In Thank You M'am, what is unusual about Mrs. Jones's behavior?

When beginning to read Thank You M'am by Langston Hughes, the reader has certain expectations after reading that Mrs. Jones " kicked him right square in his blue-jeaned sitter." The reader is soon aware that Mrs. Jones will not tolerate bad behavior for any reason and she sets high standards. Accordingly, having stopped the boy and picked up her own purse, Mrs. Jones may be expected to take him straight to the police station, and the boy certainly fears just such a thing which is why he is so anxious to get away from her if possible. However, after the boy (Roger) tries to steal her purse, Mrs. Jones is more concerned about his dirty face and the fact that he looks hungry than her purse and his attempted theft.

Mrs. Jones's behavior reveals her social awareness and her propensity to consider Roger's position rather than her own. This is most unusual but Mrs. Jones's kindness does not stop at her ability to recognize Roger's vulnerability. She sets a fine example and even gives him the precious $10 he needs to buy the blue suede shoes he craves. It is particularly significant as Mrs. Jones is not a wealthy woman (as evidenced by her own circumstances) and parting with her hard-earned $10 will no doubt require sacrifice on her part. 

Mrs. Jones does not know Roger and she has no idea whether he will put her $10 to good use. She doesn't know whether he will learn his lesson but she hopes that her message is powerful enough to have a positive effect on the boy.  What is also unusual is that she makes no demands on Roger, expecting nothing in return for her kindness except to remind him to "behave."  

In The Old Man and the Sea, what is the connection or difference between suffering and being a man?

The theme of suffering and how that impacts manhood is prevalent in The Old Man and the Sea. Santiago has very definite ideas of what suffering should be to a man. The story shows different types of suffering, and different ways of dealing with that suffering as a man. The first example in the book of dealing with suffering stoically as a man is when the old man goes to wake up Manolin (the boy) on the 85th day. He apologizes for waking Manolin, who responds "Qua Va [something like "no worries"]. It is what a man must do." In their culture, a man does not suffer and complain about it.

The old man went out the door and the boy came after him. He was sleepy and the old man put his arm across his shoulders and said, “I am sorry.” “Qua Va,” the boy said. “It is what a man must do.”

Santiago has hooked his marlin and is tired and in pain. He does not admit his suffering, possibly not even recognizing it himself fully.

“Bad news for you, fish,” he said and shifted the line over the sacks that covered his shoulders. He was comfortable but suffering, although he did not admit the suffering at all.

In contrast, at the end of the story, Santiago admits his suffering in a moment of vulnerability to Manolin when he returns with the skeleton of the marlin.

Manolin: "How much did you suffer?”

“Plenty,” the old man said.

Santiago imagines that the marlin jumped out of the water as a sort of macho show of strength and manhood. He wishes he could return the gesture, but sees his cramped hand as a sign of emasculation.

I wonder why he jumped, the old man thought. He jumped almost as though to show me how big he was. I know now, anyway, he thought. I wish I could show him what sort of man I am. But then he would see the cramped hand. Let him think I am more man than I am and I will be so.

Santiago identifies suffering as part of being a man, as the following quote demonstrates. He sees his abilities as an extension of his manhood.

“I’ll kill him though,” he said. “In all his greatness and his glory.” Although it is unjust, he thought. But I will show him what a man can do and what a man endures.

Santiago sees DiMaggio's ability to perform even when in pain as a positive sign of manhood. He doubts his own ability to fight when he is in pain the way that cornered animals do, and looks up to their endurance. From here we see that he sees the ability to endure suffering as something very admirable.

I must have confidence and I must be worthy of the great DiMaggio who does all things perfectly even with the pain of the bone spur in his heel. What is a bone spur? he asked himself. Un espuela de hueso. We do not have them. Can it be as painful as the spur of a fighting cock in one’s heel? I do not think I could endure that or the loss of the eye and of both eyes and continue to fight as the fighting cocks do. Man is not much beside the great birds and beasts.

He tells himself that pain does not matter to a man to remind himself of his value of having the ability to struggle through his pain and get the job done, because pain does not matter to a man in his viewpoint.

After he judged that his right hand had been in the water long enough he took it out and looked at it. “It is not bad,” he said. “And pain does not matter to a man.”

The following quote is significant because it elaborates on the idea that not only does he believe that suffering is a part of being a man, there is a specific way for men to suffer. 

You are killing me, fish, the old man thought. But you have a right to. Never have I seen a greater, or more beautiful, or a calmer or more noble thing than you, brother. Come on and kill me. I do not care who kills who. Now you are getting confused in the head, he thought. You must keep your head clear. Keep your head clear and know how to suffer like a man. Or a fish, he thought.

How is Willy Loman a tragic Hero in a Death of a Salesman? Or, is he not?

It is has been debatable whether Willy is a tragic hero, or just a tragic character. However, what makes a character a "hero" are the potentially redeeming traits that may help the character serve a higher purpose, should the character learn to change. 

The redeeming qualities of Willy Loman are evident toward the end of his life, and after many tragic mistakes. Such mistakes constitute Willy's essential flaw, which is where the term "tragic" would come from; Willy is, essentially, his own enemy. 

Now that it is clear as to what makes him tragic, what are the redeeming qualities that would make him a hero?

First, Willy recognizes in the conversation with Bernard, Charley's son, that Biff's life changed the moment he (Biff) caught Willy with a mistress. This is something Willy had been denying to himself for years while blaming Biff for his own failures. Before this moment, Willy had never admitted his own influence in the downward spiral that has become Biff's life. 

Second, Willy is able to discern, also for the first time in his life, something other than the shallow end of things. While he does not mend his relationship with Biff, he is able to finally realize, toward the end, that their riff was caused, precisely, because of how much they once loved and admired one another.

Third, Willy realizes that all these years seeking for the superficial joys of life has rendered him quite poor. He has "no seeds" planted from which his kids can reap any profits. The sad scene where Willy tries to plant the seeds that he purchased  at the hardware store, right on his concrete floor, is a strong metaphor of his life: his eternal search for quick and easy money did not allow him to build upon what really mattered. 

Fourth, Willy decides that he can still make amends for his family. Unfortunately, the only way for this to happen, according to Willy, is by committing suicide; he feels that he can only help his family start over by removing himself and letting them cash in his life insurance policy. 

This latter fact is what seals Willy's status as a tragic hero: he is willing to end his life on behalf of his family after years of being selfish and self-centered. He has changed, and is desperate to redeem himself. His death will put an end to the endless years of wasted time and money that he has caused by dragging his family around, in search of an nonexistent dream. Therefore, Willy's entire life is his tragedy. The fact that he will make the ultimate sacrifice to make amends for what he has done to his family is what renders him a "hero" in the literary sense. 

How many children does Bob Cratchit have in A Christmas Carol?

Bob Cratchit and his wife have six children.  The eldest is Martha, who is old enough to have a job as an apprentice to a milliner.  She comes home late from work for Christmas dinner and her mother frets about the time.  The second oldest daughter is Belinda.  The oldest son is Peter.  He is also older, as his father discusses him getting a job in the near future.  Martha, Belinda, and Peter are all helpful in assisting with the preparation and serving of the special meal.  There are two younger children, a boy and a girl, whose names are not mentioned.  They are playful and they beg Martha to hide before their father gets home.  Last there is Tiny Tim, who is crippled.  He is well behaved and has a cheerful attitude.

