What values are in Wolf Hall?

Wolf Hall is the first installment in Hilary Mantel's trilogy about English statesman Thomas Cromwell. He became one of Henry VIII's chief ministers and served the king until, like many of the king's advisers, he became discredited and was executed at the Tower of London in 1540. Mantel's novels seek to make Cromwell a hero and, unlike popular tradition, he is held in higher regard than Sir Thomas More, who was also executed by the king. Mantel reveals three important values displayed by Cromwell, including family, loyalty and compassion.

Despite the fact Cromwell was brutally abused by his blacksmith father as a boy he is quite a loving father. In the books opening scene he is kicked and beaten by his father. Cromwell, however, displays none of these traits with his two young daughters who he reads to and encourages to be well educated. In one particularly poignant scene, which proves as foreshadowing, one of his daughters is wearing angel wings. He is also a loving husband. Unfortunately his wife and daughters succumb to the sleeping sickness which ravaged England in the 1520's.

Cromwell shows loyalty, first to Cardinal Wolsey. Cromwell is instrumental in securing suitable living quarters when the Cardinal is stripped of his duties as Lord Chancellor. He is also loyal to Henry and to Anne Boleyn. He works to secure the divorce Henry sought after Catherine of Aragon was unable to give him a son. He also becomes friends with Anne and secures her confidence in the midst of the political intrigue surrounding Henry's attempted divorce.

Cromwell is compassionate. In one of the book's most powerful scenes, Cromwell, as a boy, witnesses the burning of a religious heretic. It is a gruesome spectacle and Cromwell remembers it the rest of his life. As adviser to the king he advises against both war and executions. He even attempts to save More, who has firmly criticized and belittled Cromwell, from the executioner.

Mantel's second book in the trilogy, Bring Up the Bodies, charts the downfall of Anne Boleyn. The Mirror and the Light, the third installment, has yet to be published.

Were there wealthy and poor Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto?

Within the Warsaw Ghetto, there were Jews from all walks of life.  Doctors, academics, carpenters, and teachers were all stripped of their rights in areas occupied by Nazi Germany.  The ideology of hatred that the Nazi Party advocated did not distinguish between rich Jew and poor Jew, all that mattered was the Jewish part.  Warsaw was the home to the second largest population of Jewish people in the world and over 300,000 called the Polish capital home.  Within the population were Jews that were prosperous, living amongst those with fewer means.  With the German invasion of Poland in 1939, all of the Jews were required to live in a specific area of the city called a ghetto.  Jewish property was confiscated and their legal rights were stripped from them.  This happened to people from all socio-economic classes.  

What is Hurston's purpose of using a snake as a symbol?

In Zora Neale Hurston's story, "Sweat," the snake--both real and fake--is a prominent element in the plot. When Delia's husband Sykes comes home one day, he pretends his whip is a snake to scare her because he knows she's deathly afraid of snakes. Later, to torment her even more, he brings home a snake in a soap box. She screams when she sees it and doesn't understand how her husband can be so mean. When the snake winds up biting Sykes, he dies while Delia waits outside and lets him.

In this story, the snake symbolizes evil and treachery. Hurston uses this symbol to represent Sykes' evil ways. A snake is generally a symbol of evil, from as far back as the Bible where the snake was in the Garden of Eden and tempted Adam to try the forbidden fruit. However, by trying to harm and upset Delia with his malice, he suffers at his own hand. Hurston employs irony as she incorporates the symbol of the evil snake in this story.

How can I write a proposal for my research topic?

A research proposal is usually about 200-250 words and outlines what you plan to research and write about in a research paper. One format is as follows:

Start by filling out the subject headings below. 

• Discipline (ie, sociology, history, education, etc)


• Subject (ie, alcohol use, social media, etc.)


• Context (ie, for alcohol use: Prohibition)


• Topic (ie, the effect of Prohibition on alcohol consumption in the U.S.)


• Research questions: (ie, did Prohibition lead to less or more alcohol consumption? Why? What does this tell us about legistlating social change? etc.)


• Draft thesis: Here you would state your preliminary opinion on the topic. (ie: Prohibition led to increased alcohol use as people rebelled against the ban.) Note that this thesis can and will change as you do more research. 

 In the formal proposal, you would include the following (you can rearrange the order):

1. Your topic and some brief background on it.


2. Research questions you plan to address.


3. Your rationale for pursuing this research.


4. Your draft thesis statement. 


5. Some sources you plan to explore. Ideally, this would include both primary and secondary sources.

In Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief, how does Percy explain why he went to the Garden Gnome Emporium?

In Chapter 11, Percy enters Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium because he can smell the scent of hamburgers coming from the curio shop. He remembers how hungry he is and how he misses the taste of fried foods and double-cheese hamburgers; the only kind of food he gets to eat at Camp Half-Blood are healthy 'grapes, bread, cheese, and extra-lean-cut-nymph prepared barbecue.'

While Percy and Annabeth are enthusiastic about checking out the place, Grover is wary of what he sees. There are statues of humans, satyrs, and all kinds of animals in the front lot. Meanwhile, the trio are greeted by Aunty Em, who invites them in. She is wearing a long robe, and her head is covered. Aunty Em offers to cook for them after she hears that they are all orphans. Before long, she emerges with plastic trays heaped with double cheeseburgers, fries, and vanilla shakes. The trio are in fast-food heaven.

However, Percy can't help noticing that the entire warehouse is filled with statues of people in different, strange poses. Aunty Em says that some of her statues are marred, as it is difficult to get the faces to come out right. Soon, she tells the trio that a jealous woman once tried to separate her from her boyfriend. Accordingly, her two sisters stayed loyal to her, but they have since passed away. On hearing this, Annabeth becomes uneasy. Now, she and Grover want to leave immediately; Percy, on the other hand, feels so full and contented that he wants to stay a little bit longer.

In due time, Aunty Em wants the three friends to pose for a picture. However, everyone notice that she has no camera in sight. When she reaches up to her head to remove her head-dress, Annabeth suddenly realizes who she really is and manages to warn Percy and Grover in the nick of time. She shouts at them to look away from Aunty Em's face. Aunty Em, after all, is Medusa.

As Medusa unveils herself to the trio, she reveals that Annabeth's mother, Athena, turned her into a monster when she found Poseidon and her in Athena's sacred temple; this is why Medusa has snakes for hair. In the meantime, Grover tries to attack Medusa with a tree branch, but Annabeth tells Percy that their only chance of survival is for Percy to cut off Medusa's head.

In the end, Percy manages to get close enough to lop off Medusa's head by approaching her with the aid of a green gazing ball. After Annabeth covers up Medusa's head with black cloth, Percy packs the head into a box to be mailed to the gods at Mount Olympus at their address in New York City.

What does Atticus mean when he says "The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience" in Harper Lee's To Kill a...

Atticus says the above to Scout in Chapter 11 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, the same day that Jem, in a fit of fury, wacks all the flowers off of Mrs. Dubose's camellia bushes and must apologize.

While walking into town that day, Jem and Scout received from Mrs. Dubose what Jem felt was her worst insult yet: "Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for!" (Ch. 11). Though Jem had done a good job of remaining calm in the face of hearing criticisms raised against Atticus so far, for some reason, Mrs. Dubose's insult made him blow sky high. Once Atticus learns Jem had destroyed her garden, he sends Jem over to her house to apologize.

While waiting for Jem to return, Scout reflects on all of the criticisms against Atticus she has heard since he took Tom Robinson's case and says to her father, "Atticus, you must be wrong ... Well, most folks seem to think they're right and you're wrong."

In response, Atticus states that other people are "certainly entitled" to their opinions about his actions and "entitled to full respect for their opinions." Yet, he further says that he will not be persuaded simply by other people's opinions alone. Instead, he will only be moved to act based on his own conscience, which is what he means when he also says to Scout, " ... but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself." In other words, he will no longer be able to tolerate himself if he does not act according to what his conscience tells him to do, and if he cannot tolerate himself, he certainly will not be able to tolerate other people.

He ends his speech by explaining that often a person's conscience will run against the grain of what the greater portion of society says is right or wrong to do:

The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience.

The phrase "majority rule" is a legal phrase we use in democratic societies to assert that the political group with the most members has the most power to make legal decisions. In other words, in speaking of "majority rule," Atticus is saying that, contrary to legal policies, popularity of opinion alone is not enough to guide one's conscience. One has to do what one's conscience tells him/her to do, not what greater society tells the person is the right thing to do. Therefore, if a person like Atticus decides it is his legal and moral duty to defend an African-American citizen against wrongful criminal charges, the person must do what he/she thinks is right, not what a racist society says is the right thing to do. 

Is shadow matter?

Matter, in simplest terms, is defined as anything that occupies space and has mass. We see examples of matter all around us; trees, human beings, equipment, water, homes, food, etc., everything is matter.

