Why have Frankenstein's creature and Frankenstein had such a strong hold on our imagination for nearly 200 years?

One reason Frankenstein and Frankenstein's creature have had such a hold over us for two centuries is because many people can relate to this creature. He is alienated from society, judged and scorned, an outsider, and an outcast. It would be difficult, I think, to find a person who has never felt this way (though, perhaps, to a lesser extent). Further, the fact that the creature justifiably blames his father, Victor, for many of his problems may be easy to relate to for many readers as well. 

Another possible reason for this story's continued relevance to us has to do with the questions of scientific ethics that it raises. Is Victor right to try to create life in this way? Is he trying to "play God"? Should that stop him? Even now, people talk about creating "designer babies" whose physical traits (such as sex, eye color, and hair color) are chosen specifically to please their parents. Is there an ethical dilemma to these kinds of choices? Where is the line? Just because science can do something, does that mean it should do it? What is our responsibility to a baby who doesn't turn out exactly the way we think it will? Even 200 years later, we still struggle with the same kinds of ethical quandaries Shelley appears to have been ruminating on.

What are the types of operating system and their advantages and disadvantages?

There are actually thousands of different operating systems for personal computers, but in terms of common use, there are three main categories: Microsoft Windows, Apple iOS, and Linux, each having their advantages and disadvantages. 

Windows

For compatibility, Windows is probably the best operating system, since so many people use it around the world. Windows is a popular system among businesses and there is a lot of software written for Windows machines. Also, Windows runs on many different brands of hardware, so the user has a lot of choice in this area. Microsoft is prompt about updating the system. Finally, because of the popularity, many open source software programs are available for a donation to Windows users. 

One problem with this kind of popularity is that people who write computer viruses are more likely to write them for Windows systems than for other systems. Another disadvantage to Windows is that the operating system tends to take a lot of resources on the machines, leaving less room in RAM and also on disk for programs. Finally, some computer users dislike what they feel is paternalism on Microsoft's part, especially when system updates prevent a user from shutting down the machine at will. 

iOS

Apple creates both the operating system and the hardware on which the software is installed; it had a brief encounter with the Microsoft model (one operating system for many different computer brands) about twenty years ago, and that didn't work out for them, financially speaking. 

Many people who use iOS computers and other Apple products such as the iPhone, absolutely would not use any other system. Apple inspires brand loyalty because of the aesthetics of the machines and the software associated with them. iOS machines are particularly popular among artists of various sorts as well as educators because of the high quality software available. 

A main disadvantage of Apple products is the expense. The hardware costs a lot more for less computing power than a Windows machine. Software tends to be proprietary and expensive. A second disadvantage is compatibility; while some programs run on both Windows and iOS, others are not available for iOS. Some iOS programs yield files that cannot be opened by non-iOS programs. 

Linux

Linux is a huge category of operating systems, as there are thousands of versions of Linux available to address many different types of users. Linux distributions ("distros" or operating systems) are generally open source, sometimes with corporate support, which means that many programmers volunteer their time to develop and maintain the various distros. 

Advantages of Linux include that these operating systems often take fewer resources, so a Windows machine that runs slowly with a full disk drive might run much faster and have a significant amount of room using a Linux distro. Also, there are, for some popular distros, 50-60,000 open source programs available. Admittedly, some of these programs might not be great, but others are professional quality. Linux also allows for maximum control by the user through the terminal, which is easily accessible. Finally, even if you have an old machine without many resources, there may be a lightweight distro that will run on it and make it usable. 

Linux tends to be a little more challenging to install and use, although ease of use has increased phenomenally over the last twenty years. Ubuntu, one of the most popular distros, has become relatively easy to install and use and there are others that are fast upon its heels. There are some programs that are not available for Linux, so compatibility issues may occur, and serious gamers find Linux frustrating for this reason. 

Future

Technology is changing incredibly fast. Because of the popularity of tablets, since they are lightweight and their functions continue to increase, Android may also become a more prominent operating system for people's primary computing needs as laptops begin to fade into the background. It is likely that Linux distros will begin to run on tablets; Microsoft and Apple are already working in this area. 

Knowing how the events of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird unfold, if Atticus could go back to the moment when he was asked to defend Tom...

Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, author Harper Lee makes it crystal clear that Atticus does not base his decisions on consequences. Instead, he bases his decisions on what he feels is morally right or wrong to do. Therefore, we know that, despite the ridicule he faced from the town and the threat to his children's lives, Atticus still would have made his decision to defend Tom Robinson.

The main reason why Atticus would still choose to defend Robinson is because he views it as the morally correct thing to do. One reason why he views it to be the correct thing to do is because it is his job as a defense lawyer to give all charged with a crime the best defense possible; it is his job to uphold the legal principle that all in the US are viewed innocent until proven guilty. Another reason is because he is well aware no concrete evidence exists to prove Robinson's guilt. As Atticus explains to his brother in Chapter 9, all that is being used as evidence in the case are the witness statements of Mayella and her father:

It couldn't be worse, Jack. The only thing we've got is a black man's word against the Ewells'. The evidence boils down to you-did--I-didn't. (Ch. 9)

A third reason why he knows it is morally correct to defend Robinson is because he knows from Calpurnia that Robinson is an upright, Christian man, as we see Atticus explain to Scout in the following:

He's a member of Calpurnia's church, and Cal knows his family well. She says they're clean-living folks. (Ch. 9)

Finally, Atticus is not one to back out of doing something just because other people raise objections and make things difficult. Instead, he makes all decisions based on his conscience. We learn Atticus bases all of his decisions on his conscience when Scout comments that "most folks seem to think they're right and you're wrong" (Ch. 11). Atticus makes the following reply to her comment:

They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full respect for their opinions ... but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience. (Ch. 11)

In short, we know Atticus would continue to defend Robinson, even if doing so poses a threat to his children's lives, because he knows doing so is his moral responsibility due to his profession, and he always does as his conscience tells him to do.

In Romeo and Juliet, what are some examples of the Nurse giving indecisive advice to Juliet?

Throughout most of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the Nurse is a devoted confidant to Juliet. She seems to have the girl's best interests at heart and even agrees to act as Juliet's accomplice in the relationship with Romeo. In Act II, Scene 5, after she returns with news of Romeo's plan to marry Juliet, she heaps praise upon the young man, saying, 

Though his face be better than any man’s, yet his leg
excels all men’s, and for a hand and a foot and a
body, though they be not to be talked on, yet they
are past compare.

She is genuinely happy over Juliet's new found happiness and willingly tells Juliet to go to Friar Laurence's cell for the wedding. She even agrees to procure a rope ladder so that Romeo may climb into Juliet's bedroom in order to consummate the marriage. Later, however, her decisive attitude toward Romeo and Juliet wavers. 

In Act III, Scene 5 the Nurse seems to change her mind about Romeo. Because of Tybalt's death, Lord Capulet arranges for Juliet to marry Count Paris. Juliet becomes distraught when she learns what her father has planned and promptly refuses, which only brings an angry response from her father. Having nowhere to turn, she seeks counsel from the Nurse who, in a total about face, urges her to forget Romeo and marry Paris. She even says that Paris is a far better match:

I think it best you married with the County.
O, he’s a lovely gentleman!
Romeo’s a dishclout to him. An eagle, madam,
Hath not so green, so quick, so fair an eye
As Paris hath. Beshrew my very heart,
I think you are happy in this second match,
For it excels your first, or, if it did not,
Your first is dead, or ’twere as good he were
As living here and you no use of him.

While the Nurse's opinion is pragmatic, it also proves to be indecisive as she has sent mixed messages to Juliet, who very much needed an adult to help her as the circumstances of her life become confused and desperate.

Who was the lady who touched Jesus's clothes?

I believe your question is in reference to a woman mentioned in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. These portions of the Gospels describe many miracles performed by Jesus Christ, including healing the sick and impaired. As the story goes, a woman had been suffering from blood loss for twelve years. She had seen many doctors and spent all her money on treatment, but her condition only worsened. When she saw Jesus passing through the town, she reached forward, touched his clothing, and was instantly healed. Jesus is said to have then turned to her and said, "By your faith, you are healed." 

The term most commonly used when referring to this woman's ailment is "discharge," which is used throughout the Bible to denote an emission of bodily fluids considered to be the result of something unnatural (like an illness) and which causes spiritual impurity. It is also quite specifically used to refer to emission of fluids of the urogenital system. This story took place in Gerasenes, which was in the region of Galilee and where the people were Jewish. Presumably, this woman had been socially ostracized for her persistent bleeding. She would not have been allowed into public houses of worship and may have even been somewhat isolated from her family. 

It is important to note the woman merely touches Jesus' garment, not him physically, and still she is healed. This bears reference to a few traditions in Jewish culture—appropriate physical contact and transmission of power or holiness through cloth. In both the Talmud and the Old Testament, it is prohibited for unrelated or unmarried people of different sexes to touch. For this woman to reach out and touch Jesus physically, or for him to touch her, would violate a social rule about appropriate physical contact. What's more, this woman was considered spiritually impure, an outcast, and even her husband may have had limits on physical contact. (Assuming she was married before the onset of bleeding.) Jesus, a Rabbi, acknowledging the woman is very powerful indeed, for he performed a spiritual and bodily miracle on her even though she was considered impure. Finally, transmission of power through cloth is something which has a long tradition in Judaism. The Torah is wrapped in special cloth, called the clothes or dress, and when it is paraded for blessing, people may reach out to touch the cloth or touch their own garments to the Torah to receive some of its special power. It is like transferring a blessing from some holy entity (Jesus, in this example) without profaning or desecrating the holy thing by contact.

In addition to the physical difficulty of bleeding for twelve years, this woman was likely to have struggled emotionally and socially, too. Her ability to interact in normal daily life would have been greatly impaired by her constant loss of blood regardless of any spiritual qualities associated with her condition. I would also like to mention that this woman may represent one of the earliest descriptions of a woman with a bleeding disorder, such as von Willebrand Disease. 