What are three human foods that bacteria help produce?

Bacteria is very useful in producing food. In fact, bacteria helps in the production of all the produce, cereals, etc., by keeping the soil enriched with nutrients.

A specific example of this is seen with legumes (including lentils, peas, beans, soybeans, etc.) which are common protein rich food. These plants form a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil. The bacteria enrich these crops with nitrogen by fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere into a form usable by the plant.

Another example of bacteria used in food production is that of making yogurt (or curd). Lactobacilli are commonly used for this purpose throughout the world. Dried (and fermented) meat products such as salami, pepperoni, etc. are made by using starter cultures. For this purpose lactic bacteria are used, which add flavor and color to the dried meat. 

A large number of other examples especially from the dairy industry can also be used.

Hope this helps. 

How could you use the number and type of reactants to identify a type of chemical reaction?

There are six types of chemical reactions. Each type can usually be identified by the number and types of reactants:

1. A synthesis or combination reaction has two or more reactants, usually elements. These form one product. For example:

`2 Mg + O_2 -> 2 MgO`

2. A decompostion reaction has only one reactant. It breaks down into two or more products. Example:

`2 H_2O_2 -> 2 H_2O + O_2`

3. A single replacement reaction has two reactants, an element and an ionic compound. The element replaces an element in the compound, producing a different compound and element. Example:

`Zn + CuCl_2 -> ZnCl_2 + Cu`

4.  A double replacement reaction has two ionic compounds as reactants and as products. The ions switch places:

`NaCl_((aq)) + AgNO3_((aq)) -> AgCl_((s)) + NaCl_((aq))`

5. A combustion reaction has a hydrocarbon and oxygen as reactants. Its products are carbon dioxide and water. Example:

`CH_4 + 2 O_2 -gt CO_2 + 2 H_2O `

6. An acid-base reaction is a type of double replacement reaction in which the reactants are an acid (contains the H+ ion) and a base (contains an OH- ion). It produces water and a salt. Example:

`KOH + HCl -> H_2O + KCl` 

How people can be influenced by our different cultures?

Culture is multifaceted and includes our languages, architecture, work, food, artistic expression, religion, health practices, and beliefs about the world and ourselves. Even this list is not enough to sum up culture. Anthropologists like to say that anything not biological (and found in our DNA) is culture. Culture is constantly transmitted, and communicated: "passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next. ... [by] symbolic communication ... learned and deliberately perpetuated in a society through its institutions" (Texas A&M University).

Sometimes cultural change is very quick--think of how often slang terms change. Cultural change is generally very slow--think of how the styles of houses have changed over the past two thousand years.

Culture has a huge impact on humans because it shapes the lives we live. Perhaps the biggest impact culture has on humans is how it contributes to the health or sickness of our bodies. Beliefs about health and how to stay healthy differ from culture to culture. In general, we agree that people need adequate food, water, and shelter. Unfortunately, these aren't always available to people, partly due to another aspect of culture: economy. Economic systems can create or be influenced  by class systems. Where a class or caste system is in place, some people are valued as better than others, and these people live better, safer, healthier lives. 

You can think about this in your own life, too! What kinds of food does your family like to eat? Are these foods healthy? What kind of activities do you do for fun? What kind of house do you live in? What words would you use to describe your best friend? What kind of transportation do you use, and why do you choose this? These are all questions to do with how culture affects your life every day.

In "My Last Duchess," are there any references to physical gratification?

In a sense, the entire poem is about physical or sensual gratification. The Duke himself is very much of a sensualist. His descriptions of his dead wife focus on her external, physical self and he describes at length her glance and the blush of her cheeks. He describes the painter as asking the Duchess to rearrange the mantle on her wrist. Once the Duke and his visitor are finished looking at the portrait of the Duchess, they move on to look at a bronze sculpture of Neptune. The Duke, as an art collector, has an obvious and strong appreciation for artistic skill and the sensual beauty of art.

In his discussion of his wife, the Duke focuses on her outward appearance and behavior. There is no sense that he considered the living woman any differently than he viewed the portrait; he sees them both as possessions. He does not seem to have treated or understood his wife as an independent agent with thoughts or actually talked to her and tried to understand her views and feelings.

Although jealousy is a theme in the poem, it is more a matter of possessiveness than of love; the issue is not so much sexual misconduct as the Duchess acting as an individual human being rather than as an exclusive possession of her husband. There is no explicit sexual content in the poem.

In the poem, "Paul Revere's Ride", which details would probably not be found in a textbook?

The poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was not completely historically correct.  It gives the impression that Paul Revere made a solitary ride to warn the people that the British were about to attack.  The true fact is that he rode with two other people on that ride.  One was William Dawes, and the other was Dr. Samuel Prescott.  There is another poem written about William Dawes by Helen Moore titled, “The Midnight Ride of William Dawes.”

The event also happened on more than one night.  Revere met with Colonel Conent two days before the ride to arrange for the lanterns in the Old North Church.  The signals were not to go to Revere specifically, but to the Patriots in general. 

Finally, Paul Revere never made it to Concord.  In the poem it says,

“It was two by the village clock/When he came to the bridge in Concord town” (Stanza 10, lines 1-2)

He and William Dawes were captured and interrogated by the British.  The only person who made it to Concord was Dr. Samuel Prescott.  Revere and Dawes were later released, but they returned to Boston.  Check the site below for other myths of the poem, but these are your strongest points.

What are some white-leaved Senecio bicolor adaptations?

An adaptation is a mechanism that provides an organism a way to deal with existence in an environment that it would normally struggle in.  The use of color in the white-leafed Dusty Miller Senecio Cineraria may help it attract insects such as bees.  This would help facilitate pollination where it might not normally occur.  Dusty Miller is usually known as an ornamental plant with silvery-white velvet foliage.  This particular variety has yellow flowerets that blossom as the plant achieves maturity.

Senecio aureus, Golden Ragwort, is another member of the Senecio family that has yellow flowering blooms.  The blossoms this time more closely resemble those of the daisy in design, but with a golden middle from which petals radiate.  The stems are hairless with long oblate green foliage.  The blossoms may also be white or purple.

Finally, Senecio integerrimus, also known as White Groundsel, is another member of the Senecio family that has white blossoms.  The blossoms may range to yellow or purple, but usually are white.  The flowers act individually to cluster as a larger bloom together.  From a distance they resemble one large flower.

how did columbus voyages affect european exploration

First, let's be clear: He did not "discover" that the world was round. This, and the world's approximate size, were reasonably well-known since the 2nd Century BC. Sailors of the age (late Medieval) knew that there were riches to be gotten n China and India, but the journey around the horn of Africa was prohibitively long. Going West, around the globe, seemed like a bad idea, as no ship was large enough to stock the food and water needed for such a long journey.

Columbus tried it anyway. He thought Asia was a lot closer than others believed it was. When he found the Bahamas and the islands of the Caribbean, he thought he was in Asia. He didn't bring much gold back to Spain, but he did bring back evidence of a new, unknown continent. Instead of a months-long journey that would starve and kill any crew foolish enough to take it, Columbus' first trip across the Atlantic took a little more than a month. Other captains, knowing that a trip across the ocean could be done in that short a time, took the voyage without hesitation.

