The Lord of the Rings Essay Example for Free

The Lord of the Rings Essay To begin describing my unlikely hero’s we first have to ask ourselves what makes a hero. Is it always a big, strong alpha male with a square jaw and cocky attitude? I hardly think so. I feel that a hero is someone who puts others needs in front of their own to complete whatever task is set before them, even though they may have to give their life in the process, they keep going. Once in a while you come across a story where the hero not only does not fit into the stereotypical hero status but is as far away from what you expect as you can get. The unlikely hero†¦ The unlikely hero is a hero who never wanted to be a hero. The unlikely hero proves that anyone can make it as a hero. This diamond in the rough disguises his true potential until tough times call for his aid. He is greatly unsure of himself and often unsure on what to do. He just knows that something has to be done. The odds are usually greatly in favor of the villains and there is much to overcome, both mentally and psychically. My unlikely heroes are Frodo from the Lord of the Rings (Tolkien) and Pug from the Riftwar Saga. Both of these unlikely heroes must overcome great odds to complete quests that are thrust upon them. One, a small hobbit with little knowledge of the world outside of his home in the Shire, the other, a small orphan boy from the rustic town of castle Crydee. Neither is aware of the dangers that await them or that their lives are about to change forever. Frodo Baggins is a hobbit. Hobbits are short and stocky and do not go out very often. Life outside the Shire does not concern them too much and they are very content on staying on their own land doing what pleases them. Frodo lives with his uncle Bilbo in his hobbit hole Bags End, a house carved into the side of a hill. Frodo is usually quiet and reserved and does not like to cause a scene. (Tolkien) While living with his uncle Bilbo, Frodo is left in the Shire as heir to Bags End and all of the possessions. This included a magic ring. All Bilbo knew about the ring is that it turned the wearer invisible; the true nature of the ring had become lost to history. After keeping the ring hidden for 17 years the wizard Gandalf came to Frodo to tell him that it is The One Ring of the Dark Lord Sauron and that his agents are searching for it. Gandalf informs Fordo he must take the ring to Rivendell, home of the house of Elrond, an elf lord in order to keep it out of the hands of the Nazgul, Sauron’s agents. (Tolkien) At the start of his journey Frodo is joined by his friend and gardener Samwise Gamgee, and his cousins Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took. They leave the shire for Rivendell and almost instantly they are tracked by the Nazgul, barely escaping. They make it to an inn in the town of Bree where they are joined by Aragorn who helps them escape their next attack and guide them to Rivendell. Once in Rivendell there is a meeting on what to do about the ring. There are representatives from each race at the meeting. They come to the conclusion that the ring is to be destroyed but an argument ensues on who will take possession of it to destroy it. Then Frodo volunteers for the task and everyone else takes an oath to protect him on his journey to Mordor to destroy the ring in the fires of Mount Doom. (Tolkien) There are many things that Frodo must overcome in order to complete his task. The ring drives the humans around it mad and they will eventually try to kill Frodo for it. Frodo is also hunted at every turn by Orcs and every other being that Sauron has under his control. Frodo eventually has to leave all of his companions behind with the exception of Sam in order to protect the ring from those that wish to use the rings power. Frodo and Sam made their way through Emyn Muil, followed by the creature Gollum. As they finally reached Mount Doom, Gollum reappeared and attacked Frodo, who beat him back. He continued on while Sam fought with Gollum. Having finally reached the Sammath Naur, or Crack of Doom, however, Frodo lost the will to destroy the Ring, and instead put it on, claiming it for himself. Gollum got past Sam and attacked the invisible Frodo, biting off his finger, and finally regained his precious. As he danced around in elation, Gollum lost his balance and fell with the Ring into the lava. The Ring was thus destroyed, Saurons power lost and his realm ended. Frodo and Sam were rescued by Great Eagles as Mount Doom erupted. (Tolkien) Pug is the child of unknown parents, an orphan abandoned at a monastery near Crydee, a town on the north-west coast of the Kingdom of the Isles. As a boy, he is sent to Castle Crydee and is adopted by Megar, the castle keeps cook. He grows up there, becoming the closest friend of Megars son, Tomas, becoming almost a brother to him. While gathering shellfish at age 13, Pug is caught in a storm, his ankle is sprained, and he is charged by a wild boar. He is saved by a franklin named Meecham, who is in the service of the court Magician Kulgan. (Fiest) Kulgan discovers Pugs talent for magic and takes him as his apprentice on Choosing Day. Under Kulgans tutelage, Pug makes satisfactory progress in the theory of magic, but finds himself unable to cast spells in the traditional way. Pug appears to suffer some form of mental block. Kulgan decides that as a foil to Pugs very logical mind, Pug is to be taught equestrian skills. This leads to Pug being selected to accompany Princess Carline (daughter of the Duke of Crydee) into the countryside on a ride. During the course of this ride, they are attacked by two trolls; Pug manages to defend the princess demonstrating skill first with a sling and then with his unexpected success in casting a spell, his first of any power. The spell causes the trolls excruciating pain and they drown. Kulgan voices to Pug that this is a skill unheard of in Midkemian magic. Casting this particular spell without a device to focus the power was impossible. Casting the spell in the manner in which Pug did should have caused great pain to himself instead of the Trolls. Upon return to Crydee, Pug earns the gratitude of the Duke and the affection of Carline, Duke Borrics beautiful, but willful, daughter. As a reward for this feat, Pug is made a squire and was granted land, to be held by the crown until the age of majority. Then, mysteriously, the Tsurani invade Crydee. A bitter nine year war ensues at the start of which, Pug is captured while helping Kulgan get safely away from a skirmish and taken to Kelewan, kept at first as a swamp slave, cutting timber and pulp for the Tsurani. He is liberated from the swamps by Clan of Tsurani nobles, and instructed to tutor their sons in the ways of the Kingdom. Pug is respected but never allowed to forget that he is nothing but a slave. During this time Pug meets and falls for Katala, a slave girl of great beauty and wit, and Laurie, a former Troubador from the Kingdom, most recently a friend and confidant of Pug. However, one day Pugs former training is recognized by a Tsurani Great One. Pug is trained as a Greater Path Magician, and is remarkable in many ways. His outworld status (as well as his former status as slave, enemy and lesser path apprentice) makes him something of a celebrity. Pug is renamed Milamber. Fiest) Pug becomes instrumental in bringing the Riftwar to an end, by destroying the planetary rift between Kelewan and Midkemia, in an effort to stop the return of the enemy to Midkemia. When the Riftwar ends, Pug is rewarded with the title to the island of Stardock, previously gifted to him by Duke Borric for saving his daughter. It is also revealed that after he had been considered dead, the Duke gave him a name in memorial, adopting him into the ConDoin family, effectively making him an adopted member of the royal family. Fiest) Midkemia is very similar to Earth in climate, and its flora and fauna. It has three continents: Triagia, Novindus and Winet. It has two oceans, though there are various names for them depending on the continent or nation. The Endless Sea is west of Triagia and is east of Novindus where it is called the Blue Sea. The Sea of Tears is east of Triagia and west of Novindus where it is called the Green Sea. (Fiest) Tolkien prepared several maps of Middle-earth and the regions of Middle-earth in which his stories took place. Some were published in his lifetime, though some of the earliest maps were not published until after his death. The main maps were those published in The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and Unfinished Tales. Most of the events of the First Age took place in the subcontinent Beleriand, which was later engulfed by the ocean at the end of the First Age; the Blue Mountains at the right edge of the map of Beleriand are the same Blue Mountains that appear on the extreme left of the map of Middle-earth described in the Second and Third Ages. Tolkiens map of Middle-earth, however, shows only a small part of the world; most of the vast lands of Rhun and Harad are not shown on the map, and there are also other continents. (Tolkien) The two unlikely heroes are a lot alike as well as being very different. Pug has many powers he can use later on in the books to help him do what needs to be done. Frodo just has his will and the help of Sam. No matter how hard things became, they both pressed on in order to save their world.

