How is Scout's comment that her first day of school made her gloomy because, "the prospect of spending nine months refraining from reading and...

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout describes her first day of school as gloomy, so much so as “to match the (Radley) house” she passes on her way to and from school.  Scout’s teacher instructs her to stop reading and writing at home with her father.  Scout says that “the prospect of spending nine months refraining from reading and writing made me think of running away.”

This is ironic in several ways.  First, Scout’s teacher’s instructions are ironic because she tells her student to spend less time learning, which is a poor and ironic distortion of her job.  Also, it is ironic that Scout feels that the nine months of school ahead of her will be less educational than her summer reading with her father.  Scout associates the absence of reading and writing, two major forms of knowledge, with gloom. This is important because it emphasizes how knowledge is imperative to freedom. This theme is evident throughout the novel as those without education or protection, Atticus’s clients, are unfairly prosecuted.

The quote is also ironic because Scout runs to her house to escape the frightful Radley house.  Here, she contemplates running away from her house, which was initially her safe place.  The significance of the home in Lee’s novel cannot be ignored.  The Radley house is a powerful symbol of mystery and embodies many gothic elements.  It is so ominous as to instill fear and gloom in passersby.

According to Dolphus Raymond, how will growing up change Scout and Dill?

In Chapter 20, Scout and Dill talk with Dolphus Raymond outside of the courthouse. Dill had been crying at the way Mr. Gilmer was questioning Tom Robinson. Dill felt that it wasn't right how Mr. Gilmer was talking down to Tom Robinson, and Dill says, "it just makes me sick." (Lee 266) Dolphus lets Dill drink some of his Coca-Cola and says to Scout,

"Things haven't caught up with that one's instinct yet. Let him get a little older and he won't get sick and cry. Maybe things'll strike him as being---not quite right, say, but he won't cry, not when he gets a few years on him." (Lee 269)

He is telling Scout that when they grow older, they will become desensitised to the prejudice displayed toward African Americans over time. In Maycomb, Alabama white people treat black people with contempt on an everyday basis. Raymond tells Scout that witnessing the "hell white people give colored folks" will become so commonplace, they won't even stop to think about it. Dill is a sensitive child who cries at the unfair treatment of black people. As Dill grows older, he will witness more racial injustice, and be unnerved when it happens. When Scout mentions that Atticus told her, "cheatin' a colored man is ten times worse than cheatin' a white man," Dolphus says the she hasn't seen enough of the world yet. (Lee 269)

Suppose you know that Canada's GDP in 1999 was $900 billion, and Canada's GDP in 1933 was $9 billion. What judgement about the change in the...

You cannot make any judgement about the economic well-being of the average Canadian from these statistics.  It may seem as if you can, but you really cannot without more information.

On its face, it seems as if this means that the average Canadian in 1999 was 100 times better off than he or she was in 1933.  Since GDP measures national income and GDP increased 100-fold in that time, the average Canadian must be 100 times better off, right?  Wrong.  There are two factors that make it so that we cannot say this.

First, there has been a great deal of inflation over the years.  GDP, as opposed to real GDP, does not take inflation into account. As prices rise, GDP rises even if people are not getting any richer in real terms.  To know how much things changed in Canada between 1933 and 1999, we would need to know the overall level of inflation in that period.

Second, Canada’s population has increased greatly since 1933.  GDP tells us only about the size of the overall economy.  To know what this means for the average person, we have to know how many people are in a country.  Therefore, to know how things changed for the average Canadian between 1933 and 1999, we would need to know what the Canadian population was in those two years.

With these two further pieces of information, we could tell something about how the economic well-being of the average Canadian changed over this time.  Without this information, we cannot say anything with any accuracy.

What are the imaginary lines that run from the north to south pole on a map? What are the lines that divide Earth into sections of 15 degrees from...

The imaginary vertical lines that run from the North pole to the South pole on a map are called longitudinal lines. The Prime Meridian is the longitudinal line that has a value of 0 degrees. On a map, longitudinal lines are measured in increments of 15 degrees from the Prime Meridian. The antimeridian is the meridian that is 180 degrees east or west of the Prime Meridian. Together, the Prime Meridian and antimeridian form a vertical circle around the Earth and divide the Earth into the eastern and western hemispheres.

The imaginary horizontal lines on a map are called latitude lines. On a map, latitude lines are measured in increments of 15 degrees from the equator. The equator has a measurement of 0-degree latitude. It runs through the middle of the Earth. The equator is equidistant from the North and South poles. Thus, the equator separates the northern and southern hemispheres.

How does Caesar react to Cimber's pleading to recall his brother from banishment?

The pleading is just a ruse for the conspirators to encircle Caesar, hemming him in and shutting others out, including others who might try to give Caesar help against the assassins. Cimber should know that it is pointless to beg Caesar to rescind his brother's banishment, since Caesar is expected to be dead within a matter of minutes. Cimber's pleas, which are then echoed by many of the assassins, only seem to bring out Caesar's enormous egotism. He is already behaving like the autocrat he would have become if he had managed to stay alive. It would seem that Shakespeare waited until this moment to demonstrate that Caesar was supremely ambitious and deserved to be assassinated. Up to this point Caesar has been pretending to be modest and democratic. Casca describes how he behaved in front of the crowd when Antony offered him something like a crown in an obviously staged performance for the populace.

Marry, before he fell down, when he perceived the
common herd was glad he refused the crown, he plucked
me ope his doublet and offered them his throat to cut.
An I had been a man of any occupation, if I would not
have taken him at a word, I would I might go to hell
among the rogues. And so he fell. When he came to himself
again, he said, if he had done or said any thing amiss,
he desired their worships to think it was his infirmity.   (I.2)

This is a far cry from the way Caesar expresses himself on the Ides of March when he is expecting to be officially crowned by the Roman senate.

I could be well moved, if I were as you;
If I could pray to move, prayers would move me;
But I am constant as the northern star,
Of whose true-fix'd and resting quality
There is no fellow in the firmament.
The skies are painted with unnumber'd sparks;
They are all fire and every one doth shine;
But there's but one in all doth hold his place.
So in the world, 'tis furnish'd well with men,
And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive;
Yet in the number I do know but one
That unassailable holds on his rank,
Unshaked of motion; and that I am he,
Let me a little show it, even in this;
That I was constant Cimber should be banish'd,
And constant do remain to keep him so.    III.1

The Soothsayer warned him to beware the Ides of March. The warning might have been intended as a caution against revealing his hubris before he had received the crown. Caesar does not seem like a man who will be satisfied with merely becoming king. He would go on to become emperor and then to become a god. (His successor Octavius became an emperor and a god.) Julius Caesar's references to the stars show that he is in the habit of looking up at them and choosing his place among the gods and demigods. Caesar would like to be the pole star, which remains in place while all the other stars circle around it. Even Brutus can see that his friend has the potential to become a terrible tyrant. The audience can see this too and can understand why there are so many conspirators and why they stab their victim so many times. Shakespeare has kept Caesar's ego under wraps, so to speak, because it is more effective dramatically to reveal it to the world at this high point in the play. It is strikingly ironic that Caesar should think he is on top of the world only moments before he is slaughtered and turned, to use Antony's expression, into a "bleeding piece of earth."

Why does Ray Bradbury include the poem of the same name in his short story, "There Will Come Soft Rains?"

In "There Will Come Soft Rains," Bradbury includes this poem because it reinforces his key message that mankind's over-reliance on technology will lead to destruction. Looking at the context of Sara Teasdale's poem, for example, we see that she wrote it in the aftermath of World War One, having witnessed first-hand the destructive capability of new technologies. In her poem, she addresses this issue directly and argues that war is a pointless and meaningless activity which only nature will survive:

And not one will know of the war, not one

Will care at last when it is done.

By including this poem, then, Bradbury echoes Teasdale's belief in the danger of technology and the futility of war. It is ironic, however, that in Bradbury's story, it is man's technological creation, a talking house, which survives the nuclear blast. This is thus a stark warning to reign in our reliance on technology and to realise that our destruction is a possibility. 

Discuss the king's judging system in "The Lady or The Tiger."

Frank Stockton's much anthologized short story "The Lady or the Tiger" is about a "semi-barbaric" king who has devised a very unique system of justice. He feels this system to be beyond reproach and perfectly fair. If a man is accused of a crime he determines his guilt or innocence in a public arena built just for that purpose. It is a popular institution in the kingdom and the trials are well attended by the public.

Once the accused enters the arena he has the choice of two doors, behind one is a tiger, who kills him, and behind the other a lady, who is promptly married to him. Therefore, fate rules the day in this kingdom. Stockton says,

This vast amphitheater, with its encircling galleries, its mysterious vaults, and its unseen passages, was an agent of poetic justice, in which crime was punished, or virtue rewarded, by the decrees of an impartial and incorruptible chance. 

The justice in this system is simple. If the tiger is chosen, the accused must have been guilty, but if the lady comes out of the door, his innocence is proven. The simplicity of this system was quite in line with the king's thinking. The king liked the world to be black and white. In the opening paragraph Stockton explains the king's philosophy of governance:

When every member of his domestic and political systems moved smoothly in its appointed course, his nature was bland and genial; but, whenever there was a little hitch, and some of his orbs got out of their orbits, he was blander and more genial still, for nothing pleased him so much as to make the crooked straight and crush down uneven places. 

Either an accused man was guilty or not. The king obviously disapproved of regular courts with lawyers and juries, because shades of gray might enter into proceedings. Appeals, hung juries, clever defense attorneys and other complications with justice as we know it did not interest the king. He wanted demonstrable proof of the accused's guilt or innocence.

