Construction Of The Questionnaire And Interview Schedule Marketing Essay

Construction Of The Questionnaire And Interview Schedule Marketing Essay Setting up a research has different approaches. In order to have a structured research paper, the methods and processes have to be clarified before starting the research. Different research styles and traditions are explained in the book of Finn, Elliott-Whit, Walton (2000). In this Bachlor Thesis, the survey method as research style and the positivistic approach as research traditions have been chosen. The lead questions will be answerd in the Descussion of the Results. The results are measurable, and the presentation of new ideas are based on the empirical data from the survey. In the quantitative research, a descriptive data analysis has been done, as it has a deductive approach. Figure 1: Generall Research Approach Theory Hypothesis Data collection Data analysis Research findings Accept or reject hypothesis Procedure and Approach The procedure and approach that was applied for this work will be explained in this subchapter. In the table below there is an overview of the approaches used: Table 1: Research Procedure and Approach Literature Review Internet, computer database, reports, articles, books have been used Methodology Deduction = The lead question will be tested Research Paradigm A positivistic approach was used Research Designs Qualitative approach Survey Method Online Survey with the program Surveymonkey External sources Regular contact with the Advisor and the external partner Hilke Patzwall (VAUDE) Data Analysis The online program Surveymonkey helped to evaluate the survey and to develop figures and graphs. (Source: Own illustration)Setting up a Research Question In February 2010 the aim of this paper was introduced in the first meeting with Mr. Luthe. With the external advisor Ms. Patzwall, there was a continuous Email contact. The lead questions and research problems were defined and set up. The lead question is: Are customers ready to buy recycled products and would they participate in a recycling program? Wurde diese Frage beantwortet?In Discussion of the results Information Search In the meantime, useful primary and secondary data was collected. The link of the survey was sent to 4500 addresses through a newsletter of VAUDE. Approximately 50 surveys were completed. This is a return rate of 1.1%. A circular mail was sent to over 500 Email addresses, which were gained through the internet. These addresses were all somehow related to the outdoor industry. More answers were gained thanks to an outdoor blog, www.outdoor-blog.com, and through a twitter account with 165 outdoor followers. The rest of the responses were received at the OutDoor Exhibition in Friedrichshafen, where the author gained 30 Email addresses. Stages in Survey Research The effects and causes through statistical analysis are shown thanks to the emphasis of Finn, Elliott-Whit, Walton (2000). A survey research is proposed with different stages. Subsequent stages are considered in the survey development; it is a modified version based on Finn, Elliott-Whit, Walton ( 2000,p. 87): 1. Appropriate conceptualization and structuring of the research problem 2. Derivation of appropriate measures of the key concepts 3. Determination of the sampling strategy 4. Construction of the questionnaire and interview schedule 5. Pre-testing the survey 6. Refining and modifying 7. Administration of the questionnaire 8. Data coding and processing 9. Data analysis and evaluation 10. Report writing All these steps combined help to get a better output, as they support the use of multiple methods. (Finn, Elliott-Whit, Walton, 2000) Pretest Set Data for Survey A pre-test was done with 112 participants. Based on the results of the pre-test, some adjustments were made. First of all, some answer options were added and also some questions were removed and formulated differently. The following big adjustments were made: Answer options added: Question 3: Which products do you separate from the usual domestic waste? Medicinal products Question 4: What do you do with your clothes which you do not wear anymore? Donate them to a charitable organisation and throw them away. Question 6: What are the reasons for the disposal of your clothes? Clothes are shabby or damaged Question 9: Why do you purchase a new outdoor jacket? Damaged Question 10: What do you do with the old outdoor jackets, which you dont wear anymore? Throw them away Question that were reorganised/relocated: Question 14 (Are you ready now, with the new knowledge gained, to participate in a recycling program for outdoor jackets?) moved to question 22. As there are more questions between the first time asked, people taking the survey really had the opportunity to gain new knowledge. Questions 15, 16, 17 and 18. (Are you ready to return your outdoor jacket to a specialist shop for a shopping voucher of 5 Euro?) The amount of money was too high. The lowest amount of vouchers giving back is 5 Euro to the highest with 20. Internet Survey The survey is on the basis of opinion survey. The needs, beliefs and behaviour are needed for my bachelor thesis. The interview form is very structured and done online. It is filled out by the consumer of outdoor equipment. As an incentive, VAUDE provides a bag which is made of recycled PET bottles to participants. The first question (Which outdoor sport activities do you follow regularly?) was to identify what kind of outdoor sports participants do. The second question was connected with the first. The aim of this question was to get a deeper look into the regularity of the outdoor sport done. To introduce the issue of recycling, the third question was about the separation of used products form usual domestic waste. Question number four had the aim to gain a deeper look at how clothes have been disposed until now. This question can be compared with question number ten, as it is the same question but instead of clothes disposal, it is about the disposal of outdoor jackets. How often the clothes disposal is done, is the next question, which helps to gain a deeper view into the habits surrounding clothes disposal. Question number six has the same aim. The first question about outdoor jackets is number seven, which shows the kind of outdoor jackets the survey takers own. The following question shows how often a new outdoor jacket will be purchased. The aim of this question is to understand why a new outdoor jacket is needed, so a connection can be made with purchase frequency. After four introducing questions about the outdoor jacket, the following recycling question is asked: Are you ready to recycle your outdoor jacket? This question is asked again at the end of the survey, question 22. There are nine questions between the first time and the second time asked. This is done because it will show whether they vary their beliefs about recycling their outdoor jackets. In question number twelve the willingness to purchase a recycled outdoor jacket is inquired about, to get information about customers interest. The next question is about the willingness to recycle, with the information, that recycling saves resources. That should show how the survey taker reacts given more information, as well as having the idea to do something good with the recycling of old outdoor jackets. Question number 14 points out the cooperation possibilities in the recycling program, it discloses the preferences. A rating system was introduced, and the respondent had the choice between three answers: ready, not sure or not ready. Four questions are about the amount of a store credit if the outdoor jacket is brought back to the store. It was chosen to ask a separate question for each amount. The idea behind this is that the participants are not prejudiced by the different amounts. The answers here are also a rating system with the same three different responses. The first question has the amount of 5 Euro, second of 10 Euro, third of 15 Euro and the last one of 20 Euro. These four questions will be analyzed and compared to gain the highest return of the outdoor jackets. Another question is to gain information about the willingness to pay a fixed recycling fee, which is paid as an extra charge on the normal price of an outdoor jacket. A following question is how high the fixed recycling fee should be, that the customer of a new recycling jacket would pay this fee. At the end of the survey demographic questions are asked, like sex, age, monthly net income per person in Euro, residence, the profession and the highest education complete. Survey Data and Evaluation When the number of surveys needed