What were the four types of trenches used by the Allies in WWI?

The trench system during World War One consisted of at least three parallel trench lines dug in zig-zag patterns. The zig-zag pattern prevented enemy combatants from firing directly down the line of trenches. Parallel trench lines were interconnected by perpendicular communications trenches.

The front-line trench or outpost line was usually situated closest to No Man's Land. In war, No Man's Land constitutes the area between opposing trench systems. During World War One, most front-line trenches were protected by sand-bag walls and barricades of tangled, barbed wire. Front-line trenches were usually only about eight feet deep, but by 1918, the Germans had managed to construct trench systems that were at least 14 miles deep in some areas. Bolt-holes were often carved out on each side of the front-line trench to allow soldiers to eat, rest, or sleep. The front-line trench was most vulnerable to attacks and reported the greatest number of casualties during battle.

Behind the front-line trench was the support trench, situated some 75 meters behind the first trench. The support trench often contained first-aid stations and makeshift kitchens to serve the needs of soldiers on the front lines. Support trenches also housed extra reinforcement forces to replace fallen soldiers from the front lines.

The reserve trench was situated at least 300 meters behind the support trench. Reserve trenches were rarely overrun; because of this, they housed newer soldier recruits, extra medical supplies, food, and cook personnel.

The communications trenches ran perpendicular to the front-line, support, and reserve trenches. Communications trenches facilitated the transport of soldiers to field hospitals for treatment. Often, communications trenches also housed war engineers. These engineers were responsible for operating and maintaining crucial communications hardware; they were also tasked with surveying enemy lines and ensuring the continued viability of transport operations behind the front-lines.

1. How many protons are in nucleus of an atom with an atomic number of 15? 2. How many electrons are in the nucleus of an atom with an atomic...

The number of protons in a given atom are the same as its atomic number. In fact, atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. For example, sodium has an atomic number of 11 and has got 11 protons in its nucleus.

In the given case, the atomic number of the given atom is 15, hence its nucleus contains 15 protons.

The number of protons and electrons are the same in atom and that is what keeps it neutral. In the second case, the atomic number is 20. Hence, the atom will contain a total of 20 protons in its nucleus. To counter this charge, the atom will also contain 20 electrons. Note that there are no electrons inside the nucleus, electrons only orbit the nucleus.

Hope this helps. 

`2x + 3y =0, 4x + 3y - z = 0, 8x + 3y + 3z = 0` Solve the system of linear equations and check any solutions algebraically.

Eq1: `2x+3y=0`

Eq2:`4x+3y-z=0`

Eq3:`8x+3y+3z=0`

Multiply equation 2 by 3,

`12x+9y-3z=0` 

Now add the above equation and equation 3,

`(8x+3y+3z)+(12x+9y-3z)=0`

`8x+12x+3y+9y+3z-3z=0`

`20x+12y=0`

`4(5x+3y)=0`

`5x+3y=0`

Now let's solve the above equation and equation 1,

`2x+3y=0`

`5x+3y=0`

Subtract the above equations

`2x-5x=0`

`-3x=0`

`x=0`

Substitute back the value of x,

`2x+3y=0`

`2(0)+3y=0`

`3y=0`

`y=0`

Plug in the value of x and y in equation 2,

`4(0)+3(0)-z=0` ` `

`-z=0`

`z=0`

Solutions of the equations are x=0, y=0 and z=0

How would you describe Captain Keller in the book "The Miracle Worker"?

Captain Keller is described in the play The Miracle Worker as being "a hearty gentleman."  When the play begins, Captain Keller is a man in his forties.  He has a beard and sometimes wears spectacles.  He is married to his second wife, Kate and has a son, James, from his first marriage.  He was a captain during the Civil War and comes from an established family.  He is proud of his family name, Keller.  His daughter, Helen, becomes deaf and blind due to illness at a young age.  By the time Helen is six, Captain Keller and his wife have taken Helen to many doctors, but they have no solutions.  Captain Keller is fed up with how disruptive their household is because of Helen, and he has lost hope of her becoming well or getting help.

How can I summarize the poem "Death of a Bird"?

Australian poet A.D Hope's "The Death of the Bird" deals with aging and death, using a bird in migration as the overarching metaphor.

The first line signals the theme of the poem:

"For every bird there is this last migration..."

The line tells us, for this bird, death is near, tells it without sentimentality. The heavy weight of the line foreshadows what is to follow. 

The bulk of the poem introduces us to the inner life of the bird—memories, sensations she has experienced year after year in the same migration she is taking now, but this year, we know, will be different. Indeed, we see the bird hasn't the stamina or faculties she once had.

"Single and frail, uncertain of her place, Alone in the bright host of her companions, Lost in the blue unfriendliness of space."

Finally darkness overtakes the flying flock, and she is no longer able to maintain her flight. Strong winds overcome her, and she falls to her death.

The last lines of the poem summon up the poet's view of the bird's life—in remorseless nature, the passing of the life of a bird is received "without grief or malice," but simply as another of the numberless lives and deaths inhabiting the earth every day.

Yet, the tenderness with which the author presents the life of the bird belies this. The poem itself individualizes the bird, and therefore gives great dignity to its existence. 

What is the woman's heart compared to in "A Christmas Memory"?

In Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory” he ends the story with these words,

That is why, walking across a school campus on this particular December morning, I keep searching the sky. As if I expected to see, rather like hearts, a lost pair of kites hurrying toward heaven.

Capote expresses Buddy’s feeling of loss over his cousin’s death. Their friendship was odd due to the age difference, but not in their feelings of love toward each other. Throughout the years, when they lived in the same house, each Christmas Buddy and his cousin exchanged hand-made kites. Buddy thinks back to the contented times when he and his cousin flew their kites in the pasture as a means of escaping the confines of their restrictive home life. He feels like he lost a piece of his heart as a result of his friend’s death. As Buddy trudges across the school campus, he looks heavenward thinking about a lost pair of kites, which represents the friends. Her heart is compared to a lost kite and he imagines that his is drifting off to heaven along with hers.

How can people protect their environments?

There are various ways people can protect their environments. There are several parts of environment, including water, air, land, etc., that can be protected by modifying our day to day habits. We can protect the air by using less fossil fuels. This can be achieved by using more efficient vehicles or electric vehicles. Carpooling or cycling or walking are some other options. Use of more efficient electrical devices can also help us save electricity, most of which is produced by use of fossil fuels. We can save our water bodies by ensuring that no one disposes off their waste directly into the surface water bodies, such as rivers, streams, lakes, etc. We can protect our land by safe disposal of our solid wastes. We can help the environment by recycling and reusing as much of our waste as possible.

