In the book Fahrenheit 451, besides Montag, who or what else could be the hero(es) of the novel and why?

Arguably, Granger is another hero of Fahrenheit 451. Montag meets Granger in Part Three after he has fled the city. He is the leader of an underground group, composed mainly of former college professors, who have memorised books to prevent the total loss of knowledge. Granger tasks Montag with memorising the Book of Ecclesiastes and thus gives him a sense of purpose in the resistance movement.

For Granger, society is like the Phoenix: a "silly damn bird" which burned itself in a funeral pyre ever few hundred years. Society has made some great mistakes, notably in permitting the destruction of books, and Granger envisions a society in which this mistake is rectified:

Someday we'll stop making the goddamn funeral pyres and jumping into the middle of them.

His ability to stay hopeful in this climate of fear and censorship makes Granger the most optimistic and heroic of all the characters in Fahrenheit 451. He knows that this task is not easy and that society cannot be rebuilt overnight:

We pick up a few more people that remember, every generation…Someday the load we're carrying with us may help someone.

His determination, however, is rewarded with the closing of the book. The city is destroyed, leaving Granger and his men to oversee its rebuilding and to pass on the stories they have memorised.

What symbols can be found in "Half a Day"?

The major symbol in Naguib Mahfouz's short story "Half a Day" is the school which the narrator attends. The school is symbolic of the narrator's life from childhood to old age. At first it is a foreboding place. His father calls it a factory and its structure described as a "high-walled fortress, exceedingly stern and grim." The narrator is loath to leave behind his comfortable home and the "gardens" and "extensive fields" which line the street as he travels to the school. The gardens and fields are symbolic of the narrator's childhood which spreads out in front of him full of promise and anticipation.

At school the narrator eventually overcomes his tears and begins to "face life joyfully." The word "life" spoken by the woman at the school is foreshadowing of the fact that the school is the narrator's life. He would grow and learn, make friends, fall in love and, through trials and tribulations, enjoy much of his experience. The school, however, just like life, had its ups and downs, its joys and sorrows. Once an adult, the narrator lives a life of "exertion, struggle and perseverance." Some of his classmates (and probably the narrator) even took advantage of opportunities and became successful and happy.

At the end of "half a day" of school the narrator goes back on the same street from which he arrived. The street is much changed. Instead of the wonders of the far reaching fields which originally greeted the narrator, he now faces a claustrophobic modern city full of traffic, "disturbing noises" and "hills of refuse," symbolizing the reality that his life has passed him by with a myriad of developments and changes which he never even realized were taking place around him as he busied himself with the details of his life.  

If you are holding two balloons close to each other and they move away from each other quickly when you let go of them, what can you say about the...

There are two kinds of electrical charges--positive and negative. Two objects with different electrical charges (one positive and one negative) will attract each other. Two objects with the same electrical charge (both positive or both negative) will repel each other. It sounds like the two balloons in this experiment have the same charge, because they are moving away from each other. To determine whether they both have a positive or negative charge is a different matter.

This webpage might be helpful for you to have a look at, as it offers more in-depth explanations of how electrical charges work to attract and repel. You could also try this experiment at home. Try blowing up two balloons and rubbing them on your hair to give them a charge. Then, place them next to one another--do they attract or repel?

It might be helpful to keep this phrase in mind when talking about electrical charges--opposites attract and likes repel. The same rule applies to magnets, though this is a magnetic charge and the two variants are the north and south orientations. 

How do Portia, Nerissa, and Jessica defy the conventional stereotype in Shakespeare's society of being submissive and powerless? What are three...

In Act 1, Scene 2, Portia questions the extreme conditions of her father's will. This would be a rare occurrence at the time, for a daughter was not supposed to question whatever a father decided for her; she should be subservient. Questioning or doubting his decisions was regarded as disrespectful and was frowned upon. Portia tells Nerissa, her maid in waiting,

But this reasoning is not in the fashion to
choose me a husband. O me, the word 'choose!' I may
neither choose whom I would nor refuse whom I
dislike; so is the will of a living daughter curbed
by the will of a dead father. Is it not hard,
Nerissa, that I cannot choose one nor refuse none?

Another aspect of her speech also indicates her desire for the freedom to choose a life-partner, instead of having to submit to her father's instruction. In the paternalistic society of the time, a father's word was law and should be obeyed — a daughter (especially in esteemed society) did not marry for love. Marriages were arranged affairs in which the father was the chief negotiator. Portia's disapproval is, in this instance, a break from her assigned role of servile and unquestioning acquiescence.   

Clearly, Portia feels she is an unwilling victim of her father's wishes. She does not have a choice, though, for she will be disowned if she does not obey the instructions in her father's will. Her obedience is, therefore, born out of practical necessity — she would rather follow his instruction than be left destitute.  

Another quote in which Portia breaks from convention is found in Act 4, Scene 2, when she decides to visit Venice in disguise to help Antonio:

When we are both accoutred like young men,
I'll prove the prettier fellow of the two,

Portia decides she and Nerissa will go to Venice disguised as men. This act would have been condemned at the time since it was expected that ladies of stature were supposed to be just that — ladies, who were demure and feminine. Any sign of manliness would be seriously criticized. It was practically taboo for a woman to misrepresent herself in such a way.

In Act 5, Scene 1, Portia tells Bassanio,

I will become as liberal as you;
I'll not deny him any thing I have,
No, not my body nor my husband's bed:
Know him I shall, I am well sure of it:
Lie not a night from home; watch me like Argus:
If you do not, if I be left alone,
Now, by mine honour, which is yet mine own,
I'll have that doctor for my bedfellow.

This statement by Portia would evoke exclamations of shock and horror at any time and even more so during such a conservative period, where the stereotypical woman, especially if she was of the upper class, was expected to be humble, quiet, and respectful. Portia's unexpectedly provocative declaration that she would give her all, even her body, and sleep with another man whilst married, would surely have produced a surprised response. 

In Nerissa's case, her open and confidential relationship with Portia is certainly a break from the norm. Serving women were supposed to be respectful to their mistresses at all times. They were supposed to show a servile obedience. Nerissa, however, speaks to Portia as an equal.

You need not fear, lady, the having any of these
lords: they have acquainted me with their
determinations; which is, indeed, to return to their
home and to trouble you with no more suit.

Although Nerissa's tone is quite respectable, she comes across more as an advisor and confidante. Her direct address would have been deemed inappropriate in Shakespearean society. She would be observed as 'putting on airs' — acting out of her station and taking privileges she was not supposed to have.

When she later decides to marry without having undergone the normal traditional practice of having a husband chosen for her, Nerissa again breaks from the norm. Gratiano tells Bassanio in Act 3, Scene 2,

I got a promise of this fair one here
To have her love, provided that your fortune
Achieved her mistress.

She has promised marriage to Gratiano and set the conditions as well. She would marry him if Bassanio successfully chose the right casket. Normally the bride was not entitled to set any conditions. 

Her decision to later follow Portia and dress as a man and make a similar threat as Portia's to Bassanio sets her apart as a woman who knows and speaks her own mind. She is clearly also the one who takes the lead in their relationship, which was quite unconventional. She tells Gratiano in Act 5, Scene 2,

And I his clerk; therefore be well advised
How you do leave me to mine own protection.

This ties in with Portia's statement that she would sleep with the 'lawyer' who defended Antonio. She promises to do the same with the lawyer's clerk.

Jessica's decision to disobey her father, Shylock, is a clear break from tradition. As mentioned earlier, a daughter was supposed to obey her father's every instruction, whether she liked it or not. She takes the drastic step of eloping with a Christian, someone she knows her father will despise. She takes the risk of being disowned. Her decision is made clear in the following lines from Act 1, scene 2:

O Lorenzo,
If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife,
Become a Christian and thy loving wife.

It is also surprising that Jessica refers to living with her father as a 'strife.' Daughters were expected to be loving and loyal to their fathers and appreciate them, no matter what. She would have been deemed ungrateful, ungracious, and disgraceful. 

Jeesica's decision to be disguised as a boy, Lorenzo's torchbearer, is, similar to Portia and Nerissa's actions, an oddity. It was unacceptable for a woman to want to look like a man. In such a society, women were meant to be pleasing to the eye, graceful, and true to their gender. Although Jessica expresses some embarrassment about her attire, she is driven by her desire for Lorenzo and does what is needed.

I am glad 'tis night, you do not look on me,
For I am much ashamed of my exchange:
But love is blind and lovers cannot see
The pretty follies that themselves commit.

Probably the most drastic of all Jessica's actions in her bid for freedom from her father's control is her rejection of his religion. The fact that she adopts Lorenzo's faith and denies her own is surely a sign that she wishes to make a clean break from Shylock. For a woman of the time to take such a step was extremely rare indeed. She informs Launcelot of this in Act 3, Scene 5:

I shall be saved by my husband; he hath made me a
Christian.

Her contention is that she will not only be saved from her father's control but she would also be rescued in a spiritual sense.

In Lord of the Flies, what is the significance of Jack saying "we're going to forget the beast?"

Jack’s leadership depends on his ability to manage the fear the boys have. Ralph’s attempts to have them find comfort and shelter in organized attempts to be rescued is failing because of the drudgery and hard work required. Jack offers something more exciting, namely the opportunity to hunt. He has gathered the remnants of his choir, still wearing the remains of their uniforms and hats, and is now selling them on his version of the future for the island.

By suggesting that they forget about the beast in order to focus on hunting and killing, he gives the boys something far more exciting than meetings and watching a fire. He also offers the idea that they might be able to share some of their kill with the beast. Especially because this attempt is successful, this moment is significant as it really marks the beginning of Jack’s success as a leader.

