Case Study- Company Situation (Financial Analysis & SWOT Analysis Essay

Case Study- Company Situation (Financial Analysis & SWOT Analysis only) - Essay Example Based on the rising revenues and margin data, it is possible to conclude that Inditex is at the growth phase of the life cycle, while Benetton, the GAP, and H&M are at maturity and stability phase, as their revenues and margins are declining. Financial Ratio Analysis - Inditex Profitability Gross profit margin of the company is fairly high – 59%, which implies that the company has effective outsourcing manufacturing strategy and has good relationships with suppliers. Both factors have positive impact on cost reduction. Operating profit margin is 18%, which means that the company makes 0,18 cents for every Euro of sales (before taxes). Net profit margin is 14% and it means that the company has good control over its costs. ROA ratio which is 19% means that the company is effectively using its investment, converting it into profit. ROE Liquidity Current ratio of the company is 2,0 suggests that the company has a good ability to pay back its short-term liabilities with the short-t erm assets it has. This means that Inditex is capable to continue its business expansion strategy and to avoid insolvency during the slower growth phases. The quick ratio of 1,5 means that Inditex position has enough liquid assets to cover its current liabilities. Thus, the company can implement its strategy of fast fashion being capable to pay quickly for its orders and to kepp short inventory turnover. Leverage Debt-to-Equity ratio (0.42) indicates that the company’s debt used to finance its operations is not so high and is a positive sign of strong financial position of the Inditex. This indicates that the company is financially strong enough to grow its business due to its profits rather than debts. Long-term debt-to-equity ratio is relatively low and indicates on the company’s financial stability. Activity Inventory turnover at 4,50 indicates that the company has efficient supply chain and can continue taking its course of fast fashion retailer. Days of inventory ratio is equal to average 81.0 days. This indicator seems to be fairly high for the company focusing on fast fashion strategy. Average collection period is 13,4 days, which is quite low and therefore optimal for Inditex to continue its aggressive business development strategy. Financial Analysis has shown that Zara’s overall financial position is very strong and enabling for implementing its strategy of future sales and stores’ growth. SWOT Analysis Strengths The company’s strategy is based on aggressive multichannel global business expansion which is implemented due to its flexible business model based on having the right fashions at the right time at affordable prices. Financial state of the company rated as â€Å"healthy† allows the company to have enough capital for future growth and investments. Global expansion of Zara’s stores and its responsive marketing strategy increase global brand awareness. All these result in strong sales and revenue growth. Effective supply chain management allows the company to be competitive on the market balancing the quality of its goods and affordable prices for mass market consumers. Excellent human resource management is another strategic strength of the company which enables the company to grow its sales and gain positive reputation. Design of new stores in

Frederick Douglass’s Narrative :: Essays Papers

Frederick Douglass’s Narrative In Frederick Douglass’s Narrative, Douglas himself narrates the novel using story telling to bring both the reader into the story, and the theme into focus. Through his narration, Douglass also uses narrative strategies like anecdotes, and plot twists. Even with it being a true story, Douglass brings the readers’ attention to a peak with these techniques making the story interesting and appealing. The most influential technique used by Douglass is story telling. He uses little stories, or stories-within-a-story, to make the reader pay attention. With descriptive tales of the plantations he worked on, the beatings and torture of slaves, and learning to read and write, he not only gets the attention of the readers, but he gets them to understand his point of view. For example at the beginning of the narrative Douglass tells a story of his aunt being beating, â€Å"I have often been awakened at the dawn of day by the most heart-rendering shrieks of an own aunt of mine,† (3). He goes on and gets even more graphic and descriptive, â€Å"The louder she screamed, the harder he whipped; and where the blood ran fastest, there he whipped longest.† (4). Also early in the novel, Douglass writes of the plantation he grew up on, â€Å"There were no beds given the slaves, unless one coarse blanket be considered such,† (6). Soon after being sold to Mr. and Mrs. Au ld, he was taught the alphabet. He uses this experience to show to his audience that he is very literate despite his masters’ wishes, â€Å"If you teach that nigger how to read there would be no keeping him,† (20). So this story shows some more cruelty from his master. Just for reading he would be sold, which shows unfair treatment to the reader. Another similar technique used by Douglass very effectively is anecdotes. He uses anecdotes throughout the story to bring a humorous or interesting little side story into the readers’ minds. One good example of this is when he is talking about slave songs, â€Å"I have often been utterly astonished, since I came to the north, to find persons who could speak of the singing, among slaves, as evidence of their contentment and happiness.† (9). This shows the readers of his concerns by just adding a brief story in to interest the reader.

