Saturday, January 25, 2020

Objection, On The Grounds of My Fist! Essay -- Comics, Abdul Rafi Ono

Passing the bar is more than a feather in one’s mortarboard – it is a testament to perseverance, ambition, and four years of nosebleeds. This is why for us law students, lawyers are extraordinary. Generalist lawyers in the past, those experts of every field of law, are regarded even more so. But recently, in a speech for UP Law’s 100th Anniversay, Sen. Edgardo J. Angara said that the age of these supermen-lawyers is over – the age of the specialists has come. The trend in Philippine legal profession is towards specialization, fueled by skepticism towards generalists, in our version of â€Å"kiu ĉasas du leporojn, kaptas neniun.† Who chases two jackrabbits catches none. But in comic books, the age of superhero lawyers is hardly over. After all, they started everything. Lawyers in capes and tights have always been present in the medium of comics since its inception. The concept would germinate and persist through the years. The following are only a few of the lawyers who put on capes, wish for luck, and kick some criminal derrià ¨res. The Clock Contrary to popular belief, the first masked superhero is not Superman - it is The Clock. Before he became a vigilante, former District Attorney Brian O’Brien believed in the courts, until it failed him. His decision to become a vigilante was sparked by a frustration with the court system, the flaws of which let criminals operate with impunity. His motivations would be explored by several comic book writers over the years, through several other superheroes, spanning all seven decades of comic book history. The Clock’s disguise was a three-piece suit, and he had a calling card that said, â€Å"The Clock Has Struck.† When DC Comics acquired the rights to the character in 1956, it let the character of... ...ng, superhuman lawyers are an indication of the masses’ admission that the legal system is the high-road, and vigilantism is the entertaining road, albeit the road that should not be taken. It is a confirmation by the people of that heroism is just one of the characteristics that define a member of the bar, literal ass-kicking not included. Works Cited Yap, D.J. "Senator Angara: ‘Superman-lawyer’ doesn’t fly anymore." Inquirer News. 5 Feb. 2012. Web. 21 Feb. 2012. Hilyerd, William A. "Hi Superman, I'm a Lawyer: A Guide to Attorneys (And Other Legal Professionals) Portrayed in American Comic Books: 1910-2007." Widener Law Review 15.1 (2009): 159-195. Web. 15 Dec. 2011. Hilyerd’s research is the most helpful and exhaustive review on the topic, providing over 300 notes.

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Orbach

Sample descriptive outline and summary Fat is a Feminist Issue by Susie Arroba Descriptive Outline Paragraphs 1 & 2 Paragraphs 3 & 4 Paragraphs 5 -8 Paragraph 9 Us Mary Arroba details the epidemic of obesity in American women, the emotional effects of overeating on women, and lists commonly held views about the causes of obesity. Arroba suggests that women's obesity is in fact a challenge to gender stereotypes and should be viewed as a societal illness, not a personal failing.In this section of the text, Arroba argues that women's inferior societal position is the result of a centuries-long belief that women's biology makes them fit for the limited roles of wife and mother. In order to achieve this status, however, Arroba states that a woman must â€Å"have† a man, which makes her seclusion's and keenly aware of herself as an object for the pleasure of men. A woman therefore is highly susceptible to the vagaries of fashion, media, and make-up in an effort to make her more ascr ibable to men.Arroba concludes by stating that, despite the many changes in fashion trends, being thin is consistently viewed as positive, and necessary, for women, and that, as a result, obesity may express rebellion against the strictures of cue Trial conformity women face. Arroba uses her introductory paragraphs to establish the context of her discussion about women's obesity in the United States. Arroba begins to make her argument, offering a feminist explanation of women's obesity, alleging that â€Å"fat is† n expression of independence.Her parallel structure Caftan is†) suggests ownership of an otherwise unattractive quality – fat itself. Arroba logically and methodically builds her argument in this section of the text, moving from biology to culture, in order to persuade the reader that the epidemic of female obesity may, in fact, be a feminist choice -? rather than the availability of unhealthy food, lack of exercise,

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Essay about Medical Advancements During World War Two

Medical Advancements in World War Two. World War Two, a harsh period of time in the 1930s-1940s, filled with controversial arguments, political battles, fights to the death, but most importantly, medical advancements. Did you know that without the research and discoveries made during World War Two, our medical programs would probably be lacking the information we have today? It’s very true, and in my opinion, the war strengthened our medical abilities, and it really put our world to the test. New medicine had been discovered, while old medicine had been improved; horrible medical experiments performed by the Nazis occurred during this time; but most importantly, World War Two has affected our medical programs that we have presently. These†¦show more content†¦It had the same curing properties as â€Å"M+B† (it cured infectious diseases), the only difference being that it also treated wounded soldiers. It greatly increased the survival rate of wounds and infectious diseases, and in my opinion, withou t Penicillin the