Escape Essay

All day long Orloff had paced his cell. The blackness of the sky outside was equaled only by the blackness of his thoughts. The deep rolling of the thunder reverberated through the thick stone walls of his prison, and every now and then a fitful gust of rain swirled through the tiny broken window, wetting his face as he stared out into the night. Orloff cursed, wiped the water from his face with his grimy fingers, and turned to pacing his cell once more. For seven long years Orloff had been thus confined – but a small fraction of the life sentence he was serving for the horrible crime he had committed. But at times he had asked himself, â€Å"Was it not worth it, after all?† He could still feel the wet, warm blood trickling between his fingers, and see the whites of his victim’s eyes. Then, too, there was that great day of the trial, when so many officials, in their splendid uniforms and gold braid, and so many beautiful women, clad in their furs and satins, had gazed at him, horror-struck, unable to avert their eyes from his face, or miss one word that fell from his lips†¦At such times Orloff would rub his hands and smile to himself, in memory of that great day. But tonight Orloff was in a different mood. Black despair and vengeance reigned supreme in his soul; he wished only to escape, in order that he might seek out his destroyers and in turn destroy them. His steps became more feverishly agitated; perspiration gathered on his forehead and he clenched his hands until the nails bit into his flesh and little trickles of blood oozed from between his fingers. A brilliant lightning flash illuminated the far wall of his cell –lighting it as it had never been lighted before. Orloff’s eyes became riveted upon a huge stone, on the lowest tier†¦Were his eyes deceiving him, or had he in truth seen a tiny crack surrounding it, as though the cement had been scraped away or altogether removed? Hardly daring to breathe he tip-toed across the room and fell on his knees before the stone, feeling its edges with his blood-stained fingers. Yes, there was a deep crevice surrounding it. And, what was more, the stone was loose. Orloff tugged at it, scraping the flesh from his fingers, sweat pouring from his face and matted hair†¦It moved†¦He pulled the great stone from its place and peered into the blackness beyond. Another lightning flash showed him what he had hardly dared hope for – a passage in the rock, leading downward from his place of torment. On the floor was a piece of paper, folded and yellow with age. With trembling fingers he carried it to the window, through which shone the faint rays of a lamp in the courtyard below, and there unfolded it. On it was a brief message, apparently written with some dark red fluid. For the first time in his life Orloff was glad that he had been made to read, if only a little. For on the paper was written: â€Å"I escaped by this passage. May he who finds this share my good fortune.† It was signed S.K. The tramp of the sentry’s feet resounded outside the door of his cell. Orloff threw himself over the stone till the footsteps had died away; then he thrust his head and shoulders into the opening, and began slowly to worm his way along the narrow passage before him. The walls of the passage were wet with slime and mould, and sharp, jagged rocks protruded, tearing Orloff’s clothes and scratching deep into his flesh†¦But of all this Orloff knew nothing. His eyes were gleaming, but only one thought was present in his mind –escape. He dug his bloody fingers into the mud and pushed himself steadily forward, flat on his stomach, like a serpent. As he advanced, the floor of the passage became steeper and steeper, sloping at an ever-greater angle. The walls became yet wetter and more slimy and the jagged rocks bit deeper into his writhing limbs. Foot after foot Orloff propelled himself along this narrow, sloping path. His breath came in short gasps, while the darkness seemed to become ever more intense. For one moment he paused, an agonizing fear shooting through him. He realized that it would be impossible for him ever to ascend that sloping passage to regain his cell. A cold shiver ran down his spine. Then, he clenched his teeth and propelled himself forward with the superhuman strength of despair. A sharp bend in the passage revealed a sight which made him gasp. A faint circular opening in the distance permitted the rays of the moon –which had fitfully begun to shine –to penetrate the stygian blackness. The end of the passage lay before him. Victory –escape! The cold night air fanned his face; he urged himself onward in a last desperate effort. The passage became ever more sloping as he advanced. His body was inclined at a sickening angle. Strange streaks of blackness seemed to cross his vision, as he half fell, half slid the few feet which yet remained to be traversed. Orloff’s head crashed into something hard, which half stunned him. A moment later he opened his eyes, and saw before him a heavily barred iron grating, and – a skeleton.

