Invisible Man By Ralph Ellison - 1415 Words

Ralph Ellison’s Bildungsroman, Invisible Man, was published in 1952 but is a recollection of the narrator’s experiences during the 1930s. The unnamed narrator tells his story retrospectively, speaking in the present tense during the prologue and epilogue but switching to the past when recounting his story. At the present time during the prologue, the narrator is living in a â€Å"basement shut off and forgotten,† as he puts it, draining free power from the Monopolated Electric Company, having secluded himself from the rest of society. Having gone through much agony throughout his life, the narrator decides to step back from society, to stay underground, and only then does he discover the truth. As it is often true that appearance does not equal†¦show more content†¦The narrator looks inside himself and at society in the ever famous question of â€Å"Who am I?† Another reason why the narrator decides to stay underground is that he wishes to find the truth about society. The narrator says in the epilogue: â€Å"and the mind that has conceived a plan of living must never lose sight of the chaos against which that pattern was conceived. That goes for societies as well as for individuals† (Ellison 580). The narrator takes a step back from life as he knows it to survey exactly what is going on. He attempts to give a â€Å"pattern to the chaos† and find the truth about the world. This is a very similar situation to what is going on in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. In this book, three men are tied by their hands and feet to a rock in a cave, and their heads are forced to point directly at the cave wall. All three of the men were born in the cave in this position and none have ever seen outside of the cave. Behind the three men is a fire, and in between the men and the fire is a walkway. People walking along this walkway carrying various items on their heads, thus projecting shadows onto the wall in front of the men. The men see the shadows and naturally assume that the shadows are real beings walking in front of them (Trumpeter). One day, one of the men escapes his bindings and leaves the cave. HeShow MoreRelatedInvisible Man By Ralph Ellison1366 Words   |  6 Pagesfighter left standing, amidst unbridled carnage. The titular narrator of Ralph Ellison s novel Invisible Man, is no stranger to those experiences. In the beginning, he is forced to fight several other black boxers for the amusement of many heckling, white spectators. Through the imaginative use of objects, symbols, allusions, and the actions, thoughts, and purposes of the spectators, pugilists and risquà © entertainment, Ellison seeks to express a powerful image of American race relations and womenRead MoreInvisible, Invisible Man, By Ralph Ellison1994 Words   |  8 PagesInvisible Race and Gender in Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison In Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, the unnamed narrator shows us through the use motifs and symbols how racism and sexism negatively affect the social class and individual identity of the oppressed people. Throughout the novel, the African American narrator tells us the story of his journey to find success in life which is sabotaged by the white-dominated society in which he lives in. Along his journey, we are also shown how the patriarchyRead MoreInvisible Man By Ralph Ellison1246 Words   |  5 Pagesauthor of Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison, was born March 1st, 1914, and died April 16, 1994. He was born in Oklahoma City and named after Ralph Waldo Emerson, a famous journalist and poet. When Ellison was 3, his father died of a work-related accident, leaving his mother to care for him and his younger brother. As a young boy, he always wanted to major in music, and he went to Tuskegee University to become a composer and performer of music. The summer before his senior year in college, Ellison went toRead MoreThe Invisible Man By Ralph Ellison Essay2164 Words   |  9 Pagestrying to rebel against the status quo. Protest literature emerged from the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920’s to 1930’s. Protest literature is used to address real socio-political issues and express objections against them. In his novel, The Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison exposes the racism in society by focusing on the culture, in regards to the expected assimilation of African Americans and how the time period largely influenced the mistreatment of the African American population. He also uses symbolsRead MoreInvisible Man By Ralph Ellison1277 Words   |  6 PagesInvisible Man, by Ralph Ellison, is a story about a young African American man whose color renders him invisible. The theme of racism as a hurdle to individual identity is present throughout the story in a variety of examples. From the beginning of the novel the theme of identity is evident as the narrator