What central incidents reveal the primary characteristics of Buddy's older friend that make her such an important part of Buddy's life?

In Truman Capote’s short story “ A Christmas Memory” Buddy’s friend, who is also his distant cousin, includes him in all of her adventures. She is a simple woman who has limitations from a childhood illness. In spite of the difference in their ages, the two are constant companions. Buddy’s friend is creative, loyal, suspicious, and values her relationship with Buddy. She sees Buddy as her friend and confidant.

All year long, the pair devises ways to save money for the highlight of the cousin’s year; fruitcake making time. She includes Buddy in all aspects of the endeavor, making him an important part of the operation. When she needs the buggy, she asks Buddy to retrieve it so they can pick the pecans, and bring home the store bought ingredients they need. When their other relatives find them after drinking the leftover whiskey from making the cakes, it is Buddy’s friend who takes responsibility. She takes to her bed crying for hours but in the end, Buddy is able to comfort her. Her caring, albeit, immature nature endears her to Buddy.

At Christmas time they share their arts and crafts activities in order to decorate their freshly cut tree and make kites for each other. Her child-like, but caring attributes make her the perfect companion for six year old Buddy.

He values their friendship so much that he stays in constant contact with his friend after he is sent to military school. She keeps him abreast of the ongoings at home through her perspective. Through her letters she is loyal to Buddy even in his absence.

Imagine that you are a future scientist, living in space today. Identify a testable question for an investigation in space, and design a citizen...

This is a question about the scientific method, the list of steps scientists use to find answers to questions they have.  In this example, we are in space, which would tend to suggest something based on weightlessness.  Eventually, the "scientists" will return to earth, where they will experience earth's gravitational pull on their bodies. 

I think a great scientific investigation would be the effects weightlessness has on muscle maintenance in the human body.  On earth, every motion the human body goes through fights against the pull of the earth.  This is what gives objects their weight.  When people go to space, objects don't weigh much at all.  So they need little in terms of muscular power to pick something up.  Over time, muscles become atrophied, which means they waste away.  It's the old "If you don't use it, you lose it" quotation.

For the question, I would put it like this:  "What are the effects on muscle maintenance in zero gravity environments (space)?"

The next step in the scientific method requires a hypothesis, your best educated guess as to what you think the outcome will be.  Something like "The less gravity in the environment, the more muscle loss a scientist will experience in his/her body."

Now we need an experiment to test the hypothesis.  At the very least, the scientist should take a tape measure and measure specific muscles on his/her body.  Data should be taken over an extensive period of time, such as four to six weeks.  The data could be arranged in graphs, which would provide excellent graphical presentation to consider.  Measurements should be made at the very onset of the experiment, which would represent muscle measurements while on earth with gravity.

An analysis of the data should be considered.  Were the scientists right?  Were they wrong?  Why?

The end of the scientific method  offers a conclusion.  The scientists were right about their idea, or they were wrong.  Being wrong can offer as much educational experience as being right.  What possible explanation could be offered for why the results did not turn out as expected?

What are examples of perseverance in the poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling?

In his poem "If," Kipling explains manly virtues in the manner a father might to a son, and chief among those virtues is perseverance:

"If you can wait and not be tired by waiting" advises the reader to persevere in patience.

"If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew / To serve your turn long after they are gone, / And so hold on when there is nothing in you / Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'" This is a more literal form of perseverence, one of keeping one's faculties working well into weariness and old age.

"If you can fill the unforgiving minute / With sixty seconds' worth of distance, run." A bit more abstract than his other admonishments, this asks the reader to be ready to strive and persevere, on the shortest of notice, for as long as necessary.

Another related virtue is the ability to distance one's self emotionally from the tasks that might be necessary: "If you can make one heap of all your winnings / And risk it on one turn of pitch-and- toss, / And lose, and start again at your beginnings/And never breathe a word about your loss." He advises us to persevere out of necessity and the satisfaction of being able to do so, not out of some kind of emotional need.

What are four quotes that deal with misinterpretation in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird?

There are several scenes throughout the novel that depict characters misinterpreting various ideas and comments. In Chapter 2, Scout is frustrated with Miss Caroline's teaching style and laments to her brother, Jem, during recess on the first day of school. Jem explains to Scout that the teachers are introducing a new way of teaching. He tells her, "I'm just trying to tell you the new way they're teachin' the first grade, stubborn. It's the Dewey Decimal System." (Lee 24) Jem misinterprets what the Dewey Decimal System actually is. The Dewey Decimal System is a way for librarians to classify books and is not a teaching strategy that involves flashcards.

In Chapter in 3, Scout is describing her terrible first day of school, and Atticus teaches her a lesson in gaining perspective. Scout has an epiphany and says, "listen Atticus, I don't have to go to school!" (Lee 40) Scout comments that Burris only has to go to school on the first day. Atticus tries to explain to his daughter that Burris has an excuse because he has a unique circumstance. Scout misinterprets Burris' excused absence as a justifiable reason that she doesn't have to go to school. Atticus elaborates further into why Burris has a viable excuse to miss school and makes a compromise with Scout that she will go to school if he continues to read to her at night.

In Chapter 5, Scout is having a conversation with Miss Maudie about the Radleys. Miss Maudie tells Scout that Mr. Radley is a "foot-washing Baptist" who takes the Bible literally. Miss Maudie says, "sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of---oh, of your father." (Lee 60) Scout misinterprets Maudie's metaphor and says, "Atticus doesn't drink whisky...He never drunk a drop in his life---nome, yes he did. He said he drank some one time and didn't like it." (Lee 60) Scout is too young to understand that Maudie was attempting to compare the negative effects associated with interpreting the Bible literally to the negative effects alcohol would have on a sober individual.

In Chapter 7, Jem explains to Scout what he is learning in the sixth grade. Scout mentions that Jem went through a brief period where he walked like an Egyptian. Jem tells Scout that they walked like stiff zombies. Jem misinterprets Egyptian art and believes that their hieroglyphs accurately depicted how they walked. Scout can't seem to understand how they accomplished so much if they walked like that.

How do Captain Keller and Annie Sullivan compare/contrast in The Miracle Worker?

In The Miracle Worker, Annie Sullivan and Captain Arthur Keller, Helen's father, are both similar and different.  If we look at the similarities, both love Helen, though the captain hides his feelings more than Annie does.  Having Helen, both are determined to help her make progress as Miss Sullivan and Captain Keller want her to be able to help herself.  Both want success.

These two dominant figures in Helen's life are also very different.  Miss Sullivan is determined to bring Helen into some kind of calm and to follow what Miss Sullivan is asking her to do.  Helen has long been able to bully anyone into doing as she wants including eating off the plates of anyone at the table.  Annie must fight both the determined Helen and Helen's father as he would indulge his daughter.  As a captain during the Civil War, he is used to giving orders and having them followed, but he cannot seem to get control of Annie as she does what is best for Helen and defies the Captain.  Leading to constant conflict on how to handle Helen, Annie finally has to appeal to Helen's mother, Kate, for help.  The father wants to help his daughter learn, but totally disagrees with Annie's methods as he is required to learn to say no to the child.

Eventually, the breakthrough is made with Helen's sharp mind, and Annie and Captain Sullivan can work together to help Helen learn.

What is the main event in the plot of this poem?

The poem "The Lady of Shalott" tells a story, yet it is not a very eventful story. In Part 1 and most of Part 2, the setting and everyday life of the Lady are described using the present tense, indicating that what is described is a constant scene rather than a series of actions. But at the end of Part 2, the funeral and the arrival of the two young lovers are described in past tense, indicating that the events of the story are now beginning. The remaining events include Lancelot riding by, the Lady leaving her loom and the curse coming upon her, the Lady floating down to Camelot in the boat and dying, and the residents of Camelot coming out to see her body. Of these events, the one that must be considered the "main event" is Sir Lancelot riding past the Lady's window. Most of part 3 is devoted to describing his actions and appearance, and the words "he rode" are repeated six times in four stanzas. The appearance of Lancelot in the Lady's mirror is what results in her decisive action: "She left the web, she left the loom, / She made three paces through the room." Certainly this event could be considered the climax of the story, yet it is precipitated by Sir Lancelot riding by. Therefore, of all the events that occur in the poem, Sir Lancelot's riding by shines clearly as the main one.

Why is pathetic fallacy used in Lord of the Flies by William Golding?

