Strictly Ballroom Essay Example For Students

Strictly Ballroom Essay Teaching the prescribed text  · Explanation on background information (context, purpose and audience) Context The screenplay of Strictly Ballroom was written by Baz Luhrmann and Andrew Bovell. The film was directed by Baz Luhrmann, and was well received internationally when it was released in 1992. Since Strictly Ballroom, Baz Luhrmann has directed two other internationally successful films—Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge—and, at time of print, was directing Australia. He is known for his artistic and innovative cinematic styles which blend film techniques from Hollywood musicals and dance films with more traditional techniques. Explanation of key terms (see above)  · Analysis of how the text relates to belonging Rebellion, exclusion and true ‘belonging’ The film opens at the Waratah Championships for ballroom dancing where Scott Hastings dares to dance his own steps, dazzling the audience with his samba routine. Those who value tradition—mainly his mother, his dance coach Les Kendall, and Barry Fife—abhor his behaviour. They are united in their opposition to Scott’s rebellion and prevent him from exploring his individuality, because the traditional world of ballroom dancing gives them a sense of belonging, and they do not wish for this to change. We will write a custom essay on Strictly Ballroom specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Changing the established order is difficult, because people in power make the rules and are responsible for ensuring they are followed. Therefore when Scott dances his own steps he is disqualified and prevented from participating in the competition. He is excluded from the group and his sense of belonging is devastated.  · Students answer the question: How do you relate your prescribed text to belonging?  · Explanation of Text structure Text structure The film can be divided into four parts. Part 1 The traditional values of the ballroom dancing world are established though the opening scene at the Waratah Championships for ballroom dancing where Scott Hastings dances his own steps during the samba. His partner, Liz Holt, walks out on him and Fran, an unlikely candidate, offers to be his dance partner. The love story is thus established between the handsome, competent dance champion and the plain, professionally untrained daughter of a Spanish migrant. She entices Scott to dance with her because she understands how he dances. Explanation of Characters Scott Hastings: Scott is youthful, handsome and a champion dancer, and has many opportunities ahead of him. At first he is portrayed as arrogant, especially in his treatment of Fran. He is obviously a talented dancer, but is bored with the routine way he has been taught to dance. He challenges his mother and the Dance Federation when they insist he follows established conventions. He undergoes a transformation through his relations hips with Fran and her family, as he learns the value of family spirit and dancing from the heart. Character activity – analyzing what quotes tell the reader about the character and belonging Character quote What the quote tells you about the character and belonging Liz: I don’t think! I don’t give a shit about them, we lost! Liz represents the dominant values of those who belong to the ballroom dancing world – follow established rules in order to win. Winning is the priority not thinking for yourself or consideration of others.  · Explanation of Setting and modeled response Scene: The living room of Scott’s home Mood: This is a domestic setting which at first appears warm and inviting. Trophies are proudly displayed on the back wall. It becomes clear from Shirley’s outrage about her son’s unconventional steps at the Waratah Championships, however, that her priority is winning, not her son’s self-expression. This is further illustrated by the large number of trophies occupying the cabinet. Arguments take place in the living room, too, which shows that the family is not as close as the setting would suggest. Explanation and analysis of various language and visual techniques and modeled responses Symbolism: Dancing shoes How it relates to belonging: In the scene in which Rico challenges Scott to dance the paso doble, there are close-ups of Scott’s shoes while he dances. When Ya Ya asks him to show her where he feels the rhythm, the camera focuses on Scott’s shoes. The viewer becomes aware that Scott’s motivation to dance comes from learning the intricac ies of making the steps, which is what has made him belong in the rigid ballroom dancing world. .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2 , .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2 .postImageUrl , .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2 , .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2:hover , .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2:visited , .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2:active { border:0!important; } .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2:active , .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2 .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6bd4a09cf4ee05aa9d8729c8bbeaa0c2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Melting Pot Argumentative EssayWhen Ya Ya taps his chest to show him where the rhythm should come from, we understand that he has a lot to learn from Spanish culture. Dancing shoes are also shown in close-up when Scott dances, especially when he dances his own way, illustrating his freedom and individual expression, and his rebellion against a restrictive type of ‘belonging’.  · Key scene analysis To gain a better understanding of how language and visual techniques work together to create meaning, it is a good idea to analyse a few key scenes from the text. Activity Make notes about a key scene in Strictly Ballroom, taking into account: †¢ film techniques and dialogue †¢ examples of the techniques from the text †¢ analysis of how these examples relate to belonging. Then write a full analysis of the scene and its techniques, and their relation to belonging. Modeled response Many scenes in ‘Strictly Ballroom’ represent the ideas of the true spirit of love, family and belonging, in contrast to the false values and superficiality of belonging to the ballroom dancing world. One key scene is when Scott goes to the Toledo Milk Bar to ask Fran to dance with him at the Pan Pacific Grand Prix. Fran’s father challenges Scott to dance the paso doble, and they move to the backyard where chairs are askew, streamers are falling down and colourful lanterns hang from the roof. The lighting is low-key and the atmosphere is romantic, warm and inviting. In this environment, Scott is ridiculed for not dancing from the heart. Close-ups of people laughing are juxtaposed with long shots of Fran and Scott dancing, showing that the onlookers are laughing at the way he dances.

