Why does Putnam want the people to be convicted of witchcraft?

He wants them convicted so he can purchase their land.  According to the law if you are convicted of witch craft, not only will you be hanged but you will also forfeit your right to your property.  The property will then be sold.  Putnam is the riches man in Salem and can buy whatever land he wishes once it has been taken from its rightful owners.

Recall that Giles Corey presents a statement that alledges that Putnam has his daugther accuse people who have prime land.  Giles tells Danforth, after Putnam's daughter has accused George Jacobs of witchcraft, "If Jacobs hangs for a witch he forfeits up his property - that's law!  And there is none but Putnam with the coin to buy so great a piece.  This man is killing his neighbor's for their land!"

Discuss the color symbolism in "Winter Dreams."

In "Winter Dreams," color motifs play an important role in communicating Fitzgerald's themes. White is associated with wealth. When Dexter first meets Judy, she appears on the golf course with a "white linen nurse" who carries Judy's clubs in a "white canvas bag." Judy lives on Sherry Island in her father's huge white mansion. Fitzgerald describes it as a "great white bulk" of a house and emphasizes its whiteness by further describing it as "somnolent, gorgeous, drenched with the splendor of the damp moonlight."

Judy herself is most closely associated with gold and pink. When Dexter meets Judy again on the golf course, years after their first meeting when she was a child, Judy's face is flushed with a "feverish warmth." When Dexter meets her again on the lake, she wears pink rompers. At various times, her pink or crimson lips are noted. When Dexter meets her months later at a dance, Judy is "a slender enameled doll in cloth of gold." She also wears a gold headband and wears gold slippers. Her face glows.

At the story's conclusion, as Dexter loses even the memory of Judy, he stands at a window and watches the sun sink "in dull lovely shades of pink and gold." For him, Judy no longer exists in the world in any way. Judy's memory is replaced by reality: "[T]he sun was gone down, and there was no beauty but the gray beauty of steel . . . ." For Dexter, who has lived in his winter dreams from childhood, reality is gray: hard, cold, and colorless.

What does George's conversation with Slim reveal about George's past treatment of Lennie in Of Mice and Men?

In this conversation, George reveals that he hasn't always treated Lennie well, but that one near-tragic incident taught him a valuable lesson. Early in their friendship, George explains, he used to take advantage of Lennie and play jokes on him because Lennie was "too dumb even to know he had a joked played on him." Because he trusted George, Lennie would do whatever George told him to do. George found these jokes fun: "Made me seem God damn smart alongside of him."

George continues, however, to tell Slim how and why the joking came to a stop. On one occasion, George told Lennie, in front of a group of other men, to jump in the river. Lennie did so immediately, and almost drowned. George and some others had to pull him out. George finishes his story with this poignant detail:

An' he was so damn nice to me for pullin' him out. Clean forgot I told him to jump in. 

After that near-tragedy, George never tricked Lennie again; instead, realizing how much power he had over Lennie,  George took care to never again take advantage of him and his trust.

Please explain the conflict and the turning point/climax of "The Ransom of Redchief." How is the conflict resolved?.

In "The Ransom of Red Chief," the humor arises out of the conflict: instead of the kidnapped child being afraid, he terrorizes Sam and, especially Bill, who is threatened with scalping and ridden like a horse all one morning.  Compromising on the ranson money so that they can assuredly be rid of the red-haired freckled terror that they have taken, the men write a ransom note which Sam surreptitiously mails in town.

The turning point/climax of the action occurs soon afterwards as the men await the depositing of the ransom money into the appointed spot.  A "half-grown boy" on a bicycle deposits something into the box Sam has set up.  After waiting an hour, Sam climbs down from his post and discovers, not money, but a letter in "a crabbed hand."  The father of the boy, Ebenezer Dorset, contends that Sam and Bill's demands are "a little high."  Instead, he offers to take the boy off their hands if they will pay him two hundred and fifty dollars.  To this Sam utters an exclamation, but when he looks at Bill he sees "the most appealing look in his eyes I ever saw on the face of a dumb or talking brute."

So, in the resolution of the conflict, there is the typical O. Henry unexpected ending as Sam and Bill return "Red Chief" to his father, pay the two hundred and fifty dollars, and run when the father says he can only hold the boy for ten minutes. 

What is the difference between Rule utilitarianism and Act utilitarianism?

Utilitarianism tries to overcome the problems of using egoism as a moral guide by making the basis for decision making what will produce the greatest amount of pleasure for the greatest amount of people. This is obviously in contrast to egoism, which would take the basis for decision making as that which would serve one's own interest and provide for one's pleasure.

The differences between rule and act utilitarianism are as follows: the act utilitarian only considers the results or consequences of a single action whereas the rule utilitarian considers the consequences that result of following a rule of conduct.

Let's take a simple example to make this clearer. You are sitting in an exam, and you realise that you have revised the wrong questions. HELP! But, then you realise that you have left your revision notes in your pocket, so you have the choice of sneaking them out and cheating in your exam.

If you ascribed to Act Utilitarianism, you would look at the consequences of that single action. You would say that cheating would produce the most happiness for you and for your family, as you would get a good grade which would allow you to go to a good college and get a good job etc. By calculating the outcome of this single action, you would think it was worthwhile. So you would cheat!

If you ascribed to Rule Utilitarianism, you would need to consider what the long term consequences would be if everyone cheated in their exams. You would think that if everyone cheated, you would have doctors, lawyers, teachers who weren't able to do their jobs properly, resulting in chaos and a break down in trust in society, as people wouldn't trust that their doctors knew how to heal them. So by calculating the eventual outcome, you would decide that there would be far more harm in cheating in the long run, and you would fail your exam.

What is the central message of the poem "To a Skylark"?Poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Shelley's ode "To a Skylark" was witten in 1820 when he was in Leghorn in Italy. Shelley compares the skylark to various objects in order to make  the readers understand as much as is possible the mysterious and beautiful bird, and its divine  music.

The following lines capture the essence of the bird and reveal the central message of the poem: "Like a poet hidden/In the light of thought/Singing hymns unbidden/Till the world is wrought/To sympathy with hopes and fears it heeded not."

Shelley in his essay "Defense of Poetry" (written 1821 published 1840) remarks that poets are "the unacknowledged legislators of the world." That is, although the poets are never in the limelight they guide the destinies of a nation by voluntarily pronouncing profound truths which serve as moral guideposts to the common people. Similarly, the skylark also is rarely seen but its soulful melodious music serves to remind the people of the mysitcal beauties of Nature.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird" what 3 character traits have you noticed about Scout that are likely to make her life hard?

1.  Stubbornness.  How many times in the story did Jem insist that she stay put and she absolutely refused?  This got her into trouble over and over again, and made her life harder.  However, hopefully as she matures, she will be stubborn about the right things, like Atticus is, and it will end up being to her credit.

2.  Tomboyishness.  She will eventually, as she admits at the missionary circle, have to "soon enter this world", meaning the world of a lady.  She fights it though, and as a result earns people's scorn and judgment, including many townfolk and Aunt Alexandra.  Later this could be hard for her as she tries to fit in with girls her age, as Jem eventually moves out of her sphere of friendship.  It will be a rough transition for her, but hopefully she can make it with few hiccups.

3.  Always speaking what is on her mind, with no regard for social tact.  We see Scout do this many times throughout the book, blurt out questions, judgments, perspectives and attitudes without even thinking beforehand whether it's the right time or place.  This gets her into awkward and troublesome sitiuations, and could potentially earn her enemies in the future, when people can't pass it off because she is young.  However, it is what gives her much of her charm in the book, and I find her forthrightness refreshing.  :)

What hadn't Gatsby used all summer?no

Gatsby had not used his swimming pool all summer. Ironically, he decided to go for a swim at the same time George Wilson has come to his house thinking that Gatsby was driving the car that hit his wife, Myrtle. Sitting on a "pneumatic mattress" or pool float, He makes an easy target for George, who has brought a gun to kill Gatsby. Tom kills Gatsby then turns the gun on himself and "the holocaust was complete."

(5x+3/x)-(x-1/2x)

(5x+3/x)-(x-1/2x) :

In mathematics the first bracket is only decorative.

(5x+3/x) =5x+(3/x). And cannot mean (5x+3)/x.

-(x-1/2x) = -x+(1/2)x, and cannot mean (x-1)/(2x). 1/2x is not 1/(2x) but it means (1/2)x.

Therefore

5x+(3/x)-x+(1/2)x =5x-x+(1/2)x+(3/x)

=(5-1+0.5)x+3/x = 4.5x+3/x

*---*--------*-----------*

If you wanted the factors:The expression is equal to  (1/x)(4.5x^2 +3)  or  (2/x)(9x^2 +6) .

If you wanted to solve for zeros:

No real solution and Y axis is an asymptote.

y=4.5x is another obleque asynptote.

The expression is discontinuous at x= 0 with an infinite jump from positive infinity to negative infinity as x change sign around zero i.e from  0+  to  0- .

In Ch 24 of "To Kill a Mockingbird", do you think the missionary ladies are sincere in worrying about the Mrunas?

