What is the irony in this story The sniper by Liam O'Flaherty?

The irony is that the sniper kills his own brother. The story is set during the Irish civil war in the 1920's. Each brother has chosen a different side on which to fight. During his battle with an enemy sniper, the author foreshadows the ending by showing how similar each shooter is. Both are good shots and both are on rooftops that are on the same level. Both seem to be experienced riflemen. However, once the sniper has killed his enemy, he begins to change. He looks over the rooftop, sees the people he has killed, and begins to feel sorry for what he has done. He begins to curse at himself and at the war. The irony is made complete when he decides he must see the soldier he has just shot. He risks his life, dodges machine gun fire only to discover that it is brother who is lying dead on the street.

What is Trial by Jury?

As late as the 1930's the US Supreme Court defined what a "Trial by Jury" meant, having the following 3 components:  1. A jury of 12 people  2. A judge with the power to instruct jurors on points of law and advise them on facts  3. A unanimous verdict.  Trial by Jury is guaranteed in criminal prosecutions under Article III, section 2 of the US Constitution, which also has additional provisions pertaining to jury trials in Amendments 5, 6, and 7.

Historically, Trial by Jury developed under English Common Law as a means to protect an accused and check the power of the king or court, the jury alone being the means by which an accused's innocence or guilt was determined.  In other words, Trial by Jury meant the common people would judge, as opposed to Trial by Government, where some governmental agency would determine guilt or innocence.  Prior to this,  "Trial by Ordeal," let God determine guilt or innocence, by having the accused forced into combat with another; God, in theory, would deliver an innocent from from an unjust punishment. 

In Trial by Jury, the jury judges what are facts, what is law, and what was the moral intent of the accused.  A little celebrated aspect of Trial by Jury includes the power of nullification, whereby a jury can "judge the justice of the law" and hold an unjust or oppressive law invalid.  This means that if the accused is technically guilty of violating a law, but the jury determines that the violated law is unjust, the accused can be found innocent, and the offending law repealed. See more at the second link:

In "The Rocking Horse Winner", what kind of child is Paul and what kind of person is his mother? What are his motivations? Characterize the...

Paul can be described as earnest, eager to please, haunted, and mature for his age.  His main motivations are to win his mother's love by being lucky (which, to him, means earning money), and to quiet the "voices" in the house, which whisper "There must be more money". 

His mother can be described as a sometimes well-intentioned, but fickle, selfish, and cold human being.  She does not love her children, but at least she pretends to.  She tries to earn more money for the family, but fails to learn how to budget and trim down their lifestyle, along with giving up on any sort of job that she starts. 

She is similar to the stepmother in Cinderella in the sense that money is important to her, and she seems to be, in general, fairly discontented and bitter with life.  However, she is not intentionally malicious, scheming, or conniving as the stepmother.  Her desire for money does not lead her to cruelty or even determined creativity, just a general feeling of malcontent and victimization.  She more lets life happen to her than making life happen, and I would say that's the main difference.  It's an interesting question, and I hope that helps!

How is the war present in the book A Separate Peace?

In the book, war will impact all of them in one way or another.  A lot of the faculty fought in the first world war, or knew people that did, and probably lost friends and family there.  For the students, a lot of them will end up fighting in the second world war, as is evidenced as the book progesses.  Not only this, but the students see trains full of soldiers off to war, which prompts a lot of them to go join. They help the war effort at the train station.  Also, near the end, parts of their school are vacated and donated to the war effort for storage and training.  It changes everything that they know, their entire world.

For specific characters, Finny is impacted by the war because they won't accept him.  He desparately wants to join the war, but because of his leg, can't get in.  From this sprouts a lot of his schemes, plots, and activities-a way of staying busy to stay in denial about it all.  Then for Leper, we see the war be an actual catalyst to his mental breakdown, and eventual betrayal of Gene, something that was to harsh for the "old" Leper to have done.  It shapes and changes his entire personality.

In one way or another, every character in the book is impacted by the war; it is an underyling force throughout the book, always there, hovering, waiting, and it changes them all.

In "The Red Badge of Courage," what makes Henry feel like a "mental outcast"?

There is a quote in the book that says, "Some of the tall one's companions cried with emphasis that they, too, had evolved the same thing, and they congratulated themselves upon it. But there were others who said that the tall one's plan was not the true one at all. They persisted with other theories. There was a vigorous discussion.

The youth took no part in them. As he walked along in careless line he was engaged with his own eternal debate."

So Henry didn't associate or interact with anyone as they were marching. Everyone else engaged in conversations and debates, and Henry kept to himself and focused on his thoughts. This problem that Henry was dealing with greatly affected and bothered him, and he spent all of  his time focusing on it.

Compare the rivals in "She Stoops to Conquer."

Marlow and Hastings are both "unsuitable suitors" but in different ways. Marlow is the more honest of the two but incurably bashful and awkward around women. His good looks and scolarly bent don't tempt Kate because she considers he has the makings of a jealous husband.

Hastings, the more jovial and colourful character of the two, has more posh and charm but lacks the moral virtues of his friend. He is willing to resort to deceit if it means he can get his lady. 

For a more detailed profile of these and other characters in this play,  check out the reference below.

Why does Prince Prospero hide in his palace?

If you look at this story from another perspective, such as that it is really a dream that Prince Prospero is having, then he is not hiding in his palace, he is deathly ill and in bed, dying from the red death in his palace.

One way to view the whole party, the masked ball where the red death shows up is as a fantastic dream that Prince Prospero has as he is in the grip of the red death hallucinating with fever.  The rooms symbolize the phases of life, the clock in the last room monitors the final hours, minutes of the Prince, and when finally he confronts the red death, no one survives.

I need to know how the witches' prophecy of Macbeth's coming greatness acts as a temptation for him?

The temptation for power and ruler-ship was too much for Macbeth to overcome.  Had the witches not shown Macbeth the prophecy he would gone down a different path.However, once the prophecy was revealed he could not resist and his sinful nature surfaced.  As soon as he hear that he would rule, he went to his wife and they planned how to bring about this succession more quickly.  He then began to kill off anyone he though might jeopardize this power.  The taste for power is a strong temptation for people and it was Macbeth's weakness.

Why "thee" and "thou" etc. in 19th century writing?

In the 19th Century, authors were still using what is considered "King James" English -- that is, old English. The use of the pronouns thee and thou in the place of the word "you" was not uncommon, and it was equally not uncommon to see other language used that today we consider obsolete (ye, thy, forsooth, etc.).

Granted, plenty of American authors had strayed from the old English spellings and usages during this same era, but if an author felt the need to give a piece a more formal tone, the use of King James English was not unusual.

In "The Tell-Tale Heat," what specifically is about the old man that troubles the narrator? What does the narrator do every night? why?

The narrator is specifically troubled by the old man's eye which is covered in a filmy substance.  

"The narrator claims that he loves the old man and has no motive for the murder other than growing dislike of a cloudy film over one of the old man’s eyes."

The narrator becomes convinced that the old man's cloudy eye is the evil eye capable of causing him harm. 

Every night, in the darkness, the narrator watches the old man.

"For a whole week, he has snuck into the man’s room every night, but the victim has been sound asleep with his eyes closed each time. The narrator cannot bring himself to kill the man without seeing his ‘‘Evil Eye.’’

"On the eighth night, however, the man springs up and cries ‘‘Who’s there?’’ In the dark room, the narrator waits silently for an hour. The man does not go back to sleep; instead, he gives out a slight groan, realizing that ‘‘Death’’ is approaching."   

The narrator is determined to get rid of the possible curse that the evil eye can put on him, so he decides to kill the old man.  That is why he stalks the old man in his room every night, until he is ready to kill him.

What are some examples of literary devices in chapter 23 of "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee?

Humor, repetition of events and theme, and suspense are literary devises used in ch. 23.

Students often miss the humor inherent in the novel because it is subtle.  However, the humor is evident with the opening line of chapter 23:  "I wish Bob Ewell wouldn't chew tobacco."  Atticus utters this after Mr. Ewell spit in his face. 

Another humorous moment occurs later in the chapter the topic of in-breeding is broached, when Atticus talks about the Cunninghams.

Repition is used throughout the chapter too.  Jem brings up the point again about Atticus being a great shot.  This can help build suspense.  Will Atticus have to use violence to protect his family?  What would have to happen to push him to that?

The reader is also reminded of the stand Atticus took against the old Serum bunch that came to lynch Tom, but Atticus faced them with just a newspaper in hand.

Suspense is building for Tom too, for on page 219 we learn that Atticus feels that Tom has a good chance to go free or get a new trial.  Yet, there is also the threat that if those don't happen, he will be put to death.

The theme of standing in someone else's shoes and looking at the world from their perspective is evident when Atticus explains to the kids why Ewell is so angry at him.  This is a key reminder to the children.

The chapter ends with a reminder too of Boo Radley who fascinated the kids early in the novel but has faded from the scene with the trail.

"Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it." Can I get practical life example about this quote?

Success is often in the eye of the beholder. While one person may think success is establishing a Fortune 500 company, another may simply be content by doing their absolute best at answering phones and filing for a boss their entire career. 

A practical example would be my career. Starting a large family while young, I did not set out purposely to become a teacher, nor did I ever think I would be qualified. Yet an opportunity presented itself and, while always looking for a challenge, I jumped at it. 

The next eleven years were met with long days and late nights. Classes filled with behaviorally-challenged, hormonal, and often economically disadvantaged youth. While I had awesome colleagues and mentors to turn to for guidance, I still had to establish my own unique learning environment and was responsible for the educational outcome of so many. I embraced the philosophy that if a student fails, I've failed. So I worked even harder when that happened.

In my fifth year, due to the economic decline, I was pink-slipped. The following year I was one of very few whose lay-offs were rescinded. Annually, my course-offerings - and thereby my preparations and huge learning curve - changed drastically in order to serve the needs of the students.

The busy-ness continues with attendance, grading papers, entering grades, tutoring, and following up with parent phone calls for the purpose of both discipline issues and praise reports. Not to mention, since my program is project-based, there are always factors beyond our control and events that consume an enormous amount of time outside the scheduled day.

Yet with all this busy-ness and all of these challenges, I am "interrupted" with a correspondence, a note of appreciation, a token of affection, or a warm hug from a student whose life somehow I managed to enrich and influence... just as he or she ventures out after graduation to achieve his or her dream of success.

In the book Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, how does Conrad set the stage for the "darkness" of the book?

