In what year did the French Revolution occur?

The French Revolution began in earnest in 1789, when representatives of the Third Estate, barred from the Estates-General (a meeting summoned by King Louis XVI to Versailles), formed a National Assembly that began to enact revolutionary reforms. These reformers had the support of Parisians, who stormed the Bastille, a royal prison, in support. It coincided with a wave of agrarian uprisings known as the Great Fear that swept the countryside, terrorizing the nobility. These events are typically regarded as the first of the Revolution. Its ending is less clear. Many historians regard the end of the Revolution as the year 1795, when the relatively reactionary Directory assumed control of the nation. Others regard it as 1799, when Napoleon staged a coup d'etat that led to the establishment of the First Consulate (essentially a dictatorship). Still others argue that the Revolution continued to 1815, when Napoleon was finally defeated and permanently driven from power. 

How is Juliet in Romeo and Juliet naïve? What are some examples?

Juliet could be described as naive in many ways. This naiveness can easily be found if you look at the balcony scene in Act 2, Scene 2. In her first soliloquy of the scene, Juliet describes her total willingness to be in love with Romeo. While this could be viewed as romantic, it also comes across as someone who is quite naive and juvenile. Romantic love, as many contemporary psychologists, takes time. In this scene, Juliet is expressing a young infatuation. This is to be expected, as Juliet is only a young teenager, but it is naive nonetheless. Also, Juliet's willingness to spare Romeo from her family's hatred and keep him hidden away can also be viewed as naive. ["I would not for the world they saw thee here," line 78 (this line could be seen as a throwaway, and acted as if Juliet is wishing Romeo to leave, but it is actually expressing that Juliet would rather save Romeo from her family's view than reveal him for all the world)]. She is putting Romeo's life in danger, as well as her own life, by pursuing this relationship. Ultimately, their love brings their families together, but it also costs the two lovers their lives. 

What is an example of suspense in the short story, "There Will Come Soft Rains"?

Ray Bradbury creates suspense in two places in his short story, "There Will Come Soft Rains." The story is about an automated house that still functions in the aftermath of a nuclear attack. It is the only house left in a city that has been leveled.

But before revealing that the attack has occurred, we feel suspense as the house goes through its daily routine of preparing breakfast, making important announcements and doing the cleaning. All of this takes place without a hint that any humans are around. The reader wonders why this house is still going through the motions when no human is occupying it. We don't learn about the attack until the house has performed several of its morning duties.

The reader may actually begin to look at the house as a living entity as it continues with its day. Because we have an emotional interest in the house we definitely feel suspense as the fire breaks out. We want the house to survive, just as we would a human protagonist. When we learn that "reinforcements" have been released to fight the fire we feel some relief. Unfortunately, the house cannot be saved and we experience grief over the loss of the last vestiges of intelligence and activity in the gutted city. 

Where in the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, does it say that Boo Radley killed his dad?

Boo Radley did not kill his father.  When Boo and his friends are brought into court for driving backwards around the square and imprisoning Mr. Conner in the courthouse outhouse, they were sentenced to the state industrial school.  The other boys attended that school and did quite well.  However, Mr. Radley promised the judge that if Boo was released to his custody, he would assure that Arthur, Boo’s real name, would give no further trouble to the community.  The judge agreed, and Boo was imprisoned in his own home.  No one saw or heard from him for fifteen years.

Then one day, there was a commotion at the house.  Boo had been cutting out some articles from the newspaper when Mr. Radley walked by.  Boo casually stabbed his father in the leg and then returned to cutting out articles in the newspaper. Mrs. Radley overreacted.

“Mrs. Radley ran screaming into the street that Arthur was killing them all, but when the sheriff arrived he found Boo still sitting in the livingroom, cutting up the Tribune. “ (pg 11)

They wanted to send him to an insane asylum, but Mr. Radley, again, intervened and said no Radley was going into any asylum.  So they imprisoned him in the basement of the courthouse by himself. Finally the town council told Mr. Radley that he would have to take Boo back home.

“Boo could not live forever on the bounty of the county.” (pg 11)

No one knew how Mr. Radley controlled Boo and kept him at home, but somehow he did.  Miss Stephanie Crawford, the neighborhood gossip, told the children,

“From the day Mr. Radley took Arthur home, the house died.” (pg 12)

Finally, there came a day when Atticus told the children to be quiet around the Radley home.  Mr. Radley was sick and dying. 

“Dr. Reynolds parked his car in front of our house and walked to the Radley’s every time he was called.” (pg 12)

Mr. Radley died, not from anything Arthur did, but from illness.

“….. we watched from the front porch when Mr. Radley made his final journey past our house.” (pg 12)

What was your reaction to the the ending of "The Ransom of Red Chief"?

The ending seems exaggerated, but the whole story is exaggerated. This is because it is American humor, and exaggeration is one of the principal characteristics of American humor, as Mark Twain and E. B. White both noted. It seems absurd that these two con men would actually pay the kid's father two hundred and fifty dollars to take his son back. This is a sticking point in the story. After all, they are in a hick town in the middle of nowhere. They ought to be able to abandon Red Chief and slip off into the dark prairie. These two con men must have had a lot of experience making getaways all over the Midwest. The last words of the story are gross exaggeration.

And, as dark as it was, and as fat as Bill was, and as good a runner as I am, he was a good mile and a half out of Summit before I could catch up with him.

The only danger seems to be from Red Chief himself. If Ebenezer Dorset doesn't get his money he won't hold the boy for ten minutes in order to allow Sam and Bill to escape. But if they could fool Red Chief into coming back home to his father, they ought to be able to fool him in some other way which would enable them to make their getaway. There is no reason why the two men couldn't just tie the boy up and send his father a note saying where to find him. The story can't be taken too seriously. It is just a good example of American humor of its day. Young people today might not get the humor and might consider the whole story old-fashioned.

What are three character traits of Romeo and Juliet?

Although Romeo and Juliet are different characters, and both have different nuanced character traits, there are definite similarities between the two. When examined closely, these similarities can illuminate the overall text and its themes.

THREE CHARACTER TRAITS ROMEO AND JULIET SHARE:

IMPATIENCE - When Romeo and Juliet want something, they want it as soon as possible. This is demonstrated in their relationship. It takes only an act for Romeo and Juliet to be completely committed to the idea of marrying one another. It is speedy and impatient, but they wouldn't have it any other way. 

IDEALISM - Romeo and Juliet are both prone to idealism. They idealize their love almost immediately, seeing it as a grand affair that is worth risking their lives over.

COMMITMENT - When Romeo and Juliet commit to an idea, they are completely obsessed with it. In this way, Romeo and Juliet both demonstrate a good deal of commitment as characters. 

In Chapter 10, what is an important line of dialogue that conveys the main idea of the chapter?

"People in their right minds never take pride in their talents." (Lee 130)

In the beginning of Chapter 10, Jem and Scout lament about their father's lack of talent and ability. One Saturday, a rabid dog named Tim Johnson is walking through the streets of Maycomb, and Atticus Finch shoots the dog, killing it in one shot. Jem and Scout are in awe of their father's marksmanship. Miss Maudie tells the children that when Atticus was younger he was known as Ol' One-Shot Finch. The children wonder why their father never hunts or brags about his talent. Miss Maudie explains to them that intelligent, humble people never take pride in their talents because they understand that their abilities are God-given. Jem learns several lessons about being a gentleman from witnessing his father's behavior in Chapter 10. He learns that a gentleman maintains his composure in adverse situations, exercises discernment regarding when to use certain abilities, and remains humble following successful outcomes.