Catching Fire Journal Entry Essay Example

Catching Fire Journal Entry Essay Example Catching Fire Journal Entry Essay Catching Fire Journal Entry Essay Essay Topic: Catching Fire The Hunger Games February 17th I recently read a novel by Suzanne Collins titled, The Hunger Games. What I recall most about this book is the magnificent emphasis put on food. Every single meal eaten by the characters was described in such great detail that you would think the author was a former culinary student. As the name persists, food is a significant issue in this book. It’s a luxury for people living in the districts and a commodity for the capital. People from the districts often died of starvation while people who lived in the capital pushed a button to summons a three course meal. The person from a district who won the Hunger Games was guaranteed the fortune of food and money for the rest of their lives. Wow, what a prize! What I enjoyed most about reading this book was the way the author introduced and described all of the characters. I had a great picture in my mind about each and every character and I felt myself thinking about some of them even when they were absent from a page or two. It became so interesting that before I could finish the book, I had to turn to the internet to look up the characters of the movie. I just had to see them in the flesh! My favorite character for most of the story was Katniss Everdeen, the beautiful, spirited tomboy. I could really relate to her like I could no other character in the book. I admired her for taking care of her little sister and especially her mother. I too, had to be the parent child in my household when growing up. I was not surprised at all when she took the place of her sister, the underdog, in the Hunger Games. Because I too, have lost someone close to me, I knew that hunting not only fulfilled the purpose to feed her family but that it helped her to cope with the death of her father, whose bow and arrows she cherished. My best friend during my teenage years was a guy named Brian, so it was easy for me to understand the relationship Katniss shared with her best friend Gale; the good looking guy that the other girls fawned over, but not her. She was not the kind of girl to go gaga over a guy’s good looks. It was an intimate relationship that grew from so many mutual feelings about life and their shared common interest. They complimented each other like peanut butter and jelly. I loved that they loved each other that way. Not like a brother and sister, who often squabble. Not like a husband and wife; it’s much deeper than that. Those relationships are tainted. Then she entered the Hunger Games and so did Peeta Mellark. Peeta was my second favorite character in the story. He was much softer around the edges than Katniss but he looked out for her like a man would look out for the woman he loves. Even before the Hunger Games, there was a time when he took a beating from his mother for burning some bread. The reason he burned the bread was so he could give it to Katniss who he knew was hungry and hiding in his back yard. It was that foreshadowing in the story that made me believe him later when he confessed his love for Katniss. Katniss was not sure about his love because she always thought it was a ploy for him to get further in the games, but I knew better. Due to the circumstances in the arena she almost convinced me a couple of times that he was not being true, but I held on fast. At times I wanted to yell at her for being so stubborn and at other times I admired her for not being so easy to fool. It was a roller coaster ride! Weather it was real or not, the romance they shared had me hooked. I felt like one of the spectators in the book itself! I was rooting for them to win the games so they could go home and live happily ever after. It was this relationship that has me looking forward to reading Catching Fire, the second book in the trilogy. I loved that Peeta came into the picture and shared emotional moments with Katniss. I know Katniss can take care of herself but I can’t resist wanting her to let Peeta take care of her emotionally. I know she can confide in Gale about her feelings, but it’s not the same; in their relationship they are equals. I recently saw a picture of Katniss, Gale and Peeta which almost guarantees a love triangle of some sort. I’m excited just thinking about it!

