Can someone help me with figures of speech and literary devices from Macbeth, Act I?What figure of speech can be found in this quote: "but i am...

Shakespeare has filled Macbeth with numerous figures of speech and literary devices, and these examples are no exception.  In regards to "but I am faint, my gashes cry for help," the figure of speech used here is personification.  Personification is when an author gives something human qualities that has none.  Here the "gashes" are "crying" for help, personifying the word "gashes."  Next, even though you have the following quote in the "literary device" category, it is actually a figure of speech:  "The prince of cumberland! that is a step on which i must fall down, or else o'erleap" is most definitely a metaphor: a comparison of two or more unrelated things without using "like" or "as."  Here the "Prince of Cumberland" is said to be "a step" making the point that he needs to be used to get further or conceded as a stopping point. In regards to literary devices, the two examples are the same literary device: parallelism.  Parallelism is using a balance of two or more phrases or clauses in the same grammatical equation.  For example, "point against point, rebellious arm 'gainst arm" as well as "tell us truths, win us trifles, betray us consequence."  Shakespeare:  a master of his craft!

In Chapter 15 of To Kill a Mockingbird, why does the group at the jail disperse after Scout's conversation with Mr. Cunningham?What does this show...

The mob dispersed after Scout's conversation with Mr. Cunningham because it ceased to be just a mob.  It became a collection of individuals, each of whom was recognizable.

Mr. Cunningham's safety was in anonymity.   To the mob mentality, an action taken by a mob is less reprehensible than the same act taken by an individual.  Thus, when Scout treated Mr. Cunningham as an individual, she destroyed the mob.    No one person in it was then safe from being taken out of the mob and being made a unique person.

Mr. Cunningham was identified as a family man, a father.    This was quite different from what he was doing in connection with the mob.  Personal diginity and virtue can be more easily set aside within the anonymity of a mob.  These were brought back to Mr. Cunningham by Scout.

What were the popular subjects in American literature in the 1940s?It would be wonderful if you could simply list the subjects and give as much...

"The Race Question"

This isn't a complete answer, but the 1940s was a period when the Chicago Black Renaissance was going full steam (Richard Wright published Native Son in 1940, and Gwendolyn Brooks wrote her first book of poetry, A Street in Bronzeville). Many of these writers were concerned with depicting black urban life; Richard Wright in particular is also exploring the possibilities that the Communist party's activism hold for African American rights (the Communist party had a strict anti-racism policy, and was a pretty novel arena for many, as white and black Americans organized/worked together as equals).  [By the way, later, Richard Wright quite publicly breaks with the Communist party.] The forties marks an important turning point in African American approaches to dealing with racism: before the war, Af Am newspapers focused on developing a strong (but separate) Af Am community: the goal was to gain enough rights in order to be able to live their lives, earn money, etc.  Black soldiers fought in World War II, however, so after the war, there's a marked change in that African Americans begin demanding /equal/ rights, rather than "enough."

"Soldier experiences in WWII"

The forties in general are marked by opposing tensions.  On the one hand, the world is reeling from the atrocities of fascism in Europe; many Europeans have fled to the U.S. in the face of Nazi persecution.  So there's a sense of horror and disillusionment there.  At the same time, the war industry pulls the U.S. out a long and difficult economic depression, and as an Ally in WWII, the U.S. becomes a world superpower.  So there's a great deal of optimism and enthusiasm.  When soldiers return, you get the baby boom (Dr. Spock first published in the 40s), and due to the GI Bill, many more people go to college.  People are pretty fascinated by the war and the experience of soldiers-- one of the big books from the 1940s is Norman Mailer's The Naked and the Dead, which depicts soldiers in combat with pretty gritty realism; the novel is characterized by a heavy use of military lingo and strong, slangy talk between soldiers.

Just a note: msbrenner is correct that after the war, the Lost Generation was a group of modernist expatriate writers who were disillusioned with the carnage they had just witnessed-- but this was after the FIRST world war, in the 1920s, not in the 1940s.

What are the Monk's traits, and what medieval class does he represent in the The Canterbury Tales?

The Monk is described quite well in "The Prologue" to The Canterbury Tales and is a member of the clerical/ecclesiastical class in that he is a member of the clergy.  Generally, the Monk is described as "fat" and "personable," a fine sort of "manly man" who loved to hunt and owned many horses.  What is most interesting is the way Chaucer describes the Monk in reference to him being in the clergy:

Old and strict he tended to ignore; / He let go by the things of yesterday / And took the modern world's more spacious way. (24)

In other words, this Monk wasn't going to bog himself down with the strict rules of the Catholic Church.  He was a more "modern" clergyman and, therefore, could connect with people much better.  Another interesting thing is that the Host is on the Monk's side! 

And I agreed and said his views were sound; Was he to study till his head went round / Pouring over books in cloisters? (24)

One can assume, then, that the Host's words echo those of Chaucer, who makes an interesting statement about modern churchgoing here.  One must remember that it was at this time that the very first Bible was finally printed and read in English (instead of Latin).  I think of Chaucer's description of the Monk to be a commentary on this event. 

There is more to the Monk, however, than meets the eye.  The Monk has one of the longest descriptions in the prologue precisely because it isn't often that you find a member of his class who is also a member of the upper class.  Chaucer wastes no time in letting us know that the Monk is most certainly rich. 

He spared no expense/  I saw his sleeves were garnished at the hand /With fine grey fur, the finest in the land, / . . . Many a dainty horse he had in his stable. / . . . He liked a fat swan best, and roasted whole. (24)

The Host makes no commentary as to whether this is good or bad and, I suppose, either "everyone deserves the good life" or "clergymen should be poor" could be proved in this regard.  What a fun masters thesis!

Why did the Boston Loyalists feel that they had to go with the British to Canada?

