Analysis Of The Book The Year 1984 - 1544 Words

Part A– Summary In the year 1984, a 39 year old man named Winston lived in a totalitarian society set in in the nation of Oceania, in London, England. All of the people who live in the â€Å"Outer Party† were monitored via telescreens and were forced to believe whatever the ruling head Big Brother said. The history books were rewritten constantly to suite Big Brother. Unhappy with the society which he lives in, Winston decides to take the risk of writing a diary to assert his independence and protest against Big Brother, even though he knows this could mean death if anyone discovered it. Winston and his girlfriend, Julia confide in Mr. O’Brien, a member of the Inner Party and they both share mutual feelings in regards to Big Brother. Little does Winston know that O’Brien is a spy who reveals Winston to Big Brother and he and Julia are tortured until they share the same linear way of thinking as the majority of society and or forced to believe that indeed 2+2 does equal 5 and th ey â€Å"loved† Big Brother too. Part B – Analysis Quotation #1 – Book 1, Chapter V111 (page 107) â€Å"And when memory failed and written records were falsified- when that happened, the claim of the Party to have improved the conditions of human life had go to be accepted, because there did not exist, and never again could exist, any standard against which it could be tested.† The Party re-wrote history over and over again, for example, who was at war with Oceania, and the result changed many times over the years.Show MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Book The Year Of 1984 1920 Words   |  8 Pages In the supposed year of 1984 ( the main protagonist has no clue of the actual year), we meet Winston Smith, a 40-year old man , who lives in a run down and decaying part of Eurasia called Airstrip One, or where our modern day England would be located. The people in the book seem as bare and lifeless as the country, although, there is a certain quality to Winston that sets him apart from the rest of the general population, or the others he meets throughout the book; the ability to think and thinkRead More1984 Argument1249 Words   |  5 PagesGeorge Orwell’s book 1984 is a very interesting novel. The novel is set up in Airstrip One. In George Orwell’s book 1984 it has many situations. One of the many situations are that some people refer society as â €Å"Orwellian.† What does Orwellian mean? Orwellian means, of or related to the works of George Orwell ( especially his picture of his future totalitarian state.) People believe that Orwell is realistic and say his work part of our society now. George Orwell was a writer in the twentieth centuryRead MoreExamples of â€Å"Good† Strategic Management1293 Words   |  6 PagesMANAGEMENT Disney In 1984, Disney’s stock price had been flat for a decade. Earnings per share were only $0.06. Disney had profits that year of $242 million. By this point in time Disney had become primarily a theme park company. Seventy seven percent of its profits came from theme park operations that year. Twenty two percent of profits came from consumer products (licensing Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, etc.). Only one percent of profits came from filmed entertainment in 1984. Indeed, Disney had becomeRead MoreA Literary Analysis Of 1984 By George Orwell721 Words   |  3 Pagesessay your about to read is a literary analysis of the book â€Å"1984 by George Orwell† it was written in 1948 as a thriller. Winston Smith is the main character of this story followed by two characters â€Å"Julia and O’Brien.† The book starts off with main character Winston being very frustrated with what is called the â€Å"Party† lead by a man named â€Å"Big Brother† hints the say ing â€Å"big brother is watching you† from â€Å"George Orwells worst fear† stated by express.co.uk. the book takes you for a ride through what theRead MoreGeorge Orwell s Caged Birds Accept Each Other But Flight Is What They Long For ``1717 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Caged birds accept each other but flight is what they long for.