states, †Å"All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what I was† (Ellison, p. 1254). In the midst of living in a racist American society the speakersRead MoreInvisible Man By Ralph Ellison909 Words   |  4 PagesInvisible Man by Ralph Ellison is a novel which embodies the universal theme of self-discovery, of the search to figure out who one truly is in life which we all are embarked upon. Throughout the text, the narrator is constantly wondering about who he really is, and evaluating the different identities which he assumes for himself. He progresses from being a hopeful student with a bright future to being just another poor black laborer in New Your City to being a fairly well off spokesperson for aRead MoreThe Invisible Man By Ralph Ellison977 Words   |  4 PagesBook Review: Invisible Man Invisible Man is an American Literature novel published by Ralph Ellison in 1952. The novel traces the experiences of a young college black man growing up in Harlem, New York. Attempting to succeed in a predominantly white society, the narrator encounters shocks and disillusionments from being expelled from college to hiding in an underground hole to protect himself from the people above. He lives a repressed life as an â€Å"Invisible Man† for he believes that society ignoresRead MoreInvisible Man By Ralph Ellison1032 Words   |  5 Pageslike modern society some people leads, and others will follow. Subjects will conditionally generate their own ideas and realize these ideas rather than just be assigned tasks that question their beliefs. The author Ralph Ellison illustrates it best. Ellison’s realistic fiction Invisible Man perpetuates the manifestation of manipulation over the minorities in this society. As the narrator embraces every identity he has been given, h e starts to become more independent, and a leader in his community. Read MoreThe Invisible Man By Ralph Ellison3051 Words   |  13 Pagesportrayed through the narrator’s, the invisible man, journey through life. The problems with society are foreshadowed by the racism and the symbols of the color white presented in the paint plant. â€Å"The Invisible Man† by Ralph Ellison depicts the African Americans struggle to be viewed as an equal member of society through the narrators struggles through life to discover his individuality or place in society while the white man or the community conspires to â€Å"keep the black man down†. The story follows theRead MoreInvisible Man By Ralph Ellison1481 Words   |  6 PagesInvisible Man is a novel by Ralph Ellison, published in 1952. It addresses many of the social and intellectual issues facing African-Americans in the early twentieth century. This includes black nationalism, the relationship between black identity a nd Marxism, and the reformist racial policies of Booker T. Washington, as well as issues of individuality and personal identity. The grandson of slaves, Ralph Ellison was born in 1914 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and was raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His

An Overview of ABC Plc - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2355 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Type Case study Did you like this example? Table of Contents Company Overview UK operation Overview Tax Changes in UK U.S.A Operation Overview Japan Operation Overview Investment Country Analysis Regulation and Rules Tax and Licensing Cost Local Analysis Challenges: Economic Development in the region Risk Factors Economic Condition Legal un-certainty Regulatory and Tax Risk Security Concern Efficient Operation Customer Analysis Recommendations References Table of Figures Company Overview ABC Plc, a large multinational Oil and Gas Company, operates in USA, UK and Japan and its main activities are drilling, refining and distributing oil and gas. ABC Plc has not been making profits for the last 3 years in USA and Japan due to severe economic recession and management is planning to cease US and Japanese activities because of continuous loss. Current profit and loss account of the company performance reveals the following information. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "An Overview of ABC Plc" essay for you Create order  £m USA Japan UK All Total Cost 950 700 450 2100 Less: Variable Cost 750 500 250 1500 Total Fixed Cost 200 200 200 600 Sales Revenue 700 650 800 2150 Group Net Profit 500 450 600 50 Contribution cost (50) 150 550 650 Fixed Cost 200 200 200 600 Profit/Loss (250) (50) 350 50 Above calculation of ABC Plcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s profit and loss shows that company is facing hurdles in U.S and Japan operations are in severe loss especially in U.S business. In order to affirm the companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s decision to close the U.S and Japan operation, analysis of all countries in which company operation is required. Following is the overview of the company country based operations. UK operation Overview