Influence of Stereotypes in To Kill a Mockingbird by...

Introduction Section One: Harper Lee’s Life Section Two: Time Period Influences on Lee’s Writing Section Three: Influence of Stereotypes Section Four: To Kill a Mockingbird Reviews Conclusion Works Cited Introduction Which doll is better? In the 1950s, psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark asked black children between three and seven to answer this simple, yet revealing question. The kids were shown four dolls that were exactly the same except for their skin colors. Almost three quarters of the children chose the white doll as being superior and attributed positive characteristics to it. When asked why they picked it, they replied with, â€Å"Because it’s white† (Abagond). Almost half a century later, in 2005, Kiri Davis repeated the†¦show more content†¦In both cases, the black males were found guilty because individuals did not think for themselves and simply conformed to everyone else’s stereotypical beliefs (Schmoop Harper Lee). As a child, Lee was very much like her character Scout Finch. Lee was a tomboy; she would fight on the playground, and talk back to teachers, just like Scout. When Scout attends her first day of school she retorts back to her teacher to the point that her educator says, â€Å"Jean Louis, I’ve had about enough of you this morning...Youre starting off on the wrong foot in every way† (Lee 24). Lee would have acted very similarly on her first day. After secondary school, Lee studied law at the University of Alabama from 1945 to 1949, writing in the school’s newspaper and humor magazine, the Rammer Jammer. Lee soon realized that her passion was in writing and dropped out after the first semester. Though she quit, the knowledge she gained from university about the legal system is displayed in her novel (Big Read). Section Two: Time Period Influences on Lee’s Writing During the mid-1900s, prejudice and stereotypes were very prevalent, especially in a southern city like Alabama. Lee’s novel was published in 1960, right when the civil rights movement peaked. During this period of fight, groups hoped to end racial segregation and inequality. Additionally, the Scottsboro case held court in Alabama in 1931. The trial was about nine black males who were accused of raping two white women. The malesShow MoreRelatedUse of Minor Characters in To Kill a Mockingbird1274 Words   |  6 PagesFurthermore, protagonists are isolated without the people that surround and influence them subliminally. This applies to the intriguing minor characters one has the privilege of discovering in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Specifically, Lee uses minor characters to effectively disprove stereotypes and establishing setting. Not only do they influence the direction of the plot, but also Scout and her development as a character. Lee carefully selects min or characters to send important messages and reinforceRead MoreTheme Of Symbolism In To Kill A Mockingbird791 Words   |  4 PagesTo Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a multi-faceted novel which explores the principles and morals of people in the South during the 1930s. Mockingbirds are symbolic of the people that society abuse. Lee narrates the events of the novel using Scout’s voice and uses this technique to add emotional context and develop themes. Themes of racial and classist prejudice are developed by Lee to challenge the reader. These techniques are all powerful ways to alter the views of the reader. MockingbirdsRead MoreTheme Of Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird1450 Words   |  6 Pages Ingrained Racism â€Å"Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird...Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy† (Lee 119). The white community sinned and the black community suffered as an innocent mockingbird was killed. Although innocence is one recurring theme in Harper Lee’s novel, it seems as though it only mattered to her. Lee illustrates the widespread racial discrimination and oppression that developed in every social class of Maycomb, Alabama. Mulligan’s interpretation howeverRead MoreInequality In To Kill A Mockingbird Essay1241 Words   |  5 Pagesthe time and setting of To Kill a Mockingbird. Both black people and women dealt with stereotypes, like being a woman associated with being useless, a gossip, and delusional and being a black person meant you are uneducated. These stereotypes led to the word â€Å"female† or â€Å"n*gger† or black an offensive term. These connotations made being a woman or a black person less worthy. These connotations and stereotypes invalidated a woman’s or black persons word, these stereotypes and connotations led to theirRead MoreTheme Of Good And Evil By Harper Lee2401 Words   |  10 PagesThe book ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ written by Harper Lee is known as a classic book that is extremely relevant in today’s society as it explores themes that are experienced today which, makes the novel timeless. This book is written through a child’s eye better known as Scout, however still keeping it in an adult’s perspective through the complex structure and storyline. ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ is a deep explanation of the conflict that occurred between different people in the small city of AlabamaRead MoreKill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee1428 Words   |  6 Pagesthe 1930s, where discrimination was at its peak since the Civil War, and the majority of the United States was in extreme poverty. This sets the scene for the book, T o Kill A Mockingbird, where the young narrator, Scout, tells the events that happen in the small town of Maycomb. The plot of the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, has a more profound effect since it is set in the 1930s. The racial standards and discrimination that happened in the 1930s is what the majority of the storyline focusesRead MoreRelationship between How to Kill a Mockingbird and Mississipi Burning2129 Words   |  9 Pagesin the texts, To Kill a Mockingbird and Mississippi Burning, where coloured people, as they say, are discriminated based purely on their skin colour, but not judged by their skills, human like features etc. In context of the film and book, the white community judge only by appearance. Racism is society is relevant to the book by Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird and the film, Mississippi Burning, directed by Alan Parker. In context, between the book To Kill a Mockingbird and the film, MississippiRead MoreDangerous Social Forces1185 Words   |  5 Pagesthem. Social forces influence identities and become dangerous. Gender, race, time and place are just three social forces. All can have negative effects associated with them, the stereotyping of gender, saying that a girl has to dress nice, or cook in the kitchen, race and being discriminated against for not being a certain color, or even how being in a certain place can affect a persons identity, on the way they should act. Using references from To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and other variousRead MoreRacial Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird1564 Words   |  7 Pagesthroughout all societies, but when are they ever true? This is an insightful question that the characters Jem and Scout may be asking themselves following their experiences of racial prejudice and unfair judgement of others in the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. Racial issues are still a problem in society today, as are many of the other morals taught throughout the story. For example, the discrimination of the character Tom Robinson leads the children, Jem and Scout, to come to the conclusionRead MoreTheme Of Heroism In To Kill A Mockingbird743 Words   |  3 Pages No hero is made without experiencing pain. For Tom Robinson in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, this pain is being accused of a crime that he did not commit. In the 1930’s, the time period in which the Bildungsroman classic is set, the severe discrimination he faces is accepted and even encouraged. This appalling reality was a daily struggle for the African Americans living in the small Alabama town. As a minority in Maycomb, Tom is a great example of unexpected heroism due to the intense race

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 6 Free Essays

string(19) " she takes a seat\." Micha The pain in her eyes nearly kills me. If it were possible, I’d go back in time and stop her from climbing down that tree that God awful night. Maybe then, I’d still have my best friend. We will write a custom essay sample on The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 6 or any similar topic only for you Order Now I decide to make a sporadic stop to try and get Ella out of her own head. I park the car in an open space in front of the small coffeehouse located in the heart of town, between the Stop n’ Shop and Bubba’s Sports Barn. I shut off the engine and wait patiently for her to scold me. Her face reddens as she takes in where we are. â€Å"Micha, I’m really not in the mood for this right now. I have things to do and so does Lila.† â€Å"Come on, you haven’t seen me play in ages,† I coax, using my best seductive voice. â€Å"I’ll just do one song. In and out and we’re done.† â€Å"Sounds cool to me,† Lila says from the backseat, finally relaxing a little now that we’re far away from Grady’s trailer. â€Å"I love hearing bands and lead singers are always sexy.† â€Å"Micha plays the guitar and sings by himself,† Ella says with a flicker of possessiveness in her eyes. â€Å"He’s not a lead singer. He’s a solo singer.† â€Å"It’s all the same to me.† Lila pats Ella’s head and in a way I think she’s making a private joke with her. â€Å"Band or not, a guy who can sing and play is hot.† I grin charismatically and incline over the console. â€Å"Come on, pretty girl.† I wind a strand of her hair around my finger. â€Å"You know you want to come in and watch me be all hot and sexy, singing up on the stage. You know you’ve missed it.† Her eyes narrow at me as she fights back a smile. â€Å"You know that voice doesn’t work on me. I’ve seen you use it too many times on too many girls.† â€Å"I haven’t used it on a girl since you left.† I let the truth fall out. I used to come and go as I please with whoever I wanted, but once things started to change with our friendship, it became clear the void I was trying to fill was in her. â€Å"And I don’t want to use it on anyone – â€Å" She conceals her hand over my mouth. â€Å"I’ll go in with you, but only if you stop talking about stuff that makes me uncomfortable.† â€Å"Wait. What about my car?† Lila scoots forward and fixes her hair using the rearview mirror. â€Å"It’s getting late. Won’t the shop be closed soon?† I move Ella’s hand away from my lips and entwine her fingers with mine. â€Å"We’ll make it back in time. I promise.† Ella hesitates, staring at the coffeehouse like she’s a mouse about to walk into a lion’s den. I squeeze her hand. â€Å"Come on, let’s go in. You’ll be okay.† She looks at our hands, and then her gaze lifts, giving a fleeting glance at my lips before resolving on my eyes. â€Å"Is everyone still hanging out here?† â€Å"Kelly and Mike do and Renee and Ethan,† I say. â€Å"Grantford doesn’t really come around here anymore, though.† Her plump lips curl to a grin. â€Å"Because you punched him in the face.† â€Å"That might be part of it.† I return her smile and let go of her hand to climb out of the car. It feels like I might be getting somewhere with her. She hops out and stretches, arching her back and sticking out her chest. It makes me want to rip off her shirt, pull her in the backseat, and do things to her I’ve never done with anyone I’ve cared about before. â€Å"What are you looking at?