In "The Gift of the Magi" how do Della and Jim feel toward each other? Give evidence from the story to support your answer.

Actions speak louder than words, and it is their actions and concern for one another's happiness that speaks of how much they love each other.  They each sacrifice their greatest worldly treasures in order to get something for the other person that they think will make them happy. In the entire world, "there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's. The other was Della's hair."  But, they both are willing to sacrifice those possessions for the other person.  This is the point of the story, and the evidence of their love for each other.

On a smaller scale, as Della is thinking about how she wanted to get something nice, she thinks, "Many a happy hour she had spent planning for something nice for him. Something fine and rare and sterling—something just a little bit near to being worthy of the honor of being owned by Jim."  This statement shows her love for him; she wanted to get him something nice, because Jim was such an honorable person.  Later, when she finds the watch-chain she thinks, "As soon as she saw it she knew that it must be Jim's. It was like him. Quietness and value—the description applied to both,"  It is obvious from this that she loved and respected him greatly.

By the end of "The Crucible", who has not been placed in prison?who wasnt placed in prison at the end of act III

Ironically, Abigail and none of the other girls who falsely accused many people of being witches, are in prison. Neither is Tituba, who probably started the entire witchcraft incident. Thomas Putnam, one of the greediest members of the Salem society, is still free, as is Reverend Parris, who was the first to see the girls dancing in the forest and did nothing to stop it. Obviously, members of the court, including Danforth and Hale are free. Unfortunately, Sarah Goode, Rebecca Nurse, John Proctor, Giles Corey and, according to historical records, 15 others are not in prison but dead because of witchcraft allegations.

What are some examples of metaphors throughout Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God?

In the famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Jonathan Edwards infamously struck fear in the hearts and minds of the Puritans listening to his speech. He did this by using strong images and effective persuasion, and he also used several strong metaphors to help prove his point -- men should repent their sins before it was too late and they were punished violently forever by God.  

One of the first metaphors, and a very strong one, is one comparing human powerlessness to a spider web. He claims that those who believe they can avoid hell without God have no chance, then he compares it to a spider web having the ability to catch a rock falling through the air. Of course, it's virtually impossible that a spider web could stop a rock, so is it that a man needs God to help govern his life. 

Another example of a metaphor comes soon after when Edwards compares God's wrath to a bow bent, while "justice strains the bow." This image of God's wrath as a weapon reinforces the idea that God is not a benevolent being, willing and ready to forgive; instead, Edwards invokes fear in his listeners to get them to repent and live in an honorable way. 

How are porosity and permeability related?

I'm going to assume that you are asking about these terms in their relationship to science, so here is what I know:

Porosity is the amount of empty space in a rock or other earth material (like sand) - in other words, it's how much water a material can hold.

Permeability refers to how well water flows through a material - the flow is controlled by how large the pores are and how well connected the pores are in a given object.

Therefore, there these are two primary factors that limit the movement and the amount of water (or other fluids) retained  in rocks/sedimentary materials.

I hope this helps you in your quest for an answer. If you need more information, I suggest researching your question on google.com. Good luck.

How does Poe create tension throughout "The Tell-Tale Heart"?

Poe creates tension using a number of techniques. One is the rhythm of the dialogue. The narrator says, "‘True!—nervous—very, very nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad?’’ The very pattern of interrupting himself creates tension from the first line.

Second, he does so by setting up specific claims and expectations. Why is the narrator nervous—and why would the listener think he's crazy? Unanswered questions like these create tension.

Third, the story's tight focus on the old man creates tension, as does a fourth point: the search by the authorities. There's a lot of threat there.

What are the external and internal conflicts in Twilight? Also what is the protagonist's epiphany or insight to the world? please help! thanks a lot

In "Twilight" there is a lot of internal conflict.  One example is Bella's internal conflict about her love for the Vampire Edward Cullen.  Edward is also internally conflicted as to his desire for Bella.  He knows he should stay away, but he loves her, needs her in his life more than he wants her blood.  Another example of internal conflict is the desire to protect Charlie, yet still be with Edward.  Bella would like to tell Charlie about Edward, but knows that he would never understand.  The External conflict is between The Cullens and the Trackers, specifically Edward's desire to protect Bella from James who wants her dead.  The climax of "Twilight" is the fight between James and Edward in the dance studio.

As a protagonist, Bella's insight to her world is in some ways, very fatalistic. She is a klutz and realizes that she is always hurting herself. There is also a tinge of acceptance of fate on Bella's part. Several times she mentions to Edward that his constant act of saving her may simply be a matter of stopping fate. In one section, she tells him that maybe "her number is up" and he is just interfering with fate. Just the fact that she is afraid the Cullens won't like her, instead of being afraid of the Cullens as Vampires demonstrates that Bella's outlook on life is different than that of most 17 year-old girls.

Who is Old Fezziwig? How does Scrooge feel about him?

When the ghost of Christmas Past takes Scrooge on a journey through his past, he is shown Fezziwig. Fezziwig was Scrooge's employer when he was a young man and Scrooge had such respect for the man. He was the kind of employer that worked hard, but also lived a life outside of work. He was kind and gentle, a complete contrast to what Scrooge has become.

Fezziwig is shown to be a kind and generous employer. When the ghost shows Scrooge the Christmas party that Fezziwig threw for his employees, Scrooge is reminded of how much respect he had for the man. He is shown the fun he use to have while working for this great man. As he is watching the party, Scrooge has a moment of regret for the way he treats his own employee, Bob Cratchit. Scrooge is so hard on Bob and treats him very unfair. As he is reminded of Fezziwig, he is reminded of how hard a person he has become. It makes him stop and think, if only for a moment, of how he has become the complete opposite of Fezziwig, the man that Scrooge admired so much.

By being shown Fezziwig and reminded of how much the man meant to him, Scrooge has to really take a look at himself and see that he is nothing like the man who helped him so much. He has become the kind of man, that most people want to stay away from. He had to really look at how he has been living his life and treating the people who genuinely care about him.

What are societies' values "Farenheit 451"?

In "Farenheit 451" society has succumbed to apathy.  They are isolated for the most part and spend most of their time watching the "walls".  They have burned all the books so that the government can tell them what to think.  They suffer from indifference and don't really care about each other, except to watch law-breakers be caught and killed on tv.  They are so closed off from what is going on in the world they don't even realize that they will be attacked.  Montag's wife is a perfect example of the ideal citizen.  She even turns her own husband in for having books hidden in the house. They are very passive and depressed.  When Montag calls the emergency in because his wife has taken too many pills the drivers tell him that they get 20 calls like that a night.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird", why do Jem and Scout have mixed feelings about Christmas?

Scout says that it is the company that keeps her from thoroughly enjoying Christmas.  They go to Finch's landing, where "the fact that Aunty was a good cook was some compensation for being forced to spend a religious holiday with Francis Hancock...[who] enjoyed everything I disapproved of, and disliked my ingenuous diversons."  Scout dislikes Francis so much that she says "he was the most boring child I ever met."  So, that makes Christmas a bit of a bummer to her.  And, that Christmas, Francis and Scout end up getting in a fight, with Scout getting in trouble for it.  So her foreboding regarding Francis, this year at least, was justified.

Describe the conflicts revealed in the conversation between Mrs Krebs and Harld at the end of the story "Soldier's Home".What losses on Harold's...

In the conversation between Mrs. Krebs and Harold at the end of the story, Mrs. Krebs asks Harold if he has decided what he is going to do with the rest of his life.  She and her husband want Harold to go out and find a job, but Harold, who has discovered that he can't fit back into his old life after his experiences in the war, has settled into a state of inertia, and has no desire to do what they suggest.  Mrs. Krebs then argues her point from a religious perspective, saying, "God has some work for every one to do...there can be no idle hands in His Kingdom", but Harold responds, "I'm not in His Kingdom".  Mrs. Krebs next asks Harold if he loves her, and, in all honesty, Harold, who finds himself devoid of emotions of tenderness, has to answer "No".

Harold can no longer find any meaning in life.  He has lost direction and ambition, a relationship with God, and the ability to feel and to love.  In the course of his conversation with Mrs. Krebs, he also loses his integrity.  Unable to stand seeing how much she is hurt by his admission that he does not love her, Harold reneges, saying, "I didn't mean it...I was just angry at something...I didn't mean I didn't love you".  In order to soothe his mother's feelings, Harold is forced to lie.

What was Rainsford attitude towards hunting at the beginning of "The Most Dangerous Game"?

In Rainsford's conversation with Whitney while they are on the yacht bound for South America where they plan to hunt jaguars, the question arises about whether animals experience fear. Whitney contends they do, expressing some sympathy for the prey they hunt. Rainsford, on the other hand, disparages that view, declaring, "Who cares how a jaguar feels?" He enjoys hunting and he feels little if any concern about the animals. "The world is divided into two classes--the hunters and the huntees," he says. "Luckily you and I are the hunters."

Later, of course, when Rainsford becomes the hunted, his attitude changes. When he discovers "how an animal at bay feels," it's clear he's had a moment of revelation.

In the Twilight Saga, in which book does Edward leave Bella, and why?I heard that he leaves for a time and then Bella goes all crazy and pretty...

It is in book 2, "New Dawn," that Edward decides that he and Bella should not see each other. The Cullen family throw a party to celebrate Bella's 18th birthday, and as she often does, Bella has an accident. This time, the accident almost costs her her life, and Edward decides it is just too dangerous for a human and a vampire to try to have a romantic relationship. During their time apart, Bella grows attached to Jacob Black and learns more about the world of the supernatural.

I don't want to give too much away, but the story does have a happy ending.

Explain how this dramatic work of "Antigone" is actually a continuation of the plot that was startedin "Oedipus Rex."

Even though the play Antigone was actually written before the play Oedipus Rex, it tells the story of the daughter of Oedipus himself.  This is similar to George Lucas' Star Wars movies.  Lucas told the story of Luke before going back and producing the story of Luke's father, Anakin.  The basis of the father's story is given in the Luke stories, but later developed in their own movies, starting with The Phantom Menace.

Here, the story of Antigone is about a young woman, daughter of a king who has been deposed.  Oedipus, as king, discovered that he had killed his own father and married his mother.  He stabbed out his own eyes in self-punishment and wandered in exile until he died.  Creon has become the new king of Thebes.  He has a grudge against the children of Oedipus because Polyneices (Oedipus' son and Antigone's brother) had fought against him in the battle between Thebes and Argos.