A Review of ‘Of Mice and Men’ Essay

Of Mice and Men was written by John Steinbeck in 1939, during the Great American Depression. It tells the story of two men striving to understand their own unique place in the world. Traveling in search of work, George and his simple-minded friend Lennie have nothing in the world except each other and the dream they share: to one day settle down in a farm of their own and count out their days. Eventually they find work on a ranch, their hopes are doomed as Lennie becomes a victim of his own strength leaving their dream to be crushed. Much of Of Mice and Men is based upon Steinbeck’s life and experiences. He highlights many social issues which he experienced first hand. For example, the climatic changes in the West of America resulting in destruction of fertile land, this had supported the homesteaders represented in the novel by the ‘promised joy’ dreamt of by the workers in the story. Another problem shown in the novel is the great financial collapse of 1929 which heralded the Depression that increased unemployment and poverty through the United States. Because of these problems intinerant American workers were exploited by farm owners on low pay and appalling conditions. They were only in demand for short periods of time causing them to have to save enough from seasonal work to support for the rest of the year and their extreme mobile lifestyles. Most of the characters in the book face many of these problems or are suffering from them especially the main characters, George and Lennie. George is a small, intelligent man. He is very strong-minded but also like most of the characters in the book very dreamy. He is very keen to change the monotomy of his present situation. Lennie, is a huge, lumbering, kind but child-like man. Although he has a terror of violence he is a man of great physical strength, something he is quite unaware of causing him to be clumsy. Lennie has an obsession with petting small animals that occurs throughout the book. He is very passive it is for this reason, in my opnion that George and Lennie are the incomplete halves of one whole person. George keeps Lennie by his side partly for comfort and friendship, but mainly as he is very strong and can work on a farm better than most people. Lennie is both an advantage and hindrance to George. George also supports Lennie, helps him and puts ideas in his head, wh ich keep him motivated but mainly acts as a fatherly figure. On arrival at the ranch one of the first characters George and Lennie meet is Candy, the oldest ranch worker who is coming to the end of his life. Candy is a very warm character in my opnion. He shares the dream that George and Lennie do, and therefore they become attractive ‘friends’ to him. He is a gossip and tells the newcomers of the ranch workers and owners. He tells George and Lennie about Curley and his newly wed wife. Curley is a small man, because of his height disadvantage he dislikes tall men. He is continually agressive and always trying to show his masculanity. He is humilated by his wife’s disastifaction and needs to boost his confidence. Curley’s wife’s name is never mentioned in the book it is for this reason she comes across as Curley’s possession. She is portrayed in the book as a tarty, flirtatious woman, who is ‘friendly’ to the men who work on the ranch. She claims not being understood in the book. Curley†™s wife has often been caught by other members of the ranch giving Slim and Carlson the eye. Slim is a friendly and gentle character compared to the others. He is a dignified master craftsman. Slim in my opnion is descibed by Steinbeck as an idealised character, however, his words and actions are quite realistic. Carlson is the more agressive character, we do not know that much about him but he usually appears in violent scenes. He is not a very sensative man. One of my favourite characters is Crooks. Crooks is a literate black cripple who tends horses. He interests me because his natural personality has been taken away from him by years of racism which I am very against. He is a very lonely character and has been automatically rejected in the novel by the other characters. My other favourite character is Lennie because of his unusual personality and need for a father figure despite being a fully grown man. In my opnion one cannot help but to feel sorry for Lennie. Within the story their are many themes, important ideas that run through the book. One of my favourites is dreams, each character has their own dream which is used throughout the book. The majority involve the ‘American Dream’, to be able to ‘live off the fatta the lan’. Curley’s wife’s dream revolves around Hollywood and being a moviestar but her dream she believes was ruined by her mother. She is also lonely just like many of the other characters, this is another theme in the book. Each of the workers is an induvidual and works for themselves. They all seek comfort in different things such as Candy in his dog. However, quite early on in the book Candy’s dog is killed, this is the first mention of violence. Throughout the book the world of the men is filled with unneccesary violence. The killing of the dog is quite similar to that of Lennie at the end of the book. Alot of authority is shown within the book aswell such as the condition of the worker’s living area and the Boss’s clothes, black and severe. However I feel the book is centred on the idea of mutual dependence. Each of the main two characters depends on each other hugely. But this relationship, at the end of the book, is breached and George takes advantage of Lennie who trusts him, and kills him, so that his dream is secured. The book is written in an easy to read form, it is not in the country language they would of spoken, but in proper English the majority of the book. The story is out of date of course, but the actual language and style used in the book is quite modern. I really like the way that Steinbeck at the beginning of each chapter gives you a vivid description of the surrondings. It is for this reason that although there have been many films made of this book nothing can compare to the pictures the pages of this book generates inside your mind’s eye and as you turn the final page these pictures stay with you. At first glance the story was not very enthralling but as I got deeper into the plot I started to really enjoy it. As I got more into the book I started to think more about the themes and characters of the book which drew me in to it even more. It is the kind of book that is not only a story but also holds an interesting background behind it and applies to the history of America and the Great Depression. It is for this reason I feel it deserves its title as a classic and I would recommend it to any reader.