I'm sure the ladies thought that they were sincere; it just wasn't the most effective form of compassion.  Mrs. Merriweather, when talking about them, was crying:  "Oh child, those poor Mrunas...the poverty...the darkness...the immorality...I made a pledge in my heart.  I said to myself, when I go home I'm going to give a course on the Mrunas."  She seems sincere enough; weeping and pledging.  Too bad she spends the rest of the time back-biting and subversively deriding almost everyone and everything the rest of the meeting.

The missionary meeting, although full of good intentions, seems to be more about refreshments and gossip than helping the oppressed, even though I am sure the ladies didn't see it that way.  The ladies talk for a bit about the Mrunas, then "Immediately thereafter, the ladies adjourned for refreshments."  They then spent the rest of the time gossiping about the Robinsons, teasing Scout, and getting into verbal entanglements.  I am sure the ladies were interested in the Mrunas, and felt that they were compassionate for knowing about them, but sure didn't do a lot to convert it into action.

In Romeo an Juliet, what are three ways in which Romeo shows love and passion to Juliet?

Since Romeo's nature is passionate, he displays this emotion throughout the play.  Three salient instances are

1. When Romeo first sees Juliet, he is passionately struck by her beauty:  "Oh, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!...Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! (I,v,(41-44).


2. When Romeo approaches Juliet and speaks to her with passionate love:  "If I profane my unworthiest hand/...My lips, two blushing pilgrims, read stand/To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss (I,v,86-91)


3. When Romeo steals into the Capulet's orchard and stands beneath Juliet's balcony he expresses his love:  "See how she leans her cheek upon her hand!/Oh, that I were a glove upon that hand/That I might touch that cheek!" (II,ii,21-23).  Then, Juliet appears and he declares his love to her: "Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear [my love],/That tip with silver all these fruit-tree tops--(II,ii,107-108).

Internal Conflicts rage within Macbeth. Explain some of the play's main conflicts, and trace their Resolution. Please include Acts and scenes....

There are several conflicts (both external and internal) in Shakespeare's play Macbeth.

External conflicts, as you may already know, include a character versus another character, society, nature, and factors beyond the character's control.

Macbeth, for example, faces the following external conflicts:

1.  Macbeth versus another character:  Although Macbeth is in line for the throne (which, unbeknownst to him, would have come to him in due time--without having to take multiple lives), he must eliminate Duncan.  However, once Macbeth assumes the throne, he must continue to kill character after character--primarily out of paranoia--to keep his coveted crown.

2.  Macbeth versus society: Thou shalt not kill (referring to pre-meditated murder) is a natural law that is a foundation for civil laws world-wide.  By committing murder in the first degree, Macbeth is choosing to go against both the natural and civil law, the consequences of which affect and endanger him, Lady Macbeth, and his ill-gotten crown.

3.  Macbeth versus forces beyond his control:  The biggest force beyond Macbeth's control is the concept of fate.  Had Macbeth been patient, the crown would have come to him naturally.  By killing Duncan, and engaging in the bloodbath that follows to ensure the crown remains his, and his alone, Macbeth interferes with fate.  His consequence for taking matters into his own hands leads to death: Banquo, his best friend, Lady Macbeth, and ultimately, his own death.  

In a moving elevator, you are not moving from the reference point of the elevator. True or False?

True. Since you are moving along within the elevator at the same velocity, and there's no reference external to the elevator, like a window, from the frame of reference of the elevator, you and the elevator are not moving.

However, the air pressure changes on your eardrums, or the sudden deceleration or acceleration when the elevator slows or speeds subracting or adding to the force of gravity when you go down or up would be indicators that you are being subject to a force.

I the play Hamlet, how do Hamlet's soliloquies and asides give us insight into his melancholic character, relating to the idea of Revenge Tragedy?

Shakespeare uses soliloquies and asides so that the audience may hear what the character is thinking, while the other characters on the stage do not.

In general, Hamlet's thoughts lean mostly toward his sorrow for his father's passing, his distrust of his uncle and thoughts of how to prove him implicit in Hamlet's father's death, his lost appreciation for the beauties of the world around him, and even his consideration of suicide.

For example, Hamlet discusses how the world "delights not me," having lost his father and seen his mother marry her brother-in-law so soon after her husband's death.  His depression has made him cynical.

Later, Hamlet privately admits that he will put on "an antic disposition," pretending to be driven mad by his father's death.  In doing so, he hopes that Claudius will slip up and give something away.  Hamlet plays word games with Polonius who is too foolish to understand what Hamlet is alluding to, but Hamlet sees much more meaningful results when he has the players reenact the murder of his father when the acting troupe performs for the new king.

After this, Hamlet finds his uncle at prayer and is ready to kill him, however he mistakenly believes that Claudius is confessing his sins and fears that if Hamlet kills him at that moment, Claudius, with a "clean" soul, will go to heaven.  (In truth, Claudius cannot find the words to pray, but Hamlet doesn't know this.) Hamlet vows that in order to get revenge, he must kill Claudius after he has done something sinful...like sleeping with Gertrude, Hamlet's mother.  The Elizabethans of Shakespeare's time believed that when Claudius married his sister-in-law, he committed an act of incest.  Therefore, Hamlet plans to wait until Claudius has been to bed with Gertrude and then kill him.

Hamlet suffers from extreme depression (melancholy).  In his "To be or not to be" speech, he contemplates suicide.  His love for Ophelia falls to the wayside.  He is distanced from his mother, unsure until his father's ghost tells him, whether his mother was complicit as well in the death of Old Hamlet.

His pretended madness, his mistaken murder of Polonius, and Ophelia's subsequent suicide are all manifestations of Hamlet's desire for revenge that overshadows all other aspects of his life.  Indeed his cynicism for the world and his denial of Ophelia are examples of his intent to find justification--and the ideal time--to kill the king to avenge his father's murder.

What similarities do the women in "Story of an Hour" and The "Yellow Wallpaper" have in common?

Both of these women are repressed in their marriages; the narrator in "The Yellow Wallpaper" is micro-managed by a well-meaning but overbearing husband.  He treats her like a child who is incapable of making decisions on her own; he disregards any opinions that she expresses; he makes fun of her whims and makes her feel guilty for any expression of unhappiness or complaint.  Louise Mallard's husband in "The Story of an Hour" doesn't seem to be so bad, although there is a hint that he had exercised authority over her; Louise thinks after his death that "there would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they ahve a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature."  So, she did feel oppressed by him; Chopin even describes her as having a face "whose lines bespoke repression."

So, both women are repressed in their marriages, and not happy; however, they don't want to face up to their unhappiness.  The narrator of "The Yellow Wallpaper" constantly makes excuses for her husband, chastises herself for not being happier, and makes resolutions to "do better".  Louise Mallard fights of the happiness after her husband's death:  "She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will."  She tries to fight off the realization that she will be much happier without her husband.

Both women are also afflicted; Louise with heart troubles, and the narrator of "The Yellow Wallpaper" with a "slight hysterical tendency" and nervousness, that eventually spirals out of control.  Both women are overwhelmed by their afflictions in the end, either through death or by mental incapability.  Both women also demonstrate the sad reality of unhappiness in marriage, and the impact that it can have in one's life-a rather taboo subject of the day and age.

I hope that helps!

Who is General Rapael Trujilla?

General Rafael Trujillo ruled in the Dominican Republic from 1930 until he was assassinated in 1961. He was President part of that time, for 8 years from 1930 to 1938, and again from 1942 to 1952. The rest of the time he was a military dictator. His nickname was “El Jefe” (the chief). Trujillo’s regime was brutal, especially as opposition to him increased. His secret police operation was very bloody.

Truijillo had an obsessive hatred of Venezuela’s President Betancourt, and made several efforts to have him overthrown or killed. These efforts, in addition to the murder of the Mirabal sisters (see Julia Alvarez’ book In the Time of the Butterflies) led to widespread opposition to Trujillo, not just in the Domincan Republic, but around the world. Finally, in 1961, Trujillo was shot to death by plotters who were backed by the CIA.

In "Of Mice and Men" how is George a dynamic character?

A dynamic character is defined as one who makes a change in his character from the beginning of the story to the end.  In "Of Mice and Men" George seems to make this type of change if we compare the way that he acts in Chapter 1 to what he becomes by Chapter 6.  In the very beginning of the novel, George seems to be bothered by the fact that he has to take care of Lennie.  He feels obligated because of the things that he witnessed during their childhood.  Despite the fact that he feels obligated, he does not treat Lennie as well as he should, always acting and treating Lennie as if he is a nuisance and is in the way of George achieving more than he has.  However, in Chapter 6 we can see that George feels a genuine love toward Lennie.  He does not want anyone to hurt him and feels that the only way that he will be able to protect him like a father or brother is to shoot him himself.  George goes from feeling that Lennie is a huge problem in his life to acting as a caring father or brother would -- this makes George a dynamic character.

What was Macbeth's lack of morals as seen in the play, Macbeth?

