What is the significant role of the United Nations in creating a peaceful world?

There are at least three significant roles that the United Nations plays in creating a peaceful (or at least more peaceful) world.

First, the UN sometimes sends peacekeeping forces to places where conflict is occurring.  These peacekeeping forces are armed, but are not supposed to be there to fight.  Instead, they get between opposing forces and prevent them from fighting.  Alternatively, they might serve as security forces to protect people who might otherwise be targeted by fighters.  These peacekeeping forces are perhaps the UN’s most visible contribution to world peace.

Second, the UN helps to prevent conflicts from occurring in the first place by promoting international law and international dialogue.  Because of the UN, countries have a place where they interact with one another in peaceful ways.  This helps to create habits of dialogue and peaceful working out of problems rather than habits of armed conflict.  The UN also promotes treaties between countries that do things like settling disputes about territory.  These treaties help to prevent conflicts from arising.

Finally, the UN can sanction countries that act in ways that are likely to disrupt the peace of the world.  The threat of economic sanctions or even of military action authorized by the UN can help prevent countries from disrupting world peace.  For example, we can argue that UN-backed sanctions have helped cause Iran to negotiate with regard to their nuclear program rather than simply forging ahead with it and bringing about a threat of serious war in the Middle East.

In all of these ways, the UN can help promote peace in the world even though it cannot ensure that peace will always prevail.

What do you learn in the introductory paragraphs of the story "The Flowers?"

The first paragraph of the story introduces us to its little protagonist, Myop. As soon as we read the name Myop, we try to draw its association with the word ‘myopia’ or ‘myopic.’ According to Oxford Dictionary ‘myopia’ means the quality of being short-sighted or lack of foresight or intellectual insight.

Though we may fail to grasp the significance of her name at the beginning, yet we know it foreshadows the future events of the story.

Besides, the introductory paragraphs acquaint us with Myop’s innocent perception of the world around her. They familiarize us with what constitute the world of the ten-year-old girl. Hen house, pigpen, fields of corn and cotton, peanuts and squash, “warm sun,” her song, chickens and flowers and her mother are what complete her world.

Consider the way the author begins her story:

It seemed to Myop… that the days had never been as beautiful as these.

The clause “it seemed to Myop” implies it only appeared to her that the world was all beautiful and blotless; however, the truth was starkly different. Very soon, she was going to confront its true and appalling face.

Myop finds “each day” to be “a golden surprise.” The narrator says,

"…nothing existed for her but her song, the stick clutched in her dark brown hand, and the tat-de-ta-ta-ta of accompaniment,…”

Through these details, the author subtly exposes Myop’s vulnerability to confronting the cruel and hideous face of the world. So, we see that the introductory paragraphs build up the mood of the story and foreshadow future events.

It's through these details that the author is able to accentuate the tragic effect at the moment when the idyllic world of this little darling gets shattered, leaving her aghast.

Question text A mountain climber is steadily descending at -1.94 m/s using a rope. (Assume the positive direction is upward.) While going down...

Since, the climber is descending at a constant velocity, the first aid kit also has the same initial velocity. 

Thus, initial velocity of the first aid kit, u = -1.94 m/s (positive direction is upwards, by convention)

The time elapsed is, t = 3.7 s and the kit is falling downwards accelerating at 9.81 m/s^2 (in the downwards direction)

Using the equation of motion, 

s = ut + 1/2 at^2 = ut - 1/2 gt^2

= (-1.94) x 3.7 - 1/2 (9.81) (3.7)^2 = - 74.33 m

Thus, the medical kit has traveled a distance of 74.33 m in the downwards direction, after it accidentally fell out of climber's bag.

If the climber was stationary, the initial velocity would have been zero for the kit. If the climber was ascending, the initial velocity of the kit would have been positive and our answers would have been different.

Hope this helps. 

What might have happened to the ability of Congress to govern if the Framers had not included the elastic clause among its enumerated powers?

The elastic clause is a very important clause in the Constitution. Without it, it would be much more difficult for Congress to do its job. The elastic clause allows Congress to deal with issues not specifically covered in the Constitution that are necessary for Congress to do its job.

This clause has sparked a lot of debate about what Congress can and can’t do. Those who believed in the loose interpretation of the Constitution believed the Congress can do anything unless the Constitution specifically prohibits it from being done. Those who believed in the strict view of the Constitution believed the Congress can do only what the Constitution specifically says it can do.

The writers of the Constitution could not have possibly been able to consider every possible situation that might arise in the future. There would be things that didn’t even exist when the Constitution was written. Yet, Congress may have to take action regarding these things. The elastic clause allows for this to be possible. It does give Congress a great deal of power. If used properly, it can be a very effective tool for Congress. If used incorrectly, it can lead to abuse of power by the government.

The elastic clause is a very important part of the Constitution.

How are Stella, Stanley, Blanche, Eunice, and Steve interrelated in A Streetcar Named Desire?

Stella and Stanley are married. Eunice and Steve are married. This makes Blanche seem all the more the solitary and needy outsider. Eunice and Steve are friends and neighbors of Stella and Stanley. There are only two flats in this small building, upstairs and down. Eunice and Steve live upstairs. They are lower-class types like Stanley. All three of these characters are vulgar but honest and strong. Stanley and Steve are poker-playing and drinking buddies. Stella and Eunice are girlfriends who share their troubles with each other. Stella, like Blanche, comes from the upper-class Southern world represented by their family plantation Belle Reve, which has gone steadily downhill since the Civil War and has now been lost by Blanche because of an accumulation of debts and judgments. Unlike Blanche, Stella has accepted her descent into the vast expanse and depth of the lower class because of her love for Stanley and more recently because of the fact that she is pregnant. Blanche is horrified by the change in her sister and in her sister's living conditions; and she tries to turn Stella against Stanley. This is what creates the central conflict between the two very different characters--the tough, vulgar, animal-like Stanley Kowalski and the refined and aristocratic, although tarnished, Blanche DuBois. In the end Blanche loses the contest, as was bound to happen from the beginning. She is overwhelmed by the brutality of her antagonist.

Tennessee Williams' play was first produced in New York on December 3, 1947. Marlon Brando was cast as Stanley Kowalski, and he created a sensation in the role. He went on to become one of Hollywood's biggest stars. Karl Malden, who played Mitch, went on to have a highly successful film career and later in television. Both Marlon Brando and Karl Malden appeared in their original stage roles in the Hollywood adaptation of the play in 1951. 

Can you think of a situation where it would be right to break the law?

"One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.”--Dr. Martin Luther King

There are many instances when it would make sense to break a law.  Some of the greatest social changes have occurred as a result of people breaking unjust laws.  An example of this is when citizens deliberately violated Jim Crow laws during the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.  This is a heroic example and one that may not be confronted by the average citizen.  

From a more practical standpoint, decisions of whether to break a law are complicated. Everybody understands the importance of law and order in a civilized society.  Morally speaking, it would be fair to say that breaking a law should be weighed against the consequences of following the law.  If your wife cut her wrist by accident and was severely bleeding, it would seem reasonable that obeying speed limits on the way to the hospital would be foolhardy. Would you immigrate to a country illegally if it could provide your family with better health and economic benefits?  If your children were starving to death, it would not seem immoral to steal bread for them.

It is reasonable to discuss the issue of breaking a law in the context of who would be harmed by following the law, and how many people would be harmed by breaking it.    

Why were newspapers and the BBC so important in WW II Britain?

