From what paradox did the Salem tragedy develop according to Act 1 of The Crucible?

A paradox is,

"an assertion or sentiment seemingly contradictory, or opposed to common sense; that which in appearance or terms is absurd, but yet may be true in fact."

The paradox in Act I  stems from the action of the girls at the beginning of the play.  They were in fact in the woods with Tituba, and Abigail did drink a charm, blood, to inflict a curse on Elizabeth Proctor.  The accusation of witchcraft is true against Abigail and Tituba, but it is used by both of them to shift responsibility away from themselves and accuse other people, innocent people.

The absurdity lies in the fact that Tituba and Abigail and the other girls get away with their acts of witchcraft. While innocent people are punished because of false accusations. 

They start the witchcraft hysteria by pointing fingers at innocent people in the town who have not committed acts of witchcraft.  After they begin accusing, and people begin confessing, to save their lives, the witchcraft hysteria takes on a life of its own.  It is no longer necessary for the accusation to be true, the accusation alone is enough.

The truth is filtered through the paradox so it is defined by perception.  The truth is whatever Abigail and the girls want it to be, they create it to suit their needs.  This behavior flies in the face of common sense, especially when the whole town becomes involved in it.  Other people use the witchcraft hysteria as a way to exact vengeance on their neighbors.   

divide and write the quotient as a mixed number: 16/5 i don't get it.

A fraction is basically a division problem.  Think about 1/4.  This fraction represents 1 whole divided into 4 pieces.

So, in this problem, the first step is to divide 16 by 5.  It will go in 3 times, with a remainder of 1.

The problem says the answer must be in the form of a mixed number -- that is, a whole number and a fraction.

The remainder in division can be expressed as a fraction:  remainder/divisor.   In this case, the remainder is 1/5.

So, the answer is 3 1/5.

Why does Jing-Mei Woo's mother think she can become a prodigy?

Jing Mei's mother thinks she can become a prodigy because she has been watching clips of Shirley Temple, a young girl who was a famous actress well known for her singing and dancing abilities.  She believes that because Shirley Temple can be successful, her own girl, Jing Mei, must be able to as well.  She even goes so far as to cut her hair in a bob-cut, making it look terrible, just to have her daughter resemble the famous actress.  Later, she forces Jing-mei into a recital where she is extremely embarrassed due to her lack of skill.

Jing Mei's mother believes that Jing Mei can "be best anything", and compares her to her daughter's friend who has random skills and abilities, such as spelling, for example.  Later, she tells her daughter that this friend is "only best tricky", implying that trickery and luck have as much to do with being a prodigy as do true skill and talent.  She truly believes that with a lot of practice and dedication, Jing Mei can out perform her friends and be a real prodigy.

In Much Ado About Nothing, compare Benedick's two soliloquies in Act II Scene 3. Do they reveal a change in consciousness?

Benedick's first soliloquoy consists of two main parts -- the humorous ridicule of Claudio's change from soldier to lover, and the explanation of how he, Benedick, is immune to the blandishments of love.   Benedick has, thus far, never found a woman to move him to love:

One woman is fair, yet I am well; another is wise, yet I am well; another virtuous, yet I am well; but till all graces be in one woman, one woman shall not come in my grace.  Rich she shall be, that's certain; wise, or I'll none; virtuous, or I'll never cheapen her; fair, or I'll never look on her; mild, or come not near me; noble, or not I for an  angel; of good discourse, an excellent musician, and her hair shall be of what colour it please God.

At this point in the scene Benedick thinks of love (and women) only in terms of the general.  He thinks of women in terms of desired attributes only.  But when faced with the prospect of Beatrice having affections for him, he changes dramatically. 

They say the lady is fair—'tis a truth, I can bear them witness; and virtuous—'tis so, I cannot reprove it; and wise, but for loving me—by my troth, it is no addition to her wit, nor no great argument of her folly, for I will be horribly in love with her.

Two things occur here -- he realizes others criticize his lack of love, and also that a real, specific woman (he thinks) loves him.  This makes love specific rather than general, and therefore more obtainable to him.

In "Everyday Use," explain how Mama is or is not a dynamic character.

Mama is a dynamic character, and because of the change in her, Maggie undergoes a significant change, as well. At the end of the story, Mama sees and understands both of her daughters clearly. She recognizes Dee for the selfish, hateful person she is, and she recognizes the depth of Maggie's loving nature, despite the suffering she has endured in her young life. Mama also understands clearly that Maggie has spent her entire life deferring to her smarter, more attractive, and quite aggressive sister:

When I looked at [Maggie] like that something hit me in the top of my head and ran down to the soles of my feet. Just like when I'm in church and the spirit of God touches me and I get happy and shout. I did some.thing I never done before: hugged Maggie to me, then dragged her on into the room, snatched the quilts out of Miss Wangero's [Dee's] hands and dumped them into Maggie's lap. Maggie just sat there on my bed with her mouth open.