Learn Direct Response Copywriting From Junk Mail Pros

Learn Direct Response Copywriting From Junk Mail Pros Are you ashamed at how vulnerable you are to junk mail? Direct response letters are part of the pantheon of junk mail.  Or at least, that’s one way to look at them. They are those letters that arrive that sell a product or solicit a donation from you, the main reason the postal service is probably still in business. Yet  direct response letters are an example of copywriting that can be extremely effective in getting your reader to take action. And, in that sense, they are not junk mail. They’re a copywriting gold mine. How To Write The Best Copy Ever With Advice From Junk Mail via @JulieNeidlingerDirect response copywriting is different from indirect response copywriting because of the timing of the response. Indirect response is copy that eventually leads to a purchase over time by building trust and awareness. Direct response pushes for a purchase immediately, at the end of that copy. That means that direct response copywriting is easily tested; you’ll know quickly whether your copy is working or not. Advertising czar David Ogilvy refused to hire any copywriter unless they’d spent a few years writing and studying direct response copywriting, that’s how valuable he thought direct response techniques were. Bill Jayme, Direct Response Extraordinaire In the 20th century, Bill Jayme’s direct response copywriting (via mail) was second to none. He was the king of the direct response mailed letter with clients lining up to pay him to write their letter. One of his better-known examples was something he wrote to help launch the magazine Psychology Today. Jayme also wrote the copy for the envelope, and for this particular piece, he posed a provocative headline: From Mike Capuzzi’s blog post on provocative headlines. The envelope needed to be opened, just like your marketing emails need to be opened, just like your blog posts need to be read. Jayme wrote a headline that piqued curiosity, and then combined it with a free take-it-now psychological test and another free offer. Whether a person answered yes or no to the question was irrelevant. It got them in the door. Marketer Gary Elwood suggests that Jayme was successful with his direct response copywriting because he took an unorthodox approach combining both the visual design of envelopes with powerful copy techniques that included: Using mystery and intrigue. How do you get people to open envelopes? To read? You make them curious. Jayme frequently asked questions or used cliffhangers to get people to proceed. Involving readers psychologically. Jayme would ask seemingly strange questions that would pull readers in. Questions such as, â€Å"Are you embarrassed to eat in a restaurant alone?† or â€Å"How much should you tip the waitress, when you’re planning to steal the ashtray?† are effective, regardless of whether the reader answers yes or no. They’ll keep reading to find out what their answer means. Using urgency. Jayme would create scarcity by suggesting there was only a limited quantity or a limited time. Scarcity motivates people. No one wants to be left out. Turning the service/product into something else. Jayme never lied about the product or service for sale, but he turned it into something more valuable. For example, you’re not selling a financial magazine, you’re selling knowledge that will make someone a savvy investor and ultimately more rich. Saying the word â€Å"free.† Jayme used the word â€Å"free† in as many ways as possible, even providing an example: ‘Free gift comes to you with our compliments gratis- on the house. It’s yours to keep as an outright present without cost or charge- not a penny!' That’s about eight ways to say â€Å"free† in two  sentences! Using exciting words. The words Jayme used were not boring. They often had cacophony to their sound and excitement in their meaning. They were words that caught attention, such as: dead, naked, free. Knowing who was reading. In order to ask the right provocative question, Jayme had to know what buttons to push. And that meant understanding the reader a bit. Elwood uses an excellent example of this: promotional copy for Coastal Living said, â€Å"If you love the shore, this new magazine will do you a world of good.† The first five words establish who the audience is that Jayme was targeting. Jayme was fond of empathy as a selling technique. This is evidenced by how he started most letters with â€Å"Dear Reader.† Empathy, incidentally, requires a far better understanding of your audience than mere demographics. Demographics tell you who the reader is and what they’re interested in. Empathy taps into understanding what the reader wants. For Further Reading: The Gary Halbert Letter: Gary Halbert has used classic direct response copywriting techniques in his pared down website. Read some of his copy to get an idea of how direct response copy sounds. â€Å"Junk Mail’s Top Dogs†: New York Times article that covers the history of the practice, and highlights Bill Jayme’s work. Bill Jayme’s â€Å"Cool Friday† letter: A wildly successful direct response letter Jayme wrote for Life Magazine, considered a classic in the genre. Armageddon Advertising: Putting fear into readers might not be the best route for you, but studying