What passages by Bob Ewell give evidence of his social class?

Bob Ewell represents what is commonly referred to as the stereotype of "white trash": dissolute, irresponsible, lazy, abusive, ignorant, and unreasonable. His actions and reactions, as well as his speech and remarks, evince this stereotype when he is on the witness stand during the trial of Tom Robinson.

Here are passages that depict certain of these stereotypical traits:

• 
  Attitude
  When he is first addressed by the prosecutor, Mr. Gilmer, who asks "Mr. Robert Ewell?" Bob Ewell replies disrespectfully "That's my name, cap'n," causing Mr. Gilmer to bristle. Then, after Mr. Gilmer asks, "Are you the father of Mayella Ewell?" Ewell replies crudely, "Well, if I ain't, I can't do nothing about it now, her ma's dead." At this point Judge Taylor intervenes and repeats the question. This time Bob Ewell answers with meekness, saying "Yes sir" because he knows that he is being impertinent in a court of law. Nevertheless, his lack of respect for the courtroom indicates his crudeness.


• 
  Diction
  When Mr. Gilmer asks Bob Ewell to describe "in your own words" what happened on the night in question, Ewell literally does use his own choice of words:

"Well, ...I was comin' in from the woods with a load o'kindlin' and just as I got to the fence I heard Mayella screamin' like a stuck hog inside the house.... I run up to th'window and I seen...that black n****r yonder ruttin' on my Mayella!"

After this loud and crude exclamation about Tom, Judge Taylor has to hammer his gavel for "fully five minutes." Then, he admonishes Ewell to confine himself to "Christian English usage if that is possible."

• 
  Ignorance
  On cross-examination when Atticus asks Ewell why he did not run for the doctor after he ran inside his house, ran to Mayella, and ran for Sheriff Tate, Bob Ewell replies, "Wadn't no need to. I seen what happened." But Atticus says that he does not understand--"Weren't you concerned with Mayella's condition?

"I most positively was," said Mr. Ewell, who clearly does not understand the question. "I seen who done it."
"No, I mean her physical condition. Did you not think the nature of her injuries warranted immediate medical attention?" Atticus queries. 

Further, in the questioning by Atticus, Bob Ewell does not know what significance there is to his being left-handed, nor does he know the meaning of the word ambidextrous and thereby substantiates the suspicion that Mayella was beaten by him, rather than Tom Robinson, who has a withered left arm because of an accident years ago.

• 
  Irresponsible
  When asked by Atticus why he did not call a doctor for Mayella after she was supposedly raped, he replies that he has never taken his children to a doctor, and "if he had [called a doctor for Mayella], it would have cost him five dollars."
  Early in the narrative, Ewell's lack of responsibility regarding his children is also indicated by his allowing his children to not attend school, and by his spending his welfare money on liquor and his complete neglect of them as they must scour the dump for food and makeshift shoes made from scraps found there. So, his statement about the doctor is in character.

What is a good feature article title and headline for Animal Farm by George Orwell?

Well, that depends on who is writing the article, and who their audience is. Let's try a few. If the pigs were writing an article, their audience would likely be the animals, so their goal would be spreading their propaganda to maintain control.

Article title: Long Live Animalism

Headline:  The Beasts of England prevail under guidance of Comrade         Napoleon.

If the animals wanted to send a message to the humans, perhaps via a flyer dropped by the pigeons, their goal would be to present solidarity as a warning for Mr. Jones and the other farmers to give up attempting to recover the farm:

Title: Animalism Thriving on Four Legs

Headline: Animal Farm victorious in claiming rightful independence and thriving among neighbor farms.

George Orwell’s purpose in writing Animal Farm was to remind us to learn from history and to question our system of government, which should always be for the common good. We should never let a corrupt few take control.  His headline might represent this concern.

Article title: History Repeats Itself on Animal Farm, aka Manor Farm

Headline: Take note: comrades of Animal Farm fall prey to yet another dictatorship.

What was Jimmy's conflict when he heard Agatha scream in the bank?

In the story, five-year-old Agatha has been locked in the vault by May, her nine-year-old sister. Accordingly, everyone can hear the child 'wildly shrieking in the dark vault in a panic of terror.'

After hearing the screams, Jimmy realizes that he has two choices: either he lets the girl suffocate to death or he helps the girl escape. If he does the latter, he risks exposing to the community his identity as a former professional thief. This is Jimmy's conflict. As his alter ego Ralph D. Spencer, he is the beauteous Annabel Adams' fiance. When he marries Annabel, his transformation from former felon to respectable banker's son-in-law will be complete; he will have left behind his old life.

However, when little Agatha becomes trapped in the vault, Jimmy realizes that he is the only one who can really save her. Against all human inclinations for self-preservation, Jimmy gets to work with his famous tools; in ten minutes, the little girl is freed. With Agatha safely deposited in her mother's arms, Jimmy thinks to surrender himself to Ben Price, the detective. However, after witnessing Jimmy's act of courage, the detective declines to arrest Jimmy.

Both Macbeth (from Shakespeare's Macbeth) and Winston (from George Orwell's 1984) live in a world where things are not what they seem. How would...

Both William Shakespeare's play Macbeth and George Orwell's novel 1984 demonstrate how deception can be used to exercise power over others.

Shakespeare's character of Macbeth isn't much of a deceiver himself. He relies on brute power and the bold willingness to use it ruthlessly. He isn't above killing children and women to achieve his goals. By the end of the story he doesn't even care much for his own survival. The deception in the story is actually used by others to motivate Macbeth. First, the three weird sisters, the witches, pronounce to him a prophecy that predicts his rise to the throne. The prophecy is enticing and it gets Macbeth interested. Later, when his ambition starts to wane (as he actually shows a bit of a conscience), the witches show him a series of prophetic images. These prophecies goad him on to a bloody course that will lead to his own destruction. The deception lies in the fact that the witches find a way to tell the basic truth while tricking Macbeth into believing that he will easily take the throne, when in fact the witches know Macbeth will drive himself mad with paranoia and the desire for power. The most famous of these prophecies is the line:

For none of woman born

Shall harm Macbeth

This tricks Macbeth into thinking that he cannot be defeated in battle. However, the sneaky witches withhold the information that Macbeth's eventual enemy, Macduff, was born via a c-section.

In 1984, the deception is not supernatural. It is perpetrated by an omnipresent, tyrannical government. People are under constant surveillance and information bombardment by a government that actually has a secret force called the “thought police.” People are deceived in Oceania by the never-ending stream of misinformation flowing from the government. This inundation of behavior-altering information accomplishes the job of brainwashing citizens into believing, or at least pretending to believe, whatever suits the government in their desire to control the people. The most interesting form of deception occurs as history is continually re-written to suit the government's purposes.

What suspense and tension is created in chapter 7, "Incident at the Window," of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis...

Suspense and tension are created in this very brief chapter as a result of Mr. Enfield and Mr. Utterson chancing to see Dr. Jekyll at his window as they go for their walk. The pair invites the doctor outside to walk with them, because he looks so ill and feels so low, but he replies that it would be "quite impossible" and that he does not "dare." Why on earth would a short walk be "impossible" or something that he must not "dare" to do?  Certainly this oddity creates some suspense.  

Enfield and Utterson offer to remain below and talk with Dr. Jekyll from there, as he claims he cannot invite them up. Dr. Jekyll is made happy by this suggestion. In the next moment, however, "the smile was struck out of his face and succeeded by an expression of such abject terror and despair, as froze the very blood of the two gentlemen below." Jekyll immediately slams the window shut. It is clear, then, that something really awful is happening with Jekyll, something he cannot control. One moment, he is happy to converse; the next, he looks terrified. This is not normal, and it creates a good deal of suspense for the reader and tension as a result.

What is it about Mrs. Sappleton's niece that causes Framton additional distress?

In the story, Mrs. Sappleton's niece, Vera, accompanies her story with acutely expressive facial and bodily expressions. It is these dramatic theatrics that cause Framton additional distress.

After telling Framton the Gothic story of how Mrs. Sappleton's husband and two brothers died, Vera shudders noticeably. Her dramatic action adds to the eerie nature of the story; being of a gullible nature, Framton becomes convinced of the truth of what he's hearing. He begins to see Mrs. Sappleton in a new light and thinks she is deluded. Poor Framton is thoroughly terrified but still remains seated, possibly because of his ingrained social training.

While Mrs. Sappleton continues talking about welcoming her husband and brothers, Vera further distresses Framton by resorting to more dramatics.

Framton shivered slightly and turned towards the niece with a look intended to convey sympathetic comprehension. The child was staring out through the open window with a dazed horror in her eyes. In a chill shock of nameless fear Framton swung round in his seat and looked in the same direction.

When the men do appear, poor Framton is terrified beyond endurance, and he flees the scene altogether. So, Vera uses Framton's trusting and gullible nature against him. By resorting to dramatic expressions, she is able to imbue her story with spine-chilling authenticity, an accomplishment that later causes Framton extreme distress.

Why do we punish, according to Nietzsche?

In his On the Genealogy of Morals, Nietzsche explains that punishment comes from ancient forms of war. As he writes, "Punishment at this level of civilization is simply a copy, a mimus, of normal behaviour towards a hated, disarmed enemy who has been defeated" (page 47). He says that punishment is a replication of the way in which defeated enemies were treated in less advanced societies.

He writes that punishment today defies definition and that it is difficult to say why people are punished in the modern age. He says, "Today it is impossible to say precisely why people are actually punished: all concepts in which an entire process is semiotically concentrated defy definition; only something which has no history can be defined" (page 53). He goes on to say that punishment has been used in the past for many purposes, including preventing further harm, making payment to a creditor, inspiring fear in the perpetrator, correcting the advantages the perpetrator has enjoyed to date, rooting out the enemy, and even as celebrating a festival in which the enemy is destroyed, among other uses (pages 53-54). 

