In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, what does the reader learn about the differences between East Egg and West Egg?

In the first chapter, Nick Carraway, the narrator, says that West Egg is the "less fashionable" of the two, while East Egg is populated with "white palaces [that] glittered" on the water.  Nick describes Gatsby's mansion, a "colossal affair" that attempts to imitate a fancy French hotel with its tower, ivy, marble swimming pool, and massive lawn.  It sounds a bit gauche compared to the home of the Buchanans.  Tom and Daisy's home is "a cheerful red-and-white Georgian Colonial mansion, overlooking the bay."  Gatsby's home is constructed to look like something it is not, just as the man himself has been.  Tom and Daisy's home doesn't have to prove anything to anyone because its owners don't have to either.  Further, descriptions of Tom's family as "enormously wealthy" and his "string of polo ponies" that he brought with him help to make it clear that East Egg is populated by families which possess old money, the kind of money that one inherits and for which one does not work.  Gatsby has new money, money that has had to be earned and which is, therefore, less valuable in terms of status.

What are the rumors surrounding Walter Cunningham's poverty in To Kill a Mockingbird?

I would not consider Scout's comments about the Cunninghams' poverty to be rumors, but she does describe why they are poor. In Chapter 2, Scout elaborates on the financial situation of the Cunninghams as she attempts to explain to Miss Caroline why Walter refuses to accept her quarter for lunch. Scout tells Miss Caroline that Walter's family never takes anything they can't pay back. She says they don't have much but are still able to make ends meet. Scout then recalls a time when Walter Cunningham's father paid Atticus's lawyer fees in stovewood, hickory nuts, smilax and holly, and a sack full of turnip greens. When Jem asks Atticus if they are as poor as the Cunninghams, Atticus explains the economic crash negatively affected country folks like the Cunninghams the most. Like most farmers in Maycomb County, the Cunninghams do not have money, but rather pay for their services using materials they have on their farms.

Describe four ways that Ponyboy and Dally are similar in the novel The Outsiders.

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Which revolution ushered in the Neolithic Revolution?

The most likely answer for this question is the First Agricultural Revolution.  However, you should note that this is almost synonymous with the Neolithic Revolution so this may not be the right answer.  I would suggest that you check in your class notes and/or textbook to see what answer your instructor expects.

The Neolithic Revolution can be defined as the time when people stopped being nomadic and settled down into sedentary settlements. This was perhaps the most important change in all of human history as it led to civilization.  When people became sedentary, they gained the ability to create technology.  Nomadic people really could not create much technology because they could only use things that they could carry with them as they moved.  A spinning wheel and loom, for example, would not help a nomadic society because they could not carry such things with them as they traveled from place to place.  When people settled down and lived in one place, they could develop new technologies that were not portable. They could also create larger, more complex societies that we now call civilizations.

All of this only became possible because of agriculture.  Without agriculture, sedentary living is almost impossible (unless people live in a very productive environment).  When people start to cultivate plants, they can produce enough food to support a larger, denser population.  They can also produce that food in one place so they do not need to move around. This shows that agriculture is necessary in order to have civilization.  Without agriculture there can be no settlements where people can live permanently and where they can create complex societies with advanced technology. Therefore, the Agricultural Revolution, in which agriculture began, was necessary to usher in the Neolithic Revolution.

What is the approximate "weight" of an astronaut on the Moon, if his mass is 80 kg? A. 128 N B. 784 N C. 50 N D. 176 N

Weight can be thought of as the gravitational pull a celestial body exerts on a given object or body and hence is dependent on the celestial body in question. In comparison, mass is a measure of the matter contained in the body and is a constant quantity. Since weight is a force, it can be calculated using Newton's second law of motion as:

F = m x a

where F is the force, m is the mass of the body and a is its acceleration. To calculate the weight, you must know the acceleration due to gravity. Acceleration due to gravity is a function of the celestial body the astronaut is on and hence weight will be different on each celestial body. The acceleration due to gravity on Earth is represented by "g" and has a value of about 9.8 m/s^2. In comparison, the value of acceleration due to gravity on the Moon is about 1/6 g and has a value of 1.6252 m/s^2. Hence the weight of the astronaut will be:

weight = mass x acceleration due to gravity

= 80 kg x 1.6252 m/s^2 = 130 N (approximately).

Among the given options, only choice (A) 128 N is close enough and hence is the correct choice.

Hope this helps. 

What are some symbols in the novel Thousand Cranes?

Some symbols in the novel are:

1)Yukiko Inamura's thousand-crane scarf.

In Japanese culture, the crane is the famed symbol of longevity, good fortune, fidelity, and happiness. At the beginning of the story, we discover that Chikako Kurimoto, Mr. Mitani's former mistress, has been scheming to marry off Mr. Mitani's son, Kikuji Mitani, to one of her students, Yukiko Inamura.

Chikako's main reason for wanting to arrange the marriage is to spite her rival, Mrs. Ota, also another of Mr. Mitani's former mistresses. In the story, Kikuji finds himself attracted to both Mrs. Ota and her daughter, Fumiko. So, Chikako works to thwart Kikuji's lusts by placing the beauteous Yukiko before him. With her thousand-crane scarf, Yukiko represents opportunity, happiness, and new beginnings. However, Kikuji never manages to free himself from the grip of generational dysfunction.

2)Chikako Kurimoto's birthmark.

Chikako's birthmark is described as a hideous 'purple-black mark.' In the story, Kikuji reminisces about having seen the birthmark when he was eight or nine years old. He remembers that the birthmark had hair growing out of it; the hair had covered Chikako's left breast and appeared to have grown straight into the groove between her breasts. Kikuji's reaction then and now is of 'suffocating revulsion' and distaste. He imagines that any child who has ever nursed at Chikako's breast must have been a monster.

In the story, Chikako's birthmark symbolizes bad luck, corruption, and malevolence. She is described as 'sexless' and masculinized, a 'convenient fixture' in Kikuji's life. In truth, her presence in Kikuji's life is enervating. She schemes to poison Kikuji's mind against Mrs. Ota, who is still beautiful in her forties, and actively works to steer her former lover's son away from both Mrs. Ota and her daughter, Fumiko. During the miai or matchmaking session, Chikako tells Yukiko Inamura to make tea for Kikuji with the bowl originally given to Kikuji's father by Mrs. Ota. So, Chikako's birthmark is a clear symbol of her malicious and hostile nature.

3)The implements of the tea ceremony.

In the story, the tea ceremony and its implements are central symbols. They represent generational links, both in a spiritual and psychological sense. For example, Yukiko serves Kikuji tea from a black, sixteenth century Oribe bowl. This bowl not only symbolizes history and cultural heritage, it also represents the seemingly unbreakable link between Kikuji's father, Mr. Mitani, and his two former mistresses, Mrs. Ota and Chikako Kurimoto. Also, Chikako's appropriation of the Oribe bowl symbolizes her continued, haunting presence in Kikuji's life. The generations are linked, for better or for worse.

Later, Fumiko serves Kikuji tea out of black and red Raku bowls, also dating from the sixteenth century. These Raku bowls are also known as 'man-wife' teacups, once used by Mr. and Mrs. Ota and then, by Mr. Mitani and Mrs. Ota. The fact that Kikuji is now being served tea in them by Fumiko, Mrs. Ota's daughter, implies that Kikuji has taken on the personality and preferences of his deceased father. The teacups represent Kikuji's spiritual connection with his deceased father. He finds himself drawn into his father's world, whether he likes it or not.

When Fumiko later shows Kikuji her deceased mother's Shino tea bowl, Kikuji finds himself fascinated and nauseated by the prospect of drinking from it. On the rim of the cup, there is a red-brown stain, perhaps the 'color of faded lipstick' or 'old, dry blood.' Kikuji eventually tells Fumiko to put away the bowl. Here, again, the bowl symbolizes the inevitable link between the generations that is both cathartic and macabre in nature.

How are Fahrenheit 451's society's democracy, peacekeeping, and equality similar to ours?

The society in this book is based on ours.  It might take place in the future, where things have grown out of our society.  We can tell this because the books that are mentioned are all from our world.  Also, Beatty says that Benjamin Franklin founded the firemen. 

"Established, 1790, to burn English-influenced books in the Colonies. First Fireman: Benjamin Franklin."

RULE 1. Answer the alarm swiftly.

2. Start the fire swiftly.

3. Burn everything.

4. Report back to firehouse immediately.

5. Stand alert for other alarms. (Part I) 

Also similar is their desire for television.  We love television.  They love it so much in Montag’s society that it seems to have taken over their lives.  Mildred is more concerned with “The Family” than her real family.  She wants four walls of giant TV screens. 

Equality in Montag’s society is based on everyone consuming entertainment.  Everyone has access to entertainment, and the limited education that they employ.  In some ways, they have even more rights than we do.  For example, it seems to be perfectly permissible to kill someone by running that person down or shooting the person. 

Clarisse, Montag’s neighbor, explains to Montag why she doesn’t understand people her own age. 

I'm afraid of children my own age. They kill each other. Did it always used to be that way? My uncle says no. Six of my friends have been shot in the last year alone.  Ten of them died in car wrecks. (Part I) 

This is an example of where they do not have all of the same rights we do though, because Clarisse and her family are considered outcasts because they want to drive slowly, be pedestrians, or talk to each other.  This is considered wrong and antisocial behavior, and Beatty says it was a good thing when Clarisse died.

Beatty suggest that society eliminated books gradually, because they were not popular.  Books just were not wanted anymore. Therefore, originally at least, the removal of books was a democratic decision. 

Peacekeeping seems to be relegated to the firemen, who make sure that no one has any books.  Books break the peace, after all.  Citizens call the alarm on other citizens they feel may have books.  Then the firemen come and burn the house.  The house itself is fireproof.  They burn everything in it.  If a person gets away, he or she will be chased by the Mechanical Hound and incapacitated or killed by its poisonous stinger.

