Writing an interview paper
What Are Good Past Experiences Essay Topics
Tuesday, August 25, 2020
buy custom Medical Apartheid essay
purchase custom Medical Apartheid paper Bigotry involves the conviction that a few races are better than others in the public arena. From as right on time as the pioneer time, prejudice in the United States of America has been a urgent issue. Local Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, Mexican and so on were completely considered as the minority gatherings. Bigotry has numerous structures. Be that as it may, nobody is brought into the world a supremacist. This creates from the earth from which youngsters develop into. Washington uncovered the abuses and shamefulness African Americans were presented to trying to make headway s in the realm of medication. Through her careful exploration, she unwound the deceptive practices early specialists rehearsed so as to discover answers to illnesses that were risky to the white race. Washington, in her book, discusses the progressions, experienced in medication. The setting of the book is during the slave period when specialists had consent to probe slaves. Washington delineates specialists as disagreeable and fiendishness where they utilized different people to perform tests without thinking about the ramifications of their activities. During that period, whites were viewed as better than blacks; the trials directed just improved their lives, rather than the dark people life. The dark Americans have languished over quite a while because of unexpected weakness gives that exceptional have never been comprehended. As Washington states in her book, the past oppression the African Americans has been the key reason for inconsistent degrees of wellbeing administrations and treatment experienced today. Prejudice in America has been a critical issue since the time the slave and the provincial time. Legitimately supported racial separation forced a grave weight on African Americans, Native Americans, Mexican Americans, and Asian Americans. The fundamental racially organized foundations at the time included Indian wars, subjugation, isolation, Native American reservations, internment camps and private schools (for Native Americans. In America, official racial inclination was generally disallowed in the mid-twentieth century; in addition, it came to be seen as socially unfortunate. Notwithstanding, racial governmental issues stayed an indispensable wonder in An american area. Recorded bigotry exceptional has kept on being seen in financial disparity. By the by, racial delineation kept on occurring in all roads, in the public arena including government, lodging, work, lodging, loaning, and training and wellbeing segments. Similar to the case in many nations, numerous individuals in the United States of America keep on holding some victimization people from different races. Separation invades practically all parts of life in America, and it further reaches out to all networks of shading. Washington in her book centers in the topic of neediness and racial segregation. Here, the slaves were poor African Americans who had no voice in the general public. She discusses the tenant farmers who at one time experienced Syphilis yet didn't get any treatment since they were dark. She additionally discusses how individuals of color were seen as pointless, and the whites bought them from commercial centers for the sole motivation behind experimentation. These specialists presented the blacks to radiation, fire and a wide range of dangerous substances for advancing medication. The most chilling examination directed was that of Dr. J. Marion Sims. The Alabama specialist was the first to fix gynecological fistulae. This was a very difficult condition that influenced ladies and caused them to lose bladder control. To accomplish this, he continually probed slave ladies without utilizing sedation during the medical procedures. The African Americans were constantly connected with destit ution. This is on the grounds that they were brought into America as captives to work in manors. This mindset hung on in the brains of men, and cutting-edge, prejudice is as yet pervasive in America. Another topic brought out in the book is negligence where specialists utilize their command to abuse their patients. The slaves were investigated, and some of them in the end passed on. This achieved doubt between the white specialists and the dark patients. This has proceeded throughout the years exceptional. Another subject in the book is torment and languishing. This was particularly normal and serious for ladies who despite everything needed to think about their families close by the cruel everyday environments they were presented to as slaves. Enduring is likewise clear where slaves and other minor gatherings of individuals were presented to hurtful substancces for research purposes. Ladies in the general territory more fragile species to men a they are most appropriate for inconspicuous work, notwithstanding, as slaves, the ladies had to work similarly as hard as men. Bigotry and segregation are likewise a key topic in the book. The African Americans were segregated on account of their shading. Albeit other minority bunches were segregated, the blacks had the most noticeably awful experience since they were poor as well as thought about valueless according to the white man. Pioneers, similar to Nelson Mandela and Barrack Obama, have contended energetically to guarantee this thought is absolutely overlooked. As a wellbeing specialist, Washington accessed clinical diaries that recounted the enduring the African Americans experienced in the possession of the specialists. She censures the specialists who were stood aside and let poor blacks languish the Tuskegee concentrate over neglecting to control the spread of syphilis, yet they had the way to contain it. As indicated by the clinical writing, the investigations were directed in the e past and notwithstanding the various change the general public has encountered, blacks despite everything don't confide in specialists consequently they get low quality wellbeing administrations than the whites. The goal of composing the book was, to improve the wellbeing measures of the individuals of color. Nonetheless, pundits accept the book will accomplish the polar opposite and enlarge the wellbeing partition that has been in presence throughout the years. Social laborers have been of much assistance in the general public since they recognize issue zones in the general public and they help with adjusting the issue. Washington found that there existed a few issues that brought about unexpected frailty for individuals of color. To comprehend this, she explored the foundation of the issue and through this book; she endeavors to seal this crack among blacks and whites in human services. Social specialists have likewise encouraged underestimated individuals to get to administrations that would some way or another be difficult to reach. Likewise, help the underestimated individuals to have a sense of security in a general public that overlooks them just as their needs. They guarantee the min imized individuals have safe homes, satisfactory fundamental needs and the best clinical administrations accessible. At the end of the day, social specialists speak to the voice of the minimized individuals in the public eye. Purchase custom Medical Apartheid exposition
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Examining Different Arguments Related to the Choice of a Career Essay Example for Free
Analyzing Different Arguments Related to the Choice of a Career Essay Appraisal Part A: Critically Evaluating an Argument à Arts and Sciences (Advantage): Lots of adaptability in profession decisions: Logically Sound Arts and Sciences (Disadvantage): Leads to a vocation in food administration Do you need fries with that? : Irrational Appeal Education (Advantage): The most ideal approach to have any kind of effect on the planet: Logically Sound Education (Disadvantage): Guaranteed low paying employment: Shifting the Burden of Proof Nursing (Advantage): People consistently will require medical attendants: Logically Sound Nursing (Disadvantage): Too much tutoring (as indicated by Theo, the Law understudy): Shifting the Burden of Proof Information Systems and Technology (Advantage): No other degree fixation is as imaginative (as indicated by Grace): Shifting the Burden of Proof Information Systems and Technology (Disadvantage): Too constrained in scope for much headway in business circumstance (as per Ritesh): Logically Sound Business (Advantage): Infinit e profession alternatives (as indicated by Ritesh): Logically Sound Business (Disadvantage): Boring work, stuck behind a work area throughout the day: Shifting the Burden of Proof Health and Human Services (Advantage): All the advantages of Arts and Sciences, however endlessly increasingly engaged and pertinent: Oversimplifying Health and Human Services (Disadvantage): Job choices are all in very un-innovative fields. : Double Standard Appraisal Part B: Articulating the Steps Involved in Evaluating an Argument Write out the two most convincing contentions you heard that influenced your choice. Next, show one that you heard that had a major sensible blunder in it, yet which you despite everything thought was significant. In the IT field, thre isn't just a great deal of chances there, from website composition, to business frameworks and innovation. There is additionally a gigantic interest in that field. The compensation go additionally begins at a really decent level. One ofthe contentions I heard is that since I would begin at a passage level situation, there is a decent chance that I would not get the hours that I am searching for. Were there any mistakes in truth with that contention? Portray what those mistakes were, and what made them blunders. There were a few mistakes in that reality. There probably won't be such an appeal in my general vicinity that I live in. If I somehow happened to live in a barren zone with little organizations, there probably won't be as much open door as others may have. Shouldn't something be said about mistakes of legitimacy? Keep in mind, these are blunders in thinking â⬠and theyre somewhat harder to comprehend! Let me know whether there are any mistakes of legitimacy in this contention. I didnt believe that there were actually any blunders in the legitimacy of the contention, notwithstanding, there are a few things that probably won't be viewed as substantial by a few. For example, this field probably won't be for everybody. A few people may discover some pleasure in it, while others probably won't care for it by any stretch of the imagination. Update the contention with the goal that it expels all blunders. Repeat it in a manner that is legitimately stable. The field can be promising, permitting you to have the chance to take in substantial income. Likewise, more often than not, there are an appeal for business, yet it additionally relies upon where you are searching for work. Investigate all of what the activity involves, in light of the fact that it may be for you, despite the fact that I appreciate it. Take somewhat more time on this one. What it was that driven you to pick this degree fixation. Depict both about how you assessed the contentions and furthermore about what you esteemed most. I imagine that the most significant point made in these contentions is which field I would appreciate the most. On the off chance that I have an enthusiasm for mechanical administrations, at that point this is most likely a decent field for me. Likewise, if the compensation scale is precise, that is an extraordinary beginning at passage level.
