Adolf Hitler And The Holocaust - 2262 Words

When Adolf Hitler rose to power in 1933, he had a belief that race was the sole matter that defined the culture of a civilization. He influenced the country of Germany to change the ideological values that they previously abided by. This change marked the beginning of a new era, which led to the most pure ideological genocide that can be remembered to this day since there was no pragmatic motivation throughout the time period the Holocaust took place. It is a dark mark in the history of western civilization, and many countries could have helped aid the Jews in their effort to resist, but none more than the United States of America. Though not the primary reason for the longevity of the Holocaust, the U.S. does bear some culpability for the persecution and eventual mass killings of the six million Jews in Europe because of a growth of anti-Semitism that interfered with the ability to offer aid at a time when they were capable to, thus becoming labeled as an international bystander. I n his analysis of the United States response to the Holocaust, David Wyman claims â€Å"The Nazis were the murders, but we [the United States] were the all too passive accomplices† (ix), which lies different than the views of William Rubenstein who argues â€Å"†¦no Jews who perished during the Nazi Holocaust could have been saved by any action which the Allies could have taken at the time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (x). It is hard to analyze a situation and point fingers at someone other than the primary perpetrator when so manyShow MoreRelatedAdolf Hitler and the Holocaust1249 Words   |  5 PagesAdolf Hitler was the driving force behind the Holocaust. Many people think he was insane to torture the human race that way. Others praise him for attempting to exterminate the Jewish people. Some wonder what was going on inside his head when he had the first thought and/or plan of the Holocaust. A majority of the world just want to know what drove him or what made him hate the Jewish race so much. Studying Adolf Hitler’s beliefs can give the world history because he gave the world an insightRead MoreAdolf Hitler And The Holocaust1078 Words   |  5 Pages Adolf Hitler played a major role in WWII. Hitler was anti-Semitic. Anti-Semitic is to be against Jews. Hitler’s perspective of perfection was a blue-eyed, blonde-haired white person; most Jews did not fit this description. This view is what caused the Holocaust. The Holocaust was a period of time in which many Jews were killed in camps. He also believed that he could bring Germany to greatness once again. Because of Adolf Hitler’s actions and beliefs, he was an important figure inRead MoreAdolf Hitler And The Holocaust Essay905 Words   |  4 PagesAuschwitz On January 30, 1933 Adolf Hitler was appointed the German chancellor. This was the beginning of the most tragic and horrifying mass murder the world has ever known. Adolf Hitler was a man who despised Jews and blamed them for everything that had gone wrong in Germany. He wanted to annihilate every living Jew in Germany through a plan that he called â€Å"The Final Solution.† To fulfill his master plan, he appointed German SS officers to round up mass amounts of Jews and ship them off to deathRead MoreAdolf Hitler And The Holocaust Essay1105 Words   |  5 PagesAdolf Hitler and the Holocaust. The Holocaust is the word used to describe the mass murder of approximately six million European Jews during Adolf Hitler’s rule in Germany. Among the Jews were also other groups described as â€Å"Sub-Humans† such as Gypsies, homosexuals, intellectually challenged, political prisoners and most Eastern Europeans. German lacked confidence in their weak system, the Weimer Republic. Adolf Hitler, the chairman of the Nazi Party by 1921, was a World War I veteran who still believedRead MoreAdolf Hitler And The Holocaust1667 Words   |  7 Pagesthe more sharply they became distinguished in my eyes from the rest of humanity,† Hitler wrote in Mein Kampf, describing his feelings when he first arrived in Vienna in 1925 and began to develop anti-Semitic ideas. The Holocaust was when the Nazi’s eliminated the Jewish people under Hitler’s rule. This was one of the most gruesome events in world history. There were three main reasons why Hitler started the Holoca ust and exterminated the Jews: he had a need for power; he was convinced the loss ofRead MoreAdolf Hitler And The Holocaust2948 Words   |  12 PagesAdolf Hitler, chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945 and fà ¼hrer of Nazi Germany from 1934 to 1945, was the mastermind behind both World War II within Europe and the Holocaust. In the â€Å"Final Solution,† concentration and extermination camps were implemented in an attempt to rid of the Jewish population entirely. Such a task, genocide, would not