The Treatment of the Working Classes, the Poor and the Uneducated Research Paper

The Treatment of the Working Classes, the Poor and the Uneducated - Research Paper Example The novel explores various themes such as ambition, social isolation, science, psychological balance, and moral responsibility among others (Shelley 23). However, one of the key themes explored in Shelly's book is the treatment of the working classes, the poor and the uneducated in the society. Thus, this paper will analyze how the treatment of working class, the poor and the uneducated theme is brought out in Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein. According to Shelley (25), the monster represents the oppressed, the poor people in the society, and how the working class is brutalized in the modern industry. There is a clear evidence of class struggle in Shelley's novel, and that is why she uses this theme to criticize the society and expose some of the economic, social, and corruption problems people experienced during that time and their effects on society. One of the key causes of the English revolution in 1640 and the French Revolution in 1789 was the rise of wealth and strengt h of the bourgeoisie, which resulted in capitalism. King Charles sided with the upper class and the noble people in the society during the English revolution, but not the common ones. ... This is also applies to the upper and working classes. The upper class people are highly educated and have a lot of wealth while the working class people are poor and uneducated. For this reason, the bourgeoisie use their wealth and power to exploit the working class in order to get profit. According to Shelley (45), the monster argues that he is gentle and docile to his king and lord; thus, demands that Victor should perform his part, as well. This means that the bourgeoisie should give back to the working class since what they are giving back is not enough. It also reveals a separation of class in the society since it contributes to the idea of social inequality. For instance, during the French revolution only the noble people became bishops and army officers and were able to hold real power while the working class who consisted of 95% of the France population could only become peasants. In Shelley’s novel, the De Lacey’s family represented the common people who were poor and powerless, but virtuous. Additionally, in the novel, Frankenstein did not create an evil creature, but rather the cruel treatment the monster received from the world made him evil. Nearly every creature in Mary’s novel assumes that the monster is destructive and dangerous due to its appearance, yet it is open and warm-hearted. Despite his attempts to show his noble intentions, the monster is rejected and assaulted by the entire society and families. Thus, this rejection and violence that he experiences convinces him that man is a barbaric being; hence, becoming a cruel creature and vows to take revenge on society and his creator. Moreover, after the monster observed De Lacey’s family through a hole in the wall, he

International Accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

International Accounting - Assignment Example In the US, UK GAAPs and others around the world R & D costs have been considered as expenses. According to Gornik and Miguel (2005), the FAS 2 issued in 1974 by the FASB set out that all R & D costs such as costs of material, equipments and facilities together with purchases made on intangibles with no optional future uses, remuneration to the involved workforce, contract services, considerable indirect costs except for general and administration costs to be charged to expenses. The FASB opposed the capitalization of such, as it was before that year, based on factors such as the unpredictability of future benefits from R & D and lack of a clear relationship between what is spent and the gains obtained thereafter. This standard was challenged by the IASB resulting to the formulation of IFRS 3 and IAS 38 in December 2002 and their revision in March 2004. According to these standards all expenses incurred in research work on an internal project will be considered as an expense and any intangible asset arising from it will not be recognized. However those intangible assets arising from development or its phase in an internal project will be recognized if it meets the following criteria. It should be identifiable, the business entity should have control over it, should demonstrate the possibility of bringing in economic benefits and its cost should be measurable reliably. In addition to this, the business entity should demonstrate technical feasibility, clear intention of completion, use and sale of the asset, ability to use and sell the asset, generate probable future benefits and reliably measure the expenditure to be incurred on the asset and finally availability of enough resources required t o complete the development (Linden and Spek n.d.). It is only after meeting these criteria that the internal development expenditure shall be recognized as an asset and only that incurred after

Book summary of Montana 1948 Essay Example for Free

Book summary of Montana 1948 Essay Race, social status and gender are three factors, in which society uses to judge people. Although many people do not agree with this aspect, our society embraces it by categorizing all people under theses three factors. Those who consider themselves to be better then others, attempt to belittle those whom they consider to be weaker. These people are often known, as the Fringe of society. Montana 1948 is an excellent example of this struggle between the weak and the strong. Montana 1948 is a very good example of what it was like to be part of the fringe of society. The author does an extraordinary job at depicting certain struggles of power between the characters in the book. The reason these struggles are so easy to pick up on is because the narrator describes the characters to full detail. This allows for a further enhancement of the book to which you can become more acquainted with the characters. There for you can predict the struggles between characters. One of the main struggles in this story is between the Fringes of society and those who have power. By power I mean those who are able to speak for themselves and defend themselves. Good examples of power, in the society of Montana 1948, are the white men. Those who would be considered a fringe would be the Native Americans, women, and children. It is obvious, in the story, that men had the power. The male characters in the book prove this; such as Wes, his father, and Frank. Each character has a certain overpowering attitude over the other. Wes being the character, which most frequently shows up in all the scenes, is able to take over the scene with his overpowering attitude. This is true because several occasions in the book demonstrate the wifes reluctant ness to make decisions on her own there for always seeking Wess approval; If my mother said it, it was so, yet my fathers confirmation was still necessary page 43. This demonstrates the superiority that Wes had over the family, hence putting the wife on the fringe of the household. Frank on the other hand is more of an easy going character, but since he was a doctor and was his fathers favorite, he is given more liability and credit over Wes. Frank was witty, charming, at smiling ease with his life and every thing in it. Along side his brother my father soon seemed somewhat prosaic. Oh, stolid, surely, and  steady and dependable. But inevitably, inescapably dull. Nothing glittered in my fathers wake the way it did in Uncle Franks, page36. In this case Wes has always had to struggle with Frank over favoritism over their father. This favoritism is apparent when their father gets up in front of a large crowd to address his son Frank as a war hero, Now Id like to bring my son up here. Page 37. The favoritism is also imminent in the way the father addressed the speech, He simply said my son. And why wouldnt the county sheriff be called on to make a small speech? page37. The last character, which is considered to be the most powerful in the book, and a scene-stealer, is Grandpa. Obviously as the head of the family he has power over his sons, but his high social status and wealth also puts him above and beyond most people. This power to which he attains allows him to do most anything he pleases, without having any confrontations from the towns people. He didnt call for silence. That wasnt his way. He simply stood there; his feet planted wide, his hands on his hipspage37. He assumed that once people saw him, they would give him their attention. And they did page37. This example clearly demonstrates the Grandpas superiority over all the people. These where the main characters, in the story, and they demonstrated what it was like to be above the Fringe. Being part of a fringe, means that you do not have much say around others. Native Americans are a common example of what a fringe is like. They isolate themselves from the town, because white people put down Native Americans due to their race. Native Americans are not the only people part of the Fringe. At times women may be considered that also. For they are not described by the narrator as much as men, hence showing favoritism of men over women by the author. It is true that Native Americans and women are not as socially high as men.

