What are the ways in which Jhumpa Lahiri presents marriage in the novel The Namesake?

Marriage is portrayed in a nuanced manner throughout The Namesake. The marriages of two different couples are examined, showing the various themes that repeat themselves from one generation to another. Although the author delves into the darker side of marriage, this work manages to avoid cynicism.

Ashima and Ashoke

Ashoke is a young engineering student who lives in America and returns to Calcutta to find a wife who shares his cultural heritage. He marries a young Bengalese woman who did not have any significant choice in the union, but he is not unkind and the couple manages to create a relatively happy life. Nonetheless, Ashima finds herself isolated in her new country due to the language and cultural barriers. She especially longs for the sense of community and family she had in Calcutta when she gives birth to her son, Gogol.

Gogol and Moushimi

Moushimi is a vibrant and independent young Bengalese woman who is introduced to Gogol through his mother. After being abandoned by her fiance, she was able to enjoy an unusual amount of freedom in her twenties. While she is instantly drawn to Gogol, it takes only a year for her to resent their marriage and the loss of freedom it brings. She pulls away from him and begins an affair with a former high school classmate. Although their marriage ends poorly, Moushimi and Gogol share a brief period of happiness and romance.

Both couples in this story demonstrate different aspects of married life in Bengalese culture. Moushimi and Ashima may have chosen different life paths, but they come from similar backgrounds and share similar feelings about marriage. Both women feel isolated and constricted by the role society expects them to play as wives. Gogol finds himself disappointed with the way his marriage ended, but it leads to introspection that allows him to find self-acceptance.

How can I give a speech to the audience at school so they know and understand how the Gospels apply to real life?

A good strategy for relating the Gospels to real life might be to take a cue from Jesus. To illustrate the lessons he preached throughout the Holy Land, Jesus used parables. Parables are tales that briefly explain important moral lessons for people to live by, particularly people who identify as Christians. 

For example, Jesus' parable about The Good Samaritan, which appears in the Gospel of Luke (10:25-37), is applicable to many situations in our lives. The story talks about a traveler who lays sick and dying on the side of the road. Two supposedly virtuous people pass him by before a Samaritan takes notice and helps him. The Judeo-Christian teachings of The Good Samaritan are usually connected to lessons of looking after one's neighbors, treating others as you want to be treated, and virtuous actions are more important than pious words. 

Relating this parable to contemporary situations should be fairly easy. A discussion of inviting a new person to the lunch table, like someone who is lonely or bullied, is one example. Encouraging acceptance of others in one's community, like those of different cultures or religions, would also be an appropriate parallel. Finally, recommending spending time volunteering at a soup kitchen or nursing home rather than spending time sharing memes — even socially conscious ones — online would connect to the axiom actions speak louder than words.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, what do Scout and Jem learn from Tom Robinson's trial? How does it benefit them? How does it change them?

Scout and Jem learn that while there are a lot of racists in Maycomb, not everyone is racist.  They also learn that people are complicated but generally have good intentions.

Before the trial, Atticus expressed concern to his brother Jack about how the trial would affect Scout and Jem.  He knew that they would hear a lot of talk, about him and about the trial.  His children would have to mature a little early.  A rape trial is a very grown-up thing.

You know what’s going to happen as well as I do, Jack, and I hope and pray I can get Jem and Scout through it without bitterness, and most of all, without catching Maycomb’s usual disease. Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up, is something I don’t pretend to understand… (Ch. 9) 

When the Cunningham mob comes to lynch Tom Robinson, both Scout and Jem intervene.  They learn that the Cunninghams are not bad people, but they just got carried away. Atticus tells them that most people are well-intentioned.  This later pans out when Atticus tells them that two Cunninghams would have hung the jury, because they were open-minded and willing to accept that Robinson was innocent after hearing the evidence.

Scout and Jem do not become racists, despite Scout using the N-word.  She is just repeating what others said.  Jem certainly is no racist.  He strongly believes that Tom Robinson will be acquitted.  However, another thing that Scout and Jem learn is that the world is not always fair.  Even with Atticus’s evidence that Tom Robinson could not have caused Mayella’s injuries, he is convicted. 

Scout and Jem also learn that race relations in Maycomb or more complicated than they thought.  During the trial, they meet Dolphus Raymond, who pretends to be drunk all of the time because he is living with a black woman and they have children.  Maycomb tolerates him because he is from a wealthy family. 

In a reflection that shows her growing understanding of the world, Scout realizes that Maycomb's reaction to Mayella’s relationship with Tom Robinson is different than Dolphus Raymond’s with his wife because Mayella is poor. 

She couldn’t live like Mr. Dolphus Raymond, who preferred the company of Negroes, because she didn’t own a riverbank and she wasn’t from a fine old family. Nobody said, “That’s just their way,” about the Ewells. Maycomb gave them Christmas baskets, welfare money, and the back of its hand. (Ch. 19) 

Jem determines that there are four kinds of people in Maycomb.  “Normal” people like the Finches, the Cunningham types, the Ewell types, and “the Negroes.”  This is the understanding of race and class relations he has developed from the trial.

What did Gerda Lerner seem to be saying about women as victims of oppression? What do women sacrifice by accepting this?

In this essay, published originally in 1975, Lerner, a feminist and a historian, is surveying various trends in the study of women's history, discussing their benefits, but also, more importantly, their drawbacks. Fundamentally, she is suggesting that the ways women's history has been studied up to that point have tended to operate, sometimes unintentionally, within the same patriarchal assumptions that oppressed women in the first place. So in studies that have, quite accurately, depicted various ways in which women have been historically oppressed (the subject of your question), historians have tended to obscure or downplay the ways in which women resisted oppression. This makes it appear, in Lerner's words, that "women were largely passive," or that their actions were simply reactions to "male pressures or to the restraints of patriarchal society." Thus women as historical actors are placed "in a male-defined conceptual framework: oppressed, victimized by standards and values established by men." To use the word that social historians often use to describe the actions of the historical people they study, this approach obscures the agency of historical women. "The true story," Lerner says, of these women is "of their ongoing functioning in that male-defined world, on their own terms," and because focusing simply on oppression does not reveal this, it is "of limited usefulness to the historian." So the focus on oppression is, like a focus on "great" women, for example, always going to yield a very simplistic picture of women's historical lives even as it draws much needed attention to the systems of oppression faced by women. This is a very common concern among historians, not just concerning women, but also in relation to enslaved people, Native Americans, working-class people, and many others. How do we illustrate the structures and processes that oppress people without overlooking the ways that those same people figure out how to live within them?

In The Great Gatsby, what does Nick observe "has its limits"?

In chapter one, Nick begins the story by describing how fortunate he feels to have had a superior upbringing. He credits his father's advice and prides himself on his broad-mindedness and nonjudgmental nature and observes that these qualities have led many men to confide in him.  To finish your quotation, it is Nick's tolerance that "has its limits."  Nick will tell the story of his summer in New York and his friendship with Gatsby retrospectively, and he implies that whatever he has learned about human nature has in some way scarred him emotionally.  He declares that at least temporarily, he does not want to be the person that others confide in, and he is uninterested in the ups and downs of other people's lives.

Please explain if there are any other tools, besides interest rates, that can be used to influence the supply of money, inflation, and deflation....

There are two other tools that a central bank like the Federal Reserve can use to try to influence the money supply. When the Fed influences the supply of money, it is also influencing the levels of inflation or deflation. The other two tools the Fed can use are reserve requirements and open market operations.

Reserve requirements have to do with banks and lending. When banks receive money as deposits, they do not simply keep that money in their vaults.  Instead, they lend it out, thus making money for themselves. However, the banks are not allowed to loan out all the money they take in.  They must keep a certain percentage in their own hands. This percentage is the required reserve. The Fed can increase the reserve requirement if it wants to lower the supply of money (if inflation is too high) and decrease it if it wants to increase the supply (if there is a danger of deflation).

Open market operations are when the Fed buys and sells government securities.  When the Fed sells government securities it gives the securities to banks in return for money.  This takes money out of circulation, thus reducing the money supply (making inflation less likely).  When the Fed buys government securities, it gives the banks money and gets the securities bank. Now the banks have more money and the supply of money increases (this makes deflation less likely).

Your question says that the Fed uses interest rate manipulation more than these other tools.  This is not true.  The Fed rarely changes reserve requirements.  This is because that is too strong of a tool.  It is hard for banks to adjust to this and it is hard to carefully calibrate how much of an impact it will have on the money supply.   While the Fed rarely changes reserve requirements, it often engages in open market operations.  This is the tool that it uses far more than any other (see link below). This is because open market operations can change the supply of money by small amounts on a day-to-day basis, thus giving the Fed the ability to affect the supply of money much more precisely than it can with either of the other tools.

When does Napoleon take control of the food supply in Animal Farm?

In Animal Farm, Napoleon takes control of the food supply on the morning after the Rebellion against Mr Jones. Specifically, this occurs when Napoleon steals the milk (at the end of Chapter Two) and decides, without the consent of the other animals, that it will be mixed into the pigs' mash.

It is ironic that Napoleon seizes control of the food supply on the same day that he and the other animals have developed the Seven Commandments. While these Commandments say nothing about stealing, they promote the equality of all animals and foster a spirit of brotherhood and mutual sacrifice.

In stealing the milk, then, Napoleon contravenes this spirit and demonstrates his inner selfishness and powers of deception. This act also foreshadows the events to come in which Napoleon claims absolute power and rules the farm with an iron fist. 

True or False: About 5000 African-Americans fought for the colonial cause in the Continental Army.

