I need a bulleted list of the main events in Great Expectations, including the climax and falling action.

I teach the NexText version so I may be missing a BUNCH since it is a shortened, simplified account:

• Pip meets convict
• Pip goes to Satis - meets Estella, MH
• Pip meets convict again at the bar
• Convict gives him shilling wrapped in pound notes
• Joe meets MH
• Orlick is introduced
• Mrs. Joe is attacked
• Orlick's feelings for Biddy are known
• Pip is contacted about his benefactor and rules are given
• Pip goes to London
• Pip re-meets Herbert Pocket
• Joe embarasses Pip when he visits
• Mrs. Joe dies
• Pip has Wemmick give money to Herbert
• Estella and MH argument
• The convict (Magwitch) appears and reveals his background and that he is Pip's benefactor
• Pip accuses MH of leading him on about Estella and the benefactorship. He asks her to give money to Herbert
• Pip and Herbert plan to help Magwitch
• Dinner at Jaggers's house - Estella's mom
• Magwitch announced as Estella's dad
• Pip lured to the marshes by Orlick so he can kill Pip
• Magwitch is captured
• Pip plans to ask Biddy to marry him
• Pip and Estella meet up at the end and go seperate ways

I hope that was helpful. I reiterate that I teach the shortened version of this novel so there may be some details that I dont remember from the actual novel.

What is the central meaning of Boccaccio's The Decameron?

The stories in The Decameron range from stories about bawdy intrigues to stories about bourgeois merchants to stories about the pains and tragedies of love to stories of religious capers with monks with farce, comedy, and tragedy all included. Therefore finding a "central meaning" to Boccaccio's The Decameron depends on understanding Boccaccio's thematic purpose.

Boccaccio had witnessed in Florence the plague of the Black Death begun in 1347. With an estimated 30 to 40 percent of the population lost to the horrible illness and death of the Black Death, personal lives and society were rocked to the core. Boccaccio's 100 stories are highly structured and may be metaphorically viewed as his gift of order on a disordered world. In these structured stories, Boccaccio celebrates two thematic ideas.

The first theme is, as he writes in his dedication, is womanhood and love. The second theme is the intelligence of humankind. The 100 stories, told by 10 people over 10 days, shed light on the multiple aspects of these themes: woman and love; intelligence. This thematic central meaning, exploring and celebrating woman and love along with intelligence, may suggest that Boccaccio's vision was a world repaired by the combined effects of womanhood, love, and intelligence.

What is the resoultion of "The Slave Dancer"?

In "The Slave Dancer", the resolution comes when Jesse returns home after voyaging on the slave ship. His past aspirations of being a rich man are put aside because he does not want to contribute in any way to the slave trade. Instead, he moves north to Rhode Island where he becomes a pharmacist, and later fights for the North in the Civil War. He avoids music for the rest of his life, trying to avoid being reminded of the dancing slaves.

In "Hamlet", when does Claudius admit he is guilty during prayer?

Yes - it's the first moment that the audience can be sure that Claudius is in fact guilty, and that the ghost (even if not the spirit of Hamlet's father) is honest. Until then, nothing has been certain.

O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven;
It hath the primal eldest curse upon't,
A brother's murder! Pray can I not,
Though inclination be as sharp as will;
My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent,
And, like a man to double business bound,
I stand in pause where I shall first begin,
And both neglect. What if this cursed hand
Were thicker than itself with brother's blood,
Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens
To wash it white as snow?

No ambiguity there! Hope it helps!

What are Odysseus' strengths and weaknesses and how do they show on Helios' Island?

The events on Helios Island take place in Book 12 of the Oddyesy. 

Circe tells Odysseus that no one has heard to the 'song of the sirens' and lived. He uses guile, bravery and inventiveness, to pass through.

Circe also gives him instructions on how to return home. His ship must pass a monster, immovable rocks, or whirlpool. While Circe suggests sacrificing a small number of men, in order to pass the monster. Odysseus remains loyal to his crew, remaining indecisive as to the 'best' strategy.

Upon approaching the monster, Odysseus arms his men, preparing for a fight. This shows a brashness and reactive nature - remember he has been warned to pass quickly (leaving the sacrifices).

Circe's last warning was to avoid taking the cattle of Helios. In fact, he's been warned to stay away all together (several times). Despite this, and his crew wanting to mourn lost crew-mates, his curiosity, or sense of immortality, take him to the island.

Overall Odysseus comes across as a brave, risk taking, explorer. His crew are loyal, and together they have fought great foes. However, Odysseus seems to enjoy flirting with danger - routinely dismissing good advice, in order to test himself.

What genre is Othello?

There are six major genres of literature: fiction, nonfiction, short story, poetry, drama, and folktale/mythology. Within these genres are many subgenres, such as romance, fairytale, comedy, tragedy, and the like.

Shakespeare's play "Othello," simply because it is a play, falls into the genre of drama. More specifically, it belongs in the subgenre of tragedy. The Guide to Literary Terms defines tragedy as

a serious play in which the chief figures, by some peculiarity of character, pass through a series of misfortunes leading to the final catastrophe. In contemporary theater, tragedy often has the evils of society as the cause of this downfall.... In literature, tragedy refers to any composition with a somber theme carried to a disastrous conclusion....

Visit the links below for more information.

Can you please tell me what this quote means "The bravest of individuals is one who obeys his or her conscience"?

I think that the beauty of this quote is that you can interpret it however you want. It can be as meaningful as you want it to be, and I think that for most it is pretty important to them, including myself. 

To me, this quote means that you (I) can do whatever you want to do with your life. You shouldn't let people tell you what to do, and don't let them influence you either. You should pave your own path, go against the grain, and show the world that you are an awesome individual. Don't simply do as you're told, question why and if you don't like it, find an alternative. 

Hope this helps!

Analyze the character of the duke in Robert Browning's poem "My Last Duchess."

The duke is a very proud, vain and egotistical lord who views his ex-wife as an object or "trophy" rather than as a person. Super-macho and so blasé as to not even be aware of it, he takes pride in showing his house guest various family heirlooms, among them being her portrait done by a reputed artist named Fra Pandolf. The duke evidently wants to show off his wealth, his acquisitions, and his elitism, flounting the fact of having rubbed elbows with such famous people. In the same breath he "dumbs down" his first wife and decrees her as unworthy - as if her banishment reinforces his own superiority:

There is no need to think that the Duke is conscious of his implications: given his excessive pride, his refusal ever to stoop, he could hardly tolerate allowing another to believe his Duchess unfaithful to him, especially through his own revelation, however subtle.

Through his comments, the guest (the reader) also takes a guided tour through the duke's twisted soul and warped value system. For instance, he avows having taken offense at the first duchess's simple joy of living and a blush appearing when she posed for the portrait ("a spot of joy on her cheek"), suspected infidelity and "treason" when no real justification or proof of it was there. Dispensing with her, he moves on to take another conquest, a new wife who will supply the obsessive fawning demanded by his super ego:

As he believes is only his right, the Duke attempts to acquire another Duchess who will respond solely to him, and to that end he tells his last Duchess's story. In so doing he reveals a colossal ego. But through his very skill in speech he betrays that ego, for his subtle and unconscious slander of his last victim exposes at bottom an instinctive self-justifier, or at least a man predictably insecure behind a tyrant's swagger.

The final "crunch" comes when he turns abruptly from this subject to admire a statue another artist has recently cast for him, am image of Neptune taming a sea-horse. In truth, the statue embodies his own concept of domination, especially over women. He finishes as he starts, contemplating his own power, his refined artistic taste, his superiority.

In short, a V.I.P. to be venerated and admired!

What is the summary for Chapter 3 of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao?

The third section, "Oscar is Brave" describes his continuing disappointment in not getting himself a girlfriend in his Senior year at Don Bosco Tech, and his simmering jealousy of his two video games playing friends Al and Miggs who had succeeded in doing so.

One day, Al bragged that he met his girl by chance for the first time at Menlo Park Mall and that she informed him that another friend of hers was desperate in neeed of a boy friend. So, Al introduced Miggs to his newly acquired girlfriend who did the rest. Oscar came to know of this only a week later when they were in the midst of a very exciting video game. Initially, Oscar accepted the news of his friends' success stoically but deep down he was peeved that his friends had excluded him from their sexual adventures. He was especially astounded by the fact that Miggs had succeeded in getting a girl for himself because "Miggs was an even bigger freak than himself." He was completely dejected and depressed when both his friends told him that their girlfriends "don't have any other friends."

Oscar began to introspect. He spent a lot of time in front of the mirror studying his reflection and came to the conclusion that he was a "Morlock" - an ugly and repulsive video games character. He then decided to follow partially his sister's advice and have a physical makeover - had a barber get rid of his afro, shaved his moustache, substituted contact lenses for his glasses and "starved himself dizzy" in an effort to lose weight.

Al and Miggs were puzzled by these "changes." Although he went out to the movies with them, secretly he was jealous of their success and began avoiding them completely. When Al and Miggs asked him him why he was avoiding them he lied to them that he was "finishing up his first novel."

In "The Egypt Game," why does April come to Casa Rosada?

April is sent by her mother to live with her paternal grandmother at the Casa Rosada. 

April's "beautiful and glamorous mother", Dorothea, is a single parent and an actress.  She is on tour a lot, and essentially doesn't have time for her daughter, so she sends April to live "with a grandmother she hardly (knows)".  Dorothea has promised that "it (will) only be for a little while...only until things (get) more settled down and she (isn't) on tour so much of the time", but there are clues that April's time at Casa Rosada will be of an indefinite length.  Her grandmother, who used to live "in a tiny super-modern apartment, like a cell", has moved to Casa Rosada specifically "so that (April) (can) have a bedroom of her own", and, although she has promised otherwise, Dorothea rarely calls or writes (Chapter 2).

How is the care of children different in Jonas' world in "The Giver" than in your world?

In The Giver, the upbringing of children is much different from our own.  Babies are places in a type of nursery where they are kept until they are placed in a specific family.  There is no genetic bond between parents and children.  The children who do not meet the expectations of the community cannot be placed with a family, and are therefore “released”, or killed.  After placement, the children are then taught strict rules for behavior.  No rash emotions are allowed.  The final major difference is that the children are not at liberty to choose their own fates: at a certain age, their careers are chosen for them.

