Friday, March 29, 2013

In "Fahrenheit 451", why did Bradbury choose Dover's Beach and the book of Ecclesiastes for his novel?

In Ecclesiastes, a lot of its main theme focuses on how worldy pleasures, vanity, material goods, and worldly pursuits are worthless, meaningless, and empty.  Pursuing the world, filling your life with pursuits of money and pleasure will leave you without anything of real import in the end.  That theme represents the society that Montag lived in, and how it is empty and meaningless, despite its full and busy schedule as it pursues worldy pleasures.  That is a significant book in the bible, and Montag memorizes it, and becomes its guardian as they go to help rebuild the city.   It contains important lessons on how to rebuild a society that is based on real, meaningful values instead of emptiness.


"Dover Beach" is also symbolic of their society.  It talks about how faith used to be full but is now "retreating, to the breath of the night wind" leaving only "naked shingles of the world" and how this life has "neither joy nor love nor light" anymore.  It's a great representation of what their society has become.  Faith, love, and real meaning are gone, and they are left alone, and they must "be true to one another" at the end to rebuild and survive.  As Montag quotes this poem to the women, they are very upset when faced with the truth it presents them, and is symbolic of the sadness that exists in their society.

How do the events of the final chapter of "To Kill a Mockingbird" explain the first sentence in the whole novel?Chapter 31 To Kill a Mockingbird

In the first sentence, Scout says that Jem had his arm broken when he was 13.  She doesn't really mention the rest of it until the end of the book, and the encounter between the Finch children and Bob Ewell.  Once the novel concludes, we understand that Jem broke his arm in the scuffle with Ewell, as he tried to protect Scout from Ewell and escape Ewell's attack.

What symbols would each character symbolize in a game of chess?

An "Endgame" in chess is when only two kings are left on the board. Neither can win or lose. All that happen is that they can endlessly move around, and around, and around, never putting each other into check, and the game only ending when it is aborted as a stalemate.


In that sense, Hamm and Clov are both kings, unable to finish anything (note the first and last lines of the play!) moving around the chess board.


But, it's important to say that the characters share characteristics which are perhaps supposed to suggest other chess pieces. Hamm (who sometimes openly utters "Me to play") is most like the King, a very weak and vulnerable, but also a very powerful piece: to defeat the king is to win the game.  Like a chess king, his movement is restricted, and he relies on another piece to protect him (Clov!)


Clov's odd movement patterns and his staggering walk seem closest to the odd "L" movement-turns of a Knight. Nagg and Nell are weak, and unimportant pawns, the loss of whom is insignificant. Nell's death bothers no one.


But the key chess point is that, ironically, the "Endgame" means the game can never end, but must continue and continue and continue.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

In "The Tell-Tale Heart" what does the narrator hope to accomplish by telling his story? Does he succeed?This is directly what my Literature...

The main purpose behind the narrator telling the story is to prove that he is not mad. He is quite defensive about being considered a loony, and asks, "How, then, am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily—how calmly I can tell you the whole story." He even clarifies a bit later, saying, "Now this is the point. You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded—with what caution—with what foresight—with what dissimulation I went to work!" Throughout the rest of the story, he repeats several times that sentiment-that we should not think him mad. The second purpose might be to try to convince us that there was indeed a beating heart that he heard. He tells us that "The disease had sharpened my senses—not destroyed—not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute." So, he is trying to prove that he had heightened senses, and as a result, actually did hear a beating heart. And, it is the beating heart that did him in, nothing else-not his conscience, not his malintent towards the old man, nothing. The beating heart drove him to the final act of murder, then to confession. Those are two possible motives for telling the story. One other might be that a lot of Poe's narrator's are pretty perverse, egotistical people that like to brag about their murderous conquests. Ego, or pride, showing off his genius, could be another one.

In Chapter 4 of "The Great Gatsby", what "matter" did Gatsby have Jordan Baker discuss with Nick?

Gatsby is determined to get Daisy back and in order to do this he has to meet her again after five years have gone by. Gatsby is aware that Nick Carroway lives next door to him in West Egg and that he is cousins with Daisy Buchannan. When Gatsby speaks to Jordan privately at his party, he asks her to ask Nick if he can set up a meeting between the two of them – Gatsby and Daisy – so that he can meet her again and try to begin a relationship with her.

How does Chapter 5 of Frankenstein show more about Victor's character?all i can think of is that he is a coward as he runs away from his own...

In this chapter, Victor also shows complete disregard for the feelings of others. He isolates himself from his family in order to finish the creature. They are very concerned for him but he does not even bother to answer their letters. When he is finished with his project, he leaves the creature to fend for himself simply because he thinks his creation is "ugly". He has no sense of responsibility for his own actions and their consequences. His actions are the complete opposite of his best friend, Henry Clerval, who comes to Victor and then nurses him unselfishly through the delirium that follows Victor's creation of his monster.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

In the short story "The Bet" by Anton Chekov, do the Banker and the Lawyer respect each other? Why or why not?

This is a good question.


It is hard to say whether or not the banker respected anyone after that 15 years of imprisonment.


I think that the banker respected the lawyer after he found the note that he left because he realized that if the lawyer forfieted the bet, the banker would be saved from financial ruin.

Monday, March 25, 2013

What are some of the motifs in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest?

Ken Kesey's impeccable writing talent means that One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is packed with symbols and motifs.  One of the most prominent motifs in this novel is laughter.  The power of laughter is a theme that develops throughout the novel beginning with McMurphy's resonant laugh during his first few moments in the hospital.  As McMurphy's influence upon the patients becomes stronger, the increasing amount of laughter symbolizes the men's reconnection with their individuality and humanity.

Another motif would be size.  Bromden is constantly having issues with his perception of people's sizes.  Anyone who is domineering or powerful in his eyes appears to be much bigger than they truly are.  At one point Bromden tells McMurphy that he is a much larger man than himself, even though Bromden is most certainly taller and wider than McMurphy.  By the end of the book, Bromden feels that he has grown in size, symbolizing the inner strength and sense of self-respect that he has found.

What were the symptoms of the plague?This question came out of a elements of literature book. The name of the story is called A Journal of the...

The plague, called by historians the "Black Death" but known during the early ourbreaks as "the Pestilence" or the "Great Mortality" came in two forms, which confused doctors of the time.  It is called "Bubonic Plague" now because the swellings in the groin or armpit were called "buboes", and oozed blood and pus.  All bodily excretions were bloody and foul smelling, and the affected suffered great pain and usually died within five days (often in only a few hours).  Later the second form appeared, causing coughing, heavy sweating and continuous high fevers and spitting of blood. plus all the foulness of breath, urine, etc.  Severe depression accompanied the physical symptoms.


