In "Fahrenheit 451", what major event coincides with Montag's escape and in what ways are the two related?

The major event is that the city is bombed and destroyed.  If you look back at the novel, you will see that Bradbury laces the novel with references to war and imagery of fighter jets screaming by.  This gives the reader the impression that war is imminent.  It also fulfills the idea that the society, so full of violence and ignorance in part because of a lack of books, is doomed and is destined to destroy itself.

Montag's escape is related to the war because now he - and the other book men - will have the chance to return to the city and help the society rise from the ashes, like a phoenix, which one of the book men references in an anecdote he tells.

Had the war not began, Montag would have had to stay exiled in the woods with the other book men. The stage, though, is now set for the men to return to the city and use the wisdom of literature to help start things over and, hopefully, learn from the mistakes that doomed the city in the first place.

Explain this quote by Alec from Tess of the d'Urbervilles: "Remember my Lady I was your master once! I will be your master again." When was...

Alec rides up at the fair on a horse takes Tess home.  While taking her home he gets them lost in the woods.  He tells Tess to wait until he finds the way back to the road.  While she waited she fell asleep.  When he returned to her and found her asleep, Alec takes sexual liberties with Tess.  She becomes his lover for 4 months and then sneeks out of the house to walk home.  This was the first time he was her "master".  As she  walks home and he rides up to tell her he will take her the rest of the way.  When he drops her off he says:

" And yet, Tess, will you come back to me! Upon my soul I don't like to let you go like this!"

Alec hunts Tess down over and over. He continues to try and sway her to return to him.

He shakes her by the shoulders and tells her, “Remember, my lady, I was your master once! I will be your master again.”

And eventually she does go back to Alec. After much hardship and being abandoned by Angel, she finally relents to Alec again and becomes his wife.  He has convinced her that Angel is never going to return.  This is the second time he becomes her "master."   She kills Alec in a fit of rage after Angel does return and then she runs away with Angel.  She is eventually caught and hung for the murder of Alec.

 

What are some historical facts mentioned in Fever 1793?

Laurie Halse Anderson sets the narrative firmly in Philadelphia in 1793 by alluding to famous characters who lived during those times and events which took place.  Less than twenty years after the War of Independence, Philadelphia is still the center of government for the United States, and the Cook family's coffee house is located near both the State House where Congress meets, and the newly built residence of President Washington himself.  The author also makes passing references to other political personages, such as Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton.

Historically, there really was a yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia in 1793, which changed the face of its population.  Dr. Benjamin Rush was a real person whose philosophies influenced the way in which many patients were treated, and Dr. Jean Deveze was also real, having been the head physician at a hospital for fever victims established at the luxurious Bush Hill residence of Alexander Hamilton himself.

Other historical events incorporated by Anderson to give her book authenticity include Blanchard's hot air balloon launch and the work of the African Free Society.  Jean Pierre Blanchard made the first balloon ascent in America in January of 1793, and Mattie speaks of witnessing the event with Nathaniel Benson (Chapter 5), and Dr. Rush, mistakenly believing that African Americans were immune to the fever, solicited the help of the African Free Society in caring for the city's victims.

In "Lord of the Flies", why does Golding chose a parachutist who plays the role of a beast?

The parachutist is a handy convention because he represents the outside world and its war, thus what is wrong with mankind in general.  Also, the parachutist, because of the strings attached to the parachute and the parachute itself, can be made to physically resemble some sort of beast or animated being.  Golding wrote the book not long after the end of the second world war.  He felt that the war revealed the underlying savagery in all mankind.  The story begins with the boys fleeing that imperfect world of war.  The parachutist reminds the reader that the imperfect world still exists out there beyond the boys' microcosm of society.  The boys have been having nightmares, especially the little ones, of beasts.  When the parachutist is seen from a distance, the wind catches the parachute and causes the dead man's body to move as though under its own power.  This gives credence to the boys' fear that there is a tangible beast on the island.  This allows them to stop looking for the beast outside of themselves.

In "1984", what are examples of Winston's thoughtcrime?

Most of Winston's thoughts are thoughtcrimes.  His entire relationship with Julia is a crime because he is indulging in a relationship that is not in keeping with the state's idea of the purpose of sex and indulging in the crime of having his "ownlife."  Orwell makes it clear when he tells us that "Their embrace had been a battle, the climax a victory. It was a blow struck against the Party. It was a political act."  Winston also insists that 2 + 2 = 4.  He claims that no matter what the party says, this will always be true; believing that there is a truth outside the party is an example of thought crime.  Collecting the little shell from Charrington is another thought crime because it values something from the past.  And his biggest thoughtcrime is obtaining a copy of and reading the test of "The Theory of Oligarcic Collectivism."  This text, created by the inner party, is an attack on everything the Party stands for.  It has no practical value, but does offer the Party a way to single out the most rebellious in the population.

Point to details in "The Tell-Tale Heart" that identify its speaker as an unreliable narrator.

The narrator is indeed insane, which makes him an unreliable narrator. The narrator begins the story by saying ‘‘True!—nervous—very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am, but why will you say that I am mad?'' We know he is crazy because he has no real reason to murder the old, defenseless man other than the fact that he has a peculiar eye. The palish-blue eye taunts and irks the narrator to the point of insanity. The man decides to murder the bearer of the eye but cannot do so when his eyes are closed. The insane narrator rationalizes that his crime must be committed when the eye is in view because he is in fact antagonized by the eye and not by the old man. This rationalization, although perfectly normal to the story teller, makes no sense to a sane person.

For eight nights, the madman stalks his victim as he meticulously plans his crime. Ironically, this carefulness to him is a sign of his sanity, and he assures the reader that no madman would be able to be so keen. However, the reader sees the man's reasoning of the ploy as utterly lunatic, and we watch the narrator on his path through madness. 

All the signs that point to his insanity and instability also clue us to the fact that he is an unreliable narrator. He does not see things the way a normal person would and distorts reality to suit his needs. This is the epitome of that an unreliable narrator is.

In "The Outsiders" how do we know that Dally felt responsible for Johnny's death?

After the final rumble Ponyboy and Dally go to the hospital to tell Johnny that the "greasers" won the fight.  When they get into the room.  "Dally looked at him (Johnny) for a second, then put the knife back in his pocket.  We both went into Johnny's room, standing there for a second....When Johnny dies, "Dally swallowed and reached over to push Johnny's hair back. "Never could keep that hair back... that's what you get.."  Whirling suddenly, he slammed back against the wall.  His face contracted in agony and sweat steamed down his face.  "Damnit, Johnny.." don't die Johnny, please don't die..."  He suddenly bolted through the door and down the hall.  Dally feels guilty because he sent the boys to Jay mountain, he went to pick them up and he took them back to the church.  When it was on fire, he couldn't get Johnny out in time to keep the beam from breaking Johnny's back.  He feels responsible for the events that lead to Johnny's death. "Having lost the one thing he really cared about, Dally sets himself up for death. After robbing a store, he threatens the pursuing cops with an empty gun. He dies in front of his friends in a hail of bullets. "

What does sexton tells Dimmesdale the large letter "A" in the sky represents?

The sexton tells Dimmesdale that the letter "A" represented the angel that Governor Winthrop had become after his death the previous night. He says,

"But did your reverence hear of the portent that was seen last night? a great red letter in the sky,--the letter A,--which we interpret to stand for Angel. For, as our good Governor Winthrop was made an angel this past night, it was doubtless held fit that there should be some notice thereof!"

Dimmesdale, of course, interpreted the letter to be a reminder of his sin with Hester. 

What is the pronunciation of the name "MAIGRET," the detective character of Georges Simenon?

Say "meh" (the 'e' pronounced as in 'eh?') and "gray" as in the colour.

This is a French work (later made into a popular TV series) and the police inspector has a French name. The author, Georges Simenon, was Belgian and a very prolific writer. He wrote different novels under various pen names, but his character Maigret was by far his greatest success. The 'Agatha Christie' of French literature, Simenon wrote 84 books featuring his character Maigret as well as additional detective "polars" (French word for modern police detective stories) and other novels.

See the reference below for a biographical overview of Simenon.

What qualities of a good judge are lacking in Hathorne & Danforth? If Elizabeth told Danforth the truth how would that change the outcome?How...

The judges at the Witch Trials are not interested in getting at the truth, only serving their purpose, which is to legitimize their authority.  After the court has been seated and condemned so many innocent people, its legitimacy grows, the more people who confess, the more believable the claims of witchcraft in Salem becomes. 

However, the people in a neighboring town have had enough with their own witch trials and rebelled against the court.  So the judges are very protective of their own safety.  They want to keep the process moving, so they don't question Elizabeth Proctor properly with any attempt to get at the truth.

In her statement, Elizabeth hints at the truth, that John had an affair with Abigail Williams, but she falls short of admitting it to the court.  If she had told the court the truth, Abigail would have been identified as a liar and a harlot, a woman who had a sexual relationship outside of marriage.

The judges would have been in a predicament because, based on Abigail's testimony, they have already hung twelve innocent people.  The outcome, I think, would have been that John Proctor would not have been forced to sign a confession, but would have been released, along with his wife. 

Abigail Williams would have been jailed for lying to the court, a crime that would cause her to hang.  

Which of the original 13 Colonies abolished slavery first? Which two Northern States retained slavery until the early 1800's?

Vermont was the first, outlawing slavery in July, 1771.  New York outlawed this "peculiar institution" in 1799, and New Jersey, in 1804, was the last Northern state to officially abolish the practice.  While slavery was on its last legs in the North, however, it was on its way to a rebirth of sorts in the South.  As farms gave way to factories in the North due to industrialization, Eli Whitney's cotton gin made it possible for slaves to separate cotton from the seedpods far more efficiently than before.  Ironically enough, this invention, a product of the Industrial Age, served to cement for Southerners the agricultural way of life supported by slavery.  There was an enormous amount of money to be made selling cotton to the factories of the North and Britain, and for most Southerners, especially plantation-owning ones, any thoughts of abandoning the agricultural way of life to industrialize and "keep up" with the North, dissipated as profits skyrocketed. 

What are the causes of epidemics?