In comparison, a shadow has neither mass nor does it occupy space. It is nothing but a phenomenon created by obstruction of light by an object (one that does not transmit light). A shadow moves with the object (that blocks the path of light) or the source of light. It does not displace anything in its path and hence does not occupy space. It does not have any mass, if it did, it would have caused visible (or noticeable) effects on the objects it falls on. Thus, a shadow can not be classified as matter. 

Hope this helps. 

According "Electromagnetic Radiation Spectrum" there is something more in lower frequencies than radio waves. Radio lower frequency is (3–30 Hz)...

The word you are searching for is "infrasonic."  Infrasonic sound waves are in the lower netherworld of radio frequencies, generally from 0 hertz to 20 hertz.  This would put them out of the lower range of human hearing.  The resource I have attached is about elephant communication in the infrasonic radio wave specifications you have listed.  Sound waves in this category are felt, more so than being heard.  Elephants make auditory sounds that are much higher, such as when they trumpet with their trunks.  Much research has been done on elephant's abilities to locate females when it is time to breed.  This research has also explained how elephant families tend to find each other when they have become separated. Elephants also take advantage of a particular time of day, when the temperature on the African savannah increases their ability to hear the low frequency sounds they are using as communication.

What's the most important chapter (character, conflict, plot, theme and device wise) and why?

Ultimately, this question is up to each individual reader.  I don't believe a single chapter could be chosen by all readers as the most critical chapter to the book.

For me though, I choose chapter 8.  I choose chapter 8 because I see chapter 8 as a turning point to the entire book.  Previously Ralph had some control over most of the boys.  In chapter 8, the reader sees that the power has shifted much more toward Jack.  This is visibly apparent when Jack takes control of the conch.  

The sound of the inexpertly blown conch interrupted them. As though he were serenading the rising sun, Jack went on blowing till the shelters were astir and the hunters crept to the platform and the littluns whimpered as now they so frequently did.

Additionally the reader is shown two key pieces of information regarding the beast and the theme of evil.  Jack and his boys absolutely believe that the beast is real and must be hunted and killed.  Soon after though, the reader learns that the beast is not a real, physical beast.  Simon learns that the "beast" is not a physical being at all.  It is the potential for evil that lives in each of the boys.  Simon passes out at the realization that each boy is capable of being the beast.  

“Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!” said the head. For a moment or two the forest and all the other dimly appreciated places echoed with the parody of laughter. “You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s no go? Why things are what they are?”

The chapter is also important because it is the last full chapter that Simon is alive in.  Early in chapter 9 the frenzied boys savagely beat Simon to death, because they mistook him to be the beast.  With Simon gone, there are no longer any inherently good characters alive anymore.  

How does Macbeth's horror at his own thoughts reveal itself in a physical way?

Macbeth's horror at his own thoughts reveals itself physically when he hallucinates at the end of Act 2, Scene 1, just prior to killing Duncan.  Left alone, he gives a lengthy soliloquy (the purpose of which is to help the audience know his true thoughts and feelings).  He asks,

Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand?  Come, let me clutch
     thee.
I have not, and yet I see thee still.  (2.1.44-47)

He feels that he sees a dagger, hovering in the air just in front of him, and yet when he tries to reach for it, he cannot grasp it.  This is one way that we know that this is, indeed, a hallucination.  Further, Macbeth, himself, then realizes that it is 

A dagger of the mind, a false creation
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain [...].  (2.1.50-51)

He knows that he is hallucinating, and he attributes it to the combination of his feverish excitement and anticipation and dread of what he's about to do.  He looks, momentarily, down at his own, real dagger, and when he looks back at the fantastic one, it is covered now in "gouts of blood," and so he understands that "It is the bloody business which informs / Thus to mine eyes" (2.1.60-61).  In other words, it is his own horror at the terrible act he's to perform tonight that makes him see this phantom dagger.

How did Texas get annexed into the United States?

The process of Texas getting annexed by the United States is an interesting story. Many Americans moved to Texas when the Spanish wanted to more settlers in Texas around 1820. After Mexico got its independence from Spain, Texas was now part of Mexico. Eventually, relations deteriorated between the Texans and the Mexican government. When General Santa Anna ended the Mexican constitution, the Texans revolted for their independence from Mexico.

In the war with Mexico, Texas emerged victoriously. The Texans captured Santa Anna. In order to regain his freedom, Santa Anna had to require his army to retreat into what is now Mexican land. His troops crossed the Rio Grande River and went back into Mexico. Texas claimed it was now independent. The Texans wanted to join the United States right after becoming independent. However, this didn’t occur because northerners didn’t want another slave state in the Union. There was also concern that Mexico might declare war on the United States because Mexico didn’t officially recognize Texas as an independent nation. Thus, Texas was an independent republic for several years, called the Lone Star Republic.

In the election of 1844, James Polk campaigned on a platform of expanding the United States. After he was elected, one of the places he wanted to annex was Texas. Texas was annexed into the United States on December 29, 1845.

What actions illustrated Odysseus's confidence on Circe's island?

As an epic hero, Odysseus displayed self-assurance constantly throughout his return trip home. However, on Circe's island of Aeaea, his confidence is illustrated through his words and actions, and his success is highlighted by his ability to convince the sorceress to return his men from pigs back into soldiers.

The first crew (led by Eurylochus) to scout the island had the unfortunate luck of being lured to her palace by Circe's beautiful singing voice. After calling to her, the sorceress appeared to the men and invited them in for food and drink. However, their acceptance of her offer was a grave mistake: "When they had swallowed it, she gave them a tap of her wand at once and herded them into pens; for they now had pigs' heads and grunts and bristles, pigs all over except their minds were the same as before," (Book X).

When Odysseus received word of these events, (from Eurylochus who stayed back from the palace fearing a trap) he immediately knew what he had to do, "at once, I slung my sword over my shoulders, the large one, bronze with silver knobs, and the bow with it, and told [Eurylochus] to go back with me and show me the way," (Book X). However, Eurylochus refused because he feared for his own and his master's life.

Odysseus never backed down, and his confidence as a leader dictated his responsibility and supported his bravery and self-assuredness. He drove on, allowing Eurylochus to stay behind, "...you may stay here in this place...but as for me, go I must, and go I will," (Book X).

As he enters the vicinity of Circe's palace, Odysseus was worried for his own men (and the lives of those surrounding him in the bodies of animals), but he rose to the occasion, thanks in part to the advice of Hermes whom he'd met along his way there. Upon accepting her hospitality, Odysseus rushed at Circe with his sword and leapt at her as if to kill her. Circe immediately cowered to Odysseus's demand that she swear a solemn oath not to cause him or his men any more harm. "She swore the oath at once; and when she had sworn the oath fully and fairly, I entered the bed of Circe," (Book X).

Thus, Odysseus succeeds in having his men returned to soldiers. A less confident man may have cut his losses and sailed away from the island at once.

Identify a significant female character in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, and locate examples that give insight into the character's beliefs.

Aunt Alexandra is a significant female character in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Alexandra is the quintessential Southern lady with an affinity for family heritage. Aunt Alexandra chastises Atticus for his child rearing techniques because he chooses not to educate his children on their family history and background. Scout describes Aunt Alexandra's theory regarding heredity by saying, "the longer a family had been squatting on one patch of land the finer it was." (Lee 173) Aunt Alexandra judges individuals based on their family history rather than their individual merit. Alexandra believes that every family has a "streak" associated with some specific quality like alcoholism, gambling, aggressive behavior, etc. In Chapter 23, Aunt Alexandra tells Scout she is not allowed to play with Walter Cunningham because "he—is—trash." (Lee 301) This statement reflects Alexandra's prejudiced beliefs towards lower class families and her narrow perception of individual merit.

In addition to being obsessed with family heritage, Aunt Alexandra is "fanatical" in regard to Scout's attire. Alexandra views Scout with contempt for her "tomboyish" personality and style. Scout says, "I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn't supposed to be doing things that required pants." (Lee 108) Alexandra's role in the novel is to teach Scout how to be a lady. She allows Scout to take part in her "missionary circle" and models appropriate feminine behaviors for Scout. Her initial disapproval of Scout wanes after Scout displays proper manners during a missionary circle gathering.

What does the last line, "Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin' them two guys?" tell us about Carlson?

Carlson is a laborer on the ranch where George and Lennie come to work. He is described in Chapter Two as a "powerful, big-stomached man." He is basically friendly and even makes a joke about Lennie's name, saying, "He ain't very small...Ain't small at all." In that chapter he also brings up the idea of killing Candy's dog because it's old and smells bad. When Candy balks at killing the dog himself in Chapter Three, Carlson gladly volunteers. He seems to totally lack empathy, the ability to share or understand the feelings and emotions of another person. This is probably because he has spent much of his life on his own looking out only for himself and never considering the feelings of others. Slim notes early in that same chapter that he never sees men traveling together the way George and Lennie do. He further explains that the workers who come to the ranch "Never seem to give a damn about nobody." Carlson kills the dog without remorse and doesn't even apologize or sympathize with Candy over the dog's death. He simply grumbles that "We can't sleep with him stinkin' around in here."

