`3x - y = 9, x - 2y = -2` Solve the system of linear equations and check any solutions algebraically.

`3x-y=9`

`x-2y=-2`

From the second equation,

`x=-2+2y`

Substitute the above expression of x in the first equation,

`3(-2+2y)-y=9`

`-6+6y-y=9`

`-6+5y=9`

`5y=9+6`

`5y=15`

`y=15/5`

`y=3`

Plug the value of y in the expression,

`x=-2+2y`

`x=-2+2*3`

`x=-2+6`

`x=4`

Now let's check the solution by plugging in the equations,

Plug in the solutions in the first equation,

`3*4-3=9`

9=9

Plug in the solution in the second equation,

`4-2*3=-2`

`4-6=-2`

`-2=-2`

Solutions satisfy both the equations

Hence the solutions of the equations are x=4 and y=3

In "The Cask of Amontillado," why does Montresor keep suggesting that they go back?

There are many reasons that the author has Montresor keep suggesting that they go back. Perhaps the most important reason is that it will make Montresor seem perfectly harmless to Fortunato. If Montresor keeps suggesting going back, then he can't be leading him anywhere that could be dangerous.

But Montresor knows that Fortunato could easily become suspicious. Montresor is taking him a long, long way through a network of dark passages. Why on earth should he have stored a big barrel of wine so far away from the bottom of the stairs leading down into his wine cellar. The farther they go, the more strange it must seem. The "pipe," if it existed, would contain 126 gallons of wine. That is a huge barrel. The men would have had a very difficult time carrying it or rolling it through all those catacombs. It is only because Fortunato is heavily intoxicated that he doesn't protest. Poe describes his intoxication as follows:

He turned towards me, and looked into my eves with two filmy orbs that distilled the rheum of intoxication.

Poe had a big plot problem. He has to take Fortunato all the way from the street where he first encounters him back to his palazzo, down into the wine vault, and through a series of catacombs without saying anything about the Amontillado. It would seem natural for Fortunato, who is supposedly an expert, to ask questions such as, "Where did you get it?" and "How much did you pay?" But Poe didn't want to Fortunato asking questions. Fortunato knows more about Amontillado than Montresor; otherwise Montresor wouldn't be asking his advice. If Fortunato started asking questions, he would probably sense that Montresor was lying. Poe himself may have known nothing about Amontillado except that it was a gourmet sherry and was an important export from Spain.

Instead of talking about what is the object of their trip, the two men engage in chit-chat about the Masons, family crests, the nitre covering the walls of the catacombs, and other miscellaneous subjects. One of the ways Poe fills the gap with dialogue is to have Montresor keep suggesting that they go back. For example:

“Come,” I said, with decision, “we will go back; your health is precious.You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed. For me it is no matter. We will go back; you will be ill, and I cannot be responsible. Besides, there is Luchesi—”

Poe seems to be indicating that Montresor is using what is called "negative suggestion" or "negative psychology" to keep his victim motivated. But this is also a way of filling a lot of space with dialogue. 

Fortunato might be suspected of avoiding the subject of the Amontillado because he has an ulterior motive. He is not just doing Montresor a favor. He wants to taste the wine, make sure it is genuine, and then go off by himself and find the Spanish ship that brought in a whole cargo of the gourmet wine. If Montresor bought a pipe at a bargain price, Fortunato can buy a whole shipload at a bargain price and make a fortune. Therefore, he doesn't want to show too great an interest in the wine he is about to sample. Montresor knows his friendly enemy would tell him it is only ordinary sherry, whether it were or not, thus even eliminating Montresor as a competitor for the bargain. Montresor can only be so anxious to get an immediate expert opinion on his purchase of the one pipe because he would like to buy more. 

So Montresor keeps suggesting that they turn back because:

• Poe has to fill up some space with dialogue.


• The suggestions make Montresor look innocent. He can't be leading Fortunato into any danger if he tells him to turn back.


• Montresor is using "negative psychology" or "negative suggestion" because this is often an effective way to get some people--especially drunks--to insist on doing the opposite. We all know of drunks who insist on driving themselves home just because their friends are trying to talk them into letting someone else drive.


• Fortunato does not want Luchesi to learn that there is a whole shipload of Amontillado being offered at a bargain price. He believes that if he drops out, Montresor will go straight to Luchesi that same night. Then Fortunato would find himself competing with another expert and bidding up the price of the nonexistent Amontillado.


• The suggestion is a distraction. It is beginning to seem ridiculous that they should be walking so far in these bone-filled catacombs to find a single barrel of wine. Poe is not only distracting Fortunato but distracting the reader, keeping him from asking awkward questions, such as, "Why did you move the wine-barrel way back here?" "Why didn't you just tap the barrel for a couple of bottles and bring them up to your living room, where people could sample the wine in comfort?" 

Explain the advantages of students sharing their results with others.

There are many advantages of students sharing their results with others.

The below advantages refer to sharing results specifically within the sciences.

• Others can attempt to obtain the same results in an experiment to make sure that the experiment is reproducible.


• Scientists do not have to constantly reinvent the wheel. They can use ideas discovered before their time in order to make new discoveries. In this way, science can advance at a quicker rate.

Additional advantages of students sharing their results with others are as follows.

• Students are able to receive constructive feedback on ways in which their ideas can be improved.


• Written work can be proofread for errors.


• Students learn how to work collaboratively together.


• Students learn how to defend their ideas with research.


• Students can teach and learn from one another.

By no means is this an all-inclusive list, but I hope it helps!

In chapter 13 of Lyddie, why doesn't Lyddie sign the petition?

Lyddie is a very determined girl, focused on reuniting her family on their farm. Her plan, which she pursues relentlessly, is to earn enough money to pay off the debts on the farm, then return there with Charlie, her sisters, and her mother. Lyddie views the petition as a threat to those plans. The petition being circulated by the Female Labor Reform Association seeks to force the textile manufacturers to reduce the work days at the factories from thirteen hours per day to ten. Lyddie is pleased with how much money she is making compared to what she made at the tavern, and she believes that in just a year or two of working and saving, she "could go home—home free." To her, the petition threatens to "meddle with the system and bring it all clanging down to ruin." Lyddie has become very competent at running the machines, even when they speed up, and she has not had any health problems yet, unlike many of the girls who have worked there longer than she has. Because she has a specific goal in mind that she thinks the long work days will help her achieve, and because she herself has suffered no ill effects from the poor working conditions yet, she refuses to sign the petition.

How does the novel highlight the futility of the European presence in Africa?

This is a great question because one of the primary themes of Conrad's Heart of Darkness is that, for all their supposed strength, the European powers in Africa, especially the Belgian Congo, are actually pursuing a futile enterprise doomed to fail. This fact is most completely exemplified by the utter degradation of Kurtz, the former ivory trader driven mad by isolation in the wilderness.

Isolated at his remote trading station for a considerable length of time, Kurtz descends into madness and chaos, shirking his civilized past and promoting himself to godlike status. Kurtz' downfall is most classically illustrated by the severed heads he keeps on stakes around his dwelling place in the heart of the Congo. It is clear that, instead of gaining wealth and "civilizing" the natives (which, it must be noted, is a fairly pompous, racist, and patronizing goal in and of itself), Kurtz is ruined, his hold on reality disintegrates, and he ultimately dies a miserable death, but not before he recognizes "the horror" of existence.

Kurtz grisly end can be interpreted as a lot of different things, but, for our purposes, it's best to focus on the implications it has for the European occupation of the Congo as a whole. Kurtz' demise suggests that European powers do not, in fact, have the power to completely dominate Africa, as white men are clearly unprepared for the trials of living in the wilderness far from the cities of Europe. Moreover, it's clear that Conrad is suggesting the attempt to control African regions will only lead to a brutal and disturbing defeat. As such, we can view Kurtz' downfall as an example of the fate that awaits European powers attempting to conquer the Congo and other African regions.

How does Kit feel upon first seeing America and then upon landing in Wethersfield?

In The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare, Katherine Tyler, known as Kit, leaves Barbados in 1687 to live with her aunt in Puritan Connecticut. When her boat, the Dolphin, docks first in Saybrook, Connecticut, in the first chapter of the book, Kit is incredibly disappointed. "She didn't want to admit how disappointing she found this first glimpse of America. The bleak line of shore surrounding the gray harbor was a disheartening contrast to the shimmering green and white that fringed the turquoise bay of Barbados that was her home." Kit is used to the beautiful tropical waters of Barbados, and she finds Saybrook cold, gray, and sparse. 