death rate would have probably doubled or tripled! Like â€Å"M+B† the demand for Penicillin boomed during World War Two, and the mass production of the drug increased greatly. While these two drugs have had such a great impact on our world, there are many other drugs that were very important during World War Two. Sulfanilamide, for example, was carried by soldiers all the time. It was a white powder, sprinkled on wounds to prevent infection, and it still exists today! The mortality rate of wounds without Sulfanilamide was 75 per 100 people, however, with Sulfanilamide, the death rate plummeted to 11 per 100 people! Morphine was also greatly used during the war because of its strong painkilling properties. However, it was extremely addictive, it was even more addictive than Nicotine (one of the most addictive substances known to man)! It was originally made from poppy plants indigenous to Turkey and India, and it was administered through a syrette. A syrette is a small auto-injector with a tube attached similar to a tube of toothpaste, but much smaller. Morphine caused many people to faint if they were fatigued or severely wounded, proving the extreme stre ngth of the drug. InShow MoreRelatedMedical advancements in World War Two1704 Words   |  7 PagesWorld War II brought death and destruction upon the world. On the other hand, it also opened doors for pioneering developments that commonly occur during such situations of high adversity. Some of the most important advancements took place in the field of medicine when the world was embroiled in World War II. As Dr. Ralph Major states, An army is a vast laboratory of medical research where disease and injuries are seen on a far larger scale than in peacetime. Many improvements in the treatment ofRead MoreEssay On The Golden Age Of The Middle Ages1195 Words   |  5 PagesThe Medieval times were encompassed by years of both prosperity and conflict. During the first years of the Middle Ages, 8th century to 13th century, the Islamic Empire was at its peak, this time period was known as the Islamic Golden age. The Islamic empire didn’t have to worry about war or conflict, so it shifted its focus tow ards innovation, it flourished in various fields that included science, mathematics, astronomy, engineering, and medicine. This empire was home to one of the most influentialRead MoreThe World War I Warfare Techniques1090 Words   |  5 Pagesinfluential factors that made this era very significant. During this decade, World War I was being fought and because of it, America made great strides in science and technology. Technological advancements in science completely changed the manner of how war was fought by creating weapons and techniques such as trench warfare submarines and biological warfare. One major aspect of the technological advancements in the 1910s was World War I warfare techniques. Trenches, machine guns, air reconnaissanceRead MoreAdvancements in Med-Care since the Civil War Essay1461 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Civil War often gets credit for ending slavery and reshaping the federal government in this country. But the war between the states has another, often overlooked legacy: It may have started a new era in modern medicine† (â€Å"Civil War Medicine Quotes†). Contamination of medical equipment, poor sanitation methods, and lack of efficient medical procedures all led to the spread of disease, which resulted in death. However, modern medicine has significantly improved from the Civil War, due to itsRead MoreWomen During The First Half Of The Twentieth Century951 Words   |  4 Pagesand whites generally of inferior quality. These laws place a widespread of restrictions on African-American women in medicine; limiting their access for advancem ent in education, the job market, as well as, medical-services. Although historians have examined the social and economic impact of two world wars and their roles of women in medicine during the first half of the twentieth century, they have often left out the challenges and inequalities of African-American women and their experiences withRead MoreMedicinal Practices from the American Revolution to the War of 18121308 Words   |  5 PagesRevolution to the War of 1812 For centuries, war has consumed millions of souls. It has caused heartache and has torn families apart. Today, properly educated doctors and nurses can treat wounds and injuries with proper care, but this taken for granted assistance wasn’t always readily available. In the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, nearly 30,000 American soldiers died. However, rather than being killed on the battlefield, the majority of soldiers died while being treated in medical tents. MoreRead MoreThe Air Phase Of World War I910 Words   |  4 PagesEverything has a beginning, and these are the firsts of World War One, known as the â€Å"Great war† sadly many lives would later be lost, because of mankind s desire to dominate each other. â€Å"World War One, was the first war to see air combat..