What was the Enlightenment? When was it?

The Enlightenment, often called the Age of Enlightenment, happened in the eighteenth century (originating in Europe) and was a movement that valued reason as the main authority.  This movement was mainly philosophical and was designed to end the abuses of the government and the church in their corruptions of society.  The exact dates of the Enlightenment are debated but are generally regarded as 1715, which is when King Louis XIV of France died, and 1789, which began the French Revolution.  The general reason why it was called “Enlightenment” is because it left the old ideas and blind beliefs of the past in the dark in order to bring humanity into the light (especially the light of scientific thought and reason).  The ideas from the Enlightenment permeated all aspects of life and its representative authors are Locke, Voltaire, Rousseau, and Hume (among many others).  The great thinkers of the Enlightenment believed in the facts behind science and rationality.  They thought that science could explain most everything in the natural world (including the human world).  The scientific method was to be used to improve each aspect of our society.  The Enlightenment led the way for many of the world’s government revolutions that would follow, not the least of which are the American Revolution and the French Revolution.  In fact, the authors mentioned above inspired many of those revolutionary thinkers.  In these ways, the Enlightenment permeated each aspect of the eighteenth century and most especially philosophy, science, politics, and religion.

Why do we have the Electoral College?

We have the Electoral College in the United States because the men who wrote the Constitution feared democracy.  They did not want to give the people too much direct power over the government.  One way they limited the people’s power was by preventing them from directly electing the president.

At the time that the Constitution was written, most educated people distrusted the idea of democracy.  There had never been a democratic country in modern times and even the Athenians and Romans were not truly democratic.  The Framers of the Constitution read philosophers like Plato, who emphasized that democracy was a bad form of government because it allowed a mass of people, most of whom knew nothing about running a country, to rule. They felt that democracy would inevitably collapse, or would turn into tyranny as ignorant people elected a demagogue to rule them. 

Because the Framers distrusted the idea of democracy, they tried to limit the degree to which the US would be democratic.  If we consider the presidency, the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the Supreme Court to be the four main parts of government, the Framers only allowed the people to elect one part directly.  The people got to elect the members of the House, but Senators were to be chosen by state legislatures, the president by the Electoral College, and Supreme Court justices by the president and the Senate.  The Electoral College was simply one way of insulating the government from the people so our system would not be excessively (in the Framers’ minds) democratic.

But why do we still have the Electoral College now that we no longer fear democracy?  The main reason is that the small states would not agree to change the Constitution to do away with it.  The Electoral College makes each state relevant as an entity, not just as a group of people.  It gives small states more power in the presidential voting because it gives them a disproportionate number of electors.    For example, California has more than 70 times as many people as Wyoming, but only about 18 times more electoral votes.  Because the Electoral College makes small states more important than their population size would warrant, those states would be unwilling to ratify a constitutional amendment to do away the College.

What is a character sketch of the hermit from "The Three Questions"?

In the story, the hermit is an impoverished outcast who lives a simple life. We are told he is "frail and weak" and is barely able to turn the soil with his spade. The hermit is a very wise man, however, and we discover why as the story progresses.

As a matter of practice, the hermit is an individual who concerns himself with the present. He initially ignores the king when the monarch approaches and asks him three questions. For his part, the king interprets the hermit's silence as disinterest, so he offers to do the hermit's work for him. The hermit, however, is not so much disinterested as he is concerned about the task at hand.

When a wounded man comes their way, the hermit turns the king's attention to the stranger. Since the stranger is in a bad state (due to this stomach wound), the hermit and king tend to the man's wounds. The hermit does not encroach on the king's interactions with the stranger; he gives the king room to come to some sort of understanding with the wounded man.

In this, the hermit is discreet as well as perceptive. He does not meddle where he is not needed. In the end, it is revealed the wounded man originally planned to kill the king as an act of vengeance for his brother's execution. Since the king saved his life, the stranger vows he and his sons will serve the king as faithful servants.

By allowing the king to help him and the wounded stranger, the hermit essentially answers the king's three questions. Rather than supplying the king with verbal answers to his questions, the hermit guides the king to the answers by encouraging him to engage actively in the tasks at hand. In the end, because actions speak louder than words, the hermit gets his points across clearly without resorting to sermons of any sort. In this, the hermit demonstrates his reputation as a wise man has been well-earned.

What can HR managers do to ensure that their recruitment and selection process are not discriminatory?

Recruitment and selection are crucial aspects of the human resources department, and in today's legal environment in the United States, care must be taken to ensure that neither the efforts nor the results are discriminatory or even appear to be discriminatory.  For these processes to result in a diverse work environment is the goal, and that is the very best defense against charges of discrimination. 

Recruitment in many companies is done in ways that yield more of the same race, sex, or ethnic group.  For example, employees will let friends know of an opening.  There is nothing inherently discriminatory about that, but Americans live in remarkably segregated ways, many white people having no black friends or not living in diverse neighborhoods. So the consequences of employee recruitment are that you get more of the same kind of pool.  And then when you use broad spectrum advertising for a position, even though people of all kinds might see a posting, your organization may have begun to have the reputation of being only white, or only black, or only Indian.  And others will not bother to apply if that is the case. 

While there is no legal requirement that one recruit in a way that promotes diversity, it is in the HR manager and company's best interests to work a little harder at this.  For example, a day of recruiting at a historically black college or an all-female may yield some recruits.  Placing ads in smaller neighborhood publications will encourage people of various backgrounds to be interested in a company.  Arranging for internships through local colleges that have highly diverse student populations is another way to do some more long-term recruitment.  Letting a rehabilitation agency know you have positions might elicit some recruits who have disabilities but who can perform the functions of the job quite well.  When you recruit, the qualifications you are seeking should be relevant to the position, because if they are not, they could be perceived as means of keeping out various groups.   If it is not necessary to be able to lift fifty pounds, including this to keep out most women is a terrible idea and may hurt your company later on.  If you are committed to the goal of a diverse workforce, your recruitment should reflect this commitment.  How one recruits in and of itself is not usually a legal issue, but how one recruits can be used as evidence in a discrimination suit, to be sure.

If your selection process consistently results in hiring the best person for the job, you are doing well, since that is the very best defense you have against a discrimination suit.  As you set up a selection process, you need to be sure that it is a consistent process, for example, the same questions being asked of everyone at interviews.  The process should be written down and followed to the letter.   Even before interviews, though, the scrutiny given to all resumes should be consistent, so that it does not turn out later on that all of the applications or resumes of Latinos were discarded.  The selection process must be completely in alignment with the requirements and qualifications of the position, as well. If you are hiring someone because he has ten years experience in some completely unrelated field over a woman who has five years of experience in the work the company does, all other things being equal, you are likely to be accused of sex discrimination.

At interviews, there are some questions that are inherently discriminatory and unlawful, and asking them is a risky business.  For example, asking someone if he or she is married, asking if he or she has children, asking if he or she has childcare are all illegal questions.  Asking someone about his or her general health is illegal, too.  You are permitted to ask a person if he or she can perform the essential functions of the job, and what accommodations might be needed to do the job.  If you can remember that all questions should relate only to the job, you are likely to do fine.  A list of questions asked and notes from each interview should be retained as a means of defense in the event that there is a complaint of discrimination.  

If you recruit intelligently and follow a process that is meant to lead to hiring the best person for the job, you are doing well as an HR manager.  The pool is wider and deeper, allowing you to choose from people who bring perspectives.  The selection process focuses on getting the very best.  The result is a diverse workforce that makes for a much better organization and which is also a very good defense against complaints of discrimination. 

Please provide a summary of Chapter 5 in The Story of My Life by Helen Keller.

Helen climbed a tree and was frightened by a storm, but later that spring she climbed another tree anyway. 

Helen is still young and learning about the world after her “soul’s sudden awakening.”  Helen enjoys nature.  She spends time exploring and learning the names of objects, increasing her “sense of kinship with the rest of the world.” 

One day she learns that nature can also be frightening and dangerous.  She had climbed into a tree when a sudden thunderstorm hit. 

Suddenly a change passed over the tree. All the sun's warmth left the air. I knew the sky was black, because all the heat, which meant light to me, had died out of the atmosphere. A strange odour came up from the earth. I knew it, it was the odour that always precedes a thunderstorm, and a nameless fear clutched at my heart. (Ch. 5) 

Anne Sullivan came along and helped her down, but Helen had a better appreciation for the diversity and force of nature after that.  For a long time, she did not climb another tree.   What once seemed pleasant and inviting now held possible terror. 