† She pulls the bottom of her tank top back over her stomach. She really has no idea how beautiful she is. She never has. Even back in her punk/goth faze, she rocked the look. I shake my head, unable to take my eyes off her. â€Å"Nothing. Just thinkin’.† She slams the door and we head across the packed parking lot. I rest my hand on her lower back, but she wiggles away and sidesteps around Lila, putting her between us. I frown. Maybe I’m not doing as well as I thought. Ella If he keeps looking at me that way, my restraint is going to melt into a puddle of hot, steamy liquid. Micha has the most piercing eyes in the world, aqua blue, like the sea, waved with equal intensity. He’s flirty with me, which he used to do jokingly all the time, and I’d play along. But this is different somehow, more intense and real. It’s like he’s throwing his heart into the open, which isn’t how he used to be. At least with me. Except for the day I left. The coffeehouse is cramped with people, even for a Saturday afternoon. Every booth and table is occupied and there’s a guy with floppy brown hair playing the keyboard on stage, his voice a little off-key. The baristas are working hard on the long line that extends all the way to the door and in the corner, people are working on their laptops. â€Å"Where are we going to sit?† Lila scans the room. â€Å"There’s no empty tables.† Micha spots Ethan and Renee at a corner table and waves at them. â€Å"Seat situation solved,† he says, taking my hand and leading the way to them. Renee is a short girl that wears heavy eyeliner and has dark red hair. Her hazel eyes zone in on Micha’s hand tangled with mine. I attempt to pull my hand away, but Micha strengthens his grasp. â€Å"Hey, Ella.† She fakes a smile with her dark red lips. â€Å"What ya been up to?† â€Å"Nothing much,† I keep it simple, because simple is always better with Renee. â€Å"And so we meet again.† Ethan flashes a dimpled grin at Lila and pulls out a chair for her. â€Å"You decided to stick around here for a while.† Lila looks up at him as she takes a seat. You read "The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 6" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"Thank you. I kind of had to since my car was trashed last night.† Micha drops down in the last empty chair at the table and starts to pull me down to sit on his lap. My eyes sweep the room in search of an extra chair, but it’s so packed that people have to stand near the walls. â€Å"I don’t bite, Ella May.† There is a challenge in Micha’s eyes. â€Å"Unless you ask me to.† Everyone at the table is watching me. Not wanting to make a scene, I sink down on his lap. Ethan targets Micha with a bewildered look, which Micha ignores and steals a scone out of a basket in the middle of the table. He pops it into his mouth. â€Å"So what time’s Open Mic?† Ethan’s dark eyebrows plunge together. â€Å"Why? Are you thinking about playing again? Cause’ all I can say is it’s about freakin’ time.† â€Å"What do you mean again?† I ask, grabbing a scone myself. â€Å"Why hasn’t he been playing?† Ethan shoves up the sleeves of his shirt, crosses his arms on the table, and directs Micha with their secret-code look I have never been able to crack. I revolve my body to look at Micha, but instantly regret it. His eyes are too intense and I’m thrown out of my element for a second. â€Å"You stopped playing?† I ask him. â€Å"Why would you do that? Isn’t it your dream still?† He shrugs, snaking his arms around my waist. â€Å"It’s not the same without you here watching me.† â€Å"There were times I didn’t watch you play.† I put my hands on his shoulders. â€Å"Even when I lived here.† He shakes his head and wisps of his blonde hair fall across his forehead. â€Å"That’s not true. You never missed one.† I think back, knowing he’s right. â€Å"I don’t want you to stop living your life because I’m not here anymore.† â€Å"And I don’t want you to be anywhere but here.† He squeezes my hip and I instinctively jump at the tingling heat that spirals down between my legs. â€Å"What can I get you?† The waitress interrupts us. We all read off what we want, and the waitress gets particularly giggly when she writes down Micha’s order, even though I’m sitting on his lap. Her name is Kenzie and I’ve never liked her. She used to help Stacy Harris torment this girl we went to school with, who was in a wheelchair. I casually lean back against Micha’s chest, as if I’m doing it by accident. No one seems to notice except for the waitress. And Micha. His heart beat speeds up as if the nearness of my body is driving him mad. She frowns and tucks the order book into her apron. â€Å"I’ll be right back with your drinks.† I wait for Micha to call me out, but he stays quiet and keeps his hands on the tops of my bare thighs. I know it’s wrong and that he’s not mine. I made that clear the day I bailed, but I can’t seem to help myself. Ever since we were kids, I always felt the need to keep him away from girls who aren’t good enough for him. Old habits die hard. Micha Ethan is looking at me like I’m an idiot. Probably because I’m smiling like an idiot, but I can’t help myself. Ella got territorial with the waitress. She’s never done that before, not even before she left. â€Å"This band’s interesting,† Lila hollers over the banjo band playing up on stage. â€Å"Is this the kind of music you play?† Ethan, Renee, and I burst out laughing. Even Ella covers her mouth, trying really hard not to laugh. â€Å"No sweetie, this isn’t what I play.† I gulp my coffee. â€Å"Mines more†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Hot and sexy,† Ella says and I stare at her. She ignores my gaze and adds, â€Å"Think more along the lines of Spill Canvas.† Lila brushes some crumbs off the table. â€Å"That band you’re always listening to when you’re studying?† Ella nods, but shifts awkwardly. â€Å"That’s the one.† It makes me feel better that she still listens to the same music. At least that hasn’t changed. I keep one hand on her leg, afraid if I release her completely, she’ll run off again. I steal another scone from the basket and pop it into my mouth. Lila starts chatting with Ethan and Renee gets on her cellphone. I sweep Ella’s hair to the side and put my lips to her ear. â€Å"So you think I’m hot and sexy, huh?† She bites back a smile, pretending to be deeply immersed in the banjo song. â€Å"No, I said your music is hot and sexy.† â€Å"It’s all the same.† I dare a kiss against her shoulder, relishing the softness of her skin, wanting her so God damn bad I’m getting a hard on just thinking about it. Ella notices it too and squirms around in my lap, making it worse. â€Å"Down boy,† she jokes with a nervous laugh, then presses her lips together and starts to stand up. I trap her down by the hips and conform her backside onto my lap. We fit together so perfectly it’s mind blowing and all those feelings I felt for her before she left come rushing back to me. I need more of her. Now. Oblivious to everyone around us, my hands gradually slide up her thighs. â€Å"Micha.† She protests with a quiver in her voice. â€Å"Don’t. There are people†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I silence her as my fingers brush the edges of her skirt. I can’t stop – I’ve been carrying this sexual tension for ages. I started having these feelings for her when we were about sixteen. I ignored them for as long as possible, because I knew she’d freak if she found out. There were a few stolen kisses that I played off, but the night on the bridge, when I finally put it out there, changed everything. She freaked out just like I thought. Right after she left, I slept around, trying to get rid of the hunger inside of me, but after a while, I realized there was no point. Ella had taken something from me and there was no getting it back, unless I had her. So I let my hands sneak up the edge of her skirt and her fingers knead into my thighs. I wonder how far I should take this, since we’re sitting in a booth in a crowded room, and I almost pull back, but one of her legs falls to the side, and I view it as an open invitation. â€Å"Alright, it’s time for open mic.† The waitress that undressed me with her eyes speaks into the microphone on the stage. â€Å"If you already haven’t signed up, you can sign up with Phil over there.† She points her finger at the owner, a middle-aged man sitting in the corner next to the speakers. â€Å"I think that’s your cue.† Ella quickly gets up, thinking she’s off the hook. Before I head up to the signup sheet, I spread my fingers across her lower back and whisper in her ear, â€Å"Don’t think this is over because it’s not.† She shivers and I strut off to the table with a satisfied smile on my face. â€Å"Well, son of a bitch,† Phil says from behind the table. He’s an ex-band member of an 80’s cover band and still looks like he belongs in that decade with his mullet and neon clothes. â€Å"Look what the dog dragged in.† â€Å"Miss me that bad, huh?† I jot down my name on the signup sheet. â€Å"Are you kidding me?† he asks. â€Å"All we’ve had to listen to for the last few months is banjo music and a couple of hippies playing on the bongos. I swear it’s like Woodstock all over again.† I laugh, dropping the pen onto the table. â€Å"Well it’s nice to know I’ve been missed, I guess.† Phil fiddles with the volume of the amps. â€Å"More than missed. Please tell me you’re going to start playing here again. I’m in desperate need of some draw-in. This place is going downhill.† I smile politely, backing toward the table. â€Å"Nah, probably not. I don’t think I’m going to be sticking around here much longer. I’ve got places to go, people to see.† On my way back to the table, I cross paths with Naomi. She is Phil’s daughter, tall, with long black hair, and she’s an awesome singer. I used to play with her back before she went on the road with a band. We were actually pretty close, but I haven’t talked to her since she left. â€Å"Oh my God, I’m so glad I ran into you,† she says and there’s a little bit of red lipstick on her teeth. â€Å"Isn’t everyone?† I tease walking backwards. She laughs and swats my arm. â€Å"I see you still have that whole cocky attitude going.† I drop the act. â€Å"So you’re back in town?† â€Å"Yeah, but only for a few weeks. Can we chat up after you play? There’s something I really need to talk to you about. Something huge actually.† â€Å"How’d you know I was playing?† She points a finger at the table. â€Å"I just saw you sign up.† â€Å"Alright, I’ll catch up with you later.† I wave good-bye, wondering what she could possibly want. Ella Damn Micha. He’s killing me with his touches and longing gazes and now he’s going to sing. I’ve always had a soft spot for his voice. We’d sit on his bed and he’d strum his guitar while I sketched. Those were some of the perfect moments in my life. â€Å"Ella, what’s the matter with you?† Lila asks with an accusation. â€Å"You look a little flushed.† I sip my latte and realign the holder in the center of the table, so I can’t see my reflection in the stainless steel. â€Å"It’s just a little hot in here. That’s all.† â€Å"Yeah, sure it is.† She won’t stop looking at me, like she’s trying to crack open my head. As Micha steps onto the stage not too far from our table, my heart starts to chant unspeakable words. Sitting on a stool with his guitar on his lap he puts his lips up to the microphone, nibbling on his lip ring. â€Å"This one’s called ‘What No One Ever Sees’.† He strums a chord with his eyes locked on me, â€Å"I see it in your beautiful eyes, like a spot on the sun. The things you want to hide, buried deep inside you. Blinded by your light. It almost hurts to look at, almost hurts to breathe. Never can you look at the things no one ever sees Shaded by your light. Please take me inside you, please take me in. Never will I whisper, never will I give in. Even when I’m dying, your heart will always win. Shielded to the sightless, isolated from the naive. Breaking you in pieces, that can only ever grieve. Veiled by your light. Passionate for the world, yet overlooked by most. Your soul flickers in you, desperate to shine for the world But blinded by your darkness. Please take me inside you, please take me in. Never will I whisper, never will I give in. Even when I’m dying, your heart will always win.