Macbeth's immoral behavior results from his overwhelming ambition for power and wealth: He wants to become King of Scotland, no matter the cost to his character or even to his immortal soul. Once he gives in to his "black and deep desires," Macbeth sets out to gain the crown, committing numerous immoral acts, one after another with increasing frequency.

Macbeth's secret desire to become King of Scotland first turns him from an honest and valiant soldier and friend into a liar and deceiver--and then into a murderer of innocent men, women, and even children. Before he is finally destroyed, Macbeth murders King Duncan, casts guilt upon Duncan's sons, arranges the murders of Banquo and his son (Fleance does escape), and orders the destruction of Macduff's entire household, including his wife, children and servants. 

Macbeth's immorality and depravity are great, and even he understands the depths to which he has sunk to gain power: 

Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood

Clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather

The multitudinous seas incarnadine,

Making the green one red.

Macbeth understands how much blood he has on his hands, but it does not deter him. The strength of his ambition is far greater than that of his conscience.

Describe the sun's atmosphere.

The sun's atmosphere is extreamely very very hot. We will be fried if we go near it. The sun's atmosphere has three layers -

* photosphere

* Chromosphere

* Corona

In the photosphere we see the sun spots which are cooler than the other surface. It is 4500 degree celcius. And the rest of the photosphere is about 6000 degree celsius.

The solar radiations for ex = Ultaviolet Rays come from the chronosphere. And its thickness is about 10,000 km.

The corana is the outer and the inner core of the sun. Which is too hot to fry an  egg. It is millions degree celcius. And it sends plasma waves which is called solar winds.

How does Rip Van Winkle have an identity crisis?

Rip Van Winkle had an identity crisis even before he went to sleep for 20 years. As a young man, he  had "insuperable aversion to all kinds of profitable labor... Rip was ready to attend to anybody’s business but his own; but as to doing family duty, and keeping his farm in order, it was impossible."

This character flaw made him a favorite of all the people in his village but a real problem for his wife. He was known as a "henpecked" husband and caused a "fiery furnace of domestic tribulation". He simply was more of a romantic character who was content to watch the flowers grow rather than to cultivate and fertilize them. Once he wakes up, his wife is dead and he is able to live with his daughter. Without a farm to take care of allows him to be the "simple, good-natured man; he was" and his identity crisis is over.

In Walt Whitman's poem "Song of Myself" #10 what does it mean?

The first half talks about his travels; he lists different experiences he has had.  The first is going out hunting, "wandering amazed at my own lightness and glee" as he does.  It is obvious that he loves being out in the mountains.  Then he talks about being on a yacht, where he gives a "shout joyously from the deck".  Next is when he went and digged clams with clam-diggers and "had a good time."  The longest description in the first part is of a marriage between a trapper and a native american woman.  He describes her "long eyelashes" and his "luxuriant curls and beard."  All of these things he describes with joy, admiration, and an overall feeling of being happy to be alive and witness these things.

In the last section, Whitman describes how he heard a runaway slave outside of his door, and brought him into his own house.  He drew up a bath for him, gave him some clothes to wear, a room "that enter'd from my own", and let him stay there for "a week before he was recuperated and pass'd north".  Then, he states that the entire time the slave was there, he sat next to Whitman at the table, "my fire-lock lean'd in the corner."  So, he sits at the same table with the slave, with no need for a gun, giving him his own clothes, and equal treatment.

I hope that helps!  I've provided links below that might be useful also.

At what point in history did the Catholic church have more than one pope?

The Great Schism discussed quite well above by mwestwood is the most famous schism, although well before the Reformation, but there have actually been other points in time at which there have been rival popes.  When Urban II gave his speech at Clermont, France in 1095 calling for a Crusade to free the Holy Land from the Turks, he had three motives.  One was the persecutions the Turks were visiting upon Christians (and Jews and Arabs), another was the underlying inflationary economy of Europe caused by trade with the Middle East.  But possibly the most important was that he had a rival pope, Clement III, who had great support in the Holy Roman Empire.  In the enthusiasm for the Crusade, Clement III's support dwindled to zero.

Curiously enough, there is still a rival pope.  In 1978, on the death of Pope Paul VI, a blind Spaniard named Clemente Dominguez y Gomez claimed he had a personal revelation from the Virgin Mary and proclaimed himself Pope Gregory XXVII, and true head of the Catholic Church.  Dominguez claimed the Roman Catholic Church was in the clutches of Satan, and he was chosen to free it.  He eventually amassed about 150 clerics, including priests, nuns, bishops and cardinals, and over 1,500 lay members around the world as the Holy Dogmatic Palmyrian Synod.  On his death in 2005 he was succeeded by Peter II.

In Chapter 5 of Mice and Men, how much money do the men bet on in the tournament? Reflect on the difference between how much money that is today.

Curley's wife tells Lennie:

"They got four dollars bet in that tenement."

Although the bet in the horseshoes tournament seems like a small amount now, consider the fact that the men made only $50 plus minimal room and board for a month of backbreaking work 11 hours a day, 6 days a week.  Other indications of the value of money then were that $2.50 was more than George felt he could spare for a 'flop' at Susy's place, and the fact that they could buy a 10-acre farm for $600.

Describe the behavior of Nick Allen in "Frindle?"

In the novel "Frindle" Nick Allen is a bright and clever 5th grader.  He is known in his class for having the ability to try and sway the teacher from her lesson plans by asking questions that will develop into discussions. He uses his wit and creativity to challenge the system, however, he is polite.  He likes the challenge but he does not like to be disrespectful.  When he creates the word, "frindle" he is doing it as a joke.  He just wants to see how far it will go to being disruptive, but he is not trying to "hurt anyone."  His behavior is that of a polite, yet, adventurous young man.  This ability eventually makes him a rich adult.

Who is the narrator of " The Rocking Horse Winner"? Is the narrator invloved in the story? How would you describe the tone of the narrator?

The author, D.H. Lawrence, uses an unnamed, third-person omniscient narrator.  He makes an interesting shift, however, after the opening paragraphs, allowing a sense of his own point-of-view to permeate the narration with the introduction of Paul, the central character, while still technically maintaining the position of the third-person omniscient story-teller.

The story begins like a fairy-tale-like tone, with the introduction of "a woman who was beautiful, who started with all the advantages, yet...had no luck".  The characters and the situation are introduced in a detached manner, simply and straightforwardly; a tale is about to be told.

After the fourth paragraph, the narrator's tone takes on a slightly sinister aspect, with the insistent repetition of the unspoken phrase which haunts the house - "There must be more money!  There must be more money!"  The whispered mantra is heard everywhere, and by everybody, even the most innocent, - the "big doll...in her new pram", and "the foolish puppy...that took the place of the teddy bear".

With the introduction of Paul in the eighth paragraph, the author incorporates dialogue in the narrator's presentation of interaction between characters.  At this point, although the narration remains in the third person, there is a more personal, involved tone to the story, with the author allowing his own message to be expressed.

In "The Rocking Horse Winner", is there any suspense in the story? What is exactly the meaning of the meaning of the last paragraph?What is the...

The suspense of the story is created by Hester's obsession with having more money, the whispering house and Paul's unhealthy obsession with pleasing his mother. As the story unfolds, we learn that Hester, Paul's mother is never happy with the amount of money she has and that Paul has taken it upon himself to please her. However, the more money he wins, the more money she wants. Paul is too young to realize that she will never be satisfied and so he becomes crazed in his attempts to have "more luck" so it will bring his mother more money. Eventually, Paul breaks down both physically and emotionally. He dies just after telling his mother the secret to her success. However, his uncle realizes his sister will never be satisfied. That is why he says in the last paragraph that she has over 80,000 pounds but a dead son. Then he adds, ""he's [Paul] is best gone out of a life where he rides his rocking horse to find a winner." In other words, Paul's uncle believes Paul is better off dead because he never would have succeeded in fulfilling his mother's insatiable desire more money. This symbolizes the theme of the story, that the love of money can lead to obsession and death and that Paul became a slave to his mother's desire for material goods.

What is the dramatic significance/terminology of Act 3, scene 1 in Macbeth?Examples are: foreshadowing, dramatic irony, etc.

Dramatic irony is when the reader/audience knows something that the actor/character does not.  At this point in time, we know that Macbeth is behind the death of King Duncan.  Banquo at this point assumes the same thing. 

"Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all,
As the weird women promised, and, I fear,
Thou play'dst most foully for't"

However, it is too late since Macbeth is planning on having him killed. We know this, but Banquo doesn't realize yet how evil Macbeth truly is. Macbeth asks many questions trying to find what Banquo's route will be.

"Ride you this afternoon?"

"Is't far you ride?"

When Macbeth tells him "Fail not our feast," Banquo replies that he won't miss it.  That could be considered foreshadowing since Banquo does appear, but he appears as a ghost.

What is one of Storm's character traits in the book?

The dog, Storm, had many unique qualities.  Storm was a special part of Paulsen’s team.  Paulsen had grown to love all his dogs, but Storm was special.  In chapter 7 of “Woodsong” Paulsen tells us that Storm is an “honest” dog.  He also lets us know that Storm was loyal and tough.  Storm is also playful and enjoys playing tricks.  Once, Storm buried Paulsen’s hat in the snow.  Paulsen says Storm “smiled” at him when it was found under the snow.  Storm helped Paulsen finish the Iditarod musher race in Alaska.   Storm and the other dogs on the team saved Paulsen’s life more than once.

