Religion in Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Religion in Society - Essay Example It is important to note however, that the sociology of religion should not be confused with the philosophy of religion as the latter does not look into the claims of religious beliefs. Since not all religions are the same, one will always find religion in some way, shape, or form even in the most primitive of human societies. It is become of these various forms of religion that sociologists have recognized the need to study its relation to the development of our society in general (Crossman, Ashley, â€Å"Sociology of Religion†). Therefore when one speaks of the study of the sociology of religion, he means the study of the religion as a belief and social institution. The study of religion in relation to our society is quite important because religion is not merely an individualized belief system, it is one of the oldest standing social institutions around. It is a method that helps shapes the society that we live in by offering a specific social pattern for those with the same beliefs to follow. The reason that these people follow specific teachings and learning from the religion is because religion seeks to answer some questions that man has about his existence and his role in society. It is this gray area of religion that has sociologists asking questions about it. Questions such as (Crossman, Ashley, â€Å"Sociology of Religion†): How are religious beliefs and factors related to other social factors like race, age, gender, and education? How are religious institutions organized? How does religion affect social change? What influence does religion have on other social institutions, such as political or educational institutions? By understanding how religion has a direct effect on our society, sociologists can further understand the mindset of a society that is based upon a belief system that varies far and wide in relation to its population. They come to unravel the secrets of human society in relation to religious beliefs and organizations that manages to influence social change when necessary. However, unlike regular sociology, religious sociologists do not use mathematical or statistical data for their interpretation. Rather, they base their studies upon interviews with religion members, organizational leaders, and observation of vari ous religious services. Due to the many choices afforded to individuals in terms of religious freedom, it is important to understand the individual rational behind a person's choice of religion. This freedom of choice is believed to be based upon the Rational Choice Theory. By definition, the rational choice theory is based upon the belief that (Hak, Durk H. â€Å"Rational Choice Theory†): Scientific (macro)problems have to be solved at the level of individuals (acting purposively). The hard core consists of an empirical generalization—some would say axiom—stating that individuals choose the most efficient means as they perceive them for the attainment of their goals. Individuals, because of human nature, make a rational trade-off between costs and profits. Costs and rewards are both material and immaterial, and also are personal and situational. In relation to religion, the rational choice theory is a highly and heatedly debatable topic. This is because religio us point of views pertaining to the rational choice theory need to leave room for personal preferences and individual choices (Hak, Durk H. â€Å"Rational Choice Theory†). With religion viewed as a system of compensating for the shortcomings of people, the rational

Modern Figurative Art Essay Example for Free

Modern Figurative Art Essay The artists used darker colours from the 1830s to the 1860s, and the main subject of the paintings were simple portraits of significant people or self portraits of the artists themselves. As you move further through the sections, there are more scenic and historical paintings, as well as paintings showing everyday situations of the time. I found interesting the amount of landscape/nature paintings, as well as paintings depicting life in Canada in their respective time periods. By the end, we get the more expressionits and abstract paintings that get larger in size as time progressed. Finding Meaning in Art  Ã‚  Art asks us to find our own meaning at times. Find the large work Pavane by Canadian artist Jean-Paul Riopelle in gallery A111.  (a) How is the artist trying to convey meaning?  I think Riopelle is trying to convey meaning in the work by using three very large canvases and a wide variety of colours to attract the viewers attention. When you walk into the room the enormous size of the painting get your attention immediately. The three sections are divided for a reason finding in the middle the widest spectrum of colours and other less stand out colour in the surroundings. A very abstract painting, you can tell alot of effort and time has been put into Pavane. (B)What is your interpretation of Pavane?  