Television And Cartoons On Children Media Essay

Television And Cartoons On Children Media Essay After all commited researches, we saw that mass communications tools was investigating effects of delivered messages on upon the targets from the beginnings to date. For that reason, receivers of messages in other words audiance or listeners situations were carried an important weight and it was aroused more attention than other components of communication. The audience understand the message of the acceptance of active or passive, the research found likely to be correct, however, dubious, questionable, problematic parts formed. (Ã…Å ¾ahinde Yavuz, 2005, Medya ve Ä °zleyici, Bitmeyen TartÄ ±Ãƒâ€¦Ã… ¸ma, Vadi YayÄ ±nlarÄ ±, Ankara) Researchers, the event continues today, according to the liberal pluralist approach, especially the visual media presentation and a principled understanding of the task falls on the way up was needed. To give a presentation of the message by the principles of ethical norms on the one hand, and how the presentation of the message transmitted limits on the other hand, also sets the line between social media and are defending the thesis. (AyÃ…Å ¸e Ä °nal, 2003, Medya ve Toplum, Ips Ä °letiÃ…Å ¸im VakfÄ ± YayÄ ±nlarÄ ±, Ä °stanbul) CHILDHOOD AND CHARASTERICTIC FEATURES In a study showed that the most enjoyable period of childhood, developmental psychologist and expert pedagogues by Before Transaction between the ages of 4-7 is called the period. Increases childrens imagination at this stage, games and toys become the most important part of life. Children are very much is egocentric. On the basis of the world as they experience the feeling that the world spins around them and they are the only human beings. One of the most characteristic feature of this universe of inanimate objects human characteristics is they believe that lifeless objects can be alive. In kids world, any change in terms of cognitive development may be having full faith. For example; Gadgets like the fairy tale Puss in Boots camel can turn into cats or mice. At times like this kind of thinking goes, is sometimes startling. In fact, these kind of fantastic games, movies, stories and fun stuff are tools to enhance creativity of our children, us and that enrich our relationship. To a chieve this positive goal, what we need to do is have some mandatory approaches. And this approach results in what direction the research is going to be a case and that will be examined in accordance with references of the researches. A study of violence in television programs and cartoons to the elements and their activities were examined and children were observed to behave differently after watching violent content on television cartoons. The pre-school children used in this study and 100 children were observed before and after watching TV. One group was watching violent cartoons, while the other group, no aggression, non-line of the content of movies are provided. Children who were watching violent movies were observed to fight with other children more and go against to their parents and be more impatient of their behaviours examined by the researchers. Educators and pedagogues are also identified by the new generation that childrens programs and cartoons are no different than an adult programmes and shows on television. That shows feels a little girl like a teenage girl and boys who feels like the cartoon heroes subjects unsuitable topics according to childrens age and subjects do not conform to the developmental characteristics of children. That puts at risk of these young children mental health. (Sevil Gà ¼mà ¼Ãƒâ€¦Ã… ¸, Pedagogue, Istanbul, 2010) When we consider all these things and we get these results that creativity and thinking system of a child is effecting when watching cartoons on the line up of films including the development of systems that are affected by some negative elements. To prevent these adverse effects from the world of cartoons for children with different solutions, rather than depriving them much easier to navigate and that will be effective results obtained by experts and research results are positive according to the data that we have. TELEVISION AND CHILDREN Television has an important role in an adults life as well as a childs. Today, as a major entertainment and recreational vehicle of television programs adopted, watched and consumed by the children as much as adults. Programme-makers are aware of the diversity of the audience, and according to different age groups and educational programs are designed in order to their targets. Cartoons are among these programmes and fundamentally children are the main target for these productions. Primary school age children in the period preceding its relationship with television are identical for the purposes of discovery. Television programs, especially the bright, vibrant and fast-changing elements, moving characters, strongly the sound or light gets childrens attention and affects them. Pre-school children meet with violence watching TV cartoons and that makes them become ready for violence watching these unreal but lively and brighter images. Especially share of cartoons has a big responsibility in that. School-age is a very important period for children as they tend to be more violence and shows aggressive behaviours in terms of their impacts of behaviours because their age. During this period, a child develops increased attention. They have an ability to understand and follow the continuity in the stories. The described events as implicit in their conclusions and approves the actions or movements of the characters and its mimics. The trend in this period and violence in children varies and changes if they watch violent programs. Especially those who follow such programs which reflects the real world of violence and those children who believed himself a hero shows aggressive behavior in real life is seen to