After the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, George III declared the American Colonies in a state of rebellion, and blockaded not only the port of Boston but the entire colonial coast, exacerbating an already difficult economic condition by completely halting trade. For the next several months, Boston depopulated as starvation among colonists increased.  Meanwhile, the "Green Mountain Boys" under Ethan Allen had seized the British forts at Ticonderoga and Crown Point on Lake Champlain.  Miraculously, the colonists were able to blaze a new road and move all the cannon from these forts from upstate New York to Boston.  In one of his first major campaigns as commander of the Continental Army, George Washington then used this cannon at Dorchester Heights, which then overlooked Boston Harbor, and threatened to destroy the British fleet at anchor. The British wisely withdrew from Boston on March 17, 1776 (still celebrated as "Evacuation Day" in Boston) and sailed to Halifax, Nova Scotia with about 1000 civilian British Loyalists.  These Loyalists had been targeted by the Colonists with increasing violence over time as the political situation deteriorated; both sides had civilians killed in prior struggles.  With the British military leaving, they would have been at the mercy of the Colonists who would have killed them if given the chance. Today there are families with descendants in both cities, as the conflict during the American Revolution had split families, as the Civil War was to do nearly 100 years later.

Source Note: Rise of the American Nation, Todd / Curti, pg. 119, 1972.

How far can we say that Gatsby is the incarnation of the "American Dream"?

"Gatsby represents the American dream of self-made wealth and happiness, the spirit of youth and resourcefulness, and the ability to make something of one's self despite one's origins"

The American Dream is a vision that a man like Jay Gatsby has had, his parents were humble farmers, poor.  He, now living in a rich, opulent house with a lavish lifestyle full of parties and fancy possessions, has achieved what can be described as the American dream.

The ability to rise from humble roots, in a country where opportunity for success is offered to anyone who is willing to work hard, and succeed beyond what his parents achieved in their lifetimes.  To own a home, to be financially comfortable, to have stability in your work life, to be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor. 

Jay Gatsby perceived from his humble job as a janitor, while working through school, that he wanted more out of life.  He did not let his current position limit him, he strove for something better that is how he is the embodiment of the American Dream.

In Chapter 20 of The Scarlet Letter, how has Dimmesdale changed physically since his last meeting with Hester?

After his meeting with Hester, Dimmesdale's positive physical transformation is nothing short of a miracle.  "The excitement of Mr. Dimmesdale's feelings as he returned from his interview with Hester lent him unaccustomed physical energy, and hurried him townward at a rapid pace" (204).  This description should amaze anyone who was used to the minister hanging his head down, looking as pale as death, and clutching his heart.  It is the vow between Hester and Dimmesdale to run away with Pearl that has strengthened him, which shows in itself the subconscious effects of the minister's commitment to sin.  I find it incredibly titillating the action words used to describe Dimmesdale's physical change.  "He leaped across the plashy places, thrust himself through the clinging underbrush, climbed the ascent, plunged into the hollow, and overcame, in short, all the difficulties of the track with an unweariable activity that astonished him" (204).  Our weary and conflicted minister is now leaping and thrusting and climbing and plunging!  This is essentially what got him into trouble in the first place!  Ha! 

Is excessive ambition the only source of Macbeth's "evil"?According to the critic L.C. Knights, "Macbeth defines a particular kind of evil the evil...

Well, I'd start by asking - what is Macbeth's "evil"? Knights makes a couple of significant assumptions: first of all, that evil as a concept exists not only in our world, but in the world of Shakespeare's play. Secondly, he argues that a "lust for power" automatically leads to evil. I'd challenge, and disagree with, both of those assumptions.

Firstly - is Macbeth really evil? He seems to be a popular soldier, at the start of the play, he's pretty much single-handedly won a huge battle for his country against the Norweigans:

The King hath happily received, Macbeth,
The news of thy success; and when he reads
Thy personal venture in the rebels’ fight,
His wonders and his praises do contend
Which should be thine or his.

He has a close friend in Banquo, and there's no evidence, anywhere in the play, he's ever done anything wrong before. Duncan seems to think he's fantastic (and that's no evidence, thus far in the play, that he's a bad judge of character).

At the start, Macbeth isn't evil. And if he were evil, surely there would be no tragedy? Tragedy happens when you connect with the material, when it takes you on an emotional journey with it. And there's nothing sympathetic or interesting about a monster.

He is, of course, ambitious:

Two truths are told,
As happy prologues to the swelling act
Of the imperial theme!—

He is also persuaded by his wife that he should kill the king. He is also the subject of a series of prophecies by the witches on the heath, that tell him he is going to be the king. And the fact that his desires for the crown are "black and deep" suggest that he has longed for the crown before even the prophecies are spoken. But all of that strikes me as irrelevant to your question, really.

Macbeth isn't "evil" at the start. But he becomes evil. He becomes a "dead butcher", in Malcolm's words, killing everyone and losing all empathy. And how does it happen? He makes a mistake. He is persuaded - partly by his own ambition, partly by his wife, partly by the witches' prophecies - to kill Duncan, his friend and the country's king.

After that he himself is on the throne, and there is never a secure moment. He worries, he panics, he can't sleep. He is forced to kill again, and again to desperately cling at security. And he becomes something evil: his mind is "full of scorpions".

So his ambition is one factor in what makes him make a terrible mistake. But that doesn't itself make him evil: evil is at the bottom of the slipperly slope which his ambition - along with the other factors above - pushes him over the top of.

Hope it helps!

I need help proving that Banquo's ghost really exists, and that Macbeth isnt just imagining it. I cant find any quotes to support this.

Hi,

This is a very interesting question, because proving that a ghost "really exists" is very controversial in our modern society, leading to such reality TV as Paranormal State and fictional TV such as Ghost Whisperer. What drives these shows is the beliefs of those who think they can see and track ghosts, and sometimes the conflict appears between those who can see struggling with those who can't. So, let's analyze Act 3, scene 4, from that modern perspective: who can see the ghost of Banquo, and who can't? It's not that we have to say that ghosts are truly real as much as we have to prove that ghosts are making a difference to the characters and plot in this story.

There's an obvious first answer, and you already know it: Macbeth believes the ghost really exists. Why? Because Macbeth takes concrete action in response to the ghost. Go back to the scene and find the lines of dialogue where Macbeth a) speaks to the ghost b) speaks about the ghost and c) takes physical action in response to the ghost. (Hint for your first piece of evidence, relating to (c): what is Macbeth unable to do as the banquet starts?)

Now, besides Macbeth, who else gets to see the ghost? Remember, this story is drama, so it's the audience. Where can you find evidence that the audience gets to see the ghost? When you analyze literature, you can quote anything on the page that proves your point. Ever been in a play? Then you know that stage directions are key (written in italics) and without them, actors, such as the one playing the ghost of Banquo, wouldn't know what Shakespeare wanted them to do).

