In Into the Wild, how does McCandless navigate the journey from dreams to reality?

I'm going to answer this question in a literal manner.  

McCandless's dream is to live on his own in the Alaskan wilderness.  He reveres stories by Jack London that seem to romanticize Alaska's rugged beauty and danger.  

McCandless doesn't immediately rush off to Alaska though.  He spends a great deal of time hitchhiking around the western United States living on nothing but rice and water for the most part.  I believe that McCandless used this time to "train" himself for his Alaskan adventure.  Once he felt ready to head up to Alaska, he navigated there in the same way that he had been getting around for the previous months.  He hitchhiked to Alaska.  McCandless's dream was to head to the Stampede Trail and survive for months out there.  The final person that helped McCandless get out there was Jim Gallien.  

McCandless navigated toward his dreams with a single-minded focus.  He traveled alone for much of the time.  He hitchhiked when able and got low-paying jobs as needed in order to pay for any meager supplies required. 

`int_(sqrt(2)/3)^(2/3) (dx)/(x^5 sqrt(9x^2 - 1))` Evaluate the integral

`int_(sqrt(2)/3)^(2/3)1/(x^5sqrt(9x^2-1))dx`

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

Let `x=1/3sec(u)`

`=>dx=1/3sec(u)tan(u)du`

`int1/(x^5sqrt(9x^2-1))dx=int(1/((1/3sec(u))^5sqrt(9(1/3sec(u))^2-1)))1/3sec(u)tan(u)du`

`=int(1/(1/243sec^5(u)sqrt(sec^2(u)-1)))1/3sec(u)tan(u)du`

Now use the identity:`sec^2(theta)=1+tan^2(theta)`

`=int(243/(3sec^5(u)sqrt(1+tan^2(u)-1)))sec(u)tan(u)du`

`=int(81sec(u)tan(u))/(sec^5(u)sqrt(tan^2(u)))du`

`=81int1/(sec^4(u))du`

`=81intcos^4(u)du`

Now let's use the identity:`cos^2(theta)=(1+cos(2theta))/2`

`=81int((1+cos(2u))/2)^2du`

`=81int(1+cos^2(2u)+2cos(2u))/4du`

`=81int(1/4+(cos^2(2u))/4+1/2cos(2u))du`

`=81(int1/4du+int(cos^2(2u))/4du+int(cos(2u))/2du)`

`=81(u/4+1/4int(1+cos(4u))/2du+1/2intcos(2u)du)`

`=81(u/4+1/4int(1/2+cos(4u)/2)du+1/2(sin(2u))/2)`

`=81(u/4+1/4(int1/2du+intcos(4u)/2du)+1/4sin(2u))`

`=81(u/4+1/4(u/2+1/2sin(4u)/4)+1/4sin(2u))`  `=81(u/4+u/8+sin(4u)/32+sin(2u)/4)`

`=81((3u)/8+sin(4u)/32+sin(2u)/4)` 

Now recall that we have used `x=1/3sec(u)`

`=>sec(u)=3x`

`=>cos(u)=1/(3x)`

`=>u=arccos(1/(3x))`

Substitute back u and add a constant C to the solution,

`=81(3/8arccos(1/(3x))+1/32sin(4arccos(1/(3x)))+1/4sin(2arccos(1/(3x))))+C`

Now let's evaluate the definite integral,

`int_(sqrt(2)/3)^(2/3)dx/(x^5sqrt(9x^2-1))=81[3/8arccos(1/(3x))+1/32sin(4arccos(1/(3x)))+1/4sin(2arccos(1/(3x)))]_(sqrt(2)/3)^(2/3)`

`=81[3/8arccos(1/2)+1/32sin(4arccos(1/2))+1/4sin(2arccos(1/2))]-81[3/8arccos(1/sqrt(2))+1/32sin(4arccos(1/sqrt(2)))+1/4sin(2arccos(1/sqrt(2)))]`

`=81[3/8*pi/3+1/32sin(4*pi/3)+1/4sin(2*pi/3)]-81[3/8*pi/4+1/32sin(4*pi/4)+1/4sin(2*pi/4)]`

`=81[pi/8+1/32sin((4pi)/3)+1/4sin((2pi)/3)]-81[(3pi)/32+1/32sin(pi)+1/4sin(pi/2)]`

`=81[pi/8+1/32(-sqrt(3)/2)+1/4(sqrt(3)/2)]-81[(3pi)/32+1/32(0)+1/4(1)]`

`=81[pi/8+sqrt(3)/2(-1/32+1/4)-(3pi)/32-1/4]`

`=81[pi/8-(3pi)/32+sqrt(3)/2(7/32)-1/4]`

`=81[pi/32+(7sqrt(3))/64-1/4]`

In Chapter 20 of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, what does the reader learn about Mr. Raymond? Do you agree with his decision to deceive people?

In Chapter 20, Scout and Dill learn that Dolphus Raymond is not an alcoholic and that he actually is drinking Coca-Cola underneath the paper bag. When Scout asks him why he pretends to be drunk, Dolphus tells her that he tries to give the citizens of Maycomb a reason as to why he chooses to live his life like he does. Dolphus explains how people could never understand why he chooses to associate with African Americans and finds it easier to disguise himself as being a drunk. Dolphus Raymond simply enjoys being around black people but realizes that it is considered a cultural taboo to associate with people of a different race. In 1930s Alabama, segregation is a significant part of society, and Jim Crows Laws prohibit African Americans from utilizing the same public facilities as white people. Instead of continually defending his views and arguing with people, Dolphus finds it easier to pretend that he is a drunk to avoid conflict. I agree with Dolphus Raymond's decision to pretend that he is an alcoholic to avoid conflict. Throughout the novel, certain citizens go to extreme lengths to harm individuals who support African Americans. Dolphus' well-being could be compromised if he was outspoken about his views towards black people and pretending to be an alcoholic could possibly prevent numerous altercations.

What type of language is used in Chapter 21 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

As the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, is told from the perspective of Scout Finch, the language used is reflective of her rural, Southern upbringing. The manner of speech, colloquialisms, and dialect used in both Chapter 21 and the entirety of Harper Lee's novel capture the spirit of small-town Alabama. Consider the following example:

“I know where they are, Atticus.” Mr. Underwood spoke up. “They’re right up yonder in the colored balcony—been there since precisely one-eighteen P.M. (Lee, Chapter 21).

Mr. Underwood's language reflects the overall setting of the novel: a rural, casual environment. He addresses Atticus Finch by his first name and not as Mr. Finch, preferring informality and familiarity over stiff addresses. Furthermore, he relies on words such as "yonder," which add a Southern flair to his speech. Mr. Underwood's comment also reflects the historical context of the novel, for we see in it themes of racial inequality and segregation.

Turning to another example, consider the following exchange between Atticus and Jem:

"I’ve no idea,” said Atticus shortly. “You’ve been here all afternoon? Go home with Calpurnia and get your supper—and stay home.”
“Aw, Atticus, let us come back,” pleaded Jem. “Please let us hear the verdict, please sir (Lee, Chapter 21).

In the above dialogue, we see Atticus using the tone of a concerned father and Jem acting as a pleading son. One of the more interesting aspects of the Finch children and their relationship with their father is the use of both formal and informal addresses. Scout and Jem refer to their father by his name ("Atticus") but frequently counter this casual address by using the polite, highly traditional "sir."

We see also in Chapter 21 how Calpurnia's language shifts depending on context: 

Calpurnia marched us home: “—skin every one of you alive, the very idea, you children listenin‘ to all that! Mister Jem, don’t you know better’n to take your little sister to that trial? Miss Alexandra’ll absolutely have a stroke of paralysis when she finds out! Ain’t fittin’ for children to hear...” (Lee, Chapter 21). 

Addressing the children, Calpurnia's language is unguarded. She adopts no affectations, but rather, uses language casually and colloquially. Comparing the above passage to Calpurnia's brief exchange with Judge Taylor, we find that Calpurnia caters her language to the changing demands of her social, economic, and racial situations. To draw from earlier knowledge of Calpurnia's character within the novel, we can return briefly to Chapter 12:
 

“They’s my comp’ny,” said Calpurnia. Again I thought her voice strange: she was talking like the rest of them.
“Yeah, an‘ I reckon you’s comp’ny at the Finch house durin’ the week.”
A murmur ran through the crowd. “Don’t you fret,” Calpurnia whispered to me, but the roses on her hat trembled indignantly (Lee, Chapter 12).

We see in the above exchange that Calpurnia has adopted a manner of speech that mimics her fellow church-goers and aligns her more closely to the African-American community in Maycomb. Reflecting on the excerpt from Chapter 12 and those from Chapter 21, we find that Calpurnia's language serves as a response to her environment. The language she uses when addressing a white judge is not the same as the language she uses with members of the Finch household, and furthermore, the language she uses in the Finch household is not entirely the same as the language used to address the members of her church.

The language used in Chapter 21 (and indeed, throughout the novel) gives us insights into the characters' social, political, and racial experiences. It informs us of their economic backgrounds, their levels of education, and their geographic past. We can infer, through the use of colloquialism and slang, whether a character might be urban or rural, and further, we can better understand the type of relationships they have to other characters by examining things like tone, formality, and word choice.

(Primary Source: Lee, Harper,To Kill a Mockingbird. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 1960. Print.)

In a tragedy, the heroine or hero usually has a character flaw that leads to their downfall. Is this true in Romeo and Juliet? Why?

Yes, it is certainly true in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet that the hero and heroine have a character flaw that leads to their respective downfalls!

It is traditionally argued that Romeo's tragic flaw is his impulsivity. He is impulsive in love (falling madly in love with Rosaline and then shifting those feelings to Juliet; later marrying Juliet after knowing her for less than a day), in his social life (choosing to fight and kill Tybalt rather than stand down after Mercutio is murdered), and in his own life (choosing to kill himself after learning of Juliet's "death"). 

Thus, Juliet's tragic flaw might be her naive loyalty to Romeo. Juliet repeatedly places her trust and faith in Romeo, who--as we can see above--frequently makes poor and/or rash choices and is overly-engaged in the conflict between the Montagues and Capulets. Juliet trusted Romeo to be a responsible husband and ally, and was, therefore, quick to agree to marry him; Romeo betrayed that trust when he killed Juliet's cousin, Tybalt, resulting in his banishment from Verona... and ultimately, Juliet's desperate ploy to save her marriage by faking her own death. 

Explain the dramatic significance of the opening scene of Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, scene 1.

