What happened to Amanda's Encyclopedia A in Maniac Magee?

The encyclopedia is ripped to shreds to send a message to the Beales and Maniac.

Amanda’s library is her most prized possession, and the encyclopedia’s volume A is the crown jewel.  She wants to read the entire thing.  She has only the one volume of the encyclopedia.  Maniac wants to read it too, but he can’t get his hands on it.

Problem was, Amanda was always reading it. And she vowed she wasn't giving it up, not even to Maniac, till she read everything from Aardvark to Aztec. To make matters worse, the supermarket offer had expired, so there were no other volumes. (Ch. 15)

Amanda carts her entire library to school with her in a suitcase, to protect it.  On the day that Maniac unties the knot, they discover that someone ripped her book.

He followed the scrap-paper trail up Hector and down Sycamore, all the way to the Beales' front steps. The only thing left of the book was the blue-and-red covet. It looked something like an empty loose leaf binder. (Ch. 21)

Amanda is crying, and tearfully says it is her own fault because she left it in the living room where “anybody could look through the window.”  She doesn’t blame Maniac, but he blames himself.  He knows how much that book means to her.  It is the last straw.

After this incident, Maniac decides to leave.  He wants to make sure that Amanda and her family aren’t hurt any more.  People just don’t approve of a white boy living with a black family.  To Maniac, the Beales are his family.  Others do not see it that way.

Maniac’s search for belonging throughout the book is heart-breaking.  With the Beales, he has a chance at a normal life.  However, that normal life is tainted by racism and intolerance.  Although the Beales appreciate Maniac for who he is, the situation is untenable because race relations are not to the point where a white boy can be adopted by a black family.  Ultimately, though, Maniac decides that race makes no difference.

What does Colin learn about love?

In the beginning of An Abundance of Katherines, Colin is obsessed with having his "Eureka" moment. He is a child prodigy who is terrified of wasting his potential and becoming a mediocre adult, determined instead to do something that will change the world. He believes he's found the answer in a relationship formula. Most of the book is spent playing with relationship variables and creating a workable formula for the potential outcome of relationships. This formula is meant to predict both the length of a relationship and who will end the relationship first. Colin develops the formula with data from twenty of his own past relationships.

Just when he thinks he's gotten it right, he discovers the formula predicts that his current relationship will only span a few days, and that his girlfriend will dump him. Rather than dumping him, Lindsay leaves him a snarky note poking fun at his obsession with defining relationships. Colin learns that love is not something that can be predicted or quantified, because it is a variable unto itself.

What women appear or are referred to in the novella Of Mice and Men?

The novella Of Mice and Men only contains a handful of women. Most of them are not depicted in a positive light.

First, the reader encounters the woman in the red dress. In chapter one, George mentions the fact that she is the reason they had to leave their last job. She had accused Lennie of attempting to rape her when he could not let go of her silky red dress. Although she really wasn't to blame, she is one of the reasons that George sees women as nothing but trouble.

The second woman we hear about is Lennie's aunt. Aunt Clara is probably the only woman in the novella who is depicted in a favorable light. George revered her enough to honor her dying wish that he take care of Lennie, and Lennie recalls that she did nice things for him, like give him dead mice and soft pieces of cloth.

Next, we meet Curley's wife. She is a young, pretty woman who flirts with the ranch hands because of her lonesomeness. The ranch hands notice her flirtatious demeanor and say, "Yeah? Married two weeks and got the eye?" (109). Although she has a significant role in the novella, we only know her as "Curley's wife", showing the reader that women were not seen as important to men. In fact, if anything, the men seem to see her as a nuisance and as trouble. For example, Crooks is irritated when she enters his room in the stable and states, "You gotta husban', you got no call foolin' aroun' with other guys, causin' trouble" (85). When she is ultimately killed by Lennie and discarded like trash under hay, Curley angrily blames her for ruining his chance to leave the ranch. Not even her husband shows her any love and respect as he is more concerned with killing Lennie than mourning her.

Finally, the last women we learn of are the prostitutes that the ranch hands like to visit. We learn that there are two whore houses available, and Whit states that "Clara gets three bucks a crack and thirty-five cents a shot, and she don't crack no jokes. But Susy's place is clean and she got nice chairs" (144). The men have no women of their own in their lives, and all they know is women who are available for their use. Even George whom we respect as a character states, "You give me a good whore house every time...A guy can go in an' get drunk and get ever'thing outa his system all at once, an' no messes" (185). Again, the men in Of Mice and Men seem to give women no importance.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, how does finding the gifts in the tree affect Jem?

Jem is moved that the "haint" of Boo Radley has reached out to them in friendship; he is also impressed with how well Boo has carved the little figures of Scout and himself.

When Scout and Jem discover that there is something in the knothole of the Radley's tree that they pass every day on the way home from school, he lets Scout pull them out. She extracts two carved figures from soap of a boy and a girl. Scout thinks of "hoo-dooing," and in fright throws the figures to the ground. This action angers Jem, who quickly snatches them up, scolding Scout, "What's the matter with you?....I've never seen any this good." Then, he realizes that Boo has carved the two of them in close likenesses. Clearly, he is touched emotionally because Jem stands still, staring at Scout, probably without really seeing her. And, when the children return home, Jem takes the two figures and puts them safely in his trunk.

What is Old Major's claim in Animal Farm and what are three reasons why that is his claim?

The basic claim of Old Major is that all animals, no matter what they believe, are slaves. He makes this point right from the beginning. Here are his words:

No animal in England is free. The life of an animal is misery and slavery: that is the plain truth.

Old Major has a cogent case.  He offers proof. First, he says that man is an enemy.  He says that man is the only animal that produces nothing but consumes everything. Moreover, man is the one who oppresses the animals. Here are his words again:

Man is the only real enemy we have. Remove Man from the scene, and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished for ever.

Second, he goes on to say that even the offspring of the animals are not even their own, as man sells or consumes them. He says to Colver that each of his foals were sold off.

Each was sold at a year old — you will never see one of them again.

Finally, Old Major makes the point that even if the animals escaped all of these evils, in the end they are all put under the knife.  They are killed.  Again he says:

But no animal escapes the cruel knife in the end.

Based on these words, Old Major makes a strong case against man. 

Where does Calpurnia take the children?

While Atticus is away for work in law, Calpurnia is in charge of the children.  When Sunday comes, she wants to take them to church.  So, she along with Jem and Scout go to Calpurnia's church.  It is a black church, which offers Jem and Scout a new experience. 

As soon as they arrive, a woman named Lula opposes them.  She does not like the idea of white children in a black church.  She, therefore, accosts Calpurnia with strong words.  Here is the text:

When Lula came up the pathway toward us Calpurnia said, “Stop right there, nigger.”

Lula stopped, but she said, “You ain’t got no business bringin‘ white chillun here —they got their church, we got our’n. It is our church, ain’t it, Miss Cal?”

This shows that racism comes from all sides.  Lula could not stomach white children, no matter how young or who, coming into what she viewed as her "sacred" space.  The irony here is that she probably did not know that Atticus would be the one to defend Tom Robinson. 

Why did Holden decide to write Stradlater's composition for him in The Catcher in the Rye?

When Holden's roommate Stradlater asks him to ghost-write a descriptive composition for him, Holden's answer shows a lot about his character as well as why he is flunking out.

"If I get the time, I will. If I don't I won't," I said.

Holden has to be in the mood to do anything. Then if he does it, he does it his way. He is a nonconformist. When he finally gets around to writing Stradlater's composition, he only does it because he is thinking about his dead brother and sees how he could write that "descriptive composition" about Allie.