This is where Antigone comes in.  Her brother Polyneices, dead at the hands of her other brother, has not been buried.  Creon won't allow it because Polyneices fought against him.  This means that Polyneices' spirit will never be at rest.  Antigone is fighting for the right she believes her brother - and her family - deserves.  Keep in mind, too, that Antigone and her siblings are related to Creon, as he is their uncle.

Besides dealing with the characters of Oedipus, the play deals with the conflicts as the original play as well.  Part of Creon's struggle with Antigone comes from his desperate desire to be as respected as Oedipus was.  Like Oedipus, Creon is figuratively "blinded" by his own pride, which leads him to act badly and to bring disaster upon his family and his kingdom.  He is left in the end like Oedipus - grief-stricken and distraught.

Why did the machine politics become common in big cities in the late 19th century?

The political machines of the time became common in most major cities during the Gilded Age for, in my opinion, two main reasons.  First, the cities grew too quickly with immigration and industrialization to be regulated and planned, which invited corruption.  Second, the Gilded Age was tailor made for the rich, who could buy influence and power so that Washington DC would look the other way when they built their machines.

Once built, the bosses relied on rigged elections and the immigrant vote to maintain power and rake in the profits of their organization.

Are John Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, Giles Corey, Judge Hawthorne, Danforth & Rev. Hale static or round characters?I just need whether they're static...

All of the characters listed here are static characters (meaning they do not undergo any sort of change from the beginning of the text to the end) with the exception of John Proctor and perhaps Reverend Hale. John Proctor's character at the beginning of the story was a man who carried the weight of his guilt upon his shoulders for his previous indiscretions (havind had an affair with their house servant, Abigail).  He angered at his wife's continued mistrust over the course of the seven months since she learned of his affair.  However, his anger was really founded in his own guilt and understanding of the pain he caused his wife Elizabeth. By the end of the play he finally is able to let go of this guilt by doing the right thing, that being to refuse to give up his name to save his life in light of the fact that others, more innocent and virtuous than he, are dying because they refuse to lie. As he says in Act IV, "Because I sign myself to lies.... I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang"  He realizes his mistakes and cannot continue to live his life under a pretense. He must be honest with everyone, even if it means dying. Even his wife Elizabeth recognizes this change when she says "He have his goodness now. God forbid I should take it" (Act IV).

Reverend Hale may be a round character because he initially believes Abigail and signed many death warrants. By Act III he reailzes the truth and does all he can to stop the hangings.

In "The Scarlet Letter", why is Hester worried about Pearl?

Pearl's behavior is very puzzling to Hester. Hawthorne describes her as an "eld-child". Early in the novel, the towns people want to take Pearl away from Hester. Since she won't name the father, some assume Pearl's father is the devil. When Hester goes to Gov. Bellingham's to demand she be allowed to keep Pearl, Pearl is asked where she comes from. Instead of saying "From God", Pearl replies that she was plucked from the rosebush in front of the prison door. This shocking answer almost loses her custody of her daughter. It is only when Dimmesdale steps in and defends her that Hester is allowed to keep Pearl. Pearl keeps demanding what the letter "A" means and why the minister keeps his hand over his heart. When Hester removes the scarlet letter in the forest, Pearl has a temper tantrum until Hester puts the letter back on. All of this suggests that Pearl is bothered by the fact that her mother is treated differently than others and that she, too, is some kind of outcast. She also seems to know intuitively that Dimmesdale is her father but he will not acknowledge this. Pearl does not seem to become a "normal" girl until Dimmesdale acknowledges her at the end of the novel. Ironically, the outcome of Pearl's life seems the happiest in the end.

In Act 4.3 of Macbeth, why does Ross lie to McDuff, saying that McDuff's children "were well at peace when I did leave ’em"?

I don't think Ross is lying as much as he is perhaps equivocating, although not in the same malicious way that the witches equivocate. Ross is naturally reluctant to reveal to Macduff that his family has been murdered; he may literally mean that the last time he saw the family, they were well. That statement is true. Because, however, he knows they're dead, he may refer to the peace of death in his response to Macduff's question. 

Despite this attempt to avoid having to tell Macduff the awful truth, on the other hand, Ross eventually tells him that his family was "savagely slaughtered."  Every time I teach this play, I'm horrified by this blunt remark. Perhaps Ross is so distressed to have to deliver the news that he simply blurts out the truth. At any rate, I'm always shocked.

Could anyone post 10-15 major events of the Les Miserables plot?

Les Miserables is a novel of great enough length that there are several different plot lines happening throughout the story following different characters.  The primary protagonist however is Jean Valjean.  Assuming you have read the story, the following plot line should help you recall the basic details of Valjean's story in order.

1. Jean Valjean is released from jail.


2. A Bishop pardons Valjean after he steals some silver.


3. Valjean steals a coin from a boy in town and cannot find him to return it and apologize.  (Conflict = Jean Valjean's pardon from the bishop changes his entire life attitude, however, Javert, the chief of police is now hunting him down for the stolen coin.)


4. Valjean changes his name, becomes the Mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer, and employs a poor woman named Fantine in his factory.


5. Fantine dies and Valjean promises to rescue and raise the daughter she has been paying the Thenardiers to raise.


6. Valjean rescues Cosette from the Thenardiers.


7. Valjean and Cosette move to Paris where they hide in a convent; Valjean becomes a gardener and Cosette a student.


8. While on daily walks with her father, Cosette is noticed by a young and poor student named Marius, who falls in love with her.


9. Valjean becomes a philanthropist and wants to help the Thenardiers monetarily.


10. The Thenardiers recognize Valjean and Cosette and plan to rob and kill them.


11. Marius is involved in a revolutionary group who fight for the freedom of the poor French in a street barricade.


12. Jean Valjean saves Marius and Javert's lives at the barricade; Javert commits suicide.


13. Cosette and Marius marry.


14. Valjean tells Cosette the truth of her life and her identity.


15. Valjean dies happy and loved.

In what way is animal farm becoming a civilized society?

It starts small, with the animals learning how to speak and revolting against the Farmer. Then they develop organized committees and unspoken leadership. Then they begin to develop rules and conduct meetings, voting on what should be done and how to do it. As two prominent leaders arise, they hold an election to chose one leader for the farm. The pigs begin to separate themselves as the higher ranked officers, more suited to supervising and planning and less for physical labor. Eventually, the pigs are walking on their back legs only and living in the farmer's house, setting up trades with other farms and commanding the other animals.

Might Iago be envious of Othello because he receives affection from Desdemona, when Iago and Emilia don't connect?I know that Iago is envious over...

I think it's certainly a possible interpretation. Desdemona and Othello are hugely affectionate - not least in the presence of Iago and Emilia when the army come aboard from the journey to Cyprus.

OTHELLO:
O my fair warrior!

DESD:

My dear Othello!

OTHELLO:
It gives me wonder great as my content
To see you here before me. O my soul's joy!
If after every tempest come such calms,
May the winds blow till they have waken'd death...
If it were now to die,
'Twere now to be most happy; for I fear
My soul hath her content so absolute
That not another comfort like to this
Succeeds in unknown fate.

And the very little we see of Emilia and Iago together seems to suggest an extremely unloving, unwarm relationship (look, for example, at the way she gets the hankerchief to try and get his attention - but is simply told to go in once he has got it!). Emilia keeps saying things about how awful husbands are: this quote suggests Iago uses her simply for sex:

They are all but stomachs and we all but food;
They eat us hungerly, and when they are full
They belch us.

It's a good interpretation. Though, of course, we can never be sure about Iago's motives. His deliberate silence ("what you know you know") at the end of the play points to Shakespeare's intention: it's awful, but we never know why it has to happen.

What is the signifcance of the scar in "Lord of the Flies"?

What is the importance of the "scar"?

I'm assuming you mean the "long scar smashed into the jungle" described at the beginning of the novel? There are a couple of reasons Golding places such import on that word.

First, we, as readers have to understand exactly how everyone ended up on the island. The violence of their arrival is key, as it starts the process of their "decivilization". (Think how different the novel would be if a luxury liner pulled up the island on shore leave, and all the characters filed off). Second, Golding is letting us know that by scarring the jungle, humanity will now be in a battle against nature (one of the classic conflicts).

Comment on the current status of english in India with special reference to the post-colonial and globalised scenario that one is in?

After independence from British Rulers in 1947, India adopted Hindi as its national language. However, because of the British legacy, all the official business was conducted in English. English was also the language used by all big joint stock companies. Similarly the medium of instruction for all higher education was also in English. In view of all these issues it was decides to continue with English as the official language, and change to Hindi gradually.

But changeover to Hindi proved to be an elusive task. The two main hurdles in way of replacing English by Hindi were, existence by educated class and the officer class, who enjoyed some advantage over others because of their proficiency in English. Also there was opposition from people with native tongue other than Hindi. Tough Hindi was and continues to be the most widely spoken language in India, there are many people who speak other native languages. These people opposed Hindi on the ground that making Hindi an official language will put them at disadvantage as compared with Hindi speaking people.

Net result has been that very little progress has been made in making Hindi the official language. Though, for higher education in Hindi, there has been some advances in Hindi speaking states. But other states have opted to provide higher education in their respective regional language rather than Hindi.Further proportion of schools offering primary and secondary education in English Medium has increased rather than decreased.

In sum total English continues to be the main language for government work, organized business, and higher education. Also English is used widely, in addition to Hindi and regional language by people from higher strata of society. As a result you will find a wide percentage of Indian People who are multi-linguists.

This situation, definitely hurts national sentiments of the people, but in the wake of trend for globalization, people also see the benefit of having a large pool of people in India who can speak English. This has definitely helped Indians in general to do business globally. In addition, it has also given India an added advantage in software and business process outsourcing industry.

How much of the failure of the dream is George's fault and how much is beyond his control?It's talking about Lennie and George's dream to have a...

If you were to identify George in any way with Lennie, it would be as parent to child.  It must be this way because Lennie is much like a child, with a giant's strength.  George does the very best he can with Lennie, reminding him over and over again about how to behave, when to talk and not talk, where to hide, etc., but there is a limit to what George has control over.  Since George is the de facto parent of Lennie, he should never have left Lennie alone at any point.  But parents cannot over-protect their children -- in time, children learn to take control of themselves and their behavior.  However, Lennie is permanently stalled in childhood, albeit with an adult's body and strength.  In the end, George could not control Lennie's actions and therefore could not be held accountable for them.

What is the theme of Hawthorne's "Rappaccini's Daughter"?

