chapter by chapter summary of the story of Christian theology by Roger Olson

Let us begin by exploring the full title of this wonderful book that won the Gold Medallion award from Christianity Today! in the year 2000. Seeing as the book is called The Story of Christian Theology: Twenty Centuries of Tradition & Reform, we can expect that this book talks a lot about how Christianity is a story that began two thousand years ago (twenty centuries) and is full of tradition and change. The Story of Christian Theology: Twenty Centuries of Tradition & Reform, has quite an organization actually with nine different parts (delineated by roman numerals) which are divided into thirty-five separate chapters.

Directly before Part I is the introduction which discusses Christianity precisely as “a story.”

While history seems as dry as dust to many modern readers, a story is always eagerly welcomed and greeted with interest.

This is precisely the reason why Olson presents Christianity as a “story” as opposed to painting it it a simple history. Part I is specifically about the second century (100-200 years after Christ) and discusses different visions and trajectories of the new religion: Christianity. Chapter 1 is about the critics of the religion and the opposing members of cults that attempted to prevent its spread. Chapter 2 discusses some of the first apostles of Christ (that is those who were originally “sent out” to spread the word) and how they proclaimed Christ as the “Way” as well as “the Truth and the Life.” For example, Saint (and bishop) Polycarp, Clement, Ignatius, and Barnabas and their struggles against different heresies are discussed at length. Then Chapter 3 attempts to discuss the apologists who attempted to combat those same heresies by defending the Christian faith. Finally, Chapter 4 of Part I is about Iraneus exposing the truth behind heresies like Gnosticism. Irenaeus, of course, was the eventual saint who was quite severe in proclaiming that there was no salvation outside the Roman Catholic Church.

Part II continues Olson’s idea of Christianity being a “story” in that it is about the plot of the story thickening specifically in the third century. The different chapters of this part attest to this. Chapter 5 talks a lot about philosophy and how it often has been shown to contradict Christian thinking, especially in the early spread of the religion to North Africa. Chapter 6 is about how the philosopher Origen nixed the concept of reincarnation by proclaiming “one mortal bodily existence” and the interesting idea of “ultimate, universal reconciliation for all creation,” even including Satan. Chapter 7 is about Cyprian from the city of Carthage, who took it upon himself to unify Christians, while Chapter 8 is about how that unity (inspired by Cyprian) truly brought the early Christian church together.

Part III discusses the Church’s first great crisis: the concept of the Trinity (and how it was explained and resolved, especially by the Council of Nicaea). Chapter 9 speaks of the concept of Trinity (there being one God with three parts: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and the fact that the Alexandrians contested the second part of the Trinity (the Son). Chapter 10 is about the response to that problem: the Council of Nicaea. The Nicean Creed is still recited in many churches, even today. Chapter 11 is about Athanasius, who continued the faith adamantly, while Chapter 12 is about the Cappadocians who finally concluded the Church’s first crisis.

Part IV is about the Church’s second crisis: the specific issues of the second person of the Trinity (the Person of Christ). Chapter 13 is about how Alexandria and Antioch butted heads about the person of Christ (in their differing opinions of the Son of God). Nestorius and Cyril bring the crisis to the forefront in Chapter 14 while Chalcedon proclaims Christ being the Son of God as a “mystery” in Chapter 15. The final chapter is about the fact that this never-ending crisis continues to have a “fallout.”

In Part V is about the Great Schism: the division between East and West in regard to the Christian Church. Chapter 17 focuses on Saint Augustine, the famous saint who went from a life of licentiousness to holiness, and talks about the glory of the one true God and how humans are gravely flawed. Chapter 18 and 19 respectively talk about how the Western Church becomes Roman Catholic while the Eastern Church becomes Eastern Orthodox. Chapter 20 discusses this as the particular “Great Schism.”

Part VI covers new ideas of science and how they have to do with the formation of the church. Chapter 21 discusses the skepticism of Abelard and Anslem in regard to how the new science conflicts with church teaching. Chapter 22 is fully about Saint Thomas Aquinas, a famous Roman Catholic Academic, who wrote about Christian Truth, including the concept of the “Just War.” Chapter 23 groups Humanists, Reformers, and Nominalists together in one chapter in their attempt to justify the Faith.

Part VII talks about what Olson calls the “new twist”: the Protestant Reformation. Chapter 24 speaks of Martin Luther and how his “theses” divided the Church once and for all, halting the spread of a unified Christianity. Chapter 25 is about how Protestant thought was cemented by both Calvin and Zwingli. Chapter 26 is about the frustration of the Anabaptists (and specifically how they attempted to get back to Christian roots through simplicity). Finally, Chapter 27 attempts to explain the parallel teachings of Canterbury and Rome as the two separate schools of Protestant and Catholic thought.

Part VIII is about the diversity of Protestantism and how it broke the Faith apart even more through its many religions. Chapters 28-31 discuss these differing Protestant religious groups respectively: Armenians, Pietists (Lutherans), Puritans, Methodists, and Deists. Each religion has its own specific teachings, which are a bit too detailed to discuss at length here. This part, more than any other, reveals the problems that arise when there is not one authority on religious thought.

Finally, Part IX concludes the “story” by discussing the modern schism of liberal and conservative Christian thought. Chapter 32 is about modern culture and how to “marry” it with Christian tradition. Chapter 33 is about conservatives bouncing back against those “liberals” discussed in the previous chapter. Chapter 34 discusses the new orthodox ideas (deemed “Neo-Orthodoxy”) that try to bridge the gap between the two. In its final chapter, Chapter 35, Olson’s The Story of Christian Theology: Twenty Centuries of Tradition & Reform discusses at length the Christian struggle with diversity (both of culture and thought) while touching on such ideas as abortion and gay marriage. Olson ends with firmness about how the Christian “story” is truly never ending and is, in fact, still being written even today.

Why can't the Tucks stay together as a family in Tuck Everlasting?

The Tuck family can’t stay together because they never age or die and they do not want to make people suspicious by hanging around one place for too long.

The Tuck family stays on the move. Mae and Angus Tuck will set up a household for few decades and then move on. Since they are immortal, if someone were to see them too often they might wonder why they never age.

"We been in this house about as long as we dare, going on twenty years. … Then, too, it's off by itself, plenty of fish in the pond, not too far from the towns around. When we need things, we go sometimes to one, sometimes the next, so people don't come to notice us much" (Ch. 10).

Another reason the Tuck family can’t stay together is that even though they can’t have families of their own, Miles and Jesse like to travel and see the world. They can see a lot over the years, since time moves on without them.

"Tuck and me, we got each other," she said, "and that's a lot. The boys, now, they go their separate ways. … But they come home whenever the spirit moves, and every ten years, first week of August, they meet at the spring and come home together so's we can be a family again for a little while (Ch. 10)."

Mae comments that Miles and Jesse do not always get along. That is another reason why it is best that they do not all stay in one place. I guess when you live forever, you might get pretty sick of each other.

Miles had a family once, but his wife and children left him when it became clear that he was immortal. His wife thought that he was bewitched and was afraid to be around him. As a result, Miles lost his family. It was not possible for Miles or Jesse to have families unless they got their wives to drink from the immortal spring.

What are valence electrons and how do you find them?

Valence electrons are the electrons in an atom's highest energy level, farthest from the nucleus. These are the electrons that are lost, gained or shared when the atom forms chemical bonds to other atoms. The number of valence electrons an atom has can be determined from its position on the periodic table.