Mama's choosing Maggie's feelings over Dee's represents an important change in her character. Maggie responds to this act of love, the recognition of her own value in her mother's eyes, by smiling "a real smile."

In The Canterbury Tales, how does the Pardoner describe his own character and morals in the Prologue to his tale?

"Lordynges," quod he, "in chirches whan I preche, 
I peyne me to han an hauteyn speche,
And rynge it out as round as gooth a belle,
 For I kan al by rote that I telle.
 My theme is alwey oon and evere was -
 'Radix malorum est Cupiditas.'

These are the Pardoner's opening words. When he preaches in churches, he cultivates a certain way of speaking, a "hauteyn speche". His voice rings out roundly like a bell does - and he knows everything "by rote" that he says. He only has one theme, and he's only ever had one: "Radix malorum est Cupiditas", or, in English "Greed is the root of all evil".

The problem is that the Pardoner himself is greedy, and he has no desire to help his congregation but instead simply wants to make money.

For myn entente is nat but for to wynne,
 And no thyng for correccioun of synne.

His "entente" (intention) is only to "wynne" (make profit) and his intention has nothing to do with the correction of sin. So the Pardoner's morals are entirely separate to those of his sermon - entirely opposite, even. He does not practice what he preaches.

Thus kan I preche agayn that same vice
 Which that I use, and that is avarice.

He preaches against the same vice which he himself has.

For though myself be a ful vicious man,
 A moral tale yet I you telle kan.

The Pardoner has no morals, and his character is "vicious" (fully vicious!). Yet here's the paradox - he can still ventriloquise a morally instructive story.

Why do Eliezer and the other prisoners respond so emotionally to the hanging of the child? Were the SS "more preoccupied, more disturbed" than usual?

The child is hanged for allegedly being part of the Resistance. This child is one who people really love. Besides the fact that it is a beloved child being hung, the child dies a very slow death. When he is hung, his neck does not break because he is not heavy enough to cause the force of the fall to sever his spinal column. If this had happened, death would have come quickly. Since his spinal column is in tact, he must die from asphyxiation. This makes his death slow and painful and the men who are forced to watch begin to cry. Someone asks "Where is God"? A voice from inside Eliezer tells him "God is on the gallows".

Is there a characteristic "style" of post-impressionism? If so, what are the defining traits of that style? Everything I find seems to just lump...

If you have access to pictures of Vincent Van Gogh's paintings and those of Claude Monet and Pissarro, especially, you will easily see differneces between Post-Impressionism and Impressionism.

In the pictorial biography "Van Gogh" writeen by Rainer Metzger and Ingo F. Walther this is written:

His pictures were a means of illustrating and backing up his view of the world.  When vanGogh considered the works of art he saw, he was not applying technical or compositional standards, or assessing colour values; his criteria were not aesthetic.  Instead, he was after expression of his own ideas.  His approach to art was distinctly literary in character:  he expected pictures to tell stories with which he could identify.

These remarks explain the the Post-Impressionists:  Like the Impressionists, they painted outdoors, utilizing light, and recorded the impressions of what they saw.  But, they added to their paintings more of themselves, it would seem.  The brush strokes are broader, the color more intense, more vibrant at times.  Painters such as Van Gogh experienced a tremendous liberation into color, a liberation of emotional intensity.

Another Post-Impressionist, Georges Seurat, put Impressionism on a scientific basis.  His tableau,
"Sunday Afternoon on the Grande Jatte," is an outdoor painting with dabs of color as an Impressionistic painting would be.  However, there is an unnaturalness to this painting wrought by the individual dots of complementary color that the eye of the viewer blends together.  The repetiiton of curved shapes is obviously calculated so that they are repeted throughout the painting.  Each figure rests upon a shadow; therefore, there is no one light source in this supposedly outdoor depiction.  There is no movement in this painting, nor any breaking up of light as is the case with the Impressionists.

With painters like Cezanne, the brillant colors of Van Gogh are applied and some of the geometric design of Seurat is apparent in his paintings.  Cezanne began the outlining of geometric shapes in his colorful paintings; he united color and form in his paintings.  The palette of colors was purified and intensified with Post-Impressionists.

A fine example of the technique of purifing and intensifying colors can also be found in the paintings of Paul Gauguin as well as in the posters of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.  Their art differs greatly from the cubists, who broke up shapes into their geometric components.