During World War II, the BBC greatly increased its overseas broadcasts. By the end of 1940, the BBC was broadcasting 78 daily bulletins in 34 languages, including Icelandic, Hindi, Burmese, and others. These bulletins represented 250,000 words, and they were critical to providing news in countries who had been overrun by the Nazis. For example, the BBC began broadcasting in Danish, Dutch, and Norwegian after those countries were taken over by the Germans. The BBC broadcast in both French and Flemish to reach the Belgian population, which spoke both languages. German refugees, mainly German Jews, began to broadcast in German. 

The BBC and newspapers rallied British sentiment in favor of the war. For example, BBC broadcasts from the front lines of battle relayed news of early successes, such as the battle of El Alamein in 1942. The BBC's Monitoring Service was able to intercept communications from Nazi officials and propose counterattacks to what they said, even before these communications had been published. In addition, detailed maps and photographs in newspapers provided British people with information that helped them understand the war and with stories of soldiers that helped the public understand the effect of the war on individuals fighting overseas. 

In addition, the BBC let people in occupied countries know what was going on, and the BBC was critical in sending secret messages to resistance fighters through their European broadcasts. These messages were in the forms of phrases that were only recognizable to resistance groups and members of the Secret Operations Executive (SOE). An example was "Le lapin a bu un apéritif” (The rabbit drank an aperitif). The BBC broadcasts also helped encourage resistance to the Nazis in Europe; for example, Charles de Gaulle, who was later elected President of France, called for the French to keep fighting against the Nazis during a 1940 broadcast from London. The BBC broadcasts even reached Germany and were instrumental in countering the Nazi propaganda that Germany was winning the war in its later years. Germans listening to BBC broadcasts were aware that what their government was telling them did not represent the true state of the war. 

What type of protein is a chemical messenger that travels in the blood?

A hormone is chemical messages that help regulate biological processes. Hormones are secreted by the pituitary, parathyroid, heart, stomach, liver, and kidneys. Hormones travel through tissue fluids, such as blood. In this way, hormones are able to target and stimulate specific cells or tissues into action.

Most hormones are made of proteins. Insulin and human growth hormone are two examples of hormones that are composed of proteins. The function of each are briefly explained below.

• Insulin is a hormone that is secreted by islets of Langerhans that are located in the pancreas. Insulin is the hormone that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood. In other words, insulin regulates blood sugar levels.


• Growth hormone is secreted by the pancreas. Growth hormone stimulates growth in plants and animals.

What does Pope mean in the following lines: If plagues or earthquakes break not Heav'n's design, Why then a Borgia, or a Catiline?

Pope's didactic poem, "An Essay on Man", is intended as a complete system of morality written in verse. In the lines quoted, Pope is trying to explain what is sometimes referred to as the problem of "theodicy" or divine justice. This problems revolves around the apparent contradiction between our immediate and direct perception of evil and injustice in the world and the claim of the existence of a benevolent, omniscient, omnipotent God. Pope himself was a Roman Catholic and in this passage is arguing that acknowledging the existence of human evil is not incompatible with belief in the Christian God. 

In this passage, Pope asserts that what might appear to us the harsh and unforgiving elements of the natural world, and disasters such as earthquakes, droughts, and floods, are part of a larger design known only to God. From our limited point of view, we only see how this design affects us, not the bigger picture.

He next compares extremes of human evil to natural disasters. Just as in the twenty-first century, the person we normally invoke when we want to talk about evil is Hitler, so in Pope's period two of the best known example of evil would have been the Cataline and the Borgia family.

The Catiline is Lucius Sergius Catilina, who attempted to overthrow the Roman Republic. He is the target of Cicero's Catilinarian Orations, which were widely read in English schools in Pope's period and would have been familiar to most of his readers. The House of Borgia was a famous (or infamous) Renaissance Italian family, known for unscrupulous behavior. 

Thus in these lines Pope is suggesting that human evil is no more incompatible with the existence of a benevolent God than natural disasters. Eventually, he argues that as we cannot presume to know what goes on in the mind of God:

Know then thyself, presume not God to scan

The proper study of Mankind is Man

In Tuck Everlasting, what does Angus Tuck think of living forever?

Angus feels as if the Tucks are not fully participating in life because they are immortal.

Angus uses the rowboat outing to explain to Winnie how he feels about being immortal.

That's what us Tucks are, Winnie. Stuck so's we can't move on. We ain't part of the wheel no more. Dropped off, Winnie. Left behind. And everywhere around us, things is moving and growing and changing. (Ch. 12)

Angus considers the Tuck family “stuck” in time.  Because they cannot grow old or die, they are isolated from other people.  They can’t really make friends.  They definitely can’t have families—at least Jesse and Miles can’t.  People become suspicious of them and think they’re freaks.

Tuck uses the metaphor of a wheel to explain the concept of living forever to Winnie.

But dying's part of the wheel, right there next to being born. You can't pick out the pieces you like and leave the rest. Being part of the whole thing, that's the blessing. But it's passing us by, us Tucks. Living's heavy work, but off to one side, the way we are, it's useless, too. (Ch. 12)

Although the idea of living forever sounds great, Tuck feels that life is passing them by.  He explains to Winnie that while she may not want to die, dying is a part of life.  If you can’t die, are you really living?

The Tucks give Winnie the option of drinking from the spring, but they want to make sure she understands what she is getting into.  If she drinks from the spring, it will be because she had information the Tucks did not when they drank.  She would be choosing to remain a little girl forever.

Jesse wants Winnie to drink when she is older, so that they will be the same age.  He wants a companion.  Although Winnie cares for Jesse, we know that she does not choose this choice.  The Tucks return to find her gravestone.  Faced with the choice of living forever in an isolated existence, Winnie chose mortality.

What techniques are used in this quote: "Come to my woman's breasts,/ And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers."

This scene begins with Lady Macbeth reading the letter written by her husband, a letter which acquaints her with the Weird Sisters' prophecies and the fact that he's recently been named Thane of Cawdor, bringing one of those prophecies to fruition. Immediately, Lady Macbeth seems to resolve on violence as a means of quickly achieving the remainder of the prophecy. She says, speaking of Macbeth,

Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be
What thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy nature;
It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness
To catch the nearest way.  (1.5.15-18)

She vows that Macbeth will be everything the Sisters said he would, but she worries that Macbeth is too compassionate to take the quickest path to the throne: murdering the current king rather than waiting for him to die.

When Lady Macbeth finds out that Duncan is on his way to her castle, to stay the night, she sees this as their opportunity to get rid of him. In a soliloquy, she calls on any spirits that assist deadly thoughts to come and remove any feminine impulse she might have, an impulse like compassion, and fill her up with masculine cruelty. A soliloquy is a dramatic convention where a character who is alone on stage speaks her thoughts aloud; it is a way for the writer to reveal that character's innermost feelings to the audience. Shakespeare uses this technique here to show us just how ruthless Lady Macbeth is. Also, as part of this soliloquy, she says,

Come to my woman's breasts
And take my milk for gall, you murd'ring ministers,
Wherever in your sightless substances
You wait on nature's mischief.  (1.5.54-57)

Still speaking to those spirits that might help her to advance her deadly thoughts, she tells them to come to her breasts, take her milk and replace it with bitterness.  She wants to feel only the viciousness and heartlessness associated with men and none of the kindness and concern associated with women. In having her speak to someone or something that cannot respond, Shakespeare also employs apostrophe, a poetic technique, with this soliloquy. 

What are the rising action, the turning points, and the resolution in Pride and Prejudice?

The turning point in a story is officially called the climax. The climax occurs the moment a story's conflict reaches its point of greatest intensity and the story's resolution is in sight. All action that leads to the climax is called rising action; all action that leads to the resolution is called falling action.

In Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, the conflict begins reaching its greatest point of intensity the moment Lydia runs away with Wickham. It is at this moment when it looks like all hope for the Bennett family is lost because Lydia's actions will shame the rest of the family and ruin the other daughters' chances of marrying to obtain financial security. Yet, as a consequence of this moment, Darcy has his chance to display his abilities to show compassion, and Elizabeth truly recognizes the extent to which she has misjudged him.

Darcy first shows the extent of his genuine feeling and compassion when, seeing how upset Elizabeth was after receiving the letter from Jane describing Lydia's actions, declaring with passionate feeling, "Good God! what is the matter?," he offers to send a servant to find Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner (Ch. 46). He also listens to Elizabeth's news about Lydia with concerned compassion. However, at this point in the story, Elizabeth still misjudges him by thinking that he now for certain no longer loves her due to her sister's disgrace. Yet, later, we learn that Darcy went with all speed to London, found Wickham, and bribed him into marrying Lydia, all for the sake of saving Elizabeth. Hence, it is at the moment Elizabeth learns Darcy bribed Wickham that the story truly begins to turn, making it the moment of climax. All action that leads up to the climax, including Elizabeth's initial rejection of Darcy, her change in feelings, and Lydia's actions, count as the rising action. All action leading to Elizabeth and Darcy's marriage count as the falling action.

What are two arguments Thomas Paine wrote about in Common Sense that help convince the colonists to declare independence?

In his pamphlet Common Sense, Thomas Paine outlined a variety of arguments against British rule over the American colonies. These arguments, presented in a clear and straightforward manner easily accessible to colonial readers, helped greatly to sway those who were uncertain about the ideas of revolution and American independence.

One of the arguments made was an attack on the idea that as England was the "mother country" of the colonies, it was unthinkable for the colonies to rebel against her. While Paine did not accept England as the mother of the colonies outright, stating that the colonies were composed of peoples from various European backgrounds, he argued that England being the mother of the colonies only made the abuse of the colonists that must more abhorrent. It is the duty of a mother to nurture and care for her children, not to exploit them for personal gain.

Paine also argued that there were geographic conditions that necessitated the self-rule of the American colonies. He stated that it was absurd for an island to rule over a continent, particularly one so far removed. The distance between the colonies and England made English governance inherently unwieldy and inefficient. Communication with the bodies of government in England took so long that by the time the colonists received any response to their concerns it was possible that the situation would have changed to such an extent that the response no longer applied.

What are some initial and subsequent motives that drove Columbus to oppress indingenous peoples?

It is always difficult to assess the motives of historical people; we have never met them and we can't talk to them and ask them why they do things. All we know about the character and motivations of Christopher Columbus comes from historical records of what he did, many of them written by himself or people under his command.

Most of the deaths of indigenous people were not actually due to oppression but disease; contact with Europeans spread diseases such as smallpox rapidly through indigenous populations and killed millions.

That said, we do have reason to believe that one of his primary motives was quite simple: Money.

His original goal was to find a more efficient trade route to India. Why? Because trade with India was extremely profitable, and would become more so if there were a more efficient route. Columbus secured funding for his expedition on these grounds; investors gave him money up front, expecting higher profits from the improved trade route later.

Far from being "the first to realize the Earth is round" as the myth goes, Columbus was convinced that the Earth was considerably smaller than it actually is. The people he was contradicting were actually mostly basing their assessments of the Earth's size and shape on Greek geometers, who had estimated the Earth's radius to within about 5% of its actual size. Columbus did not sail because he knew the shape of the Earth and others didn't; Columbus sailed because he didn't know the shape of the Earth and others did. What others did not know was that there were other continents besides Europe, Africa and Asia; Columbus didn't know that either, and simply got lucky.

When Columbus and his expedition arrived at North America, they saw a huge money-making opportunity. There were plentiful valuable natural resources for the taking, especially gold, tobacco, and spices; moreover, the indigenous populations could be easily conquered and enslaved because they were disorganized and technologically far less advanced.

It's also quite likely that Columbus and his people were motivated by racism, which has been a part of human psychology since time immemorial. He may have believed that the local populations were not simply technologically inferior, but indeed physically and mentally inferior, worthy only to work at the command of White people that he believed were superior beings. Some of the greatest cruelty committed by Columbus and his men is most easily explained in this way; it's hard to see why they would commit mass rapes and beheadings if profit were their sole motive.

But even in the absence of racism, it's quite likely that Columbus would have sought to exploit the lands and peoples of the New World in the name of profit---just as modern corporations often do to poor countries today.

What was Scout's first "crime" at school in To Kill a Mockingbird ?

Scout's first "crime" at school is knowing how to read. 

After putting the alphabet on the board, Miss Caroline asks the class if anyone knows what the letters are. Because Scout is among those who raise their hands and she knows Scout's name, Miss Caroline calls on her. However, when Scout recites the alphabet with great familiarity, her teacher then has her read from the primary reader, My First Reader, as well as the stock-market quotations from The Mobile Register. As Scout does so, her teacher watches with apparent disapproval. When Scout finishes, Miss Caroline instructs Scout to inform her father that he should not teach her any more, as doing so will "interfere" with her reading.

"Teach me?" I said in surprise. "He hasn't taught me anything, Miss Caroline.

...Miss Caroline apparently thought I was lying...."Now tell your father not to teach you any more. It's best to begin reading with a fresh mind. You tell him I'll take over from here and try to undo the damage--"

When Scout expresses wonder at this remark made by her teacher, Miss Caroline explains that Mr. Finch does not know how to teach reading. Scout mumbles her apology, and she sits down, "meditating upon [her] crime."

This scene about Scout's knowing how to read, but Miss Caroline's informing her that it is not the correct approach is Harper Lee's humorous way of satirizing some of John Dewey's theories of education, and the inflexibility of some teachers who insist that children learn through a certain process, and no other way.

I am writing an essay on John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men and I need to find a quote that talks about Lennie and George's future.

Identifying a quote from John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men that suggests these gentlemen's future is not difficult, as the two protagonists, George and Lennie, discuss their dreams for their future. Yet, somehow, we know that these dreams will not be realized. Steinbeck's novel takes place during the Great Depression and follows George and Lennie as these poor, itinerant ranch-hands seek a place they can call home while earning just enough to survive until the next payday. The sense of foreboding, however, emanates from their discussion early in the novel about Lennie's, a giant of a man with a mental handicap that limits his thought processes to that of a young child, inability to have a pet rabbit or mouse that he doesn't accidentally kill by virtue of his enormous physical strength. As Of Mice and Men progresses, however, Steinbeck's unseen narrator depicts the two men talking about their future -- about their dreams of someday having their own ranch or farm. It is still within that opening chapter that Steinbeck provides the following exchange that details that dream. George and Lennie are discussing the attribute that gives them a brighter outlook than the others they encounter as they travel the region searching for employment. In this exchange, Lennie is excitedly prompting George to recite their shared vision of a happy future:

 “Go on now, George!”

“You got it by heart. You can do it yourself.”

“No, you. I forget some a’ the things. Tell about how it’s gonna be.”

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

“An’ live off the fatta the lan’,” Lennie shouted. “An’ have rabbits. Go on, George! Tell about what we’re gonna have in the garden and about the rabbits in the cages and about the rain in the winter and the stove, and how thick the cream is on the milk like you can hardly cut it. Tell about that, George.”

“Why’n’t you do it yourself? You know all of it.”

“No . . . . you tell it. It ain’t the same if I tell it. Go on . . . . George. How I get to tend the rabbits.”