According to the PBS website (see the link below), true. About 5,000 African-Americans fought in the Continental Army for the colonial cause during the Revolutionary War. Many African-Americans fought for the British Army, which recruited the slaves of many American slave masters. African-Americans tended to join armies that promised them freedom. For example, Lord Dunmore, the Governor of Virginia, promised freedom to slaves who joined the Loyalist cause. About 800 slaves joined his regiment, and others were inspired to run away. About 100,000 African-Americans were killed while fighting, died during the Revolutionary War, or found the means to escape during the war. Many African-Americans who served the Loyalist cause wound up unfortunately being enslaved again after the Revolutionary War. 

African-American patriots fought in the battles of Lexington and Concord and at Bunker Hill at the beginning of the war, but then George Washington, who was Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, decreed that African-Americans could not join the Continental Army. Later, he rescinded this decision and allowed slaves and freed blacks to join the Rhode Island regiment. 

What does Frederick Douglass understand a man to be?

Douglass's Autobiography makes a distinction between "slave" and "man." It is a common theme throughout his writings and speeches that the institution of slavery robs the enslaved (and, in a different way, slaveholders) of their humanity. After enduring consistent abuse at the hands of Mr. Covey, Douglass tells us:

I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark that lingered about my eye died; the dark night of slavery closed in upon me; and behold a man transformed into a brute!

So slavery had transformed a "man" into a "brute," by which Douglass meant an unthinking creature like a farm animal. Eventually, however, the sixteen-year old Douglass resisted, physically manhandling Covey, a notorious "slave-breaker." Having beaten Covey, who fears losing his reputation for being tough with slaves (i.e. his sense of his own masculinity), Douglass feels liberated, and like a man again:

It rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of my own manhood. It recalled the departed self-confidence, and inspired me again with a determination to be free. 

For Douglass, slavery was the antithesis of manhood. It completely negated everything that he understood as masculine in the male slave, robbing him of intellect, liberty, the ability to be a father, and control of his own body. Freedom, then--intellectual, spiritual and physical freedom--was essential to become a man. 

Describe the effect of European exploration and colonization on African and Native American cultures. How did each group react to confrontations...

Colonization in Africa devastated the continent; from the earliest days of international slave trade in the 17th century to the Belgian presence in the Congo during the 20th century, European colonization resulted in the exploitation and death of African people. The slave trade vastly decreased the population of Western Africa and led to constant war between some nations, due to the economic benefit of selling prisoners of war as slaves to European traders. Enslaved Africans were treated very poorly and often violently abused by their owners and separated from their families. In the 20th century, the "scramble for Africa" led many European countries to claim land in the continent in order to exploit its natural resources. One especially brutal example of this colonization was the Congo Free State, most of which is the Democratic Republic of the Congo today. Belgian King Leopold III used African slave labor to extract the country's ivory and rubber, and the violence of Belgian officials combined with the diseases they spread in the country lead to a death toll that may have constituted almost half of the Congo's population prior to this colonization.

Similarly, European colonization in the Americas resulted in widespread violence, spread of disease, and population decrease for the Native American people. Initially, Native American people aided and traded with the European explorers. However, as they began to settle in the Americas, Europeans began to spread diseases like smallpox which the Native Americans had no immunity to, displace them from their land, and defy treaties. As the U.S. expanded in the 19th century, Native Americans experienced continual displacement. Additionally, many served in the Civil War in the hopes that their service to the U.S. would benefit their people, but soon after, the government passed the Indian Appropriations Act that denied any autonomy to Native American nations. Also in the 19th century, Native American boarding schools were established to take Native American youth from their homes to assimilate them into white American culture.

In reaction to European colonization, Africans and Native Americans practiced some forms of resistance. In the 19th century, Africans began using armed military engagement as well as forms of guerilla warfare against European colonizers. Some African countries managed to drive away European colonizers altogether; for example, the Ethiopian army gained their land back from the Italians and successfully resisted colonization. Native Americans also fought a number of wars against the Europeans, such as the Battle of Little Bighorn and the battle at Wounded Knee. These acts of armed resistance were largely unsuccessful, as many more Native Americans than European Americans died, and they continued to experience displacement and violations of land treaties.

What are some examples of the government and laws in the new England colonies.

In the colonies, male land owners could participate in their government by electing people to the Colonial Legislature. However, a governor with higher authority was appointed solely by the king.  Thus, although some people could influence who was elected, colonial government was not truly democratic.  The monarchy of England was limited by the fact that the Atlantic Ocean stood between England and the colonies. 

The government in the New England colonies of the United States evolved between the time that England chartered the settlement of North America in the 1600s and the Declaration of Independence in 1776.  When each colony was chartered, they were established under the authority of the king of England.  At this time, England's form of government was parliamentary monarchy.  In 1620, The Mayflower arrived on land that was outside of the king's approved charter.  The pilgrims were required to produce a new document, now referred to as the Mayflower Compact, to establish their settlement in Massachusetts under the rule of England. Because this document was a collaboration between the pilgrims, it is often viewed as a precedent to more autonomous self-government.  In 1774, the Continental Congress was developed by the colonies to work towards unification and to represent the colonies to the government of England.  

There were many laws imposed by England that were perceived as unfair by the pilgrims.  The Stamp Act of 1756 created a tax imposed on legal documents and newspapers.  Because one was required to buy a stamp each time one of these documents was issued, the king's government would easily become aware of property transfers or publication of information that could undermine their authority.  The Tea Act of 1773 established a monopoly for British East India Tea Company to be the sole merchant of tea in the colonies.  At this time, tea was the typical daily drink in most households.  Any increase in price would negatively impact the quality of life for many.  These two examples of laws show how the monarch's authority could impact the daily lives and livelihoods of those living in the colonies.

What is political economy?

Political economy was, in some ways, an outgrowth of the transition from monarchy to a parliamentary system of government, and more particularly, government finance.

In antiquity, the science of organizing cities was "politics," and included systems of law to regulate behavior (e.g. rules concerning murder and theft) and external relations (diplomacy, military matters). There was little in the way of what we would now think of as civil service and most public services were provided by liturgies (assigning wealthy people, on a rotating basis, the responsibility for providing services or financing for public projects). Economics had to do with administering households, and had a far more practical and financial focus. 

In the Renaissance, nations were run as part of a monarch's household, and thus what we would now think of as national finance or economic planning (taxation, public works, military funding, etc.) was technically organized as a department of royal household finance. As the power of Parliament increased and that of the monarchy decreased, economics became public, pertaining to the polis or state as a whole, rather than run as part of the household economy of the monarch. The term political economy proliferated in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to reflect this shift.

How did Charles Darnay protect Lucie Manette?

Charles Darnay protects his wife Lucie not only physically but emotionally. He does not tell her his real name, but he does this to protect her from the knowledge of his family’s vicious past. He does tell her father, Dr. Manette, without knowing the role that his father and his uncle played in Dr. Manette’s imprisonment. When Dr. Manette learns the truth on the morning of Lucie and Charles’s wedding day, he reverts to his mindset of the prisoner of the Bastille.

When Charles goes to Paris to try to save his old family servant, he does not take Lucie with him, nor does he tell her where he is going before he leaves. He knows that she would want to go with him, but he wants to protect her from the possible consequences of his return to the land of his birth. When she follows him anyway, he knows what emotional turmoil she is going through, since she can do nothing to save him from the guillotine. 

Even though Charles Darnay is a thoroughly good man, he protects his wife and family, not through telling the truth, but in keeping the truth from them as much as possible. He underestimates Lucie, however, who proves to be stronger than he suspected. She refuses to give up on him by returning to England without him.

What are the four best arguments for pipelines?

By pipelines, I am assuming you are referring to oil pipelines. Oil pipelines have a number of benefits:

• Safer transport: pipelines are the safest transport method for fluids. Other modes of transport such as tankers and ships are more prone to accidents and oil spills.


• Smaller transport cost: Tankers and ships use fuel for transport; pipelines do not. In the longer run, the transport cost of pipelines is much less than many other modes of transport.


• Lesser environmental impact: Other modes of transport generate emissions, while pipelines do not. Pipelines have a lower overall environmental impact.


• More jobs: Constructing a pipeline generates a large number of jobs.


• Economic benefits: Pipelines add to the economy of the counties they pass through because of tax revenue. 


• Energy security: Long-distance transport of fuel through pipelines provides fuel to the regions where it is in short supply and ensures long-term energy security.

Hope this helps.

In the poem "Mending Wall" by Robert Frost, how does the speaker feel about the gaps in the wall?

In the poem, the speaker is unhappy about the gaps; the reason for this is that, once the gaps are discovered, he and his neighbor must work together again to put up the wall that separates their properties.

The speaker doesn't specifically care how the gaps are made, whether it is the work of hunters or of nature; he just doesn't think a wall is necessary between neighbors. He states that his neighbor grows pines, while he grows apples; meanwhile neither of them raise cattle, so there isn't any fear of cows venturing onto the other's property.

We get the idea that the speaker thinks the gaps a nuisance of sorts; he would rather leave them alone than decide which fallen boulders belong to whose side of the property. To the speaker, the wall is a waste of time, as he and his neighbor aren't enemies:

Before I built a wall I’d ask to know/ What I was walling in or walling out,/ And to whom I was like to give offense.

The speaker disagrees with his neighbor's belief that "Good fences make good neighbors."

In Animal Farm, why does Squealer take the sheep away for a week?

Squealer takes the sheep for a week to teach them to replace their chant of “Four legs good, two legs bad!” with "Four legs good, two legs better!” 

When the animals expel the humans and create Animal Farm, they create a list of Seven Commandments to live by.  The sheep find it difficult to remember all of them, and whittle it down to one concept: Four legs good, two legs bad!  This means that humans are bad, and animals are good.  (Wings are okay.) 