Free Essays on Why Social Studies Is Important For Children

Social Studies is important for elementary school students to be familiar with because it is a way to connect children with the past and relate it to the future. Linda Levstik wrote a book called â€Å"Doing History† that explains how to teach Social Studies in a classroom. This book focuses on what teachers should teach, how to go about doing it, what are the best strategies, how to assess children, and guidelines for teachers to follow. This book taught me that it is important for students to personalize history so they can relate it to current events. I also have learned that it is important to have a strong literature based Social Studies program so that children can deepen their understanding of the topic and integrate it into other areas of study. In this paper I will discuss what I found useful in this textbook and how I will utilize the information learned in my classroom. One of the major issues I found important was the idea of diverse perspectives. It is important for children o know that there are a wide variety of cultures, opinions, and ideas. It is necessary to look at all the different angles of an idea and then draw your own conclusion. Children need to be exposed to a wide variety of literature in order to be able to find out more about different time periods. In chapter twelve Levstik writes, â€Å"Children often think that people in the Colonial Era lived in log cabins or that everyone in the 1800’s dressed in formal clothes all the time. Such perspectives are hardly surprising given that students are rarely exposed to differences within a given time period†(158). As a teacher it is important to remember that children need to be exposed to a variety of different ideas. Teachers cannot focus in on one issue without giving multiple viewpoints or ideas. This way, children will be able to form their own opinions based on multiple perspectives. Another chapter in this book that I found extremely import... Free Essays on Why Social Studies Is Important For Children Free Essays on Why Social Studies Is Important For Children Social Studies is important for elementary school students to be familiar with because it is a way to connect children with the past and relate it to the future. Linda Levstik wrote a book called â€Å"Doing History† that explains how to teach Social Studies in a classroom. This book focuses on what teachers should teach, how to go about doing it, what are the best strategies, how to assess children, and guidelines for teachers to follow. This book taught me that it is important for students to personalize history so they can relate it to current events. I also have learned that it is important to have a strong literature based Social Studies program so that children can deepen their understanding of the topic and integrate it into other areas of study. In this paper I will discuss what I found useful in this textbook and how I will utilize the information learned in my classroom. One of the major issues I found important was the idea of diverse perspectives. It is important for children o know that there are a wide variety of cultures, opinions, and ideas. It is necessary to look at all the different angles of an idea and then draw your own conclusion. Children need to be exposed to a wide variety of literature in order to be able to find out more about different time periods. In chapter twelve Levstik writes, â€Å"Children often think that people in the Colonial Era lived in log cabins or that everyone in the 1800’s dressed in formal clothes all the time. Such perspectives are hardly surprising given that students are rarely exposed to differences within a given time period†(158). As a teacher it is important to remember that children need to be exposed to a variety of different ideas. Teachers cannot focus in on one issue without giving multiple viewpoints or ideas. This way, children will be able to form their own opinions based on multiple perspectives. Another chapter in this book that I found extremely import...

Bereavement Support Group Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bereavement Support Group - Essay Example I have a husband and 2 other children (ages 8 & 6). Im shocked, I feel sad, lonely, and isolated, especially being away from my country and my family. Im struggling in my studies and also being forced to continue to deal with everyday life once again as if nothing had happened. Through my exploration, research and groups I am able to present what I have found among those dealing with the grief process and support groups. Support groups commonly were found to share certain traits and built on certain underlying principles and theories while also allowing freedom to stray from those boundaries set by society and prior studies as to what is expected and what the actuality of the situation is. Backgrounds among those who participated in one group study included nursing, social work, counseling, pastoral care, and genetics (Supiano, & Vaughn-Cole, 2011). Foundation of trust is key to any support group; establishing & maintaining trust is directly related to the leader & the leader’s style, ability to communicate and also their sensitivity to each within the group and where they are in the healing process. Group facilitators are educated in numerous ways and come from many professions. They must be able to utilize open ended question to draw out members to share. Previous experience with death, grief, bereavement, and loss are important. Many group leaders have themselves experienced grief and loss. Health care setting students who participated in and organized a group were comprised of 80% who had person prior direct experience with grief and loss. Chronic sorrow can result when there are no coping mechanisms learned, it is persuasive, misunderstood and usually a continuing and resurgent grief. Though it more often related to a long term illness or dementia there is also persistent cases in those who have found no closure. Chronic sorrow is instigated by trauma and events such as the loss of a child and bereavement are very traumatic experiences (Roos,

