Can gravitational force act from a distance?

When we throw a ball in air and it fall down or when a pencil rolls off the table and falls down or raindrops fall down towards the ground; we are witnessing gravity working at a distance. Gravity is one of the fundamental forces and is capable of acting at a distance. In all the cases mentioned above, none of the objects is in contact with Earth, yet Earth's gravitational field causes them to move towards Earth.

According to Universal Law of Gravitation, the gravitational force between any two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses and is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. Thus, the farther away the objects are from each other, the lesser is the gravitational force between them. 

Another example of gravity working at a distance is planets rotating around Sun. Since Sun is very large and much more massive than any solar planet, all the planets are attracted towards it and moves around it.

Hope this helps. 

Where do you find human vs. self conflict in Antigone? Give one example and explain the relevance of the direct quote you use.

In the Greek tragedy Antigone by Sophocles, Creon's primary conflict is with himself, although he doesn't see it that way until the end of the play. He believes he is struggling with Antigone, Haemon, and Tiresias, but his own ego and stubbornness are what cause the play's conflict. Throughout the play, Creon decides again and again to follow his own counsel rather than listen to others. He continues to lose the human vs. self conflict every time he has an opportunity to rise above his selfish conviction of his own supremacy. After Haemon and Eurydice have both committed suicide, Creon understands the source of all the conflict, and upon the news of Eurydice's death he wails:

Ah me, this guilt can never be fixed on any other of mortal kind, for my acquittal! I, even I, was thy slayer, wretched that I am-I own the truth. Lead me away, O my servants, lead me hence with all speed, whose life is but as death!

At this point, he has no one to blame, and although he previously repented of his obstinacy and provided Polynices with a proper burial and sought to free Antigone from the tomb, his enlightenment came too late. Now he is burdened with guilt for the deaths of the two people he loved most, and that is a human vs. self conflict that will presumably continue for the rest of his life.

What happened to Lyddie and Charlie's father?

Very little detail is given to readers in regards to Lyddie's and Charlie's father.  What we do know is that he is presumed alive at the beginning of the novel, but he is far away.  Readers are told that he left his responsibilities on the farm in search of striking it rich by finding gold.  He has not been heard from since leaving the farm.  The big problem is that the father not only left his family to take care of the farm themselves, he left them with a mountain of debt.  Paying off that debt propels much of the story and is the initial reason why Lyddie and Charlie are sold off into indentured servitude in the first couple of chapters.  

In "Sredni Vashtar," how does Saki demonstrate the underlying tension between both characters? Mrs. De Ropp never confessed of her dislike for...

Tension permeates the powerful narrative of “Sredni Vashtar.” Saki does an amazing job at bringing it out through the eyes of Conradin: a miserable child who is as sickly as he is unfortunate.

Saki uses Conradin’s point of view because this main character is not just a sickly kid who is unaware of his surroundings, or one who is chided away from misery by the mercy of his innocence. Quite the contrary.

Conradin is fully aware of his boring and miserable life, and equally cognizant of his guardian’s (Mrs. De Ropp) dislike of him. Moreover, Conradin hates his guardian just as badly as she hates him.

Hence, the tension is clear from the start when the narrator explains that, in Conradin’s eyes,

[Mrs. De Ropp] represented those three-fifths of the world that are necessary and disagreeable and real

Saki also uses a powerful choice of words to indicate the extent of pressure that Conradin lives under.

He tells us that De Ropp is perfectly fine with “thwarting” Conradin “for his own good.” She also forbids that he picks fruit from her few fruit trees in the garden, finds it troublesome to make even a slice of toast for the child, and does nothing but tell him “don’t do this”, or “don’t do that.”

Mrs. De Ropp will not “openly” tell Conradin how much she dislikes him. However, she pushes him around, treats him poorly, and obligates him to attend church services.

In turn, Conradin

hated her with a desperate sincerity which he was perfectly able to mask.

This hatred that Conradin feels is all the more irksome to us, as readers, particularly when we realize that this is a small child having such raw and ugly emotions. Yet, Conradin considers this hatred of Mrs. De Ropp as one of his very “few pleasures.”

All of these details illustrate a very clear picture of tension: 

• Mrs. De Ropp and Conradin hate each other while living under the same roof.


• They live together in a very dull environment where she “thwarts” and smothers him.


• Mrs. De Ropp seems to be waiting impatiently for the death of Conradin who, according to the doctor, “would not live another five years.” There is an indication in the first two lines of the story suggesting that Conradin may have even heard his guardian speak of this.

[The doctor’s] opinion was endorsed by Mrs. De Ropp, who counted for nearly everything.

If this is the case, then add “impending death” as yet another factor of tension in the household.

• Conradin masks his hatred, and hating DeRopp is a pleasure to him.

Additional evidence of tension is found in the fact that Conradin needs his imagination to escape; to survive, even.

In his imagination, he hopes for a day where he can get away from his actual existence. Also, in his imagination, that “unclean thing” that he considers Mrs. De Ropp to be is off-limits. She does not have entrance to it. Therefore, we get a picture of a child who hides within his home to perform imaginary rituals, all for the sake of trying to exist within a harsh and horrid environment.

All of these pieces of evidence are greatly indicative of a dull and sad existence, where tension is everywhere, and death, in whatever form it chooses to appear, lurks all too near.

How did the Allies counter threat posed by German u boats?

There were a few actions the Allies did to counter the threat of German submarines in World War I and in World War II. In World War I, we told the Germans that if they continued to sink our ships, which violated our rights as a neutral nation, that we would go to war against Germany. For a period of time, this worked as Germany agreed to stop sinking our ships. However, in 1917, Germany resumed sinking our ships, leading the United States to join World War I on the side of the Allies.

In both World War I and World War II, we used the convoy system to protect our merchant marine. Our navy accompanied our merchant and troop transport ships across the ocean. By the time World War II came, we were using new technology to deal with the threat of Germany submarines. Radar and sonar were used to locate the ships, and depth charges were used to disrupt the operation of the submarines. These tactics and the new forms of technology helped us deal with the threat of the German submarines.

How does Zarrof stock his island with game?

General Zaroff stocks his island with game by causing ships to become shipwrecked on his island.  He has a light that would indicate a channel where there is no channel, but rather treacherous rocks. When he turns on the light, ships navigate toward the light, thinking it will provide safe passage through the channel.  Instead, they run aground and are trapped on Zaroff's island where they become his prey.

The reason why Zaroff hunts men, instead of traditional game is because he has become bored with hunting animals because they lack the ability to reason.  He thought that by hunting humans they would present him with a challenge since they would be able to reason and in order to kill them he would need to outwit them. With that in mind, it could be said that the way in which Zaroff stocks his island is part of the hunt itself because it provides him with a challenge.

Why did they kill Julius Caesar?

Julius Caesar was killed because he was arrogant, and the conspirators felt that he had too much power already and was trying to gain more.  They were afraid he would name himself king.  A group of powerful senators assassinated him in the senate in 44 BC.

Caesar had an interesting career because he came of age during a turbulent time for Rome.  His was not the first regime to be volatile or bloody.  Rome had already been rocked by Gaius Marius and Sulla's power struggles.  His first real power was when he joined with Pompey and Crassus in the first triumvirate.  Pompey was a military man and Crassus was a money man.  Caesar was the politician.  Caesar's alliance with Pompey was not to last.

Caesar actually had many talents.  He was enormously successful in his military campaigns and made himself plenty of money.  He also made money for Rome.  In this way, he gained himself money and followers.  The army was particularly loyal to him, especially when he made them rich.  This is why they agreed to follow him when he marched on Rome to snatch it from Pompey’s grasp.

Marching on Rome was illegal.  It was this bold act that made the senate feel threatened.  They began placating Caesar.  They had statues erected.  Caesar was named dictator for life.  The senators did their best to tolerate Caesar’s mopping up actions after the war with Pompey, including those that put him in Egypt for months and left Mark Antony in charge in Rome, which annoyed many of the senators because they did not consider him qualified.

The conspirators' biggest fear was that Caesar would declare himself king.  Although to us the role of "dictator for life" might seem worse, to the Romans there was nothing worse than a king.  They considered their republic evolved from having kings, and that having a king was having a tyrant.  Caesar continually insisted that he did not want to be king, but they did not believe him.  

The senators of Rome decided to prevent Caesar from becoming king and took an unusual and extreme action.  We do not have all of the details of the assassination, but we do know that there were about two dozen influential senators involved, including Brutus, Cassius, Casca (who knew how to wield a dagger), and Decius Brutus (who was close to Caesar).  They hid their daggers and came up with a pretense for attacking him, and then attacked him right there in a senate session.  He was stabbed 23 times and died of his wounds.  His death left Rome in a turmoil and another bloody civil war which eventually ended with a triumvirate of Antony, Octavius Caesar and Lepidus in charge.

In The Crucible, where and how does Reverend Parris show that he is so fueled by his self-centeredness and greed for power that he is blind to the...

In Act 1, despite his daughter's apparent illness, Parris is unwilling to consider that witchcraft could be at fault (even though he saw the girls dancing in the woods) for her strange behavior because he is afraid of what the community will think of him if it gets out.  He says to Mr. Putnam, "I pray you, leap not to witchcraft.  i know that you -- you least of all Thomas, would ever wish so disastrous a charge laid upon me.  We cannot leap to witchcraft.  They will howl me out of Salem for such corruption in my house."  He cares more for his position and reputation than he does about the health of his congregation, his town, and even his own daughter.  