Feminism in Fifth Business

Feminism in Fifth Business The role of women in the novel Fifth Business is essential and fundamental to the character development and spiritual meaning that Dunny seeks throughout the novel and whether they shape and influence his life in a positive or negative way. Dunny remains in the background essential to the action but not a principal, interlaced in a thread of numerous subplots and themes. Dunny peruses his passion for hagiology which sets him on a journey of discovery through a path of materialism and spirituality plagued by his consistent guilt which carries an underlined theme throughout the novel. The importance of women is consistent throughout the novel since his upbringing in the town Depthford onwards and we will see these women sculpting, damaging or setting him free. The roles of the women will be analyzed through the view of Dunny and how they contributed to his development. The novel Fifth Business which is written by Robert Davies and although they are entirely unalike in character similar experiences enclosed in a fictional reworking of arrangements and situations are consistent with the life of Robert Davies specifically with a similar childhood in a small town in Ontario which give you an account of his thoughts, emotions and experiences in a deeper sense. First, Dunnys mother is a determined and controlling person with a strong and strict Calvinist belief who raises Dunny accordingly which fits her role as a protecting and loving mother who likes to help others, until their situation drastically changes when the focus of her love changes and isolation coupled with resentment builds after the snowball incident with the Dempsters family. This is evident, when Dunny states I began to believe that I was more responsible for the birth of Paul Dempster than were his parents, []. Part of that dreadful fate would undoubtedly be rejection by my mother (Davies 17). Undeniably, his mothers love and focus begins to change attention towards the Dempsters family instead of her own household which initiates Dunnys feeling of isolation and begins to feel resentment for his mother who is unable to provide consolation for his adolescent heart. Furthermore, Dunnys mother continues the passage of isolation and it is particularly felt when Dunny responds Being unofficial watchdog to the Dempsters family was often a nuisance to me and did nothing for my popularity (Davies 22). Obviously, the feeling of isolation is felt by Dunny and it affects his social life with his friends and himself as a person in the future. Next, Dunnys mother imposes fear on his juvenile youth and the resentment for his mother arguably evolves to hate when he is severely beaten by his mother and replies I have been very miserable since-miserable not for an hour but for months on end-but I can still feel that hours misery in its perfect desolation, if I am fool enough to call it up in my mind (Davies 29). Consequently, this incident causes an atmosphere of tension throughout the rest of the novel whenever Dunnys mother is mentioned and he instead turns his attention and love towards Mrs. Dempster. In the long run, Dunnys mother is responsible for his deep isolation, his stance on women, and the insecurities around them which boundaries his feelings and emotion s throughout his life and does anything only through obligation and nothing out of desire for himself which is the reason for his life being miserable and despiteful leaving him unable to form lasting relationships with women and relatively unattached to his mother and women in general. Second, Mary Demspter is considered Dunnys first love and a simple women and more so after the incident with the snowball which is the reason Dunny carries the plague of guilt with him throughout the novel but in essence the guilt remains with himself alone which is a weak cause to hold it against Mary and claim it as her role for she is not the reason it occurred. On the contrary, with that established let us not overlook that Mary plays arguable one of the most vital roles in the novel as Dunnys inspiration for the path of mythology, saints and longing for knowledge and inner spirituality. This begins, with the second miracle when Mary has supposedly raised Willie from his deathbed and Dunnys response to himself is For me, Willies recall from death is, and will always be, Mrs. Dempsters second miracle (Davies 57). Undeniably, to Dunny this is seen as a complete miracle whether anyone believes him or not and will commence his journey of mythology and validating Mary as a saint. Furt hermore, is apparent with the first miracle that occurs but is not known until later when Dunny reencounters Joel Surgeoner and discuses the miracle with him and Joel acknowledges, He worked through that women, and she is a blessed saint, for what she did for me-I mean it as I say it-was a miracle (Davies 135). Clearly, this acceptance of Mary as a saint without a doubt in the eyes of Joel who is forever changed since that night leaves a strong impression on Dunny and motivates him in continuing his direction in the path of mythology and to comprehend the complications and serious possibilities of Mary being a saint. In addition, the third and last miracle is during the war when Dunny is about to lose consciousness and during this time has visions of Mary and her being the Madonna statue but does not fully acknowledge it till later in the novel when he contemplates to himself that, [H]er miraculous appearance to me when I was at the uttermost end of my endurance at Passchendaele (Da vies 161). Without doubt, Dunny is talking within the context of the 3 miracles and confirms to himself that the vision of Mary was the third and final miracle and might be all the proof that he needs to convince himself that it is so but his conviction also plays a destructive influence yet on the other hand brings him academic and personal growth and pleasure. On the whole, Mary plays a critical role providing the three miracles that occur and essentially changes his life profoundly while recognizing her as wholly religious and his experience with her offers him a greater insight about the nature of a life lived with the knowledge of the presence of the mythic world in the actual world and reassures his childhood interest in mythology and saints to come to the forefront of his life and career. Third, Diana Marfleet plays a significant role in the novel as his first meaningful and realistic love but more importantly gently guides him in his self-transformation with the change of his name and being with her made him realize what he really wanted in life and she helped him mentally with the damage that his mother has caused. Plainly, it is clear when his self-transformation begins as Diana is taking care of him and he receives the news of death of his family during the war due to the influenza epidemic of early 1918 and Dunnys remark to himself was, It was years before I thought of the death of my parents as anything other than a relief; in my thirties I was able to see them as real people (Davies 78). It seems that Dunny is finally able to escape his mother even though it was through death it was something he has been longing for and finds great freedom in it while finding closure at the same time during the care of Diana. Also, Dunnys time with Diana helps his figure out wh at he wants to do with his life now that he is physically and mentally able with the care of Diana by his side and the freedom he has just received. Distinctly, being with Diana has made him think about himself for once in life and made him realize that he loves Diana but is not in love with her and that is when Dunny mentions to himself That decision, made at that time, has shaped my life