What are some similarities between Australian and New Zealand society?

Australia and New Zealand share many historical and cultural characteristics due to their heritage as British settler colonies beginning in 1788. Both countries were populated by indigenous people prior to European colonization, with the Maori in New Zealand and indigenous Australians in Australia, and these populations were greatly decreased by the entrance of European settlers and today constitute 8% and 1% of their respective national populations. Relations between indigenous people and European settlers were very tense and resulted in wars in both countries. Each country gained independence from England in the early 20th century, and between 1901 and 1907 they were both considered part of the Commonwealth of Australia. Today, the two countries are separate, but both are part of the Australia New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement, or ANZCERTA, which connects the markets between the countries. Both countries originally used a monetary system based on the British pound and switched to using dollars in the 1960s. Additionally, their governments are similarly structured: they each have a separation of governmental powers, a constitution, and a common law legal system. Indigenous rights are recognized by land titles in both countries that give indigenous people certain self-government and land ownership rights.

How does Atticus demonstrate the following throughout the first eight chapters of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird: "Do unto others as you would...

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, though Atticus never preaches the Golden Rule stating, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," he does preach his own value that directly relates to the Golden Rule. We see him preach his own value to Scout in the third chapter:

You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-- ... --until you climb into his skin and walk around in it. (Ch. 3)

Atticus's value is directly related to the Golden Rule because we must feel complete, genuine respect for another person to be able to shed our own view long enough to see things from the other person's perspective. In feeling and showing respect for another person, we are following the Golden Rule

One example of Atticus following the Golden Rule within the first eight chapters of the novel can be seen when he treats Walter Cunningham Jr. with complete respect. As recompense for Scout needlessly picking a fight with Walter, Jem invites Walter to the Finches' home for lunch. During lunch, Scout feels surprised by their father's treatment of Walter, as Scout describes in her narration:

Atticus greeted Walter and began a discussion about crops neither Jem nor I could follow. (Ch. 3)

Atticus continues to show the utmost respect to Walter by continuing to converse with him as if he is an adult and forbidding Scout from saying anything rude to him. In treating Walter with the utmost respect, Atticus is following the Golden Rule of "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

What is the most significant extract from the poem "The Cry of the Children" by E. B. Browning?

Every part of a poem is highly significant, because every part has the density of meaning that qualifies it as poetry in the first place. Each part of a poem is necessary to the coherency of the poem as a whole.

But often a reader will find that there's an ebb and flow to a poem's meaningful impact. Part of this comes from the author’s craftsmanship, and part of it comes from the particular reader’s own way of encountering the text.

Instead of claiming there’s one line or stanza or sequence that holds the ultimate secret to the poem, let’s look at a few different key moments to see what resonates with us most deeply on a personal level.

Right off the bat, the poem throws us a line from ancient Greece (which the Victorians loved to do). Whenever a poem begins with such an introductory quotation, or an epigraph, we should pay close attention to it. The line goes:

"Pheu pheu, ti prosderkesthe m ommasin, tekna;"
[[Alas, alas, why do you gaze at me with your eyes, my children.]]—Medea.

Medea is a character in Greek mythology. As is usually the case with Greek mythology, there are many versions of her story. But in the one dramatized by Euripides, Medea murders her children (and other people) after her husband, Jason, leaves her for another woman. There are, again, many interpretations about why she decided to do such a horrible thing, but in the climax of Euripides' play, she laments the sight of her children's eyes, and cannot bear the pain.

If nothing else, Browning wanted her poem to force the titans of nineteenth century English industry-- as well as the everyday people of England-- to look for once into the eyes of the child workers they exploited. One could say that the symbolic implication of the allusion to Medea is that English society was spiritually murdering its children.

When we look at the first stanza, the message of the poem is almost entirely given to us:

Do ye hear the children weeping, O my brothers,

      Ere the sorrow comes with years ?

They are leaning their young heads against their mothers, —

      And that cannot stop their tears.

The young lambs are bleating in the meadows ;

   The young birds are chirping in the nest ;

The young fawns are playing with the shadows ;

   The young flowers are blowing toward the west—

But the young, young children, O my brothers,

      They are weeping bitterly !

They are weeping in the playtime of the others,

      In the country of the free.

At a time in their lives when every other living creature is most innocent, impressionable, and purely awake to the sheer experience of life, thousands, hundreds of thousands, practically countless human children were suffering in factories, mills, and mines, working for nothing from sunrise to sunset and more. And their suffering was not simply a numb, stupid ache, but a weeping sorrow that could not be comforted. Browning points out the high irony of this happening in a country that proclaimed itself collectively ‘free’ and Christian.

But then the heart of the poem might be stanza four, where the emotional punch of the poem hits its hardest:

 "True," say the children, "it may happen

      That we die before our time !

Little Alice died last year her grave is shapen

      Like a snowball, in the rime.

We looked into the pit prepared to take her —

   Was no room for any work in the close clay :

From the sleep wherein she lieth none will wake her,

   Crying, 'Get up, little Alice ! it is day.'

If you listen by that grave, in sun and shower,

   With your ear down, little Alice never cries ;

Could we see her face, be sure we should not know her,

   For the smile has time for growing in her eyes ,—

And merry go her moments, lulled and stilled in

      The shroud, by the kirk-chime !

It is good when it happens," say the children,

      "That we die before our time !"

The idea of children saying it would be good to die so they could rest and be free from their constant work is a self-evident proof of the evil and ignorance of the economic order at the time. What argument could a person possibly make in favor of child labor after hearing such a statement from a child?

But we should also look at stanza eight, where Browning momentarily opens into a liberatory and inspiring voice, only to quickly grow dark again, facing the ongoing and culturally- entrenched child exploitation all around her:

Ay ! be silent ! Let them hear each other breathing

      For a moment, mouth to mouth —

Let them touch each other's hands, in a fresh wreathing

      Of their tender human youth !

Let them feel that this cold metallic motion

   Is not all the life God fashions or reveals —

Let them prove their inward souls against the notion

   That they live in you, or under you, O wheels ! —

Still, all day, the iron wheels go onward,

      As if Fate in each were stark ;

And the children's souls, which God is calling sunward,

      Spin on blindly in the dark.

In the last two lines Browning juxtaposes Christianity’s proclaimed love and care for children with the “blind,” subterranean reality God’s soulful creatures are trapped in by humanity’s greed and malice. This moment in the text is powerful enough on its own.

But it's the beginning of the stanza that's the most significant part of the poem for me, especially the idea of the looms and gears falling silent so the children could “hear each other breathing,” so they could feel themselves to be breathing, living beings, and not just servants of the machines. So they could be thankful for their brief, mortal, and beautiful lives, and not look to death as the only hope for peace.

Perhaps for you the most significant part of the poem is something we didn’t touch on here. When you read a new poem, especially a good one, it usually takes at least a few passes through to get an emotional feel for it, and to understand the poem's rhythm. Reading carefully and aloud is often the quickest way to the heart of a poem.

How did the Cold War change Texas from the mid-20th century to TODAY?

Before the Cold War, and particularly before World War Two, the main industries in Texas were oil extraction, refining and transport. Yet even before World War Two, Texas had a relatively large number of airplane repair businesses, and during World War Two, the armed forces built a large number of Texas army bases to station and manufacture aircraft. After the war, once it was clear that future conflicts would be won or lost in the air, Texas benefitted from a surge in growth in defense spending, and because the state had many air bases already, and had already won contracts during the war to build bombers and other military aircraft, a large number of contracts for building next generation military bombers and fighter jets went to companies located in Texas.

By the 1960s, the volume of aircraft manufacturing in North Texas  (Arlington, Forth Worth, et cetera) was second in the nation only to aircraft manufacturing in California. This diversification in industrial priorities in Texas from oil production and support services, to defense contracting, helped turn Texas into a technology and innovation hub. Both the oil and technology sectors benefitted greatly, as did Texas' economy. The large number of army bases in Texas, the amount of cheap land, and the increasingly large number of college graduates from Texas schools who had studied engineering, culminated in a perfect synergy between Texas's burgeoning computing and aerospace engineering companies, and the rapacious appetite of the Defense Department to produce more sophisticated weapons systems to counter the Soviet threat. 

Companies such as General Dynamics, Boeing and Texas Instruments won hundreds of millions of dollars in defense contracts to build rockets, research ballistic missile technology, and test new explosive devices. The high paying jobs that these companies created transformed many sleepy towns into affluent cities or suburbs. To ensure that the state could continue to attract these new businesses, Texas put more money into engineering programs at its state schools, and kept its tax rates very low, to encourage more businesses to come to the state. The electronics and computing companies that sprang up in Texas (like Texas Instruments and Dell) needed energy, and Texas oil drillers and refineries (Exxon, ConocoPhillips, Valero et cetera) benefitted greatly from this growing appetite for energy, from both private industry and government defense programs. Chemical companies in Houston also began to find ways of turning oil into plastic, which became a key component of most consumer goods and of many defense and aerospace parts. 

Finally, Lyndon B. Johnson's decision to locate NASA in Houston in the 1960s brought even more jobs, revenue, military and congressional support, as well as prestige to Texas' aerospace and aeronautics industry. It also helped make Texas a hub for major airline carriers, helping to launch American Airlines and Southwest. Yet more than anything else, it was the mission to put a man on the moon that captured the nation's imagination, and the world's attention. The successful 1969 moon landing, broadcast around the world, solidified the state's reputation as a center for innovation, engineering, can do attitude and military prowess. NASA's control center in Houston made the city a household word around the world, one that signified American ingenuity and American might. Many top scientists and engineers from around the country and the world flocked to Texas to be part of the space exploration and aeronautics industries, which remain a major driver of the Texas economy today.

All of this brainpower in one place led to a perfect creative storm, which led to the formation of such Texas based companies as Dell, AT&T, Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, KBR, Kinder Morgan, Halliburton, Baker Hughes, and many other consumer oriented companies (Sysco, Whole Foods, Dr. Pepper-Snapple, et cetera) which catered to the growing middle class with plenty of disposable income. 