In A Streetcar Named Desire, what does Blanche mean by “Whoever you are, I have always depended on the kindness of strangers”?

Toward the end of the play A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche meets her tragic end. She is sexually violated by her sister's husband, Stanley. This was the culmination of a cycle of bullying, threats and harassment caused, in part, by Stanley's perverse want to control Blanche the way he controls his own wife.

Stanley also wishes to expose Blanche's past in order to diminish her and make her socially disappear for his own sick purposes. When he finally rapes her, she becomes a completely broken woman who loses her mind.

The line "Whoever you are, I have always depended on the kindness of strangers" is known as Blanche's "famous last words." She says those words to the doctor as he leads her away to the mental institution.

Essentially, what the words mean is that Blanche, once rich, popular and independent, has ended up in an abyss of disrepute, poverty, and debauchery. She switched her life's moral code, wasting way in meaningless sexual encounters for the sake of basic but temporary comforts: company, monetary benefit, attention, a need to feel wanted, and temporary satisfaction.

All of these ephemeral things depend entirely on "kindness"—sexual attention or physical attraction—from others. These two variables, however, are just like the things that Blanche gets from them: shallow and temporary.

Therefore, what Blanche is suggesting is that she is no longer in control of her own actions, nor of her life. Granted, she had lost control way before she actually lost her sanity. Still, then and now, she depends on that "kindness," "whoever" it comes from, whether it is the doctor leading her out the door, or Mitch, or any of the guys from her past.

These words are also powerful in that they completely disempower and disenfranchise Blanche. The irony is that, at all times during the play, Blanche attempts to present a facade of someone who is "put together" and in control of what she wants; someone who is even presumably planning for her future. To openly state that she depends on kindness renders her nothing short of a beggar, something that the true Blanche Dubois would have never allowed herself to be.

What poem from either Siegfried Sassoon or Wilfred Owen could be used to support an argumentative thesis statement?

Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen are English poets and soldiers who both served during the First World War. Many of their poems deal with various themes about the war, including the repercussions of it. As such, they are often referred to as part of the Great War poets. As Wilfred Owen writes in the preface to The Poems of Wilfred Owen, "My subject is War, and the pity of War. The Poetry is in the pity."

Perhaps the best known works by both poets are "Dulce et Decorum est," "Anthem for Doomed Youth," and "Insensibility," all by Owen, and "The Poet as Hero," "The Death Bed," "Attack," and "To Any Dead Officer," all by Sassoon. These poems deal with the horrors of trench warfare, satirize patriotism, and denounce the propaganda used to sell the war to the public.

With this in mind, perhaps your paper could then argue how the poems provide a realistic portrayal of the war versus the public perception? How poetry and the arts can be used as commentary on the horrors that governments try to spin? You could also argue that writing poetry can be therapeutic for those suffering trauma, as these writers were said to suffer from "shell-shock" (now known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)), which greatly influenced their work.

Keep in mind that an "argumentative" essay simply needs to illustrate a key point (your thesis) and defend it with specific and clear support.

What is the poem "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning about?

"My Last Duchess" is a dramatic monologue written by Robert Browning. That means that one person is speaking for the entire poem. In this case, the speaker is Duke Ferrara. Although there was a historical duke that Browning had in mind, Aphonso II, who lived in the second half of the 16th century in Italy, Browning was attempting to portray a way of life rather than a specific person.

The Duke is speaking to the emissary of a Count who is there to negotiate the dowry for the woman the Duke plans to marry and make his next duchess. The Count will pay a sum of money, which the Duke will have to agree on, so that the Duke will marry his daughter. As the poem begins, Ferrara is showing the portrait of his "last Duchess" to the emissary. He explains that he commissioned the painting and that only he pulls back the curtain that normally covers it. He then begins to speak of the Duchess. Her portrait shows a "spot of joy" in her cheeks, but rather than pleasing the Duke, it causes him to think about the things that bothered him about his former wife. The reader understands that the things that bothered the Duke were minor; the Duke reveals his desire for control and his jealousy as he speaks.

She was a woman who enjoyed everything and showed her pleasure toward things and people, but this aggravated the Duke because he thought she should gain greater pleasure from being his wife than from anything else. He admits that he could have instructed his wife on how to stop aggravating him, but he says that would be "stooping," that is, it would be beneath him to have to explain to his wife what he wanted. She was supposed to know. He then states that he "gave commands. Then all smiles stopped together." Readers, and the emissary as well, assume this means the Duke had his wife executed. Upon hearing this, the emissary tries to rush down the stairs to get away from the Duke, but Ferrara says, "Nay, we'll go together down, Sir." Finally, he points out a statue of "Neptune ... taming a seahorse," which he had commissioned. The statue is symbolic: It points to the fact that Ferrara believes he is a god and can control others, especially his wife.

To understand a dramatic monologue, especially one by Robert Browning, it is necessary to pay attention to what is not said as well as to what is said. By reading between the lines, you will be able to apprehend the poet's meaning.

How is Clytemnestra a proto-feminist in the Oresteia?

There are many ways in which Clytaemnestra in Aeschylus' Oresteia is a proto-feminist, or a character who anticipates the advent of modern feminism. Most prominently, Clytaemnestra acts according to her own volition. She hates Agamemnon for sacrificing their daughter, so she takes Aegisthus as her lover and plots to murder her husband. Considering ancient Greek gender roles, one might have expected Aegisthus to take charge and murder Agememnon. However, Clytaemnestra undertakes the murder herself, and she further tells Aegisthus that she does not intend to take a subservient role when he becomes king of Argos:

I and you will be masters of this house and order it aright.

Ordinarily, the man would bear the mantle of "master of the house," but Clytaemnestra intends to share that title and power. Through these actions, Clytaemnestra revolted against ancient Greek social conventions which would have required her to be submissive.

In Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, who are the Tralfamadorians? What do they teach Pilgrim? How does Pilgrim feel about the time he spends...

In Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five, the Tralfamadorians are a race of aliens who can see in four dimensions and who uphold the philosophy that death is meaningless. The Tralfamadorians abduct Billy Pilgrim on the night of his daughter's wedding and take him to their planet, Tralfamadore, where they keep him in a human zoo with an actress named Montana Wildhack in order to observe the act of mating.

The Tralfamadorians teach Billy about the continuous and anachronistic nature of time. Billy learns that time does not move forward and that all time exists at once, meaning that humans never really die. Billy sees this as a comforting concept.

Billy's experience in Tralfamadore is a sort of welcome relief from the pain and suffering he experiences in his real life, particularly after the experience of living through a war and the Dresden bombings. Billy freely embraces his experiences in Tralfamadore, even though his life as an abductee is devoid of free will (even the abduction itself). Billy is eager to learn to accept things as they are (hence, the repeated philosophy of "So it goes") rather than trying to control or change his circumstances. He longs to share this knowledge and his freedom from suffering with humans on earth.

Other than the Jews, who were the first victims of Nazi persecution?

From a chronological perspective, German homosexual men were one of the first victims of Nazi persecution. According to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Nazis stepped up their existing program of persecution against these men as soon as they took control of Germany in 1933. They persecuted them in a number of ways, like closing down homosexual organisations. (See the first reference link).

Two years later, persecution against homosexuals was further intensified when the Nazis narrowed the legal definition of homosexuality to include any "lewdness between men." The law also extended to the literary world: anyone found guilty of writing homoerotic fiction, for example, faced six months in prison. From 1936, homosexuals were routinely sent to concentration camps, like Auschwitz, where the vast majority were killed (See the second reference link).

For the Nazis, the practice of homosexuality violated socially and culturally-acceptable norms and values. Moreover, the Nazis knew that homosexuals were unlikely to have children and so they also threatened the country's population. It was for these reasons that homosexual men were mercilessly persecuted.

What is the point of view in 'Frustration' by Isaac Asimov?

The narrative point of view in Asimov's Frustration is third-person. In third-person narration, the story is told referring to all characters using third-person pronouns, such as he, she, they, and it. Third-person narratives never make use of first-person or second-person pronouns (I and we, and you, respectively), except within character dialogue. Stories told from a third-person perspective are delivered by a non-participating observing entity who sees the characters but does not interact with or influence them. 

We can further describe Frustration's point of view as third -person limited subjective. 

• The point of view is subjective. When referring to point of view, "subjective" means that the narrator has knowledge of things about characters that cannot be observed such as thoughts, feelings, motives, and intentions. In terms of narrative point of view, the opposite of subjective is objective. Unlike subjective narrators, objective narrators know only what can be observed and nothing about what's happening inside a character's head or heart.


• The point of view is also limited. The narrator of Frustration does not know everything about every character. We have textual evidence that the narrator knows only Gelb's feelings. When considering point of view, the opposite of limited is omniscient. Unlike limited narrators, an omniscient narrator knows everything about every character in every place and time throughout the work.

In Frustration, we can tell that the narration is third-person limited subjective shortly after the story begins. Jonsbeck is introducing Gelb to computer-prepared food: 

"Here you are," said Jonsbeck. "The whole meal has been prepared by computer. Completely automated. Untouched by human hands. And my own programming. I promised you a treat, and here you are." 

It was good. Gelb could not deny it and didn't want to.

The narrator in this quote reveals what Gelb is thinking. Throughout the short story, the narrator does not reveal any other character's thoughts. This one instance in the text provides a wealth of information on the point of view. Although Frustration is indeed a very short story, there is still enough detail in the text to reveal a third-person limited subjective narrative point of view. 

What forms of dance were the predecessors to breakdancing?

Break-dancing is improvisational. Break-dancers are influenced not only by dance moves, but also by gymnastics and the martial arts. 