When they had once got it by heart, the sheep developed a great liking for this maxim, and often as they lay in the field they would all start bleating "Four legs good, two legs bad! Four legs good, two legs bad!" and keep it up for hours on end, never growing tired of it. (Ch. 3) 

During the Meetings, Snowball makes speeches that sway many of the animals.  Napoleon solves this problem by getting the sheep to bleat out "Four legs good, two legs bad!” disruptively.  Whenever Snowball carries the animals away, the sheep interfere. 

One day, Squealer orders the sheep to follow him to a far corner of the farm.  He tells everyone that he is teaching the sheep a new song, and needs privacy.  In fact, none of the animals know what they are doing. 

The sheep spent the whole day there browsing at the leaves under Squealer's supervision. In the evening he returned to the farmhouse himself, but, as it was warm weather, told the sheep to stay where they were. (Ch. 10) 

The sheep end up staying there for a week.  Then Squealer is seen to be walking on his hind legs.  He is followed by Napoleon, who has a whip in his trotter.  The sheep respond with a new chant: "Four legs good, two legs better!”  They go on like that for five minutes, and by the time they quiet down the pigs are back in the farmhouse. 

The other animals try to remember if there was a commandment about those with two legs being an enemy.  They go to look at the commandments, and find the Seven Commandments replaced with one. 

ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL

BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS (Ch. 10) 

From then on, it is official.  The pigs are in charge.  They walk on two legs like humans.  They carry whips like humans.  They live in the house.  There is basically no difference between the pigs and the people.

How does incarceration shape the outcomes of the children of the incarcerated, and the prospects of the children when they become adults? Please...

In Children of the Prison Boom, Wakefield and Wildeman present statistics that show that children of the incarcerated face poor outcomes. For example, children with imprisoned parents are more likely to suffer from infant mortality. They are also more likely to face homelessness, as only one parent has to contend with supporting them and with the resulting economic instability. As a result, these children can suffer from restricted access to healthcare and be faced with interrupted or deficient educational opportunities. These children also have poorer mental health and more behavioral problems.

As adults, the prospects of people who had incarcerated parents when they were children are limited, as they've often lacked in education and have difficulty finding a job. They are also more likely than people whose parents were not incarcerated to become involved with crime, to be convicted, and to be imprisoned themselves. Therefore, their parents' incarceration increases the likelihood that they will be imprisoned. This is a dire situation, as the rates of imprisonment, particularly for African-American people, have increased dramatically over the last several decades. Currently, African-American children have a 25% chance that their parents will be imprisoned (page 2). This situation affects not only current but future generations. 

What is the irony about Bob Ewell's response to Mr. Gilmer's question about being ambidextrous in To Kill a Mockingbird?

The irony attached to Bob Ewell's response to Mr. Gilmer's question about his being ambidextrous is that Ewell denies that he is "certainly not" ambidextrous, but adds, "I can use one hand good as the other," so he admits to it.

Of course, it is obvious that the uneducated and ignorant Ewell has no idea what the word ambidextrous means since he has inadvertently re-defined it when he asserts that he can use one hand as well as the other. In actuality, he thought that he was contradicting its meaning, not affirming it, by saying that he can use both his hands equally well.

As Scout listens to him on the witness stand, it becomes apparent to her just how backward and crude this man actually is as he uses vocabulary that is inappropriate to the courtroom. His descriptions, for instance, of what has occurred with Mayella is described in low terms, to say the least. At one point, for instance, Judge Taylor finds it necessary to tell Ewell to confine his testimony within the confines of Christian English Usage.

How did the beliefs of the Church affect Medieval European society?

The beliefs of the Church had a huge impact Medieval European society-- in fact, the entire structure of society was based on Church teachings! The Church was really the only remaining intellectual institution after the fall of the Roman Empire in Western Europe, so what they said went! The Church taught (and people believed) that God had dictated that there were three natural classes (or "Orders") of society. These were the Oratores ("those who pray," the Church,) Laboratores ("those who work," the peasantry,) and Bellatores ("those who fight," the nobility.) Each Order had their role in society. Primarily, the peasantry lived and worked to support the nobility, and the Church both reinforced this idea but existed somewhat outside the parasitic relationship between the other two classes. Becoming a member of clergy (as in a nun, priest, or monk) was really the only way for a peasant laborer to escape their weary lifestyle.

This structure of three Orders laid the foundation for and developed into the Feudal System. It still maintained the three general classes of society, but was far more complex in terms of who owed what to whom. Of course, the Church also played a role in the more intricate beliefs and actions of people's lives. The scholar Burchard of Worms even wrote a text on how to repent for some very specific sins!  Everything in Medieval society, from the class you were born into, down to the sinful nature of eating scabs-- yuck!-- was influenced by the Church.

Which gas alters the ocean's pH?

Carbon dioxide (`CO_2` ) is the primary gas responsible for the acidification of the ocean. Carbon dioxide is absorbed into the ocean from the atmosphere.

Sources of Carbon Dioxide

There are both natural and man-made sources of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

• 
  Natural Sources: decomposition of organic substances, volcanic eruptions, normal exchange between the atmosphere and the ocean, respiration

• Man-made Sources: fossil fuels, deforestation

The acidity of the ocean has increased 30% since the onset of the industrial revolution.

Acidification of the Ocean

Carbon dioxide reacts with water in the ocean to produce carbonic acid. This increases the concentration of hydrogen ions in the ocean and lowers the pH. The lower the pH of the ocean, the more acidic it is. Hydrogen ions also tend to bind up carbonate ions. Carbonate is needed by shell-building organisms to produce shells.

What is the connection between fluidity and consciousness and the use of imagery in The Waves by Virginia Woolf?

The Waves is one of Virginia Woolf's most unconventional works. The novel describes the consciousnesses of six friends, beginning at the time that they are children. 

The novel is considered "fluid" because rather than having a single narrator (or a single "focalizing point"), its narrative voice shifts between the consciousnesses of its six characters. This movement is so fast and subtle that it is sometimes difficult to tell in The Waves which consciousness is being represented in any one sentence. The book's fluid treatment of consciousness raises questions about identity, and the extent to which consciousness is constituted by oneself, versus within and between a group of people. As Woolf scholar Julia Briggs writes, The Waves, like many of Woolf's novels, is preoccupied with the question of "what makes up our consciousness when we are alone and when we are with others." 

For this reason, a major visual motif of the novel is the ocean and the coastline. The action of cresting and breaking waves, in which the wave emerges from the ocean, articulates itself, and then disappears back into the ocean, is a beautiful visual metaphor for the questions of individual and communal identity that the novel explores. 

What would be a character sketch of Darcy in Pride and Prejudice?

Mr. Darcy is a wealthy man who plays a key role in the book Pride and Prejudice.  When the book begins, his parents have died and he has a younger sister, Georgiana.  He also has an aunt, the wealthy and opinionated Lady Catherine de Bourgh.  Mr. Bingley is his close friend.  His primary residence is called Pemberley.

When Elizabeth first meets Mr. Darcy, she finds him to be prideful and rude.  Mr. Darcy is drawn to Elizabeth despite the fact that he finds her family questionable, and he proposes to her.  She refuses his proposal.

Mr. Darcy explains why he is a prideful person.  His parents had spoiled him, though they had taught him morals and standards growing up.  He had become selfish.  He is also a serious person, and is "not of a disposition in which happiness overflows in mirth" (Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 59).  He tenderly cares for his younger sister.  He looks out for her and wishes to keep her safe from harm.

Lydia runs off with Mr. Wickham, and Mr. Darcy comes to the rescue.  He gives Wickham money and makes sure that he marries Lydia.  When Elizabeth finds out, she realizes that she had been wrong about Mr. Darcy.  She sees a kinder side to him.  He proposes again and they become engaged.

Beneath Mr. Darcy's hard outer shell is a kind and caring person.  His housekeeper at Pemberley sings his praises.  Mr. Bingley greatly admires his friend.  Georgiana adores her older brother.  Elizabeth eventually comes to see his good qualities, as well.

Despite her best efforts, Helen could not communicate with her dog or make the pet a friend as she did with Martha Washington. Why was this?

Before Annie Sullivan came to teach Helen, the little girl struggled to communicate.  Helen wanted to communicate with everyone around her, but her hand signals and gestures were crude and sometimes difficult to understand.  The family's dog, Belle, "was old and lazy and liked to sleep by the open fire rather than to romp with" young Helen.  Helen made many attempts to communicate with the animal.  The child tried on numerous occasions to teach her hand signs to Belle.  Helen described the dog's reactions to her attempts at communication as being "dull and inattentive."  Sometimes Belle's reactions to Helen's signs confused her.  Occasionally Belle "started and quivered with excitement, then she became perfectly rigid, as dogs do when they point a bird."  Helen got very upset and frustrated when Belle did not respond the way she wanted.  

When Helen was disappointed with Belle, she ran off to find Martha Washington.  Martha was a little girl who was the cook's daughter.  Helen's signs were understood by Martha and they became friends.  Unfortunately, Helen was very bossy with Martha.  If Martha did not do as Helen wished, she would be the victim of "a hand-to-hand encounter."

What is the role of revenge in Hamlet? How is revenge represented? What is its dramatic function in the play?

Revenge is represented as the ultimate destructive force in Hamlet. It draws out the worst traits in the characters seeking it, and has negative consequences on bystanders.

The first act of revenge occurred two months prior to the start of the play, when Claudius poisoned his older brother to be king of Denmark. We never hear the whole story from Claudius, just that he did it for "My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen" (III.3). Claudius was clearly jealous of all that his brother had and plotted revenge to take it all. This revenge act plays perhaps the most important dramatic function, since none of the other revenge plots, with all their resulting tragedy, would develop without this catalyst.