† In George Orwell’s book 1984 the main character Winston Smith felt like a caged bird and wanted to be free of the totalitarian regime that was Big Brother. In the book, Orwell portrays a society in which life as we know it is none existent. People are stripped of their individualism, programmed like zombies and made to suppress each other. In the book, kids are used to and it would seem with really good effect to spy on and monitor theRead MoreCensorship, By George Orwell881 Words   |  4 Pages Censorship In George Orwell’s novel, 1984, the theme, censorship, greatly influences the storyline. Within the society, Oceania, the government censors everything from the newspapers to an individual s thoughts. Although, Oceania does not have any specific laws the citizens know that challenging the party, even with facial expressions, could result in punishment or possibly death. The prime reasoning behind censorship is control. In order to gain the ultimate control the Inner Party utilizesRead MoreMci Case Report1184 Words   |  5 PagesFirst of all, in this case we estimate external financing MCI requires until the end of 1987. Exhibit 9A provides the projected capital investment needs for the following year, so our group plug those data in Exhibit 3 corresponds to Funds from Operations and Use of Funds, then come up with the External Financing MCI needs from 1984 to 1987 by deducting the total Source from the total Use. By looking at each year’s needs, we noticed that the e xternal needs will continue to grow because of the increaseRead MoreIntroduction. 1984 Is One Of OrwellS Most Famous Masterpieces,1267 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction 1984 is one of Orwell s most famous masterpieces, and it is a work of opposition to totalitarianism. As a political allegory, 1984 is also Orwell’s last work, which is with his greatest efforts. On the basis of his own experience, Orwell combines reality and 1984 closely, in order to give people a sense of reality. In the book, the description of anti Utopia reflects Orwell s concern about the political trend of the whole human society. His political thinking is summed up in this book, whichRead MoreAnalysis Of 1984 By George Orwell954 Words   |  4 PagesSophie Moore Mrs. N. Finley E209R3 – 1984 literary analysis 27 January 2015 Symbolism throughout 1984 The novel 1984 is a futuristic totalitarian society where everyone is kept under close surveillance and is forced to follow all rules and laws of the state. The novel 1984 was written by George Orwell and published in 1950. The main characters were Big Brother, Winston Smith, Julia, O’Brien, Syme and Emmanuel Goldstein. Winston Smith is a low man on the totem pole when it came to the ruling PartyRead More Feminism Essays1237 Words   |  5 Pagesand the N.O.W. – the National Organization of Women. Both of these organizations and Feminism as a whole are and have been influential on the national government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many political groups or ideologies attack feminist ideas. Zillah R. Einstein’s book, Feminism and Sexual Equality focuses on the importance of feminist theories and its attackers. The primary two political groups that have taken a stand against Feminism are â€Å"The New Right† and â€Å"Neoconservatives.† The New Right feels that the welfare

Culture Weston Smith And The Ceo Of The Healthsouth...

Culture Weston Smith (2013), former CFO of HealthSouth, states â€Å"the tone of the company may be memorialized through policies and procedures, both written and spoken, but nothing sets the tone more than the everyday actions of the leadership.† At the top of the HealthSouth organization sat Richard Scrushy. As founder and CEO of the company who instilled fear in employees that did not carry out his orders. This set the tone from the top. Do as you’re told or suffer the consequences. When financial results did not meet market expectations, managers were told to fix it. And they did by creating false journal entries and false documentation to back up those entries. There were no checks and balances in place and the accounting system was not linked to the enterprise resource planning software. There was no oversight of managers by a board of directors or an audit committee. The audit committee was not well trained, did not have enough staff, and was not independent of management. Scrushy had complete control of the company and he was obsessed with increasing his earnings trends. He reinforced the idea of top management being family and therefore more loyal to each other than to the unknown public (Lupica, 2014). Impact on Company Management Due to the scandal, 15 HealthSouth executives plead guilty to criminal charges. Due to sentencing by various judges, the standards employed in sentencing were not consistent. Some of the executives served jail time, some were

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 17 Free Essays