â€Å"armageddon advertising† is still a useful learning tool, as it taps into reader psychology. Learn From Direct Response  Copy Examples Clearly, direct response â€Å"junk mail† is powerful, even if we think it’s cheesy and doesn’t work. Because it does work, even on marketers who know what’s up. John Jantsch, from DuctTapeMarketing, pulled together some examples of sales letters, and extracted the foundation of what made them tick: They use a headline. There is always some sort of startling, attention-grabbing headline at work in a sales letter. Whether it was on the outside of the envelope or in the letter itself, the success of the sales letter hinged on this. They demonstrate how a reader benefits. The copy of a sales letter isn’t telling the reader how great the company or product is. Instead, they show how the reader will have a better life if they buy. They offer something logical. There must be an offer, of course, or it wouldn’t be a sales letter. But that offer must, by the time the reader gets to the end of the letter, make sense. Ads don’t offer anything. They announce sales and product prices. Too often, our copy does the same. There is a difference between an offer and an ad. The best offer is a deal that can’t be refused. With those three characteristics in mind, Jantsch dissects sales letter samples. I’ve summed up the sales copy approach with a template so that you can see the method distilled down. â€Å"If Your Name Is On This Letter† In this example of a letter from Newsweek, readers were encouraged to subscribe to the magazine. This type of sales copy, according to Jantsch, feeds into reader vanity. It suggests there is exclusivity at work and that the reader, should the offer apply to them, is special. Otherwise, if the offer isn’t of interest to them, they are common.  This copy relies heavily on the second person (â€Å"you†), and often starts out describing what isn’t (the negative) instead of what is (the positive). Writing to sell? Tell your reader they're special, offer exclusivity, guarantee enrichment.The first paragraph assures readers they are special (â€Å"your education and income set you apart from the general population†). The letter then proceeds to tell readers that subscribing to Newsweek won’t make them rich, won’t give them more friends, or give them a better job. At this point, readers are curious as to why they should get the magazine. The sales copy responds to that question by showing how the magazine can satisfy curiosity, reduce the boredom of small-minded conversation, and expand knowledge of what’s happening in the world. It then presents an offer that reduces risk by letting readers know they can get money back. Reader, you’re special. That’s why we contacted you. We’re not going to lie about what our offer will do for you. But we will enrich your life. If you don’t like it, we’ll return your money. â€Å"Two Young Men† The next example Jantsch uses is from the Wall Street Journal. This direct sales copy uses a story (which readers love) to promise readers success if they buy (and suggest a warning if they don’t). The Wall Street Journal starts with a simple paragraph telling the story of two young men who met back during a 25th college reunion. One man was a success, the other was not. The letter then proceeds in sections, outlining what made the difference between the two men (knowledge provided by the publication, in this case), and how that applies to the reader. Read this interesting story about two possible outcomes. We’ll tell you why this happened. We’ll show you how our offer will give you the better outcome. We’ll reiterate, one more time, why those outcomes were different. And then we’ll make you a risk-reduced offer, and remind you again of the story. â€Å"Dirty Hands† The third letter example in Jantsch’s ebook is from Popular Mechanics, and uses a couple of unique things. The letter itself has a visual box at the top, filled with brief copy that establishes whether the reader is the right audience using vanity and rather obvious qualifications we all want to assign to ourselves. â€Å"If you want to live better, don’t mind hard work, like to pay your own way†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The rest of the copy works very hard at appealing not to the elitist, but to the â€Å"average Joe†.   It’s filled with homey phrases that promote elbow grease, hard work, and flag-waving. Write to sell: Appeal as understanding, offer just for them, give away a bonus for  free.Popular Mechanics knew its audience pretty well, and they knew this would be best way to elicit trust and provide a sense that they truly understood what their readers wanted or thought. In this case, it was an illustrated handyman guide, and the selling points were how it would save you money by showing you how to make repairs yourself, that it was easy to use, and it was for readers â€Å"just like you.