The word "pathetic," in modern and common usage, is typically defined in terms of being sad, weak or contemptible. However, the word is actually rooted in the Greek word "pathos," which means something closer to "feeling" or "emotion." Thus, a pathetic fallacy is an error in feeling, or, more accurately, the misattribution of feeling to a thing that does not feel, such as saying the sun is cruel.

Ascribing human feelings to non-human things is probably a deeply-rooted, ancient practice that may have been employed in an attempt to understand the many mysterious aspects of the natural world, as well as giving rise to numerous myths and religious beliefs. Characterizing objects according to perceived qualities and attitudes may help in shaping human behaviors towards them; for example, qualifying wet rocks as "treacherous" clearly communicates that they are untrustworthy and one must exercise caution or avoid them in order to stay safe. 

Because the boys lack protective adults or tools, we may think of them as resorting to a more primal nature, and accompanying this is a greater degree of pathetic fallacy, in order to understand their place in the world and their relationship to the various inanimate forces around them. 

From a literary perspective, pathetic fallacy is a tool that helps to create other literary elements, such as mood and characterization. We not only learn about Golding's characters by the fact, and the type, of pathetic fallacy they perform, but also how they feel and how Golding wishes to depict their reality.

How do Chaucer's Canterbury Tales portray the middle class in the Middle Ages? Please tell where you found the information.

At the time that Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales, the plague had killed many people, and the society began to change as there was much conflict and social upheaval, with a middle class arising out of this conflict. The personages of The Canterbury Tales who are among this middle class are introduced in the Prologue. They are the following:

• The Merchant - Upper Middle Class

The merchant is very much a part of the rising middle class. With a forked beard, he wears a beavered hat from Flanders, and his boots are fancy with buckles.

So dignified and stately he proceeded,
Bargaining and always wheeling and dealing.
He was a worthy man and worth his fame,

But, the merchant disguises the fact that he is in debt.

• The Lawyer - Upper Middle Class

The "man of law" strives to be admitted into the nobility. He is very cautious and wise; however, he pretends to be busy many times when he is not.

His clothes were modest, his coat was drawn
Around by a silken belt, brightly striped.

• The Hatter, Dyer, and Weaver - Middle Class.

These all wear the "standard uniform" of the guilds. They are successful as their "Knives are not trimmed with brass, but with shining silver."

• The Cook - Middle Class

An accomplished man in his field, the cook makes tasty stews and soups, and pies.

• The Doctor of Medicine - Lower Middle Class

A frugal man, the doctor tends people well, but cherishes his gold the most

• The Wife of Bath - Middle Class

The clothes that she makes from the cloth she weaves are better than those woven by the Belgians and the Dutch, who were known for superior cloth, and she can afford to dye them red, a dye which is made from a certain beetle 

                                               ....Her stockings
Were red, full scarlet red and somewhat shocking.
....Her shoes were supple and new....

• The Provisioner - Upper Middle Class

A good businessman, he always makes a"satisfying sum."

• The Steward  and the Miller - Immoral Middle Class

These men skim some of the profits from the accounts that they handle. 

What is a salt water person?

It is hard to know the context of your question, but I think you might be asking because you have read "Once to the Lake," by E.B. White. In that essay he says, 

"I have since become a salt-water man, but sometimes in summer there are days when the restlessness of the tides and the fearful cold of the sea water and the incessant wind which blows across the afternoon and into the evening make me wish for the placidity of a lake in the woods" (White).

He is saying that as a child his father took him to a fresh water lake for a summer vacation. The story recounts the memories of that summer and that lake. In saying that he has since become a "salt water man," he is simply saying that he doesn't spend much time on fresh water anymore, like he did that summer. He is also making the distinction between seas and lakes, two different types of water. The sea is restless and the lake is more calm. Lakes are most often fresh water, and seas are salt water.

What would be a good topic question for Auschwitz-Monowitz?

A good topic question for Auschwitz-Monowitz would be as follows:  Why would it be a positive for an inmate to be "selected" to work at Monowitz?  The answer to this question is because Monowitz plant was vital to the Nazi war effort.  This meant that the workers, as long as they were healthy, were very important to the war effort.  The Nazis utilized inmates from Auschwitz to work in the factory. The factory manufactured synthetic rubber and fuel.  The inmates from Auschwitz were actually used to build the plant.  While there was really nothing positive about being an inmate at Auschwitz, the best chance of surviving the ordeal was to be commissioned to work as a slave in a factory.  The alternate to this was imminent death.

How many moles are present in 550g of Zinc ?

In order to answer this question you need to know the molar mass of zinc, which is the mass of one mole of zinc atoms in grams. The periodic table that you included has only the symbols and atomic numbers for the elements and not the mass numbers.

The molar mass of zinc rounded to three significant digits is 65.4 grams per mole. Molar mass can be treated as a unit factor (conversion factor). Since we're starting out with grams and want to get the answer in moles, we will multiply the given quantity by 1 mole/65.4 grams. Grams cancels and we end up with moles:

550g x (1mole/65.4 g)=8.41 moles

When solving problems of this type it's a good idea to include the units then check to see that the final answer has the correct units. If you set the problem up incorrectly you'll know because the units will be incorrect.

Who came out of the lover's chosen door, the lady or the tiger? And why would the princess choose this outcome?

As readers, we don’t know which door the Princess signals her lover to choose.  The story ends before it is told to us.  It’s a little frustrating as readers, but the purpose of the story is to get us to think about moral issues and choices that we make.  If the Princess signals the door with the beautiful woman, she loses her lover to another woman, but, at least, he remains alive.  If she nods towards the door with the tiger, her lover will certainly be killed, and she loses him forever.  So, it’s up to the reader to try to figure out what the Princess does.  Remember, she is described as a “barbarian Princess”, and is that enough to tell us that she would rather see her lover die than in the arms of another woman?  We are left to guess the answer. 

In The Great Gatsby, what does the "foul dust" that "floated in the wake of [Gatsby's] dreams" mean?

This line refers to the ending of The Great Gatsby and how deeply it affected Nick Carraway. In chapter 9 Nick explains why he moved away after the funeral by saying, "After Gatsby’s death the East was haunted for me like that, distorted beyond my eyes’ power of correction." At the end of the book Nick is no longer able to separate Long Island from his memories of the distasteful people living there. 

No one, except for Nick and Gatsby's father, came to the funeral. All the roaring, exciting parties that Gatsby had thrown, and not a single one of those people who had shown up and indulged in his overflowing hospitality had come to his funeral. Not even Gatsby's business associates and supposedly close friends made an appearance. Only one man showed up to the cemetery, and even he was appalled that no one else had come. 

The fact that no one seemed to care about Gatsby the second he died clearly upsets Nick immensely. Nick even mentions that living in his house, so close to Gatsby's abandoned mansion, disturbs him. 

"I spent my Saturday nights in New York because those gleaming, dazzling parties of his were with me so vividly that I could still hear the music and the laughter, faint and incessant, from his garden, and the cars going up and down his drive."

All these things contribute to the "foul dust," no doubt akin to an eternal bad taste in one's mouth, that Nick speaks of in the beginning of the book.

Perhaps the thing that drives him away from the East the most is the Buchanans. Daisy never once called or wrote, or gave any indication that she even knew Gatsby or cared in the slightest. One day in October some time after the funeral, Nick mentions meeting Tom and he acts extremely cold to him. Tom defends his behavior and denies any culpability for what happened to Gatsby.  After that meeting Nick's opinion of the Buchanans is cemented. 

"They were careless people, Tom and Daisy — they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made...."

At the end of the book, Nick is thoroughly disgusted with everyone around him and the magic of East and West Egg had died along with Gatsby. Those lines at the beginning of the book are about Nick's distaste for everything that contributed to or failed to care about Gatsby's death. 

What is an example of a caricature in Martin Luther King Junior's "I Have a Dream" speech?

A caricature is an image that exaggerates certain features or characteristics of a person or object. Often caricatures are comic in nature, like the ones you see at an amusement park or carnival. But they can also be designed to be grotesque or dramatic, to prove a point. 

In his "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963, Martin Luther King Junior (MLKJ) uses caricature, the dramatic and grotesque kind, in his discussion of "the Negro." MLKJ talks about all African American people using a synecdoche; "the Negro" represents all black people at the time. "The Negro," he says in the third paragraph of the speech, "still is not free.... The life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination." As MLKJ points out repeatedly, slavery ended in America 100 years before his speech. But he uses the image of slavery (manacles, chains, not being free) to describe the plight of African Americans facing brutal racism and extreme poverty.