However, Nietzsche writes that the one supposed benefit of punishment, that it creates a feeling of remorse or guilt, what he calls a "pang of conscience" (page 54), rarely occurs. He writes, "On the whole, punishment makes men harder and colder, it concentrates, it sharpens the feeling of alienation; it strengthens the power to resist" (page 54). Punishment does not result in creating feelings of bad conscience in the offender; instead, the offender simply accepted his punishment in a fatalistic way. Therefore, the purpose of punishment comes from earlier forms of retribution rather than from its efficacy in creating feelings of guilt in the perpetrator. 

Why was Kirsti sulking in Number the Stars?

Kirsti was sulking because Annemarie and Ellen were racing and left her behind. 

Kirsti is Annemarie’s younger sister.  She felt left out when Annemarie and Ellen decided to race each other down the street.  Kirsti was sulking because she could not keep up. 

"Go!" shouted Annemarie, and the two girls were off, racing along the residential sidewalk. Annemarie's silvery blond hair flew behind her, and Ellen's dark pigtails bounced against her shoulders.

"Wait for me!" wailed little Kirsti, left behind, but the two older girls weren't listening. (Ch. 1) 

Ellen and Annemarie have bigger problems than Kirsti.  When they are running, they get stopped by a German soldier.  He finds their running suspicious, even though that is what little girls do.  

The girls hear the soldier shout "Halte!"  This is the German word for stop, which the girls can understand. 

Behind her, Ellen also slowed and stopped. Far back, little Kirsti was plodding along, her face in a pout because the girls hadn't waited for her. 

Annemarie stared up. There were two of them. That meant two helmets, two sets of cold eyes glaring at her, and four tall shiny boots planted firmly on the sidewalk, blocking her path to home. (Ch. 1) 

The soldiers question them, and seem to think Kirsti’s sulking is cute.  One of the soldiers says that she reminds him of his own child.  They tell the girls not to run and let them go. 

The incident demonstrates the everyday ways that the German occupation affects the people of Denmark.  Two little girls cannot even run down the street, which is a common thing for little girls to do.  The soldiers get suspicious.  They are really just hassling the children.  In a way, Kirsti’s bad attitude helped.  It reinforced to the soldiers that they were just kids, and they thought her attitude was cute.

How does Juliet show her maturity and independence in Act 4 scene 3?

Juliet shows her maturity and independence by, for the first time, taking action without the advice of her nurse, the woman who has been more like a mother to her than her own mother, who's been constantly by her side for her entire life.  Tonight, she tells the nurse that she wants to be alone to pray, but once she finds herself alone, she begins to feel strangely cold as though she senses some misfortune to come.  Just then, she says, "I’ll call [her] back again to comfort me.— / Nurse!—What should she do here?" (4.3.17-18).  She briefly considers calling to her nurse to return and soothe her fears, but then she realizes that she is going to have to proceed with her plan alone and not rely on her nurse for help this time.

In addition, Juliet is fearful of all the things that could go wrong when she drinks this potion the Friar gave to her.  What if it kills her?  What if it doesn't work at all?  What if she wakes up early and has to lay in her family's vault with all the dead bodies?  If this happens, what will she have to do then?  Bash her own brains out with some ancestor's bone?  These are all fairly frightening prospects, but Juliet determines to proceed anyway.  Persisting in the face of her fears is a very mature thing for her to do.

How is "The Rocking-Horse Winner" a critique of the obsession with materialism in modern times?

The mother in this story lives a very comfortable life in a fine house, but is never satisfied. No matter how much she gets, it is never enough. Through her, and the fate of her son, Lawrence critiques a world in which material possessions are more important than love and human relationships. We are told early on that the mother is unable to love her children. To win her love and approval, Paul begins to ride his rocking horse feverishly so he can learn, supernaturally, what horse will win the next race. No matter how much he wins, though, it is not enough. He kills himself trying to get more. Lawrence thus suggests that we can all potentially kill ourselves with overwork when we put materialism at the center of our lives, and illustrates that possessions alone will never fully satisfy us. 

What is the effect of O'Connor's comparison of the grandmother to a "parched old turkey hen crying for water?"

O'Connor makes this comparison when the grandmother is about to be killed by the Misfit. Turkey hens often make calls, which sound like yelps, when they are summoning their young. Therefore, the effect of comparing the grandmother to an old turkey hen is to emphasize her fruitless call for her son, Bailey. She calls to her son to help her (and perhaps in part because she knows that he is likely dead), but there have already been several pistol reports from the woods where the Misfit's two accomplices have taken the rest of the family, including Bailey, his wife, and children. It's clear, then, that Bailey can not help his mother. The comparison of the grandmother to the turkey hen also makes her seem helpless and like a sacrificial victim, as a turkey hen can easily be led to slaughter, despite its cries. 

What are two events that inspired the Latin American independence movements?

There were several factors that inspired the Latin American independence movements in the early 1800s. One factor was the success of the American Revolution. Our revolution showed other countries that it was possible to rebel against a strong colonial power. Our revolution also explained under what circumstances a revolution would be justified. The people in the Latin American countries believed these conditions existed in their countries.

The people in the Latin American countries weren’t happy with the rule by Spain. The Spanish wouldn’t allow free trade. The colonies had to trade with Spain, even if they could get products cheaper from other countries. The Spanish rarely gave government jobs to people born in the Americas. These jobs went to people born in Spain. This made many people, especially the Creoles, unhappy. When Napoleon invaded Spain in 1808, the door was open for the revolutions to begin. Napoleon’s brother now ruled Spain, and people in the colonies felt no loyalty to him. The people of Latin American knew this was a good time to revolt.

Many Latin American countries became independent between 1810-1825.

What was Christopher Columbus' goal?

Christopher Columbus set sail across the Atlantic Ocean with the goal of finding a faster route to Asia.  Trade with Asia was desirable, as many goods were available there that could not be found in Europe.  Silk, rice, ivory, porcelain, and tea were among some of the popular goods imported to Europe from China and other Asian countries.  The main transportation routes from Europe to Asia were by land, such as the Silk Road.  This mode of travel proved to be difficult, however.  Land routes went through many different countries, and conflicts sometimes prevented merchants from passing.  The idea of finding a route over the ocean became a popular one.

In 1492, Columbus set sail with his crew on three ships.  They eventually arrived in the Bahamas, but they thought they had reached Asia.  Next they went to Cuba, which Columbus thought was China.  It was not until later that explorers realized how far away Asia truly was when traveling west.

What qualities or abilities enable Rikki-tikki to fight the cobras to the finish in "Rikki-tikki-tavi" by Rudyard Kipling?

Rikki-tikki-tavi is successful against the cobras because he is curious, brave, and persistent. 

Although all mongooses are supposed to protect people against snakes according to Rikki-tikki, he is particularly adept at the task.  Rikki-tikki has a mongoose’s curiosity, but he is also smart and very brave.  He does not give up until he accomplishes his goal. 

Rikki-tikki washes into the family’s garden and immediately settles into being a house mongoose.  This is every well-bred mongoose’s mission in life.  As house mongoose, it is Rikki-tikki’s job to protect the family and garden from snakes. 

It just so happens that a pair of cobras live in Rikki-tikki’s garden.  In order to have peace, he has to kill both of them. He begins by killing the little dusty snakeling, Karait.  Then it is time to deal with the cobras.  They try to trick Rikki-tikki or scare him, but he is too smart for either. 

Nag is the first to go.  Rikki-tikki fights him valiantly as he is threatening to bite the little boy, Teddy.  After Rikki-tikki kills him, the man shoots him, but Rikki-tikki sees that as pointless.  He was doing fine on his own, even though it was a bit of a struggle against the strong snake. 

The female cobra is now even more dangerous because she is in mourning. She also has a nest of hatchlings.  Rikki-tikki uses his ingenuity to trick her.  He kills all of her babies in their eggs and uses the last egg to lure her out.  

Rikki-tikki has to follow Nagaina into her hole in order to defeat her. 

[Very] few mongooses, however wise and old they may be, care to follow a cobra into its hole. It was dark in the hole; and Rikki-tikki never knew when it might open out and give Nagaina room to turn and strike at him. He held on savagely, and struck out his feet to act as brakes on the dark slope of the hot, moist earth. 

The other animals think Rikki-tikki is dead, but he emerges victorious.  With Nagaina gone, Rikki-tikki has successfully dispatched the last snake.  This does not mean he will rest on his laurels though.  Rikki-tikki is vigilant, and will make sure that there are no more snakes in the garden again.

Who was John Nash? Where was he from and what did he study at university?

John Forbes Nash, Jr. was born in Bluefield, West Virginia, in 1928. He completed his primary schooling in Bluefield and went on to complete his Bachelor's and Master's degrees at the Carnegie Institute of Technology. Initially, Nash wanted to study chemical engineering, and after a brief switch to chemistry, he found his calling in the mathematics department. He completed his doctorate at Princeton University and went on to become one of the top mathematicians in the field of game theory. 

John Nash became of particular interest to the public not just because of his achievements in mathematics, but because of his struggle with schizophrenia. A biographical book as well as a film have been based on Nash's experiences, both by the title A Beautiful Mind. In 2015, Nash and his wife died in a motor accident.

In the story "The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant" what does the bass represent in relation to the theme of values in the story?

W. D. Wetherell's story “The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant” is about an unnamed fourteen year-old-boy who is torn between two loves—fishing and the beautiful seventeen-year-old Sheila Mant.

“Values” as a theme is a bit broad, you could probably apply that concept to just about any story ever written, but it isn't too difficult to see how the bass in the story relates to the turmoil going on in the mind and body of the narrator.

We can surmise that the focus of the narrator's life was fishing. But, as will happen with boys of that age, when he sees Sheila this focus wavers. Wetherell shows us this in the very first sentence:

There was a summer in my life when the only creature that seemed lovelier to me than a largemouth bass was Sheila Mant.

