What value is attached to the behavior of the littluns and biguns throughout the novel Lord of the Flies?

Throughout the novel, the littluns rely on the help of biguns to collect food, make decisions, provide shelter, and protect them from the "beasty." Initially, the littluns listen to their chief, Ralph, and participate in collecting wood for the fire and helping build the first shelter. As the novel progresses, the littluns lose interest in work, and prefer to pick fruit, play, and swim on the island. The littluns, with the exception of Percival, have not been conditioned by society and choose to satiate their physical needs. They become easily frightened by the thought of the "beasty" and do not differentiate between leaders. They follow either Ralph or Jack, depending on who seems more popular. After analyzing their behavior, one can surmise that Golding suggests that the idea of original sin applies to all humans. The littluns are void of society's restrictions and have not been conditioned by civilization yet. They act according to their physical needs and are generally immoral beings, which is evident by their refusal to listen to Ralph, and Johnny's choice to throw sand in Percival's face in Chapter 4.

At the beginning of the novel, the biguns attempt to establish a functional group that maintains a signal fire, builds shelters, holds assemblies, and hunts together. Their organization and democratic tendencies have been impressed upon them by the civilization they have recently left. As the novel progresses, the group of boys divide themselves amongst two tribes under the leadership of Ralph and Jack. The majority of the boys choose to follow Jack's tribe and live like savages. Eventually, barbarism and savagery reign over civility and structure, and Jack's tribe attempts to kill Ralph. Their behavior suggests that all humans are inherently evil, and void of society's laws and restrictions, primitive instincts will be exposed and thrive. Golding believes that without limitations and boundaries, humans' evil instincts will take over.

In "The Devil and Tom Walker," what does the devil plan to burn in the winter?

"The Devil and Tom Walker" is Washington Irving's tale about a greedy man who sells his soul to the devil to become wealthy. It is based on the German story of Faust. 

Tom Walker first meets the devil, or the "black woodsman," or "old scratch" in the dark swamps that were once an Indian fort near his house. The devil is described as a black man "begrimed with soot" who works among "fires and forges." He has partially cut down many of the trees in the swamp and marked down the names of important men on them. Tom Walker is sitting on one that has the name of Crowninshield on it and the devil remarks,

"He's just ready for burning!" said the black man, with a growl of triumph. "You see I am likely to have a good stock of firewood for the winter."

The reader presumes that the named men have all sold their souls to "old scratch" and when they perish he burns the wood from the trees. Later in the story Tom Walker dies a fiery death after selling his soul and becoming a money lender. After his death all that is found of his riches are "cinders" and his horses have turned to skeletons.  

What was the significance of the battles at Lexington and Concord?

The significance of  Lexington and Concord is that fighting in these two towns outside Boston marked the beginning of the Revolutionary War. On the morning of April 19, 1775, British troops sent by General Thomas Gage clashed with Boston-area militia on the village green of Lexington. The British soldiers had been sent to arrest area revolutionary leaders and to confiscate a weapons and power cache at the town of Concord. Alerted to the movement of the British, militiamen poured out of the countryside, and, after the initial skirmish at Lexington, they provided serious opposition at Concord, just a few miles up the road. As the British withdrew back to Boston, they fought essentially a running battle with hundreds of militia who sniped at them from the woods, killing dozens of men. Once the British returned to the city, the militia surrounded it, occupying the surrounding heights. This was the beginning of the war that would lead to independence for what would become the United States of America.

In "Araby", what is the significance of the uncle quoting "The Arab's Farewell to His Steed"?

"Araby" is very much a story about disappointed hopes, letting go of childish fantasy, and learning that the world does not bend or change for one person's dreams.

In his attempt to get to Araby, the young boy meets with many delays that frustrate him in his desire to purchase something special for Mangan's sister, the girl with whom he believes himself to be in love.  The first of these delays is the lateness of his uncle on whom he must wait to give him the money to go.  When his uncle finally arrives, he sits down to his dinner (another delay!) and the narrator must wait for several minutes before asking him for the money.  Even then, his uncle jokes that many people are already in bed.  He asks, again, where the narrator wants to go (more delays), and then asks if the boy knows the poem "The Arab's Farewell to his Steed."  

The connection of the story to the poem seems to lie in the frustrated hopes of the young narrators.  In the poem, an Arab boy is compelled to part with his beloved horse when the horse is sold.  It's quite a romantic poem, with lots of beautiful descriptions of the boy's fervent love for his wonderful horse, how he aches not to have to give the horse up and dreams of riding away from the new owner to be able to keep his horse forever.  Yet, in the end, the boy must give him up.  Likewise, in "Araby," the young narrator lives on his dreams and is only beginning to acknowledge the reality of a life that moves on without regard to his love, a life where "sordid" things like money are considered to be of much greater value and importance than fantasies and feelings.  The uncle, perhaps, has a sense that the narrator is at such a point in his life and has yet to realize the nature of the world.  And although the boy leaves before he can hear the poem and make that connection, he learns that harsh lesson in the end.

Where does Odysseus lose all of his men?

Odysseus lost six men from the crew of each ship to the Ciconians at Ismarus; they were attacked at night by the survivors of the town they'd sacked.  He then lost six men total when they were eaten for meals, two at a time, by the Cyclops, Polyphemus.  Odysseus then lost all ships except for the one in which he was traveling when they landed at Laestrygonia, the home of the cannibal giants.  Next, he lost one man -- Elpenor -- at the home of Circe.  Elpenor drank too much and fell asleep on the roof, and then he accidentally fell off and died.  Then, Odysseus had to choose between going nearer Charybdis, a whirlpool that could suck down and drown his entire crew, or Scylla, a six-headed monster who could only kill six of his men at once.  He eventually chose to take Circe's advice and steer closer to Scylla, and so he lost six more men there when she came out of her cave and took them.  Finally, after his ship's crew ate the sacred cattle of the sun god, Helios, the remainder of Odysseus's men were slain by Zeus.  Only he survived to go on.

In chapter 13 of To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus says to Jem and Scout "Don't you worry about anything." He said "Its not a time to worry." What...

Aunt Alexandra has come to visit. The children’s mother is dead, so she has come to give them some “feminine influence”.  She also was concerned that the children know the importance of their heritage.

"…Aunt Alexandra’s appearance on the scene was not so much Atticus’s doing as hers.  Aunty had a way of declaring What Is Best For The Family, and I suppose her coming to live with us was in that category.” (pg 129)

Aunt Alexandra was obsessed with heredity.  She felt that the longer a person lived on a certain piece of land, the finer the family.  Scout says,

"Aunt Alexandra fitted into the world of Maycomb like a hand into a glove, but never into the world of Jem and me.” (pg 131-132)

When Aunt Alexandra would be entertaining the ladies of Maycomb, she would call Scout in to say hello.  She asked Scout to say hello to her cousin, Lily Brooke, and Scout said that she didn’t know Lily Brook was her cousin.  Aunt Alexandra was displeased that Atticus had not taught his children about the Finch family.  She went and returned with a book, Meditations of Joshua St. Clair, stating that their cousin had written that book.  All the children knew was that Cousin Joshua tried to shoot the president of the University.  It cost the family five hundred dollars to “….get him out of that one.” (pg 132)

Because of this conversation, Aunt Alexandra talks to Atticus, and Atticus visits the children in Jem’s room that night. Atticus tells them that Aunt Alexandra,

“……asked me to try and impress upon you and Jean Louise that you are not from run-of-the-mill people, that you are a product of several generations’ gentle breeding……She asked me to tell you you must try to behave like the little lady and gentleman that you are.  She wants to talk to you about the family and what it’s meant to Maycomb County through the years, so you’ll have some idea of who you are, so you might be moved to behave accordingly. (pg 133)

Jem and Scout are silent.  They don’t know what to say.  Finally Scout asks Atticus if all this behaving is going to change things between them.  She is asking whether he is going to back Aunt Alexandra on this, and what is going to happen to their relationship

That is when Atticus suddenly backs up and replies,

“Don’t you worry about anything……It’s not time to worry.”  (pg 134)

He is basically telling them that they are still children and should enjoy being children.  There will come a time when they should be aware of this, but the time is not now. 

When Scout asks him,

“You really want us to do all that?  I can’t remember everything Finches are supposed to do……” (pg 134) 

Atticus responds,

“I don’t want you to remember anything.  Forget it”(pg 134)

What is the importance of your life to those you love?

On one level, this is a question no one can answer for you. An educator on an internet site has no idea of who you are nor the identities of the people that you love nor of the way they relate to you.

As you start to work on your own answer, using information relevant to your individual situation, a good starting point would be categorizing your relationships.

The first type of loving relationship most people have is to members of their families. Thus you might start by thinking of what makes you important to your parents and grandparents, perhaps as a repository of their dreams and aspirations, perhaps simply as a person they cherish and care for.

You may have siblings who find you important as a companion, mentor, person they can trust, or confidant. This will also be true of your friends. People with whom you have intimate relationships, whether of love or marriage, may find you important for sexual gratification, emotional closeness, companionship, or partnership in raising children or building a family.

If you have children, you will be important to them economically, as a protector and mentor when they are too young to care for themselves, and as a source of security and unconditional love. 

What are some of the character traits of the main characters in the novel The Boy In The Striped Pajamas?

Bruno: Bruno is an adventurous young boy who wants to become an explorer when he gets older. Bruno is naive and doesn't understand much about his current situation or environment. He is curious and asks many questions. He is also polite and respectful towards his parents, the servants, and his new friend Shmuel.

Shmuel: Shmuel is a sad boy who lives on the other side of the fence in Auschwitz. He is sickly and always hungry due to the fact he suffers from malnutrition. He displays happiness when he talks to Bruno and has a forgiving attitude.

Gretel: Known as the "Hopeless Case" throughout the novel, she is very rude and displays contempt towards Bruno. She is also a flirt and is continually trying to gain the attention of Lieutenant Kotler.