As for who this woman was, we do not know anything about her beyond that she was from Gerasenes and had suffered blood loss for twelve years.

Why does Pahom get angry with the neighbors in "How Much Land Does a Man Need?"

Pahom is a peasant and has been working land owned by another person. When the landowner announces that she will be selling the land, Pahom and the other peasants each buy a piece of it. Had they allowed the innkeeper to buy the land, they would be subjected to fines and taxes.

Pahom is able to purchase forty acres. This is a new experience for him because he's never owned land before. Pahom begins to notice that some of the other peasants/neighbors have begun to trespass on his meadows and cornfields. At first, he is very understanding because he knows it is their "want of land, and no evil intent on their part . . ."

However, it keeps occurring, and Pahom decides to fine some of them to make an example. Some neighbors take such offense to this that they decide to trespass on purpose. This is when Pahom really gets angry. Suspecting Simon, Pahom tries to prosecute him, but there is no sufficient evidence. Pahom continues to quarrel with the judges and his neighbors. His relationships grow steadily worse. Eventually, Pahom relocates so that he can get even more land. The overarching moral theme of this story is the danger of greed.

What are some examples of indirect characterization of Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby?

Indirect characterization involves the author demonstrating what a character is like by that character's words, actions, and appearance. This is as opposed to direct characterization, where the narrator simply tells the reader what a character is like. Check out some examples of how the two look different in the link below. 

In The Great Gatsby, Tom is characterized as a powerful and wealthy man, whose power and wealth gives him an extreme arrogance about his position above those around him. Another aspect of his character is his obsession with the societal fear that "lesser" races will overcome his white, Nordic race. This racist language creeps into his fears and complaints about many other things:

"'Self-control!' repeated Tom incredulously. 'I suppose the latest thing is to sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere make love to your wife. Well, if that's the idea you can count me out […] Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions, and next they'll throw everything overboard and have intermarriage between black and white.'

Flushed with his impassioned gibberish, he saw himself standing alone on the last barrier of civilization." (Chapter 7)

Here, we get indirect characterization of Tom from his own words, as well as Nick's direct characterization in filtering them through to us. Tom's view of himself is as the last remaining vestige of civilized behavior and common sense in the face of an absurd modern world. 

Though Nick describes Tom's "cruel body" in an instance of direct characterization when we first meet him, readers see Tom's cruel words throughout that story. One such instance is after Gatsby fails to get Daisy to run away with him and claim that she never loved Tom. When his position has been confirmed by Daisy's inability to do what Gatsby wants, Tom says,

"Go on. He won't annoy you. I think he realizes that his presumptuous little flirtation is over" (Chapter 7).

He isn't only cruel to Gatsby's feelings, but also Daisy's. He does nothing to hide his infidelity from her, nor does he apologize for his behavior:

"'And what's more, I love Daisy too. Once in a while I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart I love her all the time.'

'You're revolting,' said Daisy. She turned to me, and her voice, dropping an octave lower, filled the room with thrilling scorn: 'Do you know why we left Chicago? I'm surprised that they didn't treat you to the story of that little spree.'" (Chapter 7)

This conversation shows Tom's carelessness for others' feelings and his easy confidence that Daisy will always be his, no matter how he acts. 

In Eveline, what is Mr. Hill's reaction to the relationship between Frank and his daughter?

Mr. Hill is angry when he finds out about the relationship between Frank and his daughter, Eveline. He forbids Eveline to see Frank, and he warns her about 'sailor chaps.' Shortly after, Mr. Hill quarrels with Frank, which prompts the young lovers to meet each other in secret. In short, Mr. Hill's reaction to Frank is antagonistic and combative.

As the story continues, we discover that Eveline has been contemplating an elopement with Frank. The prospect of becoming Frank's wife and of finally becoming a respectable member of society is extremely attractive to Eveline. With her mother and brother (Ernest) deceased, Eveline looks forward to a new life away from her mercurial father. In earlier years, Eveline's brothers had borne the brunt of her father's violent abuse. Now, Eveline frequently finds herself in the cross-hairs of her father's explosive temper.

Knowing that her father distrusts and dislikes Frank, Eveline does not tell her father about her plans. Instead, she writes a letter to both her father and her brother, Harry. In the end, however, Eveline finds it difficult to leave the only home she has ever known.

Racism has been shown to have a strong effect on health disparities and has been shown to impact the health of individuals. Black infant mortality...

Studies conducted by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies' Health Policy Institute suggest that stress caused by racism plays a role in black infant mortality. Currently, the rate of black infant mortality is twice that of white infant mortality. Studies in the American Journal of Public Health and the New England Journal of Medicine suggest that American-born black women of all socio-economic backgrounds are more likely than white, immigrant, Hispanic, and other women to have pre-term or low-weight babies. Researchers believe that beyond other factors, stress plays a significant role in this disparity.

Following the social-ecological model, interventions have to occur at the individual, relationship, community, and societal levels to reduce black infant mortality. For example, interventions at the individual level have to work to reduce the stress that black women who are pregnant feel, and, at the relationship level, their partners and families must work to support them. In addition, black women report feeling stressed that their communities are sometimes unsafe and do not have sufficient nutritious food choices, and they also may not have resources such as prenatal counseling or stress reduction courses in their communities. Black women also report stress from racism in schools and work, and this type of racism has to be combated on a societal level. Stress caused by insufficient resources at all these levels can affect black women's pregnancies, and interventions to reduce stressors and improve the prenatal health of black women must occur on all these levels.

Why was Torvald so upset when he found out that Nora had borrowed money to save his life in A Doll's House by Ibsen?

Torvald's anger would be justified within the context of the social norms and expectations bestowed upon women at the time the play takes place, which is the 19th century. According to the standards of the time, Nora would have been expected to be an obedient, subservient wife who abides by all the rules of decorum and propriety expected of her. 

This being said, the loan that Nora makes, despite her good intentions,  breaks with every rule of spousal behavior that Nora would have been expected to follow in these ways:

• Nora makes the loan agreement behind Torvald's back. Even Linde tells Nora that it is impossible for a woman to initiate a transaction of this nature without the consent (or signature) of a husband. That Nora breaks this major rule is something to be concerned about, either way.


• Nora made this loan with Krogstad, who is a disgruntled employee of her husband's, and also an insubordinate.


• Nora is blackmailed by Krogstad, and Torvald finds out that now they are at the mercy of the man.


• Torvald realizes that his reputation as a man, as a supervisor, and as a husband will now be in peril. He will be looked upon as "weak," and as someone who cannot "control his home."

The problem is not that Torvald was angry at Nora; the issue here is that he gave more importance to his anger than to the fact that Nora had made so many sacrifices to save his life. 

What is the first quote in To Kill a Mockingbird that mentions Mrs. Dubose?

Mrs. Dubose's looming house was mentioned in the novel before the character herself was mentioned: "...our summertime boundaries (within calling distance of Calpurnia) were Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose's house two doors to the north of us, and the Radley Place three doors to the south"(To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 1).  In the same paragraph, Mrs. Dubose was mentioned in a very negative light.  According to Scout, "Mrs. Dubose was plain hell."  Scout found Mrs. Dubose to be a frightening figure in the neighborhood.  She was an elderly lady who frequently sat on her porch and shouted rude comments to Scout and Jem as they walked by.  They thought Mrs. Dubose was a very unkind person.

When Scout greeted Mrs. Dubose one afternoon, the woman angrily corrected her informal greeting.  She also called Scout ugly.  This was one of the reasons why Scout described Mrs. Dubose as being "plain hell."  Mrs. Dubose also insulted Atticus for defending Tom Robinson in court.  This enraged Jem, who took revenge on her by hacking the tops of her camellias off.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of federal systems and centralized governments?

Many countries of the world have unitary systems of government.  In this system, the central government has all the power and only gives lower governments (states, provinces, prefectures, or others) whatever power it wishes to give.  The major strength of this kind of government is that it is more efficient than a federal system.  If the national government, for example, wants to implement a system of health care, it does not have state governments suing it, trying to prevent it from doing so.  The national government can do what it wants without having to deal with resistance from the lower levels of government.  The other important strength of this sort of government is that it is more consistent.  When the national government makes all the rules, the rules are the same for people everywhere.  In a federal system, you might have (as the US does) the death penalty in one state but not in another.  You might have abortion be harder to get in one state than another.  Not all citizens of the country enjoy the same rights in a federal system, but they do in a unitary system.

The United States has a federal system.  In this system, the Constitution spells out what powers the national government has and what powers the state governments have.  Neither level of government can simply take powers from the other level.  The most important strength of this system of government is that it allows different parts of a country to feel that they have more self-government.  This is particularly important in a big country, like the US, and/or in countries where different regions are very different.  It is important for people in a conservative place like Utah to feel that they do not have to have the exact same laws as people in a liberal place like New York City.  In a unitary system, all would have to follow the same laws, leading to more bitterness and resentment among people whose opinions lost out.  The other main strength of this system is that it allows different state governments to try different things.  In a unitary system, the whole country does the same thing so it is hard to determine if there is a better way to do that thing.  In a federal system, each state can do things differently.  People can then study the different approaches (for example, different ways to fund education) and can determine which method is the best.  This sort of “laboratory of democracy” is not available in a unitary system.

Both of these systems have their strengths and weaknesses, which is why it is hard to know which type of government is best.

How does the boy's father respond to the ransom letter in "The Ransom of Red Chief"?

In this humorous story, Sam and Bill are two inept criminals who kidnap ten-year-old Johnny, the son of a prominent citizen named Ebenezer Dorset.

In a ransom letter to Johnny's father, Sam and Bill demand fifteen hundred dollars for Johnny's safe return. Upon receipt of the ransom money, the two crooks promise Johnny will be returned within three hours.

