essay of journeys end

Journey's End

By r.c. sherriff, journey's end essay questions.

What is significant about the play's setting and the type of warfare they are engaged in?

The entirety of Journey's End takes place in the officers' dugout of a World War I British trench in France. In this setting, the soldiers eat, sleep, chat, and wait out the war, longing for the moment when their six-day shift on the front lines is over. These officers carry out what came to be known as trench warfare, named for the long, narrow ditches soldiers dug on either side of the battlefield. Trench warfare had a high mortality rate because every time a soldier would get out of the trench, he was exposed to the enemy forces stationed usually fewer than one hundred yards away. An important part of the trench warfare was the dugout, shelters which were more than often situated underground and which served as sleeping areas and places where the soldiers could find refuge during heavy shelling. This type of warfare was common in the First World War, though it became less common with the wider use of armored tanks and bomber planes.

How does the play showcase the complex psychological effects of World War I combat?

Almost every character in Journey's End has been mentally scarred by the horrors which they witnessed during the war. However, the psychological damage of remaining engaged in a combat role is showcased best through Stanhope. Early in the play, the audience learns how Stanhope has become an alcoholic during the war, numbing himself to the horrors of war by keeping himself in a state of constant inebriation. Another character who exhibits psychological strain is Lieutenant Trotter; rather than turn to drink, Trotter becomes obsessed with food and makes bleakly humorous jokes. He also develops the habit of drawing a circle for each hour spent in the trenches and then coloring the circle as the hour passes. This is presented as not just busy work but a coping mechanism, allowing him to savor every hour in which he is not killed. The image evokes a prisoner marking on the cells of his prison every day that he has been incarcerated. All these behaviors, including the tendency to forget important details and violent outbursts, can be attributed to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). During the First World War, the condition was euphemistically referred to as "shell shock," as the symptoms were most overt in soldiers who survived extremely traumatic events, such as shell bombing.

How is the concept of heroism handled in the play?

Early in the play, the audience learns that Raleigh sees Stanhope as a hero—an estimation which Osborne does not disabuse him of. Stanhope, however, refuses to believe he is a hero, because he sees himself as a failure. Stanhope admits he does not feel brave enough to go in no man’s land without being completely drunk; Stanhope believes that a true hero would not need drinking as a coping mechanism. Osborne, however, tries to convince Stanhope that his flaws make him no less heroic, stating that heroes tend to remain heroes no matter what. The irony that Stanhope cannot see is that heroes, in the Greek literary tradition, almost always have a tragic flaw. In this way, Stanhope's drinking and the shame it generates renders him more heroic in the context of a dramatic play.

What is significant about the letter Raleigh writes his sister?

As soon as Stanhope learns that Raleigh has joined his company, he becomes paranoid, believing Raleigh will write to his sister and shatter the image she holds of Stanhope as a great war hero. Though Osborne insists he is overreacting and that Raleigh will not gossip about Stanhope's drinking, Stanhope becomes obsessed with the idea of censoring the letter. In a tense moment, he tells Raleigh that he will have to read it before the letter is sent, and Raleigh withholds it, leading the audience to believe that Stanhope's suspicions were correct. However, in an instance of situational irony, Stanhope's and the audience's expectations are undermined: when Osborne reads the letter aloud, there is no mention of Stanhope's PTSD symptoms. It is clear that Raleigh continues to see him as a hero.

Besides their uses of jargon terms, what is unique about the way the play's characters interact with each other?

The stilted and joking manner in which the characters address each other conveys the play's thematic preoccupation with emotional repression. Characters such as Trotter exhibit a repressive tendency by adopting a blithe attitude toward war, casually making grim jokes about death and disfigurement. Similarly, Osborne is quick to interrupt Stanhope whenever he tries to discuss the dissociative episodes he is experiencing; Osborne wants to reassure Stanhope that he is fighting fit, yet his reassurance also functions as a way of repressing the emotionally uncomfortable truth that underlies the conversation. In this way, the dialogue in Journey's End shows how repression functions as a necessary mechanism for maintaining the outward appearance of confidence and sanity in the desperate circumstances of war.

Journey’s End Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Journey’s End is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

How does Sherriff create tension in the duologue between Osborne and Stanhope at the end of Act 1?

Stanhope meets the revelation that Raleigh has joined his company with unease. The presence of Raleigh introduces a new conflict to the play that involves the themes of heroism, alcoholism, and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). Stanhope knows...

What are Trotter's quotes showing his emotions?

From the text:

Trotter (throwing his spoon with a clatter into the plate) : Oh, I say, but dam!

Trotter : Well, boys ! ’Ere we are for six days again. Six bloomin’ eternal days. {He makes a calculation on the table.)

Trotter comes down the steps,...

How Sherriff presents the true horrors of was through the character of Raleigh?

The difference between the fantasy of war and its true, horrific and demoralizing nature is one of the play's major themes. The theme is most overtly revealed through Raleigh's character arc. When Raleigh first arrives, his boyish excitement at...

Study Guide for Journey’s End

Journey's End study guide contains a biography of R. C. Sherriff, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Journey's End
• Journey's End Summary
• Character List

Essays for Journey’s End

Journey's End essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the play Journey's End by R. C. Sherriff.

• The Depiction of War in Journey’s End and Exposure
• How does Sherriff present Heroism in Journey's End?
• How Stanhope Generates Conflict in the Opening Act
• Comparison of the mental suffering created by war
• Human Decency in a World of Human Waste

Wikipedia Entries for Journey’s End

• Introduction
• Plot summary
• Productions (professional)
• Productions (amateur)
• Adaptations

“Journey’s End” by Robert Cedric Sherriff Essay

Introduction, works cited.

The story “Journey’s End” written by Robert Cedric Sherriff is a very successful play, which shows a very realistic picture of the War, its horrors, death, and struggle for freedom and against the common hostile forces. The play is dramatically shaped; it includes a great number of character sketches, an outstanding hero who is not deprived of human qualities and emotions, a great portion of humor, some recollections, a destructive culmination point, and a painful scene of death. The words of characters are clear and understandable; they reveal the theme of friendship, the importance of sacrifice, dignity, comradeship. The story of a play describes the basic human values, such as friendship, courage, love of life, friendship and comradeship, perfect willingness to come for help, the importance of mutual assistance and cooperation (Sherriff, 1993 IX-X).

The play is full of implicit symbolic meanings, which are used in stage directions during the play, with the help of use of symbolism and imagery with those directions. With the help of locations, furniture, different subjects, which are rather important scenes of the play, the horrors of war, and importance of cooperation are emphasized.

Thus the first scene describes a dugout, where “a wooden frame, covered with white netting, stands against the left wall and serves the double purpose of a bed and a seat for the table. A wooden bench against the back wall makes another seat, and two boxes serve for the other sides” (Sherriff 8). This description can serve as a sign of poverty during the War, as people were not living during this period of horrible events, but rather surviving. So, the main purpose was not luxurious place, but a place where everything was at hand, no extras were allowed, as even a wooden frame was used in double sense: a bed and a seat. The time of war actions committed people to such way of life.

But there can be observed another image full of domestic warmness and comfort: “Warm yellow candle flames light the other corner from the necks of two bottles on the table. Through the doorway can be seen the misty grey parapet of a trench and a narrow strip of starlit sky” (Sherriff 9). The images of this very extract are very symbolic from the point of view of presentation. The candle light is the image of mysterious events, romantic meetings, comfort of the hearth, and straight desire to stay alive. I believe here the latter symbol fits most, as the candle itself can be compared with a soldier who carries the burden of his own choice of defending the country where he lives, the stillness of this soldier while being at his post; he does not sleep at night in order to be ready for a severe battle.