It took me a long while to try to understand Pavane, I couldnt really see past the simple strips of coloured paper, and the huge size of the painting, then after a couple of minutes of studying and walking around it I began to notice how the main colours are in the center and arent just thrown into the painting randomly, it is very different to the other paintings in the room so I thought perhaps Riopelle was trying to make this piece more modern than the other pieces of work of the time. Trying to be different and to stand out as an artist, just like the colours in Pavane, to be the center of the art world. When I researched Pavane online, I found that it was partially true, because after making this painting he became very successful in the cultural scene.  Nature, Mathematics and Art  After you are through gallery A114, go into the garden. There is a metal piece of art which looks like DNA. You are allowed to play with this if you choose. Look at the plants more closely.  Ã‚  (a) Is nature itself art? If so, does that mean everything is art? Nature is not art, but is the basis of it, its there so we can turn it into our own personal interpretation of it. Its when a human takes nature and creatively does something with it so that it influences and affects the senses, emotions, and/or intellect that it actually becomes art. Human intervention is what makes Art, Art.  (b) Do you think computers can create REAL art on their own, or are people required to create art? Computers cannot create art because they are incapable of having emotions and to convey meaning to a work of art. Besides, computers are made my man, so if a computer creates art, it is because a human has programmed the computer to able to create it.  Architecture  Next to the fern garden is the now reconstructed Rideau Street Convent Chapel. Sit in it for a moment to rest.  (a) Do you think this chapel has a rightful place in an art gallery? Why or why not?  I think the chapel doesnt have a rightful place in the art gallery because even though its very pretty and decorative I found it to be too modern for my liking, and also didnt have much to do with what the subjects in the previous rooms were. There was religion influence in the some paintings but in the majority. It would be conveniently placed in a section that includes more religious sculptures and works of art. (b) What qualities do you think buildings need to be called good architecture?  Good architecture is a building intentionally done to communicate a certain message and that took a lot of hard work and thought into making. If it is creating solely to serve a purpose it is not art, but if it also has an idea or a message built into it, its when it becomes art.  (c) Excluding Parliament Hill, Chateau Laurier, Supreme Court of Canada, the National Gallery of Canada, museums, or any other government building Name one building in Ottawa you consider art and one building you think is not art. Explain. I found the Notre Dame Cathedral very impactful when I first got here, I think its art because it was built not just as a church but to evoke a religious response from people, the originality of the silver material its made from make it an attractive and artistic structure.  A building that is not art would be just a regular ScotiaBank office building, this is because of many reasons, there was no emotion or idea put into it, its is not attractive of artistic in any way and there are many of these in almost every Canadian city, which takes out its originality.

lord of the rings Essay -- essays research papers

The Two Towers Main Characters- Frodo Baggins, a hobbit, the main character of the story, the bearer of the evil ring, sent to destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom. He is very strong, but has trouble sometimes making choices, and sometimes makes wrong ones, wields Sting the dagger of his Uncle Bilbo Baggins. Samwise Gamzee, a hobbit, Frodo’s companion on his journey to destroy the ring, he is always looking out for Frodo, to help him in any way he can, wields a dagger, sword to him. Pippin Took, a hobbit, Frodo’s constant companion until captured by the Orcs, with Merry, and finally escape, and find the Ents, and go to defeat Saruman. Merry, a hobbit, Frodo’s constant companion until captured by the Orcs, with Pippin, and finally escape, and find the Ents, and go to defeat Saruman. Gandalf the white, the wizard on the journey helps make most of the decisions until he, and Frodo are split up, then goes after Saruman to defeat him, and his tower, wields a great wizard staff. Aragorn heir to the king of Gondor, Frodo’s companion until they are split up, then goes after Pippin, and Merry to save them, and after he finds them helps Gandalf defeat Saruman, wields broken sword restored which helped defeat Sauron. Legalos, a young elf, rides with Aragorn and Gimli through the book to help with what he can, wields a bow. Gimli, a dwarf, who goes with Aragorn, and then with Gandalf, he wields an axe, and will fight to the death. Gollum- A once man corrupted by the ring, now ...

