the grips of the creatures. Kyle makes a desperately courageous play. He leaps onto the roofs sloped overhang sliding fast he drops to the ground in front of the diner. Kyle charges the dark mob. Creatures peel away from the woman and boy to confront Kyle head-on. He lets loose with a rain of bullets. He closes in on the family, blasting back the creatures huddled around them. He finds the young boy curled up with his hands protectively covering his face. Kyle swoops down and gathers the boy into his arms. Kyle moves on to the mother. But something odd is happening. Kyles throat is torn out. Kyle drops to his knees. Up on the roof, Audrey watches helplessly as Kyle falls. Out the window they see Audrey drop down from the roof and run towards Kyle. The boy moves toward Audrey, stepping over Kyles body. Audrey backs away. She looks toward the entrance to the diner. Theyre everywhere. Shes trapped. She notices the open door to the Minivan. And so she bolts. Audrey dives into the car as the throng of creatures ra pidly closes in. She hammers the auto door lock. She moves to the center of the car as gruesome faces press against the windows. With stunning calm, Michael marches straight for the pumps. In the minivan, Audrey screams as the windows begin to crack. Michael grabs a gas pump, flips the lever and points it at the minivan. The creatures covering the car turn to look at Michael. And thats when he starts spraying gas at them. Up comes Michaels gun in his other hand and shoots the spray of gas turning it into a spray of fire. The minivan is engulfed in flames. Bursting out of flames, Michael marches confidently into the diner. Jeep slams the door closed just as the wall of fire reaches them. Michaels clothes are a smoky, smouldering mess. Jeep and Bob rush to pat him down. Charlie dashes behind the counter to the sink. She fills up a pitcher of water. The young boy with the lifeless white eyes stands before her wielding an enormous butchers knife. The boy swings the knife at her, slicing open the waitress outfit covering her pregnant belly. Charlie tumbles back to the ground behind the counter. She frantically pushes herself away from the approaching boy. The boy instinctively raises his hands to strike again, but theres no knife. Charlie watches in horror as the boy calmly realizes that his thumbs are missing. Charlie pulls her legs in close then rockets them out at the boys chest. Hes catapulted away from her. Michael leaps over the counter, landing in front of Charlie, guns ready for action. But the boy is gone. Jeep and Bob whip up their guns as Michael throws the wicked creature into the air. Audrey helps Charlie to her feet. She winces. Charlie, drenched in sweat is writhing on the ground with Michael holding down her arms and Audrey kneeling bet ween her legs. Pots of steaming water surround them. Charlies screaming rises up from below. A deep, long, rumbling tone rising up off the plain, as if emanating from the largest horn ever constructed. Michael reacts to the sound. Urgency comes over him. Audrey arrives with more steaming water. Charlie pushes, tears streaming down her face, delirious with pain. Jeep and Bob watch helplessly as the army of creatures has closed within a hundred yards of the diner. Their ranks stretch back seemingly without end into the darkness. Jeep rests a comforting hand on his fathers shoulder. Bob pulls his son close and hugs him with all his might, tears filling his eyes. Audrey places the child in Charlies arms. She stares at the baby, holding it at a distance, unsure of whether to embrace it or be terrified by it. A commitment shes not yet ready to make, even at this late hour. Off Charlies look, we move across the diner where Audrey approaches her mother, kneels down in front of her. Despite how much her mother pisses her off, it breaks her heart to see her in such a demoralized state. Audrey moves to hand over the baby to Charlie. Sandra springs out of the chair an snatches the baby from Audreys arms. Sandra backs away from them, moving toward the front door. Hers is the face of madness. A brilliant spectral light pours into the diner. Sandra is blinded. She raises a hand to block the light. And thats when Michael fires. Sandra staggers back, blood dripping from the hole in her forehead, and the baby goes flying from her hand. Charlie screams and everything suddenly goes very quiet. Jeep dives for the baby, catching the bundle of rags mere inches from the ground. And then he looks up to see the dark silhouette of a man approaching from out of the spectral light a man with wings. Jeeps eyes grow wide as the fierce angel steps into the diner. This is a creature built for war. His body armour making him appears disturbingly insect-like. His wings are not feathery or gentle. Rather they are hard, mechanical, an organic machine. The angels wings retract with clockwork-like precision. Gabriel flies into a wall in an attempt to crush Michael. He fails that but succeeds in leaving a massive dent. Gabriel runs/flies for the opposite wall. This one doesnt hold and the two enemies crash through it into the bathroom. Unbelievably Michael is still holding on. Gabriel is up. He thrusts himself back into the bathroom mirror. It shatters painfully behind Michael. Gabriel rages out of the bathroom and into the diner. Michael continues to ride him like a wild bull. Gabriel slams Michael into a wall once more. Its a brutal struggle. Gabriel spots his mace sticking out of the wall within arms reach. He grabs it, holding it futilely in front of him. Gabriels strength is giving w ay. Michael is winning. Gabriel lets out a tremendous roar and plunges one of the maces long spikes into his own stomach. Michaels eyes go wide with surprise, his grip loosens. Gabriel has run them both through. Gabriel rips the mace from his body and stumbles forward. Blood pours from a huge hole in Michaels chest right through his heart. Gabriel looks down at the hole in his own belly not nearly as bad as Michaels. Michael falls to his knees weakening. Gabriel looms over Michael. Michael looks up at him, blood leaking from his mouth. Gabriel watches as the last of the writing fades from Michaels body when he hears a faint clicking sound from somewhere in the