Bruno's Mother: She is an understanding individual who displays respect for the servants, unlike her husband. She is less strict when it comes to child-rearing, and is unhappy with her situation. Bruno mentions that she drinks her "medicinal sherries" and is continually taking long naps. She becomes depressed at Auschwitz and is furious when she finds out that her husband's job is to give orders to kill Jews. She has a romance with Lieutenant Kotler and concludes that Auschwitz is no place to raise children.

Bruno's Father: He is a strict man who is proud of his position as Commandant. He is rather rude to his wife and the servants throughout the novel. Bruno's father is a loyal Nazi who is respected by his soldiers. Despite his family's feelings, he chooses to move them to Auschwitz to fulfil Hitler's wishes. He is not afraid of confrontation and is continually arguing with his wife throughout the novel.

Lieutenant Kolter: He is a young, arrogant Nazi soldier who treats Bruno with contempt throughout the novel. He is violent and is continually punishing the Jews who live in Auschwitz. Kotler is also a flirt and carries on an affair with Bruno's mother throughout the novel.

Pavel: He is kind, caring, and sympathetic towards Bruno. Bruno mentions that he always looks sad and angry. He suffers from malnutrition, like most of the Jews in Auschwitz, and is treated terribly by Bruno's family throughout the novel.

What does Shakespeare use to demonstrate that summer weather is unpredictable in Sonnet XVIII?

In Sonnet XVIII Shakespeare uses the concept of sublunary, or earthly, corruption to demonstrate that summer weather is unpredictable.

In his Petrarchan sonnet, Shakespeare invokes the sense of harmony of the classical form and order demanded by this particular sonnet form. But, to expect such order in the universe is not possible because of sublunary corruption: Summer is but one season and then changes; sometimes it is too hot, or "rough winds" may disturb the beauty of nature. At any rate, this lovely season can end in destruction: "And every fair from fair sometime declines."

Since the elements of nature are transitory, verse is then appropriated as the form for the perpetuation of the speaker's love. Indeed, beauty will last forever in verse. In this way, the beloved's "eternal summer" will not wither or fade, and the beloved will remain as fair as she is at the time of the composition of this sonnet. The final couplet summarizes this eternalness:

So long as men can breath, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. 

To be a successful entrepreneur it requires willingness to what?

There are many facets required to be a successful entrepreneur. You have to have the willingness to fail. While that sounds counterintuitive, you are taking a leap of faith when you become an entrepreneur. If you know that you may fail in your endeavor, you are ready for this line of work.  In the same regard, you have to have a willingness to persevere. Perseverance is the ability to keep working no matter what happens. While being an entrepreneur, you may fail many times. You have to keep working on your ideas and passions until you make it. Many people give up when their first business idea fails. Finally, you need to have the willingness to give all that you can give to your business and work. Entrepreneurs have to work extra hard to become successful. They are doing work that many people don't usually do; they are starting a business. 

What does Miss Strangeworth secretly do in The Possibility of Evil?

Miss Strangeworth has a dark secret. For the past year she has been writing anonymous letters to people in her town hinting that something bad may be happening in their lives which they are not aware of. She thinks that she is performing a public service and that, as the town's senior resident, it is her duty to issue these warnings. Instead, she is creating suspicion, anxiety, hostility, and other troubles.

On the day during which the story takes place, she writes three of her poison-pen letters. Her letter to Mrs. Harper suggests that the woman's husband is having an affair with another woman and that everybody knows about it but his wife. Her letter to Mrs. Foster suggests that the old woman's nephew might have bribed her surgeon to cause her to die on the table when she has her forthcoming operation. And her letter to Don Crane suggests that his six-months old baby girl is mentally retarded. The short note reads:

DIDN'T YOU EVER SEE AN IDIOT CHILD BEFORE? SOME PEOPLE JUST SHOULDN'T HAVE CHILDREN SHOULD THEY?

Miss Strangeworth prints all these letters and their envelopes in big block capital letters so that she cannot be identified by her normal handwriting. Quite by accident, Don Crane finds out that the letter he received had been written by this apparently sweet little old lady. He takes revenge by chopping up all her prized rose bushes and sending her his own anonymous letter in which he writes:

LOOK OUT AT WHAT USED TO BE YOUR ROSES

This is probably an evil thing for him to do, and it seems to prove Miss Strangeworth's belief that there are innumerable possibilities of evil in the citizens of her town. The story is somewhat reminiscent of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown," in which the protagonist finds out that all his apparently god-fearing neighbors are secretly devil-worshippers, including his own wife. In Shirley Jackson's better-known short story "The Lottery" it turns out that everybody in the town has a vicious streak and enjoys stoning one of their neighbors to death, as long as they have escaped drawing the black spot themselves. Miss Strangeworth is effective in putting people on their guards, because there really is a "possibility of evil" in everybody. It is obvious in "The Lottery" that everybody in the crowd is enjoying the thrill of stoning poor Tessie Hutchinson to death, especially Old Man Warner, who takes the lead saying, "Come on, come on, everyone." Sweet little old Miss Strangeworth thinks she is the only one in the whole town who is incapable of doing anything evil, and yet her greatest pleasure is in her evil hobby of writing poison-pen letters. The evil she senses in other people is really a projection of the evil inside herself.

What are the dreams of each character in Of Mice and Men?

This is a good question.  When we focus on dreams, we come to one of the central themes of the book. 

First, I should say that dreams are rare in the book.  The reason for this is simple. In a broken world where dreams are dashed, it takes courage to dream.  Crooks says it best when he says to Lennie that he has seen many people go by who have a desire to get some land and come to nothing.  In other words, why dream if it is not going to come true? 

Second, George and Lennie stand out in the novella, because they have a dream.  They have each other and they dream that they will get some land and live off the fat of it.  They will have a place to call home. Here is what they say:

"O.K. Someday—we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and—"

"An’ live off the fatta the lan’,” Lennie shouted.

The other person who dreams is Curley's wife.  When she was younger, she wanted to be in the movies.  She shares this with Lennie. 

Apart from these characters, no one else dreams. 

How long did Phillip stay on the island for in The Cay?

Phillip and Timothy are marooned on the small island for about two months before Phillip is rescued and reunited with his parents. During that time, Phillip learns many things from Timothy.  He learns how to navigate the island using only a cane and how to survive the many challenges the island gives them.  Although Phillip’s blindness limits his physical abilities, the lack of sight helps him see Timothy in a new light, so to speak.  Phillip has some preconceived prejudices about black people that he brings with him to the island.  Through Timothy’s guidance, and despite some misunderstandings and arguments, Phillip is able to overcome his racial prejudices and learn to love Timothy.  Timothy ends up saving Phillip’s life by protecting him during a hurricane, and Phillip shows his love for Timothy by saying he will be a sailor when he grows up.

In a few short months filled with obstacles, hardships, and a little bad luck, accepting the humanity of a black man forever changed Phillip’s life.

How does the book Monster by Walter Dean Myers relate to the Constitution or to specific amendments?

Throughout the novel Monster by Walter Dean Myers, Steve Harmon, the novel's protagonist, is on trial for the robbery and murder of Aguinaldo Nesbitt. Since the majority of the novel describes Steve's trial, it was important for Myers to depict the American justice system accurately. There are numerous provisions and rights granted to individuals that are written in the United States Constitution in regards to legal proceedings. Throughout a trial, the Constitution guarantees a fair process in all hearings and equal treatment under the law. The Constitution requires a speedy trial by an impartial jury, provides the accused with a lawyer, and allows them to call witnesses to the stand on their behalf. In the novel, Kathy O'Brien is Steve's lawyer, and Mr. Sawicki testifies to Steve's character during the trial. One of the Constitution's most important amendments states that a person is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. At the beginning of the trial, O'Brien takes the podium and says,

"As Mr. Harmon's attorney all I ask of you, the jury, is that you look at Steve Harmon now and remember that at this moment the American system of justice demands that you consider him innocent. He is innocent until proven guilty. If you consider him innocent now, and by law you must, if you have not prejudged him, then I don't believe we will have a problem convincing you that nothing the State will produce will challenge that innocence" (Myers 31).

As the novel progresses, Steve's attorney represents him well, and the jury finds Steve Harmon not guilty. Steve was granted all of his individual rights guaranteed by the Constitution, and an impartial jury judged Steve fairly.

In Silas Marner describe how George Eliot brings out Silas Marner's despair over the lost money?

To fully understand the choice of language used to express Silas's despair over the stolen gold, let's go back and explore the language used to explain his love for it.

Because of the sad incident at Lantern Yard, Silas felt "cut off" from the life that he loved. Over at Lantern Yard, money was one of the many enjoyable aspects of life. He even shared his money with his church and in "acts of piety." Money was never fully his, but he did not care. By then, money served the purpose of serving others, as well as himself. 

Now, however, he is alone and all the money that he earns is his. For the first time he gets to learn how much money can buy and how powerful he could be by just possessing this money. No longer does he have to feel sorry for himself over the loss of life at Lantern Yard.

that habit of looking towards the money and grasping it with a sense of fulfilled effort made a loam that was deep enough for the seeds of desire[...] it was brighter in the gathering gloom.

Therefore, Silas obviously used the money as a way to soothe his soul, more than anything. He depended on it to remind himself that he was “OK” after all, and that he didn’t need his former life anyway. He was entirely enveloped in the material to solve the immaterial.

And then….it was all gone.

Choice of words

Now that it is clear what the money mean to Silas, let’s look at what happens when this token of subsistence and spiritual healing is unfairly taken away by Dunstan Cass.  Silas has already gone through the suffering of being falsely accused and having his lifestyle and reputation stolen by his “best friend.”  Now, he finds himself in the same situation, only that this time he has absolutely nothing to live on. His earnings, his “strength,” is gone twice over.

