Thursday, May 21, 2020
Gigantopithecus Facts and Figures
Name: Gigantopithecus (Greek for giant ape); prounced jie-GAN-toe-pith-ECK-usHabitat: Woodlands of AsiaHistorical Epoch: Miocene-Pleistocene (six million to 200,000 years ago)Size and Weight: Up to nine feet tall and 1,000 poundsDiet: Probably omnivorousDistinguishing Characteristics: Large size; large, flat molars; four-footed posture About Gigantopithecus The literal 1,000-pound gorilla sitting in the corner of a natural history museum, the appropriately named Gigantopithecus was the largest ape that ever lived, not quite King Kong-sized but, at up to half a ton or so, much bigger than your average lowland gorilla. Or, at least, thats the way this prehistoric primate has been reconstructed; frustratingly, practically everything we know about Gigantopithecus is based on its scattered, fossilized teeth and jaws, which first came to the worlds attention when they were sold in Chinese apothecary shops in the first half of the 20th century. Paleontologists arent even sure how this colossus moved; the consensus is that it must have been a ponderous knuckle-walker, like modern gorillas, but a minority opinion holds that Gigantopithecus may have been capable of walking on its two hind feet. Another mysterious thing about Gigantopithecus is when, exactly, it lived. Most experts date this ape from Miocene to mid-Pleistocene eastern and southeastern Asia, about six million to one million years B.C., and it may have survived in small populations until as late as 200,000 or 300,000 years ago. Predictably, a small community of cryptozoologists insists that Gigantopithecus never went extinct, and persists in the present day, high up in the Himalayan Mountains, like the mythical Yeti, better known in the west as the Abominable Snowman! As fearsome as it must have looked, Gigantopithecus seems to have been mostly herbivorous--we can infer from its teeth and jaws that this primate subsisted on fruits, nuts, shoots and, just possibly, the occasional small, quivering mammal or lizard. (The presence of an unusual number of cavities in Gigantopithecus teeth also points to a possible diet of bamboo, much like that of a modern Panda Bear.) Given its size when fully grown, an adult Gigantopithecus would not have been an active target of predation, though the same cant be said for sick, juvenile or aged individuals, which figured on the lunch menu of various tigers, crocodiles, and hyenas. Gigantopithecus comprises three separate species. The first and largest, G. blacki, lived in southeastern Asia starting in the middle Pleistocene epoch and shared its territory, toward the end of its existence, with various populations of Homo erectus, the immediate precursor of Homo sapiens. The second, G. bilaspurensis, dates to six million years ago, during the Miocene epoch, about the same early time frame as the oddly named G. giganteus, which was only about half the size of its G. blacki cousin.
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Effects Of Social Class On British Literature - 1113 Words
Social conflicts in British/World Literature made a significant impact throughout the history of literature. The effects of social conflict throughout literature dictates the lives and how they shape literature within novels and throughout the world. Social class in British Literature had a tremendous presence and the force of class difference in literature are self evident. Which leads a reader to ask ââ¬Å" How did social class affect literature?â⬠and ââ¬Å" What was its purpose on literature?â⬠The goal of this paper will focus on the social relationships, and how they separate the classes of society. It will also identify the issues that have a direct result in social interactions and how they affect British/World Literature. It will analyze aâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Labels working class and middle class were very common. People who owed their success evolved into what they call ââ¬Å"upper classâ⬠which had total control over the political and literacy system. Thus depriving the working class and middle class from having a voice in political situations. The working class however ââ¬Å"remained shut out from the political process , and became increasingly hostile to the middle class.