In A Christmas Carol, what does the Ghost of Christmas Present represent?

The Ghost of Christmas Present represents what an authentic life, truly lived, with family, friends, love and celebration really looks like.  Scrooge does not know what it is like to live a real life; his life is dark and gloomy, dominated by the pursuit of material wealth.  He is alone, choosing to cut himself off from any associations with family or others.  He even treats himself in a miserly way; his home is dark and cold, bare and empty.

His wealth has not made him happy, in fact in stark contrast to The Ghost of Christmas Present, Scrooge's wealth is insignificant compared to what this spirit shows him. 

It is a wealth that does not bring him happiness, a wealth that he does not share but rather uses as protection from the world.  He blocks any and all contact with family or members of society by shielding himself behind his fortune.

The bounty that The Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge is in direct contrast to his meager life.  This ghost is careful to show Scrooge not only his own nephew, Fred, who lives comfortably and is happy, but also Bob Cratchit, who lives on the small salary he earns working for Mr. Scrooge yet is happy and surrounded by family.

This ghost's job is to show Scrooge that money is not the path to happiness, a truth that he will discover but must first be forced to look upon. 

Why does Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing accept the gull so willingly? Why is she able to surrender her faults so freely?What does this tell...

The "gull", of course, is the trick played on Beatrice by her cousin Hero and her waiting gentlewoman, Ursula, inthe "pleached bower", (an arbor)  (III.i.7) that misleads Beatrice into thinking Benedick loves her "so entirely" (38).  This is a simple theatrical trick, in which the butt of the ruse is tricked into "overhearing" a conversation between two conspirators.  This conversation leads the hearer to believe something that is not true (because the conversation is planned beforehand and staged by the conspirators) and, subsequently, to act on this wrong information.  It is the basis of many of the plots of comedies and farces.

Beatrice wants to, deep down inside, believe that Benedick loves her, because she truly loves him.  She remembers Benedick "of old" (I.i.123-4) and has, we are to believe, loved him, secretly, for a long time.  This is also borne out by the fact that Beatrice turns down the marriage proposal of the Duke (in Act II Scene 1) -- a marriage alliance which would be envied by everyone, the Duke being the highest-ranking person in the whole company.  Beatrice, if she were not in love with Benedick, would at least consider the Duke's proposal; but she turns him down flat.  So, this revealing fact about Beatrice's character gives the audience a clue as to why she'd fall for the transparent "gull" of Ursula and Hero:  everything in Beatrice has hoped for a revelation of this sort, and, psychologically, humans are very well-disposed to believe things that they have long wished to be true. 

As far a surrendering her faults, Beatrice is nothing if not intelligent.  She has always owned her faults, and been rather proud of her sharp tongue, quick wit, and brilliant (if sometimes too caustic) conversation.  In order to win her heart's desire, she is only too willing to amend her fault -- who would not be, when faced with the possibility of getting the one thing in the world they want the most?  ("Contempt, farewell! and maiden pride, adieu!/No glory lives behind the back of such./And, Benedick, love on; I will requite thee," III.i. 111-113).  

As to Beatrice's true character, it is said many times in the play that she is "proud".  Like many of the women in Shakespeare's comedies, she is proud, witty, and strong-willed - and very unwilling to be shown up by a man.  This kind of character was a staple of drama at the time, and part of the elaborate game of repartee that makes up most of the love stories in the comedies of this era. Men are, in Beatrice's mind "constant never" (II.i.63), so her heart must be protected at all times.  She feels that she has been "played" a bit by Benedick in the past, so she is wary of letting him know her feelings.  In this, Beatrice shows her independence in addition to her pride.  She may love deeply, but she doesn't want to be humiliated by it, in case the one she loves does not requite her.  But, now that Beatrice "knows" that he does, she is free to love him and to stifle her pride somewhat. 

Describe the causes of the failure of the animals' rebellion to bring about an ideal society in "Animal Farm".

The utopia which was the original purpose of the animal rebellion did not become a way of life because of greed, arrogance, and power.  The "pigs" decided by the end of the novel that they were "better than all the other animals." They became rich from the labor of the other animals on the farm.  Many of the original members of the rebellion were gone or dead and the pigs began acting more and more like the humans they said they hated.  By the end of the novel the cold, hungry, and overworked farm animals couldn't even tell the difference between the men and the pigs.  The constant desire for power, control, greed, and arrogance ruined the Utopian ideals.