was reached, the link was closed and the evaluation of the surveys could be started. Graphs and figures were created and interpreted. The result of each question is shown fist, afterwards the six most important questions are analysed by socio-demographic data. These socio-demographic factors are: age, sex and education. They were selected as the most participants filled out these three questions in the survey. A differentiation between age and sex shows the aspects of women and men as well as those of different age groups. Another reason for selecting education was that the LOHAS differentiate from the other Lifestyles through education. The result of this analysis can be seen in chapter five. It has to be said that the work is not representative, as there are not the same amount of people in each social factor group. It should have been measured with the help of the population structure. In this short time it is not possible to do a representative s urvey as would be needed for a dissertation. This survey shows tendency and gives some further inputs. It needs to be mentioned that for the questions asked in this survey, often there is a limitation in interpreting the questions. This limitation is known as the intention-behaviour gap. It is a big gap between having an intention to do so and the actual behavior. This theory was introduced by Martin Fishbein in 1975. Aizen said a behavior is a function of compatible intentions and perceptions of behavioral control in that perceived behavioral control is expected to moderate the effect of intention on behavior, such that a favorable intention produces the behavior only when perceived behavioral control is strong. (Aizen, n.d.) For this reason the results in this survey need to be considered with care. Sadly a big gap remains between the percentage of people which have an awareness of the problem and those who take action to solve it. A study at Yale University showed that 92% are aware about the problem of global warming but it has a low priority relative to other issues. (Tan, 2008) Hypothesis In this thesis there are tree hypotheses formulated, which are proved or disproved in the subchapter 5.7, where the discussion will be presented. The willingness of a customer to recycle old outdoor equipment rises if he has a monetary benefit; either through getting back the recycling fee paid at the time of purchase or through receiving a store credit. The awareness of saving resources when purchasing a recycled outdoor jacket and when taking part in a recycling program is higher in customers above 35 than in customers under 35. Men purchase outdoor jackets more frequently as they do so when new technologies arise in the market, whereas women purchase outdoor jackets less frequently as for them the function is essential. Survey Results The survey had 202 participants but only 185 people finished all the obligatory questions. The analysis of the survey was done with the 185 complete survey responses. The personal questions were not obligatory, so there are fewer responses. Each chart which has fewer responses than 185 has a mark with the number of participants. First of all we begin with the personal information, followed by the activities. The third subchapter shows a closer look at the outdoor jackets and in the fourth subchapter, the recycling habits are presented. In subchapter 5.5 the six main questions have been analyzed with the socio-demographic factors. Socio-Demographic Data The survey was mainly sent to outdoor consumers in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, which can be seen form the chart of the country derivation of the participants. 175 people of 185 answered this question. Figure 2: Living Country (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) Figure 3: Age (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study)The survey was mostly answerd by people between 26 to 35 with 69 answers. Followed by the age range of 46 to 55. With 15 answers, the age above 55 had the lowest participation. This question was answerd by 180 people. The sex of the participants is balanced: 90 male to 90 female. Figure 4: Education(Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) Figure 5: Main Activities (Profession)As it can be seen from the graph above, the education level is high. The people have at least an apprenticeship, only five participants have just a basic education. 45 survey takers have a diploma followed by 34 with a Masters degreeand 33 with a school leaving examination. 28 participants have a Bachelors degree and 25 have an apprenticeship. Moreover, eight participants have a Ph.D. and seven have completed the examination for the master craftsmans diploma. The high educational level is also reflected in the main activity (profession) of the participants in the next chart. Most of the survey takers, with 134 out of 185, are employed. 34 students took the survey, followed by 24 participants who are self employed. Three people are unemployed. (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) The monthly net income shows the differences between a LOHAS curve and this surveys curve. This curve shows that over 29% have less or up to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1500, which can be explained by the high student participation rate. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1501 to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2500 is the next high point. The statistics of the federal office in Germany show that the average monthly net income is about à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1300 to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2500. This matches the high level of a low net income, as in this survey 43% are from Germany. The second peak of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬3501 to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬4500 can be related to the higher net income in Switzerland and to the large number of highly educated survey takers. Only 11 participants have a net income of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 4500. 111 anwers to this question were collected. Figure 6: Monthly Net Income (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) Figure 7: Monthly Net Income (LOHAS Survey 2007) This monthly net income curve is not typical for followers of LOHAS. This fact is proofed by a survey of Burda Research Development. The LOHAS net income curve is the opposite of the survey graph. This big difference indicates that a very high number of students participated in the survey made for this thesis. Also, the weak status of the current economy could have had an effect on the net income distribution of the participants. On the other hand Wenzel, Rauch Kirig (2007) affirmed that LOHAS cannot be fixed to a social stratum, which confirms the survey of this thesis. (Wenzel, Rauch, Kirig, 2007) (Source: Own illustration based on Schmidt, Littek, Nickel, 2007) Frequency of Sports Activities Figure 8: Regularly Engaged Outdoor Sport Activities As it can be seen, in the summer and autumn, hiking is very popular. With 137 participants who execute this sport, mountain biking follows in popularity. 85 people from a total of 185 ski in the winter; this is the most popular winter sport, followed by snowboarding and ski touring. The aim of this question was to have an introduction to the outdoor section. The sequent graphs show results based on the findings of 185 questionnaires. (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) Figure 9: Frequency of the Engaged Activities Above The graph below shows the frequency of engagement in the activities listed above. 52% stated that they engage in sport less than once in four weeks, while 49.7% do it once a week. More than 50% of all men do sport each week, whereas 60% of all women engage in the activity less than once in four weeks. After every second week, hiking is the most engaged-in sport activity. Jogging is the most popular sport to be engaged in once a week, followed by mountain biking. This graph shows that the majority who responded to this survey do not engage in sport every day. For this question, multiple answers were permitted. Recycling Habits The subsequent graphs are based on the findings of 185 questionnaires. Each question is related to recycling. Figure 10: Product SeparationFirst graph, the habit of consumers to recycle products of everyday use is revealed. As it can be seen, outdoor consumers are well informed about the recycling process and also take part in this process. 