Even the king's subjects could not dispute the complete simplicity and fairness of this system. Stockton says,

The institution was a very popular one. When the people gathered together on one of the great trial days, they never knew whether they were to witness a bloody slaughter or a hilarious wedding. This element of uncertainty lent an interest to the occasion which it could not otherwise have attained. Thus, the masses were entertained and pleased, and the thinking part of the community could bring no charge of unfairness against this plan, for did not the accused person have the whole matter in his own hands? 

Of course, the accused who knew himself to be innocent yet chose poorly may not have agreed with the king's point of view.  

In Poe's, "The Cask of Amontillado", what does Montresor mean by, "But I must first render you all the little attentions in my power", right before...

"But I must first render you all the little attentions in my power", is something a host might say to their guest. In a normal situation, the host would want to give the guest anything they might need: blankets, towels, toiletries, etc. But what "little attentions" could you give a man who you were about to sentence to a prolonged death? A faster death? No, in this case, Montresor's words are said sarcastically because he does not actually have anything to give Fortunato. In its own way, sarcasm is a form of irony, as you say one thing but mean something completely different. In this case, Montresor is promising to be a good host to Fortunato, but in fact he is getting the bricks and mortar ready to wall Fortunato into the niche permanently, which is decidedly not something a good host would do.

Although sarcasm is used in everyday speech, I provided a couple of links explaining its usage in literature.

How does Scout feel about the Cunninghams, specifically Walter Cunningham, Jr.?

Scout knew more about the Cunningham family than most.  Walter Cunningham, Sr. was a client of her father's.  She knew that they were proud people.  They never accepted anything that they could not repay.  They did not like to owe anyone anything.  For example, Atticus provided legal services to Mr. Cunningham.  He could not pay him Atticus with cash, so instead he gave the Finch family items like stove wood and turnip greens.  Overall, Scout had empathy for the Cunningham family.

Her feelings toward Walter Cunningham, Jr., however, were complicated.  She understood why when he did not bring lunch or lunch money to school.  She tried to explain the reasons to her teacher.  Her teacher punished her for talking about the matter and Scout blamed Walter for it.  After being punished, Scout harbored anger toward Walter.  She beat him up, even though he had not done anything wrong.  Then when he came over for lunch, she pointed out his strange behavior after he "poured syrup on his vegetables and meat with a generous hand" (To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 3).  After awhile, Scout's negative feelings toward Walter faded away.  When she saw his father in the mob by the jail, she requested that he tell his son she said hello.

How does Silas react to the boys disturbing him?

If you are referring to Silas in "Silas Marner", our protagonist reacts to the boys disturbing him by glaring at them in a threatening manner.

In Chapter One, Silas Marner is a linen-weaver who works in his stone cottage near Raveloe. The neighborhood boys are fascinated by the strange sounds emanating from Silas' loom because the sounds do not resemble anything they have ever heard before. Certainly, the sounds are different from those made by a winnowing machine or a manually operated flail.

Filled with both awe and scorn at this strange figure and his equally strange machine, the boys would peep in at Silas during inopportune times. They are actuated by a "pleasant sense of scornful superiority" when they spy on Silas at his loom. This is because most weavers, usually bent over their sedentary work for long hours, appear sparse in build and strength when compared to the heartier field workers. When Silas finds himself tested to the limits of his patience, he usually opens the door of his cottage and glares at the boys menacingly. Of course, this frightens the boys and they take off running. Certainly superstitious stories about Silas circulating in the village add further mystery to his person and contribute to his fearsome reputation.

"Thanks for that. There the grown serpent lies. The worm that's fled hath nature that in time will venom breed." What is the context...

Remember that the weird sisters, in Act I, told Macbeth and Banquo their fates. Macbeth would be thane of Cawdor and king, but would not sire kings. Banquo would never be king but would sire a line of kings. Once he is crowned, Macbeth become increasingly paranoid, and one of the first things he does is hire murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. The leader of the cutthroats has just come to Banquo's castle to report that Banquo is "safe"--meaning "safe in a ditch," dead--but Fleance escaped. 

Macbeth responds: "Thanks for that. There the grown serpent lies." That is, Banquo, the "grown serpent," is dead. He goes on to say: "The worm that’s fled / Hath nature that in time will venom breed; No teeth for th' present." He's here referring to Fleance, who is not yet old enough to breed, as a "worm" (a baby snake in this instance). He says he still is a threat because, in time, he'll have venom (when he's older), but he's no threat right now. 

Macbeth has failed to change Banquo's fate, and his son will begin a line of kings, the most recent of which--at the time the play was performed--was understood to be King James I, the new king of England, Scotland, and Ireland. This is the king Shakespeare wrote the play for, so Macbeth is the bad guy and Banquo and his progeny are the good guys. 

In "The Adventures of the Speckled Band," how did Dr. Roylott attempt to murder Helen Stoner?

In the Arthur Conan Doyle story, “The Adventure of the Speckled Band,” Dr. Grimesby Roylott tries to kill his stepdaughter, Helen Stoner, by introducing a deadly snake into her room to bite her.  Roylott has already killed Helen’s sister, Julia, in the same way.  He presumably would have succeeded in killing Helen in this way as well if she had not hired Sherlock Holmes to investigate.

Roylott married the Stoners’ mother when the girls were two years old.  She has been dead 8 years at the time of the story.  She brought a large amount of money to their marriage and gave it to Roylott with the stipulation that the girls would each get a large sum when they marry.  Julia was killed when she was about to marry.  Helen is now engaged and Roylott is planning to kill her.

His first step towards murdering Helen is to have her move to a room next to his own. It turns out that he has arranged to have a ventilation shaft constructed between the two rooms and has placed a rope in Helen’s end of the shaft.  He says the rope is a bell pull to summon a servant, but it is actually just tied to a hook.

Roylott’s plan was to be in his room and to put a swamp adder, which Holmes says is the deadliest snake in India, into the shaft and force it towards Helen’s room.  It will go down the rope to her bed (the rope touches the bed) and will bite her.  She will die in seconds.

Holmes, however, figures out what is going on and foils Roylott.  Roylott ends up getting killed by the same snake that me meant to use to kill Helen. 

Do you think Creon should have changed his decision regarding Antigone? Why or why not?

This question is entirely subjective, so one could argue either side.  However, one could argue that Creon should have changed his opinion regarding sentencing Antigone to death for burying Polynices.  A respected king listens to the wisdom of others and honors the wishes of his people, but Creon does not opt to do that when making his decision.  As a new king, he believes that he will appear weak in front of the people of Thebes if he goes back on his order to put to death the one who broke the law to bury a traitor.  Even when his son Haemon appeals to him to listen to the better judgement of the people, Creon remains stubborn.  His insecurity leads to his downfall in the end, causing him to lose those whom he most loves.  So, if Creon were to have changed his opinion about putting Antigone to death, his own losses could have been prevented.

`csc(u - v)` Find the exact value of the trigonometric expression given that sin(u) = -7/25 and cos(v) = -4/5 (Both u and v are in quadrant III.)

Given `sin(u)=-7/25 , cos(v)=-4/5`

using pythagorean identity,

`sin^2(u)+cos^2(u)=1`

`(-7/25)^2+cos^2(u)=1`

`cos^2(u)=1-49/625`

`cos^2(u)=(625-49)/625=576/625`

`cos(u)=sqrt(576/625)`

`cos(u)=+-24/25`

since u is in Quadrant III ,

`cos(u)=-24/25`

Now `sin^2(v)+cos^2(v)=1`  

`sin^2(v)+(-4/5)^2=1`

`sin^2(v)=1-16/25=9/25`

`sin(v)=sqrt(9/25)`

`sin(v)=+-3/5`

since v is in Quadrant III , 

`:.sin(v)=-3/5`

`csc(u-v)=1/(sin(u-v))`

`=1/(sin(u)cos(v)-cos(u)sin(v))`

`=1/((-7/25)(-4/5)-(-24/25)(-3/5))`

`=1/(28/125-72/125)`

`=-125/44`

Which chemical equation represents a possible chemical reaction? A. H2O2 -> H2O + O2 B. 6CO2 + H2O + energy -> C6H12O6 + 602 C. C2H4O2 ->...

None of the given equations are balanced. However, if we were to assume that balancing is not an issue, we can select the possible chemical reactions.

A: Hydrogen peroxide breaking down to water and oxygen. This reaction is possible and the balanced chemical reaction for the same is:

`2H_2O_2 -> 2H_2O + O_2`

B. This is the reaction of photosynthesis (assuming the energy is the Sun's energy or sunlight). The balanced chemical equation for the same is:

`6CO_2 + 6H_2O + sunlight -> C_6H_12O_6 + 6O_2`

In this reaction, carbon dioxide and water react, in presence of solar energy, and generate glucose and oxygen. 

C. The reaction does not have sodium on the reactant side and there is sodium on the products side of the reaction. This cannot be the case (sodium has to be present on both sides of reaction). Thus, this is not a possible chemical reaction.

Hence A and B are the only options that represent a possible chemical reaction.

Hope this helps.

What is light and how does it propagate?

Light is electromagnetic radiation. Generally, we think of light as the visible light (something that we can see, within the wavelength range of 400 nm to 700 nm), however there is much more to electromagnetic spectrum than visible light (such as x-rays, gamma rays, radio waves, infrared, etc.). We can also think of light as energy, for example, sunlight warms the Earth, sun bathing increases the temperature of our skin, etc. Light travels at high speeds and can travel at almost 3,00,000 km per second, through vacuum (this speed is a constant, denoted by c).

Light has dual nature and can be considered as either a particle or a wave. Light moves or propagates as a photon (particle nature) or as a self-propagating electromagnetic wave.  

Hope this helps. 

Who named the turtle in Judy Blume's Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing?

In the opening chapter of Judy Blume's Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, the main character Peter himself names the turtle Dribble.

