Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Gun Violence and Control - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 906 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/03/19 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Gun Control Essay Gun Violence Essay Did you like this example? Guns are a part of everyday life in America to an extent that many people outside the United States find hard to understand. According to the Pew Research Center, estimates of the number of guns in the United States range up to 310 million†which represents about one firearm for each person in the country (Allen 1-80). Gun regulation should be higher and background checks should be more in depth. Having a gun could be for multiple reason but shouldnt be use for violent acts. Gun control plays a major part in the youth today and many youths are dying for guns and youth killing youths. If gun supporters want gun violence to stop, they must stop trying to destroy the gun culture. There are more than 250 million guns in public circulation in the U.S. They cannot be wished away. Even if the U.S. government banned gun ownership and stopped all gun manufacturing and importation, it would still need to confiscate all those weapons. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Gun Violence and Control" essay for you Create order Doing so would require wholesale violations of Fourth Amendment rights. The probability of getting rid of guns in America, therefore, is practically zero (Kohn 20-30). Guns are supposed to be used for protection and police should be the only ones who can have access to them. More guns do not necessarily mean more homicides. More gun laws do not necessarily mean less gun crime (Doherty 32-41). If you can get the community to listen and enforce these rules, then you can bring the gun violence down in the community. Once you start to change yours then others can change also. This simple pointthat America is awash with more guns than ever before, yet we are killing each other with guns less than ever beforeundermines the narrative that there is a straightforward, causal relationship between increased gun prevalence and gun homicide (Doherty 32-41). Gun control advocates frequently mention the comparatively high amount of homicides committed with firearms and now as fact people want to help stricken up the gun control laws. The gun debate may not be entirely over, but shooters have an increasingly strong edge. Certainly, they should be aware of the foolishness going on in places such as San Francisco, and they might even consider a boycott of Pizza Hut, if thats how they want to make their point. But more important than that, they should be actively engaged in promoting a better understanding of why violence occurs. They should be seeking out programs that reduce it, leading the way in this good fight. That is how they can really win the gun debate (Kohn 20-30). Gun laws is a major discussion in the USA, with firearms used for a recreational purpose and for individual security. Gun rights proponents acknowledge the usage of firearms for self-protection and to discourage violent crimes as an understanding of why more gun can decrease crime. Many Americans not only believe in the right to carry concealed weapons, they believe more people carrying them would make the nation safer. A Gallup poll released in October 2015 found that 56 percent of those surveyed agreed that wider use of concealed carry would improve public safety(Allen 1-80). Gun rights proponents say felons are more likely not to adapt to firearm laws, which it will make it harder for law-abiding citizens to access guns. The gun prohibition lobbyit really is about banning the private ownership of firearms regardless what they say for public consumptiongets cover from a national media that even has adopted their deceptive vocabulary. No longer is this anti-rights lobby identified as a gun control movement, but routinely is labeled gun safety or gun reform by the press (Gottilieb 16-17). There is a strong knowledge and good result about gun violence which is within societies that have higher levels of gun control and gun violence. Gun violence is a constant trying to stop it and make it better is a solution for the community and society to fix. To truly tackle the gun violence epidemic, lawmakers must go further after the guns themselves. Our polling also found that 54 percent of Americans want to see fewer guns in circulation, and 61 percent believe that guns should be harder to get (Volsky and Glaze A.15). To keep the gun violence in control if a person would want to get a gun or a gun permit there should a consecutive amount of class that should be taken. At least 22 states have pending bills to allow guns in schools and colleges. In Texas and other states, licensed gun owners can bring concealed handguns into classrooms, dorms and other parts of public university campuses. Oklahoma passed a law in 2015 allowing certain teachers and staff at K-12 schools to carry handguns in school if they undergo a training program (Hong N.P). People should also have a general reason on why they should be able to carry or permit a gun. Each state should have the same gun laws instead of each state making their own laws of guns. According to the Pew survey, gun ownership rates are roughly equal in other areas of the country. The South has 36 percent gun owners, the Midwest has 32 percent, and the West has 31 percent (Allen 1-80). Gun laws shouldnt change they should just be more dynamic and make guns much harder to get. Gun safety is a major impact to every community and if changes are going to be brought up it starts with the community first.