The first scene of the play is significant dramatically because it really establishes the the mood of the story.  The first thing the audience sees is a violent fight between members of the houses of Montague and Capulet, a fight that really takes place without provocation and will ultimately accomplish nothing.  This scene demonstrates how high the tensions between the families (and even their servants!) run as well as how ridiculous and baseless their hatred for one another really is. 

This scene also introduces us to both Tybalt and Benvolio.  Benvolio's line, "I do but keep the peace.  Put up thy sword, / Or manage it to part these men with me," shows us how peace-loving and reasonable and honest he is (1.1.69-70).  On the other hand, Tybalt's line, "I hate the word [peace] / As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee," acquaints us with how hateful and violent he is (1.1.71-72).  The introduction of these two characters adds some suspense to the tension of this scene, causing us to anticipate further violent interactions and to expect more bad behavior from Tybalt.

How is the king of Brobdingnag, in spite of ruling an isolated kingdom, a wise, humane, peace-loving man?

Despite ruling a physically isolated kingdom that has no real need to be concerned with anyone else because it has no neighbors, the king of Brobdingnag is very interested to learn about the laws and culture of Gulliver's home.  He is horrified when Gulliver begins to acquaint him with the customs of England, and he comes to believe that the British are selfish and warlike and dishonest "vermin."  However, even beyond his disgust, the king develops a rather violent antipathy to both Gulliver and his countrymen when Gulliver tries to tell him about the wonderful virtues of an invention called gunpowder.  Gulliver describes the great damage it can do in almost gleeful terms, speaking about men's limbs positively raining from the skies after their owners have been blown apart by gunpowder's awe-inspiring power.  The king is less than impressed.

The king's response to Gulliver shows just how gentle and wise he is.  Fundamentally benevolent, honest, and peace-loving, the king seems to assess the British in the way that Swift would like the reader to do; it's a rather harsh way to characterize the reality he wished to satirize, but satire is often caustic. 

How old was Mona Lisa when she was drawn by Leonardo da Vinci?

It’s difficult to give an exact age, but we can estimate.

The Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, depicts Lisa (Gherardini) del Giocondo, the third wife of a wealthy merchant in Florence, Italy.

We know she was born in 1479. We also know the portrait itself had to have been painted sometime between 1503 and 1506. da Vinci, who had been a mapmaker in the Italian military, only returned to Florence in 1503, and by 1506 he had already left for Milan. Although we’re not quite sure how long the painting took, the model would have only needed to be present in the beginning. Assuming that Lisa del Giocondo sat for the portrait in 1503, this would put her age at around 24.

What did Lyddie mean when she said the bear had won in Lyddie?

Lyddie blames the bear for separating her family. 

For Lyddie, the bear is kind of a symbol of her troubles.  When Lyddie’s father left, her family became very fragile.  Her mother just did not know how to handle life.  As Lyddie’s mother’s mental stability diminished, Lyddie became the caretaker of the household.  Lyddie handled the bear well, but her mother saw it as a sign.

The bear came into Lyddie’s cabin looking for food.  Thinking fast, Lyddie was able to get her family upstairs into a loft.  The bear left, but Lyddie’s mother was shaken.

Lyddie’s mother is convinced that the bear is a sign from God, and they should leave the farm.

"Clarissa said when the end drew near, the devil would walk the earth." 

"That weren't no devil, Mama," Charles said. "It were only a black bear." 

" 'Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.' " (Ch. 1) 

She takes the younger two children and goes to her sister.  Lyddie and Charlie remain on the farm, and then their mother sends them a letter saying she rented out the land and they will both go to work.  Lyddie will work at a tavern, and Charlie at a mill. 

Lyddie is horrified when her family is separated.  She does not like the tavern, feeling enslaved.  She is fired for leaving when the cook gave her permission, and gets a job at a factory.  The entire time, Lyddie plans to pay off their debts and get back the farm.  She wants her family together. 

It is not to be. Her youngest sister dies, and then her mother is institutionalized.  Lyddie’s uncle brings her Rachel, the next youngest sister, and Lyddie keeps her briefly at her boarding house until Charlie takes her to live with his family.  Lyddie is dejected.  She is then fired from her factory job for standing up to her predatory boss.  

At this point, Lyddie feels like she has nothing left. 

The bear had won. It had stolen her home, her family, her work, her good name. She had thought she was so strong, so tough, and she had just stood there like a day-old lamb and let it gobble her down. (Ch. 22) 

The bear became symbolic of all of the trials and traumas she suffered.  It was the first step that lost her the family that meant so much.  Lyddie is on her own now, and has to make the best of things.

What kind of electrons are involved in atomic bonding? Why?

Valence electrons participate in atomic bonding. These are the electrons that are present in the outermost shell of an atom. These electrons can be donated or shared for bonding, depending upon the type of bond the atom is making. There are two types of bonds: ionic bonds and covalent bonds. In the ionic bond, one species donates electrons, while the other gains them. In the case of covalent bonding, the valence electrons are shared among bonding species. For example, sodium chloride is formed by ionic bonding between sodium and chlorine. The sodium atom donates 1 valence electron, which is accepted by one chlorine atom. In the case of oxygen gas, 2 oxygen atoms share 2 valence electrons each, amongst themselves.

The easiest way to determine the number of valence electrons of an atom is by writing its electronic configuration. For example, the electronic configuration of nitrogen is 1s2, 2s2, 2p3. And thus, nitrogen gas has 3 valence electrons.

Hope this helps.

Is The Aeneid a real story or the real history of Rome?

The Aeneid is mostly myth. During the Age of Augustus, Virgil was asked to create the story of Rome's founding. It is important to note that there is another story about the founding of Rome involving the brothers Romulus and Remus. Both were said to have been suckled by a wolf. Later, Romulus kills his brother. The story of Romulus and Remus is also mentioned in the Aeneid. However, the epic poem does not focus on their adventures, but merely relates how they were necessary for the fate of the future republic and empire.

Instead, the poem focuses on the adventures of Aeneas, a Trojan soldier returning home after the end of the war. The Trojan War, too, figures somewhere between myth and actual historical record. During the Bronze Age, there was conflict between Troy (which is said to have been in what is now Turkey) and the Mycenaean kingdom. 

While some aspects of the poem are probably true, others are totally mythological. For example, in Book IV of the Aeneid, one of the best-known chapters, Aeneas falls in love with the Carthaginian queen Dido, but abandons her to fulfill his fated duty of founding Rome. In her grief, she commits suicide. It is very possible that Aeneas traveled to Carthage (what would now be Libya) and fell in love with a woman, then abandoned her.

On the other hand, Aeneas is said to have been the son of the prince Anchises and the goddess Venus. This aspect of his lineage is impossible. However, connecting Aeneas to a goddess explains why he is extraordinary and why he was fated to carry out such a monumental task.

Why does the farmer call Hauchecorne an 'old rogue?'

In town, word gets around the Maitre Houlbreque's pocketbook, containing five hundred francs and business papers, has been lost. Earlier, Maitre Hauchecorne had bent down to pick up a piece of string. He was embarrassed to be seen picking up something so cheap and small. Noting that his enemy, Maitre Malandain was watching him, Maitre Hauchecorne pretended to be looking for something else. When Houlbreque's pocketbook goes missing, Malandain uses this as an opportunity to accuse Hauchecorne of the crime. 

Hauchecorne is accused but they find nothing on him. He is accosted by others in the village and he tells them that he had merely picked up a piece of string. No one believes his story. This made him more desperate and he made it a point to tell everyone his side of the story. But this desperation just makes everyone laugh at him. Even when the pocketbook is found, many still suspect Hauchecorne. So, when the farmer calls him a rogue (one who is dishonest), he (and many others) still thinks that Hauchecorne stole it and gave it to someone else to return. 

Who does Atticus first believe is responsible for Bob Ewell's death in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Initially, Atticus thinks that Jem killed Bob Ewell. He mentally prepares himself for his son having to face a judge in court for the murder and tells the sheriff he hopes the judge will rule Jem killed Bob Ewell in self-defense.  

The sheriff stops Atticus, saying, "Mr. Finch, do you think Jem killed Bob Ewell?" Atticus tells him he does. The sheriff tells Atticus Jem did not do it.

Atticus misunderstands the sheriff. He thinks the sheriff is implying a cover-up of the whole situation. Atticus wants things to be handled properly and does not want people to gossip that Jem got out of it because of his father for years to come. Atticus says covering the situation up will "be a simple denial to Jem of the way [he has] tried to raise him."

The sheriff tells Atticus, "Bob Ewell fell on his knife." He demonstrates what happened to show Atticus. After much arguing, Atticus realizes Boo was the one who stabbed Bob Ewell. To protect Boo, he agrees with the sheriff that Bob Ewell fell and killed himself.

How did Bob Ewell show his low intelligence during the trial in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Bob Ewell displays his lack of intellect and even common sense in the courtroom many times.

First of all, Ewell misjudges the situation. On the witness stand, he acts like a bantam rooster and struts up to the witness stand in the belief that he will demonstrate his racial superiority.

All the little man on the witness stand had that made him any better than his nearest neighbors was that. . . his skin was white (Chapter 17).

Certainly, Ewell's choice of language demonstrates his crudeness and ignorance as he describes his daughter screaming like "a stuck hog" and Tom Robinson supposedly "ruttin' on. . . Mayella" (Chapter 17).

As further proof of his dull wit, Bob Ewell did not consider what suspicions would be aroused because he did not call a doctor for Mayella.

Ewell displays his stupidity when Judge Taylor tells him to make no "audibly obscene speculations on any subject from anybody in the courtroom" (Chapter 17). He nods his head when the judge asks if he understands, but Scout says she does not think he understands the meanings of the words Judge Taylor uses, a judgment that proves true as Ewell uses very crude words right after being told not to do so. Again, the judge reprimands Bob Ewell for his language, telling him to remain within the "confines of English usage" (Chapter 17). Ewell mouths the words as he tries to figure out their meanings.

When Atticus questions him, Ewell does not understand the line of questioning. When Atticus asks Bob Ewell to write his name, the man has no idea why he is being asked to do this, but he is suspicious. When Judge Taylor remarks, "You're left-handed," Ewell becomes upset, saying he is a Christ-fearing man, and Atticus Finch is trying to trick him. Mr. Gilmer then asks Bob Ewell if he is ambidextrous. He answers, "I most positively am not. I can use one hand good as the others" (Chapter 17), which is the definition of ambidexterity.