In "The Crucible", what does Betty Parris reveal about what happened in the woods?

In Act I, Betty reveals that Abigail drank blood as part of her charm to kill Elizabeth Proctor.  While the girls are in the upper room alone, they talk freely about what happened in the woods out of a sense of real fear regarding what they did in the woods.

"Betty: You drank blood Abby! You didn't tell him that." (Miller)

"Abigail: Betty, you never say that again! You will never." (Miller)

"Betty: You did, you did! You drank a charm to kill John Proctor's wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor."  (Miller)

What is Kino's most valuable possession and why?

Ultimately, the pearl becomes the all-consuming object of Kino's life. Like for the character Gollum from Lord of the Rings, who originally possessed the ring, the pearl warps Kino's mind turning him from a simple, indigenous man to an aggressive, machine-like entity.

What is the Civil Rights Act?

In 1964 Congress passed the Civil Rights Act (of 1964). Since that time I believe this has been expanded to include other areas and circumstances. In the initial Civil Rights Act however, the discrimination of others was not permitted when it came to a person's sex and race. This would allow for equal treatment or consideration in hiring, firing, or promotion with regard to employment. The final wording of the bill noted it would be illegal if an employer did, "fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise to discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions or privileges or employment, because of such individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin." Despite this, sex would be a consideration depending on what job was in question.

In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, what does Mercutio say about "blind love"?

Deej, I would add to Ms. Charleston-Yawp's excellent and thorough exposition by encouraging you to also look at Act 2, scene 4 and his reference to the "blind bow-boy." Mercutio's criticism of Romeo's lovesick nature continues there and Meructio's ongoing argument that love gets in the way of good, ribald fun.

Deej, question for you: who does Mercutio turn his attention to next, after going off on love? Who or what does he go off on next? (See the links below.)

My question gets to blindness as an overall theme, which connects to the motifs of light and dark. People act blindly in love, and Mercutio means romantic love when he criticizes, but they also act blindly where else? Out of what kind of love, and out of what other kinds of emotions? Answers are found in this scene and in Act 3 where blindness drives the actions of the crisis scene. Ironically, these blind actions and choices take place in the hot, uncompromising light of the afternoon, and Romeo must flee into darkness for it.

You can argue that many are blind with love in this play. Is Mercutio's characterization that "if love be blind, love cannot hit the mark" true for all types of love in this play? Romantic, platonic, a father's love, and so forth?  There's an interesting spiritual reference in Mercutio's line, since sin literally means, "missing the mark." Interesting! What's love's greatest sin in this play? Its blindness?

I hope our comments lead you to some deeper questioning and analysis. You probably know that you can search the text for the word "blind" and see how often and where it surfaces, so you can gather all the quotes you can for your interpretation.

As Antigone faces her death, does she seem to have changed from the way she has been in previous scenes? this question is not any essay question

Antigone is obviously frightened but she is just as inflexible as her Uncle Creon. That is one of the tragedies of the play. Both Creon and Antigone believe they are correct. Antigone is obeying the gods and Creon believes the needs of the state are above the needs of the gods. So Antigone goes into the cave just as convinced that she is correct as when she decided to bury her brother. Unfortunately, she doesn't wait for the gods to work for her, but commits suicide soon after entering the cave. Once Creon finally admits his hubris ( pride ), it is too late for Antigone and too late for Eurydice and Haemon who cannot deal with Antigone's death.

like
1


dislike
0

Why might Odysseus be so opposed to eating the lotus fruit?

Odysseus was opposed to eating Lotus because of the medicinal effects of the plant. The lotus tree's fruit can cause drowsiness and lethargy. Odysseus needed to be alert in order to complete his tasks. His refusal of the lotus fruit is due to his awareness of its negative effects. The plant is also addictive.

Interestingly, there was an island civilization near North Africa that consumed only the lotus fruit. They were called "lotophagi".

In Macbeth, how does the nocturnal setting of Act 2, Scene 1 contribute to the scene's overall mood?

Considering that the second scene of Act II has an overall ominous mood, the nocturnal setting seems to fit perfectly.  It is the very scene before Duncan is killed; therefore, Macbeth is becoming all the more affected by his ambition.  It is also a night without the light of the moon as Fleance notes within the first few lines that "the moon is down."  All of the characters, then, must carry torches (as the stage directions dictate).  Throughout the scene it is most interesting to note the unnatural images in addition to those of both darkness and blood.  For example, Macbeth soon sees a bloody dagger hovering before him.  "Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand?"  In addition to the ominous ghost-dagger, Macbeth speaks of "dudgeon gouts of blood" and "the bloody business" and how "nature seems dead”:  all things that are out of the natural world, all greatly disturbing.  This scene is truly a good precursor to Macbeth's evil deed.

How did Tom and Myrtle meet "The Great Gatsby"?

Myrtle is a woman who is looking for a way to improve her situation. She wants to move up in the society circle. She is married to George, but she knows he will never be able to give her the life she wants. While she is on the train into the city to see her sister one day, she spots Tom. The two are instantly attracted to each other and from that moment on they become lovers.

Myrtle sees Tom as her way to increase her standing. Tom only sees her as an object that he wants. Tom isn't going to leave Daisy for Myrtle. Myrtle is not the type of woman Tom would ever be with in the society circles, he only uses her for his own pleasure. Myrtle actually thinks that Tom loves her and believes that he will be with her one day. Neither Tom or Myrtle think about the consequences their affair will have, not only on the other people in their lives, but to themselves, as well. Myrtle is an opportunistic woman who goes after what she wants. In all seriousness, Tom and Myrtle are a lot alike. They both care about how society sees them, and they want to have the best. The two of them are actually perfect for one another, but Tom's marriage to Daisy has solidified his place in society and he will do nothing to jeopardize that. He thinks that he can keep his affair quiet and no one will ever find out about it.

If you look deeper at the character of Myrtle, one might feel sorry for her. She thinks that Tom loves her, when in fact he could care less about her. Myrtle is an unhappy woman, married to a man she doesn't love and with Tom, she gets a taste of the life she wants. She has no idea of how badly and deadly this infatuation will be for her.

Who are the central characters in "The Sniper"? What details, or lack of details, does the author provide to develop these characters?

In "The Sniper," the author does not give very much definition to the characters in the story.  The Republican sniper who is the main character is never given a formal name.  The only details that are provided are the location of the conflict, Dublin, Ireland, the time, June, in the evening. 

We learn in the first couple of paragraphs that this war is between Republicans and Free Staters.  It is a civil war, therefore it is very difficult to know who the enemy is, which I believe is why Lian O'Flaherty does not give his characters names.

Another reason why the author does not provide details is because a lack of knowledge regarding the identity of the sniper and his opponent allows for the shock and surprise of the ending.  The ending is key in expressing the author's feelings about war.

O'Flaherty uses the shock of discovery that two actual brothers have been poised and ready to kill each other throughout this warm summer evening.  One brother has succeeded, and the other lies dead in the gutter.  The Rebpulican sniper, curious to see who the enemy is, turns him over and looks into the face of his brother, not just his brother as in fellow countryman, his actual brother, who shares the same mother and father as he does.

The author deliberately leaves out the identities of the sniper and his enemy, the woman, the tank driver, all are the sons and daughters of Ireland.  It does not matter who they are, civil war is the most tragic, cruel form of war.  It is self-defeating, destroying from within the very fiber of a country, its people.

The story is designed to draw the reader into an emotional understanding of the nature of war, therefore, the impact of the discovery at the end of the story allows the reader to contemplate the horrors of war 100 times over. According to Liam O'Flaherty, the price is too high.

What is the climax and the mood in "The Last Leaf?"

O. Henry takes a very interesting tone; it is almost condescending and sarcastic.  He seems to be making fun of all of his characters, deriding them for shallowness.  They are flippant and ineffectual.  He makes fun of the entire neighborhood of Greenwich Village, and creates several characters of the sort he seems to encounter there, only to mock them.  But then the very end takes all of that and slaps it with a very serious, dreadful ending, which seems to indicate that careless conversation and attitudes can have devastating effects.

The climax of the story would be when Johnsy and Susie are watching and waiting for that last leaf to fall.  When it doesn't, and Johnsy decides to live, we have the resolution.  However, the dramatic ending is a very intense and powerful finale, one that seems to mirror a climax in its importance.

Upon seeing Grendel’s bloody arm winging high from the “gold-shining roof” of Herot, what is Hrothgar’s proclamation?

Hrothgar proclaims that from now on he shall love Beowulf as a son. Beowulf shall lack nothing as long as Hrothgar can provide it, He says, “Now, Beowulf, best of heroes, I shall heartily love you as if you were mine own son. Preserve this new friendship from this time forth. Nothing in the world that you desire will you lack, so long as it is within my power." Hrothgar continues by saying Beowulf shall be known as a hero through "all the ages" and endswith a blessing on Beowulf," May the Almighty ever reward you with good, just as He has now done!”

In "To Kill a Mockingbird," how does Jem act like a mockingbird?

The definition of a mockingbird in the novel is Atticus' description of a creature that doesn't do any harm and also gives pleasure. In that regard, Jem could be described as something of a mockingbird. But, unlike Boo Radley or Tom Robinson, the true mockingbirds of the story, it takes Jem time to mature into one. At first, Jem takes part in the Boo Radley game, unaware of the harm he may be doing to people in the Radley house who can hear the children make fun of Boo. He also chops down Mrs. Dubose's roses. However, when Nathan fills the tree hole with cement, Jem cries because he realizes how important that hole was to Boo. He also reads to Mrs. Dubose after he almost destroys her garden, and later finds he has helped her to overcome her morphine addiction. When Scout and Jem sleep on the patio, Scout wants to kill a roly-poly bug. Jem stops her, saying the bug never did anything to harm her. And Jem show bravery when a mob shows up at his house by telling his father he has a phone call. Most importantly, Jem protects his sister against an attack from Bob Ewell and may have been killed if Boo Radley had not intervened. So I would describe Jem as a young mockingbird about ready to leave the nest when the novel ends.

What are Leona's motives for planting in Seedfolks?