It is no wonder why Eliot uses the exact opposite choice of words used from the time Silas got the money to express his anguish of it being gone. The language used is a strong combination of words that elicit in the reader vicarious feelings of:

• 
  Outrage, or the initial shock that sets in when something unexpected takes place

The sight of the empty hole made his heart leap violently

• 
  Denial, or the thinking that such thing could not be possible

but the belief that his gold was gone could not come at once

• 
  Shock, or the freeze-factor thinking that stops us cold

only terror, and the eager effort to put an end to the terror

• 
  Negotiation, or the idea that there may be a way out if it

the idea of a thief began to present itself[…]a thief might be caught and made to restore the gold

• 
  Anger, or the onset of reluctance and wrath

"Robbed!" said Silas, gaspingly. "I've been robbed! I want the constable—and the Justice—and Squire Cass—and Mr. Crackenthorp."

• 
  Grief, when sadness begins to take the place of other emotions

Silas […] was feeling the withering desolation of that bereavement.

• 
  Loss,  or when it is finally clear that it is all over

the fence was broken down—the support was snatched away. Marner's thoughts could no longer move in their old round

• 
  Mourning, missing and trying to take over life again, carrying on the pain of a loss

As he sat weaving, he every now and then moaned low, like one in pain: it was the sign that his thoughts had come round again to the sudden chasm—to the empty evening-time.

Arguably, Silas does go through what we could call in the modern world the “steps to grieving.” They start with shock, disbelief, negotiation and denial, and peak at despair, depression and loss of self.

However, the cycle completes with acceptance, and resignation. At most, redemption may even mercifully show up somewhere in the form of a surprise, charity, or a miracle. Such was the case with Silas with the entrance of Eppie (Hephizibah) in his life shortly after the loss of the gold.

What visuals or clips could be used to illustrate the poem "Inventing a Horse" by Meghan O'Rourke?

If I were making this into a short film or drawing illustrations to go along with it, there are many different visuals I would create. I would definitely start with a lot of horses running in fields, maybe loose at first. Then maybe some horses doing other things like eating, standing by a fence, something like that. As the poem goes on I would use images of creating the fence/pen for the horse, digging holes, putting posts up, images such as that.

Other ideas that go along with the poem would be the horse's foot hitting the ground, and at the end with this stanza:

"...a muzzle and two black eyes/looking the day away, a field empty/of everything but witchgrass, fluent trees,/and some piles of hay" (O'Rourke), I would try to get a close up of the eyes, then an image of a field, back to the eyes, hay, and then a wide shot/image of the field with the horse running again.

Hope that helps!

Why does Sarah Good lie about practicing witchcraft in The Crucible?

Readers learn that Sarah Good has confessed to practicing witchcraft and being in league with the Devil when Mary Warren returns home from the courts on the first day of the trials, and she is questioned by her employers, John and Elizabeth Proctor, about the proceedings.  Mary says that she did not intend to accuse Sarah Good because

she sleep[s] in ditches, and [is] so very old and poor.  But then -- she sit there, denying and denying, and I feel a misty coldness climbin' up my back, and the skin on my skull begin to creep, and I feel a clamp around my neck and I cannot breathe air; and then -- entranced -- I hear a voice, a screamin' voice, and it were my voice -- and all at once I remembered everything she done to me!

Mary does actually believe that Sarah Good has tried to kill her, but it is more difficult to definitively account for how she came to feel these physical sensations in the court.  Next, Mary told the judges a story about how Sarah Good would come to their door to beg for food, and when Mary turned her away, she would mumble.  Once, Mary became very ill for the next two days.  The judges ask Sarah Good what she was mumbling, and she says she was repeating the Commandments to herself.  When the judges ask her to say the Commandments, she is unable to remember even one.  Once they see that she is lying, the judges call this "hard proof" of her guilt, "hard as rock." 

In seeing that she was about to be convicted of witchcraft, and knowing that a conviction meant certain death, Sarah Good likely decided to save her own life and confess.  As a beggar, she really has nothing to lose by confessing.  So, she invents a story about making "a compact with Lucifer," saying that she "wrote her name in his black book -- with her blood -- and bound herself to torment Christians till God's thrown down -- and we all must worship Hell forevermore."  She tells them what they expect to her, they believe the confession to be authentic, and she maintains her life.  

List three reasons why people came across the ocean from Europe to the Americas.

One reason people wanted to leave Europe had to do with persecution. In some cases it was about a particular religious group that felt they could be free from such persecution by starting a new colony across the ocean. Many of the early colonies in North America had groups of religionists coming across the ocean together to found a colony based on their idea of how God wanted them to live.

In other cases it was a matter of practicality. There were those who felt that they had a better chance to make a life for themselves someplace new. Indentured servants signed away years of their lives in order to gain passage to the new world and hopefully an eventual free life with a chance to improve their station.

Which is similar to arguably one of the greatest motivators of all which was simply greed. Usually alongside or right on the heels of "explorers" were those who were looking for new treasure, new trade routes, new ways to get rich. Once news of available land or riches or other things got back to Europe, this inspired others to cross the oceans hoping for the same thing.

What do we know about Mr. Hooper in "The Minister's Black Veil"?

We know that he has a reputation for being "good" as he is called "good Parson Hooper" or "good Mr. Hooper" often by both townspeople and the narrator.  Further, the narrator tells us that 

Mr. Hooper had the reputation of a good preacher, but not an energetic one: he strove to win his people heavenward by mild, persuasive influences, rather than drive them thither by the thunders of the Word.  

In other words, he is no "fire-and-brimstone" minister.  He doesn't try to scare his congregation into right or moral behavior; instead he has always tried to "win" them over by persuading them of the benefits of such behavior.

Moreover, he was engaged to a woman named Elizabeth at the start of the story.  However, when he refuses to directly explain to her the meaning of the black veil, or to show her his face once more after she figures it out, she leaves him.  

Finally, we know that Mr. Hooper has some secrets.  He tells Elizabeth, "'If I hide my face for sorrow, there is cause enough, [...] and if I cover it for secret sin, what mortal might not do the same?'"  In this way, readers indirectly discover that Mr. Hooper wears the veil in order to symbolize the way every person attempts to hide their true, sinful natures from their fellows.  He wears the veil to hide his face just as we all wear a figurative veil to hide our souls.  Even on his deathbed, Mr. Hooper will not remove the material veil.  He asks,

"Why do you tremble at me alone? [...] Tremble also at each other! [....] When the friend shows his inmost heart to his friend; the lover to his best beloved; when man does not vainly shrink from the eye of his Creator, loathsomely treasuring up the secret of his sin; then deem me a monster, for the symbol beneath which I have lived, and die!  I look around me, and, low! on every visage a Black Veil!"

This confirms what he'd told Elizabeth.  ALL of us hold up a figurative veil to hide the true content of our souls from everyone else, even those we love.  This is why Mr. Hooper says that he sees a black veil on every face.  Thus, we do not know what secret sins Mr. Hooper harbors, but we do know that he is a sinner, just like everyone else.

In Great Expectations, what is Pip given when he turns 21, and what does he do with part of it?

When he turns twenty-one, Pip receives the bulk of his trust fund from his benefactor. Prior to this, he had received a periodic allowance (usually at the hands of Mr. Wemmick) and expected to adjust his lifestyle to that amount. Now, however, he has a large amount of cash, and he must learn to be responsible with it (he fails). One thing he decides to do is to arrange for a career for Herbert Pocket as a clerk, with his salary secretly being paid by Pip from his funds. This shows the true nature of Pip’s heart, which has not be hardened by his new urban lifestyle. He has not followed the course of Drummle, who lives to show off his money and his sophistication. The true Pip is still there, not far underneath the surface. Later, when he finds out who his true benefactor is (and has accumulated a great deal of debt), he goes to Miss Havisham to ask that she take over providing the wages for Herbert, who is her own relation, which she agrees to do. Ironically, it is Herbert who has Miss Havisham as his benefactor, not Pip as he believed.

How does Kipling view European imperialism?

Kipling views European imperialism as a necessary burden that must be undertaken.  His view is skewed by ethnocentrism and racism.  In Kipling's view, Asians, Africans, and Latin Americans are an inferior race of people.  They cannot possibly be expected to modernize and become economically successful on their own.  Kipling believes that it is the responsibility of the developed, modern countries (translation:  white nations) to govern over less civilized people (nonwhite.)  In his poem "White Man's Burden" he paints imperialism as an international civic responsibility that has been commissioned by God for Europeans.  It is only through the intervention of modern nations that other countries can hope to cure the ills of famine and disease.  Kipling does not give the sense that this will be an easy task, but one that must be undertaken nonetheless.  

What caused Della to get frustrated in "The Gift of the Magi"?

Although Della sells her hair and Jim sells his watch, the story is really all about Della. Her selling her beautiful hair to buy her husband a Christmas present is what readers will always remember about "The Gift of the Magi." The author remains steadfastly in Della's point of view. Even when Jim sees his wife with nothing left of her hair but pathetic little spit-curls, his reaction is not described from his subjective point of view but from Della's impression of his reaction.

Jim stopped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail. His eyes were fixed upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read, and it terrified her. It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror, nor any of the sentiments that she had been prepared for. He simply stared at her fixedly with that peculiar expression on his face.

What causes Della to get frustrated, as O. Henry emphasizes at the beginning of the story, is that she had been scrimping and saving all year to buy her husband a Christmas present and, with Christmas only one day away, she had only managed to save $1.87. It is interesting that O. Henry repeats this three times.

One dollar and eighty-seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas.

Tomorrow would be Christmas Day, and she had only $1.87 with which to buy Jim a present. 

Only $1.87 to buy a present for Jim.

O. Henry himself may have been under pressure because of Christmas. He was a notoriously heavy drinker, said to consume two quarts of whiskey a day, and he did a lot of his writing with paper and pencil in saloons. The story sounds a bit padded. He probably had to produce a certain quota of words for the paper that employed him. He may not have reread his production carefully. He may not even have been able to read it over by the time he finished it. Otherwise he should have seen that he was just repeating himself. But, anyway, Della was frustrated because she hadn't been able to save up enough money to buy her husband a really good present.