When he receives the letter, however, Mr. Dorset is nonchalant about the contents. He writes back and proposes a counter-offer, where the two criminals will pay him two hundred and fifty dollars for taking Johnny off their hands. Mr. Dorset adds that he thinks the two men will be inclined to accept his generous offer. He also advises them to bring Johnny back at night, as he confesses he can't be responsible for what his neighbors will do to anyone they see bringing Johnny back.

Even though Mr. Dorset's response is humorous, we must understand that he knows his son very well and imagines Johnny must be more trouble to the criminals than he's worth. This explains his lack of concern at having received such a letter. Also, it appears as if none of Mr. Dorset's neighbors are especially inclined to see Johnny home, either. Mr. Dorset responds to the letter calmly and with an almost disinterested tone; he isn't the least bit worried and doesn't betray any fear.

Bill and Sam both decide having Johnny for an extra night is a trial they don't intend to endure. They resolutely conclude that paying a ransom to Mr. Dorset to take Johnny back would be the better deal. The story ends with Bill and Sam dropping off Johnny at the front door, and Bill pays two hundred and fifty dollars to Mr. Dorset. Then, with Mr. Dorset promising to hold on to Johnny for about ten minutes, both men make a hasty getaway.

How would you describe the atmosphere established in the opening paragraphs of "The Pedestrian"?

As a literary device, atmosphere describes how the feel of a place is inspired by details in a story such as objects, setting, or background. Atmosphere is slightly different from mood, though. While mood describes the internal feelings of the reader upon reading a particular piece of writing, atmosphere incorporates the feeling a particular location inspires.

In the story, the atmosphere established in the first paragraphs is one of abject loneliness and alienation. The setting is a quiet city on a misty evening, and the streets appear empty. Mr. Leonard Mead is the only human presence on the streets.

The "buckling concrete walk," intersections, and moonlit avenues are empty of human presence; the words "silence," "graveyard," "gray phantoms," "tomb-like," and "alone" further reinforce the feeling of isolation we get when we visualize this city in our minds. A feeling of decay and extinction is in the air. The author also tells us his story is set in 2053 A.D., seemingly a futuristic vision of a world gone wrong. His skillful use of atmosphere in the first paragraphs prepares us to expect dysfunction and uncertainty as we anticipate the resolution to the story.

From J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, is Holden the catcher in the rye or is he being caught? If the latter, then who is catching him?

Holden wants to be the life-saving catcher in the rye, but he is the one who is actually caught by his sister Phoebe. Ever since his brother Allie's death, Holden has been falling off of a metaphorical, mental and emotional cliff. He is the one who needs help. He can't succeed in any school that he attends, he practices a lot of self-destructive habits, and he rages fiercely against growing up and becoming a phony.  Sometimes, people who experience traumatic events are not able to deal with them in a healthy way. This is Holden's problem because back in the 1940s and 1950s, people didn't talk about their issues publicly. As a result, Holden felt as if he didn't have anyone to turn to after his brother died. Then, as he experiences failure after failure, Holden begins to lose the ability to deal with reality in a healthy way. He therefore determines to run away for good, but it is his little sister Phoebe who saves him from himself and his self-destructive ways. Phoebe saves her brother by packing a suitcase to go with him when he runs away for good.

In chapter 25, Holden tells Phoebe that she can't go with him because she has to be in her school play. She refuses to go back to school. He finally tells her he's not going to run away after all and he will go get his suitcases at the train station to prove it, but she says the following:

"I said I'm not going back to school. You can do what you want to do, but I'm not going back to school . . . So shut up" (208).

Holden is shocked that his little sister said "shut up" to him. She has never done that before, so it gets his immediate attention. It's as if she swore at him and that makes him realize that if he leaves, then it will mess up his sister.

He decides to take her to the zoo, and then buys her a ticket to ride a carousel to make things better for her. After giving him the silent treatment for awhile, Phoebe asks Holden if he will really stay home with the family and not run away. When he tells her that he will stay, she gives him a kiss and puts his red hunting hat on his head. This makes Holden completely happy and helps him to fulfill his promise not to run away. Because of Phoebe's stubborn behavior, and because of the love he has for her, Holden decides to stay home. This decision is the first step that he takes towards healing because it is after this that he goes to a mental hospital in California. If it weren't for Phoebe, he may have ended up in worse trouble by trying to life live on his own as a teenager.

How does Shakespeare portray Portia's fear in Bassanio's selection of the caskets?

In Act three, Scene 1, Bassanio is ready to choose between the three caskets in order to marry Portia. Portia is already in love with Bassanio and is fearful that he will choose the wrong casket. Shakespeare depicts Portia's fear regarding Bassanio's selection through Portia's insistence that Bassanio take his time, as well as her confessions that she will never love again if his choice is wrong. Portia then admits that she wishes that Bassanio could stay with her for a month or two before choosing. She also says that if Bassanio does not pick the correct casket, she will never be another man's wife. Portia also comments that she feels divided and is worried about him choosing the incorrect casket. Before Bassanio chooses a casket, Portia tells him that she is suffering more as a spectator than he is as the contestant. Fortunately, Bassanio picks the correct casket and wins Portia's hand in marriage.

How is the theme of darkness developed in Act II of Shakespeare's Macbeth?

Darkness is a theme that drives the plot development in Act Two of Shakespeare's Macbeth.

The Elizabethans believed firmly in several things: that God ordained who was to reign on the throne. If the king was murdered, order in the universe was disrupted, and unnatural things (in nature and the spirit realm) would take place. They also firmly accepted the existence of witches, demons, fairies, changelings, etc. The presence of the supernatural (anything beyond the natural world—even God) was uppermost in their minds, but most especially at night because Elizabethans believed that evil had the upper-hand after dark; and darkness was a time of death. There can be no doubt that Macbeth's plan to murder his friend, king, cousin, and houseguest moves along swiftly with elements (literal and figurative) of darkness.

In Macbeth, in scene one, Banquo notes that the natural mind is haunted by "cursed thoughts" when one tries to sleep (9). Banquo feels a "summons" weighing down on him (the supernatural), preventing him from sleep—perhaps warning him (7-8). Banquo encounters Macbeth who says he cannot sleep, but the audience is also aware that Macbeth is plotting to kill Duncan as he sleeps that night. 

Banquo tells Macbeth that the night before, he dreamed of the witches (24). The witches originally appeared on a dark and gloomy day, and are associated with darkness, in general. Darkness also evokes a sense of what is hidden and/or deceit. Mention of the Weird Sisters places the witches, like an eerie specter, between the men—showing a clear separation between these once-devoted friends. (This sense was not present after the witches first spoke to Banquo and Macbeth, but have only arisen since Macbeth has plotted with his wife to commit murder based on their predictions.) Taking place also in these scene of darkness, Macbeth tries to get Banquo's support as he prepares for the discovery of Duncan's murder: he tells Banquo that if he backs Macbeth when the time is right, he will make it worth Banquo's while. Macbeth tries to trick Banquo into supporting him before the murder is discovered—a deceitful move on Macbeth's part.

After they split up, Macbeth sees a spectral dagger in front of him.

Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand? (41-42)

Macbeth sees the ghostly dagger showing him (he imagines) a path to the King's door. This is the hand of the supernatural, present because Macbeth has chosen to involve himself with the witches.

Macbeth describes what occurs in the darkness of night—when evil reigns:

Now o'er the one half-world
Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse
The curtain'd sleep; witchcraft celebrates
Pale Hecate's offerings; and wither'd Murder,
Alarum'd by his sentinel, the wolf,
Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy pace,
With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design
Moves like a ghost. (57-64)

Notice words and phrases like "dead," "wicked," "abuse," "witchcraft celebrates," "Hecate's offerings," and "wither'd Murder," among others, which help to set the mood of darkness and death. All of these things take place in the night. By the cover of darkness, Macbeth will defy even God.

In scene two, Lady Macbeth hears the owl—a harbinger of death:

It was the owl that shriek'd, the fatal bellman,
Which gives the stern'st good-night. (4-5)

While the grooms sleep under the influence of Lady Macbeth's drugged wine, they mumble of "murder" and say prayers as they sleep, which echoes Banquo's earlier musing of how wickedness attempts to come into the mind as one sleeps. This is also the scene when Macbeth notes that after the murder, he heard a voice say:

Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor
Shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more. (54-55)

Because he has killed Duncan as he slept, Macbeth is (he thinks) cursed to sleeplessness. As scene three begins, there is a knocking at the gate, as Macduff comes to collect Duncan, taking leave of Inverness. It is daylight and Macbeth arrives to welcome Macduff and Lennox. While Macduff goes to report to Duncan, Lennox reports of unnatural occurrences that took place the night before:

Our chimneys were blown down, and, as they say,
Lamentings heard i’ the air, strange screams of death,
And prophesying with accents terrible
Of dire combustion and confused events... (56-59)

A moment later, as the light has arrived with daybreak, so has the knowledge of Duncan's murder, as Macduff reenters. 

The darkness of the first two scenes of the play provide a cover under which unnatural things take place: it is in the darkness that evil reigns, when men are susceptible to "cursed thoughts" in their sleep, when murder takes place, and when the natural balance of the universe is disrupted and the world is thrown into chaos.

It is the darkness of Macbeth's heart that allows him to carry out Duncan's murder. It is the darkness in Lady Macbeth that allows her to return the daggers to the dead grooms to throw the blame upon them. Lastly, it is in the darkness that the world is opened to chaos and mayhem from creatures such as Hecate and the three witches. The darkness is literal, in terms of nightfall and evil practices, but it is also figurative with regard to the hearts of Macbeth and his wife.

In Chapter 4 of S. E. Hinton's novel That Was Then, This Is Now, what new problems does Charlie have?