What are the main issues in A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen?

The play raises several issues. Here are a few:

1. The roles of women in Nora's male-dominated society

2. The nature of real love

3. The importance of dignity and self-respect

4. The power of money in our lives

5. Personal growth and awareness

6. The lack of communication between people

7. Selfishness vs. selflessness

8. The dynamics of power

9. The emotional price paid for dependence

The play deals to some degree with each of these. See the eNote links below for a discussion of the major conflicts and themes in the play.

Who is the protagonist and the antagonist? Explain the answer.

In "The Masque of the Red Death," the protagonist is the Prince and the antagonist is the Red Death.  However, since this story is an allegory, Prince Prospero is symbolic as the pestilence of the "red death." The Prince is symbolic of health, happiness, and prosperity.  Yet, even possessing these qualities, the Prince has no defense against the inevitability of death. 

Deluded that he does, he invites courtiers to his castellated abbeys whose "walls have gates of iron."  Gathered inside these walls are "musicians, buffoons, ballet dancers, Beauty, and wine."  There is a grand gathering for a masquerade.  However, death masquerades itself and enters this fortress, passing through seven rooms--much like Shakespeare's seven stages of man--and conquers the Prince himself who has "rushed through the six rooms" in order to encounter the Red Death as he retreats. However, suddenly the Death turns toward the Prince.  A cry is heard and the Prince lies prostrate in death. 

When the guests hear this cry, they summon "wild courage of despair" and rush into the room painted with black 

And now was acknowledged the presence of the Red Death.  He had come like a thief in the night.  And one by one dropped the revelers...and died each in the despairing posture of his fall...And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all.

How does Waiting for Godot demonstrate the qualities of Theatre of the Absurd?

The freeflowing, non-directional and often incomprehensible dialogue of Vladimir and Estragon portrays a principle element of the Theatre of the Absurb - namely, the pathetic non-sense of the human condition and the futility of even trying to make 'rhyme or reason' out of existence at all:

'...the issues of absurdity, alienation and loneliness, appearance and reality, death, doubt and ambiguity, time, the meaning of life, language and meaning, and the search for self. But one theme that encompasses many of these at once is the question of the human condition—who are we as humans and what is our short life on this planet really like?'

The incapacity of man to decipher the meaning of life is also shown in the comical, almost burlesque hat-swapping of the actors "all dressed up but no place to go":

'We appear to be born without much awareness of our selves or our environment and as we mature to gradually acquire from the world around us a sense of identity and a concept of the universe. However, the concept of human life that we generally acquire may be fraught with illusions.'

In a pathetic, even morbidly humoristic way, the two bums which finally do arrive on stage offer no solace to Vladimir and Estragon but only frustrate their need for  "something to happen" even more. Bert Lahr, an actor cast in the role of Estragon, gave his own interpretation:

"The play is very complex and has many analyses. But mine is as good as the rest. The two men are practically one—one is the animal side, the other the mental. I was the animal. So far as Pozzo and Lucky [master and slave] are concerned, we have to remember that Beckett was a disciple of Joyce and that Joyce hated England. Beckett meant Pozzo to be England, and Lucky to be Ireland."

As for the eternally waited-for Godot, He never arrives (simply because 'he' is not...)The antipode of the self-exaltation of Romantic literature, the Theatre of the Absurb pulls man off his pedestal and asks some serious rhetorical questions for which there is no answer....

(Quotes are taken from the enote references cited below.)

How were the Egyptian pyramids built?

Pyramid building evolved overtime. The first Pharoahs were buried in mud brick pit tombs known as Mastabas (the Arabic word for step). Pyramid building began during the third dynasty 2686-2613 B.C.E. The Pharoah Zoser 2686-2649 B.C.E. was the first pyramid builder, his architect Imhotep began stacking mastabas thus creating the Step Pyramid at Saqqara. Tomb building became more elaborate during the fourth dynasty 2613-2589 B.C.E. beginning with the Pharoah Sneferu. Most archaeologists agree that his first attempt collasped, the second known as the 'Bent Pyramid' was built on unstable ground, and the third known as the "Red Pyramid' was the first true pyramid. It was Sneferu's son Khufu who built the 'Great Pyramid' at Giza. It was built on 13.5 acres, has 2.5 million blocks each weighing 2.5 tons each, and it stands 480 feet high. Khufu's son and grandson also constructed their own pyramids on the Giza plateau, however both are smaller than Khufu's. Since no evidence has been found to confirm how these massive tombs were built, most archaeologists believe a system of ramps were constructed around the pyramid which allowed the workers to pull the stones up on. They also believe that the pyramids were built with free labor not slaves. Archaeologists do not agree with Heredotus' 100,000 men 20 year theory. They estimate construction at 67 years with approximately 20,000 workers.

In "A Midsummer Night's Dream", what ways does Shakespeare differentiate his rusic tradesmen from the aristocrats?

You should notice that the tradesmen aspire to be greater than they are. This is apparent in their choice of play, their attempts to use words and language far above their level, and their misunderstanding of the audience. It is this desire to be greater that provides the humor in the play, not only for you - the audience - but for the royals in the play itself and for the fairies. In contrast, the aristocrats in the play are simply themselves. This is reflected in the beauty of their language and ways of interacting with others. 

What is the “spiritual reassessment or moral reconciliation” at the ending of The Scarlet Letter and how is it important to the book as a whole?

The moral reconciliation occurs during the third scaffold scene in Chapter 23 when Dimmesdale mounts the scaffold that Hester had stood on seven years earlier and he admits he is the father of Pearl.

During the entire novel, Dimmesdale has been hiding this secret from the public and the guilt has eaten away at him both mentally and physically. He realizes that he can no longer keep the truth from the community and confesses his guilt. This removes the stain of suspicion from Pearl, who had been rumored to be the devil's child. It also casts a whole new light on Hester, whose reasons for keeping the name of the father a secret are now revealed. And it puts an end to Chillingworth's search for revenge because he can no longer keep torturing the minister with his secret guilt. In fact, Chillingworth says, "thou has escaped me."

This revelation leads to the theme of the novel which Hawthorne says is

 “Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!”

With nothing left to live for, Chillingworth dies and leaves his fortune to Pearl. This allows Hester to leave Boston, raise Pearl in England until she is happily married, and to return to Boston and become known as an "angel" instead of an "adulteress".

Explain this quote from Gulliver's Travels: "I cannot but conclude the bulk of your natives, to be the most pernicious race upon the earth."

You have cited one of the most important quotes from Gulliver's Travels, one that proves Swift wrote a true satire.  Here the king of Brobdingnag, after hearing all about England from Gulliver, decides that the English are "the most pernicious race of little odious vermin."  If you put this quote within the context of the novel, you will most certainly find that it is Swift himself who believes viewing high society and politics through foreign eyes may reveal violence, barbarism, and foolishness.  Further, one can extend the meaning of Swift's underlying meaning from simply the English government to the entire human race.

How many layers of irony can you identify in "The Pardoner's Tale"?

Irony permeates Chaucer's tale here.  First, the prologue to the tale basically sets up one of the greatest ironies - the Pardoner's hypocrisy.  As a high-ranking member of the church, the Pardoner is abusing the trust of the people for personal gain.  This, however, he freely admits to his co-travelers, another instancw of irony, as one would not expect him to admit it!

Another example of irony is in the party-goers assumption that they can catch and kill Death, an abstract concept personified in the tale.  The old man, who ironically wants death, can only lead the drunkards to a tree under which they find a wealth of gold.

One would think that the gold split three ways would be enought for them, but the older two devise a plan to kill the younger one and take his share while the younger one does the same.  Ironically, both plans work.

The final irony?  All the men find Death, in the form of greed.

As if that were not enough, the Pardoner then, after his tale is through, invites the listeners to give him money to save them from this same end.  They already know his ruse, yet he tries it anyway.  Of course, the Pardoner ends up shamed but not daunted.

How many layers is that?  I count six or seven!

How does Dimmesdale punish himself in chapter 11 of The Scarlet Letter?

To relieve his guilt, Dimmesdale punishes himself in several ways. He goes without food and sleep for long periods of time, and he also whips himself on his back, causing cuts and bleeding. These attempts to atone for his sins do not work. Neither does his later standing on the scaffold at night when no one can see him. It is not until the end of the novel that Dimmesdale frees himself from guilt by confessing his sin and standing upon the scaffold with Hester and Pearl during the light of day. This is the only act that could free him.

The tragedy of Macbeth: What is a tragedy? How does Shakespeare use tragedy in Macbeth? Give examples. Is it an effective way of telling the story?

Macbeth falls into the category of tragedy because at the end of the play, most or all of the major characters die.  The play is a depiction of how evil human nature can be under the influence of the dark passions.  Greed, desire for power, unchecked ambition, acting outside of morality, in Macbeth this leads to murder and more murder of innocent people.