According to Guns, Germs, and Steel, why did Eurasians have an advantage when it came to germs?

The answer to this, like most of the answers in Guns, Germs, and Steel, has to do with geographical advantages.  The Eurasians had better geographic luck.  Their luck gave them many domesticated animals that lived in close proximity to them.  The infectious diseases that the Eurasians carried came from those animals.

The Eurasians carried the germs for infectious diseases where Native Americans and other people did not.  This was because the Eurasians lived very close to their domesticated animals.  Germs from the animals would pass to the people and eventually become infectious diseases.  Table 11.1 on p. 207 shows us a number of infectious diseases that started out in domesticated animals and passed to people.  The Eurasians carried these germs, but did not all die from them because they had gradually developed some resistance to those diseases.  The people of other regions had not developed immunity and tended to die of the diseases in huge numbers.

So why did the Eurasians have domesticated animals while others did not?  Here, the answer is geographic luck.  In Chapter 9, Diamond discusses the fact that most of the kinds of large animals that exist in the world have proven to be unsuitable for domestication.  Table 9.1, on pp. 160-1, shows us that only one of the 14 most important large domesticated animals was native to a place other than Eurasia.  Because of this, people from other regions of the world could not live in close proximity to domesticated animals and could therefore not develop the kinds of germs that the Eurasians carried.  This is why the Eurasians had an advantage over others when it came to germs.

How many elements are there on Earth?

So far, scientists have found out 118 chemical elements. All these elements are listed and arranged in the periodic table of elements. Out of these known elements, only 98 are naturally occurring; the rest are synthesized. Thus, we can say that 98 elements are there on Earth. The heavier elements are synthesized in controlled conditions by combining smaller elements, using a particle accelerator. Many of the heavier elements are very unstable and are also radioactive. 

The elements can be divided into metals, non-metals and metalloids. Most of the known elements are metals. Many of these known elements are present in pure forms, while others are found in combined forms, on Earth. 

Elements consist of atoms, which are formed by protons, neutrons and electrons. While the protons and neutrons constitute the nucleus, electrons are located outside of it. 

Hope this helps. 

What is a summary of The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss?

The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss tells the tale of a family stranded on a tropical island near New Guinea, and how they work together to survive.  The story is narrated by the father, who is also the driving force behind his family's survival.

The family consists of the father, the mother ("Elizabeth"), and four sons: Fritz, age "fourteen or fifteen;" Ernest, age twelve; Jack, age ten; and Francis, age six.  

The original book had a short introduction that explained that the father was a Swiss clergyman who had intended to bring his family "to Port Jackson as a free colonist."  The family's intent to colonize explains why they came on a ship stocked with livestock and "seeds of every description."  

The book opens with the family on the ship, a week into being driven by a storm.  The ship wrecks on a rock and breaks in two; the crew of the ship flee in lifeboats.  It is unclear whether they meant to abandon the family or just forgot about them.  Fortunately the ship is wedged on the rocks in such a way that it does not break up or wash away.  The family spend the night on the ship. The next day they use some "tubs" (barrels) and spare lumber to fashion a boat, and on the following day they take this boat to the nearby island. 

The next several chapters tell of their first few days on the island.  They establish a camp on the beach.  They cook meals with food they have brought from the ship.  Fritz and his father go on an exploratory expedition, on which they find many useful plants including sugarcane and coconuts.  They also hunt and fish.  

In Chapters 9 and 10, Fritz and his father sail back to the wreck of the ship and spend two days in retrieving many more tools and also the livestock that the family had been unable to rescue when they first fled the ship.  When they return, the book shifts into a phase of the family seeking a more permanent setup for themselves.

Elizabeth and the younger boys have discovered some very high trees and Elizabeth thinks it would be safest if the family lived in the top of them.  The family spend a day making a bridge across the river so they can easily move themselves and their livestock to the site of the trees.  They spend a day moving, and another day making a platform in the trees for themselves to live in.  The next day they take a Sabbath rest, during which the father preaches his sons a sermon.  

Over the next few chapters, the family move more things from their beach camp to their tree house, and Fritz and his father make a second trip to the shipwreck, where they find many more incredibly useful things.  "The vessel had been, in fact, laden with everything likely to be useful in a new colony" (Chapter 21). Later, they make a third trip to the ship, where they assemble and eventually manage to launch a "pinnace," a small sailboat, which had been stored disassembled on the ship.  

The family then spend a lot of time doing such things as planting a garden, exploring, hunting, and gathering.  They find such useful things as rubber and candleberry myrtle.  They also enjoy discovering the many exotic creatures the island has to offer.  During all these activities, the father never misses an opportunity to educate his sons about botany, zoology, and other aspects of natural science.  He also frequently exhorts them to trust God, leads them in prayers, rebukes them for their faults and encourages them in virtues such as hard work, humility, and a desire to learn. 

Beginning in Chapter 34, the father makes a staircase inside the family's tree, to replace the rope ladder they have been using.  Before doing this, he must first remove a large hive of bees from inside the tree.  Making the spiral staircase inside the tree trunk takes the family a month, during which time all their animals begin to have babies.  Several chapters are then taken up with training their various animals.  

In Chapter 38, the rainy season comes.  The family are forced to move out of their tree house and to shelter under the soaring roots of the trees (which space they were previously using as barns for their livestock).  They have to tweak this arrangement quite a bit to make it comfortable, but eventually they settle into a winterlike routine that involves plenty of indoor chores, arts and crafts, and teaching Francis to read and write.  "We read lessons from the Bible in turns, and concluded the evening with devotion." 

When summer comes again, the family clean and move back into their tree house.  Having passed one miserable rainy season living under the roots of the trees, the family are determined to find a better winter home before next year.  They also want a cave in which to store their gunpowder.  The father, Jack, and Fritz spend a week chiseling at a rock face not far from their beach camp, and eventually break through into a large cave, which turns out to be a "grotto of rock salt."  

The family prepare the cave to become their winter home, putting a door on it, dividing it into rooms, and so on.  They visit and tend their fields and gardens, which are now flourishing; they build a "farmhouse" (actually more of a barn) for their livestock.   By the time the next rainy season arrives, they have made the cave into a comfortable dwelling, complete with warm dry floors and a workshop.  

The father concludes the story:

Everybody worked; the workshop was never empty.  ... We had thus made great strides towards civilization; and, though condemned, perhaps, to pass our lives alone on this unknown shore, we might yet be happy.  We were placed in a the midst of abundance.  We were active, industrious, and content; blessed with health and united by affection ... [O]ur hearts overflowed with love and veneration for that Almighty hand which so miraculously saved, and continued to protect us. ... To Him we committed our fate.  We were happy and tranquil, looking with resignation to the future.

What can we infer from Puck’s final lines in A Midsummer Night's Dream?

In Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Puck's final words (also the final words of the play) lead us to infer two main points: first, we can infer Puck is trying to accomplish the practical task of apologizing for any potential offenses within the play; second, we can assume that Puck is further advancing the theme of dreams, leading us to question exactly where the boundary between reality and illusion lies. 

Before going any further, it's worth looking at Puck's final speech in full:

If we shadows have offended,

Think but this, and all is mended,

That you have but slumb'red here

While these visions did appear

And this weak and idle theme,

No more yielding but a dream,

Gentles, do no reprehend. 

If you pardon, we will mend.

And, as I am an honest Puck,

If we have unearned luck

Now to scape the serpent's tongue,

We will make amends ere long;

Else the Puck a liar call.

So, good night unto you all.

Give me your hands, if we be friends,

And Robin shall restore amends. (5.1.412-27)

As you can see from the above quote, Puck is essentially asking for the audience to forgive him (and the rest of the cast) for any offenses they might have provoked. He's also asking for the audience's approval, as the line "Give me your hands" could be interpreted as a request for applause. All in all, A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedy, and the jokes found in comedies can be offensive, and so we can view this speech as the playwright's clever way of covering his bases and assuaging any potential grievances.  

On a more subtle level, Puck is drawing us to question whether or not the action in the play was real. Puck invites us to consider that we "have slumb'red," and so he suggests that we too have fallen under some kind of spell and have simply imagined the hilarious comings and goings of the Athenians, the fairies, and the rude mechanicals. This interpretation adds another layer of complexity and ambiguity to the play, as Puck's final words lead us to question where we should draw the line between reality and dreams. There's no way of knowing whether or not we should trust Puck (he is, after all, a mischievous trickster), but we can infer that we should not assume anything in the realm of the play is entirely "real." 

How was Aristotle using mathematics to contribute to ancient and modern society?

Many consider Aristotle the first physicist (or at least the first we know of), because he was the first person in recorded history to make significant use of quantitative mathematics in understanding physical phenomena.

His formalization of logic has largely been preserved in modern classical logic, though we now have some expansions such as bivalent logic and Bayesian fuzzy logic. His quantifiers "there exists" and "for every" are the foundation of modern predicate logic, though his other quantifiers involving "essence" and "intrinsic" properties have not fared as well.

His account of empiricism is basically correct as a sort of first stab at the scientific method; he didn't understand statistics or experimental rigor, but his basic idea that we formulate theories and test them with observation was exactly right. This was a radical approach for his time; many other philosophers thought that all truth could be understood simply by thinking about it, without any input from the real world. Where Plato would try to answer a question by thinking about how it should be, Aristotle would actually go out and look. This is probably Aristotle's greatest contribution, though sadly it went underappreciated and underutilized for centuries. (Ironically, much of what held back Medieval science was a perverse admiration for Aristotle's results instead of Aristotle's methods.)