Anyway, that's what I wrote Stradlater's composition about. Old Allie's baseball mitt. I happened to have it with me, in my suitcase, so I got it out and copied down the poems that were written on it. . . I wasn't too crazy about doing it, but I couldn't think of anything else descriptive. Besides, I sort of liked writing about it.

One of Holden's problems is that he lacks self-discipline. He attends classes when he feels like it and plays hookie when he doesn't. He reads the assigned books if they interest him; otherwise, he ignores them. This pretty much explains why he has flunked out of three prestigious prep schools. Holden always does well in his English classes because he has a natural talent for writing. J. D. Salinger needed to emphasize that Holden is a good writer, as well as a habitual reader of the books that appeal to him, in order to make it plausible that this sixteen-year-old boy could have been the putative author of The Catcher in the Rye. This rambling, episodic, irreverent, and enormously popular novel sounds like the work of a talented adolescent nonconformist. 

When Stradlater returns from his date and reads the composition he was hoping to turn in as his own work, he explodes.

"You always do everything backasswards." He looked at me. "No wonder you're flunking the hell out of here," he said. "You don't do one damn thing the way you're supposed to. I mean it. Not one damn thing."

Holden must realize that Stradlater is telling him the plain truth. Otherwise, he would not be quoting him when he comes to write The Catcher in the Rye.

What are the advantages of division of labor among cells? Are there any disadvantages?

A unicellular organism, or a cell, has only its own organelle, to depend upon, for carrying out all the life processes. In case of multicellular organisms, cells are specialized to carry out their own set of functions and all such cell groups combine to give an integrated set of functions that define the organism. A multicellular organism may consist of billions of cells. This division of labor has its own advantages and disadvantages. The specialized cells are more efficient and since all the functions and processes need resources and energy, such specialized cells do the job at a fraction of resources, as compared to more generalized cells. Specialized cells can adapt much faster to evolve according to the changes in their own functions, as compared to generalized cells. On the flip side, all the cells are dependent on one another, since they cannot carry out all the functions by themselves. Hence, if one cell group fails, all the other cell groups may fail as well. A networking of cells is also required for coordination of activities between different specialized cell groups and this makes systems, such as, nervous system or cardiovascular system very important. 

Hope this helps. 

Consider the three major classes of biologically important molecules: proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Which steps of the miniprep procedure...

A miniprep procedure is used to isolate plasmid DNA from bacterial cells. The cells are first lysed and then the DNA is adsorbed onto a silica membrane. The membrane is then washed before the DNA is removed by elution. The procedure is relatively simply and involves a number of prepared buffer solutions that come with the kit. These buffer solutions are normally referred to as P1, PE, P2, N3 and PB. 

The bacterial pellet containing the plasmid of interest is initially re-suspended in buffer P1, which contains RNase A, glucose, Tris and EDTA. The EDTA prevents DNases from breaking down the plasmid. The RNase breaks down RNA following cell lysis.

Buffer P2 is then added. P2 contains SDS (a strong surfactant) and a base. P2 is the lysis buffer which breaks down the cell wall and membrane, denatures proteins, and separates double stranded DNA into single stranded DNA. 

The neutralization buffer, N3, is added. The small plasmids will recombine to double stranded DNA. However, the large genomic DNA gets tangled and precipitates out of solution with the other cell components. The plasmids remain in solution. The precipitate is removed by centrifugation.

The supernatent containing the plasmids is then added to the miniprep tubes which contain the silica membranes. The plasmid DNA binds to the membranes. The membranes are then washed with buffer PB (optional) and PE. 

Finally, buffer EB is added to the miniprep tubes. The plasmid DNA detaches from the silica membrane and is collected in the resulting elutant.

To summarize, lipids and proteins are primarily removed during the lysis procedure. With respect to nucleic acids, the RNA is also removed early in the procedure along with the genomic DNA, while the plasmid DNA is retained until the very end.

In the book ¡Yo! by Julia Alvarez, how does Yolanda struggle to be a loyal family member and novelist?

Yolanda knows the struggle her family has undergone because of their immigration to the United States from the Dominican Republic.  As a result, she absolutely struggles to be both a loyal family member and novelist.  Yolanda’s dad, Carlos García, has to give up his profession in order to come to America with his wife and children.  A successful doctor back in the Dominican Republic, Carlos has to switch to servile work in America until he finally is able to practice medicine years later.  Eventually, Yolanda struggles to be a loyal family member by pursuing her career as a novelist.  In some ways, her efforts backfire.  The reader learns about this through the sixteen speakers in the novel.

I’m driving downtown for groceries with the kids in the back seat and there she is on Fresh Air talking about our family like everyone is some made-up character she can do with as she wants. 

In writing and speaking about her family in order to be loyal to them, Yolanda often offends the members of the family she loves.  Private information is revealed; however, it is revealed in order to express pride for her native country.  The prologue is especially important in expressing this concept of violation of privacy.  What ends up happening as a result is that Yolanda becomes a successful novelist, but she is not as successful in being a peaceful member of the family.  Lucinda even admits that Yolanda is forced to live her life “mostly on paper.”  In this way, the reader can truly see the struggle Yolanda has in trying to be both a loyal family member and a novelist.

How old is Kevin at the end of the book?

At the end of the book, Kevin is thirteen years old. In fact, Kevin has just celebrated his thirteenth birthday and has an attack due to his birth defect on the very same day. Unfortunately, it is at this point that Kevin has the seizure that puts him in the hospital for the last time. Max comes to visit Kevin in the hospital and is distressed to find that Kevin is in the Intensive Care Unit instead of the Medical Research Lab and is breathing out of a tiny hole in his throat that makes him sound “whistly.” Max notes that Kevin looks very tiny in his big hospital bed. Sadly, Kevin has yet another seizure while Max is there. It is an important visit, however, because it is at this visit that Kevin tells Max to write about their adventures as “Freak the Mighty.” The unfortunate fact of the matter is that your question could be considered a trick question because at the end of the book, Kevin is no longer living. Kevin dies at thirteen.

What does the poet mean when he says we should treat Triumph and Disaster ‘just the same’?

Rudyard Kipling's poem "If" is a wonderful articulation of the positive qualities and characteristics one needs to be a happy, successful, and well-rounded person. Throughout the poem, Kipling gives warnings that start with the word "if" followed by lines of advice. The following section in question reads as follows:

"If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;" (Lines 11-12).

Looking at the first line, Kipling warns that triumph and disaster will most likely meet everyone at some point in their lives. Then in the second line, he calls these two events impostors because people tend to be fooled with the stereotypical stigmas associated with them. People might believe that they are better than others by achieving success, for instance. Further, people who meet with disaster may believe they are not as good as others. However we choose to respond to triumph and disaster will determine our character. For example, if a person accepts triumph with humility, only to be faced with disaster later, he will handle both of them appropriately and not get caught up with either arrogance or self-pity. On the other hand, if a person deals with triumph with a poor attitude, he or she will probably meet disaster just the same way and suffer for it.

What are some quotes from Johnny Cade that show bravery in The Outsiders?

There are several scenes throughout the novel that portray Johnny Cade's bravery. In Chapter 2, the boys go to the drive-in movies and sit near two Soc girls named Cherry and Marcia. When the boys first spot the girls, Dally sits directly behind them and begins to make rude, offensive comments. Cherry asks Dally to leave them alone, and Dally goes off to buy them Cokes. When he returns with the Cokes, Cherry throws her drink back into his face, and Dally puts his arm around her. Johnny stops Dally and says,

"Leave her alone, Dally." (Hinton 21)

Dally and Ponyboy are both taken back by Johnny's response. Ponyboy knows that Johnny is a quiet, shy individual and Pony never expects him to challenge Dally. Dally listens to Johnny and walks off.