The bouncing bass lines of funk and disco music allowed for a new fluidity in movement which entered popular dance in 1975. The Hustle, for example, incorporated movements of the arms, hips, and legs that were on beat with the music. Dance moves, such as The Hustle, followed the rhythm of music; whereas popular dances from the 1960s, such as The Twist and The Hitchhike, followed the melody of a song and did not require much variation in movement.

James Brown is an important influence on break-dancing as well. As a funk artist, his style of dance was jaunty, but also incorporated spins and splits. He demonstrated gymnastic abilities on stage that would be featured in break-dancing. 

It is also possible that the lindy hop, a popular form of swing dance in the 1930s and 1940s, also influenced break-dancers. This style of dance, too, incorporated gymnastic moves, including high jumps, swinging one's body around one's partner, and sliding across the floor. 

Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art, incorporates dance. The performer demonstrates speed and flexibility. Back flips, somersaults, and cartwheels are featured. These moves also show up in break-dancing.

Break-dancing was about showing off one's physical abilities. Some New York street gangs had breaking competitions with their rivals. In these competitions, you could show a rival that you were not only a good dancer, but a good fighter. Breakers outperformed their rivals by being more innovative and complex in their movements. 

It is also important to remember that, though break-dancing originated in the South Bronx among black and Latino teenagers, it was and remains very democratic. Different people from different backgrounds began to participate and incorporated what they knew, whether it be a dances from previous generations, new moves picked up in a disco, martial arts, or gymnastics.

Did Romeo and Juliet have to die for the story to be effective?

Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy. If you were attending the theater in the 16th century when the play first appeared you would have seen a black flag at the top of the theater indicating that today's performance was a tragedy. Even in the opening words of the play, the Prologue, Shakespeare notifies the audience that the play will not end well. He does a major spoiler alert in this fourteen line sonnet as he speaks of Romeo and Juliet's love and that their parents feud would ultimately lead to their suicides. Shakespeare's tragedies almost always end in the deaths of at least some of the major characters and suicide is often employed to bring about that demise. Thus, Shakespeare uses suicide (and other forms of death, most notably sword wounds) to bring about the tragic elements of the play.

The story would certainly not be effective as a tragedy if the two title characters were to survive. It would really not be a tragedy if, for instance, Romeo had not taken the poison before Juliet awakened and he discovered that she was still really alive. At that point, he might have carried through with Friar Laurence's original plan and taken Juliet away to Mantua and lived happily ever after. While it's certainly an interesting idea, Shakespeare's tragedies just didn't do that. He may, however, have left one of the characters to survive. The audience would probably decide that the character was a tragic figure because they were deprived of their true love.

The only way that Romeo and Juliet would be effective had the title characters lived was if Shakespeare had made it a comedy. It could have ended at the end of Act II with the marriage of Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare's comedies usually ended with a wedding—think of The Taming of the Shrew, As You Like It and Love's Labour's Lost). There is plenty of humor in the beginning acts, including the Nurse's banter, Lord Capulet's doddering exchange with his old cousin in the beginning of Act I, Scene 5, the bawdy conversation between Romeo and Mercutio in Act II, Scene 4 as well as Mercutio's treatment of the Nurse at the end of that scene. The problems would be with the feud itself, Tybalt's anger, Mercutio's dark side, and the foreshadowing of doom which runs throughout these first two acts. Shakespeare would definitely have had to alter these sections, maybe eliminating the feud and Tybalt, while making Mercutio a more light-hearted character and not quite so edgy. In the final analysis, however, it's probably best that Shakespeare killed off his two lovers at the end of the play. Otherwise, we probably wouldn't even be discussing the entire issue. 

Why does the Duke apparently try to forestall the envoy's rushing down the stairs at the end of "My Last Duchess"?

The Count's representative jumps up without warning and starts to flee down the stairs. He is horrified by the Duke's character, which is what Browning intentionally reveals throughout the poem. The Duke seems surprised that he has made a bad impression. He tries to forestall the other man's departure because nothing has been settled. He had brought the Count's representative upstairs ostensibly to show him part of his art collection, but really in order to settle the sum of the dowry the Duke would receive upon marrying the Count's daughter. That is why the Duke brings up the matter of the dowry even while the other man is fleeing.

I repeat,
The Count your master's known munificence
Is ample warrant that no just pretence
Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;
Though his fair daughter's self, as I allowed
At starting is my object.

The Duke then calls attention to a sculpture of Neptune taming a sea-horse, as if to try to renew the pretence that they are there to view the art collection. The Duke obviously knows nothing and cares nothing about art except for its cash value and for the prestige it gives the collector. He does not like the way it would look for the Count's representative to come rushing down the stairs by himself. The guests gathered below would get the impression that the meeting between the two men had ended in complete disagreement. The representative doesn't seem to care how it would look or how the Duke feels about his abrupt departure. It would appear that the representative intends to warn the Count his master not to let his daughter marry this monster under any circumstances, because the Duke is quite capable of having the Count's daughter murdered if she failed to live up to his impossible requirements and probably using her dowry to add another work of art to his collection. The Duke, of course, is so insensitive that he doesn't realize what a terrible impression he has made on the other man-- as well as on the reader. The Duke seems like a madman, almost like a Bluebeard. The reader is left wondering how many duchesses the Duke might have already married and then disposed of.

What are some good thesis statements for First Confession?

This is a wonderfully humorous book about the horrors of the Roman Catholic Sacrament of Reconciliation from the viewpoint of a seven year old boy, Jackie.  There are countless essays that could be written about this wonderful novel, but I will give you a couple of thesis statements to choose from in order to provide ample support.

One thesis statement could be as follows:  The elderly Ryan proves, through her actions and stories, that “hell had the first place in her heart.”  This thesis statement uses a direct quotation from the book and highlights the character of Ryan as put forth by the character of Jackie.  Ryan is the old woman who is supposed to get Jackie ready for his first confession. If you use this quotation, you can prove your point through Ryan’s actions.  One support could be Ryan’s story about the man who made the “bad confession” by demanding a confession from a priest and then leaving before it was finished.  Ryan also asks the children to hold their fingers in a candle flame (to simulate hell-fire) for a full five minutes.  Another support (and a wonderful piece of irony) is that Ryan bribes the children with money in order to exert this “temptation.” (This can be seen as a sin in itself.)

Another thesis statement could be the following:  Frank O’Connor uses humor throughout the book in order to entice his reader.  This is a fairly easy thesis to prove in that O’Connor’s book is absolutely full of humor.  Even Jackie’s description of his grandmother is humorous.  She continually drinks beer and eats with her hands.  These things disgust Jackie.  Further, Jackie has thought about killing both his grandmother and his sister, Nora.  This is also humorous in that almost every child fantasizes in this why when he or she is mad at a parent or sibling for some trivial thing.  Even the details of Jackie’s confession lend themselves to humor.  Jackie is paralyzed with fear, tumbles out of the confessional, and is then beaten by his sister.  The ultimate irony is that, as a result of Jackie being forgiven by Christ through the priest, Nora admits that there is no reason to try and be good at all.  Goodness, of course, is the entire purpose of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

What does it mean for Arnold to be a "part-time Indian?"

In Sherman Alexie's book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Arnold Spirit Jr. (nicknamed "Junior") leaves the school of his reservation to go to a "white" school a few towns away. Arnold has a bit of an identity crisis, because he no longer feels fully "Indian," but he doesn't feel white, either. Arnold has always been outcast and picked on because of his physical abnormalities, and this only adds to the Othering he feels both on and off the "Rez." He splits his time between the Spokane Reservation, where his family live, and the white high school where he seeks opportunity.

Arnold decided to go to the white school, even though it's far away, because he was fed up with the lack of opportunity and resources people on his reservation must deal with. The schoolbooks are outdated, the Indian Health Services aren't helpful, and there aren't any jobs. Arnold is angry that his family is poor and stuck in a cycle of poverty. He wants to do better for himself and his family, and even though going to a white school makes him feel like he is denying some part of his heritage, he knows it is the only chance he has.

Arnold is a brave character who sacrifices some of his identity in order to have better opportunities in life. Such a struggle doesn't only happen in books. In fact, author Sherman Alexie made the very same choice to go to school off of the reservation he grew up on. Many First Nations people have been forced (explicitly or implicitly) to express their identities on a part-time basis in favor of becoming more "white" and attaining a better lifestyle. Racism like this has become endemic in the culture of the United States, and the Part-Time Diary offers important insight into what it is like to live such a life.

What are some examples of figurative language in chapter 5 of Lord of the Flies?

William Golding was a master at weaving figurative language into his stories as a way of creatively describing important concepts that readers should take note of. Basically, figurative language departs from the literal meaning, using comparisons or connotative meanings to convey ideas in a unique manner. The most common types of figurative language are similes and metaphors, but there are many others, as well.  In chapter 5 of Lord of the Flies, Golding uses a nice mix to exemplify the tension Ralph and the other boys are experiencing.  Here are a few, in chronological order:

Oxymoron & epithet: As Ralph walks toward the platform to call a meeting, he faces the “concealing splendors of the sunlight.” Sunlight is generally revealing, making this a contradictory phrase.  It is also an unusual adjective to describe sunlight, making it an epithet.

Metaphor: Worrying over how to handle this meeting, Ralph “lost himself in a maze of thoughts that were rendered vague by his lack of words to express them.” Although his mind is not literally a maze, this analogy works well, since Ralph often loses his train of thought, due to the stress he is under.

Simile: Ralph gets distracted when he suddenly realizes how dirty he is. “[H]e noticed --in this new mood of comprehension--how the folds [of his shirt] were stiff like cardboard.”  This direct comparison helps readers almost feel the thick layer of grime that coats Ralph’s shirt.  Kind of makes you want to take a shower, right?

Simile: Ralph looks at the gathered boys with the reflection of the water coming up from below the platform, “and their faces were lit upside down--like, thought Ralph, when you hold an electric torch in your hands.”  Our modern comparison would be holding a flashlight under your face.  It’s an eerie image, which shows that Ralph is a bit intimidated to face the boys, knowing that they won’t like what he has to say.