He also had a theory of mathematical ontology that greatly contrasted with Plato's and more closely resembled modern concepts of mathematical ontology. Where Plato imagined some strange concept of "Forms" in some "other world", Aristotle correctly appreciated that mathematical concepts are logical abstractions and generalizations idealized from real phenomena. 

Aristotle also had a theory of physics, which was of course wrong, but not as wrong as a lot of people seem to think. His equations for motion and gravitation, for example, are reasonably accurate approximations under normal conditions of friction and air resistance. Heavy things do fall faster in the real world, as long as you're not in outer space; and most things do stop on their own when you stop pushing them, because they are subject to friction. Aristotle noticed that there were exceptions (such as something launched from a catapult), and tried to come up with ad hoc theories to explain that---and these ad hoc explanations actually worked fairly well.

Similarly, his theory of four (plus one) elements is often mocked today because we have over a hundred elements; but I don't think Aristotle's concept of an "element" was what we call "elements" today. (If he'd consulted even a single metallurgist, they would have told him that gold and bronze aren't made of the same stuff.) I think a better word for it would be phase of matter. With that in mind, "earth, water, air, fire" actually maps quite nicely onto "solid, liquid, gas, plasma"---and recognizing that plasma is a distinct state of matter is actually an achievement modern scientists wouldn't grasp until the 18th century. Aristotle also theorized a fifth celestial element called quintessence, which he thought made up the Sun, Moon, and stars; on that he was just flat wrong, as celestial objects are made of the same stuff as everything else. (Indeed, "celestial" is a relative term; for someone standing on Mars, we are the ones in the sky.)

But overall, Aristotle was one of the most important thinkers who ever lived. Had he not existed, it's hard to say how long it would have been before someone else came along to think of empiricism, logic, and physics. Had it taken long enough, the course of human history could have been radically different---science and technology might have been held back hundreds of years.

In what ways is our modern society similar to the future society of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley?

Aldous Huxley published his dystopian novel Brave New World in 1932. A dystopia is a society, real or fictional, in which people are subjected to dehumanizing conditions. Although Huxley's world is a fiction, it has many striking similarities to our modern society. 

The society of Huxley's work uses technology to distract itself from hardship and pain. Deep emotional connection or experience is considered taboo, and people do not take time to partake in deep analytical thought. Likewise, in today's society, modern technologies such as smart phones have given people the capability to constantly distract themselves, removing the opportunity for reflective thought and internal maturation and development. 

Another frightening similarity between the modern world and Huxley's work is the obsession with youth, which is considered beautiful. Through Bernard and Lenina's eyes, the reader experiences their revulsion at the aging process, which they had never witnessed before. Instead, in Huxley's society, people do not physically age. Rather, they rapidly mentally deteriorate around age 60. Our modern society is also fixated on the retention of youth, with a significant commercial effort dedicated to preventing wrinkles, gray hair, baldness, and other physical manifestations of the aging process. 

I need to write an essay about the culture of rewards in Beowulf. It seems to me the main characters are not motivated by rewards. Am I missing...

I agree with you that the characters in Beowulf are not necessarily "motivated by rewards."  In fact, they are motivated by honor.  However, rewards are always a good bonus, and both of these ideas can be proved through evidence in the text.

First, let us take a look at honor in regards to the character of Beowulf as the Anglo-Saxon hero.  Beowulf's bravery, respect (of his king and his ancestors), and his abilities as a warrior all lend to his honor.  Beowulf is brave in the fact that he takes on the ultimate Anglo-Saxon nightmare:  Grendel.  Even further, he takes on Grendel's mother and the dragon.  These "monsters" are threatening Anglo-Saxon society; therefore, the hero must defend society against them.  When Grendel does away with other warriors in the mead hall and ravages the king's lands, Beowulf acts accordingly.  By doing so, Beowulf proves his might as a warrior. Beowulf even gives own life in order to end the life of the dragon.

In regards to your question, though, the characters are definitely rewarded greatly for this honor that they achieve due to their actions.  For example, when Beowulf answers the call to help Hrothgar and his kingdom by ripping off Grendel's arm, Hrothgar heaps rewards on Beowulf.  What follows is a great list of rewards that help to make up one of the conventions of an epic poem.  Yes, Grendel's arm is hung from the rafters; however, Beowulf also reaps monetary rewards.  Hrothgar gives Beowulf a golden banner, helmet, sword, coat of mail, and numerous horses.  Yet another example of reward comes when Beowulf kills Grendel's mother. Spying a sword on the wall of her lair, Beowulf grabs the sword and (with the help of the giants' magic) kills Grendel's mother.  When Beowulf returns, yet another feast is held and other gifts are given.   Eventually, Beowulf is rewarded with the greatest earthly honor:  the kingship.

However, the ultimate reward for Beowulf's honor is everlasting and results from his sacrifice in slaying the dragon.  Mortally wounded and helped quite a bit by Wiglaf, Beowulf kills the dragon with a small dagger (instead of his usual big sword).  Now it is Wiglaf who is rewarded as he is given Beowulf's mail shirt, helmet, necklace, and numerous rings.  Wiglaf is also given the kingship.  However, it is Beowulf who essential becomes eternally rewarded through the memory of his deeds.  At the very end, the reader sees the bravest of the Geat warriors singing Beowulf's praises.  This reward continues into the present day as students read Beowulf's story, giving Beowulf the ultimate reward:  immortality through his tales of honor.

Thus, not only are Anglo-Saxon warriors (and Beowulf, specifically) rewarded in the current life for their adherence to the code of honor but also they are rewarded in the afterlife and are remembered beyond their own lifetime for their valor.  With all of these things in mind, the reader can safely assume that Anglo-Saxon society certainly was a "culture of rewards."

What is the timeframe of the Gothic movement?

The Gothic movement was a metamorphosis of literature and art away from the optimistic toward the pessimistic view of life and society.  Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole is widely considered to be the first true Gothic novel.  It was written in 1764 and spawned many early followers.  The Old English Baron (1778) by Clara Reeves and The Monk (1796) by MG Lewis helped to create the movement by mirroring the dark settings of Walpole's original work.

The Gothic movement continued well into the early 1800s but was on the decline by 1840, ending by 1850.  The movement inspired authors such as Poe, Dickens and Kipling, who turned toward the psychological thriller rather than pure gothic themes.

What is the value of the equilibrium constant at 25°C for the reaction between Al(s) and Cd^2+(aq)?

The half cell reactions and the standard electrode potentials at 25 degrees Celsius for the given species are:

`Al^(3+) + 3e^(-) -> Al(s)`

`Cd^(2+) + 2e^(-) -> Cd (s)`

Standard electrode potentials are -1.66 V and -0.4 V

The overall cell reaction between Cd2+ (aq) and Al (s) can be written as:

`Al(s) + Cd^(2+) -> Al^(3+) (aq) + Cd (s)`

and the balanced cell reaction can be written as:

`2Al(s) + 3Cd^(2+) (aq) -> 2Al^(3+) (aq) + 3Cd (s)`

At equilibrium, standard cell potential, E' = +1.66 + (-0.4) V = 1.26 V

Using Nernst equation: E' = (RT/nF) ln K

where, R = 8.314 J/k/mol, n = 6, F = 96500 C/mol, T = 298 K

we get: 1.26 = (8.314 x 298)/(6 x 96500)  ln K

solving the equation, we get, K = 7.6 x 10^127.

Thus, the equilibrium constant at 25 degrees C for the given cell is 7.3 x 10^127.

Hope this helps. 

What are similarities between Jack and Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest?

Jack and Algernon are similar in that neither seems to take morality very seriously. To be more specific, high Victorian moral standards haven't caused them to try to be better people; instead, it prompts each of them to lie. Jack invents a fake brother, Ernest, who is a person of low morals: he drinks, gambles, and fails to pay his bills. When Jack goes to London, he is Ernest, and—in this way—he can do all the socially unacceptable things he wants to do without tainting his own reputation. When Jack is in the country, he is himself, feigning disgust at his brother's continued dissolute life.

Similarly, Algernon invents a Mr. Bunbury. Bunbury is his poor, invalid friend who gets him out of uncomfortable social occasions, such as dinners at his Aunt Augusta's house, by having relapses of sickness at ideal moments. Such relapses require Algernon to skip other obligations and go to be with Bunbury in his final hours. In this way, Algernon can do whatever he wants, and it looks like he's just a really caring friend.

Both Jack and Algernon would rather tell lies in order to maintain the appearance of good morals rather than actually adopt good morals.

Thirty percent of a company's employees are over 50 years of age. If 450 people work at the same company, how many are over 50 years old?

This is a typical problem involving percents. There are a few different way to approach such problems. 

Recall that percent is a numerator (top) of a fraction with the denominator (bottom) equal to a 100. For example, 75% of something is equivalent to 75/100 of that number.

So, one way to solve a percent problem is by setting up a proportion:

Part/Whole = Percent(%)/100 

If 30% of all employees are over 50 years of age, then the ratio of the number of employees over 50 (unknown, or x) to the total number of employees (450) is 30%, or 30/100:

`x/450 = 30/100`

Proportions can be solved by cross-multiplying:

100x = 30*450

Dividing both sides by 100 results in x = 3*45 = 135 employees.

135 employees of the company are over 50 years old.

Alternatively, a percent formula can be used to solve this problem. It can be written as 

Part = p*Whole.

Here, p is the percent expressed as a decimal. In the given problem, p is 30% = 0.3. Part is the unknown number of employees over 50 years of age, and Whole is the total number of employees of the company, 450.

Therefore, Part = 0.3*450 = 135, which is the same as the result above.