When Mistress Eaton, Kit's fellow passenger, goes ashore, Kit wonders why Mistress Eaton is so excited to disembark at Saybrook. "Kit glanced at the forbidding shore. She could see nothing about it to put such a twinkle of anticipation in anyone's eye." Kit notices when a young girl who is on board a rowboat coming to the Dolphin drops her doll into the water. In response, Kit dives into the water to rescue the doll, and the girl's mother brands Kit a witch because only witches were believed to know how to swim, according to Puritan beliefs. 

In Chapter Two, the Dolphin reaches Kit's new home in Wethersfield, which Kit also finds deeply disappointing. "Her heart sank. This was Wethersfield! Just a narrow sandy stretch of shoreline, a few piles sunk in the river with rough planking for a platform." She finds the town uninspiring and simple, and it is clear that Kit's new home is very different than her former home in Barbados and that she will have difficulty adapting to her new surroundings in Connecticut.  

Without a mother to influence her upbringing, Scout is in the unique position of being a different kind of girl in Maycomb. Positively or...

There are several females throughout the novel that teach Scout valuable lessons and play an important role in Scout's moral and intellectual development.

Calpurnia, the family cook, teaches Scout many important lessons throughout the novel. Calpurnia gives Scout a lesson in respect and manners when Walter Cunningham comes over to eat. Calpurnia teaches Scout not to judge other people because of their differences. She keeps Scout company when Jem gets older and explains to her that he is becoming a man. When she takes the children to her African American church, Scout gains perspective and valuable insight. Scout experiences the African American community like never before and learns that Calpurnia is talented and unique. She also learns that people can have two different personalities by witnessing Calpurnia speak differently to her community members.

Miss Maudie also teaches Scout valuable lessons throughout the novel. She explains to Scout the true history of their reclusive neighbor Boo Radley. This is important to the plot of the story because Scout begins to view Boo with sympathy rather than fear. Maudie also gives Scout insight into topics such as race and religion. She describes the beliefs of the "foot-washing Baptists" and explains how their religion affects their social life. Maudie teaches Scout about her father's importance in the community, as well as his past accomplishments. Scout gains insight into community members from Maudie's lessons and views her as an important female role model.

Aunt Alexandra is another female who teaches Scout lessons throughout the novel. Aunt Alexandra is the quintessential Southern lady who values social events and family history. Alexandra teaches Scout the importance of acting lady-like, and often chastises her for dressing like a "tomboy." At first, Scout is reluctant to "join the world of females," but after taking part in Alexandra's missionary circle, she finds something interesting about the lives of Southern ladies. Aunt Alexandra is a positive female role-model for Scout because she models appropriate behavior and exposes Scout to social events.

Is the narrator dying or dreaming in the poem "After Apple Picking"?

As with many of Robert Frost's poems, nature is an important part of the setting and the activity performed in nature creates an opportunity for what is usually an allegorical message. As with "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and "The Road Not Taken," Frost imbues an ordinary event (such as walking in the woods of traveling home) with deeper significance by suggesting that the event is somehow symbolic of a larger picture. Those two poems offer the description of short journeys as somehow emblematic of life's longer journey and the choices made.

"After Apple Picking" is even more allegorical than these two, since it portrays an activity that embodies the cycle of living: picking apples at the time of harvest, realizing some apples are left unpicked, but that the task is finished. The narrator is weary ("drowsing off" he says, and "I am overtired") and refers to sleep a number of times, referring to a woodchuck hibernating and then to "some human sleep" which may refer to death. The narrator is neither dreaming nor dying, but ruminating on the process of living and the thoughts people have as they contemplate the end of their lives. The apples represent the many experiences the narrator has had in life, some good, some bad, and some in between ("went surely to the cider-heap as if no worth"), and finally realizes there is peace in acceptance of one's death that will come eventually.

What two traits does Beowulf have that make him a hero? What two things does he do that make him a hero?

Beowulf has many qualities that make him a hero. Two major ones for his role as this sort of hero are his bravery and his fighting prowess. In other words, he is brave and a powerful fighter.

His major defining actions are directly related to these qualities. He is willing to fight Grendel, and then to fight Grendel's mother, even though fighting the monster's mother means going into a cavern by himself.

Much later in life, he's willing to go fight the dragon. This might be his greatest act. Beowulf knows that he is old, and not nearly as strong as he used to be. However, because the dragon is threatening his people, he goes to fight it, even though he dies as a result. This shows that his virtue is even greater than his physical power.

What does Juliet say that shows the depth of her feelings for Romeo?

I think this quote works quite well to show how deeply in love and attracted Juliet is to Romeo.  

Give me my Romeo, and when he shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night
And pay no worship to the garish sun.
O, I have bought the mansion of a love
But not possessed it, and, though I am sold,
Not yet enjoyed.

What Juliet is saying is that Romeo is so awesome and perfect that if he were a star or a bunch of stars, people would worship him and his beauty instead of the sun.  Compared to Romeo, the star that gives the planet Earth its ability to sustain life is ugly and "garish."  Perhaps you could argue that the quote doesn't expressly show love.  You could argue that it is more descriptive of her physical attraction to Romeo, but I would argue that is a large part of being in love.  

Here is a different quote.  

O, bid me leap, rather than marry Paris,
From off the battlements of yonder tower,
Or walk in thievish ways, or bid me lurk
Where serpents are. Chain me with roaring bears;
Or shut me nightly in a charnel house,
O'ercovered quite with dead men's rattling bones,
With reeky shanks and yellow chapless skulls.
Or bid me go into a new-made grave
And hide me with a dead man in his shroud
(Things that, to hear them told, have made me 
   tremble),
And I will do it without fear or doubt,
To live an unstained wife to my sweet love.

I think this one even more clearly illustrates Juliet's deep feelings for Romeo.  This time she argues that all of the things that she once thought super scary are now ridiculously silly compared to the fear of having to marry somebody other than Romeo.  In this case, that person is Paris, the man that her father is forcing her to marry.  

Give a detailed explanation of how Scrooge's attitude changed after the three spirits visited him.

We can see the extent of Scrooge's transformation by comparing his attitude in Stave One, before the visits, with his attitude at the end of the story, in Stave Five.

First of all, Scrooge rediscovers his family and friends. Before the ghosts visited him, for example, Scrooge shunned society to the point that few people cared about him, as the narrator comments:

No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o'clock, no man or woman ever once in all his life inquired the way to such and such a place, of Scrooge.

But, by Stave Five, Scrooge's attitude has undergone a great change and he actively seeks the company of others:

He...watched the people hurrying to and fro, and patted children on the head, and questioned beggars, and looked down into the kitchens of houses, and up to the windows: and found that everything could yield him pleasure. 

Secondly, Scrooge's attitude changes in a way that enables him to understand the importance of charity and he willingly donates his money to the poor. As we saw in Stave One, for instance, Scrooge turned away the charitable collectors. But, in Stave Five, he makes a generous donation to the same fund and, in fact, invites the gentleman to come and see him again.

Finally, Scrooge comes to appreciate the importance of Christmas. His attitude of "bah, humbug" has been replaced by a genuine love of the season. We see this in his purchase of the prize-winning turkey, his visit to Church and his decision to dine with his nephew, Fred. Compare this with the Scrooge from Stave One and we see just how much his attitude has changed: he was reluctant, for example, to give Bob the day off and told his nephew to leave him alone. 

Scrooge really has changed and, more importantly, this change is long-lasting: 

Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more. 

In the novel, Of Mice And Men, by John Steinbeck, who was Whitey, and why is George concerned about 'ants in Curley's pants'? Also, as it is...

Whitey used to be an extremely neat and meticulous blacksmith who occupied the bunk that George is about to take over. George is very sceptical about the yellow can he finds in the box shelf above his bed and questions Candy about it. Candy replies:

"Tell you what-" he said finally, "last guy that had this bed was a blacksmith - hell of a nice fella and as clean a guy as you want to meet. Used to wash his hands even after he ate."

George is not happy and wants to know why Whitey had to protect himself against lice since he had insecticide (the yellow can) in his box. Candy explains:

"This here blacksmith- name of Whitey- was the kind of guy that would put that stuff around even if there wasn't no bugs- just to make sure, see? Tell you what he used to do- At meals he'd peel his boil' potatoes, an' he'd take out ever' little spot, no matter what kind, before he'd eat it. And if there was a red splotch on an egg, he'd scrape it off. Finally quit about the food. That's the kinda guy he was- clean. Used ta dress up Sundays even when he wasn't going no place, put on a necktie even, and then set in the bunkhouse."