† (â€Å"Farmer, Brian†). Airplanes were known to be a technological advancement in the first World War. â€Å"The air phase of World War 1 can best be understood by considering the basic elements of aerial combat: men, machines, and tactics. (â€Å"Farmer, Brian†). As new weaponsRead MoreThe War Of The Iraq War958 Words   |  4 PagesOn September 11, 2001, two planes crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City, New York. This was the very first contact that the United States of America had with the terrorism that went on in Iraq. March 20, 2003 marked the day that President George W. Bush announced the start of the war against Iraq (1). This was the beginning of a very costly war on both America and Iraq. The cost of the Iraq War was not just the amount of money spent, but the impact of war on the soldiers and theRead MoreThe Discovery of Penicillin1750 Words   |  7 Pagesunheard of. It is hard for our civilization to appreciate the medical advancements we have today due to the invention of penicillin, the medical miracle. Penicillin was considered the miracle cure when it was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928 and it saved several lives including our soldiers but have we abused this medical miracle? However, it is imperative for our civilization to understand how penicillin was invented, the war it saved, and the resistance that it has sir come. AlexanderRead MoreImpact Of Social Media On Society1443 Words   |  6 Pagesand culture, it has shaped how the world into what we see today. Major advancements in military technology, healthcare, communication and production have led the way to unprecedented growth not only in the United States, but in emerging countries as well. However, with advancements, comes drawbacks; and some are massive. From social media, medicine, to communications, even to the atomic bomb; the advantages are noticeable, but so are the consequences. In the world of ever-changing technology, can human

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Unethical Dilemmas In Carrying Out Market Research - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 599 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/05/18 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Ethical Dilemma Essay Did you like this example? Definition of objectives and the problem Before starting a marketing research the core issues to be investigated need to be identified including objectives which are clearly defined. This is more important for the satisfaction of client-needs than an appropriate definition of the research problem. All the effort, time and money invested in this point will be unsuccessful, if the problem is interpreted or poorly defined. A frequent ethical conflict which researchers face is their attempts to balance self interest and responsibility to the client (Kotler and Keller, 2009). Determining the research design Here it is necessary to understand factors affecting the research approach like the economy and environment while deciding on the hypotheses. Research integrity involves designing without any deliberate withholding of information, falsification of figures, or compromising the design in any way. Unethical dilemmas are faced when the research is not fully honest and predetermined corporate and personal views do not bias the research objective. Conflicts between self-interests and pressure from the management must be eliminated (Terpstra, 2012). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Unethical Dilemmas In Carrying Out Market Research" essay for you Create order Designing and preparing the research instrument Questionnaire design involves major use of time and thought. If questions are badly framed, data which is collected will also be inferior. During designing of the research survey sampling and data analysis methods must be taken into consideration. Designing the survey approach and the questionnaire is one of the more important steps in a research process and unethical dilemmas occurring when using short-cuts in data collection without informing the client. Collecting the data Citing business confidentiality and copyright researchers often hide details of research methods from clients to hide facts of data being manipulated. This will be faced when budgets are low and research is expected to be conducted over large spatial scales. Unethical dilemmas are faced when important decisions have been based on the basis of data collected from few respondents residing in a small city (Kotler and Keller, 2009). This data is then used for generating decisions for a large geographical area. Ethical issues also arise with respect to respondents in survey methods. Ethical dilemmas occur where declared research anonymity is abused by using respondents personal data for different purposes (Nunan, 2013). Analysing the data The kinds of analysis planned to be performed on collected data must be decided earlier. After data collection actual survey analysis must be performed using analytical tools. After a research project is completed, ethical dilemmas emerge when researchers use information from research results for a different purpose without taking client-approvals. Visualizing the data and communicating results The final step of a market research project is presenting research findings and communicating conclusions. Researchers have a responsibility for gathering reliable and accurate data for clients. Non-fulfilment of these duties creates conflicts and gives rise to ethical dilemmas (Kotler and Keller, 2009). While meeting client- needs for reliable and accurate data, researchers could be less than frank with respondents regarding objectives of the research study for avoiding biases in their responses. It is essential to avoid any factor which leads to an unethical marketing research practice. We must get an approval from the client about research purpose and show them results of the research. Also interviewers must be trained to avoid asking questions in inappropriate ways so that respondents do not like to answer them or lie while answering. It is essential to learn ethical issues existing in market research studies before starting on the research. References Kotler, P., Keller, K. L., Lu, T. (2009). Marketing management in China. Prentice Hall. Nunan, D. . (2013). Market research and the ethics of big data. International Journal of Market Research, 55(4) , 505-520. Terpstra, V. F. (2012). International marketing. Naper Press.