Peter won Dribble as a prize at the birthday party of Jimmy Fargo, Peter's best friend. All the other boys at the party had been given "goldfish in little plastic bags" as party favors  (p. 4). Peter had been the only guest who did not get a goldfish, which disappointed him at first. However, towards the end of the party, Mrs. Fargo announced that "Peter Warren Hatcher is the big winner!" of the jelly bean guessing contest (p. 4). Peter had guessed that there were 348 jelly beans in a jar, which was the closest guess to the actual number, 423. As a prize, Jimmy had handed Peter a glass bowl filled with rocks and water; upon the biggest rock, a "tiny green turtle was sleeping" (p. 4). Peter, the first-person narrator of the story, informs his reader that he named his turtle Dribble while carrying his bowl along the street, walking home from Jimmy's birthday party.

While we are never told exactly why Peter chooses the name Dribble, the reader can presume he felt it was the perfect name for a turtle since the act of dribbling can be associated with fluid whereas turtles, like Dribble, live in water.

Describe the relationship among substances, elements and compounds.

Any substance can be classified as either an element or a compound or a mixture. An element is the pure form of a substance and contains only identical atoms. An example of an element is gold. It consists of identical atoms of gold and all the atoms have the same properties. When two or more elements combine, in a certain fixed ratio, they form a compound. For example, water (H2O) is a compound and consists of hydrogen and oxygen atoms in a fixed 2:1 ratio. Both oxygen and hydrogen are individual elements. Interesting aspect of the compound is that constituent elements no longer have their properties. For example, water is used for extinguishing, while oxygen is necessary for starting fire and hydrogen is a fuel. 

Hope this helps. 

Juliet sold a house for 112,000$. What percent commission did she receive if she earned 6,720$?

The amount Julia received = 6720$

The sold value of house = 112000$

The commission is the value that Juliet received as a result of selling the house. In this case it is 6720$.

So the commission % can be calculated as follows.

Commission %

= (commission amount)/(sold value)x100%

`= (6720/112000)xx100%`

`= 6`

So Juliet received 6% of commission. 

The speaker in "Song of Myself" observes and participates in five American scenes. For the scenes other than the one about the martyr, describe...

The scenes you refer to are, I assume, the episodes at the end of the section about heroism. Whitman says, “I understand the large hearts of heroes, / The courage of present times and all times.” What he means is that heroism is just another part of the poet's universal co-mingling with all life. It is interesting to note, however, that the people he calls "heroes" are very different. Let's examine them one by one:

1. 
   The steamship skipper: He is a hero because he will not give up. Whitman evokes this through the use of telling detail: there is the "crowded and rudderless" deck of the derelict wreck he has come across, the chalkboard on which he writes, "be of good cheer, we will not desert you," the look of the people on the wreck, the "lank, loose-gown'd women" and "sharp lipp'd men." He saves the people on the wreck: Whitman says "All this I swallow, it tastes good, I like it well, it becomes mine, / I am the man, I suffer'd, I was there.” 


2. 
   The slave: Whitman describes a beaten slave, wincing "at the bite of the dogs," clutching at "the rails of the fence, my gore dribs, thinn'd with the ooze of my skin, / I fall on the weeds and stones.” The slave is a hero because of his forbearance and downtrodden state: Whitman says "I do not ask the wounded person how he feels, I myself become the wounded person,” an expression of the unlimited empathy of the poet.


3. 
   The fireman: Whitman describes a fireman, injured while fighting a fire—“Tumbling walls buried me in their debris”—yet he is saved by his comrades: “I heard the distant click of their picks and shovels, / They have clear'd the beams away, they tenderly lift me forth.” The fireman is a hero because he gave his all for his comrades; after he is saved, it is as if he is in heaven: “White and beautiful are the faces around me, the heads are bared of their fire-caps, / The kneeling crowd fades with the light of the torches.” 


4. 
   The artillerist: The artillerist recalls the siege of his fort: “I take part, I see and hear the whole, / The cries, curses, roar, the plaudits for well-aim'd shots, / The ambulanza slowly passing trailing its red drip,” details that recall the chaos of battle. The artillerist is a hero because of his coolness under battle.

The different characteristics of these heroes—faithfulness, forbearance, sacrifice, and bravery—are both an inspiration to the poet and qualities he already embodies. Each hero can be understood as another face of the poet.

Why, according to the laws of physics, is it impossible to build a perpetual motion machine?

A perpetual motion machine is a machine that could theoretically do work forever, without any energy input. Although spectacular in theory, this type of machine is not possible due to the Laws of Thermodynamics.

According to the First Law of Thermodynamics, energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be changed to a different form or transferred. Stores of energy for machines are finite, and are used over time and lost due to work done as well as dissipated by phenomena such as friction, air resistance, electrical resistance, etc. The energy store would then need to be filled with more energy, which would need to be transferred. For a perpetual motion machine, this energy would have to be re-created, and it cannot be created because of the First Law of Thermodynamics.

Perpetual motion machines would only be possible if a substance could be found that generated more energy than it used. And what we know right now is that no such substance exists. Some sort of energy input is needed in all machines, and no machine can do work indefinitely without an energy source.

Why does Betsy leave the mill in Lyddie?

Betsy leaves the mill because she is too sick to work and wants to go to college.

Betsy is a factory worker and a friend of Lyddie’s.  She is interested in Lyddie right away.  Lyddie shares a bed with Betsy.  She likes to read novels, and teaches Lyddie how to read better.  Lyddie really enjoys Oliver Twist because she relates to the character.

Betsy admits to Lyddie that she is interested in going to college.

She, too, was saving her money, she confessed quietly to Lyddie and asked her not to tell, to go for an education. There was a college out West in Ohio that took female students‐a real college, not a young ladies' seminary. (Ch. 11)

Betsy tells them one day that she is worn out. She is interested in signing the petition because she is tired of longer and longer work days.  She is more interested in going to college.  As soon as she saves up her money, she plans to go.  She has been putting her brother through Harvard already.

"If they dismiss me, I'd have to stop stalling and blathering and get myself to Oberlin College and a new life." By now, Lyddie was propped up on her elbow listening, torn between pride for Betsy and horror at what she was proposing. "So, you're awake after all, our sleeping beauty." (Ch. 13)

Betsy has a bad cough.  She has nothing to lose, so she signs the petition.  This means that she is dismissed and cannot work in the factory again, but it is too hard for her anyway.  She has to leave the mill for good.  She does not like the hospital because it is too expensive.

Betsy may never have gotten to college.  She could have died from the illness, but either way she did not have enough money to go to college at the time she quit and being sick cost her money.

How does Scrooge change as the different ghosts visit him?

As we meet him in the beginning of the novel, Ebenezer Scrooge is a miserly banker who begrudges everyone any happiness, comfort or wealth. His inability to see outside himself and understand the circumstances of others is nonexistent. When the reader first meets him, it would appear that nothing would scare him and that he had not a care in the world about anyone else.

As the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future visit him however, Scrooge experiences feelings he had not before felt. Initially he is terrified by the ghosts that visit him. This is a change in itself, he goes from being the one who terrorizes to being full of fear that is placed upon him by the ghosts who visit him. From fear, Scrooge begins to see outside himself and to become less egocentric. This is a huge change for Scrooge who on Christmas Eve even begrudged his clerk some warmth from extra coal. As Scrooge is visited by each ghost, he begins to see himself as if looking in a mirror. He sees who he was from the ghost of Christmas past and what he will become from the ghost of Christmas future if he does not change. The ghosts of Christmas present allows him to see what his life and Christmas can be by visiting his poor clerk's happy home. Through these visits, Scrooge changes his hardened heart and miserly ways. In the end he is joyous and generous.

What is a summary of Basket Case by Carl Hiaasen?

Basket Case is the story of Jack Tagger, a former investigative journalist who has been demoted to obituary writer. Tagger becomes obsessed with the death of a has-been rock star, Jimmy Stoma, and begins investigating his possible murder in hopes of getting his old job back. Other members of Stoma's band are killed, and Tagger suspects Cleo Rio, Stoma's former girlfriend. 

Tagger finds and decrypts a computer drive containing Stoma's new, unreleased album, and a theory develops that Rio had Stoma killed in order to steal one of the songs. Rio has Tagger's girlfriend kidnapped, demanding the recording as ransom. A climactic meeting of several main characters results in the accidental death of Rio's bodyguard and boyfriend.

Stoma's body is exhumed, and Rio's complicity in his death is confirmed. She is arrested and convicted for the murder. The posthumously released album becomes a hit, and Tagger is restored to his old position of investigative reporter. 

What does Freak do and say when Max asks him why he calls his mother "fair Gwen of air"?

Max has known Kevin since day care days, but he is still shocked when Kevin and his mom move in next door. Max is even more shocked at how beautiful Kevin's mom is--he says she is like a movie star, even in jeans and a T-shirt. Max hears Kevin talking to her and calling her what he believes is "the fair Gwen of air." Once Max makes the friendly gesture of rescuing one of Kevin's toys from a tree, Max invites Kevin to the "down under," which is Max's basement bedroom. Max says it only takes Kevin about ten minutes to correct his misunderstanding of Kevin's mom's name:

Freak is shaking his head. I can see he's trying not to let on that he's laughing inside. "Guinevere," he finally says, catching his breath. "The Fair Guinevere, from the legend of King Arthur. You know about King Arthur, right?"

This starts a conversation that will influence many later actions in the novel. Kevin tells Max about King Arthur's knights, about their faithfulness and pledges to honor "damsels," and about their need to go on quests. Max's misunderstanding of Gwen's name opens the door for the many adventures that Freak the Mighty undertake.

How does Gatsby’s gardener help prepare for Daisy’s visit?