Next, Hamlet vows revenge on Claudius once the ghost reveals the murder plot. Hamlet is not vengeful by nature, and so never directly seeks opportunity to murder his uncle. Yet all the convoluted ways he approaches the task do have negative effects on those around him, thereby furthering the plot. His cover of insanity turns all eyes on him and deeply disturbs Ophelia, which prompts her insanity. Hamlet's odd behavior also causes Polonius to poke his nose where it doesn't belong, which places him behind the arras in his Gertrude's room, which leads to his death. This, in turn, sets Laertes to seek vengeance.

Laertes' revenge looks quite different than Hamlet's, even though it is for the same cause: a murdered father. Laertes is willing to do whatever it takes to gain his revenge on his father's murder, even "cut his throat i' th' church" (IV.7), meaning that unlike Hamlet, Laertes is more than willing to damn his own soul to accomplish his revenge. Ultimately, he gives up his soul and his life. By joining causes with Claudius and rashly rushing to revenge, Laertes ends up being responsible for Gertrude's death in addition to Hamlet's, as he supplies the poison that she inadvertently drinks. 

In the end, no matter the motive for revenge, Shakespeare shows us revenge is never sweet, and definitely never without consequences to the avengers and those around the person seeking revenge. To prove this point further, Horatio, the only main character not caught up in the vengeance, is the only one to survive the play.

If a ball is thrown vertically upward and we want to calculate the work due to gravity, do we use in the formula the force applied by our hands on...

Hello!

The work due to gravity is the work done by the gravity force. So to find this work we should use gravity force as the force in the formula `W = F*S*cos(alpha).`

The other terms in this formula are the displacement `S` and the angle `alpha` between the force `F` and the displacement `S` (both the force and the displacement are vectors and have a direction).

In the specific case of throwing upwards, `alpha` is equal to `pi` while a ball goes up, and its cosine is `-1.` So the gravity force performs negative work on a ball. While a ball goes down (this happens sooner or later), `alpha=0` and `cos(alpha)=1,` and work becomes positive.

Actually, one may raise the question about the work of the force applied to the ball by our hand. It that case we have to consider that force and take into account that it isn't constant.

What evidence is there to support that humans have increased climate change over time?

Earth's climate is changing, specifically in terms of average temperature. The role played by human beings in climate change is irrefutable. 

Earth's temperature is maintained in a more hospitable range by a number of gases present in the atmosphere. These gases (including carbon dioxide, methane, etc.) trap the heat reflected by Earth's surface and keep the planet warm. This effect is known as the greenhouse effect. It has been observed by scientists that the average temperature of Earth is increasing. They have also found that the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide is increasing as well. This has led them to believe that increased global warming is being caused by an increased amount of carbon dioxide.

There are a number of possible reasons for global warming, including an increased greenhouse effect, an increase in solar radiation, and volcanic eruptions, among others. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has clearly stated that human factors are responsible for most of climate change. Since the 1880s, the average global temperature has increased by almost 0.87 degrees Celsius. 

Climate change models have failed to match Earth's temperature by using natural factors alone. When both natural and human factors are included, the models fit the temperature trends well. The main human factor in climate change is the increase in carbon dioxide emissions, post-industrial revolution. The CO2 concentration has increased from about 280 ppm to 400 ppm in the last couple of centuries. Most of it has resulted from the consumption of fossil fuels, which fulfills our energy demands. Another factor is deforestation, which decreases the number of sinks of carbon dioxide (plants consume CO2 during photosynthesis and hence are sinks). 

Scientists have also studied the sources of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and have found fossil fuels to be a major source of additional carbon dioxide.

Thus, human activities have caused significant climate change, especially since the industrial revolution. Scientific studies have confirmed their role in global warming.

Hope this helps. 

In Nothing But the Truth by Avi, how do the characters overcome the conflict?

In Nothing But the Truth by Avi, the conflict is resolved in a most unsatisfactory way. Each person involved has told a different "truth," and particularly because of Philip's telling, just about everyone involved ends up hurt. Philip thought he was being treated unfairly by his English teacher, Miss Narwin, so he stretches the truth in order to get out of her class. Miss Narwin is following the school rules when she sends Phil out of class for humming the National Anthem, but she doesn't do a very good job of following up. Maybe if she had called Philip's parents at the beginning, they would have gotten to the bottom of the problem and solved it right then and there. Instead, the story just keeps getting bigger. Reporters get involved and give a biased account, the School Board gets involved, and everything gets blown out of proportion.

In the end, Miss Narwin retires, leaving a job that had meant so much to her and to most of her students, Philip leaves for another school, and the school doesn't get the funding it so desperately needs. The resolution is that everyone loses. 

Why is it important for a teacher to study child development?

By understanding child (and adolescent) development, a teacher can make the most appropriate decisions possible about expectations for students, how to best have students engage with the material, and how to push students to grow academically, emotionally and socially. 

For example, through research into brain development we know that the prefrontal cortex goes through dramatic changes during the teen years. The prefrontal cortex is involved in higher order thinking skills and emotional control. By teachers learning how and when this development occurs, they can better understand that students will be at very different stages of development in these areas and that much structure and modeling will be necessary in the classroom to help them learn how to use their higher level cognitive skills and use self-control with their emotions. With my freshman students this plays out often during projects such as building paper roller coasters. I have to provide a well-laid out structure for how the project will work and what they should be doing each day, but through the process of building their roller coasters they are using higher cognitive skills and practicing self-control by collaborating with group members.

It is a very developmentally appropriate task for them, yet it pushes them every day to improve their skills. This activity would not be as appropriate at an early elementary level where students are still working on fine motor skills and do not have the social skills necessary to collaborate with a group. Learning about child development is an important part of becoming an effective teacher.

Give an example of a legal indictment in the Declaration of Independence.

The Declaration of Independence had an entire section of indictments against King George of England.  The purpose of the document, written by Thomas Jefferson, was to make the case for a legal separation between the colonies and the king.  The indictment section listed over twenty grievances that the colonists had against the king.  Most of them charged the king with acting as a tyrant. This is especially true of the actions that related to legislation and the fact that the colonists were not able to represent themselves in Parliament.  An example of a legal indictment from this section:  

He (the king) has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

In this instance, Jefferson charged that the king had not respected the laws of the colonial assemblies.  The king used his veto power to cancel legislation that the colonists deemed necessary for their survival.

What will happen if New York stays in the loyalist camp?

I'm not sure if this question is asking a general historical question, or if the question is asking for an answer about Isabel.  I'll go a little bit through both.  

If New York remains in Loyalist control, then Britain has a strategic stronghold.  New York is prime military ground.  It has access to Patriot forces over land, it has a good harbor for the British Navy, and it already has defenses in place.  Additionally, because it's a big city, it has plenty of places to house British troops.  If New York stays Loyalist, many Patriots will vacate the city.  That will open up room for British forces.  

For Isabel, if New York stays under Loyalist control, she isn't likely to get free of Madam Lockton.  The Locktons are Loyalists, so if New York stays friendly to Loyalists, the Locktons have no reason to leave.  If New York were to be taken over by Patriot forces, Isabel stands a bit better of a chance at escape and/or freedom.  

At the end of "The Most Dangerous Game," how does the reader know that Rainsford and Zaroff will fight to the death?

Toward the end of Richard Connell's short story "The Most Dangerous Game," the protagonist Sanger Rainsford leaps from a cliff across from General Zaroff's chateau in order to avoid certain death at the hands of the general and his pack of dogs. The reader is initially unsure of Rainsford's fate. The general obviously believes him to be dead because he returns to the chateau, has dinner and goes to his bedroom. Rainsford, who has survived the swim across the cove, reveals himself to Zaroff after hiding behind the curtains. The general is shocked but quickly congratulates Rainsford, telling him that he has "won the game." Rainsford spurns Zaroff's declaration, indicating that he is still a "beast at bay" and that the "game" between the two men can only end in the death of one of the men. The general confirms this and is even joyful in the prospect. He says,

"Splendid! One of us is to furnish a repast for the hounds. The other will sleep in this very excellent bed. On guard, Rainsford..."

The term repast is defined as a meal and so the general suggests that the man who loses the duel will be thrown to the dogs. The other one will sleep in the general's bed. The final line confirms that Rainsford has killed the general because he comments on the comfort of the bed. 

In Pride and Prejudice, what does Elizabeth mean when she says, "Nothing so easy, if you have but the inclination, we can all plague and punish one...

Just prior to this statement, Mr. Darcy spoke and fairly explicitly explained why he would not wish to join the women in their stroll around the room. He says they likely know their figures appear to "greatest advantage" while moving in this way, so he can admire the two women best while seated. Miss Bingley, with false alarm and fake offense, asks Elizabeth how they should "punish" Mr. Darcy for such a claim. Although Miss Bingley is not sincere and truly has no wish to punish Mr. Darcy for anything—this is all just a part of her terrible and totally unrequited flirtation with him—Elizabeth answers her sincerely. She claims the best way to punish Mr. Darcy would be to laugh at him, implying that wounding his pride would be the surest way to punish him for anything. Further, because the Bingleys and the Darcys are such good friends (this is the "Intimate as you are" part), she believes Miss Bingley is well-qualified to ascertain on which subjects Mr. Darcy could be teased.

How has Martin Luther affected us today?

There are several ways in which Martin Luther affected religion and culture. Perhaps the most important is that Luther started the Protestant Reformation, a movement that ended the monolithic power of the Roman Catholic Church in the Latin West. All Protestant churches across the world owe a tremendous debt to Luther for their very existence.

