The Chaco Road System - Southwestern Americas Ancient Roads

One of the most fascinating and intriguing aspects of Chaco Canyon is the Chaco Road, a system of roads radiating out from many Anasazi  Great House sites such as Pueblo Bonito, Chetro Ketl and Una Vida, and leading towards small outlier sites and natural features within and beyond the canyon limits. Through satellite images and ground investigations, archaeologists have detected at least eight main roads that together run for more than 180 miles (ca 300 kilometers), and are more than 30 feet (10 meters) wide. These were excavated into a smooth leveled surface in the bedrock or created through the removal of vegetation and soil. The Ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi) residents of Chaco Canyon cut large ramps and stairways into the cliff rock to connect the roadways on the ridgetops of the canyon to the sites on the valley bottoms. The largest roads, constructed at the same time as many of the Great Houses  (Pueblo II phase between AD 1000 and 1125), are: the Great North Road, the South Road, the Coyote Canyon Road, the Chacra Face Road, Ahshislepah Road, Mexican Springs Road, the West Road and the shorter Pintado-Chaco Road. Simple structures like berms and walls are found sometimes aligned along the courses of the roads. Also, some tracts of the roads lead to natural features such as springs, lakes, mountain tops and pinnacles. The Great North Road The longest and most famous of these roads is the Great North Road. The Great North Road originates from different routes close to Pueblo Bonito and Chetro Ketl. These roads converge at Pueblo Alto and from there lead north beyond the Canyon limits. There are no communities along the roads course, apart from small, isolated structures. The Great North Road does not connect Chacoan communities to other major centers outside the canyon. Also, material evidence of trade along the road is scarce. From a purely functional perspective, the road seems to go nowhere. Purposes of the Chaco Road Archaeological interpretations of the Chaco road system are divided between an economic purpose and a symbolic, ideological role linked to ancestral Puebloan beliefs. The system was first discovered at the end of the 19th century, and first excavated and studied in the 1970s. Archaeologists suggested that the roads main purpose was to transport local and exotic goods inside and outside the canyon. Someone also suggested that these large roads were used to quickly move an army from the canyon to the outlier communities, a purpose similar to the road systems known for the Roman empire. This last scenario has long been discarded because of the lack of any evidence of a permanent army. The economic purpose of the Chaco road system is shown by the presence of luxury items at Pueblo Bonito and elsewhere in the canyon. Items such as macaws, turquoise, marine shells, and imported vessels prove the long distance commercial relations Chaco had with other regions. A further suggestion is that the widespread use of timber in Chacoan constructions--a resource not locally available--needed a large and easy transportation system. Chaco Road Religious Significance Other archaeologists think instead that the main purpose of the road system was a religious one, providing pathways for periodic pilgrimages and facilitating regional gatherings for seasonal ceremonies. Furthermore, considering that some of these roads seem to go nowhere, experts suggest that they can be linked--especially the Great North Road--to astronomical observations, solstice marking, and agricultural cycles. This religious explanation is supported by modern Pueblo beliefs about a North Road leading to their place of origin and along which the spirits of the dead travel. According to modern pueblo people, this road represents the connection to the shipapu, the place of emergence of the ancestors. During their journey from the shipapu to the world of the living, the spirits stop along the road and eat the food left for them by the living. What Archaeology tells us About the Chaco Road Astronomy certainly played an important role in Chaco culture, as it is visible in the north-south axis alignment of many ceremonial structures. The main buildings at Pueblo Bonito, for example, are arranged according to this direction and probably served as central places for ceremonial journeys across the landscape. Sparse concentrations of ceramic fragments along the North Road have been related to some sort of ritual activities carried out along the roadway. Isolated structures located on the roadsides as well as on top of the canyon cliffs and ridge crests have been interpreted as shrines related to these activities. Finally, features such as long linear grooves were cut into the bedrock along certain roads which dont seem to point to a specific direction. It has been proposed that these were part of pilgrimage paths followed during ritual ceremonies. Archaeologists agree that the purpose of this road system may have changed through time and that the Chaco Road system probably functioned for both economic and ideological reasons. Its significance for archaeology lies in the possibility to understand the rich and sophisticated cultural expression of ancestral Puebloan societies. Sources This article is a part of the About.com guide to the Anasazi (Ancestral Puebloan) Culture, and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Cordell, Linda 1997 The Archaeology of the Southwest. Second Edition. Academic Press Soafer Anna, Michael P. Marshall and Rolf M. Sinclair 1989 The great North Road: a cosmographic expression of the Chaco culture of New Mexico. In World Archaeoastronomy, edited by Anthony Aveni, Oxford University Press. pp: 365-376 Vivian, R. Gwinn and Bruce Hilpert 2002 The Chaco Handbook. An Encyclopedic Guide. The University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.