Later, in Act 3, when John Proctor brings Mary Warren, her deposition, and a petition signed by many people in the town who speak to the good names of a number of the accused, Parris immediately tries to incite the judges against him.  He shouts, "He's come to overthrow this court, Your Honor!"  Further, he says that "All innocent and Christian people are happy for the courts in Salem!  These people are gloomy for it.  And I think you will want to know, from each and every one of them, what discontents them with you!"  He tries to convince Judge Danforth -- who is a stranger to these people -- that Proctor and his friends hate the courts and do not want to see justice served.  He hopes to put Danforth on the offensive by convincing him that these men do not respect him or the courts and would overthrow them if they could because he enjoys the power he's acquired as a result of the court's proceedings.

Moreover, Parris withheld from the court the fact that he had found the girls dancing in the forest.  If he really believed there were evil spirits in Salem and wanted to root them out, he would have offered this information immediately as it would have been considered crucial to the proceedings.  Instead, he keeps this information to himself until Proctor reveals it to Danforth (in Act 3) who forces Parris to answer his questions. 

Even in the end, in Act 4, Parris cares more about his own safety and fortune than any evil that might be loose in the town.  When he relates the news that Abigail has robbed him and vanished, he cries, "I am penniless," and sobs into his hands.  Never mind that his niece has vanished.  Never mind that her lack of credibility now calls into question the entire proceedings.  He then begins to express his concerns about the possibility of riots based on the discontent he's seen spreading in the town, but it soon becomes obvious that he is mostly just concerned about himself when he reveals that he has been threatened.  "Tonight, when I open my door to leave my house -- a dagger clattered to the ground [....].  You cannot hang this sort.  There is danger for me.  I dare not step outside at night!"  Against, if his true concern were the town's well-being, his personal safety wouldn't be foremost in his mind.  If he believed that the people sentenced to hang that day were truly guilty, he would want them to die regardless of the unpopularity of the decision.

In the end, Parris is not a godly man.  He is selfish and petty and power-hungry and greedy.  Furthermore, had he taken his niece and daughter in hand early on, the entire tragedy of this play could likely have been avoided.

If the sun had a gravitational pull, how come the sun doesn't suck in our planet?

The linear or tangential speed of the movement of the Earth, in its orbit, prevents that the Earth from being absorbed by the gravitational pull of the Sun. Actually the Earth is falling toward the Sun continuously, but the trend to continue in a rectilinear motion does not allow its fall towards the Sun.

The first law of Newton (inertia law) proposes that a body is kept in rectilinear motion, with constant velocity, when there are no countering forces acting against this. If the Sun did not exist, the Earth would have a rectilinear motion through space. The Earth is continuously forced to change the direction of its movement (into an orbit) due to the attraction of the Sun.

So the tendency of the Earth to maintain a rectilinear movement, in a tangential direction to the orbit, is what prevents its fall towards the Sun.

In "Sonnet 30" by William Shakespeare, to what does the metaphor in lines 9-12 refer?

William Shakespeare's "Sonnet 30" is about the speaker feeling dejected when remembering past woes and losses. For example, in the first two quatrains, he "drowns an eye" remembering "precious friends" who have passed away, and he wastes his time thinking about "old woes." However, his sorrows end when he thinks of his "dear friend" in the couplet, and all of his losses are restored.

Essentially, the speaker of "Sonnet 30" is recalling sad events in his past, and feels the pain over and over again. In the third quatrain, the "sad account" in line 11 is equivalent to an itemized bill requiring payment. This metaphor refers to the speaker's sorrows that never seem to go away but keep plaguing him, just like a bill that has already been paid but continues to demand payment. This means that the speaker must suffer these "fore-bemoaned moans" continuously even though they are in the past and he has already mourned them.

Lucky for him, he has a friend to cheer him up.

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, how does Miss Maudie explain Atticus' role in the community?

The morning following the trial, Miss Maudie invites the children over to her house for some cake. She tells Jem not to fret because she can sense that Jem is still upset at Tom Robinson's conviction. Miss Maudie goes on to tell Jem that some men in this world have difficult jobs and that Atticus Finch happens to be one of them. Miss Maudie explains to Jem that he's not old enough to appreciate it yet, but his father occupies a very important role in the community. She says that the people of Maycomb are rarely called upon to be Christians, and when they are, they've got men like Atticus to uphold those Christian values. Miss Maudie is essentially telling Jem that Atticus is the moral figurehead of the Maycomb community. Atticus represents pure Christian values and is the "go-to-man" when those values are challenged. When the community is forced to confront their prejudice beliefs and refuses to do so, Atticus is the man who stands up and represents equality, justice, and love in the face of the majority. Atticus is not swayed by popular opinion, as most men are in Maycomb. Atticus' job is difficult because when all others disagree and choose tradition over true Christian values, he stands firm and defends the moral choice.

Why does George respect Slim?

First, we should say that all the men on the ranch respect Slim. So, it is not odd that George respects Slim as well.  In one passage, Slim is even described as Godlike.

George looked over at Slim and saw the calm, Godlike eyes fastened on him.

As Slim and George interact with one another, George realizes that Slim is a decent guy, probably the most decent man on the ranch. When Slim talked with George, Slim was friendly and kind.  George, therefore, responded well to Slim. Here is one example of an early conversation between Slim and George.

 “You guys travel around together?” His tone was friendly. It invited confidence without demanding it.

George also appreciated Slim's ability to see that Lennie was a nice person. In George's eyes, Slim had depth.  He did not just see Lennie based on the exteriors.  He could see that Lennie had a good heart.

“He’s a nice fella,” said Slim. “Guy don’t need no sense to be a nice fella. Seems to me sometimes it jus’ works the other way around. Take a real smart guy and he ain’t hardly ever a nice fella.”

Finally, Slim was the only one on the ranch that knew and understood why and what George did at the end.  In short, Slim understood George's predicament.

Slim said, “You hadda, George. I swear you hadda. Come on with me.”

In light of these points, George respected Slim. 

What is a good and clear thesis statement on the mood of evil in Macbeth?

Macbeth is about struggle between good and evil in an individual. The power of evil is so destructive, and if evil is allowed to override one's conscience, one has to grapple with devastating consequences, as seen in the play.

There are so many aspects of evil which you can focus on, so your thesis depends on what you wish to analyze in particular. I would suggest examining the birth of evil in Macbeth and its impact on him. So my thesis would look like this -- Macbeth implies that evil is not only present in the supernatural but also in the depths of the human heart. Therefore, if it is allowed to surface, it can destroy an individual and the world around him.

You could focus on the birth of evil in Macbeth and its impact on him. Once Macbeth succumbs to the devastating power of evil, he is unable to break away from it. His soul becomes poisoned. Once he accepts evil, he is conquered by it.

The play teaches us that evil is not compatible with humanity and if one embraces it, one is bound to be destroyed. This is what happens with Macbeth and Lady Macbeth at the end of the play. Lady Macbeth is plunged into madness and death by her guilty conscience. As far as Macbeth is concerned, he realizes that his life is reduced to "a tale told by an idiot...signifying nothing." His actions, controlled by evil, become meaningless after all.

What does Ravi think it would feel like to be "the winner in a circle of older, bigger, luckier children"?

In a word: awesome. Ravi wants to win the hide and seek game so badly that he can practically taste the victory.  

What fun if they were all found and caught—he alone left unconquered! He had never known that sensation. Nothing more wonderful had ever happened to him. . . 

Based on the above line of text, the reader can sense that Ravi sees his victory as winning a battle of some kind.  He likens himself to a conquering hero.  He alone would be victorious over his hide and seek "enemy."  

To defeat Raghu—that hirsute, hoarse-voiced football champion—and to be the winner in a circle of older, bigger, luckier children—that would be thrilling beyond imagination.

Ravi's enemy is Raghu.  Raghu is a bit of a bully and can't stand losing.  He's the leader who dominates the decisions of all of the other children.  Ravi admits that being able to essentially say "in your face" to Raghu would be more exciting than anything that he has ever imagined before.  For Ravi, winning, and beating Ravi, would be the pinnacle of his existence.  

How did the views of Native Americans and Europeans differ in terms of property ownership?

The attitude toward property for Europeans who came to colonize North America was one of acquisition. Laws about ownership, landowning and theft were central to the ways in which European societies organized themselves, particularly because European nation-states had sprung from the amalgamation of smaller feudal societies, which were built on agriculture. For centuries, most Europeans had lived or died based on the success of or failure their harvests, and on their ability to feed whatever domesticated animals they possessed. Therefore, the distinction between public and private land was often a matter of life and death, and disputes over arable land were the bases for many wars.

Europe, unlike the Americas, was and is geographically quite small. More importantly, it was and remains more densely populated. Although some Native American tribes did practice agriculture, and although different tribes fought over territory, the idea of owning a particular patch of earth was a foreign concept. One could not own a mountain or a valley anymore than one could own the Sun; the notion was absurd. One could claim the right to hunt or farm in a particular territory, but because land and resources were plentiful and the human population was relatively small in comparison, permanently settling large swaths of land was impractical and unnecessary. 

So when Europeans came to the New World and asked who owned the land, Native Americans were puzzled by this question. They often would tell European settlers that Mother Earth owned the land, and that no human could do so. Many Europeans incorrectly took this to mean that the Native Americans tribes they encountered made no claim to the land. In fact, Native Americans did believe that they had claims to the land, to hunt, gather and farm it. Yet since they did not build large, permanent settlements, and because Europeans equated land ownership with wealth and power, misunderstandings, disagreements and the Native Americans' growing resentment toward settlers who encroached on their territory, led to horrible bloodshed.

Can you help me to write an essay about "Sonny's Blues"?