39 out of 185 people recycle all the products listed. From this number, 22 live in Germany, 9 in Switzerland, 2 in Austria, 1 in the Netherlands, 1 in Finland and 1 in Italy. While 23 of those surveyed are males, just 13 are females. Three other people did not share where they live. (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) Glass and paper/carton are the most frequently recycled materials, whereas aluminum is the lowest recycled material with 62.2%, as it can be seen on the graph. 87.6% of 185 respondents separate clothes from the domestic waste. This initial question was needed to introduce survey takers to clothing recycling habits. For this question, multiple answers were allowed. Figure 11: Frequency of Clothes Disposal (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study)The second question was to find out the frequency of the clothes disposal. Once a year is time to put away old clothes for 35% of 185 people. 29% dispose of clothes twice a year. 27% of those surveyed clear out the cupboard less than once a year. Additionally, 6% dispose of clothes three times a year, and 3% do so more than three times a year. (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) Figure 12: Reasons for the Clothes Disposal The most selected reason to dispose clothes, with 76.2%, is that the clothes have not been worn for a long time, followed by the reason of damaged clothes with 66.5%. For 42.7%, the size does not fit anymore, while no more place in the cupboard follows behind with 35.1%. Purchasing new clothes is the reason for 33.5% of the participants to disposal the clothes. 31% of those surveyed select their clothes for fashion reasons. For this question, multiple answers were allowed. Figure 13: Disposal Habits Disposal habits of old clothes Disposal habits of old outdoor jackets(Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) The aim of these two pie charts is to compare the recycling habits of old clothes and of old outdoor jackets. It can be seen that nearly a third in both pies are putting their old clothes and outdoor jackets in recycling bins. Clothes as well as outdoor jackets are likely to be given away to friends. While 20% of old clothes go to charitable organizations, 0% of outdoor jackets do. Instead, 2% reuse their old outdoor jackets for gardening. Another difference can be seen in keeping the clothes/jackets in the cupboard. 14% of outdoor jacket owners keep their old jackets in the cupboard, whereas just 6% keep their old clothes in the cupboard. These questions also had multiple response options. Closer look at outdoor jackets Figure 14: Assets of Outdoor Jacket This pie chart shows that all three types of outdoor jackets are fairly evenly distributed between the 185 participants. The aim of this question is to know which jacket is most represented. (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) Multiple responses were possible for this question as well. 107 survey takers own all three jackets. 32 participants have just a hard-shell jacket, and soft-shell jackets are owned by 47. An isolation jacket is owned by 53 participants. (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) Figure 15: Frequency of Purchase a New Outdoor Jacket Most of the customers do not intend to buy a new outdoor jacket each year. 33.5% of 185 participants buy a new outdoor jacket fewer than every third year, followed by 27.6% with Every second year and 18.4% with Every third year. Only 18.4% purchase a new outdoor jacket each year, and even fewer, 5.9% do so twice a year. Only 1.6% buy a new outdoor jacket more than twice a year. Figure 16: Purchase Reasons of New Outdoor Jackets (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) Most people purchase a new jacket because their current jacket is damaged or has lost its function. New fashion and new technology are nearly on the same level, and for the majority, they are not a main reason for buying a new outdoor jacket. The following questions, in which the willingness of the customer is asked, the reader needs to be aware of the intention-behavior gap. There is a difference between the intention some have and the behavior they exhibit. In this survey, the intention was found out. For more information about the intention-behavior gap, refer to subchapter 4.1.6. Figure 17: Purchase a Recycled Outdoor Jacket (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) The aim of this question is to gain an insight into the willingness of buying a recycled outdoor jacket. In terms of purchasing a recycled outdoor jacket, more than 80% agreed to do so. 16% are undecided and nearly 3% are not willing to buy a recycled outdoor jacket. Figure 18: Participation in a Recycling Program (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) The question was formulated to communicate briefly to the participant that if they recycle outdoor jackets, they help to save the environment. 75% stated that they are ready to take part in a recycling program. 19.4% are unsure about taking part and 4.8% are not ready to recycle their outdoor jackets. Recycling Possibilities In this subchapter the answers to the different recycling possibilities will be shown. Also, it was asked which return system the customer would most appreciate. Finally, there will be an overview about the willingness to take part in a recycling for outdoor jackets. Figure 19: Return MethodIn terms of popularity, the way to return the outdoor jacket is by a recycling bin with 42%, closely followed by giving the jacket back to the selling point with 39%. While 14% of all respondents would appreciate a return system by post, 5% do not want any of these returning systems. (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) A first method of trying to convince the customer to participate in the recycling program is with an incentive. The survey found out that with an incentive of 5 Euro, 67%, 10 Euro, 70%, 15 Euro, 74%, and 20 Euro, 80% of all respondents would be disposed to give back their outdoor jacket in a specialist shop. Figure 20: Store Credit (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) Figure 21: Fixed Recycling Fee Figure 22: Height of Fixed Recycling FeeThe second method is that customers pay a fixed recycling fee. This fee has to be paid when the customer buys the outdoor jacket. The fee is additional to the normal price and will be paid pack if the customer brings the outdoor jacket back. 63% stated that they are ready to pay the fixed recycling fee. While more than 11% do not accept the recycling fee, more than 25% are unsecure about it. (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) This graph shows the sum the customer would be ready to pay as a recycling fee. Most of those surveyed expect to pay not more than 10 Euro. In second place is 20 Euro. In third place is 0 Euro, followed by 5 Euro in fourth. Some people would not mind paying a higher amount. 11 paricipants see 50 Euro as acceptable. Figure 23: Participation in Outdoor Jacket Recycling Ready to recycel outdoor jacket at the end of the questionair Ready to recycel outdoor jacket at the beginning of the questionair (Source: Own illustration based on survey results of this study) The first question was posed before the participants had any information about the recycling of outdoor equipment. As it can be seen, 91% were willing to participate in a recycling program. Interestingly, 12% changed their minds from ready to unready after they had received more information from the survey. This is a surprising result, as after the questionnaire, fewer people are willing to participate than before. Some comments are made, which will be disussed in the next subchapter.

Virginia Woolf’s Between the Acts Essay examples -- Between the Acts E