Symbolism: "Ralph felt a kind of affectionate reverence for the conch...He flourished the conch" which causes the boys to fall silent, waiting for him to begin. Later, when Ralph asks Piggy how he was brave enough to argue with Jack, Piggy replies with simple logic: “I had the conch. I had a right to speak.” Ralph could not run the meetings without the shell, around which they have formed rules of civilized behavior for meetings, using it kind of like a gavel. For Ralph and Piggy especially, it symbolizes order and civilized society, which is why they cling to it.

Simile & symbolism:  “One had to sit, attracting all eyes to the conch, and drop words like heavy round stones among the little groups.” This comparison shows that Ralph knows his words must be carefully chosen to have an impact on the boys.  It also furthers the symbolism of stones as a destructive force in their loss of innocence.

Metaphor: When the littlun Percival recites his full name and address, it brings his buried memories of home crashing down on him. ¨As if this information was rooted far down in the springs of sorrow, the littlun wept....A spring had been tapped, far beyond the reach of authority.¨ Likening the child’s memories to water buried deep in the earth is a fitting comparison, since the boy’s next reaction is to cry uncontrollably.

Personification: Golding frequently gives the ocean human-like qualities, which is fitting, considering that it is an antagonist, keeping the boys from their homes, families and normal childhoods.  As it gets dark and the meeting turns to talk of beasts and ghosts in the forest, the boys ¨heard silently the sough and whisper from the reef.¨ Shortly later, a¨flurry of wind made the palms talk...Two gray trunks rubbed each other with an evil squeaking.¨ At night, the whole island seems to turn evil and come to life. Ralph realizes that this distracts the boys and admits to them that this is a bad time for a meeting.

Allusion: By the end of the chapter, when Jack has rejected Ralph’s authority and drawn the boys away with wild screams and laughter, Ralph feels hopeless.  He suggests that he should give up being chief.  Although Piggy and Simon stick by his side, he laments,  "'Fat lot of good we are.  Three blind mice.  I´ll give up.'" The reference to the popular children’s song reminds us that these boys are supposed to be just kids.  Instead, they feel small, helpless, and blind as they try to determine the answers to their increasingly hopeless situation.

What plan does Miles have to free Mae from jail?

After Mae accidentally kills The Man in the Yellow Suit by hitting him with a shotgun, she is sentenced to death by hanging and imprisoned in the town jailhouse. Realizing that Mae's hanging--which won't actually result in her death--will reveal the secret of the Tucks' immortality once and for all, Miles develops a plan to free her...

Miles, who excels at carpentry, plans to take the window out of Mae's jail cell so that she can climb out through the open space after it gets dark. In order to fool  the constable (who will be patrolling the jail to make sure that all is well), Winnie volunteers to climb through the window and wrap herself up in a blanket in order to pose as Mae. Miles can then put the window back in the frame in order to make it look like nothing is wrong. This gives the Tucks extra time to escape from Treegap. 

In Fahrenheit 451, what are two books that are talked about that have been banned?

While all books are banned in the society of Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury makes references to a number of specific books. One of these is Uncle Tom's Cabin, which is mentioned by Captain Beatty when he is explaining the introduction of the fireman system to Montag in Part One. Beatty says Uncle Tom's Cabin was banned specifically because its content made "white people" feel uncomfortable.

Secondly, the Bible and its many books are frequently referenced by Bradbury in Fahrenheit 451. One specific example is Ecclesiastes, which Bradbury refers to in Part Three. When Montag meets Granger and the other professors, for instance, he is asked what he can offer the group, by means of his memory. He answers with "part of Ecclesiastes," and it is agreed that Montag will be the second person responsible for memorizing this book (after "Harris of Youngstown"). He carries this knowledge when he goes to rebuild the bomb-stricken city and it is, therefore, a symbol of hope for the future.

Why is the Declaration of Independence an important document?

I notice that in this question you ask why the Declaration “is” an important document.  Therefore, I will address its importance today, not at the time when it was written.  The Declaration of Independence is an important document to us today because it lays out the basic philosophy behind our system of government.  It tells us what our core beliefs about government are as a nation.

The important part of the Declaration today is the second part.  This is the part where Jefferson lays out his basic philosophy (borrowed from John Locke and others) with regard to government.  Jefferson tells us that government is only legitimate if it is based on the consent of the governed.  This emphasizes that we are a democratic society in which government only has power because we agree to give it power.  He also says that we all have rights that are given to us by God and that government cannot take away.  This is a very important idea because it tells us that we do not owe our rights to the government.  It tells us that the government does not have the right or the power to take these rights away from us.  Finally, Jefferson says that the only reason to have government is to protect our fundamental rights.  Government is not there to enrich the rulers or to give them power.  It is there to make sure that all our rights are honored and protected. 

The Declaration of Independence is an important document today because it reminds us of these basic foundations of our system of government.  It tells us who we are and what our core values are as a political entity.

How does Kipling present hopes and fears in "If?"

In "If," Kipling presents hope as a way to avert fear.

Kipling frames hope and fear in a conditional relationship. Throughout the poem, this relationship is displayed.  For example, in the line, "If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;" the fear is that dreams will exert excessive control over the individual.  A person's best hope is for autonomy over dreams.  In "If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue," the fear is a loss of conviction in the presence of others.  The hope that will defeat it is that authenticity and sincerity be displayed at all times. The line, "If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you," shows how the fear of losing trust with oneself can be countered through the hope of sustaining faith even when all others doubt.  In each of these examples, the speaker has fears which are countered through the hope expressed.  The use of "if" is conditional.  It communicates how if there is no hope, then fears will be realized.

In "If," Kipling establishes a precarious balance between hope and fear.  The reality of fears can only be offset through hope.  Maturation means we recognize our hopes as the best antidote to our fears.

In 1845, the United States annexed the Republic of ____________.

The answer to this question is “Texas.”  In 1845, the United States annexed the Republic of Texas, making it into part of the United States, which it has been ever since.

In the 1830s, Texas had long been a part of Mexico.  However, it was in the extreme north of Mexico and was very lightly inhabited.  The Mexican government wanted the area to be more developed so that it would be more beneficial to the country.  Therefore, they invited Americans to come and settle in Texas and become Mexican citizens.  The Americans came and soon outnumbered the Mexicans.  The problem was that they really did not want to become Mexican citizens and instead wanted to remain as Americans.

In 1835, Mexico was in the middle of a rather long period of internal strife between people who wanted a strong national government and people who wanted the states to have more autonomy.  As part of this conflict, Texas rebelled against the central government.  Texas won the rebellion in 1836 and became an independent country.  It asked the US to annex it at that point, but the US did not want to because it did not want to cause trouble with Mexico, which still thought Texas belonged to it.  By 1845, the US no longer really cared about this and so it annexed Texas.  At that point, Texas stopped being an independent republic and became part of the United States.

Why did George go to the bunkhouse alone in chapter five?

In chapter five of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife and flees from the barn on his way, as instructed by George, to "hide in the brush" in the clearing between the Gabilan Mountains and the Salinas River, which is the setting of the book's opening chapter. Candy enters the barn looking for Lennie because he has been "figuring some more" about Lennie's rabbits when he sees Curley's wife dead on the ground. After his discovery, he immediately gets George to show him the dead girl. The two men know automatically that it was most certainly Lennie who did it. George asks Candy to wait a few minutes before informing the other men on the ranch of the discovery. In the mean time, George is headed for the bunkhouse where he takes Carlson's gun. It was obviously in George's mind to kill Lennie with the gun. Later in the chapter, Carlson is indeed missing his gun. In the final chapter, George uses the Luger pistol to shoot Lennie in the back of the head. 

Why are characters like Bob and Mayella Ewell condemned and characters like Calpurnia, Atticus, and Tom Robinson praised by Maycomb society in...

In To Kill a Mockingbird, author Harper Lee condemns characters like Bob Ewell because they are not contributing members of society. Rather, they are society's leeches that contribute nothing but damaging racist hatred.

We learn that the Ewells are not contributing members of society early in the novel when Scout, after being very disappointed with her first day of school, proposes that she can skip out on going to school just like Burris Ewell, son of Bob Ewell. Atticus refutes her idea, saying it is illegal for her not to go to school and pointing out that Maycomb gives people like the Ewells a lot of legal allowances because they are just going to break laws regardless. Atticus continues to describe the Ewells as the "disgrace of Maycomb for three generations" and to explain that "[n]one of them had done an honest day's work in his recollection" (Ch. 3). Instead, the Ewells live off of Bob's relief checks, which he mostly spends on whiskey. Since Bob drinks away all of his money, Maycomb turns a blind eye when he hunts and traps out of season, thinking that allowing him to hunt illegally is better than allowing him to starve all of his children to death. By refusing to work and instead living only off of relief checks, Bob Ewell acts as a leech of society, feeding off of society without contributing.

In contrast to characters like the Ewells, characters like Calpurnia are praised for being important contributors to society. Calpurnia particularly contributes by upholding moral values such as of self-improvement through education and of humility. The fact that Calpurnia is literate and speaks grammatically, unlike many African Americans in Maycomb, testifies to the fact Calpurnia values self-improvement through education. However, despite her advancement over many people of her class, she also has the humility not to show it off. Calpurnia teaches the Finch children a lesson in humility when she explains the following to them on the Sunday they accompany her to the African-American church has her guests:

It's not necessary to tell all you know. It's not ladylike. ... You're not gonna change any of them by talkin' right, they've got to want to learn themselves, and when they don't want to learn there's nothing you can do but keep your mouth shut or talk their language. (Ch. 12)

Since Calpurnia behaves respectfully and humbly in society, plus improves herself through education, we can see that Calpurnia is a contributing member of society, worthy of being praised.