To give some context of way that economic growth affected Texas, the population of Houston in 1950 was just under 600,000. By 1970, it had more than doubled to over 1.2 million, and by 1990, the population in Houston was over 1.6 million. Even more dramatic was the growth in Arlington, which became a defense industry and military hub. The population there went from just 7,692 in 1950, to about 90,000 in 1970, and over 261,000 in 1990. This kind of explosive population growth would not have happened without the pull of the aerospace and aeronautics industry, massive defense spending, the decision to base NASA in Houston, and the innovation that resulted from all of the entrepreneurial talent that these companies attracted to the state. In turn, none of this would have happened without the motivation of the Cold War.

In The Outsiders, what does Ponyboy's premontion about the rumble mean? a.) Identify one answer the author hints at. b.) State the evidence that...

When Ponyboy is contemplating the upcoming rumble in Chapter 8 of The Outsiders, he thinks:

"I had a sick feeling in my stomach and it wasn't from being ill...I had the same deathly fear that something was going to happen that none of us could stop."

While Two-Bit is eager to rumble with the Socs, Ponyboy has the ominous feeling that something bad is going to happen--something that he and his friends have not predicted. The author hints that something unpredictable is going to happen--which turns out to be Johnny's and Dally's deaths. 

The rumble goes well, and the greasers kick the Socs out of their territory. However, when Ponyboy and Dally go to the hospital to tell Johnny about the greasers' victory, Johnny responds, "Useless... fighting's no good." This is the evidence that the author suggests that fighting in the rumble is not going to turn out well for Ponyboy and his friends. Johnny dies shortly afterward, and later Dally dies while robbing a store when he feels anguished by Johnny's death. Ponyboy thinks after his friends have died, "Nothing we can do... not for Dally or Johnny ... My stomach gave a violent start and turned into a hunk of ice." These are the unpredictable events that worried Ponyboy before the rumble. He knew that even if the rumble turned out well, other events would not. 

In My Brother Sam Is Dead by Christopher and James L. Collier, what does father die from?

My brother Sam Is Dead is a young adult historical fiction novel that is set during the time of the American Revolution. The main character—Tim Meeker—is a 14-year-old young man who is caught between two other characters with strong opinions about the war.

Tim's brother, Sam, has decided to join the Continental Army in support of secession from the British. Tim's father, Eliphalet, is loyal to Britain. Because of this loyalty, he is accused by the rebels of selling beef to the British and forced onto a prison ship. While on the prison ship, he contracts Cholera and dies from the disease.

As can be assumed from the book title, Sam also dies after he is executed by his own army when he is falsely accused of stealing cattle from his family.

Compare a character from The Outsiders and a character from The Giver.

Jonas from The Giver and Ponyboy from The Outsiders are similar because they are both thoughtful, intelligent, and outsiders in their society.

Jonas is very unusual within his community.  Everyone in his community looks and acts alike.  There are strict rules and conventions enforcing behavior, which they call Sameness.  Jonas is different because he is unusually reflective.  He actually thinks about things that happen around him.  His community chooses him as Receiver of Memory because he has these special traits.

"Jonas was identified as a possible Receiver many years ago. We have observed him meticulously. There were no dreams of uncertainty.

"He has shown all of the qualities that a Receiver must have." (Ch. 8) 

Jonas is chosen to be the Receiver of Memory because he has been seen to have intelligence, integrity, courage, the potential for wisdom, and the Capacity to See Beyond, which means that he has special abilities. 

As Jonas continues his training, he comes to believe that his society could be different.  The concepts that his community has given up, such as love, emotions, and choice, are actually very important to leading a full life.  Without them, his community is morally bankrupt. 

Ponyboy does not have special powers, but he is unique.  He is a greaser, which means he is poor and has limited opportunities in life.  He gets good grades, and like Jonas is reflective on his society.  He also looks at his world and sees that things could be different.  Greasers and Socs do not have to be at odds, constantly fighting. 

When Pony meets Cherry and Marcia, two Soc girls, and talks to them, he realizes that the Socs are not that different from the greasers. 

I shook my head. It seemed funny to me that the sunset she saw from her patio and, the one I saw from the back steps was the same one. Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren't so different. We saw the same sunset. (Ch. 3) 

Ponyboy, like Jonas, wants to be able to live in a different kind of world.  He would like to be able to walk down the street without fearing for his safety.  He is proud of being a greaser, but he doesn’t like fighting.  He wants to support his buddies, but he gets no pleasure from it himself.

Jonas and Ponyboy both see that there is something wrong with the world they live in.  They question the status quo.  Ponyboy makes overtures to get to know Socs such as Cherry and Randy, and Jonas leaves so that he can return his community to a more natural state by giving them back the memories.

Which techniques and practices should be applied to combat soil degradation?

Soil is mostly degraded through erosion, agricultural activities, and industrial activities. Soil erosion occurs when it rains on areas with loose soils. Soil degradation occurs through agricultural and industrial activities because of the chemicals applied to or released in the soil.

Soil erosion can be controlled by growing some vegetative cover on the soil. The plants will stop soil degradation by holding the soil together and preventing soil erosion. Plants will also slow down the surface runoff caused by rain water. Building gabions in areas suffering extreme soil erosion will help stop the degradation.

Soil degradation caused by agricultural activities can be controlled by ensuring farmers use the correct types and amounts of agrochemicals. Constructing terraces in hilly areas can also prevent excessive surface runoff and erosion.

Soil degradation caused by industrial activities can be remedied through the restoration of utilized areas such as quarries. Stronger regulations and restrictions can also be imposed to control the industrial dumping of wastes, which contaminate the environment.

How is this quote from The Great Gatsby important to the book? "She was dressed to play golf, and I remember thinking she looked like a good...

Nick Carraway, the narrator, describes Jordan Baker this way in the final chapter of the book.  He's just met Gatsby's father, buried his friend, and realized that he needs to go home to the Midwest now because the East had become "haunted" for him as a result of all of the interactions he witnessed among the Buchanans and Wilsons and Gatsby.  This description of Jordan says a lot about both her and Nick. 

Although they are meeting to talk, she is dressed for golf, implying that she wants to leave him with a very particular impression of her, as though she were trying to put her best self forward so as to make him regret his treatment of her (for which she is clearly bitter).  Her chin is raised "jauntily" as it had been the first time he met her, and she seems perfectly put together, "like a good illustration."  Jordan has clearly worked hard to make Nick miss her, and she is somewhat successful.  He says, "Angry, and half in love with her, and tremendously sorry, I turned away."  Jordan is as concerned with appearances as she ever was, and Nick, though he is "sorry," cannot bring himself to stay with her.  Jordan is too connected with the events here that haunt him, and her probable lie -- that she is engaged to another man -- makes her as brittle as the "autumn leaf" with which Nick compares her hair.  Nick cannot return to a time before he understood the things that he has come to know about Jordan and people like her.

0.3 g of citric acid is dissolved in distilled water to produce 100 mL of 0.016 M of solution. How much citric acid is needed in order to complete...

To make this reaction run to completion, we want to ensure that there are the right number of moles of each reactant so that none will be left over.

The equation for citric acid neutralization with sodium bicarbonate is as follows:
`H_3 C_6 H_5 O_7 + 3 NaHCO_3 rightarrow 3 CO_2 + 3 H_2 O + Na_3 C_6 H_5 O_7`
That is, 1 mole of citric acid plus 3 moles of sodium bicarbonate produces the reaction. So we need 3 times as many moles of sodium bicarbonate.

We currently have 100 mL of 0.016 M citric acid, which is `(0.016 {mol}/{L})(0.1 {L}) = 0.0016 mol` , or 1.6 mmol.

We also have 30 mL of 0.5 M sodium bicarbonate, which is `(0.5 {mol}/{L})(0.03 {L}) = 0.015 mol` , or 15 mmol.

So, to match the 15 mmol of sodium bicarbonate, we need a total of 5 mmol of citric acid. That means we need an additional 3.4 mmol.

Since 0.3g of citric acid produced 1.6 mmol, that additional 3.4 mmol will require `(3.4/1.6)(0.3 g) = 0.6375 g` , or 637.5 mg.

Once we add the 637.5 mg to the 100 mL of 0.016 M solution, we will have 5 mmol in 100 mL, which is a 0.05 M solution.

Thus we mix the 100 mL of 0.05 M citric acid with the 30 mL of 0.5 M sodium bicarbonate, matching 5 mmol of citric acid to 15 mmol of sodium bicarbonate.

This is an endothermic reaction, so it will proceed faster if we heat the solution to a higher temperature (thus providing the energy needed to sustain the reaction). Physically stirring the solutions together to mix them better would also speed up the reaction somewhat.

What innovation allowed humans to settle permanently?

Approximately 10,000 years ago, humans discovered that they could cultivate the land and grow crops to feed themselves, as well as tame and raise animals for food. This innovation, known as the Agricultural Revolution, allowed humans to stop their constant search for food by means of hunting and gathering, and instead allowed them to build permanent settlements around farming and animal husbandry. The Agricultural Revolution turned the process of procuring food from a 24-7 job into a more manageable, less time intensive pursuit.

The extra time left over allowed these first non-nomadic humans to create better tools, devise mathematics and come up with philosophies and religions to explain the world around them. Soon, humans began to use written language in order to safeguard their knowledge and build upon it. The Agricultural Revolution also brought about efficiencies that allowed humans in settled villages to turn their expertise to activities other than producing food. This development is known as the Division of Labor. This change in turn led to trading in early barter economies, the building of the cities, and ultimately, the so-called birth of civilization.

What were the major problems facing the nation in April 1865? What factors stood in the way of a solution to those problems? Provide examples...

This period from 1865 to 1877 is usually called Reconstruction.

The obvious problem for America in April 1865 is the assassination of a President: Abraham Lincoln was murdered on April 14, 1865. The sudden death of a country's leader can only bring turmoil even in the best of times---and this was certainly not the best of times.