It is obvious that Whitey had been very particular about his food and the neatness of his living environment. When George enquires further, Candy tells him that he left the ranch because he was not happy about the food. He did not give any other reason for wanting to leave and just asked for his wages one night and then left. Candy believes that Whitey just wanted to move, a typical desire of so many of the migrant workers at that time.

The reference to 'ants in Curley's pants', stems from an incident when the rancher's son, Curley, came to the bunkhouse searching for his father. Curley saw George and Lennie and picked on Lennie, much to George's consternation. Once Curley had left, Candy explained that that was a habit of his. He always picked on big men, challenging them since he was a lightweight boxer.

Candy furthermore mentioned that Curley had just recently gotten married to a pretty wife who had 'the eye', which means that she was a flirt. George then made the remark about Curley having 'ants in his pants.' he means that Curley was jittery about his wife seeking attention from the ranch hands and was constantly on his guard. 

The following description of the bunkhouse is quite revealing: 

The bunkhouse was a long, rectangular building. Inside, the walls were whitewashed and the floor unpainted. In three walls there were small, square windows, and in the fourth, a solid door with a wooden latch. Against the walls were eight bunks, five of them made up with blankets and the other three showing their burlap ticking. Over each bunk there was nailed an apple box with the opening forward so that it made two shelves for the personal belongings of the occupant of the bunk. And these shelves were loaded with little articles, soap and talcum powder, razors and those Western magazines ranch men love to read and scoff at and secretly believe. And there were medicines on the shelves, and little vials, combs; and from nails on the box sides, a few neckties. Near one wall there was a black cast-iron stove, its stovepipe going straight up through the ceiling. In the middle of the room stood a big square table littered with playing cards, and around it were grouped boxes for the players to sit on.

At about ten o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows, and in and out of the beam flies shot like rushing stars.

The bunkhouse provided the ranch hands shelter and a place to come to. As such it anchored them temporarily and served their basic need for shelter. In addition, it was a place where the men could share a light moment or two with each other after a hard day's labour. They could chat and play cards before resting their weary bodies. In this sense then, the bunkhouse could be defined as a 'good home' since it met the men's most basic requirements.

On the other hand, there were also some risks associated with the men living in such close quarters. Any illness or disease would spread quickly and the men could easily be infected. There is also a hint, with the reference to flies in the extract, that the bunkhouse was not all that neat and tidy. However, one cannot expect that such hard men as the ranch hands would spend time tidying up, unless of course, you were Whitey. The place must have been reasonably slovenly. This then, would have made it less than an ideal home.

What is Hannah's reaction to the dress Gitl gives her in The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen?

Hannah’s exact reaction to the dress Gitl gives her in Chapter Six of The Devil’s Arithmetic is to say that it “is a shmatte.”  This is a Yiddish word that means “rag.”  Therefore, Hannah absolutely despises the dress and thinks it is “the ugliest thing” she has ever seen.  The context of the situation is that Gitl is dressing Hannah for a wedding and wants her to look nice.  As a result, Gitl lets Hannah wear the same dress that Gitl wore for Shmuel’s Bar Mitzvah.  It is a blue sailor-suit with a huge collar, piping that is white, and a sash.  The reason why Hannah has to wear this particular dress to the wedding is that her own clothes were burned due to a previous sickness when she lived in Lublin.  When Hannah shows her disgust to Gitl, Gitl gets angry with Hannah.  Hannah is hurt by this severe scolding, and Gitl ends up saying she is sorry for the harshness she exhibited.

Why did communist forces win the Chinese Civil War?

Mao Zedong and the Communist Party of China were victorious over Chaing Kai-shek and the Kuomintang for a number of reasons. The most important reason, however, was the ability of Mao to mobilize the lower classes of China. Because most of China was populated by peasants, this meant that the communists had a sizeable numbers advantage in the Civil War. Chiang Kai-Shek's cause was wracked by scandal and corruption and most Chinese viewed the nationalists as exploitative.

It can be said that Mao Zedong was a stronger leader than Kai-Shek but at the same time, the Nationalist forces were decimated by years of warfare with Japan. While both sides fought Japanese occupation, Mao conducted a hit and run type campaign with minimal casualties. The Nationalist side was more involved in direct confrontation and suffered a much larger casualty rate. Also, Zedong's forces were blessed with a cache of weapons left behind when the Japanese evacuated.

Both sides of the war were supported by other countries. Mao Zedong was funded by the Soviet Union while Chiang Kai-shek was funded by the United States. Despite large investments on both sides, Mao's side utilized the resources more efficiently and the Soviet Union's aid was better coordinated. It seemed like a lot of American aid was used in an inefficient and corrupt manner.

How will using situational leadership theory positively impact the following variables in an organization: (1) managers' behavior toward...

Situational leadership theory, as developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard, argues that there is a direct correlation between the environment, readiness, and motivation of a follower and the function of a leader. Leaders can strengthen their leadership skills, gain confidence, and gain experience by understanding how a follower's environment, readiness, and motivation influence the leader's actions. If a leader understands that people will respond in certain ways to being led in groups or working, then the leader can adjust his/her actions to positively influence a subordinate's actions.

Leadership theory particularly argues that there is "no one best way to influence" subordinates. Instead, leadership styles should be chosen based on the environment, readiness, and motivation of the subordinate. Hence, leadership theory proposes that a manager's behavior towards a subordinate should be flexible.

According to the theory, a manager will either employ task behavior or relationship behavior depending on the subordinate's behavior. Task behavior is employed by the manager when the subordinate seems insecure about or uncertain of how to complete a work assignment. Using task behavior, the manager instructs, trains, and guides the subordinate in completing the assignment. Relationship behavior refers to interacting in "two-way or multidirectional communication" with subordinates ("Section 4: Situational Leadership," Leadership Track, Mississippi College). Relationship behavior pertains to such behaviors as "listening, facilitating, praising, collaborating, counseling, consulting, and other socially and emotionally supportive behaviors" (Section 4). Studies show that using task behavior will produce limited results in influencing a subordinate's behavior, and using relationship behavior will greatly influence a subordinate's behavior, especially because it allows for problems to be solved.

Situational leadership theory allows for task behavior and relationship behavior to be used at varying interchangeable degrees to produce four different leadership styles: (1) directing, which employs a lot of task behavior and very little relationship behavior; (2) coaching, which employs a great deal of both task and relationship behaviors; (3) supporting, which employs very little task behavior and a great deal of relationship behavior; and (4) delegating, which employs very little of both task and relationship behaviors (Section 4).

General MacArthur has been recognized as an example of a leader who had an intuitive understanding of relationship behavior and was a very effective delegator, employing leadership style number 4. Frank Rizzo, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers in Japan, was once reported as saying MacArthur was able to make everyone feel "it was a privilege to [work] for him, that he knew that personally, and that he had asked you personally to do [the work]" (as cited in Section 4). He achieved this by delegating both authority and responsibility. Through his ability to delegate, he made his subordinates feel that they were being honored by being asked to do him a favor when they were really just doing a normal part of their job requirement. Feeling that they were honoring him made them much more motivated to accomplish the task.

Hence, situational leadership theory guides managers' behavior towards subordinates by allowing for two leadership behaviors that can be used at varying interchangeable degrees depending on what the particular situation calls for.

What point of view is "The Necklace" told in?

Author Guy de Maupassant is the narrator of the story, and he uses Mathilde's point of view, while not using Mathilde herself, to tell her story from her perspective. 

This type of narrative is, therefore, third person omniscient objective. This is a narrator who knows everything that is going on in the story, even the innermost feelings of the characters. This narrator does not take sides, either, and just comments based on the facts. Evidence of this narrative style can be found in the following examples.

First, the narrator is able to identify everything that Mathilde feels, and is even able to describe how she fantasizes about the things that she cannot have:

She thought of silent antechambers hung with Oriental tapestry, illumined by tall bronze candelabra, and of two great footmen in knee breeches ...

The author is also able to touch upon the feelings and thoughts of all the other characters, regardless of whether they are central to the story or not. Notice here how Maupassant even knows what are the plans and feelings of Mathilde's husband (who is not central to the story) upon finding out that his wife needed 400 francs to buy a dress

He grew a little pale, because he was laying aside just that amount to buy a gun and treat himself to a little shooting next summer on the plain of Nanterre...

Maupassant is even detailed enough to show Madame Forestier's thoughts. This woman, who was the lender of the necklace for which the story is named, is the pivotal character that moves the plot forward once she offers Mathilde "any" piece of jewelry that her friend would wish to have for the ball. 

It is Forestier's necklace that gets lost and replaced by one which costs ten times its price, simply because the Loisels decided not to tell her about the loss. Maupassant tells us that the owner of the original necklace receives Mathilde "cooly" and even expresses a bit of frustration while still maintaining the courtesies that keep their friendship alive. 