† To cap it off, the offer included a free first book, no strings attached, telling you what kind of projects you could find on specific pages in that first book. We understand you perfectly, and we made this product for readers like you. It’s so good, we’re giving the first one away completely free. â€Å"Quite Frankly† This letter example, from American Express, relies heavily on exclusivity. More than anything, we all like to know we’re good enough to be part of an elite and exclusive club, and (shamefully) that other people won’t get in. Compared to the other letters, this letter isn’t particularly long. It’s main punch is in two sentences in the opening paragraph, making a point to say that not everyone who applies to get the card will, and that such a card isn’t for everyone. The rest of the letter is a list of the perks and benefits the card provides. We’re exclusive, and not everyone gets in. You’re lucky we’re inviting you in. Look at all the benefits you’ll get. We expect you’ll apply now. â€Å"A Story About Grandmother† Using the story approach, this letter writes in first person and tells of memories of grandma. It’s very personal and approachable, and draws the reader in immediately. This letter is for Prevention magazine, and uses memories of healthy food vs. chemical-laden food, and the need to better understand how things had changed since the time of those grandma memories. The reader then learns about how the magazine can help them, being quite direct as to how it will make their lives better. In some sense, it taps into fear, suggesting that even their doctor isn’t telling them all they need to know. For all of us, the fear that we are being kept in the dark is a highly motivating one. The letter closes with bonuses that the reader could receive, and Jantsch notes that some people will buy based on the bonuses they get when making the initial purchase. So do offer bonuses. Let me tell you a personal story. Then I’ll tell you why you should be a bit afraid. But don’t worry; I have the solution. And, if you buy, I’ll give you lots of great extras! Putting Direct Response  Methodology To Work Direct sales letter writing techniques are directly applicable to your landing pages, of course, but also some of your blog posts. Challenge: The next time a direct sales letter arrives, don’t throw it. Dissect it. Figure out what they are doing in that copy, and what makes it work (or fail). Or, do some online searches and find more examples of direct response  letters, or landing pages that employ the same techniques. Do you feel motivated to buy at the end? Why or why not? What is the writer appealing to? Fear, vanity, trust? How long is the copy? How many words? How is the offer presented? Are there bonuses? Is the copy written in first or second person? These are just a few questions to ask as you figure out what makes direct response  copy work.

A Smart Action Plan

A Smart Action Plan After I had started my first year at University I realised that if I want to become a successful student it is crucial to develop time-management skills. It is based on identifying our goals, prioritising and listing them in order to help us achieve the best result. We also need to identify our strengths, look at our work and think how we could improve it to get a better result in the future. We can do so using a diary or personal organiser. Time-management skills are very important because if we know how to organize our time properly, we can carry out more and meet deadlines. It is important to start with setting our priorities because sometimes there is no time to complete all of them. We need to be aware that some of them might take longer than we expected so we should write somewhere what we want to do and when we want to do it. Resources: We should start with identifying our goals and priorities. When doing so, we need to be realistic and definite about them. We must precise wh at needs to be done, how and when. Then, it is recommended to start keeping an academic diary or a personal organizer where we can write in everything we do (such us important dates or study activities). It will help us to look at the way we work and identify where further improvements can be made. (Oxford Brookes University) To take the most out of the diary we should always carry it with us and keep it up to date. It is also recommended to check it many times a day and add new tasks straight into it. The last step is to identify how we spend the time in order to see if we use it productively. We need to list the work we have to do and precise the amount of time we want to spend on carrying out particular tasks. The most important things should be highlighted or stared that can be easily seen, where the least important ones should be written in a pencil so we can change or remove them easily. (Cottrell S., 2003) Reflective comment: The first thing I did in order to improve my time- management skills was doing some background reading. I used a chapter of a book recommended by my tutor as well as some online resources. It gave me understanding of which steps should be taken in order to became successful. I started with identifying my goal, which was preparing a good set of notes for my oncoming exam. Then I started writing in a diary activities I was planning to do. The most important ones I wrote in using a pen (such as searching for material for my notes) and less important in pencil (like going to the store or meeting someone). The following, I highlighted the most important one so every time I opened my diary it was the first thing I saw. It was a reminder of what is need to be done. Then I identified how much time I want to spend on these tasks.

