What is the conflict that starts the story The Outsiders?

The conflict that is shown in the beginning of The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is one between members of the "Socs" standing for "the Socials" and described as "the jet set, the West-side rich kids" (Hinton P2), and the story's main character Ponyboy, a fourteen year old member of the "Greasers" which is used to describe all the boys from "the East Side" (Hinton P2). At the beginning of the story, Ponyboy goes on to describe further the differences between the Socs, who have "editorials in the paper for being a public disgrace one day and an asset to society the next" (Hinton P3), and the Greasers, which he describes as "almost like hoods;we steal things and drive old souped-up cars and hold up gas stations" (Hinton P3). The conflict between the groups occurs early in the opening pages of the story when a group of five Socs attack and jump Ponyboy as he walks home alone from the movies. This early attack sets up a larger theme of class conflict between the groups that is continually developed through out the rest of the story. Hope this helps!

If macbeth were a modern man, who would he be? What do these men have in common with each other?

A good modern parallel to Macbeth might be presidential candidate Ted Cruz. What both men have in common is boundless ambition, a willingness to do almost anything to get to the top. Now, Cruz is NOT willing to murder others to clear his path! But without going to those lengths, he is very ambitious. We should also note that Macbeth's wife pushed him to commit murder--Cruz's wife doesn't share Lady Macbeth's murderous tendencies at all.

Let's focus on ambition, leaving aside the issue of murder. Again, Cruz is not a murderer.

But as a recent op-ed piece in the New York Times (see link below) notes, Cruz wants to be the top dog, just as Macbeth did. 

Here is Bruni on Cruz:

"It’s striking how many explorations of his past wind up focusing on the magnitude of his confidence, the scale of his ambitions and the off-putting nakedness of both.

As a cocky teenager, he said that his life goals were to “take over the world, world domination, you know, rule everything.” He separately wrote of plans to “achieve a strong enough reputation and track record to run for — and win — president of the United States.”

We know that the whole thrust of Macbeth is his lust to become king. Macbeth's theme, however, underscores the folly of ambition without mercy, compassion or moderation. Naked ambition, Shakespeare says, leads to disaster. Macbeth functions as a warning or cautionary tale. Should we send Mr. Cruz a copy of Shakespeare's play? 

Who was involved in the Feudal System?

Feudalism was the dominant social and political system of the Middle Ages. In essence, every single member of a society was involved in the feudal system, from the king to the peasant:

• The king was at the top of the hierarchy: he gave land to his noblemen (called a fief), making them his tenants-in-chief. In return, they swore an oath of loyalty to the king.


• The noblemen gave land to knights, making them vassals, in return for their military service.


• Peasants received land and protection from the noblemen and knights in return for their labour.


• Members of the Church received protection from the knights and food from the peasants in return for providing spiritual guidance and care.

Feudalism, then, bound every member of society through a complex system of obligation and loyalty. 

Evaluate the indefinite integral.

You need to use the following substitution 5 - 3x = t, such that:

Replacing back 5 - 3x for t yields:

Hence, evaluating the indefinite integral, yields

Find the volume of the solid obtained by rotating the region bounded by the given curves about the specified line....

You need to evaluate the volume of the solid obtained by the rotation of the region bounded by the curves ,  about x axis, using washer method, such that:

You need to find the next endpoint, since one of them, x = 0 is given. The other endpoint can be evaluated by solving the following equation:

You may evaluate the volume

Hence, evaluating the volume of the solid obtained by the rotation of the region bounded by the curves  ,  about x axis, yields

How would you prepare a 10 ml of a 0.25 M HCl solution if 1 M was available? How much distilled water is needed, how much of the 1 M HCl is needed?

Since 1 M solution is more concentrated than 0.25 M solution, we will have to dilute the higher strength solution (with distilled water) to obtain a lower strength solution. The following equation will help us decide on the dilution:

C1V1 = C2V2

where, C1 and C2 are concentrations (in M) of solutions and V1 and V2 are volume of these solutions, respectively.

Here, C1 = 1 M, C2 = 0.25 M, V1 is unknown and V2 = 10 ml.

Thus, V1 = (C2V2)/C1 = (0.25 x 10)/1 = 2.5 ml

Thus, 2.5 ml of 1 M HCl solution will be required to prepare a 10 ml solution of 0.25 M HCl. Since the final solution volume is 10 ml, the other 7.5 ml (after adding 2.5 ml 1 M HCl) will be made up of distilled water.

Thus, to prepare 10 ml, 0.25 M HCl solution, add 7.5 ml distilled water to 2.5 ml, 1 M HCl.

Hope this helps.

In The Crucible, what choices does Mary Warren make that affect the outcome of her situation?

First, even though Mary Warren seems to understand the consequences of the girls' dancing in the forest and conjuring spirits, she never tells anyone in a position of authority.  Though she initially told Abby and the other girls, "we've got to tell.  Witchery's a hangin' error [....]!  We must tell the truth [...]!" she is simply too cowardly to go against the group.  Her decision not to tell essentially protected her from the other girls' wrath.

Next, Mary Warren does come clean to John Proctor after Elizabeth Proctor has been taken into custody as a result of Abby's accusation that Elizabeth sent her spirit out to attack her with a needle.  She acquiesces to John's desire for her to go to the court and tell the truth, but her inability to stick to the truth -- her decision to, once again, save her own skin when it comes to the other girls -- leads to the continuance of the witch trials and the eventual deaths of many innocent people.

In some ways, Mary Warren's cowardice and her decisions to protect herself rather than her community render her even more responsible for the witch trials than someone like Mr. Hale.  She knows, from the beginning, that the girls are lying; she knows, and she chooses to say nothing.  She had the power all along to put a stop to things, if she'd have been brave enough.  Her cowardice allows her to fade into the background of the story after the episode in the courtroom where she accuses John of being in league with the Devil.  After her moment in the spotlight, Miller seems to say, she fades back into the scenery as just one more person who had the power to stick up for what was right and chose not to.

In what ways is Herman Melville's Moby Dick an allegory? What enlightenment does the ending of the novel reveal?

Moby Dick has been interpreted in several ways as an allegory, a narrative in which the characters and events are symbolic or metaphoric for deeply meaningful abstract ideas or qualities; that is, "a figurative treatment of one subject under the guise of another."

• An Allegory of Democracy and Racial Diversity

The Pequod and the sea represent a small, metaphoric nation in which few differences of class and rank count, and one's lineage and past no longer governs one’s life. Filled with sailors from the world over of various races, the Pequod depicts a democratic vision. In Chapter 3, Ismael finds himself doubled up in bed with a bizarre harpooneer, a South Seas Islander, who is a cannibal covered with tattoos and who totes a shrunken head in his bag. Initially terrified by him, Ismael finds that it is "[B]etter[to] sleep with a sober cannibal than a drunken Christian."
Later, aboard the Pequod there are sailors from all over the world, but all in the crew are equal. In Chapter 72, "Monkey Ropes," Ismael describes how the crew descend upon the whale and "cut in and attend" to the flesh. As Queeque balances himself upon the moving whale's back, Ismael likens him to a highlander dancing in long socks upon the mammoth's back as Ismael holds onto him with what is called the Monkey Rope. In addition, Ismael is tied in life or death to him:

...should poor Queequeq sink to rise no more, then both usage and honor demanded, that instead of cutting the cord, it should drag me down in his wake.

Further, Ismael underlines this "joint stock company of two" in which he and Quequeeq are involved as he recognizes that which the metaphysical poet Donne wrote of when he noted "No man is an island unto himself." For, Ismael observes that 

...every mortal that breathes...one way or other has this Siamese connexion with a plurality of mortals. If your banker breaks, you snap; if your apothecary by mistake sends you poison in your pills, you die.

As they are paired together in their work, Ishmael even refers to his partner as his brother.

•  Biblical and Metaphysical Allegory

Much like the king of Israel in the Old Testament, Captain Ahab is arrogant and self-serving in his demands. He is also monomaniacal in his desire for revenge against the great white whale Moby Dick of whom he remarks,

He tasks me; he heaps me; I see in him outrageous strength, with an inscrutable malice sinewing it. 

On the ship Elijah, like the prophet of the Bible, foretells Ahab's death. And, Ishmael is like his Biblical nomenclature, a wanderer.
Much like the Bible stories, Moby Dick chronicles hypocrisies in religious fanaticism and the tragedy that pride inevitably wreaks upon its owner. Also, much like Ahab of the Old Testament, Captain Ahab suffers a tragic end.