There are two ways to number the groups of the periodic table. One is number from 1 to 18. The other is to number the main group elements, which are the s and p blocks with the Roman numerals I-VIII and the letter A. The transition metals are then numbered with Roman numerals and the letter B. For the main group element IA-VIIIA, the main group number equals the number of valence electrons:

• Group IA - alkali metals - 1 valence electron


• Group IIA - alkaline earth metals - 2 valence electrons


• Group IIIA - 3 valence electrons


• Group IVA - 4 valence electrons


• Group VA - 5 valence electrons


• Group VIA- 6 valence electrons


• Group VII - halogens - 7 valence electrons


• Group VIII - noble gases - 8 valence electrons

The valence electrons of transition metals are more complicated. In general, they're the highest level s and d electrons, which is usually the number of spaces that the element is from the left. Some transition metals have electron configurations that are exceptions to the aufbau principle and their valence electrons might include only one or no s-electrons. 

Where does Virginia appear from in "The Canterville Ghost" by Oscar Wilde?

At the beginning of Chapter Five, Virginia suddenly runs past the tapestry chamber, "the door of which happened to be open," and comes across the Canterville ghost. Virginia has come directly from Brockley Meadow where she has spent the day riding with the Duke of Cheshire, her "curly-haired cavalier." On their way home, however, Virginia came through a hedge and tore her "habit" (skirt) badly. Not wanting her mother to see the damage, Virginia entered the house via the back door and this is how she came to walk past the tapestry chamber and stumble upon the ghost.

This chance encounter with the ghost sets the scene for the story's climax. Face to face with the ghost, Virginia is about to learn the truth of his depression and his desire to enter the Garden of Death - a task he cannot achieve without her help.

What are some examples of a closed system?

A closed system does not exchange mass with its surroundings and is only capable of exchanging energy with the surroundings. In comparison, an open system is capable of exchanging both mass and energy with its surroundings. And a system that does not exchange mass or energy with its surroundings is known as an isolated system. Earth can be considered as a closed system, since it only receives sunlight (energy), while the overall mass stays constant, without (almost) any exchange from space. Another example of a closed system is a saucepan or frying pan, on a stove, when its lid is closed. In this configuration the saucepan or frying pan receives heat (energy) from the stove, while no mass enters or leaves the pan, thus making it a closed system. Another similar example is a pressure cooker on a stove, with its lid closed.

Hope this helps. 

What is the relationship between atomic size and atomic number?

Atomic size is a periodic trend, meaning that it repeats in a regular pattern. Going from left to right across a period (horizontal row) of the periodic table the atomic radius or size decreases as the atomic number increases. However, moving from top to bottom within a group (vertical column) the atomic radius increases as the atomic number increases.

The reason for this has to do with the arrangement of electrons. The atomic number represents the number of protons, which equals the number of electrons in a neutral atom. The size of an atom is determined by the attraction of the electrons to the positive nucleus. When there's more attraction the electrons are pulled in closer. Inner electrons repel outer electrons, shielding the outer electrons from some of the nuclear charge. Within a period, each additional electron is added to the existing energy level. The addition of one proton and one electron with no change in the amount of shielding by inner electrons results in an increase in the amount of postive charge experienced by the outer electrons. This is called the effective nuclear charge. The effective nuclear charge is roughly equal to the atomic number minus the number of inner electrons. Here's an example of why fluorine is smaller than oxygen:

Effective nuclear charge of O = 8-2 = 6, number of electrons = 8

Effective nuclear charge of F = 9-2 = 7, number of electrons = 9

Nine electrons are more attracted by a charge of +7 than eight are by a charge of +6, so fluorine's electrons are pulled in close than oxgyen's. This is just an approximation, there's a little more that goes into calculating a shielding factor.

Moving down a group, the shielding factor increases because each row has an additional level of inner electrons. The electrons are thus less attracted to the nucleus and move further away, resulting in the observed increase in atomic radius going down a group.

What are the three main events in the book "Bud, Not Buddy?"

Near the beginning of Bud, Not Buddy, Bud is placed in a new foster home.  Todd, his new foster brother, treats him badly.  Bud decides to run away and go off on his own.  He wants to find Mr. Calloway, a jazz band leader who he thinks might be his father.  This is the first event in the story.

Bud eventually finds Calloway and his band.  The more that he spends time with the band, the more that Bud feels that they are like family to him.  Bud has a moment of realization at a fancy restaurant called the Sweet Pea.  He realizes how much he loves spending time with the band.  The only person who he does not feel a connection with is the grouchy Mr. Calloway.  This moment is the second event.

The last event is when Bud finds out that Mr. Calloway is not his father.  In fact, the man is his grandfather.  Bud is given his own saxophone and becomes a member of the band.

What is the significance of the title "The Gift of the Magi"?

The significance of the title is twofold. First, we need to realize that the title comes from the New Testament. The magi, or wise men, gave the baby Jesus gifts. According to the the gospel of Matthew, they gave gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:11 states (KJV):

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

These magi travelled a far distance, and they gave precious gifts to a child they had never seen before.  Their gifts expressed their devotion.  That they bowed down to worship also shows this point. From this perspective, the title suggests that those who give generously are magi or wise men. 

Second, O. Henry states that Jim and Della are like the magi, because they also gave wise and precious gifts.  Their gifts were particularly wise, because they gave what mattered the most to them. And in this way, they showed their hearts. Finally, the theme of Christmas also ties in nicely.  Here is how O. Henry ends his story:

But let me speak a last word to the wise of these days: Of all who give gifts, these two were the most wise. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are the most wise. Everywhere they are the wise ones. They are the magi.

Where does photosynthesis happen? Be specific.

Specifically, organelles known as chloroplasts are the site of photosynthesis for green plants and algae. Any part of the plant that appears green contains chloroplasts. They are mainly located in the leaves where most of the photosynthesis occurs.

In the center of the leaf, an area known as the mesophyll contains cells which are packed with chloroplasts. They usually have between 30-50 chloroplasts per cell. 

The structure of the chloroplast is a double membrane around a thick fluid known as the stroma. In the stroma is an internal membrane system known as the thylakoid. Inside this membrane is a space called the thylakoid space. The thylakoids look like a stack of dinner plates and each "stack" is known as a grana.

The green pigment called chlorophyll can be found in the thylakoid membranes. This pigment absorbs light energy to be used in the photosynthetic reactions.

Photosynthesis begins when light is absorbed by chlorophyll. This energy is used to produce chemical energy in the form of ATP and NADPH. Also, water is split into hydrogen and oxygen. The oxygen is released out of pores in the leaf called stomates. This occurs during the light reaction.

Next, the light-independent reaction (Calvin cycle) occurs. Here, carbon dioxide is fixed when it becomes incorporated into the organic compound of glucose sugar. 

The light reaction occurs in the thylakoid membranes and the Calvin cycle, which is the light-independent reaction, occurs in the stroma. Both of these areas can be found in the chloroplast, the site of photosynthesis.

Why is the narrator sometimes angry and disappointed in Doodle in "The Scarlet Ibis"?