UKà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s majority Oil reserves are located offshore in the UK continental shelf (UKCS), and most of the oil production occurs in the central and northern sections of the North Sea. Even though on shore there is a diffident amount of oil produced, in 2012 more than 90 percent of total UK production were offshore. (United Kingdom Analysis, 2013) Although UKà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s reservoirs are aging and infrastructure have been affected the oil production in last few years, The government of UK does not hold any direct interest in oil production, but this sector remains important to the government because Corporation Tax and Supplementary Tax income comes from the Oil sector and accounts almost 25 percent of corporate tax receipts, according to Oil and Gas UK. (United Kingdom Analysis, 2013) Tax Changes in UK There have been a number of tax changes from 2011 that affected the sector, which includes the change in the rate of supplementary charge (an addition to the corporate tax). Furthermore, petroleum revenue tax (PRT) is increased to 81 percent of their profits (previous 75% rate), and fields that are not subject to PRT now pay a 62% tax (50-percent rate in the past). (United Kingdom Analysis, 2013) Because of the increase in taxes most of the UK projects have become less competitive. Operating cost increase with higher taxes has resulted in decreased investment. Even without the increased taxes, operating costs in the UK were very high which also discourage investors. U.S.A Operation Overview U.S Oil production has boomed from last decade making U.S to less rely on oil imports and other countries. But this increase has come with the greater cost. Also it is speculated that this boom will not last more than a decade resulting in depletion of resources and maturing the reserves. Big players in the sector are profiting from the boom but increased legislation and laws including labor etc. making it difficult for the small firms to survive and continue production. Cost Inflation rate in USA is increasing making companies more to spend on operations without meeting the demand to increase activity and production volumes. Also the price changing un-certainty challenging the capital budgeting and estimated net income, large expansion and development is also on going. It will be hard to invest in new sites for small players. Figure 1 U.S Energy Information Administration Japan Operation Overview Japan is the worlds largest liquefied natural gas importer, second largest coal importer, and third largest net oil importer. Domestic oil reserves are very limited, according to theOil and Gas Journal(OGJ). Reserves amounted 44 million barrels as of January 2013. Japans domestic oil reserves are found primarily along the countrys western coastline.(Japan Analysis , 2013) Because of the deficiency in reserves and recent climate changes after Fukushima incident Japanese government and energy companies have decide to pursue active participation in investing oil and natural gas projects overseas. To meets its oil consumption demand Japan relies almost solely on imports. Government controls oil stocks to maintain the supply without any interruption. Total strategic crude oil stocks in Japan were 590 million barrels at the end of December 2012, According to the International Energy Agency. In this stock 55% were government stocks and 45% commercial stocks. Because of the reserv e declining Japans natural gas production has been low and flat for over a decade. In 2012, production was 116 Bcf, a decline from an average of 185 Bcf over the past 10 years. (Japan Analysis , 2013) Investment Country Analysis The fact of foreign direct investment was cleared for the developing countries, they knew that FDI will bring change and transform their economies, bringing more jobs and capital ensuring the economic growth of the region. Because of this realization, developing countries are strongly encouraged to privatize state-owned industries and to give priority to attract foreign. Sub Sahara region of Africa is fulfilled with resources both oil and gas and continually booming from last few years. Many of the foreign companies are taking interest to invest in the region. For ABC PLCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s future investment in case of closure of U.S and Japan operation the best option to invest is Congo, a small African country with abundance of natural resources reserves. According to the latest estimates fromOil Gas Journal(OGJ) released in January 2014, Congo holds 1.6 billion barrels of proved crude oil reserves. This reserve is equivalent to 17.9 years of current production and 0.11 % of the worlds total reserves. Production is average of 295.4 thousand barrels of crude oil per day in 2011, 0.38% of the world and a change of 0.9 % compared to 2010. (CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE), 2014) According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), 