The  Americas were ready for plundering, and many ships (mostly from Spain at first) set out to loot the Americas for gold and bring it back to Spain. This created a new industry, Caribbean piracy, which focused on attacking and looting Spanish galleons.

Suddenly the world was smaller and its contents and dimensions were well known enough for European explorers to set out for all parts of it. Areas that had never encountered European sailors, or that had avoided frequent contact with them, were suddenly besieged for trade, plunder and colonization.

Why were European countries interested in exploring the New World?

The European countries had several reasons for wanting to explore the New World. One of them was for trade. The Europeans wanted to find a shorter trade route to Asia. There were people who believed that a shorter trade route could be found by sailing west. If they could find a shorter trade route, these countries would be able to benefit from the increased trade that would result. At times, it was difficult to trade using the land routes to Asia because of wars that were occurring.

The Europeans also hoped to find riches in the New World and claim this land for themselves. If they went to a land, they could claim the land for their country. They also could then mine any gold, silver, or other resource and bring it back home. Thus, exploration could have both political and financial benefits. The Europeans viewed exploration as a way to become stronger political and economically.

The Europeans also viewed the New World as a way to spread their religion and way of life. They believed the people of the New World needed to be civilized and shown how to live. The Europeans believed their way of life was superior. They believed they needed to spread their religious faith to these inferior people who needed divine guidance offered by the religious teachings that the Europeans followed.

The Europeans had many reasons for wanting to explore the New World.

How did Malcolm X eliminate prejudice and discrimination?

Malcolm X is considered to be a divisive figure by some. His politics were radical for the time. Even now, his views might be considered too separatist, militaristic, or theological for mainstream acceptance. However, despite his radical stance on a number of issues, Malcolm X also stands as a figure that united people across various differences, including racial and religious differences.

Malcolm X helped to reduce prejudice and discrimination by speaking out against racial injustice. While he did not invest as much time as other leaders in formulating programmatic initiatives or solutions, he spearheaded the Black Nationalist movement and articulated its ideological foundation. Malcolm X was a highly effective social leader and was able to mobilize communities to an unprecedented degree of engagement. He founded several organizations of his own, including Muslim Mosque, Inc. and the Organization of Afro-American Unity. These organizations both mobilized and united the African-American community, and put social and political pressure on white American leaders to change racial politics in America. 

What evidence suggests that Jem is the hero of To Kill a Mockingbird?

There is evidence throughout the text that suggest Jem Finch is the hero of the novel. In Chapter 1, Jem is the first person to run into the Radley yard and touch the house. This scene portrays Jem's courage and his ability to overcome adversity. All the children fear Boo Radley, the "malevolent phantom" who secludes himself inside his house all day. When Dill dares Jem, he accepts the challenge and overcomes his fears.

Later on in the novel, Jem loses his temper and smashes Mrs. Dubose's camellia bush. As punishment, Jem is forced to read to her every day after school, including Saturdays. Unknowingly, Jem helps Mrs. Dubose break her morphine addiction. Jem's reading distracts Mrs. Dubose long enough to extend the periods of time between taking her medication. Jem saves Mrs. Dubose from dying as a morphine addict.

In Chapter 15, the Old Sarum bunch arrive at Tom Robinson's jail cell and attempt to harm him. Jem fears for his father's safety and leaves the house to check up on Atticus. Jem arrives just as the mob surrounds Atticus. Jem refuses to leave his father's presence. This is yet another scene that displays Jem's courage. Eventually, Walter Cunningham tells his men to leave, and Atticus is safe. If it were not for Jem leaving the house, both Tom Robinson and Atticus could have been in grave danger. Jem saves Tom Robinson's life before the trial because of his courageous decision to stay outside of the jailhouse, even when Atticus told him to go home.

I have to write an essay on the importance of decisions in the play Othello. I have come up with three ideas for body paragraphs: deciding,...

When reading the play "Othello" and looking at the idea of decisions, I think it might be better to examine why decisions were made by certain characters, the actions taken as a result of those decisions, and the repercussions of those choices. Planning such an essay, you could look at Iago and why he felt the need to take down Othello (Iago's superiority complex, his belief that Othello treated him badly, his desire for power), his plan to do this, and what happened as a result. Same thing goes for Othello's choice to kill Desdemona, including everything leading up to that choice. You could also look at Emelia's final choice to turn Iago in—what pushed her in the end to finally assert herself and stand up to him. The thesis could be the exploration of the characters and why they did what they did. 

List at least 5 details that strike you as ominous in the paragraph beginning, "In January there came bitterly hard weather," in chapter 5 of...

The word ominous refers to something that gives the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen. There is a number of phrases or sentences which have a threatening ring about them. The first is:

It had come to be accepted that the pigs, who were manifestly cleverer than the other animals, should decide all questions of farm policy,...

The decision to give the pigs so much power turns out to be a huge mistake. They soon begin to abuse their authority and grant themselves privileges whilst the other animals were forced to make do with the little they had. This is clearly illustrated when the pigs, for example, claim the milk and windfall apples for their exclusive use. They also adjust the commandments to suit them, whilst denying the other animals similar privileges. The state of affairs degenerates to such an extent that the other animals are later worse off than they had been even in Jones's time.

This arrangement would have worked well enough if it had not been for the disputes between Snowball and Napoleon. These two disagreed at every point where disagreement was possible.

What makes this reference forbidding is the fact that the arguments between the two suggest that one of the two will either have to sacrifice or do something to ensure the success of the farm since constant argument and dispute would ruin its smooth running and, therefore, its success. In the end, it is the sly and malicious Napoleon who prevails. He manages to expel Snowball from the farm later by using the dogs he had removed and secretly raised.

... there were some violent debates.

The reference to violence has a sinister ring to it and predicts the terrible violence that Napoleon exerts on the general animal public once Snowball has been expelled. He has the animals slaughtered for opposing him and for secretly assisting Snowball during his secret visitations to the farm. In essence, he purges the farm of those who he believes are a threat, such as the four porkers who had complained about the Sunday Meetings being abolished. They confessed to having assisted Snowball and their throats were viciously torn out by Napoleon's dogs. Many other animals came forward to confess and were immediately slain. This violence unnerved and scared the animals and was a statement by Napoleon that he would not tolerate any challenge. His brutal savagery emphasized the tyranny he would employ.

... Napoleon was better at canvassing support for himself in between times. He was especially successful with the sheep. 

This extract indicates Napoleon's secretive and pernicious nature and his wilful desire to dominate and manipulate. He would, throughout the novel, use the sheep to silence the other animals whenever they wanted to speak up. The sheep would, at appropriate occasions, bleat continuously, "Four legs good, two legs bad," which would be later changed to, "Four legs good, two legs better," when the pigs started walking on their hind legs.

Napoleon produced no schemes of his own, but said quietly that Snowball's would come to nothing, and seemed to be biding his time.

This is probably the most ominous of the quotes because it clearly illustrates Napoleon's intent. He seemed to be waiting for an opportunity to gain power and assert his authority. When this happens later, after Snowball's expulsion, Napoleon proves just how ruthless he is. He and the pigs disobey every single commandment and alter them to suit their purpose. Eventually, the pigs become even more ruthless than their erstwhile masters. They adopt human habits and start walking on their hind legs. In the end, the distinction between human and pig is completely blurred, so much so, that the animals could not say which was which.