In the novel That Was Then, This Is Now, Charlie is a tough, local kid who owns his own bar where Bryon and Mark hang out and hustle people at billiards. Bryon respects Charlie because he is a smart individual who owns a successful business and seems to have a lot going for him. In Chapter 3, Bryon asks Charlie if he can borrow his car to take Cathy to a school dance. Charlie tells Bryon that he can borrow his car as long as he brings it back with enough gas in it. Bryon is shocked that Charlie allowed him to borrow his car, and Byron picks Cathy up at her home later that night. While Bryon is at the school dance, Mark gets into a fight in the parking lot and is severely injured after one of Angela Shepard's friends hits him in the head with a bottle. At the beginning of Chapter 4, Bryon returns Charlie's car and explains to him what happened. Bryon mentions that Charlie didn't seem to interested because he was having his own troubles. Bryon says, "He’d got his draft notice" (Hinton 31). Later on in the novel, Charlie tells Bryon that he was rejected from entering the service because of his police record. When Bryon asks Charlie what he did, Charlie tells him that he cut a guy's throat when he was twelve years old. 

Which part of the cell membrane is responsible for transportation?

The cell membrane is made of a phospholipid bilayer that acts as a barrier to what molecules can or cannot enter the cell. There are different structures within the cell membrane to move molecules too large to enter between the phospholipids and those that are polar. Diffusion and osmosis are natural processes that do not require energy from the cell. Since no energy is required by the cell, diffusion and osmosis are types of passive transport. Diffusion allows non-polar molecules to flow from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. Osmosis is a specific type of diffusion involving only water molecules. Some molecules will need the aid of a channel protein to pass through the membrane. When the channel protein is open, the molecules will pass though by diffusion. This is still a form of passive transport because it requires no energy. If a molecule is too large to pass through the membrane by diffusion, transport proteins are needed. Carrier proteins mediate active transport. Active transport requires energy expenditure by the cell to get a molecule into or out of the cell. This is because the molecule needs to work against the gradient, meaning it must go from a lower concentration to a higher concentration.

In the short story "By Any Other Name" by Santha Rau, does a character have an epiphany or a realization? If so, where is it indicated in the story?

Toward the end of the story, the two sisters' "lives changed rather abruptly" when the older one, Premila, suffers the humiliation of her teachers' assumption that she will cheat on her tests because she is Indian.

At that moment, Premila decides that the school is absolutely wrong and bad, and she enters her little sister's classroom to take her home; they never return to the school.

Here is the place in the story that reveals Premila's realization:

Premila said, “We had our test today, and she made me and the other Indians sit at the back of the room, with a desk between each one.”

Mother said, “Why was that, darling?”

“She said it was because Indians cheat.” Premila added. “So I don’t think we should go back to that school.”

So, does Premila's realization of the school's unfair treatment of Indians constitute an epiphany? I would say, probably not.

Epiphanies are sudden realizations that hit you all at once. They seem to illuminate a truth or a major insight in a quick flash, gripping you with a deep yet instant understanding of something you didn't know at all before.

In contrast with this definition of an epiphany, Premila's understanding of the school's poor treatment of Indian students was well-established before the testing incident. As her little sister Santha narrates, the Indian children have English names thrust on them at school, effectively erasing their cultural identities, and they're expected to sit in the back of the classrooms. Therefore, we understand from the beginning (and so do the sisters) that the school's attitude toward Indian children is hostile, discriminatory, and exclusive. The testing incident is simply a sort of climax to which all of this previous discrimination builds. This is why I wouldn't necessarily classify Premila's sudden realization and subsequent withdrawal from the school as an epiphany.

However, epiphanies do often provide a turning point in the plot of a story, or a way to conclude the story. In that case, Premila's realization does function like an epiphany. You could use that bit of information if you needed to argue that her insight was, in fact, a legitimate epiphany. You could also point to how words like "epiphany" can be used very loosely. For example, I could say, "I had an epiphany this morning. I realized I can pull plastic wrap out of the box without even removing the box from the drawer. Wow!" Of course, my "epiphany" does not change my entire world view or give me a deep insight into how I should live my life from now on, like a true literary epiphany does. But a listener would be overly picky if she insisted that I'd experienced a minor observation and not a true epiphany. For that reason, if you are okay with defining terms loosely, you can go ahead and call Premila's realization an epiphany.

The only other point to consider is whether Santha herself (the little girl narrating the story) also has an epiphany or major realization. Again, I would say that she does not. The adult Santha writing the story clearly understands its significance, which is why she's telling the story, but the young Santha narrating the tale understands what's going on and doesn't care:

Mother said, “Do you suppose she understood all that?” Premila said, “I shouldn’t think so. She’s a baby.”

Mother said, “Well, I hope it won’t bother her.”

Of course, they were both wrong. I understood it perfectly, and I remember it all very clearly. But I put it happily away, because it had all happened to a girl called Cynthia, and I never was really particularly interested in her.

What are the circumstances surrounding Janet Waking?

The narrator is Janet's father whose helplessness to prevent his beloved daughter's exposure to life's pain and suffering drive the story as it unfolds.  The physical context of John Crowe Ransom's poem "Janet Waking" is a normal domestic morning for Janet as she greets her parents when she wakes up before dashing to visit her pet hen, Chucky.  The normalcy is shattered when Janet discovers that the hen is dead.  The poem's deeper context is Janet confronting the sudden knowledge that death is real, catapulting her from childhood innocence and initiating her into adult pain. Also shattered is her father's role as hero in his child's life.  The broader context speaks to the agony both father and daughter feel when unable to protect a loved one.

In which chapter did Crispin steal from the manor house?

Though it drives much of the plot of Crispin: The Cross of Lead, the boy never actually stole from the manor house. After the death of Asta, Crispin's mother, the corrupt steward of the manor fears that Crispin will come to claim his inheritance.

This would be a big blow to Steward Aycliffe for two reasons. First, he has mistreated Crispin and the peasantry all his life. If Crispin were to come to claim the manor as his own, he might seek to punish or even fire Aycliffe as revenge! Second, Aycliffe is responsible for overseeing the manor and essentially has all power in controlling the estate. Crispin taking charge would likely mean that Aycliffe would lose the power he was afforded in the Lord's absence.

Though Crispin does not know that the Lord is his father until late in the book, Aycliffe fears he must already know or is close to finding out. To prevent Crispin from taking any action, he makes up the story that Crispin stole from the manor and declares him a Wolf's Head. Aycliffe makes this accusation in Chapter Six.

How does Jem come of age in To Kill a Mockingbird?

In To Kill a Mockingbird's opening, Harper Lee provides a hint for what leads to the loss of Jem's innocence. Scout narrates,

"When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow. . . . When enough years had gone by to enable us to look back on them, we sometimes discussed the events leading to his accident" (Lee 3).

Lee's choice to begin her seminal work in this manner demonstrates that whatever happened to Jem when he was thirteen is pivotal in his development into a young man. Of course, near the book's conclusion, readers discover that Jem's arm is broken in his tussle with Bob Ewell, but that event follows the real impetus for Jem's maturation.

As Jem, Scout, and Dill watch the trial of Tom Robinson play out before them, Jem becomes steadfastly convinced that Atticus has won the case. He tells Reverend Sykes that there is no way that Tom will be convicted, and despite the reverend's warning that trials do not always end justly, Jem's confidence in his father, in the truth, and in the judicial system lead him to believe that when the jury comes back from deliberation, it will be with an acquittal for Tom Robinson. However, as Judge Taylor polls the jury, and each one votes "guilty," Jem white-knuckles the balcony rail and takes each "condemnation" of Tom as a stab to his own back. While Scout is left bewildered, not quite understanding the gravity of what has just happened, Jem breaks down in tears and storms home. He tells Atticus that "it ain't right" and then asks his father, "How could they do it, how could they?" (Lee 213).

When Jem hears that guilty verdict, he loses his sense of moral justice, his faith in his neighbors, and his confidence in truth's victory. He is a much more somber Jem as the novel continues which eventually enables him to stand up to Bob Ewell when his and Scout's lives are in danger.  

`yy' = 4sinx` Find the general solution of the differential equation

The general solution of a differential equation in a form of `y' = f(x) ` can

 be evaluated using direct integration. The derivative of y denoted as` y'` can be written as `(dy)/(dx)` then `y'= f(x)` can be expressed as `(dy)/(dx)= f(x)` .

For the problem `yy'=4sin(x)` , we may apply `y' = (dy)/(dx) ` to set-up the integration:

`y(dy)/(dx)= 4sin(x)` .

 or `y dy = 4 sin(x) dx`

 Then set-up direct integration on both sides:

`inty dy = int 4 sin(x) dx`

Integration:

Apply Power Rule integration: `int u^n du= u^(n+1)/(n+1) ` on `inty dy` .

Note: `y` is the same as `y^1` .

`int y dy = y^(1+1)/(1+1)`

            `= y^2/2`

Apply the basic integration property: ` int c*f(x)dx= c int f(x) dx` and basic integration formula for sine function: `int sin(u) du = -cos(u) +C`

`int 4 sin(x) dx= 4int sin(x) dx`

                    `= -4 cos(x) +C`

 Then combining the results for the general solution of differential equation:

`y^2/2 = -4cos(x)+C`

`2* [y^2/2] = 2*[-4cos(x)]+C`

`y^2 =-8cos(x)+C`

`y = +-sqrt(C-8cosx)`

In Much Ado About Nothing by Shakespeare, how are women so easily 'turned against'?

Claudio and Leonato turn against Hero, even with little proof that she has done something wrong. 

Hero’s fiance and father both turned against her, and no one but Beatrice came to her defense.  At their wedding, Claudio renounced Hero, saying that she had been unfaithful.  This was based on his seeing a woman he thought was her with another man.  Don John set him up.  He set them both up. 

Don John had nothing against Hero, or Claudio for that matter.  He just wanted to cause disruption on his brother’s estate.  He certainly accomplished that.  Hero was baffled when he accused her. She had done nothing wrong, because what Don John showed him was Margaret, not Hero, with Borachio, Don John’s accomplice. 

Claudio waits until the wedding to reject Hero, thereby ensuring that her reputation was ruined.  Hero is so distraught that she faints.  Beatrice says she is dead, and Leonato says she is better off that way. 