87% of the countrys export revenues and almost 80% of the governments total revenue in 2011 are coming from oil sector which shows that economy of Congo is highly dependent on its oil production. (CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE), 2014) Because of the lack of proper infrastructure small amount of natural gas has been commercialized. Despite the fact that Congo holds sizable proved natural gas reserves. Regulation and Rules Congoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s oil and gas reserves are managed by the Ministry of Mines, Energy, and Water Resources. Government use production sharing agreements (PSAs) for Oil and Gas exploration and production operations. Societe Nationale des Petroles du Congo (SNPC) is the Congos national hydrocarbon company, which manages government-owned shares in hydrocarbon operations. (CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE), 2014) SNPC has an operating interest alongside international oil companies (IOCs) through PSAs, which also include tax breaks and a royalty system. There are several IOCs, such as Chevron, Perenco, Murphy Oil, and SOCO Internationals, that participate in the oil and gas industries, but the companies that dominant the industries are Total and Eni. Tax and Licensing Cost Congoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Licensing Laws are in accordance with Production Sharing Agreements (PSAà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s) and very favorable for investors. The laws take oil production royalty of 15% from investors with transportation and processing costs, reducing the rate to 12-14% and a gas production royalty of 5%. Oil recovery cost is up to 70% of total production is negotiable while exploration costs and operating costs are recoverable. Congoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s corporate tax rate is 35%. (OiI and Gas Industry Regulation in Congo, 2014) Following Figure 1 shows the Oil production and Consumption in Congo: Figure 2 Local Analysis Most of the foreign companies investing and operating in Congo are utilizing the local content for human resources, selecting suppliers and involving in community activities to boost the trust of local population. This act not only providing social and economic benefits but also helpà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s to create a stable relationship with the local host communities. ABC PLC should also consider this fact as an important aspect while recruitment of human resource and vendor selection process. Challenges: The total Oil production in Congo is around 310,000 barrels/day, generating 90% of government revenue and 90% of export earnings. For ABC Plcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s investment the major competitors will be The French Company Total which controls around 60% of output, Italyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s ENI produces 30%, and the remaining 10 percent is divided between the smaller players Congrep, Murphy and the state company SNPC. (CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE), 2014) Economic Development in the region Congo lies in Sub-Saharan Africa and economic growth in this region has up in 2013, regionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s GDP grew to 4.7%, growth was higher at the rate of 6%. FDI are coming in the region exploiting not only oil but gas and mining sectors as well. The Net FDI calculated for the region was 4$ billion in 2013. (CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE), 2014) Following is the table showing the GDP growth of Congo in past few years. (Congo Economic Studies, 2014) Figure 3 Risk Factors Following is the risk factor analysis for ABC Plc for investment in the developing country. It must be clarified that most of these risk factors cannot control by the ABC Plc and can affect the business. These risk factors includes Economic Condition The demand for oil products are directly related to the general economic growth. Demand can be interrupted by recession or negative/low economic growth. Major changes in region including civil unrest can also harm the demand. Financial markets and institutions changes can also pose serious risk to the company. Legal un-certainty Countries in this region including Congo have no well-developed legal system. Although the regulatory authority for Oil and Gas is present and working with investors to implement changes, but still the risk is present of any unpredictable action by government can make the business difficult for company. Regulatory and Tax Risk Although the government of the region are amending the laws and providing good terms to encourage foreign investors but the risk is remain to any change in laws including the international agreements can adversely affect the business. Any increase in corporate tax or royalty fee can harm the future profits of ABC Plcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s investment in Congo. Security Concern Successful operation can be disrupted by local communities in case of any civil unrest or labor union crisis making it impossible to continue operation or in worst case cause great costs for security or closing down the operation for a period of time. Efficient Operation ABC Plcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s performance will depend on how company can perform competitively given the nature of few but big players in the sector. It will depend on the ability to manage the cost and expenses and improve production for the total term of business. This requires an efficient management with focus on utilizing right technology working with the best vendors and controlling cost. Customer Analysis Following figure shows the major customers of the Congo oil products. This ensures for ABC Plc that investing in the region is a right decision or not. Congoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s reserves are mostly un-utilized and in coming years the production will increase significantly. Also more FDI in the region will open the new markets for the oil investing companies. Figure 4 Recommendations After analyzing the U.S, UK and Japan Current situation and future investment opportunities for the ABC Plc in developing country, following recommendation has been suggested. U.S and Japan operation of company is causing a great loss and continuing it will harm the company and even cost to closing the business. ABC Plc operation in UK is profitable for the company but not in the long run, increasing cost will affect the business. It is imperative to further invest in other countries and close the U.S and Japan operation as Japanese government and oil production companies are also seeing opportunities to invest in other countries. ABC Plc can invest in any country in the African region but Congo will be the best case choice, as government is welcoming the FDIà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s and have less restriction and barriers to entry. For investment in any country Supply is one of the vital factors and Congo has abundant resources in reserves which needs further exploration, making it impossible to decrease in future supply. Congoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s current oil customers include big countries hence the demand is speculated to be un-interrupted or lessen in coming years. Congo has a relatively calm political situation as compared with other small developing countries. Making it a good opportunity for investors. ABC Plc planning for investments in developing region affirm by the proposed projectà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s capital budgeting. Projects PBP, NPV and IRR (interpolation method) has been calculated in order to take the right decision. Projects life has been estimated for four years with the PBP of 3.5 Years. PBP shows that in 3 years company will recover the initial cost of investment in the region. NPV of project investment at 7% rate suggests that project is profitable and will generate good revenue. This revenue increase will also helpful to the ABC Plc for their future investment plans and the positive NPV will increase the value of firm as well. Projectà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s IRR has been calculated at 7% and 14% rate which show that project is acceptable at 7% and above rate but less than 13%. IRR suggests that projects should be acceptable as far as the IRR is greater than the cost of capital rate which in this case is 7%. Conclusion It is suggested for ABC Plc to close the business in Japan and U.S. and invest in Congo to continue its profit for coming years. Although there are still risk present in investing in a developing country but time and cost make this as a best choice in this scenario. References (2014).CONGO(BRAZZAVILLE).https://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=CF.%20Last%20accessed%2019th%20April%202014.%20 -. (2014).Congo Economic Studies..Available: https://www.coface.com/Economic-Studies-and-Country-Risks/Congo. Last accessed 19th April 2014. (2013)Japan Analysis. , from U.S Energy Information Administration: https://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=JA . Last Accessed April 19th, 2014 (2014) OiI and Gas Industry Regulation in Congo. from MBendi Information series: https://www.mbendi.com/indy/oilg/govo/af/co/p0005.html Last accessed on April 19, 2014 (2013) United Kingdom Analysis, from U.S Energy Information Administration: https://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=uk Last accessed on April Saturday 19, 2014 Table of Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 1

The Hunters Moonsong Chapter Seven Free Essays

