How is Isabel from Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson a metaphor for America during the Revolutionary War period?

Isabel is a wonderful metaphor for the fledgling America.  A metaphor is simply an unusual comparison.  Sure enough, the idea of a young slave girl being compared to young America seems odd; however, when one looks at Isabel's situation and America's history, the reader can see the resemblance.  

Isabel is a young slave girl who originally believes she will be free.  Unfortunately, her freedom falls through and she is sold to a master who abuses her.  Although Isabel feels somewhat loyal to her master (Mr. Lockton), she values her freedom more.  Isabel beings to take steps towards her freedom with the help of her friend, Curzon.  Eventually, Isabel escapes and is free to go where she likes (which happens to be to Charleston to look for her sister, Ruth).

Now let us look at how this compares to America's story.  America began as a British colony that hoped to receive help from England as the new colony grew.  The colony's freedom is threatened by George III, who continually abuses his power.  Although the colonists feel somewhat loyal to England because of its original help, the colonists value their freedom more and begin to consider themselves Patriots.  The Patriots begin to take steps towards freedom, initially drafting the Declaration of Independence.  Just like Isabel, the colonists receive help, too, from the French.  Eventually, the Patriots defeat the British and the United States of America is free to become its own country.

How is the theme of Langston Hughes's poem "A Dream Deferred" reflected in Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream speech?

The theme Langston Hughes's poem "Dream Deferred" shares in common with Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech is the idea that, although racism shrivels and cripples humanity, it also, eventually, leads to enough anger to empower mankind to rise against it.

Hughes's poem begins with a lot of imagery that captures waste and destruction. For example, the image of a shriveled raisin in the sun can further be understood as an image of a grape that has been scorched by the sun, leaving it devoid of its potential as a grape. Plus, the image of "rotten meat" can further be understood as the image of not just the meat of a dead animal but of meat that has gone uneaten so long that it is now rotten, no longer nutritious, and even deadly to anyone who tries to eat it.

Yet, Hughes ends his poem with a very powerful rhetorical question:

Or does it explode?

By asking if a deferred dream explodes, Hughes is asking if unfulfilled dreams do not die, but rather become so powerful that the dreamer eventually bursts in a release of energy so strong that the dreamer is finally stirred to take actions to fulfill his or her dream. Hughes's rhetorical question captures images of African Americans "exploding" to fulfill their dreams by fighting for their liberties during the Civil Rights Movement.

In his speech, Martin Luther King, Jr. similarly describes racism and oppression as destructive forces by likening them to the image of the sun and what the sun can scorch to death, just as Hughes speaks of the sun shriveling a grape into a raisin:

This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an autumn of freedom and equality.

In using the image of a "sweltering summer," King is speaking of oppressive heat, the kind of heat that turns everything brown in the summer so that it dies and falls in the autumn, leaving room for new birth and rejuvenation.

Also, just as Hughes ends with the powerful rhetorical question asking if unfulfilled dreams "explode," King similarly speaks of African Americans finally "exploding" to fulfill their dreams. One of the most obvious places in which he speaks of African Americans becoming empowered enough to fight against oppression is in the following:

The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

In addition, each time King begins a statement towards the end of the speech with "I have a dream," he is speaking of African Americans becoming empowered as a result of being angered by oppression, eventually leading them to "explode," or rise up and fight for justice.

What is the role of DNA?

DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid is an essential constituent of all living organisms and contains the genetic information necessary for the propagation of life. Every cell contains DNA molecules. In the case of eukaryotic cells, such as plant and animal cells, DNA molecules reside in the cell nucleus. In the case of prokaryotic cells, such as bacteria, the DNA molecule is in the cytoplasm of the cell (since there is no membrane-bound nucleus). The DNA molecule itself is composed of two complementary strands connected together (by hydrogen bonding) to produce a double helical structure. DNA contains the information necessary for the synthesis of proteins in the cell and thus contains information required for the functioning of the cell. This genetic information is passed from the parent cell to the daughter cells during cell division, with each DNA strand acting as the template for its complementary strand. 

Hope this helps. 

What is the beef ban in india, and why is it significant?

Just last year the Indian state of Maharashtra banned the production and sale of all cow meat, and made killing a cow punishable by up to 5 years in prison.

Why would they do such a thing? Well, most people in India are Hindu, and in Hinduism cows are a sacred animal. (The English cliche "sacred cow" ultimately comes from this.) They believe it is morally wrong and offensive to their religion to kill cows.

A substantial proportion of the population in India is not Hindu, however (mostly Muslims), and they do not believe that cows are sacred and generally don't appreciate being forced to obey Hindu religious laws. They contend that this beef ban is a violation of their personal liberty and freedom of religion.

I actually have pretty mixed feelings about this. There are actually quite legitimate moral and environmental reasons to ban beef---cows are sentient beings about as intelligent as cats or dogs, and beef production is one of the leading causes of global warming. If the ban had been implemented for these reasons I think I would support it; of course, it would also have to apply to pork as well since the same reasons apply. But since it was clearly based on religious strictures instead, it amounts to an attempt to impose Hinduism on non-Hindu people. That makes it indeed a violation of personal liberty and freedom of religion.

In William Faulkner's Nobel Prize acceptance speech, what does he say young writers of the day have forgotten about in their writing?

William Faulkner won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1949, just four years after the end of World War II, when the Atomic Age was in full swing and the Cold War was a deep red sunrise on the horizon. In this war-ravaged era of anticipatory fear, Faulkner laments in his speech that “There are no longer problems of the spirit. There is only the question: When will I be blown up?”  The youth of the age had been forced outside themselves - due to the political and moral conflicts of their era, young people’s emotions and struggles, and their relationship with these things, were all coming from an external place. The state of the world they lived in overshadowed anything that could have been going on within them, and this loss of introspection – fear, perhaps, of introspection – had led to young writers forgetting where good, honest writing comes from – within. 

Faulkner says this quite plainly in his speech: “The young man or woman writing today has forgotten the problems of the human heart in conflict with itself which alone can make good writing because only that is worth writing about, worth the agony and the sweat.”

He goes on to say that these inner conflicts, those which alone make writing worthwhile, do so because they alone are universal – the internal trappings of man, emotions which stem from a place deep within the individual, are what resonate with readers. And by ignoring these things in their writing, young people are creating empty fiction, words without truth – because it is these human truths that have permeated literature for centuries. The age-old tales of valor and bravery, of fear and sacrifice and love – what are these things without their human elements? And how can one write about them if one cannot understand their effects within oneself?

Faulkner says of the writer that “it is his privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart….” And harkening back to the old adage, write what you know, the young writers he is addressing must first re-learn what it means to examine the self and the conflicts found within, before being able to commit these truths to the page. 

The desire for the Glorious Revolution came from England’s response to the absolute rule of which monarch?

The Glorious Revolution of 1688 occurred after English supporters of Parliament solicited the aid of William III (William of Orange) to overthrow James II. The English Civil War, which was fought between 1642 and 1651, established the conflict of the Glorious Revolution. Charles I sparked the Civil War after attempting to diminish parliamentary power and revert the Church of England to Catholic practices. After the Civil War, Charles II was put into power. He agreed to limited powers, but he died without an heir in 1685. His brother, James II, took the throne of England and Ireland. James II made it clear that he would return to the ways of Charles I by using monarchal power to invalidate the laws of Parliament. In short time, Parliament rose up against James II.

What does Romeo mean when he says, "Oh, dear account! My life is my foe's debt"?

This quote takes place at the end of Act 1, scene 5. Romeo and Juliet have just fallen in love, essentially at first sight. Taken with each other, they haven't even exchanged names, choosing instead to flirt and share a kiss at the Capulet party. When their romantic moment is cut short by the Nurse, Juliet heeds her mother's call and leaves. Romeo takes this opportunity to find out more about the woman he has fallen in love with. When he asks after the identity of Juliet's mother, the Nurse tells him that she is the "lady of the house" and that any man lucky enough to marry Juliet "...shall have the chinks." (1.5.113-117)

At this news, Romeo's heart sinks. He says in an aside, "Is she a Capulet? O dear account! My life is my foe’s debt." (1.5.118) Realizing that she is a direct descendent of his own family's mortal enemy, he makes mention of the price of love in his use of the word "account". This indicates that his life is no longer his own, but rather, Juliet's. In other words, Romeo's enemy has control of his life from this point on.

In one word, what do Piggy's glasses symbolize in the novel Lord of the Flies?

"Reason"

Piggy's glasses symbolize reason throughout the novel Lord of the Flies. Piggy is the novel's most intelligent character who is constantly rubbing his glasses. Piggy's character represents the rational world, and he makes valuable insights throughout the novel. The boys apply reason to start a fire by using Piggy's glasses. Glasses give Piggy the ability to see, and sight is often a metaphor for knowledge. Piggy applies his knowledge by suggesting they make a sundial and approaches the existence of the "beast" pragmatically. Piggy never "loses sight" of the importance of maintaining the signal fire and following Ralph as their rightful leader. Piggy states that "life is scientific" and is one of the few characters that fully understands the gravity of the situation. In Chapter 4, Jack smacks Piggy's glasses off his head, breaking one of the lenses. This moment symbolizes the first stage associated with the loss of reason amongst the boys. Later on, when Piggy's glasses are stolen, he literally becomes "blind," which figuratively symbolizes the mindset of the remaining boys on the island. The loss of Piggy's "specs" correlates with the loss of reason on the island. The boys completely lose sight of morality and descend further into barbarism following the destruction of Piggy's glasses.