â⬠As social conflicts continued from social class, socially conscious writers often sought out to address these problems, ââ¬Å"many had combined aesthetic and didactic aims to produce their writings and novels with a purposeâ⬠. (David Social Class). In most situations these novels and forms of protest literature subsumed to the social polemic. The system class and their differing class levels. Alongside these varying class levels and their particular access to riches and acquiring influence come abilities and hardships intently connected with such rankings. Writing that arrangements with social class frequently remarks on these abilities and hardships. The novel The Namesake depicts how the main characters are encouraged by their pare nts their parents to top universities and do lucrative professions they often are embarrassed by their humble beginnings once they become successful. ââ¬Å"Graduating from Ivy League universities enter similarity elite careers such as architecture and academia, But envy theShow MoreRelatedDramatic Irony In Gullivers Travels813 Words à |à 4 PagesGullivers Travels reflects conflicts in British society in the early 18th century. By narrating Gullivers adventures in Lilliput, Brobdingnag, Laputa, and Houyhnhnm, the novel reveals and criticizes sins and corruption of British ruling class and their cruel exploitation towards people of Britain and neighboring countries in the capital-accumulation period of British history. Gulliver is treated differently in different countries. The author depicts every situation at great length, which makesRead More My Development as a Writer Essays1352 Words à |à 6 Pages My English Literature major has helped me to achieve an outstanding level of appreciation, enjoyment, and knowledge of both American and British Literature. As a high school AP English student, I struggled through great works like Hamlet and To the Lighthouse. My teacherââ¬â¢s daily lectures (there was no such thing as class discussion) taught me merely to interpret the works as critics had in the past. I did not enjoy the reading or writing process. As a freshman at Loras, I was enrolled in theRead MoreThe Uk Civil Partnership Act 20041670 Words à |à 7 PagesIntroduction The introduction of the article involves analysis of various literature and researches on the policies and laws that govern lesbian and gay equality. The mention of the different definitions and arguments pave the way for the introduction of the UK Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Taylor 589). 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To best examine each period of literature the paper will be split amongst the three major periods theRead More History of Fairy Tales within Victorian Society Essay1204 Words à |à 5 Pages At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Puritans viewed fairy tales as inappropriate literature because they believed fairy tales to be a form of witchcraft. The attitude toward fairy tales soon changed when the Brothers Grimm published their two-volume collection called Kinderund Hausmarchen or German Popular Stories. Overnight, fairy tales became an acceptable form of literature. This sudden popularity raises some related questions: What are the reasons behind the increased popularity of fairyRead MoreCompare And Contrast Different Literature Periods1452 Words à |à 6 PagesEnglish Literature Periods Literature by definition according to Oxford dictionary is the written works, especially those considered of superior or lasting artistic merit. Literature has classified into several periods. Which has affected by the surrounding events in the society in each period like economic levels, war and peace. Literature is considering as a human creation is differing from the other because of the changing in the society and language development in every period. This essayRead MoreBritish Literature : Final Exam1301 Words à |à 6 PagesBritish Literature II - Final Exam British Literature is filled with diverse and talented writers who through each period has brought something new to the table. Over the course of the term we have covered the Romantic period, the Victorian Age and the Modern period. Each period has had a hand in developing literature through to the modern age and each writer has influenced the next generation. To best examine each period of literature the paper will be split amongst the three major periods the courseRead MoreBritain Is Essentially A Class-Conscious Society Where1006 Words à |à 5 PagesBritain is essentially a class-conscious society where the upper classes are considerably preoccupied with the view of the social position, the language, and manners. It is still a pestilence in the British society. In the post-war Britain, a new innovative literary movement emerged as ââ¬Å"The Angry Young Menâ⬠. In this movement, the members were mostly a group of British playwrights, who were a part of working and middle cla