Pyromaniac :: Personal Narratives Fire Essays

Pyromaniac A secret label, hushed and never talked about, has followed my name since I was born; â€Å"Pyro,† pyromaniac that is. Fascination with fire, the uncontrollable impulse to start fires, has been circulating in my blood from the first day I was born. Smelting heat and flames would spark my attention no matter what my surroundings. Candle lit dinner tables, switch flick colorful lighters, lit cigarette butts and burning matches. Oh matches! How I love them. The smell of gasoline has always been a heavenly scent, burning paper and bonfire parties are two of my other favorites. Smokey haze has always soothed me. One crisp October afternoon, however, that soothing smoky haze turned against me. I was fourteen years old, my parents were not home but my partner-in-crime, Anne, was by my side. Anne was my best friend throughout my childhood years, we did everything together. On weekdays after school, Anne and I headed to my house to be greeted by my comforting living room for our ritual TV session. Saved by the Bell was our preferred program. With the TV blaring in the background, we scattered our homework about the floor as if we had been studying, just in case my mom showed up unexpectedly. We left behind stained crumpled napkins, half eaten snacks and soda cans with few sips drawn from the lip, as we began the hunt for after school excitement. Suddenly, an idea mazed through my intricate thought process until it burst. The explosion erupted and excitement swam through my bones, in and out of every limb and muscle. I jumped, â€Å"let’s light something on fire in the garage.† It would be safer outside of my house, I thought (no one will see us). My garage contained two small tinted windows, so that no one could peer inside, no one could catch us in the act of the crime. Anne’s face lit up with excitement as she said, â€Å"Ok, I’ll grab the toilet paper and napkins, you grab some writing paper.† Our plan was set. We scurried to the garage, carrying paper and other â€Å"burnables.† Matches were always better than lighters for experiments such as these. For our first experiment, we ignited napkins and paper, but the excitement quickly fizzled. Having lost our initial adrenalin rush, we began to search for more dangerous â€Å"flammables.

Sociology and Recreational Facilities

I am glad to have been given this opportunity to talk to you today. The title of my speech is ‘Social ills among teenagers'. A lot has been said about the deviant behavior of teenagers. Our education system, the media, teenagers themselves and their parents have been blamed. here is no need to point an accusing finger at any particular group, but keeping mum over the issue is tantamount to condoning it. Our youths are our most valuable assets. They are the future leaders of the nation. The harm has already been done and it is now up to us to undo it.One of the main reasons why our youths go astray may be the lack of parental supervision. Nowadays, both parents go out to work. Children are left in the care of foreign maids and child-minders. As a result, they are faced with the threat of the disintegration of the family values and thus, the rising trend in social ills and crimes among teenagers. Parents should closely monitor the activities of their children and be understanding . When parents are often too busy pursuing their own careers to spare some thought for the welfare of their children, children grow up with little religious or moral guidance.When they do not get love and attention at home, they seek attention from others who may or may not come from similar backgrounds. Thus, the social ills affecting our youth may be a reflection of a much larger problem, such as the disintegration of the family unit. Ladies and gentlemen, the media may also play a part in the moral degradation among teenagers. Television programs which show violence and sex and glorify other negative aspects should be restricted.There should also be stricter enforcement of the ban on pornographic material. Teenagers with little or nothing to do during their spare time usually take to the streets. Therefore, recreational facilities such as those found in sports complexes should be available to all youths. at present, existing recreational facilities seem to either be exclusively f or the rich or for older people. the establishment of teen clubs and community centers, that do not charge high fees and that specially target teenagers, should be given top priority.In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, everyone, including religious, educational and social institutions, as well as individuals and the media, must cooperate with the authorities to combat the social ills afflicting our teenagers. It is important that people, especially youths, do not get into the rut of moral decay. There should be a thorough study of the problem before a proper strategy can be mapped out to channel our youths towards healthier lifestyles. Thank you for your kind attention and have a nice day.

Progression of Evil in Dantes Inferno Essay - 784 Words

As Virgil leads Dante through the layers of Hell, they come across evildoers who are trapped in the personification of their own sinful personalities. Their tortures are extreme versions of their sins on earth. Dante imparts his own moral standards to the reader by portraying a hierarchy of evil that corresponds with his disapproval of the sin. As the pair of observers descends farther and farther into the pits of Hell, the punishments they see grow less and less bearable. While the evil in the first layers of Hell is simple, sometimes invoking pity in Dante, the lower levels of Hell punish souls for more complex and condemnable sins. It would be interesting to see a system of political justice based upon Dantes values.†¦show more content†¦The fourth circle of upper hell contains the hoarders and the spendthrifts, whose wills were too weak in life to manage their assets. Aware only of their own needs on earth, they each work towards their own goal in Hell, pushing a ro ck. They are forced, however to cope with like-minded souls and collide rather than cooperating, which results in eternal frustration. Every indulgent soul in upper hell is punished according to his own personality. There are no demons to force them to do anything. They bring the punishment on themselves by eternally acting out a version of their sin. After passing through the City of Dis, Virgil and Dante enter Nether Hell, where violent and heretical sinners are punished. Dante portrays these sins of corrupt will as more evil and deserving of worse punishment than the weak-willed sins of upper hell. Souls who, during life, were violent against their neighbors boiled in a river of blood. Suicide cases are trapped in the form of trees, unable to scream unless gauged by horrible birds. The violent against God are sprawled face-up on burning sand, eternally confronting the proclaimed enemy. Even within an individual circle, some sinners are punished more than others. Among the violent against God, Capaneus is more severely punished than his peers because of his pride. He continues to be blasphemous, even in death, declaring, That which in life I was, in death I am. His stubbornness and pride in death causesShow MoreRelatedDante’s Inferno in Milton ´s Paradise Lost1326 Words   |  6 Pagesbeen made that Danteâ€⠄¢s Inferno glimmers through here and there in Milton’s Paradise Lost. While at first glance the two poems seem quite drastically different in their portrayal of Hell, but scholars have made arguments that influence from Dante shines through Milton’s work as well as arguments refuting these claims. 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