string(24) " game for both of them\." The next day was only a partial shift at work for me, but when I saw how busy things were, I suspected I’d have a hard time dragging myself away. Seth wasn’t working in the caf? ¦, but I found a note on my desk. He’d apparently already been there earlier. We will write a custom essay sample on Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 17 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Thetis – Have some errands to run, but I’d like to see you later. I miss you and don’t like how we left things. Come on over later when you get the chance. I’ll be home all night. Love, Seth I had some things of my own to take care of, and after reading his note, I suddenly wanted them done as soon as possible so that I could go see him. As I was about to leave, Maddie caught a hold of me and covertly led me into the history books. To my astonishment, she pushed down her shirt collar, baring her shoulder. â€Å"Whoa,† I joked. â€Å"Don’t you think things are moving kind of fast?† â€Å"Look,† she whispered, pointing at the lacy bra strap that had been revealed. â€Å"It’s red.† â€Å"That it is,† I agreed, still a little puzzled. â€Å"It’s number one.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"My three adventurous things. I bought a red bra.† I stared in astonishment. â€Å"I thought†¦I thought you said my idea was ridiculous?† She averted her eyes. â€Å"I thought it was†¦but then, well†¦I heard about Seth. What happened to him. You were there, right?† My favorite topic. â€Å"Yeah, I was there.† â€Å"Didn’t it freak you out? I mean†¦right there in front of you: life and death.† â€Å"Yeah. Kind of.† Shaking her head, she looked back up at me. â€Å"Hearing what happened to him just kind of shook me up. I told you it wasn’t that easy to be adventurous, but suddenly I decided that maybe it was. I just had to take control.† I smiled. â€Å"With a red bra.† She flushed. â€Å"Hey! All your lingerie may be red and edible, but this is the first bra I’ve ever bought that isn’t white or black.† I reined in my humor and gave her a genuinely pleased smile. â€Å"I’m proud of you, Maddie. I really am.† â€Å"Don’t patronize me,† she warned. â€Å"I’m not. It looks great. You get matching underwear?† Now she really looked embarrassed. â€Å"A thong.† I repressed the urge to whistle. â€Å"Nice work, soldier.† She wandered off, back to the registers. Moments later, I felt an immortal signature and a touch on my shoulder. Spinning around, I found Tawny’s enormous chest practically shoved into my face. I’d heard little from the succubus since I’d called to tell her she had a job at Simon’s. Niphon’s presence at the poker game had been the only indication that she still hadn’t bagged a guy. â€Å"Georgina – † she wailed, lower lip trembling. â€Å"No, no,† I interrupted. I grabbed her arm and dragged her toward my office. â€Å"Not here.† I managed to close the door just before she burst into tears. I groaned. â€Å"Now what’s happened?† â€Å"I met a guy last night.† She flounced into my chair, and it was a wonder her breasts didn’t hit her in the face. I leaned against the wall, crossing my arms over my own chest in a sort of protective gesture. â€Å"Okay†¦that’s not a bad thing.† She swallowed a sob, and it was all I could do not to clean up the mascara smudges on her face. Honestly, how much did that woman wear? â€Å"We had a great time†¦had drinks and talked and all that.† â€Å"That’s not a bad thing either.† She shook her head. â€Å"But at the end of the night, he told me he just wanted to be friends.† â€Å"He – wait. You got the friends line from someone you just met?† Tawny nodded. â€Å"What did you say to him? Like†¦did you proposition him?† â€Å"Yeah†¦I asked him if he wanted to meet me in the bathroom and try out this edible mint chocolate warming gel I have.† â€Å"You – what?† Tawny reached into her purse and started to pull out a tube of something. I waved her off. â€Å"No, no. I don’t need to see it.† â€Å"What went wrong?† she cried. â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I wasn’t sure if I should laugh or weep. Tawny was never going to pull this off. Never. â€Å"You might have come on too strong. And honestly†¦that gel thing? That’s just weird.† â€Å"I thought guys were into that kind of thing.† â€Å"Some are†¦but, I don’t know. What kind of guy is he? What’s he do for a living?† â€Å"He’s a cashier.† â€Å"Hmm. Okay. That’s not too bad.† â€Å"Over at Blessed Images.† â€Å"Over at – you propositioned a guy who works at a religious supply store?† I exclaimed. â€Å"I wanted a good one,† she told me. â€Å"There’s no better place.† â€Å"Oh my God. Tawny†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I didn’t even know where to start. There were so many nuances to seduction, so many tactics and strategies. She didn’t know any of them, and seriously, I didn’t even know if she could learn. â€Å"I got you the strip club job†¦why are you trolling religious supply stores? Guys should just be coming up to you after your sets.† Something troubling occurred to me. â€Å"You do still have the job, don’t you?† I believed Simon would stick to his word, but one never knew for sure with his type. â€Å"Yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she mumbled. â€Å"But those guys aren’t – â€Å" â€Å"For the last time! Forget the good ones. You can’t afford to be choosy.† I studied her. She was clearly low on energy again. Frowning, I recalled my date with Liam. â€Å"So†¦Tawny†¦things really didn’t work out with Nick the auctioneer?