Monday, December 23, 2019

Assisted Suicide, Morally Wrong or Your Right - 2852 Words

Assisted Suicide, Morally Wrong or Your Right? Is assisted suicide your right as a human; is it moral or ethical? First we must look at what is assisted suicide. Assisted suicide is a common term that most people know of, suicide that is facilitated by another person. (Dictionary.com) However, there are three terms that are sometimes used interchangeable when discussing assisted suicide; physician assisted suicide, assisted suicide and euthanasia. Physician assisted suicide is when a physician intentionally gives the patient the method of suicide, such as pills. Assisted suicide involves a layperson or a non-physician who is equipping the patient with the means to kill themselves. Euthanasia is when the person is directly killed by†¦show more content†¦How will a course of treatment affect the quality of happiness or misery in each person’s life? Traditional utilitarian justifications against killing do not seem to apply to voluntary euthanasia. Peter Singer stated that â€Å"The classical utilitarian objection does not apply to killing that takes place only with the genuine consent of the person killed. That people are killed under these conditions would have no tendency to spread fear or insecurity, since we have no cause to be fearful of being killed with our own genuine consent. If we do not wish to be killed, we simply do not consent. In fact, the argument from fear points in favor of voluntary euthanasia, for if voluntary euthanasia is not permitted we may, with good cause, be fearful that our deaths will be unnecessarily drawn out and distressing. In the Netherlands, a nationwide study commissioned by the government found that Many patients want an assurance that their doctor will assist them to die should suffering become unbearable. Often, having received this assurance, no persistent request for euthanasia eventuated. The availability of euthanasia brought comfort without euthanasia having to be provided.† (Taking Life: Humans) To truly evaluate assisted suicide form a utilitarian perspective, we must consider the argument that, what if suddenly there becomes a cure for the patient’s disease? Just because this is a possible outcome, does not negate the viability of euthanasia. John Stuart Mill stated thatShow MoreRelatedThe Legal And Ethical Issues Involving Physician Assisted Suicide1134 Words   |  5 Pageswith Dignity Act a constitutional right for a competent, terminally ill patient. Under what conditions is physician assisted suicide morally acceptable, is the question at hand and did these states make the right decision on such a slippery slope debate. This paper will go on to explain one side of this very touchy debate, it will also consider objections from the other side, and ultimately defend the position physician assisted suicide is wrong not only morally but also, ethically. My argumentRead MoreThe Thoughts Of Assisted Suicide1582 Words   |  7 PagesThe thoughts of assisted suicide are very mixed. Some people believe that it is a great way to put terminally-ill patients out of the their pain and suffering. They see it as a way for a person to die with dignity after suffering from a painful disease. Others think it is beyond morally wrong for a doctor to intentionally end a patient’s life. They feel that a doctor should not have unnecessary deaths riding, on their shoulders the rest of their career. Assisted suicide goes way beyond the beliefsRead MoreExplanation Of Physician Assisted Suicide1262 Words   |  6 PagesPhysician assisted suicide has been legal in Oregon since November 1997. Over 750 people have taken advantage of this law since it was passed. Many people think there is something wrong with such this and it should be outlawed. I will argue that there is no moral basis for the outlaw of such a practice. Explanation of physician assisted suicide Physician assisted suicide occurs when an ill patient consults a doctor and decides that they would like to end their life. Typically, the patient is prescribedRead More Dr. Harold Glucksberg vs. The State of Washington Essays980 Words   |  4 Pagesrational reason to commit suicide. In the 1994 case of Glucksberg v. Washington (Otherwise acknowledged as Compassion In Dying v. The State Of Washington), Harold Glucksberg, alongside the right-to-die organization Compassion In Dying, filed a suit in opposition to the state of Washington for three fatally ill patients he treated. Dr. Glucksberg and Compassion in Dying set their case saying that the ban against doctor-assisted suicide was violating the right patients right of due process and placedRead MoreThe Debate Over Physician Assisted Suicide951 Words   |  4 Pagestoday’s society, suicide, and more controversially, physician