Events on the farm had gone full circle. The animals were exactly where they had been before the Rebellion, with two major distinctions: they were much worse off and their oppressors were of their own kind.  

What were the two most important reasons why the communists won the Vietnam War.?

There were reasons why North Vietnam and the communists won the Vietnam War. One reason was the United States was not prepared for fighting a guerilla-style war. We knew how to fight a war where armies met on a battlefield. We had minimal experience fighting a war where the enemy attacks at night, hides in thick jungle bushes, has hidden traps and uses surprise attacks. In order to win the war, we would have had to double our troop size, but that wasn’t politically possible because of the growing opposition to the Vietnam War in our country. The tactics used by the communists meant the war would be a long one. This was something the American public wouldn’t support.

Another reason the communists won the Vietnam War was they were prepared for a long and deadly conflict. They believed the country should have been communist back in 1956. However, since South Vietnam wouldn’t allow the elections, the North Vietnamese believed they had control of the country stolen from them. Thus, North Vietnam was prepared to fight for as long as it would take to seize control of the country. They were totally committed to war. This wasn't the case with the American public. North Vietnam also benefitted by having many people in South Vietnam support them. There were reasons why North Vietnam and the communists won the Vietnam War.

What makes George Orwell important?

George Orwell (1903-1950) is important because he was an author who made significant contributions to literature during his short lifetime. Orwell wrote six novels, four documentary studies, and hundreds of essays in which he demonstrated his unique imagination as well as his incredible talent for writing prose. He is most well known for two of his novels, 1984 and Animal Farm, both of which continue to inspire readers even after Orwell's death. 

It can be said that Orwell influenced writing styles with his clear and simplistic style of prose. He wrote, "Good prose is like a windowpane. It hides nothing." (Rossi) This quote encompasses Orwell's attitude toward his precise style of writing. 

Orwell is also known for the attention-grabbing first sentences of his literary works. He is able to grab the reader's attention with his catchy first sentences, and keep his reader's interest with his clear style of writing. 

Even sixty years after his death, Orwell remains a prominent figure in the world of literature. Many of his works are still being printed today so that they can be read and enjoyed by many people. 

How is Jane Eyre independent? Please provide specific examples.

In Jane Eyre, we get the first glimpse of Jane's independent spirit when she protests her cruel treatment at the hands of her aunt in Chapter 4:

"I will never call you aunt again...I will say the very thought of you makes me sick, and that you treated me with miserable cruelty."

After this outburst, Jane experiences a sense of liberation: "My soul began to expand, to exult with the strangest sense of freedom." This feeling encourages her sense of independence to blossom and paves the way for many more instances, beginning next with Jane's departure from Lowood School and acceptance of the position of governess at Thornfield Hall, in Chapter 10.

It is at Thornfield, in her relationship with Mr Rochester, that we see Jane's independent spirit truly flourish. Part of the reason for this is that Rochester does not treat Jane as his inferior; he grows to love her and views her as his equal, despite their differences in social class and wealth. When Rochester proposes marriage, for example, in Chapter 23, Jane is so stunned that she believes he is mocking her. This prompts a strong independent reaction:

"I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will, which I now exert to leave you."

While Jane accepts his proposal, the discovery of his secret wife, Bertha, prompts her to leave Thornfield. But it is her independence which reunites the couple later on: Jane rejects St John's proposal of marriage and asserts her need for emotional fulfillment by returning, for the final time, to Rochester at Thornfield Hall.

In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, what does Romeo think will be better than banishment?

The answer to this question can be found in Act Three, Scene Two of Romeo and Juliet. When the Friar tells Romeo that the Prince has given him the sentence of banishment instead of death for the murder of Tybalt (as Lady Capulet in particular had demanded), Romeo responds by saying "exile hath more terror in his look, much more than death." In other words, he would prefer, he says, death to banishment. He is, in fact, hysterical over the prospect, saying that the world outside Verona is "purgatory, torture, hell itself." Of course, his grief really stems from the knowledge that he will be separated from his new wife, Juliet, as he makes clear:

Heaven is here,
Where Juliet lives; and every cat and dog
And little mouse, every unworthy thing,
Live here in heaven and may look on her;
But Romeo may not.

The Friar thinks this is madness, and that Romeo should be grateful to have received what he regards as a fairly lenient sentence. He bitterly chastises the weeping Romeo, telling him that all is not lost. Assuring him that he will come up with a plan to bring the couple together, he tells him to visit Juliet before departing the town. His plan, of course, will not come to fruition, as the audience has known since the Prologue. Romeo's banishment will result in his death as well as that of his beloved Juliet.

How does Much Ado About Nothing show how significant events affect and determine one's destiny in a love relationship?

Love in Much Ado About Nothing is both precarious and enduring. On the one hand, significant events upset the romantic relationships. The lovers almost do not end up together. On the other hand, the relationships eventually unite harmoniously. For example, Hero and Claudio liked one another before he left for war. It is only after Claudio returns that he can feel “thronging soft and delicate desires” instead of focusing merely on war. War is one circumstance that might have prevented Claudio and Hero from ever getting together. If Claudio had died, their feelings would never have developed.

Then Claudio is too nervous to woo Hero for himself. If Don Pedro had not helped him, perhaps he would not have mustered up the courage to ask for her hand in marriage. Claudio and Hero’s wedding is a crisis that nearly destroys their relationship. Claudio, who falsely believes Hero has been unfaithful, publicly shames her. This disaster is overcome because Hero’s innocence is proven and Claudio expresses sufficient penance to please Hero’s father. This romantic journey was clearly hazardous, but, in the end, Hero and Claudio must have been destined for marriage and love.

Beatrice and Benedick also face many challenges on their way to love. If it weren’t for meddling friends, their pride and mutual antagonism would have blocked any romance before it even started. They also have a difficult time when Claudio slanders Hero, Beatrice’s cousin. She sides with Hero, and he reluctantly takes her side, agreeing to duel his friend. Still, in the end, Beatrice and Benedick admit their love for one another. In the play, love is both delicate and powerful.

What was Marx's view on capitalism?

Marx viewed the industrial capitalism that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century as the final stage in economic development, one that would become so efficient at exploiting the labor of workers that it would eventually lead to worldwide revolution and the establishment of a communist, classless society.

In his famous Communist Manifesto of 1848, Marx argued that the rise of capitalism had smashed older, more traditional forms of production, and created two mutually antagonistic social classes, the bourgeoisie (capitalists) and the proletariat (working class). His massive opus Das Kapital was a thorough indictment of capitalism, one which is perhaps most famous for his theory of the "surplus value of labor," the difference between the cost of labor (i.e., wages) and the value of labor (i.e., the value of the things workers produce). This, Marx thought, was at the heart of capitalism, which was therefore built upon an unjust foundation. Capitalism

reproduces and perpetuates the condition for exploiting the labourer. It incessantly forces labourers to sell their labour-power in order to live, and enables the capitalist to purchase labour-power in order that he may enrich himself.

So capitalism, according to Marx, was inherently exploitative of workers. He also thought that it was always aggressive--the bourgeoisie was always seeking new markets for manufactured goods, and cheaper means of producing them. Marx thought this was unsustainable, that the success of capitalism would eventually cause it to collapse under its own weight by creating a class of workers, the proletariat, who would rise up to destroy it and create a system where they could receive the value of their own labor.

What important decision does Montag make in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury?