be done easily. By the end of World War II, over six million Jews had been killed. However, not merely Jews were subject to mass murder, but nearly five millionRead MoreAdolf Hitler and The Holocaust Essay729 Words   |  3 Pageshandicaps. This geonocide, led by Adolf Hitler, who was the chancellor and future dictator of Germany, resulted in the death of six million Jews and thousands of other innocents. The Holocaust is arguably the worst thing that has happened in our history . In our modern world we still have racist and religious problems accross the world particularly in the Middle East and Africa. By studying the Holocaust we can learn many things and gain a perspective on our lives. Adolf Hitler, leader of the Nazi politicalRead MoreAdolf Hitler and The Holocaust Essay1519 Words   |  7 Pages On January 30th, 1933, Adolf Hitler became a dictator of Germany, which marked the start of the twelve year massacre, the Holocaust. The Holocaust lasted until May 8th, 1945, when Europe won World War II. During the event of the Holocaust, six million Jewish followers were murdered; nearly two-thirds of the European Jewish population and one-third of all the Jewish population in the world. The Nazi Party not only targeted the Jews, but communists, Marxists, and anyone who stood up to, or posedRead MoreAdolf Hitler and the Holocaust Essay1114 Words   |  5 Pages Germany’s fate was changed on April 20, 1889, the day I, Adolf Hitler was born to German official, Alois and my dear, Klara Hitler. Little did they know of what a miracle that had blessed them that day. My destiny was decided for me every time my father lectured me about the abhor Jews, taking up our German property, and beat me for the childish mistakes I made. I realized my destiny was to punish the faults in our once perfect nation. My father’s strict upper hand was not the only contributionRead MoreAdolf Hitler and the Holocaust Essay611 Words   |  3 Pagesquestion, Why? Why would someone like Hitler murder millions of people in an act of mass genocide? I personally think that no one truly knows the answer to that question I do however, however know why we would study something like the Holocaust, and likewise WWII. In order to explain it sufficiently I think that one must start with the story of Adolf Hitler. In 1889, on April 20th Adolf Hitler was born. As a young Austrian boy, Hitler wanted to be an artist and applied at

Why Gays Should Not Be Adopt - 1385 Words

A couple is losing their adopted child due to them being a homosexual male couple. What truly is the difference between a straight couple and a gay couple adopting children? What is so controversial about wanting to give a child a chance at a good life, should people judge someone for providing help if they simply have a different sexuality? Fears from conservative families and religious groups have caused people to go into hysteria over their views on this group of people. People who were once open with their thoughts are tainted by the controversy and fear that children who grow up under a homosexual roof will become homosexual themselves. â€Å"125,000 children are on the list for foster parents† (Todd Flowerday). Tolerance isn t possible where truth—or reasonable belief—is intentionally suppressed. (Andrew Haines). This of course is to reference why gays should not be able to adopt. With the fear that they would not be responsible parents. This however is wrong down to its last drop of ignorance. Many children who would either become homeless or starve, are being placed in loving houses. Unfortunately due to the church’s discrimination towards the homosexual category, all gays are considered inadequate. Regardless of their chosen sexual identity we should not hold hostile or ill will feelings towards people just looking to love a child and get them through life. â€Å"Florida ban kept 165 children in foster care, costing the state $2.5 million per year, also thisShow MoreRelatedGay Adoption And The United States1412 Words   |  6 Pages Gay parents! Yes I said it.What kind of impact do gay couples have on adoption agencies in the United States? â€Å"An estimated 65,500 adopted children are living with a lesbian or gay† parent (Lifelong Adoptions)​.