† She took a tissue from the box on my desk and blew her nose loudly. â€Å"Nope. I told you. I called, and he said he wasn’t interested.† I was good at reading people, very good. It was, well, what made me a star succubus. And looking into those teary blue eyes, I searched for some sign of deceit. Any sign. I found nothing. So who was lying? Tawny or Liam? And why would either one of them lie? Liam had no reason to – not about Tawny. Tawny, I supposed, could be in league with Niphon. Maybe he wanted to prolong things simply to annoy me. That was a dangerous game for both of them. You read "Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 17" in category "Essay examples" His animosity couldn’t be strong enough to risk pissing off Jerome. And I knew Jerome would be pissed off if he found out Tawny’s orientation was being used for ulterior motives. There was also the fact that Tawny’s energy had shown no post-sex glamour the day after Liam saw her and Nick together. She hadn’t gotten any. That was my only hard evidence in all of this. All of these thoughts flitted through my mind in a heartbeat. If Tawny really was pulling a poker face on me, she’d soon learn that she wasn’t the only one who could do it. Keeping my expression exasperated and unsuspecting, I said, â€Å"Tawny†¦I†¦I just don’t get this. Any of this.† â€Å"That’s it?† she asked. â€Å"You’re my mentor, and that’s all you’ve got for me?† â€Å"I got you the job! I don’t know what else to do. Maybe we can go out together and†¦God help me†¦do a three-some or something.† I could imagine few things more horrible than that, but these were desperate times. The expression on Tawny’s face showed similar sentiments. â€Å"I don’t know about that,† she said. â€Å"I don’t think I really do that.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"In another century or so, you’ll find you do everything.† She blew her nose again. â€Å"Well†¦I want to keep trying on my own before anything like that. Until then†¦do you think†¦do you think you could†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Could what?† â€Å"You know.† â€Å"No, I really don’t.† From her, a request could be anything. Tawny gulped. â€Å"The kissing thing again.† â€Å"No! I told you that was a one-time deal.† â€Å"But†¦but†¦I’m so low†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She burst into tears again. And yeah, she was low on energy. Really low. By tomorrow morning, she could be in danger of losing her shape again. Fuck. This wasn’t possible. I had to be getting played here, but why and how? Was all this hassle worth it to Niphon, just to keep irritating me? Fuck. â€Å"This is the last time,† I growled. She stopped mid-sob. â€Å"Really?† I sighed. â€Å"Come here.† With a sense of dread, I kissed her again. My discomfort had less to do with the act of kissing her than it did with me realizing I’d just pushed myself into dangerous energy limits. I was the one who’d need a fix before morning now. And if I got an energy fix, it was likely my dream stalker would return†¦. With the influx of life, Tawny was able to shape-shift away her disheveled appearance. â€Å"Thanks, Georgina! You’re the best!† She started to hug me, and I jerked away. â€Å"Just go out and get laid, okay?† Doug stuck his head in just then, asking for my help. He didn’t seem to have heard my charge to battle, thankfully. His eyes widened when he saw Tawny. I shooed her out, warning her not to forget what we’d talked about. â€Å"Is she single?† he asked, watching her walk away. Her pleather pants were riding up. â€Å"Yeah,† I said. â€Å"Very. But she’s high maintenance.† After I finished my survey of the bookstore, I went off to take care of assorted errands. When I finally made it to Seth’s place, I found him lying lengthwise on his couch, laptop open as usual. He sat up and closed it when I stepped inside. â€Å"Hey, Thetis,† he said. â€Å"Hey,† I said. I sat down beside him, and silence fell as we regarded each other. The air between us wasn’t angry, but it wasn’t bursting with love either. It was speculative. We were sizing each other up. He reached into the V-neck collar of my sweater, and I flinched. Then, I felt his fingers brush by the chain I’d been wearing his ring on. He pulled the ring out and ran his fingertips over the dolphin. â€Å"Around your neck, huh? What is this, high school?† â€Å"Might as well be,† I said, â€Å"seeing as how we haven’t even made it to second base yet.† He smiled and released the ring, moving his fingers up to my cheek. â€Å"Yes, we have.† He sighed. â€Å"We sure do seem to be fighting a lot lately, huh?† â€Å"Yeah.† I settled back into the couch’s softness. â€Å"It’s not even about sex anymore.† â€Å"I noticed that. It’s boring stuff, actually.† â€Å"Boring?