Leona decides to become involved in the community garden as a kind of act of homage in memory of her dead grandmother. Leona's chapter begins by filling us in on her grandmother's history, and in particular how she would outlive her doctors with stubborn resistance. She would go to their funerals and lay some goldenrod on their graves. As a result, when Leona comes back home from the grocery store, thinking about her grandmother and her feelings for her, when she sees the community garden project, she decides to plant some goldenrod in memory of her grandmother:

When I saw they had little gardens going, I said to myself, "I believe I'll plant me a patch of goldenrod right there."

Leona therefore joins in the community garden scheme out of memory of her grandmother, seeking to grow and cultivate the same plant that symbolises her grandmother's character.

What is the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution of "Twilight"?Please answer by today

Basically, Isabelle Swan moves to Forks, Washington, after her mother, Renee, marries a baseball player named Phil who has to travel. Since she knows that her mom wants to go on the road with Phil, she goes to Forks from Phoenix, Arizona, to live with her father, Chief Charlie Swan. While there, she attends Forks High School, where she meets some friends: Eric, Mike, Angela, and Jessica. The girls point out some strange students to Bella: the Cullen clan. They are all together romantically, except for the handsome Edward. Bella immediately falls for him, and they become a couple after getting past all the mysterious behaviors Edward was giving off. One day, during a baseball game with Edward's family, a vampire clan (James, Laurent and Victoria) comes. James smells Bella's wonderful-smelling blood and wants to kill her. Soon, she ends up in a ballet studio in her hometown of Phoenix, fighting him. This book ends with Bella and Edward negotiating on her becoming like him: a vampire. The DVD is coming out in March.

What is the setting for Act I of "The Crucible"?

The setting of Act I of The Crucible is the home of Reverend Parris.  He is standing over his young daughter, Betty's bed.  She lies very still, Abigail tells the reader that the Doctor can find nothing wrong with Betty.

All the action takes place in that upstairs room.  Before long, other members of the community arrive, including Rebecca Nurse, John Proctor, Anne Putnam and Reverend Hale, who has been called to Salem by Reverend Parris. Hale is an authority on witchcraft and on helping the bewitched. 

All the action takes place in the upper room of Reverend Parris's home.  Including, the interrogation of Tituba, Reverend Parris's slave, and her confession to witchcraft.  Which is followed by Abigail Williams own admission of having signed the Devil's book. 

What are two types of external conflict in "Lord of the Flies"?I have a review and i dont really Know what external conflics are so if u can help...

External conflicts are those that exist outside of human beings. For example, a fight with nature, or another person, a war, a storm are all examples where is person is fighting with something outside of himself. These are the opposite of internal conflicts, a battle a person fights in their minds or bodies. For example, a big decision, anger, desire for revenge or love can all be internal conflicts. There are two external conflicts that the in "Lord of the Flies"face. The first conflict is with their environment. They have landed on a tropical island where the temperature is warm, but they must have both shelter and food. They cannot subsist on fruit alone so that motivates Jack and his hunters to kill pigs for meat. The other external conflict is between the boys themselves. Both Ralph and Jack want to be chief of the group. When Ralph is elected, Jack begins to undermine Ralph's authority. He separates "his" choir from the rest of the group and then makes the other boys decide which side to take. Finally, the boys believe they are in conflict with the beast, but since the beast exists only in their minds, this becomes more of an internal conflict which also has external repercussions.

What is the setting of "By the Waters of Babylon?" I would like to know where exactly the story was happening throughout the whole short story....

This is a tough question.  The narrator, John, does not give specific names to the locations that he is travelling through.  The story takes place in the future, likely after some kind of nuclear holocaust has happened.  That's what the Great Burning likely is.  Cities no longer exist that are full of people.  The entire country is likely back to its tribal roots, and all travel is on foot.  

The reader does know that John is traveling east to the Place of the Gods.  He eventually gets to a river called the Ou-dis-sun.  

There was the great river below, like a giant in the sun. It is very long, very wide. It could eat all the streams we know and still be thirsty. Its name is Ou-dis-sun, the Sacred, the Long.

Across the river is the giant Place of the Gods.  As John explores the location, the reader is able to figure out that the river is the Hudson, and the Place of the Gods is Manhattan.  He spends his time wandering around the city, and he goes into some apartments.  One specific location that he visits is Grand Central Terminal.  The ceiling of that building is painted with stars and constellations, and John thinks it must have been a mighty temple.  

I found it at last in the ruins of a great temple in the mid-city. A mighty temple it must have been, for the roof was painted like the sky at night with its stars—that much I could see, though the colors were faint and dim. It went down into great caves and tunnels—perhaps they kept their slaves there.

As for where the story starts out, that is really tough.  We know that John traveled east to get to Manhattan.  We also know that it took him eight days to get there.  

Toward the setting of the eighth sun, I came to the banks of the great river.

A person's average walking speed is 3 miles per hour.  If John walked for 8 hours per day, that means he covered 24 miles per day.  In 8 days, he would have walked 192 miles east.  That puts his starting location in the middle of present day Pennsylvania.  

What are three reasons why the townspeople of "The Lottery" continue to practice their tradition even though the original purpose has been lost?

When confronted with the information that other towns have suspended their tradition of holding the lottery,  Old Man Warner is outraged and gives a very important reason why the lottery is important. He makes a connection between the lottery and the success of the crops. 

Warner's comments suggest that the lottery is absolutely necessary to the survival of the town. He has such a firm belief that the lottery is so important a tradition that he equates it with reverting back to primitive times, it is ironic, because the lottery is a savage, primitive form of behavior.

 "Next thing you know, they'll be wanting to go back to living in caves, nobody work any more, live that way for a while. Used to be a saying about 'Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.' First thing you know, we'd all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns." (Jackson) 

There have been civilizations in history that believed in human sacrifice as a necessary part of their tradition.  Human sacrifice was performed to appease the gods, to honor the gods, to ask the gods, through the sacrifice, to please allow the crops to be full and heavy.  This insures the survival of the many while sacrificing the one. 

What did Winnie, her grandmother, and the stranger hear in the distance in "Tuck Everlasting"?

As Winnie, her grandmother, and the stranger stand in front of her grandmother's cottage, they hear "a faint, surprising wisp of music...a tinkling little melody", come floating to them through "the sounds of crickets and sighing trees".  Winnie's grandmother is excited, saying that it's been years since she has heard the sound.  She calls it "elf music", and wants to hurry away at once to tell Winnie's father.  Winnie, who has never heard the strain before, thinks "it sounds like a music box".

The three listeners hear the music twice; the second time "it tinkle(s) its way faintly through the little melody three times before it fade(s)".  Taking Winnie firmly by the hand, Winnie's grandmother marches purposefully up the path back into the cottage, while the stranger, with an ominous "expression...of intense satisfaction...turn(s) and disappear(s) down the shadowy road", whistling "the tinkling little melody" softly to himself (Chapter 4).

The song comes from a little music box belonging to Mae Tuck.  After she and her sons have "kidnapped" Winnie, Mae brings it out distractedly to soothe the child, who is understandably upset.  Winnie recognizes the tune from when she heard it before with her grandmother and the stranger.  The music box seems to have the capacity to "relax them all", and Winnie decides that "no one who owned a thing like this could be too disagreeable" (Chapter 6).

Could the boys in Lord of the Flies overcome their fear by hunting?

It is very feasible that the boys could overcome their fear through the figurative, literal, and physical act of hunting and killing. Hunting provides an outlet of pent up fear and aggression. In taking a life, in killing the prey, the boys might feel as if they're improving their situation. The adrenaline also would be coursing through their veins as they participate in the thrill and exhiliaration of chasing something, sneaking up on something, then bringing that game to the table. After awhile the boys discover the "beast" that is on the island and so begin huntin that because it becomes to represent their fear, their anxiety, and the nameless threatening feeling they all experience. Hunting is a release, it is a course of action, and it improves their situation by "putting meat on the table." Hunting is a viable way of surmounting any feelings of fear the boys might have.

Describe Lennie and George's dream for the future.

In Of Mice and Men, Lennie and George are best friends.  Lennie is obviously mentally handicapped and George travels with him and takes care of him.  They dream of one day owning their own farm.  They hope that one day they will be their own bosses and live off of the land.

After calming down, George repeats, at Lennie's request, the story of how they are someday going to get out of the lonely life of itinerant farm laborers and buy a piece of land where they can live by working their own small farm together.

The idea of having their own land and farm excites Lennie very much.  He dreams of taking care of the rabbits and other animals.  George hopes this dream comes true so that he can lead a "better" life.

How does Scrooge react to the Ghost of Christmas Past in A Christmas Carol?

The Ghost of Christmas Past shows Scrooge events of his childhood and young adulthood that make him sad.  As an older man, he is shown the images of his choices as a young man when he lost the love of Belle, the woman who left him when his ambition to be wealthy became more important than everything else in his life. 

She recognized even then, when he was a young man, that he would turn into a man who was driven by the desire for material wealth and that he would put her and his family second, coldly.  She released him from his promise to her.   

Scrooge is now an old man, who has lived a lonely life in a cold house with no warmth, no family, no wife, and no children.  He has money, but nothing else.  He is a miserable man.  When he sees Belle, he remembers what it felt like to be in love.     

When the Ghost of Christmas Past shows these events to Scrooge, he is deeply saddened; he cannot bear to look at himself as a young and foolish man who let love slip away.

"'Spirit!' said Scrooge, 'show me no more! Conduct me home. Why do you delight to torture me?'" (Dickens) 

In chapter 2, what news does Carlson reveal and how does it affect George and Lennie?

Carlson asks Slim about his dog's puppies.  He is thinking that Candy could have one of these pups because Candy's old dog is smelly, old and suffering.  When Carlson asks this, George and Lennie overhear this conversation and George promises to ask Slim if Lennie could have one of the puppies, a brown and white one.  It affects George and Lennie because George knows that Lennie likes to pet soft things, so he wants to please his friend and give him this puppy that will make Lennie happy.  Unfortunately, George doesn't realize that this is the next step in Lennie's downfall.  Although George is perceptive, he doesn't know that Lennie will kill the pup by petting it too hard, and then killing Curley's wife by "petting" her hair too hard. Therefore, Carlson talking to Slim about the pups begins the progression of Lennie's death.

