My book Stones in Water is a historical fiction book and I was wondering what historical event happened during the book.

The book Stones in Water, by Donna Jo Napoli, depicts World War II and the Holocaust.  World War II was fought in Europe between 1939 and 1945.  The book tells the story of how the Germans arrested Roberto and his friends as they were at a theater in Venice, Italy.  From there, they were packed on a train and taken to a labor camp.  The narrative details the horrible conditions for laborers in the camp and how they try to protect one of their Jewish friends from being discovered.  In the camps, food is scarce and conditions are horrible.  Prisoners are treated in a cruel manner.  They support each other emotionally and quietly nurture each others spirits.  The book is told from the perspective of Roberto and his struggle to survive.

I have a test on vocabulary coming up soon and I need a way to study for it.

There are several ways to prepare for vocabulary tests, some of which will give the best long term results and some of which may help in the short term.

If the test is over a small group of vocabulary words, a tried and true technique for studying them is using flash cards. Take a set of index cards and write the vocabulary word on the front and the definition on the back. Set aside four 15-minute study sessions during the day, as this is more effective than a single long session.

In the first session, look at the fronts of the cards, read the vocabulary word, and try to remember the definition. Turn over the card to see if your memory is accurate, and if not, read the definition aloud, as you remember more of what you read aloud than what you read silently. Do this for every card. 

In the second session, look at the definitions on the backs of the cards and try to remember the word being defined. In the third session, look at the fronts of the cards again and in the fourth session look at the backs of the cards. 

Over the long term, the best way to develop your vocabulary is reading books written for adults rather than children which use a wide vocabulary and looking up words you don't understand in a dictionary. If you spend an hour or so every day reading, you will develop such a good ordinary vocabulary that you won't even need to study for vocabulary tests because all the words will already be familiar to you. 

In the Great Gatsby, did Myrtle truly love Tom or did she just want him for his money and social status?

I would argue she did not really love Tom. When she meets with Tom and Nick she explains why she is dissatisfied about her husband and mentions that she thought she was marrying a gentleman. Tom has the wealth and status to impress her, but more importantly his high place in society makes her feel special and romantic. Rather than simply trudging through life, it appears this woman wants some sort of higher purpose. Unfortunately, she is searching for it  in all the wrong ways. First she marries her husband, then she begins an affair with Tom. What she does not realize is that Tom does not respect her and will never give her a serious relationship, and that even if he were to do such a thing she would never find the joy she is looking for. She would most likely end up in the same sad state where we find Daisy when she enters the novel.

What happens when the fulcrum is close to the load?

Hello!

A fulcrum and a load are about a lever, which is a firm long object used to lift things. It has a support called fulcrum, and its parts between a fulcrum and endings are called lever's arms.

A lever transmits a force applied to one of its ends to another end. The direction of force is inverted (one pushes arm down to lift a load). The magnitude of a force changes with the ratio of arms' lengths: longer arm means smaller force. In other words,

The gain in force has its price: the same loss in distance. Mechanical work remains the same, if we ignore friction.

Thus, when the fulcrum is close to the load, one obtains great gain in force (can lift heavy load with smaller force) and equivalent loss in distance.
Also, such a construction requires very strong lever and its support.

What is the theme of the story "The Interlopers" by Saki?

In the story The Interlopers, the main theme would be the enmity between Ulrich and Georg, which causes the two men to feud over the small stretch of forest land and become bitter enemies in the process. The beginning of the story is spent explaining how this dispute began, with each man's grandfather fighting over it, until the wealthy landowner Ulrich claims that the land is legally his despite the claims of Georg to the contrary. The latter continues to hunt on the land and this makes Ulrich mad enough to devise a plan to destroy him. So the two men set out on this fateful night to confront each other and end their bitter feud once and for all. Both men, due to their enmity, see the other as the interloper.

There is also a secondary theme that the author introduces which causes the surprise at the end of the story and also introduces the element of irony. Although the men claim legal and/or hunting rights to the land, the idea or theme of nature vs. man comes into play when both men, having been felled and made captive by a giant tree, discover that they are not alone in the forest nor are they in the position to defend their claims or themselves from becoming prey to the natural owners of this piece of wilderness. Despite the fact that Ulrich and Georg had finally decided to disavow their enmity and become friends after all, in the end they will realize that they have made a fatal mistake in thinking that either of them could "own" this stretch of forest land. The wolves, the true and natural owners of the wilderness, have arrived.

In Golding's Lord of the Flies, how does the physical description of the island represent mood shifts between the boys on the island?

William Golding wrote Lord of the Flies  as a response to what he saw happening in the world. He believed that humanity was innately evil. In order to prove this theory, he used the children because they are believed to be innocent. The dynamic between the boys and the island demonstrates the boys' loss of civilization and humanity as they spend more time separated from society.

When the boys initially land on the island, their plane crashes on the beach. Although the wreckage is washed to sea, there is a visible "scar" that remains on the island. This scar is the first symbol of the boys' pollution of the Eden-like setting of the island. 

When the boys make their initial rescue fire, the flames burn out of control and destroy a significant portion of the jungle and kill a little'un with the mulberry birthmark. This fire symbolizes the lack of judgment and concern the boys have. They are afraid but their fear quickly subsides when the fire is extinguished. They do not have remorse for the destruction they cause. This is another indicator that the mood on the island is shifting from carefree to dangerous. 

After spending some time alone on the island, the little'uns begin to have nightmares about the island. They believe there is a "beastie" on the island. Both Ralph and Simon agree that they little'uns act "as if it wasn't a good island" (72). This is ironic because the island is a symbol of purity and unadulterated nature. The boys contaminate the island with their behavior and actions. It isn't until later that Simon acknowledges that maybe there isn't a physical beast, but that the beast is the boys. Simon is the only character to acknowledge the symbolism of the beast. 

As the boys lose touch with civilization, the island is negatively impacted. The boys kill the sow and essentially destroy their food source. The boys also eliminate Simon and Piggy from the island. Lastly, the hunters led by Jack decide to hunt Ralph. To do so, they light a fire to "smoke him out." This fire destroys the majority of the island and ironically plays a role in their rescue. The destruction of the island is significant because it symbolizes the desecration of the last remnants of humanity within the boys. 

In W. D. Wetherell's story "The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant," what obstacle did the narrator have to overcome?

“The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant” is a coming-of-age story by W. D. Wetherell. In the story, an unnamed fourteen-year-old narrator is smitten with a crush on the beautiful seventeen-year-old Sheila Mant. The first obstacle for the narrator is overcoming his own social fear: beautiful women can be unintentionally intimidating, especially if they are a little older, so the narrator must overcome his own insecurity to summon up the courage to ask her out.

After spying on Sheila for a good portion of the summer, the narrator decided to take a chance and approach her:

It was late August by the time I got up the nerve to ask her out    . . . the only part I remember clearly is emerging from the woods toward dusk while they were playing softball on their lawn, as bashful and frightened as a unicorn.

After making a little bit of small talk, he asks her to go see a band play and she accepts, probably more out of boredom than anything else. The date is a bust, as Sheila doesn't even stay with the narrator, but instead leaves the concert with a college rower named Eric Caswell. However, as is usually the case in stories like this, the narrator learns a valuable lesson about remaining true to one's self. 

In Gathering Blue, what are three character traits of Matt and how does he show them?

Matt, the young boy from the Fen who befriends Kira, is thoughtful, alert, and strong-willed. He shows his thoughtfulness throughout the book. Near the beginning of the story, Kira learns that Matt went into her cott before it was burned and rescued a few things that he thought she may have valued. He does a surprisingly good job of choosing what to save, especially in retrieving the pendant that Kira's father gave her mother. When Matt accompanies Kira to her new room in the Council Edifice, he won't enter with Branch because Branch has fleas. Toward the end of the book, Matt leaves on a journey to get a "giftie" for Kira, again showing great wisdom in bringing her just what she needs: the plant for making blue dye.

Matt is also alert and observant. He has heard what the women plan to do to Kira when she returns from the Field of Leaving, so he is able to warn her. During the hunt preparation, he is able to sneak up and snatch a spear that no one else has taken. He has listened to Annabella's discussions with Kira about dyes and gleaned not only that blue dye is unavailable to their village but also that it can be obtained "yonder." 