increase. During the adolescent period, affected by television charactersor identity formation is less than younger ages. But this young teenage children are more convinient to copy violence the in the television or criminal behavior by mimicking, shows us a rebel behaviour of traditional authority challenged behavior can be exposed. (Josephson, W.L.,1995, Television violence: A review of the effects on chÄ ±ldren of dÄ ±fferent ages. Canadian Heritage.) Cartoons colorful, exaggerated and full of fun world, impresses kids big time and at the same time entertains their world. Because of the level of creativity and thinking system of the children are very different from adults as children watchs cartoons and feels themselves part of what the watch and that develops their creativity. The cartoons and events they watch and follow in a way thats much easier to adopt and internalize for them. Therefore, cartoons has important activity during childrens internalization period and that learning and observing creates different worlds in childs thinking system. But the cartoons can be adversely affected in many elements on children especially discernment wise submits and shows us that the ones who did not reach the level of understanding and judging could be way more affected. Because watching the cartoons, childrens world slowly begins to become a part of it. If the necessary intervention is not made a child makes himself part of that fantasy world and cuts the reality between that world and real life. That affects negatively childrens development. They start losing adaptation of the real world and ignore what happening around them. They start becoming some other character which does not exist in real world. (Ä °dil Seda AK, 2010, Çocuk GeliÃ…Å ¸imi UzmanÄ ±, Istanbul) The most affected social groups of the television broadcasts are today, children. The broadcasts influences their personality development and socialization who are at the stage of development also well known by the community. To protect children from negative effects of television broadcasts for both national and international levels, the various arrangements being made every day and joint operations are conducted. Those programs particularly interested by the children and can cause series of physical, mental and moral development damages. The world authorities are working on them not to be too violent and kind of measures taken in the direction of interest is still being investigated as we are not sure if we are on the right direction. (Dr. A.Zahid Akman, RTÃÅ"K, 2006, Ä °lkà ¶Ãƒâ€žÃ… ¸retim ÇaÄÅ ¸Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±ndaki ÇocuklarÄ ±n Televizyon Ä °zleme AlÄ ±Ãƒâ€¦Ã… ¸kanlÄ ±klarÄ ± Kamuoyu AraÃ…Å ¸tÄ ±rmasÄ ±, Istanbul) THE IMPACT CARTOON VIOLENCE HAS ON CHILDREN Cartoon violence is an issue which recently has been growing in importance. Now a days it is extremely difficult to find a TV channel that is 100% children friendly. Most channels have children programming mixed with commercials or movies previews that are completely inappropriate for children. Cartoon programmes should not be aired whole day long as this would have a negative impact on the kids demeanor. Parents cannot watch their children every minute of the day and it only takes a second for them to change channels. Children will try to mimic anything they see or hear and cartoon violence is no exception.    Children should be given an option to watch only child friendly cartoons . EFFECTS OF CARTOONS ON CHILDREN Todays children have become much more interested in television programmes and cartoons over many years and it has become a major action to some lives. Distinctively, children begin watching cartoons on television at an early age of one, and by the age two or three children become most enthusiastic viewers. This has become a problem because too many children are watching too much television channels and the shows that they are watching (even if they are cartoons) have become violent and addictive. Marketing of cartoons has become overpowering in all around the world and so has the subliminal messaging. The main strategy is targeted toward the children to cause them to want to view the cartoons on a regular basis, but the subliminal messaging is for the adults to target them into enjoying the cartoons. This is unfortunate because children watch the cartoons on the television and they see material that is not appropriate for their age group. The children who watch too much cartoons on television are more likely to have mental and emotional problems, along with brain and eye injuries and unexpectedly the risk of a physical problem incr eases. Mental and Psychological Effects of Childrens Cartoons: From the time children start school to the time that they graduate they are averaged to spend around 13,000 hours in school. This may seem like an awful lot of hours to attend school unless it is compared to the hours a child watches television, which is nearly 18,000 hours (from the time school is started to the time of graduation). This comparison is an outrage because of the amount of television that is watched by a child will have an effect on their brain, emotions and their sense to feel pain. In a 2000 report on adolescent violence it was stated that more aggressive behavior in a young childs life is caused by frequently watched entertainment that incorporates violence in it. This has become a public health issue and because of the research findings; the American Psychological Association passed a resolution in February of 1985, informing broadcasters and the public about the dangers violence on the television has on children. Three major effects have been proven by psychologic al research caused by children seeing violence on television. These are child may become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others children who watch violence do not fear violence nor are they bothered by violence