The number of employees over 50 years of age is 135.

What are the ethical issues involved in artificial selection?

What an interesting subject! Humans have been practicing artificial selection for thousands of years. In fact, almost all of our agriculture is the result of the domestication of wild plants through artificial selection. The ethics of artificial selection certainly take on new meaning and new conflict in today's world. We may soon have technology which allows us to make selections at the genetic level rather than indirectly through selective propagation or breeding.

Artificial selection has had many benefits for humans. Increased crop yields, improved nutrition, even the particular traits of our pet dogs are all the result of human intervention. However, there are some downsides to artificial selection. When humans select strongly in favor of particular traits-- like white fur or big seeds-- it causes reduced genetic variability. Genetic variability is really what allows plants and animals to survive under a variety of environmental pressures. Have you ever heard someone say that pure-bred dogs have health problems? This is because their genes have been altered so strongly in favor of certain physical traits that they may also have inherited genetic disease or poor immune function. Something similar can happen to plants. Reduced genetic variability which produces desirable produce but does not offer anything in the way of survivability can cause massive crop failure.

As it relates to humans, artificial selection might sound kind of nice. Wouldn't it be great to eliminate genetic disorders before they ever cause problems in a person's life? Sure! But the capability to make selections at the genetic level promotes the idea that certain traits, certain genotypes, certain phenotypes, and even certain people are more valuable than others. Recall the genocides of the twentieth century which were driven by a desire to create a "pure" race with only desirable traits. These were obviously great violations of personhood and human rights, but think of how technology might allow such dreams to become a reality. Don't forget to consider the important point made above-- reduced genetic variability results in reduced adaptation and survival.

Why does every police officer need to be aware of the rules of civil liability? What are the potential consequences if an officer is not aware of...

Police are necessary to reduce crime and maintain civil order, but to maintain a free society, it is also necessary that the police abide by strict codes of conduct and do not abuse their authority. We need to hold police officers to an even higher standard than we hold other people because the police act "under color of law." This means they represent our government, system of laws, and, ultimately, civil society. Every action by a police officer is therefore an act by our government upon our citizens.

To that end, we have established codes of civil liability that the police are required to obey at all times. These rules ultimately owe their existence to fundamental rights established in the Constitution, such as the right against unreasonable search and seizure in the Fourth Amendment and the right against self-incrimination in the Fifth Amendment.

If a police officer violates one of these rights in the line of duty (examples include performing an illegal search, killing a suspect without justification, or performing a custodial interrogation without a lawyer present), that officer can be held liable and sued in court for damages. Evidence acquired illegally can be thrown out of court. If the offense is serious enough, it can result in the officer being removed from the force or receiving criminal charges.

Police officers have a responsibility to know and follow these codes of civil liability, not only to protect themselves from lawsuits, but also as a fundamental part of their job. Officers aren't thugs or vigilantes who fight crime without rules; they are police officers who exercise legitimate authority within Constitutional limits.

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

The derivative of y with respect to is denoted as` y'` or `(dy)/(dx)` .

 For the given equation: `y = arctan(x/2) -1/(2(x^2+4))` ,

we may apply the basic property of derivative:

`d/(dx) (u-v) =d/(dx) (u) - d/(dx)(v)`

Then the derivative of y will be:

`y' = d/(dx)(arctan(x/2) -1/(2(x^2+4)))`

`y' =d/(dx)(arctan(x/2)) - d/(dx)( 1/(2(x^2+4)))`

To find the derivative of the first term: `d/(dx)(arctan(x/2))` , recall the basic derivative formula for inverse tangent as:

`d/(dx) (arctan(u)) = ((du)/(dx))/(1+u^2)`

With `u = x/2` and `du=(1/2) dx ` or `(du)/(dx) =1/2` , we will have:

`d/(dx)(arctan(x/2)) = (1/2) /(1+(x/2)^2)`

                           `= (1/2) /(1+(x^2/4))`

Express the bottom as one fraction:

`d/(dx)(arctan(x/2)) = (1/2) /((x^2+4)/4)`

Flip the bottom to proceed to multiplication:

`d/(dx)(arctan(x/2)) = 1/2*4/(x^2+4)`

                         ` = 4/(2(x^2+4))`

                         ` =2/(x^2+4)`

For the derivative of the second term:` d/(dx)(1/(2(x^2+4)))` , we can rewrite it using the basic property of derivative: `d/(dx) (c*f(x)) = c* d/(dx) f(x)` where c is constant.

`d/(dx)(1/(2(x^2+4))) = (1/2) d/(dx)(1/(x^2+4))`

Then apply the Quotient Rule for derivative: `d/(dx) (u/v)= (u' * v- v'*u)/v^2` on  `d/(dx)(1/(2(x^2+4)))` .

We let:

`u = 1` then   ` u' = 0`

`v = x^2+4` then` v'=2x`

`v^2= (x^2+4)^2`

Applying the Quotient rule, we get:

`d/(dx)(1/(2(x^2+4))), = (0*(x^2+4)-(1)(2x))/(x^2+4)^2`

                         `=(0-2x)/ (x^2+4)^2`

                        ` =(-2x)/ (x^2+4)^2`

Then `(1/2) * d/(dx)(1/(x^2+4)) =(1/2) * (-2x)/ (x^2+4)^2`

                                              `= -x/ (x^2+4)^2`

 For the complete problem: 

`y' =d/(dx)(arctan(x/2)) - d/(dx)( 1/(2(x^2+4)))`

`y' =2/(x^2+4) + x/ (x^2+4)^2`

Why do we call the calendar we use today the Gregorian Calendar?

The Gregorian calendar was the idea of Pope Gregory XIII.  The calendar was named after Pope Gregory XIII.  The calendar's initial introduction occurred in the 16th century, in the year 1582.  Prior to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, European nations used the Julian calendar.  This calendar was introduced under Julius Caesar.  This calendar had certain errors.  For example, a miscalculation caused the calendar to not be consistently aligned with the seasons.

Pope Gregory XIII thought that it was important for Easter to be at around the same time every year.  The Council of Nicea had occurred in the springtime, and it was recorded that Easter had taken place close to this event.  

The Gregorian calendar was first adopted in Catholic nations.  Predominantly Protestant nations were slower to adopt the Gregorian calendar, though they did so eventually.  When Great Britain adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752, eleven calendar days were lost. 

In Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals, why does Melba want to be a reporter?

Melba wants to be a reporter because she wants to be in a position to make a difference in her community. Also, after remembering the camaraderie she experienced with the white reporters, Melba wants to be a part of this informed and progressive group of professionals.

In Chapter Five, Melba is interviewed by some white reporters. They are friendly and address her as "Miss." Until then, she had never been addressed in this manner by any white person. During the interview, the white reporters maintain their interest in what Melba has to say, and their kindness greatly comforts Melba. In looking back, she is touched that the reporters behaved as if they were "genuine friends with the people of color among their ranks, sharing work and laughter."

Melba begins to dream that, if she became a reporter, she "could be in charge of a few things." This is perhaps an allusion to the fact that Melba dreams of affecting change in her community.

In The Book Thief what is Papa's reaction when he discovers that Liesel has stolen another book? What does his reaction say about his character?

Papa, of course, is Liesel's endearing name for Hans, her foster father during World War II.  Unfortunately, you do not indicate which chapter (or larger part) of The Book Thief your question involves.  Please remember that Liesel steals nine books during the novel.  It is safe to assume, however, you do not mean her very first stolen book (The Gravediggers Handbook).  My best guess is you mean Hans’ reaction at the beginning of Part Three of The Book Thief, immediately after Liesel steals The Shoulder Shrug.  I will discuss Hans’ reaction to this book.  If your question refers to a different reaction from Hans, please repost your question.

In the case of stealing The Shoulder Shrug from the burning book pile, Hans’ reaction comes in stages.  First, his reaction when he sees the smoldering book and how it burned Liesel’s skin is to say, “What the hell do you call that?”  This is followed closely by, “Another one?”  This indicates a bit of surprise.  It also indicates that Hans knows exactly what Liesel is doing when she steals books.  However, it his next reaction that is more telling:

Looks like … I don’t need to trade any more cigarettes, do I?  Not when you’re stealing these things as fast as I can buy them.

This reaction says something very interesting about Hans’ character, namely that he supports Liesel in doing something illicit.  Hans, himself, acquires books in dubious ways (by trading cigarettes).  Liesel acquires books by “stealing” them. It is here that Hans has what the author calls a “revelation.”  His final reaction is the most interesting in that Hans says the following:

This is our secret, this book.  We’ll read it at night or in the basement, just like the others—but you have to promise me something. … If I ever ask you to keep a secret for me, you will do it.

It is this quotation that reveals the “revelation” that tells the most about Hans’ character.  Hans devotes himself here to two things:   keeping the secret and helping Liesel read.  Both of these devotions are against Nazi orders.  Hans also hints that there are more reasons he might need to hide information from the Nazis because Hans has secrets of his own. Therefore, Hans' reaction to Liesel stealing The Shoulder Shrug reveals much about his character.

Where does Bob Ewell demonstrate that he does not care about anyone else but himself in To Kill a Mockingbird?

While Bob Ewell is on the witness stand during the trial of Tom Robinson (Ch. 17), some of his responses to questions indicate that he is unconcerned about others. His actions after the trial underscore how he serves his own self-interest, as well.