Hope this helps.  

It's 3°C outside what kind of precipitation might be falling? What form of precipitation might be falling if the temperature is below 0°C ?

At 3C or 37F, we could expect precipitation like rain or sleet to be falling. The freezing point of water is 0C or 32F, so it's not quite cold enough for totally frozen precipitation. Whether it is rain or sleet with really depend on the temperature of air at higher altitudes, where the condensation is occurring. It may also depend on the chemical compositions of the water vapor, as highly polluted vapor may be more resistant to crystallization or freezing. 

At 0C or 32F and below, we can expect that precipitation will be totally frozen. At this temperature, we are more likely to see snow or hail. Again, the type depends on the temperatures at high altitudes and how quickly water vapor is condensing and freezing. Snow forms and falls relatively quickly compared to hail, which may be carried around by winds at high altitudes gathering more water droplets until it is sufficiently heavy to fall.

What were the important themes of the Renaissance ?

The Renaissance has a number of themes that are found in the art and literary contributions of the time period. There was a strict move away from the emphasis of Christianity that existed during the Medieval period. The theme of secularism took hold in Europe. Secularism is the emphasis of worldly things rather than the sacred. Art and literature became more realistic and temporal. It was created for entertainment value rather than a religious end.

Another theme of the Renaissance was humanism. Through humanism, the Greek and Roman classics were re-evaluated to gain a better understanding of the human condition. The field of philosophy was reinvigorated as a search for truth motivated new fields of study. Humanism was not necessarily a rejection of Christianity, as it is viewed today. It was simply a different way of examining it.

A third theme of the Renaissance period is individualism. Individualism was an attempt to elevate the individual to a status never achieved before. Philosophers were interested in studying the potential greatness of man. Emphasis was also placed on developing ideas as to how mankind should act and behave. Artists and sculptors started to take a greater interest in anatomy and the human body in their works of art.

What theme is developed throughout To Kill a Mockingbird? How?

The biggest and most obvious theme that runs throughout the novel gives the book its title, To Kill a Mockingbird.  Many characters in the novel are symbolized by the mockingbird. We are first introduced to this concept when Atticus tells Jem, “Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”  Miss Maudie further explains that because mockingbirds don’t harm anyone and are just hear to sing for us, it would be cruel to destroy them. 

Many characters represent the mockingbird through their loss of innocence. Boo Radley’s warm, child-like behavior in the novel shows how harmless and beautiful he truly is.  Both Jem and Scout are considered mockingbirds as well because they are innocent children who are forced to grow up in the turbulent time of racism and the Great Depression.  Tom Robinson is another mockingbird in the story. Unjustly accused of the rape of Mayella Ewell, Tom’s death embodies society’s sin of killing an innocent man.   

Throughout the story, the innocence of many characters is subjected to the sins of society through racism, violence, and oppression. Harper Lee’s use of the mockingbird as a symbol shows a theme of how society and man can destroy innocence.

Note: Some other characters considered mockingbirds could be Dill, Dolphus Raymond, and Mayella Ewell. 

`tan(x + pi) + 2sin(x + pi) = 0` Find all solutions of the equation in the interval [0, 2pi).

`tan(x+pi)+2sin(x+pi)=0 , 0<=x<=2pi`

using `tan(x+pi)=tan(x) , sin(x+pi)=-sin(x)`

`tan(x)-2sin(x)=0`

`sin(x)/cos(x)-2sin(x)=0`

`sin(x)-2sin(x)cos(x)=0`

`sin(x)(1-2cos(x))=0`

solving each part separately,

`sin(x)=0 , (1-2cos(x))=0`

For sin(x)=0,

General solutions are,

`x=0+2pin , x=pi+2pin`

solutions for the range `0<=x<=2pi`  are,

`x=0,pi,2pi` 

solving`1-2cos(x)=0`

`cos(x)=1/2`

General solutions for cos(x)=1/2 are,

`x=pi/3+2pin, (5pi)/3+2pin`

Solutions for the range `0<=x<=2pi`  are,

`x=pi/3 , (5pi)/3`

combine all the solutions,

`x=0,pi,2pi,pi/3,(5pi)/3`

In The Devil's Arithmetic, what quick observation does the badchan make of Hannah?

The badchan’s “quick observation” that you speak of is incredibly insightful.  A badchan is a sort of hired comic or court jester who entertains at upper-class Jewish occasions.  As indicated in The Devil’s Arithmetic, he is a skinny man who is hired “to make up rhymes, sing songs ... [and] tell fortunes.” This particular badchan at the Jewish wedding feast spies Hannah and immediately sings this song. 

Pretty girl, with faraway eyes,
Why do you look with such surprise?
How did you get to be so wise,
Old girl in young-girl disguise.

This song is very significant.  Hannah is called “Chaya” when she goes back in time.  At this point, Hannah is the character of Chaya (who existed during the time of the Holocaust).  This is probably the reason why the badchan notices the “faraway eyes.”  Further, Hannah is surprised by almost everything she sees back in 1942.  In this case, Hannah is surprised to learn that arranged marriages are more common than marriages due to love.  This is the “surprise” of which the badchan speaks.  Further, the badchan notes that Hannah/Chaya is “wise” and hints at the switch of characters when he calls her the “old girl in young-girl disguise.”  The badchan’s next observation is about Hannah’s name.  Chaya means life:  “a strong name for a strange time.” This is significant for many reasons.  Hannah/Chaya eventually sacrifices herself for her friend named Rivka.  Through death, Chaya achieves life.  Also, the name is “strong” for this time period because so many Jewish people died that it is ironic that anyone Jewish would be named “life.”  The badchan recognizes, then, that Hannah/Chaya is a very special girl.

In Things Fall Apart, what is Obierika's opinion towards the white missionaries?

In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo's greatest friend and confidant Obierika is deeply suspicious of the invasive presence of the white missionaries, and is equally concerned by their pervasive influence in the area. Chapter 17 is the key chapter in revealing Obierika's true feelings toward these colonial representatives and the Western norms and values they attempt to impart upon the inhabitants of Umuofia. Obierika sets out to visit Okonkwo, who is two years into his exile in Mbanta, in order to tell him that Okonkwo's son, Nwoye, has joined the ranks of outside missionaries. Obierika is obviously disturbed by Nwoye's decision to engage with the new religion, and this is illustrated by his venture to Mbanta to discuss this matter with Okonkwo. Achebe depicts the settling of missionaries as a disruptive process, and notes that the fact that the incipient church won new converts "was a great source of great sorrow to the leaders of the clan" (142). Obierika is among those who view the influence of white missionaries as problematic and a major source of unwanted change for Umuofia. 