Friday, July 31, 2020
Sunsets
Sunsets The sun always seems to hover near eye level. It gets a bit depressing if you always think of it as the sun is setting. Last week was Week 5 of Michaelmas term at Cambridge. Week 5 at MIT means Fifth week flags for Freshmen, Add date deadline, and the end of the first wave of tests. Week 5 at Cambridge, however, means the term is more than halfway over, youve gotten more work than you know what to do with, and a general feeling of panic. I, myself, only got about 5-6 hours of sleep each day last week. This is non-trivial because I like to, and usually do, get about 8-9 hours of sleep every night, even at MIT. But youre probably wondering why I have so much work when there are no tests until April/May and none of what Im doing right now counts? Well, for engineering students (and most science students, I think), we have labs and practicals where we have to 1) participate and 2) write up a lab report. Each lab usually takes around 4 hours and a couple of hours to write up. Depending on your subject and which year youre in, you can have anywhere from no labs to 1-2 labs every week. I believe humanities majors have readings and essays that are equally time consuming. Besides labs, you also get 3-4 example papers per class that are like problem sets. Youre expected to work through them and then discuss them with your supervisor. At Cambridge, you get a supervisor for every class. You usually share this person with 1-2 other students and he/she is usually a grad student or professor who is your point of contact for anything that you dont understand in that class. For 3rd year engineering students, there are only 3-4 supervisions for each class. So during the 5th week, you wouldve already tried to do Example Paper #1 and went over questions with your supervisor and scheduled supervision #2 for some day in week 5. However you realize, the day before your supervision, that not only have you not started on Example Paper #2, you still have questions on Example Paper #1. This is very sad so you end up staying up really late to struggle through the problems because the last thing you want to do is to waste a supervision. The good thing about weekly psets at MIT is that theres an end to the madness. Okay, you finish one and then have to pick up another one. But at least once you finish, you dont have to look at it again until you study for finals. At Cambridge, your example paper sheet just floats around the whole time and you get sick just looking at it. It really is an entirely different education system. I never know what to answer when people ask, How does this compare to MIT? Apples and oranges
Friday, May 22, 2020
Government Reactions during the Great Recession - 862 Words
Monetary Policy and Fiscal Policy: Government Reactions during ââ¬Å"The Great Recession Monetary policy and fiscal policy can greatly influence the US economy. Keynesian economics says, ââ¬Å"A depressed economy is the result of inadequate spending. Keynesian argued that government intervention can help a depressed economy through monetary policy and fiscal policy. The idea established by Keynes was that managing the economy is a government responsibility. Monetary policy uses changes in the quantity of money to alter interest rates and in turn affect the level of overall spending. The object of monetary policy is to influence the nationââ¬â¢s economic performance, as measured by inflation, the employment rate and the gross domestic product, an aggregate measure of economic output. Monetary policy is controlled by the Central Bank and influences money supply. Fiscal policy uses changes in taxes and government spending to affect overall spending and stabilize the economy. The objective of fiscal policy is the governmentsââ¬â¢ typical use fiscal policy to promote strong and sustainable growth and reduce poverty. During periods of recession congress has the option to decrease taxes to give households more disposable income so they can buy more products. Therefore, lowering tax rates increases GDP. The steady growth of core inflation in late 2007 and the first half of 2008 appear to suggest that the Fedââ¬â¢s applied discretionary powers to avoid a tightening. In 2009 the feds needed to beShow MoreRelatedThe After World War II1671 Words à |à 7 Pagesexperienced a rapid decline in economic activity comparable to that of the Great Depression. The United Statesââ¬â¢ real estate market collapsing and ââ¬Å"large amounts of mortgage-backed securities and derivativesâ⬠¦[losing] significant valueâ⬠(Investopedia, LLC.) caused this Great Recession. Three wealthy countries, Japan, Germany and the United States, each experienced a distinct reaction to the economic obstacles that arose during the 2000s and continued into the 2010s, thus the three countries respondedRead MoreFinancial Crisis After The Great Depression1229 Words à |à 5 Pages2008 Financial Crisis Not since the great depression was there such a devastating economic crisis as the 2008 financial crisis. A crisis rooted from the burst of the housing bubble in the U.S. thus leading to the government being brought down, ruined economies, crumbled financial corporations and impoverish lives of numerous individuals. As reported in McClean and Noceraââ¬â¢s All the Devils Are Here: The Hidden History of the Financial Crisis, ââ¬Å"the seeds of [the] financial disaster were sown more thanRead MoreGDP and Fiscal Policy Essay698 Words à |à 3 PagesThe gross domestic product (GDP) is an essential component of measuring business cycles. The most universal description of a recession is two uninterrupted quarterly declines within the GDP, which is basically the totality of every good and service that a country produces (Shenk, 2008). This description may be deemed as one-dimensional due to the fact that GDP is a measurement of the national economic performance based on a sole economic statistic. By examining just one component of the economicRead MoreEffects Of The Great Recession On The United Kingdom Essay1405 Words à |à 6 PagesBackground The ââ¬Å"Great Recessionâ⬠is commonly used to explain the massive economic contraction that occurred in the United States during the fourth quarter of 2007. However, the actions of the United States spanned to other nations, leaving massive effect on the global economy. One nation that took on serious financial burden during this recession was the United Kingdom. This nation first faced the effects of the Great Recession beginning in the first quarter of 2008. Overall, the initial mass effectsRead MoreJohn Maynard Keynes : The Father Of Macroeconomics1502 Words à |à 7 Pageseconomy is critical for monetary growth and essential in post-war economies. (ââ¬Å"Keynesâ⬠, 1968). He proposed that expansion of government involvement and increases in fiscal spending while expanding entitlements are important in recovering from an economic downturn. Keynes believed that free market economy can provide economy stability during recession through government intervention because of automatic provision of full employment that is readily available on basis that workers are flexible onRead MoreGreat Recession And The Great Depression906 Words à |à 4 PagesGREAT ECONOMIC TIMES IN AMERICA The Great Recession and the Great Depression are the fallout of the exact same economic problems and are only different in a few respects. Each period is marked by a massive run ups in asset prices followed by a crash in the stock market and sent both debt and equity markets down. These periods are said to be the worse economic downturn in the countryââ¬â¢s history. During the great depression, as banks failed and threatened to shut down the financial system altogetherRead MoreFinancial Crisis Of The Great Depression887 Words à |à 4 Pages Great economic times in America The Great Recession and the Great Depression are the aftermath of mostly similar economic difficulties and are only different in a few respects. Each period is marked by a massive run ups in asset prices followed by a crash in the stock market and sent both debt and equity markets down. These periods are said to be the worse economic downturn in the countryââ¬â¢s history. During the great