What is Pearl's effect on Dimmesdale in "The Scarlet Letter"? Does she play a part in his decision to confess? Why or why not?Any information would...

In many ways, Pearl is responsible for contributing to the guilt that Dimmesdale feels, which in turn is responsible for his ultimate confession.  Whenever Pearl and Dimmesdale are in contact with one another, she displays an inherent knowledge of his identity.  This is from their first close meeting, where Pearl clearly recognizes something in Dimmesdale, and he responds to her with a fatherly tenderness:

Pearl, ...stole softly towards him, and, taking his hand in the grasp of both her own, laid her cheek against it; ... The minister looked round, laid his hand on the child's head, hesitated an instant, and then kissed her brow.

If he can be so tender, musn't he feel guilty about his actions and how he has helped to make Pearl and Hester outcasts in the community?  When Dimmesdale stands upone the scaffold, he discusses his confession with Pearl - not with Hester.  It is Pearl who challenges him.

“But wilt thou promise,” asked Pearl, “to take my hand, and mother's hand, to-morrow noontide?”

“Not then, Pearl,” said the minister, “but another time!”

“And what other time?” persisted the child.

“At the great judgment day!” whispered the minister.

And, finally of course, it is Pearl who he last turns to before dying, asking her forgiveness before he can be at peace:

Dear little Pearl, wilt thou kiss me now? Thou wouldst not yonder, in the forest! But now thou wilt?”

Dimmesdale clearly is driven to confess by his sense of obligation to Pearl.

In The Scarlet Letter, what does the last sentence in Chapter XVII mean? ("Then, all was spoken!")

The meeting in the forest between Arthur and Hester is both tender and poignant after their years of suffering and separation. Hester attempts to save Arthur's life--he obviously is failing fast--by freeing him from Chillingworth's grip and inspiring him to leave the village and his past behind him. Hester tries to enlarge Arthur's vision of his own life by making him aware that a good life exists for him outside the boundaries of their small, restrictive, and joyless community:

Then there is the broad pathway of the sea! . . It brought thee hither. If thou so choose, it will bear thee back again. In our native land, whether in some remote rural village, or in vast London,—or, surely, in Germany, in France, in pleasant Italy,—thou wouldst be beyond [Chillingworth's] power and knowledge! And what hast thou to do with all these iron men, and their opinions? They have kept thy better part in bondage too long already!

When Arthur responds that he lacks the strength to start a new life alone, Hester tells him that he will not be alone and "Then, all was spoken."

By telling Arthur that he will not go alone, Hester is vowing to go with him, thus effectively telling Arthur that she still loves him. What is spoken after that, we can infer, relates to their feelings for each other and what each has experienced during the years of Arthur's shame and Hester's punishment. Furthermore, it would be reasonable to infer that they also speak of their plans for the future and how specifically they can make their escape from this place.

In "A Rose for Emily" what does the author mean when he says "a huge meadow which no winter ever touches"?

In Section V of "A Rose for Emily," the funeral for Emily Grierson is held.  The old servant lets the "sibilant" women in and "walked right through the house and out the back was not seen again."  This action of the "Negro" signifies the further end of the Old South with Emily's death.  Likewise, as the last vestiges of the Old South, the "very old men" in their Confederate uniforms attend the funeral. Sitting on the lawn they speak of Miss Emily as though she has been a contemporary of theirs, but they have lost their sense of time

confusing time with its mathematical progression, as the old do, to whom all the past is not a diminishing road but, instead, a huge meadow which no winter ever quite touches, divided from them now by the narrow bottle-neck of the most recent decade of years.

The memories of the aged are selective and subjective.  Like a green meadow, they are romantic, fresh, lively, and pleasant.  These memories are of their glorious and happy youth, separated from the reality of old age, the "narrow bottle-neck" of the present that, for them, is winter as it represents the end of their era, with their eventual death ahead.

Why did the United states get involved in World War I?

An excellent answer, the sinking of shipping and the Zimmerman telegram were the overt reasons America got into the war.  The Lusitania incident was the most widely publicized, a little ironic when you consider that the Amercian government and the major newspapers all knew that the ship had been carrying 200 tons of munitions to Britain, thus making the Lusitania a legitimate military target under the laws of naval warfare.  But further shipping losses and the lives of civilian passengers, including both American and other neutral citizens, led to widespread outrage.

The underlying reason for eventual American involvement , however, was the same thing that led Britain into the war.  The British recognized it even before the war began, and President Wilson reluctantly shared the same view; a German victory over France would leave Europe dominated by a militarist power, and that simply could not be allowed.  The long-term consequences would have been too dangerous.

How does Baba confront his sins front the past and redeem himself?