Did the 1960s free women or did they destroy the family?

The answer to this question is purely a matter of personal opinion.  There is no way to objectively say whether the changes of the 1960s (and later years) constituted freeing women or if they constituted destroying the family.  My guess is that a person’s answer will depend on his or her political convictions.  Liberals will tend to say that the 1960s freed women while conservatives will tend to say that they destroyed the family.

The main changes from the 1960s that affected women and the family were “the Pill” and the movement of greater numbers of women into the workforce.  Before the introduction of oral birth control, it was fairly difficult for women to reliably plan their pregnancies.  This made it harder for married women to work because they were more likely to have unplanned pregnancies.  It made it riskier for single women to have sex because they were more likely to get pregnant.  What this meant is that women were more likely to marry and to stay married.  They had to get married if they wanted love and sex.  They had to stay married because they tended to depend on their husbands for money.

With the invention of the Pill and the increase in women in the workforce (particularly in good jobs), marriage became less important.  It was much safer for a single woman to have a sex life now that she could reliably protect herself from pregnancy.  Women also stopped needing men so much because more women could make their own livings through their careers.

The question for you, then, is whether this was a good thing.  Was it bad for women to be forced to marry in order to have sex and to stay married in order to have financial security?  Alternatively, is our current situation, where women do not have to marry and the rates of divorce are high worse than the way things were before the 1960?  What is your opinion on this issue?

Why did Charlotte Doyle join the crew?

After Charlotte snaps a needle, she goes in search of a new one in the crew's sleeping quarters. There, she accidentally discovers a pistol and a round robin--two signs that the crew is planning a mutiny against Captain Jaggery. Frightened of what might happen to her if she does not report this discovery, Charlotte betrays the crew by telling Jaggery of the crew's plans. Captain Jaggery immediately punishes the crew, shooting Mr. Cranick, the stowaway, and sentencing Zachariah to fifty lashes by whipping. Charlotte attempts to protect Zachariah, but accidentally lashes Jaggery's face in the process. This causes Jaggery to react even more obscenely, and he whips Zachariah to death.

Thus, Charlotte makes the unusual choice to join the crew in order to compensate for her role in the death of Zachariah; she serves as his replacement. Additionally, Charlotte is no longer under the protection of Jaggery, and making herself useful as a crew member is the next best way to find protection on this dangerous journey. Charlotte proves that she can handle the work of a crew member by successfully climbing the ratlines. Upon her descent, Jaggery strikes her, renames her "Mister Doyle," and orders her to begin sleeping in the crew's quarters. 

How did Tom Robinson injure his left arm in To Kill a Mockingbird?

When Tom Robinson stands up, Scout observes "he looked oddly off balance, but it was not from the way he was standing" (Chapter 18). Jem whispers that Tom Robinson is crippled. His left arm hangs limply beside his body. It also appears shorter than the other arm. His hand is misshapen, and it is clear he could not throw a punch with it. Atticus points out that the witness testimonies accuse Tom of punching Mayella with his left fist. Given his crippled state, this is impossible.

Reverend Sykes tells Scout and Jem how Tom's arm and hand were injured. Many years before, when he was a boy, Tom worked for Mr. Dolphus Raymond. While working, young Tom's hand got caught in the cotton gin. It was severely injured, and he never regained full use of it.

Where did the children put Margot while the teacher was out of the room in "All Summer in a Day"?

The children put Margot in a closet while the teacher was out of the room.

Margot’s teacher does not seem to really be on top of things.  She is barely aware of how much the other children are bullying Margot.  She interferes somewhat in the argument between the boy and Margot, but then she leaves the room.

The argument between Margot and the boy is about a poem Margot wrote describing the sun.

"Aw, you didn’t write that!" protested one of the boys.

"I did," said Margot. "I did."

"William!" said the teacher.

But that was yesterday. Now the rain was slackening, and the children were crushed in the great thick windows.

“Where’s teacher?"

"She’ll be back."

Any teacher knows not to leave a group of nine year olds, or children of any age, alone for any significant period of time.  When the teacher left, the kids were already stirred up about the sun coming out.  They had not seen the sun for years because it rained all of the time on Venus, and they were very excited to see it since it would only be out a short time.

One of the boys teases Margot by telling her that nothing is going to happen after all.  Margot gets very upset, but he presses on.

"Nothing, nothing!"

"Oh, but," Margot whispered, her eyes helpless. "But this is the day, the scientists predict, they say, they know, the sun…"

"All a joke!" said the boy, and seized her roughly. "Hey, everyone, let’s put her in a closet before the teacher comes!"

Margot is in the closet when the sun comes out, and she misses it.  The other children are horrified when they realize what they have done.  Even though they were bullying Margot because she was different, they did not mean to be so cruel to her.  For Margot, there would be nothing worse than missing the sun finally come out.

In Novel Without a Name, what is the possible symbolism of the tiger?

Novel Without a Name was published in 1991 by Vietnamese author and political dissident Dương Thu Hương. The novel explores the horrors of the Vietnam war from the perspective of Quan, a Vietnamese platoon commander.

This novel spares its readers much of the gore of war, with violence often taking place off the page, behind the scenes. The reader learns of the tiger attack referenced in the question after the fact, which provides narrative distance from the incident of a tiger gnawing a sick soldier to death. The risk of attack by tigers shows the danger of trying to survive as a Vietnamese soldier. Along with tigers, malaria and dysentery and fights among comrades make time between battles almost as perilous as actual combat. In this way, the tiger could symbolize risks the Vietnamese people faced from within the country. Dương’s narrative does not even come face to face with “Charlie” or American soldiers. There is only one American seen in the novel, and this person seems to be a journalist, not a soldier. The American enemy remains unseen while soldiers face the very real “native” threats of disease, beasts, and each other.

Additionally, the tiger holds a symbolic place in Vietnamese culture. Tigers are associated with Mother Goddess worship. Thought to be the lord of the forest, the tiger is also a symbol of power and is both feared and revered. The tiger is also among the official state animals of Vietnam, further adding to its possible symbolism as a threat from within the country.

According to Jarod Diamond in Guns, Germs, and Steel, how did the Spanish easily defeat the Inca?

The answer to this question can be found in Chapter Three of Guns, Germs, and Steel, entitled "Collision at Cajamarca." Diamond argues that the same factors that caused the rapid and relatively easy defeat of the Inca led to similar outcomes throughout North and South America. Essentially, many of these factors are summed up in the title of the book: Pizarro and his men had guns, steel weapons, armor, and horses. The Inca had none of these things. The Spaniards also had Indian allies who backed their campaign against the Inca. But more important than these military factors was the fact that the Inca people had been devastated by smallpox, a disease brought by Europeans. Native Americans had not been exposed to these diseases, for reasons discussed by Diamond elsewhere in the book, and they thus had no immunity. As Diamond relates, the disease was especially destabilizing to the Inca, who saw their emperor and his heir fall victim to the disease. After their deaths, Atahualpa, the king that faced Pizarro at Catamarca, and a rival for the throne plunged the kingdom into civil war. "If it had not been for the epidemic," Diamond says, "the Spaniards would have faced a united empire" (77). So due to these factors, even though the Inca warriors outmanned the Spaniards 200 to one, Pizarro and his men, like Cortez and other conquistadores, managed a victory astonishing in its daring and its cruelty.

What does the grandmother say to the Misfit to try to convince him not to kill her? Does the conversation alter his viewpoint in any way?

In an attempt to convince the Misfit not to kill her, the grandmother repeatedly asserts that the Misfit is "a good man" and that he isn't "common." The irony of this statement is that the Misfit is clearly an outlaw bent on murdering the entire family, and the grandmother's statement that he's "a good man" does nothing to stop his murderous rampage or change his evil intentions. Indeed, as the grandmother continues to assert that the Misfit is good, the criminal casually orders his henchmen to begin killing the grandmother's family. As such, the grandmother's statements seem to be her attempt to convince herself that she is not about to be killed, despite mounting evidence to the contrary. These attempts grow increasingly pathetic, as it becomes clear that the Misfit is determined to stick to his original plan and kill the grandmother and her entire family.  

What is the relationship between energy, work, and machines?

First, let’s cover some definitions. Energy is power derived from the utilization of physical or chemical resources. Work is done when a force is exerted on an object and moves the object. Work is calculated my multiplying force and distance. Doing work always means transferring energy. The energy may be transferred to the object to which you apply the force or it may go elsewhere. The work-energy theory states that the work done by a system equals the change in kinetic energy of that system. Every process that is done by machines can be simplified in terms of work. For a machine to function, work or energy needs to be put into the machine; this is called work input. Work output is the energy that comes out of the machine. The output work done by a simple machine can never exceed the input work done on the machine.

What is one effect of Martin Luther King, Jr. repeating the phrase "let freedom ring" nine times in the final paragraphs of his "I Have a Dream"...

When Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. in August 1963, the Civil Rights Movement was well underway. Nonetheless, many point to King's speech as the act that galvanized bystanders to become a larger part of the community already fighting for civil rights.

One of the ways King was able to affect so many people with his speech was through his use of repetition. During the speech, the words "I have a dream" and "let freedom ring" were repeated multiple times.

By repeating "let freedom ring" in the closing paragraphs of his speech, King was able to give a vision of what the Civil Right movement could bring — freedom for all. He spoke about locations throughout the United States in which people should "let freedom ring." By doing so, he made the possibility of equal rights more real to those people who were listening in the places he mentioned, including Colorado, California, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, Georgia, and Tennessee.

In "The Diary of Anne Frank," why does the man from the storeroom request extra money?

In act 2, scene 1, Mr. Kraler asks to discuss something with Mr. Frank alone. Rather than keep the matter secret, Mr. Frank has Mr. Kraler tell everyone what is going on. He reveals that a workman from the warehouse asked about the Franks' well-being a couple of weeks ago. Then yesterday the man approached Mr. Kraler again and asked about the bookcase and if there weren't stairs leading to a loft behind it. Then he asked for twenty guilders more a week. Based on the workman's behavior, Mr. Van Daan is first to say what everyone else is thinking, "Blackmail!"  Dussel responds with the following:

"You know what I think? He was the thief who was down there that night. That's how he knows we're here."

Mr. Dussel's belief seems reasonable. Mr. Kraler asks Mr. Frank what he should do about the matter. Mr. Frank decides that they should offer the man half--ten guilders--and then see if it really is blackmail or not.