Matt is strong-willed. He shows that by wanting to join the hunt even though he is too young, preparing himself by grabbing a spear and by plastering himself with swamp grass so he'll look older. He determines to make the journey outside the known region of the village, even after being beaten bloody by his mother for stealing food in preparation. Another little boy says of him, "Matt's the strongest of the strong." He refers to Matt's health, but the quote also describes his will and indomitable spirit. Thomas also recognizes that quality when he says that if the guardians ever took Matt and locked him up, he "would find a way to get free."

Matt is one of the most interesting and endearing characters in the book because of his thoughtful, alert, and strong-willed nature.

In "Because I could not stop for death" how does the speaker feel about herself, others, and the subject? What is the author's attitude? How does...

In this poem, there are some indications about how the speaker, a woman who is taking a carriage ride with Death and Immortality, feels about herself, others, and the subject of dying. First, although she doesn't fight the experience, she is not confident in this journey and she does not feel prepared. We see this in the fact that she "could not stop for Death," but more powerfully when she describes her inappropriate dress. She is wearing only "Gossamer" and "Tulle," extremely lightweight fabrics, and she feels the deepening "Chill" as they approach the graveyard.

The only other "people" that are mentioned directly in the poem are Death and Immortality, personifications of these abstract concepts. She finds Death, the driver of the carriage, to be kind and civil, making it easier for her to go with him. Of her earthly relationships we have only one slight clue. When passing the schoolyard, she describes how the children "strove at recess in the ring." This makes recess time sound like a boxing match, indicating that her life may have contained more interpersonal conflict than she liked.

How does she feel about dying? She feels unprepared, as mentioned, but also resigned and perhaps perplexed. She says she had "put away my labor and my leisure," without bemoaning that fact, so she finds it easy to comply with the summons of death. The last stanza shows she has still not quite gotten used to Eternity, for she compares it to what time used to feel like. So although she doesn't share any deep negative emotions about the experience of death, neither does she seem happy or excited. Her reserved emotion about a topic that usually engenders great fear, regret, and sorrow makes this poem both ironic and haunting.

Your other questions about how the author feels about the speaker, subject, and reader and what the author's attitude is cannot be answered from the text of this poem. Authors often write poems in the voice of a persona, a fictional person who they choose to take on the character of when writing a specific poem. It is incorrect to assume from the text of a poem that we know what the author herself feels about anything. Emily Dickinson wrote 1789 poems. They contain a wide variety of viewpoints even on a single topic. You could try to construct her beliefs about death from this poem, but she wrote probably hundreds of poems that touch on death, and many would have different perspectives than this poem has. To answer questions about what an author herself believed about certain subjects, you would need to refer to other works written by the author, either letters or autobiography. Emily Dickinson was a mysterious person in that she did not go out into the world very much but lived most of her life at home. No one knew she was writing this much poetry until she had passed away. It is best when studying an Emily Dickinson poem to not read too much about the author herself into the poem but to take it as a free-standing work of art and interpret it only within its own context. 

In Chapter 9 of A Separate Peace, what could Finny and Brinker each symbolize?

By chapter 9 of A Separate Peace, the Devon School is blanketed with snow and most of the boys have the winter blues. This is the chapter when Phineas creates and holds a Winter Carnival which includes sporting events. This really helps to activate the boys and boost morale. Brinker Hadley, as well as most of the boys, will graduate and promptly enlist in the war within a few months. Phineas used to be a part of this same group, but since he broke his leg a few months before, he may not be able to enlist, now. In order to compensate for his feelings of displacement, Phineas has concocted a theory that there isn't any war at all. These two boys, Finny and Brinker, represent two different attitudes or belief systems. Finny is individualistic, dynamic and a free-thinker. Brinker, on the other hand, is a conservative, patriotic, and law-abiding citizen. Finny disclaims the war, whereas Brinker embraces it.

Gene describes himself at this time in the following passage, but it also describes Finny very well, too:

"What deceived me was my own happiness; for peace is indivisible, and the surrounding world confusion found no reflection inside me. So I ceased to have any real sense of it" (123).

Gene is saying that if a person creates happiness for himself, he will also experience peace. Since he was happy and at peace, he was therefore void of confusion or fear. If a person finds a happy place, for example, why leave? This is what Finny does--he finds his happy place, or he creates one like the Winter Carnival--and he holds onto it.

In contrast, Brinker values logic and responds to reality as told to him by teachers, parents, and newspapers. In the Butt Room, Brinker reads the papers to those who are there smoking with him and they discuss the war. Brinker even gets Gene to become excited about enlisting at one point; but they can't do much until they turn 18 or graduate. In chapter 9, though, Brinker starts to phase out school activities as if he were trunky and ready to move on with life:

"If he could not enlist--and for all his self-sufficiency Brinker could not do much without company--he could at least cease to be so multifariously civilian" (130).

Gene goes on to say that Brinker drops being president of the clubs he's in, stops writing in the school newspaper, stops singing in the choir, and stops wearing preppy clothing. It's as if he's mentally and physically separating himself from civilian life in preparation for a military one.

Phineas therefore represents pacifists and Brinker represents realists. People deal with crises differently. Teenagers grow, mature, and accept reality differently. People take on the world differently and these two certainly represent two groups of people seen during World War II as well as today.

In "The Most Dangerous Game," what choice does Zaroff give Rainsford before the hunt?

In Richard Connel's short story "The Most Dangerous Game" Sanger Rainsford, a big game hunter, accidentally falls off his yacht into the ocean near an island named "Ship-Trap" island. While on the island he comes across the chateau of Zaroff, a former Russian general who lives on the island to indulge in his one passion in life, hunting. Unfortunately, Zaroff, who has grown bored with hunting animals, now hunts humans, sailors who are ship wrecked on the island. 

When Zaroff asks Rainsford to hunt with him, Rainsford refuses and calls it "cold-blooded murder." He demands to be released from the island and given a boat to the mainland. Since Rainsford won't hunt with him, Zaroff decides he will hunt Rainsford. Zaroff is anxious at the thought of matching wits with another hunter. He says,

"You'll find this game worth playing," the general said enthusiastically. "Your brain against mine. Your woodcraft against mine. Your strength and stamina against mine. Outdoor chess! And the stake is not without value, eh?" 

Rainsford's only other option is to fall into the hands of Zaroff's servant, a cossack and former torturer for the Russian army. Zaroff describes the potential fate with Ivan:

"If he does not wish to hunt, I turn him over to Ivan. Ivan once had the honor of serving as official knouter to the Great White Czar, and he has his own ideas of sport. Invariably, Mr. Rainsford, invariably they choose the hunt." 

Zaroff also guarantees that if Rainsford outwits him and is not captured or killed within three days he will release him to the mainland. With no other choice Rainsford strikes off into the jungle armed only with a "supply of food and an excellent hunting knife."

What is the writing perspective in Gray's Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard? At first I believed it was a man pondering death but I do not...

A good question. The narrator does reflect on death, and that makes sense. It is logical and natural to think about death at least briefly when you see a cemetery, which the narrator does there in the churchyard.

However, you are right. The poem is not primarily about death. Instead, it is an account of the thoughts sparked by death. The first stanza underscores this by being about endings and isolation: the day is ending, the plowman is heading home, etc.

The next stanzas underscore the change of world that comes with night. This is a time of melancholy, but also of spirit and wonder.

From there, the narrator shifts perspective, moving eventually to social and economic concerns. Starting around line 53, the narrator sees the country courtyard as a sight of missed chances and failed opportunities. Line 55 mentions flowers that bloom unseen, and line 56 that their sweetness goes "wasted."

The following stanzas make this explicit. The narrator is reflecting on the possibilities that there is a "mute inglorious Milton" buried there. The tragedy, then, is not that these people died. The key perspective of the poem is that here in these graves rest the bodies of people who never got a chance to live and express their genius.

What happens when Billie Jo plays Ma’s piano again?

Billie Jo's decision to begin playing Ma's piano again represents her growth and evolution as a human being who has been touched by tragedy. After the deaths of Ma and Franklin, Billie Jo avoids playing Ma's piano as it would be far too painful for her: physically painful because of the burn scars on her hands and emotionally painful because it serves as a reminder of Ma's absence. The piano collects dust, and Billie Jo only plays at school (on a piano that is not Ma's) so that no one will accuse her of playing like a cripple. The piano is Billie Jo's "silent mother."

When Billie Jo chooses to start "getting to know the music again," she is asserting her ability to move past the death of her mother and to carry on with a productive life. She acknowledges:

...what I am,

I am because of the dust.

And what I am is good enough.

Even for me.