An epidemic is when a disease spreads quickly through a population, infecting a large percentage. Disease is spread by infection. When a person with a disease passes it to a new person, they 'infect' that new person. Some diseases travel from one person to the next very easily and the epidemic is very fast. For example, in 1919, Spainish Flu raced around the world killing maybe 20 million people in a couple of years. Spainish flu was very very 'contagious' and could jump from one person to the next very quickly. Sneezing projects the flu virus into the air and then it's breathed in by another person who becomes infected. This is an air-borne disease.

Other epidemics are slower. The AIDS virus cannot travel across the air in sneezes, AIDS is passed when an infected person has sex with another person. This is a sexually transmitted disease. So the AIDS epidemic travels more slowly.

Infected insects often trasmit disease by biting people and giving them the disease.

Dirty food and dirty water often spread disease. The largest cause of disease on the planet is probably dirty water. The World Health Organisation estimates 25 million people a year die because of infections from water-borne diseases.

In the end, disease is due to lack of hygiene. Clean water, clean food, clean hands and isolating infected people reduces the chance of epidemics.

In The Crucible, why does Mary's explanation, that earlier she had been pretending, come to nothing?

John Proctor finds out that his wife is to go before the court and he implores his servant Mary to go before the court and admit that she and her friends had lied. But when Mary goes into the court to confess that she and the other girls were only pretending and that she had never seen the devil. But as she had predicted when she said “They’ll turn on me! I cannot!” her friends did in fact turn on her. Her friends then pretended that Mary is sending the spirit onto them in the courtroom. John panicked and said that the only reason Abigail was targeting Elizabeth was because they had been involved in an affair and Abigail was jealous. In an erroneous effort to shield her husband, Elizabeth denies the affair took place which leads the court to think John was lying. Mary was scared that everyone would think that she was the witch and she in turn, turned on John Proctor and said that the one who made her lie and that he, in fact, was the witch.

What did Holden think of the Radio City show, why did he call Carl Luce, and what did they talk about?

Holden says that going to the show at Radio City "was probably the worst thing I could've done...don't see it if you don't want to puke all over yourself" (Ch.18, paragraphs 3-5).  The only thing he likes about the show is "the guy that plays the kettle drums in the orchestra".  Holden calls Luce because he can't reach Jane, and he doesn't have the phone number of anyone else whom he thinks "might want to have dinner...and...a slightly intellectual conversation" (Ch.18, paragraph 2).

Holden asks Luce about his sex life, as well as other inane questions.  Luce doesn't really want to talk, and ends up recommending that Holden see a psychoanalyst (Ch.19, paragraph 5 to end).  Holden goes home before Wednesday because he is lonesome, drunk, and depressed, and, as he sits freezing on a park bench, he begins to wonder "how old Phoebe would feel if I got pneumonia and died...I figured I'd better sneak home and see her in case I died and all" (Ch.20, last 3 paragraphs).

Phoebe is delighted to see Holden; she cries, "'Holden!'...(and) she put her arms around my neck and all" (Ch.21, middle).  She gets very angry when she finds out he has been expelled.  She yells, "'You did get kicked out!  You did'...then she hit me on the leg with her fist...she smacked me again with her fist" (Ch.21, 6 and 7 paragraphs from the end).

In Animal Farm, why are Snowball and Boxer decorated? How do each feel about their successes?

Snowball and Boxer are decorated for being heroes in the Battle of Cowshed.  A struggle between the animals on the farm and humans who storm the farm in an effort to reclaim it.

Snowball is hit with gunfire from Mr. Jones gun and is awarded a medal, Animal Hero, First Class.  Boxer also fights with great courage in the battle.  Boxer is one animal on the farm who really believes in animalism and always says that he will work harder.

Snowball is very proud of his medal; he is inspired by the victory and states that all animals should be ready to die for Animal Farm.  Snowball is also energized by the victory, his medal and the progress that Animal Farm is making.

Boxer, having fought with great determination and strength believes that he killed a stable boy.  The horse goes over to the limp boy who is lying on the ground and feels a great sense of remorse for having killed him.   Boxer does not have the heart to be part of a battle or war.   

In The Scarlet Letter, what two possible meanings does the rose have for the reader?

I see the rose representing first and foremost Hester, the mother figure. Pearl says she was plucked from a rose bush (which breaks off into many other directions as well). Also, in the garden at one point, Pearl reaches for a rose and cries when Hester tells her no. She wants to feel secure in motherly arms.

Another symbolization would be that the garden aforementioned represents the Garden of Eden, and the rose bush is the Tree of Knowledge. Pearl, aka Eve, wants to get the "apple" on the tree, which is a sin.

In this Garden, Hester tells Pearl, Eve, not to take the rose, apple, and is therefore in the shoes of God. This is also shown on the scaffold, where Hawthorne describes Hester as having a halo.

However, we have already established that the rose represents Hester, and the rose represents the apple, which is sin/temptation/evil.

Therefore, Hester is the epitome of sin/temptation/evil. This puts Hester in the role of Satan. So Hester is now both God and Satan.

This leads to the theme that in everything good, there is something evil.

But that's just my thoughts :)

How did the Republican party begin?

The Republican Party was one of the two major United States political parties. It was founded by a coalition in 1854. The coalition was composed of former members of the Whig, Free-Soil, and Know-Nothing parties, as well as the Northern Democrats who were dissatisfied with their party’s stand on compromise over slavery. The early Republicans accepted slavery in the south; however they were opposed to extending slavery into the Western territories. In 1856 they nominated John Charles Fremont for the presidency. He won about a third of the popular vote, but alienated many potential supporters by his failure to oppose immigration.

The Republicans joined the Democrats as one of the nation’s two major parties in the late 1850’s.  They gathered support as the concern grew in the North over the Southern power in Washington, D.C., and the party also reassured the anti-foreign Know-Nothings that they cared about the social impact of immigration.  “In 1860 their candidate, Abe Lincoln, was elected to the presidency; the Southern states eventually seceded from the Union over Lincoln’s policies.”

 

What is the style of the writing in the story "The Cask of Amontillado"?

Poe explained his style as arabesque, one of horror and torment.  Irony and wit are part of the grotesque playfulness of this arabesque and the pattern has balance and integration of  these elements as psychological tension and horror parallel the action and dialogue.

Much like the winding catacombs that narrow and darken, the workings of the narrator are twisted and darkly sinister. In fact,the narrative is controlled by this vengeful narrator whose obsession with revenge finds grotesque humor in ironic jesting with Fortunato about his being a mason--not the secret society member, but a bricklayer who is about to entomb his victim.  With a perversely feigned concern for his victim's health, the narrator urges Fortunato to turn back:  "...it is very damp.  Once more let me implore you to return."  Then, the narrator adds to the horror: 

No?  Then I must positively leave you.  But I must first render you all the litttle attentions in my power.

This torment of Fortunato increases as Montesor lays down the tiers of bricks which soon entomb the connosieur.  Still Montesor calls to his enemy, then walling him in further, increasing the psychological tension. Finally, the narrative has completed its windings and Fortunato begs his tormentor:  "For the love of God, Montresor."  With grotesque irony and the final arabesque, ornamentation of horror, Montesor responds, "Yes,...for the love of God" and hastens to "an end of my labor."

What are the main themes of "All My Sons"?

American Dream: Joe Keller, a simple, blue-collar worker, who has made it to business owner,  sacrifices everything to maintain his version of the American dream.  He surrenders his integrity, he lies, he chooses to act outside of morality.

Duty and Responsibility, Joe Keller tells us that he had no choice but to ship the faulty parts.  If he had pulled them and started over he would have lost the contract, resulting in his business failing, he felt compelled to honor the contract to secure his company.  He says he needed to take care of his family. 

Choices and Consequences, Joe Keller makes a deadly choice and the consequences result in the deaths of several pilots and his own son, Larry.

Guilt, Revenge and Punishment, Steve Deever is made out to be the bad guy by Joe Keller, who puts all the blame on him.  His son George, when he learns the truth, comes to the Keller's house seeking revenge.  Steve has been in prison, while Joe has been free.

Death   Kate won't accept the death of her son Larry.  She desperately tries to maintain a false reality where Larry is still alive.

Forgiveness and Atonement, Joe Keller commits suicide at the end of the play when he realizes that his decision resulted in his own son's death, also a suicide.  He wants Kate and Chris to forgive him.

Idealism  Chris Keller, who believes that his father is an upright and honest man, discovers the truth, and is devastated.

Who are the "hundreds of people" who visit the Manette's on Sundays in A Tale of Two Cities?

Well, that's true; it is a rather exaggerated description of all the men who want to visit Miss Pross's Ladybird.  But that's only half of what's happening with the hundreds of people.  Remember, their house "was a wonderful corner for echoes."  And the sounds of hundreds of footsteps is a constant theme throughout the novel and certainly in this house.  The echoing footsteps were a foreshadowing of what was to come--the sound of a Revolution.  This constant motif is part of the impending  "giant crowd of people, with its rush and roar, bearing down upon them."

In "Macbeth", what do Macbeth and his wife plan to do to make the last prediction come true?

The third part of the witches' prophecy stated that Macbeth would become king after being Thane of Glamis and becoming Thane of Cawdor. After King Duncan makes Macbeth Thane of Cawdor, quite unexpectedly, Macbeth's ambition is ignited and he can think of nothing then except the crown. Macbeth first takes the attitude that if he is to become king, it will happen without his taking any action to promote its happening. However, he soon slips into an active rather than a passive attitude. After Lady Macbeth learns of the prophecy, there is no indecision on her part; Duncan must die in order for Macbeth to gain the throne.

They eventually agree to carry out the plan she has formulated. She will drug the drinks of Duncan's attendants so that he will be unprotected. She will lay out the attendants' swords and daggers for Macbeth to use in killing Duncan while the king sleeps. Then Macbeth will smear Duncan's blood upon his attendants to make them look responsible for the crime.

In the actual commission of the murder, however, the plan fell apart in some details. In his haste and horror, Macbeth carries the murder weapons out of Duncan's chamber and refuses to go back. He is also worried that at least one of Duncan's guards had awakened during the murder. Lady Macbeth returns the weapons herself and completes the staging of the crime. Macbeth later kills the attendants, also, pretending to be overcome with grief upon seeing Duncan's body; his real purpose, of course, was to eliminate any witnesses to his deed.

Please give me examples of respect between parent and child in "To Kill A Mockingbird".Atticus and his children, why they call him by his first...

Atticus is not demonstrative towards his children but he wins their affection and respect.