It is this same lack of empathy which Carlson displays in the book's final chapter after the discovery that George shot Lennie in the back of the head. When Slim arrives he immediately goes to George to attempt to console him, assuring him that he had to do it. When the two dejectedly leave the scene, Carlson can't understand their sorrow. He remarks, "Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin' them two guys?" He has no idea what it's like to have a close friend, and can never understand George's relationship with Lennie. He is symptomatic of the harsh and brutal world which Steinbeck develops in the book.

How did the Light Brigade charge the Russian Army?

Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem "The Charge of the Light Brigade" immortalized a single battle from a war that is now largely forgotten: the Crimean War, a conflict in which Britain, France, and the Ottoman Empire joined forces against Russia in Crimea in 1854. The battle the poem commemorates took place on October 25, 1854, near the city of Balaclava, so this incident is known as part of the Battle of Balaclava.

The Light Brigade was a troop of about 600 cavalrymen. Orders were mistakenly given resulting in the brigade charging into an open valley with the aim was of capturing some Russian artillery at the other end of the valley. Unfortunately, they did not know that Russian infantry and artillery surrounded the valley on three sides.

When the Light Brigade charged, the 20 Russian battalions opened fire. Not surprisingly, the toll was immense. Approximately 280, almost half, of the Light Brigade died or were injured. When reports of the carnage reached London, there was an outcry against the inept military leadership that caused the losses, but approbation for the brave soldiers who made the charge. Tennyson read the account by William Howard Russell in the London Illustrated News; he quickly dashed off this verse and sent it to the newspaper, which published it immediately. It is a premiere example of Tennyson's "newspaper verse." 

You can read Russell's eyewitness account at the link below for more details about the charge.

Two balls, each with a mass of 0.879 kg, exert a gravitational force of 8.04 × 10^−11 N on each other. How far apart are the balls? The value of...

According to the Universal Law of Gravitation, any two bodies exert a gravitational force on each other and this force is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. Mathematically,

`F = (Gm_1m_2)/(r^2)`  

where, F is the gravitational force, G is the universal gravitational constant, m1 and m2 are the masses of the objects and r is the distance between them.

In the given case, m1 = m2 = 0.879 kg; F = `8.04 xx 10^(-11)`  N and 

G = `6.673 xx 10^(-11) Nm^2 /(kg)^2`

Substituting the value of these variables into the equation, we get,

`r^2 = Gm_1m_2/F`

`r^2 = (6.673 xx 10^(-11) xx 0.879 xx 0.879)/(8.04 xx 10^(-11))`

Solving this equation, we get, r = 0.8 m

that is, the two balls are 0.8 m away from each other.

Hope this helps. 

How does oxygen affect rocks?

Rocks contain minerals and because they are exposed to the environment, they are subjected to a process called chemical weathering. In this process, the minerals chemically react with water, carbon dioxide or oxygen which causes the rock to change in appearance in terms of its color or even its size. For example, when iron in a rock reacts with oxygen, it forms iron oxide. This compound has the reddish rusty appearance that is seen in many rocks. The mineral iron chemically combines with oxygen in a process known as oxidation. Rocks will look different from each other physically depending on the degree to which chemical weathering has taken place.

Oxygen is an electronegative atom and it can form chemical bonds with many other elements in nature, forming compounds known as oxides. Another example of an oxide is silica dioxide which is the element silicon reacting with oxygen. This compound can be found in sand grains and is a component of the earth's crust in the type of rock called granite. Many minerals in rocks are found as oxides rather than as a free metal.

Weathering is an important process because it causes rocks to break down over time. This is an important step in the soil-building process. Parent material, such as bedrock, slowly weathers and breaks down into smaller and smaller particles which contributes to the slow formation of soil once humus is combined with it and organisms add organic materials to the developing soil.

Who discovered bacteria? How did he discover it?

Dutch microscopist, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek is credited with the discovery of bacteria. Leeuwenhoek did not receive any formal higher education and got interested into glass grinding (after a number of different professional changes, ranging from draper, surveyor, wine assessor and minor city official). He was very successful with glass grinding and made microscopes that offered very high magnification (as high as 500 times or 500x). He observed a large number of substances (animal tongue, rainwater, teeth plaque, bee stings, etc.) and made observations of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms and sent the details to the Royal Society of London. He reported on his observations of microorganisms, seen in various samples of rainwater, canal, sea and well waters, in a letter dated 9 October, 1676. These observations are regarded as the first reports of bacteria. He also reported on very small organisms present in teeth plaque in 1683.

Hope this helps. 

What's an example of an anecdote from "Self-Reliance"?

Firstly, I think you will find an anecdote much easier if you understand what exactly that is. An anecdote is usually an interesting short story, sometimes humorous, about a person or incident. It is used to engage readers as well as illustrate a point. For example, take a look at the passage below from Emerson’s essay:

I remember an answer which when quite young I was prompted to make to a valued adviser, who was wont to importune me with the dear old doctrines of the church. On my saying, What have I to do with the sacredness of traditions, if I live wholly from within? my friend suggested, — "But these impulses may be from below, not from above." I replied, "They do not seem to me to be such; but if I am the Devil's child, I will live then from the Devil." (“Self-Reliance”, Ralph Waldo Emerson)

One of the key phrases here is “I remember” which draws your attention to Emerson telling a story about himself as a young boy. Emerson uses some humor in stating that he is the “Devil’s child.” Essentially, he is using this anecdote to further the purpose of his essay; that is, to rely on your self as the title suggests. Emerson is attempting to explain, by using an anecdote, that even if he were the Devil’s child, he would still embrace his identity and opinions as an individual while encouraging his readers to do the same. Nothing could ever convince him to change or rely on someone, or something, other than himself. Anecdotes usually work as a very effective method of persuasion.

What is Machiavelli's take on human nature in The Prince?

Always a controversial figure, Machiavelli is perhaps at his most polarizing in his account of human nature. In general, Machiavelli argues that human nature is primarily based upon self-interest. Thus, even if a person does something that is often perceived to be virtuous, such as donate to charity, he or she is not doing so out of a general desire to do good. Rather, according to Machiavelli a person only acts virtuously if there is something to be gained by doing so.

This idea is manifest in much of Machiavelli's political policy. For instance, while Machiavelli encourages politicians and statesmen to seem virtuous, it's important to recognize the importance of the trivial verb "to seem." Machiavelli does not think a politician should concern himself with truly being virtuous; instead, he should seem virtuous to bolster his political reputation, as the perception of virtue often wins over the loyalty of the state. As such, the root of Machiavelli's concept of virtue is a prime example of his theory of humans as self-interested animals. 

What are some things that are rough for the Greasers?

The Greasers struggle with several things throughout the novel The Outsiders. The Greasers have a bad reputation and come from a rather rough neighborhood. The gang members come from relatively poorer families and are known for being social outcasts. Ponyboy mentions that the character of Pip, from the novel Great Expectations, reminds him of certain Greasers. Ponyboy says that most girls, especially Soc girls, look down on them and treat them with contempt. The majority of the Greasers come from broken homes and have little family support. They look to their gang for advice, assistance, and love because they have terrible home lives. This is one of the reasons why Darry leaves the back door to his house unlocked, so that other Greasers have a place to spend the night in case they get kicked out of their homes. When Johnny mentions that he is going to turn himself in, Dally comments that the police are always harder on Greasers than other individuals. The police recognize the Greasers as the city's "trouble-makers," and do not hesitate to give them tougher sentences. Most Greasers struggle in the classroom, and Ponyboy and Darry are the exceptions. In addition to being social outcasts, Greasers are generally "lost" individuals. They lack direction to their lives, and either end up in prison or working menial jobs. Ponyboy recognizes that there are thousands of individuals throughout America who are hopeless and need direction, which is why he writes the story The Outsiders.

From Zindel's The Pigman, why is Norton so curious about Mr. Pignati? How does John react to Norton's questions? Why?

Norton Kelly is a classmate of John and Lorraine's. They sometimes drink with him in the cemetery, or hang out and make prank calls together, but they don't really like him. In chapter 9, Lorraine points out that Norton grew up playing with dolls and kids made fun of him for it. By age ten, he went "berserk." She explains further as follows:

"From then on he turned tough guy all the way. He was always picking fights and throwing stones and beating up everybody. In fact, he got so tough he used to go around calling the other guys sissies" (99).

Norton is also a thief. Based on Norton's previous criminal experiences, John and Lorraine don't want to involve Norton in their small con to get $10.00 out of Mr. Pignati. Before John and Lorraine go to visit Mr. Pignati as "charity collectors," John thinks about Norton and knows he must keep him out of the loop. John explains in chapter 5 the following:

"If [Norton] knew about it, he'd try to hustle in on the deal, and he'd never stop at ten dollars. I don't want anyone really to take advantage of the old man. . . not the way Norton would have" (31).