assisted suicide, is a hotly debated topic amongst both every day citizens and members of the medical community. The controversial nature of the subject opens up the conversation to scrutinizing the ethics involved. Who can draw the line between morality and immorality on such a delicate subject, between lessening the suffering of a loved one and murder? Is there a moral dissimilarity between letting someone die under your care and killingRead MoreAssisted Suicide Essay1507 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Assisted Suicide (Euthanasia) There probably isn’t one person that can say that they haven’t watched somebody they love in some way suffer from and ultimately die from some sort of unfortunate disease. Assisted suicide is a very controversial topic in the United States. Physician assisted suicide is defined as suicide committed by a terminally ill person with help from another person. This subject causes many controversies of ethical and moral issues. Some of these issues are that it violatesRead MoreThe Rights Of Physician Assisted Suicide1347 Words   |  6 PagesThe Right to Die By: Antony Makhlouf Antony Makhlouf PHR 102-006 Contemporary Moral Issues Final Paper The Right to Die Physician-assisted suicide, also known as euthanasia, has been a hot topic as of late. If you do not know what this is, physician-assisted suicide is the taking of ones life. This usually occurs when a patient is in a irreversible state, and must live through a tube. With multiple cases occurring in the past, current and the more to occur the in the future, this looksRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide : The Canadian Euthanasia Debate1689 Words   |  7 Pages Physician Assisted Suicide: The Canadian Euthanasia Debate Imagine laying in bed; your eyes are open and you cannot move. Your brain is working but cannot tell your body how to function. We as a society have a right and a moral obligation to legalize physician-assisted suicide. The legalizing euthanasia grants terminally ill patients; the right to die without withdrawing from life support. Also giving the right for patients to die on their own terms. Euthanasia is a publically supposed issue thatRead MoreAssisted Suicide Should Be Legal2030 Words   |  9 Pagesarguing is whether or not assisted suicide should be legalized. In order for people to truly argue and decide whether assisted suicide should be legal they must know the definition. Many people mix up the definition of assisted suicide with euthanasia. There are both arguments for assisted suicide and against it. When arguing for and against assisted suicide the big argument seems to be whether it is morally right or morally wrong. The question of whether assisted suicide should be l egal questionRead MoreDying with Dignity960 Words   |  4 Pageshumane and helpful, other people argue that euthanasia is morally wrong, and inhumane. Euthanasia should be legalize in the United States because it gives an alternative for people who suffer every day due to a terminal illness, but it should be the last resort a patient should take. People who are against euthanasia claim that it is unethical and morally wrong to take someone’s life away. According to the article â€Å"Active Euthanasia Is Never Morally Justified,† euthanasia is a nice word that replaces

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Night Creature Hunter’s Moon Chapter 27 Free Essays

string(37) " new advances in medicine every day\." A sudden thought made me stiffen and push away from Damien’s embrace. Anything just might be possible much sooner than I’d thought. â€Å"You didn’t use a condom,† I said. We will write a custom essay sample on Night Creature: Hunter’s Moon Chapter 27 or any similar topic only for you Order Now He didn’t so much as blink. He didn’t curse or cry or run or exhibit any of the other typically male reactions to such a statement. â€Å"I know.† â€Å"You†¦ know?† I sat up. â€Å"What the hell is that supposed to mean? You could have gotten me pregnant, stud boy.† â€Å"No.† He sighed. â€Å"I couldn’t. I mean I can’t. I won’t.† Now he cursed, then ran his fingers through his hair and got out of bed. â€Å"I’m sorry. This probably isn’t the best time to tell you, but I can’t get you pregnant.† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"They tell me it’s medically impossible.† I wanted to ask, Who told you? When? Have you seen a specialist? What exactly is the problem? But the way he held his shoulders, as if he expected questions and didn’t want to answer them, made me hesi-tate. I didn’t like to talk about the scars on my back. Maybe Damien didn’t care to discuss the scars within himself. I could respect that. â€Å"Well, there goes my white picket fence dream,† I quipped. It had been a stupid dream anyway. Damien’s eyes narrowed; his head tilted. He was too damned perceptive. Before he could question me, I blurted, â€Å"Why did you use a condom in the first place?