Topic for writing essay
Wednesday, August 26, 2020
The Down to Earth Challenges of Space Exploration :: Space Exploration Essays
The Down to Earth Challenges of Space Exploration People have longed for leaving the earth and voyaging space for a long time, and up right up 'til the present time they have made numerous strides the correct way. However, with each new wilderness they approach, new issues loom into the great beyond. All issues associated with space investigation may not legitimately include space itself. A considerable lot of those issues surface right here on Earth. A portion of the simpler issues have been settled, for example, getting away from the powers of gravity to arrive at space. A greater amount of these issues are unquestionably progressively exhausting and the arrangements need more opportunity to be turned out to be appropriately. In ââ¬Å"The Coming Schismâ⬠by James E. what's more, Alcestis R. Oberg, people have just started colonizing space, yet there are still new issues emerging. Serious issues, for example, financing, correspondence and culture clashes are significant in the excursion to space, since they all can possibly u pset advancement. At the point when individuals consider inconveniences that are identified with space, they will in general neglect one of the most evident and most significant issues, financing. Cash may keep people from leaving the very earth we remain on in any case. Cash can without much of a stretch be the answer for an issue or the reason for one. In the supporting film, Stationed in the Stars, it was referenced that in 1992, NASA burned through 8 billion dollars without building a solitary bit of material. The cash was spent on different things, for example, finance and worldwide gatherings. The film additionally raised the way that each pound of water required would cost as much as 10 thousand dollars; in this way, 100 lbs. of water would cost 1 million dollars. This issue was later unraveled with the assistance of Russia in the formation of the shut circle framework. Be that as it may, Russia has not generally been so useful. While Russia was working with NASA to help construct an assistance module, they intentionally postponed their endeavors so as to get more cash from NASA, until NASA had enough and gave them a cutoff time to conform to. There are times when financing may keep an undertaking from being wandered into totally without going through the cash. For instance, further overhauling of the International Space Station would have cost as much as 100 billion dollars. That is the reason that task is as yet uncompleted.
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Role of the Mother in Winnicotts Theories: An Analysis
Job of the Mother in Winnicotts Theories: An Analysis How was the job of the mother created in Winnicottââ¬â¢s speculations and what is the suggestion for the advancement of the youngster? Assess this commitment according to deduction today. Donald Winnicott (1896-1971) an English pediatrician and psychoanalyst had an incredible impact in portraying the item relations hypothesis, concentrating on singular relationship with the mother and motherââ¬â¢s job during the change of formative stages in the life of kid. Winnicott manufactures his ideas on Kleinââ¬â¢s proposal that the nature of infantsââ¬â¢ condition assumes a significant job in their turn of events. The article connection hypothesis recommends that an instinctual need is accomplished by the specialist called the ââ¬Å"objectâ⬠of nature, who is typically the nearest individual in childââ¬â¢s life: the mother. This hypothesis significantly centers around the propensity to build up a self in critical relations between people as a premise through which the individual creates. The ââ¬Å"Objectâ⬠in this item relationship hypothesis is anything/anybody yet oneself (Reber, 1995) the feeling of self of a youngster is characterized by the sort of a relationship that the kid encounters with the article through His or Her adoration and fondness (Mother) the item alludes to an individual than oneself. There is a deciding and basic effect of the nature of connections with the article and it doesn't simply influence the improvement of a kid yet in addition the future connections that the youngster has with others later on. This improvement in the kid is advocated through the r eliability of messages imparted by the parental figure. Love is considered as the principle inspiring power in human conduct which likewise incorporates advancement of connections (Reber, 1995). The parity among adoration and love for another and the enthusiasm for, and love for self, are framed through enthusiastic bonds among self and another individual/object. Winnicott (1965) proposes the possibility of essential maternal distraction clarifying that subsequent to conceiving an offspring the mother turns out to be so included and touchy to infantââ¬â¢s needs that everything else self-destructs in an optional job. Taking the phases of partition individuation to a high research level Winnicott contemplates the job of mother (parental figure) in the social advancement of the kid. He stresses on the significance of the motherââ¬â¢s capacity to naturally comprehend the requirements of the newborn child at every single point through the whole procedure of individuation. The youngster gives out specific messages and signals; the mother interprets these messages and through the equivalent gives the system of the advancement of the kid and his advancement towards a legitimate degree of working as a person. ââ¬Å"A sufficient motherâ⬠characterizes a situation where the mother is giving an encouraging domain where the development of a youngster occurs. He has intentionally not utilized the term ââ¬Å"perfectâ⬠in his announcement since he accepts that lone a machine conveys flawlessness and not a human, accordingly Winnicott accepts that an ideal mother is certainly not a sufficient moth er. As per Winnicot, a sufficient mother can recognize the requirements of the newborn child and can give a decent adjustment to needs. An adequate mother is one who encourages innovative elaboration of physical experience for a newborn child and permits the infant to be absolutely reliant on her. In the event of impingements, the baby can feel ââ¬Å"going on beingâ⬠with the assistance of a sufficient mother, who helps the advancement of a youngster in the transitional periods of life. Winnicott has portrayed three significant phases of advancement. These are the phases of Subjective supremacy, Objective realty and last phase of autonomy. The zones between these stages are a transitional encounter for the kid and precisely as of now, the nearness of a mother is essential. The nature of the help got by the youngster during the changes stage decides the eventual fate of the kid. It can choose the positive working or its absence. For Winnicott, the mother assumes a significant job in the transitional experience just as the phases of improvement. Emotional Omnipotence At the point when the kid is recently conceived, the mother deals with the Childââ¬â¢s needs with complete extravagance, where she reacts to the calls of a kid very quickly. This state is alluded to as the phase of maternal preoccupancy. At such occasions, the mother keeps aside her own needs and prerequisites to safeguard that she meets the necessities of her newborn child. She in a flash reacts when the kid weeps for milk. Subsequently to this, the baby feels that he will quickly get food at the exact second that he requires it. This hallucination of Magical control is an excellent case of emotional power (Rodman, 2003). Winnicottââ¬â¢s hypothesis expresses that the Motherââ¬â¢s Breast is viewed as the object of affection during starting barely any weeks after birth. It is seen so as the Motherââ¬â¢s bosom addresses the issues of the childââ¬â¢s hunger. During this stage, the article is seen by the baby as a piece of self. Subsequently, an abstract motivation is created by the newborn child with a