ss and later became prominent in the 1950ââ¬â¢s. The main concern of these angryRead MoreExploring The Benefits And Difficulties Of Travel Accounts881 Words à |à 4 PagesTo understand the benefits and difficulties of travel accounts as primary sources, they need to be clearly defined and placed into their context. The main primary sources in I will be studying are British travel accounts produced between 1790 and 1800. Tim Young provides the basics for travel accounts stating, ââ¬Å"The guiding principle of this book is that travel writing consists of predominantly factual, first-person prose of travels that have been undertaken by the author-narrator. It includes discussionRead MoreCompare and Contrast the Romantics: William Blake and Mary Wollstonecraft1041 Words à |à 5 PagesWilliam Blake and Mary Wolstonecraft Mary Wollstonecraftââ¬â¢s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman sets out to invalidate the social and religious standards of her time in regards to gender, just as William Blake sets out to do the same for children. Both Blake and Wollstonecraft can be read by the average man and woman, lending its attention toward both upper and middle class. Wollstonecraftââ¬â¢s revolutionary themes of tyranny and oppression of women parallel the themes in Blakeââ¬â¢s poetry of the tyranny
Zoeââ¬â¢s Tale PART III Chapter Twenty Free Essays
ââ¬Å"Admit it,â⬠Enzo said, through the PDA. ââ¬Å"You forgot.â⬠ââ¬Å"I did not,â⬠I said, with what I hoped was just the right amount of indignation to suggest that I had not forgotten, which I had. We will write a custom essay sample on Zoeââ¬â¢s Tale PART III Chapter Twenty or any similar topic only for you Order Now ââ¬Å"I can hear the fake indignation,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"Rats,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re on to me. Finally.â⬠ââ¬Å"Finally? Thereââ¬â¢s no finally,â⬠Enzo said. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢ve been on to you since I met you.â⬠ââ¬Å"Maybe you have,â⬠I allowed. ââ¬Å"And anyway, that doesnââ¬â¢t solve this problem,â⬠Enzo said. ââ¬Å"Weââ¬â¢re about to sit down for dinner. Youââ¬â¢re supposed to be here. Not to make you feel guilty or anything.â⬠This was the difference between me and Enzo now and then. There used to be a time when Enzo would have said those words and they would have come out sounding like he was accusing me of something (besides, of course, being late). But right now they were gentle and funny. Yes, he was exasperated, but he was exasperated in a way that suggested I might be able to make it up to him. Which I probably would, if he didnââ¬â¢t push it. ââ¬Å"I am in fact wracked with guilt,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Good,â⬠Enzo said. ââ¬Å"Because you know we put a whole extra potato in the stew for you.â⬠ââ¬Å"Gracious,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"A whole potato.â⬠ââ¬Å"And I promised the twins they could throw their carrots at you,â⬠he said, referring to his little sisters. ââ¬Å"Because I know how much you love carrots. Especially when theyââ¬â¢re kid-hurled.â⬠ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t know why anyone would eat them any other way,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"And after dinner I was going to read you a poem I wrote for you,â⬠Enzo said. I paused. ââ¬Å"Now thatââ¬â¢s not fair,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Injecting something real into our witty banter.â⬠ââ¬Å"Sorry,â⬠Enzo said. ââ¬Å"Did you really?â⬠I asked. ââ¬Å"You havenââ¬â¢t written me a poem in ages.â⬠ââ¬Å"I know,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"I thought I might get back into practice. I remember you kind of liked it.â⬠ââ¬Å"You jerk,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Now I really do feel guilty for forgetting about dinner.â⬠ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t feel too guilty,â⬠Enzo said. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s not a very good poem. It doesnââ¬â¢t even rhyme.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, thatââ¬â¢s a relief,â⬠I said. I still felt giddy. Itââ¬â¢s nice to get poems. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢ll send it to you,â⬠Enzo said. ââ¬Å"You can read it instead. And then, maybe if youââ¬â¢re nice to me, Iââ¬â¢ll read it to you. Dramatically.â⬠ââ¬Å"What if Iââ¬â¢m mean to you?â⬠I asked. ââ¬Å"Then Iââ¬â¢ll read it melodramatically,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢ll wave my arms and everything.