He deals with them by reprimand rather than physical punishment. Jem tells Dill he has never "been licked" by Atticus, and that he was going to see to it that he never would be. When he chops up Mrs Dubose's flowers for bad-talking Atticus, it is Atticus himself who makes Jem pay her back with reading visits.

Atticus teaches his children to see things in a relative way and that adults are no more perfect than children. He explains to Scout why Miss Caroline reacted the way she did and why Mrs Dubose was courageous by defeating her addiction.

Atticus deals with his children through example as well. He remains polite to people when they are rude, even when insulted. He tells his children not to retaliate by fighting but to stand one's ground just the same. He explains to Scout that he couldn't hold his head up or tell his children ever again what to do if he didn't defend Tom Robinson in court. This concept might be over Scout's head, but he shows her that true respect is not automatic - it has to be earned.

The children see another side to their father when he shoots the rabid dog. They learn that Atticus was a "dead shot" in his day although he has never mentioned it. Jem sees that Atticus doesn't have to "strut his stuff" to be estimed and declares afterwards, "I'm a gentleman, just like Atticus!"

As a father and role model, Atticus is A-OK.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird" identify how Harper Lee creates suspense during Mayella's testimony in Chapter 18.

One way in which Lee heightens tension in the scene is juxtaposing the approach of the prosecuting council, Mr. Gilmer and that of Atticus.  While Mr. Gilmer "leads" the witness, Mayella, by saying things like, "You fought him off as hard as you could? Fought him tooth and nail?"  Atticus slowly lets Mayella's character speak for itself.  He asks her seemingly innocent questions about her life with her impoverished family, her friends, and especially the way her father treats her. 

"Do you love your father, Miss Mayella?" 

As she stammers over her response, Atticus gently asks if the man beats her.  Though she responds negatively, it is clear that her life at home is hellish. 

This gentle prodding allows Atticus to get to the lie Mayella has been compelled to tell about Tom.  He asks again and again in his gentle way for details.  When she claims that Tom "hit her and choked her," Atticus proves that this could not have been the case.  Tom had suffered an accident that leaves his left arm useless. 

Who is the spy for the greasers in The Outsiders?

The spy in Ponyboy’s group is the Soc girl that Ponyboy befriended: Cherry Valence.

At the drive-in movie, Johnny and Ponyboy meet a couple of nice girls that just happen to be Socs.  As greasers, there is a big class and gang difference between the two groups, but Cherry is impressed with Ponyboy’s intelligence and sensitivity.  They become friends, and Ponyboy realizes that Cherry is not so unlike him.

Unfortunately, Cherry’s boyfriend is one of the Socs that Johnny and Ponyboy fight with in the park.  The boys’ meeting with Cherry sets off a terrible chain of events.  When Johnny and Ponyboy have to run away, Dally brings them news of Cherry’s defection.

Hey, I didn't tell you we got us a spy."

"A spy?" Johnny looked up from his banana split. "Who?"

"That good-lookin' broad I tried to pick up that night you killed the Soc. The redhead, Cherry what's-her-name." (ch 5, p. 84)

Ponyboy is surprised to learn that Cherry would come to the greasers with information.

"She said she felt that the whole mess was her fault, which it is, and that she'd keep up with what was comin' off with the Socs in the rumble and would testify that the Socs were drunk and looking for a fight and that you fought back in self-defense." (ch 5, p. 86)

Ponyboy notes that it was not the Soc part of Cherry that was helping them, but the “the dreamer who watched sunsets and couldn't stand fights” (ch 5, p. 86).  He realizes that Cherry is just trying to right a wrong.

Cherry’s providing information and becoming a “spy” for the greasers demonstrates the hopelessness of the situation.  Cherry has had it with the senseless violence.  Her boyfriend Bob was killed, and she knows that more boys on both sides are at risk.  She hopes that by warning Dally she can prevent further bloodshed.  Now that she has met Ponyboy and Johnny, she knows that greasers are people too.

How are the Glorious Revolution in England, The American and The French Revolution similar?

All three revolutions attempted to change government relatively quickly. Their results led primarily to the triumph of the Rule of Law, which allowed the further development of Individual Rights.  The Glorious Revolution (1688) in England finally solidified the powers of the legislative branch of government (in this case, Parliament) over the executive (King James.)  This process restricting the executive began with the Magna Carta in 1215, which began to weaken the "Divine Right of Kings," and ended at this time, the revolution being "glorious" because Rule of Law through Parliament deposed the king, not bloodletting and warfare as was (is?) usually the case.   The American Revolution (1776) again affirmed the supremacy of legislative government over executive, but in this case the conflict centered around which legislative body would be supreme, the colonial assemblies, or Parliament. Having successfully broken with England, the former American Colonies established government on the English model where the Rule of Law is sacrosanct.  The French, similarly attempted a Rule of Law by the Declaration of the Rights of Man, somewhat modeled on the American Declaration of Independence.  However, the French Revolution devolved into bloodshed, class warfare, regicide, and failure, which created an opportunity for Napoleon to become Emperor. After Napoleon, France finally gained a measure of British-American style democracy many years after its revolution.

How have Aunt Alexandra, Miss Maudie and Calpurnia influenced Scout?In what specific ways?

The end of chapter 24 is the first time when Scout realizes that Aunt Alexandra has a heart.  She's worried sick for Atticus and his health during this trial.  Aunt Alexandra more importantly shows Scout the true meaning of being a lady.  It isn't about gossiping circles of women: it's about a woman keeping her cool when things get tough.  Scout sees her hold her head high and move on as if nothing has happened, when she could've run into the room spreading the word of Tom's death.

Miss Maudie shows Scout another form of being a lady.  When Miss Merriweather begins to criticize Atticus in his own home in front of both Alexandra and Scout, Miss Maudie shuts her up with (along the lines of) "his food doesn't stick going down, does it?"  Her icy demeanor and confidence put Miss Merriweather in her place and she says no more.  She does not stand and she does not raise her voice.  But she gets her point across quickly.

As for Calpurnia, she had two major influences on Scout.  First she acts as a mother when young Walter came to eat lunch in chapter 3 by correcting her and spanking her for not treating Walter like company. (no matter how he eats his lunch)

The second influence occurs at Cal's church in chapter 12.  There she shows Scout (with Lula) that she has to live two separate lives:  she is an educated woman, but she is also a black woman.  She must respect both "worlds" and those in them.

Why does the "Cask of Amontillado" take place fifty years in the past? Why is he telling it fifty years in the future? please explain fully!

I have discussed this in class, and my teacher had said that it was possible that Montresor was dying. He feels guilty, and needs to tell someone of his sinful deed. He is telling he reader exactly what he did. In the beginning of this story, Montresor states "You, who so well know the nature of my soul...". He is trying o get himself to believe that what he did was right. He wants to believe it, but he is finding it difficult to do so, so he is telling the reader what he did to get reassurance.

In Henry Lawson's Short Stories, what are some examples of quotes that are distinctly visual, and what effects do they have on the reader?For...

The only Lawson story I have read is "The Drover's Wife," so all of my examples will come from that story. The first thing you notice is the verb tense: all present. It is as if you're reading a set description from a play script:

The two-roomed house is built of round timber, slabs, and stringy-bark, and floored with split slabs. A big bark kitchen standing at one end is larger than the house itself, veranda included.

Bush all round--bush with no horizon, for the country is flat. No ranges in the distance. The bush consists of stunted, rotten native apple-trees. No undergrowth. Nothing to relieve the eye save the darker green of a few she-oaks which are sighing above the narrow, almost waterless creek. Nineteen miles to the nearest sign of civilization--a shanty on the main road.

In another vivid description, Lawson tells us how hard life is for the woman by showing us her handkerchief:

She is hurt now, and tears spring to her eyes as she sits down again by the table. She takes up a handkerchief to wipe the tears away, but pokes her eyes with her bare fingers instead. The handkerchief is full of holes, and she finds that she has put her thumb through one, and her forefinger through another.

The effect of this type of narration is that the reader is better able to visualize the story, as if it were occurring right before the reader's eyes. He doesn't say, "This poor lady works too hard." He shows us how hard her life is, and we almost want to cry with her.

Why would Gene visit the marble stairs and the tree if they are so fearful? Why are they fearful?

The narrator is projecting. He is describing his surroundings in terms of his own feelings. He describes the November day as "Self-pitying". The attentive reader will soon see that he is self-pitying. These locations are fearful because his is afraid to approach them after what happened there; for what he is responsible.

Also, one is an entirely natural setting and one is entirely philosophical. The "fall" is both natural and philosophical as well. The body is crushed as well as the mind.

What is the central idea of the epic poem "Beowulf"?

I think the heroic code is at the heart of Beowulf.  Since the people who orally composed Beowulf were pre-Christianity, they had no way of imagining an after-life.  The only way to live on once you died was through stories or oral traditions.

One way to ensure being remembered was to fulfill the heroic code, with its virtues of bravery, loyalty, and generosity.  Fighting bravely, maintaining loyalty to your clan or kin, and then sharing your spoils with your men or family all ensure that you will be remembered.

The heroic code was vital to the Geats and, later, the Anglos and Saxons that settled in England. These peoples were warriors and one way to ensure their continued success was through adherence to the heroic code.

If you look at Beowulf, note the reason he travels to Hrothgar's land is to battle the legendary Grendel.  This is to fulfill the heroic code. Beowulf is being brave for accepting this challenge.  He is being loyal by fulfilling an obligation to Hrothgar (for Hrothgar once aided Beowulf's father).  Finally, Beowulf will share the spoils from the victory with his men and his people.  All of these will help add to Beowulf's reputation, which will enable him to live on after he has died.  These are the same reasons he chooses to vanquish Grendel's mother, and later as an old king, to battle the dragon.

What is the summary for Part 2, Chapter 12 of The Underdogs?

When the band had almost reached Cuquio, Anastasio Montanez rides up to Demetrio and jokingly tells him about what had happened to a poor old man who had complained about the corn they had taken for their horses.  Acting as if he was sympathetic, Guero had lured the man in on the pretext of getting him reparation, and instead had beaten him cruelly with his sword until he begged for mecty.  Pintada, who is listening, "double(s) over in laughter, but Camilla is angry, and expresses her displeasure.  Pintada turns on her then, and causes Camilla to fall from her horse and gash her forehead.