Considering the fact that Peter accidentally dropped a lamp on the night that the burglar was in the warehouse, it is possible that the workman figured that Jews could be hiding upstairs. Then, the workman probably figured out that Mr. Frank would be the most logical one to be in hiding above his former workplace. Due to the desperate nature of life during wartime, the workman must have felt as though he was in a position to demand blackmail money, so he does.

How does Tybalt realize that Romeo is at Lord Capulet's party?

Romeo and Benvolio originally learn about Capulet's party when they come across the illiterate servingman in the street. He asks Romeo to help him with the list of guests who are invited to the party. On the list is the name of Rosaline, the girl that Romeo is in love with. Benvolio suggests that they go to the party so that he can show off other girls to Romeo in the hopes that his cousin will forget Rosaline. Before arriving at the party Romeo is worried as to what explanation they might give for their appearance at a party where they are not invited. Benvolio suggests that they simply go in and dance. They are also equipped with masks to cover their faces. 

Tybalt recognizes Romeo by the sound of his voice: "This, by his voice, should be a Montague." Romeo has been talking to himself, describing the beauty of the girl he sees across the room who, of course, is Juliet. Tybalt immediately calls for his sword but is interrupted by Lord Capulet who warns him not to "make a mutiny among my guests." Capulet even describes Romeo in flattering terms saying,

He bears him like a portly gentleman,
And, to say truth, Verona brags of him
To be a virtuous and well-governed youth.

Tybalt, however, feels as though he has been insulted and his anger will later resurface in the tragic events of Act III, Scene 1.

`dy/dx = 5e^(-x/2)` Use integration to find a general solution to the differential equation

 The given problem: ` (dy)/(dx) = 5e^(-x/2)`  is in form of a first order ordinary differential equation. To evaluate this, we may follow the variable separable differential equation: `N(y) dy= M(x)dx`

Cross-multiply `dx` to the other side, we get:

`dy= 5e^(-x/2)dx`

In this form, we may now proceed to direct integration on both sides:

`int dy= int 5e^(-x/2)dx`

For the left side, we apply basic integration property: `int (dy)=y` .

For the right side, we may apply u-substitution by letting: `u = -x/2` then `du =-1/2 dx` or `-2du= dx` .

Plug-in the values: `-x/2=u` and `dx=-2du` , we get:

`int 5e^(-x/2)dx=int 5e^(u)* (-2 du)`

                  ` =int -10e^(u)du`

Apply the basic integration property: `int c*f(x)dx= c int f(x) dx` .

`int -10e^(u) du=(-10) int e^(u) du`

Apply basic integration formula for exponential function:

`(-10)int e^(u) du= -10e^(u)+C`

Plug-in` u=-x/2` on` -10e^(u)+C` , we get:

`int 5e^(-x/2) dx=-10e^(-x/2)+C`

Combining the results from both sides, we get the general solution of differential equation as:

`y=-10e^(-x/2)+C`

When Mitch arrives at Morrie’s for the first time, what is he not proud of? Why does he struggle with this first meeting?

When Mitch arrives at Morrie's for the first time, he's not proud of the fact that he never kept his promise to keep in touch with his favorite professor. So, he sits in the car and feels guilty; he struggles to mentally prepare himself to meet his ailing professor.

Mitch realizes that he owes his professor more gratitude for his past kindnesses and patience towards him. Because he has failed in this area, he feels ashamed that he has let Morrie down. So, in a bid to mitigate his anxiety, Mitch decides to finish his conversation with the television producer before he approaches Morrie.

The eventual reunion between Morrie and Mitch five minutes later is fraught with great emotion. Morrie hugs his former student fiercely, demonstrating that his affection for Mitch has not dimmed. This makes Mitch feel even more guilty, as he remembers how close they were when he was still in college. Additionally, Mitch also struggles with the feeling that he is no longer the idealistic young person Morrie once knew. For the last few years before this first meeting, Mitch has let fame and fortune cloud his priorities; he desperately hopes that Morrie doesn't find out how far he has veered from the person he used to be:

I remembered graduation day, the briefcase, his tears at my departure, and I swallowed because I knew, deep down, that I was no longer the good, gift-bearing student he remembered. I only hoped that, for the next few hours, I could fool him.

What were Mendel's findings regarding patterns of inheritance?

Gregor Mendel was an Austrian monk who experimented with pea plants to learn more about patterns of inheritance. Today, many regard him as the father of the study of genetics, and we call the patterns of inheritance he described as Mendelian inheritance or Mendelian genetics. 

Mendel's pea experiments were based on his selective pollination of several plants. He observed the frequency of different phenotypes like purple or white blossoms, yellow or green seeds, and wrinkled or round seeds. Mendel discovered that by breeding certain plants together, the offspring might be more likely to resemble just one of the parent plants. He also discovered that there were no intermediate forms for the phenotypes — a yellow pea plant and a green pea plant do not produce a yellow-green offspring plant, for example.

Mendel developed two laws or principles of inheritance which informed later studies of genetics. The first law is the law of segregation, which states that organisms have two alleles for a particular trait. During reproduction, these two alleles separate from one another, and just one is passed on to the offspring. The second law is the law of independent assortment, which states that alleles are inherited independently of one another. For example, a parent plant which has purple flowers and yellow peas does not necessarily pass on both of these traits to the offspring. In humans, we can think of this in terms of the relationship between hair and eye color — just because someone inherits brown hair from their mother, it does not necessarily mean they will also inherit her blue eyes.

Mendel also used Punnet squares to predict or describe the potential genotypes of a population, the corresponding phenotype, and the frequencies of the related traits. This web page does a great job of giving a more in-depth description of how to create and interpret Punnet squares. Mendel used Punnet squares and selective breeding of his pea plants to determine that there are both dominant and recessive traits at work. 

Using Nazi Germany as an example, how can a civilised society turn on a group of people?

It is hard to justify how a 'civilized' people could turn upon its own citizens in the way that the Germans did during the 1930's and 1940's. It probably could be stated that a group of people that systematically murders over 10 million people just because they are different is not very civilized. At any rate, Germany was a modern industrial and military power in the early part of the Twentieth Century so some may use that to define civilization. Not to excuse the Germans for the atrocity that was the Holocaust, but many factors contributed to the population accepting the racist and nationalist ideology of the Nazis. There was a strong undercurrent of antisemitism in Europe for centuries that made the genocide more likely. This, coupled with the dramatic economic hardships brought on by the Treaty of Versailles made it easier for citizens to accept Adolf Hitler's rhetoric about the Jewish "problem." Another important factor in the German people accepting the imprisonment and murder of Jews was the fact that many were afraid to speak up and confront the Nazis. Speaking against the Nazis could cost Germans their lives as political dissidents were also targets.

A scooter acquires a velocity 54km/h in 15 seconds just after start. It takes 20 seconds to stop. Calculate accelaration in the 2 cases.

By the definition, (average) acceleration is the difference in velocity over difference in time. In our case nobody cannot guarantee that the acceleration is constant during both episodes, therefore we use the notion of average acceleration.

Actually acceleration and velocity are vector quantities, in our case we suppose the fixed direction, therefore a scalar is sufficient.

The first difference in speed is 54 km/h - 0 = 54 km/h, and it is equal to 54*1000/3600= 54*5/18 = 15 m/s, so the acceleration is `15/15 = 1 (m/s^2).`

In the second episode there is negative acceleration, deceleration. It is equal to the same 15 m/s divided by 20 s, i.e. `0.75 m/s^2.`

The answer: there is acceleration of the magnitude `1 m/s^2` and deceleration of the magnitude `0.75 m/s^2.`

Why did Pip return home the day after Joe's visit to London?

When Joe came to visit Pip in London, Pip was unfriendly and rude to him. It wasn’t until the end of Joe’s visit, when Joe passed on a message that Estella wanted to see him, that Pip starts feeling a little better toward Joe. Joe is amazingly forgiving of Pip’s behavior, saying in his own way that they have grown apart and sometimes that happens in life.

Pip does feel bad about how he treated Joe, and tells himself he must go and apologize the next day. He takes the coach to his little childhood village, but his real motivation is to see Estella. This is shown when he decides to stay at the local inn instead of with Joe. He has plenty of time to see Estella and the various people gathered at Miss Havisham’s house.

In the end, Pip doesn’t even see Joe. He returns to London and sends him a codfish and barrel of oysters to apologize for not stopping to see him when he was in the village. He was so overwhelmed by seeing Estella and the events that happened during his short visit that he ignored Joe.

If a director had unlimited money, what could the production of Act 1, Scene 2 of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream look like?

According to Shakespeare's stage directions, Act 1, Scene 2 of A Midsummer Night's Dream is set in Quince's house in Athens.

If we were to set our production of the play in the city of Athens in ancient Greece, according to the play's script, we might build a very historically accurate setting. Quince, based on the stage directions, is a carpenter. Therefore, we know his house would be characteristic of a commoner's house. Houses in ancient Greece were small and plain; aristocrats' homes were actually not much larger or less plain than the homes of commoners since ancient Athens was well populated and crowded. All homes were made of plastered mud bricks and covered in tiled roofs. There were windows, but there were, of course, no windowpanes. The commoner's home may have had one to three rooms, depending on financial status (Lambert, "Daily in Ancient Greece," A World History Encyclopedia). Their homes would have been attached to "workshops and stores" according to the commoner's trade; therefore, Quince's home would have been attached to his carpenter's workshop. The buildings of the home would have been situated around a courtyard; all Athenians would have had a courtyard where they placed their religious shrine. A commoner's home would have contained at least a "kitchen, a storage room, possibly a bathroom, and a lounge-type room for men's gatherings" ("The Houses of Athens," PBS). Therefore, the best historically accurate setting would be a three-walled plaster-covered mud brick home. Inside, the one-room men's lounge would be visible, and it would be in this room that Quince would distribute the parts to his fellow players. One wall of the room could contain a window looking out onto the shrine in the courtyard, and other walls may have doorways leading into other rooms. One doorway could give a glimpse of his carpenter's workshop in order to characterize him as a carpenter.

How does the ghost suffer in Oscar Wilde's story "The Canterville Ghost" and who helps him in his redemption?

The ghost of Sir Simon suffered mostly at the hands of the Otis twins, and Virginia Otis helped him earn his redemption. 