So, in terms of values, the narrator changes that summer, at least at first. Later, on his date with Sheila, his conflict intensifies when he accidentally hooks a huge bass and tries to hide the fact from Sheila. Sheila's beauty is more than his fourteen-year-old hormone ravaged body can handle, and he chooses Sheila over the bass by secretly cutting it loose. So, at this point, his values have shifted—he prefers the girl over his first love: fishing.

However, by the end of the story we see that the narrator has learned something from the experience. Sheila turns out to be a disappointment, and the narrator realizes that he never should have strayed from what he really loves:

There would be other Sheila Mants in my life, other fish, and though I came close once or twice, it was these secret, hidden tuggings in the night that claimed me, and I never made the same mistake again.

Thus, he has come full circle, returned to the values he possessed originally, before being led astray by his desire for Sheila. We could identify the “value” in this story as something along the lines of “people should remain loyal to their true selves.”

So, to finally answer your question directly: The bass represents his innermost desire and what he values most in his life. Sheila represents worldly experience, which can sometimes pull any of us away from our "bass," our innermost desire.

In a court case between the Capulet and the Montague families trying to define who is guilty for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, how can I defend...

With regard to defending the Capulets, you could argue, first and foremost, that it was the Montagues' fault that Romeo and Juliet met in the first place.  The Capulets were simply having a party, and Benvolio and Romeo (both Montagues) made the decision to attend the party uninvited.  That Romeo then followed Juliet back to her bedroom balcony only cements his blame.  Had Lord and Lady Montague been keeping an eye on their son as the Capulets were keeping an eye on Juliet, Romeo would not have been free to attend a party at the house of his sworn enemy and meet the Capulets' daughter.  It was that fateful action that brought about their ultimate deaths.

You could also argue that it was the Montagues' request that the Prince not kill Romeo, and the Prince's ultimate decision to banish Romeo instead, that likewise sealed Romeo and Juliet's fates.  The Capulets justly argued for death, as Romeo had killed Tybalt.  Had the Capulets' request been followed, Romeo would have died, but Juliet might have been alive at the end of the play.  Thus, while the Montagues have several actions to answer for, the Capulets are innocent of the double suicide.

What are some positive and negative attributes of President Teddy Roosevelt?

First, let's look at the positive attributes.  Teddy Roosevelt was a Progressive president who made the role of government larger, especially in terms of consumer protections.  He enforced the Sherman Antitrust Act and broke up several large businesses.  He also passed legislation to keep food and drugs safe for the American people.  Theodore Roosevelt was also an avid naturalist and he created many national parks--more national parks than any other president.  

Now, let's look at some negative attributes.  Depending on your view of what government should be to the American people, you may regard his expanding role of government into people's lives as a bad thing.  Roosevelt was also quite hawkish--as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under McKinley, he was a one-man campaign for war with Spain in 1898 well before the Maine exploded in Havana harbor.  He also wanted America to get into WWI as early as 1914 and he tried to bully Wilson into going to war after the sinking of the Lusitania killed 128 Americans in 1915.  Due to a personal dispute with Taft in 1912, be broke up the Republican party and created the Bull Moose Party; through his constant need for attention, he cost his party the election. He was also a trophy hunter who went all over the world killing animals that are now endangered.  Teddy Roosevelt is considered one of our greatest presidents, and my view may be a little biased since I'm a fan of him, but like all people, he had his flaws.  

What are some examples of international incidents since World War II where America has taken on a policing role?

The United States military has taken a "policing" role in several conflicts since World War II. When the United States intervened in the Korean War, President Truman stated that "We are not at war" and that it was only a "police action." The reason Truman--and other presidents--have used the term "police action" to describe military conflicts is that it allows them to send U.S. troops into a conflict zone without a formal declaration of war, which would require approval from Congress. Since the Vietnam War was also never formally declared, many people refer to it as a police action, too.

The United States military has taken on more conventional policing roles, however. For instance, President Eisenhower occupied territory in Lebanon for three months during the 1958 Lebanon Crisis while the country experienced political and religious turmoil.

Explain how and why Antonio is a melancholy character.

In The Merchant of Venice, Antonio begins the play with the line “In sooth, I know not why I am so sad.” His inexplicable melancholy baffles and wearies him. His friends Salarino and Salanio come up with suggestions, saying that he is nervous about losing his merchandise at sea. Antonio denies this and asserts that his wealth does not depend on “the fortune of this present year” nor are his assets all in one place.

Salarino concludes that Antonio is in love, which he dismisses with, “Fie, fie!” Antonio concludes that he simply has a depressive disposition: the world is “A stage where every man must play a part, / And mine a sad one.” He cries to say goodbye to his friend Bassanio, and he seems more resigned than despondent when faced with imminent death.

Bassanio may be the key. Antonio, as far as we know, is an unmarried but generous man with no family to speak of. He bestows much of his affection and money on Bassanio, even risking his life to borrow money to help the young man woo the wealthy Portia. Salarino and Salanio describe Antonio and Bassanio’s tearful parting and observe, “I think he only loves the world for him.”

When Shylock threatens to take a pound of flesh from Antonio, the merchant finds it pointless to reason with the man, declaring, “Pray God, Bassanio come / To see me pay his debt, and then I care not!” All he wants is to say goodbye to Bassanio and for him to know how much he loves him. Perhaps the source of Antonio’s sadness is love after all.

What demonstrates that Scout has a new respect for Aunt Alexandra in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Scout gains new respect for Aunt Alexandra when she follows her aunt's example by composing herself and returning with her to the guests at the Missionary Tea. 

During the gathering in the parlor, Scout is uncomfortable in her dress and nervous about being around so many women as they "trap her with innocent questions," laughing at her responses. The most hypocritical of all the ladies is Mrs. Merriweather. While she speaks in glowing terms of the missionary Brother Hutson who saves souls in Africa, she derogates the people in Maycomb who are "good, but misguided" in their treatment of blacks in the town. Her not-too-subtle insults about Atticus's defense of Tom Robinson as she stands inside the Finch home are clearly disrespectful to Alexandra and Jean Louise.

Then, after Atticus returns home in order to ask Calpurnia to accompany him to the Robinson home because Tom has been shot as he tried to escape, Alexandra becomes emotional. She decries the townspeople who have been "...willing to let him [Atticus] ruin his health doing what they're afraid to do," but Miss Maudie helps her compose herself. Maudie also orders Scout to "stop that shaking."

Aunt Alexandra rose and smoothed the various whalebone ridges along her hips. She took her handkerchief from her belt and wiped her nose. She patted her hair and said, "Do I show it?" (Ch. 24)

Then, Miss Maudie asks Scout, "Are you together again, Jean Louise?" And, together they return to the parlor. Scout narrates, "After all, if Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so could I." Clearly, Scout has gained a new respect for her aunt.

In the poem "Mooses" by Ted Houghes, the poet uses metaphor to compare A. The lake with a mirror B. Ugliness with feet C. Tears with hope D....

Ted Hughes' poem "Mooses" compares antlers to thoughts in the second stanza.

With massy bony thoughts sticking out near his ears –
Reaching out palm upwards, to catch whatever might be
falling from heaven –

This is a metaphor because the narrator compares them without using "like" or "as." Try replacing the word "thoughts" with the word "antlers," and you will see that the sentence still makes sense!

This is an effective metaphor because the antlers are a part of the head of a moose, just as we associate thoughts with our heads.

The poem also portrays Moose as being "goofy" sorts of creatures.

Hopeless drops drip from his droopy lips.
The other Moose just stands there doing the same.
Two dopes of the deep woods.

The metaphor of thoughts to antlers furthers that theme because Moose are "blundering," and thus have big antlers sticking out from their heads that always get in the way. Thoughts are the same, as they always get in the way of humans, and could also be characterized as "blundering."

Hope this helps!

What role does the internet play in business? How can managers protect the proprietary technology of their firms?

Although the internet has given businesses many new ways to reach out to customers and communicate with suppliers, it also poses unprecedented security risks for businesses that rely on maintaining proprietary information. 

One major role the internet plays in business is its ability to connect businesses to their customers. A company's website and social media presence can serve as marketing tools and sales portals. Unfortunately, these are vulnerable to various forms of hacking, including phishing schemes which lead customers to fake websites and DDOS attacks. Even worse, hackers who breach business security can download customers' information.

For companies that rely on proprietary data, internet connections designed to let employees work remotely or designed for communication of information to outside customers or suppliers become vulnerable to hacking by hostile entities. The only way to keep proprietary information fully secure is to house it in a system with no external communications; even intranets can be hacked if any of the systems on them have an outside connection. If a company were to isolate all systems containing proprietary information, they would lose the business advantage of efficient internal and external communications. Most companies accept this trade off and invest in a high level of internet security to reduce threats to proprietary data. 

Who were the literary heroes during the Age of Enlightenment? I'm supposed to name two heroes of this time period. As I understand it, Daniel...

Yes, you are absolutely on the right track!

The Age of Enlightenment refers to the time period when literature turned toward the exploration of much different themes than it had previously covered, including that of the natural state of man, the nature of civilization, social upheaval, and shifts in personal status.  

The Enlightenment aimed to celebrate ideas and reasoning, with a surge of writers who used satire to attack the previously held beliefs or institutional practices of the eighteenth century. That is where Jonathan Swift enters the scene (as you mentioned!) with Gulliver's Travel, which took a witty look at the travels of surgeon Lemuel Gulliver and examined themes of the individual versus society, the importance of self-awareness, and the roles that power and moral correctness play in people's social lives. Gulliver's Travels was a product of the Enlightenment (again, as a function of the rise of satire and the novel), even if the writing within it sometimes critiqued aspects of the Enlightenment--particularly the new conception of truth as a series of factual claims. So, yes, in that sense, Gulliver could be seen as an "anti-hero." He is educated, but gullible and lacks a sense of awareness about his own self and the world around him. 