Montag is a fireman. It's his job to burn books and the houses of people who own them. Out of curiosity, he steals a few books to look at, but he never thinks to stop being a fireman until after two events: meeting a girl named Clarisse who challenges his state of thinking, and watching a woman burn herself to death rather than live without her books. After witnessing the woman's suicide and discovering Clarisse might be dead, Montag takes a sick day from work. Montag doesn't feel like going to work because he is conflicted by the horrible realities of the society in which he lives. The decision that he must make at this point is to return to work and act as if he never met Clarisse or witnessed the woman's suicide; or, quit his job and turn to books for answers to what he feels he is missing from his life. As he is debating on what to do, Montag says to his wife:

"It's only a step from not going to work today to not working tomorrow, to not working at the firehouse ever again. . . I haven't decided. Right now I've got an awful feeling I want to smash things and kill things" (64).

Unfortunately, the decision doesn't remain as simple as just quitting his job. As the plot builds and Montag meets with Faber about his problems, Montag and Faber come up with the idea to take on the firemen, and society's system of justice, by planting books in firemen's houses. If firemen start losing their homes because of books, then maybe it would upset the system and start a new way of thinking about society. This second decision Montag makes solidifies the first. Once Montag makes this choice to actively go against the firemen, the plan is for him to go back to work so he can secretly plant books in their houses. Therefore, the important decision that Montag makes is to go against his work and society in an effort to change things. The plan doesn't really have a chance to be played out to fruition, but the fact that he makes these choices separates him from his job, his wife, and society.

When I plug my vacuum in, the power in the living room turns off. Is it the vacuum or am I overloading the circuit?

You will need to do more investigation to know whether the vacuum itself is to blame or if the circuit is overloaded. 

Try unplugging some of the other appliances currently connected to the living room circuit. This will decrease the load on the circuit. If you can now use the vacuum without problems you can surmise that the circuit was merely overloaded. If the circuit still blows, try the next step.

Unplug everything else from the living room circuit and try the vacuum. If the circuit blows it is likely that the vacuum is damaged and causing the ground fault interrupter to flip. You may, however, want to try this in another room as well, to make certain the fault is actually in the vacuum and not the electrical outlet itself.

How does Dickens present the importance of family in A Christmas Carol?

Charles Dickens shows family in an overall positive light.  When Scrooge looks at his past, he sees the joy in Fan's face when she tells him that their father has changed into a kinder and gentler man.  Fan tells young Scrooge that she has arrived to take him home so that they can be a family again.  Then Scrooge sees Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig and the joy of their marriage.  

Later, Scrooge gazes upon the Cratchit family.  Though they are poor, they are a happy and loving family.  They have little food and live in a shabby house, but they care for one another and focus on their blessings in life.  Scrooge observes his nephew, Fred, and how much he loves his wife.  Even later when Scrooge visits the Cratchit family after the death of Tiny Tim, he observes a loving family who remembers their departed son with tenderness.

What awards was Trenton Lee Stewart given?

Novelist Trenton Lee Stewart is known as the author of the famous young adult The Mysterious Benedict Society series. Besides his novels, he has also been published in including the Shenandoah, the Virginia Quarterly Review, the Georgia Review and the New England Review. He has also won the following awards, most of which are based in Arkansas:

2007: Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth award.

2007: Notable Children's Books award.

2008: Porter Prize, an annual award to a writer from Arkansas.

2008: Booker Worthen Literary Prize, again an award for a writer from Arkansas.

2013: Texas Lone Star Books award.

Three of his books were on The New York Times bestseller list, The Mysterious Benedict Society, which stayed on the list for over a year, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey, and the third book of the trilogy, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma.

How do the two songs at the end represent the characters and character progression?

The two songs at the end of "Two Kinds" are called "Pleading Child" and "Perfectly Contented." During the story, Jing-mei is pleading with her mother for her mother to love her for who she is, not for some prodigy that she might become. Jing-mei's mother fails to hear the pleading for unconditional love that emanates from her daughter; instead, she expects obedience. This leads to a confrontation where Jing-mei lashes out at her mother with cruel and hurtful words. Jing-mei's mother is stunned, but she never understands how she has hurt Jing-mei. Even years later, when Jing-mei is an adult, her mother tries to give her the piano as a way of a peace offering between them. Still, she ends up insulting Jing-mei again with the words, "You could been genius if you want to. ... You just not trying."

Years before, however, while she was still a child, Jing-mei realized that if she was ever going to be happy, she was going to have to rebel against her mother's drive to turn her into someone she was not. She decided that if she could not have her mother's unconditional love, she would nevertheless be true to herself. She begins that process when she takes advantage of Mr. Chong's hearing loss to not pursue her piano practices conscientiously. After embarrassing herself and her mother at the talent show, she refuses to practice anymore, and in asserting herself, she feels "as if my true self had finally emerged." Summarizing her years of schooling, she explains her conclusion that "I could only be me." She has come to believe that she must satisfy herself and not others if she wants to be "Perfectly Contented." 

In reflecting on the fact that both pieces of music were "two halves of the same song," the narrator suggests that she had to pass through the pleading child phase, including her rebellion against her mother, to arrive at a place where she was happy with herself, where as an adult she was able to be "perfectly contented." 

How did Dimmesdale respond to Pearl's question in The Scarlet Letter?

In The Scarlet Letter, the most important exchange of information that occurs between Pearl and her (unbeknownst to her) father, Reverend Dimmesdale, takes place in chapter 12, "The Minister's Vigil".

During this chapter, Dimmesdale walks toward the scaffold where Hester stood the first time around, seven years earlier. He realizes that he should have been there standing with her back then. He is filled with guilt and anger, and he cries really loud in a sign of desperation. His cries are seldom heard, and the night goes on, as usual.  

Hester and Pearl are nearby. Hester was tending the deathbed of Governor Winthrop and, upon leaving, crosses the scaffold and finds Dimmesdale there. This is one of the rare occasions where the triad of Dimmesdale-Hester-Pearl are alone, together. It is also an even rarer occasion, because, they embrace in a way that the author describes as "electric". This is an allusion to the fact that maybe for once, the three have finally connected at a higher level. 

In a somewhat anticlimactic moment, Pearl asks whether Dimmesdale will also stand with them on the scaffold the next day at noontide, and will he also hold their hand the way that he is doing now. 

Wilt thou stand here with mother and me, to-morrow noontide?” inquired Pearl.

To which Dimmesdale responds,

“Nay; not so, my little Pearl!”  “Not so, my child. I shall, indeed, stand with thy mother and thee one other day, but not to-morrow!”

The reason why this is an anticlimactic response is because the reader would have expected Dimmesdale to have arisen to some degree of dignity, accepting, for once and for all, what he did by admitting to the villagers that he had been living a lie. 

However, Hawthorne is consistent in his characterization of Dimmesdale as a coward, and this is evident when he describes the reason why Dimmesdale responds like that to Pearl:

...the new energy of the moment, all the dread of public exposure, that had so long been the anguish of his life, had returned upon him; and he was already trembling at the conjunction in which—with a strange joy, nevertheless—he now found himself.

Hence, here we find Dimmesdale, yet again, in his response to Pearl, denying his sin and going back to a life of hypocrisy and lying. His public persona continues to matter to him more than anything else. 