While the candle is compared with a soldier, the ‘narrow strip of starlit sky’ can be seen through the doorway, and can serve as a symbol of hope for a better future, for a future without wars and conflicts. Besides, descriptions of nature can be considered a good sign, as the Mother Nature helps our forces to win the battle.

The place of the next act is the same, but the daylight came. “A pale shaft of sunlight shines down the steps, but candles still burn in the dark corner” (Sherriff 36). In spite of all conflicts and battles, during the peaceful times and during the war actions the soldier is still at his post; as the candles are burning in the dark corner, the soldiers are always ready to defend their motherland from different invasions of hostile forces. The total readiness of troops is observed during the war actions, as the candles are always ready to burn.

“The sunlight has gone from the dugout floor, but still shines brightly in the trench” (Sherriff 50). Such a description can be a sign of some changes, good or bad, pleasant and negative. The change of weather can be compared with the change of moods within the troops, the change of relationships between comrades, commanding officers or junior officers.

“The earth wall of the trench outside glows with a light that slowly fades with the sinking sun” (Sherriff 65). Here the image of the sunlight that disappears can be viewed from different points of view. From one side it can reflect the end of the war actions, the beginning of the peaceful life, because the next day would bring changes into the life of people, as the night brings counsel. From the other side it can be regarded as the defeat, the change for worth.

“The candles are no longer burning. The intense darkness of the dugout is softened by the glow of the very lights in the sky beyond the doorway. There is no sound except the distant mutter of the guns” (Sherriff 86). The candles are not burning as there is no necessity for them to be lit; all soldiers are now fighting in a severe struggle for their lives and lives of their comrades and relatives, for their motherland. The sound of guns confirms this thought.

The play is very interesting from the point of view of usage of implicit symbolic meanings. I think that soldiers are compared to the candles, as they are silent witnesses of the war actions. The imagery helps to show horrors of the War, the comradeship, importance of understanding and cooperation. Scenes are full of vivid symbols which help the reader to analyze the way of relations between comrades, to foresee the events of the next scene.

Sherriff, Robert Cedric, and Maureen Blakesley. Journey’s End. Heinemann plays . London: Heinemann, 1993.

Sherriff, Robert Cedric. Journey’s End . England: Penguin Books, 2000.

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Journey's End - Example Essays, Questions and Paragraphs

Subject: English

Age range: 11-14

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

20 June 2021

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Journey's End - Lessons, Worksheets, Examples

This Journey's End bundle includes all of my resources on the text. Although having Flipchart access / ActivInspire will make this even easier to use - with everything quite literally ready to go to teach a superb unit on the play - even without that, the resources include that which could be easily transfered to PowerPoint or adjusted to suit exact teaching style and preferences. Ultimately, there is everything that you could need in order to teach the text to a high level with the ability to differentiate according to ability - it is certainly one of my favourite texts to teach!

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Wilfred Owen — Journey’s End And Wilfred Owen Poems

Journey's End and Wilfred Owen Poems

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Journey’s End

R.c. sherriff, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

In Journey’s End , R.C. Sherriff showcases the effect of war on personal relationships. In particular, he focuses on how wartime power dynamics and interpersonal attitudes alter the ways people interact with one another. This is most recognizable in Stanhope and Raleigh ’s friendship, which suffers because of the various stressors of military life. For the majority of his young adult life, Raleigh has looked up to Stanhope, a classmate who eventually goes off to war and becomes a captain. While Stanhope is off in the trenches of World War I, Raleigh stays behind and finishes school, all the while worshiping Stanhope as a hero. Later, when Raleigh joins the military, he is placed under Stanhope’s command. But although he’s ecstatic to join his hero’s infantry, he soon discovers that his relationship with Stanhope will be quite different during wartime. Not only has the war taken a significant toll on Stanhope’s wellbeing, but his high position in the military also forces him to treat Raleigh with rough indifference. In this way, Sherriff suggests that human companionship is highly contextual, something that grows according to the emotional circumstances that define the immediate environment. Like human beings themselves, then, relationships aren’t fixed or unchanging, but dynamic and adaptive.

When Raleigh first reports to duty as an officer in World War I, he’s overjoyed to have been assigned to Stanhope’s infantry. He knows Stanhope from before the war, when the captain was a rugby hero several years his senior. Raleigh and Stanhope got to know each other and developed a friendship of sorts during the summers, since their fathers were friends. Stanhope also became romantically involved with Raleigh’s sister, who is now waiting for him to return from the war. Since this period, Raleigh has looked up to Stanhope and imagined him as a valorous captain. But what he doesn’t know is that, while Stanhope is indeed a well-respected soldier, he has also turned into a gruff and pessimistic alcoholic.

Upon arriving in the trenches, Raleigh speaks with Osborne —the second-in-command—and learns of Stanhope’s transformation. Osborne is fond of Stanhope, but he also recognizes that the war has had a harsh effect on him. He warns Raleigh that he shouldn’t expect his relationship with Stanhope to pick up where it left off. “You mustn’t expect to find [Stanhope]—quite the same,” he says, and then suggests that Stanhope has become “quick-tempered.” Raleigh brushes this off, saying, “Oh, I know old Dennis’s temper! I remember once at school he caught some chaps in a study with a bottle of whisky. Lord! the roof nearly blew off.” Raleigh doesn’t seem to grasp that Stanhope has changed, instead assuming that his old friend, who has become an alcoholic, is still someone who would lose his temper over catching his subordinates drinking. Raleigh’s conception of Stanhope is based on a frame of reference that can’t effectively be applied to the current circumstances. After all, the way Stanhope interacted with people as a boarding school role model has little in common with how he must now act as a military captain trying to command soldiers in the trenches.

Osborne, for his part, picks up on Raleigh’s naïve assumption that he’ll be able to approach his relationship with Stanhope the same way he used to. “You must remember he’s commanded this company for a long time,” Osborne says of Stanhope. “It’s—it’s a big strain on a man.” Osborne tries to emphasize that people change according to what’s happening in their lives—and if a person changes, it follows that their relationships will also change. Stanhope himself seems to understand this, which is why he’s unhappy that Raleigh has been assigned to his infantry; he knows he has changed for the worse, and he comprehends that this means his relationship with Raleigh will most likely change for the worse, too. Speaking to Osborne soon after Raleigh arrives, Stanhope says, “Didn’t you see him sitting there at supper?—staring at me?—and wondering? He’s up in those trenches now—still wondering—and beginning to understand.”

Of course, there’s another reason Stanhope doesn’t want Raleigh to “understand” how he has changed: he fears Raleigh will write to his sister and tell her how wretched Stanhope has become. To ensure that this doesn’t happen, he decides to censor Raleigh’s letters. When he tells him his plan to do this, their tense conversation shows how these new wartime circumstances have altered the way they interact. “D’you understand an order? Give me that letter!” Stanhope says. “Dennis—I’m—” Raleigh sputters, but Stanhope cuts him off, saying, “Don’t ‘Dennis’ me! Stanhope’s my name! You’re not at school! Go and inspect your rifles!” This exchange exemplifies how both Stanhope and Raleigh struggle to navigate the new terms of their relationship.