There are many aspect to this famous story that you could write an essay about. The idea is to choose one theme or idea and then use the text of the story to support your idea.  We will discuss a few ideas you could write about and then discuss how to organize an essay. 

One of the aspects of the book you might notice is the theme of darkness. Sonny's life is dark, the neighborhood he grows up in is dark, and the people are African-American, i.e., dark people. There is a great deal of evidence in the story to support that as a thesis.

Another theme of the story is the relationship between the brothers, the narrator and Sonny.  The narrator loves Sonny, but he disapproves of his life and his choices.  Sonny's love for the narrator seems much more unconditional.  That could be a good thesis to discuss the story, the narrator's attitude toward Sonny and Sonny's attitude toward the narrator.  They can be contrasted with evidence from the story.

Another interesting question to ask is why two brothers, raised in the same household, have turned out so differently.  There might be some answers to that in the story that you can discuss.

When you have decided what idea you want to write about in the essay, you can get started on your first paragraph, which should be an introduction.  Tell a little bit about the story, for the reader who doesn't know anything about it, give the author's name, and then write a thesis statement that lets your reader know your main idea and how you will support it.  For example, I could have a thesis statement like this:

"Sonny's Blues" is a dark story, dark in its people, its setting, and its mood. 

Your thesis statement is meant to help you organize your body paragraphs, one for each point you list in the thesis statement. So, if I were using that as a thesis statement, I would have a body paragraph on the people, a body paragraph on the setting, and a body paragraph on the mood.

For each body paragraph, I would have a topic sentence that lets the reader know which topic I am going to be focusing on.  And then the rest of that paragraph will include evidence from the story to show how this is a dark story because of one of those elements. Remember that in any essay, you need evidence to support your ideas, and in a literary analysis, this means evidence from the story.  

Finally, you will need a conclusion to wrap it all up. This should include a restatement of your main idea and the points you made to support that idea. 

Distinguish between ATP, ADP, and AMP.

ATP, ADP, and AMP differ in the number of phosphates and the amount of energy obtained by each compound.

ATP stands for adenosine triphosphate. ADP stands for adenosine diphosphate. AMP stands for adenosine monophosphate. Therefore, one difference between ATP, ADP, and AMP is the number of phosphates associated with each compound.

Another differences between the three molecules is the amount of energy stored within each molecule. Simply put, the more phosphates, the more energy stored. Thus, ATP has the most stored energy and AMP has the least amount of stored energy.

ATP is the main energy source for most cellular functions. ATP is created during cellular respiration in the mitochondria of eukaryotic cells. During cellular respiration, the sugar called glucose (C6H12O6) and oxygen gas (O2) is converted into carbon dioxide gas (CO2), water (H2O), and ATP.

The energy within ATP is released in order to perform everyday cellular functions as phosphates are removed.

The Texas Constitution is widely criticized, particularly with regard to the three branches of government. If you could change one thing about each...

The Texas Constitution, like all systems of government, has its weaknesses and specific areas that are targeted for criticism. This is an opinion question, so it can be answered in many different ways. I will point out a weakness in each branch so that you will be better able to propose a change.

The executive branch is flawed in that there are eleven elected positions and the governor does not have authority over these officials within his own branch of government. Presently, the positions are all filled with Republicans. In the recent past, the positions were filled with Democrats that challenged the governor on any of a number of policies. This created a sense of disunity within the branch and created a deadlock in government. A quick fix for this situation would be to make some or all of those executive positions appointed by the governor.

The biggest problem with the legislative branch is the influence of special interests on lawmakers. This is because Texas lawmakers are the lowest paid in the nation. An easy suggestion for a fix here would be to make legislative salary and benefits competitive with their colleagues from around the country.

The judicial branch is sometimes thought to be too complex. Another criticism would be that judges are appointed by popular election which means their power and autonomy are influenced by the citizens. In many states, judges are appointed and this is a more efficient and less expensive way of handling the appointment of judges. In the judicial branch, recommending the appointment of judges seems like a reasonable reform.

What does the 'fun' from the previous Christmas reveal?

In chapter two of Steinbeck's novella, the old swamper Candy introduces George and Lennie to the other main characters at the ranch by describing each of them. One of the first characters he talks about is the black stable buck Crooks. He explains how Crooks is crippled because he was kicked by a horse, and how he has his own room where he spends time reading. When George asks about the boss, Candy relates the time at Christmas when the boss brought a gallon of whisky to the bunkhouse. That night Crooks was allowed into the bunkhouse where he got into a fight with a "skinner name of Smitty." According to Candy, the fight ended with Crooks getting the better of Smitty as the men wouldn't allow Smitty to use his feet because of Crooks's disability. 

The scene highlights the racism which is part of the fabric of the ranch and was a prominent feature of America at the time. The suggestion is that Smitty fought Crooks because of prejudice. Not only is Crooks a victim of racism but he is also segregated from the other men. The incident at Christmas was one of the few times that Crooks was allowed into the bunkhouse where the white workers lived. Later in chapter four when Lennie wants to come into Crooks's room, Crooks explains to Lennie why he doesn't go in the bunkhouse:

"'Cause I'm black. They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me."

Provide some examples of Juliet's impetuousness as a tragic flaw in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

Impetuousness is an adjective to describe a sudden or rash action. A person who is so described therefore does not carefully consider the consequences of such an action. The action is impulsive and may result in dire consequences, as it is with Juliet.

Juliet is driven more by emotion than anything else. Firstly, her decision to conduct an affair with Romeo does not take into consideration the age-old feud between the two opposing families. She neither considers the dangers that she and her love are exposing themselves to in starting their affair. She also ignores all other sentiment or advice, as well as her parents' attempts in arranging a suitable marriage for her. She is driven solely by desire and thus loses all reason.

Secondly, her quick decision to marry Romeo is not accompanied by careful consideration. She decides on the spur of the moment to marry the object of her desire and does not care about what would happen afterwards. She has known Romeo for only a brief period, but tells him:

If that thy bent of love be honourable,
Thy purpose marriage, send me word to-morrow,
By one that I'll procure to come to thee,
Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite;
And all my fortunes at thy foot I'll lay
And follow thee my lord throughout the world.

In her address, she urges Romeo to arrange their marriage as soon as possible, vowing to lay her destiny in his hands. Her only requirement is that his love should be 'honourable.' She has not even had time to actually test the depth of Romeo's devotion or her commitment or to think of the implications such a decision involves and she is truly impulsive.

A further example of Juliet's hastiness is when she abruptly rejects her father's instruction to marry Paris. She tells her mother:

I pray you, tell my lord and father, madam,
I will not marry yet; and, when I do, I swear,
It shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate,
Rather than Paris. These are news indeed!

It is significant, though, that she does realize her mistake in being so terse and uses a different approach later. Her father had been overcome with anger about his daughter's disrespectful attitude and is clearly disgusted by her ungrateful response. Juliet later pleads:

Good father, I beseech you on my knees,
Hear me with patience but to speak a word.

The damage, however, has been done and Lord Capulet threatens to throw her out into the street and disown her.

Finally, accepting the well-meaning friar Laurence's advice on drinking the potion that would put her in a death-like sleep, is not well thought through either. Neither she, nor the friar, consider all the possibilities if things should go awry. They do not discuss all the possible outcomes, one being the possibility that the news about her supposed death may reach Romeo before his message. Tragically, this is exactly what happens. Romeo, believing that his beloved Juliet is dead when he reaches her inert and cold body in the chamber, commits suicide, and she later does the same on seeing his corpse.

Clearly, it is Juliet's impetuousness that has placed her in the perilous position that she eventually finds herself in. The tragically unfortunate outcome could have been avoided if there had been greater aforethought and consideration. 

how do atoms differ from molecules?

We can think of matter as being composed of particles. Particles are composed of elements or compounds. Elements and compounds are composed of atoms.

Substances whose atoms are held together by positive and negative charges are called ionic substances. Examples: NaCl, `~MgCl_2`

Substances whose atoms are held together by shared electrons are called covalent substances. The term molecule is another name used to describe a covalent substance. Examples: `~H_2O` , `~CH_4`

Atoms: Atoms are the building blocks of elements and compounds. Atoms contain tiny subatomic particles. The main subatomic particles in atoms are: protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons and neutrons are located in the nucleus of an atom. Electrons are located in the electron cloud surrounding the nucleus of the atom. 

Therefore, a molecule is an element or compound that is composed of two or more covalently bonded atoms. Example: `~H_2O` is a molecule composed of two hydrogen (H) atoms and one oxygen (O) atom. 

What special powers did diviners claim to have? How did kings use diviners?

Diviners claimed to have insights or the answers to certain questions based on a connection with a supernatural spirit or god. The diviners would access this information by performing different rituals, which vary throughout cultures. These rituals would provide the diviner with an interpretation of signs or a way of interpreting certain events or omens. Some of the powers that diviners claim to have are the ability to predict the outcome of future events, healing of sickness, good fortune with regards to love and money, success in war and the answers to many other questions that one would ask.

Many different kings and leaders have used divination throughout history for a variety of purposes. Since the world has been defined by war and conquest until very recently, kings would most often seek out diviners for questions about how to proceed in battle and requesting help and luck in war. Chinese Emperors used divination in the form of bones to heal illnesses. The ancient Greeks would consult an oracle to ask questions to the gods and the Roman Kings consulted astrologers, diviners who claimed to have the power to predict and control the future based on a reading of the stars and the alignment of planets. There are many passages in the Bible that describe King David, King Saul and Egyptian Pharaohs using a diviner to ask questions to God. It should be noted that many other passages in the bible decry the use of divination as a tool of evil or the devil.