Macbeth is a tragic hero who has been led astray by the promise of glory and power.  We, the reader, recognize the motivation that Macbeth gets from the witches prophecy, he gets caught up in a plot to kill the king because the witches assured him that he would become king.

Macbeth is used by the witches, led to his own destruction, duped by the prophecies that he misinterprets to mean that he is indestructible.  It is only at the end when he sees that he is trapped by his own actions and faces death that he realizes that he trusted the witches, a big mistake.

Tragedy is a very effective way to tell a story.  The reader gets all the drama involved with deception, plotting, evil and murder, it is very entertaining,  and at the end, a lesson in morality is evident.  The tragic hero, although he almost always dies at the end of the work, offers the reader an opportunity to learn a truth about life. 

I don"t get the story "Hop-Frog" by Edgar Allan Poe. I can someone explain what is happening, why and how does the jester get revenge on the king?

The short story by Poe is about a king and his 7 advisers who enjoy practical jokes.  They have enslaved two dwarfs.  One is a male whom they call Hop-Frog and the other is a female who they have named Trippetta.  The king summoned Hop-Frog for advice on a party he was going to have.  The king enjoyed making fun of the dwarf and making him drink wine.  Hop-Frog did not like drinking wine and it makes him drunk very easily.  When the king insists that the dwarf drink another glass, he refuses.  The king becomes angry.  Trippetta falls at the kings knees and asks him to please let Hop-Frog pass up the wine.  The king gets even madder and he hits the girl and throws the wine in her face.

This insult to Trippetta makes the dwarf angry.  He grits his teeth.  He tells the men that he has come up with a joke for them to play on their guests.

"I will equip you as ourang-outangs," proceeded the dwarf; "leave all that to me. The resemblance shall be so striking, that the company of masqueraders will take you for real beasts- and of course, they will be as much terrified as astonished."

The Dwarf coats the king and his advisers with tar, fur, and chains them together.  The king still thinking it is a joke goes along. The "Ourang-otangs" enter the party, scare everyone and while they are wandering in the room the dwarf hooks them to the chain in the center of the ceiling. He then lights them on fire and as they begin to burn he tells everyone

"I now see distinctly." he said, "what manner of people these maskers are. They are a great king and his seven privy-councillors, - a king who does not scruple to strike a defenceless girl and his seven councillors who abet him in the outrage. As for myself, I am simply Hop-Frog, the jester - and this is my last jest."

Hop-Frog gets revenge for being treated badly, for the king hurting Trippetta and throwing wine in her face.  He burns them to death and then climbs out the sky-light.

What are several ways in which Etruscan and Greek cultures inflenced the culture of Ancient Rome?

The Roman were great borrowers of ideas for things ranging from religion to building . The Roman religion borrowed many of their gods from both the Greek and Etruscan religions. Generally, the Roman identified with the Greek gods but renamed them. Thus "Jupiter = Zeus, Juno = Hera, Neptune = Poseidon, Minerva = Athene, Diana = Artemis, Mars = Ares, Mercury = Hermes, and so on. They also borrowed ideas from the Etruscans, including building designs, pottery forms and perhaps even the gladiators. For more information on the relationships between these two cultures, see the links below.

In "The Crucible" why does Parris suggest the hanging be postponed?

There are several reasons.  Parris is closely tied to the courts and all that they do, and the general feeling of the townspeople has changed quite a bit since the accusations started.  Where before the town fully supported-and even promoted-the accusations and hangings, the townsfolk are now, after all of the arrests and hangings, starting to rethink what is going on. In addition, Parris is worried that "the rumor here speaks of rebellion in Andover", which indicates that the people of the neighboring town of Andover have overthrown the courts.  Danforth tries to deny it by saying "Andover is remedied.  The court returns there on Friday" but Parris is not convinced.  Parris thinks that Abby "had close knowledge of [Andover]" and that she was worried that rebellion would occur in Salem too, so she bolted, for her own safety.  Since Parris is closely connected to the courts and accusations, he is worried that one more hanging might tip the townspeople over the edge, turning against him.

Salem is in fact turning; Parris found a dagger stuck in his door, indicating there are ill feelings towards him and the courts.  To add to this, the cows are wandering, fields are unplowed, and children are orphaned.  All of these factors-the turning public opinion, Andover, the devastation left in the wake of the trials, and Parris's close ties to the court, leave him worried for his own personal safety.  So, postponing the hangings might stem that tide a bit.

How do the characters express their feelings towards slavery? What are some quotes that reveal these feelings?Basically how is slavery seen or what...

"Jim was most ruined for a servant, because he got stuck up on account of having seen the devil and been rode by witches."
Chapter 2.  Here, slaves are portrayed as ignorant and superstitious creatures.

"I do believe he cared just as much for his people as white folks does for their'n." Chapter 23.  Huck is speaking of Jim, and marvelling at the fact that Jim is just like anyone else--he thinks, feels, and hopes.  The only difference is his skin color.

"I was a-trembling, because I'd got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: 'All right, then, I'll GO to hell.'" Chapter 30.  Huck has been fighting with himself regarding his upbringing and teaching about slaves being property and his first-hand knowledge and new friendship with Jim as a person, not just a slave.  Huck has been struggling with turning in Mrs. Douglas' property or letting his friend go free to seek his fortune.

"I know what you'll say. You'll say it's dirty Low-down business; but what if it is? - I'm low down; and I'm agoing to steal him, and I want you to keep mum and not let on. Will you?" 
Chapter 33.  Here, Huck is explaining to Tom that Jim has been sold and that Huck intends to steal him from these people to set him free.  Huck knows Tom will still support the ideology they have been taught regarding slaves while Huck has learned differently.

What is the summary for Act 1 of The Man of Mode?

This comedy of manners opens with Dorimant, a libertine, seated at his dressing table, reciting verses from a Spanish battle.  He converses with a market woman who sells oranges; the dialogue is ribald and risque: Dorimant refers to her as a "flasket of guts" and "Doutle Tripe." This orange-woman tells Dorimant about a young gentlewoman who has come to town with her mother.

Dorimant's friend, Medley enters, saying, "My darling sin,"  kissing him.  Medley identifies the young lady and her mother who have recently come to London.  Devilishly, Dorimant is intrigued by the goodness of the mother and beauty of the girl.

The orange woman departs and the two men converse about Mrs. Loveit, Dorimant's lover, whom he wishes to be rid of. He has a new lover in the person of a friend of Loveit and they plan to stir up Loveit's jealousy to the point that she will leave Dorimant. The shoemaker arrives, suggesting in bawdy terms that Dorimant "strike his shoe" in the same manner as he loves his mistress.

Then, a handsome young man, Bellair, enters and tells Dorimant about his love, Emilia. Medley and Dorimant ridicule his "faith" and innocent devotion to the woman.  Medley continues jesting by relating the affectations of a Sir Fopling Flutter, a man of acquired follies who imitates the French, calling him a "coxcomb."

Before Bellair leaves, Medley and Dorimant urge him to marry so the town can laugh since this marriage is against his father's wishes.

A letter arrives for Dorimant from Loveit; after a disparaging remark, he departs, singing verses.

In the 1992 film adaptation of The Last of the Mohicans, what is the purpose of Jack's visit?

The character of Jack Winthrop does not appear in the novel The Last of the Mohicans, and was created for the film. He is portrayed by Edward Blatchford. In the beginning of the film, while Hawkeye, Chingachgook, and Uncas are visiting the homestead farm of the Cameron family, Jack Winthrop is already present. He is recruiting for the British Army, since the French and Indian War is going badly for the British. Jack needs more men to defend Fort William Henry; he hopes to recruit the men of the Cameron household, and any other able-bodied men sympathetic to the British cause.

HAWKEYE: So what is it, Jack? What brings you up here?

JACK: A French & Indian army out of Fort Carillon's heading south to war against the English. I'm here to raise this county's militia to aid the British defense.

HAWKEYE: Folks here goin' to join in that fight?

JACK: We'll see in the morning...
(Mann and Crowe, The Last of the Mohicans, mohicanpress.com)

In both versions, Chingachgook and Hawkeye come across the ambush set by Magua, and rescue the Munro daughters. At that point they learn of the call for reinforcements. In the film, they are aware of the call already, having heard it from Jack, and they later find the Cameron homestead burned and the family killed. This gives the three protagonists emotional depth as they are forced to experience the violence of the War firsthand, as well as condensing the larger history of the War into a shorter scene.

Is hydrocodone stronger than codiene?

Hydrocodone is a synthetic narcotic analgesic.  Codeine is also a narcotic, but it is 4-8 times less effective than Hydrocodone.  Hydrocodone is more effective with less side effects than codeine.  It has also demonstrated itself to be less expensive because it is a synthetic.  Codeine is a naturally occurring alkaloid found in opium, used in medicine as a cough suppressant and analgesic drug. This drug is extremely habit forming and can create as many problems as it may cure.  The Hydocodoe is also habit forming, but because it is stronger, a smaller dose can be prescribed for a shorter amount of time, thus lowering the chances of addiction.  Both are dangerous and should only be used under the care of a doctor.