† â€Å"Pregnancy isn’t the only concern.† Well, duh. Now I cursed. â€Å"You don’t have to worry about me,† he said quickly. â€Å"I’m clean. I swear.† â€Å"Me, too,† I whispered. Silence settled between us. Clinical conversations appeared to be a great mood killer. Fancy that. â€Å"Leigh?† â€Å"Mmm?† â€Å"I love you.† I could only stare at him for several ticks of the clock. â€Å"You†¦ you can’t love me. You just met me.† He smiled sadly. â€Å"I’ve been waiting my whole life for you.† â€Å"That’s nuts.† â€Å"I know.† â€Å"You’re blinded by great sex.† â€Å"No, Leigh, I’m blinded by you.† I didn’t know what to say, so I said nothing at all. Damien sat down on the bed and ran a palm over the shorn ends of my hair. â€Å"I always knew that when I met the woman for me, I’d look at her once and think, ‘Here she is.’ I was right.† â€Å"You know nothing about me.† â€Å"You’re wrong. I know you’re brave and strong, loyal.† â€Å"You make me sound like a Labrador retriever.† He ignored my mutterings. â€Å"You’re sexy and sweet, caring. Beautiful, and a little bit sad. I wish you’d trust me with what makes you sigh when you think no one’s listening.† Did I do that? Probably. I wished I could trust him, too. But if I told him my secrets, I’d have to kill him. Ha-ha. â€Å"You’ve got secrets of your own, Damien.† â€Å"Yeah, I do.† â€Å"Are you going to trust me with them?† â€Å"I can’t.† We were in the same boat. Figures. I took his hand. Ran my thumb over his silver ring, remembered what Jessie had said about the power eater. How could I ask him if he was a werewolf? It wasn’t like asking him if he was married, divorced, or currently single. He didn’t feel like a werewolf. I know that sounds odd. But werewolves have evil hearts. They don’t start out that way, of course. They start out like you and me. When they’re bitten, the virus changes them, both physically and mentally. Sure they seem like people, but inside there’s a demon panting to get out. I’d researched this, countless times during long nights when I shouldn’t sleep. Demons lived – everywhere. How could Damien love me if his heart was full of hate? He couldn’t. But I’d recognized love in his eyes. I’d seen the expression once before. An expression I’d never thought to see again. I wished I could tell him I loved him, too, but I couldn’t. Not until my old life was dead. He put his fingers over my lips, shook his head. â€Å"How about that shower?† he asked. My mouth curved. I kissed his hand, then took it in my own and led him to the water. I left Damien asleep on the bed. We’d made love in the shower. He had scratches on both his shoulders and an imprint of my teeth on his neck. I guess I couldn’t sneer at Jessie and Will anymore. I managed to make it to my apartment and change out of my dirty clothes before Will pulled up in a Jeep. I squeezed into the backseat. â€Å"Not taking the official Crow Valley cruiser?† I asked. Will shook his head. â€Å"Cora wouldn’t appreciate a cop car in front of her place. All the neighbors would wonder what she did this time.† This time? I looked forward to meeting Cora Kopway more with every passing moment. â€Å"So what were you up to while we were gone?† Jessie asked. â€Å"Sleeping.† She glanced over her shoulder, winked. â€Å"Us, too.† I couldn’t help but smile. It had been a long, long time since I’d had a girlfriend. Jessie and I would probably never have met or become close in my other life. That would have been a big loss. I liked her more than I would ever say. â€Å"How’s the shoulder?† I asked. â€Å"I’ll live.† â€Å"Sore?† â€Å"Yeah. But at least it’s not my gun hand.† Trust Jessie to worry about the important things in life. She turned so her back was to the window, wincing a bit at the movement. â€Å"I talked to Elwood.† Uh-oh. â€Å"He checked with all his cronies. Talked to the gas sta-tion attendants, real estate agents, anyone who might have noticed a new guy in town. No one’s seen Hector.† I frowned. That was weird. â€Å"Which doesn’t mean you’re crazy,† Jessie hastened to assure me. â€Å"It just means he’s keeping a low profile.† For the first time in a long time I didn’t feel crazy. I felt†¦ good. I kept thinking: What if? What if I killed Hector? What if Damien really loved me? What if I loved him? He couldn’t give me children. Or so he said. But there were new advances in medicine every day. You read "Night Creature: Hunter’s Moon Chapter 27" in category "Essay examples" What if he could be cured? Then everything I’d ever wanted could come true. â€Å"Leigh?† I focused on Jessie. She appeared concerned. â€Å"You wanna stay with me here?† â€Å"I’m sorry. Did you say something?