† He shrugged. â€Å"You know. Typical relationship stuff. Spending time with each other. Trust. Communication. Love isn’t always about grand forces of the universe keeping us apart.† Unless, I thought, you considered the difference in length between a mortal life and an immortal one. I didn’t know why Seth’s lifespan was bothering me lately. I’d understood the complications on an intellectual level when we’d first started dating, but I hadn’t really had such visceral reactions until recently. Him getting shot hadn’t helped, I supposed. And speaking of which†¦ â€Å"I never thanked you,† I told him. â€Å"For what?† â€Å"For risking your life for mine.† â€Å"But you can’t di – â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, yeah. We’ve already established that, like, a hundred times. And the wisdom – or lack thereof – of your actions aside, it was sweet and brave and†¦and, well, thank you.† Seth moved his hand over mine and squeezed it. â€Å"There’s nothing to thank me for.† I stood up. â€Å"Well, now that we’ve got the sentimental stuff out of the way, let’s get down to business. Take off your clothes.† Seth started. â€Å"Wai – what?† â€Å"Well,† I amended, â€Å"except for your boxers.† â€Å"Are we going to second base after all?† â€Å"Just do it.† While he stripped, I gathered some things from his kitchen, as well as from a tote bag I’d brought. When I returned to the living room, he was sitting in the center of the couch in boxers only. They were soft gray flannel. Adorable. I sat down on the floor in front of him, moving a bowl of warm water beside me. After dipping a washcloth into the water, I slowly began rubbing it over his feet. Seth was quiet for several moments. Then: â€Å"You getting Biblical on me? Didn’t somebody wash Jesus’ feet?† I rewet the cloth and began moving up one of his legs. â€Å"Don’t worry,† I told him. â€Å"I don’t expect you to turn this water into wine. At least not until I’m done.† I moved the washcloth over Seth’s calf. It was leanly muscled, covered in tawny brown hair. â€Å"The foot washing tradition is bigger than the Bible. You find it everywhere, long before New Testament times, in lots of other cultures. Kings. Generals. They all got this treatment.† â€Å"You wash a lot of kings’ and generals’ feet?† he teased. â€Å"Yeah, actually.† â€Å"Oh. Well. I don’t think I’m really in that league.† I smiled and moved on to the other calf. â€Å"Not true. Poets and bards used to have as much prestige as kings. Lots of them got this too.† â€Å"I miss the good old days. Now we’re lucky if we get paid.† I washed his thigh, careful to avoid the bandaged wound. â€Å"Yeah, true. But people also don’t threaten to behead you if they don’t like what you wrote.† â€Å"You obviously haven’t read some of my reviews.† â€Å"I only read the good ones.† I finished both legs and dropped the washcloth into the water. I scooted the bowl away. Seth started to get up, but I shooed him back down. â€Å"Nope. Not finished.† I reached for a bottle of massage oil I’d brought and poured some on my hands. It smelled like almonds. â€Å"That was just to get you clean.† With as much deliberation as I’d performed the washing, I massaged the oil into his skin, starting with his feet once again. Washing can be sensual, but rubbing someone with oil is doubly so. Triple, even. The light banter faded between us. Seth simply watched, wonder and arousal on his face as I worked my way up. And as I met his gaze, I saw more than just those feelings. The love in his eyes was so powerful, I needed to look away. Seth had an amazing grasp of the English language, but there were days when that skill was nothing compared to what he told me in his looks. When I finished his legs, I climbed up behind him on the couch and worked on his back and chest too. I’d been giving massages almost as long as I’d been dancing. I knew exactly what to do, knew where all the muscle groups were and how to unkink them. Seth had a lot of stiffness and knots in his back, either from bad laptop posture or stress. Maybe both. At last, the job was complete. Heedless of oil on me or the couch, he leaned back and pulled me to his chest. My cheek rested on his smooth, slick skin, and the scent of almond and Seth enveloped me. â€Å"Ah, Georgina,† he sighed. â€Å"I wish I could return that.† â€Å"I’ll just pretend you did.† He sighed again. â€Å"I hate the pretending.† â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"I mean it. Really hate it.† The vehemence in his voice startled me. I lifted my head up. â€Å"You okay?† â€Å"Yeah†¦I’m just†¦I don’t know.† He shook his head. â€Å"Frustrated, I guess.† â€Å"Sexually frustrated?† â€Å"Sure†¦but it’s more than that. Do you ever think about us†¦just, you know, doing it maybe once?† â€Å"No,† I said immediately. â€Å"Absolutely not.† â€Å"I’d take the risk.† â€Å"The shooting addled your brain. You’ve always been the strong one, remember?