More recently, it has been widely documented that President Reagan and his wife Nancy regularly consulted an astrologist. The astrologist, who became famous in her own right, claimed to have predicted the attempted assassination of Reagan and after the event she regularly consulted the couple. It is unknown how her reading of the stars and planets affected the decision making of the president (if it did at all) while he was in office.

In Sherman Alexie's short story "What You Pawn I Will Redeem," does Jackson really work hard for the money at the end of the story like he says?

The answer here lies in how we as readers define "hard work" in terms of the context of the story.  Literally, readers might be inclined to define hard work as putting much time and effort into doing a job.  In this literal sense, Jackson doesn't work hard for the money that he intends to use to buy back his grandmother's regalia.  However, a figurative reading of "hard work" yields a better interpretation.  Near the end of the story, Jackson says that there are too many good men in the world to count, and included in this count is Jackson himself. During his journey to earn the money, Jackson encounters situations in which he behaves in empathetic, kind, and humane ways towards other people.  For example, he uses money to buy people food, he gives a gift to the lottery clerk, and he treats new friends to drinks.  Jackson has his share of difficulties, namely those related to his drinking alcohol; however, despite the difficulties, Jackson does good for others.  One could argue that as one whose family has been taken advantage of, Jackson would not be so invested in helping out other people.  But he does, and it's "hard work" to show kindness to others when one is struggling.

How many neutrons, protons, and electrons are in beryllium?

Beryllium has an atomic number of 4 and an atomic mass of 9. Each atom consists of neutrons, protons and electrons. The number of each of these sub-atomic particles can be calculated by knowing the atomic number and atomic mass of the element. Each atom contains an equal number of protons and electrons, thus providing it with a neutral charge. The mass of an atom is contributed by masses of protons and neutrons, electrons are considered comparatively massless. 

Thus, atomic number  = number of protons = number of electrons

 And, atomic mass = number of protons + number of neutrons

Here, the atomic number is 4, thus beryllium contains 4 electrons and 4 protons. Since, the atomic mass is 9, the number of neutrons is equal to 5 (= 9 - 4).

Hope this helps.

Why could Mariana "not look on the sweet heaven"?

The poem "Mariana," written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, tells the tale of a girl named Mariana who feels isolated, lonely, and despondent. Throughout the course of the poem it becomes evident that she has been left by a great love, whom she is longing to reconnect with. However, as the poem unfolds, it becomes clear this great love may never return. In the second stanza, Tennyson writes:

Her tears fell with the dews at even,  

Her tears fell ere the dews were dried,

She could not look on the sweet heaven,  

Either at morn or eventide.

The stanza suggests that Mariana feels so isolated that she has become withdrawn and despondent. She is unable to connect with even the simplest things around her. Her deepening melancholy with the situation has made her more focused on her internal despair and less focused on her surroundings. In fact, she is so dejected that she cannot look on the heaven, or sky, in the morning or evening.

It is interesting to point out that Tennyson probably uses the word "heaven" for effect here as well because, in the first stanza, he refers to Mariana’s statement “I would that I were dead.” This allusion to death and the afterlife helps solidify Mariana’s desperation with her plight.

How could "The Scarlet Ibis" be viewed as a commentary on the events of World War I?

Like the tumultuous weather which rages through James Hurst's short story "The Scarlet Ibis," the mention of World War I by the boys' mother can be seen as a symbol for the war that is going on between the two brothers.

In the beginning of the story the narrator (or "brother") contemplates killing his younger brother because his mother says he might not "be all there." When "Doodle" turns out to be mentally normal but physically challenged he and the narrator develop a stormy relationship marked by periods of love and times of friction. 

The mother mentions World War I at a time when the relationship between the two boys it at a crossroads (the "clove of seasons"). Hurst writes:

And during that summer, strange names were heard through the house: Chateau-Thierry, Amiens, Soissons, and in her blessing at the supper table, Mama once said, "And bless the Pearsons, whose boy Joe was lost at Belleau Wood." 

The narrator has devised a rigorous training regime for Doodle but the boy is not up to it. Like the weather, which is sometimes blighted and sometimes turbulent, the reference to the war focuses the reader on the trouble between the two brothers, which ultimately ends in Doodle's death in a rainstorm after his brother pushes him too hard.

What is the overall conflict in Chapter 8 of the novel Lord of the Flies?

The overall conflict in Chapter 8 of the Lord of the Flies is Jack's departure from Ralph's group and his creation of a tribe dedicated to barbarism and savagery. Prior to Chapter 8, tension had been growing between Ralph and Jack over the responsibilities of the hunters and leadership roles. At the beginning of Chapter 8, Jack calls and assembly and attacks Ralph's character. Jack attempts to usurp power by calling for a vote to unseat Ralph as their leader. When no one agrees with Jack's assessment of Ralph as a leader, he storms off and invites his hunters to join him and his new tribe. Throughout the day, many of the boys sneak off and join Jack's tribe. Toward the end of the novel, after the boys successfully kill a pig, Jack's tribe raids Ralph's group and steals burning logs from their signal fire. Jack extends an invitation to the boys in Ralph's group to join his tribe for a feast. This conflict is significant because the schism between Ralph and Jack's tribes symbolize good vs. evil, moral vs. immoral, and civility vs. savagery. The fact that Jack attracted so many followers suggests that primitive human instincts are very attractive and hard to resist. Jack's new tribe is the epitome of barbarism, and their brutal murder of the sow is evidence of their violent ways. This conflict is the turning point in the novel, and Ralph will struggle against Jack's tribe for the remainder of the story.

In the short story "The Bet" why does the author take a long period of time for the bet to occur?

That's a good question.

In this classic story, Chekhov uses this extended time span for several reasons.

One of the simplest reasons is to raise the stakes, and to make the story more dramatic as a result. After all, the bet is on a man's ability to stay in solitary confinement. Isolation doesn't carry as much weight if it is for very short periods. (Imagine betting you could stay alone for a day, or an hour!)

 Making the bet for a number of years makes it much more important.

It also makes the changes the young man goes through more realistic. Given an extended time, you're going to cycle through a number of different moods and perspectives.

The length of the bet also carries other implications. This man isn't just trying to win money. He's giving up his youth to do so. When it starts, he is young. When it ends, he is mature/middle aged. He's a different person.

What sort of growth of characters do we see in Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw?

In one sense, we can think of the play Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw as a sort of dramatic bildungsroman, documenting the growth of the character Raina towards a greater self-knowledge and understanding of the world. Both of the central characters in the play grow as people.

Raina: As we first encounter her, she has naive views about both the nature of war and the nature of love, based to a large degree on her reading (especially of Byron) and the opera. Her encounter with Captain Bluntschli educates her in two ways. First, in conversation, he tells her about the reality of war, giving her a more realistic view of it than she had from her reading. Second, in saving him from the pursuing soldiers, she has the opportunity to use and develop her genuine intelligence and strength of character, something that leads to her replacing the romantic infatuation with Sergius with a more solid relationship.

Captain Bluntschli: If Raina learns about war from Captain Bluntschli, he learns something about love from her. As he is both charmed by her and grateful to her, he falls in love, uncovering the true romantic under his blunt, pragmatic exterior.

What is the word for a type of language that includes technical or professional vocabularies, calculations, or formulas?

Jargon is language that is unique to a particular profession or area of interest. A person that is using jargon cannot expect to be understood unless they are speaking to somebody that is from that particular field. If a person uses jargon with somebody unfamiliar with the field, that person may feel like he/she is listening to a different language. This is true within my own family. My wife is a registered nursing instructor and she is always using words that apply to the field of medicine. She even writes special symbols and abbreviations on our calendars which really confuses me at times. Consider this actual press release, compliments of PRdaily.com:

“We are continuing our efforts that we began last fiscal year to pursue patent infringers in an effort to monetize the value of our extensive patent portfolio.”

Anybody that is not involved in the corporate world is not going to understand what this means because of the overuse of jargon. The sentence means that the company is going to pursue people that steal patented material.

When Gulliver lands on the floating island of Laputa, what does he find peculiar about the inhabitants?

First, he is surprised to find that their minds are so occupied and they are so easily distracted by their thoughts that they actually require servants called flappers to gently strike them on the eyes when they need to remember to watch where they're walking, the mouth when they need to speak, or the ear when they need to listen.  

Second, Gulliver is surprised by how obsessed the Laputians are with math. They cut their food into geometrical shapes and fashion their clothes in the same way. They have no sense of imagination or whimsy, but they enjoy drawing and mapping figures and shapes (though they are terrible at transitioning the work they do with pencil and paper into real, three-dimensional shapes like houses).  

Thirdly, the people are constantly alarmed by the movement of celestial bodies, believing that the sun could at any moment crash into the earth or vice versa. They are so concerned about dangers like these that they cannot sleep well or enjoy the regular amusements of life that we do.

Are the themes from Breakfast of Champions postmodern? Why does the postmodern presentation of this book work so well?

Yes, several aspects of Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions are postmodern.

For example, postmodern literature is much more self-referential than most earlier traditions of literature. That very much applies here. Vonnegut includes references to himself as the author of the book, and comments upon himself. He is not part of an objective reality, distinct from the book and prior to it. Instead, he is as much part of a creative reality as the other characters.

Both the style and the content of this novel are skeptical. Postmodern thinking and literature is deeply marked by skepticism. There is no such thing as an unquestioned master narrative in either the thought or the literature, and Vonnegut questions all stories and symbols of his culture.

Postmodern literature breaks the surface, commenting on itself as a created work of art. That's true both in the content of this novel and in the presentation. Look, for example, at the odd definitions of common words and the simple, even crude, drawings.