Doodle was born when the narrator, Brother, was six years old.  When Doodle came into the world, he was physically disabled, and the family was concerned if he was mentally disabled as well.  Brother describes him as “all head, with a tiny body that was red and shriveled like an old man’s.”  Brother even calls him a “disappointment.”  Once the family realizes that Doodle is not mentally disabled, Brother finds new interest in Doodle and plans to teach him to run, jump, climb a rope, and swim in Old Woman Swamp.  Brother is embarrassed by Doodle’s physical disabilities and wants to make him as normal as possible.  To please Brother, Doodle pushes beyond his physical capabilities and does learn to walk.  At the end of the story, Doodle dies, exhausted by his efforts to run and catch up with Brother in a storm. 

Brother’s pride caused Doodle’s death; he was dissatisfied and embarrassed by Doodle’s physical flaws, and left him behind.  

What is Jonas's reaction to the first memory? What about the Giver?

The first memory that Jonas receives is in chapter 11 of Lowry's The Giver. It is also the same memory that the Giver himself received when he was in training as a young boy. The first memory is of the cold, a sled, and sliding down a hill of snow. Jonas, who has never experienced cold or snow, has an "exhilarating ride" (82). The Giver asks how he feels and Jonas uses the word surprised to describe the experience. But Jonas then learns that not only did he receive that memory, but the Giver actually gave it away. The Giver feels relieved, though--as if a light load has been lifted from his shoulders. Then Jonas feels guilty that he has the memory of sledding down the hill, but the Giver does not. He says the following:

"But it was such fun! And now you don't have it anymore! I took it from you!" (83).

The Giver explains that one memory does not compare to the thousands more that he has. The main idea to know from this scene is that the memories physically, psychologically, and emotionally weigh the Giver down. There is pain associated with bearing the weight of those memories. This means that Jonas will eventually bear the whole of this burden and the Giver will feel more and more relieved. 

In what way is Winston the "last artist" in 1984?

Winston could be called the "last artist" in 1984 for several reasons. First, he is old enough to have memories from the time before the Party came into power. He recalls, for example, fragments of "Oranges and Lemons," a traditional English nursery rhyme in which the church bells of London talk to each other, and he tries hard to preserve this memory. He is drawn as well to beautiful objects produced in the old days before the Party took control: he buys a lovely paperweight with a piece of coral inside, and he also buys a journal, appreciating its beauty:

It was a peculiarly beautiful book. Its smooth creamy paper, a little yellowed by age, was of a kind that had not been manufactured for at least forty years past.

But all these objects and memories are, more importantly, clues to a larger goal: Winston seeks the freedom to craft or create his own life, to live it the way he wants to, rather than how the Party tells him to. His crime is his desire to be his own person, to own his own soul, to love, write and think what he wants. Such an assertion of creative or artistic freedom represents a subversion the Party is determined to crush. 

How can "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning be viewed as an example of a dramatic monologue? Why has the poet chosen to use this form?

A dramatic monologue typically has a couple of key features.  First, it is in poetry format.  If it were not, then it would be a theatrical monologue.  "My Last Duchess" has that characteristic.  

Second, the poem/speech is one person's speech.  It is not a conversation.  The speaker is also an assumed character.  It is not simply the internal thoughts of the poet.  A character is speaking.  In "My Last Duchess" the speaking character is the Duke.  

I think the reason that Browning chose this format is that the format leaves much of the character interpretation up to the audience.  In a normal third person narration, the narrator can tell audience members that a character is "this" or "that" type of character. The narrator can tell the audience what personality traits somebody has.  But by creating a dramatic monologue, Browning has shown readers exactly what the Duke is like.  We get a much better feel for the character, because the poem is spoken through that character. 

What are the character traits for the characters in "Thank You, M'am"?

There are only two characters, Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones and Roger, in Langston Hughes’ short story “Thank You, M’am.” He uses both direct and indirect characterization to develop their personalities.

Hughes characterizes Mrs. Jones as a dignified, hard-working woman with a no nonsense attitude. Although she is a physically imposing person, her interactions with Roger exemplify her quiet, patient, compassionate nature. Mrs. Jones is walking home alone, late at night, from her job when Roger attempts to steal her pocketbook. Instead of screaming or calling the police, Mrs. Jones takes Roger home and teaches him a life lesson based on her own life experiences. After asking him a number of questions about his home life, she recognizes that Roger is a product of his Harlem environment. She teaches him to expect more from himself. She is kind enough to share her supper with him, but more importantly she shares her own experiences. She lets Roger know that she did some unacceptable things in her past. She cleverly allows Roger to make his own decisions about fleeing her apartment, which teaches Roger to trust in himself.

Roger is a young man who is growing up on the mean streets of Harlem, which greatly influences his character. He tells Mrs. Jones that no one is home at his house, which is why he is unfed and unkempt. Although he is bold enough to steal Mrs. Jones’ pocketbook, Roger demonstrates that he can be trustworthy during the short time he spends in Mrs. Jones’ apartment. He does not take her purse and run away, instead he stays and interacts respectfully with Mrs. Jones. Langston Hughes characterizes Roger as contrite and thankful at the end of the story when Mrs. Jones gives him money to purchase the shoes he wants.

We will be working with the metric system tomorrow and I need two examples of things that come in sets of ten.

Fingers and toes come in sets of ten, and bowling pins and billiard balls come in sets of ten.

There are also things that come in multiples of ten. For example, money. U.S currency has a 10 dollar bill, a twenty dollar bill, a 50 dollar bill, a 100 dollar bill, and a 1000 dollar bill, all multiples of 10. Multiples and powers of ten are easy to deal with mathematically because we just have to move the decimal point to multiply or divide by 10. That's why the metric system is so convenient.

The metric system is based on powers of ten. It's easy to convert from one metric unit to another because the conversion factors are all powers of ten. For example, lets say you need to convert 2500 meters to kilometers. Kilo means 1000, telling us that one kilometer is 1000 meters. We can multiply 2500 m by the unit factor 1 km/1000 m, which means we're dividing 2500 by 1000 to get 2.5 km. Since 1000 is 10^3, we divided by three powers of ten so we just moved the decimal point three places. Most metric conversions are just mental math, unlike conversions in other systems of measurement. 

As Death mentions his own interests, how does this support the idea that Death's point of view matters to the overall power of The Book Thief?

Yes, it is Death, our narrator (and a very pertinent character), that you are asking about; however, death is also the overall theme of the novel.  The dual nature of Death/death, then, shows the power of point of view in regards to The Book Thief.

Death’s interests often involve Liesel, one of the few people who Death takes notice of when he arrives to collect Liesel’s brother’s soul.  Liesel, of course, is absolutely terror-stricken due to this death.  Liesel’s brother dies in her arms.  At the beginning of the novel, though, we are also told about the procedure of collecting souls from bodies (which is more Death's “job” than his “interest”).  I can certainly reveal something that does not interest Death:  “mystery.”  This is the reason why Death immediately reveals that Liesel’s friend Rudy will die in a bombing raid.  Further, as time goes on, Death needs a “mop” and a “broom” in order to clean up all the souls he must collect.  Obviously, so many people are dying in Germany during World War II.  Death reveals this to us by another one of his interests (which we should already know about):  his diary.   It is this diary that reveals Death’s distinct point of view.

In conclusion, one must understand how Death is not only a character but also the major theme.  Death surrounds everyone in Germany during World War II.  Jews die in concentration camps, on trains headed there, and in homes where they are hiding.  Non-Jewish Germans die if they are caught hiding Jews or caught with communist connections.  Any German could die at any moment due to the bombing raids by the Allies, especially as the war progresses.  The character of Death is everywhere just as the theme of death is everywhere in The Book Thief.

What was the topic of the book, The Other American?

