Vocabularies in The Cask of Amontillado

·          Special for you that really adore Edgar Allan Poe's literary work, this is one of most enchanted from his story, I believe when you are reading you will get dificulty in order to understand this story because Poe's using old and classical, and mix with Italian words also thats why I provide you the dificult vocabulary in this story

Impunity (n) : freedom from punishment or from the unpleasant result of something that has been done.

·         Immolation (n) : to kill yourself or someone else, or to destroy something, usually by burning, in a formal ceremony.

·         Connoisseurship (n) : a person who knows a lot about and enjoys one of the arts or food, drink, etc. and can judge quality and skill in that subject.

·         Imposture (n) :  the act of pretending to be someone else in order to deceive others.

·         Deed (n) : an intentional act, especially a very bad or very good one .

·         Accosted (v) : an intentional act, especially a very bad or very good one .

·         Motley (n) : consisting of many different types and therefore appearing strange or of low quality .

·         Surmount (v) : to deal successfully with a difficulty or problem to be on top of something tall .

·         Wringing (v) : to hold something tightly with both hands and twist it by turning your hands in opposite directions .

·         Vault (n) : a room under a church or a small building in a cemetery where dead bodies are buried .

·         Afflicted (v) : If a problem or illness afflicts a person or thing, they suffer from it .

·         Encrusted (v) : covered with something hard or decorative .

·         Imposed (v) : to officially force a rule, tax, punishment, etc. to be obeyed or received.

·         Absconded (v) : to go away suddenly and secretly in order to escape from somewhere .

·         Archway (n) : an entrance or passage formed by an arch .

·         Catacombs (n) : a series of underground passages and rooms where bodies were buried in the past.

·         Gait (n) : a particular way of walking .

·         Filmy (adj) : very thin and often transparent .

·         Distilled (v) : to get or show only the most important part of something (literary).

·         Draught (n) : a current of unpleasantly cold air blowing through a room.

·         Mould (n) : soft green or grey growth which develops on old food or on objects that have been left for too long in warm wet air .

·         Repose (n) : to rest or lie .

·         Leer (v) : (especially of men) to look at someone in an unpleasant and sexually interested way a drunken leer.

·         Rampant (adj) : (of something bad) getting worse quickly and in an uncontrolled way.

·         Intermingling (v) : to become mixed together.

·         Azure (n) : the bright blue colour of the sky on a sunny day.

·         Fangs (n) : a long sharp tooth.

·         Piled (n) : to arrange objects into a pile.

·         Recesses (n) : a small area in a room which is formed by one part of a wall being set back further than other parts.

·         Casks (n)  : a strong, round, wooden container used for storing liquid.

·         Moisture (n) : a liquid such as water in the form of very small drops, either in the air, in a substance, or on a surface.

·         Trickle (v) : If  liquid trickles somewhere, it flows slowly and without force in a thin line.

·         Ere (prep) : before.

·         Flagon (n) :a large container for especially alcoholic drink, used in the past.

·         Fierce (adj) : physically violent and frightening.

·         Gesticulation (n) : a movement of the hands, arms or head, etc. to express an idea or feeling.

Meaning of sentences :

·         I must not only punish but punish with impunity. (1^st paragraph, line 4) means that Montresors will not only give a light punishment for Fortunato but he will give him more than what is said as punishment “makes him more suffer even find his death” without revealing by anyone someday.

·         I continued, as was my in to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my to smile now was at the thought of his immolation. (2^nd paragraph, line 2) means that Montresors’ smile is a tricky smile that will end to the suffering condition of Fortunato, besides his smile also means that Montresors did not consider Fortunato as his friend, but as the enemy that should be murdered. However, Fortunato never realized the tricky smile of Montresors above him.

·         Thus speaking, Fortunato possessed himself of my arms ; and putting on a mask of black silk and drawing a roquelaire closely about my person, I suffered him to hurry me to my palazzo. (page 2, 1^st paragraph, line 3) means that Fortunato relied on Montresors command and he was persuaded to have an appearance like Montresors by wearing a mask of black silk and roquelaire and was invited to Montresors’ palace where he could find Amontillado.

·         A huge human foot d’or, in a field azure ; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel. (page 3, 2^nd paragraph, line 1) means that Montresors are a great family who always get everything they want through logical and illogical way. If there is someone who tries to against or insult their effort of raising their hope, he/she will suffer along his/her life.

“Don’t ask don’t Tell” policy should be repealed in United States by Trisakti Agriani.

It is estimated that in America 2-13% of the population is homosexual. There has been much debate and controversy over homosexuality especially legally and morally. However, since the 1960s, the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transsexual) have gained more recognition and rights with movements and many gay people have become celebrities and political leaders and even become military army."Don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) was the official United States policy on homosexuals serving in the military from December 21, 1993. The policy prohibited military personnel from discriminating against or harassing closeted homosexual or bisexual service members or applicants, while barring openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual persons from military service. Or in other word, this kind of act prohibits any homosexual or bisexual person from disclosing his or her sexual orientation or from speaking about any homosexual relationships, including marriages or other familial attributes, while serving in the United States armed forces. Therefore by the prohibition of LGBT through The Policy of Don’t asks don’t tell we argue that the policy should be repealed in order to uphold the LGBT in America by considering on the dignity, freedom of choice and respect point.

