In-school Suspension and Off-school Suspension Essay

In-school Suspension and Off-school Suspension - Essay Example On the other hand, out-of-school suspension (OSS) is an act to keep away the student from school for short-term periods (Saint Helens , 1998). This temporary keeping away of the student is in lieu of investigation that can lead to removal of the student from the school itself, or pending the implementation of some definite measures such as internment through the action of the court, or mental or physical assessment. When the student is suspended, he or she is informed of the acts that constitute the charges, and also the fact of suspension on account of these charges (Saint Helens , 1998). In-school suspension (ISS) has several benefits over out of school suspension. An obvious important benefit is that the student does not have to break off his or her learning by being suspended from the school. The benefits of ISS include (District of Columbia , n.d.): The students who face suspension continue to be taught though in an atmosphere that is restrictive. Everyday they are also provided counseling individually and in a group. They are provided with the opportunities at identifying remedies for their problems (Collins, 1985). The objectives are to pro-actively lead the students to come back to the normal group of students as fast as possible and lastingly too, raise self-worth, heighten the consciousness of oneself, and lessen the troublesome and disorderly conduct. A change in outlook of these students to those who are in authority, increasing their capacity to identify their own strong and positive abilities, enhancing their confidence to own up and be responsible for their actions and improving those areas that they lack or are deficit in (Collins, 1985). They are also encouraged to seek ways to resolve any problems that they may have at home. Attendance is not improved by ISS and it shows a high recidivism rate. However, ISS does not seem to show a decline in disruptive behaviors especially in those students who have behavioral disorders (Yancey, 2001). According to Stage (1997, p.72), "There were no apparent effects of the in-school suspension interventions on classroom disruptive behavior, since there were no systematic differences in disruptive classroom behavior by in-school suspension phase. In fact, the rate of student disruptive behavior remained rather constant across the four in-school suspension interventions, indicating that no type of in-school suspension generalized to classroom behavior any more efficaciously than another" (cited in Yancey, 2001). Pros and Cons of OSS OSS is resorted to mostly in offences that are both trivial and avertable like breaking of the rules of the school which actually does not in any way pose a threat or lead to any violence; at best this is a device to retain a safe school environment (Bruns, Moore, Stephan, Pruitt & Weist, 2005). On the contrary, there are clear indications that OSS, in

Hyphenated American Position Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hyphenated American Position Paper - Essay Example In this way, the Irish-American has found a hyphenated identity through response to American perceptions of his (or her) Irishness. The grim nature of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century perceptions of Irish-Americans can be examined through a look at Nast's 1871 cartoon, reproduced below: Two particular signifiers of Irish-American stereotype are present in this picture. The character holds a bottle in one hand and a gun in the other. The bottle signifies Irish drunkenness, and the gun, violence. These stereotypes are so strongly ingrained that even a Korean-born man like myself can look at these signifiers and interpret them in the way intended by the artist. Further, the writing on the bottle - â€Å"Gun Powder, Uncle Sam's† - signifies that the Irish-Americans support their less than respectable habits with the resources of their new land. Nast also addressed Irish females in a series of cartoons about a servant named Brigid. The actual cartoons are difficult to locate , but a description can be found of her in Bronwen Walter's Outsiders Inside as a â€Å"clownish Irish maid.† (63) These characteristics were among America's first popular perceptions of the Irish-American. The Irish-American had much to contend with in building an identity. ... The narrator of the song applies for a job and is told, â€Å"No Irish need apply,† and the following occurs: I couldn't stand it longer, so a hoult [sic] of him I took, And I gave him such a welting as he'd get at Donnybrook. He hollered, Millia murther, and to get away did try, And swore he'd never write again, No Irish need apply. He made a big apology, I bid him thin [sic] good-bye, Saying: Whin [sic] next you want a bating [sic] write, No Irish need apply. (Poole, 1862) In this stanza, the narrator reclaims ownership of the violence stereotype, but turns it into an expression of pride. The final line signifies the narrator's willingness to stand up for his identity. In reclaiming this identity, he also reclaims the stereotype of the Irish-American as violent. He seems to intend an act of physical violence to be read as strength and pride instead of the byproduct of laziness associated with the trait in the Nast cartoons. This reclaiming continued long past the 1860s. Over a century later, Irish author Frank McCourt responded to these cartoons in his 1997 musical The Irish and How They Got That Way. His responses are not verbal but theatrical, as his actors perform â€Å"Brigid† jokes: WOMAN 1:Mrs. Van Wick said to Brigid, 'Look at the dust on this sideboard; I can write my name in it!' WOMAN 2: Lord above, Missus, isn't it a great thing to have an education! (McCourt, 1997) In performance, as viewable on the original cast recording, the actress portraying the mistress speaks in a high-class accent. The actress portraying â€Å"Brigid,† by contrast, speaks in a high-pitched brogue and rolls her eyes at the punchline. This action serves as a commentary on the ridiculousness of the joke