`` Bloodchild `` By Octavia Butler - 834 Words

â€Å"Bloodchild† is a story that pushes the limits of humankind, creating blurry interpretations of good and evil that challenges everyday societal norms. Octavia Butler takes a traditional action-filled story and twists it into an unexpected and intensified tale. Through this heightened piece of work, the most compelling argument can be found from the structure of the narrative itself. From the first-person narrative, readers are able to receive first hand perspective in which no omniscience of any sort can be detected. Readers can acquire the character’s actions, thoughts, and interpretation of the things that happen to them. â€Å"Bloodchild† is a story of an alien planet where the Terrans are enslaved by an alien race called the Tlic. Gan, the protagonist, has been promised as a host for the alien embryos in which the story will later reveal a deeper meaning underlining the sacrifice. The story introduces itself with the line, â€Å"My last night of childho od began with a visit home† (3). Readers are placed into a scene with no real beginning or proper introduction but instead confuse our conception of time and space through this sudden opening of science fiction. Butler’s reduction of humans into a commodity is essential to note because it may suggest that the relationship between the Terrans and Tlic is an enslaved and forced one. However, because of her bloodbath and gory language style that she utilizes, may lead viewers into interpreting this story about slavery andShow MoreRelatedGender Roles In Society In Bloodchild By Octavia Butler1087 Words   |  5 PagesOctavia Butlers short story â€Å"Bloodchild,† reinvents normative ideas of gender, power, and reproduction to demonstrate the discrepancies created by the aforementioned constructed ideals in society, both fictional and otherwise. 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Butler’s â€Å"Bloodchild† be classified as a slave story? The author claims that â€Å"Bloodchild† is not a tale of slavery, but rather a love story and a coming-of-age tale. Does â€Å"Bloochild† conform to the conventions of the slave stories, love stories, or coming-of-age tales with which you are familiar? What other classifications—in t erms of literary genre, form, or mode—apply to â€Å"Bloodchild†? Readers can easily deduce why Octavia Butlers won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards for herRead MoreBloodchild: Gender Inequality in Society1462 Words   |  6 Pages Bloodchild by Octavia Butler is seen as a story about the relationship between alien oppressors and a group oppressed humans. It has also been described as a love story between the human narrator and the chief alien. 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Best known as the creator of the Patternist arrangement of sci-fi books, which includes a general public whose occupants have created clairvoyant controls more than a few centuries, Butler investigates topics that have been given just quick treatment in the class, including sexual character and racial clash. Olivia’s champions are darkRead More Bloodchild: Oppression in Science Fiction Essay1404 Words   |  6 PagesBloodchild: Oppression in Science Fiction Throughout American literary history, nearly every form of literature has covered the topic of slavery and black oppression in America. From William Lloyd Garrison’s abolitionist papers to Harriet Beecher Stowe’s controversial Uncle Tom’s Cabin to Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, the exploration of the black position in America has been a theme that engrossed generations. 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The Host Chapter 31 Needed Free Essays

string(129) " and went to sit behind the desk he’d constructed out of wooden crates and an aluminum door, taking the dim lamp with him\." I froze and then looked quickly over my shoulder to see if someone was behind me. â€Å"Gladys was his wife,† Jamie whispered almost silently. â€Å"She didn’t escape. We will write a custom essay sample on The Host Chapter 31: Needed or any similar topic only for you Order Now † â€Å"Gladys,† Walter said to me, oblivious to my reaction. â€Å"Would you believe I went and got cancer? What are the odds, eh? Never took a sick day in my life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His voice faded out until I couldn’t hear it, but his lips continued to move. He was too weak to lift his hand; his fingers dragged themselves toward the edge of the cot, toward me. Ian nudged me forward. â€Å"What should I do?† I breathed. The sweat beading on my forehead had nothing to do with the humid heat. â€Å"†¦ grandfather lived to be a hundred and one,† Walter wheezed, audible again. â€Å"Nobody ever had cancer in my family, not even the cousins. Didn’t your aunt Regan have skin cancer, though?† He looked at me trustingly, waiting for an answer. Ian poked me in the back. â€Å"Um†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I mumbled. â€Å"Maybe that was Bill’s aunt,† Walter allowed. I shot a panicked glance at Ian, who shrugged. â€Å"Help,† I mouthed at him. He motioned for me to take Walter’s searching fingers. Walter’s skin was chalk white and translucent. I could see the faint pulse of blood in the blue veins on the back of his hand. I lifted his hand gingerly, worried about the slender bones that Jamie had said were so brittle. It felt too light, as if it were hollow. â€Å"Ah, Gladdie, it’s been hard without you. It’s a nice place here; you’ll like it, even when I’m gone. Plenty of people to talk to-I know how you need to have your conversation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The volume of his voice sank until I couldn’t make out the words anymore, but his lips still shaped the words he wanted to share with his wife. His mouth kept moving, even when his eyes closed and his head lolled to the side. Ian found a wet cloth and began wiping Walter’s shining face. â€Å"I’m not good at†¦ at deception,† I whispered, watching Walter’s mumbling lips to make sure he wasn’t listening to me. â€Å"I don’t want to upset him.† â€Å"You don’t have to say anything,† Ian reassured me. â€Å"He’s not lucid enough to care.† â€Å"Do I look like her?† â€Å"Not a bit-I’ve seen her picture. Stocky redhead.† â€Å"Here, let me do that.