What happens to the angular velocity and hence the angular momentum of the disk before, during, and after the application of a brief torque? Create...

If we apply a torque we will produce an angular acceleration. This follows from the fact that torque = moment of inertia x angular acceleration.

So before the torque there is no angular momentum of the disc. The disc does not rotate. As the torque is applied to the spool the spool experiences a change in its angular momentum. Since angular momentum of the system overall is conserved there is a corresponding change in the angular momentum of the disc. Torque is nothing more than the rate of change of angular momentum. So after the torque is applied the disc continues to spin. It continues in its state of rotational motion with the same final velocity it acquired when the torque is applied.

In rotational motion torque is analogous to force and moment of inertia is analogous to mass. Thus a first law of rotational motion is that a system in rotational motion will continue in its state of uniform angular motion unless acted upon by an external torque.

In 1984, how does O'Brien exhibit doublethink throughout Winston's ordeal?

Doublethink is the practice of accepting two opposing ideas at the same time. In 1984, we see this clearly during Winston's ordeal in the Ministry of Love. In Part Three, Chapter Two, O'Brien exhibits doublethink when he burns a photograph of Jones, Aaron, and Rutherford, three Party members accused and found guilty of treachery (among other crimes) but later pardoned. (Winston discusses these men in Part One, Chapter Seven, and the photograph is important because it proves that they could not have committed such crimes.) By possessing a copy of this photograph, then, O'Brien acknowledges the innocence of these men, but he then incinerates the photograph in a memory hole and tells Winston that it "does not exist." Winston wonders if O'Brien is lying but then realizes O'Brien may actually not remember the photograph ever existed:

If he could have been certain that O’Brien was lying, it would not have seemed to matter. But it was perfectly possible that O’Brien had really forgotten the photograph. 

O'Brien, therefore, becomes a living example of doublethink because he first accepts the existence of the photograph and then promptly forgets it. This also provides a stark reminder of the Party's power: it is so powerful that it can distort reality and make anyone, even O'Brien, believe its version of the truth.

Explain your opinion of the narrator's behavior at the end of the story.

The assignment asks you to express your opinion of Brother’s behavior at the end of the “Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst. Therefore, you would use your knowledge, emotional reaction to the events of the story, and text evidence to explain your personal judgement or thinking about those events.

In the final scene of the story, Brother runs ahead and leaves Doodle to fend for himself in the storm. A frightened Doodle seeks protection from the storm under the bleeding tree where he dies from exhaustion and fright. Brother returns to find his brother and ends up hunched over Doodle who has passed away. For all of the times that Brother pushed Doodle to his limits, or expressed his mean attitude, in this case, he is distraught and attempts to shelter the dead child from the storm.

I need help finding 3 arguments for my thesis statement on a monologue in Romeo and Juliet. This is my thesis statement: In this monologue,...

This monologue features an extremely confused and shocked Juliet who feels betrayed by Romeo. She jumps between descriptions of Romeo, trying to land on the best description that articulates the hurt she feels due to Romeo's murdering of Tybalt.

In an effort to be specific, let's find your three arguments within the text of this monologue.

1. Juliet no longer trusts Romeo.

O serpent heart hid with a flowering face!

Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave?

From the beginning of the speech, Juliet proclaims that a darker, dangerous side of Romeo must exist beneath his beautiful exterior. 

2. Juliet considers the possibility that an evil spirit has tricked her into falling in love with Romeo.

O nature, what hadst thou to do in hell

When thou didst bower the spirit of a fiend

In moral paradise of such sweet flesh?

While this feeling does not last, Juliet contemplates if Romeo was sent to deceive her.

3. Juliet is entirely confused. In this speech, Juliet compares Romeo to countless images, including a dragon, lamb and a tyrant. She does not understand how such a vile person could exist underneath a gorgeous surface, and she's trying to make sense of this deception. This confusion is an example of how Juliet is questioning everything she feels for Romeo.

Who found the Americas?

There are several possible answers to this question. First, there were already indigenous inhabitants living in the Americas when the Europeans arrived. Thus, the Europeans were not the first to "find" America in that sense.

Second, Leif Erikson became the first European to sail to America during his voyage in 1000 AD. He called the land (probably Newfoundland) "Vinland" and the Norse established a settlement there. However, this settlement failed, so the Vikings abandoned America and returned to Greenland.

Finally, Christopher Columbus discovered America on October 12, 1492 while trying to find a western passage to India. His discovery prompted the first permanent European settlement of the New World, which is why he has generally received more credit for his discovery than Erikson has for his.

What does Martin Luther King, Jr. say about resentment in his "Letter from Birmingham City Jail"?

In his "Letter from Birmingham City Jail," Martin Luther King, Jr. uses the word resentment in a paragraph relaying to his readers the social injustices African Americans suffer in an effort to explain why African-American people cannot simply wait for society to become more just. Towards the middle of the letter, King uses a very long sentence to list social injustices, which culminates in the following clauses, one of which contains the word resentment:

When you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of "nobodiness"—then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait.

In his letter, King is responding to an earlier letter written by clergymen and published in the Birmingham Post Herald. In their letter, the clergyman said that, while they opposed segregation, they also opposed protest—even nonviolent protest—against segregation, proposing instead that African Americans simply continue to wait patiently for justice to be served. King uses this paragraph to argue the absurdity of the notion of simply waiting.

The word resentment can be defined as the feeling of "indignation at some act" thought to be injurious or unjust (Random House Dictionary). Resentment is acted upon outwardly because the emotion drives us to want to combat the unjust circumstance with the hope of creating change. Since resentment is acted upon outwardly, King refers to "outer resentments," which he also juxtaposes with the "inner fears" felt by African Americans that makes them feel and act upon their "outer resentments." King uses the earlier clauses of the paragraph to describe the social injustices creating both "inner fears and outer resentments," such as lynch mobs, segregation, the "airtight cage of poverty," and humiliation. He then ends the paragraph by asserting the urgency of fighting for justice now and pointing out there is a "moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws" to fight against injustice now. 

What are some quotes from the novel Monster by Walter Dean Myers that reveal Wendell Bolden’s motivation for testifying?

Wendell Bolden is a criminal who told Salvatore Zinzi that he received cigarettes from someone involved in a robbery. When Bolden testifies, Petrocelli asks what Bolden was in jail for at the time that he spoke with Mr. Zinzi. Bolden mentions that he was in jail for assault. Petrocelli then asks, "But the charges were dropped?" (Myers 52). Bolden responds by saying, "Yeah, they were dropped" (Myers 52). When Petrocelli asks him to describe the conversation he had with Mr. Zinzi, Bolden says,

"I got some cigarettes from a guy who told me he was in on a drugstore robbery up on Malcolm X Boulevard. I knew a dude got killed, and I was thinking of trading what I knew for some slack" (Myers 53).

Wendell Bolden's motivation for sharing information with the police and testifying was clearly to get a shorter sentence by having his assault charges dropped. When Asa Briggs cross-examines Bolden, Briggs comments that Wendell saved himself some "heavy jail time by pointing the finger at Mr. King." Bolden responds by saying that he was only trying to do the right thing, which is obviously a lie. Wendell Bolden already admitted that he wanted to trade in information on the robbery for some "slack."

After Jem and Scout visit First Purchase African M. E. Church, what new things do they learn about how black people live?

In Chapter 12, Calpurnia takes Jem and Scout to Sunday service at First Purchase African M. E. Church. Jem and Scout gain insight into the African American community and culture throughout their visit. Upon entering the church, Scout notices that there is no organ, piano, church programs, or hymn books. The children find out that the majority of the black community in Maycomb is illiterate. Reverend Sykes, Calpurnia, and Zeebo are the only literate church members, and the remainder of the congregation sings the hymns by "lining" them. Jem and Scout are welcomed by members in the church, and they experience the gracious hospitality of the black community. They also learn that the black community is very supportive of one another. Reverend Sykes forces the congregation to give additional money to support Helen Robinson and her children. Jem and Scout also learn about Calpurnia's "modest double-life," and experience how the black community communicates with one another. In particular, Scout notices Calpurnia's informal dialect when she interacts with her community members.

Is the theme of nature something that I can use to describe a poem?

If you're asking whether you can use the theme of nature to describe one of William Worsworth's poems, then the answer is a resounding YES. Wordsworth was the quintessential Romantic writer, and one of the primary characteristics of the Romantics was their love for nature and rejection of contemporary society. Wordsworth was no different. In order to reject a contemporary society that he saw to be corrupt and disingenuous, Wordsworth embraced the natural world, taking it to be a more authentic mode of existence.

To understand how this idea works in Wordsworth's poetry, it's helpful to look at one of his most famous poems, "The World is Too Much With Us." In this poem, Wordsworth provides one of his most vehement rejections of Industrial-Age England, as he yearns for a more natural, simpler time governed by Mother Nature. For instance, in lines 2 and 3, Wordsworth says, "Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;—/ Little we see in Nature that is ours." In these lines, Wordsworth basically states that civilized society has turned humanity into greedy, soulless beings more concerned with "getting" the latest fashionable product or "spending" exorbitant sums of money on frivolous consumer goods. After reflecting on several moving images of nature, Wordsworth proclaims possibly his most radical lines ever, saying, "Great God! I’d rather be/ A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn" (9-10). By making this statement, Wordsworth rejects the corruption of modern Christian society, asserting that it would be better to return to the pagan cultures of the past that worshipped the Earth and nature (pretty radical words for a 19th century Englishman). This statement is one of the most forceful examples of the importance of nature in Wordsworth's work, and it's worth reading the poem in full to get a comprehensive understanding of its natural themes. 

My two texts are Waiting for Godot by Beckett and A Streetcar Named Desire by Williams. Which elements could I compare and contrast for my English...