Customer behaviour Essay Example for Free

Customer behaviour Essay What is Electronic Commerce? Commerce The exchange of commodities, buying and selling, of products and services requiring transportation, from location to location is known as commerce. E-Commerce From a communications perspective, e-commerce is the delivery of information, products/services or payments via telephone lines, Fax, computer networks or any other means. What is Electronic Commerce? From an online perspective, e-commerce provides the capability of buying and selling products and information on the internet and other online services. It refers to a wide range of online business activities for products and services. Any form of business transaction in which the parties interact electronically rather than by physical exchanges or direct physical contact. Difference between E-Commerce E-Business Electronic commerce or e-Commerce E-commerce covers online processes that touch customers, suppliers and external partners, including sales, marketing, order taking, delivery, customer service, purchasing of raw materials and supplies for production. More sophisticated system such as flight and hotel reservation system. e-Commerce breaks into two components: Online Shopping the scope of information and activities that provides the customer with the information they need to conduct business with you and make an informed buying decision. Online Purchasing the technology infrastructure for the exchange of data and the purchase of a product over the Internet. Online purchasing is a metaphor used in business-to-business e-Commerce for providing customers with an online method of placing an order, submitting a purchase order, or requesting a quotation. E-Business is a super-set of E-Commerce. E-business includes e-commerce but also covers internal processes such as production, inventory management, product development, risk management, finance, and human resources. E-business includes electronic mechanism to distribute information not directly related to buying and selling of goods. Examples: Product specifications, customer testimonials, and product reviews. Purchasing activities on your site, e.g., order forms, shopping carts, and credit card processing. Customers can’t interact directly with the firm. (territory barrier) History of EC The term e-commerce was originally conceived to describe the process of conducting business transactions electronically using technology from the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). These technologies, which first appeared in the late 1970’s, allowed for the exchange of information and the execution of electronic transactions between businesses, typically in the form of electronic purchase orders and invoices. EDI and EFT were the enabling technologies that laid the groundwork for what we now know as e-commerce. The Boston Computer Exchange, a marketplace for used computer equipment started in 1982, was one of the first known examples of e-commerce. Throughout the 1980’s, the proliferation of credit cards, ATM machines and telephone banking was the next step in the evolution of electronic commerce. The birth of companies such as eBay and Amazon (launched in 1994) really began to lead the way in e-commerce. Both eBay and Amazon were among the first to establish prominent e-commerce brands. The most prominent e-commerce categories today are computers, books, office supplies, music, and a variety of electronics. Dell.com,1997 Types of Ecommerce B2B( Business to Business E-commerce) or Inter-Organizational E-commerce B2C(  Business to Consumer E-commerce) C2B( Consumer to Business E-commerce) C2C( Consumer to Consumer E-commerce) or Ecommerce Involving Intermediaries Intra-organizational E-commerce  m-commerce(Mobile E-commerce) Business to Government E-Commerce B2B (Business-to-Business) or inter-organizational Ecommerce Companies doing business with each other such as manufacturers selling to distributors and wholesalers selling to retailers. Pricing is based on quantity of order and is often negotiable. B2B is used to improve business relationship among orgz. (invoices, cheques, purchase orders, financial reports) are in electronic for. For Example: Logistic companies Benefits: Supplier Management (reduce no. of suppliers, processing coast, and cycle time) Inventory Management (list of items/product, eliminate out of stock items) Distribution Management (list of ship’s cargo, purchase orders etc) Channel Management (reduce labour, time saving) Payment Management (electronic payment reduce clerical errors, lower transaction fee and coast) B2C Business to Consumer In B2C seller is a business organization buyer is consumer. In this case costumer directly interacts with company, i.e. books and cd’s buy online and internet used as a medium for transaction. Newspapers