Before Ewell begins his testimony, Scout's description of where the Ewells live also indicates that the father neglects his family. The cabin that they live in does not even have glass in the windows; the children have hammered tin cans flat in order to form a roof, and made shoes of things found at the dump, as well. These neglected offspring of Ewell are not made to attend school except on the first day. The children have no health care:

...no public health officer could free them from...various worms, and the diseases indigenous to filthy surroundings. (Ch.17)

While Bob Ewell is on the witness stand, he crudely compares his daughter's scream to that of "a stuck hog inside the house," yet he does not bother to call a doctor to treat her facial and other injuries, despite his accusations that Tom choked and struck her. In fact, Ewell seems unconcerned about Mayella's bruises on her face. Also, he boasts that he has never called a doctor for his children because doing so would cost him five dollars.

Of course, having made Tom Robinson a scapegoat for Mayella, who has broken the social code with her act of kissing Tom, Bob Ewell has no qualms about accusing this innocent, charitable man of the unforgivable crime of raping a white woman, an offense whose punishment is certain death. While on the witness stand, Ewell stands and points at poor Tom, crudely growling out, "--I seen that black n****r yonder ruttin' on my Mayella." Yet, he knows full well that Tom has done nothing wrong; instead, he has tried to help her because her father is so neglectful (Ch. 19).

After the trial, Ewell wishes to retaliate against Atticus for having destroyed some of his testimony with contradictory facts and for, he feels, having tried to embarrass and humiliate him and Mayella. In the most despicable act of his life, Bob Ewell tries to kill the children of Atticus Finch (Ch. 28-31) in retaliation for what he perceives as Atticus's badgering and ridiculing of him on the witness stand.

How does an unhealthy lifestyle impact the circulatory system?

There are a number of ways in which a lifestyle could be said to be unhealthy. Probably some of the first ways that come to mind are poor diet and lack of exercise, but things like smoking and caffeine overuse can also have an impact on circulation. And of course there are other ways in which a lifestyle could be considered unhealthy that do not directly impact a person's circulatory system, such as making poor social or behavioral choices, driving recklessly, or shoplifting. It makes the most sense to contextualize the answer in terms of the choices that do directly impact circulation.

A poor diet that includes excessive sodium intake without a balanced intake of potassium, can lead to high blood pressure (hypertension). High sodium intake does not in and of itself present a problem, but our bodies need a certain level of potassium as well for electrolyte balance. A high sodium to potassium ratio can lead to high blood pressure and even cardiovascular disease over time, especially when combined with obesity and low levels of physical activity.

Smoking cigarettes puts toxins in the blood that increase blood pressure and heart rate, constrict arteries, and thicken the blood. This combination can lead to clot formation, and a clot that forms in a narrowed artery can cause cardiac arrest or a stroke, depending on the location of the clot.

Although coffee can cause elevated blood pressure in people who don't drink it all the time, there doesn't seem to be any research showing this is a health risk. Habitual coffee drinkers appear to acclimate to the caffeine intake in a way that prevents their blood pressure from being significantly affected, provided they don't drink a whole lot more coffee than usual. Coffee hasn't been associated with health problems, but it does affect the circulatory system, which is why I mentioned it. And too much caffeine can cause rapid heartbeat and other problems.

In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, what exactly does Nick say when he speaks of Gatsby as his friend?

In Chapter One, before he describes his first visit to Tom and Daisy's house, Nick says, "If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about [Gatsby], some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life, as if he were related to one of those intricate machines that register earthquakes ten thousand miles away."  According to Nick, then, there is something about Gatsby that makes him so aware of possibility, of what could be.  He seems so finely tuned that he can actually believe in possibilities in which other people might not be able to believe.

Further, Nick says that Gatsby had "an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again."  Nick almost seems to describe Gatsby as a kind of innocent; it's as though Gatsby has retained the innocent hopefulness that most people lose as they age.  Nick goes on to describe Gatsby as being the good one, the good character in the story, even though he is morally problematic in some ways.  It is the other characters in the story, the people who "preyed on Gatsby" -- people like Daisy, Wolfsheim, and most of his party guests -- who are the "foul" ones.

What would happen to the price of car tires if the price of rubber increases but the price of cars goes down?

If both of these things happen, the price of car tires will go up.  Both of the changes that you mention will tend to make the price of car tires go up.

If the price of rubber increases, then (all other things being equal) the price of tires will increase as well.  Rubber is, of course, an input for car tires.  The price of inputs is a determinant of supply.  When the price of inputs increases, supply decreases.  When supply decreases, the price of the good or service rises.  Therefore, when the price of rubber increases, the price of car tires will increase as well.

When the price of cars goes down, the price of tires will also go up.  Cars and tires are what are called complementary goods.  That is, the two of them are used together.  When the price of one complementary good goes down, demand for the other goes up.  If the price of cars goes down, people will buy more cars.  If people buy more cars, they will need more tires to go on those cars.  This means that the demand for car tires will rise and their price will rise as well.

In these ways, we can see that both of the factors that you mention in this question will tend to push the cost of car tires upward.

Why is it that the American public tends to be ignorant on issues regarding American foreign policy? Generally speaking, in what circles are...

One reason that many people in the United States may be unfamiliar with the issues regarding U.S. foreign policy is that, for most people living in the U.S., the implementation and impact of U.S. foreign policy lacks immediacy. The geography of the U.S. lends itself to a sense of isolationism, as the primary land mass of the country is only bordered by two foreign nations – Canada and Mexico. And even with respect to those two nations, most of the impact of U.S. foreign policy is felt in the states that border Canada and Mexico. Thus, for most of the population of the U.S., foreign policy is something that pertains to places far away, and the implications and responses to that policy have little direct impact on their day-to-day lives. It is only when issues pertaining to U.S. foreign policy directly impact the U.S. (e.g., violence by foreign nationals on U.S. soil; criminal activity coming across the U.S. border; violence perpetrated in the context of border crossings; etc.) that that people in the U.S. start paying close attention.

Another reason that many people in the United States may be unfamiliar with the issues regarding U.S. foreign policy is that they feel detached from decisions regarding that foreign policy. Some of this detachment may be attributed to voter apathy, and some of it is likely due to voters caring more about domestic issues rather than external policies, but much of it seems to come from a sense that foreign policy is outside the realm of understanding of regular people. Just as foreign policy is viewed as pertaining to people and places far away, the people making the decisions regarding foreign policy are often regarded as separate from everyday people. Many people attribute foreign policy to “the government” without ever thinking about who is making the decisions.

Those decisions, for the most part, are made by the executive branch. Under the U.S. Constitution, the chief executive has the power to negotiate with foreign countries, make treaties, appoint ambassadors and other diplomats, etc. Further, the U.S. State Department, which implements U.S. foreign policy and the secretary of which is the top diplomat in the U.S., is part of the executive branch. Congress has the power to ratify or reject treaties, and of course provides the funding for the State Department and the various U.S. embassies and consulates, and the U.S. Supreme Court can review and overturn treaties and laws pertaining to U.S. foreign policy that are not compatible with the U.S. Constitution, but most of the decisions regarding U.S. foreign policy and its implementation rests with the executive branch.

What was the significance of the Glorious Revolution?

The Glorious Revolution was significant for a number of reasons. First, it established once and for all that the English monarchs were subject to the rule of law. After the removal of James II, the monarchs who replaced him, William of Orange and his wife Mary, had to accept a Bill of Rights which placed limits on their power while guaranteeing certain fundamental rights of Englishmen. These rights included due process protections, the right of petition, and other rights that would later be enshrined in the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The Revolution also established the power of Parliament. It was Parliament that offered the crown to William and Mary, and by accepting it, they recognized its powers in English government. Essentially, the Glorious Revolution established Great Britain as a constitutional monarchy. Over time, Parliament, particularly the House of Commons, would gain more and more authority. 

What do you think the scene with Curley's wife might foreshadow in Of Mice and Men?

Curley's wife appears in three scenes during the course of John Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and Men. The first two appearances tend to provide foreshadowing for the events which take place in chapter five when Lennie accidentally breaks the girl's neck after she allows him to stroke her hair. In chapter two, she comes to the doorway of the bunkhouse and makes a strong impression on Lennie who can't take his eyes off her and is described as being "fascinated" by her presence. When she leaves he draws a quick rebuke from George who grabs his ear and says,

“Listen to me, you crazy bastard,” he said fiercely. “Don’t you even take a look at that bitch. I don’t care what she says and what she does. I seen ‘em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her. You leave her be.” 

George understands that Lennie could be tempted to do something foolish, just as he had done in Weed with the girl in the red dress. It is only a matter of time before Lennie is caught alone with Curley's wife.

Curley's wife's interest in Lennie is shown in chapter four when she comes into Crooks's room and questions Lennie about the bruises on his face and about what happened to Curley's hand. Again, Lennie is described as being "fascinated." She is obviously impressed by the fact that Lennie was able to get the best of Curley in a fight. His only response is that Curley "got his han’ caught in a machine” and his usual line that someday he will get to "tend rabbits." Curley's wife then playfully responds, “Well, if that’s all you want, I might get a couple rabbits myself.” This open flirtation will continue in the very next chapter as the girl finds Lennie alone in the barn mourning his dead puppy.

Why did nature play such an important role in Helen Keller's education?

While Anne Sullivan is teaching Helen Keller, Sullivan tries to spend a great deal of time out in nature with Helen because she knows Helen enjoys the outdoors. Keller writes, "I cannot explain the peculiar sympathy Miss Sullivan had with my pleasures and desires." Keller ascribes her teacher's inclination to teach her using what Keller enjoys to Sullivan's long experience teaching the blind. Sullivan clearly understands how to motivate Keller to learn. In addition, being in nature allows Keller to learn about things that are tangible and beautiful to her. Keller says, "The loveliness of things taught me all their use." By looking at nature, what Keller describes as, "everything that could hum, or buzz, or sing, or bloom," Keller learns to love learning. In addition, learning out in nature makes her lessons real to her and acquaints her with the world beyond her house--the world she will have to find her way around. Her lessons in nature are so enjoyable that Keller says her experiences are very different than those of children in a traditional school, who generally come to hate the humdrum and inapplicable nature of what they are learning. 