â⬠ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re making a case for me being mean to you,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Hey, youââ¬â¢re already missing dinner,â⬠Enzo said. ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s worth an arm wave or two.â⬠ââ¬Å"Jerk,â⬠I said. I could almost hear him smile over the PDA. ââ¬Å"Gotta go,â⬠Enzo said. ââ¬Å"Momââ¬â¢s telling me to set the table.â⬠ââ¬Å"Do you want me to try to make it?â⬠I asked. All of a sudden I really did want to be there. ââ¬Å"I can try.â⬠ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re going to run across the entire colony in five minutes?â⬠Enzo said. ââ¬Å"I could do it,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Maybe Babar could,â⬠Enzo said. ââ¬Å"But he has two legs more than you.â⬠ââ¬Å"Fine,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢ll send Babar to have dinner with you.â⬠Enzo laughed. ââ¬Å"Do that,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢ll tell you what, Zoe. Walk here at a reasonable pace, and youââ¬â¢ll probably make it in time for dessert. Mom made a pie.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yay, pie,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"What kind?â⬠ââ¬Å"I think itââ¬â¢s called ââ¬ËZoe gets whatever kind of pie she gets and likes itââ¬â¢ pie,â⬠Enzo said. ââ¬Å"Mmmm,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"I always like that kind of pie.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, yeah,â⬠Enzo said. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s right there in the title.â⬠ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s a date,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Good,â⬠Enzo said. ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t forget. I know thatââ¬â¢s a problem for you.â⬠ââ¬Å"Jerk,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Check your mail queue,â⬠Enzo said. ââ¬Å"There might be a poem there.â⬠ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m going to wait for the hand waving,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s probably for the best,â⬠Enzo said. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢ll be better that way. And now my mom is glaring at me with laser eyeballs. I have to go.â⬠ââ¬Å"Go,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"See you soon.â⬠ââ¬Å"Okay,â⬠Enzo said. ââ¬Å"Love you.â⬠We had started saying that to each other recently. It seemed to fit. ââ¬Å"Love you too,â⬠I said, and disconnected. ââ¬Å"You two make me want to vomit so hard,â⬠Gretchen said. Sheââ¬â¢d been hearing my side of the conversation and had been rolling her eyes the whole time. We were sitting in her bedroom. I set down the PDA and whacked her with a pillow. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re just jealous Magdy never says that to you.â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh, dear Lord,â⬠Gretchen said. ââ¬Å"Leaving aside the fact that I so do not want to hear that from him, if he ever did try to say that to me, his head would actually explode before the words could even get out of his mouth. Which now that I think about it might be an excellent reason to try to get him to say it.â⬠ââ¬Å"You two are so cute,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"I can see you two standing at the altar and getting into it right before saying ââ¬ËI do.'â⬠ââ¬Å"Zoe, if I ever get anywhere near an altar with Magdy, I authorize you to make a flying tackle and drag me away,â⬠Gretchen said. ââ¬Å"Oh, fine,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Now letââ¬â¢s never speak of this again,â⬠Gretchen said. ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re so in denial,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"At least Iââ¬â¢m not the one who forgot her dinner date,â⬠Gretchen said. ââ¬Å"It gets worse,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"He wrote me poetry. He was going to read it to me.â⬠ââ¬Å"You missed dinner and a show,â⬠Gretchen said. ââ¬Å"You are the worst girlfriend ever.â⬠ââ¬Å"I know,â⬠I said. I reached for my PDA. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢ll write him an apology note saying that.â⬠ââ¬Å"Make it extra grovelly,â⬠Gretchen said. ââ¬Å"Because thatââ¬â¢s sexy.â⬠ââ¬Å"That comment explains a lot about you, Gretchen,â⬠I said, and then my PDA took on a life of its own, blasting an alarm sound from its speaker and scrolling an air attack notice on its screen. Over on Gretchenââ¬â¢s desk, her PDA made the same alarm sound and scrolled the same message. Every PDA in the colony did the same. In the distance, we heard the sirens, posted near the Mennonite homesteads, alerting them because they didnââ¬â¢t use personal technology. For the first time since the defeat of the Conclave fleet, Roanoke was under attack. Missiles were on their way. I rushed to the door of Gretchenââ¬â¢s room. ââ¬Å"Where are you going?