As John and Lorraine become closer friends and start hanging out at Mr. Pignati's place, Norton must feel rejected. He eventually follows the couple and confronts John about what they do at that house with an old man. He also asks if the old man has things he could lift off of him. John either ignores Norton's questions or down-plays what Mr. Pignati has in the house. For example, Mr. Pignati has three television sets, but John doesn't disclose that information to Norton. He doesn't want to entice Norton to burglarize the poor man. By this time, John cares for and wants to protect Mr. Pignati from any harm.

Why does Bud lie to Mr. Lewis and tell him that he is from Grand Rapids?

In Chapter 10, Mr. Lewis spots Bud walking on the side of the road and pulls his car over. Bud hides behind a bush and Mr. Lewis offers Bud a sandwich, an apple, and a red pop to get him to come out of hiding. Once Bud comes out of hiding, he introduces himself to Mr. Lewis. Mr. Lewis is aware that Bud has ran away from home, and he asks Bud where his home is. Bud prides himself on being such a good liar and realizes that he can’t tell Mr. Lewis the truth. Bud does not want to be sent back to the Home or, even worse, back to the Amoses. He tells Mr. Lewis that he ran away from Grand Rapids because he hopes that Mr. Lewis will take him there. Fortunately, that is where Mr. Lewis lives and he offers him a ride back to Grand Rapids the next morning.

What two parts make up the lithosphere?

Lithosphere is the outer covering or layer of a planet. We can also think of lithosphere as the outer surface of Earth where we live and where processes relevant to us takes place. In reality, lithosphere is composed of two parts: crust and topmost layer of mantle (which stays solid). These layers are underlain by hotter part of our planet (known as asthenosphere), including the mantle and the core. Heat conduction takes place through the lithosphere, while the underlying layers experience heat convection. The thickness of lithosphere ranges from 80-120 km. Lithosphere consists of both continental and oceanic lithosphere and is generally divided into a number of tectonic plates. The motion of these plates or plate tectonics results in the formation of mountains, earthquakes, volcanoes, etc. 

Hope this helps. 

What page number did Scout and Francis fight in To Kill a Mockingbird?

In Chapter 9 on page 112, Scout fights her cousin Francis Hancock. Scout says, "I split my knuckle to the bone on his front teeth." (Lee 112) During a family Christmas gathering at Finch's Landing, Scout spends quality time with her cousin Francis. Francis is Aunt Alexandra's grandson who is the polar opposite of Scout. Francis is a preppy, sensitive boy who Scout believes the most boring child she ever met. Scout says, "Talking to Francis gave me the sensation of settling slowly to the bottom of the ocean." (Lee 107) After dinner, Scout and Francis have a conversation in the backyard. First, Francis offends Scout by making negative comments about Dill. Then, he tells Scout it's not her fault that Atticus is a "nigger-lover," and it mortifies the rest of the family. Scout gets upset, and Francis runs away but continues to provoke Scout by yelling, "He's nothin' but a nigger-lover." (Lee 110) Francis runs into the kitchen and tells Alexandra that Scout is chasing him. After Alexandra scolds Scout she waits patiently to get her revenge on Francis. When Francis decides to come out of hiding and concludes that Scout won't harm him, he walks up to her and whispers "Nigger-lover..." (Lee 112) At that very moment Scout punches him square in the mouth and Uncle Jack grabs her arms. 

Distributive policies can be problematic because they A. tend to be popular but can lead to wasteful spending. B. place undue burdens on...

You have chosen the correct answer for this question.  Option A best describes one of the major problems with distributive policies.

Distributive policies are one of three kinds of policy.  One kind of policy is regulatory policy, which is meant to ensure order and to prevent negative things from happening.  Option B is a major reason why regulatory policy is problematic since regulations tend to increase the cost of doing business.  A second kind of policy is redistributive policy, which is meant to increase economic equality.  Options C and E are generally problems that come with redistributive policy.  Option D can apply to either regulatory or redistributive policies as both are major sources of partisan contention.

That leaves Option A.  Distributive policies tend to give money or other benefits to people to encourage them to do things the government wants.  These programs tend to be popular among the people who benefit from them (think about farm subsidies, for example, as those are very popular among farmers), but they can often be wasteful because they encourage activities that may really not need government support.

You chose the correct answer!

What major challenges did President Washington face when he took office?

President Washington faced several changes when he took office and while he was President. One challenge he faced was in dealing with other countries. Spain and Great Britain were interfering with our trade. These countries also were encouraging the Native Americans to attack us. Great Britain, which was supposed to leave the forts in the West, failed to do so. President Washington knew we weren’t in a position to go to war against either country. Despite calls by some Americans to go to war, President Washington used diplomacy to negotiate treaties with Spain and Great Britain to resolve the issues we had with them. Jay’s Treaty was signed with Great Britain while Pinckney’s Treaty was signed with Spain.

President Washington also faced issues at home. Our country had significant debt that needed to be repaid. We also had a weak financial system since both the state governments and the federal government printed money during the days when the Articles of Confederation was our plan of government. The government under that plan was not able to tax the people. Working with his Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, a debt plan was developed to repay our debts.

There were issues with keeping order at home. Under the plan of government created by the Articles of Confederation, the federal government had difficulty maintaining order at home. Shays Rebellion was a good example of this. President Washington made it clear the federal government would respond forcefully when disorder occurred. This was seen in his response to the Whiskey Rebellion. The federal government moved in and restored order.

President Washington faced several changes when he took office and during his two terms as President.

`x + y + z + w = 6, 2x + 3y - w = 0, -3x + 4y + z + 2w, = 4, x + 2y - z + w = 0` Solve the system of linear equations and check any solutions...

You may use the reduction method to solve the system, hence, you may multiply the first equation by 3, such that:

`3(x + y + z + w) = 3*6`

`3x + 3y + 3z + 3w = 18`

You may now add the equation `3x + 3y + 3z + 3w = 18` to the third equation -`3x + 4y + z + 2w= 4` , such that:

`3x + 3y + 3z + 3w - 3x + 4y + z + 2w= 18 + 4`

`7y + 4z + 5w = 22`

Adding the first equation to the second yields:

`3x + 4y + z = 6`

Adding the second equation to the last yields:

`3x + 5y - z = 0`

Adding the resulted equations yields:

`6x + 9y = 6 => 2x + 3y = 2`

Multiply the second equation by 2 and add it to the third, such that:

`x + 10y + z = 4`

Add this equation to the `3x + 5y - z = 0` , such that:

`3x + 5y - z + x + 10y + z = 0 + 4`

`4x + 15y = 4`

Consider a system formed by equations `4x + 15y = 4` and `2x + 3y = ` 2, such that:

`-2*(2x + 3y) + 4x + 15y  = -4 + 4`

`-4x - 6y + 4x + 15y = 0`

`9y = 0 => y = 0`

You may replace 0 for y in equation `2x + 3y = 2` , such that:

`2x + 0 = 2 => x = 1`

You may also replace 1 for x and 0 for y in equation `2x + 3y - w = 0` , such that:

`2 - w = 0 => -w = -2 => w = 2`

You may also replace 1 for x, 0 for y and 2 for w in equation `x + y + z + w = 6` , such that:

`1 + 0 + z + 2 = 6 => z = 6 - 3 => z = 3`

Hence, evaluating the solution to the given system, yields that `x =1, y = 0, z = 3, w = 2.`

How and why did the United States become involved in the Vietnam War? My assignment requires examining the actions of the Eisenhower, Kennedy, and...

The United States involvement is Vietnam is sometimes referred to as a "proxy war" in which western powers were fighting for areas of control in southeast Asia as part of the Cold War, in a manner that vied for areas of influence in the developing world rather than fighting directly against communist China and the Soviet Union.

Vietnam had been colonized by the French in the nineteenth century but was conquered by the Japanese in World War II. Although the victorious Allied powers ceded the control of Vietnam to France after World War II, during an ensuing struggle to reassert control over the country, the nationalist Viet Minh succeeded in gaining control over the North, and were recognized by China and the Soviet Union, while the United States, Britain, and France supported the anti-communist State of Vietnam government in the south. The Eisenhower administration intervened to support the southern government, mainly due to the "domino theory", a belief that once one region fell to communism, others would follow. 

John F. Kennedy continued Eisenhower's policy in order to stem what he saw as a global tide of communism by sending advisers and equipment to support the Southern Vietnamese government.

With the increasing strength of the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong insurgency in the south, President Johnson escalated US support, sending increasing numbers of ground troops and air forces to support the southern government. The reason for this escalation was fear of communist expansion in the region. Although militarily the United States achieved several victories, the 30,000 American casualties and an increasing reluctance to invest US taxpayers' money in foreign wars with little immediate benefit to US citizens caused a rapid decline in the popularity of the war and of Johnson's presidency, eventually culminating in troop withdrawals under Nixon. 