By examining the painful transformation of Stanhope and Raleigh’s relationship, Sherriff makes it clear that friendship and human interaction is greatly dependent upon the surrounding interpersonal context. However, while relationships are certainly fluid and adaptive, Sherriff suggests that there are certain bonds that are more resilient than others. Osborne proposes this idea to Stanhope, assuring the captain that, though his relationship with Raleigh may indeed change, this doesn’t necessarily mean the war will completely ruin their connection. “I believe Raleigh’ll go on liking you,” Osborne says, “There’s something very deep, and rather fine, about hero-worship.” Although Raleigh certainly notices how the emotional and psychological effect of the war has influenced both Stanhope as an individual and Raleigh’s relationship with Stanhope, his admiration of the struggling captain will enable him to “go on liking” him. In this way, Sherriff shows readers that just because human relationships change according to their surrounding circumstances doesn’t mean they aren’t also resilient. Though trying environments—like those presented by war—force people to adjust the way they interact with one another, this doesn’t have to ruin what lies at the core of a relationship. In the final scene of Journey’s End , Stanhope treats the gravely injured Raleigh with gentleness and care, and the audience sees that these two men have maintained their connection even if the context of their relationship has profoundly shifted. With this, Sherriff advances a nuanced take on human interaction, one that allows for both change and constancy.

Friendship and Human Interaction ThemeTracker

Friendship and Human Interaction Quotes in Journey’s End

OSBORNE: He’s a long way the best company commander we’ve got.

HARDY: Oh, he’s a good chap, I know. But I never did see a youngster put away the whisky he does. D’you know, the last time we were out resting at Valennes he came to supper with us and drank a whole bottle in one hour fourteen minutes—we timed him.

OSBORNE: I suppose it amused everybody; I suppose everybody cheered him on, and said what a splendid achievement it was.

HARDY: He didn’t want any ‘cheering’ on—

OSBORNE: No, but everybody thought it was a big thing to do. [ There is a pause .] Didn’t they?

HARDY: Well, you can’t help, somehow, admiring a fellow who can do that—and then pick out his own hat all by himself and walk home—

OSBORNE: When a boy like Stanhope gets a reputation out here for drinking, he turns into a kind of freak show exhibit. People pay with a bottle of whisky for the morbid curiosity of seeing him drink it.

OSBORNE: You may find he’s—he’s a little bit quick-tempered.

RALEIGH [ laughing ]: Oh, I know old Dennis’s temper! I remember once at school he caught some chaps in a study with a bottle of whisky. Lord! the roof nearly blew off. He gave them a dozen each with a cricket stump.

[OSBORNE laughs ]

He was so keen on the fellows in the house keeping fit. He was frightfully down on smoking—and that sort of thing.

OSBORNE: You must remember he’s commanded this company for a long time—through all sorts of rotten times. It’s—it’s a big strain on a man. […] If you notice a—difference in Stanhope—you’ll know it’s only the strain—

OSBORNE: I believe Raleigh’ll go on liking you—and looking up to you—through everything. There’s something very deep, and rather fine, about hero-worship.

STANHOPE: Hero-worship be damned! [ He pauses, then goes on, in a strange, high-pitched voice ] You know, Uncle, I’m an awful fool. I’m captain of this company. What’s that bloody little prig of a boy matter? D’you see? He’s a little prig. Wants to write home and tell Madge all about me . Well, he won’t; d’you see, Uncle? He won’t write! Censorship! I censor his letters—cross out all he says about me.

OSBORNE: You can’t read his letters.

STANHOPE [ dreamily ]: Cross out all he says about me. Then we all go west in the big attack—and she goes on thinking I’m a fine fellow for ever—and ever—and ever. [ He pours out a drink, murmuring ‘Ever—and ever—and ever.’]

I was feeling bad. I forgot Raleigh was out there with Trotter. I’d forgotten all about him. I was sleepy. I just knew something beastly had happened. Then he came in with Trotter—and looked at me. After coming in out of the night air, this place must have reeked of candle-grease, and rats—and whisky. One thing a boy like that can’t stand is a smell that isn’t fresh. He looked at me as if I’d hit him between the eyes—as if I’d spat on him—

Stanhope! I’ve tried like hell—I swear I have. Ever since I came out here I’ve hated and loathed it. Every sound up there makes me all—cold and sick. I’m different to—to the others—you don’t understand. It’s got worse and worse, and now I can’t bear it any longer. I’ll never go up those steps again—into the line—with the men looking at me—and knowing—I’d rather die here. [ He is sitting on STANHOPE’S bed, crying without effort to restrain himself .]

If you went—and left Osborne and Trotter and Raleigh and all those men up there to do your work—could you ever look a man straight in the face again—in all your life! [ There is silence again .] You may be wounded. Then you can go home and feel proud—and if you’re killed you—you won’t have to stand this hell any more. I might have fired just now. If I had you would have been dead now. But you’re still alive—with a straight fighting chance of coming through. Take the chance, old chap, and stand in with Osborne and Trotter and Raleigh. Don’t you think it worth standing in with men like that?—when you know they all feel like you do—in their hearts—and just go on sticking it because they know it’s—it’s the only thing a decent man can do.

RALEIGH: Good God! Don’t you understand? How can I sit down and eat that—when—[ his voice is nearly breaking ]—when Osborne’s—lying—out there—

[STANHOPE rises slowly. His eyes are wide and staring; he is fighting for breath, and his words come brokenly .]

STANHOPE: My God! You bloody little swine! You think I don’t care—you think you’re the only soul that cares!

RALEIGH: And yet you can sit there and drink champagne—and smoke cigars—

STANHOPE: The one man I could trust—my best friend—the one man I could talk to as man to man—who understood everything—and you don’t think I care—

RALEIGH: But how can you when—?

STANHOPE: To forget, you little fool—to forget! D’you understand? To forget! You think there’s no limit to what a man can bear?

Journey’s End Essays

Compare and contrast the presentation of the effects of war on the individual in sebastian faulks’ novel ‘birdsong’ and r.c.sherriff’s play ‘journey’s end, popular essay topics.

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10 Best Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Episodes (So Far)

Season 1 of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End ended leaving a very deep positive mark on fans who are now awaiting the return of this heartfelt anime.

• Frieren: Beyond Journey's End combines fantasy, emotional depth, and charming character moments in an epic adventure series.
• The anime introduces memorable characters like Fern, Stark, and Aura, adding depth to Frieren's journey and emotional arc.
• Episodes highlight Frieren's growth, relationships, and magical battles, making it a standout series for fans of fantasy and SOL genres.

The following contains spoilers for Frieren: Beyond Journey's End.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is a new shonen anime series that's ideal for fans of The Lord of the Rings , though it also has plenty to offer for fans of general fantasy and even slice-of-life adventures. Frieren: Beyond Journey's End stars the centuries-old elf wizard Frieren, who has aleady defeated the mighty demon king and is now seeking a new adventure to give her lengthy life some meaning. Her old adventurer party may be gone, but she can always form a new one.

Across 28 episodes, the first season of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End delights anime fans with emotionally resonant, exciting, and thematically deep fantasy adventures with some LotR trappings and D&D references, and ten particular episodes stand out as the anime's best so far. The ten best Frieren episodes feature the most memorable action scenes, the most charming character moments, and some of the most impactful action sequences in the story thus far.

10 Lessons Slice-of-Life Anime Can Learn From Frieren

10 "the journey's end" concludes one era in frieren's life and begins another.