depression, as banks failed and threatened to shut down the financial system altogetherRead MoreIntroduction. The Rising Unemployment Has Generated Challenges1381 Words à |à 6 Pagesseeking employment but the employment rates are low. The increased rates of unemployment are contributed to by factors such as recession periods that adversely affects the economy. Impacts on the economy in turn affect the labor force leading to loss of employment and reducing the rates of employment opportunities in the country. The United States has experienced cases of recession periods and has caused significan t negative impacts on the communities and economic growth of the country. The prevalenceRead MoreEssay on FDR Had the Right Idea987 Words à |à 4 PagesProtesters are swarming the capitol city. They are flooding the entrances and lobbies of major government buildings. Thousands have set up makeshift camps. They will not leave until they get what they want. The president is dumbfounded. He wonders how things could have gotten to this point so quickly. His military advisors are prepared to sweep out the protesters with horses and tanks. The president orders the military to act. From that moment on, whether he knows it or not, his presidencyRead MoreThe Great Recession Essay1692 Words à |à 7 Pageshistory are doomed to repeat it. This quote applies to the Great Depression of 1929 and the Great Recession of 2008. There are many similarities between the two, like the causes, the actual events, and the aftermaths. Several factors led to the Great Depression, which were the fo llowing: overproduction by business and agriculture, unequal distribution of wealth, Americans buying less, and finally, the stock market crash of 1929. The Great Recession also had similar factors leading to it, like the housing
Sunday, May 10, 2020
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
The Amber Spyglass Chapter 15 The Forge Free Essays
string(263) " the rest of his life depended on what happened in that tiny triangle of metal, that point that searched out the gaps inside the atoms, and all his nerves trembled, sensing every flicker of every flame and the loosening of every atom in the lattice of the metal\." At that moment the Gallivespians, too, were talking about the knife. Having made a suspicious peace with Iorek Byrnison, they climbed back to their ledge to be out of the way, and as the crackle of flames rose and the snapping and roaring of the fire filled the air, Tialys said, ââ¬Å"We must never leave his side. As soon as the knife is mended, we must keep closer than a shadow. We will write a custom essay sample on The Amber Spyglass Chapter 15 The Forge or any similar topic only for you Order Now â⬠ââ¬Å"He is too alert. He watches everywhere for us,â⬠said Salmakia. ââ¬Å"The girl is more trusting. I think we could win her around. Sheââ¬â¢s innocent, and she loves easily. We could work on her. I think we should do that, Tialys.â⬠ââ¬Å"But he has the knife. He is the one who can use it.â⬠ââ¬Å"He wonââ¬â¢t go anywhere without her.â⬠ââ¬Å"But she has to follow him, if he has the knife. And I think that as soon as the knifeââ¬â¢s intact again, theyââ¬â¢ll use it to slip into another world, so as to get away from us. Did you see how he stopped her from speaking when she was going to say something more? They have some secret purpose, and itââ¬â¢s very different from what we want them to do.â⬠ââ¬Å"Weââ¬â¢ll see. But youââ¬â¢re right, Tialys, I think. We must stay close to the boy at all costs.â⬠They both watched with some skepticism as Iorek Byrnison laid out the tools in his improvised workshop. The mighty workers in the ordnance factories under Lord Asrielââ¬â¢s fortress, with their blast furnaces and rolling mills, their anbaric forges and hydraulic presses, would have laughed at the open fire, the stone hammer, the anvil consisting of a piece of Iorekââ¬â¢s armor. Nevertheless, the bear had taken the measure of the task, and in the certainty of his movements the little spies began to see some quality that muffled their scorn. When Lyra and Will came in with the bushes, Iorek directed them in placing branches carefully on the fire. He looked at each branch, turning it from side to side, and then told Will or Lyra to place it at such-and-such an angle, or to break off part and place it separately at the edge. The result was a fire of extraordinary ferocity, with all its energy concentrated at one side. By this time the heat in the cave was intense. Iorek continued to build the fire, and made the children take two more trips down the path to ensure that there was enough fuel for the whole operation. Then the bear turned over a small stone on the floor and told Lyra to find some more stones of the same kind. He said that those stones, when heated, gave off a gas that would surround the blade and keep the air from it, for if the hot metal came in contact with the air, it would absorb some and be weakened by it. Lyra set about searching, and with owl-eyed Pantalaimonââ¬â¢s help soon had a dozen or more stones to hand. Iorek told her how to place them, and where, and showed her exactly the kind of draft she should get moving, with a leafy branch, to make sure the gas flowed evenly over the work piece. Will was placed in charge of the fire, and Iorek spent several minutes directing him and making sure he understood the principles he was to use. So much depended on exact placement, and Iorek could not stop and correct each one; Will had to understand, and then heââ¬â¢d do it properly. Furthermore, he mustnââ¬â¢t expect the knife to look exactly the same when it was mended. It would be shorter, because each section of the blade would have to overlap the next by a little way so they could be forged together; and the surface would have oxidized a little, despite the stone-gas, so some of the play of color would be lost; and no doubt the handle would be charred. But the blade would be just as sharp, and it would work. So Will watched as the flames roared along the resinous twigs, and with streaming eyes and scorched hands he adjusted each fresh branch till the heat was focused as Iorek wanted it. Meanwhile, Iorek himself was grinding and hammering a fist-sized stone, having rejected several until he found one of the right weight. With massive blows he shaped it and smoothed it, the cordite smell of smashed rocks joining the smoke in the nostrils of the two spies, watching from high up. Even Pantalaimon was active, changing to a crow so he could flap his wings and make the fire burn faster. Eventually the hammer was formed to Iorekââ¬â¢s satisfaction, and he set the first two pieces of the blade of the subtle knife among the fierce-burning wood at the heart of the fire, and told Lyra to begin wafting the stone-gas over them. The bear watched, his long white face lurid in the glare, and Will saw the surface of the metal begin to glow red and then yellow and then white. Iorek was watching closely, his paw held ready to snatch the pieces out. After a few moments the metal changed again, and the surface became shiny and glistening, and sparks just like those from a firework sprayed up from it. Then Iorek moved. His right paw darted in and seized first one piece and then the other, holding them between the tips of his massive claws and placing them on the slab of iron that was the backplate of his armor. Will could smell the claws burning, but Iorek took no notice of that, and moving with extraordinary speed he adjusted the angle at which the pieces overlapped and then raised his left paw high and struck a blow with the rock hammer. The knife tip leapt on the rock under the massive blow. Will was thinking that the whole of the rest of his life depended on what happened in that tiny triangle of metal, that point that searched out the gaps inside the atoms, and all his nerves trembled, sensing every flicker of every flame and the loosening of every atom in the lattice of the metal. You read "The Amber Spyglass Chapter 15 The Forge" in category "Essay examples" Before this began, he had supposed that only a full-scale furnace, with the finest tools and equipment, could work on that blade; but now he saw that these were the finest tools, and that Iorekââ¬â¢s artistry had constructed the best furnace there could be. Iorek roared above the clangor, ââ¬Å"Hold it still in your mind! You have to forge it, too! This is your task as much as mine!