The term "Puck's Apostasy" is used in an Emily Dickinson poem. What is Puck's role in A Midsummer Night's Dream and what might be his "apostasy"?

The poem you're referring to is Dickinson's "The Way to know the Bobolink". Here are the first three stanzas:

The Way to know the Bobolink
From every other Bird
Precisely as the Joy of him --
Obliged to be inferred.

Of impudent Habiliment
Attired to defy,
Impertinence subordinate
At times to Majesty.

Of Sentiments seditious
Amenable to Law --
As Heresies of Transport
Or Puck's Apostacy.

It's an almost child-like poem, written in ballad meter (a line of iambic pentameter followed by a line of iambic trimeter) and, I suppose, to answer your question, there are two key things you need to know.

Firstly, it's that the "Bobolink" is a type of fast-moving, small blackbird, and that - as the first stanza states - Dickinson (in more than one poem) uses it as a symbol of joy and energy.

Secondly, "apostacy" is a term used when people turn away from or reject their former religion. Quite how Puck can be considered to forego religion - or, in some more metaphorical sense, turn away from something - is where it becomes interesting. Is that he gets Oberon's orders (to put the love-juice on Demetrius' eyes) wrong - and then enjoys his mistake? Is it perhaps, his turn to the audience at the end of the play?

It's not, I would argue, a question to do with Puck's role in the play, his potential for mischief, for trickery and trouble-causing and for glee in the face of pain and mayhem, but more to do with precisely what might be his "apostacy".

In "The Crucible," why did John Proctor decide to tear up his signed confession?

John confessed in order to save his life. His wife was expecting, and he thought it best to lie in order to be around for his family. After his confession, he is urged to sign. At this request, he begins to have reservations, and he responds, "Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul, leave me my name!" Despite his reservations, he signs the confession.

Then, he hears that Giles Corey refused to answer the charge and died by being pressed to death. The straw that broke the camel's back is when Rebecca is brought in. She also refused to confess and will be hanged as a witch. John realizes that honor is more important. He also decides to stop living a sinful life of lies and become a better person.  He refuses to play the evil game by naming others and tears up his false confession. Elizabeth is urged to try to persuade him, but she refuses and understands his need for redemption.

3/5 of what number = 15?

3/5 of what number = 15

I believe that many students who struggle with these types of problems, struggle because they do not understand the language of the problem and how some words used in reading or writing may mean something very different in mathematics.

For this problem, it is very important to understand that in mathematics we use the term “of” to indicate multiplication. We also will use a “variable”, a symbol used in mathematics, to represent an unknown in a problem.

You may use any variable you would like. Let’s set up an equation by selecting a variable for our unknown. The most common symbol we use as a variable is x. Though I may choose any symbol I want I will also use x. x = what number (the unknown) Therefore,

3/5*x=15 or 3/5 x=15 Solving for x:

Step 1: Multiply both sides by 5 to clear the fraction on the left.

            5* 3/5 x=15*5      The 5’s on the left will cancel out.

=         3x = 75

Step 2: Divide both sides by 3 to solve for x.

          3x/3 = 75/3              The 3’s on the left will cancel out.

          x = 25

Therefore, 3/5 of 25 = 15 !! 

In The House on Mango Street, what figure of speech is "tortilla star" and what does it mean?

I believe the "tortilla star" is an example of synechdoche, a figure of speech whereby a less comprehensive term is used to indicate a more comprehensive one.  In this case, the "tortilla star" is a play on the conventional term "morning star", by which people are awakened.  The substitution of "tortilla" for "morning" gives the original word an ethnic element, conveying the author's point that Alicia must rise very early each day because of cultural obligations she cannot escape.  The "tortilla" is symbolic of the familial duties Alicia must fulfill as an Hispanic woman in a patriarchal family.  Although Alicia is intelligent and has dreams of bettering herself through education, her aspirations must take a backseat to her family's needs.  Since her mother is dead, she must rise early each day to make "the lunchbox tortillas" for her father and younger siblings.  Her culture dictates that it is "a woman's place" to "wake up early" and care for the family and the home.