Thematically, the lack of free will and the way that people's actions are determined by biology are quite postmodern.

I need help writing a letter that Ralph from Lord of the Flies would write. The assignment is to write a letter by Ralph begging for help.

If you are going to write a letter the way that Ralph would write it, you should probably consider the style you would write it in. Obviously Ralph is an educated young man and has a great deal of respect for authority so he would likely write in a respectful fashion and maybe even somewhat formal.

You should also be sure to consider the things that are important to Ralph and the things that worry him about their situation that he might include in the letter. He is very concerned that the boys cannot get organized and they fail to keep the fire going, fail to build strong shelters, etc. These are all things that he might cite as reasons as to why they need to be rescued quickly.

And, depending on how much of the book you've read, you could also include some of the things that Ralph would obviously be concerned about as things get worse, the disappearance and likely death of the boy with the mulberry colored birth mark or the murder of Simon.

How is Barton's internal conflict resolved in Tom Godwin's short story "The Cold Equations"?

In Tom Godwin's short story "The Cold Equations," the pilot Barton resolves his internal conflict by doing all he can to save Marilyn while also accepting the fact that one person must die to save the lives of many.

Barton's first step to resolve his internal conflict is contacting Commander Delhart on the Stardust. Commander Delhart gives Barton the answer he was expecting: The Stardust cannot turn around and retrieve Marilyn because doing so is too costly and will disrupt their scheduled stops, which could cost many colonists' lives and be very expensive. Commander Delhart orders Barton to go through with jettisoning Marilyn from the ship. Barton calculates, based on her weight, that if he reduces his deceleration speed to .10, he can keep her on-board and alive a bit longer. He gets permission from Commander Delhart to do so for 57 minutes. Barton's final step in doing what he can for Marilyn is permitting her to write goodbye letters to her family members and making contact with her brother on Woden to say goodbye. When asked by her brother if Barton did all he could to save her, Barton assures him he did, which shows he has resolved his internal conflict:

Yes—do you think I could ever let it happen if I wasn't sure? I did everything I could do. If there was anything at all I could do now, I would do it.

Barton knows the right thing to do and does it, showing he has resolved his internal conflict by the end of the story. That doesn't mean he does not still grieve for Marilyn. The final paragraph of the story depicts his grief by describing Marilyn's continued presence as her words echo through Barton's head: "I didn't do anything to die for. . . I didn't do anything."

In what ways was the missionary message of Christianity shaped by the cultures of Asian and American peoples?

History shows that Christianity started in the Asian continent given that Jesus lived in Palestine. During its early development, Christianity had its strongest presence in Asia Minor or modern day Turkey. In the 1260s, the great Kublai Khan requested 100 religious teachers to be sent to his territory by the Pope in Rome. The message was delivered through the Marco Polo's family. However, only two friars were sent. Due to their fear of war, they failed to reach their destination. It was only much later that Christianity attempted again to make inroads in China. However, this was difficult and the Christian missionaries were forced to adapt their messages to be in line with Confucianism, which was the dominant religion.

Thomas the Apostle introduced Christianity in India. The people were much more accepting mostly, because of the similarities between the religion and their existing cultures. The message of love, peace and tolerance was well accepted by the people in India, especially in Malabar. It is important to note that one of the greatest challenges to Christianity in India was the caste system, which made it difficult for the religion to appeal to the different social groups.

Spanish colonization of the Americas and the entry of the Europeans in North America led to the spread of Christianity in America. The indigenous communities in the Americas were composed of warring communities. Missionaries tailored their message to include offers of protection for the different communities they approached. They also offered gifts to the community leaders as a means of endearing themselves to the communities.

The Christian missionary message was thus, shaped by the different experiences the early missionaries had during their expedition in different territories and continents. The different types of missionaries employed a blend of native culture to teach Christianity while others employed persuasion to spread their religion.

What type of resources are as old as the Earth itself?

Our Earth is almost 4.5 billion years old. Very few things existed then that we still see today. Probably the oldest available resource on Earth was the sunlight. Since Sun is older than Earth, we can see why sunlight is the oldest available resource to us. Wind is also among the oldest resources. Water was initially in the form of vapors and converted to liquid form later and thus was not available initially. Many of our rocks and elements have been formed by geological processes over a long period of time and thus contain a number of rocks and minerals which are relatively new. Fossil fuels were only formed after life evolved on Earth and thus are fairly recent.

In short, the oldest available resources (probably as old as the Earth itself) are sunlight and wind. 

How are Macbeth and Miss Havisham related as villains?

To reduce either character to a villain may force you to miss the nuances of each of these works. 

Macbeth is your typical tragic hero, someone who has great potential and opportunities but is destined to fail on a large scale. He hopes for the throne, but wants to obtain it through the usual channels, not by murdering his way there. He is influenced by his wife, and he is limited by fate (or the Fates, represented here by the three witches). During the plot of Macbeth, he moves from a noble, decent man to one who is manipulated into horrible acts. The acts are not his idea, nor does he seem to have much of a plan other than to cover his other deeds up.

In Great Expectations, Miss Havisham may have gone through a similar rise and fall of fortune, but we don't see that during the course of the novel. She is presented as a broken character whose actions are not what breaks her; rather, her actions show how broken she may be. She manipulates Pip into his yearning for Estella.

The only real similarity I can see in their villainous actions is that their actions may be influenced by outside forces. Miss Havisham is a woman burned by a man. Her actions could be seen as revenge against all males. Macbeth is influenced by his wife, but his actions are not vengeful. Neither character fully owns their behavior, and the pity that the audience/reader feels for each of these characters is a result of our ability to see them as victims rather than truly maniacal villains. 

Sorry, I don't agree with the underlying assumption that either character fits nicely into the villain stereotype. If you are analysing these characters from a more modern idea of villain, you may have more luck. The modern villain often is a result of external forces, often a product of abuse. If you must label them villains, I recommend that you focus on the pity the audience feels for these characters. Focus on the understandable origin of their horrible deeds as their deeds are very different in nature.

What happens when your immune system fails?

The immune system exists to protect the body. Most commonly, we think of the immune system as acting to prevent infection, or invasion of the body by foreign bacteria or viruses. However, the immune system also acts to protect the body from internal dangers - specifically, from somatic cells which have been damaged in some way and are now cancerous. 

Failure of the immune system, or immunodeficiency, results in a loss of this protective action. Frequent infection can be expected. Additionally, cancerous tumors will be more likely to form. Immunodeficiency can be genetic or acquired later in life.

We might also think of an overactive immune system as a 'failed' immune system. Autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system inappropriately targets and attacks the body itself (such as in haemolytic anemia) or when the immune system over reacts to environmental conditions (such as anaphylactic shock in response to an allergy). 

In my Human Geography class we are having a debate on how globalization affects culture. I need some examples of how globalization is bad for the...

In general, globalization is said to have a negative impact on cultures because it exposes them to the ways of other people.  The people in a given country get to see how things are in many other countries and they have the opportunity to change their own ways in response.  While they do not always change, they have more chances to do so because of globalization.  When they do decide to change, their culture is “hurt” in the sense that it is changed and it moves away from the way it had been in the past. In discussing this, I will focus on one state of the Federated States of Micronesia because I grew up in that state and am familiar with the effects of globalization there.

One aspect of culture is language and language can be changed or even destroyed by globalization.  The original language of my island has been severely altered as loan words have entered the language.  In some cases, loan words push out native words, which can be lost.  For example, I do not know the native word for “lose” because the English word “lose” has come to be universally used.  More seriously, languages can be lost completely.   As people from the island move to Hawaii or the Mainland US, their children tend to forget the language, reducing the number of native speakers in the world.  All government business is conducted in English because the languages of the FSM are not mutually intelligible.  This helps make English more important and can erode the prestige of local languages, making people less likely to speak them.

Customs, of course, change as well.  Thirty years ago, it was acceptable for women to go topless but not for them to wear shorts.  Under outside influence, the opposite is now true.  More importantly, native feasts on important occasions (which could happen as much as once a month) used to require people to come and spend 3 or 4 days doing various cultural activities.  This practice is being eroded because Western styles of work do not allow people to take off of work and go spend time doing traditional activities during work hours.  This helps to kill some cultural practices like the long feasts that used to be central to the culture.

Religion can be changed as well.  No one actually knows the original religion of my island anymore.  Christian missionaries came about 150 years ago and influenced natives to abandon traditional religion.  Now, everyone on the island is Christian.

Musical styles have changed.  Music was once largely a capella.  When Westerners came, instruments like guitars were introduced.  Recently, exposure to music from outside has changed things much more drastically.  Almost all music now is set to light reggae beats.

Government has been affected.  The island used to be ruled by hereditary chiefs.  Now, the island is part of a state of the FSM.  Leaders are elected and the hereditary chiefs only have cultural, not legal power.

Of course, not all aspects of culture change.  People still speak the native language at home. They still engage in some traditional cultural practices.  However, globalization has exposed them to new ways and they have accepted many of them.  This erodes the native culture and, therefore, we can say globalization is bad for culture.

The brutal, bloody battles of Lexington and Concord changed the way of thinking for the colonies. Please explain in detail what the Americans dealt...

There were many examples of legislation the colonists didn’t support that were passed by Parliament. The first two laws dealt with the land the British received from France as a result of the French and Indian War. The British were concerned the Native Americans would attack settlers who moved into these lands. Thus, the British passed the Proclamation of 1763 banning the movement of the colonists into these newly acquired lands. The Quartering Act followed this law. This law required the colonists to provide housing for the British troops that were enforcing this unpopular law.