The entire Otis family, with the exception of Virginia, antagonizes Sir Simon during the story, but it is the twins who really give the ghost a difficult time.  The two youngsters pull just about every summer camp prank that they can think of on Sir Simon.  They put a bucket of water up on a door to soak the ghost as he comes through it.  They pull string across hallways to trip the ghost.  They shoot peas at Sir Simon with their pea shooters.  They even put melted butter on the floor to make it slippery enough for Sir Simon to fall.  

Virginia helps Sir Simon by being sympathetic to his plight.  She listens to him confess his wrongs, and she prays for him upon his request.  Because of Virginia's actions, Sir Simon is finally able to find eternal rest.   

Why does Mary Warren spend the day in Salem in The Crucible?

Mary Warren goes to Salem because she is an official in the witch trials.

Proctor forbids Mary Warren from going into Salem. When he learns that she has gone anyway, he is angry.

Elizabeth: Mary Warren’s there today.

Proctor: Why’d you let her? You heard me forbid her go to Salem any more!

Elizabeth: I couldn’t stop her.

Proctor, holding back a full condemnation of her: It is a fault, it is a fault, Elizabeth - you’re the mistress here, not Mary Warren. (Act 2)

Elizabeth tells him she is afraid of Mary, and he says she would be afraid of a mouse.  She explains to her husband that Mary Warren told her that she had to go into Salem because she was “an official of the court.”  Elizabeth is afraid of the court, but her husband tells her it is nonsense and "black mischief."

The couple argues about Abigail, who had an affair with John.  Abigail is the one who is responsible for starting the witch trials with her antics and her lies, so it is more serious than they realize.  It will make trouble for them later.

When Marry Warren finally comes home, John Proctor accosts her.  He grabs her cloak and threatens to whip her.  She doesn’t resist him, but she does object, saying she is sick.

Mary Warren: I am sick, I am sick, Mr. Proctor. Pray, pray, hurt me not. Her strangeness throws him off, and her evident pallor and weakness. He frees her. My insides are all shuddery; I am in the proceedings all day, sir. (Act 2) 

John tells her that her place is in his home, because she is his servant.  She is shirking her duties by sitting on the court.  Mary’s response is to give Elizabeth a doll, saying it is a gift she made during the proceedings.  This doll will later become important, because Elizabeth is accused of using it like a voodoo doll when a pin is found on it.

In "A Rose for Emily" by Faulkner, what are some of the protagonist's character traits and how do these change through the short story?

The protagonist of "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner is Miss Emily Grierson. She is a representative of the upper classes of the Old (antebellum) South who is now living in a rapidly changing New South. 

Miss Emily's father considered himself a member of the local aristocracy and owned an elegant house with servants, but did not really have enough money to maintain his social pretensions. When we first encounter her in the story, the neighborhood around her house has become a derelict industrial area and she herself has become too poor to afford her property taxes. She has lost her youthful attractiveness and not only has gained weight, but uses a cane. Nonetheless, she still carries some of the arrogance and sense of entitlement of the old southern upper classes and has a certain stubborn dignity in her reduced circumstances, winning battles over taxes and the mysterious smell. 

The narrator then recalls her as a slender attractive young woman in the shadow of her father, who considered her too good for potential suitors. In the story about her jilting by Homer and the ending of the story, we get a sense of how she negotiates her dual traits as a passive woman in a patriarchal society and a member of the upper classes. Although she cannot prevent herself from being jilted, she can successfully murder the man who did the jilting and control him in death in a way she could not in life. 

In The Way to Rainy Mountain by N. Scott Momaday, how does the novel’s structure affect its tone and meaning?

Pulitzer Prize winning author N. Scott Momaday’s 1969 work The Way to Rainy Mountain explores his Kiowa tribal heritage. The text blends historical accounts, folklore, memoir, and poetic language to trace the Kiowa tribe’s beginnings in the Montana region, their war against United States Calvary at Fort Still and resettlement in Oklahoma.

The structure of the book alternates between three distinct voices or registers. The folkloric register comes from oral tradition and describes ancient myth and legend. The historic voice provides objective, historical commentary. Finally, the third register is Momaday’s own perspective, his first-hand account told as a poetic memoir. This structure results in shifting tones as the register changes from ancient and mystical, to journalistic and factual, to personal and poetic. Some readers have found this shifting structure to be confusing and have preferred instead to read each voice in its entirety rather than in the order presented in the book.

The structure of this text has similar elements to anthropological qualitative research. Momaday’s three-part structure can be seen as a researcher’s triangulation—providing three perspectives that support each other in meaning. The ancient, historical, and personal blend and corroborate meaning rather than conflict. Each gains significance by its complementary juxtaposition against the other forms. This balance of voices contributes to an interpretation of the Kiowa tribe that is not static but informed by the past, interpreted from the present, and looking ahead to preserve tribal heritage into the future.  

Is Luke O'Neill in the Thorn Birds more like Amir from The Kite Runner or Rasheed from A Thousand Splendid Suns?

Colleen McCullough's Thorn Birds highlights the story of the Cleary family over the course of 54 years, emphasizing the life of Meghann "Meggie" Cleary who lives at Drogheda, a sheep station in the Australian Outback. Meggie is eventually courted by Luke O'Neill, a miserly and misogynistic ranch worker at the station. Luke and Meggie unenthusiastically marry each other, but Luke doesn't stick around for long, leaving her to cut sugarcane in North Queensland, stealing her wages and savings in the process. 

Luke is more like Rasheed in Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns. Rasheed is a shoemaker from Kabul who marries the much younger Mariam and is incredibly abusive toward her. Rasheed also later abuses the other female protagonist, Laila, who bears his son. 

Amir, from Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner, is much more passive than the two aforementioned characters. He does witness a horrific act of violence and chooses not to intervene, but he does not play an active role in injuring anyone. Thus, I would say Luke, who is very aggressive, is not really like Amir.

What happened in the car crash in chapter seven of The Great Gatsby?

After the confrontation between Gatsby and Tom in the NYC hotel room, Daisy and Gatsby drive back to East Egg together in Gatsby's car. When they pass the Wilsons' home/ business, Myrtle runs toward the car because she believes it is Tom driving the Rolls Royce, since she saw him drive it earlier that same day with Jordan and Nick as passengers. George intends to take her away from New York, and she is frantic. It is actually Daisy driving, as Nick later learns from Gatsby, and Daisy accidentally swerves and hits Myrtle, fatally injuring her. Daisy does not realize Myrtle is the woman Tom has been seeing, and Gatsby tells Nick that he intends to take the blame for the accident if the police trace the car to him.

How are George and Hazel Bergeron described? What sort of life do they lead?

Hazel and George have different levels of mental and physical abilities, and Vonnegut uses those contrasts to illustrate the effects of the equality measures their society enforces. Hazel is of "average" or "normal" intelligence, and therefore she doesn't have to use any handicapping devices to disrupt her thinking. She already thinks only in "short bursts" and has difficulty remembering anything for more than a few minutes. George, on the other hand, is intelligent enough to think through issues and their consequences. Every time he starts to think deeply about something, however, his handicapper radio emits a painful signal and his thoughts crash. George also has to wear a 47-pound bag of birdshot around his neck to make his life as physically challenging as if he were as weak as Hazel. 

Hazel and George lead a very boring life. It's not clear whether Hazel is employed. But when George comes home from work, their life consists mostly of sitting around and watching TV. Although they experienced great emotional trauma when their son, Bergeron, was arrested and removed from their home, they are prevented from the effect of that trauma by Hazel's natural ignorance and George's enforced ignorance. Even seeing her son murdered on TV cannot bring enduring sadness to Hazel, and George missed watching the entire event when he went to get a beer.

By making society equal, the government ensures its citizens are boring, compliant people who lead boring, compliant lives.

How would you explain the Dred Scott case and how it affected the debate about slavery?

There were several events in the 1850s that drove the North and the South further apart. One of those events was the Dred Scott decision issued by the Supreme Court in 1857.

Dred Scott was a slave. His owner took him to free territory. With the help of anti-slavery lawyers, Dred Scott went to court to sue for his freedom. He believed he should be free since he was taken to free territory.

The Supreme Court disagreed. The Supreme Court said this case should never have been in the court system. Since Dred Scott was a slave, he was considered to be property. A person's property is protected by the Constitution. Thus, it made no difference if Dred Scott was in a slave area or a free area. A slave is considered as property, and property can’t be taken away from its owners. The Supreme Court also said the Missouri Compromise was illegal. The same was true for popular sovereignty.

The South was thrilled by this decision. This was a pro-slavery ruling. The ruling outraged the North. It showed how slavery was dividing the country in the 1850s.

In William Golding's Lord Of The Flies, why do the boys need face paint in order to do evil deeds?

The face paint is a camouflage to hide their true identities. Once their faces are covered, they adopt new personalities. They are transformed from innocent and disciplined English schoolboys into savage hunters. The paint symbolises their descent into savagery and bloodthirst.

The boys had obviously learnt about war paint and the use of paint for camouflage at school or through their reading. They had most probably also come into contact with soldiers, during their evacuation, wearing camouflage uniforms and probably face paint since their country was involved in a war. It is, therefore, natural for them to adopt a similar strategy when they go on a hunt. The face paint would allow them to blend in with their surroundings and become less noticeable to their prey, as Jack explains to Roger whilst smearing his face with clay in chapter 4:

“For hunting. Like in the war. You know—dazzle paint. Like things trying to look like something else—” He twisted in the urgency of telling. “—like moths on a tree trunk.”

In addition, since they are young, it is also fun. The putting on of a mask allows them to do some role-play. They can now experience greater freedom and adopt the persona of whatever or whomever they wish. The mask makes them different, as illustrated in the following extract relating to Jack after he disguised himself:

He looked in astonishment, no longer at himself but at an awesome stranger. He spilt the water and leapt to his feet, laughing excitedly. Beside the pool his sinewy body held up a mask that drew their eyes and appalled them. He began to dance and his laughter became a bloodthirsty snarling.

The psychological impact of their hidden selves encourages them and makes them behave in contrast to what they have become accustomed to. They do not have to subscribe to society's conventions.  

Ironically, though, the masks also bring the boys closer to their real natures. They are now more in touch with their innate desire to harm and hurt and maim. They feel released from the pretence of civility and conscientiousness. They have, now, after all, been reborn as savages. Wearing the face paint is accompanied by whooping and yelling and chanting and doing dances and hunting and killing because these are the things savages are supposed to do. 

Jack and his hunters become tribal and refer to themselves as savages, which means that they exist as a separate entity. Their savagery is an element of their nature since they are, after all, supposed to be wild and free because that is what being savage means. Painting their faces further confirms this fact - we are not what we are supposed to be, we are what we are: what you see is what you get. 