This is a rather touching detail in the novel. Gatsby is meeting Daisy for their "reunion" at Nick's house. Gatsby has a gardener and his own grounds are perfect, "a well-kept expanse" (87). As Gatsby and Nick discuss Daisy's upcoming visit, Gatsby views Nick's grass quite critically, believing Nick has a "ragged lawn" (87). Gatsby wants everything about this visit to be perfect, and he tells Nick he wants to get the grass cut. He apparently sends his gardener to Nick's house. On the day of the rendezvous, as Gatsby nervously awaits Daisy, Nick assures him, "The grass looks fine"(89). Gatsby also sends over a veritable "greenhouse" (89) of flowers and vases for Nick's house so it looks beautiful for Daisy. Nowhere does the novel explicitly say these were done by the gardener, but it was almost certainly the gardener who undertook these tasks.  

Is war the result of a social or economic effect?

If you had to choose social or economic roots of war, economic probably wins out.  Most wars are fought for some economic benefit or to offset a perceived threat to economic advantage.  This is especially true of American involvement in warfare.  Dating back to World War I, when the United States entered on the side of the Allies to protect its investments, the United States has been actively involved in warfare to protect economic interests.  If you look at the history of American intervention in World War I, the proxy wars of Vietnam and Korea, and involvement in the Middle East, the United States has typically used its military to secure economic objectives. 

In the history of the world outside of the United States, wars were often times fought over resources in an effort to achieve an economic benefit.  

As they are falling asleep, how does Ponyboy react when Sodapop tells him about Darry?

At the end of Chapter 1, Sodapop and Ponyboy are about to go to sleep when Sodapop tells Pony that Darry loves him a lot. Soda says to Pony that simply because Darry yells at him it doesn't mean that he doesn't care about him. Soda then says that Darry grew up too quickly and urges Ponyboy not to take him too seriously. Pony then begins to think about Sodapop's comments about Darry. Pony mentions that he didn't quite understand what Sodapop meant about Darry. Pony feels like Darry only views him as another mouth to feed. Pony then mentions that he thinks Soda is wrong and feels like Darry doesn't care about anyone or anything, except Soda. Pony then tries to convince himself that only having Sodapop as a brother is enough and that he doesn't really care about Darry. 

What was the townspeople's reaction to the relationship between Emily and Homer?

The townspeople had always had a great interest in Emily Grierson, almost to the point of insatiable curiosity. She represented the fading Old South, stubbornly clinging to attitudes and actions that others had left behind. 

Her domineering father had refused to let her have suitors; supposedly no one was good enough for his daughter. Father and daughter lived in relative isolation with their servant Tobe. 

When Emily's father dies (a fact she denies for three days), she rarely leaves her house. But eventually she meets Homer Baron. Homer was a Northerner who had come down South to lay sidewalks. 

Instead of being happy that Emily has a beau, the townspeople are concerned. He is a Northerner, which is a strong strike against him in the townspeople's opinion. He is also a day laborer, which means he is of a lower social class than Miss Emily is. Essentially the townspeople decide that Homer is not a good match. Not that it was really any of their business, but that avid curiosity kept their interest piqued.

The people of the town decide that the relationship should end, and so they send the minister of the local church in to speak to Emily about it:

“The men did not want to interfere, but at last the ladies forced the Baptist minister--Miss Emily's people were Episcopal-- to call upon her. He would never divulge what happened during that interview, but he refused to go back again.”

We never find out exactly what Emily said to the minister. She continued to see Homer, and so the ladies wrote to Miss Emily’s cousins asking them to stay with Emily and convince her to break off the courtship. Shortly after this, they believe Homer and Emily will marry, and they are actually happy because they want to be rid of the cousins who “were even more Grierson than Miss Emily had ever been.”

But when Homer disappears and Emily becomes a total recluse for a long period of time, they expected that as well. They believed Emily had been dumped by Homer and was withdrawing from public scrutiny. Like her father, they thought Homer had crushed any romantic dreams Emily may have had.

How does Kit describe Barbados?

In Chapter 1, Kit describes Barbados nostalgically. She misses the "shimmering green and white that fringed the turquoise bay of Barbados." To her mind, the bleak shoreline of Saybrook pales in comparison to the exotic beauty of Barbados' ocean harbors.

She tells John Holbrook that Barbados is "as civilized as England with a famous town and fine streets and shops." To Kit, Barbados represents everything that is joyous, warm, and inviting. In Chapter 9, she tells Hannah that Barbados is indeed, Paradise, filled with the scent of flowers every day of the year. In fact, Hannah's seafaring friend, Nat, brings Hannah Barbados molasses and firewood as gifts from his travels. Barbados is well-known for its natural resources, and to Kit, the island represents a land teeming with life, growth, and hope.

Later in the novel, Kit tells of feeling homesick when she remembers a wedding she attended in Barbados only a year ago.

She could shut her eyes and see the long damask-covered table, set with gold and silver plate. The banquet had lasted for four hours. Light from crystal chandeliers had twinkled back from gold braid and jewels. Deep windows had opened out on curving formal gardens, and the sea breezes had filled the room with the scent of flowers. An almost intolerable loneliness wrapped Kit away from the joyous crowd.

To Kit, Barbados represents all the "warmth and color and fragrance and beauty that her heart craved."

In his account of the Lagado Academy, what basic philosophical position is Gulliver mocking?

In this section of the novel, Swift satirizes imprudent scientific experimentation and criticizes the Royal Society in London as well as the University of Leiden (the school, we are told, that Gulliver attended) and the Dublin Philosophical Society. Many of the experiments that take place in Lagado seem completely ridiculous—attempting to extract sunbeams from cucumbers, returning human fecal matter to the original foods that produced it, employing spiders to weave silk usable by humans—and so Swift seems to suggest that science for its own sake, without any real benefit to offer or any way in which the experiment will serve humanity, is equally silly and useless. Futile, fruitless projects like attempting to breed sheep which do not grow wool is a waste of energy, resources, time, and brainpower; thus, Swift satirizes many new scientific endeavors as likewise absurd and unnecessary.

give me some real time examples of globalization in canada.

Globalization has become a powerful force in modern Canada. While the process was already thoroughly under way, a major development of globalization occurred with the realization of the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA). While this agreement was responsible for reducing tariffs on trade between the two nations, it also allowed for an unprecedented investment by American companies in the development and ownership of Canadian natural resources. Most importantly, this agreement included a "national treatment" clause which afforded American investors the same legal rights and protections as Canadian citizens.

In the last two decades more than 10,000 Canadian companies have been purchased by American investors. Canadian Minister of Industry John Manley has further proposed that legal restrictions preventing the purchase of Canadian airlines, banks, and communications companies should be eliminated, allowing for increased foreign ownership of Canadian infrastructure.

I'm not sure how to set these problems up. Are there different ways? Do I need to find the molar mass for all of them or only some?

In some of these questions, all you need to know is the number of atoms or molecules in a mole of a given molecule or compound. There is an Avogadro's number of atoms in a mole of atoms. Avogadro's number is equal to 6.022 x 10^23. Thus, moles of Ni can be determined as the ratio of the given number of atoms to Avogadro's number. 

For example, question 1, part (i) can be solved as:

Moles of Ni = 2.15 x 10^17 / 6.022 x 10^23 = 3.57 x 10^-7 moles Ni

Similarly, atoms in 0.85 mole Ba = 0.85 x 6.022 x 10^23 = 5.12 x 10^23 atoms Ba.

In some of the cases (questions 3, 4, 5 & 8) a knowledge of molar mass is needed.

For example, in question 4 (part i), the atomic mass of Li is 7 g/mole and thus, 12.5 g Li is equal to 12.5/7 mole = 1.79 moles Li.

Provided with the mass of a compound, we can use its molar mass to figure out how many moles it is. Using Avogadro's number, we can convert the number of moles of the substance to the number of atoms/molecules.

Hope this helps. 

How does Langston Hughes create rhythm in the poem "Harlem"?

Langston Hughes' poem “Harlem” looks at the adverse, and potentially even catastrophic, effects of the lack of opportunity in some parts of American society.

Rhythm is the pattern created by the way the poet arranges words, stressed and unstressed syllables, punctuation, and sometimes even space. (There are more definitions for poetic rhythm, some quite complicated, but this will do for what we are talking about.)

One of the most obvious techniques Hughes uses to create rhythm in this poem is repetition. Usually we think of repetition as being the repeating of specific words, but in “Harlem,” Hughes is repeating “structure.” By that I mean he is repeating the same kind of sentence over and over again—a question. There are six questions in this short little poem. But Hughes doesn't just ask any old question in any old way—he constructs them carefully. Notice that he starts off with a fairly innocuous question:

What happens to a dream deferred?

This is a reasonable question; there's nothing shocking about it. But the succeeding questions refine the poet's focus, relating increasingly unpleasant (rotten meat) and finally dangerous consequences (or does it explode?). The questions are at once questions and answers to the initial question.

Another way to create rhythm is to use parallel structure, which means to create similar structures within a confined space. Note the similarity in the way he asks the questions: “Does it,” “does it,” “or does it.” Two of the questions also contain second parts, which Hughes structures similarly to each other: “or fester,” “or crust.”

One of the most interesting things about this poem is the way Hughes uses space. We don't usually think of poets as visual artists, but some poets do actually pay attention to the way their work looks on the page. Notice that the first line, the initial question is separated from the rest of the poem by its placement. It begins on the left margin, where no other line begins. Hughes then gives an extra line space before he begins the next section. After asking three questions, Hughes creates a new section by adding another line space. He does this because he wants the next part to be perceived differently—because unlike all the statements before and after it, it is the only line in the poem that is not a question. This is the only place where the speaker actually puts forth his own suggestion:

Maybe it just sags like a heavy load.

This gives a momentary rest from the questions that the speaker has machine-gunned at the reader. Rest and variation is an important part of rhythm. But it isn't just rest that Hughes is constructing here, he is also setting up a powerful ending. Just when we think we are done with the insistent questioning, we get another extra line space and a change in tone; suddenly the situation becomes potentially violent:

Or does it explode?

