What is the persona of the sniper?

The persona of the sniper is purposely rather vague so the audience can make their own determinations about his emotions and thoughts. All we can do is make inferences about him from his actions and an occasional description from the author. We know that he is an experienced soldier who "is used to looking at death". He is fighting for the Republican side of the Irish civil war. We are told that his "eyes have 'the cold gleam of the fanatic.' ”

In addition, he seems to be a very good soldier and even dresses his own wound in spite of being in terrible pain. He is very methodical and makes few mistakes. He lights a cigarette at night which draws attention to himself and he runs into the street where the enemy can fire upon him. But we know him only through his actions. His thoughts are not disclosed so the audience is left to fill them in with their own thoughts.

We also know that once the sniper reflects on the three people he has killed, he must feel some kind of guilt because he curses the war. When he discovers the ultimate irony in the story, that he has killed his own brother, we still do not know the sniper's thoughts. However, we do experience the horror he must have felt at making this discovery. This keeps the audience focused on the themes of the irrationality of war and the sense of isolation that war can bring.

I'm reading "Hamlet," and I don't quite understand how to answer a question in my packet.It is refering to Act 4 when Hamlet's ship is caught by...

After changing ships, Hamlet tells the pirates who he is.  Hamlet then tells them if they get him home to Denmark safely that he will make sure they are "rewarded."  He also makes sure that his letter gets to the King of England through Horatio and lets him know Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are still going to England.

"I boarded them. Just then, they sailed away from our ship, so only I became their prisoner. They have dealt with me like thieves of mercy. but know what they had done, I am to do a good turn for them. Let the king have the letters I
have sent, and come to see me with as much haste as you would fly death. I have words to speak into your ear will make you speechless, but are they much too light for the heart of
the matter. These good fellows will bring you to where I am. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are still going to England. I have much to tell you about them. Goodbye. He that you knows you, HAMLET."

In A Midsummer Night's Dream, what is the impression of Hermia and Helena beginning of the play?from their speeches and actions in Athens

Hermia comes up first. And she has some real guts to, when she's practically on trial and threatened with death anyway, to openly suggest in front of the Duke that she might actually refuse to wed Demetrius:

I know not by what power I am made bold,
Nor how it may concern my modesty,
In such a presence here to plead my thoughts;
But I beseech your Grace that I may know
The worst that may befall me in this case,
If I refuse to wed Demetrius.

She's feisty and strong, and able to match Lysander word for word. And even though he's the one who comes up with the ideas, she's the one who actually talks about how their relationship will be improved. She's also the one who takes the liberty of telling Helena all about the secret plans.

For Helena, she starts of seeming incredibly self-pitying and a bit pathetic: wanting to somehow copy Hermia's beauty.

Call you me fair? That fair again unsay.
Demetrius loves your fair...
Sickness is catching; O, were favor so,
Yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go!..
Sickness is catching; O, were favor so,
Yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go!

Yet she also, in the same scene, shows her manipulative side, deciding to use Hermia's secret to her own advantage with Demetrius:

I will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight;
Then to the wood will he tomorrow night
Pursue her; and for this intelligence
If I have thanks, it is a dear expense.

As we see later, she ain't all that pathetic. Hope it helps!

In "I Felt a Funeral in my brain," how does the line "And then a Plank in Reason, broke" a metaphor for the central theme?

The "plank of Reason" that is breaking is the speaker's grasp on sanity.  The metaphor, then, is of the tenuous hold she has had on its retention.  A plank is a narrow board, often suspended over water.  When the plank breaks (reason, sanity) the speaker feels that she has plunged into the abyss. 

The plank too, is a metaphor for crossing from one place (or state) to another.  There are two "shores," if you will, in this poem.   Sanity and insanity, life and death,and perhaps even another, order and disorder.  It is the metaphor of the plank that has carried the speaker thus far.  When it breaks, she is delivered from sanity, life, and order to insanity, death, and disorder. 

By the way, anthologies often leave out this final stanza.  Here are those last lines:

And then a Plank in Reason, broke,

And I dropped down and down

And hit the world at every plunge,

And finished, knowing --then --

What justice system does the Ibo culture have before the white men arrive in Things Fall Apart?

The core ideal of traditional Igbo justice is founded not so much on retribution but on restitution. Igbo justice attempts to create balance and to right wrongs instead of just punishing the perpetrator. The idea is to ensure that justice also ensures recompense for the victim as much as meting out punishment to the criminal.

There is a distinction between divine laws and laws made by humans. The breaking of divine law results in severe punishment (these would for example be crimes such as murder and incest - these are taboo). Transgressing man-made laws (such as theft) would result in less severe punishment.

Punishment for serious offences could result in execution, banishment or permanent compulsory exile. In this instance, restitution to the victim's family could be in the form of awarding the perpetrator's land and property to them or 'a life for a life'. 

Punishment for lesser crimes involved the criminal either being ostracized or having to pay compensation to the victim. The criminal might also be publicly humiliated and held up for derision by the villagers.

Traditional courts comprised the elders of the village (the egwugwu, comprising men only) who would then consult with the gods to establish punishment once a guilty verdict had been reached. The 'audi alteram partem' rule is applied. Both parties were given the opportunity to present their version of a matter. There was no formal court building or complex, and trials were conducted openly. Both parties had to undertake an oath in which they promised before their gods that they would tell the truth.

Based on the evidence presented, the egwugwu would then, after consultation with the gods, decide on the degree of illegality (the severity of the crime) and would decide on compensation or mete out punishment.

Okonkwo for example, was instructed to pay a fine after dishonouring The Week of Peace by beating his wife, Ojiugo, for not preparing him a meal. He was later banished to his mother's village, Mbanta, for seven years for accidentally shooting and killing one of Ezeudu's son during Ezeudu's funeral. 

What are some examples of the theme of bravery in "To Kill a Mockingbird"? Also give examples of Scout and Jem's immaturity in Chap 8

Bravery takes many forms in "To Kill a Mockingbird." The most obvious is Atticus' defense of Tom Robinson. Instead of giving Tom a half-hearted defense, Atticus actually proves Tom's innocence. Although this is not acknowledged by the verdict, Atticus would have had a good case on appeal. In addition, his children show remarkable courage. When facing a potential mob, Jem tells Atticus there is a phone call and Scout begins talking to Walter Cunningham, who is a member of a mob coming to kill Tom Robinson. Both events show tremendous courage. Miss Maudie overcomes her morphine addiction before she dies and only after her death does Atticus reveal Jem's role in helping her. Boo Radley also shows courage. First, he puts a blanket around Jem's shoulders when Miss Maudie's house is on fire. This means he has come out of his house in order to help. But his greatest bravery comes the night the children are attacked by Bob Ewell and Boo grabs a knife and kills Ewell. He then makes sure Jem gets safely back to Atticus and waits patiently until he knows Jem is safe. As for Scout and Jem's insecurity in Chapter 8, they make a snowman that resembles Mr. Avery, who they do not like. They think this is funny until Atticus objects and they change the face on the snowman. This shows they are still playing childish games by making fun of people and do not always respect others' feelings.

What does the third scaffold scene in "The Scarlet Letter" mean for each of the characters? The third scaffold scene, it is said that Dimmesdale...

In the last scaffold scene, Dimmesdale finally confesses that he is the father of Pearl. In addition, he admits that he should have been one of the people on the scaffold seven years before when Hester stood there with only Pearl in her arms. This admission allows several things to happen. First, it frees Dimmesdale from the clutches of a revengeful Chillingworth. Chillingworth admits this when he says to Dimmesdale, "Thou hast escaped me." For Pearl, it means that her father has finally acknowledged her, something she has been asking him to do for a long time. As early as the second scaffold scene, she asked Dimmesdale to stand with her and her mother on the scaffold but his response was he would do that "on judgement day". So she gains a human father and the rumors that she was a child of the devil are put to rest.According to Puritan belief, with confession, Dimmesdale finally receives forgiveness and redemption. However, the stress of confession puts too much strain on Dimmesdale's heart and he dies. So Hester loses the dream of running away with Dimmesdale. Of course, that dream had been delayed earlier when she discovered Chillingworth had booked passage on the ship that was to take she and the minister back to England. However, they are eventually reunited--in death-- and share the same tombstone. For Puritans, that would equal eternal happiness.

What is the theme/conflict and symbolism in chapter 5 of "The Great Gatsby"?

One of the major themes in The Great Gatsby is the nature of time and the past, and we can see this playing out in Chapter 5.  Gatsby, awkward and nervous, leans back against Nick's mantelpiece and nearly topples the clock.  The symbol of the clock thus also represents one of the novel's themes as Gatsby is nearly knocked on the head by time.

Shortly after this episode, Daisy and Gatsby attempt small talk.  Gatsby knows exactly how long it's been since they've spoken: "Five years next November."  He (and Daisy) both pretend to ignore the passage of time, as if they can start their lives again where they left off, but yet they are both strangely attuned to the details of time--the exact moment of leaving, the time the tea was supposed to start.

Another major theme in this chapter (and throughout the novel) is the conflict between fantasy/idealism and reality--this is demonstrated through Gatsby's wonder at Daisy and through Daisy's emotional response to Gatsby's "beautiful" shirts.  Most celebrated is perhaps the symbol of the green light at the end of the dock--Gatsby's seemingly unattainable dream of Daisy.  At the end of the chapter, Nick remarks upon the inevitable collision of dream and reality, and the "colossal vitality of [Gatsby's] illusion."

What or who is the antagonist of the short story "Through the Tunnel" ?

In "Through the Tunnel", the original antagonists were the older local boys who taunted Jerry with their ability to swim through the tunnel and escape him. As the story continues, the antagonist becomes Jerry's own body and fear as he gradually learns to hold his breath long enough to go through the tunnel, and metaphorically, into manhood. In a minor way, Jerry's mother could also be seen as an antagonist because he uses her presence to to cling to when he is afraid. However, she does not interfere with her son's determination to go through the tunnel and once Jerry buys his goggles, ( a metaphor for being able to find his way to maturity), she is no longer in the picture. The struggle Jerry faces is with his fear and his lungs.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird", what does Dolphus Raymond's comment (below) foreshadow at the end of the chapter?"You aren't thin-hided, it just makes...

DIll needs to leave the court room during Mr. Gilmer's cross examination of Tom because Mr. Gilmer's treatment of Tom makes Dill sick. Mr. Gilmer is calling Tom "boy" and being condescending and Dill understands that isn't right. Atticus was kind to Mr. Gilmer's witnesses, so there's no reason Mr. Gilmer shouldn't be nice to Tom.