“Well,” said George, “we’ll have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit hutch and chickens.

Lennie's infatuation with rabbits serves as a sort of premonition for the tragedy to come. It is that earlier discussion when George is reminding his larger, simple-minded friend of the latter's repeated accidental killing of any soft, furry animal he holds that suggests a dimmer future lies ahead. As the novel progresses towards its fateful conclusion, the reality of George and Lennie's existence blots out any suggestion of a brighter future. Lennie's infatuation with soft, furry animals is transferred to Curly's attractive wife, whom the giant accidentally kills, prompting George's mercy killing of his friend in the novel's final scene. In the end, Lennie is dead, and George is alone to ponder his existence without the only friend he has known.

How long did Tom Benecke take notes on the yellow paper in "Contents of the Dead Man's Pocket?"

In “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pockets,” we are not told exactly how long Tom Benecke has been taking notes on the yellow paper that flies out his window.  We are told a few things about how long he has worked on it, but we are not given a sum total of the time that he worked on it.

What we know comes from the paragraph right after Tom realizes that there is no way for him to retrieve the piece of paper while remaining inside his apartment. He realizes that he cannot reach it and begins to be upset about the idea of having to abandon it.  At this point, he thinks about how much time he has spent on it.

In that paragraph, we find that he spent “four long Saturday afternoons” making notes as he watched customers in grocery stores.  We also know that he took notes from trade journals that he read “page by page in snatched half-hours at work and during evenings at home.”  Finally, we read that he had gone to the library and “spent a dozen lunch hours and early evenings adding more” notes to the paper.  Clearly, then, he has spent a very long time on these notes.

The time he has spent on the notes, plus their importance to his career, cause him to risk his life in an attempt to get the paper back.

Wren's bedroom is 12 feet long x 10 feet wide. She plans to purchase carpet for the entire room. The carpet costs $25 per square meter. What are...

The conversion of feet to meter is 1 foot=0.3048 meter

Length of bedroom= 12 feet

Length of bedroom = `12*0.3048` meters

Length of bedroom=3.6576 meters

Length of bedroom (rounded off to nearest tenths) (l) = 3.7 meters

Width of room =10 feet

Width of room in meters = `10*0.3048` meters

Width of room=3.048 meters

Width of room (rounded off to nearest tenths) (b) = 3.0 meters

Since the room is rectangular , so area of the room = Length(l) x Breadth(b)

Area of the room = 3.7*3.0

Area of the room =11.1 `m^2`

Cost of the carpet=$25 per square meter

Cost of the carpet to cover the entire area of the room =25*11.1

                                                                              =$277.5

What do scarcity and choice mean in economics?

Scarcity is the basic fact that makes the study of economics necessary.  Because there is scarcity, human beings have to make choices.  Economics studies those choices.

Scarcity is the condition in which human beings have unlimited wants even as they have only limited resources with which to fulfill those wants. This is true of even the richest person in the world.  Even the richest person in the world cannot own everything in the world.  Moreover, even the richest person in the world can only use a particular resource in a particular way.  For example, imagine that Bill Gates has $10 million that he wants to invest. Once he invests that $10 million, he cannot use it in any other way.  He has given up the chance to use that particular $10 million to buy a yacht or to use in some different investment.

Because of this, everyone in the world has to make choices. I might have to choose whether to go on vacation or to put money towards my kids’ college education.  A very rich person might have to choose between buying a new luxury car and investing more money in the stock market.  Either way, choices are being made.  People have unlimited things that they want to do but they do not have unlimited resources. This means that scarcity exists. Scarcity forces people to make choices. Economics studies the choices that people make in response to scarcity.

In Of Mice and Men, why is Lennie responsible for killing Curley's wife?

Lennie is responsible for killing Curley's wife because he did it.

In Chapter 5, Lennie is sitting alone until Curley's wife enters.  Both of them start to talk, and Curley's wife launches into a discussion of her own failed dreams.  As they talk, the discussion moves into how they both like "soft things" to touch.  Curley's wife points to her hair as an example and how she has to brush it over and over.  To prove her point about the softness in her hair, she lets Lennie touch it.  Excited to touch something soft, Lennie holds her hair and then starts to brush it with his fingers, tightening his grip in the process. Curley's wife struggles and as she does, Lennie's hold becomes vise- like.  The escalation causes her to scream, with Lennie panicking and placing his hand over her mouth to silence her.  As she struggles to escape, Lennie forcefully shakes her.  This causes her neck to break.

As he stares at her dead body, Lennie realizes what we already know.  He recognizes that he is responsible for Curley's wife's death: “I done a real bad thing...I shouldn’t of did that. George’ll be mad."  Lennie runs away from the scene of the crime because he knows that he "done a real bad thing" in killing Curley's wife.

What does Starbuck symbolize in Moby Dick?

Starbuck represents a kind of rationality, and conventional Christian morality, in contrast to Ahab’s personal revenge-centered worldview. Starbuck is the one who is able to question Ahab’s quest to kill Moby Dick—he is the one who says to him, about Moby Dick, “To be enraged with a dumb thing, Captain Ahab, seems blasphemous.” Starbuck himself has has lost a father and brother at sea, and knows first hand the loss whales can cause; but rather than seek some sort of cosmic revenge, Starbuck learns to be careful: as he puts it, “I am here in this critical ocean to kill whales for my living, and not to be killed by them for theirs.” Yet for all his courage, Starbuck is still afraid of Ahab: “brave as he might be, it was that sort of bravery chiefly, visible in some intrepid men, which … cannot withstand those more terrific, because more spiritual terrors, which sometimes menace you from the concentrating brow of an enraged and mighty man.” When Starbuck calls Ahab’s quest “blasphemous” in “The Quarterdeck” chapter, Ahab’s basic response is, “Talk not to me of blasphemy, man! I’d strike the sun if it insulted me”—a statement that overawes Starbuck, who can only mutter “God keep me” in response.

What would you change in the book Bud, Not Buddy?

This is truly an opinion question; therefore, it is important that you figure out your own opinion on what you would change. However, I am happy to add my ideas on the subject. In order to give Bud's story more closure, I would have allowed Bud to meet his father. I love the idea that Herman E. Calloway is Bud’s grandfather. I would not change that. However, it would have been an interesting idea if Bud’s dad was actually a member of the band. Maybe Herman E. Calloway could have been inclined towards Bud from the beginning while Bud’s dad could have been a gruff and calloused member of the band who would have nothing to do with Bud. Perhaps the revelation would come at the end of the book, giving Bud's story the ultimate closure. Further, because Bud “no longer knows how to cry” until he finds his “home” with the band, perhaps the “rusty old valve” could open for Bud to cry during the reunification of Bud with his real father.

What does convey mean?

To convey means to communicate an idea or feeling so that it is understood by others, or to bring or give some object to an intended end-location.

To convey an idea is dependent upon it being understood by the recipient. For example, a painter might convey emotion through his or her artwork. Now, the artist's attempt to encode this information in the painting isn't enough; it is only conveyed when it is understood by the onlooker. Similarly, teachers try to convey information in their lessons, but they are only successful if the students actually understand the material.

With regards to objects, the term convey has implications of using a medium of some kind. For example, wiring in a house conveys electricity to appliances. In this way, electricity is carried by the wiring to the receiving appliance. 

True or false? Soils in tropical rain forest are nutrient rich

This is a true statement.

Soils are said to be nutrient rich when they contain compounds necessary for plant growth. These compounds are introduced into the soil either artificially (through the application of fertilizer by humans) or naturally (through the decomposition of organic material). 