Virginia Woolf’s Between the acts Virginia Woolf uses many images in the Between the Acts. Like the other novels I read in the class, the images in the Between the Acts cannot be separated with the story development, and the images themselves construct the story in the book by dismantling the conventional expectation for the novel. However, Woolf uses common and conventional words and images with an experimental way in this novel. This novel constructs the images and the representation with their conventional words and actions of the characters. I think Woof explores how the communal use of the words like songs and clichà © makes another meaning or another reversion in their daily life here. The characters in the novel are in the between representative words and their intentions which are overlapped into the words or erased and hidden by the words. The acts in the title of the novel are not only the acts in the play, but also the motion which the characters make and expect, and the motion of the natural sounds and t he silence which the people cannot control the interruption from them. I want to look at how Virginia Woolf uses the words from the people, sounds from the things, and the images of clothes and history for her story in her last novel, Between the Acts. Virginia Woolf's words are not just the tools for her writing but the words themselves are constructing and de-constructing a main plot of the novel. And I think to look the gap between the words and the character's representations who is using the words is the one of the ways to read this novel. Especially, in this novel, she uses words and actions for showing and erasing the gap between the absence and the presence which is prevalent in this novel. Between th... ... Newman, Fashioning Femininity & English Renaissance Drama , from the footnote of chapter 6,(Chicago, Chicago University Press) I think the concept of heteroglossia is the good word for this book. The characters voice is not only dispersed, but the dispersed voice is making the novel. Works Cited Virginia Woolf, Between the acts, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992) Jacques Derrida, "Structure, sign, and play in the discourse of the human science," Modern criticism and theory, ed. David Lodge (New York: Longman Inc.,1988) Michel Serres, "Platonic Dialogue," Hermes, Literature, Science, Philosophy, ed. Josuà © V. Harari and David F., Bell (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1982), 67. Karen Newman, "Chapter 6, Englishing the other: Le tiers exclu & Shakespeare's Henry V," Fashioning Femininity, (Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1991)

Succubus on Top CHAPTER 8

â€Å"Georgina?† I looked up from a baffling return Tammi had asked me to help her with. A customer without a receipt was attempting a refund on a stack of books with dog-eared pages and broken spines, claiming all of them were duplicates someone had just given him for his birthday. â€Å"Just a sec,† I told her. â€Å"I've got to finish this.† â€Å"Okay,† Beth said. â€Å"I just thought you should check out Casey.† â€Å"Casey?† â€Å"Yeah. She's up in the cafe.† That snagged my attention. I finished up with the customer, telling him nicely that we couldn't accept books in this condition. Maybe if the alleged other books were in better shape, he could bring those in. He pouted and argued a bit before finally skulking off. I rolled my eyes once he was gone. One thing that never changed among humans: there were always those who wanted to get something for nothing. It was what kept hell in business. I found Casey sitting in the cafe, drinking a glass of water. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she didn't display her usual care in makeup and hairstyling. She stared bleakly at the table, eyes dull and glazed over. â€Å"Hey,† I said gently, pulling up a chair across from her. â€Å"How's it going?† After a moment's delay, she looked up, not really focusing on me. â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"You sure? You don't look so okay.† â€Å"Dunno.† Her tone was flat, distracted. â€Å"I just had a late night, that's all. Sorry. Sorry I came in like this.† â€Å"No problem. I've had my share of crazy nights.† The thing was, Casey didn't exactly look hung over. I mean, she definitely looked like she was recovering from something†¦but I couldn't put my finger on it. It was weird. â€Å"What'd you get into? A party?† â€Å"Yeah. Doug's band had another one.† â€Å"Really.† News to me. â€Å"Must have been pretty good.† â€Å"Dunno.† â€Å"What do you mean? You were there.† Her brow furrowed, confusion glinting in her brown eyes. â€Å"I don't†¦really remember. Stupid, huh? I must have really been trashed. I remember†¦being with Alec. Then we left. We went somewhere. â€Å" â€Å"You don't know?† She looked upset and closed her eyes. â€Å"There was this big house, and†¦I don't know. I just†¦I just can't remember. I'm sorry, Georgina. I shouldn't have come in today, okay? Sorry.† â€Å"It's okay. So you have no idea what you did with him? Nothing at all?† She shook her head. I shouldn't have kept pushing for details of an employee's personal life, but something here bothered me. It was more than my bias against Alec too. I remembered him pushing alcohol on women, his invitation to go somewhere â€Å"more intense.† Casey's inability to remember what had happened with him smacked of date-rape drugs. â€Å"Did Alec give you anything?† For the first time in this conversation, her dull expression sharpened and looked alert. â€Å"I†¦no. No.† But she was lying. I could tell. Why? Fear of him? Embarrassment? I couldn't bring myself to question her anymore. She looked too miserable. I told her she should go home and get some rest; she didn't need much convincing. I took her place at the registers, silently fuming at that jerk Alec. My anger was furthered by the fact that I could do nothing. Casey's life wasn't really my business, and without her admitting to anything, Alec stood blameless. With Casey now gone, Paige out sick again, and Warren golfing in Florida, I felt relieved when Doug showed up. He looked as energetic as ever, so I hoped he could counter my plunging mood. â€Å"I heard you had a party.† â€Å"Yup.† He grinned, working the register next to mine. â€Å"I tried calling you, but you weren't home.† â€Å"Had a party of my own. Hey, did you notice anything weird with Casey and Alec last night?† â€Å"Weird how? I mean, they seemed to be hitting it off.† â€Å"Nothing else?† â€Å"Nope. Not that I saw. Why? Are you interested? He's a little young for you, but if you're into that, I can give you his phone number.† â€Å"Hardly.† â€Å"Whoa,† he suddenly exclaimed. â€Å"Check this action out.† He picked up one of the books his customer was paying for. It was a romance novel, emblazoned with a big chested man holding an equally big chested woman. Her neck was arched back, her lips open in a moan. And her dress was falling off. â€Å"Bet there's some good shit in here. Nothing like some throbbing members and private time to get you off, eh?† He winked at the customer, who turned crimson and didn't say anything. She handed over some cash and hurried away as fast as she could. Aghast, I ignored the customers standing there and grabbed Doug's arm, jerking him away from the counter. â€Å"What the hell was that?† I asked in a low, angry whisper. He laughed loudly. â€Å"Oh come on, Kincaid. I was just having a little fun. Those romance novels always crack me up.† â€Å"You do not comment on customer purchases. Furthermore, you certainly don't swear in front of them.† â€Å"Basic training. I know all this.† â€Å"Yeah? Then act like it.† We stood there, both of us shocked at my tone. I didn't think I'd ever talked to Doug in such a reprimanding way. Certainly not here. We were both assistant managers, partners in crime. Our entire working relationship was one of lightheartedness and messing around. â€Å"Fine,† he said after a moment. â€Å"Whatever.† We went back to the registers, both of us pointedly ignoring the other. We worked without incident a while longer until I heard him say, â€Å"Man, this has to be rough. Hope it all works out.† Looking over, I saw his customer buying a book about STDs. Doug returned my gaze with a challenging look. I finished my own purchase and then put up a â€Å"register closed† sign. Finding Andy at the information desk, I told him to ask Doug to swap spots. â€Å"Don't tell him I told you to.† Doug seemed safer helping customers find books, yet no matter where I was in the store, I could hear him. He spoke and laughed too loudly. Whenever I caught sight of him, he was always in motion – like he couldn't stay still. Once, he was – literally – juggling books for a customer. Another time, I saw him actually skipping as he led a customer over to the cooking section. I frowned, unsure what to do. His lively nature had been fun this last week, but he was pushing it now, and I wasn't entirely sure what my role should be in all of this. â€Å"That redheaded girl said you're the manager here,† a middle-aged woman suddenly said, approaching me as I rearranged a display. â€Å"I'm an assistant manager,† I told her. â€Å"What can I help you with?† She pointed to the information desk. â€Å"That man was so rude to me. He helped me find some books, and then†¦he said†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She couldn't finish, oscillating between anger and distress. I looked at what she held. Books on clinical depression. Lovely. At least it wasn't called Going Postal in an Insensitive Bookstore. I took a deep breath to steady myself and apologized profusely, promising I'd deal with it. I then walked her over to the head of the check-out line and told Andy to ring her books up for free. Warren never approved of that, but I didn't care at the moment. I waited for Doug to finish with his customer and then pulled him aside once more. â€Å"We need to talk in the office.