LEONATO

O Fate! take not away thy heavy hand.
Death is the fairest cover for her shame
That may be wish'd for. (Act 4, Scene 1) 

Claudio does not really have to explain himself, and there are no real attempts to allow Hero to clear her name.  She is obviously very upset.  Everyone just assumes that what Claudio says is true, and that is that. 

Benedick is the only man who really questions what is going on, and Beatrice tries to tell everyone that it isn’t true. 

BENEDICK

Sir, sir, be patient.
For my part, I am so attired in wonder,
I know not what to say.

BEATRICE

O, on my soul, my cousin is belied! (Act 4, Scene 1) 

Still, Hero is dead as far as the world is concerned, because that is the only way to save her reputation. What is worse, Claudio is offered and agrees to a marriage to a “niece” of Leonato’s, really Hero (but Claudio does not know that). This is so that Hero can remain dead, and Claudio can save face.  It is ridiculous that one woman can be so easily switched out with another.

What are the figures of speech in the poem "A Mile with Me" by Henry Van Dyke?

The entire poem is an extended metaphor, or analogy, comparing the speaker's lifetime to a journey of "a mile." To describe this long journey as a mere mile is an understatement. This journey is sometimes a "merry way" and sometimes a "weary way," which are further represented by the metaphors "summer sunshine" and "winter rain," respectively. In describing the happy seasons of life, the speaker wraps together personification, a simile, and pathetic fallacy. The speaker wants the desired friend to let his "frolic fancy play," that is, the friend's imagination (fancy) is personified as being able to play "like a child," which is a simile, "through the flowers gay." Ascribing emotions to parts of nature is a pathetic fallacy, a figure of speech that is like personification but specifically uses nature to reflect the emotion the author wants to convey. Flowers can't literally be "gay" or happy, but describing them as such helps the author create the desired mood. 

In the second stanza, the speaker melds together symbolism and metaphor to describe the "weary way," or the difficult periods of life during which he desires companionship. First, "heart" is used in its symbolic sense as the seat of the emotions. The heart of the desired friend will have "eyes to see." This is a metaphorical way of describing insight and understanding. However, describing a heart having eyes is an unusual paradox if taken literally; hearts can't have eyes. The speaker wants his friend to have emotional understanding of "stars [that] shine out o'er the darkening lea." This phrase is also symbolic; the stars represent hope, and the dark meadow (lea) represents misfortune or despair. Thus the speaker wants a friend who can help him find hope in the midst of despair or during a life crisis.

In addition to the plethora of figures of speech in the poem, the poem also uses a consistent iambic rhythm with similar line lengths that support the idea of a long and steady walk. The rhyme scheme uses only two rhymes for the first two stanzas, interwoven, which gives the poem an even greater feeling of consistency--the type of consistency the speaker is looking for in his friend for life. 

According to "The Lady or the Tiger," "No matter how the affair turned out, the youth would be disposed of." What does this mean? Would justice...

In Frank Stockton's short story "The Lady or the Tiger," the young lover of the king's daughter is accused of a crime and judged in the king's arena. The man's crime was simply that he dared to be the princess's lover. His appearance in the arena is the king's way of getting rid of the youth because the king believes the man is not good enough to be with the princess. He is a commoner; the princess, royalty. For the king, the arena is the perfect vehicle to dispose of the youth because, after choosing one of the doors, he will either be consumed by the tiger, or promptly married to the lady, "the most suitable to his years and station that his majesty could select among his fair subjects." Regardless of the outcome of the "trial," the princess will no longer be able to see the young man and their love affair will be over.

For the "semi-barbaric" king's way of thinking, the outcome will be perfectly just. The accused's life is in his own hands. Unfortunately, the king's "incorruptible" justice has been corrupted when the princess discovers the secret of the doors and motions to her lover as to which door to choose. It is left in question whether the princess directed him to the lady or the tiger. If she had somehow quenched her passions, she may have chosen the lady, but, if her "semi-barbaric" nature got the best of her, then the young man was certainly doomed. In practical terms, because the young man was only guilty of loving above his status, the only just outcome would be if the lady emerged from behind the door. If he is eaten by the tiger, then the princess should be described as "barbaric," not "semi-barbaric."

How does incarceration shape the prospects of adults who are imprisoned? Please refer to the book Children of the Prison Boom: Mass Incarceration...

On page 17 of Children of the Prison Boom, Wakefield and Wildeman cite several statistics about the effects of incarceration on the adults who are imprisoned. They cite research that suggests having a criminal record leads to a 10% to 30% reduction in earnings, in part because employers do not want to hire someone with a record. For African-American men, the result of imprisonment is particularly harsh, as there is evidence (cited by the authors) that suggests that employers prefer hiring white men with a felony conviction over African-Americans without any convictions. Therefore, African-American men with convictions are hit particularly hard, and they often have to hold low-paying, temporary jobs when they leave prison.

As a result, people with criminal records face financial hardships, as they earn low wages. The cost of imprisonment is also high because their families have to pay to visit them, in addition to losing the income and support of the person who is imprisoned. Families also have to pay for legal costs and for expenses such as receiving collect calls from prison. Families with imprisoned members, usually fathers, also struggle to keep their families intact, as imprisonment often leads to divorce or separation. 

How did 1960s fashion evolve?

There were two distinct periods of fashion in the 1960s, and the shift mid-way in this decade was fairly radical. The early 1960s saw fashions that were something of a carry-over from the 1950s post-war era: women were still wearing fairly feminine silhouettes that accented their figures, and hairstyles were elaborate and required a fair amount of upkeep. This began to shift as gender roles began to shift towards a greater presence of women in the workplace.

American fashions were also influenced by the mid-1960s "mod" look from London: including longer hair on men, long straight hair on women, slim trousers, geometric shapes, and mini-skirts. The Beatles had an influence on fashions as well: their shaggy hair and working class suits became popular. When the Beatles found Eastern mysticism in the late 1960s, this brought an Indian flavor to fashion: bright cotton patterns and colors, flowing skirts, long jackets on men, exotic jewelry and beads, and long loose hair on both men and women.

Other ethnic cultures also influenced fashion: the Civil Rights Movement included a rebirth of interest in African culture, and this brought African clothing and more natural hairstyles into the African-American community. Because the Civil Rights Movement also caused a shift in social patterns, this fashion influence carried into other communities, and young people in particular were interested in wearing clothing that reflected different cultures. The development of new synthetic fibers also influenced fashion and many colorful fabrics made with polyester become part of the mod 1960s look.

The Women's Liberation Movement of the 1960s also influenced fashion: women were encouraged to be more comfortable, and not to adhere to sexist styles, so women in jeans, loose hair, flat shoes, and men's clothing were starting to be seen everywhere. Finally, the era of anti-war protests also had an influence on fashion: the use of the American flag in patches and clothing patterns was seen as a way of protesting the American involvement in the war, and men's growing their hair long was seen as a way to protest enforced military enlistment.

What impact does/did popular culture have on society?

Popular culture is a reflection of the contemporary values and events that are important to society.  Television is a reflection of what people value.  During the 1970s, after a decade of racial tension, people wanted to see more diversity on tv.  Shows like Good Times and The Jeffersons became quite popular.  There were also shows that demonstrated how older white Americans felt about the diversity of the nation--shows like All in the Family.  Songs are important pieces of popular culture too--Neil Young was one of my singers from the 1960s who was able to successfully question the Vietnam War through his music.  Books are another example of popular culture reflecting on society--The Great Gatsby served as a reflection on the materialism of the 1920s, while Silent Spring was a critique of the use of pesticides during the 1960s.  One of the fastest growing trends in history today is the study of how popular culture trends reflect the values of that particular time period.  

How would Gulliver, from Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, describe the people of Lilliput: their manner of living, their skills, and system of...

Gulliver admires many aspects of life in Lilliput and really doesn't take major issue with much until the emperor asks him to decimate the Blefuscudian fleet (a request he refuses because he cannot bring himself to enslave a free people).  Thus, if I were Gulliver, I would be highly complimentary of their military discipline, as he is.  Further, I would be greatly entertained by the rope-dancers, those Lilliputians who are competing for positions at court, as he expresses how enjoyable he finds them as well as the stick jumpers (he sees no irony in their method of choosing people for these important offices). 

Gulliver does find the Lilliputians' struggles concerning which end of the egg to crack somewhat unnecessary, especially as it has caused such discord in the empire.  He says that each man ought to be able to decide according to his own conscience which side of the egg to crack, and so he would likely describe the Lilliputians as being picky or a bit inflexible in this case (even though he seems desirous to avoid criticizing them).  However, Gulliver seems to think highly of their legal system which, unlike England's, includes both reward for good behavior and punishment for bad. 

Ultimately, Gulliver is somewhat disillusioned by the events that result in his escape from Lilliput -- after he pees on the palace to put out a fire that threatened to destroy the entire structure, he is the subject of a conspiracy to indict him for treason. Therefore, he would likely describe these events with some confusion and sadness, because he is disappointed by the fact that his good services to the crown seem to count for so little now.

What are examples of hyperbole and alliteration in the poem "The Solitary Reaper"?

In the first stanza, the speaker describes the reaper's song. Alliteration is certainly effective in communicating a musical quality, so the speaker's words sound more musical here, and this is meant to mirror the reaper's singing. Note the repetition of "S" and "L" sounds in the first line. The repetition of "s" and "w" in the final line gives the song a flowing quality:

And sings a melancholy strain; 

O listen! for the Vale profound 

Is overflowing with the sound. 

The speaker gets hyperbolic in the second stanza. Here, Wordsworth takes an ordinary experience and, using his imagination, interprets it as something extraordinary. The speaker welcomes the reaper's song and supposes that he is more grateful to hear it than weary travelers who hear a bird's song signaling that they are close to their destination.

