Saturday, January 25, 2020

Evolution of Mobile Device Technology

Evolution of Mobile Device Technology Introduction Since the revolution of the smartphone in 2005 the development progress in this field grows rapidly. It became a part of our life and played a big role to change the attitude of our life style. This technology (smartphone) didnt stop at that level but it spread everywhere to cover all sides of our daily activities. Even anew terminology appear to name this technology is Internet of Things (IoT) where this concept describe any device connected to the internet. All this technology convert our life to something called smart, so nowadays we have smartphones, smart home, smart car ext. These smart devices facilitate our daily tasks where no need to set on the front of the computer or trying to find an open Wi-Fi because you are expecting an important email you dont know when it will be delivered to your inbox. This technology gave the people almost everything they need which has made people ask for more and it became their partner or even addicted. Day by day people relay more and more on the smart technology and they share all information even sometimes the secrets. This information start attract some people for any reason either to sell this information to third party or to blackmail their victim. This bring a new challenge to everybody in the society and there are a new cases daily because of the smart devices. The device can be a tool to attack the victim data or it found in the crime scene in both scenarios can be consider an evidence. Mobile device technology The mobile devices evolution is linked to the mobile technology where each one effect on the other one. Because the mobile device technology required a specific features. First Generation By looking to the first generation and list its features we can guess what kind of mobile device technology can be used in that period. According to (Agrawal, 2015)] the first generation was analog it was introduced in 1980. The technical specification was not that much where they focused on produce a mobile phone. The main feature of 1G mobile Speed up to 2.4 kbps so it was used for calling only It use analog signals (analog telecommunications standards) Poor voice quality Poor battery life Limited capacity No security Focusing on the last two points because they are related to the research paper. Regarding the security at that time 1G does not support the encryption. The security was limited where some phones (e.g. Mitsubishi MT-7) in 1993 has a pin code only. The memory as well didnt get that much attention, but later on in 1989 Motorola (8900X-2) add a small volume of memory which can store 20 telephone numbers in the address book. This generation is limited in everything even in the forensics user couldnt do bad things with it just verbally. Feature phones and smartphones From second generation the improvement obviously in the mobile device technology. (Qualcumm, 2014) Show the evolution on theses generations used digital signal compare to the first generation. This change took the mobile devices technology ahead with new features the users didnt experience them before in the previous versions of 1G mobile devices. In these generations there are basic features with different specifications. The diagram (DAS, 2015) show the different parts of the mobile phone. As the diagram shows the mobile device component, most mobile devices have a common hardware component (GSM Mobile Phone, n.d.), consist of microprocessor, a radio module, read only memory (ROM), a microphone and speaker, random access memory (RAM), a digital signal processor, a variation of hardware keys and interfaces and display screen. The operating system (OS) of a mobile device may be stored in either NAND or NOR memory while code execution normally happens in RAM. The general changes in the mobile devices is the size (capacity, screen) and the speed as well the quality of the display, but some time do any change in the phone means change the component chips used. This changes can lead to another technology. Overview of the feature phone and smartphone Feature phone Smartphone Processor Limited speed(~52Mhz) More speed(~1GHz dual-core) Memory Limited capacity(~5MB) Large capacity(~128GB) Data transmission Speed 64-144 kbps 300 mbps Display Small size color, 4k -260k (12-bit to 18-bit) Large size color, 16.7 million (~24-bit) Card slot None, MicroSD MicroSDXC Camera Still, Video Still, Panoramic, and Video(HD) Text input Numeric Keypad, QWERTY-style keyboard Touch Screen, Handwriting Recognition, QWERTY-style keyboard Voice input None Voice Recognition (Dialing and Control) Cell interface Voice and Limited Data Voice and High Speed Data transfer (4G and LTE) Positioning None, GPS receive GPS receive Wireless IrDA, Bluetooth Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and NFC Battery Fixed/Removable, Rechargeable Li-Ion Polymer Fixed/Removable, Rechargeable Li-Ion Polymer Feature phone and smartphone has common facility, but the capability is much different. Where both types of phone support SMS (text messaging), voice and personal information management such as phonebook and calendar. Smartphone has a better capabilities and larger then feature phone where it support better screen resolution and have integrated keyboard or touch screen. Smartphones act as a small PC and support wide range of applications. There are many operating system (OS) (Guru, 2015) in the market for the smartphone the top OS popular are Symbian (Nokia), Android (Google), Apple IOS, Blackberry (RIM), Windows (Microsoft) and BADA (Samsung). These operating system support multi-tasking and designed to match the user requirements for a high end mobile device. Feature phones has a closed operating system, so the supported applications, games, personal information management and chat are limited. Memory Mobile devices contain two types of memories. The first type is volatile memory and the second one is none-volatile both of them work side by side. The volatile memory (RAM) is used for code execution. This type of memory is effected by the power, so