† He gave me a lopsided grin. Studying him, I saw his eyes glittering with a distracted fervor. â€Å"What for? Let's talk here. I've got customers to help, you know. Can't let this goddamned place go unattended.† I blanched at this, still forcing calm. We had a line of about four customers listening. â€Å"No. Let's go in the back.† He rolled his eyes and threw a friendly arm around me. â€Å"Christ, you're uptight. What's this about?† â€Å"You know what it's about,† I returned, wiggling out from under the arm. â€Å"You're out of line today.† His smile fell. â€Å"No, you're out of line. What's with the attitude anyway? You can't talk to me like this.† He was still too loud. More people were stopping. â€Å"I can talk to you like this when you're acting like a jerk. You're upsetting customers. You're doing stuff that's completely inappropriate, and you know it.† â€Å"‘Inappropriate?' Jesus Fucking Christ, Kincaid! You sound like Paige now. I'm having fun. Remember that? Remember when you and I used to do that around here back before you got this stick up your ass?† We had a bona fide audience now. Customers and staff alike. Dead silence, save for the faint sounds of Vivaldi playing through the store's sound system. â€Å"I mean,† he continued, thriving on the attention, â€Å"where do you get off acting like this? Who put you in charge? You and I are the same rank, remember? It's like you get ten seconds of fame in Mortensen's story, and now you think you can put on airs. Why don't you go find him? Maybe if you got laid again, you'd stop being such a bitch.† â€Å"Doug,† I said, astonished at how firm and strong my voice was. It was like someone else was using my body to confront him, and I only watched. â€Å"You need to go home. Now. If you don't leave, I'll have you removed.† Of course, I had no clue how I was going to pull that off. As it was, I felt almost terrified to be facing off against him like this. My heart raced. We were standing close, thrusting our wills at one another, and he had half a head's height on me and a bigger build. I didn't really fear violence from him, but the physical intimidation was as scary as the psychological. Still, I held my ground, keeping my expression commanding and decisive. At last, he backed down, breaking eye contact. He shrugged and gave his goofy grin to those watching, like they were in on some joke with him. â€Å"Sure. Whatever you want. I don't care. I could use a day off anyway.† He looked around again, face smug and defiant, like he'd won. After another survey of the crowd, he laughed and stalked out. Nobody spoke or breathed after that. I drew myself up, like none of this had bothered me either. I strode purposefully away, saying to Beth as I passed: â€Å"Will you cover the desk now?† I went upstairs to the caf? ¦ and had the barista make me a mocha. I took it with shaking hands and turned around to find Seth standing there. He wore a Ratt shirt today. â€Å"Thetis,† he said softly. I walked over to one of the windows, and he followed. Outside, cars and people moved throughout Queen Anne. I watched them without seeing them. Seth moved behind me, his presence steady and reassuring. Waiting to catch me, even though I refused to fall just yet. This, I realized, was why I chose to stay with him, sexual mishaps or no. â€Å"I suppose you witnessed all that.† â€Å"Yeah,† he said. â€Å"You handled it well.† â€Å"I didn't want to handle it at all.† â€Å"Someone had to.† He touched my arm gently. â€Å"You can be pretty fierce sometimes.† I shook my head, still numb. â€Å"I don't want to be fierce either.† â€Å"Georgina. Look at me.† I turned and looked. Those lovely eyes were soft and full of love, yet underscored with strength. â€Å"You did the right thing.† He rested his hands on my arms, thumbs stroking the bare skin. â€Å"You did the right thing.† â€Å"He's my friend.† â€Å"That doesn't matter.† â€Å"What's wrong with him, Seth? What's gotten into him?† â€Å"Isn't it obvious?† â€Å"Not to me.† He smiled ruefully. â€Å"The same thing that made you eat a bag of Taco Bell food last night.† â€Å"What? Pot doesn't do that. Make him behave like he did, I mean. Not the Taco Bell thing.† â€Å"No,† he agreed. â€Å"Pot won't do that, but he was obviously on something. â€Å" I turned back to my view, thinking. I recalled Doug's nonstop vigor, that feverish look in his eyes. Yes, it made sense, and it was saddening. I'd never known him to mess around with anything much harder than alcohol and marijuana. Yet†¦there was more to his exuberance lately. A drug couldn't make you good at Tetrisor churn out an album's worth of songs in under a month. â€Å"I don't know what it could be then. I've tried almost everything once,† I admitted sheepishly. Immortality allowed experimentation without the dangerous consequences mortals faced. â€Å"But I haven't made enough of a study to really ID anything. What do you think? Some kind of amphetamine?† â€Å"I don't really know either.† I rubbed my temples, sensing a nasty headache coming on. I wanted nothing more just then than to go home and veg on the couch with Seth on one side, Aubrey on the other, and a plate of brownies on my lap. It wasn't going to happen. â€Å"I've got to get back down there. We're short two people now. I'm going to be here until closing again.† â€Å"You want me to come over after work? I'm supposed to paint at Terry's, but I can bail on it.† I assured Seth he didn't need to change his plans for me and then returned downstairs. Functionality had resumed as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. The only thing noteworthy was the way the other staff watched me now. Not with mockery or amusement, but something else. If I hadn't known better, I would have said my respect rating had just shot up. I got home after work, drained. Weak with exhaustion, mental and physical. When I absorbed life from victims, it was usually to sustain my immortal existence and shape-shifting. But life was full of other things that required energy. Breaking and entering. Working two twelve-hours shifts in a row. Staying virtuous around the man of your dreams. Reprimanding one of your best friends and discovering he was probably addicted to something nasty. The need for vitality itched within me, making me irritable and anxious despite my worn-out feeling. For me, that energy-longing translated into lust, a sudden need to be touched and consumed by someone I could consume in return. I called Bastien. â€Å"What is it now?† he asked sarcastically. â€Å"I suppose you're just going to cut to the chase and call Dana. That way you can get it over with and tell her how her neighbor has a plan to seduce her and bring down her organization. Maybe while you're at it, you can mention the break-in and get me arrested. You could even key my car if you wanted. It would be a perfect ending to my already ruined career.† â€Å"Oh shut up,† I snapped, not having the patience for this. Apparently I still had some fury left in me from earlier. â€Å"First, you were not going to bed Dana last night, so get that out of your system. Second, you probably deterred her by answering the door in the first place, as stoned as you were. Third, if you'd really wanted to endear yourself to her, you would have shown more concern for me rather than coming off as an uncaring asshole.† â€Å"How is your ankle?† he asked reluctantly. â€Å"Fine. You know how it goes.† A sprain was barely a day's concern for an immortal. â€Å"Good enough to go dancing on.† â€Å"Dancing?† â€Å"Yes. I want you to take me out. Now. I just had the worst day ever. â€Å" â€Å"Sorry.† â€Å"Sorry? Are you turning me down? Since when have you been such a grudge-holder?† â€Å"It's not just that†¦well, okay, maybe a little. But Bill invited me over to watch a football game.† â€Å"You hate football.† â€Å"Yeah, but I might see Dana. Sorry, Fleur . You're on your own tonight. â€Å" Annoyed, I hung up and dialed the next best dancer I knew. â€Å"Cody,† I said, â€Å"we're going clubbing.† â€Å"Okay,† he returned agreeably, â€Å"but I'll have to bring Hugh and Peter.† â€Å"Ack. They dance almost as badly as Seth.† â€Å"Yeah. But I promised I'd hang out with them tonight. Unless you want to come over here? We're playing D&D right now. Do you know how many hit points a succubus has?† â€Å"All right, all right. Bring them along.