Keep in mind: you as writer are acting like the college students on Paranormal State: you're using any kind of "tracking devices" (EVP tracking equipment, audio equipment,and video equipment with infrared/temperature tracking).

Finally, if you really want to dunk on this one, show your teacher that the play up until this point has given the audience ample proof that the spiritual world is alive and well in this play. Where in Acts 1-3, up to this moment, have we seen evidence of a) supernatural phenomena and b) characters reacting to it? If there is evidence for that, then why should a ghost at this point be unbelievable? And there you have your evidence.

Good luck, counselor! Now go win your case in court. :-)

In the poem " To his Coy Mistress" where does the tone change?what kind of tone is the speaker using

This poem is a witty example of carpe diem style--seize the day for tomorrow will be a different story!

The poem begins with the speaker praising the lady's beauty,and he tells her how much time he would spend ravishing her every inch, giving the most time to her heart since it is the most beautiful part of her.  If time were unlimited, he would spend every bit of it wooing her.

The tone changes, however when he says, "BUT at my back I always hear Time's wingèd chariot hurrying near;"  which tells us that he does not believe that have all the time in the world.  He cannot admire her as she deserves to be loved since time is their enemy.  The remainder of the poem gives us reasons why she should jump at the chance to love and be loved NOW while they are still young and beautiful.

Need to solve equasion for Y. 4y + 3X = 7

Two varibles x and y , in degree one, is a linear equation and is generally written like, ax+by+c=0. The given equation is 4y+3x=-7 can also be written  as , 3x+4y-7=0.

Solution:

To solve the equation for y, we subtract 3x from both sides as a 1st step.

4y+3x -3x=7 -3x

4y=7-3x

Divide both sides by 4.

4y/4=(7-3x)/4

y=7/4 - (3/4)x     0r     y =0.75-0.75x

Now give any value to x , and you get y value:

X:     0        1         2          3            4           5

y= 0.75    1         0.25   -0.50    -1.25     -2

Plot the values you get a steadily decreasing line  for y as x increases.

For the calculus lovers! An isosceles triangle has perimeter of 64 cm. determine the side lengths if the triangle area is to be a maximum! HELPIts...

The perimeter of any geometric shape may be found adding the lengths of the sides of the geometric shape.

Since the isosceles triangle has two equal sides the perimeter is evaluated such that:

P = 2x + y

The perimeter is given such that 64 = 2x + y.

The area of the isosceles triangle is: `A = y*height/2`

The height may be found using the Pythagora's theorem:

`x^2 = y^2/2 ` + height

height = `x^2 - y^2/2`

Use the relation involving perimeter to write y in terms of x.

y = 64 - 2x

height =`x^2 - (64 - 2x)^2/2`

height = `x^2 - 4(32 - x)^2/2 =gt`  height =`x^2 - 4(32 - x)^2`

Area `= ((64 - 2x)*(x^2 - 4(32 - x)^2))/2`

Area `= (2*(32 - x)*(x^2 - 4(32 - x)^2))/2`

Area `= (32 - x)*(x^2 - 4(32 - x)^2))`

Expanding the binomial yields:

`A(x) =(32 - x)*(x^2 - 4*32^2+64*4*x - 4x^2)`

`A(x) =(32 - x)*(-3x^2 - 4*32^2+64*4*x)`

`A(x) =(32 - x)*(x^2 -4096+256x - 4x^2)`

`A(x) =32x^2 -131072+8192x - 128x^2 - x^3 + 4096x - 256x^2 + 4x^3`

`` `A(x) = 3x^3 - 352x^2 + 12288x - 131072`

The area is given by the equation `A(x) = 3x^3 - 352x^2 + 12288x - 131072.`

The Area is maximum if A'(x) = 0.

You need to differentiate the function of area:

`A'(x) = 9x^2 - 704x + 12288`

If `A'(x) = 0 =gt 9x^2 - 704x + 12288 = 0`

Applying quadratic formula yields: `x_(1,2) = (704+-sqrt(495616 - 442368))/18`

`` `x_(1,2) ~~ (704+-230)/18`

`x_1~~ 51.88 ; x_2~~ 26.33`

The area is maximum if the lengths of the sides of the isosceles triangle are: `x_1~~ 51.88 ; x_2~~ 26.33.`

What are some examples of paradoxes of character in A Tale of Two Cities?A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

A novel of dualities, A Tale of Two Cities contains characters who are much like other characters; and within themselves there are two apparently contradictory sides to the characters.  Even extremely minor characters exhibit paradoxical qualities. One such personage is the Monseigneur of Chapter 7 of Book the Second, who is one of the great lords in power at the Court in Paris, yet he is unable to drink his morning chocolate without the much assistance:

Monsiegneur could swallow a great many things with ease, and was by some few sullen minds supposed to be rather rapidly swallowing France; but , his morning's chocolate could not so much as get into the throat of Monseigneur, without the aid of four strong men besides the Cook.

Another minor character who exhibits paradoxical characteristics is Jerry Cruncher.  Claiming to be "an honest tradesman," who runs errands for a highly reputable bank by day, Jerry commits crimes at night as he exhumes cadavers and delivers them for profit to medical schools.  Jerry's self-bestowed sobriquet of "Resurrection Man" seems contradictory, but when Jerry goes to exhume Roger Cly one night in London, he finds no body.  Noticing John Barsad while he is in France, Jerry figuratively "resurrects" Roger Cly by reporting that the funeral for this person has  been staged.  Thus, he exposes Miss Pross's brother, whose name is really Solomon, as a double-spy.

C. J. Stryver, whose acumen is not as great as that of Sydney Carton, nevertheless possesses enough analytical and logical skill to be a practicing barrister in London.  Yet, paradoxically, he is too obtuse to even catch any of the hints that Mr. Lorry provides him regarding Lucie's lack of interest in him as a husband. In the chapter entitled paradoxically "The Fellow of Delicacy," Mr. Lorry does his best to persuade Stryver not to go to the Manette's and propose to Lucie.  However, Mr. Stryver misconstrues completely what Mr. Lorry implies about him, thinking instead that Lorry means that Lucie "is a mincing Fool."