Night World : Daughters of Darkness Chapter 14

They walked back to the gas station quickly, their shoulders almost touching. Mary-Lynnette found comfort in Rowan's nearness, in her levelheadedness.She'd never had a friend before who was completelyher equal, who found it as easy to take care of people as to be taken care of. As they reached the gas station, they could see thatthe little group was now clustered around Mary Lynnette's car. Jeremy was peering under the hood.Mark and Jade were back, hand in hand, but there was no sign of Tiggy. Kestrel was leaning against a gas pump, and Ash was talking to Jeremy. â€Å"So the werewolf walks into the second doctor's office and he says, ‘Doc, I think I have rabies.' And the doctor says †¦Ã¢â‚¬  So much for bluffing him, Mary-Lynnette thought. Rowan, eyes shut and shoulders tensed, said, â€Å"Ash,that isn't funny.† She opened her eyes. â€Å"I'm sorry,† she said to Jeremy. â€Å"He doesn't mean it.† â€Å"He does, but it doesn't matter. I've heard worse.† Jeremy bent over the engine again. He replaced a cap with careful, even twists. Then he looked up at Mary-Lynnette. Mary-Lynnette didn't know what to say. What's the etiquette when you've just discovered that somebody's a werewolf? And that it may be their duty to eat you? Her eyes filled. She was completely out of control today. Jeremy looked away. He shook his head slightly. His mouth was bitter. â€Å"That's what I figured. I thought you'd react this way. Or I'd have told you myself a long time ago.† â€Å"You would?† Mary-Lynnette's vision cleared.†But-then you would have gotten in trouble. Right?† Jeremy smiled faintly. â€Å"Well, we're not really sticklers for Night World law around here.† He said it in a normal tone of voice. Ash and the sisters looked around reflexively. Mary-Lynnette said, â€Å"‘We'?† â€Å"My family. They first settled here because it was so far out of the way. A place where they wouldn't bother anybody, and nobody would bother them. Of course, they're all gone now. There's only me left.† He said it without self-pity, but Mary-Lynnette moved closer. â€Å"I'm sorry.† Jade moved in on the other side, silvery-green eyeswide. â€Å"But that's why we came here, too! So nobody would bother us. We don't like the Night World,either.† Jeremy gave another faint smile-that smile thatshowed mostly in his eyes. â€Å"I know,† he said to Jade. â€Å"You're related to Mrs. Burdock, aren't you?† â€Å"She was our aunt,† Kestrel said, her golden gaze fixed unwaveringly on him. Jeremy's expression changed slightly. He turned around to look at Kestrel directly. â€Å"‘Was'?† â€Å"Yes, shemet with a slight accident involving astake,† Ash said. â€Å"Funny how that happens some times†¦.† Jeremy's expression changed again. He looked as if he were leaning against the car for support. â€Å"Who did it?† Then he glanced back at Ash, and Mary-Lynnette saw a gleam of teeth. â€Å"Wait you think I did. Don't you?† â€Å"It did cross our minds at one point,† Ash said. â€Å"Actually, it seemed to keep crossing them. Back and forth. Maybe we should put in a crosswalk.† Mary-Lynnette said, â€Å"Ash, stop it.† â€Å"So you're saying you didn't do it,† Mark said to Jeremy, at the same time as Rowan said, â€Å"Actually, Kestrel thinks it was a vampire hunter.† Her voice was soft, but once again, everybody looked around. The street was still deserted. â€Å"There's no vampire hunter around here,† Jeremy said flatly. â€Å"Then there's a vampire,† Jade said in an excited whisper. â€Å"There has to be, because of the way Aunt Opal was killed. And the goat.† â€Å"The goat . . . ? No, don't even tell me. I don't wanttoknow.† Jeremy swung Mary-Lynnette's hood shut. He looked at her and said quickly, â€Å"Everything's fine in there. You should get the oilchanged sometime.† Then he turned to Rowan. â€Å"I'm sorry about your aunt. But if thereis a vampirearound here, it's somebody staying hidden. Really hidden. Same if it's a vampire hunter.† â€Å"We already figured that out,† Kestrel said. MaryLynnette expected Ash to chime in, but Ash was staring across the street broodingly, his hands in hispockets, apparently having given up on the conversation for the moment. â€Å"You haven't seen anything that could give you a due?