"a value-free sociology is impossible to achieve and would be undesirable anyway." How valid is this assertion?

I'd say it's quite valid, and applies generally to all social sciences.

While it is important to make careful, accurate observations and avoid bias as much as possible, the idea that we could ever eliminate all value judgments or even all biases is unrealistic. We do the best we can. Simply by deciding to do research in the first place, we are effectively acting on the assumption that the knowledge we will acquire is valuable.

Moreover, it can be dangerous to think that we are eliminating all biases and doing "value-free" research; generally what happens then is that we make implicit, unexamined value assumptions (one that comes up a lot in economics is "maximizing GDP is good"). It's better to instead acknowledge our value assumptions so that we can examine and question them.

On the other hand, this doesn't mean we can just freely inject our own values wherever we want---that would clearly lead to biased research. Instead, we clearly state our value assumptions, and focus on the primary goal of getting objective, accurate observations. If we study a behavior we find morally objectionable (infanticide occurs in many cultures, for example), we try to set that aside when studying it, in order to better understand the motivations behind it. At the end we may still decide that it is morally wrong and want to get rid of it---but by understanding it better we will be better equipped to recommend policies that will actually be effective in doing so.

In the book Wonder, what are Julian's and Summer's last names?

Summer's last name is Dawson and Julian's is Albans. Summer befriends and treats Auggie well when he arrives at Beecher Prep after having been home schooled, as does a boy named Jack Will. They are both able to see beyond Auggie's facial deformity to the person underneath. Julian, on the other hand, finds Auggie physically repulsive and bullies him. He tries to persuade the other students, especially his own gang, to shun Auggie. Julian refers to Auggie as a freak, and writes cruel notes to him. 

It doesn't seem as if Auggie's experiment in attending school is going so well until the class trip to a nature reserve camp, where kids from another school taunt and attack Auggie. At this point, other classmates beside Jack come to Auggie's defense.

What are two passages in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird that show Atticus isn't being a good father/role model?

In To Kill a Mockingbird, there are certainly characters who question Atticus's ability to be a good father and role model. However, the views of those characters are not considered reliable; those views are instead affected by prejudices. Throughout the novel, author Harper Lee develops a tone that indicates she disagrees with the characters who think poorly of Atticus, inciting the reader to disagree with them as well.

One character who clearly sees Atticus as a poor father and role model is Aunt Alexandra, especially with respect to how he raises Scout. In particular, Aunt Alexandra feels he gives Scout far too much freedom to do what she wants to do; the result is that Scout runs wild and is not being raised to be a lady. In Chapter 9, Scout recounts a frequent quarrel she has with her aunt. According to Scout, one thing her aunt says is that Scout "should be a ray of sunshine in [her] father's lonely life." Her aunt further says, Scout was "born good but had grown progressively worse every year." Since it is Atticus's job to raise Scout, Aunt Alexandra's view that Scout had "grown progressively worse" hints at Aunt Alexandra's opinion of Atticus's fathering skills. In Aunt Alexandra's view, Scout was well off when her mother was alive, but Atticus does not know how to raise Scout as a lady and has therefore allowed her to run wild.

Other characters express their views about Atticus being a poor father and role model when they judge him negatively for defending Tom Robinson. Scout observes that, after the trial, her classmates began acting as if their parents were forcing them to be nice to her, since their parents see it is not Scout's fault that she has Atticus for a father, as Scout reflects in the following concerning the "adults of Maycomb," or the parents of Maycomb:

[T]heir attitude must have been that neither of us could help having Atticus for a parent, so their children must be nice to us in spite of him. (Ch. 26)

Scout further reflects on the irony of how, despite the fact the town seemed to think Atticus was a terrible parent, they still elected him again to the state legislature without any opposition.  

What are some errors in judgment that Atticus makes in To Kill a Mockingbird?

If Atticus made an error in judgment, it was in not taking Bob Ewell seriously. Atticus believed Bob Ewell was all talk, not a real threat. 

Atticus did his best to defend Tom Robinson even though he knew convincing the jury Tom was innocent was next to impossible. He knew subjecting his children to the criticism and drama would be difficult, but he believed that it would be good for them to learn life lessons. Atticus did so well during the trial in defending Tom Robinson that the jury even deliberated, rather than immediately convicting him. 

Bob Ewell was humiliated by the trial. Atticus dragged his family’s history and dirty laundry into the open. Even though Robinson was convicted, Ewell was aware no one really believed Tom did anything to Mayella Ewell. Bob Ewell was exposed to all of Maycomb as a negligent, abusive drunkard.

Atticus did not really react to Bob Ewell spitting in his face.  He believed Ewell had said his piece, saved face, and would be able to move on. When Scout and Jem ask Atticus to carry a gun for protection, he tells his children he is not afraid of Ewell, saying,

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 (Chapter 23).

Atticus should have been a little more cautious, even if he really did believe that Ewell was done. Ewell was heard saying “it made one down and about two more to go” after Tom Robinson was killed going over the prison fence (Chapter 25). That sounds like a threat directed toward Atticus’s children. 

It probably would have been better if someone had walked Scout and Jem home on Halloween night. Atticus felt there was no danger because Scout and Jem were together and Maycomb was a safe town. The children had to walk through areas where there were not a lot of people around, however, and this made them vulnerable to Bob Ewell. Fortunately, Boo Radley was watching out for them and intervened.

Done properly, product placement can create a realistic scene and a general feeling of familiarity. Is there more to it than that? Do you think...

The objective for product placement in TV shows and movies has more to it than creating a realistic scene and a general feeling of familiarity. The objective of contemporary product placement advertising is to create brand identification, recall, and affinity. The objective aims to influence and modify consumer purchasing behavior in order to generate increased sales through association of the product with favorite actors, situations, and TV shows.  

According to recent research studies examining consumer response to product placement advertising, consumers now routinely use the sophisticated level of their entertainment technology to tune out or skip traditional advertising inserted between entertainment segments. Some research indicates that because of this, traditional advertising will be replaced by contemporary advertising strategies, which include product placement. Minimal research has tapped consumer purchasing behavior following product placement in TV shows and movies; most consumer behavior research focuses on brand recall. While advocates of contemporary marketing strategies, including product placement advertising, represent the choice as generating more revenue from increased sales, this position has not yet been fully substantiated or confirmed through in-depth, targeted research.

JDR Group Marketing Agency, UK, "Traditional Vs Contemporary Marketing Strategies."

John Dudovskiy, "Product Placement as an Effective Marketing Strategy."

What are the similarities between Ralph and Jack's style of leadership in Lord of the Flies by William Golding?

Both Ralph and Jack choose to lead by example, and they both aggressively stand up to challenges in front of their group members in order to elevate their status as leaders. Also, Ralph and Jack both demand a lot from the members of their tribes. Ralph insists on maintaining a signal fire, building shelters, collecting water, and following the rules. Jack also insists that his tribe hunt pigs and follow his directives without questioning him. Both boys get upset when their members do not follow their instructions. Ralph and Jack also share a misunderstanding of how to lead a group of young boys properly. Ralph does not make individuals accountable for their actions. Jack uses fear to control his tribe. Although Ralph and Jack have drastically different agendas, they both wish to be respected leaders and have high expectations for the members of their tribes.

How did the United states react to the Soviet Union exploding its first atomic bomb?

The first successful test of an atomic bomb in the Soviet Union occurred in 1949. This caused great fear and consternation in the United States, as most experts believed the Soviets lagged far behind the Americans in atomic expertise. Fears were intensified when it was discovered that spies within the Manhattan Project, notably Klaus Fuchs, had passed atomic secrets to the Soviets that greatly sped up their efforts. So the explosion of the bomb, along with the victory of Communist revolutionaries led by Mao Zedong in China in the same year, contributed to American fears that the nation was losing the global struggle against Communism. This gave rise to the Second Red Scare, a period of intense anti-Communist hysteria. But perhaps more importantly, it convinced American policy-makers that the nation needed to commit more resources to building a military that could counter the Soviet threat. This commitment was embodied by NSC-68, a memo from the National Security Council to President Truman emphasizing the threat posed by the Soviets, and recommending that the nation be placed, essentially, on a war footing. It began a nuclear "arms race" that would only intensify during the Eisenhower Administration. 

What are two examples from Chapter 8 in Lord of the Flies that suggest that Simon might have epilepsy?

OxfordDictionaries.com defines epilepsy as "a neurological disorder marked by sudden recurrent episodes of sensory disturbance, loss of consciousness, or convulsions, associated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain."

The first reference to Simon's condition is made in chapter one, with the arrival of Jack Merridew and the choirboys:

Then one of the boys flopped on his face in the sand and the line broke up. They heaved the fallen boy to the platform and let him lie. Merridew, his eyes staring, made the best of a bad job. “All right then. Sit down. Let him alone.” “But Merridew.” “He’s always throwing a faint,” said Merridew. “He did in Gib.; and Addis; and at matins over the precentor.”

We know that this refers to Simon because we later read:

... the choir boy who had fainted sat up against a palm trunk, smiled pallidly at Ralph and said that his name was Simon.

Simon's condition patently differentiates him from the others, and Ralph at one point remarks: ‘“He’s queer. He’s funny.” Jack nodded, as much for the sake of agreeing as anything ...’ Ralph also calls him 'batty.'

The second, and more significant, reference to Simon experiencing an epileptic episode is found in chapter eight, as per your question. In this instance, the text suggests a clear link between Simon's hallucinatory state and the onset of an attack. The heightened electrical activity in his brain may be what causes him to imagine that the sow's head on a stick (The Lord of the Flies) is conversing with him.

Simon’s head wobbled. His eyes were half closed as though he were imitating the obscene thing on the stick. He knew that one of his times was coming on. The Lord of the Flies was expanding like a balloon. “This is ridiculous. You know perfectly well you’ll only meet me down there—so don’t try to escape!” Simon’s body was arched and stiff. The Lord of the Flies spoke in the voice of a schoolmaster.  

Simon gradually loses consciousness.