What are the speaker and context for "Fair is foul and foul is fair" in Macbeth? What is the explanation?

The witches speak this line, in the first scene of the play. They have just announced their intention to "meet again," specifically with Macbeth, after the "battle's lost and won." We do not know what they have planned, but we can tell that they do not mean well, and that their meeting with Macbeth portends great evil. They fly away through a storm, chanting the rhyme mentioned in the question. This sets the stage for the play in an important way. The idea that things are not as they appear--that what appears to be fair is actually foul--is a running theme in the play. Macbeth's apparent loyalty to Duncan disguises his treachery, his ascent to the throne is built upon the murder of a most fair monarch, and Lady Macbeth casts aside her femininity--an act that would have been viewed as "foul" to Shakespeare's audiences--to plot the murder of Duncan. Moreover, the witches themselves offer up prophecies that seem very good for Macbeth, but are in fact ruinous.

What is Max's opinion of Kevin?

The answer to this question depends on where you are in the novel. For example, Max feels differently about Kevin when he first meets him in daycare as opposed to the end of the novel when Max desires to immortalize his best friend.

At the beginning of the novel, we hear about a memory of Max during his first years of daycare. Max is the bully at school and nicknamed “Kicker” because he would “boot” anyone who touched him. Max is intrigued by Kevin, though. Max does not bully Kevin for a couple of reasons. At this point, Max’s opinion of Kevin is that he is crippled; therefore, it would be inappropriate to bully him. Max also has at least a slight interest in Kevin because he creatively calls himself “Robot Man” because he has “shiny braces strapped to his crooked legs.”

Max’s respect for Kevin grows and grows until the end of the novel when Kevin passes away from his condition. Because of Kevin, Max has gained self-confidence. In fact, Max has enough confidence in himself to immortalize his best friend, Kevin, by writing down the stories of their adventures.

In the short story, "The Sniper", do you feel the sniper's opinion about war has changed from the beginning of the story to the end of the story?

The sniper’s opinion of war has definitely changed. O’Flaherty tells the reader that the sniper had,

“…..the eyes of a man who is used to looking at death.” (pg 1)

 At the beginning of the story, the sniper is tired, hungry, and anxious to get off that rooftop.  He knows that if he lights his cigarette, the light might give away his position.  But he doesn't care.  He is tired of playing the game, and he is starting to get careless.

“He paused for a moment, considering whether he should risk a smoke.  It was dangerous.  The flash might be seen in the darkness, and there were enemies watching.  He decided to take the risk.” (pg 1)

After he shoots the enemy and watches the body fall to the ground, he shudders.  This is not the reaction of someone who is “used to looking at death.” (pg 1)

“The lust of battle died in him.  He became bitten by remorse…..he revolted from the sight of the shattered mass of his dead enemy.  His teeth chattered, he began to gibber to himself, cursing the war, cursing himself, cursing everybody.” (pg 2)

He looks at the revolver in his hand, the revolver that shot that enemy, and throws it to the ground.  It accidently goes off, just missing him, but shocking him back to reality.  However, reality really hit him when he turned over the body of his enemy lying in the street.  It was his own brother.  He was already sick of war to the point that he was having physical reactions to death, but to know that he had killed his own brother would definitely change his opinion of war.

What reason do Tom and Huck each have for fearing they will go to the Devil and not to heaven?

Interesting question! In the book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, superstition influences Tom and Huck. Consequently, the boys evaluate where they will go after they pass away.

Because of their superstitious beliefs, Tom and Huck fear that they will soon pass away. After Tom and Huck visit a graveyard, a stray dog howls nearby, which incites their superstitious-based conversation. Consequently, Tom and Huck begin discussing where they will go when they pass away. They both agree that they have done too many bad things to go to heaven.

According to Tom, he will not go to heaven. He states that he could have been better and more like Sid. He purposefully chose not to obey and be like Sid. As the text reveals, he believes that he will not go to heaven because he frequently is:

“playing hookey and doing everything a feller’s told NOT to do”

Huck also believes he will not go to heaven. In Huck’s mind, Tom has a much better chance of going to heaven than him. According to Huck,

“I reckon there ain’t no mistake ‘bout where I’LL go to. I been so wicked.”

Thus, both of the boys beliefs are impacted by superstition. After this event, they fear that they will go to hell due to their misbehaviors and wickedness.

Why did Aunt Clara give Lennie a rubber mouse in Of Mice and Men?

In John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men Lennie is portrayed as being mentally challenged. Throughout the course of the novel he's called "nuts," "dumb bastard" and "crazy as a wedge." He is also a very large man who often doesn't know his own strength. In the fight with Curley, it takes several men to pull Lennie away after crushing Curley's hand. 

Lennie also has an obsession with "petting" soft things. At the beginning of the novel he is carrying a dead mouse which he strokes with his fingers while he and George are walking. He hopes to one day "tend rabbits" so he will have many animals to pet. He tells Curley's wife in chapter five,

“I like to pet nice things. Once at a fair I seen some of them long-hair rabbits. An’ they was nice, you bet. Sometimes I’ve even pet mice, but not when I couldn’t get nothing better...I like to pet nice things with my fingers, sof’ things.” 

Unfortunately, he is deadly toward the animals he comes into contact with, including the puppy Slim gives him. When he was young his Aunt Clara gave him a rubber mouse to pet because he couldn't kill it. But Lennie didn't like the feel of the replacement. He craved something soft. George says in chapter one, 

“The hell with the rabbits. An’ you ain’t to be trusted with no live mice. Your Aunt Clara give you a rubber mouse and you wouldn’t have nothing to do with it.” 

But Lennie explains, “It wasn’t no good to pet.” 

What are some examples of metaphors in Act II, Scene II of Romeo and Juliet?

In the infamous balcony scene of Romeo and Juliet, a number of metaphors emerge. A metaphor is when two seemingly unlike things are being compared in order to reveal something about the subject.

Upon seeing Juliet in the window, Romeo says:

But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.

Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,

Who is already sick and pale with grief,

That thou her maid are far more fair than she:

Be not her maid, since she is envious;

Her vestal livery is but sick and green

And none but fools do wear it; cast if off.

In this example, the word Juliet is being compared to the sun. Romeo arrived to her balcony late in the evening, but (figuratively) it’s no longer dark outside since Juliet is full of light. If she were to come out or “arise,” the moon would no longer be out. Romeo then describes how the moon is jealous of Juliet since she is prettier than it.

Once Romeo reveals himself to Juliet and attempts to swear his love to her, she cautions him:

I have no joy of this contract to-night:

It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden;

Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be

Ere one can say ‘It lightens.’ Sweet, good night!

This bud of love, by summer’s ripening breath,

May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.

In this example, there is both an example of a simile and a metaphor. As Romeo pushes to swear his love to her, she stops him and compares his words or “contract” to “lightning.” She worries that his words are like lightning, meaning they will come and go fast and not really mean anything. She then refers to their love as a “bud.” She uses this metaphor in order to slow down their relationship, expressing that the bud will grow into a flower; in other words, their entire relationship doesn’t need to develop that night - it can develop over time.

Two vertices of an equilateral triangle are (a,-a) and (-a,a). Find the third.

Hello!

An equilateral triangle, by definition, has all three sides of equal lengths.