All this being said, the third person omniscient narrator is able to use the points of view of different characters and focalize the narrative from that perspective, while shifting on to that of another character. This helps to pique the interest of the reader, who gets to know the innermost thoughts of other characters who are related to the main one. 

What do Buddy and his cousin do to upset the relatives?

In Truman Capote’s, “A Christmas Memory” Buddy and his cousin, who is his best friend, make Christmas fruitcakes for a number of acquaintances. In order to soak the cakes in whiskey they visit a local purveyor named Mr. HaHa Jones. Mr. Jones does not charge them for the whiskey but instead he requests that they deliver a cake to him. The pair returns to their house to make the cakes and soak them in whiskey but there is a bit left. The pair shares the whiskey, drinking it out of jelly jars. They respond to the alcohol by dancing and singing around the stove. Unfortunately, two of their relatives catch them and reprimand the cousin for giving the whiskey to a seven-year-old boy. The relatives are very angry at the situation and make the cousin so upset that she cries for a very long time while Buddy attempts to console her.

What is the proper government response to an economic crisis such as the Great Depression?

The answer to this question is largely an opinion response and would depend on the one's own perspective of the role of government.  The Great Depression was probably the world's greatest economic collapse ever.  Two presidents in the United States approached the crisis from different perspectives.  Historians still cannot come to a conclusion as to the effectiveness of either response.

Herbert Hoover believed in a limited government approach in response to the Great Depression.  Hoover believed that the economy would fix itself if the government stayed out of its way.  He also felt that charities and churches should provide security and comfort for those that suffered in the economic collapse. 

Franklin D. Roosevelt, on the other hand, believed that a strong government response was needed to fix the Great Depression.  He ordered government programs that were to oversee the economy, provide relief for the jobless, and supply jobs for those struggling to make ends meet.  

Historians widely acknowledge the role of World War II in ending the Great Depression in the United States.  This was a conflict, however, that plunged the United States into debt.  It would be foolhardy to propose that any country should utilize war as a means for correcting the economy.  

The best response for handling an economic crisis is probably to prevent the crisis from occurring in the first place.  This can, and has been done through manipulation of the interest rates and through taxation policies.  

If Gillian's girlfriend is Miss Lotta Lorial, how is it that he loves Miss Hayden?

Gillian has probably long been in love with Miss Hayden, but because she is his uncle's ward, he has not pursued her because he knows that his uncle, who considers him a "black sheep" in the family will not allow him to court Miss Hayden, whom he treasures.

As a young gentleman of frivolous behavior, Robert Gillian spends his time as other dandies (as such young men were called) and dallies with women in the theatre. At the turn of the twentieth century, actresses were not afforded high reputations for their rather daring occupation. For, they were out in the public arena when ladies were at home or in limited social circles. In addition, their reputation for being loose women was at times deserved as they were not above accepting financial support or expensive gifts for their "favors" from wealthy gentlemen. After all, in the 1900's, their profession was not one in which they were paid well.

That Miss Lauriere exploits Gillian for monetary reasons rather than love becomes apparent when she is more concerned about her costume than listening to him. Further, his offer of "a little thing in the pendant line" is only worth anything to her if it surpasses the necklace from Tiffany's that another actress, Della Stacey" has worn. After his offer is rejected, Gillian does not seem to mind as he "strolled" outside to return to his waiting cab, an indication that he feels no love for Miss Lauriere. 

In what ways did African Americans shape the course and consequences of the Civil War?

African Americans played an important role in the Civil War. At the very beginning of the war, African Americans weren’t allowed to fight for the North. However, that changed, and by 1862, 10% of the army was African American. African Americans also served in the navy. They made up slightly less than 20% of the navy. Additionally, some runaway slaves helped the North by being guides and spies. African Americans played an important role for the North.

African Americans weren’t allowed to fight for the South until the very end of the war. The southerners were too afraid that the slaves would use the weapons and revolt against the slave owners. African Americans worked on the plantations during the Civil War. For every African American that worked on the plantation, that allowed another white southerner to go and fight. African Americans did serve the southern army by being cooks or nurses, but they weren’t allowed to fight until the very end of the war.

One of the reasons why President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation was that he knew it could weaken the South militarily. While it was mainly symbolic, it was viewed as a military action against the South that could potentially weaken the South’s war effort.

Compare and contrast classical management theory vs. human relations management theory

Classical management theory and human relations management theory are similar in that both view incentives as a strong motivator towards better performance. The difference between the two is the type of incentives offered. In Classical management, better wages and salaries are expected to translate to better performance. On the other hand, human relations viewed administration interaction and improved communication with the workers as a better incentive.

Classical management and human relations management theory are similar in that they both sought to increase productivity. They, however, differ in the way improved productivity should be achieved. Classical management suggested that a standard method of performing the duties required would increase worker efficiency and translate to improved productivity. On the other hand, human relations suggested that collaboration and teamwork would increase productivity by meeting the workers’ social needs.

Classical management differs from human relation because it views the workers as machines or as part of an assembly line. Human relations views workers as human beings with social needs that need to be satisfied for the well-being of the working institution.

Identify and discuss three ways the Cold War impacted American society.

The Cold War was a battle of supremacy between the capitalist and democratic U.S. against a communist and authoritarian Soviet Union/Russia. The two countries engaged in propaganda in an attempt to bolster their world dominance and spread their policies to other countries.

The Cold War had both negative and positive effects on the American society. One of the major negative impacts of the war was the increasing level of suspicion among members of the American society. Leaders sought to settle personal differences by accusing each other of supporting communism. The same trend took effect among the citizens, which eventually led to unnecessary suffering of a significant number of the population. For instance, the Better America League of southern California documented approximately 2 million individuals suspected of supporting communism. These people were fired from their jobs and had their civil rights arbitrarily curtailed.

The Cold War also pointed to the conflicting American values, where on one hand they were fighting communism because of its oppressive nature while at the same time perpetuating the worst forms of discrimination against blacks and other minority groups. As a positive impact of the Cold War on the American society, the nation’s leadership and the people were forced to evaluate their social values and ensure they were applied consistently within the society.

The Cold War resulted in the strengthening of America’s free market capitalism. This led to the growth of consumerism among the American society with an aim of sustaining and improving the country’s economy. This would in turn enable the nation to proceed with the spread and support of its foreign policy internationally.

What was Social Darwinism?

Social Darwinism was an ideology that emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century. Essentially, it applied the principles of national selection and "survival of the fittest" associated with Charles Darwin's theory of evolution to human society. Social Darwinism had several implications when applied (most would agree inappropriately) to human relations. Let us look at a few of them.

First, business leaders argued that the world of business ought to be governed by the same allegedly natural laws of "survival of the fittest" that seemed to order the natural world. To attempt to regulate the formation of monopolies, for example, was thus to protect weak businesses, which was bad for society as a whole. So Social Darwinism often went hand-in-hand with what is sometimes called a "laissez-faire" approach to business, where governments essentially kept their hands off the economy.

Second, many people argued that those who lived in poverty had found themselves in that situation because they were in some way weaker than other more fortunate people. The large class of laboring poor that could be found in most cities in the late nineteenth century were seen as less "fit". To help these people, whether through charity, minimum wage laws, or even poor relief actions was to encourage weakness. So Social Darwinists tended to take a rather pitiless stance toward the poorer classes.

Third, Social Darwinism always had racial dimensions. Many nonwhite peoples were viewed as inferior to whites, who were allegedly more advanced. This racial strain of Social Darwinistic ideology was used to justify discriminatory immigration quotas, Jim Crow laws, and even imperialism, which saw European nations extend their influence over nonwhite peoples around the world. 

Finally, Social Darwinism gave rise to pseudoscientific (though many viewed them as legitimate at the time) variants such as eugenics. If some people were viewed as having inferior characteristics, be they racial, physical, mental, or otherwise, then, Social Darwinists argued, they ought to be prohibited from "polluting" the "blood" of superior people. This concept encouraged the passage of laws prohibiting interracial relationships, of forced sterilization laws, and, in its most extreme form, the racial extermination programs carried out by the Nazis in Germany.  

What is the effect of the alliteration the author uses in "There Will Come Soft Rains"?

The most impressive thing about "There Will Come Soft Rains" is that the author makes it look easy. The story is essentially characterless and conversation-less, and, with one minor exception, it all takes place inside one house. Making a story that compelling and engaging without common and reliable elements, such as any two characters talking or changing the location of some scenes, is a very difficult task. 