Later in the speech, MLKJ would describe African Americans as living "a lonely island of poverty." Obviously, they weren't literally living on an island. Rather, this is an exaggerated image that is designed to prove his point. In this way, MLKJ uses caricature in one of the most famous American speeches of all time. 

From whom did the United States get the Oregon Territory?

The original Oregon Territory was far more than the area that comprises the U.S. State of Oregon today.  In the first half of the 1800s, Oregon Territory included what is today Oregon, Washington, and a large part of British Columbia.  The original countries that laid claim to this large area of territory were Russia, the United States, England, and Spain.  Due to the Onís-Adams Treaty, new borders were drawn by the United States and Spain according to the Louisiana Purchase.  During this process, "the United States recognized Spanish sovereignty over Texas" in return for the surrender of the latter's Pacific Northwest territories.  Due to increased migration of Americans via the Oregon Trail, defined borders of which country owned what land became more important.  Treaties and discussions between Britain and the U.S. resolved the border issue.  President Monroe challenged Russia's claims to the territory.

Who are some of the most influential authors of the 20th century?

We would consider three areas of influence to get at this question:

First, what author initiated a ground-breaking style that made all subsequent styles retreat to a historical period – in other words, who turned “modern” into “post-modern”? That would be James Joyce in prose (his Finnegan's Wake and Ulysses will enter the Great Books list for good), and T.S. Eliot in poetry (especially "Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock".

Second, who opened the door to a new philosophical point of view? That would be Albert Camus's many existential novels (such as The Stranger) in prose (with Sartre's Being and Nothingness as the most influential nonfiction), and Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot and Endgame in drama.

Third, what 20th-century author will have the longest literary life in anthologies and reprints? That would be Ernest Hemingway (Farewell to Arms, and For Whom the Bell Tolls) in prose, and Robert Frost in poetry.

Of course, these are merely my assessments; others would see things another way.

What is the dominant image in the opening paragraph of Sinner in the Hands of an Angry God? What generalization does Edwards make about all people?...

The dominant image in the opening paragraph of the Reverend Jonathan Edwards's sermon to his congregation is the idea that, like the "wicked, unbelieving Israelites" mentioned in Deuteronomy 2:35, members of his following have been unfaithful and also are on "the slippery slope" of damnation. Edwards makes the generalization that there is a close connection among all people in their sinfulness, and they will "slide" in their faith if they are not diligent in their worship of God and adherence to His laws.

Since all men and women are descended from Adam and Eve, all can sin equally. Therefore, Rev. Edwards makes the comparison of his congregation with the Israelites. He tells his congregation,

There is nothing that keeps wicked men, at any moment, out of Hell, but the mere pleasure of God.

To impress this idea upon his listeners, Edwards employs strong and frightening imagery and harsh condemnations. Also, his congregation knows of the punishments that the Israelites suffered and they become terrified by the images of their hanging by a gossamer thread over the fiery pits of hell. To increase this fear, Edwards describes their being "ten times more abominable in God's eyes than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours," and that "the bow of God's wrath is bent...and it is nothing but "the mere pleasure of God" that holds the arrow back. 

By generalizing that his congregation is like the Israelites and are subject to the wrath of God in similar fashion, Edwards generates such terror of hell and damnation in the hope that his people will repent and become saved.

What is the atmosphere created in the Hunger Games?

In the book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, the atmosphere created in the Hunger Games was quite brutal. In this environment, normal people could be turned into murderers due to the harshness of their circumstances. Not only this, but people’s identities were transformed from humans to mere things in a game. This is most clearly shown by Peeta’s conversation with Katniss about their impending involvement in the Hunger Games.

Before the Hunger Games commence, Peeta and Katniss talk about their concerns about the Hunger Games. Katniss mainly focuses on the physical and literal type of environment that they will experience. For example, she primarily concentrates on survival and the type of arena she will encounter, such as a cold environment versus a hot one. Peeta, on the other hand, shows the deeper atmosphere that the Hunger Games creates.

For Peeta, he is mainly concerned with how the environment will impact who he actually is as a human being. As Peeta illustrates, he does not want to be turned into someone or even something that he is not. Peeta himself states:

“I don’t want them to change me in there. Turn me into some kind of monster that I’m not.”

With this type of atmosphere, Peeta and Katniss realize that they are game pieces in the Hunger Games. The environment degrades and debases the players; however, Peeta recognizes this and wants to fight (and possibly die) with “His purity of self.” Although he realizes that when the time comes, he will probably have to kill someone, he also wants to show that he is “more than just a piece in their Games.”

As a result, the atmosphere created in the Hunger Games is one of desperation and debasement. However, Peeta recognizes this atmosphere and chooses to preserve his own identity, regardless of the games' atmosphere.

How were Belgium's borders determined and do they make sense?

Belgium became an independent country in 1830. Prior to that time, Belgium was ruled by the Netherlands. There were various factors that led to the Belgians becoming free from the Netherlands. One factor was religion. The South was more Catholic while the North was more Protestant. There were some conflicts over religion. Economic factors were also an influence. The South was hurt by free trade policies. Those policies benefited the North. As a result, conflict occurred in 1830, and Belgium became an independent country.

The boundaries of modern day Belgium were determined as a result of this war. The London Conference recognized Belgium’s independence and established the borders. The northern section of the Netherlands remained the Netherlands. The southern section became independent and assumed the borders that existed at the time. As a result, these borders do make sense. Some people believed Belgium was established to create an area of protection between France and other countries in Europe.

What are the biggest examples of injustice in To Kill A Mockingbird?

There are several cases of injustice in To Kill a Mockingbird. The two major ones are the injustice that is handed over to Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. When Atticus takes the case to represent Tom, we see how the people of the town show the injustice.

Tom Robinson was a black man accused of raping a white woman. During this time in Maycomb, black people were looked down upon and never trusted. Most of the people in Maycomb believed that Tom was guilty, although the evidence proved he was completely innocent. 

Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.

The quote above shows injustice towards Tom Robinson because he was a black man. Atticus, Jem and Scout all knew that there was no way Tom would found innocent. Atticus knew about the injustice towards Tom, but he was powerless to stop it.

Boo Radley on the other hand, faces injustice because no one really knew him. The people of Maycomb all made up stories about what Boo really was. They judged him simply because they didn't know him.

Inside the house lived a malevolent phantom. People said he existed, but Jem and I never seen him. People said he went off at night when the moon was down, and peeped in windows. When people's azaleas froze in a cold snap, it was because he breathed on them. Any stealthy small crimes committed in Maycomb were his work. Once the town was terrorized by a series if morbid nocturnal events: people's chickens and household pets were found mutilated; although the culprit was Crazy Addie, who eventually drowned himself in Barker's Edd, people still looked at the Radley Place, unwilling to discard their inner suspicions. 

As you read the book, you learn just how wrong the people of Maycomb are about both Tom and Boo. Tom was served injustice just because he was a black man and a white woman accused him of something. Had he been a white man, he never would have gone to trial. Tom loses his life because of this injustice. The injustice towards Boo is another case of people judging someone before getting to know them. Had it not been for Boo, Atticus would have lost his children. Jem and Scout learn valuable lessons about injustice.

Please provide an analysis on loyalty based on this quote from Macbeth, act 1 scene 2: Till he faced the slave;Which ne'er shook hands, nor bade...

The quote is an extract from a report to Duncan by an injured sergeant who has been involved, with Macbeth, in a conflict against the king's enemies. He is asked by Malcolm, Duncan's eldest son, to divulge information about the battle:

... Say to the king the knowledge of the broil
As thou didst leave it.

In his report, the sergeant refers specifically to Macbeth. In the quote provided, 'the slave' is a metaphor for the traitor Macdonwald, who is also described as being without mercy. 'Slave' suggests that Macdonwald was a servant of evil, controlled by his savagery and desire for power. He was a ruthless adversary, but Macbeth faced him without any fear. The sergeant says that Macbeth did not let up in his fight against his enemy, he was relentless and pursued Macdonwald, he neither greeted nor bade him farewell.

This suggests moreover, that Macbeth had no time for pleasantries and was resolute, committed to the task at hand - destroying his king and country's adversaries. Those who challenged his beloved Scotland and his king, were to be treated with utter contempt and had to be extinguished.

Macbeth's unabating battle against Macdonwald resulted in his victory. He 'unseam'd him from the nave to the chaps,' which means he cut him in two, from his navel to his jaw. Once Macbeth had executed him, he placed his head on top of the castle wall.