How does the setting alter the conflict between Ulrich and Georg in "The Interlopers" by Saki?

Once the tree topples onto them, Ulrich and Georg are held captive close to one another beneath the imprisoning branches. This forces them to confront their existential conditions and gives them time to ponder those thoughts seriously.

After having suffered some injuries, the two foes review their reasons for having come out on this night. Under the circumstances, their animosity to each other seems rather trivial.

In the pain and languor that Ulrich himself was feeling, the old fierce hatred seemed to be dying down.

Further, he tells his old foe that he has come to the conclusion that they have been foolish because there are "better things in life than getting the better of a boundary dispute." He asks Georg to be his friend. Georg Znaeym is quiet for some time, but eventually says,

what peace there would be among the forester folk if we ended our feud tonight. And if we choose to make peace among our people, there is no other to interfere, no interlopers from outside... You would come and keep the Sylvester night beneath my roof.

Unfortunately, there are "interlopers from outside" who interfere in Georg's and Ulrich's plans for amelioration: wolves are heard "making all the speed they can" to reach the two men imprisoned in the disputed forest, men who chatter in "the idiotic manner" known only to those who are faced with "hideous fear."

If professional basketball superstar LeBron James signed his jersey and gave it to you, it would certainly be a valuable asset. Why would this...

Money is a medium of exchange for products and services. There are at least three characteristics of money that must be present in order for money to be used by people in a society. One characteristic is that money must be accepted as a medium of exchange. This may be problematic with the LeBron James jersey. Another consideration with this concept is that a person must have confidence in the value of money. A LeBron James jersey might be valued by a sports fan or by a memorabilia collector. However, a person who isn’t interested in sports may have no interest in his jersey. Therefore, it may not be accepted in exchange for products and services.

The second characteristic of money is that is must be convenient. If something is hard to carry around, it isn’t convenient to use. The LeBron James jersey certainly wouldn’t be convenient to carry and therefore wouldn’t be an acceptable form of money.

The third characteristic of money is that it must be durable. It needs to be able to change hands often without wearing out or falling apart. The jersey might fit this description.

Thus, the jersey fails to be meet all of the characteristics of money. If all of the characteristics aren’t present, then the money won’t be accepted and won't be useful.

What is the symbolism of angel food cake in To Kill a Mockingbird?

The angel food cakes symbolize the neighbors' compassion and meddling.

Bob Ewell attacked Scout and Jem Finch when they were walking home, and Boo Radley killed him.  Realizing this, Sheriff Heck Tate and Atticus decide to tell everyone that Bob Ewell fell on his knife.  They do not want to tell anyone that Boo Radley was the one who saved the children, because Boo is such a private person that he would not want anyone to know.

Heck Tate explains why.

“… All the ladies in Maycomb includin‘ my wife’d be knocking on his door bringing angel food cakes. To my way of thinkin’, Mr. Finch, taking the one man who’s done you and this town a great service an‘ draggin’ him with his shy ways into the limelight—to me, that’s a sin. It’s a sin and I’m not about to have it on my head. If it was any other man, it’d be different. But not this man, Mr. Finch.” (Ch. 30)

Boo Radley would hate it if the people of Maycomb knew what he had done.  They would be curious.  They would talk.  They would want to be neighborly, and come have a look at the hero.  Boo Radley would prefer to stay in the shadows.  He saved Scout and Jem because he cared about them.  Atticus and Sherrif Tate saved him from having to face an endless supply of neighborly attention.

The angel food cake is a symbol of neighborly compassion or neighborly meddling.  People bring it to show that they care, but it also puts them in contact with the person who is the object of the gossip.  This is why Heck Tate does not want to tell anyone what Boo Radley did.  Boo does not want any angel food cake, and he does not want any nosy neighbors.  He is an extremely private person.

What do you think causes the madness that comes into Jack's eyes?

At the beginning of Chapter 3, Jack goes hunting by himself and narrowly misses out on an opportunity to kill a pig when he throws his spear off target. When he returns to the camp, Ralph begins to complain about the condition of the shelters. Ralph mentions that he has been working continually for two days building them, and the majority of the boys do not help. Ralph laments how the boys follow through with whatever is decided at the meetings for only five minutes, then leave to hunt or swim. Jack comments, "We want meat" (Golding 51). Ralph insists that the boys need to focus on finishing the shelters while Jack continues to try to explain his compulsion to hunt and kill. As Jack struggles to convey his feelings, Golding writes, "The madness came into his eyes again." The madness Golding is referring to is caused by Jack's irresistible temptation to kill. Jack's primitive instincts are beginning to take over, and he cannot restrain his excitement. He is bloodthirsty and obsessed with the thought of killing an animal. Jack is not subject to the typical laws and regulations of civilization anymore, which causes him to act upon his violent fantasies.

How did European culture change life in the Americas?

After European explorers reached the New World, their efforts to colonize the Americas had dramatic impacts of life lived there. Today, European culture has almost entirely replaced indigenous lifeways. Here, I will describe some of the cultural impacts of the arrival of Europeans in the Americas.

One of the most significant impacts of European colonization of the Americas was the sheer reduction in cultural diversity. In North, Central, and South America, the Europeans regarded the Native peoples as being essentially all the same, despite a wide variety of linguistic dialects, religious practices, social hierarchies, customs, and subsistence practices. It is estimated that thousands of indigenous American languages have been replaced by English, Spanish, and Portuguese through the legacy of colonialism. Language and religion often went hand in hand in the process of cultural conversion, and perhaps as many distinct religious traditions as languages have been replaced by Christianity through forced conversion. 

Subsistence strategies were also significantly changed through European intervention or influence. The native people of the Americas lived in a wide variety of settlement patterns or lack thereof. Nomadic and semi-sedentary groups would move from place to place to hunt and gather throughout the seasons. Settled nations might have practiced small-scale farming or employed massive agriculture. When Europeans arrived, they often rounded up indigenous nations and forced them to live in communities under the "guidance" of European missionaries. This meant that the more nomadic ways of life, relying on buffalo hunting, salmon fishing, or gathering, were replaced by animal husbandry and crop rearing. Many indigenous people welcomed the opportunity to increase trade with Europeans but were not prepared to give up their lifeways. Some were forced into cultural conversion, others were killed.

The degree of prosperity and development many First Nations saw before European contact has never again been achieved. For example, the Inca empire was one of the wealthiest and best administrated societies the Americas have ever seen. Though their economy was primarily based on the exchange of agricultural produce, animals, and textiles, they had great wealth built up in the gold and silver used to decorate temples and palaces. Spanish conquistadors had far less interest in llamas and corn than they did in gold and silver- materials they already knew to be very profitable. Great amounts of wealth were stolen from the Americas for the profit of Europeans, including the estimated 24 tons of gold demanded as ransom for the Incan Emperor. Today, any surviving indigenous groups live in highly isolated communities (like Amazonian natives) or in impoverished, somewhat isolated communities like the Reservations of the United States. 

Why does a magnesium ribbon continue to burn when it is placed in a jar , full of CO2 ? If your answer is that CO2 decomposes into carbon and...

Magnesium burns in the presence of many gasses, carbon dioxide being just one of them. You are correct that the carbon dioxide splits into it's primary components of carbon and oxygen. This type of reaction is called a decomposition reaction, and only occurs in the presence of extreme heat, as this energy is needed to break the bonds between the atoms of the carbon dioxide.

The reason that this does not occur with a wood fire is simple; wood fires are very low in heat. A magnesium fire is many times hotter than a wood fire. While a wood fire with bellows and a stack can reach 1100 degrees Celsius, a small pile of magnesium shavings can easily pass 3000 degrees Celsius as it burns.

This property is useful in devices like flares, as that allows the device to work in many places, even underwater, as the magnesium decomposes the water into oxygen and hydrogen.

What are some positive influences on Scout throughout To Kill a Mockingbird?

Several characters positively influence Scout throughout the novel. Scout's father, Atticus Finch, influences his daughter to be tolerant and sympathetic towards others. He leads by example and gives Scout valuable life lessons on perspective, courage, and justice. Miss Maudie is another positive influence on Scout. Miss Maudie offers Scout insight into their reclusive neighbor, Boo Radley, and gives support and encouragement in difficult times. Scout enjoys sitting on Miss Maudie's porch and cherishes their friendship. Calpurnia is another character who positively influences Scout. Calpurnia teaches Scout how to write and teaches her how to respect others. Scout also gains valuable insight into the African American community after Cal takes her to First Purchase African M. E. for Sunday service. Jem and Dill are two other characters who are positive influences on Scout. They entertain Scout and also offer her emotional support in times of need.

4000 joules of heat are added to 100 g of water when its temperature is 50°C . What is the new temperature of the water?

Since heat has been added to water, its temperature will rise. The amount of heat added can be related to change in temperature by using the following relation:

heat added = mass of water x specific heat of water x (final temperature - initial temperature)

The specific heat is defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 g of a substance by 1 degrees Celsius. In case of water, the specific heat (denoted by c) is 4.186 J/g/K.

Thus, we can solve the problem by substituting the values of various parameters in the equation:

4000 J = 100 g x 4.186 J/g/K x (final temperature - 50)

or, final temperature - 50 = (4000)/(100 x 4.186) = 9.6

or, final temperature = 50 + 9.6 = 59.6 degrees C.