Baba does not confront his sins from the past but relies on monetary wealth to make himself feel better by giving Hassan presents and caring about him on special occasions. Amir does not understand why Baba gives Hassan so much attention until the moment Rahim Khan reveals that Hassan was in fact his half brother.

Amir is given many small hints as to his father's attitude towards Hassan. One scene occurs when Baba asks Amir to invite Hassan down to the lake with them but Amir sees Hassan as an obstacle for his ambition to be recognised and 'loved' by Baba. Yet, Baba does not pursue seeking a strong connection with Hassan because of his regretful actions. In truth, Baba is unhappy with both of his sons. In Amir, he is reminded of his deceased princess. In Hassan, he is reminded of the Hazara, Sanaubar, he had commited adultery with. If the reader appeals from Baba's perspective, they can conclude that after Amir's mother's death, Baba would have been left secluded and alone. Sanaubar was unhappy with Ali and may have comforted Baba, leading to conception of Hassan. This explains why Baba would not view Hassan as an equal compared to Amir. Hassan is the constant reminded of how much of a hypocrite Baba truly was.

Baba inadvertently proclaims himself a hypocrite when he speaks to Amir about his own morals. How everything is related to theft/stealing. "It is against the law to steal someone's wife, someone's right to life, someone's belongings". Yet, Baba had committed adultery with Ali's own wife! Their relationship could never work as the social interactions between Hazaras and Pashtuns were seen as disgraceful and inappropriate.

==============================================

I hope this helps a bit, I can't be bothered writing an entire essay. These are just some key points with some ideas. If i WERE to continue I would mention:

- America's experiences of equality

-The incident of Amir planting his watch in Hassan's bed and Baba's reaction followed by his attempts in stopping Ali from leaving.

How does Bilbo's character change over the course of The Hobbit?

Three ways that Bilbo Baggins changes from the beginning of The Hobbit to the end of the book are his understanding of the world around him, his sense of adventure, and his desire to live a comfortable life without thought for others. 

At the beginning of the book, Bilbo cares nothing for he world outside of the Shire or outside of his small hobbit home.  But by the end of the book, his eyes have been opened to the world outside of the Shire, and he has an understanding of different parts of the world as well as different people (elves, dwarves, dragons, to name a few) in the world. 

Also, his sense of adventure grows throughout the book.  At the beginning, Gandalf pretty much has to trick Bilbo into going on this adventure, but by the end of the book, Bilbo is much more courageous and willing adventure out on his own, as evidenced by his willingness to confront Smaug. 

Finally, although Bilbo is a hobbit who will always love his hobbit hole and his six meals a day, he has learned how to make sacrifices and how to live without these comforts if he must.  He even puts himself in danger when rescuing the dwarves from the Spiders and the Wood Elves and sacrifices his own comfort to ensure their safety. 

What details in Act I of Pygmalion suggest conflicts that might follow?

Some conflicts that are foretold in Act I of Pygmalion are foreshadowed in Liza's hysterical encounter with Higgins, The Note Taker; her encounter with Pickering; her encounter with Freddy, Higgins encounter with Pickering; and Clara's encounter with ... herself. Liza and Higgins begin on a high pitched note and they stay there throughout the play. Higgins offers Liza a chance for a transformation of their relationship to one of "fellowship" but she doesn't believe him and their conflict persists throughout the Sequel.

Liza's encounter with Pickering of a different sort. She speaks civilly, not hysterically, with him and he responds in kind with returned civility. He then responds with courtesy and spare change when she asks him to buy a flower and he cannot. Contrast this to Higgins who responds with discourtesy but tosses her a fistful of considerable money, enough money for her to treat herself to two taxi rides and language lessons (or so she thought ...).

Liza's encounter with Freddy shows a conflict of a different kind. she tells his mother that she called him "Freddy" just like anyone would do wanted to speak pleasantly to a stranger. When Freddy falls in love with Liza, his love isn't fervently returned, which presents a conflict of a different sort for Liza and for Freddy. However, Liza marries him anyway, which is the fulfillment of her "pleasant" feelings for him foretold in Act I.

Higgins' and Pickering's encounter establishes from the very start that Higgins is a bachelor and will remain a bachelor because he wants to be a bachelor and because he won't change his nature or his manners for anyone. This introduces the central conflict between Liza and Higgins: She may not be romantically in love with Higgins--or she may have taught herself not to be (there is some ambiguity in her behavior in Act V)--but she wants to be treated like a lady and with kindness. Higgins counters with the idea that he may not treat her the way Pickering does, but the real question is whether he treats anyone better than he treats her.