hallucination that the Breast is a piece of the infantââ¬â¢s oneself. In the infantââ¬â¢s starting improvement of personality, the hallucination of Being-at-one is the initial phase in the infantââ¬â¢s advancement of a character. Here the job of the adequate mother is featured in the formative procedure of the kid (Winnicott, 1971). Article realty (Not Me/Other than me) Over some stretch of time, the youngster needs its autonomy; henceforth, the mother separations itself as per the requirements of the kid. The kid is given a figment by the mother that the bosom will show up just in positions of an interest made. Post this stage, she enables the kid to advance through expulsion of transcendence thinking and starts the way toward acquainting the youngster with the social world as a different substance. (Winnicott, 1971) The time slip by between the childââ¬â¢s requests and its satisfaction is expanded by the mother after some time. Winnicott alludes to this as the disappointment of the mother to meet the childââ¬â¢s needs on the spot. At this level the youngster encounters 2 states, one that of a prologue to autonomy and the other being disappointment to having pause. The adequate mother is called so since she will just bomb to such an extent that the youngster is left safe however is fruitful in entering the phase of change. To adapt to the disappointment of the mother and the Childââ¬â¢s self baffled rate, the kid will respond in the accompanying way: He will perceive that the failures in time are constrained. Mindfulness will be made in his brain with respect to the feeling of progress. Thumb sucking, which is an auto sexual reproduction, will be occupied with by the kid in the phase of progress. He will encounter different mental components like recollections, dreams, assuaging past enc ounters which can likewise be alluded to as coordination of the past, present and future. Mental exercises will be created which will help with hindering the youngster on occasion of dissatisfaction. At this stage the kid will begin having consciousness of detachment from mother. The mother causes the newborn child to understand that there is a world outside of oneself which doesn't really react to a desire however the object of reality additionally instructs him that the outside world may react contrarily now and again. The kid remains safe in the hands of the mother this while and the mother guarantees that the kid isn't overprotected during this time. In the event that the mother, because of any explanation, neglects to help the kid now and again of change from this phase to the phase of autonomy, as a grown-up, the youngster will be hastily balanced and would neglect to be enthusiastic and one of a kind. The youngster is tenderly disregarded by the mother so he can arrive at the phase of autonomy and experience opportunity and get familiar with all while furnishing the kid with a protected and secure condition. The Stage of Independence At this stage, the ââ¬Å"never absoluteâ⬠phase of conclusive autonomy is accomplished. A significant differentiation between unadulterated autonomy and never supreme freedom is important in an individualââ¬â¢s life to both rely upon others and be subject to other people. Others organization or a group of friends is wanted by an individual and feels the requirement for belongingness. A sound Psyche doesn't bolster separation or isn't upheld by detachment however despite that none of us is over subject to one another. Ones the youngster develops to be an individual and is isolated from the mother, the holding condition goes about as a sheltered intersection through which the kid can begin the way toward investigating the world all while having the information that he is being given the insurance and backing by the mother. For a childââ¬â¢s solid turn of events, this sort of a holding domain is incredibly essential. The childââ¬â¢s signs are perceived and worked upon by the mother while perceiving what he needs of the kid are in regard with the expecting condition and adjusts to remember in like manner. The youngster is given a situation of assurance and wellbeing through which the newborn child can create from a kid to adulthood. The procedure is bolstered by an ideal situation which bodes well through the way that the adequate mother tunes in with the childââ¬â¢s improvement needs naturally all while receiving both, the earth and her submit the advancement of the kid, the pace of which is dictated by the youngster. The sufficient moms knows precisely with respect to steady modification of separation among herself and the youngster that this procedure can't be abrupt since the kid would create sentiment of weakness and no trust in others. The adequate moms is in line with her childââ¬â¢s acceleration towards an autonomous self and moves at the childââ¬â¢s pace rath
Wednesday, August 19, 2020
How Alcoholics Anonymous Works
How Alcoholics Anonymous Works Addiction Coping and Recovery Methods and Support Print An Overview of Alcoholics Anonymous By Buddy T facebook twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial policy Buddy T Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on July 06, 2015 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on July 23, 2019 Sneksy / Getty Images More in Addiction Coping and Recovery Methods and Support Overcoming Addiction Personal Stories Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Drug Use Nicotine Use Alcoholics Anonymous is an international fellowship of men and women who have had a drinking problem. It is nonprofessional, self-supporting, multiracial, apolitical, and available almost everywhere. There are no age or education requirements. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about their drinking problem. Alcoholics Anonymous, or AA as it is widely known, has been around since it was founded in 1935 by Bill W. and Dr. Bob in Akron, Ohio. The expansion of the program from a meeting between two alcoholics on June 10, 1935, got a boost with the publication of the book, Alcoholics Anonymous, known as The Big Book, and in 1941 by the publication of an article in the Saturday Evening Post about the group.?? The rich history of the early days of the formation of the Alcoholics Anonymous movement has been chronicled by archivist Mitchell K. in a series of articles available online.?? The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous Who Can Join Alcoholism and drug addiction are often referred to as substance abuse or chemical dependency. Alcoholics and nonalcoholics are, therefore, sometimes introduced to AA and encouraged to attend AA meetings. Anyone may attend open AA meetings. An open meeting is open to the public, while a closed meeting is for members only. Only those with a drinking problem may attend closed meetings or become AA members. People with problems other than alcoholism are eligible for AA membership only if they have a drinking problem too.?? According to AA traditions, the only qualification for membership is a desire to stop drinking. What AA Does AA members share their experience with anyone seeking help with a drinking problem; they give person-to-person service or sponsorship to the alcoholic coming to AA from any source. The AA program, set forth in the Twelve Steps, offers the alcoholic a way to develop a satisfying life without alcohol. This program is discussed at AA group meetings.?? Open AA meetings, which anyone can attend, are usually speaker meetings, at which a member of AA will tell his storyâ"what it was like, what happened and what its like now. Most AA meetings, however, are closed meetings for members only. A typical AA meeting is a topic discussion meeting. The person leading the meeting chooses a topic and members to take turns sharing their experience on the topic. Some AA meetings are designated for a specific purpose, such as 12-step study groups or beginners meetings designed to teach newcomers about the basics of the program. People who have never been to an actual AA meeting can have