For two points with the coordinates `(x_1,y_1)` and `(x_2,y_2)` the distance between them is

`d=sqrt((x_1-x_2)^2+(y_1-y_2)^2).`

The length of the given side is `sqrt((2a)^2+(-2a)^2)=2|a|sqrt(2).`

Denote the third point coordinates as `x` and `y,` then the lengths of the other side are

`d_1^2=sqrt((x-a)^2+(y+a)^2)` and `d_2^2=sqrt((x+a)^2+(y-a)^2).`

And `d_1=d_2=2|a|sqrt(2).` This gives us the system of two equations with two variables.

Both sides of both equations are nonnegative, so we can square both equations and will obtain

`8a^2=x^2-2ax+a^2+y^2+2ay+a^2,`
`8a^2=x^2+2ax+a^2+y^2-2ay+a^2.`

Subtract the first from the second and obtain

`0=4ax-4ay,` or `x=y` (if `a!=0`).

Now substitute this into the first equation and obtain

`8a^2=2x^2+2a^2,` or `x^2=3a^2,` or `x=+-|a|sqrt(3).`

So for `a!=0` there are two solutions, `(|a|sqrt(3),|a|sqrt(3))` and `(-|a|sqrt(3),-|a|sqrt(3)).`

For `a=0` the only solution is `(0,0).`

Does Harper Lee write Bob Ewell in a manner that makes it possible to empathize with him?

Personally?  No, Harper Lee did not write Bob Ewell in a way that makes me able to empathize with him.  I'm sure that there are some readers that have read To Kill a Mockingbird and very much empathize with him.  I would assume those readers are in similar life situations as Bob Ewell himself.  If I go with that, then I would have to answer yes to your question.  Yes, Lee wrote Ewell in a manner that makes it possible for at least one person to empathize with him in some way. 

But like I said at first, no I don't empathize with Bob Ewell.  I don't think most readers empathize with him either. He's a lazy, bigoted drunk.  He gets pleasure from being a jerk to just about everybody.  He's even a snot to his own lawyer.  

Mr. Ewell was Mr. Gilmer's witness, and he had no business being rude to him of all people.

"Are you the father of Mayella Ewell?" was the next question.

"Well, if I ain't I can't do nothing about it now, her ma's dead," was the answer.

Personally, laziness is one of my biggest pet peeves.  I can't stand to see it in the athletes that I coach.  I can't stand to see it in the students that I teach.  I know exactly how hard I had to work to get to where I am in life, and it wasn't easy, and it for sure wasn't handed to me.  So when I see that Bob Ewell is treated as a trashy outcast of Maycomb because of his lazy drunkenness, I don't have any pity for him. 

Do the hunters see Ralph as a leader in Golding's Lord of the Flies?

To answer this, we should look at what we might consider to be evidence of a character being viewed as a leader;

• They can be specifically acclaimed as a leader, essentially by another character saying "You're our leader."


• Their leadership, however we define it, is acknowledged through obedience and action.


• They are appealed to for their leadership, such as arbitration in an argument.

The hunters vacillate between seeing Ralph as a leader, and seeing Jack as a leader. They don't seem willing to speak out against either person except through omission or anonymity. For example, during the first election, it's pretty clear that the choir boys (soon to be hunters) don't actually want Jack as their chief, and they only vote for him under the threat of his immediate attention, and they applaud Ralph's election. Later, when Jack calls for Ralph to be ousted, none of the boys vote for it. Likewise, they speak against Ralph during the assembly in Chapter 5, but mostly by shouting or muttering protests against Ralph's rules. 

Furthermore, the hunters don't show nearly as much enthusiasm for their responsibilities as Jack himself does, and Jack isn't a very good hunter at first. The fact that Jack is easily the most capable of them doesn't bode very well for the skills of the rest. At first, the hunters are mostly a liability because they not only lack skill, but they lack motivation to prove themselves in the way that Jack does; instead, they abandon their duties and go swimming. Nevertheless, they want to enjoy the honor of being called hunters too, relying on this title and its presumed importance to defend themselves against Ralph's criticism. 

Thus, we can probably say that most of the hunters don't really see Ralph as a real leader; they are simply too passive-aggressive to assert what they really want, and they follow whomever compels their obedience in the manner they most respond to. At the beginning of the story, they are eager to shrug off Jack's leadership because they see it as bullying, but by the end of the story they're eager for his leadership because he enforces his will with tangible punishments and rewards.

What are similarities between Macbeth and Jack from Lord of the Flies in the means of character development?

The two characters in your question bear striking similarities in terms of how they react psychologically to their respective situations. Both become despots as a result of obtaining power and letting the desire for power change their nature. There are naturally differences between them as well due to setting and other factors such as the age of each character. But both characters are examples of the saying that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Macbeth had merely been a lord and military man prior to the events that take place in the Macbeth play. After the witches plant the idea in his head that he may be destined for king status, Macbeth mentions this to his wife. Lady Macbeth's greed and desire to achieve royal status causes her to drive Macbeth into treacherous deeds in order to make the kingship available. Macbeth himself had not originally aspired to this. But once he was made king, he became paranoid because he had first-hand knowledge of what a person might do to a king if one wanted to usurp the king's job. The paranoia in turn made Macbeth cruel. He could no longer trust former friends, and being king took on a new level of importance to him. As a preventative measure, anyone who might also be seeking the throne or whose descendants were potentially destined to have the throne had to be killed. As a punitive measure, he even arranged the deaths of the innocent people in Lord Macduff's house. This last action shows the extreme change in his personality that has occurred since the beginning of the play. He is no longer a respected member of the noble circle in which he had been, but now a feared, hated, mentally unstable tyrant.

A similar transformation occurs in Jack from Lord of the Flies. At the beginning of the novel when Jack first appears he is leading a small group of his fellow choir boys. He has had some limited leadership experience in his role within the choir. Now faced with a frightening situation in which all authority figures above himself are absent, Jack's method of dealing with it is to act like a sort of captain to any boys who will obey him. Like Macbeth, Jack is at first a respectable member of the community. Jack offers to be in charge of hunting in order to provide food for everyone. Jack is not really interested in participating in Ralph's plan to try to attract rescuers with the signal fire. Jack and his hunters eventually split into their own tribe with Jack as its chief. Days and days of survivalist living have begun to change Jack. Killing animals has become a normal pastime for him, making it ever so much easier to transition to killing people. By the end of the story, Jack has become so crazed with power that he believes it is necessary to kill Ralph. The tribe pursues Ralph through the jungle just as they have done so many times with the wild pigs, and it is certain they will have no problem slaying Ralph if they catch him. Jack, a boy who used to be an upholder of civilized rules and order, is now the orchestrator of murder whose idea of "rules" and "order" are now about controlling other people than controlling a situation. Like Macbeth he has become a feared tyrant. But Jack has also whipped everyone into his tribe into a supportive and murderous frenzy, while Macbeth has nobody left on his side at the end.

As we can see, both characters undergo a psychological shift that replaces desire for order with desire for power. A choirboy is now chief of a war party; a military hero and husband is now a monster that everyone wants dead. While specific motivation and circumstances differ for the two of them, both become willing killers whose distrust and paranoia grow in proportion to the power they have seized.

Why is Rainsford confused about the size of the recoil created by the shot he heard in The Most Dangerous Game?

Early in the story, Rainsford has come back out on deck to have a smoke.  While alone on deck, he hears three gunshots.  