† Ian gave me the rag, and I cleaned the sweat off Walter’s neck. Busy hands always made me feel more comfortable. Walter continued to mumble. I thought I heard him say, â€Å"Thanks, Gladdie, that’s nice.† I didn’t notice that Doc’s snores had stopped. His familiar voice was suddenly there behind me, too gentle to startle. â€Å"How is he?† â€Å"Delusional,† Ian whispered. â€Å"Is that the brandy or the pain?† â€Å"More the pain, I would think. I’d trade my right arm for some morphine.† â€Å"Maybe Jared will produce another miracle,† Ian suggested. â€Å"Maybe,† Doc sighed. I wiped absently at Walter’s pallid face, listening more intently now, but they didn’t speak of Jared again. Not here, Melanie whispered. Looking for help for Walter, I agreed. Alone, she added. I thought about the last time I’d seen him-the kiss, the belief†¦ He probably wanted some time to himself. I hope he isn’t out there convincing himself that you’re a very talented actress-slash-Seeker again†¦ That’s possible, of course. Melanie groaned silently. Ian and Doc murmured in quiet voices about inconsequential things, mostly Ian catching Doc up on what was going on in the caves. â€Å"What happened to Wanda’s face?† Doc whispered, but I could still hear him easily. â€Å"More of the same,† Ian said in a tight voice. Doc made an unhappy noise under his breath and then clicked his tongue. Ian told him a bit about tonight’s awkward class, about Geoffrey’s questions. â€Å"It would have been convenient if Melanie had been possessed by a Healer,† Doc mused. I flinched, but they were behind me and probably didn’t notice. â€Å"We’re lucky it was Wanda,† Ian murmured in my defense. â€Å"No one else -â€Å" â€Å"I know,† Doc interrupted, good-natured as always. â€Å"I guess I should say, it’s too bad Wanda didn’t have more of an interest in medicine.† â€Å"I’m sorry,† I murmured. I was careless to reap the benefits of perfect health without ever being curious about the cause. A hand touched my shoulder. â€Å"You have nothing to apologize for,† Ian said. Jamie was being very quiet. I looked around and saw that he was curled up on the cot where Doc had been napping. â€Å"It’s late,† Doc noted. â€Å"Walter’s not going anywhere tonight. You should get some sleep.† â€Å"We’ll be back,† Ian promised. â€Å"Let us know what we can bring, for either of you.† I laid Walter’s hand down, patting it cautiously. His eyes snapped open, focusing with more awareness than before. â€Å"Are you leaving?† he wheezed. â€Å"Do you have to go so soon?† I took his hand again quickly. â€Å"No, I don’t have to leave.† He smiled and closed his eyes again. His fingers locked around mine with brittle strength. Ian sighed. â€Å"You can go,† I told him. â€Å"I don’t mind. Take Jamie back to his bed.† Ian glanced around the room. â€Å"Hold on a sec,† he said, and then he grabbed the cot closest to him. It wasn’t heavy-he lifted it easily and slid it into place next to Walter’s. I stretched my arm to the limit, trying not to jostle Walter, so that Ian could arrange the cot under it. Then he grabbed me up just as easily and set me on the cot beside Walter. Walter’s eyes never fluttered. I gasped quietly, caught off guard by the casual way Ian was able to put his hands on me-as though I were human. Ian jerked his chin toward Walter’s hand clasped around mine. â€Å"Do you think you can sleep like that?† â€Å"Yes, I’m sure I can.† â€Å"Sleep well, then.† He smiled at me, then turned and lifted Jamie from the other cot. â€Å"Let’s go, kid,† he muttered, carrying the boy with no more effort than if he were an infant. Ian’s quiet footsteps faded into the distance until I couldn’t hear them anymore. Doc yawned and went to sit behind the desk he’d constructed out of wooden crates and an aluminum door, taking the dim lamp with him. You read "The Host Chapter 31: Needed" in category "Essay examples" Walter’s face was too dark to see, and that made me nervous. It was like he was already gone. I took comfort in his fingers, still curled stiffly around mine. Doc began to shuffle through some papers, humming almost inaudibly to himself. I drifted off to the sound of the gentle rustling. Walter recognized me in the morning. He didn’t wake until Ian showed up to escort me back; the cornfield was due to be cleared of the old stalks. I promised Doc I would bring him breakfast before I got to work. The very last thing I did was to carefully loosen my numb fingers, freeing them from Walter’s grasp. His eyes opened. â€Å"Wanda,† he whispered. â€Å"Walter?† I wasn’t sure how long he would know me, or if he would remember last night. His hand clutched at the empty air, so I gave him my left, the one that wasn’t dead. â€Å"You came to see me. That was nice. I know†¦ with the others back†¦ must be hard†¦ for you†¦ Your face†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He seemed to be having a difficult time making his lips form the words, and his eyes went in and out of focus. How like him, that his first words to me would be full of concern. â€Å"Everything’s fine, Walter. How are you feeling?† â€Å"Ah -† He groaned quietly. â€Å"Not so†¦ Doc?† â€Å"Right here,† Doc murmured, close behind me. â€Å"Got any more liquor?† he gasped. â€Å"Of course.† Doc was already prepared. He held the mouth of a thick glass bottle to Walter’s slack lips and carefully poured the dark brown liquid in slow drips into his mouth. Walter winced as each sip burned down his throat. Some of it trickled out the side of his mouth and onto his pillow. The smell stung my nose. â€Å"Better?† Doc asked after a long moment of slow pouring. Walter grunted. It didn’t sound like assent. His eyes closed. â€Å"More?† Doc asked. Walter grimaced and then moaned. Doc cursed under his breath. â€Å"Where’s Jared?† he muttered. I stiffened at the name. Melanie stirred and then drifted again. Walter’s face sagged. His head rolled back on his neck. â€Å"Walter?† I whispered. â€Å"The pain’s too much for him to stay conscious. Let him be,† Doc said. My throat felt swollen. â€Å"What can I do?† Doc’s voice was desolate. â€Å"About as much as I can. Which is nothing. I’m useless.† â€Å"Don’t be like that, Doc,† I heard Ian murmur. â€Å"This isn’t your fault. The world doesn’t work the way it used to. No one expects more of you.† My shoulders hunched inward. No, their world didn’t work the same way anymore. A finger tapped my arm. â€Å"Let’s go,† Ian whispered. I nodded and started to pull my hand free again. Walter’s eyes rolled open, unseeing. â€Å"Gladdie? Are you here?