Free Essays: Candides Metamorphosis :: Candide essays

Candide's Metamorphosis In Voltaire's novella, we view the main character, Candide, as being sophomoric and rather naïve. Yet, Candide eventually frees himself from the shackles that burden his beloved philosopher Pangloss and other characters befriended along the way. Candide's journey back to Cunegonde become a means for him to emerge from his "self-imposed immaturity." The word "candide," which Cassell's French Dictionary defines as "ingenuous", would greatly summarize who the main character is to be perceived as. He will shape his own opinions throughout the story to parallel anybody else's that would seem to please him. His faith is put in a number of people who he meets along his travels, as he tries to find his way back to Cunegonde. He sees things as others would instruct him to see them. And though it can be contested that he is still the same at the end of the book, I will argue that he becomes the most emancipated from his own chains of "self-imposed immaturity" than any of his friends and comrades. The book first starts off with Candide hanging on to every idea put before him by Pangloss. He is held captive by some of the most bizarre forms of reasoning composed by Professor Pangloss. In Chapter 1, Pangloss professes that "our noses were made to carry spectacles, so we have spectacles," and that "since pigs were made to be eaten, we eat pork all the year round." This rationalization is totally bizarre and could not be applied to any reasonable mode of thought (especially the latter, which would be quickly dismissed by Vegans, Vegetarians, Muslims, and Jews!). After Candide is eventually banished from the house of Baron Thunder-ten-tronckh, he is taken in by James (the Anabaptist). After discovering Pangloss in a wretched state, eventually Candide, James, and Pangloss set off to Lisbon. As James drowns, Pangloss stops Candide from saving the Anabaptist by saying that the "Lisbon harbour was made on purpose for this Anabaptist to drown here." These quotes symbolize th e type of thinking found in Voltaire's day. This was the type of thinking that the Enlightenment school of thought was trying to get away from, and the type of nonsense Candide will challenge to some extent at the end and soon break away from.

Descriptive Essay

Descriptive Portrait: My Grandmother When I picture my grandmother, I envision shiny grey hair, bright blue eyes, and the softest hands I have every felt. She is 94 years old and has 12 children. Virginia Irene Dill has raised many children, and that makes her the strongest person I know. When I walk through the door of her 75 year old home, I think of all the pain and joy my grandmother went through there. After so many years, our time together was not quite the same as it used to be since ten years ago when she started to fall ill due to old age. Despite the fact that her body does not allow her to do as much as she used to, I still remember her and the times we had together. Listening to the wonders of the world and the changes that have occurred, I have enjoyed hearing her stories. I enjoy most learning about my aunts’ and uncles’ crazy past. Our time together is special and the bond we hold is sacred. She holds the key to my history and is an example that a little hard work and a whole lot of patience is needed to make it in life. My grandmother’s small soft hands always surprise me. When I think of all the hard work that she had done including cooking, cleaning, and taking care of all her children, I cannot believe her hands could be kept so soft and manicured. She always wears a ring that my father bought her and she always tells me the story of when she received the ring The bright, shiny, silver ring holds an outer ring with jet black beads surrounded by sharp red beads, circled below with a turquoise stone, and pearly speckles. As I stand next to her, I feel like a giant. She is only five feet tall and is such a small, sweet lady. When I hug her, I feel safe and warm inside. While with her, I feel happy that she is a part of me She is a strong, sweet, and patient woman, and knowing this, it makes me happy to know that I have the potential to be like her. Her and I sit in her living next to the warm wood stove and have long talks about the past. We talk about my father and my grandfather, whom I never had the chance to meet. I always enjoy learning about my past, but the stories about my aunts and uncles and the mischievous things they did were always exciting to me. These stories always made me laugh like a young child when I hear them. Now ill due to old age, her face looks different. She is ghostly pale and calm as a cold winter breeze. I miss her smile and touch. Her hands and body are not as strong as they used to be, and most of the time, she looks tired. The smell of her oatmeal cookies no longer fills the room when I go to her house. The smell of fresh lotion scent has diminished, but most of all, I miss the long talks and warm hugs. I will always remember my grandmother and the impression she has made in my life.