The framing narrative that surrounds the account of Marlow and his journey to Africa sets the stage for the theme of darkness by focussing us on a literal darkness that lies above London but also the metaphorical darkness that accompanies the imperial enterprise of mankind.

The narrator tells us at the beginning of the book that the air is "condensed into a mournful gloom, brooding motionless over the biggest, and the greatest, town on earth" and again this image is repeated soon after, with the sun's setting described as "stricken to death by the touch of that gloom brooding over a crowd of men" - referring to London. And lastly, before Marlow's interjection, again London is described as "the place of the monstrous town was still marked ominously on teh sky, a brooding gloom in sunshine, a lurid glare under the stars". Despite the narrator's musings on how many adventurers had exited Britain by the Thames and achieved wonderful things, this repeated description seems to suggest that there is a darkness that accompanies such imperial endeavours.

Marlow then interrupts the silence with his first words: "And this also... has been one of the dark places of the earth." In what follows, Marlow associates darkness with being "uncivilised" by describing the reacions of the original Roman invaders when they came upon Britain, saying "there were men enough to face the darkness."

Darkness is thus established as an important theme within the book, and it is significant that the darkness at the end of the book shifts from London to the Thames leads into darkness: "The offing was barred by a black bank of clouds, and the tranquil waterway leading to the uttermost ends of the earth flowed sombre under an overcast sky - seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness." The implication is clear - the immense darkness, the capacity for corruption and the capacity to commit heinous crimes is both in man (represented by London, and of course, the character of Kurtz) and in the imperial enterprise.

83.7 kg equals to how many grams?

83.7 kg equals to how many grams? Good Question!

This question could be answered easily, but I'll get in depth a little. We are using the metric system which is counted by 10s. The metric system consists of         Kilo Hecto Deki Unit Deci Centi Milli. To use the metric system you would of course need a unit. A unit can be meter, gram, seconds, any SI unit. SI unit means International System of Units. First of all you need your unit, which you gave us grams. Since Kg basically means Kilogram, and gram is unit. Start on unit and move to the left 3 times. Since Kilo is on the left of Gram 3 times, but since you swant to convert kilograms to grams you do the opposite!

K H D U D C M

To do the opposite you start on Kilogram and start moving it towards the left until you end up on grams [unit]. Landing on the unit you could how many you've just moved. Now you would move the decimal point on the number given to us towards how many time you've numbed to get to unit. 87.3 to 873 [1st decimal moved] to 8730 [second decimal moved] to 87,300 [last decimal moved. Answer]

The answer would be 87,300 grams.

I have been taught a very good way to memorize the Metric System, and this may help you in the future. Since it's made up of Kilo Hecto Deki Unit Deci Centi and Milli. You could think of K H D U D C M. My science teacher taught me. King Henry Died Unexpectedly Drinking Chocolate Milk. You take the first letter of the phrase and you'll get K H D U D C M. Now it's easy since you can just think of what is on the list and name it. I got confused with where the deki and deci go every single time but soon I just got use to it.

I hope this answers your question. Also I hope you find my trick very useful!

What is "hard water", and why does "hard water" leave more deposits in hot water pipes than in cold water pipes?

"Hard" water is water with lots of dissolved minerals, specifically calcium and magnesium. Hard water is not a health risk, but a nuisance because these minerals build up and are left behind.

This is because it is easy to dissolve things in water: water, in other words, is a good solvent, and therefore picks up impurities easily. Pure water -- tasteless, colorless, and odorless -- is often called the universal solvent.

As water moves through soil and rock, it dissolves very small amounts of minerals and holds them in solution. Calcium and magnesium dissolved in water are the two most common minerals that make water "hard." The degree of hardness becomes greater as the calcium and magnesium content increases: and that depends on what area you live in.

The answer to your question is that heating water separates the water molecules from their dissolved minerals: if you imagine, for example, boiling a salt solution in a pan, the water would turn into steam and boil off, leaving only the salt. In the same way, heated hard water forms much more scale of calcium and magnesium minerals (limescale deposits) than cold water does: simply because the heat encourages the minerals to separate from the water.

In "The Crucible" what are the changes that John Proctor goes through?

John starts off as a deeply troubled man who is trying to do what is right, but is still defiant and proud about many things.  He has cut off his affair with Abby, confessed it to his wife, but isn't quite sure it was for the best.  He tells Elizabeth, "I should have roared you down when you first told me your suspicion.  But I wilted, and,...I confessed."  Here you see him wondering what would have happened if he had not confessed.  He is also openly contentious with Parris and Putnam, and many others.

He starts to truly change when Elizabeth is arrested; he swears to her that he "will bring [her] home" and is willing to let Mary Warren "tell the court what [she] know[s]" of the girls pretending, and even of his affair if necessary.

At the courts, Proctor finally breaks down all pride and defensiveness, admitting his affair and saying, "I set myself entirely in your hands."  His sin has humbled him, and his desire to help Elizabeth has made him willing to submit, even to a cruel judge.

At the end he is no longer an angry, resentful man.  He has come around, and is willing to give his life.  He finally feels that "I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor," and goes to the gallows with a clean conscience, at peace.  His journey to that "goodness" was a tumultuous one, where he had to let go of his anger, pride and defensiveness.  But when he does, he "has his goodness" and can die with a clean heart.

What is the difference between "The Gentlemen of the Jungle" and Animal Farm?

The main difference between “The Gentlemen of the Jungle” and Animal Farm is that Animal Farm has a revolution from within, and “The Gentlemen of the Jungle” is about colonialism from outside forces.

Animal Farm is the equivalent of one country that remains a country.  One of its citizens, Old Major, has a vision of a cooperative government.  He tells the other animals, and they revolt against the abuses of their human leader and make their own country.

`Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals. (ch 1)

The animals agreed to make their own country.  They also ruled themselves (in the sense that the pigs are animals).

In “The Gentlemen of the Jungle” a man is sitting in his hut in the rain.  He has made a “friendship” with an elephant.  The elephant asks to put his trunk into the man’s hut, and the man agrees because his trunk is small. 

As soon as the elephant put his trunk inside the hut, slowly he pushed his head inside, and finally flung the man out in the rain, and then lay down comfortably inside his friend’s hut …

The next thing the man knows he has been kicked out of his hut.  When the man turns to other animals for help, they continue taking his huts.  The elephant claims he was protecting the man’s hut from the hurricane, and the animals accept it because the man does not have a representative.  This is an example of how colonialism worked in Africa, when more powerful countries came in and stole African land under the guise of helping.

Although Atticus didn't want his children in court, he defends Jem's right to know what happened. -to be continued (the question)-I didn't quite...

Jem and Scout have a right to know what his father is up against and what he is representing.  The kids see Aunt Alexandra's "missionary teas" all of the time, and those women are just a bunch of bigoted gossipers.  The kids are surrounded by racist remarks, even by their own neighbors such as Miss Stephanie and Mr. Avery with their comments on where the kids sat in the courtroom.

Atticus and his family are up against a lot of hatred.  He wants his kids to know what is right, even if it is a bit of a slap in the face.  He doesn't want them directly involved, but he wants them to question their neighbors and question their actions.  That is the only way they will truly see and learn right from wrong.  So when he says that they have a right to see for themselves, it's because he belives it is part of their education, even if it isn't pretty to watch.

In Lord of the Flies, in what way is Simon totally different from the other boys?

Simon is the most symbolic character in this novel.  He is the Christ symbol, as he is the only one to see the reality of what is going on with the boys on this island. He is very giving, as well.  He is the only one who really helps Ralph build the shelters in the beginning. Then when the littluns need to eat, he takes them to the forest in chapter three and he

"found for them the fruit they could not reach, pulled off the choicest from up in the foliage, passed them back down to the endless outstretched hands."

This was like Jesus when he fed the thousands.  He is the only one to be that giving.  Then he is the only one who knows that they must go to the top of the mountain to find out the truth about "the beast."  He knows the beast is really in them.  When he tells Ralph that's what they must do, he adds, "What else is there to do?"  He knows that they must find the truth. It's just a man on the mountain, and the "beast" is just a pig's "head on a stick."

What current events are discussed as the men await the ghost in Act I of Hamlet?

In Act I, we're brought up to speed on what is rumored to be going on in Denmark. A huge military buildup is underway, with bronze cannons being manufactured, weapons bought from abroad and so much shipbuilding occurring that the laborers are working seven days a week. Horatio explains that rumor has it that Fortinbras, the son of the King Fortinbras the late King Hamlet killed, is marching on Denmark, determined to avenge his father's death. This parallels Hamlet's quest to avenge his own father Hamlet's death on a larger scale. Thus, vengeance is everywhere. We also learn from Horatio, who references Roman times, that ghosts are a portent of danger. Later, in scene iv as the men again await the ghost, we hear from Hamlet that Claudius spends his nights drinking and dancing. Hamlet mentions that Denmark has a bad reputation as a place of drunkenness. 

This talk adds a sense of menace and foreboding to the play. With the country soon to be at war, it is easier to understand that Claudius and Gertrude would be all the more upset at Hamlet's seeming madness.

How did Attean help Matt learn new things about survival in the forrest in Sign of the Beaver?Why would these be helpful to Matt?

The first survival skill Attean teaches Matt is how to snare rabbit and other small game.  He creates a simple noose out of roots and arranges it on a stand of forked saplings.  Attached to the noose is a stick, that will get tangled in the bushes when the creature is caught by the noose, preventing it from getting it away until the hunter can come and kill it with a rock.  With this simple device made from easily found materials, Matt will be able to provide his own meat, without the aid of firearms and ammunition (Chapter 9).

Attean then shows Matt how to carve his own fishhooks out of twigs.  The hook breaks easily, but can also be easily replaced.  Never again will  Matt have to worry about losing a hook when he fishes.  Attean also shows Matt how to start a fire by striking certain quartz-filled stones with his knife.  Matt had known how to do that with a flint, but had not realized that "a common stone", more easily accessible, would do the job as well (Chapter 10).

A very valuable lesson Attean teaches Matt is how to leave signs so that he will never get lost in the woods.  As in all things, Attean shows Matt the Indian way, leaving small, inobtrusive markers like broken branches or misplaced stones along any path they take (Chapter 11).  Attean also shows Matt how to craft a strong, accurate bow, which Matt can use for hunting and protection in place of the firearm stolen by Ben (Chapter 12).

How are the people of Eatonville significant to Their Eyes Were Watching God? Describe the people of Eatonville.Give as much detail as possible.