if the power goes off RAM is lose all contents. The second type is non-volatile memory the contents are not effected when the power goes off. The main technologies for non-volatile flash memories are NOR and NAND. NOR memory first introduced in 1988 by Intel. In 1989 Toshiba introduced the NAND flash technology which has many benefits over NOR memory. NOR came to replace ROM with EPROM and EEPROM. The most advantage of NOR is the reading speed faster than NAND. In the other hand NAND has many features which is not applicable for NOR. These are the general difference between NAND and NOR NOR reads slightly faster than NAND. NAND writes faster than NOR. NAND erases data much faster than NOR. NAND has smaller erase units, so less erases are needed. There are different types of NAND memories but the paper focusing on the EMMC and UFS. EMMC stand for embedded multimedia card this chip is an advanced managed memory. According to (Samsung, 2013) it is widely used in phones, cameras, GPS and smart TV. It helps the designer to save time and make the product thinner. Also it enhanced the storage capacities and speed. One of the advantage of EMMC reduced the development time and control cost. The NAND memories before EMMC required changes either in the chipset or the OS. EMMC is a half-duplex because the interface is parallel so it will be read or write. UFS Mobile devices growth rapidly last few years this bring a challenge to the manufacturer to add memory that (Toshiba, 2015) will have a high bandwidth, high capacity, low power consumption and low cost. These factors were very important to improve the mobile devices. Because adding ordinary extra memory it will increase the cost of all mentioned factors. In 2014 Samsung announce about the new memory which meet the requirements of the four factors of the manufacturer. Universal flash storage (UFS) was built specially for mobile devices which required low power and at same time provide high performance. UFS is a full duplex because it has serial interface read and write done separately. The image below (BHATT, 2014) shows the advantage of UFS over EMMC Challenges according to (Zareen, 2010): The major challenges in mobile forensics are: The changes in the architecture of the new released of mobile devices, where the examiner has to be up to date and do more tests to be sure he can do data extraction. The new mobile devices it has the ability to encrypt the date this can be a big challenge to the examiner. Hardware differences there are different brand and model of mobile devices in the market the examiner has to come across as much as can of brands and model to be familiar about the technology. Lack of resources the rapid growth of mobile devices required new tools and acquisition accessories. Anti-forensic techniques make the investigation more difficult, as an example data hiding, data obfuscation, data forgery, and secure wiping. Passcode recovery the examiner has to work carefully to access the device without damaging the data. Malicious programs can be a challenge to the examiner it may attempt to spread to other devices over the wired interface or a wireless. Safety the examiner life can be on danger, the device can contain different kind of risk on the examiner life. The device may contain a biology or chemical hazards which will impact on the examiner. Data acquire process Capability Logical extraction, file system and physical extraction normally done by software. Even the locked mobile devices and with passkey can be unlocked using software. Not all mobile devices support the same process of data acquisition. Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) support in-system (ISP) programming and reading. It is an advanced hardware level data acquisition in the physical extraction stage. It depend on the Test Access Ports (TAPs) of the device and instructing the processor to transfer the raw data stored on connected memory chips. If the memory support JTAG then the TAP can be addressed of the memory through the JTAG interface. All memory address goes the though the data bus and it can be read by shifting the boundary-scan register value through JTAG chain. In this way the entire memory content can be read by find the memory address. The entire memory can be copied in this way. If the memory doesnt support the JTAG then it can connect to TAP of another device this could be the processor. The processor has direct access to the memory through the system bus. By connecting to CPU TAP the memory can be read. Steps of JTAG according to (Elder, n.d.) Identify TAPs by researching the forums and related websites as well documented devices. If the TAPs cannot be identified then check the device PCB for possible TAPs and trace it manually to find appropriate connector pins. Solder wires to the pinout in the mobile device. Connect the other side of the wires to JTAG emulator (RIFF box, volcano, ATF nitro). Select the memory sitting than read the flash memory. Analyze the data with the forensics tools. Chip-off Chip-off forensics is the next level if the JTAG method not work properly to extract data. This level involve physically remove the flash memory to extract the data from the mobile device then acquiring the raw data using specialized equipment. This way is powerful where it can be used to collect all data from the memory even if the device is damaged jut memory must be in a good condition. The examiner must pay attention to highest temperature can apply the chip to remove before it get damage. According to Samsung the temperature range of EMMC used in mobile devices are -25ÂÂ °C ~ 85ÂÂ °C. Remove the memory (de-soldering) chip using appropriate heat (-25ÂÂ °C ~ 85ÂÂ °C) always the examiner must monitor the temperature to be within the range. Clean the chip carefully to remove the comical suck on the chip memory. Use special chip programmer and adapter to acquire the data from a variety of flash memory (UP-828P Programmer). Analyze the data with the forensics tools. Samsung T479 Gravity 3 feature phone Manual extraction if the device is on and unlocked Isolate from the network Check battery status