What points about greed does Lawrence make throughout "The Rocking-Horse Winner" ?Please state which paragraph the evidence was found

Lawrence's main point about greed is that it is an ever-hungry demon that is never satisfied, and who asks too great of sacrifices.

The greed of the family is so powerful that it becomes an actual physical force in the house, whispering in paragraph 5 and throughout, "There must be more money!" like a ghost haunting the backs of their minds at all times.  This also supports the fact that greed is never satisifed.  It also indicates that greed overtakes and permeates everything.  Later, (not sure which paragraph) even after Paul starts making big money, it states that "The house had been "whispering" worse that ever lately, and, even in spite of his luck, Paul could not bear up against it."  Greed is starting to wear down on Paul, asking him to sacrifice too much.  It has taken over his life.  Then when he wins big and gives it to his mother for her birthday, it states that the whispers "simply trilled and screamed in a sort of ecstasy" instead of quieting down.  Greed is ever-hungry; the more money it is fed, the more it wants.  Then, at the end, greed asks a sacrifice that is not worth it at all:  Paul's life.  His last words refer to his quest for "luck", or money:  "I am lucky!"  Yes, he was lucky in money, but gave his life for it.

In "Animal Farm", what was the pigs' motive for rebellion?

It is based on the classic Marxist argument about ownership of the means of production. The pigs were convinced that the humans were living off their labor, and that if they could eliminate the "middleman," they could live a more profitable and fulfilling life. This is the case that Old Major makes to them at the start of the novel. Of course this doesn't happen and "human" nature takes over ... and their final situation is worse than the first.

Can somebody tell me as much as possible about the Clerk (Oxford Cleric) and his tale?

The Oxford Cleric is a young scholar who is a contrast to some of the other members of clergy in that he is austere, quiet, respectful, and modest.  “The Prologue” alone can prove these qualities.  “His only care was study, and indeed / He never spoke a word more than was need, / Formal at that, respectful in the extreme, / Short, to the point, and lofty in his theme” (27).  The Oxford Cleric is uninterested in obtaining any material wealth and much more concerned with instructing in morality.  “He had a hollow look, a sober stare; / The thread upon his overcoat was bare,” this adds nicely to his concentration upon a “lofty theme” such as morality.

“The Clerk’s Tale,” which is the one told by the Oxford Cleric, further proves the above qualities.  The tale focuses on the extreme and lofty (and almost unbelievable) faithfulness and loyalty of the wife Griseld, to her husband who is continually testing her.  Griseld passes every single (horrible) test, and is rewarded by her husband’s undying love and devotion in the end.  Even though the Cleric “had found no preferment in the church / And he was too unworldly to make search / For secular employment,” (27) his tale sounds astoundingly like the testing of Abraham’s sacrifice of Issac and the testing of Job’s devotion to God.  It is truly a tale highlighting morality and faithfulness.  The Cleric describes the moral of his tale aptly:  “Everybody in his own degree / Should be as perfect in his constancy / As was Griselda” (371).  The Cleric brings his moral even further by saying, “For since a woman showed such patience to / A mortal man, how much the more we ought / To take in patience all that God may do!” (371).  Even the Cleric, himself, shows his devotion to the Italian poet, Petrarch, by revealing a tale that originated with him.  This brings the Cleric’s constancy full circle.

In chapter 7 of "The Great Gatsby" Fitzgerald uses the oxymoron "unfamiliar and vaguely recognizable" What is the importance of that oxymoron?

To be precise, I'm not sure it is an oxymoron in context, because the entire phrase is "at once definitely unfamiliar and vaguely recognizable, as if I had only heard it described in words." In other words, Nick hasn't ever seen that expression before, but it seems familiar, like he's heard it described. It's important because it comes so soon after that wonderful line about Daisy's voice being full of money. That's an uncommon and impossible phrase, but Nick recognizes its rightness immediately. By contrast, Gatsby's expression isn't clear to Nick. This shows several things: Gatsby fools himself about himself, but not about Daisy, Nick can recognize insight, but his own is only limited, and so on. (It's also a sign in terms of plot that the source of Gatsby's fortune will be revealed soon.)

In "Fahrenheit 451", can you illustrate Montag’s way from a model citizen to a rebel?

It all starts with Clarisse, that first night that he meets her.  They begin talking, and she asks him, "Are you happy?"  He insists that he is; but then he gets home, and he finds Mildred and her pills.  All of this strikes a chord against the happiness issue; he starts pondering, wondering if he really IS happy.

From there, Clarisse pulls the dandelion trick, and Montag supposedly isn't in love.  This, in combination with the unhappiness theme makes Montag wonder.  After this, Mrs. Blake happens.  She refuses to leave her books in her house and is burned with them.  This impacts Montag so greatly that he calls in "sick" the next day (not to mention that he has snagged a book from her house and wants to read it; this isn't new, he has more stashed). 

From here he seeks out Faber and is so inspired that they plan a subterfuge by printing books; Mildred's friends so disgust him with their shallowness that it plunges him even further into rebellion.  Finallly, after having read some books and being given the support of Faber, the last straw is being called to torch his own house, by his own wife.  Beatty threatens to kill Faber, and that's that.  Montag defends Faber and runs for his life.  He is a full-blown "rebel", but not alone, as Granger and his men confirm.  These rebels will be the ones responsible for reshaping their society.

In "Fahrenheit 451," what are three necessary things that Faber tells to answer Montag's question about books?

Faber explains that you need books for three reasons:

1.  "They have quality", which means that they show all of the layers of truth, instead of just skimming over it and presenting it on one way.  They have textures, pores, layers, and because of it, can tell more truth than anything else can.

2.  "Leisure...time to think."  Books actually make you slow down, and ponder the meaning of life.  You can process them instead of having them shoved down your throat, as with the t.v. walls.  With movies, everything is presented for you, and you are told, convinced, through sensory experiences, to think they way they want you to.  Books simply present the information, and you have the leisure to think about it as you please.

3.  "The right to carry out actions based on what we learn from the interaction of the first two."  Once we have experienced quality and layered truth, had the time or leisure to process, then we can act on what we have learned.

Montag learns all of this from Faber, and they decide to take #3 literally, to start printing books underground again, and distributing them.  Unfortunately, their plans don't pan out. 

What is the theme of "To Kill a Mockingbird"?

As with any literary work with merit, this novel has more than one theme.  The main theme is racism and prejudice in our country.  This is evident with the entire book centering on the trial of a good man, Tom Robinson, who happens to be black and who also is tried and convicted for a crime he never committed.  Had he been a white man, he most certainly would never have been brought to trial in the first place, much less convicted. It is also a novel about social status and economic woes.  There are the whites in the community and the blacks in the community of this novel.  Mayella Ewell is the alleged victim of Tom Robinson's advances.  She is white, but her family is among the lowest on the white totem pole...they live near the black community, but they are considered by everyone in the community to be "white trash".  This is mostly (I determine) because it is supposed that Mayella has taken the place of her dead mother in every sense...even with her father's affections.  Of course, incest is rarely approved of in any situation.  However, they are white, and so therefore, they are situated a notch above the black community.  There is also the story of white Mr. Raymond who has a black mistress and children, and who pretends to be the town drunk so that everyone has an excuse to point to for his behavior.  The children discover on one afternoon that he really is only drinking cola. There are other themes...keep digging!

What is the point of view of Gulliver's Travels?

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift is written using first person point of view. 

With regard to point of view used in literary works, the three most common types are:

First person:  The story is being told from the perspective of the main character.  The sentences of the work will include the first person pronouns "I" "me" "my".  For example: "MY FATHER had a small Estate in Nottinghamshire; I was the Third of five Sons." (Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift)

Third person limited: The story is being told from the perspective of a narrator who may or may not be a character in the story.  The third person limited narrator will not divulge what other characters are thinking or feeling, but will merely report on what he or she thinks the other characters are thinking and feeling. Works written using third person narration will have sentences that include references to character names and the third person pronouns associated with the characters (he, she, it, her, him, it, hers, his, its).

Third person omniscient: The story is being told from the perspective of a narrator who is outside of the story, but has knowledge of the characters thoughts, feelings, motivations, etc.  Even though the work reads as if the narrator is on the outside looking in, the narrator is omniscient (all-knowing).

What comparison is implied at the end of "Lord of the Flies"?(Look at “end of innocence” line and also think about where these boys will be going)

I think what your question is driving at is the comparison between the atrocities the boys commit on the island, and the continuing atrocities of war outside the world which surrounds them. We know that the boys' planes was shot down, that their civilisation was "in ruins", adn that the parachutist is shot down in an air battle. There's a war going on.

Ralph cries. And then...

...the other little boys began to shake and sob too. And in the middle of them, with filthy body, matted hair, and unwiped nose, 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.

"The end of innocence" is often associated, in Britain, with World War I. Pre 1914, England was in the Edwardian era, often characterised as an "age of innocence". War ended it. And war, of a sort, ended the innocence of the boys on the island. The darkness of man's heart, the blackness within, the fear of the beast and of each other, caused everything to break down into violence. And Piggy was killed in the violence - Piggy, who represented clear-sightedness, democracy, honour, wisdom.