In Chapter 36, "The Quarter Deck," Ahab ponders aloud the metaphysical aspects of living creatures:

....All visible objects, man, are but as pasteboard masks. But in each event--in the the living act, the undoubted deed--there, some unknown but still reasoning thing puts forth the moldings of its features from behind the unreasoning mask. If man will strike, strike through the mask!

His perception of Moby Dick, who has taken from him his leg, is that of more than mammal; it is a metaphysical force that he finds evil, and Ahab challenges this preternatural white whale. Ishmael describes Ahab in Chapter 41 as an "ungodly old man chasing with curses a Job's whale" who is "intent on an audacious, immitigable, and supernatural revenge." Further, in Chapter 135, Ishmael remarks,

...Ahab never thinks, he only feels, feels, feels; that tingling enough for mortal man! To think's audacity. God only has that right and privilege.

The Quaker and dutiful mate Starbuck despairingly remarks, "I misdoubt me that I disobey my God in obeying him." He finds himself following the man who he knows is wrong in his vengeful desires, yet, he feels driven by some force he is unable to control.

Having blasphemed Nature and God, as Starbuck acknowledges, Ahab dies wrapped in the harpoon lines, a "shroud of the sea," finding nothing behind the "pasteboard mask" and no meaning in his life.

In her article, "The Adamic Myth," critic Karen Tanguma calls Ahab a "tragic Adam" who suffers "the unfortunate fall" since he renounces God in his vengeance against Moby Dick; on the other hand, Ishmael, who does not seek revenge upon this white symbol of a spiritual power, is the "Old World Adam," whose suffering leads him to spiritual knowledge and wisdom. Like Job of the Old Testament, Ishmael is "escaped along to tell thee" [Job 1:16] the tale of himself and the others. 

The ending thus enlightens the reader that vengeance is, indeed, the province of God, not man. At the same time, there is much that, as Ahab observes, is inscrutable about life.

The Adamic Myth in American Literature (pp 9, 11)

Why do you think the Giver finally decided that "things must be changed"?

The Giver has been the holder of memories and emotions for a long time.  Jonas is not the first receiver of memory to be chosen by the Giver.  The previous receiver was a girl, and she couldn't handle the massive influx of knowledge and emotion that she was getting.  Rosemary asked to be released from her duty (and life).  When she died, her memories flooded into the community, and the people couldn't handle it.  It was disastrous.  Since that time, ten years have passed.  The community felt that it was time to try again with Jonas.  But the Giver has had ten years to think about whether or not the current system and the sameness is appropriate.  I think he genuinely disagrees with the Receiver of Memory system, and he wants it gone.  There is too much risk to the community if the memory keeper suddenly dies and the community is flooded with all of the emotions and memories at the same time.  If the community went back to a "normal" system, then the people would have time to get used to emotions and bad memories at a slower more appropriate pace.  That is what I think the Giver wants to see.  He wants the community to learn how to handle stuff as a community.  Not a single person doing that job.  

The most controversial element of President Wilson's Fourteen Points was the idea of national self-determination. True or False.

Within the United States, the most controversial item regarding President Wilson’s Fourteen Points was the creation of the League of Nations. The goal of the League of Nations was to keep peace around the world. The hope was that countries would take their issues to the League of Nations so they could peacefully resolve them.

The controversy in the United States was the portion of the charter of the League of Nations that required member nations to commit troops to enforce a resolution of the League of Nations if needed. There were several United States Senators that opposed this requirement. They believed it would restrict our foreign policy and possibly force us to become involved in a conflict that had little or no effect on us. They asked President Wilson to make these changes in the charter of the League of Nations. When he refused, the United States Senate didn’t ratify the Versailles Treaty. The United States never joined the League of Nations.

Thus, from the point of view of the United States, the most controversial aspect of the Fourteen Points was the creation of the League of Nations and everything that this would involve for us.

Explain the phrase "bent in the undergrowth" in Frost's "The Road not Taken."

 This phrase appears at the end of the first stanza of the poem. It represents the point where the speaker can no longer see where the first road he looks down will lead. We can visualize the speaker, who is standing at a crossroads in the woods, being able to see down this road a bit. Then it bends and is so overgrown that he can't make out where it is heading. He looks at it for a long time. 

This "bent" that obscures where the road leads represents the fact that we can only see into the future to a limited extent. If the fork in the road symbolizes a place where we have to make a choice in life, the poem tells us that to a large extent, we have to make our choice through a leap of faith. We choose one path but are not sure where another path might have taken us. The speaker will decide on the other path, the road less traveled, but will never be entirely certain it was the best route to take.

The poem teaches us that in life we have to make decisions without knowing exactly what the outcome will be--but there is no other way to live unless we want to stand paralyzed forever at a fork in the road. 

What details in "Thank You M'am" indicate that the boy is basically honest?

In Langston Hughes’ short story “Thank You M’am,” Roger shows that he can be trusted after making the mistake of attempting to snatch Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones’ purse. Roger, the young teenager, fails as he tries to swipe the purse. His intent was to steal the purse to get money to buy a new pair of shoes. Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones decides that she will teach him a lesson that he will carry with him for the rest of his life. After determining that he has not eaten supper or bathed, she maintains her grip on him and guides him back to her rooming house. While in her room, she has him wash up and she moves behind a screen that separates the room into two parts. He looks at the door to make a run for it but does not, nor does he make a second attempt to steal her purse. In fact, he positions himself so that the woman can see him out of the corner of her eye while she cooks their dinner.

In another corner of the room behind a screen was a gas plate and an icebox. Mrs. Jones got up and went behind the screen. The woman did not watch the boy to see if he was going to run now, nor did she watch her purse which she left behind her on the day bed. But the boy took care to sit on the far side of the room where he thought she could easily see him out of the corner of her eye, if she wanted to.

He even offers to run to the store for her. She gives him the chance to go buy sweet milk for hot chocolate but he tells that what she has will be fine. He does not take the chance to leave, instead he stays to eat and listens carefully to what she tells him about her own life. He wants her to believe that he can be trusted, and she wants to let him know that she understands his circumstances.

When he is leaving, Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones gives him money to purchase new shoes. He is so overcome that he can barely thank her showing that he was contrite for his earlier actions.

What are some differences between King Duncan's and Banquo's characters?

King Duncan and Banquo were both honorable men who were fiercely loyal to Scotland. Besides the obvious difference in their ranks, another important difference was their ability to judge a person’s character. Duncan was much more trusting than Banquo and failed to suspect those close to him might have evil intentions. Remember at the beginning of the play that a traitor, the Thane of Cawdor, was executed. Duncan says of him:

"There's no art
To find the mind's construction in the face:
He was a gentleman on whom I built
An absolute trust."

Duncan never suspected the Thane of Cawdor would align with the King of Norway in order to take over Scotland. Duncan lacks insight into people’s characters and bestows complete trust easily. He makes the same mistake with Macbeth and dies because of it.

Banquo, on the other hand, is more cautious and discerning. When the witches first appear and give their predictions, Macbeth is enthralled and wants to believe them absolutely. But Banquo urges caution:

“But 'tis strange:
And oftentimes, to win us to our harm,
The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betray's
In deepest consequence.”

Later Banquo begins to suspect that Macbeth killed Duncan. He sees beyond Macbeth’s façade. At the beginning of Act III scene i he voices his thoughts clearly when he says: “Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all,/ As the weird women promised, and, I fear,/Thou play'dst most foully for't.” While others believe Duncan’s sons killed him, Banquo is a better judge of character and sees Macbeth’s ambition.

So though both Duncan and Banquo are powerful, intelligent, loyal men, Banquo is slightly wiser when it comes to judging a person and a situation correctly.

What type of glassware equipment is needed when working with carbon dioxide? I need to do a reaction with carbon dioxide.

First of all, carbon dioxide is a gas so you will need to have a supply of it contained in a pressurized metal gas cylinder fit with a gas regulator.  The pressure aspect of working with gasses like carbon dioxide is what makes doing chemistry with them difficult.  Normal chemical reactions are carried out in glassware but glass does not hold up to high pressure.  Sometimes reactions with gasses like carbon dioxide can be done under low pressure (<10 psi) using simple things like rubber balloons.  In cases like this, normal chemical glassware can be used.  But if moderate pressure is needed (10-50 psi), then special thick walled glass vessels are required.  If higher pressures are required, then glass is out of the question and metal (usually steel) vessels are required.  The chemicals and solvent are added to the metal vessel and sealed.  Metal tubing connected to a gas cylinder is used to add in carbon dioxide and bring the reaction vessel to high pressure.  At the end of the reaction, the vessel must be carefully vented to released the pressure build up before opening it up.