The United States had just emerged from its one and only civil war, the first major war US soldiers had fought in 50 years. One major problem that arose was what to do with these Southern states: They had started part of the US, seceded to form their own Confederacy, and now were occupied by Union troops at the conclusion of the war. The question of how to re-integrate them into the United States loomed large, and raised a number of sub-questions about whether and how much they should be penalized for their rebellion, what sort of reforms they should be required to undertake, what sort of governance the newly re-integrated states should have. After taking office President Andrew Johnson pardoned thousands of Confederate officials (mostly civil servants and minor military officers), while prosecuting the top brass and major political leaders. He also formed the Ten Percent Plan requiring loyalty oaths from ten percent of each Southern state's population. Like most compromises, this angered both sides; the Radical Republicans wanted the South punished more severely and oaths of a majority, while Democrats thought the whole idea of prosecuting Confederate leaders and demanding loyalty oaths was unfair.

The war had caused massive economic devastation, as wars usually do; so another question was also how to rebuild the South and what the new economic structure there should look like.

And of course how can I forget the chief reason the war was fought in the first place: Slavery. (Revisionists will often point to other reasons, and some of these may have contributed, but it is very clear that slavery was the primary point of contention between Northern and Southern states---that "states' rights" in this case largely meant states' rights to have slavery.)

At the conclusion of the war, slavery had just been fully abolished across the United States; so now the question became what to do with all these people who had previously been slaves. Ideally we would provide them with education, give them property to start out with, help them become full citizens of society; but this would be very difficult and expensive to do, and was resisted for other reasons as well. (Funny thing, a lot of the plantation owners were not thrilled about having their land and wealth redistributed to their former slaves! Of course that was precisely what we needed to do, but they fought tooth and nail to prevent it.)

The result of this contention was mixed results; while many former slaves did manage to get educated, find jobs, and make a living, many others were unable to because of barriers placed in their way, including laws discriminating against Black people in many states (and not only Southern states!). A lot of Americans don't know that there was a Civil Rights Act of 1875 which sought to ban racial discrimination in public places---but was largely unenforced and later ruled un-Constitutional by the Supreme Court. (Why? I'm trying to find a better reason than "racism", but it's not easy.)

In 1877, Union troops were ordered to end their occupation of the South and restore local control; this is usually considered the end of Reconstruction.

Why would Shakespeare put such contrasting themes about marriage/love and hate in one play? What is the effect in Romeo and Juliet?

Love and hate are antipodal--direct opposites--yet they both signify passionate emotions toward something or someone. Some say that one cannot hate without love. Romeo and Juliet is filled with both of these passions and shows how one can cancel out the other. Romeo and Juliet’s love is drowned by hate and leads to their deaths, but, after death, their love for one another quenches the hate between their families.

Something else central to the play is sexual attraction. In Shakespearean English, the word “die” could mean both to climax sexually and to lose one’s life. This comparison between the fires of love and death shows the extremity in which the characters of Romeo and Juliet live. They are surrounded by murder and violence, but the young lovers also discover the equally explosive force of love. Friar Lawrence describes the connection between ardor and violence:

These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which as they kiss consume...

This contrast between affection and spite is what makes Romeo and Juliet such a powerful, intense story, one that is relatable in countless contexts and cultures.

Compare and Contrast George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush

First--the comparisons:  both presidents invaded Iraq.  Both presidents dealt with recessions.  Both presidents came from rich families.  Now, for the contrasts--George H.W. Bush was vice-president under Reagan and was able to use Reagan's popularity to get to the White House in 1988.  Of course, this backfired as he had to raise taxes to pay for Reagan's agenda and he was blamed for a recession in 1992 as well.  The highest executive office George W. Bush held was governor of Texas and while there was a recession on his watch, his tax cuts were quite popular and he enjoyed two terms in office.  George H.W. Bush's invasion of Iraq was not controversial as Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and America went to war with a coalition of Western nations and Arab allies.  George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq was an effort spearheaded by America with British assistance in order to find weapons of mass destruction.  It was quite controversial as the weapons were never found though American involvement in Iraq continues today.  

At the end of chapter 27, the children begin their long journey. What do you think this means?

In the last line of chapter twenty-seven, Scout stated:

"Thus began our longest journey together."

She was referring to a journey that she and Jem took together. The reader does not know what she was referring to until chapter twenty-eight.

Scout and Jem left the Halloween pageant at school on a dark autumn evening. A passerby warned them to "'be careful of haints.'" This was a warning to watch out for ghosts. Scout was wearing a ham costume, which had been made for a performance during the pageant.

Jem and Scout cut across the dark schoolyard on their way home. On several occasions, Jem thought he heard the sound of someone following them. Scout dismissed it as Cecil, a boy from school. They eventually came close to a familiar tree. Then they heard someone running toward them. Jem pulled Scout by the hand. She became trapped inside her ham costume, but she heard "scuffling noises." Scout eventually became free of her costume and discovered Boo Radley carrying an injured Jem home. Bob Ewell had attacked them. He had been the one following them home.

Why does Juliet decide to go see Friar Lawrence at the end of act 3?

The Nurse has been Juliet's lifelong confidant as her nursemaid in infancy and now her sole counselor during her teens. Juliet is closer to Nurse than to her own mother, with whom she has a more formal relationship. Fearing for Juliet's state of mind and knowing the Capulets would never sanction their daughter's marriage to a Montague, the Nurse has daringly circumvented their wishes by helping Juliet marry Romeo in secret. Juliet has appealed in vain to her parents to forestall a union with Paris, so she turns to the Nurse for remedy. Knowing Romeo has been banished and Juliet risks being disowned by her father, the Nurse feels it would be in the girl's best interest to forget Romeo and marry Paris, according to her parents' directives. 

Romeo is banish'd and all the world to nothing

That he dares ne'er come back to challenge you;

Or, if he do, it needs must be by stealth.

Then, since the case so stands as now it doth,

I think it best you married with the county.

O, he's a lovely gentleman!

Romeo's a dishclout to him: an eagle, madam.

At this point, Juliet feels abandoned by the one person she has trusted the most. Out of desperation, she turns to the Friar as her last hope. If he cannot give her the help she seeks, she determines to kill herself. 

Ancient damnation! O most wicked fiend!

Is it more sin to wish me thus forsworn,

Or to dispraise my lord with that same tongue

Which she hath praised him with above compare

So many thousand times? Go, counsellor;

Thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain.

I'll to the friar, to know his remedy:

If all else fail, myself have power to die.

What does the way Prof. Herbert addresses Dave's father tell us about how he intends to treat Pa in "Split Cherry Tree"?

When an irate Luster Sexton accompanies Dave to the high school, Professor Herbert is accosted by Pa, but he remains calm and civil, and speaks warmly to him.

When Dave and Pa arrive early at the school, Dave is very anxious because he is worried about what his father may do since he has carried a gun with him. When Pa sees Dave's teacher, he accosts him, "You're th' Professor here, ain't you?" and Professor Herbert replies, "Yes...and you are Dave's father." 

This addressing of Pa as "Dave's father" indicates that Professor Herbert has individualized the man. That is, rather than calling him the impersonal title of "Mister," Professor Herbert demonstrates a personal warmth in attaching Dave's name to Luster Sexton. Clearly, Prof. Herbert makes a sincere effort to put Luster at ease. Nevertheless, Luster aggressively questions the teacher about the circumstances of the incident with the cherry tree. Furthermore, Luster even threatens Herbert by showing him his "long blue forty-four" and standing close to him:

Pa stood there, big, hard, brown-skinned and mighty, beside of Professor Herbert.

Professor Herbert maintains his composure, however, and tells Luster, "I was only doing my duty...and following the course of study the state provided us with." Further, he reasons with Luster, explaining in detail and pointing to the logic of what he did with the class outdoors on the day in question, and how he had to punish Dave in a different way from the other boys.

Despite all his ire, Luster is still reasonable, and Prof. Herbert discerns quickly that he can explain things to Luster in the hope of ameliorating matters. By calmly addressing Luster in a cordial manner, and by taking him around the school and demonstrating newer teaching methods, Professor Herbert wins over "Dave's father."

Crispin says that he is traveling through a new world. In what ways is it a new world to him?

As Crispin travels with Bear, everything appears to be new to him because he's never been beyond the borders of Stromford. Up until his mother's death, all his activities have been confined to the village, where everyone survives at a subsistence level.

As Crispin travels towards Great Wexly, he finds that his position in society has changed because of his relationship with Bear. At the beginning of the story, Crispin mentions living in 'shadow' because he has no father. In a 'world in which one lived by the light of a father’s name and rank,' Crispin knew that being fatherless was a handicap. However, with Bear taking on the role of master and father-figure to the orphan, Crispin soon discovers that his horizons have been opened. As a performer, Bear is able to pass on the skills of his trade to Crispin. With these new skills, Crispin gains confidence and is soon able to see the world in a different light.

In fact, he becomes bold enough to explore the city of Great Wexly by himself and gets a great surprise when he glimpses Lady Furnival and her entourage. Crispin, in having lived a sheltered and walled-off existence, has never seen such wealth displayed before his eyes. What is even more amazing to him is the fact that the poor and the rich mingle in the crowd without trouble or upheaval. He would never have experienced this back at his old village in Stromford.

Another way the world is new to Crispin is that his life is now in danger after the sadistic John Aycliffe, the steward of Stromford, declares him a wolf's head. A wolf's head is basically a fugitive anyone can kill without fear of punishment. Even though Crispin has always lived in poverty, he has never before experienced the dangerous life of a fugitive. With Bear at his side, he soon discovers that greater forces are working to push back against the power hierarchy of England itself. These new experiences exemplify Crispin's new world of danger and trial.

What does the pilot/parachutist in Lord of the Flies represent?

The pilot, or rather, his body, arrive on the island suspended by his parachute after the boys all fall asleep. Because they're sleeping, they fail to see the "sign" that Ralph wished the grown-ups would send, which is the sight of a far-off battle between jet fighters in the night sky. Ironically the sign that this sends, since it is only revealed to the reader, is that the adult world is still consumed with the war that stranded the boys on the island in the first place, and that getting off the island is no guarantee of safety. 