Dr. Manette, too, is paradoxical.  For, while he has his spells of insanity, he yet can lucidly talk of his mental malady with Mr. Lorry as long as they discuss Manette as though he were another man about whom Mr. Lorry is consulting him.  In fact, in Chapter 19, "An Opinion," Manette even analyzes his ailment:

...it is very hard to explain, consistently, the innermost workings of this poor man's mind.  He once yearned so frightfully for that occupation, and it was so welcome when it came; no doubt it relieved his pain so much by substituting the perplexity of the fingers for the perplexity of the brain...

With Mr. Lorry's gentle coaxing, Manette agrees to the cure.

The paradoxical qualities of the characters of Dickens's great classic recall for the reader the famous opening passage of the novel:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,....we had everything before us, we had nothing before us....

The Monseigneur has everything before him, but later has nothing, Stryver has all the evidence before him but has no understanding, Dr. Manette has his family, but must regain his mental strength.  Like life itself, many of the characters seem contradictory in nature.

What is gregors role in the family? How is that role about to change? Why does he have so much responsiblity? In Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis,...

Up until his metamorphosis, Gregor was the sole breadwinner for the family, which consisted of his parents, his sister, and himself. Gregor's father was both demanding and demeaning, expecting Gregor to pay off his debts and support the family, even though it is traditionally the father's role to be the provider. Gregor went along, submitting to the humiliation and sacrificing his own desires to please his overbearing father.

It make the transformation into an enormous bug an interesting choice. Insects have exoskeletons, meaning they are restricted to certain and limited types of movement. Exoskeletons also mean there is no spine. Gregor certainly shows no evidence of a "spine" in our modern vernacular. He doesn't stand up to his father, nor does he refuse to pay his father's debts. He simply crawls along, doing what it expected of him even though he is miserable doing it.

Gregor's movements are also limited, both figuratively and literally. Since Gregor submits to the expectations of his father, he limits himself in career choice, lodging, and social circle. He lives at home without friends or hobbies. Once his metamorphosis occurs, he cannot easily move even to leave his bed. He is ultimately paralyzed by the exoskeleton he created first in his mind, and then in his own actuality.

In "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" what are the descriptions that Huck gives of the Mississippi river? Toward the end of Chapter 7 and the...

Since Mark Twain spent a lot of his actual life on the Mississippi River, he was able to give very detailed descriptions about the river itself, and we can trust them to be accurate representations of what it was like.  Near the end of chapter 7, he describes "how far a body can hear on the water such nights!", an eerie and almost surreal experience, as you can hear conversations from far away like they are happening right next to you.  Huck enjoys listening to one; it sets a mood of ease and relaxation.  Later he describes the "big river and the black driftwood" after he has landed on the island; describing it as big, and with black driftwood sets a mood of isolation and loneliness for Huck on the island.

In chapter 8 he describes the river as "a mile wide there, and it always looks pretty on a summer morning" which sets a happy mood as he sits down to just watch the river.  A lot of the descriptions of the river that Huck gives are ones of peacefulness and serenity.  Later he describes the river at night by saying "I see the moon go off watch, and the darkness begin to blanket the river," which is a really cool way to describe the dark river as the moon leaves.  It is a bit ominous, but pretty at the same time.

Those are just a few descriptions, and I hope that helps!

In "A Rose for Emily," what conflicts existed between Emily and her father? (For whom or what was the horsewhip intended?)

All that we know for sure in this story is that Emily's father discourages all of the suitors Miss Emily had, which is likely to have been a conflict. We know that he ostensibly did so because none of them was good enough for her, not being of the socioeconomic class of the Griersons.  We are told that the townspeople

...believed that the Griersons held themselves a little too high for what they really were. None of the young men were quite good enough for Miss Emily and such. (Part II).

And we are given an image, what the townspeople saw in their minds,

...a tableau, Miss Emily a slender figure in white in the background, her father a spraddled silhouette in the foreground, his back to her and clutching a horsewhip, the two of them framed by the back-flung front door.

This is a striking image, of the father as a violent man, fending off all the young men come to court Miss Emily, with Miss Emily, small, thin, and helpless, purely dressed in white, standing behind her father, turning away from the father's brutality. 

Why did her father turn away these young men? The story does suggest that they were not good enough for her, but another reasonable inference is that he wanted to keep Miss Emily at home to take care of him. Whatever the reason, it is likely that Miss Emily longed for love, marriage, and escape from her father.  For a female in that time and place, marriage would have been the only escape route she would have had. But for any young women, in any time and place, such a father would have created a considerable conflict. 

Compare Maggie and Dee based on their motivations, personalities, and feelings about heritage.

Dee is motivated by her desire to climb higher on the social ladder.  She sees the old items at home that used to be embarrassing to her now as items to "display" in her urbane and up-to-date decorations in her new place. She is aggressive and tries to push both her mother and Maggie around so that she can get what she wants out of them. She sees her heritage in terms of material possessions and changing her name for more attention.

Maggie on the other hand is extremely shy and easily pushed around by her sister.  Her scars created an even more reclusive character over time.  She sees the items that Dee wants as useful items, not things to show off to friends.  She lives the life of poverty with her mother and knows that she has to work for what she has.  Those quilts were promised to her and she will one day need them/use them for practical reasons. Taking the quilts with her one day, she sees her heritage as something that is passed down from her mother to her, and eventually to her children.  It would never be something she'd put "on display" like art.  She and her sister never had anything in common, nor will they.  Their contrasting characteristics are what create the friction in this story.

What might the effect of the following sound effects be to the audience in "Macbeth"?a)the bell at the end of Act Two, Scene 1? b)the owl referred...

The audience will be intense on the action, and these sound effects will effect them as profoundly as they do the actors involved on the stage.

For instance, the audience is well aware that the bell in Act II, scene i is the signal for Macbeth to move toward Duncan's room and commit the murder.  Macbeth's comment is, "I go, and it is done.  The bell invites me.  Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell."  The bell would have the effect of ominous events to come, the audience would be on the edge of its seat with anticipation.

The owl mentioned in Act II, scene ii would also be an ominous warning.  The audience would see both the owl and the crickets as prophetic of death.