What are ways the tiger might have helped Pi stay alive?

There are many times that Pi refers to Richard Parker saving him either mentally, emotionally, or physically. There are times on the lifeboat that Pi experiences stress and strain with each facet of survival. For example, in chapter 56, Pi discusses the effects of fear on a person in his circumstances. Fear can be both mentally and emotionally draining, but in chapter 57, he says the following:

"It was Richard Parker who calmed me down. It is the irony of this story that the one who scared me witless to start with was the very same who brought me peace, purpose, I dare say even wholeness" (162).

Remaining calm or finding a calming trigger helps Pi to endure each day of such a traumatic experience. Another emotional factor that helps to save Pi, and directly relates to the tiger, is when Pi tells the tiger he loves him:

"I love you, Richard Parker. If I didn't have you now, I don't know what I would do. I don't think I would make it. No, I wouldn't. I would die of hopelessness" (236).

Love is a feeling that can override hopelessness and loneliness. By feeling love for the tiger, Pi makes a needed connection that strengthens him emotionally. Another way Richard Parker is mentally helpful to Pi is that he needs to be taken care of. Pi feeds him and cleans up after him. This gives Pi something to do and to think about other than his tragic situation. Pi explains as follows:

"If I still had the will to live, it was thanks to Richard Parker. He kept me from thinking too much about my family and my tragic circumstances. He pushed me to go on living" (164).

Finally, Richard Parker saves Pi physically by killing the Frenchman who tries to kill him. In chapter 90, Pi explains how it happened:

". . . the next moment my dear brother shrieked in my face like I've never heard a man shriek before. . . . This was the terrible cost of Richard Parker. He gave me a life, my own, but at the expense of taking one. He ripped the flesh off the man's frame and cracked his bones" (255).

Based on the evidence, Richard Parker physically saves Pi's life, but he also helps Pi to stay focused and calm through his seven months at sea.

In "Raymond's Run," which best describes how Squeaky views Gretchen after she runs into Gretchen, Mary Louise, and Rosie on the street? ...

In order to determine how Squeaky views Gretchen after they meet on the street in Toni Cade Bambara’s short story “Raymond’s Run” one needs to look back into the text for evidence. By reading the sixth through ninth paragraphs the evidence emerges. Squeaky sees Gretchen as a rival and a competitor. The girls verbally spar back and forth, and include Raymond in their remarks. Mary Louise, who is standing next to Gretchen, asks Squeaky whether she will be running in the May Day Race this year. This is strictly a rhetorical question because the whole neighborhood knows that Squeaky’s identity is based on her running skills.  Rosie teases Squeaky by telling her that she will not be the winner of this year’s race. But Squeaky focuses her attention on Gretchen.

I always win cause I’m the best,” I say straight at Gretchen who is, as far as I’m concerned, the only one talking in this ventrilo-quist-dummy routine.

From these events and the dialogue, the reader can imply that Squeaky sees Gretchen as a rival and competitor.

What images and figures of speech might have helped Edwards' listeners to feel the peril of their sinful condition?

A fire and brimstone preacher, the Reverend Jonathan Edwards employs fear to motivate his congregation. He creates images to make his listeners feel the horror of the sinful condition in which their souls dwell. Here are some of the imagery and figures of speech that the minister employs:

Edwards tells his listeners that they have provoked God with their sins and they are done nothing to appease the Lord.

• Hell is gaping with "the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of God's wrath." There is nothing to stand on or hold onto; it is only the "power and mere pleasure of God" that keeps them from falling into the pit.


• The sinners are weighted down by their "wickedness" which makes them "as heavy as lead" and it is only "the hand of God" that keeps them from falling.


• The "wrath of God" is further compared to "great waters" that are dammed'; these waters increase and gain strength and set water speed.


• God's wrath is then compared to a bow in which an arrow is poised; it is only the hand of God that holds the arrow back from striking people.


• These sinners are "ten times more abominable in God's eyes than the "most hateful venomous serpent." 


• Hell is described as a "great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit." This pit is filled with fire, with the flames of divine wrath flashing all around.


• The sinners hang over this fiery pit, held only by "a gossamer thread."
  

Edwards also uses repetition effectively. For instance, he repeats the word nothing to impress upon people that they cannot be saved by their actions, but only through acceptance of grace.

How does Mrs. Jones show trust towards Roger?

Mrs. Jones shows her trust in Roger in several ways even though he tried to steal her purse.  First of all, after she drags Roger to her apartment, she leaves the door open.  She knows that Roger can run away; however, she trusts him to stay and hear her out.  She also starts to cook Roger a meal of ham and green beans behind a screen in her small kitchen because she feels he is hungry, and it gives her an opportunity to talk with him.  Again, the possibility for Roger to escape is high, but she feels she has won him over enough to learn from her as she tells Roger her life story.  Finally, Mrs. Jones gives Roger the ten dollars he needs to buy the pair of blue suede shoes he wants.  As she does this, she tells Roger that she hopes he won’t steal again.  Because she trusts Roger (and Roger trusts her), Roger learns a great lesson about human kindness and forgiveness. 

What is an example of foreshadowing in The Lady or The Tiger?

In "The Lady or the Tiger" by Frank Stockton, the idea that the princess, like her father, is "semi-barbaric" foreshadows her role in the decision about her lover. She may love him, but she also despises the lady who will become his wife if he should choose the door with the lady behind it. Since the princess is semi-barbaric, she will probably nod toward the door with the tiger behind it. However, if her suitor knows her well, he probably also knows of her semi-barbaric nature and will hopefully then choose the other door--the one the princess did not indicate. Then again, is the princess smart enough to realize her lover will pick the other, and might she just nod toward the lady's door in hopes he will pick the tiger?  We will never know, will we?  

In "Hills Like White Elephants," why do you think Hemingway chose to tell this story as a dialogue between two opposing characters?

Earnest Hemingway was well known for his “iceberg” writing style, where most of the meaning is “below the surface.” A modernist writer, Hemingway wanted to depict things as they really were without providing much interpretation for the reader; instead, the reader is to make meaning for himself. For this reason, “Hills Like White Elephants” is told from a narrator who seems to simply be observing a conversation between two people. Their conversation is much like a real conversation between two people who are struggling to communicate and understand each other. Much of what the characters really mean and feel is unspoken. Their conversation seems simple and mundane at the surface, but in reality they are discussing something that could potentially change their lives. The woman, Jig, and her boyfriend are discussing whether to have an abortion. When Jig says, “that’s all we do, isn’t it-- look at things and try new drinks?” she seems to be implying that she wants something more out of life, that their current way of living has become dull and meaningless to her. Throughout the conversation, it seems that she does not want to go through with the abortion,  but she never comes right out and says it. On the other hand, the unnamed man seems to want her to go through with the operation, but he never comes right out and says this, either. The narrator observes this conversation and this difficulty in communication without commenting on it, allowing the reader to take meaning for himself.

Explain the various factors that contributed to the growth of hybrid cultures in the Americas during this 1500–1780 and how similar and...

From the sixteenth century to the long eighteenth century, European colonialism dominated the Americas, and in turn, various hybrid cultures developed. Arguably, European military efforts, as well as efforts to civilize the natives, forced these same natives (Amerindians and Africans who were in the Americas) to adopt European values, culture, and religion in order to survive. While many Catholic missionaries, for example, employed military force for the purpose of conversion, the natives often assimilated these religious practices, but still adhered to their own religions. Thus, a sort of hybrid culture developed for these natives, which allowed them to blend with the colonizer and vice versa.

African slaves in North America demonstrate this notion of hybridization quite well. European Catholic missionaries, for one, desired to Christianize slaves, but often failed in their efforts. In an ironic twist, many slaves used the very religious propaganda of the colonizer to challenge slavery by way of revolt, or used these materials to engage in literary practices (reading and writing, namely, which were prohibited for slaves).

By the same token, Creoles (who were native to South America), had a similar experience in terms of attempting to define their own identities after Spain colonized South America. Relegated to the lowest part of society because of their native status, the Creoles eventually revolted against the Spanish and Portuguese crown in an effort to reclaim their culture. Like the slaves of North America, the Creoles became increasingly tired of defending, in a sense, what was already theirs: language, land, religion, and culture.

To some extent, European imperialism did foster hybrid cultures due to the fact that Africans, Amerindians, and Europeans interacted in complex  ways. However, European colonial efforts were not based on creating hybrid cultures, but rather their intentions were to conquer the New World through military force and religious ideology with a view to exterminate native culture(s). Hybrid cultures of any sort, I would argue, were incidental to Europe's larger imperialistic project.

In Chapter 1 of The Outsiders, what was it that Ponyboy didn't believe about Darry?