One spring morning Helen was encouraged by the smell in the air and the sunshine on her face to try to climb a tree again. 

But I had a delicious sense that I was doing something unusual and wonderful, so I kept on climbing higher and higher ... I sat there for a long, long time, feeling like a fairy on a rosy cloud. (Ch. 5) 

After this, Helen spent many hours in the “tree of paradise.”  She had gotten over her fear, and the result was that she had learned that despite challenges, there are some things worth doing.  While Helen might be more wary of the world because she cannot experience it with all of her senses, she is learning to rely on the senses she has.

Identify the phrasal category of the bold constituent "extremely dedicated" in the following sentence. You have an extremely dedicated team.

You have an extremely dedicated team.

The words "extremely dedicated" constitute an adverbial adjective phrase that is a pre-modifier to the head noun "team." The phrasal constituents "extremely dedicated" are pre-modifiers of the noun phrase "an extremely dedicated team," with "team" being the head noun of the phrase. 

The word "extremely" is an adverb, while "dedicated" is an adjective, "dedicated" being the adjectival past participle form of the verb "dedicate." Both the adverb and the adjective fill the pre-modifier slot adjacent to the head noun. The simple description of the order of pre-modifiers in a noun phrase is this:

Article, possessive + quantifying determiner + definitive, pronoun, article determiner + numerical determiner + adverb, adjective participle (phrase) + noun modifier (phrase) + head noun. [An even simpler description is available from the British Council and a more complex one from BYU.]

Noun phrase construction can be constituted of one single noun or pronoun, as in "[You] Go home." Noun phrases can also be complex having many pre-modifying quantifiers, determiners, adjective and adverbial adjective or noun phrases, as in this elaborate example: "Only half of the twenty-seven diversely smallish brightly decorated Easter eggs were found." The italicized words are pre-modifying quantifiers and determines, adverbs and adjectives. "Easter eggs" is the countable compound head noun.

The final constituent modifying phrase of the "Easter egg" example matches the targeted constituents in your sentence. Specifically, "brightly decorated" is an adverbial adjective phrase pre-modifying a head noun just as "extremely dedicated" is an adverbial adjective phrase pre-modifying a head noun.

What is the ending number of chromosomes in meiosis?

Meiosis is a reduction division that produces haploid (n) gametes with half the chromosomes as seen in a diploid (2n) body cell. Meiosis occurs in the gonads or sex organs and produces gametes or sex cells. In sexually reproducing organisms, it is the fusion of the sperm nucleus which is haploid and the egg nucleus which is also haploid that will produce a diploid fertilized egg or zygote.

To observe an example of the ending number of chromosomes after meiosis we can use the chromosome number of 46 which is the diploid number found in human body cells. After meiosis occurs in the male or female gonads, the resulting four cells will be haploid and have 23 chromosomes each.

In spermatogenesis, one testis cell gives rise to four haploid sperm cells with 23 chromosomes in each. In oogenesis, one ovary cell gives rise to one ovum with 23 chromosomes, and three polar bodies, each with 23 chromosomes.

To conclude, meiotic division results in cells with the haploid number of chromosomes which become gametes to be used during sexual reproduction.

I have included a link with a diagram comparing oogenesis and spermatogenesis.

What were the goals for the Tennessee Valley Authority?

While the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is usually remembered only for the construction of hydroelectric dams in the Tennessee Valley region, it was originally intended to do much more. Essentially, the TVA was intended to provide a stimulus for the region, one of the poorest in the United States. It provided education and valuable farm implements, including tractors and fertilizer, to area farmers, engaged in anti-erosion projects similar to those conducted by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and sought to provide jobs to the region. The main way it did this, of course, was through the construction of the hydroelectric dams mentioned already. These dams, built along the river, would do several things. First, they would provide electricity to the region, a project the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) would later attempt to do elsewhere in the rural South. Second, their construction would pump much-needed money into the region, where skilled jobs were scarce. In the long term, it was hoped that the electric infrastructure would attract industry to the Tennessee Valley. Third, the TVA would curb the floods that periodically devastated the region. These measures, a combination of the relief, recovery, and reform motives often ascribed to New Deal programs, were intended to modernize a very economically challenged region, and one which had suffered horribly even before the Depression hit.

In "The Open Window," when does Framton explain his medical condition to Vera?

Framton Nuttel never says anything about his medical condition to Vera. Vera has to do most of the talking because Framton is silent and ill at ease with her. He does tell her aunt Mrs. Sappleton all about his condition when she arrives to take over as hostess from young Vera.

"The doctors agree in ordering me complete rest, an absence of mental excitement, and avoidance of anything in the nature of violent physical exercise," announced Framton, who laboured under the tolerably widespread delusion that total strangers and chance acquaintances are hungry for the least detail of one's ailments and infirmities, their cause and cure. "On the matter of diet they are not so much in agreement," he continued.

Before Mrs. Sappleton arrives, Vera just has time enough to find out Framton is a complete stranger in the region and knows virtually nothing about her family, and then to tell him her totally fallacious story about the three hunters who were sucked into the bog three years ago. If Vera knew about Framton's nervous condition, she likely would not have told him her ghost story at all. 

In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, why is it Nick's instinct "to telephone immediately for the police"?

The quote expresses Nick's sentiment in Chapter One during his first visit to the Buchanan household. Daisy had invited him over and when he arrived, he also met the golf player, Jordan Baker, Daisy's friend and apparent confidante.

Nick's thought was initiated by an unpleasant incident during his visit. Whilst they were involved in idle chatter on the porch just before their dinner, the butler came to summon Tom by whispering in his ear. Tom left without saying a word. Daisy continued talking then suddenly stopped. She threw her napkin on the table and went into the house.

Nick continued speaking but was silenced by Jordan Baker, who wanted to listen in on the conversation between Daisy and Tom, who seemed to be arguing. On Nick's inquiry if something was happening, she told him that “Tom’s got some woman in New York.” She questioned the woman's decency about phoning Tom during dinner.

Tom and Daisy returned. The mood had become quite tense but Daisy made an innocuous remark, trying to break the tension. She followed this with a remark about romance and directed a question at Tom about the romance of a nightingale singing on the lawn. The sudden, shrill ringing of the phone then startled everyone at the table. Daisy gave Tom a decisive indication that she did not want him to answer the phone by shaking her head. This incident heightened the tension once again and everything that happened seemed to pass in a blur. 

Nick calls the shrill intrusion of the phone caused by what he calls 'the fifth guest' an indelible thought that could not be erased by anyone at the table, not even by the seemingly skeptical Jordan Baker. He states that another person might have found the situation intriguing, but that his 'own instinct was to telephone immediately for the police.'

Several factors could have made Nick feel that way. Firstly, he was unfamiliar with these surroundings and felt uncomfortable and somehow unsafe and vulnerable. He needed protection. Secondly, since Daisy was a relative, he instinctively felt protective towards her. Daisy had already referred to Tom being a 'brute' earlier when she displayed an injury to her little finger which was apparently caused by him. Her exact words were:

“You did it, Tom,” she said accusingly. “I know you didn’t mean to, but you did do it. That’s what I get for marrying a brute of a man, a great, big, hulking physical specimen of a ——” 

It was clear that Tom could be rough with her and Nick obviously felt that they might just have some kind of an incident, considering the circumstances. He knew that Tom was having an affair, as Jordan had told him. It would be easy for the situation to get out of hand.

Thirdly, Nick was acutely aware of the fact that should things become rough, he would not have been a match for Tom on a physical level. He had, earlier in the chapter, given the following description of him:

Not even the effeminate swank of his riding clothes could hide the enormous power of that body — he seemed to fill those glistening boots until he strained the top lacing, and you could see a great pack of muscle shifting when his shoulder moved under his thin coat. It was a body capable of enormous leverage — a cruel body.

Nick was clearly intimidated by Tom and would not be able to defend himself, least of all the two girls, against him and, therefore, the instinctual reaction would be to summon some protection.

This incident foreshadows the confrontation between Tom and Myrtle Wilson in Chapter 2 and also between him and Jay Gatsby in Chapter 7. The latter incident would dash all Jay's hopes and would ultimately result in Myrtle and George Wilson's untimely deaths, as well as his own. 

Why does Jack refuse to give Piggy meat?