LIkewise, the knocking would effect them in much the same way.  The deed is done by this time, and like Macbeth, the audience might wish that it had not been committed.  Macbeth states, "Wake Duncan with thy knocking!  I would thou couldst!"  The audience, like Macbeth will recognize the deed as an evil one, and now the plot is in motion.  The deed will not go unpunished.

The trumpet and the alarm bell in Act II, sc iii would indicate the Last Judgment.  It is also a prophetic and tense effect.  Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are guilty, and time will tell what their punishment will be for taking the life a man so greatly loved that even the earth and the creatures on it rebuke his foul murder.

What is the atmosphere of the novel 1984 and how is it created?

George Orwell’s 1984 has been called a depressing dystopian story. A dystopia is a future world where things have gone wrong (the opposite of “utopia,” a perfect future world).

To achieve this effect, Orwell has to create a negative atmosphere in which his characters struggle to understand and escape forces that are beyond their control. Writers typically create their mood and atmosphere through diction (word choice) and imagery. Some words and images have more power to convey ideas to readers. A skilled writer like Orwell can create a dreary, depressing future world by carefully choosing what words and images to use.

The reader doesn’t have to go far to find a good example of this in 1984. Here is the very paragraph in the book:

It was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen. Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions, though not quickly enough to prevent a swirl of gritty dust from entering along with him.

This opening paragraph immediately tells the reader that the main character, Winston Smith, is in a hostile environment. The atmosphere here is threatening and disheartening. A clock that strikes thirteen signals to the reader that things just aren’t right in this place. And notice the little environmental detail near the end, the “gritty dust” that follows him through the door. Orwell does not write this accidentally. The presence of the dust suggests uncleanness. The fact that the dust follows him, apparently against his wishes, portrays Smith as a person in danger and under surveillance, which is the case throughout the story.

The atmosphere created by Orwell leaves the reader with no illusions about the direction the story is going after the first paragraph. This is not a happy, clean world, and events are not going to be favorable for the main character.

How do the people Wiesel interacts with strengthen or diminish his hope and desire to live?Talk about his father, Juliek (the violin player), the...

The Nazis had two different effects on Elie's desire to survive.  They made him feel tired and defeated at times and at other times they made him more resolved to live.  The presence of having his father with him benefited Elie in the beginning because he was not alone enduring the experience.  He had someone with him who loved him.  They needed each other and worked together to survive.  Later in the story Elie finds his father has become a burden for him.  He has not stopped loving his father, but he feels that he could survive better if he were not present. 

The Rabbi and his so probably made Elie less likely to want to live.  I believe that Elie was meant to be a survivor and that none of the people affected his decision to continue to go on.  It was his nature to try and survive.

The character that affected me the most was the young boy who had been hung.  He was still alive for over 30 minutes.  He was just a boy who never got to become a man.  He had not had the best of life already but because he was a servant to a master who had committed crimes against the Nazis.

Contrast Jane's and Helen's attitudes towards earthly love in Jane Eyre.

As a result of her own inclinations and experiences, Jane believes that individuals should love those who are good to them, and resist those who are "cruel and unjust".  She feels that if "the wicked people would have it all their own way, they would never feel afraid, and so they would never alter, but would grow worse and worse".  Her philosophy is that of the Old Testament Biblical adage of "an eye for an eye and a tooth" - her sincere belief is that she "must dislike those who, whatever (she does) to please them, persist in disliking (her), (she) must resist those who punish (her) unjustly...it is as natural as that (she) should love those who show (her) affection, or submit to punishment when (she) feel(s) it is deserved".

Helen tells Jane that "heathens and savage tribes hold that doctrine, but Christians and civilized nations disown it".  Helen believes that "it is not violence that best overcomes hate - nor vengeance that...heals injury".  She follows the teachings of Christ from the New Testament in the Bible to "love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you and despitefully use you".  Helen believes that life is too short to dwell on the wrongs that have been done to her, and so she lives "in calm", sincerely forgiving those who have sinned against her even as she abhors their actions.

Jane cannot understand Helen's way of thinking, because it would mean that she "should love Mrs. Reed, which (she) cannot do, and bless her son John, which is impossible".  Unlike Helen, she is unable to "distinguish between the criminal and the crime", and so cannot embrace the Christian ethic to love her enemies (Chapter 6).

In The God of Small Things, what literary features does Roy use to create a vivid picture in chapter 10?

This novel is certainly not lacking in literary features. Roy shows herself to use an absolute plethora to describe and paint the picture of what she wants to convey to her readers. I will pick just a few examples in this chapter and leave you to re-read it and hopefully use my examples to help you find some more.

The first episode describes what Estha does as the "Welcome Home, Our Sophie Mol" play was occurring on the front verandah. He walks into where the Paradise Pickles are made and wanders through. Note how Roy uses repetition to paint a picture of the description of this factory as Estha views it:

Past glass casks of vinegar with corks.

Past shelves of pectin and preservatives.

Past trays of bitter gourd, with knives and coloured finger-guards.

The sequencing and repetition of these series of statements each beginning "Past" show how Estha walks past them one by one and also points to the appearance of the factory. As this section concludes, the literary features are used to describe Estha's inner turmoil after the abuse that he suffered from the Orangedrink Lemondrink Man. Note how Estha describes the jam:

The jam was still hot and on its sticky scarlet surface, thick pink froth was dying slowly. Little banana bubbles drowning deep in jam and nobody to help them.

Note the alliteration of "b" and "s" in these sentences, but also the description of the "banana bubbles" with no one to help them, clearly a reference to Estha's feelings. Consider too, how the "dying frothy shapes" Estha makes when stirring the jam are shapes of pain and anguish: "A crow with a crushed wing" and "A clenched chicken's claw."

Roy therefore uses literary features in this first section of Chapter 10 to give us an insight into how Estha is feeling after being abused. We are presented with images that clearly show his inner-distress and sadness.

In Chapter 19 of To Kill a Mockingbird, how does Dill react to this part of the trial and why?

Dill witnesses Mr. Gilmer cross examine Tom Robinson on the stand. Gilmer is not only hateful and sneering in his conduct and questions, his racism is blatant. At one point Gilmer says, "Are you being impudent to me, boy?" His question sounds very threatening. Tom is used to dealing with men like Mr. Gilmer and plays he role he is expected to play, deferring to Gilmer.

