What is the plot of "Barn Burning" by William Faulkner?

Abner Snopes is charged with arson for burning down his employers barn.The opening scene shows him being tried in a makeshift courtroom inside a general store. The man and his son are acquitted because of a lack of evidence, and the two are insulted as they leave the courtroom. Over a fire that night, Ab accuses the boy of nearly admitting to burning the barn. The two start work at a new plantation owned by Mr. de Spain. As they settle in to their shack, a rug is brought which they ruin. Mr. de Spain demands payment for the item. Instead, Abner decides to burn de Spain's barn too. His son, Salty tells on his father before the act can be completed, and he leaves his father forever.

What is the theme of Robert Frost's "The Gift Outright"?

"The Gift Outright" by Robert Frost was recited by him from memory on January 20,1961 during the inaugration of John F. Kennedy.

In this poem Robert Frost traces the development of American culture from colonial times to the sixties. The poem in a nutshell, is his attempt to trace the American story of colonialism, freedom, westward expansion, and the quest to develop a specifically American culture. He reveals how Americans supported the growth and development of their country and culture. Frost remarks that Americans showed their love and loyalty to their bountiful country and culture in several ways: exploits on the battlefield, dedicated service to the country, and keeness in increasing the United States' land and power. His contemplation on the past is actually a call for action in the future. He acknowledges that American culture is only partially developed and the continued dedication of Americans, like in the past, is required for the United States to attain its full potential.

What is the manufacturing process to make paper cups (for coffee)?

Most disposable paper coffee cups are made from 100% bleached paperboard.  During the process of manufacturing, the cups are laminated with a plastic resin called polyethylene.  The reason for the paperboard and the polyethylene is to ensure that the cups are strong enough to withstand the hot liquid.  Unfortunately, the plastic resin coating interferes with the decomposition process, making these cups not much better than Styrofoam when it comes to biodegradability.   

The paperboard itself is manufactured in the same way as other paper material.  The wood is cut down, then fed through a machine to be turned into wood chips.  The chips are washed to remove all dirt, then mixed with water and processed.  The result – a paper pulp – is dried and the fibers are pressed together to make paper.

In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, the scaffold represents the passage of time. To what degree does this symbolic relationship succeed...

In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne uses the scaffold scenes to separate the story into three parts. Something different happens on the scaffold in each instance, and these differing events succeed in  helping the reader understand the evolution of the plot and the characters.

The first mention of the scaffold comes early in chapter 2, as the public gathers before it to see Hester Prynne forced to put herself on display in front of the townspeople as part of the penalty for her crime of adultery. Hester is supposed to be humiliated and at first attempts to hide the scarlet “A” on her bosom, but then changes her mind and asserts herself, as she will throughout the rest of the story:

"She took the baby on her arm, and with a burning blush, and yet a haughty smile, and a glance that would not be abashed, looked around at her townspeople and neighbors."

Hester’s actions upon the scaffold show that she will not allow her sin to define her for the rest of her life, no matter how the other townspeople may feel about her.

The second scaffold scene occurs about halfway through the story, in chapter 12. The Reverend Dimmesdale is overcome with guilt at his part in Hester’s adultery. His presence on the scaffold symbolically links him to the sin for which only Hester has suffered publicly. However, as Hawthorne shows in this passage it is possible to suffer privately, as Dimmesdale has done, to an even greater degree.

"And thus, while standing on the scaffold, in this vain show of expiation, Mr. Dimmesdale was overcome with a great horror of mind, as if the universe were gazing at a scarlet token on his naked breast, right over his heart."

The third and final scaffold scene occurs at the end of the story, in chapter 23. Its purpose is to provide the story with something of a “happy” ending by showing Dimmesdale’s realization of God’s purpose. Dimmesdale has just delivered a sermon that could be regarded as the best of his career. He knows that events are coming to an end, and he also now knows that Roger Chillingworth is aware that he is the unnamed father of Hester’s child and has been secretly torturing him for years. Moments before his death on the scaffold, he explains to Hester how all of his sufferings have served to bring him closer to God:

"God knows; and he is merciful! He hath proved his mercy, most of all, in my afflictions. By giving me this burning torture to bear upon my breast! By sending yonder dark and terrible old man to keep the torture always at red-heat! By bringing me hither, to die this death of triumphant ignominy before the people! Had either of these agonies been wanting, I had been lost forever! Praised be his name!"

In each case, Hawthorne has used the scaffold to advance his story, as well as mark its beginning, middle, and end. This serves to unify the story, since the scaffold is a symbol of punishment, as well as provide a final irony as Dimmesdale realizes that his punishment is also his salvation.

How do you change a fraction into a decimal? e.g 1/3=_.___

You have to divide 1 to 3

1 is smaller than 3, so 3 goes to 1, 0 times

After the first 0, we put dot, to separate decimals from the entire part

We are multiplying 0 with 3, and the result we are puting under 1 digit, after that we'll subtract 0 from 1. The result will be 1.

After that, we are adding to result(after equal) separating dot. When we are putting dot at result, same time, we are putting a 0 near 1. After that we'll divide 3 to 10. The result will be 3. We are multiplying again, 3x3, and the 9 we are putting under 10 and then subtracting.

1:3=0.33...3=0.(3)

0

10 -

9

10.

...

...

...

Please find quotes about Curley and Curley's wife in Of Mice and Men.

While Curley is talked about more than he actually speaks, there is one scene in which he enters the bunk house on the pretense of looking for his wife.  This jealous action backfires on him as Slim confronts him:  "If you can't look after you own ---wife, what you expect me to do about it? You lay off me."  This turning the situation around embarrasses Curley who is attacked verbally by the others.  He turns his fear to rage at Lennie when he sees him laughing with the others:

What the hell you laughin' at?....Come on, ya big ba---.  Get up on your feet.  No big son---is gonna laugh at me.  I'll show ya who's yella.

As Curley punches Lennie, terror enters Lennie's face and he stands, hands down.  George orders Lennie to "get him" and Lennie grabs Curley's hand, crushing it with his brute strength.

Later on, Curley's wife, who has once before flirtatiously entered the bunk house, finds Lennie petting the puppies of Candy's dog.  Impressed by his strength against Curley, she asks if she can talk to him.  Lennie tries to rebuff her.

Listen...All the buys got a horseshoe tenement goin' on....None of them guys is goin'to leave that tenement.  Why can't I talk to you?  I never get to talk to nobody.  I get awful lonely....What's the matter with me?  Ani't I got a right to talk to nobody?...You're a nice guy....I ain't doin' no harm to you.

Then she encourages Lennie to feel her hair that is soft as a puppy's:  "Feel right aroun' there an' see how soft it is."  Of course, Lennie does so, but too tightly, frightening her.  As she struggles, Lennie tries to keep her from screaming and accidentally breaks her neck.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird", how does Mr. Raymond explain his pretense about drinking?

Mr. Raymond who supposedly has liquor in his Coca-Cola bottle, really has just Coke.  But he allows this rumor to be perpetuated because it gives the people a reason they can accept for his breaking the taboo of a white man living with an African-American woman: 

Wh--on yes, you mean why do I pretend?  Well, it's very simple...Some folks don't--like the way I live..It helps folks if they can latch onto a reason...When I come to town..if I weave a little and drink out of this sack, folks can say...[I'm]in the clutches of whiskey...He can't help himself, that's why he lives the way he does.

Mr. Raymond explains to the children that the townspeople cannot understand the real reason why he lives as he does:  he wants to do this.  Since doing so is socially unacceptable in the time of the setting in Alabama, he gives the people a reason they are willing to accept; therefore, he then has less conflict with them.

In "The Kite Runner", what is the significance of the scar that Amir develops as a result of the confrontation?Amir's confrontation with Assef in...

Amir, Assef, and Sohrab are brought together by the author to further his theme of redemption in the novel. Because Amir did not stand up to Assef when he brutally raped Assef, standing up to him in defense of Sohrad is an important, redemptive act. For Amir, it finally allows him to make peace with his past, to "be good again."

The scar Amir develops has symbolic significance. He is now "marked" by his redemptive act permanently, signifying a permanent change in his life due to redemption.

I need help with the below homework question on the expected value.Mark draws one card from a standard deck of 52. He receives $0.35 for a spade,...

First, to find the expected value you will need to multiply the probability of a particular class of card being drawn by the reward for drawing it.

The probability of drawing the Queen of Spades is 1/52.  The benefit is $.85 (.85/1).  Multiply across top and bottom of the fractions:

numerator:  1 x .85 = .85

denominator:  52 x 1 = 52

So, you get .85/52.  If you do the division, the expected value is $.016.  I will wait to round until the end.

The probability of drawing a Queen other than the Queen of Spades is 3/52.  The benefit is $.55.

num: 3 x .55 = 1.65

den:  52 x 1 = 52

1.65/52 = $.032

The probability of drawing a Spade other than the Queen of Spades is 12/52.  The benefit is $.35.

num: 12 x .35 = 4.2

den:  52 x 1 = 52

4.2/52 = $.081

Now add all the expected values together:

.016 + .032 + .081 = .129

Since we are talking about money, we have to round to the nearest cent = $.13

So, to make the game "fair", Mark should pay $.13.

In "Fahrenheit 451", why does Milded deny taking overdoses of sleeping pills the next day?

Mildred lives in a society where denial of unhappiness is a way of life.  They are terminally unhappy, but in denial about it.  If they were to admit to their unhappiness, their entire world would crumble.  This happens with Montag.  When Clarisse asks him, "Are you happy?" it is the catalyst that leads him to admit that no, he isn't.   This leads him to asking the question why, finding answers, and trying to solve it.  This leads to all of the main action in the book, where he ends up an outcast of society: he loses everything he knew and has to start over.  Rather than do this, Mildred, when her unhappiness flares up, overpowering her sense of denial, she tries to escape it all. 

Look at how a brief does of unhappiness affected her friend.  When Montag reads poetry, Mrs. Phelps "sobbed uncontrollably" and Mrs. Bowles says, "Silly words, silly awful hurting words, why do people want to hurt people" and storms out in a rage.  They are so unaccustomed to facing down reality and sorrow, that they deny it exists. When they can't, they try to escape-by storming out, staying busy with life, or like Mildred, taking life. Her denial the next morning is a denial that she is unhappy.  Admitting to taking the pills would be admitting she is unhappy, and that is a terrifying truth that she is not equipped to deal with.