There is a large amount of organic matter available in rain forests for decomposition. Things like falling plant material (leaves and fruits), animal droppings, and the bodies of deceased animals are sources of organic matter that are broken down by bacteria and insects. 

Soils which are not nutrient rich are found in areas which do not have a large amount of organic material available, such as deserts. Alternatively, poor soils may also be present in areas with significant erosion which prevents the accumulation of nutrients. 

In The Giver how are the community's rules related to ours?

The community has a lot of rules.  Most of the rules are designed for the preservation of what the community calls Sameness.  They enforce proper behavior and prevent anyone from doing anything that will upset anyone.

Two Child Policies and Naming Limitations

The community has very carefully regulated family units.  Everyone is required to take birth control pills for what they call Stirrings.  This causes the citizens to stop caring about the opposite sex and prevents any unwanted pregnancies.  All children are created through genetic modification.  None of this is similar to our world, but there are some countries that do regulate the number of children a family can have.

"Lily," Mother reminded her, smiling, "you know the rules."

Two children--one male, one female--to each family unit. It was written very clearly in the rules. (Ch. 1)

In China, parents are allowed to have two children.  The law was previously requiring one child, but was changed in January 2016.  Although these families have their babies the old-fashioned way, it does demonstrate that limiting children is not unheard of in our world.  Families are also allowed to name their own children, but in some countries parents are limited in what they can name them.

Rules Made by Committee

There really isn’t much difference between the rules in Jonas’s community and the laws in ours.  Their rules are enforced as laws.  They are created by committees, just as ours are created by legislatures.

When something went to a committee for study, the people always joked about it. They said that the committee members would become Elders by the time the rule change was made. (Ch. 2)

We elect officials who create and pass laws in committees in our legislatures.  In Jonas’s community, there is a Receiver who keeps the community’s memories and advises on rule changes.  This is similar to our court system, because judges review significant documents and advise on whether or not laws should be changed.

Three Strikes and Lethal Injection

They even have the death penalty for those who break more serious rules.  In Jonas’s community, a person can be punished with release for serious rule-breaking, but also for breaking a rule three times.  Many states have a three strikes policy for laws.  If you break a law three times you face a more serious prison sentence.

Release is conducted by lethal injection in Jonas’s community.

His father turned and opened the cupboard. He took out a syringe and a small bottle. Very carefully he inserted the needle into the bottle and began to fill the syringe with a clear liquid. (Ch. 19)

Lethal injection is commonly used in our world as well.  The laws about lethal injection vary by state and country, but it is a commonly accepted humane method of capital punishment.

Rules Against Theft and Curfews

Jonas's rules against theft are not that different from ours.  Almost every culture has rules against theft.  Jonas's community has these too.  He risks serious punishment for taking food and a bicycle.

First, he had left the dwelling at night. A major transgression.  Second, he had robbed the community of food: a very serious crime, even though what he had taken was leftovers, set out on the dwelling doorsteps for collection. (Ch. 21)

Many communities in our world also have curfews.  A curfew is a law saying that people need to remain at home during certain hours, usually at night.  This is similar to Jonas's community's prohibition against leaving dwellings.

 

Why does Atticus defend Tom Robinson?

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, the main reason why Atticus agrees to defend Tom Robinson is because Atticus is certain of Robinson's innocence and knows Robinson deserves the chance to be defended, despite the likelihood of still being condemned by the jury.

The certainty of Robinson's innocence is first revealed during the trial. Sheriff Heck Tate, Bob Ewell, and Mayella Ewell all testify that Mayella had been bruised on the right side of her face, something only a left-handed man could have accomplished while facing her. Yet, Mayella's testimony reveals the impossibility of her having been hit on the right side of her face by Robinson. During Mayella's testimony, Atticus has Mayella point to the man she is accusing of raping her. When she points to Robinson, Atticus has Robinson stand. All the court can see that Robinson's left arm is crippled, as Scout describes in her narrative:

[Robinson's] arm was fully twelve inches shorter than his right, and hung dead at his side. It ended in a small shriveled hand, and from as far away as the balcony I could see that it was no use to him. (Ch. 18)

Reverend Sykes then explains to Jem and Scout that Robinson's arm has been crippled ever since he got it caught as a boy in Mr. Dolphus Raymond's cotton gin. Prior to Mayella's testimony, Atticus also has Bob Ewell write his name before the court, proving that Ewell is left-handed or, as Judge Taylor points out, ambidextrous. Hence, Atticus has very deftly proven to the court that only Ewell was physically capable of bruising Mayella's face on her right side.

Even prior to the trial, Atticus showed his faith in Tom Robinson's character and trust in his innocence. When asked by Scout why he is defending a Negro, one of Atticus's replies is to explain that Robinson is a "member of Calpurnia's church" and that Calpurnia testifies they are "clean-living folks" (Ch. 9). Both of these facts testify to Robinson's strong and virtuous character. Hence, it can be said that Atticus took the case because he was certain of Robinson's good character and innocence.

In Philbrick's Freak the Mighty, why is Max convinced he does not have a brain? Is his assessment of himself as a "butthead" correct?

At the beginning of the story, Max is in what he calls L.D. classes, which stands for "learning disabled." Because Max is shy, he does not want to talk as much as the average child. Also, by age twelve, he has gone through a few growth spurts and is physically huge compared to the other students. For Max, shy, plus large, plus bullies who call him names like "Maxipad," all add up to him feeling like he doesn't belong. Incidentally, Max uses the term "butthead" to describe the student in L.D. class who actually called him "Maxipad" (3). He also uses the term to describe himself when Freak first asks Max if he has ever heard of King Arthur. Max thinks to himself, "The only King Arthur I know is the brand of flour Gram uses, and if I say that I'll really sound like a butthead" (16). Hence, Max uses the word "butthead" as a way to call a bully a name, but also to call himself dumb.

Later, with Freak's help, he learns that he's not a butthead or dim-witted, he just needed someone to believe in him. Freak helps him to appreciate words, the dictionary, and reading. Max eventually discovers that he's not as learning disabled as he was pegged to be. In the end, it is actually Max who writes the story, showing that he was able to overcome any learning obstacles he once faced.

"I never had a brain until Freak came along and let me borrow his for awhile, and that's the truth, the whole truth. The unvanquished truth, is how Freak would say it" (1).

How does this story reflect the darker side of the Romantic view of human nature?

Often, Romantic writers focused on the wonderful things of which humankind is capable. We have an enormous capacity for generosity and creativity and love, as well as the ability to find truth in and be healed by nature. However, the Dark Romantic writers tended to focus a great deal more on the darker side of humankind: the terrors or evils or vice of which we are also capable. Thus, in "The Minister's Black Veil," the commonality that Hawthorne finds among all of us is not only our inherent propensity toward sin but also our shared desire to hide our sinfulness from everyone else: dark stuff indeed.

Mr. Hooper's first sermon after donning the black veil takes as its subject "secret sin, and those sad mysteries which we hide from our nearest and dearest, and would fain conceal from our own consciousness, even forgetting that the Omniscient can detect them." The minister has begun to wear the veil in an effort to be honest about the figurative veil that we all wear when we portray ourselves to others as sinless creatures. We all hide behind such a veil, and so, to represent this sad state of humanity -- a state where none of us is ever truly honest with anyone else or even ourselves -- he wears a material veil. Given, then, that the story focuses exclusively on our sin, without reference to our goodness, it is much more in line with Dark Romanticism.

What was so different about the new child, Gabriel?