Collectively, the people of Eatonville create the framework through which Janie's story is told. When she first returns, she is greeted with hostility, gossip, and jealousy. Many of the citizens, especially the men, don't like Janie because of her relationship with Jody, & the way in which she broke him down at the end. This community is used to seeing her as Joe's property, & the fact that she ran off with a man half her age doesn't help her reputation. In fact, the women in the town hate her & envy her for her looks and her opportunities. As a society, Eatonville represents everything Janie was struggling to escape throughout her life.

The only person in Eatonville whom Janie trusts is Pheobe, her "bosom friend." Phoebe listens to Janie's story and serves as her confidant, her link to the small-hearted characters of the town. After hearing Janie's story, Phoebe says "Ah done growed ten feet higher from jus' listenin' tuh you." So there is somone who recognizes Janie's abilities ad rights as a human, instead of a woman. Janie's story can inspire others to seek their own freedom and identity.

What do the four tempters represent in Murder in the Cathedral?

The first three tempters offer Becket reward in this life in return for his taking back his judgments against the King.  They are, in some ways, reminiscent of the three temptations of Jesus at the start of his ministry, offering him rewards in this world.   As with Jesus, Becket rejects these three.  The fourth tempter is a bit different because he appeals not to his relationship with the king, but to his own desire to become a saint and a martyr for his work.  He is told that without sainthood, he will soon be forgotten. Appealing as this may be, it leads him to the most important decision in the play which he expresses in this way:  "The last temptation is the greatest treason:/To do the right deed for the wrong reason."  He rejects the temptation to act out of pride and conceit (the wrong reason), and to stay and fight (the right deed.)

In the conclusion of "The Crucible," does Hale really want to save Protor?How do we know?

Reverend Hale has returned to Salem with a heavy heart full of responsibility for having participated in the witch trials and the execution of innocent people.

He has returned to plead and beg the convicted who await death to confess to witchcraft.  This includes John Proctor, a man he has come to understand and respect. Hale feels particularly responsible for Proctor, he did not believe him to be a good and honest man at first. 

Hale pleads with Elizabeth Proctor:

I come of my own, Goody Proctor.  I would save your husband's life, for if he is taken I count myself his murderer.  Do you understand me? (Miller, Act IV)

Hale is the individual who interviewed John Proctor for the court, questioning him about his faith.  He found him lacking in knowledge of the commandments and also objected to his not attending church regularly.  Reverend Hale has provided great evidence against Proctor, all the signs that he is in league with the devil.  Now he is desperate to save him.

"He comes to realize that John Proctor is guilty of nothing more than adultery yet he lacks the courage to question the decisions of the court and the prevailing attitude of seventeenth century society."  

"While his fair-mindedness and humanity deserve a measure of respect, Hale's inability to perceive—and endorse— the power in Proctor's stand for personal virtue leaves his character ignorant and weak."

In Sula, what are some superstitions and omens that the people of the Bottom believe?

In Chapter 7, "1937," Sula returns to the Bottom and is accompanied by a plague of robins.  Sula has been away from home for ten years and, when she returns, the townspeople are not happy to see her.  The birds are an evil omen according to the townspeople, but they can do nothing about it and resolve to simply put up with any bad things to come.  In addition to the birds, the birthmark over Sula's eye also appears to change according to others.  Nel believes that the rose-shaped pattern is getting darker, and Jude thinks the birthmark looks like a snake's head.  All these superstitions surrounding Sula cast her as a bad omen, and later in the chapter, bad things do happen.  Particularly, Sula has an affair with Jude which crushes her friendship with Nel.

What did the South mean by redemption during reconstruction and how was it accomplished?

The redeemer governments were the southerners who took power away from the carpetbaggers and regained control of their state governments by pushing out the radical governments established during Reconstruction. This was primarily accomplished as military occupation of the south ended in 1877. Some historians speculate whether a deal was struck during the disputed election between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel Tilden. Democrats agreed to Hayes' presidency if Republicans ended the military occupation in the south as well as other concessions. Referred to as The Compromise of 1877, it restored southern control to the south which in turn gave birth to 'Jim Crow'.

How is love shown in the Sonnets 29, 116, and 130 to be one of the most important things in life?

In Sonnet 29, the poet describes his depression and low self esteem.  He wants to be like other people, like "one more rich in hope", and with different features, friends, and station in life.  But in this dark moment, all he has to do is to "think on thee, and then my state/Like to the lark at break of day arising/From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate", and he is suffused with joy.  The love of this person is enough to lift him from the deepest depression.  Sonnet 116 talks more about the unchangeable nature of love, and that it is not based on appearances or mutable things.  Love is an "ever-fixed mark/That looks on tempests and is never shaken."  Something this permanent and unchangeable must be important, because it is one of the few things in life which lasts.  Sonnet 130 is more wry, but it is no less unstinting in its praise of love.  He describes his mistress as unlike the poetic ideal as can be imagined -- instead of golden threads her hair is "black wires", and her eyes are "nothing like the sun", but still he holds that "by heav'n I think my love as rare/As any she belied with false compare".  Though his mistress is not as beautiful as the imaginary women described in poems his love is still as rare and valuable as the unreal loves in the poems.  This is the most realistic, and perhaps most moving, description of the importance of love of the three poems.

In Romeo and Juliet, how does Romeo feel about love?

Many see Romeo as very immature and fickle, especially when it comes to love. At the beginning of Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is extremely dejected because Rosaline, the girl he loves, has vowed celibacy and rejected his love. He hasn't eaten in days, locks himself in a dark room, and avoids his friends and relatives. In this case, Romeo sees love as bitter-sweet. 

Love is a smoke rais'd with the fume of sighs;(190)
Being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers’ eyes;
Being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with lovers’ tears.
What is it else? A madness most discreet,
A choking gall, and a preserving sweet. (1.1)

However, that night, he easily forgets about Rosaline and falls in love with Juliet at first sight ("Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."). Romeo's love for Juliet is impulsive. He vows his love eternally the very same night they meet before even speaking to her and marries her the following day.

Other than the difficulty of love, what is one other major theme in "A Midsummer Night's Dream"?

How about the theme of translation and transformation? The play is full of the idea that things change, that things change from one thing into another.

"Bless thee, Bottom, bless thee! Thou art translated", Quince shouts to him after he's been transformed into a donkey by Puck. And, here's Helena, saying she wants to be transformed into Hermia in Act 1, Scene 1:

Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated,
The rest I'd give to be to you translated.

And in Helena's soliloquy, she argues that

Things base and vile, folding no quantity,
Love can transpose to form and dignity.

The play makes this argument quite clear. The flower "love-in-idleness" transforms lover into hater, hater into lover, and eventually, lover back into what they were before. Love transforms.

The mechanicals play-within-a-play also depends on acting, which itself is a sort of transformation: one person (Bottom) becoming (Pyramus). Is there a moment, as is often claimed, at the end of the play where Flute believably becomes Thisbe?

Moreover, many directors (beginning with Brook in 1970) have decided that the play translates Theseus and Hippolyta into Oberon and Titania, and Philostrate into Puck. Perhaps the whole play is a sort of transformation...

When did Table #1 forfeit the check in The Westing Game?

When the eight pairs of heirs are first assembled in Sam Westing's house for the reading of the will (in Chapter 7 entitled "The Westing Game") the first $10,000 checks are distributed.  Table #1 is comprised of Madame Sun Lin Hoo and Dr. Jake Wexler.  Neither of these people attended the reading of the will, so they automatically forfeited the first check by their absence.  Madame Hoo didn't attend because, as her husband pleaded "My wife doesn't even speak English" (33).  Dr. Wexler's wife explained that he was performing an "emergency operation", so he was unable to attend.  Both of these explanations were probably lies, to some extent.  Mr. Hoo probably didn't even inform his wife about the reading of the will, expecting that she couldn't possibly be an heir because she was born and raised in China.  Dr. Wexler was probably carrying on his illegal practice of bookmaking (taking illegal bets), and watching a Green Bay Packers football game rather than attending to a medical emergency.  Table #1, therefore, did not qualify and "remained moneyless" (Ibid).

Source: Raskin, Ellen. The Westing Game.  New York: Avon Books, 1978.

What is the name of Candy's dog in "Of Mice and Men"?

Candy's dog does not have a name. This is significant for two reasons. First, he is thought of as a possession and he is not thought of as important enough to have a name. Secondly, the dog can be compared to Curley's wife, who does not have a name, either. Neither is thought of as important enough to have a an identity of their own and both are known by their "master's" name. in addition, Candy's dog and Curley's wife are thought of as bothersome nuisances. The parallel can be seen especially in the way the men treat Curley's wife. Whenever the dog is around, the men want his somewhere else because he smells. Whenever Curley's wife is around, she is told to go somewhere else. Neither gets much respect from the men.

What is the plot of "To Build a Fire"?

Our protagonist begins a trek, with his dog, across the frozen tundra even though the locals told him not to. He soon realizes that it is too cold, and the only way he is going to survive after getting wet is to build a fire to keep warm. His hands are frozen, and he has a hard time lighting a match. He finally succeeds in starting a fire under a tree. Unfortunately, the heat of the fire melts the snow on the tree's branches, and it falls on him and the fire, putting it out. He tries to light another fire, but he is too cold. He thinks about trying to catch the dog he is with so that he can use the body for warmth, but the dog is not compliant. He ends up dying in the snow.

What are examples of symbolism in "Christabel" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge?

There are several symbols in the poem "Christabel" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The first, and most obvious, symbol is that of light and dark. Light symbolizes good and dark evil. The lamp helps the reader see this. Christabel lights the lamp, and Geraldine cowers from it. Another symbol in the poem is the snake. The attackers in the poem are described as having "reptile souls". This snake symbol is also a Biblical allusion to the serpent and evil. Coleridge's symbols are integrated seamlessly into his work. His symbols are as important as his plot. 

In Macbeth, how and why does Macbeth turn from a warrior into an evil murderer?

Well, some people might argue that your question in itself is a bit of a paradox: surely all warriors that kill people are murderers! Whether they're evil or not is a different question, but your question draws out one of the key ironies of the play.

When we first hear about Macbeth, we hear that he's been "unseaming" people (literally, cutting them open at the seams) on the battlefield, and bathing himself in "reeking wounds". He's a terrifying soldier.

Yet when he comes in victory, and happens upon the witches, they make a prophecy that he will become king. He's immediately drawn:

Stars, hide your fires. Let not light see
My black and deep desires...