The very first episode of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End makes it clear that this isn't just a retelling of LotR or a Dungeons & Dragons animation like Vox Machina . Instead, the Frieren anime is all about the heart and the emotional impact of an elf like Frieren outliving everyone. That gives Frieren a substantial emotional arc .

Frieren experienced more than grief when she attendeed Himmel's funeral, though she did miss him dearly. It was a wake-up call for Frieren, encouraging her to value the brief human lives around her and never take them for granted. That inspired Frieren to see short-lived beigns in a whole new light and make her life about them, not herself.

9 "It Didn't Have to Be Magic..." Gives Frieren Her New Apprentice, Fern

10 frieren characters who left a lasting impression on fans.

Episode 2 of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End delivered some wonderful payoff for Frieren's mission to forge deeper emotional bonds with the people around her. First, Frieren was inspired to cherish the humans around her and not take them for granted, and Episode 2 gave her a chance to put that idea into practice.

Frieren spent time with her old adventurer friend Heiter, who had started training a young purple-haired girl named Fern. By the episode's end, Frieren had accepted Fern as her own disciple, forging an excellent new friendship and master/apprentice dynamic that would become the emotional core of the entire Frieren anime. Frieren would soon make other friends too, but Fern was something special, and it all started in Episode 2.

8 "Phantoms of the Dead" Introduces Stark, the Redhead Warrior With Hidden Insecurities

Episode 5 introduced the first male member of Frieren's new party and the first non-wizard, a red-headed young man simply named Stark. In Episode 5, Frieren and Fern dealt with a deceptive monster called an Einsam, and then Frieren decideed to slay a dragon and obtain its grimoire. After all, Frieren loves grimoires and spells, even accepting weak spells as payment for a completed mission.

That quest allowed Frieren and Fern to cross paths with Stark, whose introduction was a fine blend of action, comedy, and serious emotional weight. It's both funny and grim that Stark merely faked his victory over the red dragon, winning a staring contest with the creature simply because he was too afraid to move. Once Stark joined Frieren's team, he got himself ready to get stronger and braver to become the warrior everyone thinks he is.

7 "A Powerful Mage" Shows Frieren Defeating Aura With Her Deceptive Magic Aura

The Frieren anime spent a few episodes introducing a small handful of demons who tried to pass themselves off as diplomats at first. However, not everyone was fooled by Lügner and his allies, no matter their polite behavior and good looks. Demons only used language as a tool to fool humans, and that's why Frieren kept her guard up around them.

By Episode 10, the Frieren heroes were waging war against Lügner's group, with the most memorable battle pitting Frieren herself against a demon lady named Aura the Guillotine. That battle explained that demons only cared about people's magical auras to assess them, unaware that well-trained people like Frieren can use deceptive auras. Thus, Frieren was much stronger than expected, and she dispatched the surprised Aura.

6 "A Real Hero" Shows Stark Enjoying a Birthday Party

10 anime characters who should join frieren's adventurer party.

Episode 12 began with a short adventure in the Village of the Sword, where Frieren learned that even though Himmel failed to draw a sword from the stone, stories stated that he had succeeded. Fortunately, as Frieren recalled, Himmel didn't feel bad about his failure, and resolved to defeat the demon lord anyway, which he ultimately did.

Later in Episode 12, Stark had hisw 18th birthday, and he stated how his family never celebrated his birthday. So, Fern gave him a gift, and Stark was touched. That was a good example of no matter how much Fern and Stark sometimes annoyed each other, they were also good friends who cared about another. Stark also enjoyed his hamburg dinner, a symbolic dinner for warriors who try their best.

5 "Privilege of the Young" Involves Stark Getting Fern a Romantic Birthday Gift

Not long after Star's birthday scene, Fern had her own birthday, and she was quite upset when Stark forgot about it and thus didn't give her a gift. To mediate, Sein noted that boys like Stark couldn't always be expected to remember such things, and Fern decided to apologize for reacting so strongly for Stark's forgetfulness. In return, Stark agreed to go shopping with Fern to find a gift so everyone could be happy.

Stark ended up getting Fern a bracelet similar to a ring Frieren had, though the ring was lost in a brief battle. After that, Sein noted that the mirrored lotus, which symbolized eternal love. Amusingly, Stark was a little embarassed at giving Fern such a romantic gift without realizing it, but Fern was content with it. All that made Episode 14 another charming Stark/Fern shipping moment, which is one of the best subplots in the anime.

4 "Take Care" Has Some Amusing Fern/Stark Banter

Episode 17 didn't do much for the plot, but it did have some charming Fern moments, and that's enough to please many Frieren anime fans. In Episode 17, Fern and Stark butted heads once again, since Stark didn't realize he upset Fern by grabbing her shoulder too roughly. Fortunately, they were able to talk it out while the team was confined in wintery conditions.

Later in that episode, Sein departed, and then Fern fell ill. That gave Frieren a chance to literally feel closer to her new friends and have a touching moment with them. Frieren held Fern's hand to make her feel better while fighting off an illness, something Himmel used to do for her. That was quite charming to see, and by the episode's end, the real story was about to begin, the first-class mage exam , so fans could get excited about that.

3 "First-Class Mage Exam" Launches the Frieren Anime's Best and Longest Arc

10 best fights in frieren: beyond journey’s end.

Episode 18 of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End fully began the mage exam story arc, which allowed the anime to end on a strong note. Episode 18 also helped establish the rarity and power of first-class mages, which helped provide some stakes for the exam and prove why it was worth all the trouble. Episode 18 also introduced many new characters for anime fans to meet.

Fern ended up in a team with the sinister wizard girl Übel, while Frieren was teamed up with Lawine and Kanne, two girls who kept feuding but were also friends deep down. The rest of Episode 18 was devoted to the exam's first phase, where all the entrants had to capture Stilles, ultra-fast birds that were always on alert for danger. Even Frieren struggled at first, but there was still hope.

2 "The World of Magic" is the Explosive Finale to the Mage Exam's First Phase

In Episode 21, the first phase came to a close as the mages battled the Stilles and one another to claim victory. Overall, Episode 21 is one of the better Frieren episodes because of all the action, and of course, there's the relief that came from the best heroes all passing the test by capturing those birds.

Episode 21 also made Frieren a star by showing her use her magic to destroy the domed barrier over the test area. Sense the proctor was shocked when Frieren shattered that dome to let the rain in, demonstrating how powerful and creative Frieren could be when pushed.

1 "The Height of Magic" Concludes the Dungeon Boss Battle in Spectacular Fashion

Episode 26 of Frieren concluded the great battle against Frieren's golem replica, which had all of Frieren's own magical power and expertise. Seeing how Frieren is one of the strongest Frieren characters of all, the replica of her was indeed a dire threat that could easily kill almost anyone who opposed it. Still, there was a chance, and Fern was ready to take it.

After a tough fight, in which Fern showed off her own immense arcane power, the test takers destroyed the Spiegel and thus ended the threat of Frieren's replica once and for all. Episode 26 also showed Übel slicing apart Sense's own replica, an amazing feat that required Übel to think about the act of cutting in just the right way.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

An elf and her friends defeat a demon king in a great war. But the war is over, and the elf must search for a new way of life.

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Panama Papers trial's public portion comes to an unexpectedly speedy end

Juan Zamorano

Associated Press

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

The Supreme Court stands in Panama City, Monday, April 8, 2024 as the trial starts for those charged in connection with the worldwide Panama Papers money laundering case. (AP Photo/Agustin Herrera)

PANAMA CITY – The public portion of a trial of more than two-dozen associates accused of helping some of the world’s richest people hide their wealth came to an unexpectedly speedy conclusion Friday when a Panamanian judge said she would take the two weeks of trial arguments and testimony under advisement.