We are introduced to the new child in Chapter 1, when Jonas's father is talking about his inability to grow at a normal rate and that he is not sleeping well. We understand from the very beginning of the book that he needs "supplementary nurturing" and even that is still not helping him to grow. So, physically he is different from the beginning.

In Chapter 14, we learn that he is able to receive memories, just as Jonas can. Jonas accidentally transmits one to him as he is patting his back to put him back to sleep. This tells us that Gabriel might have the same abilities as Jonas.

"He was not aware of giving the memory; but suddenly he realized it was becoming dimmer, that it was sliding through his hand into the being of the new child" (Ch. 14).

He also has fair colored eyes like Jonas and the Giver.

All of these differences tell the reader that it is likely that Gabriel is special. He probably has the same abilities as Jonas and the Giver, and had Jonas and Gabe stayed in the community and Gabe not been scheduled for "release," he quite possibly could have been named a Receiver of Memory later in life.

In the play Julius Caesar, what are some warnings of death Julius Caesar receives?

The theme of fate versus free will is very evident in the play Julius Caesar, especially when it comes to whether or not Caesar will use his free will to allow himself to listen to the three warnings he receives, or if fate will prevail and he will succumb to the conspirators daggers.

The first warning he receives is in Act I, Scene 2 from the soothsayer when he says, "Beware the ides of March." Caesar thinks him insane, dismisses him with "He is a dreamer," and continues to move with his entourage. Later in Act III Scene 1, the soothsayer meets Caesar again before he enters the senate, and Caesar mocks him with "The ides of March are come," meaning that he is safe and the soothsayer's prediction did not come true. At this, the soothsayer responds, "Ay, Caesar, but not gone," meaning that there is still time for his doom to come this day. Caesar dismisses his warning once again.

Another warning Caesar receives is from his wife, Calphurnia. In Act II, Scene 2, Caesar says that Calphurnia cried out three times in her sleep, "Help, ho! They murder Caesar!" She also cites all of the omens that have recently been seen in Rome and says, "When beggars die there are no comets seen," meaning that the omens signify the death of someone powerful such as he. Caesar states that he cannot avoid what the gods want (fate), but for some reason, he considers not going to the senate that day to appease his wife. However, Decius then interprets the dream as a lucky dream meaning that Caesar will bring success to Rome and that "so many smiling Romans bathed" in his blood (success). Caesar agrees with this interpretation of the dream and asks Calphurnia, "How foolish do your fears seem now...?"

Finally, Artemidorus, a friend of Caesar's, writes him a letter and hopes to give it to him as he heads to the senate. In the letter, he cites Brutus, Cassius, Casca, and others as conspirators with an intention "bent against Caesar." In this soliloquy, Artemidorus acknowledges that Caesar's survival rests on whether or not he chooses to read the letter (free will), and "if not, the Fates with traitors do contrive." Unfortunately, when Artemidorus approaches Caesar with his letter in Act III, Scene 1, Caesar rudely dismisses him with, "What, is the man insane?" and the conspirators push Artemidorus out with their own petition.

What are three arguments to support the idea that in the play Romeo and Juliet, the rivalry between the Montagues and the Capulets represents the...

There are many examples for you to choose from. You could argue that, in addition to the deaths of the two protagonists, the feud also leads to Mercutio's death, who is neither a Montague nor a Capulet, and thus a relative outsider. Tybalt is killed by Romeo as a result of the same confrontation; Romeo also kills Count Paris when he comes to mourn Juliet's "death." Last, it is possible that Friar Laurence will face punishment of some sort due to his involvement in the potion plot. Thus, many people, some of whom were not even related to the Montagues or Capulets, have their lives destroyed as a result of the feud. 

What aspect of winter does Campbell love?

This poem, as the title suggests, is about autumn--the anticipation of the season, the experience of it, the reflection upon it and its rewards after it has passed. The descriptions to this effect are dense and beautiful--geese heeding the call of instinct in their migrations, deciduous trees abandoning their leaves to allow the cool sun to filter through the pine needles that remain. Campbell marks the season with images of the harvest and the storing of grapes for wine, providing a melodic example of the waning of summer and the waxing of winter that so readily characterizes the autumn:

Strained by the gale the olives whiten
…
And, with the vines, their branches lighten,
To brim our vats where summer lingers
In the red froth and sun-gold oil.

Campbell says in the very first verse that he loves autumn not for itself but because it heralds the coming of winter,

…the paragon of art,
That kills all forms of life and feeling
Save what is pure and will survive.

Here winter is characterized not by what falls away, but by what remains during the severity of the season, for that which endures in such conditions is “pure” and essential. It is stark to be sure, but without frill or flare or excess it is therefore the barest truth, the structure and frame of existence. By calling it “the paragon of art,” Campbell is making reference to the idea (somewhat ironically given his own florid use of description and imagery in this poem) that art at its best strips the world down to its essence, and rather than disguising its subject with flowery description, it unmasks the subject, to render it more real than life itself allows. So does winter illuminate spring, by exposing that from which it flows.

In addition, in the final verse Campbell makes a prediction:  “soon,” he says, implying in the winter months, as the speaker and whomever he is addressing sit by the fire, “the grape will redden on your fingers / through the lit crystal of the cup.” He fondly anticipates the cozy, relaxed atmosphere of wintertime, with the calming, warming nature of a fire to fight away the cold, and the satisfaction brought on by the success of the autumn harvest, represented by the wine. So although this is a poem about the autumn season, it is also an expression of Campbell's love for winter through the anticipation he feels for it during fall's approach and passing.

How does Bronte portray difficulties in the lives of women in Wuthering Heights?

Bronte portrays difficulties in the lives of women by showing how much power a husband had over a wife. This can be illustrated by examining the marriage of Isabella Linton and Mr. Heathcliff.

Isabella falls in love with Heathcliff, seeing him as "a hero of romance," in Heathcliffe's sneering words. He marries her even though he despises her: he wants to hurt her brother Edgar, and he wants to control any claims to inherit Thrushcross Grange she or her children might have. 

As soon as he marries her, Heathcliff begins to treat Isabella cruelly. He admits he has run "experiments on what she could endure, and still creep shamefully cringing back," but is careful to tell Nelly Dean, to whom he is speaking, "I keep strictly within the limits of the law." Although he might be within legal bounds, Isabella says, "He's ... a monster and not a human being! ... The single pleasure I can imagine is to die or see him dead." 

Heathcliff tells Nelly to remember Isabella's words about wanting him dead "if you are called upon in a court of law." His cruelty has incited Isabella to lash out at him by wishing him dead, and now he uses this against her: "you're not fit to be your own guardian, Isabella," he says. Because Edgar has disowned her, Isabella, as a wife, is at the mercy of a husband who cries: "I have no pity! The more the worms writhe, the more I yearn to crush out their entrails!"

Later, Heathcliff orchestrates the marriage of his son by Isabella to Edgar's daughter. The son is well schooled by his father in how much raw power a husband has: "papa says everything she has is mine ...her nice books are mine ... all, all mine." Isabella's son, named Linton, also tells Nellie that "Papa ... says I am not be soft with Catherine: she's my wife ..."

These examples demonstrate the extent of patriarchal power and how women could suffer under it. Bronte does not soften the picture, so it's little wonder the book was unpopular in her time.

How did Castro's rebels defeat Batista's army during the Cuban Revolution?