Eventually, Parliament began to pass tax laws. The Stamp Act and Townshend Acts were examples of tax laws that were passed. The colonists felt these laws were illegal because one of the rights of British citizens was to have representatives in Parliament that could vote on proposed tax laws. Since the colonists didn’t have representatives in Parliament, they thought these laws were unfair and violated their rights as British citizens.

Events turned violent on March 5, 1770. A group of British soldiers fired into a crowd of unruly colonists gathered outside of the Custom House in Boston. Five colonists were killed when the shooting ended.

The colonists were unhappy with Tea Act of 1773. This law gave a monopoly to the British East India Tea Company. All trading of tea had to go through this company. It also continued a tax on tea that already had been in existence. The colonists responded with the Boston Tea Party. Colonists boarded ships in Boston Harbor and dumped tea into the harbor. The British responded with the Intolerable Acts. These laws punished the colonists, especially those in Massachusetts, for the Boston Tea Party. The port of Boston was closed, and the colonists had less power regarding their government. For example, town meetings were ended. The colonists refused to obey these laws and formed their own militias. Eventually, the battles at Lexington and at Concord were fought. Many colonists were now convinced we would eventually go to war against Great Britain.

Please explain the literary device in, "If We Must Die" by Claude McKay.

There are several literary devices in the poem, “If We Must Die” by Claude McKay.  The first and most powerful is the simile he uses in the very first line of the poem.  McKay pleads to his black readers to not give up and become imprisoned like hogs hunted by a pack of mad dogs.  He says that if we are going to die, let it be for a cause and not like an animal that didn’t defy or fight back against the monsters that hurt and kill them. Here McKay is comparing whites to monsters (a metaphor) that have outnumbered the blacks causing years of brutality and death.  He further develops the idea of whites being animalistic like dogs when he calls them a “murderous, cowardly pack” connecting this metaphor to the original hungry dogs circling and entrapping the pig. 

McKay’s powerful message is that you must fight back against those who oppress you.  In this context, he is talking about fighting against those who lack the humanity to treat others fairly.  McKay makes the point that even “if we must die”, at least die fighting back. 

It’s important to note that this poem is written in sonnet form with 14 lines, a very formal style of writing.  This formal style suggests that McKay was not only writing to his fellow black Americans to fight back, but that he was perhaps sending a message to whites that the time of submission is over.

In The Count of Monte Cristo, how does M. Noirtier intend to break the engagement of granddaughter Valentine?

Villeforte wants Valentine (his daughter from his first marriage) to marry the Baron Franz d'Epinay. This union is not motivated by love, but by Villefort's personal political gains and Valentine's "security" that would result from the marriage.

It is important to note that Valentine and her grandfather Noirtier (Villefort's father) are extremely close. Valentine is the only one who can communicate effectively with the elderly man (he is paralyzed from a stroke and cannot speak), and he is able to read his granddaughter's mood and emotions well. When Noirtier learns about this potential union, he immediately wants to put an end to the idea for two reasons: Valentine does not love Franz; she loves Max, and Noirtier played a role in Franz's father's death.

Initially, Noirtier threatens to change his will and remove Valentine as his sole heir. Valentine is amenable to this arrangement, because it means she will not have to marry Franz. Noirtier does this to threaten Villefort. He knows that Valentine's future and financial security is important to Villefort. 

If this plan fails (and it does), Noirtier will reveal his role in the Baron's father's death. This has a double edged-sword. It will effectively break the engagement of Valentine and Franz, and it will reveal to the public Noirtier's political affiliations with Napoleon.  Noirtier prepares a document to give to Franz detailing how Noirtier killed his father. Noirtier is hoping this will enrage Franz and cause the engagement to be dissolved. It does. This will have a devastating on Villefort's political and social standing. 

In the play, Hamlet, why is our lead character so critical of women?

Hamlet's critical attitude towards women stems from the disgust that he feels for his mother. He feels betrayed by her and believes that she was complicit in his father's heinous murder. By marrying his uncle, Claudius, and denying him access to the throne, Hamlet is of the contention that she has denied him his birthright and has committed an immoral act, incest. Furthermore, Lady Gertrude is constantly at Claudius' side, supporting him in his criticism of Hamlet. Hamlet deeply resents his mother for all the wrongs he feels she has done to him.

When Hamlet converses with his father's ghost, it requests that he does not turn against his mother:

... nor let thy soul contrive
Against thy mother aught: leave her to heaven
And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge,
To prick and sting her.

The ghost asks Hamlet not to judge her and leave it to heaven. She must be punished by her own conscience and guilt and endure its torment. In spite of this, Hamlet turns against her and confronts her in her chamber later in the play (Act 3, scene 4). He is quite rude and insulting, almost threatening, causing her to fear for her life and cry out:

HAMLET: Now, mother, what's the matter?

QUEEN GERTRUDE: Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended.

HAMLET: Mother, you have my father much offended.

QUEEN GERTRUDE: Come, come, you answer with an idle tongue.

HAMLET: Go, go, you question with a wicked tongue.

QUEEN GERTRUDE: Why, how now, Hamlet!

HAMLET: What's the matter now?

QUEEN GERTRUDE: Have you forgot me?

HAMLET: No, by the rood, not so:
You are the queen, your husband's brother's wife;
And--would it were not so!--you are my mother.

QUEEN GERTRUDE: Nay, then, I'll set those to you that can speak.

HAMLET: Come, come, and sit you down; you shall not budge;You go not till I set you up a glass
Where you may see the inmost part of you.

QUEEN GERTRUDE: What wilt thou do?
thou wilt not murder me?
Help, help, ho!

In the wordplay between the two, Gertrude tells him that he has offended his father, Claudius, by presenting a play about a king's murder. Hamlet responds by saying that she has offended his father, King Hamlet, by having done what she did. When she reprimands him, he tells her that her tongue is wicked. She is shocked by this rude response and asks Hamlet whether he has forgotten to respect her. Her son swears on the cross that he has not, but expresses regret that she is his mother.

When Gertrude realizes that she cannot reason with Hamlet, she offers to have others talk to him. He then tells her that she will not budge for he intends to hold up a mirror so that she may see inside herself. Gertrude is anxious and fears that Hamlet will kill her. She cries out in distress.

This misogynistic display by Hamlet is transferred to Ophelia, Polonius' daughter. He confuses her by expressing his love, desire and affection for her at times and then rejecting her outright at others. This might also be part of his plot to make others believe that he has lost his mind. In one of their conversations he tells Ophelia:

I have heard of your paintings too, well enough; God
has given you one face, and you make yourselves
another: you jig, you amble, and you lisp, and
nick-name God's creatures, and make your wantonness
your ignorance. Go to, I'll no more on't; it hath
made me mad. I say, we will have no more marriages:
those that are married already, all but one, shall
live; the rest shall keep as they are. To a
nunnery, go.

He says that women are deceptive and they hide their true intentions, presenting themselves differently to their true nature. Women use their wiles to mislead and are flirtatious. He tells her that he has had enough of that, alluding to his mother, since it has angered him. He also tells her that there will be no more marriages, suggesting that he won't wed Ophelia. Only one marriage will not survive (the one between his mother and Claudius) and the rest will continue as they are. He tells Ophelia to become a nun where she would certainly have to make a vow of chastity.

Later, when they watch the play, he makes a number of saucy and suggestive remarks to Ophelia and asks if he could rest his head in her lap. It is this kind of behaviour which utterly confuses the poor girl and is partly the reason for her eventual suicide.

In The Giver, whose memories does The Giver hold?

The Giver has all of the memories of the community and all of the memories that the world has ever had.

When Jonas first learns that he has been chosen as the Receiver of Memory, he has no idea what the job entails.  The instruction folder he receives gives him little information either, except to tell him not to share the details of his training with anyone.

As he begins his training by meeting the old man who was the Receiver of Memory, he thinks at first that his job will consist of listening to the old man’s memories.  The old man, who tells him he has now become The Giver, assures him that it is not his memories that Jonas is receiving.

"No, no," he said. "I'm not being clear. It's not my past, not my childhood that I must transmit to you…It's the memories of the whole world," he said with a sigh. "Before you, before me, before the previous Receiver, and generations before him." (Ch. 10)

Jonas is baffled by the concept of all of the memories of the world, “back and back,” behind held by one person.  The Giver begins by sharing him simple memories of things that do not exist anymore in Jonas’s world—like a ride on a sled down a hill in the snow.  Jonas’s community has embraced Sameness, which means they control the climate so it does not snow, and there are no hills either.

In a community without memory, there can be no sense of the past or history.  Jonas’s people live in a perfectly controlled world, so they have no concept of suffering, pain, or death.  Yet not having these things has left them disconnected from what it means to be human.  This is why they can kill people without giving it a thought, having no real idea of what is happening.  After Jonas gets some memories, he becomes a different person.  He realizes that the world as his community has arranged it—the perfect world—is a travesty that should no longer exist.

Who killed John F. Kennedy?

This question is very controversial and has never been decided to the satisfaction of many Americans. Conspiracy theories, some more plausible than others, have always surrounded the death of President Kennedy. Most academic historians, however, accept the version of the assassination that was established by the Dallas Police Department and federal investigators. This version was compiled and made public by the Warren Commission, a special commission convened (with Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren at the head) in the immediate aftermath of the assassination to weigh the evidence compiled in the wake of the crime. 