The trial came eight years after 11 million leaked secret financial documents that became known as the “Panama Papers” prompted the resignation of the prime minister of Iceland and brought scrutiny to the then-leaders of Argentina and Ukraine, Chinese politicians, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, among others.

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Judge Baloisa Marquínez noted Friday that the case included more than 530 volumes of information. The public trial had been expected to run to the end of the month. The judge has 30 working days to issue a verdict.

Those on trial include the owners of the Mossack Fonseca law firm that was at the heart of the 2016 massive document leak. Jürgen Mossack attended the trial, while his partner Ramón Fonseca did not for health reasons, according to his counsel.

Panamanian prosecutors allege that Mossack, Fonseca and their associates created a web of shell companies that used complex transactions to hide money linked to illicit activities in the “car wash” corruption scandal of Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht .

“This whole process from eight years ago until now … has had a lot of consequences for my family, on my personal situation and truly has been a great injustice not just for me but for all of the people who have worked with me,” Mossack testified Friday. “I trust your honor will know how to evaluate all that has been said here.”

Mossack had said at the start of the trial, as he has for years, that he was not guilty of the money laundering charges.

According to Panamanian prosecutors, the Mossack Fonseca firm created 44 shell companies, 31 of which opened accounts in Panama to hide money linked to the Brazilian scandal.

Fonseca has said the firm, which closed in 2018, had no control over how its clients might use offshore vehicles created for them.

Mossack Fonseca helped create and sell around 240,000 shell companies across four decades in business. It announced its closure in March 2018, two years after the scandal erupted.

The firm's documents were first leaked to the German daily Suddeutsche Zeitung, and were shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which began publishing collaborative reports with news organizations in 2016.

“The reputational deterioration, the media campaign, the financial siege and the irregular actions of some Panamanian authorities have caused irreparable damage, whose consequence is the complete cease of operations to the public,” the firm said in a statement at the time.

The Mossack and Fonseca were acquitted on other charges in 2022.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Explore the different ways that Sherriff reveals courage to the audience?

English Assignment

        Throughout ‘Journey’s End’, the sheer brutality of the war is portrayed to the audience in a subtle manner. The thousands of deaths and the shocking injuries were all facts of life for the soldiers in the trenches in World War One, but the playwright does not chose to focus upon these directly. For example, the raid at the end of the play is not visibly displayed, instead it is created through dramatic techniques such as lighting, sound effects and setting. In ‘Journeys End’, the audience, are fully aware of the horrors that the soldiers faced. The characters deal with the horrific situation in their own, different ways, showing astonishing courage throughout the play.

        Stanhope is the commander of their company and it is he who dominates the play. He is a committed, trustworthy, respected soldier, who has been out in the trenches for the longest period of time. “He’s a good chap” ,“He’s a long way the best company commander we’ve got.” Stanhope is courageous in many ways. He has been out in the war “for nearly three years” and “he came straight out from school – when he was eighteen.” This shows that he is very knowledgeable and experienced about the war and everything that is going on, but it also shows that he has been through an awful lot. The soldiers admire his determination and courage, for example, Osborne says, “Other men come over here and go home again ill, and young Stanhope goes on sticking in, month in month out.” This reveals to the audience that Stanhope is very courageous and loyal to his fellow soldiers.

        The audience never doubt that Stanhope is a hero, but like many heroes he has a

distinctly unpleasant side. He is under immense strain, and as a light relief to

keep him going, he turns to the help of alcohol. Hardy says to Osborne that he

“never did see a youngster put away the whiskey he does.” Also, Osborne warns

Raleigh that he should not expect too much from Stanhope, when he arrives. “You

mustn’t expect to find him quite the same…It – it tells on a man rather badly.”

The strain has taken its toll on Stanhope and inside he is under immense stress and pain, so he turns to drink for comfort of his nerves, which have “got battered to bits.” Yet still

Stanhope is strong and courageous. He could return home if he wanted to, but he

stays and supports his company and friends. He is organised and skilful, and it shows courage to take on such a large responsibility at such a young age.

        Stanhope has a very affectionate and deeply touching relationship with his

second in command, Osborne, or as he prefers to be called, “Uncle.”  There is a

very warm and loving conversation when Osborne tucks Stanhope up for bed.

“[Osborne helps him on to the bed, takes the blanket and puts it over him.]”

Despite the fact that Stanhope is drunk, it is still very friendly, especially

This is a preview of the whole essay

when Stanhope says to Osborne, “Kiss me Uncle.” Although this is very comical,

it is also very poignant because we see that this is how Stanhope feels inside, as

there is no opportunity for love when you are in the war. This shows courage by both characters, because they are not embarrassed and look after one another, which is very noble of them.

        Osborne is a very civilised, controlled man who “looks about forty-five.” He is very caring and paternal. Despite his “iron grey hair”, he is described to be “physically as hard as nails.” He comes across as very wise, and he used to be a teacher. He enjoys reading, gardening and playing “ruggers.” He even played for England once, but does not want Raleigh to “breeze about it.” This shows how modest and humble he is.  

        Some may say that Osborne is the most courageous character. He is courageous because he looks after everyone and cares deeply about his fellow soldiers. A good example of his courageousness is when he is asked to go and fight.

“OSBORNE: Who’s going?

STANHOPE: You and Raleigh

OSBORNE:  [Pause] Oh [Another pause] Why Raleigh?”

Sherriff uses subtext here, as he is shocked that he has to go, but still instead of saying, “why me”, he says “why Raleigh?” He is looking out for Raleigh, instead of being selfish and refusing to go. This shows lots of courage. He could have complained if he wanted to, but he knew that this would just make Stanhope feel bad. Instead he accepts it, and he also begins to organise the men like a true soldier. The officers just attempt to make a joke of the affair, saying things like “what a damn nuisance!” in the full knowledge that somebody or all of them will die. Towards the end of the play when Osborne dies, his absence from the trenches is very noticeable and it has quite a detrimental effect on some of the soldiers.

The use of juxtaposition throughout the play is very effective because it is used to emphasise something awful that is happening, by next talking about something more light-hearted. For example, the officers turn their attention to Osborne who is sitting and reading Alice in Wonderland. He reads a short poem which is about a crocodile, “how cheerfully he seems to grin, and neatly spread his claws, and welcomes little fishes in with gently smiling jaws!” This changes the subject and draws the attention away from what is happening, and lightens the atmosphere for the audience and the characters. This is also a good example of how Osborne thinks about himself, and how he does not care what people think about him. He does not worry if people laugh at him because he is reading a child’s book, because he is strong-minded and at ease with who he is. This shows a different type of courage that Osborne has.

        Raleigh on the other hand, is very naïve about the raid, but this is because he is young and inexperienced, and just thinks it is “ frightfully exciting!” This illuminates just how naïve and innocent he is to the audience, who feel sorry for him in this state. The audience are aware of how serious and dangerous the raid will be, because the other officers had been speaking about it in the previous scene. “ I reckon the Boche are all ready waiting for it.”  This creates sympathy for Raleigh, and shows how courageous he is going off to fight, not knowing what to expect or when to return.