This problem leads to a desperate solution. Impulsively, she goes to a hair buyer called Madame Sofronie and sells all her beautiful, long hair for twenty dollars. With this small fortune she can buy Jim a truly luxurious platinum watch-fob. But the solution leads to a greater problem. She is afraid her husband will stop loving her when he sees how she looks without her hair. She becomes frustrated again until Jim returns home from work and reassures her that he will always love her, and proves his love by telling her he sold the watch to buy her a set of combs for her vanished hair.

Della's feelings are the most important, because this is really Della's story and not the story of Della and Jim. Jim is a minor character who has only a walk-on appearance at the very end. Della's frustration will lead to the touching ending.

After her husband's death, explain the difficulties that Helen Robinson had to face.

After her husband's death, Helen Robinson didn't have the privilege of mourning quietly. She was now her children's sole support, both financially and emotionally. Link Deas had given her a job to help the family, but Helen found herself at Bob Ewell's mercy every day.

Accordingly, Helen had to walk a mile out her way to get to work. It was next to impossible to use the public road, as Bob Ewell and some members of his family often lay in wait to harass her. For his part, Mr. Link Deas had to speak to Bob Ewell twice about harassing Helen.

The first instance happened when Mr. Link Deas walked Helen home. On the way past the Ewell home, he stopped to warn the Ewell family against further antagonizing and harassing his cook. The second instance happened when Link spoke to Bob Ewell about following Helen from afar and "crooning foul words" in the distance.

For his part, Bob Ewell denied any wrongdoing. He crudely claimed that he would never think of violating Helen. In response, Link asserted that Bob Ewell didn't need to physically violate Helen for him (Link) to pursue charges against him. As a warning, Link proclaimed that he would resort to having Bob charged under the Ladies' Law if he had to.

Although Bob Ewell eventually stopped harassing Helen, we can see that Helen had many difficulties to face after Tom's death. Not only did she have to navigate a new and precarious life with her children, she also had to face ugly attitudes and harassment from the Ewell family on a daily basis. It was only when Link Deas intervened that she received any measure of peace at all.

What examples of figurative language can be noted in the song "Just The Way You Are" by Bruno Mars?

Bruno Mars' popular "Just the Way You Are" includes several examples of figurative language. Here are two to get you started.

In the first verse, Mars says:

Oh, her eyes, her eyes
Make the stars look like they're not shinin'

This is an example of hyperbole, or over-exaggerating an idea to get a point across. Mars' lover's eyes are not actually brighter than the stars, but Mars claims they are to emphasize how beautiful they are. He is trying to say that the word "beautiful" is inadequate to describe their level of beauty.

In the chorus, Mars employs personification by ascribing human characteristics to an inanimate object.

And when you smile (smile, smile...)
The whole world stops and stares for a while

Mars claims that when his lover smiles the world "stops and stares." The earth cannot stop and stare; this is something a person would do. This could also be considered an example of hyperbole. The world does not actually stop when she smiles, but her smile is so captivating that Mars feels as though the world around him has frozen.

How old is Fortunato?

Since the age of Fortunato is not given, we must guess. Unfortunately Poe does not leave us many clues, so we should first start with Fortunato's background.

The third paragraph suggests that Fortunato has some experience with paintings, gems, and fine wines. Even though he lacks expertise in the first two, these are not hobbies practiced by commoners. Later, the narrator indicates that he has servants. This also gives us the idea the he and Fortunato are members of the elite.

The two biggest clues are how Fortunato meets the narrator and his coughing fit. When they meet, Fortunato is drunk in the street, celebrating the carnival season. His clothes and hat give the idea of a jester, which would suggest that he is a young man enjoying the holidays.

In contrast, his coughing fit in the dungeon would suggest old age. He is overcome "for many minutes." One could guess that it is from smoking, but Fortunato never uses tobacco in the story. Given these clues, we can guess that he is perhaps in his thirties, though one could argue younger or older.

In Chapter 11 of Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis, how does Bud’s rule affect his decisions regarding Herman E. Calloway?

The rule you are referring to from Chapter 11 of Bud, Not Buddy is Bud’s rule about waking up in an unfamiliar place.  According to Bud, if you wake up and are not sure where you are, the best idea is to pretend you are still sleeping.  This rule affects Bud’s decisions about Calloway because Bud follows this rule when he hears a woman’s voice calling his name in order to learn more about the man who Bud thinks is his father.  

Because Bud does not remember where he is, Bud pretends to sleep and hears Mr. Lefty Lewis and the woman talking about Herman E. Calloway.  The woman turns out to be Mrs. Sleet, Lefty Lewis’ daughter.  After discussing the poverty of Bud, the two talk about Calloway (who resides in Grand Rapids) and discuss whether or not it is possible that Herman E. Calloway is actually Bud’s father.  Unfortunately for Bud, he is not able to find out too much. 

When breakfast is ready, Bud finally decides to join in the conversation.  At this point, he is also given a pair of pants so he does not have to meet his “father” in a “pair of knickers.”  Hearing Mrs. Sleet and Lefty Lewis discuss Herman E. Calloway makes Bud even more determined to find his dad in order to figure out whether he has a family.

A physics book is moved one time around the perimeter of a table of dimensions 1.0 m by 2.0 m. If the book ends up in its initial position, what is...

Displacement is the shortest distance between the initial and final position. In this case, the book was moved from its initial position and along the perimeter of a table and was brought back to its initial position. Since the initial and final positions of the book are the same, there is no displacement of the book.

Hence, displacement of the book = 0 m.

If we are interested in calculating the distance traveled by the book, we can do so and figure out if it is same as the displacement. The book moved along the perimeter of the table (of dimensions 1 m by 2 m). Hence the total distance traveled by the book is equal to 1 perimeter of the table, which is 6 m (= 2 x 1 + 2 x 2 m). And we can see that distance traveled is not the same as the displacement.

Hope this helps. 

In To Kill a Mockingbird, how does Scout Finch's impulsiveness help her throughout the novel?

In general, Scout's impulsive behavior gets her into trouble at times, but in the end, it helps her to learn new things. She always wants to voice her opinion and always wants to know what is going on. As a result, she is always involved in talking about things and learns in the process. She, Jem, and Dill are impulsive (and calculating) in their preoccupation with Boo Radley. As a result, Boo actually interacts with them in secret, even finding it humorous when they mock him. This actually leads to an odd type of indirect friendship which ends up saving Scout's and Jem's lives. 

For a more specific example of Scout's impulsiveness that is fortuitous, look to Chapter 15. Atticus has gone to guard the jail to protect Tom Robinson. As he'd feared, a mob shows up to attack Tom. Scout, Jem, and Dill follow Atticus down to the jail without his knowledge. When the mob confronts Atticus, Scout runs to him with Jem and Dill following. Atticus demands that the children go home. Jem refuses. In an attempt to be friendly, Scout impulsively starts talking to Walter Cunningham Sr. about entailments. She mentions how his son is a nice boy and to say hello for her. Atticus, Jem, and the entire mob are dumbfounded when Scout goes into this monologue. Finally, Walter Sr. tells Scout he will inform Walter Jr. that she said hello. Then he orders the mob to go home. Scout's impulsive behavior inadvertently (although maybe it was partially deliberate) causes the mob to go home. The threat of violence is averted. 

What genre conventions does Romeo and Juliet adhere to?

William Shakespeare's plays can be categorized into the comedies, tragedies, and histories. 

Romeo and Juliet is considered a tragedy because our heroes suffer a terrible downfall and sorrowful end. Romeo and Juliet both commit suicide, Mercutio, Tybalt, and Paris are all murdered, and the Capulets and Montagues are left to mourn the loss of their dear family members. 

After Romeo is told that Juliet is dead, he proclaims, "I defy you, stars!" which gets to the heart of the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Romeo doesn't blame circumstance or bad luck for his true love's tragic end, but he blames the stars because he believes that everything is destiny and pre-determined. Romeo is frustrated because the heavens took Juliet from him just as quickly as they brought her into his life, and he has now his true love. This is a major theme in the play and only heightens the tragic drama of the lovers' deaths. 

Though Shakespeare himself wouldn't have understood this play as a "Romance," our modern terminology and understanding of genres could easily classify this play as a "Romance." Modern romance stories focus on the development of a relationship that does not always end well. For example, Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet appeals to our modern sensibilities of romantic relationships by setting the play in a modern context. More than anything else, this modern adaptation focuses entirely on Romeo and Juliet's passion and devotion to one another more than any other relationship in the play. 

Where is Calpurnia's house located?

Calpurnia's house is located in what is called the Quarters; it is mainly where the African-American community in Maycomb lives. Although Calpurnia works as a cook and housekeeper for the Finches, she has her own home in the Quarters. As an employee, Calpurnia has been with the family ever since Jem was born. She is a strict yet loving maternal influence in both Jem and Scout's lives.

Calpurnia works in the Finch home during the day and returns to her own home in the Quarters at night. Even on the coldest evenings, Calpurnia insists on going home. In the story, Atticus drives Calpurnia home during one of the coldest winter nights in Maycomb. On this night, Miss Maudie's house burns down, and the men of Maycomb work tirelessly through the night to prevent the fires from claiming other nearby homes. Calpurnia returns the next morning to minister to the children and Atticus.

Later in the story, Calpurnia takes Scout and Jem to the First Purchase African M.E. Church. The church is situated in the Quarters, "outside the southern town limits, across the old sawmill tracks" and is so-named because it was originally purchased from the initial earnings of freed slaves. So, Calpurnia's house is located in the Quarters, where she spends some of her time when she is not tending to the Finches. After the church service at First Purchase, Scout expresses a desire to visit Calpurnia at her home on occasion. Calpurnia answers that Scout will be welcomed warmly if she decides to visit.