Savannah and Chloe Essay -- Personal Narrative Friendship Essays

Savannah and Chloe Have you ever watched a friendship fall apart? It’s an interesting thing to experience. What’s truly amazing is that there are obvious signs, but few people recognize them in time to stop it. This is what happened to me. This is the friendship that I watched slide through the cracks. This is my story. Savannah and I had been friends since the second grade. We lived next door to each other. We were in the choir together. We walked home from school together. We were inseparable. We were often referred to as one person. We were no longer individuals. Like Mary-Kate and Ashley, we became Savannah and Chloe. I remember those years well. Savannah would be outside with her sister, and without a second thought would run through our front door to grab something to eat or go to the bathroom. The same privileges were given to me. I would charge through her front door without a moment’s hesitation. This was just the way we lived our lives. It was expected of us. After all, we were Savannah and Chloe. This plot continued through elementary school and into the summer before our sixth grade year. Our lives had been relatively simple until that time. School. Choir. Friendship. That was all we had to worry about. That is, until that fateful day when my mother told me that she had met someone. It had always been just her and me. So once Jack came into the picture, life took on a completely different aura. Not only did I acquire a new stepfather, but two stepsisters as well. This sudden multiplication of people created chaos. I began spending more time with my family, getting to know the newest members. Savannah quickly became friends with my step siblings. We all spent time together ... ... since that night. She got married in April of 2004. I wasn't there. I couldn't bring myself to watch from the outside. Since the moment we met, we had based our relationship on all or nothing. I couldn't be just another face in the crowd. I've heard that Savannah is living a happy life with Mark. They bought a house and are planning on starting a family. There have been times that I've wanted to call her, but I know our relationship would never be the same. She is a different person now and so am I. I've grown up. I've realized that relationships aren't always durable. I've learned that the people you love the most can hurt you the most. I’ve learned that sometimes you wake up and friendships are over. You are no longer a part of their life. You are now a part of their past. A fond memory. A distant thought. Whatever you call it, it is the past.