† I hung up. It didn't really matter who came anyway. I mostly just wanted people to go out with. Companionship gave the outing some semblance of normality, though it wasn't like I needed any of them for what I was going to do. â€Å"Jesus, woman,† breathed Hugh when I answered my door an hour later. â€Å"You're kind of screwing with my sisterly feelings for you.† I had on a pleated black skirt that covered less than half my thighs. My top was off the shoulder with three-quarter sleeves, and it stopped just above my belly button, leaving my midriff bare. It was made of clinging, stretchy black lace that looked opaque in dim lighting and showed everything – and I do mean everything – in full light. The only decision left was what body to go out in. I didn't like to do succubus work in my usual shape – the one that worked at Emerald City and slept with Seth. I wanted an anonymous face, one that could forget and be forgotten. Staring at my bathroom mirror, I considered a number of features and ethnicities. Finally, I opted for a pretty Latina look, sultry with long dark hair. We went to the same club Bastien and I had danced at before. It played varying genres of music, but all of it was fast and heavy. It thrummed in the blood. Hugh immediately parked himself at the bar, looking exactly like the creepy guy who ogled younger women that he was. Peter seemed torn between joining him and hitting the floor. He was homebody enough to want to stay with Hugh, but I knew places like this were fertile hunting grounds for vampires and succubi alike. Reluctantly, the frumpy vampire bought a drink and then made his way to the dancers, looking hopelessly out of place. I knew he'd survive, though; he'd been doing what he did almost as long as I had. I walked up to the bar and ordered a shot of Rumple Minze, which I downed immediately. It was funny – part of me thought that I could scorn Doug for getting mixed up with some drug when I turned so readily to alcohol to ease my own tension. â€Å"Dance with me,† I told Cody, grabbing his hand. He looked good tonight, wearing a button-up shirt untucked and loose. It had a neat printed pattern on it, one of those that only confident guys with real fashion sense could actually wear. With his agile dancing and golden blond looks, he made a good partner. â€Å"What am I, your warm-up?† he asked me a few songs later. I laughed. We were dancing awfully close, and I had been moving my body more provocatively than I normally would with a friend. Unconscious motion. My succubus hunger surfacing. â€Å"Does it bother you?† â€Å"Nope. Well, other than giving me that weird incest feeling Hugh was talking about. But I don't think you're going to get what you need off me.† â€Å"True,† I said scanning the crowd. The place was packed with mortals, all warm and energetic and burning with life in a way my friends and I did not. Again, the itch of longing seized me. I wanted to touch them all and knew I'd have to break from Cody soon. â€Å"What's got you all fired up anyway? We don't usually see you like this.† That was true. Mostly he and the others just heard me bitching and moaning about my infernal job and how I hated seducing nice guys. â€Å"Need to burn off some Seth lust. That, and I got majorly run down today,† I explained, proceeding to tell him the rest. Cody felt as sad as I did about Doug, whom he knew and liked. The young vampire agreed that Doug's erratic behavior sounded amphetamine based, and he threw out a few suggestions for me. I made a mental note to look them up later. Cody and I finally split up, each to take care of our own business. I started working the room, much as I had the other night, only this time my motivation was legitimate. I had my pick of partners and no end of free drinks. Each time I got someone to buy me one, Hugh – still at the bar – would shake his head with wry amusement. In about two hours, I had my mark. He was young and muscular, made extra gorgeous by sexy Mediterranean features. Italian descent, I suspected. He was also sweet and shy, clearly astonished that I kept dancing with him. His friends, watching from afar, apparently felt the same way. We had moved to a crowded part of the dance floor, jam-packed with other sweating, frenzied bodies. I rubbed mine against his in a more intimate way than the crowd quite required, my hands sliding over his body as we swayed. When our lips brushed against each other's, he pulled back. He told me then – awkwardly and reluctantly – that he had a girlfriend. That didn't come as a surprise to me. We stopped dancing, getting jostled by the crowd, and I feigned modest embarrassment for my boldness while pretending not to notice how he hadn't seemed to want to make the girlfriend admission. â€Å"Er, wait,† he said as I started to turn and leave. Hesitation hung heavy in his voice. The voice of someone trying to rationalize something he knew he shouldn't be doing†¦but wanted to anyway. True consternation churned on his face. â€Å"I mean, we can still†¦we can still†¦keep dancing. Can't we?† Five dances later, I'd sweet-talked – and bribed – one of the waiters into letting us into a storage room in the club's basement. It was dark and small and filled with extra tables, but it sufficed for what we needed. I could still hear the music from above, though none of the song's specifics. The whole building vibrated with the beat. My guy still appeared nervous, but alcohol and opportunity were clearly winning out over his better judgment. I didn't tell him my name. I didn't ask for his. I pulled him to me, and we kissed – the kind of hard, furious kissing that makes your lips feel swollen afterward. His hands started on my hips and then moved upward, peeling the lace shirt up as they went, exposing my breasts. His hands fondled them wonderingly, feeling their shape and size, making my nipples harden and stand out. He leaned down and put his lips to one, sucking hard. When I felt his teeth bite gently, I grunted in approval and shifted my hands down to loosen his belt. He straightened back up, and this time I was the one who went down – literally. On my knees, I tugged on his boxers and released the erection that had been straining at the fabric. I ran my tongue along its tip, tasting the few salty drops that had already seeped out. Then, without further hesitation, I took the whole thing into my mouth, letting my tongue roll over it as my lips moved back and forth along the length of the shaft. He groaned and laced his fingers across the back of my neck, trying to push more of him inside. The first tendrils of his energy began flowing into me, sweet and delicious. He was a good one, full of strength. I sucked harder, teasing him for a couple more minutes, then broke away and stood up. The look on his face when I stopped became almost comically desperate. Like he couldn't believe I had just done that to him. Like I had just gone and hit his shins with a baseball bat. I licked my lips and smiled. â€Å"You want more? You're going to have to come and get it. â€Å" This was the clincher. If I was going to go to the trouble of bagging a guy with a strong life force, I might as well hit my quota with Jerome and do some corrupting as well. A guy with a serious girlfriend might feel guilty about fooling around with another woman, but he'd feel guiltier still if he was the one who took serious steps toward initiating it. It was too easy to say she made me do it. My part was done; he had to take over now. This guy might not have realized my ulterior motives here, but he seemed to sense the gravity of the situation. He stood on the edge now, the edge of a decision that could affect his eternal soul. Did he or didn't he? Did he give in to his lust and betray a woman he cared about? Did he take a chance with me he might never get again? Or did he reject me and walk away? Did he stay faithful? My smile grew, slow and languid, as he debated. I paced around the room like I had all the time in the world, like I didn't care what he decided to do. The click of my heels sounded loudly on the hard floor. I turned away from him, trying to make out some old framed picture on the wall. It was mostly a dark blur in the dim lighting. Then, I felt him behind me. His hands slid from my waist down to my hips, then lower to cradle my ass. He pushed up what little of the skirt there was and pulled down the strappy black thong I had underneath. Slowly, his hands traced every curve, feeling and exploring. One hand moved around the outside of my leg toward the front, between my thighs. The movement forced him to move closer to me, and I could feel him – still hard, still ready – press against my flesh. The exploring hand pushed farther between my thighs, and his breath was hard and hot on my neck. His fingers brushed the small, neatly trimmed patch of hair between my legs, then moved lower, dancing at the edges of my lips, teasing them. A small, urgent moan left my mouth, and I ground against him, hoping to get a response. He slid his fingers in a smooth rhythm, stoking my already raging desire. A minute later, those urgent fingers moved into me, probing and exploring. I was wet and slippery, but it still caught me by surprise, and I exclaimed loudly. He wrapped his other arm around my waist, pulling me even closer, and continued driving those fingers in and out. His life poured into me again. A purely physical burning welled inside of me too, growing stronger each time he moved in. But before that feeling could reach completion, he pulled his fingers out and left them out. My turn to feel unfulfilled. Gripping my shoulders, he turned me around, and I braced myself to be shoved on top of the table or up against the wall. To my astonishment, he pushed me onto my knees instead, his breathing frantic now, his eyes burning with hunger and lust. â€Å"Your mouth,† he gasped out. â€Å"I want your mouth again.