How do the ants in The Pearl have symbolic meaning?

Kino watches “with the detachment of God” as an ant tries to escape the trap set for it by an ant lion (an insect that preys on ants). The narrator does not say if the ant manages to escape or not, but we see in this event the symbolism of the story, the fate of a human who is trapped while God watches on, not caring or interfering. Like the ant, Kino finds himself in a trap when he finds the pearl that he believes will make his fortune and give him a life that he never even dreamed about before. All around him, the “ant lions” in the forms of the priest, the doctor, and the pearl buyers (as well as the unknown assailant) are trying to drag him down into their trap to consume him. Kino manages to escape from the trap, but not without losing his baby son and his home.

Why might a farmer want to clone one of the plants in his crops?

Clones are genetically identical individuals. If a species or individual has desirable traits, then it may be advantageous to clone that species or individual. One reason that a farmer would clone a specific plant within a crop is because that plant may demonstrate resistance towards a particular pest or infection. Another reason that a farmer may want to clone a particular plant within a crop is because of a high yield in fruit or other desirable or profitable resource.

Plants can be cloned either artificially or through natural means. Cloning crops artificially using tissue cultures. Plants may be cloned naturally via the use of plant cuttings or runners. Using plant cuttings to clone plants is advantageous if the plant is difficult to grow from seed.

One disadvantage of cloning plants is that it reduces that variety within a crop. Therefore, all plants will respond the same way to a change in the environment. If none of the plants are resistant to the change, the farmer may lose his entire crop. If variety was maintained within the crop, then there is bound to be at least some plants that are resistant to the change and survive.

Whose memories does the Giver hold?

In Ch. 10, the Giver explains to Jonas what memories he holds, although it is difficult for Jonas to understand this. The Giver is the repository for the memories of a bygone world and its citizens. He holds all of the memories for everyone in all the world for all of time.

"My job is to transmit to you all of the memories I have within me. Memories of the past."

At first, Jonas thinks this means the Giver's own memories, and quickly the Giver realizes he is not adequately explaining himself.

"Im not being clear. It's not my past, not my childhood that I must transmit to you. It's the memories of the whole world. Before you, before me, before the previous Receiver, and generations before him."

Jonas is unaware that there is a "whole world" outside of the community in which he lives because he has never left the community and everywhere outside of it is simply referred to as "Elsewhere." So all of this is really hard for him to comprehend. Also, the idea of there being memories of the past generations, not just the Giver's individual childhood, is foreign to him as well. All of the individuals he knows, him included, only have memories of their own childhoods. They are not taught about the community's history prior to their own lives, as that information is not needed by individuals. 

You collect 6.36 moles of hydrogen gas from your lab experiment involving the decomposition of water by electrolysis. The pressure inside your...

we can solve this  problem with ideal gas equation, which is pv=nRT

where, p=pressure of the container

          v=volume of the container

          n=number of moles of the gas

          R= Universal gas constant

          T= temperature in kelvin

If we substitute the values in the first instant in to the equation;(that is before adding the second volume of gas)

1x v =6.36x Rx T----(1)

If we substitute the second  set of values( that is after the addition of second gas sample)

p2x v = (6.36+1.28) x Rx T----(2)

note:  * since the question doesn't say about a change of temperature

           we can assume that  the temperature is constant

          * Container is said to be  rigid so we can assume  that the   volume is             constant.

Divide equation number (1) by (2)

  (1x v =6.36x Rx T)  ----(1)

____________________

(p2x v = 7.64x Rx T)----(2)

By simplifying these equations  you would get

6.36p2 =7.64

p2       = 7.64/6.36

          =1.20 atm//

How does the cell maintain homeostasis?

Homeostasis is the maintenance of constant conditions necessary for growth and development. In case of cells, cell membrane helps the cell maintain internal environment and controls the entry and exit of molecules, in such a way that the cell has the best possible chances of survival, maintenance and growth. Cell membrane is a phospholipid bilayer. It is made up of amphiphilic molecules, that is molecules that contain both a hydrophobic end and a hydrophilic end. In the cell membrane, all the hydrophilic molecules point outwards (out in to the environment or in towards the cell interior), while the hydrophobic heads point to each other. This configuration allows the cell membrane to be selectively permeable, that is, it only allows the entry of certain specific molecules, while restricting every other molecule. This ensures that any molecule which could be harmful to cell is not permitted entry.

Hope this helps. 

Would you say that Wilbur is a strongminded pig ? Why ?

I would argue that Wilbur is not a strong-minded pig. From the very beginning of the story, Wilbur depends on other people and animals to keep him alive, to help him find his way, and to accomplish the things that he thinks are important. Being the runt of the litter, he is going to be killed but then Fern saves him through no real effort of his own.

Once he is grown, he is sent off to the Zuckerman farm and is only saved with the other animal's help and then Charlotte's help in particular. Even at the fair, it is Charlotte and Templeton who do the heavy lifting to keep Wilbur safe by helping him win the fair.

It is only then that Wilbur takes charge when he forces Templeton to put the egg sac somewhere safe where he knows that it will get back to the farm and ensure that Charlotte's children will survive.

Throughout the story, Wilbur's major concern seems to be staying alive and this happens mainly because of Charlotte and the others as opposed to any sort of planning or action on Wilbur's part.

If I use 1 lb of gas to burn 1 lb of wood, how much will the ashes weigh?

There are too many unknown variables involved to calculate an answer to this question, but I'll try to help you understand the concept.

First of all, if you're referring to using gasoline to burn wood, both are hydrocarbon fuels that undergo combustion. If you're referring to oxygen gas, it's a necessary reactant for combustion of a hydrocarbon fuel.

When a hydrocarbon burns with oxygen, the products are carbon dioxide and water vapor. Both are colorless gases and therefore pretty much invisible. Ashes are left over due to other substances in the fuel that aren't easily combusted, and due to incomplete combustion of the hydrocarbons if adequate oxygen can't get to all of the molecules. If the fuel combusted completely there would be no ash left.