Discussing the importance of partnerships in a child care setting

A practitioners job is not only to ensure the safety of the children and to plan structured day to day activities but also to ensure that various partnerships and created within the child care setting. â€Å"Professional relationships are absolutely vital to the smooth running of an early years setting.† Early Years Foundation Level 4, Unit 5 (Respecting each other) – Professional relationships page 69.Depending on the child care environment practitioners can work with one or two assistants depending on the age group and adult to child ratio. Maintaining a happy and trusted partnership within in a team in a classroom can then benefit ways the classroom run and undertake various tasks together.Knowing your teams strengths and having trust in each other not only encourages mirror behaviour with children in the child care setting but allows practitioners and assistants to develop further in current or new skills. â€Å"In order to build on your relationship with others it 's important that you respect and value your own strengths, skills and knowledge as well as recognising the contribution made by other.† Early Years Foundation Level 4 Unit 5 (Respecting each other) – Professional relationships page 69.For some children then partnership they create with a practitioner could be one of the main interactions they have with an adult through the day. i.e. focusing on child who spend alot of time with maids or nanny's.Having good partnerships with collegues allows a practitioner to establish a  good and effective working relationship to ensure that everyone works together as part of a team. This is to essentially benefit the children.As well as a good partnership with collegues adults need to interact well with children in the environment as well. Practitioners should involve children in decisions â€Å"Ask them what they would like to do, listen to their ideas and incorporate as many of these ideas as possible into your daily routine.â₠¬  Early Years Foundation Level 4 Unit 10 (Supporting every child) – Working together page 127. Incorporating a child's ideas help build a partnership, loyalty and trust between them and the practitioner. â€Å"By involving the children in all stages of planning you will ensure that they feel valued, that their opinions and ideas are relevant and, most importantly, you will ensure that the activities you provide are meaningful and interesting to the children.† Early Years Foundation Level 4 – Unit 10 (Supporting every child) – Working together page 127.A practitioner will try and create a secure attatchment between them and the children. Even with all the observation no-one will know a child better than their own parents. Creating a bond with parents is essential upon the first meeting. If a practitioner creates a relationship with a child's parents it can portray a sense of trust to the child. If parents have a positive attitude towards the practitioner , assistants and the child care setting this can only be a positive for the child to observe and therefore for the child to possibly mirror.A secure attatchment is essential in any child care setting however a practitioner needs to be able to reassure parents/carers that although their child may have a secure attatchment to a member in the class or have a key person. Their child will still always be encourages to socialise with friends, play independatly and generally become a member of the classroom as a whole. This is to ensure that parents dont start to panic that their child is becoming dependant on one key person.All children at any age specifically babies and early years children rely on the continuity of a special relationship between the practitioner and the child. They are the foundations of mental and physical development. Therefore practitioners should continuously ensure that every child feels loved, valued, cared for and thought about. â€Å"A part of the role of the e ffective practitioner is to bring together their commitments of respect and working with parents as partners, in order to reinforce positive relationships with all the children in their care.† Early Years Foundation Level 4 Unit 8 Key person ( Shared care) page 101.Working with a group of children and their parents it's important to acknowledge that every family is unique. This could depend on numerous things i.e culture, language barrier, nationality a child's upbringing and their personal environment.â€Å"Although practitioners may be experts in the field of children's learning and development they must remember that parents are experts on their own child.† (Unit 6, Repeating diversity, page 75)Effective communication is extremely essential in a child care setting with the children, the team of practitioners and also importantly the parents. Unfortunately there will be some things that parents miss out on when they entrust a practitioner to take care of their child. It's important to make them feel as involved in any activity or achievement their child may have been involved in.When language barriers occur or not being in contact with a parent. A practitioner needs to find another way of relaying information.Many child care settings use weekly communication books to pass on important information, or even if the child may have received a sticker to attach that in the communication book. According to the age of the child this could allow for the child to explain their personal achievement thus making it that more personal.Although communication diaries have advantages, it's important for a practitioner to keep balance with written communication and talking face to  face. Practitioners should try and retain any relationships they have with parents allowing them to feel a sense of comfort that you are flexible plus there as and when needed, for any type of discussion they may want to have, in case they have any questions or concerns. (REVISE)â₠¬ It is important for Early Years practitioners and parents to both realise the importance of learning from one another. Each holds vital information, knowledge and expertise which, if shared can contribute to and enhance a child's learning and development.† (Unit 6, learning together, page 82)Working with early years children a practitioner may not only work with assistants and parents / carers but practitioners may also work in partnership with other professionals.All children have various day to day home lives, it's paramount to try and adopt any routine to a child's (child) care setting where possible, creating this continuity will promote a child to feel safe, valued and secure.