in general and the children are more likely to become aggressive or use harmful actions towards others. When we are born we have the capacity for motivation, experience, and training, and because of this our minds are very impressionable. Therefore, our brains development is a dynamic mix of nature and nurture, so it is important to choose a healthy environment for all children. This means cartoons with violence will be unhealthy for a child because in general, being interactive with any environment enhances the development of a successful brain. As a result, a tremendous amount of childhood involvement with electronic media can limit social interaction and may obstruct the development of a brains social systems. IMPACT ON THE BRAIN AND EYES: An episode of the Japanese cartoon Pocket Monster which was later renamed Pokà ©mon for international distribution drew worldwide attention after multiple cases of children suffering seizures after watching the episode were reported .Parents began to wonder how the cartoons which their children watched affected their mental development. While no former study specifically relating to cartoons has taken place, multiple studies over the years have charted the impact of television on the minds and eyes of developing children. Most eye specialists agree that watching television is not a danger to the eyes, as long as children watch in the right conditions. However the room should not be pitch black, and children should not sit closer than five feet away from the screen. Sitting in a dark room or closer than five feet will not damage the eyes, but will result in eye fatigue. As for the brain, there is scientific evidence that too much cartoon viewing can be detrimental to children. According to a study it was revealed that children who watched on an average three to four hours of television daily had a greater risk of developing attention deficit disorder than children who did not watch television. While no specific program is directly responsible, it is speculated that the speed of the images displayed could affect childrens brains. A question arises whether watching television give young children seizures. According to a study it was found most children who suffered seizures from the December 1997 episode of Pocket Monsters had epilepsy, or some other underlying condition that would have caused development of seizures, regardless of whether or not they saw that program. INCREASED RISK IN CHILD SAFETY Today in many childrens cartoons you see cartoon characters jumping, diving, and falling from very high heights, then landing without being harmed. Parents seem to be happy with this as along as the cartoon doesnt promote sex or any kind of violence. On every episode of Loony Tunes    a short clip of Wile E. Coyote trying to catch the Road Runner is mostly shown. And in every clip Wile E. Coyote in some shape or form seems to fall off a cliff or simple have one of his inventions back fire and cause a mass explosion. Yet, he manages to collect his teeth, dust him self off and get up for another attempt to catch the Road Runner. Another example of this sort of cartoon would have to be Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. In these cartoons it always seems to be rabbit hunting season and Elmer Fudd can never seem to shoot that dang ol rabbit. When he tries, Bugs usually finds a way to either bend the gun to aim at Elmer or to plug it up with some kind of object. But, either way the guns always fire into Elmers face. These sorts of cartoons are displaying false sense of reality upon children. Being able to fall off a tall cliff or being shot with a gun in the face and walking from these incidents with barely a scratch. At a young age, this false sense of reality can really affect them. It has been proving that children on average watch 4 hours or television a day. This false sense of reality for every hour of TV viewed per day, the risk of injury rises proportionally.    A child growing looks up to and would want to be like the super heroes in the cartoons. Thats why the false sense of reality that cartoons show encourage children to try things that they see their favorite super hero do. In some cases TV has also been linked to causing seizures. The cartoons children are watching dont show sex or violence doesnt mean that they are innocent. Because of this false sense of reality children at a young age cant tell the difference between cartoons and realism. TVS EFFECT ON CHILDRENS BEHAVIOR : Children who view cartoon shows in which violence is very realistic, frequently repeated or unpunished, are more likely to imitate what they see. This speaks to the impressionable mindsets of young children, who are still learning control of their minds and bodies, and are likely to mimic what they see, as it seems quite normal to them. A need arises for parents to keep a close eye on what their children watch. They must be there to explain that the cartoon character or actor that was shot has not been harmed, but would actually be seriously injured, or die in real life. They should also work to tell their children that violent behavior is not the best course of action to resolve a conflict. Young children are very impressionable. Higher levels of television viewing correlate with lowered academic performance, especially reading scores. This may be because television substitutes for reading practice, partially because the compellingly visual nature of the stimulus blocks development of left-hemisphere language circuitry. A young brain manipulated by jazzy visual effects cannot divide attention to listen carefully to language. TV is a very quick medium. Messages are shot at the viewer as if by an automatic rifle. Their minds must be equally as quick to interpret the messages, and with such a two-minute mind, many messages are misinterpreted, or confused. When the child becomes used to receiving information at so fast a rate, they lose interest in information that is more detailed and methodical, such as the information received in day-to-day schooling. Television certainly does affect the kids, who find themselves mesmerized by the bright flashing objects, and rapid assault of messages. Auditory Subliminal Messaging in Childrens Cartoons The lessons that the media conveys to those parts of the mind without conscious perception through the cartoons that people watch, are referred to as subliminal messages. When children watch cartoons, they always pay attention to what is being said.    