And Clara--well--the Sequel makes it clear that all throughout the time period of the play, Clara has been in conflict with most people and with most elements of society. Her mother could not manage to buy her an education, as the Sequel says, and so she is not intellectually or culturally at one with the social groups she thinks she ought to belong to. One day, she chances upon H.G. Wells, has the good fortune to meet him, and has her own life transformed (more of Shaw's belief in Life force) and new avenues of possibility opened up to her.

In "The Interlopers," what is Ulrich doing in the forest?

In the Saki short story "The Interlopers," Ulrich is in the forest looking for his sworn enemy.

“…eastern spurs of the Karpathians, a man stood one winter night watching and listening, as though he waited for some beast of the woods to come within the range of his vision, and, later, of his rifle. But the game for whose presence he kept so keen an outlook was none that figured in the sportsman's calendar as lawful and proper for the chase; Ulrich von Gradwitz patrolled the dark forest in quest of a human enemy, Georg Znaeym.”

Georg and Ulrich have been enemies since their birth because their fathers were enemies as were their fathers.  This animosity occurred over a land dispute and has been passed down over the generations.

What is the theme of the following quote from "The Great Gatsby":" I know. I've been everywhere and seen everything and done everything......

This quote, from the first chapter, is spoken by Daisy to Nick right after she told him about the birth of her daughter and how Daisy cried. Daisy reveals to the reader in this conversation that she is a sad person.  The first part of the conversation, when she talks about Pammy's birth, reveals that Tom has been cheating on Daisy for a long time since he was "...God knows where..." when Pammy was born.  Then Daisy's comment about being glad she had a girl and how she hoped her daughter would be a beautiful little fool tells us that Daisy realizes that her life is shallow and she feels it has no meaning.  It also tells us that Daisy has been hurt by life and that shying away from reality - acting as a fool - is the best way to protect oneself from the bitterness of reality. The next part of the conversation where Daisy talks about sophistication tells us further that Daisy sees her life as shallow.  One of the themes of the book is the culture clash that occurs between Daisy and Jay and how the two cultures can never co-exist.  The remark about being so sophisticated reveals that she realizes she has been thrust by birth into a station in life and that nothing she does will get her out of that station.  She feels bound by fate to be among the rich, priviledged class of people.  In truth, she is too weak to break free from that station and part of her realizes that, too.  She enjoys what her position in society affords her because she doesn't like reality and she doesn't like responsibility which is part of reality.  Daisy is a smart women, smart enough to realize her place and how to keep it and smart enough to realize that she is a shallow irresponsible woman who is too weak to change it.

In "A Separate Peace" in the imagery in Leper's description of the accident, what does his language add to the facts?

Leper describe the facts, but they way that he describes them adds a visual element; you are able to visualize exactly what happened.  He describes Gene's motion that knocks Finny out of the tree as a two-part engine, a piston moving.  With this, it is easy for use to visualize Gene bending his knees down, and the resulting wave that knocks Finny off.  He also says that they were surrounded with "golden machine-gun fire" and that their profiles were "as black as death."  This adds more imagery; you can see the dark profiles with the bright sunbeams striking out around their bodies.  It gives a great image.  But also note the words he uses; comparing Gene's action to "machine-gun fire", "black" and "death" adds a mood to it.  It makes the entire event seem more ominous, threatening, and intentful, rather than the on-a-whim action that Gene insists it was.  It is a poetic description that adds an air of morose morbidity to it, and this adds tension and suspense.  So, rather than just saying, "Yes, I saw it happen.  Gene knocked him out of the tree," Leper's imagery helps us to better visualize exactly what happened and how, and gives it an air of violence and intensity.

What aspects of love are defined in the relationship of Helena and Demitrius, Hermia and Lysander, and Titiana and Oberon?

Interestingly, your question could be widened to cover two more pairings in this play: Theseus and Hippolyta and Bottom and Titania. It is clear that love and its different manifestations and stages are a key theme of this play. In particular, note Helena's speech in Act I Scene i, where bemoaning her state, she states: "Things base and vile, holding no quantity / Love transposes to form and dignity." What love can do to us by blinding our eyes and looking with our mind (and therefore our imagination) is therefore key to the play - as modelled perfectly in the relationship between Titania and Bottom.

At the beginning of the play, therefore, Lysander and Hermia represent love in its first, glorious and unrealistic stages. The lovers are devoted to each other, and romantically resist authority (both parental and governmental) in their pursuit of that idealistic love. They seem to have a somewhat cliched attitude to love, as Lysander "consoles" Hermia with the idea that the "course of true love did n'er run smooth."