â€Å"It would have been difficult to find a group of settlers less suited to building a brand-new colony than the one hundred and five men who sailed up the river from the Chesapeake Bay in 1607 and founded Jamestown,† Professor Campbel lectured from the front of Elena’s class. â€Å"While there were a couple of carpenters, a mason, a blacksmith, and maybe a dozen laborers among them, they were far outnumbered by the self-proclaimed gentlemen who made up almost half the party.† He paused and smiled sardonical y. We will write a custom essay sample on The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Seven or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"‘Gentlemen’ in this case signifies men without a profession or trade. Many of them were lazy, idle men who had joined the London Company’s expedition in the hope of making a profit without realizing how much work founding a colony in the New World was real y going to entail. The settlers landed in the spring, and by the end of September, half of them were dead. By January, when Captain Newport returned with supplies and more colonists, only thirty-eight of the original settlers remained.† Lazy and clueless, Elena wrote neatly in her notebook. Dead in less than a year. History of the South was her very first class, and col ege was already proving to be an eye-opening experience. Her high school teachers had always stressed courage and enterprise when they talked about Virginia’s early settlers, not haplessness. â€Å"On Thursday, we’l talk about the legend of John Smith and Pocahontas. We’re going to discuss the facts and how they differ from Smith’s own account, as he had a tendency toward self-promotion,† Professor Campbel announced. â€Å"The reading assignment is in the syl abus, so please come prepared for a lively discussion next time.† He was a plump, energetic little man, whose smal black eyes swept the class and landed unerringly on Elena as he added, â€Å"Elena Gilbert? Please stay after class for a moment. I’d like to speak with you.† She had time to wonder, nervously, how he knew which of his students she was as the rest of the class straggled out of the room, a few stopping to ask him questions. She hadn’t spoken up during his lecture, and there were about fifty students in the class. As the last of her classmates disappeared out the door, she approached his desk. â€Å"Elena Gilbert,† he said avuncularly, his bright eyes searching hers. â€Å"I do apologize for taking up your time. But when I heard your name, I had to ask.† He paused, and Elena dutiful y replied, â€Å"Had to ask what, Professor?† â€Å"I know the name Gilbert, you see,† he said, â€Å"and the more I look at you, the more you remind me of someone – two someones – who were once very dear friends of mine. Could you possibly be the daughter of Elizabeth Morrow and Thomas Gilbert?† â€Å"Yes, I am,† said Elena slowly. She ought to have expected that she might meet someone who knew her parents here at Dalcrest, but it felt weird to hear their names, al the same. â€Å"Ah!† He laced his fingers across his stomach and gave her a satisfied smile. â€Å"You look so much like Elizabeth. It startled me when you came into the room. But there’s a touch of Thomas in you, too, make no mistake about that. Something about your expression, I think. Seeing you takes me right back to my own days as an undergraduate. She was a lovely girl, your mother, just lovely.† â€Å"You went to school here with my parents?† Elena asked. â€Å"I certainly did.† Professor Campbel ‘s smal black eyes widened. â€Å"They were two of my best friends here. Two of the best friends I ever had. We lost track of each other over the years, I’m afraid, but I heard about the accident.† He unlaced his fingers and hesitantly touched her arm. â€Å"I’m so sorry.† â€Å"Thank you.† Elena bit her lip. â€Å"They never talked much about their col ege years. Maybe as I got older, they would have†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her voice trailed off, and she realized with dismay that her eyes had fil ed with tears. â€Å"Oh, my dear, I didn’t mean to upset you.† Professor Campbel patted his jacket pockets. â€Å"And I’ve never got a tissue when I need one. Oh, please don’t cry.† His comical expression of distress made Elena give him a watery-eyed smile, and he relaxed and smiled in return. â€Å"There, that’s better,† he said. â€Å"You know, if you’d like to hear more about your parents and what they were like back then, I’d be happy to tel you about them. I’ve got al kinds of stories.† â€Å"Real y?† Elena said hopeful y. She felt a flicker of excitement. Aunt Judith talked with Elena about her mother sometimes, but the memories she shared were mostly from their childhood. And Elena real y didn’t know much about her father’s past at al : he’d been an only child and his parents were dead. â€Å"Certainly, certainly,† Professor Campbel said cheerful y. â€Å"Come to my office hours, and I’l tel you al about our hijinks back in the old days. I’m there every Monday and Friday from three to five, and I’l put out a welcome mat for you. Metaphorical y speaking, of course. Serve you some of the horrible department coffee.