† Mary-Lynnette said. â€Å"We were going to lookaround town.† He met her eyes directly. â€Å"If I knew, I'd tell you.† There was just the slightest emphasis on the last word. â€Å"If I could help you, I would.† â€Å"Well, come along for the ride. You can put your head out of the window,† Ash said, returning to life. That did it. Mary-Lynnette marched over, grabbedhim by the arm, and said to the others, â€Å"Excuse us.† She hauled him in a series of tugs to the back of the gas station. â€Å"You jerk!† â€Å"Oh, look†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. â€Å"Shut upl†She jabbed a finger at his throat. It didn't matter that touching him set off electrical explosions. It just gave her another reason to want to kill him. She found that the pink haze was a lot like anger when you kept shouting through it. â€Å"You have to be the center of every drama, don't you? You have to be the center of attention, and act smart, and mouth off l† â€Å"Ow,† Ash said. â€Å"Even if it means hurting other people. Even if itmeans hurting somebody who's only had rotten breaks all his life. Well, not this time.† â€Å"Ow â€Å"Rowan said you guys think all werewolves are low class. And you know what that is? Where I come from, they call that prejudice. And humans have it, too, andit is not a pretty picture. It's about the most hateful thing in the world. I'm ashamed to even stand there while you spout it off.† Mary-Lynnette realized she was crying. She also realized that Mark and Jade were peering around the edge of the gas station. Ash was flat against the boarded-up window, armsup in a gesture of surrender. He looked at a loss for words and ashamed. Good, Mary-Lynnette thought. â€Å"Should you keep poking him that way?† Mark said tentatively. Mary-Lynnette could see Rowan andKestrel behind him and Jade. They all looked alarmed. â€Å"I can't be friends with anybody who's a bigot,†she said to all of them. She gave Ash a jab for emphasis. â€Å"We're not,† Jade said virtuously.†Wedon't be lieve that stupid stuff.† â€Å"We really don't,† Rowan said. â€Å"And Mary-Lynnette-our father is alwaysyellingat Ash for visiting the wrong kind of people on the Outside. Belonging to a dub that admits werewolves, havingwerewolves for friends. The Elders all say he's too liberal about that.† Oh. â€Å"Well, he's got a funny way of showing it,† Mary-Lynnette said, deflating slightly. â€Å"I just thought I'd mention that,† Rowan said.†Now we'll leave you alone.† She herded the others back toward the front of the station. When they were gone, Ash said, â€Å"Can I move now, please?† He looked as if he was in a very bad mood. Mary-Lynnette gave up. She felt tired, suddenlytired and emotionally drained. Too much had happened in the last few days. And it kept happening, it never let up, and †¦ well, she was tired, that's all. â€Å"If you'd go away soon, it would be easier,† shesaid, moving away from Ash. She could feel her headsag slightly. â€Å"Mary-Lynnette . . .† There was something inAsh's voice that she'd never heard before. â€Å"Look it's not exactly a matter of me wanting to go away.There's somebody else from the Night World coming on Monday. His name is Quinn. And if my sistersand I don't go back with him, the whole town is in trouble. If he thinks anything irregular is going onhere †¦ You don't know what the Night Peoplecan do.† Mary-Lynnette could hear her heart beating distinctly. She didn't turn back to look at Ash. â€Å"They could wipe Briar Creek out. I mean it. They've done things like that, to preserve the secret. It's the only protection they have from your kind.† Mary-Lynnette said-not defiantly, but with simpleconviction, â€Å"Your sisters aren't going to leave.† â€Å"Then the whole town's in trouble. There's a roguewerewolf, three renegade lamia, and a secret vampirekiller wandering around somewhere-not to mention twohumans who know about the Night World. This is a paranormal disaster area.† A long silence. Mary-Lynnette was trying very hard not to see â€Å"things from Ash's point of view. Atlast she said, â€Å"So what do you want me to do?