misconceptions about how they work due to portrayals they may have seen in the movies or on television. Learn what to expect from a meeting. What Are the 12 Traditions of AA? Effectiveness Due to the confidential nature of a program in which members practice anonymity, and the traditions of the program which discourages members from endorsing outside enterprises, scientific studies of the efficiency of AA are limited. However, there are several studies that have shown that people who were involved in mutual support groups were more likely to remain abstinent after three years than those who tried to quit on their own.?? There have been several studies that show that people who seek professional treatment or counseling for their drinking problems have better outcomes if they combine participation in AA along with their outpatient or inpatient treatment program. Is AA for You? Clearly, faith-based programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous are not for everyone. Although millions of people claim to have found lasting recovery in AA, the spiritual aspect of the program can be a stumbling block for some who wish to stop drinking. Can AA help you? The only way to find out is to give it a try and see for yourself if you think the help and support from others struggling with the same problem will help you stay sober. AA has no dues or fees, so it wont cost you anything to visit a few meetings. You really have nothing to lose by giving it a try. How to Find a Meeting Alcoholics Anonymous is usually listed in the white pages of most local telephone books. Call your local number for information on meetings in your area. The Central office, intergroup or answering service numbers throughout the world are available on the AA World Services website. There are also many online meetings available. How to Find an Online AA Meeting
Sunday, May 24, 2020
Create a Database Using Delphis File Of Typed Files
Simply put a file is a binary sequence of some type. In Delphi, there are three classes of file: typed, text, and untyped. Typed files are files that contain data of a particular type, such as Double, Integer or previously defined custom Record type. Text files contain readable ASCII characters. Untyped files are used when we want to impose the least possible structure on a file. Typed Files While text files consist of lines terminated with a CR/LF (#13#10) combination, typed files consist of data taken from a particular type of data structure. For example, the following declaration creates a record type called TMember and an array of TMember record variables. type à à TMember record à à à à Name : string[50];à à à à eMail : string[30];à à à à Posts : LongInt;à à end;à var Members : array[1..50] of TMember; Before we can write the information to the disk, we have to declare a variable of a file type. The following line of code declares an F file variable. var F : file of TMember; Note: To create a typed file in Delphi, we use the following syntax: var SomeTypedFile : file of SomeType The base type (SomeType) for a file can be a scalar type (like Double), an array type or record type. It should not be a long string, dynamic array, class, object or a pointer. To start working with files from Delphi, we have to link a file on a disk to a file variable in our program. To create this link, we must use AssignFile procedure to associate a file on a disk with a file variable. AssignFile(F, Members.dat) Once the association with an external file is established, the file variable F must be opened to prepare it for reading and writing. We call Reset procedure to open an existing file or Rewrite to create a new file. When a program completes processing a file, the file must be closed using the CloseFile procedure. After a file is closed, its associated external file is updated. The file variable can then be associated with another external file. In general, we should always use exception handling; many errors may arise when working with files. For example: if we call CloseFile for a file that is already closed Delphi reports an I/O error. On the other hand, if we try to close a file but have not yet called AssignFile, the results are unpredictable. Write to a File Suppose we have filled an array of Delphi members with their names, e-mails, and number of posts and we want to store this information in a file on the disk. The following piece of code will do the work: var à à F : file of TMember;à à i : integer;begin à AssignFile(F,members.dat) ; à Rewrite(F) ; à try à à for j: 1 to 50 do à à à Write (F, Members[j]) ; à finally à à CloseFile(F) ; à end;end; Read from a File To retrieve all the information from the members.dat file we would use the following code: var à à Member: TMember à à F : file of TMember;begin à AssignFile(F,members.dat) ; à Reset(F) ; à try à à while not Eof(F) do begin à à à Read (F, Member) ; à à à {DoSomethingWithMember;} à à end;à finally à à CloseFile(F) ; à end;end; Note: Eof is the EndOfFile checking function. We use this function to make sure that we are not trying to read beyond the end of the file (beyond the last stored record). Seeking and Positioning Files are normally accessed sequentially. When a file is read using the standard procedure Read or written using the standard procedure Write, the current file position moves to the next numerically ordered file component (next record). Typed files can also be accessed randomly through the standard procedure Seek, which moves the current file position to a specified component. The FilePos and FileSize functions can be used to determine the current file position and the current file size. {go back to the beginning - the first record} Seek(F, 0) ; {go to the 5-th record} Seek(F, 5) ; {Jump to the end - after the last record} Seek(F, FileSize(F)) ; Change and Update Youve just learned how to write and read the entire array of members, but what if all you want to do is to seek to the 10th member and change the e-mail? The next procedure does exactly that: procedure ChangeEMail(const RecN : integer; const NewEMail : string) ;var DummyMember : TMember;begin à {assign, open, exception handling block} à Seek(F, RecN) ; à Read(F, DummyMember) ; à DummyMember.Email : NewEMail; à {read moves to the next record, we have to à go back to the original record, then write} à Seek(F, RecN) ; à Write(F, DummyMember) ; à {close file}end; Completing the Task Thats itââ¬ânow you have all you need to accomplish your task. You can write members information to the disk, you can read it back, and you can even change some of the data (e-mail, for example) in the middle of the file. Whats important is that this file is not an ASCII file, this is how it looks in Notepad (only one record): .Delphi Guide g Ãâ5à ·Ã ¿Ã ¬. 5. . B V.LÃâ ,ââ¬Å¾Ã ¨.delphiaboutguide.comà .. à §.à §.à ¯..
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Conventions Of Drama Essay - 1926 Words