†Ã¢â‚¬â€¹There are 1 million lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents raising about 2 million children in the U.S† (Why Gay Parents Are Good Parents). ​Even though people believe gay adoption will cause children to act different Gay adoption positively affects adoption agenciesRead MoreGay Parenting Essay939 Words   |  4 Pagessome states, the anatomy of the person, whether male or female, hardly allows them to reproduce without sperm or ovaries. Since gays are not capable of reproducing, then adoption is their next option or sperm donors. The big controversy is whether or not homosexuals should be allowed to adopt children or whether the â€Å"step-parent,† which is actually the co-partner, can adopt the birth m other’s child. Adoption is another route for the children who were abandoned, were not financially stable, or wereRead MoreArgumentative Essay About Gay Adoption1295 Words   |  6 PagesCorri Fairfull Discursive Essay-Gay Adoption Gay adoption is a subject which is widely debated. However over recent years gay adoption has allowed for most gay couples who want to adopt young children and give them a good quality of life, which they would have if they lived with their biological parents or a heterosexual couple, to do so. One positive view of gay adoption is that it gives the gay couple the chance to start their own family and give a child in care a new start to life in a lovingRead MoreGay Adoption And The United States1412 Words   |  6 Pages Gay parents! Yes I said it.What kind of impact do gay couples have on adoption agencies in the United States? â€Å"An estimated 65,500 adopted children are living with a lesbian or gay† parent (Lifelong Adoptions)​.†Ã¢â‚¬â€¹There are 1 million lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents raising about 2 million children in the U.S† (Why Gay Parents Are Good Parents). ​Even though people believe gay adoption will cause children to act different Gay adoption positively affects adoption agenciesRead MoreGay Adoption Should Be Legal1203 Words   |  5 PagesGay adoption is a touchy subject to a lot of people. Even though gay adoption became legal in all 50 states on June 26, 2017 everyone still seems to have an opinion on the matter and a lot of the opinions lean toward not allowing gay couples to adopt. There are so many children in the foster care system that need loving and stable homes so why not let gay couples give that to them? There is a lot of evidence to show that gay couples can be just as good at parenting as a straight couple. Maybe evenRead MoreGay Adoption : Discrimination Against Gay1626 Words   |  7 PagesStudies 105 Tuesday, Thursday 8-9:20 a.m. Gay Adoption Introduction Attention getter: Discrimination against gay men and lesbian women has been socially recognized for hundreds of years and still continues today. Homosexuals have adopted children for many years, regardless of fear and prejudice. The controversy of this matter is why homosexuals are not presented the equal fairness of the process and open opportunity as heterosexual couples who seek to adopt or foster children. There is a certain extentRead MoreShould Homosexuals Be Allowed? Adopt?1512 Words   |  7 PagesTeirra Thomas Professor Parks ENG 101, Documented Research Paper 18 November 2014 Should Homosexuals be allowed to Adopt Did you know that Florida absolutely bans homosexuals to adopt children? Over a million people in the United States disagree on same sex marriage. If they disagree with same sex marriage what about when homosexuals want to adopt children. In my opinion it is great that homosexuals want to adopt children, because it is not about who they are being raised by. It is all about ifRead MoreShould Same Sex Couples Be Allowed to Adopt?954 Words   |  4 PagesComposition 2/8/13 Should Same-Sex Couples Be Allowed To Adopt? As time progresses societies view on certain subjects has become more lenient. One thing that still can cause an uproar seems to be what women decide to do with their children once they become pregnant, whether it be abortion or adoption. Even more controversial on the latter subject seems to be who can and cannot adopt children who are being put up for adoption. This leads to the topic of the argument, should same sex couples beRead MoreShould Gay Adoption Be Legalized?935 Words   |  4 Pagescouples feel when they are attempting to adopt children. Adoption isn’t just about finding children for families, but it’s about finding families for children. The traditional definition of raising a family is one man and one woman raising their children together, which is why gay adoption has been a struggle for many gay couples. It is prejudice to deny homosexuals the right to adopt and have a family. As society evolves and cultural perspectives expand, gay adoption deserves to be legalized nationwideRead MoreGay Adoption Should Be Legal1355 Words   |  6 Pagesthe families in need to adopt a child in need of a loving family. Many people have had a great ending with adoptions. The families who have adopted have left and created many loving families out there, but now that same sex-couples want to adopt children adoption has becomes very brutal. Same sex-couples are having trouble to get their marriage right now states are banning adoption rights. Although gay adoption could negatively impact the child s life, gay adoption should be allowed and enforced

The Lost Symbol Chapter 7-11 Free Essays