Somewhere, off in the blackness, someone had fired a gun three times.

Rainsford is immediately curious, because he is on a boat in the middle of nowhere.  There is an island off to the side of the boat, but the island isn't supposed to have people living on it.  

Even cannibals wouldn't live in such a God-forsaken place.

Rainsford is curious because he wonders who might actually be on that island.  He's also curious, because he himself is a hunter, and hearing gunshots always piques his interest about the shooter and the type of firearm being shot.  Unfortunately for Rainsford, being super curious about the gunshot didn't work out so well for him.  He fell overboard straining to hear or see something else.  

While swimming toward the island, Rainsford heard another gunshot.  

He heard it again; then it was cut short by another noise, crisp, staccato. "Pistol shot," muttered Rainsford, swimming on.

That tells the reader a little bit about how good Rainsford is as a hunter and weapons expert.  He knows what type of gun is being fired just by hearing it (while still swimming to get to the island).  

What most confuses Rainsford though is his discovery that the pistol in question is a small caliber pistol.  A very small caliber pistol.  He knows this because he found an empty cartridge on the ground. 

"A twenty-two," he remarked. "That's odd. It must have been a fairly large animal too. The hunter had his nerve with him to tackle it with a light gun. It's clear that the brute put up a fight.

Rainsford is an accomplished hunter, so he knows what it means to put a target down.  He knows that when hunting big game, a hunter uses a big round.  Rainsford is confused by the fact that the brush damage to the area indicates a big prey, but the empty cartridge and recoil sound is for a small caliber pistol.  That tells him the other hunter is very good, very stupid, or very brave.  

What does the allusion to Charles Darwin mean in the book Fahrenheit 451?

At the end of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the main character, Montag, is being chased by the Hound as war is breaking out around him. His illicit storing of books has been revealed, and the Hound will find him and kill him unless he escapes. He eventually follows a river to a wilderness where he senses Clarisse has been before, and he finds a group of people gathered by a fire. They and their leader, Granger, welcome Montag and give him a fluid that will change his perspiration so that the Hound can no longer track him. He then sees the Hound devour an unidentifiable man (identified as Montag) on the portable viewer, so Montag knows he will no longer be tracked. 

Granger then introduces the members of this group, each of whom has memorized a book and then burnt it. Granger introduces Montag to the other members of the group: "I want you to meet Jonathan Swift, the author of that evil political book, Gulliver's Travels! And this other fellow is Charles Darwin, and this one is Schopenhauer..." (page 151). Members of the group have memorized books and become their authors. In this passage, Bradbury includes allusions, or references to several famous authors, scientists, philosophers, and others in history. 

Charles Darwin is a particularly interesting allusion because he developed the theory of evolution through natural selection, later referred to as "survival of the fittest," through his observations of birds on the Galapagos Islands. Survival of the fittest means that those individuals who are best suited to their environment survive and have offspring and pass along their advantageous traits to their offspring.

Granger and his group are the members of Montag's society who are able to survive, as a bomb is dropped that disintegrates the city in which Montag used to live. Therefore, Granger's group are those who will pass along what they have to the future world. Granger says, "We'll pass the books on to our children, by word of mouth" (page 153). Therefore, Granger, Montag, and the rest of their group will pass along their memory of books to the future, just as the creatures who have the most advantageous traits pass them along to their children as part of the "survival of the fittest" or natural selection in Darwin's work. 

Which hero failed a challenge or test in Le Morte d'Arthur?

The biggest fail is that of Lancelot, who falls in love with Arthur's wife, Guenivere. Lancelot commits a triple sin: first, he is Arthur's best friend, sworn to protect the crown at all costs, including the bloodline. Second, lusting, even in one's heart, after the Queen is treason. Lancelot is tasked with protecting the Queen. He fails at this because he  is supposed to protect her from those who might hurt her, or who could call into question the paternity of any offspring. Third, in this newly and deeply Christian milieu, Lancelot has endangered his immortal soul- and has gone against chivalric code- by falling in love with Guenivere. 

Temptation is always around every corner; the trick, for the Christian hero at least, is to resist it.

What is one major misunderstanding that leads to conflict in Things Fall Apart?

One of the most striking misunderstandings that lead to conflict and strife in Chinua Achebe's seminal novel Things Fall Apart is when an indigenous man converts to Christianity and then precedes to kill a snake, which is a serious taboo within the traditional Igbo culture. Snakes are sacred creatures to the Igbo; indeed, they are revered by the Igbo in Things Fall Apart. Therefore, the intentional harm of a snake is deeply disrespectful to their culture. The man kills a snake in order to demonstrate his devotion to the Christian God, and this misguided show of religious zealousness creates a scandal in the surrounding community. Interestingly, Achebe consciously presents the Igbo tradition as powerful, because the man who kills the snake dies suddenly later on in the novel.

Did Juliet's mother die in the play Romeo and Juliet?

Juliet's mother does not die in Romeo and Juliet. She is at Juliet's tomb in the final scene, when all is revealed, and the Capulets and Lord Montague discover that their children have died because of their old family feud. Lady Montague, however, does die. When he arrives at the Capulet family crypt, Montague tells the Prince:

Alas, my liege, my wife is dead to-night!
Grief of my son's exile hath stopp'd her breath.

Lady Capulet's final lines, however, suggests she feels like she will die of grief as well. She says the sight of her daughter's body next to Romeo is "as a bell that warns my old age to a sepulchre." She is obviously devastated by her daughter's death (which she has to endure a second time, as they thought her already dead), but she is still alive at the end of the play.

In Lyddie, what are the hours and days of the week Lyddie works in Cutler's Tavern?

Lyddie works almost constantly at Cutler’s Tavern.

After Lyddie’s mother leaves, she sets Lyddie up to work at a local tavern to pay off family debts. Lyddie is horrified by this thought. She is independent and does not like being beholden to anyone. The thought of being indentured is almost unbearable.

Lyddie is a hard worker nonetheless. She is given no time off at the tavern, because she is forced to sleep in a tiny windowless alcove and she needs to be in it and leave it before guests notice. This means starting work early in the morning and ending late at night. When Lyddie is given the job of tending the fire, she ends up sleeping next to it for fear that it might go out without her noticing.

Other than the sleeping conditions, Lyddie’s long hours are partially her own choosing.

Mistress Cutler watched Lyddie like a barn cat on a sparrow, but Lyddie was determined not to give her cause for complaint. She had worked hard since she could remember. But now she worked even harder, for who was there to share a moment's leisure with? (Ch. 3)

Lyddie gets no vacations. She is never able to leave the tavern. When Mrs. Cutler leaves, Triphena tells Lyddie that she can go wherever she wants. Lyddie desperately wants to go home to visit her brother, who is working at a nearby mill. Yet when she gets back, Mrs. Cutler fires her for being away from her work without permission.

"So! You've decided to honor us with a visit!" The mistress's face was red with heat or rage. Behind her, Triphena grimaced an apology.

She stood in the doorway, trying to frame an excuse or apology, but as usual the words did not come quickly enough to mind.

"You're dismissed!" the woman said. (Ch. 6)

Lyddie is relieved to be fired. She feels like Mrs. Cutler has set her free. Now she can do what she wants, not what her mother wants. Lyddie immediately heads to the factory, where she can make more money and will not be constantly under someone’s control. She will pay back the family debt, but on her own terms.