There are some key theological points emphasized by Luther that have had significant cultural impact. The first is what is known as the "sola scriptura" doctrine, that Scripture alone is necessary for salvation. What this leads to is a reduction in power of the clergy. Although the sacraments of baptism and Eucharist remain important for Protestants, salvation in Luther's formula is through faith and by grace. Under this, the clergy become ministers, helping their flocks, rather than intermediaries between God and man. This reduces the power of the Church as an institution. Luther also rejected the notion of the Papacy as having unique authority throughout Christendom. 

The importance of Scripture for Luther meant making the Bible available to the laity in the vernacular. This was one significant factor in the rise of literacy rates in Protestant countries.

`y = 3xarcsinx , (1/2, pi/4)` Find an equation of the tangent line to the graph of the function at the given point

Check that the given point belongs to the given curve:

`pi/4 = 3*1/2*arcsin(1/2)` is true, because `arcsin(1/2) = pi/6` and `3/2*pi/6 = pi/4.`

The tangent line has an equation  `(y - pi/4) = (x - 1/2)*y'(1/2),` so we need to find the derivative. The product rule is applicable here.

`y'(x) = 3(x*arcsin(x))' = 3(arcsin(x) + x/sqrt(1-x^2)),`

and at `x = 1/2` it is equal to `3*(pi/6 + (1/2)/sqrt(3/4)) = 3*(pi/6 + 1/sqrt(3)) = pi/2 + sqrt(3).`

And the equation of the tangent line is finally

`y = (pi/2 + sqrt(3))x - 1/2(pi/2 + sqrt(3)) + pi/4 =(pi/2 + sqrt(3))x - pi/4 - sqrt(3)/2 + pi/4 =(pi/2 + sqrt(3))x - sqrt(3)/2.`

Is Walter Mitty considered crazy ?

I don't think that Walter Mitty is considered crazy by those around him because he does not merit that much attention.

If Walter was considered crazy, then attention would have to be paid to him. In the world that Walter lives, he does not merit that. No one pays significant attention to Walter. The people in the outside world treat him with scorn and derision. They laugh at him or simply don't acknowledge him in a meaningful way. He does not experience any significant human interaction. Even Walter's wife does not really pay significant attention to him. She dismisses him as needing a doctor to "look him over" or that he needs to have his temperature taken when they go home. However, she does not examine her husband's needs. She presumes he is fine because her needs are met. No one really pays attention to Walter and his experiences.

That leaves us with our reaction to Walter. It might be easy to dismiss him as crazy because of his frequent flights into his dreams. However, it should be clear to us that he longs for some type of meaningful personal contact. When he dreams, Walter is a person of importance. He has relevance and value to other people. Walter is not crazy for wanting some fragment of this in his daily life. He should not be seen as insane because he wants to be treated as the center of someone's universe. Walter cannot be nuts because he wants to be validated as a human being.

Walter finds in his dreams what he cannot achieve in his real life. We could fault him for being unable to articulate this need to the people around him. He might be worthy of criticism because he does not speak out against the people who denigrate him. However, this does not make him crazy. Sadly enough, it simply makes him human.

`(dr)/(ds) = 0.75r` Find the general solution of the differential equation

The general solution of a differential equation in a form of  can be evaluated using direct integration. The derivative of y denoted as `y'` can be written as `(dy)/(dx)` then `y'= f(x) ` can be expressed as `(dy)/(dx)= f(x)`

For the problem `(dr)/(ds)=0.75r` , we may apply variable separable differential equation in which we set it up as `f(y) dy= f(x) dx` .

Then,`(dr)/(ds)=0.75r` can be rearrange into `(dr)/r=0.75 ds` .

Applying direct integration on both sides:

`int (dr)/r= int 0.75 ds` .

For the left side, we apply the basic integration formula for logarithm: `int (du)/u = ln|u|+C`

`int (dr) /r = ln|r|`

For the right side, we may apply the basic integration property: `int c*f(x)dx= c int f(x) dx` .

`int 0.75 ds=0.75int ds` .

Then the indefinite integral will be:

`0.75int ds= 0.75s+C`

Combining the results for the general solution of differential equation: 

`ln|r|=0.75s+C`

 `r= Ce^(0.75s)`

What does the environment look like in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

The natural setting of Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game" is certainly forbidding.

When Sanger Rainsford falls off the yacht, he swims toward a screaming sound that he has heard in the darkness. For "an endless time he fought the sea," but he finally hears the water hitting a rocky shore. Rainsford pulls himself up the jagged rocks, and then he reaches a "flat place at the top." Touching the edge of the cliffs, he sees a dense jungle filled with a tangle of trees and underbrush.

Rainsford walks along the shoreline rather than struggle through the "web of weeds and trees." He follows this shore around a cliff until he sees lights on a high bluff where a palatial château rests. Around it on three sides are sheer cliffs that extend to the sea. Later, Rainsford learns that he is on Ship-Trap Island.

In Jesse by Gary Soto, what favor does Abel ask of Jesse? Why does Jesse do it?

Abel asks Jesse to take care of the baby so he and Maureen can go out.  Jesse agrees because he wants to help his brother.

Jesse and Abel are on their own.  They moved out, and both started attending junior college even though Jesse should still be in high school.  At the junior college they could be on their own and take care of each other, and not worry about living under their volatile stepfather’s roof.

Jesse and Abel are both taken with the landlord’s daughter Maureen, who already has a child.  However, she is much closer to Abel’s age than Jesse’s.  She likes him but still thinks of him as a kid.  Abel and Maureen hit it off.

Then Abel pulled me aside and said, “Jesse, can you do me a favor?”  I could smell his cologne and soap, and a little of Maureen’s.  I could see he didn’t want to ask.

“Can you take care of the baby?” (Ch. 15)

Jesse can tell that Abel feels bad about leaving him behind, but he and Maureen are going out with Leslie and Glenda, and Abel doesn’t want Jesse to tag along.  Jesse understands, however.  He appreciates that asking him to stay behind is hard for Abel.  He doesn't want Jesse to feel left out.

Because I loved my brother, and because it was their turn and not mine, I nodded and said I would be happy to take care of little Larry. (Ch. 15)

This is an example of how Abel and Jesse are slowly growing apart.  Abel is older, and wants to do more adult things.  As independent and mature as Jesse is, he is still the younger brother.  Tagging along with Abel is not always going to be an option.  The brothers are going to need to go their separate ways soon.

What does Romeo worry about in Act 2?

In Act 2, scene 4, Juliet's nurse comes to speak with Romeo, as Juliet promised him she would.  She comes to him to inquire about what arrangements he has made for their marriage.  When she arrives, Mercutio is especially rude to her, making all kinds of sexual innuendos and inappropriately lewd jokes, some of them at her expense.  Eventually, she and Romeo step away to talk privately, and she chastises him for his attentions to Juliet if he is not serious.  He begins to try to explain that he is serious and has made plans for their nuptials, but she interrupts him and goes on about how happy Juliet will be.  He then wonders, "What wilt thou tell her, nurse? Thou dost not mark me" (2.4.179-180).  In other words, she isn't really listening to him, and so Romeo worries about what it is that she is actually going to report back to Juliet.  She eventually allows him to explain the plans he's made.

Why might Ray Bradbury have used Rima as the antithesis of the lions in "The Veldt"?

There are many reasons why Ray Bradbury used Rima as the antithesis to the lions in his 1950 short story "The Veldt." 

Rima is a character created by Wiliam Henry Hudson in his 1904 work entitled Green Mansions. The story is set in the Guyana jungle in Venezuela. The jungle setting itself is the antithesis of the African savannah in which the lions in Bradbury's story dwell. Where the savannah is raw, dry, and unyielding, the jungle is lush, fragrant, and enchanting. 

Rima is a gentle young woman who speaks in a musical, birdlike language, and can communicate with birds. In the book, Green Mansions, Rima chases game animals away, and the local Indians wish to kill her for this. The Indians are predators, and Rima disperses their prey. In "The Veldt," the children are like predators, and Rima is chasing off their prey, replacing the lions that are being trained to destroy their parents. In the following quote from "The Veldt," Bradbury foreshadows the impending plot the children are concocting:

In the middle of the night he was still awake and he knew his wife was awake. "Do you think Wendy changed it?" she said at last, in the dark room.

"Of course."

"Made it from a veldt into a forest and put Rima there instead of lions?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't know. But it's staying locked until I find out."

"How did your wallet get there?"

"I don't know anything," he said, "except that I'm beginning to be sorry we bought that room for the children. If children are neurotic at all, a room like that -" 

Rima is different from Peter and Wendy in that she enjoyed a very close relationship with her mother for the first seven years of her life. There is no textual evidence to suggest that Peter and Wendy ever had a close relationship with their parents. George Hadley says they never lifted a finger to correct them and, as a result, were "insufferable." 

Another way Rima is an antithesis to the lions is that when she appears in the nursery, she is surrounded by lush, green beauty and purple mountains. There is a river flowing nearby. Rima is hiding in the trees singing a song so beautifully that it moves them to tears. This is the gentle and peaceful scene George and Lydia expected from the nursery. It is in stark contrast to the African Veldt, where the sun is hot and punishing, smells of animals and death pervade, and lions are devouring their prey. 

Another interesting parallel is that in Green Mansions, the character known as Mr. Abel sees a savannah near the jungle and is interested in exploring it. The natives believe the savannah to be haunted and refuse to go near it. This parallels Lydia Hadley's feelings of foreboding in the African Veldt.

What are two differences Martin Luther and the Catholic Church had?