In Chapter 1, Ponyboy describes his oldest brother Darry as being a strict person who rarely smiles. Unlike Sodapop, Darry doesn't listen to Pony and treats him like he is six years old. Ponyboy mentions that Darry grew up too fast and says that he isn't really sorry for anything he does. However, Ponyboy is naive at the beginning of the novel, and he doesn't believe that Darry loves him. Pony feels like he is simply another mouth to feed. Pony does not realize that Darry is trying his best to take care of him but is inexperienced when it comes to child rearing. Darry is under a lot of pressure to provide for his brothers and doesn't take into consideration Pony's feelings. After Pony returns from hiding out at Windrixville, he realizes Darry loves him when he sees Darry at the hospital.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, was Boo Radley mad when his brother put cement into the tree? And why did his brother do it in the first place anyway?

First, I want to be clear that it was Nathan Radley, Boo's father, who put cement in the knot of the tree outside of the Radley home.  Although he claimed to Jem and Scout that this was because the tree was dying, Atticus confirmed that the tree was very much alive.  In reality, the reader is led to believe that Nathan cemented the tree because Boo was placing gifts for Jem and Scout (carved figures, pocket watch, etc.) in the tree knot and that Nathan wanted to discourage such interaction.

As we do not see or hear from Boo until chapters later, we have no definitive way of knowing Boo's reaction.  One has to assume, however, that Boo was frustrated and upset by the action, as it cut off his way of "communicating" with Jem and Scout and his connection to the outside world.

How does Langston Hughes use literary terms to give his poem, "The Weary Blues," value?

For writing to be viewed as poetry, it must include a variety of characteristics such as rhyming. Aware of poetic characteristics, Hughes uses a variety of literary devices in his poem "The Weary Blues." For writers, literary devices are structures that convey messages in a simple manner to the readers. 

Two literary structures used by Hughes in his poem are contrast and hyperbole. When readers use the term contrast to discuss his poem, they are analyzing his focus on differences.

The language used by the narrative voice and the language of the blues present a formal pattern of contrast. The former is primarily educated and in standard American English. The latter, with negatives such as “ain’t got nobody” and nonstandard pronunciation and sound (“I’s gwine to quit ma frownin’”), reflects the urban, uneducated, working-class person.

Another literary term used in analysis is hyperbole which uses exaggeration for emphasis. Towards the end of the poem Hughes includes the line "The stars went out and so did the moon" to express the amount of time that passed during the man's performance.

Overall, in using common poetic structures well, Hughes makes his poem have value.

Why is Kovalev most upset that he has lost his nose?

In Nikolai Gogol’s “The Nose,” I argue that the major reason that Kovalev is concerned that he has lost his nose is that this will negatively affect his ability to court women. Kovalev is obviously distraught that he has lost his nose, but he seems most affected by the fact that he will have a harder time calling on the wives of titled men. Kovalev is an unrepentant bachelor with tendencies reminiscent of the archetypal rake. Indeed, critics have obviously labeled the nose as a phallic signifier and applied a Freudian reading to the tale, and this reading makes sense when one considers Kovalev’s rakish habits. He pleads his case to a clerk:

“Consider for yourself, how indeed can I do without such a conspicuous part of the body? It's not like some little toe that I can put in a boot and no one will see it's not there. On Thursdays I call on the wife of the state councillor Chekhtarev; Palageya Grigorievna Podtochina, a staff officer's wife-- and she has a very pretty daughter-- they, too are my very good acquaintances, and consider for yourself, now, how can I... I can't go to them now” (312).

Later, when Kovalev miraculously finds his nose reattached, he is overjoyed, and continues to lead his bachelor lifestyle:

“And the nose also sat on his face as if nothing was wrong, not even showing a sign that it had ever gone anywhere. And after that Major Kovalev was seen eternally in a good humor, smiling, chasing after decidedly all the pretty ladies, and even stopping once in front of a shop in the Merchants' Arcade to buy some ribbon or other, no one knows for what reason, since he was not himself the bearer of any decoration” (325).

Thus, the reason, for me, that Kovalev is most upset by the mysterious disappearance of his nose concerns his relationships with women. He is concerned with being viewed as ridiculous and unattractive, and is relieved to continue with his bachelor life once he regains his nose.

I pulled my textual support from The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol, translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky.

I'm doing a report on "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe. I have to have clues that state why the narrator might be dreaming the whole story or that he...

As many of Poe's narrators are often unreliable, "The Raven" is no exception. In first-person point of view, the narrator explains events that are difficult for a rational person to fathom; however, Poe's characters are rarely rational. In fact, it's arguable that the narrator is dreaming.

In the first stanza, the narrator admits that he was dozing: "While I nodded, nearly napping..." (line 4). He goes on to explain that it was a dreary evening, filled with shadows and sadness, and he was trying to get some relief from the sorrow he's suffered since his wife's death, "sorrow for the lost Lenore," (Stanza 2, line 10). Again, as his soul grows stronger, he admits to his "visitor" that he had been (and possibly still is) asleep: "But the fact is I was napping," (Stanza 4, line 3).

The description of the rustling curtain, the "fantastic terrors never felt before" and the rapid beating of the heart all seem dreamlike (Stanza 3, lines 1-3). The narrator describes himself as repetitively trying to convince himself that the noises he hears are that of a "late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door-- This is it and nothing more," (Stanza 3, lines 4-6).

Furthermore, the raven's ability to speak is unlikely in a waking world, yet makes perfect sense in a dream. "Much I marveled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly..." (Stanza 10, line 1). The conversation continues and further inflames the narrator's unease with the news the raven has brought. The last stanza is perhaps the most successful in convincing the reader that the narrator is dreaming because the raven is described to be unmoving, with eyes "of a demon's that is dreaming," (Stanza 19, line 3). Lastly, the narrator describes his own soul as a "shadow that lies floating on the floor," (Stanza 19, line 5), which illustrates a dreamlike feeling.

How is Measure for Measure a problem play?

Measure for Measure has been called a problem play because, while it is a comedy (meaning it has a happy ending), it is so bleak in its outlook on human nature that it veers toward tragedy. In the play, the Duke of Vienna becomes aware that people no longer fear his authority, so he takes a trip and puts his advisor Angelo in charge, asking him to restore law and order. Angelo proves to be a cruel hypocrite, who is willing to execute a man named Claudio. Claudio technically broke the law against extramarital affairs by getting his fiance pregnant, but this was not to take advantage of the woman: Claudio and the fiance are deeply in love and planning to marry. Angelo reveals his hypocrisy when he offers to trade Claudio's life for sex with Claudio's sister Isabella. How can Angelo execute one man for premarital sex and then propose to secretly engage in it himself? We also discover that Angelo jilted his fiancee Mariana when he realized that her money was gone. 

Characters in the play display hypocrisy, cruelty, abuse of power, and cowardice. As in Hamlet, Shakespeare examines a world of corruption, where appearances can't be trusted, seemingly good people are evil, people use other people ruthlessly to advance their own goals, and a legal system can be run inhumanely. These are grim themes for a comic play. 

In Fahreinheit 451 what are quotes that Bradbury uses to teach readers about life? Please include page numbers!

The novel Fahrenheit 451 is filled with life lessons, analogies, metaphors, and insightful ideas. Throughout the novel, Ray Bradbury critiques modern society. He touches on sensitive issues such as personal relationships, the pursuit of happiness, censorship, war, politics, and religion. Towards the beginning of the novel, Montag is having a conversation with his charismatic neighbor, Clarisse. Clarisse says,

"No one has time anymore for anyone else. You're one of the few who put up with me. That's why I think it's so strange you're a fireman, it just doesn't seem right for you, somehow." (Bradbury 21)

Bradbury subtly uses Clarisse and Montag's verbal exchange to comment on modern society. In today's society people rarely give others their time. He teaches us that relationships are important to maintain, and giving someone your time is valued. Although Montag speaks briefly with Clarisse, their interaction has a profound effect on him. Bradbury also teaches us that no matter how brief, or insignificant a conversation may appear, there is always potential to positively affect someone's life.

Later on in the novel, Montag visits the retired English Professor, Faber. Faber notices that Montag is holding a copy of the Bible. Faber is intrigued and begins to turn the pages. Faber comments,

"It's as good as I remember. Lord, how they've changed it in our 'parlors' these days. Christ is one of the 'family' now. I often wonder if God recognizes His own son the way we've dressed him up, or is it dressed him down?" (Bradbury 77)

Bradbury uses this scene to comment on the commercialization of religion. In today's society, the media has distorted and promoted the figure of Christ anywhere and anyway possible. Holidays like Christmas and Easter are void of their original meanings, and movies depict Jesus as a handsome model who has magical abilities. Bradbury encourages readers to focus on the source of the religion instead of believing what the media and marketing corporations portray. The condensed, manipulated version of Christianity does not compare to the experience of studying the original text and connecting spiritually with God.

What is a good quote that shows how Aunt Alexandra pressures Scout to follow gender norms?