What evidence supports Darwin's natural selection?

Darwin's theory of natural selection states those organisms with the best adaptations to the organism's environment have the best chance of surviving.  This means the genetic code possessed by those surviving organisms is the code that gets passed along.  This is the form of that organism that survived, while other organisms didn't.

A good example of evidence to support the theory of natural selection is the case of the peppered moths in England.  Before the industrial revolution, the pale, lighter version of the peppered moth blended in well with it's natural surroundings.  The darker version of the peppered moth stood out and was more likely to be eliminated.  When the factories in England started covering everything with soot, the existing environment turned from light colored to dark colored.  Now the dark version of the peppered moth blended into the environment, while the lighter, pale version stood out.  As a result, the dark peppered moth was naturally selected to survive because of it's ability to blend into the environment.

Another good example is the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria.  The development of antibiotics has helped save countless lives.  Antibiotics are substances that kill harmful bacteria, such as streptococcus bacteria.  Over time, some bacteria develop a resistance to the effects of the antibiotic.  This bacteria is more likely to survive and pass this ability on to it's offspring.  Eventually, the antibiotic becomes less effective, due to the bacteria's development of a resistance to the substance in the medication.

How did Odysseus know that Lampetia tattled on his men to Helios, and that Helios had gone to Zeus to get revenge?

When Odysseus and his men become stranded on the island where Helios keeps his sacred cattle, Zeus sends storms that strand them for a full month.  Although his men had been willing to leave this cows alone at first, after a month they began to question Odysseus's authority.  One day, Odysseus goes to pray, but instead of granting his prayers to help his crew leave the island, the gods put him to sleep.  Eurylochus takes this opportunity to persuade the crew to eat the cattle and come what may because it must surely be better than wasting away on this island forever.  They do it, and Lampetia tells her father, Helios, what the men have done.  Helios asks Zeus to avenge his loss, and Zeus says that he will sink their ship with a lightning bolt.  After relating this story to his auditors in Phaeacia, Odysseus says that he learned about Lampetia's and Helios's actions from Calypso (who kept him captive for several years), and she had heard it from Hermes.

What do Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters surmise has caused Minnie Wright to murder her husband? What enables them to...

Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters figure out a lot about Mrs. Wright in the story. They discuss, first off, what Mrs. Wright was like when she was younger. She was involved with a choir, was seen around town and was generally happy, but Mr. Wright hated her singing and made her stop.

When they find the broken birdcage, the door is ripped off, presumably in anger. This shows that Mr. Wright was in a fit of rage and wanted to once again put a stop to the singing of the bird, just as he had with his wife. If he weren't angry, he would have opened the door, but since it is ripped off, this shows the rage he felt.

Then they find the bird in the nice box, as if Mrs. Wright were going to bury it. It's neck is broken and the head is backwards, once again showing the rage of Wright. And how did Wright die? He was strangled, just like the bird.

They differ from the men in a very simple way. The men are looking for a motive, but are not thinking like a woman of that time period. They check outside, they check the bedroom, but ignore anything that they think of as feminine. The women, on the other hand, notice the birdcage because it is hidden in the kitchen, a room the men ignore except to say Mrs. Wright wasn't much of a cleaner. They find the bird in her sewing basket, another spot the men don't think to check. Even the quilt, which the men joke about, is proof something was bothering her.

This shows the gender roles of the time period. Men expected women to do "women" things like cooking and cleaning, when ironically the women solve the whole murder and are the smarter of the genders in this story.

For more information check the link below.

What was the Mariner's effect on the wedding guest?

In Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," a mariner who has been through a harrowing experience must do penance by wandering the world and telling his tale to the person who needs to hear it. At the beginning of the poem, the mariner accosts one of three guests who are going into a wedding, putting him under a spell so that he must listen to the mariner's story, even though he beats his breast in frustration at not being able to go to his relative's wedding. The first effect the mariner has on the guest is that he mesmerizes the wedding guest.

The second effect is that the wedding guest is stunned by the mariner's facial expression as the mariner gets to the part of the story where he shoots the albatross. 

After hearing the entire tale, the mariner leaves the wedding guest. The wedding guest is so disturbed by the story that he no longer wants to go into the wedding. He leaves as if he is senseless. This could mean that he is numb, or it could mean that his thinking ability has left him. This effect is not permanent, however; the next morning the wedding guest wakes up and is a wiser man for having heard the story, although he also carries a lingering sadness.

What is the main source of conflict in The Outsiders?

The main source of conflict in The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, is described very early in the story in chapter 1. The conflict described is a a conflict between social classes. In The Outsiders, this conflict occurs between two groups, the Socs, short for "the Socials" (Hinton p2), and the Greasers, a group that the main character, Ponyboy, is a member of. The Socs are described as "the jet set, the West-side rich kids." (Hinton p2), while the greasers are "poorer than the Socs and the middle class" (Hinton p3). This is further expanded upon when Ponyboy explains that the Socs "get editorials in the paper for being a public disgrace one day and an asset to society the next." (Hinton p3). Oppositely, Ponyboy describes the greasers as "like hoods; we steal things, and drive old souped-up cars and hold up gas stations and have a gang fight once in a while." (Hinton p3). As the reader can see from these descriptions, each group lives a very different lifestyle, with the Socs driving fancy new cars, getting drunk, and jumping greasers for fun, while the greasers struggle to get by and are looked at negatively by society as a whole. 

Hope this helps!

What group of people did Hitler fear the most, and why? The "why" question being the important one.

The group of people that Hitler feared the most was the Jews.  He feared and hated the Jews because his ideology held that the Jews would be able to destroy German culture if they were allowed to remain in Germany.

Hitler’s ideology held that there were three general types of people. Some people, the Aryan race, were the ones who could create culture.  He believed that every truly advanced and civilized culture in the world had been created by Aryans.  A second group of people was incapable of creating culture, but could keep a culture going if they were given that culture.  The third group of people were destroyers of culture.  They would ruin any culture that they were a part of. The Jews were the most important culture-destroying group in Hitler’s mind, though the Gypsies (Roma) were also in this category.  Hitler believed that Jews inevitably destroyed any culture in which they lived.

Because there were a relatively large number of Jews in Germany, Hitler feared that German culture would be destroyed.  He feared that the Jews would destroy German culture because Jews were naturally people who destroyed the cultures they lived in. Therefore, he feared them and wanted to remove them from Germany by one means or another.

Why is the book titled A Tale of Two Cities?

The two cities in the title are Paris and London, and the story involves both because the events that occur link both cities and Dickens is using the French Revolution as a cautionary tale.

Dickens named the book A Tale of Two Cities because the two cities are its settings.  What happens in Paris affects what happens in London, and vice versa.  Dickens wanted his readers to make the connection between the events in Paris’s past and the conditions in modern-day London.

Dickens begins by explaining why the years of the French Revolution were the best and worst of times.  He then goes on to make comparisons.

[We] had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way— in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. (Book 1, Chapter 1)

Dickens wrote about the French Revolution because he believed that conditions for the poor were very harsh in England in his time.  He wanted his readers to understand that if things continued as they were, a revolution was possible.  He also sought to help his readers understand how the poor felt.  Like in his other novels, Dickens wanted to create empathy in his readers.

Dickens gives many examples of abuses of the poor, including the carriage that ran over the little boy, the Marquis St. Evremonde’s taxation of the village, and Foulon’s reaction when told the people were starving.

"Does everybody here recall old Foulon, who told the famished people that they might eat grass, and who died, and went to Hell?" (Book 2, Chapter 22)

Dickens definitely portrays the horrors of the French Revolution, and personalizes it by how it affects the Manette family.  However, he clearly feels for the poor.   His message is clear.  If you do not help the needy, they may help themselves.

If free will and predestination happened to be the same thing, just said differently, would it or could it stand to reason that because of pride...

Predestination and free will are concepts important to Christian theology and the study of religion and general. Your question is, basically, is it possible that predestination and free will refer to the same thing? If these two do in fact refer to the same thing, would that mean the argument between different Protestant groups on the issue is not a  true argument? 

One way to approach your question is to consider the limits of our own knowledge. There is much about human behavior we do not understand. Even looking at our own personal behavior subjectively, we may ask: "why did I do that?" or, "why do I behave like that?" without really knowing why. We may do things that result in harm to ourselves or others, even though we know these behaviors are not best. So, in a sense, the ideas of free will and predestination are both attempts for us to understand how and why we behave the way we do.

Both these ideas do in a sense refer to the same thing: our ignorance; or, our not knowing and not understanding the mechanisms of our own behavior. Thus, both these ideas include an aspect of faith or belief. Neither free will nor predestination are provable hypotheses. They are concepts we use to try to understand our complex lives.