What did Willy Loman think was nessecary for success in Death of a Salesman? I am writing an essay on Willy Loman’s twisted idea of what it...

Willy believes that a person must be "well-liked" to achieve true success. Wealth and riches are only part of success, for Willy. The other part of success is related to stature, respect, and reputation. 

Willy repeats his ideas about personal charm and charisma like a mantra through the play, reiterating the notion that one must be "well-liked" to get ahead. Willy makes claims that he is well-liked in certain corners of New England and he also says that his neighbor Charley is "liked, but not well-liked". 

True success comes from personal qualities and these qualities naturally lead to wealth, according to Willy's vision.

What troubling new information comes out about Enrique Mirabal in Chapter 6 of "In the Time of the Butterflies"?no

In Chapter 6, Minerva learns two troubling things about her father, Enrique Mirabal.  First of all, she discovers that her father has been cheating on her mother, possibly for as long as ten years.  Enrique keeps a woman in "a small yellow house...near the northeast cacao groves" on Mirabal land.  The woman has four children, "three...raggedy girls...(and) a fourth one sometimes...in the arms of the oldest".  The girls come running out, "holding out their hands, calling for mints" every time Minerva drives by on the road.  When she stops one day and they stare at her, Minerva sees that they have "Mirabal eyes".  Minerva loses all respect for her father at that point.  When she asks him why he did it, he responds only that these are "things a man does".

The other disturbing thing that Minerva discovers about Enrique Mirabal is that he has been hiding letters to her from an old flame, Lio.  Lio is involved in the resistance movement, and is a fugitive from the law.  Enrique tells Minerva that he hid the letters to protect her (Chapter 6). 

What happens in "The Trial of Thomas Builds-the-Fire," the tenth story in The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven?

In the story "The Trial of Thomas Builds-the-Fire," Thomas, a central character in Alexie's collection of stories is forced to stand trial for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The premise of Franz Kafka's existential story The Trial, is not lost on Alexie, as he opens the work with a quote from Kafka's novel. Thomas stands out in Alexie's work as a fervent storyteller within and amongst a large collection of stories. This particular story places Thomas on a witness stand, testifying to free himself of charges that the reader, the judges, and even Thomas can't seem to place. His testimony describes an American Calvary massacre of nearly 800 horses, Thomas being one of the "brothers" that survived. He goes on to describe himself shooting one of the soldiers, and Alexie leaves the reader believing this was what sealed his fate with the court. The epilogue of sorts that concludes the story seems to be cyclical in that Thomas is on a bus headed to prison when he begins to tell, as Alexie puts it, "this story."

What are some quotes highlighting Ponyboy's characteristics in The Outsiders?

One characteristic of Ponyboy Curtis in "The Outsiders" is that he is humble, courageous, and strong. He does not regress or lower himself in order to be popular or successful. He is himself, and this allows him to be special. In one instance, Ponyboy causes some Socs to retreat by brandishing a broken piece of glass at them. While some might see this as an extraordinary act of bravery, especially considering Ponyboy's injuries, he is humble about the act. He says impressively that, "anyone else could have done the same thing." This is one example of why Ponyboy Curtis is an admirable character in the novel.

Miss teacher stole my words!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In Act 1, Scene 3 of Macbeth, when Macbeth says, "So foul and fair a day i have not seen," to what is he referring?What could be the dramatic irony...

Or he's commenting on the weather "the fog" and delighting in the massacre. The coordinating pronoun "and" aligns "foul" and "fair"--and Macbeth's starting with "foul" reveals the first image in his mind.  Macbeth is "bloody," an exceutioner.  He split a guy open from the groin to the mouth and stuck his head up on a stick on the field, and he wasn't even bothered at all to go a second round.  Though the king is shocked and asks "Dismay'd not this / Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo?" the Sergeant even jokes about how killing is in Macbeth's nature: "As sparrows eagles or the hare the lion" (as sparrows shock eagles or hares shock lions).

A dramatic irony is also that the audience knows that he will fall--from the play's title of course, but also from the "I have not seen"--standard foreshadowing language, still used in horror movies today--by tying the foul and fair to the "I," the hero can see external nature but not internal corruption--or even better--that he thinks he sees corruption but doesn't, creating dramatic irony upon irony with "I have not seen"--and so it just hit me--he's starting to "make assurance double sure.'   So his first words and his blindness to their meaning reveal his nature.

How is the intensity of a cyclone measured?

A tropical cyclone is another name for a hurricane, typhoon, and cyclone. The intensity is described on a scale known as the Saffir-Simpson scale. The scale was devised in 1969 by Herbert Saffir and Dr. Bob Simpson, former director of the National Hurricane Center. The wind speed, based on 1-minute intervals, is used rather than storm surge potential because of differences in the shape of the continental slope in an area.

The rating are a scale from 1 to 5. Category 5 hurricanes are the most intense and damaging.

In "The Outsiders", why does Pony have a problem with Johnny's idea to disguise themselves?

In chapter 5 of "The Outsiders" Johnny and Ponyboy are on the run from the police because Johnny killed a Soc while trying to protect Ponyboy.  Johnny decides they need a disguise.  He buys peroxide and tells Ponyboy he must cut his hair and dye it blonde.  Ponyboy has a big problem with this.  He tells Johnny he doesn't want to cut his hair because it took him a long time to grow it just the way he wanted it.  He is very proud of his long hair and he doesn't want to change it in any way.  He finally agrees and Johnny cuts Ponyboys hair with a knife, then Ponyboy cuts Johnny's hair.

I have finished doing my speech on characters in "The Crucible".the topic was on belonging...please help!

Another topic you could explore related to belonging is how the girls keep the accusations up because of all the attention they are getting.  Remember, that in the Puritan society, children were to be seen and not heard.  In the intro to the play, Miller writes that Reverend Parris thought of children as "anything but thankful for being permitted to walk straight, eyes slightly lowered, arms at the sides, and mouths shut until bidden to speak."

Because the children lived in such a strict society, remember even dancing is an extreme offense, where they were basically to be seen and not heard, when the girls begin accusing people, they learn that they now are the centers of attention.  They wield a considerable amount of power.  People gape at awe at the girls.

Look at how the crowds part for Abigail when she walks down the street.  Look also at how important Marry Warren has suddenly become.  Instead of just the proctor's servant, she now is a deputy of the court and has power over those who once had power over her.  

Now the girls belong to a group, the accusers, and their power is addicting.  The more people they accuse, the more power they wield and the longer the trials will last.

In "Hamlet", how are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern loyal to Claudius?

Though he can't remember their names correctly, Claudius summons Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to Elsinore so that, under the guise of friendship, they can investigate Hamlet's madness:

The need we have to use you did provoke
Our hasty sending. Something have you heard
Of Hamlet's transformation—so call it,
Sith nor the exterior nor the inward man
Resembles that it was.

They're loyal to Claudius because they obey him to the letter, interrogating Hamlet and reporting back to Claudius about him, though - by not being as bright as Hamlet - they do get caught out by Hamlet in the first scene they have with him. They try to play him, as he says after the play scene, like he is a pipe. But they are, of course, being loyal to their king.

There's an early sign of their loyalty when they rather toadily praise the king for asking them, rather than commanding them, to talk to Hamlet:

ROSENCRANTZ:
Both your Majesties
Might, by the sovereign power you have of us,
Put your dread pleasures more into command
Than to entreaty.

GUILDENSTERN:
                     But we both obey,
And here give up ourselves, in the full bent,
To lay our service freely at your feet,
To be commanded.

Loyal servants of the crown, indeed.

What does the encounter with the strange man in the woods tell about the character of Young Goodman Brown? this is from a story by Hawthorne...

The presence of the stranger in "Young Goodman Brown" serves as a catalyst for Brown's initiation into adulthood.  When Brown first meets the stranger, there is a sense of familiarity between them.  This is evident when the stranger says, "You are late, Goodman Brown."  Although Brown is frightened by the stranger's appearance, the narrator tells us that the stranger was "not wholly unexpected."  To further indicate that the stranger's purpose is to entice Brown into the evils of adulthood, Hawthorne describes the stranger's staff as having "...the likeness of a great black snake...that...might almost be seen to twist and wriggle...like a living serpent."  This is an allusion to The Garden of Eden where the devil presented himself in the form of a snake to entice Eve into eating the forbidden fruit.  Through this encounter, Hawthorne shows the reader that this is not an easy transition.  At one point Brown yells that they have gone too far, yet he unconsciously keeps walking.  To further entice Brown, the stranger reveals that he is familiar with Brown's family, especially his grandfather.  In doing so, Hawthorne reveals the agony of crossing over into adulthood. He has Brown repeatedly screaming out the word "Faith." At this point, the reader is aware that Brown's strength to resist evil is overpowered by his weakness, indicating that his character is flawed sharing a commonality with all people. 

How would you sum up Jonathan's attitude toward life?

Jonathan is not only an optimist but also a courageous entrepreneur: even in the midst of uncertainty, he looks for opportunities at every step of the way to ensure the continued survival of his family. He is stubbornly enterprising in the midst of hopelessness and refuses to give in to despair.

With the one hundred and fifteen Biafran pounds he makes from "ferrying camp officials and their families across the four-mile stretch to the nearest tarred road," he pays an impoverished carpenter fifty Biafran pounds to put his little house back to move-in condition after the Nigerian Civil War. For material, he gets up earlier than any of the usual foragers and manages to rustle up some "old zinc and wood and soggy sheets of cardboard." When the windows, doors and roof are all fixed using these materials, he, his wife, Maria, and their three children move in joyfully.

While he is enterprising, he is also a pragmatist. Knowing that difficult times bring out an almost ferocious survival instinct in his fellow humans, he is especially careful to hide any money he earns from the eyes of his fellow survivors. He notes that days earlier, a man was robbed of twenty pounds by "some heartless ruffian."

Even though he loses the egg rasher money (twenty pounds) he earned from turning in rebel Igbo money to the Nigerian government (The Igbo tried to secede from Nigeria to start the Republic of Biafra but lost the battle for this right in the Nigerian War 1967-1970), Jonathan refuses to live like a victim. His personal adage is "nothing puzzles God." This personal faith is his courage to live life the way he does everyday.

In Chapter 21 of To Kill a Mockingbird, what is unusual about how long it takes the jury to reach a verdict?Is the verdict predictable or not?