The pilot is shot down during the fighting, and his body lands in such a way that the strings of his parachute cause him to move when the wind blows in a particular manner, so that he is analogous to a marionette. When the boys discover him, they misinterpret his body as the Beast.

The pilot may represent several things;

• religion, mythology and superstition, in that Simon was able to correctly figure out that the pilot was a human, but the other boys simply accepted that it was the Beast and pursued the issue no further. 


• the close relationship of humans to death and destruction; throughout the story we see that these things follow humans wherever they go


• the fact that humans are ultimately manipulated and controlled by their environment, and are at its mercy despite how long their technology may prolong their resistance

How does Maniac look when Grayson finds him?

Maniac looks haggard, dirty, underfed, and just generally pitiable when Grayson finds him.

This happens at the beginning of Chapter 22. Here's how the narrator describes Maniac right as Grayson discovers him:

The kid looked terrible. His clothes were scraps, rags. Wherever his body showed through, it was bony and dirty and scratched.

Maniac has been sleeping in the buffalo pen at the zoo, having run away from Amanda's house after some of her neighbors made it clear that a white kid like him was unwelcome in the East End. When Grayson finds Maniac, the boy has been away from the comforts of the Beale home for quite a while, without meals, without a clean place to rest at night. So it's no wonder that he's ragged and scrawny when the kind old Grayson realizes that there's a kid in the buffalo pen.

Normally a resourceful kid who's great at taking care of himself, Maniac reveals a deeper problem by letting himself become such a mess: he's in despair after being practically run out of the East End neighborhood that he'd loved so much. He's also deeply displeased with himself for allowing Amanda's encyclopedia to be destroyed. 

In "My Last Duchess," how did the duke respond to the duchess’s behavior at first?

At first, it seems that the duke responded to the duchess's behavior by taking note of everything that seemed to make her happy: a cherry tree branch, a white mule, a sunset, the duke himself.  The modesty or value of the gift made no difference to her; there was no distinction in the joy she felt, whether the gift was large or small, valuable or cheap.  Finally, the duke became offended that "she ranked / [His] gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name / With anybody’s gift."  In other words, she cherished his gifts, including the gifts of his status and wealth, only as much as she appreciated any other, smaller, gift, and this upset him.  He says,

Even had you skill 

In speech—which I have not—to make your will 

Quite clear to such an one, and say, "Just this 

Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss, 

Or there exceed the mark"— and if she let 

Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set 

Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse— 

E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose 

Never to stoop. 

What he means is that, even if he had the skill to make her understand (a skill he claims not to have), it would have required him to "stoop" or to lower himself.  He doesn't want to have to ask her to love him the best, to rank his gifts as the most worthy and valuable, i.e. not to put a bough of cherries on par with his name and title.  He isn't willing to lower himself in this way, and so he never speaks to her about it.  

Finally, he says that "[He] gave commands; / Then all smiles stopped together."  So, it sounds as though he had her killed so that he could begin again with a new duchess that would appreciate him most.  If he was unwilling to speak with her about what upset him, then he certainly wouldn't have "command[ed]" her on the subject.  But since her smiles stopped at this point, we can assume that this is how and when she died.

Lava is rock that has undergone a physical change and has liquified. What is known about this change? The lava gained mass. The lava was...

When solid rock changes into its liquid lava state, a physical change has occurred. In a physical change, the particles of a substance rearrange, but do not change into different particles.

As heat energy is applied to a solid rock, the forces holding the particles in the rock together are disrupted and the solid rock transitions into a liquid lava state. In the liquid lava state, the particles are able to move around and slide past one another. When heat energy is removed from the liquid lava, the particles become more strongly attracted to one another and the substance transitions back into the solid rock state. Therefore, the correct answer is "The lava can cool back into rock."

According to the Law of Conservation of Mass, mass cannot be created or destroyed. Therefore, when solid rock changes into liquid rock, the mass of the rock does not change. The first and fourth answer choices are incorrect, because there cannot be any gain or loss of mass when the solid rock changes to liquid lava.

Burning of lava is an example of a chemical change. In a chemical change, the particles of a substance change into different particles. 

How does the 1994 Steven Spielberg film Schindler's List construct the historical events, time period and personality of the Holocaust and...

Steven Spielberg's adaptation of Thomas Keneally's fictional depiction of Oskar Schindler took, as one would expect from the prominent Jewish American director, a very respectful portrait of this flawed but heroic individual. The filmed version of Schindler's List also presents a harrowing and accurate depiction of the treatment of Europe's Jewish population by Nazi Germany.

In filming Schindler's List, Spielberg deliberately gave his film a documentary feel, evident in the director's decision to film in black and white and to present informative titles throughout to emphasize the accuracy of the events portrayed. As characters based upon actual individuals, most prominently, Amon Goeth, the real-life commandant of the concentration camp where much of the story takes place, are introduced, Spielberg has subtitles placed on the screen to inform the audience as to the character's identity. He used a similar tactic to inform viewers as to the geographic locations depicted.

Spielberg and his writers, Keneally, who adapted his novel for the screen, and Steven Zaillan, meticulously researched details of the locales used and the events that took place. Spielberg's idea was to depict the story of Oskar Schindler as a microcosm of the larger events occurring during the years covered. The Holocaust was an event of enormous magnitude involving the deliberate deaths of as many as nine to 10 million people, six million of them Jews. By giving a sense of the magnitude of suffering and the level of brutality inflicted by Germany on its victims, Spielberg was able to illuminate the heroism of his main protagonist, Schindler.

As noted, Spielberg is Jewish, and is heavily involved in documenting the horrors of the Holocaust through his Shoah Foundation, which interviews survivors of the Holocaust for future historians to use in refuting the efforts of anti-Semitic individuals to deny that the Holocaust occurred. He put a great deal of effort into depicting the events and locales as realistically as possible. The film's perspective is definitely that of the victims and of Schindler, and the film presents the titular character as the flawed individual he truly was, which serves to humanize its subject, but the final scene (excepting the contemporary footage of visitors to Schindler's grave) was criticized for making excessively melodramatic this particular individual's already courageous actions.

Which character do you think is the most sympathetically portrayed?

There are basically only three characters in Chinua Achebe's short story "Marriage is a Private Affair," Nnaemeka, Nene and Nnaemeka's father Ugoye. Of the three it could be argued that Nene is portrayed most symphatically. In the exposition of the story she seems oblivious to the idea that Nnaemeka's father could object to the couple's marriage. She very much wants Nnaemeka to announce their relationship to his father. She was apparently raised by parents who did not display the prejudices inherent in the small village where Nnaemeka grew up.

She cannot believe that Ugoye would object to her on ethnic grounds. After all, she is a successful woman who is a teacher and, according to stories told by the Ibo women of Lagos, quite a good homemaker as well. She breaks down and cries when she discovers the "mutilated picture" of her marriage which is returned by Ugoye with her photograph cut out and a letter indicating he wants nothing to do with his son's wife. Later, however, Nene is the catalyst which may bring the family back together. After several years in which Ugoye shunned his son, Nene sends a letter telling him that the couple now has two sons who would very much like to see their grandfather. The letter seems to soften Ugoye and the text suggests that Ugoye will reunite with his son and his family. In the end, Nene's courage to communicate with Ugoye will ultimately bring father and son back together.   

1. Define sessile. Name an invertebrate with a sessile adult stage. 2. Describe the skeleton of a sponge. 3. Sponges have specialized cells called...

1. Define sessile. Name an invertebrate with a sessile adult stage.
Sessile refers to an immobile organism. A sessile organism is fixed in one place and cannot move. Sponges are examples of organisms that are sessile at the adult stage.

2. Describe the skeleton of a sponge.
Sponges are members of the phylum Porifera, which have pores and channels for water flow. If you were to touch the hard outer skeleton of a sponge, it would feel a bit like a bone - that's because it is made up of calcium carbonate. It's important to note that a sponge's skeleton is an exoskeleton.

3. Sponges have specialized cells called collar cells. Describe how collar cells are specialized for the functions they serve.
A sponge's collar cells (or choanocytes) help circulate water through the organism and trap food for the sponge. Choanocytes have a round cell body and a whip-like tail - this structure allows them to perform the important functions the sponge needs for survival.

4. What is a nematocyst? What is its function?
A nematocyst is a type of cnidae, which means they are found in organisms that are part of the Cnidarian phylum. Jellyfish and corals are examples of organisms that are part of the cnidarian family. The unique function of a nematocyst is its ability to sting.

5. How do coral reefs form?
When coral reproduce, a pool of coral larvae float through the water and attach to nearby surfaces. Successful coral larvae will land on immobile objects (such as rocks). As coral grows, it expands and covers an entire surface. If you consider what might happen in a place where a large amount of successful coral has taken root, you can see how plenty of coral can grow in a single place. The resulting neighborhood of coral is what makes up a reef.

6.Describe specialized feeding structures of parasitic platyhelminthes.
Parasitic platyhelminthes (also known as flatworms) have a hook-like structure on their mouths, which allow them to successfully attach to their host.

7.How do free-living nematodes contribute to the carbon cycle?
Nematodes, or round worms, break down organic matter in the soil. The nutrients from the breakdown process reenter the ecosystem, thus contributing to the carbon cycle.

8.Describe the basic body plan of a mollusk.
Snails, squid, and clams are all different types of mollusks. Although there are different organisms that make up the Mollusca phylum - and even though these organisms look quite different - there are a few body parts that unite these animals. In fact, all mollusks have a foot, mantle cavity, shell, gills, and a digestive tract.

9. What are gills? What is their function?
Gills are specialized respiratory organs that allow animals to breathe in water by extracting oxygen.

10. What is the difference between an open and a closed circulatory system?
A closed circulatory system completely encapsulates an organisms blood in arteries, veins, capillaries, and organs. In contrast, an open circulatory system pumps blood into body cavities to surround organs that can diffuse blood between cells.

11. What is a radula? What is it used for?
A radula is a tongue-like structure used by mollusks to scrape food off of surrounding surfaces.