What are the indirect and direct characterizations of Miss Stephanie in Chapters 7 and 8 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

Writers develop and reveal characters and character traits through direct characterization, in which the writer tells the reader about a character through direct statements rather than dramatization. Writers can also use indirect characterization, which can be developed through the following means:

1. through a physical description of a character


2. through the character's actions


3. through the character's thoughts, feelings, and speech


4. through the comments and reactions of other characters

In Chapter 7 of To Kill a Mockingbird, there is only a brief mention of Miss Stephanie Crawford. Jem and Scout find two carved figures in the knot-hole of the tree on the Radley's place; one is a boy and another a girl. As they study them, Scout notes the carver even caught the cowlick in Jem's hair. When they try to figure out who could have made these figures, Scout suggests Mr. Avery. Jem disputes this conclusion, saying all Mr. Avery really does is whittle a stick down to a toothpick.

Scout then suggests, "There's old Miss Stephanie Crawford's sweetheart. . . Maybe he sits on the porch and looks at us instead of Miss Stephanie." These statements are examples of indirect characterization.

In Chapter 8, there is another example of indirect characterization when Jem fashions a snowman after Maycomb has a rare snowfall.

Looking at Jem's unfinished attempt, Scout remarks, "'He looks like Stephanie Crawford with her hands on her hips. . . Fat in the middle and little-bitty arms,' I said." 

Miss Maudie talks to the children after the fire and tells them she will bake a Lane cake. She also comments on Miss Stephanie, saying, "That Stephanie's been after my recipe for thirty years."

The only example that can possibly be considered as direct characterization is that in which Scout acts as narrator, and is thus the voice of the author. In Chapter 8, she mentions,

Another fire truck appeared and stepped in front of Miss Stephanie Crawford's.

This statement tells about Miss Stephanie's house, so, perhaps, it can be defined as telling about a character, which is direct characterization.

In chapter 31 of To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout lists the things Boo has given her and Jem. List those items and explain Scout's thoughts about Boo's...

In chapter 31, Scout reminisces about what she and her brother found in the oak tree from Boo Radley. They first find gum, which Jem makes her spit out because he thinks it is poisoned. Next, they find the following: two Indianhead pennies, two soap dolls, and a broken watch with a chain and a small knife. By the end of the book, though, Scout knows that Boo Radley is a friend and neighbor, not the boogeyman that she was first taught about by Jem and Miss Stephanie Crawford. Consequently, Scout says the following about Boo Radley:

"Neighbors bring food with death and flowers with sickness and little things in between. Boo was our neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives. But neighbors give in return. We never put back into the tree what we took out of it: we had given him nothing, and it made me sad" (278).

This passage shows that Scout is very grateful for the material items that Boo Radley gave them through the knothole of the tree. (In fact, in chapter 7, she and Jem write a thank you letter to put into the knothole of the tree, but Mr. Nathan Radley filled it up with cement before they could accomplish their goal.) She also appreciates the fact that she and Jem were saved by Boo on the night that Bob Ewell attacked them. However, Scout also feels sad because she is not able to give anything to him in return. Therefore, once Boo saves the children's lives in chapter 28, there doesn't seem to be anything more they could give him in response to all of his kindnesses, so this makes her sad.

find dy/dx when y=(logx)logx``

You need to differentiate the function with respect to x, using product rule such that:

`(dy)/(dx) = (d(logx))/(dx)*log x + log x*(d(log x))/(dx)`

`(dy)/(dx) = (1/(x*ln 10))*log x + log x*(1/(x*ln 10))`

`(dy)/(dx) = (2log x)/(x*ln 10)`

`(dy)/(dx) = (2/(ln 10))*((log x)/x)`

Hence, differentiating the given function yields `(dy)/(dx) = (2/(ln 10))*((log x)/x).`

***This is assuming you are using the base 10 log***

If you are using the natural log, ln(x), then your answer would be 

`(dy)/(dx) = (2/x)*(ln(x))`

I am looking for some guidance about how to compare a conflict in Kathryn Stockett's book The Help to a real-life situation.

One of the main conflicts in The Help is that between individual conscience versus the norms or values of the larger society. For example, Skeeter has been friends with Hilly and Elizabeth since elementary school, and they also roomed together at Ole Miss (page 54). However, Skeeter begins to feel more and more distant from her old friends, in part because they are already married and have children while she does not and in part because they espouse racist ideas that she objects to. She decides to write stories about the way the African-American domestics around her are treated because she knows that the way their employers treat the maids is wrong, but she keeps her activities secret from her white friends and her family. She is doing what she thinks is right, but she has to defy the values of her society and act in secret to do so.

Skeeter also thinks the way in which women are supposed to act in her community is wrong for her. When she skims the help wanted ads, she finds no jobs for women, except work as a stenographer, though she worked hard at college to learn to write (pages 58-59). In her world, women are supposed to get married and have children as soon as possible, and her friends and her mother desperately want to see her married and don't support her desire to work. She eventually has to leave Mississippi to go to New York to find the type of job in editorial work that she wants. There are many real-life situations that involve people not agreeing with the values of their society and having to leave it (or try to change it) to find a life that suits them.

Another major source of conflict in the novel is that African-American domestics such as Aibileen cannot always say what is on their mind because their society does not allow that. For example, Aibileen knows that the way in which Elizabeth Leefolt treats her little daughter, Mae Mobley, is abusive, but there is nothing Aibileen can say about it because she needs a job and has little power in the community where she lives. There are many real-life situations in which a person does not have the power to say or do what he or she wants, including in situations such as African-American people in the Jim Crow South or even, to a lesser degree, young people in school or at work. This type of situation develops when one group or person has more power than another group or person. There are many real-life situations that develop between the more powerful and less powerful, including conflicts between parents and children, between teachers and students, or between bosses and employees. These types of conflicts could give you some ideas about what to write about. 

What does it mean to draw, in detail, significant parts of artwork?

Firstly, your question is not stupid. There is nothing wrong with needing help and there is a possibility that your instructor did not clearly detail what it is you need to do.

I'm not clear on what kind of piece you're doing, but it sounds like a large-scale project. Generally, when an artist is working on a very large piece -- e.g., a painting, sculpture, collage, mural -- she will do preliminary sketches and will work from those sketches to determine what the figures or objects in the piece will look like. That's what it sounds like your instructor is asking you to do. 

Think along the lines of the preliminary sketches that Michelangelo did before he began painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. He drew all of the major figures and scenes, such as The Creation of Adam and The Fall of Man. From those sketches, he was able to understand how the bodies would look, what they would be doing, their expressions, as well as how they would be organized in the fresco. This is what it means to "draw in detail some of the significant parts of the artwork." Your instructor wants to see what you plan on doing and if it will work. He or she wants to see your ideas. 

I hope this helps. Best of luck on the project.

How did the United States benefit from World War I?

The United States was the main victor of WWI, even though it only joined the war in April 1917 and could not commit any substantial forces until even later that year.  Before the war, America made loans to the Allied powers, especially Britain, France, and Russia.  America also sold munitions to the Allies--all of this made manufacturers in this country quite wealthy.  The war was good for factory workers as well, as the average wages of munition workers were higher than the soldiers received.  After the war, America was a creditor nation; furthermore, there was a strong need in Europe for American goods and foodstuffs since a large portion of the European workforce had been killed in the war.  After the war, American businesses looked to expand overseas with multinational corporations and to extract natural resources through contracts with governments who could no longer afford to exploit their own colonies.  

How does Ralph lack of self-confidence in Lord of the Flies?

In Chapter 5, Ralph begins to doubt his ability as a leader before holding an assembly to discuss how the boys are not completing any of the agreed upon tasks. Ralph realizes that the conditions on the island are only getting worse and feels like the boys do not respect him. He also doesn't believe that he is smart enough to make the right decisions. Golding writes,

"Only, decided Ralph as he faced the chief’s seat, I can’t think. Not like Piggy" (78).

The assembly ends terribly when Jack refuses to follow the rules and leads the hunters on another expedition. When Jack and his hunters leave the platform, Ralph says to Piggy,

"I ought to give up being chief. Hear 'em" (Golding 93).

Ralph is frustrated at his lack of control and mental inferiority. He cannot give any definite answers regarding the identity of the beast, and lacks the ability to enforce any of the rules. His failure to form a cohesive group focused on completing necessary tasks and his inability to answer important questions are the reasons he is becoming less confident as a leader.

In the third paragraph of Shirley Jackson's story "The Lottery," what suggests that the lottery is a serious event?

In the third paragraph of "The Lottery," Jackson suggests to the reader that the lottery is, in fact, a serious event. She does this by employing descriptions of the characters which evoke an image of nervousness and stress in the reader's mind. The men, for example, stand in groups together which are some distance away from the "pile of stones." This implies an unconscious desire to be removed from the impending violence. Moreover, the men speak quietly and refrain from laughing, reinforcing the idea that the lottery is a serious event. 

In addition, the families assemble together and in a very specific order, which further reinforces the severity of this event. Each family, for example, stands as a complete unit (consisting of parents and children) and, within each unit, each member has his place:

"Bobby came quickly and took his place between his father and his oldest brother."

Is "My Oedipus Complex" by Frank O'Connor narrated from the point of view of a young child or a mature man?

This is a somewhat complicated question.  It is narrated from the point of view of an adult man, but he is remembering his thoughts and feelings from when he was a young boy.  He expresses the turmoil that he went through at this time in his life with so much passion that it does sometimes feel as though he is experiencing it as he writes.  However, if you read carefully, there are clear indicators that he is writing as an older man.  In the very first line, when the narrator is describing his early interactions with his father, he uses the past tense, saying, "up to the age of five, I never saw much of him, and what I saw did not worry me."  From this alone, we know that he is at least past the age of five.  Another clue to the narrator's advanced age is his vocabulary.  Although he is describing childish thoughts and actions, he uses words such as "ominous", "amiable", "optimistic", and injustice."  These are definitely not words that one would expect a five year old to use.  