        Raleigh is young and enthusiastic and will do anything for his fellow soldiers. He looks up to Stanhope because he used to go to school with him. He is courageous in many ways. Firstly, the fact that he had joined a new company must have been really frightening for him. On top of that, he was selected for the raid. He had practically only just joined before he was sent to go “over the top.”  

It is a very dramatic moment in the play when Raleigh and Osborne are just about to leave the dugouts. Raleigh as usual is in high spirits and is very excited about the attack . Osborne, however, is more understanding of the situation and does not underestimate the task ahead. He leaves his ring behind, “…in case anything should happen” so that Stanhope can pass it on to his wife. The audience would feel very uneasy now, realising the true danger that the men would face and the fact that they might not return. They are both very nervous. This is shown by their idle conversations about very trivial things. “D’you like coffee better than tea?”  Osborne is very wise about the risks that they had to face and tries to change the subject of the conversation so that they can talk about something else, “now lets forget about it all for….six minutes.”  

This whole scene really shows how courageous the whole company are, because they all help organise the raid, and help each other out. In particular Osborne and Raleigh are very courageous, because they are obviously the ones who are going on the raid, and they must be very scared. They know that it is really dangerous, and that there is a risk that they could be very badly injured, or even possibly killed, but they still go, because they know it is their duty and they have no choice.

Raleigh is also courageous in the ways that he stands up to Stanhope. When they have an argument about Raleigh eating with the men, when he should have been eating with the officers, Raleigh stands up to Stanhope when he is shouting at him.

“STANHOPE: [Shouting] Are you going to eat your dinner?

RALEIGH: Good God! Don’t you understand? How can I sit down and eat that – when..”      

Also his body language is confident. You can tell this by the stage directions. For example, after Stanhope shouts at Raleigh to sit down, subsequently he stands up.

RALEIGH: [rising] I’m not lying! Why should I – lie?” This means they are staring each other straight in the eye, and he is matching Stanhope’s status.

        Hibbert and Trotter are other significant characters in Journeys End who also show vast amounts of courage. Trotter is an amiably fat and garrulous second lieutenant whose presence shows the awareness of class differences. He is quite a comical character, with comments like “war’s bad enough with pepper – but war without pepper – its – its bloody awful!” He has a kind heart, and is described to be “short and fat” and “middle aged and homely looking.” He tends to keep himself to himself, and is generally a happy and strong person. Stanhope questions Trotter about his constant optimism.

“STANHOPE: Nothing upsets you, does it? You’re always the same

TROTTER: How little you know.”

Trotter reveals the real distress and misery that he has, but he keeps it all bottled up inside. He does not want to load all his problems onto the other men, and instead, stays brave and strong yet silent. The audience would admire his strength and courageousness, and his ability to show the other men that it is possible to get through the war, whilst all the time he was experiencing the same torment that the other men were facing.

        Hibbert is quite a contrast to the other soldiers, because he is very insecure and frightened about the war. He thought that he had done his bit and schemed to go home. He craftily complains of so – called “neuralgia” which cannot be proved, in a desperate attempt to be sent home. “It’s this beastly neuralgia…the beastly pain gets worse every day.” The other soldiers, however, are aware of Hibbert’s scheme, especially Stanhope, he says “Another little worm trying to wriggle home.”

        This scenario about Hibbert’s “illness” then leads on to a very intense moment in the play. Hibbert pleads with Stanhope to be allowed to go to the hospital, to which Stanhope bluntly refuses. Finally Stanhope says to Hibbert, “If you went, I’d have you shot – for deserting.” Stanhope says that he could make it look accidental, to spare Hibbert the disgrace of forsaking his country and he even gives him “half a minute to decide.” The silence is broken by Hibbert laughing, “Go on then shoot! You won’t let me go to hospital. I swear I’ll never go in those trenches again! Shoot!” Finally Stanhope congratulates Hibbert, “Good man Hibbert. I liked the way that you stuck that.” Although Hibbert is made out to be scared and cowardly, he shows great courage in this scene. He is not only brave and courageous in the fact that he stands up to Stanhope, and tells him to shoot him, but also because he admits to Stanhope exactly how he feels. All the other soldiers have to put on a brave face and be fearless and strong, but Hibbert just can’t take any more waiting to see if he will die, he would prefer it if he was shot by Stanhope, than be killed by the Germans. This scene really shows us just how courageous the men are, as it helps us to understand the real pressure that the men are under, waiting, not knowing whether they will live or die.

        Overall, I feel that all the characters in Journey’s End show amazing amounts of courage. They were under immense pressure and strain, and the play really makes the audience realise the true courage shown by the men. I’m sure that in achieving these numerous and vivid displays of courage, Sherriff gained immeasurably from his first hand experience in being a soldier himself, and fighting in World War One. They risked their lives for their country, and there are no words to describe just how terrible it was for them.

Document Details

• Word Count 2190
• Page Count 4
• Subject English

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Mike McRoberts’ ‘journey as a news presenter’ to end amid Newshub closure

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Mike McRoberts has revealed that with Newshub set to close in July, his own “journey as a news presenter” will end.

It was confirmed earlier this month that Warner Bros. Discovery would close the news operation in New Zealand , with the final Newshub Live bulletin set to be broadcast on July 5, reports Newshub.

The closure will mark 23 years at Newshub, formerly known as 3 News, for McRoberts.

His message to viewers is: “Ka mutu taku haerenga hei kaikawe kōrero, he haerenga i hīkoi tahi ai tatou - my journey as a news presenter is coming to an end, a journey we have walked together. Newshub’s last six o’clock bulletin ... will be my last presenting the news”.

McRoberts revealed that when he first became a journalist 40 years ago, he “could not have imagined” what an “incredible adventure” his career would become.

“This journey has taken me to some of the biggest stories around the world and to every corner of Aotearoa.

“To the wonderfully talented people I have worked alongside, to the brave and vulnerable who have trusted me to tell their stories, and to our overwhelmingly loyal and supportive audience - thank you.”

McRoberts has co-hosted the news alongside presenter Sam Hayes for the past eight years, and says of the final 11 weeks by her side: “I couldn’t think of a better way to end my presenting career”.

He added that now was the time to take a step back and look for new opportunities.

He first joined TV3 in 2001, taking on a presenting role at 60 Minutes by 2002. From March 2005, he presented the 6pm news bulletin with Hilary Barry, now at TVNZ’s Seven Sharp.

Barry was replaced by Hayes in 2016.

Newshub’s Interim Senior Director of News described McRoberts as “a man of immense mana”.

“He has told stories of great consequence with passion, humanity, and dignity,” said Richard Sutherland, Newshub’s Interim Senior Director of News.

“He is a true leader, who I have been proud to work alongside. He kotuku rerenga tahi. A white heron flies once.”

It was announced last week that Stuff would provide a new 6pm news service to Warner Bros. Discovery after Newshub’s closure. It’s not yet been confirmed who will front the new-look service.

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Chris Paul said he isn’t retiring, but is there any future with the Warriors?

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Chris Paul is 11 hours from his 19th NBA season ending. He’s less than a month from turning 39. He takes a seat in the third row of Golden 1 Center after the Golden State Warriors’ morning shootaround in Sacramento. Later that night, the Sacramento Kings blow them out 118-94, an elimination that also throws into question Paul’s immediate future.

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But this much is clear: Paul is not retiring. He will play a 20th NBA season somewhere.

“I’ll talk to my wife and my kids, my family, my support system, see what it looks like,” Paul told The Athletic . “But this isn’t (the end of my career). I know it for sure.”