The title of the book The Other American is a play on the title of Michael Harrington’s famous book The Other America.  The Other American is a biography of Michael Harrington.  Its subject is Michael Harrington and how his life and work fits in to the American political and intellectual trends of his time.

Harrington’s book The Other America was a groundbreaking work in its time.  The book was published in 1962.  At that time, poverty was not much of an issue in American politics.  Harrington helped to change that through his book.  In the book, he argued that poverty was much more pervasive than most people thought. He claimed that up to 25% of Americans were living in poverty.  He asserted that these people were largely invisible to the majority of Americans.  Harrington said that, in a country as rich as ours, it was a disgrace that there should be such misery.  The Other America came into the public eye and was influential among some American leaders.  Some people, like the author of The Other American, argue that Harrington’s book helped to bring about the “War on Poverty” that Lyndon B. Johnson instituted while he was president.

The Other American, then, is a biography of the man who wrote The Other America.  It seeks to explain why Harrington was so concerned with poverty.  It also tries to place Harrington within the context of contemporary American political and intellectual thought.

What is the first phase of the phosphorus cycle?

Phosphorus cycle is the biogeochemical cycle that describes the movement of element phosphorus through the various components of Earth. Phosphorus moves through the lithosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere in various chemical forms. In a nutrient cycle, it is impossible to describe any step as a first phase or step, since various steps combine to form a cycle and each step is dependent on the previous step and governs the subsequent step. Thus, we can look at all the steps that combine together to form the cycle.

The phosphorus in minerals and rocks is dissolved by rain and reaches soil and water. From there, plants and animals take it up and incorporate it in their bodies. When these organisms die, their bodies decompose and phosphorus is returned back to soil. Finally, this phosphorus is taken to oceans by water, where it sediments and becomes part of the rock; thus completing the cycle.

Hope this helps. 

How does Lyddie change when Rachel comes to the mill in the book Lyddie?

Lyddie focuses more on Rachel and less on herself when Rachel comes to live with her.

Lyddie is not really a selfish person, but she can be very hyper-focused.  When she leaves the farm, her family is scattered in every direction.  Lyddie has a dream of getting them all back together again, and everything she does is in pursuit of this dream.  That is why she becomes so fixated on money.  She feels responsible for her family’s debts.

Lyddie’s youngest sister dies, her mother is institutionalized, and her little sister Rachel has nowhere to go.  Her uncle brings Rachel to Lyddie, because he really doesn’t seem to care what happens to her.  It doesn’t matter to him that Lyddie is not an adult.

When her uncle drops off Rachel, Lyddie’s first thought is horror.  She fears she will be kicked out of her company boarding house.  Factory girls are not allowed to have children living with them.

Lyddie had received a letter from their mother telling her Rachel was not doing well, but she was not prepared for how thin and small Rachel was. 

And what was she to do with Rachel? The child hadn't spoken a word since her arrival. She hadn't even cried. She seemed more dead than alive. And precious time must be spent finding her a place to stay and precious money put out for her keep‐more if she was to go to school. (Ch. 16)

The girl seems like a big burden to Lyddie at first.  Mrs. Bedlow says she is too young to work in the factory, which frustrates Lyddie.  Young girls work as doffers, but Rachel is not strong enough.  Lyddie is not sure she can support the girl.  She barely makes any money once she has paid for her room and board. 

Lyddie becomes fiercely protective of her though.  She wants to give her a future, where she can get strong and go to school.  Rachel is not with her long when Charlie arrives to take her with him. He has a real family, and they want to adopt Rachel.

Even though having Rachel show up unannounced was hard for Lyddie, letting Rachel go is harder.  Rachel represented family to Lyddie.  She understands that Rachel will have a better life, but she hates to lose her.  Lyddie feels like her purpose in life is to get the family together.  When that dream disappears, she does not know what to do.

No! she wanted to howl. No! What will be the use of me, then? But she kept her lips pressed together against such a cry. At last she said, "There's Rachel ..." (Ch. 18)

Lyddie has become used to protecting Rachel.  It is her reason for existence.  The little girl and Lyddie are a family.  When Charlie comes, he takes that with him.  Charlie feels bad because he knows Lyddie tried, but in reality Rachel is better off with him.

After Rachel leaves, Lyddie has only herself to think of.  The farm is gone, and she doesn't need to send money home.  She misses Rachel and Charlie and the dream of them being a family.  For a short time when Rachel was with her she felt as if that dream was possible again.

Is the word "that" used correctly in the following sentence? "His excuse, that he had fallen asleep on the bus, was hard to believe." What kind...

The sentence is correct, and the clause is a non-restrictive adjective clause (a type of subordinate clause).  An adjective clause begins with a relative pronoun (who, which, whose, whom, or that), as it does in your sentence, or with a relative adverb (when, where, or why).  The function of an adjective is to describe a noun, and so an adjective clause has the same function:  it describes a noun.  In this case, “that he fell asleep on the bus” complements “excuse.” 

The clause is non-restrictive because it is not essential information.  We could understand the sentence just fine if we took it out:  “His excuse was hard to believe.”  Non-restrictive clauses can always fit within parentheses, as this clause can.  In comparison, a restrictive clause provides information essential to identifying the noun in question -- good examples and explanations can be found here.

What do you think about Newbould and the children's testimony about child labor in the mines? Please see the link:...

This evidence is taken from the Parliamentary Commission of 1842 which sought to understand the working conditions of children employed in British mines. What is most striking about the evidence of William Newbould, a colliery owner, is that is not corroborated by any of his employees. 

According to Newbould, for instance, the children employed in his mine work 12 hours per day. But we learn in the testimony of Hannah Richardson that her nine-year-old son works for 14 hours, from 6 in the morning until 8 at night. Similarly, Newbould maintains that his child employees are not beaten but William Drury, a nine-year-old worker, paints a very different picture: "Sometimes the fillers clout us and hurt us a good deal; sometimes they put candles in our mouths."

What is also interesting from Newbould's testimony is how he seeks to justify the employment of children. He claims, for example, that children would rather be in the mine than at school and that they generally enjoy the work and are in good health. In reality, life in the mines was very different than Newbould portrayed, and this is why the Parliamentary Commission was brought into existence. Despite the claims of William Newbould and other colliery owners, the evidence taken from the child employees shocked the nation and led directly to the 1842 Mines and Collieries Act. This Act forbade the employment of girls in the mines and boys under the age of 10.  This was a crucial first step in establishing standards for child employment and set the standard for how employers, like William Newbould, conducted their business. 

Write the function of a connector.

A connector, as the name suggests, connects. More specifically, it is used to connect or disconnect electrical circuits. Connectors are thus, also known as electrical connectors. In general, we have two types of connectors: male and female. Male connectors have 3 pins (in case of 2 pin connector, earth connection is missing), while female connectors have 3 recesses to receive these pins. When male connector is inserted into female connector, the connection is made and electrical circuit is complete. In many cases, female connectors are covered with insulation, to ensure that no accidents happen (especially by children inserting their fingers in the connector slots). Similarly, to ensure proper orientation of male connector, the earth pin may be made of a different shape than the live and neutral pins.

Hope this helps. 

Write a compare and contrast essay on fictional vs. real schools.

This is an interesting idea, and in order to write this paper some extensive pre-writing would be beneficial.