Through the centuries, the conventions of drama have been altered in many different ways. These conventions are the setting, plot, characters and staging. The main factor which has been a dominant force during the changes of conventions has been the society. The society present during the time in which a play was written had a direct influence on the plot and characters. This is because drama is defined as a representation of life. Four plays which have been selected from Greek, Elizabethan, Restoration and Modern times can be analysed to show and represent the changes of drama. These plays are amp;#8220;Oedipus the King;, amp;#8220;Macbeth;, amp;#8220;The Way of the World; and amp;#8220;A Dollamp;#8217;s House;. The earlyâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Another important and unique aspect to Greek theatre was that they consisted of a chorus. This chorus, was able to express the action happening throughout the play with song and dance. Scenes of violence were never acted out, so the chorus became quite vital in providing a means of interpretation to the audience. Besides the chorus speaking in patterned verse, the dialogue of Greek plays were in everyday prose. Elizabethan theatre was another period of drama which occurred during the sixteenth century. Most plays written during this time focused on kings and royalty. This was because they were very influential in society when the play was written. Though Elizabethan plays were still based on tragedies, writers (particularly Shakespear) were able to develop some comedy into the story line. The audience found this comedy to be amusing not only in the dialogue but also because of the fact that men played the roles of women. Along with comedy and tragedy, other important story lines at the time were deceit, death and murder. The staging of Elizabethan theatre was situated at places like the globe in London where the audience was seated around three sides of a platform projected into their midst. This was commonly known as an apron stage. It was by this type of stage that enabled a closer, more personal feel between the actors and audience. The audience of the Elizabethan theatre was able to ent ertainShow MoreRelatedConventions of Drama1980 Words à |à 8 PagesThrough the centuries, the conventions of drama have been altered in many different ways. These conventions are the setting, plot, characters and staging. The main factor which has been a dominant force during the changes of conventions has been the society. The society present during the time in which a play was written had a direct influence on the plot and characters. This is because drama is defined as a representation of life. Four plays which have been selected from Greek, Elizabethan,Read MoreAddiction Responding Task Of The Theatrical Style1300 Words à |à 6 Pagesreality. Addiction was an unrealistic piece of drama exploring the drug world, side effects and consequences of drug intake. Through the effective manipulation of masks, abstract props, generalised characters, social Existentialist morals, rhythmic movement, silhouettes, puppetry , a combination of realistic, unrealistic scenarios, in conjunction with the Elements of Drama- symbol, tension and space. All the Elements of Drama and non-realistic conventions conveyed the dramatic meanings of difficultRead MoreKoe No Katachi Film Analysis1611 Words à |à 7 Pagesreveals a much darker theme than apparent at first sight. This movie encompasses and follows the cinematic rhetoric of a drama through its many similarities to the normal conventions. Some of the many parallels include the use of unexpected life situations, an emotionally demanding pl ot, and deep character development. Due to this, the movie Koe no Katachi adheres to the genre of drama and appeals to a large target audience ranging from teenagers to adults. The opening of this movie depicts a teenagerRead MoreRe-Contextualization of Othello for a Contemporary Audience Essay1654 Words à |à 7 Pagescontemporary physical theatre. The elements of drama, along with conventions of both physical and Elizabethan theatre, were used by Frantic Assembly to create a contemporary play from a heritage Shakespearean text that is relevant to a modern audience. Frantic Assembly has successfully re-contextualized Othello by transposing the time and setting to make it relevant to a twenty-first century audience whilst still retaining the original plot and a number of conventions of heightened Realism. The original settingRead MoreHamlet, Prince of Denmark825 Words à |à 4 Pagesnoteworthy, towards the development of both Roman and English Drama. Though Roman Drama could not thrive much as to invite the attention of Western audience, but English Drama excelled in Elizabethan Age (due to the royal patronage), with University Wits, on the one hand, and particularly William Shakespeare, on the other. It was Shakespeare who mastered (as is evident from his oeuvre) the classical convention of drama and challenged them in his dramasââ¬âespecially tragedies. Though, the origin and roots ofRead MoreComparison of Two Hospital Dramas: Casualty and ER Essay881 Words à |à 4 PagesComparison of Two Hospital Dramas: Casualty and ER This essay will compare the two hospital dramas, Casualty and ER. Casualty is a British hospital drama. It is shown on BBC1 at 8:05 on a Saturday evening .It has been one of the biggest and most popular hospital dramas ever made in Britain. The fact that its lasted over ten series, has been sold to many countries around the world, and it still manages to pull in big audiences speaks for itself. The series is set inRead MoreAn Analysis of the Opening Sequence of Stanley Kubricks ââ¬ËEyes Wide Shutââ¬â¢ Focusing on the Use of Generic Conventions1735 Words à |à 7 PagesAn analysis of the opening sequence of Stanley Kubrickââ¬â¢s ââ¬ËEyes Wide Shutââ¬â¢ focusing on the use of generic conventions We frequently consider films in terms of their genre, a French word meaning ââ¬Ëkindââ¬â¢ or ââ¬Ësortââ¬â¢. It is a very complex term, not only used in film but also in other creative areas such as music, art, and literature. However, it is often considered through various conventions including iconography, similar themes and their stylistic features, as Bordwell and Thompson (2006:357) suggestRead More Discuss the ways in which the character of Oedipus in Oedipus the King1192 Words à |à 5 PagesDiscuss the ways in which the character of Oedipus in Oedipus the King conforms to the conventions of the tragic hero. In your discussion refer to how the issues explored in the play have a wider significance than the tragedy of Oedipus as an individual. Assessment 9: Short Essay ââ¬â Drama Discuss the ways in which the character of Oedipus in Oedipus the King conforms to the conventions of the tragic hero. In your discussion refer to how the issues explored in the play have a wider significance Read MoreGothic Theatre Essay1297 Words à |à 6 PagesStir, defiantly showed the characteristics and conventions of Gothic theatre. During the course of the show, dramatic languages and Gothic conventions were displayed; like: Place, Tension, Contrast and Role, plus many more. Skills of drama were also used effectively throughout the production, for example applying stagecraft (design of lighting, sound, set costume, props). Two specific scenes that demonstrated dramatic languages and gothic conventions were ââ¬Å"Opening scene (Johnathon arrives at the hotel)Read MoreEssay on Ancient Greek Theatre1179 Words à |à 5 Pagesworship in its self. The City Dionysia happened every spring in the Theatre of Dionysus, the first home of theatre and the form of the play. It was from the dithyramb that the roots of drama developed. In 534 B.C. the tyrant-ruler of Athens changed the City Dionysia by introducing the first of the drama competitions at the Theatre of Dionysus, a contest that would continue for well over one hundred years and that would involve playwrights that are still world famous in the twenty first century
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
A Game of Thrones Chapter Thirty-one Free Essays