The description indicates Macbeth's willingness to do everything in his power to defend his country and his king. It is this loyalty that drives him and gives him the passion to fight fiercely and persistently. He is not afraid to face any risk or challenge and seems to actually relish destroying opponents to his king and country. He inspires those in battle with him and this inspiration is what eventually ensures Duncan's victory over Macdonwald, Sweno of Norway and the traitorous thane of Cawdor.

Macbeth's loyalty is clearly evidenced by his gloriously courageous actions and he therefore rightfully deserves king Duncan's grateful praise and his reward, the title, 'thane of Cawdor.' 

My best friend and I started dating, I knew he likes drinking, smoking and even taking drugs. Now that I have realized that It is getting serious,...

Because I work with prisoners and homeless youth, I'm going to answer this question.  If you have already realized that you do not want a boyfriend who does drugs and is chemically dependent; I applaud your grown up decision.  I know that you would like to help your friend, but doing that may draw you into his world.  You do NOT want to do that as it is so easy to slip into that drug world.  Tell him gently that, while you have enjoyed his company, you do not enjoy his use of chemicals.  Perhaps they change his personality and besides, they are illegal.  You can be charged also if you are with him and he is caught with drugs.  I understand that you like him, but there are many other boys to like.  PLEASE, let him go with suggestions for where to get help, or introduce him to a counselor or teacher who can help him.  YOU are not responsible for his choices.  Don't be like the girls I see who cry because they are in jail, and their boyfriends got them put there.  Let him CHOOSE to quit using; YOU need to run far, far away.

Describe how the number of seats for the Democratic and the Republican parties changed in the House of Representatives as a result of the election...

According to our constitution, the entire House of Representatives is to be elected every two years. There is currently a total of 435 seats in the House of Representatives. The number of seats each state has is based on the population of the state. States with larger populations have more seats than states with smaller populations.

As a result of the election in 2012, the Democrats had 201 seats in the House of Representatives while the Republicans had 234 seats. As a result of the election in 2014, the Democrats had 188 seats in the House of Representatives while the Republicans had 247 seats. As a result, the Republican majority increased in the House of Representatives.

Having a majority of seats in the House of Representatives is important for whatever political party has the majority of seats. The Speaker of the House of Representatives comes from the majority party. Should something happen to both the President and the Vice President that would prevent them from doing the job of the President, the Speaker of the House, currently Paul Ryan, would assume the responsibilities of the presidency. The majority party also chairs the committees of the House of Representatives and has more members on the committees. They also control more of the budget of each committee and have more staff members. Additionally, the majority party gets the more desirable office locations and can determine the legislative agenda.

In "Thank you, M'am" what do we get to know about Mrs. Jones' background?

There is textual evidence that Mrs. Jones is no longer married, works late at a beauty parlor, and made some bad decisions herself at some point in her life.

We know that Mrs. Jones works until late at night, because most people would not be walking home when it’s almost midnight.  You do not walk alone that late in the city unless you have to.

It was about eleven o’clock at night, and she was walking alone, when a boy ran up behind her and tried to snatch her purse.

We also know that Mrs. Jonas was married, but does not seem to be currently married.  She appears to live alone except for the other roomers in the rooming house.

“…When I get through with you, sir, you are going to remember Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones.”

We also know that Mrs. Bates has a bit of a checkered past.  She tells Roger that she was “young once” and implies that she understands his desire to turn to crime.  She also tells him that she has done some bad things too.

“I have done things, too, which I would not tell you, son—neither tell God, if he didn’t already know. So you set down while I fix us something to eat. You might run that comb through your hair so you will look presentable.”

Mrs. Jonas tells Roger about her life, and we learn why she was walking out so late.

Instead, as they ate, she told him about her job in a hotel beauty-shop that stayed open late, what the work was like, and how all kinds of women came in and out, blondes, red-heads, and Spanish.

While these are all details of specific background information we are told, there is a lot we can infer about Mrs. Jones.  We can tell that she has not had an easy life.  We can also tell that she is somewhat lonely.  Whatever happened to her husband, he is not in the picture anymore but she still uses his name.  In addition to that, she lives alone except for the other boarders.  The fact that she is lonely explains why she took him in.

We do not know specifically if Mrs. Jones had children or not, but she either did or wanted them.  From the beginning of their encounter, Mrs. Jones both pities Roger and looks out for him.  She treats him sternly but lovingly.  She is aware that his life is not good—after all, he is out purse-snatching at eleven o’clock at night—but she does not see him as a criminal.  Instead, she sees a boy who has been led astray, making one bad choice that does not have to determine the rest of his life.

She could have turned him into the police.  Yet when she looked at him, she saw not a hardened criminal, but a boy whose unwashed face indicated that he had no one at home to look out for him.  She then fed him and told him that his life did not have to be a series of bad choices.  By letting him know the bad choice she made that she has overcome, she is able to show him that you can always turn your life around.

In "The Leap," what happens to Harry on the day of the gale?

In "The Leap," Harry Avalon is killed by a freak storm which strikes during the middle of his trapeze act. On that particular day, the performance began like any other: Harry and his wife, Anna, "puckered their lips in mock kisses" before taking their places on the opposite sides of the tent. As they waved at each other and the crowd below, the ringmaster called for silence and they chalked their hands in preparation for using the trapeze. Wearing a blindfold, Harry was the first to perform, flying twice across the air on the trapeze. On the third jump, Harry expected to catch his wife, Anna, but as he outstretched his arms to receive her, a bolt of lightning hit the main pole and caused the tent to buckle. Instead of catching Anna, Harry was thrust forward and fell through the air before landing on the ground. This accident killed Harry and, according to the narrator, his body was returned to his hometown for burial.

This is a type of materiel that is made using high temperatures. An example of a product made using this material is China.

Glass is made by melting several materials at high temperatures and is used to make China. Silica within sand is the main material that makes glass. The silica is usually combined with soda ash and limestone. These materials are melted together at a temperature of at least 1700 degree Celcius. 

Obsidian is a hard, black, and glassy, type of stone. Obsidian is a form of glass that is created naturally within the mouth of a volcano. Obsidian is formed when sand is melted during a volcanic eruption. 

Lightning can also melt sand into fulgurites. Fulgurites are slender, tubular-shaped glass formations. The lightning has to strike sand that contains a lot of silica or quartz at temperatures greater than 1800 degrees Celcius in order for fulgurites to form. 

What does Dorothy fail to prepare for her trips? Why does Dorothy not prepare for any of her trips?

In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Dorothy ends up taking a number of trips, and she prepares very little for any of them.  Dorothy doesn't prepare for her initial trip to Oz because the trip itself is completely unexpected.  At the start of the story, Dorothy and her house are swept up in the cyclone and taken to Oz.  After crash landing, killing the Wicked Witch of the East in the process, Dorothy meets the munchkins and the Witch of the North.  She is told about Oz, and given the silver shoes and a protective kiss from the Witch of the North.  Beyond that, the only thing she does prior to departure is change into her only other dress, which is "gingham, with checks of white and blue."  This is very fortuitous, as white and blue are colors that are highly revered in Munchkinland.  As Boq tells her shortly after,

"Blue is the color of the Munchkins, and white is the witch color; so we know you are a friendly witch."

That is all that Dorothy does in preparation for her second trip.  For her third trip, from the Emerald City to the castle of the Wicked Witch of the West, Dorothy prepares very little.  Before she and her companions leave the Emerald City, there is a sort of "training montage" in which they all start to prepare in their own ways, at which time a green girl "filled Dorothy's basket with good things to eat."  Beyond that, she "put new paint on [the Scarecrow's] eyes that he might see better."  That's it.

Finally, after the Wicked Witch of the West has melted, Dorothy and company begin the return journey to Oz.  Here the only thing that Dorothy takes is the diamond-studded bracelet given to her by the Winkies and the Golden Cap that allows the wearer to summon the winged monkeys. 

For the final lengthy journey, to see Glinda the Good Witch of the South, Dorothy prepares absolutely nothing.  Upon reaching Glinda, Dorothy is informed that her journey home will occur if she simply knocks the heels of her silver shoes together three times and commands the shoes to take her where she wants to go.  After saying goodbye, Dorothy does this and ends up back in Kansas, losing the shoes in the process.