According to the Law of Conservation of Mass, the total mass of products after burning equals the total mass or reactants that were consumed. This doesn't mean that there will be an amount of ash left over that's equal to the mass of the products. Most of the mass of the products is accounted for by the carbon dioxide and water vapor that we know is produced yet we can't see. Similarly, the mass of oxygen gas that reacts accounts for some of the mass of reactants.

Antoine Lavoisier, a French chemist of the 18th century, showed that mass is conserved in a chemical reaction by trapping and weighing the gases produced.

What happened during the "cranberry scare" of 1959?

Before she wrote Silent Spring, Rachel Carson was a biologist for the Fish & Wildlife Service, beginning in 1936, and she wrote about issues relating to water contamination for The Baltimore Sun and The Atlantic Monthly. During the World War II years, criticizing chemical companies was considered a short step away from treason, but she continued to write books and articles on the subject. After the war, she criticized the manufacture and effects of DDT, a powerful and effective pesticide that caused damage to animals up the food chain from their intended target insects. In the mid-late 1950s she opposed some of the pesticide programs that used synthetic pesticides to eradicate, for example, the Gypsy Moth. Environmentalism and conservationism were not yet mainstream causes in the United States, and chemical companies made a great effort to discredit her.

In 1957, Carson published a letter in The Washington Post attributing bird die-offs to the overuse of DDT and other pesticides. This coincided with the 1957 "cranberry scandal" where cranberries had high levels of the weed killer aminotriazole, a chemical known to cause cancer in lab rats. Cranberries were taken off the shelves that year and for the next two years as well. By the time they were being sold again, Carson had published her book Silent Spring, a very popular best-seller, and the environmental movement entered the American mainstream.

In the novel "The Outsiders" by S.E Hinton, the Socs beat up Ponyboy and Johnny. Is Ponyboy innocent or guilty of assisting in the murder of Bob...

Ponyboy is innocent of assisting in the murder of Bob Sheldon. He was unaware that Johnny stabbed and killed him, and later on in the novel when they are hiding out, Johnny comments that Pony is not guilty of anything.

In Chapter 4, Johnny and Ponyboy are jumped by a group of five Socs at a local park around 2:30 am. During the scuffle, a Soc named Bob Sheldon grabs Ponyboy and attempts to drown him in the fountain. Pony comments on how he felt while Bob had his head underneath the water and said,

"I'm drowning I thought, they've gone too far...A red haze filled my mind and I slowly relaxed. The next thing I knew I was lying on the pavement beside the fountain, coughing water and gasping." (Hinton 56)

Ponyboy was unconscious when Johnny stabbed Bob Sheldon, and was unaware of what happened until he became conscious again. In Chapter 5, Johnny and Pony begin arguing about their difficult situation. Johnny admits that it is his fault the boys are wanted for murder. Johnny says,

"For bringin' a little thirteen-year-old kid along. You ought to go home. You can't get into trouble. You didn't kill him." (Hinton 74)

Johnny knows that Pony had nothing to do with the decision he made to stab Bob Sheldon.

What are some ways I could begin to relate themes between George Orwell's 1984 and Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five?

There are two themes that relate well to George Orwell's 1984 and Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five. The first theme is the destructiveness of war on a society. In 1984, Oceania exists in a constant state of war in order to consume the resources that would better the lives of its citizens. Keeping the population at a near starvation level encourages loyalty to the party overseen by Big Brother. In Slaughterhouse Five, this same theme is portrayed by the destruction of Dresden in February, 1945. Before World War II, Dresden was one of Europe's most magnificent and culturally important cities. In the novel, Vonnegut argues that the city's destruction had no strategic value, but was revenge undertaken by the British and Americans in the war's waning months.

The second theme that ties both novels together is war's effect on the individual. In 1984, Winston Smith knows nothing but rationing due to Oceania's endless war with Eastasia and/or Eurasia. Even as a party member, Winston's flat is shabby and rundown, two facts that Orwell describes in great detail in the novel's first pages. In Slaughterhouse Five, Billy Pilgrim is haunted by memories from his time as a POW. For Billy, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) manifests itself as a delusion about the Tralfamadorians, aliens from another planet. 

Who is Patroclus?

Patroclus is Achilles's friend. Achilles holds him in very high esteem; Edith Hamilton notes that Patroclus "of all men on earth was dearest to [Achilles]." 

To settle a debt, Agamemnon takes from Achilles his prize, the maiden Briseis. Feeling wronged by his fellow countrymen, Achilles refuses to fight with them. Full of horror as the Trojans began to set Greek ships on fire, Patroclus pleads with Achilles:

"You can keep your wrath while your countrymen go down in ruin. I cannot. Give me your armor. If they think I am you, the Trojans may pause and the worn-out Greeks have a breathing space. You and I are fresh. We might yet drive back the enemy. But if you will sit nursing your anger, at least let me have your armor."

Achilles agrees, but that evening old Nestor's son runs toward him, tears streaming down his face. Hector killed Patroclus and took his armor.

Stricken by grief, Achilles now agrees to fight against the Trojans: not for his countrymen, but for Patroclus. When prompted to eat, he says scornfully, "Down my throat shall go neither bite nor sup until my dear comrade is avenged."

Achilles is killed when an arrow strikes at his heel, his only vulnerability. According to Hamilton:

It is said that after [Achilles] had been burned on the funeral pyre his bones were placed in the same urn that held those of his friend Patroclus.

What happened in the "Night" scene in the play The Lion and the Jewel?

Sadiku enters the village at the beginning of the scene and is laughing as she recounts her experience with Okiki, Baroka's father. Sadiku was able to make Okiki impotent and gloats at the fact that she successfully did the same thing to Baroka. Sidi overhears Sadiku and sees her dancing, then asks why Sadiku is so overjoyed. Sadiku tells Sidi that Baroka is impotent, and Sidi mentions her plans to attend Baroka's feast to mock him. Lakunle scolds Sidi and warns her of the Bale's deceptive techniques. Sidi dismisses Lakunle and leaves for the palace. Lakunle begins discussing the future of Ilujinle and how he wishes to do away with the bride-price, build a road through the village, create parks for lovers, and introduce other elements of modern civilization to Ilujinle. He displays contempt for Sadiku and insults her for obeying the Bale and for her traditional outlook on life.