In Chapter 4, the boys miss a chance to be rescued, but Jack and his group of hunters successfully kill a pig. They end up chopping the pig into small bits of meat and roasting it over the fire using branches. Ralph and Piggy are both anxious to eat something other than fruit and Ralph immediately gnaws on the meat as soon as he is given a piece. Piggy then asks, "Aren’t I having none?" (Golding 103). Golding writes that Jack purposely planned on excluding Piggy as a way to assert his power and responds by saying, "You didn’t hunt" (Golding 104). Simon then slides Piggy a piece of meat which upsets Jack. Jack then stands up and begins to announce to the group of boys how he got them all meat. Jack refused to give Piggy a piece of meat as a way to assert his power. Jack is jealous that Ralph is the leader and resents his closest supporter, Piggy. Jack is continually arguing with Piggy and purposely does not give Piggy some meat so that he can hear Piggy beg for it.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of smoking?

The disadvantages of smoking are numerous. Simply inhaling smoke and chemicals into your lungs is terrible for your health. Smoking has negative health effects on numerous parts and systems in your body, including the respiratory system (mainly the lungs), circulatory system, throat, trachea, mouth, and teeth. Different diseases and illnesses that become more likely as a result of smoking include emphysema, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), cancer, strokes, and asthma. Additionally, smoking will damage and discolor your teeth, is bad for your skin, and keeps getting more expensive. To top it all off, the nicotine in tobacco is highly additive; if you start, it will be difficult to stop.

I cannot think of any advantages at all to smoking. It used to be seen among teens and younger people as "cool" to smoke, but I think that attitude is finally starting to fade as pretty much every facet of society in North America has been thoroughly educated on the risks and disadvantages of smoking. It wouldn't surprise me at all if smoking were effectively eliminated from North American society at some point in my lifetime not through legislation, but through high tobacco taxation and changing social attitudes.

What is the role of madness in Hamlet and King Lear?

I would argue that madness in Hamlet and King Lear ironically allows characters to more clearly understand truth. In Hamlet, Hamlet's decision to feign madness (although, to be sure, it's unclear whether he actually is pretending; he might very well be mad) allows the prince to discretely investigate his uncle Claudius' crimes. After all, no one would expect a crazy adolescent to be capable of snooping around. Thus, though it might take him an agonizingly lengthy time, Hamlet is able to discern the truth of his father's murder and Claudius' treachery. Similarly, in King Lear, Lear only understands the true nature of his daughters' affection (or, in the case of Regan and Goneril, the lack thereof) once he goes mad and wanders the wilderness. Not only that, but Lear's madness also enables him to come to some pretty insightful (and depressing) conclusions regarding human nature, as he posits the possibility that humans are the victims of the uncaring, meaningless, and vindictive whims of the universe. Thus, both Hamlet and Lear's bouts of madness allow the characters to experience a special epiphany. 

In Tangerine, Victor says to Paul, “If you’re a War Eagle, then you're a War Eagle.” What does Victor mean in that paragraph?

In that sentence and throughout that paragraph, Victor means that membership on the team means membership in a group of fiercely protective friends.

... "But I saw you playing hard out there, too. And I saw you get a piece of that fullback." "Listen, Fisher Man, here it is. If you're gonna play with us, then you're gonna play with us. Do you understand?" ... "If you're a War Eagle, then you're a War Eagle. You got brothers to back you up. Nobody's gonna mess with you, not anyplace, not anytime. Do you know what I'm sayin'?"

Although Victor's words leave Paul somewhat in a daze, Paul definitely understands what his new friend is saying, here at the very end of the chapter titled "Friday, September 22."

What Victor means is that, first, Paul played well in the soccer game. He proved himself worthy of being on the team. And because he really belongs on the team now, Paul has earned himself the friendship and loyalty of all the team members. That is, they will protect him in any situation: on the field or off the field, at school or anywhere. Like a family, or a gang or the Mafia if you prefer, the members of the War Eagles soccer team look out for each other and stick together as a unit.

This assurance means a lot to Paul, who has rarely had more than a few friends at a time, and who constantly deals with the rough, menacing nature of not just his peers at school but also his vicious older brother.

What is a solid to solid phase transition?

Matter that undergoes a solid-to-solid phase transition changes from one solid phase to another solid phase. Simply put, a phase transition occurs when matter moves from one phase to another. The phases of matter are gas, solid, and liquid (and in some cases, plasma). Some elements may have more than one solid phase, and those elements can undergo solid-to-solid phase transitions. To transition from one phase to another requires changes in external factors such as pressure or temperature.

Depending on the element, there are different geometric atom arrangements, or crystal structures, that are possible. These arrangements result in different kinds of solids. Carbon, for example, has multiple solid phases, including both graphite and diamond. These two solids are both entirely carbon in composition. However, these solids are different due to the way their carbon atoms are arranged in space - their crystal structure.

Scientists have observed solid-to-solid phase transitions in which matter transitions from one crystal phase to another. However, the mechanism that results in a solid-to-solid transition is still not well understood. 

In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, why is Dr. Victor Frankenstein unable to "mother" or take care of his creation?

One of the main reasons that Victor is unable to care for the creature he makes is that he lacks forethought, and he only thinks of his creature as an experiment that will be successful or not; he never considers what he will do with the creature once it is alive.  He thinks about the future in hypotheticals only; he says,

"A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me.  No father could claim the gratitude of his child so completely as I should deserve their's."  

He never considers what it would be like to actually raise this creature, to educate him, to mold him into this grateful and thoughtful person.  Victor only considers the value of his experiment and the personal glory that it will bring to him.  After the creature comes to life, he says,

"the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart."  

He had thought of the creature's life only so far as it would honor Victor himself, and so, when the creature actually does come to life, the reality of the situation overwhelms his dream of the experiment's success.

How can the witches in Macbeth be seen as manipulative?

On one level, the witches in Macbeth can be seen as responsible for all the grisly events in the play. They tell Macbeth he will be both Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland. When their first prediction comes true almost immediately, Macbeth then believes he is destined to gain power by killing Duncan. Furthermore, they lull Macbeth into a false sense of security by telling him that no one born of woman can defeat him. As such, it's possible to argue the witches manipulate Macbeth by telling him partial truths, but not the whole truth, and so they falsely present the future in a way that causes Macbeth to pursue a murderous rampage.

It's important to interrogate this idea somewhat, though. While it's absolutely possible the witches are manipulative, it's also possible they are more neutral than they first appear. After all, their prophecies are rather vague, and it's Macbeth who interprets them as excuses to murder. As such, though it's certainly possible that the witches manipulate Macbeth, it's also possible that Macbeth's own ambitions and interpretations of the prophecies are to blame.

What is the connection between pederasty and education?

Pederasty describes a relationship between an older and younger man, typically of a consensual, sexual nature. In Ancient Greece, the practice of pederasty was quite common and heavily tied to education and training. An older, well-established man would form a romantic relationship with a boy who was somewhere between the ages of twelve and eighteen. This relationship was more a dynamic of master and apprentice than a romantic couple, and the older man was at least partly responsible for the education, socialization, and skill training of his younger partner. In some parts of Greece, the older man would also provide gifts to his younger partner to help him establish a life. One such tradition involved presenting the young man with military clothing as a gift to begin his military training.

Though such a relationship strikes discomfort in the heart of many a modern person, it is important to note that these relationships were fundamentally different from pedophilic behavior. The pederastic relationship involved much more than sexual intimacy, and though there was an age-based power dynamic involved, the younger partner is understood to have consented to the relationship. Some historians debate the degree of consent or affection involved in pederasty, but we can glean knowledge from the term itself. The root word erastes translates as "love" or "lover" and was used in terms describing relationships of both hetero- and homosexual natures. In contrast to the nurturing and romantic connotations of pederasty, pedophilia is a pathological, consumptive, and abusive sexual impulse which has no regard for whether a younger partner consents.

In short, the pederastic relationships of Ancient Greece were not only romantic or sexual, but also involved the tutelage and training of a younger man by someone who was older and more experienced.

What is ironic about Sidi's choice of husband?

At the beginning of the play, Sidi learns that her image is throughout an entire magazine, and there is only one small picture of Baroka that occupies a corner of a page. She immediately becomes conceited and begins to make fun of Baroka for being old and less popular than her. When Sadiku asks Sidi if she will become the Bale's next wife, Sidi tells her that Baroka is jealous and then mentions that Baroka's skin looks like a leather saddle. She compares herself to a jewel and says, "...he is the hind-quarters of a lion!" (Soyinka 23). Sidi goes on to mention that Baroka has a bad reputation for deceiving women and convincing them to sleep with him, which is why she refuses to initially attend his feast.