Cervantes is called to treat Camilla's wound, but she refuses to let him touch her.  In the meantime, Demetrio receives orders to go to Aguascalientes.  The men protest and complain, and Camilla cries all night, and begs Demetrio to let her go home in the morning because of Pintada.  Demetrio wants Camilla to stay, so he tells Pintada she must leave instead.  Furious, Pintada proceeds to insult everyone she can think of, until Demetrio orders a soldier to throw her out.

In "the blink of an eye", Pintada draws "a sharp, gleaming blade from her stocking", and stabs Camilla.  Demetrio orders his soldiers to kill Pintada, but the irate woman steps forward and dares Demetrio to kill her himself.  Demetrio picks up the bloody dagger, but hesitates, then growls menacingly to her to get out.  No one dares stop her when she finally leaves (Part 2, Chapter 12).

In "The Scarlet Letter", describe Roger Chillingworth in the scene in which he visits Hester in jail. How did Hester feel about that?

In "The Scarlet Letter" when R. C. visits Hester in Ch. IV, she is fearful after seeing him in the "audience" putting his finger to his lips. Even as she stood on that pedestal, Hester feels "It was better to stand thus, with so many betwixt him and her, than to greet him, face to face, they two alone." for the public exposure provides some "refuge." Ironically, as physician R.C. is called into her cell to treat her for the nervousness which he himself has caused by her recognition of him. Surprisingly, he enters the cell with the demeanor and speech of a physician, calm and in control of the situation, even when the jailer departs. Hester fears that he may harm both her and the child, but he assures her that he knows nothing about poisons; besides the child is "none of mine" he says, denoting his lack of interest in its fate. As he gives a doubtful Hester a drink, she warns the physician she considers death. Calmly, he asks, "Dost thou know me so little?" (he has already declared that he would help either of them no matter what the circumstances). Still, Hester fears that he will now deal with her as the wayward wife; he does, telling her he has expected her behavior. When he asks for the name of her lover and is denied, he tells H. "he must needs be mine!" H. says his deeds are kind, but his words terrorize her. R. C. asks her to keep him a secret; she agrees.

What happens at each age in the book The Giver?

At birth, Newchildren are cared for at the Nurturing Center until the first December Ceremonies.  At that time, they are considered to be Ones, no matter when during the year they were born.  At the Ceremony of the Ones, each Newchild is given a name and placed in a family unit, taking the comfort object which was assigned when he or she was born.

Not much detail is given in the book about what happens to children between the ages of Two to Seven.  It appears that the children grow up much like children do in our society during those years, except that everything is very regimented and done on a community level.  The girls wear their hair in braids with ribbons, and the children go to school and engage in recreation.  At age Eight, the children's comfort object is taken away, and they receive jackets with pockets, indicating that they are mature enough now to keep track of their own belongings.  The Eights also begin their volunteer hours; they are allowed to choose where they do their hours, and must have completed all the required service by the time they are Twelve.

At age Nine, the children each receive a bicycle of their own, and at Ten their hair is cut, the females losing their braids and the boys having their hair trimmed so that their ears are exposed.  At Eleven girls receive different undergarments for their changing bodies, and boys get longer trousers with a special pocket for the calculators they will begin to use in school.  Finally, at age Twelve, each child in the community will receive an assignment to a job for which they will begin training and at which they will work for the rest of their lives.

What clues did the author use to make Dr. Roylott a convincing suspect?

Conan Doyle uses several clues which identify Dr Roylott as the perpetrator of the crime. One of the first pieces of information revealed about him by his stepdaughter, Miss Stoner, is Dr Roylott’s violent past-

 he beat his native butler to death and narrowly escaped a capital sentence.

Dr Roylott was imprisoned and greatly embittered by the experience. He married Miss Stoner’s mother and was content to live on her inheritance. After the death of his wife, Miss Stoners mother, he became more aggressive: coming to the attention of the police in fights with the neighbors-

he is a man of immense strength, and absolutely uncontrollable in his anger.

Due to his  affinity with the tropics, the doctor also kept exotic animals on the premises which made the Stoner girls nervous –

...the doctor kept a cheetah and a baboon. We had no feeling of security unless our doors were locked.

Dr Roylott has already been violent towards Miss Stoner, as Holmes perceives-

Five little livid spots, the marks of four fingers and a thumb, were printed upon the white wrist.

He visits Holmes to warn him off the investigation-

Don't you dare to meddle with my affairs

When investigating Roylott’s affairs, Holmes also finds out that the inheritance from his wife will pass to their daughters on their marriage, which explains why they are in danger when their engagements are announced-

he has the very strongest motives

Why had Monseigneur taken his sister from a convent and married her off (below her social station) to a Farmer-General?This is from Book 2...

Dickens's rather rhetorical chapter on the decadent Monseigneur who has been waited upon for so many centuries that he can no longer swallow his morning chocolate without the aid of four strong men exemplifies the state of the French aristocracy.  While the Monseigneur--who represents all the aristocracy--has felt that the world is made for his pleasure, he finds that certain "vulgar embarrassments crept into his affairs, both private and public."  The Monseigneur has allied himself with a Farmer-General since he is now becoming poor.  

The Farmer-General is a tax collector--"the greatest reality among the personages who attended at the hotel of Monseigneur"-- and, since he has become poor, the Monseigneur pulls his sister from a convent and has her marry this tax collector in order to preserve the family estate and his prestige in court. 

What are some similarities between Oceana (1984) and America now?

The greatest similarity I see is the control of information.  Although some may wish to discuss this, I believe that in our last election the media presented only one side of the picture, the traditional liberal side, and not many people seemed to mind. Since Obama's election, he has gotten softball after softball.  Our present stimulus package hasn't gotten any real evaluation in the media, and, more importantly, wasn't even available to us before the vote took place

This is, in part, because there is now so much information available to us that it's almost impossible to verify it.  I heard an interesting example this morning.  In a poll about the 3 greatest presidents in our history, Lincoln, Kennedy and Regan were selected.  What happened to the old trio of Washington, Lincoln and Roosevelt?  Washington was clearly our most important president, yet he was not even listed in this poll.  Of course, this was just a poll, but you have to wonder what information people had to make them select Kenney, who doesn't have a great record of achievement) over Washington and Roosevelt.

It was probably easy to contol information in Oceania; there weren't that many sources that had to be "corrected."  Today's there's so much we still don't know what is "true."

I think we're a lot closer than we know.

In "The Outsiders", what did Ponyboy lean from Randy about the socs?

Ponyboy learned from Randy that it's "rough all over" and that socs have feelings too. Before talking to Randy, Ponyboy had this idealized view of socs, that maybe they didn't bleed like the greasers did. After talking to Randy, he came to realize just how similar the two boys really were, regardless of clique.

What features comprise a sonnet?

There are 2 types of sonnets:  Elizabethan or Shakespearean, and Petrarchan or Italian. (A and B)

The Petrarchan is divided into two parts, an 8-line octave and a 6-line sestet The octave thymes abba abba, while the sestet generally thymes cde cde or uses some combination of cd rhymes.  An example of this sonnet is Elizabeth Barrett Brownings "How Do I Love Thee?"

The Shakespearean sonnet has 3 four-line quatrains plus a concluding two-line couplet.  the rhyme scheme of such a sonnet is usually abab cdcd efef gg.  Each of the 3 quatrains usually explores a differnt variation of the main theme.  At the end, the couplet (gg) presents a summarizing or concluding statement.  In "Romeo and Juliet," Shakespeare incorporates two such sonnets.  One is the dialogue between Romeo and Juliet when they first meet (the "pilgrim" sonnet).

What type of clothes does the Franklin wear in The Canterbury Tales?

Chaucer doesn't actually specify what sort of clothes the Franklin is wearing. The General Prologue entry for him details mainly his natural diet, which changes with the seasons, and specifies that

An anlaas and a gipser al of silk
Heenge at his girdel, whit as morne milk.

An "anlaas" is a a dagger, and a "gipser" a purse: and the two hang at his girdle (which was) as white as morning milk. That's all we get!

The only other option would be to have a look at the illustration from the Ellesmere manuscript which accompanies the Franklin's Tale. However, there is no guarantee that the illustration was ever seen by Chaucer, so you shouldn't take it as a definitive version of the Franklin!

In Macbeth what does "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" really mean?

Simply put, as a classically trained actor, I can testify that "Fair is foul and foul is fair/ Hover through the fog and filthy air" means multiple things, obviously. Firstly, the witches are not necessarily evil. Manipulative, somber, eerie, dangerous, without a doubt. But not necessarily evil. This is proven in their sense of fear when encountered by Hecate, their queen. Fear is a very human emotion... Secondly, the witches are not referring to the weather- that's poop. The witches are greeting MacBeth with a paradoxical chiasmus in order to immediately reveal a possible universal theme, but principally to grab his attention. "Fair is foul and foul is fair" is also a reference to the falsity behind people. As an actor, heck, as a human, we deceive daily. Take a con man, he looks great, knows his shpiel, but in the end, he will con you. If that doesn't get the point across, take any soccer mom in their friend groups. You can be beautiful and likeable yet harboring some disgusting thing, like the devil- who according to the Bible, was the brightest star- and yet you can be awful to the eye and filled with goodness. The is also a reference to MacDuff who has continually been, for lack of a better word, ignored, yet has this amazing destiny to make things right once more; whereas MacBeth, the brightest star, brings about his own destruction. The Weird Sisters merely prophesize and change the feeling of the show with these lines.

For the record, I've been in professional renditions of MacBeth three times now. I've played Angus, a Weird Sister, understudied Lennox, and recently played Lady MacBeth.

Please provide brief descriptions of the major characters in The Outsiders. Ponyboy,Johnny,Sodapop,Darry,Dally,Steve,Two-Bit,Greasers and Socs

This question is pretty broad. Allow me to answer part of it, and refer you to the links below for complete descriptions of the characters you've mentioned.

Greasers are typically from "the wrong side of the tracks." They are poor, and their social standing is one that demonstrates the "poor but proud" mentality. They wear grease in their hair, partially by choice, partially from lack of hygiene.

In contrast, socs are usually considered the rich kids. They are given cars for their sixteenth birthday, and have all the advantages of an affluent upbringing. With this in mind, it only stands to reason that there is conflict between greasers and socs.

For complete descriptions of each of the characters you have mentioned above, please visit the link below.

What are bacterial cells and how are they arranged?