â⬠Will felt his whole being quiver under the blows of the stone hammer in the bearââ¬â¢s fist. The second piece of the blade was heating, too, and Lyraââ¬â¢s leafy branch sent the hot gas along to bathe both pieces in its flow and keep out the iron-eating air. Will sensed it all and felt the atoms of the metal linking each to each across the fracture, forming new crystals again, strengthening and straightening themselves in the invisible lattice as the join came good. ââ¬Å"The edge!â⬠roared Iorek. ââ¬Å"Hold the edge in line!â⬠He meant with your mind, and Will did it instantly, sensing the minute snags and then the minute easement as the edges lined up perfectly. Then that join was made, and Iorek turned to the next piece. ââ¬Å"A new stone,â⬠he called to Lyra, who knocked the first one aside and placed a second on the spot to heat. Will checked the fuel and snapped a branch in two to direct the flames better, and Iorek began to work with the hammer once more. Will felt a new layer of complexity added to his task, because he had to hold the new piece in a precise relation with both the previous two, and he understood that only by doing that accurately could he help Iorek mend it. So the work continued. He had no idea how long it took; Lyra, for her part, found her arms aching, her eyes streaming, her skin scorched and red, and every bone in her body aching with fatigue; but still she placed each stone as Iorek had told her, and still the weary Pantalaimon raised his wings readily and beat them over the flames. When it came to the final join, Willââ¬â¢s head was ringing, and he was so exhausted by the intellectual effort he could barely lift the next branch onto the fire. He had to understand every connection, or the knife would not hold together. And when it came to the most complex one, the last, which would affix the nearly finished blade onto the small part remaining at the handle ââ¬â if he couldnââ¬â¢t hold it in his full consciousness together with all the others, then the knife would simply fall apart as if Iorek had never begun. The bear sensed this, too, and paused before he began heating the last piece. He looked at Will, and in his eyes Will could see nothing, no expression, just a bottomless black brilliance. Nevertheless, he understood: this was work, and it was hard, but they were equal to it, all of them. That was enough for Will, so he turned back to the fire and sent his imagination out to the broken end of the haft, and braced himself for the last and fiercest part of the task. So he and Iorek and Lyra together forged the knife, and how long the final join took he had no idea; but when Iorek had struck the final blow, and Will had felt the final tiny settling as the atoms connected across the break, Will sank down onto the floor of the cave and let exhaustion possess him. Lyra nearby was in the same state, her eyes glassy and red-rimmed, her hair full of soot and smoke; and Iorek himself stood heavy-headed, his fur singed in several places, dark streaks of ash marking its rich cream-white. Tialys and Salmakia had slept in turns, one of them always alert. Now she was awake and he was sleeping, but as the blade cooled from red to gray and finally to silver, and as Will reached out for the handle, she woke her partner with a hand on his shoulder. He was alert at once. But Will didnââ¬â¢t touch the knife: he held his palm close by, and the heat was still too great for his hand. The spies relaxed on the rocky shelf as Iorek said to Will: ââ¬Å"Come outside.â⬠Then he said to Lyra: ââ¬Å"Stay here, and donââ¬â¢t touch the knife.â⬠Lyra sat close to the anvil, where the knife lay cooling, and Iorek told her to bank the fire up and not let it burn down: there was a final operation yet. Will followed the great bear out onto the dark mountainside. The cold was bitter and instantaneous, after the inferno in the cave. ââ¬Å"They should not have made that knife,â⬠said Iorek, after they had walked a little way. ââ¬Å"Maybe I should not have mended it. Iââ¬â¢m troubled, and I have never been troubled before, never in doubt. Now I am full of doubt. Doubt is a human thing, not a bear thing. If I am becoming human, somethingââ¬â¢s wrong, somethingââ¬â¢s bad. And Iââ¬â¢ve made it worse.â⬠ââ¬Å"But when the first bear made the first piece of armor, wasnââ¬â¢t that bad, too, in the same way?â⬠Iorek was silent. They walked on till they came to a big drift of snow, and Iorek lay in it and rolled this way and that, sending flurries of snow up into the dark air, so that it looked as if he himself were made of snow, he was the personification of all the snow in the world. When he was finished, he rolled over and stood up and shook himself vigorously, and then, seeing Will still waiting for an answer to his question, said: ââ¬Å"Yes, I think it might have been, too. But before that first armored bear, there were no others. We know of nothing before that. That was when custom began. We know our customs, and they are firm and solid and we follow them without change. Bear nature is weak without custom, as bear flesh is unprotected without armor. ââ¬Å"But I think I have stepped outside bear nature in mending this knife. I think Iââ¬â¢ve been as foolish as Iofur Rakinson. Time will tell. But I am uncertain and doubtful. Now you must tell me: why did the knife break?â⬠Will rubbed his aching head with both hands. ââ¬Å"The woman looked at me and I thought she had the face of my mother,â⬠he said, trying to recollect the experience with all the honesty he had. ââ¬Å"And the knife came up against something it couldnââ¬â¢t cut, and because my mind was pushing it through and forcing it back both at the same time, it snapped. Thatââ¬â¢s what I think. The woman knew what she was doing, Iââ¬â¢m sure. Sheââ¬â¢s very clever.â⬠ââ¬Å"When you talk of the knife, you talk of your mother and father.â⬠ââ¬Å"Do I? Yesâ⬠¦ I suppose I do.â⬠ââ¬Å"What are you going to do with it?â⬠ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t know.â⬠Suddenly Iorek lunged at Will and cuffed him hard with his left paw: so hard that Will fell half-stunned into the snow and tumbled over and over until he ended some way down the slope with his head ringing. Iorek came down slowly to where Will was struggling up, and said, ââ¬Å"Answer me truthfully.â⬠Will was tempted to say, ââ¬Å"You wouldnââ¬â¢t have done that if Iââ¬â¢d had the knife in my hand.â⬠But he knew that Iorek knew that, and knew that he knew it, and that it would be discourteous and stupid to say it; but he was tempted, all the same. He held his tongue until he was standing upright, facing Iorek directly. ââ¬Å"I said I donââ¬â¢t know,â⬠he said, trying hard to keep his voice calm, ââ¬Å"because I havenââ¬â¢t looked clearly at what it is that Iââ¬â¢m going to do. At what it means. It frightens me. And it frightens Lyra, too. Anyway, I agreed as soon as I heard what she said.â⬠ââ¬Å"And what was that?â⬠ââ¬Å"We want to go down to the land of the dead and talk to the ghost of Lyraââ¬â¢s friend Roger, the one who got killed on Svalbard. And if there really is a world of the dead, then my father will be there, too, and if we can talk to ghosts, I want to talk to him. ââ¬Å"But Iââ¬â¢m divided, Iââ¬â¢m pulled apart, because also I want to go back and look after my mother, because I could, and also the angel Balthamos told me I should go to Lord Asriel and offer the knife to him, and I think maybe he was right as wellâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ââ¬Å"He fled,â⬠said the bear. ââ¬Å"He wasnââ¬â¢t a warrior. He did as much as he could, and then he couldnââ¬â¢t do any more. He wasnââ¬â¢t the only one to be afraid; Iââ¬â¢m afraid, too. So I have to think it through. Maybe sometimes we donââ¬â¢t do the right thing because the wrong thing looks more dangerous, and we donââ¬â¢t want to look scared, so we go and do the wrong thing just because itââ¬â¢s dangerous. Weââ¬â¢re more concerned with not looking scared than with judging right. Itââ¬â¢s very hard. Thatââ¬â¢s why I didnââ¬â¢t answer you.