Engineering or business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Engineering or business - Essay Example on of training on hazard prevention and safe operating procedures particularly on fire prevention and management procedures and occupational noise prevention and reduction program were tackled in details. The reason behind the need to strengthen the performance of its workplace inspection team was also covered in this report. To effectively manage the incidence of fire, it is important to maintain a safe working environment by making fire exits available and easily accessible. Other than the installation of fire prevention equipments, the use of early warning signs and devices like self-luminous or electroluminescent ‘exit’ signs in emergency exits and the provision of necessary trainings and easy access to medical facilities and first-aid kit are highly encouraged. To ensure that each employee do not suffer from a permanent hearing loss, HR managers of engineering companies should strictly implement the use of hearing protector and limit employees work to 8 hours per day. Measuring and recording noise level pollution should also be conducted on a regular basis. With the purpose of gathering useful information on how an engineering company can effectively implement and practice work environment safety, the target audiences for this study include the engineering students and workers who are currently employed in an engineering company. Since a portion of the engineering students may consider working for an engineering companies like Hofmann and Wintech, this report will be useful in terms of increasing the students’ and workers’ knowledge on how they can protect themselves from work-related injuries and accidents. Established back in 1955 by Gordon Hofmann, Hofmann Engineering grew as one of the largest U.S.-based companies that specialize in the manufacturing of night vision support gadgets, aircraft lighting, and photonic test equipments (Hofmann Engineering 2010a). The company expanded its business not only within the aerospace industry but also

Two of Americas Most Wanted and Renowned Serial Killers, Gary Ridgway Essay

Two of Americas Most Wanted and Renowned Serial Killers, Gary Ridgway and Dennis Rader - Essay Example This paper deals with the lives of two of America’s most wanted and renowned serial killers, Gary Ridgway and Dennis Rader. Both of them have caused a great number of grievances and havoc among the people by killing several individuals and were hunted down by the police with an aim to stop murder from taking place. This paper observes a compare and contrast of the lives of these two serial killers, their motives and the way that they went about murdering people. Gary Leon Ridgway and Dennis Rader were both born in the countryside; Ridgeway in Utah and Rader in Kansas, and only have a four-year gap between each other. They both have gruesome nicknames which have made them quite unpopular among the people – Gary is called ‘Green River Gary’, the ‘Green River Killer’ or ‘The Riverman’ whereas Dennis has adorned the nickname of ‘BTK’ or the ‘Bind, Torture, Kill Strangler.’ Both of them have the commonality of strangling their victims and killing them, then dumping their bodies away in order to dispose of them. Both have been subject to life imprisonment without parole and are hated among people for having killed so many people without any reason at all. The police are still trying to understand their reasoning behind the killings. Delving into the personal lives of serial killers always helps a person understand the atrocities of their past and what made them become the way they are in the present. Ridgway had a very troubled childhood because he often witnessed his parents fighting violently with each other. He was dragged into the fight and abused by his mother for whom he began to develop both anger and sexual feelings. (Prothero, Mark; Carlton Smith ) Rader, on the other hand, had a very normal childhood and graduated from high school and then college. As a child, he loved torturing animals and hated them with all his might. He also had a sexual fetish for women’s undergarment s; this was seen in his killings as he often killed women, stole their undergarments and went about wearing them on his own.