† he implored. â€Å"Um†¦ I’m here,† I said uncertainly, letting his fingers lock around mine. Ian shrugged. â€Å"I’ll get you both some food,† he whispered, and then he left. I waited anxiously for him to return, unnerved by Walter’s misconception. Walter murmured Gladys’s name over and over, but he didn’t seem to need anything from me, for which I was grateful. After a while, half an hour maybe, I began listening for Ian’s footsteps in the tunnel, wondering what could be taking him so long. Doc stood by his desk the whole time, staring into nothing with his shoulders slumped. It was easy to see how useless he felt. And then I did hear something, but it wasn’t footsteps. â€Å"What is that?† I asked Doc in a whisper; Walter was quiet again, maybe unconscious. I didn’t want to disturb him. Doc turned to look at me, cocking his head to the side at the same time to listen. The noise was a funny thrumming, a fast, soft beat. I thought I heard it get just a little louder, but then it seemed quieter again. â€Å"That’s weird,† Doc said. â€Å"It almost sounds like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused, his forehead furrowing in concentration as the unfamiliar sound faded. We were listening intently, so we heard the footsteps when they were still far away. They did not match the expected, even pace of Ian’s return. He was running-no, sprinting. Doc reacted immediately to the sound of trouble. He jogged quickly out to meet Ian. I wished I could see what was wrong, too, but I didn’t want to upset Walter by trying to free my hand again. I listened hard instead. â€Å"Brandt?† I heard Doc say in surprise. â€Å"Where is it? Where is it?† the other man demanded breathlessly. The running footsteps only paused for a second, then started up again, not quite as fast. â€Å"What are you talking about?† Doc asked, calling back this way. â€Å"The parasite!† Brandt hissed impatiently, anxiously, as he burst through the arched entry. Brandt was not a big man like Kyle or Ian; he was probably only a few inches taller than me, but he was thick and solid as a rhinoceros. His eyes swept the room; his piercing gaze focused on my face for half a second, then took in Walter’s oblivious form, and then raced around the room only to end up on me again. Doc caught up with Brandt then, his long fingers gripping Brandt’s shoulder just as the broader man took the first step in my direction. â€Å"What are you doing?† Doc asked, his voice the closest to a growl I’d ever heard it. Before Brandt answered, the odd sound returned, going from soft to screaming loud to soft again with a suddenness that had us all frozen. The beats thudded right on top of one another, shaking the air when they were at their loudest. â€Å"Is that-is that a helicopter?† Doc asked, whispering. â€Å"Yes,† Brandt whispered back. â€Å"It’s the Seeker-the one from before, the one who was looking for it.† He jerked his chin at me. My throat was suddenly too small-the breaths moving through it were thin and shallow, not enough. I felt dizzy. No. Not now. Please. What is her problem? Mel snarled in my head. Why can’t she leave us alone? We can’t let her hurt them! But how do we stop her? I don’t know. This is all my fault! Mine, too, Wanda. Ours. â€Å"Are you sure?† Doc asked. â€Å"Kyle got a clear view through the binoculars while it was hovering. Same one he saw before.† â€Å"Is it looking here?† Doc’s voice was suddenly horrified. He half spun, eyes flashing toward the exit. â€Å"Where’s Sharon?† Brandt shook his head. â€Å"It’s just running sweeps. Starts at Picacho, then fans out in spokes. Doesn’t look like it’s focusing on anything close. Circled around a few times where we dumped the car.† â€Å"Sharon?† Doc asked again. â€Å"She’s with the kids and Lucina. They’re fine. The boys are getting things packed in case we have to roll tonight, but Jeb says it’s not likely.† Doc exhaled, then paced over to his desk. He slouched against it, looking as if he’d just run a long race. â€Å"So it’s nothing new, really,† he murmured. â€Å"Naw. Just have to lay low for a few days,† Brandt reassured him. His eyes were flickering around the room again, settling on me every other second. â€Å"Do you have any rope handy?† he asked. He pulled up the edge of the sheet on an empty cot, examining it. â€Å"Rope?† Doc echoed blankly. â€Å"For the parasite. Kyle sent me out here to secure it.† My muscles contracted involuntarily; my hand gripped Walter’s fingers too tightly, and he whimpered. I tried to force it to relax while I kept my eyes on Brandt’s hard face. He was waiting for Doc, expectant. â€Å"You’re here to secure Wanda?† Doc said, his voice hard again. â€Å"And what makes you think that’s necessary?† â€Å"Come on, Doc. Don’t be stupid. You’ve got some big vents in here, and a lot of reflective metal.† Brandt gestured to a file cabinet against the far wall. â€Å"You let your attention wander for half a minute, and it’ll be flashing signals to that Seeker.† I sucked in a shocked breath; it was loud in the still room. â€Å"See?† Brandt said. â€Å"Guessed its plan in one.† I wanted to bury myself under a boulder to hide from the bulging, relentless eyes of my Seeker, yet he imagined I wanted to guide her in. Bring her here to kill Jamie, Jared, Jeb, Ian†¦ I felt like gagging. â€Å"You can go, Brandt,† Doc said in an icy tone. â€Å"I will keep an eye on Wanda.† Brandt raised one eyebrow. â€Å"What happened to you guys? To you and Ian and Trudy and the rest? It’s like you’re all hypnotized. If your eyes weren’t right, I’d have to wonder†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Go ahead and wonder all you want, Brandt. But get out while you’re doing it.† Brandt shook his head. â€Å"I’ve got a job to do.† Doc walked toward Brandt, stopping when he was between Brandt and me. He folded his arms across his chest. â€Å"You’re not going to touch her.† The throbbing helicopter blades sounded in the distance. We were all very still, not breathing, until they faded. Brandt shook his head when it was quiet again. He didn’t speak; he just went to the desk and picked up Doc’s chair. He carried it to the wall by the file cabinet, slammed it to the ground, and then sat down hard, making the metal legs squeal against the stone. He leaned forward, his hands on his knees, and stared at me. A vulture waiting for a dying hare to stop moving. Doc’s jaw tightened, making a little popping noise. â€Å"Gladys,† Walter muttered, surfacing from his dazed sleep. â€Å"You’re here.