First and foremost, you might want to choose the fictional and real schools you will be looking at. Do you need more than one? If not, consider comparing your own school to a school of the same level in a fictional work. For example, if you go to High School, choose a High School from a book or film. By using your own school as one of the examples, you will be able to draw on your own experiences and provide specific evidence to support your claims.

In order to compare AND contrast, you will want to choose a fictional school that does have some similarities to your own school, but the differences could be quite different. For example, perhaps the teachers at your own school are eccentric and fun like the instructors at Hogwarts, but the schools themselves are quite different due to the content they teach.

Identifying what the schools have in common and what their similarities are should be helpful in determining how to organize your paper. Then, take a look at your prompt and see if your teacher wants you to follow a certain format. Typical formats for the compare and contrast paper are point-by-point and subject-by-subject formats.

In the short story "Soldier's Home" by Ernest Hemingway, how would you characterize Krebs?

Krebs has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder*. He has gone from a typical American young man to a completely disillusioned one. He goes through phases of not wanting to discuss the war, then when he wants to, no one wants to hear about it. He understands being a Marine--following orders made him "feel cool and clear inside"--but he doesn't understand where he fits now that he's back home. He is a changed man, and no one close to him can possibly understand what he's struggling with. He's trying to have a normal life, living with his family, keeping a routine of sorts. He looks at the girls in his home town, but while he'd like to have a girlfriend, he doesn't want to have to work to get her; he is afraid he'll have to tell more lies and he's just too tired and doesn't want any consequences. In this way, he is methodically separating himself psychologically from his own life. 

He has been immobile and not dated for so long that his parents are clearly worried. They give him access to the car and hint that he should go on dates. His mother asks if he's thought about what he's going to do, because "it's about time," and he doesn't know. He can't tell her he loves her and he can't pray. He is completely withdrawn, and feels he has no one to talk to.

* Some classic PTSD symptoms that he exemplifies are as follows: negative feelings about yourself or other people; inability to experience positive emotions; feeling emotionally numb; lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed; hopelessness about the future; and difficulty maintaining close relationships. 

How is nature represented in Beowulf and in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight? What is the relationship between nature and humanity?

Some of the differences in the portrayals of nature between these two works have to do with a change in time, culture, and religion. Beowulf is an Old English poem, composed some time between the eighth and eleventh centuries, and rooted in the pagan culture of the Norse saga with a thin Christian overlay, while Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a courtly romance, grounded in a Christian and aristocratic rather than heroic ethos.

Nature in Beowulf is to a large degree a hostile force against which a hero strives. The earliest heroic deed of Beowulf (though recounted only retrospectively) is a swimming contest that resulted in a struggle against a sea monster. Although humans strive against other humans, competing for wealth and honor, they share a common enemy in the harsher elements of nature. The true antagonists of the epic are "natural": Grendel, his mother, the sea monster, and the dragon. Nature itself provides a harsh and unforgiving backdrop to these contests. While humans cannot completely match the brute force of nature, they must in their contest against it win by a combination of strength, intelligence, and courage. 

The portrait of nature is Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is more grounded in Christian notions of nature as both representing God's creation and also representing the wild and uncivilized forces that exist before and outside Christian civilization. The Green Knight, in both his choice of color and the location of his castle, represents nature. Although Gawain engages in a contest with the Green Knight, and one that appears initially to be of the same type as the physical contests found in Beowulf, in reality what is being tested is his moral character. The contest reveals both his strengths and weaknesses as a moral agent and serves to instruct him in ethics.

What are Gatsby's parties like?

One of the most famous lines about Gatsby's parties belongs to Jordan Baker, who tells Nick: "Anyhow, he gives large parties...And I like large parties. They're so intimate. At small parties there isn't any privacy." This is a key detail, because it allows Gatsby to, just moments later, sweep her aside privately to discuss his plans for reuniting with Daisy. (Remember, when Nick attended the small party at the apartment with Myrtle and Tom, he had nowhere to escape their intimate moments or their bloody fight.) 

Another important detail is that Gatsby remains sober at his own parties while the rest of his guests indulge in alcohol to excess, engaging in all manner of immoral behavior. For example, Nick notes: "Most of the remaining women were now having fights with men said to be their husbands." The implication here is that the men have been flirting - or worse - with other women at the party while drinking heavily. Yet Gatsby does not drink and, in fact, Nick notes that "it seemed to me that he grew more correct as the fraternal hilarity increased." It may be that Gatsby remains ever alert in case Daisy should happen to arrive.

Finally, the gossip about Gatsby is fast and furious during his parties. Is he a German spy? Did he really kill a man once? Why doesn't he want any trouble with anyone? These rumors reach a fever pitch just as Gatsby comes closest to getting what he wants. 

Evaluate the integral

You need to use the substitution such that:

Replacing the variable, yields:

You need to use the integration by parts such that:

Replacing back the variable, yields:

Hence, evaluating the integral, using substitution, then integration by parts, yields

In the book The Egypt Game, chapter 10, "The Return to Egypt," what is the confusion about the word "sign"?

On Halloween, the three girls make plans to leave the group of trick-or-treaters they will be with to make a brief stop at Egypt. Elizabeth nervously asks what they are going to do, and April says that they will stick close together and wait for a secret omen, or sign, showing them that the time is right to separate from the others. Marshall, who overhears much but usually says little, asks whether the sign will be a pigeon feather, and April replies mysteriously that they will know it when it happens. 

As soon as they join the large group, Marshall stops in his tracks and says he wants a sign. The girls are mortified that he would speak publicly about their secrets. He had never blabbed before. They scold him for speaking of their game out loud in the hearing of others, but he clarifies: "Not a secret sign. ... A sign to carry." Melanie realizes that Marshall thinks they are part of a demonstration. He has never gone trick-or-treating before, but he is aware of peace demonstrations that were common in California in the 1960s, the time period in which the book is set. 

The confusion about the word "sign" is that the girls think Marshall is referring to the secret omen they discussed earlier, when he really is referring to a physical sign like the sign a demonstrator would carry. 

What is examples of pathos and ethos in the story "The Yellow Wallpaper"?

To start, "pathos" and "ethos" are essentially types of "appeals" or arguments meant to play to specific features of the audience to achieve the desired persuasion. Pathos are expressions that invoke emotional responses, specifically ones of sympathy, pity, and sorrow. Ethos attempts to use the character or qualifications of a person to get the intended audience to align with their thinking. 

The short story, "The Yellow Wallpaper" employs these literary methods repeatedly, especially ethos. The main character, an unnamed woman, has been suffering from what is termed "temporary nervous depression" following the birth of her first child. Her physician husband, John, has moved them into a rented mansion for the summer with the intent of having the main character recuperate away from the stresses of family and friends. Largely restricted to the former nursery, which features an odious yellow wallpaper pattern, the main character is waited upon closely by her sister-in-law and generally kept from stimulating tasks, like writing, reading, or extended conversation. These methods, as prescribed by her husband, are largely seen as unpleasant and frustrating by the main character. However, as ethos implies, the diagnosis and treatment are continually justified by the main character, John, and her family on the basis of his excellent reputation as a physician, and because, as the main character explains, John loves her very much and hates to see her sick.

Pathos is utilized largely by the main character towards the audience in her descriptions of her increasingly difficult circumstances. She initially draws sympathy by her explaining her "symptoms" of being too tired to do "what little" she can, of feeling too nervous to be around her child. She employs emotive language to detail that her situation is becoming more and more unbearable, especially due to the disconcerting wallpaper. In the final moments of the story, the main character once again draws upon the emotions of the audience in her justification for her barricade inside the room, stating that now John can't put her back into the wallpaper, relaying to the audience the full extent of her psychosis. 

