2014-2015 Mock trial Starter kit Essay Example for Free

2014-2015 Mock trial Starter kit Essay Would you please introduce yourself to the court room? Hello, my name is Jordanus Asterion (Hordanus Astrion) What do you do for a living, Mr. Asterion? I am an attorney How long have you been an attorney? Well I practiced for about 20 years, then I had a bit of a mishap but now I’m back to practicing, heck I got my biggest case ever just this year! This miss hap, what happened? It all started back in 2012, it was one drink then I was hooked, I was jobless, homeless, and recently divorced. I was living on the streets, in parking garages, or where ever I could. But, after the incident, I sobered up, got my law license reinstated, and got back together with my family. Are you referring to the death of cervus carona? Yes. Can you tell the jury what you saw? Well my dog woke me up and I saw the samurai group at the parking garage I was sleeping in. there were two people running up the stairs, I immeadtly recognized lang tigris, and the other person, I now know as cervus carona. They were arguing about something, I couldn’t tell what, but when they got (I can’t find what story) story cervus got physical, he pushed lang against the wall†¦. Well†¦ then it happened†¦ What are you referring to Mr. Asterion? See more: Defining research problem and setting objectives Essay Well the force of the push made both people bounce, and lang bounced and that gave cervrus a little more momentum†¦ then†¦ well cervus fell†¦ he fell out of the window. Did you observe anything after that? Yea, lang†¦ he was just calm†¦ and still†¦ it seemed like he was in shock.\ (I want to ask a opinion on the ultimate issue question, but I don’t know how to word it) This is just an issue of bad timing, cerverus push lang just a little to hard in the wrong place at the wrong time, and well now were here. Anything about criminal investigation on direct, object to 4.18.3 lack of proper predicate, 602 lack of personal knowledge, 703 opinions by experts You have a Bachelor’s of Science from Texoma University, don’t you? Yourdegree is in Accounting, isn’t it? You also have a Master’s degree from the Enron Hubbard Institute, don’t you? This degree is in Forensic Accounting, isn’t it?  Neither of your degrees make you eligible to work in Law Enforcement, do they? Neither of these degrees are law degrees, are they?  You have never worked as an on-staff employee of any law enforcement agency, have you? So you do not have formal expertise in criminal justice, do you? Nor do you have any educational background in criminal justice, do you? So you cannot render any expert opinions regarding the alleged criminal activities of my client other than those relating to the accounting of Argo Navis, Inc., can you? You know that both my client and Cervus Corona were attempting to sell the company, don’t you? You know that the company was worth somewhere between $2- and $200 million dollars, don’t you? (if brought up) and Lang could only receive a maximum of 2 million from life insurance You know that $75,000 dollars had been stolen from the accounts of Argo Navis, don’t you? This is the only questionable accounting you found in the Argo Navis accounts, isn’t it? And you have no conclusive evidence tying this singular piece of criminal activity to my client, do you? Beauty and the beast, price, cursed, ugly, villagers thought he was evil that was an act of prejudice May it please the court, your honor, opposing counsel, member of the jury. We all know the story of beauty and the beast, the beast was a handsome prince, who was cursed by a witch to become and evil looking monster. He was slandered, tormented and persecuted by the villagers all because of a prejudice they had towards him. Hello, my name is Nate K. I am a representing the state of texoma in today’s case. Today the prosecution holds the burden of proof, which means that if, you have a single doubt of guilt in your mind, then the defendants is innocent. Like in the beauty and the beast, the villagers, or in this case, the prosecutions witness, we presume, will attempt to slander the beast, Lang Tigris. Malus testudao will attempt to tell you he saw the altercation, but in reality he didn’t have vantage point where he could see it. Next, we presume that felis vela will  take the stand, she will tell you about how 75 thousand dollars was stolen for the company, but no one know who took it. She will also explain that the company was worth more than the money than Lang Tigris got from the life insurance. She will also give you opinions that no ability to give. Finally, limax Grus will take the stand, we believe that he will testify about the crime scene, which was not treated properly. He will also tell you about the witnesses he improperly interviewed and detained. And he will also explain that he left out an eye witness. Next we will call three witnesses. Jordanus Asterion will explain that he had a great view point of the entire altercation, and how Cervus corona began the fight, and how e fell as a result of ricochet. He explain that even though he was eyewitness, limax gruss did not interview him. Next Ares Vega will testify, he will explain to you that the Lima Grus did not control the crime scene, he also did not properly detain the witnesses, and furthermore he did not even question an eye witness. Finally, lang tigris will take the stand. He will explain that the business relationship was perfect, then Cervus began to bulk up, and he became aggressive, all lang did was try to please him, then the day of the altercation, Lang said something, he told cervrus he needed to calm down and become a team player. Cervrus said that lang was just riding his caot tails, and at that point, lang asked him about steroids, which put cerverus over the edge. He will explain that later that day they met, by chance, at the samurai class. Cervrus was aggressive and physical with him, then, it happened. Cerverus pushed lang and rebounded off the glass through the wall. Ladies and gentlemen, please don’t allow the villager to kill the beast, after he is inncocent.