† With one lasting note, he ends the song. The crowd applauds and my eyes dart away from his penetrating gaze, and to the door. I want to run away like the room is on fire. â€Å"Holy crap,† Lila breathes, fanning herself. â€Å"You were right. That was HOT.† â€Å"I can play the drums.† Ethan taps his fingers on the table, and makes drum noises. â€Å"And I’m pretty good.† â€Å"Don’t let him fool ya.† Renee sips her coffee and a smirk curls at her lips. â€Å"He can play the drums on Rock Band and that’s it.† Ethan shoots Renee a dirty look. â€Å"Would you quit it? It’s not funny anymore.† Lila looks at me for an explanation. â€Å"This is how they are,† I explain with a heavy sigh. â€Å"They fight like cats and dogs.† Lila props her elbows onto the table and rests her chin on her hands. â€Å"El, doesn’t your brother play drums?† â€Å"Yeah, Dean did,† I say. â€Å"A little bit, anyway.† â€Å"Now Dean’s hot,† Renee remarks, aiming to get under my skin. Micha collects his guitar and clears the stage for the next singer, a girl with pink dreads who looks like she has a grudge against the world. A tall girl with long legs meets Micha at the corner of the stage. Her wavy black hair flows down her back, her grey eyes are striking, and her smile is bright. Her name is Naomi and she’s the daughter of the owner of the coffeehouse, who Micha played with a few times. She says something to Micha and he laughs. A flicker of envy burns in me, but I suppress it quickly. She leads him off the stage and Micha’s hand roams toward her back. He flashes me one last glance, before he ducks behind stage. I can’t read him at all and that frightens me more than when I can. Lila drinks her soy latte and peeks at me over the brim of her cup. â€Å"I don’t care what you say. That boy is in love with you.† I stay silent, tearing up a napkin until it’s shaped like a heart. â€Å"He might be, but not the kind of love you’re talking about.† â€Å"So, Ella,† Ethan interrupts and I swear he does it intentionally. If he did, I’m thankful for it. â€Å"How’s the city life?† â€Å"Stupendous.† I ruffle up the napkin and toss it into the empty scone basket. â€Å"That doesn’t sound very convincing.† Ethan drapes an arm on the back of Lila’s chair and places his foot on his knee. â€Å"Don’t you like it there?† I force myself to cheer up and sit up straight. â€Å"Actually, it’s pretty nice. There’s a lot to do and the school is great.† â€Å"You’re acting weird.† Ethan eyes me, rubbing his chin. â€Å"Something’s got you all wound up.† â€Å"I’m completely okay,† I say in denial. â€Å"Although, the excessive questions are a bit much.† Lila peers over at me as she licks froth from her lips. â€Å"He’s right. You look upset or something.† She feels my forehead. â€Å"You’re not getting sick, are you?† Micha returns to the table and the coffeehouse has cleared out a bit. He grabs a vacant chair, pulls it up to the table, turning it backwards, and then sits down in it. â€Å"So what are we up to for the rest of the night?† Ethan asks while Micha checks his messages on his phone. â€Å"I got to take this pretty lady over here to get her car fixed by you.† Micha nods his head at Lila. Ethan looks pleased. â€Å"Wow, I’m honored to be the one to fix it.† Micha slides his phone into his pocket. â€Å"We have to swing by Ella’s house and pick it up, so meet us at the shop in like a half-an-hour.† â€Å"Absolutely.† Ethan waves the waitress over to give us the check. â€Å"What do you think?† Micha asks me. â€Å"Does it sound like a plan?† I shrug, distracted by where he went with that girl. â€Å"Yeah, sure.† Everyone takes their coffee’s to-go and we head for the door. I leave mine behind, along with something else, but I’m not sure what. Perhaps a piece of my new identity. *** Micha and I don’t speak the entire drive home. It freaks Lila out a little and I worry that the more time she spends here with me, the less time she’s going to want to spend with me on campus. When we pull into the driveway that routes the side of my house, there is a painful reminder of another reason I didn’t want to come back waiting for me near the garage. â€Å"Whose car is that?† Lila scoots forward in her seat. â€Å"It’s gorgeous.† â€Å"Why is he here?† I grimace, scowling at the shiny red Porsche with Ohio license plates. â€Å"Now be nice,† Micha warns, his voice dripping with sarcasm. â€Å"He’s your brother.† â€Å"But it doesn’t make him less of an asshole,† I mutter. â€Å"And he swore when he left, he was never coming back here ever again.† â€Å"That’s your brother’s car?† Lila asks. â€Å"Good God, what does he do for living?† I press the tips of my fingers to the sides of my nose. â€Å"Who knows?† â€Å"Well, how does he afford a car like that?† she requests interestedly. â€Å"It’s not his car,† I say. â€Å"It’s my mothers.† Micha and I swap an oblique look, recalling the day the car mysteriously showed up in the garage. She never would tell anyone how she got it, and for a while, Dean and I expected the police to show up and arrest her for car thievery. It never happened and as time went on, it became like a game to my mother. Not just with the car, but with life. We never knew if she was telling the truth or not. After she died, Dean took the car. He acted like it was his right and maybe it was. He wasn’t the one who’d snuck out of the house that night and left our mother alone. â€Å"And that gorgeous car over there is yours,† I remind Lila, diverting her attention elsewhere. â€Å"You should probably go get it fixed, before Ethan wanders off from the shop.† She slumps back in the chair. â€Å"I’d really like to meet your brother first before I go.† â€Å"I’m sure he’ll still be here when you get back.† Actually I’m hoping he’ll be gone. â€Å"Come on, Lila, we’ll make it quick.† Micha opens the door. â€Å"We can drop it off and walk back. It isn’t too far.† When I climb outside, he captures my gaze over the roof of the car. â€Å"Are you coming with us?† â€Å"I think I need to stay.† My eyes travel to the back door. â€Å"Who knows why he’s here and what he’ll say to dad? And I don’t think dad can handle his crap.† Pressing his hands to the roof, he leans over. â€Å"But can you handle his crap?† â€Å"I’ll be fine,† I assure him. â€Å"Just get her car fixed. She needs to get out before she gets sucked into this place.† â€Å"This town isn’t that bad.† Micha closes the door. â€Å"You used to think the same thing.† â€Å"I also used to believe my mom would get better,† I say. â€Å"And look what a crashing disappointment that was.† From the back of the car, Lila blinks at me, stunned. â€Å"Ella, I didn’t know your mom was sick.† Micha’s expression is guarded. â€Å"Let’s go, Lila. Ella’s right, if Ethan gets too bored, he’ll bail.† They head for Lila’s car and I head up the driveway, wishing I could run back into Micha’s arms and alleviate the hole in my chest. Micha I worry about Ella the entire drive to the shop. Dean was never a good brother and at the funeral, he blamed Ella for their mother’s death. He basically tore her to shreds. Maybe it was his way of mourning, but it was still a shitty thing to do. â€Å"So what’s up with Ella and her brother?† Lila asks, resting her arm on the console. â€Å"I think that’s something you should probably talk to her about.† I turn the car into the parking lot of the shop. â€Å"It’s not really my story to tell.† Lila unclips her seatbelt. â€Å"But Ella’s never really told me much about her life. She has always been so quiet about it and I just thought it was her personality, but the way everyone talks about her around here, I don’t think it is.† â€Å"She used to be pretty loud spoken.† I reach for the door, but hesitate, needing to get it off my chest. â€Å"The Ella I knew was not the prim and proper girl you’ve been hanging out with. She had this fire in her and she didn’t put up with anyone’s crap. It got her into trouble a lot, but she was also the kind of person who would take the fall, even if it wasn’t her fault.† â€Å"I think I saw that part of her when we stopped at a bathroom when we first got to town,† Lila muses. â€Å"There was this guy there who was giving me crap and Ella nearly beat him up.† I try not to smile. â€Å"She did, did she?† â€Å"Is that how she was when you knew her? Like a total badass?† Lila grins and I realize she’s not as bad as I originally thought. â€Å"Yeah, she was always kind of a badass.† I shove the door open and my boots scuff the gravel as I climb out. There are a few cars parked in front of the metal building and both the garage doors are open. A truck is parked inside and the owner of the shop – Ethan’s dad – is working under the hood. â€Å"So what do you do?† Lila asks as we head to the entrance. â€Å"A little of this,† I joke. â€Å"And a little of that.† â€Å"So it’s a secret.† She picks up on my vibe. I swing the chain attached to my jeans. â€Å"For now, it kind of is.† â€Å"Gotcha.† She doesn’t press and I like her even more. Ethan is waiting for us in the lobby, slouched back in a chair with his shoes kicked up on the counter and his head slanted back. â€Å"It’s about damn time. I was about ready to leave.† Lila starts to giggle as she takes out her phone from her purse. â€Å"You guys weren’t lying.† Ethan lowers his feet to the floor and stands up. â€Å"What’s so funny?† â€Å"Nothing.† I shrug him off, resting my arms on the counter. â€Å"Ella and I just told her that if we didn’t hurry up you’d get bored and leave.† â€Å"So you were talking about me behind my back.† He walks around the counter by Lila. â€Å"You got the keys or did you leave them in?† I toss him the keys and he catches them. â€Å"Where’s Ella?† â€Å"Her brother showed up,† I explain. â€Å"She’s back at her house.† Ethan’s eyebrows shoot upward. â€Å"And you left her there alone with him?† â€Å"Only to drop this off,† I say. â€Å"Lila and I are going to walk back.† Lila glances back and forth between Ethan and me. â€Å"Is something wrong with Ella’s brother?† â€Å"She’ll be fine.† I lean against the glass door with my arms folded and check my watch. â€Å"But we should get back.† â€Å"I think I should stay here,† Lila says, frowning at her phone. â€Å"Are you sure?† I ask. â€Å"Ethan will take good care of it.† She looks upset as she tosses the phone into her purse. â€Å"Yeah, I need to make sure everything’s taken care of properly.† â€Å"Alright, can you find your way back to the house?† I nudge the door open. â€Å"I’ll make sure she gets there,† Ethan offers with a shrug. Lila adjusts her purse on her shoulder and gives him a small smile. â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"Alright, if it’s okay with the both of you, then I guess I’ll see you later.† I hike across the parking lot, toward the street. It’s getting late, and the odds of Lila’s car being fixed by the end of the day are pretty fucking low. I take out my cell phone and text Ella. Me: Just wantin to make sure ur ok? I walk down the sidewalk fenced by houses and dried out lawns. There is a drug exchange going on at the corner between a group of kids that still look young enough to be in high school. This side of town is pretty crappy, which I’m okay with now, but when Ella and I were kids, it was harder to deal with. Ella was always so curious about stuff. There were many times we got chased down for sticking our noses where they didn’t belong and I got my ass kicked defending Ella quite a few times. But I’d do it again in a heartbeat because when it all comes down to it, it’s just me and her against the world. Always has been. My phone buzzes inside my pocket and I check the message, surprised to see Ella’s name on the screen. Ella: No, I don’t think I am. Without a second thought, I run as fast as I can toward her house. How to cite The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 6, Essay examples