Dolphus Raymond is commenting on the fact that children can see injustices far better than adults--or are more sensitive to them than adults. Dill can understand that Mr. Gilmer's treatment of Tom is unjust, but most adults in the court room will turn a blind eye to it because Tom is black. This foreshadows Jem's reaction to the verdict--Jem can understand how wrong it is, and can't understand how adults--who are supposed to be so smart--could come to that verdict. Kids aren't overly sensitive--they just don't see the same differences that adults do,

In Chapter 4 of The Giver, what almost always happens with the Eights at first?

Children in the Community begin their volunteer hours while they are Eights.  They are allowed to choose where they would like to do these hours, and this freedom of choice is a new and wonderful experience to them.  Everything else about their lives is so "carefully regulated", and, as Jonas remembers, being allowed to choose in this one area "always seem(s) a wonderful luxury".

When faced with their first experience of "freedom of choice", the Eights "always set out on their first volunteer hour a little nervously, giggling and staying in groups of friends.  They almost invariably (do) their hours on Recreation Duty first, helping with the younger ones in a place where they still (feel) comfortable.  But with guidance, as they (develop) self-confidence and maturity, they (move) on to other jobs, gravitating toward those that would suit their own interests and skills".

Throughout the time of their volunteer years, the children are watched carefully by the committee as they experiment in different areas, trying to find their own fields of interest and expertise.  On the basis of what is observed about their performance during their volunteer service hours, each child receives an Assignment, placement in a career that they will pursue for the length of their working life, when they reach the age of Twelve (Chapter 4).

What are mesosomes and how do they work?

Mesosomes are areas in the cell membrane of prokaryotic (bacterial) cells that fold inward.  They play a role in cellular respiration, the process that breaks down food to release energy.

In Eukaryotes, the majority of this process occurs in mitochondria.  The third, and final, step of cellular respiration (electron transport chain) occurs in the space between the two membranes of the mitochondria. This step is critical to the cell as most of the energy from food is released during this stage.  Since Prokaryotes do not contain membrane bound organelles, they need a different approach.  Instead, they use the mesosomes as a site for the electron transport chain.

Please explain some of the literary devices in "To the Virgina, Make Much of Time."

This poem is considered one of the "Carpe Diem" poems. In Latin, carpe diem" is usually translated "seize the day." However, carpo in Latin can also refer to picking or plucking flowers or fruits, and this association goes well with the imagery he uses when he admonishes virgins to "gather ye rosebuds while ye may." In the first stanza, Herrick also employs personification when he says, "time is still a-flying" and "this same flower that smiles". The second stanza contains an allusion to the sun god, Helios, who each day raced his chariot across the sky. Herrick wirtes that ". . .the sun/ The higher he's a getting,/The sooner will his race be won. This also contains personification by comparing the sun to a racer. Herrick again uses personification when he implies that Time will always follow and bring the worst with it. The final imagery of the poem suggests that if virgins do not marry they will "forever tarry" or linger.

What are the major events between chapters 1-6 in "The Red Badge of Courage"? What are some of the emotions during these chapters?

This reading is about Henry's feelings and his state of mind before going into battle, his first war experiences, and when he flees from the battle.  This is Henry's first real experience off the farm, and he comes into this war feeling pretty proud and confident.  He's ready to fight and be a hero.  However, the reality is hitting him when they are arguing over moving the regiment out of the area since they've been there a few months.  Henry is torn between how he should feel as a soldier and how he truly feels now that the reality has sunken in.  He is afraid.  He speaks with Jim Conklin, and he learns that Jim will run if everyone else runs, too.  But his job is to stay and fight.  Knowing that Jim will run makes Henry feel like he's not alone after all.  So his feelings go back and forth between duty and fear.  Henry continues feeling torn up until the point of actual battle.  Not knowing how he would fare, Henry fights bravely and feels proud that he stood up and fought for his first actual experience at war.  However, the enemy surges back unexpectedly and Henry sees others run.  He also runs.  He eventually meets up with the general who tells them that they have kept the enemy back.  But because he ran from the front line, Henry cannot join in the celebration.  He feels shame now rather than pride.

If you were directing Much Ado About Nothing, how would you manage Act III Scene 1?

This scene is of course the parallel scene to the prior gulling of Benedick, where he is made to believe that Beatrice is desperately in love with him. The immense humour in this scene lies in the way in which we know that Hero and Ursula are aware of Beatrice's presence, but Beatrice does not know that, and continues to believe that she is eavesdropping upon them unbeknownst to them.

Many productions therefore deliberately play on this differing perspective, showing Ursula and Hero spying on Beatrice before entering in upon her location, remaining blissfully unaware of her presence even in spite of Beatrice's clumsy attempts to keep up with them and listen to their conversation. One production I saw, for example, used a maze in a garden to stage this scene, with Beatrice obviously sticking her head over the top to try and keep up with Ursula and Hero. The fact that the maze was only waist-high, and so Beatrice had to crawl around on hands and knees to keep up, only added to the comedy. Such a setting allows the humour of the scene to be indicated whilst making it absolutely clear to the audience that Beatrice is being tricked.

"Empty. She is gone. [A hope flashes across his mind.] The most wonderful thing of all—?" Act III In Henrik Ibsen's play A Doll's House, why does...

Helmer: (Sinks down on a chair at the door and buries his face in his hands). Nora! Nora! (Looks round, and rises.) Empty. She is gone. (A hope flashes across his mind.) The most wonderful thing of all--?" (Act III).

Henrik Ibsen's choice of stage direction in his final passage of A Doll's House is very interesting. After Nora walks out the door, first Torvald sinks to a chair with his face buried in his hands, crying with anguish "Nora! Nora!" Sinking to a chair while crying into his hands are the actions of one who has been completely defeated. He does not chase after her through the door because he knows it is hopeless. In sinking into the chair Torvald is showing that he is defeated and mourning her loss.

His second action after she leaves, after a pause, is to look around the room and stand, saying "Empty. She is gone." This stage command serves to show Torvald in a state of dawning awareness. Though he was just beginning to mourn, he is only now starting to fully grasp the reality of the situation. He looks around the room to take in the fact that she is no longer in the room, or in the house.  He stands to get a better look at the house, to get a better understanding of just how empty the house is.  Standing may also make him feel that he is still king of his own domain. Being king of his own domain leads us to the explanation of this third stage action.

Because Torvald realizes that he is still king of his own house, he realizes that he may still be in control of the situation. At this point hope flashes across his face because he suddenly feels that making the changes Nora requires may be possible. He poses the question "The most wonderful thing of all--?" to ask himself if the "most wonderful thing of all" is truly possible, and his answer is yes--it may be possible. Torvald realizes that it may be possible for him to start seeing Nora as a grown human being with her own mind and own needs, instead of as a child or possession.

What does Hawthorne think about the congregation's behavior towards the black veil?

Hawthorne seems to understand the congregation's surprise at the black veil but he is critical of the way in which they dealt with the minister. He writes, "It was remarkable that all of the busybodies and impertinent people in the parish, not one ventured to put the plain question to Mr. Hooper, wherefore he did this thing." Hawthorne continues to say that in every other matter, people were never afraid to voice their opinion. But the black veil upset them so much that they decided to form a committee to ask Rev. Hooper about the veil. "Never did an embassy so ill discharge its duties," Hawthorne writes. The committee was awkward and never got around to the  point of the visit. Instead, they decided a "general synod" might be required to ask Hooper why he wore the veil. Hawthorne is obviously amused that the congregation was so afraid to confront Hooper about a simple piece of black crepe.

Does 'planning' involve choice between alternative courses of action?for MBA

Yes, planning very much involves choosing between alternative courses of action.

Planing, also called decision making, is one of the primary function of all managers. The process of planning consists of the following steps.

• Problem identification or objective setting. All managerial actions are directed towards solving some problem faced in the work being managed, or to achieve some objective. Planning is basically the process of determining how this can be done. But before we start to decide on action to be taken, it is good to have clarity on the purpose of actions - the problem to be solved or the objective to be achieved.


• Data collection. This is the step when we collect the data and information on what is possible, what are the factors impacting the problem, what resources available, and the like. More information we have better it is. But information gathering costs time and money and a trade of must be made between value and cost of additional Information.


• Analysing the information. This is done to understand interrelationship between various aspects of the problem and its solutions.


• Identifying alternative courses of action. Partly these will become clearer with data collection and analysis. However, it is always better to search for and develop innovative solution. This calls for adoption of a lateral thinking approach.


• Evaluating the alternatives. In this step we examine the cost and benefits of each alternative. Often this analysis will show one alternative to be clearly better than others. In other situations, this may involve choosing between conflicting objectives and criteria.


• Choosing the best alternative. This is really the core of planning - choosing the best possible alternative. But unless we go through the earlier steps we may not be able to know clearly what alternatives exist, and what are the implication of choosing any one.


• Detailing the alternative. Working out the finer details of the chosen alternative course of action necessary for practical implementation.


• Implementing.


• Monitoring and control.

What is the meaning of the poem "Fork" by Charles Simic?

Two points to consider before we turn to your fine question. First, often a poem does not have a single answer, but is subject to interpretation. Second, consider the possibility that the poem's affect on you is its meaning. In this case, the strangeness and imagery of "Fork" would be its meaning.

 
And in fact, I'm going to argue that this is a large part of the meaning. In "Fork" Simic takes a close look at, well, forks, and forces us to do so. Look at a fork. It looks like a bizarre little pitchfork or, as Simic says, "a bird's foot." Do you really want to put that in your food? Your mouth? He makes the common world strange, and makes us like kids or aliens, seeing things for the first time.

What is Lee's purpose for the allusion to the WPA and the Ladies’ Law and what does it indicate? (Chapter 27)

The allusion to the WPA only further illustrates how awful Bob Ewell really is.  He is so lazy that even the WPA (who was created for the purpose of people finding jobs and jump starting our economy again after the Depression) fired him because of his laziness.  So Lee took it beyond just Maycomb, and showed the reader that even the state/national level wasn't happy with Bob or his way of life.