The other character you pointed out--Daniel Defoe's titular character in Robinson Crusoe--is, on the other hand, a perfect representative of Enlightenment ideals. The book is told through a first person perspective, with Crusoe constructing his own world out of the materials available to him in the wild and attempting to civilize the "savages" he encounters. This book is widely considered the first English novel, and was an immediate success. 

So, yes, the answers you intend to give are correct. If you're interested in continuing to research this topic, you might also look into the realistic social novels of Samuel Richardson (particularly his epistolary work, Clarissa) and Tobias Smollett. 

With reference to Paul Zindel's The Pigman, why would one say that John is conceited?

When people are considered to be conceited, it means that they think very highly of themselves, which could refer to intellect as well as appearance. In Zindel's The Pigman, John speaks very highly about himself in many different situations. Whether he speaks about himself individually, or whether he compares himself to others like Norton or Dennis, John's confidence in himself is not humbly concealed. For example, it is fine that Lorraine says that John is handsome, but John explicitly agrees with her at the beginning of Chapter Three.

People who are conceited may also show forth a sense of entitlement; that is to say, they feel they deserve good things in life, or they feel they can do whatever they want to do. For instance, when Mr. Pignati buys them all roller skates, John puts them on in the store and skates around a public place. Lorraine says the following about him, which completely describes a conceited person:

"All John was doing was opening his arms and in his own way saying: 'Look at me, world! Look at my life and energy and how glad I am to be alive!'" (97).

In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, could it be said Brutus made a bad decision in killing Caesar, since he knew the citizens of Rome were a fickle,...

In analyzing Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, many readers debate about whether or not Brutus is an effective leader, and whether or not his decision to kill Caesar is a good one. This is a difficult question to answer, as there are many layers to it.

First of all, it's worth pointing out that in context, Brutus' decision is not a good one. Killing Caesar does not preserve peace or political freedom in Rome; rather, it brings about a civil war that results in a monarchy. The mob mentality of common Romans is central here, as its manipulation by Mark Antony instigates the chaos that follows the assassination. Thus, it could be said that Brutus makes a mistake killing Caesar, as he should have foreseen that the mob of Rome could be easily turned against him.

However, evaluating Brutus is not that simple. For instance, Brutus chooses to believe in the integrity of the Roman people. Assuming the common folk can think for themselves and will not be swayed by the rhetoric of politicians like Antony, Brutus exhibits a naive but noble trust in the plebeians. Along the same lines, Brutus shows a passion for protecting political freedom, and he kills Caesar (a close friend, let's not forget) in order to preserve this freedom. Thus, while Brutus' decision to kill Caesar is ultimately not a good one, it is a noble one, and this reality makes evaluating Brutus very complicated.

In regards to the last point of your question: it is undoubtedly better to live in a monarchy with control than in freedom with chaos. That said, it's important not to assume that a monarchy under Caesar would have had "control." Caesar shows himself to be an egotistical individual motivated by a lust for power, rather than a desire to serve the people. Therefore, there's no guarantee that his reign as a monarch would have had stability. Indeed, it's very possible that Caesar's reign would have resulted in chaos of its own. Seen in this light, it's hard to hold up Caesar's monarchy as better than the "chaos" of freedom. 

What were the effects of the Boxer Protocol?

The Boxer Protocol, which was signed in 1901, was a treaty between China's Qing Empire and the Eight-Nation Alliance, the international coalition of eight countries who sent military aid to China during the Boxer Rebellion. The Boxer Rebellion was an anti-Christian, anti-foreign uprising in China, and it was shut down with aid from the U.S., Italy, Japan, Russia, Britain, France, Austria-Hungary, and Germany. The Boxer Protocol ensured the execution of pro-uprising government officials, and allowed the Eight-Nation Alliance to station troops and collect war reparations in exchange for the aid the nations had provided. The reparations demanded by these nations cost more than a year of tax revenue to the Chinese government, so they raised taxes in order to try to pay the massive debt. For Europe, the impact of the Boxer Rebellion was the knowledge that colonizing China would not be the best approach. The European imperial powers chose reparations as an outcome to gain resources from China without the fear of another uprising, and even assisted China in one war against the Japanese in order to maintain the Chinese government's autonomy and ensure the continual payment of reparations.

Where were a lot of homesteaders from in the 1800s?

The Homestead Act of 1862 opened the door for homesteaders to move and settle in the western United States.  This was the first of several Homestead Acts.  Under certain requirements, homesteaders were granted tracts of land for little or no money.  The homesteaders themselves came from many places.  

Many homesteaders came from European nations.  Many left their homes in Germany, Russia, and Eastern European nations.  Poverty was common among farmers in these countries.  The European immigrants arrived in the United States in coastal ports, such as New York City.  From there, they traveled west by wagon or by train.  They then settled and set up homesteads.  East Coast farmers also moved west to become homesteaders.

After the Civil War, freed slaves also moved west to set up homesteads.  This gave them the opportunity to farm their own land and establish homes.  Poor Southerners who were negatively impacted by the Civil War also moved west to become homesteaders.

What is the conflict between real values and supposed values in Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye?

In order to answer this question, I'd like to discuss J.D. Salinger's Nine Stories briefly. One of the primary motifs of Nine Stories is a rejection of American consumerism. Published in the early 1950s, the American Dream became a simple goal: a house, family, car, radio/television, etc. Nearly every story in Nine Stories confronts this American Dream and how it distorts the idea of a good life.

There are several precursors to this motif in The Catcher in the Rye. Throughout this novel, Holden rejects the supposed American values. While you can probably glean this idea through his narration, it becomes obvious during his conversation with Sally Hayes late in the novel. Sally completely buys into the American Dream that consists of a drive for consumer goods. She loves the movies and loves theater. However, Holden makes it clear to Sally that he rejects this way of life:

"I hate living in New York and all. Taxicabs, and Madison Avenue buses, with the drivers and all always yelling at you to get out at the rear door, and being introduced to phony guys that call the Lunts angels, and going up and down in elevators when you just want to go outside, and guys fitting your pants all the time at Brooks, and people always—"

Instead, Holden values a genuine way of living. He tells Sally he wants to run away with her to the woods. He tells her that they could "stay in these cabin camps and stuff like that till the dough runs out. Then, when the dough runs out, I could get a job somewhere and we could live somewhere with a brook and all..." Holden's fantasy about living a real life continues when he tells his sister Phoebe that he's going to move out to Colorado to work and live on a ranch. 

While it's important not to confuse a work with the author's life, it seems worth mentioning that Salinger himself rejected the consumer-driven lifestyle. Salinger grew up in New York City and involved himself in this consumer lifestyle. However, in the 1950s, Salinger gave up this lifestyle and moved to a rural town in New Hampshire, rarely making public appearances. 

So, with all this evidence, it's important to note that Holden, at his core, rejects the supposed values related to money and things. This rejection of the typical American culture is Holden's primary internal conflict in the novel.

How does Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream portray love?

Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream deals a lot with people falling in and out of love with each other. Some are manipulated by love potion, but others make a conscious choice about whom to love. For example, Helena learns a lot about love when she is duped by Demetrius. He chooses to fall in love with Helena by showering her with gifts and vows of love, but when he sees an opportunity to marry Hermia, he quickly drops her. Is love so easily tossed aside? Helena proclaims the following about love as follows:

"And therefore is Love said to be a child,

Because in choice he is so oft beguil'd.

As waggish boys in game themselves forswear,

So the boy Love is perjur'd everywhere" (I.i.242-245).

From this passage, it's as though love is a child who makes his choice to love someone based on lies. Men, therefore, are boys who play with love like it is a game, but in the process, they become liars. Through Helena, then, Shakespeare suggests that love is a choice, fickle, and easily manipulated to pursue one's own purposes.

Another example of love being manipulated in order for someone to get gain is when Oberon and Puck make Titania fall in love with a donkey. Actually, they turn Nick Bottom's head into that of a donkey's and drug Titania with a love potion to distract her so Oberon can take the Indian boy. It's interesting what Bottom says after Titania professes her love for him in the following passage: 

"And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together nowadays" (III.i.124-125).

Through Bottom's line, there seems to be wisdom in acknowledging that people who are in love do not seem to use reason when making choices about love. Again, back to Helena, she would rather be treated like a dog by Demetrius rather than be ignored. Her reasoning is muddy because she sacrifices too much for her love only to receive nothing in return. To help Helena, Oberon decides to place the love potion on Demetrius's eyes to change his mind from loving Hermia back to loving Helena. It is possible, therefore, that Shakespeare is saying that love is a choice that can be easily manipulated with just a little persuasion. And if love is easily manipulated, then it is also fickle and fragile.

How can William Blake's poem "London" be related to the 21st century?

One of the things that makes "London," along with numerous other poems from William Blake, so timeless is that its discussion of human suffering remains as relevant today as it ever was.

Blake enumerates social ills from the period (the late eighteenth century) to illustrate that suffering. Unfortunately, some of the concrete issues that he addresses, such as soldiers dying in war and women and children being infected with sexually transmitted diseases, still concern us today.

Let's go stanza by stanza to consider the ways in which Blake's poem relates to our contemporary world:

I wander thro' each charter'd street,

Near where the charter'd Thames does flow,

And mark in every face I meet 

Marks of weakness, marks of woe.

"Charter'd" indicates a city, town, landmark or, in this case, a land form that has been established by government. It is awkward to consider the Thames, a river and, thus, an aspect of nature, as something that can be "charter'd." By making it so, Blake seems to critique our relationship with nature. Instead of being something that we enjoy, appreciate, and take part in, nature is something that we attempt to circumscribe, something from which we try to profit.

As a result of our distance from nature, we are discontent. In Blake's view, we have become weaker and more woeful. He does not select a particular class or group of people to characterize as such. All of humanity in London is represented here. This characterization parallels our contemporary modes of discontent: a sense of aimlessness caused by debt and underemployment, working toward no purpose other than to make money or, more simply, the inability to gain any pleasure out of life.

