Our Own Words: A Studentss Guide to First-Year Writing Essay -- Perso

Our Own Words: A Students' Guide to First-Year Writing I was conceived in Bulgaria, the Land of Roses, a â€Å"Wonderland† among others in Eastern Europe. Subsequent to living there for a long time affected by socialism, my family and I were anxious to leave and head for America - â€Å" The Land of Opportunity.† The changes I needed to make to my obscure environmental factors in the United States were difficult or charming. My main need was to proceed with my instruction and, decisively, I was immediately taken a crack at an English talking primary school. Beside suffering examination from my colleagues, my hardest commitment was overcoming the English language. I didn't have a clue about the easiest words and, truth be told, started by learning the absolutely new English letters in order. I accept that my disdain for composing was affected twelve years prior by my appearance in a remote nation with a peculiar and befuddling language. All things considered, in what manner can a language that comprises of twenty-six letters join heaps of words? Since English was not local to me, I needed to battle to conquer the language obstruction all through my primary school years. The greater part of my time was spent acing the language itself and, in doing as such, I passed up the fundamental composing methods that most American understudies were learning. While I was learning my ABC’s, they were presented to growing their jargon, expanding their utilization of legitimate accentuation and adjusting to the â€Å"correct† method of spelling basic words. Then again, I was all the while attempting to recall the implications of basic jargon words like library, wheelchair, and obviously how might I overlook, the distinction among â€Å"redâ€Å" and â€Å"readâ€Å". Indeed, even the most si... ...ple who are fruitful not as a result of their insight level, but since of their HARD WORK. I believe myself to be one of those dedicated people and despite the fact that I am not the â€Å"prime â€Å" case of progress, I do trust that more youthful ages can admire me and understand that achievement accompanies a ton of difficult work! It doesn’t come simple and forfeits regularly must be made. Looking forward at my future, I am not sorry to see that composing will play a significant job in my way of life. As a TV telecaster, I will use composing every day, except for reasons unknown that doesn’t trouble me as much as I anticipated that it should. Perhaps I am at long last growing out of this phase of abhorrence and understanding the positive effect composing can have on my environmental factors and me. I trust that, at some point, my composing will arrive at a level that can improve society.

How best to improve competition in the banking market Essay - 1

How best to improve rivalry in the financial market - Essay Example By and large, utilization of the productive structure speculation is anticipated in two essential manners relying upon the idea of proficiency considered. While considering the X-proficiency structure, the more effective associations have moderately lower costs, which results to higher benefits and a bigger offer market. As indicated by WISE, BLINDER and GORDON, (2001), this is genuine as a result of essence of prevalent capacity in decreasing creation costs. Then again, Scale Efficiency structure fills a similar need as the X-productivity, since it moves in the direction of accomplishing creation to the base normal cost point. Connection between calm Life Hypothesis and proficiency structure On the off chance that peaceful life speculation holds, at that point it infers that, the positive benefit structure affiliation is incompletely balanced by cost increment from more unfortunate cost proficiency, which clarifies why the benefit structure affiliation is feeble in various banks. A bound together methodology dependent on the both calm life theory, structure speculation can be utilized to characterize how much rivalry, and security in the financial part is affected (WISE, BLINDER and GORDON, 2001). ... Connection between calm Life Hypothesis and proficiency structure If calm life theory holds, at that point it infers that, the positive benefit structure affiliation is incompletely counterbalanced by cost increment from less fortunate cost effectiveness, which clarifies why the benefit structure affiliation is frail in various banks. A brought together methodology dependent on the both calm life theory, structure speculation can be utilized to characterize how much rivalry, and dependability in the financial part is impacted (WISE, BLINDER and GORDON, 2001). Structure Conduct Performance The SCP investigations of banking generally can be partitioned into two essential gatherings as indicated by the proportion of execution (JOHNSON, 2003). The gatherings incorporate the utilization of proportion of bits of some financial items and administration so as to catch the firm’s execution. The second includes the utilization of benefit measure, for example, return on resources or valu e. Regardless, utilizing the bit of a solitary item might be misdirecting sue to the multi-item nature of a bank’s yield. Then again, benefit measure might be progressively enlightening, anyway may show trouble in appreciating and deciphering because of the multifaceted nature of the bookkeeping techniques. Connection between QLH, ESH and SCP The connection between advertise structure and execution treated inside the structure of structure-Conduct â€Performance (SCP) clarifies well, the serious status of a financial framework. The SCP closes relates with that effectiveness Hypothesis (JOHNSON, 2003). At the point when Efficiency Hypothesis is applied in a financial segment, the theory characterizes that a bank, which works more productively than its rivals accomplish higher increases that outcomes from low operational expenses.