Bases Of Evaluating Essay Writing - 941 Words

Bases of Evaluating Essay Writing There are several steps to follow when writing college essays. A student must follow them, so essays can be written correctly. These are the steps that a student must follow in order to get a good grade on a paper. A Students must make sure to put lots of descriptive details and information in their essays. The three concepts a student needs to evaluate their college essay are called coherence, unity, and support. First of all, a paper must have coherence which means to be cohesive or very consistent. It also means, to stick together because the student has to put their paper together when writing an essay. Finally, it means to be understood because the student needs to find what is coherent, so they can to understand it. They are many different ways to achieve coherence when a student writes an essay. One way to achieve coherence is to use transitions. For example, transitions make the paper flow between ideas and makes them coherent. Another way a student can achieve coherence, is by repeating key words and phrases. For example, when a student tries to repeat key words and phrases he or she has to focus and connect ideas throughout their essay. It makes the reader remain focus and head to the right direction. Next, students can achieve coherence is by using parallel structures to link paragraphs and sentences. For example, when the student is using words, phrases, and clausesShow MoreRela tedBases Of Evaluating Essay Writing965 Words   |  4 Pages Bases of Evaluating Essay Writing They are lots of different ways to writing college essays. Just have to follow them so our their essays look correct. These are the types of steps everyone has to have in order to get a very good grade on their paper. They also have to make sure that they put lots of descriptive details in order to add information on their essays so they could explain more details in their essays. The three steps you need are very importantRead MoreRhetorical Analysis : The Classroom879 Words   |  4 Pagesrefresher on all that I was taught on argumentation. It also helped me to understand the format that the professor would like us to introduce the articles and it’s Kairos before we analyze them. These worksheets definitely helped when it came to writing our first paper. However, although the worksheets made it easy to know what to put in the paper, it was not easy to actually put the paper together and make it flow. Therefore, when I wrote the paper it felt choppy in some places due to the fact thatRead MoreEnglish 105 Composition And Challenging Critical Thinking Skills1152 Words   |  5 Pages English 105 Composition I familiarize students to the college-level writing process through the construction and revisions of a series of credible and impressive essays. It incorporates unique research skills and challenging critical thinking skills. English 105 is an introduction to different styles of writing and the importance writing has as a form of communication. Through disclosure to a variety of college level reading skills, the students will build critical reading skills, and will be ableRead MoreProgram Design And Methods Of The Foundation Essay983 Words   |  4 Pagessmoothly by making sure the programs complies with federal, state, school and hospitals regulations.They will also handle HR issues like discipline, employees benefits and labor relations. Program Manager, will be in charge of designing, managing and evaluating programs. The will be require to managing everyday activities, oversee and communicate with all of the staff members and report to the Executive Director. Volunteer Coordinator, will play an important part in the program by acting as the linkRead MoreEssay On Launching A New Product1244 Words   |  5 Pagespotential consumer base and offer a high-quality product that aligns with their demand. Create a Timeline After all the work you have put into creating your amazing new product, a successful launch is not an option, but a necessity. The first step towards a great launch involves creating a timeline. 4 Months Prior to Your Launch Ask for advice from others and talk about your product to potential customers whenever possible. Your product needs to be a reflection of your consumer base. Identify at leastRead MoreWriting an Academic Essay1224 Words   |  5 PagesAcademic writing is different from other forms of writing; it is distinctive, clear and concise. This essay will describe the factors that contribute to the credibility of an academic piece of writing, and incorporating them effectively into your own writing. In this essay I will further discuss the following three features to enrich credible academic writing; planning and drafting, critical writing and referencing and plagiarism. With an abundant quantity of literature available, it is importantRead MoreRhetorical Analysis : An Old Assignment From A Civil Engineering Seminar1257 Words   |  6 PagesRhetorical analysis is a guideline which allow writers see how well they can address the prompt. They all have to do with evaluating our paper. Everything writing has to have a purpose; it s to show the reader what they need to know as they keep reading on the paper. Here in this writing assignment, the purpose of my paper is to evaluate an old assignment from the previous course in my field. The assignment I will be using for this rhetorical analysis is a project paper from a Civil EngineeringRead MoreWriting Across And Against The Curriculum1159 Words   |  5 Pages Young, Art. â€Å"Writing Across and Against the Curriculum.† College Composition and Communication. 54.3 (2003): 472-485. Art Young, in the article â€Å"Writing Across and Against the Curriculum,† proposes an innovative and effective approach to promoting language skills and critical thinking amongst college students. As an English professor, Young describes a project in which his campus used poetry across the curriculum to stimulate learning in a variety of subjectRead MoreThe Importance Of Faulkners Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech By William Faulkner1405 Words   |  6 Pagesdefines a writer and their ability to deliver a message? Is it their level of eloquence? Or is it the topic that they decided to dedicate their time to writing about? To simply answer, yes and yes. Being a writer does require all of the above, but it necessitates something more. It requires the passion and ardor that one has to bring into their writing. In a time of fear and anguish, most might lose that passion that sparked in them, leaving behind a passionless and hopeless shell. In his Nobel PeaceRead MoreTeaching English As A Second Language Learners1368 Words   |  6 Pageschange in a minute ways from how the teacher would normally teach making it inconspicuous. Yet in subjects such as writing the whole process in teaching drastically alters as teacher have to new knowledge barriers to overcome with ESL students. These changes in way teachers teach writing caused by ESL students can benefit all students especially in elementary school in comprehending writing skills. In having ESL students in the classroom there is a greater emphasis on the manner on how teachers grade