The differences that developed between Martin Luther and the Roman Catholic Church can be traced to several sources that were not necessarily related. On a theological level, one of the principle differences between them was Luther’s conviction that salvation for humanity could come through faith alone, and that no amount of good works could contribute to salvation. He therefore opposed the Catholic emphasis on works as an avenue to salvation, most famously the buying of indulgences as a way to atone for sins. Along with indulgences, however, Luther also condemned other similar practices (e.g. penance) as being unnecessary and theologically misleading.

Another major difference between Luther and the Catholic Church related to language. Since its establishment as the state religion of the Roman Empire, Western Christianity used Latin for both its liturgy and for the Bible, even when local populations had different languages. The Church’s insistence on the use of Latin had the effect of creating a barrier between the clergy and their parishioners (who could not usually understand Latin in its spoken or written form), as well as creating a monopoly on the interpretation of the Bible. Luther’s call for a German-language Bible was seen as a threat to the Church, since it would allow lay people access to the Bible in their own language and break the Church’s monopoly on theological interpretation. If laypersons could read and interpret the Bible on their own, Catholic leaders feared (rightfully so) that the authority of the Church would progressively weaken over time and Christian doctrine would begin to splinter.

In what ways are we told that Jay Gatsby gets his money?

Rumors abound about how Gatsby made his fortune, and Gatsby himself is not especially forthcoming about the source of his wealth. In chapter five, he tells Nick he was "in the drug business" and "in the oil business," but also claims he inherited wealth before losing most of it in "the panic of the war." Speculation is rampant that he is a bootlegger of alcohol, and when confronted by Tom Buchanan in chapter seven, he doesn't deny selling grain alcohol in his Chicago drug-stores or his association with the gangster Meyer Wolfsheim. Tom also implies that Gatsby has profited from illegal gambling. In chapter nine, Meyer Wolfsheim regales Nick with the story of how Gatsby came to work for him after arriving penniless from the war. While tying up loose ends for Gatsby after his death, Nick intercepts a phone call that reports an associate of Gatsby's has been arrested for dealing in stolen bonds.

In Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day, is there a difference between Stevens' idea of dignity and that of greatness?

Stevens’ ideas of dignity and greatness are connected, both qualities relying on each other, yet distinct in their presentation. Stevens discusses at length what it is that makes a great butler. He summarizes it using his father’s words: Dignity in keeping with the position. No matter what, a butler must keep his dignity strong, letting no emotion or personal opinion be visible to his employer. The stereotypical British “stiff upper lip” or restraint is synonymous with Stevens’ opinion of dignity. Therefore, dignity leads to greatness.

Greatness is the quality that Stevens attempts to show in two characters: Stevens himself and Lord Darlington. Having defined greatness, Stevens tries to show himself in this light. During many times of awkwardness or tragedy, Stevens shows restraint, though at times his feelings are obvious, such as the death of his father. However, he never admits to the trouble, merely saying that he is tired.

As for Lord Darlington, Stevens wants to present his employer by the best interpretation of his actions before World War II, in which Lord Darlington was a Nazi sympathizer. Stevens views his employer’s actions as coming from the best of intentions and an honorable heart, but afterward he is considered a traitor. However, Stevens’ own greatness is tied to that of Lord Darlington. When it is clear that Lord Darlington is not a great man, Stevens’ own dignity is shattered, evidence that he has wasted his life serving a man who is less than honorable. While he has tried to convince the reader throughout the novel that both he and Lord Darlington have some measure of greatness by their dignity, he at last comes to admit that neither one does, both having pledged their support to someone who is not what he seemed to be. Stevens doubts that he can lay claim to either one of these qualities, dignity or greatness,  since Lord Darlington has been discredited in each.

Why does Gatsby object to letting Tom drive his car?

What is happening in chapter seven when Tom insists on driving Gatsby's car to Manhattan from East Egg is a ratcheting up of the tension that has simmered between the two men all afternoon.  Tom recognizes that Daisy is interested in Gatsby, and because Tom is a competitor unaccustomed to losing, he aggressively tries to regain control of his wife by emasculating Gatsby in any way he can.  Gatsby, also a competitor, recognizes what Tom is trying to do and objects when Tom directs him to "take my coupe and let me drive your car to town." However, Gatsby understands that he needs to act like a gentleman in front of Daisy, so he merely suggests "shall we all go in my car?"  Gatsby is, after all, a guest at the Buchanan's home and cannot risk alienating Daisy at this point, even though he understands that Tom is commandeering his car to appear more powerful than Gatsby.

Fitzgerald, F. Scott.  The Great Gatsby. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1925.

What is the mood in "Thank You, M'am"?

The mood of a story consists of the elements the author uses to make us feel a certain way while we are reading. This can include elements like description, setting, metaphors, and similes.

The setting of a story is especially important to establish the mood because it gives you a picture of where the story occurs, and how the characters react to those surroundings. In "Thank you, M'am," the setting is eleven o'clock at night on the street, with very few people around. To show us the setting, the author points out the time, and that the woman is walking alone at night. This gives the story an ominous mood.

It was about eleven o'clock at night, and she was walking alone...

The mood of the conversation between the boy and the woman can be seen by looking at the length of their sentences and the tone of their voices. The woman talks loudly and angrily, while the boy whispers and uses short phrases when he talks. Their interaction is brusque on her end and frightened on his end. The author describes the boy as thin, with shabby clothing. This shows a contrast between the boy and the woman, who is a "large woman." By describing the sweat "popping out" on the boy's face, and his tone of voice during their interactions, the author creates a mood of fear and intense anxiety.

Later, the mood in the story changes. When the woman drags the boy to her house, he realizes that there are other people in the house and that the door is open. This detail shows us that he still feels wary, but he feels safer now because there are other people around. The woman shows caring for the boy by telling him to wait till the water gets warm before washing his face. As the story progresses, the boy (who we now find out is named Roger) relaxes and can sit down and eat dinner with the woman. The mood of the story becomes much more comfortable, relaxed, and friendly. The story ends on a note of gratitude. Roger feels grateful to the woman for how she treated him, but doesn't know how to express it besides for saying, "Thank you, M'am" when she walks him out.

What is Grover's character about in The Lightning Thief?

Grover has two functions in The Lightning Thief. On the surface, he is supposed to be Percy’s guardian, protecting him from the evil that tends to be attracted to the Half-Bloods. Obviously, he is not very good at it. He serves as the “comic relief,” injecting humor into the many dangerous episodes to lighten the tone, preventing it from becoming too dark and threatening.

Grover also serves as a foil, a character that is paired with the protagonist to allow the protagonist to seem more “heroic.” While Grover is often cowardly, Percy is courageous. In instances where Percy does not have information about the gods, Grover supplies that information. Grover’s silliness allows Percy to seem more mature and commanding.

In the theory of the Hero’s Quest, the hero always goes on his quest with companions. One of these can be a “fool,” such as Grover is. The companions are essential to the quest, as they highlight the qualities of the hero in the story and help him along the way. Other examples are Frodo with the other hobbits in The Lord of the Rings, Dorothy with the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Harry Potter with Hermione and Ron Weasley. Thus, Annabelle and Grover are the typical companions of Percy Jackson, the hero on a quest.

Why does Macbeth decide to kill Lady Macduff and her kids?

Macbeth believes that Macduff is suspicious of him and he is trying to stop him from intervening. 

Macduff is a noble who is at Macbeth’s castle on the night he kills Duncan.  Macbeth is worried about the men who were there, including Banquo and Macduff.  He is concerned that they will be suspicious that Duncan’s murder was actually committed by the Macbeths.  When Banquo speaks up, Macduff agrees. 

Fears and scruples shake us:
In the great hand of God I stand; and thence
Against the undivulged pretence I fight
Of treasonous malice.

MACDUFF

And so do I.

ALL

So all.

MACBETH

Let's briefly put on manly readiness,
And meet i' the hall together. (Act 2, Scene 3) 

Macbeth therefore sends murderers after Banquo, his son Fleance, and the Macduff family.  Macduff happens to not be there. He is with Malcolm, the king’s son, who fled to England to gather an army to oppose Macbeth.  Therefore, the murderers kill Macduff’s wife and children.

Macbeth has no conscience.  He thinks nothing of killing men who think they are his friends, and their children (or wives).  He works with villains like the murderers because he does not want to get his hands dirty himself.  All he cares about is maintaining his throne now that he has it.

Macduff is with Malcolm when he learns what happened to his family.  He is horrified that he lost all of his family at one time.

All my pretty ones?
Did you say all? O hell-kite! All?
What, all my pretty chickens and their dam
At one fell swoop? (Act 4, Scene 3)

Malcolm tells him to “Dispute it like a man,” which basically means he has to fight Macbeth, and in that way he will accomplish their goal and avenge his family.  Macduff actually manages to hold it together pretty well. The witches have told Macbeth that he needs to beware Macduff, but they also said no man born of woman could hurt him.

When Macduff meets Macbeth in battle, he tells him that he was “from his mother's womb/Untimely ripp'd” (Act 5, Scene 8).  This subdues Macbeth, who gives up hope from then on.  Macduff beheads him, and Malcolm takes his spot as king.

What does the ending to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas symbolize?

The ending to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas symbolizes the terror and the brutality that defined the Holocaust.

In the film's final sequence, two separate events are simultaneously shown. Bruno and Shmuel are being herded along with hundred of other prisoners. Neither one is able to stop the mass of people moving them.  Bruno is comforting Shmuel with explanations such as "They want to keep us here from the rain."  While this is happening, Bruno's mom interrupts Bruno's father in a meeting to tell him their son is missing.  Bruno's father orders the Nazi soldiers to find his son.  They make their way to the fence where they find Bruno's clothing.  His father and the soldiers cross the fence and rush into the camp to try to stop what he fears has happened to his son.  Bruno's mother and Gretel lag behind, stopping at the fence.