Check device status Record date and time Browse the device content using keypad or touch screen If the device powered off or locked Isolate from the network Check device status Turn on the device If not start try to charge it If cant be charge stop proceed If the device start but it is locked stop process Challenges Deleted data cant be retrieve because no tools used to extract data in this stage. Error may accrued. Browse the device it can be difficult because broken buttons or touch screen problem. Tools used to record the evidences. Ramseys STE3000FAV Project-A-Phone Logical extraction This stage required special software to extract data from the device. If the device is on and unlocked Isolate form the network (disable Wi-Fi and hotspot, airplane mod) Check the status of the device Document what on the screen and the apps running in the background Enable USB debugging and stay awake Check memory card availability If available copy card Create hash value Reinstall copied memory Connect mobile to PC has software to extract data List of data can be get in logical extraction Phone book Call Logs SMS Calendar MMS ESN/IMEI Pictures Videos Ringtones Audio/Music Memory Card If the device is locked connect to a PC has software to break lock (most of forensic tools) follow steps in 1 Tools used in this stage UFED 4PC, Oxygen and Xry (SIM call not supported) Challenges Cant retrieve deleted data File system If the device is on and unlocked Same procedure as logical extraction List of data can be get in logical extraction Extract user lock Files Decoding File System Reconstruction Bookmarks Calls Contacts Installed Applications MMS Notes SMS Web History Tools used in this stage UFED 4PC, Oxygen and Xry (SIM call not supported) Challenges Physical Extraction This phone doesnt support physical extraction. JTAG This phone support JTAG Samsung I9500 Galaxy S4 motherboard Mobile device Process Samsung T479 Gravity 3 Samsung I9500 Galaxy S4 Manual extraction Yes Yes Logical extraction Yes Yes File system extraction Yes Yes Physical extraction No Yes JTAG Yes Yes Chip-off Yes Internet of thing overview Internet of things (IOT) refer to any physical device which can have an IP address and connected to the internet. According (Fremantle, 2015) the IOT come to facilitate people life and make it easier. It will touch every aspect of our lives, including our houses, work places, transportation and even our bodies. This new technology make humans overcomes the location obstacle between people and the machine enabling them to communicate and interact intelligently. Rapid growth of Information Technology already allowed Internet of Things to start to be as a reality in recent days. If we look around us, we already started to see and touch the smart phones, home automation, smart traffic lights, smart sensor devices at industrial locations, Health services, Radars, Environment Researches, and many other sectors. Definitely, the future of IoT will be full of surprises and new unexpected and unpredictable technologies might be introduced. IoT technology is significantly growing at a critically dangerous pace and Information Technology Researchers predict that by the year 2020, 10th of billions of wireless devices will be connected wirelessly as part of the IoT industry. People will be able to do unimaginable things remotely in an unbelievable time and it is expected that almost anything might be connectable. According to (Lobaccaro, 2016) there are four categories: 1. Integrated wireless technology (IWT); 2. Home energy management system (HEMS); 3. Smart home micro-computers (SHMC); 4. Home automation (SHS/HA). Agrawal, J. (2015). Evolution of Mobile Communication Network: from 1G to 4G. BHATT, B. (2014, 4 13). Universal Flash Storage. Retrieved from Slideshare: https://www.slideshare.net/BhaumikBhatt4/universal-flash-storage DAS, S. (2015, 8 18). Parts of a Mobile Cell Phone and Their Function. Retrieved from http://www.mobilecellphonerepairing.com/parts-of-a-mobile-cell-phone-and-their-function-big-parts.html Elder, B. (n.d.). Chip-Off and JTAG Analysis. Retrieved from Evidence: http://www.evidencemagazine.com/index.php?option=com_contenttask=viewid=922 Fremantle, P. (2015). A REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE FOR THE INTERNET OF THINGS. GSM Mobile Phone. (n.d.). Retrieved from RF Wireless World: http://www.rfwireless-world.com/Articles/gsm-mobile-phone-basics.html Guru. (2015, 10 28). Top 10 Mobile Phones Operating Systems. Retrieved from shout me: https://www.shoutmeloud.com/top-mobile-os-overview.html Qualcumm. (2014). The Evolution of Mobile. Samsung. (2013). Samsung Smart Memory. Samsung. Toshiba. (2015). UFS memory. Toshiba. Zareen, A. (2010). Mobile Phone Forensics Challenges. http://forum.gsmhosting.com/vbb/f672/guide-how-find-direct-EMMC-pinout-step-step-pictures-1724774/ https://www.oxygen-forensic.com/download/articles/Oxygen_Forensic_Detective_Getting_started.pdf https://blog.elcomsoft.com/2016/01/forensic-acquisition-android/ http://www.bulleproof.com/Papers/Android%20Forensics%20Techniques.pdf https://blog.elcomsoft.com/2016/01/forensic-acquisition-android/ https://www.hackingloops.com/android-forensics-tutorial-4-unlock-android-pattern-lock/ http://resources.infosecinstitute.com/android-forensic-logical-acquisition/#gref https://www.gillware.com/forensics/blog/digital-forensics-case-study/forensic-case-files-htc-one-chip-off https://digital-forensics.sans.org/media/DFIR-Smartphone-Forensics-Poster.pdf http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_t479_gravity_3-3335.php http://www.riffbox.org/jtag-news/riff-jtag-samsung-gravity-3-sght479-unbrick-dead-boot-repair-supported/

Friday, January 17, 2020

A Game of Thrones Chapter Fifty-one