The theme circles around the Garden of Eden and how the experiment in the story is created in such an atmosphere.  The daughter is so extremely beautiful, yet she is deadly.  Giovanni knows that something is not quite right with her.  The flowers she holds wither, and the insect dies when near her breath.  He knows that she is not as she seems.  Yet, he is compelled to try to join her and save her.  Just like the forbidden apple, the daughter Beatrice should not be taken by Giovanni.  She should be left.  His professor tries to talk him out of going after her.  However, his temptation only leads to her death.

Where does the Supreme Court's authority to decide whether or not a law violates the Constitution originate from?

In a speech delivered at Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C., in March of 2005, Chief Justice Scalia refers to this authority as Constitutional Interpretation.  In his speech he defends Originalism (strict adherence to the Constitution) as the only way to preserve the Constitution, contending that Non-Originalism allows judges to impose their own subjective and elitist decisions.  Originalism better respects the idea of the Constitution as a binding contract,he contends.

Non-Originalism, on the other hand, holds that the framers of the original Constitution did not want their specific intentions to control interpretation of the Constitution.  For, no written constitution can anticipate all the means that government might use in the future to oppress people (e.g.Brown vs. Board of Education on "original grounds" was decided incorrectly).

There are 5 sources that have guided the interpretation of the Constitution:

• the text and structure of the Constitution


• intentions of those who drafed and voted to ratify the Constitution


• prior precedents (usually judical)


• the social, political, and economic consequences of alternative interpretation


• natural law 

What happens at the end of "The Zoo Story"?

After Jerry has completed his story about the dog, he sets about physically encroaching on his space. He tickles him, pushes him, punches him and tries to get him into a fight over the bench - Peter refuses.

Jerry then produces a knife - the first time in the play that we've been aware he possesses one! He throws the knife to the ground, and, again, challenges Peter to fight for his bench, hitting him and slapping him until Peter, finally losing his temper, picks up the knife. Then comes the surprise:

Peter holds the knife with a firm arm, but far in front of him, not to attack, but to defend.

JERRY
So be it.

With a rush he charges Peter and impales himself on the knife.

Jerry, mortally wounded, thanks Peter and tells him to run away, back to his house and his animals. Peter, after a few stumbling lines, does, screaming "Oh, my God!", words which, as the final lines of the play, are echoed by Jerry in "a combination of scornful mimicry and supplication". Jerry is left alone, dead, on the bench.

What does the quote, "They're such beautiful shirts, she sobbed, her muffled in the folds. It makes me sad because I've never seen such beautiful...

In this scene, her voice is "muffled in the thick folds". This describes her mixed feelings of being impressed and full of regrets at the same time.

The shirts are the juxtaposition of her realization between what currently is - her materialistic unhappy self - and what could have been - her romantic blessed self.

Currently, she is married to Tom, her cheating husband, whom she does not really love. They are only married because of his inherited wealth and the promised security and stability it would give her.

What could have been is a truly romantic relationship with once-poor-but-now-wealthy Gatsby. The shirts are being described as colorful and unique, which is what she thinks their life might have been.

Daisy chose money over true love and realizes in this moment that if she had listened to her heart, she would have ended up having both. That's why she finds them so beautiful but is at the same time sad.

What is a good concluding paragraph or sentence for an essay on "Miss Brill"?

The answer to this is going to depend greatly on what the rest of your essay is about. Most essays, I argue, should look at themes and authorial purpose (why the text was written) so ending with a summary of these in relation to your topic is a good idea.

"Miss Brill" looks at lonliness and false perceptions. Miss Brill herself thinks that she is fashionable and looked upon with kindness. Her epiphany comes when she overhears a young couple talking about her and realises that she is just some faded old woman that no one cares about.

A lot of Mansfield's work looks at the themes of class and where one fits into the world and "Miss Brill" is no exception. The title is rather ironic as there is nothing brilliant or dazzling about this woman at all.

Looking at these ideas should give you a good in as to how you should be concluding your work.

Why do you think Defarge shows Dr. Manette to the Jacques?

Defarge states his reasoning for showing off Dr. Manette to the Jacques to Lucie Manette by saying he shows him to those "to whom the sight is likely to do good". It is clear that Defarge is using Dr. Manette as a symbol of the excesses of the barbarism of the French aristocracy, and it would be assumed that his case would be well known, as by the end of the story we are told that Dr. Manette was a very famous and up and coming doctor before his completely unjust imprisonment. The descent and breaking of Dr. Manette's mind would have been an apt spur to all revolutionaries to give impetus to the rising tide of violence that is finally unleashed in the course of the novel.

In "The Merchant of Venice", what is so important about the ring given by Portia to Bassanio? What does it symbolize?

Well, when Portia gives Bassanio the ring, she says this:

This house, these servants, and this same myself,
Are yours, my lord,—I give them with this ring;
Which when you part from, lose, or give away,
Let it presage the ruin of your love,
And be my vantage to exclaim on you.

And he replies

                                   But when this ring
Parts from this finger, then parts life from hence;
O, then be bold to say, Bassanio's dead.

You've got the word right: the ring does indeed "symbolize" Bassanio's ownership of Portia's house, her servants and herself (a man "owns" a wife, according to the Christian marriage ceremony). If Bassanio meets with the conditions (i.e. wears the ring) the goods are his - if he breaks them (takes it off) then their "love", and marriage, we assume, is over.

The ring is another "bond". It ties Bassanio to an agreement in return for riches. Just like Antonio's bond made with Shylock. Ominous stuff?

Yes. And it gets worse. To the Elizabethans "ring" referred to the female genitals (re-read Viola's "I left no ring with her..." and tell me it doesn't make more sense now that you know that!). Portia is also, in effect, giving her body to Bassanio as part of their marriage. Portia herself is part of the goods. Now that's chauvinism for you.

What evidence can you find to indicate that Farquhar is experiencing great pain, despite his feelings that he is escaping?

The evidence that Peyton Farquhar is suffering and in great pain, despite the feeling that he is escaping.

"He thought he shouted these words to his hands, for the undoing of the noose had been succeeded by the direst pang that he had yet experienced. His neck ached horribly; his brain was on fire; his heart, which had been fluttering faintly, gave a great leap, trying to force itself out at his mouth. His whole body was racked and wrenched with an insupportable anguish! But his disobedient hands gave no heed to the command."

"They beat the water vigorously with quick, downward strokes, forcing him to the surface. He felt his head emerge; his eyes were blinded by the sunlight; his chest expanded convulsively, and with a supreme and crowning agony his lungs engulfed a great draught of air, which instantly he expelled in a shriek!"

In the above passages, Farquhar experiences supreme pain, feeling it all over his body.  The whole time that he is swimming then running, he is struggling to breathe, dodging bullets, trying to stay ahead of the soldiers who are determined to shoot him dead.

Even though he is daydreaming of the escape, it is rough and painful, it is certainly not an enjoyable daydream for Farquhar.  It is filled with panic, fear and desperation.  The only moment of joy that the daydream brings is when he sees his wife.  Since it was his daydream, he should have been able to hug his wife, but that is not the case in this story. 

In "Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass", how does Frederick Douglass's writing make his audience feel about slavery?

Frederick Douglass outlines the truth clearly and logically. He shows his readers that black people are intelligent and worthy humans, and depicts the terrible experiences of slaves in his writing. Many people in the North were uneducated about the real truth of slavery, and his work educated his audience about exactly what sort of horrible things were going on. He was also an excellent writer and speaker, and his work is very readable and engaging. He exposes the truth and his writing was able to get people angry and incensed about the horrors that were occurring, and drive them to action. Mr. Douglass was instrumental in the abolitionist (anti-slavery) movement, because he was a person who had experienced slavery first hand and could reflect and report on what was going on very eloquently and persuasively.

What are the adverbs in the following sentences?Cinnamon always watches Sesame Street.Sometimes Cinnamon makes little squealing noises.

An adverb is a word that modifies, or tells something about, a verb. 

In the sentence "Cinnamon always watches 'Sesame Street'", the adverb is "always".  The word "always" modifies the verb "watches"; it qualifies the verb, telling how often or to what extent Cinnamon watches the show.

In the sentence "Sometimes Cinnamon makes little squealing noises", the adverb is "sometimes".  The word "sometimes" modifies the verb "makes", again qualifying the verb, telling how often Cinnamon makes little squealing noises.

How is Krebs an example of an antihero in "Soldier's Home"?

Krebs is an antihero because he does not have the traditional heroic qualities such as self-sacrifice, charisma, and purpose. He is selfish, listless, reserved, and lacking direction in life. He is a member of the "Lost Generation"--the generation that was haunted by World War I. Krebs seems lost in his own thoughts, and spends his days looking at pretty girls, going to the pool hall, and reading about the battles he was in. He is not sure of his role in the war, and he is not sure about his role in his family. He does not fit in.  Yes, he did demonstrate sacrifice by serving in the army, but after he comes home he seems selfish, and he says that he doesn't love anyone, not even his mother. Krebs is not the good-looking, all-American hero that gets the girls; he is disillusioned about life and uncertain of his future.

In Chapter 20 of To Kill a Mockingbird, is Mr. Raymond an "evil man" as Scout claims?

There had been a sordid story circulating around about Mr Raymond - his fiancée discovered he had been having an affair with a local black woman. So she went home, put a rifle to the floor, pulled the trigger with her toe, and blew her brains out. This put the icing on the cake, so to speak, since Mr Raymond already had a bad reputation as a "nigger-lover" and drunkard.

Later on the children learn that Mr Raymond was faking being a drunk to spite the community by "confirming" one of the rumours about him. They also discover that Mr Raymond is a kind man who just prefers the company of Negroes, whom he considers to be more "real" and less pretentious than the other people in the white community.

So as it turns out, Mr Raymond has some rare qualities as a person and is not as "bad" as all that.

How does the narrator in "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allen Poe influence reader expectations or manipulate reader sympathies?

Montresor influences readers with the opening sentence: "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge." This manipulates the reader because now we are expecting a revenge story. What did Fortunato do to make the narrator so angry? What will the revenge be? Will the narrator get away with it? The reader may find themselves siding with Montresor in his quest for revenge or feeling pity for Fortunato (or even both).

All of these help build the story's suspense.

Poe also uses irony to influence the readers. My students particularly enjoy how Montresor toys with Fortunato. For example, when Fortunato states that he is suffering from a cough but it won't kill him, Montresor agrees . . . and it is dramatic irony because we suspect that his cough certainly won't kill him . . . Montresor will.