Simon found he was looking into a vast mouth. There was blackness within, a blackness that spread. “—Or else,” said the Lord of the Flies, “we shall do you? See? Jack and Roger and Maurice and Robert and Bill and Piggy and Ralph. Do you. See?” Simon was inside the mouth. He fell down and lost consciousness.

This experience precedes Simon's discovery that what the boys believed to be the beast was actually a dead parachutist. He resolves to inform the others about his discovery.

The beast was harmless and horrible; and the news must reach the others as soon as possible. 

It is unfortunate and tragically ironic that he never gets the chance to deliver his message, for he is killed by the frenzied boys when he appears from the forest and is mistaken for the beast.

In The Dante Club, who was murdered fourth and how?

In The Dante Club by author Matthew Pearl, there are only three murders. The attempted fourth murder is prevented when the members of the club walk in and save the victim, Dr. Manning, before the murderer can kill him. Dan Teal, a veteran who has gone mad and merged his identity with Dante's, taking it upon himself to avenge all of the writer's critics and opponents, is subsequently killed by Manning. However, this act would be considered self-defense rather than murder.

Longfellow was the first to realize that the killer was racing the club to complete the translation of the Inferno. Dr. Manning would have become the killer's fourth victim since he works as the Harvard University treasurer. This position put him on the killer's list since the university was highly critical of Dante. In an attempt to recreate one of the punishments for the damned souls in the Inferno, a theme which all the other murders follow, Teal attempts to kill Dr. Manning and Pliny Mead by burying them in ice without clothing. After fleeing the scene of the attempted fourth and fifth murders, Teal turns on The Dante Club and tries to punish them as well. Manning finds Teal holding a gun to Longfellow and kills him, bringing the story to its resolution.

What are the differences between how well racism is presented in Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird as opposed to in the film?

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, author Harper Lee spends a great deal of time developing the theme of racism, whereas in the film of the same title, racism is only briefly mentioned.

In the novel, Lee develops the theme of racism alongside Scout and Jem as they mature. The more they mature, the more they learn about racism. More specifically, they have multiple experiences that tell them about the racist world, aside from learning about racism from Tom Robinson's trial and from slanderous comments about their father given by kids at school and people like Mrs. Dubose. For example, Scout learns about racism as she joins the ladies of her aunt's missionary circle for refreshments and hears them hypocritically speak out for the needs of the African tribe called the
Mrunas while simultaneously saying the African Americans of their community need to stop grumbling about social injustices and be content in their rightful places of subordination. Scout also learns about racism from hypocritical comments made by her third-grade teacher protesting against Hitler's treatment of the Jews while also saying the African Americans of their community need to be put in their rightful places of subordination.

In contrast, many of the above scenes do not take place in the film. Instead, other than the slanderous comments from kids at school, Scout and Jem mostly learn about racism during the trial. In fact, it is during the trial scene that the theme of racism is developed the most. In the film, during Tom Robinson's cross-examination, when asked by Mr. Gilmer why he spent so much time helping Mayella Ewell, Robinson makes a very fatal statement:

I felt sorry for her because ...

He is never allowed to finish his statement because Mr. Gilmer and the spectators of the court are in an uproar that he, a black man, should feel sorry for a white woman. When we feel sympathy for another person, as opposed to empathy, we automatically place ourselves in a position of superiority over that person because it is that person, not us, who is in the terrible circumstance. In the segregated South, the African American should feel inferior at all times. Hence, the film implies that Robinson's statement of sympathy sealed his fate--it is the primary reason why the jury returned with the guilty verdict. It is also through Robinson's expressed feelings of sympathy and the outrage his feelings provoke that the theme of racism is developed the most in the film.

In contrast, while in the novel, Robinson does make a similar statement and Mr. Gilmer does negatively comment on it, it's not evident Robinson's statement of sympathy alone sealed his fate. In the novel, Lee asserts that his fate was sealed the moment "Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed," and nothing Robinson said or could have said would have changed that (Ch. 25).

Hence, as we can see, Lee spends a great deal of time developing the theme of racism along with the children's changing and maturing perception. In contrast, in the film, the theme of racism is developed primarily during the trial scene.

In Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, how does Anne describes her classmates, and how does this show her ability to assess the character of...

Anne Frank is a very social girl who writes that her closest friends from the Jewish Secondary School are Lies Goosens an Jopie de Waal. On June 21, 1942, Anne writes about her classmates, worrying over testing and whether they will move up to the next level in school. She says the following about them:

"According to me, a quarter of the class should stay where they are; there are some absolute cuckoos, but teachers are the greatest freaks on earth, so perhaps they will be freakish in the right way for once. I'm not afraid about my girl friends and myself, we'll squeeze through somehow" (6).

It would be interesting to know specifically what Anne's definition of "freaks" is. The next entry tells about Anne being the chatterbox of the class, so maybe she is one of the reasons that the class is full of freaks. However, one can infer that since she believes that one quarter of the students should be held back, it is possible that "freaks" means to Anne that they are not smart enough, or capable enough, to move on in school. On the other hand, she also says the teachers can act "freakish," so these words could also connote acting in a different way than Anne feels they should. Either way, Anne seems to judge people according to her own prejudices and whether someone meets her expectations or not.

As far as the disclosure to Dussel of the rules for living in the annex, Anne writes them down in the entry dated 17 November, 1942. Anne cites the fact that the rules were produced by Mr. Van Daan and entitled, "Prospectus and Guide to the "Secret Annexe" (51). The listing reads like a luxurious vacation brochure or a rental advertisement, which is humorous because of the sad irony that the annex is anything but luxurious or a vacation spot. The "brochure" is sectioned off into categories such as "Board and lodging," "Special fat-free diet," "Running water," "Own radio center," "Rest hours," "Holidays," "Lessons," "Mealtimes," "Duties," "Baths," and "Alcoholic beverages." After each category, the rules are displayed, although the words ring with sarcasm that suggests the harsh reality they must really face. For example, under "Use of language" it says the following:

"Speak softly at all times, by order! All civilized languages are permitted, therefore no German!" (52).

This rule indirectly states that Germans are uncivilized, thereby making a political joke of the situation. Another funny comment regarding "Running water" says, "in the bathroom (alas, no bath) and down various inside and outside walls" (51). This comment creatively shows that even though they don't have a bath tub, one could find water leaking down the walls at any time for use. The rest of the rules follow the same pattern; the rule is given through some sort of sarcastic comment, which also reflects the irony of their situation. Anne ends the entry, however, by stating that she is grateful for what they do have in the annex because so many of her Jewish brothers and sisters do not have what they do.

Hamlet: What does the end of the play convey to the audience? (Specifically Act 5. Scene 2)

The end of the play seems to signify the idea that anyone who contributed to the "something rotten" in Denmark has to be eliminated in order for the country to move on and prosper again.  Gertrude has to die because of her disloyalty to her first husband (shown by her hasty remarriage) as well as the fact that she has committed incest (biblically speaking) by marrying her brother-in-law.  Claudius has to die because he is a murderer (and has committed incest with his sister-in-law).  Laertes must die because he has behaved dishonorably in his dealings with Hamlet (by tipping his sword with poison during their duel).  Hamlet must die because he is responsible for the deaths of many relatively innocent individuals: Ophelia, Polonius, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern.  In short, the heart of the Danish court has become a rotten, corrupted Eden, from which everyone who has committed sins must be cut out.  In the end, Fortinbras assumes power and it seems as though he will honor Hamlet's better qualities as well as restore order to the court and country.

What are three important quotes from "By the Waters of Babylon" by Stephen Vincent Benét?

I like the second sentence of the story for a good quote.

It is forbidden to go to any of the Dead Places except to search for metal and then he who touches the metal must be a priest or the son of a priest.  

There is so much mystery to the quote because it is placed so early in the story. What are the Dead Places? Why is it forbidden? What's up with the metal phobia, and why can priests touch it? What's great about the quote is that the story slowly answers all the questions it poses and relates them to John. He is the son of a priest and trains to become a priest. The metal must have been loaded with radiation from the "Great Burning," and the Dead Places are former cities that have been destroyed in a disaster or war.  

I also like this next quote.

It is better to lose one's life than one's spirit, if one is a priest and the son of a priest.

John is saying he would rather die trying to follow his dreams and passions than live knowing he didn't try. That thought gives him the courage to cross the Hudson into the former New York City.

The story closes with this next quote. 

At least, we make a beginning. And, when I am chief priest we shall go beyond the great river. . . We must build again.

"By the Waters of Babylon" is a depressing story. This final quote ends the story in a positive and uplifting way, though. Readers get the feeling that John is the right leader to begin the rebirth of learning in his people.

How would you compare and contrast Stacey's friendship with Jeremy to his friendship with T.J., as represented in the following quote from Roll of...

In Chapter 7, Stacey gives his new coat away to T.J. after T.J. makes fun of it and says that Stacey looks like a preacher while wearing it. Uncle Hammer lectures Stacey:

"If you ain't got the brains of a flea to see that this T.J. fellow made a fool of you, then you’ll never get anywhere in this world. It's tough out there, boy, and as long as there are people, there's gonna be somebody trying to take what you got and trying to drag you down. It's up to you whether you let them or not" (page numbers vary by edition).

T.J. is clearly not a very good friend because he lies to Stacey to get Stacey's new coat for himself. When Mr. Avery tries to have T.J. return the coat to Stacey, Stacey says that T.J. can keep it. T.J. then boasts about his new coat continuously. Therefore, it is clear that T.J. was lying about what he thought of the coat on Stacey so that he could have it for himself. He is selfish in addition to being a liar.

Jeremy Simms, on the other hand, visits the Logan family on Christmas and gives freely of what he has to them. He gives them a bag of nuts and gives Stacey a wooden flute that he made himself. Stacey has not given Jeremy anything, but Jeremy still wants to be friends with him. Jeremy, unlike T.J., is a true friend who likes Stacey no matter what Stacey gives him materially in return. While the other members of the Simms family are racist, Jeremy is not. He even endures beatings from his family to visit the Logan children. 