I don't know exactly what the nature of your assignment is, but generally in literary criticism the more specific the better. I would not focus on all of these topics. I would pick one and do an in-depth textual analysis. I wouldn't focus on props; there are some in the scripts, but for the most part that will be the choice of the director. 

Symbolism could be a good topic, but I would encourage you to be more specific. Maybe find how symbolism affects a particular theme, for instance, how does the symbol of Godot compare to the symbol of Blanche's dead husband? Both characters do not appear on stage. Both represent a certain type of meaning or fulfillment that is absent from the play. This is only one example. The key is that rather than vaguely discussing a particular literary device, such as symbolism, you hone in on a particular use of that device and support it with textual evidence. The way that meaning is created would be a good choice as well. Once again, be specific. You could discuss how both plays show signs of nihilism and loss of meaning. In Waiting for Godot, the main characters wait endlessly for a character who never comes; in A Street Car Named Desire, Blanche struggles with the loss of her husband and job. In both cases the characters find themselves in a position that is seemingly devoid of meaning.

I hope this was helpful for your assignment. The more practice you get with getting specific and focusing on the text the better you will get at it. Good luck!

What is the purpose of the author’s description of Della’s hair and clothing?

There are a number of reasons for O. Henry's lengthy description of Della's hair.

• He wants to show how proud she is of her hair and how important it is to her. This will make her sacrifice of it seem all the greater. There has to be a description of Della with her hair for the strong contrast with Della without her hair.


• The description of Della with her long and beautiful hair will make the contrast greater when she is shorn of it and has to try her best to cover her head with tiny curls which make her look like "a truant schoolboy" or "a Coney Island chorus girl."


• The fact that her hair is so valuable to her gives her the idea of selling it. It is the one way she can raise a substantial amount of money. Madame Sofronie is undoubtedly glad to get such a large quantity of beautiful, youthful hair.


• The reader is made to feel Della's pain when she goes to Madame Sofronie and has to have all her hair cut off.


• Della's beautiful hair is what gives Jim the idea of buying her the set of tortoise-shell combs for a Christmas present. Jim knows she covets them.


• There is a real possibility that Jim will cease to love Della because the loss of her hair means the loss of much of her beauty.


• This is not a story of two young people making sacrifices for each other. Jim only plays a minor role at the end and is seen only through Della's point of view. It is Della's story. We are in her point of view from beginning to end. People will always remember "The Gift of the Magi" as a story about a young woman who sold her hair to buy her husband a Christmas present. Della's hair is the most important thing in the whole story.

O. Henry describes Della's clothing only to show how poor she is. 

On went her old brown jacket; on went her old brown hat.

The author describes many features of the Youngs' apartment for the same purpose. They include the faded business card by the bell downstairs, the pier glass, the shabby little couch, and the worn red carpet.

What were the effects of Columbus's journeys on Europe and the Americas?

The voyages of Christopher Columbus opened the New World to colonization by the Spanish and other European countries like the Dutch, English, and French. This development had dramatic consequences for both continents. The exchange of plants, animals and pathogens had a dramatic effect on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. As an example, potatoes, beans, and tomatoes were introduced to the diets of Europeans. The nutritional benefits of this exchange caused the population of Europe to grow. This increase in the population of Europe was a catalyst for the Industrial Revolution. In general, Christopher Columbus's "discovery" had a positive effect on the economies of Europe.

The introduction of new people, as well as the diseases that they brought with them, had a very negative impact on the Americas. Warfare and disease caused the deaths of a large proportion of the natives that came to be called Indians. They faced a catastrophic loss of territory as the Europeans continued to colonize the continent for the next two centuries.

What are the basic similarities and differences between classicism and neoclassicism?

Claissicalism represents aesthetic attitudes and principles based on the cultural contributions of ancient Greece and Rome. Classicalism is strongly concerned with society, specifically with a reasoned, civilized, modern society that draws definite distinctions between good and bad. This idea of strict ordering is dependant upon notions of individual objectivity and formal correctness. The details of works were often rather convoluted, much to the self-aggrandizement of the artist.

Neoclassicalism was a movement in the arts which was largely concerned with the "art of the ideal." Details of works were often forcibly constrained to simplistic renderings, and largely geometric composition came into favor. Many neoclassical artists sought inspiration from Greek artists, specifically their portrayal of emotional content, and a concept of naturalism was tightly woven throughout many of their works.

What passage from Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird shows Dill following the Golden Rule?

The term the Golden Rule refers to a commonly believed moral principle that stems from the following biblical verse: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" (Matt. 7:12). The principle can be interpreted to mean that we should treat others the way we want to be treated. There are certainly a couple of different moments in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird when Dill acts based upon the Golden Rule.

One moment when Dill acts in accordance with the Golden Rule is found in Chapter 6. In this chapter, Dill and Jem decide to try and sneak on to the Radleys' property to try and get a glimpse of Arthur (Boo) Radley through a window. When shots ring out, the children flee for their lives. During the escape process, Jem gets his pants caught on a barbed-wire fence and must abandon them to escape. When the children reach the Finches' front yard, they see that all their neighbors have gathered around Nathan Radley, Arthur's brother, in front of the Radley gate to discuss what had happened. Jem argues that it will look suspicious if the children don't join their neighbors to see what all of the commotion was, so Jem arrives sans pants. When Miss Stephanie notices his lack of pants, the kids know they must do some fast thinking to prevent Atticus from finding out what they had been up to. Dill, always the quickest thinker, is the first one to come up with an excuse to offer, as we see when he explains the following to Atticus:

Ah--I won 'em from him. ... We were playin' strip poker up yonder by the fishpool. (Ch. 6)

In taking the initiative to save Jem's neck, Dill is demonstrating that he is treating Jem in the same way Dill wishes to be treated, and Dill gets his wish. When it looks like Dill will be in trouble with his Aunt Rachel for playing strip poker, Atticus is able to talk her out of her tirade, saying it's a phase all children go through and not a big deal.

The second moment Dill demonstrates he is a firm believer in the Golden Rule is when he breaks out into sobs during Tom Robinson's trial and must be escorted out of the courtroom by Scout. Dill explains his reasons for crying to Scout in the following:

It was just him I couldn't stand. ... That old Mr. Gilmer doin' him thataway, talking so hateful to him-- (Ch. 19)

In other words, Dill didn't fail to notice just how antagonistically Mr. Gilmer, the prosecuting attorney, was speaking to Robinson during Mr. Gilmer's cross-examination of Robinson, and it made Dill feel sick inside. Dill's feelings and reaction clearly stem from the fact that he firmly believes in adhering to the Golden Rule, as he demonstrates when he further says the following to Scout:

It ain't right, somehow it ain't right to do 'em that way. Hasn't anybody got any business talkin' like that--it just makes me sick. (Ch. 19)

Since Dill demonstrates he firmly believes all people deserve the same amount of respect, he further demonstrates that he believes in adhering to the Golden Rule.

How will muscle failure affect the muscular system or skeletal system?

All the muscles in the body make up the muscular system. All the bones of the body make up the skeletal system. There are three types of muscle - skeletal, heart and smooth muscle. Skeletal muscles are anchored on either end by tendons to bones. Skeletal muscle is voluntary muscle - this means contraction (shortening) of the muscle occurs at will. When a skeletal muscle contracts, it pulls on the bones, resulting in movement of the body. 

Skeletal muscles are responsible for body movements and posture control. If the skeletal muscles were to fail (stop working) a person would not be able to move their body in any way - no walking, jumping, etc. Even simple things like sitting upright or standing in place could not be done. It may not feel like sitting up requires much work, but a great number of skeletal muscles are involved. 

Smooth and cardiac muscle are involuntary muscle. Involuntary means that you cannot consciously cause this muscle to contract. Cardiac muscle composes the heart. Smooth muscle is present in many organs (such as the stomach and intestines) and the circulatory system. Neither smooth muscle nor cardiac muscle are involved with the skeletal system. 

What is the relationship between Dante the Author and Dante the Pilgrim from Dante's Inferno?

Though it is obviously a work of fiction, Dante's Divine Comedy contains many autobiographic elements. In particular, Dante the pilgrim has many similarities with Dante Alighieri, the real author. 

At the beginning of Inferno, the reader finds Dante the pilgrim lost in a dark wood, unsure of where to go. It becomes clear quite quickly that Dante has lost his way, has derailed his life and is unsure of where to go. As such, he needs Beatrice and Virgil to lead him on a spiritual journey through the underworld, Purgatory, and Heaven, all in the name of helping him achieve atonement and an authentic personal spirituality.

Likewise, Dante the actual author was in the midst of a personal crisis during the period in which he drafted his poem. He had been exiled from his home in Florence, and he himself felt as though he were wandering in a dark wood of confusion and uncertainty. Thus, by writing his epic poem, he too was launching himself on a spiritual quest to come to grips with himself and find some semblance of peace. As such, Dante's real-life journey parallels the the journey of his poetic journey, and in recognizing this similarity we uncover the significant biographical elements of the poem as a whole. 

Why do you think the Egypt gang found it so difficult to believe the Professor was the killer?

The belief that the children hold that the Professor could not be the murderer is based both on instinct and on wishful thinking. April is the only one of the children involved in the Egypt game who has actually ever spoken to the Professor in person. When she met him in his shop, she found herself prattling on and telling him things about herself that she normally wouldn't tell an adult stranger. April states more than once that she is good at reading grown-ups, and even Melanie believes April is pretty adept at understanding adults, even if she's not so good at understanding kids her own age. Because April has pretty reliable instincts about grown-ups, and because she found herself opening up to the Professor, she doesn't think he could be guilty of the unsolved murders.