The first form was caused by contact, the second was spread by respiratory infection.  The disease was spread rapidly and impossible to control because of the rat and flea population.  Doctors had no concept of contagion, believing that disease was caused by astrological influences or the affects of the "humors", choleric and melancholic, sanguine and phlegmatic).  The fact that both the rats and fleas were so common, and both necessary to spread the disease, made it even more difficult for people of the time to understand what was happening, resulting in a pervasive sense of horror.  The bacteria (Pasturella pestis) lived alternately in the stomach of the flea and the blood of the rats; the bite of either spread the disease.


The disease began in India within two or three years of its appearance on a ship filled with dead and dying men in a Genoese trading post in Caffa, today Feodosiya on the Black Sea in October of 1347.  By the time the first contagion died down in 1350, between 35 and 50 percent of the population between India and Greenland was dead.  Today, the plague still exists, mostly in poor countries but there are usually between 30 and 100 cases per year in the American Southwest.

Compare Indra and Purusha.In what ways do they represent significant historical changes that were taking place in indo-aryan society?

Indra and Purusha are both mentioned in the Vedas. Indra is depicted as a god of war and of storms and lightning. Purusha on the other hand is shown as a giant being whose sacrifice gives rise to all things and all beings in the world. The gods, the sun and moon, the four classes in society all come from the sacrifice of Purusha.


In the Vedic ethos, ritual is the supreme form of religious performance. Priests chanted hymns to the gods to receive their sacrifices. By the time the Upanishads were being formulated, forms of meditation and yoga were replacing sacrifice and ritual as the dominant religious activity. The goal became less one of maintaining the cyclic order of the world than one of finding the soul within, and finding that your true Self (atman) was rooted in the divine essence of the world, Brahman.


With this in mind we can make some contrasts between Indra and Purusha. Indra represents the older order, in which there are a multitude of gods. The priests perform the sacrifices, the gods perform their duties. Indra is king of the gods, so is seen as governing this order. On the other hand, since everything comes from the sacrifice of Purusha, we have an idea that more closely resembles the symbolism of the Upanishads: everything comes from the One. Everything is interrelated. And it is only through sacrifice, and symbolic self-sacrifice at that, that one experiences this oneness.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

What do Boxer's and Mollie's actions at the Battle of the Cowshed show about them?by actions I mean, what does it show about their character?...

Boxer and Mollie's actions at the Battle of Cowshed represent their opinion and commitment to the rebellion and its aftermath.


Boxer is very committed to the rebellion, he is a hard worker, believes strongly in the ideas of animalism and does not question the authority of those in charge.  He works harder than the other animals, accepting that this is his fate, his contribution to the cause.  Boxer trusts that the social order that is established at Animal Farm will in fact bring about the opportunity for him to retire one day and graze at leisure. 


He remains committed to this belief even when he is hauled away in an ambulance to the glue factory or slaughter house.


Mollie exhibits her lack of interest in the rebellion, the organization of the farm, working on the farm or participating in any activities that are dangerous.  By her absence at the struggle with the humans, Mollie's feelings are clear, she wants her old life back, or some form of it, to be taken care of by a human, to have her mane brushed and fixed with pretty ribbons and to eat her lump sugar.


 In fact it is not long after that Mollie is taken off the farm by another human and is seen pulling a carriage. 

In chapter 1 of "The Chrysalids," who is David's sister?

In "The Chrysalids," David Wyndham opens the novel with narration from David who is describing dreams that he often has.  He tells us that he shares these dreams with his oldest sister, Mary.  She tells him that he there are no such places but he could be dreaming about things or places that existed long, long ago.  She also warns him not to tell anyone else about these dreams because she doesn't know of anyone else who has dreams like that and he would get into trouble if anyone thought he was "different." (pg 5)


Later in chapter one David also tells us about his other sister Sarah who is 15 years old.  He tells the reader that because there were so many years between them that he often played by himself. (pg 6)

Saturday, March 23, 2013

How does Shakespeare connect to the Elizabethan Theater & The Globe Theater?

Shakespeare was one of many playwrights writing for the popular theatre at this time.   James Brubage built The Theatre in 1576 in Shoreditch as a home for his company, The Lord Chamberlain's Men.  It was the first permanent theatre.  Once built, other playhouses like The Rose, The Curtain and The Swan were built.  Many of them were built across the Thames from the city of London in the red light district.  This area was outside the law of the city, so to speak.


Shakespeare was a shareholder with The Lord Chamberlain's Men.  He was also the chief playwright as well as an actor with them.  Due to a dispute with the farmer who owned the field where The Theatre stood, the company moved it across the Thames and rebuilt it.  The rebuilt theatre was called The Globe.   Shakespeare remained the chief playwright until he retired and sold his share to John Fletcher.  Richard Burbage, James son, was the chief actor and many of Shakespeare's greatest roles were written for him.


When Elizabeth died and James I became king, the company got royal patronage and was renamed the King's Men.

Friday, March 22, 2013

In To Kill a Mockingbird, how old are Tom Robinson's children?

Chapter 19 of "To Kill a Mockingbird" begins



Thomas Robinson reached around, ran his fingers under his left arm and lifted it....Atticus very quickly induced him to tell us:  Tom was twenty five years of age; he was married with three children; he had been in trouble with the law before; he once received thirty days for disorderly conduct.



Other than this mention of his progeny, there is no other reference to the children of Tom Robinson.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

In Of Mice and Men, what is George afraid will happen to them if the others find out they are going to buy a ranch?

George fears that they will lose their jobs if they are not careful in their conversations.  Because most of the men searching for jobs traveled alone and were isolated from anyone with whom they worked, they are distrustful of  two men traveling together.  These men might wish to infringe upon the plans of Lennie and George. Or, sometimes they are even suspicious of the relationship between two men:



Curley lashed his body around.  ''... he's gotta talk when he's spoke to.  What the hell are gettin' into it for?'  'We travel together,' said George coldly.  'Oh, so it's that way.'



George is also concerned that if someone antagonizes Lennie, Lennie may seriously injure or kill the person.  Since they were sent away from the last place where they were employed, George stresses to Lennie to keep quiet.  Unfortunately, his fears are founded and Lennie tragically gets into very serious trouble as he accidentally kills Curley's wife.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

How does the political situation change in "Hamlet" Act 4?

There are several changes in the political situation in Act IV. The first change begins with the death of Polonius. This action forces the return of Laertes to Denmark. Laertes is furious over the death of his father and the way the funeral was handled. As he stands outside Elsinore, he gathers a mob which yells, "Laertes will be king." Claudius, who is stuggling to keep his throne, now has another rival for it. He deftly handles Laertes and convinces him that he was not responsible for Polonius' death. While Laertes and Claudius are speaking, Hamlet, who has been sent to England, supposedly to die, announces his return to Denmark. This is another threat to Claudius who turns to Laertes and together they plot to kill Hamlet. One significant scene that the audience may miss is the scene where Hamlet encounters the Captain of Fortinbras' army. Claudius promised Fortinbras safe passage through Denmark while Fortinbras is on his way to Poland. This will also set up another political change later in the play.