Papa tells Stacey, "Now you could be right 'bout Jeremy making a much finer friend than T.J. ever will be. The trouble is, down here in Mississippi, it costs too much to find out... So I think you'd better not try" (page numbers vary by edition). Papa says this to Stacey because relationships between white and black people were too complicated at that time and place, and Papa fears that Jeremy will grow up to turn on Stacey, even though Stacey thinks he won't do so. While Jeremy is clearly a better friend to Stacey, they simply can't be friends in Mississippi at that time because of the difficulties of having inter-racial friendships. 

What is the difference between politicians and political thinkers?

A politician is person who is professionally involved in politics. Usually, the word politician refers to someone who has been elected to a political office. Examples of United States political offices would include mayor and county commissioner on the local level; state senator and governor on the state level; and senator, president, and congressperson on the national level. President Obama, for example, is a politician since he is professionally involved in politics as an elected official.

Political thinkers, on the other hand, engage in the study of political philosophy. They consider the nature of government and answer philosophical questions such as "What makes a good government?," "What is justice?," and "What is the proper relationship between a citizen and the government?" Political thinkers may also be politicians (such as Thomas Jefferson and James Madison), but they often are not (such as Plato or Thomas Aquinas).

Find the equation of the line which passes through (-4,1) and is at an angle of 135° with the positive direction of the x axis.

The angle essentially gives the slope.  If you consider, slope is a measure of the steepness of a line, a lot like a hill, which will go up at a certain angle.  To use it for the slope, we need to take tangent function (from trigonometry) of the angle:

`tan135 = -1`

So, in the equation for the line, slope = m = -1

So, we have m = -1 with a point on the line (-4,1).

Various ways to get the equation from there.  We could put this information into the equation`y=mx+b`:

`1 = -1*-4 + b`

So, we can solve that for b:

`1 = 4 + b`

`b = -3`

So, then, we have m and b.  So, we can write the equation for the line:

`y = -x - 3`

How are shattered illusions presented in Sam Selvon’s The Lonely Londoners? What points could I make in an essay?

This is a wonderful topic for an essay about this particular novel:  The Lonely Londoners.  There are many shattered illusions in this book, which focuses on the loneliness felt by the immigrants from West India who moved to London, England in order to find a better life.  In regards to writing an essay on this topic, I would suggest body paragraphs designed to highlight each particular main character.

In regards to the introduction, I would begin by discussing immigrants in general and how they tend to have an unrealistic expectation of the place where they are moving.  If you live in the United States, perhaps you would like to talk a little bit about the “streets paved in gold” and the “land of opportunity.” Then you could compare this to the similar ideas presented by the West Indian immigrants to London in The Lonely Londoners and end with your thesis statement.  An appropriate thesis statement would be as follows:  Shattered illusions are present in The Lonely Londoners through the characters of Moses, Galahad, and Cap. 

The body paragraphs would then focus on Moses, Galahad, and Cap respectively.  Moses Aloetta is the main character of the novel and has the most to say about these shattered illusions.  As our narrator he asserts the following:

I want only a little work, a little food, a little place to sleep … I only want to get by … I don't even want to get on.

Moses speaks about the hardship in every aspect of their lives.  They expected abundance, but they found poverty.  They do not have adequate jobs, nourishment, or shelter. 

[We live] in seedy furnished rooms in run-down areas and have to scramble for what jobs there are or go on the dole.

They resort to simply “existing” in their new environment.  Happiness is illusory.  Other characters focus on other hardships, such as social hardships.  Galahad has a very specific illusion that he is going to be successful in dating many white women in England.  You can give the example of Galahad’s date with Dolly to suggest the reality is far from the illusion.  Dolly is certainly not an upper class girl, and Galahad’s West Indian hospitality (although beautiful) is not appreciated by Dolly.  Finally, your last body paragraph could focus on Cap.  Cap’s way of dealing with the loneliness is both by supporting anarchy and improvisation.  He is the one character that seems to be the least affected by his shattered illusions of London “perfection.”

In "Raymond's Run," what does Raymond do before and after the race?

When examining the text, it becomes apparent that Raymond plays a pivotal role in Tony Cade Bambara’s short story “Raymond’s Run.” Although Hazel Elizabeth Deborah Parker, known as Squeaky, is the protagonist in the story, it is Raymond who teaches her an invaluable life lesson. Raymond lives with a developmental disability, and throughout the story Squeaky is in charge of his care. She takes him with her wherever she goes, and she defends him against the derogatory remarks made by neighborhood children.

On race day, Raymond is with Squeaky when she goes to the park to prepare for the race. She makes sure he is playing on the swings before she signs in to get her race number. Once the race is announced, Raymond gestures towards his sister as if to cheer her on. When she lines up for the race, she notices Raymond is lined up with her on the other side of the fence that separates the track from the grassy area. As Squeaky is running the race, she observes Raymond matching her stride for stride, albeit using his very unique running style. After the race ends, Raymond clamors to join Squeaky on the track side of the fence, but she tries to quiet him. Instead, Raymond quickly climbs over the fence to his excited sister. As her brother runs toward her, Squeaky realizes he has promise and potential.

So I stand there with my new plans, laughing out loud by this time as Raymond jumps down from the fence and runs over with his teeth showing and his arms down to the side, which no one before him has quite mastered as a running style.

And by the time he comes over I’m jumping up and down so glad to see him—my brother Raymond, a great runner in the family tradition.

Suppose the money supply is currently $500 billion and the Fed wishes to increase it by $100 billion. Given a required reserve rate of .25, what...

In the situation described here, the Federal Reserve should inject $25 billion into the economy, presumably by buying that much worth of government securities from banks.  Because of the money multiplier, the $25 billion injection will increase the money supply by $100 billion.

When the Fed injects money into the economy, the money supply does not simply increase by the amount of money that it has injected.  Instead, there is a multiplier effect.  This effect exists because the banks will loan out as much of the money that they receive from the Fed as possible.  When the bank loans the money, that money gets deposited in another bank and loaned out again.  Thus, much more money is created than the Fed originally injected.

The size of the multiplier effect depends on the required reserve ratio (RRR) because the RRR prevents banks from loaning out all of the money they receive as deposits.  The multiplier is found by using the equation multiplier = 1/RRR.  When the RRR is .25, the multiplier is 4.

If the multiplier is 4, the Fed needs to inject one-fourth of the amount by which it wishes the money supply to rise.  This is because the multiplier will cause the money supply to increase by four times the amount injected.  In this case, the Fed wants to increase the money supply by $100 billion.  One-fourth of $100 billion is $25 billion.  Therefore, the Fed should inject $25 billion of new money into the banking system in order to increase the money supply by $100 billion.

Which of the following is NOT a problem or criticism with a legal definition of crime? a. Some behaviors are prohibited by the criminal...

In looking at the legal definition of a crime, it can be defined as an action that breaks the law and may be punished. There are criticisms associated with crime and with the definition of a crime. Therefore, I believe the last answer, which is all of the above, are problems or criticisms of the legal definition of a crime.

One criticism of the law is that it is not routinely enforced. An example of this would be speeding. Going one mile per hour over the speed limit is breaking the law, yet that is rarely enforced.

Another issue is that some people feel certain behaviors should be considered crimes, but they aren’t considered crimes. For example, during an election cycle, people constantly get phone calls about candidates that they don’t want to receive. In some cases, that is legal. However, some people believe it should be illegal to call your house about a candidate if you don’t want the call. Some people feel it should be illegal for wealthy people to not pay taxes. However, there are legal ways that wealthy people can avoid paying taxes.

Finally, some actions are viewed as illegal, but shouldn’t be. For example, a minor is not allowed to consume alcohol. However, some religious practices require the consumption of alcohol. Additionally, during Prohibition, it was illegal to make, transport, or sell alcohol, yet this behavior was very common, even among the police. In some countries, alcohol consumption is legal while in others it isn’t legal.

Therefore, I believe that the last answer  “all of the above” is the correct answer to your question.

How did the authors of the Constitution impose limits on the government that affect the way the government functions today?

The authors of the Constitution imposed limits on the government. These limits continue to impact how the government functions today.

One example of limits imposed on the government was the use of separation of powers. Each branch of government is limited in what in can do. The legislative branch makes the laws. The executive branch carries out the laws. The judicial branch interprets the laws. No branch can do everything by itself. The powers are split among the three branches.

The system of checks and balances also affects how our government functions today. When Congress is considering passing a law, Congress must consider if the courts would view the law as constitutional or unconstitutional. Congress also must consider if the President would sign the bill or veto it. These checks and balances by the judicial and executive branches will impact Congress as it is writing a bill. The President must consider the actions he takes. If he abuses his power, he could be impeached by Congress.

Finally, the writers of the Constitution gave certain powers that are reserved only for the states. For example, the states make laws regarding education in the state. They also determine what the punishments should be for breaking state laws.

The writers of the Constitution wanted to have a stronger government than the one that existed under the Articles of Confederation. However, they didn’t want the government or any individual to become too strong or too powerful. Thus, they limited some of the actions that the government could do.

Who would be five characters from Alice Walker's The Color Purple who are imprisoned by naturalistic forces they cannot control, naming the forces...

I am not sure if by "naturalistic" you are referring to the concrete laws of nature, as opposed to the supernatural or spiritual, or if you are using the term within the context of Naturalism in literature, which proposed that one's character was determined by heredity and social environment.

If you are indicating the former, I do not agree that a single character in The Color Purple is "imprisoned" by nature itself. However, social constructions imposed around their "natural" identities—e.g., black, female—have limited them and have made them feel trapped in circumstances beyond their control. Again, this is not nature operating against them, but social restrictions placed on them due to biological facets of identity, such as sex and skin color. Let's consider five characters in the novel who have been limited in this way, specifically how they are limited, and how the limitation has affected their lives.

One may as well begin with the narrator, Celie. Due to her gender, Celie is sexually abused by her stepfather, beaten up by her husband, and ignored or berated by nearly all of the men around her. Because she is dark-skinned, she is considered ugly. As a result of being both dark and female, the black men in her life are able to project onto her all of their self-hatred. Her step-father, whom she believes to be her father early in the novel, is trying to marry her off to Mr. and says the following:

Well, next time you come you can look at her [Celie]. She ugly. Don't even look like she kin to Nettie. But she'll make the better wife. She ain't smart either, and I'll just be fair, you have to watch her or she'll give away everything you own. But she can work like a man (9).