17 Possible Career Paths for Biology Majors

Are you thinking of getting (or are you in the process of getting) a degree in biology? Fortunately, students who graduate with a degree in biology have more career options than just teaching or going to medical school — although those can be awesome careers, too. 17 Careers for Biology Majors Work for a science magazine. Interested in all kinds of biology? Or maybe just one particular field, like marine biology? Find a cool science magazine you love and see if theyre hiring.Work at a research company. There are some amazing companies out there doing some pretty amazing research. Use your degree and training to get in on the action.Work at a hospital. You dont always have to have a medical degree to work at a hospital. See what options are open for those with a science background.Work at a non-profit focusing on science. You can work for an organization that teaches science to kids or that helps improve the environment. And you can sleep well at night knowing that youre really doing good work all day, every day.Teach! Love biology? You probably do because you had an awesome mentor introduce you to it at some point during your education. Pass that passion on to someone else and make a difference in the lives of kids.Tutor. If full-time teaching isnt your thing, consider tut oring. While science/biology might come easily to you, it doesnt for everyone.Work for the government. Working for the government may not have been what you imagined yourself doing with your degree, but it can be a cool job you enjoy while also helping your country (or state or city or county).Work for an environmental company. It can be a non-profit or a for-profit, but helping  to protect the environment is a great way to put your biology degree to work.Work in agriculture and/or botany. You can work for a company that helps improve farming or one focusing on biomimicry.Work for a science museum. Consider working for a science museum. You can be involved in cool projects, interact with the public, and see all the neat stuff that happens behind the scenes.Work for the zoo. Love animals? Consider working at the zoo and having the kind of job that rarely, if ever, requires the stuffy suit-and-tie routine.Work at a veterinary office. If the zoo isnt your thing, consider working at a veterinary office. You can put your biology degree to work while also having an interesting, engaging job.Work at a food research company. Many companies need food researchers with a background in science. Jobs like these are definitely non-traditional and super interesting.Work at a pharmaceutical company. If youre interested in medicine but arent sure if medical school is your thing, think about working at a pharmaceutical company. Your background in biology can be put to good use as you work to create products that will improve the lives of many people.Work for a perfume or makeup company. Love makeup and perfume, or at least find them interesting? Those pretty little products have a lot of science behind them — science you can get involved in.Work at a college or university. You dont necessarily need to be a professor or have a doctorate to work at a college or university. See what departments are hiring that can put your training to use.Consider joining the military. Th e military can be a fantastic place to put your degree in biology to use, continue your training, and help your country. Check in with a local recruiting office to see what options are available.