The allusion to the Ladies' Law is again pointed towards Bob and his treatment of Helen Robinson.  He was so nasty that he would torment Tom's widowed wife.  Link Deas protects her and threatens him with sticking him with "the Ladies' Law" which would put him in jail for some time.  It was something the state of Alabama enforced at the time.  No one was to speak inappropriately in front of or near women (who were thought of as delicate and impressionable, I suppose).  They wanted to protect women from the harsh realities of life. This indicates that Bob was a harsh reality himself.  He could be fined up to $200.00 and jailed, so that kept him from harassing Helen anymore.

What is the surprise ending in the story "The Tell-Tale Heart"?

The surprise ending comes when our main character is so plagued by the beating of his own heart, which he perceives to be the murder victim's, that he tears up the floorboards to expose his crime to the law enforcement officers on scene. Throughout the story, our protagonist battles with the beating heart, until at last he can stand no more, and reveals the dismembered body he has concealed beneath the planks of his own floor. As we gain a perspective inside our character's mind, we get to experience a small piece of his insanity. Poe was good at using the first person to engross his readership.

What are the similarities and differences between DNA and RNA?

Differences:

- DNA is double-stranded, RNA is single-stranded.

- DNA contains a pentose sugar Deoxyribose, RNA contains the pentose sugar Ribose.  A pentose is a 5-carbon sugar molecule.

- DNA is limited to the nucleus, RNA is made in the nucleus, but can travel outside of it.

- DNA has a nitrogenous base called Thymine, but RNA doesn't.  Instead, RNA has Uracil.  In DNA thymine pairs with adenine, but in RNA uracil pairs with adenine.

- There is only one type of DNA but 3 kinds of RNA (messenger, transfer and ribosomal RNA)

Similarities:

- DNA and RNA are made up of monomers called nucleotides.

- DNA and RNA both contain pentose sugars.

- DNA and RNA both have 3 nitrogenous bases: Adenine, Cytosine and Guanine.

- DNA and RNA both have a phosphate groups in their nucleotides.  Sometimes called phosphoric acid.

- They both have the base pair of Guanine and Cytosine.

- They are both necessary for the cell to produce proteins.

- DNA makes mRNA which then is translated into protein.

For what do New York City, the valley of ashes, West Egg and East Egg stand in The Great Gatsby? In which way are they different from each other?

Each of these locations means something slighty different to Gatsby, Daisy, Nick, Tom, etc., but there are some commonalities. New York is for Tom a place to play and misbehave with his mistress Myrtle.  For Myrtle, New York is escape from her horrible life with her husband (in the "valley of ashes").  New York for Nick is a place of a different kind of opportunity -- success in business.  It is, for most characters, an "other" place.  A place outside of most of the action of the story, it is a place that's an escape from the oppressive atmosphere of Long Island.  The "valley of ashes" represents the real world of most of the people of the United States.  It is a blighted, poor area in which Myrtle and her husband live.  It is ugly and depressing, and is in contrast to the bright lights of the city and the protected beauty of West and East Egg.  It is quite literally a place of death (Myrtle's), rather than one of life or hope.  West and East Egg represent where the best of society should be at peace.  Tom and Daisy are in the very best section (East Egg), while the parvenu Gatsby and the relatively poor Nick are left to gaze with longing across the water at East Egg from the less-fashionable West Egg.  East Egg represents, at least for Gatsby, a kind of unattainable heaven (containing Daisy).  West Egg was supposed to be a refuge from the city's heat for Nick, but as the events of the summer unfold it becomes a place of sadness and lost hopes.  

In Anne Bradstreet's poem, "In Memory of My Dear Grandchild--Elizabeth Bradstreet," what is she trying to say?

The full title of Bradstreet's poem is as follows: "In Memory of My Dear Grandchild--Elizabeth Bradstreet, Who Deceased August, 1665, Being a Year and a Half Old". She was writing about her granddaugher who has died as a baby. Bradstreet was a devout Puritan who believed in God's grace and His will, but she was also a woman who loved her family deeply. Both aspects of her character are present in the poem as she mourns the baby's death while striving to accept God's will.

The first four lines of the poem express her deep love for this child. She calls the baby "dear" and "sweet" and refers to her as a "fair flower." The baby is her heart's contentment and "the pleasure of [her] eye," and has been taken from her.

In the next three lines, Bradstreet questions her own grief, reminding herself that this baby has gone to be with God, "settled in an everlasting state." The following four lines examine the natural order of life, growth, and death with examples from nature. She writes, "And time brings down what is both strong and tall."

In the poem's conclusion, Bradstreet addresses her grief that this child had not lived a long life as is the natural order. She finds comfort in her faith that it is God's hand that "guides nature and fate." She struggles to accept her personal loss as being God's will. This same theme is developed in Bradstreet's poem, "Upon the Burning of Our House."

List the number of times that cars are mentioned in The Great Gatsby.

Although I consider myself a very observant reader, I will admit that I wouldn't attempt to answer your question without a Kindle in hand.  Now that I finally have one, I can happily answer your question with quite a surprising result!

Cars are mentioned exactly 88 times in Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby.

It's a high number, isn't it?  The large number of times truly surprised me.  I think it was surprising mostly because I was thinking of particular incidents that involve cars within the book.  I thought it might be fun to list them and then go into a little explanation of symbolism.  There are exactly 11 incidents that involve cars.  Here they are:

• Cars going into and out of the Eggs.


• Cars going into and out of the Valley of the Ashes.


• Wilson's exploits hoping to buy and sell cars.


• The car accident after Gatsby's party.


• Nick calls Jordan a "rotten driver."


• Gatsby shows Nick the famous yellow car.


• As Gatsby meets Daisy at Nick's.


• The group heads to NYC for thier hot confrontation.


• Wilson sees Tom in Gatsby's car.


• Daisy hits Myrtle and the car is deemed "the death car."


• Cars in Gatsby's funeral procession.

It is the second-to-last incident that has the most "car" words associated with it:  24.  Rightly so.  It's the most important incident of all.

Just to end with a little note about symbolism, I need to mention that Gatsby's creamy yellow car is usually pegged as a symbol of material wealth.  Let's look at its original description:

I'd seen it.  Everybody had seen it.  It was a rich cream color, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of wind-shields that mirrored a dozen suns.

In this regard, I also think it's REALLY interesting that at least part of Wilson's business involves "cars, bought and sold."  This shows that the man, living in the Valley of the Ashes mind you, desires that same material wealth, but can't obtain it for his wife, Myrtle, ... and to his own detriment.  Poor guy.

A more controversial take on general car-symbolism in this novel is that the car is a symbol of death.  If you scan the incidents above, you can see this works with many of them:  the "death car" being the most spectacular, of course; but even Jordan's rotten driving could have killed someone; the accident outside of Gatsby's mansion did cause a wreck; and a car did bring Gatsby to his grave.

And thus my theory lives on:  that the material wealth (symbolized by cars) of the Roaring Twenties validly foreshadowed the death (again symbolized by cars) of the stock market otherwise know as the Great Depression.

In "One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest," what form of therapy did the hospital use on the mentally ill? Did it work? Describe the common routine that...

The hospital employed several kinds of therapy. The first kind was drug therapy which was one routine that all patients on McMurphy's ward followed. The hospital also employed group therapy. In the novel, the group atmosphere, McMurphy is able to challenge Nurse Ratched's contol of the ward. If patients became agitated or the hospital doctors felt it was necessary, patients were given electric shock therapy. Electrodes were attached to the patients and they were given a sharp electric shock which seemed to have a calming effect. This was given to McMurphy, Cheswick and the Chief after an incident during group therapy. The final solution seems to be frontal lobotomy in which part of the frontal lobe of the brain is removed. It was also thought to have a calming effect, although it left people with almost no personality. This is what occurs to McMurphy and is the catalyst for the Chief's escape from the hospital. If the novel is to be used as a guide, most of the time the therapy was ineffective because after McMurphy's death, most patients check themselves out.

Nurse Ratched was obsessed with the daily routine which included getting the men up at a certain time, having them clean up and take their medication, group therapy, field trips and individual for patients to interact. Then, they all went to bed at the same time.

Why are the themes of secrecy and alienation/isolation in "Speak" significant?

The title of the book is "Speak," yet Melinda is silent for most of the book. She keeps the secret of her rape and internally suffers from it. In some ways, her self-silencing stems from the fact that she did attempt to 'speak' when she dialed 911 from the party where she was attacked, resulting in the cops coming and shutting down the party, and all of her classmates angry at her for doing so (without knowing why). Her attempt to reach out for help did not work, so she withdraws within herself and alienates herself from her peers and her family. When her friend is in danger because she's dating the boy who raped Melinda, Melinda begins to find courage to speak out, and with help of new found friends through art class, she finds further support. In a climactic scene where Andy confronts Melinda, and she loudly and fervently speaks out against him, the spell of silence over her is broken.

Why did Maurice hit Holden in "The Catcher in the Rye"?

Maurice is a bully. He likes to intimidate people and likes hitting people if he feels pretty sure they won't hit him back. With Holden he must be sure he won't get involved in a fight. That could cause a noisy scene. It could result in Holden getting seriously injured and having to go to the emergency hospital and involving the police. Maurice knows he is nothing but an ignorant flunky and will never be anything better. He also recognizes Holden as being far above him in intelligence, education, and social status. This is what really infuriates him. Then Holden provokes Maurice into hitting him by telling him off and predicting his future fate.

"You're a dirty moron," I said. "You're a stupid chiseling moron, and in about two years you'll be one of those scraggy guys that come up to you on the street and ask for a dime for coffee. You'll have snot all over your dirty filthy overcoat, and you'll be--"

Maurice actually only hits Holden once.

All I felt was this terrific punch in my stomach.

The five dollars they extort from him means nothing to Holden, who shows that he is careless about money. What troubles him is the principle, the injustice, and the sordidness of the whole business. They are things that Maurice knows nothing and cares nothing about. And it shows the difference in their characters and their social class. Maurice actually is pretty stupid. Holden may be wrong about the future he predicts for him, but the prediction is so vivid that Maurice can actually see himself in that position two years into the future. He has seen plenty of "those scraggy guys" on the streets of lower New York, and he feels that Holden somehow is putting a hex on him with his words. Holden is really brilliant. He has a genius IQ and doesn't realize it. His intelligence causes him a lot of trouble, especially with "morons," of whom there are many, and not just in New York. Meanwhile Sunny is hearing Holden too, and his words may be changing her attitude about her wise and powerful protector, reducing him to a very small size.

In "The Solider's Home," what does Krebs mean by wanting "to live along without consequences"? Why might he feel that way?