What kinds of yarns does Carl Sandburg tell in "The People, Yes"?

The kinds of "yarns" that Sandburg tells are what are more commonly known as tall tales.  These are stories that purposefully exaggerated, and Sandburg uses them to continue to inject optimism into his exultation about the resilience of the common folk.  The tales cover a wide range, from the familiar story of Paul Bunyan to the less familiar story of the man who drove a herd of bees "across the Rocky Mountains and the Desert and didn't lose a bee." 


Besides of optimism of the unconquerable feats in these tall tales, there is also humor in these yarns.  The "the man so tall he must climb a ladder to shave himself" is clearly ridiculous, and makes the audience smile.  If the purpose of Sandburg's is to raise the spirits of a public worn down by the the conditions of the Depression, than humor is a useful device.


Finally, by using tales that cover all areas of the country and that touch upon familiar, Sandburg is better able to reach his target audience - the American worker.  “We are the greatest city, the greatest people. Nothing like us ever was.”  Sandburg doesn't hesitate to criticize in his poem, but overall he is offering support in a time of hardship.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

What is a summary of Chapters 16,17,18 and 19 of The Cay?

In Chapter 16, Phillip buries Timothy.  At first he is angry that the old man has left him, but then he realizes that Timothy died so he could live.  Phillip takes stock of the things he must do now that he is alone - he must feed himself and Stew Cat, rebuild the hut and signal fire, and listen each day for the sound of a plane.  As he sets about his work, Phillip begins to understand just how well Timothy had prepared him to survive on his own.


Hungry for something other than fish, Phillip dives into the swimming hole in search of langosta in Chapter 17.  He catches one, but then is bitten by a large moray eel.  His wound is painful but not life-threatening. 


In Chapter 18, Phillip finally hears a plane, and lights the signal fire.  The plane does not come closer, however, and Phillip then realizes the smoke from the fire might not be noticeable enough.  He devises a way to make the smoke blacker, and a few days later, in late August, he hears explosions and a plane in the distance.  Even though his fire sends a clear signal into the sky, the plane does not come nearer, and Phillip is in despair.


In Chapter 19, Phillip's finds that his signal was, in fact, noticed, and he is finally saved.  He takes only Stew Cat and Timothy's knife with him when he leaves the island, and his rescuers do not at first believe he has survived on the cay since April when the Hato went down.  Phillip is reunited with his parents, and after three operations, regains his sight.  He is much changed by his experience, and hopes one day to return to the island where Timothy is buried.

What does "The Far and the Near" say about point of view?

The narrator's point of view is shaped by idealism.  As he drives past the woman and her daughter everyday, he imposes his own vision of who they are and how they live.  Therefore, he sets himself up for disappointment because his impressions of the woman and her daughter are not based in reality, but from an image that he creates to suit his purpose.


The point of view expressed by the train conductor regarding the woman and her daughter loses its significance for the narrator after he confronts them.  But by that time, he no longer needs them to live in his idealistic vision, he is retired, he has stepped off the train and will no longer gaze upon them as he passes their small cottage everyday.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Compare life outside the palace with the life of the people Prospero brought inside in "The Masque of the Red Death."

In "The Mask of the Red Death," the major difference among the guests of Prospero (his name suggests it) and those left outside the palace is wealth and social position. Those who do not possess these traits in Prospero's "dominion" are subjected to the "Red Death," suffering "sharp pains, and sudden dizziness, and then profuse bleeding at the pores...and seizures."  Within thirty minutes they are dead.

Prince Prospero, who "was happy and dauntless and sagacious," feels that he can fortify himself and those of his realm against the plague of the "Red Death."  He invites "knights and dames of his court" to his palace for a masked ball and does include "buffoons," ballet dancers, musicians, and servants. His oddly decorated seven rooms--the seven stages of man?--and the masquerade serve to lend an unreality to the occasion of the party. Yet, when the "uninvited guest" arrives in the sixth room, the blue room, there is no defense against him.  Prospero dies instantly in the seventh room, the red room, after accosting this agent of death as do the "throng of revelers."

In what ways were the Roman empire and the Han empire similar and in what ways were they different?

The full answer to this question would truly be a rather vast body of work and I advise you to do some research of your own in this regard. But I will give you a summary of the most prominent points.


The Han dynasty of China was the 2nd imperial dynasty. It existed from 206BCE to 220CE, approximately 425 years and was considered a golden age in China's history.


The Roman "empire" existed, strictly speaking, from 31BCE until 476CE. The whole duration of the Roman world existed far longer i.e. 509-31BCE [Republican era]; 31BCE-476CE [Imperial era]; 395-1453CE [Byzantine or Eastern Roman empire].


Han China: Well organized bureaucracy based upon Confucian ideas and education.


Roman Empire: Well organized bureaucracy founded on Roman law and classical learning.


Han China: Emphasis on family ancestors and patriarchy; reliance on landed gentry.


Roman Empire: Emphasis on family and the pater familias; reliance on patricians.


Han China: Engineering accomplishments: roads, canals, the Great Wall.


Roman Empire: Engineering accomplishments: roads, aqueducts, amphitheatres, domes, sewage systems, central heating and the Colosseum.


Han China: Religion: Confucianism, Daoism, native gods, introduction to and start of Buddhism.


Roman Empire: Religion: diverse pagan pantheons, emperor as a god, introduction to and start of Christianity.


Decline of Han Dynasty: Infighting among ruling elites; inequitable distribution of land [i.e. tax burden fell on peasants rather than on large landowners]; series of peasant rebellions; generals usurp political power and became warlords; 220CE generals divide empire into three kingdoms; emigration of nomadic peoples into North China kept the country divided.


Decline of Roman Empire: internal opposition [barrack emperors]; generalissimos in the 3rd century CE; agrarian crisis and slave labour; difficulties in administering such a vast empire creates rivalries and divisions of authority; division of empire into Eastern and Western empires; capital moved to Constantinople; Germanic invasions by Vandals, Ostrogoths, and Visigoths; 476 Odaecer deposes final Western Roman Emperor; Eastern Roman Empire becomes Byzantine Empire.


Shared Characteristics of Decline of Han China and the Roman Empire: decline in morals and values; decline in those values that have held the particular society together; public health and urban decay; political corruption; unemployment and inflation due to excessive use of slave labour; inadequate technological advances; military spending and corruption.


Both empires were agricultural based with homogenous cities and diverse peoples.