Differences And Effects Of Natural And Synthetic Fertilizers :: essays research papers

Differences and Effects of Natural and Synthetic Fertilizers At the core of the growth and germination of plants lie the nutrients they receive from the soil. The nutrients required for growth are classified into two groupings, macronutirents and micronutrients. Macronutrients are those that are needed in very large amounts, and whose absence can do a great harm to the development of the plant life. These nutrients include calcium, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and are very sparse in most soils, making them the primary ingredients in most fertilizers. The other, more common macronutrients are called secondary nutrients, as they are not of as much importance. Micronutrients, the other classification, consist of all the other elements and compounds required for sufficient growth, such as iron, boron, manganese, copper, zinc, molybdenum and chlorine. In some cases, these nutrients are found to be missing in soils, but it is extremely uncommon. As plants need to retrieve all of their nutrients from the soil, many methods have been developed in order to find ways to improve or change the soil to suit the plant's needs. Soil, in science as well as in common gardening, must undergo detailed inspection, to detect such things as the pH of the soil. A soil with a pH above 7.0 is called an alkaline soil, and will commonly kill plants. Mineral content, as mentioned above, is also a concern, and must be clearly monitored. After inspection, it is common for minor organic materials outside fertilizers to be applied, such as peat moss, ground bark, or leaf mold. It is after these steps that fertilization must occur, leading to a debate which has plagued gardeners and scientists alike: organic or chemical? Fertilizers, in both natural and synthetic breeds, are carriers of the primary and secondary nutrients that are found less often in even the most fertile soils. Fertilizers are mixtures that are mixed or applied to soil, thus greatly increasing its potency and maximizing plant growth. As mentioned before, however, there are both natural and inorganic fertilizers, all with varying effects. The compositional differences of these types are great, indeed. Natural fertilizers, as one would expect, are totally organic, and usually come from the manure of animals. These are the fertilizers that produced the forests of the world, among much other plant life in ecosystems, and have been used since ancient times. Chemical fertilizers are a more recent invention, consisting of carefully concentrated mixtures of nutrients, formulated for quick growth. These can take many forms, from powder, to "dirt", to even tablets! Natural fertilizers, as mentioned above, include the various types of manure and other animal waste products, as well as compost, which is a mixture

Night World : Black Dawn Chapter 14

Maggie woke up slowly and almost luxuriously. She wasn't freezing. She wasn't aching or weakwith hunger. And she had an unreasonable feeling of safety. Then she sat up and the safe feeling disappeared. She was in Laundress's hut of earth bricks.Jeanne and P.J. were there, but Cady had been taken to another hut to be treated. Laundress hadstayed all night with her, and Maggie had no ideaif she was getting better or not. The frightened girl called Soaker brought them breakfast, but couldonly say that Cady was still asleep. Breakfast was the same as dinner last night hadbeen: a sort of thick oatmeal sweetened with huckle berries. Maggie ate it gratefully. It was good-atleast to somebodyas hungry as she was. â€Å"We're lucky to have it,† Jeanne said, stretching.She and P.J. were sitting opposite Maggie on thebare earth of the floor, eating with their fingers. They all were wearing the coarse, scratchy tunicsand loose leggings of slaves, and Maggie kept goinginto spasms of twitching when the material made her itch somewhere she couldn't reach. Maggie'sclothes, including her precious socks, were hiddenat the back of the hut. â€Å"They don't grow much grain or vegetable stuff,† Jeanne was saying. â€Å"And of course slaves don't getto eat any meat. Only the vampires and the shapeshifters get to eat blood or flesh.† P.J. shivered, hunching up her thin shoulders. â€Å"When you say it like that, it makes me not wantto eat it.