† Too nervous to speak with Brandt watching, I just patted his hand. His clouded eyes searched my face, seeing features that weren’t there. â€Å"It hurts, Gladdie. It hurts a lot.† â€Å"I know,† I whispered. â€Å"Doc?† He was already there, the brandy in hand. â€Å"Open up, Walter.† The sound of the helicopter thumped quietly, far away but still much too close. Doc flinched, and a few drops of brandy splattered on my arm. It was a horrible day. The worst of my life on this planet, even including my first day in the caves and the last hot, dry day in the desert, hours from death. The helicopter circled and circled. Sometimes more than an hour would pass, and I would think it was finally over. Then the sound would come back, and I would see the Seeker’s obstinate face in my head, her protruding eyes scouring the blank desert for some sign of humans. I tried to will her away, concentrating hard on my memories of the desert’s featureless, colorless plain, as if I could somehow make sure she saw nothing else, as if I could bore her into leaving. Brandt never took his suspicious stare off of me. I could always feel it, though I rarely looked at him. It got a little better when Ian came back with both breakfast and lunch. He was all dirty from packing in case of an evacuation-whatever that meant. Did they have anywhere to go? Ian scowled so hard he looked like Kyle when Brandt explained in clipped phrases why he was there. Then Ian dragged another empty cot beside mine, so that he could sit in Brandt’s line of sight and block his view. The helicopter, Brandt’s distrustful watch, these were not really so bad. On an ordinary day-if there was really such a thing anymore-either one of these might have seemed agonizing. Today, they were nothing. By noon, Doc had given Walter the last of the brandy. It seemed like only minutes later that Walter was writhing, moaning, and gasping for breath. His fingers bruised and chafed mine, but if I ever pulled away, his moans turned to shrill screams. I ducked out once to use the latrine; Brandt followed me, which made Ian feel like he had to come, too. By the time we got back-after nearly running the whole way-Walter’s screams no longer sounded human. Doc’s face was hollow with echoed agony. Walter quieted after I spoke to him for a moment, letting him think his wife was near. It was an easy lie, a kind one. Brandt made little noises of irritation, but I knew that he was wrong to be upset. Nothing mattered beside Walter’s pain. The whimpers and the writhing continued, though, and Brandt paced back and forth at the other end of the room, trying to be as far from the sound as possible. Jamie came looking for me, bringing food enough for four, when the light was growing orangey overhead. I wouldn’t let him stay; I made Ian take him back to the kitchen to eat, made Ian promise to watch him all night so he wouldn’t sneak back here. Walter couldn’t help shrieking when his twisting moved his broken leg, and the sound of it was nearly unbearable. Jamie shouldn’t have this night burned into his memory the way it would surely be burned into Doc’s and mine. Perhaps Brandt’s as well, though he did what he could to ignore Walter, plugging his ears and humming a dissonant tune. Doc did not try to distance himself from Walter’s hideous suffering; instead, he suffered with him. Walter’s cries carved deep lines in Doc’s face, like claws raking his skin. It was strange to see such depths of compassion in a human, particularly Doc. I couldn’t look at him the same way after watching him live Walter’s pain. So great was his compassion, he seemed to bleed internally with it. As I watched, it became impossible to believe that Doc was a cruel person; the man simply could not be a torturer. I tried to remember what had been said to found my conjectures-had anyone made the accusation outright? I didn’t think so. I must have jumped to false conclusions in my terror. I doubted I could ever mistrust Doc again after this nightmarish day. However, I would always find his hospital a horrible place. When the last of the daylight disappeared, so did the helicopter. We sat in the darkness, not daring to turn on even the dim blue light. It took a few hours before any of us would believe the hunt was over. Brandt was the first to accept it; he’d had enough of the hospital, too. â€Å"Makes sense for it to give up,† he muttered, edging out the exit. â€Å"Nothing to see at night. I’ll just take your light with me, Doc, so that Jeb’s pet parasite can’t get up to anything, and be on my way.† Doc didn’t respond, didn’t even look at the sullen man as he left. â€Å"Make it stop, Gladdie, make it stop!† Walter begged me. I wiped the sweat from his face while he crushed my hand. Time seemed to slow down and stop; the black night felt unending. Walter’s screams got more and more frequent, more and more excruciating. Melanie was far away, knowing she could do nothing useful. I would have hidden, too, if Walter hadn’t needed me. I was all alone in my head-exactly what I had once wanted. It made me feel lost. Eventually, a dim gray light started to creep in through the high vents overhead. I was hovering on the edge of sleep, Walter’s moans and screams keeping me from sinking under. I could hear Doc snoring behind me. I was glad that he’d been able to escape for a little while. I didn’t hear Jared come in. I was mumbling weak assurances, barely coherent, trying to calm Walter. â€Å"I’m here, I’m here,† I murmured as he cried out his wife’s name. â€Å"Shh, it’s okay.† The words were meaningless. It was something to say, though, and it did seem that my voice calmed the worst of his cries. I don’t know how long Jared watched me with Walter before I realized he was there. It must have been a while. I was sure his first reaction would be anger, but when I heard him speak, his voice was cool. â€Å"Doc,† he said, and I heard the cot behind me shake. â€Å"Doc, wake up.