The scene shifts to Baroka's palace where Baroka is in the middle of wrestling. Sidi begins to have a conversation with Baroka and slightly teases him for his old age and negative attitude. Her comments get a reaction out of Baroka, who flings the wrestler, displaying his strength. Baroka laments his lack of opportunity to display his kindness and eventually shows Sidi an envelope with a stamp on it. Sidi tells Baroka that she knows the significance of a stamp and the Bale shows Sidi a machine that makes stamps. He mentions that when the machine is fixed, every stamp leaving Ilujinle will have Sidi's image on it. Sidi is awestruck with the idea of having her image on every stamp, and Baroka continues to woo Sidi by complementing her and displaying his intellect. Eventually, Sidi gives in and sleeps with Baroka.

Meanwhile, Lakunle and Sadiku are waiting in the village, and Lakunle is convinced that the Bale has harmed Sidi. Suddenly, Sidi runs into the village and falls on the ground, cursing Baroka. She tells Sadiku and Lakunle that she has lost her virginity. Lakunle is initially upset but becomes rather optimistic. He agrees to still marry Sidi because he now has a reason not to pay the bride-price. Sidi seems surprised that Lakunle will still marry her and runs offstage. Sadiku brings word back to Lakunle that Sidi is getting ready for a wedding ceremony. Lakunle is shocked and mentions that he cannot get married this quickly. When Sidi returns wearing her wedding attire, she gives Lakunle a gift and invites him to the wedding. Lakunle is confused because he believes that he will be Sidi's groom. Sidi laughs in his face and insults him for his lack of masculinity. Sidi has chosen to marry Baroka, and then the ceremony takes place. After the ceremony, a young girl teases Lakunle, and he chases after her as the play ends.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, what did Burris Ewell have in his hair?

At school, Burris Ewell has cooties (head lice) crawling through his hair.  Burris will not appear throughout the school year, but he does make an appearance at the start of each new school year, in compliance with the truancy officer.

 Burris's appearance, as well as his foul mouth, confound Miss Caroline Fisher, his new teacher.  Scout attempts to acclimate Miss Caroline to her new teaching environment by giving her the lowdown on the Ewell clan, as well as on some of the other families represented within the school.  In her explanation of the families, we get an early introduction to the Ewells as well.  Burris's father, Bob, and his sister, Mayella, factor heavily into the later action of the book, so the early introduction proves helpful.  

How have Anne Frank's plans for the future changed?

In the beginning of her diary, Anne Frank talks about her desires for her future and discusses becoming a dancer, actress, or singer. She has dreams of stardom and fame, and a desire for the attention that accompanies it. As her diary progresses however, the reader begins to see her plans for her future change. Anne begins to recognize her ability as a writer, and arguably the harsh reality of the life she has been forced into causes her to adopt a more pragmatic vision for a future career. Anne writes "...I finally realized that I must do my schoolwork to keep from being ignorant, to get on in life, to become a journalist, because that's what I want! I know I can write..." So through the course of the novel we see her move from a life in the spotlight to a life expressed in written word, from a career that inherently places herself in the spotlight to one in which the issues of the times become the primary focus of her work.

How did the Wade-Davis Bill's plan for reconstruction differ from Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan?

The Wade-Davis Plan was more punitive in its proposed treatment of the defeated Confederacy. Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan, announced in response to the need to figure out how to reconstruct some Southern states already under occupation, basically only required that ten percent of people in a state who were eligible to vote in 1860 would swear allegiance to the Union, and that this state would have to recognize the abolition of slavery. Once this happened, the state became eligible for readmission to the Union. The Wade-Davis Bill, a direct response to the Ten Percent Plan, stipulated that half of the voters in the state had to take a loyalty oath, and that black men should not only be free, but be allowed to vote. This was obviously a far higher standard than Lincoln had established, and in some ways anticipated the conflicts between the Congress and the President that would characterize the early years of postwar Reconstruction.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, what chapters does the trial take place in?

The trial of Tom Robinson begins in Chapter 17 and ends in Chapter 21. In Chapter 17, Sheriff Tate and Bob Ewell take the witness stand. Tate describes the location of Mayella's injuries, and Bob claims that he witnessed Tom Robinson raping his daughter. Atticus makes Bob write his signature and it is revealed that he is left handed. In Chapter 18, Mayella takes the witness stand and accuses Tom of assaulting and raping her. Her answers to Atticus' questions are fabricated, and her testimony is unclear and confusing. In Chapter 19, Tom Robinson takes the witness stand and gives an account of what happened on November 21st. He claims Mayella tried to seduce him and that he ran out of the house without harming her. It is revealed to the audience that Tom Robinson has a crippled left arm, which means it is highly unlikely that he beat Mayella on the right side of her face. In Chapter 20, Atticus gives his closing remarks and urges the jury not to let prejudice sway their decision. In Chapter 21, Judge Taylor reads the verdict and Tom Robinson is found guilty.

How does the episode with the mad dog change Scout’s perception (opinion) of her father?

We know from the first few chapters of To Kill a Mockingbird that Scout loves her father, but it is a distant sort of relationship.  She respects his intelligence, she loves reading with him, and she respects his authority.  However, we see more interaction between her and Jem, between her and Dill, and even between her and Calpurnia, than we see interactions between her and Atticus. 

At the start of Chapter 10, Harper Lee, speaking through Scout, begins with, "Atticus was feeble: he was nearly fifty."  She then lists things that she sees as shortcomings with him -- he wears glasses, he doesn't "do" anything, he works in an office; and he doesn't hunt, fish, smoke or play poker, all of which are activities that the children of Maycomb see as admirable.  Scout complains to Miss Maudie that "Atticus can't do anything."  Miss Maudie tries to explain that Atticus can do plenty, but Scout is not impressed.

Then the mad dog appears on the street.  Sheriff Tate and Atticus arrive together.  Scout and Jem expect to see the Sheriff deal with the matter, but they are surprised when the Sheriff hands his rifle to Atticus and convinces Atticus to shoot the sick dog ("Mr. Tate handed the rifle to Atticus; Jem and I nearly fainted.")  The children are surprised and awed to see Atticus shoot the dog with a single shot.

After the shot, Scout describes Jem as "paralyzed" with disbelief at what they just witnessed.  Miss Maudie explains to Scout that Atticus was once known as the best shot in Maycomb.  Scout is noticeably proud of Atticus and tells Jem she wants to tell everyone at school about the incident on Monday.  Jem talks her out of it.  We see here that Scout becomes proud of something that her father can "do"; but we also see Jem growing into manhood and recognizing that individuals have secrets about their lives that they keep privately to themselves.  The chapter ends with Jem shouting, "Atticus is a gentleman, just like me."  This incident is as much about Jem's growth and understanding as it is about Scout.