† Jeanne gave a sharp-toothed grin. â€Å"They're afraidit would make the slaves too strong. Everythinghere's designed for that. Maybe you noticed, there'snot much in the slave quarters made of wood.† Maggie blinked. She hadnoticed that vaguely, atthe back of her mind. The huts were made of bricks, with hard-packeddirtfloors. And there wereno wooden tools like rakes or brooms lying around. â€Å"But what do they burn?† she asked, looking atthe small stone hearth built right on the floor ofthe hut. There was a hole in the roof above to letsmoke out. â€Å"Charcoaled wood, cut in little pieces. They makeit out in the forest in charcoal pits, and it's strictly regulated. Everybody only gets so much. If they find a slave with extra wood, they execute 'em.† â€Å"Because wood kills vampires,† Maggie said. Jeanne nodded. â€Å"And silverkills shapeshifters.Slaves are forbidden to have silver, too-not thatany of them are likely to get hold of any.† P.J. was looking out the small window of the hut.There was no glass in it, and last night it had been stuffed with sacking against the cold air. â€Å"If slaves can't eat meat, what are those?† she asked. Maggie leaned to look. Outside two big calves were tethered to iron pickets. There were also a dozen trussed-up chickens and a pig in a pen madeof rope. â€Å"Those are for Night People,† Jeanne said. â€Å"The shapeshifters and witches eat regular food – and sodo the vampires, when they want to. It looks likethey're going to have a feast they don t bring theanimals here until they're ready to slaughter.† P.J.'s face was troubled. â€Å"I feel sorry for them,† she said softly. â€Å"Yeah, well, there are worse things than beinghit over the head,† Jeanne said. â€Å"See those cagesjust beyond the pig? That's where the exotics are ?tigers and things they bring in to hunt. That's a bad way to die.† Maggie felt ice down her spine. â€Å"Let's hope wenever have to find out – 2†² she was beginning, whena flash of movement outside caught her eye. â€Å"Get down!† she said sharply, and ducked out of ?line of sight of the window. Then, very carefully, with her body tense, she edged up to the opensquare again and peered out. â€Å"What is it?† Jeanne hissed. P.J. just cowered on thefloor, breathing quickly. Maggie whispered, â€Å"Sylvia.† Twofigures had appeared, walking through the back courtyard and talkingasthey went. Sylvia and Gavin. Sylvia's gown today was misty leaf green,and her hair rippled in shimmering waves over her shoulders. She looked beautiful and graceful andfragile. â€Å"Are they coming here?† Jeanne breathed. Maggie shook a hand-held low to the groundtoward her to be quiet. She was afraid of the samething. If the Night People began a systematic search of the huts, they were lost. But instead, Sylvia turned toward the cages thatheld the exotics. She seemed to be looking at the animals, occasionally turning to make a remarkto Gavin. â€Å"Now, what's she up to?† a voice murmured by Maggie's ear. Jeanne had crept up beside her. â€Å"I don't know. Nothing good,† Maggie whispered. â€Å"They must be planning a hunt,† Jeanne saidgrimly. â€Å"That's bad. I heard they were going to doa big one when Delos came to an agreement withHunter Redfern.† Maggie drew in her breath. Had things gone thatfar already? It meant she didn't have much timeleft. Outside, she could see Sylvia shaking her head,then moving on to the pens and tethers holding the domestic animals. â€Å"Get back,† Maggie whispered, ducking down.But Sylvia never looked at the hut. She made some remark while looking at the calves and smiling.Then she and Gavin turned and strolled backthrough the kitchen garden. Maggie watched until they were out of sight, chewing her lip. Then she looked at Jeanne. â€Å"I think we'd better go see Laundress.† The hut Jeanne led her to was a little bigger thanthe others and had what Maggie knew by now was an amazing luxury: two rooms. Cady was in thetiny room-hardly bigger than an alcove-in back. And she was looking better. Maggie saw it immediately. The clammy, feverish look was gone and so were the blue-black shadows under her eyes. Herbreathing was deep and regular and her lashes lay heavy and still on her smooth cheeks. â€Å"Is she going to be all right?