and doubtless in some ways it has warped it, but I still think I knew what was best for me. In the long periods of rest in the hospital I thought as carefully as I could about my situation (Davies 85). Certainly, he is referring to the decision he has made with Diana and how things would not work out between them in the future because she is too similar to his mother which he just got rid of and does not want another. Moreover, to complete his transformation she decides that he should change his name to Dunny which mentally gives him the psychological push to complete and realize his transformatio n into a new person when his reply was I liked the idea of a new name; it suggested new freedom and new personality (Davies 90). Unmistakably, Dunny has taken a liking to his new name which was changed from Dunstable to Dunny and enjoys the freedom and the possibilities that it holds and he remains grateful for what she has made him realize and done for him which no other women has so far. To sum up, it is ironic that consequently Diana who was the one to sever the link between Dunny and his mother by renaming him does not end up marring him and more so because his mothers full name was Fiona Dunstable Ramsay. Nevertheless, his relationship and time with Diana has matured him and broaden his scope of life, understanding and culminated in his rebirth and renaming. In conclusion, the role of women have been extensive and necessary throughout the novel and has matured and turned Dunny into the man he is today although his mother has been the root of the problems in his life the majority of the women have been a positive influence on Dunny and will forever change his outlook on women and life. Dunny has remained and fulfilled his role as Fifth Business by bringing resolution or meaning to the story or merely by observing or explaining it. Throughout the novel he was always the odd man out and continually searching for meaning and significance in life whether it be from his mother who molded him during his childhood, Mary who gave him a lasting connection with the mythology, magic, and the inner spirituality of one self and life or Diana who gracefully opens and heals his heart and mind regarding women and himself again. Ultimately it is an incredible quest for knowledge and happiness which he has finally found even though it was a long and tiring journey with many sacrifices.

Miranda Grey and Frederick Clegg from The Collector by John Fowles Essa

Miranda Grey and Frederick Clegg from The Collector by John Fowles Miranda Grey and Frederick Clegg are the main characters that are interpreted in the text The Collector, by John Fowles. Both characters correspond to different classes in society. John Fowles uses the concept of the implied reader, in which he 'speaks to' a specific reader in mind in an attempt to have the story interpreted in a particular way. Fowles expects us to read Miranda as an intelligent, mentally independent being part of the upper class, but at the same time, an arrogant "liberal humanist snob" (Radhakrishna Rao, www.freshlimesoda.com/reviews/thecollector.html). The use and lack of several literary techniques, point of view, allusion, and Heraclitian philosophies encourages this intended response I hold towards Miranda. Fowles' various writing techniques promoted the interpretation that Clegg is part of the lower class and as a result is a victim of the mind, unable to expand his thoughts or feelings. It is because of this that he finds it hard to see between what is morally correct, and what is not accepted. I found it difficult to respond to his character due to the fact that the protagonist in most novels is one easy to identify with, unlike the motives of Frederick Clegg. Fowles' uses several literary techniques to enhance the proposed analysis of Clegg. The first insights to Clegg's mental restrictions are revealed as early as the first page. However, "Instead of accepting everything that Clegg says at face value we must question it" (The Collector: Wizard Study Notes pg. 11), and that is exactly how Fowles intends it. Clegg portrays his information as an informal account of events, perhaps similar to a description of hi... ...n emotionally, which encouraged part of my response to be out of compassion. Fowles intends for us to question both characters and has succeeded in doing so. BIBLIOGRAPHY ============ Class handouts, The Collector: Wizard Study Notes, 1992, Wizard Book, Victoria. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Moon, Brian. 1992, Literary Terms: A Practical Glossary 2nd Edition, Chalkface Press, Perth. -------------------------------------------------------------------- "John Fowles': The Collector" 1999, Pegasos, [online] Available: www.kirjasto.sci.fi/jfowles.html "The Collector", Fresh Lime Soda Books [online]. Available: www.freshlimesoda.com/reviews/thecollector.html Radhakrishna Rao "The Collector by John Fowles", 2003, Green Man Review, [online] Available: www.greenmanreview.com/book/book_fowles_collector.html

Public Schools - Sex Education in the Classroom Essay -- Argumentativ

Sex Education in the Classroom      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Teenage unplanned pregnancies continue to increase and the Aids epidemic is still wiping out entire populations rapidly worldwide. Here in the United States we hear little about the ongoing battle that is being fought between parents, educators and government officials, with the outcome having a significant impact on our children's lives. Programs that teach sex education in the classroom and promote distribution of condoms are constantly under siege by radical groups who believe very strongly in their religious teachings and choose to ignore the truth. The sex education programs are having an immediate impact on the choices the teenagers are making who attend them. To date any abstinence only approach has not had the decline in teenage pregnancies or the slowed transmission of sexually transmitted diseases as the do the programs that offer a wide variety of information pertaining to sex and follow through with access to birth control. Why not give our children t he very best information and products and allow them to make an informed logical conclusion, without all the propaganda and lies that only hinder our children's decisions. Condom distribution in schools does not promote sex; it simply prevents unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.    Realistically more teenagers are experimenting with sex than ever before in our nations history. With over 29 million young people between the ages of 13 and 19, approximately 12 million have had sexual intercourse. Out of those sexually active, more than 1.1 million become pregnant, three-fourths of these pregnancies were unintended, and more than 434,000 end in an abortion. "Common sense would tell us that the earlier a te... ...n to be safe and informed on all aspects of life, no matter how much it interferes with our view of how things should be? We still have to take into account the reality of the situation. Teenagers are sexually active and need to be protected by any means necessary.    Works Citied Avert. 24 May 2000. 25 May 2000. http://www.avert.org/sexedu.htm. Harris, Hamil R. "Schools Give Condoms to 1,600 in First Year." Washington Post 06 Jun. 1993. PDC1 Lachance, Laurie L. Kid Source Online. 20 Apr. 2000. 24 May 2000. http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/teen.pregnancy.html#education. "Sex-education programs that work-and some that don't." Parade Magazine 12 Feb. 1995: 18-20. United States. Center for Disease Control. Adolescent Health Monograph Data Sources. 1994. 24 May 2000. http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/ahson /datasour.htm.   