† She rolled her eyes. â€Å"Get your head out of the bedroom and listen. Even if the white wolf isn’t Hector, we still have to find and kill it.† â€Å"I’m in complete agreement.† â€Å"And if it isn’t him, we’ll just keep hunting until we find the right white wolf. Wherever it is, however long we have to search.† â€Å"OK.† She faced the front, shaking her head. â€Å"And she says I’m gaga.† Her words would have made me angry once. Now I just wanted to laugh. We reached Cora’s house. The tiny log cabin set between towering evergreens made me think of Hansel and Gretel. I hoped she wasn’t a witch. The door opened before we even knocked. Cora Kop-way looked like no witch I’d ever known. As if I’d known any. She was tall, willowy, with long, flowing black hair that held only a trace of silver. Her face possessed a beauty that defied age. She’d seen many things – some good, some bad, some in between – and all of them had marked her. She wore a blindingly white T-shirt, tucked into a long colorful skirt. Each finger sported a ring. Silver sparkled around two of her toes. Three earrings hung from one ear, two from the other, and bracelets jangled about her slim wrists. She didn’t smile, just stared at us with solemn, dark eyes. Then she turned and disappeared into her home, leaving the door open behind her. â€Å"I thought she was old,† Jessie whispered. â€Å"She is,† Will whispered back. â€Å"My people age well, unlike yours.† Jessie kicked him in the ankle, then followed him inside. The cabin was a museum. Indian art graced the walls, stocked the shelves and the tables. I was unfamiliar with the artists, but most of the paintings and the sculptures were of animals – bear, moose, birds, coyotes, and, of course, wolves. On one shelf I caught a glimpse of a kachina doll, which I knew wasn’t Ojibwe. I assumed Cora’s collection represented all the North American tribes. I’d love to go through everything, but we didn’t have the time. Candles burned here and there. Something smoldered in a pottery bowl. The room smelled of fresh-cut grass and, at the same time, new snow on a crisp winter night. How could that be? She motioned for us to take seats on furniture that re-fleeted the colors of the earth and the sky at sunset. Mahogany, sand, azure, burnt orange – the room both eased and energized. Cora sat in a straight-backed chair on the opposite side of an oak coffee table, its only adornment a smoking salmon-shaded bowl. Now that I was closer I observed a tiny flame in the center with what appeared to be grass all around it. A definite fire hazard. She continued to peer at us with that same solemn expression. I had a feeling she could see into my head and discern my thoughts. I tried like hell to make them pure. But the more I tried, the more impure they became. What did I expect after the way I’d spent my afternoon? â€Å"I hear you know all about woo-woo?† Jessie blurted. Will’s sigh was long-suffering. â€Å"Jess,† he admonished. â€Å"Don’t speak until spoken to.† She stared down her nose at him. â€Å"You have got to be kidding me.† He narrowed his eyes. Amazingly, she sat back on the couch, crossed her arms over her chest, placed one knee over the other, and shut up. â€Å"I’m sorry, n’okomiss. She doesn’t understand.† Cora acknowledged the apology with an infinitesimal nod. Her earrings swayed and tangled in her long black hair. The room became silent again. â€Å"You have been marked,† she murmured, turning her gaze on me. I started and my scar began to ache. It had been blissfully silent since morning. â€Å"Marked by the demon. You are his. He has come for you.† Jessie cast me a quick, worried glance. I couldn’t do anything but peer into Cora’s eyes. How could she know? â€Å"You never said she was a psychic, Slick.† â€Å"I am what I am,† Cora intoned, still staring at me. â€Å"You would do well to listen.† â€Å"I’d be happy to,† Jessie said, â€Å"if you told us anything fresh and new. She’s marked by the demon; he’s coming. We got that already.† â€Å"William, your woman needs to learn silence.† â€Å"Good luck,† he muttered. Cora reached into the pocket of her skirt, then made a flicking motion toward the bowl at the center of the table. The flame shot nearly to the ceiling. Jessie started coughing. When she finished, she opened her mouth, but no sound came out. â€Å"Uh-oh,† Will said. Cora just smiled. Jessie grabbed at her own throat, shook her head, pantomimed, badly. â€Å"Your voice will be returned when you leave my house. Until then, be still or I will make you.† Jessie froze, then sat back on the couch and took Will’s hand. His fingers tightened on hers. â€Å"What is it you wish to know?† Cora asked. â€Å"Have you heard the Legend of the Power Eater?† â€Å"Of course. The Weendigo that becomes so much more.† â€Å"What else?† She shrugged. â€Å"The power eater craves power. He can never have enough. He is the ultimate shape-shifter.