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 6 Free Essays

string(19) " she takes a seat\." Micha The pain in her eyes nearly kills me. If it were possible, I’d go back in time and stop her from climbing down that tree that God awful night. Maybe then, I’d still have my best friend. We will write a custom essay sample on The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 6 or any similar topic only for you Order Now I decide to make a sporadic stop to try and get Ella out of her own head. I park the car in an open space in front of the small coffeehouse located in the heart of town, between the Stop n’ Shop and Bubba’s Sports Barn. I shut off the engine and wait patiently for her to scold me. Her face reddens as she takes in where we are. â€Å"Micha, I’m really not in the mood for this right now. I have things to do and so does Lila.† â€Å"Come on, you haven’t seen me play in ages,† I coax, using my best seductive voice. â€Å"I’ll just do one song. In and out and we’re done.† â€Å"Sounds cool to me,† Lila says from the backseat, finally relaxing a little now that we’re far away from Grady’s trailer. â€Å"I love hearing bands and lead singers are always sexy.† â€Å"Micha plays the guitar and sings by himself,† Ella says with a flicker of possessiveness in her eyes. â€Å"He’s not a lead singer. He’s a solo singer.† â€Å"It’s all the same to me.† Lila pats Ella’s head and in a way I think she’s making a private joke with her. â€Å"Band or not, a guy who can sing and play is hot.† I grin charismatically and incline over the console. â€Å"Come on, pretty girl.† I wind a strand of her hair around my finger. â€Å"You know you want to come in and watch me be all hot and sexy, singing up on the stage. You know you’ve missed it.† Her eyes narrow at me as she fights back a smile. â€Å"You know that voice doesn’t work on me. I’ve seen you use it too many times on too many girls.† â€Å"I haven’t used it on a girl since you left.† I let the truth fall out. I used to come and go as I please with whoever I wanted, but once things started to change with our friendship, it became clear the void I was trying to fill was in her. â€Å"And I don’t want to use it on anyone – â€Å" She conceals her hand over my mouth. â€Å"I’ll go in with you, but only if you stop talking about stuff that makes me uncomfortable.† â€Å"Wait. What about my car?† Lila scoots forward and fixes her hair using the rearview mirror. â€Å"It’s getting late. Won’t the shop be closed soon?† I move Ella’s hand away from my lips and entwine her fingers with mine. â€Å"We’ll make it back in time. I promise.† Ella hesitates, staring at the coffeehouse like she’s a mouse about to walk into a lion’s den. I squeeze her hand. â€Å"Come on, let’s go in. You’ll be okay.† She looks at our hands, and then her gaze lifts, giving a fleeting glance at my lips before resolving on my eyes. â€Å"Is everyone still hanging out here?† â€Å"Kelly and Mike do and Renee and Ethan,† I say. â€Å"Grantford doesn’t really come around here anymore, though.† Her plump lips curl to a grin. â€Å"Because you punched him in the face.† â€Å"That might be part of it.† I return her smile and let go of her hand to climb out of the car. It feels like I might be getting somewhere with her. She hops out and stretches, arching her back and sticking out her chest. It makes me want to rip off her shirt, pull her in the backseat, and do things to her I’ve never done with anyone I’ve cared about before. â€Å"What are you looking at?† She pulls the bottom of her tank top back over her stomach. She really has no idea how beautiful she is. She never has. Even back in her punk/goth faze, she rocked the look. I shake my head, unable to take my eyes off her. â€Å"Nothing. Just thinkin’.† She slams the door and we head across the packed parking lot. I rest my hand on her lower back, but she wiggles away and sidesteps around Lila, putting her between us. I frown. Maybe I’m not doing as well as I thought. Ella If he keeps looking at me that way, my restraint is going to melt into a puddle of hot, steamy liquid. Micha has the most piercing eyes in the world, aqua blue, like the sea, waved with equal intensity. He’s flirty with me, which he used to do jokingly all the time, and I’d play along. But this is different somehow, more intense and real. It’s like he’s throwing his heart into the open, which isn’t how he used to be. At least with me. Except for the day I left. The coffeehouse is cramped with people, even for a Saturday afternoon. Every booth and table is occupied and there’s a guy with floppy brown hair playing the keyboard on stage, his voice a little off-key. The baristas are working hard on the long line that extends all the way to the door and in the corner, people are working on their laptops. â€Å"Where are we going to sit?† Lila scans the room. â€Å"There’s no empty tables.† Micha spots Ethan and Renee at a corner table and waves at them. â€Å"Seat situation solved,† he says, taking my hand and leading the way to them. Renee is a short girl that wears heavy eyeliner and has dark red hair. Her hazel eyes zone in on Micha’s hand tangled with mine. I attempt to pull my hand away, but Micha strengthens his grasp. â€Å"Hey, Ella.† She fakes a smile with her dark red lips. â€Å"What ya been up to?† â€Å"Nothing much,† I keep it simple, because simple is always better with Renee. â€Å"And so we meet again.† Ethan flashes a dimpled grin at Lila and pulls out a chair for her. â€Å"You decided to stick around here for a while.† Lila looks up at him as she takes a seat. You read "The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 6" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"Thank you. I kind of had to since my car was trashed last night.† Micha drops down in the last empty chair at the table and starts to pull me down to sit on his lap. My eyes sweep the room in search of an extra chair, but it’s so packed that people have to stand near the walls. â€Å"I don’t bite, Ella May.† There is a challenge in Micha’s eyes. â€Å"Unless you ask me to.† Everyone at the table is watching me. Not wanting to make a scene, I sink down on his lap. Ethan targets Micha with a bewildered look, which Micha ignores and steals a scone out of a basket in the middle of the table. He pops it into his mouth. â€Å"So what time’s Open Mic?† Ethan’s dark eyebrows plunge together. â€Å"Why? Are you thinking about playing again? Cause’ all I can say is it’s about freakin’ time.† â€Å"What do you mean again?† I ask, grabbing a scone myself. â€Å"Why hasn’t he been playing?† Ethan shoves up the sleeves of his shirt, crosses his arms on the table, and directs Micha with their secret-code look I have never been able to crack. I revolve my body to look at Micha, but instantly regret it. His eyes are too intense and I’m thrown out of my element for a second. â€Å"You stopped playing?† I ask him. â€Å"Why would you do that? Isn’t it your dream still?† He shrugs, snaking his arms around my waist. â€Å"It’s not the same without you here watching me.† â€Å"There were times I didn’t watch you play.† I put my hands on his shoulders. â€Å"Even when I lived here.† He shakes his head and wisps of his blonde hair fall across his forehead. â€Å"That’s not true. You never missed one.† I think back, knowing he’s right. â€Å"I don’t want you to stop living your life because I’m not here anymore.† â€Å"And I don’t want you to be anywhere but here.† He squeezes my hip and I instinctively jump at the tingling heat that spirals down between my legs. â€Å"What can I get you?† The waitress interrupts us. We all read off what we want, and the waitress gets particularly giggly when she writes down Micha’s order, even though I’m sitting on his lap. Her name is Kenzie and I’ve never liked her. She used to help Stacy Harris torment this girl we went to school with, who was in a wheelchair. I casually lean back against Micha’s chest, as if I’m doing it by accident. No one seems to notice except for the waitress. And Micha. His heart beat speeds up as if the nearness of my body is driving him mad. She frowns and tucks the order book into her apron. â€Å"I’ll be right back with your drinks.† I wait for Micha to call me out, but he stays quiet and keeps his hands on the tops of my bare thighs. I know it’s wrong and that he’s not mine. I made that clear the day I bailed, but I can’t seem to help myself. Ever since we were kids, I always felt the need to keep him away from girls who aren’t good enough for him. Old habits die hard. Micha Ethan is looking at me like I’m an idiot. Probably because I’m smiling like an idiot, but I can’t help myself. Ella got territorial with the waitress. She’s never done that before, not even before she left. â€Å"This band’s interesting,† Lila hollers over the banjo band playing up on stage. â€Å"Is this the kind of music you play?† Ethan, Renee, and I burst out laughing. Even Ella covers her mouth, trying really hard not to laugh. â€Å"No sweetie, this isn’t what I play.† I gulp my coffee. â€Å"Mines more†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Hot and sexy,† Ella says and I stare at her. She ignores my gaze and adds, â€Å"Think more along the lines of Spill Canvas.† Lila brushes some crumbs off the table. â€Å"That band you’re always listening to when you’re studying?† Ella nods, but shifts awkwardly. â€Å"That’s the one.† It makes me feel better that she still listens to the same music. At least that hasn’t changed. I keep one hand on her leg, afraid if I release her completely, she’ll run off again. I steal another scone from the basket and pop it into my mouth. Lila starts chatting with Ethan and Renee gets on her cellphone. I sweep Ella’s hair to the side and put my lips to her ear. â€Å"So you think I’m hot and sexy, huh?† She bites back a smile, pretending to be deeply immersed in the banjo song. â€Å"No, I said your music is hot and sexy.† â€Å"It’s all the same.† I dare a kiss against her shoulder, relishing the softness of her skin, wanting her so God damn bad I’m getting a hard on just thinking about it. Ella notices it too and squirms around in my lap, making it worse. â€Å"Down boy,† she jokes with a nervous laugh, then presses her lips together and starts to stand up. I trap her down by the hips and conform her backside onto my lap. We fit together so perfectly it’s mind blowing and all those feelings I felt for her before she left come rushing back to me. I need more of her. Now. Oblivious to everyone around us, my hands gradually slide up her thighs. â€Å"Micha.† She protests with a quiver in her voice. â€Å"Don’t. There are people†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I silence her as my fingers brush the edges of her skirt. I can’t stop – I’ve been carrying this sexual tension for ages. I started having these feelings for her when we were about sixteen. I ignored them for as long as possible, because I knew she’d freak if she found out. There were a few stolen kisses that I played off, but the night on the bridge, when I finally put it out there, changed everything. She freaked out just like I thought. Right after she left, I slept around, trying to get rid of the hunger inside of me, but after a while, I realized there was no point. Ella had taken something from me and there was no getting it back, unless I had her. So I let my hands sneak up the edge of her skirt and her fingers knead into my thighs. I wonder how far I should take this, since we’re sitting in a booth in a crowded room, and I almost pull back, but one of her legs falls to the side, and I view it as an open invitation. â€Å"Alright, it’s time for open mic.† The waitress that undressed me with her eyes speaks into the microphone on the stage. â€Å"If you already haven’t signed up, you can sign up with Phil over there.† She points her finger at the owner, a middle-aged man sitting in the corner next to the speakers. â€Å"I think that’s your cue.