After Sidi hears the rumor that Baroka is impotent, she decides to visit his palace so she can mock him to his face. However, Baroka deceptively woos Sidi by showing her a machine that makes stamps and promising Sidi that her image will be on every stamp leaving Ilujinle. After taking Sidi's virginity, she has a choice to either marry Lakunle without receiving a bride-price or become Baroka's next wife. Sidi chooses to become Baroka's next wife and asks Lakunle, "Why, did you think that after him, I could endure the touch of another man? I who have felt the strength, the perpetual youthful zest of the panther of the trees?" (Soyinka 63). Sidi's decision to marry Baroka is ironic because she marries him for his "youthful zest" and masculinity. These were qualities which Sidi used to ridicule the Bale for not having. After sleeping with Baroka, her perspective about the Bale's age and masculinity changes. She now sees him as powerful and manly, instead of old and unattractive.

Why did Fitzgerald begin The Great Gatsby with a quote from Thomas Parke D’Invilliers, a character from Fitzgerald’s This Side of Paradise?...

D'Invilliers was both a pen name for Fitzgerald and a character based on Fitzgerald's friend, the poet John Peale Bishop. The quote reflects Gatsby's conviction that if he can earn enough money and remake himself, he can win the love of Daisy Buchanan. The "gold hat" in the poem symbolizes Gatsby's fortune and the grand home and enormous parties he throws to attract her attention. As Nick points out using different language, Gatsby was one to "bounce high," dream big, and aspire to realize a vision. In the epigraph, the narrator is likewise trying to woo his lover with money (the "gold hat") and by "high-bouncing:" trying hard to get her attention. He believes that by doing so the woman will inevitably end up saying, "I must have you." It reflects a very materialistic view of love. Fitzgerald chooses it because this is how Gatsby pursues Daisy, although with less success than the gold-hatted man in this quote.

In Tennyson's "Ulysses," what does Ulysses think of the people of his kingdom?

In Tennyson's "Ulysses," the eponymous king is fairly unabashed when it comes to his opinion of his subjects, the people of Ithaca. Take, for instance, Ulysses' first description of his people: 

...I mete and dole

Unequal laws unto a savage race,

That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me. (3-5)

From this quote, it's clear that Ulysses regards the people of Ithaca as an uncouth, uncultured rabble. Indeed, according to the king's account, it would appear that the subjects of the kingdom are more similar to dumb beasts than human beings. Ulysses underscores this opinion later in the poem when he refers to his subjects once again, calling them "a rugged people" (37). All in all, it's quite clear that Ulysses views the people of Ithaca as uncultured bumpkins unworthy of a legendary king such as himself.

However, there are other layers present in Ulysses' dislike of his subjects. It would appear, for instance, that much of the king's resentment stems from his belief that his people "know not me." In other words, Ulysses dislikes his people because they make no effort to know and respect him as a unique individual. Instead, they simply view him as a means to security and provision. As such, Ulysses links his lack of individual fulfillment to his responsibility to care for his subjects, and so he resents the "rabble" that have forced him to give up a life of glorious adventure.

Considering these two layers, Ulysses begins to seem remarkably insecure. While it's true that his subjects don't see him as an individual, it's likely that Ulysses similarly does not know any of them as individuals either, and in this light his despair seems suddenly moody and unreasonable. All in all, it's possible to see Ulysses' dislike of his people as a misplaced grudge, one which actually stems from his dislike of his kingly responsibility but which has been unfairly placed upon the shoulders of Ithaca's citizens. 

What quotes from The Crucible show Reverend John Hale being enthusiastic?

One of the ways you can tell Reverend Hale is enthusiastic is because there are often exclamation points at the ends of his lines. Since this is a play, a lot of the characterization comes through dialogue. A lot of exclamation points show Hale is either shouting or excited. 

HALE: Putnam! I had not expected such distinguished company, sir.

PUTNAM: It does not seem to help us today, Mister Hale. We look to you to come to our house and save our child.

HALE: Your child ails, too (Act I)?!

Reverend Hale is the supposed expert on witchcraft. When he first comes in, he has heavy religious books, which he announces are weighted with authority. He never questions whether he is right, and basically finds witchcraft because he is looking for it.

Hale really believes in witchcraft. He thinks the devil is at work in the young women of Salem. Anyone could be at fault. A true believer, Hale is even more dangerous than the lying schemer Abigail.

HALE: Have no fear now — we shall find this devil out if he has come among us, and I mean to crush him utterly if he has shown his face! (Corey crosses near bed, looking at Betty.)

REBECCA: Will it hurt the child, sir?

HALE: I cannot tell. If she is truly in the Devil’s grip we may have to rip and tear to get her free (Act I).

With Hale's presence adding legitimacy to the proceedings in the Salem trials, things get out of control quickly. Hale pushes forward even though it should have been obvious it was just a bunch of girls who got in trouble and made up lies to cover themselves. Since witchcraft was what Reverend Hale was called to find, he finds it.

How does "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift use satire?

"A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift is a prime example of satire. Satire is defined as "the use of humor, irony, exaggeration or ridicule to expose and criticise people's stupidity and vices, particularly in the context of politics." Swift wrote his essay in response to the extreme poverty in 18th century Ireland. In it, the speaker or proposer suggests eating the poor Irish children to combat hunger and poverty. The speaker delivers his proposal in a straightforward and logical manner, complete with statistics and reflections on the economy.

To the reader, the proposal is exaggerated and ridiculous - so ridiculous in fact, that one might find the proposal to be humorous. Swift, separate from the speaker, builds layers of criticism which bash the corrupted farming and labor system, as well as the government that put it in place. Irony is present throughout the piece, but also in the title. The word "modest" describes something small, limited, manageable, but killing 100,000 of Ireland's children to be eaten is the exact opposite of those words! Swift's piece is probably the best example of satire in the English language because he artfully and creatively uses "A Modest Proposal" to critique the broken structures of his day. 

Does the President have too much power, or does another branch have more power than the President?

When the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution, they created three branches of government. They also relied on the principles of separation of powers and checks and balances.

Separation of powers refers to the idea that each branch of government has a different job to do. The legislative branch makes the laws. The executive branch carries out the laws. The judicial branch interprets the laws. Each branch is also able to control the other branches. The President can veto a law. Congress can override the veto. The Supreme Court can declare a law unconstitutional or illegal.

Because of these principles, the President doesn’t have too much power. Neither do the other branches. There are a few examples to support this point of view. President Obama nominated Merrick Garland in March to fill an open seat on the Supreme Court. However, the Senate must approve this nomination. There are many senators who believe this appointment should wait until after the election is decided. There has been no action taken regarding the confirmation of Justice Garland.

President Obama issued several executive orders in 2014 telling the Office of Homeland Security and other government agencies to not deport about four million adult illegal immigrants who have children living in the United States and also hold a job and have a high school diploma. The President didn’t need to get the approval of Congress to issues these executive orders. Thus, the President, through executive orders, may be able to circumvent the wishes of Congress. In fact, several states and the House of Representatives are suing the President over these executive orders.

Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that no branch of government has too much power because of the effectiveness of the system of checks and balances and the concept of separation of powers.

`y = x^(coshx) , (1, 1)` Find an equation of the tangent line to the graph of the function at the given point

Given

`y = x^(coshx) ` , (1, 1) to find the tangent line equation.

let

`y=f(x)`

so,

`f(x) =x^(coshx)`

so let's find `f'(x) = (x^(coshx))'`

on applying the exponent rule we get,

`a^b = e^(b ln(a))`

so ,

`x^(coshx) = e^(coshx lnx)`

so,

`f'(x)= ( e^(coshx lnx))'

`=d/dx ( e^(coshx lnx))`

let `u=coshx ln x`

so ,

`d/dx ( e^(coshx lnx)) = d/ (du) e^u * d/dx (coshx lnx)`

=` e^u * d/dx (coshx lnx)`

=`e^u * (sinhx lnx +coshx/x)`

=`e^(coshx ln x) * (sinhx lnx +coshx/x)`

=> `x^coshx * (sinhx lnx +coshx/x)`

now let us find f'(x) value at (1,1) which is slope

f'(1) = `x^cosh(1) (sinh(1) ln(1)+cosh(1)) = x^cosh(1) (0+cosh(1))`

 = `x^cosh(1) (cosh(1))`

now , the slope of the tangent line is` x^cosh(1) (cosh(1))`

we have the solope and the points so the equation of the tangent line is

`y-y1 = slope(x-x1)`

`y-1=slope(x-1)`

`y= slope(x-1) +1`

 =`x^cosh(1) (cosh(1)) (x-1)+1`

but `x^cosh(1) = e^(cosh(1)ln(1)) = e^0 =1`

so,

=`1 (cosh(1)) (x-1)+1`

=` xcoshx -coshx +1`

so ,

`y=xcoshx -coshx +1 ` is the tangent equation

Why is the pulmonary artery still called an "artery" when it carries de-oxygenated blood?