In Alabama in the 1930s, this case should have been decided and over with before an hour was up.  That should have been the case of Tom Robinson in this novel as well.  However, what is odd about it is that we find that the jury is conflicted.  They have seen the evidence (or lack thereof) and they know that the Ewells are lying.  However, society has taught them to be prejudiced, and this should be a open/close case.  It should be easy to decide.  In a later chapter we find that Mr. Cunningham's relative was the one to keep them out so long.  Of all people, the one man who brought his Sarum Bunch forward to harm Tom the night he was moved to the jail, Mr. Cunningham found respect for Atticus that night.  So his family all look at Atticus a little differently now.  That Cunningham was going to do what was right, rather than what society had taught him to do/believe.  If Atticus could do right, by golly, so could the Cunningham family.

It depends who you ask about the predictability of the verdict.  Every semester that I teach this novel I get ANGRY students.  They honestly believe that Tom is going to be let go.  He didn't do it.  However, they are surprised (and angered).  So I don't believe it's predictable.  Part of us knows he'll be guilty.  The other part prays that these people will do what's right. So we don't know until we read it.

What is the gift that O'Henry refers to in "The Gift of the Magi"?

This is the story of a young couple who isn't able to afford Christmas gifts for one another.  In O'Henry's The Gift of the Magi, he writes:

"The magi, as you know, were wise men--wonderfully wise men--who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. O all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi. "

Here he tells you that the "most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house".  What he means is that the greatest gift you can give is that of yourself, in this story the young couple sacrificed their greatest treasure to be able to give each other a Christmas gift. 

He isn't referring to anything material; he is referring to self-sacrifice for love.

In Macbeth, what does Lady Macbeth mean by saying that their service, even if doubly redoubled, would be a poor return to Duncan?

All our service
In every point twice done and then done double
Were poor and single business to contend
Against those honours deep and broad wherewith
Your majesty loads our house...

All Lady M is saying in this extract from Act 1, Scene 6, is, even if every act ("point") of serving Duncan that the Macbeths do were done twice, and each of those done twice, it still would be only a "single" (i.e. not a double, or quadruple) service compared with how much service Duncan is doing them. And what service is Duncan doing them? - he is bringing his "honours... deep and broad" to their house, and thereby making them honourable.

Hope it helps!

What are some distinctive American elements in "Rip Van Winkle"?

Wahington Irving writes about America's past in "Rip van Winkle."  With a comic narrator, he touches a chord in the American public of his time as the voice is as inflated as a preacher's (e.g. 'Their tempers doubtless are rendered pliant and malleable in the fiery furnace of domes tribulation, and a curtain lecture is worth all the sermons in the world for teaching the virtues of patience and long-suffering") or a politician's; then it is rather self-mocking as later narrators such as Mark Twain were. 

The humor that Irving brings to someone sleeping through such a momentous event as the American Revolution is typical now of American comedians who hold nothing beyond their reach.  Satire has long been American.

Readers of Irving's time would be familiar with his allusions to the two political parties of the Tories and the Federalists as well as General Washington.  They would delight in the reaction of the townspeople when Rip mentions the King; the foolish character is very American, as well.

Overall, the tale of Rip van Winkle carries the typical American Romantic element of fascination with the past and nature.  Often Irving describes the beautiful Katskill Mountains with their "magical hues and shapes" that the "voyager" may come upon.

How did the ancient Greeks develop an advanced civilization?

Great question and one that is important. Here are a few factors:

1. They developed a new style of warfare and because of this, they were able to defeat a lot of people (hoplite warfare).

2. They were also good farmers and were able to live off the land.

3. They were able to create great cities that fostered community. Many cities also had great civic pride, always something necessary for cities to grow.

4. They also developed great architecture many of which can still be seen.

5. They also excelled in learning. Think of their luminaries - Plato, Aristotle, Euripides, Sophocles. We still read them in school!

In short, the Greek were an amazing people.

What are the survival skills of Rainsford in "The Most Dangerous Game", and what are examples of each?

Rainsford is able to stay calm under pressure. He is clear-headed and doesn't panic. When he falls off of the yacht, he doesn't panic; he calmly swims to shore. Later when Zaroff is hunting Rainsford, he is able to stay calm and clear-headed and set traps in order to give him time to escape. Rainsford also relies on his hunting experience to survive. He sets up a Maylay man-catcher and a Burmese tiger pit. When Rainsford is under direct pressure and can hear Zaroff behind him, he again stays calm and quickly ties a knife to a sapling for one last chance to kill Zaroff.

When Kenny first meets Rufus in "Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963", why does he think Rufus will be his "personal savior"?

When Kenny first meets Rufus, he thinks that Rufus will be his "personal saver" because he predicts that the kids at school will now tease Rufus instead of him.

Kenny does not quite fit in at school, and is frequently the object of childish torment and ridicule.  There are two reasons, as far as he can see, why the other kids give him a hard time.  The first is because he has a "lazy eye", and the second is because he likes to read, and the teachers think he is "real smart".  Naturally, these things do not endear him to his peers.

When Rufus comes to school, Kenny notices with a sense of glee that the new boy is even more of a misfit than he is.  Rufus, like Kenny, has at least "two things wrong with him".  The first is his "country" accent and manners, and the second is the obvious shabbiness of his clothes.  Kenny's first thought upon meeting Rufus is that now, the other kids will be so busy making Rufus's life miserable, they will leave Kenny alone.

Kenny's use of the term "personal saver" is a slightly inaccurate allusion to Jesus Christ, whom he has learned about in Sunday school.  He knows that, to those who accept him, Jesus will be a "personal Savior", who is "sent by God to protect you and to help you out".  Even though Rufus doesn't "have a beard and long hair and...wasn't born under a star" like the Son of God, Kenny is convinced that he has been sent by God to make his life better (Chapter 2).

What does UBTREAS mean in "By the Waters of Babylon"?John finds this at some broken columns and he could only read half. Any help would be great....

There really is no question about this one.  The other people are correct.  The word fragment "UBTREAS" clearly does stand for "Subtreasury."  The author presumably includes this word fragment, along with his description of the "building with the starry ceiling," to let us understand that the City of the Gods is actually New York City.  The author probably does this because he wants us to realize that he is warning us about the sorts of calamities our own world would be facing if it continued on the path down which it was going.  Benet was writing this story in 1937, when the Spanish Civil War was going on and the city of Guernica had just been bombed.  This event made him consider the destructive power of the modern technology of the time.  He wrote "By the Waters of Babylon" as a cautionary tale.  In order to make it more effective, he needed to state quite clearly that the ruined civilization that John sees is our own civilization.

Thus, we can say that the fragment "UBTREAS" is one of the clues that tells us that this part of the story takes place in New York City.

Who else did Uncle Peck molest in "How I Learned to Drive"?

Uncle Peck molests Lil' Bit's Cousin Bobby, also called "B.B.".

Cousin Bobby actually never appears onstage, and he has no spoken lines.  His relationship to Uncle Peck is revealed through a monologue given by Uncle Peck.  Uncle Peck is teaching young Bobby how to fish, in a similar manner to how he teaches Lil' Bit to drive.  Bobby catches a pompano and doesn't know what to do with it;  he cries until Uncle Peck cuts it loose for him and releases it.  Uncle Peck then invites Bobby to come to a secret tree house with him, to drink beer and eat crab salad.  The sinister overtones of this incident parallel Uncle Peck's method of molesting Lil' Bit by giving her driving lessons, plying her with liquor, and then swearing her to secrecy.

What is Giles Coreys' role in "The Crucible"?

Giles Corey is also used by the author to illustrate the level of hysteria that grips Salem in 1692.  When Reverend Hale comes to town, Corey, who is on his third wife, Martha, and is not very educated, is concerned that his wife reads books.  Of course Giles cannot read the way his wife does, so he is suspicious because his other two wives did not read like Martha.

Corey asks Reverend Hale a simple question that is misinterpreted.  He tells Hale that he cannot pray when his wife is reading her books, once she puts her books down, he can pray again. Hale becomes suspicious of Martha Corey who is arrested for witchcraft.  

Corey is used to show how a simple truth is perverted by the authorities in Salem and used as a weapon to put innocent people in jail and eventually executed.

In "A Modest Proposal", why does Swift seperate himself from the narrator at the end? How would his readers view it differently if he had not done so?

Swift separates himself from the narrator to emphasize the irony inherent in the satire. Swift creates a fictional narrator who appears to be a hardened, ruthless economic expert intent on using kids to supplement the diet of the starving Irish population. However, at the end, Swift abandons this narrator because he no longer wants to use the 'eat poor kids' rationale. By now he should have effectively shocked and angered his audience into listening to him. At the end, he returns to topics that he has formerly brought up to the leaders of the country (such as affordable housing, using Ireland's own natural resources instead of importing from England, teaching their farmers how to farm effectively, getting rid of the absentee landlords, and so on). All of those are rational solutions to Ireland's plight. However, no one listened to those. So he concocted this cruel and efficient narrator to propose an extreme solution. By reminding his readers that he is not really supporting eating innocent children, he hopes to make them take his rational solutions more seriously.

What is Kate Chopin's The Awakening about?

"The Awakening" by Kate Chopin is about Edna Pontellier's personal awakening. She is a married woman who is unhappy with her husband, her children, and where her life is headed. Edna instead likes to paint. She is bored with the inane chatter around her and wants something more in her life. She has an affair, and decides to choose her own freedom. Rather than stay in her present life, she decides to commit suicide by swimming out into the ocean.

The main themes of the story include the social roles of women, and personal and sexual understanding of the self. Edna is a bright, vibrant, sensual woman. Her desertion of the rules of society reveal her independent and daring nature. 

According to Candy, what is Curley good at in "Of Mice and Men"?

In Chapter 2, Candy, the old swamper, tells George and Lennie that Curley is good at boxing.  This foreshadows the conflict to follow between Curley and the other men, especially Lennie.  It also gives proof to Curley's personality trait of being scrappy. 

In addition, Candy saying that Curley is good at boxing gives support to the fact that Curley suffers from "Napoleon Complex" a.k.a "short man's syndrome."

Under Article 2, Section 2, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution, what role does the Senate play in the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court?it...