Another scene that depicts Johnny's bravery takes place in Chapter 6 when the boys are hiding out. Dally comes up to visit Johnny and Ponyboy in the abandoned church and takes them to eat at Dairy Queen. While Johnny is eating, he says,

"We're goin' back and turn ourselves in." (Hinton 87)

This is a total surprise to Dally and Ponyboy, but Johnny's comment demonstrates his bravery. Ponyboy understands that Johnny is afraid of the police, but Johnny says,

"It ain't fair for Ponyboy to have to stay up in that church with Darry and Soda worryin' about him all the time." (Hinton 87)

Johnny selflessly recognizes that Ponyboy is innocent, and is willing to try his chances in court. Instead of hiding out like a coward, Johnny bravely decides to do the right thing and turn himself in.

One of Johnny's bravest moments takes place just after they eat at Dairy Queen when he decides to enter the burning church to save the children trapped inside. While Johnny and Ponyboy are in the middle of the fire searching for the children, one of the kids begins to scream for help. Johnny says,

"Shut up! We're goin' to get you out!" (Hinton 92)

Once again, Ponyboy is taken back by Johnny's actions. Ponyboy mentions that Johnny was not acting like himself as he tosses children through an open window. Johnny does not fear the fire and risks his life to save the children.

What does the doctor report about M&M in That was Then, This is Now?

In Chapter 9, Bryon and Cathy find M&M in an upstairs bedroom of a hippie commune-type home strung out on acid. They are told that M&M is suffering from a bad trip and tried numerous times to jump out of the window. When they find M&M, he is acting irrationally and claiming that spiders were trapped in his stomach, eating his insides. Clearly, M&M was out of his mind, and they decide to take him to the hospital. In Chapter 10, the doctor tells Cathy and Bryon that M&M will recover physically, but there is a possibility that he will never recover mentally. He says that there is no way of knowing for certain if M&M will get better. The doctor also tells them that he doesn't believe that M&M will ever be completely the same and begins to elaborate on the negative effects of LSD. Byron tunes him out because he refuses to listen to "sermons" about how kids shouldn't do drugs. Bryon is also upset at the doctor's report because he doesn't think the doctor should be giving depressing, hopeless news to families about their loved ones.

Name three military technologies that changed how World War I was fought.

A number of new technologies changed the way in which World War I was fought.

Firstly, the development and implementation of tanks in World War I changed the face of the battlefield.  These large steel vehicles provided armor for the troops controlling them, while being able to hand out high amounts damage to the enemy.

Secondly, the development of the machine gun also changed how battles were fought. Before World War I, rapid firing weapons were very large and cumbersome, often requiring many men to operate. Newer developed machine guns, first used in World War I, changed battlefield tactics by adding large amounts of fire power that was portable and could be operated by fewer soldiers. 

Thirdly, the implementation of "Chemical Warfare" in the form of poison gas played a large role in how the war was fought not only on the battlefield, but psychologically as well. Because of the ability for poison gas to be implemented at any time, and the fact that when used correctly it could be so effective and deadly, much time and effort went into planning how to prepare and train soldiers for a poison gas attack. Despite these fears, the actual use of poison gas was difficult, and dangerous for the soldiers using it as a weapon, as its effectiveness relied heavily on wind patterns and the weather. 

Hope this helps!

What is the significance of atomic nuclear decay?

Atomic nuclear decay refers to the process by which the nucleus of an atom decays. Nuclear decay is accompanied by release of alpha or beta or gamma radiations and it may result in an isotope of the same atom (by gamma decay) or a new element (by alpha or beta decay). There are a number of applications of nuclear decay, some of the more common applications include carbon dating and nuclear fission. Carbon dating is a technique used to measure the age of fossils and is based on the decay of carbon-14 to nitrogen-14 (beta decay, half life = 5730 years). Similarly, the decay of uranium produces energy (through chain reaction) and this is used as the basis of nuclear energy generation and making nuclear weapons. 

Hope this helps. 

Why do Bud's eyes not cry anymore?

Bud has lived a rough life as a homeless adolescent growing up in the midst of the Depression. Bud lost his mother when he was only six-years-old, and never knew his biological father. Bud has no family support system for the majority of the novel and has endured numerous hardships his entire life. Bud has been in and out of various foster homes and hates living in the orphanage. He has been subjected to bullying by older children and is used to being punished by authority figures. At the beginning of the novel, Bud sleeps outside under trees and is constantly in search of food. The struggles Bud has endured as an adolescent make him tough. He has developed the ability to repress many of his negative experiences because hardship has become second nature to him. Not much can affect Bud anymore because he already suffered through a lot. Bud tells Steady Eddie, "I don't know why, but my eyes don't cry no more" (Curtis 159).

Montag has caught the "dis-ease". What are his symptoms?

The symptoms of Guy Montag's "dis-ease" is his transformation from a passive conformist to the mores of his society to one who rebels against its dehumanization of citizens, by engaging in meaningful conversations with other people and who can read and think independently and by secretly possessing books.

A clue to what the condition is that Montag develops is in Ray Bradbury's purposeful hyphen between the syllables of "dis-ease," dividing the word into the prefix "dis-" which means "not" and "ease" which means comfort. Thus, the word "dis-ease" is meant to be figurative, implying that Guy Montag has become uncomfortable and dissatisfied with his life. The causes of this "disease" begin with his meeting of Clarisse McClellan one evening as he returns home from work. For, in his conversation with the ebullient Clarisse, Montag is introduced to ideas he has never considered: the delight of catching rain on one's tongue, the wonder of being in love and experiencing happiness, the enjoyment of nature, the wonder and pleasure of reading. After his meeting with Clarisse, Montag realizes how empty his marriage is with his estranged wife, Mildred., and how devoid she is of real feelings.

 The other cause of his "dis-ease" is Montag's experience at the home of a woman who owns countless books. When he and the other firemen start to burn these books, they tell her to leave the house, but she refuses; instead, she lights the match that ignites the terrible blaze, choosing to die with her books rather than depart from them. Moved that someone would love books more than life, Montag's curiosity is aroused and he retains some books that he has impulsively caught as they blow through the air during the blaze. He sneaks them home with him, too, and tries to read what is in them.

Thus, Montag's "dis-ease" causes him to change from a complacent member of his society to one who becomes a non-conformist, rebelling against dictates such as those that forbid the ownership of books and actually talking with people about real ideas.

`1, 3, 3^2/2, 3^3/6, 3^4/24, 3^5/120` Write an expression for the apparent nth term of the sequence. (assume that n begins with 1)

 Let us first write the first two terms as fractions as well.

`1/1,3/1,3^2/2,3^3/6,3^4/24,3^5/120,...`

In the numerator we have powers of 3 (`3^0=1` and `3^1=3`). In the denominator we have factorials (`0! =1, 1! =1, 2! =2, 3! =6, 4! =24, 5! =120`). Therefore, the `n`th term of the sequence is 

`a_n=3^(n-1)/((n-1)!)`

We have to put `n-1` because both powers and factorials start with 0 (`a_1=3^0/(0!)`)

How does the narrator describe Rolf Carlé in lines 1-11? Make an inference about his character based on this and the description of the...

Isabel Allende describes scenes of devastation in her short story “And of Clay We are Created.” Despite warnings of an impending volcanic eruption, people in small mountain villages in Brazil stayed in their homes and endured traumatic losses when the volcano spews. The sights, sounds, and smells speak to the horrific consequences of the townspeople’s decision to stay.