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 28

Chapter 28 Joshua's ministry was three years of preaching, sometimes three times a day, and although there were some high and low points, I could never remember the sermons word for word, but here's the gist of almost every sermon I ever heard Joshua give. You should be nice to people, even creeps. And if you: a) believed that Joshua was the Son of God (and) b) he had come to save you from sin (and) c) acknowledged the Holy Spirit within you (became as a little child, he would say)(and) d) didn't blaspheme the Holy Ghost (see c), then you would: e) live forever f) someplace nice g) probably heaven. However, if you: h) sinned (and/or) i) were a hypocrite (and/or) j) valued things over people (and) k) didn't do a, b, c, and d, then you were: l) fucked Which is the message that Joshua's father had given him so many years ago, and which seemed, at the time, succinct to the point of rudeness, but made more sense after you listened to a few hundred sermons. That's what he taught, that's what we learned, that's what we passed on to the people in the towns of Galilee. Not everybody was good at it, however, and some seemed to miss the point altogether. One day Joshua, Maggie, and I returned from preaching in Cana to find Bartholomew sitting by the synagogue at Capernaum, preaching the Gospel to a semicircle of dogs that sat around him. The dogs seemed spellbound, but then, Bart was wearing a flank steak as a hat, so I'm not sure it was his speaking skills that held their attention. Joshua snatched the steak off of Bartholomew's head and tossed it into the street, where a dozen dogs suddenly found their faith. â€Å"Bart, Bart, Bart,† Josh said as he shook the big man by the shoulders, â€Å"don't give what's holy to dogs. Don't cast your pearls before swine. You're wasting the Word.† â€Å"I don't have any pearls. I am slave to no possessions.† â€Å"It's a metaphor, Bart,† Joshua said, deadpan. â€Å"It means don't give the Word to those who aren't ready to receive it.† â€Å"You mean like when you drowned the swine in Decapolis? They weren't ready for it?† Joshua looked at me for help. I shrugged. Maggie said, â€Å"That's exactly right, Bart. You got it.† â€Å"Oh, why didn't you say so?† Bart said. â€Å"Okay guys, we're off to preach the Word in Magdala.† He climbed to his feet and led his pack of disciples toward the lake. Joshua looked at Maggie. â€Å"That's not what I meant at all.† â€Å"Yes it is,† she said, then she took off to find Johanna and Susanna, two women who had joined us and were learning to preach the gospel. â€Å"That's not what I meant,† Joshua said to me. â€Å"Have you ever won an argument with her?† He shook his head. â€Å"Then say amen and let's go see what Peter's wife has cooked up.† The disciples were gathered around outside of Peter's house, sitting on the logs we had arranged in a circle around a fire pit. They were all looking down and seemed to be caught in some glum prayer. Even Matthew was there, when he should have been at his job collecting taxes in Magdala. â€Å"What's wrong?† asked Joshua. â€Å"John the Baptist is dead,† said Philip. â€Å"What?† Joshua sat down on the log next to Peter and leaned against him. â€Å"We just saw Bartholomew,† I said. â€Å"He didn't say anything about it.† â€Å"We just found out,† said Andrew. â€Å"Matthew just brought the news from Tiberius.† It was the first time since he'd joined us that I'd seen Matthew without the light of enthusiasm in his face. He might have aged ten years in the last few hours. â€Å"Herod had him beheaded,† he said. â€Å"I thought Herod was afraid of John,† I said. It was rumored that Herod had kept John alive because he actually believed him to be the Messiah and was afraid of the wrath of God should the holy man perish. â€Å"It was at the request of his stepdaughter,† said Matthew. â€Å"John was killed at the behest of a teenage slut.† â€Å"Well, jeez, if he wasn't dead already, the irony would have killed him,† I said. Joshua stared into the dirt before him, thinking or praying, I couldn't tell. Finally he said, â€Å"John's followers will be like babes in the wilderness.† â€Å"Thirsty?† guessed Nathaniel. â€Å"Hungry?† guessed Peter. â€Å"Horny?† guessed Thomas. â€Å"No, you dumbfucks, lost. They'll be lost!† I said. â€Å"Jeez.† Joshua stood. â€Å"Philip, Thaddeus, go to Judea, tell John's followers that they are welcome here. Tell them that John's work is not lost. Bring them here.† â€Å"But master,† Judas said, â€Å"John has thousands of followers. If they come here, how will we feed them?† â€Å"He's new,† I explained. The next day was the Sabbath, and in the morning as we all headed to the synagogue, an old man in fine clothes ran out of the bushes and threw himself at Joshua's feet. â€Å"Oh, Rabbi,† he wailed, â€Å"I am the mayor of Magdala. My youngest daughter has died. People say that you can heal the sick and raise the dead, will you help me?† Joshua looked around. A half-dozen local Pharisees watched us from different points around the village. Joshua turned to Peter. â€Å"Take the Word to the synagogue today. I am going to help this man.† â€Å"Thank you, Rabbi,† the rich man gushed. He hurried off and waved for us to follow. â€Å"Where are you taking us?† I asked. â€Å"Only as far as Magdala,† he said. To Joshua I said, â€Å"That's farther than a Sabbath's journey allows.† â€Å"I know,† Joshua said. As we passed through all of the small villages along the coast on the way to Magdala, people came out of their houses and followed us for as long as they dared on a Sabbath, but I could also see the elders, the Pharisees, watching as we went. The mayor's house was large for Magdala, and his daughter had her own sleeping room. He led Joshua into the bedchamber where the girl lay. â€Å"Please save her, Rabbi.† Joshua bent down and examined the girl. â€Å"Go out of here,† he said to the old man. â€Å"Out of the house.† When the mayor was gone Joshua looked at me. â€Å"She's not dead.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"This girl is sleeping. Maybe they've given her some strong wine, or some sleeping powder, but she is not dead.† â€Å"So this is a trap?† â€Å"I didn't see this one coming either,† Joshua said. â€Å"They expect me to claim that I raised her from the dead, healed her, when she's only sleeping. Blasphemy and healing on the Sabbath.