Tyrion As he stood in the predawn chill watching Chiggen butcher his horse, Tyrion Lannister chalked up one more debt owed the Starks. Steam rose from inside the carcass when the squat sellsword opened the belly with his skinning knife. His hands moved deftly, with never a wasted cut; the work had to be done quickly, before the stink of blood brought shadowcats down from the heights. We will write a custom essay sample on A Game of Thrones Chapter Thirty-one or any similar topic only for you Order Now ââ¬Å"None of us will go hungry tonight,â⬠Bronn said. He was near a shadow himself; bone thin and bone hard, with black eyes and black hair and a stubble of beard. ââ¬Å"Some of us may,â⬠Tyrion told him. ââ¬Å"I am not fond of eating horse. Particularly my horse.â⬠ââ¬Å"Meat is meat,â⬠Bronn said with a shrug. ââ¬Å"The Dothraki like horse more than beef or pork.â⬠ââ¬Å"Do you take me for a Dothraki?â⬠Tyrion asked sourly. The Dothraki ate horse, in truth; they also left deformed children out for the feral dogs who ran behind their khalasars. Dothraki customs had scant appeal for him. Chiggen sliced a thin strip of bloody meat off the carcass and held it up for inspection. ââ¬Å"Want a taste, dwarf?â⬠ââ¬Å"My brother Jaime gave me that mare for my twenty-third name day,â⬠Tyrion said in a flat voice. ââ¬Å"Thank him for us, then. If you ever see him again.â⬠Chiggen grinned, showing yellow teeth, and swallowed the raw meat in two bites. ââ¬Å"Tastes well bred.â⬠ââ¬Å"Better if you fry it up with onions,â⬠Bronn put in. Wordlessly, Tyrion limped away. The cold had settled deep in his bones, and his legs were so sore he could scarcely walk. Perhaps his dead mare was the lucky one. He had hours more riding ahead of him, followed by a few mouthfuls of food and a short, cold sleep on hard ground, and then another night of the same, and another, and another, and the gods only knew how it would end. ââ¬Å"Damn her,â⬠he muttered as he struggled up the road to rejoin his captors, remembering, ââ¬Å"damn her and all the Starks.â⬠The memory was still bitter. One moment heââ¬â¢d been ordering supper, and an eye blink later he was facing a room of armed men, with Jyck reaching for a sword and the fat innkeep shrieking, ââ¬Å"No swords, not here, please, mââ¬â¢lords.â⬠Tyrion wrenched down Jyckââ¬â¢s arm hurriedly, before he got them both hacked to pieces. ââ¬Å"Where are your courtesies, Jyck? Our good hostess said no swords. Do as she asks.â⬠He forced a smile that must have looked as queasy as it felt. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re making a sad mistake, Lady Stark. I had no part in any attack on your son. On my honorââ¬ââ⬠ââ¬Å"Lannister honor,â⬠was all she said. She held up her hands for all the room to see. ââ¬Å"His dagger left these scars. The blade he sent to open my sonââ¬â¢s throat.â⬠Tyrion felt the anger all around him, thick and smoky, fed by the deep cuts in the Stark womanââ¬â¢s hands. ââ¬Å"Kill him,â⬠hissed some drunken slattern from the back, and other voices took up the call, faster than he would have believed. Strangers all, friendly enough only a moment ago, and yet now they cried for his blood like hounds on a trail. Tyrion spoke up loudly, trying to keep the quaver from his voice. ââ¬Å"If Lady Stark believes I have some crime to answer for, I will go with her and answer for it.â⬠It was the only possible course. Trying to cut their way out of this was a sure invitation to an early grave. A good dozen swords had responded to the Stark womanââ¬â¢s plea for help: the Harrenhal man, the three Brackens, a pair of unsavory sellswords who looked as though theyââ¬â¢d kill him as soon as spit, and some fool field hands who doubtless had no idea what they were doing. Against that, what did Tyrion have? A dagger at his belt, and two men. Jyck swung a fair enough sword, but Morrec scarcely counted; he was part groom, part cook, part body servant, and no soldier. As for Yoren, whatever his feelings might have been, the black brothers were sworn to take no part in the quarrels of the realm. Yoren would do nothing. And indeed, the black brother stepped aside silently when the old knight by Catelyn Starkââ¬â¢s side said, ââ¬Å"Take their weapons,â⬠and the sellsword Bronn stepped forward to pull the sword from Jyckââ¬â¢s fingers and relieve them all of their daggers. ââ¬Å"Good,â⬠the old man said as the tension in the common room ebbed palpably, ââ¬Å"excellent.â⬠Tyrion recognized the gruff voice; Winterfellââ¬â¢s master-at-arms, shorn of his whiskers. Scarlet-tinged spittle flew from the fat innkeepââ¬â¢s mouth as she begged of Catelyn Stark, ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t kill him here!â⬠ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t kill him anywhere,â⬠Tyrion urged. ââ¬Å"Take him somewheres else, no blood here, mââ¬â¢lady, I wants no high lordlinââ¬â¢s quarrels.â⬠ââ¬Å"We are taking him back to Winterfell,â⬠she said, and Tyrion thought, Well, perhaps . . . By then heââ¬â¢d had a moment to glance over the room and get a better idea of the situation. He was not altogether displeased by what he saw. Oh, the Stark woman had been clever, no doubt of it. Force them to make a public affirmation of the oaths sworn her father by the lords they served, and then call on them for succor, and her a woman, yes, that was sweet. Yet her success was not as complete as she might have liked. There were close to fifty in the common room by his rough count. Catelyn Starkââ¬â¢s plea had roused a bare dozen; the others looked confused, or frightened, or sullen. Only two of the Freys had stirred, Tyrion noted, and theyââ¬â¢d sat back down quick enough when their captain failed to move. He might have smiled if heââ¬â¢d dared. ââ¬Å"Winterfell it is, then,â⬠he said instead. That was a long ride, as he could well attest, having just ridden it the other way. So many things could happen along the way. ââ¬Å"My father will wonder what has become of me,â⬠he added, catching the eye of the swordsman whoââ¬â¢d offered to yield up his room. ââ¬Å"Heââ¬â¢ll pay a handsome reward to any man who brings him word of what happened here today.â⬠Lord Tywin would do no such thing, of course, but Tyrion would make up for it if he won free. Ser Rodrik glanced at his lady, his look worried, as well it might be. ââ¬Å"His men come with him,â⬠the old knight announced. ââ¬Å"And weââ¬â¢ll thank the rest of you to stay quiet about what youââ¬â¢ve seen here.â⬠It was all Tyrion could do not to laugh. Quiet? The old fool. Unless he took the whole inn, the word would begin to spread the instant they were gone. The freerider with the gold coin in his pocket would fly to Casterly Rock like an arrow. If not him, then someone else. Yoren would carry the story south. That fool singer might make a lay of it. The Freys would report back to their lord, and the gods only knew what he might do. Lord Walder Frey might be sworn to Riverrun, but he was a cautious man who had lived a long time by making certain he was always on the winning side. At the very least he would send his birds winging south to Kingââ¬â¢s Landing, and he might well dare more than that. Catelyn Stark wasted no time. ââ¬Å"We must ride at once. Weââ¬â¢ll want fresh mounts, and provisions for the road. You men, know that you have the eternal gratitude of House Stark. If any of you choose to help us guard our captives and get them safe to Winterfell, I promise you shall be well rewarded.â⬠That was all it took; the fools came rushing forward. Tyrion studied their faces; they would indeed be well rewarded, he vowed to himself, but perhaps not quite as they imagined. Yet even as they were bundling him outside, saddling the horses in the rain, and tying his hands with a length of coarse rope, Tyrion Lannister was not truly afraid. They would never get him to Winterfell, he would have given odds on that. Riders would be after them within the day, birds would take wing, and surely one of the river lords would want to curry favor with his father enough to take a hand. Tyrion was congratulating himself on his subtlety when someone pulled a hood down over his eyes and lifted him up onto a saddle. They set out through the rain at a hard gallop, and before long Tyrionââ¬â¢s thighs were cramped and aching and his butt throbbed with pain. Even when they were safely away from the inn, and Catelyn Stark slowed them to a trot, it was a miserable pounding journey over rough ground, made worse by his blindness. Every twist and turn put him in danger of falling off his horse. The hood muffled sound, so he could not make out what was being said around him, and the rain soaked through the cloth and made it cling to his face, until even breathing was a struggle. The rope chafed his wrists raw and seemed to grow tighter as the night wore on. I was about to settle down to a warm fire and a roast fowl, and that wretched singer had to open his mouth, he thought mournfully. The wretched singer had come along with them. ââ¬Å"There is a great song to be made from this, and Iââ¬â¢m the one to make it,â⬠he told Catelyn Stark when he announced his intention of riding with them to see how the ââ¬Å"splendid adventureâ⬠turned out. Tyrion wondered whether the boy would think the adventure quite so splendid once the Lannister riders caught up with them. The rain had finally stopped and dawn light was seeping through the wet cloth over his eyes when Catelyn Stark gave the command to dismount. Rough hands pulled him down from his horse, untied his wrists, and yanked the hood off his head. When he saw the narrow stony road, the foothills rising high and wild all around them, and the jagged snowcapped peaks on the distant horizon, all the hope went out of him in a rush. ââ¬Å"This is the high road,â⬠he gasped, looking at Lady Stark with accusation. ââ¬Å"The eastern road. You said we were riding for Winterfell!