Rolf Carlé,an accomplished photojournalist, arrives on the scene by helicopter while others are left to fight their way through mudslides, corpses, and buried villages by land vehicles. We can infer that he achieved an honorable reputation for his work on previous disasters. The narrator describes how Rolf Carlé can be seen on television never leaving Azucena Lily, the young girl who is buried in the volcanic clay. Something other than her dire situation draws Rolf to remain with her even though he could have left her to cover other parts of the story. In line 11, the narrator gives us important information about Rolf. The reader can infer there is something in his past he repressed for thirty years, and this news assignment, with Azucena Lily, will bring those memories alive so that he will be required to confront with them.

What are some examples from Elie Wiesel's Night in which the author stays in the shadows in order to avoid drawing attention to himself?

In the book Night by Elie Wiesel, the author tries to avoid negative attention to ensure his survival. At Auschwitz, Elie does nothing during a scene in which his father is beaten for asking where the toilets are. Elie’s fear of further beatings keeps him from moving and horrifies him. “What had happened to me?” he wonders. “My father had just been struck, in front of me, and I had not even blinked” (39). Here Elie begins to recognize his need to stay in the shadows to survive. Just after this scene, the crowd of prisoners is on the move and being beaten. Elie describes himself as “hiding behind others” to avoid the blows (40).

The need to keep attention off of himself shows up again during a health inspection at the concentration camp. Elie knows that any slight imperfection could send him to the fires of the crematoria, and that his prison number tattoo must be noted to follow through on notes from the exam. Thus, Elie “had but one thought: not to have my number taken down and not to show my left arm” (72). He runs quickly by the examiners to provide the smallest show of his good health and to hopefully be passed over and survive. It works.

Perhaps the most devastating instance in which Elie chooses to preserve his life by staying in the shadows is the night of his father’s death. Elie’s father is sick and calling out to him when an officer orders silence and begins beating the man viciously in the head. Elie does not make a move or noise to interfere, sharing that “I was afraid, my body was afraid of another blow, this time to my head” (111). Elie’s instincts for self-preservation take over in the instances listed above, keeping him out of the light of attention so that he has more of a chance for survival.

Wiesel, Elie. Night. Trans. Marion Wiesel. New York: Hill and Wang, 2006. Book.

How would you describe how the Gradgrind family and Sissy Jupe grow and evolve throughout the text?

Charles Dickens’ Hard Times presents the story of the Gradgrind family and how they adjust to the patriarch Thomas Gradgrind’s strict, rigid belief system. Interestingly, every member of the family grows and evolves as the novel progresses. Early in the novel, for example, Thomas Gradgrind is a staunch Utilitarian who refuses to view problems in an imaginative way. He emphasizes facts to a destructive degree. After he sees how his destructive ideology has affected his children, specifically Louisa, however, he changes and grows as a character:

“Aged and bent he looked, and quite bowed down; and yet he looked a wiser man, and a better man, than in the days when in this life he wanted nothing but Facts” (205).

Tom, Mr. Gradgrind’s son, becomes a bitter individual as the text progresses. He starts out with a strong bond with his sister, but by the end of Hard Times, he is a self-centered individual who wants nothing to do with Louisa:

“Pretty love! Leaving old Bounderby to himself, and packing my best friend Mr. Harthouse off, and going home, just when I was in the greatest danger. Pretty love that! Coming out with every word about our having gone to that place, when you saw the net was gathering round me. Pretty love that! You have regularly given me up. You never cared for me” (213).

Louisa, meanwhile, always struggled under her father’s oppressive values. Her character changes completely after she marries Josiah Bounderby. She is hopelessly depressed, and she ultimately leaves Bounderby. However, the final passage that focuses on Louisa ends on a dissonant note. She has been irreparably affected by Utilitarianism:

“Herself again a wife—a mother—lovingly watchful of her children, ever careful that they should have a childhood of the mind no less than a childhood of the body, as knowing it to be even a more beautiful thing, and a possession, any hoarded scrap of which, is a blessing and happiness to the wisest? Did Louisa see this? Such a thing was never to be” (222).

Finally, Sissy Jupe grows from a timid girl to a self-assured woman. She receives the happy ending that Louisa is denied, and she has a loving, caring family at the end of the tale.

Thus, all of these characters do in fact evolve in some manner throughout Hard Times.

I pulled my textual evidence from the Norton Critical Edition, 3rd ed.

In The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, how would you compare the relationship between Junior and Penelope to a typical teenage romance?

The answer to this relies on the definition of "typical teenage romance."  So I'll define the typical teenage romance as one that seems to be "stereotypical" as posed in television and other media:  boy meets girl (usually at school), the two like each other but cannot say it openly, the two find reasons to be near each other, boy finally asks girl out on a date, the two live happily ever after.  If this is the defining rule, Junior and Penelope's relationship is not typical.  As the novel unfolds, we as readers see that the foundation of Junior and Penelope's relationship is the fact that the two of them feel like outcasts:  Junior is outwardly an outcast at Reardan because he is the only Indian student there, and Penelope is inwardly an outcast because she has an abusive father in a world in which her friends seem to have "dream lives."  Penelope feels like she can open up to Junior to tell him about her father Earl, and Junior also confides in her.  They have a strong friendship--one based on mutual support and concern.  Their relationship appears to be much more mature than the typical teenage romance.

From Paul Zindel's The Pigman, why do Lorraine and John think Norton is disturbed?

John and Lorraine believe that Norton is a big reason for Mr. Pignati's death. In order to establish their case, they bring up Norton's childhood experiences with dolls as proof of his disturbed mental state. In chapter nine, John includes a picture of a "Dear Alice" article about a mother asking for help because her husband doesn't like their son playing with a male sailor doll. The article reminds John of Norton because Norton used to play with dolls too. When other kids from school found out about the doll when Norton was ten, they gave him a hard time. From that point on, Norton "turned tough guy all the way" (99). John says that Norton was not the same after that and he started beating up and harassing other people.

The next thing Norton started doing was stealing. John says the following:

"Norton was a specialist in the five-finger discount. He used to shoplift everywhere he went. It used to be small-time stuff like costume jewelry for his mother and candy bars and newspapers. Then he got even worse, until now his eyes even drift out of focus when you're talking to him. He's the type of guy who could grow up to be a killer" (100).

Needless to say, Norton's past and present are shady. So when he asks John about what types of electronics are in Mr. Pignati's home, John gets angry and suspicious. Later, at a party that John and Lorraine hold in Mr. Pignati's home, Norton tries to steal things and breaks many of the collectible pigs. Ultimately, they were right to think he is disturbed and should have taken more care to keep Norton out of Mr. Pignati's home.

What factors helped cause the rise in anti-democratic governments after WWI?

The rise of anti-democratic governments after World War 1 can be traced back to the Treaty of Versailles. World War 1 ended with the surrender of the Central powers to the Allies. The Treaty weighed heavily on Germany.

Germany was required to take full responsibility for all the damage caused during the war, including destruction caused by its allies. Germany was required to pay reparations to the countries forming the Allies powers. The country was asked to disarm and, as a result, this weakened the nation’s military. Germany and some of her allies were forced to make territorial concessions.

Italy, which joined the Allies powers against the Central powers, did not acquire territories promised by her allies in the Treaty. The countries that participated in the war suffered economically. The economic situation led to the rising threat of communism, especially among the peasants. Existing governments failed to meet the needs of the people after the war, and this created a vacuum in leadership.

To address these issues, Benito Mussolini of Italy founded Fascism, a totalitarian, single-rule type of government. The same was applied in Germany by Adolph Hitler and in other countries such as Spain. They promised to improve the economy, restore their countries pride and military strength and reclaim their territory. However, these dictators restricted the freedoms and rights of their citizens and avoided democracy at all costs.

What does Arthur Rowe mean when he talks about the "Christ of Faith"?