Is "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" a satire?

This 1865 short story by Mark Twain is indeed a social satire. His target in this story were people who subscribed to regional stereotypes in 19th century America.

Easterners were stereotyped as snobby intellectuals with formal education and cultural sophistication. By contrast, Westerners were stereotyped as uneducated, uncivilized, and none too bright.

Twain casts his first-person narrator as an Easterner who is played for a fool by a "friend" who sets him up to become a captive audience for Westerner Simon Wheeler, a long-winded raconteur. Within the tall tale Wheeler spins there is another deception going on between a local and a stranger--thereby humorously deepening the satire.

The sophisticated Easterner proves to be gullible and falls victim to both his friend and the clever and entertaining Simon Wheeler.

What does the physical structure of the courthouse show about the people of Maycomb from To Kill a Mockingbird?

Scout describes Maycomb as being very old, and when she first describes the town she describes the courthouse. 

Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square. Somehow, it was hotter then … (Ch. 1) 

This is a meaningful description.  It implies that the courthouse is tired out. The courthouse is old, and its ways are old.  It is not changing with the times, and it is not prepared for what it has to deal with. 

Scout describes how the courthouse is a product of a bygone era.  It had its heyday when Maycomb was a new town, full of promise. 

Because its primary reason for existence was government, Maycomb was spared the grubbiness that distinguished most Alabama towns its size. In the beginning its buildings were solid, its courthouse proud, its streets graciously wide.  Maycomb’s proportion of professional people ran high … (Ch. 13) 

By continuously bringing up Maycomb’s history and the history of the courthouse, Scout reminds the reader of the importance of heritage to Maycomb.  Tradition reigns.  Even when traditions are becoming quaint and outliving their usefulness, they hang on in Maycomb.  Racism will be a tradition that will be deep-set and hard to break with. 

A good example of this is the fact that the courthouse itself is basically the same one the town had in the beginning, even though it burnt down. 

The Maycomb County courthouse was faintly reminiscent of Arlington in one respect: the concrete pillars supporting its south roof were too heavy for their light burden. The pillars were all that remained standing when the original courthouse burned in 1856. Another courthouse was built around them. It is better to say, built in spite of them. (Ch. 16) 

Tradition is so important that the town just built a new courthouse around what was left of the old one, trying to maintain what it once had.  Nothing changes, even when things are forced to change.  It is important to honor origins.  Perhaps as a result, the courthouse itself seems to represent Maycomb’s identity crisis.  It is described as both Victorian and Greek revival.  The courthouse clashes with itself.

Thus, the physical nature of the courthouse mirrors what happens there.  During the trial, the town of Maycomb struggles with coming into a more enlightened and modern perspective, leaving racism behind.  However, it is a town so steeped in tradition that such a change would be very difficult, and is ultimately too much for Maycomb.  They get as far as getting a jury to deliberate, but they are not able to bring themselves to acquit the black man accused by a white man.

Carbon is a nonmetal, and graphite, which is an allotrope of carbon, conducts electricity. Why?

In order for a substance to conduct electricity, it must contain moving, charged particles such as electrons. 

Usually, when a carbon atom is part of a molecule, all four of its valence electrons are occupied in covalent bonds with other atoms. The electrons in covalent bonds are shared between atoms. This means that none of carbon's valence electrons are free to move around the molecule. Therefore, these types of molecules do not conduct electricity.

Graphite is composed of sheets of carbon atoms. The carbon sheets are held together by weak dispersion forces. The carbon atoms within the sheets are covalently bonded together; however, only three of carbon's valence electrons are involved in covalent bonds with other carbon atoms. The fourth valence electron in each carbon atom is free to become delocalized and travel over the surface of the carbon sheets. Since graphite contains moving charged particles, it is able to conduct electricity.

How has the father-daughter relationship of Shylock and Jessica failed in Shakespeare's The Merchant Of Venice?

The father/daughter relationship of Shylock and Jessica has failed on two levels that are most important to Shylock: religious and monetary. In addition, this relationship has also failed on the level of respect.

Jessica elopes with Lorenzo and converts to Christianity.

In Act II, Scene 4, Jessica tells Launcelot, the clown, that she is sorry that he is going to leave her father because she, too, is departing since it is "hell."

Farewell, good Launcelot.
Alack, what heinous sin is it in me
To be ashamed to be my father's child!
But though I am a daughter to his blood,
I am not to his manners. (2.4.15-19)

Jessica runs away after her father goes to supper, ironically, with a "prodigal Christian." When Shylock learns of this, he exclaims,

My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! 
Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats! (2.8.15-16)

However, while Jessica has converted and become a Christian, she does not act in a Christian manner as she wastes the money and jewels that she has taken from Shylock.

Shylock's equating of his money with his daughter in the exclamation he makes when he discovers that Jessica is gone may be part of the reason that Jessica has run away. Shylock is very upset because Jessica has taken his jewels, as well, and evidently gone on a spree of spending his money and trading his jewels. In particular, Shylock is livid about Jessica's having traded for a monkey a keepsake ring that Shylock bought for her mother.

Having costumed herself and fled the house while her father is gone, Jessica further displays a total lack of respect for her father when she squanders the fortune she has taken by going on a type of shopping spree. She trades jewels for things that are not worth them, and she squanders money.

Who is Algernon in Flowers for Algernon?

In Daniel Keyes' story Flowers for Algernon, a man named Charlie Gordon has experimental surgery to try to become smarter. Charlie is developmentally delayed and has a low IQ, but he is happy with his life. He works in a bakery and attends night school to improve his reading and writing. His teacher, Miss Kinnian, recommends that he participate in an experiment with Dr. Strauss and Professor Nemur. They are curious about developing a surgery to improve intelligence, and have had positive results on a little mouse named Algernon. In the beginning, Charlie doesn't like Algernon because the mouse can solve puzzles faster than he can. After his surgery, Charlie's self-esteem is boosted when he is able to beat Algernon in tests, but soon it shows that Algernon isn't performing as well as he used to. Unfortunately, the effects of the surgery are not long-term, and Algernon's intelligence declines until finally he dies. Throughout all of this, Charlie has grown quite fond of Algernon. As his own intelligence declines, he writes that he hopes others will not feel bad for him--he only hopes that they will put flowers on Algernon's grave.

How does technology, as a theme, influence "The Veldt"?

Several of Bradbury's works include themes relating to technology, and a surface-level analysis might portray him and his themes as ascetic or having Luddite tones, because technology is typically depicted in a negative light. Even in personal interviews, Bradbury has spoken against technology in a way which only seems to support a direct interpretation of its thematic treatment in his stories. However, a more nuanced view would articulate that Bradbury doesn't target technology itself, but the use of technology as a substitute for human interaction and an excuse for apathy. In "The Veldt", this theme is compounded by the message that technology can actually supplant love and morality in the undeveloped minds of children, leading to horrors that we would normally attribute only to sociopaths.

George and Lydia seem to generally agree, from the start of the story, that the house has outdone itself, and rather than being a pleasant way of freeing up their time, it has robbed them of the comfort they found in caring for each other or doing mundane chores; they feel unnecessary. This is compounded when they consult McClean, who states,

You've let this room and this house replace you and your wife in your children's affections. This room is their mother and father, far more important in their lives than their real parents.

It is suggested that it's normal, at some point in their development, for children to develop murderous thoughts about their parents, but until the invention of something like the nursery, children would not have been able to manifest it so clearly or so incessantly. Technology has corrupted and infantilized them. 

Finally, the Hadley's death by lions, which are supposed to be illusory and incapable of such a thing, suggests that the house and its technology has somehow transcended its own imposed limitations; the house has become almost magical or godlike, implying that technology of sufficient power cannot be fully controlled.

What characteristics does Tom in have in Firegirl?

Due to the fact that the story is written in the first person, the reader knows that Tom is the "sweaty" and "chubby" kid at St. Catherine's School who is fearful of Jessica (the burn victim) only until he begins a friendship with her.  Jessica has transferred to the school in order to seek better medical care for her burns in Tom's town.  Even though the teacher tries her best to prepare the students, the children cannot prevent their reactions to the striking disfigurement of Jessica.  Many of the children show signs of fear while Tom tries to look "normal" even though he is afraid inside.  Tom struggles to be a good person to Jessica.  After Tom is asked to take some make-up work to Jessica's home, the two begin a friendship.  In this way, Tom conquers his fear.  Even though Tom admits that "on the outside it doesn't look like very much happened," the changes in Tom show that this is a coming-of-age story.  

How did Karl Marx describe class conflict?

Karl Marx was a 19th century philosopher whose works primarily criticized socioeconomic inequality in Europe and describe the means by which this might persist or be remedied. We know his body of work as Marxism, and any discourse which analyzes or challenges class structures may be considered Marxist.

Marx was highly critical of socioeconomic systems where much of the wealth is concentrated among a small portion of society, as it is in capitalist and (historically) feudal societies. Marx described the conflict between the upper class bourgeoisie who own the resources and labor in a system and the working class proletariat who must labor in order to survive. Capitalism can create the illusion that because an individual is working, they are in control of their actions. In reality, the raw materials, machines, and everything the worker needs to create their product is owned by the upper class. The worker may earn enough to survive, but all surplus produced belongs to and benefits the upper class.

The conflict at work here may be the proletariat's resentment of the bourgeoisie or something far more dramatic like a revolution. Marx's work inspired the Communist Revolutions of the 20th century. Marx believed the only way to remedy the parasitic relationship between the bourgeoisie and proletariat was to instigate a revolution and overthrow the ruling class. Such revolutions were the case in Russia, China, and Cuba in the early 20th Century. Marx also believed an ideal follow-up was to establish a truly communist society where all people work and benefit equally, but this was not always the case after a revolution.