â⬠Catelyn Stark favored him with the faintest of smiles. ââ¬Å"Often and loudly,â⬠she agreed. ââ¬Å"No doubt your friends will ride that way when they come after us. I wish them good speed.â⬠Even now, long days later, the memory filled him with a bitter rage. All his life Tyrion had prided himself on his cunning, the only gift the gods had seen fit to give him, and yet this seven-times-damned she-wolf Catelyn Stark had outwitted him at every turn. The knowledge was more galling than the bare fact of his abduction. They stopped only as long as it took to feed and water the horses, and then they were off again. This time Tyrion was spared the hood. After the second night they no longer bound his hands, and once they had gained the heights they scarcely bothered to guard him at all. It seemed they did not fear his escape. And why should they? Up here the land was harsh and wild, and the high road little more than a stony track. If he did run, how far could he hope to go, alone and without provisions? The shadowcats would make a morsel of him, and the clans that dwelt in the mountain fastnesses were brigands and murderers who bowed to no law but the sword. Yet still the Stark woman drove them forward relentlessly. He knew where they were bound. He had known it since the moment they pulled off his hood. These mountains were the domain of House Arryn, and the late Handââ¬â¢s widow was a Tully, Catelyn Starkââ¬â¢s sister . . . and no friend to the Lannisters. Tyrion had known the Lady Lysa slightly during her years at Kingââ¬â¢s Landing, and did not look forward to renewing the acquaintance. His captors were clustered around a stream a short ways down the high road. The horses had drunk their fill of the icy cold water, and were grazing on clumps of brown grass that grew from clefts in the rock. Jyck and Morrec huddled close, sullen and miserable. Mohor stood over them, leaning on his spear and wearing a rounded iron cap that made him look as if he had a bowl on his head. Nearby, Marillion the singer sat oiling his woodharp, complaining of what the damp was doing to his strings. ââ¬Å"We must have some rest, my lady,â⬠the hedge knight Ser Willis Wode was saying to Catelyn Stark as Tyrion approached. He was Lady Whentââ¬â¢s man, stiff-necked and stolid, and the first to rise to aid Catelyn Stark back at the inn. ââ¬Å"Ser Willis speaks truly, my lady,â⬠Ser Rodrik said. ââ¬Å"This is the third horse we have lostââ¬ââ⬠ââ¬Å"We will lose more than horses if weââ¬â¢re overtaken by the Lannisters,â⬠she reminded them. Her face was windburnt and gaunt, but it had lost none of its determination. ââ¬Å"Small chance of that here,â⬠Tyrion put in. ââ¬Å"The lady did not ask your views, dwarf,â⬠snapped Kurleket, a great fat oaf with short-cropped hair and a pigââ¬â¢s face. He was one of the Brackens, a man-at-arms in the service of Lord Jonos. Tyrion had made a special effort to learn all their names, so he might thank them later for their tender treatment of him. A Lannister always paid his debts. Kurleket would learn that someday, as would his friends Lharys and Mohor, and the good Ser Willis, and the sellswords Bronn and Chiggen. He planned an especially sharp lesson for Marillion, him of the woodharp and the sweet tenor voice, who was struggling so manfully to rhyme imp with gimp and limp so he could make a song of this outrage. ââ¬Å"Let him speak,â⬠Lady Stark commanded. Tyrion Lannister seated himself on a rock. ââ¬Å"By now our pursuit is likely racing across the Neck, chasing your lie up the kingsroad . . . assuming there is a pursuit, which is by no means certain. Oh, no doubt the word has reached my father . . . but my father does not love me overmuch, and I am not at all sure that he will bother to bestir himself.â⬠It was only half a lie; Lord Tywin Lannister cared not a fig for his deformed son, but he tolerated no slights on the honor of his House. ââ¬Å"This is a cruel land, Lady Stark. Youââ¬â¢ll find no succor until you reach the Vale, and each mount you lose burdens the others all the more. Worse, you risk losing me. I am small, and not strong, and if I die, then whatââ¬â¢s the point?â⬠That was no lie at all; Tyrion did not know how much longer he could endure this pace. ââ¬Å"It might be said that your death is the point, Lannister,â⬠Catelyn Stark replied. ââ¬Å"I think not,â⬠Tyrion said. ââ¬Å"If you wanted me dead, you had only to say the word, and one of these staunch friends of yours would gladly have given me a red smile.â⬠He looked at Kurleket, but the man was too dim to taste the mockery. ââ¬Å"The Starks do not murder men in their beds.â⬠ââ¬Å"Nor do I,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"I tell you again, I had no part in the attempt to kill your son.â⬠ââ¬Å"The assassin was armed with your dagger.â⬠Tyrion felt the heat rise in him. ââ¬Å"It was not my dagger,â⬠he insisted. ââ¬Å"How many times must I swear to that? Lady Stark, whatever you may believe of me, I am not a stupid man. Only a fool would arm a common footpad with his own blade.â⬠Just for a moment, he thought he saw a flicker of doubt in her eyes, but what she said was, ââ¬Å"Why would Petyr lie to me?â⬠ââ¬Å"Why does a bear shit in the woods?â⬠he demanded. ââ¬Å"Because it is his nature. Lying comes as easily as breathing to a man like Littlefinger. You ought to know that, you of all people.â⬠She took a step toward him, her face tight. ââ¬Å"And what does that mean, Lannister?â⬠Tyrion cocked his head. ââ¬Å"Why, every man at court has heard him tell how he took your maidenhead, my lady.â⬠ââ¬Å"That is a lie!â⬠Catelyn Stark said. ââ¬Å"Oh, wicked little imp,â⬠Marillion said, shocked. Kurleket drew his dirk, a vicious piece of black iron. ââ¬Å"At your word, mââ¬â¢lady, Iââ¬â¢ll toss his lying tongue at your feet.â⬠His pig eyes were wet with excitement at the prospect. Catelyn Stark stared at Tyrion with a coldness on her face such as he had never seen. ââ¬Å"Petyr Baelish loved me once. He was only a boy. His passion was a tragedy for all of us, but it was real, and pure, and nothing to be made mock of. He wanted my hand. That is the truth of the matter. You are truly an evil man, Lannister.â⬠ââ¬Å"And you are truly a fool, Lady Stark. Littlefinger has never loved anyone but Littlefinger, and I promise you that it is not your hand that he boasts of, itââ¬â¢s those ripe breasts of yours, and that sweet mouth, and the heat between your legs.â⬠Kurleket grabbed a handful of hair and yanked his head back in a hard jerk, baring his throat. Tyrion felt the cold kiss of steel beneath his chin. ââ¬Å"Shall I bleed him, my lady?â⬠ââ¬Å"Kill me and the truth dies with me,â⬠Tyrion gasped. ââ¬Å"Let him talk,â⬠Catelyn Stark commanded. Kurleket let go of Tyrionââ¬â¢s hair, reluctantly. Tyrion took a deep breath. ââ¬Å"How did Littlefinger tell you I came by this dagger of his? Answer me that.â⬠ââ¬Å"You won it from him in a wager, during the tourney on Prince Joffreyââ¬â¢s name day.â⬠ââ¬Å"When my brother Jaime was unhorsed by the Knight of Flowers, that was his story, no?â⬠ââ¬Å"It was,â⬠she admitted. A line creased her brow. ââ¬Å"Riders!â⬠The shriek came from the wind-carved ridge above them. Ser Rodrik had sent Lharys scrambling up the rock face to watch the road while they took their rest. For a long second, no one moved. Catelyn Stark was the first to react. ââ¬Å"Ser Rodrik, Ser Willis, to horse,â⬠she shouted. ââ¬Å"Get the other mounts behind us. Mohor, guard the prisonersââ¬ââ⬠ââ¬Å"Arm us!