It it both part of the previously established rhythm, thanks to the repetitive “or does” and different at the same time, because it is separated spatially and tonally. The appearance of the poem on the page, which we might call "visual rhythm," reinforces the poet's theme. 

Make a critical study of the symbolism in Robert Frost's poem "Desert Places."

Robert Frost's poem "Desert Places" is a deceptively simple short poem. In the first four-line stanza, the speaker passes by a snow-covered field. Though the snow covers the field, the speaker mentions that there are still "a few weeds and stubble" showing through the snow, suggesting the time of harvest in the fall when the field's crops were gathered. Life still exists, in a way, under the snow.

In the second stanza, the speaker says the woods own the field as if to say that the woods - nature and wildness - have control over this man-constructed field. The animals are "smothered in their lairs"; the word "smothered" implies that they are dead, not simply hibernating. The speaker includes himself in this quiet, snow-covered scene. He says, the "loneliness includes me unawares."

In the third stanza, the loneliness and bleakness of the poem increases. The speaker states that the loneliness will grow before it lessens; the snow will fall deeper before it stops. And this snow will cover everything with its blankness, its lack of expression. Curiously, Frost uses the word "benighted" here to describe the snow. The word "benighted" is usually used to describe something covered in darkness or someone who is ignorant (in the dark intellectually). This suggests that the snow is wiping out all thought, making it a complete blank. 

In the final stanza, the speaker says that "They" - nature? the gods? mankind? - cannot frighten him "with their empty spaces/Between stars." This emptiness - the void of the universe and the huge stretches of nothing - don't scare the speaker. Instead, he finds these kinds of desert places like the snow-covered field and its emptiness more frightening. Again, Frost's choice of language here is important. He uses the word "desert" to describe these empty places. However, the snow-covered field is what we would typically think of as a desert, it is isolated, lifeless, and dreadful. For the speaker, these desert places on earth are more lonely than the black blankness of the universe. 

What are the best ways to work out for health?

There are several major components to physical fitness, including cardiovascular fitness, strength, flexibility, and balance. Workouts that emphasize a balance among different aspects of fitness and a wide variety of activities will be better for you than just focusing on one single activity or aspect of fitness.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that adults engage in a minimum of 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise a week and do two strength-training sessions a week.

Cardiovascular exercise is any sort of continuous activity such as walking, swimming, cycling, or rowing that elevates your heart rate enough so that you are breathing slightly harder than normal and sweating slightly but not so high that you cannot comfortably sustain the activity for at least 15 minutes. Experts recommend that you do what is called "cross-training", meaning balancing walking or jogging with cycling or rowing with swimming to avoid overuse injuries.

Strength training increases the ability of your muscles to exert power. Practically, strength training helps in every aspect of daily life, including carrying groceries, housecleaning, or gardening. A good strength-training program works all major muscle groups in pushing and pulling directions. For basic health, two fifteen-minute sessions a week including 8 to 10 basic exercises are recommended. You can use body weight (as in push-ups and sit-ups), machines, free weights or resistance bands for strength training. 

See the references below for more detailed information.

Why do people use renewable energy less often?

The major reason for our reliance on fossil fuels (coal, gas, oil) is an economic one, along with the inertia of habit. Notions of fuel depletion and environmental damage due to burning of fossil fuels are quite recent – less than 50 hears old. So internal combustion engines, gas heaters, coal heat sources in industry, etc. have a strong grip on our economic system. (A current example: the downturn in oil prices has a negative effect on our general economy, despite savings to consumers, because so much profit is lost by fossil fuel distributors, drillers, shipping companies, pipeline manufacturing companies, etc.) Recent advances in such renewable power sources as wind generators and solar power have to compete against the status quo, which has so much economic inertia. Also, such long-range arguments as species depletion and icecap melting do not penetrate the crust of a free enterprise economic system. When and if alternate sources can compete in price with other fuels, some progress may be made.

Explore the way Steinbeck presents ideas about the good and bad in people, specifically Curley's wife and Crooks. Can somebody help me to write...

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This equation describes the process of cellular respiration. C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O Which is a true statement? A. The...

For the chemical reaction

`C_6H_12O_6 + 6O_2 ->6 CO_2 + 6H_2O`

the reactants are C6H12O6 and O2, so B is correct.

A chemical equation shows the reactants, which are the substances reacting or being used up, on the left side of the arrow. The products, which are the substances produced, are on the right side of the arrow. The arrow means "yields" or "produces". The arrow also functions as an equal sign because the number of atoms of reactants must equal the number of atoms of products.

Cellular respiration is an example of a combustion reaction, is which a hydrocarbon reacts with oxygen. The products are always carbon dioxide and water. This is the process by which glucose is broken down in cells to produce energy.

You may have noticed that this equation is the reverse of the equation for photosynthesis. In photosynthesis C6H12O6 (glucose) and oxygen are produced, so they're shown on the right side of the arrow. Water and carbon dioxide, which are used in photosynthesis, are shown on the left side of the arrow.

What is a description of the poem "A Bird Came Down the Walk—"?

Emily Dickinson's charming poem "A Bird Came Down The Walk" is an account of just that—the poet watches the bird and its actions intently, with fascination and a congenial, humorous view. The bird eats a worm, drinks water from a blade of grass, and hops to let a beetle pass.

Then the poet breaks from her observation of the bird to begin interacting with it:

"Like one in danger, Cautious, I offered him a Crumb And he unrolled his feathers And rowed him softer home—"

The bird lifts off without taking the crumb of food, and here the poem makes its most powerful statement, that the bird flies off softly, in total control, softer than

"Than Oars divide the Ocean, ... Or Butterflies, off Banks of Noon Leap, plashless as they swim."

In other words, the creatures of nature exist unto themselves, and inhabit the world in a way we can never really hope to touch. We can only watch in wonder.

What are some literary devices used in "The Cask of Amontillado"?

A major literary device used in "The Cask of Amontillado" is dramatic irony.  At the beginning of the story, Montresor makes it clear to the reader that he plans to get revenge on Fortunato for the "thousand injuries" that he has had to bear from him.  Fortunato, however, is completely unaware of the Montresor's plans because Montresor is behaving in a friendly manner (on top of the fact that Fortunato has had too much to drink at the carnival).  Montresor appeals to Fortunato's ego by telling him that he respects his knowledge of fine wines, which is all just a rouse to get him into the cellar.  As the two walk through the catacombs, the reader is aware that Fortunato is about to meet an ill fate, yet he remains unaware.  So, dramatic irony is at play in the story.

What were the issues debated during the constitutional convention?

There were several issues debated at the constitutional convention. One issue was about representation in Congress. The large states wanted to have unequal representation in Congress. They believed large states should have more representatives than small states. The small states feared they would always be in the minority if this occurred. They were concerned their needs wouldn’t be addressed. A compromise was reached where one house of Congress, the House of Representatives, had unequal representation while the other house, the Senate, had equal representation.

A second issue that was debated was if slaves would be counted in the population figures. The South wanted slaves to count as part of the population since they would get more representatives in the House of Representatives. The North didn’t want slaves to count in the population. Another compromise was made where five slaves counted as three people for purposes of the population count to determine representation in the House of Representatives.

A third issue discussed was the power of the executive branch. Some people were afraid of what would happen if one person led this branch. These people were afraid this person would have too much power and would abuse it. They decided to have one person, the President, lead the executive branch. However, the President could be impeached if laws were broken or if the power was abused.

A fourth issue debated regarded trade. The North wanted Congress to control foreign trade while the South was concerned about this happening. Both sides agreed that Congress would control interstate trade. They agreed that Congress would also control foreign trade. However, only imports could be taxed.

There were many issues debated at the constitutional convention. Fortunately, the delegates were able to make compromises that resolved the differences that existed between the North and the South.

What major decisons do the characters make and why?

In Joseph Conrad's The Heart of Darkness, Kurtz, an ivory trader in the Congo (then known as the Congo Free State), makes the decision to turn the native population who live around his station into people who worship him. Marlow, the narrator, says of Kurtz, "He had the power to charm or frighten rudimentary souls into an aggravated witch-dance in his honor" (page 112 in the Barnes and Noble Classics edition). Kurtz had written in an earlier paper that he thought it wise to "exterminate all the brutes!" (page 111). Kurtz makes the decision to treat the native people as objects who worship him and do his work until he dies. This is perhaps because he is mad or perhaps because he does not recognize the humanity in himself and others.

Marlow, the narrator, on the other hand, makes the decision to treat the native people as people, not as objects or slaves. He writes of the death of the helmsman of his boat, "Perhaps you will think it passing strange this regret for a savage who was no more account than a grain of sand in a black Sahara" (page 112). In other words, many Europeans, including them Marlow's audience, regard the lives of the Congolese as they would carelessly regard grains of sand. However, Marlow says of this man, "I had to look after him" (page 112). Marlow cares for this man and says that he shares a bond with him. Unlike Kurtz, Marlow makes the decision that the lives of the Congolese around him are valuable because he recognizes their humanity and his connections to them.

Nonetheless, Marlow decides to protects Kurtz's legacy after Kurtz dies. He says, "I did not betray Mr. Kurtz...it was written that I should be loyal to the nightmare of my choice" (page 132). In other words, even though Marlow knows that Kurtz and the other members of the ivory trading company have decided to treat the natives' lives with little regard, Marlow decides to keep alive the legend of Kurtz. Marlow is loyal to the memory of Kurtz, perhaps because he cannot bear to let the people who worship Kurtz down. 

What were the primary goals of the nativists?

During periods of increased immigration feelings of xenophobia tend to sweep the population.  Xenophobia is defined as a fear of foreigners.  This acrimony toward foreigners is what drove nativists in the United States at various times in history including the 1830s and 1920s.  The primary goal of nativists is to stop the flow of new immigrants to the host country.  The popular nativist sentiment is that a loss of culture is imminent when other cultural groups enter the country in large numbers.  Their perception is that the citizens that have been in the country the longest should have their interests protected above those that are just arriving.  A secondary goal of nativists is to celebrate or promote the qualities of the dominant culture.  Nativist organizations tend to be associated with racism and ethnocentrism.  