What did Cleopatra think about Julius Caesar?

Cleopatra VII Philopator, known simply as Cleopatra, was the last pharaoh of ancient Egypt prior to its acquisition as a territory of Rome.  She is known throughout history as a legendary seductress with a calculating mind, who used her supposed great beauty to obtain and keep power.  Additionally, history remembers her for her high-profile relationships with two great Roman leaders, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.

In terms of Cleopatra and Caesar, the relationship between the two is romantic, but with serious political undertones.  Cleopatra had been thrown out of power by her brother-husband Ptolemy XIII, and was desperately seeking a means of retaking the throne of Egypt.  At this same time, Julius Caesar had traveled to Egypt in pursuit of his political rival Pompey, who had already been assassinated by the Egyptians.  Cleopatra was a firsthand witness to the power of Rome, having seen Roman legions aid in restoring her father to the throne, and likely viewed Caesar, as well as his fleets and armies, as a way to regain the power she had lost.  This turned out to be very true, as Caesar disposed of Ptolemy XIII, installing Cleopatra as the sole ruler of Egypt and leaving legions of troops behind to ensure her reign went unchallenged.

With regards to Caesar’s perspective on the matter, while he may have been smitten by the young Cleopatra (he considered her his mistress), there was also a political advantage for him to gain.  Egypt had vast resources of both wealth and food (specifically wheat), and Caesar likely felt that a relationship with Cleopatra would lead to a union between the two great empires of Egypt and Rome.

What does "The Veldt" have to do with honesty?

A critique of technology lies at the heart of "The Veldt," and that critique rests on the premise that the promises of technolgy are deceptive. Technology, in a word, lies to us. 

The Hadleys buy the HappyLife home because it promises them the good life: the house will do everything for them. It rocks them to sleep and raises their children. But the Hadley parents soon find that this idea of the good life is a lie: the house has robbed them of actually living their lives: Lydia Hadley, in particular, feels empty and useless. 

While the parents begin to understand that the easy life technology offers is far more nightmare than sweet dream,  their children, Peter and Wendy, are completely seduced by the technological wonders of their nursery. The viewscreen has become their true parent and through its endless repetition of scenes of the "survival of the fittest" on the veldt, brainwashes the children into its own lack of morality. Survival is its creed, and the children quickly begin lie to help this "parent" survive. When the parents reveal they are worried about what the children are watching in the nursery, the children change the viewscreen to pretty pictures when the parents enter, though the smell of blood from the veldt is still in the air. At the end, the children lie to lure the parents to the nursery, slamming the door and locking them in to be devoured by lions. 

Bradbury's message appears to be that we must do the hard, honest work of living life or technology will devour us. 

In Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron," how does the idea of equality relate to the story's conflict?

America has strived (and is still striving) to become a country where people are treated equally by fellow citizens and the government. For example, the phrase “justice is blind” refers to the ideal that anyone accused of a crime should receive a fair trial. In Kurt Vonnegut’s short story “Harrison Bergeron,” America’s obsession with equality is taken to an authoritarian extreme.

The reader learns at the beginning of the story that the government has passed nearly two hundred amendments to the US constitution to ensure equality among citizens. No one can be any prettier, smarter, or more athletic than anyone else. A person with an advantage is given a ‘handicap,’ a device to make him or her uglier, dumber, or weaker.

The story’s title character, Harrison, represents the opposite of American ideals about equality. On national television he rips off his countless handicaps and proclaims himself king, the very type of ruler America cast off through the American Revolution. Harrison believes that he deserves to rule because he is more handsome, stronger, and more intelligent than everyone else. This logic suggests that Harrison, if he had survived, would not have been any more of a compassionate ruler than the government that tried to restrain him.

Who is Atticus in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Atticus Finch is the most important character in To Kill a Mockingbird barring Scout, the narrator. Atticus is father to Scout and Jem, and is an attorney in Maycomb, Alabama. In this capacity, he takes on the case of his life when he agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of the rape of Mayella Ewell, a young white woman. Atticus is compassionate, patient, and above all empathetic, traits that he tries to instill in his children under circumstances that place his family under great strain. He is a widower, so he is ultimately responsible--with the considerable help of their housekeeper Calpurnia--for raising the children, and their relationship with him (he is a bit old for a father of such young children, and they view him as a bit boring at the beginning of the book) is crucial to the plot of the book. Overall, Atticus is one of the most beloved characters in American literature. 

Why did Paul have to die?

Paul dies because he has driven himself into frenzies until he is weakened. Furthermore, Paul's death is Lawrence's cautionary observation on the misdirection of one's life force as a result of social pressures.

When he learns of the Derby and the high stakes involved, Paul rocks on his horse even in the night, exhausting himself. 

The Derby was drawing near, and the boy grew more and more tense. He hardly heard what was spoken to him, he was very frail, and his eyes were really uncanny.

Paul's house echoes the sounds of a mother who can no longer fulfill her role. Her love for her husband has turned "to dust," and her children sense the emptiness of life in their house. "[T]he house came to be haunted by the unspoken phrase, There must be more money! There must be more money!" This desire which is really that of the mother is what drives Paul to rocking in a frenzy on his little horse. Paul tries to win his mother's love, allay her fears about money, and silence the house. However, he drives himself so hard that he dies. 

How do you think Europeans reacted to their discovery that there were entire continents that they had known nothing about? How would that knowledge...

Europeans had actually suspected that there was another landmass in the Atlantic.  Some thought that the Garden of Eden was somewhere in the Atlantic, while others thought that the ruins of the lost city of Atlantis was in the ocean somewhere.  When the New World was actually discovered, Christians thought that it was part of the End Times, as it was told in the Bible that everyone should have a chance to hear the Gospel, and now that the last parts of Earth were being discovered, missionaries should go and preach in order to bring about the Thousand Year Reign of Christ.  Merchantmen viewed the New World as an impediment--something to be sailed through on the way to the riches of China.  For centuries Europe's leading nations looked for a Northwestern Passage.  Part of the goal of the Lewis and Clark Expedition was to find this fabled passageway.  No one realized the continent was this large, and not until the mid-nineteenth century did Americans realize that the continent itself was the real source of riches.  

How does the mood shift with the settings in "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" by Rudyard Kipling?