† Ella quickly gets up, thinking she’s off the hook. Before I head up to the signup sheet, I spread my fingers across her lower back and whisper in her ear, â€Å"Don’t think this is over because it’s not.† She shivers and I strut off to the table with a satisfied smile on my face. â€Å"Well, son of a bitch,† Phil says from behind the table. He’s an ex-band member of an 80’s cover band and still looks like he belongs in that decade with his mullet and neon clothes. â€Å"Look what the dog dragged in.† â€Å"Miss me that bad, huh?† I jot down my name on the signup sheet. â€Å"Are you kidding me?† he asks. â€Å"All we’ve had to listen to for the last few months is banjo music and a couple of hippies playing on the bongos. I swear it’s like Woodstock all over again.† I laugh, dropping the pen onto the table. â€Å"Well it’s nice to know I’ve been missed, I guess.† Phil fiddles with the volume of the amps. â€Å"More than missed. Please tell me you’re going to start playing here again. I’m in desperate need of some draw-in. This place is going downhill.† I smile politely, backing toward the table. â€Å"Nah, probably not. I don’t think I’m going to be sticking around here much longer. I’ve got places to go, people to see.† On my way back to the table, I cross paths with Naomi. She is Phil’s daughter, tall, with long black hair, and she’s an awesome singer. I used to play with her back before she went on the road with a band. We were actually pretty close, but I haven’t talked to her since she left. â€Å"Oh my God, I’m so glad I ran into you,† she says and there’s a little bit of red lipstick on her teeth. â€Å"Isn’t everyone?† I tease walking backwards. She laughs and swats my arm. â€Å"I see you still have that whole cocky attitude going.† I drop the act. â€Å"So you’re back in town?† â€Å"Yeah, but only for a few weeks. Can we chat up after you play? There’s something I really need to talk to you about. Something huge actually.† â€Å"How’d you know I was playing?† She points a finger at the table. â€Å"I just saw you sign up.† â€Å"Alright, I’ll catch up with you later.† I wave good-bye, wondering what she could possibly want. Ella Damn Micha. He’s killing me with his touches and longing gazes and now he’s going to sing. I’ve always had a soft spot for his voice. We’d sit on his bed and he’d strum his guitar while I sketched. Those were some of the perfect moments in my life. â€Å"Ella, what’s the matter with you?† Lila asks with an accusation. â€Å"You look a little flushed.† I sip my latte and realign the holder in the center of the table, so I can’t see my reflection in the stainless steel. â€Å"It’s just a little hot in here. That’s all.† â€Å"Yeah, sure it is.† She won’t stop looking at me, like she’s trying to crack open my head. As Micha steps onto the stage not too far from our table, my heart starts to chant unspeakable words. Sitting on a stool with his guitar on his lap he puts his lips up to the microphone, nibbling on his lip ring. â€Å"This one’s called ‘What No One Ever Sees’.† He strums a chord with his eyes locked on me, â€Å"I see it in your beautiful eyes, like a spot on the sun. The things you want to hide, buried deep inside you. Blinded by your light. It almost hurts to look at, almost hurts to breathe. Never can you look at the things no one ever sees Shaded by your light. Please take me inside you, please take me in. Never will I whisper, never will I give in. Even when I’m dying, your heart will always win. Shielded to the sightless, isolated from the naive. Breaking you in pieces, that can only ever grieve. Veiled by your light. Passionate for the world, yet overlooked by most. Your soul flickers in you, desperate to shine for the world But blinded by your darkness. Please take me inside you, please take me in. Never will I whisper, never will I give in. Even when I’m dying, your heart will always win.† With one lasting note, he ends the song. The crowd applauds and my eyes dart away from his penetrating gaze, and to the door. I want to run away like the room is on fire. â€Å"Holy crap,† Lila breathes, fanning herself. â€Å"You were right. That was HOT.† â€Å"I can play the drums.† Ethan taps his fingers on the table, and makes drum noises. â€Å"And I’m pretty good.† â€Å"Don’t let him fool ya.† Renee sips her coffee and a smirk curls at her lips. â€Å"He can play the drums on Rock Band and that’s it.† Ethan shoots Renee a dirty look. â€Å"Would you quit it? It’s not funny anymore.† Lila looks at me for an explanation. â€Å"This is how they are,† I explain with a heavy sigh. â€Å"They fight like cats and dogs.† Lila props her elbows onto the table and rests her chin on her hands. â€Å"El, doesn’t your brother play drums?† â€Å"Yeah, Dean did,† I say. â€Å"A little bit, anyway.† â€Å"Now Dean’s hot,† Renee remarks, aiming to get under my skin. Micha collects his guitar and clears the stage for the next singer, a girl with pink dreads who looks like she has a grudge against the world. A tall girl with long legs meets Micha at the corner of the stage. Her wavy black hair flows down her back, her grey eyes are striking, and her smile is bright. Her name is Naomi and she’s the daughter of the owner of the coffeehouse, who Micha played with a few times. She says something to Micha and he laughs. A flicker of envy burns in me, but I suppress it quickly. She leads him off the stage and Micha’s hand roams toward her back. He flashes me one last glance, before he ducks behind stage. I can’t read him at all and that frightens me more than when I can. Lila drinks her soy latte and peeks at me over the brim of her cup. â€Å"I don’t care what you say. That boy is in love with you.† I stay silent, tearing up a napkin until it’s shaped like a heart. â€Å"He might be, but not the kind of love you’re talking about.† â€Å"So, Ella,† Ethan interrupts and I swear he does it intentionally. If he did, I’m thankful for it. â€Å"How’s the city life?† â€Å"Stupendous.† I ruffle up the napkin and toss it into the empty scone basket. â€Å"That doesn’t sound very convincing.† Ethan drapes an arm on the back of Lila’s chair and places his foot on his knee. â€Å"Don’t you like it there?† I force myself to cheer up and sit up straight. â€Å"Actually, it’s pretty nice. There’s a lot to do and the school is great.† â€Å"You’re acting weird.† Ethan eyes me, rubbing his chin. â€Å"Something’s got you all wound up.† â€Å"I’m completely okay,† I say in denial. â€Å"Although, the excessive questions are a bit much.† Lila peers over at me as she licks froth from her lips. â€Å"He’s right. You look upset or something.† She feels my forehead. â€Å"You’re not getting sick, are you?† Micha returns to the table and the coffeehouse has cleared out a bit. He grabs a vacant chair, pulls it up to the table, turning it backwards, and then sits down in it. â€Å"So what are we up to for the rest of the night?† Ethan asks while Micha checks his messages on his phone. â€Å"I got to take this pretty lady over here to get her car fixed by you.† Micha nods his head at Lila. Ethan looks pleased. â€Å"Wow, I’m honored to be the one to fix it.† Micha slides his phone into his pocket. â€Å"We have to swing by Ella’s house and pick it up, so meet us at the shop in like a half-an-hour.† â€Å"Absolutely.† Ethan waves the waitress over to give us the check. â€Å"What do you think?† Micha asks me. â€Å"Does it sound like a plan?† I shrug, distracted by where he went with that girl. â€Å"Yeah, sure.† Everyone takes their coffee’s to-go and we head for the door. I leave mine behind, along with something else, but I’m not sure what. Perhaps a piece of my new identity. *** Micha and I don’t speak the entire drive home. It freaks Lila out a little and I worry that the more time she spends here with me, the less time she’s going to want to spend with me on campus. When we pull into the driveway that routes the side of my house, there is a painful reminder of another reason I didn’t want to come back waiting for me near the garage. â€Å"Whose car is that?† Lila scoots forward in her seat. â€Å"It’s gorgeous.† â€Å"Why is he here?† I grimace, scowling at the shiny red Porsche with Ohio license plates. â€Å"Now be nice,† Micha warns, his voice dripping with sarcasm. â€Å"He’s your brother.† â€Å"But it doesn’t make him less of an asshole,† I mutter. â€Å"And he swore when he left, he was never coming back here ever again.† â€Å"That’s your brother’s car?† Lila asks. â€Å"Good God, what does he do for living?† I press the tips of my fingers to the sides of my nose. â€Å"Who knows?† â€Å"Well, how does he afford a car like that?† she requests interestedly. â€Å"It’s not his car,† I say. â€Å"It’s my mothers.† Micha and I swap an oblique look, recalling the day the car mysteriously showed up in the garage. She never would tell anyone how she got it, and for a while, Dean and I expected the police to show up and arrest her for car thievery. It never happened and as time went on, it became like a game to my mother. Not just with the car, but with life. We never knew if she was telling the truth or not. After she died, Dean took the car. He acted like it was his right and maybe it was. He wasn’t the one who’d snuck out of the house that night and left our mother alone. â€Å"And that gorgeous car over there is yours,† I remind Lila, diverting her attention elsewhere. â€Å"You should probably go get it fixed, before Ethan wanders off from the shop.† She slumps back in the chair. â€Å"I’d really like to meet your brother first before I go.† â€Å"I’m sure he’ll still be here when you get back.† Actually I’m hoping he’ll be gone. â€Å"Come on, Lila, we’ll make it quick.† Micha opens the door. â€Å"We can drop it off and walk back. It isn’t too far.† When I climb outside, he captures my gaze over the roof of the car. â€Å"Are you coming with us?† â€Å"I think I need to stay.† My eyes travel to the back door. â€Å"Who knows why he’s here and what he’ll say to dad? And I don’t think dad can handle his crap.† Pressing his hands to the roof, he leans over. â€Å"But can you handle his crap?† â€Å"I’ll be fine,† I assure him. â€Å"Just get her car fixed. She needs to get out before she gets sucked into this place.† â€Å"This town isn’t that bad.† Micha closes the door. â€Å"You used to think the same thing.† â€Å"I also used to believe my mom would get better,† I say. â€Å"And look what a crashing disappointment that was.† From the back of the car, Lila blinks at me, stunned. â€Å"Ella, I didn’t know your mom was sick.† Micha’s expression is guarded. â€Å"Let’s go, Lila. Ella’s right, if Ethan gets too bored, he’ll bail.† They head for Lila’s car and I head up the driveway, wishing I could run back into Micha’s arms and alleviate the hole in my chest. Micha I worry about Ella the entire drive to the shop. Dean was never a good brother and at the funeral, he blamed Ella for their mother’s death. He basically tore her to shreds. Maybe it was his way of mourning, but it was still a shitty thing to do. â€Å"So what’s up with Ella and her brother?† Lila asks, resting her arm on the console. â€Å"I think that’s something you should probably talk to her about.† I turn the car into the parking lot of the shop. â€Å"It’s not really my story to tell.† Lila unclips her seatbelt. â€Å"But Ella’s never really told me much about her life. She has always been so quiet about it and I just thought it was her personality, but the way everyone talks about her around here, I don’t think it is.† â€Å"She used to be pretty loud spoken.† I reach for the door, but hesitate, needing to get it off my chest. â€Å"The Ella I knew was not the prim and proper girl you’ve been hanging out with. She had this fire in her and she didn’t put up with anyone’s crap. It got her into trouble a lot, but she was also the kind of person who would take the fall, even if it wasn’t her fault.† â€Å"I think I saw that part of her when we stopped at a bathroom when we first got to town,† Lila muses. â€Å"There was this guy there who was giving me crap and Ella nearly beat him up.† I try not to smile. â€Å"She did, did she?