â⬠Tyrion sprang to his feet and seized her by the arm. ââ¬Å"You will need every sword.â⬠She knew he was right, Tyrion could see it. The mountain clans cared nothing for the enmities of the great houses; they would slaughter Stark and Lannister with equal fervor, as they slaughtered each other. They might spare Catelyn herself; she was still young enough to bear sons. Still, she hesitated. ââ¬Å"I hear them!â⬠Ser Rodrik called out. Tyrion turned his head to listen, and there it was: hoofbeats, a dozen horses or more, coming nearer. Suddenly everyone was moving, reaching for weapons, running to their mounts. Pebbles rained down around them as Lharys came springing and sliding down the ridge. He landed breathless in front of Catelyn Stark, an ungainly-looking man with wild tufts of rust-colored hair sticking out from under a conical steel cap. ââ¬Å"Twenty men, maybe twenty-five,â⬠he said, breathless. ââ¬Å"Milk Snakes or Moon Brothers, by my guess. They must have eyes out, mââ¬â¢lady . . . hidden watchers . . . they know weââ¬â¢re here.â⬠Ser Rodrik Cassel was already ahorse, a longsword in hand. Mohor crouched behind a boulder, both hands on his iron-tipped spear, a dagger between his teeth. ââ¬Å"You, singer,â⬠Ser Willis Wode called out. ââ¬Å"Help me with this breastplate.â⬠Marillion sat frozen, clutching his woodharp, his face as pale as milk, but Tyrionââ¬â¢s man Morrec bounded quickly to his feet and moved to help the knight with his armor. Tyrion kept his grip on Catelyn Stark. ââ¬Å"You have no choice,â⬠he told her. ââ¬Å"Three of us, and a fourth man wasted guarding us . . . four men can be the difference between life and death up here.â⬠ââ¬Å"Give me your word that you will put down your swords again after the fight is done.â⬠ââ¬Å"My word?â⬠The hoofbeats were louder now. Tyrion grinned crookedly. ââ¬Å"Oh, that you have, my lady . . . on my honor as a Lannister.â⬠For a moment he thought she would spit at him, but instead she snapped, ââ¬Å"Arm them,â⬠and as quick as that she was pulling away. Ser Rodrik tossed Jyck his sword and scabbard, and wheeled to meet the foe. Morrec helped himself to a bow and quiver, and went to one knee beside the road. He was a better archer than swordsman. And Bronn rode up to offer Tyrion a double-bladed axe. ââ¬Å"I have never fought with an axe.â⬠The weapon felt awkward and unfamiliar in his hands. It had a short haft, a heavy head, a nasty spike on top. ââ¬Å"Pretend youââ¬â¢re splitting logs,â⬠Bronn said, drawing his longsword from the scabbard across his back. He spat, and trotted off to form up beside Chiggen and Ser Rodrik. Ser Willis mounted up to join them, fumbling with his helmet, a metal pot with a thin slit for his eyes and a long black silk plume. ââ¬Å"Logs donââ¬â¢t bleed,â⬠Tyrion said to no one in particular. He felt naked without armor. He looked around for a rock and ran over to where Marillion was hiding. ââ¬Å"Move over.â⬠ââ¬Å"Go away!â⬠the boy screamed back at him. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m a singer, I want no part of this fight!â⬠ââ¬Å"What, lost your taste for adventure?â⬠Tyrion kicked at the youth until he slid over, and not a moment too soon. A heartbeat later, the riders were on them. There were no heralds, no banners, no horns nor drums, only the twang of bowstrings as Morrec and Lharys let fly, and suddenly the clansmen came thundering out of the dawn, lean dark men in boiled leather and mismatched armor, faces hidden behind barred halfhelms. In gloved hands were clutched all manner of weapons: longswords and lances and sharpened scythes, spiked clubs and daggers and heavy iron mauls. At their head rode a big man in a striped shadowskin cloak, armed with a two-handed greatsword. Ser Rodrik shouted ââ¬Å"Winterfell!â⬠and rode to meet him, with Bronn and Chiggen beside him, screaming some wordless battle cry. Ser Willis Wode followed, swinging a spiked morningstar around his head. ââ¬Å"Harrenhal! Harrenhal!â⬠he sang. Tyrion felt a sudden urge to leap up, brandish his axe, and boom out, ââ¬Å"Casterly Rock!â⬠but the insanity passed quickly and he crouched down lower. He heard the screams of frightened horses and the crash of metal on metal. Chiggenââ¬â¢s sword raked across the naked face of a mailed rider, and Bronn plunged through the clansmen like a whirlwind, cutting down foes right and left. Ser Rodrik hammered at the big man in the shadowskin cloak, their horses dancing round each other as they traded blow for blow. Jyck vaulted onto a horse and galloped bareback into the fray. Tyrion saw an arrow sprout from the throat of the man in the shadowskin cloak. When he opened his mouth to scream, only blood came out. By the time he fell, Ser Rodrik was fighting someone else. Suddenly Marillion shrieked, covering his head with his woodharp as a horse leapt over their rock. Tyrion scrambled to his feet as the rider turned to come back at them, hefting a spiked maul. Tyrion swung his axe with both hands. The blade caught the charging horse in the throat with a meaty thunk, angling upward, and Tyrion almost lost his grip as the animal screamed and collapsed. He managed to wrench the axe free and lurch clumsily out of the way. Marillion was less fortunate. Horse and rider crashed to the ground in a tangle on top of the singer. Tyrion danced back in while the brigandââ¬â¢s leg was still pinned beneath his fallen mount, and buried the axe in the manââ¬â¢s neck, just above the shoulder blades. As he struggled to yank the blade loose, he heard Marillion moaning under the bodies. ââ¬Å"Someone help me,â⬠the singer gasped. ââ¬Å"Gods have mercy, Iââ¬â¢m bleeding.â⬠ââ¬Å"I believe thatââ¬â¢s horse blood,â⬠Tyrion said. The singerââ¬â¢s hand came crawling out from beneath the dead animal, scrabbling in the dirt like a spider with five legs. Tyrion put his heel on the grasping fingers and felt a satisfying crunch. ââ¬Å"Close your eyes and pretend youââ¬â¢re dead,â⬠he advised the singer before he hefted the axe and turned away. After that, things ran together. The dawn was full of shouts and screams and heavy with the scent of blood, and the world had turned to chaos. Arrows hissed past his ear and clattered off the rocks. He saw Bronn unhorsed, fighting with a sword in each hand. Tyrion kept on the fringes of the fight, sliding from rock to rock and darting out of the shadows to hew at the legs of passing horses. He found a wounded clansman and left him dead, helping himself to the manââ¬â¢s halfhelm. It fit too snugly, but Tyrion was glad of any protection at all. Jyck was cut down from behind while he sliced at a man in front of him, and later Tyrion stumbled over Kurleketââ¬â¢s body. The pig face had been smashed in with a mace, but Tyrion recognized the dirk as he plucked it from the manââ¬â¢s dead fingers. He was sliding it through his belt when he heard a womanââ¬â¢s scream. Catelyn Stark was trapped against the stone face of the mountain with three men around her, one still mounted and the other two on foot. She had a dagger clutched awkwardly in her maimed hands, but her back was to the rock now and they had penned her on three sides. Let them have the bitch, Tyrion thought, and welcome to her, yet somehow he was moving. He caught the first man in the back of the knee before they even knew he was there, and the heavy axehead split flesh and bone like rotten wood. Logs that bleed, Tyrion thought inanely as the second man came for him. Tyrion ducked under his sword, lashed out with the axe, the man reeled backward . . . and Catelyn Stark stepped up behind him and opened his throat. The horseman remembered an urgent engagement elsewhere and galloped off suddenly. Tyrion looked around. The enemy were all vanquished or vanished. Somehow the fighting had ended when he wasnââ¬â¢t looking. Dying horses and wounded men lay all around, screaming or moaning. To his vast astonishment, he was not one of them. He opened his fingers and let the axe thunk to the ground. His hands were sticky with blood. He could have sworn they had been fighting for half a day, but the sun seemed scarcely to have moved at all. ââ¬Å"Your first battle?