Ray Bradbury finds ways to make his short story entertaining by decorating the language of the story with elements like rhyming, repetition, and alliteration. The effects of all of these are slightly different, but they all serve the same purpose of enhancing the story. Alliteration in this story certainly makes it flow more easily. It is easier for the reader's eyes to glide along long sentences if alliteration is used. Think of alliteration as a river that carries the audience through the story's twists and turns.

Using alliteration can be tricky, and the level that Bradbury employs in "There Will Come Soft Rains" would be excessive in almost any other story. Because of the tone and relative shortness of the story, however, the heavy use of alliteration adds rather than detracts. The alliteration makes this short story sound lyrical, almost like a children's tale that could have been read to the children that lived in that automated nursery.

At times, the alliteration makes the story sound like a soothing melody. 

"There was the sound like a great matted yellow hive of bees within a dark bellows, the lazy bumble of a purring lion."

At other times the alliteration can intentionally make the audience feel exhausted. 

"...it had shut up its windows and drawn shades in an old maidenly preoccupation with self-protection which bordered on a mechanical paranoia."

It can make the reader feel the same sense of urgency and efficiency that the house feels.

"If a sparrow brushed a window, the shade snapped up. The bird, startled, flew off!"

And near the very end of the story, as the house is desperately trying to save itself, the alliteration magnifies the sensation of doom and inevitability that surrounds the house's valiant efforts. 

"While scurrying water rats squeaked from the walls, pistoled their water, and ran for more. And the wall sprays let down showers of mechanical rain. But too late. Somewhere, sighing, a pump shrugged to a stop."

In this story, the alliteration teaches the reader what to feel, what to think, and how to predict the horrible fate that this house faces.

Why did Jem confess to Atticus about the children's activities regarding Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird?

You are referring to Ch. 8 when Jem tells Atticus all about their activities related to Boo.  Jem confesses all of this to Atticus to protect Boo because he does not want him to get in trouble for putting the blanket on Scout.

Atticus wants to return the blanket to the Ridleys, but Jem immediately begins to tell him everything as a result. It does seem a little strange that Jem would confess everything because up to this point he has been very secretive about their game, and even when Atticus told them not to play it, Jem found ways to keep doing so.

"Jem seemed to have lost his mind. He began pouring out our secrets right and left in total disregard for my safety, if not for his own, omitting nothing, knot hole, pants, and all" (Ch.8).

However, that night he recognizes that Boo put himself at risk by leaving the house to come and cover up Scout. He has heard stories about Nathan Radley, but he and Scout have also seen his irrational behavior first hand, and he does not want Boo to get in trouble for doing something nice for them. The only way he can explain to Atticus the threat that Nathan poses and why they cannot return the blanket is to be forthright about all of the kids' antics.

This is also a moment in the book where we see Jem maturing. He chooses to step forward and do the right thing despite the risk of punishment for himself.

Which of the following is NOT an entitlement? A. Social Security B. Medicare C. Worker's Compensation D. Head Start E. Unemployment which...

An entitlement program, in American terminology, is one where the government sets criteria for participation and then everyone who meets the criteria is automatically given the benefit that the program calls for.  The Congress does not have to vote to appropriate money for entitlement programs every year.  Instead, the government is obligated to pay for those programs.

With other kinds of programs, the Congress has to vote every year (or every so often) to fund the program.  Not everyone who qualifies for the program necessarily gets the benefit.  Instead, people get to use the program until money runs out.  This limits the reach of these programs.

Of the programs that you list here, all are entitlements except for Head Start.  Head Start has to be funded by Congressional vote.  Not every child who qualifies actually gets to use this program.

What makes the tenement districts so crowded and unhealthy?

Riis blamed the crowded and unhealthy conditions in the tenements primarily on the rich. First, he said, the rich simply didn't know how bad the conditions of the poor were, which is why he called his book How the Other Half Lives. This title comes from a Montaigne quote that "one half of the world does not know how the other half lives." But beyond their sheer ignorance of conditions, Riis said the wealthy were also to blame due to their greed and neglect. Rents were so high that poor people were forced to crowd together to survive, especially as many of the immigrants toiling in the sweatshops on the Lower East Side were badly underpaid. Lack of decent education was another problem, as people were trapped in poverty with no way out, leading to hopelessness. Further, landlords failed to maintain their properties, and the poor had no one to go to when things broke or problems arose. Riis advocated for having a manager on these properties who could respond to problems before the situation became too grim. Better infrastructure, such as indoor plumbing and sewage systems, would cut down on disease, he thought. Riis argued for tearing down the worst tenements, improving education, and getting rid of the sweat shops in order to improve conditions.  

How did Mark Antony counteract the allegations made against Caesar?

The answer to this question can be found in Act III, Scene 2 of Julius Caesar. After carrying out the assassination of Caesar, Brutus justifies the act by explaining to the crowd that Caesar was an ambitious man, and moreover that these personal ambitions would eventually destroy Rome and the liberties that its people held sacred. Antony, whose speech to the Roman people follows that of Brutus, counters this charge by emphasizing Caesar's nobility, as he does in the following passage:

He was my friend, faithful and just to me;
But Brutus says he was ambitious,
And Brutus is an honorable man.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill.
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept;
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,
And Brutus is an honorable man.

In this speech, Antony manages, without directly casting aspersions on Brutus's character, to paint Caesar's assassins as criminals who have killed a noble Roman, one who loved his people. Having won over the crowd, he begins to dispense with the pretense that he believes Brutus and the other conspirators to be "honorable" men. As the crowd forms a circle around the body of Caesar, Antony has them look at the corpse, "marr'd...by traitors." Brutus's attack, Antony says, was the "unkindest cut of all," as it was carried out by a man Caesar loved and trusted. In short, Antony counters Brutus's claims by an appeal to pathos, to the emotions of the crowd. He is completely successful, and the crowd that was chanting for Brutus ends up, after Antony's speech, chanting for Brutus's blood and rioting in the streets of Rome.

How would you characterize the three men in Jerome's Three Men in a Boat?

The narrator is known as J. We don’t know what he does for a living, but he’s an avid storyteller. He likes to go off on tangents whenever something reminds him of a story from the past. We get the impression that he’s somewhat lazy. He says in Chapter XV: “I like work: it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.” Yet he seems to be the one who holds the group together.

William Stanley Harris is another gentleman who doesn’t seem to have a “real” job. And he’s the kind of person who thinks he knows how to do something, when it turns out that he really doesn’t. In Chapter XI, he tries to make scrambled eggs for breakfast for everyone. This attempt does not go well.

George works at a bank six days a week. Yet J. claims that George sleeps there the whole time. Perhaps the responsibilities of his job foster his tendencies to be more organized and decisive than his two friends are. He can sometimes become confused or clumsy. But he steps up and cooks Irish stew one night – something the other two men could not have done or even initiated.

What songs relate to Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird?

Since a dominant theme in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird concerns racism, any song with a racist theme will also relate to the novel. Many songs have been written throughout the decades about racism.

One such example of a song is titled "Ebony and Ivory," written by Paul McCartney and performed with Stevie Wonder in 1982. In the song, McCartney uses a metaphor of the black and white keys on a piano, or the "ebony and ivory" keys, to question racist beliefs and behaviors. In the metaphor, McCartney points out that the black and white keys on a piano live "side by side" on a piano keyboard and questions why black and white people also can't live together side by side.

In addition to living "side by side," the black and white keys of a piano create perfect harmony, which, in terms of music, means that the tones of the keys blend together to create chords that sound pleasing as opposed to sounding displeasing, or discordant. To live in harmony also means to consistently live in agreement with each other. McCarthy uses the metaphor to question why black and white people cannot live together in harmony when black and white piano keys certainly can. We see McCartney create the piano key metaphor in the very opening lines, which are also frequently repeated in the refrain:

Ebony and ivory live together in perfect harmony
Side by side on my piano keyboard, oh Lord, why don't we?

McCartney further uses the song to question racist beliefs by pointing out that all people are the exact same--all have their good traits; all have their bad; therefore, none should be judged prejudicedly.

`y = x^2, y = 6x - 2x^2` Use the method of cylindrical shells to find the volume generated by rotating the region bounded by the given curves...