What does the author mean by the Magi in the story "The Gift of the Magi?"

In O. Henry's story "The Gift of the Magi," the word "magi" has two different meanings. On the surface level, it refers to the "wise men" spoken of in the Gospel of Matthew who came from the East bearing gifts for the infant Jesus (Matthew 2:11). This is a central part of the Christmas story; most people know about the "three kings" and assume that the reason we give gifts at Christmas is because these worshippers brought gifts for the Christ child at the first Christmas.

O. Henry plays off this Christmas tradition in his Christmas story. In his story he tells of Della and Jim, a young newlywed couple who are very much in love. Unfortunately, they don't have enough money to buy Christmas gifts for each other. Della ends up cutting off and selling her long hair to buy a chain for Jim's gold watch, which he has pawned to buy combs for Della's long hair. Henry points out how "foolish" the young lovers are for doing such a thing, but he ends by saying, "Of all who give gifts, these two were the most wise. ... They are the magi." By this he makes a point by way of metaphor that people who give from a heart of self-sacrificing love are the wisest givers--just like the magi of old who traveled a long journey to worship Christ. So Della and Jim, although the narrator initially brands them as fools, are in reality magi--they are wise enough to forget themselves and give from their hearts. 

Cite and discuss specific events or passages dealing with the theme of death in J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye.

There are two major deadly events that affect Holden in Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. The first major death is when Holden is 13 years old and his 11 year old brother Allie dies from Leukemia. The second death he experiences at Elkton Hills prep school when a schoolmate, James Castle, jumps out of a window to flee from bullies. Both of these traumatic events happen during Holden's young teen years to children. He's not just dealing with death, but he's dealing with senseless deaths of young boys who had their whole lives ahead of them. Children aren't supposed to die. Wrapping his head around these deaths is almost too much for a young boy to deal with--and he doesn't, in fact. He fails out of schools and has a mental breakdown that lands him in a mental facility in California.

Allie's death is discussed a few times throughout the novel, but events surrounding the death itself are described mostly on pages 38 and 39. Holden's reaction to his brother's death is as follows:

"I slept in the garage the night he died, and I broke all the goddam windows with my fist just for the hell of it. I even tried to break all the windows on the station wagon we had that summer, but my hand was already broken and everything by that time, and I couldn't do it" (38).

Clearly, Holden wasn't handling the death of his brother in a healthy way. And who could really blame him since he was only 13 years old and really looked up to his little brother. This certainly influences his weekend gone AWOL as told in the book.

James Castle's death is described later in the book, but happens prior to the narration of the story. Apparently, Holden was in the shower when James jumped out of the window and he describes it as follows:

"I put on my bathrobe and ran downstairs too, and there was old James Castle laying right on the stone steps and all. He was dead, and his teeth, and blood, were all over the place, and nobody would even go near him. He had on this turtleneck sweater I'd lent him. All they did with the guys in the room with him was expel them. They didn't even go to jail" (170).

Here are two major experiences with death that poor Holden has as a young teenager. No wonder he has mental breakdowns! Back then, mental stress wasn't discussed or treated as well as it is today. He may have received better help in today's world.

How did the US government encourage mobilization for war on the home front?

Based on your question, I am assuming you are referring to World War I and World War II. There were several things the government did to encourage mobilization for each war within the United States. In World War I and in World War II some of the encouraging was through actions of Congress. The Selective Service Act allowed for the drafting of troops to fight in World War I. In World War II, the law was called the Selective Training and Service Act. With these laws, troops were drafted to prepare to fight in both world wars.

Besides drafting soldiers, other actions were taken. In World War I, the Committee on Public Information was created to shape public opinion in favor of the war. Through posters, speeches, and pamphlets, Americans were encouraged to support the war effort. In World War II, similar actions were taken. Posters saying “Loose Lips Sink Ships” were used to remind Americans to be careful about speaking publically about the war and about what we were doing. In both wars, Americans were encouraged by the government to grow their own crops by planting victory gardens. This would help provide more food for the soldiers. The government also encouraged Americans to support the war financially by buying war bonds. In World War I, the government borrowed over $20 billion while in World War II it was over $150 billion. Americans willingly reduced their consumption of some kinds of food during both wars. Additionally, many people went to work in the industries making war materials. They had to replace the soldiers who were drafted. Americans who didn’t go and fight in the war also made many sacrifices for the war.

Effects of alcohol on the human heart?

Long-term or heavy binge drinking can cause a number of health troubles. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy is a condition where the muscles of the heart become weakened when someone drinks on a long term basis or in high volume. The muscles of the heart cannot contract effectively and in turn the heart cannot supply adequate blood and oxygen to the body. 

Drinking can also cause heart arrhythmias, where the muscles of the heart try to contract and either "hiccup" in their contraction or do not contract at all. Sometimes the electrical impulse for contraction circulates in the heart too many times, and the heart has too many short contractions and does not fill up with fresh blood.

Drinking can cause strokes or exacerbate other conditions which cause strokes. Alcohol thins the blood and can loosen blood clots, which are carried throughout the vascular system and may get stuck.

Alcohol is primarily a vasodilator, which means when people drink alcohol their blood vessels relax. When someone drinks too much alcohol (either in one instance or over a long time) it becomes a vasoconstrictor and causes blood vessels to squeeze tighter. This is triggered by stress hormones in the body. Because of this vasoconstricting response, heavy drinking can cause high blood pressure.

Research does suggest that in people over forty-five years of age, drinking a small amount of wine on a regular basis can help keep blood levels of good and bad cholesterol in check.

What details make Boxer's death so tragic?

Boxer's death is one of the most tragic events, if not the most tragic event, in the book.  There are a number of reasons why. 

First, Boxer is one of the most loyal animals on the farm.  Moreover, he worked harder than any other animals.  At times it seemed like he worked more diligently than all the animals combined. According to the text, Boxer's motto was "I must work harder." Here is what the text says:

His answer to every problem, every setback, was ‘I will work harder!’ — which he had adopted as his personal motto.

Second, even when Boxer was aging and his body was failing, he still worked with all his might.  This quote says it all:

At such times his lips were seen to form the words, ‘I will work harder’; he had no voice left.

From these words, it is clear that Boxer gave everything he had; he completely sacrificed himself.  He was also sincere in his labor, and he sincerely believed in the rebellion. 

In view of this fact, the tragedy was that he was laboring for a lie.  Moreover, when he could no longer give anything, he was betrayed by Napoleon, who sold him to the knackers. 

Why are microscopes important tools for scientists?

A microscope is a tool that enables the scientists to look at very minute details that we cannot see with our eyes. A common laboratory microscope magnifies the details by up to 1000 times. With our naked eyes, we cannot see very small objects, a microscope magnifies them and enables us to look at them. An example is bacterial research. We cannot see bacteria with our eyes, but with a microscope, we can see them, count them, look at their surfaces, etc. These details allow the scientists in a detailed characterization of bacteria (and other microorganisms) and enables them in coming up with methods to kill them or engineer them, etc. Another application of microscopes is to material scientists. They can design and manufacture materials with certain characteristics and see with microscopes if the designs are correct. We can also make and characterize nanoparticles with the microscopes. Similarly, more advanced microscopes can be used to characterize the metal content of microbial surfaces, etc.

Hope this helps. 

What are some symbols to represent Romeo Montague?

This is a great question, because it allows a lot of creativity on your part.  You could honestly pick anything to be symbolic of Romeo.  Your main job is defend why your symbol is appropriate.  

Since Romeo is in love throughout the entire play, I think an appropriate symbol for him is something that is symbolic of love.  You could choose a regular, nothing fancy, Valentine's Day heart.  It is so symbolic of love to the point that the heart shape is incorporated into jewelry and candy.  The internet is even loaded with people making heart shapes with their fingers and thumbs.  

I think another appropriate symbol for Romeo is a rose. You could use a rose for all of the same reasons that you would use a heart.  A rose, especially a red rose, is symbolic of love.  That's why roses are given on Valentine's Day and anniversaries.  A rose is also a good choice because Juliet directly refers to Romeo as a rose when she says the following: 

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet

A third symbol that I associate with Romeo would be a skull and crossbones.  No, I don't think Romeo is a pirate.  A skull and crossbones is a common symbol on known poisons.  That is how Romeo chooses to end his life when he believes that Juliet is dead.  He drinks poison.  

I even think a cross is a good symbol for Romeo.  I absolutely do not think he is a Christ figure.  That's not why I associate the cross with him.  I associate the cross with Romeo, because it appears that he (a Montague) is more religious than the Capulets.  The reason that I think this is because of the amount of time that he spends with Friar Lawrence.  

Which paragraph explains the distinction between moral and natural laws in "Letter from Birmingham Jail"?

I think I have to disagree a bit with how this question is framed. King describes the difference between just and unjust laws in the thirteenth and fourteenth paragraphs of his letter, but nowhere does he discuss some distinction between moral laws and natural laws, and in fact, he seems to regard them as much the same.

King's distinction between just and unjust laws is important for his purposes because this distinction is the justification for his civil obedience. A just law, according to King, is one that "squares with the moral law or the law of God" (King para. 13). An unjust law "is out of harmony with the moral law" (para. 13), and "a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law" (para.13). A law that is degrading to the human spirit is unjust. A law that a majority forces on a minority without being subject to the law itself is unjust. A law that has been enacted without any representation upon the people it is imposed upon is unjust. Implicit in his argument is also that a law that separates people from one another is an unjust law.

King's campaign of peaceful civil disobedience rests upon his argument about just and unjust laws. Whatever distinctions there may be between moral and natural laws, King does not find it necessary to expound upon them.