† â€Å"Let me raise her from the dead, then. I mean, I can do this one if she's only sleeping.† â€Å"They'll blame me for whatever you do as well. You may be their target too. The local Pharisees didn't devise this themselves.† â€Å"Jakan?† Josh nodded. â€Å"Go get the old man, and gather as many witnesses as you can, Pharisees as well. Make a ruckus.† When I had about fifty people gathered in and around the house, Joshua announced, â€Å"This girl isn't dead, she's sleeping, you foolish old man.† Joshua shook the girl and she sat up rubbing her eyes. â€Å"Keep watch on your strong wine, old man. Rejoice that you have not lost your daughter, but grieve that you have broken the Sabbath for your ignorance.† Then Joshua stormed out and I followed him. When we were a ways down the street he said, â€Å"Do you think they bought it?† â€Å"Nope,† I said. â€Å"Me either,† Joshua said. In the morning a Roman soldier came to Peter's house with messages. I was still sleeping when I heard the shouting. â€Å"I can only speak to Joshua of Nazareth,† someone said in Latin. â€Å"You'll speak to me or you'll never speak again,† I heard someone else say. (Obviously someone who had no desire to live a long life.) I was up and running in an instant, my tunic waving unbelted behind me. I rounded the corner at Peter's house to see Judas facing down a legionnaire. The soldier had partially drawn his short sword. â€Å"Judas!† I barked. â€Å"Back down.† I put myself between them. I knew I could disarm the soldier easily, but not the legion that would follow him if I did. â€Å"Who sends you, soldier?† â€Å"I have a message from Gaius Justus Gallicus, commander of the Sixth Legion, for Joshua bar Joseph of Nazareth.† He glared at Judas over my shoulder. â€Å"But there is nothing in my orders to keep me from killing this dog while delivering it.† I turned to face Judas, whose face was on fire with anger. I knew he carried a dagger in his sash, although I hadn't told Joshua about it. â€Å"Justus is a friend, Judas.† â€Å"No Roman is the friend of a Jew,† said Judas, making no effort whatever to whisper. And at that point, realizing that Joshua hadn't reached our new Zealot recruit with the message of forgiveness for all men, and that he was going to get himself killed, I quickly reached up under Judas' tunic, clamped onto his scrotum, squeezed once, rapidly and extremely hard, and after he blasted a mouthful of slobber on my chest, his eyes rolled in his head and he slumped to his knees, unconscious. I caught him and lowered him to the ground so he didn't hit his head. Then I turned to the Roman. â€Å"Fainting spells,† I said. â€Å"Let's go find Joshua.† Justus had sent us three messages from Jerusalem: Jakan had indeed divorced Maggie; the Pharisees' full council had met and they were plotting to kill Joshua; and Herod Antipas had heard of Joshua's miracles and was afraid that he might be the reincarnation of John the Baptist. Justus' only personal note was one word: Careful. â€Å"Joshua, you need to hide,† said Maggie. â€Å"Leave Herod's territory until things settle down. Go to Decapolis, preach to the gentiles. Herod Philip has no love for his brother, his soldiers won't bother you.† Maggie had become a fiercely dedicated preacher herself. It was as if she had channeled her personal passion for Joshua into a passion for the Word. â€Å"Not yet,† said Joshua. â€Å"Not until Philip and Thaddeus return with John's followers. I will not leave them lost. I need a sermon, one that can serve as if it was my last, one that will sustain the lost while I'm gone. Once I deliver it to Galilee, I'll go to Philip's territory.† I looked at Maggie and she nodded, as if to say, Do what you have to, but protect him. â€Å"Let's write it then,† I said. Like any great speech, the Sermon on the Mount sounds as if it just happened spontaneously, but actually Joshua and I worked on it for over a week – Joshua dictating and me taking notes on parchment. (I had invented a way of sandwiching a thin piece of charcoal between two pieces of olive wood so that I could write without carrying a quill and inkwell.) We worked in front of Peter's house, out in the boat, even on the mountainside where he would deliver the sermon. Joshua wanted to devote a long section of the sermon to adultery, largely, I realize now, motivated by my relationship with Maggie. Even though Maggie had resolved to stay celibate and preach the Word, I think Joshua wanted to drive the point home. Joshua said, â€Å"Put in ‘If a man even looks at a woman with lust in his heart, he has committed adultery.'† â€Å"Really, you want to go with that? And this ‘If a divorced woman remarries she commits adultery'?† â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"Seems a little harsh. A little Pharisee-ish.† â€Å"I had some people in mind. What do you have?† â€Å"‘Verily I say unto you' – I know you like to say ‘verily' when you're talking about adultery – anyway, ‘Verily I say unto you, that should a man put oil upon a woman's naked body, and make her go upon all fours and bark like a dog, while knowing her, if you know what I mean, then he has committed adultery, and surely if a woman do the same thing right back, well she has jumped on the adultery donkey cart herownself. And if a woman should pretend to be a powerful queen, and a man a lowly slave boy, and if she should call him humiliating names and make him lick upon her body, then surely they have sinned like big dogs – and woe unto the man if he pretends to be a powerful queen, and – ‘† â€Å"That's enough, Biff.† â€Å"But you want to be specific, don't you. You don't want people to walk around wondering, ‘Hey, is this adultery, or what? Maybe you should roll over.'† â€Å"I'm not sure that being that specific is a good idea.† â€Å"Okay, how 'bout this: ‘Should a man or a woman have any goings-on with their mutual naughty bits, then it is more than likely they are committing adultery, or at least they should consider it.'† â€Å"Well, maybe more specific than that.† â€Å"Come on, Josh, this isn't an easy one like ‘Thou shalt not kill.' Basically, there you got a corpse, you got a sin, right?† â€Å"Yes, adultery can be sticky.† â€Å"Well, yes†¦Look, a seagull!† â€Å"Biff, I appreciate that you feel obliged to be an advocate for your favorite sins, but that's not what I need here. What I need is help writing this sermon. How we doing on the Beatitudes?† â€Å"Pardon me?† â€Å"The blesseds.