"I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn't supposed to be doing things that required pants." (Lee 108)

Aunt Alexandra pressures Scout to be a "Southern Bell" by condemning her for wearing "breeches." Alexandra is constantly making Scout aware of her unladylike appearance and attitude. Aunt Alexandra is the quintessential Southern lady who values social affairs and feminity. According to Aunt Alexandra, Scout needs to stop wearing overalls and begin to wear dresses like a stereotypical Southern female. Alexandra supports the idea that females should only partake in certain activities and views Scout with contempt for her "tomboyish" ways. Southern females were expected to be docile, religiously pious, well-mannered individuals who remained indoors and isolated from physical activities. Scout is the polar opposite of a meek, socially conscious Southern female. Scout is a rough young girl who enjoys fighting and playing outdoor games. Scout's father allowed her to play with the boys her entire life, and Aunt Alexandra takes on the task of transforming Scout into a "proper" lady.

Does the Executive dominate the House of Lords in British politics?

No, the executive does not dominate the House of Lords in British politics.  In the parliamentary system of the United Kingdom, a system in which the prime minister is the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons, a member of the House of Commons, and must answer to the House of Commons, many consider the prime minister to be the head of the legislature and consider Great Britain to have no true executive.  However, if one considers the prime minister to be the executive, he is the leader of the House of Commons; he or she is not the leader of the House of Lords as well.  Instead, the person who controls the House of Lords holds the position of the Office of the Leader of the House of Lords.  This is a ministerial department held by a member of the cabinet.  The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is composed of approximately 22 members selected by the prime minister from the House of Commons and the House of Lords.  The primary duty of the Leader of the House of Lords is to help maintain order in that house.  Because the power of the House of Lords is limited in the parliamentary system of Great Britain, this house primarily revises bills from the House of Commons that lack sufficient detail as well as hears bills that lack any controversy surrounding them.  Thus, one can argue that the House of Lords is dominated by the House of Commons.

How does Jerry's journey end, and what does the bay mean to him at the end of the story?

Jerry's journey ends almost where it began: warm and safe with his mother, but with a new sense that he is happy to be there.  Initially, he was eager to go to the "wild bay" rather than to their usual "safe beach" with her, the wild bay symbolizing maturity and the safe beach symbolizing childhood.  He longed for independence, and his mother struggled with just how much freedom to give him.  

After his trials in preparing to swim through the underwater tunnel in the "wild bay," and the trauma of actually doing it, Jerry seems to find that he is not quite ready to be the adult he wanted to be at the beginning of the story.  Though, at first, he yearned to swim with "the big boys [who seemed like] men to [him]," by the end, "He did not want them."  What he does want is his mother's praise and approbation.  "'Mummy,' he said, 'I can stay under water for two minutes -- three minutes at least.'  It came bursting out of him."  Just like a child who blurts out news, especially claims about the amazing things he can do, Jerry seems quite childlike in the end, fishing for her praise and admiration.

After he swam through the tunnel, he'd come home pale, bloody, and tear-stained. Even after cleaning himself up, his mother could tell that he'd been injured.  When she insisted that he stay home for the remainder of the day, "he gave in at once.  It was no longer of the least importance to go to the bay."  In other words, he no longer desires to grow up so quickly.  The wild bay was characterized by water stained with "purple and darker blue," like a bruise, and rocks like "discoloured monsters under the surface."  There were cold currents to shock him, "fanged and angry boulders," and "salt that was so painful in his eyes that he could not see."  Like adulthood, the wild bay is unpredictable and dangerous.  At first, Jerry was exhilarated by his freedom there, but but he later realizes that "He wanted nothing but to get back home and lie down."  Rather than a place to escape, home (and the safety of childhood) seems pretty desirable to him now.  He knows he doesn't have the maturity to swim in the wild bay yet.

What was Steve's involvement after the crime in Monster?

Monster by Walter Dean Myers is s study of guilt by association.  It is also a poignant telling of how a person can lose sight of themselves when they allow society to label them.

Despite the fact that Steve is acquitted of any involvement in the crime that was committed by his two acquaintances, he is still stigmatized by having been associated with them.

After the robbery, Steve finds himself accused and jailed despite the fact that he did not participate in the actual crime. He spends his time writing in his diary and trying to keep track of his innocence. This is difficult to do, given his proximity to the crime scene and the potential that he did - willingly or not - appear to play the role of lookout. 

Upon his acquittal, he approaches his lawyer in order to demonstrate his gratitude. However, instead of embracing him she redirects her attention elsewhere. This leaves Steve with the uneasy feeling that he will always be labeled a "monster."

What are some key symbols, themes, and motifs in To Kill a Mockingbird?

One theme in To Kill A Mockingbird is "there is good and evil in this world, and it is sometimes difficult to determine which is which." This is seen from the time Scout and Jem are very young, playing simple imaginative games with good guys versus bad guys, or making up stories about the bad, scary man next door. As they grow older, they learn a lot from their father about where good and bad are in the world, and have to try to come to terms with the fact that while their father holds one opinion, other townspeople have extremely different opinions on what is good and evil. 

A motif might be the small country town feeling. The town of Maycomb is holding on to old ideas about race and prejudice, while larger, faster parts of the world are moving past them. There are many stock characters that a reader would expect to find in any picturesque small town, such as the town gossip, the town freak, or the wise man from whom children may seek advice.

A symbol could be the haunted house (the Radley place), which represents evil, or the mockingbird, which represents innocence.

What is the setting of "A Sound of Thunder"?

"A Sound of Thunder" takes place in three distinct settings. When the story begins, the action is occurring in the office of Time Safari, Inc., at the present time, after a very significant presidential election in which the democratic leader defeated the candidate that would have led to tyranny. 

The setting then changes to the past when dinosaurs roamed the earth. The men are on a safari to hunt the T Rex.  Time Safari Inc has established rules and procedures to control their impact on this environment, but ultimately they are unable to maintain complete control. This setting is significant because it represents man's interference in natural events and our desire to control natural processes.  

The setting then changes back to the original time and location, but with an alternative reality due to the effect of the interference in the past.  Now instead of the democratic leader winning the presidential election, the fascist leader has won. This small change in the setting changes every aspect of daily life for the characters in the story. This setting is significant because it represents the importance of man's responsibility for his actions.

How do you use a semicolon? Do you use it as a list as in... 1. She had; blue eyes, blonde hair, and thick eyebrowsOR2. She had: blue...

In the example you give the third choice is correct. You are listing a series of descriptive words that do not need either a colon nor a semicolon.

Semicolons are used in sentences that essentially have two parts that could each be a sentence on their own. These sentence parts are known as independent clauses. One way of joining independent clauses together in a single sentence is to use a conjunction such as and.

I will go to the park and I will ride my bike. 

You can replace the and (or any of the conjunction FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so) with a semicolon, because both parts of that sentence can be used as complete sentences.

I will go to the park; I will ride my bike.

You may also use a semicolon between two independent clauses when the second part is introduced by words such as however, therefore, and for example. 

Semicolons can be used in a list when the parts of the list contain items that are separated by commas. 

The tour will take us to Paris, France; Rome, Italy; Vienna, Austria; and London, England.

What are the main functions of a general computer?

The functions of a computer are pretty much endless, however, some common functions are used by all the computer users. These include:

1. Information input: we can input the information or data using keyboard, data storage devices (such as hard drive, pen drive, CD or DVD, etc.). The information can be arithmetic or visual (such as pictures, videos, etc.) or alphanumeric (Such as code), etc.


2. Processing: Computer process the information we input into it. There are several software that can help us process the data. An example is spreadsheet program, that allows us to do mathematical operations on the data.


3. Storage: computers can be used as storage devices. They can store the information we feed, processed information, etc. This information can be retrieved whenever the user needs it.


4. Output: Computer will also output the information (after processing) in several different formats (such as spreadsheets, pictures, videos, etc.)


5. Automation: computers can also be used for automating operations, by controlling other devices. At home, we use computer to control our printer.

Hope this helps.  

What does "their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed" tell about the mood of the story?

When the townspeople gather together for the lottery, they are subdued and quiet. They engage in small talk because they would rather not discuss the lottery itself. They go about the ritual mechanically because it has become a habit. But there is also a prevailing sense of foreboding. They uneasily go through the ritual. The mood is dismal and the people smile rather than laugh because they all have a shared sense of dread.

Thus, their discussions and jokes are restrained by these shared senses of fear and apprehension. To combat this dread, they make jokes to lighten the mood. But they can't bring themselves to laugh because the dread is simply too much. They might also be restraining any sense of laughter and happiness out of respect for the unfortunate person who will become the victim that day.

The mood might also be described as solemn. It has the solemnity of something like a church service or even a funeral. The people engage in restrained small talk and light humor in order to make the gruesome ritual more bearable. 

Compare and contrast Napoleon and Squealer. How are they the perfect team for taking over the farm?

The combination of Napoleon and Squealer is perfect, because the former represents action and the latter represents words.  To put it another way, Napoleon is one who plans for the longterm, executes, and sees matters to the end, no matter how unjust.  Squealer is the one who weaves words to support Napoleon and more importantly offers a storyline to persuade the other animals that Napoleon is a great leader, who is committed to their best interests. 

A few quotes should make this point clear. 