Alfred Adler s Birth Order - 1555 Words

Introduction Alfred Adler believed that one’s order of birth influenced their personality. Adler was one of the first of many psychologist to conjure up a theory about how one’s position , in terms of birth order effected a person’s personality traits. Adler made his discoveries by undergoing several studies that were used to help him identify patterns for particular within each specific birth order position, which included those who were only children and those who had siblings. Through his own research he was also able to emphasize how each individual has a self-perceived place in their family. All in all, Alfred Adler believed that one’s birth order had a direct correlation with their developing personality traits. Aside from the†¦show more content†¦in correlation to the personality traits that are being developed during the adolescent stage, birth order plays a major role on the personality traits that are developing amongst each adolescent individual . Many studies have been performed to solidify the correlation between how birth order can significantly influence the personality traits of adolescents. Take for instance the Beer and Horn (2000) study which focused on how the effects of an adopted family compares to those of an adolescent who are products of biological birth order, but affected by rearing order, raising up and caring for a child until they are fully grown. Usually, when a family adopts a child the biological firstborn is more likely to be raised with older siblings. Beer and Horn’s (2000) study called for there to be data used from two separate adoptive families. Beer and Horn’s (2000) data was collected from two adoptive family studies that had previously taken place. The two studies that reflected the data gathered by Beer and Horn (2000) were the Texas Adoption Project (TAP) and the Colorado Adoption Project (CAP). In both studies, the adopted child was labelled as the first-reared adopted adolescent child or later-reared adopted adolescent child and each study was undergone between- and within-family analyses. In a between-family analysis the a dolescents of the same birth order position were placed in one group and then were compared to another group of adolescents who possessed aShow MoreRelatedAlfred Adler s Birth Order Theory945 Words   |  4 PagesFor the final presentation for this course, I have decided to discuss Alfred Adler’s birth order theory. I essentially decided to choose this topic because I found it extremely intriguing on how someone’s birth order could have a profounding effect on their personality. Also I was able to relate to this topic on a personal level compared to some of the other theories. Meaning, when learning and talking about birth order, as the first born in my family I was able to compare a lot of my traits to theRead MoreA Summary On Adlerian Theory1302 Words   |  6 PagesAdlerian Theory Todd Overstreet Liberty University Abstract Adlerian theory, which is named after the famous psychotherapist Alfred Adler, is used mainly to give emphasis to birth order, theories relating to inferiority and superiority, individual life styles, and social interests as the main workings of personality. In Adlerian theory, mental well-being is decided by the degree of social contribution that is helpful to the greater community to the extent that one incorporates and advancesRead MoreSigmund Freud And Alfred Adler1867 Words   |  8 Pagesfundamental theory established by Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler. The areas of study for the theories they established were in personality and mental health. Sigmund Freud established the stages of personality and aspects of the human mind. Alfred Adler studied the individual as a whole. Their theories were quite different, but their main conflict was over the influence of sexuality in the human mind. Compare and Contrast: Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler Two of the well known and respected names in psychologyRead MoreEssay on Examining Kurt Cobains Personality1417 Words   |  6 Pagestheories, while certain characters may be best described by one theory. Although Kurt Cobain, a complex character, cannot possibly fit into any one personality theory perfectly, parts of his personality can be explained using theories created by Alfred Adler and Carol Rogers. Kurt Cobain was born on February 20, 1967, in Aberdeen, Washington. His mother Wendy was a waitress and his father Donald was a mechanic. His sister Kimberly was born in 1970. Cobain’s family had a musical background, and byRead MoreAlfred Adler s Take On Psychoanalysis3230 Words   |  13 Pages Neo-Freudian Alfred Adler’s take on Psychoanalysis Fenny Goyal M.D. Yorkville University ALFRED ADLER ON PSYCHOANALYSIS 2 Abstract Sigmund Freud introduced a whole new way to study our minds and psychology. He introduced the concept that we are consciously aware of very little in fact. His Psychosexual theory consisted of various stages an individual goes through from the start of birth. He introduced the Oedipus complex which boys encounter andRead MoreResource File and Personal Theory Paper904 Words   |  4 Pagesreligion and other cultural dimensions. Personal Theory Alfred Adler was born in 1870 in Austria and developed his own theory on Individual Psychology in 1912. Adler’s theory is closely related to Humanistic Psychology. Influenced by Freud, Smuts and Vaihinger, Adler based his theory on the client’s ability to live as a fully functioning adult in society. Adler’s holistic theory views each person as unified. Adler discussed birth order personality traits. Adler’s theory also discussed the rolesRead MoreOrdinal Position and Substance Abuse: Literature Review1652 Words   |  7 Pagesreview The idea that birth order affects personality is not a new one in psychological literature. The assumption that birth order and character are interrelated has become part of the common assumptions therapists bring to their relationships with clients. For example, one study of 308 clinicians found that upon offering the same profile of a prototypical client, with only the birth order changed in the profile, once the client was viewed as exemplifying a particular birth order, clinicians prognosticRead MoreNeo Analytic And Ego Aspects Of Personality Theory Essay1536 Words   |  7 Pagesthree aspects within the human mind, the id, ego and the superego. As more theorist began to emerge in the field of personality analysis, several of Freud’s theories were revised. Neo-Analytic and Ego Aspects emerged as theorist including Carl Jung, Alfred Alder, Erik Erickson and Karen Horney stressed Freud’s ideas regarding sexuality, early experience, socialization and the unconscious mind were misguided (King, 2013). Carl Jung, who lived from 1875 to 1961 and was considered Freud’s prodigy, grewRead More How Sibling Relationship is affected by the Psychological and Emotional Effects of Birth Order?2052 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction Birth Order Birth order is addressed as the arrangement of births of children in a family. The four most common positions used in the Birth Order Theory of Alfred Adler are: only child, first born, middle child and last born. Adler associated those birth order positions with different characteristics for each. He also explained that with every child that will be added to the family there will be an effect for each family member in terms of communication, tasks and duties. (CraigheadRead MoreWho Is Born Into Their Family?1702 Words   |  7 PagesThe order in which a person is born into their family plays substantial role in the individual’s development of personality. Birth order is believed to influence many aspects of one’s personality. The familial atmosphere is the first group experience a child has and the child’s role in their family influences the development of the child’s individual personality traits. In families, children learn what is valuable and meanin gful to their parents and siblings and they compete with their siblings for