Throughout the book, Dorothy shows very little preparation whatsoever.  This is in part because the book is for children, and lengthy, detailed sequences can become boring for kids, but also because L. Frank Baum was setting out to create a modern-day fairy tale.  He wanted to tell a light tale "in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heart-aches and nightmares are left out."  This also contributes to Dorothy's lack of preparation, and the lack of any repercussions that might come of being unprepared.  Baum tells the story of adventure rather than of the build up to it.

What is a normal hemoglobin range for men?

The normal hemoglobin range for men is 13.5 to 17.5 grams per deciliter.  A lower than normal result does not by itself diagnose any disease.  However, it is indicative of several ailments.  A qualified doctor will be able to evaluate the lower number in conjunction with other factors such as medical history and current medications.  The hemoglobin test is usually taken as part of a complete blood count (CBC) which can better account for the disparity.

Low hemoglobin is a symptom of anemia, a chronic or acute condition of low red blood cells or hemoglobin.  Causes of anemia can include blood loss due to trauma, malnutrition (low iron, folate and B12), bone marrow disease, kidney failure and chronic inflammatory conditions.  Thalassemia is a condition which causes decreased hemoglobin production.  Thalassemia is a genetic condition.

 There are various treatment options available depending on the type of anemia diagnosed.  They range from simple dietary supplements and avoiding medications to removal of the spleen or blood transfusions.  While anemia may restrict a person's activity it should not be viewed as a debilitating illness.

It is important to note only a trained medical professional should diagnosis and treat any medical conditions.  The information is provided as educational and cannot be assumed to be an accurate representation of your overall health. 

`2x + y - z = 7, x - 2y + 2z = -9, 3x - y + z = 5` Solve the system of linear equations and check any solutions algebraically.

You may use the reduction method to solve the system, hence, you may multiply the first equation by 2, such that:

`2(2x + y - z) = 2*` 7

`4x + 2y - 2z = 14`

You may now add the equation `4x + 2y - 2z = 14 ` to the second equation ` ` `x` `- 2y + 2z = -` 9, such that:

`4x + 2y - 2z + x - 2y + 2z= 14 - 9`

`5x = 5 => x = 1`

You may replace 1 for x in equation `3x - y + z = 5` , such that:

`3 - y + z = 5 => -y + z = 2`

You may also replace 1 for x in equation `x - 2y + 2z = -9` , such that:

`1 - 2y + 2z = -9 => - 2y + 2z = -10 => y - z = 5`

You may add the equations `y - z = 5` and `-y + z = 2:`

`-y + z + y - z= 2 + 5 => 0 = 7` inaccurate.

Hence, evaluating the solution to the given system, yields that there are no solutions.

Explain how a force may produce a change in size or shape of an object?

An external force may cause a change in the state of motion, size and shape of an object. The force may cause a change in the internal arrangement of molecules making up the object and depending upon the magnitude of the force, the size or shape of the object may change. An example is the pulling force on a spring which causes its elongation, similar is the compressive force which compresses the spring. In both the cases, the force causes a change in the size of the spring. We can squeeze an orange and cause a change in its size. Similar is the result with compressing a clay ball. One can also see that pizza makers apply force on the dough and create thin or thick crust base and various sizes of the pizza out of it, thus force can be applied to change the size or shape or both of an object.

Hope this helps. 

In "How It Feels To Be A Colored Me," what do each of the items in the paper bag represent (first-water diamond, empty spool, bits of broken glass,...

Hurston ends her essay with this image of several bags, all of different colors to represent people of different skin colors.  She states that if one were to dump the contents of those bags, they would contain "a jumble of small things priceless and worthless."  So firstly, on the inside, we are all the same, filled with these priceless and worthless things, no matter the color of our skin.  Specifically, a first-water diamond is the most precious kind, flawless and perfect.  Of all the things in these bags, this is the one thing we all hold as dear or precious in our lives and memories.  The rest of the stuff is just junk: an empty spool of thread could show someone's emptiness of having spent all that they had--maybe energy to do a good job.  Bits of broken glass could be a jagged or cutting memory that we are holding onto.  The bent nail could show how someone collapsed under the weight of some pressure.  Hurston's point is best summed when she states, "all might be dumped in a single heap and the bags refilled without altering the content of any greatly.  A bit of colored glass more or less would not matter."  No one person is greater than another just because the outside looks different because what is on the inside is basically the same.

Jesse Stuart often wrote about education: "I am firm in my belief that a teacher lives on and on through his students. Good teaching is forever..."...

The quiet, reasonable manner of Professor Herbert, along with his teaching through examples is very effective and makes a lasting impression on Pa and Dave both.

After Dave is made to stay after school in order to work off his debt for his part in breaking branches of the cherry tree on the outdoor lesson in biology, Pa becomes enraged. For, he feels that Dave has been singled out since he is "a poor man's son" who cannot pay in money, and he is angered by the "foolish way o' larnin'" that Professor Herbert employs in which he takes the students outdoors for a class. Harboring his resentment of Herbert, he decides to confront Herbert and accompanies Dave to school with a gun.

"I'll take keer of him. He ain't from this county nohow...What kind of a school is it nohow! Didn't do that , my son, when I's a little shaver in school. All fared alike, too."

However, when Pa does go to school, Professor Herbert handles the situation very professionally. Although he is taken aback by the sight of the gun, Herbert speaks in level tones to Pa, telling him to keep his gun in his holster; then, he informs Pa of what he has been teaching, as well as the methods he has been using. When Professor Herbert says something with which Pa disagrees, Herbert keeps quiet. Instead, he demonstrates his lessons by showing Pa under the microscope what germs look like.  

When Herbert tells Pa that they are going to chloroform a black snake in order to see other germs, Pa becomes upset because black snakes are good for ridding the rats and mice that eat the grains and corn of farmers. "I don't allow 'em killed on my place." Herbert listens to Pa and pays him respect. Also, Professor Herbert praises Dave and says "Boys like your own there are going to help change it [the world]," explaining his new way of learning to Pa and taking him to the laboratory.

After Professor Herbert's kind understanding and demonstrations of his teaching technique, Pa changes his mind about Dave's teacher. In fact, Pa leaves with a lasting impression as he relates to Dave what Herbert has told him: 

"School has changed from my day and time. I'm a dead leaf, Dave....You must go on to school...I'm behind Dave. I'm a little man."

When they arrive home, Pa tells Dave's mother excitedly about the school, saying he would take her and show her what a germ looks like under a microscope. Furthermore, he tells Mom what "a fine man" Professor Herbert is. Clearly, then, Herbert's teaching makes a lasting impression--"Good teaching is forever."

Determine the amount of caustic soda solution required to raise the pH of 2 l water from 7 to 7.6. The pH of caustic soda is 12 and I have another...

Caustic soda will add hydroxide ions to the water and thus increase its pH. Remember that pH + pOH = 14 and pH = `-log_10[H^+]` . We can use these two equations to solve the numerical.

Since, we are adding hydroxide ions, it is much easier to solve for hydroxide ions.

If we write a mass balance in terms of hydroxide ions, it will be something like:

M1V1 + M2V2 = M3 (V1 + V2)

where, M1, M2 and M3 are concentrations of hydroxide ions in caustic soda, water sample initially and finally, respectively. V1 and V2 are volumes of caustic soda and water.

Here, V1 is unknown, V2 = 2 l.

M1 = `10^-2` M (since pH = 12, pOH = 2), M2 = `10^-7` M and M3 = `10^-6.4` M` `

Substituting all the values and solving, we get

V1 = 59.6 `mul` .

We can similarly solve for the second case, when pH of caustic soda is 13.5 (or pOH = 0.5). Solving similarly, we get, V1 = 1.88 `mul` .

We can see that very small quantities of caustic soda are required since the concentrations are so high.

Hope this helps. 

What are the three structured parts of Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery?"

"The Lottery" is a highly symbolic short story, written in omniscient third person point of view, about the impact of systemic, needless violence. Originally published in the late 1940's, the story has as much of an impact today as it did upon first publication.

The three structural parts of the story are as follows:

1. Introduction/Rising Action: The reading of the names. During the opening moments of the story, we are introduced to a bevy of townsfolk all gathering for a yearly ritual, the consequences of which we as readers do not yet understand. We are introduced to the town, and we settle in to let the ritual begin.

2. Climax: The Hutchinson Family is singled out. Tessie and her family have their names put back into the box to be redrawn. We know now that something untoward will happen to this family, but it isn't until Tessie's name is finally called that we know what's going on: she won't survive this ritual.

3. Denouement: Tessie pleads with the townsfolk, "It isn't fair", etc. We know that she will be stoned to death, thus answering the major dramatic question of the story which is, in essence, "What's going on in this town?"