Macbeth has already thought about murdering the king, it seems, but the witches push the thought to the front of his mind. And, when he writes to his wife, she resolves to remove "all that impedes thee from the golden round". She persuades him to murder Duncan, and chastises him when, at one point, he claims he's going to go no further with the murder.

So it's the women - the witches and Lady M - that make sure he kills Duncan. But, it seems, his "black and deep desires" were there anyway. And that he reacts so badly - losing sleep, becoming paranoid, seeing visions - to one murder is the real irony. Macbeth is a ferocious, bloodthirsty warrior on the battlefield, but he can't kill one old man in his own house. It's all in how you think about it...

In "Hamlet", what ideas are suggested in Hamlet's "To be, or not to be" speech, and what gives it a universal quality?

This is probably the most studied text in the English language. What is its universal quality? Why do people find it so special?

It is because it gently and inclusively discusses topics that are extremely uncomfortable and taboo. People do not liking even thinking about these things, let alone talking about them.

Look at our society, it is FULL of cheesy people saying...

• "hey life is totally awesome" (it is sometimes)
• "Life is full of beautiful, happy people" (no, it's not),
• "Get out there and shine like you mean it", etc etc.

But if you say, "sorry, sometimes I don't feel fine, sometimes I find life deeply confusing" then our 'caring, sharing' society generally replies, "la la la la, whatever, I'm going shopping."

Hamlet looks straight at life with no soft focus or false positive attitude and concludes, "It really stinks". He lists the things that make it stupid and painful. He asks himself, "Is life better than death?" He thinks about the unknown afterlife and says people only suffer life because they are afraid of death.

And remember that Hamlet 'lived' in 1600, when life was much much tougher than it is now (for Americans at least).

The 'to be or nor to be' speech looks at a topic we almost never talk about, and Shakespeare analyses it so beautifully and with such genuine human feeling that it speaks deeply to all of us.

In "Julius Caesar", how does Antony prove to be loyal to Caesar?i want to know also antony's contributon to the play

As a foil to Brutus, Marc Antony shows his loyalty differently. While Brutus respects Caesar:"yet I love him well (I,ii,82), he slays Caesar out of loyalty to the state and its welfare:"Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more (III,ii,22), Antony weeps, "Thou art the ruins of the noblest man/That ever lived in the tide of times" (III,i,256-257). Because he is alone critics argue that this speech is evidence of Antony's genuine love and loyalty to Caesar. He wants Caesar alive, not dead for political reasons.

In order to avenge the death of Caesar, Antony employs ironyin his oration--"So are they all, all honorable men"(III,ii,84)--as well as emotional pauses to arouse the people to turn against the conspirators.

Later in the play, Antony again manipulates people. In his love for Caesar and loyal promise to avenge him

"A curse shall light upon the limbs of men:/Domestic fury and fierce civil strife/Shall cumber all the parts of Italy(III.i.262-264)

Antony is willing to sacrifice the life of his own nephew. He agrees to trade his nephew's life for that of Lepidus with whom he has formed a political alliance along with Octavius. However, when Lepidus leaves, Antony tells Octavius,"This is a slight unmeritable man,/Meet to be sent on errands" (IV,i,12-13).

Still acknowleging loyalty, Antony recognizes it in the dead Brutus:"This was the noblest Roman of all.(V,v,68)

Why did Willam Shakespeare decide to write the story Romeo and Juliet?Was there ever an explanation for why he wrote it, whether for money or fame?

As has been already noted, we don't really know because neither Shakespeare or his contemporaries told us.

However, we do know that Shakespeare's contemporaries loved this kind of story and they read and watched (at the theatre) many of them.

One of the favourite sources for such stories was Ovid's ancient poem 'Metamorphoses', written in the 1st Century AD by a Roman poet.  In that poem there is a story of tragic love which Shakespeare would have known very well and probably used as a source for Romeo and Juliet.

  Ovid's story is of the young lovers Pyramus and Thisbe, which ends with up with the young man Pyramus killing himself because he believes his lover, Thisbe, to have been killed by a lion. She has been hiding and returns to find him dying, and is so distraught that she kills herself with this sword. 

We know Shakespeare loved this story because he used it in another of his plays 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.  In this play a group of simple folk act out a comic version of the story.

As I said, it seems that stories of true love destined for a tragic end were very popular at that time.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird", how does Jem react when Atticus tells him to go home, and why?

In this chapter, the children, lead by Jem,  sneak out of their house and follow their father to the center of town.  There, an angry mob of people from town approach Atticus.  They tell him to move away from the jailhouse door, but Atticus refuses.   At this point Scout comes out of her hiding place in an effort to help her father and Jem and Dill follow her. The mob says Atticus has 15 seconds to make his children leave, but they refuse. They stay to help their father.  He disobeys his father, but does so in a more mature manner.  Jem is becomming more of an adult at this point in the novel.   Jem tries to "break the tension" by telling his father that the "phone is ringing".  He fully understands and is aware of the difficult situation his father is in defending Tom Robinson.   He fears for his father's safety. Scout also plays an important role as she picks out Walter Cunningham in the crowd and has a conversation with him.

What are the themes of Stuck in Neutral?

The main theme is about Shawn's quality of life.  With his handicap, Shawn will never be able to have a relationship with a woman.  He'll never be able to walk, feed himself, or even take care of himself on his own.  He will never be able to hold a job to take care of himself.  These are things to consider, and the end of the story makes the reader wonder if his life is worth keeping and living.  Hopefully most of us say YES!  Shawn wants to live.  He has no desire to leave this world yet.  He's got a great sense of humor, has a great memory, and is quite intelligent.  All of these traits play into whether his life is worth living.  Others may see his life as unbearable, but to Shawn, it's what he knows.  It's his life to live.  No one else knows what goes on in his mind, so they don't know that he's content.

Describe Hamlet's behaviour towards Polonius.

Hamlet thinks Polonius is a buffoon who talks to much and is trying to foist his daughter on Hamlet. He never loses an opportunity to make fun of the king's closest advisor. He calls him a "fish monger" ( or pimp), compares him to Jepthah, an old Testament judge who sacrificed his own daughter, and generally plays him for a fool. When Polonius asks Hamlet what he is reading, Hamlet replies "words". Hamlet claims he sees things in the clouds just to get Polonius to foolishly go along with him. In addition, he tries to embarrass Polonius in front of the crowd gathered to see "The Murder of Gonzago", Hamlet points out that Polonius acted in Julius Caesar and his character was killed in the capitol. This is obviously a veiled threat to Polonius and actually foreshadows his death in Elsinore, the capitol of Denmark. After Hamlet kills Polonius, he calls him a "prating nave" or fool. He leaves Polonius' body lying in a pool of blood throughout his confrontation with his mother and then unceremoniously grabs him and hides his body. Hamlet obviously does not care for or respect Polonius.

In "Antigone", what was the reason for the battle in which Oedipus' sons were killed?

After Oedipus died in exile, both Eteocles and Polyneices were supposed to rule Thebes jointly. One was to rule one year and the other would rule the next year. However Eteocles refused to give up power to Polyneices once his year was over. So, Polyneices fled to Argos, raised an army, and attacked Thebes. Both brothers were killed in the battle. However, since Polyneices fought against Thebes, their uncle, Creon, who is now king over Thebes, refuses to allow Polyneices body to be buried. This was considered a sin against the gods and thus his sister, Antigone, decides to disobey her uncle's edict and to bury her brother.

What conflicts take place in The Tempest?Kindly make the answers specific.

A major conflict that takes place in The Tempest is the tension between Prospero and Antonio.  Prospero was once the Duke of Milan; however, Antonio usurped his brother from power, forcing Prospero to exile himself and Miranda to the island.  Prospero is also angry with Alonso because Alonso aided Antonio in his wrongdoing.  Prospero wants justice for himself, and this is one of the reasons why he has Ariel create the storm to run Alonso's boat ashore.

Another conflict in the play revolves around Caliban's hatred for Prospero.  When he arrived on the island, Prospero killed Caliban's mother Sycorax and took over control of the island.  Caliban feels that Prospero is intruding on his homeland and sees no reason why he should be slave to Prospero.  When Caliban meets Trinculo and Stephano, he vows to work for them instead of Prospero and the three make a plan to kill Prospero and take over the island.

In "Death of a Salesman", what was the last name of Bernard and Charley, neighbours to the Lomans?I'm supposed to write a newspaper article about...

In the play "Death of A Salesman," Charlie is a neighbor and friend to Willy.  Benard is Charlie's son.  Their last names are never revealed.  Charlie is described as "a large man, slow of speech, laconic, immovable” – engages in teasing banter with Willy, who feels insulted when Charley good-heartedly offers Willy a job."  Charlie is called Uncle Charlie by Biff and Hap, however he is not related to the family, just a friend who helps the Lomans financially.

In "The Guest", why does Daru give the prisoner his freedom? What reasons are there for not giving him his freedom?

Daru is told by Balducci that the Head officer could not spare him long enough to escort the Arab prisoner all the way to the French authorities.  Balducci tels Daru it will be up to him to complete the transfer of the prisoner.  Daru does not want to do this because he doesn't feel it is his job.  Daru also does not wish to take sides against the Albanians until he has to choose to fight for France.  Daru doesn't want to be involved in this messy business.

A good reason for Daru to do as he is asked is that the French government is expecting him to follow their orders.  He is being handed a responsibility and should fulfill that responsibility even if it is an unpleasant thought.  His refusal could look like a betrayal to the French.

What significance does the scene with Travis and the other children chasing a rat have in regard to the feelings of Black Americans in the U.S.A?

This scene is more symbolic of a great many issues related to social identity and African Americans in the latter half of the 20th century.  The literal conception of the scene is that African- American children have conditions that confront their childhood narratives that are different from White children.  Certainly, Hansberry's choice of a rat is unique in its own right.  It could have been a field mouse, or a bird, but in choosing a "rat," Hansberry identified an animal that is closely associated with squalor, poor living conditions, and overall challenge.  It is understood in the context of its presentation that rats don't live in Clybourne Park, or areas with a large concentration of White population.  This indicates a fundamental difference in the lives of children who live where the Youngers do.  Additionally, the rat is "trapped."  This is symbolic of how the social and material conditions configure the lives of many children of color.  Travis is chasing the rat with his friends, which is symbolic of the myriad of forces that are "chasing" and seeking to "trap" children of color in America.  This is a statement of the reality facing African American children:  Neighborhoods that might lack basic social services, schoolhouses that represent "the corridor of shame," lack of employment opportunities, a severe lack of institutional response, combined with a social and economic focus that poses challenges for African Americans, in particular African American children, is the reality that many faced at the time of Hansberry's writing, and still face today.  These forces work in tandem and in isolation to treat African- American and other children of color, or any child facing such a reality, as Travis and his friends chase the rat.  Final point being made in this scene might be how much a change is needed.  In any social setting where kids have to entertain themselves by chasing a rat, adults have to acknowledge that there is a fundamental problem in these conditions.  There must be a change, a reorientation that allows these situations to be remedied, for while Travis chases the rat today, he, himself, might be chased in the near future.