In a childs subconscious mind, he or she is exposed to auditory subliminal messages that they may never discover, but they will eventually become a part of their lives.    Not all auditory subliminal messaging is negative.    However, most of these messages have a negative effect on children.    The interesting thing about the situation is that these messages are most common in popular cartoons. SpongeBob Squarepants has been on the air since 1999 on Nickelodeon.    Today, it still remains popular and new episodes are still being created.    It is now 2004 and people are speaking out against the messages that they found hidden in a number of episodes.    The main allegation against SpongeBob Squarepants is its use of metaphors in place of profanity.    When he is disappointed, SpongeBob will often yell out Tartar Sauce.    To an adult ear, that phrase may sound like it is intended to represent a curse word. When parents choose what cartoons to let their children watch, they want to make sure that these cartoons are appropriate for general audiences People who create popular cartoons are careful to not allow any vulgar content to be incorporated into their cartoons.    However, every cartoon cant be made perfectly safe for viewing by children and some of the verbal content may be mistaken for auditory subliminal messages. Marketing Practices of Companies that produce Childrens Cartoons: Children are no longer viewed as vulnerable human beings that need to be nurtured. Nowadays, companies are increasingly viewing kids through an economic lens.    This is because children are easy to take advantage of. A child will see an item that they want and will throw a complete tantrum until their parents give up and purchase it. This is a marketing companys dream come true.    Marketing Companies can open up emotional vulnerabilities, and its very easy to do with kids because they are emotionally vulnerable. Cartoon companies are the most common companies that are tapping into this new trend. It is literally impossible to walk into any store today and not see any licensed cartoon merchandise. From playing cards to toothpaste, these companies have covered every angle possible. By doing this it makes it impossible for a child to walk into a store and not want a specific item. Cartoon companies are also known to advertise their object in between television shows. The commercials are designed to have the child infatuated with the object and wanting it as soon as possible. With such devises these companies are using today, it is quite understandable why these companies bring in billions of dollars a year. To conclude with animated cartoon pictures are targeted mainly towards children. They can have a positive as well as negative influence on children depending upon the theme and the content. The animated pictures contain a wide array of content matter and messages that may influence children in many different ways. There are some cartoons that are neutral and purely meant for entertainment, some are educational but some are violent to the core.          Looking    at the good side of cartoon pictures, they are fun, entertaining and a good way to rewind oneself. Moreover, some of them even have a positive influence on kids. In the year 2005, Sesame Street, the educational puppet cartoon series, launched its Healthy Habits for Life series. This was televised with an aim to encourage young kids to lead more dynamic and nutritious lifestyles. Healthy Habits For Life featured Wyclef Jean, the rapper, singing and applauding the benefits of fruits and veggies. The puppets and animated pictures in Sesame Street were an instant hit amongst children since the time it was first televised in 1969. Many parents insisted that their kids remembered each and every word that was taught on Sesame Street.             There are many other animated cartoon pictures that inspire kids to adopt healthy habits. Popeye, the sailor man, who gobbles on spinach every time he faces a difficulty. This cartoon character actually inspired many toddlers to eat spinach. Keeping in view the positive influence that cartoons have, teachers started teaching kids through cartoons. They used cartoon character drawings to teach several subjects.Cartoon characters inspired them to study the subjects with       a deeper insight Children also have a tendency to consider some or the other cartoon character as their super hero. It is alright till the time the animated cartoon super hero they adore are cute and cuddly like baby looney tunes, sharp and funny like Tom an Jerry or cute and wacky like The Powerpuff girls However, they may become aggressive and snappy if they imagine picturing a violent cartoon character as their idol. The drawings of cartoon as stated earlier may have a positive as well as a negative influence. The images and storyline can have a enormous negative affect on kids because the violence and fury is honored without aftermaths, is extolled and idealized. Such violent cartoons should be avoided at all costs. The good news is that there are many cartoons that are simply made for pure entertainment, like Tom and Jerry, Yogi Bear, Mickey Mouse or even SpongeBob SquarePants, to name a few. Animated cartoon pictures are meant to entertain. It is more than acceptable if the kids learn a worthwhile lesson from them and are positively influenced.