In the beginning of the book, Napoleon takes the pups of the dogs.  He desires to educate them.  He does this to train them to become his attack dogs.  He knows that might will give power, and he plans for this.  Here is a quote:

He said that the education of the young was more important than anything that could be done for those who were already grown up. It happened that Jessie and Bluebell had both whelped soon after the hay harvest, giving birth between them to nine sturdy puppies. As soon as they were weaned, Napoleon took them away from their mothers, saying that he would make himself responsible for their education.

As for Squealer, his rhetoric is amazing.  He can spin anything to make the pigs look good. This quote on why the apples disappeared is a perfect example:

‘Comrades!’ he cried. ‘You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk and apples. I dislike them myself. Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig. We pigs are brainworkers.

What surprising ideas about friendship are revealed in A Separate Peace by John Knowles?

Every reader might interpret the meaning of friendship in A Separate Peace differently based on personal experiences; however, one thing is for sure, and it might be trite, but nothing really is as it seems. Friendship might not be exactly what a person perceives it to be. For example, chapter 4 reveals the fact that both Finny and Gene perceive each other differently than what is really going on. Gene thinks Finny doesn't work hard at anything social or athletic and Finny thinks Gene doesn't need to study to get good grades. They also discover that their friendship might have selfish qualities from which each boy benefits to a certain degree. 

Another fact about friendship is that it can be one-sided at times. For instance, Leper considers Gene to be his best friend, whereas Gene doesn't much care for the guy. Leper's claim that Gene is his best friend is explicitly seen when he writes:

"I have escaped and need help. I am at Christmas location. You understand. No need to risk address here. My safety depends on you coming at once. (signed) your best friend, Elwin Leper Lepellier"(137).

Gene has sympathy for him. He may even pity the guy because he reminds him of qualities that he sees in himself. Sadly, Gene is not mature enough, or committed enough to the friendship, to listen to Leper explain his mental breakdown at bootcamp. In fact, Gene can't stand listening to Leper and leaves him in the middle of his story. Summarily, friendship can be different than the participants may believe and some friendships can one-sided.

In The Botany of Desire, how does the author describe how plants encourage animals to seek or avoid them, for example, by emitting...

This book seeks to explore the ways that plants have evolved to encourage animals and humans to do their bidding, i.e. to help the plants to develop survival mechanisms such as gene diversity. The author reasons that plants develop desirable characteristics as a way to, for example, encourage animals or plants to eat them, thereby creating a way for the plants' seeds to be dispersed more widely. Plants might also develop characteristics to help protect them from animal or human interference, so that they can be less vulnerable to damage. 

In the book's introductory chapter, Pollan explains these two primary directives plants have, that of being actively cultivated or left alone. 

"A great many of the chemicals plants produce are designed, by natural selection, to compel other creatures to leave them alone: deadly poisons, foul flavors, toxins to confound the minds of predators. But many other of the sub- stances plants make have exactly the opposite effect, drawing other creatures to them by stirring and gratifying their desires.

The same great existential fact of plant life explains why plants make chemicals to both repel and attract other species: immobil- ity. The one big thing plants can’t do is move, or, to be more pre- cise, locomotive."

This idea of gratification of desire is what inspired the book's title and primary theme: that plants make us want them, and in so doing persuade us to engage in behaviors that help them get what they want (i.e. to survive). The first chapter on the apple focuses on sweetness as a desirable characteristic and a source of pleasure for animals and humans. The taste of the apple and its importance to human beings led to its being imported and cultivated in the New World, for the making of cider (a popular drink among settlers who could not always access fresh drinking water), but also for the enjoyment of the fruit as a sweet and healthful food source. 

The idea of a plant's use of poison to repel potential predators, as opposed to being fatal, ensures that the plant is more likely be merely left alone, as opposed to being destroyed or willfully eradicated. 

Energy is a part of life that society cannot live without. With fossil fuels being more convenient and efficient, should society continue with its...

Energy is definitely an integral part of our life, whether we talk about electrical energy for various appliances or fuels for cooking or transportation. We can hardly think about life without energy. Most of our energy demands are being met by fossil fuels. They have been in use for the last couple of centuries and have infrastructure in place and are more convenient and efficient. However, there are a number of disadvantages of using fossil fuels. They are limited in quantity and hence they need to be phased out over time. They contribute to the greenhouse effect and are partly responsible for global warming and climate change. Due to these reasons, it is vital that we replace them with renewable energy options, such as solar energy or wind energy, as soon as possible.

Hope this helps. 

How is an increasing population good? What are its advantages in the field of economics? What are the innovative ideas or fields in which...

Population growth carries both costs and benefits, but based on decades of research and debate, the consensus among economists is that a moderate level of population growth is better than either a very high rate of growth or a very low one.

Larger populations have a number of benefits.

Obviously, there are more workers to get things done, but it's not obvious that this would increase the wealth per person; yet typically it does, because economies of scale emerge. A lot of goods can be produced more efficiently with more people, at least up to a certain point. This is especially common in high-tech or capital-intensive industries. (There's a reason the United States is the world's leading producer of airplanes, and not Luxembourg.)

More people also means more specialization; we're already quite specialized, yet over time we have become even more so. At one time there were "scientists"; then there were "biologists"; now we have "computational biophysicists" and "bionanoengineers". Specialization allows people to work to their comparative advantage and engage in "trade" with other specialized people, producing at much greater efficiency overall.

Population growth is also linked to innovation; there are many other factors affecting technological innovation, but simply having more people means having more brains to potentially come up with good ideas, and more opportunities for those brains to interact with one another and support each other. In large cities, "tech clusters" tend to emerge for this reason; the benefits of having good ideas are amplified by being surrounded by more other people who are easily accessible and also have good ideas. You mentioned agriculture and nanotechology specifically, and this could certainly apply to those, but really it applies to just about everything. People get better at doing stuff when they bounce ideas off other people.

There are of course costs of population growth; however, more people means more mouths to feed, and if you are constrained by living space, diseconomies of scale, or natural resources, you might not be able to produce as much per person as you did when you had fewer people. The faster the growth is, the harder it will be for society to adjust and efficiently employ all those new people.

There are also demographic effects of very low or very high population growth. If growth is very slow, you tend to get a lot of old people, and thus the ratio of retired people to working people can decrease, putting a strain on pension systems. But if growth is very fast, you get too many young people, and instead the strain is on your educational system and entry-level employment. You want to have a balanced age distribution, and that tends to be achieved with moderate levels of population growth.

How can we say that Gulliver's Travels is a story of adventure?

One could say that Gulliver's Travels is a story of adventure because Gulliver does endure many perilous journeys by sea and visit a number of faraway and exotic places.  He is in danger several times -- either due to a shipwreck or various hostile hosts or animals that are substantially larger than he is, and so on -- and he must survive and escape these dangers, creating a story that seems filled with adventure.  For example, Gulliver is shipwrecked in Lilliput and awakens to find himself a prisoner; the Lilliputians consider allowing him to starve to death before eventually branding him a traitor and desiring to kill him.  He is also constantly in danger in Brobdingnag; he could easily be trampled, and even small animals, like dogs, become enormous and dangerous to him.  Adventures like these define Gulliver's travels abroad.

The star Procyon has a parallax of .286" and an apparent magnitude of .5. What is the number of times it is brighter/dimmer than it would be at 10...

Hello!

By the definition, 1 parsec is the distance from which 1 astronomical unit has angular size of 1 arcsecond (denoted 1"). This is the same as to have parallax of 1". And the more the distance, the less (proportionally) its corresponding parallax:

(parallax in angle seconds) * (distance in parsecs) = 1.

For Procyon, the parallax of 0.286" means the distance 1/0.286 = 10/2.86 parsecs, or approximately 3.5 parsecs.

If we imagine that Procyon becomes 10 parsecs from Earth, it would be

 

times farther than now. Its apparent (visible) brightness would be lower than now with this coefficient squared:

This is the answer: now Procyon is approximately 8.18 times brighter than if it would be at 10 parsecs from Earth.

That said, 10 parsecs is the conventional distance to measure the absolute magnitude.

Why was the Berlin Airlift of 1948 considered a symbol of the Cold War?

The Berlin Airlift could be considered a pivotal event of the Cold War, precisely because of its symbolic effects on the relationship between the United States, West Germany, and the Soviet Union. The airlift was an American and British response to a crisis that emerged in 1948. Desiring to unite West Berlin and East Berlin under communist rule, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin ordered that roads into West Berlin from West Germany (occupied by the United States and Great Britain) be sealed off. The United States did not want to risk war with the Soviets by attempting to breach the blockade, and so American and British planes flew in an enormous quantity of supplies during the years 1948-49 (airports in West Berlin remained open.) This enabled West Berlin to see out the blockade, which Stalin lifted in May of 1949. The incident demonstrated to the Soviets (and the West German people) that the United States was unwilling to give in on the issue of West Berlin. The city remained the epicenter of Cold War tensions, lurching from one crisis to the next, until the early 1960s, when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and the East Germans ordered the construction of a wall separating East Berlin from the West. 

Describe the "down under." Does Max like the down under?

Max lives with his grandparents, Gram and Grim.  He has to live with them because his mother is dead and his father is in jail.  Max lives in their basement.  He calls it "The Down Under."  It's not a nice looking basement.  It's straight out of the 1960's.  It has paneling glued up against the concrete block wall, and the glue is starting to let go.  The floor smells damp too.  All in all, it feels like a dark hole in the ground.  