Why are constellations called constellations?

The word "constellation" comes from the Old French "constellacion," which comes from the Late Latin "constellationem."

Here's a breakdown of the word and its Latin roots:

• 
  con- Meaning "with" or "together." This describes the aspect of constellations as being gatherings or patterns of stars.


• 
  stella- Stella or stellae is the word for stars, but a long time ago the same word was used to described planets or other celestial bodies. This word pre-dates technology which allows us to look into the sky and distinguish between stars and planets.


• 
  -tion- This is a suffix for words of Latin origin which describes an action or state of being. 

So, altogether, constellation roughly means "stars which are clustered together."

Why does Benvolio want Romeo to attend Capulets' party, and why does Romeo agree?

Romeo is really not inclined to accompany Benvolio, but he agrees to enter into the Capulets' celebration so that he can again see Rosaline, who will be there.

After the illiterate servant of the Capulets mistakenly asks Romeo to read the invitation that he has been sent to extend to friends of this family, Benvolio makes the argument with the love-sick Romeo to go with him to this celebration because there he can compare Rosaline, who has ended their relationship, with the other maidens and realize that she is not so beautiful as Romeo believes.

At this same ancient feast of Capulet’s

Sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so loves

With all the admired beauties of Verona....

Compare her face with some that I shall show,

And I will make thee think thy swan a crow. (1.2.84-89)

Romeo reluctantly agrees to accompany Benvolio, but only because he will have the opportunity to see Rosaline again.

This exchange of Benvolio and Romeo exemplifies dramatic irony since Benvolio's prediction that Romeo will think Rosaline "a crow" and forget about her actually occurs as Romeo is immediately smitten when he sees Juliet. The audience, of course, recognizes this dramatic irony since they have been told in the Prologue of Romeo and Juliet's love, the "star-crossed lovers" from the "fatal loins of ...two foes."

Was Theodore Roosevelt a good or a bad president?

In examining the legacy of a former President, often people will determine the relative merit of that presidency based upon their own political party affiliations. But some presidents' achievements transcend the attitudes of this bipartisan tendency, and Theodore Roosevelt could be said to be one of them. Roosevelt took office in 1901, becoming in effect the first president of the 20th century to serve a full term. Despite becoming president as a result of the assassination of President William McKinley, for whom he served as vice president, and despite being, at age 42, the youngest president in history, Roosevelt quickly distinguished himself as a reformer and a passionate advocate for the common good. He passed several initiatives for regulation, including regulation of the railroads, and passed the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act, all of which had lasting impact upon public health and safety.

The most enduring, and perhaps ultimately the most important, aspect of his legacy as president, however, was Roosevelt's determination to preserve natural resources. He enacted laws limiting the exploitation of minerals, water and other wilderness-based elements, and deemed that many forests and other areas should have national park status. He also established fifty-one wildlife refuges. In later years, when commerce and consumption drove many corporations to try and utilize the resources of protected federal lands, Roosevelt's visionary actions have served as a potent reminder that these resources belong to the American people and should be preserved for the enjoyment, education and well-being of future generations. President Bill Clinton's Lands Legacy initiative was the largest single act of legislation preserving natural spaces since Roosevelt's administration, and Clinton cited Roosevelt's work as an inspiration to continue to protect American wilderness and open space.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, why does Atticus wake Jem and Scout the night of the fire instead of letting them sleep through it?

Chapter 8 of To Kill a Mockingbird is quite an eventful one. First, it snows for the first time ever and the kids attempt to build a snowman. Then, that same night, Miss Maudie's house catches on fire across the street from the Finch's home. Atticus could have risked letting the kids sleep through the episode, but what if they would have woken up while he was out there trying to help Maudie? Scout could have panicked and run out into the street looking for Atticus without Jem. If she couldn't find him, she could have gotten in the way of the fire truck and the neighbors trying to help. The worse case scenario is one of the children running around in a panic and getting too close to the fire and getting hurt. Fortunately, Atticus controlled the situation as follows:

"Now listen, both of you. Go down and stand in front of the Radley Place. Keep out of the way, do you hear? See which way the wind's blowing? . . . Do as I tell you. Run now. Take care of Scout, you hear? Don't let her out of your sight" (69).

With these instructions explicitly set forth from their father, the kids understood where to stand to stay out of the way of danger. (It's possible the wind had been blowing embers towards the Finch house.) Also, as Atticus went over to help Maudie, he would know exactly where to look for his kids to keep an eye on them. He wouldn't have to worry about where his kids were and if they were hurt or panicking. 

Would you agree that Jim and Della have sacrificed for each other "the greatest treasures of their house"? Why or why not? Support you opinion with...

Yes, Jim and Della have sacrificed the greatest treasures of their house for each other because they are so poor that Della's hair and Jim's watch were their only material treasures. Neither of them owned anything else on which they could have raised a dollar. O. Henry takes great pains to impress his readers with the importance these young people attach to these possessions. Della not only values her beautiful long hair, but her husband values it too. Jim not only values his gold watch, but Della is proud of it as well. Both Della's hair and Jim's watch are family treasures they share. Here is how O. Henry describes their treasures in his best-known, best-loved short story.

Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy.

O. Henry intended to emphasize that it was hard for both of them to part with their treasures. In selling her hair, Della was not only hurting herself but hurting her husband. She was even afraid he wouldn't love her anymore with her shriveled curls. In selling his watch, Jim was not only hurting himself and his ancestors, but he would be risking losing some of Della's adoration. He looked so suave when he pulled out that handsome gold watch to check the time and to show he had it!

They would only have sacrificed their treasures for the sake of something they valued more, which was their love for each other. O. Henry himself, the creator of both Jim and Della Young, testifies at the end of the story that they had indeed sacrificed their greatest treasures, although he thinks they did it foolishly.

And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. 

In the Kite Runner, what are two significant quotes said by Rahim Khan, and why are they significant?

While there are a numerous quotes from Rahim Khan that can be explored, there are two in particular that seem to stand out: “Come. There is a way to be good again” and “may I have it, Amir jan? I would very much like to read it.”

Though the sentence is short and simple, its impact is significant for several reasons. First, it’s repeated several times throughout the novel, first in chapter one as a flashback / memory of a conversation between Amir and Rahim Khan that will happen in the future, and again in chapter fourteen, when the conversation actually occurs. What Khan said was significant because he knows that Amir saw what happened to Hassan in the alley and did nothing to stop it, and Amir feels guilt and shame. Khan is implicitly telling Amir that he can redeem himself and forgive himself for what happened all those years ago. Other actions of Amir that add to his shame and guilt are when he accuses Hassan of stealing, and also for the fact that he survived when he escaped Kabul with his father, leaving Hassan behind.

Amir spends many years tortured by his past actions. After Amir has become a grown man, he receives a call from Rahim Khan that will change his future.

What Amir eventually learns from Khan is that Hassan was actually his half-brother. Unfortunately, Hassan has passed away by this time, leaving behind a son, Sohrab. What Khan means when he says, “Come. There is a way to be good again,” is that if Amir returns to Kabul, he might find redemption for his unfavorable actions (rather, inaction) by saving Hassan’s son – Amir’s nephew – who has found himself in a similar situation as his father had.

The second quote, “may I have, Amir jan? I would very much like to read it” occurs in chapter four, and is significant because Amir finally receives the encouragement he had needed to hear all his life. As a child Amir loved to look at and learn from the books in his father’s library, and he had written several stories. He was discouraged due to his father’s lack of interest in his writing, and for Khan, who is like a second father to Amir, his interest in reading Amir’s writing is life changing. Also, is the significance of the use of jan after Amir’s name, signifying a term of endearment that he rarely heard from his own father. Without Khan’s interest and positive input (returning the story with a note, and the one word that stood out: “bravo”), was a large factor in forming the path that Amir would travel.  

How does Scout act before the trial in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird?

Prior to the trial in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout's behavior can be classified as being a bit self-absorbed, since she is so young. But the trial allows her to become much more in tune with the things that go on around her, so she matures by losing her self-absorbed nature.