In Arthur Rowe's writing about "Jesus of History, Christ of Faith," he is making a contrast between the scholar's view of Jesus and the believer's view of Jesus. In the 18th century, many scholars were determined to find evidence of what Jesus was really like, but had decided to eliminate the accounts of unrealistic miracles. 

Conversely, the "Christ of Faith" refers to the Jesus Christ that true Christians have always believed in. Believers say that Jesus Christ did indeed perform miracles, was a supernatural being, was the Son of God himself, and that faith in Him is the only way to eternal life. While scholars were trying to show the "real" Jesus through science and history, the Christ of faith, His deity, and His ability to work miracles were never doubted by any of His followers.

How does Flannery O'Connor describe the cultural and physical landscape of the South? How does this tie in with the theme she establishes...

In "A Good Man is Hard to Find," by Flannery O'Connor, setting is a very important element of the story. As the family drives through the countryside, O'Connor at first describes the scenery of Stone Mountain and the “blue granite” and “red clay banks.” These physical details show a beautiful landscape that no one in the family except the grandmother appreciates. Later, just before they have a car accident, they find themselves on a dirt road that is hilly and has sharp curves. This is foreshadowing for the accident that is about to happen. When they are standing near the accident, just as the Misfit approaches in his “big black battered hearse-like automobile,” the landscape is ominous. They are surrounded by woods, which were “tall and dark and deep.” Here, O’Connor again matches the physical landscape to the action and tone of the story.

The cultural landscape includes the stop at Red Sammy’s, the children’s comment that Tennessee is ‘hillbilly’ country, and later the in discussion with the Misfit and his boys. The culture in which the grandmother finds herself is harsh and crude—nothing like the old days, which she reminisces of throughout the story. She longs for the more gentile past over the world she is now and this can be seen in her constant voicing of the importance of a ‘good man.’

Thus, O’Connor places emphasis on both the cultural and physical landscape of the south to directly reflect the theme of the story, which is a lack of goodness in the world, exhibited by the rudeness of Bailey toward his mother and the murder the Misfit commits in the story's final moments.

To whom is Martin Luther King speaking? Who is his intended audience?

Martin Luther King Jr. was a prolific speaker and writer, so it is difficult to give an exact answer because you have not asked about a specific speech or writing. That being said, often King's speeches and writings had a very diverse audience and he liked that because his entire goal was to bring both blacks and whites together. 

"Important in reaching King's enormous and diverse audience were the resources of black folk preaching. These resources included call-and-response interaction with listeners; a calm-to-storm delivery that begins in a slow, professorial manner before swinging gradually and rhythmically to a dramatic climax; schemes of parallelism, especially anaphora (e.g., "I have a dream that . . ."); and clusters of light and dark metaphors"

King often spoke to very large crowds of his own followers. For example, when he gave the iconic "I Have a Dream" speech, he was in front of approx. 250,000 supporters who had marched on Washington and met up at the Lincoln Memorial. This audience was predominantly black, however, all races were welcomed and many  non-backs attended. The speech was also aired on the radio and reached millions more people at home. So, his intended audience in this particular speech was incredibly diverse and his goal was to help not only his supporters see his point of view, but to present his "dream" to those who opposed him by putting a face on the oppressed and appealing to human values, not simply back or white values.

What is the procedure for converting single entry bookkeeping to double entry bookkeeping?

Your question asks about converting single-entry bookkeeping to double-entry bookkeeping.  In order to convert single-entry bookkeeping to double-entry bookkeeping, it is helpful to first understand why the methods are used.

First, single-entry bookkeeping is generally used by small companies that need an economical record or their income and expenses.  The single-entry system consists of three accounts: personal, cash, and bank. There is no trial balance or balance sheet.  Profit and loss statements are not possible, and limited views of the transactions are available.

Double-entry bookkeeping can be considered more reliable for several reasons.  To begin with, each transaction is methodically recorded as a debit, then as a credit.  This is done so a trial balance can check accuracy of the entries, which shows income and expenditure accounts.

To convert single-entry to double-entry bookkeeping, you first need an opening statement of accounts.  From this you will post all of the transactions into a double-entry journal system as a debit, then as a credit. 

Next, you should open two bank accounts.  One should be for expenses, and the other for income.  Each of these accounts should have a double-entry debit and credit on your journal and ledgers.

From there, you will take two more steps.  Run a trial balance of the journal and ledger to assure that your entries are correct.  Then prepare an income statement to compare the single to double-entry balances.

Once everything is in balance, prepare a finalized balance sheet.

In summary, it is fairly challenging, but not impossible to convert a single-entry bookkeeping system to a double-entry bookkeeping system.  Either system should have an independent audit done regularly to ensure accuracy and to provide accountability.

What is one AMU equal to the mass of?

AMU stands for atomic mass unit and is equal to one-twelfth the mass of a carbon-12 atom (in its ground state, that is, containing 6 protons and 6 neutrons ). 1 amu is equal to `1.66 xx 10^(-27)`  kg. AMU is generally used to express the mass of atomic particles. AMU is a non-SI unit of mass. AMU, as used currently, refers to the unified amu and is also denoted as Dalton or D. The molecular mass of all the elements and compounds is reported in terms of amu. For example, by definition, a carbon atom has a mass of 12 amu and hydrogen has a mass of 1 amu. Similarly, a water molecule (containing 2 atoms of hydrogen and 1 atom of oxygen) has a molecular mass of 18 amu, etc.

Hope this helps. 

What is the equation for lactic acid fermentation?

When your body is exercising at a very rapid rate it runs out of oxygen at the muscular level. When this happens, the regular pathway of cellular respiration is replaced by lactic acid fermentation in order to continue to provide energy to the muscle cells. The equation for this process is

C6H12O6 (glucose) → 2 CH3CHOHCOOH (lactic acid) + 2 ATP (energy)

This is the shorthand version; as with most chemical reactions in living systems there are steps along the way. For lactic acid fermentation, these intermediate steps involve electron transfer between NADH molecules and creation of pyruvate. The end product of lactic acid contributes to the feeling of sore muscles.

Lactic acid fermentation is also performed by certain types of bacteria, and is utilized to produce yogurt, cheese, and pickles. The common feature is lack of oxygen. Other six carbon sugars such as sucrose can also undergo this process.

What do organic compounds do that cause environmental issues?

Organic compounds are compounds that contain carbon. There are a very large number of organic compounds around us, including those contained in our very own bodies and those in plants, animals, etc. Apart from those, most of our fuels, food, medicines, fertilizers, pesticides, etc., are either organic or contain some organic components. Thus they are all around us.

The combustion of these organic products generates carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming and consequently climate change. Fossil fuel combustion is a big issue. Organic materials also contaminate our water bodies and their decomposition depletes the dissolved oxygen content of these waters, thus making life more difficult for zooplanktons, phytoplanktons, and all affected aquatic organisms, apart from causing odor issues to the surroundings. Many organic compounds also act as food and nutrients for microorganisms (including pathogens) which can become a cause of concern.

Hope this helps. 

Did Charles Dickens effectively raise awareness on the issue of poverty and the effects of the poor laws in A Christmas Carol?

While Dickens' A Christmas Carol, an enormously popular book, did raise public awareness of the problems of poverty in England, it was not effective in producing poor law legislation that changed the conditions of the poor.

Before writing A Christmas Carol, Dickens had been shocked by his tour of a school for poor children in London and by the scenes he witnessed of children toiling in tin mines in Cornwall. He decided to write a political pamphlet calling the public's attention to the sorry plight of impoverished young people. Instead, he dropped that plan and wrote a fictional work meant to change people's minds and hearts: thus A Christmas Carol was born.