† I jerked my hand free, whirling, disoriented, to see the face that went with the unmistakable voice. His eyes were on me as he shook the sleeping man’s shoulder. They were impossible to read in the dim light. His face had no expression at all. Melanie jolted into awareness. She pored over his features, trying to read the thoughts behind the mask. â€Å"Gladdie! Don’t leave! Don’t!† Walter’s screech had Doc bolting upright, nearly capsizing his cot. I spun back to Walter, shoving my sore hand into his searching fingers. â€Å"Shhh, shhh! Walter, I’m here. I won’t leave. I won’t, I promise.† He quieted down, whimpering like a small child. I wiped the damp cloth over his forehead; his sob hitched and turned into a sigh. â€Å"What’s that about?† Jared murmured behind me. â€Å"She’s the best painkiller I’ve been able to find,† Doc said wearily. â€Å"Well, I’ve found you something better than a tame Seeker.† My stomach knotted, and Melanie hissed in my head. So stupidly, blindly stubborn! she growled. He wouldn’t believe you if you told him the sun sets in the west. But Doc was beyond caring about the slight to me. â€Å"You found something!† â€Å"Morphine-there’s not much. I would have gotten here sooner if the Seeker hadn’t pinned me down out there.† Doc was instantly in action. I heard him rustling through something papery, and he crowed in delight. â€Å"Jared, you’re the miracle man!† â€Å"Doc, just a sec†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But Doc was at my side already, his haggard face alight with anticipation. His hands were busy with a small syringe. He stuck the tiny needle into the crease at Walter’s elbow, on the arm that was attached to me. I turned my face away. It seemed so horribly invasive to stab something through his skin. I couldn’t argue with the results, though. Within half a minute, Walter’s entire body relaxed, melting into a pile of loose flesh against the thin mattress. His breathing went from harsh and urgent to whispery and even. His hand relaxed, freeing mine. I massaged my left hand with my right, trying to bring the blood back to my fingertips. Little prickles followed the flow of blood under my skin. â€Å"Uh, Doc, there really isn’t enough for that,† Jared murmured. I looked up from Walter’s face, peaceful at last. Jared had his back to me, but I could see the surprise in Doc’s expression. â€Å"Enough for what? I’m not going to save this for a rainy day, Jared. I’m sure we’ll wish we had it again, and too soon, but I’m not going to let Walter scream in agony while I have a way to help him!† â€Å"That’s not what I meant,† Jared said. He spoke the way he did when he’d already thought about something long and hard. Slow and even, like Walter’s breath. Doc frowned, confused. â€Å"There’s enough to stop the pain for maybe three or four days, that’s all,† Jared said. â€Å"If you give it to him in doses.† I didn’t understand what Jared was saying, but Doc did. â€Å"Ah,† he sighed. He turned to look at Walter again, and I saw a rim of fresh tears start to pool above his lower lids. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I wanted to know what they were talking about, but Jared’s presence made me silent, brought back the reserve I rarely felt the need for anymore. â€Å"You can’t save him. You can only save him pain, Doc.† â€Å"I know,† Doc said. His voice broke, like he was holding back a sob. â€Å"You’re right.† What’s going on? I asked. As long as Melanie was going to be around, I might as well make use of her. They’re going to kill Walter, she told me matter-of-factly. There’s enough morphine to give him an overdose. My gasp sounded loud in the quiet room, but it was really just a breath. I didn’t look up to see how the two healthy men would react. My own tears pooled as I leaned over Walter’s pillow. No, I thought, no. Not yet. No. You’d rather he died screaming? I just†¦ I can’t stand the†¦ finality. It’s so absolute. I’ll never see my friend again. How many of your other friends have you gone back to visit, Wanderer? I’ve never had friends like this before. My friends on other planets were all blurred together in my head; the souls were so similar, almost interchangeable in some ways. Walter was distinctly himself. When he was gone, there would be no one who could fill his place. I cradled Walter’s head in my arms and let my tears fall onto his skin. I tried to stifle my crying, but it made its way out regardless, a keening rather than sobs. I know. Another first, Melanie whispered, and there was compassion in her tone. Compassion for me-that was a first, too. â€Å"Wanda?† Doc asked. I just shook my head, not able to answer. â€Å"I think you’ve been here too long,† he said. I felt his hand, light and warm, on my shoulder. â€Å"You should take a break.† I shook my head again, still keening softly. â€Å"You’re worn out,† he said. â€Å"Go clean up, stretch your legs. Eat something.† I glared up at him. â€Å"Will Walter be here when I get back?† I mumbled through my tears. His eyes tightened anxiously. â€Å"Do you want that?† â€Å"I’d like a chance to say goodbye. He’s my friend.† He patted my arm. â€Å"I know, Wanda, I know. Me, too. I’m in no hurry. You get some air and then come back. Walter will be sleeping for a while.† I read his worn face, and I believed the sincerity there. I nodded and carefully put Walter’s head back on the pillow. Maybe if I got away from this place for a little bit, I’d find a way to handle this. I wasn’t sure how-I had no experience with real goodbyes. Because I was in love with him, no matter that it was unwilling, I had to look at Jared before I left. Mel wanted this, too, but wished that she could somehow exclude me from the process. He was staring at me. I had a feeling his eyes had been on me for a long time. His face was carefully composed, but there was surprise and suspicion in there again. It made me tired. What would be the point of acting out a charade now, even if I were that talented a liar? Walter would never stand up for me again. I couldn’t sucker him anymore. I met Jared’s gaze for one long second, then turned to hurry down the pitch-black corridor that was brighter than his expression. How to cite The Host Chapter 31: Needed, Essay examples

Bankers’ Bonuses A Force for Good or Evil