diner. Gabriel moves gracefully through the destroyed diner, toward the source of the clicking. He steps behind the counter and finds Bob lying in a massive pool of blood. It takes the creature a moment to realize that the clicking sound is coming from Bobs lighter. Bob is focusing every last ounce of life in his body to lighting that lighter. Bob looks at Gabriel. And with one last brush of his thumb, Bobs trusty lighter ignites. Gabriels eyes go wide as the tiny flames dance in front of the stoves broken gas line. Gabriel spins and runs like hell as the gas explodes. Jeep tries to hide his pleasure that the tables have turned at least a little. Charlie is about to respond when Audrey leans in from the back seat. Gabriel smashes down on the cruisers roof with massive force. Jeep grabs the gun and fires wildly up at the roof. Gabriel takes a direct hit in the thigh, causing him to slide off the roof and onto the trunk where he grabs a hold of the rear window frame for support. Audrey desperately tries to load a flare while avoiding Gabriels grasp. Jeep cant get off another shot without the risk of hitting Audrey. Gabriel is almost entirely in the car now. Audrey swings the flare gun toward Gabriel, but he knocks her hand aside just as she pulls the trigger and the flare goes off inside the car. Gabriel lunges over the passenger seat, grasping for Charlie, his ferocious hand only inches from her and the baby. Audrey leaps onto Gabriel, pulling him away from Charlie just in time. He flails wildly about but this young girl rides him like one hell of a cowboy. Jeep slams on the breaks, sending Gabriel and Audrey shooting forward through the windshield like bullet. The intertwined bodies of Gabriel and Audrey hit the road with a sickening crunch and roll into a ball of fire. Charlie, the baby bundled in her hands, leads Jeep away from the demolished cruiser. They are only a few steps from the edge of the ridge when Gabriel rockets up in front of them. Jeep pushes her and the baby out of the way just as Gabriel comes down hard in front of them, kicking up a cloud of dust. Gabriels mechanical wings haltingly retract. The crash has done some serious damage. Much of his skin has burned away. Gabriel is about to launch the finishing move when a ray of light blinded him as a creature descended from the heavens. It was Michael. Gabriel, pissed and agitated, launched an all-out attack to Michael with his rotating mace. After all, Michael was the General, countering the attack was a piece of cake. He managed to slice Gabriels stomach, rendering him immobile. Michael said that its enough and God has already seen what he needed. Gabriel took flight, leaving Michael and the newly-formed family behind. Michael took flight not long after, left them a message that the child is now their responsibility and that they would have to teach him all the goodness in the world. The last scene depicts a happy family, with a womans voice on the background just like in the opening, narrating that the birth of HER son marks the start of a new beginning for humanity. ~FIN~ B. CHARACTER ANALYSIS I. ARCHANGEL MICHEAL (Paul Bettany) The commander of The Army of God; defender of faith and of the church. In the movie, he abandoned his seat in heavens (thus a fallen angel) to follow what he believed. He believed that mankind can still change for the better and that people will someday understand one another. God lost his faith in mankind, he did not. Im saying this is extermination. Those things out there are vessels. The Possessed. The weakest willed are the easiest to turn. This, explained in brief by Michael, shows how he is very familiar with the situation on contrary with the other characters. Knowing the situation, he is the only character fully prepared for what is coming. Well thats just fine, Bob, he doesnt believe in you either. This shows how well he knows Him, how he can speak for Him. After all, he is the General of His army and he can easily listen to what Gods heart has to say (though in the movie, they are not allowed to). Listen. I simply dont care what you people believe. And those things outside, they dont care either. They just want the child dead. Now, this first attack was a test of our strength. The next will be a test of our weakness. Now we can sit here and discuss it Or you can try to help me. This shows his sense of urgency and leadership and how ready he is to protect what/who needs to be protected. When God chose your kind as the object of his love. I was the first in all of heaven to bow down before you. This tells us how Michael truly loves humankind and how honoured he was to serve in accordance to Gods will. No, Im following my own orders now. Depicts the rebellious act / change of heart of Michael to protect humanity against the Apocalypse. II. JEEP HANSON (Lucas Black) A selfless man, who is constantly having some nightmares about Charlie. After being left by his mother, Jeep decided to stay with his father in a deserted place. He was, somehow, the driving force of his father (Bob Hanson) to stay strong and sane after all of the wrong decisions he had made in life. He is a perfect example of a hopeful human being. Must know something I dont? Another bad dream..? Youre the only thing I like to worry about. Shows how caring and worried he is towards Charlies condition. I could help you. We could do it together. I want toà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ This line tells us how willing Jeep is to take responsibility of Charlies even if the child is not his own flesh and blood a statement that points out how selfless Jeep is and how he loves Charlie unconditionally. Look. I know it doesnt make much sense to you. Sometimes it doesnt make much sense to me either. Ive been having these dreams about her. Some of them so badà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I wish Id never have to sleep again. I just feel like its something I got to do. In this line, Jeep expresses his strong belief that he is doing the right thing, and he is doing what needs to be done though he cannot truly explain what that thing is. As uncertain as he is, he insists on doing what he believes and no one can stop him from doing so (even Charlie). III. CHARLIE (Adrianne