During the pursuit, the prisoners are told to undress as they make their way into the gas chamber.  Bruno holds Shmuel's hand as the lights go out and the gas pellets are released.  With that, the door is shut and locked, while people are banging from the inside, trying to free themselves.

Looking for his son, Bruno's father comes across a set of emptied out barracks. He calls out his son's name to no response.  At this moment, Bruno's mother realizes what has happened to her son.  She lets out a harrowing and heart-wrenching cry.  Sobbing, she clings to her dead son's clothes as Gretel is stunned into silence.  Bruno's father hears his wife's cries and stares out, standing on the threshold of painful revelation. The film's final scene pans back, showing the door of the gas chamber.  No sound can be heard as the backwards panning camera shows the "striped pajamas" that the prisoners had to remove before entering.

The gas chamber door symbolizes the Holocaust.  The gas chamber itself is one of the most identifiable symbols of the time period.  It was the instrument that the Nazis used to carry out their plans of wiping out those deemed as unworthy of living.  The door symbolizes the immediacy of this slaughter.  Millions entered doors like the one shown in the final scene of the film.  None of them would leave.   The way the camera captures the silence and the "striped pajamas" left behind reminds us of this haunting reality.

The terror and brutality symbolized in the film's final scene is enhanced by the sobbing cries of Bruno's mother and the revelation in his father's facial expressions.  Bruno's father realizes that what he did for a living had direct consequences.  His son died because of his work.  Bruno's mother weeps because she knows that her complicity with her husband's work led to their son's death.  The emotional weight of two parents' understanding about Holocaust's terror is enhanced with the camera panning backwards, showing the door that led to their child's death and millions of others.

Is the protagonist of The Spy flat or round? What purposes are served by the traits of flat or round characterization?

The answer is to this is that Isaac Bell is not developed as a round character. He is a flat character, but this is in keeping with conventions of the detective murder mystery genre, which puts the solution of the crime above other structural considerations. Having a flat character as the detective protagonist in a murder mystery serves the function of channeling focus onto the challenge of finding and understanding clues unlocking the mystery.

As a flat character, Bell is drawn as personable and sympathetic by the use of defining characteristics, but he remains at the end of the mystery story virtually as he is at the beginning: solving the mystery is his job, not an opportunity for life lessons and epiphanies (as would be the case for a round character).

"Would you mind if I waited?" Bell asked with a smile that flashed his even teeth and lighted his blue eyes.

Even though a flat character, we are given insight into Bell's moral and ethical character traits. For example, we see his ethical traits when he says that he doesn't want to "leave John Scully in a lurch" on the Frye Boys case, and we see his moral traits when he chooses to dig deeper into Dorothy Langner's request because she is "passionate" about her father's work and struck "oddly" by the handwriting in the suicide note.

In the detective murder mystery genre, a flat detective serves the purpose of structural development around solving the mystery, saving the good by-standers, saving the good reputation of the victim and bringing the perpetrator to justice. In serving the purpose of the plot in this way, it is not necessary for the detective to have personal development, to grow and change--to be a round character--while doing so.

The purpose of a round character, in contrast, is to bring the protagonist and the reader through an in-depth life experience, the result of which is change and growth ending in a deeper knowledge, appreciation and understanding of life, nature, others or self.   

Where does the narrator discuss Odysseus's patience as he waited to kill the giant? What does it say?

Odysseus shows patience when he needs to find a way to escape from Polyphemus, the Cyclops, in book IX of The Odyssey.  At first, he plans to "[draw] [his] sharp sword from [his] thigh, and [stab] [Polyphemus] in the breast where the midriff holds the liver [...]."  However, Odysseus realizes that if he kills the monster, there will be no way to move the huge stone that the Cyclops has placed in front of the door to his cave, and then Odysseus and his men will perish there with him.  So, he must come up with a new plan and be patient.  This is when he finds the olive stake and sharpens it to prepare to blind the monster so that he will still be able to move the stone from the door, but he will no longer be able to see the men, and this will make him easier to deceive.  In the meantime, the Cyclops eats several of Odysseus's men, but Odysseus must still be patient and wait for the perfect time to put his plan into effect.  The right time eventually comes when he gets Polyphemus drunk and the monster passes out. 

`r = 9%, t = 25` Find the principal P that must be invested at a rate r, compounded monthly, so that $1,000,000 will be available for...

The formula in compounding interest is

`A = P(1 + r/n)^(n*t)`

where 

A is the accumulated amount

P is the principal

r is the annual rate

n is the number of compounding periods in a year, and

t is the number of years.

Plugging in the given values, the formula becomes:

`1000000 = P(1 + 0.09/n)^(n*25)`

Since the r is compounded monthly, the value of n is 12. 

`1000000=P (1 + 0.09/12)^(12*25)`

The right side of the equation simplifies to

`1000000=P(1.0075)^300`

Isolating the P, it becomes

`1000000/1.0075^300 = P(1.0075)^300`

`106287.83=P`

Therefore, the principal amount that should be invested is $106,287.83 .

How did the Anti-War movements against Vietnam affect the government's decision to stop the war?

The antiwar movement was a big issue during the Vietnam War.  First, Americans did not have a clear objective for being over there.  This was not a fight against the Axis powers, and many Americans did not feel as though their lives were threatened.  Most Americans could not even find Vietnam on a map.  Secondly, the American people felt as though they were being misled about the progress of the war.  Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense under Lyndon Johnson, gave out numbers of enemy dead and tons of bombs dropped on North Vietnam, but it seemed as though there were always members of the North Vietnamese army ready to fight.  This was apparent during the Tet Offensive, as the North Vietnamese launched a massive attack on American military bases in South Vietnam and even threatened the American embassy in Saigon.  Walter Cronkite, who at that time was considered the most important face in broadcast journalism, reported from the area and stated that the war was not going as expected.  Even though the North Vietnamese were repelled with heavy losses, Americans still had doubts about the war.  This was also the first war fought in front of television cameras, and Americans were uncomfortable with seeing Vietnamese women and children attacked and their own soldiers coming home in body bags.  Another thing that fueled the antiwar effort was the draft--at that time, young men who were eighteen years old could not vote but they could fight in the Vietnam War, and many of these young men joined the antiwar movement.  

All of these things fueled the antiwar effort.  Since America is a republic and voters elect our leaders, those leaders felt pressure from the taxpaying voters to end the war as soon as possible and with as much honor as possible.  

What do girls' hair ribbons stand for in The Giver? Where and when do they appear in The Giver?

The hair ribbons girls wear are an indication and symbol of their youth.  They reinforce conformity.  Girls wear them until age Nine.  Girls must wear them at all times, and they are specifically mentioned in Chapters 2, 3, 6 and 13.

Lily complains about the hair ribbons.  When her mother fixes them, she tells her she can tie them herself.  Lily’s ribbons are always untied.

"I know that," Mother replied, straightening the hair ribbons on the little girl's braids. "But I also know that they constantly come loose and more often than not, they're dangling down your back by afternoon. Today, at least, we want them to be neatly tied and to stay neatly tied." (Ch. 6)

There are several symbols of a child’s age, and everyone is alike.  For example, the clothes the children wear vary by year.  As they get older, the community symbolizes the children’s growing independence with hair and wardrobe changes.

Hair indicates a child’s age for boys too.

Jonas never found the Ceremony of Ten particularly interesting- only time-consuming, as each child's hair was snipped neatly into its distinguishing cut: females lost their braids at Ten, and males, too, relinquished their long childish hair and took on the more manly short style which exposed their ears. (Ch. 6) 

With everyone looking alike and dressing alike, the community reinforces Sameness.  Sameness means that no one is different, so no one is uncomfortable.  Everything is carefully regulated so that there are no choices about anything.  If children chose whether to wear hair in ribbons or not, then some would look different.  Therefore, there are rules that everyone wears ribbons.  They also must be properly tied. 

Not complying with the community’s rules or not being neat results in public shaming.  For example, if Lily’s ribbons are untied the Speaker may make an announcement to the whole community.  Even if Lily is not mentioned by name, everyone will know who the speaker is talking about.

What is the principle and working of a pressure cooker?

Cooking with a pressure cooker uses the principles of various gas laws, but specifically the Gay-Lussac's Law. This law states that the pressure of a system and the temperature are directly related; that is, if we can increase the pressure of a given system, the resulting temperature will be higher than that of a system with lower pressure but the same heat applied.

Using a pressure cooker takes advantage of this fact. A pressure cooker is essentially a strong, well-sealed pot. It has a very small vent for safety, but the pressure inside the cooking area is increased as the liquid inside turns to steam. The temperature of the fluid inside is raised to higher than boiling (212 degrees F.), higher than what could be reached in a saucepan, with the result that the food inside cooks more quickly.

How did the alliances in Europe help to bring about the First World War?

The alliance systems basically ensured that what began as a local conflict in the Balkans became a continent-wide conflict. When Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was killed by a Serbian assassin in Sarajevo, the Austrians, with German support, held the entire nation of Serbia directly responsible for the act. They issued an ultimatum that the Serbians could not reasonably accept, and declared war on them. When they declared war, Russia, a Serbian ally, mobilized its armed forces against Austria-Hungary. Germany then declared war on Russia. At this point, Russia's allies France declared war on Germany. When Germany violated Belgian neutrality, Great Britain, a Belgian ally, declared war on the Germans. So all of Europe was dragged into what began as a conflict over Serbian grievances against Austria-Hungary. The fact that each of the belligerent nations held imperial possessions in Africa and elsewhere ensured that it spread around the world as well. 

How would you describe Mary Maloney's behavior before and after the murder in "Lamb to the Slaughter"?