How do the various characters respond to the events of the story "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings?"

For the most part, the old man (alleged angel) is mistreated and variously misunderstood. 

Even though the man has wings, Pelayo and Elisenda think he is a castaway from some ship. Their neighbor notes the wings and concludes that he is, in fact, an angel. The neighbor believes that the angel is part of some "celestial conspiracy" and should be clubbed to death, but in their wisdom (or indifference), the couple refuse to do this. Still, Pelayo locks the man in the chicken coop, thus treating him like a farm animal. In spite of the miracle of finding a man with wings in their midst, the first responses are ignorant, dismissive, reactionary, and abusive. 

By the next morning, other people in the neighborhood have arrived and treat the angel "as if he weren’t a supernatural creature but a circus animal." Father Gonzaga arrives to find that even though these people are mistreating the old man, they offer suggestions such as making the old man mayor of the world or promoting him to a high official position. Gonzaga tells the people not to be naive (ingenuous) and that the old man might not be an angel. Now, he doesn't tell them to start treating the angel better (just in case he is an angel or out of common Christian decency). He simply says he will ask the bishop. 

In the meantime, Pelayo and Elisenda start charging people to see the old man (angel). They make a lot of money. Then a carnival arrives and the people flock to see a human spider. The old man is no longer the star attraction and he is abandoned. Pelayo doesn't clean or keep the chicken coop repaired. Even though the old man had made them relatively rich, he becomes like a burden to them. When he finally leaves, they are only too happy to see him go. Elisenda is glad "because then he was no longer an annoyance in her life but an imaginary dot on the horizon of the sea." 

Why is the upstairs of the house usually warmer than the downstairs?

The upper floors of houses are usually slightly warmer than the downstairs because hot air rises. Applying heat to air (or any gas) causes the gas to expand. This causes the density of the gas to decrease. Warm air is less dense than cold air, so warm air floats in cold air. If rising warm air cannot escape from the house (through attic ventilation, for example) it will accumulate on the upper floor of a house. 

Modern HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems are designed to reduce the buildup of heat in upper floors. This is usually accomplished through a combination of proper duct work and attic ventilation. In the absence of a modern system, upstairs windows may need to be opened. 

Who are the characters in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings"?

Gabriel Garcia Marquez's short story "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" has few key characters. They are listed and described below:

Pelayo and Elisenda: the couple at whose house the Old Man with Enormous Wings mysteriously appears. They make a lot of money from people who want to see the old man and are able to build a large mansion. They see the old man as more of a nuisance than a blessing.

Old Man with Enormous Wings: old, sick man who has large vulture-like wings. He appears after a storm in the courtyard of Pelayo and Elisenda's house. He does not speak, and after several years is finally able to regain his strength and fly away. 

Neighbor woman: she declares the old man is an angel and recommends Pelayo and Elisenda club him to death because she does not trust angels.

Father Gonzaga: the local priest who comes to examine the old man. He declares the man is not an angel because he smells and does not have the dignity of angels. 

The child: Pelayo and Elisenda's son, a newborn at the time the angel appears. As he grows, the child is the only person the old man tolerates.

What kind of person was Phileas Fogg?

Phileas Fogg is a wonderful character.  Being an English gentleman, he is quite proper and respectable most of the time.  Along with being a true English gentleman comes honor and integrity.  Fogg has those two traits in spades.  Near the end of the novel, Fogg assumes that he has lost his bet.  He could legitimately run away and never pay up, but that thought never crosses his mind.  He is fully prepared to pay what he owes on the bet.  Being a proper gentleman doesn't make Fogg weak or a pushover though.  He is equally full of grit and determination as evidenced by him successfully circumnavigating the globe in 80 days. Fogg is also quite selfless in a lot of ways.  He stands to lose quite a bit of money in his bet, so he could feel entitled to make his goal his singular focus.  And it is in a lot of respects, but Fogg also doesn't hesitate to help fellow travelers and other people along the way.  For example, his rescue of Princess Aouda. 

What qualities do you think are most important for a president to have ? Which candidates seem to have these qualities ? Which ones don't ? Why do...

There are several qualities a presidential candidate should have. Once I share those qualities, you will be able to decide which candidates do or don’t have those qualities, or who have some of those qualities.

One quality a presidential candidate should have is integrity. Anybody running for the highest elective office in our country must be a person who lives by the highest possible standards. There can be no secrets about something that happened in the past that could damage that person’s reputation.

Another quality is honesty. The candidate must tell the truth about his or her views. The candidate must be able to answer questions directly and with truthful answers. The candidate must be able to admit when a mistake has been made. Being dishonest in any way can ruin that person’s image and credibility.

A third quality is being able to communicate effectively. Some of our most effective presidents were people who mastered the art of communication. Franklin D. Roosevelt was able to assure the American people with his weekly radio addresses. John F. Kennedy was the same way with his televised and broadcast speeches. Being a master communicator can really be an effective characteristic for a leader.

A presidential candidate must be knowledgeable of the issues. Knowing the issues can help the candidate develop policies to deal with them. By knowing the issues, a candidate may be able to avoid unintended consequences of policies created to deal with those issues. Knowing the facts surrounding the issues may help raise the credibility of the candidate. If the people believe the candidate knows the issues well, they will most likely have more respect for the candidate.

A candidate must know when to compromise. Candidates rarely succeed with they refuse to bend on issues. The candidate must be able to reach a compromise with those who see an issue differently than the candidate sees the issue.

A candidate must have empathy and be able to relate to the people of the country. Presidents will deal with situations that cause great sorrow. They must be able to respond with empathy for those who have suffered significant losses. The candidate must also be able to show the people that he or she understands the situations most people face every day. They must be able to relate to people of different backgrounds, of different income levels, and of different religions and races.

A final characteristic is the candidate must be hard working. The job of President is very demanding. The candidate must show that he or she can handle the effort, the time, and the demands needed to successfully fulfil the responsibilities of the job.

Based on these characteristics, who do you think meets most or all of them?

Analyze the characters of the Nurse and Friar Laurence as mentors to the young people in Romeo and Juliet. Do these two people do the right thing...

The Nurse and Friar Laurence play similar key roles in Romeo and Juliet considering they both act as advisory parties and surrogate parents. Since the Capulets and Montagues are so hopelessly hateful towards each other, Romeo and Juliet have no other choice than to confide their love for each other with the Nurse and Friar Laurence. 

Friar Laurence gives both Romeo and Juliet advice throughout the play. He urges them to exercise more caution with their reckless love, especially when he reminds Romeo of how quickly he forgot about being in love with Rosaline. However, his advice falls on deaf ears and he eventually agrees to marry the two of them. His intentions, while they appear rooted in love, are not as clear as they seem, since we learn he is attempting to mend the rift between the two families with the marriage. One could argue that he goes against his own advice of caution by underestimating the damage Romeo and Juliet's marriage could cause. And speaking of damage, he plays a part in the ultimate demise of both characters, begging the question: couldn't he have helped avoid all this instead of helping cause it? 

The Nurse is more closely tied to Juliet, as she serves as a maid in the Capulet household and a second mother to Juliet. She mostly serves as a messenger between the two lovers. However, when Romeo is banished she is quick to urge Juliet to forget him and marry Paris. This shows that she has Juliet's interests at heart, even if Juliet only wants Romeo. The Nurse is also bound by societal expectations considering her position in the Capulet household, and isn't likely to tell Juliet to run away with Romeo. 