reading and weather forecasting are used as a B2C E-commerce. This type of e-commerce improve the flow of information between firm and customers. Examples are ebay.com, and amazon.com. C2B Consumer to Business A consumer posts his project with a set budget online and within hours companies review the consumers requirements and bid on the project. The consumer reviews the bids and selects the company that will complete the  project. Elance empowers consumers around the world by providing the meeting ground and platform for such transactions. Freelancing C2C (Consumer-to-Consumer) or E-commerce Involving Intermediaries In this type both seller and buyers are consumers. There are many sites offering free classifieds, auctions and forums where individuals can buy and sell. PayPal where people can send and receive money online with ease. Olx.com auction service is a great example of where person-to-person transactions take place everyday. Intra-organizational E-C The purpose of Intra-organizational applications is to help a company maintain the relationships that are critical to delivering superior customer value by paying close attention to various functions in the organization. Benefits: Workgroup communications Electronic Publishing Sales force Productivity Business to Government E-C A platform for businesses to bid on government opportunities. It refers to the use of the Internet for public procurement, licensing procedures, and other government-related operations. It reduces the risk of irregularities. Income Tax Department, Excise and Taxation Department M-Commerce Mobile commerce is the buying and selling of goods and services through wireless technology – i.e., cellular telephones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Including mobile banking (when customers use their handheld devices to access their accounts and pay their bills). Bill payment and account reviews can all be conducted from the same handheld device. Delivery of entertainment, financial news, sports figures and traffic updates to a single mobile device. Advantages of e-commerce for businesses? Reduction of costs in the business E-commerce serves as an â€Å"equalizer†. It enables start-up and small- and medium-sized enterprises to reach the global market. E-commerce makes â€Å"mass customization† possible. E-commerce applications in this area include easy-to-use ordering systems that allow customers to choose and order products according to their personal and unique specifications. E-commerce allows â€Å"network production.† This refers to the parcelling out of the production process to contractors who are geographically dispersed but who are connected to each other via computer networks. What forces are fuelling e-commerce? There are at least three major forces fuelling e-commerce: Economic forces. One of the most evident benefits of e-commerce is economic efficiency resulting from the reduction in communications costs, low-cost technological infrastructure. speedier and more economic electronic transactions with suppliers. lower global information sharing and advertising costs. Market forces. Corporations are encouraged to use e-commerce in marketing and promotion to capture international markets, both big and small. The Internet is likewise used as a medium for enhanced customer service and support. Technology forces. The development of ICT is a key factor in the growth of ecommerce. What are the components of a successful e-commerce transaction loop? To maximize the benefits of e-commerce, a number of technical as well as enabling issues have to be considered. A typical e-commerce transaction loop involves the following major players and corresponding requisites: 1. The Seller should have the following components: A corporate Web site with e-commerce capabilities (e.g., a secure transaction server); A corporate intranet so that orders are processed in an efficient manner; and IT-literate employees to manage the information flows and maintain the e-commerce system. 2. Transaction partners include: Banking institutions that offer transaction clearing services (e.g., processing credit card payments and electronic fund transfers); National and international freight companies to enable the movement of physical goods within, around and out of the country. Authentication authority that serves as a trusted third party to ensure the integrity and security of transactions. 3. Consumers (in a business-to-consumer transaction) Form a critical mass of the population with access to the Internet and disposable income enabling widespread use of credit cards; and Possess a mindset for purchasing goods over the Internet rather than by physically inspecting items. 4. Firms/Businesses that together form a critical mass of companies (especially within supply chains) with Internet access and the capability to place and take orders over the Internet. 5. Government, to establish: A legal framework governing e-commerce transactions (including electronic documents, signatures, and the like); and Legal institutions that would enforce the legal framework (i.e., laws and regulations) and protect consumers and businesses from fraud, among others. 6. Internet, the successful use of which depends on the following: A robust and reliable Internet infrastructure; and A pricing structure that doesn’t penalize consumers for spending time on and buying goods over the Internet (e.g., a flat monthly charge for both ISP access and local phone calls).