Scout's self-absorption is first revealed in her reactions concerning her first-grade teacher's behavior. Scout has a miserable first day of school, and one reason is because she responds badly to her teacher's behavior, which gets her into trouble. Miss Caroline, being new to Maycomb, offers to loan Walter Cunningham lunch money without realizing he is too poor to pay it back and that his family is too prideful to accept charity. When Scout tries to explain the ways of the Cunninghams to her teacher, saying, "You're shamin' him," she comes off as a bit of a know-it-all, which angers Miss Caroline. When Scout confides in her father about the things that went wrong on her first day of school, Atticus explains that the reason why she got into trouble is because Scout still needs to learn how to see things from others' perspectives:

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

Atticus further explains that if Scout and Walter had seen things from Miss Caroline's perspective, they would have realized Miss Caroline had just made an "honest mistake" and can't be expected to "learn all Maycomb's ways in one day." If Scout had approached her teacher with more empathy, the problem would have been worked out much more smoothly.

Scout takes this lesson of seeing things from others' perspectives to heart a great deal, and after the trial, she is able to view the world with much more empathy. Her ability to feel empathy is especially expressed in her reaction towards her third-grade teacher's racism. In the third grade, a class discussion arises concerning Hitler's treatment of the Jews. Scout is surprised, even angered, to hear her teacher, Miss Gates, speak out against Hitler's treatment of the Jews and speak in favor of democracies because they eliminate persecution:

Over here we don't believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced. (Ch. 26)

Scout is angered because, coming out of the courthouse just after Tom Robinson's trial, Scout distinctly remembers hearing Miss Gates speak in a prejudiced manner against African Americans, saying to Miss Stephanie Crawford, "[I]t's time somebody taught 'em a lesson," despite the fact that Robinson did not deserve his sentence since all evidence pointed to his innocence, not his guilt (Ch. 26). Scout's anger towards Miss Gates' hypocritical behavior shows us just how much Scout has learned to empathize with others, since it shows us she has become able to see things from Tom Robinson's viewpoint and the viewpoint of other African Americans.

Explain why Theodore Taylor dedicated The Cay to Dr. King and his dream. Why does he think young people should be involved in making that dream a...

After reading The Cay by Theodore Taylor, his reasons for dedicating the book to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are fairly obvious. Taylor wrote a book to show that we are all trying to survive in a world that is not always friendly to us. He shows us Phillip, a young boy who has been raised to believe being White is better than being Black, and that his race is somehow superior to Timothy's. Through the book, though, Phillip depends on Timothy. Timothy becomes Phillip's eyes when he is blinded. He becomes a mentor, a father-figure, and a friend, and over time the idea of race disappears. In Dr. King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech, he said,

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed, 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.' I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood" (King 2).

Phillip and Timothy are representative of that dream. Young people are often much better at this than adults because they are better at looking beyond color and into another's character. Though Phillip initially didn't like Timothy because he judged him based on the color of Timothy's skin, he learned that Timothy was a very good man. Timothy may not have been able to read, but he knew so much more than Phillip did about the ocean, the weather, and survival. Phillip realized how very fortunate he was to know Timothy. Maybe Taylor's hope is that when we take the time to get to know others, all of those racial barriers can disappear, and Dr. King's dream can become a reality. May it be so.

Over the years of his confinement, what were the reasons for the changes in the lawyer's taste in books?

The story is told entirely from the banker's point of view. He cannot tell what is going on inside the lawyer's mind, since he never goes inside the lodge where the prisoner is confined and has no direct communication with him. All the banker knows about the lawyer's changing tastes and interests in reading-- and therefore can guess about his thoughts and feelings in his solitude-- comes from the books the lawyer requests.

In the first year the books he sent for were principally of a light character; novels with a complicated love plot, sensational and fantastic stories, and so on.

In this first year the lawyer is presumably just using books as a way of killing time. He must be preoccupied with getting through one day after another and not really concerned about what he reads. A lot of people are like that. They are discursive readers. They select books by their titles and never really remember them after they have read them. A lot of books are published to make money off such readers. They are trash, "chewing gum for the eyes."

In the second year the piano was silent in the lodge, and the prisoner asked only for the classics.

The prisoner may have read so much trash that he was beginning to see it was trash and to realize that he was wasting his time and could at least be improving his mind. He was growing more serious. He could see that he couldn't stand fifteen years of solitude without focusing on something. Otherwise he could go crazy.

In the second half of the sixth year the prisoner began zealously studying languages, philosophy, and history. He threw himself eagerly into these studies - so much so that the banker had enough to do to get him the books he ordered. In the course of four years some six hundred volumes were procured at his request.

The prisoner was beginning to become mature and serious. He wanted to understand the meaning of life. He read six hundred really profound books in the next four years and had to learn some foreign languages in order to read many of the books. This seems like an excellent way for a person in his situation to pass the time. However, after that period of intense study he read nothing but the Gospels, books on theology, and histories of religion for the next three years. It would seem that he had reached the conclusion that the six hundred books he had devoured did not contain the answers to the questions that preyed on his mind.

In the last two years of his confinement the prisoner read an immense quantity of books quite indiscriminately. At one time he was busy with the natural sciences, then he would ask for Byron or Shakespeare.

Apparently the prisoner had found what he wanted in the religious books he read for several years. After that he continued to read books because reading had become such an addiction and because he had nothing else to do. He must have learned not only to tolerate solitude but to enjoy it. For years he had been using authors as substitutes for friends and acquaintances. Where was the man he could talk to after such an intensive period of reading and meditation? Certainly not the banker! For the rest of his life the lawyer would be a solitary hermit. He had become like many famous men, including Socrates, Jesus, Buddha, Mahatma Gandhi, Henry David Thoreau, Diogenes, and so many others, who had decided that money is corrupting. The banker is a good example of a man who has been so thoroughly corrupted by money that he is actually contemplating murdering his prisoner in order to get out of paying him the two million rubles he owes him.

Neither the banker nor the lawyer wins the bet. The story is an unusual one for Chekhov, but the ending is characteristically Chekhovian in that nothing is really solved. The lawyer has attained wisdom, but does wisdom do him or anybody any good? He has sacrificed the best years of his life, and now 

He was a skeleton with the skin drawn tight over his bones, with long curls like a woman's and a shaggy beard. His face was yellow with an earthy tint in it, his cheeks were hollow, his back long and narrow, and the hand on which his shaggy head was propped was so thin and delicate that it was dreadful to look at it. His hair was already streaked with silver, and seeing his emaciated, aged-looking face, no one would have believed that he was only forty.

Why is it important to learn about physical geography?

It is important to know about physical geography so you can recognize a place.  If you think about the United States, each state has its own identifying characteristics, i.e., something that makes it unique.   

We know that California is known for its location in the Pacific Ring of Fire, and its propensity for earthquakes.  Someone considering moving to the area near the San Andreas Fault might want to take that into consideration before buying a house there.  The Rocky Mountain region is vastly different from Florida, which is mostly swamp and wetlands.  It is important for us to know about the landscape of an area, and whether it is predominantly desert, forest, wetlands, etc.  If you are going to travel to a different place, its location is often a good indicator of its climate; therefore, you might know how to dress appropriately.    

Physical geography is also used in Global Positioning Systems or GPS Navigation Systems.  We use physical geography in our daily lives in locating buildings and just getting from place to place. 

What are some advantages the company Nike has?

As a large multinational corporation, Nike has many advantages over its competitors.  Because of its large size, it is able to secure many of the factors of production at lower rates than its competition.  This includes the cost of paying labor in factories located in under-developed countries in Asia.  

Probably the biggest advantage that Nike has is name recognition.  Through careful marketing, and the use of celebrity athletes, the company reaches the important 15-29 demographic.  This tradition began with Michael Jordan in the 1980's.  Because of name recognition, the company is able to charge more for their products than the competition, which can in turn be used for further marketing.

The scope of the company is another important advantage.  The company is no longer just a line of athletic competition shoes.  Nike offers a large variety of equipment, running gear, branded clothing, and uniform options.  The variety of product allows Nike to reach a large customer audience, which in turn, increases revenue. 

Video on the Globalization of Nike, YouTube reference link.

What are two properties of waves that affect the energy of waves?

Wavelength and frequency are two properties that effect the energy of a wave.

Energy is directly proportional to a wave’s frequency. This means that as the frequency of a wave increases so does the wave’s energy. The relationship between a wave’s frequency and energy can be represented via the formula identified below.

E = hv

E = Energy in Joules (J)

v= frequency in hertz, or 1/s

h= Plank’s constant = 6.626 x 10 ^ -32 s

The wavelength and energy of a wave are inversely proportional to one another. This means that waves with larger wavelengths have less energy. The following equation relates a wave’s energy and wavelength.