† â€Å"Is that how she was when you knew her? Like a total badass?† Lila grins and I realize she’s not as bad as I originally thought. â€Å"Yeah, she was always kind of a badass.† I shove the door open and my boots scuff the gravel as I climb out. There are a few cars parked in front of the metal building and both the garage doors are open. A truck is parked inside and the owner of the shop – Ethan’s dad – is working under the hood. â€Å"So what do you do?† Lila asks as we head to the entrance. â€Å"A little of this,† I joke. â€Å"And a little of that.† â€Å"So it’s a secret.† She picks up on my vibe. I swing the chain attached to my jeans. â€Å"For now, it kind of is.† â€Å"Gotcha.† She doesn’t press and I like her even more. Ethan is waiting for us in the lobby, slouched back in a chair with his shoes kicked up on the counter and his head slanted back. â€Å"It’s about damn time. I was about ready to leave.† Lila starts to giggle as she takes out her phone from her purse. â€Å"You guys weren’t lying.† Ethan lowers his feet to the floor and stands up. â€Å"What’s so funny?† â€Å"Nothing.† I shrug him off, resting my arms on the counter. â€Å"Ella and I just told her that if we didn’t hurry up you’d get bored and leave.† â€Å"So you were talking about me behind my back.† He walks around the counter by Lila. â€Å"You got the keys or did you leave them in?† I toss him the keys and he catches them. â€Å"Where’s Ella?† â€Å"Her brother showed up,† I explain. â€Å"She’s back at her house.† Ethan’s eyebrows shoot upward. â€Å"And you left her there alone with him?† â€Å"Only to drop this off,† I say. â€Å"Lila and I are going to walk back.† Lila glances back and forth between Ethan and me. â€Å"Is something wrong with Ella’s brother?† â€Å"She’ll be fine.† I lean against the glass door with my arms folded and check my watch. â€Å"But we should get back.† â€Å"I think I should stay here,† Lila says, frowning at her phone. â€Å"Are you sure?† I ask. â€Å"Ethan will take good care of it.† She looks upset as she tosses the phone into her purse. â€Å"Yeah, I need to make sure everything’s taken care of properly.† â€Å"Alright, can you find your way back to the house?† I nudge the door open. â€Å"I’ll make sure she gets there,† Ethan offers with a shrug. Lila adjusts her purse on her shoulder and gives him a small smile. â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"Alright, if it’s okay with the both of you, then I guess I’ll see you later.† I hike across the parking lot, toward the street. It’s getting late, and the odds of Lila’s car being fixed by the end of the day are pretty fucking low. I take out my cell phone and text Ella. Me: Just wantin to make sure ur ok? I walk down the sidewalk fenced by houses and dried out lawns. There is a drug exchange going on at the corner between a group of kids that still look young enough to be in high school. This side of town is pretty crappy, which I’m okay with now, but when Ella and I were kids, it was harder to deal with. Ella was always so curious about stuff. There were many times we got chased down for sticking our noses where they didn’t belong and I got my ass kicked defending Ella quite a few times. But I’d do it again in a heartbeat because when it all comes down to it, it’s just me and her against the world. Always has been. My phone buzzes inside my pocket and I check the message, surprised to see Ella’s name on the screen. Ella: No, I don’t think I am. Without a second thought, I run as fast as I can toward her house. How to cite The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 6, Essay examples

Impact of Information Technology in an Organization free essay sample

Q: How will you create an impact of information technology in your organization and do international business? A: In 1998 the United States exported $105 billion less in goods and services than our international trading partners were selling to us. With the latest summarized trade data in for 1999, those numbers will most likely crest the deficit past the $200 billion mark. Since the total United States economy is closing in on $8 trillion annually, there are some economists who contend that we can easily absorb these unending mega-outflows of U. S. dollars without any adverse impact on our nation as a whole. Whether or not this view is really credible is too complex a subject to address here. Instead, let us look at the bountiful foreign trade Opportunities available to U. S. manufacturers who stay awake to the potential of Information Technology (IT) and the manufacturers representatives who use IT to find and sell to international customers. In order to do this, we have to start with the very perception that manufacturers have regarding manufacturers representative attributes. A recent survey of United States manufacturers asked what they thought were the most important attributes an agent must possess to succeed. Technical product knowledge was most valuable while Internet marketing capabilities, even in mid1999, came in with only I percent of the vote. With the advantages of IT for the manufacturer, the agent and the foreign buyer, advocacy and praise of comprehensive technical product knowledge is misplaced and takes us in the wrong direction. Surveys such as the one cited here not only reflect the current sentiments of the people, but also perpetuate similarities and traits that make it easier for us to identify those people and companies that we want to be commercially associated with. It is no wonder that most manufacturers are unaware of this fact what little literature there is on the subject is not readily available. Thus, with a principals preconceptions fixed in a pre-IT world, they do not grasp the convergence of IT with rep agencies that combine this technology and international experience. As a result, they will have a difficult time working from the same set of assumptions about how to conduct business internationally. IT is a miraculous tool. As Copernicus, the 16th century astronomer, posthumously demonstrated, evolving knowledge inevitably trumps conventional thought. And keep in mind that this is the same type of conventional thinking that is producing our gargantuan trade deficits. The current conceit might be that the world economy will always revolve around the United States and we can remain satiated indefinitely with just our home marketplace. Knowing that this thinking is not sustainable should help in forcing us to reappraise those things that can facilitate more exports of domestic products to our international partners. In the continental United States, the logistics of a manufacturers representative calling on customers to explain their line (s) of products in their limited geographic area mostly precludes the need for Internet marketing. But internationally, when one factors in eight to 16 time zone differences on multiple continents, IT inverts the above scoring of attributes. Mindful of the obvious impracticality of traveling in person to see multiple customers in far-flung locales, I have formed some guidelines concerning what lines to take on and how to interact with manufacturers: Category Creators Take on lines from companies that are making unique products. These lines, if they are highly differentiated and easy to understand through your clients Web site, give your foreign customer an immediate marketing advantage in his country and make unnecessary the need for a high degree of technical product knowledge. Joint Selling If you must take on a unique but highly technical product, make sure you work out an ongoing technical assistance arrangement with your manufacturer. Gradualism: Domesticating the Process of International Trade For those principals that are still uncomfortable working with overseas customers, start by selling to the United States buying offices of your foreign buyers. It is always interesting how many client manufacturers are s urprised that many international buyers are located in North America. Wave the Flag Make sure your contract with manufacturers spells out that you do not want information relating to detailed product cost, production process methods or confidential business strategies. With the end of the Cold War, there has been a shift from the threat of ICBMs to economic warfare. Given the reality of industrial espionage, even amongst our own allies, by purposely keeping your company separate from the highly sensitive information of your principal, you demonstrate foresight that you have your clients best interests in mind. Wave Them In The them is the FBI and the National Counterintelligence Center (NACIC). The FBI can consult with your clients about protection of sensitive data, and the NACIC posts advisories that can heighten their overall awareness of possible risks. Combined, this step and the previous one will help them feet more confident that they can proceed in the export process. Wav e Goodbye If it becomes obvious during your meeting(s) with the manufacturer that they do not have the drive or the intent to create the infrastructure necessary for export, then Opt Out. You will be doing everyone a favor, especially your valued overseas buyers who have surmised that part of the agents job is the vetting of unreliable suppliers. Now that the attributes and traits of international manufacturers representatives, vis-a-vis domestic representatives, have been somewhat scrambled, I want to point out how international agencies might fall under a new classification. If under the current taxonomy, domestic manufacturers representatives are a species, then international manufacturers representative agencies, as a subspecies, might best be named International Information Brokers (IIB). Besides selling the manufacturers products or services to foreign buyers, what greatly distinguishes the IIB is: They have developed the skills for the remote retrieval of information and the organization of that information for manufacturers that desire to sell internationally. Though hazy and vague to those not familiar with the process, in the hands of an IIB, resources are accessible from an ever-widening variety of sources. Although in the dynamic of the Internet there is great flux, currently there are about 12,500 databases (most of them user unfriendly) and close to 2,400 online systems that can be plowed through. And that is only a part of what the 1113 might have to traverse. When one factors in data from the consulates, trade associations, chambers of commerce, government officials, college professors, writers, international trade lawyers, statistics, lists, reports, CD,ROMs, press releases, trade journals, specialty magazines, Encyclopedias of Associations, USA government publications on trade, United Nations agreements, Trade Block agreements, a smattering of non-governmental organizations, it becomes clear how an IIB can as an outsourced specialist add value to the whole process of international sales. With intimate access to this type of information, here are the attributes that an IIB can offer manufacturers who want to sell into foreign markets: Internet marketing capabilities Consultative international selling capabilities Niche market specialization in overseas markets Intelligence gathering Helping manufacturers clearly define exporting goals Training of manufacturers international department Setting up industry specific email and fax subscriptions Selling to foreign governments Working in conjunction with the United States government Straight, fee-based international marketing research While international trade rules have been greatly liberalized in the last 14 years, this great transfer of wealth to other countries is only in small measure making its way back to the United States in exchange for our exports. It is an embarrassing cultural irony that the United States, the land of immigrants, is being labeled by some of our foreign competitors as not having any grea t enthusiasm