Design And Develop The Hip Prosthesis With Cementless...

As mentioned in the first chapter, this research aims to design and develop the hip prosthesis with cementless fixation for specific breeds of dogs. In order to find the solution systematically, several steps need to be taken as follows; 3.1 Data acquisition phase In this phase, it is necessary to study and investigate in depth in order to clarify what are the problems, the root causes and the requirements as well as other obligations. 3.2 Systematic design phase The result of the previous step will be extracted to many concepts for the solution. All possible concepts will be evaluated. The most optimum concept will be chosen as a basic concept for further functional, embodiment and detail design. Thereafter, FEM analysis will be applied†¦show more content†¦The former is requirements which must be met under all circumstances. On the other hand, if any of these requirements are not fulfilled the solution is not acceptable. Wishes are requirements that should be taken into consideration whenever possible. 3.2.2 Conceptual design The conceptual design step involves the establishment of function structures, the search for suitable solution principles and their combination into concept variants. It consists of several states as shown in figure 3.2. Figure 3.1: Checklist for setting up a requirement list [69] Figure 3.2: Steps of conceptual design [69] 3.2.2.1 Abstract to identify the essential problems The requirements (specifications) must be abstracted step by step to identify the essential problems; Step 1: Eliminate personal preferences. Step 2: Omit requirements that have no direct bearing on the function and the essential constraints. Step 3: Transform quantitative data into qualitative data and reduce to essential statements. Step 4: Generalize the results of the previous step. Step 5: Formulate the problem in solution-neutral term. 3.2.2.2 Establishment of function structure In this state, the result of the last state will be converted to functions. In addition, it is possible to indicate an overall function based on the flow of energy, material and signals. Using of a block diagram, they can be expressed the solution neutral relationship between inputs and outputs. Figure 3.3: Symbols