In chapter seven of The Giver, what was the mood of the assignment ceremony?

Assignment Day recognized the paths of all the children in the community, but it was especially important to those receiving assignments.  Those assignments determined what that person was going to do the rest of his/her life, and it was determined by a group of people.  It was not his/her own choice.  Naturally, the suspense was high.  Jonas says just before Chapter 7,

“He only wished…….. that the suspense would end.” (pg 49)

However, the ceremony began with boring speeches and mentions of gratitude for the work of the Committee.  Asher had to stifle a yawn.  Then the ceremony began, and so did the excitement of the recipients.  Each anxiously awaited their assignment, and the young people all  seemed quite satisfied with their assignments.  Jonas was happy for his friends.

“But, he was more and more apprehensive as his own approached.”  (pg. 56)

However, when it was Jonas’s turn, they skipped his number.  He was number nineteen, and number twenty was called to the stage instead.  This was very unusual. .  Jonas became very anxious. 

“He felt dizzy, and couldn’t focus his attention.” (pg 57)

The author uses words such as “dazed” and “embarrassed” as each person was called to the stage.  Jonas had obviously been skipped.  The other students looked at him and were embarrassed for him.

“And he saw the worried look on his group leader’s face.” (pg 57)

He thought he must has done something wrong, and he was ashamed. 

“He hunched his shoulders and tried to make himself smaller in the seat.  He wanted to disappear, to fade away, not to exist.” 

So, the day was filled with numerous emotions.   Overall, it was a suspenseful ,anxious moment for most of the students and their parents.  However, the students also felt embarrassment and concern for Jonas

How can people oppose unjust laws?

The idea is called "civil disobedience". It was named by Henry David Thoreau in the 1840s, but the basic concept has a long and distinguished history that goes back many centuries before that; similar ideas of a "law above the laws of man" are discussed in some of the earliest documents on record.

In civil disobedience, people who believe that a law is unjust intentionally, publicly, and nonviolently break that law. Typically this is done with a group of people working together, but it can be done by an individual alone. They then accept their punishment for doing so, but seek to draw public attention to the injustice of the punishment in order to undermine the unjust law.

For example, Mahatma Gandhi was well-known for using civil disobedience on a number of laws that discriminated against Indians in South Africa as well as laws put in place by the British over India. In the 1960s, Martin Luther King Jr. (whose national holiday was celebrated yesterday!) engaged in civil disobedience against racial segregation laws in the United States.

There are two important features of civil disobedience to note, which many people misunderstand:

1. It is by definition nonviolent. Civil disobedience does not mean rioting or fomenting revolution. It means peacefully and publicly challenging laws you believe are unjust.

2. It does not excuse you from being punished. Most governments worldwide do not accept any kind of "civil disobedience exception" that would protect people from being punished if they break laws they deem unjust. You are still expected to obey all laws, and if you don't you are punished accordingly. Part of why civil disobedience is so difficult and courageous is that it often involves spending time in prison as punishment for the laws you have broken.

A. Give the number of total electron groups, the number of bonding groups, and the number of lone pairs for (a)'s geometry. B. Give the...

To begin with, this question is focusing on VSEPR theory or Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion theory.  In short, electrons around an atom, be them electrons involved in bonding or as a lone pair on an atom, repel one another and spread as far as possible in 3-dimensional space.

When determining the number electron groups, you are looking for 4 different possibilities:

1. Single bonds


2. Double bonds


3. Triple bonds


4. Lone pairs

The number of bonding groups can be determined by looking for single, double, and triple bonds (1-3 above).  Lone pairs (number 4 above) should be fairly obvious, but are a group of electrons that belong solely to a single atom.  The combined number of bonding groups and lone pairs gives you the number of electron groups.

For image A, you have an octahedral molecule or a central atom with 6 bonding groups around it (all single bonds) and no lone pairs.  6 electron groups of which 6 are bonding groups and 0 are lone pairs.

For image B, you are looking at a square planar molecule.  The central atom has 4 atoms bonded to it (4 bonding groups) and 2 lone pairs (1 above and 1 below) on the central atom.  6 electron groups of which 4 are bonding groups and 2 are lone pairs.

For image C, the image doesn't clearly depict what the molecular shape is.  It appears that image C is identical to image A, but missing two of the atoms along the horizontal plane.  If that truly is what is being shown, then the missing atoms have been replaced with 2 lone pairs to create the distortion seen.  Without the lone pairs, the shape would be tetrahedral instead.  6 electron groups of which 4 are bonding pairs and 2 are lone pairs.

**My personal opinion as a chemist: image C is not a proper image.  If it truly shows 2 lone pairs on the central atom, the bond angle between the remaining two atoms along with horizontal plane would be less.  This is because lone pairs create more repulsion than a pair of bonding electrons.  It is quite possible that image C is showing not two but one lone pair of electrons on the central atom.  This would create a bond angle greater than 90 but less than 120.  This would result in a molecule with 5 electron groups of which 4 are bonding and 1 is a lone pair.

What would make this question easier to analyze would be the presence of lone pairs on the central atom.

Why dose squeaky dislike Mary Louise?

Squeaky describes Mary Louise as ungrateful. Introducing Mary as her “used to be friend", Squeaky says "when she (Mary) first moved to Harlem from Baltimore,” everybody would bully her and beat her. But as because both of their mothers used to sing in the same choir, Squeaky decides to help her. She becomes her friend and doesn't allow anybody to cause her any trouble.

But they are no more on friendly terms. Mary’s found new friends in Gretchen and Rosie. Gretchen is a good runner and the only contender for Squeaky in the May Day race. Squeaky says,

“… now she hangs out with the new girl Gretchen and talks about me like a dog;”

This implies that Mary speaks ill of Squeaky and scorns her before Gretchen and others. Before the May Day race, she attempts to annoy Squeak by saying to her,

“You signing up for the May Day races?” smiles Mary Louise, only it’s not a smile at all.

Mary knows it very well that Squeaky is the fastest runner and she has never lost any race. There's no doubt about Squeaky's participation in the race. She makes this irrelevant question solely to provoke her.

Later, with an intention to trouble Raymond, she asks him, “What grade you in now, Raymond?”

Squeaky is aware of her intentions. She retorts saying,

“You got anything to say to my brother, you say it to me, Mary Louise Williams of Raggedy Town, Baltimore.”

Thus, Mary's ingratitude, her uncalled-for provocative remarks and her treatment of Raymond are enough reasons for Squeaky to dislike her. 

Why was Mrs. Watson angry about her husband driving straight through Birmingham? Why was she pleased? Give one reason for each.

In the story, Mrs. Watson was a little angry when her husband drove straight through to Birmingham because his unilateral decision had put a dent in all of her 'notebook planning.' This just means that Mrs. Watson, who had the trip all planned out, including the stops the family would make, did not get to experience the journey as she had envisioned. Therefore, this made her upset.

However, she was also secretly pleased, as driving through to Birmingham meant that they did not have to pay for overnight lodging. According to her proud husband, he drove for eighteen straight hours and almost a thousand miles to Birmingham. He also told his family that a song playing on the radio, Big Daddy Was a Truck-Drivin’ Man, further spurred him on. When he got tired, Mr. Watson also remembered his friend, Joe Espinosa, who drove all the way to Texas without stopping.

In due time, the family reached their destination, and everyone greeted Grandma Sands.

What is a "litmus" test when considering court nominees? Why are court appointments so important politically today? Utilize the Citizen's United...

You have a great number of questions here, and I am going to address only the first two for today, concerning litmus tests for judicial candidates, the politics of appointments, and the Citizens United case.

A litmus test in judicial appointment is an inquiry into the candidate's stance on a particular "hot button" issue, such as abortion.  As a president selects a candidate for approval by the Senate, the president's selection is often subject to such a test, and presidents must bear this in mind if they wish to have a selection approved. This is a fairly recent phenomenon, since candidates historically declined to be subject to litmus tests, stating that they would not offer prospective opinions but would only rule on matters before them, which is precisely what judges are supposed to do.  Even if a candidate declines to be subject to a litmus test  today, Senators scrutinize all previous opinions of the candidate for evidence as to how the candidate might rule. Thus, a candidate who previously ruled on an abortion issue has provided a paper trail that the Senate can make a judgement about.  In my opinion, the litmus test is a perversion of the entire process of judicial appointment, which should be focused on the legal quality of the candidate's previous rulings, not on his or her prospective opinion on any particular matter.

The litmus test on abortion is just one test, though, and there are other tests that the Senate has concerned itself with in recent years.  For example, the Senate wants to know whether a candidate is a strict constructionist, meaning that the candidate's philosophy is to never go beyond the literal words of the Constitution.  Affirmative action and voters' rights are other areas that are subject to great scrutiny. Whether a candidate is pro-business or pro-consumer and the candidate's stance on the First Amendment may also be subject to examination, particularly in the wake of Citizens United.

The case of Citizens United ruled that business entities had First Amendment rights to freedom of speech, which allows them to support political candidates as they so please. This opened up a Pandora's box of campaign funding, since corporations have a great deal of capital they can use to support candidates who will be beholden to them and who will be likely to support their agendas.

On the political front, first, historically, there is no question that federal judicial appointments have always been politicized, if only because federal judges are appointed for life and a president's term is limited to a maximum of ten years. This means that the influence of the president on federal courts lasts well beyond that president's administration. Judges can work into their eighties or nineties, or really, even longer if they live. Thus, a judge appointed to carry out a president's political agenda and philosophy can have influence on the court for generations. 