THE COCCUS:
arrangements based on their planes of division. a. Division in one plane produces either a diplococcus or streptococcus arrangement. b. Division in two planes produces a tetrad arrangement. A tetrad: cocci arranged in squares of 4
d. Division in random planes produces a staphylococcus arrangement. 2. The rod or bacillusTHE BACILLUS:
arrangement.a. bacillus: single bacilli
3. The spiralSpirals come in one of three forms, a vibrio, a spirillum, or a spirochete. a. vibrio: a curved or comma-shaped rod
Trichome-forming, sheathed, stalked, filamentous, square, star-shaped, spindle-shaped, lobed, and pleomorphic.

In "The Crucible", how does Hale confuse Tituba? What is the significance of their conversation?

Hale starts off by being harsh, and demanding that she confess: "When did you compact with the devil?" When she does confess, he immediately treats her kindly, leading her along in her confession, saying that she is "God's instrument put in our hands".  It is quite a turn-around, and very confusing. 

The conversation is significant because she is the first to break down and give a detailed accusation of other women, AND it isn't until after she does that Hale treats her like an angel.  This switcharoo in treatment makes the light-bulb go off in Abby's head.  She thinks, hey, that's awesome!  I can confess and blame other people, and be treated like THAT?  I think I'll go for it!  She then breaks down and confesses, accuses some women of witchcraft, which then sets all the other girls to doing it too.  Hale's conversation with Tituba was the catalyst that started it all.

In "The Scarlet Ibis," how does Doodle imagine his perfect future?

Doodle's mentality is that of a small child.  He thinks that he's going to grow up and marry his mother, and he'll always live with his parents and brother.  Although it sounds crazy, that's his mentality.  He's a dreamer and the symbol of innocence all in one.  Unfortunately, Doodle does not get the future he dreams of, lying in the soft grass of Old Woman Swamp, living in a house make of "whispering leaves," and collecting dog-tongue. 

Justify why Julius Caesar is or is not the protagonist in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.

Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is a five act drama.  The assassination of Caesar takes place in the third act.  It is hard to justify Caesar being the protagonist of the play since [other than his evil spirit which is seen in Act IV] Caesar does not appear in the last two acts of the play.

The protagonist of the play must be involved in the action of the play.  Marcus Brutus comes to the forefront as the character although less than heroic serves as the center of the drama.  It is his decisions and actions that take the play to its completion when he is found dead by Antony and Octavius.

What are the major scenes that Brutus controls?

• Cassius tries to convince Brutus to join the conspiracy


• Brutus deciding to join the assassins


• The assassination in which Brutus takes over the leadership of the plotters


• His funeral oration


• His argument with Cassius


• The meeting of the enemies


• The battle


• His death

This is actually Brutus’s play and not Caesars.  The assassination of Julius Caesar was better known; and from it, the world was changed.  Brutus’s name would not be known except for the death of Caesar. That is the reality of the assassination of Julius Caesar; however, the drama is different because it is the demise of Brutus that the play follows.  It is also the tragedy of Brutus to join the conspiracy to do harm to a leader for which Brutus felt affection.   

Brutus was a stoic which meant that everything he did was done lacking emotion and based on logic and reasoning.  This philosophy held impassiveness and indifference at its core.  That is why it took Brutus so long to decide to join the conspiracy.

Part of the play’s purpose was to compare the different types of personalities involved: Portia and Calpurnia; Antony and Octavius; and Brutus and Cassius.  As a stoic, Brutus showed great emotion to Cassius when he told him he would think about what he had said.

What you have said
I will consider; what you have to say
I will with patience hear, and find a time
Both meet to hear and answer such high things.
Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this:
Brutus had rather be a villager
Than to repute himself a son of Rome
Under these hard conditions as this time
Is like to lay upon us.

No other character in the play has such an important role as does Brutus.  It is his decisions that move the actions of the play forward.  He is the protagonist of the play.

In "By the Waters of Babylon" by Stephen Vincent Benet, what does the author mean by "Ou-dis-sun"?

Ou-dis-sun is a mispronunciation of the Hudson River.  It is a clue to the actual setting of the story, which is New York City after a terrible bombing.  The short story takes place many, many years after the destruction, and the names of places have changed over time.  It is possible that survivors after the blast were left with a speech impediment as part of their injuries, and so words became slurred or changed.  Written language became the exception rather than the norm, and so word of mouth can change the pronunciation of words.  For example, when French trappers settled in the western New York area, they came across the Niagara River and remarked, "Beau fleuve!", which means "beautiful river".  The settlement they established was also called Beau Fleuve, but over time, the French words were slurred together to create what is now known as Buffalo, New York.  The city of Buffalo is not named for a large plains animal that never even lived there.  That is how Hudson could have become Ou-dis-sun.

Why is there an "air of mystery among the blacks" and frequent visitors to L'Abri after Desiree's baby is born?

In Chopin's "Desiree's Baby", the use of inference is very important.  Readers are first cued in to there being issues with Desiree and Armand's baby when her mother arrives and talks about how much the baby has changed.  Active readers know here that something is out of sorts.

The visitors to L'Abri are coming to see what Armand's slaves are rumoring about.  The frequent visitors are coming to see the baby based upon rumors that something is just not right about the child. This information is implied, not stated.

By the end, readers come to know that the child is part black.  Slaves, during this period, would recognize black characteristics in a child.  They would then leak out the information to others that there was the potential that Armand's child was part black. This could ruin both Armand's names and the respect others held for him.

How does Dimsdale feel about his role as the much-respected minister in the community and why doesn't he thrive amid the people who admire him?

Dimmesdale feels himself to be a hypocrite while serving as minister; he has committed a sin in having a child with Hester (adultery, etc.), and cannot forgive himself for doing so. Dimmesdale cannot thrive in his community because his guilty conscience plagues him without mercy. Were Dimmesdale able to forgive himself, he would not suffer as he does.

Melody has two coins that equal 15 cents. What are the two coins if one of them is not a nickel?

I need to start with some assumptions here.

First, I'm assuming that this is U.S. coins, not Euros, etc.

Second, I'm assuming that we are talking about the face value of the coins, not their value to collectors. Thus, a penny is worth one cent -- even if it is an old and rare penny and so worth more than one cent to collectors.

If both those assumptions are correct, then you can't get there from here. There are no two US coins that add up to 15 cents other than one dime and one nickel. Of course, you could have a dime and 5 pennies, but that would be six coins.

My guess is that there is some trick that involves a quarter, a dime and subtraction. For example, if Melody owed someone 15 cents so she gave them a quarter and they gave her a dime in change. The exchange of the two coins would equal her 15 cent debt.

How do you end a character analysis?

I think it's wise to approach a character evaluation the same way to do a "people" evaluation in "real" life ... and visa versa.  In a piece of fiction we learn about characters through what others say about them, what they say about themselves and what they say about others, but most importantly, by what they do.  In fiction none of this is irrelevant because the author includes all the information; he or she is god to their creation.  I usually start backward and assess what a character did in the work:  how did the character relate to other people, what behaviors can I specify that justify my interpretation of these realtionships, is there anything I can find in what others say about the character that supports my view (provided I can find credible characters speaking about my character), and finally is there congruence between what the character say and does.

As with any good essay, I would take this information and tie it into a summary paragraph that would "tighten" my case.  I would make a general statement about what I think the role of the character is, and then make specific statements about what the character does, says, and what is said about him that provide the reader with enough information to understand why I feel/think as I do about the character.

What is the cliffhanger at the end of chapter eight of "The Giver"?

In Chapter 8, Jonas is named the new Receiver of Memory in the ceremony. The cliffhanger is that Jonas does not fully understand what this means, as this job is one that is a very rare one to be appointed to. The chapter ends with an ominous tone, "...he was filled with fear. He did not know what his selection meant. He did not know what he was to become. Or what would become of him."

In "The Scarlet Letter", describe the sins of Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chilllingworth.How do they deal with guilt? What is the broader effect of...

Hester's sin:  adultery.  Dimmesdale's sin:  adultery, but more significantly, not confessing to it and letting Hester bear the brunt of it alone.  Chillingsworth's sin:  pride-he couldn't let go of needing to know who his wife had been with.  This pride morphs into extreme manipulation and cruelty.

Hester faces her guilt, lives her life, and turns her situation into being productive and helping others.  Dimmesdale is tormented by guilt, finding non-redemptive methods of purging his guilt, including self-mutilation.  Eventually, his guilt kills him. 

The broader effect of sin is represented differently depending on how the person deals with it.  As we see with Dimmesdale, not facing up to it, being open about his weakness, kills him.  Hester ends up better off; she faces initial hardships but works hard and lives a good life, in the end.  Chillingsworth's obsession takes over his entire life; once fulfilled, he dies.

In "The Great Gatsby", how old are Myrtle Wilson, George and Gatsby?Can you please give page numbers?

When Nick first sees Myrtle when Tom took him to Wilson's garage, Nick says she is a woman in her mid-thirties.

"His voice faded off and Tom glanced impatiently arounf the garage. Then I heard footsteps on a stairs, and in a moment the thickish figure of a woman blocked out the light from the office door. She was in the middle thirties......"

This quote was on the lower half of page 25 of my book, not sure if you have the same copy.

How is Scout made interesting as a character and a narrator in "To Kill a Mockingbird"?

Scout is made interesting bot has a character and narrator because, as the previous editor noted, as a narrator Scout is grown up but reflecting back to a time when she was young.  This offers the reader an interesting view into her character that allows her to become endeared to the readers.

Scout is also interesting because she is so easy to relate to.  She goes through rites of passage - a terrible first day of school, standing up for herself (and her father) by beating her cousin up, learning what it means to be a woman rather than a tomboy, learning to see what really goes on around her and so on.  Since we all go through similar rites of passage, these allow us to connect with Scout.

Another reason Scout is so interesting is her innocence.  Obviously, Scout is not your normal child.  She can read fluently prior to school and has an advanced vocabulary.  However, while she may be advanced, she still suffers from the trappings of a child - she asks her uncle to "pass the damn ham" at Christmas dinner, she wears her jeans under her skirt at her Aunt Alexandra's lady's lunch, she consents to marry Dill and then wonders how they might go about getting themselves some children.

Part of the charm of the novel is watching Scout, the character, mature from a tomboy to the young lady who is narrating the story.

In what chapter of To Kill a Mockingbird does someone ask Atticus to take the Tom Robinson case?