† â€Å"The shooting’s made me think about what life means, that’s all.† He sounded just like Maddie. How could such a foolish gesture on his part be inspiring so many people? Was I too jaded? Could I no longer relate to humans? â€Å"And I mean, I can’t even reciprocate a simple massage. You perform all the time for me†¦but what do you get? You must be the one who’s sexually frustrated. The stuff you do on the side†¦well, that doesn’t matter. Sometimes I think Hugh was right. You do suffer more than me.† â€Å"No, I don’t. The sex stuff bugs me, but I can handle it.† â€Å"I hope I can,† said Seth. â€Å"When I was in the hospital, I had this weird moment where I started thinking about how I write about all these action-packed things but don’t live any of it. O’Neill has dozens of great romances, but me? I can’t even have one.† â€Å"It sucks,† I agreed. â€Å"But with the risks†¦well. We know this is how it has to be.† â€Å"What about the rest?† â€Å"Hmm?† Seth shifted slightly so that he could look into my face. â€Å"Do you really think about me dying? Do you worry about me?† â€Å"Sometimes.† â€Å"Am I going to cause you pain in the end?† â€Å"No,† I said breezily. â€Å"Of course not.† He pulled me back to his chest. â€Å"I love you, Georgina. You give me more joy than I ever expected to find in this life. I want to be with you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He ran a hand through my hair, tangling it in his fingers. â€Å"But not if it’s going to do more harm than good. I don’t want you to hurt. I don’t want you to spend the rest of my life worrying about my body and my soul. I don’t want you to cry when I’m gone.† A lump formed in my throat, and I thought I might actually start crying then and there. There was something in his voice, a strange and ominous note that scared me for reasons I couldn’t entirely explain. I dug my fingers into his skin and pressed myself closer to him. â€Å"No more,† I whispered. â€Å"I don’t want to talk about this anymore. It isn’t relevant.† Seth tightened his grip on me and didn’t respond. We went to bed after that, speaking little. He snuggled against me, resting his head on my chest. I ran my fingers through his hair, taking in his scent and his feel. As he slipped into sleep, I thought about what he’d said about what puts meaning into life. I thought about wanting and needing. And what I needed right then was energy. Tawny’d wiped me out, and there was no way I was going to start shifting back to the body I’d been born with. Still touching Seth’s hair, I thought how easy it would be to just lean down and kiss him. Really kiss him. And kiss him and kiss him†¦ Wanting and needing. Regretfully, I slipped out of bed. Seth was a heavy sleeper and simply rolled to his side, never coming close to waking. With a wistful look, I left the condo and used my last bit of energy to put on a different shape. Finding a victim wasn’t hard – further reinforcing how absurd the whole Tawny thing was – and in less than two hours, I was back in bed with Seth and recharged. That creepy voice didn’t speak to me, for which I was grateful. Sad but sated, I fell asleep. And I dreamed. How to cite Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 17, Essay examples

Saint John Of The Cross Essay Example For Students

Saint John Of The Cross Essay Saint John of the Cross I abandoned and forgot myself, laying my face onmy Beloved; all things ceased; I went out from myself, leaving my caresforgotten among the lilies. John of the Cross is one of the acknowledgedmasters of mystical theology. It is thought among present day theologians thatthere is no other writer who has had a greater influence on Catholicspirituality than John of the Cross. He is a canonized saint of the CatholicChurch and was made a Doctor of the Church because of his extreme influence onpresent day doctrine. His dedication as a leader in service is surpassed only byhis deep faith in the workings of the Trinity through Jesus on earth as a modeland the Holy Spirit as our guide to a life of spirituality. John of the Crosswas born Juan de Yepes in 1542 to a poor family of Spanish nobility. When Johnwas a boy, he attended a school for poor children, gaining a basic education,and the opportunity to learn skills from local craftsmen. When he was 17, Johnbegan to work at the Plague Hospital de la Concepcion, and its founder offeredto let him attend the Jesuit College, so long as he did not neglect his hospitalduties. From 1559 to 1563, John studied with the Jesuits, learning Latin, Greek,and other subjects. He was offered the chance to study for the secularpriesthood, which would have given him material security, but he felt God wascalling him to Religious life. At age 20, he entered the Carmelite Order, beingclothed with the habit on February 24, 1563, and taking the name Juan