Define Democracy And Dictatorship In Your Own Words Politics Essay

Define Democracy And Dictatorship In Your Own Words Politics Essay According to Abraham Lincoln democracy is defined as the government, of the people, for the people and by the people. It is a political system in which the supreme power lies in somebody of citizens which are elected by the citizens of that country through lawful voting. It is most acceptable governing system because it includes the participation of every single individual in the country and they become a part of the process of governing the legislature is elected by the people. It is the most advantageous fact that if any political party is corrupt or failing in this duty then it will not be re-elected the next time. In India, England, America, etc., there is democracy. When the government is ruled by an individual then that autocratic form of government is called dictatorship and that individual is known as dictator. in a dictatorship, its one leader controls every aspect of the nation, and no one can argue against it. Actually, it is a centralization of power in which the fundamental rights of citizens become vanish. In China, Egypt, etc., there is dictatorship. Constitution of India is the extreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishing the structure, procedures, powers and duties, of the government and spells out the fundamental rights, directive principles and duties of citizens. It was passed on 26 Nov. 1949 by the Constitution Assembly and effectively applied on 26 January 1950 in the whole country. The date 26 January was chosen to commemorate the declaration of independence of 1930. It declares the Union of India to be a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic, assuring its citizens of justice, equality, and liberty and to promote among them all fraternity; the words socialist, secular and integrity and to promote among them all Fraternity; were added to the definition in 1976 by constitutional amendment. India celebrates the adoption of the constitution on 26 January each year as Republic Day. It is the longest written constitution of any self-governing country in th e world, containing 440 articles in 22 parts, 12 schedules and 94 amendments, for a total of 117,369 words in the English language version. Besides the English version, there is an official Hindi translation. After coming into effect, the Constitution replaced the Government of India Act 1935 as the governing document of India. Being the supreme law of the country, every law enacted by the government must conform to the constitution. B. R. Ambedkar, as chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee, was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution.

Gun Control Control Laws Decrease Crime Essay -- Second Amendment The R

Gun Control Since the days of the pioneers of the United States, firearms have been part of the American tradition as protection and a means of hunting or sport. As we near the end of the 20th century the use of guns has changed significantly. Because of fast and steady increase in crime and the fight for the right to own a hand gun, the introduction of legislation for gun control, to try to reduce the crime in the United States, has been a hotly debated issue in recent years. Although many people feel that gun control violates the right of the people, given in the second amendment "the right to bear arms", controlling distribution and sales and the registration of guns and gun owners is necessary because of the homicide rate involving guns and the violence by criminals using guns. Many people feel that gun control violates the right of the people given in the second amendment the right "to bear arms". Opponents of gun control, including the National Rifle Association, better known as the NRA, argue that the "right To bear arms" is guaranteed in the second amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America and licensing restrictions penalize law-abiding citizens while in no way preventing criminal use of handguns. It is also argued that by making it difficult for guns to be bought and registered for the American public there is a threat to the personal safety of American families everywhere. However controlling the sale and distributi...