This is a good question because in general, arteries carry oxygenated blood while veins carry de-oxygenated blood but the pulmonary artery and the pulmonary vein are exceptions and I’ll explain why.

Blood vessels are generally labeled as arteries, veins, or capillaries. The distinction between arteries and veins depends on the direction of blood flow in them. It does not depend on the type of blood (oxygenated or de-oxygenated) flowing through them.

In general, when a blood vessel transports blood away from the heart or distributes it to other structures in the body, it is regarded as an artery regardless of the nature of the blood flowing through it. Conversely, when a blood vessel transports blood from other body structures and returns it to the heart or to any network of blood vessels that returns the blood to the heart, it is regarded as a vein.

This explains why the pulmonary artery which transports de-oxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs is regarded as an artery in spite of the fact that it is carrying de-oxygenated blood. It also explains why the pulmonary vein which returns oxygenated blood to the heart from the lungs is regarded as a vein in spite of the fact that it is carrying oxygenated blood.

What issue was a major source of friction between Heathcliff and Catherine in Wuthering Heights?

I think it is safe to say that Catherine's marriage to Linton was a source of friction for Heathcliff! And it is not simply because he was dumped. Catherine's marriage amounted to a betrayal of some fundamental truth Heathcliff shared with Catherine. Heathcliff and Catherine connected in a primal way; what they shared was beyond physical attraction, or simple friendship. When Catherine says to Nelly, "I am Heathcliff!" she means it in a literal sense -- so attuned is she to him, she feels she understands him utterly. Yet the scene where she says this is also the same scene where she confides to Nelly that she could never marry Heathcliff -- that he is too poor. For Heathcliff, who is listening, this is too much to bear. Catherine's deep connection to Heathcliff cannot outweigh her imagined mortification at being the wife of someone of such inferior social standing. We readers can perhaps forgive Catherine for thinking practically about marriage, given the dependent status of women in her time; but in a way Catherine is also betraying herself, her own personal agency, her own love of wildness and freedom. In the world Heathcliff and Catherine share, it should be impossible for her to marry Linton, but nevertheless it happens.

Is Mayella Ewell powerful?

In a sense, Mayella Ewell could be considered "powerful" while she is on the witness stand because of the simple fact that she is white. In Maycomb's prejudiced court, Mayella's testimony is automatically considered to be truthful—even against Tom's word. Though she comes from the most despicable family in the county, her statements have the power to essentially end Tom Robinson's life. Whether or not her statements are actually truthful doesn't make a difference because the jury is made up of racist individuals who have already decided that Tom is guilty. Mayella's testimony conflicts with her father's, and it is obvious that she is lying, but her white privilege is enough to convince the jury that she was assaulted and raped. Outside of the courthouse, Mayella is powerless. She is an outcast who is forgotten by the community and Scout mentions that she is the loneliest person in Maycomb.

In Chapter 18 of Emma by Jane Austen, what is the cause of disappointment for Mr. and Mrs. Weston?

As Chapter 18 in Jane Austen's Emma begins, readers learn that Mr. Frank Churchhill has not followed through with traveling to visit his father and stepmother, Mr. and Mrs. Weston, at their country estate. While Mr. Weston is at first disappointed that his son has not kept his promise, he quickly justifies to himself that "Frank's coming two or three months later would be a much better plan" and hopes that Frank's delayed visit means that he will stay longer.

In contrast, Mrs. Weston--who is already self-conscious about her role as stepmother to a young man who was raised by his aunt and uncle far away--is "exceedingly disappointed." Even though she does not verbally express her primary reason for being upset, she ponders how Frank's repetitive broken promises will cause suffering to his father and, therefore, she is pained greatly for her husband's sake. While Mr. Weston seems genuinely able to see the best in the situation with Frank, Mrs. Weston begins to wonder if her stepson will ever pay them a visit and how long her husband will be able to refrain from being completely demoralized by his son's absence.

In The Great Gatsby, what is Fitzgerald's purpose in having Jordan phone Nick the morning after Myrtle's death?

The evening Myrtle is killed, Nick and Jordan return with Tom to his house. Jordan very much wants Nick to come in with them but Nick won't, even when she presses him by saying it's only 9:30 in the evening. Her need for him, as she is apparently shaken by Myrtle's death, is a contrast to her usually cool, self-possessed self. Yet he can't respond to her emotionally in the way she would like: he says he's sick of them all, including Jordan.

When Jordan calls Nick the next day, she says he wasn't very nice to her the night before. She wants them to get together, presumably to talk things over. She is reaching out, trying to communicate with Nick. She even offers to come into the city. He refuses to see her, and this refusal marks the end of their relationship. Nick's disdain for her at this point couldn't be more evident: he says he didn't "know which of us hung up with a sharp click," but "didn't care." He says "I couldn't have talked to her across a tea-table that day if I never talked to her again in this world." Instead, he tries to call Gatsby a few minutes later and attempts to reach him four times. 

Nick is more emotionally concerned about Gatsby at this point and is sick of Jordan. With the phone call from Jordan, Fitzgerald signals to the reader that Nick's relationship with Jordan is over. 

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

Derivative of a function f with respect to x is denoted as `f'(x)` or `y'` .

To solve for derivative of y (y') for the given problem: `y = tanh^(-1)(x/2)` , we follow the basic derivative formula for inverse hyperbolic function:

`d/(dx)(tanh^(-1)(u))= ((du)/(dx))/(1-u^2)` where `|u|lt1` .

Let: `u = x/2` then   `du=1/2dx` or `(du)/(dx)=1/2`

Then, the problem becomes:

`d/(dx)(tanh^(-1)(x/2))=(1/2)/((1-(x/2)^2))`

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

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

                             ` = (1/2)*4/((4-x^2))`

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

Then, the final answer is:

`d/(dx)(tanh^(-1)(x/2))=2/(4-x^2)`  where `|x/2|lt1`

How did World War II impact Australia? List the long term and short term effects.

Australia was geographically close to Japan and its territories.  Japan occupied what are today Indonesia and the Philippines.  Both are located to the north of Australia.  This proximity made attacks on Australian soil by the Japanese feasible.  

Sydney Harbour was attacked by torpedoes from submarines in 1942.  Air raids by the Japanese in the northern part of Australia occurred nearly one hundred times during World War II.  The city of Darwin was attacked by bombers in 1942, and resulted in approximately two hundred deaths.  These attacks caused fear and anxiety among many Australians.  In addition to this fear, Australians lived with the daily realities of war.  Nearly one million Australians served in the armed forces during the war.  There was some rationing in Australia, though not as much as in Great Britain.

The Australians did not suffer as many attacks as expected despite their proximity to Japan.  After the war ended, the Australian government decided that the nation should be better prepared just in case war were to come again.  They desired a population increase to help build up a larger military.  They also wanted to rebuild and improve their military after the war.

In order to increase the population, the government encouraged increased immigration.  The post-war economy of Australia was much stronger than that of Great Britain, so new immigrants found jobs easily.

What does "The Tyger" by William Blake mean?

"The Tyger" is a poem written by William Blake for his collection "Songs of Innocence and Experience." These poems support Blake's conviction that "without contraries there is no progression." The "Songs of Innocence" contrast with the "Songs of Experience"; only by understanding each of the contraries can one arrive at a full understanding, according to Blake's view. Therefore, to understand the meaning of "The Tyger," you must read and understand its companion poem, which is "The Lamb." "The Lamb" presents God as a loving Creator who is "meek and mild," "became a little child," and sacrificed himself as the Lamb of God. 

"The Tyger," on the other hand, presents God as an inscrutable, distant, almost mechanical force that created a dangerous and deadly animal, the tiger, and unleashed it upon the world. The poem's series of rhetorical questions spur the reader to question the traditional view of God as loving and gentle toward mankind. It does not accuse God of being evil, but it poses some questions about the Creator's motivations in making the tiger, which can represent calamity and misfortune. 

Taking the two poems as a pair, then, you can see that "The Tyger" lays out the question that people of faith still struggle with. If God is a loving Creator, how can he allow such bad things to happen in the world? As soon as that question is posed, a contrary appears, namely that God makes good things happen, as well, and in fact he became a man and sacrificed himself (as a "Lamb") to redeem a fallen world. These two contraries may be impossible to reconcile, but by considering both, there is "progression" of thought, and perhaps even of faith. 