In Lord of The Flies by William Golding, what are the rules of the island?

All the boys are British and have been taught by their parents and schools to view themselves as civilized young men.  As such, they initially attempt to form a civilized system for their new makeshift society on the island, with their ultimate goal being aimed at getting rescued. 

The boys determine that Ralph will be chief, since he was the one who blew the conch to gather them together at the start. The truth is, there really isn't a boy on the island who has all the needed qualities to lead them successfully, but Ralph is probably the best choice they have. Although Piggy has the brains, he just isn't a socially acceptable boy for the others.  

Ralph decides that they will hold meetings, during which anyone who wishes to speak must hold the conch shell.  Once a boy has the shell, others are supposed to be quiet and listen respectfully. They are to bring coconut shells full of fresh water daily to their main living area near the beach, and use a rocky area down by the water for the bathroom, since it will get washed clean by the ocean. The hunters take responsibility for keeping the signal fire going and hunting for pigs, while the others are supposed to help Ralph build huts on the beach. Ralph and Piggy also agree early on that they should learn all the littluns´ names in order to keep track of them.

Unfortunately, none of these rules last long, if at all.  Ralph simply has no way of enforcing the rules, and the children approach their time on the island as individuals driven by wants and needs, rather than banding together to do what is best for the whole group.  Jack, of course, is the leader in this.

Compare and contrast Mama and Beneatha from A Raisin in the Sun.

Mama and Beneatha operate as foils in the play. Hansberry uses the characters to compare and contrast the difference in values between Mama's generation and Beneatha's. Mama's generation was that which migrated from the South to northern cities like Chicago, the setting of the play, in the early part of the twentieth-century. Beneatha's generation embraced Civil Rights, pan-Africanism, and later, would embrace Black Pride, which encouraged a singularly black aesthetic, as well as black nationalism.

Beneatha's generation had more access to education and opportunity than her mother's. This is exemplified not only by the erudite language that Beneatha uses, which befuddles her mother, but also by her experiments with different hobbies. For example, Beneatha announces that she will start guitar lessons, a pastime which makes no sense to either Mama or Ruth:

Mama: How come you done taken it in your mind to learn to play the guitar?

Beneatha: I just want to, that's all.

Mama: (Smiling) Lord, child, don't you know what to do with yourself? How long it going to be before you get tired of this now -- like you got tired of that little play-acting group you joined last year? (Looking at Ruth) And what was it the year before that?

Ruth: The horseback-riding club for which she bought that fifty-five dollar riding habit that's been hanging in the closet ever since!

Beneatha is defiant in spite of their trivialization of her efforts, repeatedly explaining her desire to try new things by saying, "I just want to." The phrase is simple and mundane, but expresses a powerful sense of agency that eludes both Mama and Ruth, neither of whom had the chance to simply do whatever they wanted due to being responsible for other people and for lack of opportunity. Because Mama probably spent much of her life being practical in order to care for her children, and arose from circumstances in which acting and horseback-riding were unavailable to black people, who had little to no leisure time, Beneatha's shifting interests are perceived as shiftlessness: 

Mama: (To Beneatha) Why you got to flit so from one thing to another, baby?

Beneatha: (Sharply) I just want to learn to play the guitar. Is there anything wrong with that?

Mama: Ain't nobody trying to stop you. I just wonders sometimes why you has to flit so from one thing to another all the time...

Beneatha insists that she doesn't "flit," but is simply looking for different ways to express herself. This explanation is too abstract for Mama who asks, "What is it you want to express?" When Beneatha responds, "Me!" in anger, this elicits the laughter of Mama and Ruth and the frustration of Beneatha.

Self-expression requires one to have the time to sit and think about one's own needs and place in the world. Again, Mama and Ruth were never allowed this time. Moreover, one must be able to access the language required to express those needs. Some of this language is conceptual, derived from philosophy, the arts, and psychology. For example, when Beneatha describes her brother as "an elaborate neurotic," Mama tells her to hush. The order comes from a sense of knowing that Beneatha is insulting her brother's character, but also probably comes from Mama not knowing what Beneatha is talking about. 

The main area in which Mama and Beneatha clash is in their acceptance of religion. Mama is a devout Christian. Beneatha, to her mother's outrage, pronounces herself an atheist. Whereas Beneatha's other strange ideas are met with tolerance, her declaration that God does not exist is unacceptable. Mama slaps her daughter and forces her to repeat, "In my mother's house there is still God." Mama follows this by saying, "There are some ideas we ain't going to have in this house. Not long as I am at the head of this family." Beneatha agrees to this rule in her mother's presence, then reasserts her atheism to Ruth once Mama is out of earshot.

By declaring herself the head of the family and violently rejecting Beneatha's atheism, Mama's words and gestures symbolize the elder generation's refusal to allow the younger to eviscerate old traditions. Christianity, though adopted during slavery, served as a source of strength to Mama's generation and those previous. Religion was one of few areas in which black people could find solace, community, and self-expression. To deny the existence of God is to deny the validity of those experiences. 

In spite of their differences, both Mama and Beneatha reach a consensus of sorts at the end of the play in their agreement that the family should move to Clybourne Park, thereby integrating the white, segregationist community. This agreement signifies that, despite their generational and ideological differences, both really want the same things: both want the family to progress by moving to a better home, and both wish for black people to be equal and free.

Would Trifles have the same impact if the characters were reversed--that is, the main characters were males?

The impact of the play depends on an understanding of the patriarchal culture that Mrs. Hale, Mrs. Peters, and Mrs. Wright functioned in, so a play in which a man murders his wife and his male neighbors withhold evidence would not have anywhere near the same impact as the play Trifles has. The fact that Mrs. Wright is a woman has everything to do with why she was treated the way she was and why she responded the way she did.

Mr. Wright, as the man of the house, made the decisions and had all the power in their relationship. Mrs. Wright was little more than a servant, trapped in their isolated home, without the ability to pursue her own interests. When she did attempt to express her wants by purchasing a canary, John Wright evidently broke the cage and killed the bird. This act of violence toward a defenseless creature suggests Mr. Wright was similarly abusive toward his wife. Mrs. Wright had no support system to help her escape from the trap she was in. If, for example, she had gone to Mr. Peters, the sheriff, and explained that she was afraid for her safety or her life because her husband had killed her bird, chances are she would have been ignored or even mocked. Mr. Peters and the attorney display condescension toward Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters, hinting at how any such complaint Mrs. Wright might have made about her husband would have been treated. 

Mrs. Wright's murder of her husband was an act of desperation that grew from the power disparity in her relationship with her husband and in her society. It is hard to imagine any comparable situation where the tables could be turned and a man would be so controlled by his wife. Although there certainly are controlling women, a husband in John Wright's time would still have enjoyed many options in his society simply by virtue of being a man--such as mobility and the support of the legal system and male-dominated social structure. Since the issues of abuse and power are central to the plot and conflict, and these are wrapped up in gender roles, the play could not have the same impact if the main characters were male rather than female.

What does the phrase "ages and ages" mean in the poem "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost?

This phrase comes at the beginning of the last stanza of the poem:

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence …

The poet has told us that he encountered two roads – a metaphor, for two important decisions to make – and that he chose the less popular one, “the one less traveled by.” Now, in this conclusion, he anticipates a time in the distant future – so distant that it is “ages” away from the present moment – when he will tell others the story of the two roads. Many years will have passed. The poet will have had many more experiences by then. He’s not even sure at this point where he would be living, in this future time: it will just be “somewhere.” Perhaps all of his actions between now and then will have radiated from this one choice he made, which will by then be in the distant past. Even as he makes this decision of which path to follow, he sees this encounter as being one of the most important choices in his lifetime; perhaps, even the most important choice. And this is why he already expects to want to tell people about it, later.

What is the meaning of the lines "Or let autumn fall on me / Where afield I linger, / Silencing the bird on tree, / Biting the blue finger"?

These lines are from “The Vagabond,” a poem written by Robert Louis Stevenson and included in a collection of other poems he wrote entitled Songs of Travel. “The Vagabond” is about a life of wandering and travel. The poet asks only for “the jolly heaven above / And the byway nigh me.” He desires neither hearth nor home, but only the sky above him and the road beneath his feet.

In these particular lines, the poet is emphatic in his desire to wander, come what may, even in the harsher seasons. He says to go ahead and “let autumn fall on me / Where afield I linger.” He will wander, even when autumn begins to fall, signaling the harshness of the winter to come; even so, he will be lingering in the fields, in the open, with no habitation but the sky and road and fields. Not only does the onset of autumn signal the coming of winter, it also succeeds in “silencing the bird on tree.” In the autumn, even the birds succumb to the weather and seek warmer climes. Even when the birds take flight and their very songs are taken away from him, the poet will still linger in the meadows and “the frosty field.” Even as the poet remembers the “warm . . . fireside haven,” he still insists, “not to autumn will I yield, / Not to winter even!”

As far as the line “Biting the blue finger,” Stevenson could be referring to the cold fingers of frostbite in the winter turning blue. The term may possibly be a lost Scottish idiom, but as far as I have researched, I cannot find any evidence of that.

Robert Louis Stevenson, a nineteenth century novelist, poet, and essayist, was a prolific writer and a consummate wanderer. Due to ill health from childhood lung and respiratory issues thought to be tuberculosis, Stevenson traveled the world, a vagabond of sorts, attempting to find a climate that might soothe his health. He ultimately settled in Samoa, where he died, and was buried, in 1894.