â⬠ââ¬Å"I see,â⬠said the bear. They stood in silence for what felt like a long time, especially to Will, who had little protection from the bitter cold. But Iorek hadnââ¬â¢t finished yet, and Will was still weak and dizzy from the blow, and didnââ¬â¢t quite trust his feet, so they stayed where they were. ââ¬Å"Well, I have compromised myself in many ways,â⬠said the bear-king. ââ¬Å"It may be that in helping you I have brought final destruction on my kingdom. And it may be that I have not, and that destruction was coming anyway; maybe I have held it off. So I am troubled, having to do un-bearlike deeds and speculate and doubt like a human. ââ¬Å"And I shall tell you one thing. You know it already, but you donââ¬â¢t want to, which is why I tell you openly, so that you donââ¬â¢t mistake it. If you want to succeed in this task, you must no longer think about your mother. You must put her aside. If your mind is divided, the knife will break. ââ¬Å"Now Iââ¬â¢m going to say farewell to Lyra. You must wait in the cave; those two spies will not let you out of their sight, and I do not want them listening when I speak to her.â⬠Will had no words, though his breast and his throat were full. He managed to say, ââ¬Å"Thank you, Iorek Byrnison,â⬠but that was all he could say. He walked with Iorek up the slope toward the cave, where the fire glow still shone warmly in the vast surrounding dark. There Iorek carried out the last process in the mending of the subtle knife. He laid it among the brighter cinders until the blade was glowing, and Will and Lyra saw a hundred colors swirling in the smoky depths of the metal, and when he judged the moment was right, Iorek told Will to take it and plunge it directly into the snow that had drifted outside. The rosewood handle was charred and scorched, but Will wrapped his hand in several folds of a shirt and did as Iorek told him. In the hiss and flare of steam, he felt the atoms finally settle together, and he knew that the knife was as keen as before, the point as infinitely rare. But it did look different. It was shorter, and much less elegant, and there was a dull silver surface over each of the joins. It looked ugly now; it looked like what it was, wounded. When it was cool enough, he packed it away in the rucksack and sat, ignoring the spies, to wait for Lyra to come back. Iorek had taken her a little farther up the slope, to a point out of sight of the cave, and there he had let her sit cradled in the shelter of his great arms, with Pantalaimon nestling mouse-formed at her breast. Iorek bent his head over her and nuzzled at her scorched and smoky hands. Without a word he began to lick them clean; his tongue was soothing on the burns, and she felt as safe as she had ever felt in her life. But when her hands were free of soot and dirt, Iorek spoke. She felt his voice vibrate against her back. ââ¬Å"Lyra Silvertongue, what is this plan to visit the dead?â⬠ââ¬Å"It came to me in a dream, Iorek. I saw Rogerââ¬â¢s ghost, and I knew he was calling to meâ⬠¦ You remember Roger. Well, after we left you, he was killed, and it was my fault, at least I felt it was. And I think I should just finish what I began, thatââ¬â¢s all: I should go and say sorry, and if I can, I should rescue him from there. If Will can open a way to the world of the dead, then we must do it.â⬠ââ¬Å"Can is not the same as must.â⬠ââ¬Å"But if you must and you can, then thereââ¬â¢s no excuse.â⬠ââ¬Å"While you are alive, your business is with life.â⬠ââ¬Å"No, Iorek,â⬠she said gently, ââ¬Å"our business is to keep promises, no matter how difficult they are. You know, secretly, Iââ¬â¢m deadly scared. And I wish Iââ¬â¢d never had that dream, and I wish Will hadnââ¬â¢t thought of using the knife to go there. But we did, so we canââ¬â¢t get out of it.â⬠Lyra felt Pantalaimon trembling and stroked him with her sore hands. ââ¬Å"We donââ¬â¢t know how to get there, though,â⬠she went on. ââ¬Å"We wonââ¬â¢t know anything till we try. What are you going to do, Iorek?â⬠ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m going back north, with my people. We canââ¬â¢t live in the mountains. Even the snow is different. I thought we could live here, but we can live more easily in the sea, even if it is warm. That was worth learning. And besides, I think we will be needed. I can feel war, Lyra Silvertongue; I can smell it; I can hear it. I spoke to Serafina Pekkala before I came this way, and she told me she was going to Lord Faa and the gyptians. If there is war, we shall be needed.â⬠Lyra sat up, excited at hearing the names of her old friends. But Iorek hadnââ¬â¢t finished. He went on: ââ¬Å"If you do not find a way out of the world of the dead, we shall not meet again, because I have no ghost. My body will remain on the earth, and then become part of it. But if it turns out that you and I both survive, then you will always be a welcome and honored visitor to Svalbard; and the same is true of Will. Has he told you what happened when we met?â⬠ââ¬Å"No,â⬠said Lyra, ââ¬Å"except that it was by a river.â⬠ââ¬Å"He outfaced me. I thought no one could ever do that, but this half-grown boy was too daring for me, and too clever. I am not happy that you should do what you plan, but there is no one I would trust to go with you except that boy. You are worthy of each other. Go well, Lyra Silvertongue, my dear friend.â⬠She reached up and put her arms around his neck, and pressed her face into his fur, unable to speak. After a minute he stood up gently and disengaged her arms, and then he turned and walked silently away into the dark. Lyra thought his outline was lost almost at once against the pallor of the snow-covered ground, but it might have been that her eyes were full of tears. When Will heard her footsteps on the path, he looked at the spies and said, ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t you move. Look ââ¬â hereââ¬â¢s the knife ââ¬â Iââ¬â¢m not going to use it. Stay here.â⬠He went outside and found Lyra standing still, weeping, with Pantalaimon as a wolf raising his face to the black sky. She was quite silent. The only light came from the pale reflection in the snowbank of the remains of the fire, and that, in turn, was reflected from her wet cheeks, and her tears found their own reflection in Willââ¬â¢s eyes, and so those photons wove the two children together in a silent web. ââ¬Å"I love him so much, Will!â⬠she managed to whisper shakily. ââ¬Å"And he looked old! He looked hungry and old and sadâ⬠¦ Is it all coming onto us now, Will? We canââ¬â¢t rely on anyone else now, can weâ⬠¦ Itââ¬â¢s just us. But we enââ¬â¢t old enough yet. Weââ¬â¢re only youngâ⬠¦ Weââ¬â¢re too youngâ⬠¦ If poor Mr. Scoresbyââ¬â¢s dead and Iorekââ¬â¢s oldâ⬠¦Itââ¬â¢s all coming onto us, whatââ¬â¢s got to be done.â⬠ââ¬Å"We can do it,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m not going to look back anymore. We can do it. But weââ¬â¢ve got to sleep now, and if we stay in this world, those gyropter things might come, the ones the spies sent forâ⬠¦ Iââ¬â¢m going to cut through now and weââ¬â¢ll find another world to sleep in, and if the spies come with us, thatââ¬â¢s too bad; weââ¬â¢ll have to get rid of them another time.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠she said, and sniffed and wiped the back of her hand across her nose and rubbed her eyes with both palms. ââ¬Å"Letââ¬â¢s do that. You sure the knife will work? You tested it?â⬠ââ¬Å"I know itââ¬â¢ll work.â⬠With Pantalaimon tiger-formed to deter the spies, they hoped, Will and Lyra went back and picked up their rucksacks. ââ¬Å"What are you doing?â⬠said Salmakia. ââ¬Å"Going into another world,â⬠said Will, taking out the knife. It felt like being whole again; he hadnââ¬â¢t realized how much he loved it. ââ¬Å"But you must wait for Lord Asrielââ¬â¢s gyropters,â⬠said Tialys, his voice hard. ââ¬Å"Weââ¬â¢re not going to,â⬠said Will. ââ¬Å"If you come near the knife, Iââ¬â¢ll kill you. Come through with us if you must, but you canââ¬â¢t make us stay here. Weââ¬â¢re leaving.â⬠ââ¬Å"You lied!â⬠ââ¬Å"No,â⬠said Lyra, ââ¬Å"I lied. Will doesnââ¬â¢t lie. You didnââ¬â¢t think of that.â⬠ââ¬Å"But where are you going?â⬠Will didnââ¬â¢t answer. He felt forward in the dim air and cut an opening. Salmakia said, ââ¬Å"This is a mistake. You should realize that, and listen to us. You havenââ¬â¢t thoughtâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ââ¬Å"Yes, we have,â⬠said Will, ââ¬Å"weââ¬â¢ve thought hard, and weââ¬â¢ll tell you what weââ¬â¢ve thought tomorrow. You can come where weââ¬â¢re going, or you can go back to Lord Asriel.â⬠The window opened onto the world into which he had escaped with Baruch and Balthamos, and where heââ¬â¢d slept safely: the warm endless beach with the fernlike trees behind the dunes. He said: ââ¬Å"Here ââ¬â weââ¬â¢ll sleep here ââ¬â thisââ¬â¢ll do.â⬠He let them through and closed it behind them at once. While he and Lyra lay down where they were, exhausted, the Lady Salmakia kept watch, and the Chevalier opened his lodestone resonator and began to play a message into the dark. How to cite The Amber Spyglass Chapter 15 The Forge, Essay examples