Krebs is reacting to the less than warm welcome he received after returning to his hometown after serving in the Army during World War I.

Most of his fellow soldiers had returned home long before he was able to do so.  The town had already heard all the horror stories and had grown weary of the tales of pain and suffering.  Krebs soon learns to not tell any of his own experiences to anyone.  His inability to express himself causes what we now know as depression. 

The line that you are inquiring about, wanting to "live without consequences" comes when Krebs is contemplating becoming involved with a woman.  He decides that he "did not want to get into the intrigue and politics."  The whole idea of having to form another human relationship is too painful.  The horrors of war combined with the callousness he percieves in his hometown causes Krebs to lose hope in life. 

In "The Destructors", how would you classify Trevor and Blackie according to character type?

You have asked a very good question focussing on characterisation of the two main characters in the gang. What is interesting about Trevor is that we are not given access as readers to any of his thoughts, so we have to infer his motives for organising and accomplishing the destruction of Old Misery's House. He is clearly a dynamic character in that he provides the initiative and the plan and the energy to mobilise and organise the gang in order to destroy the house. Yet he is also clearly emotionally disturbed and detached from everyone and everything around him. Consider the following quote:

"All this hate and love," he said, "it's soft, it's hooey. There's only things, Blackie," and he looked round the room crowded with the unfamiliar shadows of half things, broken things, former things.

Trevor is a character who is so emotionally divorced from the world that he destroys without passion and is not able to feel emotion. Thus to him, the destruction is actually an act of creation as it expresses his nihilistic attitude towards the world and his rejection of everything that the world values.

Blackie is perhaps a simpler character, the initial leader of the gang who resumes his post of leadership towards the end of the story. When T. usurps his leadership, initially he is annoyed and "dimly aware of the fickleness of favour", but then, thinking of the fame this endeavour could gain for the gang, he is quite willing to return and become a member of the gang under T's leadership in order to achieve this feat:

Driven by the pure, simple, and altruistic ambition of fame for the gang, Blackie came back to where T. stood in the shadow of Misery's wall.

Blackie is not so focussed on power that he is not willing to be a part of this scheme, but it is clear from his conversations with T. that he does not fully understand or share T.'s nihilistic outlook on the world.

What are the two things that are being compared (metaphor) in Emerson's, "to draw a new circle"?

Did you mean Emerson's essay, entitled "Circles"?

In "Circles" Emerson compares the eye and horizon to circles with all of nature following this pattern: "The eye is the first circle; the horizon which it forms, the second; and, throughout nature this primary figure is repeated without end."

Emerson also states that "our culture is the predominance of an idea which draws after it this train of cities and institutions. For example, the Puritan culture of Colonial America had its concept, or idea of God being actively involved in one's life; the Puritans built their colleges for the instruction of young men in the ministry of this faith. The cities and institutions were citadels of this faith: "one circle leads to another with the primary figure repeated." The original ideology is the first circle; the "train of cities and institutions" are cultural horizons, the second circle.

The emanaitng self becoming a widening circle is the metaphor. Emerson writes that the key to every man is his thought; all his facts are clarified by a "certain helm" of thought. The central beliefs of a man are the "helm" of his thought that lead him to the widening circles of thought and culture.

In "Julius Caesar", where did Mark Antony find Caesar's will?

Great question. If you believe Antony, the answer is in Caesar's closet (his dressing room) - at least, that's what he tells the crowd in the funeral scene, Act 3, Scene 2:

But here's a parchment with the seal of Caesar;
I found it in his closet, 'tis his will.

However, the plot thickens. It depends how much you trust Antony as a character (as it happens, I don't, not even the tiniest bit!) - but in Act 4, Scene 1, not supposed to be much later than the funeral scene (3.2) Antony sends Lepidus off to Caesar's house to get ... the will (!):

But, Lepidus, go you to Caesar's house,
Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine
How to cut off some charge in legacies.

Didn't he already have the will? Well, yes, we thought so. So why is the will now at Caesar's house? Who knows. Is it possible that Antony's will was a fake, designed to get the crowd on-side? Certainly. Is it proven? No.

But, whatever you think about Antony, his motives aren't whiter than white. The second half of the above quote shows his intention to cut the will down: "cutting off some charge" in Caesar's will in order to make himself some more money.

Meaning: "What lasts is what is written. We look to find literature to find the essence of an age". What are some stories to support this statement?

Literature is divided up into literary periods. The novels, stories, plays, and epics of these eras generally share certain characteristics. Short stories from the Modern era (1914-) for instance tend to be fragmented and cyclical. Examples of stories from this era are "The Dubliners" by James Joyce, any story by Evelyn Waugh, and any story by Faulkner or Hemingway.

Great literature is enduring not because of its form, but because the ideas in them are constantly rewritten because of their universality. 

What is the purpose of The Joy Luck Club?

The purpose of the club, "The Joy Luck Club" in America is to bring good fortune to Suyuan Woo's family and friends while finding joy in the hope of good luck.  Suyuan began the club in China in order to lift the spirits of her friends during the Japanese invasion of China.  Each of the four Chinese women in the club has her own perspective of life, a perspective based upon her experiences in China.  But because it is a perspective that she wishes to share with her American-born daughter, there are conflicts between the generations.

For instance, the younger generation perceives the Joy Luck Club as a shameful Chinese custom.  They do not understand the purpose of this club, nor do they understand the desires of their mothers who wish them to maintain ancient Chines customs.

Miss Maudie made a gesture that implied to her that Jem had matured greatly. Why?

Miss Maudie called Jem over to her house; Scout and Dill accompanied him.  Maudie took the children into her kitchen, where they found one big cake and two little ones.  Scout and Dill each received their own little cake, as was Miss Maudie's custom.  However, Jem was not given his own cake, but was served a piece of the large cake.  This was Miss Maudie's way of acknowledging Jem's maturity; she treated him as she would an adult, rather than the same way she treated Dill and Scout.

Where was Romeo banished to after he killed Tybalt?

After the well-meaning, but "star-crossed" Romeo, who is newly wed to his beloved Juliet, appears on the scene of the public place where the contentious exchange of Mercutio and Tybalt is in progress. He seeks to intervene and diffuse the tension between Juliet's cousin and his friend, but fate enters. For, despite Romeo's well-meaning words,

I do protest I never injured thee,
But love thee better than thou canst devise
Till thou shalt know the reason of my love
And so, good Capulet--which name I tender
As dearly as mine own--be satisfied. (3.1)

Tybalt feels insulted, believing that Romeo mocks him. So, he reaches around Romeo and fatally stabs Mercutio. Incensed that Tybalt would kill his beloved Mercutio, Romeo rashly attacks Juliet's cousin and kills him. Then, realizing what has just happened, Romeo cries out, "O I am fortune's fool!" And, he flees to the cell of Friar Laurence. There, the priest tells Romeo to calm himself; further, he instructs Romeo to 

Go get thee to thy love....
But look thou stay not till the watch he set,
For then thou canst not pass to Mantua,
Where thou shalt live till we can find a time
To blaze [make public] your marriage. (3.3)

Friar Laurence instructs Romeo to hide in Mantua, and he will locate Romeo's servant and send messages through him. Unfortunately, while Romeo is in this city a plague breaks out and the city is quarantined, so Balthasar, Romeo's servant, cannot communicate with him. Consequently, Romeo does not learn about what happens with Juliet.

What are the criteria or rules for winning the tale-telling contest in "The Canterbury Tales"?

It's thought up by the man who runs the Tabard Inn, in Southwark, where the pilgrims meet, who is usually referred to as the "Host". He talks to the pilgrims, about to set off for Canterbury, and proposes a game:

'...as ye goon by the weye
Ye shapen yow to talen and to pleye' (771-2)

The Host then stipulates the rules of a tale-telling contest (see GP 766-809). Each pilgrim has to tell two tales on the way to Canterbury, and two more on the way back. He himself will leave the inn and travel with them in order to judge the contest, and that, when they return to the tavern having been on their pilgrimage, the person he judges the winner will eat dinner (at his tavern) paid for by all of the other pilgrims. Who will the winner be?

That is to seyn, that telleth in this caas
Tales of best sentence and moost solaas
(797-8)

Sentence is moral sententiousness, moral instruction. Solaas is entertainment value, fun. These are two totally different criteria.

The Knight is selected by the drawing of lots ('the cut') - though this can be seen as a little suspicious, so keen is the Host on having the upper class characters to tell the stories. After the Knight finishes his tale, he immediately turns to the Monk, before the Miller buts in. So you well might be suspicious of the Knight being chosen.

The game isn't completed. No-one tells four tales, and the winner is never announced. In fact, in Fragment 10, (line 25) the game is stated as telling one tale each!

What reason does Brutus give in his soliloquy for killing Caesar in Julius Caesar?

Brutus thinks that once Caesar is given power, he will become corrupt.  To prevent him from bringing harm to Rome, Brutus is wrestling with the idea that he should kill him.

Brutus actually has no specific evidence to think that Caesar will become a bad ruler.  He says,

"...for my part I know no personal cause to spurn at him" (II,i,11-12),

yet speaking generally, he is afraid that power

"...might change his nature, there's the question" (II,i,13).

Brutus believes that if Caesar is crowned, that will put in his hands the capability

"That at his will he may do danger with...Th' abuse of greatness is when it disjoins remorse from power...And to speak truth of Caesar, I have not known when his affections swayed more than his reason" (II,i,16-21).

Because of Caesar's personality, and in particular his tendency to be completely unemotional while relying solely on reason, Brutus feels that there is a great possiblity that he will let power go to his head and do damage to Rome.  Remembering situations where those who have climbed the ladder of ambition have turned their backs on their more noble inclinations once they have achieved their lofty positions, Brutus reflects,

"So Caesar may.  Then, lest he may, prevent" (II,i,27-28).

To protect Rome from what Caesar might do once he is in power, Brutus resolves to kill him, like "a serpent's egg" (II,i,32) while still "in the shell" (II,i,34).

I'm not sure what exactly Shakespeare's intention was when he wrote "Romeo and Juliet". Can anyone help?

To be absolutely honest, I don't think anyone can help. We don't know anything at all about why Shakespeare wrote his plays, as we don't have any first-hand information from Shakespeare, from his patrons, or from his actors, about the circumstances of each of their composition.

All we've got is the plays - and you have to make your own judgement about what each play is trying to do and how successfully it does it.