Due to her being the narrator, there is already a disconnect between what we, as readers, know about Celie and how she is perceived. So much of who she is is misunderstood. Her generosity is perceived as carelessness and stupidity. She is hardworking, but that makes her less feminine. The men operate and speak according to what white patriarchy has taught them. In that construct, there is no place for Celie's generosity or her womanly strength.

It is important, too, how Nettie is one of the women in the novel whom the men like to set in opposition to Celie, despite the women's love for each other. Nettie is lighter-skinned ("don't even look like she kin to Nettie") and is, therefore, perceived as more attractive.

Another character who is limited is Pa, more frequently referred to as "He." It could be argued that Pa is the only character in the novel who is "imprisoned by naturalistic forces" that are specifically rooted in nature. His sexual desire is bottomless. He has impregnated his wife, Celie's mother, many times. Though her last birth, "little Lucious," was a difficult one, her husband will not cease "pulling on her arm," imploring her to go to bed with him. His response is to start in on Celie.

However, I'm reluctant to refer to Pa as "imprisoned." He is an abuser. He takes away Celie's agency and his wife's. He impregnates Celie before she is old enough to understand what it means to be pregnant and to have a baby, and abuses his position of parental authority. That said, he lacks a sense of self-worth—an outcome of being a black man in the South; so, he clings to the one thing that brings him personal value: having sex with whatever woman he chooses and forcing her to deliver his offspring. On plantations, a virile black man was a profitable commodity. It seems that Pa has internalized the slave master's sense of what makes him worthy. In this sense, his actions are both naturally and socially constructed.

Harpo, Mr.'s son, is another who is limited by a force he cannot really control. This one is his character:

Harpo nearly big as his daddy. He strong in body but weak in will. He scared (29).

Harpo is a naturally gentle person who is not allowed to be himself due to his circumstances. His father teaches him that he must beat women in order to get them to bend to his will, a notion to which Celie briefly agrees when Harpo seeks advice on how to manage Sofia. In their world, the only way in which a man can assert his masculinity is through dominance over women. As a result, Harpo loses Sofia, the only woman he ever loved, to a man (the prizefighter) who allows Sophia her individuality.

Sofia is a fourth character whose nature clashes with what society demands from her. Whereas Harpo is "weak," Sofia is undeniably strong. She is slapped by the mayor as a result of "sassing [his] wife." She rightfully asserts herself ("You know what happen if somebody slap Sofia"), and there is an attempt by a mob of local whites to beat her strength out of her. She also ends up in prison. 

The assumption, held by the Sheriff and Mr., is that much of this is Sofia's fault:

Sheriff say, She a crazy woman, your boy's wife. You know that?

Mr. ______ say, Yassur, us do know it. Been trying to tell Harpo she crazy for twelve years...Sofia come from crazy peoples...it not all her fault. And then again, the sheriff know how womens is, anyhow.

Sheriff think bout the women he know, say, Yep, you right there (91).

Sofia is deemed "naturally" crazy, the result of heredity and upbringing ("come from crazy peoples"). However, Sofia's response to this abuse is a natural and reasonable response. In this society, though, a black woman who is interested in her survival does not hit white people. This is "crazy." Sofia, by asserting her agency, is acting outside of social expectations and allowances. Her irrationality is also attributed to her femaleness. Both the Sheriff and Mr., men who are otherwise opposed to one another due to race, briefly unite within their sexism, which asserts that women are "naturally" irrational.

Finally, I would select Mr. as an obvious choice for someone who is limited by circumstances beyond his control. He is the embodiment of misogyny in this novel. It is very easy, due to his treatment of Celie, to paint him as a villain. However, his behavior is a reaction to generations of debasement. Life in the South has taught him that one's worth is determined by one's ability to dominate others. The only person over whom a black man has dominance—for he lacks even the ability to determine his own existence—is a black woman. Again, this assertion of dominance results from nature insofar as his sex gives him the physical strength to beat Celie. Yet, social engineering has taught him to think that she cannot exist without him.

Reference: Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. New York: Pocket Books. 1982. Print.

What evidence suggests that the narrator in "The Scarlet Ibis" by James Hurst is superstitious?

The narrator of James Hurst’s short story “The Scarlet Ibis” demonstrates his superstitious nature a number of times in the story.

Doodle is born in a caul. To demonstrate his superstition, Brother mentions Aunt Nicey’s belief that babies born in a caul are special because cauls are made of “Jesus’ nightgown” and these babies have the potential to be saints. Brother takes note of Aunt Nicey’s belief and shares it with the reader, which expresses his own superstition surrounding William Armstrong’s birth and naming. “She said caul babies should be treated with special respect since they might turn out to be saints.”

When Doodle gains strength and begins to walk, Brother suggests they tell no one. He seems to be superstitious that something will go wrong if they tell anyone. They decide to surprise the rest of the family, and give clues about a surprise to come. They plan to share Doodle’s ability to walk on his birthday as if it is his rebirth.

Again, Brother shares Aunt Nicey's superstition as she speaks about the relevance of the dead Scarlet Ibis. These words foreshadow what is to come in the story.

“Dead birds is bad luck," said Aunt Nicey, poking her head from the kitchen door. "Specially red dead birds!”

Aunt Nicey’s prediction is true as the family’s faces the death of their own Scarlet Ibis, Doodle.

What is a description of Mr. Morrison, and why does Papa bring him to stay with the familiy in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor?

Mr. Morrison is a very muscular, strong, "giant" of a man with whom Papa has worked on the railroad. Since he has lost his job, Papa has asked him to accompany him home because he needs another man to protect his family in what appears to be brewing racial troubles.

Interestingly, the character of Mr. Morrison ties in with the title of Mildred Taylor's novel; for when Mama is introduced to him in Chapter 2, she studies him momentarily, then welcomes him to her home. 

"Miz Logan," said Mr. Morrison in a deep, quiet voice like the roll of low thunder, "I think you oughta know I got fired off my job. Got in a fight with some men...beat 'em up pretty bad."

Also, when he explains to Mama that he did not start the fight and the others--white men--were not fired, this situation foreshadows what actions are to come in Taylor's narrative. Having heard Mr. Morrison's explanation, Mama tells him that her family is glad to have him, "especially now." Further, as the plot develops, the taciturn, but mighty Mr. Morrison proves to be a strong ally and solid friend to the Logans.

Why does Jem get really upset at the end of Chapter Ten of To Kill a Mockingbird?

Jem is not really upset at all at the end of Chapter Ten. Rather, he is somewhat in awe of his father, who he has just witnessed kill a rabid dog in the streets of Maycomb with a single shot from a rifle. In fact, he learns from Miss Maudie that Atticus was once known as "One-Shot Finch," the best shot with a rifle in the county. He does make it clear to Scout that he doesn't want her to tell her schoolmates about the encounter with the dog, or about what a crack shot her father is (he correctly realizes that Atticus would regard that as vain and overly proud) but he is hardly upset. Indeed, at the end of the chapter, he exclaims that Atticus is a gentleman, just like him. It is possible, though, that you are referring to the end of Chapter Eleven, when Jem is overcome with complex emotions after the death of Mrs. Dubose, an old shut-in and, it is revealed, a recovering morphine addict. Atticus had for weeks ordered Jem to visit and read books to the old lady, who never failed to make him angry by calling Atticus a "n----r lover" in addition to a number of insults directed at him. When she dies, Jem's response is emotional. 

Give a character sketch of the soldier in the poem, "The Man He Killed" by Thomas Hardy. Describe the soldier's occupation, social class, and level...

The soldier in Thomas Hardy's poem is an infantryman. We see this in the first line of the second stanza, when he says "But ranged as infantry." That means he fights in the military. He also mentions in stanza four that he only enlisted in the military because he was out of work. 

He thought he'd 'list, perhaps, 

            Off-hand like — just as I — 

Was out of work — had sold his traps — 

            No other reason why. 

In that excerpt, we see that the speaker is thinking about the man that he just killed. He wonders if that man joined just because he was out of a job, like the speaker did. The speaker had "no other reason" to join the military.

We can also assume that the speaker is not wealthy, but also not poor. He is not wealthy enough to not work - since he has to join the military when he loses his job. But he also is wealthy enough to be generous; he claims that he would "treat [the man] if met where any bar is, / Or help [him] to half-a-crown." That means that the speaker has enough money to comfortably buy another man a drink, or to give him some money if he needs it.

We can conclude that the speaker is at least decently educated due to his thought process. He is smart enough to question the war and the peculiarity of fighting against someone you might normally buy a drink for. This suggests an inquisitive mind, rather than a complacent mind that accepts the fighting.

Hope this helps!

What are some examples of effects of ambition in Julius Caesar?

There is ambition at work in many of the characters in the play.  Julius Caesar is assassinated because many of the other characters feel that he is too ambitious.  Their ambition, on the other hand, is what leads them to assassinate him.  They are ambitious enough to believe that they can do it and have that right.

Brutus, Cassius, and the other conspirators believed that Caesar wanted to make himself king of Rome. They were concerned that if they did not stop him he would continue grabbing power.  His march on Rome and the civil war against Pompey shook them.  Shakespeare alludes to this in the beginning scene with the commoners and Marullus and Flavius.

After killing Caesar, Brutus does not desire to replace himself as king.  He just wants to explain to the people that Caesar was too ambitious to live. He explains how much he loves Rome.

I weep for him;
as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was
valiant, I honour him: but, as he was ambitious, I
slew him. There is tears for his love; joy for his
fortune; honour for his valour; and death for his
ambition. (Act 3, Scene 2)

Brutus’s ambition is to rule Rome as a republic, as it was designed to be.  He is an idealist.  His speech, noble and ambitiously naïve, is followed by Mark Antony’s bombastic patriotism.  Antony does not excuse Caesar.  He carefully accuses Brutus and the others, and questions their charges of Caesar’s ambition, reminding the citizens what Caesar did for Rome. 