† Maggie asked Laundress eagerly. The gaunt woman was sponging Cady's cheekswith a cloth. Maggie was Surprised at how tenderthe big red-knuckled hands could be. â€Å"She'll liveaslongasany of us,† Laundress said grimly, and Jeanne gave a wry snort. Even Maggie felt her lip twitch. She was beginning to like this woman. In fact, if Jeanne and Laundress were examples, the slaves here had a courage and a blackhumor that she couldn't help but admire. â€Å"I had a daughter,† Laundress said. â€Å"She wasabout this one's age, but she had that one's coloring.† She nodded slightly atP.J.,who clutched atthe baseball cap stashed inside her tunic and smiled. Maggie hesitated, then asked. â€Å"What happenedto her?† â€Å"One of the nobles saw her and liked her,† Laundress said. She wrung out the cloth and put itdown, then stood briskly. When she saw Maggiestill looking at her, she added,asif she were talkingabout the weather, â€Å"He was a shapeshifter, a wolfnamed Autolykos. He bit her and passed his curse on to her, but then he got tired of her. One nighthe made her run and hunted her down.† Maggie's knees felt weak. She couldn't think ofanything to say that wouldn't be colossally stupid,so she didn't say anything. P.J. did. â€Å"I'm sorry,† she said in a husky little voice, and she put her small hand in Laundress'srough one. Laundress touched the top of the shaggy blondheadasif she were touching an angel. â€Å"Urn, can I talk to her? Cady?† Maggie asked,blinking fast and clearing her throat. Laundress looked at her sharply. â€Å"No. You won'tbe able to wake her up. I had to give her strong medicine to fight off what they'd given her. Youknow how the potion works.† Maggie shook her head. â€Å"What potion?† â€Å"They gave her calamus and bloodwort-andother things. It was a truth potion.† â€Å"You mean they wanted to get information outof her?† Laundress only dignified that with a bare nod foran answer. â€Å"But I wonder why?† Maggie looked at Jeanne,who shrugged. â€Å"She's a witch from Outside. Maybe they thoughtshe knew something.† Maggie considered another minute, then gave itup. She would just have to ask Cady when Cadywas awake. â€Å"There was another reason I wanted to see you,†she said to Laundress, who was now briskly cleaning up the room. â€Å"Actually, a couple of reasons. Iwanted to ask you about this.† She reached inside her slave tunic and pulled outthe photo of Miles that she'd taken from her jacketlast night. â€Å"Have you seen him?† Laundress took the picture between a callusedthumb and forefinger and looked at it warily.†Wonderfully small painting,† she said. â€Å"It's called a photograph. It's not exactlypainted.† Maggie was watching the woman's face,afraid to hope. There was no sign of recognition. â€Å"He's related toyou,† Laundress said, holding the photo to Maggie. â€Å"He's my brother. From Outside, you know? Andhis girlfriend was Sylvia Weald. He disappeared last week.† â€Å"Witch Sylvia!† a cracked, shaky voice said. Maggie looked up fast. There was an old womanin the doorway, a tiny, wizened creature with thin white hair and a face exactly like one of the driedapple dolls Maggie had seen at fairs. â€Å"This is Old Mender,† Jeanne said. â€Å"She sews uptorn clothes, you know? And she's the other healing woman.† â€Å"So this is the Deliverer,† the cracked voice said, and the woman shuffled closer, peering at Maggie.†She looks like an ordinary girl, until youseethe eyes.† Maggie blinked.-Oh-thanks,-she said. Secretlyshe thought that Old Mender herself looked morelike a witch than anyone she'd ever seen in her life. But there was bright intelligence in the old wom-. an's birdlike gaze and her little smile was sweet. â€Å"Witch Sylvia came to the castle a week ago,† shetold Maggie, her head on one side. â€Å"She didn't have any boy with her, but she was talking about a boy.My grand-nephew Currier heard her. She was telling Prince Delos how she'd chosen a human for aplaything, and she'd tried to bring him to the castlefor Samhain. But the boy did something-turnedon her somehow. And so she had to punish him,and that had delayed her.† Maggie's heart was beating in her ears. â€Å"Punishhim,† she began, and then she said, â€Å"What'sSamhain?† â€Å"Halloween,† Jeanne said. â€Å"The witches here normally have a big celebration at midnight.