Billie Jo is prepared to ride out the dust storms and to stop trying to run away from her home, her past, and herself. By playing half an hour a day and "stretching" her scars, Billie Jo is refusing to give up her hopes and dreams. This emotional growth also makes room for a new mother figure in Billie Jo's life: Louise, Daddy's new love, who does her best to be a patient listener and support system for Billie Jo. 

Yellow journalism refers toA. the effort to lure audiences by reporting on sensational topics.B. media that focus solely on sports.C. accepting...

The key word to describe "yellow" journalism is "exaggeration."  A true reporter not only reports what happened, but presents the material without blowing it up to a more important story than it really is ("The death of the zoo's penguin is further proof of global warming"); using false logic to mislead the reader into untrue implications of the news ("The alleged killer was known to use marijuana"); or sensationalizing the news to attract the prurient reader ("The victim was found with her ample bosom exposed").  Consequently, the "closest to correct" answer is (a) sensationalizing the news.  Answer (c) implies that the reader recognizes the deviation from the truth, and is the "guilty" party for allowing it to occur.  "Yellow" journalism is an accusation aimed at the reporter, not at the reader.       

How do Roger's actions change during the story? Why do they change?

Roger is first introduced when he attempts to snatch Mrs. Jones' purse in an almost empty street. But soon, he realizes he has put himself in danger. His target, Mrs. Jones, proves to be too strong for him. He gets caught by her. He uses all of his strength to break away from her hold but fails to do so.

After some time, Roger finds the door of Mrs. Jones' house ajar. He feels a strong urge to run, but he isn’t sure. Before he can decide, Mrs. Jones resumes the conversation.

A little later, when Mrs. Jones goes “behind a screen” in another corner of the room to fetch a “gas plate and an icebox”, Roger could have easily run away. Even the purse is kept on day-bed close to him. But he doesn't do so. It’s because “he did not want to be mistrusted now.”

A thief a few moments ago now wishes to be trusted and believed. More than running away with money or valuables, he desires to bask in the warmth of human affection. This is certainly some transformation.

How does this happen? The warmth of motherly love effects this change in him. A stranger, whom Roger had tried to rob, offers him food and drink. She is the first person under the sun who bothers about his dirty face and disheveled look. She offers him her towel and comb to make himself presentable. Later, she shares personal information with him, much like a mother or a very close friend or relative would do.

Roger has been a thief. The society has always looked down upon him. However, the tenderness of human love and trust moves him so much that he ends up being changed into a sensitive young man from a petty thief.

Where is the textual evidence in To Kill a Mockingbird that suggests when the novel took place?

The setting in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird takes place between 1933-1935 in Maycomb, Alabama. There is textual evidence in Chapter 1, which alludes to the time period. When Scout is describing the town of Maycomb, she mentions "bony mules hitched to Hoover carts." (Lee 6) Hoover carts were the name given to remnants of old Ford Model T's whose front half had been cut off and top removed. These carts were driven during the Great Depression because farmers could not afford gasoline to run their vehicles. They chopped their cars and hitched them to mules as a means of transportation. The term Hoover cart is named after the 31st President Herbert Hoover, who was in office during the Great Depression. Many American citizens blamed the economic crisis on President Hoover.

Also found in Chapter 1, Scout mentions that the people of Maycomb had recently been told that it there was "nothing to fear but fear itself." (Lee 6) This comment alludes to Franklin D. Roosevelt's First Inaugural Address, which took place on March 4, 1933. President Roosevelt was addressing how Americans should respond to the Great Depression which plagued the United States from 1929-1939.

What does Aunt Alexandra mean by "Somebody just walked over my grave"?

In order to understand the significance of the phrase in the book, we must first look into the background of the phrase itself. There is an old wives' tale relating that one would receive a sudden chill when walking over the place where his or her grave would one day be. The first documented use of the phrase "There's somebody walking over my grave" was in in the first half of the 1700s, used in response to a shiver or getting goose bumps, referring to the aforementioned superstition. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Aunt Alexandra is described as receiving "a pinprick of apprehension", suggesting that the phrase had further evolved to mean being overcome with a peculiar feeling. Beyond the origins of the phrase, Aunt Alexandra's quote is significant because it foreshadows the events that occur after the Halloween pageant, when Bob Ewell attempts to harm Scout and Jem. Alexandra gets a sudden feeling that something could go wrong, but she shakes it off and allows the children to attend the pageant unattended.

What is the connection between Alexander the Great and Greek words in the Kalash language today?

Kalasha is an Indo-European language that is spoken by the Kalasha people in the Hindu-Kush mountains between Pakistan and Afghanistan.  It is the closest language to the ancient Sanskrit tongue.  The close association of the Kalasha language is a result of the Macedonian conquest of the former Achaemenid Empire in the Fourth Century.  Alexander the Great and his armies reached India before turning around to head home.  The Hellenistic kingdoms that succeeded Alexander spread Greek customs and language throughout their domains.  The Kalasha people were under the rule of the Seleucid Empire, which was the largest Hellenistic kingdom.  Some members of the Kalasha people have even claimed to be descendants of the soldiers of Alexander the Great.  Genetic testing, however, has not confirmed this to be true.

What are some examples of imagery in "The Demon Lover?"

Bowen uses imagery throughout her story, "The Demon Lover." She opens, for instance, with an image of a "steamy, showery" day to depict the hot and humid weather. This is immediately followed by a contrasting image of darkness:

"Against the next batch of clouds already piling up ink-dark."

By creating this contrast, Bowen alters the mood of the story so that it becomes more serious. She also foreshadows the dramatic events to come.

In addition, Bowen uses imagery to describe the interior of Mrs Drover's former home. She mentions the smell of "cold heart," for example, to convey to the reader that the house has been abandoned for some time. This is reinforced by an image of a "film" which covers the furniture and suggests that these items have not been dusted or cleaned for some time. 

Finally, after Mrs Drover has discovered and read the letter, Bowen employs an auditory image of crashing rain. This is effective in adding drama to the scene and creating a sense of suspense as the reader waits to see what will happen next. 

How does Briggs try to discredit Henry's testimony?

Lorelle Henry, a retired librarian, testifies that James King was one of the men who was robbing Aguinaldo Nesbitt. James King's attorney, Asa Briggs, cross-examines Lorelle Henry by asking her how many photographs of possible suspects she was shown by the police. Henry says that she does not recall and admits that there were moments when she felt unsure about her decisions. Briggs then asks Henry whether or not she remembers who asked Nesbitt where the money was located. Henry again admits that she does not remember. Briggs then asks Henry if she was able to identify James King out of a lineup. Henry responds by telling Briggs that she was able to identify him out of a six-person lineup.

Asa Briggs attempted to discredit Lorelle Henry's testimony by getting her to admit that she was unsure when she identified James King as the person involved in the robbery. Briggs made it seem like the police gave Henry a few photographs and encouraged her to identify James King by placing him next to five suspects. He essentially tries to convey to the jury that Lorelle was forced into picking James King from a limited lineup.

In the poem, "The Glove and the Lions" by Leigh Hunt, what is a figure of speech?

The poem, “The Glove and the Lions”, by Leigh Hunt is a somewhat comical poem about a fair, young maiden requesting her suitor to prove his love by jumping into a pit of fighting lions to retrieve the glove she drops.  Her coy plan backfires, however, when her lover gets the glove and throws it back in her face because she put him in such danger.

    There are several figures of speech in the poem.  The first one is found in the line, “The nobles filled the benches, and the ladies in their pride.”  Here Hunt is using a “play on words” comparing the ladies watching the fight to a pride of lions.  Hunt is suggesting that the pride of ladies may be as vicious as the pride of lions fighting below them.  The young maiden shows this savagery when she drops her glove in the pit.

    In addition, Hunt uses a simile when she says, “They bit, they glared, gave blows like beams, a wind went with their paws.”  Here Hunt is comparing the powerful blows of the lions as if one is hit by a beam or large piece of lumber.

Where was Annie before coming to the Kellers in Alabama?

Before Annie Sullivan moved to Alabama to help Helen Keller, she lived in Massachusetts.  As a child, Annie lived in an almshouse (a charitable institution for the poor) in Tewksbury, Massachusetts.  She lived there with her brother, Jimmie, who died soon after their arrival.  Annie and Jimmie had been sent to live in the almshouse because their mother had died and their father abandoned them.  Following the death of her brother, Annie became determined to go to school.  Annie was almost completely blind.  She found out that there were special schools that blind students could attend.  Annie was able to leave the almshouse in order to study at the Perkins School for the Blind.  The school was located outside of Boston, Massachusetts.  Annie stayed at Perkins until she moved to Alabama.