Police Officers And The Criminal Justice System - 1923 Words

For my practicum, the agency I am involved with is the East Pikeland Township Police Department. This police department serves the Kimberton area which is adjacent to Phoenixville. Police officers have a variety of responsibilities to maintain while on duty. Their primary responsibility is to maintain peace and order within the community they are serving (DeLisi, 2010). With the important responsibilities that a police department possesses, it plays a vital role in the criminal justice system. Many people do not see the extent of what police officers do for their community. The media has a way of distorting the views people have. News channels and various television shows only broadcast what will get the attention of as many people as possible. Getting the attention of millions of people is sometimes easier by showing the negative situations. If the media started showing more of the positive situations that police officers were involved in, many people would start to see that police officers should be looked up to instead of feared. A police departments role for the community and the criminal justice system is skewed. A police departments role in the criminal justice system is providing public safety. One of the major duties a police department performs for the criminal justice system is law enforcement. Police officers contain the ability to arrest and detain violators of the law. This power is used to keep the community safe in contrast to what the media displays toShow MoreRelatedPolice Officer And The Criminal Justice System Essay960 Words   |  4 PagesWhen you hear the words ‘police officer’, what is the first thing that comes to mind? The people that protect us from the bad guys, right? Well, that might be the stereotypical answer, but is that really what we all think? Most would agree that in today s society, the words do not have the same positive correlation anymore. It is actually almost the complete opposite. Police officers and othe rs in the criminal justice system have created a poor reputation for themselves from the actions they haveRead MorePolice Officers And The Criminal Justice System1506 Words   |  7 PagesIt seems as if all you hear in the news today is tragic deaths involving unarmed black men and white â€Å"trigger-happy† police officers. But is that really the case? Is this a race thing? The media has hand-picked the leading stories to share with you. We often ask ourselves, â€Å"were these shootings justified?† But during this time of heightened concern all around the world about policing, a more essential question might be â€Å"Were we justified in sending them?† We can sit here and over analyze multipleRead MorePolice Discrimination And Disregard For The Criminal Justice System Essay1501 Words   |  7 PagesI believe that police discrimination and disregard for the Criminal Justice System is on the rise due to the fact the crime is on the rise and people wish to have an excuse to get away with it. One of the biggest cases of discrimination in the United States of America is discrimination against our police officers and our Criminal Justice System. In this paper, I hope to refute accusations against our officers and the criminal justice system and to call people to have a greater appreciation and supportiveRead MoreThe Concepts Of A New Criminal Justice System1695 Words   |  7 Pagesexamine the concepts of a new criminal justice. It will also discuss why the concept requires the involvement of the entire community and why it may be difficult to implement. There will also be information on programs that promote safe neighborhoods and why communities may like and dislike these different programs. A new criminal justice is a theory that has been talked about for plenty of years now. In many cases this theory is to improve the criminal justice system and make it better for not onlyRead MorePolicing1068 Words   |  5 PagesEthics in Criminal Justice Administration Analysis Perla M. Flores CJA/484 Criminal Justice Administration Capstone March 10, 2014 Fran Hart Ethics in Criminal Justice Administration Analysis Ethics in criminal justice administration is a very important aspect because professionals within the criminal justice system make important decisions every day that involves critical thinking, and the choices they make will have an impact in society;Read MoreDefinition Of The Criminal Justice System901 Words   |  4 Pagesdefinition of the criminal justice system according to Oxford Dictionaries is, â€Å"The system of law enforcement that is directly involved in apprehending, prosecuting, defending, sentencing, and punishing those who are suspected or convicted of criminal offenses.† The criminal justice system is very important in America. It means a lot to the people to know that justice will be served when due. Some people disagree with the criminal justice system, and believe that people are not served justice. There areRead MoreCrime And Crime : The Criminal Justice System Essay1520 Words   |  7 Pagesof criminal activity, legal processes of the criminal just ice system, and how criminal offenders are processed. Canada’s criminal justice system comprises and constitutes various stages and components. The criminal justice system is a significant tool and entity in the proper and effective justifiable administration of justice. Also, the criminal justice system aims to adhere to different goals, principles, and provisions central to administration of justice and legal processes. The criminal justiceRead MoreCriminal Justice1385 Words   |  6 PagesCriminal Justice Trends Criminal justice Criminal Justice Trends Criminal justice field is growing every day. It grows with the help of technology and society. When the technology evolves and society grows the criminal justice has to evolve and grow to fit the society needs. Whether it is an easy or hard change the criminal justice system never fails us. With any state the criminal justice system is to protect and serve the community so the more it evolves the more the system has to. The followingRead MoreWhy Ut Nor Atm Would Slingshot Me Into A Career Of Law Enforcement1532 Words   |  7 Pagesavailable to a senior majoring in Criminal Justice who plans to pursue a career in law enforcement. Students must maintain a grade point average of 3.0, there is also the James C. Boswell Scholarship: it may be granted for the fall and spring semesters to deserving undergraduate students in the College of Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University who have demonstrated financial need and who are seeking to pursue a degree in law enforcement or affil iated Criminal Justice disciplines. Students mustRead MorePolice Brutality Essay1724 Words   |  7 PagesPolice brutality is one of multiple forms of racial discrimination which involves unjustifiable violence by police officers. This term was first referred to in the works of the American press as early as 1872 in a report of a policeman beating of a civilian. These targeted civilian groups by police officers typically are those from powerless groups like minorities (Latinos and African-Americans), the youth, as well as the poor. There has been a notable lack of commitment in the criminal justice system