Paul remains under contract for the Warriors next season, but there’s a necessary caveat. All $30 million of his deal is non-guaranteed. Part of the Warriors’ reasoning behind the Jordan Poole for Paul trade last offseason was the financial flexibility it would provide this summer. The Warriors can use it as a trade vehicle or wipe all $30 million off the books before it guarantees on June 28.

Those options and decisions will be explored in the coming weeks. But Joe Lacob and the Warriors’ ownership group have already indicated a desire to avoid the second apron and even duck the luxury tax entirely, resetting the repeater clock. Salary slashing is needed for that goal. Tuesday’s elimination — capping a turbulent 46-win season that finished with the 10th seed and zero playoff home dates — would only seem to accelerate that desire for a financial pullback.

So Paul’s future with the Warriors is as uncertain (and perhaps more unlikely) than any other player who left the locker room late Tuesday night.

“I haven’t thought about it,” Paul said. “I’m too in it. I was in the gym at 8 a.m. this morning, lifting and getting ready for this game. When it’s time for that, Mike (Dunleavy) and Steve (Kerr), we’ll have a conversation and see what it looks like. But I loved it. It’s honestly — this is my fifth year living without my family — I probably saw them more than any other year.”

That’s because of the proximity to Los Angeles, but also because of Kerr’s open culture. Families are welcomed into the interior of the Warriors’ building and around the team more than is typical in the NBA.

“That’s probably what I appreciated the most out of everything is just the communication of letting me know when days are going to be off,” Paul said. “Then your family can fly on the team plane like, I ain’t seen that. I’m grateful to Steve for that.”

When Paul went searching for a temporary place to stay in San Francisco after the trade, his wife helped him find a high-rise. Soon after moving into it, he discovered another notable tenant lived a floor below. He had moved into Draymond Green ’s building.

“Luckily it’s nice enough that you can’t hear the person below,” Paul said.

Paul’s inner circle showed varying forms of shock and apprehension after he joined the Warriors, his heated conference rival the previous decade. There’d been so many competitive dust-ups and heated playoff nights between the sides. But Paul embraced it quickly, believing in the shared traits between the sides.

“I didn’t expect it to be bad,” Paul said. “When the trade happened, I was excited, I was energized. It’s been really cool to see all the basketball knowledge, the way different guys approach every day. When people ask about my experience here, I tell them I sort of got a chance to peek behind the curtain.”

The Warriors faced the Utah Jazz at home on a Sunday toward the end of the season. They faced the Lakers on Tuesday in Los Angeles. After the Utah game, Paul, Green and Klay Thompson — who all have homes in L.A. — chartered a plane down a day before the team. Trevor Ariza happened to be in town. Paul told Ariza to hop on their plane.

Ariza was a part of those Houston Rockets teams that the Warriors eliminated in the Western Conference finals twice. He knows how heated the rivalry became between Paul and the Warriors, how much Paul stewed over the losses, and how the Warriors taunted after the wins.

“He was sitting in the plane like, ‘Man, I would have never thought. …'” Paul said. “‘I would’ve never thought we’d all be on here together.'”

Paul and Green didn’t envision it, but they embraced it once it arrived on their doorstep. Literally. Green took the elevator a floor up and went over to Paul’s house on several occasions throughout the season, watching other NBA games, college, NFL — talking basketball schematics, life, family, kids, future.

“I’m thankful and honored, happy as hell I got the opportunity to play with him this year,” Green said. “It’s not something in a million years we ever imagined. Other than winning, it couldn’t have gone better. Built a relationship that’ll go beyond whether he’s here next year or not and whether I’m here next year or not. I haven’t come across many, if any, guys like him.”

Paul also built a relationship with Thompson. Paul accepted a reserve role in the third game of the season, coming off the bench for the first time in his 19-year career, a move that Kerr said sent a message to the rest of the roster about sacrifice. Thompson accepted a bench role in February for the first time in more than a decade. The two then connected a second-unit duo. Kerr tied their minutes together.

Paul told Thompson several times throughout the season that he’d get on his boat for a ride across the San Francisco Bay. They had to cancel once because of bad weather. This past week, before the last game of the regular season, Paul and Moses Moody rode across the water with Thompson to the game.

“Really cool,” Paul said. “It’s always going to be a little choppy when you get to the deep water, but…”

Then Paul went bigger picture.

“I got so many (former teammates) in my career that, like, I have no relationship with,” Paul said. “Don’t really care to or anything like that. Or people who don’t like me or whatever. That don’t keep me up at night. But I’m grateful that I got a chance to be here with these guys. Me and Steph were already connected. Me and Dray definitely, you know, got a real connection now. And somebody I’m grateful that I really got a chance to know is Klay.”

Paul understands the business better than just about any other current player. He knows his contract setup, the Warriors’ tax crunch and will be in on the conversations that dictate his 2024-25 NBA home. Some paths could theoretically bring him back on a cheaper deal. He says he loved his time with the Warriors on a personal level.

But there’s the basketball side that also complicates the equation. Paul isn’t necessarily ready to just accept a lower-usage backup point guard role for the final seasons of his career. He remains of the belief that he can still run a team on a high-minute basis. Paul averaged 26.4 minutes per game this season. He’d been at 32 the last couple of seasons and averaged 34.6 for his career, never dipping below 31. All his counting stats were career-lows.

“I try to do the most with the opportunity that was given,” Paul said. “For me, it’s always been about winning, whatever that looks like. But I know I got a lot more to give to the game. The situation is what it is. But I’ve loved every bit about (this season). I’ve loved every bit of it. Getting a chance to compete with these guys.”

As the Warriors shifted around the rotation repeatedly this season, Paul fit perfectly as Stephen Curry ’s backup point guard. They performed better as a team without Curry than they had in several seasons. But Kerr struggled to find usable lineups with both Curry and Paul on the floor because of the size disadvantage, especially with Thompson also out there.

“It’s a difficult situation for him that he handled beautifully,” Kerr said. “He’s always been the starting point guard for his team. But you look at our team and we’re pretty small. Even though he’s one of our best players, if we want to throw our best players out there — and he’s one of them — you start adding up Chris, Steph, Klay, it’s not the ideal roster for him.

“But he was fantastic for us because he became our backup point guard. As I’ve said many times, our non-Steph minutes were the best they’ve ever been because of Chris’ leadership.”

Not the ideal roster for him . That’s the subsection of that Kerr quote that probably hits the hardest. Paul, on a reasonable deal, still makes plenty of sense for the Warriors as a backup point guard to stabilize them with Curry out. But he still desires more and his on-court impact and production and market could justify that, making a reunion unlikely.

“You saw tonight, (the Kings’) size and physicality overwhelmed us,” Kerr said. “When you look at the combinations that we have out there, it usually kind of separates Steph and Chris and Klay. So there’s not as many minutes as Chris would like.

“But the way he handled it this season was incredible. He’s so professional. Such a great mentor for the younger guys. One of the great pros I’ve ever been around. I love coaching Chris and I really hope we bring him back.”

(Top photo: Sean M. Haffey / NBAE via Getty Images)

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Anthony Slater is a senior writer covering the Golden State Warriors for The Athletic. He's covered the NBA for a decade. Previously, he reported on the Oklahoma City Thunder for The Oklahoman. Follow Anthony on Twitter @ anthonyVslater

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Harvard’s Taylor Swift Scholars Have Thoughts on ‘Tortured Poets’

The students taking Harvard University’s class on the singer are studying up. Their final papers are due at the end of the month.