Are reactants listed on the left or right side of an equation?

When a chemical reaction takes place, one or more substances react to form one or more different substances. The reacting species are known as the reactants and the species that are produced are known as the products. By convention, reactants are listed on left side of an equation and products are listed on the right side. For example, if we consider the photosynthesis reaction, carbon dioxide and water react in the presence of sunlight to form glucose and oxygen, as per the following chemical equation:

Here, the reactants (carbon dioxide and water) have been listed on the left side of the equation, while the products (glucose and oxygen) have been listed on the right side of the equation. We can similarly identify the reactants and products of any chemical reaction if we are provided with the reaction equation.

Hope this helps.

What evidence of belief in superstition can be found in Chapter 1?

The importance of songs in Kino's mind, family, and culture can be viewed simply as a cultural practice. They are ways to give meaning to events, people, and places. But for Kino, the songs do take on a kind of superstitious meaning. That is to say, the songs are Kino's way of explaining how natural events also have a "super"natural meaning. The Song of the Family gives Kino a sense of warmth and satisfaction. When Kino sees the scorpion, he hears/senses the Song of Evil. The scorpion is not an evil being, nor has it come for evil purposes. It is simply an animal, in nature, doing what it does. But it is dangerous and a threat to the family, so Kino associates it with evil intentions. Thus, he gives it supernatural meaning, meaning that is beyond its nature: 

In his mind a new song had come, the Song of Evil, the music of the enemy, of any foe of the family, a savage, secret, dangerous melody, and underneath, the Song of the Family cried plaintively. 

In response to the threat, Juana recites an ancient magic and a modern Christian prayer to ward off the evil. Reciting prayers and spells in defense against the scorpion and its "Song of Evil" are also superstitious practices. The scorpion is just an animal. But Kino has imbued it with notions of evil. Spells and prayers are recited to invoke or communicate with a God, spirits, and things which are beyond the natural world. 

What happens to an egg after it is fertilized?

Fertilization is the step where the egg meets a sperm and this interaction is the first step in conception of an offspring. During this step the sperm penetrates the egg and zona pellucida (membrane surrounding the egg) ensures that egg is not penetrated by another sperm. 

After fertilization (in the end of the Fallopian tube), the egg goes to uterus. During the descent in the Fallopian tube, the egg divides into multiple cells. This cell division (mitosis) converts a zygote (single-cell embryo) into blastocyst. At this stage, the fertilized egg (now a blastocyst) attaches to the lining of uterus.

This process of attaching is called implantation, following which uterus lining starts growing thicker. It is at the uterus that embryo develops into a baby, over a period of time, and it stays there till the baby is born.

Hope this helps. 

What are the themes most memoirs have?

By definition, Memoirs are remembrances of one's personal history, one's life story.  It is human nature to "remember" the major events in one's life that "made" the writer who/what he/she is at the time of writing, so a major theme in all memoirs is "Who am I? Who did I become?"

A time of self-reflection brings about memories that are then reflected in the details articulated, the choices among one's recollections that seem most relevant.  One way to organize those moments in reflection is to look at "turning points," occasions when the "path" one is "on" takes a turn.  This predilection becomes a theme -- "I am a scientist, but as a young person, I thought I would be a musician.  The turning point came when I received a chemistry set for my seventh birthday." 

Another important and ubiquitous theme in memoirs is the description of persons who entered my life and became role models, mentors, encouragers.  "When I went backstage and met Segovia and shook his hand, I wanted the same calluses on my fingers."

Finally, memoirs very often treat the theme of how world events influenced the mise-en-scene of the writer. "The landing on the moon changed my view of religion."

Perhaps one other frequent "theme" in memoirs is the description of how the writer's life was broken into developmental stages. 

The Man states "I never saw anything so unprofessional." a) What does chocolate-cream soldier call 'unprofessional'? b) Why does he say so?

The unprofessional act that the Man is describing is Serius' leading a "heroic" cavalry charge into a machine gun nest. A few lines down he elaborates as follows:

He did it like an operatic tenor—a regular handsome fellow, with flashing eyes and lovely moustache, shouting a war-cry and charging like Don Quixote at the windmills. We nearly burst with laughter at him ...

Under normal circumstances, such an act would be abysmally stupid. When soldiers riding horses charge machine guns, the machine guns will easily destroy them long before they come within sword range of the soldiers manning the guns. 

In this case, the charge succeeds by accident. The opposing gunners had been supplied with the incorrect bullets and are thus incapable of firing their weapons. This bit of blind luck, though, does not change the general strategic truth that a cavalry charge against machine guns may look and sound dramatic and romantic, but is tactically a very silly and unprofessional move. 

How did slavery impact the start and end of the Civil War ?

Slavery impacted the start and the finish of the Civil War in several ways. Slavery was one of the main causes of the start of the Civil War. The South was convinced when Lincoln got elected President that he was going to end slavery. In the 1850s, there had been several events that showed how the country was splitting on the slavery issue. The Dred Scott decision pleased Southerners because it meant slaves could be taken anywhere. The fighting in Kansas over slavery showed that people were willing to fight and to die for slavery. Even though Lincoln said he would keep slavery where it existed if it would keep the Union together, the South didn’t believe that would happen. As a result, they seceded from the Union leading to the start of the Civil War.

Slavery also impacted the end of the Civil War. By the end of the Civil War, the North was determined to rid the country of slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation had been issued, and when the Civil War ended, the slaves were freed. Once the war ended, a plan was needed to help the former slaves adjust to freedom. The Freedmen’s Bureau was created, and the Radical Republican Reconstruction plan was developed, in part, to help the former slaves. Slaves or former slaves were involved with some of the fightings during, and at the end, of the Civil War. The North used former slaves as guides and spies during the Civil War. African-Americans served in the Union army and navy throughout most of the Civil War. At the very end of the war in the South, slaves were allowed to fight for the South.

The issue of slavery played a big role in the start of the Civil War and at the end of the Civil War.

What are the internal and external conflicts in Act Four of The Crucible?

In Act Four, we see John Proctor's internal conflict about whether he should confess a lie and save his life or exercise his integrity and die.  He feels that "Nothing's spoiled by giving them this lie that were not rotten long before."  Proctor feels as though he has already rendered himself incapable of being considered good by cheating on his wife, Elizabeth.  He tries to convince himself that it would actually be fraudulent for him to "mount the gibbet like a saint," as others, like the truly good Rebecca Nurse, can do.  However, in the end, he cannot bring himself to go through with the lie and he begins to "see some shred of goodness" in himself now.  He redeems himself and resolves his internal conflict by refusing to lie.

We also see the external conflict between Proctor and Danforth.  In order to maintain the appearance of truthfulness, Danforth needs more than just Proctor's confession; he wants the confession as well as the names of other witches he supposedly saw with the Devil.  He needs Proctor to sign the confession so that it may be posted publicly for the perusal of the community.  However, Proctor will not give him anything but his confession, crying, "I have given you my soul; leave me my name!"  Danforth and Proctor clash about the validity of Proctor's confession and whether or not it is acceptable to the court.  In the end, it doesn't matter because Proctor tears it up and accepts his fate.  He resolves this conflict as well with his ultimate refusal to belie himself.

Explain the dramatic irony in Act 2,Scene 3, when Macbeth talks about killing guards. Why are Macbeth's action's significant?

Macbeth's actions are an example of dramatic irony because the audience is well aware that Macbeth is responsible for the murder of King Duncan. However, Macbeth's actions and words in Act II, Scene III are significant for a number of other reasons as well. Firstly, the act of killing the guards ensures that the guards would never sober up and inform any of the lords that Lady Macbeth was responsible for their inebriation. While the guards would still probably be thought guilty of killing Duncan, the opportunity for them to tell their side of the story could potentially plant doubt within the minds of the others, and therefore possibly begin to point the finger at the Macbeths. The killing of the guards marks the first instance in which Macbeth takes measures to destroy additional potential threats to his safety. He continues this pattern throughout the play by hiring murders to kill Banquo and Fleance, and later going after Macduff and his family.