Impacts of internet on Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Impacts of internet on Culture - Essay Example This is affirmed by Stroud (1998, p.1) who claims that the internet has revolutionized communication bridging the gap in global network and transforming the whole world into a tiny global village where information and ideas can be shared or transmitted simply by a click. This paper will focus on the potential impacts of internet on cultures and more specifically, on how internet has affected cultural identities since its inception up to date. Both the merits and demerits of the internet as a revolutionary phenomenon in the 21st century will be addressed in an evaluative fashion in order to give a clear explanation as to why the internet has affected cultures. The internet dates back in history many years ago at about 1969 when the World Wide Web was discovered (originally, the internet was developed from ARPNET); however, according Shield (2009, pp.5-6) the World Wide Web finally took shape in the 1990s and Internet Explorer was first released in the year 1995. The internet has becom e the norm of interactions and communications in today’s world; virtually everything can be done via the internet today, playing a key role in making the virtual world a reality. For instance, many people use the internet to check their emails, for social networking, doing online shopping among other things. The pervasive popularity of the internet in the global village has had profound impacts on cultures all over the world, both positive and negative. Nevertheless, the most obvious manner in which the internet has affected cultures is by revolutionizing communication; the internet provides a robust platform for information sharing and transfer that has totally enhanced connectivity and interaction between cultures of the world. Today, different cultures around the world can share and exchange ideas and information over the internet without the need of having to travel; thus, as stated by Voiskounsky (1998, p.100) connectivity and interactions, different cultures are integra ted as individuals borrow ideas from other cultures. Moreover, the internet is also a wealthy source of information about different cultures of the world and this information is easily accessible to internet users all over the world. For instance, the pervasive Hollywood lifestyles of the west have a global presence on the internet and remote cultures are always willing and ready to copy aspects of these cultures such as fashion and other trends. Moreover, the internet has also affected cultures by revolutionizing the manner in which business is conducted in the 21st century; nowadays, it is hardly possible to keep up with the mushrooming online activities. Online trading has suddenly become the norm in the business world and many cultures have already embraced the idea of online shopping and in this case the traditional retail store shopping is slowly being discarded in favor of the alluring convenience and efficacy of online shopping. The online shopping experience is usually cust omized to suit consumer specifications and cultural contexts around the world, besides that, it allows consumers to shop at their own convenience and to enjoy the best products and prices ever. As a result, many cultures are quickly adopting online trading platforms over the internet; since as stated by Yilmaz (2012, 226) the internet offers a platform for global shopping and product marketing. In addition, the internet has also transformed the entertainment culture all over the world; unlike in the past when TV and radio were predominantly the sources of entertainment in households, Emigh (2010) states that the internet

Icon Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Icon Analysis - Assignment Example They represent the much needed leadership traits that American leaders must possess. In times of recession, people need characters that would serve as an inspiration in battling whatever crisis a country faces. According to Robert Pattinson, "Twilight is a big metaphor for sexual abstinence, and yet its erotic underneath. There are so many elements in the story which are sexy." This is true indeed that is why Pattinson has many die-hard fans. Pattinson represents the sexual urge that is subtly represented by his vampire character in the sequel â€Å" Twilight†. Young viewers can easily identify their repressed sexual feelings with Bella and Edward which is why this movie is successful. Lastly, Michael Jackson is still one of the world’s popular icon. His death made people cry for it symbolizes the good old days of the 70s of which soul, rock and roll as well as other significant events such as man’s landing on the moon happened in that era. Michael Jackson represents the decade where Cold War put the world in a political tension. Moreover, MJ reminds middle age people of their innocence at that time. MJ is a successful popular icon despite the fact that he had numerous legal battles involving sexual abuse of

abuse :: essays research papers

There are many different forms of abuse and many people do not realize. Verbal abuse is the use of words to attack, hurt or injure someone, or to gain power and control over them, or to persuade someone to believe something that is untrue and harmful. Abuse does not just occur with men to women, though this paper is going to focus on it. Abuse is about control and the fear of losing it. The abuser may fear not being â€Å"good enough† and or meeting others expectations. He/she may attempt to make their victim feel and believe similar things about him/her self. Abusers exploit, lie, insult, demean, ignore (the "silent treatment"), manipulate, and control. There are a million ways to abuse, directly and indirectly. There are many different forms of abuse and some are when your partner shows rejection, isolation, degrading. These are a few different types of abuse and when used in an extreme situation are they types of abuse. Many people will show some of these characteristics yet when someone is showing more than one and are in an extreme situation is when the acts become abuse. Emotional abuse has much in common with verbal abuse in that it is an attempt to hurt attack or control the victim. The emotional abuser often uses verbal abuse to hurt the victim, but can use other means as well. Emotional abuse often accompanies other forms of abuse such as physical abuse and verbal abuse. Individuals who hold the least power and resources in society are most often emotionally abused. This type of abuse has the potential to leave behind many significant hidden scars for the victim. Victims of physical abuse feel emotional abuse is more sever and debilitating than physical abuse. Out comes of emotional abuse may be manifested in a number of ways such as poor self esteem, social withdrawal, insecurity, substance abuse and difficulty forming positive attachments with others. Emotional abuse can be difficult to pin down because there are no physical signs to look for. Sure, people yell at each other, express anger, and call each other names sometimes, and expressing anger can sometimes be healthy.