de SantoMatia (John of Saint Matthias). He was ordained in 1567, and said his first Massin Medina del Campo. During that trip, he first met Teresa of Avila, and sheencouraged him to promote her reform among the mens Order. John spent much ofhis time working for the reformation of the Carmelite Order and in the overallservice of others. However, there were said problems with his ideas of reformfrom certain members of his Order. On the night of December 2, 1577, a group ofC armelites, lay people, and men-at-arms broke into Johns quarters, seizedhim, and took him away. The men led John away, handcuffed, and blindfolded, to amonastery in Toledo. John stood accused of being rebellious and as an overallthreat to the Order. John would have to submit to the demands of the Order, orundergo severe punishment. Nonetheless, John refused to renounce the reform inwhich he so truly had faith. John was locked up in the monastery prison becauseof his strong convictions toward reform. He was placed in a windowless dark roomof six by ten feet, with little light, and with little air. This hole of a cellwas exposed to the terribly cold winter months and the suffocating heat of thesummer months. This, aside for the beatings, the filth, the forced fasting, andthe lice, made it an unfavorable situation for anyone. However, John did not seethe situation as the rest of humanity would see it. John found the situation tobe a blessing because he was able to remove all of his ear thly needs anddesires, and find the true place where God was hidden. God brought John hisgreatest joys in those times of pain and suffering. In a sense, the oppressorswhom imprisoned John, gave him what he truly wanted. God. In time, John was ableto escape the prison cell in which he was held by physically unscrewing thebolts on his door. Thought to be achieved miraculously by some, John was able tocreep past the guards, climb down the wall, and regain his freedom. From thetime of his escape until the time of his death, John devoted his life to thesharing and explaining of his experience of the Lords grace and love. Saint John of the Cross, in the darkness of your worst moments, when youwere alone and persecuted, you found God. Help me to have faith that God isthere especially in the times when God seems absent and far away. Amen.After his time in the monastery prison and his eventual escape, John was able toagain take up his mission of reform far away from the conflicts and threats thatimpeded him prior. He never cared to go over the past and talk about hisimprisonment. He bore no animosity toward his oppressors; nor did he complain orboast about the suffering that he had endured. Because of his experience, Johnwas now more than ever before, able to appreciate the natural world around him. John was now able to listen to all of nature through his senses; the flowers,the whistling breezes, the night, the dawn; all were manifestations of the Lord. This seemed to be one of Johns only vices, if it could fairly be called that. John could not easily resist the enchantment of nature. John was ver much human. The rushing streams, the flowers in the field, the vast mountains, and all ofnature spoke to him. God was present everywhere. Come and see these littlecreatures of God. How well they worship the Almighty! John found itimpossible to ignore any person of the world who was in personal distress. However, John did not limit himself to only assisting others who were seekingspiritual enlightenment, but he looked for ways to help those with materialneeds as well. John was a selfless man who lived for the service of others. There were countless examples and stories of how John would go to great lengthsto help out his fellow man in the least. Further, this lifestyle of service didnot end at the material needs of others, but transmitted in the physical needsof the sick. Taking pains to show the most delicate sympathy for the sick, heknew how to care for them, comfort them, and give them hope. He would not allowthe question of money to interfere with his desire to give his sick friars thebest possible care. He was a true leader in service. It was out of thispoverty and suffering, that John learned to search for beauty and happiness notin the world, but in God. But Johns deepest concern was for thosepersons who were suffering in their spiritual life. In his oral teachings, Johnused to point out that the more you love God, the more you grow spiritually. Further, the growth that he desired was to include all people and help themachieve that spiritual understanding. In his spiritual direction of others, Johnfocused on the communion with God in faith, hope, and love. Ultimately, the wayto truly receive that spiritual life was to follow those teachings of faith,hope, and love as Christ did. Pain for John was not a misfortune but