The officer grinned cheerfully at Ralph.
“We saw your smoke. What have you been doing? Having a war or something?”

There has been a war on the island, just like on the outside. And the boys are now going to return to that world, to one lot of mindless violence to another. And look at how Golding ends the novel:

[The officer] turned away to give them time to pull themselves together; and waited, allowing his eyes to rest on the trim cruiser in the distance.

The camera pulls round, away from the boys, away from the officer, and towards the sea. It rests on the military ship with its sub-machine gun. And the novel ends. Couldn't be clearer, really, could it?

In A Separate Peace, why did Phineas shout, "Here's my contribution to the war effort" as he swung from the line into the river?

Actually, Finny did not swing from a line. He jumped into the river. The passage refers to the first time during the Summer Session that Finny and the others challenged the tree that plays such a crucial part in the story. The tree, as it lived in Gene's memory, was "tremendous, an irate, steely black steeple beside the river." Because of its height and positioning by the river, the tree had become a part of the physical training being emphasized for Devon's seniors whom Gene describes as "draft-bait, practically soldiers, [who] rushed ahead of us toward the war." No Upper Middler (junior) at Devon had ever jumped from the tree until Finny made it their mission.

During the opening scene of the novel's flashback, Finny scrambles up the wood pegs nailed to the side of the tree and steps out on the one branch that reaches farthest toward the river. He asks if it is the branch the seniors jump from in their training, but gets no answer. Then he challenges Gene and the others: "If I do it, you're all going to do it, aren't you?" Again, getting no answer, Finny proceeds:

"Well," he cried out, "here's my contribution to the war effort!" and he sprang out, fell through the tops of some lower branches, and smashed into the water.

Finny was being facetious, having fun on this school day in summer with his friends. The war, at that point, still seemed very far away from them, but they were all aware of its presence out there somewhere, waiting for them when their turn came.

In Bud, not Buddy, when is the next performance of Mr. Calloway's band, The Dusky Devastators at the Bank Atlantic Club?

Your question relates to the schedule of "The Dusky Devastators" as a band and a future engagement, however, I am struggling to find any reference to the Bank Atlantic Club in the novel. Reference is made to a specific performance given by this band which is on the flyer that Bud guards so zealously throughout the tale which says:

"One Night Only in Flint, Michigan, at the Luxurious Fifty Grand on Saturday June 16, 1932. 9 until ?"

This of course is the piece of evidence that leads Bud to conclude that Mr Calloway is in fact his father, as it is a flyer that his mother has treated with respect and cared for. Although other performances are referred to in the novel, no reference is made to the Bank Atlantic Club, soyou might just want to re-check your question and make sure that I haven't made or a mistake or that you haven't misunderstood what you were asking.

When were CFCs discovered and by whom and what are they like?

Chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, were discovered in 1928 by Thomas Midgley, an American engineer looking for a non-toxic refridgerant.  After being used originally as a replacement for things such as ammonia and sulfer dioxide in refridgerators, CFCs were discovered to be useful as a propellant in aersol cans.

CFCs are specifically made up of chlorine, carbon, and flourine atoms.  They are an organic compound and are nontoxic, nonflammable, odorless, and noncorrosive.  They are marketed under the term Freon, and have been used in a wide number of products, such as air conditioning units in cars, propellents in aerosel hair spray and deodorant.

It was in the mid-1970s that scientists began to discover a connection between CFCs and the depletion of the ozone layer.  When the CFCs are absorbed into the atmosphere, they react with ultraviolet light and are broken down.  The break down and release of the chlorine, in particular, is what eats away at the ozone layer.

In The Crucible, what is an example of passive (ironic) belonging?

I'm not familiar with the exact term "passive belonging," but it suggests the roles played by some characters in the play. Those characters who did not actively promote the trials, or actively oppose them, would be passive participants in the tragedy as it unfolded. By not objecting, they became participants but in a passive way. They were no less guilty. Herrick might be considered an example. He played his role in coming for Elizabeth. He took no satisfaction in chaining her, but he did not take a moral stand against it. Through his passive attitude, he then became a part of the forces of ignorance and injustice that swept through Salem.

What is the significance of the supernatural in "Macbeth"?

In the witches' second scene, moments before Macbeth's first entrance, they say "Peace! The charm's wound up", implying that they have cast some sort of spell.

So before we even meet Macbeth, there's a suggestion that he might partly be under the witches' control, or that there might be a spell cast on him. And we never know whether that's true or not.

The witches then make predictions about Macbeth become thane of Cawdor, thane of Glamis, and King. Macbeth then kills the king, and everything happens as they predicted. But would it have happened if he'd just left well alone? Is Macbeth's own suggestion, below, true:

If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me,
Without my stir.

Is King Macbeth the result of a spell, or of Macbeth's actions? Where does the supernatural influence start and finish? Would it have happened without the murder of Duncan? It's unlikely - but it's impossible to tell. The same problem applies to their later prophecies in the apparition scene.

Then, to add to this conundrum, you have the status of the "air-drawn dagger" which leads Macbeth to Duncan, and the appearance of Banquo's ghost. Are these made by the witches, or imagined by Macbeth:

....or art thou but
A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?

The play is full of supernatural solicitings. But their significance? That's open to interpretation.

What are some American rules that Jingmei's family adopts?and the chines rules that Jingmei's family retains

Jingmei's mother tells her daughter at the beginning of the story that

"Of course, you can be a prodigy, too," my mother told me when I was nine. "You can be best anything. . . ."

She tells Jingmei that she can own her own home or even train herself to be a prodigy.  Thus, her mother has definitely bought into the typical American Dream--if one works hard enough, he or she can be whatever he/she chooses in America.  Her mother has eternal optimism for Jingmei's future, which again is a very American philosophy of looking at life.  Interestingly, Jingmei's mom does not have the same optimism for herself.  This is part of her clinging to Chinese traditions.  She thinks that her opportunity has passed her by; so she continues as a cleaning woman, never once seeing herself rise higher in society.  In Chinese culture of her time, people were born into set social classes, practiced arranged marriage, and did not seek to move out of the social classes.  Her mother has been unable to banish this way of thinking about her own lot in life.

Jingmei's mother is also very American in her quest to make her child a star at a young age.  After all, during Jingmei's childhood, her mother saw Shirley Temple and other other children perform on the Ed Sullivan show.  Child performers became huge during this part of American culture, and Jingmei's mother sees the potential for her daughter to profit from Americans' interest in talented youngsters.

Finally, Jingmei's parents, though they have been through many hardships still maintain their sense of dignity and honor, a remnant of their Chinese heritage.  When Jingmei's performs so badly at her recital, she recounts that she

"felt the shame of [her] mother and father as they sat stiffly through the rest of the show.
We could have escaped during intermission. Pride and some strange sense of honor must have anchored [her] parents to their chairs."

While Jingmei's mom was obviously disappointed in her, she did not truly show it or take it out on Jingmei.  It did take her years, though, to tell Jingmei once again (as an adult) that she is a genius and could do whatever she tried to do.

What kinds of rules do gangs members follow in fights?

As the previous post noted, the combatants in the rumble in The Outsiders previously agreed to using no weapons--no knives, chains or heaters. It was not particularly a clean fight: Some fought two-against-one, others kicked, pulled hair, and pounded heads against the ground. Some previous rumbles between the two groups apparently included knives and chains, but both the greasers and Socs had decided against the use of weapons in this particular fight--possibly because of Bob's death from Johnny's knife. They may well have figured that enough blood had been shed.

What can we do to produce less rubbish?

There are lots of ways to produce less waste. One practical solution is the use of reusable grocery bags rather than relying upon supermarkets and stores to provide you with plastic or paper sacks instead. Furthermore, if you are only using the reusable bag, many times they are smaller than the standard grocery basket, meaning you are inclined to purchase less. Less product=less waste associated with the purchase.

Recycling is another answer -- while we may still be producing waste of some sort, it goes back into production as a new item (can, bag, paper, etc.). It has been estimated that by recycling one aluminum can, enough energy is produced to run a light bulb for one solid hour.

These are just two of the ways that we as consumers can produce less rubbish.

Why are Jay Gatsby AND Nick Carraway the protagonists in the novel "The Great Gatsby"?

I think this can be argued several ways, but primarily because Nick and Gatsby are both ideal characters from a certain perspective.

Gatsby certainly isn't the most upstanding person in the world, but Nick presents him as a youthful and idealistic embodiment of the American Dream. Gatsby has, in relative terms, achieved success, and yet is unsatisfied. We are meant to understand that Gatsby's money is only a means to an end, and that he is "like us" more than we realize. This becomes especially true when he is stripped of his status by Tom and appears as little more than a fortunate lower-class pretender.

Nick is the more normal, ambivalent, objective bystander, the "everyman" whom we can directly relate to. Through him, we are experiencing the world of the East, and his impressions are meant to be more like our own; someone reasonable and of more modest means who is more curious than directly ambitious or fortunate, like Gatsby. Gatsby is a curiosity and a sympathetic character, but we, and Nick, aren't terribly surprised by his fate. 