Sansa They came for Sansa on the third day. She chose a simple dress of dark grey wool, plainly cut but richly embroidered around the collar and sleeves. Her fingers felt thick and clumsy as she struggled with the silver fastenings without the benefit of servants. Jeyne Poole had been confined with her, but Jeyne was useless. Her face was puffy from all her crying, and she could not seem to stop sobbing about her father. â€Å"I'm certain your father is well,† Sansa told her when she had finally gotten the dress buttoned right. â€Å"I'll ask the queen to let you see him.† She thought that kindness might lift Jeyne's spirits, but the other girl just looked at her with red, swollen eyes and began to cry all the harder. She was such a child. Sansa had wept too, the first day. Even within the stout walls of Maegor's Holdfast, with her door closed and barred, it was hard not to be terrified when the killing began. She had grown up to the sound of steel in the yard, and scarcely a day of her life had passed without hearing the clash of sword on sword, yet somehow knowing that the fighting was real made all the difference in the world. She heard it as she had never heard it before, and there were other sounds as well, grunts of pain, angry curses, shouts for help, and the moans of wounded and dying men. In the songs, the knights never screamed nor begged for mercy. So she wept, pleading through her door for them to tell her what was happening, calling for her father, for Septa Mordane, for the king, for her gallant prince. If the men guarding her heard her pleas, they gave no answer. The only time the door opened was late that night, when they thrust Jeyne Poole inside, bruised and shaking. â€Å"They're killing everyone,† the steward's daughter had shrieked at her. She went on and on. The Hound had broken down her door with a warhammer, she said. There were bodies on the stair of the Tower of the Hand, and the steps were slick with blood. Sansa dried her own tears as she struggled to comfort her friend. They went to sleep in the same bed, cradled in each other's arms like sisters. The second day was even worse. The room where Sansa had been confined was at the top of the highest tower of Maegor's Holdfast. From its window, she could see that the heavy iron portcullis in the gatehouse was down, and the drawbridge drawn up over the deep dry moat that separated the keep-within-a-keep from the larger castle that surrounded it. Lannister guardsmen prowled the walls with spears and crossbows to hand. The fighting was over, and the silence of the grave had settled over the Red Keep. The only sounds were Jeyne Poole's endless whimpers and sobs. They were fed—hard cheese and fresh-baked bread and milk to break their fast, roast chicken and greens at midday, and a late supper of beef and barley stew—but the servants who brought the meals would not answer Sansa's questions. That evening, some women brought her clothes from the Tower of the Hand, and some of Jeyne's things as well, but they seemed nearly as frightened as Jeyne, and when she tried to talk to them, they fled from her as if she had the grey plague. The guards outside the door still refused to let them leave the room. â€Å"Please, I need to speak to the queen again,† Sansa told them, as she told everyone she saw that day. â€Å"She'll want to talk to me, I know she will. Tell her I want to see her, please. If not the queen, then Prince Joffrey, if you'd be so kind. We're to marry when we're older.† At sunset on the second day, a great bell began to ring. Its voice was deep and sonorous, and the long slow clanging filled Sansa with a sense of dread. The ringing went on and on, and after a while they heard other bells answering from the Great Sept of Baelor on Visenya's Hill. The sound rumbled across the city like thunder, warning of the storm to come. â€Å"What is it?† Jeyne asked, covering her ears. â€Å"Why are they ringing the bells?† â€Å"The king is dead.† Sansa could not say how she knew it, yet she did. The slow, endless clanging filled their room, as mournful as a dirge. Had some enemy stormed the castle and murdered King Robert? Was that the meaning of the fighting they had heard? She went to sleep wondering, restless, and fearful. Was her beautiful Joffrey the king now? Or had they killed him too? She was afraid for him, and for her father. If only they would tell her what was happening . . . That night Sansa dreamt of Joffrey on the throne, with herself seated beside him in a gown of woven gold. She had a crown on her head, and everyone she had ever known came before her, to bend the knee and say their courtesies. The next morning, the morning of the third day, Ser Boros Blount of the Kingsguard came to escort her to the queen. Ser Boros was an ugly man with a broad chest and short, bandy legs. His nose was flat, his cheeks baggy with jowls, his hair grey and brittle. Today he wore white velvet, and his snowy cloak was fastened with a lion brooch. The beast had the soft sheen of gold, and his eyes were tiny rubies. â€Å"You look very handsome and splendid this morning, Ser Boros,† Sansa told him. A lady remembered her courtesies, and she was resolved to be a lady no matter what. â€Å"And you, my lady,† Ser Boros said in a flat voice. â€Å"Her Grace awaits. Come with me.† There were guards outside her door, Lannister men-at-arms in crimson cloaks and lion-crested helms. Sansa made herself smile at them pleasantly and bid them a good morning as she passed. It was the first time she had been allowed outside the chamber since Ser Arys Oakheart had led her there two mornings past. â€Å"To keep you safe, my sweet one,† Queen Cersei had told her. â€Å"Joffrey would never forgive me if anything happened to his precious.† Sansa had expected that Ser Boros would escort her to the royal apartments, but instead he led her out of Maegor's Holdfast. The bridge was down again. Some workmen were lowering a man on ropes into the depths of the dry moat. When Sansa peered down, she saw a body impaled on the huge iron spikes below. She averted her eyes quickly, afraid to ask, afraid to look too long, afraid he might be someone she knew. They found Queen Cersei in the council chambers, seated at the head of a long table littered with papers, candles, and blocks of sealing wax. The room was as splendid as any that Sansa had ever seen. She stared in awe at the carved wooden screen and the twin sphinxes that sat beside the door. â€Å"Your Grace,† Ser Boros said when they were ushered inside by another of the Kingsguard, Ser Mandon of the curiously dead face, â€Å"I've brought the girl.