† â€Å"Oh, I don't know, why don't we all have a pizza party and watch TV?† Ash sounded savage. â€Å"I haveno idea what to do,† he added in more normal tones.†And you'd better believe I've been thinking about it. The only thing I can come up with is that the girlshave to go back with me, and we all have to lie through our teeth to Quinn.† Mary-Lynnette tried to think, but her head was throbbing. â€Å"There is one other possibility,† Ash said. He saidit under his breath, as if he wouldn't mind if she pretended not to hear him. Mary-Lynnette eased a crick in her neck, watchingblue-and-yellow images of the sun on her shut eyelids. â€Å"What?† â€Å"I know you and the girls did a blood-tie ceremony. It was illegal, but that's beside the point. You're part of the reason they don't want to leavehere.† Mary-Lynnette opened her mouth to point out thatthey didn't want to leave because life had been unbearable for them in the Night World, but Ash hurried on. â€Å"But maybe if you were-like us, we could work something out. I could take the girls back to the island, and then in a few months I could get them out again. We'd go someplace where nobodywould know us. Nobody would suspect there was anything irregular about you. The girls would be free,and you'd be there, so there's no reason they shouldn't be happy. Your brother could come, too.† Mary-Lynnette turned around slowly. She examined Ash. The sun brought out hidden warm tonesin his hair, making it a shimmering blond somewherebetween Jade's and Kestrel's. His eyes were shadowed, some dark color. He stood lanky and elegantas ever, but with one hand in his pocket and a pained expression on his face. â€Å"Don't frown; you'll spoil your looks,† she said. â€Å"For God's sake, don't patronize mel† he yelled. Mary-Lynnette was startled. Well. Okay. â€Å"I think,† she said, more cautiously but with emphasis to let him know that she was the one with a right to be upset, â€Å"that you are suggesting changing me into a vampire.† The corner of Ash's mouth jerked. He put his other hand in his pocket and looked away. â€Å"That was the general idea, yes.† â€Å"So that your sisters can be happy.† â€Å"So that you don't get killed by some vigilante like Quinn.† â€Å"But aren't the Night People going to kill me just the same if you change me?† â€Å"Only if they findyou,† Ash said savagely. â€Å"And if we can get away from here clean, they wouldn't.Anyway, as a vampire you'd have a better chance of fighting them.† â€Å"So I'm supposed to become a vampire and leave everything I love here so your sisters can be happy.† Ash just stared angrily at the roof of the building across the street. â€Å"Forget it.† â€Å"Believe me, I wasn't even thinking about it in the first place.† â€Å"Fine.† He continued to stare. All at once Mary-Lynnette had the horrible feeling that his eyes were wet. And I've cried I don't know how many times inthe last two days-and I only used to cry when thestars were so beautiful it hurt. There's somethingwrongwith me now. I don't even know who I am anymore. There seemed to be something wrong with Ash, too. â€Å"Ash †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He didn't look at her. His jaw was tight. The problem is that there isn't any tidy answer, Mary-Lynnette thought. â€Å"I'm sorry,† she said huskily, trying to shake off the strange feelings that hadsuddenly descended on her. â€Å"It's just that everything's turned out so †¦ weird.I never asked for any of this.† She swallowed. â€Å"I guess you never askedfor it, either. First your sisters running away †¦and then me. Some joke, yeah?† â€Å"Yeah.† He wasn't staring off into the distance anymore. â€Å"Look †¦ I might as well tell you.I didn't ask for this, and if somebody had said last week that I'd be in †¦ involved †¦with a,human, I'd have knocked his head off. I mean, after howls of derisive laughter. But.† He stopped. That seemed to be the end of his confession:but.Of course, he didn't really need to say more. Mary-Lynnette, arms folded over her chest, stared at a curved piece of glass on the ground and tried to think of other phrases that started with in.Besides the obvious. She couldn't come up with any. She resisted the impulse to nudge the glass with her foot. â€Å"I'm a bad influence on your sisters.