Since the speaker does not understand the girl's dialect, he can only imagine what she must be singing about. In the third stanza, he supposes it might be about some dramatic battle, long ago. But then he comes down from that hyperbolic notion and adds that it might be a more "humble lay." In the last stanza, he adds that she sang "as if her song could have no ending." In a sense, for him, her song indeed has no ending because it stays with him "Long after it was heard no more."

What is the relationship between electric flux and electric field? Electric flux is said to be electric field passing through a particular surface...

The electric field (`E` ) is defined as the electric force per unit charge. The electric flux (`Phi_E` )is defined as the electric field times the normal area vector. 

`Phi_E=E*A cos(theta)`

In Gausses law this quantity is proportional to the amount of charge enclosed by a surface.

`Phi_E=Q_(enc)/epsilon_0`

This is a very useful tool to figure out the electric field of an object when you know the charge, for instance if we have a spherical uniform charge distribution of radius `R` , then whats the electric field at `rgtR` ?

`Phi_E=Q_(enc)/epsilon_0`

`E*A=Q_(enc)/epsilon_0` Since E and A are parallel everywhere in space.

`E(4 pi r^2)=Q_(enc)/epsilon_0`

`E=Q/(4pi epsilon_0 r^2)`

The same as for a point charge at r=0.

How did freed blacks face discrimination in the southern states?

Freed blacks faced discrimination in the southern states in many ways. After Reconstruction ended, the military left the South. Many whites regained their rights, and they began to reestablish political control in the South. Laws were passed that restricted or eliminated many of the improvements African-Americans gained during Reconstruction.

Laws were passed that legalized segregation. These laws, known as the Jim Crow Laws, created separate drinking fountains, separate bathrooms, separate schools, and separate railroad cars. In the 1900s, these laws also included separate sections on buses and allowed restaurants to only serve whites. In 1896, the Supreme Court, in the case of Plessy v Ferguson, ruled that separate facilities were legal as long as they were equal.

Restrictions were also placed on African-American voting rights. With the creation of poll taxes and literacy tests, many African-Americans weren’t allowed to vote because they couldn’t afford the fee or couldn't pass the literacy test. Whites were exempted from these restrictions by the grandfather clauses that stated a person was exempt from paying the poll tax or passing the literacy test if their grandfather had voted before the Civil War. Most white grandfathers had voted before the Civil War. This wasn’t true for most African-American grandfathers.

These laws and practices discriminated against the freed slaves after Reconstruction ended.

At the beginning of "Contents of a Dead Man's Pocket," what does Tom think is the most important thing in his life?

At the beginning of the story, Tom thinks that his work is the most important thing in his life.

When his wife, Clare, asks him to accompany her to the cinema, he refuses. Tom explains that he has to finish up some work, and he tries to cheer his wife up with a comment about future prospects:

"It's just that I hate you to miss this movie; you wanted to see it too." "Yeah, I know...Got to get this done though...You won't mind though, will you, when the money comes rolling in and I'm known as the Boy Wizard of Wholesale Groceries?"

Tom believes that all his hard work will eventually pay off for him and Clare, and that's how he rationalizes his workaholic tendencies. In his opinion, he feels that he has to distinguish himself from the other young employees. By taking on independent projects that will benefit the company, Tom believes that the top executives will finally take notice of him. So, Tom stays home to put together a special report that (he is convinced) will revolutionize grocery-store display methods for his company.

However, it is not until he loses the yellow paper containing all the pertinent facts and figures of his study that he begins to reevaluate his priorities in life.

How does a federal system of government compare to the unitary system?

In a federal government, governmental power is split between a national, or federal, government and its constituent states' local governments. Unitary government refers to a model in which the government consists of only one central authority with little or no power granted to individual provinces. A federal government diffuses power by allowing local provinces to make decisions or create laws, and creates a hierarchy of governments, typically with the federal government having more power than individual territories. In a unitary government, provinces have little or no ability to govern themselves or make decisions; there is only one existing level of government. A federal style of governance may be most efficient in larger countries to reduce the strain of governing regions far from the national capital, or in countries with multiple conflicting groups. For smaller countries, or countries populated almost exclusively by only one ethnic or religious group, a unitary system may work better. Unitary governments are also commonly employed by totalitarian governments.

What would happen if there weren't any honey bees?

Yes, they produce honey, but honey bees are also essential pollinators for many crops that we depend on for food. According to the article I linked to below, without bees, our supermarkets would have about half the amount of food that we currently have and we would struggle to supply enough food to feed the world. Also, without the bees to pollinate crops and other plants, the plants will not be able to reproduce and will die off. Then the animals who depend on those plants for food will struggle to survive, and the rest of the food chains on up will be adversely affected if not destroyed. 

The worst part is that bees are dying at unnatural rates. Much work is being done to save the bees, and there have been some gains in states such as North Dakota which is an essential home to bees in the summer where they produce the most honey in the nation. However, more work needs to be done to save the bees so that we can keep our food supply and environment healthy.

Why is the word "Traveller" written with a capital letter in "The Listeners" by Walter de la Mare?

This is a good question. Of course, we can't go back in time and ask de la Mare why he capitalized it, but there are two possible explanations. 

The first reason is that "The Traveller" functions as a proper name. He is the protagonist of the poem and is given no other name, and so within the context of the poem, this is his name, and proper names are normally capitalized in English.

A second reason has to do with genre and intertextuality. The poem is echoing the tradition of early English literature in which characters were named by their characteristics. One finds this sort of naming convention in morality plays such as "Everyman" or Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress (an early modern allegory that derives from the morality play tradition in certain ways). Thus the capitalization, in evoking the older tradition of characters named by their characteristics, suggests that we should not read this as a narrative about the personal experiences of "The Traveller" but rather as a reflection on the way all people relate to things in their past. 

What are Bruno's most important experiences during the novel?

There are several significant scenes throughout the novel that are considered important experiences in Bruno's life which not only change his perspective but have both positive and negative results.

In Chapter 7, Bruno builds himself a tire swing which he accidently falls off of and scrapes his knee. Pavel, a Jewish prisoner and servant, witnesses Bruno's fall and is quick to come to his aid. While Pavel is bandaging Bruno's wound, he tells Bruno that he was a doctor. Bruno begins to ask Pavel questions about how long he's been at Out-With, but before Pavel can answer, Bruno's mother walks in. This experience is significant in Bruno's life because for the first time, he recognizes Pavel's generosity and views him as more than simply a servant. Bruno's friendly encounter with Pavel not only increases his perspective but allows Bruno to have empathy for Pavel and question why his father did not intercede when Leutinenant Kotler mercilessly beat Pavel.

Another important life experience takes place in Chapter 10 when Bruno meets Shmuel for the first time. Bruno's initial interaction with Shmuel develops into a blossoming friendship. Despite the fact that Shmuel is behind the huge fence at Auschwitz because he is a Jewish prisoner, both boys become close friends and visit with each other as often as they can. Bruno brings Shmuel food, and their conversations fill Bruno with purpose and happiness.

Bruno's decision to help Shmuel find his father is another significant experience throughout his life. In Chapter 19, Bruno changes into the prisoner uniform that Shmuel gives him and climbs underneath the fence. As the boys search for Shmuel's father, they find themselves herded into a group of prisoners heading towards the gas chamber. Tragically, both boys die in the gas chamber. Although fatal, Bruno's decision to risk extreme punishment to help his friend expresses his sincere love for Shmuel, which is significant to Boyne's overall message in the novel.

What is the meaning of the phrase "rainbow-tinted circles of light" in the poem "Bangle Sellers" by Sarojini Naidu?

That phrase is a poetic description of the bracelets themselves. "Rainbow-tinted circles of light" is simply a beautiful way of saying "circular, shiny bracelets in many different colors."

"Rainbow-tinted" means that the bracelets are colored ("tinted") in many different hues. "Circles of light" means that the bracelets are round and that they reflect light--that is, they're shiny.

Naidu's poem uses imagery and color, as well as plenty of natural similes, to describe the bangles (solid, thin bracelets) that will be worn by young girls, by ladies about to get married, and by older women. These bangles are all beautiful and colorful; they are reflective of the joys these women experience in life, from childhood innocence to marriage to motherhood.

You can see an image of bangles like the ones celebrated in the poem here. However, the words of the poem should give you a good idea of how delicate and sparkling these bracelets are, and how they come in a rainbow of colors that remind you of mountain mist, fresh leaves, corn, and fire. To explore the cultural significance of bangles and the rituals involving these bracelets, so that you can understand why young girls, engaged women, and older women might wear them, you might start with this article.

"Romance at short notice was her speciality." Justify this observation about Vera.

The term "romance" is usually associated with love stories, but the definition of the word, according to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary includes these meanings:

1. 
   

   a (1) :  a medieval tale based on legend, chivalric love and adventure, or the supernatural (2) : a prose narrative treating imaginary characters involved in events remote in time or place and usually heroic, adventurous, or mysterious 

   
   


2. 
   

   2:  something (as an extravagant story or account) that lacks basis in fact

   
   

When the narrator of "The Open Window" says that "Romance at short notice was her specialty" it means that Vera was adept in making up "extravagant" stories full of mysterious events. No doubt Vera likes that kind of reading material herself. H. Ryder Haggard's popular Victorian novels would be good examples. Vera is obviously bored with her confinement in an English country manor and must be indulging in escapism in her reading as well as in her own imagination. 

Vera invents two stories on the spur of the moment. One she tells her visitor Framton Nuttel when they first meet. She only has a few minutes before her aunt will appear and take over as hostess. During that time Vera tells Nuttel how her aunt's husband and two brothers were sucked into a bog three years ago and never seen again. Her story sets Framton up to believe he is seeing ghosts when the three men appear outside headed towards the open window. Then at the end Vera invents another lurid story to explain Framton Nuttel's sudden disappearance.

"A most extraordinary man, a Mr. Nuttel," said Mrs. Sappleton; "could only talk about his illnesses, and dashed off without a word of goodby or apology when you arrived. One would think he had seen a ghost."