The second stanza is decidedly more dramatic in its depiction of human angst:

In every cry of every Man,

In every Infant's cry of fear,

In every voice, in every ban,

The mind-forg'd manacles I hear:

Blake attempts to give singularity to each "Man," "Infant," and "voice" with the use of the adverb "every." However, all are united by "the mind-forg'd manacles"—that is, the restrictions placed on each by social expectations. "Ban" has a double-meaning here. It is both "ban," in the contemporary sense of something that has been prohibited; and a variation of "bann," an eighteenth-century term which indicated a marriage vow. Marriage, in spite of remaining desirable to many, still comes with its restrictions and discontents.

The third and fourth stanzas more specifically address social ills from the eighteenth century, though they bear contemporary relevance:

How the Chimney-sweeper's cry

Every blackning Church appalls,

And the hapless Soldier's sigh

Runs in blood down Palace walls.

But most thro' midnight streets I hear 

How the youthful Harlot's curse

Blasts the new-born Infant's tear,

And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse.

The first two lines of the third stanza address child labor. Chimney-sweepers were usually boys of only seven or eight years of age. They advertised their services in the streets. Blake indirectly critiques the Church for failing to address the suffering of these children. The "blackning" that occurs in the Church is both the sullying of its supposedly good intentions, as well as the possibility that churches, too, employ the services of chimney sweeps, thereby benefiting from a child's suffering.

Though child labor is no longer legal in Western countries, it still occurs in undeveloped countries. Moreover, child slavery (e.g., prostitution) is a global problem that has yet to be addressed by religious institutions.

"The hapless Soldier's sigh" could be construed as the soldier's last breath, or as his exasperation with war. The only change to this scenario is that, now, women, too, are sent to war. Blake blames the State ("Palace walls") for the Soldier's hopeless condition. Today, when we wish to critique what we consider to be unjust wars, we blame our leaders and their policies.

In the fourth stanza, Blake places emphasis on the pains of a woman who must sell her body to survive: "But most thro' midnight streets I hear..." The superlative "most" emphasizes her predominance. "The youthful harlot's curse" which "blasts the new-born Infant's tear" is likely venereal disease.

Sexually-transmitted diseases went under-treated in Blake's time. Gonorrhea, which can cause blindness in newborns if it goes untreated, is easily curable now. However, we now contend with the existences of HIV and AIDS. The latter causes death and heavily impacts women and children throughout the world: "And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse." Blake claims that the cohesion of families is threatened, not only by health crises, but also by the fact that some women must resort to prostitution to survive. The same is true today.

What is primary data

Statistical data can be obtained from two sources. Primary data is collected by the enumerator or by an organization or by a researcher by conducting an enquiry or an investigation. These data are based on first hand information and are research or project specific. Primary data is original data that has not been collected and published before.The data can be collected by direct observation,personal interviews, telephonic interviews or by questionnaire. Primary data collection may require lot of field investigation or observation.Primary data is more reliable and accurate however it requires more time and can be a costly affair.

When the Primary data is processed and published it becomes a secondary data. So Secondary data is basically the reuse of the data which has been collected in the past.

In which stanza does the speaker make offers to his beloved that it will be unlikely he could provide in "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love?"

The entire poem is hyperbolic. It is an exaggerated description of a place that is probably too good to be true. So, in that general respect, every stanza offers promises that would be difficult for the speaker to deliver. In the first stanza, he basically promises that they will make love in every part of the landscape. And the second stanza continues this evocation of an ideal landscape. These two stanzas don't suggest anything impossible, but the speaker shows audacity when he claims he will be able to "pleasure" his love anywhere and everywhere. 

In the third stanza, the speaker starts to offer things he probably can not provide. He offers to make "beds" (plural) of Roses and a "thousand fragrant posies." Making these many beds is not impossible but it is logistically improbable. Note that he keeps going with these promises and this suggests that he was initially turned down. He keeps upping the ante to convince her. He will make her a gown of "the finest wool" and will decorate it with foliage (myrtle). Again, this is not impossible but it would be difficult. 

We don't know if the speaker is rich. Whether he is or not, making "buckles of the purest gold" would be quite difficult. This is in the fourth stanza. Just obtaining the finest wool and enough pure gold to make the buckles would be difficult. In stanzas 3-5, the speaker promises to clothe his love in an extravagant arrangement of flowers, wool, and gold. Does he really mean to make this assortment of garments or is it all a ploy to win her over? 

To what disease is Macbeth referring? How is this ironic?

In Act 5, scene 3, Macbeth gets a report about his wife's apparent illness from her physician. The doctor says that she is "troubled with thick-coming fancies / That keep her from her rest" (5.3.47-48). There is nothing physically wrong with her; her illness is in her mind. Macbeth's response is somewhat insensitive. He says,

Cure her of that.
Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased,
Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow,
Raze out the written troubles of the brain,
And with some sweet, oblivious antidote
Cleanse the stuffed bosom of that perilous stuff
Which weighs upon the heart?  (5.2.49-55)

In other words, Macbeth expects a doctor of the body to do something to Lady Macbeth's body in order to change something happening in her mind. He wants the physician to somehow "minister" to his wife, to somehow extract the terrible memory she keeps reliving, to destroy her mental troubles, or perhaps give her something that will make her forget whatever it is that so weighs on her. His expectations are ironic given the nature of Lady Macbeth's ailment: she feels guilty, and there is no medical cure for guilt.

Macbeth's response is ironic, as well, because he sounds as callous as his wife once did in regard to guilt. Immediately after the murder, she scolded him for dwelling on his guilt, saying, "These deeds must not be thought / After these ways; so, it will make us mad" (2.2.45-46). Now she has actually been driven mad as a result of her guilt, and her once-weak husband is the one who acts as though it is so easy to simply put one's guilt behind them. We would likely not expect such a reversal in attitude.

What did Christopher Columbus find in the New World?

After the first voyage of "discovery", Christopher Columbus finds a previously unknown group of people known as the Arawak or Taino people.  Columbus describes the group of native people in the Caribbean as docile, friendly, and generous.  This is described in Columbus' log as follows:

They ... brought us parrots and balls of cotton and spears and many other things, which they exchanged for the glass beads and hawks' bells. They willingly traded everything they owned... . They were well-built, with good bodies and handsome features.... 

Columbus and the Spanish would have really liked to find gold in the New World.  That was their great hope.  They did not find the amounts of gold and silver that they hoped for, but they would use the native people that they found as slaves in a desire to make the voyages and colonies profitable. Columbus was excited about using the native populations as slaves to enrich Spain and himself.  Columbus would exaggerate the riches of the new land to secure funds for future voyages.  These voyages and the colonization of the new lands thrust Spain as a world imperial power in the 16th Century.  

In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, how are Romeo and Juliet responsible for their own tragedy?

It is difficult to really argue that Romeo and Juliet were responsible for their own tragedy, because the Prologue makes it clear that they were "star-cross'd," meaning that they were fated to meet, fall in love, and ultimately perish. Indeed, their deaths reconcile their feuding families, suggesting that some higher purpose was served by their tragedy. That said, maybe the strongest argument for Romeo and Juliet's culpability might be made by looking at the concept of familial loyalty. Both of them were bound by ties of blood to serve the interests of their families, and each violated this responsibility by pursuing their powerful desire for the other. Juliet, in particular would have been expected to obey her father's wishes in marrying Paris (though by the time the wedding was actually arranged she had married Romeo) and by refusing to do so would have been rejecting the natural, divinely-ordained order of things. Once they made this decision, some might have argued, their deaths were inevitable. In short, both Romeo and Juliet were aware of the boundaries and the rules of the world they inhabited, and they knew that they were violating these norms. By doing so, they risked their own lives, and could thus be said to be responsible, if not necessarily worthy of blame, for their own deaths. 

How is Piggy civilized in the novel Lord of the Flies?

Piggy is the novel's most civilized character and is Ralph's biggest supporter throughout the story. Although Piggy is regarded as physically inferior by the other boys, he is by far the most intelligent boy on the island. He is the first to identify the conch and fiercely defends its power when Jack begins to disregard the rules during the assemblies. The conch is a symbol of civility throughout the novel that Piggy protects and honors. Piggy also continually reminds Ralph about the importance of maintaining a signal fire. Similar to the conch, the signal fire is also a symbol of civilization, hope, and rescue. Piggy is in favor of a democratic, egalitarian society where even the littluns have a say during the assemblies. He believes that the boys should work together to accomplish various tasks and continually chastises those who act like "savages." Piggy understands that without rules, regulations, and structure he will not survive because he is not as physically strong as the others. Creating and maintaining a structured society where people respect each other and act civilly is Piggy's only hope to remain alive on the island. Unfortunately, Piggy is killed by a massive boulder that Roger hurls at him. Piggy's death and the broken conch both symbolize the utter destruction of civility on the island.

I'm an honors student in high school and I make A's and B's in my English class. However, today I failed my final exam for English with a 68%. So...

I cannot give you a definitive answer because I am lacking information. On the face of it, I would say it's unlikely you will fail.  What you must find out is if your grades are "weighted," which means that some grades are worth more than others, and you must also average all of the grades to see what your overall percentage is for the course. 

If the grades are weighted, this might mean that mid-terms and finals are worth more than quizzes or that neither has as much weight as assigned papers.  For example, I use a point system wherein quizzes are worth 100 points, but the mid-term and final are each worth 200 points. Papers have varying numbers of points.  At the end of the term, I add up all the points, and I find what percentage they are of a perfect total. If you could get a maximum of 1000 points, and yours added up to 900 points, that would be 90% and you would get an "A." 

If all grades have equal value, then you add up all your percentage grades and divide by the number of graded quizzes, assignments, and exams.  That gives you your average for the course, and that average is your final grade.  So, if you have two quizzes on which you got 90% each, two papers on which you got 95% each, and a final on which you got 68%, your average would be a bit over 87%, which would give you a high "B" in the course. 

I am sorry you failed the exam, but perhaps all is not lost!

Why can't Winnie drink from the fountain in Tuck Everlasting?