Who was most responsible for Roylott's death in "The Speckled Band"?

Dr. Roylott is responsible for his own death, because his murder weapon turned on him.

Dr. Roylott trained his snake to kill his step-daughters.  Therefore, he is really the one to blame when the snake turned on him and killed him.  Holmes knew about the snake, but there was no way he could predict what it would do.

When Helen Stoner hires Sherlock Holmes, she explains that her sister died an unexpected and unusual death and gives him some background on the family and Roylott.

Violence of temper approaching to mania has been hereditary in the men of the family, and in my stepfather's case it had, I believe, been intensified by his long residence in the tropics. 

Holmes and Watson come to Stoke Moran, where they see many unusual animals.  They sit quietly in their room in the dark.  Holmes waits next to a grate for the snake to appear.  They hear a whistle and follow the snake back to Roylott.  He is dead.

“It is a swamp adder!” cried Holmes; “the deadliest snake in India. He has died within ten seconds of being bitten. Violence does, in truth, recoil upon the violent, and the schemer falls into the pit which he digs for another. …”

Holmes says that when a doctor goes bad, he goes really bad.  Doctors are supposed to help their patients, and they are intelligent enough and know enough about the body to compose terrible crimes.  However, Roylott becomes the victim of his own brilliance when his own snake turns on him.

Holmes says it is all for the best when Roylott dies.  This saves them the cost and difficulty of a trial.  Helen Stoner now has nothing to fear (as long as she can get rid of all of those animals).  The case has a happy ending, for everyone except for Dr. Roylott that is! 

A star's apparent brightness is _________________ its absolute brightness. What is the difference between a star's apparent brightness and its...

A star’s apparent brightness is not the same as its absolute brightness.

The following definitions were provided by the Chandra X-ray Observatory’s glossary that was published by Harvard.

• A star’s apparent brightness is the star’s brightness as it naturally appears in the sky, at its natural location from Earth. 


• On the other hand, a star’s absolute brightness is the apparent brightness that the star would have if it was placed at a standard distance of 10 parsecs from Earth.

A parsec is a standard unit that is used in astronomy. A parsec is equivalent to 3.28 light years. This is equal to about 3.086 x 10^13 kilometers.

Therefore, a star's apparent brightness depends on its distance from Earth. If a star’s actual location is greater than 10 parsecs from Earth, then the star’s apparent brightness will appear dimmer than the star’s absolute brightness. Light appears dimmer as the distance from the light source increases because, as the light travels, it spreads out.

Based on the play "The Merchant of Venice", would you like to live in Venice? Explain your answers with detailed reference in the text.

How well you’d do and whether you’d enjoy life in the Venice of the play would largely depend on who you were and your social status. The city is a good place to be wealthy; having lots of money would enable you to invest in various business ventures that could net you even more money – provided you have the sense not to risk too much. The city rewards those who have financial means and its laws and social structure can make for a very comfortable life if you are a man, and straight, and a Christian, and a Venetian native, and wealthy.

If you aren’t all five of those things, though, Venice can be a harsh place. Jews’ lives are highly restricted and regulated, women are not allowed to engage in most careers, including finance and law, foreigners from anywhere are looked down on, gays are tolerated provided they remain in the closet, people who are not wealthy must find work as servants with little hope of either wealth or job security. Venice works very well for the men who have amassed most of the city’s power and wealth, but finding yourself outside that privileged circle can be a difficult, painful experience.

What is a semi-permeable membrane?

Permeability refers to the ability of a surface to allow the transport of particles across it. A membrane is termed permeable if it allows the transport of molecules across it. A semi-permeable membrane is one that allows transport of only some molecules, while preventing the flow of others. An impermeable membrane does not allow the flow of any molecules across it. A semi-permeable membrane is also known as a selectively permeable membrane.

A great example of a semi-permeable membrane is the cellular membrane surrounding the cells that make up our body (and plants and animals, etc.). This membrane selectively allows certain molecules to enter the cell, while preventing the entry of all the other molecules. This ensures the safety of the cell and its sustained functioning.

Hope this helps. 

Analyze the effects the independence of the Thirteen Colonies had on the religious groups founded in North America. Specifically, include how the...

The American Revolution led to certain denominational schisms within the Christian population of the North American Colonies. For example, the Anglican Church experienced a split which later led to the development of the Quaker movement (also called the Religious Society of Friends). The reason for the schism was that the Anglican Church, being historically tied to the Church of England, supported the British Crown and was thus not supportive of the colonists' insurrection. Indeed, many leaders within the Anglican Church took up arms against fellow colonists in an attempt to preserve the Crown's authority. The pacifist schism of the Anglican Church chose not to take up arms. This difference of opinion on religion, politics, warfare, and the use of force eventually led to the splintering off of numerous denominations in America. 

This turbulent background is the context in which the Baptist movement in America developed. There are three main reasons why the Baptist movement could have only been successful in an independent America and couldn't have thrived under British authority. First, the Baptist Church supported a separation of church and state. This secular political outlook was at odds with the British religious doctrine of unity between God and the Crown. Second, the Baptist denomination was unique for its practice of baptizing adults. Most denominations at the time baptized infants. However, for baptists, baptism represented a conscious, dedicated choice to become a member of the church. By not baptizing infants, the Baptist church was disrupting an important and long-held social tradition. Finally, the Baptist church took a long time to grow. Though founded in the 1600's, membership did not reach significant numbers until well into the 1800's. It is in part due to the secular nature of American politics that the Baptist movement was given the time and freedom it needed to develop a stable base and strong foundation. 

Why do you think people are moving away from rural areas towards urban areas?

There are a number of reasons for the migration of people from rural areas to urban areas. These include employment opportunities, educational facilities, lifestyle preferences, better medical care, social and personal life opportunities, etc. Any one or a combination of these factors may cause migration. Most of the rural areas around the world are dependent on agriculture and may not provide adequate employment opportunities for everyone in the family (depending on the size of the land). Urban areas, on the other hand, have more employment opportunities in various sectors (such as manufacturing, services, etc.). Urban areas also typically boast better educational and medical care facilities. People may find the former to be more attractive for their offspring, while the latter may be beneficial to their parents. Urban areas also provide more chances for social interaction, a better personal life and a higher standard of living. All these factors may cause people to shift to urban areas. 

On the other hand, some people may decide to shift to rural areas (from urban areas) because they are not satisfied with the rapid pace of urban life and want a more peaceful existence. 

Hope this helps. 

In the short story "The Cask of Amontillado", why did Montresor kill Fortunato?

Montresor never goes into great detail about his reasons for killing Fortunato, however, he claims that he kills Fortunato because of an insult. Montresor states that:

The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge.

In the story, Montresor seems to have an overly developed sense of pride or honor that requires him to respond to something like a minor insult with murder. After he is insulted by Fortunato, Montresor concocts an elaborate plan in order to redress the wrong. He comes up with a ruse about a rare cask of wine and uses it to lead Fortunato deep into the underground vault under his family estate. Once there, he tricks Fortunato into going into a dead end tunnel, shackles him to a wall, and covers the tunnel with bricks. Why Montresor thinks that this is the appropriate response to an insult, no one knows.

What do the blue suede shoes symbolize to Roger? Why are they so important?

In the story "Thank You, Ma'am" by Langston Hughes, the boy named Roger has tried to snatch the pocketbook of Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones. The excuse he gives her for wanting to steal the pocketbook is that he wanted to buy some blue suede shoes with it. This is in response to Luella's assumption that he must have been hungry and needed to steal in order to afford food for himself. After she forces him to come home with her for a civilized dinner and conversation, Luella acknowledges her understanding of Roger's bad behavioral choice by commenting, "I were young once and I wanted things I could not get".

At first the shoes represent "things Roger cannot get". They are a temptation that causes him to attempt committing a crime in order to obtain them. Luella cautions him that any shoes he might obtain in a "devilish" way would burn his feet. In other words, she warns that no crime goes unpunished. Roger would be setting himself up for negative consequences if he were to succeed in getting the coveted shoes by dishonest means.

Suddenly the symbolic meaning of the shoes changes, however, when Luella hands Roger some cash and tells him to go buy himself the shoes. He is dumbfounded by her generosity, especially in light of the fact that he had tried to rob her. He can barely utter a word of thanks before she bids him good night and shuts the door. Now the shoes represent Luella's grace; she has shown mercy, compassion, and a strict sort of love for the boy who was a perfect stranger to her before this night. If Roger indeed uses the money to go buy the blue suede shoes, he will surely be forced to remember Luella's example of grace every time he puts them onto his feet. If he follows her lead as he grows up, he may one day become an adult who is in a position to shepherd young people back onto the straight and narrow path. 

What was the last voice to die saying in "There Will Come Soft Rains"?

In Ray Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains," the house is the last voice to speak as it continuously says, "Today is August 5, 2057, today is August 5, 2057, today is ...," as it burns down. This voice at the end is extremely haunting to the story as it demonstrates the absolute absence of humanity after a nuclear holocaust destroyed much of life in 2057.

Throughout the story, Bradbury creates images that demonstrate this absence of humanity while the robotic "life" continues to operate. The story's first paragraph demonstrates this: "The morning house lay empty. The clock ticked on, repeating and repeaing its sounds into the emptiness."

Perhaps the most haunting image in the story comes when Bradbury captures the moment a nuclear bomb detonated, killing each member in the household (except for the dog):

"The entire west face of the house was black, save for five places. Here the silhouette in paint of a man mowing a lawn. Here, as in a photograph, a woman bent to pick flowers. Still farther over, their images burned on wood in one one titanic instant, a small boy, hands flung into the air; higher up, the image of a thrown ball, and opposite him a girl, hands raised to catch a ball which never came down."