string(34) " ear and paced in a tight circle\." CHAPTER 7 Katherine Solomon hurried across the parking lot through the cold rain, wishing she had worn more than jeans and a cashmere sweater. As she neared the building’s main entrance, the roar of the giant air purifiers got louder. She barely heard them, her ears still ringing from the phone call she’d just received. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lost Symbol Chapter 7-11 or any similar topic only for you Order Now That which your brother believes is hidden in D.C. . . . it can be found. Katherine found the notion almost impossible to believe. She and the caller still had much to discuss and had agreed to do so later that evening. Reaching the main doors, she felt the same sense of excitement she always felt upon entering the gargantuan building. Nobody knows this place is here. The sign on the door announced: SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM SUPPORT CENTER (SMSC) The Smithsonian Institution, despite having more than a dozen massive museums on the National Mall, had a collection so huge that only 2 percent of it could be on display at any one time. The other 98 percent of the collection had to be stored somewhere. And that somewhere . . . was here. Not surprisingly, this building was home to an astonishingly diverse array of artifacts–giant Buddhas, handwritten codices, poisoned darts from New Guinea, jewel-encrusted knives, a kayak made of baleen. Equally mind-boggling were the building’s natural treasures–plesiosaur skeletons, a priceless meteorite collection, a giant squid, even a collection of elephant skulls brought back from an African safari by Teddy Roosevelt. But none of this was why the Smithsonian secretary, Peter Solomon, had introduced his sister to the SMSC three years ago. He had brought her to this place not to behold scientific marvels, but rather to create them. And that was exactly what Katherine had been doing. Deep within this building, in the darkness of the most remote recesses, was a small scientific laboratory unlike any other in the world. The recent breakthroughs Katherine had made here in the field of Noetic Science had ramifications across every discipline–from physics, to history, to philosophy, to religion. Soon everything will change, she thought. As Katherine entered the lobby, the front desk guard quickly stashed his radio and yanked the earplugs from his ears. â€Å"Ms. Solomon!† He smiled broadly. â€Å"Redskins?† He blushed, looking guilty. â€Å"Pregame.† She smiled. â€Å"I won’t tell.† She walked to the metal detector and emptied her pockets. When she slid the gold Cartier watch from her wrist, she felt the usual pang of sadness. The timepiece had been a gift from her mother for Katherine’s eighteenth birthday. Almost ten years had now passed since her mother had died violently . . . passing away in Katherine’s arms. â€Å"So, Ms. Solomon?† the guard whispered jokingly. â€Å"Are you ever gonna tell anybody what you’re doing back there?† She glanced up. â€Å"Someday, Kyle. Not tonight.† â€Å"Come on,† he pressed. â€Å"A secret lab . . . in a secret museum? You must be doing something cool.† Miles beyond cool, Katherine thought as she collected her things. The truth was that Katherine was doing science so advanced that it no longer even resembled science. CHAPTER 8 Robert Langdon stood frozen in the doorway of the National Statuary Hall and studied the startling scene before him. The room was precisely as he remembered it–a balanced semicircle built in the style of a Greek amphitheater. The graceful arched walls of sandstone and Italian plaster were punctuated by columns of variegated breccia, interspersed with the nation’s statuary collection–life-size statues of thirty-eight great Americans standing in a semicircle on a stark expanse of black-and-white marble tile. It was exactly as Langdon had recalled from the lecture he had once attended here. Except for one thing. Tonight, the room was empty. No chairs. No audience. No Peter Solomon. Just a handful of tourists milling around aimlessly, oblivious to Langdon’s grand entrance. Did Peter mean the Rotunda? He peered down the south corridor toward the Rotunda and could see tourists milling around in there, too. The echoes of the clock chime had faded. Langdon was now officially late. He hurried back into the hallway and found a docent. â€Å"Excuse me, the lecture for the Smithsonian event tonight? Where is that being held?† The docent hesitated. â€Å"I’m not sure, sir. When does it start?† â€Å"Now!† The man shook his head. â€Å"I don’t know about any Smithsonian event this evening–not here, at least.† Bewildered, Langdon hurried back toward the center of the room, scanning the entire space. Is Solomon playing some kind of joke? Langdon couldn’t imagine it. He pulled out his cell phone and the fax page from this morning and dialed Peter’s number. His phone took a moment to locate a signal inside the enormous building. Finally, it began to ring. The familiar southern accent answered. â€Å"Peter Solomon’s office, this is Anthony. May I help you?