Religion was perhaps the prime distinction between the two nations. While the Han appeared to benefit from the doctrines of Confucius, Christianity was accepted by the Romans, but only after its acceptance from Constantine. This religion eventually influenced many decisions and beliefs of future rulers of Rome. Buddhism, a heresy to Confucius idea, was just emerging in China and did not entice the majority of the population until the post-Han era.


Two books on the subject that you can consult are:


Scheidel, Walter. Rome and China: Compariative Perspective on Ancient World Empire [Oxford Studies in Early Empires]. published by OUP, USA. 2009.


Miller, Frederic P; Vandome, Agnes F; McBrewster John. Comparison between Roman and Han Empires. published by Alphascript Publishing. 2009.

How important is language and the dramatic techniques in the play Julius Caesar?

Among the various themes in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar is the study of how language can be manipulated, which allows for the manipulation of what we would today call "public opinion."  From the very beginning of the play, the tribune Marullus  convinces the workmen that instead of celebrating Caesar in the upcoming parade, they should go to their homes and "pray to the gods" to prevent their wrath.  He suggests that Caesar, in his victory over Pompey, has usurped governmental control which can only bring down the wrath of the gods.  The opening actually serves to foreshadow the back-to-back speeches of Brutus and Antony, where Brutus explains his reasons for the assassination, and Antony, after inciting the crowd, then capitalizes on its emotion to find and destroy the conspirators. Dramatically, placing these speeches next to each other conveys the concept of how manipulatable the crowd is, transforming from believing one set of facts to an opposite set of facts in a short interval.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Describe what the short story, "By the Waters of Babylon", is trying to communicate about the quest or ability to have knowledge.

The message in regards to acquiring knowledge can be summed up in John's father's words at the end.  When John comes back with this mind-blowing, world-altering news, he says, "Truth is a hard deer to hunt. If you eat too much truth at once, you may die of the truth. It was not idly that our fathers forbade the Dead Places."


He is basically saying that knowledge is good-it gives you strength, power, and sustenance.  But you cannot acquire too much at once.  If you do, you don't know how to implement it wisely.  Instead, learn a little, then learn to use that wisdom wisely in life.  Once you have mastered that bit of knowledge, learn some more.  John agrees, saying, "He was right -- it is better the truth should come little by little. I have learned that, being a priest. Perhaps, in the old days, they ate knowledge too fast," and this is what led to their demise.

What are Miss Havisham's reactions during Pip's declaration of love to Estella in Chapter 44 of "Great Expectations"?

While Estella looks at Pip during his poignant decalaration that Estella has been

part of my existence, part of myself.  you have been in every line I have ever read since I first came here....You have been in every prospect I have ever seen since...there and everywhere you will be.

During this declaraction of his total devotion to his love for Estella, Miss Havisham puts her hand to her heart, at first looking "by turns at Estella" and then to Pip.  When Pip expresses his deep love, his all-consuming love, Miss Havisham still covers her heart--

the spectral figure of Miss Havisham...seemed all resolved into a ghastly stare of pity and remorse.

Pip's open and sincere outpourings of his heart have touched a chord in Miss Havisham.  Dickens uses the words "spectral" and "ghastly" to denote that the feelings of Pip are the same deep affections that Miss Havisham, the young bride, felt on the day that time stopped for her.  Her heart remembers all too well the agony of this despairing love, the love that one would stop, but cannot.  She sees herself in Pip, and realizes that she is responsible for Estella's having no heart as she looks at Pip with "incredulous wonder."  It is at this point that Miss Havisham realizes the terrible mistake that she has made in fostering coldness and cruelty in Estella.

Friday, March 15, 2013

How did people get rid of their waste in the Elizabethan era?

It depends on which wastes you're talking about. If you're talking about sewage, in London they simply dumped the sewage in the streets. The same was true for basic garbage. That meant the city was full of filth, reeked, and was a hotbed of disease. If people lived near the Thames, they'd just dump things in the river.


Now, Hamlet refers to compost, so we can assume that in the country, people composted organic wastes to enrich the soil.


As far as the ultimate human waste (bodies), those were buried.

The speaker says the hind may seem tame but is "wild for to hold." Do you think he's referring to the woman herself or to Caesar's claim on her?


Whoso list to hunt: I know where is an hind.
But as for me, alas I may no more:
The vain travail hath wearied me so sore,
I am of them that farthest cometh behind.
Yet may I by no means my wearied mind            
Draw from the deer, but as she fleeth afore
Fainting I follow. I leave off therefore,
Sithens in a net I seek to hold the wind.
Who list her hunt, I put him out of doubt,
As well as I may spend his time in vain,           
And graven with diamonds in letters plain
There is written her fair neck round about:
'Noli me tangere, for Caesar's I am,
And wild for to hold, though I seem tame.'



The words "wild for to hold" definitely refer to the deer.  Since the entire poem is (probably) an allegory referring to Anne Boleyn, the reference to a wild animal being "wild" is less obvious than it might at first appear.  Anne, whom from all accounts was a very spirited woman, would have had to seem "tame" in the court of Henry VIII.  The standards of conduct at the time required the ladies of the court to be extremely dignified in their bearing at all times.  Wyatt, who would have known Boleyn at court, and may have even been her lover, might have known of Anne's true personality under the demure facade of a lady-in-waiting.   Wyatt is saying that though Anne may have appeared to be a perfect lady, it is actually difficult to please her or to obtain her affections.  This may well have been an actual personality trait of hers.   


The line is indicative, possibly, of Anne's political ambitions in addition to her unladylike personality.  Since she has, like the legendary white stags of Caesar, around her neck the proclamation of her ownership by the king, there is a possibility that Anne (the hind, a female deer) may have been proud of this, and resistant to other, lower-status lovers. 


The Christian element, however, in this poem cannot be denied.  The direct quotation from the Vulgate (Latin) bible, of Christ saying to Mary Magdelene "Touch me not, for I have not yet ascended to my father" is a clue.  Wyatt was a skilled enough poet to create a poem that could be read entirely as a Christian, rather than a romantic, allegory.  The hunter is the human sinner, and the "hind" is the Holy Spirit, or perhaps salvation, or perhaps Christ.  The struggle to attain salvation by the human spirit can be likened to a hunt, with humanity longing for, and often failing to suceed to heaven.   Therefore, the "hind", if it can be likened to Christian salvation, is difficult to attain and equally difficult to hold onto.  Read in this way, the poem can be seen to have an orthodox religious message. 

Thursday, March 14, 2013

When and where does Act I of "Cyrano de Bergerac" take place?

All of the action of Act I takes place in the year 1640 in the hall of the Hotel de Bourgogne in Paris. The stage directions indicate that it is a "sort of tennis court arranged and decorated for a theatrical performance."