He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?(Act 3, Scene 2)

We can’t talk about ambition without mentioning Octavius.  He is by far the most ambitious character in the play.  Most of his actions are subtle.  He is young, but he does not bow to Antony and follow his lead.  He takes most of Brutus and Cassius’s soldiers after his side wins the battle.  The fact that he has the last lines at the end of the play indicates that his plans are far-reaching.  Notice that he takes Brutus’s body, countering slightly Antony's comments about Brutus being the noblest Roman.

OCTAVIUS

According to his virtue let us use him,
With all respect and rites of burial.
Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie,
Most like a soldier, order'd honourably.
So call the field to rest; and let's away,
To part the glories of this happy day. (Act 5, Scene 5)

Octavius will later be extremely important to the history of Rome, and world history.  He was Rome’s first emperor.  His efforts to eliminate the competition, especially Mark Antony, are chronicled in Antony and Cleopatra.

What is Lois Lowry's purpose in the book The Giver?

The author of The Giver, Lois Lowry, has said that the idea for the book was triggered by her visits to her father, who was losing his memory.  Her book started as a kind of exploration of what would happen if a society had no memory for anything that went before and evolved into a story in which people traded memory for what they thought would be happier and safer lives.  As she wrote, she said, the book rapidly turned into a dystopian story, with it becoming increasingly clear that people who gave up memory and other qualities of life, such as emotion, variety, and color, were making a very bad bargain, missing out on some negative aspects of life, to be sure, but also missing out on most of what is good about being alive.  I think that usually, as a writer begins writing, he or she does not say, "I am writing with the purpose of teaching my readers this one particular lesson." As one of my favorite professors taught me, "Writing is a means of coming to know" (McMahon). Lowry, I would imagine, wrote herself into an understanding that a society set up as she set up hers in the story would be a horrible one, and she used Jonas, with his slowly dawning understanding, to help the reader see this. So, while her initial "purpose" was an exploration of memory and its loss, she wrote herself into a book that is teeming with much richer purpose, a story that shows us that the loss of memory, emotion, variety, and control renders us something less than fully human. 

How has Robert Bridges, through the use of vivid imagery, described the magical scene of "London Snow"?

Through the use of vivid imagery, Robert Bridges paints a magical scene of London snow that is subtly superimposed over a scene of corrupted London. He does this by juxtaposing images of sparkling, drifting, magical snow with contrasting images of broken, unwelcoming, dirty city. Bridges' snow imagery emphasizes snow's lightness and cleanness and its sparkling qualities: "softly drifting and sailing," "uncompacted lightness," "dazzling whiteness." The imagery of the city, which he subtly incorporates into the snow's path and settling "down and down," emphasizes its brokenness, its noise, its discoloration and its unfriendliness: "unevenness," "crevices," "Deadening, muffling, stifling," "city brown," "Stealthily."

In large white flakes falling on the city brown,
Stealthily and perpetually settling and loosely lying,
      Hushing the latest traffic of the drowsy town;
Deadening, muffling, stifling its murmurs failing;
Lazily and incessantly floating down and down:
      Silently sifting and veiling road, roof and railing;
Hiding difference, making unevenness even,...

Bridges slowly introduces the march of humanity over the now perfect nature landscape. Boys play and marvel at the "white-mossed wonder" trees: "'O look at the trees!' they cried, 'O look at the trees!'" Even while the sun stands by St. Paul's Cathedral dome, "sun, in pale display / Standing by Paul’s high dome," businessmen trudge out on their familiar "long brown paths." They are diverted from the business of their words, "the daily word is unspoken," as they are filled with awe at the "sight of the beauty that greets them."

The paradoxical ending image shows that the awed businessmen are the ones guilty of marring the snow-whitened city scene: "for the charm they have broken." Other city dwellers, boys and men in carts that "creak and blunder," don't mar the "white-mossed wonder," but as soon as the businessmen, "trains of sombre men," step out their doors, "war is waged with the snow." They "[t]read long brown paths" before they see and wonder and, then, even they feel their burdens lifted: "even for them awhile no cares encumber." The magic of Bridges' imagery first hides, then points to the decayed nature of London, suddenly washed clean by snowfall for a moment—London decked out in a night-time snow "full inches seven," yet under an unreachable, unattainable, "high and frosty" image of heaven.

Hiding difference, making unevenness even,
Into angles and crevices softly drifting and sailing.
      All night it fell, and when full inches seven
It lay in the depth of its uncompacted lightness,
The clouds blew off from a high and frosty heaven;...

Torez has 4 apples, Martin takes quarter of them and gives Torez one back. How many apples does Torez have after that?

Hello!

First, let's find how much apples is a quarter (one-fourth) of `4` apples.

It is evident that  `4 = 1+1+1+1,`  i.e. `4` is the sum of `4` equal parts, each of them is one. So by the definition of a one-fourth part a quarter of `4` is `1.`

Second, Martin takes quarter of `4` apples, i.e. `1` apple. The remaining quantity after this is `4-1=3.` Then he gives one apple back, so the quantity becomes `3+1=4`.

And this is the answer: after these manipulations Torez has 4 apples again.

In Nickel And Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, what does the quote "The average man does not want to be free. He simply wants to be safe" mean?

This quote is actually by essayist H.L. Mencken. In the context of Nickel and Dimed, it means the majority of Americans are working hard just to put food on the table and find a safe place to live. One of the aspects of surviving on the minimum wage that Ehrenreich documents is that it's difficult to find a safe place to live. For example, when the author is working at Wal-mart and living at Clearview, a cheap motel, her room, which lacks a bolt and air conditioning, is destroyed by sewage. She has no kitchen, so she stores her edibles in a plastic bag and hopes the cheese she does not refrigerate is safe to eat. There is disconnection among the people living at this apartment complex, as they do not know each other, and people work long hours so they are often not home. Therefore, one of the luxuries of having money is the ability to live in a safe place with a sense of connection to other people. The dream of many Americans who are poor is to find this type of safe space, but their resources make this dream difficult.

In Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, what are Portia's comments on the different suitors (besides Bassanio)? What does this reveal about her...

In Act 1, Scene 2 of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, Nerissa asks Portia what she thinks about all of the different suitors who have come to try their luck to win her hand in marriage. Portia has her lady-in-waiting name off the different men and she comments on each. The list of suitors is as follows: Neapolitan prince, County Palatine, Monsieur le Bon, Falconbridge of England, a Scottish lord and a German, the Duke of Saxony's nephew. Portia has something sarcastic to say about each man's annoying habits and hopes none of them win her hand in marriage.

First, the Neapolitan annoys her because he only talks about his horse and the fact that he can shoe the animal himself. Next, the County Palatine never smiles. Portia feels as though he will become a "weeping philosopher when he grows old," which does not excite her. Then, the French Lord is bad because he has the bad habits that both of the first two suitors have: he frowns more than the County and he speaks of his horse as well. Not only that, but the Frenchman is also crazy enough, or cowardly enough, to fence with his own shadow, so of this Portia has no respect.

The Englishman only speaks English, which Portia does not, though she speaks Latin, French and Italian; so, marrying him would be a quiet venture. The Englishman also has a bad sense of fashion because his clothes aren't properly fitted. His clothes are so bad that she feels he bought each piece of clothing from a different country. 

Then the Scottish lord threatens the Englishman when they come in sight of each other, but he made friends with the Frenchman on this matter. Finally, there is the German who is constantly drunk, who Portia says "is a little worse than a man, and when he is worst he is little better than a beast" (I.iii.73-75).

From Portia's descriptions, one might say that she is picky, or selfish, and should be willing to marry any of these men. However, she is young and intelligent as well and values her happiness. Rather than picky or selfish, Portia can be considered wise because she knows with whom she will be compatible or not. She also knows that she wants to marry for love, not for status or money. Portia is witty because she cleverly mocks each suitor, but she is also strong-willed and knows what or whom will make her happy. She is much distressed over the fact that her father's game must be played in order to determine her lifelong mate, and wishes that she could choose him for herself.

How did Sedaris take his experience–-attending a beginner's language class–-and turn it into a humorous essay? An interviewer once wrote that...

Sedaris describes his experience attending a French-language class in which the teacher is nasty and insulting and makes it funny by using his deadpan humor. Deadpan humor refers to a kind of humor in which the person telling the joke does so dryly, without showing a great deal of emotion. Instead, Sedaris relates his insulting experiences without much emotion surrounding what happens to him; instead, he simply relates his teacher's nasty insults and lets them speak for themselves. He also uses nonsense words to stand for the French words he doesn't understand, helping the reader understand what it's like to be in a situation in which most of what is said is unintelligible.

Sedaris uses this same type of deadpan humor in "Go Carolina," the chapter of his book about his speech therapy. For example, he writes that his speech teacher instructed him to say, "'My speech therapist's name is Miss Chrissy Samson...Go ahead, say it. I want you to hear what you sound like.'" Saying this sentence was obviously torture to Sedaris when he was little, as he had a sibilant "s," but he relates his teacher's cruel instructions in a deadpan manner without commenting on how mean they were. He makes the story very funny because he relates it in a way in which the teacher's mean and silly instructions literally speak for themselves. 

Why do you think Grendel's mother takes his arm from where it was hanging in Heorot?

After Beowulf defeats Grendel, ripping off the monster’s arm in the process, the Danes celebrate the end of Grendel’s depredations by hanging his severed arm in Heorot. However, their celebration is short lived. The next night, Grendel’s mother enters Heorot and kills Aeschere, one of King Hrothgar’s most trusted advisors. She then takes Aeschere’s body and Grendel’s arm from the king’s hall. Thus, she deprives the king of his closest friend and the Danes of their grisly trophy.