Glued up this cheap paneling, right? It sort of buckles away from the concrete cellar walls, a regular ripple effect, but do I complain about the crummy paneling, or the rug that smells like low tide?

Yes, Max likes the down under.  He likes it a lot.  He likes it because it gives him privacy.  The down under gives him privacy from his grandparents.  They don't go down there very much.  It also gives him privacy from the world.  Max likes that because he does not have a very high opinion of himself, so the basement is his sanctuary.  

Because I like it in the down under, got the place all to myself and no fear of Gram - sticking her head in the door and saying Maxwell dear, what are you doing?

Where has the poet stopped? Why does his horse think it queer?

The narrator of the poem has stopped in the woods to watch them "fill up with snow" (line 4), the woods of someone who lives the village, a moment of quiet contemplation and beauty, I would say.  The horse is puzzled because horses are creatures of habit, and this horse is likely to not be accustomed to stopping in the middle of nowhere. The narrator says the horse thinks it queer "To stop without a farmhouse near" (line 6), suggesting that the horse is accustomed to a route in which stops are made where there are houses, not in the middle of the woods. The horse probably expects a stop to include water and hay and perhaps being put in the barn for the night. The horse has a moment of impatience, shaking his harness bells, "To ask if there is some mistake" (line 10).  This seems to bring the narrator out of his moment of absorption, reminding him he must move on, since he has "promises to keep,/And miles to go before I sleep" (lines 14-15).    

How do you put f(x)=x (x-4)^2 (x-8)(x^2+4) in standard form? This is in factored form by the way.

A polynomial is in standard form if it is written as follows:

The term with the highest degree comes first and is followed by the other terms in the order of decreasing powers of the variable.

To express the function

in standard form, let's first expand repeated factor.

The expanded form of the repeated factor is:

The function becomes:

Then, multiply the factors. Let's start with the factors at the left.

The function transforms to three factors.

Then, multiply (x^3-8x^2+16x) with (x-8).

 

   

 

f(x) is reduced to two factors.

Multiply these two factors.

  
 
 

The function is now converted to standard form.

Therefore the standard form of

is

.

Is the figurative language in Sonnet XII only metaphoric?

Milton is criticizing his critics in this sonnet. He argued that divorce was sensible when two people were incompatible. This went against the strict Puritan sensibilities of his time. So, he responds in this sonnet. He says that he tried to remove people's mental limits ("clogs") but in response, his critics simply gave him ancient ideas and justifications, and sounded like a barbarous noise of animals. These uses of clogs and comparing the critics to animals are all metaphoric. 

But he does begin line 5 with "As" and this indicates a potential simile. He compare his critics to the peasants in the myth of Latona. Peasants would not let Latona drink from their pond, so she turned them into frogs. This seems to be the only simile in the sonnet. This is also allegorical because it refers to a story outside of the poem. He compares the peasants complaining about sharing the water to his critics complaining about his defense of sensible divorce and sensible thinking. 

Milton adds that giving a reasonable defense of divorce is essentially casting pearls to hogs. In other words, metaphorically, this is like throwing them away. The pearls will be trampled or eaten by the senseless hogs. Another metaphor is the notion of missing the mark. His critics have "rove" and this means that they have shot away from the mark. In other words, they have missed his point. 

In act 5, scene 1, analyse Bassanio's relationships with both Antonio and Portia, showing how they have developed over the play.

Bassanio is very close to both his friend Antonio and his wife Portia. Though Portia and Antonio love one another for Bassanio’s sake, there is some unspoken, possibly unconscious, competition between the two. Antonio and Portia have given much to Bassanio. Antonio gave Bassanio money so he could woo Portia, putting his life on the line to borrow money for him. Portia was willing to give Bassanio lots of money to rescue Antonio and, when that didn’t work, disguised herself as a lawyer and almost single-handedly saved Antonio’s life.

During the trial, Antonio asks Bassanio to speak well of him to Portia. Bassanio says that he would sacrifice “life itself, my wife, and all the world” to free Antonio. Unbeknownst to Bassanio, Portia is there. She comments, “Your wife would give you little thanks for that, / If she were by, to hear you make the offer.” As a kind of payback, Portia insists Bassanio give her their wedding ring as payment. Bassanio protests until Antonio suggests it is fair to give him the ring: “Let his deservings and my love withal / Be valued against your wife's commandment.”

In the final scene, Act V, Scene 1, Portia condemns Bassanio for giving away their ring and even tricks him into thinking she slept with the lawyer to get it back. Antonio feels awkward about these quarrels, but Portia insists it is not his fault:

ANTONIO: I am the unhappy subject of these quarrels.

PORTIA: Sir, grieve not you; you are welcome notwithstanding.

She eventually reveals to Bassanio that she was the lawyer and tells Antonio that he has regained his fortune. Though Portia and Antonio have a kind of a subtle power struggle over Bassanio, they are reconciled in the end.

Why do the economic questions how, what, and for whom have to be answered?

The three basic economic questions have to be answered because we human beings have unlimited wants but we only have limited resources with which to try to fulfill those wants.  This situation is also known as “scarcity.”  Because of scarcity, we have to make choices.  Those choices include the three basic economic questions.

Each economy has to decide which things it will produce. No economy has enough resources to produce every kind of good and service that we can imagine. We have to decide, for example, whether we will spend money on manned missions to Mars.  We have to decide how many luxury yachts we are going to produce and how many main battle tanks.  We do not have enough money, workers, or other resources to produce everything, so we have to decide what things will and will not be produced.

Each economy has to decide how it will produce things. There are typically different ways to produce the same things.  For example, we could produce agricultural products using a lot of machinery and only a little bit of human labor or we can produce crops using a great deal of human labor and very little machinery.  Each economy has to decide what way of producing things makes more economic sense given the resources that it has.

Finally, each economy has to decide who will get the products that are made because we cannot produce enough for everyone to have everything.  We cannot produce enough so that every American can have a luxury yacht, an expensive car, a Rolex, a vacation home in Hawaii, and other things that people might want.  Because everyone cannot have everything, choices have to be made. We have to have a way of deciding which people get which goods and services.

All of these choices have to be made because of the basic economic problem of scarcity.

What importance does Wittenberg University have in Hamlet?

Shakespeare seems to be presenting a contrast between the secluded, idealistic academic world of Wittenberg and the real world as represented by the court at Elsinore. Hamlet must have been a student for many years. He would like to go back to Wittenberg, but his uncle specifically forbids it.

For your intent
In going back to school in Wittenberg,
It is most retrograde to our desire;
And we beseech you, bend you to remain
Here in the cheer and comfort of our eye,
Our chiefest courtier, cousin,and our son.

Claudius wants to keep Hamlet under close scrutiny. The wicked usurper naturally believes that Hamlet is bitterly resentful about being passed over for succession and could be plotting a coup. Hamlet could do this much more easily if he could get out of Denmark. He could find young supporters at the university, and he could also contact foreign rulers for military assistance.

Hamlet is a fish out of water at Elsinore. He is an introspective, scholarly man in the midst of a bunch of schemers, hypocrites, and one double-dyed villain. Hamlet forms an extremely unfavorable view of humanity in general as a result of the contrast between real humanity and the world he has read about in books, including religious books. At one point in the play he expresses his jaundiced view of humanity in a striking metaphors.

O God! God!
How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable
Seem to me all the uses of this world!
Fie on't! ah, fie! 'tis an unweeded garden
That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature
Possess it merely.      I.2

Hamlet knows three of the important characters in the play because of meeting them at Wittenberg. They are Horatio, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Horatio becomes his good friend, companion, and helper. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern become spies for the king, and Hamlet will later have to have them beheaded by the English in order to keep from getting beheaded himself. 

Wittenberg was responsible for turning Hamlet into a recluse, an idealist and a scholar. This is a handicap at Elsinore. He has to evolve into a man of action because of circumstances thrust upon him. It turns out that he can't even trust the girl he loves. Ophelia is being used by both Claudius and her own father Polonius to get Hamlet to reveal his secret thoughts. She is a little like Delilah in the biblical story of Samson and Delilah. But Hamlet is like a young man who has graduated from college and is just beginning to understand that the real world is a lot different from school! Shakespeare never went to a university. He graduated from the School of Hard Knocks.

Wittenberg serves as a sort of foil to Elsinore. Although Wittenberg is never actually shown, it is referred to many times, and we can imagine how it looks and feels. It is isolated, designed for meditation and religious worship. After all, it was the place where Martin Luther became a professor of theology. At Elsinore, Claudius sets the tone of behavior by spending much of his time drinking large quantities of wine. When Hamlet first encounters Horatio at Elsinore, he tells him:

We'll teach you to drink deep ere you depart.

This is Hamlet's way of saying that Elsinore has nothing else to offer to refined, intellectual men like Horatio and himself. Hamlet is a captive at Elsinore. Before he encounters his father's ghost, he would like very much to get back to Wittenberg. Once he realizes that he is duty-bound to revenge his father's murder, he must realize that his academic career is at an end. He has graduated into the ugly world of reality. At the very end of the last scene of Act 1, he says:

The time is out of joint. O cursed spite,
That ever I was born to set it right!