What is the mood and theme of "A Visit to Grandmother"?

It is important to note firstly that "A Visit to Grandmother", although it does concern itself with issues of race, was not intended to deal solely with issues of race. Kelley was vocal with the critics about how much more this story is about. It is a story about family and unity, not just black unity, but the unity and togetherness of all people, and the contribution that every individual, black or white or yellow or brown, makes to the brilliance of the world. 

The mood, or tone, of the story is hopeful. 

In "Falling Song" by Daniel David Moses, what is the message and how do the elements of this poem contribute to this message?Falling Song by...

This is a poem about longing for connection with the natural world, and about a specific form of alienation, or failure to make that desired connection. The elements of the poem are primarily imagery: the poem uses images of the geese and the city repeatedly. After that, similes are used: the geese move like waves, and they call him to ride those waves, like a surfer. Repetition and alliteration are used; look at the "w" sounds and the repetition of waves. Mostly, though, it is the images that show us a many longing to connect with nature, but failing to do so in the city.

http://www.danieldavidmoses.com/

Analyze Doctor Faustus in terms of the tragic flaw theory of character development.

In the ancient drama , pratogonist was presented at the beginning of the play initially as noble and hero with high sipirit talents one is superior to society and in  extraordinary unusual situations. So mediaval drama on the course of precedeing further, directly inherits many of this fundamental characteristics and therefore many parts are seem to be survived from greek tragedy on development.  But Christopher Marlowe brings us a new genre of this tragedy with a great step on the frame of tragedy for Ren.

Marlowe also uses this typical medival spirits in doctor Faustus but the pratogonist of the play diverges from his conventional similars of the tradional canon with his different stance.

This new stance of the pratogonist clearly reinforces  the spirit of renaissance man.  Doctor Faustus is presented us firstly as common man amoung the masses, amoung us. This aproach helps the fundemantal needs prepare for the development of the beginning of the renassaince spirits. And it serves successfully its purpose because Faustus, he represents or Marlowe’s purpose in this presentation of the pratogonist most possible refers to the early artists and researchers of the renaissance  and the moral lesson which gave us is  one that expresses the dangerous results of accessive ambitions and learning by the deflection from the way of God.

And also this new pratogonist is slightly different with his starting point to action in its frame. His character doesnt fall decay just as the classical hero from a high position to  lower, miserable way. Instead of it he starts from a common point and so  immediatly reach its climax and then shifts to lower and failure but this tragic fall is not caused by destiny, fate, the pratogonist falls decay because of common human frailties, human mistakes. At this point;

Doctor faustus also inherits much from medieval morality plays ( so it means to include greek tragedy)

This different frame reflects us some differences and similarities , these are;

*Hubris: İt is term used in modern English to indicate overweening pride,superciliousness, or arrogance, often resulting in fatal retribution. Hurbis is destructive pride and tragic fall Faustus fails to pay attention to his friends, old man and the angel on the part of God.

* Hamartia: The term refers to the characters’ flaw and errors. The Hero might attempt to achieve a certain goal x by making an error in judgment, however the hero instead of it directly runs into its opposite with a disastrous consequances. Faustus is making a pact with a devıl angel to achieve his goal, but miserablely faces with its opposite of his goal

*Catharsis: Verb “ cleanse” means to remove everything that is bad or immoral from a person’s character –like purify. Faustus gives the spectator with fear and pity a moral lesson. He tells us that we are more open such kind of errors so we should be ready to face with such failures because human being always is capable and in a fit state to commit such errors because of his nature.

Where is the transitive or intransitive verb in this sentence: Jessie knew all the answers on the test.

One way I teach my kiddos so they will remember this:

Transitive verbs TAKE an object --both have "t's".  Not all sentences have an object, so to find it do the following:

1.  Find the subject  (Jessie)

2. Find the verb  (knew)

3.  Ask who or what.  (answers) If you have an answer, you have an object.

So, since the sentence has an object...answers...then "knew" is a transitive verb.

To take it further, you ask the questions "to whom or what; for whom or what".  If you have an answer, you have an INDIRECT object as in the following sentence:

My father (subject) gave (verb) me (indirect object) a car (object) for my birthday. 

What is colonialism?

colonialism is when a powerful country takes over a less powerful country and begins to rule that country as a subordinate; all the resources of the colonized country are controlled by its colonial superior. it can sometimes be good for a country's economy if it's colonial superior have good intentions of building their economy and not extorting the natural resources. Colonizing nations generally dominate the resources, labor, and markets of the colonial territory, and may also impose socio-cultural, religious and linguistic structures on the indigenous population. common example was in Africa during what was called the scramble for Africa in which world super powers like Britain,France,Spain,Portugal, Belgium and others divided africa into regions that they could colonize. countries which those super powers colonized now speak the language of their colonial superior. example former French colonies like Ivory Coast, Guinea and Cameroon speak French as their national language. as far as its effects on their economy, Colonial powers that weren't all about extortion made some major developments in their colonies. see Nigeria,Ivory Coast and Ghana which are highly developed countries in Africa. but if the colonization is all about accumulating wealth, then it can be very terrible as the colonized country won't be able to produce anything for itself that will help it even have a sustainable economy. hope this was helpful

 

What is the irony in the story "The Necklace"?

In the short story "The Necklace," Madame Loisel has lost the diamond necklace that she borrowed from Madame Forestier. In a panic, she and her husband scrape together enough money to buy a replacement. She had to work hard for many years to repay the loans, having to give up her wealthy lifestyle and scrimp and save for ten long years. When she happens to  meet Madame Forestier in the park after those hard years, Madame Loisel can't hold her tongue. She blames Forestier for her hardship, and explains what she had to do to replace the necklace.

Here is a video that further explains the plot:

The irony: the necklace was costume jewelry, worth very little money!

The irony in this story can be called situational irony. See the links below for more information. 

Why is Giles Corey expelled from court in Act Three of "The Crucible"?

Giles Corey goes to court, along with Francis Nurse and John Proctor who has brought Mary Warren to testify to the truth that the girls have been pretending to see spirits and that there was no witchcraft.

Corey, Nurse and Proctor have brought a petition signed by 91 people vouching for the good Christian character of their wives who were arrested in Act II.   The Putnams have charged Rebecca Nurse with the mysterious deaths of their seven infants.  The atmosphere is very charged with emotion. 

Giles Corey makes a statement that Thomas Putnam has put his daughter, Ruth up to accusing George Jacobs of witchcraft because he wants to purchase his 600 acres that are adjacent to the Putnams'.  When Danforth asks how Corey knows this, he tells the court that he heard it from a reliable source, but will not name the man.

The court insists that Corey give the name of the man, he refuses.  Giles Corey is removed from the court because he refuses to name his source for the information concerning Putnam's accusation against George Jacobs.

Corey is removed, along with John Proctor, who is accused by Mary Warren of witchcraft, and put in jail.

Corey is later executed, he was pressed to death for refusing to answer the court's accusation of witchcraft against him.  He died have never answered guilty or innocent, therefore his lands were preserved for his family.

What are the two physical characteristics of the Green Knight that are intimidating even before he speaks?

For one, he's green.  Everything he is wearing is green.  His beard, his hair, his armor, and even his horse are all green.  This is not very natural, and it is certain to get you noticed.

He also stands at least a foot taller than any of Arthur's knights.  He is well-proportioned, and all the knights stare at him in fear as he walks in holding a holly branch in one hand and a battle axe in the other.

It is at this moment that he explains he has come in peace.  He explains his challenge, and then allows Gawain to behead him.  If the two physical traits weren't enough to intimidate everyone there, the fact that he pops up, tucks his head under his arm, and rides off to wait for Gawain to find him within the next year is enough to get people talking.

Describe the type of person Hester has become in Chapter 15 of "The Scarlet Letter". How do the townspeople feel about her?(Questions goes to...

By this point in the story, Hester has earned the respect of the townspeople.  Despite the scorn with which they have treated her, she has over the years "submitted uncomplainingly", while living a life of "blameless purity".  Hester has given generously to those worse off than her, and has ever been ready to help those in need - "such helpfulness was found in her - so much power to do, and power to sympathize - that many people refused to interpret the scarlet letter by its original significance...they said that it meant Able, so strong was Hester Prynne" (Chapter 13).

In Chapter 15, Hester first recognizes the feelings of hatred and bitterness that she harbors in her heart towards Chillingsworth.  She blames him now because "in the time when her heart knew no better, he had persuaded her to fancy herself happy by his side".  "He betrayed me", she affirms", he has done the worse wrong than I did him!"

Hester also at this point looks at Pearl in a new light.  She considers whether the child, who has always been curious about the scarlet letter her mother must wear, "might already have approached the age when she could be made a friend, and entrusted with as much of her mother's sorrows as could be imparted".  Yet Hester cannot bring herself to tell Pearl the truth about the scarlet letter, bringing up questions of whether "some new evil" has crept into her heart (Chapter 15).

What are the figures of speech in "My Heart Leaps Up"?

Lines 3-5 are an example of anaphora, a device where sucessive phrases begin with the same or similar words:

So was it when my life began, / So is it now I am a man, / So be it when I shall grow old / Or let me die!

Subsequently, line six is an example of hyperbole, or an overstatment that emphasizes an idea but is not meant to be taken literally.

Finally, in line 7 we see a paradoxical statement: "The child is the father of the man". This statement appears to contradict itself until the reader realizes that Wordsworth is speaking figuratively and not literally.

What is the summary for Chapter 10 of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian?This chapter is titled "Tears of a Clown".

Junior remembers that when he was twelve, he fell in love with an Indian girl named Dawn.  She was beautiful and the best powwow dancer on the reservation, but she didn't care about him, and was definitely out of his league.  Junior recognizes that he is the type of guy who always falls in love "with the unreachable, ungettable, and uninterested".

One night, when Rowdy is spending the night at his house, Junior tells his friend about his feelings for Dawn.  Rowdy, ever the realist, advises Junior that he is "just being stupid...Dawn doesn't give a shit about (him)".  To Junior's embarrassment, Rowdy's blunt but truthful words make him cry; he has always cried too easily, when he's "happy or sad...(or) angry".  Junior thinks he is weak, "the opposite of warrior", and Rowdy unceremoniously tells his friend to stop crying.