The Hunters Moonsong Chapter Seven Free Essays

â€Å"It would have been difficult to find a group of settlers less suited to building a brand-new colony than the one hundred and five men who sailed up the river from the Chesapeake Bay in 1607 and founded Jamestown,† Professor Campbel lectured from the front of Elena’s class. â€Å"While there were a couple of carpenters, a mason, a blacksmith, and maybe a dozen laborers among them, they were far outnumbered by the self-proclaimed gentlemen who made up almost half the party.† He paused and smiled sardonical y. We will write a custom essay sample on The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Seven or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"‘Gentlemen’ in this case signifies men without a profession or trade. Many of them were lazy, idle men who had joined the London Company’s expedition in the hope of making a profit without realizing how much work founding a colony in the New World was real y going to entail. The settlers landed in the spring, and by the end of September, half of them were dead. By January, when Captain Newport returned with supplies and more colonists, only thirty-eight of the original settlers remained.† Lazy and clueless, Elena wrote neatly in her notebook. Dead in less than a year. History of the South was her very first class, and col ege was already proving to be an eye-opening experience. Her high school teachers had always stressed courage and enterprise when they talked about Virginia’s early settlers, not haplessness. â€Å"On Thursday, we’l talk about the legend of John Smith and Pocahontas. We’re going to discuss the facts and how they differ from Smith’s own account, as he had a tendency toward self-promotion,† Professor Campbel announced. â€Å"The reading assignment is in the syl abus, so please come prepared for a lively discussion next time.† He was a plump, energetic little man, whose smal black eyes swept the class and landed unerringly on Elena as he added, â€Å"Elena Gilbert? Please stay after class for a moment. I’d like to speak with you.† She had time to wonder, nervously, how he knew which of his students she was as the rest of the class straggled out of the room, a few stopping to ask him questions. She hadn’t spoken up during his lecture, and there were about fifty students in the class. As the last of her classmates disappeared out the door, she approached his desk. â€Å"Elena Gilbert,† he said avuncularly, his bright eyes searching hers. â€Å"I do apologize for taking up your time. But when I heard your name, I had to ask.† He paused, and Elena dutiful y replied, â€Å"Had to ask what, Professor?† â€Å"I know the name Gilbert, you see,† he said, â€Å"and the more I look at you, the more you remind me of someone – two someones – who were once very dear friends of mine. Could you possibly be the daughter of Elizabeth Morrow and Thomas Gilbert?† â€Å"Yes, I am,† said Elena slowly. She ought to have expected that she might meet someone who knew her parents here at Dalcrest, but it felt weird to hear their names, al the same. â€Å"Ah!† He laced his fingers across his stomach and gave her a satisfied smile. â€Å"You look so much like Elizabeth. It startled me when you came into the room. But there’s a touch of Thomas in you, too, make no mistake about that. Something about your expression, I think. Seeing you takes me right back to my own days as an undergraduate. She was a lovely girl, your mother, just lovely.† â€Å"You went to school here with my parents?† Elena asked. â€Å"I certainly did.† Professor Campbel ‘s smal black eyes widened. â€Å"They were two of my best friends here. Two of the best friends I ever had. We lost track of each other over the years, I’m afraid, but I heard about the accident.† He unlaced his fingers and hesitantly touched her arm. â€Å"I’m so sorry.† â€Å"Thank you.† Elena bit her lip. â€Å"They never talked much about their col ege years. Maybe as I got older, they would have†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her voice trailed off, and she realized with dismay that her eyes had fil ed with tears. â€Å"Oh, my dear, I didn’t mean to upset you.† Professor Campbel patted his jacket pockets. â€Å"And I’ve never got a tissue when I need one. Oh, please don’t cry.† His comical expression of distress made Elena give him a watery-eyed smile, and he relaxed and smiled in return. â€Å"There, that’s better,† he said. â€Å"You know, if you’d like to hear more about your parents and what they were like back then, I’d be happy to tel you about them. I’ve got al kinds of stories.† â€Å"Real y?† Elena said hopeful y. She felt a flicker of excitement. Aunt Judith talked with Elena about her mother sometimes, but the memories she shared were mostly from their childhood. And Elena real y didn’t know much about her father’s past at al : he’d been an only child and his parents were dead. â€Å"Certainly, certainly,† Professor Campbel said cheerful y. â€Å"Come to my office hours, and I’l tel you al about our hijinks back in the old days. I’m there every Monday and Friday from three to five, and I’l put out a welcome mat for you. Metaphorical y speaking, of course. Serve you some of the horrible department coffee.