There is no specific point in the novel at which someone approaches Atticus asking him to defend Tom Robinson.  In Chapter 9 Scout accosts her father one evening asking him, "Do you defend n---s?" because Cecil Jacobs has hurled some insults toward her about her father.  Later,  in Chapter 9 when Atticus and his family visit his brother, Jack asks Atticus about the case: "Atticus, how bad is this going to be?  You haven't had too much chance to discuss it[the case of Tom Robinson]."

It is interesting that the subject of Atticus Finch's defense of Tom Robinson comes subsequent to a chapter whose subject is Boo Radley and the children's stealing into the yard of the Radley's and their discovery that Mr. Radley does not want their interference as he has cemented the hole in the tree where they have put things.  Thus, the reader unconsciously connects these two men and the mockingbird motif begins.

How do you find the volume of an uneven figure made up of 1 inch cubes?

There are a couple of approaches that you can use to find the volume of an irregular figure:

Technically, one finds the volume by multiplying a figure’s (length x width x height).  In the case of an irregular figure, one cannot determine volume using the formula.  But, if the diagram you have shows the faces of the individual cubes, then you can count the cubes that you see, plus the ones that you expect to be behind the cubes facing you based on how the diagram is drawn.

Another approach is to look at the irregular figure as if it is a bunch of regular figures that have been put together.  In this case, use the (length x width x height) formula to solve for the volume of all the regular figures, then add the volumes together to get the volume of the irregular figure.

For either approach, your units will still be in.3

What are the symbols in "The Wind in the Willows?"

"Wind In The Willows," is a children's novel written during the late nineteenth century.  The novel is also Graham's way of writing a satire about the class structure of that era in England.  The river was symbolic of the freedom of the river animals.  Toad, Rat, Mole and Badger were the "upper-class" and could spend their days in recreation, eating, and enjoying the good life. The wild woods were symbolic of the lower class living areas of the poorer sections of London.  The stoats and the weasels are representative of the lower, working class.  When they take over Toad Mansion, they are demonstrating their disdain for the upper class and what that upper class means.  The Toad, eventual escapes prison and goes to the dark wood.  He enlists the help of his friends and chases the stoats and weasels back to where they belong.  The upper-class in England had many luxuries that the working class did not have. The working conditions during this time were terrible, and the class system controlled the lives of the communities.

With whom does Putnam have land disputes in Act One of "The Crucible"?

Putnam has land disputes with Francis and Rebecca Nurse.

Francis Nurse is well-respected in the community, and owns a good deal of land - "three hundred acres, and their children (are) settled in separate homesteads within the same estate".  Francis had originally rented the land, and it is a point of speculation that, "as he gradually paid for it and raised his social status, there were those who resented his rise".  One of Francis Church's neighbors is Putnam, and the two had once fought a land war which "grew to the proportions of a battle in the woods between partisans of both sides".  The battle was legendary, and lasted for two full days.

Another point of dispute between the Church and Putnam families concerning land might have stemmed from Church's action of joining with landowners whose property was contiguous with his, breaking away from Salem town authority, and setting up "Topsfield, a new and independent entity whose existence was resented by old Salemites".   Taking these conflicts into consideration, it is not surprising that when the witchcraft hysteria hit Salem, "the guiding hand behind the outcry (against Rebecca Nurse) was Putnam's" (Act I, Scene 2).

What is the nature and significance of management?

Managers have five basics functions. Those functions are; planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. Managers must plan, or narrow goals from their broadest to most intricate form. They must organize and create a structure for daily tasks and communication. They must hire and fire people in various positions. They must serve as a directing influence on staff behavior and morale. They must also  have control over all of the aspects of the company.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, why does Scout admire Miss Maudie?

Scout loves Miss Maudie for many reasons: for her kindness, her honesty, and her patient understanding of Scout, Jem, and Dill, as well. Scout feels the respect with which Miss Maudie treats them, even though they are "just children." Besides loving her, Scout develops a deep admiration for Maudie, especially in regard to how Maudie reacts when she loses her home to the fire.

The morning after the fire had consumed Maudie's entire house and its contents, Scout and Jem go to see her. They are amazed that Maudie is not sad and grieving; instead, she seems lively, smiling, and full of good cheer:

Always wanted a smaller house, Jem Finch. Gives me more yard. Just think, I'll have more room for my azaleas now!

Telling Scout not to worry about her, Maudie outlines her plans to build a smaller house and put in a beautiful yard.She then wants to talk about what had happened to them the night of the fire. Scout is both impressed and confused by her adult friend:

Miss Maudie puzzled me. With most of her possessions gone and her beloved yard a shambles, she still took a lively and cordial interest in Jem's and my affairs.

Furthermore, Maudie's only real fear and distress during the fire was that it endangered her neighbors and their homes. Years later, as Scout recalled Miss Maudie and the fire, she remembered this fact, clearly an indication of her respect and admiration for Miss Maudie.

In Frankenstein, does Victor Frankenstein represent a symbol or a metaphor, and why?What kind of salient qualities does he show?

To understand the symbolism behind Frankenstein, you need to take a close look at the title of the novel. The entire title is "Frankenstein or a Modern Promethesus". The author, Mary Shelley obviously wants her audience to make a connection between Victor and the Greek Titan Promethesus, who, according to Greek myth, brought fire to mankind. He was punished for his crime by Zeus who chained him to a rock and had a bird eat his liver each day. At night, the liver would regenerate and the process began again.

Victor's monster, like Promethesus' fire, brought both good and evil to mankind. The monster was a great accomplishment for science, but Victor's inability to care for his creation launched the monster on a road to destruction. Like fire that is untended, the monster grew into a very destructive force.

In addition, Victor was punished severely by the results of his actions. Metaphorically, he had his liver eaten away by guilt, just as Promethesus endured his actual liver being eaten away. Fortunately, Promethesus was finally freed from his trials by Hercules but Victor rejects any help from Robert Walton or his monster and dies never fully understanding that his search for "science" was unnecessary.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird", what are the differences between the white church and the black church?

When Cal takes the children to the "black church," one of the differences that the children notice is that there are no song books.  Scout asks how do people sing if they don't know the words.  Cal tells her to just wait and see.  Zeebo leads the people in song by "lining" which is a method where the song leader says the line first and then the people sing it after him. The children also notice that the church service is longer than at the white church.  The black church members don't really welcome Scout and Jem and tell Cal to let them go to the "white church".  Also the people at the black church are much poorer than the white members they are familiar with.  The spirit of the church is also different and the way the black people worship is more intense.

How is Piggy important in Lord of the Flies? Piggy is clearly a clever boy, but he is a victim too. Why don’t most of the boys see how...

Right at the start of the novel, the boys elect Ralph as chief. Golding makes clear that this is a slightly unexpected decision:

Jack started to protest but the clamor changed from the general wish for a chief to an election by acclaim of Ralph himself. None of the boys could have found good reason for this; what intelligence had been shown was traceable to Piggy while the most obvious leader was Jack.

Piggy, even here, even right at the start, is the brains of the operation. He has the "intelligence" visible even at this stage, and he also has the practical, common sense. He's the one taking name so that they know how many boys they are. He's the one who suggests a small signal fire. He's the one who becomes closely associated with the conch, with democracy, with Ralph as elected chief, with civilisation, with assemblies... and so on.

Ralph realises Piggy's qualities in the last page of the novel:

Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy.

But the other boys don't, as you rightly point out, throughout. Why is this? Piggy is fat, wears spectacles, has "ass-mar", is against fun and hunting, and almost irritatingly worthy. He's also a social outcast: we never even find out what his real name is! And because the boys don't think he's cool or fun, his common sense goes largely unnoticed. A life lesson there, Golding clearly thinks.

Hope it helps!

Describe Crooks' living arrangements in Of Mice and Men. Why are they differen?

In John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men, the character of Crooks is an old, cranky ranch hand with a seriously bent back resulting from years of hard manual labor.  He is initially unfriendly to Lennie, as he doesn’t yet know of the giant’s gentle nature and mental deficiency.  He has his own room because of his generally anti-social attitude, but it is an attitude born of the second-class status to which African Americans were condemned.  As Steinbeck notes, “Crooks was a proud, aloof man. He kept his distance and demanded that other people keep theirs. . .”  He is segregated from the other ranch-hands because of his racial distinction relative to the others, so has his own room, which he keeps clean and organized.  When the innocent simple-minded Lennie stands in the doorway of Crooks’ room, the old, wounded African American angrily confronts this interloper:

 “You go on get outa my room. I ain’t wanted in the bunk house, and you ain’t wanted in my room.”

“Why ain’t you wanted?” Lennie asked.

“’Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me.”

Crooks, however, is no simple-minded man.  On the contrary, he is educated and his room is populated by old magazines and books, including a dictionary and “a mauled copy of the California civil code for 1905.” 

A good description of Crooks’ room come straight from Steinbeck’s novel:

“Crooks’ bunk was a long box filled with straw, on which his blankets were flung. On the wall by the window there were pegs on which hung broken harness in process of being mended; strips of new leather; and under the window itself a little bench for leather-working tools, curved knives and needles and balls of linen thread, and a small hand riveter. On pegs were also pieces of harness, a split collar with the horsehair stuffing sticking out, a broken hame, and a trace chain with its leather covering split. Crooks had his apple box over his bunk, and in it a range of medicine bottles, both for himself and for the horses.”

Crooks is a blacksmith, and his life is the welfare of the horses that populate the ranch.  His is a lonely existence, and Lennie’s presence, while initially unwelcome, becomes a reminder to Crooks of the importance, and fragility, of human relationships.

How is Frankenstein a social commentary novel throughout the book?

While it is easy to view Frankenstein as a "horror" novel, the underlying message is actually social commentary on the effects of human prejudice and discrimination. The monster is an outcast of society because of his appearance. "Normal" human beings abhor his ugliness and, therefore, shun him. Even though the monster initially shows an ability to be friendly and loving, no one can see past his looks, so he never has a chance to fit in. After living in misery and loneliness for so long, the monster becomes angry at his position as a social outcast. He begins to feel justified in seeking revenge on those who have shunned him, especially his creator, Dr. Frankenstein. While there is no real justification for the monster's murderous rampage, we can understand his motive: he has endured the pain of prejudice long enough and must act out on his feelings of bitterness and anger. 

Why did the soldier help Beowulf?Why did the soldier Wiglaf help Beowulf when he faced the dragon?