Later, Junior asks Rowdy not to tell anyone that he cried over Dawn.  Rowdy responds that he has never told anyone any of Junior's secrets, and that he won't tell anyone that Junior cried "over a dumb girl".  True to his word, Rowdy never did (Chapter 10).

In "Lord of the Flies", why does Maurice feel guilty when he kicks sand in Percival's eyes?in chapter 4

The incident you refer to takes place in chapter 4.  Maurice and Roger have just come off duty watching the fire and encounter some of the little boys playing on the beach. The two bigger boys kick over the littler boys sand castles, laughing as they did so.  This sort of action is typical bully action where bigger and physically stronger people try to overpower smaller, weaker people.  It's also typical behavior among countries: larger, more powerful countries take over and control smaller countries.  This is the sort of evil and savage behavior that Golding felt all people were capable of.  He developed much of his dim view of manking because of his service during World War II when he saw people and countries commit these types of acts.  Maurice, in this scene, also kicks sand in the face of Percival.  Another, more personal, attack.  Maurice, however, after he kicked the sand, had a feeling of remorse and turns away.  There is still some civility left in Maurice.  He hasn't become savage yet and the rules of society taught him that such behaviors were not acceptable.  He is on his way to savagery, but feeling guilty about being a bully shows he isn't there yet.

In "Hamlet", when and to whom does Claudius openly reveal his determination to remain king?

Ironically, Claudius is praying to God in the aftermath of "The Murder of Gonzago" when, thinking no one is listening, he confesses he intends to remain king. He has just conspired to rid himself of Hamlet by sending Hamlet to England along with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. As we later discover, Claudius will send a note to the King of England asking England's king to kill Hamlet. He asks God for some kind of forgiveness but admits:

"O, what form of prayer

Can serve my turn? 'Forgive me my foul murder?'

That cannot be; since I am still possess'd(55)

Of those effects for which I did the murder—

My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen."

( Act 3, Scene 3)

What Claudius does not realize is that Hamlet is listening to Claudius and planning to kill him then and there. So, Claudius has actually confessed his actions to Hamlet, as well as God. However, Hamlet refuses to kill him, because Claudius is praying and, according to religious belief at the time, being killed by praying would allow Claudius to go directly to heaven while his father "died in his sins" and is still in purgatory. Once again, Shakespeare shows the irony of the situation, because after Hamlet leaves, Claudius admits he really can't ask for forgiveness for something which he is not sorry. He states,

"My words fly up, my thoughts remain below.

Words without thoughts never to heaven go."(100)

Thus Hamlet has misses a great chance to kill Claudius.

Explain, "The Child is the Father of the Man."

Hi,

"The Child is the Father of the Man." is a very interesting sentence since it is polysemic. However I will try to develop only one of its aspects here. We can suggest that The Child is a silent figure, the act of speaking being a kind of liberation i.e. a kind of lie. (because we cannot reach objectivity properly speaking)

The Child (as a symbol) does not lie. This symbol can be construed as the quintessence of man, as his uplifted soul, as the climax of consciousness. Then we might say that "The Child" is a purified image of man. It is widely known that (more often than not) a good child becomes a good man, a good husband and a good father. Out of hand we can notice that there is an everlasting chain of three figures: (Child --> Husband --> Father) which are intrinsically connected to each other.

My answer is rather uncomplete however I hope it will be useful.

Best,

@ZacEgs

How is Tom Robinson innocent (not just in the trial) in the book "To Kill A Mockingbird?"By innocent I mean like "the liitle girl looked so innocent."

"Tom Robinson is a mild-mannered, conscientious black man whose kind acts earn him only trouble when Mayella Ewell accuses him of rape."  He is an "innocent" because he trusted Mayella, he even says he "felt sorry for her."  Tom never dreamed that helping this young white girl could get him into so much trouble.  Tom also demonstrates innocence when he trusts the judicial system to do what was right.  Tom never hurt anyone and looked at the world through the eyes of a trusting caring man.

What is the significance of the Golden Carp in "Bless Me, Ultima"?

In Tony's already confused world of magic versus religion, the Golden Carp signifies yet one more source for his doubts about Christianity. Cico introduces Tony to the Golden Carp, a pagan god who is a symbol of forgiveness, unlike the Christian God who Tony believes is cruel and unforgiving.  The carp is beautiful and huge, a true source of awe. At the realization that, contrary to Christian belief, there are other gods, Tony begins to question who his mother is truly praying to- who is Jesus, who is the Virgen de Guadalupe?

Tony's doubts about Christianity further deepen when he makes his First Holy Communion, a religious rite of passage in Catholicism where children eat God's body in the form of a wafer. Antonio expects to hear the voice of God at the moment the takes the Eucharist into his body. He expects that this will be a monumental event and that everything will be clear to him after that. After nothing happens, Tony is utterly disappointed. He wonders why he can see the carp and not God.

In The Glass Menagerie, why does Tom contrast the social backgrounds of Spain and America in his opening speech?

One purpose of Tom's opening monolog is to ground the audience in the setting of the play. After brief opening remarks, he immediately establishes both time and place.

First, he tells the audience he is turning back time to the 1930s; he refers to the "dissolving economy" in America, reminding the audience it is the time of the Great Depression.

Tom then mentions revolution in Spain and alludes to Guernica, the Spanish city destroyed by German and Italian planes in the first aerial bombing of an urban population.

Each reference to the events in 1930s Spain is contrasted with simultaneous situations in this country. Very effectively, Tom communicates that the story he is about to share will unfold against a backdrop of a world caught up in profound upheaval.

Tom's summary of world events emphasizes thematically the confinement and isolation of the dingy Wingfield apartment. The world without is one of reality; the world within is one of illusion.

Tom's references to the events in Spain function in another significant way. They foreshadow the world war that soon followed the American Depression. In Tom's very moving closing monolog, he alludes to World War II when he says that Laura can blow out her candles, "for nowadays the world is lit by lightning!"

By contrasting the social backgrounds of America and Spain, Tom masterfully establishes the setting and the tone of the play and foreshadows its conclusion.

In "Of Mice and Men", why does George answer all the questions directed at Lennie?Chapter 2

George is afraid that if his new boss finds out about Lennie's "limitations," they will not be taken on at the farm and will have to move on to someplace else. So he tries to cover for him by answering in his place.

Remember that George and Lennie were "on the run" from a previous town called Weed. Lennie had torn a lady's blouse and was accused of sexual harassement. Consider the precarity of the migrant workers of the time. There was no insurance or compensation when they were out of work and these drifters lived one day at the time, moving from one farm to another according to the season.

As they had to leave Weed on the spot (and probably without getting their pay), it was important for George and Lennie to find work again as soon as possible just "to get by."

In "Julius Caeasar," what distinction does Antony make between Brutus and the other conspirators?

Well, like more or less everything about Antony, it's quite hard to tell because you never know what to believe. Through the early part of the play, and after the murder, he doesn't really seem to make any distinction. Brutus is addressed foremost by Antony's messenger, and Antony shakes Brutus' hand first:

I doubt not of your wisdom.
Let each man render me his bloody hand.
First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you...

But this might simply be because Brutus has positioned himself, logically or otherwise, as the chief conspirator. And then when they've all exited, Antony damns all the conspirators in equal terms:

O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers!

There's also the whole "Brutus is an honorable man" question - does he mean it? Well, obviously not, bearing in mind what he brings about. Yet he more or less echoes that statement, unironically, after Brutus' death, in the last speech he makes in the play:

This was the noblest Roman of them all.
All the conspirators, save only he,
Did that they did in envy of great Caesar;
He only, in a general honest thought
And common good to all, made one of them.
His life was gentle, and the elements
So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world, “This was a man!”

High praise - great conspirator, and great man! But again, it's difficult to take that not with a pinch of salt, knowing what Antony thought of Brutus and the conspiracy. It's a complicated one - and, as you can see, there's no clear answer to your question - Antony does make a distinction, but does he make it sincerely? Who knows.

In the story "The Glasgow Mystery," how does the author feel about the main characters telling the story and where is the mystery solved?

The story “The Glasgow Mystery” is taken from a book of 12 mysteries called “The Old Man in The Corner,” republished in 1980.  The original anthology had more than 12 short stories and this specific story was not included. These stories were written by Baroness Orczy and were considered to be the “of the armchair detective” mysteries. The old man, Bill Owen, “an extremely eccentric man who spends much of his time in a restaurant, the A.B.C. Shop, working untiringly at tying and untying knots in a piece of string. “  The author seems to really appreciate this character.  She has created him to seem “ ageless and apparently unchanging” “ Not much concerned with justice or morality, he is interested in crime “only when it resembles a clever game of chess, with many intricate moves which all tend to one solution, the checkmating of the antagonist—the detective force of the country.” Like all amateur sleuths, the old man has his Watson, a female journalist by the name of Polly Burton. An invariably baffled reader of stories of mysterious deaths in the newspapers, she comes to the A.B.C. Shop to hear the old man unravel the mystery.”

What is the conflict in The Purloined Letter? What is the problem?

Any story must be dramatic in order to be interesting. The drama in a short story is almost always based on a single major conflict (although there might be minor conflicts that are incidental or part of the major one). A conflict in fiction—though not necessarily in real life—usually involves something tangible, or at least identifiable. This so-called “bone of contention” has come to be called the MacGuffin.

In Ibsen’s A Doll’s House the MacGuffin is a document forged by Nora which Krogstad threatens to use against her husband. In Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche and Stanley are fighting over Stella, so Stella is the MacGuffin. Human beings are frequently used as MacGuffins. Countless stories have been written about abducted children, who are always the MacGuffins. The Indiana Jones movies always have very tangible MacGuffins, including a crystal skull and the Lost Ark of the Covenant. In Dashiell Hammett’s novel The Maltese Falcon, the MacGuffin is a fabulous statuette.

There is no interest without drama, no drama without conflict, no conflict without motivation, and no motivation without a MacGuffin. So the MacGuffin is the nucleus of the story.