Several Dickens scholars have noted how little impact A Christmas Carol had on changing the poor laws. In 1834, these laws had been altered to offer people even less support than before. Professor Malcolm Andrews, editor of a Dickens journal called The Dickensian, writes as follows:

 "Although in his journalism and novels he attacked specific targets ... it's hard to trace any direct consequences on reformist legislation in any of those areas to Dickens's influence."

Likewise, Professor Hugh Cunningham of the University of Kent contends

  "that while Dickens "helped create a climate of opinion", he did not articulate a "coherent doctrine" of how society should be reformed - and ... the author was at times as much in danger of being seen as a conservative as a radical."

A Christmas Carol is a classic example--perhaps THE classic example--of how Dickens could be viewed as a conservative who deliberately avoided articulating a political solution to the problem of poverty. The answer Dickens proposes in this book to the alarming suffering brought on by industrialism is nothing other than private charity. A Christmas Carol argues that private charity will arise if people, primarily the rich and well-to-do, soften their hearts and conjure kind thoughts that lead to compassionate action. People will do so, as we see in A Christmas Carol, by remembering the past: kindnesses done to them when they were younger, the generosity of others, and their own more idealistic youthful hearts. When the ghost takes Scrooge back to his own youth, he sees a reflection of his better self and remembers how he has benefitted from the generosity of others. This reminds him to show mercy to the needy.

Second, the rich should open their eyes in the present and become aware of the miseries all around them, as Scrooge is forced to do when the ghost whisks him to the poor Cratchit home. There, Scrooge's heart is moved by the sickly Tiny Tim, whose family cannot afford even to buy him proper food. 

Finally, Scrooge's trip to the future reminds readers that they too will die, and that perhaps it is best to be remembered as person of generosity and compassion rather than have others rejoice that you are dead.

Dickens was opposed to the trade union movement and similar collective action on the part of the lower classes (see Edmund Wilson's The Wound and the Bow). He believed that changing hearts and minds on an individual basis would bring about social change, and that change needed to come from the top down, from the upper classes, not from the bottom up through lower class political movements.

A Christmas Carol's failure to articulate a political program to bring about change and to ensure, in a systemic way, that more resources were provided to poor children led to the book's lack of political effectiveness. However, it is and was a wildly popular work that did generate small acts of charity on the part of the upper classes.

It's telling that when A Christmas Carol's impact is discussed, most emphasis is placed on its influence on how we celebrate Christmas in the U.S. and England. This is a far cry from influencing the political system to change the status quo. 

How is Ponyboy selfless in the outsiders?

There are several scenes that depict Pony's selfless personality throughout the novel. After Johnny stabs and kills Bob Sheldon, Ponyboy acts selflessly by traveling to Windrixville and hiding out with Johnny. Although Ponyboy has no reason to hide from the police, he decides to be there for his friend and hide out with Johnny in the abandoned church. When Ponyboy learns that there are several children trapped inside of the burning church, Ponyboy risks his safety by entering the building to save the children. Fortunately, Ponyboy is unharmed and is able to save all of the children that were trapped inside. Towards the end of the novel, Ponyboy again displays his selfless personality after reading Johnny's letter. Ponyboy takes into consideration the feelings of hundreds of other boys who are experiencing similar struggles before he decides to the write the novel. Overall, Ponyboy has empathy for others and selflessly takes it upon himself to help people in need.

Who wears glasses in A Wrinkle in Time?

Knowing exactly who and who does not wear glasses in a novel is a bit of a guessing game.  A character might be wearing glasses, but the narrator might decide not to tell readers that detail.  I always assume characters in books are wearing shoes and pants, but texts very rarely include that detail.  

With that said, I know the following three characters all wear glasses in A Wrinkle in Time.  Meg Murry wears glasses, and they are a major part of her identity throughout the novel.  Her father, Mr. Murry, wears glasses.  Finally, Mrs. Who wears glasses, and she will eventually give her glasses to Meg.  Chapter nine has an interesting little sequence in it regarding those characters and glasses, because at one point both Meg Murry and Mr. Murry end up wearing Mrs. Who's glasses.  It had to have looked quite comical, because the reader is told early on that Mrs. Who's glasses are big.

The enormous glasses caught the light again and shone like an owl's eyes. 

Why did the Dalai Lama flee from Tibet?

Nearly a decade before the Dalai Lama fled Tibet, the Tibetan-Chinese Agreement was signed. This agreement gave China an increased role in the ruling of Tibet and left the Dalai Lama as little more than a figure head.

After several years of small and scattered protests, a larger revolt by the Tibetan people occurred in 1959. The revolt's roots were found in the fact that the Chinese government was suppressing the highly religious Tibetans' desire to worship as they chose.

When the Chinese communist forces crushed this revolt, the Dalai Lama sought permanent political refuge in India. He settled in Punjab and established a shadow Tibetan government.

Meanwhile, in Tibet, the Chinese government banned religion and destroyed thousands of monasteries. Over the years, some of these policies have been relaxed, but Chinese control of Tibet remains. From India, the Dalai Lama has continued to lead efforts in promoting an non-violent end to the occupation of China in Tibet.

What did Hezron think was Israel's greatest strength?

In Chapter 5, Daniel is invited to eat dinner with Hezron and his family. While they are eating, Daniel and Hezron discuss Israel's present circumstances under Roman occupation. Daniel voices his displeasure regarding Jewish people and their friendly relationships with Roman citizens, as well as Rome's efforts in building the new synagogue. Daniel's fiery rhetoric catches the attention of Hezron, who explains to Daniel that the Jewish people are well aware of their captivity and that they must be patient with God's judgment. Hezron then criticizes the Zealots for their shortsightedness and proceeds to tell Daniel that Israel has one great strength on their side, which is the Law. Hezron, a Pharisee, mentions that the Jewish people must be fully devoted to the Law and follow its instructions daily. He tells Daniel that the Law will endure much longer than the reign of any future Roman emperor.

What are some examples of imagery in The Great Gatsby?

Nick, the narrator, uses a great deal of imagery, often to show the ostentation of the homes and parties, and especially, the people he meets during his time in New York.  

First, his description of the Buchanans' home in East Egg really allows us to observe just how rich they are: he describes their home as "elaborate," a "Georgian Colonial mansion" of red and white, immediately overlooking the bay.  Between the beach and the house is a quarter mile of lawn, decorated with gardens and walks and ornaments.  Nick's description of the house's owner is as detailed, and it gives us many clues about Tom's character even before we come to know him: he has "Two shining arrogant eyes" and always seemed to lean "aggressively forward" with his muscular, "cruel body."  

Nick goes on to describe his first sight of Daisy and Jordan, lounging on an "enormous couch [which] buoyed [them] up as though upon an anchored balloon.  They were both in white, and their dresses were rippling and fluttering [...]."  Moreover, they were "as cool as their white dresses and their impersonal eyes in the absence of all desire."  We get a sense of both women's haughtiness and supreme self-importance from a description like this.  

Nick's description of George Wilson likewise conveys his desperation and hopelessness: "He was a blond, spiritless man, anemic, and faintly handsome.  When he saw us, a damp gleam of hope sprang into his light blue eyes."  

It is, typically, visual imagery that Nick uses, helping readers to see both his characters' appearances as well as to gain some insight into their lives and personalities and values.  

Act 5, Scene 1 Explain why Portia and Nerissa pretend that the "doctor" and the "clerk" spent the night with them.

In the story, Portia and Nerissa pretend that the 'doctor' and the 'clerk' spent the night with them in order to illustrate the importance of faithfulness to both their husbands.