The main motivation attributed to Grendel’s mother in the poem is that of vengeance for the death of her son, although the poet also provides us with some information that her sorrow at the loss of Grendel is also a motivation:

1255(b)                                                 That became manifest,
           widely known by men,           that an avenger still
           lived after the misfortunes,   for a long time
           after the war-trouble,             Grendel's mother,
           lady troll-wife,                          remembered misery…

 1276(b)                                                 And his mother even now,
          greedy and gloomy-hearted   wished to go forth,
          a sorrowful journey,                 to avenge her son's death…

1302(b)                                                  [S]he took from its gore
            a well-known arm;                    sorrow was renewed, 
            it returned to their dwellings;

Given that Grendel’s mother comes to Heorot both to avenge her son and because she is grieving his loss, it seems likely that these two emotions also combine to motivate her to take his arm back to their dwelling. She wants to deprive the Danes of their trophy, but it also seems that she wants to reunite Grendel’s arm with the rest of his body. This indicates that Grendel’s mother, though a monster, is able to feel love for her son and grief at his loss, to the degree that she wants his entire body back.

Write an equation in standard form for the ellipse with center (0,0), a Focus at (0,6), and a vertex at (0, -10).

We are given a focus at (0,6), the center at the origin, and a vertex at (0,-10), and we are asked for the standard form of the equation for the ellipse.

Let a be the distance from the center to a vertex on the major axis, b the distance from the center to a vertex on the minor axis, and c the distance from the center to one of the foci.

We know the major axis lies on the y-axis as the center is the origin and the foci lie on the y-axis.

Thus a=10. (The length of the major axis is 2a=20; the distance between the vertices on the major axis. By symmetry, the other vertex is at (0,10).)

Also c=6.

The relation between a,b, and c for an ellipse is `b^2=a^2-b^2, a>b ` so

`b^2=100-36=64 ==> b=8 `

Then the equation can be written as `x^2/64+y^2/100=1 ` or `y^2/100+x^2/64=1 ` depending on textbook/instructor preference.

`y = ln(tanh(x/2))` Find the derivative of the function

`y=ln(tanh(x/2))`

The derivative formula of natural logarithm is

• 
  `d/dx[ln(u)] = 1/u*(du)/dx`

Applying this formula, the derivative of the function will be

`y' = d/dx [ln(tanh(x/2))]`

`y' = 1/(tanh(x/2)) * d/dx[tanh(x/2)]`

To take the derivative of hyperbolic tangent, apply the formula

• 
  `d/dx[tanh(u)] = sec h^2 (u) * (du)/dx`

So y' will become

`y'= 1/(tanh(x/2)) * sec h^2 (x/2) * d/dx(x/2)`

`y' = 1/(tanh(x/2)) *sec h^2(x/2) * 1/2`

`y'=(sec h^2(x/2))/(2tanh(x/2))`

To simplify it further, express it in terms of hyperbolic sine and hyperbolic cosine.

• 
  `sec h(u) = 1/cosh(u)`

• 
  `tanh(u)=sinh(u)/cosh(u)`

Applying this, y' will become

`y'= (1/(cosh^2(x/2)))/(2*sinh(x/2)/cosh(x/2))`

`y'= (1/(cosh^2(x/2)))/((2sinh(x/2))/cosh(x/2))`

`y'=1/(cosh^2(x/2)) * cosh(x/2)/(2sinh(x/2))`

`y'=1/cosh(x/2) * 1/(2sinh(x/2))`

`y'=1/(2sinh(x/2)cosh(x/2))`

Then, apply the identity

• 
  `sinh(2u) = 2sinh(u)cos(u)`

So y' will be

`y' = 1/sinh(2*x/2)`

`y'=1/sinh(x)`

Therefore, the derivative of the given function is `y'=1/sinh(x)` .

What is the relationship between vampire bats and horses: mutualism, commensalism, or parasitism?

Mutualism

In a mutualistic relationship, both species benefit from the relationship. 

Example: Bees and pollinating flowers - The bees benefit by gaining nectar from the flowers. The flower benefits by using the bee to carry its pollen to other flowers. 

Commensalism

In a commensalistic relationship, one species benefits from the relationship, while the other species is not positively or negatively affected.

Example: An example is the relationship that exists between cattle egrets and cattle. The cattle are not effected by the egrets, and the egrets get to eat insects that hang around the cattle. 

Parasitism

In a parasitic relationship, one species benefits while the other species is harmed.

Example: Ticks and dogs - The tick benefits from the dog's blood, while causing harm to the dog.

Vampire Bats and Horses

Vampire bats feed on the blood of horses and other mammals. This relationship benefits the vampire bats while causing harm to the horses. Therefore, the relationship between vampire bats and horses is an example of parasitism.

What are three quotes from Romeo and Juliet that address different love relationships?

Romeo describes his unrequited love for Rosaline to his kinsman, Benvolio, in Act I, Scene 1.  He says,

She'll not be hit

With Cupid's arrow.  She hath Dian's wit,

And, in strong proof of chastity well armed,

From love's weak childish bow she lives uncharmed (I.1.216-219).

He means that Roasline refuses to fall in love (which would happen if she were hit with the arrow of Cupid, the god of love).  Continuing the mythological allusions, Romeo says Rosaline is as chaste and clever as Diana.  Rosaline's heart simply cannot be touched by the arrows of love.  In fact, she has sworn to be a virgin forever, like the goddess Diana.  That his love remains unrequited makes Romeo utterly miserable.

Juliet describes romantic love in her balcony scene in Act II, Scene 2.  She says,

O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?

Deny thy father and refuse they name,

Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,

And I'll no longer be a Capulet (2.2.36-39).

Juliet's love is so strong that she is prepared to ask Romeo to give up his identity to be with her, or, if he is unwilling to do so, she will swear her love to him and give up her identity as a Capulet.  This romantic love becomes the most important thing to both of them, more important than friends or family honor and loyalty.  The fact that Juliet is willing to give up all she knows to be with Romeo is quite powerful.

Friar Lawrence also has a general love for everyone, and he wishes for peace and for the end of all feuding and violence.  When Romeo approaches the Friar with his wishes to marry Juliet, the Friar eventually agrees, saying, "this alliance may so happy prove / To turn your households' rancor to pure love" (II.3.98-99).  Friar Lawrence hopes this act of love between Romeo and Juliet will compel their families to stop their fighting, and he marries the couple out of his love for all humankind and his love of peace.

What are the main ideas of Hamlet's soliloquy in Act III, Scene III?

Act Three, Scene Three opens shortly after the play-within-the-play has finished. King Claudius is wildly unnerved by what he has just seen and now feels that Hamlet may pose a threat to him. Unwilling to continue to deal with the potential risk, Claudius decides to send Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to accompany Hamlet on a trip to England, believing that he will be safer with the crazed boy out of the country.

After a discussion with Polonius about the two's plans to spy on Hamlet in Gertrude's room, Claudius breaks down in prayer, confessing the murder of King Hamlet to God and seeking forgiveness. Hamlet discreetly enters the room intent on killing Claudius, which is when his soliloquy begins.

Watching Claudius, Hamlet realizes that if he kills him during the act of prayer, he will send the murderer straight to heaven:

A villain kills my father, and, for that,

I, his sole son, do this same villain send

To heaven.

Hamlet does not want Claudius to get off that easily, especially since Claudius murdered King Hamlet before the King had a chance to repent his own sins. To allow Claudius to repent when the man he killed did not have that opportunity would seem particularly twisted—a favor rather than an act of revenge:

To take him in the purging of his soul

When he is fit and seasoned for his passage?

No.

Hamlet realizes that he has no choice but to wait for a more opportune moment to kill Claudius, be it when he's engaging in sex or gambling or some other sin. The objective here is to send Claudius straight to hell with his soul "damned and black." Resolute in this decision, Hamlet slips away to meet his mother.

What was Shays's Rebellion and what effect did it have on the nation?

Shays’ Rebellion was an uprising carried out by farmers in Massachusetts in 1786 and 1787.  The main effect that it had on our country was that it caused the calling of the Constitutional Convention.  The men who attended this convention wrote the US Constitution.  Thus, Shays’ Rebellion led rather directly to the writing of the Constitution.

Shays’ Rebellion happened because farmers were facing major economic problems.  They could not get enough money to pay their taxes or their debts.  Because they could not pay, many of them were having their land taken away from them.  Farmers, many of whom were veterans of the Revolutionary War, felt that they were being treated unfairly and they rebelled.  They were trying to stop the courts from functioning so their land could not be taken away.

Shays’ Rebellion was suppressed, but it worried many American elites.  They felt that it was one more piece of evidence showing that a new system of government was needed.  They wanted a form of government in which the national government had more power. Because of this, they called the Constitutional Convention, which ended up writing a new constitution for the US. 

We can say, then, that Shays’ Rebellion was a rebellion by farmers in Massachusetts that led to the writing of our Constitution.

Why is "The Canterville Ghost" a mix of comedy and horror?

"The Canterville Ghost" is a horror story because parts of the story are genuinely creepy and scary.  In the story, readers are told that Sir Simon brutally murdered his wife and has been haunting the house for generations.  Additionally we learn about a blood stain that can't be removed.  It reappears despite all best efforts to clean it.  Further scares come from the ghost himself.  When he first appears to Mr. Otis, Sir Simon is dragging chains with him and has burning red eyes.  

The story is a comedy because despite Sir Simon's best efforts, the Otis family flat out refuses to be afraid.  It's not just that they put on a brave face either.  They are literally not scared in the slightest.  For example, Mr. Otis is more annoyed with Sir Simon that first night than scared.  That's why Mr. Otis hands the ghost some oil and asks him to kindly keep the noise down.  The twins end up antagonizing the ghost.  They set up trip wires for him, they throw pillows at him, and they even scare the ghost with fake ghosts.  Sir Simon spends most of the story plotting new ways to scare the Otis family only to be defeated in a funny way.  

In To Kill a Mockingbird what are three examples of bravery or cowardice?

An example of cowardice in the book is when the children were afraid of Boo Radley.  They were teasing each other and daring each other to go in the Radley yard or try to touch the house.  Scout in particular was very afraid.  For Jem it was a kind of game, but he was still frightened.  Dill was fascinated.  He just wanted to make Boo Radley come out, because he empathized with him and thought he might be lonely.