I believe that the question is asking about events that happen in chapter five of Tuck Everlasting.   Winnie is attempting to give herself some space from her parents, so she escapes into the nearby forest. She quickly comes upon the spring in question, and she sees Jesse Tuck taking a drink from it as well.  Winnie is immediately infatuated with Jesse Tuck, but she is also cautious of why he is in her family's woods.   Winnie eventually gets around to asking Jesse about the spring water.  She assumes it must be good, and Winnie makes a move to drink from the spring too.  Jesse does everything in his power to convince Winnie that the spring water is no good to drink at all.  

"Believe me, Winnie Foster," said Jesse, "it would be terrible for you if you drank any of this water. Just terrible. I can't let you."

Winnie is unconvinced, but any further attempts made by her to get a drink are interrupted by the arrival of Miles and Mae Tuck.  Winnie is then quickly spirited away by the Tucks, and she never has another chance within the pages of the text to drink from the actual spring.  

How does James Joyce manage to convey a sense of futility, the theme of an unlived life, in his short story "The Dead"?

The themes of futility and an unlived life are most clearly expressed in the final scene of the story, when Gretta and Gabriel have a conversation about a boy she loved when she was very young. She is reminded of him when Bartell D'Arcy sings a traditional song, "The Lass of Aughrim." The final lines of the song are "My babe lies cold within my arms but none will ever know." When Gretta says she is reminded of someone she knew who used to sing this song, Gabriel misunderstands and becomes jealous. But Gretta relates that the young man Michael Furey died long ago, at the age of seventeen, and she believes he died because of her.

As Gretta tells this story, Gabriel holds her hand, but she is unresponsive. He recalls holding her first letter to him that same morning. This image conveys a sense of longing and unrequited love: Gabriel's thoughts of Gretta are literally in his hands, but she "did not respond to his touch." Greta continues to tell him the story of Michael Furey: of how he came to see her the night before she was to go away for a few weeks. He was already ill and exposed himself to the cold rain in order to see her. He died three weeks later and Gretta was inconsolable. She cries when she tells Gabriel of this:

Gabriel held her hand for a moment longer, irresolutely, and then, shy of intruding on her grief, let it fall gently and walked quietly to the window.

The story is told from Gabriel's vantage point, and so the reader also gets a sense of being somewhat outside of Gretta's grief, and being shocked to realize she has carried it all these years, and it has been a part of their marriage. He looks on her as she sleeps, as if he has not fully known her until this moment, and "as he thought of what she must have been then, in that time of her first girlish beauty, a strange, friendly pity for her entered his soul."

The feeling of futility is palpable here, as Gabriel feels helpless to help Gretta in her grief, and also feels distant from her, as if their marriage has been based upon a secret he has only just learned. He is overcome with emotion for his wife, but at the same time feels a sense of loss for the things about her he doesn't know and may never truly understand: 

He thought of how she who lay beside him had locked in her heart for so many years that image of her lover's eyes when he had told her that he did not wish to live.

He then lets his thoughts wander to his aunts Julia and Kate, and how they may well be dead soon. This thought fills him with regret: "One by one, they were all becoming shades." He considers Michael Furey again, and considers him lucky to have died young and not to have withered with age. In the final scene he looks out the window at the snow falling and imagines it falling on the landscape, as well as "upon all the living and the dead."

List two times the stars are mentioned and what they are in reference to in Romeo and Juliet?

Juliet refers to the stars in her soliloquy which opens Act III, Scene 2, as she anxiously waits for Romeo. The two young lovers have just been married and Juliet is anticipating her wedding night. She very much wishes that night would fall and Romeo would come to her. She says that once she's been with Romeo and she finally dies, he should be made into stars which shine in the sky so the whole world will know of his beauty:

Give me my Romeo. And when I shall die,

Take him and cut him out in little stars,

And he will make the face of heaven so fine

That all the world will be in love with night

And pay no worship to the garish sun.

Romeo mentions the stars in two important passages. In each instance, the stars are linked with his fate. First, at the end of Act I, Scene 4, in an aside, he suggests that his attendance at Lord Capulet's party is the beginning of something which will ultimately lead to his death. Nevertheless, he is powerless to resist fate's temptation:

I fear too early, for my mind misgives

Some consequence yet hanging in the stars

Shall bitterly begin his fearful date

With this night’s revels, and expire the term

Of a despisèd life closed in my breast

By some vile forfeit of untimely death.

But he that hath the steerage of my course,

Direct my sail. On, lusty gentlemen.

In Act V, Scene 1, Romeo again invokes the stars after he learns from his servant Balthasar that Juliet is dead (supposedly, but not really). He mistakes this news for a sign that fate has meant to leave him alone without his true love. Instead of accepting this fate, he leaps to action in perceived defiance of a fate which would take away Juliet:

Is it e'en so? Then I defy you, stars!

Romeo's defiance comes in the form of a plan to commit suicide next to Juliet in Capulet's tomb. Had Romeo been a little more patient and not so quick to defy fate, the Friar may have finally gotten the message to Romeo about Juliet faking her death. Alas, the play was a tragedy and death its finale.

What do Atticus and Miss Maudie both point out about Tom's trial that leads them to believe racial injustice may be lessening?

Miss Maudie and Atticus both point out it is a sign of progress that the jury actually deliberated in the Tom Robinson case. 

Maycomb is a town deeply divided by race. Most white people in the town think there is absolutely nothing wrong with racism. It is just the way things are in their town. When Tom Robinson is put on trial for the rape of a white woman, things really come to a head. 

At first, the town opposes Atticus for defending a black man. They assume if a white man accuses a black man, then the black man must be guilty. Therefore, when Bob Ewell says Tom Robinson raped his daughter, Bob must be right. White people believe they have to stick together, and at that time only whites could be on juries. 

At the trial, it becomes clear the rape never happened. Bob Ewell beat up his daughter when he saw her with Tom Robinson and accused Tom of rape to cover it up. Atticus proved all of this, and the prosecution never proved the crime occurred.  

Still, Tom Robinson is convicted. Surprisingly, however, the jury actually deliberated. Miss Maudie explains this is progress, as the verdict is usually returned quickly in cases like this. 

Atticus Finch won’t win, he can’t win, but he’s the only man in these parts who can keep a jury out so long in a case like that. And I thought to myself, well, we’re making a step — it’s just a babystep, but it’s a step (Chapter 22). 

Jem is very upset by the verdict because he followed the evidence and felt Tom should win. Atticus explains to him that race was a factor in the decision. Winning wasn’t really possible. 

Tom Robinson’s a colored man, Jem. No jury in this part of the world’s going to say, ‘We think you’re guilty, but not very,’ on a charge like that. It was either a straight acquittal or nothing (Chapter 23).

Atticus did tell his children before the case that it was essentially unwinnable. 

“Atticus, are we going to win it?”

“No, honey.”

“Then why—”

“Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win,” Atticus said (Chapter 9).

Atticus was right. He explained that there were people on the jury who believed Tom was innocent, including one of the Cunninghams. This, according to Atticus, is progress toward racial justice.

How does Claudius treat Ophelia?

Claudius ignores Ophelia for much of her existence except when he needs to use her in a plan to discover the cause of Hamlet's supposed lunacy.  Claudius and Polonius use her as a pawn to decide if Hamlet is is crazy because Ophelia has denied his amorous advances. 

Claudius curtly asks, "But how hath she received his love?" (II,ii,137) and has only the mildest interest in Polonius' answer before agreeing to spy on their interactions.  He later concludes that that Polonius is incorrect:

Love? His affections do not that way tend;
Nor what he spake, though it lacked form a little,
Was not like madness (III,i,176-178).

His only reaction is to consider his own safety from Hamlet.

Later, when Ophelia has gone crazy herself at the death of her father and the betrayal of Hamlet, Claudius treats her with disdain.  His lines in Act IV are short; he interacts with her only briefly, and then demands that a guard "follow her close" (IV, v, 81), primarily for his own benefit, not hers.  When Gertrude reports her death, Claudius expresses no sorrow for Ophelia, only fear for himself.

Claudius has no real use for Ophelia or care for her well-being, even after her father dies.  He does not care for her mental state, except that he can use it to fuel Laertes' desire for revenge and keep himself safe.  A young girl seems to have no place in his kingdom except as collateral.

Why was creating such a sympathetic portrait of fast food pioneer Carl Karcher relevant to Schlosser's argument against the fast food industry?

While Schlosser includes the story of rags-to-riches fast food entrepreneur Carl Karcher, the founder of Carl's Drive-in Barbeque and later Carl's Jr. restaurants, he makes it clear that Karcher's successful beginning did not last. Karcher's story is in many ways symbolic of the hopeful rise and inevitable fall of the fast food industry that Schlosser writes about in his book.

Karcher was a hard-working, poor entrepreneur who capitalized on the meteoric growth of southern California and its car culture to build a fast food empire at the end of World War II. In the 1980s, however, Karcher and other members of his family were accused of insider trading, and he came to an agreement with the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) in which he paid more than half a million dollars. He was eventually also pushed out as head of the company, though he was later able to return to lead it. While he recovered his position and fortune, his company had become a huge business that was missing a great deal of the personal touch and hopeful dreams of his early enterprise. Therefore, Schlosser's inclusion of Karcher's story does not negate his argument that the fast food industry has declined over the years. 

What is the significance of using Luminol in forensic science?

Luminol is a soluble, yellowish crystal. It is used in crime scenes to reveal blood.

The reaction of Luminol is several steps. First, the Luminol is put into solution with hydrogen peroxide, causing the Luminol to become a dianion in resonant stabilization. This means the Luminol is in one atomic configuration with two different electron configurations. Next, iron in the blood acts as a catalyst, decomposing the peroxide into oxygen and water. The oxygen reacts with the Luminol dianion, producing an unstable peroxide and nitrogen gas. The unstable peroxide immediately decomposes into 3-aminophthalic acid in an excited state. When the excited 3-aminophthalic acid drops to ground state, a photon is released. This light is why blood turns bright blue.