Night World : Dark Angel Chapter 5

Actually, it wasn't the light she noticed first. It was an eerie feeling that some†¦ presence was in her room with her. She'd had the feeling before, waking up to feel that something had just left, maybe even in the instant it had taken her to open her eyes. And that while asleep, she'd been on the verge of some great discovery about the world, something that was lost as soon as she woke. But tonight, the feeling stayed. And as she stared around the room, feeling dazed and stupid and leaden, she slowly realized that the light was wrong. She'd forgotten to close the curtains, and moonlight was streaming into the room. It had the thin blue translucence of new snow. But in one corner of Gillian's room, by the gilded Italian chest of drawers, the light seemed to have pooled. Coalesced. Concentrated. As if reflecting off a mirror. There wasn't any mirror. Gillian sat up slowly. Her sinuses were stuffed up and her eyes felt like hard-boiled eggs. She breathed through her mouth and tried to make sense of what was in the corner. It looked like †¦ a pillar. A misty pillar of light. And instead of fading as she woke up, it seemed to be getting brighter. An ache had taken hold of Gillian's throat. The light was so beautiful†¦ and almost familiar. It reminded her of the tunnel and the meadow and †¦ Oh. She knew now. It was different to be seeing this when she wasn't dead. Then, she'd accepted strange things the way you accept them in dreams, without ordinary logic or disbelief interfering. But now she stared as the light got brighter and brighter, and felt her whole skin tingling and tears pooling in her eyes. She could hardly breathe. She didn't know what to do. How do you greet an angel in the ordinary world? The light continued to get brighter, just as it had in the meadow. And now she could see the shape in it, walking toward her and rushing at the same time. Still brighter-dazzling and pulsating-until she had to shut her eyes and saw red and gold after images like shooting stars. When she squinted her eyes back open, he was there. Awe caught at Gillian's throat again. He was so beautiful that it was frightening. Face pale, with traces of the light still lingering in his features. Hair like filaments of gold. Strong shoulders, tall but graceful body, every line pure and proud and different from any human. He looked more different now than he had in the meadow. Against the drab and ordinary background of Gillian's room, he burned like a torch. Gillian slid off her bed to kneel on the floor. It was an automatic reflex. â€Å"Don't do that.† The voice was like silver fire. And then-it changed. Became somehow more ordinary, like a normal human voice. â€Å"Here, does this help?† Gillian, staring at the carpet, saw the light that was glinting off a stray safety pin fade a bit. When she tilted her eyes up, the angel looked more ordinary, too. Not as luminous. More like just an impossibly beautiful teenage guy. â€Å"I don't want to scare you,† he said. He smiled. â€Å"Yeah,† Gillian whispered. It was all she could get out. â€Å"Are you scared?† â€Å"Yeah.† The angel made a frustrated circling motion with one arm. â€Å"I can go through all the gobbledygook: be not afraid, I mean you no harm, all that-but it's such a waste of time, don't you think?† He peered at her. â€Å"Aw, come on, kid, you died earlier today. Yesterday. This isn't really all that strange in comparison. You can deal.† â€Å"Yeah.† Gillian blinked. â€Å"Yeah,† she said with more conviction, nodding. â€Å"Take a deep breath, get up-â€Å" â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"-say something different†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Gillian got up. She perched on the edge of her bed. He was right, she could deal. So it hadn't been a dream. She had really died, and there really were angels, and now one was in the room with her, looking almost solid except at the edges. And he had come to †¦ â€Å"Why did you come here?† she said. He made a noise that, if he hadn't been an angel, Gillian would have called a snort. â€Å"You don't think I ever really left, do you?† he said chidingly. â€Å"I mean, think about it. How did you manage to recover from freezing without even needing to go to the hospital? You were in severe hypothermia, you know. The worst. You were facing pulmonary edema, ventricular fibrillation, the loss of a few of your bits†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He wiggled his fingers and waggled his feet. That was when Gillian realized he was standing several inches off the floor. â€Å"You were in bad shape, kid. But you got out of it without even frostbite.† Gillian looked down at her own ten pink fingers. They were tinglingly over-sensitive, but she didn't have even one blood blister. â€Å"You saved me.† He gave a half grin and looked sheepish. â€Å"Well, it's my job.† â€Å"To help people.† â€Å"To help you.