† Halloween. All right. Maggie's mind was whirringdesperately, ticking over this new information. Sonow she knew for certain that Sylvia hadgone Ink ing on Halloween with Miles, just as she'd told thesheriffs and rangers. Or maybe they'd been driving, if Jeanne's story about a mysterious pass that onlyNight People could see was true. But anyway they'dbeen coming here, to the Dark Kingdom. Andsomething had delayed them. Miles had done something that made Sylvia terribly angry and changed her mind about taking him to the castle. And made her†¦punish him. In some way thatMaggie wasn't supposed to be able to guess. Maybe she just killed him after all, Maggiethought, with an awful sinking in her stomach. Shecould have shoved him off a cliff easily. Whatevershe did, he never made it here-right? â€Å"So there isn't any human boy in the dungeon oranything?† she asked, looking at Laundress andthen Mender. But she knew the answer before theyshook their heads. Nobody recognizes him. He can't be here. Maggie felt her shoulders slump. But althoughshe was discouraged and heartsick, she wasn't defeated. What she felt instead was a hard little burning like a coal in her chest. She wanted more than ever to grab Sylvia and shake the truth out of her. At the very least, if nothing else, I'm going to findout how he died. Because that's important. Funny how it didn't seem impossible anymorethat Miles was dead. Maggie had learned a lot since coming to this valley. People got hurt and died andhad other awful things happen to them, and thatwas that. The ones left alive had to find some wayof going on. But not of forgetting. â€Å"You said you had two reasons for coming to seeme,† Laundress prompted. She was standing with her big hands on her hips, her gaunt body erectand looking just slightly impatient. â€Å"Have you comeup with a plan, Deliverer?† â€Å"Well-sort of. Not exactly a planso much as well, I guess it's a plan.† Maggie floundered, tryingto explain herself. The truth was that she'd come up with the most basic plan of all. To go see Delos. That was it. The simplest, most direct solution.She was going to get him alone and talk to him.Use the weird connection between them if she hadto. Pound some sort of understanding into histhick head. And put her life on the line to back up her words. Jeanne thought the slaves were going to be killedwhen Hunter Redfern and Delos made their deal. Maggie was a slave now. If the other slaves werekilled, Maggie would be with them. And you're betting that he'll care,a nasty littlevoice in her brain whispered. But you don't reallyknow that. He keeps threatening to kill you himself. He specifically warned you not to come to thecastle. Well, anyway, we're going to find out, Maggie told the little voice. And if I can't convince him, I'llhave to do something more violent. â€Å"I need to get into the castle,† she said to Laundress. â€Å"Not just into the kitchen, you know, but theother rooms-wherever I might be able to findPrince Delos alone.† â€Å"Alone? You won't find him alone anywhere buthis bedchamber.† â€Å"Well, then, I have to go there.† Laundress was watching her narrowly. â€Å"Is it assassination you've got in mind? Because I knowsomeone who has a piece of wood.† â€Å"It†¦ .† Maggie stopped and took a breath. â€Å"I really hope it isn't going to come to that. Butmaybe I'd better take the wood, just in case.† And you'd better hope for a miracle, the nastyvoice in her mind said. Because how else are yougoing to overpower him? Jeanne was rubbing her forehead. When shespoke, Maggie knew she'd been thinking along thesame lines. â€Å"Look, dummy, are you sure this is agood idea? I mean, he's-â€Å" â€Å"A Night Person,† Maggie supplied.†And you're=' â€Å"Just an ordinary human.† â€Å"She's the Deliverer,† P.J. said stoutly, and Maggie paused to smile at her. Then she turned back to Jeanne. â€Å"I don't knowif it's a good idea, but it's my only idea. And I knowit's dangerous, but I have to do it.† She looked awkwardly at Laundress and Old Mender. â€Å"The truthis that it's not just about you people here. If whatJeanne told you about Hunter Redfern is right,then the whole human world is in trouble.† â€Å"Oh, the prophecies,† Old Mender said, and cackled. â€Å"You know them, too?† â€Å"We slaves hear everything.† Old Mender smiled and nodded. â€Å"Especially when it concerns our own prince. I remember when he was little-I was theQueen's seamstress then, before she died. Hismother knew the prophecies, and she said, ‘In blue fire, the final darkness is banished.In blood, the final price is paid.† Blood, Maggie thought. She knew that blood hadto run before Delos could use the blue fire, butthis sounded as if it were talking about something darker. Whose blood? she wondered. â€Å"And the final darkness is the end of the world,right?