Don't be mistaken. The Hotel de Bourgogne is not a hotel where guests can rent rooms. Rather, it is a theater, built on top of the remains of a palace constructed by the dukes of Burgundy.


Visit the links below for more information.

What happens to a substance when it freezes and melts?

Freezing and melting are the same process and occur at the same point in temperature; whether the temperature is lowering or rising determines if something is freezing or melting.  What's curious about a substance at this point of transition is that the temperature, either increasing or decreasing, will "level off" for a time.  If heating, the increase in thermal energy is being used not to increase the vibrations of the molecules or atoms, but is used to overcome the internal forces of attraction within the solid to transform it to a liquid.  The same is true in reverse -- when freezing, the temperature remains the same for a time, as the decreasing thermal energy allows those forces of attraction to reestablish themselves to transform the liquid to a solid.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

In Death of a Salesman, how is Willy's suicide for insurance money a symptom of how he lived his life?

When Willy kills himself so that his family will have the proceeds from his insurance policy, his final act underscores how he has lived his life and the values by which he has lived it. Willy has always equated his value as a man with his success as a salesman. After first being demoted, then being fired, Willy believes that he has nothing to offer his family. The prospect of the $20,000 in insurance money makes him believe he is worth more to them dead than alive, especially to Linda. He explains his thinking in one of his imaginary conversations with Ben:



What a proposition, ts, ts. Terrific, terrific. 'Cause she's suffered, Ben, the woman has suffered. You understand me? A man can't go out the way he came in, Ben, a man has got to add up to something . . . . Remember, it's a guaranteed twenty-thousand-dollar proposition.



Willy's suicide is also symptomatic of his tangled, conflicted relationship with Biff. Believing that his son hates him, Willy tells Ben that Biff will be impressed by the size of Wily's funeral:



Because he thinks I'm nothing, see, and so he spites me. But the funeral . . . Ben, that funeral will be massive . . . . that boy will be thunder-struck, Ben, because he never realized--I am known!



In another emotional segue, after having a real-life conversation with Biff that suggests his son does not hate him, but in fact loves him, Willy finds yet another reason to kill himself:



Loves me . . . . Always loved me. Isn't that a remarkable thing? Ben, he'll worship me for it . . . . Can you imagine that magnificence with twenty thousand dollars in his pocket?



Even at the end of his life, Willy tries to make a path for his son's success, just as he always has. Willy's suicide, then, serves his emotional needs in several ways, all of which point to the destructive values with which he has lived his life.

Why is marketing a management process?

Marketing is a business function that involves the conceptualizing, producing, pricing, promoting and placing of products that will satisfy customer needs and produce a profit for the company.


There are many decisions that are required in the Marketing process.  The Marketing Mix, Product, Price, Promotion and Place are like a recipe for a company.  The business has to decide how to use the marketing mix effectively to fit the product, good or service that the business is trying to sell.


Marketing determines the product, both the core and variations of the core product.


The Marketing process must be managed so that the company can continue to satisfy customer needs and make a profit as their products go through the product life cycle.  The creation of new products and added utility are required to keep a company in business for the long term.

In "The Tragedy of Macbeth," please explain Macbeth's conflict.

Macbeth experiences a crisis of conscience once he kills Duncan, which results in a sense of overwhelming guilt.   He is tormented from the very first moment that he is crowned.


Macbeth does not enjoy his time as king.  His mental stability begins to deteriorate when he is celebrating his ascension to the throne.  At this celebratory dinner, he is confronted by the ghost of Banquo, his latest victim.  From that time on, he experiences extreme paranoia, believing that everyone is out to get him.  He has no peace, he can't sleep, he can't eat, and he loses his loving relationship with Lady Macbeth, as he isolates himself emotionally, drawn into a private hell dominated by fear of losing his crown.


His conflict is so extreme, he is at war both internally and externally, literally with the forces of nature which have been distured by Macbeth's act of regicide, killing a rightful and just king. 

In Act 3, scene 3, please analyse Hamlet's soliloquy "Now might I do it pat, now he is praying...This physic but prolongs thy sickly days."please...

Space does not allow me to go line by line, but here is an outline of the soliloquy. In Lines 75-76, Hamlet finds Claudius praying and thinks it would be a good time to kill him. However, in lines 76-80, Hamlet realizes that since Claudius is in prayer,and, according to  Elizabethan belief, killing him while in prayer would allow Claudius to go directly to heaven. In lines 80-85, Hamlet points out the irony that the "villian" Claudius would go to heaven while Claudius sent his father to purgatory. In lines 85 to 100, Hamlet then decides that he will wait to kill Claudius until his uncle is doing something sinful like "in the incestuous pleasure of his bed" or "drunk" or "swearing". That way his sins will be measure and hopefully, his soul "may be as damned and black as hell" where Claudius will spent eternity suffering. Hope this helps.

In Heart of Darkness, what does the director say and what does it mean?Well, my teacher asked us this question about the book Heart of Darkness by...

"'We have lost the first of the ebb,' said the director suddenly."

The director's words fall after Marlow finishes his story but before the narrator ends the novel.  So the director's words take up the narrative after Marlow dwells too much on Kurtz and loses his voice: "dead short" suggests that Kurtz, "short," has consumed Marlow.  On seeing Marlow fall, the director, originally described as a savior figure: "our host" and "resembels a pilot," emerges as a savior--the director's practical statement jolts the men from their imaginations and lets them see a practical problem with the river--gives them something other than Marlow's narrative to think about.  

Though Marlow's narrative does flow like the rushing and dangerous shallow water at the end of the ebb from high tide to low tide,  the director's words take the river out of the men's imaginations and allow the men to see the river and its darkenss as something outside of them.  So the director's words suggest that our use of words are powerful things--we can use them either to plunge us into the dark or to keep us at the surface.

Monday, March 11, 2013

What brought about the change in friendship between Matt and Attean in Sign of the Beaver?

Even though neither Matt nor Attean wanted to together at first, in keeping the terms of the "treaty" set by Saknis, both boys learn to respect each other, and eventually become friends.


Matt is uncomfortable about his daily meetings with Attean in the beginning, and Attean furiously expresses his displeasure at the arrangement, openly showing his contempt and dislike for Matt.  After a time, however, Matt begins to see that many of the beliefs he takes for granted, about the relationship between masters and slaves for example, just might not be true from another perspective.  Attean on his part overcomes his hatred for Matt, and out of genuine concern, teaches him skills he will need to survive on his own.  A turning point occurs for Matt when Attean takes him deep into the woods and shows him the Indian way of marking a trail.  Matt realizes then that, although he may not like Attean, he trusts him; the Indian boy's sense of decency and honor clearly override his feelings and desires.  When Matt and Attean are attacked by a bear, Attean is impressed with Matt's courage and quickness, and his newfound respect for the white boy grows when Matt shows he can hold his own in the rough games played by the Indian boys. 