I am not sure if this ever worked as "planned," but since the role of justices in today's world seems to have shifted from interpreters of the Constitution to makers of the law (although this has always been part of their role), they have become much more politicized than they had been in the past (perhaps ... there's a lot of controversary about this too).  Because they are appointed for life (and therefore not subject to the vagaries of the electorate), there is no way to evaluate their performance on the bench short of impeachment.  The role of the Senate is as ms-mcgregor has outlined.  And it's an interesting problem.  If the President could appoint justices alone, then the two branches would effectively become "executive"; if the Senate alone could do it (if, say, either party had a 61 seat majority), the the court becomes an extension of the legislative branch.  I think it's a very interesting problem and one that needs to be addressed.  The original intention was for an independent judiciary; I don't know if that can be created under the present system.

The source below might be a place to start investigating the history of the Court.

In The Sun Also Rises, how is Jake Barnes' wound symbolic of the American Dream?

Hemingway's novel, like many modernist works, challenges the ideal of progress and regeneration that previously characterized American thought.  In the aftermath of the war, the traditional pillars of meaning (religion, the state) were destabilized and modernist thinkers sought new moral standards.

Jake, rendered sterile, embodies this new reality.  Struggling to accept his condition, he thinks "Try and take it sometime.  Try and take it."  Hemingway's use of "it" often refers to larger issues.  At stake here is not just Jake's wound, but also the wounds of modern times. 

The novel opens with an epigraph by Gertrude Stein: "You are all a lost generation."  This refers both to those who lost their lives in the war, and also those who lost their moral and spiritual compass.  Denied the possibility of romantic love, Jake can no longer rely on the old markers of progress and belief.  Similarly, the American Dream, which, as a mythology is strongly dependent on these notions of progress and regeneration, is also sterile.  Its empty promise must be replaced by a new philosophy.

What is the setting of "King Lear"?

The play "King Lear" is based on the legend of a king of Britain in ancient times. Much of the action takes place in Lear's palace. Other settings include Gloucester's castle and a farmhouse near it, the Duke of Albany's palace, a forest, a heath, and a field near the town of Dover where both the British and the French armies have set up encampments.

Visit the links below for more information.

What are the characteristics features of a good essay?

A good essay consists of three elements of composition: content, structure, and mechanics. If the writer deals effectively with each of these, the result will be an essay that expresses the writer’s thinking in an effective, interesting, and organized manner.

Content.  The content of the essay is the writer’s message. Good essays develop the writer’s main points through thorough discussion and by the use of specific details. General is boring; specific is interesting. A good essay includes specific details to support the writer’s explanations.

Structure.  The structure of the essay is its organization. An effective essay is organized with an introduction, main body, and conclusion. The introduction should begin in an interesting way that gains the reader’s attention; it should then lead the reader into the writer’s thesis statement: one sentence that states the writer’s position, what the writer will explain and support in the essay.

The main body should consist of several well developed paragraphs. The conclusion should “wrap it up” by giving the reader a sense of closure.

Finally, the writer should use transition words and phrases to move the reader smoothly from one idea to another within a paragraph and from one paragraph to another.

Mechanics.  “Mechanics” refers to the use of language. A good essay is well written and carefully edited in terms of grammar, punctuation, word usage, and spelling.

In "The Crucible", what does Abigail do when others become suspicious that she is pretending? Who is called to support John's testify? What happens?

Abigail resorts to the same behavior she has been using throughout the trials. She says she is being tortured by a spirit---this time Mary's spirit. John grabs Abigail's hair and admits to adultery with her. To support John's accusations, Elizabeth is brought in to confirm the affair. However, Elizabeth wants to protect her husband's reputation and denies the affair with Abigail took place. Then Abigail looks up and says she sees a big bird that she claims is Mary's spirit trying to hurt her. The other girls, including Mary, join in.They accuse Proctor of being on the side of the devil. So John Proctor is arrested along with Giles Corey. Of course, this is not what Abigail had in mind but, through her own actions, she has lost control of the situation.

What does this quote mean in Chapter 24? “His food doesn't stick going down, does it”

Great question--when I teach this book, I get a lot of questions on this quote.

Mrs. Merriweather has just subtly (well, somewhat subtly) insulted Atticus. Miss Maudie responds with the above quote. There are two interpretations I give to my students.

1. Miss Maudie is referring to Mrs. Merriweather eating Atticus's food. Mrs. Merriweather is is Atticus's house, eating Atticus's food, in front of Atticus's sister and daughter and others that respect him. Miss Maudie's come back is asking Mrs. Merriweather (snidely) if Atticus's food is good enough to eat, even though Mrs. Merriweather insults Atticus.

2. The other explanation is that Miss Maudie is referring to Atticus eating food. Atticus knows he did the right thing, defending Tiom, and therefore, doesn't have a troubled conscience, so he can doing things freely, without feeling guilty--such as eating.

In "Lyddie", Chapters 19-20, why did Lyddie work so hard after the farm had been sold?

Lyddie threw herself into her work when the farm was sold so she wouldn't have to feel so acutely the pain of what she had lost.

Lyddie felt like she had lost everything when the farm was sold despite her efforts to earn enough money to keep it.  Because of her stubborn pride and consuming need for independence, she responded to Luke Stevens's loving offer of marriage with fury, completely misinterpreting his intentions by thinking he was doing it out of pity, or to own her.  Her thought was that, with the farm gone, she "had nothing left but (herself), Lyddie Worthen", and so she defiantly and protectively shut herself off from anyone who might want to get close to her, and infringe upon her precious independence (Chapter 18).

The loss of the farm coincided with the departure of Lyddie's little sister Rachel.  Lyddie experienced an intensity of loneliness after these two events which she had never known before - "loneliness was...this sharp pain in her breastbone dragging down into a dull, persistent heaviness".  With "nothing to look forward to", she threw herself into her work, working hard "because work was all she knew, all she had...everything else that had made her know herself as Lyddie Worthen was gone...work alone remained".  By working so hard, Lyddie found that she did not have time to think, or to feel.  Her mind "became as calloused as her hands...she rell into bed exhausted and only felt the full burden of her grief in dreams" (Chapter 19).

What contrasting sets of values does Dame Van Winkle represent?

Dame Van Winkle seems to represent the Protestant work ethic popular among the Puritans rather than the Romantic notions of her husband. The Puritan work ethic demands hard work which Dame Van Winkle seems to want from her husband However, Rip had "an insuperable aversion to all kinds of profitable labor". He complained that he had the worst piece of property in the area because "His fences were continually falling to pieces; his cow would either go astray or get among the cabbages; weeds were sure to grow quicker in his fields than anywhere else." However, "his wife kept continually dinning in his ears about his idleness, his carelessness, and the ruin he was bringing on his family. Morning, noon, and night, her tongue was incessantly going. . ." Thus, the two of them never got along. All Rip would do was shrug " his shoulders, shook his head, cast up his eyes, but said nothing." 

What is the theme in "I Stand Here Ironing" by Tillie Olsen?

The major theme of the story is a search for understanding. During the entire story, the mother is searching for reasons why she is not close to her daughter. As she irons, a metaphor for trying to iron out her problems, she recounts her difficult life and the limited time she had to spend focused on her daughter because she had to earn a living. She is searching for answers about why her life turned out the way it did. As she irons, she begins to see that she allowed life and circumstances to shape her; she did not try to shape her own life. She was like the dress she is ironing. It just sits on the ironing board waiting to be pressed over. Her daughter, she hopes will realize ''that she is more than this dress on the ironing board, helpless before the iron."

In Frankenstein, why is the poem "The Ancient Mariner" important to Walton?

The poem is important to Walton as it seems to have inspired his own love of exploration in far-flung regions. The poem is of course set in the polar wastes, and that is where Walton has ended up too. He is pursuing the romance, the challenge of a voyage to these perilous lands. 

Walton directly invokes the poem, and its chief character the Ancient Mariner, in one of his letters to his sister.

I am going to unexplored regions, to "the land of mist and snow"; but I shall kill no albatross, therefore do not be alarmed for my safety, or if I should come back to you as worn and woeful as the "Ancient Mariner." You will smile at my allusion but I will disclose a secret. I have often attributed my attachment to, my passionate enthusiasm for, the dangerous mysteries of ocean, to that production of the most imaginative of modern poets. (Letter II)

Here, Walton admits frankly that the poem has inspired him in his choice of career, his pursuit of glorious adventure in these wild lands. He also remarks here that he will not be quite as willful as the Mariner, who was punished for gratuitously shooting an albatross; he declares he will not do the same, but he admits that he too might return as forlorn as the Mariner did. He is aware of the risks he faces, but at this stage he also comes across as over-eager in his bid for high personal achievement. He is getting carried away by his enthusiasm.

Later, Frankenstein also invokes the Ancient Mariner. The darkly romantic aura of that famous poem colours the entire novel, and also has a admonitory purpose. Just as the Mariner thought he could do as he pleased, and challenge nature itself, and was punished for his presumption, both Frankenstein and Walton are similarly over-ambitious; and Frankenstein too pays the price. It is left to him, while dying, to warn Walton of the dangers of over-reaching.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, why are the children so interested in Boo Radley?

The children are curious about Boo Radley, but it also seems as if they bring up the story first to win over, scare or compete with the new little friend who appears at the fence line between their house and Miss Rachel's. For example, the first conversation that Jem has with Dill is about reading. Dill tells the kids that he can read and he's seven, but Jem has to one-up him by saying that Scout's been reading since she was born. Dill competes back by telling the kids that he's been to the movies and saw Dracula. Eventually Boo Radley comes up and Scout says that they "warn" Dill about Boo Radley, but maybe, as said above, it is a way to scare him or even initiate him into the neighborhood. Ironically though, it is Dill who uses the Radley house as a way to dare Jem to prove he is brave:

"'Let's try to make him come out,' said Dill. 'I'd like to see what he looks like.'

Jem said if Dill wanted to get himself killed, all he had to do was go up and knock on the front door. . . Dill bet Jem . . . that Jem wouldn't get any farther than the Radley gate. In all his life, Jem had never declined a dare" (13).

The above passage is only the beginning of future dares to come. The house and Boo Radley are like undiscovered country, and once Jem doesn't die from touching the house and running away, other strategies are used to get Boo to come out. The Radley house, therefore, also becomes a source of entertainment for the kids as they play out the Radley history as well as try to get the infamous phantom to come out.

Please cite a few pertinent text passages in reference to my previous question about The Great Gatsby (see below). For what do New York City, the...