The purpose of this image is to show that the only life that's left is the artificial computerized house life. However, the house, without humans, is unable to solve problems. So when a tree crashes into the kitchen and starts a fire, the house is unable to save itself.

How does Robert Frost create a sense of horror in the poem "Out, Out—"?

Robert Frost's poem "Out, Out--" is the story of a young boy "Doing a man's work, though a child at heart--" (l. 24); the boy is using a saw to cut wood.  Frost creates a sense of foreboding from the beginning by describing how the saw "snarled and rattled" in line 1 and repeats that phrase twice in line 7.  He follows those cacophonous words with "And nothing happened" in line 9, foreshadowing to the reader that "something" must happen later in the poem.

Frost also uses personification when describing the saw to add to that sense of horror. When the boy's sister comes to tell him that it is suppertime, "At the word, the saw, / As if to prove saws knew what supper meant, / Leaped out at the boy’s hand, or seemed to leap—" (ll. 14-16), cutting the boy's hand.  This personification indicates that the saw chose to cut the boy's hand instead of it being a tragic accident.  Added to the fact that it is a young boy instead of a man, the tragedy is even greater.  Frost emphasizes that tragedy at the end when the doctor is working to save his life: "They listened at his heart. / Little—less—nothing!—and that ended it" (ll. 31-32).  The use of the dashes adds to the anxiety of the reader who wants the boy to live.  But, in the end, there was "No more to build on there. And they, since they / Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs" (ll. 33-34).  The tragedy comes when no one even comments on the boy's death, but instead all turn to their affairs and continue as if nothing happened.

In the Canterbury Tales how does the wife of bath relate to feudalism?

The Wife of Bath primarily relates to feudalism by flouting it, or at least by providing an alternative to the traditional structure of feudalism. As a starter, it's important to remember the basics of feudalism: a hierarchical structure of many layers, feudalism functions with one primary lord (or king) at the top who maintains control of his domain by delegating different regions to lesser lords. These lords in turn keep control of their territory by enlisting the help of knights and nobles, who recruit peasants to work the land. In each exchange, each party gets something valuable in return for service: the king provides protection and support for his lords in exchange for their military service. Likewise, the peasants get protection in return for working the land. It's a system based on patriarchy and a rigid class structure.

In many ways, the Wife of Bath sidesteps this whole process. She is an artisan, a cloth-maker to be exact, and so she does not fit in with the nobility or peasantry. Additionally, as a woman, she would normally be at the bottom of the feudalism totem pole. However, as a small business owner, the Wife represents an independent form of proto-capitalism, rather than an offshoot of feudalistic society. 

Finally, it's important to remember the fact that, in her tale, the Wife of Bath argues for the sovereignty of women, and presents a world in which a woman governs King Arthur's court and a woman governs her own marriage. In a patriarchal society such a feudalism, such arrangements were rare or non-existent. As such, it is clear that the Wife represents an alternative to feudalism and acts as the precursor to a world in which women gain greater sovereignty and are no longer subjected to the will of patriarchy. 

What does Thug try to get Bud to do when they go to dinner in Chapter 13?

After Jimmy agrees to feed Bud as long as he tells the truth about his familial origins, the band brings him to dinner at his first ever restaurant experience: The Sweet Pea, which is supposed to be the best restaurant in Flint. 

Once there, Calloway continues to resist Bud's attempts to connect with him on a father-son level. It's quite evident that Calloway has no interest in developing a relationship with this young man, a fact which wounds Bud and causes him to later refer to Calloway as "a mean old coot." 

After Calloway has left the room, Thug tries to get Bud to refer to Calloway as "Daddy" or "Poppa" and to greet him more enthusiastically the next time he sees him... more specifically, to give him a big kiss on the top of his head. 

Although Bud has enough good sense not to do something so ridiculous, he is still troubled by Thug's teasing. Steady Eddie must eventually rescue him and keeps him company during the rest of the dinner. 

In To Kill A Mockingbird, what are at least three ways in which Boo Radley is powerless against his brother Nathan Radley?

No one knows for sure what type of mental disability Arthur (Boo) Radley suffers from, but it's enough to keep him from being able to work a job or live alone. It also seems like Boo doesn't talk, so he can't or doesn't speak for himself. Tack on the fact that he stabbed his father in the leg with scissors when he was 3 years old and it all adds up to either confining Boo to an asylum, jail, or his own house where family can take care of him. After having Boo locked up in the basement of the courthouse for a while, the town and Mr. Radley decided to keep him at home. Scouts description of how Boo was handled comes down to the following:

"Nobody knew what form of intimidation Mr. Radley employed to keep Boo out of sight, but Jem figured that Mr. Radley kept him chained to the bed most of the time. Atticus said no, it wasn't that sort of thing, that there were other ways of making people into ghosts" (11).

After Mr. and Mrs. Radley died, Boo's older brother Nathan came home to take care of him. Calpurnia had once commented that the meanest man alive was Mr. Radley. Later, Scout mentions that "the only difference between them [Mr. Radley and Nathan Radley] was their ages" (12). This suggests that Boo's treatment at home under Nathan's care--whatever it was--probably continued in the same way it had been when his "mean" father was alive. 

From neighborhood reports, though, it seems as if Boo is permitted to go outside at night as long as he doesn't disturb anyone. Scout also mentions that Mr. Radley wouldn't speak to her, but Nathan would. Sadly, Nathan Radley stops any communication between Boo and the children when they use the knothole in the tree as a mailbox. Boo, in a childlike state of mind himself, was probably trying to reach out to the children by placing gifts in the tree for them. In an effort to control the innocent situation, Nathan fills up the knothole with cement and cuts off any connection Boo could have had with the kids.

Ultimately, Boo's mental limitations make him powerless against his brother. Boo can't speak for himself and he can't control impulses to harm people like his father and Bob Ewell. These things hold Boo back from being able to get a job, provide for himself, and live an independent life. Nathan, on the other hand, can do those things, so he takes care of his brother where his parents left off. 

In Lord of the Flies, what is the connection between the pig's head and the beast?

The first discussion of a "beast" in Lord of the Flies is from chapter 5. This beast represents the children's fear--fear that comes from nightmares, from being separated from their homes and parents, and from the unknown. The "beast from air" in chapter 6 is a physical object, namely the corpse of a paratrooper and his parachute. This beast represents the downward spiral of society that exists not just on the island but to a greater extent in the outside world, which is in a state of nuclear war. This beast foreshadows the third beast, the Lord of the Flies, that Simon meets in chapter 8. The "pig's head on a stick" that Golding names "the Lord of the Flies" is the culmination of the other two beasts. As early as chapter 5, Simon had postulated about the beast, "maybe it's only us," which brought scorn from the other boys. In chapter 6, Simon says he doesn't believe in the beast. But in chapter 8, he meets the beast in the form of the pig's head and learns what it really is: "I'm part of you? Close, close, close! I'm the reason why it's no go? Why things are what they are?" Here we get the answer to the mystery of the beasts. The moral darkness within the human heart is what causes both fear and the destruction of society through hatred and violence. The pig's head ties both the beast from the sea and the beast from the air together, showing that they both stem from man's inner depravity.

Why does the prince still seem to be alive after being bitten by a snake and having gone to another planet?

This part can be a little hard to understand if you read the chapter just once, or too quickly. Try reading it a couple of times, slowly. 

Here's what happens in that chapter:

The pilot comes up to the little prince and is surprised and shocked to see that the little prince has been talking to a snake. Snakes in the desert can kill you in one quick bite, and they move fast.

(Now we have to remember here that near the beginning of the story, the snake had offered to kill the little prince anytime he wanted.) Although the narrator doesn't tell us exactly, we can figure out right here that the little prince was arranging to meet the snake later to be killed. The little prince is ready to leave the earth and wants to go quickly, without too much pain. Again, the narrator doesn't tell us right here what the little prince and the snake talked about.

The little prince and the pilot walk along together and talk for a while. When they come to the spot where the little prince has agreed to meet the snake, he walks forward alone, is bitten, and immediately falls over in death.

Whether or not the little prince actually goes back to his own planet after death is a matter of interpretation. The way I read the story (and the way that many readers do) is that the little prince simply died, and that the pilot takes comfort in merely imagining that the little prince has gone home.

Provide quotes that would help in a character analysis of Minnie Foster in "A Jury of her Peers."

It is a much changed woman from Minnie Foster who sits in the jail as the story begins. Mrs. Wright has become a rather nondescript and withdrawn woman, while Minnie Foster was vivacious and sociable and pretty.

As Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters wait on their husbands who have gone upstairs in the Wright house to search from clues to the murder of Mr. Wright, they move about in the kitchen and straighten some things that are out of place. Earlier, Mrs. Hale has looked at the rocking chair in the kitchen in which Mrs. Wright was sitting when Mr. Hale visited the Wrights. She has thought this rocker "didn't look in the least like Minnie Foster...of twenty years before." Now, after Mrs. Peters has fetched a shabby black skirt that has been mended many times to be taken to Mrs. Wright, Mrs. Hale remarks that perhaps Mrs. Wright kept to herself because she had no nice things to wear. 

"She used to wear pretty clothes and be lively--when she was Minnie Foster, one of the town girls, singing in the choir."

Later, as the women talk more, Mrs. Hale tells Mrs. Peters,

"I wish you'd seen Minnie Foster...when she wore a white dress with blue ribbons and stood up there in the choir and sang."

This description is certainly in contrast to the taciturn and distracted woman rocking in the chair that Mr. Hale greeted the other day:

"I said "Ho' do, Mrs. Wright? It's cold, ain't it?' And she said, 'Is it?'--and went on pleatin' at her apron."

The Minnie Foster that Mrs. Wright was formerly is clearly a different woman from that who has suffered isolation and deprivation. Once a pretty and charming young woman who was active in her community, a woman who enjoyed the pleasure of being in a choir and singing before others, now Mrs. Wright is an isolated, lonely, plain woman who suffers from the lack of socialization and the enjoyment of music.