When Attean invites Matt to come with them when the tribe moves to the West, it is a clear testimony that their friendship has come a long way from its beginnings in mutual distrust.  Matt has developed anappreciation of the world from Attean's disparate perspective, and Attean, who has every reason to hate the white man, has learned to see Matt as an individual he can admire.  Ironically, Attean gains the greatest respect for his friend because of Matt's refusal to join them, to keep a promise he made to his father.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

In "By the Waters of Babylon" what are 5 things John sees in the place of the gods?

1.  Wild packs of dogs that follow him everywhere, along with other wild animals.


2.  Books.  He was awed by all of the books, written "in tongues that I could not read", and he concludes that their owner must have sought wisdom, just as he is.


3.  Ruins of the city, including "great caves and tunnel" that used to be subway stations.  Also, he found ruined sculptures of once great men, a god "Ashing", which was a statue of George Washington.


4.  "There were pictures upon the walls, very strange, very wonderful".  He describes the pictures being just specks of color up close, but forming flowers from far away, and they made his heart feel "strange".


5.  The dead man.  It led to his great realization that these were not gods, "They were men -- they went a dark road, but they were men".  This revelation was life-changing, not only for him, but for everyone, because he concludes that they can now "make a beginning."  It will reshape their lifestyle, beliefs, customs, and traditions.  This is the most important discovery of them all, and he takes that knowledge back with him to his people.

What is the theme of Shakespeare's "Sonnet 18"?

Sonnet 18 is of Shakespeare's most famous sonnets, and one whose themes and many quotes from it  have been absorbed into the language, not least its famous opening line, "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?".

It has many themes in common with Shakespeare's other sonnets, and I've put the themes in bold for you. It begins with comparing the beauty of a woman to the beauty of nature in detail, and despairing at the transitoriness and changableness of summer and nature (the cyclical, changing nature of nature). Even the sun, the speaker laments is changing - and he concludes that everything in the world changes:

And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd

However, the beauty of the woman will not fade - and, moreover, beauty will survive even death because the poet has preserved that beauty in writing.

The final couplet concludes that, as long as men can breathe or eyes can see, his writing can be read - and therefore the woman's beauty is eternal.

Hope this helps!

Saturday, March 9, 2013

What lessons do Scout and Jem learn from their encounter with Mrs. Dubose?

Jem has a blow-out of his temper when Mrs. Dubose, of whom he is terrified, enrages him by insulting Atticus (of whom she is actually a friend, with a mutual, shared respect between them). As a consequence, Jem is compelled to go to her for over a month (a week being added to the originally appointed month) to read to her while she is in a very, very ill condition. During these encounters, Jem learns courage; to control his emotions; to pursue the right course of action even when it is distasteful (or even appalling); and to turn a blind eye to what is distressing. After these encounters Jem learns, the hard way and much against his will, to respect someone with whom he deeply disagrees; to acknowledge and value courage; and to embrace as worthy a different point of view.

Mrs. Dubose was a lady of fiercely staunch Old South habit, expectation and upbringing as illustrated by her tirades to Scout: “Don’t you say hey to me, you ugly girl! You say good afternoon, Mrs. Dubose!” During Jem's quite unsettling reading-aloud encounters with Mrs. Dubose, Jem has to learn physical courage just to mount her "steep steps." As he confides in Atticus, Jem finds the Dubose home "all dark and creepy ... [with] shadows and things on the ceiling...." To forebear in the face of Mrs. Dubose' symptoms of suffering, Jem has to learn moral courage, as Atticus tried to teach him before, by receiving her insults with bold calm and emotional tranquility:



he would gaze at Mrs. Dubose with a face devoid of resentment. ... [H]e had cultivated an expression of polite and detached interest, which he would present to her in answer to her most blood-curdling inventions.



After the encounters with Mrs. Dubose, Jem learned about all-encompassing courage when he understood from Atticus the determination, strength and deeply rooted courage that Mrs. Dubose needed to call up in order to break her morphine habit so that she might pass from her life and "leave this world beholden to nothing and nobody." This lesson changes Jem in a concrete way that manifests in his attitudes and behavior toward Scout, much to her confusion and dismay: "Jem hollered, 'It’s time you started bein‘ a girl and acting right!'"


Ironically, Jem's lessons to control his emotions (not have a fit of camellia attacking while reading to Mrs. Dubose), to do what's right (steadfastly read aloud to her as his punishment), to turn a blind eye (not be distracted from his task by the appalling symptoms of her suffering) all stand him in good stead and allow him to be of help to younger Scout during Tom Robinson's trial. Although the experiences of that year, from the camellia beheading to the readings to the camellia-in-a-candy-box to the Robinson trial, took youthful Jem a bit further away from young Scout, coming-of-age Jem was bolstered in later troubles by the trials he coped with in Mrs. Dubose' sickroom.

In Chapter 10 of Animal Farm, why do the pigs conform to the human habits and not the other way round?Chapter 10 says that the pigs and humans meet...

The pigs and human both adopted each others habits, from the ending it said that " The creatures outside looked like pig to man...; but already it was impossible to say which was which" which means that both actually resembled each other. It was not really true to say that only the pigs adapted the human habits. However, the were other evidences which shows that the pigs were conforming to human habits, like smoking pipes, drinking alcohol, wearing clothes and walking on two legs. In conclusion there was not real evidence that points to humans not conforming to pigs habits.

How many hours does it take to read "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen?

This depends on many different factors.  How quickly do you read?  How is your reading comprehension?  How much free time do you have each day to dedicate to reading?  How well do you like the story?


Jane Austen's books tend to be filled with very long exchanges of dialogue, character analysis, and descriptions, so the going is a bit more slow than an action-packed adventure novel.  It tends to be quite thick and plodding, and requires a lot of concentration.  The bottom line is that you won't be able to get it read in a few hours; more like days, and even longer depending on how much time you read each day.  It's a great story though, and well worth the time.  I have provided some links below that might help you to understand the plot and characters a bit better, which might help you pick up the pace.  Good luck!

Friday, March 8, 2013

How do the similes in section three of "Of Mice and Men" portray Curley's and Lennie's characters?

The animal imagery that is used throughout the novel is used in particular to convey the characters of Lennie and Curley at the end of Chapter 3 in the fight scene. Curley is decribed as stepping over to Lennie when he sees him laughing "like a terrier". Terriers are small dogs who are renowned for snapping away ineffectually and going after something. This conveys that Curley's character isn't that strong in reality, although he may give an appearance of being strong. He is picking on Lennie because he feels the need to prey on those who he assumes to be weaker than him, especially after he has just tried to pick a fight with Slim. He is the typical figure of a bully - trying to threaten those who are weaker and smaller than he is to bolster his own sense of esteem.