Monday, December 23, 2019

Crime And Effective Punishment Essay - 1332 Words

Crime and Effective Punishment Stone walls do not a prison make, / [N]or iron bars a cage.-Richard Lovelace (Quiller) As time flows, and calendar pages flip, the world evolves and changes. With time, crime changes. With the change of crime, punishments should change as well. The twenty-first century has seen the birth of mass multimedia in which our every action and interaction is seen by all; it has made all the world a stage. Today’s world stage has created image conscientious actors who base their entire self-esteem off of the comments of their peers. Despite the large public spotlight that can be instantly brought glaringly down upon these actors, they still commit crimes and say things they shouldn’t, for even they cannot defeat the ineffable dark aspects of human nature. For media mongers, the worst punishment is not a stint in jail or wergild to pay, but rather it is being embarrassed in front of their peers. So although, many people believe public shaming to be a cruel and unusual punishment, it is actually a very effective way to reprimand a person in today’s image con scious world stage. Far back in the mythical times (before the advent of social networking and the constant updates that flood from our phones into our clogged informational neurons) public shaming was being used as an effective punishment (Stade). This is Nathaniel Hawthorne’s topic of choice in his book the Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne’s main character, an adulteress, placed in the town square afterShow MoreRelated Capital Punishment is Not an Effective Crime Deterrent Essay1483 Words   |  6 PagesWhile Capital Punishment has been one of the most feared things of our time, it is still being questioned if it is unconstitutional. The Death Penalty is being enforced in more than 100 countries in the world and are usually used in politically-related cases. Although it has been the case in many countries throughout the world it has been said that the Death Penalty is cruel and unusual punishment which is a direct violation to the Bill of Rights. Capital Punishment is a certainRead MoreA Article On Condemn The Crime, Not The Person1179 Words   |  5 PagesIn her article, â€Å"Condemn the Crime, Not the Person,† June Tangney argues that shaming causes more harm than good. She focuses on alternatives to traditional sentences instead of shaming and incarceration. As a more recent trend, officials are using shaming sentences more and more. Tangney states that it is important to know the distinction between shame and guilt. Tangney states, that research has shown feeling of guilt â€Å"involve a sense of tension and regret over the bad thing done.† Guilt makesRead MoreBring Back Flogging Essay1060 Words   |  5 Pagescolumnist for the Boston Globe, presents the use of corporal punishment as an alternative to the current system of imprisonment. Published in February of 1997, the article states that flogging would be a more effective means of punishment than jail. He insists it would be less expensive and serve as a deterrent to first time offenders. Jacoby’s thoughts on prison reform are legitimate, but his reasoning behind the use of corporal punishment is flawed. He fails to provide reasonable support for hisRead MoreIs Retribution A Moral Justification For The Aim Of Punishment?1713 Words   |  7 PagesEssay Question: Is retribution a moral justification for the aim of punishment? Punishment is the consequent effect that you get for doing a particular crime. Some of these punishments focus on just punishing the criminal, while others are about giving an effective punishment to make sure the person would not reoffend. There are two main theories of punishment, which are utilitarian and retributive theories of punishment. This essay will discuss the theory of retributive punishment with regardsRead MoreBring Back Flogging by Jeff Facoby715 Words   |  3 Pagesthe op-ed page on February 20, addresses the issue of the deficiency of today’s criminal justice system and attempts to persuade us to bring back flogging as a punishment for certain crime. However, though his syllogism might arouse the reader and educate them on the need for reform, but it fails to convince the reader that corporal punishment is the best option. He supports his argument by providing some good amount of evidences; however, he seems to go with some week witnesses. The first reason heRead MoreDylan Pidich. Boston College Philosophy. . Does The Retributive1408 Words   |  6 PagesDylan Pidich Boston College Philosophy