"I expect it was the spaniel," said the niece calmly; "he told me he had a horror of dogs. He was once hunted into a cemetery somewhere on the banks of the Ganges by a pack of pariah dogs, and had to spend the night in a newly dug grave with the creatures snarling and grinning and foaming just above him. Enough to make anyone lose their nerve."

Vera is an exceptionally intelligent and creative girl. Yet she must have gotten some help from her reading when she invented the story about a man being hunted by a pack of pariah dogs and spending the night in a newly dug grave.

What are some of Caesar's actions in Julius Caesar that show ambition?

Julius Caesar showed he was ambitious by marching on Rome when Pompey was in power and then defeating Pompey’s army in the civil war. Caesar felt he was in the right to do this because he felt Pompey was abusing his power, but it was considered a very unnecessary and brutal action by many of Rome’s important citizens.

Shakespeare shows us the importance of Pompey's defeat — and the triumph that followed — through Marullus’s speech to the craftsmen in the first scene.

And do you now strew flowers in his way
That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood? Be gone!
Run to your houses, fall upon your knees,
Pray to the gods to intermit the plague
That needs must light on this ingratitude (Act I, Scene 1).

Cassius convinced Brutus that Caesar was ambitious and determined to become king. It was not difficult to do, as Brutus was unhappy about the incident with Pompey. The incident at the Feast of Lupercal just served to reinforce the conspirators' fears. Mark Antony offered a crown to Caesar three times. He refused it three times, but Brutus and Cassius felt the incident seemed staged.

BRUTUS

What means this shouting? I do fear, the people
Choose Caesar for their king.

CASSIUS

Ay, do you fear it?
Then must I think you would not have it so (Act I, Scene 2).

Caesar is certainly ambitious. He is also arrogant, as shown by the way he refuses to listen to the soothsayer's warnings or read Artemidorus's letter. Caesar also doesn’t listen to the suit brought by the conspirators, in which they try to get him to pardon Publius Cimber. Caesar basically tells them that when he makes a decision, he sticks to it. This refusal to listen only reinforces the idea that Caesar is dangerously arrogant.

How does Mr. Martin present himself to Ms. Barrows on the night of his visit to her apartment?

Mr. Martin at first presents himself as a modest little man not too much different from the person he appears to be at the office, except for the fact that he smokes cigarettes and drinks liquor. This is while he is still planning to murder Ulgine Barrows. She is surprised even at this difference in his personality. But while she is out of the room mixing drinks and he is looking around for something to kill her with, he has a sudden realization that he can do something much better. When she comes back with the drinks he pretends to be borderline insane. He tells her, among other things:

"I am preparing a bomb that will blow the old goat higher than hell....I'll be coked to the gills when I bump that old buzzard off."

Mrs. Barrows indignantly orders Mr. Martin to leave. She reports his behavior to their employer Mr. Fitweiler the next morning. But she ends up losing her own job because Mr. Fitweiler believe she must be insane to think that a mousy little man like Mr. Martin could have behaved the way she describes.

In Of Mice and Men, what message does Steinbeck convey to the reader about the American Dream, and how does he go about presenting this information...

Steinbeck conveys the message that the American Dream—which can be defined in the context of this book as people's ability to control their own land and destiny—is not available to the American working person. Steinbeck conveys this message about the inaccessibility of the American Dream through the fate of his main characters, Lennie and George. They dream of owning their own farm where they can raise crops and rabbits and are not subject to the management of cruel farm owners. This dream is not realized, though, because George mistakenly kills a woman, so Lennie must kill him to avoid the authorities further inflicting damage on George. Candy, an elderly farm worker, symbolizes the working man's inability to achieve the American Dream. He becomes entranced by the dream Lennie and George have of owning their own farm, but he also fails to achieve this dream. It is clear that the farmhands in the book will meet tragic ends in which they either die or face lives of unending work with little to show for it.

How would the knowledge of elasticity help someone run a business effectively?

If you are running a business, it can be helpful to know about price elasticity of demand.  This can tell you whether you should increase or decrease prices for products in your business.

Price elasticity of demand has to do with what happens to the quantity demanded for your product if you change its price.  We know that people will buy more if you lower prices and buy less if you raise prices.  However, we do not know how much more or less they will buy.  This is where price elasticity of demand comes in to play.

Price elasticity of demand tells you how much the quantity demanded changes when the price changes.  If the demand for a good is inelastic, you can raise the price and people do not reduce their purchases very much.  By definition, when demand is inelastic, if you raise prices, you actually get more revenue.  By contrast, if demand for your good is elastic, a change in price leads to a large change in buying.  If you reduce the prices, people will buy so much more that you will actually make more money.

From this, you can see why you would need to know about elasticity of demand in order to run a business effectively.  If you know the elasticity of demand for your products, you can know whether you should change your prices and, if so, how you should change them.  This will allow you to make the maximum possible revenue for your business.

`int_0^a (dx)/(a^2 + x^2)^(3/2) , a>0` Evaluate the integral

`int_0^adx/(a^2+x^2)^(3/2)`

Let's first evaluate the indefinite integral by integral substitution,

Let `x=atan(u)`

`dx=asec^2(u)du`

`intdx/(a^2+x^2)^(3/2)=int(asec^2(u)du)/(a^2+a^2tan^2(u))^(3/2)`

`=int(asec^2(u))/(a^2(1+tan^2(u)))^(3/2)du`

`=int(asec^2(u))/((a^2)^(3/2)(1+tan^2(u))^(3/2))du`

Use the identity:`1+tan^2(x)=sec^2(x)`

`=int(asec^2(u))/((a^3)(sec^2(u))^(3/2))du`

`=1/a^2int(sec^2(u))/(sec^3(u))du`

`=1/a^2int1/sec(u)du`

`=1/a^2intcos(u)du` 

`=1/a^2(sin(u))`

We have used `x=atan(u)`

`tan(u)=x/a`

Now let's find sin(u) for triangle with angle theta, opposite side as x and adjacent side as a and hypotenuse as h,

`h^2=x^2+a^2`

`h=sqrt(x^2+a^2)`

So, `sin(u)=x/sqrt(x^2+a^2)`

`=1/a^2(x/sqrt(x^2+a^2))`

Add a constant C to the solution.

`=1/a^2(x/sqrt(x^2+a^2))+C`

Now let's evaluate the definite integral,

`int_0^a(dx)/(a^2+x^2)^(3/2)=[1/a^2(x/sqrt(x^2+a^2))]_0^a`

`=[1/a^2(a/sqrt(a^2+a^2))]-[1/a^2(0/sqrt(0^2+a^2))]`

`=[1/(asqrt(2a^2))]-[0]`

`=(1/(a^2sqrt(2)))`

`=1/(sqrt(2)a^2)`

Was the Holocaust a denial of modern European culture, or its fulfillment?

This question does not really lend itself to a simple binary answer. While some of the elements of the rise of the Nazis were a logical outcome of certain innate dynamics of modern European ideology, the phenomenon also was grounded in particular local events and personalities.

On the one hand, the rise of nationalism with a strong irredentist flavor is part of the ideology underlying the development of modern Europe. The notion of "volk" or "folk" as combining language, ethnicity, and national boundaries in an integral whole were key parts of the Nazi notion of racial purity. Similarly, the doctrine of Aryanism evolved from nineteenth century philology and anthropology. One can also argue that Darwinism and the notion of the survival of the fittest contributed to Nazi eugenics.

All these factors, though, would might not have sufficed to cause the Holocaust had there not been a great deal of popular anger resulting from the perceived unfairness of the Treaty of Versailles. The personality of Hitler was also significant.

What are the characteristics of Elizabethan tragedy with special reference to Shakespeare?

Tragedy in the English Renaissance was heavily influenced by ancient tragedy but differed from it in salient ways. Most obviously, it lacked a chorus, and was more realistic. The plots of Elizabethan tragedy dealt both with the distant past and the near past or in distant countries but rarely with life in contemporary England. Shakespearean tragedy is notable for being a mixed genre, with the seriousness of the tragedy relieved by comic interludes, often represented by lower class characters (rustics, mechanicals). 

There are three major themes that run through many of Shakespeare's tragedies. They are love, family, and power. Often the key conflict of the tragedy is set in motion when power is used unjustly or authority is usurped. The legitimate and just use of power is a major concern for Shakespeare. When the children cast out Lear, Macbeth slaughters Duncan and becomes a tyrant, or Claudius kills Hamlet's father, we see examples of this sort of usurpation or misuse of power leading to tragedy.

What were the problems faced by Helen Keller?

Helen Keller faced many problems, which she recounts in her autobiography, The Story of My Life. All these problems center around being blind and deaf, which occurred when Keller was a very young child.

Initially, Helen had no language with which she could communicate to her family. She learned to talk a little before going blind and deaf due to illness, but she could no longer hear her family. This meant her behavior was often challenging. She threw temper tantrums, and her family members gave into her desires in order to avoid these. 

Annie Sullivan, her teacher, tamed the temper tantrums by not giving into them, and Sullivan worked diligently with Helen on developing language through finger spelling. Ultimately, Helen made that connection at the well, with water running over her hands. After her acquisition of language, Helen's behavior was significantly better because she was able to communicate. 

Even though Helen could communicate, she did have other challenges in her life. There was the challenge of learning about the world when she was missing two senses. Annie Sullivan had her experience as many things as possible. 

There were educational challenges. For example, Helen wanted to learn to speak. She received help from a speech specialist and did learn to use her voice. 

Helen ultimately went to Radcliffe, the sister college of Harvard. Annie Sullivan was one of the people who helped Helen "read" her text books by spelling the words into her hand. After multiple operations, though, Annie's eyes were weak, and she struggled to help Helen.

Helen Keller spent her entire life overcoming challenges and also reaching out to people and inspiring them. 

What is an example in "Rikki-Tikki Tavi" that shows how the people feel about animals?

I think the best example of how the people feel about animals can be found in the story's opening paragraphs. Rikki-tikki has just been washed on their property by a flood. He is so weakened and dazed by the ordeal that the little boy believes Rikki-tikki is dead, as he says,

Here's a dead mongoose. Let's have a funeral.