to go after and interact with foreign customers. We can go to the moon, but start talking Istanbul and we cannot seem to find the budget. ) As cyclical booms flatten out and growth slows, domestic sales in and of themselves fail to be the plasma that circulates to all parts of our economic system. The United States government knows this and that is why they spend so much time getting the word out to manufacturers about not only the potential benefits for their own companys bottom line, but the very real overall economic benefits for our country as a whole. The mainstream popularity of the Internet, an American invention, formerly the province of only the military, academia and industry, gives both manufacturers and manufacturers representatives, through IT, an incredible tool to establish a presence in the worldwide marketplace. In the hands of specialized agents, working with forward thinking manufacturers, exporting, if not necessarily an act of citizenship, is a means of sustaining the viability of our nation as a whole. The primacy of all customers, regardless of location, can become actual with information technology. And it is none too soon. There is no denying the long-term impact on our country because of our collective squandering of trade opportunities. The terrain must be decoded just as our foreign partners are assiduously decoding the United States marketplace. Because of the enormous trade surplus that the Japanese economy was building LIP with its worldwide trading partners up until the mid- 1980s, and to better reflect the overall strength of the Japanese economy, the leading economic countries (then known as the G-5, now known as the G-8) signed the Plaza Accord in New York City in 1985 to raise the value of the yen against the U. S. dollar and other major currencies. The result: the United States dollar lost value that slowly but surely made us, as a country, a competitively priced exporter. But something has gone wrong. As the numbers below show, even though the U. S. Department of Commerce is assisting U. S. companies, the German and Japanese exporting communities are significantly more focused and efficient in exporting their countries finished products. How will you create an impact of information technology in your organization and do International business? INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: Information technology (IT) is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications. The term in its modern sense first appeared in a 1958 article published in the Harvard Business Review, in which authors Leavitt and Whisler commented that the new technology does not yet have a single established name. We shall call it information technology. The Indian information technology (IT) industry has played a key role in putting India on the global map. Over the past decade, the Indian IT-BPO sector has become the country’s premier growth engine, crossing significant milestones in terms of revenue growth, employment generation and value creation, in addition to becoming the global brand ambassador for India IMPACTS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: In the past few decades there has been a revolution in computing and communications, and all indications are that technological progress and use of information technology will continue at a rapid pace. Accompanying and upporting the dramatic increases in the power and use of new information technologies has been the declining cost of communications as a result of both technological improvements and increased competition. According to Moores law the processing power of microchips is doubling every 18 months. Business Models, Commerce and Market Structure One important way in which information technology is affecting work is by reducing the importance of distance. In many industries, the ge ographic distribution of work is changing significantly. For instance, some software firms have found that they can overcome the tight local market for software engineers by sending projects to India or other nations where the wages are much lower. Furthermore, such arrangements can take advantage of the time differences so that critical projects can be worked on nearly around the clock. Firms can outsource their manufacturing to other nations and rely on telecommunications to keep marketing, RD, and distribution teams in close contact with the manufacturing groups. The technology enables various types of work and employment to be decoupled from one another. Workplace and Labor Market Computers and communication technologies allow individuals to communicate with one another in ways complementary to traditional face-to-face, telephonic, and written modes. They enable collaborative work involving distributed communities of actors who seldom, if ever, meet physically. These technologies utilize communication infrastructures that are both global and always up, thus enabling 24-hour activity and asynchronous as well as synchronous interactions among individuals, groups, and organizations. Social interaction in organizations will be affected by use of computers and communication technologies. Business can be defined as a legitimately approved institutional entity, which is present in a nation with economic freedom and is planned to offer commodities and services to the customers. A business is also termed as an enterprise or firm and it is a feature of capitalist countries. Business can be delineated as a legitimately accredited institutional entity, which is existent in a nation with economic independence and created for offering commodities and services to the customers. The capitalist countries frequently feature businesses of different types and majority of them are privately owned businesses, usually established for gaining profit or growing the wealth of their proprietors. Businesses are also sometimes called as enterprises or firms. One of the principal objectives of the proprietors and regulators of businesses is to receive or earn a financial return or profit in return of their services and their risk tolerance. Nevertheless, there are exceptions to this idea and these include government organizations and co-operative societies. Businesses are governed by commercial law. Business Studies is now being taught as a faculty in a large number of business schools. Fundamental Forms of Ownership The forms of ownerships of business can be categorized into the following types: Sole proprietorship: A sole proprietorship business is a business, which has only one person as its proprietor. Partnership: A partnership business is that type of a business, which is owned by two or more individuals as its partners. Partnership businesses can be further categorized into limited partnership business, general partnership business, and limited liability partnership business. Corporation: A business corporation is a profit seeking and limited liability institution. The proprietors of a corporation are its numerous shareholders and it is supervised by a board of directors. Co-operative: A co-operative business is frequently termed as a Co-Op Business or simply Co-Op. It is a profit seeking and limited liability institution, which is governed by its members, who are authorities in decision making. Co-operatives can be further categorized into worker co-operatives and consumer co-operatives. They follow the theories of economic democracy. Types of Businesses Businesses can be categorized into the following types: Manufacturers: Organizations that manufacture tangible products or commodities like pipes or cars from raw materials and sell them for profit are regarded as manufacturers. Distributors and Retailers: They function as middlemen between manufacturers and customers. Service Businesses: They provide intangible commodities or services for earning profit Utilities: They provide public utility services like electricity, heat and sewage treatment and are normally licensed by the government. Transportation Businesses: They are involved in transportation or delivery of commodities or passengers from one place to another. Information Businesses: They include publishers, film studios, and packaged software firms. Mining and Agricultural Businesses: They are involved in raw material production, for example minerals and plants. Real Estate Businesses: They earn profit from property or real estate development and selling and leasing of real estate. Financial Businesses: They are banks and other financial institutions, which receive profit from capital and investment management. Departments Under a Business Usually, the following departments are present within a business: †¢ Accounting Department †¢ Marketing and Sales Department †¢ Human Resources Department †¢ Procurement Department †¢ Operations Department †¢ Information Technology Department †¢ Research and Development Department †¢ Administrative Department †¢ Public Relations/Communications Department †¢ Internal Audit Department Management Management is the study of how a business can be operated efficiently and expeditiously. The principal divisions of management are the following: †¢ Marketing Management Financial Management †¢ Strategic Management †¢ Human Resource Management †¢ Service Management †¢ Production Management †¢ Business Intelligence †¢ Information Technology Management Business technology optimization Business technology optimization or BTO is a procedure of information technology management that help s in development of business and reduces expenditure. BTO ensures that the money invested in development and meeting production needs, resource allocation and IT results in fulfillment of the business goals. The resources and money spent on IT are allocated correctly by making use of business technology optimization. The efficiency and usefulness of IT can also be measured through BTO. Business technology optimization can be best classified as a software product. BTO enhances to the maximum the strategic functions that exist between business and technology. IT is very important in terms of bringing improvements to business and the functions and nuances of information technology can be best managed through BTO. To state a few of the functions of BTO helps in testing new distributions of SAP, portfolio management, project management, bringing down the time required in repairing custom J2EE applications. Some of the functions of BTO software are as follows: †¢ Data center management †¢ Systems management †¢ Application management †¢ Performance, availability and quality of application †¢ Change management †¢ Project portfolio management †¢ IT governance BTO helps in finding out the efficiency with which the IT systems used in business are working. Profit maximization is another of the important aims of business technology optimization. The business requirements should be brought in line with technology. Some of the companies selling BTO softwares are as follows: †¢ BMC Software †¢ IBM Software †¢ Compuware †¢ CA †¢ HP †¢ Whittman Hart †¢ Sun Microsystems †¢ Borland Business technology optimization creates value for IT investments. In the enterprise testing stage, BTO helps in quality improvement and cost reduction. In the product tuning stage, BTO optimizes performance of applications and reduces costs. In the performance management stage, it helps in improving levels of service, resolution of speed problems. The good companies use business technology optimization in order to bring about permanent improvements to business. Conclusion The ongoing computing and communications revolution has numerous economic and social impacts on modern society and requires serious social science investigation in order to manage its risks and dangers. Such work would be valuable for both social policy and technology design. Decisions have to be taken carefully. Many choices being made now will be costly or difficult to modify in the future.