Nick Swinmurn

Culture and diversity of a company is extremely important and will determine the success of a business. Deciding what culture Is best for a company Is challenging. A lot of focus should be on what type of leader Is most appropriate for the organization. Implementing strong values will strengthen the company. The way company's adapts to change will also affect the way a company will prosper during challenging times. Founded by Nick Swimming In 1999 Capos Company is a solely web based retailer. Nick decided he wanted to create a company after he spent hours searching the entire mall for a pair of shoes and could not find them.He then attempted to find the shoes on line and realized there was not a website specific to shoes. After his experience he decided there was a market for this type of industry. Originally Capos was created to be an online store that offered the widest selections of shoes available all in one place. Since, the company has evolved over time and now is selling a gre at selection of Items rather than Just shoes. They have boarded their selections to both women and men's clothing along with everyday household Items. They provide free quick shipping and returns.The overall goal is to â€Å"provide the absolute best service online-not just in shoes, but in any category (Capos, 1999-2014). The Culture of Capos Capos has created a very unique and valuable culture. They have implemented what Is called the â€Å"Capos Family Corey Values† that sets the foundation of the entire company. These core values are listed on their company's website and are recommended for employees to follow on a day to day base. They believe that employees can be motivated, involved and happy to come to work while providing excellent service to customers.Capos creates a clear line of communication, encouraging employees and constantly motivating them. They want their employees to be innovated, creative and â€Å"do more with less† (Capos, 1999-2014). Most impor tantly they want their employees to ‘WOW through customer service. This provides an environment that makes employees want to work. They take time to focus on each employee ensuring they are put Into the right position and properly trained for success. Capos believes this will lead to employee longevity and growing leaders for the future.Their hard work does not go unnoticed and for the past 6 years Capos has been named in the as one of the FORTUNE's 100 Best Companies to Work (Capos, 1999-2014) A random act of kindness weekly parade is the norm at Capos. This Includes selecting 3 random employees each week, dressing them up in funky hats and/or props, taking their photo and Glenn them gift. This falls under ones of their core values creating fun and a little weirdness. Yelling spontaneously at other employees for fun or trying to make one another laugh also emphasizes the core value.There are four main types of organizational cultures. They include hierarchal, market driven, c lan, and adaptable/flexible culture. Capos organizational culture only one type of organizational culture. Capos falls under two categories, the clan culture and adaptable/flexible culture (William, 2013). Clan culture represents a family-type organization (Savory, 2013). This culture involves building strong relationships and development of employees through training. Clan culture employees collaborate with coworkers and are caring for each other.Two of Capos core values include building open and honest relationships with communications and creating positive teams and family spirit (Capos, 1999- 2014). Capos is willing to change and adapt. This is why the company also follows under adaptable/flexible organizational culture. The adaptable/flexible culture involves creating new ideas and preparing for future improvements, which is something Capos practices (Savory, 2013). The company has already determined that in the future 30% of all venders/seller transactions will be mad online w ithin the United States.Their vision is to be the company that offers the best service and the largest selections, thus resulting in most customers' purchases coming from their website (Capos, 1999-2014). Capos is constantly changing and always looking for the newest, most retrieve solutions to solve any issues. Capos embodies these particular culture behaviors because the CEO, Tony Whish, honestly believes this is the best way to run a company. He treats his employees like family. He personally believes in the values and culture of the company.Tony wants his employees to be happy and truly believes this is return will transfer to customers. Capos values and culture is not only the guidelines for the company but overall should be guidelines they follow in life (capos, 1999-2014). The best suited leader for Capos Company is a twenty-first-century leader. This errors should be able to adapt to both Transformational and transactional leadership styles. A transformational and transactio nal leader will require someone who and foresee a vision and have the motivation to accomplish.This type of person requires creativity and innovation skill with the ability to make decisions. The type of leadership this person should have is supportive leadership style. They should be approachable and friendly and a allow employees feel equal around them. It will be important to provide a friendly atmosphere where employees feel comfortable to be open and trusting with their leader. Given that Capos sales multiple categories of items, they are not at a high risk for a large demand to decline.If some of the company's category items do decline, Capos has the option to sell different items that are currently in demands. Since the company is still growing there are more markets that Capos can branch out to widen their options if needed. They have recently connect forces with Amazon and this had open a lot more doors and customers (Capos, 1999-2014). As for now, shoes are extremely impor tant to people and fashion. It does not appear that Capos is at a high risk for a large decline in demand for their products.