12. Define regeneration.
Regeneration is a process of regrowth that allows some organisms to be resilient to damage. Starfish, for example, can regenerate damaged extremities.

13. Identify distinguishing traits of most arthropods.
Arthropods have an exoskeleton, a body organized into segments, and paired appendages.

14. What is molting? Why does it occur?
Molting (in arthropods) allows an organism to shed an old exoskeleton and create a new exoskeleton. This process allows organisms to grow - in fact, arthropods only grow through this process.

15. Name three arthropod head appendages and state their functions.
Arthropods have antennae (for sensing), compound eyes (for vision), and mandibles and maxilla (for eating).

16. Describe two structures that allow arthropods to breathe air.
Arthropods that live in water have gills. Arthropods that live on land inhale air through tubes called tracheae.

17. List several traits that characterize insects.
Insects have six legs, wings, an exoskeleton, and segmented bodies.

What does Stephen Vincent Benet hint is the cause of "The Great Burning" in "By the Waters of Babylon"?

The Great Burning was probably some kind of nuclear event because fire fell from the sky.

John’s society exists in a post-apocalyptic world.  There are many hints that it is our world, and the disaster was man-made.  For one thing, priests search the houses of the “gods” for metal, and the metal is dangerous to touch.  This seems to indicate that a nuclear event occurred.

The greatest hint that it was an atomic bomb or some other nuclear weapon that caused the destruction is the fact that John’s people remember the event, or at least seem to know what happened.

I saw both banks of the river—I saw that once there had been god-roads across it, though now they were broken and fallen like broken vines. Very great they were, and wonderful and broken—broken in the time of the Great Burning when the fire fell out of the sky. 

Fire might fall out of the sky if there was an atomic bomb. It could refer to the blast radius or to the acid rain that could follow.  Either way, it implies a serious event that eradicated large portions of the population, specifically in the city of New York.

In addition, nuclear blasts leave traces behind.  John seems to describe these when he says that there are “marks and stains” left behind from the incident.

It is not true what some of the tales say, that the ground there burns forever, for I have been there. Here and there were the marks and stains of the Great Burning, on the ruins, that is true. But they were old marks and old stains.

John also mentions “a mist that poisoned” and the fact that people were running around as the fire fell from the sky, and then their buildings collapsed.  Legends tell of the few who “escaped” and it is from them that John gets these stories.

What methods did countries in Latin America use to win their freedom?

Latin America is a big place, but it is correct to say that most Latin American countries won their independence by rebelling against Spain. Most South American countries became independent in a series of revolutions that began during the Napoleonic Wars (while Spain was occupied by France) and ended in the 1820s. These revolutions, dominated by "creoles," or people of Spanish ancestry born in the colonies, are usually associated with Simón Bólivar, the revolutionary leader who emerged as the leader of uprisings in most of South America. By the 1820s, Colombia, Venezuela, Paraguay, Ecuador, Uruguay, Argentina, Peru, and Chile had all gained their independence through a process of revolution against Spain and internal struggle. Brazil declared its independence from Portugal at about the same time, and Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua also became independent after a long revolution in 1821. Panama (with American backing—the United States wanted rights to the canal it planned to build) gained its independence from Colombia in 1903. So the independence movement in Latin America was complex, with some revolutions more violent than others, but by the 1820s most Latin American countries had used revolutions to become independent. 

What are some examples of word choice that convey the setting of this story?

In the first sentence, the narrator tells us that we are at the "shore" and that the "young English boy" and his mother are on "holiday."  Thus, we can begin to ascertain that the setting of the story is the seaside, and mother and son have gone to the beach for a vacation.  Later, when Jerry is trying to fit in with the older boys who are able to swim through the tunnel in the rock at the wild bay, the narrator tells us that the boys were "of that coast," and Jerry tries to throw all the French he knows at them in an attempt to keep their attention on him.  These are good clues that the setting is, more specifically, the French Riviera, a popular beach locale for British vacationers.  Moreover, the narrator draws a distinction between Jerry's mother's "safe beach" and the "wild bay" he prefers to go to because he seems to be growing up and desiring more independence than he used to. 

In "The Minister's Black Veil," what does the minister say about why he wears the black veil?

In the story, Mr. Hooper never explicitly explains why he began to wear the black veil. The first sermon he delivers after he puts it on has to do with

secret sin, and those sad mysteries which we hide from our nearest and dearest, and would fain conceal from our own consciousness, even forgetting that the Omniscient can detect them.

Thus, the veil seems to be connected to this idea that each of us hides our sinful natures from others, though Mr. Hooper never verbally connects the two for his congregation.

Later, when Mr. Hooper speaks to his fiancee, Elizabeth, she ask him about he veil's meaning directly. Although he does not answer her directly, he does say,

If I hide my face for sorrow, there is cause enough. . . and if I cover it for secret sin, what mortal might not do the same?

Such a response to her queries connects the veil to this idea that we all hide something crucial of ourselves that prevents us from being truly known or understood by anyone else.

Finally, on Mr. Hooper's deathbed, when another minister suggests that he remove the veil, he says,

When the friend shows his inmost heart to his friend; the lover to his best beloved; when man does not vainly shrink from the eye of his Creator, loathsomely treasuring up the secret of his sin; then deem me a monster, for the symbol beneath which I have lived, and die!  I look around me, and, lo! on every visage a Black Veil!

Again, then, although he never comes right out and explains the meaning of the veil, Mr. Hooper connects it to this idea of secret sin one final time, insisting that the only thing that differentiates him from everyone else is that he has donned the physical veil as a means of representing the figurative veil we all wear, and for this reason he has been shunned.

`int_0^3 x/sqrt(36 - x^2) dx` Evaluate the integral

You need to perform the following substitution, such that `36 - x^2 = t => -2xdx = dt => xdx = -(dt)/2`

Replacing the variable yields:

`int_0^3 (xdx)/(sqrt(36 - x^2)) = -int_(t_1)^(t_2) (dt)/(2sqrt t) = -sqrt t|_(t_1)^(t_2)`

Replacing back the variable yields:

`int_0^3 (xdx)/(sqrt(36 - x^2)) = -sqrt(36-x^2)|_0^3`

`int_0^3 (xdx)/(sqrt(36 - x^2)) = -sqrt(36 - 9) + sqrt(36-0)`

`int_0^3 (xdx)/(sqrt(36 - x^2)) = 6 - sqrt 27`

`int_0^3 (xdx)/(sqrt(36 - x^2)) = 6 - 3sqrt 3`

`int_0^3 (xdx)/(sqrt(36 - x^2)) = 3(2 - sqrt3)`

Hence, evaluating the definite integral, yields `int_0^3 (xdx)/(sqrt(36- x^2)) = 3(2 - sqrt3).`

What happens to the rest of the crew after the Mariner kills the albatross?

After the Mariner shoots and kills the albatross, the rest of the crew hang the albatross around the Mariner's neck to symbolize and punish the sailor for his crime, which they believe is responsible for their declining fortunes on the windless sea. After idling for some time, the Mariner and the rest of the crew encounter a ghostly ship carrying Death and his mate, an equally terrifying woman. This woman brings about the death of every member of the crew except for the Mariner, leaving him alone and isolated. As such, after the Mariner kills the albatross, the rest of the crew suffers death at the hands of ghostly and supernatural figures. However, this is not technically the last we see of the crew, as their dead bodies are fantastically animated with supernatural powers to sail the Mariner home later on in the poem.

What if Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist were told in present day 2016? How would that change the events of the story?

If Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist were set in 2016, the middle of the book could stay the same for the most part, but the beginning and ending could be changed. For example, Santiago would still be from Spain; but instead of being a shepherd who owns a flock of sheep, he could be attending college, supported by scholarships. He could also be the owner of a successful app for smart phones which brings him a good, steady income. Instead of Santiago going to town to sell wool, he could go to make a business deal for his app and to get a date with a businessman's daughter. While there, he could still meet with the gypsy about his dream regarding his treasure at the pyramids. He would have had the dream at his college apartment rather than the dilapidated church, though. 

Melchizedek, then, would still teach the boy about Personal Legends, etc., but he would ask for ten percent of Santiago's shares from his app business as payment for sending him to on his journey to the pyramids. Once in Tarifa, the boy's money, cell phone, tablet, and laptop computer would all be stolen from him so that he would have to rely on only the omens and the Urim and Thummim for his guides. Stripping the boy from all technology would be key to enable him to quiet his senses to listen to the Soul of the World. 

All of the events from the crystal merchant, the caravan, the oasis, and experiences with the alchemist could all remain the same because the boy would be completely unplugged from the world. That area of the world, too, would still have warring tribes who are also unplugged; although, they could have some internet or cell service at the oasis. By that point, however, the boy would stay away from the technology because he would be concentrating on watching omens and entrenched in learning things from the alchemist. The boy would be tempted, though, to check on his app business or email home to friends and family. 

In the end, Santiago would go back to his college apartment and discover that the treasure was either buried somewhere near there; or, the treasure would be in the form of money gained from his app skyrocketing on the stock market. After cashing in from his treasure, then he would still go back to the oasis to marry Fatima. He would then resume his app business and recover other technological devices, but he would have self-control when using them and still watch for the omens and listen to the Soul of the World.

How did the movement West affect our nation?

This is a big question with many possible answers ranging from the impact of westward expansion on American politics to the influence of it on modern day pop culture.  Here is a look at some of the big picture implications of westward expansion.

1. The move West was a catalyst for the Civil War.  The Civil War likely would have happened sooner or later anyway but the addition of western states and territories escalated tensions.  Both abolitionists and pro-slavery groups wanted to bolster their numbers and eventually get more votes for their side in Congress by claiming the new Western areas as either free or slave territories.  While many compromises, including the Mason-Dixon line, attempted to keep things evenly balanced, there was always a new frontier to be contested.  While politicians on both sides might have been content if the opposing side could be limited geographically, both sides also could see the potential for the new western areas to tip the balance of power to one side or the other.  The Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854 allowed settlers in new territories to make their own choice regarding slavery.  In response both sides sent people to Kansas hoping to influence policy one way or the other.  They elected two conflicting territorial governments and started a violent conflict known as "Bleeding Kansas".  While many western territories did not experience the same outright violence over slavery as Kansas did, the status of western territories in regards to slavery continued to be a question of great political weight and conflict.