What roles do figures of leadership play in the movie Forrest Gump?

In Forrest Gump, the figures of leadership can almost all be seen as performing a role that aids Forrest Gump's development of self-definition and agency. 

Forrest (Tom Hanks) has a number of notable relationships with leadership figures. This is especially true if we include the characters of his mother (Sally Field) and his childhood friend and sweetheart Jenny (Robin Wright). 

In his relatively innocent and guileless way, Forrest is very willing to be a follower to his mother, to Jenny and to Lt. Dan (Gary Sinise). Each of these characters give Forrest advice to apply when they are not around. With folksy sayings and solid guidance, these three figures turn Forrest into a person who himself is capable of leadership. 

Importantly, this strength is developed through self-knowledge. There is, perhaps, a bit of irony in the idea that Forrest learns to define himself as an individual through his interactions with other important figures in his life. Then again, the irony is only slight seeing that it is the internalization of good advice (and a filtering out of bad advice) that substantially defines the inner-being of this lead character, Forrest Gump. 

Leadership, in the end, is concerned with wisdom, which is a practical application of life's lessons combined with a sense of personal agency.

Dorothy Harris: Are you coming along?

Young Forrest Gump: Mama said not to be taking rides from strangers.

Dorothy Harris: This is the bus to school.

Young Forrest Gump: I'm Forrest, Forrest Gump.

Dorothy Harris: I'm Dorothy Harris.

Young Forrest Gump: Well, now we ain't strangers anymore.

How does The Crucible teach us how power has been shifted around when challenged?

Power shifts several times in The Crucible.  First, Tituba and the girls become extremely powerful at the end of Act 1; a slave and a group of young girls are hardly the sort of people who would typically have a great deal of power in Salem in 1692: consider Parris's threat to beat both Tituba and Abigail in this act.  However, with their accusations of witchcraft, accusations that seem to confirm the worst fears of a few, power shifts away from those who typically have it to those who typically don't.  The cause?  Fear.  The accusations seem to justify the fears of people like Mrs. Putnam, and once others begin to realize the extreme power the girls now wield (as well as how they might help put this power to use for their own ends), the girls' power is cemented.

Later, in Act Three, the power typically held by a judge or the deputy governor of the colony is shifted away from them and onto the girls.  Again, fear is the major reason for the shift.  Danforth first acquires his power by instilling fear in others.  He tells Francis Nurse that "a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between."  His goal seems to be to make people afraid that they will be considered one of the individuals who are "against" the court; such a fear would silence them and prevent them from preventing evidence that would seem to contradict the girls' statements.  Abigail then shifts the power dynamic again when she instills fear in Danforth.  When Proctor confesses his affair with Abigail and Danforth questions her about it, she eventually says "in an open threat: Let you beware, Mr. Danforth.  Think you to be so mighty that the power of Hell may not turn your wits?  Beware of it!"  Thus, she threatens him with an accusation, making him fearful, and causing him to defer to her power moving forward.  

All of these shifts seem to teach us that fear is dangerous.  Fear strips us of our reason and our compassion, compelling us to behave in ways that we normally would not, to believe statements we would typically doubt.  John F. Kennedy once said that "We have nothing to fear but fear itself," and The Crucible seems to support such a statement. 

What are some of the literary techniques used in Act II, Scene 2 of Shakespeare's Macbeth, and how are they used?

In Act II, Scene 2 of Macbeth, there are several examples of metaphors. For example, at the beginning of the scene, the owl that is heard shrieking is referred to as the "fatal bellman" (line 4), as it was thought that an owl flying over one's house portended death. A person would generally ring a bell when someone was near death, but in this case, the owl is acting as the bellman. 

In lines 47-51, there is an extended metaphor about sleep:

"Macbeth does murder sleep, the innocent sleep,

Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care,

The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath,

Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,

Chief nourisher in life's feast,--"

In this metaphor, sleep is compared to a needle that can repair a sleeve that has become unraveled. It is also compared to the death that ends each day and to something that can soothe someone who is tired from work or hurt in mind. Sleep is referred to as the main nutrient in the feast of life. In this passage, sleep is also personified, as it is a live thing that Macbeth can murder. 

In lines 75-79, Macbeth uses several other examples of personification. He asks, "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand?" He is asking whether the ocean, ruled by the god Neptune, will be able to clean the blood from his hand. In the next two lines, he says, "No, this my hand will rather / The multitudinous seas incarnadine, / Making the green one red." In this example, he says that his hand will turn the seas red because he has so much blood on his hand. 

Why did the King of Bohemia seek Sherlock Holmes's help in "A Scandal in Bohemia"?

Irene Adler has a picture of herself and the King of Bohemia, and he wants Holmes to get it back.

The King of Bohemia explains to Holmes that when he was only a prince he made a bad decision.  This decision was to have an improper relationship with Irene Adler.   Now that he is king, she is using it to blackmail him.

“… Your Majesty, as I understand, became entangled with this young person, wrote her some compromising letters, and is now desirous of getting those letters back."

At first, Holmes is not too concerned. He doesn’t see how Irene Adler can prove anything.  He says that the king can just say the letters are forged.  The issue, of course, is the photograph.  This is actual proof.

"My photograph."

"Bought."

"We were both in the photograph."

"Oh, dear! That is very bad! Your Majesty has indeed committed an indiscretion."

"I was mad -- insane."

"You have compromised yourself seriously."

Holmes has to get the picture back from Irene Adler.  Irene Adler is not just any woman.  In fact, Watson tells us that she is “the woman” to Holmes.  In her, he sees his intellectual match.  Holmes is very impressed with every feature of Irene Adler!

Five other attempts were made to get the picture before the king hired Holmes.  She is threatening to send the picture to the king’s future wife, and he says she will do it because she has “a soul of steel.”  His family will not approve, and it will ruin the marriage.

Watson doesn’t see the problem.  Holmes is Holmes, after all.  Is there anything he can’t do?  Watson says, “So accustomed was I to his invariable success that the very possibility of his failing had ceased to enter into my head.”  Holmes plans an ingenious attempt to get the picture involving setting a fire so she will have to get it out, and he will see it.

It turns out Irene Adler has heard of Sherlock Holmes.  She is a master of disguise and highly intelligent.  However, she is impressed with Holmes’s attempts to get the picture, and she gives him the picture.  What is Holmes’s payment for this remarkable case?  It is the picture of Irene Adler.

How do Greek values as shown in the Odyssey differ from those in the Iliad?

Honor and glory seem to be values much more paramount in the Iliad than they are in the Odyssey. The Iliad is about a war, how to fight it, and how to win it, but the Odyssey is a story about survival against all odds, against even a god's wishes. Therefore, in the Odyssey we see values such as hospitality and piety playing an even larger role than honor and glory. Odysseus must depend on the hospitality of strangers as he attempts to get home to his wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus, in Ithaca. Sometimes the religious imperative to offer hospitality to strangers is ignored, and sometimes negative consequences result: when Polyphemus eats six of Odysseus's men, Odysseus blinds him. Moreover, when the suitors for Penelope's hand abuse the rules of hospitality, they are severely punished by Odysseus and Telemachus: revenge with which the gods seem to agree.

Further, Odysseus's religious piety helps him to gain favor with key gods like Athena and Zeus. Penelope's marital piety and faithfulness to her long-absent husband renders her a model wife for other characters and the audience alike, just as Telemachus's filial piety (exhibited by his dangerous mission to find his father or, at least, news of him as well as his keen desire to avenge the wrongs committed by the suitors). Piety, like hospitality, is thus admired and valued much more so than is discussed in the Iliad.

What is an example of dialect from Chapter 2 in the book Of Mice and Men?

A dialect can refer to a way of speaking particular to a certain region or a certain social class. The workers on the ranch are not very well educated and this is evident in the way that they speak. You will see grammatical mistakes and slang, the latter of which probably comes from the western United States in general.

When George inspects the beds at the ranch, he notices a can of insecticide:

“Says ‘positively kills lice, roaches and other scourges.’ What the hell kind of bed you giving us, anyways. We don’t want no pants rabbits.” 

"Pants rabbits" means lice or bed bugs. This is a slang term, perhaps common to the western dialect of the era depicted in the story.

When the boss leaves, George scolds Lennie for talking. Note the use of "wasn't" and "was" instead of "weren't."

“So you wasn’t gonna say a word. You was gonna leave your big flapper shut and leave me do the talkin’. Damn near lost us the job.”

In describing Curley's wife, Lennie uses the word "purty," which means "pretty." It is a term that was/is used in some western and southern dialects.

Carlson's complaints about Candy's dog really show the western drawl with words and phrases like "looka here" and "ever' time."

Well, looka here, Slim. I been thinkin’. That dog of Candy’s is so God damn old he can’t hardly walk. Stinks like hell, too. Ever’ time he comes into the bunk house I can smell him for two, three days.

Why did Europeans, and not Asians, undertake the voyages of discovery connecting Old World with New World?

Considering that much of the technology that permitted Europeans to traverse the oceans came from Asia and the Far East, the reason is not found in any technical advantage that Europe possessed over Asia.  In answering this question, it is important to understand the motive for European exploration and discovery of America.  First, the Europeans wanted an easier and less expensive route to the East in order to acquire spices, drugs, perfumes, and silks that were in very high demand on their continent after the Crusades.  So through this perspective, the Asians would not be trying to find a sea route to their own lands.  Secondly, the Europeans were in the midst of the Renaissance, a period of time in which there was a belief in the unbelievable potential of humanity. This period brought about scientific discovery and reason.  Despite the fact that Europeans discovered a previously unknown world, this was done by complete accident and for years following the landfall of Columbus, Europeans still did not realize they were not in Asia. 