Creative Writing (Story beginnings) Essay

A golden haze encircled the angel’s head and its torso glowed dazzling white against the drab dreary wall behind. â€Å"What’s happe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she willed her mouth to finish the sentence but it wouldn’t obey so she gave up. She fought too against the uplifting force taking her away from the slightly damp pavement but as every ounce of resistance drained out of her limbs, she went limp and was completely at its mercy. The final thought that crossed her mind before it succumbed to the black cloud that eventually engulfed her was that she recognised this angel. * Elizabeth Anne Johnson – Lizzie to her friends – was a beautiful girl. With endless jet-black locks flowing down her back and striking features, she looked straight off a catwalk. Tonight she was wearing her favourite pale pink mini-dress with manicured nails and dainty heels to match; and with her perfect figure, she was more than able to carry it off. A combination of her stunning looks and the confidence she exuded made every head turn when she walked past – a fact of which she was well aware. Lizzie had spent all night in Brighton’s new trendiest nightspot â€Å"Heaven†. The place was heaving with bodies bouncing to the thundering beats pounding out of the state of the art stereo system. They were puppets dancing to the tune of the headphone-wearing master in the glass booth above. Fluffy white clouds were suspended from the ceiling, in keeping with the paradisiacal theme, and the strobe lighting completed the effect. The drinks were flowing and the atmosphere was electric – just how Lizzie liked it – and as she cast her chocolate-brown eyes around the dance floor a wave of euphoria swept over her. She felt as though she was perched on top of the world. Already tonight, she had received fifteen requests to buy her a drink – a record even by her standards – and had accepted only one. This was one more than usual though. She may have seemed like the happy-go-lucky type but appearances can be deceptive and she was quite the opposite. Lizzie, a seasoned partygoer, was extremely cautious, especially after the letters†¦ Nevertheless, against her better judgement, she was drawn in by the hypnotic charms of this blonde-haired stranger and felt powerless to resist. His eyes were bottomless pools of baby blue and he had a passive, peaceful presence – she trusted him immediately and completely. She began chatting to him and it suddenly dawned on her that she was telling her life story to a total stranger but she pushed the thought out of her mind just as quickly as it had surfaced. Besides with his crisp white shirt, soft voice and wide grin, he seemed harmless enough. Chapter One (2) The sun was playing hide and seek behind the rows of trees as Detective Flynn drove up to the Heaton mansion. He was filled with the giddy excitement of a man about to change his life. He knew how lucky he was to be here and that this case could potentially make or break his career. Flynn was extremely tall and so scrawny one feared he might blow over in a sudden gust of wind. Through the flaming red curtains flopping over his forehead, intense blue eyes peered out inquisitively. As the mansion came into view for the first time he was awestruck. Beyond the wrought iron gates, it stood large and handsome. It was a huge stone structure with countless windows glinting in the afternoon sun and set in acres of sprawling grounds, of which every inch was flawless. The only thing blemishing this perfect watercolour was the black and yellow police tape running the length of the building. The old rusty Ford Escort coughed and spluttered to a halt in the immaculate courtyard and with an almighty heave Flynn managed to force the door open. As he stepped out gravel crunched beneath his feet. He was dressed in a pair of old faded ‘Marks and Sparks’ jeans and looking around, was suddenly painfully aware of how old and faded they really were. He was also regretting the rest of his wardrobe choice. His slightly off-white shirt had a ‘straight out of the laundry basket’ look and his black leather loafers hadn’t seen a dab of polish since†¦well ever. Despite this, John Heaton greeted Flynn with a warm friendly handshake. The two had been at school together and even though their lives had taken extremely different paths, they had remained the best of friends. As he was being introduced to Heaton’s wife Claudia, the detective couldn’t help but notice how much his friend had changed. A nervous and slightly awkward teenager, John Heaton had become a confident self-assured 35 year-old. He now spoke with the eloquence and poise that only a multi-billionaire could. He was dripping with expensive designer labels – a far cry from the washed out tee shirts and baggy jeans of his adolescence. Money oozed out of his every pore. One thing, however, had definitely not changed. Observing the dreamy look that descended upon his face as he gazed at his wife, Flynn could tell his old chum was still a sucker for a pretty girl. And this was one pretty girl! 15 years his junior, actress