† Sansa had hoped Joffrey might be with her. Her prince was not there, but three of the king's councillors were. Lord Petyr Baelish sat on the queen's left hand, Grand Maester Pycelle at the end of the table, while Lord Varys hovered over them, smelling flowery. All of them were clad in black, she realized with a feeling of dread. Mourning clothes . . . The queen wore a high-collared black silk gown, with a hundred dark red rubies sewn into her bodice, covering her from neck to bosom. They were cut in the shape of teardrops, as if the queen were weeping blood. Cersei smiled to see her, and Sansa thought it was the sweetest and saddest smile she had ever seen. â€Å"Sansa, my sweet child,† she said, â€Å"I know you've been asking for me. I'm sorry that I could not send for you sooner. Matters have been very unsettled, and I have not had a moment. I trust my people have been taking good care of you?† â€Å"Everyone has been very sweet and pleasant, Your Grace, thank you ever so much for asking,† Sansa said politely. â€Å"Only, well, no one will talk to us or tell us what's happened . . . â€Å" â€Å"Us?† Cersei seemed puzzled. â€Å"We put the steward's girl in with her,† Ser Boros said. â€Å"We did not know what else to do with her.† The queen frowned. â€Å"Next time, you will ask,† she said, her voice sharp. â€Å"The gods only know what sort of tales she's been filling Sansa's head with.† â€Å"Jeyne's scared,† Sansa said. â€Å"She won't stop crying. I promised her I'd ask if she could see her father.† Old Grand Maester Pycelle lowered his eyes. â€Å"Her father is well, isn't he?† Sansa said anxiously. She knew there had been fighting, but surely no one would harm a steward. Vayon Poole did not even wear a sword. Queen Cersei looked at each of the councillors in turn. â€Å"I won't have Sansa fretting needlessly. What shall we do with this little friend of hers, my lords?† Lord Petyr leaned forward. â€Å"I'll find a place for her.† â€Å"Not in the city,† said the queen. â€Å"Do you take me for a fool?† The queen ignored that. â€Å"Ser Boros, escort this girl to Lord Petyr's apartments and instruct his people to keep her there until he comes for her. Tell her that Littlefinger will be taking her to see her father, that ought to calm her down. I want her gone before Sansa returns to her chamber.† â€Å"As you command, Your Grace,† Ser Boros said. He bowed deeply, spun on his heel, and took his leave, his long white cloak stirring the air behind him. Sansa was confused. â€Å"I don't understand,† she said. â€Å"Where is Jeyne's father? Why can't Ser Boros take her to him instead of Lord Petyr having to do it?† She had promised herself she would be a lady, gentle as the queen and as strong as her mother, the Lady Catelyn, but all of a sudden she was scared again. For a second she thought she might cry. â€Å"Where are you sending her? She hasn't done anything wrong, she's a good girl.† â€Å"She's upset you,† the queen said gently. â€Å"We can't be having that. Not another word, now. Lord Baelish will see that Jeyne's well taken care of, I promise you.† She patted the chair beside her. â€Å"Sit down, Sansa. I want to talk to you.† Sansa seated herself beside the queen. Cersei smiled again, but that did not make her feel any less anxious. Varys was wringing his soft hands together, Grand Maester Pycelle kept his sleepy eyes on the papers in front of him, but she could feel Littlefinger staring. Something about the way the small man looked at her made Sansa feel as though she had no clothes on. Goose bumps pimpled her skin. â€Å"Sweet Sansa,† Queen Cersei said, laying a soft hand on her wrist. â€Å"Such a beautiful child. I do hope you know how much Joffrey and I love you.† â€Å"You do?† Sansa said, breathless. Littlefinger was forgotten. Her prince loved her. Nothing else mattered. The queen smiled. â€Å"I think of you almost as my own daughter. And I know the love you bear for Joffrey.† She gave a weary shake of her head. â€Å"I am afraid we have some grave news about your lord father. You must be brave, child.† Her quiet words gave Sansa a chill. â€Å"What is it?† â€Å"Your father is a traitor, dear,† Lord Varys said. Grand Maester Pycelle lifted his ancient head. â€Å"With my own ears, I heard Lord Eddard swear to our beloved King Robert that he would protect the young princes as if they were his own sons. And yet the moment the king was dead, he called the small council together to steal Prince Joffrey's rightful throne.† â€Å"No,† Sansa blurted. â€Å"He wouldn't do that. He wouldn't!† The queen picked up a letter. The paper was torn and stiff with dried blood, but the broken seal was her father's, the direwolf stamped in pale wax. â€Å"We found this on the captain of your household guard, Sansa. It is a letter to my late husband's brother Stannis, inviting him to take the crown.† â€Å"Please, Your Grace, there's been a mistake.† Sudden panic made her dizzy and faint. â€Å"Please, send for my father, he'll tell you, he would never write such a letter, the king was his friend.† â€Å"Robert thought so,† said the queen. â€Å"This betrayal would have broken his heart. The gods are kind, that he did not live to see it.† She sighed. â€Å"Sansa, sweetling, you must see what a dreadful position this has left us in. You are innocent of any wrong, we all know that, and yet you are the daughter of a traitor. How can I allow you to marry my son?† â€Å"But I love him,† Sansa wailed, confused and frightened. What did they mean to do to her? What had they done to her father? It was not supposed to happen this way. She had to wed Joffrey, they were betrothed, he was promised to her, she had even dreamed about it. It wasn't fair to take him away from her on account of whatever her father might have done. â€Å"How well I know that, child,† Cersei said, her voice so kind and sweet. â€Å"Why else should you have come to me and told me of your father's plan to send you away from us, if not for love?† â€Å"It was for love,† Sansa said in a rush. â€Å"Father wouldn't even give me leave to say farewell.