What things can burn to cause a chemical change?

A chemical change takes place when the reactant or substance in question undergoes chemical changes, that is, changes in its composition. If there are no changes in the chemical composition, the change is termed a physical change.

Any material can cause chemical change on burning as long as its chemical composition changes. For example, we use a number of fossil fuels for various applications. Take gasoline for instance, we use it in our car engines. The gasoline burns and generates gases (carbon dioxide, etc.), water vapors, etc. The reactant is gasoline, an organic material; the products are structurally different. Since, chemical changes have taken place, we end up with a chemical change. Similar is the case when we burn paper or plastic or a candle, we get chemical changes.

Hope this helps. 

What is the significance of the title, Wuthering Heights?

As is usually the case with authors, Bronte chose her novel's title carefully. The title actually represents more than one important aspect of the novel.

The setting of Wuthering Heignts is the northern English moors, a rough, inhospitable climate prone to the harshest of winters.  The house by the same name sits high on a hill near some rocky crags.  The word "wuthering" means, as Lockwood tells us, being prone to "...atmospheric tumult...in stormy weather" (Bronte). The area is pummeled by high winds throughout most of the year.

As a result, the architecture of the house must be such that can deflect the wind's damage.  Deeply inset windows and jutted corners are two examples; this particular architecture can make the house appear dark and cold, both outside and inside.

The windy, stormy weather and the necessary architecture reflect of the lives of the family who lives inside.  Their relationships and situations are stormy and dark, just as their home and setting are stormy and dark, as contrasted with neighboring Thrushcross Grange, situated in a grassy, lower-lying area. Thus the reader is focused on the harsher setting and asked to consider its effect on the inhabitants of the home.

What techniques does Achebe use to characterize Michael Obi in "Dead Men's Path"? How does this characterization imply the ultimate failure of...

Chinua Achebe indirectly characterizes Michael Obi as an enthusiastic, progressive headmaster. Achebe develops Obi's character through his actions and comments. Initially, Obi is depicted as a positive man with good intentions, but he is later portrayed as a stubborn, unsympathetic individual. Achebe portrays Obi's outspoken personality and depicts how he condemns the older, less educated men in his field. Achebe also portrays Obi's affinity for modernity through his comments. Obi says, "We shall have such beautiful gardens and everything will be just modern and delightful..." (Achebe  1). Obi's "modern methods" transform the school and as he puts all his efforts into creating a new, aesthetic learning environment. Achebe further develops Obi's character by illustrating his reaction to the village priest. Michael Obi's true personality is depicted, and he is unsympathetic and rigid. He does not compromise or listen to Ani and decides to keep the path blocked. Obi's arrogance and stubborn attitude imply his ultimate failure. The next day the villagers vandalize his school after a woman dies during childbirth and the inspectors write a scathing review of Obi's intolerant character.

How does Macbeth (the character) develop as a result of the witches' actions and/or dialogue?

At the onset of the play, we learn that Macbeth is a brave and skilled soldier, much admired by all and sundry. He seems to have given his all for king and country and is considered loyal. King Duncan is so much pleased with his efforts in ensuring victory, that he generously rewards him with the title, thane of Cawdor. 

We soon discover that Macbeth is ambitious. In his and Banquo's encounter with the witches, he is skeptical when they greet him with his present title, thane of Glamis and his as yet unknown honour, thane of Cawdor. They further tell him that he will be 'king hereafter.' The witches disappear before he can learn more. When he is later informed by Angus that he had been awarded the title, thane of Cawdor, Macbeth remarks in an aside:

Glamis, and thane of Cawdor!
The greatest is behind.

His response clearly indicates that Macbeth has been thinking about achieving greater things. The fact that he mentions that 'the greatest is behind' is a clear pointer that he feels, at this moment, that he has overcome his greatest hurdle - the way is now open for him to achieve greater goals. Macbeth is so overwhelmed by the idea that Banquo soon notices that he is, 'rapt withal'. We now discover that Macbeth's ambition is to be king, for he says, again in an aside:

If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me,
Without my stir.  

He believes that if it were his destiny to be king, he might as well achieve the title by not doing anything. However, we later discover that Macbeth actually does do something. He and his wife plot Duncan's murder and eventually assassinate him in his bed. It is patently obvious that the witches' prediction has spurred him on and he took courage from what they said, leading to his pernicious deed. The prediction is what has set him off on a path of bloody destruction, for once Macbeth is crowned king, he becomes a ruthless, paranoid tyrant, killing all those he deems a threat to his rule.

The witches take great pleasure in seeing Macbeth destroying everything around him. They have willfully deceived him and await with pleasure their next encounter, so that they may further lead him to his doom. The third witch cries out ''tis time, tis time,' referring to the fact that they should get ready for Macbeth's arrival. They prepare a cauldron specifically for this purpose.

When Macbeth turns up, they continue using equivocation and paradox in order to further delude the gullible tyrant. They call up three apparitions, each with a different message. Macbeth is warned against Macduff and he is told that no man born of woman will harm him and also that he will not be defeated until Birnam wood marches up Dunsinane hill. The foolish Macbeth does not realize that what the witches say should not be interpreted literally, but he is so overwhelmed that he does not think straight.

To further mock him, the witches bring up a show of eight kings, apparitions that all look like Banquo. The last one carries a mirror which reflects into eternity showing a line of kings who all look like Banquo. The ghost of Banquo follows this line and points to them all, indicating that they will be his descendants. The witches leave Macbeth cursing the time in which he saw these horrendous phantoms.

These messages further encourage Macbeth for he now feels invincible - nothing can stand in his way. He continues on his bloody path of destruction until he is finally confronted by Macduff. At this point he has already learnt that Birnam wood has indeed marched up Dunsinane hill, in the form of soldiers who had camouflaged their numbers by carrying boughs cut from the trees in the wood. He realizes with a shock to what extent he had actually been deceived when Macduff tells him that his birth was unnatural, for he had been, 'untimely ripped' from his mother's womb. Macbeth then curses the witches:

Accursed be that tongue that tells me so,
For it hath cow'd my better part of man!

Macbeth refuses to surrender and is killed by Macduff. 

What is the analysis of Trifles by Susan Gaspell?

Trifles is a poignant drama of the consequences of feminine repression, loneliness, and deprivation. 

The play begins as the male and female characters arrive at the home of John and Minnie Wright (who is being held in the county jail) on a large farm in Iowa that is distant from other homes. Gordon Henderson, the County Attorney, Sheriff Peters, and a neighbor, Mr. Hale, dismiss the kitchen as insignificant in their search for a motive regarding the murder of Mr. Wright: "Nothing here but kitchen things," says the sheriff. But, before he goes upstairs, Henderson remarks, "Dirty towels! Not much of a housekeeper, would you say, ladies? Further, he criticizes Mrs. Wright's homemaker instinct.

While the men go upstairs after the attorney tells the women to keep an eye out for anything that might be of use to him and the sheriff, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters, enter the kitchen, resentful of the remarks made by the county attorney about Mrs. Wright. Instead, they see the dirty towels and the unkempt state of the kitchen as indicative of Mrs. Wright's low spirits. They look around for a time, then Mrs. Hale says she must gather Mrs. Wright's things from the front closet. When they pull out the requested articles of clothing, Mrs. Hale notices how shabby they are. "She used to wear pretty clothes and be lively," she remarks to Mrs. Peters.
As they return to the kitchen, the women discuss the method in which Wright was killed--with a rope around his neck--and they wonder if there were some connection of this method to motive. Looking through cabinets, they find a quilt that Mrs. Wright was piecing. Mrs. Hale wonders,

" I don't know as there's anything so strange, our takin' up our time with little things while we're waiting for them to get evidence."

Further, she notices that the sewing has become erratic in one place. So, Mrs. Hale pulls out the stitching to repair it, wondering why Mrs. Wright was obviously nervous while sewing. Soon, the men descend the stairs and Sheriff Peters overhears the women wondering if Mrs. Wright were going to "quilt" it or just "sew" the quilt. He jokes to the others about the unimportant concerns of the women, a remark that they find offensive.