In 1952, Fulgencio Batista came to power in Cuba in a disputed election. At that point, Fidel Castro, an emerging figure in Cuban politics, started trying to overthrow Batista. Castro's rebel troops were defeated in a 1953 assault on the Moncada barracks. He and his brother Raul were put on trial and used the trial as a way to discredit Batista for grabbing power unfairly. As a result, Fidel Castro became a heroic figure in Cuba, and he was eventually released by Batista to Mexico. In Mexico, he continued to plot Batista's overthrow.

In 1956, Fidel Castro returned to Cuba with Ernesto "Che" Guevara and other members of the "July 26th Movement," which was named after the date they had attacked the Moncada Barracks. They gathered in the Cuban highlands, where Batista had a difficult time reaching them. There, they amassed followers and trained for Batista's overthrow. Batista sent troops to defeat the rebels, but his attack went sour, and it only attracted more soldiers to Castro's side.

In 1958, Fidel Castro attacked and defeated government forces in the plains of Cuba and in the city of Santa Clara. Eventually, in January of 1959, Castro's forces entered the capital of Havana and rooted out all the remaining parts of Batista's regime, and Batista fled Cuba. Later, Castro became a communist leader of the island. 

How are Mr. Nuttel and Vera similar and how are they different?

Mr. Framton Nuttel visits the Sappletons with letters of introduction from his sister. He has a "nervous condition," but he is respectful even though he is also anxious and gullible. Mrs. Sappleton's fifteen-year-old niece Vera, on the other hand, is confident, social and clever. Vera also has no problem playing practical jokes on poor, defenseless strangers with nervous conditions. It would seem as if these two characters have absolutely nothing in common. The only thing that both Nuttel and Vera would have in common might be as follows:

"Framton, who labored under the tolerably widespread delusion that total strangers and chance acquaintances are hungry for the least detail of one's ailments and infirmities. . ."

In a way, Vera is also under the delusion that strangers or acquaintances would be interested in knowing about one's family tragedies, or interested in being the victims of a practical joke. Both Nuttel and Vera abruptly break social rules of protocol. Nuttel breaks the rule of not discussing one's personal illnesses in public, and Vera breaks a rule by playing a mean joke on a guest who is completely at the mercy of his hostess.

In Jack Finney's short story Contents of the Dead Man's Pockets, how does the sheet of yellow paper get onto the ledge below the window?

The setting in Jack Finney's short story Contents of the Dead Man's Pockets is established early, but incrementally. What we learn very early in Finney's story is that it is cool or cold outside, as the story's protagonist, Tom Benecke, hears the sounds of his wife pulling her coat out of a closet. There is also a quick reference to the fact that Tom is wearing a pullover sweater, further suggesting that the story takes place during the cold winter months. In fact, Finney's narrator notes that the story that follows is occurring on an "autumn night" in a high-rise building in a large city. We also learn at the outset, though, that it is hot inside Tom and his wife's apartment, evident in his observation in the opening paragraph ("Hot in here," he muttered to himself). 

So, it is cool outside, but hot inside. The relevance of this is clear for the student's question--how does the sheet of paper get onto the ledge below the window—because it sets the stage for Tom’s fateful decision to open a window and allow cool air into the apartment. Finney also makes a point of referencing the air flow through the apartment building’s hallways, noting how the “warm air from the hallway” rushes into the apartment when he opens the door for his wife to leave for the theater. It is this rush of air that causes the papers on his desk to levitate, including the all-important sheet of yellow paper on which he has been preparing the memo that, he hopes, will elevate him within the company’s hierarchy. As Finney describes the scene at this point:

"Turning, he saw a sheet of white paper drifting to the floor in a series of arcs, and another sheet, yellow, moving toward the window, caught in the dying current flowing through the narrow opening. As he watched, the paper struck the bottom edge of the window and hung there for an instant, plastered against the glass and wood. Then as the moving air stilled completely, the curtains swinging back from the wall to hang free again, he saw the yellow sheet drop to the window ledge and slide over out of sight."

The sheet of yellow paper, then, is blown out the apartment window by the rush of air that is created when the apartment’s front door is temporarily opened. The paper sails out the window and settles on the ledge below, precipitating the chain of events that leads to the protagonist’s contemplations of what would be found in his pockets should he fall from the ledge to the ground far below.

Who is telling the story?

Faulkner's famous short story "A Rose for Emily" is narrated by an unknown outsider. The narrator is not one of the main characters in the story (like Emily or her father) and gives us only a limited perspective (the narrator is not omniscient and must guess and speculate about Emily's motives and about what goes on in her home). The narrator is never named in the story and seems to have no specific relationship to Emily, other than that he or she lives in the same town where Emily lives.

The narrative voice of "A Rose for Emily" adds to the sort of "gossipy" feel of the story. We often hear about what neighbors think or assume about Emily. They are very interested in her and they are very judgmental of her. However, no one in the town seems to ever have been close with her. She is an object of curiosity and scrutiny. Emily and her father stand as symbols of a past time, namely the antebellum South. Emily is seen clinging to the past in many ways, as seen in the way she refuses to pay taxes, retains a black manservant, and even in the way she clings to Homer's long-dead corpse (as revealed after Emily's death, which is the only point at which outsiders can gain any access into her home). Emily also seems to think highly of herself and her family's name and legacy, and because she does so, at least in the eyes of the townspeople, the other citizens resent her and take pleasure in her failures and humiliations. 

The narrator appears to be from a younger generation and represents the voice of the common citizen of this Mississippi town. As such, the narrator is curious about Emily, reports on the rumors about her, and feels both sorry for her and satisfied when it is revealed that she wasn't so much better than the rest of them after all. 

In "The Bet," what was the mood of the host at the party? Did it change after 15 years?

At the party, the banker's mood is lively and enthusiastic. When discussing the death penalty, for instance, he gets "carried away by excitement" and bangs his fist on the table before he proposes a bet to the lawyer. Moreover, when the lawyer agrees to the bet, the banker is "delighted" and he enjoys "making fun" of his opponent.

Fifteen years later, however, the banker's mood has changed significantly. He is no longer lively and happy and is instead nervous and pessimistic. In the opening lines of the story, for example, Chekhov creates an image of the banker pacing up and down as he remembers that fateful night. Similarly, as he considers the financial implications of losing the bet, his anguish is evident: he clutches his head with "despair" and thinks about the disgrace of his imminent bankruptcy.

What techniques and ideas does Sylvia Plath use to construct the idea of aging in her poem "Mirror"?

First, Plath speaks from the point of view of the mirror itself. The mirror does not lie, as the saying goes, and the mirror attests to this in the first verse:

…I have no preconceptions.
Whatever I see I swallow immediately
Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike.
I am not cruel, only truthful

So by telling her story from this angle we get a more honest representation of aging, an objective viewpoint uncluttered by personal distress, unbiased by any person’s vanity or dissatisfaction.

In the second verse the mirror compares itself to a lake, suggesting that what it reflects is natural, as natural and normal as the world we live in. At the end of the poem Plath returns to this metaphor, stating about the woman who looks every morning into the mirror, “in me she has drowned a young girl,” and “an old woman” is making her way toward the surface of the lake, “like a terrible fish.” In these lines we see the inevitability of getting older, how our past selves and our future selves are all part of the same body, the same lake, in constant flux and yet fixed. And it is from this objective mirror that we see the woman wringing her hands and crying to herself, saddened at the effect time is having on her appearance.

With the coming of the woman, we see how desperately we cling to our reflections, what our own image means to us – the woman uses the mirror as a vehicle to find “what she really is,” and must escape it, back “to those liars, the candles or the moon,” some source of light that will cast flattering shadows, that will hide imperfections. The woman seeks solace in these things, the mirror conjectures, being as the mirror is in the business of reflecting truth. As we age, the truth of the matter is undeniable, no matter how desperate we are to avoid it. We seek out the lies after being confronted with the truth; we try to hide the fact that we are getting older, even from ourselves. And yet even so, says the mirror, “I see her back, and reflect it faithfully.”  Even so, we cannot escape that from which we turn away.