Question: Evaluate and describe the difficulties that arise in business and political scenarios where the information held by groups differs. Critically examine the benefits of various mechanisms for allocating resources amongst competing groups. Appraise the effectiveness and desirability of alternative methods of overcoming asymmetric information. Answer: Understanding the Issue The banking sector all over the world is working under tremendous pressure. The pressure comes from the authorities, the stakeholders, the regulators, competitors, and the least from the customers, unless they are influential. To keep a semblance of efficiency, productivity and progression in the organisation, managements, says McCain, (2015), try to keep the employees satisfied through extra pay packages in the form of bonuses. These bonuses are linked to the performance, output, productive results and customer satisfaction shown by the employee. This is a vicious cyclic pattern, where the tussle between the employee and the management keeps going up and down, resulting in little respite for the affected parties, asserts McCain, (2015). Understanding the Situation If the whole issue is given a depth analysis, the results show that the situation is a perfect illustration of the Game Theory. The participants in this game are not after control, nor are they concerned about the end-result. All they are concerned is the Mechanism Design which each faction is trying to formulate as per its own rules. Each party is least concerned about the financial burden these mechanisms and theories, which are propagated every other year, bring about on the customer, who is unknowingly financing all this factionalism in the hope of getting a fair deal, as per Narahari, (2014). Employment Contracts Financial services market in the UK is among the largest in the world. To protect the legal rights of the parties entering into service contracts in UK, many regulatory provisions have been introduced through the Rome Convention. In this context, The Financial Services Act 2012 is an Act which has introduced a new regulatory framework for financial services in the UK with effect from April 1, 2013. It has replaced the Financial Services Authority with two new regulators, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority, and these are controlled by the Financial Policy Committee of the Bank of England. Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations, 1999 has been controlling unfair means adopted by one party against the other and may include An obligation on the part of one party to fulfil all of its contractual obligations and letting the other party avoid its obligations. Binding one party to the contract while the other decides the services to be provided. Automatic renewal of a fixed-length contract whereas the deadline for one party to cancel the contract is unreasonably short. Changing the terms of the contract by one party, without describing the circumstances under which these can be done. Excluding or limiting the legal rights of any one party using unfair means. This paper takes a sneak preview of the Game Theory and the impact of the Mechanism Designs being played and enacted by both factions, as explained by Myerson, (2013). Game Theory Purpose of the Game Theory is to look at relationships between two participants, who are in a particular situation, and predict the optimal decisions which they shall take. The theory takes into consideration not only the benefits, but also the costs, which may result because of the decisions taken by the participants. GAME TREE A Game Tree, which is also known as the extensive form, is the graphical representation of the Game Theory. It helps in providing information about the parties and the payoff involved, the strategies and order of moves adopted. A game tree consists of nodes, which denote the points from where the parties can plan their next action. These are connected by edges, which represent those actions which the parties have decided to take while at that node. Starting from the root node, every set of edges followed by the parties eventually leads to the terminal node, which represents the end of the game. In the sequence, every terminal node denotes the payoffs which are earned by each player, assert Parsons, Gymtrasiewicz Wooldridge (ed.), (2012). Mechanism Design Once the theory has been put in place, the participants move ahead to decide the mechanism by which to implement the theory. Leonid Hurwicz, the noted economist explains that in the design problem, the goal known, while the mechanism remains unknown, as shown by Parsons, Gymtrasiewicz Wooldridge (ed.), (2012). Hence, economists also believe that Mechanism Design is inverse of the traditional economic theory. Two very distinguishing features of the game theory and mechanism design are: The game theorist shall select a new game structure instead of using an inherited one. The designer shall be interested in the outcome of the game. Bringing up the Issue In a recent development regarding the payment of large amounts of bonus to bank employees in the UK, the text of CRD 4 was approved by the European Parliament. The basic purpose of this document, say Borgers, Krahmer Strausz, (2015), was to stop paying high bonuses to bank employees by implementing the following four points The basic ratio of fixed pay to variable pay shall be 1:1, although some flexibility shall be allowed to increase it to 1:2, provided the shareholders approve. Managements can pay up to 25% of the bonus amount through long term instruments. In case amount paid is above the 25% limit, the excess amount over the 25% limit will not be eligible for payment through long term instruments. The rules shall be applicable to all banks operating in the EU and shall even cover employees which are based outside EU. This ratio between the fixed and variable pay shall be applicable only in respect to duties performed from 2014 onwards. Hence, any bonus amount pertaining to 2013 duty period but paid in 2014 shall not be eligible for the ratio. On the other hand, all performances of 2014 shall comply with this new rule, irrespective of the fact that the arrangement was entered into before the enforcement of CRD 4. Developing a Solution The agreement signed between the representatives of the employee federations, managements of banks and the EU Council Members can be represented by a Game Tree while taking into account the four points mentioned above. These points can be treated as the nodes and each node can be described in context to the timing, scale of