Luminol is used in forensics where there is suspected blood to determine a bloodstain from a regular stain. Investigators will lightly spray a suspected region with a solution of Luminol and hydrogen peroxide, looking for marks of blood.

Luminol is most often used on dry blood, because Luminol is not readily soluble with water, failing to react when blood is wet. Because Luminol requires very little blood to work, it is very effective even when blood may not be visible or when areas have been washed.

Luminol is unreliable when investigating surfaces with present catalysts, such as copper. Surfaces with other bodily fluids, like urine and feces, will also trigger Luminol.

Here are some sources.

Lab procedure for Luminol

Pictures of Luminol at a crime scene

Interesting report on use of Luminol in motor vehicles

How do Jonas and The Giver have similar personalities in The Giver by Lois Lowry?

Jonas and The Giver are similar because they are both more sensitive and reflective than other members of their community. 

The Receiver of Memory is a very special position in the community. The person is chosen based on having a very specific list of traits not all citizens are expected to possess. These include intelligence, integrity, courage, wisdom, and the Capacity to See Beyond. 

The Capacity to See Beyond is one of the biggest differences between Jonas and The Giver and their other community members. Both can see and hear things others can’t; Jonas can see color, and The Giver was able to hear music. 

The Giver and Jonas are alike because of the traits for which they were chosen and because of the memories.  Experiencing the memories gives The Giver and Jonas a common ground of experiences. It also helps them better understand human nature. This is an understanding others in Jonas’s community will never have. The memories are kept from them. 

Jonas and The Giver can experience emotions. This sets them apart from the others and gives them something major in common. 

Thinking, as he always did, about precision of language, Jonas realized that it was a new depth of feelings that he was experiencing. Somehow they were not at all the same as the feelings that every evening, in every dwelling, every citizen analyzed with endless talk (Chapter 17). 

Another way Jonas and The Giver's personalities are alike is that both of them want to take action when they see injustice. The Giver is aware of the community’s failings, but it is not until he has a like-minded apprentice in Jonas that he can do something about it. Jonas and The Giver are a lot alike because they are willing to take risks. 

The Giver does not try to stop Jonas from escaping. He offers to help prepare him and says he will need to stay behind to help the community process the flood of memories that will return to them. Jonas and The Giver both want to help their community so people can begin to feel again.

Could Daisy be considered the cause of Gatsby's downfall?

This question requires a short recap of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby: at the beginning, the narrator Nick Carraway becomes acquainted with his eccentric (and fabulously wealthy) neighbor, Jay Gatsby. As the novel progresses, we learn that Gatsby used to be a poor young man. He fell in love with Daisy, who married Tom Buchanan, presumably because of his comfortable affluence. Since this time, Gatsby has worked hard (often, it's suggested, through illegal means) to build a great fortune and win Daisy's affection. However, in the end Daisy chooses to stay with Tom, and Gatsby is murdered. 

On the surface level, it's easy to blame Daisy for Gatsby's death. Gatsby does, after all, take the blame for striking and killing Myrtle Wilson with his car (even though Daisy was driving at the time), and it's this action that leads to his death. However, Gatsby's fall is more complicated than a car accident. Indeed, because of Daisy, Gatsby devotes his life to amassing a vast, but ultimately meaningless, fortune. I deem it meaningless because it doesn't help Gatsby win Daisy's affection, and it attracts hoards of guests who care very little about Gatsby as a real person. In short, Gatsby's wealth does not actually help him develop meaningful relationships, which is what originally motivated him to get rich in the first place. All in all, it can be argued that Daisy is the catalyst that causes Gatsby to waste his life in a quest for empty fulfillment. Daisy's hand in this process is far more important than her hand in Gatsby's death because, in the end, it's Gatsby's embrace of shallow materialism that proves to be his real downfall.  

How did Alice Walker's early hardship influence her writing?

Alice Walker and her family suffered a great many hardships. Her work often mirrors these difficulties. This is true in her short story "Everyday Use," in which the characters' lives share many similarities with Alice Walker's own life. 

Alice Walker was born in 1944 in Mississippi. She was born into a large family of eight children, and her parents were sharecroppers. Sharecropping was not very different from slavery. Sharecroppers labored extremely hard on land that wasn't their own for barely any money. Coupled with the Jim Crow laws of the segregated South, life would have been very difficult for Alice Walker growing up. 

Along with the difficulties of being the youngest of eight children born into extreme poverty, Alice suffered a life-altering injury when she was eight years old. Her brother shot her in the eye with a BB gun. When the eye healed, it developed a whitish film of scar tissue. Alice was convinced she was horribly disfigured, and isolated herself from others. This is around the time she began writing. 

When Alice grew up, she left home to attend college. She grew in knowledge beyond that of her family, causing a divide between Alice and her father. Their relationship became estranged. 

In her short story, "Everyday Use," the character of Dee has suffered burns in a fire that disfigures her, which was surely influenced by Alice's early injury. In the story, Mama doesn't have an education past the second grade. Walker's own parents were uneducated, too. When Dee returns to her childhood home, she has clearly been educated and grown beyond the humble lifestyle of her family. This parallels Walker's own life. 

The quilts that are referenced in this story were part of Walker's life, also. She describes her mom as a quilter who taught her the craft. She describes the first quilt she worked on this way: 

"[The first quilt] I worked on [was] the In Love and Trouble quilt. And I did that one when I was living in Mississippi. It was during a period when we were wearing African-inspired dresses. So all the pieces are from dresses I actually wore."

This shows that the mention of Dee (Wangero's) African-inspired clothing in the story also has an autobiographical component. The quilt that Dee covets in the story also has autobiographical components.

Perhaps most importantly, "Everyday Use" is a story of a young girl who leaves her family in order to find out who she is in the world, and that mirrors Walker's own life.   

How are societies influenced and changed by individuals?

The influence of individuals on society is a major theme throughout Night, by author Elie Wiesel. The author gives his own account of his imprisonment at the hands of the Nazis and his experience in various concentration camps. Throughout these experiences, his life is touched by many others in both beautiful and terrible ways. Through tragedy, Wiesel explores the numerous ways in which individuals impact society. From Hitler's impact on the Nazi Party and Nazi Germany as a whole to those individuals who remain kind in the face of cruelty, Wiesel presents the full spectrum of the individual's impact on society in this work.

Positive Individual Impact on Society

Moshe the Beadle, a man who was saved from massacre at the hands of the Germans, tells a young Elie Wiesel that the answers to life's most poignant questions lie "only within yourself." This quote sets the tone for how the author presents the impact of the individual on society throughout the story. Change always begins with the individual, whether good or bad. In the face of a thousand cruel people, Wiesel realizes that just one kind person can make a difference. This impact is portrayed symbolically and literally in Wiesel's eventual rescue from execution. Before he is about to be killed, a single American tank approaches the gates of Buchenwald where Wiesel and his father were held.

Negative Individual Impact on Society

The most obvious example of an individual's negative impact on society is Hitler's rise to power. In the wake of economic devastation after World War I, Hitler claimed power by preying upon the prejudices and paranoia of the German populace. Even when Hitler is not mentioned directly, his impact on German society is obvious at every turn. Elie and the other prisoners suffer greatly from this one individual's cruelty, demonstrating the terrible power of hatred and oppression that can be caused by a single person. It is this oppressive state that creates the titular night that falls both over the German-occupied countries in World War II and the narrator's life.

A smaller yet telling act of negative individual influence on society can be found in Chapter 9. Wiesel notes the absurdity of a Nazi guard who moves hundreds of prisoners in order to have a sexual encounter with a woman. Wiesel draws a parallel between this capricious action and Nazi ideology as a whole. He notes that the Nazis are a small number of men who affected all of society by their selfishness and cruelty. In contrast, he also notes that "in a world of absurdity, we must invent reason, we must create beauty out of nothingness." In this quote, Wiesel affirms the power of the individual to create beauty in society as well as darkness.

At the end of the story, there is a strong current of hope that individual goodness may be greater than the damaging impact of individual evil on society. After all that Wiesel has been through, he survives the night and lives on to make a difference in the world by telling his story. While Hitler devastated the world with violence, Wiesel and the other Holocaust survivors have the power to change society through their words, voices and inner strength.

What were some agricultural differences between the lower and upper south?

The biggest agricultural difference between the Upper and the Lower South was that the states of the Lower South were heavily engaged in the production of cotton as a cash crop. Especially in the so-called "Black Belt" that ran through upcountry Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi, some areas in the Lower South were essentially monocultural, producing cotton for a growing international market. States in the Upper South, especially Virginia, Maryland, and Kentucky, also cultivated cash crops, especially tobacco, but overall the agricultural economy was more diverse. As early as the eighteenth century, many farmers and planters in the region were growing wheat, corn, and hemp among other crops. One effect of this was that the Upper South, having an excess of slave labor (many of these crops were not as labor-intensive as cotton and other cash crops) sold enslaved people to planters in the Deep South. The internal slave trade that developed witnessed over one million people sold to planters in the Lower South. Many (perhaps most) of these people saw their families torn apart, never to be reunited. As a result, slavery, or at least slave labor, became less important to the Upper South.

How is the house destroyed?

The automated house, which is the main character in Ray Bradbury's short story "There Will Come Soft Rains," is destroyed by a fire. Ironically, the house survives an atomic blast but falls prey to fire when a tree bough crashes through a kitchen window causing a flammable cleaning solvent to "shatter over the stove." The house immediately leaps to action with recorded voices on the alert: "Fire, fire, fire!" But, although the house is equipped with "water pumps," "scurrying water rats" and "blind robot faces" with "faucet mouths gushing green chemicals," the fire spreads too rapidly and, one by one, the alert voices are silenced as the house succumbs to the flames. In the end, Bradbury describes a chaotic scene where the house does all of its normal activities in a "maniac confusion," cleaning wildly, "reading poetry aloud in the fiery study" and "making breakfasts at a psychopathic rate." Finally, the house is almost completely destroyed with only one wall remaining and one voice continually repeating the date over and over.  