Does the retributive theory of punishment deter crime? â€Å"We demand of a deterrent not whether it is just but whether it will deter. We demand of a cure not whether it is just but whether it succeeds. Thus when we cease to consider what the criminal deserves and consider only what will cure him or deter others, we have tacitly removed him from the sphere of justice altogether; instead of a person, a subject of rights, we now have a mere object, a patientRead MoreA Summary On Capital Punishment1345 Words   |  6 PagesSean Starosta Mr. Cobb American Literature May 26, 2015 Capital Punishment In 1939 Joe Arridy was convicted and executed for the 1936 rape and murder of a Pueblo Colorado schoolgirl despite serious doubts over his competence and guilt. Fast forward seventy two years and capital punishment is at its lowest rate in years, murder rates are at some of the lowest levels on record (Johnson). and Colorado governor Bill Ritter grants Arridy an unconditional pardon based on an â€Å"overwhelming body of evidence†Read MorePunishment vs Rehabilitation1678 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ Punishment versus Rehabilitation Survey of Justice and Security - AJS/502 March 17, 2014 Arnold Wicker    Punishment versus Rehabilitation, there has been many debates on the effectiveness of punishment compared to the effectiveness of rehabilitation of convicted offenders in prison and under community supervision. Punishment is defined as a penalty that is imposed on an individual for doing something wrong. The term rehabilitation is defined as a way to help somebodyRead MoreJeff Jacoby’s Bring Flogging Back1018 Words   |  5 PagesJacoby’s essay Bring Flogging Back, he discusses whether flogging is the more humane punishment compared to prison. Jacoby uses clear and compelling evidence to describe why prisons are a terrible punishment, but he lacks detail and information on why flogging is better. In the essay he explains how crime has gotten out of hand over the past few decades, which has lead to the government building more prisons to lock up more criminals. His effort to prove that current criminal punishment is not perfectRead MoreCriminal Justice System: Classica l School Theory1481 Words   |  6 Pagesthe criminal activities that they participate in as well. I believe that a person can chose to commit a crime if they really want to. Rather a person is surrounded by criminals or the best non-criminals in the world that person can still chose to commit a crime. The person could be raised in a way that they are taught not commit crimes but later in life they may choose to commit a crime. Beccaria believed in social contract, when one chooses to live in a society, then on chooses to give up some

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Discussing Act.1 Scene 7 of Macbeth Free Essays

The scene takes place in the Madison Square Garden’s basketball courts after scheduled training. Chris Anderson, reserve point guard, a position recently appointed to him after Jason Hart sustained a serious injury, considers jeopardising Chauncey Billups position as point guard and captain of the Denver Nuggets. Chris talks to head cheerleader and girlfriend Ashley Reynolds and discusses ways to jeopardise Chauncey’s position on the team. We will write a custom essay sample on Discussing Act.1 Scene 7 of Macbeth or any similar topic only for you Order Now (Chris dribbles ball across court to Ashley) Chris: If only I could get rid of Chauncey without any suspicions or consequences (Thinks) I could purposely hurt Chauncey in a practise session, but the risk of suspicion would be way too risky. It would be much easier and beneficial to have someone do it for me. (Looks to Ashley in a strange way) Ashley: No, no way would I put my cheerleading career in jeopardy, and besides, who am I to do such a thing! I’m not a violent person! Chris: There’s got be some way I can get his position. My basketball coach in college had a prophecy that one day I would be drafted to the NBA. He also stated that I would become a true leader of a NBA team. I’ve been drafted now and all there is left to do takeover Chauncey’s position and captaincy. (Ashley thinks of ways in which Chris could become captain) Ashley: I have a perfect idea. Chris: Out with it then. Ashley: Well, I am head of the cheerleading team and everyone knows, players loooove cheerleaders. Chris: What are you trying to get at? Yes we all love cheerleaders. Ashley: Well, I could jeopardize Chauncey’s position on the team by making false accusations that he sexually assaulted me. Chris: (Thinks) No, I couldn’t do that to him, Chauncey is a loyal friend and besides, I don’t want to ruin his career. What happens if the plan falls through? There’s a chance it will ruin my NBA career as well. All the NBA endorsement I have received will be lost. I don’t think I’m ready to throw that all away for a starting position on the team. Ashley: You are wrong! Chauncey isn’t a loyal friend, he is a team-mate and that’s all. Nothing bad will happen to you and your career. You don’t have to be involved, no one will ever know! Chris: Ashley, we are a couple now, if news spreads that we are together and then gets linked back to the sexual assault a lot of attention will be brought upon me. I don’t know what to do, I’m only a newly recruited player to the Denver Nuggets, I should be appreciative of what has been given to me. Not everybody receives a deal like mine. Chauncey is very deserving of his position on the team and is a very good role model in which I should aspire to. He is so well respected in the NBA. There would be many assumptions as to why he would sexually assault women, let alone a cheerleader from the same team, besides Chauncey has a wife and is a very good friend of yours. Ashley: What are you talking about Chris? Ever since you were drafted to the NBA you’ve wanted Chauncey’s position! You’ve wanted leadership and you should be granted recognition. What girl doesn’t want her boyfriend to show leadership and dominance? I would love you even more if we were to pull this off. Chris: No, the Consequences of these circumstances are far too severe. Chauncey has done nothing to me in order for me to jeopardise his position on the team let alone his career in the NBA. If the predications from my college basketball are true, maybe I might get that leadership role as captain of a team, but who’s saying that its going to be captain of the Denver Nuggets, who says that its Chauncey Billups position and role of the team in which I’m going to overthrow. In time, the prophecy will come true. It’s better to hide my ambitions then expose them and run the risk of ruining my NBA career, a friends NBA career or my friendship with Chauncey. How to cite Discussing Act.1 Scene 7 of Macbeth, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Summary of 12 Years A Slave free essay sample

Solomon Northup was born a free man in Minerva, New York, in 1808. Little is known about his mother, whom his narrative does not identify by name. His father, Mintus, was originally enslaved to the Northup family from Rhode Island, but he was freed after the family moved to New York. As a young man, Northup helped his father with farming chores and worked as a raftsman on the waterways of upstate New York. He married Anne Hampton, a woman of mixed (black, white, and Native American) ancestry, on Christmas Day, 1829. They had three children together. During the 1830s, Northup became locally renowned as an excellent fiddle-player. In 1841, two men offered Northup generous wages to join a traveling musical show, but soon after he accepted, they drugged him and sold him into slavery. He was subsequently sold at auction in New Orleans. Northup served a number of masters—some brutally cruel and others whose humanity he praised. After years of bondage, he came into contact with an outspoken abolitionist from Canada, who sent letters to notify Northups family of his whereabouts. An official state agent was sent to Louisiana to reclaim Northup, and he was successful through a number of coincidences. After he was freed, Northup filed kidnapping charges against the men who had defrauded him, but the lengthy trial that followed was ultimately dropped because of legal technicalities, and he received no remuneration. Little is known about Northups life after the trial, but he is believed to have died in 1863. Twelve Years a Slave was recorded by David Wilson, a white lawyer and legislator from New York who claimed to have presented a faithful history of Solomon Northups life, as [I] received it from his lips (p. xv). Dedicated to Harriet Beecher Stowe and introduced as another Key to Uncle Toms Cabin, Northups book was published in 1853, less than a year after his liberation. It sold over thirty thousand copies. It is therefore not only one of the longest North American slave narratives, but also one of the best-selling. The first two chapters of Twelve Years a Slave relate the Northup family history, Solomons marriage to Anne, his employment as a raftsman, a farmer, and a fiddle-player, and his abduction. Promised one dollar for each days services and three dollars for every