â⬠she asked. I ignored her and went outside, where people were bursting out of their homes and running for cover, and looked into the sky. ââ¬Å"What are you doing?â⬠Gretchen said, catching up with me. ââ¬Å"We need to get to a shelter.â⬠ââ¬Å"Look,â⬠I said, and pointed. In the distance, a bright needle of light was tracing across the sky, aiming at something we couldnââ¬â¢t quite see. Then there was a flash, blinding white. There was a defense satellite above Roanoke; it had fired on and hit one of the missiles coming for us. But others were still on their way. The sharp pop of the missile explosion reached us, with not nearly enough time lag. ââ¬Å"Come on, Zoe,â⬠Gretchen said, and started tugging at me. ââ¬Å"Weââ¬â¢ve got to go.â⬠I stopped looking at the sky and ran with Gretchen to one of the community shelters we had recently excavated and built; it was filling up quickly with colonists. As I ran I saw Hickory and Dickory, who had spotted me; they closed in and took either side of me as we got into the shelter. Even in the panic, people still made room for them. Gretchen, Hickory, Dickory, about four dozen other colonists, and I all hunched down in the shelter, straining to hear what was going on above us through nearly a dozen feet of dirt and concrete. ââ¬Å"What do you think is happ ââ¬â â⬠someone said and then there was unspeakable wrenching noise, like someone had taken one of the cargo containers that made up the colony wall and peeled it apart, right on top of our eardrums and then I was tumbling to the ground because there was an earthquake and I screamed and bet that everyone else in the shelter did too but I couldnââ¬â¢t hear it because then came the single loudest noise I had ever heard, so loud that my brain surrendered and the noise became the absence of noise, and the only way I knew that I, at least, was still screaming was that I could feel my throat getting raw. Either Hickory or Dickory grabbed me and held me steady; I could see Gretchen being held the same way by the other Obin. The lights in the shelter flickered but stayed on. Eventually I stopped screaming and the ground stopped shaking and something similar to my hearing came back to me and I could hear others in the shelter crying and praying and trying to calm children. I looked over at Gretchen, who looked stricken. I disentangled from Dickory (it turned out) and went over to her. ââ¬Å"You okay?â⬠I asked. My voice sounded like it was pushed through cotton from a distance. Gretchen nodded but didnââ¬â¢t look at me. It occurred to me it was the first time sheââ¬â¢d been in an attack. I looked around. Most of the people in the shelter looked like Gretchen. It was the first time any of these people had been in an attack. Of all these people, I was the one who was the veteran of a hostile attack. I guess that put me in charge. I saw a PDA on the floor; someone had dropped it. I picked it up and activated it and read what was there. Then I stood up and waved my hands back and forth and said ââ¬Å"Excuse me!â⬠until people started looking at me. I think enough people recognized me as the daughter of the colony leaders that they decided I might know something after all. ââ¬Å"The emergency information on the PDA says that the attack seems to be over,â⬠I said when enough people were looking my way. ââ¬Å"But until we get an ââ¬Ëall clearââ¬â¢ signal we need to stay here in the shelter. We need to stay here and stay calm. Is anyone here injured or sick?â⬠ââ¬Å"I canââ¬â¢t hear very well,â⬠someone said. ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t think any of us can hear well right now,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s why Iââ¬â¢m yelling.â⬠It was an attempt at a joke. I donââ¬â¢t think people were going for it. ââ¬Å"Are there any injuries here besides hearing loss?â⬠No one said anything or raised their hand. ââ¬Å"Then letââ¬â¢s just sit tight here and wait for the ââ¬Ëall clear.'â⬠I held up the PDA I was using. ââ¬Å"Whose is this?â⬠Someone raised their hand; I asked if I could borrow it. ââ¬Å"Someone took ââ¬Ëin chargeââ¬â¢ lessons when I wasnââ¬â¢t looking,â⬠Gretchen said when I sat back down next to her. The words were classic Gretchen, but the voice was very, very shaky. ââ¬Å"We were just under attack,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"If someone doesnââ¬â¢t pretend like she knows what sheââ¬â¢s doing, people are going to start freaking out. That would be bad.