The Barriers Of Business Communication - 1268 Words

Before I will discuss how to overcome the barriers in business communication I will introduce the different barriers in global business communication; 1) Physical barriers these are inadequate equipment such as out dated computer, phones with poor signal, background noise, poor lightning, temperature that is too high or too cold, tangible item that can interfere with communication. 2) Attitudes sometimes strong emotion like anger, sadness or happiness can take your objectivity. Also being nervous, having your personal agenda and asserting to win in an argumentation can make the communication less effective. Such interfering emotion can be also known as emotional noise. 3) Language this is one of the most important key in global†¦show more content†¦Too many details can overwhelm and distract the receiver from the important topics. 10) Jumping to conclusions making assumptions before listening to all the facts can be problematic at the least and catastrophic at worst. Now I will discuss how to overcome the communication barriers in global business communication. First how to overcome language barriers? Language barrier are common challenge in international business settings. What the others don’t realize that is not the accent of the speaker is not the problem but their own way of speaking can create the greatest barrier to communication. Here are some strategies to effective communication in an international business settings. If the problem is the language barrier, we can use KISS or also known as â€Å"keep it simple†, simple expression, choice of words and instruction can help people to understand the message that has been talked about properly. This process goes both ways when talking to someone weaker in the language he/she speak or when they are speaking to you. For example, a scenario of a group of individuals from different nationalities consulting about a project. While doing the meeting the speaker should clarify all the task that should be done by whom, when and how. A minutes of meeting can be a good tool for better understanding on what the topic is. Another way to overcome the communication barrier is to frequently check the understanding amongst the colleague can be a useful tip to avoidShow MoreRelatedDiscuss the Purpose and Importance of Communication in Business Administration. What Are Barriers and Break-Downs in Communication?3079 Words   |  13 Pagespurpose and importance of communication in business administration. What are barriers and break-downs in communication? Discussion of this question has been arranged as follows: 1. DEFINITIONS OF KEYWORDS 2. INTRODUCTION 3. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION 4. DIRECTION OF COMMUNICATION 5. PURPOSE AND IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION 6. BARRIERS AND BREAKDOWNS IN COMMUNICATION 7. OVERCOMING THE BARRIERS AND BREAKDOWNS 8. CONCLUSION 1. DEFINITIONS OF THE KEYWORDS 1.1 Communication Communication is a process of whichRead MoreQHT1 Task 4 Johnloyd 123114 Essay1449 Words   |  6 Pages4 Communication is one of the most important parts of any relationship. Business relationships are no different. Having effective business communication or not having effective business communication can positively or negatively impact the success of an entire organization. Unfortunately, there are many barriers that can obstruct effective business communication. Those barriers come in four different categories. Those categories are personal barriers, physical barriers, sematic barriers andRead MoreBarriers to Effective Communication Essay1713 Words   |  7 Pagesbecause they are the managers those who do run the company and therefore they need to be excellent in dealing with people. However, when the issue of communication is discussed, it is understood that there are more than two people in communication. Moreover, as there would be a number of people working in organisations, there is a lot of communication among companies’ staff everyday. From this context, it can eas ily be inferred that the organisations’ employees