2. The move of European settlers through the Western United States led to the genocide and forced removal of Native American tribes.  Conflicts between Native Americans and Europeans had been a constant since European colonization of the United States began.  In the West, however, the United States government adopted policies intent on the eradication of Native American peoples.  One of these policies was the wide-scale hunting of bison.  Buffalo served as a primary food source for Native Americans living on the Great Plains.  Without the herds of buffalo, many tribes were driven by starvation to accept resettlement on government reservations.  Through armed conflict, forced resettlement, and the introduction of new diseases not only did many Native Americans lose their lives, but also their culture, language, and religion.  In the 1960's and 70's the American Indian Movement or AIM staged a series of protests and occupied various locations in an attempt to force the government to address the continuing repercussions of European settlement.  In 2008 AIM staged a walk from San Francisco to Washington DC to again bring attention to these issues.  The actions taken against Native Americans during westward expansion are likely to continue to impact the country's future.

3. The resources of the West were the basis of the fortunes of many influential men throughout history.  Mining concerns, railroads, and the fur trade were the basis of wealth for many.  John Jacob Astor made much of his money in the fur trade and later established the New York Public Library.  The Astor family dominated New York social circles and the family name even inspired the naming of the neighborhood of Astoria.  George Hearst became wealthy through several mining ventures throughout the West.  He served as a senator in California and his son, William Randolph Hearst, would go on to revolutionize American journalism.  Leland Stanford earned his wealth as a merchant in the California gold rush and then later became president of the Southern Pacific Railroad.  Stanford would eventually establish Stanford University.  These are just a few examples of the economic impact of western resources.  Wealth accumulated in the West would have far-reaching consequences for the nation as a whole.

Why did President Nixon order the invasion of Cambodia in 1970 and resume the bombing of North Vietnam in December 1972?

Richard Nixon took office in 1969 having promised to extract the United States from Vietnam through what he called an "honorable peace." Ultimately his strategy, heavily influenced by his National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger, became known as "Vietnamization." The plan was to shift the burden of fighting the war against communism in South Vietnam to the South Vietnamese Army. Nixon's order to invade Cambodia in 1970 was part of this strategy--he thought that the Viet Cong was using bases within Cambodia to attack American and South Vietnamese positions in South Vietnam. In other words, he saw it as a defensive measure intended to bring about the stability needed to ultimately withdraw. Many Americans did not see things this way, however--to them the invasion looked like an escalation of the war, the opposite of what Nixon had promised to do. The invasion of Cambodia led to some of the most strident protests of the war, including the tragedy at Kent State. By 1972, the administration was locked in negotiations with the North Vietnamese government, and Nixon's decision to bomb Hanoi was an attempt to strengthen the hand of American negotiators (including Kissinger). The bombing of Hanoi, known as the "Christmas bombing," was one of the largest bombing campaigns in American military history. Whether it achieved its goal is open to debate, but the Paris Peace Accords, which ended US involvement in the region, were signed  a little more than a month later. Still, this bombing campaign, like the invasion of Cambodia, was very unpopular in the United States, with even Republican politicians criticizing the decision as inhumane.

How did church leaders deal with the challenges in the 14th century?

Christian leaders in the 14th century faced a number of challenges, including the Western Schism, the Spanish Inquisition, and the Hesychast Controversy. The Western Schism refers to a conflict within the Catholic church over who the next Pope would be; in response, two factions developed and elected two different popes, one residing traditionally in Rome and the other in Avignon, France. This was not resolved until the 15th century, when the Council of Constance asked all those claiming the papacy to resign so that a new election could be held. Martin V was declared Pope in 1417, ending the schism. Additionally, the Spanish Inquisition began in the 14th century, but was not addressed by church leadership until its height in the 15th century; Pope Sixtus IV condemned the inquisition in 1482, and was the first major Catholic leader to do so. Finally, another theological scism developed over Heychasm, a tradition based in mysticism that promoted prayer as a personal experience with God. Some church leaders found this heretical and condemned the practice, especially a monk named Barlaam, who wrote and lectured against it. This created conflict between theological scholars, and Barlaam was condemned by the Roman Empire. The conflict was resolved when, in 1351, Emperor John VI Cantacuzenus declared that Hesychast doctrine would become the official doctrine of the Greek Orthodox Church, and Barlaam was named bishop of the Roman Catholic Church.

`y = ln((e^x + 1)/(e^x - 1)) , [ln2 , ln3]` Find the arc length of the graph of the function over the indicated interval.

The arc length of a function is the length of the described curve within some interval on the x-axis (and a corresponding interval on the y-axis). If we were to lay a piece of string over the line of the graph in this window, the graph going from corner to diagonally opposite corner in a curve, the arc length is the length of the piece of string used.

In this case the function to find the arc length of is

`y = ln ((e^x+1)/(e^x - 1)) `

where `ln(x) ` is the natural logarithm of `x ` (the inverse function to `e^(x) `, recall).

The window over which to find the length is the rectangle given by  `ln 2 <= x <= ln3 `  and `ln2 <= y <= ln3`.

The function for the arc length of a generic function `y = f(x) ` is

`s = int_a^b sqrt(1+((dy)/(dx))^2) \quad dx `

This integrates along the line of the graph, adding infinitesimal sections together where each very small section added is a straight line diagonal over the small window `x_0 <=x <=x_0 + dx ` , `y_0 <=y <= y_0 + dy ` . Though `y = f(x) ` may be a curve, the point is that these windows over which the length is integrated (added up) are so small that the graph is a straight line within them making it a simple thing to add the small (straight line) sections together. This concept is the basis of calculus.

In this example, since `y = ln ((e^x+1)/(e^x-1)) = ln(e^x + 1) - ln(e^x-1)` then its derivative `(dy)/(dx) `  is given by

`(dy)/(dx) = (1/(e^x+1))e^x - (1/(e^x-1))e^x = e^x(1/(e^x+1) - 1/(e^x-1)) ` `= e^x((e^x-1-e^x-1)/((e^x+1)(e^x-1))) ` `= -(2e^x)/((e^x+1)(e^x-1))`

Now working in steps to find the integrand in the formula for the arc length `s ` , we have that

`1+ ((dy)/(dx))^2 = 1 + (4e^(2x))/((e^x+1)^2(e^x-1)^2) `  `= ((e^x+1)^2(e^x-1)^2 + 4e^(2x))/((e^x+1)^2(e^x-1)^2) `

and that

`sqrt(1+((dy)/(dx))^2) = (sqrt((e^x+1)^2(e^x-1)^2 + 4e^(2x)))/((e^x+1)(e^x-1)) `

`= sqrt((e^(2x)+2e^x +1)(e^(2x)-2e^(x)+1)+4e^(2x))/((e^x+1)(e^x-1)) `

`= sqrt((e^(4x)-2e^(3x)+e^(2x)+2e^(3x) - 4e^(2x) + 2e^x + e^(2x)-2e^x + 1)+4e^(2x))/((e^x+1)(e^x-1)) `

Adding up that very long set of exponential terms, finding that most cancel, we finally have that

`sqrt(1+((dy)/(dx))^2) = sqrt((e^(4x)-2e^(2x)+1)+4e^(2x))/((e^x+1)(e^x-1)) `  `= sqrt(e^(4x)+2e^(2x)+1)/((e^x+1)(e^x-1)) `

`= sqrt((e^(2x)+1)^2)/((e^x+1)(e^x-1)) = (e^(2x)+1)/((e^x+1)(e^x-1)) `

`= (e^(2x)+1)/(e^(2x)-1) `

Integrating the integrand over the required interval, we have that

`s = int_(ln2)^(ln3) ((e^(2x)+1)/(e^(2x)-1)) \quad dx `

` ` `= int_(ln2)^(ln3) (2e^(2x)- e^(2x) + 1)/(e^(2x)-1) \quad dx = int_(ln2)^(ln3) (2e^(2x))/(e^(2x)-1) -1 \quad dx `

`= ln(e^(2x)-1)|_ln2^(ln3) - x |_(ln2)^(ln3) `

`= ln (e^(2ln3)-1) - ln(e^(2ln2)-1) - ln3 + ln2 `

`= ln(9-1) - ln(4-1) - ln3 + ln2 = ln((8/3)(2/3)) `

`= ln(16/9)`  is the final answer

What main changes does Paul Fisher go through?

Paul Fisher goes through a variety of changes. He is a dynamic character who grows and develops throughout the book.

At the beginning of Tangerine, Paul was  a weak pushover who allows his brother to mercilessly bully him. He had low self-esteem due to Erik’s relentless taunting. However, at the end of Tangerine, he became an empowered and decisive young man with the power to  stand up for himself and his friends. These changes were primarily motivated by his move to Tangerine Middle School and his growing understanding of Erik's cruelty. 

 First of all, Paul's family moved to Tangerine from Houston. This major change should have allowed  Paul to begin anew, but his hopes for a self-reinvention were dashed by his parents’ focus on Erik’s burgeoning superstardom on the football team. It was a negative change, given that Tangerine held new dangers (muck fires and sink holes) and the same old problems as Houston; for example, Erik quickly got up to his old tricks and found new lackeys to torment Paul. Consequently, the first major change to positively impact Paul was his move to Tangerine Middle School, where he was able to make new friends, experience success on the soccer team, and gain the necessary confidence to confront Erik.

When Paul saw  Erik’s lackey, Arthur Bauer, demean his new Tangerine friends and fatally injure Luis Cruz, Paul underwent  a change of heart. He found himself no longer able to stomach Erik’s cruelty, and he joined his friends by attacking Erik and the football team at an awards ceremony. He also regained his memory of how he lost his sight back in Houston (Erik and one of his friends spray-painted his eyes.) Consequently, Paul gained both knowledge and power. 