What is "multiplying polynomials"?

Let's have two polynomials, f and g, written in this way:

f=(a0,a1,a2,.....,ak,…an,...), g=(b0,b1,b2,…,bm,....)

where a0, a1, a2....an, b0, b1,....bn are coefficients of these two polynomials.

We can write the polynomials in this way also:

f(x)=a0X^n + a1X^(n-1) + .......+anX^0

g(x)=b0X^m + b1X^(m-1) + .......+bmX^0

These two polinoms have a finite number of terms, different from 0 value. We can define on the set of complex numbers the following algebraical operations: addition and multiplication.

f+g=(a0+b0,a1+b1,a2+b2,...)

fg=(c0,c1,c2,...), (2)

where

c0=a0*b0,

c1=a0*b1+a1*b0,

c2=a0*b2+a1*b1+a2*b0,

ar=a0*br+a1*br-1+a2*br-2+...+ar*b0= ai*br-i= ai*bj

The element f+g=(a0+b0,a1+b1,....) is called the sum between f and g and the operation is called addition.

The element f*g=(c0,c1,c2,....) is called the product between f and g,and the operation is called multiplication.

For example:

If f=(-1,2,3,-5,0,0,..) and g=(1,0,-1,0,...), then their sum is f+g=(0,2,2,-5,0,0,...), and their product is f*g=(-1,2,4,-7,-3,5,0....).

The properties of polynomial multiplication:

1. Commutation between the factors of mutiplying does not change the result:

f*g=g*f

2. The multiplication is associative.

(f*g)*h=f*(g*h)

3. The polynomial 1=(1,0,0,...) is neutral element for multiplication.

f*1=1*f=f

4. The mutiplication is distributive with respect to addition.

f*(g+h)=f*g+g*h
(f+g)*h=f*h+g*h

5. f*g=f*h and fis non-zero polynomial ,then we can simplify with f and the result is g=h

What is the theme of the novel The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963?

Great question! I think when we consider this novel one theme that we cannot ignore is how children process and understand concepts beyond their comprehension. It is particularly interesting that, thanks to Byron, Kenny imagines the Wool Pooh as a physical representation of death, that he has to fight firstly when he nearly drowns in the water by Collier's Landing and secondly when he tries to pull a girl out of the church after it has been bombed. Chapter 15 of the novel shows us a young, sensitive male trying to come to terms with all that he has experienced and trying to make sense of all that he has witnessed. It is only after he is able to talk with Byron that he comes to understand and process some of what has happened to him.

Another key theme of this work is family relationships. Throughout the novel, Byron and Kenny have a kind of love-hate relationship that oscillates between Byron bullying Kenny and Byron protecting and being kind to him. The author paints a realistic family with a series of relationships that are trying to cope with various conflicts, chiefly the struggle of the parents to bring up Byron to be a well-adjusted young man with strong values.

In "The Crucible", what is the effect of Sarah Good's and Tituba's talk about flying south? Why does Miller include it?

Hale has decided that the court was being used as a tool for vengeance and turns against it completely.  He has spent time meditating and fasting to find the truth in his heart and soul. Parris is stricken with fear after Abigail robs his money and runs away, he wants the whole witch trial episode to end. He is afraid that he will lose his job or his life.

The court cannot alter its behavior just because Abigail and Mercy have run away, they have already executed 12 people.  Danforth must continue to pursue the "truth as defined by the girls" because he fears retribution from the town, a revolt, a riot the town could put Danforth to death for his part in the trials.

Danforth wants Elizabeth to convince John to sign the confession. Elizabeth tells John she was partly responsible for the affair with Abigail, she was a cold wife.  She respects him again, loves him. She doesn't take Hale's advice to convince John because she believes that he has saved his soul by refusing to be used by evil.  Proctor gives up his life to save his immortal soul.  He gets his dignity back, having confessed to his affair in public. 

Proctor dies a decent, honest, Christian man, cleansed of his sin of adultery. He chooses to die a whole man, rather than live a life defined by a lie. 

Corey was tortured, heavy stones were placed on his chest to encourage him to cooperate with the court.  He refused, asking for more weight to be added, as a result he died during the torture. He is pressed to death for refusing to plead to the charge against him. He remained silent, preserving his land for his family by not pleading innocent or guilty to witchcraft.

What is the central conflict of "The Guest"? Is it external or internal? Can it be defined in terms of dilemma?

The main conflict in the story is Daru's internal struggle with having to turn the Arab prisoner over to French authorities.  He does not want to take sides.  He does not want to turn the prisoner in but he has been ordered to do so.  His dilemma is whether or not to do as he is told, or to do as he wants.  If he does as he is told he will escort the prisoner to the French for a trial, if he does as he wants he will remain neutral and let the prisoner go.

In "The Rocking Horse Winner," what is the setting of the story? What is the moment when the story moves from history to action?

The setting of the story is in the family's "pleasant house, with a garden", where they lived in style, but were haunted by the lack of money.  Haunted, almost literally, as it reads that the house constantly whispered, "There must be more money". 

The story gives about 6 paragraphs of back-story and set-up, and moves directly from that history into action, when little Paul asks his mother why they don't keep a car of their own, but always use a taxi or their uncle's car.  From here there is a crucial discussion of money, and luck (which is, according to his mother, the ability to earn money). 

This story's themes of greedy matieralism and the fruitless quest for money make for a very sad, but though-provoking story, and that unique set-up is an important part of it.  I hope that helps!

In "The Glass Menagerie", Tom calls Laura "peculiar" but Amanda bristles at this word. What is peculiar about Laura?

Laura has more than one handicap. Besides her limp and social awkwardness, Laura's insecurity prevents her from taking on life's challenges even in small ways. She gets so nervous at tying class she throws up during class and is so humiliated that she never goes back. She wanders around town, visiting greenhouses or going to the movies until "found out"; the rest of the time she spends at home, listening to records or playing with her glass menagerie. She retreats into a crystalline world of her own; this is her means of escape.

Ironically, the fragility in Laura shatters even as her heart "breaks" when she learns why Jim will not be coming back. She gives him the unicorn without its horn, now "normal," as a souvenir of his visit. Although she is emotionally let down by this delicate encounter, she takes significant strides ahead in self-affirmation.

But even this does not arrange things for her most uncertain future. Tom later reveals that Laura is still alone, still "different." She will never be, as Amanda, the flirty woman who knows "the art of conversation." This difference does indeed isolate her but it also sets her apart as a special, even unique, person. As Amanda remarks, "Still waters run deep."

What happened to William Shakespeare in 1610?

In 1610, Shakespeare wrote the last play that is credited to him alone. The play is "The Tempest" and was written in either 1610 or 1611. Despite the fact that it is known as Shakepeare's last piece for the stage, the play is still considered "the finest of his great and/or late romances." After finishing "The Tempest", Shakespeare went into semi-retirement and finally retirement. He died in 1616 at the age of 52.

What feeling permeates the first part of Hamlet Act 1, Scene 1?

The first part of Scene I in Hamlet is permeated with a sense of mystery and foreboding. First, the play begins at midnight, a very symbolic time for mystery stories. The first line of the play portends some kind of fear when Bernardo asks, "Who's there?" He is afraid because he has seen the ghost of Prince Hamlet's father the night before plus Denmark seems to be preparing for war. The rest of Scene 1 is taken up with a discussion of what the ghost might be and the appearance of the ghost. The guards assume “'that this portentous figure / Comes armed through our watch so like the King / That was and is the question of these wars' with young Fortinbras" ( I.i. 109-111.) However, once Hamlet sees the ghost of his father he learns the ghost wants Hamlet to "Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder” (I. v. 23-25)

How do people receive an assignment in The Giver?

In Jonas' world, there is a Ceremony every year in December during which the children are given different privileges (like riding a bike) or status signifiers (like a two button jacket), depending on their "age".  It is during The Ceremony of Twelve that each child is told what their assignment will be.  The assignments are determined by The Elders, who closely observe the child for several years before the time of the Ceremony of Twelve in order to find the best fit for their assignment.  

What are the figures of speech and each meaning?The figures of speech and their meaning and give me an example.

There are many many figures of speech and literary terms.  Most high school literature textbooks have a whole glossary in the back listing all of them.  Some of the main ones are:

Allegory -  a narrative in which abstractions (ideas) are made concrete; characters stand for principles, attitudes, etc.

Irony - a literary device which presents a conflict between appearance and reality; may be intentional or unintentional on the part of a character, but always intentional on the part of the author

Alliteration - The repetition of initial consonant sounds.

Assonance - The repetition of vowel sounds.

Idiom - a phrase where the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words,

Imagery - Words or phrases that appeal to any sense or any combination of senses.

Metaphor - A comparison between two objects with the intent of giving clearer meaning to one of them. Often forms of the "to be" verb are used, such as "is" or "was", to make the comparison.

Onomatopoeia - The use of words which imitate sound. 

Personification - A figure of speech which endows animals, ideas, or inanimate objects with human traits or abilities.

Point-of-view - The author's point-of-view concentrates on the vantage point of the speaker, or "teller", of the story or poem.

1st person: the speaker is a character in the story or poem and tells it from his/her perspective (uses "I")

3rd person limited: the speaker is not part of the story, but tells about the other characters but limits information about what one character sees and feels.

3rd person omniscient: the speaker is not part of the story, but is able to "know" and describe what all characters are thinking.

Repetition - the repeating of words, phrases, lines, or stanzas.

Simile - A comparison between two objects using a specific word or comparison such as "like", "as", or "than".

In "Heart of Darkness", why does the Russian nurse Kurtz through two illnesses?

The Russian's doting on Mr. Kurtz is evidence of Kurtz's inexplicable power over others. Kurtz has managed to achieve a near godlike existence in the middle of the Congo. He has become a brute, a misogynist, and a deeply selfish man. He has won over the black African natives, and it could be argued that Kurtz's influence over a white Russian man proves to the reader that Kurtz's influence is more real or universal. The Russian's care of Kurtz is great evidence for a racial analysis of the novel.