Demetrius and Helena represent the ability of love to wound and hurt. Helena indeed "dotes in idolatry" on Demetrius, and is ready to risk her friendship with Hermia, her virtue and her personal safety in her pursuit of his affections. She disparages herself, comparing herself to "a spaniel", who fawns upon her love. Unrequited love and the foolish things we do when in that position are thus modelled.

Titania and Oberon are a couple who model a love that although may have been strong in the past is now based on the desire to cause pain on either side. Both mention their former relationships with Theseus and Hippolyta into the fray, and Oberon's jealousy of not having the Indian boy throws the natural order into despair (Act II Scene 1). Oberon's revenge seems petty and in some ways unnecessarily cruel, though it is interesting that he is the controlling agent that brings happiness to Demetrius, Helena, Lysander and Hermia, and eventually, his own relationship with Titania. The relationship between Oberon and Titania perhaps then represents an older love that has allowed itself to become spoiled by petty jealousies and resentments.

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown," how and when does Young Goodman Brown know that his companion is the devil?

ecofan74
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College Teacher

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(Level 1) Associate Educator

Posted on June 18, 2009 at 7:17 AM

How did Curley's wife's dream of being an actress affect her in Of Mice and Men, and what change did it cause in her behavior?

In describing the dead girl, Steinbeck concludes with:

Now her rouged cheeks and her reddened lips made her seem alive and sleeping very lightly. The curls, tiny little sausages, were spread on the hay behind her head, and her lips were parted.

Curley's wife spent much of her time alone because there were no women for her to associate with and the men shunned her. She has no inner resources. She is probably only semi-literate. There was, of course, no television in those days and very little on the radio to interest a teenage girl. She must have spent many hours looking at herself in the mirror and experimenting with makeup and hair styles. The curls were certainly not natural but were the result of much time and patient effort with a curling iron. She was evidently copying young Shirley Temple, who was a super-star at the time and noted for her blonde curls, which were likewise artificial and had to be restored every night, although the public was not aware of this. 

Steinbeck takes great pains to make the reader aware that Curley's wife is a very young girl. She was hanging around the Riverside Dance Palace in Salinas when she was only fifteen, as she tells Lennie in the barn, and married Curley shortly after nearly leaving home with two other men. So she is only fifteen or sixteen. Steinbeck apparently wanted Lennie's victim to be extremely young because an older woman would know better than to get too close to Lennie or to invite him to feel her hair. Also, Lennie is attracted to small things and would be attracted to a young girl. Steinbeck even gives him the last name of Small. Steinbeck probably invented the little curls to suggest a visual comparison with Shirley Temple, who was only nine years old when Of Mice and Men was published, but had been making three or four movies a year for the past several years and was world-famous. 

Curley's wife is terribly naive. She wants Lennie to stop stroking her hair, not because she senses he is becoming sexually aroused, but because she doesn't want her curls to get undone after she had spent so much time perfecting them. 

"Don't you muss it up," she said.

"Look out, now, you'll muss it....You stop it now, you'll mess it all up."

There are other reasons why Steinbeck, in plotting his story, wanted to have Lennie to kill a girl who was very young. George feels compassion for her when he sees her lying there dead. He realizes the enormous wrongness in a pretty girl having her life snuffed out, along with her hopes and dreams, however unrealistic, by an imbecile who has no future and is becoming a menace to society. This is one of the reasons George decides to shoot Lennie.

What qualities do Gene and Finny respectiveley represent? Does reading the novel as an allegory make it easier or harder to predict the outcome?

You have asked two questions so I will only respond to the first. You always need to be wary of reading any novel as an allegory. A simple allegorical reading can lead you to miss some of the depth of the novel. However, your question does point towards the central theme of the novel and how the relationship between Finny and Gene demonstrates it.

Gene appears to represent qualities of envy, jealousy and the ability to commit evil acts. He is so insecure in his relationship with Finny and cannot understand or accept Finny's innocence and naivety. He spends most of the novel silently envious of Finny's natural athletic ability, self-confidence and handsomeness and assumes Finny likewise envies Gene. He cannot understand how Finny does not want the glory that goes with his achievements, such as breaking the swimming record. It is when Finny encourages Gene to study instead of going to the "Suicide Society" that Gene realises that Finny has always innocently loved his best friend without envy or rancour. It is this knowledge of his own suspicion and evil that drives Gene to knock Finny out of the tree.

Finny's innocence on the other hand is established throughout the novel. He only appears to be able to acknowledge a small part of the evil and horror of the world, rejecting the rest. This is why he finds it so hard to suspect Gene and also we see this characteristic in his stubborn refusal to accept that the War exists. Thus Finny can be said to represent innocence and naivety, whilst Gene can be said to represent more wordly and (sinful) human emotions.