Upon further searching, Mrs. Peters discovers in a cupboard a birdcage with a hinge broken. She asks Mrs. Hale if Minnie had a bird, but Mrs. Hale replies that she only knows that once a man came around selling birds. Mrs. Hale wonders if Mrs. Wright may have purchased one since Minnie, whom she knew when she was younger, once sang in the church choir and who must have been lonesome living so far removed from other people with no children or anyone to talk to while her husband worked the farm. But, they wonder what might have happened to the bird because Mrs. Hale notes that Mrs. Wright did not like cats or anything that might have killed it.

Later, Mrs. Hale suggests they take the unfinished quilt to the jail for Mrs. Wright to sew. Mrs. Peters agrees and looks for a sewing basket while Mrs. Hale comes upon a pretty red box, thinking it may contain a scissors. To their amazement, they discover the canary inside, with its neck twisted around; the women look at each other in knowing horror. But, when the men reappear, they say nothing about the bird except when the County Attorney notices the cage and asks where the bird may have gone. Mrs. Hale quickly replies, "We think the --cat got it." When he asks if there is a cat, Mrs. Peters quickly says, "...not now. They're superstitious, you know. They leave."

As the men retrace their steps and start upstairs, the two women say nothing to each other, but perceive something intuitively together. They understand Minnie Wright, and in their women's hearts, they have compassion for her, a lonely, desolate woman, who has suffered silently under the cruel coldness of the man she married. Nothing of beauty has survived in this home; so, when he silenced the little bird who sang for her and brought her some little joy, Minnie Wright snapped. They wonder what they would have done in her place: 

"If there's been year and years of nothing, then a bird to sing to you, it would be awful--still, after the bird was still," Mrs. Hale says.

Mrs. Peters commiserates, "I know what stillness is. When...my first baby died--after he was two years old, and me with no other then--"

But, she tells Mrs. Hale that the law must punish crime. Mrs. Hale counters,

"Oh, I wish I'd come over here once in a while. That was a crime! That was a crime! Who's going to punish that!....We all go through the same things--it's all just a different kind of the same thing.

They decide not to tell Mrs. Wright that her jelly that she worked so hard to put up in the summer has all frozen and the jars broken. Mrs. Peters nervously remarks on how they got so worked up about a dead canary. "As if that could have anything to do with--with--wouldn't they laugh! Under her breath Mrs. Hale says, "Maybe they would--maybe they wouldn't." Clearly, both women consider the previous remarks of the men about the trifles with which women concern themselves. Perhaps, they wonder to themselves, the canary is a mere "trifle," too. So, why mention it? 

As the men come downstairs again, the women hear the attorney telling the sheriff that the case is clear except for a reason for the act of doing the crime. There is nothing to connect with the strange "way of doing it." Entering the kitchen, the sheriff asks if the attorney wishes to see what his wife is taking to the jail, but the attorney says no because, after all, she is "married to the law" Mrs. Peter defers, "Not--just that way." While the men step out to examine the windows, the two wives look meaningfully at each other, both disgusted with the chauvinistic remarks of the men. Quickly, Mrs. Peters tries to put the box with the canary in her bag, but it will not fit. She opens the box, but is too nervous to grab the canary, and they hear the door knob turning. Mrs. Hale, then, snatches the box and shoves it into her large pocket of her heavy winter coat in an act of feminine loyalty. Surely, she feels justified when the county attorney facetiously says,

"Well, Henry, at least we found out that she was not going to quilt it. She was going to--what was it you call it, ladies?"

Her hand in her pocket, Mrs. Hale pointedly responds, "We call it--knot it, Mr. Henderson."

And, they do, indeed, "knot" the case for Mr. Henderson, depriving him of a possible motive out of their feminine sympathy and sisterhood. They cannot bring themselves to condemn Minnie Wright, who lived a life of silent, lonely desperation on a remote farm with no laughter and no song in her home to warm her heart. To Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters this deprivation and repression by a cold husband was punishment enough.

However, some critics feel that Glaspell sends "a dubious moral message" with her play since Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters have actually become accomplices in thwarting justice. One critic writes,

Interestingly, in the years since Trifles was first produced, many scholars have found reason after reason to condone the actions of Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale. Intentionally or not, Glaspell has encouraged successive generations of critical scofflaws.

Still, in an introduction to the play, Mary Ann Ferguson applauds the actions of Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters:

‘Their awareness comes through shared anger at the men’s views, and their actions invalidate the stereotype of women as ‘fuzzy’ thinkers concerned only with trifles. . . . The play shows that ‘sisterhood is powerful’ by belying the conception that women are catty among other women.

Perhaps, viewers and readers should consider this play as just that--a work of literature that presents a feminist perspective which points mainly to male neglect rather than to criminal activity. It is not, and should not be, a manual for moral conduct, that is certain.

Evaluate the indefinite integral.

You need to evaluate the indefinite integral such that:

You need to evaluate the indefinite integral using the following substitution  such that:

Replacing back  for u yields:

Hence, evaluating the indefinite integral, yields

In Romeo and Juliet, what is the friar's attitude towards the county Paris?

The friar does not say much about the County Paris throughout the play, even when he is in conversation with him. The only significant remark he makes about him is at the end when he testifies to the Prince about his role in the unfortunate events which led to the deaths of Romeo, Juliet and Paris. In his confession he partly states:

... But when I came, some minute ere the time
Of her awaking, here untimely lay
The noble Paris and true Romeo dead ...

The friar's use of 'noble' can have a twofold meaning. He might be referring simply to Paris' aristocratic lineage or stating that Paris was an honorable and respected individual, which is a personality trait. 

On the whole, it appears that Friar Lawrence was quite neutral about Paris since he does not express any judgement or divulge his perception of him, except in the above extract. In terms of his reference here, we can assume that his attitude was that he respected Paris by virtue of his aristocratic status and that he also deemed him to be an upright person -  someone who is bereft of any malicious purpose or intent. 

What is a character description of Clarisse McClellan in Fahrenheit 451?

Clarisse McClellan is an anachronism in the society of Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 who disturbs the complacency of Guy Montag, causing him to question certain aspects of his life.

Prior to his encounter with Clarisse, Montag considers burning "a pleasure." But, one night as he turns the corner, Montag spots a girl who moves her head in such a way as to express

...a kind of gentle hunger that touched over everything with tireless curiosity.

With her eyes "fixed to the world," Clarisse nearly collides with Montag. She introduces herself as a new neighbor, and she asks if Montag will accompany her home. As they walk along, Clarisse informs Montag that she enjoys smelling things and examining them; in fact, she tells him that she sometimes stays up all night, walking, and finally, watching the sun rise. 
With candor, Clarisse asks Montag if he ever reads any of the books that he burns. But, Montag laughs, replying, "That's against the law!" Clarisse merely returns, "Oh. Of course." When Montag chuckles, she quickly inquires, "Why are you laughing?" and Montag tells her that he does not know, adding "You are an odd one.....Haven't you any respect?" Clarisse counters with the observation that Montag does not stop to think about what she has asked, while she, on the other hand, ponders many things. As she runs off, Clarisse asks Montag if he is happy.

Shaken by this encounter, Montag sees the face of Clarisse upon his wall as he enters his house: "How like a mirror, too, her face." But, when he goes into the bedroom, Montag discovers his wife, who is unconscious with only the sounds of the singing in the "thimble -wasps in her "tamped-shut" ears. He quickly calls for help, but none comes. Finally, he get an emergency  squad to ave Mildred. This encounter with death and his previous meeting of Clarisse, affect Montag deeply. Unfortunately, not long after this meeting, Clarisse has disappeared.

What is Da-Duh's first reaction to the child?

When Da-duh first meets her young granddaughter in the shed where Da-duh's family got off the boat from New York City, Da-duh is taken back by what she sees.  She scrutinizes her granddaughter as if trying to decide who she is.  The narrator says, “Instead of leaning close, she peered hard at me, and then quickly drew back.” Da-dah and her granddaughter stare at each other, and Da-duh is the first to look away.  Da-duh sees something different in her granddaughter and later describes the fierceness she sees in her granddaughter’s eyes.

Da-duh is definitely the matriarch of the family and rules over them.  Her daughter and other granddaughter appear to be afraid of Da-duh because she is so judgmental and straightforward. Da-duh, however, has met her match in her youngest granddaughter, and she realizes that she is not so easy to control. She may also see a lot of herself through her granddaughter's spunk and confidence. Da-duh takes her granddaughter under her wing to teach her the ways of Barbados, but in the end, it is Da-duh who is changed by the stories of New York City that her granddaughter tells her.