How to Identify Your BPD Triggers

How to Identify Your BPD Triggers BPD Print How to Identify Your BPD Triggers By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and associate professor of psychology at Eastern Connecticut State University. Learn about our editorial policy Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on August 05, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on November 21, 2019 Gianni Diliberto/Getty Images More in BPD Diagnosis Treatment Living With BPD Related Conditions Many people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) struggle to identify triggers that exacerbate their symptoms. Sometimes people with BPD feel that their reactions come out of the blue, when in fact there are particular situations and events that consistently trigger symptoms. Triggers can range from minor things like a song or movie to something more serious, such as an individual. This exercise will help you identify your unique triggers, helping you manage your symptoms. Before working on an exercise like this, be sure to talk with your therapist to make sure he agrees you are prepared for this 20-minute activity. Identify Your Triggers Take out a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. Find a quiet, private place to record your thoughts during this exercise. Be aware that this exercise may cause you some distress because youll be thinking about situations that trigger your symptoms, so plan to do something soothing afterward.On your piece of paper, make three columns. On top of the first column, write Trigger. On top of the second column, write Emotion. On the top of the third column, write Response to Emotion.Call to mind the last time you had an intense negative emotional response. This could be intense anger, loneliness, fear, sadness, shame, or emptiness. Under the Trigger column, write whatever event was happening just before you had the emotional response. Remember, a trigger can be an internal or an external eventâ€"it may have been something that happened in the environment around you, such as a fight with a friend, or it may have been something that happened in your mind, such as a memory or thought.  In the E motion column, write the emotional responses you had to the trigger. Its okay if you have multiple emotional responses. If you struggle to identify emotions, you can leave this column blank, but try your best to identify at least one feeling you had in reaction to the trigger.In the Response to Emotion column, write the response you had to the emotions you wrote in the second column. For example, perhaps you felt intense shame in response to the trigger, and then you engaged in self-harm. Or, maybe you felt anger but used coping skills to manage your anger effectively. Whatever your response was to the emotion, record what happened.See if you can identify two or three recent times that you have experienced intense emotional responses. For each of these episodes, repeat steps three, four, and five.Now, take a look back at the list you have created. In particular, look at the column labeled triggers. Do you notice any pattern developing? That is, are there particular types of triggers that come up repeatedly for you? See if you can identify one or two categories of triggers that consistently bring up strong emotions. For example, many people with BPD report that experiences of perceived rejection are a strong trigger for their intense emotional responses.Keep this piece of paper, and after you experience episodes of intense emotion, add to your list by reflecting on the event that triggered the emotion, the emotional response you had and what you did in response to that emotion or emotions. See if you can identify other patterns of triggers.As you add to your list, you will begin to be able to predict situations that trigger you. Having this knowledge will help you to create a plan for coping with triggers.Share your list with your therapist. He will be able to identify coping skills or strategies you can practice and use to better handle these triggers.