† â€Å"What, exactly, does that mean?† I asked. â€Å"The more power the Weendigo eats, the greater his abilities. He can shift to any form, any time, any where.† â€Å"That is so not good,† I muttered. Will motioned me to silence. â€Å"You mean the power eater can become something other than a wolf?† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"In the daytime?† â€Å"Most certainly.† Jessie, Will, and I exchanged glances. That explained how I’d seen the white wolf in the daylight. A thought occurred to me. â€Å"Could a power eater change the color of his fur?† Cora tilted her head and considered. â€Å"I have not heard of this, but I don’t see why he could not.† In other words, our two killer wolves could really be one. â€Å"Can you explain, n’okomiss, how the man becomes the beast?† â€Å"He is cursed by the great mystery.† â€Å"Is there any other way?† â€Å"Possibly.† She stood and moved – or rather flowed; her gait was too smooth to be called mere movement – to the bookcase, where she removed a huge tome. Will leaped to his feet and hurried over, taking the book from her hands and carrying it to the table. No title graced the cover, which appeared to be real leather. When she opened to the middle, the pages crackled with age. â€Å"If a man wished to become a Weendigo he would eat the flesh of his enemy.† I frowned. Petite blond women were Hector’s enemy? Suddenly it hit me. His mother. She had been blond; she had left him. He had never forgiven her. â€Å"Then what?† I asked, my voice hoarse. â€Å"Then he would call on the powers of darkness to transform him into a beast.† â€Å"How do you call the powers of darkness?† â€Å"There are many ways, but the most common is the five-pointed star.† I sat up straighten â€Å"A pentagram?† â€Å"Yes.† Jessie glanced at me with wide eyes. â€Å"What about a pentagram?† â€Å"The one who wishes to become would draw the star on his body. Somewhere vital.† As if by magic I saw Hector’s chest, the black shiny pentagram stark over his heart. â€Å"And then?† I whispered. â€Å"Then he calls on the evil ones to make him Weendigo.† â€Å"The Evil Ones?† Will broke in. â€Å"Matchi-auwishuk?† â€Å"Perhaps. There are many evil ones in this world and the next.† â€Å"And the evil ones,† I pressed. â€Å"They would make him Weendigo? Just like that?† â€Å"If he offered them a sacrifice.† â€Å"What kind of sacrifice?† I asked, but I already knew. Hector had become a Weendigo by promising to kill my family. How to cite Night Creature: Hunter’s Moon Chapter 27, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

The Whole Town’s Sleeping free essay sample

The Whole Town’s Sleeping which is written by Ray Bradbury and The Landlady written by Roald Dahl have many similarities when compared. The Whole Town’s Sleeping is set in Illinois, inside a small isolated town. We are introduced to Francine and Lavinia who find a dead body floating inside the ravine, suspected to be another victim of the ‘Lonely One’ – an unknown serial killer who murders women. Meanwhile The Landlady is set in the town of Barth where we meet Billy Weaver. He has just arrived into the town at late night and is â€Å"caught† by a Bed and Breakfast sign on a window. He decides to enter and we later find out that the owner who is an old women has an iniquitous intent. In The Whole Town’s Sleeping we meet the main protagonist who is Lavinia at her home where she is at the comfort of safety. We will write a custom essay sample on The Whole Town’s Sleeping or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page She is an old resident of the area compared to Billy who is new. Lavinia Nebbs is fully aware of the danger because while she was walking along the Ravine she noticed â€Å"coming down towards her was a man† and â€Å"he carried a long club in his hand. † This indicates the fact that Lavinia is extremely weary and knowing of the risk. This technique that Ray Bradbury used was Anti Climaxing – creating tension to a high point but it was a false alarm. However she is portrayed as a naive character and willingly chooses to be completely ignorant and resist the harsh reality, trying to focus on something else – something a child is likely to do as she says â€Å"We’ve got to forget this† when insisting to continue on and go to the theatre. It is this naivety of Lavinia that places her is such adversity towards the end. Furthermore when it was the end of the movie we see Lavinia as a reckless and fearless character who is now brave and willing to face what everyone is scared of because she is reluctant to believe that she may be The Lonely one’s next victim. Also she is covering up her weaknesses, acting independent and like a man. This is shown when she says â€Å"If I’m the next victim, let me be the next victim. † Another example of her naivety