Dill is able to convince Jem and Scout to go into the Radley yard.  It took Jem three days to get up the nerve.

I suppose he loved honor more than his head, for Dill wore him down easily: “You’re scared,” Dill said, the first day. “Ain’t scared, just respectful,” Jem said. The next day Dill said, “You’re too scared even to put your big toe in the front yard.” Jem said he reckoned he wasn’t, he’d passed the Radley Place every school day of his life. (Ch. 1) 

The children overcome their fear of Boo and even become friends with him.  He begins to leave them little trinkets in a tree, returns Jem’s pants, and puts a blanket over Scout’s shoulders at the fire.  While the children are afraid of Boo, in a way Boo is also afraid.  He is afraid to leave his house, because he is shy and reclusive.  The children help encourage him to come out. 

Another example of a quote about bravery occurs when Atticus discusses Mrs. Dubose.  He is describing a courage to meet life on your own terms.  Mrs. Dubose had the strength to conquer her addiction. 

I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. (Ch. 11) 

This sort of moral courage is different than shooting a gun.  Atticus is brave when he faces down the mad dog and shoots it, but he is also brave because he is defending Tom Robinson.  When a mob of men show up to lynch his client, Atticus does not back down. 

When the mob tells Atticus that they have diverted the sheriff and he won’t be there to help, Atticus is still not afraid.  He stands his ground against the mob. 

“Called ‘em off on a snipe hunt,” was the succinct answer. “Didn’t you think a’that, Mr. Finch?”

“Thought about it, but didn’t believe it. Well then,” my father’s voice was still the same, “that changes things, doesn’t it?”

“It do,” another deep voice said. Its owner was a shadow.

“Do you really think so?” (Ch. 15) 

Scout is also brave when she goes out into the mob to talk to Walter Cunnhingham.  Atticus tells her that a mob is made up of people, and she reminded Water that he was human.  Scout stood up to him because she had Atticus’s example.

`x = 1/3(y^2 + 2)^(3/2) , 0

Arc length (L) of the function x=h(y) on the interval [c,d] is given by the formula,

 `L=int_c^dsqrt(1+(dx/dy)^2)dy` , if x=h(y) and c `<=`  y `<=`  d,

`x=1/3(y^2+2)^(3/2)`

`dx/dy=1/3(3/2)(y^2+2)^(3/2-1)(2y)`

`dx/dy=y(y^2+2)^(1/2)`

Plug in the above derivative in the arc length formula,

`L=int_0^4sqrt(1+(y(y^2+2)^(1/2))^2)dy`

`L=int_0^4sqrt(1+y^2(y^2+2))dy`

`L=int_0^4sqrt(1+y^4+2y^2)dy`

`L=int_0^4sqrt((y^2+1)^2)dy`

`L=int_0^4(y^2+1)dy`

`L=[y^3/3+y]_0^4`

`L=[4^3/3+4]-[0^3/3+0]`

`L=[64/3+4]`

`L=[(64+12)/3]`

`L=76/3`

Arc length of the function over the given interval is `76/3`

In "The Signal-Man" by Charles Dickens, how does the signalman die?

At the end of the story, the narrator returns to the signal box to meet with the signalman. On his arrival, however, he learns that the signalman died early that morning. In fact, he is told by a witness that he was "cut down by a train" as he carried out his duties. The narrator is then introduced to the driver who hit the signalman. He explains that he called to the signalman as he approached, but the signalman did not hear his warnings. His exact words were:

Below there! Look out! Look out! For God's sake, clear the way!

In an ironic twist, these are the words which forewarned the signalman of an accident on the line earlier in the story. What he did not realize, however, is that these words (spoken by the ghost) were signaling his own untimely demise. 

`y = 2xsinh^-1(2x) - sqrt(1+4x^2)` Find the derivative of the function

The expression of this function includes difference, product and two table functions (except the polynomials), `sinh^(-1)(z)` and `sqrt(z).`

The difference rule is `(u-v)' = u' - v',` the product rule is `(uv)' = u'v + uv',` the chain rule is `(u(v(x)))' = u'(v(x))*v'(x).`

The derivative of `sinh^(-1)(z)`  is `1/sqrt(1 + z^2),` the derivative of `sqrt(z)` is `1/(2sqrt(z)).`

These rules together give us

`y' = 2sinh^-1(2x) + 2x ((2x)')/sqrt(1+(2x)^2) - ((4x^2)')/(2sqrt(1+(2x)^2)) =`

`= 2sinh^-1(2x) + 2x (2)/sqrt(1+4x^2) - (8x)/(2sqrt(1+4x^2)) =`

`= 2sinh^-1(2x).`

In Ursula Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea, what gifts do each of the main characters possess? What role do the gifts play in revealing each...

This is a loaded question but here it goes...

Ged/Duny/Sparrowhawk (The Hero): 

Ged is "given" the power of magic by his mother. By that, I mean he was born with the gift. However, it's his aunt, the village witch, who helps him realize his powers when he accident puts a group of goats under a spell. 

Ged's magic moves the story along because, when Kargish invaders come to seize his village, the boy is able to create a fog in order to hide the townsfolk.

This gets the attention of Ogion the Silent. 

Ogion the Silent (The Mentor): 

Ogion the Silent is a mage who takes Ged under his wing. 

When Ged reads a spell from one of Ogion's books and accidentally creates a shadow creature, Ogion decides that he will send him to a school of wizardry on the island of Roke so he can learn to control his powers. 

Technically, by sending him away, Ogion gives Ged the gift of education.

Archmage Nemmerle (The "Christ" Character): 

Archmage Nemmerle is the Warder of Roke. When Ged first arrives, it's Archmage Nemmerle who greets him. 

Archmage Nemmerle is old and wise but he's still extremely powerful. 

Shortly after he's introduced, he ends up giving up his life to save Ged from the dark spirit he summons while dueling Jasper. 

Therefore, Archmage Nemmerle provides Ged with the gift of life - a second chance, so to speak.

Jasper (The Foil): 

Jasper is a mage two or three years older than Ged. The two do not get along and the rivalry between them causes trouble almost immediately. 

At one point, the two face off in a duel (which is forbidden) and Jasper challenges Ged to summon a spirit from the dead. 

Though Ged does not know how to safely summon a spirit, he attempts to do so anyway and, as a result, a dark spirit escapes the world of the dead and attacks him. 

Though Archmage Nemmerle is able to ward it off, it takes all of his power to do so and, soon after, he dies. 

Jasper highlights Ged's negative qualities, such as arrogance. 

Pechvarry (The Man In Need): 

Pechvarry is a boatmaker who befriends Ged when they meet on the jetty. 

He has a young son who is ill and close to death, so Ged steps up to the plate and tries to heal him. Unfortunately, he fails and the boy dies anyway. 

This experience teaches Ged that he simply can't save everyone he tries to help. 

From there, he continues his journey with a heavy heart. 

Skiorh (The Possessed): 

Ged meets Skiorh when he travels to Osskil in order to seek advice regarding what to do about the shadow that's following him. 

However, while they're traveling, the shadow overcomes Skiorh and possesses him. It attacks Ged but, somehow, the boy is able to fight it off. 

He falls unconscious immediately after and eventually wakes up in the Court of Terrenon. 

Serret (The Beautiful Temptress): 

When Ged awakens in the Court of Terrenon, he finds Serret waiting for him.

She tells him that he is safe and tries to get him to speak to the ancient stone locked deep within the castle.

Neither she, nor her husband, can access the stone's powers, so she lies to Ged and tells him that the stone, itself, told her to have him take advantage of its forces. 

Ged then realizes that the entire thing is a ruse and he transforms into a falcon and flies away. 

From There To The End: 

In falcon form, Ged flies back to his hometown where he seeks out Ogion. 

He asks Ogion what to do about the shadow that's following him and Ogion advises him to confront it, as opposed to continuing to run from it. 

Ged obliges and tracks the shadow across the sea. When he finally confronts it, he comes to the realization that it's actually just a part of his own spirit.

Once Ged's able to reconcile that knowledge, the shadow melds back into him and he becomes "free" once more. 

* Please note that A Wizard of Earthsea is a very "involved" novel. Though I've done my best to outline the main characters, and how their actions work to move the plot forward, I suggest you skim the book in order to further understand the context in which they exist.

Why did Wendy and Peter focus their attention on the African veldt?

For Wendy and Peter, the nursery is the center of their lives in their Happylife home. The home does everything for the family, leaving the family, especially, Mrs. Hadley, at loose ends. The Happylife nursery "parents" the children, indulging their desire to watch films of the African veldt. According to the psychologist, David McClean, who comes to evaluate the children after the parents become concerned about their obsessive interest in the veldt and its harsh "law of the jungle" ethos, including the screams of people being eaten by lions, the psychologist advises that they turn off the view screens in the nursery. The veldt dehumanizes the children and allows them to indulge the natural aggressions children feel toward their parents to an unnatural level.

I am stuck on writing a good introduction for this short story; can anybody help me? Also the Misfit says, at the end of the story, "She would...

Let me address your second question first, in regard to the Misfit's statement about the grandmother being a good woman if she would have been threatened with death every moment of her life.  In the end of the story, the grandmother seems to experience a kind of epiphany: her "head cleared for an instant."  She looks at the Misfit, a terrible criminal who has committed any number of heinous transgressions (given the fact that he's had each member of her family shot by his cohorts), and she says, "'Why you're one of my babies.  You're one of my own children!'" and she reaches out to touch him.  All along, she's been telling him that he's a "good man" and that he doesn't have "common blood," phrases that he understands make her exactly the kind of person who has persecuted him his entire life.  But in this moment, right before her own death -- when she knows she is staring death in the face -- she realizes his humanity and sees him as more similar to herself than different.  Class distinctions, education, they all melts away, and she sees him as a human being in pain.  The Misfit realizes that such a realization could only have taken place when she knew herself to be in mortal danger; only that would be enough to erase all the distinctions she's held on to her entire life.  Therefore, he claims that she would have been a good person if she'd always been in just this type of danger.