What is the theme of The Witch of Blackbird Pond?

Most novels have many themes.  The Witch of Blackbird Pond is no exception.  You can find key themes by reading the novel.  What are some ideas that are shown throughout the book when you read it?  Here are a few themes with textual evidence from the story:

- Kit shows loyal friendship throughout the story.  She befriends Hannah Tupper, who is not accepted in the town because she is mysterious and a Quaker.  Kit is loyal to her even though their friendship is frowned upon.

-  Duty is important to daily life in Puritan Connecticut.  Aunt Rachel, Mercy, and Judith are dutiful to their daily chores and the expectations of their community and Uncle Matthew.  They work all day to run the household.

-  Love is shown throughout the story.  Kit shows love to Hannah Tupper and lonely Prudence.  She shows love to Mercy by going to Mr. Kimberley (a man who "'isn't known for changing his mind'") and negotiating about her cousin's position as the dame school teacher.

What repeated ideas do you see when you read the novel?  What characteristics do the main characters have?  Are these characteristics shown repeatedly?  These are ways that you can find a theme.

How does the setting support the theme of grief in the novel The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold?

First, you should define "setting," which refers to the time and place of a narrative. The Lovely Bones focuses on Susie's murder, which occurs on December 6, 1973, and its aftermath.

Next, consider that nature's seasonal changes are often used to represent/emphasize the stages of life. If you live in an area with distinctive seasonal changes, this is easier to notice in everyday life because spring, summer, autumn, and winter are marked by obvious variations in temperature, the amount of sunlight (vs. precipitation like rain or snow), and the activities in which people engage (working outdoors with gardens vs. staying inside because the gardens are dead of winter frost).

So, if Susie's murder occurs on December 6th, then it happens during a time of extreme cold, when the trees are bare, and the days are short. The narrative also states specifically that it is snowing and is already dark when Susie encounters Mr. Harvey.

Since the time and place of Susie's murder is distinctly not set during a period of rebirth, hope, or renewal, this is one way in which the time frame supports the novel's themes of grief and mourning.

(You can also extend the seasons metaphor to examine how the narrative discusses the characters' actions and Susie's observations in relation to the time of year.)

How did Europeans become interested in trade with Asia?

Prior to the 1400s, Constantinople was a major center for trading between European and Asian merchants.  When the Ottoman Turks took over Constantinople, trade was disrupted.  This led European traders to seek a new way to trade with the Asian countries.  Other routes, including those by water, were explored.  This desire for new trade routes led Christopher Columbus to seek a route to Asia across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492.

It was in 1498 that the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrived in Asia.  This man's arrival can be described as the establishment of

"the first direct contact between western Europe and maritime Asia, ushering in a period of commercial, cultural and technological exchange."

This establishment of contact and trade routes changed the availability of goods available to Europeans.  Trade between the two continents became much more widespread.  Access to goods increased.  Foods and other goods were introduced to Europe in larger quantities and became part of their daily lives.  Tea and spices were introduced and became essential to European diets.  Fabrics such as silk and cotton also came from Asian traders.  The Portuguese found that there were already established trading networks in Asia when they arrived, which made trade easier.

How do you think Scrooge feels listening to Mrs. Crachit's words after her husband's toast?

We are not told exactly, but based on his his reaction just previous to that moment, we can assume he felt pretty terribly.

Just prior to the toast, Scrooge had been asking the spirit about Tiny Tim. He saw that he was crippled and asked if the little boy would live. The ghost retorts back to him,

“'If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, none other of my race,” returned the Ghost, “will find him here. What then? If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.'”

Scrooge hung his head to hear his own words quoted by the Spirit, and was overcome with penitence and grief "(Stave Three).

He feels ashamed at his previous remarks and when the ghost throws them back at him, he has no response. Directly after this is when Bob Cratchit makes the toast to Mr. Scrooge as the "Founder of the Feast," and Mrs. Cratchit says,

“It should be Christmas Day, I am sure,” said she, “on which one drinks the health of such an odious, stingy, hard, unfeeling man as Mr. Scrooge. You know he is, Robert! Nobody knows it better than you do, poor fellow" (Stave Three)!

Although we are not told how Scrooge reacts here, we are told that the mood of the entire family dampens after her comment. It is clear that she has reminded them of something very uncomfortable, Mr. Scrooge's stinginess. They do recover from this brief melancholy, but it is obvious that in so many ways Ebenezer Scrooge has made it clear to people that he does not care about them. That is why we see the spirit throw his own words back at him and why we see Mrs. Cratchit respond with such anger. So, we can assume that Scrooge is feeling pretty bad about himself and how others perceive him as a result of the way he has treated them.

Oxygen, Nitrogen, and hydrogen are in a 6-liter container. The total pressure in the container is 8.00 atm. If the oxygen is 3.00 atm and the...

This problem can be solved using Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures, which states that the total pressure of a mixture of gases is equal to the sum of the partial pressures of the individual gases:

`P_(Total) = P_A + P_B + P_C +....`

In this case,

`8.00 atm = P_(Total) = P_O_2 + P_N_2 + P_H_2`

so

`P_H_2 =P_(Total) - P_O_2 - P_N_2`

The partial pressure of nitrogen must be converted to atmospheres to be consistent with the other two pressure values:

2.50 torr x (1 atm/760 torr) = 0.00329 atm

The partial pressure of hydrogen is:

8.00 atm - 3.00 atm - 0.00329 atm = 4.9967 atm

Rounded to 3 significant digits: 5.00 atm

The partial pressure of an individual gas in a gas mixture is the pressure the gas would exert if it was the only gas in the container. When a gas mixture behaves ideally, each gas in the mixture obeys the ideal gas law independently, regardless of other gases present.

What is Gitl's physical appearance in The Devil’s Arithmetic?

The reader learns about Gitl’s exact physical appearance in chapter 4 of The Devil’s Arithmetic.  Hannah has turned around to find herself in a small cottage and sees a woman before her.  The woman (we find out a bit later) is Gitl.  Gitl is dressed in a dark-colored skirt.  Gitl has an apron on and wears a kerchief on her head.  Gitl speaks in Yiddish, so Hannah is amazed that she is able to understand because Hannah has never really been able to understand that particular language of the Jewish faith.  As Gitl first speaks to Hannah (and asks if Shmuel is coming), Gitl is standing at a table set fairly low to the ground while she roughly pounds and kneads bread dough.  Gitl is obviously busy with her domestic duties in her cottage while she waits for Shmuel to arrive home.  Later in the story, Gitl will look quite different with her head shaved, a number on her arm, and a ragged uniform when she is taken to the concentration camp with Hannah.  Through it all (and no matter how her appearance changes), Gitl is always a symbol of both wisdom and hope in The Devil’s Arithmetic.

From Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, what realization does Scout come to about the tree treasures in chapter 26?

Near the end of To Kill a Mockingbird, Boo Radley saves Scout and Jem from Bob Ewell who wanted to hurt the children. Throughout the book the kids were always wondering if they'd ever see Boo Radley and they finally did on that fateful night. By chapter 26, after he saved their lives, Scout reflects on Boo and wonders if she will ever see him again. She intelligently put pieces into place, such as Mr. Nathan Radley walking to and from town every day, so she knows there's still life in the house. Then she concludes that Boo must still be alive because "nobody'd seen him carried out yet" (242). Then she catalogues the tree treasures that she found in the knot hole:

"Two Indian-head pennies, chewing gum, soap dolls, a rusty medal, a broken watch and a chain. . . I stopped and looked at the tree one afternoon: the trunk was swelling around its cement patch. . . We had almost seen him a couple of times, a good enough score for anybody" (242).

All of the tree treasures were found during the day, but Boo was never seen during that time. One can infer that since Boo is living, but not seen during the day, he must go out at night. In fact, he must have been the one to place those treasures in the tree because the only other soul living there sealed it up with cement. Hence, Scout realizes that Boo was her friend all along because he had given the children the gifts. She also realizes how special that friendship is to both her and Jem and to Boo.

How does Schama structure the Death of a Harvard Man (Parkman) novella in his book Dead Certainties, and how does his in-depth character...

In writing Dead Certainties, Schama argues that nothing can be entirely certain in world history. Embedded within the book is a historical fiction murder mystery novella that serves to support Schama’s argument.

Schama deliberately structures his novella with a fractured timeline, jumping forwards and backwards in time as he explores each individual character’s role in determining the ultimate outcome of a historically accurate murder trial. Schama begins the story with the end of the trial, laying out historical facts that led to its conclusion. He then flashes back in time in order to explore the three men who shaped the trial, utilizing unique points of view for each individual. Schama stays true to known events, but allows the reader a fictional glimpse into the minds of the main suspect as well as the janitor who discovers the victim’s body. Schama is not changing history, but merely offering interpretations about how characters could have inwardly processed these events. In order to honor historical consistencies, Schama employs a distant third-person point of view as he describes the murder victim’s known whereabouts and actions leading up to his demise. This narrative choice highlights Schama’s understanding that he cannot assume the thoughts of a man who did not live long enough to tell his side of the story. This allows the reader to understand the power of silence the dead leave behind as we explore their history. Perhaps the most stunning result of Schama’s unorthodox structure is that when the reader is finally brought back to the conclusion of the trial, the factual truths presented at the start of the story begin to spring leaks and plant seeds of uncertainty and doubt in the reader’s mind. By scrambling the historical timeline, Schama somehow clarifies events to such an extent that cracks in the presumed facts begin to show.

Schama’s ability to highlight the inherent uncertainty in facts once believed to be set in historical stone helps justify his claim that all history is uncertain after it undergoes deeper analysis and investigation.

What is Chinese New Year? How is it celebrated?