How do historians and archaeologists investigate the past?

The good historians or archaeologist study the past objectively. That means that they explore past events without any preconceived notions of what they expect to find. Even the best of historians need tools or sources to study the past. It is much easier for historians to study events that have been written about. Historians use three basic sources for the understanding of the past. First is the primary source, or first-hand accounts. The primary source is recorded or written by somebody that has witnessed the event or actually participated. Primary sources can include letters from soldiers, video recordings of events and speeches.

Another tool that historians use is the secondary source. Secondary sources are created after the event by somebody that was not involved in the action. Secondary sources can include newspaper reports, books, or artwork. Secondary sources are not as valuable because they can contain bias and are written by individuals that did not participate directly in the event.

An even less reliable source that historians use is the oral history. Oral histories are unwritten sources of information that are passed down by word of mouth. Some oral histories have been transmitted for centuries and may evolve over time.

For information on how archaeologist study the past, please check the link provided as this is a different question entirely.  

Write the trigonometric form of the number.

The trigonometric form of a complex number is

where 

Applying these formulas, the values of r and theta of z=8+3i are:

Plug-in them to the trigonometric form.

Thus, the trigonometric form of    is   .

Which two points of view are used in “Games at Twilight” by Anita Desai? A. third-person omniscient B. second person C. third-person limited...

The correct answer is choice "A" and choice "C." 

The story begins with a third-person omniscient narrator.  The narrator tells us about how the children feel and how the mother that is tasked with watching all of them also feels.  Once the children are set free outside, the narration continues from the omniscient point of view.  We are told information about Raghu, Mira, and Manu, and the narration gives readers the impression of watching all of these events from the outside.  

The narration then switches to a third-person limited point of view once it focuses on Ravi.  A reader's knowledge of events is limited to what Ravi sees and feels.  We no longer know what the other kids are up to.  We don't know what is going on with the parents.  We are only aware of Ravi and what he is aware of.  That limited point of view allows readers to better feel Ravi's range of emotions throughout the story. 

What quote from To Kill A Mockingbird supports the sentiment expressed here: "Judging a person does not define who they are, it defines who you are"?

In Chapter 3, Jem invites Walter Cunningham Jr. over to their house for dinner. While Water is eating, he begins to pour syrup all over his meat and vegetables. Scout is appalled and asks "what the sam hill is he doing." (Lee 32) Walter is embarrassed, and he quickly puts the saucer down and bows his head. Atticus looks at Scout and shakes his head. Scout begins to protest again and tries to explain that he's "drowned" his dinner in syrup. Calpurnia tells Scout to follow her into the kitchen and proceeds to yell at Scout for her rude comments. Cal explains to Scout that Walter is their company, and she needs to treat him with respect, regardless of how he chooses to eat. Scout argues that Walter is not their guest because "he's just a Cunningham." Calpurnia says,

"Hush your mouth! Don't matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house' yo' comp'ny, and don't you let me catch you remarkin' on their ways like you was so high and mighty! Yo' folks might be better'n the Cunninghams but it don't count for nothin' the way you're disgracin' 'em---if you can't act fit to eat at the table you can just set here and eat in the kitchen!" (Lee 33)

Calpurnia teaches Scout that her manners are a reflection of her character after Scout judges Walter Cunningham Jr. for his eating habits. When Cal says, "it don't count for nothin' the way you're disgracin' 'em," she means that Scout's family reputation is useless when she disgraces other people by judging them. Scout learns that judging Walter says more about her rude manners than it does about Walter's eating habits.

Why did Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones shut the door quickly?

In the final paragraph of "Thank You, Ma'am" Roger has just been ushered to the doorway of Luella's home. The description of his departure indicates that Roger wanted to say more than he was actually able to before the door was closed between him and Luella. The text does not actually say that the door closed "quickly", as you described it in your question, but it is implied that its closing happened sooner than Roger was ready for it to close. At any rate, the purpose of Luella closing the door before Roger had finished thanking her may be interpreted in multiple ways.

First of all, if we recall the moments right before this scene, Luella had just told Roger that she needed to get her rest. She is a woman who sets firm boundaries, and if she really needed to go to bed at that point, then her abrupt shutting of the door makes sense. She does not seem like the sort of person who would waste time in a lingering goodbye after already saying everything she needed to say.

Another interpretation might be that Roger took too long to muster up the courage to speak, and she simply stopped waiting for the words to come out. When the story began, it was already 11:00 at night. By the time their dinner and conversation have ended, it is probably midnight or later. Luella may not have even realized that Roger had begun to speak if she was already in the middle of closing the door by the time he felt able to say anything.

Alternatively, maybe she did realize he was about to thank her and shut the door on him on purpose. Maybe she was actively trying to avoid hearing his thanks for some reason. Could it be that she would have felt embarrassed by the gratitude? Or maybe being thanked would have made her feel like her good deed was more of a transaction rather than something that was simply the right thing to do. Leaving Roger on the front porch with nobody to hear his thanks puts him in the position of having to process what just happened all by himself. And with nobody in front of him to say thanks to, maybe Roger will look for other ways in life to express the gratitude Luella's act of grace has given him.

When was the first school founded?

Education is an integral part of the human experience, so some form of schooling has existed since the beginning of human history. Eventually, formal education--the practice of grouping students together under the tutelage of an experienced instructor--began to develop. Historians are not sure when the first formal school was created, but they do know that schools for training scribes existed in Sumer as early as 3500 BC.

Schools for the teaching of the humane arts (rhetoric, logic, philosophy, etc.) existed in Rome, Greece, India, and China during the classical period (which began in the 8th century BC). In c. 387 BC, the philosopher Plato founded the Academy in Athens. Historians believe Plato's Academy was the first institution of higher learning in the West and thus the precursor to the modern university educational model. 

Can you explain to me the effects of colonialism on Ireland?

Colonialism has had many negative effects on Ireland since the Anglo-Norman conquest in the twelfth century when English barons grabbed lands in an area including Dublin and its surroundings known as the "Pale". The Tudors in the sixteenth century expanded and intensified English control over Ireland, disarmed local Irish aristocrats, and tightened control over the entirety of the island.

These elements of the Anglo-Norman and English conquest of Ireland had many of the typical elements of colonialism. The Irish were a Gaelic speaking people and the English spoke English. From the time of Henry VIII on, the English were Protestants and the Irish Roman Catholics. This led to driving both Roman Catholicism and the Celtic language and cultural traditions underground.

Internationally, many Irish groups opposed to English rule allied themselves with the enemies of England (such as Spain and France). These tensions led to increasing oppression of Irish Catholics, including confiscation of land and property, criminalizing Roman Catholic worship, making English the language of government and commerce thereby disadvantaging Gaelic speakers, and restricting access to education to Protestants. The 1801 Act of Union between Britain and Ireland, while giving the Irish some representation in Parliament also attempted to suppress the nascent Irish nationalist movement.

The main effects of colonialism were impoverishing the Irish, suppressing Celtic cultural and linguistic traditions, centralizing power and wealth in the hands of the Protestant minority, and creating civic unrest which continues to the present day in Northern Ireland. The combination of poverty and oppression also lead to massive emigration, at certain times amounting to 40 percent of the adult population, and a large diaspora that still maintains ties to Ireland and influences Irish politics and culture. 

One particularly significant piece of evidence of this cultural hegemony is that most of the Irish today are functionally monolingual speakers of English, with only a small minority knowing the Irish language.

.

Why is Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring, considered brave?

"Physical bravery is an animal instinct; moral bravery is a much higher and truer courage."  -Wendell Phillips, American abolitionist

Rachel Carson did not mean to make such a large splash when she authored the book Silent Spring, which was released in 1962. Using four years of research, she outlined the harmful effects of the use of pesticides and man-made chemicals on the environment. She had to know when researching the book, that she was going to upset some powerful people in corporate America. She decided that the harmful effects of chemicals on the environment would be her personal moral crusade.

Almost immediately after the books successful release, pesticide manufacturers attacked Rachel's character. They attacked the motives, methods, and conclusions of her research. She was accused of being a communist sympathizer. One pesticide manufacturer even threatened to sue her under the pretense that she was operating for the Soviet propaganda machine. Despite these brutal attacks on her character, she did not back down from the findings of her book.