As a Child

Our whole lives, we have been taught to be ambitious and competitive. Getting accepted into a prestigious university and employment in a high-paying job is essential in life, and is the way to be happy. So far, this is what I have tried to follow for the past 10 years, but is that really how one should live their life? Constantly picking faults, looking at the next best thing, earning the most money, does money really buy happiness? The summer of 2009, I flew to Delhi, India with my mother to visit my uncles, aunts and my grandfather as they were in shock because one of my aunts had died. A week after we arrived, we headed for a week-long trip to see the rest of Delhi, with our family. As a child, I always thought of India as a developing nation and I envisioned broken streets and bathrooms everywhere. But as I walked into the hotel, I realized that this place was really professional, much like Toronto is, with clean roads, no bathroom stalls on the streets. The only issue I had was with the mosquitoes; they would visit us every night and became a nuisance! The next few days were similarly surprising and fun. The way they made every day an adventure. In the evenings, after dinner, everyone would start up the karaoke machine and sing along in Hindi to it. They would stand together, holding hands and swaying to the music, and before I knew it, all my worries were gone. The days seemed to fly by quickly. The last night of our trip, we all ate dinner around a big, round table. They all talked about their lives and the hardships they faced. I had known the basics about their past careers as my mother had told me on the way here, but what my grandfather told me, shocked me. He was nowhere near as well-off as I had expected. He explained how many relationships were torn apart because of disputes, divorce and even death. Yet even as my grandfather told me of all his hardships, he smiled like a pug with a face with countless wrinkles, encouraging me to strive for my goals and to value my youth. I couldn't smile back. How could these people still laugh and sing as I had seen them do for the past few days when their lives were so imperfect? I couldn't even begin to imagine what it would feel like to go through all that pain; the idea was simply beyond me. â€Å"It is inevitable that life deals you hardships and obstacles†, he explained. â€Å"Sometimes they are big and it may seem im possible to overcome them, but you always have to try.† He pointed to his wallet with a picture of my cousin as an example. â€Å"There is no way to bring her back†, he told me. I thought about myself, and how I used to cry over a bad haircut. I remembered the time when I was in grade 7; I had failed a math test, and thought it was the end of the world. The smallest, most meaningless things used to ruin my day. As I looked around the table at all the smiling faces of my uncles and aunts, I began to realize that what grades you get or what university you go to, is all completely irrelevant. Money, popularity, and all our obsessions for things are so meaningless! Nothing in the world could make me happy if I was constantly looking at the next best thing and continuously picking faults. Yet my grandfather had possessed no material wealth, didn't go to the greatest university, wasn't the smartest student, but seemed like the happiest person on earth. The rest of my trip in India passed by in a blur. Before I knew it, I was sitting in an airplane, watching Delhi fall below me, and for some reason, as I thought of my family and all their joy and passion for life, I was reminded of a quote I had heard somewhere. â€Å"Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.† That was when I realized that there would always be problems in our lives, but beside them are also all the good things; they are simply overshadowed. It is just up to us to find them.

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 40

Matt and Mrs. Flowers were in the bunker – the addition to the house that Mrs. Flowers's uncle had put onto the back for woodwork and other hobbies. It had fallen into even more neglect than the rest of the house, being used as a storage space for things Mrs. Flowers didn't know where else to put – such as Cousin Joe's folding cot and that old sagging couch that didn't match a stick of furniture inside anymore. Now, at night, it was their haven. No child or adult from Fell's Church had ever been invited inside. In fact, except for Mrs. Flowers, Stefan – who'd helped move large furniture into it – and now Matt, no one had even been in for as long as Mrs. Flowers could remember. Matt clung to this. He had been, slowly but surely, reading through the material Meredith had researched and one precious excerpt had meant a lot to him and Mrs. Flowers. It was the reason they were able to sleep at night, when the voices came. The kitsune is often thought to be a sort of cousin to Western vampires, seducing chosen men (as most fox spirits take on a female form) and feeding directly on their chi, or life spirit, without the intermediary of blood. Thus one may make a case that they are bound by similar rules to