Simon recognises this beast which exists within us all and he, Ralph and Piggy, the more rational ones, become victims of the other boys' descent into barbarity. In the end, Simon and Piggy are killed and Ralph is hunted like a beast. 

What are some examples of Bilbo's leadership in The Hobbit?

During the first half of The Hobbit, Bilbo is just along for the ride.  It is not until Gandalf deliberately leaves the party to go through Mirkwood alone, that Bilbo is forced to take leadership. 

It begins when, after wandering from the path in the dark, the company become separated (Chapter Eight).  Bilbo, all alone in the dark, wakes up to find himself being wrapped up by a huge spider.  No one is at hand to rescue him.  He fights and kills it himself, with his sword Sting.  

Somehow the killing of the giant spider, all alone by himself in the dark without the help of the wizard or the dwarves [sic] or of anyone else, made a great difference to Mr. Baggins.

The next morning, Bilbo goes looking for the dwarfs and finds that they have been captured by a group of giant spiders and are all wrapped up, hanging upside down, waiting to be devoured.  He embarks on a long and harrowing rescue, using his sword and his magic ring, that ends up taking all day.  In the course of this rescue, he has to lead the dwarfs.  They are dazed and frightened, and also sleepy and weak from the spiders' poison.  Bilbo has to explain to them that "I am going to disappear" (for he had not yet told them about his ring), and get them to run away whenever he draws off the spiders.  They also have to make several stands whenever the spiders catch up to them, and they must turn around and fight.  This is the beginning of Bilbo's leadership. 

That evening, when they are finally safe from the spiders but have not found the path again, they realize that Thorin (the lead dwarf) is missing.  The next day, while wandering around trying to find the path, they are captured by a company of Wood-elves (Chapter Nine).   Bilbo adroitly slips on his ring, making himself invisible, and quietly follows the Wood-elves as they bring their prisoners back to their underground realm.  He sneaks in the gate, and thus begins his second episode of leadership.  Slowly, over many days, remaining invisible the entire time, Bilbo makes contact with all the dwarfs in their cells and discovers that Thorin is also being held in an isolated dungeon.  Then he conceives and carries out the famous escape by barrel.  To pull this off he has to convince all the dwarfs to come out of their cells when he sets them free, and to agree to get into the barrels.  They have to do this quietly, and with limited time before they are caught.  Bilbo succeeds in all of this. 

When the dwarfs arrive by barrel in Laketown, Bilbo gets them out of the barrels, listens to their complaints, and revives them.  Then, since Thorin is now with them, leadership immediately reverts to him, and Mr. Baggins once again fades into the background. 

The company make it to the Lonely Mountain and manage to find the secret entrance.  Now the dwarfs once again treat Bilbo like a hired hand.  Per their agreement, he goes alone into the tunnel, steals a golden cup, and brings it back to the dwarfs (Chapter Twelve). Then he tells them that although he has no idea how they are to get the huge mound of treasure out of the mountain, or in fact how they might get rid of the dragon, he is willing to make a second trip down the tunnel to see if he can find Smaug's "weak spot."

Naturally the dwarves [sic] accepted the offer eagerly.  Already they had come to respect little Bilbo.  Now he had become the real leader in their adventure.  He had begun to have ideas and plans of his own. 

After his second trip down the tunnel (during which Bilbo actually talks with Smaug), Bilbo returns to the dwarfs and they sit outside the entrance to the tunnel for a long time, talking.  Bilbo feels a deep foreboding and suggests they go inside the tunnel.   He has to urge them, but at last they agree to it.  Once inside the tunnel, he still feels fear.  He urges them to close the door.  They are reluctant, but he finally gets them to close it -- just before Smaug comes flying around the mountain and blasts with his fiery breath the mountainside where they had been sitting.  Bilbo has saved the dwarfs again.

After Smaug is killed (destroying Laketown in the process) and the dwarfs have taken over the Lonely Mountain, a standoff develops between Thorin, who has barricaded himself and the other dwarfs in the mountain, and the Lakemen, who are requesting that he give them a share of the treasure to make up for the loss of their homes.  Now it is time for Bilbo's final act of leadership.  He sneaks out of the Mountain by night and secretly offers a bargaining chip to the Lakemen.  It is the Arkenstone, the most valuable object in the hoard and the thing that Thorin most desires.  By doing this, he hopes to prevent a siege or battle, which is what seems to be developing.   

Bilbo's offer of the Arkenstone is not leadership in the typical sense, as no one is following him.  But he is taking independent, strategic action, putting into play an alternative solution other than the one offered by Thorin, the ostensible leader of the company.   And Gandalf (who now shows up again) seems to approve: "Well done!  Mr. Baggins!"

Important lesson in "The Devil in the White City"

One important lesson in Devil in the White City by Erik Larson is to always be careful, especially in new surroundings.  H.H. Holmes, the alias of the serial killer in the book, lured women who were new to Chicago to work in his drugstore.  After he wooed them, he got them to take out life insurance and he offered them a place to stay in his mansion, which was really a specially designed murder house with airtight rooms where he could gas his victims.  Holmes would then arrange to have the flesh stripped off the bones and send the skeletons to medical schools who were desperate to have bodies.  It is highly unlikely that this scenario would happen today, as social media and cell phones make it possible to have constant contact with the outside world, but one should always maintain one's guard.  These women who were lured by the World's Fair in Chicago and the White City were never seen again, and to this day no one is really sure how many people Holmes killed.  

What was Daniel's part in the skirmish?

In Chapter 2, Rosh gives the order to rob a caravan heading through the valley trade route in the mountains. Rosh wants his band to capture a giant slave because he says that the slave is too valuable to waste on the galleys. Daniel is disappointed because he is responsible for holding a scared fat man in check while the others free the huge slave from the caravan. Suddenly, Rosh gives the order to attack and Daniel runs towards the heavy man in the striped headdress and twists his arm back before the man has a chance to grab for his dagger. Daniel quickly grabs the man's dagger and pokes the man's ribs with it. Daniel feels cheated out of a challenging opportunity when he sees the terror in the man's face. The entire skirmish happens quickly, and Rosh orders his men to retreat after they successfully take the slave. Daniel's job in the skirmish was simply to make sure a fat man did not hurt anyone while the rest of Rosh's band took the slave. 

How has this society evolved?

In the short story "Harrison Bergeron," society has "evolved" to make everyone more or less equal to everyone else. Because in the past equality had been so valued, the people in power thought it best to make some changes which would ensure that everybody would be equally represented in society. In this case, they took it to mean that nobody could be considered "better" than anyone else or be given an unfair advantage, even if the culprit were simply being born better-looking, or with a higher intelligence than someone else. In the story, their society thought it best to create a government agency which would be responsible for enforcing these "handicaps." The woman in charge of it is known as the "Handicapper General." 

For example, if a person were considered highly intelligent and capable of advanced thought, they would be handicapped so as to bring them down to a more acceptable level of functioning. In the relationship between Harrison's parents, Hazel and George, George is the extremely intelligent one, and so he has to wear headphones which emit loud, obnoxious noises that inhibit his ability to form complete thoughts. This was done in order to bring him down to Hazel's level. She doesn't have to wear the headphones, because she is already of below-average intelligence.

When Hazel and George watch the ballet on TV, they can tell which ballerinas must have been the most beautiful, because they are forced to wear masks so that they will not be given preferential treatment over anyone else. Those who have very attractive voices must develop a stutter or wear a voice-changing machine to mask their beautiful cadence. Also, those people who are tall and strong must be weighed down by heavy objects so as not to award them any physical advantages over others. In this way, everyone is considered to be kept on an "equal" level. They considered this an "evolved" way of living. 

In Hemingway's story "Soldier's Home," is Krebs a dynamic or static character?

Harold Krebs is a dynamic character because he goes through a change as a result of his confrontation with his mother at the end of the story. Throughout most of "Soldier's Home," Krebs, a World War I veteran, just wants his life to "go smoothly" and would like to avoid life's "consequences" after witnessing the horrors of battle. These consequences involve interpersonal relationships and, although he is interested in looking at the girls of his small Oklahoma town, he is unwilling to engage in the type of activity which would lead to a relationship:

But he would not go through all the talking. He did not want one badly enough. He liked to look at them all, though. It was not worth it.

Harold also avoids any meaningful emotional commitment to his family. When his sister says that Harold is her "beau," he is vague and noncommittal. She also says that if he doesn't go to her baseball game, he doesn't really love her. In the story's climax, Harold is confronted by his mother over his lack of initiative and general apathy about life. When he claims he doesn't love her, she emotionally blackmails him by breaking down and crying. This scene seems to change Harold. He is forced to abandon a life without commitment. In the story's final words, Harold is poised to get on with his life and a return to love and "consequences." His statement that he would attend his sister's game is symbolic of this return and a definite change in his character. 

He wanted his life to go smoothly. It had just gotten going that way. Well, that was all over now, anyway. He would go over to the schoolyard and watch Helen play indoor baseball.

What does it mean to be modern?

In terms of literary and aesthetic studies, Modernism is a constantly shifting notion. One is even unclear about when Modernism actually begins. Some argue that it started in 1863 when a salon jury refused Edouard Manet's scandalous painting Déjeuner sur l'herbe ("Lunch on the Grass"), resulting in what is now called Salon des Refusés. 

Others say that Modernism did not begin until the 1920s with the emergence of dissonant and dissident movements such as Surrealism and The Lost Generation, not to mention the entrance of stream-of-consciousness and psychoanalysis into the visual arts and literature. Moreover, the twenties saw the entrance of African aesthetics into visual and performance arts. Such cultural trends were also mentioned in literature. Nevertheless, the influence black people had on Modernism, even that which came from black Americans within the Harlem Renaissance, is often downplayed or ignored. 

Modernism was most specifically a reaction to the aftermath of World War I. The war resulted in collective disillusionment. All of the "truths" that middle-class society had taken for granted came undone. Determinism, the notion that there are aspects of being that occur outside of free will, came into question. Ideas about personal moral responsibility entered cultural and philosophical space. Hemingway wrote about the importance of a man adhering to a "code" that was uniquely his own, but strictly adhered to. 