Palicki) The troubled pregnant woman, who self-pities and blames herself for all the time she has lost for herself. She considers herself capable of nothing and is of no importance. Youre worried about a girl thats eight months pregnant and it isnt your baby. Its enough to give anybody nightmares. This line shows how unappreciative she is towards those people who love and care for her. Why cant she just be thankful? Bob, see where Im at right now? Can my condition really get any worse? One of the lines that show how pretty good Charlie is in putting down herself. She considers her pregnancy as a condition she is neither proud nor happy about. For her, it was all a mistake Wait just a minute. This cant be happening. Im nobody, Im just a waitress. I dont even own a car. The text explains it all. What makes you think I can do that? What makes you think I want to do that? If hes so important, why dont you take him? After the baby was born, she did not care. It was the fruit of her mistakes. It was even hard for her to look at the baby. Well, her view towards life changes at the end of the movie, so pretty much reality has sank in and lived happily with Jeep. C. REFLECTION It is pretty fascinating to think how God has just given up and lost faith to humanity. He, of all the beings, should know that as humans, we are prone to committing the extremes becoming very disobedient or very beneficial to one another. HE has given us free will, and we have used it. I think when you give someone freedom to do whatever he/she wants to do, then you would have to accept his course of action. But then again, religion would counteract this with the concept of grace which we would have to live in His grace. The movie depicted how people turned against one another the weakest willed being possessed, becoming more powerful and less prone to death than the willed ones. So, why did He not do the other way around possessing the willed ones to kill the weakest willed to wipe them all out? Why did He just not nuke all the sinful places and bless the faithful ones? I think God wanted to give us a chance thanks to Michael; the Messiah was introduced to the world unharmed. It took a one hell of a catastrophe and a fallen angel to make people realize what has been in front of us ever since but dont know how to utilize peace. To conclude, man is born naturally good. It is up to him to stay good or defy what has been written. We just have to be

The Death of Socrates :: Ancient Greece Greek History

The Death of Socrates "Crito, you and other people who claimed to be friends to Socrates are all useless! How could you have been so cowardly, or lazy, or stingy, as to allow you 'friend' to die? Surely, with a little courage, energy, and money, you could have saved him." Those are strong accusations coming from someone who obviously did not know Socrates as well as his other students or me. Although, I expected that people would react this way to my actions, or lack of actions, regarding Socrates death. For Socrates, being executed was the only option available to him. Of course we, his friends, could have helped him to escape, but what would that prove? It would only go against everything that Socrates has taught us. It would also defy everything that Socrates stood for in life. Escaping punishment, would have been an unjust and cowardly act for him. Disobeying the law would set a bad example for his fellow citizens. In addition, it would ruin his reputation for being just and following the laws of the government. Socrates believed that, although he was wrongfully accused, he was given a fair trial through the eyes of the law. The fact that he was given a fair trial means that he was given a fair punishment. If this punishment is not carried out, justice will not be served. Escaping punishment would cause a conflict between his teachings and his actions. This would eradicate the moral reputation that Socrates had built for himself throughout his life. The question he would have asked himself would have been, "What kind of example would I be setting if I dishonored my own teachings?" He saw his punishment as a contract between he and the government, and he firmly believed that agreements should not be broken. This is the same government that allowed him to live life as he chose, so why harm an institution that benefited him? The Death of Socrates :: Ancient Greece Greek History The Death of Socrates "Crito, you and other people who claimed to be friends to Socrates are all useless! How could you have been so cowardly, or lazy, or stingy, as to allow you 'friend' to die? Surely, with a little courage, energy, and money, you could have saved him." Those are strong accusations coming from someone who obviously did not know Socrates as well as his other students or me. Although, I expected that people would react this way to my actions, or lack of actions, regarding Socrates death. For Socrates, being executed was the only option available to him. Of course we, his friends, could have helped him to escape, but what would that prove? It would only go against everything that Socrates has taught us. It would also defy everything that Socrates stood for in life. Escaping punishment, would have been an unjust and cowardly act for him. Disobeying the law would set a bad example for his fellow citizens. In addition, it would ruin his reputation for being just and following the laws of the government. Socrates believed that, although he was wrongfully accused, he was given a fair trial through the eyes of the law. The fact that he was given a fair trial means that he was given a fair punishment. If this punishment is not carried out, justice will not be served. Escaping punishment would cause a conflict between his teachings and his actions. This would eradicate the moral reputation that Socrates had built for himself throughout his life. The question he would have asked himself would have been, "What kind of example would I be setting if I dishonored my own teachings?" He saw his punishment as a contract between he and the government, and he firmly believed that agreements should not be broken. This is the same government that allowed him to live life as he chose, so why harm an institution that benefited him?