How is pathletic fallacy used in rain and Lord Ullin's tears in "Lord Ullin's Daughter" by Thomas Campbell?

A pathetic fallacy is the attribution of human emotions to parts of nature. Before  Lord Ullin's daughter and her beloved drown while fleeing across the loch, tempests, or storms, gather around the loch. The wind is blowing fiercely, and the seas are turning rough. The storms are a reflection of the emotional storms brewing for Lord Ullin's daughter and her lover as they flee the potential wrath of her father and head into the white-capped waters of the stormy loch. The night is dark, which is a reflection of the darkness and tragedy that awaits the lovers. When Lord Ullin travels across the loch and arrives on the other shore, he finds his daughter drowned. The rain is a personification of the tears that Lord Ullin sheds upon discovering his dead daughter.

What color are Annmarie's eyes?

The color of Annemarie's eyes was not mentioned in the novel Number the Stars.  By looking at textual evidence, the reader can find clues which show the probable color of Annemarie's eyes.  One can do this by looking at the descriptions of her family members in the book.

Annemarie's hair was described several times in the novel.  In the first chapter of the book, "Annemarie's silvery blond hair flew behind her" as she ran.  Her hair was later described as being long.  Annemarie and Kirsti, her younger sister, had similarly colored hair.  One can assume that they probably had similarly colored eyes.  In Chapter 17, Kirsti was described as "waving a small flag... [and] her blue eyes were bright."  Annemarie and Kirsti's uncle was also described.  Annemarie noticed that "his deep blue eyes [were] kind and questioning" (Chapter 9).  By looking at the descriptions of other characters in the book, the reader can assume it is likely that Annemarie also had blue eyes in the story.

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, why do Jem and Scout refuse to obey Atticus's command to leave him alone in front of the jail?

Scout knows something is up when Atticus says, "Do you really think so?" She recalls him saying this during a game of checkers: 

This was the second time I heard Atticus ask that question in two days, and it meant somebody’s man would get jumped. This was too good to miss. I broke away from Jem and ran as fast as I could to Atticus. 

When Scout reaches Atticus and the mob, she realizes that the situation is dangerous. She sees a "flash of plain fear" in Atticus's eyes. The children refuse to leave because they are afraid for Atticus. Jem may have decided that the mob will not engage in anything violent as long as children are present. Scout and Jem seem to be attempting a filibuster here. They think that if they stay there, they can wait the mob out. Scout tries to break the tension by talking to Walter Cunningham Sr. At first, Walter doesn't know what to think. But after Scout asks him to tell Walter Jr. hello, Walter Sr. shows some sense and gets the mob to leave. 

Atticus is there to protect Tom Robinson. And even though Scout is not completely sure about what is going on at the time, both she and Jem refuse to leave because they feel it is their only way of protecting Atticus. 

In Julius Caesar, is Brutus willing to surrender if the conspirators lose the battle against Antony and Octavius?

Brutus is not willing to surrender. When Cassius asks him in Act 5, Scene 1, if he would be content with Antony and Octavius leading him in triumph through the streets of Rome if they should lose the battle, Brutus replies:

No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble Roman,
That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome
He bears too great a mind. But this same day
Must end that work the ides of March begun;
And whether we shall meet again I know not.
Therefore our everlasting farewell take:
For ever, and for ever, farewell, Cassius!
If we do meet again, why, we shall smile;
If not, why then, this parting was well made.

Brutus equivocally states he is too great a man to suffer the dishonor of being led through Rome as a prisoner. These words are, however, inconsistent with what Brutus said when he spoke out against Cato's suicide, calling it "cowardly" and "vile." It is clear Brutus deems the disgrace of being displayed as a failure a greater dishonor than suicide. He would rather take his own life than be humiliated in such an ignominious manner.

Lucilius later confirms Brutus' determination when Antony asks him about his whereabouts in Act 5, Scene 4. Lucilius responds by saying,

Safe, Antony; Brutus is safe enough:
I dare assure thee that no enemy
Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus:
The gods defend him from so great a shame!
When you do find him, or alive or dead,
He will be found like Brutus, like himself.

He means Brutus will retain his honor and will be found in death as he was in life. Brutus's death will not be that of a coward, but of a noble lord who sacrificed his life for the good of Rome.

When Brutus realizes the battle is lost in Act V, Scene 5, he asks Volumnius to hold his sword so that he may run onto it.

Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius.
Thou seest the world, Volumnius, how it goes;
Our enemies have beat us to the pit:

Low alarums

It is more worthy to leap in ourselves,
Than tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius,
Thou know'st that we two went to school together:
Even for that our love of old, I prithee,
Hold thou my sword-hilts, whilst I run on it.

Volumnius refuses and Brutus later asks his attendant, Strato, to do the same:

I prithee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord:
Thou art a fellow of a good respect;
Thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it:
Hold then my sword, and turn away thy face,
While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?

Strato complies with his request and Brutus kills himself by running onto his sword stating, before he dies, that he had less of a desire to kill Caesar than he had in that moment to kill himself.

Caesar, now be still:
I kill'd not thee with half so good a will.

Brutus' suicide ties in well with the promise he made to the crowd in the marketplace after Caesar's assassination in Act 3, Scene 2. On that occasion, Brutus declared at the end of his speech:

With this
I depart,—that, as I slew my best lover for the
good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself,
when it shall please my country to need my death.

And so, it came to pass. Brutus, an honourable man, chose to die with honor rather than be led through the streets of his beloved Rome like a slave.

I am writing a thesis statement about the relationship between the child and his mother in Oryx and Crake and how her leaving the child affects him...

With Margaret Atwood's book Oryx and Crake, there are many ways you could push this thesis statement further. First you need to determine exactly what you want to argue, and remember—thesis statements must always make a debatable point that you can argue, and ideally, should convince the reader that your point has validity based on the examples you provide from the text to support it. 

You are correct in saying that the main character, Jimmy, is abandoned by his mother, and this event affects him in many ways, including psychologically. However, this is not necessarily a debatable point because almost anyone would agree that a person would be affected by a parent's abandonment in childhood. What you need to do to "push it further" is explain how this event affected specific aspects of Jimmy's adult life, and why that is significant.

One example of this could be Jimmy's lack of attachment to women throughout his adult life. He has constant meaningless encounters with women and immediately pushes them away when they try to get close to him or get to know him better. This can be connected to the abandonment of his mother, and one could argue that her abandonment is what causes him to detach himself from women as an adult from fear of being abandoned by them as well. 

Another example is Jimmy's interest in bending the rules of society with his friend Crake (Glenn). Because Jimmy's father is very busy with work and his new romantic partner, after his mother abandons him, Jimmy is not supervised very often. He participates in many questionable activities with Crake such as exploring pornographic websites, watching live executions, and engaging in some computer hacking and minor theft. His mother leaving not only provides better opportunities for these activities to take place but seems to lead to Jimmy's desire to bend the rules and go along with Crake's behaviors—regardless of what they are.

As an adult, Jimmy is later employed by Crake and unknowingly participates in the destruction of the entire human race. These activities are foreshadowed by his early activities with Crake, especially because they strengthened the bond between these two characters. Jimmy also suspects his mother of participating in illegal activities of protest from the little bit of communication he has with her throughout the book. This could be an explanation for why he later supports Crake's desire to change the world and improve the human species.

By highlighting these later events and how they can be connected to the abandonment of Jimmy by his mother, you can strengthen your argument, as you are commenting on the significance of this traumatic event. Make sure to use specific examples such as this, and always connect them to your original point—that Jimmy is greatly affected by his mother leaving him as a child.

What is the central message of the poem "Peter Street" by Peter Sirr?

The central message of the poem is that while people die, their memories never do, and it's up to the survivors to decide what to do with those memories. When the narrator passes the site where his father once looked down from his hospital bed, the narrator feels loss when he sees a construction site where the hospital once stood. At first, the narrator wishes for some trace of his father, the father he was loathe to leave and who he stared up at in the window of the hospital. However, in the end, the narrator hopes that the site where the hospital once stood will be turned into a joyful house that will take away the traces of pain that remain from the father's suffering soul. The narrator holds the memory of his father when he walks by the site of the old hospital, but he wishes that the new construction will turn his memory from something sorrowful to something joyful. 

In what ways is the narrative about Atticus's fighting racism and prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Atticus Finch, an aberration in the South of the 1930's, practices with fairness to all in a town firmly entrenched in Jim Crow, and he tries to prevent his children from contracting "Maycomb's usual disease" through his teachings, actions, and speech.

Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, depicts a Southern town in which little change has occurred in decades. Then, when a lonely "white trash" girl is caught breaking "a rigid and time-honored code" of the town, she attempts to put the evidence of her offense "away from her" by making false accusations against the kind-hearted black man who walks past her yard on his way home and sometimes helps her with tasks. When her father catches her kissing him, he beats her, but still charges Tom with rape in order to cover up both their actions.
After Atticus is assigned the task of defending this black man named Tom Robinson, he becomes the recipient of many invectives, even from members of his extended family. At holiday time, Scout is told by her cousin Francis, 

"Grandma says it's bad enough he [Atticus] lets you all run wild, but now he's turned out a nigger-lover we'll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb agin. He's ruinin' the family, that's what he's doin'." 

Mrs. Dubose, a neighbor, accuses Atticus of being no better than the "n****s and "trash he works for!" Further, she tells Scout that she will only be waiting on tables when she grows up, then adds,

"Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse lawing for n*****s."

Despite all the negative comments about him, and the challenge of the mob who have come for Tom at the jailhouse before the trial, Atticus has the integrity to do his job. He challenges the men by sitting before the jailhouse door, adamant that no lynch mob may have Tom. Moreover, Atticus firmly believes that a fair trial is for everyone, not just white people. In his closing arguments at Tom's trial, he speaks to the jury, reminding them that in a court of law, "all men are created equal."

Although Atticus has lost in the trial, there are those who respect him, such as Miss Maudie, who tells Alexandra, his sister, that Atticus has been paid a high tribute because he was entrusted with the task "to do right" as he has done for Tom.