† A barely acknowledged hope was forming in Gillian's mind. He never really left her; it was his job to help her. That sounded like†¦ Could he be †¦ Oh, God, no, it was too corny. Not to mention presumptuous. He was looking sheepish again. â€Å"Yeah. I don't know how to put it, either. But it is true, actually. Did you know that most people think they have one even when they don't? Somebody did a poll, and ‘most people have an inner certainty that there is some particular, individual spirit watching over them.' The New Agers call us spirit guides. The Hawaiians call us aumakua†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You're a guardian angel,† Gillian whispered. â€Å"Yeah. Your guardian angel. And I'm here to help you find your heart's desire.† â€Å"I-† Gillian's throat dosed. It was too much to believe. She wasn't worthy. She should have been a better person so that she would deserve some of the happiness that suddenly spread out in front of her. But then a cold feeling of reality set in. She wasn't a better person, and although she was sure enlightenment and whatever else an angel thought your heart's desire was, was terrific, well †¦ in her case†¦ She swallowed. â€Å"Look,† she said grimly. â€Å"The things I need help with-well, they're not exactly the kinds of things angels are likely to know about.† â€Å"Heh.† He grinned. He leaned over in a position that would have unbalanced an ordinary person and waved an imaginary something over her head. â€Å"You shall go to the ball, Cinderella.† A wand. Gillian looked at him. â€Å"Now you're my fairy godmother?† â€Å"Yeah. But watch the sarcasm, kid.† He changed to a floating position, his arms clasping his knees, and looked her dead in the eye. â€Å"How about if I say I know your heart's desire is for David Blackburn to fall madly in love with you and for everyone at school to think you're totally hot?† Heat swept up Gillian's face. Her heart was beating out the slow, hard thumps of embarrassment- and excitement. When he said it out loud like that, it sounded extremely shallow†¦ and extremely, extremely desirable. â€Å"And you could help with that?† she choked out. â€Å"Believe it or not, Ripley.† â€Å"But you're an angel.† He templed his fingers. â€Å"The paths to enlightenment are many. Grasshopper. Grasshopper? Maybe I should call you Dragonfly. You are sort of iridescent. There're lots of other insects, but Dung-Beetle sounds sort of insulting. †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I've got a guardian angel who sounds like Robin Williams, Gillian thought. It was wonderful. She started to giggle uncontrollably, on the edge of tears. â€Å"Of course, there's a condition,† the angel said, dropping his fingers. He looked at her seriously. His eyes were like the violet-blue at the bottom of a flame. Gillian gulped, took a scared breath. â€Å"What?† â€Å"You have to trust me.† â€Å"That's it?† â€Å"Sometimes it won't be so easy.† â€Å"Look.† Gillian laughed, gulped again, steadied herself. She looked away from his eyes, focusing on the graceful body that was floating in midair. â€Å"Look, after all I've seen†¦ after you saved my life-and my bits †¦ how could I not trust you?† She said it again quietly. â€Å"How could I ever not trust you?† He nodded. Winked. â€Å"Okay,† he said. â€Å"Let's prove it.† â€Å"Huh?† Slowly the feeling of awed incredulity was fading. It was beginning to seem almost normal to talk to this magical being. â€Å"Let's prove it. Get some scissors.† â€Å"Scissors?† Gillian stared at the angel. He stared back. â€Å"I don't even know where any scissors are.† â€Å"Drawer to the left of the silverware drawer in the kitchen. A big sharp pair.† He grinned like Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother. Gillian wasn't afraid. She didn't decide not to be, she simply wasn't. â€Å"Okay,† she said and went down to get the scissors. The angel went with her, floating just behind her shoulder. At the bottom of the stairs were two Abyssinian cats, curled up head to toe like the Yin-Yang symbol. They were fast asleep. Gillian nudged one gently with one toe, and it opened sleepy crescents of eyes. And then it was off like a flash-both cats were. Streaking down the side hall, falling over each other, skidding on the hardwood floor. Gillian watched with her mouth open. â€Å"Balaam's ass,† the angel said wisely. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† For a moment Gillian thought she was being insulted. â€Å"I mean, animals can see us.† â€Å"But they were scared. All their fur-I've never seen them like that before.† â€Å"Well, they may not understand what I am. It happens sometimes. Come on, let's get the scissors.† Gillian stared down the side hall for a moment, then obeyed. â€Å"Now what?† she said as she brought the scissors back to her room. â€Å"Go in the bathroom.† Gillian went into the little bathroom that adjoined her bedroom and flicked on the light. She licked dry lips. â€Å"And now?