Considering that neither of these concepts are provable, we might conclude that the religious argument about them is not very fruitful. At the same time, we know that the assertion of faith is important to many in terms of their religious identity. For some, defending free will over predetermination (or vice versa) may function as an act of religious piety or even religious duty. Thus, we cannot say these argument are entirely useless, as they serve an important purpose in an individual's religious identity. 

What is the thesis statement for this monologue in Romeo and Juliet? O serpent heart, hid with a flowering face! Did ever dragon keep so fair a...

This speech is delivered by Juliet immediately after she discovers Romeo has slain Tybalt. Juliet speaks this speech while mostly in shock, and the language is jumping from image to image as she tries to understand her world which has been permanently changed. I'll look at some of the specific lines and then offer up a possible thesis statement that could describe this speech.

O serpent heart, hid with a flow'ring face! / Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave? Beautiful tyrant! fiend angelical! / Dove-feather'd raven! wolvish-ravening lamb! (III.ii.76-79)

First, Juliet describes Romeo as a serpent, hidden by a flower. This flower image goes back to the balcony scene, where Juliet continuously describes Romeo, and their love, with the imagery of roses and flowers. Now, however, she sees him as a serpent, but in the next line, she views Romeo as a dragon. Yet, this imagery changes even more. After being a dragon, Romeo is then a tyrant, an angel, a raven disguised as a dove, and then a lamb that appears to be a wolf. 

What can a reader or listener make of this shifting imagery? It depicts how Juliet is unsure of everything. She is confused and grasping at a solid understanding of Romeo's actions. By the end of the speech, Juliet has gone through many images but settled on the fact that Romeo may be a monster dressed as a god (or whatever image you want to go with). 

A thesis statement could be: Romeo's murdering of Tybalt causes Juliet to question all of her notions of Romeo, although, despite his actions, she still views him as beautiful.

What can happen when a person's self-worth is based upon something that will not last, like fame as an athlete?

Basing one’s self-worth in a title or status, another person, money, or an object will lead to a feeling of low self-esteem and devastation once that item, person, or thing has passed. Pastor Jeff Manion from Ada Bible Church presented an outstanding sermon on this very topic two weeks ago. Even if one does not hold a biblical perspective or beliefs, there are still some wonderful messages to be received from the sermon.

The one constant in life is that change is inevitable. Thus, one’s self-worth must be established intrinsically and one must be able to adapt to the changes that are bound to occur within his/her life. Three suggestions for establishing a healthy self-worth are listed below.

- Identifying one’s strengths and utilizing them within an activity that he/she enjoys.

- Taking a class to discover a new talent.

- Creating and executing realistic goals.

Discuss the characteristics of education during Medieval times.

In Medieval England, education was really only something that the rich had access to because education had to be paid for and peasants were not able to afford the cost. In 1066, William I conquered England, however the country he took over had very few educated people, including those who were rich and could afford it. Those who worked in the church were the most educated of the time. Since most of these people worked in monasteries and took a vow of isolation, much of their work remained with them. As it developed, Medieval England was in need of more educated people. This was particularly true of those who were merchants by trade. The important trading towns began to set up grammar schools, some were even funded by local merchants. A major part of the curriculum in these schools was Latin grammar. It was important to learn the correct grammar because Latin was the language that merchants used when trading in Europe as very few knew the language of another country but most countries still used Latin. Every lesson in the grammar schools was taught in Latin and they were taught in a way that emphasized memorization rather than an understanding of the subject. 

By the time 1500 came around the majority of the larger towns had a grammar school. These schools were very small, usually consisting of one room for all the boys and one teacher who had a religious background. The system of teaching was that the teacher would instruct the older boys and they would in turn teach the younger boys. School hours changed with the time of year, the hours being sunrise to sunset. In such schools discipline was extremely strict, anyone who made a mistake during a lesson was punished with the birch. The students who did especially well in grammar schools often sought out higher education in the form of university. During Medieval times both Oxford and Cambridge were founded.  Those who were peasants were only allowed to be educated if the lord of the manor gave permission. If they did not have permission the family could be heavily fined if it was discovered that they had their son educated any way. Only a small amount of girls were ever sent to receive an education, those of noble families were instructed at home or in the home of another noble. The base of a girl's education was how to manage a household, they might also be taught an instrument or singing.

In 1984, when does Winston realize that O'Brien works for the thought police?

Even after he is arrested, Winston initially does not understand that O'Brien works for the Thought Police. He hangs on to the hope that somehow O'Brien will arrange for his release from prison. It's not until O'Brien walks into the cell where he is being held, accompanied by a guard holding a truncheon, that Winston begins to realize that O'Brien is not part of an anti-government conspiracy and definitely is not on his side. 

 O'Brien makes an interesting comment to the shocked Winston: you've always known I'm the enemy, he says. "Don't deceive yourself." At that point, Winston does realize that he had, subconsciously, known it all along.

Winston has been deceived by his strong desire that O'Brien, a father figure to him, share his rebellion against the state. O'Brien will remain a father figure, but now in a different way.

Why does Crooks want to be a part of the plan to buy a ranch?

Crooks would like to be part of the plan to buy a farm because he has been terribly lonely and if he lived with George and Lennie and Candy, he would have others to be around; also having a plan for his old age would give him security.

It is apparent that Crooks resents being marginalized on the ranch. When Lennie first approaches him, Crooks rebuffs his friendly gesture out of a defensiveness, and he tells Lennie, "You got no right to come in my room....Nobody got any right in here but me." But, the child-like Lennie continues to stand nearby and smiles. Finally, Crooks realizes that Lennie means no harm, so he lets him come in.

At first, Crooks taunts Lennie, telling him George may not return; however, when Lennie becomes too upset, Crooks reassures him that George will, indeed, return. Then he adds reflectively,

"Maybe you can see now....A guy needs somebody--to be near him....A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you. I tell ya," he cried," I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick."

Clearly, Crooks perks up when he can talk to another man, and he is excited about the possibility of being able to join in on the dream of George and Lennie's owning a little farm and having companionship and some security in his old age.

What was the trial about? What was the intial reaction of jurors when they went into the jury room?

Twelve Angry Men is a drama about twelve jurors who have to bring a verdict in a murder trial. A young man, a teenager, is accused of stabbing his father to death with a knife. The judge has instructed the jurors that they must be unanimous in their verdict, explaining that the death penalty is mandatory if they bring a verdict of guilty. When the jurors enter the jury room, it is very hot, and the jurors seem irritable, although some seem thoughtful. A few complain about the trial. After some brief conversation, the leader of the jury calls for a vote. At this initial vote, eleven men vote "guilty," and only one, Juror 8, votes "not guilty." There is some surprise and muttering toward him for being the only one who votes differently, and some jurors demand that he explain himself and even seem to ridicule or taunt him for his "wrong" opinion. Juror 8 explains that he doesn't know if the boy is guilty or not, but that he can't bring himself to be the final vote that will put the boy in the electric chair. He maintains that they should at least discuss the case before they sentence him to death.

What is a court?

Courts are important in our society and in our legal system. A court is a place where disputes may be settled. If two people have a dispute, they may take that dispute to court. The court will resolve the dispute that these individuals have. It is also a place where people are tried for crimes of which they are accused. In a court setting, there will be a judge and various court officials. There are different levels of courts. Municipal courts handle matters such as speeding tickets. State courts handle cases involving state laws. Federal courts handle cases involving federal laws.

In a court, people may have their case be heard by a jury. Lawyers will present arguments that represent the interests of the defendant. The lawyers for the prosecution will present arguments to try to prove the case against the defendant. The judge makes sure proper procedures are followed. If there is a jury, the judge will give instructions to the jury regarding determining guilt or innocence of the defendant. The jury will weigh the facts presented by each side, and then they will make a decision. If there is no jury, then the judge will make the ruling.

Courts are important because it gives individuals a place to resolve disputes. It also allows for a way to determine if a person did or didn’t commit a crime.

In The Cay by Theodore Taylor, after Timothy spots the cay, what happens to Phillip that enrages Timothy?

At the beginning of Chapter Six in The Cay by Theodore Taylor, Timothy sees a small island in the distance--a cay in the ocean. When he tells Phillip that he sees it, Phillip gets so excited that he stands up and falls overboard into the water. This enrages Timothy because there are sharks all around. Timothy jumps into the water to fish Phillip out, and he is able to put Phillip back onto the raft. Phillip knows Timothy is very upset with him.

"I knew Timothy was in a rage. I could hear his heavy breathing and knew he was staring at me. 'Shark all 'round us, all d'time,' he roared" (Taylor 52).

Timothy goes on to instruct Phillip to only crawl as long as they are on the raft. He soon settles down and asks Phillip if he is alright, and he explains that anyone can die in the water because there really are sharks all around them. Soon after, though, the two of them reach the cay, and their real adventure begins.