show that he played, Northup travels willingly with the two con artists to New York City and then to Washington, D. C. (p. 30). Their ruse is thorough: the men perform a vaudeville show of sorts in Albany, and they convince Northup to obtain free papers before leaving New York. However, once in Washington, the men offer him a drink that causes him to become insensible, and when Northup awakens, he is alone, in utter darkness, and in chains (p. 38). The narrative expresses his amazement at discovering a slave pen within the very shadow of the Capitol! (p. 43). Northup is sold to the notorious Washington-based slave trader James H. Burch, who brutally whips him for protesting that he is a free man. While in the slave pen, he makes the acquaintance of several other slaves, including Eliza, whose sad history he relates in detail (pp. 50-54). The slaves are handcuffed and transported together via cars and steamboats to Richmond and then to New Orleans. Their experience aboard the steamboat is a miserable one: sea-sickness rendered the place of our confinement loathsome and disgusting (p. 68). Northup plans a mutiny with two of his fellow slaves, but the plan is foiled when one of them contracts smallpox and dies (pp. 69-72). Northup and the rest of Burchs gang are delivered to Theophilus Freeman, a New Orleans slave trader who informs Northup that his new name is Platt (p. 75). After surviving a bout of smallpox, Northup and Eliza are purchased by a Baptist preacher named William Ford. Touched by Elizas pleas, Ford attempts to purchase her young daughter Emily as well, but Freeman refuses to sell her. Ford proves to be a kind master; Northup writes that there never was a more kind, noble, candid, Christian man (p. 90). Fords plantation is located several hundred miles northwest of New Orleans, in the Great Pine Woods along Louisianas Red River. Northup is put to work stacking and chopping logs at Fords lumber mill, and he decides to reward his masters kindness. Realizing that Ford ships his lumber by land at great expense, Northup devises a set of rafts to deliver them by canal, greatly increasing Fords profits. I was the Fulton of Indian Creek, he recalls (p. 99). He also builds a loom for the plantation that worked so well, I was continued in the employment of making looms (p. 103). Despite (or perhaps because of) his value as a laborer and de facto engineer, Northup is sold in the winter of 1842 to John Tibeats, a quick-tempered carpenter to whom Ford had become indebted (p. 103). Unlike Ford, Tibeats is never satisfied, though he works his slaves from earliest dawn until late at night (p. 107). When Tibeats attempts to whip Northup for a dubious offense, Northup fights back, and with his foot on the masters neck, he whips Tibeats until my right arm ached (p. 111). When Tibeats and two associates attempt to lynch Northup, a kindly overseer (armed with pistols) intervenes and saves his life. Because he had not yet paid Ford the full amount for Northup, Tibeats is compelled to spare him for a time. Later, when he attacks Northup with a hatchet, the slave again bests the master, and this time he flees from the plantation, chased by hounds. Northup escapes by running and swimming through the Great Pacoudrie Swamp, evading water moccasins and alligators (p. 139). He makes his way back to Fords plantation, where he is protected from harm. Persuaded by William Ford that killing Northup will only bring him the condemnation of his peers as well as financial loss, Tibeats hires Northup out to cut sugarcane in the Big Cane Break farther down the Red River. Around this time, Northup learns that Eliza has died of malnourishment and grief at the loss of her daughter (pp. 159-160). Soon afterwards, Tibeats sells Northup to Edwin Epps, a repulsive and coarse cotton planter whom Northup describes as being devoid of any redeeming qualities. (p. 162). The second half of Northups narrative is chiefly devoted to describing life on a cotton plantation. He provides detailed descriptions of the processes of planting, cultivating, and picking cotton (pp. 163-168), character sketches of his fellow slaves (pp. 185-190), and gradations of punishment for various offenses (pp. 179-180). As he was periodically hired out to sugar plantations as well, Northup describes the methods of planting, harvesting, and processing the cane in similar detail (pp. 208-213). Though his account reveals the misery and despair of field slaves, like many other slave narratives, it also reflects the wry humor with which Northup endured his situation. For example, in describing the meager