The ugliness and injustice of the whole scene makes Dill physically sick. He tries to explain his feelings to Scout: "It ain't right, somehow it ain't right to do'em [African-Americans] that way. Hasn't anybody got any business talkin' like that." Scout doesn't understand, but Mr. Dolphus Raymond, sitting nearby, does understand. He tells Dill, "You aren't thin-hided, it just makes you sick, doesn't it?"

Dill's unhappy family situation may have made him especially sympathetic to someone else's pain.

Why does Simon lose consciousness when the Lord of the Flies speaks to him?

Simon is epileptic, and he knows even as it is happening that his hallucination of the pig's head is the result of "one of his times". His vision alters, and he feels dizzy:

Simon’s head wobbled. His eyes were half closed as though he were imitating the obscene thing on the stick. He knew that one of his times was coming on. The Lord of the Flies was expanding like a balloon.

Symbolically, though, SImon's losing consciousness is more than just his epilepsy. It's also a foreshadowing of his death, to come when he tries to bring the news of the real beast (the parachutist) to the others, and they "do" him, just as the Lord of the Flies suggests:

“We are going to have fun on this island! So don’t try it on, my poor misguided boy, or else—”
Simon found he was looking into a vast mouth. There was blackness within, a blackness that spread.
“—Or else,” said the Lord of the Flies, “we shall do you? See? Jack and Roger and Maurice and Robert and Bill and Piggy and Ralph. Do you. See?”
Simon was inside the mouth. He fell down and lost consciousness.

So two reasons: a literal one, and a symbolic one.

Hope it helps!

What are the objectives of the General Insurance Company?

Insurance refers to the commercial arrangement in which a business establishment accepts the liability of risks faced by individuals for a small sum of fee called premium. Companies providing such insurance are called insurance companies.

Insurance companies help to spread the risk of loss among a large number of their clients. For example when a company insure your car for a small sum against accidents, it charges a yearly insurance which is much less than the losses you may have to bear if the accident actually happened. In return it will compensate you for the actual losses incurred if an accident actually happens.

In this arrangement the clients of the insurance companies benefit by avoiding a major but uncertain loss which they may be ill prepared to bear by accepting to pay a small but certain premium. Not only they avoid the big loss they also buy the Peace of mind by knowing that if some thin goes wrong, the insurance companies will bear the losses. The insurance companies benefit as the premium is so calculated the even after paying for all the losses occurring against insured events, they will still be left with some surplus profit.

Insurance and insurance companies are grouped in two broad classes - life insurance and general insurance. Life insurance is protection against pre-mature death of a person. In case, of premature death of a person, his nominated survivors are paid a sum substantial sum of money. This sum of money is agreed in advance and the insured person pays premium to insurance company in proportion to this.

General insurance refers to insurance for any thing other than life. It covers loss of property due to reasons such as theft, accidents, and natural calamities. It also covers expenses for some specific purposes such as medical treatment and liability for payment of compensation to victims of road accidents.

Tell how Gene's statement that "peace had deserted Devon" illuminates the theme of A Separate Peace.

When we look at A Separate Peace in its entirety, it becomes apparent that despite its title, there is never really a time of true contentment or rest at Devon -- whether it's the ongoing wartime drills and trainings, the conflict between the boys themselves, or the backdrop of Finny's disaster, there's always some type of extenuating circumstance that prevents a true peace from occurring. The closest the boys ever come is when they are off on their own, either swimming or playing games. But even then, the presence of war and strife constantly remains in the back of our characters' minds. 

What is a short summary of "Shooting an Elephant"?

The narrator (Orwell?) begins "Shooting an Elephant" by showing how much prejudice can be found in British Burma. 

In Moulmein, in lower Burma, I was hated by large numbers of people – the only time in my life that I have been important enough for this to happen to me.

Ironically, Orwell doesn't blame the Burmese a bit for exhibiting such hatred toward the English. 

The story really starts when an elephant shows up and "ravages the bazaarr."  The narrator takes his hunting rifle and heads toward the commotion.  The narrator approaches the spot and continues to ask the people, but they all seem to give him vague answers as to where the elephant is lurking.  Suddenly, an old lady is seen brushing some children away because she is trying to prevent them from seeing a dead man (killed by the elephant on a rampage).

Even though the elephant has now killed a human, the narrator still hopes he doesn't have to do away with the animal; however, he still acquires a special elephant rifle for the occasion. 

When the narrator finally comes upon the elephant.  The elephant is completely calm and grazing in a field.  Now the community is watching the narrator and he knows they will demand the death of the elephant.  The narrator has now become the exact person he has always despised, doing something only because he is "required" to do so.  The narrator says:

When the white man turns tyrant, it is his own freedom that he destroys

The narrator shoots and shoots and shoots again.  The elephant falls.  Because it is still not dead, the narrator gets close to it and shoots it in the heart.  The elephant is finally dead and the narrator is so upset that he has to leave the scene.  The narrator eventually finds out that the elephant's owner was killed which put the narrator (ironically) "in the right" for doing the deed.

In Lord of the Flies, what is the significance of Roger being described as a "hangman"?

Roger is gradually built up as an ominous figure. Initially, throwing stones "to miss" at the littluns, Roger has the potential for violence, but his hand stops. It "was conditioned by a civilization that knew nothing of him and was in ruins". Those stones, of course, become the stone which kills Piggy, and Golding builds up, stone by stone: 

Silence and pause; but in the silence a curious air-noise, close by Ralph’s head. He gave it half his attention—and there it was again; a faint “Zup!” Someone was throwing stones: Roger was dropping them, his one hand still on the lever.

Then, there is, a further build up to the moment where Roger, pointed up by Golding as enjoying it, leans on the lever which tips the massive rock down onto Piggy:

The storm of sound beat at them, an incantation of hatred. High overhead, Roger, with a sense of delirious abandonment, leaned all his weight on the lever.

Public stoning, in the Bible, was a punishment meted out to adulterers and people in social disgrace. Roger has become the public executioner of all that stands against Jack's cause: "See!" Jack shouts "That's what you'll get".

Yet Jack recognises that Roger's deed, killing Piggy, has given him an ominous untold power. When he comes down from the rock...

The chief spoke to him angrily.
“Why aren’t you on watch?”
Roger looked at him gravely.
“I just came down—”

The hangman’s horror clung round him. The chief said no more to him...