Homosexuals have the equal rights as heterosexuals. This is proved in the fact that “seventeen states, including Wisconsin and the District of Columbia already have laws that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, and seven, plus the district, ban discrimination based on gender identity”... Legalizing same-sex marriage had been become recognition of basic American principles since 1996, and would represent the culmination of United States commitment to equal rights. Therefore seeing the condition of status quo right now that legalizing same-sex marriage are admitted, by the government of United States prohibits the LGBT movement through Don’t ask don’t tell policy it means that the government has violated the human right itself.

In 1778, the United States Constitution established one of the most important documents in United States history named The Bill of Rights. Its ideas are an essential part of American culture. Although it is only 462 words long it provides for many right and freedom. And the most important thing it becomes the symbol and basic foundation of USA itself. Moreover in terms of LGBT case, Twenty-eight nations have helped same-sex couples keep their commitments. For the United States to lag behind so many other nations contradicts its own history and principles. Same-sex couples can marry under legislation passed in Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, and The Netherlands. Such couples have many of the protections of marriage in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay. And they have at least some protections in Andorra, Austria, Brazil, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Israel, Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovenia, and Switzerland. That’s 28 nations ahead of the United States in keeping promises and helping couples keep their own promises. From this fact, we can consider that actually United States has a big important rule in this world deals with permission of same-sex couples marriage. Therefore, if the government doesn’t repeal this policy it means that it is very backlash with the nature of American fundamental system which follows Democratic Country and also backlash with American’s dream which eager to reach pursue of happiness toward all citizen.   

When the opponents come up with the idea that actually by implemented this policy, the government has already considered with the standards and regulation of military readiness, military effectiveness, and unit cohesion as soldier to secure the citizen itself. The government thinks that the presence of LGBT army in the armed forces of persons who demonstrate a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability. However we argue that actually troops should be judged on their ability not their sexual orientation. As President Barack Obama said in a January 2009 statement to the Stars and Stripes military newspaper, "The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve (not sexual orientation)." In addition A 2006 Zogby International poll of military members found that 72% of respondents who had experience with gays or lesbians in their unit said that the presence of gay or lesbian unit members had either no impact or a positive impact on their personal morale, while 67% said as much for overall unit morale. 73% of respondents said that they felt comfortable in the presence of gay and lesbian personnel. Moreover it would strengthen the relations of Gay relations, especially inside a hardened place like the military could be beneficial. In some ways, this could be a glance to the benefits of having women around men as a means of maintaining decorum. It would also strengthen honesty and trust between fellow soldiers, as gays would no longer have to lie about their sexuality. Therefore "Don't ask, don't tell" completely ignores performance, judging and even discarding soldiers based on their entirely irrelevant sexual orientation. A good military should be a have a sense to secure, rewarding good achievement and ability. "Don't ask don't tell" fails to live up to this notion, and surely suffers in its quality as a result. Troops should be judged on performance, not on their sexual orientation. "There are potential lessons to learn from other countries that have lifted the ban on homosexuals serving openly. There was no mass exodus of heterosexuals, and there was also no mass “coming-out” of homosexuals. Prior to lifting their bans, in Canada 62 percent of servicemen stated that they would refuse to share showers with a gay soldier, and in the United Kingdom, two-thirds of males stated that they would not willingly serve in the military if gays were allowed. In both cases, after lifting their bans, the result was 'no-effect.'44 In a survey of over 100 experts from Australia, Canada, Israel, and the United Kingdom, it was found that all agreed the decision to lift the ban on homosexuals had no impact on military performance, readiness, cohesion, or ability to recruit or retain, nor did it increase the HIV.

Applying “don’t ask don’t tell “policy only create discrimination toward the LGBT people itself, and when the government applied this, it means that the government are backlash  with the government foundation that desire to uphold the freedom of speech and freedom of choice for their citizen itself. Moreover for addition, when the government are repealed this policy it means that they approach aspire to liberal political goals of freedom and equal opportunity, and aim to join the political mainstream on the same level as other groups in society.

References :

·         Robert Maginnis. "Gays in the Military Debate". Human Events. October 4, 2007. Retrieved on April 3, 2012 from http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=26228.

·         Barry M. Goldwater. "Ban on Gays is Senseless Attempt to Stall the Inevitable. Retrieved on April 3,2012 from http://cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/user/scotts/bulgarians/barry-goldwater.html

·         Kenneth Jost. “Repealing don’t ask don’t tell with the presidential pen”. October 8, 2009. Retrieved on April 4, 2012  from http://jostonjustice.blogspot.com/2009/10/repealing-dont-ask-dont-tell-with.html

·         Matlovich Leonard.”Don’t ask don’t tell just act”. Emerald Editorial Board. October 15, 2009. Retrieved on April 4,2012 from http://www.dailyemerald.com/opinion/don-t-ask-don-t-tell-just-act-1.777975

·         Om Prakash.”The efficacy of Don’t ask don’t tell “.Winning Essay of the 2009 Secretary of defense national security Essay Competition. Retrieved on April 4 2012 from http://www.ndu.edu/inss/Press/jfq_pages/editions/i55/14.pdf

·         John Shalikashvili. "Second Thoughts on Gays in the Military". New York Times. January 2,2007. Retrieved on April 4 2012 from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/02/opinion/02shalikashvili.html

·         Lawrence J. Korb. "The Costs of Don't Ask Don't Tell". Center for American Progress. March 2, 2009 .Retrieved on April 4 2012 from http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/03/dont_ask_dont_tell.html