At the beginning of the story, Rikki finds himself washed away from his home to the bungalow where Teddy and his parents live. During this scene, which is set near and inside the bungalow, the mood is innocent and happy. Teddy and Rikki are both youngsters, and they enjoy playing and finding out about the world without the threat of harm. Rikki runs around the table, climbs on Teddy's shoulder, and explores the house at night. The conflict to come is foreshadowed when the father mentions a snake coming through the nursery window and the mother can't entertain such a thought.

In the morning, Rikki goes out to the garden, and the mood changes. Darzee is crying pitifully, and he introduces an intense and dangerous mood as he reveals that the cobra has eaten a baby bird. Soon the menacing cobra appears, and the mood intensifies as Nag and Nagaina almost succeed in killing Rikki. Quickly the life-and-death nature of life in the garden becomes clear. Rikki's battle with Kurait, who could have killed Teddy, continues the suspense.

Back in the bungalow that evening, the mood becomes somewhat comical as Rikki talks to Chuchundra, the cowardly muskrat. As Rikki overhears the wicked plotting of Nag and Nagaina and as Nag slinks into the bungalow, tensions heighten again. The fight with Nag is dangerous and scary. 

The next day in the garden, there is a triumphant mood created by Darzee's song of praise, but Rikki quickly creates intensity again as he plots to distract Nagaina while he destroys her eggs. The scene on the veranda as Nagaina has Teddy in a dangerous position becomes increasingly suspenseful until Nagaina "flew like an arrow down the garden path, with Rikki-Tikki behind her." While Rikki is underground fighting Nagaina, with only Darzee's death song as a play-by-play, the mood becomes somber and foreboding. 

When Rikki reappears and trots over to lie in the grass, the mood shifts to one of joy and contentment because of Rikki's victory over the snakes.

What is the tone and theme of the poem, "A Gunner's Day"?

“A Gunner’s Day” by Anonymous shows the theme of war through the tone the author establishes about it.  Tone is a feeling or attitude expressed by the words of an author, and a theme is the main idea or underlying meaning of the work expressed by those words.

In this poem, the author shows us the daily job of a gunner in war.  The poem’s structure is a chronological list of the daily duties assigned to a gunner. It is monotonous and repetitive. Although it involves danger and the prospect of dying, the gunner carries out his daily duties as if it is a job in a factory.  He wakes up at the same time each day, has the same thing for breakfast, and at the end of the day, has the same monotonous briefings.  He goes to sleep at the same time each night to only go through the identical duties the next day.  Although in the midst of battle it is exciting and the gunner is busy and in danger, it is just another flight, just another firefight.  The tone the author is conveying is of the boredom associated with carrying out orders and doing the same thing day after day. 

This tone leads us to the themes and how that boredom and repetition, in addition to the chaotic fighting, shows the hardships of war.  The gunner is exhausted and wishes he could just stay in bed.  He is not only physically exhausted but also mentally spent. Bullets have come within inches of his head, and he has seen friends go down in fiery crashes. The repetition of the line, “A gunner’s day is never done” in the first and last line of the poem, shows the strain and obstacles soldiers face in battle. 

in "A Retrieved Reformation"why does Jimmy Valentine decide to become Ralph D. Spencer?

When Jimmy Valentine arrives in a small town in Elmore, Arkansas, for a potential safe-cracking job, he looks into the eyes of Miss Annabel Adams, daughter of the town's bank owner. Jimmy falls instantly in love, so he assumes a new identity, and abandons his life of crime in his attempt to earn Annabel's love.

After he encounters the pretty, innocent Annabel, Jimmy walks to the Planters' Hotel and registers as Ralph D. Spencer. He asks the clerk how the shoe business is in town.

Mr. Ralph Spencer, the phoenix that arose from Jimmy Valentine's ashes--ashes left by the flame of a sudden and alternative attack of love--remained in Elmore, and prospered. He opened a shoe-store and secured a good run of trade.

Mr. Spencer becomes a social success. Also, he wins the heart of Annabel Adams, who continues to charm him. He has truly become rehabilitated; he has finally taken the warden's advice to "Brace up, and make a man" of himself.

What does Malcolm tell Macduff he wants to become?

In Act IV, Scene III, Malcolm and Macduff are in England discussing the plight of their country and how evil Macbeth has become. Malcolm then starts to suggest that, as bad as Macbeth is, he will be even worse if he were to eventually become king. He goes on a tirade about all of his own vices. He tells Macduff that his own evil is limitless. He adds that his own greed is also boundless. Upon becoming king, he says he will take the lands and jewels of his nobles. His greed is so great, so he says, that taking from his people will only increase his lust for power and greed. He says that if he becomes king, he will "uproar the universal peace." In other words, he says he will become a terrible tyrant of a king. But he never says that he "wants" to become such a king. 

Macduff counters by saying that he does not believe Malcolm will become this kind of ruler. Malcolm agrees and says all of these terrible things he has been saying about himself are not true. Malcolm was only testing Macduff's loyalty. 

Referring to Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, is it possible to live a fulfilling life without ever achieving your Personal Legend?

Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist is about a young boy who first learns about Personal Legends from Melchizedek, the King of Salem. The boy represents all of us and the fact that we can all find our Personal Legends, or achieve our life's purpose. Sadly, many people do not fulfill their Personal Legends; and no, they do not realize complete happiness or joy if they don't. Coelho explains this theory in more explicit details in the 2002 introduction to the story. He explains it as follows:

"In the silence of our hearts, we know that we are proving ourselves worthy of the miracle of life. . . We start to live with enthusiasm and pleasure. Intense, unexpected suffering passes more quickly than suffering that is apparently bearable" (Coelho, vii).

The boy, Santiago, learns from the example of the Baker that social status and other vain glories of the world actually get in the way of achieving one's fullest potential. Melchizedek explains that Baker wanted to travel, too, but he decides to start his bakery instead and puts it off until he is older and has more money. This is a trap that many people fall into. They think they will travel later, and some do, but they put off finding their full potential in life in order to make a living. Making a living, though, is not the same as achieving one's Personal Legend.

Santiago even meets a girl named Fatima at the oasis and is tempted to stop his search for his treasure in order not to lose her. The Alchemist explains to him that the boy is merely being tested to see if he will continue on his journey's path.

". . . before a dream is realized, the Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along the way. It does this not because it is evil, but so that we can, in addition to realizing our dreams, master the lessons we've learned as we've moved toward that dream" (132).

The Alchemist also tells the boy that he would be happy for awhile if he marries Fatima, but after a few years, the fact that he never finished his journey would bother him and he would end up resenting her. At every turn, someone advises the boy not to give up on his dream or he will never know his true potential or true happiness.