Although this question has already been aptly answered, I would be happy to provide a review as well as some significant quotes.  New York City is always an escape: an escape for Tom to frolic with Myrtle or an escape for the people of Long Island who hover amid boredom in their riches or an escape for Tom who has just found out Gatsby’s real intent with Daisy.  “’But it’s so hot,’ insisted Daisy, on the verge of tears, ‘and everything’s so confused.  Let’s all go to town!’” (118).  “’All right,’ broke in Tom quickly, ‘I’m perfectly willing to go to town. Come on—we’re all going to town’” (119).  The first two paragraphs of Chapter 2 are the absolute best place to find quotes to support the symbolism behind the Valley of the Ashes, the symbol of vastly negative reality in America (sharply contrasted with the Eggs, of course).  “About half way between East Egg and New York the motor road hastily joins the railroad and runs beside it for a quarter of a mile, so as to shrink away from a certain desolate area of land” (23).  In my opinion, the absolute best quotation is as follows:  “This is a valley of ashes—a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and, finally, with a transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air” (23).  West Egg has always been the symbol of the “new rich.”  A good place to look for a text passage would be the early pages of Chapter 1 where Nick first describes it.  “I lived at West Egg, the—well, the less fashionable of the two” (5).  Similarly, it is also a good place to find a text passage in reference to East Egg, the symbol of the “old rich.”  “Across the courtesy bay the white palaces of fashionable East Egg glittered along the water” (6). 

In Othello, why is Iago able to so strongly influence Othello?

I'd say there's three main reasons:

1) Clever psychological manipulation. Iago knows exactly what to suggest, and when to suggest it. He says things briefly, succintly - those four devastating words "look to your wife" start a whole battery of thoughts in Othello's mind. He also (note the way he makes Othello force him to keep speaking, by making a suggestion and then dropping it) makes Othello demand to know things from him - allowing him to seem more honest and innocent. And because Othello thinks him honest, Iago can easily lie to him.

2) Othello's own insecurities. Othello makes a telling speech after Iago has exited, about why Desdemona might have cheated on him:

Haply, for I am black
And have not those soft parts of conversation
That chamberers have, or for I am declined
Into the vale of years—yet that's not much—
She's gone. I am abused, and my relief
Must be to loathe her.

Othello is a foreigner (note that Iago emphasises that he knows all about Venetian woman - implying that Othello doesn't), he is racially different, and he is older. He feels insecure, I'd argue, about each of this things, and Iago's suggestions activate that insecurity, which in turn defeats his better judgement.

3) Good luck. Iago does seem to have ideas and plans, but some crucial turns - Cassio getting as drunk as he does, Desdemona dropping the hankerchief - are just down to good fortune.

Hope it helps!

What is Cuba's relationship to the U.S.?

Actually, there was a bit of "love lost" in that Cuba at one time was "wooed" by the United States to become another American territory. Instead, Cuba struck up alliance with America's number one rival, Russia, and the romance was definitely over!

In the 50s (the "hottest" moment of the "Cold War") the incident of Bay of Pigs heightened tension between the two countries, as the United States feared a missle attack from Havanna. A sugar embargo and then rupture of all trade relations ensued.

Below is a personal site as well as an official one listing various documents which you may find of interest.

What is the reason for Ali to become a radical, fanatic muslim?

Obviously, Ali is disappointed of his father's life, because he cannot see any sense or worth in living it. For Ali, Parvez only seems to live for "Western" pleasure (alcohol, prostitutes...), he does not see any philosophy of life behind Parvez's lifestyle. Ali simply does not understand his father's relationship to Bettina, for example.

Ali simply needs a perspective in life - and he has found one in religion. Praying and feeling solidarity to a big Muslim community comforts him and the strict rules give him a structure for life he can follow.

What was the conflict between the two families in "Romeo and Juliet"?

While the reason for the feud is never specifically mentioned, we as readers may infer that is stretches back many generations, as the author tells us that the feud is both old and bitter, stemming from past wrongs of other eras. Much like the Hatfield-McCoy feud seen in Southern- American History, this feud is one of names: Capulets don't like Montagues because of their identity, and Montagues reciprocate that emotion. While neither side really elaborates upon why the hatred is still present, they continue to engage each other in acts of aggression and conflict, much like the "biting of the thumb" and physical altercations that occur throughout the play.

In "A Rose for Emily," what is the highest point of the story?

Faulkner saves the highest point of his story, its dramatic climax, until the very end when Homer Barron's decaying corpse is found in an upstairs bedroom in Miss Emily's house, a room which nobody has seen in the previous forty years. After Miss Emily's burial, the townspeople break into this room to discover the room has been decorated much as a bridal chamber might be. Barron's suit is neatly folded on a chair, and his shoes and socks remain exactly as he had left them the night of his murder. What remains of his body lies in the bed:

The body had apparently once lain in the attitude of an embrace, but now the long sleep that outlasts love, that conquers even the grimace of love, had cuckolded him.  What was left of him, rotted beneath what was left of the nightshirt, had become inextricable from the bed in which he lay; and upon him and upon the pillow beside him lay that even coating of the patient and biding dust.

This shocking discovery, however, does not represent the dramatic climax of the story, because another, more shocking discovery awaits. The highest point of the story isn't reached until its two final sentences:

Then we noticed that in the second pillow was the indentation of a head. One of us lifted something from it, and leaning forward, that faint and invisible dust dry and acrid in the nostrils, we saw a long strand of iron-gray hair.

The gray hair on the pillow next to the corpse completes the puzzle of Miss Emily's later years in this great Southern gothic tale. After arriving at this amazing conclusion, suddenly all the pieces of Faulkner's disjointed narrative fall into place, and the tragedy and the madness of Miss Emily's life are made clear.

I want an analysis of the novel "Hard Times".

This shorter work of Dickens is a cross-breed somewhere between a social satire and a more seriously staged saga. In a series of highly unlikely circumstances, confrontation between the classes shapes the destiny of an array of different characters. However, it particularly focuses on the llife choices of a brother and sister, Tom and Louisa Gradgrind. The story line traces their lives from a strict upbringing through early adulthood and marriage, including such leit motifs as love vs duty, sentiment vs reason, etc. The overshadowing influence of    Thomas Gradgrind, their father, adds intrigue and depth:

Two other pupils of Gradgrind’s prove important to the story: the naturally affectionate Sissy Jupe, the daughter of a performer in Sleary’s Circus (a traveling troupe of clowns, jugglers, and horseback riders), and Bitzer, an emotionless, eerily pale boy who absorbs all of Gradgrind’s precepts. When Sissy’s father abandons her, Gradgrind takes her into his household, making her a companion to his ailing wife. Sissy turns out to be a faithful friend to Louisa and Tom; the calculating, cold-hearted Bitzer, her opposite, turns on his old mentor in the end.

Another subplot involves confrontation between a union leader (Slackbridge) and a factory worker (Blackpool) who is unjustly framed for robbery. Blackpool slips and falls to his death in a mine shaft while trying to clear his name.

The autobiographical nature of this novel cannot be denied. Dickens knew first-hand about precarity, and his life with its rollercoaster "ups" and "downs" reads like a rags-to-riches story in hyperbole. Dickens, though, never forgot the difficult moments of his youth and used his writings as a forum for social protest.

Check out the reference below for further information, but remember there's no better reference to a book than the book itself!

What is Frank McCourt's purpose on writing "Angela's Ashes"?

This novel is a "coming-of-age" story about Frank McCourt's childhood. One of the most revealing quotations from the novel is,

“When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I survived at all. It was of course, a miserable childhood. . . . Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood.”

McCourt details this miserable childhood in frank, humorous, and honest terms. He does not feel sorry for himself, even though he could. His purpose is to let the reader understand the era that he grew up in and see that "this too shall pass" and you can win in life no matter what your early years may be like. His three main themes in this memoir are poverty, the destructive effects of alcohol, and religion; specifically Catholicism.

Compare Pip's initial reaction to Magwitch (ch 39) to Pip's concern for his safety (ch 45) and explain the significance of this change.

Dickens divided his novel "Great Expectations" into three parts for specific reasons, one of which was to reveal the stages of Pip's growth.  As a dynamic character, Pip moves from his innocence and unconditional love of Joe and kindness to the convict in Stage 1 to a value system based upon social status in Stage 2 of the novel.  For instance, he becomes ashamed of Joe because he does not possess the social graces of such gentlemen as Herbert and feels that Miss Havisham's social status makes her  a superior benefactor--even though she is insane--over a lowly criminal such as Magwitch. 

Now, in Stage 3 the reader perceives that Pip has grown in his thinking.  For, he has come to understand what Mr. Jaggers has told him earlier in the novel:  "Take nothing on appearances." That is, social status is merely a mask for what a person is.  The truly good people, the people with real human values, are the "common" ones: Joe, Biddy, Magwitch.  In Chapter 45 Pip sees what kind of a person Magwitch is, not what he appears to be as in Chapter 39 of Stage 2 in which Pip has held false values. 

There is a quote from Carl Jung which explains the transformation of Pip:

Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart.  Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.

What is the theme and basic idea of the novel "The Mill on the Floss" by George Eliot?

“The Mill on The Floss,” is the story of Maggie Tulliver, (“who is impetuous, warm, and highly intelligent, but she is also forgetful and impulsive”), and her brother, Tom, (“who is bossy and convinced that he always knows what's good for everyone else, traits he displays in childhood and continues throughout the book”), living in a mill on the Floss River. Their father is a proud man who loves his children but angers easily in other areas, especially those concerning his business. He is easily gets his back up in a huff, and then does not easily forgive the person who angered him.

Maggie wants to be loved and accepted by her brother. Unfortunately, Tom takes her for granted. If he has something go wrong, he will take it out on her. Then he will miss her and pet her again; her world becomes fine again. When Mr. Tulliver's business fails, all his rage is directed at the man he feels is responsible. He then drags Tom and Maggie into his vendetta. Tom sides with his father. Maggie is caught in the storm of family issues.  This book is full of description and far too long to summarize in full here.  Look at the links provided below. The theme is simply a novel about the middle class family in England and the concept of the individual against society. Alan Bellringer has commented, "The two main themes of the novel, growing up and falling in love, lend themselves to amusement, but it is stunted growth and frustrated love that are emphasized."

In "The Cask of Amontillado," why is it appropriate that Fortunato wears a jester's costume?

1. Poe wanted to increase Montresor's difficulties in consumating his crime by making the victim conspicuous, even having bells on his cap.

2. People choose masquerade costumes to suit their characters. Fortunato likes to make jests like the court jesters of old. Some of these can be cruel. No doubt Fortunato's jests are among the "thousand injuries" Montresor has suffered.