In Poe’s story “The Purloined Letter,” the MacGuffin is obvious. The only problem, or conflict, is finding this letter. The story is a battle of wits between C. Auguste Dupin and the notorious Minister D-. Monsieur G-‘s account of the theft and the exhaustive efforts to recover the letter comprise the “back story.” The story proper begins when Dupin decides to recover it.

Dupin has at least three motives. Monsieur G- offers a reward of fifty-thousand francs (a sum that would have the purchasing power of at least $120,000 in current American dollars). Dupin also likes to use his analytical powers. And he tells his friend, “D-, at Vienna once, did me an evil turn, which I told him, quite good-humoredly, that I should remember.”

Dupin does not need to go over everything the police have done. He knows they were thorough. He tells the highly skeptical Prefect, “Perhaps it is the very simplicity of the thing which puts you at fault.  .  .  . Perhaps the mystery is a little too plain.”

Dupin is right, of course. He visits the Minister and spots the purloined letter in a card-rack but disguised in outward appearance. He tells his friend, the narrator:

“But, then the RADICALNESS of these differences, which was excessive: the dirt; the soiled and torn condition of the paper, so inconsistent with the TRUE methodical habits of D-, and so suggestive of a design to delude the beholder into an idea of the worthlessness of the document,--these things, together with the hyperobtrusive situation of this document, full in the view of every visitor, and thus exactly in accordance with the conclusions  to which I had previously arrived; these things, I say, were strongly corroborative of suspicion, in one who came with the intention to suspect.”

Poe’s story is all about the recovery of a missing document. There is no other significant conflict—although in the “back story” there are conflicts between the Prefect and the Minister and between the Minister and the “exalted” woman from whom he stole the letter. Although this information is rendered in the form of dialogue, it is no different in function from straight prose exposition.

Analyze the characters of Slim, Crooks, and Curley from "Of Mice and Men". What role roes each character play?

Slim is called "the prince of the ranch." Even though his official rank is lower that the bosses son, it is Slim that the men respect.When Carlson wants to shoot Candy's dog, Candy waits for Slim's implied approval before he lets Carlson shoot his dog. Slim is also the character to whom George reveals the most to about Lennie. In the end, it is also Slim who comforts George and understands George's actions towards Lennie.

Crooks is the only Black man on the ranch. Even though he has been there a long time, he is separated from the rest of the men because of his skin color. He must stay in his own room and read books for company. Only the child-like Lennie sees no difference between Crooks and the other men at the ranch. However, even Curley's wife treats him with disdain when she threatens to have him lynched. Thus, Steinbeck is one of the first twentieth century writers to deal with racial segregation in California, which never allowed slavery, yet the attitudes towards Black men were the same as in the South.

Curley is a man, who just like his name, is wound too tightly and he is too ready to spring into action. He seems bitter that he is not physically larger and so he uses his position as the bosses son to push people around, especially his wife and Lennie, His role is to be the irritant that everyone hates, yet everyone must respect. He is also one of the main reasons Goerge kills Lennie, to free Lennie from the probable vindictive actions of Curley.

Why is Parris so hesitant to call the girls' actions witchcraft and so determined to block Proctor's attempt to prove the trials a fraud?

Parris is not interested in the truth. He was part of the start of the witch trials, along with Abigail. He called Reverend Hale to come and diagnose Betty's illness. Parris hates John Proctor. His individual choice to not attend church goes against the Puritan belief system. As a Puritan, Proctor should be in church no matter how he feels about the Pastor. This really bothers Parris.

Parris is concerned with his career, his financial status, and nothing else. He doesn't understand what his daughter and Abigail have done in the forest. His own servant, Tituba is at the center of the problem.

Parris is in no way willing to help Proctor, even though innocent people's lives are at stake. He rather enjoys Proctor getting put in his place. He does nothing to stop the execution of Proctor, Nurse or Corey, innocent, upstanding citizens of Salem. He is a coward.

As God's minister on earth, he should be willing to do anything to save good Christian people from a wrongful death.

How does Madame Loisel change as a result of her experience in "The Necklace"?

In "The Necklace" Madame Loisel's appearance is greatly altered as, in her pride, she refuses to tell her friend that she has lost the borrowed necklace.  Instead she and her husband repay the "frightful debt" by M. Loisel's working nights.  For ten years they work; doing all the housework, Mme. Loisel becomes "heavy, rough, harsh, like one of the poor.  Her hair untended, her skirts askew, her hands red, her voice shrill...." No longer is there any trace of the "pretty and charming girl."

However, Madame Loisel has not changed in her attitude; she is still proud and values material things over spiritual ones.  For, she does not demonstrate any gratitude to her husband for his sacrifices on her behalf.  Just as she is ungrateful for his using the money he has saved for a rifle to buy the gown for the reception in the beginning of the story, she demonstrates no gratitude for his years of labor and sacrifice.  It is only important to have the gown, or to earn the money to repay their debt on the diamond necklace.

When Mme. Loisel encounters her former friend from whom she has borrowed the fateful necklace, she approaches the lady, telling her proudly how she has replaced the borrowed necklace and paid for it:

Mme. Forestier stopped short. 'You mean to say you bought a diamond necklace to replace mine?' 

'Yes.You never noticed, then? They were quite alike.'

And she [Mme. Loisel] smiled with proud and simple joy.

To the end Mme. Loisel tragically retains the perverse pride she has in valuing the wrong things, one of which is "only paste."

What is the setting of "Hatchet"?

A major literary element in Hatchet is the setting which takes place in the Canadian wilderness. Brian, the protagonist, is forced to call upon his survival instincts when the pilot of a two-seater airplane has a heart-attack and he must not only land the plane, but surmount the many challenges he faces after he crash lands it in the wilderness. The setting, or the wilderness, becomes the antagonist in the novel, as Brian is forced to call upon his inner-strength and resilience to survive the forces of nature. 

What is the theme of "The Night the Ghost Got In" by James Thurber?

The theme of any story is the main idea that the author is trying to get across to the reader. Most stories have multiple themes. 

This story is concerned with themes of absurdity and the supernatural. Thurber is a comedic writer who often deals with themes and ideas as they relate to absurdity. Aside from this, the primary theme of the story is that of the defiance of man to change. The characters in the story want safety and consistency. They are threatened by the world outside their home, and stand in defiance of those forces.

2x + 5 = 47variable equations

2X+5=47 here are the rules to solving

Rule 1: look at the question

Rule 2: how many terms [in this case it is three]

Rule 3:Do the opposite operation of the number by 2X [the term you are solving for]. transfer the number to over the = sign

Rule 4: After the opposite operation divide the answer you got using the opposite operation with the variable you are solving for. so it is like this: 2X+5=47

opposite operation: 2x=47-5

2X=42

in order to let the x by itself divide the number by it

so 42 divided by 2 is 21.

What was Scrooge’s behaviour towards his nephew in "A Christmas Carol"?

I think what is important to remember about the way Scrooge acts toward his nephew is that in the beginning of the story, he is in his own world, not realizing necessarily how harshly he comes across to other people, including family members.  Because of this, he acts unkindly toward his nephew. 

Throughout A Christmas Carol, however, Scrooge is visited by a series of spirits: Christmases past, present and future. These spirits show him how his actions have affected him and the people around him, and how they will continue to affect those people.  What particularly pains Scrooge and prompts a turn around is when he sees his nephew in Christmases present and future not speaking kindly of him with his friends, and not remembering him fondly in the future.  He decides at this point that he wants his family to remember him fondly, and this includes acting much more kindly toward his nephew.

What is the full symbolic meaning of the conch in "Lord of the Flies"? Piggy speaks of having 'the one thing he [Jack] hasn't got'. After the...

"Lord of the Flies" is an allegory, or a story with a moral message. Generally, the symbols in an allegory are not as broad as in other types of stories. For example, in the novel "Animal Farm" the character of Napoleon represents Josef Stalin. You can replace the name with power-hungry dictator or uncaring leader, but basically you are left with Josef Stalin. The same is true in "Lord of the Flies" The conch represents moral authority on the island. When the conch is blown, the boys are supposed to gather and discuss their conduct, laws and government. Whoever has the conch, has the right to speak. You can use other words to describe moral authority, such as government, or law, but basically it represents moral authority. When the boys begin to disrespect the conch, they also begin to disrespect the authority of conch. When the conch is destroyed, moral authority is destroyed. Jack has succeeded in grabbing power by force and Ralph, the elected leader, is forced to defend his own life. The conch could also be said to represent government or laws, but the same evidence will be used to support those interpretations.

In Poe's short story "The Masque of the Red Death," why does Prince Prospero lock himself and his guests inside his castle?

The prince thought that if he isolated himself from the plague running rampart throughout the countryside, he would be able to avoid contamination. He invited a select few to be part of his court to keep him company. Also, in that way he could "play king" and pretend that everything was normal. However, the "out of sight, out of mind" principle did not work, as Death came to his very door.

Check out the reference below for further insight into the multiple meanings of the mask in this regard.

In "Fahrenheit 451", can you compare Clarisse to Mildred and are there any quotes to support it?

Both Mildred and Clarisse, at one point, caught Montag's eye.  He married Mildred, but later became good friends with Clarisse.  So both women-at one point-interested him on some level.  They were both beautiful in their own ways too.  Bradbury says of Clarisse, "The girl's face was there, really quite beautiful", and look below for a quote on Mildred's beauty.

Also, both women were unfortunate casualities of the society that they lived in.  Granted, their fates were on opposite ends of the spectrum:  Mildred was the cold, miserable prototype of their stifling society: "Her face was like a snow-covered island upon which rain might fall, but it felt no rain; over which clouds might pass their moving shadows, but she felt no shadow".  Whereas it was hinted that Clarisse, because her and her family refused to become as Mildred was, was taken away or removed (if her family wasn't fortunate enough to escape first):  "And then, Clarisse was gone."  So both women suffered in their society.

Those are just a couple ideas, and I hope they help.

Could I have a summary of the the play At The Hawk's Well?

The following link summarizes it best.  However, in short, it is about an old man who waits for the waters to flow freely in a well that offers water that gives immortality to those who drink it.  Cuchulain appears, and the old man tries to shoo him away.  Cuchulain insists on staying, but is hypnotized by the Guardian of the Well, and he chases after a beautiful bird he imagines before him.  The old man falls asleep at this point in time, and no one gets the water as it flows freely.  The play stresses the "pointlessness of waiting for a dream."