What is the significance of "night" as a symbol in the novel Night by Elie Wiesel?

Night is Elie Wiesel's choice, not only for his title, but also for the word's symbolic significance throughout the novel. The nighttime is a time of the unknown--we cannot see what is coming. It's the time of children's nightmares when the monsters play under their beds and in their closets. Night can be scary.

We find examples all through the novel. The first example we find of the word "night" is on page 10 of the original edition:

"Night fell. There were twenty people gathered in our back yard. My father was telling them anecdotes and expounding his own views on the situation. He was a good story teller. 

"Suddenly the gate opened and Stern--a former tradesman who had become a policeman--came in and took my father aside. Despite the gathering dusk, I saw my father turn pale" (Wiesel 10).

This is where the nightmare for the Jews of Sighet begins. Mr. Wiesel had been called to a meeting, and he knew the news was bad. Elie's mother has "a premonition of evil" because she had noticed two new Gestapo officers in the community that day.

The most famous example of symbolism in Night comes after the Jewish people arrive at Auschwitz, the concentration camp:

"Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a blue sky.

"Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever.

"Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live...Never (Wiesel 32).

When they arrived at Auschwitz, Wiesel witnessed babies being thrown into a fiery pit. That was the beginning of nights filled with nightmares and fears for him. He could never get those pictures and thoughts out of his mind. 

The final symbolic act of "night" was when Elie's father dies. Elie went to bed that evening, and when he woke up the next morning, his father was gone, already replaced with another prisoner. He didn't even get to say goodbye to his own father.

"Then I had to go to bed. I climbed into my bunk above my father, who was still alive. It was January 28, 1945.

"I awoke on January 29 at dawn. In my father's place lay another invalid. They must have taken him away before dawn and carried him to the crematory. He may have still been breathing" (Wiesel 106).

All through Night, night is used as a symbol, not only for fear and death, but also for Wiesel's loss of faith, and the deep darkness that comes over one's heart and soul when put into such a horrible position. The entire book is dark like the night.

What is the difference between longitudinal and transverse waves?

Waves can be characterized as either longitudinal or transverse waves. The major difference between the two types of waves is in terms of the direction of propagation of wave relative to the displacement of medium. If the displacement of the medium is parallel to the direction of wave propagation, such waves are known as longitudinal waves. If, on the other hand, the displacement of medium is perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation, the waves are classified as transverse waves. In the case of longitudinal waves, such as sound waves, we have regions where molecules are close together (known as compressions) and regions where molecules are far apart (known as rarefactions). In the case of transverse waves, such as those generated on a rope or ripples on water surfaces, we use terms such as crests and troughs to define the displacement from the center line. Transverse waves, unlike longitudinal waves, cannot take place in fluids (gas or liquid phases).

Hope this helps. 

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Nathan Radley filled the knothole of the tree with cement. What reason did he give Jem for doing this?

In Chapter 7, Jem and Scout receive small gifts in the knothole of the Radley tree. They aren't sure whose been leaving them gifts, but they both decide that it would be a good idea to write the person a thank you note. After writing the letter, Jem goes to leave the note in the knothole of the tree the following morning, only to find out that it has been filled in with cement. Jem is both shocked and upset when he sees the filled knothole. That evening, he waits patiently for Nathan Radley to pass their home, and the next day when Nathan walks by, Jem asks him why he filled the knothole in with cement. Nathan lies to Jem and tells him that the tree is dying. He says, "You plug ’em with cement when they’re sick" (Lee 39). Jem is suspicious about Nathan's reason for filling the knothole and asks Atticus if he thinks the tree is dying. When Atticus says that the tree looks healthy, Jem's suspicions are confirmed, and he realizes that Nathan lied to him. Scout mentions that Jem stood on the porch until nightfall, and when he came inside, she could tell that he had been crying. 

`log_3(x) + log_3(x - 2) = 1` Solve for x or b

`log_3(x) + log_3(x - 2) = 1`

The logarithms at the left side have the same base. So express the left side with one logarithm only using the rule `log_b (M) + log_b (N) = log_b(M*N` ).

`log_3(x * (x-2)) = 1`

`log_3 (x^2 - 2x) = 1`

Then, convert this to exponential form.

Take note that if a logarithmic equation is in the form

`y = log_b (x)`

its equivalent exponential equation is

`x = b^y`

So converting

`log_3 (x^2 - 2x) =1`

to exponential equation, it becomes:

`x^2-2x = 3^1`

`x^2 - 2x = 3`

Now the equation is in quadratic form. To solve it, one side should be zero.

`x^2 - 2x - 3 = 0`

Factor the left side.

`(x - 3)(x +1)=0`

Set each factor equal to zero. And isolate the x.

`x - 3 = 0`

`x=3`

`x + 1=0`

`x = -1`

Now that the values of x are known, consider the condition in a logarithm. The argument of a logarithm should always be positive.

In the equation

`log_3(x) + log_3(x - 2)=1`

the arguments are x and x - 2. So the values of these two should all be above zero.

`x gt 0`

`x - 2gt0`

Between the two values of x that we got, it is only x = 3 that satisfy this condition.

Therefore, the solution is `x=2` .

Who is Cherokee Sal and why is she so unique to the town in "The Luck of Roaring Camp"?

In the second paragraph of the story, Bret Harte mentions Cherokee Sal: "She was a coarse, and, it is to be feared, a very sinful woman. But at that time she was the only woman in Roaring Camp." The most important statement is the last, that she was the only woman in the camp. This camp was a mining camp, and those tended to be largely male in population. But, Harte also tells the reader that Cherokee Sal was a "sinful woman," which the reader can infer means that she was a prostitute, a lucrative position for a woman in a predominately male town. And Harte does state that hers was "a name familiar enough in the camp."

Cherokee Sal is also important because she gives birth to the character for whom the story is named, the baby "Luck." Some of the coarsest characters in the story become enamored with the baby and see him as a sort of good luck charm for them.

What are five quotes from Part One of To Kill a Mockingbird that reveal Scout's character development?

In Chapter 2, Scout displays her lack of perspective when she tries to stick up for Walter Cunningham. She tells her teacher,

"You're shamin' him, Miss Caroline. Walter hasn't got a quarter at home to bring you, and you can't use any stovewood" (Lee 15).

Later on in the day, Scout laments her rough first day of school and Atticus teaches her an important lesson in perspective. After Atticus tells Scout that she'll never really understand a person until she considers things from their point of view, Scout says, "I'll be dogged" (Lee 19).

Viewing situations from other people's perspective is an important lesson in Scout's moral development.

In Chapter 3, Jem tells Scout and Dill the infamous rumors surrounding their reclusive neighbor Boo Radley. Scout fears Boo Radley and does not want to play the game where they reenact his life stories. Scout says,

"He can get out at night when we're all asleep..." (Lee 25).

In Chapter 5, Scout sits on the porch with Maudie and learns the truth about Boo Radley. Maudie tells Scout that Boo's real name is Arthur and says that he is still alive. Scout asks Maudie, "Do you think they're true, all those things they say about B--Mr. Arthur?" (Lee 29). Maudie responds by telling Scout,

"that is a sad house. I remember Arthur Radley when he was a boy. He always spoke nicely to me, no matter what folks said he did. Spoke as nicely as he knew how" (Lee 29).

Maudie goes on to explain that Boo's parents were foot-washing Baptists who believed that any type of pleasure was a sin. Maudie tells Scout,

"They thought I spent too much time in God's outdoors and not enough time inside the house reading the Bible" (Lee 28).

Scout is shocked to hear this and mentions,

"How so reasonable a creature could live in peril of everlasting torment was incomprehensible" (Lee 28).

Maudie teaches Scout several important lessons regarding the identity of their reclusive neighbor and the negatives attached to being radically religious.

What is a comparison between The Great Gatsby and The Cossacks? How are the main characters alike? How are they different?

The Great Gastby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, follows Nick Caraway, a young bonds salesman who meets the mysterious Jay Gatsby in the summer of 1922. Nick soon becomes entangled in the romantic pursuits of Gatsby, who he learns has come to West Egg in order to woo back his former love (and Nick's cousin), Daisy Buchanan, with lavish parties and an alluring, sumptuous lifestyle. Although Gatsby initially succeeds in attracting Daisy to him, he is ultimately abandoned by the fickle woman after a tragic car accident claims the life of Daisy's husband's mistress. Gatsby dies shortly thereafter... alone, despite his massive fortune. 