The short version of these findings is that Lee Harvey Oswald, a lonely and enigmatic figure, fatally shot President Kennedy in the back of the head with a bolt-action rifle from a book depository as the president's car went by. After the shooting, Oswald fled, killing a Dallas policeman who encountered him on a city street. Oswald was apprehended in a movie theater and taken into custody. After being held and questioned, Oswald was charged with the crime by the police. While he was being transported to jail, he himself was murdered by Jack Ruby, a local businessman who was apparently outraged by Oswald's crime. It was this event that most contributed to the air of mystery around the assassination. 

Would the English language be different without Shakespeare's influence?

Yes, the English language would most certainly be different without Shakespeare; however, the English language also wouldn't be that much different.  I do not believe that Shakespeare is some English language pivot point in which the entire direction of the language changed because of the words that he put to paper.  He did contribute to the English language for sure, but not enough to have the English language be unrecognizable had he not existed.  

One thing that Shakespeare absolutely did do is coin new words.  Over 1000 new words entered the English language because of Shakespeare.  That's awesome and a big deal.  I don't want to take that away from him, but Shakespeare isn't the only guy in English language history to coin words.  

Another thing that Shakespeare helped do is standardize some basic grammar structures.  That's a huge contribution for sure.  But I also believe that grammar would have been eventually standardized anyway.  So yes, English would be different without Shakespeare, but probably not vastly different. 

What was the quote that Atticus Finch told Scout when she was mad at her teacher?

When Scout's new teacher, Miss Caroline, found out that the little girl could read, she was appalled.  She told Scout to stop reading nightly with her father.  Later that evening, Atticus asked Scout if she was ready to read with him.  She was hesitant because of her teacher's command.  

Scout told Atticus that she was feeling ill and wished not to return to school.  She asked him to teach her at home.  Atticus had been educated at home, and so had his brother.  They had gone on to be a doctor and a lawyer.  Atticus refused to teach her at home.  With hesitation, Scout told her father what had happened at school.

Not only had Miss Caroline told Scout to stop reading, but she also punished her for explaining why the Cunninghams do not borrow money.  Instead of being upset with Miss Caroline, Atticus asked Scout to be understanding:

"First of all," he said, "if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks.  You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... until you climb into his skin and walk around in it" (To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 3).

Atticus also told Scout that Miss Caroline had learned some lessons herself.  She had learned not to offer a loan of money to a Cunningham, not even a quarter.  Atticus wanted his daughter to show empathy to others.

How did Laertes respond to his fathers death?

In William Shakespeare's masterful play, Hamlet, Laertes responds to his father, Polonius', death by taking immediate action. He rushes home to Denmark (he had been in France), incites a mob, and storms the castle to avenge his father. Initially, he assumes King Claudius had killed his father, but Claudius tells him that Hamlet was the true culprit.

Laertes conspires with Claudius to kill Hamlet during a planned fencing match. Instead of using the customary dull sword, Laertes brings a sharp, poisoned sword to the match. Both men end up being killed by the poisoned blade. Laertes strikes Hamlet first, but the two men switch swords during the scuffle. Consequently, Hamlet also strikes Laertes with the poisoned sword. Both men ultimately die from their wounds, but not before they apologize to and forgive each other.

Cite a quote and page number in Chapter 9 that portrays Aunt Alexandra's disapproval of Scout's tomboy lifestyle.

In Chapter 9, on page 108, Scout describes her Aunt Alexandra as being fanatical on the subject of her attire. 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) Aunt Alexandra is the quintessential "Southern Belle" who moves into her brother's home to teach Scout how to become a proper lady. She views Scout with contempt for her "tomboyish" lifestyle. Scout is "rough around the edges" and prefers to hang with the boys, wear overalls, and get into fights. Scout utterly despises playing with teapots and dolls. She describes her Aunt Alexandra as "Mount Everest" because of her cold personality. Scout and Alexandra clash on several occasions throughout the novel. Alexandra attempts to teach Scout about her family history and introduce her into Maycomb's female social group. Scout is hesitant at first to take part in the social gathering, but gains interest into the "world" of females.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of liberalism and radicalism?

The answer to this depends on what you mean by radicalism and especially liberalism (which can have totally different meanings depending on the context). I will focus on the definition of liberalism that is most commonly used today in this answer. 

Modern liberalism tends to focus on the constructive role of the state in protecting the environment, promoting economic opportunities for people, and preserving human rights. While most liberals accept that free enterprise and capitalism are to be promoted, they believe that there are some things that are best managed by the state, often because they are unprofitable for private business. Liberals also tend to promote government involvement to promote equal opportunity for minorities in ways that conservatives find inappropriate. Criticisms of liberalism often argue, in general, that it reflects too much optimism about what government is able to accomplish. They say that government programs are too expensive and often yield unintended consequences that actually worsen the social problems they were supposed to address. Many critics also say that liberalism involves excessive government intervention in things best left to the private sector, and that it stifles the economy by restricting free enterprise. 

Radicalism can also have many different meanings. Whether far-left or far-right, radicals argue that society is so deeply flawed that it must undergo a fundamental, revolutionary change. Criticism of radical positions might include the following. Many would argue that radicalism assumes the ability of people to overthrow natural human institutions, to make things anew in a way that is impossible. Others decry the violence that often accompanies radical movements. Still others would say that in a democracy, radicalism draws votes away from more realistic mainstream political movements. Finally, radicals alienate moderates, making it difficult to form the types of coalitions that make political action possible. 

Again, it is important to note that the definitions of these words change with time and place. What is radical at one point in history, or in one society, is mainstream in another.

Is oxygen decreasing if respiration occurs?

Oxygen is consumed in the process of cellular respiration as per the following chemical reaction:

`C_6H_12O_6 + 6 O_2 -> 6 CO_2 + 6 H_2O + ATP`

here, oxygen is used for breakdown of food (in the form of glucose molecule) and energy is generated (in the form of ATP or adenosine triphosphate molecules), along with carbon dioxide and water. 

If respiration was the only process, we would ultimately run out of oxygen. Luckily, we have photosynthesis. During the process of photosynthesis, plants (containing chlorophyll) produce oxygen, according to the following chemical reaction:

`6 CO_2 + 6 H_2O + sunlight -> C_6H_12O_6 + 6 O_2`

In this process, plants consume carbon dioxide and water and (in presence of sunlight) produce glucose and oxygen. Thus, the green plants (with the help of Sun) constantly generate oxygen and help maintain a balance of oxygen in our atmosphere and prevent it from running out.

Hope this helps. 

Describe the characterization of Elia in Charles Lamb's essays "Essays to Elia."

Essayist Anne Fadiman has described the Elia in Essays of Elia as "funny," "intimate" and "relaxed" (At Large and At Small 40-41) but I will give examples of Elia as compassionate, funny and imaginative.

Lamb based Elia on himself, but with some differences. Like Lamb, Elia is unmarried and lives with a relative. In Elia's case it is his cousin Bridget, but in reality,  Lamb lived with his sister, Mary. More importantly, unlike in Lamb's dramatic real family life, Elia's family life is relaxed and placid. In real life, Lamb's sister Mary stabbed their mother to death in a fit of madness: such dramatics are removed from the idealized family portrait Elia paints.

Lamb's Elia shows his characteristc of compassion and imaginative capacity in his essay "Dream Children," in which he shows he understands the night terrors of children: "how I frightened I used to be" he says of his own fears of seeing the ghosts of two dead infants he has been told about. He also shows compassion for a favorite uncle who died: "I missed his kindness, and I missed his crossness, and wished him to be alive again, to be quarreling with him (for we quarreled sometimes), rather than not have him again ..." His imaginative capacity emerges as the reader learns the dream children are in fact imaginary children Elia has created to fulfill his own longing for the sons and daughters he never had. (The theme of imagination is set in the essay's  first sentence, where Elia uses the word "imagination.")

In his "A Dissertation upon Roast Pig," Elia again shows his compassion, at the end critiquing killing very young pigs simply to please the tastebuds of the wealthy. He displays his imagination and his sense of humor as he creates a fanciful story about the origin of roast pig in China, at the same time making fun of popular travel narratives. We are meant to laugh at his fictional image of the Chinese burning down their houses (the pigs lived in the houses with them) so they could eat roast pig. 

Elia likes to look backwards to the past, but Lamb's essays about him anticipate the Victorian fascination with domestic scenes and details. 

What was Friedan's problem in The Feminine Mystique? Doesn't it only apply to a limited group of bored, white, middle class women?

The problem that Betty Friedan describes in her 1963 work, The Feminine Mystique, is the dissatisfaction of suburban housewives. She found that many of her former classmates had gotten married, had children, and lived in comfortable circumstances in suburban settings, but were still unhappy and unfulfilled. These women felt restricted in their life prospects and as though their personal interests and values were second to their duties as wife and mother. Indeed, Friedan found that many women abandoned personal interests in order to pursue the "feminine mystique" of being fulfilled by a role as wife and mother. Friedan is credited with sparking the second-wave of feminism in the United States with this book, though I would argue that many women in the present period feel that they ought to chase the happiness promised by marriage and motherhood, even if it means sacrificing their personal interests and values. 

You are right to assume that this problem was significant for white, middle class women and somewhat irrelevant to women of other classes and racial backgrounds. In fact, this has been one of the biggest criticisms of Friedan's work and the second-wave of feminism in the United States-- it leaves a lot of women out of the discussion. Bear in mind that Friedan, herself, was a white, middle class woman, so her social circle and academic concerns naturally mirrored this. At the time Friedan was writing, lower class women and women of color were not offered the luxury of being stay-at-home wives and mothers. Many women, especially women of color, were employed in domestic service or had no option but to be a wife and mother. There's a big difference between a middle class, educated, white woman choosing to forsake her personal interests in order to be a wife and mother and a woman of color being denied employment outside of the home on the basis of her skin color, class, or level of education.