While all of these attacks were taking place, Rachel was fighting a deadly breast cancer that was ravaging her body. Knowing she did not have long to live, it would have been easy for her to pursue other interests and let other generations worry about chemical pollution. This is not the path that she chose. She even testified before a Senate subcommittee on pesticides when she could barely walk. Rachel died eighteen months after the publication of her book, but the bravery of her work sparked the modern environmentalist movement.

What happens to the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come in A Christmas Carol?

The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come shows Scrooge his future if he does not change his greedy and selfish ways.  After seeing all that will happen in the future, Scrooge begs the Spirit to give him another chance.  He promises that he will be a changed man if the Spirit lets him live longer.  Scrooge grabs the hand of the Spirit.  The Spirit pulls the hand away from him.  Scrooge then clasps his hands together to beg for mercy from The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come one last time.  Before his eyes, the Spirit's clothing transforms to become Scrooge's own bedclothes.  He then realizes that the Spirit has vanished and that he is now back in his own bed in his own house.

How can I write a 200-person guest list for Romeo and Juliet's hypothetical wedding? I'm allowed to use people from the book and people who were...

This is a fun assignment! You have a variety of ways you could go about this assignment, but I would suggest perhaps sticking with historical figures and fictional characters that existed in Verona, Italy, around the time of Romeo and Juliet. The exact time of Romeo and Juliet is unclear, but the time it was written is not. Romeo and Juliet was created by Shakespeare and performed between 1591 and 1595. Luckily, there was plenty happening in Verona during this period of the Renaissance. There was a significant population growth in Verona during this time due to successful ruling and peace. Many of the new buildings were created by the architect Michele Sanmicheli, and so studying this man and his relationships could be helpful for the wedding list. A link is provided below with a biography on Sanmicheli. 

Of course, it will be difficult to find 150 more names of historical people that were popular around the end of the 16th century in Verona without reviewing historical texts. As an alternative, you could potentially include characters from any play that was popular in Italy at the end of the 16th century. Commedia dell'arte was popular during this time, which is a different form than English drama because it routinely pulls from the same stock characters. These characters include the Zanni, Arlecchino, Bandello, Brighella, Il Capitano, Il Dottore, Pantalone, and the Columbine. 

Since many of these plays were not recorded, you could potentially make a leap and include characters on the wedding list who are from plays that were inspired by commedia dell'arte. These plays include The Tempest by William Shakespeare, Les Fourberies de Scapin by Moliere, and Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni. A quick search of these three plays would pull up a variety of characters that could likely be invited to the wedding. 

Why is this month with his father so important to Obama? Which memories of his father are most vivid to him?

Looking back on his life, Barack Obama can see that the one month he spent with his birth father was of key importance. It marked their only time together. Dr. Obama passed away in 1982, when his son was 21 years old. Their interaction is described in the last pages of Chapter Three; and Obama refers to this month again, throughout the book. He wasn’t sure at first how to act around his father. He longed to better understand the man and his dreams, but never directly asked about them. He watched his father and admired his way of speaking to an audience. He remembers applauding whenever his father applauded at a jazz concert, since he himself wasn’t sure when the music was really finished. And he remembers his father playing Kenyan music and teaching him how to dance to it. But much of what Obama learned about the man was from stories his siblings and other relatives told him later. Eventually he could weave together a somewhat focused image of him.

In Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, what is meant by "this shameful condition?"

One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize an shameful condition.

The "I Have a Dream" speech was a landmark event in the history of the civil rights movement.  The part of the speech in question is referring to the condition of African-Americans in society.  King wants to bring to light a number of problems faced by blacks in the United States.  He explains how it has been over a century since the slaves were freed by the Emancipation Proclamation and yet African-Americans still do not feel like they belong in American society. This is the shameful condition that he speaks about.  This condition that black people find themselves in is a result of segregation and discrimination.   A major focus of the speech is on segregation, but limited voting rights in the South was another part of the condition that King mentions.  Having said that, King wants to deliver a speech that will catch the audience's attention and bring about change in the area of segregation and political rights for African-Americans.  

How does Dickens present the emotion of love in Great Expectations?

Dickens presents two different kinds of love in Great Expectations: romantic love and friendship love. Through Pip’s infatuation with Estella, Dickens examines the nature of this romantic love. Is it true love, or is it shallow love? Pip falls for Estella in the midst of her contempt of him. Despite the fact that she is less than kind, Pip sets his hopes on eventually marrying her. It is basically a love-hate relationship, until Pip learns that Miss Havisham is not his benefactor, nor is she training him to be an acceptable mate for Estella. He gives up all hope when he rejects Magwitch’s money, but he still holds out some feelings for Estella. In the final chapter, when the two of them meet after being separated for some years, there is a hint that Pip falls in love with this new Estella, who has dropped her contempt and her arrogance, making her worthy of the hero’s love.

Pip’s friendship with Joe also shows a tortured path. The two of them are close companions, until Pip takes up the role of gentleman and feels ashamed of Joe’s coarseness. However, like his relationship with Estella, Pip learns the true worth of Joe, reclaiming their friendship once Pip discovers the nature of what it is to be a gentleman. In a sense, Pip has to learn what Estella did, to get over an inflated opinion in order to find a genuine relationship with someone else.

What effect do Walter Mitty's daydreams have on the story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty?"

In James Thurber's entertaining short story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," the main character's daydreams remove him from the irritations of his mundane life by providing him with an heroic alternate reality. For example, at the beginning of the story, he imagines himself the pilot of a Navy plane that is about to enter a storm:

"The crew, bending to their various tasks in the huge, hurtling eight-engined Navy hydroplane, looked at each other and grinned. 'The Old Man’ll get us through,' they said to one another. 'The Old Man ain’t afraid of Hell!'". . .

Walter Mitty is actually driving with his wife, who ends his reverie by telling him that he is driving too fast. After his wife reminds him to put on his gloves, he imagines that he is a surgeon: 

"A door opened down a long, cool corridor and Dr. Renshaw came out. He looked distraught and haggard. 'Hello, Mitty,' he said. 'We’re having the devil’s own time with McMillan, the millionaire banker and close personal friend of Roosevelt. Obstreosis of the ductal tract. Tertiary. Wish you’d take a look at him.' 'Glad to,' said Mitty."

In this incident, Mitty removes himself from the drab reality of his wife's reminder that he should put on his gloves by imagining that his gloves make him a respected doctor. His daydreams help him make up for the boring reality of his everyday life and for the way in which his relationship with his wife makes him feel less-than-powerful. His daydreams make the story more entertaining and lively, and they also allow the reader to understand a great deal about the way in which Mitty experiences his life. 

What are the advantages of living in the city compared to the countryside?

There are many advantages to urban living, but these advantages depend upon the qualities of a particular city. Some American cities are compact and walkable, like Boston or San Francisco, and having car is not necessary. This saves money and encourages walking for a healthy lifestyle. Some cities are more spread out and require a car (like Los Angeles or Miami). One of the greatest advantages to living in a city is culture; this is due in part to the influx of European and Asian immigrants that settled in the United States after the turn of the century (we see this reflected in the names of neighborhoods there, such as Little Italy and Chinatown). Immigrants from many nations continue to increase the diversity of the cultural landscape in America's cities. One finds many choices to enrich one's life through this diverse culture, including choices of food, music and leisure activities. There are usually high-quality medial facilities available in cities as well, with cities like Boston and Chicago having world-class hospitals and medical centers. Universities and colleges are usually found in larger numbers in cities, and most cities have large public library systems. Arts facilities in cities are also often dynamic and can provide opportunities for enjoyment and education. Rural areas frequently do not have the demand or funding for such facilities, and so country dwellers often have to travel to the "big city" to see a play, concert, or independent film.

Many large cities have public transportation systems, which also lessens the need and expense of owning a car. Living conditions are usually more dense in cities, and this allows for relationship to develop among communities and for neighborhoods to develop their own unique character, making them desirable of many reasons. Cities can also be visually beautiful, with historic architecture and well-designed parks. Public parks and gardens can help residents feel more connected to nature, the absence of which can be one downside of city living. But convenient access to a park can be every bit as satisfying as living in the country, without the potential for feeling isolated that can occur with rural living.

What are some interests that Juliet has?

There are a few hints at Juliet's interests, but the lack of them is far more interesting in my opinion. She has a strong relationship with her nurse, who seems to be her dearest friend in many respects. Like many women in her day, she shows signs of religious devotion. Keep in mind the friar is the first person she goes to when she needs help. Her presence at the ball could also be seen as an interest, but it is more likely something she does out of social obligation.