† â€Å"We've got: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness; blessed are the poor in spirit, the pure in heart, the whiners, the meek, the – â€Å" â€Å"Wait, what are we giving the meek?† â€Å"Let's see, uh, here: Blessed are the meek, for to them we shall say, ‘attaboy.'† â€Å"A little weak.† â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"Let's let the meek inherit the earth.† â€Å"Can't you give the earth to the whiners?† â€Å"Well then, cut the whiners and give the earth to the meek.† â€Å"Okay. Earth to the meek. Here we go. Blessed are the peacemakers, the mourners, and that's it.† â€Å"How many is that?† â€Å"Seven.† â€Å"Not enough. We need one more. How about the dumbfucks?† â€Å"No, Josh, not the dumbfucks. You've done enough for the dumbfucks. Nathaniel, Thomas – â€Å" â€Å"Blessed are the dumbfucks for they, uh – I don't know – they shall never be disappointed.† â€Å"No, I'm drawing the line at dumbfucks. Come on, Josh, why can't we have any powerful guys on our team? Why do we have to have the meek, and the poor, the oppressed, and the pissed on? Why can't we, for once, have blessed are the big powerful rich guys with swords?† â€Å"Because they don't need us.† â€Å"Okay, but no ‘Blessed are the dumbfucks.'† â€Å"Who then?† â€Å"Sluts?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"How about the wankers? I can think of five or six disciples that would be really blessed.† â€Å"No wankers. I've got it: Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake.† â€Å"Okay, better. What are you going to give them?† â€Å"A fruit basket.† â€Å"You can't give the meek the whole earth and these guys a fruit basket.† â€Å"Give them the kingdom of heaven.† â€Å"The poor in spirit got that.† â€Å"Everybody gets some.† â€Å"Okay then, ‘share the Kingdom of Heaven.'† I wrote it down. â€Å"We could give the fruit basket to the dumbfucks.† â€Å"NO DUMBFUCKS!† â€Å"Sorry, I just feel for them.† â€Å"You feel for everyone, Josh. It's your job.† â€Å"Oh yeah. I forgot.† We finished writing the sermon only a few hours before Philip and Thaddeus returned from Judea leading three thousand of John's followers. Joshua had them gather on a hillside above Capernaum, then sent the disciples into the crowd to find the sick and bring them to him. He performed miracles of healing all morning, then coming into the afternoon he gathered us together at the spring below the mountain. Peter said, â€Å"There's at least another thousand people from Galilee on the hill, Joshua, and they are hungry.† â€Å"How much food do we have?† Joshua asked. Judas came forward with a basket. â€Å"Five loaves and two fish.† â€Å"That will do, but you'll need more baskets. And about a hundred volunteers to help distribute the food. Nathaniel, you, Bartholomew, and Thomas go into the crowd and find me fifty to a hundred people who have their own baskets. Bring them here. By the time you get back we'll have the food for them.† Judas threw down his basket. â€Å"We have five loaves, how do you think – â€Å" Joshua held up his hand for silence and the Zealot clammed up. â€Å"Judas, today you've seen the lame walk, the blind see, and the deaf hear.† â€Å"Not to mention the blind hear and the deaf see,† I added. Joshua scowled at me. â€Å"It will take little more to feed a few of the faithful.† â€Å"There are but five loaves!† shouted Judas. â€Å"Judas, once there was a rich man, who built great barns and granaries so he could save all of the fruits of his wealth long into his old age. But on the very day his barns were finished, the Lord said, â€Å"Hey, we need you up here.† And the rich man did say, â€Å"Oh shit, I'm dead.† So what good did his stuff do him?† â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"Don't worry about what you're going to eat.† Nathaniel, Bart, and Thomas started off to their assigned duty, but Maggie grabbed Nathaniel and held him fast. â€Å"No,† she said. â€Å"No one does anything until you promise us that you'll go into hiding after this sermon.† Joshua smiled. â€Å"How can I hide, Maggie? Who will spread the Word? Who will heal the sick?† â€Å"We will,† Maggie continued. â€Å"Now promise. Go into the land of the gentiles, out of Herod's reach, just until things calm down. Promise or we don't move.† Peter and Andrew stepped up behind Maggie to show their support. John and James were nodding as she spoke. â€Å"So be it,† said Joshua. â€Å"But now we have hungry people to feed.† And we fed them. The loaves and the fish were multiplied, jars were brought in from the surrounding villages and filled with water, which was carried to the mountainside, and all the while the local Pharisees watched and growled and spied, but they hadn't missed the healings, and they didn't miss the Sermon on the Mount, and word of it went back to Jerusalem with their poison reports. Afterward, at the spring by the shore, I gathered up the last of the pieces of bread to take home with us. Joshua came down the shore with a basket over his head, then pulled it off when he got to me. â€Å"When we said we wanted you to hide we meant something a little less obvious, Joshua. Great sermon, by the way.† Joshua started helping me gather up the bread that was strewn around on the ground. â€Å"I wanted to talk to you and I couldn't get away from the crowd without hiding under the basket. I'm having a little trouble preaching humility.† â€Å"You're so good at that one. People line up to hear the humility sermon.† â€Å"How can I preach that the humble will be exalted and the exalted will be humbled at the same time I'm being exalted by four thousand people?† â€Å"Bodhisattva, Josh. Remember what Gaspar taught you about being a bodhisattva. You don't have to be humble, because you are denying your own ascension by bringing the good news to other people. You're out of the humility flow, so to speak.† â€Å"Oh yeah.† He smiled. â€Å"But now that you mention it,† I said, â€Å"it does seem a little hypocritical.† â€Å"I'm not proud of that.† â€Å"Then you're okay.† That evening, when we had all gathered again in Capernaum, Joshua called us to the fire ring in front of Peter's house and we watched the last gold of the sunlight reflecting on the lake as Joshua led us in a prayer of thanks. Then he made the call: â€Å"Okay, who wants to be an apostle?† â€Å"I do, I do,† said Nathaniel. â€Å"What's an apostle?† â€Å"That's a guy who makes drugs,† I said. â€Å"Me, me,† said Nathaniel. â€Å"I want to make drugs.