Distinctive Australian Vision Speech Script Essay

Distinctive Australian Vision Speech In my presentation of Distinctive Australian Visions, I will analyze first, two of Douglas Stewart’s poems, namely â€Å"Lady Feeding the Cats† and â€Å"Cave Painting†, second, the short story â€Å"American Dreams† by Peter Carey and third, my personal response. In â€Å"Lady Feeding the Cats†, Stewart portrays the image of a poor woman from the slums who goes to the Domain in order to feed feral cats. Stewart pictures the torn and tattered slum lady using descriptive words such as â€Å"her bonnet much bedraggled† and â€Å"in her broken shoes†. He also referred to the cats using negative connotations such as â€Å"furtive she cats† and â€Å"villainous toms†. However, in the second stanza, Stewart’s usage of bathos to juxtapose the†¦show more content†¦Stewart also utilizes several sets of antonyms such as â€Å"alive† and â€Å"grave, and â€Å"close† yet â€Å"far† to elicit the human connection between the previous Aboriginal occupants and present day visitors. Stewart concluded the poem in the last line by emphasizing how the hand paintings on the cave walls represent the Aboriginal people and their effort in trying to convey the message that they were indeed alive before. In this poem, nature acts as the medium between men in the past and the present by conveying the sense of eternal value in mankind regardless of origins and race. Stewart values the Aborigines as his ancestors, not in terms of direct lineage but in terms of humanity. Generally, Stewart uses anthropomorphism and visual imagery to demonstrate that nature is more similar to human than most people think. His vision can be summarized into three points. First is the emphasis on the strong positive relationship between man and nature, flora and fauna. Second is the belief that man and nature coexist to mutually support each other and third is the importance of putting value in all living thin gs, dead or alive, from the past or in the present. If Douglas Stewart was asked the reason behind all his poetry which greatly emphasizes on nature, his reply might be encapsulated in somewhere along the lines of â€Å"Because I love Australian flora and fauna more than anything in the whole wide world.† Unlike DouglasShow MoreRelatedCoco Cola18335 Words   |  74 Pagesdirectly intervened to pressure the firm to drop the case, a move that brought heavy criticism upon the firm.[77]  Coca-Cola refused to comment.[77] Bolivian criticism[edit] David Choquehuanca, Bolivia s foreign minister, discussed Coca-Cola in a speech in  Copacabana, a town on the shores of Lake Titicaca on July 13, 2012. In the course of inviting indigenous leaders from throughout the hemisphere to visit his country on December 21, 2012, coinciding with the conclusion of the 13th baktun of the  MayanRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pages445 Historical Roots of Empowerment 446 Dimensions of Empowerment 447 Self-Efficacy 447 Self-Determination 448 Personal Consequence 449 Meaning 449 Trust 450 Review of Empowerment Dimensions 451 How to Develop Empowerment 451 Articulating a Clear Vision and Goals 452 Fostering Personal Mastery Experiences 453 Modeling 454 Providing Support 454 Emotional Arousal 455 Providing Information 456 Providing Resources 457 Connecting to Outcomes 457 Creating Confidence 458 Review of Empowerment PrinciplesRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesorganization design Contingen cy theory and organization design Organization culture as a key theme in organization theory The modernist tradition in organization culture Conclusions: does modernist organization theory still provide challenges for new visions of the organization? 54 54 56 56 56 58 58 59 60 60 63 66 68 69 70 72 74 75 77 81 83 85 87 87 87 89 92 92 94 Chapter 3 Neo-modernist organization theory: putting people first? Introduction Neo-modernist organization theory focuses attentionRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagesbusiness because of differences in regulations, institutions, and labor force characteristics. For example, a U.S. company that operates in Germany will have to contend with laws requiring greater worker participation in decision making, and an Australian company operating in China will have to match the knowledge and skills found in the Chinese workforce. Despite certain limitations imposed by law and situational factors, managers still need to make many decisions about adjusting their organizationalRead MoreProject Managment Case Studies214937 Words   |  860 Pagescomputer terminals that Boeing distributed among its 777 design teams. The software program showed on a screen exactly how parts and components fit together before the actual manufacturing process took place.37 A digital design system, Catia had five distinctive advantages. First, it provided the engineers with 100 percent visualization, allowing them to rotate, zoom, and interrogate parts geometrically in order to spotlight interferences. Second, Catia assigned a numerical value to each drawing on theRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 Pagesreaching their sixty-fifth birthday? The rationale focuses on the potential for a pilot’s skills to lessen after age sixty-five. That, coupled with concern for air safety of traveling passengers, has resulted in an exception to the law. (Source:  ©Digital Vision/Getty Images, Inc.) seniority systems Decisions such as promotions, pay, and layoffs are made on the basis of an employee’s seniority or length of service. Selected Relevant Supreme Court Cases 69 organization using seniority as a defense