What is the difference between the Silence of the Lambs book and the Silence of the Lambs movie?no

There is not much difference between the two.  I would say that one of the major differences between the two is that the book is devoted to the idea of exploring Starling's apprehension of Buffalo Bill.  The film does the same, but I think that there is a greater aspect of social concern in the film regarding Starling's role as a strong female.  The film does a very good job of exploring the barriers that she, as a woman, must face in apprehending Buffalo Bill.  It doesn't belabor the point being made, but shows it subtly, to a point that the book does not.  Even in the opening titles sequence in showing Clarice boarding an elevator with all men and receiving slight glares, or when briefing the West Virginia police, as well as other moments where Clarice the special agent has to battle against being seen as Clarice the woman. This is really expanded when it seems as if the only person of mention to treat her as an equal would be Dr. Lecter, who exposes her psychological terror.  I thought that this was brought out nicely in the film and not something that occupied the thoughts of the book.

How does the subplot of Volpone develop the thematic elements of the main plot?

The subplot of this play concerns the two characters of Peregrine and the rather naive and foolish Sir Politic Would-Be. The key events in the subplot are the ways in which Sir Politic tries to present himself as an experienced traveller with an intimate knowledge of Venice, where the play is set. He also shares his ludicrous schemes for making money. Peregrine, rather more streetwise, sees through the pomp and vanity of Sir Politic Would-Be and determines to trick him for his own amusement.

There is a definite parallel in terms of theme and plot between the main plot of Volpone and his avarice and how this leads him to trick the various suitors who gather round his supposedly dying body and the way in which Peregrine fools Sir Politic Would-Be. Both Volpone and Peregrine show themselves to be very canny and intelligent individuals who are able to identify and use the weaknesses of others against them for their own benefit. The only difference would be that the kind of revenge that Peregrine visits upon the poor Sir Politic is far more ridiculous than what Volpone does to the suitors. Making Sir Politic crawl across the floor pretendign to be a tortoise hurts only his pride and exposes him for the vain, pompous fool that he is.

What connects the two is the way that Venice is presented as a world made up of deceivers and the deceived. Jonson through the subplot and the example of poor Sir Politic seems to suggest that it is only a very brave or/and foolish Englishman who would enter such a brutal environment.

Describe the character of Minnie Wright in "A Jury of Her Peers" as a young unmarried woman.

           A woman can tolerate just so much; when she is locked away from her dreams and the delightful life she was used to, morbid hatred begins to accumulate. Minnie Foster, in “A Jury of Her Peers” by Susan Glaspell, had been forced to change her delightful self into an austere and obedient housewife, a tragic change that eventually leads her to murder her husband, John Wright. Minnie Foster, or Minnie Wright is therefore, a morbidly dynamic character whose dreams represented by the singing canary, was crushed by John Wright.

           The death of the singing canary, an alter ego of Minnie Foster, reveals the inanimate marriage she underwent and the motivation behind the murder of her husband, John Wright. There was a time when Minnie Foster was “…like the bird”; she was “…sweet and pretty…” and loved to sing. It was only after she married when she really “… [changed]”. Living a life full of “nothing”, the canary was her only companion, an alter ego that was still free enough to sing. Yet, when John Wright “…wrung its neck”, it not only led to the bird’s death but also Minnie Foster’s death due to “…lack of life”; he ultimately destroyed the last innocence and youth that was left inside her. It also explains why John Wright was “chocked” to death leaving the gun in the house untouched. It had only seemed fair to Minnie Wright that her husband should suffer the same way since he had wrung the dreams and therefore life out of her. 

In the Iliad, when Hephaestus is making a shield for Achilles what is the point of all the different pictures he puts on it?

Hephaestus shows so much on the shield; the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the pictures of two cities with all the activities of civilization in the Bronze Age: festivals and weddings, legal disputes, warfare, animal husbandry, agriculture, and, finally dancing -- that in essence the god fashions for Achilles the whole world in miniature.  Thetis asked Hephaestus to make this armor for Achilles because Achilles will die soon.  Hephaestus says, "How I wish I were able as surely to hide him away from/dolorous death, at the time his terrible fate overcomes him,/as now beautiful armor will be his, such as hereafter/many a mortal will wonder to look at, whoever beholds it." (335)  Thetis cannot save her son from his early death, but she can give him the most wonderful shield ever made, showing all the things of earth that he could have ever enjoyed, and which he will soon miss when he is dead.  There is also some foreshadowing in the images, for one of the cities pictured is being besieged (like Troy), and a herd of cattle is attacked by ravaging lions.  There is some irony, too, as Hephaestus, the "twice lame cripple" (338) makes an elaborate scene of dancing.  The god cannot dance, but he can sculpt the best dancers out of gold and tin on a shield for Achilles.  Both Achilles and Hephaestus have something represented on the shield which is denied to them.   Source: Homer. The Iliad. Trans. Rodney Merrill.  Ann Arbor: U of Mich. Press, 2007.