Upper class woman (who were essentially always white) were also offered the luxury of choosing not to work outside the home, and were able to hire childcare and domestic servants. An upper class woman in Friedan's time might have the title of a stay-at-home wife and mother but need not have done any of the work. Such women had the time and money to pursue their personal interests if they chose to, in contrast to the middle class woman who had to choose between motherhood and personal development.

In short, yes. Friedan's book is entirely focused on the narrow portion of society made up by white, educated, middle class women who had become disenchanted with the lifestyle they believed would offer them happiness. Criticisms of Friedan's highly exclusive work, and other second-wave works, have since sparked the third-wave feminist ideology of inclusiveness of women of color, trans women, and women of all classes.

In what year was the Louisiana Purchase made?

The Louisiana Purchase was made in 1803. The United States was concerned it didn’t have permission from Spain to use the port of New Orleans. Spain cut off this right to us in 1802. When we learned that Spain had transferred Louisiana to France in 1802, we made an offer to France. We offered to buy New Orleans and West Florida for $10 million. Napoleon, however, was interesting in conquering much of Europe. Napoleon decided North America wasn’t that important to him. Plus, he needed cash to finance the war in Europe. Therefore, Napoleon offered to sell us all of the Louisiana Territory for $15 million. The Louisiana Territory, if we accepted this offer, would double the size of the United States. Our boundaries would spread to the Rocky Mountains and north to Canada. We would also have control of New Orleans and the Mississippi River. Jefferson hesitated to make the purchase because the Constitution said nothing about the president buying land. Jefferson believed in a strict view of the Constitution. However, Jefferson was convinced to make the deal. The Louisiana Purchase made in 1803.

What is the most popular book of all time?

Besides the Bible and the Koran, a surprising favorite is Lebanese Khalil Gibran’s The Prophet. And it could be said that, of the secular Western literature, Shakespeare’s Folio has been used as a source for both reading and performance. The term “popular” is misleading if one is speaking of “purchased” rather than “read,” because many Western stories are passed on by borrowed and loaned copies, as well as simply told orally; for example, “Mary Had a Little Lamb” has been recited thousands of times, and the Grimm Fairy Tales have gone through many editions, separately and combined, to say nothing of the “translations” into other media. Confucius’ teachings have been around thousands of years in various forms. So the term “book” is suspect also. So your question cannot have a specific answer such as Moby Dick or Tale of Two Cities.

The parts of a mixture can be separated by using their ___________.

The components of a mixture can be separated by making use of physical properties. Here are some examples of separation procedures based on the differences in the physical properties of the components of a mixture:

1. Filtration - Solids can be filtered from liquids.

2. Distillation - Liquids with different boiling points can be separated by boiling and condensing.

3. Screening - Mixtures of different particle size, such as sand and gravel, can be separated with screens of various sizes.

4. Chromatography - Substances with different molar masses can be separated because of the different rates at which they move through another substance. Both gas and liquid mixtures can be separated in this way.

5. Magnetism - Ferromagnetic materials can be separated from other materials using a magnet. 

6. Selective precipitation - Ions in a solution can be separated based on solubility. A second solution is added containing ions that form an insoluble precipitate with one type of ion in the first solution. The precipitate is then removed by filtration.

What are a few examples of similes in "The Destructors"?

Similes definitely add to the artistry of "The Destructors"  by Graham Greene.  He uses them to help describe the scenes in the story and to characterize the boys.

Simile #1: "A smaller bomb and some incendiaries had fallen beyond, so that the house stuck up like a jagged tooth..."

This simile is describing the site of the bombings in London during WWII. The neighborhood the boys live in has been ravaged.  One remaining home has survived the destruction, and describing it like a jagged tooth implies the devouring of the area, ugliness and pain.

Simile #2: “It’s got a staircase two hundred years old like a corkscrew. Nothing holds it up.”

Trevor knows about suspended staircases because his father is an architect, but he needs to describe it in terms the boys can understand.

Simile #3: “We’d be like worms, don’t you see, in an apple."

Here Trevor is describing the destruction they will do on the house. Worms are on the inside of an apple, not visible on the outside. Likewise, the boys will destroy the house from the inside with no visible damage on the exterior.

Simile #4: "The loo stood like a tomb in a neglected graveyard."

This simile speaks to the destruction of the area.  The outhouse is small in the midst of the rubble.  The comparison to a tomb gives it the image of death, which the war has caused.  

Why does Miss Emily's servant, Tobe, stay with her so faithfully during her life and then leave so quickly after her death in "A Rose for Emily"?

Tobe is, in the opinion of one who has taught the novel for so long, one of the most enigmatic and fascinating characters William Faulkner has ever gifted his readers. It because of the minimalism used to treat the character that the interest piques to such high levels. In terms of description and history, the avid Faulkner reader, or those who are drawn to this particular story, want to learn more about this man, and even compile as much as possible to create the story of his life. 

One of the best reference articles for Tobe is Miko Shiroma's "A Rose for Tobe: A New View of Faulkner's First Short Stories". Shiroma argues several possible truths about Tobe. First, that Tobe and Emily are, likely contemporaries. They were both born in the 1860's, meaning that they are quite close to one another in age. They may have bonded without blurring the master and servant likes (as far as the reader knows).

Other things known about Tobe are as follow. According to a longer typescript of Faulkner's that was rejected prior to the final publication of "A Rose for Emily", Tobe, as we can expect, was quite knowledgeable of what was going on upstairs in the Grierson house. In fact, there is a long passage detailing a conversation between Tobe and Emily, where he wonders what will happen upon her death when everyone finds out what is lurking in the room upstairs. This being established, we now can conclude two things:

First, Emily and Tobe were together in the big secret. Second, they were dependent on each other for secrecy, companionship, and to be each other's allies fighting against the claws of the futuristic machinery that is ending with the Jefferson County that they both once knew. 

Loyalty

All this established, let's extrapolate the reason why Tobe is loyal. The reasons exposed previously, note that Emily and Tobe were inevitably bound to stay together. However, Shiroma and other scholars expand on their relationship by offering the following historical note.  

Tobe's family was, more than likely, at the service of the Griersons at around the time Tobe was born. He must have grown as a slave since his birth in the Grierson's household and, perhaps, may have even become friendly with Emily. This is very possible. Notice that Emily is not shy in the presence of men, as a rule. She only avoided them when her father would shun her away from them. Yet, Emily is straightforward with Sartoris, with the priest, and with her immediate society while she is dating Homer. In other words, Emily is no shy violet. That she and Tobe were likely to have formed some sort of strong alliance since their youth is highly likely. It has to be, or else how can you justify their mutual tolerance for decades even after slavery has been abolished?

Tobe's escape

The potential reasons why Tobe left right away after Emily died are, in contrast, a lot more sinister than the reasons why he was loyal and stayed with her until the end.

Let's go back to that alliance that Emily and Tobe must have formed in order to co-exist in harmony for over 40 years in the same house. Tobe is aware of what is going on and, according to some scholars, may have been an accessory to the murder of Homer Barron. Given that Faulkner had already conceded this in his original manuscript, the most logical conclusion is the following: Tobe had to run, regardless!

Who, but Tobe, could have been questioned as to what took place in the room? Who, but Tobe, has the answers to every question as to what has taken place in that house for the time that it has been sealed to the public?

Therefore, Tobe did his part. He served lifelong friend. He took care of her, and she was kind enough to allow him to have something to live with. His participation in the murder, or the concealment of the murder, of Homer would have gotten him in tremendous trouble. Therefore Tobe, and anyone else remotely connected to a case of this magnitude, would have more than likely, done the same, exact thing. 

What is Goodman Brown so surprised about by the people he sees in the forest? What kinds of people are they? Why is Goodman Brown surprised...

Goodman Brown is surprised by all of the people that he sees in the forest consorting with the Devil, because previously Goodman Brown thought that each of those people were good Puritans.  Not only good Puritans, but highly revered, respected Puritans for their general goodness and work within the community in tasks that helped bolster the faith of the rest of the community.  Take the following quote about Goodie Cloyse.  

As he spoke he pointed his staff at a female figure on the path, in whom Goodman Brown recognized a very pious and exemplary dame, who had taught him his catechism in youth, and was still his moral and spiritual adviser, jointly with the minister and Deacon Gookin.

Goodman Brown recalls that Goodie Cloyse is very "pious."  But further details are given about her religious dedication and spiritual health.  The woman doesn't only go to church on Sundays.  She teaches catechism to the young people of the community, she serves as a spiritual adviser, and she works closely with the minister.  The minister!  

Every person that Goodman Brown comes across in the forest is somebody that he had previously thought was a wonderful person of God and surely couldn't be tempted and tainted by the Devil.  Goodman Brown most adamantly believes that even if everybody in the town is with the Devil, his wife, Faith, must absolutely still be innocent.  Unfortunately for Goodman Brown, his faith in Faith is destroyed.  

They did so; and, by the blaze of the hell-kindled torches, the wretched man beheld his Faith, and the wife her husband, trembling before that unhallowed altar.

After his horrific night, Goodman Brown is forever changed.  He doesn't trust anybody anymore.  He is suspicious of every person in the town, and he can no longer fully love his wife.  Those feelings stay with him the rest of his life, and he lives as a lonely, jaded, and spiritually dead man.  

Often, waking suddenly at midnight, he shrank from the bosom of Faith; and at morning or eventide, when the family knelt down at prayer, he scowled and muttered to himself, and gazed sternly at his wife, and turned away.