This irony is repeated when Fortunato asks if Montresor is a member of the freemasons (a rather notorious secret society). It is clear now that Montresor is not on the same social level as Fortunato. However, while Fortunato can laugh at Montresor for not being part of the "brotherhood." However, Montresor has the final laugh for he produces a "trowel." By now the reader might be able to guess Montresor's revenge.

Even the ending is left open to debate. If the bones haven't been disturbed for fifty years, then he got away with it. But what about Fortunato's family? Why did Montresor finally confess his crime?

Is Hamlet the protagonist or the antagonist of the play or both?

Hamlet is the protagonist of the play and Claudius would be considered the antagonist of the play. The entire play deals with Hamlet's quandary over how to deal with his father's death at the hand of Claudius. Once Claudius sees Hamlet as a threat, especially after seeing the play "The Mousetrap", Claudius becomes a real enemy of Hamlet and seeks to kill Hamlet. First, Claudius tries to send Hamlet to England and have the English king kill his nephew and when that fails, he plots to poison Hamlet. That certainly qualifies him as the antagonist. It's true Hamlet does wrestle with his conscience a great deal during the play, but that does not absolve Claudius from opposing Hamlet to the degree of wanting to take his life.

What is the setting of "Araby"?

           The boy’s biblical and holy descriptions of the setting and Magan’s sister enhance his sacred adoration toward her which ultimately leads him through maturation from a boy to a man. To the boy, the girl is saintly and angelic; she is always surrounded by “light”, as if by a halo. She becomes an object of faith to the boy and when she finally talks to him the light “[catches] the white curve of her neck, [lights] her hair… [and] the hand”. When she tells him how she wishes to go to the Araby, he promises he will “bring something back”. He imagines himself as a knight in search of the Holy Grail and his trip to the Araby is to him a holy crusade. The bazaar is filled with “darkness” and “silence” which he describes as an enchanted “church after a service”. Yet, as the Holy Grail was never found, the boy realizes at the bazaar that his love is not to be found. Through such realization, the boy takes his first step to adulthood.

What is the conflict in "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"?

"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" has two main conflicts. These conflicts present themselves as stark contrasts. The first conflict is found in the contrast between the bustle of the city, and the openness of the countryside. These two settings, and the connotations they have, are at odds with each other throughout the novel. The second conflict is represented by the two main male characters in the novel. It is the conflict between brains and brawn. Both of these conflicts are dealt with and enhanced by Irving's wonderful use of imagery.

In "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows," when Harry gets Snapes memories, doesn't he realize that Snape isn't bad but the total opposite?

When Harry is inside the Pensieve he views a meeting between Snape and Dumbledore which leads him to believe not that Snape is on the side of good, but that Dumbledore has been using him all these years.  He learns that he is to die and that he will not survive the meeting between he and Voldemort. in the chapter entitled "The Forest Again," Rowling writes:

"Finally, the truth. Lying with his face pressed into the dusty carpet of the office where he had once thought he was learning the secrets of victory, Harry understood at last that he was not supposed to survive.  His job was to walk calmly into Death's welcoming arms."

"Dumbledore's betrayal was almost nothing.  Of course there had been a bigger play' Harry had simply been too fooling to see it."

Harry won't learn the truth of the whole situation until chapter 35 when he meets Dunbledore at "King's Cross.

What is the relationship between humans and nature in "A White Heron?"

Two relationships between human and nature are shown in "A White Heron." Sylvia has a very close connection to the nature and, in the end, sees her job as protecting it. The is why she does not show the hunter where the white heron lives. In fact, Sylvia's name may come from the Latin word for "woods". As her grandmother says, ‘‘There ain’t a foot o’ ground she don’t know her way over.’’ The hunter, on the other hand, sees nature as a place to exploit. He simply wants the white heron as another piece of his collection. The fact that he does not have a name indicates that he represents all humans who want to take advantage of nature instead of enjoying it for its beauty. Before he is even seen in the story, he is heard ‘‘whistling in a 'determined, and somewhat aggressive' manner". He carries a sack full of dead birds and thinks that money can buy him a piece of nature ( the white heron). Intuitively, Sylvia senses this and refuses his offer of money in return for the betraying nature and letting the hunter know where he can find the next bird for his sack.

What HONESTY/SINCERITY does Nick see throughout the book The Great Gatsby?For example dishonesty would be him not telling of the affairs that...

In The Great Gatsby, there are a few sincere and honest moments that Nick observes.  He observes sincere moments between Pammy and Daisy, as well as between Tom and Daisy.

One of these scenes occurs in chapter VII when Pammy (Tom and Daisy's daughter) has an honest, sincere childlike interaction with her mother in which they banter about the child's dress.  It is interesting to note that when Daisy asks Pammy, "How do you like mother's friends?", "Do you think they're pretty?", Pammy does not answer.  In fact, in her childlike innocence, she asks, "Where's Daddy?"  It's almost as if she senses that there is something immoral going with "mother's" friend.

Another moment that can be perceived as honesty occurs when Daisy admits that she cannot say that she never loved Tom.  She says, "Even alone I can't say I never loved Tom," she admitted in a pitiful voice. "It wouldn't be true."  However, it could also be argued that Daisy only professed her "love" for Tom because she was starting to believe that Gatsby's wealth was not legitimate; it came from bootlegging.

Furthermore, although Daisy and Tom are dishonest people, in a twisted sort of way, their love seems sincere.  In chapter 7, Nick observes a moment between the two of them when they are sitting at the table after Myrtle has been murdered.  He notes "They weren't happy, .... and yet they weren't unhappy either.  There was an unmistakable air of natural intimacy about the picture."

What does the masquerade represent in "The Masque of the Red Death"?

The masked ball is the ultimate representation of what the guests were hiding from during their entire stay with Prince Prospero. The purpose of their time at the castle was to escape from the Red Death. Thus, a dance where everyone hides their true identity is a perfect climax for the story. The dance represents life. It is significant that each hour, the dance stops for the chiming of the ebony clock, which represents the time until death. The ball takes place in seven rooms, which each symbolize a stage of life. However, as the ball continues, few guests will venture near the final room, which is a symbol for death. This shows their fear of death and the fact that they have all hidden their faces shows how they are trying to hide their true identities and fear of death from each other. Once midnight sounds, the party-goers stop, as life must stop, at the presence of death. In this case, death comes in the form of a plague or Red Death, but it inevitably comes to anyone participating in the dance of life. Once the presence of the Red Death is acknowledged, all the masked figures die, despite their efforts to disguise themselves. Death, it seems, will seek you out and find you no matter where you are or who you try to be.

In "Fahrenheit 451", what does Granger mean by "welcome back from the dead"?

In part three of "Fahrenheit 451," "Burning Bright," Montag has escaped across the river and into the woods.  There he meets Granger.  "Granger is able to show Montag on a portable viewer how the chase for him is progressing, but assures him they will not find him. They witness his supposed capture on the viewer. "They all sit and watch the end of the manhunt, which is now focused on an innocent scapegoat. The authorities can't disappoint the viewing public."  "The camera fell upon the victim, even as did the Hound.  He screamed... Blackout. Scilence. Darkness.  Montag cried out in the scilence and turned away.  Scilence.  And then, after a time of the men sitting around the fire, their faces expressionless, an announcer on the dark screen said, The search is over, Montag is dead; a crime against society has been avenged.  Darkness."  pg 151. Granger then turns to Montag, touches him on the arm and says," Welcome back from the dead."  Granger explains to Montag that they faked his death by killing a man on the street to make the people believe Montag had been killed.  Now that Montag is "dead" they will no longer search for him.

Is Mitty's experience an isolated case in "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"? Is his suicide an act of weakness?

Mitty's execution is only virtual! From the very start, Walter Mitty, the hen-pecked husband, is playing a mind game, taking on the identity of important or famous people. There is always an object (such as the glove for the surgeon) which triggers an association, bridging reality and fantasy. At the end while Mitty is waiting for his wife to come back from the store, it is the cigarette which inspires the scene: the war hero backed against a wall, ready to be shot and puffing on his last cigarette, but who does not need the blindfold to face death. Such ruthless courage is surely another quality Walter Mitty can only daydream about!

In "The Giver", when Jonas learns about colors he claims "it isn't fair that nothing has color." Why does he say this?

Jonas is just starting to realize the ramifications of his Assignment, and how the world he believed he knew is not the whole story. When The Giver explains that Jonas is seeing color and Jonas gets upset, he's realizing that it's not fair that no one else gets to see things in color because life is more beautiful in color.

Who is Lisbeth in the film "Old Yeller"?

In the film "Old Yeller", Lisbeth is the daughter of Bud Searcy. She has a crush on Travis. She tells Travis that she saw Old Yeller stealing food from a garden, but promises not to say anything because Old Yeller impregnated her own dog, Miss Priss.

There is a short plot summary at the link below.

In James Joyce's short story "A Little Cloud", what is the epiphany? (the revelation of the main character and or the reader????)

In "A Little Cloud" Joyce's portrait is of a small man whose attempts at success are futile.  He admires an old friend for his talent, yearning to be a poet himself.  But "a gentle melancholy" makes him feel it is "useless to struggle against fortune."  Here Joyce hints at the fatalistic character of the Irish.  Little Chandler's remembrances continue to be melancholic and "like an infant hope," not realized.  As he approaches the appointed meeting spot with his old friend, Gallahar, Little Chandler is racked with indecision. After he finally enters, meets and speaks with his friend, Chandler feels somewhat 'disillusioned." This disillusionment becomes self-pity after Chandler is not able to"assert his manhood" when Gallahar disparages marriage.  Upon his return home, Chandler looks at the photo of his wife, a face without passion. Little Chandler feels a deep resentment that "awoke within him."

Chandler resents his domineering wife who has abruptly left him with their crying child.  Chandler counts seven sobs and worries that the child might die.  When his wife returns, she rushes in, accusing him of harming the child.  Then, Chandler perceives her look: [He]sustained the gaze of her eyes and his heart closed together as he met the hatred in her eyes."  This is his moment of epiphany. He will always be childish; his life is futile, tragic: "Tears of remorse filled his eyes." 

Why does Huck enjoy the circus so much?

Huck enjoys the circus because it is pleasant relief from the king and the duke and the problems helping Jim escape. He loves seeing the costumes, acrobats and clowns. Ironically, Huck, who is somewhat of a con artist himself, doesn't recognize a con when a supposed drunk insists on riding the horses. The drunk turns out to be a wonderful rider, indicating that the entire event was a set-up. But Huck never catches on and throughly enjoys the act.