† she said, trying to sound flippant. â€Å"Do I cut off a finger?† â€Å"No. Just your hair.† In the mirror over the sink, Gillian saw her own jaw drop. She couldn't see the angel, though, so she turned around. â€Å"Cut my hair? Off?† â€Å"Off. You hide behind it too much. You have to show the world that you're not hiding anymore.† â€Å"But-† Gillian raised protective hands, looking back in the mirror. She saw herself, pale, delicate boned, with eyes like wood violets-peering out from a curtain of hair. So maybe he had a point. But to go into the world naked, without anything to duck behind, with her face exposed†¦ â€Å"You said you trusted me,† the angel said quietly. Gillian chanced a look at him. His face was stem and there was something in his eyes that almost scared her. Something unknowable and cold, as if he were withdrawing from her. â€Å"It's the way to prove yourself,† he said. â€Å"It's like taking a vow. If you can do this part, you're brave enough to do what it takes to get your heart's desire.† He paused deliberately. â€Å"But, of course, if you're not brave enough, if you want me to go away †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No,† Gillian said. Most of what he was saying made sense, and as for what she didn't understand-well, she would have to have faith. I can do this. To show that she was serious, she took the open scissors, bracketed the pale blond curtain at a level with her ear, and squeezed them shut. Her hair just folded around the scissors. â€Å"Okay.† The angel was laughing. â€Å"Hold onto the hair at the bottom and pull. And try less hair.† He sounded like himself again: warm and teasing and loving-helpful. Gillian let out her breath, gave a wobbly smile, and devoted herself to the horrible and fascinating business of cutting off long blond chunks. When she was done, she had a silky blond cap. Short. It was shorter than Amy's hair, almost as short as J.Z. Oberlin's hair, the girl at school who worked as a model and looked like a Calvin Klein ad. It was really short. â€Å"Look in the mirror,† the angel said, although Gillian was already looking. â€Å"What do you see?† â€Å"Somebody with a bad haircut?† â€Å"Wrong. You see somebody who's brave. Strong. Out there. Unique. Individualist. And, incidentally, gorgeous.† â€Å"Oh, please.† But she did look different. Under the ragged St. Joan bob, her cheekbones seemed to stand out more; she looked older, more sophisticated. And there was color in her cheeks. â€Å"But it's still all uneven.† â€Å"We can get it smoothed out tomorrow. The important thing is that you took the first step yourself. By the way, you'd better learn to stop blushing. A girl as beautiful as you has to get used to compliments.† â€Å"You're a funny kind of angel.† â€Å"I told you, it's part of the job. Now let's see what you've got in your closet.† An hour later, Gillian was in bed again. This time, under the covers. She was tired, dazed, and very happy. â€Å"Sleep fast,† the angel said. â€Å"You've got a big day tomorrow.† â€Å"Yes. But wait.† Gillian tried to keep her eyes open. â€Å"There were some things I forgot to ask you.† â€Å"Ask.† â€Å"That crying I heard in the woods-the reason I went in. Was it a kid? And are they okay?† There was a brief pause before he answered. â€Å"That information is classified. But don't worry,† he added. â€Å"Nobody's hurt-now.† Gillian opened one eye at him, but it was dear he wasn't going to say any more. â€Å"Okay,† she said reluctantly. â€Å"And the other thing was-I still don't know what to call you.† â€Å"I told you. Angel.† Gillian smiled, and was immediately struck by a jaw-cracking yawn. â€Å"Okay. Angel.† She opened her eyes again. â€Å"Wait. One more thing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But she couldn't think of it. There had been some other mystery she'd wanted to ask about, something that had to do with Tanya, with Tanya and blood. But she couldn't summon it up. Oh, well. She'd remember later. â€Å"I just wanted to say-thank you.† He snorted. â€Å"You can say it anytime. Get this through your head, kid: I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here tomorrow morning.† He began to hum a Blind Melon song. † I'll always be there when you wake†¦ .' Yeah, yeah, yeah.† Gillian felt warm, protected†¦ loved. She fell asleep smiling. The next morning she woke early and spent a long time in the bathroom. She came down the stairs feeling self-conscious and lightheaded-literally. With her hair gone her neck felt as if it were floating. She braced herself as she walked into the kitchen. Neither of her parents was there, even though her father was usually having breakfast by now. Instead, a girl with dark hair was sitting at the kitchen table, bent closely over a calculus textbook. â€Å"Amy!† Amy glanced up and blinked. She squinted, blinked again, then jumped up, standing an inch taller than Gillian. She moved forward, her eyes huge. Then she screamed.