The other children follow April's lead, as they do for much of their game. Beyond that, however, they simply don't want it to be true that the Professor could be a killer. Obviously, if he turned out to be guilty, that would put an end to the Egypt game. No one would want to play in the backyard of a brutal criminal. Because they believe the continuation of their game depends on the Professor's innocence, they engage in wishful thinking, convincing themselves that the Professor could not be the killer.

Because of their instincts and because of wishful thinking, the children refuse to entertain the possibility that the Professor could be the unknown killer.

What condition were the dogs in when they arrived at Skagway from Dawson in The Call of the Wild by Jack London? Why?

In The Call of the Wild by Jack London, the dogs and their drivers arrived at Skagway after a thirty day trek from Dawson. They were exhausted and down in weight because they had not had a proper rest. Many were limping, and Dub had a hurt shoulder. All of them had sore feet from toiling day after day, hour after hour along the trail. 

In Skagway, the men expected a long stay-over to rest, both for them and the dogs, but it was not to be. Already Buck was down from his usual one hundred forty pounds to about one hundred fifteen, so when he and his mates were sold and expected to start up once again in only three days, they were not well rested and ready. 

How are three of the most vivid descriptions in Chapter 12 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird effective or not effective?

In Chapter 12 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, one of the most vivid descriptions is that of Calpurnia preparing the children to bring them with her as guests at her church that Sunday.

According to Scout, Cal put an extraordinary amount of effort into making the children look nice for church. Scout first noticed Cal's surprising actions during bathing. Wanting Scout to be super clean, she made Scout bathe twice and even rinse twice with fresh water in the tub. Cal also washed Scout's hair with two kinds of soap--Octagon and Castile. She even intruded on Jem's privacy to monitor his bathing, something she hadn't done for years.

Scout further notes that Cal stayed overnight just to help the children get ready for church. She also put extraordinary care into the children's clothing. Scout describes that Cal "had put so much starch into [her] dress it came up like a tent when [she] sat down." Cal even made Scout wear a petticoat, a pink sash around her waist, and ensured her patent-leather shoes were polished "until [Cal] saw her face in them."

When Jem asks what all the fuss is about, Cal replies, "I don't want anybody sayin' I don't look after my children." Cal's response shows how fond she is of the Finch children. It further demonstrates how much pride she takes in her job working for the Finch's and how proud she is of the Finch children. Her feelings towards her job and the children are further demonstrated when she proudly ushers them into her black-only church against any objections, saying the children were "her company."

All in all, this scene effectively reveals to us a lot about Cal's thoughts, feelings, and personal strength.

Define cell biology using two real life examples.

Biology is the study of living things ("bio" = life, "ology" = the study of). Cell biology is the study of the cells of living things. Like the atom is the basic unit of matter, the cell is the basic unit of all living things. Cell biology may study the life cycle of a cell, cell division, the formation of cells, organelles within a cell, types of cells, the structure of cells, and/or the function of a cell.

Sometimes the term "molecular biology" is used interchangeably with the term cell biology. Like cell biologists, molecular biologists may be concerned with the entirety of a cell. However, a molecular biologist most often deals with the components within a cell. Thus, most techniques used by a molecular biologist require that a cell be split open. For example, a molecular biologist may deal with the expression of genes.

What poetic devices are used in the poem "Taught me Purple" by Evelyn Tooley Hunt?

The poetic devices that are used in the poem "Taught me Purple" by Evelyn Tooley Hunt include:

Stanzas

This poem is divided into three stanzas of four lines each. A stanza is a unit or a grouping of lines. A stanza typically focuses on making one point or observation. The poem then moves on to another stanza, which in turn focuses on making another point or observation.

In ‘Taught me Purple”, the poet talks of her mother teaching her purple in stanza 1; of her mother teaching her golden in stanza 2; and of her mother reaching for beauty in stanza 3. Three different points and observations here.

Rhyme

Evelyn Tooley Hunt employs rhyme in this poem. The rhyme scheme is abab in stanza 1; cdcd in stanza 2; and efef in stanza 3. Essentially, in each stanza, line 1 rhymes with line 3 and line 2 rhymes with line 4.

Contrast

The poet uses contrast to make a point about her mother’s existence. She says that her mother “taught me purple” but that her mother’s way of life was “wash-grey”. This is a contrast of the richness of the color purple with the drab and dreary color of wash-grey – talking here of her mother constantly doing the mundane daily task of the family’s laundry.

Tone

The poet’s tone here is one of love and respect for her mother for teaching her to reach for a better life than the mother had. To reach for the purple, the gold, and the beauty in life – the finer things in life. The mother taught her not to be full of pride or arrogance but to be modest and look for the loveliness in life.

Can you help me with the critical appreciation of the poem "Endless Time" by Rabindranath Tagore?

Tagore, the great Indian philosopher and poet, examines time in the poem in relation to the time of the universe, or God's time, versus the constraints of the human experience of time.

In the first lines the poet says"

"Time is endless in thy hands, my lord... Thy centuries follow each other perfecting a small wild flower."

In other words, in the endless stretch of time, the perfection of a single flower, through the process of evolution, is the timetable of the cosmos.

In stark contrast, the timetable of humanity, is, according to Tagore:

"We have no time to lose,
and having no time we must scramble for a chance."

In other words, humanity spends their lives scraping and struggling to survive, grasping at the immediate.

This leads to the conclusion:

"And thus it is that time goes by while I give it to every querulous man who claims it, and thine altar is empty of all offerings to the last."      

Time is given to coarse everyday matters, and never given to that thing most deserving of it, God, or the greater force in life.                                 

Finally, he says:

"At the end of the day I hasten in fear lest thy gate be shut;
but I find that yet there is time."

So the poet fears being, at death, shut off from God, and so tries to shed the world's time schedule to make time for the more important matters of the soul. In so doing, he sees there is always time to be found for that.

After the conflict happens in the woods, do Georg and Ulrich become friends in "The Interlopers"? Why?

Having held grudges against each other over land ownership through two generations, the Gradwitzes and the Znaeyms have longstanding animosities. But, when a life-and-death crisis holds them hostage one evening in the controversial woods, they reconsider the value of their hatred, and Ulrich von Gradwitz offers his neighbor friendship.

Having come around the trunk of a huge beech tree as he seeks his enemy, Ulrich comes face-to-face with his mortal enemy, Georg Znaeym. However, their civilized natures cause them to hesitate momentarily from firing their rifles, and in that split second, the mammoth tree is struck by lightning and crashes to the ground. Now, the enemies find themselves "pinned beneath the fallen mass."
It is at this point that the two men ponder their existential positions. Faced with the possibility of dying alongside his enemy, Ulrich perceives his hatred in relation to the dire conditions in which he now exists. "...Ulrich was feeling the old fierce hatred...dying down." He speaks to Znaeym, calling him "neighbor." Ulrich explains that he has changed his mind and feels that it has been ridiculous to have had a feud over "this stupid strip of forest." Therefore, he asks Georg to help him bury their feud, and he asks Znaeym, "I--I will ask you to be my friend." 

Silent for a time, Georg Znaeym considers the proposal of friendship from Ulrich von Gradwitz. Then, he agrees, wryly remarking on how the whole region "would stare and gabble" if they ride into the market square together. Finally, he says, "Ulrich von Gradwitz, I will be your friend." 

Clearly, faced with imminent death, the two foes reassess what should be valued and what should not: life being the most important thing, and secondly the value of friendship. Grudges are negative factors and, so are worthless; they should be discarded. These reasons are why the two men end their feud.

How do the magazine photographs affect Sidi's perception of Baroka?

One of the village girls asks Sidi if she's seen the book with her images inside it. Sidi tells her that she has not seen it yet, and the girl begins to describe how beautiful Sidi looks in the magazine. The girl says that Sidi's image takes up the entire cover of the magazine, and another girl tells Sidi that Baroka is jealous but pretends to be proud of Sidi. Sidi asks if Baroka's image is in the magazine, and the girl tells Sidi that it is, but it occupies a small corner of a page. The girl also tells Sidi that Baroka shares his image with one of the village latrines. Sidi comments that if that is true, then she is more esteemed than Bale Baroka. Sidi becomes conceited and says, "This means that I am greater than The Fox of the Undergrowth" (Soyinka 11). She believes that she is more important than Baroka because she is famous. Sidi loses respect for Baroka and becomes over-confident after seeing her images in the magazine.

Why did dictatorship rise after WWI?

There were several reasons why dictatorships rose after World War I. In Germany, the Weimar Republic was established after World War I ended. However, the Versailles Treaty was so harsh on Germany, especially with the $33 billion Germany had to pay to the Allies in reparations, that the Republic was doomed to fail. There were serious economic problems in Germany, in part caused by these high reparations. Germany’s paper money became worthless. Germany, which hadn’t had much experience with democratic government, was quick to turn to a totalitarian leader that promised the German people better economic times and a return of German pride.

In Italy, Mussolini came to power by promising to restore Italy to the glory days of the Roman Empire. The Italians felt they weren’t given enough land in the Treaty of Versailles. He also promised the Italian people more jobs and a program similar to Social Security.

In Japan, the military was in charge. The Japanese felt they should have been put on equal footing with the United States and with Great Britain at the Washington Naval Conference. As a result of the Five-Power Naval Limitation Treaty, the Japanese were unhappy they could only have three warships to the five both the United States and Great Britain could have. When the Prime Minister of Japan tried to end the invasion of Manchuria, he was assassinated. This sent a message as to who was in charge in Japan.

Many times, when a country is struggling economically, they turn to dictators to resolve the problems. That clearly happened in several countries after World War I ended when economic difficulties arose. There were many factors that contributed to the rise of dictatorships after World War I ended.