Further, Macbeth's words, and Lady Macbeth's reaction to them, reveal that he isn't very cunning, which reinforces Lady Macbeth's preexisting concerns.  At this point in the play, Lady Macbeth has already warned him of his inability to hide his thoughts when under pressure. The tension of the scene increases as Macbeth is forced to explain his actions to Macduff and the others.  He says that seeing the murderers asleep "[s]teeped in the colors of their trade" so near the body of Duncan, the murder of whom constitutes a crime against nature, was too much for him.  He then asks "[w]ho could refrain/that had a heard to love, and in that heart/ Courage to make 's love known?" (2.3, 134-137).  In other words, he loved Duncan so much, that he did what anybody would do in that moment. How could anybody blame him?

This scene is further enhanced by Lady Macbeth's reaction to Macbeth's attempts to explain himself. Upon seeing the focus turning toward her husband, she feigns shock and pretends to swoon to draw attention away from Macbeth.  This also functions as dramatic irony, as the audience knows why she is pretending to swoon. As previously stated, it also reinforces the fact that she doesn't trust Macbeth to be able to get himself out of the situation, and she has good reason to be concerned. As the play progresses, Macbeth develops the habit of getting himself in over his head, time and time again.

If the coordinates 3,7 -6,1 and 9,p lie on the same line find the value of p and explain your steps

Hello!

Let's write an equation of the straight line which goes through the first two points. Then the third point lies on this line if and only if its coordinates satisfy the equation.

For two points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) the equation of the line is

Here the specific equation is

or

or

Which simplifies to: 

Now substitute x=9 and y=p (the coordinates of the third point) into this equation:

or

p=11. This is the answer.

What is Steinbeck showing the reader through Candy's use of language in his reaction to Curley's wife's death?

When Curley’s wife dies, Candy realizes that Lennie will be arrested and put in prison, and George will most likely pursue his plans to find a place of his own. This also puts an end to Candy’s plan to join him, putting in half the money to buy the farm that has enough land to provide a living for them. Candy’s desperate questioning with carefully chosen language about George's intentions shows that he is not really insensitive to the death of Curley’s wife, but that it is also the death of his own dream. He asks George if the two of them can still keep on with their plans, not saying aloud that Lennie would not have been much help in the way of money or labor, but it is clear that it was he means. George, however, can only think of what he is going to do about Lennie. Candy agrees quickly to George’s plan to protect himself from being implicated in Curley’s wife’s death, hoping that this will obligate George in continuing their partnership. Whether or not that this will happen is left unclear at the end of the novel, as George just walks away from Lennie’s body, seemingly indifferent.

Why does Matt yearn for honey?

Though the author does not give us an exact amount of time that has passed, we know that Matt has endured the loss of his rifle from a stranger to whom Matt extended kindness and shelter. Additionally, Matt fails to secure the home’s door one day and a bear destroys most of the remainder of his food supplies, including a small amount of molasses.

 The above events leave Matt with only the creek from which to secure food. He is able to fish in the creek and catches enough fish on which to survive. However, after some time, Matt determines he can no longer live on just fish. He is aware of a beehive near a pond in the woods. The thought of procuring some honey overwhelms his thoughts after days of having just fish to eat. Despite his reservations, he decides to chance getting stung and attempts to steal the honey from the bees. He fails in this attempt.

I need help on finding advantages about cowhands. Do you think you can help?

Cowhands were very important to the cattle industry for a period of time. On the ranch, cowhands, or cowboys, were responsible for monitoring the cattle. They had to be sure the cattle moved across the open range so they didn’t overgraze the land. They also had to keep track of the cattle.

Before the long drives began, the cowhands had to brand the cattle. This was necessary so they could identify their cattle in case their cattle wandered from the group. The long drives were necessary because they had to transport the cattle to railroad towns where the cattle would be shipped to market. Since the railroads hadn’t expanded as far as south where the ranches were located, the long drives were necessary. Conducting a long drive was very hard work for the cowhands.

Once the cattle arrived in the railroad towns, called cow towns, they were placed on the trains. Then they would be shipped to the slaughterhouses in the east. After the cattle were gone, the cowhands would have some free time before heading back to the ranch. During these times, the cow towns were very wild places. Abilene, Kansas was an example of a cow town.

Eventually, ranching changed from open-range ranching to closed-ranch ranching. When this happened, the roles of the cowhands changed dramatically. The cowhands functioned more as ranch assistants since they didn’t have to do the same jobs as in the past. For many years, the cowhands were vital to the ranching industry.

Does South Africa have any current conflicts with any neighboring countries?

South Africa has no current conflicts with its neighbors in-line with its "quiet diplomacy" policy. However, there have been historical conflicts between the country and its neighbors.

South Africa was in a conflict situation with Botswana in the 80s and early 90s. This was due to Botswana’s cooperation with the military wing of the ANC and other opposition groups in the struggle against apartheid. Lesotho, completely surrounded by South Africa, was also embroiled in similar conflict, which led to Lesotho stating it was at war with South Africa.

South Africa was also involved in a border war with Angola. South Africa militarily supported the rebel movement in Angola (UNITA) led by Jonas Savimbi against the government. After Angola’s first democratic election in 1992, South Africa withdrew its diplomatic presence further straining the relations.

It is important to note that some of the major conflicts occurred during pre-independent South Africa and better diplomatic relations have been established since.

What is the physical description of the Headless Horseman in Irving's short story?

In "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" the Headless Horseman is described as the ghost of a Hessian trooper who had his head blown off by a cannonball during the Revolutionary War. The Hessians were German soldiers who fought for the British during the war. Accordingly, the ghost haunts surrounding areas near the churchyard where the body of the soldier is buried. At daybreak, it is said that the ghost hurriedly makes its way back to the cemetery grounds after a night of haunting.

Although some citizens of Sleepy Hollow have reportedly seen the headless ghost during separate occasions, we don't get a distinctive description of the ghost until later in the story. This is when Ichabod Crane leaves the party at the Van Tassel property late at night. With his head full of the ghost stories the men have been exchanging all evening, Crane is on high alert for any suspicious activity from the spirit realm. Sure enough, as Crane continues on his journey home, he finds himself gazing at what he thinks is the Headless Horseman, not far from Wiley's Swamp. The headless rider appears to be 'gigantic in height, and muffled in a cloak,...'

He appeared to be a horseman of large dimensions, and mounted on a black horse of powerful frame.

The Headless Horseman even appears to be carrying his 'head' on the pommel of his saddle. At seeing this fearful ghost, Crane is terrified. He tries to rush his horse, Gunpowder, to the church bridge, where tradition has it that the headless rider will vanish in a huge cloud of fire and brimstone. However, the bridge doesn't save him. In a moment of horrified comprehension, Crane realizes that he has to dodge the head the ghost is throwing at him. Too late, he realizes that he will not be successful.

Just then he saw the goblin rising in his stirrups, and in the very act of hurling his head at him. Ichabod endeavored to dodge the horrible missile, but too late. It encountered his cranium with a tremendous crash,—he was tumbled headlong into the dust, and Gunpowder, the black steed, and the goblin rider, passed by like a whirlwind.

As the story wraps up, we discover that Ichabod Crane is never heard from again. However, his hat and a shattered pumpkin are found close to the bridge where Ichabod supposedly disappeared. All indications point to Brom Bones as the masquerader who frightened off his rival on that fateful night:

Brom Bones, too, who, shortly after his rival's disappearance conducted the blooming Katrina in triumph to the altar, was observed to look exceedingly knowing whenever the story of Ichabod was related, and always burst into a hearty laugh at the mention of the pumpkin; which led some to suspect that he knew more about the matter than he chose to tell.

How would you solve (z-2)(z+1)=0 using the Zero Product Property?

The Zero Product Property is a property of real numbers that says that for any two real numbers x and y, if x*y = 0 then x = 0 or y = 0 (or both).

Thus if we have (z-2)(z+1) = 0, then we know that either z - 2 = 0, or z + 1 = 0, or both.

If z - 2 = 0, z = 2. That's one solution.
If z + 1 = 0, z = -1. That's another solution.
Both can't be true at the same time, so that's not a solution.

This is why we factor polynomials to find roots. If you can break up an expression into factors and the product of all the factors is equal to zero, you know that at least one factor it itself zero.

What is going to happen to Uma ?

As the story begins, Uma is a forty-three year old spinster who lives with her parents at home. Her life is dreary, with every aspect of her existence managed by her parents; Uma calls her parents MamaPapa because they mirror each other in thought and action. It is as if her parents are one micro-managing entity pervading her life.