The human population today is approximately seven billion. Many parts of the Earth (like Siberia, Australia, Northern Canada, the Amazon) are still...

I would have to say that the answer to this question is that these areas do not offer relief to the world population growth mentioned in this scenario.  There is a reason that these areas of the world are on populated:  they are not ideal for human habitation.  If they are geographically habitable, they are being used for purposes that support the population, especially agriculture (like the areas in the middle of the United States.)  I have attached a map to your question as a reference for the rest of the answer.

You can tell by the map that humans like to live near water sources.  The majority of the dark areas are near water.  This is because urban areas are located near bodies of water for transportation and all of the economic benefits that water offers.  These areas will most likely need to absorb the additional population in the coming centuries.

The areas that are light on the map are difficult environments to live.  They are dense jungles or harsh deserts.  The areas to the far north and south are cold. While it is possible for people to live in these environments (and some do,) the regions cannot support large population density.  They are not attractive places for people to locate business and industry.  This means that jobs would not be available for large populations.  Additionally, they are so unattractive as a place for people to live that most would choose to live in crowded cities and suburbs than to relocate to these sparsely populated areas.  

Was Cleopatra Greek?

Cleopatra was a member of the Ptolemaic Dynasty.  Family members and ancestors in the Ptolemaic Dynasty had come from Macedonia on the Greek Peninsula.  Ancient Macedonians had expanded from today's Greece into other regions.  Alexander the Great had invaded Egypt, and from this the Ptolemaic Dynasty had come into power through his general.  Cleopatra was descended from Alexander the Great.  She was of Greek ancestry through him.  Members of the Ptolemaic Dynasty continued to speak Greek rather than Egyptian.  Cleopatra, by contrast, learned to speak Egyptian.  Her name was of Greek origin.

Upon the death of her father, Cleopatra became a joint monarch with her younger brother.  In the culture of the Ptolemaic Dynasty, female rulers were considered secondary to male rulers in the case of a joint monarchy.  Cleopatra challenged this when she tried to militarily overthrow her brother.

Do you agree with the sheriff that Ruth would be better off separated from Sylvie, in a "normal" household?

In Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson, the sheriff has understandable concerns about Sylvie's ability to properly raise Ruth. While well-intentioned, Sylvie demonstrates many concerning traits that could make her an unfit guardian. Sylvie herself has chosen a life as a drifter, but Ruth and her sister Lucille are still young enough that they are impressionable and require a stable home environment. After being abandoned by their mother and great-aunts and the death of their grandmother, the girls fear being left alone. Despite her flaws and eccentricities, Sylvie is the only family member besides their grandmother who never turned her back on the girls. In this sense, she provides more stability for Ruth than any of her previous guardians.

The novel leaves it open to the reader's judgment whether it is a good thing or a bad thing that Ruth and Sylvie remained together. The sheriff's concerns may seem unfounded from Ruth's naive perspective, but from an outside perspective, Sylvie's behavior is concerning. She does not keep her home in a manner that is safe or suitable for children, hence the title of Housekeeping. While she attempts to clean up and remove some of the more unsanitary clutter in her home, her efforts are deemed too little, too late by the sheriff.

While Sylvie and Ruth share a deep emotional bond and a love of independence, there are co-dependent elements to their relationship. The story ends on a melancholic note with Ruth and Sylvie having escaped in order to avoid Ruth being taken into custody by the sheriff and placed in a different home. In order to run away without being pursued, Sylvie comes up with the plan to burn the house and convince everyone in town, including Lucille, that they drowned. The two become drifters, and while Ruth is somewhat optimistic about this life at the end of the novel, it remains to be seen whether this is a choice that will serve her well in her adult life.

Sylvie is spirited and carefree. Her love for Lucille and Ruth is obvious throughout the story, but Housekeeping raises the question of whether love is truly enough to keep a family together. Sylvie is certainly not an ideal guardian for Lucille, but she is what Ruth needs in a sense. However, the sheriff understands that Ruth is young and belongs in school where she can get an education and build a solid foundation for the rest of her life. From a psychological perspective, Ruth would likely be better off living with Sylvie in town with outside supervision to make sure that she goes to school and has all her needs met.

What is the phrasal category of the bold constituent in the following sentences: The house across the street is haunted. The girls and their...

In the first sentence, the phrase begins with the preposition across:
The house across the street.

A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition and usually ends with a noun or a pronoun. A noun is a person, place, or thing; a pronoun is a word that replaces or refers to a noun, words such as he, she, it, etc.

A prepositional phrase will also contain modifiers such as articles (a, an, the). Professor of English and Humanities Robin L. Simons, author of the Grammar Bytes website, gives us the following examples of prepositional phrases:

• on the bathroom floor


• in the vegetable bin


• from Beverly

A prepositional phrase will also act as either an adjective or an adverb. Adjectives describe nouns; adverbs describe either verbs (action words), adjectives, or other adverbs. Professor Simons gives us the following sentence example containing a prepositional phrase acting as an adjective:
The sweet potatoes in the vegetable bin are green with mold.
Here, the phrase in the vegetable bin is further describing the compound noun sweet potatoes by answering the question, what sweet potatoes? Therefore, we know the phrase is acting as an adjective.

The following is my own example of a prepositional phrase acting as an adverb:

• While in the library, she spoke in a quiet whisper.

Here, the phrase in a quiet whisper is further describing the verb spoke by answering the question, how? Therefore, we know the phrase is acting as an adverb.

The phrase in question in the first sentence begins with the preposition across and ends with the noun street. The entire phrase is also further describing the noun house--it's telling us more about the house by answering the question, what house? Therefore, we know the phrase is a prepositional phrase.

In the phrase of the second sentence, the nouns girls and mother are joined by the conjunction and:

• 
  The girls and their mother went swimming.

Noun phrases are phrases that contain nouns and their modifiers. A noun is a person, place, or thing; modifiers that can be found in a noun phrase include articles (a, an, the), possessive nouns (Uncle Jim's dog), adjectives (the cute dog), and participles (the mewing kitten). Professor Simons gives us the following examples of noun phrases:

• the dog


• Aunt Audrey's dog


• the barking dog

A compound subject occurs when we join two or more noun phrases with a conjunction. The compound subject creates one long noun phrase. The editors of the Purdue University's Online Writing Lab give us the following examples of sentences containing noun phrases made up of compound subjects:

• 
  She and her friends are at the fair.


• 
  The book or the pen is in the drawer.


• 
  The boy or his friends run every day.

Therefore, we know the phrase in the second sentence is a noun phrase with a compound subject.

`log_2(x - 1) = 5` Solve the equation accurate to three decimal places

`log_2 (x-1) =5`

To solve, convert the equation to exponential form.

Take note that if a logarithmic equation is in the form

`y = log_b (x)`

its equivalent exponential equation is

`x= b^y`

So converting 

`log_2 (x-1)=5`

to exponential equation, it becomes

`x-1 = 2^5`

Then, simplify the right side.

`x-1=32`

And isolate the x.

`x= 32 +1`  

`x=33`

Therefore, the solution is `x=33` .

How would you analyze Scout using quotes from To Kill a Mockingbird?

Scout is a very complex character, so an analysis of her should be fairly focused. For example, what kind of a person do you think she is? By answering that question, you can begin to analyze the ways she demonstrates those specific characteristics in the book.

Scout is often viewed as young, innocent, brave, tough, honest, intelligent, and precocious. In order to analyze her more closely, consider choosing one of those character traits, or another that you have noticed yourself that is not listed here, and begin to find quotes from the book that back up your claim that her personality is such.

Let's say you wanted to talk about Scout being brave. You might cite the example from Ch. 15 where she steps into the middle of the conversation (more accurately, the brewing fight) between Atticus and the mob who have shown up to the jail to take Tom Robinson. She strikes up a conversation with Mr. Cunnigham about his son, Walter. This is brave of Scout because she recognizes how tense the situation is and that Atticus is in a tight spot. She hopes to relieve some of that tension, and without realizing it, she does something very brave. The best part? It works! This is just one, and perhaps the most extreme example, of Scout being brave.

How does Atticus explain the jury's actions to Jem in Chapter 22 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

Jem is devastated when the jury gives Tom Robinson a guilty verdict. He had clung to the hope that jurors would look at the evidence and declare Tom Robinson innocent. Jem had faith in the jury to do the right thing, not the popular thing.

At home, Jem cries at the injustice. Atticus is solemn and heads up to bed early. Jem asks his father how the jury could have convicted Tom Robinson. Atticus responds,

"I don't know, but they did it. They've done it before and they did it tonight and they'll do it again and when they do it—seems that only children weep" (Chapter 22).

Atticus is referring to the fact that juries always convict black men if they are accused of a violent crime against a white person. This is the way things are in the South in the 1930s. It is considered socially unacceptable to do otherwise. Atticus does not know exactly how they can do such a thing after examining the evidence that proved Tom's innocence. He just knows that this is the way it always goes.

Who was most famous for having a negative effect on the Civil Rights Movement?

If by "negative effect" you mean people who opposed the movement for African-American civil rights during the 1950s and 1960s, then some Southern politicians spring to mind. One is George Wallace, the Alabama governor who became the face of segregation in the South when he blocked the entrance to the University of Alabama to prevent African-American students from entering under federal protection. Another is Mississippi governor Ross Barnett, who took similar actions in response to attempts to integrate the University of Mississippi by James Meredith. Declaring that "God is the original segregationist," he, like Wallace, cultivated support among southern whites through his opposition to integration. Another very public opponent of the civil rights movement was Birmingham, Alabama city official Eugene "Bull" Connor. Connor basically abetted a violent response to the Freedom Rides in 1961, and most famously ordered city police and firefighters to attack protesters in the streets of Birmingham in 1963. The irony is that the intransigence of men like Wallace, Barnett, and especially Connor actually backfired on a national level. Americans sympathized with civil rights protesters, whose nonviolent methods contrasted on television with the response of souther segregationists. Indeed, the strategy of leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. depended on their violence, which led to calls for federal civil rights legislation. 