† â€Å"Anthony!† Langdon said with relief. â€Å"I’m glad you’re still there. This is Robert Langdon. There seems to be some confusion about the lecture. I’m standing in the Statuary Hall, but there’s nobody here. Has the lecture been moved to a different room?† â€Å"I don’t believe so, sir. Let me check.† His assistant paused a moment. â€Å"Did you confirm with Mr. Solomon directly?† Langdon was confused. â€Å"No, I confirmed with you, Anthony. This morning!† â€Å"Yes, I recall that.† There was a silence on the line. â€Å"That was a bit careless of you, don’t you think, Professor?† Langdon was now fully alert. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† â€Å"Consider this . . .† the man said. â€Å"You received a fax asking you to call a number, which you did. You spoke to a total stranger who said he was Peter Solomon’s assistant. Then you willingly boarded a private plane to Washington and climbed into a waiting car. Is that right?† Langdon felt a chill race through his body. â€Å"Who the hell is this? Where is Peter?† â€Å"I’m afraid Peter Solomon has no idea you’re in Washington today.† The man’s southern accent disappeared, and his voice morphed into a deeper, mellifluous whisper. â€Å"You are here, Mr. Langdon, because I want you here.† CHAPTER 9 Inside the Statuary Hall, Robert Langdon clutched his cell phone to his ear and paced in a tight circle. You read "The Lost Symbol Chapter 7-11" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"Who the hell are you?† The man’s reply was a silky calm whisper. â€Å"Do not be alarmed, Professor. You have been summoned here for a reason.† â€Å"Summoned?† Langdon felt like a caged animal. â€Å"Try kidnapped!† â€Å"Hardly.† The man’s voice was eerily serene. â€Å"If I wanted to harm you, you would be dead in your Town Car right now.† He let the words hang for a moment. â€Å"My intentions are purely noble, I assure you. I would simply like to offer you an invitation.† No thanks. Ever since his experiences in Europe over the last several years, Langdon’s unwanted celebrity had made him a magnet for nut-cases, and this one had just crossed a very serious line. â€Å"Look, I don’t know what the hell is going on here, but I’m hanging up–â€Å" â€Å"Unwise,† said the man. â€Å"Your window of opportunity is very small if you want to save Peter Solomon’s soul.† Langdon drew a sharp breath. â€Å"What did you say?† â€Å"I’m sure you heard me.† The way this man had uttered Peter’s name had stopped Langdon cold. â€Å"What do you know about Peter?† â€Å"At this point, I know his deepest secrets. Mr. Solomon is my guest, and I can be a persuasive host.† This can’t be happening. â€Å"You don’t have Peter.† â€Å"I answered his private cell phone. That should give you pause.† â€Å"I’m calling the police.† â€Å"No need,† the man said. â€Å"The authorities will join you momentarily.† What is this lunatic talking about? Langdon’s tone hardened. â€Å"If you have Peter, put him on the phone right now.† â€Å" â€Å"That’s impossible. Mr. Solomon is trapped in an unfortunate place.† The man paused. â€Å"He is in the Araf.† â€Å"Where?† Langdon realized he was clutching his phone so tightly his fingers were going numb. â€Å"The Araf? Hamistagan? That place to which Dante devoted the canticle immediately following his legendary Inferno?† The man’s religious and literary references solidified Langdon’s suspicion that he was dealing with a madman. The second canticle. Langdon knew it well; nobody escaped Phillips Exeter Academy without reading Dante. â€Å"You’re saying you think Peter Solomon is . . . in purgatory?† â€Å"A crude word you Christians use, but yes, Mr. Solomon is in the in-between.† The man’s words hung in Langdon’s ear. â€Å"Are you saying Peter is . . . dead?† â€Å"Not exactly, no.† â€Å"Not exactly?!† Langdon yelled, his voice echoing sharply in the hall. A family of tourists looked over at him. He turned away and lowered his voice. â€Å"Death is usually an all-or-nothing thing!† â€Å"You surprise me, Professor. I expected you to have a better understanding of the mysteries of life and death. There is a world in between–a world in which Peter Solomon is hovering at the moment. He can either return to your world, or he can move on to the next . . . depending on your actions right now.† Langdon tried to process this. â€Å"What do you want from me?† â€Å"It’s simple. You have been given access to something quite ancient. And tonight, you will share it with me.† â€Å"I have no idea what you’re talking about.† â€Å"No? You pretend not to understand the ancient secrets that have been entrusted to you?