What is the theme of Walt Whitman's poem "Beat! Beat! Drums!"?This poem "Beat! Beat! Drums!" is from book xxi Drum-Taps. What does it stand...

This section of Drum Taps is different than those in the beginning parts.  There all were excited to go off to war. None knew what war was really like.  They glorified it and many were killed or wounded.  Later on the poems show the negative effects war has on people and communities.  This particular section wants to call all to war, so the drums must be loud and beckon to all to come forward, yet many don't want to. They know what they're in for.

The theme of this poem revolves around people's reactions to war. The cry for war is very loud and disturbing.  The people listed throughout the poem don't want to hear about it.  They are not happy about being involved in (what is referred to in this poem) the Civil War.  Whitman wants the drums and bugles to be loud and fierce--enough to even wake the dead.  He doesn't care who is there to hear the war cry, but it affects all people young and old: 

"Mind not the old man beseeching the young man;
 
Let not the child’s voice be heard, nor the mother’s entreaties"

He wants the drums to beat so loudly that it drowns out their disagreeing replies.  All must be called to war. 

What does Araby symbolize for the protagonist and what is he trying to achieve?

To the narrator, Araby symbolizes the beauty, mystery, and romance he longs for in his life. He lives in a dreary house on a shabby dead-end street. He escapes the drabness around him by reading a Sir Walter Scott romance and a book of French adventures and by dreaming. When he hears the name "Araby," the very word thrills him: He says, "The syllables of the word Araby . . . cast an Eastern enchantment over me." His first-love obsession with Mangan's sister melds with his vision of Araby when she speaks to him of the bazaar. He's off on a knight's romantic quest to bring her a gift from the enchanted land, only to have his dreams crushed under the weight of reality.

Araby turns out to be tawdry. It is not a place of enchantment; it is a cavernous warehouse filled with cheap goods sold by ordinary people holding banal conversations in common English accents. Stalls are closed. Two men are busy counting money. There will be no enchanting gift to present to his love, and no more romantic illusions will illuminate his life. He will remain trapped in the poverty and hopelessness of Dublin's North Richmond Street.

In "A Rose for Emily," why does Emily teach painting for 6-7 years? Does this have an impact in the story?

Do we know how many years she taught china painting? The narrator tells us that, when they tried to get her to begin paying her taxes, a "deputation waited upon her, knocked at the door through which no visitor had passed since she ceased giving china-painting lessons eight or ten years earlier."

Does her having taught china painting have an impact on the story? I don't think so. The word "impact" is too strong. Her buying the arsenic has an impact because it serves as a clue to how Homer Barron died. The foul odor around her house has an impact because it tells us to expect an explanation for what caused the big stink. But china painting is not something that moves the plot. What it does do, however, is give us one more indication of how old-fashioned and set in her ways Emily is.

An article in The New York Times reports, "By the 1890's, china painting was a national phenomenon, a do-it-yourself craze that hundreds of thousands of women across America joined for pleasure or profit." Women would buy plain, or blank, china vases or plates or cups and then paint their own designs. When mass production of pottery and china was introduced, prices were reduced and more people were able to buy full sets of china. The art of china painting became less popular and was considered old fashioned.

Visit the links below for more information.

Why does Montresor keep urging Fortunato to turn back in "The Cask of Amontillado"?

The is actually a ploy designed to appeal to Fortunato's pride. Whenever Montresor urges Fortunato to turn back, he also adds, "Besides, there is always Luchesi". Since Fortunato is so proud of his ability to judge fine wine, Montresor knows he will not allow Luchesi to judge the wine. In fact, Fortunato always adds, " Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from sherry." So Montresor lures Fortunato farther and farther into his vaults using Fortunato's pride, not really the wine, to get him where he wants him to be.

What are the similarities and differences between the death of the pigs and the death of Piggy?

On one level, there is obviously a parallel to be drawn. Golding, by virtue of his name, compares Piggy (who likes eating) to pig (which is eaten), and there's a couple of moments in the novel where that comparison is made explicit:

“I don’t agree with all Jack said, but with some. ’Course there isn’t a beast in the forest. How could there be? What would a beast eat?”
“Pig.”
“We eat pig.”
“Piggy!”

Moreover, when Piggy dies, Golding's narrative seems to be seen from one of the boys' perspectives, likely Ralph's. There is something very childish, sickeningly unknowing about "stuff", and "like a pig's": it is a description which does not take in the full import of the event:

The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist. Piggy, saying nothing, with no time for even a grunt, traveled through the air sideways from the rock, turning over as he went. The rock bounded twice and was lost in the forest. Piggy fell forty feet and landed on his back across the square red rock in the sea. His head opened and stuff came out and turned red. Piggy’s arms and legs twitched a bit, like a pig’s after it has been killed. Then the sea breathed again in a long, slow sigh, the water boiled white and pink over the rock; and when it went, sucking back again, the body of Piggy was gone.

Piggy is of course compared to a "pig", and not even given time to "grunt". But, beyond that, I think his death is quite different from a pig slaughter. Roger kills Piggy alone, not in a group: it is a deliberate act of sadism. It is quick, silent, and immediately deadly. The pig killings are done in a group, they are noisy, and they take some time:

Jack shouted.
“Make a ring!”
The circle moved in and round. Robert squealed in mock terror, then in real pain.
“Ow! Stop it! You’re hurting!”
The butt end of a spear fell on his back as he blundered among them.
“Hold him!”
They got his arms and legs. Ralph, carried away by a sudden thick excitement, grabbed Eric’s spear and jabbed at Robert with it.
“Kill him! Kill him!”
All at once, Robert was screaming and struggling with the strength of frenzy. Jack had him by the hair and was brandishing his knife. Behind him was Roger, fighting to get close. The chant rose ritually, as at the last moment of a dance or a hunt.
“Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Kill the pig! Bash him in!”
Ralph too was fighting to get near, to get a handful of that brown, vulnerable flesh.

The two events are entirely different in the way they are described and the mood presented. Yet the key point, I think, is that Piggy is seen through such an unforgiving, bestial description: "like a pig's". This sensitive, wise boy is killed as a dumb, fat animal.

I need reasons why "The Most Dangerous Game" should not be taught in middle school classes.

The Most Dangerous Game is an action-packed story that includes the hunting of humans for sport.  The story is full of violence and cruelty. 

Additionally, the nuances of the levels of meaning would be lost on Middle Schoolers.

"Issues of violence and cruelty in "The Most Dangerous Game" exist not only on a literal level but on a symbolic level as well. As Connell directs the reader to sympathize with Rainsford, the reader feels what it is like to be a hunted animal. Zaroff shows off his animal heads and after describing his new prey, he refers to his "new collection of heads," which are supposedly human."

"This comparison of decapitated heads opens up parallels between the murder of humans and the murder of animals. If hunting humans for kicks is murder, Connell asks, then how does this differ from hunting animals?"

I wouldn't recommend this story for Middle Schoolers, the High School students that I teach just barely get it.

Why is the Senate considered the "upper house?"

The Senate has certain powers/authorities that the House of Representatives does not.

1. Senate approves presidential appointments (justices/ambassadors). The House does not have any say in these areas.

2. The Senate approves treaties that the President creates (the House has no say in this area.

3. The Senate has 2 representatives from each state and therefore is considered an equal representative system of the 50 states.

4. If the President is impeached by the House, the Senate decides the fate of that President (either found guilty or convicted and therefore removed from office). In other words, the Senate can remove a President from office.

5. Generally Senators often have served in the House of Representatives or state governments. States have multiple Representatives, based on their representatives but only TWO Senators, regardless of population. In other words, in most states, there are fewer Senators than there are Representatives

What are three differences and two similarities between active and passive transport?

Differences

Passive transport doesn't require energy (ATP), active transport does require energy.

Passive transport moves molecules WITH the concentration gradient (high to low), while active transport moves molecules AGAINST the concentration gradient (Low to High).

Similarities

They both allow the cell to maintain homeostasis by maintaining an equilibrium of subtances in and out of the cell.

They both involve moving material across or through the plasma membrane. 

How might one explain the phrase "something flittered there in front of his mind like a bat's wing"?

Here's the quote from the novel you need:

“Smoke.”

A strange thing happened in his head. Something flittered there in front of his mind like a bat’s wing, obscuring his idea.

“Smoke.”

At once the ideas were back, and the anger.

“We want smoke. And you go wasting your time. You roll rocks.”

As we near the end of the novel, Ralph repeatedly has these little moments of mental blackout. It's the stress of being the chief, of losing his authority, the tiredness of being on the island, and the strain of trying to manage the boys and cope with the growing fear of the beast.

He has a momentary blackout - and can't remember what he was about to say. Golding describes this blackout in the simile of a bat's wing (coloured black) literally blocking his vision.

That's the literal explanation. But figuratively, the image is more powerful: the ominous, horror-movie connotations of a bat, and its wing, coupled with the speed and suddenness of the image (think of the way a bat suddenly flitters into rapid action and imagine that jumpy shock!) creates a negative mood around the whole image. Something isn't right in Ralph's mind: he's starting to lose his clarity.

Explain Raina and Bluntschli's relationship.

Raina Petkoff, the fashionable wax-doll daughter of Major Petkoff, was betrothed to the hypocritically romantic Sergius Saranoff. But on the night of gun-battle, the Serbian Major, Bluntschli, entered secretly into Raina's bed-chamber to shock and disillusion her in matters of heroism in war and love. Bluntschli, a professional soldier, deliberately and with all the verbal weapons of wit and sarcasm, demolishes Raina's false impressions of patriotism and heroism. Bluntschli is a professional and experienced soldier, and knows that 'nine soldiers out of ten are born fools'. He has escaped his persuers and taken shelter discourteously in Raina's bed-chamber by climbing the rain-water pipe because he wants to avoid death as long as he can. By the end of the opening scene, Raina grows fond of the enemy having fallen asleep in her bed.

Although Sergius has won the battle of Slivnitza against the Serbian artillery with an incredible cavalry-charge, to be worshipped by Raina as her 'soul's hero', he is not promoted in the Bulgarian army. When Sergius returns, frustrated and cynical, he seduces and flirts with the Petkoff house-maid, Louka, and the same is detected by Raina. By the time Bluntschli re-appears to return Major Petkoff's coat, Raina is in love with her 'chocolate-cream soldier'. She and her father are also full of admiration for the Swiss professional for his expert handling of military issues far ahead of Sergius. Bluntschli also scandalises Sergius as well as Mrs.Petkoff by his matter-of-factness as a soldier and as the son of a fabulously rich hotelier, seeking Raina for his bride.