â⬠Bronn asked later as he bent over Jyckââ¬â¢s body, pulling off his boots. They were good boots, as befit one of Lord Tywinââ¬â¢s men; heavy leather, oiled and supple, much finer than what Bronn was wearing. Tyrion nodded. ââ¬Å"My father will be so proud,â⬠he said. His legs were cramping so badly he could scarcely stand. Odd, he had never once noticed the pain during the battle. ââ¬Å"You need a woman now,â⬠Bronn said with a glint in his black eyes. He shoved the boots into his saddlebag. ââ¬Å"Nothing like a woman after a manââ¬â¢s been blooded, take my word.â⬠Chiggen stopped looting the corpses of the brigands long enough to snort and lick his lips. Tyrion glanced over to where Lady Stark was dressing Ser Rodrikââ¬â¢s wounds. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m willing if she is,â⬠he said. The freeriders broke into laughter, and Tyrion grinned and thought, Thereââ¬â¢s a start. Afterward he knelt by the stream and washed the blood off his face in water cold as ice. As he limped back to the others, he glanced again at the slain. The dead clansmen were thin, ragged men, their horses scrawny and undersized, with every rib showing. What weapons Bronn and Chiggen had left them were none too impressive. Mauls, clubs, a scythe . . . He remembered the big man in the shadowskin cloak who had dueled Ser Rodrik with a two-handed greatsword, but when he found his corpse sprawled on the stony ground, the man was not so big after all, the cloak was gone, and Tyrion saw that the blade was badly notched, its cheap steel spotted with rust. Small wonder the clansmen had left nine bodies on the ground. They had only three dead; two of Lord Brackenââ¬â¢s men-at-arms, Kurleket and Mohor, and his own man Jyck, who had made such a bold show with his bareback charge. A fool to the end, Tyrion thought. ââ¬Å"Lady Stark, I urge you to press on, with all haste,â⬠Ser Willis Wode said, his eyes scanning the ridgetops warily through the slit in his helm. ââ¬Å"We drove them off for the moment, but they will not have gone far.â⬠ââ¬Å"We must bury our dead, Ser Willis,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"These were brave men. I will not leave them to the crows and shadowcats.â⬠ââ¬Å"This soil is too stony for digging,â⬠Ser Willis said. ââ¬Å"Then we shall gather stones for cairns.â⬠ââ¬Å"Gather all the stones you want,â⬠Bronn told her, ââ¬Å"but do it without me or Chiggen. Iââ¬â¢ve better things to do than pile rocks on dead men . . . breathing, for one.â⬠He looked over the rest of the survivors. ââ¬Å"Any of you who hope to be alive come nightfall, ride with us.â⬠ââ¬Å"My lady, I fear he speaks the truth,â⬠Ser Rodrik said wearily. The old knight had been wounded in the fight, a deep gash in his left arm and a spear thrust that grazed his neck, and he sounded his age. ââ¬Å"If we linger here, they will be on us again for a certainty, and we may not live through a second attack.â⬠Tyrion could see the anger in Catelynââ¬â¢s face, but she had no choice. ââ¬Å"May the gods forgive us, then. We will ride at once.â⬠There was no shortage of horses now. Tyrion moved his saddle to Jyckââ¬â¢s spotted gelding, who looked strong enough to last another three or four days at least. He was about to mount when Lharys stepped up and said, ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢ll take that dirk now, dwarf.â⬠ââ¬Å"Let him keep it.â⬠Catelyn Stark looked down from her horse. ââ¬Å"And see that he has his axe back as well. We may have need of it if we are attacked again.â⬠ââ¬Å"You have my thanks, lady,â⬠Tyrion said, mounting up. ââ¬Å"Save them,â⬠she said curtly. ââ¬Å"I trust you no more than I did before.â⬠She was gone before he could frame a reply. Tyrion adjusted his stolen helm and took the axe from Bronn. He remembered how he had begun the journey, with his wrists bound and a hood pulled down over his head, and decided that this was a definite improvement. Lady Stark could keep her trust; so long as he could keep the axe, he would count himself ahead in the game. Ser Willis Wode led them out. Bronn took the rear, with Lady Stark safely in the middle, Ser Rodrik a shadow beside her. Marillion kept throwing sullen looks back at Tyrion as they rode. The singer had broken several ribs, his woodharp, and all four fingers on his playing hand, yet the day had not been an utter loss to him; somewhere he had acquired a magnificent shadowskin cloak, thick black fur slashed by stripes of white. He huddled beneath its folds silently, and for once had nothing to say. They heard the deep growls of shadowcats behind them before they had gone half a mile, and later the wild snarling of the beasts fighting over the corpses they had left behind. Marillion grew visibly pale. Tyrion trotted up beside him. ââ¬Å"Craven,â⬠he said, ââ¬Å"rhymes nicely with raven.â⬠He kicked his horse and moved past the singer, up to Ser Rodrik and Catelyn Stark. She looked at him, lips pressed tightly together. ââ¬Å"As I was saying before we were so rudely interrupted,â⬠Tyrion began, ââ¬Å"there is a serious flaw in Littlefingerââ¬â¢s fable. Whatever you may believe of me, Lady Stark, I promise you thisââ¬âI never bet against my family.â⬠How to cite A Game of Thrones Chapter Thirty-one, Essay examples
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
My Place Journey free essay sample
The novel ââ¬Å"My Placeâ⬠reveals that the consequences, changes and the purpose of a journey can only be understood by insight. Initially, Nan is portrayed as a petulant woman, distant from the reader, as there is no emotional connection created. As Nanââ¬â¢s journey progresses the readerââ¬â¢s perception of Nan is altered as they become aware of the injustice she experienced as an Aboriginal person. This is demonstrated when Nan goes to hospital, and is examined by a group of medical trainees who humiliate and disrespect her because she is aboriginal. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m never going back there. They treat you like an animalâ⬠. The simile deepens the readerââ¬â¢s sympathy, as the reader understands the awful injustice that she suffers from. The simile reveals the depths of mistreatment that Nan endures, as it explains that the hospital staff were ignorant of her feelings, and didnââ¬â¢t even recongnise her as a human being. We will write a custom essay sample on My Place Journey or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The emotional connection made between Nan and the reader, allows the reader to change their original perceptions and form a genuine understanding of her journey. When Nanââ¬â¢s traumatic life experiences are revealed, the reader discovers that Nan is extremely ashamed of her aboriginal heritage, which is why the truth to their family history has been hidden with constant deception. From these experiences, the reader feels sympathy and pity for Nan. However, in the final part of Nanââ¬â¢s story, she reflects on her desires for the future of her grandchildren. ââ¬Å"I want you grandchildren to make something of yourselves. You all got brainsâ⬠¦I hope youââ¬â¢ll never be ââ¬Ëshamed of meâ⬠. The optimistic tone represented in the quote suggests that she has finally accepted her aboriginal heritage, as she believes in the potential of her aboriginal grandchildren, knowing that her heritage had brought her some disadvantages before. The tone also suggests that she wants her grandchildren to embrace their aboriginal heritage, being proud of it rather than being ashamed of it. The readerââ¬â¢s original response to Nanââ¬â¢s journey is changed as they develop a strong sense of respect and admiration for the perpetual hope and spirit of the Aboriginal people. The novel ââ¬Å"My Placeâ⬠enables the reader to gain the genuine realisation of the journeyââ¬â¢s value by allowing the reader to explore the journey itself, with insight.
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