The Amber Spyglass Chapter 15 The Forge Free Essays
string(263) " the rest of his life depended on what happened in that tiny triangle of metal, that point that searched out the gaps inside the atoms, and all his nerves trembled, sensing every flicker of every flame and the loosening of every atom in the lattice of the metal\." At that moment the Gallivespians, too, were talking about the knife. Having made a suspicious peace with Iorek Byrnison, they climbed back to their ledge to be out of the way, and as the crackle of flames rose and the snapping and roaring of the fire filled the air, Tialys said, ââ¬Å"We must never leave his side. As soon as the knife is mended, we must keep closer than a shadow. We will write a custom essay sample on The Amber Spyglass Chapter 15 The Forge or any similar topic only for you Order Now â⬠ââ¬Å"He is too alert. He watches everywhere for us,â⬠said Salmakia. ââ¬Å"The girl is more trusting. I think we could win her around. Sheââ¬â¢s innocent, and she loves easily. We could work on her. I think we should do that, Tialys.â⬠ââ¬Å"But he has the knife. He is the one who can use it.â⬠ââ¬Å"He wonââ¬â¢t go anywhere without her.â⬠ââ¬Å"But she has to follow him, if he has the knife. And I think that as soon as the knifeââ¬â¢s intact again, theyââ¬â¢ll use it to slip into another world, so as to get away from us. Did you see how he stopped her from speaking when she was going to say something more? They have some secret purpose, and itââ¬â¢s very different from what we want them to do.â⬠ââ¬Å"Weââ¬â¢ll see. But youââ¬â¢re right, Tialys, I think. We must stay close to the boy at all costs.â⬠They both watched with some skepticism as Iorek Byrnison laid out the tools in his improvised workshop. The mighty workers in the ordnance factories under Lord Asrielââ¬â¢s fortress, with their blast furnaces and rolling mills, their anbaric forges and hydraulic presses, would have laughed at the open fire, the stone hammer, the anvil consisting of a piece of Iorekââ¬â¢s armor. Nevertheless, the bear had taken the measure of the task, and in the certainty of his movements the little spies began to see some quality that muffled their scorn. When Lyra and Will came in with the bushes, Iorek directed them in placing branches carefully on the fire. He looked at each branch, turning it from side to side, and then told Will or Lyra to place it at such-and-such an angle, or to break off part and place it separately at the edge. The result was a fire of extraordinary ferocity, with all its energy concentrated at one side. By this time the heat in the cave was intense. Iorek continued to build the fire, and made the children take two more trips down the path to ensure that there was enough fuel for the whole operation. Then the bear turned over a small stone on the floor and told Lyra to find some more stones of the same kind. He said that those stones, when heated, gave off a gas that would surround the blade and keep the air from it, for if the hot metal came in contact with the air, it would absorb some and be weakened by it. Lyra set about searching, and with owl-eyed Pantalaimonââ¬â¢s help soon had a dozen or more stones to hand. Iorek told her how to place them, and where, and showed her exactly the kind of draft she should get moving, with a leafy branch, to make sure the gas flowed evenly over the work piece. Will was placed in charge of the fire, and Iorek spent several minutes directing him and making sure he understood the principles he was to use. So much depended on exact placement, and Iorek could not stop and correct each one; Will had to understand, and then heââ¬â¢d do it properly. Furthermore, he mustnââ¬â¢t expect the knife to look exactly the same when it was mended. It would be shorter, because each section of the blade would have to overlap the next by a little way so they could be forged together; and the surface would have oxidized a little, despite the stone-gas, so some of the play of color would be lost; and no doubt the handle would be charred. But the blade would be just as sharp, and it would work. So Will watched as the flames roared along the resinous twigs, and with streaming eyes and scorched hands he adjusted each fresh branch till the heat was focused as Iorek wanted it. Meanwhile, Iorek himself was grinding and hammering a fist-sized stone, having rejected several until he found one of the right weight. With massive blows he shaped it and smoothed it, the cordite smell of smashed rocks joining the smoke in the nostrils of the two spies, watching from high up. Even Pantalaimon was active, changing to a crow so he could flap his wings and make the fire burn faster. Eventually the hammer was formed to Iorekââ¬â¢s satisfaction, and he set the first two pieces of the blade of the subtle knife among the fierce-burning wood at the heart of the fire, and told Lyra to begin wafting the stone-gas over them. The bear watched, his long white face lurid in the glare, and Will saw the surface of the metal begin to glow red and then yellow and then white. Iorek was watching closely, his paw held ready to snatch the pieces out. After a few moments the metal changed again, and the surface became shiny and glistening, and sparks just like those from a firework sprayed up from it. Then Iorek moved. His right paw darted in and seized first one piece and then the other, holding them between the tips of his massive claws and placing them on the slab of iron that was the backplate of his armor. Will could smell the claws burning, but Iorek took no notice of that, and moving with extraordinary speed he adjusted the angle at which the pieces overlapped and then raised his left paw high and struck a blow with the rock hammer. The knife tip leapt on the rock under the massive blow. Will was thinking that the whole of the rest of his life depended on what happened in that tiny triangle of metal, that point that searched out the gaps inside the atoms, and all his nerves trembled, sensing every flicker of every flame and the loosening of every atom in the lattice of the metal. You read "The Amber Spyglass Chapter 15 The Forge" in category "Essay examples" Before this began, he had supposed that only a full-scale furnace, with the finest tools and equipment, could work on that blade; but now he saw that these were the finest tools, and that Iorekââ¬â¢s artistry had constructed the best furnace there could be. Iorek roared above the clangor, ââ¬Å"Hold it still in your mind! You have to forge it, too! This is your task as much as mine!â⬠Will felt his whole being quiver under the blows of the stone hammer in the bearââ¬â¢s fist. The second piece of the blade was heating, too, and Lyraââ¬â¢s leafy branch sent the hot gas along to bathe both pieces in its flow and keep out the iron-eating air. Will sensed it all and felt the atoms of the metal linking each to each across the fracture, forming new crystals again, strengthening and straightening themselves in the invisible lattice as the join came good. ââ¬Å"The edge!â⬠roared Iorek. ââ¬Å"Hold the edge in line!