The shell has the radius `x` , the cricumference is `2pi*x` and the height is `6x - 2x^2 - x^2` , hence, the volume can be evaluated, using the method of cylindrical shells, such that:

`V = 2pi*int_(x_1)^(x_2) x*(6x - 3x^2) dx`

You need to evaluate the endpoints `x_1` and `x_2` , such that:

`x^2 = 6x - 2x^2 =>3x^2 - 6x = 0 => 3x(x - 2) = 0 => 3x = 0 => x = 0 and x - 2 = 0 => x = 2`

`V = 2pi*int_0^2 x*(6x - 3x^2) dx`

`V = 2pi*(int_0^2 6x dx - int_0^2 3x^2 dx)`

Using the formula `int x^n dx = (x^(n+1))/(n+1)` yields:

`V = 2pi*(6x^2/2 - 3x^3/3)|_0^2`

`V = 2pi*(3x^2 - x^3)|_0^2`

`V = 2pi*(3*2^2 - 2^3)`

`V = 2pi*4`

`V = 8pi`

Hence, evaluating the volume, using the method of cylindrical shells, yields `V = 8pi.`

What type of skills do you think explorers, such as Vasco da Gama, needed to do their job well?

We have a History tutor online right now to help you!

To chat with a tutor, please set up a tutoring profile by creating an account and setting up a payment method. If you initiate a chat, please note you will be charged $0.50 a minute for tutoring time.

In Romeo and Juliet -Act 2, scene 2, why does Romeo not tell Juliet he's there at the very beginning? What is he doing instead?

Act II, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet is the famous balcony scene where the two offspring of the Montagues and Capulets express their love for each other. In Act I we are introduced to both characters and understand the stresses in their lives. They come from families which are embroiled in a bitter feud, Romeo is in love with a woman who does not reciprocate his love, and Juliet is being encouraged to marry a man she barely knows.

The two meet when Romeo and his friends "crash" the Capulet's party. Romeo comes to the party ostensibly to see the woman he loves, "the fair Rosaline," but, once he sees Juliet from across the room he immediately forgets about his previous infatuation. Shakespeare wants you to believe that it is love at first sight. In Act I, Scene 5, Romeo says,

O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
As a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear—
Beauty too rich for use, for Earth too dear.
So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows
As yonder lady o’er her fellows shows.

Likewise, once she lays eyes upon the young Montague, Juliet is smitten. At first meeting she allows Romeo to steal a kiss from her. The end of the party disrupts their meeting and at the end Act I they learn the truth of their identities. Not satisfied, Romeo ditches Mercutio and Benvolio and goes over the wall into the Capulet's orchard to see if he can catch a glimpse of Juliet. He risks life and limb in doing so because he has already drawn the ire of Juliet's cousin, the belligerent Tybalt.

When he sees Juliet up in the balcony Romeo continues the theme of comparing her to something bright:

But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the East, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief

For Romeo, Juliet is the light. Before meeting her he has been depressed and it is said that he often locked himself in his room and shut out the light. He stands below her balcony without revealing himself for several minutes admiring her and he again he notices her amazing beauty:

The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars
As daylight doth a lamp; her eye in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.

It is not clear whether Romeo would have ever spoken to Juliet if he had not heard her refer to him as she muses quietly to herself. Romeo listens without speaking as Juliet utters the famous lines and laments the fact that Romeo is a Montague:

O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name,
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.

Finally, Romeo speaks up and the plot is propelled forward as they make arrangements for marriage in some of the most beautiful language ever written by Shakespeare. The scene has been performed and filmed many times. The best of these is probably Zeffirelli's 1968 version which really captures the youthful enthusiasm of the two characters. It also gives a good picture of what the Capulet estate might look like and how Romeo enters and stands under a tree while spying Juliet on the balcony before the two speak.

How did Ford represent modernization and westernization?

In 1913, Henry Ford installed the first moving assembly line to build cars. It reduced the time it took to build a car by 10 hours. In 1914, he added a mechanized belt that further sped up the process.

Westernization is a process where societies adopt Western culture in areas such as industry. Modernization is the process of social change when less developed societies gain features common to more developed societies.

Countries throughout the world adopted the idea of mass vehicle production with the use of the assembly line. Ultimately, the assembly line was used in a wide variety of corporations, from making toys to packaging cereal. The move from the US to Asian countries demonstrates both westernization and modernization. Not long after Ford perfected his vehicle assembly line, Asian countries also began to use them. This demonstrates westernization because an idea that was developed in the US (a Western country) began to be used in Asian countries, thus adopting Western industry. Similarly, the shift from being solely in the US to being in Asia also shows modernization. Asian countries were considered to be less developed societies than the US, and by adopting features of the US, they were becoming more modern.

According to William Lloyd Garrison, why is Frederick Douglass such a persuasive speaker?

William Lloyd Garrison, who was the editor of the abolitionist newspaper The Liberator, wrote the Preface to the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass to vouch for Douglass's veracity. Some people at the time doubted that Douglass, a former slave, could have written such an eloquent autobiography, so Garrison was supposed to assure the public that Douglass was truly the author of the narrative. It was a sign of the racism of the era that Douglass needed a white man to vouch for him. 

In the Preface, Garrison recalls having seen Douglass give a speech at an anti-slavery conference in Nantucket in 1841. Garrison says that Douglass's speech received great applause. He writes that what made Douglass such a powerful speaker was the discrepancy between his incredible intellect, eloquence, and morality on one hand and his degradation as a fugitive slave on the other. Garrison writes of Douglass that he is "Capable of high attainments as an intellectual and moral being [but] ­by the law of the land, by the voice of the people, by the terms of the slave code, he was only a piece of property, a beast of burden, a chattel personal, nevertheless!" In other words, Douglass shows that slavery can degrade a person who is capable of great achievement and who has superior intellect and morality. Garrison says that Douglass's speech made him hate slavery more than he ever had in his long career as an abolitionist. 

How would you describe the attitudes and behavior of Lord Montague?

That is a tough question.  It's not that Lord Montague is tough to analyze, because he's a very deep character.  On the contrary, he is a tough read because he is barely in the play at all.  He speaks a total of ten times throughout the entire play.  There simply isn't much textual evidence to go on in order to get a good read on Lord Montague.  

What is clear from Act 1, Scene 1 is that Lord Montague is genuinely concerned about Romeo's overall depressed demeanor.  He wants to know what is bothering his son, and he wants to figure out a way to help Romeo recover from his depression.  

Could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow.
We would as willingly give cure as know.

So from that attitude, I gather that he is a caring and loving father.  I just don't buy into that from the rest of the play.  He speaks one time in Act 3, and then again in Act 5 (after Romeo is dead).  Romeo never once goes to his father to seek advice.  He goes to the friar.  That tells me something about the relationship between Romeo and his father.  They are not close. I think that Lord Montague sees Romeo and his mood less as a person with problems and more as a problem to be solved and fixed.  

What does Buddy's friend say "gets her goat?" What does this speech reveal about her character?

Buddy’s friend, who is also his distant cousin, demonstrates her selfless nature in Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory." I makes her angry when she cannot give Buddy a bicycle.

She would like to give me a bicycle (she's said so on several million occasions: "If only I could, Buddy. It's bad enough in life to do without something you want; but confound it, what gets my goat is not being able to give somebody something you want them to have.”

They are making Christmas gifts for the other family members, and each other when the cousin makes this statement. She is pained to give Buddy another handmade gift for Christmas when in her heart she would like to give him something more substantial, like a bike, even if it means depriving herself of something. She is unable to do this due to her circumstances, and even though she has a child-like intellect, she knows that it would be a wonderful feeling to give a much wanted gift to someone she holds dear. She tells Buddy that somehow she will get him that bike but between the two of them they do not have the means. It is obvious from the gifts they receive from the others that they are a poor family in economically trying times. Buddy receives hand-me-down items. In the end, the two friends exchange handmade kites and spend an enjoyable afternoon flying them in the pasture. As Buddy ages, he realizes that those kites, made from the heart, and the time spent together, are much more precious than any other gift his cousin could give him.

In the book Stargirl, why does Hillari Kimble say Stargirl isn't real?

Jerry Spinelli's novel, Stargirl, tells the story of an unusual girl named Susan, though she prefers to go by "Stargirl." A new student at Mica Area High School, Stargirl's eccentric clothing and odd behavior garners all kinds of attention and affection, especially that of the narrator, Leo. 
 
While almost everyone is curious about Stargirl, Hillari Kimble, one of the more popular girls in the school, decides that Stargirl is a fake and doesn't give her much of a chance. Hillari then tells her fellow students that Stargirl isn't real, claiming she's an actress hired by the administration in order to raise morale and increase school spirit. 
 
On page 4, Leo describes the way Stargirl plays her ukelele and sings in front of the entire cafeteria on her first day of school. He says, "Heads swung, eyes followed her, and mouths hung open. Disbelief" (Spinelli, 4). Although it's never actually stated, it's likely that Hillari says that Stargirl isn't real simply because she's jealous of her.
 