† she said. â€Å"So you can see how important itis for me to change Delos's mind. Not just for theslaves, but for all humans.† She looked at Jeanne asshe spoke. Laundress and Old Mender didn't knowanything about the world Outside, but Jeanne did. Jeanne gave a sort of grudging nod, to say that, yeah, putting off the end of the world was important. â€Å"Okay, so we have to try it. We'd better findout which slaves are allowed in his room, and thenwe can go up and hide. The big chambers havewardrobes, right?† She was looking at Old Mender,who nodded. â€Å"We can stay in one of those-â€Å" â€Å"That's a good idea,† Maggie interrupted. â€Å"Everything but the we. You can't go with me this time.This is something I have to do alone.† Jeanne gave an indignant wriggle of her shoulders. Her red hair seemed to stand up in protest and her eyes were sparking. â€Å"That's ridiculous. Ican help. There's noreason† â€Å"There is, too, a reason,† Maggie said. â€Å"It's too dangerous. Whoever goes there might get killedtoday. If you stay here, you may at least have afew more days.† When Jeanne opened her mouthto protest, she went on, â€Å"Days to try and figure outa new plan, okay? Which will probably be just as dangerous. And, besides, I'd like somebody towatch over P.J. and Cady for as longaspossible.† She gave P.J. a smile, and P.J. lifted her head resolutely, obviously trying to stop her chin fromquivering.,., Ido need to do it alone,† Maggie said gently, turning back to Jeanne. Somewhere in herown mind, she was standing back, astonished. Whowould have ever thought, when she first met Jeannein the cart, that she would end up having to talkher out of trying to get killed with Maggie? Jeanne blew air out pursed lips, her eyes narrowed. Finally she nodded. â€Å"Fine, fine. You go conquer the vampire and Illstay and arrange the revolution.† â€Å"I bet you will,† Maggie said dryly. For a momenttheir eyes met, and it was like that first time, whenan unspoken bond had formed between them. â€Å"Try to take care of yourself. You're not exactlythe smartest, you know,† Jeanne said. Her voice was a little rough and her eyes were oddly shiny. â€Å"I know,† Maggie said. The next moment Jeanne sniffed and cheered up.†I just thought of who's allowed up into the bedrooms in the morning,† she said. â€Å"You can helpher, and shell lead you to Delos's room.† Maggie looked at her suspiciously. â€Å"Why are youso happy about it? Who is it?† â€Å"Oh, you'll like her. She's called Chamber-potEmptier.†

What Literature Can Teach Us

Literature is a term used to describe written and sometimes spoken material. Derived from the Latin word  literature  meaning writing formed with letters, literature most commonly refers to works of the creative imagination, including poetry, drama, fiction, nonfiction, and in some instances, journalism, and song.   What Is Literature? Simply put, literature represents the culture and tradition of a language or a people.  The concept is difficult to precisely define, though many have tried; its clear that the accepted  definition of literature is constantly changing and evolving. For many, the word literature suggests a higher art form; merely putting words on a page doesnt necessarily equate to creating literature. A canon is the accepted body of works for a given author. Some works of literature are considered canonical, that is, culturally representative of a particular genre (poetry, prose, or drama). Literary Fiction vs. Genre Fiction Some definitions also separate literary fiction from so-called genre fiction, which includes types such as mystery, science fiction, western, romance, thriller, and horror. Think mass-market paperback. Genre fiction typically does not have as much character development as literary fiction and is read for entertainment, escapism, and plot, whereas literary fiction explores themes common to the human condition and uses symbolism and other literary devices to convey the authors viewpoint on his or her chosen themes. Literary fiction involves getting into the minds of the characters (or at least the protagonist) and experiencing their relationships with others. The protagonist typically comes to a realization or changes in some way during the course of a literary novel. (The difference in type does not