â⬠He meant with your mind, and Will did it instantly, sensing the minute snags and then the minute easement as the edges lined up perfectly. Then that join was made, and Iorek turned to the next piece. ââ¬Å"A new stone,â⬠he called to Lyra, who knocked the first one aside and placed a second on the spot to heat. Will checked the fuel and snapped a branch in two to direct the flames better, and Iorek began to work with the hammer once more. Will felt a new layer of complexity added to his task, because he had to hold the new piece in a precise relation with both the previous two, and he understood that only by doing that accurately could he help Iorek mend it. So the work continued. He had no idea how long it took; Lyra, for her part, found her arms aching, her eyes streaming, her skin scorched and red, and every bone in her body aching with fatigue; but still she placed each stone as Iorek had told her, and still the weary Pantalaimon raised his wings readily and beat them over the flames. When it came to the final join, Willââ¬â¢s head was ringing, and he was so exhausted by the intellectual effort he could barely lift the next branch onto the fire. He had to understand every connection, or the knife would not hold together. And when it came to the most complex one, the last, which would affix the nearly finished blade onto the small part remaining at the handle ââ¬â if he couldnââ¬â¢t hold it in his full consciousness together with all the others, then the knife would simply fall apart as if Iorek had never begun. The bear sensed this, too, and paused before he began heating the last piece. He looked at Will, and in his eyes Will could see nothing, no expression, just a bottomless black brilliance. Nevertheless, he understood: this was work, and it was hard, but they were equal to it, all of them. That was enough for Will, so he turned back to the fire and sent his imagination out to the broken end of the haft, and braced himself for the last and fiercest part of the task. So he and Iorek and Lyra together forged the knife, and how long the final join took he had no idea; but when Iorek had struck the final blow, and Will had felt the final tiny settling as the atoms connected across the break, Will sank down onto the floor of the cave and let exhaustion possess him. Lyra nearby was in the same state, her eyes glassy and red-rimmed, her hair full of soot and smoke; and Iorek himself stood heavy-headed, his fur singed in several places, dark streaks of ash marking its rich cream-white. Tialys and Salmakia had slept in turns, one of them always alert. Now she was awake and he was sleeping, but as the blade cooled from red to gray and finally to silver, and as Will reached out for the handle, she woke her partner with a hand on his shoulder. He was alert at once. But Will didnââ¬â¢t touch the knife: he held his palm close by, and the heat was still too great for his hand. The spies relaxed on the rocky shelf as Iorek said to Will: ââ¬Å"Come outside.â⬠Then he said to Lyra: ââ¬Å"Stay here, and donââ¬â¢t touch the knife.â⬠Lyra sat close to the anvil, where the knife lay cooling, and Iorek told her to bank the fire up and not let it burn down: there was a final operation yet. Will followed the great bear out onto the dark mountainside. The cold was bitter and instantaneous, after the inferno in the cave. ââ¬Å"They should not have made that knife,â⬠said Iorek, after they had walked a little way. ââ¬Å"Maybe I should not have mended it. Iââ¬â¢m troubled, and I have never been troubled before, never in doubt. Now I am full of doubt. Doubt is a human thing, not a bear thing. If I am becoming human, somethingââ¬â¢s wrong, somethingââ¬â¢s bad. And Iââ¬â¢ve made it worse.â⬠ââ¬Å"But when the first bear made the first piece of armor, wasnââ¬â¢t that bad, too, in the same way?â⬠Iorek was silent. They walked on till they came to a big drift of snow, and Iorek lay in it and rolled this way and that, sending flurries of snow up into the dark air, so that it looked as if he himself were made of snow, he was the personification of all the snow in the world. When he was finished, he rolled over and stood up and shook himself vigorously, and then, seeing Will still waiting for an answer to his question, said: ââ¬Å"Yes, I think it might have been, too. But before that first armored bear, there were no others. We know of nothing before that. That was when custom began. We know our customs, and they are firm and solid and we follow them without change. Bear nature is weak without custom, as bear flesh is unprotected without armor. ââ¬Å"But I think I have stepped outside bear nature in mending this knife. I think Iââ¬â¢ve been as foolish as Iofur Rakinson. Time will tell. But I am uncertain and doubtful. Now you must tell me: why did the knife break?â⬠Will rubbed his aching head with both hands. ââ¬Å"The woman looked at me and I thought she had the face of my mother,â⬠he said, trying to recollect the experience with all the honesty he had. ââ¬Å"And the knife came up against something it couldnââ¬â¢t cut, and because my mind was pushing it through and forcing it back both at the same time, it snapped. Thatââ¬â¢s what I think. The woman knew what she was doing, Iââ¬â¢m sure. Sheââ¬â¢s very clever.â⬠ââ¬Å"When you talk of the knife, you talk of your mother and father.â⬠ââ¬Å"Do I? Yesâ⬠¦ I suppose I do.â⬠ââ¬Å"What are you going to do with it?â⬠ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t know.â⬠Suddenly Iorek lunged at Will and cuffed him hard with his left paw: so hard that Will fell half-stunned into the snow and tumbled over and over until he ended some way down the slope with his head ringing. Iorek came down slowly to where Will was struggling up, and said, ââ¬Å"Answer me truthfully.â⬠Will was tempted to say, ââ¬Å"You wouldnââ¬â¢t have done that if Iââ¬â¢d had the knife in my hand.â⬠But he knew that Iorek knew that, and knew that he knew it, and that it would be discourteous and stupid to say it; but he was tempted, all the same. He held his tongue until he was standing upright, facing Iorek directly. ââ¬Å"I said I donââ¬â¢t know,â⬠he said, trying hard to keep his voice calm, ââ¬Å"because I havenââ¬â¢t looked clearly at what it is that Iââ¬â¢m going to do. At what it means. It frightens me. And it frightens Lyra, too. Anyway, I agreed as soon as I heard what she said.â⬠ââ¬Å"And what was that?â⬠ââ¬Å"We want to go down to the land of the dead and talk to the ghost of Lyraââ¬â¢s friend Roger, the one who got killed on Svalbard. And if there really is a world of the dead, then my father will be there, too, and if we can talk to ghosts, I want to talk to him. ââ¬Å"But Iââ¬â¢m divided, Iââ¬â¢m pulled apart, because also I want to go back and look after my mother, because I could, and also the angel Balthamos told me I should go to Lord Asriel and offer the knife to him, and I think maybe he was right as wellâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ââ¬Å"He fled,â⬠said the bear. ââ¬Å"He wasnââ¬â¢t a warrior. He did as much as he could, and then he couldnââ¬â¢t do any more. He wasnââ¬â¢t the only one to be afraid; Iââ¬â¢m afraid, too. So I have to think it through. Maybe sometimes we donââ¬â¢t do the right thing because the wrong thing looks more dangerous, and we donââ¬â¢t want to look scared, so we go and do the wrong thing just because itââ¬â¢s dangerous. Weââ¬â¢re more concerned with not looking scared than with judging right. Itââ¬â¢s very hard. Thatââ¬â¢s why I didnââ¬â¢t answer you.â⬠ââ¬Å"I see,â⬠said the bear. They stood in silence for what felt like a long time, especially to Will, who had little protection from the bitter cold. But Iorek hadnââ¬â¢t finished yet, and Will was still weak and dizzy from the blow, and didnââ¬â¢t quite trust his feet, so they stayed where they were. ââ¬Å"Well, I have compromised myself in many ways,â⬠said the bear-king. ââ¬Å"It may be that in helping you I have brought final destruction on my kingdom. And it may be that I have not, and that destruction was coming anyway; maybe I have held it off. So I am troubled, having to do un-bearlike deeds and speculate and doubt like a human. ââ¬Å"And I shall tell you one thing. You know it already, but you donââ¬â¢t want to, which is why I tell you openly, so that you donââ¬â¢t mistake it. If you want to succeed in this task, you must no longer think about your mother. You must put her aside. If your mind is divided, the knife will break. ââ¬Å"Now Iââ¬â¢m going to say farewell to Lyra. You must wait in the cave; those two spies will not let you out of their sight, and I do not want them listening when I speak to her.