What is a synopsis of Old Yeller by Fred Gipson?

Old Yeller is a children's book written by Fred Gipson. It involves the touching relationship between a dog named Old Yeller and a boy, Travis Coates, who grows to love him. As he says at the beginning of the book, "He made me so mad at first that I wanted to kill him. Then, later, when I had to kill him, it was like having to shoot some of my own folks" (page 1). 

Travis lives in Salt Licks, Texas, in the 1860s. His father goes on a cattle drive to Abilene, Kansas to earn money. Travis, who is 14, is left to watch over his mother and his little brother, Arliss, who is then 5. After Travis's father leaves, Old Yeller shows up, who Travis describes as a "big ugly slick-haired yeller dog." Old Yeller is a mangy, thin creature who is missing one ear and part of his tail. Travis wants to scare the dog off, but his mother makes him keep the dog as a pet for Arliss. 

As the book goes on, Travis gains confidence in himself as he is able to watch over his family's farm, and Old Yeller proves himself a worthy pet. For example, he saves Little Arliss from a bear cub and catches a wild turkey that Travis nearly loses. The dog also keeps coons from attacking the corn. Old Yeller's former owner, Burn Sanderson, shows up, but he is willing to give the dog to Arliss in return for a home-cooked meal. In the end, however, Travis has to shoot Old Yeller when he fears the dog has become infected with rabies after killing a wolf. Eventually, Travis and his family take in one of Old Yeller's pups and begin to love their new pet. 

Why does Hamlet demand that Horatio and the guards swear not to tell anybody about the ghost in Act I of Hamlet?

Amid the spectral atmosphere, Hamlet obliges his friend Horatio and the guards to maintain silence about the ghost because he does not want any knowledge of its appearance to reach anyone in the court of Claudius; in addition, Hamlet does not know at this point if the ghost is honest with him.

After Hamlet departs, one of the officers named Marcellus declares the famous line, "Something is rotten in Denmark" (1.4.20). Now, after he has spoken to the ghost of his father, Hamlet realizes that things are, indeed, rotten in the royal court. So, he suspects Claudius, of course--"that incestuous, that adulterate beast"(1.5.42). He also mistrusts his mother--that "pernicious woman"(1.4.105)-- who so quickly married her husband's brother. Further, he really does not know who else may have been involved in the murder of his father, King Hamlet, or even whether the ghost is honest with him.
Therefore, he considers it wise that no word of his father's ghost, which could be from either purgatory or hell, be mentioned. As the play progresses, it becomes clear that Hamlet wishes to find evidence that supports what his father's ghost has told him before he acts.

What does Atticus do during his closing argument that astonishes Scout and Jem? Why do you think he does this?

In Chapter 20, Scout and Jem witness Atticus do something he's never done in front of them before. Atticus loosens his tie, unbuttons his collar and vest, then takes off his coat. Scout and Jem are both shocked and have no idea why Atticus is undressing in the middle of the courtroom. Scout says Atticus then casually addresses the jury "as if they were folks on the post office corner" (Lee 124). Atticus' "odd" behaviors are simply an attempt to seem relatable to the jury. Atticus loses his formal appearance and language in an attempt to appeal to the jury. He understands the jury is made up of staunch country folks who are deeply prejudiced and have an aversion to lawyers who defend African Americans. Atticus "undressing" and speaking informally may make the jury seem more open to his closing arguments. Unfortunately, the jury does not heed Atticus' closing remarks and finds Tom Robinson guilty. 

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, in what way do Atticus' words and actions dealing with Bob Ewell teach Jem and Scout how to respond to the...

Atticus courageously opposes Bob Ewell throughout the novel by defending Tom Robinson and exposing Bob as the violent alcoholic that he truly is in front of Maycomb's community during the trial. In Chapter 23, Bob Ewell spits in Atticus' face while he is leaving the post office. Atticus remains calm and allows Bob to verbally insult him in public. When Bob asks, "Too proud to fight, you nigger-lovin' bastard?" (Lee 291). Atticus responds by saying, "Nope, too old" (Lee 291). Atticus' children are worried about their father and petition him to borrow a gun for protection. Atticus dismisses their idea but notices that they are sincerely upset. When Jem tells Atticus that they are scared for him, Atticus says,

"Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell's shoes a minute. I destroyed his last shred of credibility at that trial, if he had any to begin with. The man had to have some kind of comeback, his kind always does. So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that's something I'll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody and I'd rather it be me than that houseful of children out there" (Lee 293).

Atticus demonstrates the importance of remaining tolerant and not harboring negative feelings towards prejudiced individuals through his interactions with Bob Ewell. He also shows Jem and Scout that morally upright people have nothing to fear when they interact with racist individuals. Atticus does a great job of keeping his composure and thinking of Bob's children while he is being verbally attacked. Atticus also encourages Jem and Scout to view situations from other people's point of view and peacefully oppose prejudice and racism.

How do I write an essay on Macbeth?

Teachers will usually give you some guidance when assigning an essay for a book or play.  Normally you will be given a question to answer, called a prompt.  The prompt is very important because it will give you specific topics to address.  However, if you are not given a prompt, there are some basic strategies to follow.

All essays on a piece of literature should have a thesis.  The thesis is a statement that states your argument, or what you are trying to write about or prove.  The thesis should address the prompt if you are given one.  If your teacher just tells you to write an essay on Macbeth, then you have to first decide what you will write about.

Sometimes the easiest way to start is to focus on either a character or a theme.  For example, you could trace Lady Macbeth’s descent into madness, or Macbeth’s arc of ambition.  Whatever you choose, you want to be able to prove your argument.  Avoid arguments that are too vague or are so overly specific that you can’t really write about them.

Next comes textual evidence.  This is very important in a literary essay.  Most essays follow a standard format of introduction (with thesis), body, and conclusion.  The length of the body will vary, but is generally at least three paragraphs.  In each body paragraph, you break down your argument and support it.  The textual evidence would be quotes or examples from the play.

For example, let’s say you are writing about Lady Macbeth’s descent into madness.  You should support her character traits from the beginning of the play, such as her ambition and planning, with a quotation.

The raven himself is hoarse
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under my battlements. Come, you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,
And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full
Of direst cruelty! … (Act 1, Scene 5)

A quotation like this supports the fact that Lady Macbeth was very strong-willed, and wanted to be considered like a man.  You can compare it with later quotations of when she was slipping, such as imagining blood on her hands.  This shows that she was losing her mind due to guilt.

The important thing to remember when writing an essay on a book is that you have a strong thesis and support your argument with evidence.  If you do that, then no matter what your essay is about it will be a strong one.  You explain how your evidence is related to your thesis and the meaning of your quotes, and you will be fine.

Is Tom Buchanan or Jay Gatsby more to blame for the outcome of The Great Gatsby?

One could make a valid argument for both Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby regarding who is more to blame for the outcome of the story. In my opinion, Jay Gatsby is more to blame for the outcome of the story because he initiates contact with Daisy, which ultimately results in the series of events that lead to his death. Gatsby intervenes in Tom's marriage by carrying on an affair with Daisy, which upsets Tom. Gatsby also allows Daisy to drive his car home following their argument in New York City. Gatsby's decision to let Daisy drive home results in the death of Tom's mistress, Myrtle Wilson. If Gatsby would have stayed out of Tom and Daisy's relationship, Myrtle would not have died, and George would have no reason to seek revenge.

In Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, what are Antonio's and Bassanio's contributions to their friendship?

Bassanio says, “To you, Antonio, / I owe the most, in money and in love.” Bassanio has “disabled [his] estate” by spending more money than he has. He wishes to repay Antonio, to whom he is in debt. Antonio replies that he knows Bassanio is honorable, and because of that, “My purse, my person, my extremest means, Lie all unlock'd to your occasions.” In fact, Antonio says it is better for Bassanio to waste all of his money than to assume Antonio needs an explanation for borrowing money from him. Bassanio’s plan is to borrow once again from Antonio in order to woo Portia, a woman who is rich enough to repay Antonio all Bassanio owes him. Antonio borrows from his enemy Shylock in order to give Bassanio this money.

Clearly, Antonio provides money and support to Bassanio. Antonio adores him. Salarino describes their parting:

And even there, his eye being big with tears,
Turning his face, he put his hand behind him,
And with affection wondrous sensible
He wrung Bassanio's hand; and so they parted.

Salanio says, “I think he only loves the world for him.” As for Bassanio, he refers to Antonio as, “The dearest friend to me, the kindest man,” comparing his sense of nobility to Roman honor. Bassanio does everything he can to save Antonio from Shylock’s wrath. He even says he will sacrifice everything, including his life and his wife’s, for Antonio’s. All Antonio wants in his final hours is for Bassanio to be by his side.

In conclusion, it is unclear what Bassanio provides for Antonio, other than youth, friendship, and a lively spirit. Antonio is a melancholy man who, as Salanio says, seems to live only for Bassanio. He gives everything he has to the young man. In return, Bassanio is grateful and loving towards him. The relationship seems like a romantic one, perhaps one in which Antonio loves Bassanio more than he loves him.

How was "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" effective and ineffective? How would you react?

Accounts of the reception of Edwards's sermon that day in 1741 maintain that some in the congregation cried out, some fainted, and some wept. In the short term, it is plausible to assume it shook people up and made them reexamine the ways they were living and thinking about their afterlife. In that way, it could be deemed effective.

It could be said that Edwards's sermon, perhaps a centerpiece of the Great Awakening in the 1730s and 40s, did little to staunch the flow of people abandoning the vestiges of Puritan thought present in his theology. In that way, it was ineffective. As more people came to the colonies, many for reasons unrelated to religious freedom, what came with them were other ways of worship and attitudes toward the role of religion. The Enlightenment greatly influenced the rise of rational thought, and Deism became a more comfortable way for some to think about God.

The last part of your question is more difficult to answer; it's not easy for a person of the 21st century to fully understand the outlook of a person who would have attended this sermon. Since you asked, though, I would say the sermon would be a turn off for me.