How do human beings respond to being in a concentration camp?

Human beings responded to being in a concentration camp in different ways. Some people responded by being passively resistant. They would appear to be cooperating with the camp officials, but were secretly disobeying the camp guards. They would smuggle items to other people and secretly perform forbidden religious rituals like reading from the Torah and observing holidays. They would do the jobs they were asked to do, but would try to find ways to do those jobs less effectively. These people knew if they were caught, they would likely die. They didn’t want to give up and not try to fight to save themselves. There were risks that they were willing to take to increase their chances of surviving.

There were some stories of people who tried to escape concentration camps. While some were successful in doing this, most did not succeed.

Some people weren’t able to survive the rigors they faced. They were dehumanized so much and their bodies could no longer tolerate the harsh conditions. Many people became sick and were killed. Some people just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Unfortunately, they were assigned to a group that was going to be gassed to death. These people never had a chance of surviving.

What are the weapons systems that are included in the nuclear triad?

The nuclear triad refers to the three ways in which nuclear weapons can be delivered. The three ways in which these weapons can be delivered from one country to another are 1) by airplane, 2) by missiles based on the ground, and 3) by missiles launched from submarines.  These are the three parts of the nuclear triad.

What this means is that any weapons systems that are used to deliver nuclear weapons in any of these ways are parts of the nuclear triad.

These weapons systems have different names in different countries. For example, the United States’ submarine-based nuclear missiles are called Trident missiles. The Russians also have missiles that launch from submarines.  Their missiles are called Bulava.  These are both parts of the nuclear triad, but they have different names.

The weapons systems that are part of the nuclear triad, then, are any nuclear weapons that can be delivered from airplanes, from the ground, and from submarines.

In "Everyday Use," what does the mother's dream about going on a game show reveal about her relationship with Dee?

In this story, the mother's daydream about appearing on television with Dee is more focused on a talk show rather than a game show. You can tell because she describes how the show's host would be someone charming ("a smiling, gray, sporty man like Johnny Carson") who would bring together long-separated family members on stage to share their tearfully joyous reactions with the audience, and that host would have to work to keep up with the guest's "quick and witty" talk. This description should remind you of a talk show, like those hosted by Oprah or Ellen, rather than a game show, like Jeopardy! or Family Feud.

In her mind, Mrs. Johnson (Dee's mother) imagines the scene, thinking what it would be like to have herself and Dee on public display, Dee being a sophisticated girl who had made something of herself in life, and Mrs. Johnson still being a hardworking homebody. She considers how all those parents and children on the television programs cry happily and hug each other when they're reunited. "What would they do if parent and child came on the show only to curse out and insult each other?" she wonders. This reveals that Mrs. Johnson and Dee have spent time apart and have a strained relationship.

Note, also, that in Mrs. Johnson's daydream, she herself appears thin and lighter-skinned and handles herself with witty aplomb. But in real life, this woman is strong, large, and--especially with strangers-- reserved. This contrast between the real-life Mrs. Johnson and the television-fantasy Mrs. Johnson reveals that Dee would prefer for her mother to be like the latter: the idealized, feminine, dainty, television-ready version of herself. And by extension, we understand that Dee doesn't appreciate her mother for who she actually is.

Considering this difference between Mrs. Johnson's real personality and the false one Dee might like her to don for a television appearance, Mrs. Johnson notes that Dee herself is quick-witted and totally self-possessed. "Dee, though. She would always look anyone in the eye. Hesitation was no part of her nature," Mrs. Johnson muses. Here we notice that Dee and her mother have opposite personalities; it's another thing that causes their relationship to be so strained. They're just really different people with different values and attitudes.

What is William Shakespeare famous for?

William Shakespeare lived and worked in the Elizabethan/ Jacobean times (1564-1616), in the professional and highly competitive business of live stage performance. He wrote a large body of dramatic work—collected in 1616 as the Shakespeare Folio—as well as dozens of sonnets and other poems. His fame was based on his reputation for presenting powerful history plays, comedies, and tragedies; the Elizabethan audience could count on superior, thought-provoking work from him; he appealed to “groundlings” (working-class patrons of the theatre who stood rather than sat), royalty (including Queen Elizabeth herself), the merchant class, university students, and visitors to London from all over the world. In the ensuing centuries, his plays were (and are) restaged over and over, keeping his fame alive. From his huge output, and because the English language was finding its maturity, Shakespeare invented and contributed thousands of words and phrases English speakers now use today. Today, he is famous for his artistic literary work (especially his iconic characters such as Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, and Romeo) and contributions to the modern English Language.

How would I summarize the excerpt "Indian Relations" in Of Plymouth Plantation?

For months, Indians watched the English and stole some tools but made no overtures until Samoset approached in March and spoke to them in broken English.  He told the English about the number of natives in the area, who led them, and what the outlying area was like.

Shortly thereafter, Samoset returned with a small group of natives who returned the stolen tools.  They exchanged gifts and learned that Massasoit, a sachem, and a chief would soon arrive. 

Massasoit arrived, along with Squanto, who had been to England and spoke English well. The English and the natives exchanged gifts and entertainment and then the two groups drew up a six-part agreement that ensured the peace, safety, and communication of all concerned.

The other Indians returned to their respective areas, but Squanto stayed behind with the English and helped them to fish, hunt, plant, and navigate the area.

In "Among the Hidden," what are some of the tactics the government employs to make ordinary families like Luke's feel powerless?

In the novel, families are only allowed to have two children. A third child is considered illegal, so the government forcefully sterilizes women after their second births. If any woman accidentally becomes pregnant a third time, she is required to abort her child.

So, the government intimidates families like Luke's by employing draconian laws to compel implicit obedience. As a means of preventing overpopulation, the government uses the Population Law to decide the size of families; to ensure unquestioning obedience, the Population Police are allowed to use violent measures against citizens. Illegal third children are called shadow children, and the police are allowed to kill them on sight.

In the story, Jen and the other shadow children are brutally murdered by the police for daring to protest the government's stance on population control.

Additionally, the government has also outlawed gender selection procedures; it claims that the drastic law is needed to prevent citizens from destabilizing the population. In the story, Jen confides in Luke that her mother and step-father secretly paid doctors large sums of money to ensure that she would be born female. Any gender selection procedures have to be done secretly so as to escape the detection of the Population Police.

The government even controls what citizens eat. For example, no one is allowed to consume soda or potato chips, snacks the government considers junk food. In the story, Jen tells Luke that the government outlawed junk food by shutting down the factories that produced them. Essentially, only healthy food that can sustain an optimum population is allowed. Additionally, farmers are also forced to move to land that can sustain greater agricultural output.

In Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, what qualities of Bassanio are highlighted in the casket challenge?

In Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, Bassanio not only captures Portia's heart, but he truly loves her as well. This causes Portia to tell Bassanio to wait before he chooses a casket because if he fails, he will have to leave her side forever. Bassanio says that it is torture not to have her as his wife immediately, so he wants to try his luck by choosing from her father's gold, silver, and lead caskets for the one that will tell him he may marry her. As Bassanio deliberates about which casket would contain Portia's picture, he reasons about what each one might represent. For example, gold and silver are beautiful metals, worth a lot, and can also make pretty decorations or ornaments. However, he believes, these metals can be deceiving just like people. Some people who look courageous by wearing beards like Hercules or Mars seem brave, but are cowards inside. Bassanio decides that beauty and the world's value on gold and silver can be deceiving, which prompts him to say the following:

"The seeming truth which cunning times put on

To entrap the wisest. Therefore, thou gaudy gold,

Hard food for Midas, I will none of thee.

Nor none of thee [to silver], thou pale and common drudge . . .

But thou, thou meagre lead,

Which rather threaten'st than dost promise aught

Thy paleness moves me more than eloquence,

And here choose I. Joy be the consequence!" (III.ii.100-107).

Through Bassanio's thoughts, he proves himself wise. He shows that he values the true worth of life and people before the facades that the world produces to deceive. Bassanio chooses the lead box because it not only represents strength, but it isn't as deceitful as gold and silver might be. For example, when Bassanio says of lead, "Thy paleness moves me more than eloquence," he says that he would prefer the pure truth of a thing, situation or person rather than the pomp and circumstance of any false presentation. He's wise, sensitive, and not superficial or too worldly. Thus, Bassanio chooses the correct casket that contains Portia's picture because he has the correct reasoning within him to be a good husband for Portia. 

Discuss the idea that Othello's downfall is a result of his weaknesses and other circumstances, rather than Iago's deception.

A lot of critical interpretations of Shakespeare's Othello focus on the single-minded evil of Iago's deception and the ways in which it brings about Othello's downfall. However, while this fascinating and disturbing aspect of the play certainly deserves attention, it's important to consider whether some of Othello's characteristics are to blame. For instance, it seems impossible that Othello would experience such a tragic downfall if he didn't harbor some inherent weaknesses, such as a tendency for jealousy. Indeed, Othello's jealousy can be seen as one of the driving forces that causes him to see imagined infidelity and assume that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. In this way, it's possible to argue that Othello's weakness for jealousy causes his downfall. 

However, in considering this plausible claim, it's important to remember that, if it weren't for Iago's web of lies, Othello probably wouldn't have succumbed to jealousy in the first place. As such, we cannot entirely blame an inherent weakness or other circumstances for Othello's downfall. Rather, it would be more accurate to say that Iago uses deception to encourage Othello's tendency to be jealous, thus bringing about the protagonist's demise. As such, though Othello's weakness for jealousy certainly is partly responsible for the tragedy that ensues, Iago's deception is still a vital component to the heart-wrenching results of the play's plot.