Claudia Gilbert-Heaton was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty. Yet, as she tentatively extended her perfectly manicured hand to shake his, Detective Flynn took an instant disliking to her. Her broad smile was almost condescending and didn’t reach her eyes, which were icy and distant. â€Å"I’m so pleased to finally meet you,† she said, looking him up and down, staring pointedly at the ink stain on his shirt pocket. The disdainful look in her eyes betrayed her words and he could tell she was quite the opposite. The reason for this, he would soon discover†¦ Chapter One (3) It screamed at me. Its waving arms taunted me as they jerked up and down and the smiley face was more of a sneering face. At that moment all I wanted to do was shatter it into a thousand pieces but it was so far away and my legs were still sound asleep. I picked a rolled up sock up off the floor and with all the energy I could muster, sat up and launched it. It hit its intended destination with satisfying thud and mercifully, the screaming desisted. Putting the bright yellow, â€Å"Little Miss Sunshine† alarm clock so far out of reach had been a pre-emptive strike by mother against my Sunday morning lie-in. Ha, I thought, she’ll have to think of something better than that! I managed the beginnings of a triumphant grin before, exhausted from my exertions, I slumped onto the lumpy mattress and slid back into a peaceful slumber. Ten minutes later I heard the sprightly purposeful pounding that could only be her bounding up the stairs. She burst through the door, wearing her mechanical cheery smile. â€Å"Morning love, sleep well? Why aren’t you up yet, I heard the alarm go off ages ago?†Ã¢â‚¬  she asked, ruffling my unruly brown curls. She then marched over to the window, with unnatural liveliness considering the time and spread the curtains wide. â€Å"Oh Mum, it’s too bright,† I mumbled in complaint, raising an arm to shield my bleary eyes from the light. She ignored me. â€Å"I sometimes think you wouldn’t know an early morning if it came up and bit you on the behind. Now get up, I’m sure you’ve plenty of work to do today and we don’t want you falling behind now do we?† she chirped, practically, it seemed, in unison with the birds outside. â€Å"I need sleep,† I whined, yearning for some pity. It didn’t come. â€Å"You shouldn’t let sleep get in the way of things. Heaven knows I don’t; I can’t. What would happen if I did? Nothing would get done around here – that’s what!† she tutted and continued with renewed vigour, â€Å"Goodness, look at the state of this room! I’m sure you’ve forgotten what colour the carpet is! This is not a positive working environment. How on earth can you get anything done in here?† She asked and without pausing for an answer, delved into the abyss that was my bedroom floor. She began sorting tidying and organising like an unstoppable whirlwind of efficiency, her neat blonde bob bouncing up and down. I merely lounged on the bed and watched on in amazement. Within minutes she had transformed the cluttered chaotic mess into a tidy, orderly bedroom. When she finished, she stood up, brushed some imaginary specks of dirt from her skirt and staring at my sprawled out figure, flashed me the look. Oh no, I groaned inwardly. It was the I-am-so-disappointed-you-didn’t-turn-out-more-like-me look. This look was always followed by a stream of criticisms, of which most, to be fair, were usually quite accurate. I sighed and braced myself for the oncoming tirade. Literary Analysis of Story Beginning (1) When writing my own story opening, I tried to use techniques that would make the reader want to read on. For example, I described the main character’s appearance in detail so that the reader would be able to form a mental picture of her. Just from the first few paragraphs, the reader knows that she is â€Å"a beautiful girl† with â€Å"endless jet black locks† and â€Å"chocolate brown eyes†. The effect of this is to make the reader relate to her with empathy rather than objectivity because they feel they know her. I also tried to show her personality was sweet and kind. Her clothes and shoes are â€Å"powder-pink† and â€Å"dainty†. I also mentioned that she â€Å"seemed like the happy-go-lucky type†. I did this so the reader would like her and be affected by anything that may happen to her. I included her full name â€Å"Elizabeth Anne Johnson† so that the reader would feel like they were getting a complete picture of her. However, for the rest of the opening, I referred to her as Lizzie. This created a bond between the reader and the character because she is â€Å"Lizzie to her friends† so the reader feels like her friend. It is written in the 3rd person narrative so the reader can get a full overview of all the events in the story. The narrative structure deviates. This creates suspense, as there is no development of the action in the first paragraph in the rest of the opening. I purposely created a huge contrast between the eerie and spooky first paragraph and the rest of the opening, which seems like an ordinary night out, by using varying degrees of character and event