† Unexpected – and perhaps a little disappointing – but it all worked the same for me. Before I could even act, he thrust himself back between my lips. A surprised sound lodged in my throat, and it seemed to turn him on even more. I no longer had to worry about who was taking the initiative here; it was all him. His hands held my head and neck in place as he pumped away, pushing into me over and over. The life-force transfer started in earnest, his energy flooding into me with his thoughts and feelings. Finally, finally, finally, he thought, aching desire crackling through him. Feeling his mind and soul, I realized then he might not have been so easy a tag as I originally thought. He loved his girlfriend. Loved her passionately. But she didn't like oral sex, and one of the biggest fantasies of this guy's life was to – bluntly – fuck her face. Had I started foreplay in some other way tonight, he might very well have been strong enough to decline. But I had given him the one thing he couldn't refuse. It overpowered the guilt lurking in the back of his mind. I'll never get this chance again. Allison doesn't have to know. I knew that rationalization well. It was just about the oldest in the book. He thrust more urgently, that long shaft filling my mouth as his eyes watched me eagerly, and unintelligible, primal noises sounded in his throat. And for me, who had been denied an orgasm, pleasure was building in a different way. Life-force transfer doesn't occur at the point of a physical contact or even orgasm. It's bigger than that, more holistic. Soul to soul. His energy washed over me now in waves, and it was pure ecstasy as I rode that ocean higher and higher. My body burned with it, nearly to the breaking point. Before that crest crashed over, before our connection broke, I caught one more thought from him, plain and simple: mouth or face} Ah, men. He chose mouth, moaning loudly as he came. Warm, bitter liquid flooded over my tongue as his body spasmed and his nails dug into my neck and scalp. I waited until he finished, then swallowed because I knew it was what he wanted me to do. It was what every guy wanted. And really, it was the least I could do for him, because with his orgasm came a climax of my own. The full force of his energy hit me like a bolt of lightning at the same time he felt its loss. I broke from him, gasping at the feel of that power, swimming in that bliss, invigorated and alive. He, however, stiffened and paled, suddenly weak and confused at losing something he hadn't even known he had. He groped blindly for support and caught the edge of a table as his legs gave out underneath him. The table saved him from completely falling over, and I caught his other arm, balancing him. Carefully, I eased him down so he could sit and lean his body against a chair. His eyes struggled to stay open as the shock of his energy loss pulled him toward unconsciousness. Another cardinal succubus rule: the stronger the guy, the stronger his loss would be. â€Å"Oh my God†¦what's wrong with me?† Pushing aside whatever kindly feelings or sympathy I might have, reminding myself he'd – eventually – recover, I stared down at him coolly and rearranged my clothes. â€Å"I think you drank too much.† I leaned over and tugged up his pants. â€Å"I'll go get help.† He started to protest, but I was already out the door. I strode back to the dance floor, haloed in his energy. I felt like a goddess entering a temple of worshippers, and many sets of eyes seemed to regard me as exactly that. A few quick searches, and I found his friends from earlier. I told them he'd passed out downstairs and left them to deal with it. â€Å"This one's on me,† I heard Hugh say when I walked back up to the bar. My post-sex glamour would be especially obvious to him. I ordered a shot of Jagermeister and chased it with another shot of Goldschlager. Nothing like funny-named liquor to top off an evening. â€Å"Does it make you feel better?† the imp asked. He inclined his head toward the two empty glasses. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"But sometimes it helps me not remember as much.† I went home after that and cooked myself in a long, hot shower, trying to wash away the feel of sex. My buzz soon yielded to my second headache of the day and a slightly nauseous feeling. I had just settled down on the couch for mindless TV watching, back in my normal shape, when Seth showed up. â€Å"I wanted to see how you were doing,† he explained, sitting down next to me. â€Å"Better,† I told him uneasily. â€Å"Sort of. I went out with the gang.† â€Å"Ah. Sounds fun.† He didn't sound entirely sincere. I think â€Å"the gang† still kind of weirded him out a little. He leaned his head on the couch and stared at me for a long time, not saying anything. I laughed in spite of myself. â€Å"What?† â€Å"I don't know,† he said, face serious. He reminded me of a child staring at the tree on Christmas morning. â€Å"It's weird. It's just you're so†¦so beautiful tonight. I mean, you're always pretty, of course, but tonight, I don't know – I can't take my eyes off of you. I want to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He didn't give voice to the urge. â€Å"Must be the wet hair and pajamas,† I said lightly. â€Å"Always a turn-on.† But I knew what was bedazzling him. The guy from the club. Or rather, that guy's stolen life. Humans couldn't resist it. Immortals couldn't resist it. Racking my brain, I realized Seth had never seen me so soon after a fix. He'd seen me the same day sometimes – and also commented on my attractiveness then – but this was the first time he'd received its full effect. It made me feel guilty to see him looking at me like this. His hand reached for mine, and I tried not to flinch as he took it. Even after the shower, I felt dirty and cheap. I didn't want him to touch me after what I'd done, even if it had been in a different body. I didn't deserve such love. Seth sighed, still enchanted. His long fingers traced warm, whirling patterns on my skin. I felt my breathing grow heavier. â€Å"I wish I could put your beauty into words. But I'm not that good of a writer. Guess I need some work.† I stood up hastily and tugged at his hand. â€Å"Now you're just being silly. I think you're the one that needs to go home and rest.† He blinked. â€Å"Oh. So no more, uh, attempts at sleeping?† I hesitated. I wanted to do it again but still didn't trust myself. Or Seth actually, not with the way he kept watching me with such rapt admiration, that heat burning in his eyes. One would have thought a backroom fling might have sated my lust for the night, but I wanted Seth just as much as ever. Of course, in retrospect, maybe that wasn't a surprise after all. Said fling hadn't exactly addressed my physical needs. â€Å"No,† I told Seth. â€Å"Not yet. Too soon.† He looked like being separated from me would hurt him physically, but he finally conceded when I let him kiss my cheek. It was long and lingering, more sensuous than one would expect, making me inhale and then exhale a long, shuddering breath. I wouldn't return the gesture, however. Not with these lips. He waxed on about my beauty a few more times before finally leaving, and I went to bed shortly thereafter. Lying there, I told myself over and over that I had done the right thing at the club. I had done what I needed to do to keep myself strong and capable. After all, Seth had said he loved my â€Å"whirlwind.† Sex was the means of keeping it strong. I had done the right thing. And I had done the right thing with Doug too. Everything I'd done today had been for the best. And yet†¦if that was true, then why did I feel so terrible about it all?