Both the Nurse and Friar Laurence mean well and want to see Romeo and Juliet happy, whether that means being together or not. Both do what they can to bring the two together in marriage, but when things start to fall apart, pressure gets the best of them and they both retreat. Unlike Juliet and Romeo, they aren't willing to sacrifice everything for love. Whether all the decisions they made were "right" is debatable, but they always had good intentions and cared for Romeo and Juliet, which is what matters the most. 

What forms of figurative language are found in Fahrenheit 451? Give examples and explain please.

Fahrenheit 451 features several types of figurative language. One type is personification, in which an inanimate object is likened to a living thing. For example, in the first chapter, the hose spraying fire is compared to a snake: "this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world" (page 1 in the Del Rey edition, 1991). Later in the same paragraph, the sparks the fire creates are compared to "a swarm of fireflies" (page 1)--another example of personification.

There are also several examples of similes and metaphors. For example, Clarisse's face is "bright as snow in the moonlight" (page 7). A comparison using like or as is a simile. An example of a metaphor is the following description of Clarisse's face: "her face...was fragile milk crystal" (page 7). A metaphor is a comparison that does not use like or as. These types of figurative language make Bradbury's writing vivid and effective. 

The entire book hinges on a metaphor, as the society's destruction of books is a symbol for their destruction of learning and history. In other words, the burning of books represents something larger and broader. 

What were the important resources or goods that Thebes and Kush traded?

The kingdoms of Egypt and Kush had a very important and unique relationship in the ancient world. At different times, one empire would conquer the other and throughout history, it was a tug-of-war for territory. Throughout this political struggle, however, was an important trade relationship that was mutually beneficial. The Kingdom of Kush was loaded with important mineral resources that were traded with Egypt. These included iron, gold and silver. The Nubians were also experts at ironmaking and exported finished iron products for farming and warfare. In addtion, Kush sent exotic animals like elephants and giraffes to Egypt. The abundance of elephants made Kush a valuable exporter of ivory and only had one competitor in the world for this commodity (India.)

Egypt in turn, sent some grains to Nubia, although in most years the Kushites could sustain themselves in this area. Ceramics, fine jewelry, and other luxury items were imported from Egypt. The most important commodity that Kush received from Egypt was bronze.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout and Jem have "mixed feelings" about Christmas. What are these feelings and why?

The answer to this question can be found in Chapter Nine of To Kill a Mockingbird. According to Scout:

Jem and I viewed Christmas with mixed feelings. The good side was the tree and Uncle Jack Finch...A flip of the coin revealed the uncompromising lineaments of Aunt Alexandra and Francis. (79)

The children love their Uncle Jack, brother to Atticus, and he clearly loves them. Unmarried, and with no children of his own, he shares irreverent jokes with them, but also chastises Scout when she repeatedly says "damn" in his presence. He is clearly an important figure in their lives, and seeing him is one reason why the children look forward to Christmas. On the other hand, Francis, the grandson of Aunt Alexandra, is a source of constant annoyance to Scout, who calls him "boring." Her dislike for Francis proves well-founded. While the two were together at Christmas, Francis repeatedly makes a racist joke (repeating what Aunt Alexandra had said) about Atticus' defense of Tom. Eventually, Scout punches Francis in the face, and when Jack learns why, he is outraged at Francis, and worried for Atticus. 

Why was the mass of carbon assigned the value of 12 in relative atomic mass? I mean to say, masses of all other elements are determined relative to...

The mass of all the elements is determined with respect to carbon and not hydrogen. Incidentally, for a very long time, the standard of atomic mass was oxygen and not carbon. This was due to wide-spread presence of oxygen-based compounds at the time. However, it was later found that carbon was a more prevalent element and most of the material were based on carbon. Thus, carbon-12 was selected as the basis for determining the mass of other elements. Incidentally, the selection of carbon-12 was a compromise between chemists and physicists. The former used oxygen-16 as the average mass of all isotopes of oxygen, while the latter used 16 as the mass of pure oxygen-16 isotope. 

The atomic mass of carbon-12 can be determined using mass spectrometry. 

Hope this helps. 

Why was Helen extremely scrupulous about what she wrote?

When Helen was almost twelve, she wrote a short fiction story called "The Frost King."  She enjoyed creative writing and being able to express her thoughts through words.  Unfortunately, Helen was accused of intentional plagiarism with the story.  She found out that her story was quite similar to another that had been read to her previously.  Though it had been a mistake, Helen had to face "a court of investigation composed of the teachers and officers of the Institution" to be questioned about the plagiarized story (The Story of My Life, Chapter XIV).  Helen was young and had not intended to plagiarize, so this experience was devastating to her.  She described how she felt after the incident:

I have never played with words again for the mere pleasure of the game.  Indeed, I have ever since been tortured by the fear that what I write is not my own.

Helen's anxiety about unintentionally plagiarizing led her to question everything she wrote.  Her fears plagued her whenever she wrote, whether it was for school or pleasure.  Helen even worried that she would write someone else's words in letters to her mother.  These fears caused Helen to be "excessively scrupulous about everything [she] wrote" (Chapter XV).

Which Mongol ruler united nomadic tribes into one powerful military force?

Genghis Khan, born in 1162 as Temujin, unified the nomadic Mongol tribes and founded the Mongol Empire. Genghis Khan's father was once the head of the ruling Mongol clan, but his family lost this power when Khan's father was killed. As a young man, Khan showed a great inner fire and determination. Once, when captured by another clan and forced to wear a wooden collar like a dog, Khan took off the collar and used it to knock out the man guarding him before escaping. Khan was charismatic and inspired loyalty from others; early in his military career, he formed alliances with a number of people from nomadic clans. This was a rather unique approach compared to other military strategies, where alliances with the aristocracy were favored. Befriending the "regular guys" benefited Khan in the long run. Anyone who violated the alliance or was not willing to form one was killed. Soon, Genghis Khan had built up a strong enough following that he was able to wipe out entire clans. By developing alliances and destroying the opposition, Genghis Khan was able to unite the nomads of the steppe with the inspiration of Mongolian nationalism. With the creation of the Mongol nation, he officially became the "universal ruler," or Genghis Khan.

What are Della's and Jim's most prized possessions?

O. Henry tells about Della's and Jim's most prized possessions in a single rather fanciful paragraph early in the story.

Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's.The other was Della's hair. Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy.

The big irony in the story is that each sells his or her most prized possession in order to buy a Christmas present for the other, so that they both lose their prized possessions and acquire new possessions which are useless. But the emphasis throughout the story is on Della. it is told from her point of view. We see her being shorn by Madame Sofronie. We see her "ransacking" stores to find the ideal present for her husband. We see her trying to do something with what is left of her hair. We do not see Jim agonizing over getting Della a present or selling his watch. He is kept offstage, so to speak, until the end of the story. Readers will always remember "The Gift of the Magi" as a story about a young woman who sold her beautiful hair to get enough money to buy her husband a Christmas present. In discussing the story, it would probably be advisable to focus on Della's problems and not attempt to give both characters' sacrifices equal weight. 

How do Dickinson's structural choices contribute to the development of a central idea in "I Felt a Funeral, In My Head"?