The Chinese adopted the Western calendar in the early 20th Century and celebrate the New Year on January 1st like much of the world. That has not, however, lessened the excitement surrounding the Chinese New Year and its celebration. In fact, the Chinese New Year continues to be the most important economic and cultural holiday in China. The Chinese New Year is based off on the old Chinese lunar calendar and is celebrated in the middle of the twelfth month. It is a time to celebrate ancestors, which have been traditionally important to the Chinese culture.  In general, the family is central to the celebration as were gods in earlier times.  It is common knowledge that each year is to represent one of the twelve animals relating to the Zodiac.

The Chinese generally bring the family together in the same fashion that many Western cultures will do for Thanksgiving and Christmas. They relax from the stresses of their job and life in general. There are large parades and public gatherings. Many rituals take place to guarantee good fortune in the coming year. Examples of the rituals included shooting fireworks, ritual cleaning of the house, and paper sacrifices to the deities. Today the holiday is known as the Spring Festival. This is a very recent development and points to a more secular aspect to the celebration. Some of the traditions are at risk as younger people tend to have different ideas of how they would like to spend their week off of work or school.

What poetic devices are used in the poem "The Cloud" by P.B. Shelley?

Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem "The Cloud" is a cloud personified. In other words, the poem is from the point of view of a cloud. The thunder is the cloud's "laughter," and through imagery, the reader can see, not only the clouds themselves, but also the "thirsty flowers," the streams, the seas. Personification is used again in the line,

"I bear light shade for the leaves when laid

In their noonday dreams." (Shelley ll. 3-4)

The leaves are personified here as beings who dream. Throughout the poem, nature continues to be personified. "Great pines groan aghast" is another example as is "The sanguine Sunrise, with its meteor eyes." Here the reader gets the added imagery of the sunrise riding on the back of the cloud--as though flying with lit wings.

Snow is compared metaphorically to the cloud's pillow, and while the moon is a dancing maiden, the stars are a "swarm of golden bees." Shelley uses a simile when he writes,

"Sunbeam proof, I hang like a roof,

The mountains its columns be." (Shelley ll. 65-66)

And another simile toward the end,

"Like a child from the womb, like a ghost from the tomb,

I arise and unbuild it again." (Shelley ll. 83-84)

This very famous poem also uses rhyme, but the rhyme scheme does not stay consistent throughout the entire poem. 

Electric force between two point charges q&Q at rest is F. Now, if a charge -q is placed next to 'q', what will be the (A) force on Q due to q (B)...

`F = k (qQ)/r^2` , where k is a constant and r is the distance between the two charges. In the given problem, we have the two charges q and Q and the force F between the two of them is known.

When another charge is added to the system, the total force on Q will change, since there will be another force on Q acting from another charge. However, the force from the original charge q on Q will remain unchanged, it will still be determined by the Coulomb's Law and equal F.

So, the answer for A) is F.

If another charge equals -q, and it is placed next the charge q, then the distance between this charge and Q is the same as that between q and Q. Therefore,  the force between this charge and Q will be

`k(-qQ)/r^2 = -F` , the force equal in magnitude but opposite in direction to the force F between q and Q.

The total force on Q will then be F + (-F) = 0.

B) The total force on Q is 0.

A manufacturing process fills soft drink bottles with a population mean equal to 12.074 ounces and a population standard deviation equal to 0.046...

We are given that the population mean mu=12.074, with a population standard deviation sigma=.046. We are asked to find the percentage of the population with the following properties:

(a) Find P(x<12.010):

We convert the data point by "normalizing": z=(x-mu)/sigma, so z=(12.010-12.074)/.046 or z is approximately -1.39. (Note that this is reasonable; the z score indicates how many standard deviations a score is from the mean and in which direction. 12.010 is less than 12.074 so z<0, and it is almost 1 1/2 standard deviations from the mean.)

Now P(x<12.010)=P(z<-1.39) (Assuming that the underlying population is approximately normal.)

Consulting a standard normal table, we find that the area of the curve to the left of -1.39 (or equivalently the probability of a random z being less than -1.39) is .0822.

So P(x<12.010 is approximately 8.22%

(b) P(x>12.172): convert to a z score; z=(12.172-12.074)/.046=2.13

Then P(x>12.172)=P(z>2.13)

If we are using a table we must be careful, as most tables give the area to the left; here we want the area to the right so we find 1-P(z<2.13)=1-.9834=.0166

So P(x>12.172)=1.66%

What is the author's purpose in including the three paragraphs that begin with the line, "That summer, the summer of 1918, was blighted"?

The author's purpose in the three paragraphs your question refers to are to foreshadow coming events, describe the uncertainty of the times, and provide parallels to the events of the story.

In the first of the three paragraphs, the author gives readers insights into the lives of the narrator and his brother. Their family is dependent on the weather to produce crops and earn a living. The weather was so severe in this summer that crops were badly damaged. May and June are described as drought months, in which the crops withered and died. This creates a parallel to Doodle's weakness and withered limbs.

When Doodle and Brother follow their father out to the cotton fields, they find him with his shoulders sagging, and his chin sinking down to his chest. This is a similar posture to the one Doodle displays when he dies in the storm. The children are frightened at the sight of their father looking defeated. Their security is threatened, much like Doodle's security is threatened when his brother leaves him. When their father raises a fist and begins cursing the Republican party, the brothers giggle and go back to the house. They know their dad is no longer defeated and their security is restored. This parallels their victories in the face of defeat when Brother teaches Doodle to walk, which they reveal on his sixth birthday.

This paragraph also describes a July hurricane, which contains such power that it uproots oak trees and elm trees. This parallels the storm which brought the scarlet ibis to their home, as well as the storm in which Doodle dies.

In paragraph two, Chateau-Thierry, Amiens, and Soissons all refer to battles that took place in World War I in France. They parallel the efforts of Brother and Doodle in several ways. The Battle at Chateau-Theirry was fought with American and French forces collaborating successfully to defeat the Germans. Prior to this battle, fought around the regions of Soissons and Chateau-Thierry, allied forces were able to keep their plans a secret from the Germans. This parallels Brother and Doodle's plans for Doodle's development, which they kept hidden from their family. The battle of Amiens is famous for the gains made by allied forces. Allied forces gained seven miles in one day, which was one of the greatest advances of the war. This is the battle that led to the end of the war. The Battle of Amiens also notably affected German morale, and large numbers of Germans surrendered during this time. This also parallels Brother and Doodle's great gains and their stagnation in Doodle's development program. They both suffer a great loss of morale.

The third paragraph circles back to the opening line of the story, describing the clove of seasons. The preceding paragraphs describe what has lead up to the clove of seasons in which Doodle's death takes place. This paragraph shows Doodle and Brother's frustration. It describes how the narrator's pride manifested in cruel behavior directed toward Doodle, and it foreshadows his death from physical over-exertion.

In to Kill a Mockingbird, why does Scout say Uncle Jack doesn't understand children?

This happens in Ch. 9 when Scout and Francis fight over Francis calling Atticus a name for representing Tom Robinson. Scout gets mad and attacks Francis and instead of asking Scout her side of the matter, Uncle Jack simply punishes her. He says her actions were "obstreperous, disorderly, and abusive" (Ch.9).This prompts Scout to explain to him why she said he is not good with children.

Essentially, she tells him that whenever something happens, Atticus asks both sides of the story before coming to a decision on who, if anyone, should be punished. Uncle Jack "just lit right into" Scout instead. 

Once she explains her side of the story and the fight, Uncle Jack is furious at Francis and understand completely why Scout did what she did. This causes Jack to feel bad. Although he does not apologize for punishing Scout, he does help bandage up her hand and promises not to tell Atticus about the day's events.

What object in The Giver causes Jonas to see flashes of something unusual?

It is an apple, an ordinary apple, that Jonas notices something unusual about. We learn of this in Chapter 3 of The Giver, when we are told of Jonas' experience with his friend Asher. Jonas had grabbed an apple from the basket, and he and Asher were tossing it back and forth.  As the apple is in mid-air, he notices that it has "changed"(24).  He sees this change four different times, and he is perplexed by it. He thinks he might have a problem with his vision, and he checks to be sure he can still read his identification badge properly, but his vision does not seem to be the problem. Still puzzled, he takes the apple home, which is against the Rules, and he examines the apple more, but cannot figure out what he had seen. It is only when Jonas is assigned to the Giver and learns about color that he understands that he had caught a glimmer of red as he and Asher tossed the apple between them.  This is the first time we and Jonas understand that there is no color in the community.

How does Dewey's philosophy, implemented by Miss Caroline, compare to Atticus' theory of education and the impact both have on Scout?

In Chapter Two of To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout goes to school, where she is introduced to a new way of teaching and learning. Her teacher, Miss Caroline, is fresh from college, and she uses a new method of teaching based on the philosophy of John Dewey. As Jem explains it to Scout, "Our teacher says Miss Caroline's introducing a new way of teaching. She learned about it in college. It'll be in all the grades soon. You don't have to learn much out of books that way--it's like if you wanta learn about cows, you go milk one, see?" Jem mistakenly calls this system the Dewey Decimal System, which is unrelated to the concepts of John Dewey. Instead, John Dewey thought that children should learn through an interactive process instead of just being lectured to. Miss Caroline is new to teaching and to Maycomb, and her methods are strange and perturbing to Scout. Instead of teaching children to read directly, Miss Caroline shows the class cards with words such as "cat" on them.

Scout already knows how to read because Atticus reads to her, and Calpurnia asks Scout to copy out passages from the Bible on rainy days. She rewards Scout with butter and sugar sandwiches. Miss Caroline thinks that Scout shouldn't learn to read until she is older.

Miss Caroline's method of teaching relies on educational philosophies, and she employs them rigidly without understanding much about Scout or appreciating the way in which Scout already knows how to read. Atticus, on the other hand, is natural with Scout, and, without pressuring her, understands that she is ready to read. Miss Caroline's methods make Scout dislike school, while Atticus's methods encourage Scout to read and learn because they are more in line with the way she thinks and feels.