Due to her popularity, Hillari is used to being the center of attention at school. So when Stargirl arrives and everyone seems to want to know more about her, Hillari writes her off as a fake in order to reclaim her status.
 

Notice the repetition of "the things they carried." How do these "things" advance or impede the story in The Things They Carried?

The "things" carried in The Things They Carried impede the carriers both physically and emotionally.

The narrator takes pains to list every item carried by the company exhaustively. Not only does he mention the wide variety of items, many of which are impractical or redundant (canned peaches and pound cake are mentioned in the first paragraph), he records the estimated weight of these items as well. The first chapter very effectively conveys the physical weight of these objects: over the course of 26 pages, the mountain of objects and their collective weight grows to a magnitude that defies belief.

In addition to survival gear, the narrator also catalogs items the troopers voluntarily carry that have an, arguably, more burdensome "weight." Love letters (from a hopeless crush), heirlooms, drugs, and comfort objects are all "humped" over the terrain, clutched through the night, and obsessed over.

All of these objects hinder the characters' progress in measurable ways. The physical weight of these items slow and tire the soldiers through their inevitable daily march. Their specialized equipment (radios, medical gear) represent their responsibility to the rest of the company, a role many of them probably resent because of the draft.

Additionally, the emotional weight creates an air of paranoia, superstition, and personal hindrance throughout the group.

How reliable or unreliable do you consider the narrator? And why?

Montresor appears to have written a letter to a close friend whom he addresses as "You, who so well know the nature of my soul." In other words, he is not addressing a general audience. The story seems to be a letter found among some papers after the death of the recipient and translated into English by an editor named Edgar Allan Poe. Or it might be a letter written by Montresor one night when he was drunk and never posted because he thought better of it next morning. So there is no reason to think Montresor, the narrator, might be intentionally deceiving "You, who so well know the nature of my soul." It is possible, however, that he could be deceiving himself a little--but just a little. There is one point at which he seems to be denying that he has any feelings of guilt or pity for the terrible murder he is committing.

My heart grew sick; it was the dampness of the catacombs that made it so.

This we do not believe. We think his heart grew sick because he had accomplished the perfect murder he had been envisioning for so long, and now he realized he was doing an unpardonable thing. He might have thought about how he would have to be punished for this sin in the afterlife.He might have thought about how he would have to keep this secret to himself for the rest of his life. He might have thought about how he would have to pretend to be just as concerned about Fortunato's disappearance as everybody else. But he suppresses such feelings and thoughts and deceives himself by attributing his sick heart to the dampness of the catacombs.  

Otherwise, it is not easy to detect any clues that show Montresor is an unreliable narrator. He is certainly unreliable in everything he tells his victim Fortunato, but he is not telling the story to his victim. As a matter of fact, he never makes the slightest attempt to tell Fortunato why he is doing what he is doing to him. Fortunato should have plenty of time to speculate about that before he dies of madness and starvation.

What would be a good way to write a thesis statement discussing Harper Lee and why her writing is famous?

I assume you have read, To Kill a Mockingbird. In that case, let's focus on To Kill a Mockingbird to explore why Harper Lee is such a renowned author. The novel has sold millions of copies; it is taught in school districts all over the country; and it usually ends up on a lot of readers' lists of "Top Ten Favorite Books." There are a lot of reasons why it is famous. 

What did you like about the book?  Here are some things to think about as you decide why the book is so popular, thus making Harper Lee famous.

• The characters—The development of interesting, credible characters is one thing that makes the book popular.  People identify with Scout, Jem, and Atticus, and enjoy trying to figure out everything they can about Boo Radley.  They are honest and real characters.  Readers also enjoy trying to figure out what motivates characters like Mayella Ewell, Bob Ewell, and even Mrs. Dubose.


• Plot—From the childhood play to the seriousness of the Tom Robinson trial, the novel is exciting and suspenseful.


• Themes—To Kill a Mockingbird has many universal themes—racism, honor, pride, growing up, innocence, sacrifice, to name a few.  Readers, again, can identity with these themes and learn from the ideas developed throughout the novel.


• Writing style—The narrator is a young girl looking back on her childhood.  The writing is fresh, entertaining, and, most of all, beautifully descriptive. 

Once you decide what you think makes the book a universally popular choice, you are ready to write your thesis.  Follow the formula:  topic + claim (why) = thesis.

For example, Harper Lee is a famous writer because . . . .   or, Readers buy and enjoy Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird and other books because . . .

In A Christmas Carol, why does Scrooge like the darkness?

In the first stave of A Christmas Carol, Scrooge leaves his counting-house and returns to his dark and dismal home. In describing this scene, Dickens suggests Scrooge prefers the darkness to the light for a very specific reason:

Up Scrooge went, not caring a button for that: darkness is cheap, and Scrooge liked it.

In other words, Scrooge likes the darkness because it means he does not have to buy candles. This reflects Scrooge's miserliness, one of his most potent character traits. For Scrooge, accumulating money is the most important aspect of his life and he will do anything to protect his fortune, even if that means living in the dark. Over time, Scrooge has come to accept this darkness as a way of life, but his impending meeting with the ghosts will change this attitude and show him the metaphorical light.

How does Macbeth demonstrate inner conflict in Act V, Scene 5?

In Act V, Scene 5, Macbeth learns of his wife's suicide and is perturbed by the news. The news forces him to focus his attention on the meaning of life:

Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

Macbeth embraces nihilistic ideas and is utterly disillusioned by the life he has been leading. He proclaims that life is fleeting and that man is nothing but a bad actor who is quickly forgotten when he dies. According to Macbeth, life is meaningless. And people are fools (this could be a reference to himself, as he is fooled and manipulated by the witches and his wife into murdering Duncan) whose lives turn out to be futile. We are all quickly forgotten as if we never existed.

It is Macbeth's fault that his life has become so futile. He allowed himself to embrace corruption and evil, and, as a result, he has lost his inner peace, stability, and support.

What was Russia called between 1922 and 1991?

Russia was known as the Soviet Union during that time. After the Revolution in 1917, soviets (workers' councils) were to be the basis for a post-capitalist Russia. As many critical intellectuals (e.g. Noam Chomsky, Murray Bookchin, Hannah Arendt before in her book, "On Revolution") have pointed out, the Bolsheviks, who assumed the role of vanguard during the revolution, soon stripped the soviets of power, consolidating it in the Bolshevik Party and the state.

Under popular pressure, the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991.

Although the Soviet Union had supposedly been socialist/communist, it really functioned like a state capitalist society with centralized planning instead of using market distribution of goods and services common in capitalist societies. After 1991, there was a mad rush to introduce markets into the former Soviet society and to privatize goods and services (converting them from public or state property into commodities that could be bought and sold on the market). This empowered an oligarchic class similar to the way the previous so-called socialist/communist arrangements of the Soviet Union had empowered Party leaders and bureaucrats over workers and the rest of the population.

For a philosophically-oriented critique of the Soviet Union from a Marxian perspective equally critical of capitalism, see:

Marcuse, Herbert. (1958). Soviet Marxism: A Critical Analysis. New York: Random House. 

What are some character traits of Aunt Alexandra in To Kill A Mockingbird ?

Aunt Alexandra is quite different from Atticus; she is an adherent of traditional upper class Southern values and mores.

In Chapter 13 when Aunt Alexandra arrives at the Finch home, she enters as though she is Scarlett O'Hara, speaking peremptorily to the Finch maid: "Put my bag in the front bedroom, Calpurnia. As Scout notes, her aunt's visits are rare, but when she does come she "traveled in state."  She announces the purpose of her visit, informing Scout that it is time she have some proper feminine influence. Scout does not question her as it is Sunday, and on the Lord's Day, her aunt is "formidable" since she has her figure held captive in a corset.

Her presence is recognized by the neighborhood: Miss Maudie bakes an elaborate cake, Miss Stephanie visits for extended periods, Miss Rachel invites her next door for coffee in the afternoons, and even Mr. Nathan Radley comes to the end of his yard to tell her he is glad to see her. After she has "settled in" with Atticus's family, Aunt Alexandra becomes an integral part of Maycomb high society. She joins various social clubs and religious organizations; in short, she demonstrates that she is "one of the last of her kind" with her boarding-school manners. She upholds "any moral that comes along," and she speaks in the objective case. She is "an incurable gossip" as are all the ladies of her ilk. 
Further, Aunt Alexandra passes judgment upon everyone, it seems, and categorizes them into a "type." She speaks of certain families having "streaks." For instance, she stereotypes Penfield women as "flighty," and she upholds a caste system in Maycomb, assuming certain attitudes and behaviors for different families that carry through the generations.