3. Poe describes the costume as "tight-fitting." This would show that Fortunato is unarmed, while Montresor has a sword under his cloak.

4. The tight-fitting costume made it easy to confine Fortunato tightly against the wall with two lengths of chain only two feet apart. This would prevent Fortunato from interfering with the wall-building in that very confined space. If Fortunato had been wearing a cloak or heavier clothing, there might have been a danger of his slipping out of the single chain around his waist.

5. Fortunato is not a fool. Montresordescribes him as "a man to be respected and even feared." The costume characterizes him as a jokester, a man who enjoys playing jokes on people. At the end he pretends to believe Montresor is only playing a joke on him, and he compliments him on "a very clever jest," like a connoisseur of jests. He wants to give Montresor a plausible excuse for changing his mind and releasing him, although he does not not for a moment believe this entrapment is a jest.

In "To Build a Fire", what are the man's weaknesses and qualities that lead to his death?

The man's weaknesses that lead to his death are several.  First, the man is not prepared for the extremely cold weather he faces on his journey, nor does he take enough supplies with him in case he runs into trouble.  He has not dressed heavily enough for the temperatures he will encounter.  He also does not take enough food, nor does he take any tools that he might need.  Also, he is stubborn. He does not let the dog take the lead when he should do so.  The dog clearly knows that they are lost, but the man makes the dog "listen" to him and directs the dog where the man wants to go instead of the other way around.  The man is also ignorant.  He does not respect the dog or the fact that the dog relies on instinct and is very familiar with the territory and weather.  

What happens in Act I of "The Tempest" by William Shakespeare?

Act I of William Shakespeare's "The Tempest" begins with a storm at sea.  The Captain of the ship shouts out orders to try to keep the ship from running aground.  The Boatswain immediately begins to set things in motion to turn the ship out to sea.  Riding out the storm at sea will be much safer for the ship and all its passengers.  As the Bostwain is fighting to save the ship the Royal passengers come topside and begin to give orders and ask questions.  The Botswain, who is pretty rough around the edges, rudely replies to the passengers and tells them to go back below to their cabins and stay there. As they think they are all going to die everyone goes below to pray.

In scene 2 we are located in Prospero’s cave where he and his daughter watch the ship sinking.  Prospero's daughter begs him to save the people and he goes into a long story about how he is doing all this for her.  He tells her his history and that he is really the true Duke of Milan.  He then puts her under a spell and calls for Ariel.  He thanks the sprit Ariel for a good job and finds out that the party has landed on the island as he requested.  Ariel asks for his freedom now that he has helped Prospero, but Prospero isn't ready to let him go.  He gives Ariel more orders and then awakens his daughter.  They all go to the beach and Miranda sees Ferdinand whom she first believes to be a ghost.  They finally meet and because of Ariel's magic they immediately fall in love. 

This is a very brief summary.  A more detailed summary can be found at the links listed below.  Thanks for your question.

How does Jane become independent in "Jane Eyre"?

The novel is considered a "bildungsroman," or, loosely translated, a"coming of age story."  Jane becomes 'independent' by the end of the novel because the circumstances of her life teacher her a number of powerful lessons:

1.  Her true worth is intrinisic.  She does not possess any of the qualities that were valued in Victorian ladies: She is dark, plain, and introspective.  Yet she is also extremely intelligent, and she addresses the world around her with forthrightness. 

2.  She comes to know herself, and she demands to be taken for who she is--no more, no less. In fact, she is reunited with Rochester only after circumstances have made him dependent upon her.

3.  In a very literal (Victorian) way, she becomes independent when she discovers that she is not a penniless orphan, and she comes into an inheritance that means she does not need Rochester or any other (wealthy) man to be her husband.  It seems like a bit of a cop out.  After all, Jane spends her life coming to personal power through very difficult lessons, and then she inherits money that would have solved her problems even if she were insipid.  I suppose, though, that we must remember that this is the Victorian era, and no amount of intelligence or strength of character will insure a woman an income

In "Lord of the Flies", what does Jack say about the conch? What is the relevance?

At first, Jack obeys the call of the conch. However, once he leaves the boys and forms his own group, he says the conch doesn't mean anything on "his" side of the island. This means that he is rejecting the authority for which the conch stands. He had agreed to abide by the authority at the beginning of the novel. Ironically he said, "we have to have lots and lots of rules". Yet, he is the first one to begin breaking the rules and eventually rejects all rules and authority in order to gain more power.

In The Giver, name two euphemisms for death in our society.Ireally need this answer. I was sick all week and its due tomorrow and i didnt have...

Are you referring to euphemisms that we have for death in our society or in the society of the novel? If you are referring only to The Giver, there is one central euphemism that is used to describe death - release. Of course, there is release of newborns, release of the elderly and then release of those who have broken the laws of this society, however, as Jonas goes on to discover in the novel, this pleasant sounding word hides behind it the brutality of murder.

If you are referring to our society today, you might want to think how we use euphemisms to talk about death and make it less scary or frightening. We say things like she has "passed on" or "gone to a better place". You may have others you have come across.

In "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", what are two things Brom Bones does to get back at Ichabod for trying to steal Katrina?

In "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," Brom Bones plays tricks on Ichabod Crane in order to pay Ichabod for trying to steal Katrina.  He stuffs the chimney of the schoolroom so that it redirects the smoke throughout the classroom, and Brom and his friends break into the schoolhouse, turning everything topsy-turvy.  He procures a whining, howling dog as an antidote to Ichabods's singing of the psalms, as well.

How does the human speaker feel about nature's view of the universe in "Thanatopsis"?Reveal the romantic conviction that the universe, far from...

The speaker introduces and concludes this poem with a personified voice of nature tells of the cycle of life.  When the author introduces nature he says that when a person is bogged down with thoughts of death they should go outside and commune with nature.  At the end he states:

"So live, that when thy summons comes to join The innumerable caravan which moves To that mysterious realm, where each shall take  75His chamber in the silent halls of death, Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night, Scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and soothed By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch  80

About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.

This, meaning that we should not fear death of the physical because trust in the cycle of nature and how everything has a beginning and an end.

In The Great Gatsby, why does Nick become offended and refuse Gatsby's business offer?

At the beginning of Chapter 5 in The Great Gatsby, Nick becomes offended and refuses Gatsby's offer to share in his "little business" because "the offer was obviously and tactlessly for a service to be rendered" (83-84).  In other words, Nick is perturbed that Gatsby thinks his bootlegging job offer to be a way to repay Nick for allowing the first meeting between Daisy and Gatsby (after many years) to be at Nick's little home.  In addition, it probably didn't help things much when Gatsby (again quite tactlessly) keeps saying things like, "Old sport, you don't make much money, do you?" (83).  I wouldn't go so far as to say Nick was "offended," however.  Heck, in the very next paragraph, Nick says, "The evening had made me light-headed and happy" (84).  Nick is happy (and a bit excited) to help Gatsby, for Nick is discovering Gatsby to truly be the great Gatsby that the book title speaks of (his bootlegging side-job aside).

How is Atticus a good citizen? And how does the Tom Robinson case show that he is a good citzen?please feel free to leave quotes!thanks

Both men do what is right regardless of possible negative consequences from their society.  As Emerson urged, they act on the dictates of their consciences.  Emerson wrote,

Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members.  Society is a joint-stock company in which the members agreee for the better securing of his bread to each shareholder, to surrender the liberty and culture of the eater.  The virtue in most request is conformity.  Self-reliance is its aversion.....Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.

Knowing that "it is a sin to kill a mockingbird,"  Atticus agrees to defend Tom Robinson despite his realization that "Maycomb's disease" will have him labeled as a "n---lover."  He tells his brother Jack that he could not refuse to take the case when appointed to do so:  "But do you think I could face my children otherwise?"

Similarly, Tom Robinson, despite having been unjustly convicted by the town in the past of an offense and having had to serve jail time, still helps the Ewell girl from the kindness and charity of his heart.  He chops wood for her or carries water because "Mr. Ewell didn't seem to help her none, and neither did the chillun, and I knowed she didn't have no nickel to spare."

Indeed, both men knew what Emerson wrote: "Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your mind." 

How does Pearl change throughout "The Scarlet Letter"?

Pearl spends most of the narrative as "The elf-child," the ostracized offspring of a forbidden union.  Even her play reflects her isolation, where she smites unmercifully  "The ugliest weeds in the garden," whom she fancies the children of Puritan elders.    Her attitude to her father changes, from caressing his hand early on, to refusing to kiss him in the woods, to finally kissing him on the scaffold.  Her transformation occurs precisely at this moment, at the story's end, when Dimmesdale publicly acknowledges her and Hester.  It is here she cries for the first time, breaking her spell, and moving her from a girl who would no longer "...battle with the world, but be a woman in it."

This transformation is borne out in her relationship with her peers, from tearing them up as weeds as a child to potentially marrying when she comes of age; when Pearl inherits from Chillingworth, (So Pearl, the demon child...became the richest heiress of the day in the New World)  her social standing improves to the point where she could have "mingled her wild blood with the devoutest Puritan of them all."

Pearl, the elf-child, returns to the land of elves and fairies, yet fulfills the prophecy of her being a woman in the world when we surmise that she has borne children and made Hester a grandmother at the very end of the tale.

What is the conflict in the story "The Magic Barrel"?

There are several conflicts in the story.  One of the main conflicts is the ongoing struggle that Leo has within himself in regards to his own nature.  The process of matchmaking has left him feeling unsettled, and his conversation with Lily reveals some things about himself that upsets him.  He struggles with two main things in the story:  his inner nature and whether he truly is capable of love-either of God or a woman, and his slight disgust at the commercial nature of the matchmaking process that he has undertaken.  Leo struggles with both of these throughout the story, the second one especially as he suspects Salzman having manipulated his infatuation with Stella.

Other conflicts in the story exist between Salzman and Leo; Leo is uncomfortable with how businesslike Salzman peddles matches, then is very upset that he misrepresents Leo to Lily.  Then there is conflict between the two in regards to Stella; Leo wants to meet her, Salzman hesitates, and they have conflict there until Salzman acquiesces.

Those are some ideas of the basic conflicts that exist within the story; I hope that it helps!

What is the precis of the story A Rose for Emily?a precis is a type of summarizing that inisists on an exact reproduction of the logic,...

The plot does not follow a chronological order as the narrator builds mystery and suspense around the funeral of old Miss Emily Grierson.