In Romeo and Juliet, Juliet is 13, but how old is Romeo?

Romeo and Juliet is the very famous story of the two "star-crossed lovers" (Prologue to Act I, line 6) who are doomed to fail in their attempts to overcome the feud which has dominated the Montague and Capulet families for as long as anyone can remember. They clearly underestimate the stubbornness of their parents and the hatred in their hearts which even extends to the servants who bear as much animosity towards the opposing household as they would towards a true enemy.

Romeo and Juliet's inability to grasp the true depth of feeling involved in this "grudge" (Prologue, line 3) gives an indication of just how young they both are. Neither Juliet nor Romeo appreciates the complexity of the problem and they even believe that denying their ancestry may be enough. Juliet ponders that "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" (II.ii.44) suggesting that a family name should not have any bearing on her relationship with Romeo and she has come to the conclusion that it is "but thy name that is my enemy" (38). Romeo is also willing to renounce everything for her because as he says, his "name is hateful to myself" (55). Romeo is not yet old enough to understand that he would be expected to uphold the resentment and loathing in honor of his family name.  

The ages of Romeo and Juliet are significant in understanding how they come to such a tragic end because it is their youth and inexperience and their inability to see beyond their immediate circumstances that causes them, Romeo in particular, to act so irrationally. Romeo is so overwhelmed by his circumstances and so immature in his actions that he is apparently just a teenager of perhaps sixteen years old, definitely younger than eighteen because by eighteen a young man of his standing would be expected to be able to lead men into battle and so he would not act so impulsively. 

Does the Earth rotate clockwise or counterclockwise?

...and if you look down on the solar system from the direction of the North Star, you'd see that all major planets in the same plane circling the sun counterclockwise, and each rotating on its axis counterclockwise, with the exception of Uranus, which rotates on its side, and Venus, which rotates clockwise.

The New Intelligent Man's Guide to Science,  pg. 87, I. Asimov,1965

How did Cassius die in Julius Caesar?

In Act V, Cassius, Brutus, Antony, and Octavius meet on the plains of Philippi. Their encounter ends up in an argument which confirms the imminent battle between the two factions. Brutus and Cassius separate in order to take charge of their individual armies and to face those of Antony and Octavius.  Brutus asks Messala to begin the attack on Octavius’s army, who seemed unsettled.

Brutus’s troops emerged victorious against Octavius’s army. Cassius, on the other hand, is surrounded and sends Titinius to confirm the people in the tents.  Cassius is led to believe that his friend Titinius has been captured by the enemy.

He offers his slave Pindarus his freedom and in exchange requests the slave to kill him using the same sword he used to assassinate Caesar. Pindarus unwillingly does as instructed and drives the sword through Cassius, killing him. However, Cassius’s actions are not well informed because Titinius met Brutus’s troops and not the enemies’. After Cassius’s death, Brutus is left to battle alone.

Cassius dies by his own sword when he requests Pindarus to kill him.

Come hither, sirrah.
In Parthia did I take thee prisoner,
And then I swore thee, saving of thy life,
That whatsoever I did bid thee do,(40)
Thou shouldst attempt it. Come now, keep thine oath;
Now be a freeman, and with this good sword,
That ran through Caesar's bowels, search this bosom.
Stand not to answer: here, take thou the hilts;
And when my face is cover'd, as 'tis now,(45)
Guide thou the sword.

What is the climax in the story "Through the Tunnel"?

The climax comes when Jerry is able to hold his breath long enough to be able to swim through the tunnel. This is a turning point in Jerry's life because he has set and accomplished a difficult goal. When he is finally through the tunnel. he looks at the other boys who had be taunting him but he is no longer interested in them. In fact, it was"no longer of the least importance to go to the bay." Jerry has succeeded in his metaphorical journey toward manhood and is now aware he can accomplish difficult tasks without the help of his mother.

How many different ways can 9 people be ordered in a line? Please help me find this factorial.

Factorials are not too difficult, and are actually sort of fun.  The way that you get the answer is by multiplying the number one by two, then that amount by three, then that amount by four all the way up to the number you need the factorial for. Your question would look like this:

1 X 2 X 3 X 4 X 5 X 5 X 6 X 7 X 8 X 9 = 362880

Some calculators have a factorial button on them, but if you just have a scientific calculator, just punch in the numbers. 

In "To Kill a Mockingbird", what is the verdict of the trial? Describe Jem’s reaction when the jury came back with the verdict." Chapter 21 To...

Tom Robinson is a black accused of raping a white woman. In Maycomb, there is no way he will get a fair trial. Atticus knows this, but Jem still believes in justice. Throughout the entire trial, Jem believes that Tom will be found innocent. 

Atticus does his job in proving there was no way that Tom was guilty. Jem is sitting in the balcony with the other black people, waiting for the jury to come back. Scout is there with him as well. When the jury comes back, the judge starts polling them. One after the other repeats "guilty". Jem is stunned. He slumps in his seat. He never thought Tom would be found guilty. He runs out of the courtroom and cries. 

What is interesting about his reaction, is that, it is the culmination of everything Jem believed to be true, and he is now finding out they are not true. In a way, Jem has lost a very important innocence of his childhood. He will never again look at his town the same way. He won't ever think of his neighbor's in the same way either. Jem was so sure his father was going to win. Jem now has lost the gift of ignorance about social issues. Atticus wanted so badly to protect his children from the ugliness this trial was going to bring. In the end, however, he is unable to do this. Jem and Scout have forever been changed and shaped by these unfortunate events. Harper Lee had such a way of showing us how ugly people can truly be.

In "The Crucible", how has Reverend Hale changed from when we first see him to the end of act 3?

Reverend Hale undergoes a dramatic transformation between Act I and Act III.  Arriving in Salem as an authority on witchcraft,  he becomes a vital member of the court, assisting in the process of uncovering witches that are present in the village. Reverend Hale participates in the condemnation, along with the court, and signs off on the execution of 12 people. 

As the play progresses, particularly after John Proctor is arrested, Reverend Hale begins to see that the accusations of witchcraft are being used as a tool of  vengeance in the town.  He begins to doubt Abigail Williams testimony and when she is revealed to be a harlot, for having an adulterous relationship with John Proctor, Reverend Hale no longer believes that there are any witches in Salem.  He leaves the court and returns home.

At the end of the play, Reverend Hale returns to Salem with one purpose and one purpose only, to save as many of the accused as possible.  He goes about this process by begging those awaiting execution to confess to witchcraft in order to save their lives. 

His change has occurred as a result of a long period of meditation and fasting, he believes, now, that he is actually working for God, by trying to save innocent people from wrongfully being put to death for a lie.  He particularly wants to save John Proctor's life, but is unsuccessful. 

In To Kill A Mocking Bird Why has Calpurnia’s tyranny, unfairness and meddling faded to gentle grumblings of general disapproval according to Scout?

I think the main reason for this is that actually, all the "meddling" and "unfair" etc. things Scout says Calpurnia has done are not half as bad as she makes them out to be. It is clear that Calpurnia loves Scout very much, and although she is sometimes strict, she is never in anyway unkind or unjust in her treatment of Scout, which tells us that Scout is exaggerating her meanness, as all children do about their figures of authority. A good example of this is when Scout calls Cal's presence "tyranical" because "she calls me when i'm not ready to come in". Although this is sound justification for a child, Scout probably would have missed her super had she not been called by Cal. However, as the book progresses and the children mature in attitude, Scout (albeit begrudgingly) realises that Calpurnia does mean well, as she sees how petty the apparantly mean things Cal does compared to the great prejudice of the other people around her, and as a result, stops exaggerating her strictness and dissproves generally, as although she won't admit it to the reader or anyone else, she has very little or no reason to think badly of her. 

In "Fahrenheit 451" what are 3 things that Beatty talks about in his speech to Montag that are true about our world today?

1.  Beatty mentions that political correctness takes over: "The bigger the population, the more minorities...the people in this book, this play, this TV serial are not meant to represent any actual [people]."  Today, books are banned from schools.  We have to be careful not to offend minority groups, and many of our laws, books, and media are centered around not offending them.

2.  Beatty states that their society tried to make everyone equal, so as to make everyone feel better about themselves.  He states, "the word 'intellectual' became the swear word it deserved to be...you remember the boy in your own school class who was exceptionally 'bright'...and wasn't it this bright boy you selected for beatings...after hours?" This happens in our society too; smart kids don't answer questions so that they aren't labelled as a suck-up, being smart is socially uncool, and the stuff we teach in schools is slowly becoming more and more basic, in order to cater to everyone.

3.  He states that their society cut all books down to brief summary, because people wanted to know what it was about without having to go through the effort of reading it.  He states, "Classics cut to fit fifteen-minute readio shows, then cut again to fill a two-minute book column."  This happens in our society too; we would much rather watch the movie of the book instead of reading it.  We look up plot summaries online instead of making the effort to read it.

Why is Ralph so angry with Jack after spotting the ship, and what is Jack's excuse?

In Chapter 6 of "Lord of the Flies,"Ralph, the voice of civilization is angered that the fire has gone out while the boys run around the island looking for the "beast."  He turns to the assembly of boys and asks them, "Don't you all want to be rescued?" With the support turning to his side, Ralph then asks Jack if there is anywhere on the island that he has not been.  Jack answers "unwillingly" as he is disgruntled that Ralph has regained his leadership. For, earlier Jack had dominated Pippy by "contemptuously" accusing Piggy of always being scared. Also, he contended that the conch was not needed anymore, and "it's time some people knew they've got to keep quiet and leave deciding things to the rest of us...This is a hunter's job."

At this point Jack strives to usurp Ralph and Piggy's power as the civilized and intelligent leaders of the group.  He talks of rocks and rocks making good bridges.  The rock, a symbol of the Stone Age, suggests the rising savagery in Jack and the hunters, especially the innately sadistic Roger.  Here Golding writes that

Simon thought of the beast; there rose before his inward sight the picture of a human at once heroic and sick.

In the lagoon, the "sleeping leviathan breathed out...and the water boiled over the table rock with a roar."  This passage foreshadows the rise of the strong savage nature in the boys--"[the]long fall and rise and fall [of the waves]"--and their vicious acts of destroying Simon and Piggy,just as the "leviathan," Moby Dick, Melville's evil force, drowned Ahab--he,too, once heroic and sick--in the long fall and rise of the ocean waves.