† â€Å"Thank you, Professor Campbel ,† Elena said. â€Å"I’d love that.† â€Å"Cal me James,† he said. â€Å"It’s nothing at al . Anything I can do to make you feel at home here at Dalcrest.† He cocked his head to one side and looked at her quizzical y, his eyes as bright and curious as a smal animal’s. â€Å"After al , as the daughter of Elizabeth and Thomas, you must be a very special girl.† The big black crow outside the open lecture-room window paced back and forth, clenching and unclenching its powerful talons around the branch on which it was perched. Damon wanted to transform back into his vampire self, climb through the window, and have a quick but effective interrogation session with that professor. But Elena wouldn’t like that. She was so naive, dammit. Yes, yes, she was his lovely, bril iant, clever princess, but she was ridiculously naive, too; they al were. Damon irritably preened his ruffled feathers back into iridescent sleekness. They were just so young. At this point, Damon was able to look back and say that no one learned anything in life, not for her first hundred years or so. You had to be immortal, real y, to have the time to learn to look out for yourself properly. Take Elena, gazing so trustful y at her professor. After al she’d been through, al she’d seen, she was so easy to lul into complacency – al the man had to do was dangle the promise of information about her parents in front of her, and she’d happily trot off to meet him in his office whenever he suggested. Sentimental ninny. What could the man possibly tel her that would be of any real importance? Nothing could bring her parents back. The professor wasn’t a danger, most likely. Damon had probed him with his Power, felt nothing but the flickering of a human mind, no dark surge of answering Power coming from the little man, no sWellof disturbing or violent emotion. But he couldn’t be sure, could he? Damon’s Power couldn’t detect every monster, couldn’t predict every twist of the human heart. But the real problem here was Elena. She’d forgotten, clearly, that she’d lost al her Power, that the Guardians had stripped her back to being just a vulnerable, fragile mortal girl again. She thought, wrongly, that she could protect herself. They were al like that. Damon had been infuriated at first to slowly realize that he was starting to feel like al of them were his humans. Not just his lovely Elena and the little redbird, but all of them, the witch Mrs. Flowers and the hunter and that meathead of a boy as Well. Those last two didn’t even like him, but he felt compel ed to keep an eye on them, to prevent them from damaging themselves through their innate stupidity. Damon wasn’t the one who wanted to be here. No, the â€Å"let’s al join hands and dance off to further our educations together† idea wasn’t his, and he’d treated it with the proper scorn. He wasn’t Stefan. He wasn’t going to waste his time pretending to be one of the mortal children. But he had found, to his dismay, that he didn’t want to lose them, either. It was embarrassing. Vampires were not pack animals, not like humans. He wasn’t supposed to care what happened to them. These children should be prey, and nothing more. But being dead and coming back, fighting the jealousy phantom and letting go of the sick envy and misery that had held him captive ever since he was a human, had changed Damon. With that hard bal of hate gone from the middle of his chest, where it had lived for so long, he found himself feeling lighter. Almost as if he †¦ cared. Embarrassing or not, it felt surprisingly comfortable, having this connection to the little group of humans. He’d have died – again – rather than admit it aloud, though. He clacked his beak a few times as Elena said good-bye to her professor and left the classroom. Then Damon spread his wings and flapped down to a tree next to the building’s entrance. Nearby, a thin young man was posting a flyer with a girl’s picture on another tree, and Damon flew over to get a closer look. Missing Student, the top of the flyer said, and below the picture were details of a nighttime disappearance: no clues, no leads, no evidence, no idea where nineteen-year-old Taylor Harrison might be. Suspicion of foul play. The promise of a reward from her anxious family for information leading to her safe return. Damon let out a rough caw. There was something wrong here. He’d known it already – had felt something a little off about this campus as soon as he’d arrived two days ago, although he hadn’t been able to quite put his finger on it. Why else would he have been so worried about his princess? Elena came out of the building and started across the quad, tucking her long golden hair behind her ears, oblivious to the black crow that swooped from tree to tree above her. Damon was going to find out what was going on here, and he was going to do it before whatever it was touched any of his humans. Especial y Elena. How to cite The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Seven, Essay examples