How does the mRNA molecule carry information to DNA?

The question is a little bit incorrect.  mRNA does not carry genetic information to DNA.  mRNA carries the genetic information from the DNA to a ribosome.  The ribosome will then "read" the mRNA strand and make a protein.  The entire process is called protein synthesis and can be divided into two main steps.  

Step one is called transcription.  Transcription is the copying down of the DNA message into RNA format.  A special enzyme called RNA polymerase will "unzip" the DNA molecule far enough to where corresponding RNA bases will match up with the DNA bases.  It works the same as DNA replication with one exception.  RNA does not have thymine.  It has uracil instead.  That means the base pairing is as follows A-U and C-G.  Eventually the RNA strand is complete.  It is called an mRNA strand because it will leave the nucleus and deliver its message to a waiting ribosome.  It acts as a messenger RNA.  

Step two is called translation.  Translation involves the ribosome translating the mRNA message and using it to make a chain of amino acids (a protein).  The mRNA is read three bases at a time.  That 3 base sequence is called a  codon.  Special tRNA (transfer) molecules will pair up with each codon and drop off an amino acid.  The tRNA molecules will continue to drop off amino acids in the correct order until the protein is complete.  The following video should help you visualize what is going on.  

What is one similarity between the narrators of "This is What is Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona" and "Young Goodman Brown"?

Both the narrators in “This is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” and “Young Goodman Brown” have a somewhat detached relationship with the characters and the actions in their respective stories.

Besides simply sharing a third person point of view, the narrators are relating the stories with limited attachment to the characters' feelings and actions. For example, in “This is What it Means,” the narrator is able to tell small details about what Victor is thinking, but the narrator is unable to fully convey the weight of the emotion and social aspects of Victor’s experience (“Thomas shook his head, closed his eyes, but no stories came to him, no words or music. He just wanted to go home, to lie in his bed and let his dreams tell his stories for him.”) Similarly, the narrator in “Young Goodman Brown” comes across as separate from Goodman Brown’s thoughts and actions, and is also unable to fully convey the weight of the social aspects of the story (“At the word, Goodman Brown stepped forth from the shadow of the trees and approached the congregation, with whom he felt a loathful brotherhood by the sympathy of all that was wicked in his heart”).

What is Romeo's premonition in Act 1, Scene 4 of Romeo and Juliet?

In Act 1, Scene 4 of Romeo and Juliet, as Romeo prepares to head to the Capulet party, he shares that he has had a premonition or a disturbing dream the night before.  When they ready to leave, Benvolio remarks that they should leave soon, lest they miss the party altogether.  Romeo responses that he fears that they might get there too early, because he senses that something potentially bad might happen at the party.  As he states in lines 107-112:...

for my mind misgives
Some consequence yet hanging in the stars
Shall bitterly begin his fearful date
With this night’s revels, and expire the term
Of a despisèd life closed in my breast
By some vile forfeit of untimely death.

In other words, his mind is telling him that something, some "consequence yet hanging in the stars" will occur at the party that will ultimately bring about his death.  In reality, his words are quite true.  Meeting Juliet at the party sets into motion the events that will cause him to take his own life several days later.

What points do I need to include for writing a historical research thesis on The Picture of Dorian Gray?

For writing a historical research thesis on A Picture of Dorian Gray, you may wish to consider some of the following topics:

• Aestheticism: This literary and artistic movement was at its height when Wilde wrote A Picture of Dorian Gray. As such, it would be a good idea for you to understand the history of this movement and some of its leading figures, such as Walter Pater. You can then trace this movement and its links to Decadence, another key movement of the late nineteenth century. (Please see the reference links provided for more help.)


• Role of women: There are frequent references to contemporary ideas about women in the text. Lord Henry, in particular, espouses many views which modern readers would interpret as being misogynistic, for example, in Chapter Four, he says: "Women are a decorative sex. They never have anything to say, but they say it charmingly." Consider the extent to which these views represent Victorian attitudes towards women.


• Homosexuality: When Dorian Gray was published, it sparked outrage among the British public because of its blatant homosexual references, notably Basil's feelings towards Dorian. At this time, homosexuality was illegal and Wilde was already in a relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas. Consider why Victorian society demonised homosexuality and how this impacted on Oscar Wilde, paying particular attention to his arrest in 1895 and imprisonment. 


• The dark side of Victorian London: in the book, Dorian visits seedy opium dens and cavorts with prostitutes. You may wish to consider how accurate Wilde's descriptions of Victorian London truly are, and how the upper classes used prostitution and drugs. 


• Gothic Literature: Finally, consider The Picture of Dorian Gray in the wider context of Gothic literature. Compare this book to other Gothic novels of the era, like Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and try to find some common themes and motifs. 

What is the main idea of Chapter 10 in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass?

In Chapter 10 of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass recounts his experience working at Mr. Covey's plantation, and it was there that Douglass says he became a man.  Mr. Covey is a cruel slave owner, and he beats his own slaves and the slaves whom he rented from other owners.  One day, he beats Douglass after he fainted from the grueling work, and Douglass resolves to run back to his own master to report Mr. Covey.  But Douglass's master had already made a contract with Mr. Covey, so he will not stand up for Douglass and sends him back to the plantation.  Before returning, Douglass gets a supposedly magical root from another slave named Sandy, and Douglass returns to Mr. Covey's planation with a new resolve to stand up to him.  And indeed he does:  the two battle for hours, and Douglass is victorious in the end.  For the rest of Douglass's time on the plantation, Mr. Covey does not cross him.  Douglass says that this battle was a "turning point for him" and that through it he gained a sense of self-worth and self-respect:

"You have seen how a man becomes a slave. You shall see how a slave became a man."

How did the United States react when Cuba pointed the missiles at our country?

In 1962, we received some very disturbing news. Our surveillance missions over Cuba indicated missile sites were being constructed, and missiles were being put in place directed at the United States and at Latin America. The Soviet Union was constructing these missiles sites and sending the missiles to Cuba. The United States immediately responded.

President Kennedy went before the American people on television and told the public what was happening, and how we were responding to the crisis. The United States put a naval blockade around Cuba. We said we would stop soviet ships heading to Cuba. We also indicated that any attack anywhere in the western hemisphere would be viewed as an attack on the United States. The United States raised it military alert status.

In addition to these public comments, there were private negotiations with the Soviet Union. Eventually, a deal was struck where we agreed not to invade Cuba, the Soviets would remove the missiles and dismantle the missile sites, and we would remove missiles that we had in Turkey.

With our swift and strong action, many people worried we were headed for nuclear war with the Soviet Union. Instead, through our public and private actions, a peaceful resolution to the crisis occurred.

In Paul Zindel's The Pigman, what is ironic about Miss Stewart's living room?

In chapter two of Zindel's The Pigman, Lorraine discusses a couple of the female teachers and happens to share an anecdote about the typing teacher Miss Stewart. Apparently, Lorraine had gone to Miss Stewart's house to drop off some papers and discovered that she keeps her mother in the living room. Lorraine felt like she was going to cry because it seemed so sad. Lorraine says that Miss Stewart tried to make her feel more comfortable by saying the following:

"She made a little joke about it--how she kept her mother in the middle of the living room because she didn't want her to think she was missing anything when people came to visit" (10).

Lorraine goes on to say that she feels very sorry for Miss Stewart because she can't imagine anyone wanting to date, let alone marry, someone who keeps her mother in the middle of the living room. The situation is ironic because no one would expect to witness a bed with someone's mother right in the middle of the living room. Another ironic thing about it is once someone visits Miss Stewart's home, they may never want to go visit again because her mother is in the living room. Hence, the whole point of having the mother there is so she won't miss out on visits, but ironically, people might not come back because of it.

Who says "I am, sir, your literary admirer. You have informed me much about the darker passions" in Avi's The Man Who Was Poe?

In chapter 13, Mr. Arnold says the lines in question. Edgar Allan Poe is introduced to Mr. Arnold at Mrs. Whitman's home during a tea party given by Mrs. Whitman's mother, Mrs. Powers. Mr. Arnold is at the party because Mrs. Powers disapproves of her daughter's infatuation with Poe and  believes Mr. Arnold should marry her daughter instead, something Mr. Arnold wants very much because Mrs. Whitman is very wealthy.

That same evening, Poe discovers Mr. Arnold is really the husband of Edmund's missing mother, Mr. Rachett. Therefore, Poe knows Mr. Arnold is being quite sincere when he tells Poe, "You have informed me much about the darker passions" (115). Mr. Arnold is sincere because he has just committed murder, kidnapping, and gold theft, all actions referred to in Poe's stories.

Poe figures out who Mr. Arnold really is the moment he sees Mr. Arnold's reaction to a story Poe relays about a man unexpectedly leaving a clothier's out of response to some unknown fear as an example of fear existing in all of us throughout the course of our daily lives:

If a man. . . if a man orders a coat, a fine coat, has it made and fitted, and yet, at the last moment chooses not to take it, might. . . might not the reason why he decides thus yield some important facts, so that what appears to be irrational becomes rational? (118)

Upon hearing this, Mr. Arnold turns red in the face and immediately leaves the party because the story fits the description of exactly what Mr. Arnold did at the clothier's the moment he saw Edmund, his stepson, walk into the store. Hence, Mr. Arnold's reaction to Poe's story helps Poe see that Mr. Arnold is really Edmund's stepfather, Mr. Rachett.

What are the summaries for Chapters 16, 17, and 18 in The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare?