In what way does the postmaster feel out of place in the remote village?

The postmaster feels out of place due to the fact that he must interface on a daily basis with strangers. Essentially, the postmaster finds it difficult to relate to the villagers, who possibly represent the kinds of people he has never had to associate with before.

The men employed in the indigo factory had no leisure; moreover, they were hardly desirable companions for decent folk. Nor is a Calcutta boy an adept in the art of associating with others. Among strangers he appears either proud or ill at ease. At any rate, the postmaster had but little company; nor had he much to do.

Perhaps the factory employers come from dissimilar castes; the narrator doesn't say, but the implication is clear. The postmaster considers the workers "hardly desirable companions for decent folk" like himself. In the story, he has "little company" because he finds it difficult to integrate into the fabric of daily life among the villagers. Also, since he has little to occupy him, the postmaster feels ill at ease.

Aside from these difficulties, the postmaster also misses his family. This is another reason he feels out of place: his family isn't with him. They are back in Calcutta.

On some evenings, seated at his desk in the corner of the big empty shed, the postmaster too would call up memories of his own home, of his mother and his sister, of those for whom in his exile his heart was sad,—memories which were always haunting him, but which he could not talk about with the men of the factory...

In the book Animal Farm what are some examples of racism?

The pigs consider themselves superior to the other animals, and chickens and sheep are second-class citizens. 

As soon as the animals have expelled the humans, the dream of equality on Animal Farm begins to crumble.  At first, it is decreed that all animals are equal.  The animals make commandments to enforce this idea.  However, soon the pigs begin to rewrite history.  They consider themselves smarter and better than the other animals. 

An example is the milk and apples the pigs take for themselves.  Squealer insists that the pigs are brainworkers and they need special food.  The animals had expected to share these, but then the pigs take them. 

"You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk and apples. I dislike them myself. Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well−being of a pig. …” (Ch. 3) 

The pigs slowly take more and more privileges.  They live in the house, wear clothes, and even learn to walk on two legs.  Napoleon drinks alcohol.  He also raises the puppies to be his secret police.  

The sheep and chickens are considered stupid.  Napoleon even gets them to confess to false crimes in order to reinforce his reign of terror.  Most of the animals go along with the pigs because they are afraid or they do not know any better.  Soon, the pigs are more abusive than the humans were.  All commandments are replaced with one.  All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

Can the lottery be seen as a collective act of murder?

If the question is asking about the possibility of viewing the lottery system from Jackson's short story as collective murder, then I say the answer is yes.  I think the societal stoning to death of Tessie could be viewed as murder.  The town collectively works together and intentionally kills someone.  That sounds like murder to me.  

I suppose that a claim could be made that the lottery is not murder though.  Everybody in the town voluntarily participates in the archaic tradition.  Tessie knows that she has a chance of dying before the drawing even starts.  I suppose the claim could be made that it's not murder because, in a way, Tessie volunteered to die.  

I don't believe euthanasia is a possibility.  That's a "mercy killing."  Tessie is not suffering from anything; therefore, killing her doesn't relieve her of any pain.  I don't believe the lottery is suicide either.  Tessie might be participating in the lottery, but she most certainly does not want her life to end. 

"It isn't fair, it isn't right," Mrs. Hutchinson screamed, and then they were upon her.

I also don't believe the lottery system represents a justifiable form of capital punishment.  Capital punishment is the legally authorized killing of someone as punishment for a crime.  The lottery system from the story is definitely the legal authorization of killing someone; however, Tessie didn't commit any crimes.  If she didn't commit a crime, then capital punishment doesn't apply.  

Considering the above options of exactly what Tessie's death should be called, I believe that murder is the best choice of the group. It's even premeditated.  People show up to the lottery with rocks and stones picked out. They all know that if their name is not picked, they get to throw stones at a person until that person is dead.  Their actions are not accidental.  It's not manslaughter or even negligence. It's murder.  

What is a good introduction for The Crucible when you talk about the personal integrity?

In The Crucible, through the characterization of John Proctor, Arthur Miller conveys the idea that personal integrity and self-respect are far more important than reputation or even life itself.  An introduction to this subject might explore the high cost of relinquishing one's integrity: if an individual cannot feel good about his or her choices, it becomes terribly difficult for that person to think of him or herself as a good person, deserving of good things.  The idea of being comfortable with one's conscience, with being able to look oneself in the mirror and sleep peacefully at night, knowing that one has been honest, tried their hardest, and so forth, is essential to one's happiness and satisfaction with life.  Therefore, when Proctor feels that he has been dishonest and hurt his wife in the process, he feels incredibly guilty, as though he is a "fraud."  Regaining his sense of himself as a man of integrity, a man he can respect, becomes as integral to the play as his fight to save the lives of his wife and friends. 

What is a physical description of Miss Maudie? Where does it occur in To Kill a Mockingbird?

In To Kill a Mockingbird, the physical description of Miss Maudie is largely vague and scattered throughout the book. Her description is based on her words and actions more than her features. When she gardens, she wears men's coveralls and a straw hat, and in the evenings, after her bath, she presents herself "in magisterial beauty" (41). Her bridgework, introduced on page 41, is mentioned a few times as Miss Maudie has a tendency to "settle them" when she has something to say. Her voice is described as "enough to shut anybody up" and it is noted throughout the book that she has elevated diction and clarity in her speech (44). On page 91, Miss Maudie reveals herself to be fifty years old. When Scout sets out to shoot her air rifle at Miss Atkinson's behind, Scout narrates it as being a "generous target", suggesting it to be wide (92). We also know that her shoulder "stoops" apparently due to her lineage(132). A description on page 159 tells us that she wears glasses. This concludes all discussion of her appearance. Apparently, Scout paid little attention to Miss Maudie's physicality. Perhaps it wasn't important to her. This suggests that Scout valued Miss Maudie for her conversation and time, and that it didn't matter if she was ugly or beautiful--only that she was there for Scout when she needed her. 

"O, my Luve is like a red, red rose/ That's newly sprung in June;" What is the feeling inspired by this quote from Robert Burns' poem, "A Red,...

This is one of the most famous short poems by Scottish poet Robert Burns. The feelings experienced upon reading it may differ from one reader to the next. Some readers may find the poem overly sentimental or simplistic, or just plain old-fashioned (well, it was written over two hundred years ago!); but most readers will agree that it is a strong declaration of love from the speaker to the subject.

This first line is very visual; the color red is repeated twice. The color red is associated with love, romance, sexuality, passion, and desire. The flower is "newly sprung in June" and so it is a fresh bloom, at the height of the flowering season. June is a traditional month for weddings. Spring is the season of growth and fertility, reflected in the natural world, which was a favorite subject of Burns that appears throughout his poetry and songs. This is a very symbolic image: the rose is often said to symbolize female genitalia, and many traditional songs of the British Isles refer to the "roses" in a pretty girl's cheeks or lips, referring to their red or pink hue. 

The freshness and newness of the image of the rose gives a feeling of hope and infatuation to this lover's song; but the poem ends with him saying farewell. It seems important for the poem to begin on this note of optimism and passion, to establish the strength of feeling the speaker feels for the subject.

In "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi," Rikki Tikki destroys Nag and Nagaina's eggs, even though he was appalled that Nag ate one of Darzee's fledglings. Are...

The answer to this really depends on your own personal opinion. You can argue Rikki Tikki is hypocritical in the story "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi," but you can also argue he only attacks the snakes and their eggs in self-defense.

It is certainly possible to say Rikki Tikki is hypocritical. He asks Nag why Nag thinks he should be allowed to eat Darzee’s baby. This implies it is bad to kill the children of other animals. He then goes and kills Nag and Nagaina’s babies that are soon to hatch from their eggs, which for the animals is the moral equivalent of Nag killing Darzee’s baby. It is also hypocritical—or at least silly—to be angry at a snake for eating a baby bird since cobras are carnivores and will eat some living creature no matter what. It is silly to be mad at Nag for doing what his instinct calls him to do.

On the other hand, we can say Rikki Tikki is not being hypocritical. He does not destroy Nag’s children without provocation the way Nag eats Darzee’s child. When Nag first meets Rikki Tikki, he and his wife try to kill the mongoose in cold blood. Later, they try to kill the English family that lives in the bungalow in order to make Rikki Tikki leave. It is only after they do this that Rikki Tikki kills Nag and destroys the eggs. Therefore, we can argue that Rikki Tikki acted in self-defense while Nag did not, making their actions morally different.

What are the properties of cohesion and adhesion and why are they important for living things?

Adhesion and cohesion are water properties that affect living and non-living things on earth through water molecules.

Cohesion: Water is attracted to water
Adhesion: Water is attracted to other things

Water is very cohesive in that it "sticks" to itself. Cohesion is what allows a water droplet to form, for example. When water molecules surround one another, they settle toward a low energy state. For water molecules, they are most stable when they form a ball surrounded by other water molecules. As the molecules "pull" together, the surface tension acts like a casing for the group of water molecules. If it weren't for cohesion, water molecules would behave very differently and we would not expect to see water droplets.

Although water likes to stick to itself, it sometimes prefers to adhere to other things. The adhesive property of water allows water allows water molecules to stick to non-water molecules, which results in some common water behaviors. For example, if you fill a glass tube with water, a meniscus will form. The meniscus is the result of water molecules being more attracted to the polarized glass rather than to their neighboring water molecules.

Cohesive and adhesive properties of water impact living things in many ways:

• Water droplets form on plants, allowing the plants to soak up the water over time rather than all at once.


• Water striders (insects) glide across water surfaces owing to the cohesive property of water.


• Adhesion allows for water to move against gravity through plant cells.


• Capillary action owing to adhesion allows blood to move through tiny vessels in some animal bodies.