implementation and the actual financial effect on the banking industry as a whole, says Lambertini, (2011). This paper draws a detailed comparison of the nodes mentions above. Timing The text of the document has been voted for approval by the European Parliament so there is no scope for any changes in the text. But, the lacuna lies in the implementation time. The authorities have created ambiguity by keeping the compliance date open it can be 1 January 2014 or 1 July 2014. Even for fulfilling the provisions of the existing CRD 3, the provisions clearly state that bonuses shall be paid in 2014 with respect to duty performed in 2013. Here again, according to Myerson, (2013), the implementation has been deferred to 1 January 2015 for the provisions covering the capping of ratio. In this respect, article 151 of CRD 4 clearly mention that provisions concerning the fixation of ratio between fixed and variable remuneration, as detailed under article 90 (1) (f) shall apply only to those remunerations which are for services provided from year 2014 onwards, assert McCarty Meirowitz, (2007). Scope CRD 4 shall cover all banks and institutions, however, the introduction of the ratio between the fixed and variable pay may be given wider coverage to other parts of the financial services industry. In this respect, The Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive is already been cited for implementation from July and in a recent vote, the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee of the European Parliament has shown its support for a similar ratio in its revised UCITS directive. Thus, if this ratio gets confirmed through UCITS, its impact would be felt by asset managers running retail funds in whole of Europe, as per Parsons, Gymtrasiewicz Wooldridge (ed.), (2012). Parties Involved The Identified Staff defined in CRD4 states it as risk takers in senior management and staff which is engaged in control functions. Any employee who receives a total remuneration which takes him into the remuneration bracket of the risk takers in senior management and whose professional activities may have a material impact on their performance shall also be considered as Identified Staff , as per Narahari, (2014). The above figure shows how the participants can make their choice game as this game tree relies on perfect information. Every node is associated with a participant who makes the move by selecting the next node and the connecting lines have been labelled according to the choices made by the participant. The game starts at the root of the tree and ends at that terminal node, which shows the outcome of the participants payoffs. Recent UK Legislations In the UK banks, such categories shall be recognised as Code Staff and shall fall within the existing FCA Remuneration Code. Here again, ambiguity has been created by EBA (the European Banking Authority) which has published a directive on 21 May and this suggests a very radical shift in the approach to apply this test to the identification of Code Staff comparative to the current rules. Under these circumstances, another Game Tree emerges, which involves the banks under the EBA as one party and the employees, who are covered under this revised proposal and to whom the bonus cap and other provisions of CRD4 may therefore become applicable, as party of the second part according to Hurwicz Reiter, (2006). The following can be treated as the nodes of this Game Tree. Deferral Another ambiguity arises when the rules say that at least 50% of the variable remuneration should be in the form of shares or its equivalent ownership interest or should be of instruments which should reflect the credit quality that the institution is a going concern or such an instrument should be convertible into equity in case of adverse circumstances. Variable Remuneration The ambiguity increases when the rules say that at least 40% of the variable remuneration should be deferred over a period which is not less than three to five years. In the UK at present, this variable remuneration component is of high amount, currently set at 500,000, and the rules say that at least 60% of this must be deferred, assert Borgers, Krahmer Strausz, (2015). Conclusion So one can easily surmise that not only the policy makers are engaged in the Game Theory, they are also managing the whole system through the devious Mechanism Design which they are propagating under the disguise of rules which are ambiguous in nature and leave lot of scope for legal challenges in the near future. However, the Commission is out rightly denying any such allegations and charges are being forthright dismissed. One of the most obvious ground for legal challenge, as per McCain, (2015) is the fact that the remuneration provisions being proposed are not compatible with Article 153(5) of the Treaty under the EU law being promulgated for the Functioning of the European Union. This article clearly excludes any kind of pay from the competency of EU laws. Now, the Commission is proposing that CRD 4 has been promoted as a provision which is to address the activities being carried out by credit institutions and investment banks and its purpose is to keep a check on their governanc e policies and is not meant to cover the social provisions of the EU Treaty, assert Parsons, Gymtrasiewicz Wooldridge (ed.). References Borgers, T., Krahmer, D. and Strausz, R. 2015 An Introduction to the Theory of Mechanism Design. Oxford University Press, New York. Hurwicz, L. and Reiter, S. 2006 Designing Economic Mechanisms. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Lambertini, L. 2011 Game Theory in the Social Sciences: A Reader-friendly Guide. Taylor Francis, London. McCain, R.A. 2015 Game Theory and Public Policy, 2nd ed. Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham. McCarty, N. and Meirowitz, A. 2007 Political Game Theory: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Myerson, R.B. 2013 Game Theory. Harvard University Press, London. Narahari, Y. 2014 Game Theory and Mechanism Design. World Scientific, Singapore. Parsons, S.D., Gymtrasiewicz, P. and Wooldridge, M.J. (ed.) 2012 Game Theory and Decision Theory in Agent-Based Systems. Springer Science Business Media, New York. Tadelis, S. 2013 Game Theory: An Introduction. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.