In Chapter 16, Kit finds out from her uncle that Nat and his friends lit Jack-o-Lanterns in the windows of William's new house.  She also learns that they have been punished and must sit in the stocks.  Kit visits Nat and is upset to see him in the stocks.  She is too upset to go to the Meeting, so she visits Hannah instead.  Hannah offers words of comfort.  Prudence visits while Kit is there.  Kit teaches the child how to write her name.  Later, Kit goes home and finds out that John Holbrook has joined the militia.

In Chapter 17, Judith becomes ill.  The illness spreads throughout Wethersfield.  Kit comes down with a mild case of the illness.  Then Mercy falls seriously ill.  Reverend Bulkeley comes to offer his assistance, and Matthew Wood is so desperate that he welcomes him.  An angry mob arrives, blaming Hannah Tupper for the illness.  Matthew Wood dismisses them.  They leave to go find Hannah Tupper.  Kit sneaks out to help her friend escape.  They hide until morning, when they see Nat's father's ship.  Nat takes Hannah aboard and promises to keep her safe.

In Chapter 18, Mercy begins to recover from her illness.  The constable comes and informs Kit that she is under arrest due to suspicion of witchcraft.  They present her hornbook as evidence.  Matthew and Rachel try to persuade the constable not to take Kit, but he insists.  She is locked up.  Rachel Wood visits her niece.  Kit worries as she remains locked up, awaiting her trial.

How does the author's use of irony in "The Gift of the Magi" highlight the theme?

The theme of The Gift of the Magi is sacrifice.  Della and Jim each sacrifice something precious to them in order to give the other a special gift.  Della sells her hair and uses the money to buy Jim a chain for his beloved family heirloom watch.  Jim sells his watch to buy combs for Della's beautiful long hair.  The irony is that each person no longer possesses the item their gift was intended for.  Despite this sad irony, Della and Jim still appear happy.  They realize that their love for one another is the most important.  They experience each other's love through their sacrifices.  The irony highlights the sacrifice because the gifts cannot be used as intended.  If each had given a gift that could be used, the ending would have been only happy.  Instead, the ending is mixed with sadness.  Yet even in the sadness, there is joy and love.

Countries of the world today are more interdependent in terms of A. human rights. B. economics. C. militaries. D. politics. E. diplomacy. Is B the...

While economics seems to be, on the surface, the most obvious way countries interact, the question asks about “interdependent,” and with that area emphasized, answers C And E deserve consideration. Treaties, alliances, etc. (NATO, for example) are by definition interdependent documents that guard and guide countries of the world in their military actions. No country can act independently of its allies’ wishes, and all military actions have consequences for many countries besides the original actor. Look at Russia and the U.S., for example; while considered opponents in the Cold War and elsewhere, they are now “on the same side” in the battle against ISIS. Economic forces are in effect, to be sure, in Far Eastern countries, but much more important is how China interacts with, for example, Taiwan militarily. As for diplomacy, it too is an interdependent area – witness the United Nations’ struggles with getting two or more nations to sit down together to talk out their differences. I would eliminate answers A., B., and D. on these bases, and choose C. militaries, with a nod to diplomacy as part of C.

How does increase of loads in a parallel circuit affect the total resistance?

The increase of loads in a parallel circuit decreases the total resistance.

If the resistance of the original circuit is `R_0` , and an additional load of the resistance R is added in parallel, then the effective resistance of the resultant circuit will be determined by the formula:

`1/R_(eff) = 1/R_0 + 1/R`

(This formula can be derived from the Ohm's Law and the fact that when the branches of a circuit connected in parallel have the same voltage - please see the reference link.)

Notice that if we consider this formula without the extra load, it would look like

`1/R_(eff) = 1/R_0`

But, because the extra load is added, the 1/R term is added to the right side of the equation, so this means that the left side has to increase. The quantity `1/R_(eff)` becomes larger because of the addition of the extra load R.

This quantity `1/R_(eff)` , however, is the inverseof the effective resistance `R_(eff)`

so this means that the effective resistance `R_(eff)`  became smaller.

So, whenever an extra load is added in parallel, the total resistance decreases.

This fact can be also understood conceptually. If there are more parallel branches in a circuit, then there are more pathways for the current to go through, so the total resistance of the circuit decreases. This is similar to a crowd of people passing through a hallway: if the hallway widens, it will be easier for people to go through.

How has the modern presidency acquired legislative powers?

Your question hits on a fascinating and controversial topic—the increasing use of executive power in the modern presidency. In the constitution of the United States, the legislative branch, generally speaking, is tasked with the creation of law, while the presidency, also called the executive branch, is tasked with enforcing law. Similarly, the legislative branch has the responsibility of declaring war on foreign powers and ratifying treaties, while the president has the power of Commander in Chief over the armed forces.

In modern presidencies (and perhaps even before!), these distinctions have begun to blur. President Obama, for example, has taken executive action on the highly charged topics of gun control and immigration, and his critics describe these actions as an overreach of presidential power into the domain of the legislative branch.

Similarly, since World War II, more power in foreign affairs has flowed to the presidency. The Korean War and the first Gulf War were not formally declared by Congress, but were rather authorized by UN Security Council resolutions and pursued by the executive branch, with funding from Congress, but not a formal declaration of war. Modern presidents have similarly pursued executive agreements in diplomacy rather than formal treaties; while formal treaties must be ratified by the Senate, executive agreements can be made with only the power of the presidency. The Iran nuclear deal, negotiated by President Obama and Secretary Kerry, is one such example of an executive agreement.

How does Alex Portnoy's unresolved Oedipal dynamic express itself in his relationship with The Pumpkin?

The Pumpkin is basically the opposite of Sophie Portnoy in manner, looks, religion, character, and homelife. Alex Portnoy's mother, Sophie, has dominated his life from the time he was a baby. Late in the novel he finally comes to understand the Oedipal nature of his relationship with his mother; that is, the psychological need to please her with all his actions and that there is a sexual component to his feelings. During college, though, he is involved with Kay Campbell (The Pumpkin). She and her family are the opposite of what Alex has known in his childhood. She and her family are Gentiles, calm, liberal, blond, mid-western, moral and soft-spoken. Alex recognizes her good qualities but does not really understand that he has been seeking the opposite of his mother. Things fall apart with The Pumpkin when Alex suggests she might convert to Judaism after they marry and she has no interest in doing so. His upbringing is too strong for him to consider marrying someone outside his (and his mother's) faith. His connection with and rejection of The Pumpkin are ultimately based on his confused relationship with his mother.

Explain the Bhutanese views on happiness.

The Bhutanese culture contains a very intricate view of happiness.

One aspect of happiness for the people of Bhutan involves embracing unhappiness as a part of human consciousness.  The Bhutanese construction of happiness advocates that the mind openly accept the reality of fear, pain, and misery.  When it does so, it is able to develop the capacity to understand these elements as a natural part of existence.  Energy is not spent in fighting these realities.  The Bhutanese culture does not seek to obliterate sadness. Rather, it trains the mind to recognize the natural presence of these forces in our world. This condition is vastly different than what it featured in the Western world, as author Linda Leaming suggests: “We in the West want to fix it if we’re sad, ... We fear sadness. It’s something to get over, medicate. In Bhutan there’s an acceptance. It’s a part of life.”  Happiness is evident in this natural acceptance because it reduces the unnecessary energy used in trying to push away the misery that is inevitable.

A significant part of this equation for happiness is the Bhutanese attitude towards death.  In many parts of the culture, thinking about death is a part of daily life. Whereas death in the West is seen as something to avoid, the Bhutanese readily accept its presence as evident in many different parts of life.  Children are exposed to deatg at an early age, while adults think about death "at least five times a day."  In thinking about death so much, Karma Ura, the head of the Centre for Bhutan Studies, says happiness is experienced because the person has moved beyond the need to offset the reality of death:  "Rich people in the West, they have not touched dead bodies, fresh wounds, rotten things. This is a problem. This is the human condition. We have to be ready for the moment we cease to exist.”

There can be a natural happiness in accepting death as a part of existence because then death is seen as organic.  There is a greater chance of happiness then because energy is spent welcoming it.  Energy is not spent trying to forcefully go against it. The philosophically painful questions that often accompany death are put aside when it is accepted as organic to life.  

The Bhutanese approach suggests that if we don't question happiness, why should we question unhappiness?  The Bhutanese do not question why life enters the world and thus they should not question why it leaves.  For the most part, acceptance of both realities, life and death, happiness and unhappiness, is where the Bhutan culture has its strengths.  An open embrace of unhappiness and death are instrumental elements in the Bhutanese notions of happiness. 

Why are the differences and similarities between Lennie and Curley important to the book?

In the novel, a major theme is that of companionship in the midst of an unfriendly world. Lennie and George have been together for years, ever since Lennie had been raised by his Aunt Clara, whom George promised to take care of Lennie. In the midst of the Great Depression, the two of them go out into the harsh world as migrant workers. Both are shown to be of little education yet hard workers. Their language is that of the laboring class. Both of them want to leave the migrant life and buy a place of their own. Their hard work earns them money, but Lennie’s propensity for trouble makes it difficult to hold a steady job.

George is definitely the leader, with Lennie as the follower. George “trains” Lennie on the appropriate responses in order to avoid talking about their past experiences. Lennie is obedient, yet he has a poor memory.

Both show a shortness of temper. George often gets frustrated with Lennie, stating frequently (both to himself and aloud to Lennie) that he would be better off alone. Yet he knows that Lennie would not survive without him. Lennie’s short temper is exhibited when the object of his interest (like the mouse, the puppy, and Curley’s wife) reacts against him. He lashes out and invariably kills them. His lack of control of his temper is the opposite of George, who always manages to calm himself down and pledge to Lennie that the two of them will always be together.

To what degree is Henry V by Shakespeare historically accurate?

William Shakespeare's play, Henry V, is loosely based on actual historical events, but also includes invented material and compresses the actual time sequence of the events.