For her poem "I felt a Funeral, in my Brain," Emily Dickinson chose to use a standard ballad structure known as the "fourteener." This is a stanza consisting of fourteen syllables in iambic rhythm arranged in alternating lines of eight and six syllables. A ballad is a poem that tells a story, and this poem has a story arc with a beginning, rising action, climax, and denouement. However, the story is not a story of outer action but of what is taking place in the speaker's mind and emotions. One could take it to be the loss of sanity, the spiraling into depression, or being consumed by grief.

The consistency of the rhythm and meter of the poem reinforces the ruminating thoughts that continue to plague the speaker from which she cannot seem to break free. The repetitious iambic beat corresponds to the "beating - beating" of the "Drum" in her head and the feeling that her brain is going numb. 

Although the rhythm and meter are monotonous, Dickinson uses enjambment and caesura to contribute variety as the poem progresses, thus adding to the development of the story. In the first three stanzas, she uses enjambment--places where there is not a stop at the end of a line. This shows that at this point there is still some fluidity of thought, although she is oppressed. But in the last two stanzas, each line ends with punctuation, and even within lines, commas break the thoughts into little pieces, showing the fragmentation of her thought process is increasing, building to the last line of the fourth stanza, "Wrecked, solitary, here." 

The next line is the climax when the "Plank in Reason broke." Here she goes over the edge, whether into insanity, depression, or grief. In the final line she uses caesura at the final word "- then -" as if she has hit bottom. 

While this poem uses one of Dickinson's oft-used structures, the fourteener, she uses it to great effect in this poem to advance the central idea of the poem.

In "Still I Rise," what are the inherited gifts that the writer brings with her?

Maya Angelou’s poem, ‘Still I Rise” chronicles her ancestors' feelings and the legacy of slavery and oppression until she chooses to rise above the history of the past.  She inherits from her ancestors subjugated by slavery, “a past rooted in pain”, “nights of terror and fear”, and “shame.” But out of that, Angelou finds the “dream and hope of the slave” and rises above the oppression of those who “lie” about her and see her as less than what she is.  Through the hopes and dreams of her ancestors, she has become “sassy”, “sexy”, and “haughty”.  She has overcome the hate of others and has found her self-worth.  She is valuable like oil, diamonds, and gold, and she has chosen to rise above those who say she is less.

Because of the sacrifices of what others before her had to endure, Angelou becomes self-actualized by their hopes and dreams for her. She will not let others keep her “broken” and with “bowed head.”  Instead, she will rise again and again like her ancestors have always done despite the hardships of racism and prejudice.

What are the sound devices and the figures of speech in the poem "Mother to Son"?

Langston Hughes uses a number of sound devices and figures of speech in the poem “Mother to Son.”

The poem is metaphor for life, which Hughes describes as a “crystal stair.” A mother speaks to her son about the difficulties she has endured in her life using the voice and dialect of an African American woman living in Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance.

Upon examining the first stanza, examples of a form of alliteration, consonance, are found in line 1. Hughes repeats the l sound with the words, well, I’ll, and tell. This begins the poem on a lyrical note. The word And is repeated at the beginnings of lines 4, 5, and 6, as the mother emphasizes the tribulations she faced in life. This literary device is called anaphora. Lines 6 and 7 are an example of enjambment where one line flows into the next taking the thought with it.

Again in the second stanza, Hughes uses consonance with the in sound in the words climbin’, landin’s, turnin’, and goin’. The use of anaphora continues with the word and at the beginning of lines 10, 11, and 12.

In both the second and third stanzas, Hughes repeats the mother’s use of the slang contraction I’se instead of using the words I am. This use of repetition adds authenticity to the mother’s character.

Throughout the poem, there are examples of visual imagery that add to the metaphor of the “crystal stair.” The mother profoundly explains how she continues to rise out of her difficult Harlem life. It has not been easy, with stops and starts, and sometimes feeling like there is no hope, but still, she continues to encourage her son to push onward, not to give up in despair.

But all the time

 I'se been a-climbin' on,

 And reachin' landin's,

And turnin' corners,

 And sometimes goin' in the dark

 Where there ain't been no light.

How exactly did the New Deal change the American government?

The effects of the New Deal are still contested--many conservatives in particular view its effects as disastrous--but it is beyond dispute that it changed the size and scope of the federal government. The New Deal was an institutional response to the problems of the Great Depression. Under FDR's leadership, Congress passed dozens of laws establishing programs aimed at relief, recovery and reform. Many of these programs, like the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Works Progress Administration (WPA) involved direct government action to create work for Americans who had lost their jobs amid the economic collapse of the early 1930s. Others, like the Social Security Administration, the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) were intended to provide structural reform to avoid or at least manage the American economy in such a way as to avoid future economic collapses. As historian David Kennedy has written in his book Freedom From Fear, the New Deal did not really redistribute income or establish anything like state socialism in the United States. But it did "mend the evils of the Depression by reasoned experiment within the existing social system" and promote reforms that are with us today (380). This process involved an enormous expansion of the federal government that exists today.

Pi notes, “The Greater Good and the Greater Profit are not compatible aims, much to Father's chagrin” (78). What is the significance of this...

Pi's father owns and runs the Pondicherry zoo, but when there is a political transition in the mid-1970s, the nation's economy suffers and he has to sell out. Pi says that small businesses are the ones that risk the shirts on their backs. That is to say that since small businesses are run by one or a few families, people's own finances can get hurt more easily. Unfortunately, they don't have multiple resources to keep going if people stop showing up. Father also says the following to describe their situation:

". . . the Greater Good and the Greater Profit are not compatible aims" (78).

This means that a zoo—which provides services that positively influence the community's education and culture—usually doesn't make the most money for profit. He also mentions that public libraries and museums can be placed in the same category as zoos because the benefits from these businesses provide enrichment for the greater good, but they aren't necessarily good for the private owner's pocket.

In 2008, the United States suffered a decline in the economy because of a recession. Created mostly from the housing market crash, the recession forced many to lose their jobs and homes. When economic recessions or depressions afflict a nation, the small business owners and average laborers tend to feel the pinch in their pocketbooks the most. This is what happened to Pi's father. The nation suffered an economic hardship and he was forced to sell. Not only that, he decided to move to Canada in search of better financial opportunities.

For further examples of how economic decline affects service-oriented jobs, educational services and government services, look up the Great Depression that started in October of 1929, and/or government shutdowns, and the influence of national debts as seen on the news recently. When a nation falls financially, the little man seems to fall first, faster, and harder.

In "The Devil and Tom Walker", what strange things did Tom do to his horse? Why?

The latter half of "The Devil and Tom Walker" describes the remainder of Tom's life after he makes a deal with Old Scratch, the terms of which are implied to be his soul in exchange for a great deal of money. Tom was already a thoroughly unlikable and morally corrupt person, and this continues and worsens with his newfound wealth. 

As Tom ages, the certainty that his soul is damned becomes more and more of a concern to him. He begins looking for ways to cheat the terms of his deal, such as by going to church. He takes a particularly strange precaution with his horse; he has the horse shod (given new horseshoes) and then buried upside-down, because Tom believes that the world will be turned upside-down on the "last day" (i.e. the Apocalypse) and thus the horse will be right-side up, and Tom will be able to ride him to escape the Devil. 

However, the text cautions that this, like many other supposed details of the story, are more likely to have been concocted and added to it by the people who tell the story, or at least, those who have no direct experience with the events. The narration implies that it is focused only upon the true "core" of the story, and that this extra effort by Tom, if truly done, was useless anyway.