a valuewhen suffered with and for Christ. John recognized that we could not understandthe truth of Christ without the Holy Spirit, the basis of our personalspirituality. He wanted everyone to find comfort in the thought that howeversevere it may be, purification is still the work of Gods gentle hand, clearingaway the debris of attachment and making room for the divine light. Hardphysical labor in the service of others attracted him because he knew howimportant it was for him to achieve that true spiritual awareness. John did whatneeded to be done. What more do you want, o soul! And what else do yousearch for out side, when within yourself you possess your riches, delights,satisfaction and Kingdom your Beloved whom you desire and seek? Desire Himthere, adore Him there; Do not go in pursuit of Him outside yourself. You willonly become distracted and you wont find Him, or enjoy Him more than by seekingHim within you. One of the main sources that gave John of the Cross hisgreat inspiration was the Bible. The Bible, which he cherished most of allworldly objects, helped him understand the mystery of the three Persons of theTrinity. This further understanding of the Trinity allowed John to help himselfand encourage others to achieve such a level of enlightenment. As stated prior,John spent his entire life in the service of others and sought to spread thatcherished understanding in which he received through his personal pains andsuffering. This spiritual journey was and is for every person. For John, theBible served as a living and unfailing wellspring. Its waters pervade the entirebeing of this m ystical thinker, poet, and writer. The Bible was his hymnal, hismeditation book, a book for travel, for contemplation, and for writing. Little Women, Persuasive EssayScriptural quotations throughout his works show how deeply he had assimilatedthe Divine Word, but he never keeps to a single exegetical style; and the readermight find this disconcerting. For John, he was able to visualize ways in whichthe biblical texts could assist him in his ministry of spiritual direction. TheBible offered John a viable expression of his own personal spiritual experience. The Bible was a confirmation of his theological reform and ministry. Further,John was able to enjoy and follow the practice of using scriptural passages as aguide through the journey of life. John discovered a close alliance betweenbiblical history and his own personal history, and was able to use thatconnection of past experiences with his own personal experiences. John of theCross was a very influential individual in the Catholic Church who furtherextended the lifestyle of service in which Christ instilled. Although mostpeople would gather that John might have been angered or disillusioned by hisimprisonment, persecution, and suffering throughout his life, rather Johnsreaction was quite the opposite. These painful events in his life transformedhim into a man of charity who held a deep compassion for those who suffered. John saw a clear vision of the beauty of Gods creation and its intimacy withthe Blessed Trinity. Through suffering like Christ suffered, John was able toachieve that spiritual enlightenment. John fell ill at the end of his life in avery small village on a service trip to Mexico. John died as he had prayed forthroughout his ministry of service: without honors, without material comfort,and with great suffering. These pains and great suffering were voluntarily takenup to exemplify the suffering of Christ. His persecutions throughout his lifewere voluntarily taken up taken up to exemplify the suffering of Christ. Thiswas his faith, and this was how he lived and died. Whoever wishes to comeafter me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. John of theCross was 49 when he died. He was beatified in 1675, canonized as a saint in1726, and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1926. His life was a never-endingpursuit of that ministry of service and compassion that Christ instilled prio r. John of the Cross was and still is a man to be patterned after because of hisspiritually enlightened understanding of the life and actions of Christ. He wastruly a Man for Others. BibliographyPayne, Steven. John of the Cross and the Cognitive Value of Mysticism. KluwerAcademic Publishers. Volume 37, Dordrecht, The Netherlands 1990. Swietlicki,Catherine. Spanish Christian Cabala. University of Missouri Press. Columbia,Missouri, The United States 1986. Three Mystics. Father Bruno de J.M., ed. Sheedand Ward Ltd. London, England 1952. Wilhelmsen, Elizabeth. Knowledge andSymbolization in Saint John of the Cross. Verlag Peter Lang GmbH. Volume 41,Frankfurt, Germany 1993. Wojotyla, Karol. Faith According to Saint John of theCross. Saint Ignatius Press. San Francisco, California, The United States 1981. The Bible