† â€Å"I said that to protect you. To try and protect you.†Ã¢â‚¬ I can protect myself.† â€Å"So I've noticed,† -he said dryly. â€Å"Does that help?† â€Å"You noticing? No, because you don't really believe it. You'll always think I'm weaker than you, softer †¦even if you didn't say it, I'd know you were thinking it.† Ash suddenly looked crafty. His eyes were as greenas hellebore flowers. â€Å"If you were a vampire, you wouldn't be weaker,† he said. â€Å"Also, you'd know what I was really thinking.† He held out his hand. â€Å"Want a sample?† Mary-Lynnette said abruptly, â€Å"We'd better get back. They're going to think we've killed each other.† â€Å"Let them,† Ash said, his hand still held out, but Mary-Lynnette just shook her head and walked away. She was scared. Wherever she'd been going with Ash, she'd been getting in too deep. And she wondered how much of their conversation had been audible around front. When she rounded the corner, her eyes immediately went to Jeremy. He was standing with Kestrel by the gas pump. They were dose together, and forjust an instant Mary-Lynnette felt something like startled dismay. Then her inner voice asked, Are you insane? You can't be jealous over him while you're worrying whether he's jealous over you, and meanwhile worrying about what to do with your soulmate†¦. It's good if he and Kestrel like each other. â€Å"I don't care; I can't wait anymore,† Jade was saying to Rowan on the sidewalk. â€Å"I've got to find him.† â€Å"She thinks Tiggy's gone home,† Rowan said, seeing Mary-Lynnette. Ash went toward Rowan. Kestrel did, too. Somehow Mary-Lynnette was left beside Jeremy. Once again, she didn't know the etiquette. Sheglanced at him-and stopped feeling awkward. He was watching her in his quiet, level way. But then he startled her. He threw a look at thesidewalk and said, â€Å"Mary-Lynnette, be careful.† â€Å"What?† † Be careful. â€Å"It was the same tone he'd used whenwarning her about Todd and Vic. Mary-Lynnette followed his gaze †¦ to Ash. â€Å"It's all right,† Mary-Lynnette said. She didn't know how to explain. Even his own sisters hadn't believed Ash wouldn't hurt her. Jeremy looked bleak. â€Å"I know guys like that.Sometimes they bring human girls to their clubsand you don't want to know why. So just just watch yourself, all right?† It was a nasty shock. Rowan and the girls had saidsimilar things, but coming from Jeremy it sank in, somehow. Ash had undoubtedly done things in his life that †¦ well, that would make her want to kill him if she knew. Things you couldn't just forget about. â€Å"I'll be careful,† she said. She realized her fists were clenched, and she said with a glimmer of humor, â€Å"I can handle him.† Jeremy still looked bleak. His brown eyes were dark and his jaw was tight as he looked at Ash. Underhis quietness, Mary-Lynnette could sense leashed power. Cold anger. Protectiveness. And the fact that he didn't like Ash at all . The others were coming back. â€Å"I'll be all right,† Mary-Lynnette whispered quickly. Aloud, Jeremy said, â€Å"I'll keep thinking about the people around town. I'll tell you if I come up with something.† Mary-Lynnette nodded. â€Å"Thanks, Jeremy.† She tried to give him a reassuring look as everybody got into the car. He stood watching as she pulled out of the gas station. He didn't wave. â€Å"Okay, so we go home,† Mark said. â€Å"And then what?† Nobody answered. Mary-Lynnette realized that she had no idea what. â€Å"I guess we'd better figure out if we still have anysuspects,† she said at last. â€Å"There's something else we've got to do, first,† Rowan said softly. â€Å"We vampires, I mean.† Mary-Lynnette could tell just by the way she said it. But Mark asked, â€Å"What?† â€Å"We need to feed,† Kestrel said with her most radiant smile. They got back to Burdock Farm. There was no sign of the cat. The four vampires headed for the woods, Jadecalling for Tiggy, and Mary-Lynnette headed for Mrs. B.'s rolltop desk. She got engraved stationery only slightly mildewed at the edges-and a silver pen with a fussy Victorian pattern on it. â€Å"Now,† she said to Mark as she sat at the kitchen table. â€Å"We're going to play List the Suspects.