should also be able to communicate effectivelyRead MoreQuestions On Common Business Communication Essay1567 Words   |  7 Pages Common Business Communication Problems â€Æ' BUS 100 Professional Communication Skills Semester 1, 2016 Common Business Communication Problems Presented By: Vishal Sharma – 11600767 Dipit Shrestha -11600745 Tutorial no. 2 Task = 2 kings Own Institute ABSTRACT COMMUNICATION , which is part of a function of management in business world plays a major role in functioning the business. In workfull environment ,our returns of services will not be accomplished without a good wayRead MoreEffective Communication in the Workplace Essay1220 Words   |  5 PagesCommunication Barriers in the Workplace Communication barriers in the workplace can have a serious effect on the functioning and of an organization. In the following article we shall understand what some of these communication barriers are and how to overcome them. Ads by Google Improve Communication Our NLP Training Program Helps You Overcome Your Fears. Enroll Today! www.EasyNLP.com/ Conflict Management How much is conflict costing you? Assessment, Training, Coaching www.StrategicLeadershipCoachingRead MoreCommunication Challenges to Modern Day Business Communication758 Words   |  4 PagesMAJOR COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES IN THE BUSINESS WORLD TODAY Communication is defined as the process of transferring information and meaning between senders and receivers, using one or more written, oral, visual or electronic channels. Simply put, communication is the exchange of information between people. It is important to get feedback from your audience and vice versa for the process of communication to take place effectively. The feedback can be either positive or negative. It is any communicationRead Morehow to overcome barriers to effective communication Essay example1515 Words   |  7 PagesCommunication in business is the passing on of ideas and information and building relationships in this way, however in the process of doing so sometimes some issues and conditions may arise that might hinder the ideas and information being passed on from being understood clearly these are what we refer to as communication barriers. Therefore, its very important to identify the barriers of business communication to get your message across clearly. Organizational communication involves formal andRead MoreThe Relationship Between Effective Communication And Organizational Efficiency1123 Words   |  5 Pagesrelationship between effective communication and organizational efficiency, showing in particular how communication barriers may impact adversely on an organisation. This essay will focus on the relationship between effective communication and organizational efficiency, highlighting the main barriers in communication and their consequences. In order to facilitate the understanding of this relationship, it is very important to comprehend the purpose of communication in business and the meaning of effectiveRead MoreCommunication Is A Part Of Everyday Life Essay1383 Words   |  6 Pages Communication and Leadership Melissa Stevens ORG 300-5 Applying Leadership Principles Dr. Barbara-Leigh Tonelli September 29, 2016 Communication is a part of everyday life. Not only is it present in our personal lives, but in the workplace as well. Communication is an essential skill that we cannot avoid, and should be perfected as a goal in improving your leadership efficiency. When in a leadership role, the leader must influence others effectively. Being anRead MoreGlobal Business Cultural Analysis Of Japan Essay1627 Words   |  7 Pages Global Business Cultural Analysis: Japan James Hendricks Liberty University  Global Business Cultural Analysis: Japan Technological advancement has made globalization an inevitable factor that businesses of the future will need to consider in order to be successful. Increasingly, companies that have been solely domestic are branching out internationally for a wide variety of reasons, but in the end, it’s all about making profits from previously inaccessible market segments.