I think an interesting and perceptive introduction could address this phenomenon.  One might think that being on the verge of losing one's life would actually cloud one's judgment with fear, but such danger has the opposite effect here.  Knowing that she will be shot any moment actually clears the grandmother's head and allows her humanity to come to the fore.  It also helps to show that judging others based on such distinctions as class, race, education, financial status, and so forth only do danger to one's humanity.

What does a positive TORCH test mean, and how might it contribute to low weight gain in newborns?

The TORCH test isn't just one test; it's actually a screening for multiple possible infections. These include toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex, HIV, and sometimes syphilis. The TORCH test is routinely used to screen infants for infectious disease, and a positive result might indicate that the baby has any one of these conditions.

In order to really understand why this might contribute to your baby's low weight gain, you need to know specifically which infection your baby has tested positive for. Did your baby's physician or nurse say which illness your baby has? Did they offer any treatment recommendations? If not, you should call the hospital where your baby was born or the pediatrician your baby visits and ask what the doctor recommends.

Be sure to keep track of any symptoms your baby might be presenting. How does the baby sleep? Do they eat well? Are they experiencing loose stools or constipation? Does your baby run a fever often? Is there any swelling in the body? Does the baby have a rash?

When infants are unable to put on weight, it is usually the result of not receiving enough food or poor absorption as a result of chronic loose stools. I will provide some links below with full lists of the symptoms of illnesses which are screened for by the TORCH test. Feel free to read these webpages to help you keep track of what symptoms your baby may or may not have, and read about appropriate treatments.

Toxoplasmosis.

Rubella.

Cytomegalovirus.

Herpes simplex.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). 

Syphilis. 

How did the story end?

The story of Old Yeller is one with a notoriously sad ending, but there is some hope in the resolution. In the beginning, Travis' family takes in a stray puppy. Travis doesn't like the dog because he causes trouble and gets away with it, but after "Old Yeller" saves his little brother's life, he changes his mind. He begins to develop a relationship with Old Yeller. The dog accompanies him when he goes out to hunt and calms the cow when it's time for milking. Travis even comes to love and identify with Old Yeller when the two are injured and recover together.

Towards the end of the story, Old Yeller protects Travis' mother and neighbor from a wolf. Old Yeller is bitten in the fight and begins to show symptoms of rabies. Travis must make the difficult decision whether to let the illness take hold-- possibly putting others at risk-- or to put the beloved dog out of his misery. Travis decides that it is better to shoot Old Yeller than to prolong his suffering or allow him to infect anyone else. Travis falls into a depression after losing his dog, but there is light in his life when he realizes how much the new puppy is like Old Yeller. The neighbor girl had brought one of her dog's puppies, fathered by Old Yeller, to Travis' home as a gift. When the puppy starts causing trouble, Travis realizes that Old Yeller lives on in the little dog.

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV, Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him:

Despair thy charm.
And let the angel whom thou still hast served
Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother's womb
Untimely ripped.

Shakespeare wanted to portray Macbeth, his hero, as courageous and powerful in spite of all his obvious faults. The playwright makes it clear that Macduff would never have been able to beat Macbeth were it not for the fact that Macbeth has become demoralized as a result of the treachery of the witches. When he learns that Macduff was born of a crude Caesarian operation, he realizes that his defeat is inevitable. He tells Macduff:

Accursed be the tongue that tells me so.
For it has cowed my better part of man
And be these juggling fiends no more believed,
That palter with us in a double sense,
That keep the word of promise to our ear
And break it to our hope. I'll not fight with thee.

Macbeth goes down fighting. He may be a tyrant, but he has been manipulated by his own wife as well as the three witches. Shakespeare intended to represent him as a great warrior willing to take on the whole world, including the supernatural world ruled by fate. It is only because Macbeth has been "unmanned" by these "juggling fiends" that a lesser man like Macduff is able to beat him in hand-to-hand battle. 

How would one characterize Helen Keller?

Helen Keller was a famous author and activist. She became deaf and blind due a childhood illness shortly before her second birthday. For the next several years of Helen's life, she struggled to communicate with her family and to adjust to a world where she could not see or hear. Her life changed when Miss Sullivan came to be her teacher. Miss Sullivan worked hard to help Helen. Finally, she had a breakthrough and she taught Helen to communicate using the manual alphabet.

Once Helen could communicate, the world opened up to her. She left home with Miss Sullivan to attend school. She learned to read, write, and speak. She traveled to many places and met a variety of friends. Helen then started to write her autobiography, The Story of My Life. She even went on to attend college.

Helen Keller was a person who was filled with determination. She loved learning wherever she went. She felt a special connection with nature. Helen enjoyed the ocean, the forest, and gardens. She liked to sail and go for long walks. Helen especially enjoyed spending time with her friends. She concluded her autobiography with the following words:

Thus it is that my friends have made the story of my life. In a thousand ways they have turned my limitations into beautiful privileges, and enabled me to walk serene and happy in the shadow cast by my deprivation (Chapter XXIII).

Who is the "jewel" referring to in the play The Lion and the Jewel?

The "jewel" in the play The Lion and the Jewel references the character of Sidi. Sidi is a beautiful young woman who has become famous after a foreign photographer published her images in a magazine. She is considered the "jewel" throughout the play because of her beauty and prestige, while Baroka is referred to as the "lion." After finding out that her images are throughout a magazine, Sidi becomes extremely conceited and vain. When Sidi is ridiculing the Bale after rejecting his initial marriage proposal, she says,

"Baroka merely seeks to raise his manhood above my beauty. He seeks new fame as the one man who has possessed the jewel of Ilujinle!" (Soyinka 21).

Sidi referring to herself as the "jewel of Ilujinle" portrays the extent of her arrogance and vanity. Later on in the novel, Baroka successfully woos Sidi and takes her virginity after promising to put her image on every stamp leaving Ilujinle. Sidi then decides to marry Baroka over Lakunle. 

How were carpetbaggers and scalawags similar?

"Carpetbaggers" and "scalawags" were both epithets coined by southern Democrats who opposed the social change of Reconstruction. Carpetbaggers were northerners who entered the region after the war (or stayed there--many had been Union Army veterans). Carpetbaggers had many different motives. Many were motivated by the economic opportunities created by a South that was forced to turn to free labor. They invested in railroads, textile mills, mines, and other ventures, or they sought patronage jobs in the new Republican administrations that emerged throughout the South during Reconstruction. But many were also driven by a desire to promote social change in the South. Judges, teachers, ministers, and other reformers came to the region out of a desire to secure fundamental rights, including political rights and education, for freedmen. Scalawags, on the other hand, were Southerners who joined the Republican Party, or at least supported Reconstruction. These men, many of whom had fought for the Confederacy during the war, were also driven by complex motives. Many were simply out to profit, or gain political influence, in the new postwar order. Others believed that the South needed to reform itself socially as well as economically to recover from the effects of the war. Few of these men held the same egalitarian beliefs about African-Americans, but many opposed the excesses of the Ku Klux Klan (who sometimes targeted them) and other Southern reactionaries. Both of these groups were vilified mercilessly by Southern Democrats during Reconstruction and in Southern memory of the period.

In Julius Caesar, what proof is there that Cassius wants what's best for Rome?

In grappling with Julius Caesar, readers often focus on Brutus' noble intentions. However, there is some evidence that Cassius also wants what's best for Rome, and so it's worth analyzing the character of Brutus' co-conspirator as well. 

The following quote from Cassius in Act 1, Scene 2 is a good place to begin when examining Cassius' altruistic intentions:

Rome, thou has lost the breed of noble bloods!

When went there by an age, since the great

flood,

But it was fam'd with more than with one man?

When could they say, till now, that talk'd of 

Rome,

That her wide walls encompassed but one man?

Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough,

When there is in it but one only man. (151-57)

In this quote, Cassius bemoans the current state of Rome, saying it has lost its nobility by idolizing one man (Caesar) and setting him up above the masses. Furthermore, the passage suggests that Cassius values Rome's noble history of political freedom, and does not relish the thought of a dictatorial rule. Taken in this context, one could surmise that Cassius, like Brutus, wants what's best for Rome.

However, it's important to also recognize that Cassius is, unlike Brutus, prone to jealousy. It's no coincidence that, in describing Brutus in Act 5, Scene 5, Antony says, "All the conspirators save only he/ Did that they did in envy of great Caesar" (69). This quote suggests that, apart from Brutus, all the conspirators overthrew Caesar not because they wanted what was best for Rome, but because they envied Caesar's power. Thus, it's important to consider that Cassius, like the other conspirators, is at least partly motivated by envy and the desire for power. 

How is Friar Lawrence's character developed in Act III of Romeo and Juliet?

In Act III of Romeo and Juliet, Friar Lawrence becomes very involved with the fate of Romeo and Juliet; his well-meaning efforts evince his kindness, a certain wisdom, but also frustration.

In Scene 3, Romeo comes to Friar Lawrence in his despair after having killed Tybalt. The Friar tells Romeo that the Prince has fortunately changed his sentence to banishment, rather than death. But Romeo will not be comforted. This reaction of Romeo raises the ire of the priest, and he scolds Romeo:

O deadly sin! o rude unthankfulness!
Thy fault our law calls death; but the kind Prince,
Taking thy part, hath rush'd aside the law. (3.3.25-28)

However, Romeo is not comforted by being merely banished. Friar Lawrence then suggests that he be philosophical about the matter--

I'll give thee armour to keep off that word;
Adversity's sweet milk, philosophy,
To comfort thee, though thou art banished. (3.3.55-57)

but again Romeo will not be consoled, telling the priest that being philosophical will not help him and that Friar Lawrence just does not understand.

Frustrated, Friar Lawrence scolds Romeo, but he still tries to comfort him with the fact that both he and Juliet are alive. Further, he instructs Romeo to be with his wife, but to make certain he is gone by dawn and on his way to Mantua where he will send messages to him.

There is no doubt that Friar Lawrence is a kind, loving, religious man. Perhaps, although he wisely advises Romeo against being so emotional, he takes upon himself more than he can practically handle and, therefore, is frustrated.