Best I can do, I think is give you a few pointers about things to think about it in the play:

• The setting of the play in Renaissance Italy points to a fascination that Shakespeare and the Elizabethans seem to have had with Italy as a place of hot-blooded passion, fashionable clothes and attitudes, and young, heady people.
  
• The play seems to start as a comedy, and only twists into tragedy on Mercutio's (accidental) death. The youthful high-jinks of the first scenes of "Romeo and Juliet" seem closer to "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in youthful high-jinks, rather than the ominousness of a "Macbeth" or a "King Lear". Is Shakespeare trying his hand at a different sort of tragedy?
  
• The play also relies on fate (their love is "death-mark'd") and chance for it to happen - look at the way Friar John cannot, randomly, deliver Romeo's letter to Mantua, which brings about the dual suicide of the final act. Is one of the objectives of the play perhap to ask the question - why do bad things happen? What is tragedy?

How do I determine C, so that the straight line joining (0,3) and (5,2) is tangent to the curve y = c/(x+1) ?

Given curve  y=c/(x+1).. (1)

Its slope at any poit is dy/dx = -c/(x+1)^2   (2)

The slope  and equation of the line joining (0,3) and (5,2)  are

(2-3)/(5)= -(1/5) ....(3)  and

y = -(1/5)x+3........(4).

At the tangent point the slope of line and the curve are same, therefore, from(3) and (2): -1/5=-c/(x+1)^2 ==>

5c=(x+1)^2.........(6)

Solving for the line and the curve, from rom ((4) and (1),

-(1/5)x +3 = c/(x+1)==>

5c=(-x+15)(x+1) = -x^2+14x+15.........(7)

Eliminatin c  between  (6) and (7) we get x cordinate of the tangent touching the curve :

(x+1)^2=-x^2+14x+15==>

x^2-12x-14=0==>

(x+1)(x-7)=0.

x=-1 and x=7. But x=-1 is a vertical asymptote.

Putting x=7 in  Eq (6) gives 5c =(7+1)^2

5c=64

c  =  64/5 =12.8.

The tangent touches curve  at

the point. (7, 12/(7+1))=(7,  1.5)

What was Cleopatra VII's domestic policy?

Cleopatra VII when compared with her male contemporaries demonstrated sound leadership qualities.Her domestic policies were entangled with her foreign policies, just as the domestic and foreign policies of nations today are entangled.Cleopatra's family had ruled Egypt for some 300 years, and remember she was Greek not Egyptian.In order to become a true leader of the Egyptian people she learned their language, practiced their religion, and allied herself with their most important Gods.This combined with her astute political and strategic abilities in the best interest of her Egyptian nation allowed her to secure the backing of her people. The primary focus of her domestic policy was to ensure the lives of her people. For example, she mandated food and fresh water supply be brought to the most 'metropolitian' areas of Egypt during a drought. Not because these people were more important, but because there were more of them. Not an easy decision to make, but as a leader a decision that had to be made.Cleopatra's goals were to secure her country's place in the world, she wanted this because she loved her nation. She lived and experienced a life that in her her eyes held the potential to reign forever,however in the long run politics and love just don't mix.

In Chapter 4 of "Lord of the Flies", what does Piggy suggest the boys could make with the materials available on the island? chapter four or five

Piggy suggests that they make a sundial. However, even by this time, Piggy is considered an outcast, even by Ralph. As Golding writes,"Piggy was an outsider, not only by accent, which did not matter, but by fat, and ass-mar, and specs, and a certain disinclination for manual labor." So, as Piggy continues to argue for a sundial, Ralph tells him to "shut-up". Piggy's suggestion is quickly forgotten as Ralph sees a passing ship, but notices that the signal fire has gone out and there are no choir boys around to tend it. The choir members soon show up with a butchered pig and an argument ensues between Ralph and Jack about the fire.

Where is there evidence of foreshadowing and irony in "The Lady, or the Tiger"?

An example of foreshadowing in the story could be the fact that the reader knows that the Princess hates the beautiful young lady who waits behind one of the doors.  She is extremely jealous of her, and it is logical to conclude that she will not signal her lover to pick the door where the lady waits to marry her beloved.

Its safe to infer from the facts of the story that the young commoner picked the door with the  ferocious tiger.

I think that the fact that the Princess can't have her lover is evidence enough, along with her jealous hatred of the beautiful young lady, that the poor commoner gets attacked by the tiger when he opens the door that the Princess directs him to choose.

The irony, I think lies in the King's use of the arena as a system of justice.  The fact that the day of the commoner's trial is suggested to be an orderly process that is somehow fair is ironic.  The outcome is being determined by the Princess's hatred and jealousy of the beautiful young lady.  There is no doubt that the young man is killed by the tiger.

Justice is an orderly process where the accused is entitled to a trial to determine guilt or innocence.  In the King's justice, the use of the word justice is ironic, it is not justice at all, but pure entertainment for the King and his subjects.

The only judicious purpose that the arena serves is to discourage the King's subjects from breaking the law.  Public executions are a good deterrent, they discourage crime very efficiently. 

How does greed play a role in Hamlet?

The avidity for position in the court of Denmark motivates nearly every major character in Shakespeare's Hamlet. Perhaps this is what prompts Marcellus to utter those famous words, "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark" (1.4.90).

Certainly, the regicide of King Hamlet is motivated by Claudius's desire for power and position. Then, too, he obviously has lusted after Queen Gertrude, for he marries his brother's wife after killing him. Worried that the king's son may seek to disrupt his reign as king, Claudius plots to rid Denmark of Prince Hamlet by manipulating his former schoolmates, the courtiers, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to do away with him. When this effort fails, Claudius then convinces Laertes to kill Hamlet in a duel so that he may continue his reign as king. However, his cupidity and evil designs turn upon himself and Claudius dies at the hands of Hamlet.

Long-winded and self-serving, Polonius seeks greater power in the Danish court by feigning loyalty and concern for the royal family. After his daughter Ophelia reports Hamlet's strange behavior toward her, Polonius reports to Queen Gertrude "Your noble son is mad"(2.2.92). In his sycophantic way, he hides behind an arras in order to spy for Claudius while Hamlet speaks to his mother. In this position, however, he effects his own death because he cries out after Gertrude screams believing that Hamlet has attacked her. Like Claudius, his evil intent to sabotage Hamlet backfires and he is stabbed by Hamlet through the curtain, perhaps because Hamlet believes it is Claudius behind the arras.

• Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

Former classmates of Hamlet, the two courtiers agree to provide covert intelligence to King Claudius. Opportunists who wish to gain favor in the royal court, they sacrifice their friendship with Hamlet for positions in the Danish court. However, Hamlet suspects their motives when they talk with him, and he uncovers Claudius's plot to bring about his demise in which they are involved. After a pirate ship intercepts the Danish ship bound for England with the prince and the two courtiers, it carries to King Claudius and Horatio letters paying ransom back for Hamlet.

The queen's desire to hold her title and position in court is such that she is willing to marry her dead husband's brother. Certainly, she contributes to the "rottenness" of the Danish court with her avidity to preserve her position.

Scout compares the atmosphere in the courthouse before the jury returns to another time and place. What is the time and place?

What Scout compares it to is the day that they had discovered the old, rabid dog Tim Johnson heading down their street, and were all just tense, watching and waiting, seeing what would happen.  They knew something bad would happen, they just didn't know what or in what form.  Of that day, Scout says, "Nothing is more deadly than a deserted, waiting street."  Scout feels the same way waiting for the jury to come in.  She says, "The feeling in the courtroom grew until the atmosphere in the courtroom was exactly the same as a cold February morning...a deserted, waiting, empty street."  She compares everyone just waiting to see what the dangerous dog would to, to everyone just waiting for what the jury would do.  It is a subtle foreshadowing of the negative verdict that was about to be announced; the dog situation didn't end well, and neither did the case, and Scout's emotional radar picked up on that very insightfully.

What is the significance of the title of the second book, "The Golden Thread"?

It appears that "The Golden Thread" refers to Lucie - there is a direct quote that compares her blond hair to "the golden thread that bound them all together", but likewise it appears to point towards a larger symbolism and opposition of light vs darkness that is apparent in the novel, especially in the characters of Lucie and Madame Defarge. Also, it is perhaps highly significant that at the very end of the novel we are told of Lucie and Charles' son, who bears the name Sidney, and has golden hair:

I see that child who lay upon her bosom and who bore my name, a man winning his way up in that path of life which once was mine. I see him winning it so well, that my name is made illustrious there by the light of his... bringing a boy of my name, with a forehead that I know and golden hair, to this place -

The Golden Thread then perhaps symbolises the hope of new life, of happiness and of joy that can seem so thin and delicate in the face of overwhelming darkness, such as the French Revolution.

What is the difference between A+ and ARH+ blood group?

If you belong to the blood group A, you have A antigens on the surface of your red blood cells and B antibodies in your blood plasma.  A person with Rh- blood does not have Rh antibodies  in the blood plasma. However a person with Rh- blood can develop Rh antibodies if he or she receives blood from a person with Rh+ blood, whose Rh antigens can trigger the production of Rh antibodies.

With that in mind, ARH+ blood is one that has recieved the antibody from the Rh+ donor.

Holden says: "People are always ruining things for you." Why? Who has ruined what for him?

Holden makes this statement on page 87 of the novel when he is at Ernie's where he succeeds in getting served alcohol.  While at Ernie's he runs into his brother D.B.'s former girlfriend, Lillian Simmons who is accompanied by her date, a Navy guy.  Holden finds both Lillian and especially her date, to be big phonies.  He is at the bar to drink and listen to Ernie play the piano. 

When he runs into Lillian, he feels like this has been ruined for him, because as soon as she starts to talk to him, he tells her that he was just leaving, he can't wait to get away from her.

"After I'd told her I had to meet somebody, I didn't have any goddamn choice except to leave.  I couldn't even stick around to hear old Ernie' play something halfway decent.  But I certainly wasn't going to sit down at a table with old Lillian Simmons and that Navy guy and be bored to death.  So I left, it made me mad."    

Lillian and her stupid date have ruined the opportunity for Holden to drink and listen to Ernie play the piano, something that he was really looking forward to, he just can't seem to catch a break.

Who are the leaders of Tokugawa Shogunate. What is their family history/heritage?Describe leader's heritage; For example - Was he the next in...