mean that literary writers are better than genre fiction writers, just that they operate differently.) Why Is Literature Important? Works of literature, at their best, provide a kind of blueprint of human society. From the writings of ancient civilizations such as Egypt and China to Greek philosophy and poetry, from the epics of Homer to the plays of William Shakespeare, from Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte to Maya Angelou, works of literature give insight and context to all the worlds societies. In this way, literature is more than just a historical or cultural artifact; it can serve as an introduction to a new world of experience. But what we consider to be literature can vary from one generation to the next.  For instance, Herman Melvilles 1851 novel Moby Dick  was considered a failure by contemporary reviewers. However, it has since been recognized as a masterpiece and is frequently cited as one of the best works of Western literature for its thematic complexity and use of symbolism. By reading Moby Dick in the present day, we can gain a fuller understanding of literary traditions in Melvilles time.   Debating Literature   Ultimately, we may discover  meaning in literature  by looking at what the author writes or says and how he or she says it. We may interpret and debate an authors message by examining the words he or she chooses in a given novel or work or observing which character or voice serves as the connection to the reader. In academia, this decoding of the  text is often carried out through the use of  literary theory using a mythological, sociological, psychological, historical, or other approaches to better understand the context and depth of a work. Whatever critical paradigm we use to discuss and analyze it, literature is important to us because it speaks to us, it is universal, and it affects us on a deeply personal level.   School Skills Students who study literature and read for pleasure have a higher vocabulary, better reading comprehension, and better communication skills, such as writing ability. Communication skills affect people in every area of their lives, from navigating interpersonal relationships to participating in meetings in the workplace to drafting intraoffice memos or reports. When students analyze literature, they learn to identify cause and effect and are applying critical thinking skills. Without realizing it, they examine the characters psychologically or sociologically. They identify the characters motivations for their actions and see through those actions to any ulterior motives. When planning an essay on a work of literature, students use problem-solving skills to come up with a thesis and follow through on compiling their paper. It takes research skills to dig up evidence for their thesis from the text and scholarly criticism, and it takes organizational skills to present their argument in a coherent, cohesive manner. Empathy and Other Emotions Some studies say that people who read literature have more empathy for others, as literature puts the reader into another persons shoes. Having empathy for others leads people to socialize more effectively, solve conflicts peacefully, collaborate better in the workplace, behave morally, and possibly even become involved in making their community a better place. Other studies note a correlation between readers and empathy but do not find causation. Either way, studies back the need for strong English programs in schools, especially as people spend more and more time looking at screens rather than books. Along with empathy for others, readers can feel a greater connection to humanity and less isolated. Students who read literature can find solace as they realize that others have gone through the same things that they are experiencing or have experienced. This can be a catharsis and relief to them if they feel burdened or alone in their troubles. Quotes About Literature Here are some quotes about literature from literature giants themselves. Robert Louis Stevenson: The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean; not to affect your reader, but to affect him precisely as you wish.Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey: The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel,  must be intolerably stupid.William Shakespeare, Henry VI: â€Å"I’ll call for pen and ink and write my mind.†