Outline all of the evidence of witchcraft in Act 1 of "The Crucible".

The evidence in Act 1 consists of several different situations that are attributed to witchcraft.

1. Betty Parris and Ruth Putnam are both sick and the doctor does not know what is wrong with either of them.

2. Ann Putnam has lost seven infant babies and she believes that witchcraft is involved.

3. Tituba, the black slave from Barbados who works for Rev Parris has brought the young girls of the town into the woods to dance because the Puritan Lifestyle does not permit any form of entertainment other than reading the Bible. 

4. While in the woods dancing, the girls did conjure spirits, at the request of Ann Putnam, her daughter Ruth was trying to communicate with her dead sisters.

5. Abigail drinks blood as a charm to influence the death of Elizabeth Proctor. 

6. Dancing in the woods is sinful and considered to be the work of the devil.  Rev. Parris finds the girls and sees one naked.

7. Tituba confesses to witchcraft at the end of Act I, which requires her to name names.  She names Goody Good and Goody Osburn as having been seen with the Devil.

8. To get herself out of trouble, Abigail Williams admits that she consorted with the Devil.  The other girls begin screaming the same thing and also start naming other people they saw with the Devil.

9. The strongest evidence in Act I are the confessions.  Once people confess to witchcraft it is given a level of credibility. 

10. As part of the confession process, the naming of others becomes the second best evidence of witchcraft.

What month did April and Melanie start "The Egypt Game"?

April and Melanie get the idea for the Egypt Game during the time they spend in the library in August.  They begin the game itself "in September, in the Professor's deserted yard".

It is August when April arrives at the Casa Rosada to live with her grandmother.  She is befriended by Melanie, and the two girls spend the month "together almost every day".  They pass the time playing games, take Melanie's little brother for walks and to the park, and "almost every day they (go) to the library".  One day, April finds a new book about Egypt at the library, "an especially interesting one about the life of a young pharaoh".  She passes it on to Melanie, and soon, the two girls, "with the help of a sympathetic librarian...(have) found and read just about everything the library (has) to offer on Egypt".  April and Melanie begin to devise their own system of hieroglyphics, and they become known at the library as "the Egypt Girls".

At the beginning of September, "with school only a few days away", the girls discover the Professor's backyard, and the Egypt Game begins (Chapter 4).  Other people are accepted in the group, and the game grows and develops through the fall until unforeseen circumstances involving the Professor intervene.  When the situation is resolved just after Christmas, the girls decide the game has run its course, and begin to share ideas for new adventures.

What has happened so far in the first five books of Milton's Paradise Lost?

Paradise Lost opens, in accordance with epic convention, in the middle of the action (in medais res). Milton begins by setting out his aims for the work ('to justify the ways of God to men'), and invokes divine inspiration to be his muse in writing the poem.  Satan and his host of rebel angels are in hell, on a burning lake, having been turned out of heaven for revolting against God. Satan uses his skills as a leader to rally his troops and summon a council to determine their next move. The fallen angels build a palace, Pandemonium, where the council will take place.

Book 2 opens with a debate in Pandemonium. The fallen angels differ as to what to do next; some favour war, others slothful inaction. Mammon, who sees Hell's natural resources with a materialistic eye, suggests they make the best of what they have. Beelzebub, though, sways the audience by proposing Satan's own plan, that thy adopt 'some easier enterprise', upsetting God by destroying what is dear to Him: Man on the recently created Earth.

Satan volunteers himself for the mission, and departs across Hell, reaching the gates guarded by the allegorical figures of Sin and Death - his own daughter, lover and son in an incestuous parody of the Trinity. He talks his way past them, promising them ample food once he can corrupt manking to his ways. He journeys across Chaos, the uncreated matter of the universe, and views Earth hanging from the vault of Heaven by a golden chain.

In Book 3, God in Heaven observes Satan's actions, and foretells their 'success' with the Son. Mankind will fall, but God, through his infinite grace, has granted Man free will and the ability to withstand temptation - just as Satan had. unlike Satan, though, Man will fall through deception, and can be redeemed through Grace. The Son offers Himself as ransom, taking Man's sins upon Himself. Meanwhile Satan reaches the outermost spheres of earth, adopts the disguise of a lesser angel, and deceives the angel Uriel into allowing his passage to Earth itself.

Reaching Earth, Satan is at first beset by envy and despair, but recovers himself enough to survey the scene of Paradise, in the Garden of Eden. In the form of a cormorant, he perches on top of the Tree of Life in Eden, and learns that Adam and eve are forbidden to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. This gives him a plan for their destruction. He is apprehended by two angels appointed by Gabriel to watch over adam and eve, as he speaks to Eve in a dream, tempting and troubling her. Brought before Gabriel, he is at first defiant, then flees.

The following morning,  Eve tells Adam her dream, and he comforts her. God sends Raphael to remind Adam of his freedom to choose and the need for obedience, and to warn him of Satan's plan.  Over a meal, Raphael tells Adam the story of Satan's rebellion.

What does the imagery in Bradbury's "There will Come Soft Rains" suggest about the foreshadowing?

The simplest way that the images foreshadow the reality in Bradbury's wonderful story is that they imply the situation before it is fully brought home. When Bradbury writes of the "dog, once huge and fleshy, but now gone to bone and covered with sores," he communicates just how badly things have gone for all the world before the picture is fully complete. After that, all the images of destruction imply that more will come. Though the house is standing at the start of the story, it stands almost alone, and so there's little surprise that things break down by story's end. Third, it shows that there is a kind of beauty in destruction.

How do you simplify?

Simplifying is basically just reducing . If you're simplifying a fraction you should make both the numerator and denominator divisible by the same number . For example if you're simplifying 20 / 12 . You are able to divide 20 by 4 and 12 by 4 . By doing that you'll get 5 / 3 which is is the simplified version of 20 /12 . 

Now to simplify equations it can either be finding the answer or reducing the equation as much as you can until there is nothing else to reduce . For example , for the equation

2x + 5x + 2y + 10y = 20y + 9 + 10 First let's add the 2x and the 5x together

By adding 2x and 5x together, you should get

7x + 2y + 10y = 20y + 9 + 10 now , let's add the 2y with the 10y 

By adding the 2y and the 10y together , you should get

7x + 12y = 20y + 9 + 10 now let's combine the 9 and 10 on the right side of the equation 

By combining the 9 and the 10 , you should get 

7x +12y = 20y + 19 now subtract 20y on both sides , that way all the " y " would be together

By doing that , you should get 

7x - 8y = 19 Now this is basically the reduce equation of the earlier equation , but you can also subtract the 19 on both sides making the equation equal to 0 , so it would be 7x - 8y -10 = 0 . It basically depends on what the questions asks you to do . 

What does Irving use to symbolize hypocrisy and hidden evil in "The Devil and Tom Walker"?

Irving uses Tom Walker himself to symbolize hypocrisy and hidden evil. The devil mentions knowing Tom's father. If the devil is telling the truth, Tom had never realized his father had also sold his soul to the devil. However, the most glaring example of hypocrisy is Tom's behavior after selling his soul. Tom becomes a zealous church-goer and judgmental neighbor who persecutes Quakers and Anabaptists. He carries a huge Bible which is makes sure people see him read, while he is driving a hard bargain as a usurer ( a person who loans money at interest.) In fact, his hypocrisy ultimately causes his downfall when he says, "The devil take me" if I have made any money in his business. Of course, the devil does take Tom because Tom has made such a fortune on the backs of people unfortunate enough to owe him money.

In To Kill A Mockingbird what question does Calpurnia tell scout to ask her father, saying that he can explain it better?

In Chapter 12, Scout asks Calpurnia, "What's rape, Cal?" (124).  The question is in reference to Tom Robinson being accused of raping Mayella Ewell.  Calpurnia's exact response to Scout's question is, "It's somethin' you'll have to ask Mr. Finch about. . . . He can explain it better than I can" (124).  She then immediately changes the subject by asking if the children are hungry.

The reason why Calpurnia responds this way is another matter.  Calpurnia, being the wonderful cook, caretaker, and mother-figure that she is, knows that this is a conversation that Scout should have with Atticus.  A violent crime like rape should not be discussed (and certainly not described) to any child by anyone other than her parents.  The intelligent Calpurnia also knows that something forbidden suddenly seems very interesting to curious children.  However, a growing child's stomach usually takes precedence over absolutely everything else.

What is the most important moral lesson in "There Will Come Soft Rains"?

I think that what you are asking is whether or not There Will Come Soft Rains has a moral to it?

Yes, yes it does!

The story by Bradbury as well as the poem by Teasdale (both with the same title) teaches humans that technology, while we love it and depend upon it, can be our ultimate downfall unless we are careful.

Technology is great in the story and makes life for the family very easy--the house cooks them breakfast, entertains the children and keeps intruders out so the family can stay safe.

However, this same technology when used for the wrong reasons ends humanity as we currently know it.

We can move forward with what we know and make life easier, but we have to be cautious that we do not misuse our new discoveries.

This idea is very relevant for today--Obama is allowing stem cell research--imagine the great things it can do in the right hands and the awful things that can happen if humans misuse it.

What irony is revealed in the play Macbeth?

There are several instances of irony in the play, some situational and some dramatic.

A good example of situational irony is Macbeth's killing Duncan to gain the throne, thinking only of the power and wealth he will enjoy as the new King of Scotland. However, after murdering Duncan and being crowned, Macbeth cannot enjoy any part of his new position. He continues to kill in order to maintain power until he becomes a despised tyrant who is destroyed by his own people.

Another good example of situational irony concerns Lady Macbeth. She takes part in Duncan's murder with no hesitation or guilt. She berates Macbeth for being weak when his conscience bothers him about Duncan's murder. She is cold and calculating. However, at the end of the play it is Lady Macbeth who is overwhelmed with guilt and eventually kills herself.