In Act 5 Scene 1, Portia steps in when an argument erupts between Gratiano and Nerissa. Accordingly, Gratiano has given away his ring (which was a gift from Nerissa) to a judge's clerk. He claims he doesn't know why Nerrisa is so upset, as it's just a 'paltry ring' with an inscription on it that says 'Love me and leave me not.' Portia maintains that Nerissa is upset because Gratiano broke his word. When Bassanio makes a smart remark in response, Gratiano proclaims that Bassanio is equally guilty of breaking his word.

Somehow, Gratiano studiously maintains that the 'civil doctor' (lawyer) would take nothing less than the two rings in payment for his work. When Portia demands to know whether Bassanio actually gave away the ring she bequeathed him, he tells her that he cannot lie and that he did give it away. At this, both women angrily proclaim that they will never get into bed with their husbands again until the rings are produced.

Portia asserts that if Bassanio had maintained his honor and valued the woman who gave him the ring, he would never have given the ring away. She angrily accuses him of giving the ring to another woman. Bassanio begs Portia to understand how indebted he is to the 'doctor' for helping a good friend and that if she was with him, she might have even begged him to give the 'doctor' the ring. Portia, unmoved, threatens to sleep with the 'doctor' if she is ever left to her own devices. Nerissa, hearing this, chimes up that she will sleep with the clerk if she ever gets the chance to do so.

Both Bassanio and Gratiano are at their wits' end upon hearing this. Their anguish is further amplified when Portia produces a ring and asks Antonio to make sure Bassanio promises to keep it faithfully. When Bassanio proclaims that it is the exact, same ring he gave the 'doctor,' Portia slyly says that she had to sleep with the 'doctor' in order to get the ring back. Nerissa, playing along, also proclaims that she slept with the clerk to get Gratiano's ring back. Now, both men think that they have been cuckolded and are utterly undone at the thought of this.

However, Portia does not let the men suffer long; she soon admits that she was the 'doctor' and Nerissa, the clerk. It looks like both Nerissa and Portia wanted the men to understand the importance of keeping their word to their wives, so they illustrated their point beautifully by couching the lesson in a way that their husbands could relate to. In Shakespeare's day, men most feared the sexual infidelity of their wives. This is because any infidelity was viewed as a thorough repudiation of a man's masculine image in the eyes of society. Playing on these fears, Portia and Nerissa aimed to make their case through the power of suggestion.

In Macbeth, what is Lady Macbeth's complaint about her husband?

Lady Macbeth's first complaint about her husband is that his nature "is too full o' th' milk of human kindness" (1.5.17).  When she receives his letter, telling her about the Weird Sisters' predictions, she is concerned that Macbeth is simply too nice, too compassionate, to "catch the nearest way" to the throne (1.5.18).  She resolves immediately that he will be king, and she wants it right away, but if Macbeth is unwilling to kill Duncan, then it could take a lot longer.  This is unacceptable to her.

Once they've made a plan to kill the king, Macbeth does try to back out, and this provokes his wife to new levels of frustration with him.  Lady Macbeth asks him if he'd like to think of himself as a "coward" for the rest of his life (1.7.47).  She accuses him of being "green and pale" and insists that this is how she will consider his love going forward (1.7.41).  She says that he made her a promise, and his willingness to break it shows her just how little he loves her.  She argues that when Macbeth was willing to commit the murder, "then [he was] a man," implying that if he does not go through with it now, then he is less of a man (1.7.56).  She claims that she would sooner kill her own baby than break a promise to him. Thus, she accuses him of being cowardly and disloyal to her. 

How does Harper Lee create suspense leading up to the confrontation at the jailhouse in chapter 15 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

In her classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee slowly builds suspense leading up to the trial of Tom Robinson. Lee's portrayal of Maycomb's racial tensions gradually sharpens as the trial date approaches. We see the effect of this tension on the Finch family and the townspeople through the eyes of the story's narrator, Scout Finch.

About halfway through the story, Lee uses a plot device called “foreshadowing” to heighten the suspense of the story. Sheriff Heck Tate shows up at the Finch house, expressing worry over the fact that Tom Robinson was being moved to the county jail in preparation for the trial scheduled to begin in a couple of days.

Scout and Jem eavesdrop on the conversation:

“. . . movin' him to the county jail tomorrow,” Mr. Tate was saying, “I don't look for any trouble, but I can't guarantee there won't be any . . .”

A moment later the situation starts to sound a little scarier:

“—besides,” Atticus was saying, “you're not scared of that crowd, are you?”

“. . . know how they do when they get shinnied up.”

When a writer foreshadows, they are giving the reader a hint of something that might possibly happen in the future. This usually causes the reader to wonder what will happen next, thus creating suspense. In this case, the reader doesn't have to wait too long. In the same chapter, Atticus will find himself facing an angry, drunken gang who want to drag Tom Robinson out of jail and lynch him. The situation is grim for Atticus until Scout shows up and, through her innocence and naivete, inadvertently shames the group into leaving.

What decisions does Doctor Faustus make and what are its consequences?

The most significant decision that Faustus makes is his decision to sell his soul to Lucifer in exchange for twenty-four years of the demon Mephistopheles' dedicated service. Faustus wants to become the most powerful man in the world, no longer satisfied by his training in divinity nor his fulfillment in God. Faustus relinquishes the possibility of heaven in favor of the ability to perform magic through the Mephistopheles. The consequence, of course, is that at the end of his 24-year travels around the world, performing useless supernatural tricks and frightening people in petty ways, Faustus is left unfulfilled and must follow Lucifer and Mephistopheles to hell. It is only then that Faustus understands the frivolity of the magical powers he was granted through Meph, and pleads to heaven for his life. 

How does the New Deal relate to the New Deal era.

The New Deal is related to the New Deal Era. The New Deal Era is the time period when the New Deal programs were created and put into effect. Therefore, the New Deal Era and the New Deal are closely connected.

The New Deal Era began when Franklin D. Roosevelt became President in early 1933. He launched a series of programs designed to provide relief for the American people, recovery for the American economy, and reform of our financial and investment system. This Era lasted until 1939, approximately.

The relief programs were designed to get people working again. Many jobs were created in the construction field as a result of the Civil Works Administration and the Public Works Administration. Relief was also provided to homeowners and those who owned farms as they were helped with mortgages.

Recovery programs were designed to get the economy up and running again. For example, the National Industrial Recovery Act had businesses, workers, and the government working together. They agreed to a series of rules for wages, prices, and hours of work.

The reform programs were designed to prevent future depressions from happening again. The Glass-Steagall Act created insurance for savings accounts. It also prevented commercial banks from speculating in the stock market. The Securities Act created the Securities and Exchange Commission to prevent fraud.

These programs and many more were developed as part of the New Deal during the New Deal Era. They were designed to help people during the Great Depression and to try to prevent the causes that led to the Great Depression from happening again.

How can we describe the narrator in the short story "The Leap"?

Compared to Anna, her mother, the narrator of "The Leap" is a shadowy and indistinct figure. That itself gives us a clue to how she should be described, namely as someone very much in the shadow of her mother. 

We see the narrator reflecting back on her childhood and seeing herself to a great degree as a vulnerable and passive youngster protected by her heroic mother. As an adult, she is still somewhat in awe of her mother, and appears slightly uncomfortable with the role reversal occasioned by her mother's blindness. 

She appears to be a prodigal daughter who left home for somewhere in "the West" and has recently returned to care for her mother. She explains her return as follows:

Since my father's recent death, there is no one to read to her, which is why I returned, in fact, from my failed life where the land is flat. I came home to read to my mother, to read out loud, read long into the dark if I must, to read all night.

This explanation suggests two things. The first is that the daughter considers herself a failure, especially when compared to her mother, and the second is that she has a strong sense of obligation, or perhaps even guilt with respect to her mother. 