In "The Minister's Black Veil" what are the symbolic implications of looking through a black veil?

In explaining the meaning of the black veil, start with the meaning of its two parts. Blackness refers to darkness, both literal and symbolic. It refers to night, death, sin, depression, and loss. A veil hides someone and sets him or her off from the world. Combine them, and you get someone who is set off from the world through a barrier of pain, loss, sin, and death. For some in his congregation, this produces, we are told " a feeling of dread."  People tell stories about him.

However, Hawthorne notes, "Among all its bad influences, the black veil had the one desirable effect, of making its wearer a very efficient clergyman. By the aid of his mysterious emblem--for there was no other apparent cause--he became a man of awful power over souls that were in agony for sin."

He knows the dark, and so can counsel those there.

In Into the Wild, how does Jim Gallien meet Chris McCandless?

Jim Gallien meets Chris McCandless when he spots the young man four miles out of Fairbanks, "standing in the snow beside the road, thumb raised high, shivering in the gray Alaska dawn".  Gallien, a union electrician, is driving a truck over to Anchorage, "240 miles beyond Denali on the George Parks Highway", and he stops to pick up McCandless.  As they ride along, McCandless introduces himself simply as "Alex", and reveals that he wants "a ride as far as the edge of Denali National Park, where he intend(s) to walk deep into the bush and 'live off the land for a few months'".  Gallien is concerned that McCandless isn't carrying "anywhere near as much food and gear as you'd expect a guy to be carrying for that kind of trip", and tries to point out the dangers of his planned undertaking, but McCandless will not be dissuaded.  The older man then offers "to drive (McCandless) all the way to Anchorage, buy him some decent gear, and then drive him back to wherver he wanted to go", but McCandless politely declines.  Finally, Gallien drops McCandless off as requested at the head of the remote Stampede Trail.  He does convince the young adventurer to take with him "an old pair of rubber work boots" he has in the back of the truck, as well as the lunch Gallien's wife had packed for him that morning - "two grilled-cheese-and-tuna sandwiches and a bag of corn chips" (Chapter 1).

What impact did Edgar Allan Poe have on modern literature?What changes did Edgar help make in his time? How did those changes affect the way...

Edgar Allan Poe brought about several changes in the literary style of his time period.  Poe, as a writer, poet, editor and a critical writer influenced not only American literature, but he also had an impact on international literature.  He was one of the first writers to develop the genre of both detective fiction and horror.  Stories like “The Pit and the Pendulum,”  “The Black Cat,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and “The Fall of the House of Usher,” as well as poems like the “Raven” set him apart from other writes of his time.  “Many anthologies credit him as the "architect" of the modern short story. He was also one of the first critics to focus primarily on the effect of the style and of the structure in a literary work; as such, he has been seen as a forerunner to the "art for art's sake" movement.”  Poe’s style still impacts writers today. "Nearly every important American writer after Poe shows signs of influence, especially when working in the gothic mode or with grotesque humor. The French, Italians, and writers in Spanish and Portuguese in the Americas acknowledge and demonstrate their debts to Poe in technique and vision."  Steven King, Clive Barker and others have followed in the footsteps of Poe.  The genre of horror is bigger today than ever and Edgar Allan Poe was at the forefront of this style of writing.

What is the exposition, climax, rising action, falling action, and resolution of "A Rose for Emily"?

This story is told almost backwards with its use of flashbacks. So the way to examine it's plot sections is also backwards.  The exposition of the story would be when the author introduces her father and we see his personality and her background.  We know the characters involved and the conflict.  Emily is too good for any man, according to her father, so he keeps her from dating/marrying.  Then he dies, which is another conflict for her--being alone.  This carries on throughout the story.  She does not want to be left.

The rising action involves most of the rest of the storyline including the town's attitude towards her and her fling with Homer.  Even the part where she buys the arsenic and the house smells something awful.  The town even spreads lime around the house to help keep the smell down.

The climax is not until the last few lines of the story when we find Homer's body and one of her gray hairs on the pillow next to his corpse.  We realize that she had poisoned him so he wouldn't leave, (and that was the awful smell earlier) and that she has been lying with him ever since.

The falling action is about a decade before she dies when they try to get her tax money from her.  She holds them off, though.  And the resolution then is the really at the beginning when she is introduced at her own funeral.

What are some similarities between the poetry of William Wordsworth, William Shakepeare and John Donne?I am an undergraduate and want to know some...

All three of these poets were Englishman and rather revolutionary in their writing styles.

Both Shakespeare and John Donne wrote during the 1600s.  Their style of weaving wit and humor into their writing was unique to both of them, and they were not even compared to one another until many years later.  Most Elizabethan poetry at the time was colorful with metaphors, most of which could now be considered somewhat cliche and obvious.  Donne was noted for his use of unusual comparisons and analogies in his poetry.  Also similar to Shakespeare, Donne employed the use of puns and paradoxes that required his audience to think twice when reading his works.

Wordsworth, who was not considered quite as humorous as Shakespeare and Donne, was nevertheless equally revolutionary in his style of writing.  His works came out in the late 1700s and he is credited with helping to start the Romantic movement in England with the publication of his and Coleridge's Lyrical Ballads.  Similar to the Romantic movement in America (which came years later), this movement was categorized by a rejection of the aristocratic social and political trends (something Shakespeare had done), as well as a presentation of nature as something in which to view beauty, rather than as a platform for scientific and rational thought (Shakespeare and Donne were also consistent with this).

Explain how the narrative structure of The Catcher in the Rye impacts its appeal.

The Catcher in the Rye is a first person narrative told through the eyes of the protagonist, Holden Caulfield.  This structure adds to the appeal of the reader for many reasons.  One reason is that Holden addresses the reader directly and thereby engages them in the story.  The reader feels as if they are actually speaking with Holden.  For example, Holden often says: “If you really want to hear about it…” appealing to our senses as a reader and making us a part of the story. As the character evolves the reader seems to evolve with him.  The text engages the reader and connects them to the novel.

Who is the solitary boy's only friend for the holidays in A Christmas Carol?

In Stave 2, we get some glimpses into Scrooge’s past that tell us why he acts the way he does.  At school, he was left all alone on the holidays with no one there but books to keep him company.

When Scrooge is first taken back to his childhood school, he is thrilled to see his old classmates.

The jocund travellers came on; and as they came, Scrooge knew and named them every one. Why was he rejoiced beyond all bounds to see them! Why did his cold eye glisten, and his heart leap up as they went past! (Stave 2, p. 20)

Scrooge is thrilled!  When the ghost takes him inside, he cries.  He knows that what he will see will not be a pleasant memory.  When his mother died, his father sent him away to boarding school and did not come to get him for holidays.  Scrooge had to stay in the empty school all alone.

“It's dear old honest Ali Baba! Yes, yes, I know! One Christmas time, when yonder solitary child was left here all alone, he did come, for the first time, just like that. Poor boy! (Stave 2, p. 20)

When Scrooge was all alone, the books were his only comfort.  The characters became his only friends.  Scrooge remembers their adventures well, and recounts them “in a most extraordinary voice between laughing and crying” (p. 20).  When he sees Robinson Crusoe, he asks where he has been.

Books cannot replace real people, and real friends.  The spirit pities the lonely child.  Scrooge remembers the boy singing at his door, and wishes he had been kinder to him.

Annotate the following quote: "What a piece of work is man How noble in reason! How infinite in faculties.”

This quote is from a famous speech by Hamlet in Act II, scene II.

Rosencrantz and Guilderstern arrive and after some prompting by Hamlet, they reveal that they have been sent to speak with him.  Hamlet confides in them that he has "lost all my mirth"  and "the earth seems to me a sterile promontory."  Clearly Hamlet is in a state of depression/melancholia:

What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reson, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving, how express and admirable in action, how like an angel in apprehension, how like a god:  the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals.  And yet to me, what is this quintessence of dust?  Man delights not me, nor woman neither, though by your smiling you seem to say so.

His expression of man as "noble" and "infinite in faculties" seems rather ironic in view of his reaction to Claudius and Polonius--whom he perceives as anything but godlike and paragons--and his two unfaithful friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

In "Flowers for Algernon", As Charlie overhears Prof Nemur and Dr. Strauss arguing, he misses words they say in progress report 5.Could any one...

Because of Charlie's Report, we can infer that Nemur and Strauss were arguing over whether or not to go ahead with the operation. Strauss seems to wants to do the operation because it will make scientific history. He thinks Charlie is a perfect subject because he is so motivated to learn. Nemur, on the other hand, is more concerned about the affect the operation will have on Charlie himself. He points out that they have no idea whether the results of the operation will be permanent or even succeed at making Charlie one bit smarter. In fact, the operation could leave Charlie worse. Charlie, of course, is eager to have the operation because he wants to be "smart".

What is the significance of Faustus' blood congealing in Doctor Faustus?

"My blood congeals and I can write no more".

 Thus speaks Faustus, on trying to sign his contract with the devil, which Mephistopheles has told him already, has to be signed in blood. The second time, Mephistopheles brings fire to dissolve the blood and allow him to sign, but not before Faustus has considered the congealed blood as an ominous sign:

What might the staying of my blood portend?
Is it unwilling I should write this bill?
Why streams it not that I may write afresh?
Faustus gives to thee his soul.
Ah, there it stay`d. Why should`st thou not?
Is not thy soul thine own? Then write again.
Faustus gives to thee his soul.

Is it a scary moment designed to warn Faustus at the last moment before it's too late? Who knows what to think of it - but it's a significant moment in the play: it marks the last chance Faustus has to go back on the deal.

Why do the conspirators fear that Caesar may not go to the capital in Act 2 Scene 1?

In the opening scene of Act II of "Julius Caesar," Cassius is concerned that

The unaccustomed terror of this night,/And the persuasion of his augurers/May hold him from the Capitol today (II,i,199-201)

Cassius complains that Caesar has become superstitious of late; the seer has told him to "beware the Ides of March," and the augurers, officials who interpret omens have decided it is unfavorable for Caesar to undertake certain activities.  However, Decius says that he can "o'ersway him" and bend his feelings in the right direction. 

Deius proves true to his word, for in the next scene, despite Calpurnia's dreams of a lioness whelping in the street, graves yielding up their dead, warriors fighting and their blood drizzling upon the Capitol, all omens that danger will come to Caesar if he goes, Deius is able to convince Caesar that this day he shall wear a crown.  The dreams, he tells Caesar are good omens that this day "great Rome shall suck/Reviving blood (II,ii,92-93). Thus, the man of pride who dislikes flatterers is flattered into dying.