the vampire. For example, they cannot enter human dwellings without invitation†¦ And oh, the voices†¦ He was profoundly glad now that he'd taken Meredith and Bonnie's advice and gone to Mrs. Flowers's first before going home. The girls had convinced him he'd only be putting his parents in danger by facing up to the lynch mob that awaited him, ready to kill him for allegedly assaulting Caroline. Caroline seemed to have found him at the boardinghouse immediately, anyway, but she never brought any kind of mob with her. Matt thought that perhaps it was because that would have been useless. He had no idea what might have happened if the voices had belonged to ex-friends long ago invited to his house while he was at home. Tonight†¦ â€Å"Come on, Matt,† Caroline's voice, lazy, slow, and seductive purred. It sounded as if she were lying down, speaking into the crack under the door. â€Å"Don't be such a spoilsport. You know you have to come out sometime.† â€Å"Let me talk to my mom.† â€Å"I can't, Matt. I told you before, she's undergoing training.† â€Å"To be like you?† â€Å"It takes a lot of work to get to be like me, Matt.† Suddenly Caroline's tone was not flirtatious any longer. â€Å"I bet,† Matt muttered, and added, â€Å"You hurt my family and you're going to be sorrier than you can imagine.† â€Å"Oh, Matt! Come on, get real. Nobody is going to hurt anybody.† Matt slowly opened his hands to look at what he had clenched between them. Meredith's old revolver, filled with the bullets blessed by Obaasan. â€Å"What is Elena's middle name?† he asked – not loudly, even though there were the sounds of music and dancing in Mrs. Flowers's backyard. â€Å"Matt, what are you talking about? What are you doing in there, making a family tree?† â€Å"I asked you a simple question, Care. You and Elena played since you were practically babies, right? So what is her middle name?† A flurry of activity. When Caroline finally answered he could clearly hear the whispered coaching, as Stefan had heard so long ago, just a beat before her words. â€Å"If all you're interested in is playing games, Matthew Honeycutt, I'll go find someone else to talk to.† He could practically hear her flounce away. But he felt like celebrating. He allowed himself a whole graham cracker and half a cup of Mrs. Flowers's homemade apple juice. They never knew when they might be locked in here for good, with only the supplies they had, so whenever Matt went out of the bunker he brought back as many things as he could find that might be useful. A barbeque lighter and hairspray equaled a flame thrower. Jar after jar of Mrs. Flowers's delicious preserves. Lapis rings in case the worst happened and they ended up with pointy teeth. Mrs. Flowers turned in her sleep on the couch. â€Å"Who was that, Matt dear?† she asked. â€Å"Nobody at all, Mrs. Flowers. You just go back to sleep.† â€Å"I see,† Mrs. Flowers said in her sweet-old-lady voice. â€Å"Well, if nobody at all comes back you might ask her her own mother's first name.† â€Å"I see,† Matt said in his best imitation of her voice and then they both laughed. But underneath his laughter there was a lump in his throat. He had known Mrs. Forbes a long time, too. And he was scared, scared of the time that it would be Shinichi's voice calling. Then they were going to be in trouble for good. â€Å"There it is,† shouted Sage. â€Å"Elena!† screamed Meredith. â€Å"Oh, God!† screamed Bonnie. The next instant, Elena was thrown, and something landed on top of her. Dully, she heard a cry. But it was different from the others. It was a choking sound of pure pain as Bloddeuwedd's beak thunked into something made of flesh. Me, Elena thought. But there was no pain. Not†¦me? There was a coughing sound above her. â€Å"Elena – go – my shields – won't hold – â€Å" â€Å"Damon! We'll go together!† Hurts†¦ It was just the shadow of a telepathic whisper and Elena knew Damon didn't think she'd heard it. But she was circling her Power faster and faster, done with deception, caring only about getting those she loved out of danger. I'll find a way, she told Damon. I'll carry you. Fireman's lift. He laughed at that, giving Elena some hope that he wasn't dying. Now Elena wished she'd taken Dr. Meggar in the carriage with them so he could use his healing powers on the injured – – and then what? Leave him to the mercies of Bloddeuwedd? He wants to build a hospital here, in this world. He wants to help the children, who surely don't deserve all the evils that I've seen visited on them – She shunted the thoughts aside. This was no time for a philosophical debate about doctors and their obligations. It was time to run. Reaching behind her, she found two hands. One was slick with blood so she reached farther, thanking her late mother for all the ballet lessons, all the children's yoga, and she grabbed the sleeve above it. And then she put her back into it and pulled. To her surprise she hauled Damon up with her. She tried to heft him farther up on her back, but that didn't work. And then she even managed a wobbly step forward, and another – And then Sage was there picking both of them up and they were going into the lobby of the building of the Shi no Shi. â€Å"Everyone, get out! Get out! Bloddeuwedd's after us and she'll kill anything in her way!