† â€Å"I'll try that,† said John. â€Å"That's an apothecary,† said Matthew. â€Å"An apothecary mixes powders and makes drugs. Apostle means ‘to send off.'† â€Å"Is this kid a whiz, or what,† I said, pointing a thumb at Matthew. â€Å"That's right,† said Joshua, â€Å"messengers. You'll be sent off to spread the message that the kingdom has come.† â€Å"Isn't that what we're doing now?† asked Peter. â€Å"No, now you're disciples, but I want to appoint apostles who will take the Word into the land. There will be twelve, for the twelve tribes of Israel. I'll give you power to heal, and power over devils. You'll be like me, only in a different outfit. You'll take nothing with you except your clothes. You'll live only off the charity of those you preach to. You'll be on your own, like sheep among wolves. People will persecute you and spit on you, and maybe beat you, and if that happens, well, it happens. Shake off the dust and move on. Now, who's with me?† And there was a roaring silence among the disciples. â€Å"How about you, Maggie?† â€Å"I'm not much of a traveler, Josh. Makes me nauseous. Disciple's fine with me.† â€Å"How 'bout you, Biff?† â€Å"I'm good. Thanks.† Joshua stood up and just counted them off. â€Å"Nathaniel, Peter, Andrew, Philip, James, John, Thaddeus, Judas, Matthew, Thomas, Bartholomew, and Simon. You're the apostles. Now get out there and apostilize.† And they all looked at each other. â€Å"Spread the good news, the son of man is here! The kingdom is coming. Go! Go! Go!† They got up and sort of milled around. â€Å"Can we take our wives?† asked James. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Or one of the women disciples?† asked Matthew. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Can Thomas Two go too?† â€Å"Yes, Thomas Two can go.† Their questions answered, they milled around some more. â€Å"Biff,† Joshua said. â€Å"Will you assign territories for everybody and send them out?† â€Å"Okey-dokey,† I said. â€Å"Who wants Samaria? No one? Good. Peter, it's yours. Give 'em hell. Caesarea? Come on, you weenies, step up†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thus were the twelve appointed to their sacred mission. The next morning seventy of the people who we'd recruited to help feed the multitude came to Joshua when they heard about the appointing of the apostles. â€Å"Why only twelve?† one man asked. â€Å"You all want to cast off what you own, leave your families, and risk persecution and death to spread the good news?† Joshua asked. â€Å"Yes,† they all shouted. Joshua looked at me as if he himself couldn't believe it. â€Å"It was a really good sermon,† I said. â€Å"So be it,† said Joshua. â€Å"Biff, you and Matthew assign territories. Send no one to his hometown. That doesn't seem to work very well.† And so the twelve and the seventy were sent out, and Joshua, Maggie, and I went into Decapolis, which was the territory of Herod's brother, Philip, and camped and fished and basically hid out. Joshua preached a little, but only to small groups, and although he did heal the sick, he asked them not to tell anyone about the miracles. After three months hiding in Philip's territory, word came by boat from across the lake that someone had intervened on Joshua's behalf with the Pharisees and that the death warrant, which had never really been formal, had been lifted. We went home to Capernaum and waited for the apostles to return. Their enthusiasm had waned some after months in the field. â€Å"It sucks.† â€Å"People are mean.† â€Å"Lepers are creepy.† Matthew came out of Judea with more news of Joshua's mysterious benefactor from Jerusalem. â€Å"His name is Joseph of Arimathea,† said Matthew. â€Å"He's a wealthy merchant, and he owns ships and vineyards and olive presses. He seems to have the ear of the Pharisees, but he is not one of them. His wealth has given him some influence with the Romans as well. They are considering making him a citizen, I hear.† â€Å"What makes him want to help us?† I asked. â€Å"I talked to him for a long time about the kingdom, and about the Holy Ghost and the rest of Joshua's message. He believes.† Matthew smiled broadly, obviously proud of his powerful convert. â€Å"He wants you to come to his house for dinner, Joshua. In Jerusalem.† â€Å"Are you sure it's safe for Joshua there?† asked Maggie. â€Å"Joseph has sent this letter guaranteeing Joshua's safety along with all who accompany him to Jerusalem.† Matthew held out the letter. Maggie took the scroll and unrolled it. â€Å"My name is on this too. And Biff's.† â€Å"Joseph knew you would be coming, and I told him that Biff sticks to Joshua like a leech.† â€Å"Excuse me?† â€Å"I mean, that you accompany the master wherever he travels,† Matthew added quickly. â€Å"But why me?† Maggie asked. â€Å"Your brother Simon who is called Lazarus, he is very sick. Dying. He's asked for you. Joseph wanted you to know that you would have safe passage.† Josh grabbed his satchel and started walking that moment. â€Å"Let's go,† he said. â€Å"Peter, you are in charge until I return. Biff, Maggie, we need to make Tiberius before dark. I'm going to see if I can borrow some camels there. Matthew, you come too, you know this Joseph. And Thomas, you come along, I want to talk to you.† So off we went, into what I was sure were the jaws of a trap. Along the way Joshua called Thomas to walk beside him. Maggie and I walked behind them only a few paces, so we could hear their conversation. Thomas kept stopping to make sure that Thomas Two could keep up with them. â€Å"They all think I'm mad,† Thomas said. â€Å"They laugh at me behind my back. Thomas Two has told me.† â€Å"Thomas, you know I can lay my hands upon you and you will be cured. Thomas Two will no longer speak to you. The others won't laugh at you.† Thomas walked along for a while without saying anything, but when he looked back at Joshua I could see tears streaking his cheeks. â€Å"If Thomas Two goes away, then I'll be alone.† â€Å"You won't be alone. You'll have me.† â€Å"Not for long. You don't have long with us.† â€Å"How do you know that?† â€Å"Thomas Two told me.† â€Å"We won't tell the others quite yet, all right, Thomas?† â€Å"Not if you don't want me to. But you won't cure me, will you? You won't make Thomas Two go away?† â€Å"No,† Joshua said. â€Å"We may both need an extra friend soon.† He patted Thomas on the shoulder, then turned to walk on ahead to catch up with Matthew. â€Å"Well, don't step on him!