† â€Å"There's nothing in this house to eat, you know,† Mark said. He had all the cupboards open. â€Å"Just things like instant coffee and green Jujyfruits. The ones everybody leaves.† â€Å"What can I say, your girlfriend is undead. Come on. Sit down and concentrate.† Mark sat down and sighed. â€Å"Who have we got?† â€Å"We should have gone to find out what the dealwas with that horse,† Mark said. Mary-Lynnette stopped with her pen poised overthe stationery. â€Å"You're right, that must be connected. I forgot about it.† Which just goes to show you, detective work doesn't mix with 1-with idle dawdling. â€Å"All right,† she said grimly. â€Å"So let's assume that whoever killed the horse was the same person who killed Aunt Opal and the goat. And maybe the sameperson who broke the gas station window-that hap pened last night, too. Where does that get us?† â€Å"I think it was Todd and Vic,† Mark said. â€Å"You're not being helpful.† â€Å"I'm serious. You know how Todd is always chewing on that toothpick. And there were toothpicks stuck in the goat.† Toothpicks†¦ now, what did that remind her of? No, not toothpicks, the bigger stakes. Why couldn't she remember ? She rubbed her forehead, giving up. â€Å"Okay†¦I'llput Todd and Vic, vampire hunters, with a question mark. Unless you think they're vampires themselves.† â€Å"Nope,† Mark said, undeterred by her sarcasm. â€Å"I think Jade would've noticed that when she drank their blood.† He eyed her thoughtfully. â€Å"You're the smart one. Who doyou think did it?† â€Å"I have no idea.† Mark made a face at her, andshe doodled a stake on the stationery. The doodle changed into a very small stake, more like a pencil,held by a feminine hand. She never could draw hands†¦. â€Å"Oh, my God. Bunny.† â€Å"Bunny did it?† Mark asked ingenuously, preparedto be straight man for a joke. But Mary-Lynnette said,†Yes.I mean-no, I don't know. But those stakes in the goat-the big ones I've seen herusingthem. She uses them on her nails. They're cuticle sticks.† â€Å"Well †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Mark looked dismayed. â€Å"But I mean †¦ Bunny . C'mon. She can't kill a mosquito.† Mary-Lynnette shook her head, agitated. â€Å"Rowan said she had a lamia name. And she said something strange to me-Bunny-the day I was looking for Todd and Vic.† It was all coming back now, a flood of memories that she didn't particularly want. â€Å"She said, ‘Good hunting.†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ â€Å"Mare, it's from The Jungle Book .† â€Å"I know. It was still weird for her to say. And she's almosttoosweet and scared-what if it's all an act?† When Mark didn't answer, she said, â€Å"Is it any more unlikelythan Todd and Vic being vampire hunters?† â€Å"So put her down, too.† Mary-Lynnette did. Then she said, â€Å"You know, there's something I keep meaning to ask Rowanabout how they wrote to Mrs. B. from thatisland-† She broke off and tensed as the back door banged. â€Å"Am I the first one back?† It was Rowan, windblown and glowing, slightlybreathless. Her hair was a tumbling chestnut loud around her. â€Å"Where's everybody else?† Mary-Lynnette asked. â€Å"We separated early on. It's the only way, you know, with four of us in this small of an area.† â€Å"Small!† Mark looked offended. â€Å"If Briar Creekhas one good thing-and I'm not saying it does it's space.† Rowan smiled. â€Å"For a hunting range, it is small,†she said. â€Å"No offense. It's fine for us-we never got to hunt at -all on the island. They brought our mealsto us, tranquilized and completely passive.† Mary-Lynnette pushed away the image this evoked. â€Å"Urn, you want to register a guess on Whodunit?† 0Rowan sat down in a kitchen chair, smoothing a wisp of brown hair off her forehead. â€Å"I don't know. I wonder if it's somebody we haven't even thought of yet.