â⬠ââ¬Å"Not arguing,â⬠Gretchen said. ââ¬Å"Just impressed.â⬠She pointed to the PDA. ââ¬Å"Can you send any messages? Can we find out whatââ¬â¢s happening?â⬠ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t think so,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"The emergency system overrides usual messaging, I think.â⬠I signed out the owner on the PDA and signed in under my account. ââ¬Å"See. Enzo said he sent that poem to me but itââ¬â¢s not there yet. Itââ¬â¢s probably queued and will get sent once we have the all clear.â⬠ââ¬Å"So we donââ¬â¢t know if everyone else is okay,â⬠Gretchen said. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m sure weââ¬â¢ll get an all clear signal soon,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"You worried about your dad?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes. Arenââ¬â¢t you worried about your parents?â⬠Gretchen asked. ââ¬Å"They were soldiers,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Theyââ¬â¢ve done this before. Iââ¬â¢m worried about them, but Iââ¬â¢m betting theyââ¬â¢re fine. And Jane is the one running the emergency messages. As long as theyââ¬â¢re updating, sheââ¬â¢s fine.â⬠The PDA switched over from my mail queue to a scrolling note; we were being given the ââ¬Å"all clear.â⬠ââ¬Å"See,â⬠I said. I had Hickory and Dickory check the entrance of the shelter for any falling debris; it was clear. I signed out from the PDA and gave it back to its owner, and then folks started shuffling out. Gretchen and I were the last to head up. ââ¬Å"Watch your step,â⬠Gretchen said as we came up, and pointed to the ground. Glass was everywhere. I looked around. All the houses and buildings were standing, but almost all the windows were blown out. Weââ¬â¢d be picking glass out of everything for days. ââ¬Å"At least itââ¬â¢s been nice weather,â⬠I said. No one seemed to hear me. Probably just as well. I said good-bye to Gretchen and headed to my house with Hickory and Dickory. I found more glass in surprising places and Babar cowering in the shower stall. I managed to coax him out and gave him a big hug. He licked my face with increasing franticness. After I petted him and calmed him down, I reached for my PDA to call Mom or Dad, and then realized I had left it over at Gretchenââ¬â¢s. I had Hickory and Dickory stay with Babar ââ¬â he needed their company more than I did at the moment ââ¬â and walked over to Gretchenââ¬â¢s. As I walked to her house, her front door swung open and Gretchen burst through it, saw me and ran to me, her PDA in one hand and mine in the other. ââ¬Å"Zoe,â⬠she said, and then her face tightened up, and whatever she had to say was lost for a minute. ââ¬Å"Oh, no,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Gretchen. Gretchen. What is it? Is it your dad? Is your dad okay?â⬠Gretchen shook her head, and looked up at me. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s not my dad,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"My dad is fine. Itââ¬â¢s not Dad. Zoe, Magdy just called me. He says something hit. Hit Enzoââ¬â¢s homestead. He said the house is still there but thereââ¬â¢s something big in the yard. He thinks itââ¬â¢s part of a missile. Says he tried to call Enzo but heââ¬â¢s not there. No oneââ¬â¢s there. No oneââ¬â¢s answering there. He said they just built a bomb shelter, away from the house. In the yard, Zoe. Magdy says he keeps calling and no one answers. I just called Enzo, too. I donââ¬â¢t get anything, Zoe. It doesnââ¬â¢t even connect. I keep trying. Oh God, Zoe. Oh God, Zoe. Oh, God.â⬠Enzo Paulo Gugino was born on Zhong Guo, the first child of Bruno and Natalie Gugino. Bruno and Natalie had known each other since they were children and everyone who knew them knew that from the first moment they laid eyes on each other that they would be together for every single moment of their lives. Bruno and Natalie didnââ¬â¢t argue with this idea. Bruno and Natalie, as far as anyone ever knew, never argued about anything, and certainly didnââ¬â¢t argue with each other. They married young, even for the deeply religious culture they lived in on Zhong Guo, in which people often married early. But no one could imagine the two of them not being together; their parents gave their consent and the two of them were married in one of the best-attended weddings anyone could remember in their hometown of Pomona Falls. Nine months later, almost to the day, there was Enzo. Enzo was sweet from the moment he was born; he was always happy and only occasionally fussy, although (as was frequently explained, much to his later mortification) he had a marked tendency to