Wiglaf represents the theme of loyalty. It is his duty to help his King. Therefore, it only makes sense when he berates his men from running away in fear when it was time to help Beowulf. He proves his leadership and loyalty by sticking with him until the end and praising Beowulf's name and building him a tower after he dies.

Who is Lois in the book Amos Fortune: Free Man?

Lois is a widow who lives with her many children in a small cabin down the Squantum Village road.  Her husband, Moses Burdoo, had passed away five years earlier, and since then, Lois has lived in poverty, unable to care properly for her family and "rise above the conditions of her life".  Amos Fortune goes to visit her often, hoping that "some of the good of his own life might spill over into hers that (is) hedged round by poverty and misfortune".  Lois's children love Amos, who tells them stories and sings with them.

Lois is the inadvertent cause of the only serious conflict in the marriage of Amos and Violet.  Amos, feeling sorry for Lois, wants to use the money he has painstakingly saved to buy a little house in the village for her and her children to help her get a new start in life.  Violet, on the other hand, has "small liking and less sympathy for Lois"; she thinks Lois is "shiftless" for being unable to rise above her circumstances.  Violet feels that Amos should help Lois by providing work for her older children, so that they can learn responsibility as they contribute to the support of the family.  Violet is so firm in her belief, that she takes the kettle in which Amos keeps his money, hiding it so that he cannot give his savings to the widow.

Amos and Violet are at a standoff concerning the matter for a number of days.  Violet, unused to standing up against her husband, finally decides to hold out for one more day before submitting to his judgment, even if he should persist in his desire to help Lois by buying her a house.  Amos, in the meantime, goes to the mountain to pray for guidance in the matter, and receives his answer when he hears a rumble from the mountain "like the roaring of the sea".  When he returns to his home, Violet has the hidden money ready for him to use as he sees fit.  Amos concedes that Violet is right, however, and determines to help Lois by providing work for her older children as Violet had suggested (Chapter 7 - "Hard Work Fills the Iron Kettle 1781-1789, Chapter 8 - "Amos on the Mountain").

What are the most important events(background, maybe) and places names that take place in the book BRAVE NEW WORLD?I know some of the events are...

What are the most important events(background, maybe) and places names that take place in the book BRAVE NEW WORLD?

I know some of the events are the 5 castes (classes) and also

the savage.

And also some of the places names like london, world state, England, the fertilizing room, the laboratory, and also the decanting room. 

In "The Crucible", what are the events leading up to John's arrest?

Originally, John went to the courts in an attempt to help save his wife and friends.  This leads to a long list of disappointments.  First, the people who signed a petition attesting to the good names of women arrested were themselves arrested for questioning.  Then his friend Giles is arrested for being in contempt of court, after he had tried to refute the Putnams.  John then has to rely on Mary Warren to be brave enough to face the vindictive girls and declare them frauds.  When she starts to quaver because Abby acts bewitched, John puts all of his cards on the table and confesses his affair with Abby:  "I have known her sir, I have known her."  But then even this doesn't work as Elizabeth-understandably-lies about the affair. 

Finally, his last hope, Mary, cowardly turns on him (so the girls will stop pretending she's bewitching them), and calls him a "Devil's man" who had forced her to come overthrow the courts.  Danforth immediately believes her and asks Proctor, "You are combined with anti-Christ are you not?...What say you mister?"  John realizes the grave absurdity of the situation, and cries from the depths of his soul, "God is dead!"  He is then arrested.

In "Of Mice and Men," what is the significance of the dead mouse in terms of what it might tell us about Lennie?

In Of Mice and Men  the dead mouse holds a lot of significance. First, it openly demonstrates the extent to which Lennie, while gentle, can also be dangerous against his will. He is unaware of his brute nature, precisely because he is a kind and loving man as a whole. Therefore, the accidental killing of the mouse offers us a foreshadowing of what is to come, which is the accidental killing of Curley's wife. 

The mouse also shows that the men, like mice, are unimportant and disposable. Like the mice, they just coexist in the ranch with no real future nor goal in sight. 

Lennie reluctantly reached into his pocket. [..] “I don’t know why I can’t keep it. It ain’t nobody’s mouse. I didn’t steal it. I found it lyin’ right beside the road.”

George’s hand remained outstretched imperiously. Slowly, like a terrier who doesn't want to bring a ball to its master, Lennie approached, drew back, approached again. George snapped his fingers sharply, and at the sound Lennie laid the mouse in his hand.

Lastly the mouse shows that all individuals experience the need to make a meaningful connection to another living creature when they are all alone. Lennie wanted something he could touch, feel, and love. The mouse provided that minor but so important comfort. Unfortunately, like it will happen again later on in the novel, Lennie is just not capable to express his affection like a typical person and ends up accidentally killing that thing he loves. 

In To Kill a Mockingbird, what did Arthur (Boo) Radley do that landed him temporarily in the county jail?

Most of the information that Jem and Scout receive about Boo Radley is from Miss Stephanie Crawford, the town gossip. However, from the evidence in chapter one, it says that Boo Radley was hanging out with a bunch of the Cunninghams when they resisted arrest and put Mr. Conner in the Courthouse outhouse, not the other way around. Then, when Mr. Conner brought up charges against the boys who had been driving around backwards in the square, and who put him in the outhouse, the judge sent the boys to a "state industrial school." Mr. Radley thought that was like prison and asked to have Boo released to him with the promise that it would never happen again. That is when Boo's home imprisonment began.

After the scissors incident, Mr. Radley said it might be good to lock Boo up, but not to charge him with anything because he isn't a criminal. Mr. Radley also refused to send Boo to a mental asylum. "The sheriff hadn't the heart to put him in jail alongside Negroes, so Boo was locked in the courthouse basement" (11). The evidence clearly states that Boo did not go to jail, but to the courthouse basement instead. Due to mold in the basement and the cost to house Boo there, the county asked Mr. Radley to take him back after a while. So, no--Boo Radley never went to the county jail. If he had gone to jail it would have been after the scissors incident and not after the joyriding one. 

Define the idea of the Hemingway hero. The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber","Hills Like White Elephants."Define the idea of the Hemingway hero.

The definition of a Hemingway hero changed as Hemingway himself grew older. This should not be surprising, however, since much of his work was based on his own life. The first real Hemingway hero was Nick Adams, a young man who had just returned from World War I. In "Big Two-Hearted River, Nick is trying to put his sanity back together after suffering both physically and mentally in World War I. The story is put together with the fragility of an egg, so that if Nick makes one false move, he will fall apart. Nick does keep his sanity and the Hemingway hero moves on to people like Frederick Henry in "A Farewell to Arms." In this story, Henry learns to grow up and take responsibility for his actions. He even grows a beard as a sign of maturity. Although Adams and Henry were fighting for personal happiness, Robert Jordan in "For Whom the Bell Tolls" is fighting for the Spanish people in their freedom. This is the first time a Hemingway character fights for a cause bigger than himself. In "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber", Francis is a total whimp until he can face a rhino face to face. Even though his wife kills him shortly thereafter, he was happy when for the short time he could face death. The Hemingway hero continues to grow until its ultimate expression as Santiago in "The Old Man and the Sea." Santiago is not only facing possible death but also trying to fight for dignity against all odds. His success shows that Heminway believed heroism came in various ways

Why does Willy reject Charley's job offer in "Death of a Salesman"?how does Willy look at Charley?

Willy has too much pride to accept Charley's offer of a job, yet Willy regularly goes to Charley when he needs money to make ends meet. Although Charley is incredibly patient with Willy, Willy gets exasperated with his neighbor because he doesn't seem to appreciate Biff's athletic ability when Biff is in high school. Willy even insults Charley on several occasions when Charley is just trying to make conversation such as when Charley asks Willy how to go about putting up a ceiling. A gifted carpenter, Willy just retorts, "A man who can't handle tools is not a man." Charley is never rude or abrupt with Willy. He even tries to tease Willy into a good humor from time to time such as when he tells Willy that "Ebbets Field just blew up." Willy, however, has little sense of humor.

Willy must respect Charley because Charley has a successful business, but Willy is reluctant to admit he isn't doing well until Howard fires him. Even then, though, Willy turns down Charley's offer of a job. Willy simply can't allow himself to be obligated to Charley for more than $50 or so a week because Willy is always hopeful that his business will get better---that is, until he makes the decision to take his life.  That decision seems to be the only choice that he sees to help his family. Willy cannot understand how Charley, a man who doesn't seem to have what Willy thinks is necessary for success--personality--can be so successful.

In "The Crucible", Act IV, what is the condition of Salem at this point in time? Why?

The condition of the town of Salem is one of chaos and disorder. There are farm animals, such as cows walking around loose, crops are dying in the fields, the town lies in great disrepair. This has occurred because there have been so many people accused that they have not been home to look after their farms and animals.

The town is totally caught up in the witch trial hysteria, it has reached a fever pitch, a boiling point. 

"Time has passed since Act Three, and it is now fall. The symbolism of the season is apparent. Fall is the time of fruition, when crops reach their fullness and are harvested. It also heralds a time of death and decay."

"The hysteria of the witch trials has now reached its peak and is approaching its inevitable end. For months the residents of Salem have done nothing but attend the proceedings of the court. There is a real sense that the town is tiring of the spectacle."

In "Of Mice and Men", what game have the other guys been playing while George and Slim talk?of mice and men

The other guys were playing horseshoes, which they played most days after work until it got dark. Crooks, the black stable buck, was particularly good at horseshoes. but thay also played poker sometimes jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssssssssssuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuussssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss                     lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu  aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I need all the quotes you can give me from "Fahrenheit 451".

“Montag: Fahrenheit four-five-one is the temperature at which book paper catches fire and starts to burn. Montag :  Well, it's a job just like any other. Good work with lots of variety. Monday, we burn Miller; Tuesday, Tolstoy; Wednesday, Walt Whitman; Friday, Faulkner; and Saturday and Sunday, Schopenhauer and Sartre. We burn them to ashes and then burn the ashes. Montag Behind each of these books, there's a man. That's what interests me. Captain: The books have nothing to say. Captain: Listen to me, Montag. Once to each fireman, at least once in his career, he just itches to know what these books are all about. He just aches to know. Isn't that so? Captain: You see, it's... it's no good, Montag. We've all got to be alike. The only way to be happy is for everyone to be made equal. Book Person: “Martian Chronicles:” I'm "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury. Montag: [to Linda] You've spent your whole life in front of that family wall. These books are my family. Clarisse:  Why do you burn books?
Guy Montag: Books make people unhappy, they make them anti-social.
Clarisse:  Is it true that a long time ago, firemen used to put out fires and not burn books? Captain: These are all novels, all about people that never existed, the people that read them it makes them unhappy with their own lives. Makes them want to live in other ways they can never really be. “

Can you see any parallel bewteen Fahrenheit 451, Lord of the Flies and Brave New World?