The Cossacks, by Leo Tolstoy, explores the pursuits of Olyenin, a Russian aristocrat who has grown tired of his empty, affluent life and who seeks out meaning as a junior officer in the Russian military. After being stationed in the Caucasus, home of the Cossacks, Olyenin finds himself falling in love with a young woman, Maryanka. After a tragic battle against a band of marauders in which Maryanka's fiancé is killed, Maryanka rejects Olyenin, sending him far away from the small village. 

As you can probably already see, there are many similarities between the protagonists in these two novels. Both Gatsby and Olyenin are incredibly wealthy individuals who find that their finances are not enough to provide them with a satisfying life. Both seek meaning in something outside themselves, and both find that "meaning" in the form of a woman.

Gatsby uses his money to throw ridiculous parties in hopes that Daisy will one day show up there; he is driven to accrue wealth due to the fact that he considered himself an unsuitable match for her (at least financially and socially) when they first met. Gatsby wants to win Daisy's love through his wealth.

Olyenin, on the other hand, wants to win Maryanka's love despite his wealth. Olyenin knows that the two are a poor social fit due to the vast disparity between their customs and lifestyles; Olyenin was born in the high society of Moscow, while Maryanka hails from a relatively primitive village. Reasonably speaking, there's not much of a compromise in store for these two. Olyenin knows that he can't bring Maryanka back to Moscow, but also can't envision living in a remote area of the Caucasus. Maryanka grows to understand this truth as well, which is what ultimately leads her to decline his advances. 

Another common element to these characters would be the unavailability of the women they pursue. Daisy is already married to a brutish fellow, Tom Buchanan, and although she may be emotionally ready to be swept off into Gatsby's fantasy land, she is too fearful of instability to take the measures necessary to permanently separate herself from her husband. When Maryanaka and Olyenin meet, Maryanka has long been "spoken for" by the local hero, Lukashka; Olyenin's willingness to commit to Maryanka is really only solidified after Lukasha formally proposes to her. This sentiment is at odds with Olyenin's eschewing of the adulterous habits of the other Russian officers. 

Ultimately, both protagonists wind up alone and with all fantasies of their love affairs being squashed by the women who own their hearts. For these two, it seems that it is not only wealth, but also romance that leads to tremendous disappointment...

Is Raymond a static or dynamic character in "Raymond's Run"?

Raymond is a static character.  

A static character is a character that doesn't go through any kind of inner change (or changes very little). Readers don't see any character growth or development in static characters.  

I believe that Raymond is a static character. He is mentally disabled in some way, but the story doesn't give specifics on that. His disability serves as a way to show why Squeaky is so protective of her older brother. It's clear that she loves him, and he loves her in return. By the end of the story, it is Squeaky's opinion of Raymond that has changed.  After witnessing him run, she now sees the potential in Raymond.  Raymond, on the other hand, doesn't have an epiphany about Squeaky. She is the same little sister that she always has been. He loves her dearly, and he supports her unashamedly.

Raymond is hollering from the swings cause he knows I’m about to do my thing . . . 

Readers also get to see that Raymond loves running "with" Squeaky.

And on the other side of the fence is Raymond with his arms down to his side and the palms tucked up behind him, running in his very own style, and it’s the first time I ever saw that and I almost stop to watch my brother Raymond on his first run.

I realize that Squeaky says that is Raymond's "first run," but I've always gotten the impression that Raymond's run that day may have just been the first that Squeaky finally noticed. Raymond runs because Squeaky runs, and it's his way of bonding with his sister. I don't believe that is new emotional ground for Raymond, which is why I believe that he is a static character.

How is the main problem resolved in Catching Fire?

The one of the main conflicts in Catching Fire is an internal conflict, as Katniss determines whether or not she wants to be a part of the growing rebellion against The Capital. It is interesting that, for such an active character, this decision gets made for Katniss, instead of her making it for herself. At the beginning of the novel, President Snow threatens her, saying that uprisings may be coming if she doesn't fall in line and convince the people in the districts that love, not rebellion, motivated her bluff of committing suicide with the poisoned berries in The Hunger Games. At the time, Katniss says that she is "both chilled and somewhat elated by the possibility" (Chapter 2). 

In District 11, she seems to encourage rebellion again, by speaking from the heart about Rue. However, this is accidental; her goal was to share with Rue's family, but her actions and words have consequences for the people of District 11, as the man who whistled Rue's signal is executed. Again, Katniss vows to squash rebellion for peoples' safety, even though she would love for The Capital to be overthrown.

After the Victor's Tour, Gale encourages Katniss to be the face of the rebellion and again she refuses, claiming that she can't be responsible for so many people getting hurt in what she sees as a lost cause. However, when Katniss meets Twill and Bonnie and hears about their journey towards District 13, she begins to hope that rebellion may be possible.   

Once Katniss realizes she will have to go back into the Games, however, all thoughts of rebellion are driven from her mind. However, Haymitch continues working, using his knowledge of Peeta and Katniss and their relationship to manipulate them into working with the other Victors in the arena, who are in on the plot. In the end, Katniss is rescued from the arena by District 13 and the rebels. In this way, the conflict of whether Katniss will joint he rebellion or not is decided for her. Still, in Mockingjay, she will continue to struggle with how much cooperation she will provide to the rebel forces, so the conflict is not entirely resolved. 

Describe what effect the Kennedy Doctrine had on regional or global affairs since it was announced during the Cold War.

The Kennedy Doctrine had a significant impact on regional and world affairs. The Kennedy Doctrine was designed to stop the spread of communism to countries in the Americas and to try to remove it where it already existed. This policy was similar to those policies of previous presidents who were trying to stop the spread of communism.

The Kennedy Doctrine can be seen on display in Cuba. When we realized the Soviets were building missiles sites in Cuba and placing missiles there that had offensive capabilities, we announced the blockade of Cuba. We were not willing to let the Soviet Union threaten the security of the western hemisphere. As a result, we blockaded the coast of Cuba to prevent the Soviets from bringing supplies to Cuba.

President Kennedy also wanted to improve our relations with Latin America. The Alliance for Progress was an economic aid program to help Latin American countries. President Kennedy wanted to improve our poor relations with these countries. He also hoped the aid would strengthen the economies of the Latin American nations, hopefully decreasing the likelihood that they would turn to communism.

Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen were both British poets. What themes or similarities do they share in their writings? What poems from these...

Sassoon and Owen were both British poets who wrote about their experiences as British army officers during World War I. After facing the horrors of the war, including trench warfare, they were hospitalized together for shell shock at a hospital near Edinburgh. There, they became friends, and they wrote about the horrors of the war, along with the great responsibility they personally felt for fighting.

The poems they wrote during this time were similar. For example, Owens's "Dulce et Decorum Est" describes a ghastly gas attack on a line of soldiers. Most of the men are able to don their gas masks, but the narrator sees one poor soul "drowning." Owens writes, "In all my dreams, before my helpless sight, /He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning." He describes the dying man reappearing before him as if in a bad dream, and he tells the reader that if he or she could have seen this man's death, "My friend, you would not tell with such high zest /To children ardent for some desperate glory,/ The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est /Pro patria mori." The last line means that it is a lie that it is sweet and glorious to die for one's country. Owen means that if people could truly see the useless and horrific way war is conducted, they would never tell young people that it is an honor to die in war.

Owen, who lay underneath the body of a fallen soldier while in the trenches, had turned against the war. "Anthem for Doomed Youth" is another Owen poem that speaks about the horrors of war and the way in which fallen soldiers do not receive proper burials or honors. Instead, the soldiers' deaths are marked only by "the monstrous anger of the guns." In other words, the soldiers' deaths are meaningless, as the war marches on without purpose. 

Sassoon wrote similar poems that dealt with the horrors and futility of the war. In his poem "Sick Leave," he speaks of the ghosts of the dead, "the homeless ones, the noiseless dead" who gather about his bed while he is sleeping. They ask him when he will return to his battalion: "'When are you going out to them again? Are they not still your brothers through our blood?'” Like Owen, Sassoon wrote poems in which he relives seeing other soldiers die. Their poems express the way in which these memories haunt them. Owen's and Sassoon's works are a means by which they relive some of the trauma of the war and express their conflicted feelings about the war. While they know the war is purposeless, they feel a responsibility to their fellow soldiers. 

Both poets were bothered by what we today know as Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which was then only beginning to be understood by doctors, and they wrestled with their conscience about whether to return to the war. Sassoon was wounded again and returned home, but Owen was sadly killed in action on November 4, 1918--merely one week before the armistice that ended World War I.