As the novel progresses, we learn that Uma wasn't always without options in life. In her youth, she had been an enthusiastic scholar, despite the fact that she was a mediocre student at best. At age 15, Uma was pulled out of school by her parents in order to help her mother with her new infant brother, Arun. Her parents tried to arrange a marriage for her when she turned 16, but her prospective husband fell in love with her sister, Aruna. In all, there were three attempts to marry Uma off, but none of them were successful. The worst experience by far, where grooms were concerned, was Uma's betrothal and eventual marriage to Harish.

Accordingly, Harish worked in the pharmaceutical business. He was almost as old as Uma's father and was grossly overweight, with a pock-marked face to boot. Like all the others, he showed no enthusiasm for Uma. Immediately after the wedding, Harish left for Meerut. Perplexingly, he stayed away in Meerut for the duration of the time that Uma was married to him. Eventually, Uma's father came to take her home. The news was that Harish was already a married man with four children. He needed a dowry to save his struggling pharmaceutical business and Uma's came in handy. The shame of it all was almost unbearable for Uma. Because of the stigma of three failed arranged marriages, Uma was forever labeled untouchable as a prospective bride.

Having cost her parents two dowries, without a marriage to show in return, Uma was considered ill-fated by all and no more attempts were made to marry her off.

Perhaps one of the only bright spots in Uma's life was to go on pilgrimage with Mira-Masi, one of her mother's estranged relatives. Additionally, had her parents given their assent to Dr. Dutt when the doctor offered Uma the housekeeper's position in the women's dormitory at the Medical Institute, her life might have turned out quite differently. As it appears, Uma was never given the chance to explore her options. Eventually, bereft of all hope, Uma found herself consigned to living out her life in servitude to her parents' every wish.

Can you balance the equation hydrochloric acid + sodium hydroxide -> sodium chloride + water? Also show how to calculate the yield in grams and in...

For the mentioned reaction, the balanced chemical equation is:

The reactants are hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and the products are sodium chloride and water.

We can use the atomic masses of hydrogen, chlorine, sodium and oxygen to determine the molar masses of these compounds. Hydrochloric acid has a molar mass of 36.5 g/mole, sodium hydroxide has a molar mass of 40 g/mole, sodium chloride has a molar mass of 58.5 g/mole and water has a molar mass of 18 g/mole.

Using stoichiometry,

1 mole of hydrochloric acid reacts with 1 mole of sodium hydroxide to produce 1 mole of sodium chloride and 1 mole of water. 

Given any mass of the reactants, we can convert it to moles and use stoichiometry to determine the moles of product that will be produced and convert it to grams.

For example, say we start with 40 g of sodium hydroxide, which is equal to 1 mole of the compound (molar mass = 40 g/mole). Using stoichiometry, 1 mole of sodium hydroxide produces 1 mole of sodium chlroide. Since the molar mass of sodium chloride is 58.5 g, we will obtain 58.5 g sodium chloride as the product.

Hope this helps. 

Who has lost the most in Great Expectations?

Many of the characters in Great Expectations experience loss. Pip has lost his blood relations (his sister surviving into the story but dying from Orlick’s attack), with only Joe remaining. He loses Biddy to Joe, when he realizes that Estella can never be his and thinks that he and Biddy might be married. He has lost his dream of becoming the kind of gentleman he imagines. Estella has lost her parents as well, never knowing that they were both still alive. She loses her security when she marries Drummle, who is abusive to her but has the grace to free her by dying.

Over all, it is Miss Havisham who has lost the most, having nothing left when she dies. She has driven Estella away when the girl experiences the sad results of her teaching. She has never had any kind of relationship with her Pocket cousins, as much as they hang on to her in hopes of some inheritance. She almost loses Pip through her taunting and cruelty, but in the end it is Pip who is with her to rescue her from the flames. He still regards her with some affection, despite his realization that she is not his benefactor, and mourns for her at her death, but mostly because of all the things in life that she willfully threw away with both hands.

What were some positive and negative effects of the French Revolution?

The French Revolution had many positive effects. It eliminated the old class system under the Bourbon monarchy, one which gave preferential treatment under custom and law to clergy and to the nobility. The Revolution established religious tolerance for non-Catholics, and many of its legal reforms, which included trial by jury, habeas corpus, free press, and other civil liberties, were established (at least nominally) under Napoleon and continued into the nineteenth century. The French Revolution also inspired revolutionaries throughout Europe who sought, with varying degrees of success, to bring many of its liberal reforms to their own countries. 

However, these limited gains were won at a terrible price. The Revolution cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of French people, many of whom were totally innocent. We think of the extreme violence of the Terror when we think of the excesses of the Revolution, but the Revolution led to more than two decades of almost constant warfare which devastated Europe and brought a dictator/emperor to the French throne in the form of Napoleon. Many of its more liberal reforms, including women's rights and abolition of slavery, were rolled back under Napoleon. Europe would not see such turmoil until World War One, and it is difficult to say that such changes as did emerge from the Revolution were worth the human cost.

Who was a better man, Julius Caesar or Marcus Brutus?

The answer to this question really all depends on what factors you are basing your decision.

In order to determine how you want to evaluate each man, you might ask yourself some questions about them. For example, is one more moral than the other? Is one a better politician? Is one more loyal than the other? How will each man be remembered by others? 

Both men have their good points and their bad points. Caesar was a skilled and respected leader and military man, but he became power hungry toward the end of his life. One might argue he was overly ambitious and that is what the Senator assassins were responding to. Brutus was well respected and moral, but he also helped to murder one of his closest friends. Perhaps he should have first tried to have a good honest conversation with him?

Because Caesar dies early on in the play, you might also take into account that you have more first-hand knowledge of the type of man Brutus is than you do of Caesar. Much of what we know about Caesar in the play is told by others, some of who have good reasons for killing him. Can those accounts be trusted?

Ultimately, whichever many you decide is the "better" one, you should be able to provide clear, first-hand evidence to support your claim.

What are the implications of Abraham Maslow's theory?

Abraham Maslow's theory of the hierarchy of needs has implications for many different fields.

In politics, it suggests that any system of government needs to provide a foundation on which people can build lives that satisfy multiple different types of needs. On the most basic level, societies need to make sure people's physical needs are met, including adequate food and shelter, clean air, clean water, and medical care. Universal health care, which enables people to meet the basic physical need for health, regardless of income, fulfills both the need for security and for physical comfort and safety. On the next level, security is extremely important. People are not free to pursue higher needs for self-actualization or esteem if they fear for their lives or even feel financially on the brink of bankruptcy. 

In business, this suggests that managers realize that most employees, if their lower level needs are met adequately, will strive for the higher needs of esteem or self-actualization. Assuming employees have adequate pay and health insurance, and work in a physically comfortable environment, they will naturally try to do a good job for the sake of the intrinsic rewards of self-actualization and esteem. Constant micro-managing and assessment, creating an environment of insecurity, is actually counterproductive, because when  the lower level need for security is not being met, employees are less free to strive for excellence.

Discuss how Canada responded to world issues from 1960-1988.

If I were to write an essay about Canada's postwar foreign policy, I would probably compare Canada to a younger brother. This would not be an insult to Canadians because everybody loves their younger brother, especially when the younger brother is less aggressive. The reason that I would make this analogy is because Canada was a relatively new player on the international stage after World War II. It was a colony of England before the 1930's and could not conduct foreign policy. Because of its close proximity to the United States and its imperial ties with Great Britain (the older brothers), Canada's foreign policy identity during the Cold War closely mirrored those countries. Canada made it a point to always fight against tyranny and to protect democracy and freedoms around the world. They were charter members of the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and were valued members who honored their alliances. As members of these organizations, they defended capitalism and democracy during the Cold War.

Like most younger brothers, Canada wanted to get out of the considerable shadows that were cast by their more established older brothers. Canada has deliberately attempted to secure a reputation for being a pragmatic, peacekeeping presence on the international stage. In an effort to project this image, Canada has not always agreed with some of the actions of the United States. As an example, Canada maintained cordial economic and diplomatic ties with Cuba after Fidel Castro's communist regime took power. This ran counter to the policy of the United States towards Cuba. While Canada did assist the United States in its fight against communism in Vietnam, they were vocal in their opposition to the war at many junctures. In fact, Canada's role in the war was mostly as a mediator and humanitarian.