What can we conclude about John and Katy in the story "The Pendulum" by O. Henry?

John seems to be a man discontented with the drudgery of his routine life.  He comes home from work with "gloomy and downtrodden cynicism", knowing exactly what to expect when he gets home, dreading it.  But when he gets home and she is gone,  "it left him dazed."  He experiences a "queer feeling of desolation in his heart."  This is hard for him, because he is "not accustomed to analysing his emotions".  He resolves to be a better man, to treat Katy better.  However, as soon as she gets back, he reverts right back to his old ways, and goes out to be with his buds for the evening.  So, John seems like a man more comfortable playing the role of the bored and discontented husband; he uses it as an excuse to not analyze his weaknesses or to change.  Instead, he blames his misery on other people; hence, he can do what he wants without feeling guilty.  When faced with chances to change, he is full of good intentions and no follow-through.  He really doesn't want to change.

Katy is harder to characterize because we only get John's perspective of her.  She seems feminine, caring, possibly a bit of a nag since she is "wrathful" about his evenings out, and expressed "ire" when he returned.

The two seem to be going through the motions but missing the mark, and don't seem destined for much successs together as a happy couple.

Where did Kit flee to in "Witch of Blackbird Pond"?

When Kit is banished from teaching the dame school with Mercy, and the future of the school itself is in jeopardy because of her actions, she flees blindly down the roadway, "past the Meeting House...past the houses where her pupils lived...she did not stop until she reached the Great Meadow", the wild, marshy area below the settlement where only the Quaker widow, Hannah Tupper lives.  Kit had not intentionally planned to go there, but "something deep within her had chosen...(the Meadow as her) destination".  There, Kit throws herself onto the tall grass and sobs wretchedly.  

When Kit has exhausted herself, she turns over and looks at the blue sky above, and is filled with a sense of peace.  Sensing that she is not alone, she starts up and finds a strange, wizened old woman watching her from nearby.  The woman is Hannah Tupper, whom some people in the community consider to be a witch.  Kit is at first frightened, but Hannah speaks gently to her, telling her that she did well to come to the Meadow, because "there is always a cure (there) when the heart is troubled".  Hannah takes Kit to her humble home and gives her a small meal to lift her spirits before she returns to the world, and Kit finds herself at such ease with the woman that she pours her heart out to her.  Like Hannah herself, and an unnamed friend before her, Kit finds peace and restoration in the loving kindness the Quaker woman unreservedly bestows on her (Chapter 9).

In chapter seven of The Great Gatsby, why is Gatsby left standing outside his mansion "watching over" nothing?

Chapter seven marks a turning point in the novel because it is at this point that Gatsby sees his dream of getting Daisy finally disappearing from his reach.  In this chapter, Gatsby gets into a fight with Tom in which Tom exposes the truth about Gatsby to Daisy.  Additionally, on the way home from their hotel in NYC Daisy kills Myrtle while driving back to East Egg with Gatsby.  It is at the end of this chapter that Gatsby realizes that the life that he has created for himself in order to impress Daisy is "nothing" without Daisy.  Therefore, he is looking at the "nothing" that will become of the relationship that he was hoping for with Daisy.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird" where is Jem headed to when he gets angry at Mrs. Dubose?

The day after Jem's twelfth birthday his money was burning up his pockets, so we headed for town in that early afternoon.

In Chapter 10 of "To Kill a Mockingbird," Jem, accompanied by Scout, is on his way to purchase a miniature steam engine for himself while Scout plans to buy a "twirling baton."  As they pass Mrs. Dubose's house, she is "stationed" on her porch, reading to do battle with the children or anyone else who passes. 

1. Mrs. Dubose first accuses the children of "playing hooky" from school although it is Saturday.


2. She accuses Jem of "breaking down" Maudie Atkinson's grape (scuppernong) arbor.


3. When Jem contradicts this accusation, she accuses Jem of lying.


4. Mrs. Dubose insinuates that Scout, who does not wear dresses, will end up waiting tables at the O.K. Cafe, a rather disreputable place.


5. She adds to this insult, "Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse lawing for niggers!...Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for!"

This final insult causes Jem to turn "scarlet."  as Jem and Scout walk away, they hear Mrs Dubose give a "philippic" on their family's "moral degeneration, the major premise of which was that half the Finches were in the asylum anyway."

It is ironic that this encounter with the irascible Mrs. Dubose occurs shortly after Atticus introduces the significance of the novel's title by telling the children "It's a sin to kill a mockingbird." And, after Jem informs his father of the insult dealt him, Attitus, true to character responds in a charitable manner.  Afterall, Mrs, Dubose is a wounded mockingbird, in a sense, for, as later revealed, the woman is not herself since she is addicted to a powerful drug, morphine.

Could somebody explain how to answer the below question? "Him still must serve, him still obey, And nothing act, and nothing say, But what...

1) A syllable is just one "beat" of sound, or as a friend of mine puts it, "how many times a word bangs the drum".

So "dog" is one syllable. (say it) "DOG".

"Cupboard" is two syllables. (say it) "CUP. BOARD".

"Computer" is three syllables. (say it) "COM. PEW. TER".

2) Feet are more complicated. They're the unit which a verse line is made up of. So let's look at iambic pentameter, which is five strong beats (one strong beat = x) and five weak beats (one weak beat = o):

de dum  de  dum de  dum de dum de dum
in sooth i know not why  i am so sad
o    x     o   x      o     x    o  x   o   x

the "foot" is just the pattern that repeats: in this case, "de dum" or "o x", or "a weak beat followed by a strong beat". A foot made up of a weak beat and then a strong beat is an "iamb", and when it repeats five times, that's pentameter. Hence iambic pentameter. So you'd separate the feet like this:

o x ¦ o x ¦ o x ¦ o x ¦ o x

3) Lastly, rhyme scheme just shows which lines rhyme with which lines. So in the example above, pick out the rhyme words: "obey", "say", "fit", "wit". "Obey" rhymes with "say". "Fit" rhymes with "wit". So we show that as AA (two lines which rhyme) BB (two lines which also rhyme - but on a different sound: "wit" not "say").

If the rhyme words had been "obey", "fit", "say", "wit", the rhyme scheme would be ABAB (to show the way the rhyming lines interlock). If they had been "obey", "fit", "say", "wit", "rabbit", "habit", that would be ABABCC.

In "Just Lather, That's All", discuss the character of the barber with reference to the story.

This is a masterful tale of suspense and tension, and so you will want to focus on how the character description builds tension and reveals the fear and terror that the barber is undergoing. But let us start with essentials. We know two essential qualities about the barber, as he himself tells us:

Yes, I was secretly a rebel, but I was also a conscientious barber, and proud of the precision required of my profession.

It is these two qualities that really shape the barber as a character. As he faces the dilemma of whether or not to kill Captain Torres, he comes back to the fact that he is a barber who takes pride in his work:

I'm a barber who does things properly...

There, surely, the razor had to be handled masterfully, since the hair, although softer, grew into little swirls. A curly beard. One of the tiny pores could open up and issue forth its pearl of blood, but a good barber prides himself on never allowing this to happen to a customer.

In spite of the chance that he had, what is more important to him is his profession and the fact that as he himself says, he is "the best [barber] in the town."

However, this opportunity also allows the barber to show his moral values and his true superiority over Captain Torres. As the story progresses it moves to an almost stream-of-consciousness kind of narration, where we hear the internal monologue of the barber's thoughts. Consider the following passage:

Damn him for coming! I'm a revolutionary, not a murderer. And how easy it would be to kill him. And he deserves it. Does he? No! What the devil! No one deserves to have someone else make the sacrifice of becoming a murderer. What do you gain by it? Nothing. Others come along and still others, and the first ones kill the second one, and they the next ones - and it goes on like this until everything is a sea of blood.

This, to me, is a very revealing passage, because it shows that the barber has higher ethical standards than the Captain. The barber recognises the futility of murder, and even though he has been given a golden opportunity to help the rebel cause, if he takes advantage of it he will be lessening his own humanity by becoming a murderer, because in the end, murder achieves nothing.

Thus it is these two characteristics - the pride that he takes in his work and his moral outlook on life - that essentially define the barber and ensure that he makes the right choice. This is a right choice that Torres himself acknowledges, when he leaves the barbershop saying "But killing isn't easy." Is this perhaps a grudging mark of respect for the stand that the barber has taken?

What do you understand by the Theatre of the Absurd? Does "Waiting for Gogot" fit in that title?

The playwrights loosely grouped under the label of the absurd attempt to convey their sense of bewilderment, anxiety, and wonder in the face of an inexplicable universe. Although the Theatre of the Absurd is often traced back to avant-garde experiments of the 1920s and 1930s, its roots, in actuality, date back much further. Absurd elements first made their appearance shortly after the rise of Greek drama, in the wild humor and buffoonery of Old Comedy and the plays of Aristophanes in particular. World War II was the catalyst that finally brought the Theatre of the Absurd to life. The global nature of this conflict and the resulting trauma of living under threat of nuclear annihilation put into stark perspective the essential precariousness of human life. Suddenly, one did not need to be an abstract thinker in order to be able to reflect upon absurdity: the experience of absurdity became part of the average person's daily existence.  This makes some level of logical sense because in WWII, all traditional notions of fairness, justice, and the framework for ethical treatment of one another were completely discarded.  The absurdist thinkers realized that they were using the traditional medium of the stage to convey the anything but traditional standards for human and ethical conduct.  Vladimir and Estragon, the “tramps” are the central images of waiting in Beckett’s work.    We can then make the assumption that these characters display the best and worst aspect of humanity, discuss elements that define existence and represent triviality, study themselves and one another, and interact with success and failure with each-other and others   The characters live, love, disparage, compliment, converge, and diverge and nothing happens twice.  Their hopes are never quite realized, their words never lead to action, and what is indicated is never quite actualized.  Godot never arrives. This is an absurdist play in its embrace of the tragicomedy:  It is tragic to witness the condition of both of the tramps, but it is also comic, from an absurdist point of view, to see that neither character does anything to change their predicament.  From the Greek conception of tragedy in Aristotle, where the character gains awareness and understands their plight in order to change it, traditional art has emphasized the redemptive and consciously powerful notion of individual change.  Part of what makes absurdist theatre so compelling is that it ponders and addresses the reality of what happens when characters do not undergo such an evolution.  Their predicament is still dramatic, although it is tragicomic.  This would be one reason why Beckett's work fits in the absurd classification.

In Act 3 of Romeo and Juliet, why does Tybalt call Romeo a "villain"?