The Theme Of Friendship In The Kite Runner - 1215 Words

The Kite Runner - The Final Essay- Friendship Vs Betrayal Friendship is a two way street and if the definition of friendship is not the same between the two people then it results in betrayal â€Å"But before you sacrifice yourself for him, think about this: Would he do the same for you?† (77). In The Kite Runner, a story written by Khaled Hosseini, which follows the two â€Å"friends† Amir and Hassan , who grew up together in Kabul, Afghanistan. Both had differed from each other, maybe even opposites, Amir was son of a rich merchant while Hassan was raised by a servant. Amir was a Sunni Muslim while Hassan was a Shia Muslim but despite their differences they had grown up together and are â€Å"friends†. The recurring theme of Friendship Vs Betrayal is†¦show more content†¦.Furthermore, he does not care what happens to him as long as he holds him promise to Amir and this is why his loyalty is proven to a fault. Also, Hassan not only trusts Amir and is lo yal to him but is willing to go to any lengths to protect Amir because they are friends and that is what friendship means to Hassan. /. Amir has a different approach towards his and Hassan’s friendship unlike Hassan, Amir does not appreciate his friendship with Hassan and is willing to betray him countless times for his desires unlike, Hassan who is the opposite and is willing to do anything to be kind and loyal to Amir. Amir’s first act of betrayal on Hassan had not been significant but as the plot continues Amir’s betrayals become worse and worse. The first example of Amir’s betrayal towards Hassan is when he lets Hassan take all the blame for Amir’s ideas â€Å"I talked Hassan into firing walnuts with his slingshot...But he never told on me. Never told that the mirror, like shooting walnuts at the neighbors dog, was always my idea.† (4). This first act of betrayal by Amir against their friendship leads to a road of Amir betraying Hassan for the benefit of himselfShow MoreRelatedTheme Of Friendship And Culture In The Kite Runner1248 Words   |  5 Pages The Death of Friendship and Culture in The Kite Runner Cultural influences impact the creation of an individual’s identity. Countries rely on culture to join citizens together; however, the destruction of a culture results in the disfigurement of a country and the impairment of its citizens’ identities. In Khaled Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner, the author depicts a dark and calamitous period during the 20th century in Afghanistan. The novel’s main character, Amir, lives in a large house withRead MoreAnalysis Of Khaled Hosseini s The Kite Runner 1161 Words   |  5 PagesKhaled Hosseini reveals the subject of friendship and loyalty in The Kite Runner. Khaled Hosseini advocates that in friendship, there must be loyalty, kindness, and trust. The theme of loyalty plays a tremendous role in The Kite Runner through Hassan and Amir. Amir and Hassan grow up together in Kabul, Afghanistan. Amir lives in a house with his father, Baba. Hassan and his father, Ali, live on the same piece of property as Amir and Baba b ecause Hassan and Ali are their servants. Although HassanRead MoreComparative Essay: the Crucible and the Kite Runner1369 Words   |  6 PagesThe Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hosseini, and The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, share many similar themes, characters, and ideas. One particular theme that is present throughout both of these written pieces is love. Defined by the Oxford Dictionary, love is a strong positive emotion of regard and affection. It can be found in moments of one’s life, through relationships, and through people. In The Kite Runner and The Crucible, one can see the similarities of love through friendship, paternalRead MoreThe Pomegranate Tree in The Kite Runner Essay1313 Words   |  6 Pages The Kite Runner is a novel of a Sunni Muslim, Amir, and a Hazara boy, Hassan. Hassan is the son of Amir’s father’s servant. Amir and Hassan spend their childhood days playing with one another in the streets of Kabul. Amir’s father, Bab a, as referred to in the novel, loves both of the boys equally. Although, Amir believes that Baba loves Hassan more than himself. Amir struggles to find understanding from Baba for killing his wife during childbirth. Amir strives to make him proud. The HazaraRead More Khaled Hosseinis The Kite Runner Essay1008 Words   |  5 PagesKhaled Hosseinis The Kite Runner In the Kite Runner, the author explores the ties that bind sons to fathers and childhood friends to one another and of the forces that tear them apartRead MoreEssay about Characters of The Kite Runner854 Words   |  4 PagesPublished by Riverhead Books in 2003, Khaled Hosseini wrote The Kite Runner, a powerful story of love, fear, friendship, redemption, and the reality of the cruel world we live in. In this tale, you develop a personal relationship with the characters as you feel their emotions. Khaled Hosseini brings his characters to life eloquently. The relationship between son and father, rich and poor, countryman and his country, Pashtun and Hazara, friend and brother, andRead More Friendship in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Essay793 Words   |  4 PagesFriendship in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Theme: Real Friendships are more than a stubborn act; they are actions that surround your soul in order to uncover the truth that youre seeking in a friend. Friendship, as understood here, is a distinctively personal relationship that is grounded in a concern on the part of each friend for the welfare of the other, for the others sake, and that involves some degree of intimacy. As such, friendship is undoubtedly central to our livesRead MoreThe Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini1574 Words   |  7 Pagescan give one confidence. A main theme present in Khaled Hosseini’s, The Kite Runner, is love. The Kite Runner follows Amir, the main character, finding redemption from a series of traumatic childhood events. Throughout the novel, the author uses many powerful symbols to represent the complexity of love that many experience in relationships. The use of the kite, the pomegranate tree, the slingshot, and the cleft lip all tie together to underscore a universal theme of love. To begin, the most explicitRead MoreThe Kite Runner Symbolism Analysis753 Words   |  4 PagesTHE KITE RUNNER Symbolism is a literary device found in all mediums. Symbols are marks or words that designate the significant features in a piece of literature. They allow people to connect to the many concepts found in the literary works. The novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, showcases this notion of symbolism well. These symbols come full circle by the end of the novel as they represent pivotal moments in the close bond Amir and Hassan share. Within the novel, Hosseini uses a kite to symbolizeRead MoreAnalysis Of The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini1422 Words   |  6 PagesPranav Dantu Mr. Bal Honors English 10 20 December 2017 The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Summary: The Kite Runner is a historical fiction novel written by Khaled Hosseini. The novel is written in a first-person point of view tracing the journey of redemption of an Afghan native named Amir. Amir grows up wealthy and privileged by Afghan standards and is surrounded mostly by his father and his friend, Hassan. Hassan was a less fortunate boy who belonged to the lower caste of the Afghanis, the Hazaras