The single most important source for the play is Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (1587 second edition). Although this work attempted to be a reliable chronicle, and is broadly accurate, at times the work presents self-contradictory accounts of the motivations and characters of the major figures of the period. Shakespeare also made use of an anonymous play, The Famous Victories of Henry the Fifth, which like Shakespeare's subsequent work balances verisimilitude with artistic license. We do not actually have accurate historical data on the number of people involved in the battle of Agincourt. While Henry's forces were outnumbered, we do not have accurate information on the precise size of the armies nor the number of people killed and wounded., nor could Shakespeare have know precise numbers.

The time sequence of the siege of Harfleur and its proximity to the Battle of Agincourt is compressed; the siege actually lasted for several months and the Battle of Agincourt began a month after the siege. The British victory at Agincourt and Henry's subsequent marriage to Catherine are both historical events, but the battle actually took place in 1415 and the treaty and marriage in 1420, despite the two events being portrayed as occurring quite close together in the play.

The  story concerning the war being caused by the French Dauphin sending tennis balls to Henry is pure invention. The causes of the war probably had more to do with economics than with honor. 

In the short story "Thank You, Ma'm" by Langston Hughes, why is Roger unable to get away with Mrs. Washington Jones' purse?

Roger's original failure to obtain the purse is explained fully in the text:

The strap broke with the single tug the boy gave it from behind. But the boy’s weight and the weight of the purse combined caused him to lose his balance so, instead of taking off full blast as he had hoped, the boy fell on his back on the sidewalk, and his legs flew up. The large woman simply turned around and kicked him right square in his blue-jeaned sitter.

Roger had tugged very hard on the purse's strap as he came from behind, breaking it in the process. He then lost his footing since his and the purse's weight caused him to lose his balance. He fell to the sidewalk with his feet in the air and Mrs Washington Jones then gave him a solid kick on his behind. Instead of getting him arrested or releasing him, Mrs Washington Jones dragged him home with her, where she showed Roger a rare and unexpected kindness. 

She spoke to him in a decent way. Although she was also admonishing him, she was not rude or aggressive in any way. She realized that he was quite needy as well as hungry and in the short time of their acquaintance she provided him with food and good old-fashioned advice. It was obviously also a bonus for Roger when she extended her kindness even further by giving him ten dollars before he left, to buy himself a pair of blue suede shoes.

Roger did have a second opportunity to get away with the purse, for Mrs Jones went behind a screen and did not watch him as she was busy preparing food in the kitchen. He could easily have grabbed her purse and run off with it, since it was within reach. However, he decided not to do so as is made clear in the following extract:

In another corner of the room behind a screen was a gas plate and an icebox. Mrs. Jones got up and went behind the screen. The woman did not watch the boy to see if he was going to run now, nor did she watch her purse which she left behind her on the day-bed. But the boy took care to sit on the far side of the room where he thought she could easily see him out of the corner of her eye, if she wanted to. He did not trust the woman not to trust him. And he did not want to be mistrusted now.

Roger had, at this point, learnt that it was important that others trust one but that trust has to be earned. If he had run away with the purse, he would have lost Mrs Washington Jones' trust forever, and he was not prepared to do that. He already believed that she could not trust him. He had to prove that he could be trusted.

When he left later, Roger surely departed from Mrs Washington Jones' place a better person. The interlude had taught him quite a few life lessons which would probably stay with him for the rest of his life.

Please can you give me a summary of Robin Hood?

Robin Hood is a prominent figure of English folklore who is considered to be a champion to the oppressed peasantry because he "stole from the rich and gave to the poor." There are many variations on the Robin Hood narrative, with literary and legal references as old as the 13th century. Almost all of the texts which reference Robin Hood are historical or historiographical-- even the earliest mentions of him speak of the bandit as having lived and done his work some time before. A few of the 13th century legal records list various spellings of Robin Hood, which suggests that the name may have been used by a number of criminals as an alias. We do not know whether there was an actual, living person who regularly went by the name of Robin Hood and was skilled in archery and swordsmanship, but we do know that the mythological figure is an important part of the English folk and literary histories.

The most comprehensive summary I can offer you of the Robin Hood narrative is a bit reductive, but accurate all the same. "He stole from the rich and gave to the poor." This is the running theme in all of the Robin Hood stories. The most popular Robin Hood legend was revitalized in the modern mind with Walt Disney's 1973 animated film titled Robin Hood. In this particular legend, Robin steals from corrupt tax collectors, returning money to the poor peasants who cannot get by without it. When Robin finds out that the King is the source of all this corruption, he steals from the King's coffers and returns the money to the people of the countryside. 

As I mentioned, there are lots of variations on the Robin Hood legend, but here are the basic similarities of most of the tales surrounding him:

• Robin Hood was of noble heart and stole from the unjust ruling class to support the poor peasantry.


• Robin Hood was skilled with both the sword and the bow and arrow.


• Robin Hood was respectful towards women and may have had a particular (chaste) love interest.


• Robin Hood had a small following of men who helped him pull off some of his schemes.

Comment on three kingdom system of classification of organisms.

For a very long time, human beings classified all the living things as either plants (Planatae) or animals (or Animalia). However, with advances in science and microbiology, we figured that another classification is much better suited. Now we have a three-domain or three kingdom system of classification of organisms. According to this system, all the life is classified into three major categories: bacteria, archaea and eukaryota. The first two domains (bacteria and archaea) consist of prokaryotes or single celled organisms, while the eukaryota consists of multi-cellular organisms (such as human beings, plants, animals, etc.). All the three groups are genetically different from each other and do not share a common ancestor. Interestingly, archaea were, until very recently, not considered a different domain and were thought to be similar to other major prokaryote domain (bacteria). It was only in 1970s that they were designated as a different domain of life.

Hope this helps.

Why does Macbeth say "Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor / Shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more"?

The lines that Macbeth speaks to his wife about sleep are among the most beautiful Shakespeare ever wrote. Here they are in full:

MACBETH
Me thought I heard a voice cry “Sleep no more!
Macbeth doth Murder sleep”—the innocent sleep,
Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care,
The death of each day's life, sore labor's bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,
Chief nourisher in life's feast—

LADY MACBETH:
What do you mean?

MACBETH
Still it cried, “Sleep no more!” to all the house;
“Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor
Shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more.”

The whole play, like all Shakespeare's plays, is written in poetry recited by the various characters. Shakespeare's poetry, it should go without saying, is what is best in Shakespeare. Shakespeare's poetry is Shakespeare. Here Macbeth is quoting a voice he thought he heard. He says it cried "Sleep no more!" to all the house. That seems intended to answer the question of why he doesn't murder Malcolm and Donalbain while he has an opportunity he will never have again. Malcolm is the heir apparent. Duncan has proclaimed his elder son Prince of Cumberland and his immediate successor to the throne. Macbeth can hardly expect to become king of Scotland just by murdering Duncan, but if he intended to murder Malcolm and his brother he was afraid the voice crying "Sleep no more!" would wake up the entire household and he would be caught with blood on his hands and clothing and two bloody daggers in his hands. (He may have intended to use the daggers to kill Duncan's two sons.) 

The voice that threatens to wake the house says,

"Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor
Shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more."

What this means in plain language is that since Macbeth, who is both Thane of Glamis and Thane of Cawdor, has murdered the king in his sleep, he knows how easily this can be done. He has the bloody scene permanently imprinted in his mind. Every time he closes his eyes he will see Duncan's murdered body. When Macbeth becomes king himself he will never be able to sleep soundly because he will always be afraid that someone might be planning to sneak up on him in the middle of the night and cut his throat. He says earlier in a soliloquy in Act 1, Scene 7:

But in these cases
We still have judgment here, that we but teach
Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return
To plague th' inventor. This evenhanded justice
Commends the ingredience of our poisoned chalice
To our own lips.

We don't have to wait for "the life to come" for our punishment for our misdeeds. We set examples which others can and will follow. If Macbeth murders Duncan, then he can expect somebody else to murder Macbeth. If people can become kings by committing murders, then others will get the same ideas. In our day these are sometimes called "copycat murders." Macbeth is simply saying that he will never be able to sleep soundly again for the rest of his life because he can imagine the same horrible thing happening to him in his sleep that happened to King Duncan.

The voice calls Macbeth "Glamis" and "Cawdor," suggesting that Macbeth has too many titles and can't handle them all. He doesn't know who he really is. If he adds the title of "King" to his other titles he will be even more confused. There is a part of him that is good and doesn't want to murder anybody, but whoever tries to murder him in his sleep will murder the good Macbeth along with the bad one. If Glamis gets to sleep, then maybe Cawdor will lie awake; and if Cawdor manages to get to sleep, then maybe Glamis will wake up! It is at this point that Macbeth seems to be developing a split personality. He is obviously acting crazy in this scene with his wife, and he will be acting more and more crazily as the play progresses. He is already having hallucinations, and he will have worse ones. Macbeth is an ideal candidate for schizophrenia because he actually does have several different identities. He is Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and King of Scotland. As Thane of Cawdor he seems to have inherited both the former thane's title and his evil, treasonous nature.

Right away the prophecy of the voice that cried "Sleep no more!" seems to start being fulfilled. Macbeth wants to wash his hands and go to bed. He wants to be asleep when Duncan's body is discovered. But a knocking at the gate begins in that same scene, and Macbeth is finally forced to go down and see why nobody is responding. Everybody is able to sleep but Macbeth. As a result he has to be present when Macduff discovers Duncan's body, and Macbeth never gets a wink of sleep for the whole night.

Why was Jess afraid to show his drawing to his Dad?