How were automobiles made in the 1950s?

To answer your question it is best to look back at the history of the automobile.  The automobile or horseless carriage has a history stemming back to the 1300’s.  There are many accounts in Europe of people investigating and attempting to build what we know today to be a car. 

The idea gained popularity in America in the later 19th century.  The early inventors and entrepreneurs started to build cars in their barns.  They worked on these until they developed a good product.  As the car became more and more efficient the production picked up and entrepreneurs started to buy larger buildings and hire people to help them build their cars.  They advertised the cars by having races.  One of the most famous cars to race was Henry Fords 999. 

The production of cars is the key to your question.  While many think that Henry Ford was the inventor of the car, the truth is he was the inventor of the assembly line.  When Ford put into practice the assembly line cars became cheaper and more affordable for the average man.  Before this only the rich could afford a car.  So car production, using the assembly line, became very popular.  As the years went on there were several things that happened between companies, owners selling out, etc. but the assembly line never left. 

By the 1950’s cars were being mass-produced using better, more advanced techniques of the assembly line.  The 1950’s also had some issues with workers.  There were Unions in place by this time to help the worker gain some voice over their job, working conditions, hours worked, and pay.  During the 1950’s there was a good demand for the car.  People had grown to rely on it.  Women started to drive and they wanted colors on cars that had not been there before.  Production changed because the demand changed.  Whenever demand changes then the supply will change.  The bottom line is the assembly line is still in place today, making production efficient, yet as time goes on we see that the operation of the assembly line is becoming more and more automated.  So there lies a new set of problems.  The worker is not as valuable as he once was; now we have machines doing much of the work in assembling cars.

What literary device is the author using when she writes about Bob Ewell, "a little bantam cock of a man" strutting to the witness stand in...

The literary device Harper Lee is using in this situation is metaphor, the comparison of two things that have similar characteristics but which are not the same.  The author does not use "like" or "as", which distinguishes her use of literary device from simile.  The author is comparing Bob Ewell to a bantam rooster, because of his small physical build but extremely feisty, combative demeanor.  The metaphor also presents strong imagery, another literary device.  Through her choice of words, Lee enables the reader to visual Bob Ewell, a small man itching for a fight with everyone around him, lacking in stature but overflowing with belligerent confidence like "a little bantam cock", his chest thrust forward and head held high, stepping confidently up to the witness stand (Chapter 17).

Can a 16-year-old girl marry a 38-year-old man in the state of Kentucky?

Not without the consent of her parents - and her parents would have to live in the state. And, of course, the 38 year old man would have to not be her father.

Here's the law:  

As per the law of the state one may marry if he is 18 years or above. However, persons of 16 or 17 years old, must have the consent of their parents or legal guardian.

Custody papers are required if parents are divorced.

It has to be witnessed by two witnesses, who are at least 18 years old, signed by the parent or legal guardian, and sworn by the deputy clerk. If the bride is a pregnant minor you may apply to a district court judge for permission to marry without parental consent.

If one is under 16, he/she must get approval to marry from the District Court. Minors cannot get married in Kentucky if parents or guardians are not residents of Kentucky.

When do the boys definitively split into two hostile groups?

The split begins in the first chapter when Jack determines, at the end of the chapter, that the next time he encounters a pig, he will not hesitate to kill it, or even before that, with the first election.  But by chapter 9 and the killing of Simon, the split is complete.  Jack has appointed himself the Chief of his group and he runs the group with an iron fist.  Jack asks who will come join his group.  He promises them food, protection from the beast, and fun - the three things the boys want most.  He has all but a few littluns, Sam and Eric, Piggy, and Ralph.  Jack's style of command is very different from Ralph's.  Jack rules with complete authority.  He gives commands whereas Ralph tried to appeal to reason in order to get cooperation.  Jack exerts his authority over the boys with threats of punishment for any perception of disobedience. To prove his authority, he beats one child - Wilfred - for no reason at all.  Ralph would never do that because it lacks reason.  By the beginning of chapter 10, the boys are completely divided and Jack's side is completely savage. 

In the play Julius Caesar, who is Cato?

Cato is the son of the great Marcus Cato, the brother of Portia and the the brother-in-law of Brutus. In the play he is also a solider in the army of Brutus and Cassius. He has a very short role in the play as he dies fighting for what he believes is honorable at the battle of Philippi. He says these words, which shows his heroic temper: 

"What bastard doth not? Who will go with me? I will proclaim my name about the field: I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho! A foe to tyrants, and my country's friend; I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!"

When he dies, Lucilius says:

"O young and noble Cato, art thou down? Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius; And mayst be honour'd, being Cato's son."

Like Brutus, Cato is portrayed as honorable, heroic, and tragic. He fights to the end believing that he is doing what is best for Rome. Even if he is wrong, he cannot help but be honored. 

Who invented Oedipus interpretation?

The Oedipal interpretation of Hamlet suggests that Hamlet's anger towards Claudius (who is now a father-figure to him after his natural father's death and the marriage between Gertrude and Claudius) is motivated by a sub-conscious desire for his own mother, Gertrude, which creates a sexual rivalry and jealousy with Claudius. The logic would then proceed to try to explain the famous procrastination of Hamlet: he fails to kill Claudius through his own guilt at Claudius having killed Hamlet senior which Hamlet junior had sub-consciously willed in any event.

The story of Oedipus was first told in the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles in 429 BC.

The story was first applied in a psychological context by Sigmund Freud in 1910.

The complex was first applied to the play Hamlet in an essay entitled Hamlet and Oedipus published in 1910 in the American Journal of Psychology with the title "The Oedipus Complex as an Explanation of the 'Mystery of Hamlet."

Clearly the interpretation, which does have a very pleasing inherent logic, is wholly anachronistic and assumes incorrectly that the dramatic invention of Hamlet is a real psychologically complex person rather than a construct created for dramatic reasons.

 Be very careful using it as an interpretative aid!

What is an example passage from "The Giver" for the theme "Secrets may be better off kept than revealed"?I need two passages

The perfect example from this book that sometimes we're better off not knowing secrets is when Jonas discovers what his father's job actually is. His dad is what they call a Caregiver; that is, he nurtures infants until they are placed with families. When his father brings Gabriel home for extra attention, Jonas and the reader see his father as a truly caring person. Gabriel has been a difficult baby, and if he doesn't improve, he'll have to be released.

Then we find out exactly what it means to be released. Over closed-circuit television, Jonas watches as his own father "releases" an infant: he kills the baby with a lethal injection. Now Jonas knows that there is no "elsewhere" that unwanted or ill or elderly people are sent to. They are simply put to death.

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What is significant about the title in "Sweat"? Explain

The title is ironic in that Delia must work so hard to wash white people's clothes while her own are dirtied by sweat and blood. She is portrayed as a victim who must work hard because Sykes is a worthless, wife-beating philanderer--that is, until Sykes becomes the victim of his own prank. Then he is one who is sweating when he is bitten by the snake. He won't sweat long, however, before he will die. Delia will be free of his abuse, but she will probably continue to wash clothes.

How and what does the creature learn about the human race in Shelley's "Frankenstein"?

Victor Frankenstein creates a creature (he is never given a name, and so therefore it is wrong to refer to him as "Frankenstein") who learns two ways about humankind.  While the creature hides in the hovel attached to the home where the De Lacey family is living, he learns language.  He learns to speak, to read, and to write a little based on the lessons Felix gives to Agatha in the home.  Once he learns to read, he reads Victor's journals and the books that were in the leather case in Victor's cloak.  The books are Milton's Paradise Lost, Plutarch's Lives, and the Sorrows of Werter.  From these, he learned much about how humans govern themselves, respond to one another and relate through power, war, and beauty.  He says, "As I read, however, I applied much personally to my own feelings and condition.  I found myself similar, yet at the same time strangely unlike to the beings concerning whom I read, and to whose conversation I was a listener."  He began asking himself questions like "Who was I? What was I? Whence did I come? What was my destination?" In addition, he learned of cruelty and judgment first-hand when the villagers chased him with sticks and threw rocks at him as well as when Felix attacked him for being too near his elderly and blind father.  For these reasons, the creature decides upon revenge for Victor as he is the reason the creature's life is so miserable and outcast.

In the story, the money turns to chips, horses to skeletons, and the house burns. What is Irving trying to say by using these descriptions?

Irving is trying to show the temporal nature of all things through this symbolism. Money turning to worthless chips, horses reduced to skeletons, and the destruction of a house by fire all point to one thing: Everything passes away, and all things are temporary in this life.

This symbolism is similar to other authors, who turn humans to dust, wilt flowers or plants, or use a number of other symbolic devices to demonstrate the passing nature of life. In any literary work, when an author reduces something to its simplest form or its base, that author is normally trying to display the simplicity and fleeting nature of that thing, whatever it may be.

Decribe the style of Ray Bradbury in the story "A Sound Of Thunder"?

Bradbury employs poetic devices in his story "A Sound of Thunder."  For one thing, he utilizes ironies:  The reversal of hunted/hunter, the aplomb/cowardice of Eckels, the insignificance/monumental importance of a single butterfly.

In addition to these ironies, Bradbury employs metaphor.  "The sound of thunder" is first the massive movement of the Tyrannosaurus rex and at the end of the story, the echoing of both the memory of this dinosaur and the shot from the rifle of Travis.

Paradox is another poetic device in use by Bradbury.  He write of the "gliding ballet step" of the dinosaur, and it is "balanced for its ten-tons."  Its "body twitched even while the monster itself did not move.  Of course, the concept of going forward to the past in the time machine is a paradox.  And, the theme is presented in this very paradox.  Everything in the past affects everything in the present and in the future.

As T. S. Eliot wrote,

Time present and time past/Are both perhaps present in time future,/And time future contained in time past.

What are the similarities between the 3 superpowers in 1984?The governments of the three superpowers are alike in essence, even though their forms...

We are given very little information about the other Superstates, Eastasia and Eurasia; however, Goldstein's book which is included in the body of the novel gives us a few clues.  In the chapter entitled "War is Peace," Goldstein claims that all three Superstates are self-sustained economies that do not need one another to survive.  Each possesses enough land and resources to survive independently and has no reliance what-so-ever on the other Superstates for resources or finances.  He also states that the people within Eastasia and Eurasia are exactly like the people in Oceania due to their similarly ran governments.