The Tokugawa Shogunate was founded by Ieyasu Tokugawa, named Shogun in 1603.  For years he led his military clan as an ally of Nobunaga, and then his succesor Toyotomi Hideyoshi.  After years of maneuver and dissembling, he turned upon his allies and defeated the last Hideyoshi loyalists at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600.  The victory left the Emperor Go-yozei no choice but to appoint Ieyasu military ruler, or shogun.  The Tokugawa held power in Japan until 1867, when the Meiji Restoration began.

Ieyasu's birth name was Matsudaira Takchido, born 1543 of the Matsudaira clan, and was a descenant of Minamoto no Yoriyoshi, late 10th century/early 11th century leader in the Zenkunen and Gosannen wars.

Ieyasu fixed social conditions in Japan, dictating that farmers must stay on their land and that Japanese could not change their class of society.  The classes were samurai, farmers, craftspeople and traders.  There was a fifth class considered outside society, the eta, people who worked at trades which cut them off from others as unclean (tanners, etc.).  People were forbidden to travel outside Japan, foreigners were expelled and Christianity was forbidden (although some powerful southern samurai families continued to be Christian).

There were 15 Tokugawa shoguns, the last being Yoshinobu.  Like the Emperors, shoguns used one name during their lifetimes and were referred to by another after death.  Ieyasu's reign is termed that of Toshogu.

In Lord of the Flies, how does Jack contribute to the survival of the boys?

I think Jack's key contribution to the survival of the boys is to provide food, though you could maybe also argue that he is the one who best understands the need for some sort of protection. Here's Golding's panoramic shot of Jack as chief:

A fire burned on the rock and fat dripped from the roasting pigmeat into the invisible flames. All the boys of the island, except Piggy, Ralph, Simon, and the two tending the pig, were grouped on the turf. They were laughing, singing, lying, squatting, or standing on the grass, holding food in their hands. But to judge by the greasy faces, the meat eating was almost done; and some held coconut shells in their hands and were drinking from them. Before the party had started a great log had been dragged into the center of the lawn and Jack, painted and garlanded, sat there like an idol. There were piles of meat on green leaves near him, and fruit, and coconut shells full of drink.

The constant diet of fruit gives the littluns diarrhoea, and stomach aches. Jack is the one responsible for giving the meat and protein (which undoubtedly is part of the reason the boys don't get seriously ill on the island!). Jack provides food.

Yet also, Jack's hunting and hunters, his emphasis on a violent "army" under his control, makes the boys feel less vulnerable to an attack from the (anyway imaginary) beast. Jack is much better than Ralph at keeping security and a creating threat of violence.

How many stories does Vera tell, and how many people does she deceive in "The Open Window" by Saki?

In total, Vera deceives two characters: Mr. Frampton Nuttel, the skittish visitor, and Mrs. Sappleton, her aunt.

Learning that Mr. Nuttel is new in town and knows nothing of the Sappleton's, Vera concocts an elaborate story about a "great tragedy" that took place three years earlier. She tells Nuttel that her aunt keeps a large window open in hopes that her long-lost husband and brothers (presumably dead) will return from a tragic hunting trip.

The second tale she tells is to her aunt. Mr. Nuttel suffers a small breakdown when he sees the men returning from their hunting trip and dashes out the door. When asked by Mrs. Sappleton if she knew what was wrong with Mr. Nuttel, Vera explains that he is deathly afraid of dogs after once spending the night in a grave surrounded by ferocious canines. The men's spaniel probably spooked him.

Not only do the unfortunate Mr. Nuttel and Mrs. Sappleton fall prey to the Vera's joke but so do we as readers. The first story is so well-told that the reader is inclined to believe it. However, it is only after the second tale that we realize we are just as gullible as Nuttel.

In To Kill A Mockingbird, why is Scout pleased when Jem fights her back? Why is she less pleased when he tells Atticus about Dill?

To Kill A Mockingbird exposes the tragic consequences of racial prejudice and unchecked discrimination. In Maycomb County, the hypocritical churchgoers cannot see their own faults as they are too busy gossiping or criticizing others. Despite this, Atticus always tries to teach his children not to be judgmental and to never presume to understand the opinions of another person unless they have had an opportunity to "climb into his skin and walk around in it."

Now that the children are growing up, things are changing. Aunt Alexandra wants Atticus to send Calpurnia, who has helped Atticus raise his children in the absence of a mother, away, but fortunately Atticus will not hear of it. Scout has noticed though, how Jem is, "positively allergic to my presence," and she does not respond well when he gives her some friendly advice not to antagonize Aunt Alexandra. When Jem puts himself in the adult category, Scout can not bear his "superiority" and intends to do something about his threat to "spank" her. Atticus breaks up the "brawl" and they are both sent to bed, a fact which pleases Scout as she feels like they are a team again.

However, Scout's pleasure at being Jem's "equal" is short-lived. She finds what she thinks is a snake under her bed and elicits Jem's help. To their surprise, it is Dill, hiding after he has run away from home. After a far-fetched version of his escape and a more realistic version of his running away from home, Jem does not hesitate to call Atticus, something Scout feels breaks "the remaining code of our childhood," rendering Jem a "traitor." Fortunately, Atticus takes the matter in stride and Jem knows he has done the right thing so that Dill's mother will not worry about him but Scout, although she forgives him, is not happy that he would do something so adult. 

In Death of a Salesman, why doesn't Biff like being at home? What does home remind him of?

Coming home is never a good experience for Biff. His parents' house is a place of tension and conflict, both spoken and unspoken. When Biff comes home, he must continually lie to his father in an attempt to deal with Willy's unrealistic expectations of Biff and his success in life. Willy pushes Biff, criticizes him, and cannot engage with his son in an honest conversation. Willy does not listen to Biff unless Biff is saying what Willy wants to hear.

Coming home reminds Biff of what a failure his life has become. It also reminds him of his failures while growing up. Most painfully, it reminds him of the time he found his father in a hotel room with another woman, which caused the irreparable break in their relationship. Biff and his father never discussed what happened in the hotel room, but neither ever forgot it. It lies between them always, unacknowledged but toxic nonetheless.  

Each time Biff comes home, he leaves his parents' house after having another scathing argument with Willy. At the conclusion of the play, he tries to leave without another confrontation:

Everytime I've left it's been a fight that sent me out of here . . . . To hell with whose fault it is or anything like that . . . . Let's just wrap it up, heh?

Despite Biff's attempt leave in peace, a final emotional explosion occurs between them.

In "Hamlet", what explanation does Gertrude offer for polonius' murder?

The queen gives a very simple reason:  her son is insane.  She describes him as being "Mad as the sea and wind, when both contend which is mightier" (IV.i.7-8).  She is telling this to the king though, so who knows if she really believes Hamlet is mad, or just telling the king he is mad to protect him. 

She then goes on to describe how Hamlet wept over his murder, saying that it was as if "ore among a mineral of metals base, shows itself pure"(IV.i.25-27).  The queen compares Hamlet's madness to a base (dirty) mineral, and his show of compassion towards Polonius' death an ore, pure and beautiful.  This contradictory behavior from Hamlet just confuses her more, and almost convinces her that her son really has lost his grip on reality.

In "Porphyria's Lover", what does the narrator do after killing her and why? What impression do you get of the narrator? How is the speaker's...

After the narrator killed his lover, he "propped her head up as before,/Only, this time my shoulder bore", and then sits like that, in semblance of a happy couple, happy that she is his forever.  He does this so that he can possess her completely.

The narrator is a man who is highly jealous and possessive, and bitter about his love's time being spent elsewhere.  He doesn't answer her call when she arrives; so, he is pouting. He is upset that her heart is "Too weak, for all her heart’s endeavor/To set its struggling passion free/From pride, and vainer ties dissever,/And give herself to me forever".  He wants her to reject all else and be with him, but she does not, is too weak.  So, he takes matters (or, her hair) into his own hands and fixes it so that she can be. 

Dramatic monologue is where a speaker tells a story, often in poem form.  The only perspective we get is of the narrator's view of events-they are the only one speaking.  The above quoted passage sounds like natural speech; it is so bitter in expression, different from the detached feel of the rest of the poem, so the emotion was so powerful that it probably came through in a more natural form, overhwhelming the calmness of the rest of it.

For help with your other questions, submit them separately; I'm out of room here!  I hope that helps a bit!

All of the events of "The Story of an Hour" take place in one hour. Why do you suppose the author selected that time frame?Support answer with...

An hour is all the time that is necessary to relay all of the pertinent information, and it increases the amout of reader involvement, suspense, and interest.  Also, if we had a lot of time to hear the entire story, to understand fully how Louise felt about her marriage, then the ending would not be as powerful as it was.  Instead, Chopin allows us to feel sorry for Louise as she weeps at the news of her husband's death; if we had been with Louise for a long time, we would know better, and not feel the same dramatic shock at a woman hearing the news of her husband's death.  We are to suppose that it was devastating.  The fact that we feel this way makes Louise's succeeding emotions of freedom and exhilaration even more unexpected, interesting and unusual.  We are left wondering and questioning why she would be so happy; it seems awful!  That piques our interest and makes the story more suspenseful.  If we had known more about the characters because it was set in a longer time-frame, her happiness at his death would have been no surprise, and so the story would have lost its suspense and interest level.  Instead, we have to use our heads to infer what their relationship was like, based on tiny clues that Chopin gives.  For example, Louise had a face "whose lines bespoke repression," and

"There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature,"

and, "yet she had loved him, somtimes."  With these small clues we are left to fill in the details; that makes the reader more involved, more likely to insert their own emotions and beliefs into the story.  This enables a personal connection with the story.  Then, the ending's irony is more potent as the doctor miscalculates that she had died of "a joy that kills."  We feel we know better, we feel smart for having figured it out instead of it being handed to us on a plate, and her death is even more shocking because we knew her only briefly before she died.

In "The Outsiders," who does Darry fight in the rumble, and what is the significance of such a fight?

Paul Holden is a soc who was on the football team that Darry quit after his family fell apart, forcing him to take care of his brothers. Both boys are equally good athletes, and both had a degree of respect for one another on the football field and in school. However, due to the Shakespearean nature of the Greaser-Soc feud, the two boys who were once near-friends are forced to face off against each other in combat. This is a moment of irony in the novel, among many others. 

What was Tom Warrups' grandfather's name in "My Brother Sam Is Dead"?

According to historical records for the city of Redding, Connecticut, Tom Warrups' grandfather's name was Chief Chickens Warrups.