† Langdon felt a sudden sinking sensation, now guessing what this was probably about. Ancient secrets. He had not uttered a word to anyone about his experiences in Paris several years earlier, but Grail fanatics had followed the media coverage closely, some connecting the dots and believing Langdon was now privy to secret information regarding the Holy Grail–perhaps even its location. â€Å"Look,† Langdon said, â€Å"if this is about the Holy Grail, I can assure you I know nothing more than–â€Å" â€Å"Don’t insult my intelligence, Mr. Langdon,† the man snapped. â€Å"I have no interest in anything so frivolous as the Holy Grail or mankind’s pathetic debate over whose version of history is correct. Circular arguments over the semantics of faith hold no interest for me. Those are questions answered only through death.† The stark words left Langdon confused. â€Å"Then what the hell is this about?† The man paused for several seconds. â€Å"As you may know, there exists within this city an ancient portal.† An ancient portal? â€Å"And tonight, Professor, you will unlock it for me. You should be honored I contacted you–this is the invitation of your lifetime. You alone have been chosen.† And you have lost your mind. â€Å"I’m sorry, but you’ve chosen poorly,† Langdon said. â€Å"I don’t know anything about any ancient portal.† â€Å"You don’t understand, Professor. It was not I who chose you . . . it was Peter Solomon.† â€Å"What?† Langdon replied, his voice barely a whisper. â€Å"Mr. Solomon told me how to find the portal, and he confessed to me that only one man on earth could unlock it. And he said that man is you.† â€Å"If Peter said that, he was mistaken . . . or lying.† â€Å"I think not. He was in a fragile state when he confessed that fact, and I am inclined to believe him.† Langdon felt a stab of anger. â€Å"I’m warning you, if you hurt Peter in any–â€Å" â€Å"It’s far too late for that,† the man said in an amused tone. â€Å"I’ve already taken what I need from Peter Solomon. But for his sake, I suggest you provide what I need from you. Time is of the essence . . . for both of you. I suggest you find the portal and unlock it. Peter will point the way.† Peter? â€Å"I thought you said Peter was in `purgatory.'† â€Å"As above, so below,† the man said. Langdon felt a deepening chill. This strange response was an ancient Hermetic adage that proclaimed a belief in the physical connection between heaven and earth. As above, so below. Langdon eyed the vast room and wondered how everything had veered so suddenly out of control tonight. â€Å"Look, I don’t know how to find any ancient portal. I’m calling the police.† â€Å"It really hasn’t dawned on you yet, has it? Why you were chosen?† â€Å"No,† Langdon said. â€Å"It will,† he replied, chuckling. â€Å"Any moment now.† Then the line went dead. Langdon stood rigid for several terrifying moments, trying to process what had just happened. Suddenly, in the distance, he heard an unexpected sound. It was coming from the Rotunda. Someone was screaming. CHAPTER 10 Robert Langdon had entered the Capitol Rotunda many times in his life, but never at a full sprint. As he ran through the north entrance, he spotted a group of tourists clustered in the center of the room. A small boy was screaming, and his parents were trying to console him. Others were crowding around, and several security guards were doing their best to restore order. â€Å"He pulled it out of his sling,† someone said frantically, â€Å"and just left it there!† As Langdon drew nearer, he got his first glimpse of what was causing all the commotion. Admittedly, the object on the Capitol floor was odd, but its presence hardly warranted screaming. The device on the floor was one Langdon had seen many times. The Harvard art department had dozens of these–life-size plastic models used by sculptors and painters to help them render the human body’s most complex feature, which, surprisingly, was not the human face but rather the human hand. Someone left a mannequin hand in the Rotunda? Mannequin hands, or handequins as some called them, had articulated fingers enabling an artist to pose the hand in whatever position he wanted, which for sophomoric college students was often with the middle finger extended straight up in the air. This handequin, however, had been positioned with its index finger and thumb pointing up toward the ceiling. As Langdon drew nearer, though, he realized this handequin was unusual. Its plastic surface was not smooth like most. Instead, the surface was mottled and slightly wrinkled, and appeared almost . . . Like real skin. Langdon stopped abruptly. Now he saw the blood. My God! The severed wrist appeared to have been skewered onto a spiked wooden base so that it would stand up. A wave of nausea rushed over him. Langdon inched closer, unable to breathe, seeing now that the tips of the index finger and thumb had been decorated with tiny tattoos. The tattoos, however, were