One of the ironies of "The Cask of Amontillado" is that Fortunato contributes to his own end. In what ways does he do so?

In Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado," Fortunato contributes to his own death mainly through his inebriation. The narrator has "borne as best [he] could" "the thousand injuries of Fortunato," and vows to get revenge. He encounters Fortunato, an aficionado of wines, during the "carnival season"; he is dressed as a jester. By promising him rare wine, the narrator lures the already-drunk Fortunato to his wine cellar. On the way, the narrator offers Fortunato wine to keep him pliable, and Fortunato cannot resist. The narrator chains Fortunato to a wall, and has no trouble due to Fortunato's state. After doing so, the narrator acts as though Fortunato is lagging behind in leaving, and Fortunato believes that he is joking. The narrator begins to build a wall enclosing Fortunato, using a trowel that he had shown Fortunato earlier as a masonic sign. In response to Fortunato's protestations, the narrator continues denying Fortunato's bondage or enclosure, and leaves Fortunato to die.

In "A Christmas Carol," Marley's chains are an important symbol in the story. What are they made of? What is hanging from them? What might these...

In the first stave (or chapter) of A Christmas Carol, we meet Marley, Scrooge's deceased business partner, who is encased in heavy chains. These chains are made of steel and are weighed down with "cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses."

Further on, we learn why Marley is forced to wear this chain in the afterlife:

"I wear the chain I forged in life," replied the Ghost. "I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it." 

This chain, then, is symbolic of Marley's business affairs and his pursuit of wealth when he was alive. Like Scrooge, he focused on enriching himself instead of caring about the plight of others. As a result, he is forced to wear this chain in the afterlife to remind him of his neglect of others and to encourage redemption. This has clearly worked: Marley's conversation with Scrooge shows how his character has transformed.

The chains are also symbolic of Marley's attempt to reform Scrooge's character. It is interesting to note, for example, that Marley clanks his chains every time that Scrooge says something negative or reminds him of his previous misdeeds. For instance, when Scrooge mentions that Marley was always a good man of business, he shakes his chains in response. In this respect, the chains symbolise the beginning of Scrooge's transformation and the heavy price he will pay should he fail to see the errors of his ways.  

Can you give me a quote and page number from To Kill a Mockingbird that shows how Atticus is a fair, objective man and how he does not see people...

There are many examples of Atticus being fair and objective in the book, but here are just two that might help. I have included chapters rather than page numbers, simply because page numbers change with the different editions of the book.

In Ch. 2 Jem invites Walter Cunnigham over to lunch because he knows that his family is too poor to send one to school with him. It is then that we learn about the Cunninghams, how poor they really are, and how they pay Atticus for his services.

"I asked Atticus if Mr. Cunningham would ever pay us. 'Not in money' Atticus said, 'but before the year's out, I'll have been paid You watch.' We watched. One morning Jem and I found a load of stowed in the backyard. Later, a sack of hickory nuts appeared on the back steps. With Chrsitmas came a crate of smilax and holly. That spring when we found a crokersack full of turnip greens, Atticus said Mr. Cunningham had more than paid him" (Ch.2).

This shows how fair and objective Atticus is because he understands that the Cunnighams are poor because of circumstance. The depression has hit everyone hard, and farmers more than most. He is still willing to provide them with services and accept their alternative ways of paying him because he is a fair man. He does not see them as poor. He seems them as hard working people.

Later, in Ch. 11 when Scout asks what a "nigger" is, Atticus explains that the term is

"slipped into usage with some people like ourselves , when they want a common, ugly term to label somebody" (Ch.11).

He is very clear to Scout that he does not approve of the term and does not want her using it. Scout then asks Atticus if he is "a nigger-lover" and Atticus replies,

"I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody" (Ch.11)

Here we see Atticus doing his best to love everyone, in spite of some of the hateful things they might say. He is also trying to pass this same lesson on to Scout and Jem. He has taken Tom Robinson's case because he believes Tom deserves a fair trial, and despite people in the town and even in his own family (Francis) speaking ill of him for doing so, he is explaining that he tries to love everyone. That is about as fair and objective as they come!

What do Guy de Maupassant's word choices tell about Madame Loisel in "The Necklace"?

The main character in Guy de Maupassant's short story "The Necklace" is a dynamic character who significantly changes over the course of the story. The author uses specific language to characterize Madame Loisel. The exposition of the story tells us that she was born into a middle class family. Her relatively comfortable life changes drastically after the incident with the necklace. 

In the first half of the story, Madame Loisel is portrayed as dreamy and petulant. She is "pretty and charming," but these attributes are not satisfactory as she imagines material luxury and what it would be like to associate with the wealthy upper class. She grieves over the "dinginess" of her home. Her simple life "gnawed at her and made her furious." She would "weep for days on end from vexation, regret, despair, and anguish." She wanted to be "envied" and "sought after." She has "disconsolate regrets" over her common life, so she dreams. Her dreams conjure up a world of the idle rich:

She would dream of silent chambers, draped with Oriental tapestries and lighted by tall bronze floor lamps, and of two handsome butlers in knee breeches, who, drowsy from the heavy warmth cast by the central stove, dozed in large overstuffed armchairs.

Her dissatisfaction with her life grows to a fever pitch after her husband brings home an invitation to a fancy ball. At last her dreams materialize, but all she can think about is what she lacks. Even though she has a new dress, she is still "sad, moody, and ill at ease." When she does finally have the dress and the necklace, she makes a splash at the ball:

She danced madly, wildly, drunk with pleasure, giving no thought to anything in the triumph of her beauty, the pride of her success, in a kind of happy cloud composed of all the adulation, of all the admiring glances, of all the awakened longings, of a sense of complete victory that is so sweet to a woman’s heart.

In the second half of the story Madame Loisel achieves dynamic character status as she rises above her circumstances. She has to help her husband pay back the "exorbitant" debt which they incur by replacing the lost necklace. She changes from a spoiled child to a mature woman who lives up to her responsibilities. De Maupassant writes:

Mme. Loisel experienced the horrible life the needy live. She played her part, however, with sudden heroism. That frightful debt had to be paid. She would pay it. She dismissed her maid; they rented a garret under the eaves. 

She is heroic and hardworking in playing her new role. Eventually the couple pays back the entire debt, but the reader is shocked, and maybe a little sad for Madame Loisel, as it is learned the necklace was worthless.