† Elena shouted. It was the strangest thing. She hadn't meant to shout. Hadn't formulated the words, except perhaps in the deepest parts of her subconscious. But she did shout them into the already frenzied lobby and she heard the cry taken up by others. What she didn't expect was that they would run, not out into the street, but down toward the cells. She ought to have, of course, but she hadn't. And then she felt herself and Sage and Damon going down, down the way they had last night†¦ But was it really the right way? Elena clamped one hand over the other and saw, judging by foxlight, that they needed to head off to the right. â€Å"WHAT ARE THOSE CELLS TO THE RIGHT OF US? HOW DO WE GET THERE?† she shouted to the young vampire gentleman next to her. â€Å"That's Isolation and Mentally Disturbed,† the vampire gentleman shouted back. â€Å"Don't go that way.† â€Å"I have to! Do I need a key?† â€Å"Yes, but – â€Å" â€Å"Do you have a key?† â€Å"Yes, but – â€Å" â€Å"Give it to me now!† â€Å"I can't do that,† he wailed in a way that reminded her of Bonnie at her most difficult. â€Å"All right. Sage!† â€Å"Madame?† â€Å"Send Talon back to peck this man's eyes out. He won't give me the key to Stefan's ward!† â€Å"As good as done, Madame!† â€Å"W-wait! I cha-changed my mind. Here's the key!† The vampire fished through a ring of keys and handed one to her. It looked like the other keys on his ring. Too much alike, Elena's suspicious mind said. â€Å"Sage!† â€Å"Madame !† â€Å"Can you wait till I pass with Saber? I want him to tear the you-know-what off this guy if he's lied to me.† â€Å"Of course, Madame!† â€Å"W-w-w-wait,† gasped the vampire. It was clear that he was completely terrified. â€Å"I may – may have given you the wrong key – in this – this light – â€Å" â€Å"Give me the right key and tell me anything I need to know or I'll have the dog backtrack you and kill you,† Elena said, and at that moment, she meant it. â€Å"H-here.† This time the key didn't look like a key. It was round, slightly convex, with a hole in the middle. Like a donut that's been sat on by a police officer, part of Elena's mind said, and began laughing hysterically. Shut up, she told her mind sharply. â€Å"Sage!† â€Å"Madame?† â€Å"Can Talon see the man I'm holding by the hair?† She had to go on tiptoe to grasp him. â€Å"But of course, Madame!† â€Å"Can she remember him? If I can't find Stefan I want her to show him to Saber so he can track him.† â€Å"Uh†¦ah†¦got it, Madame!† A hand, dripping blood from the wrist, lifted a falcon high, at the same time as there was a serendipitous crash from the top of the building. The vampire was almost sobbing. â€Å"Turn r-right at the n-next right. Use the k-key in the slot at h-head height to g-get into the corridor. There m-may be guards there. But†¦if – if you don't have a key to the individual cell you want – I'm sorry, but – â€Å" â€Å"I do! I have the cell key and I know what to do after that! Thank you, you've been very kind and helpful.† Elena let go of the vampire's hair. â€Å"Sage! Damon! Bonnie! Look for a corridor, locked, going right. Then don't get swept away. Sage, hold Bonnie and have Saber bark like crazy. Bonnie, hold on to Meredith in front of the guys. The corridor leads to Stefan!† Elena never knew how much any one of her allies heard of this message, sent by voice and telepathy. But ahead she heard a sound that to her was like choirs of angels singing. Saber was barking madly. Elena would never have been able to stop by herself. She was in a raging river of people and the raging river was taking her right around the barrier made by four people, a falcon, and a mad-seeming dog. But eight hands reached out to her as she was swept by – and a snarling, snapping muzzle leaped ahead of her to divide the crowd. Somehow she was being run into, bruised, cradled, shoved, and, grasped and grasping, forced all the way to the right wall. But Sage was looking at that same wall in despair. â€Å"Madame, he tricked you! There is no keyhole here!† Elena's throat went raw. She prepared to shout, â€Å"Saber, heel,† and go after the vampire. But then, just below her, Bonnie's voice said, â€Å"Of course there is. It's shaped like a circle.† And Elena remembered. Smaller guards. Like imps or monkeys. Bonnie's size. â€Å"Bonnie, take this! Shove it into the hole. Be careful! It's the only one we've got.† Sage immediately directed Saber to stand and snarl just ahead of Bonnie in the tunnel, to keep the stream of panicked demons and vampires from jostling her. Carefully, solemnly, Bonnie took the large key, examined it, cocked her head, turned it in her hands – and placed it in the wall. â€Å"Nothing's happening!† â€Å"Try turning or pushing – â€Å" Click. The door slid open. Elena and her group more or less fell into the corridor, while Saber stood between them and the herd pounding by, barking and snapping and leaping. Elena, lying on the ground, legs entwined with who-knew-who-else's, cupped a hand around her ring. The fox eyes shone straight ahead and a bit to the right. They were shining into a cell ahead.

