In "The Scarlet Letter" what information does the narrator give about a Puritan's willingness to show excitment, friendliness, or joy?

In Chapter 21, "The New England Holiday," Hawthorne  writes that the townspeople have an "unwonted jollity" upon their normally stern Puritan faces.  Hawthorne remarks that the Puritans

compressed whatever mirth and public joy they deemed allowable to human infirmity...that, for the space of a single holiday, they appeared scarcely more grave than most other communities at a period of general affliction.

Hawthorne cannot but reflect on the irony of such a stern people who have come from England where people lived in

the sunny richness of the Elizabethan epoch; a time when the life of England...would appear to have been as stately, magnificent, and joyous, as the world has ever witness.

These grim Puritans have turned from the joyousness of "bonfires, banquets, pageantries, and processions."  Now there is only is only a "dim reflection" of a lively and happy people. Nevertheless, the colonists do participate in sports, wrestling matches, fencing, and some other activities.  But, Hawthorne continues, there are no theatrical acts, no juggling, no jesters.   Puritanism, writes Hawthorne, wears the "blackest shade" and "darkened the national visage with it," so much so that all the years afterwards have not "cleared" this gloom:  "We have yet to learn again the forgotten art of gayety," writes Hawthorne.

In "The Crucible", why do Tituba, Abigail and Betty name certain people who they claim accompanied the devil?

In the beginning of the play, Tituba, Abigail Adams, and Betty all name Sarah Good and Goody Osburn as being associated with the devil. They do so, first and foremost for self preservation. Secondly, they specifically named Sarah Good and Goody Osburn for one main reason: they both had poor reputations amongst the town of Salem. An outcast and an alcoholic, respectively, are named by these three young females because it would not be regarded as unbelievable if these two women were accompanied by the devil. However, Abigail and Betty eventually begin to name certain people only for their own benefit. This, in reality not in the play, leads to Abigail's ultimate demise because she eventually names the wife of a high up judge which leads her to flee.

What is the primary source for the quote "the pun is the lowest tipe of wit"? How is it connected with the names: Dr. Samuel Johnson & John Dryden?

Actually, the quote "The pun is the lowest form of wit" is attributed to the English dramatist John Dennis who wrote this opinion about 300 years ago. However, the pun, which is also known by the term "paraonomasia" has been around much longer than Dennis. Homer's Odyssey has one of the earliest known literary puns. "In the epic, Odysseus identifies himself as “Nobody” when he’s captured by a one-eyed giant. Later, when Odysseus puts out the giant’s eye, the giant cries for help, yelling, “Nobody is killing me!” Shakespeare plays are full of puns. In fact, books have been written simply on the puns of Shakespeare.

Why did Arthur Miller choose to name the play "The Crucible"?

One definition for "crucible" is a severe test or trial.  This is the definition most often attributed to the play.  There is a direction connection:  within the play, the witch trials were very severe.  Also, many characters underwent severe trials, specifically John Proctor, who not only was put on literal trial, but his integrity, morals, honesty, and convictions were tested. 

Other definitions refer to a container where metals are melted down and fused; the high heats melt most metals, but not all.  In this definition, we can see that many characters (Mary Warren, Goody Good and Osburne) "melted" under the severe heat and pressure of the witchcraft accusation.  But not John Proctor.  He was made of tougher metal.  He signs a confession at first, but in the end "tears the paper and crumples it" and then says, "You have made your magic now, for now I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor".  Being under the severe heat and pressure of this trial, the "magic" he refers to, he is transformed into a stronger man who has withstood what so many others were not able to. 

Because of the various definitions of the word, and its applicability not only to the events, but also the characters within the play itself, "crucible" is an apt word to choose for the play.

What is the book summary of Matilda by Roald Dahl?What is the beginning, middle, and end about in Matilda?

At the beginning of Dahl's book the reader is made to believe the following very quickly:  Matilda Wormwood is misunderstood by her parents since the day of her birth.  Matilda is an exceptional, gifted, and almost supernatural child born to very average, unintelligent, and unimaginative parents. During her toddlerhood, Matilda asks her dad for a book and is pressured to watch television instead.  When she learns about the library, Matilda makes it a goal to get there and learn to read on her own (under the watchful eye of the neighborly librarian).  Matilda reads the classics, not just simple children's books, and is chastised by her parents for her intelligence.  Matilda always finds ingenius ways to get back at them, though, either by putting peroxide in her father's hair dye or superglue in his favorite hat. 

The middle of the novel greatly concerns Matilda's Kindergarten teacher, Miss Honey.  Miss Honey has discovered Matilda's genius as well, but when Miss Honey tries to suggest higher education to the parents, she is met with mega-resistance.  Meanwhile, the horrible headmistress at Matilda's school (who is also Miss Honey's aunt) abuses the children in all of her classes to no end.  Even though "The Trunchbull" is often seen hurling children out of windows and forcing kids to scarf down a class-size chocolate cakes, the worst torturous punishment the children can endure is to be slammed in "the Chokey." 

The end of Dahl's book revolves around Matilda's special powers.  Matilda's supernatural powers stem from the fact that she is psychokinetic (and can manipulate objects at will).  Matilda uses this to her full advantage both with her parents and with Trunchbull.  The climax of the book is when Matilda uses her powers to draw on the chalkboard in the name of "Magnus" in order to scare Trunchbull into leaving the school for good and giving Miss Honey her right inheritance.  Just as Matilda's parents are caught in their cheating business schemes and decide to move to Spain, Miss Honey asks if she can adopt Matilda.  The horrible Wormwoods drive away never to be seen again while Miss Honey and Matilda are left to a beautiful and happy life together.

What are the mixed emotions that Juliet feels when she learns of Tybalt’s death?

At first she feels deceived by Romeo. Her first words in reaction to the news of him killing Tybalt is

“O serpent heart, hid with a flow’ring face!/ Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave?/ Beautiful tyrant! fiend angelical!"

Then the Nurse joins in on blaming Romeo, and Juliet jumps to Romeo's defense.  After all, that is her husband.  She immediately feels ashamed for having called him those names and she scold the nurse for her negative comments about Romeo. 

“Blister’d be thy tongue/ For such a wish! He was not born to shame. / Upon his brow shame is asham’d to sit"

So Juliet's first reaction was to feel betrayed by her husband.  She felt grief for the loss of her cousin.  However, after hearing another person say negative things about him, she felt guilt for badmouthing him, too.  Her emotions are all over the place because she has to take in many different emotions all at once.  She lost her cousin.  Her secret husband is to blame, and then he will have to run from the law, which will add more complexity to the situation.  This poor, young (child) girl has to go through many emotions in a short period of time.

In The Devil's Arithmetic, what lessons did Hannah learn from her experiences in the concentration camp?

To answer this question you might find it helpful to compare Hannah at the beginning of the story with Hannah at the end, after she has had her experience of what the reality of concentration camps was all about. Note how the very first words of the novel are "I'm tired of remembering." We are presented with a Hannah who doesn't want to go and celebrate Passover and complains endlessly about being forced to go and remember what to her is a meaningless historical event that time prevents her from understanding. However, at the end of the novel, when she comes back and "decodes" the tattoo on her Aunt Rivka's arm, she truly learns the importance of remembering and why forgetting will never be an option again:

Hannah nodded and took her aunt's fingers from her lips. She said, in a voice much louder than she had intended, so loud that the entire table hushed at its sound, "I remember. Oh, I remember."

Hannah has learnt how the Holocaust still impacts on her today and why it is so important to go through the same rituals every year to remember the horrific loss of life. She understands more about her roots and heritage, and will never be the same again.