Before committing the murder, Mary behaves in the same way that she would on any other evening. She prepares the home for her husband's arrival by lighting the lamps and then preparing the glasses for their drinks. When Patrick arrives at the house, she removes his coat and fixes them both a drink.

After the murder, Mary washes her hands, "fixes" her make-up and puts the lamb in the oven before going to the grocery store. There, she buys some vegetables before coming home and reporting her husband's death to the police. When the police arrive, she answers some questions while they look around for the murder weapon. In the middle of the search, she feeds them the leg of lamb she used to murder Patrick.

What is significant about Mary's behavior before and after the murder is that she never deviates from her domestic role. Before the murder, she focuses on the well-being of her husband. After murdering him, she continues as normal, buying items from the store and then feeding the police officers at her home. It is, perhaps, this continuity in her behavior that allows her to get away with her crime.

What is the connections between nationalism and imperialism in the West?

Nationalism and imperialism have been closely linked throughout Western history. Nationalism is an extreme form of patriotism. Simply put, nationalism is the belief that one's nation is exceptional and its interests supersede the interests of other nations. Nationalists are sometimes willing to engage in unethical actions if they help make their nation "great." Thus imperialism often appears in nations with a pervasive nationalist spirit.

On a basic level, imperialism is the pursuit of empire, usually by military force. This can be accomplished by conquering other nations (such as Germany in World War II) or establishing colonies (such as England's American colonies in the New World). Imperialism generally requires violence; nationalists justify this violence by declaring that it is only done in the pursuit of increasing their nation's "greatness."

How typical is Miss Maudie compared to other Maycomb women in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Miss Maudie is very unique. She treats children with respect, and she enjoys taking care of her garden more than her house.

Miss Maudie is a neighbor and good friend of Scout and Jem. She does not mind having children in her yard, and is very generous. Scout finds that sitting with Miss Maudie on her porch helps her feel better when Dill and Jem are off by themselves doing boy things.

Jem and I had always enjoyed the free run of Miss Maudie’s yard if we kept out of her azaleas, but our contact with her was not clearly defined. Until Jem and Dill excluded me from their plans, she was only another lady in the neighborhood, but a relatively benign presence (Chapter 5). 

Scout likes Miss Maudie more than other adults because she is honest and doesn’t talk down to the kids. She is a neat lady. She stands up for herself and loves tending to her garden. Her reaction when her house catches fire is calm and almost nonchalant. The whole town shows up to help her, and her only comment is that she can have a smaller house with a bigger yard. 

When Scout feels picked on by the other ladies of the Missionary Society, Miss Maudie is quietly there for Scout. 

“Don’t you want to grow up to be a lawyer?”

Miss Maudie’s hand touched mine and I answered mildly enough, “Nome, just a lady.”

Miss Stephanie eyed me suspiciously, decided that I meant no impertinence, and contented herself with, “Well, you won’t get very far until you start wearing dresses more often.”

Miss Maudie’s hand closed tightly on mine, and I said nothing. Its warmth was enough (Chapter 24).

This is an example of how Miss Maudie is a supportive friend to Scout.  Throughout the book, she is always there for Scout.  She does not treat Scout like a child, make fun of her, or laugh at her when she doesn’t mean to be funny.

Why do complex organisms require cells, tissues, organs, and body systems to work together to ensure all their cells have everything required to...

Complex organisms, such as human beings, animals, and plants, are much bigger in size and complex in structure and functions compared to a simple unicellular organism such as a bacterium. In the case of unicellular organisms, the transport of material to and from the environment can take place through the cell membrane. The cell, in case of unicellular organisms, is in direct contact with the environment and can exchange material easily as a result. In comparison, the complex organisms have a very large number of cells distributed throughout their body. Since they are away from the environment, it is very difficult for them to exchange anything with the environment. As a result, complex organisms need elaborate transport mechanisms consisting of organs (which are made up of tissues), tissues (which are made up of cells), and cells. This way, they ensure the cells receive nutrients and can get rid of wastes, in order to survive and function properly.

Hope this helps.  

What is the plot of a story?

"Plot" is a literary term referring to the central action in a work of literature. If you need to summarize a plot for a homework assignment, you should focus on events that move the story from its initial conflict to a climax and resolution rather than examining such details as the setting or the psychological or social elements of the story, except in so far as they contribute directly to the main action.

Most stories have a plot that begins with a "protagonist" or central character encountering some sort of problem or conflict. Sometimes the problem is an external conflict with another character or "antagonist" while other times the conflict is an internal one, involving ethics or making decisions about what sort of life the character wants to live. Normally a plot revolves around how a protagonist resolves the central conflict of the story. In a romantic story this might involve two lovers overcoming obstacles to getting married while in a mystery a detective might identify a murderer. 

What are the pros and cons of elected judges?

The majority of U.S. states incorporate some form of judicial election via partisan contested elections, non-partisan contested elections, or retention elections. Each of these types of election of judges presents advantages and disadvantages over a pure judicial appointment system. 

The primary advantage of having some form of election in the selection and/or the retention of judges is that such systems provide a community with a voice regarding the judges who sit in that community. In some systems, this includes community selection of judges via contested election, and in others it only involves community retention of appointed judges. In either type of system, contested election or retention election, if a judge is a problem, the community has a mechanism for removing that judge. Conversely, in an appointment system, removal of a judge often requires specific kinds of wrongdoing on the judge's part and action by one or both of the other branches of government in the state.

Another advantage sometimes discussed with respect to having some form of election of judges is that such systems promote a more dynamic, responsive judiciary. In many appointment systems, judges either have life tenure or their reappointment is determined by the other branches of government. Such systems may result in a long serving, and perhaps stagnant, judiciary. Having some form of election, however, is seen as a way to promote change in the judiciary through the election of new judges or the non-retention of siting judges, as well as possibly ensuring a more responsive judiciary as elected judges or judges subject to retention election are believed to be more aware of the community ramifications of their decisions.

Many opponents of the election of judges, however, believe that the negatives of such systems far outweigh the positives. The common criticism across all mechanisms for electing/retaining judges is that such systems create a judiciary that is beholden to the whim of the public and to political interests rather than to the law. Judges should be able to make difficult decisions regarding the application of the law without fear of political reprisal if the decision is unpopular. If the judge is subject to re-election or retention, then there may be pressure on the judge to make his or her decisions based not on the law, but what he or she believes will win the next election. Critics of judicial elections argue that such situations impinge on the duty of the courts to be fair and impartial.

The above negative is most often cited with respect to systems in which judges stand for contested election, either partisan or non-partisan. A contested election requires a sitting judge to devote some of her or his time to campaigning and raising money. Both of these activities are seemingly at odds with the impartiality of the courts. To combat this, states that hold contested judicial elections include strict campaigning rules in their codes of judicial conduct. However, even adherence to these rules does not remove the political pressures of raising money and campaigning.

This problem is exacerbated in jurisdictions that hold partisan rather than non-partisan judicial elections. Given the nature of partisan politics, it is more difficult for judges to remain insulated from the policies of their parties if they must run as members of a party. Further, local partisan elections can often hinge on larger national trends, and critics of the partisan election of judges point out that good judges who are not members of the party popular in the moment may not win re-election while candidates who are members of the popular party may win seats to which they are less qualified. In other words, partisan election of judges leads to the election or re-election of judges not based on the qualifications of the judge or candidate, but based on party affiliation.

States that employ a retention election system are attempting to mitigate the liabilities of both the election system and the appointment system by keeping what are perceived to be the strengths of both systems while eliminating some of the problems. Retention systems often include a merit based appointment system for selecting judges, thus eliminating the politics and uncertainty of judicial selection via contested election. The judge then stands for at least one retention election, which gives the community a chance to remove problem judges while simultaneously insulating sitting judges from the politics of having to run a re-election campaign. In recent years, however, some of the benefit of retention election systems has been lessened by coordinated, and often well-funded, campaigns against retaining judges who have made politically unpopular decisions, regardless of whether those decisions were merited under the law.

There is no perfect system for the selection and retention of judges. Having some form of election involved ensures that the community has a role in the selection and retention of judges, and thus it appeals to the majoritarian philosophy inherent in U.S. politics. However, the election of judges and, to a lesser extent, the popular retention of judges subjects those judges to political pressures that are often not compatible with the desired impartiality of the judicial branch.

According to author, George Orwell, in Animal Farm, all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. I want to know whether or...

First of all, let's look at the definition of equality. According to Merriam-Webster equality is defined as: 

"the state or quality of being equal; the quality or state of having the same rights, social status, etc. "

In the United States, people are supposed to be equal, but all we have to do is look around to determine that this is not the case, at least according to the definition. Those with power and wealth are "more equal" than those who are poor or even than those who are part of the middle class. The very wealthy run the country and make the decisions for the rest of us. Our government is supposed to look at all of us as equal citizens, yet big money lobbies the government for their interests. Our representatives in Congress and the Senate are supposed to represent their constituents (us), but in order to stay in power, they have to raise huge sums of money; therefore, they are more likely to listen to those who have that money. According to behavioral economist Dan Ariely, Americans in the top 20% have 84% of the wealth, and those in the bottom 40% only have .2%. That is a huge disparity.

If we look at health, we see the same trend. Wealthy people have access to the best doctors and hospitals, while the poor often do not even have insurance so are sometimes forced to go without health care.

If we spread out across the world, equality becomes an even bigger issue. People who live in developing countries, like those in Africa and South America, do not have near the quantity or quality of resources that even some of the poorest Americans have. 

On the other hand, is it really possible to have true equality? A great story to read on this very subject is Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron," about a society where everyone is equal in every way--a cautionary, satirical tale that takes equality to an extreme.