Part I:

The townspeople have gathered for Miss Emily's funeral out of respect for a woman who belonged to a long line of an aristrocratic family, and out of curiosity for her reclusive and eccentric lifestyle.

To show the community's respect for Miss Emily, the narrator tells a story about the mayor who remitted her taxes indefinitely after her father's death. However, after this unwritten arrangement ended, and the new sheriff tried to collect the taxes, Miss Emily refused to pay them, asking the town officials to speak to Colonel Sartoris. The fact that Colonel Sartoris had been dead ten years hints at Miss Emily's unstable mental condition.

Part II

The story flashes back to a time of Miss Emily's father's death, and of her sweetheart's departure two years after that.

Two years after her father died, people complained to the mayor about an unpleasant odor coming from Miss Emily's house. The mayor did not want to offend Miss Emily. Instead, of confronting her directly, the mayor arranged that a few men secretly spread lyme around her house at night.

Emily's unstable mental condition is hinted at once more by recounting the time when people came to express condolences for her father's death, but Miss Emily replied that her father was not dead.  Days later, the townspeople had to force their way in to dispose of the dead body.

Part III

Two years after her father's death, Miss Emily begins to date Homer Barron, a foreman in charge of paving the sidewalks.  Gossip spreads around town because Miss Emily stoops beneath her class to date a laborer and a Yankee.  The town pities her when they find out that she bought rat poison.

Part IV

Gossip continues about Miss Emily's relationship with Homer Barron. People disapprove of their prolonged dating out of wedlock. Miss Emily was seen buying gifts for a man of an intimate nature: a nightshirt, silver engraved toilet set, a full outfit of men's clothing. People speculate that the couple will be secretly married.  However, shortly after, Homer was not seen again. May years pass by, and the only person who goes in or our Miss Emily's house is her servant. She lived, alone, grew old, and died in her bed.

Part V

The story returns to the present funeral occasion.  After the burial, two of Emily's cousins and town officials open a room upstairs that had been shut for forty years. This is the climactic moment of the story. The room is dark, covered with a thick layer of dust. The silver engraved toilet set, a collar and tie laid on the dressing table, neatly folded man's  suit and beneath shoes and socks--eeryie reminders of the wedding gifts bought many years before for the husband who was not to be.

The visitors approach the bed, where they discover a skeleton that had lain there for many years in the shape of an embrace, and on the pillow next to the skeleton, they observe an indentation with a long strand of iron-gray hair--distinctly Miss Emily's.

What was the importance of the supernatural in "Macbeth" to King James I of England?im doing an essay in which im supposed to discuss the role of...

Shakespeare often wrote plays with characters and themes that compliment the present monarch--Elizabeth I and James I, respectively.  In the case of Macbeth, it was written specifically for King James I in honor of a visit to England by his family from Scotland.  Banquo, the quintessential "good" guy in the play, is meant to represent James I.  The witches give Banquo pleasant prophecies throughout the play.  First, they tell him he is not as happy as Macbeth, but happier; that he would not ever be King, but that his son and his sons and so on would be King.  In the apparitions, a King comes along which looks like Banquo holding a mirror to show an endless line of Kings who also look like Banquo.  James I is supposedly one of those in the long line of Kings descended from this good and honest man. Go back to the prophecies in Act I and also the apparitions to find your quotes and your answers.  Good Luck!

What prophecy is given to Banquo in Macbeth?

The first witch predicts that Banquo shall be "lesser than Macbeth, and greater". This first prediction is common of the doublespeak used by the witches. Their words ring like a paradox, an equivocation, but close analysis of events later in the play proves the truth of their prediction. Macbeth becomes king and therefore Banquo becomes his subject - he is "lesser" than Macbeth. Banquo, however, retains his integrity and the respect of all who know him, unlike Macbeth who, through his tyranny and ruthless blood-thirst, loses the support and respect of those who were once close to him. They turn against him. Even though Banquo dies, his memory is that of a noble and loyal gentleman, whereas Macbeth is despised and seen as the canker destroying Scotland. In this sense, then, Banquo is "greater" than Macbeth. 

The second witch says that Banquo would be "not so happy, yet much happier". Once again, paradox is used. Banquo would obviously not be happy for the death of his king (Duncan) saddens him later, whilst for Macbeth it brings the crown. Macbeth feels no remorse. Secondly Macbeth has Banquo assassinated, so Banquo is therefore once again, "not so happy".

What does make Banquo "much happier" or more fortunate than Macbeth is the fact that in death, he is at peace whilst Macbeth cannot sleep. He becomes steeped in blood and is paranoid, suspecting practically all those around him. He is haunted by the murders of Duncan and Banquo and can therefore not enjoy a peaceful rest. He suffers relentless torment, is constantly on his guard and is overwrought. Furthermore, Banquo had the confidence that his heirs would rule whilst Macbeth would leave behind a barren throne.

The third witch's prediction "Thou wilt get kings, though thou be none" affirms the fact that although Banquo would not be a king himself, his heirs would. His issue would become either be rulers themselves or would be the progenitors of future kings. 

What is the ventilator in the book Fahrenheit 451?

The ventilator grille is part of the house's heating/cooling system. But in the context of the story, the association is mostly with cooling. The vent becomes a literal and symbolic image of a safe haven for forbidden books. The association with books and cooling is significant as well. There is an opposition here; heat is associated with destruction, and cooling with preservation. Fire destroys the books, but they are saved in a cool space. In his conversation with Beatty, Montag underscores this association of coolness and books (as opposed to fire and destruction):

But in his mind a cool wind started up and blew out of the ventilator grille at home softly, softly chilling his face. And again he saw himself in a green park talking to an old man, a very old man, and the wind from the park was cold too.

For Montag, he even associates his encounters with Faber (the old man) with cold and life (the "green" park), again opposing the destructive force of fire. It is in this conversation with Beatty (and other firemen) that Montag asks if firemen used to put out fires rather than start them. This shows more symbolic associations of saving books by opposing fire: the cooling vent, the cold air, life (the green plants in the park), and water to put out fires.

Does the story The Scarlet Ibis have a resolution? I'm pretty sure the climax is when Doodle learns to walk. What could resolve this story?Does the...

The climax is the highest point of excitement or tension and the turning point of the story. In "The Scarlet Ibis," the climax is actually when the narrator goes back during the storm to find whatever happened to Doodle. As the reader, we are unsure what has happened. He has been pushed too far, and we can't imagine what has happened to him in this threatening storm. That is the climax.

The resolution then is when the narrator finds Doodle covered in his own blood. The narrator realizes what he has done--he pushed his brother too far--just as the ibis had been pushed too far, fought for too long to survive in conditions too strenuous for him. The narrator's pride was the cause of it all. That is the resolution.

What does it mean by nature and nurture? Explain.human development and learning

this 'nature and nuture' argument is very very old and used to be very very important. Is John born John or does he becomeJohn from his life experiences? In the past it was a very important question and historically, before the discovery of DNA and psychology, many strange arguments were used to prove that one group of people was born naturally superior over another group.

It was a very important subject, Royalty and Aristocracy used the argument of 'nature' to claim their birthright to rule and to oppress people of 'low' birth and to continue this for generation after generation. The idea of poor people 'bettering themselves' was not encouraged until the last 150 years.

Men believed they were born naturally superior to women and that women couldn't/shouldn't be educated (nutured) as highly.

During slavery, white slave owners generally believed that they were born naturally superior to black slaves and that educating (nuturing) blacks wouldn't work and that using them as slaves was OK.

There was a crazy false science called phrenology that involved measure people's head and thereby proving intelligence and character. Of course, white male 'scientists' decided that white male head's were the shape of the highest qualities.

Their are still many people today who believe that your birth defines who you are and your life choices can't change it. But they are wrong.

Why is Lennie important to George in "Of Mice and Men"?

There are two reasons - 1) Lennie is a responsibility to George, and George takes that seriously.  2) Lennie is a companion to George.

George made a promise to Lennie's dying aunt to take care of him.  George is an honest man and a loyal one.  He will not break his promise.  We know this in the first chapter when he explains how hard it is for him having to care for Lennie:

I could go get a job an’ work, an’ no trouble. No mess at all, and when the end of the month come I could take my fifty bucks and go into town and get whatever I want . . . An’ whatta I got,” George went on furiously. “I got you!”

And yet, despite his anger, he won't give Lennie up.

The second reason is the companionship.  A major theme in this novel is that of loneliness and alienation.  The life of these migrant workers during the Depression was a sad one.  This is demonstrated through the "handicaps" of the characters - Lennie's intellect, Candy's hand, Crook's skin color, etc..  However, Lennie and George have a friendship these other characters don't.  This is why Candy wants to join with them in the plan to buy a little farm.  He wants to have a group, too.

"Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place....With us it ain't like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us."

What does Calpurnia (Cal) teach Scout throughout "To Kill a Mockingbird"?

First, Cal acts as a mother figure for Scout. For example, after Cal gets after Scout for how she treats Walter Cunningham early in the novel,  Scout is angry at her.  However, when she returns from school Cal is nice to her and cooks her some crackling bread.  In this way she is mothering Scout and disciplining her at the same time.

Second, she acts as a counterpoint to Aunt Alexandra.  In the previous example, Cal scolds Scout for embarrassing Walter at lunch.  Cal emphasizes to Scout that while she might be of a higher social class than Walter, she still must respect his wishes. 

It is no coincidence that later in the book, Alexandra makes an entirely different point.  She tells Scout that she is too good to socialize with Walter; Finches don't socialize with white trash.  Because of Cal's influence, Scout is able to see both sides of the issue and come to her own conclusion.

Cal also serves to show Scout a different side of Maycomb society.  Look at all that Scout and Jem learn when Cal takes them to her black church.  She realizes that Cal exists in two different words - a black world at home and a white one with Scout's family.  This parallels nicely how Scout is caught between worlds - becoming a young woman and being a tom boy, becoming an adult and still relishing her childhood, being exposed to some of the negative experiences in Maycomb while still being innocent.

How is plating done on metal zippers with or without electrolysis? (i.e. with electricity or just with dipping process?)i have found out that for...

There are two techniques of plating metals and alloys: electroplating and electroless nickel plating.

Electroplating method is using electrical current and the process is called electrodeposition, where the cathod is the object to be plated and the anod is made fromthe metal to be plated on the object. Alloys like brass and solder can be electrodeposited.

The tough step in this process is the uniform thickness of the layer, especially if the object to be plated has a complex shape or is a very bad electrical conductive. Though, the complex geometry issue, can be solved by using more anods or a special  form anod which copies the geometry to be plated.