In "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," name some examples of Mitty's letting other people tell him what to.

In "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," the main cause of Mitty's daydreams is his domineering wife, who demeans and orders him constantly:  "Remember to get those overshoes while I'm having my hair done...You're not a young man any longer," etc.  In another instance, Mrs. Mitty makes him drive to a garage to have the snow chains removed.  When Mitty tried before to do the task himself, a "young grinning garageman" had to come and unwind the tangled chains from Mitty's car's axles. 

In addition to the gargeman, the "cop" barks at Mitty after he lets his wife out of the car:  "Pick it up, brother!" he snaps. Then, as Mitty enters the parking lot, an attendant yells at him, "Back it up, Mac!  Look out for that Buick!"  Angered at Mitty's poor driving, the attendant tells Mitty, I'll put her away."  The attendant valts into the car and "backs it up with insolent skill, and puts it where it belongs."

As Mitty tries to remind himself to buy dog biscuits, he repeats, "Puppy biscuit."  A passing woman laughs, telling her friend, "He said 'Puppy biscuit....That man said 'Puppy biscuit' to himself."  Finally Mrs. Mitty returns to scold her husband more:  "Why do you have to hide in this old chair?"  When Mitty attempts to assert himself by saying that he is "thinking," Mrs. Mitty looks at him and says, "I'm toing to take your temperature when I get you home," as though he is a feverish child.  Poor Mitty retreats into another daydream.

What are some examples of literary realism in "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"?

In "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," obvious examples of realistic detail are the setting of the Civil War with the enmity existing between the two sides fighting.  This description of the setting told from the third person point of view is conventional realism, of course.  However, with the switch to first person point of view and then back to third person, there is a disorientation of the reader as to what is actually happening.  But, ironically, through this change in point of view, Bierce creates his most brutal realism:  the horrors and ugliness of war.

The character of Faquhar, whose name conquers romantic tales of adventure, entertains the romantic idea of an "opportunity for distinction" by sabotaging the railroad bridge.  But, Bierce satirizes this romantic idea in Faquhar's being a prime target for entrapment by the Union soldier.  Even with the rope around his neck, Faquahar cannot accept reality, imagining that he escapes.  The return to third person point of view underscores the cold reality of the ugliness and brutality of war:  Faquahar, is, indeed, dead.

What is the meaning of the story "The Lottery" and is that meaning still relevant today?

Shirley Jackson's very controversial story is considered by many to be a parable about the detached inhumanity of man to man. Indeed, this detachment in cruelty is most relevant today as the daily news almost certainly has a report every day of some child killing his parents or grandparents because they would not comply with his wishes, etc.  And, when interviewed, the child calmly relates what he/she has done.

The dangers of indoctrination and conditioned, ritualized behavior are exemplified in the harrowing story told from such an objective point of view.  When Bill Hutchinson blindly obeys Mr. Summers and opens his wife's slip of paper which revels the black mark, Mr. Summer summarily orders,

All right, folks," .... "Let's finish quickly."  Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use stones....Mrs. Delacroix selected a stone so large she had to pick it up with both hands and turned to Mrs. Dungar. "Come on,'" she said. "Hurry up."

None of the horror of the act touches the people, who are so inured to it. Instead, they are worried about hurrying and the time.  The reader can easily picture residents of a crowded city pausing only momentarily at the sight of violence to which they are inured, then hurrying to wherever they are going.

Besides Miss Caroline, who tells Burris to go home in "To Kill a Mockingbird"? I'm just stumped.

Besides Miss Caroline, a student named Little Chuck Little tells Burris to go home.

Burris Ewell attracts Miss Caroline's attention when she notices a "cootie" crawling out of his hair.  Little Chuck Little, a child who is "among the most diminutive of men", tries to calm the teacher while Burris removes the cootie nonchalantly from his head and "pinche(s) it between his thumb and forefinger".  In "horrid fascination", Miss Caroline watches, then tells Burris "to go home and wash (his) hair".  Burris insolently announces that she "ain't sendin' (him) home...(he) was on the verge of leavin' (anyway), (having) done (his) time for (the) year".  One of the older members of the class explains that the Ewells only come to school on the first day of classes every year, forced by "the truant lady...(who) reckons she's carried out the law just gettin' their names on the roll and runnin' 'em (there) the first day".  Upon hearing this, Miss Caroline changes her mind and tells Burris to sit down, but Burris reacts angrily at being told what to do.  Attempting to avoid a confrontation, Little Chuck Little steps forward and advises Miss Caroline, "Let 'im go, ma'am...he's a mean one".  When Burris turns menacingly towards the well-meaning peacemaker, Little Chuck Little warns him, "Watch your step, Burris...I'd soon's kill you as look at you...now go home" (Chapter 3).

Why does Winston cry at the end of "1984"?

Winston cries at the end of the book, in part, because he's been "broken" and, in part, because there is still a tiny part of him that knows he's not the man capable of free thought that he once was.  The part of him that used to have the ability to think freely and objectively is buried so deep inside that it can no longer completely surface, in fact, it is buried so deeply he is not even consciously aware of it.  If he were asked why he was crying he would probably respond that his tears were out of love for Big Brother.  And he would not be completely wrong because his tears are partly for BB.  That's how much he's been broken and how deeply buried is the Winston he once was.  He will never have the capability of thinking for himself again.

What is the significance of Lydia's elopment with Wickham?

Lydia Bennet's elopement with Wickham is a catalyst that stirs Darcy's heart toward Elizabeth. He takes responsibility for the family's reputation, making sure that Wickham marries Lydia. 

When the silly, 16 year old Lydia runs away with Wickham, out of a need for adventure and fun, she does realize what the consequences will be for her family.  She actually thinks that she is doing something positive, finding a husband.  Her mother is constantly encouraging her daughters to find a suitable husband.  However, Lydia is too immature to realize that Wickham is only interested in using her. 

Lydia is irresponsible and foolish, she does not care about her sisters or her parents.  I think Lydia's motivation for running away with Wickham is a combination of getting away from her boring life and the belief that she will be the first sister to get married.  

I think Lydia is stupid and naive, and believes that Wickham is honorable and will marry her.  But it is clear, that had Darcy not intervened, Wickham would not have married Lydia. It is only through Darcy's insistence that he marries her and saves the family's reputation.   

In Of Mice and Men, why does George stay with Lennie?

George explains to Slim in Chapter 3 that he and Lennie were born in the same town and after Lennie's Aunt Clara died, Lennie just started to accompany him "out workin'." George adds that he and Lennie became used to each other so that it felt odd to be alone.

As further explanation to Slim, George tells Slim that he has witnessed many men who travel alone that have become anti-social and even mean because they are alienated and on the defensive:

"I seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone....They don't have no fun. After a long time they get mean. They get wantin' to fight all the time."

Slim agrees that the men are mean, and adds that these men withdraw and do not even talk to others.

This scene is a significant one as it underpins the theme of the fraternity of man that Steinbeck stresses in his novella set in the Depression. Steinbeck felt that in a fraternity men were stronger and could overcome oppressive conditions with the strength of others.   

What does this mean: "after that they conducted themselves according to the rules of behaviour associated with an amusement park"?This quotation is...

This is essentially historical question, requiring the reader to understand the manners of the upper class in the East of the United States in the 1920s.  It was a very different social climate than what we have now, even among that same class of people in that particular part of the US.

Gatsby had made enough money to buy a house in almost the very most fashionable place (West Egg, across the water from the ultimate fashionable place -- East Egg.)  He had bought his way into the environs of the very uppercrust of society -- his house is a beautiful mansion, staffed by many servants, and housing the well-attired and social-climbing Gatsby.  In this environment of privilege and wealth, however, was also a set of rules of behavior.  Daisy and Tom Buchanan, the society couple Gatsby tries to be like, would never allow their guests to behave in a drunken, lewd, and childish fashion (as Gatsby's guests do.)  Since high society was still, at this time, very much a closed members-only club, Gatsby is only able to get vaudeville performers, bootleggers, and various hangers-on to come to his parties, rather than the rich and pedigreed people who would go to Tom and Daisy's parties.  And Gatsby's guests act accordingly -- this was a time of Prohibition, when all liquor was illegal, and parties of this type were bound to be drunken and wild affairs.  Nick is saying that the guests at the party acted without any dignity, and like children at an amusement park.

In "The Crucible", what information does Mary Warren provide about the trial? What role is she playing at the trial? Why does John forbid her from...

Mary Warren is one of the girls included in the circle of Abigail Williams. They are supposed to be key witnesses in the witchcraft trial. After a day of attending the trial, Proctor insists that she has a job with them and she should not be neglecting her duties to go to the trial. Mary defies Proctor and says she is an official of the court and, therefore, she must attend the proceedings. She then mentions that Elizabeth Proctor is a possible suspect in the investigation of witchcraft. Proctor convinces Mary that she must expose Abigail to the court but Mary is intimidated by Abigail when she goes to expose her. She joins Abigail's group once again and her behavior helps lead to John Proctor's arrest.