take off his own diapers and smear the contents of them against the nearest available wall. This caused a real problem one time in a bank. Fortunately he was toilet-trained early. Enzo met his best friend Magdy Metwalli in kindergarten. On the first day of school, a third-grader had tried to pick on Enzo, and pushed him hard down to the ground; Magdy, whom Enzo had never seen before in his life, launched himself at the third-grader and started punching him in the face. Magdy, who at the time was small for his age, did no real damage other than scaring the pee out of the third-grader (literally); it was Enzo who eventually pulled Magdy off the third-grader and calmed him down before they were all sent to the principalââ¬â¢s office and then home for the day. Enzo showed a flair for words early and wrote his first story when he was seven, entitled ââ¬Å"The horrible sock that smelled bad and ate Pomona Falls except for my house,â⬠in which a large sock, mutated by its own horrible unwashed smell, started eating its way through the contents of an entire town and was thwarted only when the heroes Enzo and Magdy first punched it into submission and then threw it into a swimming pool filled with laundry soap. The first part of the story (about the origin of the sock) took three sentences; the climactic battle scene took three pages. Rumor is Magdy (the one reading the story, not the one in it) kept asking for more of the fight scene. When Enzo was ten his mother became pregnant for a second time, with twins Maria and Katherina. The pregnancy was difficult, and complicated because Natalieââ¬â¢s body had a hard time keeping two babies in it at once; the delivery was a near thing and Natalie came close to bleeding out more than once. It took Natalie more than a year to fully recover, and during that time the ten- and eleven-year-old Enzo helped his father and mother to care for his sisters, learning to change diapers and feed the girls when his mom needed a rest. This was the occasion of the only real fight between Magdy and Enzo: Magdy jokingly called Enzo a sissy for helping his mom, and Enzo smacked him in the mouth. When Enzo was fifteen the Guginos and the Metwallis and two other families they knew entered a group application to be part of the very first colony world made up of citizens of the Colonial Union rather than citizens of Earth. For the next few months every part of Enzoââ¬â¢s life, and the life of his family, was opened up to scrutiny, and he bore it with as much grace as anyone who was fifteen and who mostly just wanted to be left alone could have. Every member of every family was required to submit a statement explaining why they wanted to be part of the colony. Bruno Gugino explained how he had been a fan of the American Colonization era, and the early history of the Colonial Union; he wanted to be part of this new chapter of history. Natalie Gugino wrote about wanting to raise her family on a world where everyone was working together. Maria and Katherina drew pictures of them floating in space with smiley moons. Enzo, who loved words more and more, wrote a poem, imagining himself standing on a new world, and titled it ââ¬Å"The Stars My Destination.â⬠He later admitted heââ¬â¢d taken the title from an obscure fantasy adventure book that heââ¬â¢d never read but whose title stayed with him. The poem, meant only for his application, was leaked to the local media and became something of a sensation. It eventually became sort of an official unofficial anthem for the Zhong Guo colonization effort. And after all that, Enzo and his family and co-applicants really couldnââ¬â¢t not be chosen to go. When Enzo had just turned sixteen, he met a girl, named Zoe, and for some reason that passes understanding, he fell for her. Zoe was a girl who seemed like she knew what she was doing most of the time and was happy to tell you that this was in fact the case, all the time, but in their private moments, Enzo learned that Zoe was as nervous and uncertain and terrified that she would say or do something stupid to scare away this boy she thought she might love, as he was nervous and uncertain and terrified that he would do something stupid, too. They talked and touched and held and kissed and learned how not to be nervous and uncertain and terrified of each other. They did say and do stupid things, and they did eventually scare each other away, because they didnââ¬â¢t know any better. But then they got over it, and when they were together again, that second time, they didnââ¬â¢t wonder whether they might love each other. Because they knew they did. And they told each other so. On the day Enzo died he talked to Zoe, joked with her about her missing the dinner she was supposed to have with his family, and promised to send her a poem he had written for her. Then he told her he loved her and heard her tell him she loved him. Then he sent her the poem and sat down with his family to dinner. When the emergency alert came, the Gugino family, father Bruno, mother Natalie, daughters Maria and Katherina, and son Enzo, went together into the attack shelter Bruno and Enzo had made just a week before, and sat together close, holding each other and waiting for the ââ¬Å"all clear.