Dramatic irony functions a bit differently. It is created in drama when the audience knows and understands more than the characters do. An excellent example of dramatic irony is found when King Duncan comes to Macbeth's castle to stay for the night. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth treat Duncan with respect and affection, doing all that is within their power to make him comfortable under their roof. Duncan believes they are his dear friends and loyal subjects. He does not realize that he will not live through the night, but the audience knows that Macbeth and his wife will murder him in his sleep within a few hours. This dramatic irony makes the dialog in the scene especially meaningful, sometimes disturbing and sometimes poignant because Duncan is so trusting.

In Fahrenheit 451, why did Montag call Faber?

Since Montag met Clarisse, his brief conversation with Faber in the park had been popping into his head more often.  After he spends the day with Mildred reading, "again he found himself thinking of the green park a year ago" where he had sat next to Faber on the park bench, and been quite sure that Faber had quoted what Montag sensed "was a rhymeless poem."  Since his world had been turned upside down with Clarisse, and his ever-increasing dissatisfaction, Montag turned to Faber to take the next step.  So, while Faber was on his mind, he gives him a ring, and asks how many Bibles are still left, "how many copies of Shakespeare and Pluto?"  His question is sincere, but of course it scares Faber, who thinks it's a trick, some way to trap him, and hangs up.  So, Montag goes to visit him, and it goes from there.

What is the meaning of "nevermore" repeated by the raven? How does it change throughout the poem?

The line increases the tension of the poem as the speaker continues his story. At first, the word is used in a humorous way when the narrator asks the bird its name and it replies "nevermore." He thinks that is a strange name for a bird.As the bird continues to sit on the bust of Pallas, the Greek goddess of wisdom, the speaker is still not very affected by its presence because he thinks that bird will just leave the next day. But then the bird says "nevermore", making the speaker think the bird is telling him he will never leave.The speaker becomes a little concerned but simply thinks "nevermore" is the only word it knows. But then the tone changes. The speaker begins to think there is something more to its meaning and begins to wonder what "nevermore" really means.As he thinks, the narrator becomes more agitated, first when he realizes that in this world, he will see Lenore "nevermore". Finally, the speaker begins to think the bird is a messenger from the dead so he asks the bird if he will see Lenore in the next world. Of course, the reply is "nevermore". He repeats the question in several different ways and receives the same reply. Now the narrator is incensed. He tells the bird to leave and receives the reply "nevermore. Thus, the meaning of the word has gone from an odd name of a raven to a prophetic warning that he will never again see Lenore nor will he ever get rid of the bird. In the end, the speaker decides he will be happy, "nevermore."

Compare and contrast the characters of Mildred and Clarisse in Fahrenheit 451. How is one a threat to the stability of the ideas and the other...

It's interesting that when Truffaut made the movie, back in the 1960's, he cast the same actress for both roles.  Mildred is a representation of what will happen to people who succumb to this type of society.  She does not think for herself, she does not think much at all.  She lives for entertainment and her safe routine.  She tells Montag that she wants a fourth wall television when they only recently bought the third wall TV.  Her only concern is her role in the TV drama.  She is terribly upset when Montag decides to stay home from work one day due to sickness because it upsets her usual routine.  Her concern when she knows Montag has books is for her own neck and what might happen to her. She is empty-headed.  Clarisse, on the other hand, represents the thinking person who reads and learns.  She tells Montag that she is considered odd because she likes to walk in nature and she likes to talk to people.  She doesn't like to participate in all the "fun" activities that occupy her peers because those activities are mindless.  She says that her family is considered odd because they sit and talk with one another rather than watch TV.  She is the one who gets Montag to start evaluating his life and the society by planting the seed of thought in him.  That makes her ideal.  Bradbury speaks to the reader, in part, through Clarisse.

In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, why does Huck assume Tom Sawyer's identity?

Huck Finn has to pretend to be Tom Sawyer because he realizes that the family that is holding Jim is none other than the family of Tom Sawyer. Because he wants to maintain easy access to Jim so he can free him, he takes on Tom's identity so that he'll be welcomed like family while devising his plan.

As with most lies, this one that Huck creates spurs several other lies, and Tom, as a result, has to lie about his identity also.

The boys keep their secret regarding who is who until the end of the book where they manage to free Jim from the shack. While running away, Tom (the real Tom) is shot and nearly killed. Finally, in the end, the boys tell Aunt Sally and Uncle Silas who is who and why they did it.

Is the narrative technique in Chapters 48-52 of Oliver Twist different from that in the rest of the novel?

In terms of structure, the narrative technique Dickens uses in Chapters 48-52 is in keeping with that previously established in Oliver Twist. He varies between chapters with heavy narration and chapters having light narration and much dialogue. He switches point of view as suits his needs as in an early chapter, Chapter 2, in which the point of view switches from indirect dialogue between workhouse Board members to direct dialogue between Mrs. Mann and Mr. Bumble (what a name...) to Bumble and Oliver, ending with Oliver and the workhouse authorities: "That boy will be hung!" Dickens also moves in and out in terms of narratorial distance by sometimes simply relaying events and at other commenting directly on the story:

Poor Oliver! He little thought, as he lay sleeping in happy unconsciousness of all around him, that the board had that very day arrived at a decision which would exercise the most material influence over all his future fortunes. But they had. And this was it: (Chapter 2)

All these structural techniques are also apparent in Chapters 48-52. For instance, Chapter 48 has heavy narration while 49 is almost exclusively dialogue. Narratorial distance changes between chapters as in Chapter 48 in which the distance is close and includes very direct narratorial comment (much in the vein of Hawthorne's manner of narratorial comment): "The sun- the bright sun, that brings back, not light alone, but new life, and hope, and freshness to man... ."

By contrast, the narrator is more distant in Chapter 51 and relays information without heavy comment: "They had not talked much upon the way; for Oliver was in a flutter of agitation and uncertainty which deprived him of the power of collecting his thoughts.... ." Further, as in earlier chapters, Dickens switches point of view to suit his needs. For example, the point of view is that of Sikes in Chapter 48 and that of Oliver in Chapter 51.

There are changes in other aspects of narratorial technique, most notable that of tone. Earlier chapters have amusement and irony in the narrator's tone, but in Chapters 48-52 that amusemnet and irony is largely eliminated and in its place is a tone of foreboding, as in 48, and doom, as in 50, and anticipation, as in 52.

How many characters are in "The Pit and the Pendulum"? Who are they?

There is one main character in "The Pit and the Pendulum"--the unnamed narrator who is the recipient of the torture. The captors of the narrator appear briefly, but indirectly. A trapdoor is opened and a light shines down on the narrator, so we can assume that his captors or a guard is checking in one him.

Other minor character are the rescuers at the end of the story, but they are only mentioned very briefly. You could also consider the rats as characters--they help the narrator achieve his goal of getting untied from the bench. The pit is such a strong force that it could be considered a character as well.

Although it is totally ineffective, what does Piggy urge Ralph to do in "Lord of the Glies"?its from the book lord of the flies chapter 11

Piggy tells Ralph to blow the conch long and loud as they arrive at Castle Rock. It is an ineffective action because both boys know that non of the painted savages will follow Ralph anymore whether he has the conch or not.  The use of the conch at this point is simply as a show of leadership and power. Piggy and Ralph recognize that they've lost leadership on this island simply because they no longer have followers. The conch, however, is the one thing that Jack hasn't been able to take away from Ralph.  Even though it is just a symbol, it is the one symbol that all of the boys recognize and relate to their first attempt at creating an adult world.  Piggy is hoping that piping one long tone on the conch will trigger a pang of jealousy and guilt in Jack, which is all Piggy and Ralph can hope for to get back at Jack.  The best case scenario for Piggy and Ralph was that some of the boys would realize how far they've come from civilization and revert back to "normal" behavior, but it was wishful thinking.

The symbolism of the conch is carried out in this chapter through the death of Piggy.  Before Golding shows us Piggy dying, we see the conch explode into a thousand pieces and cease to exist.  It isn't the physical non-existence of the conch that should worry the reader; it's the symbolic and metaphorical existence.  The conch represented civilized behavior and order; without it, the savagery is complete.

What are the differences between DNA and RNA?

DNA and RNA are both nucleic acids, meaning that they are both macromolecules (large molecules) that are responsible for storing and transmitting the genetic material of living organisms.  There are several major differences between the two, however.

First, the type of sugar found in each.  DNA has deoxyribose, while RNA contains ribose.  This difference actually gave rise to the different names.  DNA stands for DeoxyriboNucleic Acid, and RNA stands for RiboNucleic Acid.

Secondly, DNA consists of two helical (twisted) strands that give it the appearance of a twisted ladder.  RNA is made of only one helical strand (picture a curly fry).

Additionally, there is only one type of DNA, but there are several types of RNA and each has a different job.  Messenger RNA (mRNA) copies DNA and carries the message to a ribosome.  Transfer RNA (tRNA) carries amino acids to the ribosome.  Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) makes up the ribosome itself.

Finally, DNA is made of the nucleotides adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine.  RNA contains the first three, but has Uracil in place of Thymine.

What are the second predictions given to Macbeth by the witches?My copy of the text misses this part out.

The second set of prophecies that the witches give to Macbeth,

"First Apparition of an armed Head.
Macb. Tell me, thou unknown power,—
First Witch. He knows thy thought:
Hear his speech, but say thou nought.
First App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!
beware Macduff;
Beware the Thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.
[Descends.
Second Apparition, a bloody
Child.
Sec. App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth'—
Macb. Had I three ears, I'd hear thee.
Sec. App. Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh
to scorn
The power of man, for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth. [Descends. 
Third Apparition, a Child crowned,
with a tree in his hand.
What is this,
That rises like the Issue of a king,
And wears upon his baby brow the round
And top of sovereignty?
All. Listen, but speak not to't.
Third App. Be lion-mettled, proud, and take
no care
Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are:
Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until
Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill"

These prophecies are followed by the appearance of the ghost of Banquo who follows a long line of kings, which are apparently descended from his son Fleance.

Macduff is the only person who can really kill Macbeth, because he was not "born of woman" in the usual way, but was born by Cesarean section.

The final part of the prophecy concerning Great Birnam Wood, Malcolm and his men cut down branches from this forest, to hide their approach to Dunisnane Hill, thereby allowing the prophecy to come true about Great Birnam Wood.