But, despite all her prejudices, Aunt Alexandra loves her own family. Also, despite her disagreements with Atticus on his child-rearing practices and his being the defending attorney in the trial of Tom Robinson, she sympathizes with him and is outraged by the cruel insults hurled against him by some townspeople. In Chapter 24, at the Missionary Tea for instance, she emotionally asks Miss Maudie "...what else do they want from him, Maudie, what else?" Then, her emotional outburst notwithstanding, Aunt Alexandra smooths her whalebone corset, pats her hair, and resumes her position as hostess and re-enters the room, ever the lady.  

In Atwood's "Happy Endings," what is Atwood saying concerning how and why? What does it mean to her/speaker? What does it mean to other writers?...

In her story, "Happy Endings," Margaret Atwood explains to writers that there aren't many different plots--most of them end up the same way (people die). She shows through her different stories that beginnings are more interested than endings, and says after that, writers have to deal with the how and why. This means that once writers have the beginning and end of a story, they need to figure out the middle--the motivation, the details, dialogue, etc.

She also makes commentary for the readers and their expectations. Readers must parse meaning from these plots. In this story, Atwood explains the responsibilities of writers to create stories and how they must understand what readers expect. By giving multiple plot lines and then saying that there is the matter of the how and the why, it puts the responsibility on both the writer (to expand the plot) and the reader (to make meaning of the details the writer gives).

In Bud, Not Buddy, what did Bud do to Todd and why did he do it?

In Chapter 2, Todd Amos is beating up Bud when Mrs. Amos walks into the bedroom. Todd lies to his mother and fakes an asthma attack. Todd points to Bud's hand mark on his face, and Todd's parents make Bud sleep in the ominous looking shed. After Bud escapes a swarm of attacking hornets in the shed, he sneaks back into the Amos' house to get revenge on Todd. Bud quietly fills a glass with warm water and sneaks into Todd's room while he is asleep. Bud puts Todd's fingers in the glass and hopes that it will make Todd pee his bed. This doesn't work, and Bud decides to pour water over Todd's hand to get him to pee the bed. After another failed attempt to make Todd pee, Bud pours the warm water on Todd's pajama pants. Bud's final attempt is a success, and Todd Amos pees his bed. Todd had accused Bud of looking like a bed-wetter in front of Mrs. Amos earlier, which embarrassed Bud. Bud understands how embarrassing it is to be labeled a bed-wetter, and he decides to seek revenge on Todd for sticking a pencil up his nose, beating him up, calling him Buddy, and lying to Mrs. Amos who made Bud sleep in the shed.

In Bud, Not Buddy why did the people in the food line pretend that Bud's name was Clarence?

In Chapter Six of Bud, Not Buddy, Bud accidentally oversleeps and is late to line up at the mission for his breakfast. By the time that he arrives, the line is already two blocks long. As Bud waits in line, the man who allows people to enter the mission cuts off the line; the folks remaining will not be fed today. Bud tries to argue with the man, but is met with a slap on the hand. However, before Bud can leave, someone grabs him by the neck, calls him "Clarence," and begins to scold him for being late. 

Eventually, Bud understands that these strangers are only trying to help him. They pretend that he is their son, "Clarence," in order to negotiate Bud closer to the front of the line--in other words, the part of the line that will be served breakfast.

Bud is able to receive oatmeal, milk, and an apple, which he eats with his temporary "family." His "parents" even coax his "siblings" to share their brown sugar with him as a topping for his oatmeal.

Thanks to the generosity and quick thinking of the strangers in the food line, Bud is able to continue on his journey to find his father with a full stomach. 

In The Sign of the Beaver, what kind of trees do Matt and his father use to build their cabin?

In Chapter One, Matt remembers how he helped his father cut down spruce trees to build their log cabin. He is especially proud when he recalls his efforts to haul, square, and notch the trees for assembling. Fondly, he reminisces about how he helped to raise every log of their cabin and how he carefully fitted the notches on each end.

The roof of the log cabin is made of cedar splints and pine boughs which Matt himself helped to fasten down. He notices with great satisfaction that the new corn and pumpkin seedlings are beginning to sprout. Surveying the property, he concludes that his mother will have no cause to be ashamed of their simple home when she arrives. As the chapter begins, Matt's father has gone to Massachusetts to fetch his mother, sister, and the new baby; left behind, Matt has been charged with guarding the cabin and their new garden patch.

What do the firemen do when nights get dull? Does Montag participate?

At the beginning of the novel, Montag watches the Mechanical Hound "sleep" in its kennel, located in a dark corner of the firehouse. After he smokes a cigarette, the narrator describes what goes on during dull nights at the firehouse. On dull nights, the firemen set the ticking combinations of the olfactory system of the Mechanical Hound and let small animals loose for the Hound to seize and kill. The firemen let loose rats, chickens, and cats, while they make bets on which animal will be the first to get caught by the Hound. The Mechanical Hound kills the animals by stabbing them with a four-inch steel needle that protrudes from its nose and injects morphine or procaine into its prey. Montag no longer partakes in the betting because two years ago he lost a week's salary, which upset his wife. While the firemen bet downstairs, Montag lies in his bunk and listens to them laugh and yell while the Hound traps and kills the various animals.

How is Jack symbolized as a dictator in Lord of the Flies?

Jack displays several personality traits that connect his role as a leader, to that of a dictator throughout the novel Lord of the Flies. Historically, dictators are selfish individuals who rule via fear and violence. During the first assembly meeting, Jack suggests that he should be the leader of the group because he is the head boy and lead in the choir. Similar to the character of a dictator, Jack assumes that he is the most capable leader. Dictators are typically inconsiderate of others. Jack shares this character trait by constantly bullying Piggy, and suggesting that they use a littlun to simulate attacking a real pig. Throughout history, dictators have made outrageous claims in hopes to persuade the masses. Similarly, Jack makes the false claim that Ralph is a coward and attempts to usurp power. Dictators have a tendency to use fear to manipulate their followers to act in their best interests. For instance, Saddam Hussien used "fear of the Western world" to influence his troops to resist American forces. Jack uses the "fear of the beast" to coerce his followers in looking to him for protection and influence. Dictators also use fear and violence to maintain control over the population. Jack threatens Samneric to join his tribe, and they obey him because they fear the repercussions. Much like dictators, Jack likes to take chances and engages in risky behavior. Hitler risked starting World War II by invading Poland. Jack risks open conflict with Ralph and his followers when he steals Piggy's glasses. Jack eventually gains control over the majority of the boys on the island, but as we see from a later scene, his power will soon be challenged by another ruthless character, Roger. Likewise, many dictators lost their authority during coups within their party.

What can you infer about Mrs. Sommers' past?

From her longings and desires on her shopping trip, the reader can infer that Mrs. Sommers has long practiced self-denial, but she has not always had to be so frugal and responsible for others; she was once able to purchase items that were not "necessities," and she was independent.

Mrs. Sommers' knowledge of quality materials contained in the gloves and silk stockings and polished kid-leather boots which she purchases suggest her prior acquaintance with such luxuries: "It was a long time since Mrs. Sommers had been fitted with gloves." Further, after she purchases the gloves, silk stockings, and leather boots, Mrs. Sommers feels transformed to her younger years. She experiences a renewed feeling of "assurance, a sense of belonging to the well-dressed multitude." Truly, she enjoys her return to this realm and her escape from a life of "enforced frugality." 

Clearly, Mrs. Sommers demonstrates a nostalgic desire to reclaim her appearance of days long past as she has equated her youth and pre-marriage self with luxuries and a sense of independence.

What were some of the issues that led Martin Luther to break with the Catholic Church?

As a Catholic priest, Martin Luther was greatly disturbed by the practice of selling indulgences; also, he was greatly troubled by the structure of the authority of the Church and the power that its hierarchy wielded.

Luther felt that the Church had become corrupt in its power. People were led to believe that if they contributed to the Church, their sins could be forgiven. Luther felt that the Pope had no power from God to absolve people from their sins simply because they transferred money to the Church. In essence, he felt that the Church was stealing from people through the selling of indulgences as well as by making them work on church grounds for free and by forcing them to tithe.

Luther was also disturbed by the hierarchical structure of the Catholic Church which gave great power to the cardinals and bishops over the other members of the clergy. In addition, because the Catholic Church was a political power as well as a religious one, cardinals often had significant roles in secular affairs, as well as within governments. 

Luther's 95 Theses that he nailed to a church door became famous and grew to be one of the most influential figures in European history. Certainly, his writings helped to cause friction within the Catholic Church and initiate the Protestant Reformation.