† Thomas shouted. â€Å"Sorry,† said Joshua. I looked at Maggie. â€Å"Did you hear that?† She nodded. â€Å"You can't let it happen, Biff. He doesn't seem to care about his own life, but I do, and you do, and if you let harm come to him I'll never forgive you.† â€Å"But Maggie, everyone is supposed to be forgiven.† â€Å"Not you. Not if something happens to Josh.† â€Å"So be it. So, hey, once Joshua heals your brother, you want to go do something, get some pomegranate juice, or a falafel, or get married or something?† She stopped in her tracks, so I stopped too. â€Å"Are you ever paying attention to anything that goes on around you?† â€Å"I'm sorry, I was overcome by faith there for a moment. What did you say?† When we got to Bethany, Martha was waiting for us in the street in front of Simon's house. She went right to Joshua and he held out his arms to embrace her, but when she got to him she pushed him away. â€Å"My brother is dead,† she said. â€Å"Where were you?† â€Å"I came as soon as I heard.† Maggie went to Martha and held her as they both cried. The rest of us stood around feeling awkward. The two old blind guys, Crustus and Abel, whom Joshua had once healed, came over from across the street. â€Å"Dead, dead and buried four days,† said Crustus. â€Å"He turned a sort of chartreuse at the end.† â€Å"Emerald, it was emerald, not chartreuse,† said Abel. â€Å"My friend Simon truly sleeps, then,† Joshua said. Thomas came up and put his hand on Joshua's shoulder. â€Å"No, master, he's dead. Thomas Two thinks it may have been a hairball. Simon was a leopard, you know?† I couldn't stand it. â€Å"He was a LEPER, you idiot! Not a leopard.† â€Å"Well, he IS dead!† shouted Thomas back. â€Å"Not sleeping.† â€Å"Joshua was being figurative, he knows he's dead.† â€Å"Do you guys think you could be just a little more insensitive?† said Matthew, pointing to the weeping sisters. â€Å"Look, tax collector, when I want your two shekels I'll ask – â€Å" â€Å"Where is he?† Joshua asked, his voice booming over the sobs and protests. Martha pushed out of her sister's embrace and looked at Joshua. â€Å"He bought a tomb in Kidron,† said Martha. â€Å"Take me there, I need to wake my friend.† â€Å"Dead,† said Thomas. â€Å"Dead, dead, dead.† There was a sparkle of hope amid the tears in Martha's eyes. â€Å"Wake him?† â€Å"Dead as a doornail. Dead as Moses. Mmmph†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Matthew clamped his hand over Thomas's mouth, which saved me having to render the twin unconscious with a brick. â€Å"You believe that Simon will rise from the dead, don't you?† asked Joshua. â€Å"In the end, when the kingdom comes, and everyone is raised, yes, I believe.† â€Å"Do you believe I am who I say I am?† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"Then show me where my friend lies sleeping.† Martha moved like a sleepwalker, her exhaustion and grief driven back just enough for her to lead us up the road to the Mount of Olives and down into the Kidron Valley. Maggie had been deeply shaken by the news of her brother's death as well, so Thomas and Matthew helped her along while I walked with Joshua. â€Å"Four days dead, Josh. Four days. Divine Spark or not, the flesh is empty.† â€Å"Simon will walk again if he is but bone,† said Joshua. â€Å"Okey-dokey. But this has never been one of your better miracles.† When we got to the tomb there was a tall, thin, aristocratic man sitting outside eating a fig. He was clean-shaven and his gray hair was cut short like a Roman's. If he hadn't worn the two-striped tunic of a Jew I would have thought him a Roman citizen. â€Å"I thought you would come here,† he said. He knelt before Joshua. â€Å"Rabbi, I'm Joseph of Arimathea. I sent word through your disciple Matthew that I wanted to meet with you. How may I serve?† â€Å"Stand up, Joseph. Help roll away this stone.† As with many of the larger tombs carved into the side of the mountain, there was a large flat stone covering the doorway. Joshua put his arms around Maggie and Martha while the rest of us wrestled with the stone. As soon as the seal was broken I was hit with a stench that gagged me and Thomas actually lost his supper in the dirt. â€Å"He stinks,† said Matthew. â€Å"I thought he would smell more like a cat,† said Thomas. â€Å"Don't make me come over there, Thomas,† I said. We pushed the stone as far as it would go, then we ran away gasping for fresh air. Joshua held his arms out as if waiting to embrace his friend. â€Å"Come out, Simon Lazarus, come out into the light.† Nothing but stench came out of the tomb. â€Å"Come forth, Simon. Come out of that tomb,† Joshua commanded. And absolutely nothing happened. Joseph of Arimathea shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. â€Å"I wanted to talk to you about the dinner at my house before you got there, Joshua.† Joshua held up his hand for silence. â€Å"Simon, dammit, come out of there.† And ever so weakly, there came a voice from inside the tomb. â€Å"No.† â€Å"What do you mean, ‘no'? You have risen from the dead, now come forth. Show these unbelievers that you have risen.† â€Å"I believe,† I said. â€Å"Convinced me,† said Matthew. â€Å"A no is as good as a personal appearance, as far as I'm concerned,† said Joseph of Arimathea. I'm not sure any of us who had smelled the stench of rotting flesh really wanted to see the source. Even Maggie and Martha seemed a little dubious about their brother's coming out. â€Å"Simon, get your leprous ass out here,† Joshua commanded. â€Å"But I'm†¦I'm all icky.† â€Å"We've all seen icky before,† said Joshua. â€Å"Now come out into the light.† â€Å"My skin is all green, like an unripe olive.† â€Å"Olive green!† declared Crustus, who had followed us into Kidron. â€Å"I told you it wasn't chartreuse.† â€Å"What the hell does he know? He's dead,† said Abel. Finally Joshua lowered his arms and stormed into the tomb. â€Å"I can't believe that you bring a guy back from the dead and he doesn't even have the courtesy to come out – WHOA! HOLY MOLY!† Joshua came backing out of the tomb, stiff-legged. Very calmly and quietly, he said, â€Å"We need clean clothes, and some water to wash with, and bandages, lots of bandages. I can heal him, but we have to sort of get all of his parts stuck back together first.† â€Å"Hold on, Simon,† Joshua shouted to the tomb, â€Å"we're getting some supplies, then I'll come in and heal your affliction.† â€Å"What affliction?† asked Simon.