A Decent Job At Separating Religion From Morality

Although some may say religion relates to morals, apparently the philosophers we have covered thus far do not believe such a thing. For religious people, morality may be pushed by religion in their regards to the fear of the consequences god will bring if one disobeys his laws. Although this can be related to consequentialism, it is not the same kind of consequentialism Mills and Bentham use. Morals can be dependent of an individual’s preferences depending on the individual’s motives behind their actions. If one is religiously motivated to be moral, and fears the consequences if they are not moral, then they are not going off of their individual preferences. Those who decide what they want to do based off of their own pleasures, make†¦show more content†¦Although they separate religion from morality, Bentham and Mill do a poor job explaining how moral requirements are independent of our interests and preferences. A hedonist believes that pleasure and happiness are the most important outcomes out of any activity. As we talked about in class, Bentham is a hedonist and pushes for actions that bring the most pleasure and diminish pain. People in his view should do whatever it may be that brings them the most pleasure, which is acting within ones on self interests. Mill essentially believes the same thing, but with slight differences. Regardless people should be selfish their actions in order to increase pleasure and happiness of not only themselves, but also their community. Immanuel Kant has a different perspective from the others mentioned. He does a decent job at showing how morality is not dependent on religion. When morals are dependent of religion, one will act based on consequentialism. If your action is morally incorrect your consequences from that action will result in punishment from god (possibly damnation) and vice versa. Kant’s general idea is that morality is not simply about creating the best consequences. He believes i n principle of law, which means no religion or deity is involved in decision making. Laws are the source of morality in this theory. He also believes laws are universal and you should act in accordance of laws because of a moral obligation toShow MoreRelatedIs America A Christian Nation?2305 Words   |  10 Pagesthe American political system wanted no religious parties in national politics† (Kramnick and Moore, 23). Actually, the creation of a constitution without influence of religion was not an act of irreverence. The authors believe that the creation of the constitution was a support to the idea that religion can preserve the civil morality necessary for democracy, without an influence on any political party. The end of the chapter is the description of the following chapters and with a disguise warningRead MoreEssay about Analysis of the Discourse and Rhetoric since September 112732 Words   |  11 Pagesand beyond cure. Who can understand it?† He asked that qu estion, â€Å"Who can understand it?† And that’s one reason we each need God in our lives. Reverend Graham’s use of rhetoric is a tactic employed frequently by evangelists and those speaking from a Christian discourse. His citation of the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians is particularly interesting. In the second chapter of this Pauline letter, the author discusses the reaction of Christ to the evil and lawless one. This portends theRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pageslittle significance. But there is little agreement over when the twentieth century c.e. arrived, and there were several points both before the year 2000 (the collapse of the Soviet Union, the reunification of Germany, the surge of globalization from the mid-1990s) and afterward (9/11, or the global recession of 2008) when one could quite plausibly argue that a new era had begun. A compelling case can be made for viewing the decades of the global scramble for colonies after 1870 as a predictableRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesWeidemann-Book Credits and acknowledgments borrowed from other sources and reproduced, with permission, in this textbook appear on appropriate page within text. Copyright  © 2011, 2007, 2005, 2002, 1998 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the United States of America. This publication is protected by Copyright, and permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction

Hunters in the Snow Free Essays

Mikael Habtezion Mrs. Walker English 1B 5 July 2011 A Snowy Haven A neighborhood full of eyes watching with judgmental thoughts aimed at you. Gossip behind every corner, evaluating everything you do, avoiding any contact with someone so profligate. We will write a custom essay sample on Hunters in the Snow or any similar topic only for you Order Now No one wishes to be in such a lonely and ostracized state. That’s why everyone strives to conceal each troublesome and embarrassing problem in their lives, appearing to the world as a worry-free, cheerful, and enthusiastic person. In the short story â€Å"Hunters in the Snow† by Tobias Wolf this act of concealing a person’s inner and true self in order to avoid judgment occurs amongst the main characters. There are three men who go on a hunting trip: Kenney, Frank, and Tub. As they find themselves unable to find deer to hunt, Tub shoots Kenney in fear of being shot himself since Kenney was threatening to shoot him first. The hunters reason amongst themselves that they have to drive him to the hospital themselves, but on the way Tub and Frank stop to warm up at bars a few times. In this story we learn that Tub claims to have problems with his glands, which is why he is overweight, and we get a clue that Frank is hiding something about his personal life in a conversation with Kenney. Throughout the story, these characters are always covered with white snow, even as the title suggests. Symbolically, white is a color of purity and innocence; throughout the story, Frank and Tub seem more innocent than their true selves would actually allow. Not until the end when they go into the bar to warm up and the snow â€Å"melts† off, are their genuine personalities and their secrets revealed. In â€Å"Hunters in the Snow† Wolf cleverly uses snow as a metaphor to mask Frank and Tub’s personal problems. In this short story, Frank’s personal problems are secreted through the metaphor of snow. The reader knows that he has a family: a loving wife and kids. Throughout the story the author exposes nothing about Frank that would cause the reader to judge him in any way. However, one thing is brought up about a â€Å"certain babysitter† but not enough evidence is given in order to judge him yet (622). During the story, Frank was driving â€Å"with the now blowing in his face† (629). When Wolf says this, he elucidates to the observant reader that the snow is covering him. The white snow is brightening his outward appearance, and in turn, letting his inward appearance fade away. After their friend Kenney gets shot, they drive him to the hospital. They author displays them as good friends at this point. On the trip, Frank argues that they have to st op at a bar because â€Å"if [him] and Tub don’t get warmed up [they’re] going to freeze solid† (631). By saying this Wolf strengthens his metaphor as he puts more snow on him. When they arrive at the bar Frank orders coffee and he â€Å"craddl[es] the steaming cup in his hands. His skin was bone white† (631). At this moment, Wolf is placing the false identity next to what reveals it. He places the door next to the key; this key will unlock the secrets which lay behind that door. Wolf displays how white Frank is and how innocent he looks, but also in a parallel manner he displays the steaming coffee, which can literally melt that snow away and figuratively â€Å"melt† his false identity away. Right after the melting begins to take place, Frank’s inner secrets become revealed. Frank confides in Tub as he exposes that â€Å"[he] thinks [he’s] going to be leaving Nancy, [his wife]† (631). Tub tries to find a reason for this and becomes curious if Nancy has been having an affair. However, Wolf completely takes away Frank’s haven of innocence by elucidating that â€Å"Nancy hasn’t been running around†¦[Frank] has† even though â€Å"[s]he’s been damned good to [him] all these years† (632). By saying this, Frank’s refuge beneath the snow’s innocence is lost, and he becomes a target for judgment by the reader. After warming up and letting the snow melt off, it is unveiled that Frank has lost the purity he once had in the reader’s eyes and has stooped to a lower level of respect. After he confesses himself to Tub, â€Å"[t]he snow fall lightened and the clouds began to roll back off the fields† (633). When this is stated, the metaphor of the snow as a refuge which hid Frank’s secrets begins to fade away since his secret is made known to the reader. Not only does Frank use snow to hide himself and appear to be innocent, but Tub does as well. As his nickname suggests, Tub is overweight. When the three friends were hunting and took a break, everyone brought out their own fulfilling food, except for Tub. When they ate, â€Å"Tub put out one hardboiled egg and a stick of celery† and when his friends wondered how he can eat like this but still be gaining weight, Tub defended himself by saying, â€Å"’What am I supposed to do?†¦ It’s my glands’† (623). However, earlier when he was getting picked up by Kenney and Frank to go hunting, â€Å"a sandwich fell out of his pocket† then â€Å"[h]e picked up his sandwiches and cookies† (621). The reader is given an idea that something is fishy and it can be seen that there is more to the story than meets the eye, but we are not given enough information to judge Tub yet. When Frank and Tub were trying to help Kenney into the back of the truck after he was shot, Tub accidently dropped him. Frank became frustrated and declared, â€Å"You fat moron†¦ You aren’t good for diddly† (629). After this incident, Wolf pushes the reader to sympathize with Tub in his time of being isulted and therefore Wolf cleverly makes the previously aroused suspicions disappear. After they get Kenney in the truck, and they hit the road, â€Å"the snow was moving white wall in front of their lights; it swirled into the cab through the hole in the windshield and settled on them† (630). Wolf persists with his metaphor and shelters Tub’s inward identity and secrets with this white snow that displays purity. On their way to the hospital, Frank and Tub stop again to warm up. They used â€Å"an automatic hand dryer in the bathroom and they took turns standing in front of it†¦letting the jet of jot air breathe across their faces and chests† (633). This becomes Tub’s threshold to letting his secrets out. Just like Frank, Tub’s snow and light begin to melt away and his personal and embarrassing problems become visible. Tub sits down with Frank and throws his shrouded problems into the open for disclosure. Tub admits that â€Å"’when [he] said that about [his] glands, that wasn’t true. The truth is [he] shovels it in’† (634). With this, Tub is completely relinquished of his ivory  tower and his secret is revealed. Tub becomes a target for judgment, just like Frank, for the reader. As the essay has illustrated, snow is used as a metaphor by Wolf in order to hide the true identities and inward secrets of Frank and Tub. When the snow melts off of these hunters, their skin is revealed and likewise their inner secrets come to the surface and become subject to judgment. Everyday people become subject to judgment by society for large mistakes such as having an affair to small ones such as stepping on someone’s toe. It is almost impossible not to be judged in some way by society, just as it is almost impossible not to judge others. We tend to look at people as if we are better than them without even considering our own state of being. For example, a person shouldn’t accuse a neighbor of having a dirty floor, when their own carpet is soiled with three times the dirt. As time passes by hopefully we can look past the faults of our fellow human beings, and accept that we are humans and have our own faults and have no business taking the roll of â€Å"judge† when it is unnecessary. Then can we abide in a world without the fear of being our true self; then we can progressively work on our personal problems and strive to become more improved and upright people. How to cite Hunters in the Snow, Essay examples