Jess was afraid to show his drawings to his dad, because his dad did not approve of his hobby. As we learn in chapter 2:

He would like to show his drawings to his dad, but he didn't dare. When he was in first grade, he told his father than he wanted to be an artist when he grew up. He'd thought he would be pleased. He wasn't. 'What are they teaching in that damn school?' he had asked. 'Bunch of old ladies turning my son into some kind of a—' He had stopped on the word, but Jess had gotten the message. It was one you didn't forget, even after four years.

Jess wanted to be an artist--and he was clearly very talented--but his dad did not believe that this profession was masculine enough for his son. His father's disapproval deeply wounds Jess, so he is scared to make himself vulnerable (by showing his drawings) to someone who might respond by hurting his feelings even more. Jess is struggling to figure out what it means to be a man. He wants to prove his masculinity to his father--this explains why he tries so hard to win the race, a pursuit society considers masculine--but he also desperately wants to be an artist. Lost in his confusion, he protects himself by hiding his skill rather than displaying it to his dad.

In The Great Gatsby, in what ways is Jay Gatsby an idealist?

In The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby is the epitome of idealism.  He believes that he can create life into his version of perfection.  One moment in the novel that highlights this statement is after a party when Nick reminds Gatsby that he cannot relive the past.  Gatsby turns to Nick and tells him that it is entirely possible to relive the past.  Such a statement shows that Gatsby is a true idealist--he is not grounded in reality and only wishes to create life in his image of perfection.  Largely, Gatsby's notions of idealism revolve around his desire to be in a relationship with Daisy--because she is from a wealthy family, Gatsby believes that he needs to "stack up" against potential suitors so that he seems worthy of her.  So, Gatsby is an idealist in the novel.

What is the difference between anabolism and catabolism? Discuss energy and the products of these processes.

Livings organisms survive due to the occurrence of chemical reactions that constantly take place in their bodies. This is known as metabolism and consists of two types of reactions, anabolic and catabolic.

Anabolism refers to the set of chemical reactions that have simple organic and inorganic molecules as reactants and complex organic molecules as the product. Anabolic reactions usually require energy for them to take place. The creation of new cells and reactions that lead to their growth and development are examples of anabolism.

Catabolism on the other hand refers to chemical reactions in which complex organic molecules are broken down and this leads to the formation of simpler organic and inorganic molecules. Catabolic reactions usually release energy, which is used by the body as a power source for anabolic reactions. Examples of catabolism are chemical reactions involved in the digestion of food, destruction of old cells, etc.

Please provide 5 examples of literary devices used in To Kill A Mockingbird.

Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is rich with literary language that provides beautiful imagery, profound analogies, and meaningful metaphors. Open the book to any page and one can find literary devices ranging from simple similes and extended metaphors to detailed descriptions that appeal to all of the five senses. All of these literary devices help to shape the quality and artistry of the story. The following are some example passages along with descriptions of the literary devices used therein:

"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" (30).

Not only is this passage profound advice, but it uses the sense of sight to create one getting into someone else's skin in order to gain understanding of another person. This is the use of imagery and metaphor that provides a visual of Scout climbing into Walter Cunningham's body to understand him.

"Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the tree-house; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape; but most of all, summer was Dill" (34).

Above are more visual images as well as the employment of the sense of touch, such as sensing the way it feels to sleep outdoors during the summer; the sense of taste by remembering good summer foods to eat; and picturing the colors of summer. This is a great description of summer using multiple images at one time.

"Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets" (46).

This quote is a metaphor that Miss Maudie says to compare Scout's father's behavior at home and in public. By comparing his behavior as the same at home and in public, the reader gets a sense of his good character and example for everyone in the community, not just for the kids.

"Shoot all the blue-jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (90).

This popular quote shows the use of metaphor as well as foreshadowing. The word "mockingbird" is used in the title to draw attention to this metaphor which is not only used in the literal sense as a rule of what not to shoot, but also as a comparison to Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and anyone else who is powerless, yet harmless, in the community. The foreshadowing comes into play because of the parallel connection that readers can make between the vulnerability of the birds and that of Tom and Boo.

"Tim Johnson was advancing at a snail's pace, but he was not playing or sniffing foliage. . . We could see him shiver like a horse shedding flies; his jaw opened and shut; he was alist, but he was being pulled gradually toward us" (95).

Finally, this passage about the mad dog has impressive and suspenseful descriptions of the dog going down the street. It also has the simile "shiver like a horse shedding flies" which greatly adds to the visual image of the dog's condition.

How does catastrophe provoke misinterpretation in the book Atonement?

In Atonement, the moment of catastrophe is brought about because of Briony's immaturity, fear, and confusion. At thirteen, Briony is on the cusp of womanhood, becoming slowly aware of her own insignificance in the world at large as she struggles to juxtapose her own desire for relevance with her desire for love. When she reads Robbie's crudely sensual letter to her twenty-three year old sister, Cecilia, all hell breaks loose, so to speak.

Briony imagines sinister intentions on Robbie's part.

She had read the note standing shamelessly in the center of the entrance hall, immediately sensing the danger contained by such crudity. Something irreducibly human, or male, threatened the order of their household, and Briony knew that unless she helped her sister, they would all suffer.

Briony's suppositions are framed by her immature conception of sexual attraction and her inexperience with the realities of sexual tension. Also, the author mentions that Briony is the kind of character who likes to have everything just so. Consequently, her preoccupation with order and abiding consistency is a way for her to navigate the often confusing maze of adult emotions she is not yet ready to process.

So, when she comes across Cecilia and Robbie entangled in the throes of foreplay in Chapter 10, Briony thinks of Robbie as 'huge and wild' in contrast to the supposedly delicate and frail figure of her sister. Cecilia, meanwhile, shows no signs of gratitude for Briony's inopportune entrance; if anything, she views her sister's intrusion as an annoyance at best or an act of sabotage at worst. In this, Ian McEwen expertly highlights the latent competitiveness between sisters in his portrayal of the tension between Cecilia and Briony. Catastrophe is foreshadowed when Briony does catch Cecilia and Robbie in the throes of passionate sex in the library.

Briony's feelings of betrayal are palpable; the girl who has spent her private moments trying to regain her emotional equilibrium after her cousin, Lola, usurps her role in the play, must now witness her older sister's initiation into a part of the adult world she has no experience or conception of. In her mind, her older sister has achieved some sort of significance in a transcending experience she has had no part in. At that moment, the tragedy or catastrophe of unrealized dreams, unfulfilled longings, and thwarted desires for relevance and significance in an unforgiving adult world fuels Briony's subsequent misinterpretation of what she sees.

Unable to effectively process what she has just witnessed, Briony's misinterpretation of the sensual scene is at once pathetic as well as devastating:

Propelled from the depths of her ignorance, silly imagining, and girlish rectitude, she had come to call a halt.

It is devastating in the sense that Briony's misinterpretation of what she sees is about to set off a range of events which will bring sorrow and grief into her life and the lives of others.

How is Tiny Tim from A Christmas Carol (the film) considered an innocent youth?

Dickens' A Christmas Carol has been analyzed in a variety of ways through the years, and there are many movie versions.  However, the character of Tiny Tim is easy to see as representative of innocence in them all.  Dickens himself grew up in difficult circumstances, and through his hardship as a young man, it's easy to see how he would have come to view children as the innocent victims of society and humanity at that time.  Tiny Tim is the perfect example of a child born into the filth, disease and poverty of Victorian London.  Through no fault of his own, Tiny Tim is living in reduced circumstances and with an illness (likely caused by those circumstances), for which he is unable to gain treatment (due to his unearned poverty).  He is clearly "innocent" of any reason for his situation...as are many of that time and place (which Dickens is clearly attempting to point out through his writing). Furthermore, Dickens' story shows us the Ghost of Christmas Present who reveals the children named Innocence and Want.  The ghost warns Scrooge to beware the boy more, as on his forehead is written "doom". This could be seen as correlative to the male character of Tiny Tim.  In the end, Scrooge comes to realize that he (and perhaps society as a whole), is responsible for Tiny Tim (rather than Tiny Tim himself being culpable), and ultimately comes to his aid. 

Based on Rudyard Kipling's poem "If," how does his view on manhood relate or differ to society's view.

Rudyard Kipling was born in Bombay, India to English parents and lived from 1865-1936. His views on the difference between right and wrong differ tremendously in a society that is plagued by greed and ambition. Yet he also knows that such things exist and that every man (and woman) must come across certain struggles and trials in life. Society says that the quality of a man is in his bank account or based on the number of houses, cars, or businesses he owns. Society also says that it's a "dog-eat-dog" world, so a person should do anything he needs to in order to be successful. In a society that often claims that happiness is found only in money and success, Kipling's "If" presents a different analysis.

According the first and second stanzas of the poem, a man is someone who can be "lied about" without dealing in lies; "dream--and not make dreams [his] master;" or "meet with Triumph and Disaster" and not be fooled by either of them. Society might say that if someone lies about you, then you have the right to lie about him; if you have a dream, sacrifice others to accomplish it; and if you aren't triumphant, do whatever you can to take back what you think is yours.

Other examples of manhood in the last couple of stanzas from the poem include being able to lose everything and not let that condemn you to a poor attitude for the rest of your life. Society, on the other hand, may tell you to simply give up. Also, if a person can associate with crowds and not lose his own virtue or integrity because he is swayed by the popular thought, then he will be an honorable man. And if someone can go the full distance of any task, even if it is unforgiving, and finish it without complaining, he will be successful in character. Society, though, would say that it is alright to cut corners and do the minimum that is required because no one will know, or it doesn't matter anyway. For Kipling, it seems that the qualities he mentions above would bring a more satisfying and fulfilling life rather than what society says is best.

What are some of the internal conflicts in the short story "Through the Tunnel"?