† â€Å"Thank you, Professor Campbel ,† Elena said. â€Å"I’d love that.† â€Å"Cal me James,† he said. â€Å"It’s nothing at al . Anything I can do to make you feel at home here at Dalcrest.† He cocked his head to one side and looked at her quizzical y, his eyes as bright and curious as a smal animal’s. â€Å"After al , as the daughter of Elizabeth and Thomas, you must be a very special girl.† The big black crow outside the open lecture-room window paced back and forth, clenching and unclenching its powerful talons around the branch on which it was perched. Damon wanted to transform back into his vampire self, climb through the window, and have a quick but effective interrogation session with that professor. But Elena wouldn’t like that. She was so naive, dammit. Yes, yes, she was his lovely, bril iant, clever princess, but she was ridiculously naive, too; they al were. Damon irritably preened his ruffled feathers back into iridescent sleekness. They were just so young. At this point, Damon was able to look back and say that no one learned anything in life, not for her first hundred years or so. You had to be immortal, real y, to have the time to learn to look out for yourself properly. Take Elena, gazing so trustful y at her professor. After al she’d been through, al she’d seen, she was so easy to lul into complacency – al the man had to do was dangle the promise of information about her parents in front of her, and she’d happily trot off to meet him in his office whenever he suggested. Sentimental ninny. What could the man possibly tel her that would be of any real importance? Nothing could bring her parents back. The professor wasn’t a danger, most likely. Damon had probed him with his Power, felt nothing but the flickering of a human mind, no dark surge of answering Power coming from the little man, no sWellof disturbing or violent emotion. But he couldn’t be sure, could he? Damon’s Power couldn’t detect every monster, couldn’t predict every twist of the human heart. But the real problem here was Elena. She’d forgotten, clearly, that she’d lost al her Power, that the Guardians had stripped her back to being just a vulnerable, fragile mortal girl again. She thought, wrongly, that she could protect herself. They were al like that. Damon had been infuriated at first to slowly realize that he was starting to feel like al of them were his humans. Not just his lovely Elena and the little redbird, but all of them, the witch Mrs. Flowers and the hunter and that meathead of a boy as Well. Those last two didn’t even like him, but he felt compel ed to keep an eye on them, to prevent them from damaging themselves through their innate stupidity. Damon wasn’t the one who wanted to be here. No, the â€Å"let’s al join hands and dance off to further our educations together† idea wasn’t his, and he’d treated it with the proper scorn. He wasn’t Stefan. He wasn’t going to waste his time pretending to be one of the mortal children. But he had found, to his dismay, that he didn’t want to lose them, either. It was embarrassing. Vampires were not pack animals, not like humans. He wasn’t supposed to care what happened to them. These children should be prey, and nothing more. But being dead and coming back, fighting the jealousy phantom and letting go of the sick envy and misery that had held him captive ever since he was a human, had changed Damon. With that hard bal of hate gone from the middle of his chest, where it had lived for so long, he found himself feeling lighter. Almost as if he †¦ cared. Embarrassing or not, it felt surprisingly comfortable, having this connection to the little group of humans. He’d have died – again – rather than admit it aloud, though. He clacked his beak a few times as Elena said good-bye to her professor and left the classroom. Then Damon spread his wings and flapped down to a tree next to the building’s entrance. Nearby, a thin young man was posting a flyer with a girl’s picture on another tree, and Damon flew over to get a closer look. Missing Student, the top of the flyer said, and below the picture were details of a nighttime disappearance: no clues, no leads, no evidence, no idea where nineteen-year-old Taylor Harrison might be. Suspicion of foul play. The promise of a reward from her anxious family for information leading to her safe return. Damon let out a rough caw. There was something wrong here. He’d known it already – had felt something a little off about this campus as soon as he’d arrived two days ago, although he hadn’t been able to quite put his finger on it. Why else would he have been so worried about his princess? Elena came out of the building and started across the quad, tucking her long golden hair behind her ears, oblivious to the black crow that swooped from tree to tree above her. Damon was going to find out what was going on here, and he was going to do it before whatever it was touched any of his humans. Especial y Elena. How to cite The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Seven, Essay examples