How does Romeo react to the sight of Juliet lying in the tomb in Act V of Romeo and Juliet?

Once he arrives at the Capulet tomb, Romeo gets past Paris by killing him. He sees Juliet in the tomb, and is startled by how her beauty fills this dark tomb with light, "a feasting presence full of light" (Act V, Scene 3, line 94).

As Romeo lays Paris in the tomb, he reflects on how men have called the moment before death overtakes a body a "lightning," a brightness in the countenance before one dies. When he looks at Juliet, Romeo is amazed she looks so beautiful still: "Death. . . hath no power upon thy beauty" (Act V, Scene 3, line 102).

Romeo addresses Death, asking if he loves Juliet and desires her to be his paramour. Assuming this is so, Romeo tells Juliet he will remain and never part from this dark place; he will set up his everlasting place by his beloved Juliet. Romeo will remove from himself his own light, saying he will 

shake the yoke of inauspicious stars
from this world-wearied flesh (Act V, Scene 3, lines 120-121).

Romeo is determined to join his beloved Juliet in death.

What do you think of Atticus's reaction to Bob Ewell's challenge in To Kill a Mockingbird? Should he have ignored Bob, retaliated, or done...

Atticus was not the type to fear anyone or get revenge.

Atticus chooses to give essentially no response when Bob Ewell makes threats and spits in his face. He just says he wishes Bob Ewell would not chew tobacco. He believes Bob Ewell is just a bully, and that if spitting in Atticus’s face prevented him from taking out his shame and anger on Mayella, that was enough for Atticus. 

Scout and Jem believe Atticus should have done something, since he was definitely capable. After all, Atticus was "one-shot Finch."

“You know he wouldn’t carry a gun, Scout. He ain’t even got one—” said Jem.

“You know he didn’t even have one down at the jail that night. He told me havin‘a gun around’s an invitation to somebody to shoot you” (Chapter 23).

Atticus believes in being the bigger man. He has a reputation for being honorable, and does not really believe Bob Ewell will do anything, even though Ewell was heard making threats after Tom Robinson's death.

Maycomb had lost no time in getting Mr. Ewell’s views on Tom’s demise and passing them along through that English Channel of gossip, Miss Stephanie Crawford. Miss Stephanie told Aunt Alexandra in Jem’s presence (“Oh foot, he’s old enough to listen.”) that Mr. Ewell said it made one down and about two more to go (Chapter 25).

It seems Ewell believed he was vindicated, but this was not enough. He had a bigger hit list, even if he was just talking. Who were the two to go? It might have been Atticus's children. He had already spit at Atticus.

In hindsight, Atticus probably should have taken Bob Ewell more seriously because Ewell did attack Scout and Jem. If Boo Radley had not rescued them, they might have been more seriously injured or killed. Bob Ewell was clearly dangerous.

What are the mimes/flashbacks in The Lion and the Jewel by Wole Soyinka about?

Early on in the play, Sidi is told about how her images in a foreign magazine have given her fame and prestige. She encourages the villagers to participate in "the dance of the lost traveler." Soyinka uses pantomime during the flashback to depict how a lost traveler's vehicle breaks down in the jungle, and he happens to see Sidi bathing in a pool of water. The lost traveler then takes out his camera and begins taking pictures of Sidi. He slips and falls into the pool of water, drawing the attention of the villagers. They are upset with him and lead him to the Bale in the middle of town, where Baroka treats the foreign photographer hospitably. Baroka then holds a feast to honor the foreigner, gets him drunk, and encourages him to take numerous pictures of Sidi and the village before sending the lost traveler on his way.

In the second scene of the play entitled "Noon," Lakunle interrupts Sadiku and Sidi's conversation regarding the Bale's reputation. Through pantomime, Lakunle tells the story of how Baroka successfully halted a Public Works project. The flashback scene depicts how a surveyor is commissioned to build a railway through the village of Ilujinle. After clearing much of the jungle and laying an extensive amount of track, Baroka arrives with his attendants and a young woman carrying a calabash bowl filled with money and kola nuts. Baroka proceeds to bribe the surveyor by giving him more money, a coop of hens, and a goat. The surveyor accepts the gifts, and "miraculously" discovers that the earth is unsuitable to support the weight of the railway engine. After sealing the deal by drinking some palm wine, the surveyor and his men pack up their things and leave the area.

What would a town poem about Maycomb look like?

Maycomb is a fictional town in Alabama.  In To Kill a Mockingbird, Maycomb is the small town where the Finch family lives.  Scout describes it as being "a tired old town."  The town is also the county seat of Maycomb County.  Scout notes that during "rainy weather the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square."  The square in town is filled with live oak trees, which provide shade.  The Maycomb Tribune is the town's only newspaper.

To write a poem about the town of Maycomb, you will have to look at the details of the place.  You can then choose the details you want to focus on and incorporate them in your poem.  Here is an example of a beginning of a poem about Maycomb:

Maycomb is a tired place

where people know every face

Live oak trees cover the square

In summertime, you should be there.

Good luck with your poem!

What is Juliet compared to when she and Romeo first meet in Act I, Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet?

The first meeting of Romeo and Juliet occurs after Romeo has noticed the beautiful Juliet at the Capulet masque.Seeing her, he compares Juliet to a saint.

After seeing her across the room, and inquiring about her identity, Romeo impulsively approaches Juliet. In one of the two sonnets of the play, each of the two characters recites seven lines. Using the metaphor of Juliet as a saint, Romeo, as a pilgrim, wishes to be absolved of his sin and if he is so absolved, then Juliet must take his sin from him by giving him a kiss:

Then move not while my prayer's effect I take
Thus from my lips by thine my sin is purged. (1.5.105-106)

Afterwards, Juliet reasons that she has taken Romeo's sin; therefore, Romeo asks for his sin back so that they can kiss again. Then, the Nurse approaches, and she informs the young lady that her mother wishes to have a word with her.

How can we develop fears using classical conditioning?

Classical conditioning is a psychological phenomena where a person or animal develops subconscious associations due to pattern recognition. This can prompt a certain emotional or physical state in response to a particular stimulus. A famous example is Pavlov and his dogs. Physiologist Ivan Pavlov conducted an experiment where he would ring a bell and then feed his dogs. Over time, the dogs grew to associate the ringing of the bell with feeding and hunger. They became conditioned so that, regardless of the presence of food, the sound of the bell ringing made the dogs hungry. 

People can become classically conditioned into developing a fear if there is a pattern of stimulus and response in their lives. As an example, let's say someone has a series of bad experiences with closets—maybe they become trapped in one while playing hide-and-seek, then open a closet to find a spider, and again open a closet to have a number of boxes fall on them! This would be an unfortunate series of events, indeed, and this person may very well develop a fear of closets. 

What is the difference between DNA and RNA in term of nitrogen bases and pentose sugars?

There are two primary differences between the two molecules in these terms:

• In terms of pentose sugars, the "D" in DNA stands for deoxyribose, and the "R" in RNA stands for ribose. The "deoxy" prefix simply means "without oxygen," indicating deoxyribose is basically the same as ribose, just missing an oxygen. In ribose, the 2' carbon has a hydroxyl group (OH) attached, whereas deoxyribose has only a hydrogen in this position. 


• In terms of the nitrogen bases, which are interchangeable, the DNA molecules use cytosine, guanine, thymine, and adenine (CGTA), whereas RNA uses uracil instead of thymine (CGUA). The uracil still binds with adenine in the same way thymine does. 

Part of the reason for these differences, in terms of evolutionary development, is that they are very similar on the molecular level and therefore easy to create with the same basic cellular machinery, but different enough they can be distinguished from each other when necessary.

Why did Dred Scott claim that he became a free man by entering the Louisiana Territory?

This question, of course, refers to the Supreme Court's infamous decision in Scott v. Sandford, the 1857 decision in which the Court, led by Roger Taney, denied the right of a black man to sue in a court, and denied the ability of the federal government to restrict the spread of slavery. Scott, an enslaved man who was carried into Wisconsin Territory by his owner, an Army officer, argued that being in Wisconsin made him free. This is because Wisconsin, as noted in the question, had been part of the Louisiana Territory, and in 1820, a political dispute over the admission of Missouri (also part of the Louisiana Territory) as a slave state. The compromise that resolved this dispute stipulated that all territories in the Louisiana Territory north of 36'30 north latitude would be free from slavery. Wisconsin, the territory where Scott had lived for a time, was in this area. So Scott argued that he was free, having lived in Wisconsin, and that he could not be reenslaved when he was taken back to Missouri.