At that point, the mother and father both prove they care for animals in general. The mother suggests that instead of getting rid of Rikki-tikki, they should try to nurse him back to health. They successfully do this, and Rikki-tikki begins making friends with the family.  

A bit later in the story, the family proves that they not only like animals, but that they are also knowledgeable about animals. The mother and father witness Rikki-tikki sleeping with their baby child, and the father comments that the child is safer now than before.

The father proves that he cares enough about animals to invest time in understanding their basic behavior patterns and their role in ecological food webs. He knows poisonous snakes live in his area, and he knows having a mongoose around the house is a good natural deterrent against those snakes.

Were women allowed in the military during WWII?

In some places, women were allowed to serve in combat roles in the military during World War II.  One example of this are the women who served in the Russian Red Army.  In most countries, however, women did not serve in combat roles.  They did serve in the military in non-combat roles. 

In the United States, the WASPs were the Women's Airforce Service Pilots.  They were trained to fly military aircraft, though their missions did not involve combat.  They flew planes in the United States when there were not enough men available to do so.  The WAACs were the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps.  The WAAC later became the WAC, Women's Army Corps.  Under these two titles, women served in uniform overseas.  Primarily, these women did clerical work or mechanical jobs.  They did not see combat, but they were prepared to do their part in whatever ways were necessary.  Other countries, such as Britain, had similar organizations for women.

How did John Dalton's ideas about atoms help to explain the differences between elements? How could JJ Thomson's atomic model be used to explain...

John Dalton

John Dalton proposed the first modern atomic theory. Much of his original theory is still valid today. Prior to Dalton, many scientists speculated that matter was made of tiny unseen particles (atoms), but had failed to suggest how differences in atoms might result in different elements. 

Dalton's theory consisted of the following postulates:

• 
  Matter is composed of indivisible atoms. This postulate was later shown to be incorrect when Thomson discovered that atoms contain even smaller particles (electrons).

• 
  The atoms of a particular element have the same properties and mass. Therefore, the atoms of different elements can be distinguished from one another based on differences in their properties and masses.
  

• Chemical reactions occur when the atoms of different elements combine to form new compounds. 

J.J. Thomson

Thomson's experiments with cathode ray tubes led to the discovery of the electron. This proved that Dalton's first postulate was incorrect. Thomson suggested that the atom was composed of diffuse positive charge with small negatively charged electrons dispersed throughout. Thomson's revised model of the atom did not introduce any new factors that would enable scientists to distinguish between different types of elements. 

Ernest Rutherford

Earnest Rutherford's experiments with gold foil and alpha particles led to the discovery that the positive charge in an atom is located in a small dense area called the nucleus. The positive charge in the nucleus was later determined to be from small positively charged particles (protons). It was later determined that the number of protons in an atom is unique for each different type of element. 

What is the relationship between the characters in Shakespeare's play Hamlet?

Gertrude is Hamlet's mother, former wife of Old King Hamlet (who is now dead, and a ghost), and current wife of Old King Hamlet's brother, Claudius.  Therefore, Claudius is Hamlet's uncle and now his step-father as well.  The relationship between Claudius and Hamlet is adversarial at best, and once Old King Hamlet's ghost tells Hamlet that Claudius murdered him, it gets even worse.  Further, the relationship between Hamlet and his mother, Gertrude, is strained because he feels that she betrayed his father by marrying his brother, and so soon after his father's death (fewer than two months).

Polonius is Claudius's closest adviser, and he is also the father of Ophelia, Hamlet's former lover/girlfriend, and Laertes, the man with whom Hamlet eventually duels (at the play's end) and whose poison kills both himself and Hamlet.  Hamlet does not care for Polonius at all, especially after Ophelia follows Polonius's advice and begins to severe ties with him.  After Hamlet kills Polonius, thinking he was Claudius, Laertes returns from abroad with plans to avenge his father's death.  This is why he challenges Hamlet and tips his rapier with the poison.

Horatio is basically Hamlet's best friend from school.  He is legitimately loyal to and loving of Hamlet.  Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are also school friends, but, when Claudius recruits them to spy on Hamlet for him, Hamlet figures it out and refuses to trust them. (They didn't really realize that they were being used.) 

In Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, is Atticus's summation in Tom Robinson's trial more argumentative or more persuasive?

The difference between persuasive and argumentative speaking or writing is whether both sides of the issue are addressed or not. In persuasive speeches, for example, there won't be any mention of opposing arguments or claims--only one side of an issue is presented. In argumentation, though, opposing views are mentioned, addressed, and answered with rebuttals. As far as Atticus's speech in chapter 20 is concerned, it is argumentative because he addresses the claims presented during the trial and responds with counter-claims and rebuttals. Again, persuasive speeches only discuss one side of the issue.

First of all, Atticus offers a new theory, or counter-claim, during his summation based on the accusations and claims presented by the prosecution. He responds to allegations of physical abuse and rape by suggesting that Mayella Ewell is to blame for what happened between her and Tom Robinson on the night in question. For example, Atticus says the following:

"I have nothing but pity in my heart for the chief witness for the state, but my pity does not extend so far as to her putting a man's life at stake, which she has done in an effort to get rid of her own guilt" (203).

Atticus goes on to say of what Mayella is guilty, which is lowering her standards according to Maycomb's social rules of conduct to kiss a black man. He also argues that Bob Ewell's claims are false because he is the one who probably tried to cover it up by beating his own daughter and blaming a black man for it all. Atticus cites the following evidence as follows:

"What did her father do? We don't know, but there is circumstantial evidence to indicate that Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left . . . and Tom Robinson now sits before you, having taken the oath with the only good hand he possesses--his right hand" (204).

Atticus provides more answers to defend his client against the false accusations of the prosecution, but the above-mentioned citations prove that his speech is argumentative. The very end of the speech is persuasive because he challenges the jury to do the right thing by reminding them that a courtroom should be the one place that a person should get a fair hearing; but for the most part, Atticus's summation is argumentative.

What are some examples of crime in the Elizabethan era?

In the Elizabethan era (1558-1603), there were lots of crimes which are recognisable today, like murder and theft. But the Elizabethans also prosecuted certain activities which are no longer viewed as criminal in many modern countries. Witchcraft, for instance, was a major crime in the sixteenth century in which a person was accused of being in league with the devil. It was also a crime to commit suicide and to commit treason against the state.

In terms of economic crimes, the Elizabethans prosecuted people who clipped coins (to make new ones) and those who begged, a common activity among poor people.

The Elizabethans also prosecuted a wide number of sexual offences, like buggery, adultery and incest.

For more information, please see the reference links provided.

Do you think Shakespeare's main message in Othello is "Don't trust outward appearances"?

I tend to agree with this statement, as the tragedy in Shakespeare's Othello relies upon deceptive appearances and exploited assumptions about these appearances. After all, Iago is able to dupe Othello (and pretty much everyone else) so effectively because he successfully makes himself seem like a loyal and trusted advisor. Similarly, Iago is able to manipulate and warp the appearances of other characters, most notably Cassio and Desdemona, in order to make them seem like scheming traitors. As such, the play's tragic ending is a result of mistakenly assuming that one's appearance is an accurate translation of one's character. Since Iago is the mastermind behind these deceptive appearances, his quote in Act III, Scene 3 is especially ironic: 

Men should be what they seem;

Or those that be not, would they might seem none (130-31).

In this passage, Iago is essentially saying people should be what they appear to be. In light of the hidden, villainous nature of Iago's character, this assertion becomes one of the play's most disturbing (and fascinating) quotations.

How does Macbeth treat and speak to the witches? What does this demonstrate about Macbeth’s character and ambition?

Macbeth reacts differently to the witches than his friend, Banquo.  When Banquo first sees the witches, he first makes fun of their appearance, asking if they are women or men.  “You should be women/ and yet your beards forbid me to interpret/ that you are so (Act I, Scene iii). Macbeth, on the other hand, instantly asks them to speak.  This shows that he believes in the supernatural and is willing to listen to what the witches have to say. After the witches speak to him and tell him he will be king, Banquo’s reaction is skeptical; he questions them. “If you can look into the seeds of time/And say which grain will grow and which will not/Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear/your favors or your hate” (Act I, Scene iii).  Despite the witches’ mysterious response to Banquo’s question, Macbeth wants to know more.  “Say from whence you owe this strange intelligence” (Act I, Scene iii).  He is upset when they vanish, leaving him to wonder about his future.  “Would they had stayed!” (Act I, Scene iii). 

Macbeth’s reaction to the witches in this scene demonstrates that Macbeth is ambitious; he wants to believe what the witches have to say.  This is further revealed when Ross comes in to tell him he is now the Thane of Cawdor.  Macbeth is excited, not just at the prospect of being Thane of Cawdor, but at the prospect of becoming King.  “Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor/the greatest is behind (Act I, Scene iii).  Macbeth, in his eagerness to believe that his future will hold great things, forgets that the witches are, as Banquo says, “instruments of evil” (Act I, Scene iii). 

Why did Elizabeth I of England become a "virgin" queen, and why was it important to her? Thanks!

Elizabeth I of England (1533-1603) was called a "virgin" queen because she never married, despite her advisors urging her to do so to forge international alliances. However, there is evidence that she had many romantic relationships, including with Sir Walter Raleigh and Lord Dudley (later known as Earl of Leicester). Elizabeth's advisors also wanted her to marry to produce an heir, but she might have been eager to remain single because she had watched her father, Henry VIII, murder many of his wives. He had ordered Elizabeth's mother, Anne Boleyn, killed when Elizabeth was just two and a half. In addition, a married queen might have had to share power with her husband, and perhaps she was loathe to do so. Marriage also presented the possibility of anger among the nobles. For example, the nobility was opposed to her marriage to Lord Dudley, and she feared the loss of political power if she were to marry someone the nobles did not like.