No-one can speak to him. He is a murderer: he is more ominous, more powerful, even than Jack. And it is Roger, at the end of the chapter, whose presence becomes the frightening one when Samneric do not want to join Jack's tribe:

Roger edged past the chief, only just avoiding pushing him with his shoulder. The yelling ceased, and Samneric lay looking up in quiet terror. Roger advanced upon them as one wielding a nameless authority.

What are 5 details from the story that make the cold seem real to the reader?

The short story "To Build A Fire" by Jack London takes place in Alaska. Here are five details that allow the reader to experience the "cold" in the story.

1. The man in the story spits into the air, and before the the spit hits the ground, it crackles and turns to ice.

2. The dog is very apprehensive about heading out on the journey. It "slinks" along behind the man as they set out.

3. Both the man and the dog's faces are covered by frost, which is produced by their "crystallized breath". They are covered in a "fine powder of frost".

4. When the man stops to eat, his limbs go numb almost immediately after he exposes them. In 15 seconds his fingers go numb as he tries to eat his lunch. When he sits down to eat, his toes quickly become numb and he is forced to stamp up and down until he can feel them again.

5. As the man chews tobacco, and as his spit drips down his chin, the spit freezes over and creates a frozen "appendage", hanging off of his chin.

What is the criteria for "fine folk" in To Kill a Mockingbird?

"The Levy family met all criteria for being Fine Folks" What these criteria are is answered in the following paragraph, they 'did the best they could' and had been living in Maycomb for 'five generations.'  

There are a number of interesting points about the definition which Lee uses here.  The use of capitals 'Fine Folks' may remind you of the way that Aunt Alexandra speaks, often representing traditional views within the community.  Lee often asks us to examine these ideas.  

Lee creates links within the novel.  The Levy family are Jewish and here we see that racism against them is rejected. This can be connected to chapter 26 when the school teacher is telling the students about Hitler's treatment of the Jews however she is blind to her own inherent racism of the black community.

'Fine Folks' therefore is a term which should be used for people in the white and black communities equally - but usually isn't in Maycomb.

What happens to Macbeth when he assaults the proper order of Scotland?

Once Macbeth assaults the natural order in Scotland by murdering the king, he is crowned king because both of Duncan's sons flee Scotland.

Once on the throne, Macbeth has very little time to enjoy his reign as king.  He experiences one high point as king, the dinner he has with his family and friends.  Even this evening of celebration is disrupted by the haunting presence of Banquo's ghost.  An apparition that only Macbeth can see which causes him to appear insane, losing his mind and under the influence of some crazy spell. 

This is the beginning of the end of Macbeth's sanity.  His mental health begins to deteriorate after he sees Banquo's ghost.  He becomes more and more paranoid with each passing day,  feeling the need to eliminate all threats as he sees them.  His method of dealing with his perceived enemies is to send killers to murder them.  

Macbeth becomes obsessed with the idea of knowing more about the future, visiting the witches for the second time, he leaves them with a new sense of purpose, to kill Macduff.

Macbeth's mental instability is shared by Lady Macbeth who goes mad with guilt and grief, particularly after the deaths of Macduff's wife and children.  Macbeth loses the affection and companionship of his wife, his partner and cheerleader in crime, commits suicide by throwing herself out the window. 

Macbeth literally sacrifices everything that makes human life enjoyable, sleep, food, friends and the love of his wife.  He is miserable by the end of the play, I think, by the time he is confronted by Macduff, and realizes that the prophecies have not protected him, that he is ready to die.  

Macbeth sacrifices his integrity, his self-respect, his sanity and his soul in exchange for power and a chance to be king.      

In "The Destructors", what literary element complements imagery the best in this story?

It would be well worth seriously examining the setting of this excellent short story and in particular how the setting contributes to the atmosphere. Greene is a master of description and this short story is no exception. Let us consider the setting as described at the beginning of the story:

The gang met every morning in an impromptu car-park, the site of the last bomb of the first blitz. On one side of the car-park leaned the first occupied house, number 3, of the shattered Northwood Terrace - literally leaned, for it had suffered from the blast of the bomb and the side walls were supported on wooden struts. A smaller bomb and some incendiaries had fallen beyond, so that the house stuck up like a jagged tooth and carried on the further wall relics of its neighbour, a dado, the remains of a fireplace.

Clearly, the centre of the gang's world is a place of destruction. Descriptions such as "jagged tooth" to describe Old Misery's house clearly paint an image of the horrors of war, and we are forced to compare the setting to the beaten face of a human, with only one tooth left in his mouth. Cars parked where houses once stood creates a bleak atmosphere, symbolising moral desolation. This desolation is thus further developed and characterised in the figures of the boys, and especially of course in T., who is shown to express complete nihilism.

What is Juliet's reaction to the Nurse's complaints / lethargy in Act 2, scenes 4 and 5?

The prior answer illustrates clearly how the Nurse offers her unsolicited opinion on Romeo, and Juliet completely ignores it. We might call this sample of text the Nurse's romance complaints. She also indulges in a second type: physical complaints. We could already guess how Juliet might react to these physical complaints, because before the scene even begins, how does Juliet set up the contrast between herself and the Nurse?

"But old folks, many feign as they were dead—
Unwieldy, slow, heavy and pale as lead."

How does the Nurse prove Juliet right? Return to the text and find instances of where the Nurse offers several physical complaints. Then search to see how Juliet reacts to these "ailments" (is the Nurse really ailing)?

Also count how many lines and tangents the Nurse takes to get the real story out. That's more evidence for the lethargy that almost infuriates the highly-impatient Juliet. How does Juliet react to the delay and distraction? Find lines that show the impatience and frustration.

You can imagine why Juliet might be frustrated, as she is deeply in love, she's young, and time is of the essence. An interesting side question to consider is why the Nurse indulges in these delays of romance complaints and physical complaints....but oops, like the Nurse, I'm on a tangent! :-)

Good luck!

In Pride and Prejudice, why does Elizabeth identify with power and not with populism?