Supposedly, we are still in the "modern" stage, though others would characterize our current era as "postmodern," or dealing with the dystopian, or degraded, result of the Modernist era. I would argue that Western society never finished where Modernism left off. There is still a great deal to explore in terms of expressions of the subconscious in literature and the visual arts, as well as multi-cultural motifs, and the beautiful mechanics of technology. So much of our current world was shaped by Modernism.

In my view, to be "modern" is to be forward-thinking, experimental, and globally oriented.

In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, where is the men's money going, according to Crooks?

In Chapter Four, most of the men on the ranch have gone into Soledad on a Saturday night, leaving behind Lennie, Crooks and Candy. Because he has seen Crooks's light in the barn, Lennie enters the black man's room. Crooks is hesitant to let Lennie in but soon warms to the company. Candy, who has been "figuring" about Lennie's rabbits, also enters the room, and the conversation turns to the farm which George, Lennie and Candy plan to buy, mostly with money contributed by Candy, who received money when he lost his hand in a ranch accident. Crooks is critical of the idea and believes that, although the men will talk "about it a hell of a lot," they will never realize the dream. He claims that he has seen many men with the same idea, but that a "whorehouse" or a "blackjack game" always separated the men from their money. When Candy insists that they actually have the money to get the farm started, Crooks questions where George is, thinking that he is in Soledad spending the men's money in a whorehouse:

“An’ where’s George now? In town in a whorehouse. That’s where your money’s goin’. Jesus, I seen it happen too many times. I seen too many guys with land in their head. They never get none under their hand.” 

Actually Candy has the money safe and George has said he would only go into town to have a shot of whiskey and not a "flop." Crooks eventually believes Candy and even proposes to go along with the men to the farm to "lend a hand." In the end, however, Crooks withdraws his offer after a racist incident with Curley's wife. 

Where exactly is the school located in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Scout and Jem live on the main residential street in town. Think of this street going straight up and down. (It would help to draw this on a piece of paper.) On the left side of the street, from top to bottom, you have Miss Dubose's house, Miss Rachel's, and then the Finch house. Across the street, on the right side, you have Mr. Avery, Miss Maudie, and Miss Stephanie. If you keep moving down the street (towards the bottom of the page), you come to the Radley house (on the left side of the street) and the oak trees. Keep going further down this way and you come to the school.

So, if Scout walks out of the front door of her house, she would be facing Miss Maudie's house across the road. She would turn right, moving south/down, and pass the Radley house, the deer pasture, and the two oak trees, en route to the school. In Chapter 1, Scout notes "The Maycomb school grounds adjoined the back of the Radley lot." The children would walk past the Radley house on their way to school. At the end of the novel, when Scout and Jem are walking back from the pageant at school, they will be heading north/up: in the direction of the Radley house and eventually their own house. 

In Spiegelman's Maus, how does death inevitably affect Vladek's relationships throughout the years?

Many people who survive traumatizing events that involve death wind up experiencing survivor's guilt. Not only does everyone closest to Vladek die, but six million of his brothers and sisters die while he is lucky enough to survive. This knowledge holds Vladek back from truly moving forward in life because he clings to old habits that he needed from during the war to survive. It's as if Vladek is always in survival mode rather than focusing on the people around him who could bring joy to his life. In chapter two of the second part of Maus, Artie is talking with the therapist about his father. Artie complains of his father's behaviors which caused many people to become frustrated with him during his life. The therapist says something that makes Artie think of his father in a more profound light:

"Maybe your father needed to show that he was always right--that he could always survive--because he felt guilty about surviving" (204).

The opposite of survival is death; therefore, Vladek subconsciously needs to maintain his survival behavior in order to justify avoiding death after so many died.

Another example of how death affects Vladek is through the survival skills he acquires during the war. For example, his strong desire to survive leads him to be aware of his surroundings and how to fit in where work was needed. Those who could work, or who had special skills, lived because they showed Poles and Germans their value. After the war, he also used these resourceful skills to get a job in Sweden and eventually to get to America. Vladek's life is all about survival, whether he is in the war, a prison camp, or in America. The fear of death at almost every stage of his life drives him to be continually saving, moving, becoming more so that he can see another day.

Artie sees this growing up, but he doesn't understand his father's behavior because he's never experienced fear of dying every day of his life. For example, when Artie and Vladek are walking to the bank, Vladek finds some telephone wire and picks it up to save for later. This is a habit from Auschwitz because anything saved could probably be used to trade for food or services later. Artie tells his father to throw the wire away and go buy what he needs, Vladek's reply is as follows:

"Why always you want to buy when you can find!? Anyway, this wire they don't have it in any stores" (118).

Whether its matches or wire, old cereal or bread, if something isn't useful to him, he trades it away. Anything Vladek has is either used to help him in some way or to save money--or he trades it away for something that does. This behavior drives his son and second wife crazy, but they don't understand that he is just doing the only thing he knows how to do, and that is to survive in his own way. It got him through the war, why not do what seems to work? Vladek just never comes to grip that once in America, the war is over, Hitler is gone, and he doesn't just have to survive each day; he can finally live.

Vladek never seems to grasp the concept that he is completely free from the threat of death. As a result, his second wife leaves him, his son doesn't want to take care of him, and he never truly moves on to create better relationships in his life. In fact, he pushes people away unknowingly. Therefore, death affects Vladek's life because of the survivor's guilt and behaviors that he carries with him after the war. 

How did geography limit the success of the Crusades?

Simply put, the Levant was too far away from Europe.  European armies had long supply trains.  They needed food for the army and fodder for horses.  There was also a need to bring weapons, clothing, and servants.  The roads in Medieval Europe were horrible, so it took a lot of time for the Crusaders just to leave Europe.  There were also warring factions inside of Christendom, so it was not uncommon to have a supply train looted by armies going to war against each other.  Once in Asia Minor, the Crusaders learned that the local populace was either afraid or hostile toward Europeans and would offer little in the way of food or supplies.  Arab fighters learned that the best way to control the Crusading armies was to control oases so that the armies could not get to water, thus leading to men and animals dying of thirst and starvation as their food supplies ran out.  

Another way geography hurt the Crusaders was the climate of the region.  Knights still relied on metal armor, which overheated the owner on long marches through the desert.  The European horse was also a heavier animal than his Arabian counterpart.  While the knight was good for direct charges, he was no match for the Arabian horse archer, who would rely more on mobility.  Climate and sheer distance limited the abilities of the Crusading armies, and it would have been difficult if not impossible for them to maintain control over the Middle East.  

Provide examples of emotional courage in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird.

The clearest example of emotional courage throughout the novel takes place in Chapter 11. Mrs. Dubose, the community's most outspoken racist, upsets Jem as he is walking past her home, prompting him to destroy her camellia bush. Jem's punishment is to read to Mrs. Dubose every day, except for Sunday, for two hours for a full month. Shortly after Jem's punishment is over, Mrs. Dubose passes away. Atticus tells his children that Mrs. Dubose was the bravest person he'd ever met because she chose to break her addiction to morphine before she died. Atticus explains that Mrs. Dubose suffered from a chronic illness, and the morphine numbed her pain. She told him that "she was going to leave this world beholden to nothing and nobody" (Lee 69). Jem's reading occupied Mrs. Dubose for a long enough time to take her mind off of the pain, and she eventually was able to break her addiction. Mrs. Dubose displayed emotional courage and resolve by enduring the pain to die free from addiction.

Another scene throughout the novel that depicts emotional courage takes place in Chapter 20 when Atticus addresses the jury during his closing remarks. Atticus courageously challenges Maycomb's prejudice by revealing the truth and commenting on their systemic racist beliefs. By defending Tom Robinson, Atticus knows that he is alienating himself from his community members, but he chooses to do the right thing and follow his conscience.

What were the reasons the colonists left Britain?

People left Great Britain for its American colonies for a number of reasons. Many were indentured servants, who went to places in the colonies to work for a certain period of time in return for land or other compensation awarded when they completed their terms. Some others were compelled to leave, and became indentured servants, out of debt or indigence. Others were "transported," i.e. sent to the colonies as punishment for a crime. Some came willingly, out of a desire for cheap land. A relatively small proportion came seeking religious freedom. These included, most famously, the Calvinist settlers in New England, but many Quakers also settled throughout the colonies. There were also communities of other religious dissenters, Mennonites and Moravians for example, who settled in pockets around the North American colonies. Some young men, especially those who did not receive a suitable inheritance, came to the colonies to attempt to make their fortune as land speculators, merchants, or other similar occupations. Above all, those people who had a choice came to the colonies from Great Britain because they saw economic opportunities that were simply not available at home.

How does Coriolanus' relationship with his wife compare to his relationship with his mother?

In Shakespeare's play, Caius Martius Coriolanus is a warrior par excellence; in fact, he's very good at being a soldier. The main influence in his chosen lifestyle is his mother, Volumnia, one of Shakespeare's most influential maternal figures.

Volumnia cherishes a warrior spirit to rival that of the most battle-hardened Roman soldier. In fact, Coriolanus is inevitably drawn to Volumnia by virtue of his emotional connection to this dominating matriarch. One can argue that he seeks her acceptance and approval as much as he seeks victory on the battlefield. It is Volumnia who encourages her son to excel in warfare and to pursue a course in politics. Coriolanus thinks her "the most noble mother of the world" (Act 5, Scene 3), while Volumnia assures him: "Thou art my warrior; I holp to frame thee" (Act 5, Scene 3). Indeed, Volumnia proudly asserts that "there's no man in the world more bound to 's mother" (Act 5, Scene 3).

On the other hand, Coriolanus' relationship with Virgilia, his patient and long-suffering wife, is fraught with emotional tension of a different sort. Virgilia, the stereotypical quiet and submissive Roman wife, doesn't think very much of Volumnia's emphasis on war and bloodshed. She finds no joy in her husband's absences. In Act 1 Scene 3, the main point of contention between Volumnia and Virgilia is Coriolanus' preoccupation with warfare.

Volumnia maintains that Virgilia needs to stop moping about her husband going off to war. She simultaneously lectures and patronizes her daughter-in-law; Volumnia basically refuses to sympathize with Virgilia. Here's what she proclaims:

"I pray you, daughter, sing; or express yourself in a more comfortable sort: if my son were my husband, I should freelier rejoice in that absence wherein he won honour than in the embracements of his bed where he would show most love...I tell thee, daughter, I sprang not more in joy at first hearing he was a man-child than now in first seeing he had proved himself a man...I had rather had eleven die nobly for their country than one voluptuously surfeit out of action" (Act 1 Scene 3).