As presented in the novel "My Brother Sam Is Dead", Tom Warrups is an American Indian who lives on Mr. Read's land.  Mr. Read is a Patriot, but Tom runs errands for Mr. Heron, who is a Tory, so the main character, Tim Meeker, does not know where Tom's loyalties lie.  Tom Warrups does allow Tim's brother Sam Meeker, who has run away to join the Patriot ranks, to stay in his shack (Chapter 5).

In the last Chapter of the book, entitled, "How Much of This Book is True?",  the author states that "Tom Warrups was real, and really lived in a hut such as we have described up behind Colonel Read's house". 

Please explain "The Big Four" in the United States of the 1860s.

The Big Four were the founders of the Central Pacific Railroad in the 1860s in Sacramento, California. 

"Ambitious men like Leland Stanford, Collis P. Huntington, Mark Hopkins, and Charles Crocker - the financial backbone of California's Central Pacific Railroad and known to history as the Big Four."  

Collis P. Huntington, Mark Hopkins, Leland Stanford, and Charles Crocker who were responsible for the greatest historical event in transportation history.

"The Big Four conceived this enterprise and brought it to a successful ending after years of daily struggle that would have exhausted the patience and spirit of ordinary men. Huntington looked after the financing of the company. Crocker, with his tremendous energy, forced the construction of rails over the snow-crested Sierra and across the burning deserts of Nevada and Utah. Stanford kept his energies on the main points leading  to success, and Hopkins saw that none of the money was wasted. That pioneer railroad line of the middle ’60s formed the basis of the gigantic Southern Pacific system."

For biographies on the Big Four individual men, click on the first link, for more information about the railroad, click on the second link. The third link provides additional information about the Big four.

Any parallels between the characters and Jesus in "Lord of the Flies" ?In "Lord of the Flies", can you make any parallels between the characters...

Simon is the character who is most often compared to Christ because of his death in the chapter A View to a Death. In this chapter, Simon has just had his revelatory "conversation" with the Lord of the Flies, the pig's head left in the clearing as an offering / sacrifice to the Beast. After this conversation / delusion Simon discovers that the thing that Sam and Eric took to be the beast was in fact a dead parachutist.

Armed with this knowledge, which would free the boys from the tyranny of fear that had gripped them, Simon fights his way through the jungle and into the middle of one of Jack's celebration dances for having killed the sow (who was also the Lord of the Flies). Perhaps deliberately, in order to stop the truth of the beast being made known and reducing his own power, or perhaps in a tragic accident, Jack and his hunters proceed to kill Simon and throw his body into the sea.

Personally, I do not agree with the Christ-like connection with Simon. Unlike Christ's sacrifice, Simon's death (which is nothing like a willing sacrifice) does nothing to save the boys and in fact sends them deeper into savagery and self-destruction. His foresight and understanding that the beast is within us all is accurate and telling but makes him more like a prophet (perhaps Cassandra who was given the gift of prophect along with the curse that noone would ever believe her by Apollo).

Simon is however the most civil throughout whilst also being most comfortable in the jungle.

In "To kill a mockingbird" why does Atticus want Scout to hear his conversation with Uncle Jack?Why does Miss Maudie think atticus isnt proud or...

One reason is that he wants to chastise her for her "hotheadedness" because Atticus is worried about what is coming up. He uses his conversation with Jack to voice some concerns; he hopes that Scout will pick up on them, and take them more to heart than if he had given her a direct lecture.  Since Scout has already lost her temper twice over even the mention of Atticus and his trial, he is worried that "Scout'd just as soon jump on someone as look at him if her pride's at stake".  He hopes that Scout can get through the trial "without bitterness...[and] that Jem and Scout come to me for their answers instead of listening to the town.  I hope they trust me enough."  He is telling Scout that she is going to have to be calm, steady, and come to him if there are difficult times, instead of fighting or endorsing other people's beliefs.

His conversation with Jack is a kind of preparation for Scout, to bolster her for what is around the bend.  He is concerned, and that worry spills over in this conversation.

Miss Maudie indicates that Atticus is "civilized in his heart" and didn't want "an unfair advantage over most living things", and so he doesn't boast about his talent.  He realized it was a gift, and to brag about it would just make others feel bad, so he doesn't.

How does Paul Farmer connect with people whose backgrounds are vastly different from his own?

Paul connects with people in a number of ways, some of which, alas, may be too demanding for everyone to use them as models. First, he accepts the underlying value of every human being. That means that a sick poor person deserves as much treatment as a rich one, and as good treatment. Second, he goes to people where they are, both emotionally and literally: he walks mile after mile to get to people in their villages, walking himself into ill health at times. Related to this, he refuses to accept secondhand accounts, but goes to see people for themselves. Third, he gives their beliefs respect, even when they radically differ from his own.

What is the main idea/theme of "Invisible Man" by Ellison?

Invisible Man is Ellison's only published novel. He lived in Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance, learning much about black culture and folklore. That part of his life was interrupted by military service during WWII but soon after he started work on Invisible Man.

In his interpretation of the Black experience, Ellison touches on familiar important topics such as slavery, reconstruction, Jazz, Harlem and civil rights in both serious and realistic ways as well as more humorous and ironic ways. Throughout the theme is that of man seeking his identity on many levels from personally, to community, to a national identity. There is also a theme of disillusionment as each time a cultural, communal or national identity is within reach, it is seen to be false. Ultimately, Ellison comes to terms with the idea that one must find identity within self and not within others. 

What is significant about the sentence structure in The Diary of Samuel Pepys?

Samuel Pepys' most interesting aspect of sentence structure is his use of elliptical elements (phrases with omitted words that the reader's mind should fill in by itself).  Samuel Pepys was writing for himself, not for publicity; therefore, he had no qualms about using an unusual grammatical form such as the elliptical element.  There are many examples in the entries labeled "The Plague" and "The Fire of London."  For instance, Pepys writes, "By this time it was about twelve o'clock; and so home."  Here, Pepys obviously omits I went.  In one of the entries about the fire, Pepys says, "Little was or could be done, the fire coming upon them so fast."  Here any reader would have thought that "the fire [was] coming" so fast.  I think of Samuel Pepys use of elliptical elements as a personal form of shorthand.

In the book, "The Giver", what is the significance of the ceremonies?

The ceremonies mark the passage of time in the utopian society in which Jonas lives. They occur every December and take the place of birthdays. For children up to the age of twelve, these ceremonies are a sign of their maturity, and they bring new responsibilities and/or the loss of certain objects. Although these phases of life are normally highly-emotional and individually celebrated in our society, they are rigidly controlled as natural progressions in life.

What is the significance of appearace of the ghost in Hamlet?

The King's ghost walks in the night!!! Woooooah!

Remember, this play was written 400 years ago, before science and modern information. Many people were very superstitious and believed in ghosts and spirits and demons and allsorts of frightening goblins and monsters. They would have been genuinely frightened of places like, graveyards at night or wild forests because they thought these places were haunted. So a ghost in a play would have been a tense and exciting dramatic device. The audience would have been spooked and thrilled by it. It is like a scene from a terrifying horror movie.

Hamlets father's ghost is walking about on the castle battlements at night. The castle is haunted by the troubled spirit of the recently dead king! They believed that people who died in a bad way or died with some important information could not rest until it was sorted. A ghost was an unhappy, trapped spirit who couldn't travel to the next world until something was sorted out. So the ghost of a king represents the possibility very serious unrest.

If a peasant farmer's ghost walks the night, maybe it's because someone stole his pig or killed his dog. It is not a big issue. But if a king's ghost will not rest, the reasons could be very serious.

Summarize the plot of the first four chapters of "A Separate Peace."give only the important details

 "A Separate Peace"

Ch 1

 Gene, returns to Devon School where "everything slowly changed and slowly harmonized with what had gone before,"  hoping to reach harmony,too.  Then, he comes to "the tree," where he and Phineas had jumped into the water. This site launches the flashback to the summer of 1942 when Phineas made him his collaborator in mischief. 

Chapter 2

In the wartime summer there is a streak of tolerance at Devon.  Rather than punishing Finny for using a tie as a belt and arguing illogically, the headmaster laughs.  Gene remarks that Finny gets away with everyhing because of the extraordinary person he is. He and Finny return to the tree, Gene almost falls out, but Finny grabs his arm.

Ch 3

The Super Suicide Society has every meeting opening with a jump from the tree. Finny displays his athletic prowess in inventing Blitzball and breaking a swimming record just to see if he could. He and Gene go to the beach and stay overnight.  Finny declares Gene his best pal; Gene says nothing, "stopped by that level of feeling deeper than thought, which contains the truth."

Ch 4

Gene begins to suspect Finny of preventing his studies, but later learns he was mistaken about any treachery. Ashamed, "I was not of the same quality," he agrees to a double jump with Finny from the tree.  G loses balance, causing F to crash onto the ground.  G dives to his aid.

In the Twilight series, why is it that Stephenie Meyer's vampires sparkle in the sun instead of being burned by it?

Meyer never gives an exact explanation for this variance from the traditional vampire other than the fact that she got the idea for the story from a dream. She dreamt of the meadow scene where two people were having an intense conversation about their doomed relationship. One was your average American girl (Bella), and the other was a boy who was "fantastically beautiful, sparkly, and a vampire" (Edward).

Meyers did not research traditional vampires when she began writing her book. Hers come from her imagination. As a matter of fact, there are very few similarities between her vampires and those like Nosferatu or vampire bats. Other than the fact that they are immortal, pale, and drink blood, her vampires are very different from "normal" vampires.

In "A Rose for Emily" what forshadowing of the discovery of the body of Homer Barron are we given earlier in the story?

The first hint is the mentioning of the smell that occurred.  Faulkner brings this up pretty quickly in the story, only after mentioning her death and her vanquishing of the tax alderment.  There is a long passage that describes the smell emanating from her house, which started "a short time after her sweetheart--the one we believed would marry her--had deserted her". The clues are there, we just don't see the connection quite yet.  The next hint is the fact that after her father died, she was in complete denial and wouldn't release his body.  She "did that for three days" before "she broke down" and allowed them to take the body away.  Again, not a connection to be made yet, but definitely hints at her disturbing tendency to hang on to dead bodies for a long time, and be in denial about their deaths.

The most obvious hint comes when she buys arsenic, and then Homer Barron disappears soon thereafter.  It is then that we can start piecing things together; we can assume the arsenic was for him, that the smell was him, and if we are very insightful, make a connection between the toiletries she bought for him, and her father's death, and maybe draw conclusions.