All three novels are expressions of the literary form of dystopia, or anti-utopia. In these worlds, the mob is supreme over the individual, and as the stories develop, those in political power in each of these cultures continue to expand their influence to the detriment of any who might oppose them. All three were written around the time of World War II, which witnessed the wholesale destruction of governments, cultures, countries, and the rise and fall of political systems, so these novels reflect their time, and continue to be read as allegories of our history over the last 70 years. BNW and F451 belong more specifically to the literary genre of science fiction, as they imagine a future culture which perverts technology for the benefit of the mob or state, and increasingly marginalizes the individual. LotF goes the other way -- it imagines a primitive culture, but retains the element of mob rule.

Please explain Juliet's "What's in a name?" speech.

Quite simply, because of Juliet's love for Romeo by Act 2, Scene 2, she no longer sees the importance of either her last name ("Capulet") or Romeo's last name ("Montague") and, therefore, wishes to negate (or at least disregard) the age-old feud between the Montague and the Capulet families.  First, Juliet asks, "Wherefore art thou Romeo?  Deny thy father and refuse thy name!  Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I'll no longer be a Capulet."  In other words, Juliet asks why Romeo is even called "Romeo."  She asks him to renounce his name and his father (in doing so).  If Romeo won't do that, then Juliet asks for Romeo to say he loves her and Juliet will deny her name.  Next, Juliet admits that "'Tis but thy name that is my enemy. / Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. / What's Montague? It is nor . . . any other part / Belonging to a man."  In other words, Juliet says that it is only Romeo's last name (Montague) that is her enemy.  A last name, therefore, has nothing to do with any body part that a person possesses.  Further, Juliet says, "What's in a name?  That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet. / So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called."  In other words, Juliet suggests that if we grew up calling a rose a tulip, for example, that doesn't change the fact that it has a fragrance that only a rose can give.  Likewise, Romeo would be just as handsome and loveable if his name were something else, like Eugene.  Finally, Juliet says, "Romeo, doff thy name; / And for that name, which is no part of thee, / Take all myself."  In other words, Juliet asks Romeo to disregard his connection to the Montague family and take her as a replacement.  The brutal feud of many generations between the Montague family and the Capulet family is lost among these two lovers.  They see no use or reason for the feud any longer, certainly not a reason to cease their love.  In fact, perhaps Juliet's "What's in a name" speech could be said to contain the original idea behind the "Make Love, Not War" slogan.

What are the names of Calpurnia's children and her husband in "To Kil a Mockingbird"?

In chapter 12, Scout and Jem go to church with Calpurnia because Atticus is spending more and more time out of town.  It is in this chapter that we find out that Cal is of mature years and has a "eldest son named Zeebo." Zeebo is the man who leads the "lining" at church.  I could not find and do not recall any of Cal,s other children being mentioned by name, nor her husband.

In the conversation between Puck and the unnamed fairy on page 39-41, what are the things that Puck does to people? Is he mischievous or just evil?

Puck talks with another fairy about the troubles of Oberon and Titania, king and queen of the fairies. The other fairy describes Puck as mischievous:  He frightens the maidens of the village among other things.  Oberon resents Titania's having a changeling and orders her to relinquish it; however, she refuses.  So, Oberon enlists Puck to find a flower that makes people fall in love. Meanwhile, Oberon learns of the problems that the mortals are having--a young woman has been jilted--and instructs Puck to place the love juice on the eyes of Demetrius.  But, Puck mistakes Lysander, who has eloped with Hermia, for Demetrius.  When Helena comes in search of Demetrius, Lysander wakes and falls in love with her.  Oberon tries to correct things by anointing the eyes of Demetrius, who wakes and falls in love with Helena.  Hermia arrives and accuses Helena of stealing her lover.  Puck is delighted at the chaos:  "What fools these mortals be."

While the craftsmen prepare for a play, Puck changes Bottom's head to that of a donkey and has great fun watching as Tatiana falls in love with him when she awakens.  Finally, Oberon, who has taken the changeling, orders Puck to return Bottom to himself and make the lovers fall asleep and reanoint them to correct the mismatches.

While Puck carries his mischief a little too far, he does apologize at the end of the play, contending that it is all but a "dream." 

Explain the dark romanticism in "The Pit and the Pendulum."Elaborate on the torture devices in "The Pit and the Pendulum."

Writings characterized as Dark Romanticism often portray images of evil such as Satan, ghosts, goblins, etc. Elements of the supernatural and a dark view of nature are also key characteristics. The psychology of man is often explored, especially a self-destructive mind. Poe's work, "The Pit and the Pendulum" uses these characteristics to give the work a very dark and horrific mood.

The torture begins with darkness, and the narrator doesn't know where he is or what will happen to him. This darkness plays with his mind and his mental faculties. When the light reappears, the narrator is on the edge of a deep pit and the walls are painted with terrible images, of devils and skeletons. He is tied down and the sharp edge of a pendulum swings towards him, coming closer with every stroke. He manages to narrowly escape the pendulum, but the walls heat up and begin to close. Several times throughout the story the narrator has the choice of jumping into the pit and succumbing to death that way, but he goes back and forth and never makes up his mind, and it seems as though this choice leads him to a more horrific death. However, there is respite at the end of the story.

In "The Storm" as a whole, how do setting and plot reinforce each other?

The setting is a tumultuous storm that comes in suddenly and takes over the small house, then disappears as quickly as it came, leaving a sunshine-filled day in its stead.  This reinforces the plot because M'sieur Alcee also comes into the story like a storm, awakening stormy emotions and passions within Calixta, and their affair is a tumultuous and brief episode in her life, before things return back to normal.  Afterwards, she is happy and carefree, laughing and kind, just like the cleared storm leaves sunshine in its path.

The bedroom is another element of setting that reinforces the plot; "The door stood open, and the room with its white, monumental bed, its closed shutters, looked dim and mysterious".  Chopin's mentioning of the bedroom is not accidental, it is a foreshadowing of the coming affair, and, the mention of mystery alludes to the wondering of what being together would be like.  That mystery is soon answered, and she becomes "a revelation in that dim, mysterious chamber".  So, what was a mystery is now a revelation.

Those are a couple elements of setting that reinforce the plot.

What is the summary for Chapter 5 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone?

Chapter Five:  Diagon Alley

After Harry gets his first newspaper delivered by owl, Hagrid and Harry set off for the mainland via boat that Hagrid propels with magic.  Harry learns that their first stop is Gringotts, a wizards’ bank run by goblins, in order to collect at least part of Harry’s inheritance.  Harry learns that it’s a very safe bank, guarded by all sorts of spells and enchantments.  Because Hagrid isn’t really supposed to use magic to bring Harry back, the two take the train.  Hagrid gets all sorts of looks as he tells Harry about things like the Ministry of Magic and the dragon that Hagrid has always wanted.  They go over Harry’s list of course books, equipment, and uniform requirements.  Hagrid explains that they can get all of these things in London “if yeh know where to go.”

The two venture into a questionable pub called the Leaky Cauldron and enter Diagon Alley through a secret entrance, but not before Harry is greeted with honor by many of the patrons, including a stuttering Professor Quirrell who is the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher from Hogwarts.  Harry is amazed at all of the wizarding shops in Diagon Alley selling cauldrons, broomsticks, owls, etc.   At Gringotts Harry learns that Hagrid, in addition to taking Harry to collect his money for school, is also procuring something very important for Dumbledore.  A goblin carts them down twisted passageways to Harry’s vault filled with mounds of wizard money.  Harry takes what he needs for the school year and then continues with Hagrid and the goblin to Dumbledore’s special, top security vault “number seven hundred and thirteen.”  Harry is surprised to see that the only thing inside is a “grubby little package” that Hagrid pockets.

Hagrid and Harry proceed to get Harry’s uniform robes for school where Harry hears of an interesting game called Quidditch and the different “houses” of Hogwarts.  They buy Harry’s school books and cauldron before Hagrid gives Harry his birthday present:  a beautiful white owl.  Harry then visits Ollivanders to procure a wand and tries a few out before an appropriate one is found.  Ollivander comments that the only other wand with a feather from the same phoenix was owned by Voldemort and gave Harry his scar. 

After the best birthday of his life, Harry ponders how much he still has to learn about the wizard world as he heads home to the Dursleys to await the beginning of the school year.

How is Krebs from "Soldier's Home" an example of an anti-hero, and how does he compare with the young protagonists of today's books and movies?

Hemingway, the author of this short story, contributed the modern American hero to American Literature.  One of the key characteristics of this hero is that he is thoroughly disillusioned with life, especially with the American dream, partly what makes him an anti-hero.

Krebs does not want to be a hero, yet he is the main character in the story.  He obviously fought bravely in WWI, but his family cannot get past the fact that he has changed and will never be the innocent, enthusiastic son that they sent off to war.  Krebs doesn't want responsibility, complicated relationships, or parental pressure; he cannot even summon emotion for his mother.  This disillusionment with life and his family places him in the anti-hero category.

In regards to his connection to today's protagonists, Krebs does seem similar to teen heroes who endure angst, rebel against authorities, and maintain a cynical view of society and America.  

In Act 3 of All My Sons, Chris says: "But I'm like everybody like now, I'm practical now. You made me practical." What does he mean?

Chris is equating "practical" with "self-interest."  His father didn't accept blame for shipping out faulty engine parts out of self-interest.  It would cost him his job.  Chris never faced the possibility that his father was guilty because it would have complicated his own life.  His mother did the same thing.  And so he avoided thinking about it so he would not have to take action.

Chris is comparing what he did to what he should have done.  He recognizes that he has a higher responsibility, not just to his family, but also to the soldiers.  As an officer in the army he accepted this responsibility.  He is troubled by the realization that his father had a responsibility only to himself and his family.  He was practical.

Chris has to make the decision to put aside being "practical" and do what he has to do, despite pressure from his family.