The Cinematic Signifier

Introduction Christian Metz was a very important film theorist who made a significant contribution to the art of cinema by his theories on cinema studies. He defines the cinematic signifier through a thorough analysis of the imaginary signifier. This is a broad topic that he set out to analyze in order to explain the elements that affect and greatly influence the art of cinema. He used a psychoanalytical approach to cinema studies.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Cinematic Signifier specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He explains it as an imaginary factor, which is meant to replace or account for the fact that there is an absence of elements. These elements are time and space which are made transparent by the imagination. In this topic, the main emphasize will be on desire as a necessity, spectator identification which focuses on semantics and identification with both the camera and the characters. The cinematic signifier is an imaginary element that is absent, but despite its lack, its realization is still evident. Desire as a commodity Metz analyses the cinematic signifier from the viewpoint of the Freudian aspect on desires. These desires he believes when incorporated together make a combined set of aspects that are different from other art forms. This element must be well understood before the cinematic signifier can be dwelt on. Desire for the ego He views the cinema signifier as perceptual. This is because it stimulates more senses than any other art form. The sense of sight is satisfied by the fact that it is a visual medium. Everything we see from the shots, actors, actions and scenes is visual. This is the biggest sense that cinema aims at satisfying as this can go a long way in ensuring ones cinematic experience has been realized. The sense of hearing is because of the fact that it relies on the aspect of sound. Sound has gone through various stages of evolution in relation to ci nema. This is from the silent era to the other periods that saw the necessity of other aspects of sound. Sound plays a crucial role in influencing perception. The incorporation of sound is in the dialogue, sound effects and choice of music. This is an advantage that cinema has over other art forms. It can simulate the senses as opposed to the different art forms that stimulate one sense e.g. Music relies on the sense of hearing whereas reading relies on sight.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More An important difference between cinema and other art forms such as theatre or the opera is the time and place factor. Despite the fact that these art forms are also perceptual that is stimulating the same senses i.e. Visual and auditory such as cinema they take place within real space and time. The actions and dialogue are all performed in front of the audience at the same time the performanc e is taking place. In cinema, this is different as the actual content is recorded at a different time and location and then shown to the audience through a screen. The audience does not get to see what is unfolding at first hand. Cinema in a way can also stimulate the other three senses of smell, taste and touch. Taste can be brought out in the way the food is made to look. The use of things like colour, presentation and even the actions and words of a spectator can bring out this sense. Smell can be brought out through the words, actions and facial expressions of the characters. The sense of touch can be communicated to the spectator through how the surface looks i.e., if it is smooth or rough or through the words, actions and emotions of the spectators. Cinema can be used to bring out all these senses despite the fact that it is not happening in real space and time. He also argues that the perceived is not the reality but acts as a kind of mirror to it and this aspect is unique to it in comparison to the different field of arts. He uses the example of a child held up to a mirror in which the child comprehends his or herself as being held by the mother who he describes as â€Å"its object per excellence.†This leads to the child to perceive his or her identity, which makes the child to form an ego. The difference, however, between cinema and this deduction is that cinema is not an actual perception of the person. The viewers’ personal experience is not the centre of attention. The viewer instead relates to something different that is governed by aspects that in a way are close to reality. It is a mirror to a different reality. The second desire achieved through cinema is the desire to desire. This refers to the passion to perceive. Most art forms utilize this factor of distance. E.g. In music it is received at a distance in relation to where it was recorded and where it is heard, even in theatre the performance is at a distance from the audience. This element of distance is explored by these art forms, but what stands out is the element of lack.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Cinematic Signifier specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Since what is portrayed in the films is taken from real objects, which existed in a different time and space the spectator is still in a way removed from them. Despite the lack of the actual immediate experience, the spectator still gets to perceive what is contained in the final product hence still receiving the full experience. This desire is associated with voyeurism. The third desire is the desire for an object, which is satisfied by fetishism. This is in the fact that the audience knows what they are viewing is not real but they still want to watch it. That is why it is important to make the spectacle as real as possible through factors like the unfolding of events. They audience is aware that the characters, plot and s tory is fictional. They are aware that what they are seeing is not real but they knowingly filter out this factor so as perceive what is before them as real. (McCabe, 1974) He views the spectator as an artificial construct. This is because cinema can be used to bring out or make certain effects in the viewer such as causing some emotions in the spectator. The courses of renunciation as well as refutation are the procedures that are considered vital in the apprehension of the need. The film spectator exists in a state that is dreamlike. The spectator at one point believes that the story, plot and characters are real. This is still considered despite the fact that the spectator is fully aware that it is just a movie. This he attributes to disavowal. This he compares with fetishism and the castration anxiety of a child. Freud described disavowal as â€Å"a way of the subject refusing to acknowledge reality due to a traumatic event or other factors associated with it† (McCabe, 19 74, p.44). This explanation is on child development. When a child perceives that the mother does not have a penis, he gets a fear of being castrated. The child believes that at one time, the mother also had a penis but due to reasons that he cannot comprehend has lost it. This gives the boys a fear of castration. The boy will then develop a way of forgetting what he has seen to deal with the trauma, and this can lead to the development of a fetish to try to cover up the trauma.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This realization of a lack of in the child will make the child to develop two opinions. This factor is what Metz puts as the spectators ability to have two different experiences. In one the spectator knows that what he or she is seeing is fiction, while in the other case the spectator believes that what he or she sees on screen is real. Metz believes that for a good cinematic experience to be realized there must be back and forth shifting of consciousness and belief. Cinema as a technique of the imaginary Cinema has characteristics that are capitalistic and in line with the social industrialized epoch. The capitalistic aspect being that film relies on pictures and sounds this he describes as photography and the use of a phonograph. These he sums as the factors that are combined to lure ones ego and eventually end up satisfying ones desires. Cinema depends on key areas for its realization. These are the cinema industry, which is the recording of films to make profits, and the audienc es desire to watch movies. The second characteristic dwells on the necessity and aim of film, which is to satisfy the viewers’ desires. The cinema industry serves to finance a film as well as to research and modify various areas to satisfy the needs, taste and to bring something different to the spectators. This leads to the production of good films through the coordination and understanding between these sides hence making sure that the moviegoers continue to go to the cinema halls. The cinema writers, film historians, theorists and critics also contribute and influence a lot on cinema. Spectator identification with the camera The spectator identifies with the device that projects the image on the screen, which is the projector, the camera and lastly the screen. Metz stated, â€Å"The projector in context just duplicates the act of perception† (Metz, 1982, p.54). Vision has projective characteristics and characteristics that one acquires subconsciously, the spectator projects what he or she sees and then the data is translated back in a way that the spectator feels. Cinema just serves to duplicate this experience; the screen just records what is seen. Metz sums this up with the statement that the spectator is the projector receiving the information, the spectator is also the screen, and with the combination of these, the spectator is the camera, which is pointed and still recording. (Metz, 1982) Metz argues that the spectator identifies with the camera to a big extent. The spectator is in a way not in the screen but the fact that he or she is watching it and perceives it the cinematic signifier is realized. Spectators when watching a film become so focused in the film that they may not even be aware of themselves. This makes one identify with the camera completely. The cameras movements become the spectators’ movements. When the camera pans to the left, the spectator moves to the left and when it pans to the right so does the spectator. T he tracking shots also become the spectators’ movements and turns. Using different camera angles and movements, the spectator can be made to either be present or absent in the film. Spectator identification with the character Though the spectator knows what is unfolding before him or her is fictional, a feeling or form of connection is still made between the spectator and the character. The spectator connects with the character emotionally even when the character is not at the same place and time. The characters feelings become the spectators. The emotions shared become mutual between them. When the character is happy the viewer is also happy, when the character is sad the viewer also becomes sad and so on. This can only be realized through self-identification of the viewer first due to perception then after the spectator gets to identify with what is on the screen before identifying with the character (Lacan, 1989). Psychoanalysis, structure and the linguistic theory Metz ad opted a lot from the field of semiotics. He focused on how cinema can be used to signify or make the spectator to come up with meaning. The process of signifying depends on certain aspects which are mostly material signifiers these include images, words, titles, music in line with connotative and denotative meanings. He referred to the signifying practice as the way stories were told in movies. He evaluated cinematic equivalents that could be used to stand in for language and this made him to define codes that he believed worked in cinema. In order to understand text one has to break down these codes of signification or the meaning would be lost (Rushton, 2009). The different camera angles and shots also have various meanings, as a shot can serve to communicate meaning to the viewer, whether they know it or not. E.g. a close up can be used to highlight an important element that is being focused on in the film (Lapsey, 1989). Metz states that the analysis of cinema from a linguistic or semiotic angle is possible as it can be used to communicate. However, He maintained that in the language of cinema there is no intercommunication. There is uni-articulation and it is a replication of reality as opposed to the unmotivated arbitrary relationship between the signifier and the signified. The language of cinema comprises of both words and other smaller units. The smaller units are meant to bring meaning to the overall message or signification. Lapsey stated, â€Å"The narrative syntax is divided into eight parts ranging from the smallest segment to the largest part, which is the sequence† (Lapsey, 1989, p.37). Dreams and Fantasy This is focused upon in line with desire because although a spectator should always perceive the difference between a film, and dream, daydream and fantasy this aspect is important as through this desire the cinematic signifier is realized. Conclusion The imaginary signifier is what Christian Metz used in the understanding of the cinema tic signifier. He stresses on points such as identification, perception, lack and other factors in the understanding of the cinematic signifier. He describes and analyses the need for the element of desire as an important aspect in cinema. He focuses on the three types of desires. The first one is the desire for the ego, which is perceptual and is analyzed from the viewpoint of the characteristic of cinema of satisfying the sense of sight and hearing at the same time. The second desire he dwells on is the desire to desire. This is when the spectator overlooks the fact that there is the element of lack in the film and instead just enjoys it. The third is the desire for an object. The spectator experiences this through the fact that despite he or she knows that what is being viewed is not true in a way he or she still gets to enjoy it and perceive in some instances as if it is true. The role of the film industry as a whole makes a big contribution to cinema. The spectator gets to iden tify with both the camera as a medium and the characters on screen largely. Cinema relies on the use of signs; different things are put in a scene to mean different things. The use of semiotics has been used and is evident through the careful analysis of the titles, words etc. The absence of time and space is an important aspect in the study of the cinematic signifier. The cinematic signifier is a key element in the study of cinema. References Lacan, J 1989, Ecrits: a selection, Routledge, London. Lapsey, R 1989, Psychoanalysis in film theory: an introduction, Manchester University Press, Manchester. McCabe, C 1974, From realism and cinema, Longman , New York. Metz, C 1982, The imaginery signifier, Macmillan, London. Rushton, R 2009, Film, theory and philosophy, Acumen, Durham. 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