Jerry's mother feels very conflicted in terms of how much freedom she should allow her eleven-year-old son. She would prefer to keep him with her on the safe beach, but she also realizes that she needs to allow him greater independence than she used to because he will require this freedom in order to learn how to operate in the world. She thinks, 

Of course he's old enough to be safe without me.  Have I been keeping him too close?  He mustn't feel he ought to be with me.  I must be careful [....].  She was determined to be neither possessive nor lacking in devotion.  She went worrying off to her beach.

On the one hand, she wants to protect Jerry from the world (and from himself and the possibility that he will make poor decisions). Such a concern seems justified given Jerry's decision to swim through the rock at all costs, a move which nearly kills him. On the other hand, Jerry's mother knows that a child his age needs freedom from her, and she "conscientiously worr[ies] over what amusements he might secretly be longing for which she had been too busy or too careless to imagine."  

Her internal conflict seems pretty typical of any parent of a child this age. Parents want so much to protect their children, but simultaneously realize that their children must experience independence in order to learn how to live in the world. 

Gradually over time, Yamaki's fear of gummy worms has disappeared. Disappearance of the conditioned response is known as what?

The gradual disappearance of a conditioned response is known as extinction. When extinction occurs, the bond between the stimulus and response, in the is case gummy worms and fear, is diminished or even extinguished. This can occur when gummy worms are presented in a manner that does not cause fear or causes less fear as the exposures continue.

Often, in a treatment plan to eliminate undesired responses or behaviors, an instructor or therapist will try to determine why a response or behavior exists. In this case, the person working with Yamaki would investigate the reasons he or she has a fear response towards gummy worms. Once the cause is isolated, a way of presenting the stimulus that will either not trigger the response or offer an alternative response can be used to lessen the association between the gummy worms and the fear.

If the desire is to increase fear of gummy worms, the opposite would be done. A secondary stimulus that would increase the fear towards gummy worms would need to be presented simultaneously each time the gummy worms were presented. This would recondition Yamaki to respond with fear towards the gummy worms. 

In Julius Caesar, what are Cassius' weaknesses and strengths?

Most round characters have several strengths and weaknesses. In Julius Caesar, Cassius is recognized as intelligent and convincing. On the other hand, his weaknesses include jealousy, a lack of scruples, and cowardice.

In act I, scene ii, Cassius strives to add Brutus to the conspiracy to assassinate Caesar, and he uses flattery to persuade the protagonist:

And it is very much lamented, Brutus,(60)
That you have no such mirrors as will turn
Your hidden worthiness into your eye
That you might see your shadow.

Throughout acts I and II he continues to employ such flattery, and later uses Brutus's love for Rome as the final push. He plants forged letters supposedly written by Roman citizens that ask Brutus to act against Caesar in order to save the republic. Ultimately, he convinces Brutus, who loves and respects Caesar, to become part of the murderous plot. Not only does he persuade Caesar's "loyal" friend, Cassius is also able to convince a large group of senators as well.

Cassius is also recognized as extremely intelligent. Even Caesar who dislikes him acknowledges that "yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look" (200). He is aware that Cassius "thinks too much" and that "such men are dangerous" (201). Caesar would rather surround himself with happy, fat men that sleep at night because this means that they are not scheming plans.

However, Cassius also has some negative traits. For example, he is obviously very jealous of Caesar. In act I, scene ii, he delivers two anecdotes in trying to discredit Caesar and stating that he dictator is weak. According to Cassius, he had to rescue Caesar once, so he does not understand why he has such power. He states, "It doth amaze me a man of such a feeble temper should so get the start of the majestic world" (135-136).

Cassius also shows a lack of scruples. In act IV, scene iii, we learn that Cassius is taking bribes and is asking Brutus to allow his friend to take to do the same. Brutus is upset that Cassius honors corruption and begins to question whether or not Cassius had good intentions in organizing Caesar's assassination:

What, shall one of us,
That struck the foremost man of all this world
But for supporting robbers, shall we now
Contaminate our fingers with base bribes...? (22-25)

Finally, in act V, scene iii, Cassius shows the reader that he is ultimately a coward. Instead of being captured and facing his punishment for killing Caesar, he chooses to take his own life. Even in suicide he is a coward because he orders his slave Pindarus to commit the act and asks him to wait until his master's face is covered and to use the sword "that ran through Caesar's bowels" (44). He could not face his punishment, could not face death with open eyes, and could not stab his own chest, demonstrating his excessive cowardice.

What does Pip's benefactor risk by coming to England?

In Chapter XXXIX, Magwitch tells Pip that he faces the death penalty if he is caught in England after having been transported to Australia for life. 

“I was sent for life. It's death to come back. There's been overmuch coming back of late years, and I should of a certainty be hanged if took.”

Then in Chapter XL, Magwitch again affirms that he faces death by hanging if he is caught in England.

“And so I swear it is Death,” said he, putting his pipe back in his mouth, “and Death by the rope, in the open street not fur from this, and it's serious that you should fully understand it to be so."

Although Pip tries to escape with Magwitch to the Continent, Magwitch is ultimately captured on the river by police who have been alerted by Magwitch's arch-enemy Compeyson. Magwitch is badly injured when he leaps aboard the pursuing galley and drags Compeyson into the river, where Compeyson drowns.

Magwitch is ultimately sentenced to death in Chapter LVI in spite of Pip's and Jaggers' efforts to save him, thus proving that Magwitch was correct in believing that he was risking his life in coming back to England to see the gentleman he had made with all his hard work in Australia. Magwitch escapes death by hanging when he succumbs to his injuries and dies peacefully in bed with Pip by his side. 

The scene in which Magwitch is sentenced to death provides a grim picture of what British justice was like in Dickens' time. There are thirty-two prisoners, including a number of women, who are all given the death sentence in one session. 

In The Metamorphosis, how does Kafka manipulate time to create tension?

At the beginning of Kafka's The Metamorphosis, Gregor wakes up and realizes that he has failed to hear the alarm, and so he is late. He must get up and go to work, for his family depends on him for their survival.

He saw the alarm clock over there, ticking on the chest of drawers. “Good God!” he thought. It was half past six, and the hands were going quietly on. It was past the half hour, almost quarter to seven. Shouldn't the alarm have sounded? One could see from the bed that it had been properly set for four o'clock. Certainly it had rung. And was it even possible for one to sleep quietly through the noise that made even the furniture shake?

Gregor is frantic about the time. He has overslept by two and a half hours. The idea of being late increases a sense of anxiety related to time. That feeling is heightened even more as Gregor describes the sound of the clock as something so loud that it makes "the furniture shake." A sense of urgency related to time is found again as Gregor tries to decide what he must do:

The next train left at seven o'clock. To catch that one, he would have to make a mad dash...

Using time, the mood of the story (in addition to the curiosity of Gregor's change into a giant insect) promotes a feeling of tension. At the beginning, references to time are precise. Time is a specific measure in Gregor's life. As he lies in bed, he bemoans the fact that he has no time to himself. In working so hard for his family, all of his time—and his very life—have been stolen away from him. He has been powerless to change it.

As the story goes on, Gregor begins to lose sense of the passage of time. Whereas it completely controlled his life at the start, the reader notices that with his advancing metamorphosis, the concept of time becomes unfamiliar to him. "Vague hopes" refer to things he once was concerned with, but the passing of time make these hopes distant and difficult to recapture. This seems to apply to all aspects of his life.

There he remained the whole night, part of which he spent dozing, always waking with a start because of his hunger, and another part of which he spent in worry and vague hopes…

A schedule of sorts is established, but specific times are not used: only generalizations in keeping with the activities of the family. Instead of a time, there is a general reference to “morning” and “after…lunch.”

In this manner, Gregor now received his food daily: Once in the morning while the parents and the maid still slept, and a second time after the common lunch…

At the story's outset, Gregor may refer time in minutes or hours, but soon he recognizes only days and, then, only months passing.

Once—a full month had already gone by since Gregor's transformation…

Other terms that vaguely refer to time can be found in the story:

Gregor's wish to see the mother was soon fulfilled. 

We have no specific referent point as to how long it takes for Gregor to see his mother; we know only that it happens “soon.”

Gregor fills his days climbing the walls, and the evenings listening to what he can of his family's activities. The alteration in his concept of time coincides with his growing disconnect from humanity. The days become an endless stream of Gregor's wandering about and casual wondering about his situation, but more so concerned about his family and their circumstances. 

Gregor is unable to maintain his grasp on time or the human world; and his family is also changing. His father has started to work again, and there is even some money the older man had hidden away when his business went under—money that could have eased Gregor's burden. But the knowledge of money was kept hidden from him, despite his struggles and sacrifices for his family. 

Kafka seems to use the element of time to promote Gregor's feeling of alienation, as well as a sense that the world is moving along at a rate with which Gregor can no longer keep up.

The physical changes in Gregor and his inability to provide support for them any more have widened the chasm between him and his family. The tension created by Gregor's inability to navigate time may well be used to prepare the reader for the ultimate separation—Gregor's death. Manipulating time in this way makes the reader feel that time is actually running out for Gregor, as he cannot measure it any longer. Making use of and living for time was once the thing that controlled every moment of every day of Gregor's life. Now, however, it moves steadily forward with little recognition of its passing and no chance of controlling it, not even to recognize it in connection to a clock.

Whereas time meant everything to Gregor at the start of the story, it has no hold over him now, for neither can he use time to measure what is required of him or calculate his accomplishments. Tension is created using time in that large chunks disappear, as well as those days when the family shared some connection. It creates tension as we realize Gregor has no time. While the family's circumstances change, Gregor's do not. Certainly there will be no accommodations made for Gregor. In having no time, and no time left, Gregor dies.