â⬠Will had no words, though his breast and his throat were full. He managed to say, ââ¬Å"Thank you, Iorek Byrnison,â⬠but that was all he could say. He walked with Iorek up the slope toward the cave, where the fire glow still shone warmly in the vast surrounding dark. There Iorek carried out the last process in the mending of the subtle knife. He laid it among the brighter cinders until the blade was glowing, and Will and Lyra saw a hundred colors swirling in the smoky depths of the metal, and when he judged the moment was right, Iorek told Will to take it and plunge it directly into the snow that had drifted outside. The rosewood handle was charred and scorched, but Will wrapped his hand in several folds of a shirt and did as Iorek told him. In the hiss and flare of steam, he felt the atoms finally settle together, and he knew that the knife was as keen as before, the point as infinitely rare. But it did look different. It was shorter, and much less elegant, and there was a dull silver surface over each of the joins. It looked ugly now; it looked like what it was, wounded. When it was cool enough, he packed it away in the rucksack and sat, ignoring the spies, to wait for Lyra to come back. Iorek had taken her a little farther up the slope, to a point out of sight of the cave, and there he had let her sit cradled in the shelter of his great arms, with Pantalaimon nestling mouse-formed at her breast. Iorek bent his head over her and nuzzled at her scorched and smoky hands. Without a word he began to lick them clean; his tongue was soothing on the burns, and she felt as safe as she had ever felt in her life. But when her hands were free of soot and dirt, Iorek spoke. She felt his voice vibrate against her back. ââ¬Å"Lyra Silvertongue, what is this plan to visit the dead?â⬠ââ¬Å"It came to me in a dream, Iorek. I saw Rogerââ¬â¢s ghost, and I knew he was calling to meâ⬠¦ You remember Roger. Well, after we left you, he was killed, and it was my fault, at least I felt it was. And I think I should just finish what I began, thatââ¬â¢s all: I should go and say sorry, and if I can, I should rescue him from there. If Will can open a way to the world of the dead, then we must do it.â⬠ââ¬Å"Can is not the same as must.â⬠ââ¬Å"But if you must and you can, then thereââ¬â¢s no excuse.â⬠ââ¬Å"While you are alive, your business is with life.â⬠ââ¬Å"No, Iorek,â⬠she said gently, ââ¬Å"our business is to keep promises, no matter how difficult they are. You know, secretly, Iââ¬â¢m deadly scared. And I wish Iââ¬â¢d never had that dream, and I wish Will hadnââ¬â¢t thought of using the knife to go there. But we did, so we canââ¬â¢t get out of it.â⬠Lyra felt Pantalaimon trembling and stroked him with her sore hands. ââ¬Å"We donââ¬â¢t know how to get there, though,â⬠she went on. ââ¬Å"We wonââ¬â¢t know anything till we try. What are you going to do, Iorek?â⬠ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m going back north, with my people. We canââ¬â¢t live in the mountains. Even the snow is different. I thought we could live here, but we can live more easily in the sea, even if it is warm. That was worth learning. And besides, I think we will be needed. I can feel war, Lyra Silvertongue; I can smell it; I can hear it. I spoke to Serafina Pekkala before I came this way, and she told me she was going to Lord Faa and the gyptians. If there is war, we shall be needed.â⬠Lyra sat up, excited at hearing the names of her old friends. But Iorek hadnââ¬â¢t finished. He went on: ââ¬Å"If you do not find a way out of the world of the dead, we shall not meet again, because I have no ghost. My body will remain on the earth, and then become part of it. But if it turns out that you and I both survive, then you will always be a welcome and honored visitor to Svalbard; and the same is true of Will. Has he told you what happened when we met?â⬠ââ¬Å"No,â⬠said Lyra, ââ¬Å"except that it was by a river.â⬠ââ¬Å"He outfaced me. I thought no one could ever do that, but this half-grown boy was too daring for me, and too clever. I am not happy that you should do what you plan, but there is no one I would trust to go with you except that boy. You are worthy of each other. Go well, Lyra Silvertongue, my dear friend.â⬠She reached up and put her arms around his neck, and pressed her face into his fur, unable to speak. After a minute he stood up gently and disengaged her arms, and then he turned and walked silently away into the dark. Lyra thought his outline was lost almost at once against the pallor of the snow-covered ground, but it might have been that her eyes were full of tears. When Will heard her footsteps on the path, he looked at the spies and said, ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t you move. Look ââ¬â hereââ¬â¢s the knife ââ¬â Iââ¬â¢m not going to use it. Stay here.â⬠He went outside and found Lyra standing still, weeping, with Pantalaimon as a wolf raising his face to the black sky. She was quite silent. The only light came from the pale reflection in the snowbank of the remains of the fire, and that, in turn, was reflected from her wet cheeks, and her tears found their own reflection in Willââ¬â¢s eyes, and so those photons wove the two children together in a silent web. ââ¬Å"I love him so much, Will!â⬠she managed to whisper shakily. ââ¬Å"And he looked old! He looked hungry and old and sadâ⬠¦ Is it all coming onto us now, Will? We canââ¬â¢t rely on anyone else now, can weâ⬠¦ Itââ¬â¢s just us. But we enââ¬â¢t old enough yet. Weââ¬â¢re only youngâ⬠¦ Weââ¬â¢re too youngâ⬠¦ If poor Mr. Scoresbyââ¬â¢s dead and Iorekââ¬â¢s oldâ⬠¦Itââ¬â¢s all coming onto us, whatââ¬â¢s got to be done.â⬠ââ¬Å"We can do it,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m not going to look back anymore. We can do it. But weââ¬â¢ve got to sleep now, and if we stay in this world, those gyropter things might come, the ones the spies sent forâ⬠¦ Iââ¬â¢m going to cut through now and weââ¬â¢ll find another world to sleep in, and if the spies come with us, thatââ¬â¢s too bad; weââ¬â¢ll have to get rid of them another time.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠she said, and sniffed and wiped the back of her hand across her nose and rubbed her eyes with both palms. ââ¬Å"Letââ¬â¢s do that. You sure the knife will work? You tested it?â⬠ââ¬Å"I know itââ¬â¢ll work.â⬠With Pantalaimon tiger-formed to deter the spies, they hoped, Will and Lyra went back and picked up their rucksacks. ââ¬Å"What are you doing?â⬠said Salmakia. ââ¬Å"Going into another world,â⬠said Will, taking out the knife. It felt like being whole again; he hadnââ¬â¢t realized how much he loved it. ââ¬Å"But you must wait for Lord Asrielââ¬â¢s gyropters,â⬠said Tialys, his voice hard. ââ¬Å"Weââ¬â¢re not going to,â⬠said Will. ââ¬Å"If you come near the knife, Iââ¬â¢ll kill you. Come through with us if you must, but you canââ¬â¢t make us stay here. Weââ¬â¢re leaving.â⬠ââ¬Å"You lied!â⬠ââ¬Å"No,â⬠said Lyra, ââ¬Å"I lied. Will doesnââ¬â¢t lie. You didnââ¬â¢t think of that.â⬠ââ¬Å"But where are you going?â⬠Will didnââ¬â¢t answer. He felt forward in the dim air and cut an opening. Salmakia said, ââ¬Å"This is a mistake. You should realize that, and listen to us. You havenââ¬â¢t thoughtâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ââ¬Å"Yes, we have,â⬠said Will, ââ¬Å"weââ¬â¢ve thought hard, and weââ¬â¢ll tell you what weââ¬â¢ve thought tomorrow. You can come where weââ¬â¢re going, or you can go back to Lord Asriel.â⬠The window opened onto the world into which he had escaped with Baruch and Balthamos, and where heââ¬â¢d slept safely: the warm endless beach with the fernlike trees behind the dunes. He said: ââ¬Å"Here ââ¬â weââ¬â¢ll sleep here ââ¬â thisââ¬â¢ll do.â⬠He let them through and closed it behind them at once. While he and Lyra lay down where they were, exhausted, the Lady Salmakia kept watch, and the Chevalier opened his lodestone resonator and began to play a message into the dark. How to cite The Amber Spyglass Chapter 15 The Forge, Essay examples
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