What does the tagline of "Dead Poets' Society" mean?"He was their inspiration. He made their lives extraordinary."

"The Dead Poet's Society" was a movie about John Keating.  Keating was an inspirational teacher and this was Robin Williams portrayal of this amazing teacher.  He actually taught in Nashville, TN for a short time and I got to hear him speak to the topic of education and today's youth. Keating is a motivator and very engaging.  He makes you want to go into your classroom and challenge your students to challenge themselves. 

"The story is set at the fictional Welton Academy in Vermont The script was written based on the author's life, Samuel F. Pickering, at Montgomery Bell Academy, an all-boys preparatory school in Nashiville,Tennessee"

"He was their inspiration. He made their lives extraordinary."  simply means that no student ever forgot that they had sat in this man's classroom. These young men and women are at a very impressionable age and Keating has a way of touching their soul and earning their loyalty.  He "gets" them. He has a unique and non-conforming way of reaching nearly every life he touches in the classroom.  His unique style certainly makes administrator's uncomfortable.  Can you imagine if you had walked into a stuffy English class and your teacher told you to rip out the first two chapters of the book and throw it away?  I bet he/she would have immediately have become an inspiration.  I hope some of my students feel that way about me.

What kind of people are the Fezziwigs?

The Fezziwigs are lovers of life. The Fezziwigs are known for their kindness, generosity, and affection for employees and friends. Mr. Fezziwig is visited by Scrooge with the Ghost of Christmas past during a Christmas party. Scrooge observed the Christmas party and the Fezziwigs were heartily celebrating the season with employees and friends. At this point, Scrooge is forced to reflect on his choices and he realizes that his actions are very different from the actions of Mr. Fezziwig, whom he admires. At the end of the story, Mr. Fezziwig is one of the few people Scrooge admits to being thankful for having in his life.

In Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points speech, in the simplest form, what do the 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, and 10th points mean?What do the 4th, 5th, 8th,...

Woodrow Wilson presented his Fourteen Points speech to a joint session of Congress on January 8, 1918 in hopes of promoting peace in the aftermath of WWI. The first five points of the speech provide general guidelines for peace. In points four and five, the power of peaceful nations is addressed and Wilson identified the need to change in order to create a stable and peaceful world.

In point four, Wilson says that all peaceful nations must disarm and retain only enough weaponry to provide domestic safety.

Point five is directed at the colonial powers, directing them to release all colonial claims and to work in with the colonized counties for the benefit of those populations.

In point eight Wilson requires that French territory be returned to France, including the Alsace-Lorraine portion that had been in contention since 1871.

In point nine, Wilson suggests the readjustment of Italian boarders by clearly defined nationality lines.

In point ten, Wilson states that the people of Austria-Hungary should be given the opportunity for self-government and that borders should be created along nationality lines.

What are some examples of Knowles's use of weather conditions in A Separate Peace to create a mood or atmosphere?

The novel begins with Gene's return to Devon after fifteen years. Knowles' description of the weather that day creates a somber tone and emphasizes Gene's emotional state. The day is cold and wet with gusty winds coming off the river. Gene walks through muddy ground. A fog hangs over the river, enveloping Gene and isolating him from everything except the river and the trees beside it.

In Chapter 4, Gene wakes up at the beach while Finny still sleeps. The dawn is not beautiful; it is strange and gray, "like sunshine through burlap." The ocean looks dead, the gray waves look dead and the beach looks gray and dead--a tone of foreboding. In sleep, Finny also looks dead, an example of foreshadowing.

In Chapter 6, fall comes to Devon. "Fall had barely touched the full splendor of the trees, and during the height of the day the sun briefly regained its summertime power." Yet there is an "edge of coolness to imply the coming winter." The atmosphere is one of quiet transition; summer still echoes, but the coming winter (literally and figuratively) cannot be avoided.

In Chapter 7, winter settles in as Devon is buried under several snows: "[T]he ground had been clamped under snow for the winter." The arrival of real winter parallels the arrival of the "real" war" at school: "In the same way [that winter arrived] the war . . . commenced its invasion of the school. The early snow was commandeered as its advance guard."

Finally, with the conclusion of the novel, summer returns to Devon with "a beautiful New England day."  Knowles writes that "Peace lay on Devon like a blessing, the summer's peace, the reprieve . . . ." The novel begins in cold rain and fog (Gene's emotional quest), but it ends in the warmth of another summer; Gene had survived the terrible year.