â⬠On the day Enzo died he knew he was loved. He knew he was loved by his mother and father who, like everyone knew, never stopped loving each other until the very moment they died. Their love for each other became their love for him, and for their daughters. He knew he was loved by his sisters, who he cared for when they were small, and when he was small. He knew he was loved by his best friend, who he never stopped getting out of trouble, and who he never stopped getting into trouble with. And he knew he was loved by Zoe ââ¬â by me ââ¬â who he called his love and who said the words back to him. Enzo lived a life of love, from the moment he was born until the moment he died. So many people go through life without love. Wanting love. Hoping for love. Hungering for more of it than they have. Missing love when it was gone. Enzo never had to go through that. Would never have to. All he knew all his life was love. I have to think it was enough. It would have to be, now. I spent the day with Gretchen and Magdy and all of Enzoââ¬â¢s friends, of whom there were so many, crying and laughing and remembering him, and then at some point I couldnââ¬â¢t take any more because everyone had begun to treat me like Enzoââ¬â¢s widow and though in a way I felt like I was, I didnââ¬â¢t want to have to share that with anyone. It was mine and I wanted to be greedy for it for just a little while. Gretchen saw I had reached some sort of breaking point, and walked me back to her room and told me to get some rest, and that sheââ¬â¢d check on me later. Then she gave me a fierce hug, kissed me on the temple and told me she loved me and closed the door behind me. I lay there in Gretchenââ¬â¢s bed and tried not to think and did a pretty good job of it until I remembered Enzoââ¬â¢s poem, waiting for me in my mail queue. Gretchen had put my PDA on her desk and I walked over, took the PDA and sat back down on the bed, and pulled up my mail queue and saw the mail from Enzo. I reached to press the screen to retrieve it and then called up the directory instead. I found the folder titled ââ¬Å"Enzo Dodgeballâ⬠and opened it and started playing the files, watching as Enzo flailed his way around the dodgeball court, taking hits to the face and tumbling to the ground with unbelievable comic timing. I watched until I laughed so hard that I could barely see, and had to put the PDA down for a minute to concentrate on the simple act of breathing in and out. When I had mastered that again, I picked up the PDA, called up the mail queue, and opened the mail from Enzo. Zoe: Here you are. Youââ¬â¢ll have to imagine the arm waving for now. But the live show is coming! That is, after we have pie. Mmmmâ⬠¦pie. BELONG You said I belong to you And I agree But the quality of that belonging Is a question of some importance. I do not belong to you Like a purchase Something ordered and sold And delivered in a box To be put up and shown off To friends and admirers. I would not belong to you that way And I know you would not have me so. I will tell you how I belong to you. I belong to you like a ring on a finger A symbol of something eternal. I belong to you like a heart in a chest Beating in time to another heart. I belong to you like a word on the air Sending love to your ear. I belong to you like a kiss on your lips Put there by me, in the hope of more to come. And most of all I belong to you Because in where I hold my hopes I hold the hope that you belong to me. It is a hope I unfold for you now like a gift. Belong to me like a ring And a heart And a word And a kiss And like a hope held close. I will belong to you like all these things And also something more Something we will discover between us And will belong to us alone. You said I belong to you And I agree. Tell me you belong to me, too. I wait for your word And hope for your kiss. Love you. Enzo. I love you, too, Enzo. I love you. I miss you. How to cite Zoeââ¬â¢s Tale PART III Chapter Twenty, Essay examples
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