Those hints are there, and especially clear after a second reading of the story; with a first reading it is more difficult, but that is why it is such a killer ending.  :)

How does the secret garden transform Colin and Mary?

Mary has been orphaned and neglected, and Colin is sickly boy shunned from the rest of the household and kept hidden. The two are both stubborn, spoiled, and inquisitive. When they work on the secret garden, a healing process begins for the children. As the garden grows, so do each of them, growing healthier and more understanding of each other and the world around them. Mary and Colin are both children who have spent their lives inside, sheltered, shackled, and stunted. They are psychologically the same: hurt, lonely, and weak. They have been surrounded by servants all their lives, having every whim catered to, but no one has shown them love. Only their material needs have been taken care of. As the garden awakens, so do the children: “ ‘I’m growing fatter,’ said Mary, ‘and I’m growing stronger. I used to always be tired. When I dig I’m not tired at all.’ ” (Chapter 11). Both Colin and Mary begin to get stronger and happier.

In Act 1 Scene 7 of Macbeth I need to translate each line of Macbeth's soliloquy line by line. Can anyone help?

TRNASLATION:

If this business would really be finished when I did the deed, then it would be best to get it over with quickly. If the assassination of the king could work like a net, sweeping up everything and preventing any consequences, then the murder would be the be-all and end-all of the whole affair, and I would gladly put my soul and the afterlife at risk to do it. But for crimes like these there are still punishments in this world. By committing violent crimes we only teach other people to commit violence, and the violence of our students will come back to plague us teachers. Justice, being equal to everyone, forces us to drink from the poisoned cup that we serve to others. The king trusts me in two ways. First of all, I am his kinsman and his subject, so I should always try to protect him. Second, I am his host, so I should be closing the door in his murderer’s face, not trying to murder him myself. Besides, Duncan has been such a humble leader, so free of corruption, that his virtuous legacy will speak for him when he dies, as if angels were playing trumpets against the injustice of his murder. Pity, like an innocent newborn baby, will ride the wind with winged angels on invisible horses through the air to spread news of the horrible deed to everyone everywhere. People will shed a flood of tears that will drown the wind like a horrible downpour of rain. I can’t spur myself to action. The only thing motivating me is ambition, which makes people rush ahead of themselves toward disaster.

What does the title To Kill a Mockingbird mean?

The novel means different things to different people, but generally it is seen as a "growing up" story with a strong message against racism, intolerance, and cruelty. I think you must be asking about the phrase itself, "to kill a mockingbird," which becomes the title of the book.

This is a reference to an incident in the novel when Jem gets an air rifle and Atticus lays down the rules. He tells Jem that he can shoot certain birds, but he is not to kill mockingbirds because they are harmless--in no way destructive--and bring only beauty into the world with their song. This becomes a motif in the novel and helps develop its themes.

Several characters have been interpreted to be "mockingbirds" according to Atticus' explanation, primarily Boo Radley. Boo is innocent and essentially helpless. He harms no one. At the conclusion of the novel, Scout makes the connection between Boo and mockingbirds. When Heck Tate refuses to bring Boo into the glare of publicity, Scout observes that "it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?"

Sometimes Scout and Jem are interpreted as being mockingbirds in that they are innocent and harmless yet brutally attacked by Bob Ewell in a despicable act of drunkenness, but the mockingbird motif is developed mainly through Boo Radley's character.

What news do we learn about Rebecca Nurse in "The Crucible"?

Rebecca is an intelligent and compassionate mother and grandmother.  She is one of the first people to speak out against the witchcraft theory, claiming as Proctor does, that the girls might simply be acting.  Although she disagrees with Hale, he respects her.  He has heard of her charitable deeds and knows that she is well-read. 

However, all of these positive traits are what get her into trouble.  Many in the town resent her, particularly the women.  Not only has she been able to have so many children (11) - while other women have had miscarriages - she is good at everything she does.  She is even able to calm Betty down where everyone else has failed.  Humans are jealous creatures, and when given the chance to strike, the townspeople strike against Rebecca.

Rebecca helps to serve as Proctor's backbone.  Having been established as such a respected character, he is influenced by her presence in the last act.  Knowing that she would rather die than to falsely admit to witchcraft is one of the factors that helps to influence John to stand up for his own reputation:

In The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn, why does Hines claim that the duke and the king are frauds? After they flee the town, whom does the duke...

Hines, a husky man in the crowd of townspeople, says he saw the king in a canoe the day before Peter Wilks funeral. People aren't sure whether to believe him or not so finally the real Harvey Wilks suggests that the real brothers would know what was tattooed on their brother's chest. When they exhume the body and open the coffin, everyone sees the bag of gold that Huck had put in the coffin. This causes enough confusion for Huck, Jim and the King and Duke to escape.The duke accuses the king of putting the money in the coffin and the king accuses the duke of doing the same thing. They both admit they thought about taking the money for themselves, but both deny actually doing it. Finally the duke grabs the king by the throat and makes him confess he put the gold in the coffin. Huck says they were "thick as thieves" in a short while.

What is the setting of the last scene of Julius Caesar?

Scene V of Act V takes place where all of the scenes of Act V have -- the plains of Philippi.  Specifically, Brutus calls the remaining conspirators around him (Dardanius, Clitus, Strato, and Volumnius) to rest on a rock.  The battle has raged, and now Brutus knows that he is near his end.  He begs Volumnius to hold his sword-hilt for him so that he may run upon it.  Volumnius will not, and he and the others (all but Strato) leave fleeing Octavius and Mark Antony's army.  Brutus says he will follow, but he does not.  Strato agrees to hold Brutus' sword for him, and Brutus kills himself.    The scene ends with the victorious Antony, Octavius, Massala, Lucilius and their army coming upon Strato and the dead Brutus.  Antony calls Brutus "the noblest Roman of them all" (1132).

Source: Shakespeare, William. The Riverside Shakespeare.  Boston: Houghton Miflin, 1974.

What does the following quote mean from "Romeo and Juliet": "...but, like a misbehaved and sullen wench"?

The quote "Like a misbehaved, sullen wench" would be a comparison of the character to someone who is sulking, who likes to act up, who is often in trouble.  Someone who is sullen is sulky, sort of angry and ticked off.  Therefore, someone who was behaving "Like a misbehaved and sullen wench" is being a troublesome, sulky, pain in the butt.  :-) 

Who are the characters in Nightjohn? I would like to know the characteristics for each one.

Sarny is the main character in Nightjohn.  She is twelve, and people think she is "dumb", because she has "a stuck tongue", and when she was born she "come out wrong...all backwards and twixt-and-twinst".  In reality, however, Sarny is very intelligent, and learns how to read very quickly. 

Nightjohn is a slave who is brought to the Waller plantation.  He is unique in that he once escaped to the North, but came back to teach slaves to read.  Nightjohn is courageous, and self-sacrificing.  He endures brutal punishment in order to give slaves what he considers to be their ticket to eventual emancipation - literacy, so that they might become aware of their situation and be inspired to fight for their freedom.

Mammy, or old Delie, takes care of the children on the plantation.  She is a loving figure to the young ones who are taken from their real mothers as soon as they are born.  Delie is strong, practical, and wise, maintaining an untouchable dignity even in the face of brutal and inhumane treatment at the hands of Waller.

Clel Waller is the "master" on the plantation.  He is a cruel, sadistic man who treats his slaves like animals, breeding them like livestock, working them to the point of exhaustion, and feeding them from a trough, adults and children alike.  Sarny correctly observes that he has power only because "he's got dogs and a whip and a gun and so can cause hurt".

Can you give me some information about the different people in The Great Gatsby and where and how they live?

The three main settings in the story are East Egg, West Egg, and the valley of ashes.  East Egg is where Daisy and Tom Buchanan live.  It's where the people live who've had money for generations.  They are elitist and self-centered people who, as Nick notes, "... smashed up things and creatures and then retreat back into their money or their vast carelessness".

West Egg is where Nick Carroway and Jay Gatsby lived.  The people on West Egg are generally rich, but they are first generation rich so they are a little rough around the edges, like Jay.  They've earned their money.  Nick, being the humble person that he is, doesn't live in a mansion like Jay does.  He lives in a small caretaker's cottage befitting his character.  Jay's mansion, like Jay, is somewhat garish.  Jay likes to show people his "bling" thinking that it impresses people.  It only impresses people who have less than he does.

The valley of ashes is where Myrtle and George Wilson live and it is the poor part of the area.  It's where people live lives as gray as the landscape.  Fitzgerald wants the reader to see that lives are burned up there and wasted just like fire burns things and leaves only gray, useless ash in its wake.  The other setting that is mentioned, but isn't as important, is New York City.  Life is lively and anonymous there.  That's why Tom and Myrtle keep their apartment there and why Jay reveals his and Daisy's affair to Tom  there.

In "the Crucible," how does Miller describe Reverend Hale?

According to Miller, Reverend Hale is almost forty years old and is a "tight-skinned, eager-eyed intellectual." He is very proud of his craft (career) of witch-hunting and is excited to finally put his skills and years of learning to use. He considers himself a specialist on witches, although he has never seen one first-hand. The only allegedly witch he has encountered turned out to be innocent. Despite this setback, he is certain that witches and evil exist and that they can be proved through science: "We cannot look to superstition in this. The Devil is precise."

Regardless of his initial over-zealousness, Hale proves to be a scrupulous and just man, as he demands that the innocent be let go when he realizes that the trials are a mistake.

1) 0.872) 4 and 5/103) 23/25There are 3 questions. We have to rename each decimal, fraction, or mixed number as a percent.

When converting a decimal to a percent, move the decimal point 2 places to the right then add a percent sign.

   1) .87 = 87%

When converting a mixed number to a percent you must first make it an improper fraction.  To convert a mixed number to an improper fraction you  First: Multiply the denominator (bottom number of fraction) by the whole number.  Second: Add the numerator (top number of fraction) to that product.  This number is your new numerator for your improper fraction.  Last: The denominator stays the same.

    2) 4 and 5/10

            10x4= 40

            40+5= 45 ----This is your new numerator

 So your improper fraction is 45/10 which can be reduced to 9/2

Then take your improper fraction and divide the denominator into the numerator. 9/2= 4.5  Then you can use the steps from above to turn the decimal into a percent.  Your percentage for #2 would be 450%

3) Use the steps listed above for converting an improper fraction to a decimal then to a percent.

    23/25 = .92

    .92= 92%