is also shown at the drug store where Francine says to Lavinia â€Å"That man asking for you. You’re next! † Nevertheless Lavinia dismisses the issue by saying â€Å"It was just a man. † Expanding on this quote said by Lavinia it gives the perception that she is a feminist and the way she says it indicates she is trying to say ‘I’m not weak. ’ Another thing I have noticed in The Whole Town’s Sleeping is that the women are presented as weak and fragile – unable to protect themselves. Slowly Lavinia’s inner fear overwhelms her until she is extremely scared and we – the reader see the rest of the story unfold from Lavinia. â€Å"She heard a man’s voice singing far away among the tress† shows the paranoia within Lavinia’s mind as she has now been hit with the reality and is exposed. Just like the dress that she is wearing which is unprotected and shows the vulnerability as Ray Bradbury writes â€Å"The heat pulsed under your dress and along your legs with a stealthy sense of invasion† she is open to the ‘elements’. Lavinia now becomes very cautious and suddenly become a lot more mature once she walks on the ravine, which gives a sense to the reader that she grows up along with the story as it develops. Ray Bradbury in the beginning on the story describes Lavinia â€Å"as cool as mint cool ice cream† suggesting that it is possible for her to ‘melt’ and for the fresh smell of mint to fade and die out this is where it occurs. On the other hand in Roald Dahl’s The Landlady the main protagonist who is Billy Weaver has just arrived into the town of Bath and has been recommended to stay in The Bell and Dragon however he was compelled to a peculiar Bed and Breakfast sign outside a home and as he rang the doorbell, unusually the door opened immediately. The owner was an old women who acted extremely strange and to some circumstances creepy, however this was completely oblivious to Billy. Billy Weaver is portrayed by Roald Dahl as having almost no common sense and someone who goes along with anything, without raising a finger. He doesn’t act like his age but more mature and professional. We see this when Roald Dahl in the omnipotent point of view describes Billy â€Å"Walked briskly down the street. He was trying to do everything briskly these days. Briskness, he had decided, was the one common characteristic of all successful businessmen. † Showing that he was being/doing things whom he isn’t. In addition Roald also states the fact that â€Å"He was wearing a new navy blue overcoat† which could symbolise that he has hidden all of his youth underneath his coat and is wearing a mature and professional personality/characteristic. Like in The Whole Town’s Sleeping Lavinia’s naivety caused her to become the victim Billy’s obliviousness on what The Landlady is doing causes him to become her next victim. When Billy goes down to sign the guestbook he recognises the names however doesn’t remember where from and The Landlady keeps on diverting the conversation. Further on when Billy says to The Landlady â€Å"I suppose he left fairly recently† when talking about Mr Mulholland, The Landlady replies â€Å"Left? But my dear boy, he never left. He’s still here. Mr Temple is also here. † From that Billy should have been weary and begin to think again about staying however he did not raise any question but instead acted like a puppet, on strings controlled by The Landlady. Some harrowing things that The Landlady said were when talking about Mr Temple such as â€Å"There wasn’t a single blemish on his body† and â€Å"His skin was just like a baby’s† should have raised alarm bells and made him more reluctant to stay with her. But he just continues to drink his tea which strangely tastes like bitter almonds hinting that she had put cyanide within his tea, however Billy underestimates her due to her being an old women. This fact links in with The Whole Town’s Sleeping because Billy does not suspect anything about The Landlady simply because she is an old women – tying with the ‘women are weak’ portrayal in The Whole Town’s Sleeping. In conclusion Ray Bradbury’s The Whole Town’s Sleeping had Lavinia thinking she was as if ‘immune’ to the threat and danger of The Lonely One where Women are characterised as unable to take care of themselves and it can be said that due to her trying to be independent (as a man) caused her to be The Lonely One’s next target. While in Roald Dahl’s The Landlady Billy Weaver is portrayed as the young and innocent throughout the story and despite his maturity you could see through his decision making that they were still not mature. Also it is due to him being so oblivious he was an easy target despite the threat being right in front of him. Overall it was both Lavinia’s and Billy’s will and desire to become independent that caused them to become victims.