not what held Langdon’s attention. His gaze moved instantly to the familiar golden ring on the fourth finger. No. Langdon recoiled. His world began to spin as he realized he was looking at the severed right hand of Peter Solomon. CHAPTER 11 Why isn’t Peter answering? Katherine Solomon wondered as she hung up her cell phone. Where is he? For three years, Peter Solomon had always been the first to arrive for their weekly seven P.M. Sunday-night meetings. It was their private family ritual, a way to remain connected before the start of a new week, and for Peter to stay up-to-date on Katherine’s work at the lab. He’s never late, she thought, and he always answers his phone. To make matters worse, Katherine was still not sure what she was going to say to him when he did finally arrive. How do I even begin to ask him about what I found out today? Her footsteps clicked rhythmically down the cement corridor that ran like a spine through the SMSC. Known as â€Å"The Street,† the corridor connected the building’s five massive storage pods. Forty feet overhead, a circulatory system of orange ductwork throbbed with the heartbeat of the building–the pulsing sounds of thousands of cubic feet of filtered air being circulated. Normally, during her nearly quarter-mile walk to her lab, Katherine felt calmed by the breathing sounds of the building. Tonight, however, the pulsing had her on edge. What she had learned about her brother today would have troubled anyone, and yet because Peter was the only family she had in the world, Katherine felt especially disturbed to think he might be keeping secrets from her. As far as she knew, he had kept a secret from her only once . . . a wonderful secret that was hidden at the end of this very hallway. Three years ago, her brother had walked Katherine down this corridor, introducing her to the SMSC by proudly showing off some of the building’s more unusual items–the Mars meteorite ALH-84001, the handwritten pictographic diary of Sitting Bull, a collection of wax-sealed Ball jars containing original specimens collected by Charles Darwin. At one point, they walked past a heavy door with a small window. Katherine caught a glimpse of what lay beyond and gasped. â€Å"What in the world is that?!† Her brother chuckled and kept walking. â€Å"Pod Three. It’s called Wet Pod. Pretty unusual sight, isn’t it?† Terrifying is more like it. Katherine hurried after him. This building was like another planet. â€Å"What I really want to show you is in Pod Five,† her brother said, guiding her down the seemingly endless corridor. â€Å"It’s our newest addition. It was built to house artifacts from the basement of the National Museum of Natural History. That collection is scheduled for relocation here in about five years, which means Pod Five is sitting empty at the moment.† Katherine glanced over. â€Å"Empty? So why are we looking at it?† Her brother’s gray eyes flashed a familiar mischief. â€Å"It occurred to me that because nobody is using the space, maybe you could use it.† â€Å"Me?† â€Å"Sure. I thought maybe you could use a dedicated lab space–a facility where you can actually perform some of the theoretical experiments you’ve been developing for all these years.† Katherine stared at her brother in shock. â€Å"But, Peter, those experiments are theoretical! To actually perform them would be almost impossible.† â€Å"Nothing is impossible, Katherine, and this building is perfect for you. The SMSC is not just a warehouse of treasures; it’s one of the world’s most advanced scientific research facilities. We’re constantly taking pieces from the collection and examining them with the best quantitative technologies money can buy. All the equipment you could possibly need would be here at your disposal.† â€Å"Peter, the technologies required to run these experiments are–â€Å" â€Å"Already in place.† He smiled broadly. â€Å"The lab is done.† Katherine stopped short. Her brother pointed down the long corridor. â€Å"We’re going to see it now.† Katherine could barely speak. â€Å"You . . . you built me a lab?† â€Å"It’s my job. The Smithsonian was established to advance scientific knowledge. As secretary, I must take that charge seriously. I believe the experiments you’ve proposed have the potential to push the boundaries of science into uncharted territory.† Peter stopped and looked her squarely in the eyes. â€Å"Whether or not you were my sister, I would feel obliged to support this research. Your ideas are brilliant. The world deserves to see where they lead.† â€Å"Peter, I can’t possibly–â€Å" â€Å"Okay, relax . . . it was my own money, and nobody’s using Pod Five right now. When you’re done with your experiments, you’ll move out. Besides, Pod Five has some unique properties that will be perfect for your work.