With Lennie, however, despite his initial defencelessness, he has met his match. The animal imagery of comparing Lennie to a bear that was started in Chapter 1 when we first met Lennie is continued here, with Lennie covering his face with his "huge paws". The implied metaphor here reflects the bear conmparison. Later, this metaphor is repeated with Curley's fist being "lost in [Lennie's] paw."


Curley, in response to this attack, "was flopping like a fish on a line", and eventually his struggling becomes weak. Against Lennie's strength, he is shown to be truly weak, and it shows that his bravado and outer appearance of being a strong man was just that - an appearance. He is unable to free himself from Lennie's grasp and this simile reflects his weakness and also his certain defeat.

How does the context of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein contribute to greater understanding of the novel?

To begin, the word “context” must be defined in regards to understanding the two main meanings of the word in regards to literary use. First, context refers to the circumstances which form the setting, statements, or ideas within a novel or text. In this regard, one must understand the importance of the setting of Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein. Second, context includes the words or images which precede another word or passage in order to clarify its meaning. In this regard, one must know certain things about the movement of the novel in order to follow what happened, what is happening, and what will happen.


 In regards to the first definition of context, one must understand that the novel is both Romantic and Gothic. As for the Romantic aspects of the novel, much of the scenery is highly detailed in regards to the surrounding countryside through the highlighting of nature and the regenerative power of nature. In regards to the Gothic aspects, Shelley includes the context of frozen lands, horrific dreams (the death of Elizabeth in Victor’s arms), and the Creature himself.


 As for the use of the second definition, a reader must know how Victor and Walton came to know each other, the history of Victor’s life, the creation of the Creature, and Victor’s pursuit of the creature through the ice fields. Without this knowledge, the story of Victor, his ambition, and the quest to end the Creature’s life would be lost to the reader.


Outside of these things, the study of a novel should always be rooted in the period which it was written in. Given the change in both scientific and industry, one should apply the changes within the period to the novel as well.

What are some examples of how hyperbole and colloquial expressions contribute to the humor of "Why I Live at the P.O."?

The plot alone would not be enough to make Welty's story humorous; the dialogue and style of her narrative is essential to the story.  Welty uses many Southern idioms in order to show a truly eccentric Mississippi clan. The dialogue in the story is informal and realistic, filled with sentence fragments, slang, and words spelled to emphasize the way Welty’s characters talk, "Papa Daddy l-a - y - s down his knife and fork." Welty also uses familiar Southern expressions such as ‘‘dizzy as a witch,’’ ‘‘kiss my foot,’’ and ‘‘Miss Priss” to give her story more flavor. In terms of hyperbole, the narrator, Sister, is very melodramatic.  She sees the smallest events and insults suffered at the hands of her family as the end of the world, particularly when it comes to her sister Stella Rondo: ‘‘She’s always had anything in the world she wanted and then she’d throw it away.” Sister’s ability to overstate the mundane makes Welty’s story a hilarious interpretation of life in the South.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

What are some neologisms that Shakespeare invented? How did some of them become used in society today?thank you

The web site No Sweat Shakespeare (linked in the resources section) has a long list of words that William Shakespeare is said to have coined, or at least to have been the first person to put in writing. In fact, the editors state that in all of his works combined, "Shakespeare uses 17,677 words: Of those, 1,700 were first used by Shakespeare." Among the words this site lists are gloomy, assassination, amazement, hurry, and suspicious.


Online Shakespeare (linked below) explains that Shakespeare created these new words "by changing nouns into verbs, changing verbs into adjectives, connecting words never before used together, adding prefixes and suffixes, and devising words wholly original." For instance, the word "blanket" is a noun, meaning a covering on a bed. But Shakespeare was the first writer to use it as a verb in Act II, scene 3, of King Lear, when Edgar says that he will "blanket my loins." We use the same verb form today when we say that the ground is blanketed in snow.


It could be that many of these words were in use in spoken language but were not considered proper to use in writing. Shakespeare used both formal and informal language in his plays because he depicts both noble and common characters. So it may be that he didn't invent these words but was the first to put them into print.

What does the phrase "I am Legion, for we are many" mean?

This quote is taken from the New Testament of the Christian Bible. How can I better explain it than by showing you the source in the book of Mark, chapter five, starting in verse 2 (New International Version):


Mark 5:2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.


6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”


9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”


“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

What is the importance of Chapter 12 of Lord of the Flies?Is it the forest fire that gets the boys rescued?

His [Ralph's] voice rose under the black smoke before the burning wreckage of the island...Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy.

Thus ends Chapter 12 of "The Lord of the Flies."   Ralph has lost his effectivness because of his inability to understand the reasoning behind his desire for civilization and rules; Piggy, his vision gone, has had his blind faith in a system of rules shattered as symbolically the conch breaks into pieces.  His vision gone, Piggy, too, is perceived as dispensable.

Has savagery won over civilization or vice versa?  The reader is left to resolve the allegorical tale of English boys stranded on an island and their "fatal unreasoning knowledge" of their regression into savagery represented by the shattering of the conch and the theft of Piggy's glasses in Chapter 11(the climax) as well as the use of such words as "the painted group" and "the tribe" and "the group of savages." 

Without resolution, Chapter 12 sets images of the destructive force of the fire set by the "tribe" juxtaposed against images of the fire and its smoke effecting the rescue of the boys.  Yet, even when the officer rescues Ralph, the man looks back at the ship,the trim cruiser of war in the distance. This glance suggests that violence will continue as the war still exists.

One thing is certain.  As in Thomas Wolfe's novel, Ralph and the other boys "cannot go home again"; they can never return to the innocence that they knew before arriving on the island.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

What are examples of haste that indirectly affect the fate of Romeo and Juliet?

"Wisely, and slow, they stumble that run fast" says Friar Laurence to Romeo at the end of their first scene together. And he has a point. There are lots of instances of haste, and moments where time feels tightly compressed in the play. For example


  • Capulet only sends out the invitations to his party on the day - the party is on that night!

  • Paris, for some reason, has been invited to the party that night, and Lady Capulet seems already to know that he wants to marry Juliet. It's all happening fast.

  • Romeo meets Juliet at a party, and falls immediately in love with her. That night he agrees to marry her at her window.

  • He doesn't sleep, but goes straight to Friar Laurence, who agrees to marry them that same day.

  • Moments after Mercutio is killed, Romeo instantaneously decides to challenge Tybalt. He kills him.

  • It is that same night, it seems, that Capulet agrees that Juliet will marry Paris on Thursday. As Friar Laurence says, "the time is very short".

  • When Juliet relents to her father, he brings the marriage forward a day, to Wednesday.

  • Juliet fakes her own death on Tuesday night, and is taken to the vault on Wednesday. Romeo arrives, finds her dead, and without hesitation, kills himself. She awakes, finds his body and kills herself.