More interesting to me is that she has so few major interests in life. This is not an accident; she is still very young and unsure of herself as a person. This is one of many signs throughout the play that the couple's relationship is more an act of rash, youthful passion than genuine adult love and commitment. Romeo has similar issues. Remember, he was originally at the ball because he claimed to be in love with another woman. He appears to be a young man constantly falling in and out of love.

Their young naivety and lack of development as people is part of what makes the play so tragic. They had hardly begun to find themselves, but they gave it all up for passion, as young people sometimes do.

What are three things that inspire Nick Allen in Andrew Clements's Frindle?

As a creative thinker, Nick draws on a lot of inspiration in order to invent his new word frindle in Andrew Clements' story. He draws on inspiration from his teacher Mrs. Granger, his friend Janet, and a news anchorman.

Nick's first inspiration is Mrs. Granger's response when he asks, "Who decides what words should mean?" Mrs. Granger responds,

Who says dog means dog? You do, Nicholas. You and I and everyone in this class and this town and this state and this country. We all agree (28).

Hearing that he has the authority to decide the meanings of words inspires Nick to exercise his authority to make up his own word.

His second inspiration is when his friend Janet finds a gold pen. While walking home from school together, playing a game in which they are only allowed to walk along the curb, Nick keeps thinking about how Mrs. Granger said he has the power to determine meanings of words. When Janet jumps off the curb to pick up an expensive gold pen she sees, Nick is instantly inspired to call it something other than a pen; he calls it a frindle, which is the moment his new made-up word is born.

His third point of inspiration is the word quiz. While watching the news report on CBS given about his made-up word, he hears the news anchorman give the history of the word "quiz." According to the anchorman, the word was made up in 1791 when a theater manager in Dublin "bet someone that he could invent a brand-new word in the English language" (66). The news anchorman further makes the following inspiring comment:

Quiz is the only word in English that was invented by one person for no particular reason—that is until now. Now there is a new word, frindle, and here is Alice Lunderson in Westfield, New Hampshire, with the story (67).

Learning the word "quiz" was invented for no reason helps Nick feel inspired to continue using his own made-up word.

What are three historical interpretations of who started the cold war?

Tensions between the U.S., Britain, and the Soviet Union began as early as 1943 when their three leaders met in Tehran to coordinate strategy over the ruling of Poland. They continued to escalate and came to a head when FDR died and Truman took over, taking a hard stance against Stalin.

During the Cold War itself, most historians and politicians agreed that it was caused by the Soviets and their evil dictator Stalin attempting to dominate the world with his Communist ideology. America reluctantly joined to save the world from a totalitarian regime.

After the Vietnam war in the 1960s, disillusionment was high and historical revisionists began to claim that although Stalin was a tyrant, he wasn't interested in world domination but merely in preserving the Soviet Union. He wanted to use Poland for security purposes and America misinterpreted that as a desire for conquest. Americans were to blame for the start of the Cold War as they aggressively tried to contain the Soviet influence, intimidate them, and actively pursue American economic interests in other parts of the globe.

A third and more recent interpretation, a "post-revisionist synthesis," incorporates the idea that America played a part with its aggressive and intimidating behaviors, but that Stalin was also a powerful and malevolent dictator who was partly responsible.

What is the central idea of chapter 6 in Bud, Not Buddy?

Just as in many of the chapters of this novel, the central idea reflects one of Bud's many rules. His mother told him to always remember that when one door closes, another one opens.

In this chapter, as Bud attempts to get breakfast at a mission, he is turned away by one person who lacks compassion or caring. Just as Bud is about to leave the line and abandon hope of eating, another person steps up and takes steps to ensure that Bud gets to eat. This person puts their own welfare at risk in order to help make sure that Bud gets to eat.

The central idea could be that just as closed doors lead to open doors in life, negative people often exit our lives and reveal a positive person in their place.

What is the summary of Chapter 15 of The Story of My Life?

Helen Keller writes this chapter about the summer and fall of 1892 and the spring of 1893. She has just endured an episode in which a story she wrote and published in a report of the Perkins Institution called "The Frost King" was found to be quite similar to another already published story. She had not intended to plagiarize the other story, and this incident wounded her greatly. This chapter begins in the summer, as she returns to Alabama and attempts to put the incident of the story behind her. Every time she writes, she is afraid of copying a story that she has heard and that is in her mind, but Ms. Sullivan, her teacher, encourages Keller to write the story of her life to date for a magazine called Youth's Companion. 

Keller also mentions that she attended the inauguration of President Cleveland and details her trip in 1893 to Niagara Falls and to the World's Fair with Dr. Alexander Graham Bell. There, she has permission to touch the exhibits and enjoys the French bronzes. Dr. Graham Bell goes around the fair with Keller and tells her about the new inventions, such as the telephone and phonograph. She feels that looking at these new inventions helps her grow from a child who is consumed by fairy tales to a person with an interest in the real world. 

What are the main themes of George Herbert’s poem “The Pulley”?

The poem presents God as a benevolent, loving and caring father. When He created man, He bestowed upon him all the “blessings” and “the world’s riches” He could think of. Strength, honor, wisdom and pleasure—He gave him all He could.

However, man is essentially mortal by nature and these gifts can’t provide him eternal happiness. If he gets too indulgent in these gifts, he might forget his Creator. Instead of following God’s path and seeking salvation, he might fritter away his invaluable life merely in self-gratification.

He would adore my gifts instead of me,

And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature...

To avoid his doom, God didn't grant him rest. The insatiable human heart would always desire for more, whereas the fleeting nature of these worldly pleasures would always keep him discontented. His pursuit of joy and delight would make him restless, finally making him weary.

If not out of gratitude or goodness, he would certainly turn to God out of “weariness” and “restlessness.”

If goodness lead him not, yet weariness

 May toss him to my breast.

In this way, Herbert's highly spiritual poem directs a person towards their Creator. It does so by revealing to man the transient nature of worldly pleasures and showing the way that would lead him to attain perfect happiness by turning to God. 

So, we see that the main themes of this poem include God's love and benevolence for mankind, man's mortal existence, the ephemeral nature of worldly joys, and the main goal of man's life. 

What was Macbeth's motive for having Banquo murdered?

The Weird Sisters' predictions regarding Macbeth said, in part, that he would become king; however, they told Banquo that he would father kings. Thus, once Macbeth does take the throne, it occurs to him that he will not pass it on to his own children but to Banquo's instead, and he finds this to be very upsetting. He now says,

They hailed him father to a line of kings.
Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown
And put a barren scepter in my grip,
Thence to be wrenched with an unlineal hand,
No son of mine succeeding.  If 't be so,
For Banquo's issue have I defiled my mind [...].  (3.1.65-70)

Macbeth has gone to quite a bit of trouble to become king, including defiling his soul with a terrible sin and weighing down his own conscience with the heaviness of that sin. Now, the idea that he did all this for himself only, to have the throne for so short a time, is unacceptable. He doesn't want to think that he did all of these things so that Banquo's descendants would get his throne, so he decides to have Banquo and his one living son, Fleance, killed so that they can no longer pose a threat to his monarchy.

How was Zora Neale Hurston's work more famous after her death than before her death?

Zora Neale Hurston was widely known as a writer and political activist during the Harlem Renaissance. However, there were many things that contributed to her lack of success during her lifetime. One was that people were disturbed by the way she represented dialogue in her writing. She tried her best to show a direct an accurate picture of African American slang, and this was a very controversial idea, considered to be politically incorrect by most. Additionally, there was a scandal concerning eventually disproved allegations of Hurston molesting a child, and other people who published some unpopular opinions Hurston had concerning Brown v. Board of Education.

After Hurston died, writer Alice Walker was the main catalyst for causng new editions of her work to be printed and new interest generated in her writing. Some of Hurston's writing, such as a folk tale collection entitled Every Tongue Got to Tell,  was not found and published until decades after her death.

Hurston is now celebrated by a festival named after her, a national museum in her house,  and induction into the New York and Alabama halls of fame for writers. Her work is honored by writers, scholars, and critics, and read in schools all over the world.

What did John O'Sullivan mean when he used the phrase "manifest destiny"?