How did colonists view the trade laws that England set?

The colonists never really accepted the trade laws that Great Britain established. Going back to the beginning of the colonies when the British passed the Navigation Acts, the colonists found ways to ignore these laws. The trade laws were designed to benefit Great Britain, not the colonies. Thus, the colonists often smuggled molasses into the colonies from places other than Great Britain. This violated the Navigation Acts that required that certain products be bought only from Great Britain and shipped on British ships.

During the years leading to the Revolutionary War, the colonists also resisted some of the trade laws. The colonists believed the Sugar Act of 1764 was illegal because it allowed for searches without warrants to determine if colonists were smuggling products into the colonies. It also put the burden of proof of innocence on the colonists instead of on the government. Even though the Sugar Act lowered the tax on molasses, the colonists still were opposed to this law. The colonists protested this law, and some colonists agreed to reduce their purchase of luxury goods from Great Britain as well as to begin to make some of their own products instead of buying them from Great Britain. The colonists also protested the Tea Act that gave the British East India Tea Company a monopoly on the trade of tea. This law led to the Boston Tea Party when the colonists dumped a large amount of tea in Boston Harbor.

The British passed many trade laws. The colonists never really supported many of these trade laws.

How to make a graphic organizer for the short story "The Lottery?"

Graphic organizers are visual maps of information where students enter facts that are meant to be organized and categorized. The idea is to be able to analyze the information contained in the story, from a number of different perspectives, by extrapolating the most relevant information that helps students understand the story better. 

Examples of graphic organizers include:

• timelines, or sequence of events


• facts versus opinion charts


• character sketch and character analysis


• story elements charts


• word study and vocabulary study charts


• “The Five W's” chart (what, where, when, who, why)


• compare and contrast charts

To address the whole story "The Lottery," a good approach would be to use “The Five W's” chart. This type of graphic organizer lets you gather the most important facts from the story and summarize them in one or two sentences. Moreover, you can choose to analyze your story by working backwards, which is a powerful problem solving and analysis tool in many fields of study.

Let’s look at this example of, both, using an organizer and working backwards. To do this, build a graphic 5W organizer and title it “The Death of Tessie Hutchinson.”

That would be your

1. “WHAT:” (Or, “What is going on?”)

ANSWER: Tessie Hutchinson was selected in the village’s lottery to be stoned to death by her fellow villagers.

1. “WHERE:”

ANSWER: The decision to stone Tessie Hutchinson takes place in an unnamed village, which is described as one

          “where there were only about three hundred people”

A 5W organizer can also have an “additional detail section.” Notice how it would apply to the “WHEN” category.

1. “WHEN:”

ANSWER: The events take place during ”a morning of June 27th,” where the weather “was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day.”

ADDITIONAL DETAIL: The setting is described in a way that elicits beauty and comfort, which makes the plot all the more morbid, considering that a savage killing is about to take place.

1. “WHO:” (Or, “Who are we talking about?”)

ANSWER: Tessie Hutchinson is a resident of a village that keeps alive an ancient and barbaric practice of using a lottery system to sacrifice one of their own residents via stoning. She is a wife and mother.

ADDITIONAL DETAIL: Tessie is late to the lottery. She seems uneasy from the start.

These villagers are entirely accommodating to this practice, do not question it, and carry on with their lives as usual before, during, and after the brutal killing has occurred.  

1. “WHY” is Tessie Hutchinson being killed by the villagers?

ANSWER: The villager whose name is drawn is put to death through stoning. Tessie’s name was ultimately selected on the day when the story takes place, and this is why it is her turn to be stoned.

Answering the essential questions also invites students to gather even more information from the story to draw further conclusions.

For example, upon answering the basic “WHY” questions, you could look back in the story and see that there is much more to just “having a lottery.” Therefore a further point could be:

ADDITIONAL DETAIL: “According to the story, the lottery has an ancient origin related to the growing of crops. While the villagers cannot pinpoint the exact details of the original lottery with clarity, they continue to practice it with no other purpose than that of continuing its tradition. The cause for the practice of the lottery at this point in the history of the village is null. Nobody really seems to know why there is still a lottery taking place. However, the eldest and more conservative members of the village insist that it continues to be carried on.”

When students are able to summarize each of the W’s, there is more information that they can make inferences and draw conclusions from.

Students can come up with further “why” questions. Why would there be a need for a lottery, at this point and time in the village? Why don’t the villagers feel any compassion toward the selected? Why can’t the villagers just change the rules? Why do they abide by a cruel and barbaric act?  Why does Tessie feel that her selection is “not fair” if she, herself, has celebrated the village’s traditions, too?

If you can get all of this from a 5W, imagine what you can do with more graphic organizers applied to the same story!

How can I improve my comparative essay? I am currently brainstorming ideas for a comparative essay we are required to write. We just finished...

This is a very interesting choice for a comparison.  There are two main intersections between the song and the play that would make for a strong essay (in my opinion).  First, the quick escalation of the fan's emotions in "Stan" and his rapid descent into drastic action parallels that of Romeo and Juliet.  In the span of a few days, Romeo and Juliet propel from an innocent meeting between two young lovers to faking suicide, drinking poison, and murdering in the name of love.  

The other main parallel between the two texts is how miscommunication ends in disaster.  In "Stan," the fact that Eminem/Slim Shady's letter doesn't arrive in time leads the fan to jump to conclusions and execute a drastic plan.  Likewise, the fact that Friar Lawrence's letter does not arrive in Romeo's hands in time leads him to kill himself.

In terms of a hook, I might center on the vivid images from both.  Something like this: An incensed fan drives his pregnant girlfriend off a bridge.  A young aristocrat kills himself after "learning" that his wife is dead.  In both "Stan" and Romeo and Juliet, miscommunication and the quick escalation of feelings have fatal results.

How would you characterize the story's level of diction? Is this level appropriate for a story about a young boy's experiences?

The level of diction is very obviously high. There are many words and references which might be difficult for some readers to understand. For example:

Among these I found a few paper-covered books, the pages of which were curled and damp: The Abbot, by Walter Scott, The Devout Communicant and The Memoirs of Vidocq. 

It is obvious, however, that the narrator is not a young boy but an educated and sophisticated older man writing about an event from his childhood. He is able to describe feelings the boy could never have put into words himself. And, as a matter of fact, the boy would never have confessed his feelings to anyone at the time. It is the choice diction that makes the story worth reading. After all, it is an extremely simple story about a cheap trinket. James Joyce makes this little memoir take on much larger proportions.

We have all experienced young love and know how foolish and all-important, how painful and pleasurable it can be. James Joyce must be writing from his own experience, The diction gives dignity to the emotions the young boy was experiencing. For example:

These noises converged in a single sensation of life for me: I imagined that I bore my chalice safely through a throng of foes. Her name sprang to my lips at moments in strange prayers and praises which I myself did not understand. My eyes were often full of tears (I could not tell why) and at times a flood from my heart seemed to pour itself out into my bosom. 

But my body was like a harp and her words and gestures were like fingers running upon the wires.

The young protagonist could have have expressed his feelings in such terms at the time, but he is able to do so now. We never forget these things. We understand that a long time has elapsed since the event the author is writing about. He might not even recognize Mangan's sister if he were to run into her after all these years. She would be married and have several children. But he can actually relive the feelings he had for this pretty Irish girl whose unaffected femininity enchants him.

Her dress swung as she moved her body and the soft rope of her hair tossed from side to side.

The author's choice of diction is perfect for his story, not only because of the importance of the event and his subsequent disillusionment, but because of the indelible nature of his memories. He is not seeking to rid himself of memories by writing about them, as creative writers often do, but he is seeking to recapture and savor them, not unlike the great French novelist Marcel Proust in his masterpiece À la recherche du temps perdu (Remembrance of Things Past).

Scout runs to her father as he faces the group of men outside of the jail. She expects him to be happy to see her, but what is Atticus’s reaction?

In Chapter 15, we learn that Tom Robinson has been moved to the Maycomb jail.

One Sunday night after dinner, Atticus announces that he will need to go out. Suspicious, both Jem and Scout decide to follow him after he leaves. They pick up Dill along the way and go by Atticus' office at the courthouse. However, he isn't there. The children then decide to see if Atticus is with Mr. Underwood at the Maycomb Tribune office. In order to reach the Tribune office, the trio will need to pass by the county jail.

As they walk past, they notice a curious sight: Atticus is sitting right outside the jail, propped against the front door. As they approach, he is reading and does not notice the children. In due time, four cars drive up and men get out to walk to where Atticus is sitting. Ominously, they ask if Tom Robinson is inside the prison. Atticus knows that they want to lynch Tom, and he quietly orders all the men to go back to where they came from.

It's at this very moment that Scout breaks away from Dill and Jem to run towards Atticus. Thinking that her father would be happy to see her, she is frightened when she sees the fear in Atticus' eyes. The fact of the matter is that the men have come to do violence, and Atticus is afraid that his own children might get hurt in any ensuing mayhem.