Electroless nickel plating is an auto-catalytic chemical method which is making possible to put a layer of nickel-phosphorous or nickel-boron alloy, on a solid object made of metal or plastic. Unlike the other plating technique, electroplating, this one can be used on complex shapes and non-conductive objects, because is not using electrical current. 

Why doesn't Stephenie Meyer continue writing more books after "Breaking Dawn"?

There was a large conflict in various posting boards.  From the rumors I read in places like Fandom Wank, Stephenie Meyer was very upset by some of the reviews of Breaking Dawn and was even more upset when pieces of Midnight Sun were released without her permission.  She become very disillusioned.  In an official post, she said, "My first feeling was that there was no way to continue. Writing isn't like math; in math, two plus two always equals four no matter what your mood is like. With writing, the way you feel changes everything. If I tried to write Midnight Sun now, in my current frame of mind, James would probably win and all the Cullens would die."

This has caused her to be subjected to both sympathy and quite of bit of derision because of her inability to handle what is a very normal part of a writer's life.

In 1984, why was it important for the party and O'Brien to destroy Winston's free will and not just kill him straight away?The latter part of the...

The Party and O'Brien do not want to kill Winston straight away because in doing so, they would create a martyr.  The theory is, that if Winston is murdered because of his refusal to submit to the Party, he would become a folk hero of sorts, someone whom the proles would look up to and want to emulate.  The Party wants to make absolutely sure that Winston's death does not provide fodder which will incite the proles to revolt.  In order to do this, they cannot allow him to die a noble death, a death brought about by his courage in standing up against the ruling powers.  The Party must instead reduce Winston to a state of insignificance.  It is not enough that Winston comply with the Party's wishes because he has succumbed to torture;  Winson must whole-heartedly accept the dominion of the Party, of his own free will.  By contorting the truth to the extent that Winston's will to resist is completely eradicated, the Party reduces him to insignificance, and it no longer matters if he lives or if he dies.

What is a^2-b^2/a-b reduced to its lowest terms.

First, you must figure out another way of writing your numerator, a^2-b^2. You can factor this to (a+b)(a-b); those terms, when multiplied, give you your original numerator, because when you multiply them, the ab terms cancel out (one is positive, one is negative.) You then have

(a+b)(a-b)/a-b

Because your terms in the numerator are multiplied by each other, the a-b terms, one in the numerator and one in the denominator equal one, and you are left with a+b as your answer.

Who is the only one who can interrupt while someone is speaking in "Lord of the Flies"? in lord of the flies

The only one who is allowed to speak is the person holding the conch shell. No one is to interrupt the person speaking if he is holding the shell except for Ralph because he is elected to be the leader. This rule, however, does not last because the boys lose their sense of civility as the story goes on.

What is the writing style Hurston uses in Their Eyes Were Watching God?

morrol
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High School Teacher

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(Level 1) Associate Educator

Posted on November 3, 2008 at 7:40 AM

I'm doing a biography on Judy Blume. What would be a good title for the book cover?i also need to make a birth certificate so how can i do that

I believe you mean biography, not bibliography.  You might take a look at the notes on "about the author" for which I included a link, but you might call it:  Judy Blume:  A child of suburbia.  She refers to herself with this term.  Or you can use a title from one of her books such as "Are You There World?  It's Me, Judy Blume." Or, "Judith's House" after her book Iggie's House.

As far as a birth certificate, try looking at the templates that Mircosoft Office provides through Word.  I'm sure you can find a template that would work.  You can also get the facts to include on the certificate from the link below.

In Act IV of "The Crucible," how have the townspeople been affected by the last several months of court proceedings?

In Act IV, the entire mood of the town as changed.  Where before they were highly involved and almost ecstatic for the trials, by Act IV they have realized that there is no real basis for the accusations.  One of the major things that brings about this change are the arrests of Elizabeth Proctor, John Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, and Martha Corey, all well respected in the town.  The people refuse to accept that they could be in league with the Devil, and according to Parris, are on the verge of riot.  The townspeople have also finally seen the hypocrisy in Parris and Abigail.  Abigail, presumably under intense scrutiny, runs away from home.  Parris opens his door one night to find a threatening knife embedded in his door.  It is obvious from these acts that the trials have greatly affected the townspeople.

Is verbal irony present in book 9 of "The Odyssey"?

Verbal irony is defined simply as a statement of contradiction, such as when a person shouts, "I'm not upset", when obviously he is.  It can also be when someone says something that is hypocritical or paradoxical.

For example, when Cyclops shouts out, "Nobody hurt me!", this is a contradictory statement.  He means the individual who calls himself "Nobody" (Odysseus), but it sounds like no single person hurt him.

When Odysseus refers to the Cyclops as "lawless and inhuman", this is hypocritical.  Odysseus has already told the story of what happened at the city of the Cicons:

There I sacked the town and put the people to the sword. We took their wives and also much booty, which we divided equitably amongst us, so that none might have reason to complain.

This is inhuman treatment, but Odysseus doesn't recognize it.

Also, Odysseus talks about being too clever for the Cyclops:

but I was too cunning to be caught in that way

In reality, it is Odysseus' foolishness that get him and his men "caught".  When well away from shore, he shouts back to the Cyclops his real name, not only providing a target for attack but providing the Cyclops' father, Poseidon, with the name of whom should receive punishment for having injured his son.

Discuss the modern concept of anti-hero in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." What question was Prufrock wanting to ask?

Prufrock is an anti-hero because he is on his way to meet a woman to ask a certain question (never clearly stated, but probably a marriage proposal), yet he never accomplishes his goal. The poem instead explores the themes of emotional alienation, doubt, and losing time and youth. Prufrock cannot relate to women, and continually doubts himself and his choices. He fears commitment and questions himself over and over again. His doubts are not resolved, in fact, they only multiply, as he compares himself to different characters, such as Hamlet. He asks his own "to be or not to be?" question, internally discussing his choices with himself. A traditional hero is confident, set on a path, sure of himself, decisive, and moves towards action. Prufrock, however, remains indecisive, weak, and passive, a modern anti-hero.

Explain how the titles to the three parts of "Fahrenheit 451" are significant to the general action that occurs within each part.

Section 1 is entitled "The Hearth and the Salamander". The hearth (which represents the home or a fire within the home) has two significant aspects in this chapter. It first refers to the relationships (or lack of) that Montag has with his wife, boss, and Clarisse, and also refers to the woman who allowed herself to be burned down with her house and her books because of the impact that this event had on Montag. The Salamander is a symbol of the firemen.
Section 2 is entitled "The Sieve and the Sand". This refers to a memory that Montag has in this chapter. He recalls a time when he was very young that he was playing with a sieve and watched sand drain through it. It symbolizes how the ideas that have been drilled into Montag's head from the government are beginning to be drained from him as he realizes the real importance of reading.

Section 3's title "Burning Bright" can refer to the city burning down and how Montag sees it as he is safe in hiding with the book people or Montag's mind being metaphorically "on fire" with all of the knowledge that he has acquired.

The forty-niners were men that rushed to California in 1848-49 in search of gold. Were most of the forty-niners successful in their search for...

No, most weren't successful. The Sacramento Bee newspaper reported that "one in every five miners who came to California in 1849 was dead within six months."  Those who lived to tell the tail found the work very hard.  Most of those who became wealthy off gold were (1) lucky and (2) found their gold during the early days of the Gold Rush.  

Actually, alot of those who got rich off the gold rush were the ones who ran businesses to support the prospectors' needs for clothing, equipment, etc.

What is the author saying about a society built on racial/religious intolerance in The Kite Runner? (symbols shown to prove this)

You may have noticed the vicious circle that continues with the various governments that control Afghanistan in The Kite Runner. Virtually all of the governments rule without attempting to unify the ethnic groups that make up the country, and types of ethnic cleansing evolved during the timeline of the book. Religious intolerance also is evidenced, even within the Muslim religion which splits the country between the orthodox Sunni and minority Shi'a. These religious and ethnic splits are the one common thread that continue during the story. Under the rule of King Zahir Shah, when the story opens, there is a small but wealthy upper class that includes Amir's father, Baba. The vast majority of the country is poor and several of the nation's ethnic groups, particularly the Hazara, are scorned by many of the ruling tribes, such as the Pashtuns and Tajiks. The changes in government--first with the coup led by Zamir Shah's nephew Daoud Khan 1973 and followed by Khan's overthrow in 1978--create new leaders buf never a change for the betterment of the Afghan people. The Russian takeover in 1979 created a socialist leadership that backed the poor, but Afghan rebels immediately began to fight back. More than a million Afghans died during the occupation. After the Russian withdrawal, Afghan civil war continued until the Mujahideen gained control over the socialist Najibullah regime. The Afghan people were first ecstatic when the Taliban took back the country in the 1990s, but they began an even more terrifying cleansing of the Hazara, and relegated women to a subjective role. After the 9/11 bombings, the U.S. and the Afghan Northern Alliance retook control of the country. Although a semblance of a democratic government now exists, the threat of al-Qaida and the Taliban still presents Afghanistan with religious and ethnic intolerance that continues to claim the lives of their countrymen.

Annotate the following quotation from "Hamlet": “Let me not think on’t-Frailty, thy name is woman!"

This quotation comes from Hamlet's first great soliloquy in Act 1 scene 2 in which he rails against his mother's unseemly haste in re-marrying his uncle after his father's death.

I would firstly discuss the importance of this as being part of a soliloquy in which Hamlet expounds his thoughts directly to the audience rather than to another character.

The fuller context is:

"... and yet, within a month--
Let me not think on't--Frailty, thy name is woman!--
A little month, ...--married with my uncle"

It is important that Hamlet is unable to think about the speed with which Gertrude has re-married: it is the "within a month" which prompts the "Let me not think on't". This suggests that he is so disgusted with her that he cannot comprehend it at all.

The quotation shows a personification of the concept of "frailty" - by which Hamlet means fickleness and a lack of faith, a spiritual rather than physical weakness.

It also shows a generalisation of his anger: it is not simply Gertrude who is frail but "woman" suggesting a (to modern ears) unpleasant mysogyny which also comes out later in his conversations with Ophelia.

I would also point out the exclamation mark and caesura in the quotation. These break the flow of the poetry and grammatical structure indicating Hamlet's mental instability and fractured psychology, a feature of the entire soliloquy.