Canada was very active in the United Nations in the decades of the 1960's and 1970's. Their role with the United Nations in Congo, Syria, and Cyprus was less combative and more peacekeeping. Canada attempted to moderate resolutions between the warring factions. For this reason, Canada is viewed as a country of peace, which is different than how many in the world viewed the United States. This reputation is a source of pride to Canadians and an obvious difference in how most of the world views Canada's "older brothers."

Despite these differences, Canada remains a vital member of the family of the West. Many of the economic and political interests of the United States are closely tied to those of Canada. While Canada is important to its Allies, it has managed to forge its own reputation in the world.

How does Dickens satirize the funeral business in Great Expectations?

In Chapter XXXV of Great Expectations, the passage about the funeral of Mrs. Joe is a parody the solemnity of funerals and those who organize them. For the funeral directors, Trabb & Co., are more concerned for the ostentation of the proceedings prior to the funeral and the pageantry of the funeral procession itself than they are for the grief of the family and the respect due them.

Much as he does in Oliver Twist when poor, little Oliver is successful in work for the undertaker because of his effective "expression of melancholy" as he is in the funeral processions, Dickens satirizes the foolish ostentation of Trabb & Co. who take control of Mrs. Joe's funeral proceedings. For, when Pip returns from London, he finds what he calls two "dismally absurd persons" standing at the front door as though guarding it. They each have a crutch wrapped in black--"as if that instrument could possibly communicate any comfort to anybody." And, yet, the children and women of the village seem to watch these two men in admiration. Then, when Pip approaches, one of these guards knocks at the door as though Pip is too overcome with grief to be able to do so himself. Then, when Pip enters the parlor, he sees Mr. Trabb seated there:

Mr. Trabb had taken unto himself the best table, and had got all the leaves up, and was holding a kind of black Bazaar, with the aid of a quantity of black pins. At the moment of my arrival, he had just finished putting somebody's hat into black long-clothes, like an African baby; so he held out his hand for mine.

Pip mistakenly shakes Trabb's hand when the undertaker merely wanted his hat. After handing this item over to receive its black ribbons, Pip notices Joe sitting uncomfortably in a small black cloak tied under his chin in a large bow. As the "chief mourner," Joe is positioned in the upper end of the room, apart from others. Of course, the "foolish imposter" Pumblechook has himself attired in a black cloak and copious ribbons of hatband as he alternates between stuffing himself with the foods laid out and "making obsequious movements" to attract Pip's attention. Pip glances around and also sees Mr. and Mrs. Hubble huddled in a corner.

With a signal from Trabb, Joe and all the others must rise and form a procession. Joe whispers to Pip that he would simply have carried Mrs. Joe's casket with a few neighbors, but Trabb would not permit this action, arguing that the neighbors would scorn such action and "would be of opinions as it were wanting in respect.” So, on Trabb's cue--"Pocket handkerchiefs out"--they file out of the house two by two, along with the six pallbearers, who seem buried themselves under a long black cover over the casket as they march blindly:

...the whole looked like a blind monster with twelve human legs, shuffling and blundering along under the guidance of two keepers—the postboy and his comrade.

As they proceed to town, boys of the village break in and out of crowd of onlookers, shouting "Here they are!" and the villagers do everything but cheer. Certainly, Mrs. Joe has never been such a celebrity in life.

Once the funeral is over and Trabb and his men are gone, having "crammed their mummery into bags," Pip remarks that the house seems wholesome again.

How did Gertrude hurt Hamlet?

By marrying Claudius, Gertrude helps to legitimize him as the lawful ruler of Denmark. Claudius managed to get the electors to choose him in place of Hamlet, who was the obvious heir apparent, by persuasion, bribery, intimidation, or whatever other means this clever villain used. But Gertrude hurt her son by marrying Claudius and helping him to look more legitimate by being married to the already reigning queen.

Claudius keeps assuring Hamlet that he is next in line of succession. This was one of the arguments Claudius used to get elected while Hamlet was away at Wittenberg. Claudius said that Hamlet would still become king after his death. But in Act 3, Scene 2 when Claudius asks, "How fares out cousin Hamlet?" Hamlet deliberately misconstrues the word "fares" to mean "eats" and replies:

Excellent, i' faith; of the chameleon's dish. I eat
the air, promise-cramm'd. 

Hamlet is saying, in effect--although his uncle does not understand him and thinks he is mad--that he does not trust Claudius' promises to have him inherit the throne. Claudius may have promised Gertrude that her son would still become king in order to get her to marry him. Hamlet knows there are at least two ways in which he could be cheated out of his rightful inheritance. One would be if he fell out of favor with Claudius. Another would be if Gertrude bore Claudius a child. Hamlet hates the torrid love-making that goes on between his mother and his uncle. He not only considers it adulterous, but he knows intuitively that if his mother became pregnant--which still seems possible--then Claudius would give preference in succession to their child, regardless of whether it was a boy or a girl. In fact, Claudius might decide to have Hamlet murdered to forestall any controversy about succession after his death. If Claudius can murder Hamlet's father, then he can certainly murder Hamlet.

That is a second way in which Gertrude hurts Hamlet. The third way is related to that second way. She breaks Hamlet's heart by the way she forgets his father so quickly and engages in what her son considers adulterous, incestuous, and disgusting sexual orgies. In Act 3, Scene 4, he expresses his pent-up loathing for her behavior as well as his hatred for his uncle.

Nay, but to live
In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed,
Stew'd in corruption,honeying and making love
Over the nasty sty!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A murderer and a villain!
A slave that is not twentieth part the tithe
Of your precedent lord; a vice of kings;
A cutpurse of the empire and the rule,
That from a shelf the precious diadem stole
And put it in his pocket!

His mother's fallen condition and her shameful betrayal of her deceased husband's memory are perhaps what hurt Hamlet most of all. He feels personally dishonored as her son and as the son of his noble father. He shares the feelings of the Ghost, who arrives on the scene shortly after he has spoken the above words to his weeping mother.

So Gertrude hurts Hamlet by marrying Claudius and helping to legitimize him as king. She hurts Hamlet publicly by urging him to forget all about his father and accept the new status quo. She hurts Hamlet by engaging in sexual intercourse with his hated uncle which could result in the conception of a child who would certainly destroy Hamlet's chances of ever becoming king. And she hurts her son most of all by dishonoring his father's memory in what he considers adultery, incest, and vile debauchery.

Contrast the arguments made in favor and opposed to America's potential involvement in World War ll.

There was a debate if the United States should intervene in World War II when it began in September 1939. There were many people against getting involved in World War II at that time. These people believed that we should stay out of world affairs. They were concerned that we entered World War I for financial reasons, as suggested by the Nye Committee. They were concerned that only Finland repaid their debt to us. They believed we had serious issues at home that needed our attention. We were still dealing with the effects of the Great Depression. They also didn’t want to see Americans killed in a war that would likely be more deadly than World War I was. For these reasons, these people believed in an isolationist foreign policy

Other people believed that we should get involved in World War II. These people were concerned that the unchecked aggression needed to be stopped. If it wasn’t stopped, the United States would face a far greater problem in the future. These people realized that if the Axis Powers were successful in conquering Europe and Asia, they would eventually set their sights on the Americas. We needed to support our allies throughout the world so we would have their support if we were attacked. If we waited too long, our allies might be defeated, causing us to have to fight the Axis Powers alone. These people believed in an interventionist foreign policy.

It was an interesting debate. However, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, we had no choice but to enter World War II.

Why do you think Candy allowed Carlson to kill his dog? How does candy feel about incident? How do others react during the incident and why?

Candy is set apart from the other workers on the ranch by his advanced age, his physical handicap, and his extended work in the same location.  But nothing distinguishes him quite like his companion, his old, crippled, mangy, half-blind dog.  Like George, Candy has a friend.  He does not have to travel through life without the solace of someone (or something) to share it with.  Carlson seems resentful of the dog's presence in the bunkhouse:  

"Well, I can’t stand him in here,” said Carlson. “That stink hangs around even after he’s gone.” He walked over with his heavy-legged stride and looked down at the dog. “Got no teeth,” he said. “He’s all stiff with rheumatism. He ain’t no good to you, Candy. An’ he ain’t no good to himself. Why’n’t you shoot him, Candy?”

Shoot him?  Seems a bit drastic, doesn't it?  If the dog smells, why not just put him outside?  Candy explains that he has had the dog since he was a pup, that he doesn't mind taking care of him, that shooting him might hurt him--but none of these reasons sway Carlson from his mission.  Both men look to Slim for the final decision without actually asking him aloud.  Slim, who is seen as the leader among the workers, does not give Candy the reprieve he hoped for:

Candy looked a long time at Slim to try to find some reversal. And Slim gave him none. At last Candy said softly and hopelessly, “Awright—take ‘im.” He did not look down at the dog at all. He lay back on his bunk and crossed his arms behind his head and stared at the ceiling.