description. In the first paragraph I did not use any description at all and just used non-specific terms like â€Å"she†. This was to create mystery and apprehension. In sharp contrast to this, I fully described character and events in the rest of the story. I began with telling the reader her full name so they felt they were being formally introduced. I then went on to describe her appearance, clothes what she is doing: â€Å"tonight she was wearing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"She had spent all night†¦Ã¢â‚¬  because I did none of this in the first paragraph. I did however make some links. For example, in the first paragraph, the words â€Å"angel†, â€Å"uplifting† and â€Å"glowed† are used. In the rest of the opening, the words â€Å"Heaven†, â€Å"fluffy white clouds† and â€Å"euphoria† are used. This is to create a link between the two parts of the story and establish an ongoing theme of heaven and the supernatural. I also used a sense of vulnerability to link the two main characters. With the girl in the first paragraph it is obvious. I used carefully chosen vocabulary. â€Å"She willed her mouth†¦it wouldn’t obey† shows that she isn’t even in control of her own body. â€Å"She fought to against the uplifting force†¦was completely at its mercy†, â€Å"her mind†¦succumbed to the black cloud that eventually engulfed her†. Also the word succumbed is quite passive. However the vulnerability in Lizzie’s character is subtler. At the end, she is â€Å"drawn in† by the stranger and feels â€Å"powerless to resist†. This links Lizzie and the girl but also â€Å"the angel† and â€Å"the stranger† because they hold the power in the respective relationships. I think the links make the reader want to read on because it’s like giving them some pieces of a puzzle. They can see some of the picture so they read on so they can find the rest of it. To create further curiosity, the phrase â€Å"especially after the letters†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is not explained at any point in the opening, forcing the reader to form their own opinion. The fact that she was â€Å"extremely cautious especially after the letters† makes the letters seem sinister and let the reader know they were a cause for concern. I used ellipsis at the end so show it is an unfinished thought and an unanswered question. I carefully chose vocabulary to foreshadow dramatic events. For example, ‘on top of the world’ is a well-known phrase, which means in a position of great happiness or success. However I used the phrase â€Å"perched on top of the world† in my story opening. The word perched suggests instability and precariousness so implies that her happiness may be short lived. I also used the progression of time to create effect. The story begins with the girl trying to speak and then finally collapsing â€Å"†¦she willed her mouth to finish the sentence but it wouldn’t obey†¦succumbed to the black cloud that was threatening to engulf her† and then goes to a lively vibrant scene. I did this so the scene would seem like a flashback or a dream – as we know the main character is unconscious. The strobe lighting in the scene adds to the dream-like quality. I tried to create an image of the setting (the club) being beautiful and pure. I did this by calling it â€Å"heaven† and using description like â€Å"fluffy white clouds†. I then used words like â€Å"heaving with bodies† â€Å"thundering beats† and â€Å"pounding† when describing the people and what they are doing to create a contrast. I did this to imply that clubbing itself is innocent enough but the people make it dangerous. I used alliteration in several places for effect. â€Å"†¦drab dreary wall† emphasises how dull and grey the wall in contrast â€Å"dazzling white† of the angel, to to make it stand out more. In â€Å"bodies all bouncing to the thundering beat†, the ‘b’ sound is repeated to try and mirror the beat of the music. I used the phrases â€Å"bottomless pools of baby blue† and â€Å"passive, peaceful presence† because they are quite soft sounds and I wanted to make the stranger seem calm and therefore contrast with the setting, which is â€Å"electric†. I used a metaphor â€Å"They were puppets dancing to the tune of the headphone-wearing master in the glass booth above† because it emphasises the submissive nature of the clubbers and the idea of a person wielding power over someone else. The issue of power is explored in many different parts of the story. I also used repetition. The word seemed is used at the end the last paragraph. â€Å"She may have seemed like the happy-go-lucky type but appearances can be deceptive and she was quite the opposite† and â€Å"he seemed harmless enough†. This is to suggest that just because the stranger seems harmless he â€Å"may be quite the opposite† and to foreshadow him doing something harmful in the future. I put it in italics both times to add emphasis and draw the reader’s attention to it. In conclusion, I think the techniques I used were effective because there are unanswered questions right at the beginning, which are never answered and this appeals the curiosity of the reader, making them want to read on.