Oedipus the King Essays (1099 words) - Greek Mythology, Literature

Oedipus the King A plague has stricken Thebes. The citizens gather outside the palace of their king, Oedipus, asking him to take action. Oedipus replies that he already sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to the oracle at Delphi to learn how to help the city. Creon returns with a message from the oracle: the plague will end when the murderer of Laius, former king of Thebes, is caught and expelled; the murderer is within the city. Oedipus questions Creon about the murder of Laius, who was killed by thieves on his way to consult an oracle. Only one of his fellow travelers escaped alive. Oedipus promises to solve the mystery of Laius's death, vowing to curse and drive out the murderer. Oedipus sends for Tiresias, the blind prophet, and asks him what he knows about the murder. Tiresias responds cryptically, lamenting his ability to see the truth when the truth brings nothing but pain. At first he refuses to tell Oedipus what he knows. Oedipus curses and insults the old man, going so far as to accuse him of the murder. These taunts provoke Tiresias into revealing that Oedipus himself is the murderer. Oedipus naturally refuses to believe Tiresias's accusation . He accuses Creon and Tiresias of conspiring against his life, and charges Tiresias with insanity. He asks why Tiresias did nothing when Thebes suffered under a plague once before. At that time, a Sphinx held the city captive and refused to leave until someone answered her riddle. Oedipus brags that he alone was able to solve the puzzle. Tiresias defends his skills as a prophet, noting that Oedipus's parents found him trustworthy. At this mention of his parents, Oedipus, who grew up in the distant city of Corinth, asks how Tiresias knew his parents. But Tiresias answers enigmatically. Then, before leaving the stage, Tiresias puts forth one last riddle, saying that the murderer of Laius will turn out to be both father and brother to his own children, and the son of his own wife. After Tiresias leaves, Oedipus threatens Creon with death or exile for conspiring with the prophet. Oedipus's wife, Jocasta (also the widow of King Laius), enters and asks why the men shout at one another. Oedipus explains to Jocasta that the prophet has charged him with Laius's murder, and Jocasta replies that all prophecies are false. As proof, she notes that the Delphic oracle once told Laius he would be murdered by his son, when in fact his son was cast out of Thebes as a baby, and Laius was murdered by a band of thieves. Her description of Laius's murder, however, sounds familiar to Oedipus, and he asks further questions. Jocasta tells him that Laius was killed at a three-way crossroads, just before Oedipus arrived in Thebes. Oedipus, stunned, tells his wife that he may be the one who murdered Laius. He tells Jocasta that, long ago, when he was the prince of Corinth, he overheard someone mention at a banquet that he was not really the son of the king and queen. He therefore traveled to the oracle of Delphi, who did not answer him but did tell him he would murder his father and sleep with his mother. Hearing this, Oedipus fled his home, never to return. It was then, on the journey that would take him to Thebes, that Oedipus was confronted and harassed by a group of travelers, whom he killed in self-defense. This skirmish occurred at the very crossroads where Laius was killed. Oedipus sends for the man who survived the attack, a shepherd, in the hope that he will not be identified as the murderer. Outside the palace, a messenger approaches Jocasta and tells her that he has come from Corinth to inform Oedipus that his father, Polybus , is dead, and that Corinth has asked Oedipus to come and rule there in his place. Jocasta rejoices, convinced that Polybus's death from natural causes has disproved the prophecy that Oedipus would murder his father. At Jocasta's summons, Oedipus comes outside, hears the news, and rejoices with her. He now feels much more inclined to agree with the queen in deeming prophecies worthless and viewing chance as the principle governing the