What is the Jacquerie?

The Jacquerie is the group of revolutionaries that regularly meet in Defarge’s wine shop. They are each identified with the name “Jacque” along with a number (Defarge is Jacque Four). This preserves their secrecy, protecting them from arrest for the treason they are planning to commit. They have agreements to observe the monarchs as they pass, so that as a dog learns what his prey is, they will know who their enemies are. They are warned of the presence of a spy (John Barsad) when Madame Defarge wears a rose in her turban.

When the revolution comes, they become part of the larger mob that kills all those associated with the nobility and clerics. They are joined by women revolutionaries, such as Madame Defarge and the Vengeance, who are just as cruel and violent (perhaps more) than are the men.  Defarge does feel some hesitancy in the cruelty he will have to commit to Doctor Manette and Lucie, but his greater passion for the “liberty, equality, fraternity” overrides this compassion. Still, it is his wife, Madame Defarge, who eventually plans to kill Lucie and her daughter.

In "Annabel Lee" by Edgar Allan Poe, what are two references the narrator makes to Heaven?

Two references are made to Heaven in the poem "Annabel Lee" by Edgar Allan Poe. The first comes in the second stanza:

"But we loved with a love that was more than love--

I and my Annabel Lee--

With a love that the winged seraphs of Heaven

Coveted her and me." (ll. 9-12)

In this stanza, the narrator tells us that the love between them is so great that even the angels in Heaven are jealous of them and of the love they have for one another.

Again, in the fourth stanza, Poe repeats this sentiment, telling us that because of their envy, the angels in Heaven send a "cold wind" to kill Annabel Lee. Even with her death, though, the love between Annabel and the narrator is so great that it does not end. He can still see her "bright eyes," possibly a metaphor for her soul and the hope of another meeting in the afterlife.

Convert the following word equation to a balanced chemical equation using The correct symbols and formulas: Nitrogen triiodide decomposes...

Nitrogen triiodide contains 3 atoms of iodine as the name suggests (note the word "tri"). It has a chemical formula of `NI_3` . Since it decomposes into nitrogen gas (represented as `N_2`) and iodine gas (represented as `I_2`), we cna write a basic chemical equation as:

`NI_3 -> N_2 + I_2`

However, this chemical reaction is not balanced, since the number of atoms of nitrogen and iodine are different on two sides of the equation. Let us first balance the number of nitrogen atoms. There are 2 nitrogen atoms on product side, but only one on reactant side. To balance nitrogen let us use a coefficient of 2 on left hand side. This gives us:

`2NI_3 -> N_2 + I_2`

Now, the nitrogen is balanced, but iodine is not. We have 6 atoms of iodine on reactant side, but only 2 on product side. We can balance iodine by using a coefficient of 3 for iodine gas. The well-balanced chemical equation for the given reaction is:

`2NI_3 -> N_2 + 3I_2`

Hope this helps.

Would the intellectual hobos in Fahrenheit 451 save works of Hitler?

The intellectual hobos would definitely save the works of Hitler and any other tyrant in the historical record. The last thing they want to do is forget the past, and then ignorantly allow someone like Hitler to come to power again. It is not to honor Hitler that they would keep his works. It is to remember his twisted thinking and to never forget his place in history and in particular, the Holocaust. There is a group, even to this day, who shockingly deny that the Holocaust actually occurred. Their belief is born out of Antisemitism: ignorant thinking. So, it is an ethical responsibility to pass on the truth of historical events: anything from a tragic event like the Holocaust to all the more pleasant events in history. The hobos wouldn't keep Mein Kampf because it is great literature. They would keep it to have a case study of a tyrant. The idea is to learn from the past and to prevent such a tyrant from gaining any power in the future. 

The censorship of ideas, good or bad, is what led to the socially irresponsible and ignorant society that Montag eventually rebels against. This society is so ignorant that the notion that firemen used to "put out" fires seems ridiculous. Beatty explains to Montag that the best way to keep this thoughtless, ignorant society happy is to keep them happy and ignorant of anything they might find unpleasant: 

Coloured people don't like Little Black Sambo. Burn it. White people don't feel good about Uncle Tom's Cabin. Burn it. Someone's written a book on tobacco and cancer of the lungs? The cigarette people are weeping? Bum the book. Serenity, Montag. Peace, Montag. Take your fight outside. Better yet, into the incinerator. Funerals are unhappy and pagan? Eliminate them, too. 

So, as unpopular or as evil as Hitler's work might be, it would actually be irresponsible to start a trend where/when we censor things that make people uncomfortable. We need to remember the evil and good parts of our history. Start eliminating works like Uncle Tom's Cabin and Mein Kampf and there is the danger that people will start to forget about slavery or the Holocaust. An ignorant society will not be intellectually capable of recognizing tyranny or oppression if they have no memory of lessons learned from the past. 

Give two reasons why Ralph was elected the leader.

I have always wondered that very same question.  It is clear to the reader fairly early on in the novel that Ralph is not good at leading.  That's partly because Jack outright defies him most of the time, and partly because Ralph doesn't have the courage to punish those who don't obey the rules.  But why elect Ralph in the first place?  

I think one reason is the simple power of the conch shell.  The conch is a power symbol throughout the novel, and it is Ralph that first blows it.  The boys are sort of in awe at Ralph and the shell.  

The being that had blown that, had sat waiting for them on the platform with the delicate thing balanced on his knees, was set apart. 

Ralph has a sort of quiet confidence about him.  He's not always posturing and bullying the way that Roger and Jack do.  He's not needy the way that Piggy is.  Ralph exudes the appearance and supposed actions of a natural leader.  In the beginning of the novel, his decisions support those feelings as well.  The boys do see Ralph as a natural leader, because they agree with his ideas and rules.  They make sense.  The need for a fire is smart.  A dedicated bathroom area is smart.  The need to build shelters is smart.  All of those actions help cement the idea that Ralph is a good choice for being chief.  

What do you call a sovereign state that is controlled and protected by a larger state?

A sovereign state that is controlled and protected by a larger state is called a protectorate. The protectorate receives protection from the larger state. In return, the larger state may establish military bases in the country. It also may have some control over the affairs of the country it is protecting. Many of the colonial powers have established protectorates at one time or another.

The protectorate status has benefits for both sides. The country doing the protecting is able to expand its influence around the world. Besides having the ability to establish a military presence, the protecting country may have some control over the country it is protecting. The country being protected still chooses its leaders and makes its laws. It doesn’t have to worry about defending itself since the protecting country will handle that for them. They also are not a colony. They are independent. One example of a protectorate was Barbados. This was a protectorate of Great Britain. Cuba was a protectorate of the United States for a period of time.

Did the South have the right to split up the country in 1860?

If we look at the Constitution, the South didn’t have the right to split the country. The Constitution is clear that federal laws take priority over state laws. States aren’t allowed to pass laws that go against federal laws or the Constitution. Decisions are made based on the common good. Sometimes decisions will hurt a region while helping another region. If a state or region would threaten to leave the Union every time they don’t get what they want, the country could not possibly survive or function.

However, when we were colonies of Great Britain, we weren’t supposed to break away from them. If a region or state feels their concerns are not being heard or addressed, and if they have exhausted all efforts to resolve the differences, then they must be prepared to fight for their independence if they choose to break away from the Union. In the Declaration of Independence, it says people must remove a government if they feel the government isn't protecting their rights. The South felt this was the case, so breaking away wasn't out of the question. This is what we did when we declared independence from Great Britain.

Thus, in a narrow sense, the South didn’t have the right to break away from the Union. However, in a practical sense, if they broke away and fought and won the war that would follow, then it may have acceptable that they split from the Union.