† Katherine could not imagine what a massive, empty pod might offer that would serve her research, but she sensed she was about to find out. They had just reached a steel door with boldly stenciled letters: POD 5 Her brother inserted his key card into a slot and an electronic keypad lit up. He raised his finger to type his access code, but paused, arching his eyebrows in the same mischievous way he always had as a boy. â€Å"You sure you’re ready?† She nodded. My brother, always the showman. â€Å"Stand back.† Peter hit the keys. The steel door hissed loudly open. Beyond the threshold was only inky blackness . . . a yawning void. A hollow moan seemed to echo out of the depths. Katherine felt a cold blast of air emanating from within. It was like staring into the Grand Canyon at night. â€Å"Picture an empty airline hangar waiting for a fleet of Airbuses,† her brother said, â€Å"and you get the basic idea.† Katherine felt herself take a step backward. â€Å"The pod itself is far too voluminous to be heated, but your lab is a thermally insulated cinder- block room, roughly a cube, located in the farthest corner of the pod for maximum separation.† Katherine tried to picture it. A box inside a box. She strained to see into the darkness, but it was absolute. â€Å"How far back?† â€Å"Pretty far . . . a football field would fit easily in here. I should warn you, though, the walk is a little unnerving. It’s exceptionally dark.† Katherine peered tentatively around the corner. â€Å"No light switch?† â€Å"Pod Five is not yet wired for electricity.† â€Å"But . . . then how can a lab function?† He winked. â€Å"Hydrogen fuel cell.† Katherine’s jaw dropped. â€Å"You’re kidding, right?† â€Å"Enough clean power to run a small town. Your lab enjoys full radio-frequency separation from the rest of the building. What’s more, all pod exteriors are sealed with photo-resistant membranes to protect the artifacts inside from solar radiation. Essentially, this pod is a sealed, energy-neutral environment.† Katherine was starting to comprehend the appeal of Pod 5. Because much of her work centered on quantifying previously unknown energy fields, her experiments needed to be performed in a location isolated from any extraneous radiation or â€Å"white noise.† This included interference as subtle as â€Å"brain radiation† or â€Å"thought emissions† generated by people nearby. For this reason, a university campus or hospital lab wouldn’t work, but a deserted pod at the SMSC could not have been more perfect. â€Å"Let’s go back and have a look.† Her brother was grinning as he stepped into the vast darkness. â€Å"Just follow me.† Katherine stalled at the threshold. Over a hundred yards in total darkness? She wanted to suggest a flashlight, but her brother had already disappeared into the abyss. â€Å"Peter?† she called. â€Å"Leap of faith,† he called back, his voice already fading away. â€Å"You’ll find your way. Trust me.† He’s kidding, right? Katherine’s heart was pounding as she stepped a few feet over the threshold, trying to peer into the darkness. I can’t see a thing! Suddenly the steel door hissed and slammed shut behind her, plunging her into total blackness. Not a speck of light anywhere. â€Å"Peter?!† Silence. You’ll find your way. Trust me. Tentative, she inched forward blindly. Leap of faith? Katherine could not even see her hand directly in front of her face. She kept moving forward, but within a matter of seconds, she was entirely lost. Where am I going? That was three years ago. Now, as Katherine arrived at the same heavy metal door, she realized how far she had come since that first night. Her lab–nicknamed the Cube–had become her home, a sanctuary within the depths of Pod 5. Exactly as her brother had predicted, she had found her way through the darkness that night, and every day since–thanks to an ingeniously simple guidance system that her brother had let her discover for herself. Far more important, her brother’s other prediction had come true as well: Katherine’s experiments had produced astonishing results, particularly in the last six months, breakthroughs that would alter entire paradigms of thinking. Katherine and her brother had agreed to keep her results absolutely secret until the implications were more fully understood. One day soon, however, Katherine knew she would publish some of the most transformative scientific revelations in human history. A secret lab in a secret museum, she thought, inserting her key card into the Pod 5 door. The keypad lit up, and Katherine typed her PIN. The steel door hissed open. The familiar hollow moan was accompanied by the same blast of cold air. As always, Katherine felt her pulse rate start to climb. Strangest commute on earth. Steeling herself for the journey, Katherine Solomon glanced at her watch as she stepped into the void. Tonight, however, a troubled thought followed her inside. Where is Peter? How to cite The Lost Symbol Chapter 7-11, Essay examples