The plot -as you can see - depends on haste. The above looks like a summary: it is, in fact, a list of the quick and fast actions.


Hope it helps!

In Fahrenheit 451, what purpose do the inhabitants of this wilderness have in life?

These are the misfits, the intellectuals, those who do not belong; they are reminiscent of the outcases in "Brave New World" who can not or will not adapt to the society they find themselves in.  Their major function in the book is simple:  each of them has memorized a famous book so that the information/philosophy it contains will remain even after all the books have been "burned" in the attempt to create a more stable society.  It's almost a reversal to the pre-writing times when "books" were passed on by word of mouth, not by reading.


At the end of the book it appears that their services are in demand as they return to civilization ....

What makes Jack a powerful leader? How do you think William Golding wants you to respond to him?

Jack's overall appearance and personality make him the powerful leader that he is. He is described as taller than the other boys.  That alone gives him an advantage.  Then his outgoing personality and the fact that he is the choir leader gives him position in their social circles.  Another aspect of his personality is his arrogance.  He feels that he is better than the others, especially Piggy and the Littluns.  He is vocal in how he feels and even volunteers himself to be the chief. His moments of violence even in the beginning (when he steps on Piggy's specs) show his power.


Golding creates this monster of a character for us to represent all that is savage and potentially evil in all of humankind. He wants us to see how far kids would actually go and he represents the potential "evil doings" in all of us.  Jack is the extreme, as is Roger, but with Jack's leadership, Golding shows us how controlling one person can be, and how easy it is for a society to completely lose control by following the wrong person.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird" why does Jem cry at the end of chapter 7?

He has just discovered that Mr. Nathan Radley filled in the tree with cement, and he is upset at how cruel that was.  Boo had been, for the past several weeks, extending a hand of friendship to the two children by leaving little gifts inside the hole in the tree.  Jem suspected it was Boo, who had, the chapter before, kindly sewed up Jem's pants and left them for him at the fence, which helped Jem to not get into trouble for trespassing on the Radley property.  The gifts that Boo gave were small, but moving; a perfectly whittled figure set of a boy and a girl that looked like them, chewing gum, and a pocket watch.  So, Jem and Scout write a letter of thanks and go to deposit into the tree, only to discover the tree has been filled in.


Jem's crying isn't because he is sad to lose further gifts from the friend.  It is because of the friendship that had been started between the kids and Boo, and Nathan Radley's cruelty in trying to stop it.  And, he outright lied to Jem about it.  He told Jem he filled in the hole because the "tree's dying.  You plug 'em with cement when they're sick."  Atticus confirms later that the tree was not sick, so Jem knows Mr. Radley was not only lying, but cruelly keeping Boo from finding happiness and friendship.  And, just like Atticus, Jem appears to have his father's kind and sympathetic heart; he is upset that Boo has such a cruel father and has to live like that.

What is the significance of little Father Time in "Jude the Obscure"?

Little Father Time is an important character in "Jude the Obscure" because he represents Hardy's views on fatalism. Thomas Hardy believed that human actions and destinies are fixed. What happens in your life is destined to happen. We are all fated to a certain end. Father Time is merely a boy, but has the melancholy of a much older man. Father Time is representative of the nature versus nurture argument. He is not old enough to have learned sadness. His sadness is a direct result of fate. Nothing could be done to prevent the disaster he creates.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

In Animal Farm, who is to blame for what goes wrong?

While it would be easy to point fingers at the power-hungry Napoleon or even Snowball, the true responsibility for Animal Farm's failure lies with all of the characters.

If some of the animals, like the sheep, had been less apt to follow the dictatorial direction that the farm was taking, that would have been one area that could have improved. Likewise, if other animals had acted less like themselves (donkeys=stubborn; horses=slow-minded, loyal laborers) then the plans of the ruling minority would not have succeeded, either.

In the end, the fault for Animal Farm's failure lies with each character -- even the farmer. While students may be tempted to place blame with the animals who were most instrumental in establishing "the rules" and so forth, nothing would have happened if cooperation were not present.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

In Act IV of The Crucible, what had happened in Andover?

When the witch trials began, those first accused were powerless people who occupied the lowest level in their Puritan society. They were not recognized as being worthy or respectable, which contributed strongly in their being singled out for prosecution. As the trials continued, however, the accusations reached higher and higher into Puritan society; suddenly, no one was safe from arrest and punishment. When the nature of those accused began to change, the people became less enthusiastic as general fear and discontent with the proceedings developed.


In the Puritan village of Andover, witch trials were being conducted simultaneously with the trials in Salem. In Act IV, word reaches the court in Salem that the people of Andover have risen up and thrown out the court in their village, putting an end to the prosecution and persecution. This news is especially disturbing to the court in Salem where the hangings continue, now with the most respectable and upstanding people of Salem, such as John Proctor and Rebecca Nurse, scheduled to die. The judges fear the rebellion in Andover will spread to Salem, which makes it imperative to get a confession from one of the respected citizens about to die. A confession from John Proctor, in particular, would serve to legitimize the court's proceedings.

Why does John regret that he had told Elizabeth about his affair with Abigail? What makes her suspicious about John's behaviour?

John regrets having told Elizabeth because she constantly makes him feel guilty for his actions. She refuses to forgive him or try to rebuild their relationship, but instead has a holier-than-thou attitude towards him, making it impossible to John to move forward.


She grows suspicious of his behavior because he leaves out details of his trip to town. John isn't entirely honest with Elizabeth about meeting Abigail, saying that he met her in a crowd not that they talked alone.

Friday, March 1, 2013

What effect does shakespeare create by having Macbeth and Banquo enter just as they are discussing the execution of the former Thane of Cawdor?This...

Shakespeare tells us a lot, subtley, with the timing of his entrances and exits.  This particular instance is quite interesting because Duncan has just finished discussing the fact that he used to have "an absolute trust" in the former thane of Cawdor and in walks Macbeth, the new thane of Cawdor, whom Duncan immediately puts all his trust in without having learned his lesson from his prior mistake.  And, thanks to dramatic irony, we all know Duncan should not trust Macbeth!

In The Giver, what did the family have to do in order for Gabriel to be allowed a second year of nurturing? (located in chapters 6-12)

The whole family had to sign contracts saying they wouldn't grow too attached to him if he continued to stay at their house in the evenings.  They had to say that they would willingly give him up the next year when it was time for him to be given to a "real" family at the naming ceremony.  This way, they would ensure he would be nurtured, but they weren't trying to break rules by getting a third child of their own.

What is the main function of the fool in "King Lear"? What is the secondly function?

The fool as a character is confusing, but part of this is the difference between the 1600s and today, as well as the difference in place. If...