Populism is defined as anti-intellectual philosophies that go against established norms and offer solutions to the problems of common people that go contrary tradition. There are only two characters in Pride and Prejudice who might come even close to this definition; they are Georgiana's former governess and Wickham. The former governess, Mrs. Younge, only fits the definition in that she engaged in behavior that went contrary to tradition by making arrangements for Georgiana to run away with Wickham. However, this behavior would more readily be called unscrupulous rather populist. Wickham only fits the definition in that he goes against the established norms by leaving debts all over every town he inhabits and by running off with young women. Again, this is more readily called unscrupulous and immoral rather than populist.

Elizabeth is a gentleman's daughter. In that era, this meant that she was the object of some privilege and social standing. Had she had an opportunity in Pride and Prejudice (if the storyline had been different) to do so, she could have gone to London during the "social season" (season of theatrical performances, parties, balls, concerts, etc.) and socialized with the best families, including nobility, which means that if she--and her small fortune--could attach the affections of a gentleman of London's high society, she would have been socially eligible to accept his proposal of marriage.

The above is said to explain that Elizabeth--though living in the country and having a small fortune to be given her upon her marriage--is a member of the power elite. As such, she is expected, and expects for herself, to associate with equal and higher members of the power elite. She also expects and is expected to marry within the power elite. Her education, speech, conversation, leisure, interests all mark her as a gentleman's daughter and therefore as part of the power holding classes. She would virtually never have an opportunity, and probably no inclination, to associate with or identify with the populist individuals or groups that have anti-intellectual philosophies that contradict tradition and go against established norms.

What are the techniques used by Thomas Hardy in his poem "The Voice"?

"The Voice" is one of Hardy's poems written out of guilt due to his relationship with his wife that is now dead. The speaker imagines Emma, his wife, to be trying to communicate with him, and thus implores her to appear to him in person as she was used to, wearing the same clothes. One of the techniques that is used is repetition: "call to me, call to me". This captures the longing of the speaker whilst at the same time producing an echo that suggests that he is imagining his dead wife's voice in the sound of the wind. this despair is captured in the third stanza when the speaker begins to fear that his wife is truly dead and "dissolved" and will be "heard no more". Hardy uses a lively and regular anapaestic metre in the third three stanzas which is replaced by a more broken metre in the final stanza, thus enacting the speakers own stumbling steps as he "falters forwards" into his continued life without his wife, haunted by her voice and the possibility of her presence.

What is the symbolic meaning for these elements: woods, jungle, garden, seeds, silk stockings, linda's washing, diamonds, car, refrigerator? in...

The woods, garden and seeds are representative of growth, change and opportunity.  When Willy confronts any of these things in the play, Death of a Salesman, it is with a vision that these things will bring a positive change and, ultimately, success--even though, in reality, they are present in the face of certain failure.  For example, on the night he dies, Willy is out trying to plant seeds, even though Linda has reminded him that the new apartment buildings surrounding their home block the light.  Still he tries, and Linda never discourages him from doing so.

The jungle and diamonds are symbolic of lost opportunities.  These are items Willy associates continually with his successful brother, Ben, who (according to Willy) encouraged Willy as a young man to go to the jungles of Africa to make his fortune (in diamonds) as Ben had done.  The jungle could singularly be representative of taking risks and going out into the world instead of staying close to home, as Willy did by taking a sales job that brought him home most nights.  This is a major source of self-doubt and suffering that Willy continually struggles against.

The diamond is symbolic of the rewards of taking those risks.

The car and refrigerator are symbolic of life's obstacles.  These two items in Willy's life cause him enormous frustration. They break down constantly, and Willy feels as if he can never get ahead financially because these expensive, necessary parts of his life are sucking up their resources.

The silk stockings and Linda's washing are symbolic of Willy's inner conflicts.  Although it would seem he loves his wife on some level, he is forever speaking over her, telling her to be quiet or emotionally pushing her away.  This may be because she is part of his unsuccessful life and he has to face his inadequacies when he looks at her, even though she seems not to notice or hold him accountable for these inadequacies.  The washing is part of her life in his home: the everyday challenges of a wife who has never received the things she deserves, and part of him realizes this and he blames himself, though it would seem he does so unconsciously, but still takes it out on her.

The silk stockings are symbolic of his adulterous behavior.  It is unclear whether there is only one woman (in Boston, where Biff caught him with a woman) or "one in every town." For the woman (or women) he visits, Willy provides a gift of silk stockings.  They are highly valuable to these women, and expensive to buy.  For these women, Willy is successful and funny, and they make him feel good about himself.  It may be that he is naturally well liked, but it may also be simply because he gives them expensive gifts.  He does not give these to his wife, but when he sees her mending her own stockings, he feels guilty and yells at her, telling her to put them away, or to buy new ones.

The symbols listed all represent the overall structure of the play's plot, related in some way to the many conflicts, internal and external, which Willy faces in the play.

Where did Holden go to kill time before he met Carl Luce?

While waiting for Carl Luce, Holden goes to the movies at Radio City.

Holden has quite a bit of time to kill before Carl Luce is available to hang out with him.  Holden had asked Carl out for dinner, but Carl said he couldn't make it for dinner and suggested meeting for a drink at the Wicker Bar at ten o'clock instead.  Not knowing what to do with the time until then, Holden goes to Radio City.  He says "it was probably the worst thing (he) could've done".

Before the actual movie begins, there is some live entertainment at the theater.  First is a stage show featuring the Rockettes performing their high-kicking, precision dancing.  This is followed by "a guy...in a tuxedo and roller skates", who skates "under a bunch of little tables, and tell(s) jokes while he (does) it".  Finally, there is a Christmas performance, with "angels...coming out of boxes everywhere, guys carrying crucifixes and stuff all over the place, and the whole bunch of them...singing 'Come All Ye Faithful' like mad".  The movie, when it finally begins, is a story about "this English guy...that was in the war and loses his memory in the hospital".

In his melancholy state, Holden watches the proceedings at Radio City with cynicism.  To him, it all seems phony, and when it is over and he leaves for his meeting with Carl Luce, Holden is even more depressed than before (Chapter 18).

What are some questions about abortion that have answers that need to have research?

Some more ethical questions  based on the topic of Abortion could be:

What would happen if we didn't have legal abortions?

What say, if any, should the father have?

Should a surrogate mother have the right to abort?

Is it ever right to abort one of twins?

If the woman's life is in danger because of the pregnancy, how do we decide whose rights should prevail?