At this point, Candy does not feel he has any option.  He tells Carlson to go ahead and take his best friend out to his death.

The other characters, strangely, seem to be completely indifferent to the events transporting between Carlson and Candy.  They play cards and discuss the letter to the editor that Whit found in a magazine, which has its own symbolic value.  But they are largely uncaring about Candy's plight.

How is social justice reflected in Chapter 30 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

Social justice, as per dictionary.com, refers to the "distribution of advantages and disadvantages in a society."  In Chapter 30 of To Kill a Mockingbird, there are two main instances of social justice.  First, Scout's treatment of Boo -- offering him refreshments rather than playing mean-spirited games about him -- offers him the "advantage" of friendship.  This response to Boo is better suited to the friend he has been to Scout.  From offering her a blanket at Ms. Maudie's to carving her figure out of soap, Boo has, in the end, been nothing but friendly.

The major instance of social justice in the chapter, however, has to do with Atticus' and Heck Tate's treatment of Boo.  While it is clear to them that Boo is the hero of the scene, having stabbed Bob Ewell and rescued the children, both Atticus and Heck realize that telling all of Maycomb would thrust Boo into a spotlight that he is not ready for.  While they privately thank Boo for his heroism, Atticus and Heck act responsibly from a social justice perspective by telling the residents of Maycomb that Bob Ewell fell on his knife (as opposed to being killed by Boo).  In that way, they take Boo out of the equation and return him to the quiet that he no doubt prefers.

What type of clothing materials are worn by astronauts and firemen and why?

Astronauts and firefighters wear uniforms or specialty garments made from synthetic fabrics to ensure their safety. It may surprise you to know that their uniforms incorporate a lot of the same materials, even though their jobs are radically different. The fabrics in space suits and firefighting uniforms are flexible but offer insulation from extreme temperatures and debris.

Firefighters wear suits made of Nomex or Kevlar. Both are fire-resistant materials which help to protect the firefighter from catching aflame or from sustaining burns when nearby fire. Sometimes, Nomex and Kevlar are blended together. Nomex also insulates against electric charge, which prevents firefighters from being electrocuted.

Nomex is also used in some astronaut clothing. Space suits are made of many layers of protective and insulating materials to ensure durability, flexibility, and insulation. Another important fabric in space suits is called Chromel-R- it helps to keep the astronaut's body heat inside the suit and protect against extremely cold temperatures outside the suit. This fabric is especially important for the hand or glove parts of a suit, as astronauts sometimes handle objects which are very cold!

Who is Charlotte Lucas in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice?

In Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Charlotte Lucas is Elizabeth's character foil. A foil is a character whose traits contrast with the traits of another character, usually the main character. An author will use opposing traits to highlight specific traits and make a point. In Pride and Prejudice, Austen contrasts Charlotte Lucas's pragmatic nature with Elizabeth's more romantic ideals to show that, sometimes, romantic notions should be tempered with pragmatism.

Charlotte Lucas is the eldest daughter of Sir William and Lady Lucas. In Chapter 5, the narrator explains that Sir William had been a tradesman in Meryton who earned a considerable fortune and became mayor of the town. While being mayor, he had also been knighted by the king. After being knighted, he quit his business in Meryton and purchased Lucas Lodge to take up the life of a gentleman. However, the narrator comments that he really gave up his business too soon, and, as a result, he had no fortune for his children to inherit. Since he has no fortune to pass down to his children, Charlotte knows she must marry a man with a comfortable income or else be a burden to her family. Unfortunately, since she is plain and 27 years old, she does not have many marital prospects. Hence, when Mr. Collins proposes after being rejected by Elizabeth, Charlotte is very happy to accept due to the practical reasons that he can provide her with a comfortable home and that his character is good enough to make her as happy as most married women.

Elizabeth is at first shocked to learn Charlotte had accepted Mr. Collins's proposal since Elizabeth places more value on feelings than on practicality. Yet, when she sees Charlotte being happy and making the best of her new home, she is obliged to admit that Charlotte's decision to marry Mr. Collins was the best one for her. Austen uses Charlotte's happiness to show that one needs to use a balance of practical judgement and emotions in making decisions, especially decisions concerning marriage.

What is the major problem and solution in the book The Giver by Lois Lowry?

The main problem that is presented in the The Giver is that no one in the community questions anything, nor do they really understand the reason for anything. Individuals have given up their own critical and individual abilities to make decisions in favor of the community Elders making those decisions for them.  Individuals do not have memories of their societal history, so they really are kept in the dark about why they do what they do. Even the community members’ feelings have been dulled over time, as Jonas begins to notice once he has felt deeper feelings through the memories. As a result, the community lives a very regulated life that is dictated by carefully crafted rules. The community faces no major problems or inconveniences and everything is routine. Life is easy.

The solution, toward the end of the novel, is that when Jonas leaves, the memories he has been given will be transferred back to the community. This will be hard for the community members because they have never been uncomfortable, let alone felt the type of emotional or physical pain that Jonas and the Giver have. The Giver thinks that this will help the community in the long run:

"I think they can [bear this burden], and they will acquire some wisdom. But it will be desperately hard for them. When we lost Rosemary ten years ago, and her memories returned to the people, they panicked" (Ch.20).

The Giver says they will need help in dealing with those memories that they get from Jonas, and that the Giver will be the one to help them with that burden. So, the solution is to help the community members begin to start remembering their past so they can have a true context for the life they currently live. Only then can they perhaps begin to question if this is a way of life they want to continue versus it being a life they were born into and never thought to question.

In Sister of My Heart, how did Sudha and Anju get married? What are the differences in their married lives?

Sudha's and Anju’s marriages came about at the same time, and they were caused by the same circumstances. They both had ambitions of attending college and being more than the housewives Indian society expected them to be. However, circumstances conspired to prevent them from doing so. Specifically, they were caught skipping school and there were some health problems in the family.

Even though Sudha and Anju got married in the same way, their lives afterwards were quite different. Sudha moves in with her husband and his family, including his overbearing mother. Anju eventually moves to the United States to be with her husband. Both men treat their wives relatively well, but Sudha is confined to being a traditional Indian housewife while Anju attends university and has more freedom. Sudha is unhappy with this, and the breaking point occurs when she becomes pregnant with a baby girl and her mother-in-law insists she get an abortion, as a male firstborn is highly valued in Indian society. Her husband doesn’t insist on an abortion, but is complacent. In contrast, Anju is pregnant at the same time, and her husband is overjoyed. This dynamic leads Sudha to eventually move to the United States to be with Anju.

What lessons did Scout learn in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird?

Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird is told from the first person point-of-view of the character Scout. It is often mistakenly said that the story is told from her perspective as a six-year-old, but it is actually told from her perspective as an adult looking back on events that occurred when she was six-years-old. This “double perspective” allows the narrator to reflect on the many important life-lessons she learned as the events of the novel unfolded.

One of the most important of those lessons came when a particularly vicious old neighbor named Mrs. Dubose infuriated Scout’s brother Jem by saying, “Your father’s no better than the niggers and trash he works for!” This prompted Jem to destroy Mrs. Dubose’s flowers, which brought forth a very creative punishment.

Jem and Scout were both sentenced to read to Mrs. Dubose every afternoon for a month. At the time they were unaware that Mrs. Dubose was fighting a morphine addiction. As the month passed, they noticed that she behaved strangely and that their reading sessions stretched out longer and longer. What they didn’t know at the time was that Mrs. Dubose was using those reading sessions to fight her addiction, going longer and longer periods without the morphine.

So what did Scout learn from this?

As she and Jem suffered from Mrs. Dubose’s verbal abuse of themselves and their father, they learned how to tolerate it and maintain their self-control and civility. At the end of the month, Scout noticed how Jem reacted to Mrs. Dubose’s cruel remarks about her father:

Jem’s chin would come up, and he would gaze at Mrs. Dubose with a face devoid of resentment. Through the weeks he had cultivated an expression of polite and detached interest, which he would present to her in answer to her most blood-curdling inventions.

This newfound ability to deal with difficult people brought both Jem and Scout in line with their father’s philosophy of treating people kindly and respectfully in every situation, regardless of how they might treat you.