Visions and Missions Essay Example for Free

Visions and Missions Essay Apple- Mission Statement: Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software and Internet offerings. How we calculate our carbon footprint. To accurately measure a company’s environmental footprint, it’s important to look at the impact that company’s products have on the planet. For the past three years, Apple has used a comprehensive life cycle analysis to determine where our greenhouse gas emissions come from. That means adding up the emissions generated from the manufacturing, transportation, use, and recycling of our products, as well as the emissions generated by our facilities. Weve learned that about 98 percent of Apple’s carbon footprint is directly related to our products. The remaining 2 percent is related to our facilities. Samsung- We will devote our human resources and technology to create superior products and services, thereby contributing to a better global society. Since its founding in 1938, SAMSUNG has maintained a mission statement that responds both to its own change, and to new developments in the world: Economic contribution to the nation, Priority to human resources, Pursuit of rationalism. Each slogan represents significant moments in SAMSUNGs history, reflecting different stages of the companys growth from a domestic industrial leader into a global consumer electronics powerhouse. In the 1990s, we transformed our mission statement to keep pace with our growing global operations, rapid changes in the world economy, and escalating competition from well-established rivals. Samsung Management Philosophy: We will devote our human resources and technology to create superior products and services, thereby contributing to a better global society. SAMSUNG management philosophy represents its strong determination to contribute directly to the prosperity of people all over the world. The talent, creativity and dedication of SAMSUNG people are key factors to its efforts, and the strides theyve made in technology offer endless possibilities to achieve higher standards of living everywhere. SAMSUNG management believes that the success of SAMSUNG contributions to society and to the mutual prosperity of people across national boundaries truly depends on how they manage their company. SAMSUNG goal is to create the future with its customers. Rimm- Mission Statement: Research In Motion (RIM) is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, text messaging (SMS and MMS), Internet and intranet-based applications. RIM technology also enables a broad array of third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity to data HTC- HTC Company Origins and Point of View Founded in 1997, HTC built its reputation as the behind-the-scenes designer and manufacturer of many of the most popular OEM-branded mobile devices on the market.†¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨Since 2006, we have regularly introduced many critically acclaimed mobile devices under our own brand, and our portfolio includes smartphones and tablets powered by the Android or Windows Phone operating systems.†¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨We are dedicated to enabling a customized user experience based on the belief that each mobile device needs to fit its owner, and not the other way around. What we make is not merely the product of focus group tests, but of observing and honoring how individuals choose to interact with technology.†¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¨Our customers guide everything we do at HTC, and it’s this commitment that defines the company. Success Starts Where It Ends: With the Customer Strong recommendations from retailers, press reviews, consumer opinions, and friends and family, contribute to a high rate of product referrals, brand recognition and ongoing momentum. Combined, these recommendation channels nourish the connection between HTC and its discerning community as market share increases. And because we invest wholeheartedly in refining the personalized communications experience, we champion the customer as the hero through every stage of innovation. Dedication to Experiential, Interactive Design A focus on product design with performance, endurance, craftsmanship, and intuitive tools and interfaces ensures an elegant experience in a beautiful, minimalist package. HTC contributes a variety of innovations that include an amazing camera — cameras that rival leading point-and-shoot models and HD video that turns mobile screens into intimate, state-of-the-art theaters. And we make authentic sound a priority — we integrate Beats technology because it’s not just the music you play that matters, but also the quality of the sound. We recognize that, for our customers, a mobile device isn’t just a smartphone but an A/V entertainment system, communications control center and important instrument of individual expression, all in one. Innovation Through Collaboration Our longstanding working relationships with fellow technology leaders such as Google, Microsoft and Qualcomm are more than strategic partnerships: They serve as active labs of research and development and product evolution. At HTC, collaboration is a means to a very important end: creating a holistic experience for the customer. Our partnerships ensure that hardware, software, and content management and delivery systems are united in seamless and intuitive ways that give consumers control. Empowering the Most Personal Experience Discovering the best ways to integrate state-of-the-art technologies with effortless user experiences has always been, and will always be, our passion. New products simply enable and enhance these experiences. And when our customers share their personal experiences with our products, they speak with passion and conviction. That’s why we encourage, embrace and celebrate users sharing their perspectives. The strength of the HTC community lies in its authenticity; it’s the most accurate and honest voice of real-world understanding available. We insist on seeing through the eyes of this community, because doing so teaches, challenges and prods us to get better at what we do — empowering our customers through personal experience.