† She was the good girl, the obedient girl, but she had felt as wicked as Arya that morning, sneaking away from Septa Mordane, defying her lord father. She had never done anything so willful before, and she would never have done it then if she hadn't loved Joffrey as much as she did. â€Å"He was going to take me back to Winterfell and marry me to some hedge knight, even though it was Joff I wanted. I told him, but he wouldn't listen.† The king had been her last hope. The king could command Father to let her stay in King's Landing and marry Prince Joffrey, Sansa knew he could, but the king had always frightened her. He was loud and rough-voiced and drunk as often as not, and he would probably have just sent her back to Lord Eddard, if they even let her see him. So she went to the queen instead, and poured out her heart, and Cersei had listened and thanked her sw eetly . . . only then Ser Arys had escorted her to the high room in Maegor's Holdfast and posted guards, and a few hours later, the fighting had begun outside. â€Å"Please,† she finished, â€Å"you have to let me marry Joffrey, I'll be ever so good a wife to him, you'll see. I'll be a queen just like you, I promise.† Queen Cersei looked to the others. â€Å"My lords of the council, what do you say to her plea?† â€Å"The poor child,† murmured Varys. â€Å"A love so true and innocent, Your Grace, it would be cruel to deny it . . . and yet, what can we do? Her father stands condemned.† His soft hands washed each other in a gesture of helpless distress. â€Å"A child born of traitor's seed will find that betrayal comes naturally to her,† said Grand Maester Pycelle. â€Å"She is a sweet thing now, but in ten years, who can say what treasons she may hatch?† â€Å"No,† Sansa said, horrified. â€Å"I'm not, I'd never . . . I wouldn't betray Joffrey, I love him, I swear it, I do.† â€Å"Oh, so poignant,† said Varys. â€Å"And yet, it is truly said that blood runs truer than oaths.† â€Å"She reminds me of the mother, not the father,† Lord Petyr Baelish said quietly. â€Å"Look at her. The hair, the eyes. She is the very image of Cat at the same age.† The queen looked at her, troubled, and yet Sansa could see kindness in her clear green eyes. â€Å"Child,† she said, â€Å"if I could truly believe that you were not like your father, why nothing should please me more than to see you wed to my Joffrey. I know he loves you with all his heart.† She sighed. â€Å"And yet, I fear that Lord Varys and the Grand Maester have the right of it. The blood will tell. I have only to remember how your sister set her wolf on my son.† â€Å"I'm not like Arya,† Sansa blurted. â€Å"She has the traitor's blood, not me. I'm good, ask Septa Mordane, she'll tell you, I only want to be Joffrey's loyal and loving wife.† She felt the weight of Cersei's eyes as the queen studied her face. â€Å"I believe you mean it, child.† She turned to face the others. â€Å"My lords, it seems to me that if the rest of her kin were to remain loyal in this terrible time, that would go a long way toward laying our fears to rest.† Grand Maester Pycelle stroked his huge soft beard, his wide brow furrowed in thought. â€Å"Lord Eddard has three sons.† â€Å"Mere boys,† Lord Petyr said with a shrug. â€Å"I should be more concerned with Lady Catelyn and the Tullys.† The queen took Sansa's hand in both of hers. â€Å"Child, do you know your letters?† Sansa nodded nervously. She could read and write better than any of her brothers, although she was hopeless at sums. â€Å"I am pleased to hear that. Perhaps there is hope for you and Joffrey still . . . â€Å" â€Å"What do you want me to do?† â€Å"You must write your lady mother, and your brother, the eldest . . . what is his name?† â€Å"Robb,† Sansa said. â€Å"The word of your lord father's treason will no doubt reach them soon. Better that it should come from you. You must tell them how Lord Eddard betrayed his king.† Sansa wanted Joffrey desperately, but she did not think she had the courage to do as the queen was asking. â€Å"But he never . . . I don't . . . Your Grace, I wouldn't know what to say . . . â€Å" The queen patted her hand. â€Å"We will tell you what to write, child. The important thing is that you urge Lady Catelyn and your brother to keep the king's peace.† â€Å"It will go hard for them if they don't,† said Grand Maester Pycelle. â€Å"By the love you bear them, you must urge them to walk the path of wisdom.† â€Å"Your lady mother will no doubt fear for you dreadfully,† the queen said. â€Å"You must tell her that you are well and in our care, that we are treating you gently and seeing to your every want. Bid them to come to King's Landing and pledge their fealty to Joffrey when he takes his throne. If they do that . . . why, then we shall know that there is no taint in your blood, and when you come into the flower of your womanhood, you shall wed the king in the Great Sept of Baelor, before the eyes of gods and men.† . . . wed the king . . . The words made her breath come faster, yet still Sansa hesitated. â€Å"Perhaps . . . if I might see my father, talk to him about . . . â€Å" â€Å"Treason?† Lord Varys hinted. â€Å"You disappoint me, Sansa,† the queen said, with eyes gone hard as stones. â€Å"We've told you of your father's crimes. If you are truly as loyal as you say, why should you want to see him?† â€Å"I . . . I only meant . . . † Sansa felt her eyes grow wet. â€Å"He's not . . . please, he hasn't been . . . hurt, or . . . or . . . â€Å" â€Å"Lord Eddard has not been harmed,† the queen said. â€Å"But . . . what's to become of him?† â€Å"That is a matter for the king to decide,† Grand Maester Pycelle announced ponderously. The king! Sansa blinked back her tears. Joffrey was the king now, she thought. Her gallant prince would never hurt her father, no matter what he might have done. If she went to him and pleaded for mercy, she was certain he'd listen. He had to listen, he loved her, even the queen said so. Joff would need to punish Father, the lords would expect it, but perhaps he could send him back to Winterfell, or exile him to one of the Free Cities across the narrow sea. It would only have to be for a few years. By then she and Joffrey would be married. Once she was queen, she could persuade Joff to bring Father back and grant him a pardon. Only . . . if Mother or Robb did anything treasonous, called the banners or refused to swear fealty or anything, it would all go wrong. Her Joffrey was good and kind, she knew it in her heart, but a king had to be stern with rebels. She had to make them understand, she had to! â€Å"I'll . . . I'll write the letters,† Sansa told them. With a smile as warm as the sunrise, Cersei Lannister leaned close and kissed her gently on the cheek. â€Å"I knew you would. Joffrey will be so proud when I tell him what courage and good sense you've shown here today.