E = hc/λ

E = Energy in Joules (J)

h= Plank’s constant = 6.626 x 10 ^ -32 s

c = the speed of light in a vacuum = 3.0 x 10 ^8 m/s

λ = the wavelength in meters

"When Aunt Alexandra went to school, self-doubt could not be found in any textbook, so she knew not its meaning. She was never bored, and given the...

This quotation comes from Chapter 13 of To Kill A Mockingbird. Aunt Alexandra, Atticus's sister, has come to Maycomb to watch Jem and Scout during the long summer, and they discover that she is excessively proud of her heritage and ways of being and not open to other ways of thinking.

Unlike Jem, Scout, and Atticus, Aunt Alexandra "fitted into the world of Maycomb like a hand into a glove" (Chapter 13). She upholds all the local values, such as supporting missionary societies and hosting parties for the local ladies. Aunt Alexandra also likes to disparage other families and considers her family, the Finch family, to be superior to others. She is disappointed that Atticus has not taught Jem and Scout to appreciate the family and its heritage as she does.

Unlike Atticus, who questions what he sees around him and who judges people as individuals, Aunt Alexandra, as the quotation in the question implies, sees the world in a black-and-white fashion. She never doubts her judgments and her sense of what's right, and she considers other ways of being and other families inferior. Scout and Jem are not used to this type of rigid thinking, and they chafe against Aunt Alexandra's rules and dictates. Atticus is not so sure of himself, and this self-doubt makes him a more humane and open person than Aunt Alexandra. 

How does Shakespeare present life in Verona in the play "Romeo and Juliet"?

Shakespeare presents fourteenth century Verona as a city of distinct social classes, prominent families, and civil discontent.

Social class differences are very evident in Shakespeare's Verona. Romeo and Juliet both come from upper class families. They will never want for anything and will never have to work a day in their lives. Romeo spends his days moping around Verona, and his father says that "away from light steals home (his) heavy son and private in his chamber pens himself" (133-134). In fact, Romeo's problems are fairly trivial, but since his social status shields him from real problems, he can do nothing but dwell on such trifles: "Ah, word ill urg'd to one that is so ill! In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman" (205-206).  

The nurse's social class also proves important in Act II when Mercutio insults her by calling her "something stale and hoar ere it be spent" (122). He shows her no respect despite the fact that she is an older woman.

Juliet is equally blessed and her only major problem is having to consider an arranged marriage to Paris, a handsome nobleman. Unlike Juliet, her nurse is delighted, for she comes from a lower class background and has to deal with a different set of problems. She once had a child Juliet's age, and she probably would have loved such a match for her daughter, who passed away in infancy (22-23), a problem far too common in lower class societies of the Renaissance.

Shakespeare also shows that prominent families were important in life in Verona. In fact, the family you belonged to said a lot about who you were, so being from an "old" family was very significant. For example, both Romeo and Juliet came from prominent families, so they were recognized as either a Montague or a Capulet everywhere they went, not as their individual selves. For example, when Juliet notices Romeo at the ball, she sends her nurse to ask who he is, and Tybalt immediately recognizes him as a Montague. The importance of what family you came from was so extreme that even the servants felt it. When explaining the brawl in Act I, scene i, Benvolio states, "Here were the servants of your adversary and yours, close fighting ere I did approach" (102-103). The servants feel so loyal to their masters' families that even they will fight each other in the streets of Verona.

This fight was not the first of its kind and not the last. In fact, the Prince of Verona is tired of having to deal with such melees. In Act I, scene i, he states, "Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word...Have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets" (85 &87).  Later, another brawl claims the life of Juliet's cousin Tybalt, which ultimately seals Romeo's tragic fate.

Reconstruction: A missed opportunity? A time of tragedy? A time of hope?

Reconstruction can be viewed from many different angles. Some people would say it was a missed opportunity. Others would say it was a tragedy. Finally, it could be viewed as a time of hope. I will explain each viewpoint so you can make an informed decision.

Reconstruction can be viewed as a missed opportunity. After the Civil War ended, the time was excellent to bring about permanent, positive changes in the South. While some long lasting changes were made such as the ending of slavery, some of the key ideas that could have brought about lasting change were only temporary. When the southern states passed the Jim Crow Laws after Reconstruction ended, and when voting restrictions were put into effect denying African-Americans the opportunity to vote, a chance to bring about real change was missed.

Some people feel Reconstruction was a time of tragedy. Part of the reason for this belief was that an opportunity was missed to bring about permanent changes that would have significantly improved conditions in the South. By passing Jim Crow Laws, African-Americans would be treated again like second-class citizens. African-Americans were be threatened and intimidated. They wouldn’t have equal rights for nearly 100 years. Other southerners viewed Reconstruction as a time of tragedy because Reconstruction forever altered the way of life in the South. Some southerners believed in white, racial superiority. With the ending of slavery and with some of the other temporary changes that were made, the idea of whites controlling the freedom of blacks was gone forever. Even with the restrictions that were put in place, the seeds of freedom and equality were planted, and for some southerners, this wasn’t viewed in a positive manner. Some people also longed for the days when the South was almost exclusively an agricultural region. With Reconstruction, more industries developed. The development of industries changed the southern way of life to some degree.

Reconstruction can also be viewed as a time of hope. The changes that were made during Reconstruction gave people hope that there could be equality in the South in the future. When African-Americans were allowed to vote, this was a huge step. African-American males also won elections for political offices. There also were more job opportunities available for the African-Americans. Reconstruction showed our people that it was a possible to have a society where all races were treated as equals. This gave people hope that one day in the future an equal society would exist in the South. If equality was achieved temporarily, there was no reason why it couldn’t be achieved permanently.

Now that you have all of the viewpoints regarding Reconstruction, how do you view Reconstruction?

How does Romeo and Juliet's love at first sight in Shakespeare's play relate to today's young adults?

Love at first sight is not limited to Romeo and Juliet.  Teenagers and young adults today are certainly susceptible to it as well.  There is a difference between falling in love with the idea of a person and falling in love with the actual person.  There is also a difference between love and lust.

Sometimes things that are forbidden and dangerous are more desirable.  This is why teens and young adults often want to date people their parents do not approve of.  In the case of Romeo and Juliet, perhaps an extreme case, their parents did not approve of the match because their families were feuding.  That might have created a subconscious pull for the two young lovers.

The truth is that Romeo and Juliet’s infatuation was purely physical.  They barely knew each other before their marriage—which was very brief.  They saw each other at a party, and that was it.  Romeo in particular seems entranced by Juliet’s beauty.

ROMEO

O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! (Act 1, Scene 5)

Juliet likes the attention.  Romeo and Juliet marry in haste, and in secret.  Their marriage leads to their doom.  While their fate may not be the same today, it might also lead to unintended consequences, like putting off or not attending college, and possibly reduced income and career prospects.

Dating is a healthy and normal part of a teenager's and young adult's life.  It is important to keep perspective, however.  Let people into your life, and listen to them.  As hard as it is to take advice when you are young and in love, that is the best time to do it.

What did Miss Havisham's appearance remind Pip of in Great Expectations?

When Pip first met Miss Havisham, he noticed in detail what she was wearing: the lace and silk of a wedding dress, complete with veil, down to one satin slipper which she wore, with the other on the table near her. He could tell that the dress, though it was once white, had now yellowed with age, as had Miss Havisham herself. She had withered inside of the dress that had once fit the rounded form of a young woman, reminding him of a time he went to see a waxwork (a wax model of an historical figure), noting the flowers that were nearby, faded as well. She also reminded him of a skeleton in a rich but withered dress that he had seen as it was taken from the vault in a church he was taken to visit. It was only the dark eyes that seemed alive, and they followed him wherever he went in the room.

What two gifts does his father give Matt before he leaves?

Before Matt's father left for Massachusetts to pick up Matt's younger sister and pregnant mother, he gave him two special items that would later play a part in the story.

Because Matt would be alone once his father left, he needed a way to protect himself and acquire food. Matt's father left Matt his own rifle, a much better one than Matt had. The rifle was a valuable possession, but his father wanted to be as sure as he could be that Matt was safe and able to procure food.

He also left Matt a silver watch that was a family heirloom. Though Matt did not necessarily need it to tell time, his father hoped that in some way the watch would help keep Matt company.

Both items eventually played a large part in the story's plot. The rifle was stolen early in the story when a stranger insisted on spending the night in Matt's cabin. The silver watch served as a final parting gift for Attean near the end of the story when Attean and his tribe moved away from the area where Matt lived.