† Mary-Lynnette remembered what she'd been talking about when the door banged. â€Å"Rowan, I always meant to ask you-you said that only Ash could havefigured out where you were going when you ran away. But what about the guy who helped yousmuggle letters off the island? He would know where your aunt lived, right? He could see the address on the letters.† â€Å"Crane Linden.† Rowan smiled, a sad little smile. â€Å"No, he wouldn't know. He's †¦Ã¢â‚¬  She touched her temple lightly. â€Å"I don't know what you call it. His mind never developed completely. He can't read. But he's very kind.† There were illiterate vampires? Well, why not?Aloud Mary-Lynnette said, â€Å"Oh. Well, I guess it's one more person we can eliminate.† â€Å"Look, can we just brainstorm a minute?† Mark said. â€Å"This is probably crazy, but what if Jeremy'suncle isn't really dead? And what if-† At that moment, there was a crash from the front porch. No, a tap-tap-crash, Mary-Lynnette thought. Then she thought, Oh, God . . . Tiggy.

Special Population and the Advocacy Role

Advocacy is the fighting a cause for an individual or group of invididuals. Many people today need and use an advocate. For example, a social worker advocates for a client so that the client can receive state assistance benefits. An advocate usually pleads or defends a position. The wealthy usually do not need an advocate as they have the means to solve the problem or issue themselves. Many programs from Catholic charities to the federal food stamp programs employee advocates. In the State of Nevada there are local charities that advocate for the protection of children and fight for the rights of prisoners and victims of crimes. Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errant’s and the Recovery Group Cure, (Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errant’s) and the Recovery Group Inc. are such charities that advocate for prisoners in the State of Nevada Legislature in hopes to create laws equal and just. Carson City Nevada is the state capital of Nevada. The state of Nevada has a population of more than two million. Nevada state prisons house over 12,000 inmates. The main purpose of CURE and the Recovery group is to ensure prisons are used for those individuals who belong in prison and to provide available resources to those in prison who want to turn their lives around. CURE currently has 20,000 members. â€Å"Current issues addressed are abolishment of the death penalty, adequate access to legal assistance, effective drug treatment and a constitutional amendment that changes the American justice system† (Nevada-Cure, 2011, p. 1). Members of the CURE group and the Recovery group are currently appearing in the state legislature to speak on such issues as WIC for pregnant women prisoners, an increase in educational programs in prisons, and requiring juvenile justice receiving state funds to file an annual report on the number of juvenile deaths and the circumstances relating to the death of the juvenile (Nevada-Cure, 2011). Adrienne’s Perspective. Adrienne’s husband has been asked to be a part of a committee in the state’s legislature that addresses the issues and concerns of the CURE and Recovery group. She believes that many prisoners have the desire to change their lives; however, many programs are no longer available to the prisoners housed in the state of Nevada’s prisons. A meeting was set up with the Director of Prisons in January to discuss the issues currently addressed in the state legislature. Adrienne realizes the state has limited resources and funding available. She would propose that these two organizations raise money through donations and federal grants. Individuals who do not have the time to advocate for the cause and believe in this cause can donate money to these organizations to fight for the cause. Adrienne and her husband along with other individuals advocate for this cause by being the voice inside the state legislature. Although Adrienne does believe many individuals will never change their lives, she does believe that those whom want to must have the opportunity and resources available to succeed. References Nevada-Cure.org. (2011) Nevada-Cure: Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants. Retrieved January 15, 2012 from http://www.nevadacure.org/