What three historical documents define governments that give sovereign rights to the people?

Throughout history, most governments have been founded on the absolute authority of a sovereign ruler: a king or queen. The earliest document that wrested this power away and granted rights to the people was the Magna Carta. Signed by King John of England at Windsor in 1215, the Magna Carta was meant to appease several rebelling noblemen and granted certain powers to the Church and populace while placing limits on the reach of the Crown. Though neither the king nor the rebels honored their agreement, the Magna Carta stands as a symbol of the first time rights were guaranteed to subjects by a legal document.

In 1776, Thomas Jefferson drafted a Declaration of Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. In it, he established that people are "endowed...with certain unalienable rights." These rights, to life, to liberty, and to the pursuit of happiness, denied the absolute rule of the king, and would become the foundation for the codified and clearly outlined Bill of Rights.

After gaining independence from Britain in 1783, the American Continental Congress set about writing a Constitution of the United States, which defined the systems by which the new government would function. As an addendum to that Constitution, they added ten Amendments to the Constitution that explicitly defined the rights of the citizens of the United States of America. These rights are at the center of American Constitutional law, and are intended to place the power of governance firmly in the hands of the people.

What motivated Michael Rogers to find the Lacks family?

He was motivated by his extreme curiosity to locate the woman responsible for donating the cells known as immortal HeLa cells.  Michael Rogers was a writer who had a penchant for scientific fiction and nonfiction, particularly that nonfiction that was on the "cutting edge." 

Biogenetic cell culturing was just getting started, and Rogers was busy chasing an elusive story about the cells named HeLa cells, taken from a real woman known only as "Helen Lane."  The real woman turned out to be a young mother named Henrietta Lacks, who, after having several children, contracted an extremely aggressive form of cervical cancer.  Dr. George Gey, at Johns Hopkins Hospital, cultured both the cancer cells, as well as normal cells, which became the cells known as "HeLa cells." 

Michael Rogers was a scientific writer who stood out, as he wrote and pursued stories that were ahead of his time.  His pursuit of the Lacks family in this story was for the purpose of providing more solid detail about the woman whose cells had gained a sense of immortality.

In the book Quicksand by Nella Larsen, discuss at least three cultural markers in the story which reveal Quicksand was written in the 1920s. How...

One cultural and literary marker that has disappeared since Quicksand is that of the tragic mulatto. Torn between two worlds, black and white, the tragic mulatto was a common literary figure in African-American literature from the 1890s to the 1920s.

The mulatto, often characterized as a beautiful young woman, usually attempted to "pass for white" and was discovered, frequently by her white lover, and experienced a shame so great that she would kill herself. She did not belong in the black community either. Her skin color made her an object of mistrust and envy. In Larsen's novels, including this one, the tragic mulatto does not commit suicide. Instead, she experiences social alienation, and never finds personal fulfillment due to her status as an outsider.

Helga Crane's story is based on Larsen's own life. Larsen, too, was born to a white mother and a black father. Her mother later remarried a Danish man. In the novel, Helga goes to Copenhagen to meet her new family. She becomes the object of their fascination -- not because she is a new relative, but because she is black. Thus, the second marker in the novel concerns that of the exoticization of black people.

In the 1920s, all things black were "in vogue." This was true from Harlem to Paris. Upper-class white New Yorkers who wanted to seem hip hung out in Harlem. This new fascination was connected to two things: the popularization of jazz and blues, and the presence of African motifs in Cubist paintings. Black identity was frequently exaggerated in the white imagination. These exaggerations were present in advertisements and in entertainment. Josephine Baker became a success in Paris, but largely because she catered to fetishist tastes, which wanted to see her in grass skirts or imitating an hysterical monkey.

A third cultural marker in the novel is the disconnection between well-educated, middle-class blacks in the North, and the poor, rural black migrants coming from the South. The 1920s were part of the period in which there was a massive migration of blacks, often former slaves, from the South to major cities in the North (e.g., New York) and the Midwest (e.g., Chicago, St. Louis). 

Later in the novel, Helga marries a Southern Baptist minister who expects her to conform to his way of life. She is ill-equipped to do so. She is too urbane, too educated, and may feel a sense of superiority due to her lighter skin. She is miserable and, ultimately, descends into physical and mental illness.

Honestly, not all of the themes addressed in Quicksand are limited to the 1920s. Some remain true today. Black identity is still a site of both public fascination and loathing. Class distinctions within black communities remain true as well. The black poor and the black middle-class, generally, have little contact with each other. Lastly, though the "tragic mulatto" is an outdated trope, colorism still exists. Light-skinned black people are sometimes treated more favorably than darker ones. They may also be viewed as "exotics."

Because these issues remain relevant, Larsen's literature remains relevant.

What are three quotes that show how Mariam sacrifices herself in A Thousand Splendid Suns?

Quotes that show how Mariam sacrifices herself in A Thousand Splendid Suns display the extent to social practice challenges female identity.  

One example of Mariam sacrificing herself can be seen in her marriage to Jalil. She recognizes that in Afghanistan, marriage is synonymous with reducing a woman's identity.  Over the course of her marriage, Mariam understands how this is the case in her own:

It’s not so much what he says, the blatant lies, the contrived empathy, or even the fact that he has not raised a hand to her, Mariam, since he had dug the girl out from under those bricks. It is the staged delivery. Like a performance. An attempt on his part, both sly and pathetic, to impress. To charm. And suddenly, Mariam knows that her suspicions are right. She understands with a dread that is a blinding whack to the side of her head that what she is witnessing is nothing less than a courtship.

Mariam knows that her husband is wooing another woman, thereby reducing her own status.  However, there is nothing she can do about it.  She understands that her life is going to be one of sacrifice.  The quote also shows that Mariam must accept the fact that Jalil will never accept her as a soul mate. She must sacrifice any hope of finding happiness as a wife, a "blinding whack" of reality. 

Mariam sacrifices herself when she kills Jalil.  She does so to save Laila's life. Doing so means that she must accept the punishment of death that Afghan society sanctions:

After Mariam was punished with a sentence of death, she was led out to sign a document while the Taliban watched. “She wrote out her name - the neem, the reh, the yah, and the neem - remembering the last time she signed her name to a document, twenty-seven years before, at Jalil’s table, beneath the watchful gaze of another mullah. 

The signing of her own death warrant represents the sacrifice that was her life. Mariam sacrificed herself the last time she signed a legal document, her marriage certificate.  She now literally sacrifices herself in signing the document that guarantees her death. 

In her final moments of life, Mariam reflects about the sacrifice she made when she says,  “This is a legitimate end to a life of illegitimate beginnings.”  Mariam understands that in order to change the condition that faces women in Afghanistan, sacrifice must be made. She takes an active step towards this in her actions.  She wishes to legitimize something that society had deemed opposite.  When Mariam "does as she is told" for the last time, it is clear that she understands what it means to sacrifice.

Are there any stereotypes portrayed by any characters in "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell?

Orwell's narrator stereotypes the Burmese. He calls them "evil spirited little beasts," equating them with animals. He labels them twice as "yellow faces." He also groups them together as a mass that is "all happy and excited over this bit of fun." At the end of the essay, he even says he is glad the elephant killed the "coolie," as it put him, the narrator, in the right and gave him an unassailable legal pretext for his act. He shows no sorrow or remorse that a human being was killed, suggesting that the native was less than a person to him. 

The narrator himself consciously adopts the stereotype of the British colonial figure, cool and in command, doing what is expected in his own role: "A sahib has got to act like a sahib; he has got to appear resolute, to know his own mind and do definite things." He calls himself a "puppet" and a "dummy" and says his face has grown to fit the mask he wears. He is not a person, but a type, both in his own eyes and the eyes of the Burmese. He is enacting, not challenging, their stereotypes of the British ruling class. 

Interestingly, however, the narrator does not pull out any of the "white man's burden" stereotypes we might associate with Kipling. The narrator never pretends he is doing good for the Burmese, protecting them or sacrificing for their benefit. The essay maintains a consistent tone of disillusion with the British empire and what it does to the people caught up in it, which is to dehumanize everyone in the system by reducing them to types. 

How does Harper Lee present Maycomb’s attitudes towards the Radleys in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Harper Lee uses a variety of characters to comment on the Radleys throughout the novel. Their comments display the Maycomb community's attitudes towards the Radley family. Lee uses the character of Stephanie Crawford to convey the negative rumors about Boo Radley that are shared throughout the community. Miss Stephanie tells Jem that Boo stares into her window at night, and Scout mentions that every small crime committed in the county is blamed on the mysterious Boo Radley. Stephanie explains Boo's checkered past which propagates his negative perception. In Chapter 1, Scout mentions that when Mr. Radley died, Calpurnia said, "There goes the meanest man God ever blew breath into." (Lee 15) Miss Maudie tells Scout that Mr. Radley was a "foot-washing Baptist" and was a very strict man who punished his son severely for his childhood pranks. Scout comments that the Radleys were not social people which made them different from their community members.