While Virgilia shrinks from the prospect of Coriolanus shedding his blood, Volumnia calls her a "fool" for not appreciating what a warrior has to sacrifice for victory. So, Volumnia essentially overshadows her daughter-in-law; she leaves no room for Virgilia to assert her wifely concerns.

Meanwhile, Coriolanus sees Virgilia as his better self; he does not seek her approval because she approves of him already. Virgilia's respectful address of "My lord and husband" is in turn lavishly rewarded by his adoring "Best of my flesh, Forgive my tyranny." To Coriolanus, a kiss from Virgilia makes up for his long exile away from her; to this battle-hardened warrior, his wife is his "gracious silence."

So, the difference between Coriolanus' relationship with his mother and with his wife lies in his differing approach to both. With Volumnia, Coriolanus must evince consistent evidence of his exploits on the battlefield to satisfy the dictates of her expectations. Yet, in the midst of the biggest decision in his life (to withdraw from attacking Rome), it is Virgilia's kiss which fills his mind and heart:

Now, by the jealous queen of heaven, that kiss
I carried from thee, dear, and my true lip
Hath virgin'd it e'er since.’

While Coriolanus sees Volumnia as the inspiration behind his warrior ethos, he views Virgilia as the one woman whose gentle love inspires his sexual passion and loyalty.

What is an exchange rate?

An exchange rate is the rate at which one currency can be exchanged for another.  In other words, it is the figure that tells us how much one country’s currency is worth in terms of another country’s currency.

When people or firms in different countries trade, they have to exchange currency.  Let us imagine that a Chinese couple is going to come to the US as tourists.  They will have to use their Chinese money to buy American money because American hotels, restaurants, gift shops, etc. will not accept Chinese money.  The same happens when WalMart wants to buy a shipment of goods from China.  The Chinese company that makes the goods wants to be paid in Chinese yuan because that is the currency that it can use to do things like paying its workers and buying goods from Chinese suppliers.  Therefore, WalMart has to use its US dollars to buy Chinese yuan with which to pay the company.

But how many Chinese yuan should one dollar buy?  The answer to this is not clear.  This is where exchange rates come in.  The exchange rate, which is usually set by forces of supply and demand, tell how much WalMart will have to pay for each Chinese yuan and how many yuan the Chinese couple must pay for each US dollar.  Right now, the exchange rate is about 6.6 Chinese yuan to one American dollar.  That would mean that the Chinese couple would have to spend 6.6 yuan to buy each dollar that they want and WalMart would receive 6.6 yuan for each dollar it spends.

Thus, an exchange rate is the rate at which one currency can be exchanged for another; it tells us how many of one country’s currency you can get in exchange for one unit of another’s currency. 

How does Lady Macbeth's attitude change in Act V in Macbeth?

In Act V, Lady Macbeth's behavior is unrecognizable. At the beginning of the play, she comes across as an evil, strong, and manipulative woman who questions her husband's courage and encourages him to murder his relative Duncan, who is also the king. She appears to be cruel and relentless:

Come, you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,
And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full
Of direst cruelty!

In this soliloquy, she invokes the evil forces to fill her with cruelty and strength because she wants to help her husband in his quest to murder king Duncan.

Nevertheless, in Act V, Lady Macbeth is a completely altered person. She has stepped into madness and begins to hallucinate and sleepwalk. Her guilty conscience will not give her peace. Lady Macbeth's realization that she encouraged and forced her husband to commit atrocious acts begins to haunt her, and she is no longer a self-possessed and strong character. We realize she has become fragile and neglected by her husband.

By embracing evil, Lady Macbeth initiates her own demise, as did her husband. They are both tragic characters because they could have had a good and normal life, but, instead, they chose corruption and evil.

Can you please help me write a movie script or screenplay involving the topic of slavery?

Slavery is a very complicated subject with many layers. Perhaps you can concentrate on one aspect of slavery, such as the Middle Passage, which was the journey slaves took from Africa to the New World. This journey was frightening and deadly for many people. You could also concentrate on what life was like for American slaves on plantations. A good source of information is Frederick Douglass's autobiography, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. In the beginning chapters, he discusses what it was like to grow up on a plantation where he did not often see his mother and commonly witnessed the beatings of family members. A third idea is to use Frederick Douglass's descriptions (in later chapters of his autobiography) of his life in Baltimore to produce a movie or script about a slave who worked in an urban area. Douglass worked on ships and earned wages, which were given to his masters. In these later chapters, he explains he wanted to read, but his slave mistress, who initially taught him some rudimentary parts of reading, then was not allowed to continue to teach him. People thought teaching slaves to read would ruin them for slavery, as they would develop a mind of their own. This situation renewed Douglass's determination to learn to read. Using Douglass's life could help you develop a story line related to slavery. 

What part did Diana, Betsy, and Brigid play in Lyddie's life?

Diana, Betsy, and Brigid all play important roles in Lyddie's life.  

Diana is really the first to welcome Lyddie to being a factory girl.  Diana takes Lyddie under her wing and teaches Lyddie how to operate within the very busy factory.  Diana is also the woman who first treats Lyddie's injury on the factory floor.  Additionally, Diana secures Lyddie access to a doctor.  Lastly, Diana is the woman that really encourages Lyddie to sign the petition. 

Betsy's main role is that she turns Lyddie toward the importance of education and learning.  Betsy first does this by reading Oliver Twist to Lyddie.  Eventually Lyddie learns that Betsy is working in the factory to put herself through college.  The possibility of that for Lyddie had never really crossed her mind until she met Betsy.  

Lyddie does not like Brigid at first.  Lyddie is forced to help her learn how to work in the factory.  That causes Lyddie's production to fall a bit, and Lyddie isn't happy about that.  Eventually, Lyddie becomes Brigid's protector in the same way that Diana was Lyddie's protector.  Near the end of the book, Lyddie helps Brigid escape from Mr. Marsden's sexual advances.  The incident leads to Lyddie being fired. 

How is maturity internalised in Jem and Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird?

To internalize is to adopt such things as the cultural values and morals of a group through learning and socializing (Random House Dictionary). Hence, as one matures, one undergoes a process of internalizing beliefs accepted by society. In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, it can be said that both Jem and Scout internalize maturity by learning to be a gentleman and a lady, respectively.

Through observing his father, Jem grows to understand that to be a gentleman is to be able to show the utmost respect to all living beings at all times. One moment in which Jem learns this lesson is when he observes his father demonstrate his perfect marksmanship by shooting a rabid dog to protect his family and neighborhood. When Scout doesn't understand why Atticus kept his skills a secret, Jem understands it is because Atticus values life too much to be able to boast about his abilities to kill life in one shot, as we see when Jem says to his sister, "Naw, Scout, it's something you wouldn't understand ... Atticus is a gentleman, just like me!" (Ch. 11).

Likewise, Scout internalizes maturity through learning to appreciate being a lady by observing the ladies around her whom she admires. Scout strongly resists the idea of needing to behave like a lady at the start of the story. However, the more she socializes with ladies such as Miss Maudie, Calpurnia, and Aunt Alexandra, the more she begins to understand what it truly means to be a lady. One thing she learns is that, just like being a gentleman means treating others with respect, being a lady means the same thing. More specifically, ladies treat others with respect by maintaining humility, like Calpurnia, and being brave, like Miss Maudie and Aunt Alexandra. Scout finally makes the decision she can be a lady when she observes her aunt and Miss Maudie put on brave faces the day they learn of Tom Robinson's unfortunate and untimely death. Their brave faces allow them to continue to treat their guests with the utmost courtesy and respect. Scout notes her decision to be a lady in the following:

I carefully picked up the tray and watched myself walk to Mrs. Merriweather. With my best company manners, I asked her if she would have some. After all, if Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so could I. (Ch. 24)

Hence, as we can see, both Scout and Jem internalize maturity as they learn from observing others around them how to be respectful and even courageous, two characteristics Maycomb's society highly values.

In The Grapes of Wrath, how does Steinbeck show the ways an individual confronts social injustice?

Through different characters in The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck shows how individuals can take action in order to confront social injustice.

Steinbeck portrays a world in The Grapes of Wrath that is filled with social injustice. The vast majority of people in it lack economic power. This majority is subject to the wealthy few. Despite this imbalance, Steinbeck shows people can challenge injustice. Ma Joad is one such example. Steinbeck creates the family's matriarch as someone who actively challenges social injustice in small ways. An instance of this is when she shares the small amount of food the family has with other people. Ma Joad builds community by refusing to turn anyone away who is in need, saying,

As far as ‘will,’ why, we’ll do what we will. An’ as far as ‘will’—it’s a long time our folks been here and east before, an' I never heerd tell of no Joads or no Hazletts, neither, ever refusin’ food an’ shelter or a lift on the road to anybody that asked. They’s been mean Joads, but never that mean.

Ma Joad challenges social injustice through her embrace of community. She does not allow economic poverty to impoverish her character. Even though she is destitute, Ma Joad still cares for others because it is the right thing to do. As a result, Steinbeck suggests even the poorest individuals can confront social injustice.

Jim Casy is another character who actively shows how social injustice can be challenged. Casy realizes the church as an institution might not be the best way he can help people. Rather, he embraces a spiritual identity that views all people as part of a larger entity.

But now I been thinkin' what he said, an' I can remember—all of it. Says one time he went out in the wilderness to find his own soul, an' he foun' he didn' have no soul that was his'n. Says he foun' he jus' got a little piece of a great big soul. Says a wilderness ain't no good, 'cause his little piece of a soul wasn't no good 'less it was with the rest, an' was whole. Funny how I remember. Didn' think I was even listenin'. But I know now a fella ain't no good alone.

Casy actively preaches about this "whole" and how individuals "ain't no good alone." His preaching challenges those who perpetrate economic injustice. As a result, Casy shows individuals can confront social injustice armed with a philosophy that embraces collectivity over isolation.

Tom Joad is another character who shows social injustice can be challenged. Initially, Tom sees himself and his survival as the only elements that matter. He comes to understand this is not a viable philosophy because it does not challenge those responsible for social injustice. Tom recognizes unfairness has to be directly confronted. As a result, when Casy dies, Tom understands he must take up and build upon Casy's work. Tom Joad shows individuals have an ethical obligation to fight social injustice. Tom does not possess massive armies or mountains of wealth. When he leaves at the end of the novel, however, it is clear he is armed with the truth that individuals must not let injustice stand. Through Tom, Steinbeck insists people can and must have a clear commitment to fighting social injustice.