We know that Atticus is afraid because his fingers are trembling slightly when he puts his newspaper down; as calmly as he can, Atticus tries to order Jem to take Scout and Dill home. However, Jem remains stubborn; he knows that something is wrong, and he will not desert his own father at such a moment. The men grow restless and demand that the children be removed from the premises.

Someone grabs Jem to pull him away, but Scout kicks the perpetrator in response. Atticus tries to calm everyone down but is only marginally successful. It is Scout who saves the day, however, when she greets Walter Cunningham. With her friendly greeting and kind conversation, she is able to do what no one else can: she so disarms the men that Walter Cunningham eventually orders his men to go home.

What are examples of characters driven by hate in Romeo and Juliet?

The character most driven by hate in Romeo and Juliet is Tybalt. He is, of course, a Capulet, and is Juliet's cousin. When he is introduced, Tybalt is about to fight Benvolio, a Montague, who he encounters in the street (Benvolio is actually trying to break up a fight between members of each house). He is so consumed with hatred for the Montagues that he nearly disobeys Lord Capulet's command not to attack Romeo at the family masque when Romeo shows up in disguise. Later, he comes looking for Romeo, and kills Mercutio when Romeo, having just married Juliet (and thus become Tybalt's kinsman) refuses to fight. Romeo kills Tybalt after Mercutio's death, and is banished for the crime. Lady Capulet reveals herself to be full of hate when she discovers Tybalt is dead, beseeching the Prince to execute Romeo and even telling Juliet she can have him killed by someone in Mantua. Overall, the mutual hate between the Capulets and the Montagues is the most important aspect of the plot, hanging over the love of Romeo and Juliet and casting a shadow over the city of Mantua itself. 

Why is Atticus so insistent on Jem and Scout acting politely towards Mrs. Dubose?

The lesson that Atticus teaches Scout during the incident with Walter Cunningham carries over to the event with Mrs. Dubose.  Atticus tells Scout to learn to walk around in someone else’s skin to begin to fully understand what someone is going through.  The lesson is the same for understanding Mrs. Dubose.  Although she yelled at Scout and Jem about Atticus defending Tom Robinson, Atticus wants his children to respect all people.  Mrs. Dubose has an addiction to morphine, and vows to break her addiction before she dies.  Atticus understands this and wants Jem to show compassion.  Mrs. Dubose is a symbol of the racist South that is in the throes of change.  Her addiction is like Maycomb’s “addiction” to racism. 

Atticus also teaches this lesson of respect and compassion to Jem when Dill and Jem keep pestering Boo Radley.  Atticus is a man who understands and accepts all types of people.   To him, the most important lessons are on respect.   

In To Kill a Mockingbird what do the kids find out about their father?

At the beginning of Chapter 10, Scout gripes about how her father does nothing interesting or special. She says that Atticus is old, nearly blind, and does nothing that could possibly "arouse the admiration of anyone." (Lee 118) When Scout compares him to her classmate's parents, who hunt and play poker, she says that all Atticus ever does is sit in the livingroom and read. Later on in the chapter, a rabid dog named Tim Johnson is staggering through the streets of Maycomb. Sheriff Taylor gives his gun to Atticus, and Atticus kills Tim Johnson in one shot. Jem and Scout are awestruck at their father's ability. Miss Maudie tells the children that Atticus' nickname growing up was "Ol' One-Shot Finch." (Lee 129) The children are shocked to find out that their father was the "deadest shot in Maycomb County." After finding out about their father's ability, Scout tells Jem that she can't wait to brag about Atticus to her friends at school. Jem tells Scout not to say anything because if Atticus wanted the children to know his talent, he would have told them. Atticus is a humble man who felt that his marksmanship ability was a God-given.

From Cofer's "American History," how is El Building described and what is its significance?

El Building is located in Paterson, New Jersey during 1963. The main character, Elena, describes it as being right on the corner of Straight and Market streets. She also says that it housed mostly Puerto Ricans who blasted salsa music from their windows at all hours of the day. One person would turn on his music and another would turn on hers to drown out the first. Around the building outside one would usually see children playing and the unemployed complaining.

Near the end of the story, Elena goes next door to study with her neighbor Eugene, but his unfriendly mother opens the door. The mother asks Elena, "You live there?" and points to the building. Elena explains that at that moment, the building "looked particularly ugly, like a gray prison, with its many dirty windows and rusty fire escapes". The color gray is not hopeful or bright and happy image. It seems like a color that says, "blah." All of the images certainly paint a picture of poverty and struggle, but the people inside are not without hope and love in their lives. Unfortunately, Eugene's mother only sees the different culture, and possibly the poverty, and dismisses Elena.

The significance of El Building is that it is like many other apartment buildings across the nation that house immigrants who moved to the United States to seek out a better life. Some may use the building as a temporary stopping place on their way to bigger and better things. Others may live there for years without hope of leaving, but they still hope to provide better futures for their children.

Whatever feelings Elena or Eugene's mother have for El Building did not matter on the day that John F. Kennedy died. El Building turned off its music and remained silent out of respect for the fallen president. The building represents the people who live inside of it and those people were American citizens who cared for the country they lived in. They showed their respect for the office of the President just like the rest of the country. And even though the people in El Building were from Puerto Rico, spoke Spanish, and struggled financially, that doesn't mean they didn't love their country.  

What does Junior see the word 'faggot' as?

In 2014, this young adult novel topped the list for the most banned and challenged books in the United States. Despite the book's reputation for offensive language, frank discussions of sexuality, and depictions of bullying, Alexie's use of language is practical rather than ornamental.

You asked about Junior's view of the word 'faggot.' This word comes up in the chapter detailing Junior's victorious play in the basketball game between the Wellpinit Redskins and the Reardan Indians. During this game, Junior is tasked with shadowing Rowdy, his basketball arch-enemy. When our young protagonist manages to side-step Rowdy's usual play every inch of the way, the gym breaks out into pandemonium.

Junior's initial three point score so intimidates and demoralizes the other team that the Reardan Indians are able to score a devastating victory. The Wellpinit Redskins fail to make the playoffs for the season, while the Reardan Indians qualify for the playoffs as state-reigning champions.

Junior apologizes for Reardan's victory in an email to Rowdy, but Rowdy laughs it off with some bravado. He tells Junior that his team will beat Junior's team next year, and when that happens, Junior will cry inconsolably. Although both Rowdy and Junior appear to trade 'homophobic insults,' Junior isn't too broken up about this state of affairs. Ironically, the friendly, verbal fire restores Junior's spirits: this exchange marks the first occasion Rowdy has actually communicated with Junior since he(Junior) left the reservation. If you recall, Junior's mother warned him that many Indians would not understand his decision to attend a school outside the reservation.

When Junior admitted his desire to transfer, Rowdy had become very angry. Reardan, after all, was the ultimate high school enemy. They won every baseball and basketball game they played against Wellpinit Junior High. If you recall, Rowdy uses the same homophobic insult to express his pain regarding his best friend's decision to leave. Even worse, he beats Junior up before they part ways.

So, what is different about this email exchange, where the same insults are being used? In this exchange, Rowdy is no longer angry. He doesn't resort to physical violence, and he doesn't condemn Junior for having been on the winning side of the basketball season.

The traded insults between Junior and Reardan represent a typically masculine exchange prevalent among high school boys. In their reluctance to appear effeminate, such an exchange may represent one of the only ways these young men can communicate forgiveness, affection, and trust. In times of great stress, the insults also express repressed pain and grief (as when Junior first informs Rowdy about his transfer to Reardan). It is this raw and unvarnished picture of adolescent camaraderie which makes a reading of Alexie's novel an emotional experience.

Write the trigonometric form of the number.

Take note that the trigonometric form of a complex number z=x+yi is

where 

and

Applying these formula,  the values of r and theta of are:

Plugging them to the trigonometric form, it result to:

Thus, the trigonometric form of    is   .

How do the colonial subjects repay their masters in "The White Man's Burden?"

According to Rudyard Kipling in his pro-imperialism poem “The White Man’s Burden,” the colonial subjects of imperial powers repay their “masters” by hating and resenting them and by destroying all of the things the masters are trying to create. Some of this they do on purpose, but other things they do because they are ignorant.

The first place we see the imperial masters being repaid poorly is in Stanza 3. There, Kipling says that when the masters have just about accomplished their goals, they will

Watch sloth and heathen Folly

Bring all your hopes to nought.

 In other words, they are being repaid by having everything they work for get destroyed. The subjects are so lazy and foolish that they destroy the masters’ work.

The other place where we see the masters being poorly repaid is in the 5th Stanza. There, Kipling tells us that the subjects will hate their masters for trying to improve their lives and make them more civilized.  He says that the masters will get

The blame of those ye better,

The hate of those ye guard—

 The reason for this is that they are trying to improve their subjects.  The problem is that their subjects do not want to be improved and civilized.  Instead, they will complain, saying

Why brought he us from bondage,

Our loved Egyptian night?"

 In other words, the subjects like being ignorant and uncivilized and will hate and resent those who try to change them.

 In these ways, Kipling  is saying that the imperial masters will be repaid poorly by their colonial subjects.