John O'Sullivan first used the term in 1845 in an article for the Democratic Review. In his article, he argued for the United States to annex the Republic of Texas because the United States had a divine purpose to spread across the entire continent. At the time, the nation was in the midst of a fierce debate over the direction of the nation. Many Democrats, of which O'Sullivan was one, advocated a vision first articulated by Andrew Jackson which was rooted in conquest and territorial expansion. On the other side, Whigs advocated moral and social reform, not imperialism, and therefore opposed annexing Texas and the war with Mexico. Abraham Lincoln, who was a young lawyer at the time, fell into this camp.

O'Sullivan believed the United States had a destiny not only to spread its borders but to bring its people and to "civilize" the lands inhabited by Indians and Mexicans by spreading liberty through representative government. 

In what ways are the bowed-out shape of the production possibilities curve and the law of increasing opportunity cost related?

The shape of the production possibilities curve (PPC) is caused by the law of increasing opportunity costs.  If opportunity costs did not increase, PPCs would be straight lines.

The law of increasing opportunity costs says that, as you produce more of one good or service, you have to give up more of another good or service.  In other words, when you start to increase production of Good A, you do not have to give up that much of Good B for every new unit of Good A that you produce.  However, as you continue to increase production, your opportunity costs increase and you give up more of Good B for each new unit of Good A that you produce.  This is because some of your resources are equally useful for making Goods A and B while others are much better for one or the other.

For example, imagine that you are running a restaurant and you have lots of cooks in your kitchen.  Some of them make desserts and some of them make main dishes.  Now let us say that your customers’ tastes change and they want fewer main dishes and more desserts.  At first, this is easy to provide.  Some of your cooks are pretty good at both kinds of food so you don’t give up that many desserts for each new main dish that you produce.  But as you move more and more towards desserts, things get worse.  You have some cooks who were really good at making main dishes and could make many of them in a short amount of time, but who are really bad at making desserts and take a long time.   When you switch those cooks to desserts, you give up lots of main dishes and only get few desserts in return.  Your opportunity costs have risen because you have gotten to the point where your resources (the cooks) are much better at producing one good than the other.

This is why a PPC bows out.  In the middle ranges of the PPC, resources are just about equally good for making either thing (PPCs show tradeoffs between making two things or kinds of things), so the opportunity cost for switching is low.  However, as you reach the ends of the graph, you get into resources that are only really good for one thing or the other.  As you switch those resources, you give up a lot of one product to get only a little bit of the other.  In this way, the law of increasing opportunity costs causes a PPC to have a bowed-out shape.

Do the arts have an important role within modern day Britain?

The arts certainly have a large impact on modern day Britain. Though the days  of Shakespeare are long past, theatre continues to play a huge part in shaping British culture. For one, the United Kingdom's legacy of theatre culture draws millions of tourists every year. In addition to great achievement in theatrical arts, the British Museum houses one of largest collections of art and cultural artifacts in the world. 

Just like any other nation in the world, art serves as a leisure activity for many, a living for some, and certainly has an impact on all people. Whether intentional or not, art sends messages that are interpreted and integrated by the person who views, hears, or touches it. Even advertisements are art, and in London one can hardly escape the adverts posted on the sides of buildings, buses, and on billboards. Art has played a huge part in shaping the national identity of Great Britain, and many British people cite great works of art and artists as being formative to their identity as a Brit.

What makes Fortunato fall prey to Montresor's murderous plot?

In Edgar Allan Poe's short story "Cask of Amontillado" Montresor plots to murder Fortunato for an "insult" which is never revealed. Montresor chooses the time of Carnival to carry out the deed. Carnival is the celebration just before the fasting and abstinence of the Christian observance of Lent in anticipation of Easter. Carnival literally means a farewell to meat. 

Amid the chaos of the celebration Montresor lures Fortunato to his palazzo. Montresor knows his servants won't be around because they are out celebrating. He also knows that Fortunato will be a little drunk and that the man will not question the sincerity of Montresor's invitation. Montresor says,

It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as was my in to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my to smile now was at the thought of his immolation.

In order to get Fortunato to go into the catacombs where he later meets his demise, Montresor plays on the man's "connoisseurship in wine." Montresor tells Fortunato that he has a "pipe of Amontillado" and he needs his expert opinion. Partly because Fortunato has already been drinking he is quite interested in the fine vintage.

Montresor further entices the man by saying he can always confer with another supposed expert if Fortunato is too busy. Fortunato has disdain for the other expert, further playing into Montresor's hands. Montresor says,

"As you are engaged, I am on my way to Luchresi. If any one has a critical turn it is he. He will tell me --"

"Luchresi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry."

"And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match for your own.

"Come, let us go."

"Whither?"

"To your vaults."

"My friend, no; I will not impose upon your good nature. I perceive you have an engagement. Luchresi--"

"I have no engagement; --come."

As they descend into the vaults where the wine is stored, Montresor continues to discourage Fortunato by saying it's too cold, the walls are covered in nitre (a salty substance that accumulates in underground caverns) and he fears for Fortunato's health, quite ironic considering what is in store for the man. Montresor does this to disguise his true plan to bring the man to the end of the catacombs, chain him and brick him into the wall, never to be heard from again. 

To this means Montresor also offers more drink to his victim until Fortunato is quite inebriated: "He turned towards me, and looked into my eyes with two filmy orbs that distilled the rheum of intoxication." 

In a final irony Fortunato asks Montresor if he is of the "Masons." The term mason has two meanings. Masons, or freemasons, could be a fraternal order or they could simply be those workers who build with masonry. When asked, Montresor reveals the trowl he plans to use to wall up Fortunato deep in the catacombs below the palazzo.

Who are the "Termites?"

Stanford University professor Lewis Terman launched a major psychological study of gifted children in the 1920s. He found 1,470 California children whose IQs averaged more than 140. These “young geniuses” became known as “Termites,” because of the researcher’s surname. For the rest of his life – and theirs -- Professor Terman followed and studied these individuals. After they reached adulthood and got jobs, he divided them into groups he called A, B, and C, depending on the types of work they did and how successful they had become. Terman found that even the smartest people needed a supportive community around them, or a cultural legacy, in order to get the best jobs and to succeed in life. Their birth years also factored in to their chances for advancement.

Gladwell refers to the Terman study three times: in the chapters “The Trouble with Geniuses,” parts 1 and 2, and in “The Three Lessons of Joe Flom.”

What are the origins of literature?

I think from very early on, human beings have been storytellers in one form or another.  They told stories of their lives, they created stories to explain the natural phenomena around them, and they created stories of heroes and heroines.  To be human is to imagine, and to be human is to create a narrative of one's world and one's life. Before they had writing, humans told stories in the form of pictures, for example, in cave paintings, and probably in rhyme, since the rhythm of poetry made it easier to remember a story. Once people acquired writing, they used writing to keep records, certainly, but they also used writing to tell their stories.  The oldest writings in the world that we know of are from the Middle East and go back to approximately 2600 BC.  These include poetry and stories. It is possible that there is earlier written literature, but none has been found so far.  So, the origins of literature are to some degree lost in the mists of time, but we do know that people have been telling stories from their earliest days and will continue to do so as long as humans exist as a species. 

What are some quotes ( and page numbers ) from Lord of the Flies that shows Simon's personality?

Page numbers are going to be difficult.  I don't know which version of the book that you have, so chances are that my page numbers and yours won't match up perfectly.  I can get you relatively close though.  

Page 72 in my text.  For sure in chapter 3. Here is the quote:

"They talk and scream. The littluns. Even some of the others. As if—"

"As if it wasn't a good island."

Astonished at the interruption, they looked up at Simon's serious face.

"As if," said Simon, "the beastie, the beastie or the snake-thing, was real. Remember?"

Simon is a tough character to analyze.  I've always thought he was more weird than anything else.  I mean he's always saying some weird things.  Of course that makes sense since Golding is presenting Simon as a sort of prophet figure.  There is no doubt that Simon knows things.  He knows them by feelings first, but his feelings are always confirmed.  He is the first boy to realize that the beast is both real and fake at the same time.  It's not a real physical beast; the beast is the power for destruction in all of them. The above quote is Simon already hinting that the island itself might be making very real monsters of a sort.  

Page 159.  Chapter 7

“You’ll get back to where you came from.”

Returning to what I said earlier about Simon being a prophet of sorts is this quote.  Simon is talking to Ralph about getting off of the island.  Simon actually says the above multiple times in a few variations, but it is always the same in concept.  Ralph will get home.  Simon never says "we."  In a way, Simon is predicting a future outcome that is, in his mind, absolute.  Ralph will live, Simon will die.