Lee even uses the children throughout the novel to convey Maycomb's negative perception of the Radleys. At the beginning of the novel, Walter Cunningham Jr. comments that he almost lost his life because he ate one of the Radley's poisonous pecans. Jem and Dill's horrific description of Boo is a combination of the nasty rumors spread about him and their overactive imaginations. Even Atticus comments that the children should leave the Radleys alone, and thinks it's best not to return Boo's blanket after he gives it to Scout. Maycomb's negative perception of the Radleys stems from the fact that they are different. Maycomb is a highly prejudiced community that views anybody or anything different as negative. Their intolerance towards the Radleys not only affects Boo's reputation but hurts his chances of gaining friends throughout the community.

Identify five ways in which culture and society have significant impact in The Kite Runner.

In Khaled Hosseini's novel The Kite Runner, culture and society have significant impact on the decisions and behavior of the many different characters. For this response, I will list five examples and briefly explain each. 

1. Baba's relationship with Amir: Afghan culture carries certain gendered expectations, many of which Amir did not meet as a child. Because Afghan culture dictated that Amir was failing at being a successful Afghan boy, the relationship between father and son suffered. 


2. Soraya's "shame": Soraya ran away, unmarried, with a white man, and lived with him for a significant amount of time before returning. Afghan culture sees cohabitation and sexual intercourse before marriage as sinful, particularly for women, and as such, Soraya carries a great "shame" within her Afghan community. 


3. Sohrab's "welcome" by Soraya's family: Soraya's father, upon Sohrab's arrival, refers to him simply as "that Hazara boy", revealing deep seated prejudice against the Hazara ethnic group. This aspect of Afghan culture is one that contributes to a genocide of the Hazara, but which Amir actively combats. 


4. Amir's greatest sin: Afghan culture did not openly discuss or confront issues of sexual assault and rape. As a result, Amir had no resources for coping with or proactively assisting in providing support for Hassan after his rape, which leads to their estrangement. 


5. The symbol of the kite: The kite, a major focal point for boyhood in Afghan culture, serves as a bookend for the cyclical novel, indicating hope and dreams can come again. This connotation would be impossible without Afghan culture. 

What is the setting of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer?

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer takes place in St. Petersburg, Missouri, along the Mississippi River, in the 1840s. The small town and surrounding area is Tom’s playground for all the adventures he goes through in the novel. The town of Hannibal is considered the present day setting of the novel, and if you go there, you will see a replica of the fence Tom talks Ben into painting and the boyhood home of Mark Twain. There is also a magnificent cave nearby that the boys explore (Tom and Becky Thatcher get lost in the cave) and Jackson Island where the boys stay while pretending to be pirates. Other setting sites include a graveyard, where the Tom and Huck see Injun Joe kill the doctor, and an abandoned house, where Huck and Tom overhear the plans of Injun Joe to kill the Widow Douglas. 

The novel takes place during the United States' “adolescence” and the settling of the West.  It is also takes place during the time of slavery.

In Act 2, Scene 1, what does Macbeth's soliloquy reveal about his state of mind?

Macbeth's soliloquy is occasioned by the sight of an imaginary dagger hovering before him. Macbeth interprets this vision as a sign that he is to carry out the murder of Duncan, saying that it "marshall'st me the way I was going." He is resolved to carry out the murder of Duncan even though he has already acknowledged that it is wrong, and he seems to believe, based on the vision and his encounter with the witches earlier in the play, that he is destined to commit the murder, driven by forces over which he has no control. In short, Macbeth is determined to commit the murder, but is still aware that it is a "bloody business" filled with "horror." In this soliloquy we see Macbeth grappling with several of the major themes and conflicts that we see throughout the play. He doesn't seem to know whether he is fated to commit the murder, or if he is doing it totally of his own volition. He knows, as we have seen already, that it is an evil deed, but his ambition (as well, perhaps, as the machinations of evil inhuman forces) drives him to do it. 

What is the rising action in Bud, Not Buddy?

In a work of literature, the rising action begins at the start of the story and is the information and events that occur as the story reaches the climax. In Bud, Not Buddy, the rising action begins shortly after Bud is placed with an abusive foster family. When Bud leaves the family and spends his days wandering and traveling, the rising action truly begins. The rising action consists of all of the events that take place while Bud is traveling, such as meeting up with Bugs, spending time in Hooverville, receiving his first kiss, going to Grand Rapids, and riding with Lefty Lewis. The rising action ends when Bud meets the man who he believes to be his father, which is the climax of the story.

Give two examples of parasitism found in plants?

Parasitism is a relationship in which one species benefits, while the other does not (unlike mutualism type of symbiosis). In case of parasitic plants, the parasite lives off of the host plant and obtains its nutrients and water from the host plant itself. An example of parasitic plant is Cuscuta sp., commonly known as Dodder. These are parasitic vines and are attached to their host through haustoria, small rootlike structure that allows it to bind itself to host plant, and directly obtain their nutrients, minerals and water from the host's vascular system. Another example of parasitic plants is juniper mistletoe or Phoradendron juniperinum. This plant lives off California juniper or Juniperus californicai. This parasitic plant covers the host plants to such an extent that it appears to be a part of the host. It is more commonly found in California, United States.

Hope this helps. 

What university did Benjamin Franklin help create?

Benjamin Franklin helped to create the University of Pennsylvania. This was a response to, what Franklin said, was a lack of adequate educational institutions in the state. Writing in 1749, he said: "It has long been regretted as a misfortune to the youth of this province that we have no academy in which they might receive the accomplishment of a regular education."

Inspired by the likes of Harvard, Franklin wrote a pamphlet on this subject and urged local citizens to donate money to create a university. In 1751, with the help of some friends, Franklin opened the Academy of Philadelphia. Acting as a trustee, Franklin co-created the Academy's curriculum which focused on the sciences, history, logic, math and geography. By 1765, the Academy also had a fully-functioning medical department which became the first teaching hospital in the country. 

Two years after Franklin's death, in 1792, the Academy was officially known as the University of Pennsylvania. 

`y = x^3, y = 8, x = 0` Use the method of cylindrical shells to find the volume of the solid obtained by rotating the region bounded by the...

The volume of the solid obtained by rotating about x-axis by using cylindrical shell method is

`V = int_a^b 2piyf(y) dy`

The given information is

The curves

`y = x^3 =gt x = y^(1/3) `

`y = 8` , `x = y = 0` and rotation is about y-axis

`therefore V = int_0^8 2piy[y^(1/3) - 0] dy `

          =`2pi int_0^8 y^(4/3) dy ` 

          = `2pi 3/7 y^(7/3)|_0^8 `

         =  `(6pi)/7 * 8^(7/3)`

         =  `(6pi)/7 * 2^7`

        = `(768pi)/7`

`therefore` The required volume is  `(768pi)/7`

What is the evidence that the theme of the poem "The Slave's Dream" is longing for freedom?

To begin with, the title of the poem itself proves that it’s all about the slave's longing for freedom. What can a slave dream of? Of course it’s about his freedom.

The slave must have been a leader or head of some tribe or even a king in Africa but now he’s just a slave. He’s far away from his native land and family. What he longs for is to become free again and go back to his own place. So, he “again” sees “his Native Land” “in the mist and shadow of sleep.”

Unrestrictedly he strides as “a king” and not as a slave.

Beneath the palm-trees on the plain
  Once more a king he strode;
And heard the tinkling caravans
  Descend the mountain-road. 

He sees himself surrounded by his loved ones ~ his wife and children. Nobody comes to take him away from them. But the dream is too sweet to be true and so a tear rolls down his cheek even though he’s asleep.

He saw once more his dark-eyed queen
  Among her children stand;
They clasped his neck, they kissed his cheeks,
  They held him by the hand!--

A slave’s life is completely controlled by his owner. Without any authority over himself, he can’t do anything to please himself unless his master is favorable to him. But, at least in his dream, he’s his own master. He doesn't need to take anybody’s permission to ride his horse at a “furious speed.”

And then at furious speed he rode
  Along the Niger's bank;
His bridle-reins were golden chains,
  And, with a martial clank,
At each leap he could feel his scabbard of steel
  Smiting his stallion's flank. 

 In his dream, it is he who decides how fast he should ride and where he should stop. All these images - “blood-red flag,” “the bright flamingoes,” the slave riding his horse at “furious speed,” the roaring lion, “glorious roll of drums” and the “ocean” - reinforce the fact that the poem is about nothing else but the slave’s longing for freedom.

Moreover, the following lines would leave no doubt that the poem’s central theme is the slave’s longing for freedom:

The forests, with their myriad tongues,
  Shouted of liberty;

Thus, every line quoted here reveals the slave's deep-seated yearning for emancipation from slavery.