rations allotted for each weeks subsistence, he quips that no slave of [Edwin Eppss] is ever likely to suffer from the gout, superinduced by excessive high living (p. 169). Likewise, he begins his description of slave huts by stating that the softest couches in the world are not to be found in the log mansion of the slave (p. 170). Ironic metaphors and understatements such as these render Northups account all the more compelling, leavening the extent of his degradation with a wry and persistent sense of humor. Twelve Years a Slave occasionally ventures into nature writing and ethnography, as Northup describes southern flora, fauna, and culture from the perspective of a northern traveler. Narrating his relocation to work as a cane-clearer after his fights with Tibeats, Northup writes, we were now in the midst of trees of enormous growth, whose wide-spreading branches almost shut out the light of the sun . . . The bay and the sycamore, the oak and the cypress, reach a growth unparalleled, in those fertile lowlands (pp. 154-155). Northup seems to find the talk and behavior of Southerners equally interesting; he frequently quotes and explains colloquialisms, such as the verbs allowed (p. 153) and toted (p. 167). Remarkably, he compliments some aspects of (white) southern life: whatever their faults may be, it is certain the inhabitants [of] the interior of Louisiana are not wanting in hospitality (p. 159). He also repeatedly notes the abilities of female slaves in a manner that suggests a sort of proto-feminist sensibility. Northup praises the lumberwomen with whom he clears cane as excellent choppers who were equal to any man at piling logs (p. 156). On the cotton plantation, he observes that women plow the fields and tend their animals precisely as do the ploughboys of the North (p. 164). When it comes to picking cotton, Patsey is queen of the field, for her fingers possess a lightning-quick motion—the very dexterity that Northup lacks (p. 188). Whether his subject is the Southern landscape or the Southerners themselves, Northup frequently writes with the bemused curiosity of an intellectual tourist. Northups first attempt to write a letter home—with a duck feather and ink that he produced from white maple bark—is thwarted when the white field-laborer in whom he confides exposes the plan to Edwin Epps. However, Northup had been savvy enough to request the favor without entrusting the letter, so he is able to deny the allegation and convince his master that it is spurious. Later, he meets a Canadian carpenter (and outspoken abolitionist) named Mr. Bass, who agrees to mail several letters for him. Both men realize the significance of the act: Northup notes that my previous ill-fortune had taught me to be extremely cautious, and Bass advises him on the great necessity of strict silence and secrecy (p. 269, p. 271). Indeed, the letters that Bass writes for Northup inform the recipients that he that is writing for me runs the risk of his life if detected (p. 275). After a lengthy delay that causes Northup to despair of ever being rescued, he is found and liberated by Henry B. Northup, a member of the same white family that his father had served years before. Northup later learns the causes for the delay: first, his wife had to prove to the Governor of New York (Washington Hunt) that Solomon was a free man who had been abducted; next, Governor Hunt had appointed Henry Northup as an official state agent to rescue Solomon; Henry Northup had then negotiated with former Louisiana Senator Pierre Soule, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Nelson, and Charles M. Conrad, U. S. Secretary of War, to provide federal support for his mission (pp. 290-292). Even after all of these careful arrangements, Henry Northup still struggled to locate Solomon, because no one in Louisiana knew him by his real name. It was only a chance encounter with the carpenter Bass that revealed Solomons location—and that he was now called Platt (p. 298). With this knowledge and the help of a sympathetic sheriff, Henry Northup was able to rescue Solomon Northup. The final chapter outlines the legal proceedings that followed—in New Orleans, where the men received a legal pass to leave the state; in Charleston, South Carolina, where Henry was challenged by customs officials for not registering Solomon as a servant; and in Washington, where the two filed charges against Solomons former captors (pp. 310-319). The narrative concludes with Solomons reunion with Anne, his daughters, and a grandson whom he had never met. The childs name was Solomon Northup Staunton (p. 320).