In what way(s) does Atticus Finch show modesty in To Kill A Mockingbird?

In Chapter 10, Atticus portrays modesty by not bragging after he displays his marksmanship abilities. At the beginning of the chapter, a rabid dog named Tim Johnson is staggering through the streets of Maycomb. Calpurnia spots the rabid dog and warns all the neighbors to stay inside. When Sheriff Tate arrives, he gives his gun to Atticus and tells him to take the shot. Atticus reluctantly takes the gun, shoots and kills Tim Johnson in one shot. Scout and Jem are in awe of their father's abilities. Miss Maudie tells them that Atticus was the deadliest shot in Maycomb County when he was growing up. She tells the children that Atticus' nickname was Ole' One-Shot Finch. Scout and Jem begin to wonder why Atticus never bragged about his marksmanship abilities. Maudie says that Atticus believes that his talent is God-given, and he doesn't hunt because God gave him an unfair advantage over living things. Miss Maudie makes the comment,

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

Jem concludes that if Atticus wanted them to know about his talent he would have told them, and decides not to brag about Atticus' ability. Jem sees himself as a gentleman, just like his father. 

What is the tone of Shel Silverstein's poem "Masks"?

The tone of Shel Silverstein's poem "Masks" is one of regret.

In the poem, a boy and a girl walk through life wearing masks. In fact, the drawing which accompanies the poem shows the masks to be ridiculously oversized and hiding their entire bodies. These masks also hide the fact that both the boy and the girl have blue skin. Because they are different from the rest of society, they use the masks to hide their true color in order to fit in. However, at the same time, they yearn to find someone like themselves, so "they searched for blue their whole life through." Regretfully, because the masks hid their appearance, the boy and girl could never see each other's color and recognize what they had in common, so they "then passed right by -- and never knew."

The blue can be literal and figurative. Along with the children both being literally blue in color, they could also have been sad and dejected for not being able to connect with another like-minded person. In either case, they missed their chance to connect with who could've been their soul mate because they were hiding their true selves and pretending to be what they weren't. The speaker recognizes this fact and, therefore, his tone is regretful.

How is the theme of religion explored in the novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie?

In Muriel Spark's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Spark deeply probes the theme of religion and its role within the lives of the the titular teacher Jean Brodie and the "Brodie set." Spark contrasts Calvinism, a form of Christianity that emphasizes predestination, with Roman Catholicism. The two characters who best represent these two disparate religions are Brodie and Sandy Stranger, respectively.

Brodie is associated with Calvinism in part because of her fascination with Fascism. The predetermination inherent in Calvinism is rigid and dictates that all events have a predetermined outcome. Brodie is confident about the course that her girls will take, and believes that she has a huge influence in steering them toward what she perceives to be their destinies. At the end of the novel, Sandy reflects:

"She thinks she is Providence, thought Sandy, she thinks she is the God of Calvin, she sees the beginning and the end"(129).

This is especially potent because Brodie is influencing her set to be like her. She lives vicariously through these young women, but Sandy rejects Brodie's overbearing nature. Sandy plays a Judas-like role because she betrays Brodie, and then devotes her life to the Catholic Church. However, even in Catholicism, Sandy finds Fascist elements that are reminiscent of Brodie's influence:

"By now she had entered the Catholic Church, in whose ranks she had found quite a number of Fascists much less agreeable than Miss Brodie"(134).

Even though Catholicism does not have the same ardent belief system as Calvinism, Sandy discovers some of the same issues that she had when she was contending with Brodie. These are just some of the ways Spark explores the theme of religion in her novel.

How does Paris explain his haste in arranging the marriage, as seen in Act 4, Scene 1?

In his conversation with the friar, Paris requests that his wedding date to Juliet be moved up.  The friar, who has recently married Romeo and Juliet, is understandably concerned about this turn of events and questions Paris about it.

Paris responds that it is Lord Capulet's idea to move up the wedding, which gels with the earlier scene that we read between Juliet and Capulet.  Paris goes on to say that Juliet is deeply upset over the death of Tybalt and that Capulet is hopeful, both that the wedding will prove a welcome distraction, and that Paris can be in a better position to console her as a husband, rather than just a mere suitor.

In reality, Juliet is not crying over Tybalt at all, but rather over the banishment of her husband, Romeo, and the tragic events that surrounded it.  It is the shortened time frame of the wedding that will force Juliet's hand to take action, and will ultimately lead to the play's tragic end.

Examine how A Christmas Carol is a moral tale or, in other words, how it teaches a lesson.

Charles Dickens' “A Christmas Carol” teaches a number of life lessons or morals. In reality, Scrooge is a lucky man because he receives a second chance at life. Dickens uses a series of encounters with spirits from Scrooge’s past, present, and future that allow him to examine missteps he made along the way, and to see the consequences of his actions before all is lost. The spirits show him how his love of money turned him into a sad, lonely old man. They also, show him the value of human relationships by showing him how Belle moved onto a loving relationship, how Bob Cratchit’s family enjoys their Christmas celebration in spite of their meager surroundings, and how he has the opportunity to change the life of Tiny Tim. He sees that Tiny Tim will not live unless he receives proper medical care, which the family cannot afford on the salary Scrooge pays. In essence, Scrooge realizes his ability to use his wealth for altruistic purposes, and that meaningful human relationships are more important than being a miserable, lonely miser.

Define the word resilience and give specific examples of characters in literature who exemplify this trait.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines resilience as

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  the ability to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens

  
  


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  the ability of something to return to its original shape after it has been pulled, stretched, pressed, bent, etc.

  
  

Resilience is a foundational human trait and makes for an excellent story.  A resilient individual is one with a positive attitude, is optimistic and is able to rise above his emotions.  Literature is full to the brim with examples of such characters.  Jay Gatsby of The Great Gatsby never gave up hope that he would win Daisy's heart again, creating an elaborate lifestyle to woo her.  In To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus Finch promoted fairness regardless of one's circumstances, always believing the best in people even at the expense of his own reputation and safety.  The fiesty redhead, Annie, exhibited resilience through the hardships of an orphan's life, bringing cheer to everyone around her when her own circumstances looked bleak.  Finally, our beloved Winnie The Pooh never gave in to Piglet's worry and negative outlook on life, instead facing each day with optimistic expectation.

How come Holden says "goodby" instead of "goodbye" in Catcher in the Rye?

This is an interesting question for an interesting novel. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye takes on a three-day journey that ulitmately leads the protagonist Holden Caulfield and his readers nowhere.

The story is set in the late 1940s—1948 or '49, depending on when Holden's birthday fell. Author J.D. Saligner worked to make a novel have the authetic feel of the time period. Interestingly, the spelling of "goodby", as used in the book, was a common, though not the most popular, way of spelling "goodbye" at the time. Spelling it as such lends that that authenticity. 

Looking deeper into the implications of the word, "goodbye" is a mutation of "God be with ye." Certainly, Holden is grappling with the role God plays in his life and offering this phrase may cause him to feel more like the phoney adults he deplores. The alternate spelling of "goodby" is perhaps a subconscious way of sticking it to the man, so to speak. Holden struggles with the nature of goodbyes and by subverting the word, he can minimize its meaning in religious sense and in a rebellious teenager sense.

However, whether or not Salinger meant it this way, we will never know.