The Korean Pop Music free essay sample

The year 2017 has been the year of â€Å"hallyu wave â€Å"or the South Korean Culture trend. The Korean Pop and Korean drama’s popularity boomed with sparkles during that time of the year. A lot of millenials became Korean drama fanatic making them interested and engrossed to their sound tracks.Evidences can be seen to the millions of viewers worldwide that have been streaming Korean music and drama in different sites in the internet. Precisely, It became the â€Å"it† trend to the millenials of this generation.Since it is the beginning of the year 2018, let’s look back to the top streamed soundtracks and best Korean OST lists of 2017 classified by Spotify. Also, note that it’s a perfect playlist for a millenial that’s into Korean pop and music.†¢ Stay with meStay with me by Punch and EXO Chanyeol is one of the popular soundtracks of the popular Korean drama series entitled â€Å"Goblin†. We will write a custom essay sample on The Korean Pop Music or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is a slow and soothing song since its genre is ballad. It is written by Lee Seung Joo and composed by the musical duo Rocoberry.†¢ AlwaysAlways by Yoon Mirae is from the drama Descendants of the sun. It is also composed by Rocoberry. The song is also under the ballad genre with beautiful lyrics that can tug the heartstrings of the viewers. This song also has reached for more than 3,000,000 views in YouTube.†¢ I’ll Pick You UpI’ll Pick You Up by Standing Egg is an acoustic music composed by Cadence, ROZ, and Seo Jae Ha. It is from a popular romantic comedy series entitled â€Å"Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo†. The good think about this song is that it is refreshing in the ears plus it highlights the lovely vocals of the singer. This song is also inspired by British pop.†¢ Say YesSay Yes is the OST of the popular historical drama entitled Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo. It’s a song by Loco and Punch. The interesting part about this song is that it is a ballad and slow music with a slow rap. It is also composed by Rocoberry. †¢ BeautifulBeautiful by Crush is also one of famous soundtrack of Goblin. It is another ballad with deep lyrics that can touch the listeners’ heart. This song went viral globally and it also hit number one on music charts.

The Cicada Many Things To Many People Essays (1662 words) - Cicadas

The Cicada: Many Things To Many People In this century of rapid scientific discovery, there still exist natural phenomena with the power to inspire wonder and mystery. The cicada, an insect known since ancient times, is one such phenomenon. Because scientific knowledge of the cicada contains many gaps, these mysterious insects can still stimulate our imagination or lead us into confusion. At the present time, the cicada is many things to many people: it is a curiosity that should be approached scientifically; it is a source of superstition and dread; it is also little more than an annoying, seasonal inconvenience. The cicada is a stout, black insect about an inch in length. Various species of this insect can be found all over North of the America. When the cicada is at rest, its large, transparent, veined wings are folded over the top of its body and extend about a quarter of an inch beyond it. Cicada wing veins are and information reddish orange in color, as are its eyes and legs. The front legs are sharp and crablike, allowing the animal to hold tight to the bark of trees. The species of American cicada most written about by scientists and most wondered about by the general public is known as the periodical cicada. Its scientific name is Magicicada septendecim. This species of cicada appears above ground only once every seventeen years. What the cicada does underground for most of its seventeen-year life span was a mystery until fairly recently. In the early part of this century, a man named C.L. Marlett, who worked for the United States Department of Agriculture, decided to find out. He began burying cicada eggs in his backyard and digging them up periodically for observation. He soon found out that the cicada begins life as a tiny nymph about six hundredths of an inch in length. A nymph is an immature insect, before it has fully developed wings or reproductive organs. During their sixteen years and ten and one-half months underground, cicada nymphs are nestled against tree roots from which they gently suck the juices. Nourished by this root sap, they begin to grow. They shed their skin four times before they reach adult size. Once matured, a cicada does not necessarily leave its underground nursery. All cicadas of the same generation in a region wait for a seventeenth spring before they come creeping forth from the ground as a group. The eeriness of this group effort has puzzled humans for centuries. People have responded to the mystery with a host of superstitions, educated guesses, and scientific theories. One of the earliest explanations for the mass appearance of cicada populations after their long absence in an area was that the insects had come to foretell war. This idea stems from an observation of the adult cicada shortly after it appears above ground. It immediately sheds its skin for the last time and begins to darken in color. Near the outer edge of its front wings, a black mark appears that looks distinctly like the letter W. Some thought this W stood for war. In the past, people who saw a group of cicadas emerge from the ground like an invading army were filled with panic. The sight was especially frightening because literally millions of insects can appear within an area of a few square miles. Later explanations for the mass appearance of cicadas stem from more scientific observations. Dr. L. L. Pechuman, a professor at the New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, has suggested that coming above ground only once every seventeen years is an excellent way for a species to discourage its natural enemies. Perhaps the cicadas have evolved a special kind of biological time clock to protect them from predators. James Heath, an insect physiologist at the University of Illinois, theorizes that the cicadas all emerge at around the same time in a certain year because the soil has reached a temperature of 64 degrees. Theories like this have still not been proved absolutely, but they do a lot to dispel the fear, awe, or confusion experienced by many people who witness millions of cicadas surfacing at once. Once cicadas surface, they lose no time. At this point in