Ancient Persian Rulers Timeline (Modern Iran)

In ancient history, there were 3 main dynasties that controlled ancient Persia, a western name for the area that is modern Iran: Achaemenids, Parthians, and Sasanids. There was also a period when the Hellenistic Macedonian and Greek successors of Alexander the Great, known as Seleucids, ruled Persia. Early mention of the area is from Assyria c. 835 B.C., when the Medes occupied the Zagros Mountains. The Medes gained control of an area extending from the Zagros Mountains to include Persis, Armenia, and eastern Anatolia. In 612, they captured the Assyrian city of Ninevah. Here are the rulers of ancient Persia, by dynasty, based on Dynasties of the World, by John E. Morby; Oxford University Press, 2002. Achaemenid Dynasty 559-530 - Cyrus the Great529-522 - Cambyses (son)522 - Smerdis (Bardiya) (brother)521-486 - Darius I, the Great485-465 - Xerxes I (son)464-424 - Artaxerxes I, Longimanus (son)424 - Xerxes II (son)424 - Sogdianus (brother)423-405 - Darius II, Nothus (brother)404-359 - Artaxerxes II, Mnemon (son)358-338 - Artaxerxes III (Ochus) (son)337-336 - Artaxerxes IV ( Arses) (son)335-330 - Darius III (Codomannus) (great-grandson of Darius II) Macedonian Conquest of the Persian Empire 330 Seleucids 305-281 B.C. - Seleucus I Nicator281-261 - Antiochus I Soter261-246 - Antiochus II Theos246-225 - Seleucus II Callinicus Parthian Empire - Arsacid Dynasty 247-211 - Arsaces I (conquered Parthia c. 238)211-191 - Arsaces II (son)191-176 - Priapatius (son)176-171 - Phraates I (son)171-138 - Mithridates I (brother)138-128 - Phraates II (son)128-123 - Artabanus I (son of Priapatius)123-87 - Mithridates II, the Great (son)90-80 - Gotarzes I80-77 - Orodes I77-70 - Sinatruces70-57 - Phraates III (son)57-54 - Mithridates III (son)57-38 - Orodes II (brother)38-2 - Phraates IV (son)2-AD 4 - Phraates V (son)4-7 - Orodes III7-12 - Vonones I (son of Phraates IV)12-38 - Artabanus II38-45 - Vardanes I (son)45-51 - Gotarzes II (brother)51 - Vonones II51-78 - Vologases I (son or brother)55-58 - Vardanes II77-80 - Vologases II78-110 - Pacorus (son of Vologases I)80-90 - Artabanus III (brother)109-129 - Osroes112-147 - Vologases III129-147 - Mithridates IV147-191 - Vologases IV191-208 - Vologases V (son)208-222 - Vologases VI (son)213-224 - Artabanus IV (brother) Sasanid Dynasty 224-241 - Ardashir I241-272 - Shapur I (son; co-regent 240)272-273 - Hormizd I (son)273-276 - Bahram I (brother)276-293 - Bahram II (son)293 - Bahram III (son; deposed)293-302 - Narseh (son of Shapur I)302-309 - Hormizd II (son)310-379 - Shapur II (son)379-383 - Ardashir II (nephew)383-388 - Shapur III (son of Shapur II)388-399 - Bahram IV (son)399-420 - Yazdgard I (son)420-438 - Bahram V, the Wild Ass (son)438-457 - Yazdgard II (son)457-459 - Hormizd III (son)459-484 - Peroz I (brother)484-488 - Balash (brother)488-497 - Kavad I (son of Peroz; deposed)497-499 - Zamasp (brother)499-531 - Kavad I (restored)531-579 - Khusrau I, Anushirvan (son)579-590 - Hormizd IV (son; deposed)590-591 - Bahram VI, Chbn (usurper; deposed)590-628 - Khusrau II, the Victorious (son of Hormizd IV; deposed and died 628)628 - Kavad II, Shiroe (son)628-630 - Ardashir III (son)630 - Shahrbaraz (usurper)630-631 - Boran (daughter of Khusrau II)631 - Peroz II (cousin)631-632 - Azarmedukht (daughter of Khusrau II) 632-651 - Yazdgard III (nephew) 651 - Arab Conquest of the Sasanid Empire At the end of the ancient period, war with Heraclius of the Byzantine Empire weakened the Persians enough that the Arabs gained control.