† In the end, she wrote four letters. To her mother, the Lady Catelyn Stark, and to her brothers at Winterfell, and to her aunt and her grandfather as well, Lady Lysa Arryn of the Eyrie, and Lord Hoster Tully of Riverrun. By the time she had done, her fingers were cramped and stiff and stained with ink. Varys had her father's seal. She warmed the pale white beeswax over a candle, poured it carefully, and watched as the eunuch stamped each letter with the direwolf of House Stark. Jeyne Poole and all her things were gone when Ser Mandon Moore returned Sansa to the high tower of Maegor's Holdfast. No more weeping, she thought gratefully. Yet somehow it seemed colder with Jeyne gone, even after she'd built a fire. She pulled a chair close to the hearth, took down one of her favorite books, and lost herself in the stories of Florian and Jonquil, of Lady Shella and the Rainbow Knight, of valiant Prince Aemon and his doomed love for his brother's queen. It was not until later that night, as she was drifting off to sleep, that Sansa realized she had forgotten to ask about her sister.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Willy Loman as a Tragic Hero in Arthur Millers Death of a...

Willy Loman as a Tragic Hero in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Should Willy Loman of Arthur Millers classic, Death of a Salesman be regarded as a tragic hero, or merely a working-class, socially inadequate failure? Described by Miller as a self-destructive, insecure anti-hero, it seems almost impossible for Loman to be what is known as a tragic hero in the classical sense, but with the inclusion of other factors he maybe a tragic hero, at least in the modern context, or partially suit one nonetheless. To make the decision as to Whether Loman is a tragic hero or not, one must define the term tragic hero and reveal its development in theatre over the course of time. The tragic hero†¦show more content†¦Although Shakespeare tends to follow this pattern; his education may have led him to lesser liberal thinking. Miller believes it may also include the modern common man. To relate Loman to the likes of Lear, Hamlet, Oedipus, directly would be ludicrous but some comparisons can be made. As Biff states Loman does follow the wrong dreams but he does work and he is just able to provide for his family and pay off the mortgage. However it is clear that even Lomans best is not enough, this is shown by the result of the borrowing of money from Charley. As salesmen are paid on commission Loman cannot be faulted on this, as his age, work conditions and his mental state are all core contributors to the fact he cannot make ends meet. The other tragic heroes have faults of which are the trigger of their demise i.e. Othellos jealousy. Likewise Loman has his own faults, his main one being, and his belief in the American dream. The American dream is a concept that, any one who works hard, can succeed in the land of opportunity. This offers riches to those who start with nothing. Ben is a true representation of this as Willy states, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦a man started with the clothes on his back and ended up with diamond minesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Loman has yet to achieve such a goal yet still holds on to the dreams atShow MoreRelated Willy Loman, Redefining the Tragic Hero in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman1065 Words   |  5 PagesWilly Loman, Redefining the Tragic Hero in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman      Ã‚  Ã‚   The events in the life of Willy Loman in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman are no doubt tragic, yet whether or not he can be considered a tragic hero in a traditional sense is a topic requiring some discussion. Aristotle set the criteria for qualities a character must possess in order to be considered a tragic hero. In order to reach a conclusion on this matter, all six criteria must be examined to determineRead MoreArthur Miller s Death Of A Salesman Essay1567 Words   |  7 Pagesstory, which represents a character with a tragic flaw leading to his downfall. In addition, in traditional tragedy, the main character falls from high authority and often it is predetermined by fate, while the audience experiences catharsis (Irving 247). Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman is considered to be a tragedy because this literary work has some of the main characteristics of the tragedy genre. In this play, the main character Willy Loman possesses such traits and behaviors that leadRead MoreDeath Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller1573 Words   |  7 Pagessad story, which represents a character with a tragic flaw leading to his downfall. In addition, in traditional tragedy, the main character falls from high authority and often it is predetermined by fate, while the audience experiences catharsis (Bloom 2). Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman is considered to be a tragedy because this literary work has some of the main characteristics of the tragedy genre. In this play, the main character Willy Loman possesses such traits and behaviors that leadRead More Death of a Salesman is a Tragedy as Defined in Millers Tragedy and the Common Man1046 Words   |  5 PagesDeath of a Salesman is a Tragedy as Defined in Millers Tragedy and the Common Man In Tragedy and the Common Man, Arthur Miller discusses his definition and criteria for tragedy as they apply to the common man. The criteria and standards proposed by Miller may be used to evaluate his timeless work, Death of A Salesman. The first major standard of tragedy set forth is:   â€Å"...if the exaltation of tragic action were truly a property of the high-bred character alone, it is inconceivable thatRead MoreCharacteristics Of Willy Loman A Tragic Hero834 Words   |  4 PagesWilly Loman a Tragic Hero? Death Of a Salesman is a 1949 play written by american playwright Arthur Miller. It is a breathtaking play about Willy Loman, a salesman, trying to chase a dream that died long ago. It expresses how the old man’s life comes crumbling down with his last few attempts to make some of his dream reality and help his family in debt. Now people are debating weather Willy loman fits the right characteristics to be classified as a tragic hero. A tragic hero is someone who makesRead MoreWilly Loman: the Tragic Hero Essay1462 Words   |  6 PagesArthur Miller made the comment that a tragic hero â€Å"has the inherent unwillingness to remain passive in the face of what he conceives to be a challenge to his dignity.† Nowhere is this more evident than in Miller’s play Death of a Salesman, where salesman Willy Loman desperately struggles to regain a sense of dignity after experiencing a number of setbacks in his life. Despite not being able to provide for his family, Willy Loman continues the futile struggle to earn a living, which shows the despairRead MoreWilly Loman, the Modern Hero in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman1739 Words   |  7 Pages In Arthur Miller’s essay â€Å"Tragedy and the Common Man†, a picture is painted of a â€Å"flaw-full† man, known as the modern hero of tragedies. Miller describes what characteristics the modern tragic hero possesses and how he differs from the heroes depicted by classic Greek playwrights such as Sophocles and Aristotle. In order to understand how drastically the modern hero has evolved, one must first understand the basic characteristics that the heroes created by Sophocles and Aristotle encompass. TheRead More The American Dream Conspiracy in Death of a Salesman Essay1728 Words   |  7 PagesArthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman tells the story of the failure of a salesman, Willy Loman. Although not all Americans are salesmen, most of us share Willy’s dream of success. We are all partners in the American Dream and parties to the conspiracy of silence surrounding the fact that failures must outnumber successes.(Samantaray, 2014) Miller amalgamates the archetypal tragic hero with the mundane American citizen. The result is the anti-hero, Willy Loman. He is a simple salesman who constantlyRead MoreDeath of a Salesman vs Hamlet: Tragic Heroes The Essence of Fragile Dreams1151 Words   |  5 Pagesevery person contains characteristics that describe that of a hero, do they not? Each human has endured hardship and suffering. Each human mind composes itself of superior and appalling traits. Each human mind invents a hero as someone they could not measure up to, no matter how much they hope and dream. In the plays â€Å"Hamlet† by William Shakespeare, and â€Å"Death of a Salesman† by Arthur Miller, the main characters, Hamlet and Willy Loman, possess several heroic qualities, but unfortunately their fatesRead MoreHow Is Willy Loman A Tragic Hero727 Words   |  3 Pages The tragic hero referenced throughout the essay Tragedy and a Common Man is Willy Loman from Death of a Salesman. What Arthur Mille r means by tragic hero is a protagonist in a play or a different form of filmography who is a subject for tragedy in its highest sense. The essay refers to a character who is ready to lay down his life to secure his personal dignity. The next reference to this character is society the struggle to gain a rightful position. The last proof of this is how Miller talks about

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

The Challenge Of Building Blocks, Obstacles, And...

Ways of Thinking According to the reading that was provided, innovation in government has been a challenge. Sandford Borins identified that issue in his 2006 report, â€Å"The Challenge of Innovating in Government.† In Sandford Borins article, he discusses and outlines the five innovation building blocks, obstacles, and challenges of innovating government. Sandford Borins is a Professor of Public Management in the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. He has written an extensive report on the challenge of innovation in government by discussing the five innovation building blocks. Building block one discusses the use of system approach, building block two discusses the use of information technology, building†¦show more content†¦Although he has identified the challenges, he also recommends ways of implementing innovation in government. Let’s first start off by identifying what Borins has identified under the five building blocks of innovation in his report. Ways of Acting: In â€Å"The Challenge of Innovating in Government,† Sandford Borins (2006) report first identifies the five innovation building blocks. The first building block was the use of a system approach. According to Borins (2006), from a previous study, approached the data with his own classification scheme for the characteristics of the innovations, partnership, which was one component. Borins (2006) identified that there are varying levels of complexity and comprehensiveness of organizational partners and cooperative arrangements. Building block two: the use of information technology systems in large government are large and expensive, and experience has shown that some systems have been costly and disastrous failures (Borins, 2006). Information technology is widely considered as a way of innovation, but with the technologic advancement it has been a challenge for government. Building block three: process improvement refers to innovation designed to make governmental processes faster, friendlier, or more acceptable (Borins, 2006). According to Borins (2006), these initiatives often involved applications of the Pareto rule (20 percent of the cases are responsible for 80 percent of the workload, and