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By Madison Malone Kircher

Fans of Taylor Swift often study up for a new album, revisiting the singer’s older works to prepare to analyze lyrics and song titles for secret messages and meanings .

“The Tortured Poets Department” is getting much the same treatment, and perhaps no group of listeners was better prepared than the students at Harvard University currently studying Ms. Swift’s works in an English class devoted entirely to the artist . The undergraduate course, “Taylor Swift and Her World,” is taught by Stephanie Burt, who has her students comparing Ms. Swift’s songs to works by poets and writers including Willa Cather, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth.

On Thursday night, about 50 students from the class gathered in a lecture hall on campus to listen to Ms. Swift’s new album. Mary Pankowski, a 22-year-old senior studying history of art and architecture, wore a cream sweatshirt she bought at Ms. Swift’s Eras tour last year. The group made beaded friendship bracelets to celebrate the new album, she said.

When the clock struck midnight, the classroom erupted into applause, and the analysis began. First, the group listened through the album once without discussing, just taking it all in.

Certain lines, however, immediately caused a stir, said Samantha Wilhoit, a junior studying government — like a reference to the singer Charlie Puth and the scathing lyrics to the song “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” Ms. Wilhoit, 21, said.

A line from the song “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart,” in which Ms. Swift sings, “I cry a lot but I am so productive,” also seemed to resonate, Ms. Wilhoit said, laughing.

A smaller group of students, including Ms. Pankowski, stuck it out until the early hours of the morning waiting to see if Ms. Swift would drop additional music. At 2 a.m., they were rewarded with an additional “volume” of 15 tracks called “The Anthology.” Ms. Pankowski said she didn’t go to sleep until hours later.

Speaking with The New York Times together on a video call Friday morning, several students from the class discussed their thoughts on the 31 new songs and brainstormed their final papers, which are due at the end of the month.

“The song ‘Clara Bow’ reminded me of ‘The Song of the Lark,’” Makenna Walko, 19, said, citing the Willa Cather novel that follows the career of an aspiring opera singer, Thea Kronborg. “She’s talking about a girl trying to make it out of her small town and trying to get to Manhattan, and what it’s like to have these big, musical dreams and try to pursue them,” she continued. “That’s a narrative that has shown up a lot in Taylor’s own life, over the course of her own career. In a lot of ways, it’s Taylor’s story, too.”

Lola DeAscentiis, a sophomore, zeroed in on the song “But Daddy I Love Him,” comparing it to the Sylvia Plath poem “Daddy.” She plans to explore the link in her final paper.

“I hesitate to say that the song was anywhere near the genius of Sylvia Plath — no offense to Taylor Swift — but I can definitely see some similarities in the themes, like sadness, depression and mental health,” Ms. DeAscentiis, 20, said. (Ms. DeAscentiis also drew a distinction between being a fan of Ms. Swift and being a devoted Swiftie. She said she identified as the former.)

“The way that Taylor overlays her relationship with the significant other that she’s talking about in the song with the relationship that she has with her father — I think that was very Plath,” she added.

Another student, Ana Paulina Serrano, echoed Ms. DeAscentiis, noting that the class had learned about the genre of confessional poetry. “Is Taylor considered a confessional poet?” Ms. Serrano, a 21-year-old junior majoring in neuroscience, asked the group on the call. In support of her own position, she offered as evidence Ms. Swift’s song “Mastermind,” a track off “Midnights,” in which Ms. Swift reveals herself to have calculated and plotted the outcome of a relationship.

“Sometimes she’s confessing things that we, like, already knew or assumed, but she often seems to feel this need to explicitly tell us,” Ms. Serrano added.

Isabel Levin, a 23-year-old senior studying integrative biology, said she thought Ms. Swift’s delivery on several tracks had a spoken-word quality. She wondered if maybe some of the lyrics had initially begun not as songs but as more traditional poems.

Ms. Swift has said she categorizes her songs by the type of pen she imagines using to write each. A “frivolous, carefree, bouncy” song is a glitter gel pen song, while a fountain pen song might be more “brutally honest,” according to Ms. Swift . Quill pen songs are “all old-fashioned, like you’re a 19th-century poet crafting your next sonnet by candlelight,” she explained during her acceptance speech as songwriter-artist of the decade at the Nashville Songwriter Awards in 2022.

And with what implement might Ms. Swift have written “Tortured Poets?”

Quill pen, for sure, Ms. Walko said.

Madison Malone Kircher is a Times reporter covering internet culture. More about Madison Malone Kircher

Inside the World of Taylor Swift

A Triumph at the Grammys: Taylor Swift made history  by winning her fourth album of the year at the 2024 edition of the awards, an event that saw women take many of the top awards .

‘The T ortured Poets Department’: Poets reacted to Swift’s new album name , weighing in on the pertinent question: What do the tortured poets think ?  

In the Public Eye: The budding romance between Swift and the football player Travis Kelce created a monocultural vortex that reached its apex  at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. Ahead of kickoff, we revisited some key moments in their relationship .

Politics (Taylor’s Version): After months of anticipation, Swift made her first foray into the 2024 election for Super Tuesday with a bipartisan message on Instagram . The singer, who some believe has enough influence  to affect the result of the election , has yet to endorse a presidential candidate.

Conspiracy Theories: In recent months, conspiracy theories about Swift and her relationship with Kelce have proliferated , largely driven by supporters of former President Donald Trump . The pop star's fans are shaking them off .

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Las Vegas Raiders' Maxx Crosby Reflects on His Time in the NFL

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby has come a long way since being drafted in 2019. On the NFL's first day of voluntary workouts, Crosby took a moment to reflect on his journey.

• Author: Ezekiel Trezevant IV

In this story:

Veteran Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby is entering his sixth season in the National Football League. Since being drafted, he has become the face of the Raiders organization. For Crosby, his time in the league has flown by.

"I mean, it is crazy,” Crosby told media members on Monday. "It puts it into perspective. I don't know whether my rookie year seems like 20 years ago or two days ago; it's crazy to me. Being back in Oakland, being in the Coliseum, I remember it like it was yesterday, but at the same time, it's like I feel like that was in a past life that I went through that. 

“It's crazy how life is; everything is always on the go, and I'm just staying in the day. So, I don't really have time to reflect and look back, but just to look at, it's like, damn, I'm already going into year six. It feels like I was doing these interviews. I saw one of my interviews a couple of days ago; somebody sent it to me, and I had like bleached hair, no beard, looking all types of crazy, no tattoos. I'm like, 'Holy [expletive], we've come a long way.'”

Since being drafted by the Raiders, Crosby has gone from a fourth-round draft pick to arguably the best defensive end in the NFL. During his time with the Raiders, he's registered over 300 tackles and over 50 sacks.

The veteran defensive lineman is a few more productive seasons away from having a legitimate argument to be inducted into the Hall of Fame when his career ends. Crosby, however, is only focused on being the best teammate he can be and helping the Raiders win more games.

“It's been a blessing,” Crosby said. “I mean, it's been a damn journey, and for me, all that matters at the end of the day is winning, winning for this organization. I pour my heart and soul into this, and I want to be the best leader and teammate I can be on a daily basis, and being a Raider is something that's special to me.”

“I've got real relationships from the owner all the way down to the janitor. I'm here every day for a reason. It's like a family. There's not many teams that operate like we do, and we've just got to translate that to winning and it's just exciting to get things rolling again."

The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently have the No. 13 overall pick.

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