Biography of John Trumbull, Painter of the American Revolution

John Trumbull was an early American painter known for his depictions of historical events related to the Revolutionary War. He was personally acquainted with many of the principle figures of the Revolution, having spent two years as an officer in the colonial army, which included a stint as a military aide to General George Washington. Trumbulls paintings tended to capture the drama of warfare and significant events including the presentation of the Declaration of Independence to the Continental Congress. Images created by Trumbull, including a set of large murals which adorn the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, have defined how many Americans visualize the earliest days of the nation. Fast Facts: John Trumbull Known For: Artist who devoted himself to painting scenes from the American RevolutionBorn: June 6, 1756 in Lebanon, ConnecticutDied: November 10, 1843, New York, New YorkParents: Connecticut governor Jonathan Trumbull, Sr. and Faith Robinson TrumbullSpouse: Sarah Hope HarveyEducation: Harvard CollegeMost Famous Works: Four immense paintings hanging today in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol: The Surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga, The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, The Declaration of Independence, and The Resignation of Washington. Early Life and Military Career John Trumbull was born June 6, 1756. As the son of Connecticuts colonial governor, he grew up in a privileged environment. Trumbull lost the use of one eye in a childhood accident, yet he was determined to learn to paint. He took some painting lessons from John Singleton Copley before attending Harvard. After graduating from Harvard at the age of 17, he taught school while trying to learn more about art. John Trumbull - Scanned 1855 Engraving. benoitb / Getty Images As the American Revolution began, Trumbull became involved and enlisted in the Continental Army. George Washington had seen some of Trumbulls sketches of enemy positions and took him on as an aide. Trumbull served in the army for two years before resigning in 1777. In 1780 Trumbull sailed for France. His ultimate destination, however, was London, where he intended to study with the painter Benjamin West. He traveled to London, where he began studies with West, but in November 1780 he was arrested by the British as an American rebel. Upon his release he returned to the continent, and then back to Boston. Painting the Revolution Following the end of the Revolutionary War, in late 1783, Trumbull made his way back to London and to Wests studio. He spent two years painting classical subjects before embarking on what would become his lifes work: painting scenes of the American Revolution. The Death of General Warren at Bunkers Hill by John Trumbull. Hulton Archive / Getty Images Trumbulls first effort, The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunkers Hill featured the death of one of the great heroes of the American cause, Boston physician and patriot leader Dr. Joseph Warren. The painting, which was completed in the spring of 1786 under the tutelage of Benjamin West, was influenced by Wests own painting, The Death of General Wolfe at Quebec. The painting of the climactic action at Bunker Hill was noteworthy as Trumbull had been present that day, so in part he was painting from his own memory. Yet he included details that he admitted were inaccurate, such as a British officer trying to shield Warren. He justified that by noting that the officer had shown kindness to American prisoners. Return to America After leaving England and spending two years in France, he eventually returned to America in 1789. During the period when the federal government was based in Philadelphia he painted portraits of national figures. For a painting of the presentation of the Declaration of Independence he traveled to sketch men who had been present in 1776 (despite this attention to detail, his eventual painting included some men who had not been present). In the early 1790s, Trumbull took a job working as the private secretary to John Jay. While working for Jay he returned to Europe, eventually returning to America for good in 1804. Trumbull continued to paint, and a cataclysmic event, the 1814 burning of the U.S. Capitol by the British, led to his greatest commission. As the federal government contemplated rebuilding the Capitol, he was hired to paint four enormous paintings to decorate the rotunda. Each would measure 12 by 18 feet, and would feature scenes from the Revolution. The four paintings, which hang in the Capitols rotunda today, are The Surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga, The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, The Declaration of Independence, and The Resignation of Washington. The subject matter was carefully chosen, as it deliberately included two great military victories balanced by the presentation of the Revolutionary ideals to the Continental Congress and the return of the nations heroic warrior, Washington, to civilian life. President Johnson speaking in front of a John Trumbull painting in the Capitol rotunda in 1965. Â   The large paintings were based on smaller originals completed years earlier, and art critics have maintained that the enormous versions in the Capitol are flawed. However, they have become iconic, and periodically serve as the backdrop to noteworthy public events. Legacy In 1831 the elderly Trumbull donated his unsold paintings to Yale College, and designed a building to house them, thus creating the first American college art gallery. He published an autobiography in 1841, and died in 1843, at the age of 87. Trumbulls paintings have lived on as symbols of Americas patriot spirit, and generations of Americans have essentially seen the American Revolution through his paintings. Sources: John Trumbull. Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed., vol. 15, Gale, 2004, pp. 316-317. Gale Virtual Reference Library.Selesky, Harold E. Trumbull, John. Encyclopedia of the American Revolution: Library of Military History, edited by Harold E. Selesky, vol. 2, Charles Scribners Sons, 2006, pp. 1167-1168. Gale Virtual Reference Library.Trumbull, John (1756–1843). American Eras, vol. 4: Development of a Nation, 1783-1815, Gale, 1997, pp. 66-67. Gale Virtual Reference Library.