Tybalt hears Romeo's voice from behind a mask at the Capulet party, and tries to fight him there adn then, but is stopped by Lord Capulet, who doesn't want any fighting at his feast.

Tybalt resolves to be revenged on Romeo another day: Romeo's "intrusion" into the Capulets' party, though it now seems sweet, will "convert to bitterest gall".

So, in Act 3, Scene 1, Tybalt comes up to Mercutio and Benvolio to find Romeo. When Romeo appears, Tybalt declares that he's found his man, and addresses Romeo directly:

Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford
No better term than this: thou art a villain

Tybalt knows nothing about Romeo's relationship with Juliet. He's only out to get him because he went to the Capulet party. Romeo, of course, backs out, because - now married to Juliet - Tybalt is his relation and he shouldn't be fighting with him. Mercutio steps in in his place... and the play twists from comedy into tragedy.

How was the ancient Greek education different from the modern Greek education?

 Most of the Greeks taught logic, rhetoric, and grammar--the three  becoming the central core of most Greek education. Socrates was a product of this liberal education, and was the creator of what is now known as the "socratic method." Plato, a student of Socrates, further developed education in ancient Greece, by his methods of creating dialogues and by arguing for a type of education that matched or befitted a person's class and role in society. Finally, Aristotle believed in the rational nature of the human being and saw the world as being ruled by natural laws. 

Education, or "pedagogy," takes many diverse forms, although we all owe a debt to the ancient Greek educational development. Today the educational "buzz-word" is "differentiated instruction." What this means is education using as many diverse and engaging approaches and perspectives as possible. Whereas before education was about a teacher "lecturing" in typically Greek fashion to a collection of gathered students, now we have students doing the learning, teachers using innovative technology, and even cyber classrooms--so mainly the difference is in the type of technology we use to get the learning objectives done.

What is the summary for Chapter 5 of The Kite Runner?

Amir and Hassan’s conversation is cut short by an explosion and gunfire. There's been a coup and the present monarchy has been overthrown. The bloodless coup, as Amir explains, has been carried out by Daoud Khan the King's cousin who wishes to establish a Republic. Ali hides with the boys during the attack and he tries to calm the boys by saying that it is only a duck hunt.The coup, however, was followed eighteen months later by the Russian invansion.

One day, Amir and Hassan are stopped by Assef the neighborhood bully and his two friends Wali and Kamal. He insults them by calling them 'kunis' or fags. He is relentlessly cruel to Hassan and constantly bullies and harasses him because he is a  Hazara. Assef brags to them that the new leader Daoud Khan dined at his house the night before. Assef praises Hitler saying that was a great leader. He asserts that  their  new president should do what Hitler did to the jews to get rid of the Hazara. (Assef himself has blue eyes and blonde hair because his mother is German; he points out, however, that his mother despises Hitler.) He threatens, especially, Hassan by pulling out his brass knuckles and asking Amir how he can call Hassan as his friend. Assef intends to hurt Amir also since he and his father have "taken these people in." The talk of ethnic cleansing rouses the rage of Hassan who trains his slingshot on Assef, and Assef backs off saying that he will get even with them later.

Life goes on as usual in the Republic for the next few years.  In the winter of 1974, as a present for  Hassan’s twelfth birthday, Baba arranges for Hassan to have his cleft lip repaired by a plastic surgeon. After the successful surgery, his scar is barely noticeable.

Give two reasons why the fourth line of the second stanza of Suckling's "Song" ends with "do't" instead of "do it."I understand that using "do it"...

Two reasons that Sir John Suckling used do't instead of do it could be: because he wrote in a rustic dialect

And because he was writing cynically about love in this poem, the abbreviation adds to the disrespect that he feels for his lover.  It gives a more gritty feel a simpler expression that the more formal do it.  Abbreviations like this one appear in his other poems also.

 "This familiar song from Aglaura, illustrates again the poet’s skillful use of alliteration and assonance, as well as the effective change of tone and rhythm he can achieve in his conclusions."

For more information about Sir John Suckling and his poetry, click on the first link.

Why does Ralph tell the other boys Piggy’s nickname?

Great question. To answer it, I'd take you back to the moment at which Piggy reveals his "name":

“I don’t care what they call me,” he said confidentially, “so long as they don’t call me what they used to call me at school.”...

“They used to call me Piggy.”
Ralph shrieked with laughter. He jumped up. “Piggy! Piggy!” “Ralph—please!” Piggy clasped his hands in apprehension. “I said I didn’t want—” “Piggy! Piggy!”

Golding is actually quite merciless to Piggy - we never find out his real name. And young boys are cruel, and Ralph cannot help but find it hilarious. He hasn't yet grown up enough to understand that it will hurt Piggy's feelings.

Here's the moment Ralph gives the game away:

“Shut up, Fatty.” [said Jack Merridew]
Laughter arose.
“He’s not Fatty,” cried Ralph, “his real name’s Piggy!”
“Piggy!” “Piggy!” “Oh, Piggy!”
A storm of laughter arose and even the tiniest child joined in. For the moment the boys were a closed circuit of sympathy with Piggy outside: he went very pink, bowed his head and cleaned his glasses again.

Ralph is keen to gain favour with the other boys: and one way to do that is to collectively mock someone else. And this is what happened: a "closed circuit of sympathy", with Piggy outside. Ralph doesn't mean any malice - but he can't help himself but share the hilarious joke. Only Piggy, at this stage in the novel, is mature enough to know better.

Can you explain the following line spoken by Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird?"When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness...

This is when Atticus was talking to Uncle Jack about giving Scout and Jem straight answers, such as his textbook definition of the word "rape" when Scout asked what it meant.  Here's what Atticus is trying to say:  Don't lie to kids.  Give them just enough informatoin, simply as possible, to satisfy their initial inquiry.  The production part refers to giving a kid a college level explanation of a 1st grade level question. 

For instance, think about the classic, "Where do babies come from?"  Most of the time, saying "from mommy's tummy" or "the hospital" will suffice, and the kid will just say "oh, okay", moving along.  There's no need for a parent to basically explain the entire reproductive process, along with the ethics of sexuality, for a simple question from a youngster.

Spotting an evasion simply means a child's ability to determine when an adult is uncomfortable with a question and is making an effort not to answer it truthfully or completely.  If the parent in the above-mentioned scenario would've said, "babies?  Well... why do you need to know?  Ask me when you're older", then an onslaught of additional questions would have certainly ensued. 

Hopefully this has answered your question!

Miller uses irony and pathos to elicit underlying themes and conflicts within The Crucible. Identify them and explain what effects they achieve.

Irony and pathos are developed throughout the play; both contribute a great deal to the power of Miller's drama. There is much to pity in the play.The suffering of the innocent evokes our compassion, again and again, as we identify with their pain. Giles deserves our compassion as tries to save his wife, bears terrible guilt for her imprisonment, and dies in agony while being tortured to death. Elizabeth Nurse, elderly and frail, weakened but resolute, evokes compassion as she faces her death. John's deplorable physical condition in the jail at the conclusion of the play also evokes great pity; moreover, John and Elizabeth's final moments are heart wrenching as they say goodbye. There is much in The Crucible that goes to the heart.

Irony abounds in the drama, also, rooted in the characters and the fearful situations in which they find themselves. The one commandment John cannot remember concerns adultery. Giles' innocent comments condemn the wife he loves dearly. Parris, who is supposed to represent Christian principles, exhibits none. The court, which is supposed to find the truth, acts to protect liars. The central irony in the play concerns John's moral and spiritual growth. Even he is amazed that he can choose death over dishonor, dying for his principles.

The irony and pathos in The Crucible emphasize several themes, but the central message is this: Without moral courage, we cannot live with integrity, and without integrity, our lives are without value.

In "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", where did the culprit live?Where did Mr. Hyde live when he ran into the little girl, and then...

Mr. Hyde, the reader infers along with Mr. Utterson, lives in the plain gray building spoke about in chapter one. The building is describes as a tall gray structure with no windows. Mr Utterson has only seen Mr. Hyde enter the front door using a key very few times. Looking back over the details of the gray structure, the reader can infer a lot about the character of Mr. Hyde himself. The building is ominous and mysterious. It is alone. It is broken down. The building in its present state is not what it once was. Buildings are used as a motif all throughout "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde".

What was special about the Galapagos Finches?

Darwin’s Model of Evolution

Charles Darwin was a naturalist who explored the South American coast in December of 1831. On the journey, he observed many plants and animals. He was amazed by the Galapagos Islands, which are about 1,000 km from the coast of Ecuador. Darwin hypothesized that the plants and animals on the Galapagos Islands might have come from Central and South America. He saw many species on the islands, however, that he did not recognize from South America such as giant cactus trees, huge land tortoises, and iguanas.

 

Darwin’s Observations

Darwin observed 13 species of finches on the Galapagos Islands. He noticed that all 13 species were similar, except for differences in body size, beak shape, and eating habits. He also noticed that all 13 Galapagos Island finches were similar to one finch species he had seen on the South American coast.  

 

Darwin thought that the Galapagos finches had originally come from South America. He thought that they must have had to compete for food on the Galapagos Islands. Finches with beak shapes that allowed them to eat the available food would have survived longer and produced more offspring than finches without these useful beak shapes. Darwin thought that there might have been many generations of more and more finches surviving with the useful beak shapes until finally the groups of finches on the Galapagos Islands and the finches from South America were so far apart that they actually became different species.

In "Through the Tunnel" by Doris Lessing, how does the plot relate to the theme?

There are several themes in the story that are related to the plot itself.  Plot usually drives the theme; it is the text of thematic content.  One theme in this story is that of loneliness and alienation.  To emphasize this theme, Lessing has a character in-between childhood and adulthood, who is fatherless, with a polite but tense relationship with his mother.  She emphasizes his loneliness when he sees the foreign boys swimming and to be playing with them is a "craving that fill[s] his whole body."  He wants companionship so badly, and we see that through the other boys.  But, he doesn't seek that belonging with his mother, he looks elsewhere, and when the boys leave him, he is prompted to take on the tunnel.

Another theme is the idea of rites of passage; boys going through tests and challenges that prove they are ready to become an adult, a man, and leave childhood behind.  The plot has Jerry first of all leaving the safe beach to explore-taking on a more adult challenge.  Then, as he trains and practices for the tunnel dive, we see him pushing his limits, leaving childhood play behind, and initiating rites of his own that he feels he must pass.  As he succeeds, he becomes more independent from his mother and confident in himself as a separate entity from her.  He feels matured and responsible, and capable of taking on challenges.  Lessing implements the tunnel challenge to correlate with that theme of achieving adulthood.

In Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven", what is a Pallas or a bust?

I think that the line you are referring to from "The Raven" is the fifth line of stanza seven in which the narrator says, "Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door..."

The narrator is telling the reader where the raven is in his study. The raven is sitting on a bust of Pallas. This would mean that the raven is sitting on a statue of the upper body (usually only the head and shoulders) of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom.

What are the romance elements in ''Sir Gawain and the Green Knight'' and is there courtly love in this story?

While "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" broadly follows the conventions of the romance genre--a feast is interrupted, a mysterious challenger appears, and a knight sets out upon a quest--there are deviations from these conventions.  For, conventional romance would have the threat of the challenger resolved and a return be made to the feasting.  Instead, the Green Knight puts back his axed head and instructs Sir Gawain to come in a year.

There is also a deviation from the conventions with the ambiguity that runs through the poem, creating a sense of unease in the audience.  For instance, Gawain sets out on his quest in the winter and arrives at a strange castle that is realistically described, yet it has ghosts of a white hue.  Further ambiguity is created as the castle is described as a sort of Eden, which was the scene of both good and evil.  When Gawain is presented to the host of this castle, Hautedesert, the host seems much like the Green Knight. 

More ambiguity occurs after the meal when Gawain meets two women, one ugly (Morgan le Fay) and one beautiful, suggestive of a false Guinevere.  She is not the chaste maiden, however, and tries to seduce Gawain, who is the ethical one.  Later in his meeting with the Green Knight, Gawain learns that the knight is the same as the host of Hautedesert and the false Guinevere is his wife. The Green Knight, who earlier acts as a romance villain with supernatural powers, now is heroic in rewarding Gawain--more ambiguity.

The exploration of Gawain's individuality also is unconventional as he takes the ethical obligation of his code more seriously than such other Arthurian characters as Sir Galahad.

Explain hyperbole and humor in "A Modest Proposal." How do hyperbole and humor further enhance the satiric impact of the essay?

Swift’s style is hyperbolic from the very beginning of the essay, in which he lays out the social problem that he wishes to address, the treatment of the poor in England:

These mothers instead of being able to work for their honest livelihood, are forced to employ all their time in stroling to beg sustenance for their helpless infants who, as they grow up, either turn thieves for want of work, or leave their dear native country, to fight for the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbadoes.

The hyperbole (extreme exaggeration) here is in the emphasis. He says that poor mothers spend “all their time” begging for food and money. He also says that the children of these poor women all come to one of three ends: they either become thieves, leave England to fight for Spain, or sell themselves into slavery.

This emphasis is necessary for Swift to set up his satire, because it portrays the attitude of the upper-class English as snobbish and discriminatory.

The following line demonstrates Swift’s humor:

I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children.

Swift is saying here that once the infants are for sale as food, the landlords will deserve the first opportunity to buy and eat them, as they have already caused so many of their parents to be “devoured.” It is the word “devoured” that creates the humor. As satire, Swift does not mean it literally. Instead, he is referring to the practice of punishing or imprisoning those who cannot pay their rent, as was the case with many of the urban poor in England at that time.

How does a burning candle show both physical and chemical changes?

When a candle burns, there is both a physical and chemical reaction.

The physical change is quite obvious and in fact, it can be seen. When the candle burns, the wax slowly melts and the candle gets smaller and smaller. This wax, as can be seen, will drip onto the candle and stick to it. When this wax forms back into a solid and stays on the candle, that is another physical change that can occur.

The chemical reaction can be a little less obvious. The first is that the heat produced by the candle consumes both the oxygen around it, as well as the fuels coming from the flame. This will then lead to carbon dioxide emissions produced by the flame, which by the way should never be inhaled. This is the chemical change that takes place in the reaction.

In "A Rose for Emily," in what ways is Emily affected by the shadows of the past?

The past is what creates the Emily we come to know in this story.  Her father is a big catalyst into her character.  As she was maturing, her father chased away all suitors claiming that they were not good enough for her.  Because of this and his unexpected death, she is left alone and poor.  No one is there to take care of her, and most likely never will be. In fact, when her father died, she was in such denial that she left him there in that same spot he died for 3 whole days. 

Emily probably could have eventually married and been all right, but when the love of her life (Homer) comes into the picture, things change.  He is a roamer.  He never plans to stay anywhere, and Emily knows that she can't have another man leave her ever again.  So the loss of her father is what creates who she is and affects her decisions, even when they are murderous thoughts.  She then poisons Homer so that he could be with her forever (even if he is a corpse).

In the story "The Most Dangerous Game," what is meant by the satement, "He lived a year in a minute"?

The statement, "He lived a year in a minute," is a hyperbole- an exaggeration used for effect. At this moment, Rainsford is hiding from General Zaroff, who is hunting him. He has built a trap for Zaroff and is nervously waiting for him to fall into it. Because he cannot see where the general is and because there is the possibility that his plan may backfire, he is feeling as though time is at a stand-still.

In Act 2 of "The Crucible", what are some examples of the theme of human cruelty vs. righteousness?Quotes, scenes, or anything of that nature would...

The arrests of Rebecca Nurse, Martha Corey and Elizabeth Proctor are examples of human cruelty vs. righteousness.

Ann Putnam who has lost seven babies needs to find justice for her loss, she is very self-righteous in seeking the culprit responsible for her grief and shame.  She seeks to punish Rebecca Nurse who has many children and grandchildren. 

Francis Nurse says: "For murder, she's charged! For the marvelous and supernatural murder of Goody Putnam's babies."  Miller (Act II) 

Martha Corey is arrested for bewitching Mr. Walcott, because he is unable to keep a pig alive, since she sold him one and it died.  Mr. Walcott does not want to take responsibility for the care of the pig, but place blame on Martha Corey.  So she is accused of witchcraft.    

Giles Corey: "That bloody mongrel Walcott charge her.  Y'see, he buy a pig of my wife four or five years ago, and the pig died soon after.  So he come dancin in for his money back.  So my Martha, she says to him, Walcott, if you haven't the wit to feed a pig properly, you'll not live to own many." Miller (Act II)

At the end of Act II, when Elizabeth Proctor is arrested, Herrick must chain her.  This is a travesty, she is not a hardened criminal.  But for the sake of righteousness and the court, Elizabeth and the other innocent women must be chained in irons, both hands and feet.

Can you provide examples of simile, personification, conflict and metaphor in chapter 3 of "The Red Badge of Courage"?

I'll define each figure of speech for you and give one example of each from the book. Then you can look for other examples.

Similes and metaphors are comparisons of one thing to another. A simile makes the comparison by using the word "like" or "as," while the metaphor is a direct comparison of the two things.

Ex.: The odor of the peaceful pines was in the men's nostrils. The sound of monotonous axe blows rang through the forest, and the insects, nodding upon their perches, crooned like old women.

Ex.: They were going to look at war, the red animal—war, the blood-swollen god.

Personification occurs when the author assigns human characteristics, traits, or sensibilities to an inanimate object.

Ex.: Their shots into thickets and at distant and prominent trees spoke to him of tragedies—hidden, mysterious, solemn.

Conflict is the struggle between forces that drives the plot. Types of conflict include man vs. man, man vs. nature, and man vs. society.

Ex.: Absurd ideas took hold upon him. He thought that he did not relish the landscape. It threatened him.

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In the story The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, what important events happened in chapter 8?

Several important things happen in this chapter, and if you get a chance, I recommend reading it; it's not very long, and as all of the book, a very entertaining read.

First, Huck sees a ferry on the river that has "Pap, and Judge Thatcher, and Bessie Thatcher, and Joe Harper, and Tom Sawyer, and his old Aunt Polly, and Sid and and Mary, and plenty more" on it, and they are looking for Huck's body.  One way to do that is to shoot a cannon out over the river; the vibrations from the cannon-shot will hopefully "make [Huck's] carcass come to the top" of the water, if it was lodged in something, or sunk.  A bit morbid, but it makes sense.  Secondly, they sent out loaves of bread with quicksilver in the middle of them, because supposedly "they always go right to the drownded carcass and stop there."  Huck doesn't pass up the opportunity for free bread, so he fishes out a loaf and eats it.  Then, he explores a bit and as he does, he runs across Jim, Miss Watson's slave.  He informs Huck that he has run away because Miss Watson was going to sell him to New Orleans, away from his family.  So, he took off.  Huck promises not to tell anyone, and to help him.

Those are just a few important things, and I hope that helps!  Good luck!

Explain how the human characters contribute to the novel's themes.

The humans serve two roles, in my mind, the first being the object of the animals' desire for freedom and to benefit from their own work.  As Old Major said, the animals toil and give up the best years of their life and do not recieve the benefits of this work.  So the humans are the enemy and serve that role well as the animals can drive them off the farm and gain their "freedom."

By the end of the book, the pigs and the humans have become so similar it is difficult to tell them apart.  In this way, they also serve as the oppressors again but also to show that the pigs have completely changed and that Napoleon's revolutionary fervor was just a front to cover his desire to obtain the same power and privilege that the humans had in the beginning of the book.

In the short story "Good Country People" how do the names of the characters symbolically represent thematic contrasts in the story and what exactly...

Mrs. Hopewell is a divorced woman who runs a farm.  Her name is symbolic because she is a good Christian woman.  She has a daughter, Joy, who has changed her name to Hulga to represent how ugly she feels, she has a wooden leg.  Mrs. Hopewell, has a troubled daughter who does not believe in God, but her mother hopes that her daughter will embrace the faith.

Mrs. Freeman has two daughters, who are sweet girls, Glynese has a lot of boyfriends and her younger daughter, Carramae is married and pregnant.  So Mrs. Freeman is free from worry regarding her two daughters.

When a Bible salesman, Manley Pointer, arrives at the Hopewell home, Mrs. Hopewell asks him to dinner. 

Manley Pointer - his name suggests that he will be man like, honest, courageous, protective,  Pointer also has a symbolic meaning, referencing a phallic symbol, which suggests that he will be highly sexual. 

When he ends up in the hayloft with Hulga, he does not want to engage in intimate relations with her, he wants to, and does, steal her wooden leg.  He is a con man, a fraud, a phony.  He is not manly at all, but a coward who has taken advantage of a handicapped woman.

Hulga's biggest handicap is her negative attitude.  She wants to live a life devoid of spirituality or belief in God.  She has a hardened heart, the episode with Pointer changes her.