Second, there is presently a great political divide between conservatives and liberals, between Republicans and Democrats, a divide that is being played out in the rulings of the Supreme Court, as it is presently constructed, with four fairly consistent conservative votes, four consistently liberal votes, and one judge who is often a "swing voter." Several judges are elderly, and there is concern about what president will have the power to appoint their replacements if they die in office or retire, this president or the next one.  And of course, this power of appointment rests on the consent of the Senate, too, with its own liberal and conservative proponents. Thus, the makeup of the federal judiciary is of great importance as we go forward, determining whether rulings will be liberal or conservative, pro-business or pro-consumer, pro-choice or anti-abortion, generous or repressive on affirmative action and voters' rights, and so on and so on, for all of these hot button issues that are on the table right now. 

Those who believe that the federal judiciary is not the creature of politics are mistaken, since even before the days of instant polling and lobbying, federal court appointments were political in nature. Today, though, as the Supreme Court is presently configured and as it continues to be an aging court, the politics of our great divide is even more reflected in that court, and the chance to control the future of the country is what politics is all about.  

What effect did the US have on WWII when it joined the war?

The United States joining WWII was probably the most important turning point in that war.  In the Pacific, it meant that the Japanese now faced a strong and highly motivated foe.  In Europe, it meant that the Allies now had a practically unlimited supply of materiel along with a large number of potential combatants to bolster them.

There was not much of a war in the Pacific before Pearl Harbor.  However, Japan dominated what war there was.  The French, Dutch, and British were much too weak in the Pacific to resist Japan.  China lacked the unity to resist and was not technologically advanced enough.  When the US entered the war, it became a major danger to Japanese ambitions.

In Europe, the Allies had been on the ropes before the US joined the war.  France was essentially out of the war so (after June of 1941) the USSR and Britain had to fight alone.  When the US joined the war, it brought a vast new source of manpower.  Perhaps even more important was the fact that the US had so many resources that it could help supply its allies with many things that they needed.  The US was a huge and rich nation and its factories were out of range of any German bombers or army units.  The US could produce vast amounts of materiel that the Allies could use.  Because the US brought so much manpower and so many resources to the war, it had a huge impact on the war when it joined.

What is an example of the mood in Chapter Four of Night by Elie Wiesel?

In the beginning of Chapter Four in Night by Elie Wiesel, the mood could almost be described as optimistic. Elie and his father, along with many other Jews, have just arrived at Buna, where they are told they have arrived at a "very good camp" (Wiesel 45). Elie is asked if he wants to get into a good unit, which, of course, he does as long as he can stay with his father. The feeling is that maybe things are not so bad after all.

Of course that mood shifts fairly soon. Yes, Elie is in a decent unit where the work is not that difficult, but he is also under a Kapo who is prone to terrible fits of violence, and before the chapter is over, Elie has experienced it. The mood becomes more fearful.

Then at the very end of the chapter, the mood shifts again to a combination of terror and depression. All hope that God exists leaves Elie when he is forced to watch a child hang--a child accused of helping to blow up the camp's electric station.

"Behind me, I heard the same man asking:

'Where is God now?'

And I heard a voice within me answer him:

'Where is He? Here He is--He is hanging here on the gallows...'" (Wiesel 62). 

Is the construction of the RMS Titanic a good representation of the Industrial Age?

It is not a giant leap to consider the Titanic a mammoth metaphor of the Industrial Age. The Titanic was a massive ship, the likes of which were not even imagined fifty years earlier. It seems to represent the entrepreneurial spirit of thinking big and the idea that no dream was too grand. The production of the ship required a vast sum of natural resources and the use of thousands of laborers. The construction of the ship itself was a trophy to industrialism. The hyperbole of the descriptions of the vessel, like "unsinkable" and "feat of engineering" are almost humorous to think about today.

The Titanic is also representative of the class struggles that existed between the industrialists and the workers in the factories. The average cost of a first class ticket was $50,000 when inflation is taken into consideration. Only the wealthiest capitalists could afford that expense. The first class passengers had access to whatever amenities existed on the voyage. The lower class passengers did not have access to these accommodations and were not even allowed on many parts of the ship.

Symbolically, the iceberg and disaster that befell the Titanic demonstrate the limits of industrialism. In the same way that workers revolted and demanded labor rights, the North Atlantic demanded an end to the crowning achievement of industrialism that was the Titanic.

What is aqua-regia? Which metal is obtained from the ore argentite?

Aqua-regia is a mix made up of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid. It is also known as King's water or royal water, because of its capability of dissolving gold and platinum. It is made by mixing the two acids in a 1:3 ratio. It is used in gold refining operation and for etching purposes.

The mineral argentite has a chemical formula of Ag2S and is another name for silver sulfide. The metal silver is obtained from this mineral. In fact, the name of mineral is based on the Latin name of silver (Argentum). It consists of about 87% silver. Interestingly this ore is stable only at high temperature (around 179 degrees Celsius). It is a heavy mineral and has a specific gravity of about 7 gm/ml.

Hope this helps. 

In To Kill a Mockingbird, what are three quotes that give a Atticus Finch a characteristic and the page number the quote is on?

These quotes show that Atticus is empathetic, courageous, and principled.

When choosing quotes to represent character traits, you should look for quotes about the character or important things the character says.  These will help you support characteristics of the character’s personality.  Page numbers vary, but these are all near the end of their chapters.

Atticus is well-known for his empathy.  He cares about a black man when most people consider it beneath them.  This is why he defends Tom Robinson in the trial, because he is able to put himself in other people’s shoes.  When Scout has some trouble with her new teacher on the first day of school, Atticus explains to her that if she can learn empathy, she will get along with people better.

“First of all,” he said, “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-”

“Sir?”

“-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (Ch. 3, p.33)

Atticus is a good father because he sets an example for his children, but also because he listens to them.  When Scout had trouble with Miss Caroline, Atticus turned it into an important life lesson. He knew that empathy was going to be extra important for Scout during the trial.

Courage is another important trait of Atticus.  Atticus demonstrates both physical and moral courage throughout the events of the book.  He explains his definition of courage to his children.

I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. (Ch. 11, p. 128)

Atticus is brave because he does his best to defend Tom Robinson even though he knows that there is no way a Maycomb court will acquit his client.  He does it because it is the right thing to do.  Atticus compares moral courage to facing physical danger with a gun, but Atticus does that too. He shoots the mad dog to protect the town.  Atticus also shows courage when facing the angry mob.

Finally, Atticus is principled.  That means that he has a strong moral code that he believes in and he sticks to it no matter what.  Atticus defends his principles along with his client in his closing arguments on the Tom Robinson case.

“But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal—there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen, is a court. … (Ch. 21, p. 234)

In a town where racism is a way of life, Atticus tries to explain to the jury and the audience that justice should be colorblind.  A case must be decided based on the facts and not an immediate conviction of a person based on color.

In "The Cask of Amontillado", what does Montresor mean when he says he seeks to "punish with impunity"?

Montresor begins his narration of "The Cask of Amontillado" by introducing us to his hatred of Fortunato, though he fails to explain exactly what Fortunato did to engender this hatred. Montresor establishes that these injustices must be addressed, but as he is a calculating and intelligent person, he intends to do so in a careful and dispassionate manner, lest his anger get the better of him and tarnish his justice with something so inconvenient as an arrest and incarceration.

By "impunity" Montresor means to put himself beyond all suspicion or reproach, yet he still seeks to attack Fortunato in a very specific way. It must be clear to Fortunato that he is being punished, that the punishment comes from Montresor, and that the punishment is in return for Fortunato's insults. However, one might imagine that it would be difficult to accomplish this without committing some crime to which Montresor could be traced; thus his need for impunity, i.e. some way to ensure that there are no witnesses, no evidence, and no means of connecting Montresor to the crime.

This is fulfilled by the crime being committed in an empty home, and the only witness (Fortunato) dying along with it. Montresor never mentions being held suspect for Fortunato's disappearance, just as he planned.

Harold Bloom has argued that 'the plays and poetry of Shakespeare are at the centre of the West’s creativity and a constant source of...

It is difficult to argue against this Harold Bloom quote as, along with staple stage performances, there are multiple movie versions of Shakespeare's plays available. Shakespeare continues to be a source of inspiration in current culture.

Shakespeare is at the center of Western culture. This can be argued as being a detriment to the growth of theater, sustaining an image of theater that is anachronistic with contemporary culture (although film versions and adaptations strive to rise above this).

So, how did Shakespeare become cultural currency giving a person cultural authority in context of literature? While part of Shakespeare's cultural power has to do with his popularity among admiring Enlightenment thinkers, like Goethe, Shakespeare's power also is rooted in British Imperialism and the spread of the English language.

Imperialism is not only a political function, it is also a cultural function because the imperialist's culture is carried in transported social structures and in transported language, which often becomes the language of education as happened during British Imperialism.

Shakespeare became the golden standard for the expression of the English language. Since English has been transported to all corners of the world and to all generations through English based education, Shakespeare has been a global cornerstone of English. The book, Political Shakespeare: Essays in Cultural Materialism, has many essays on this topic.

Describe Victor’s relationship with his father in the novel Frankenstein. Do they have a healthy relationship? Why or why not?

The character of Victor Frankenstein is deeply flawed. He tends to blur lines in every aspect of his life, including his desires, wishes, and even his relationships, based on his affection towards people. 

Throughout most of the novel, Victor's only consistent emotion is pain and guilt. However, the spectrum of all of his other emotions range from wild obsession, to ranging anger, to madness, and even to regret.

All of this leads to the conclusion that any positive aspects of any of Victor's relationships were not caused by Victor. He was often the recipient in his relationships:

• Elizabeth gave Victor comfort, succor, love, and security


• Clerval was loyal, charming, joyful, and gave Victor altruistic support and strength.

Similarly, Alphonse Frankenstein, Victor's father, not only gave Victor a good family name, a fantastic upbringing, wealth, and great education. He also gave him the love and support that he (Alphonse) equally gave to the rest of his family. 

However, a closer look into the reading shows that, within the happy walls of the Frankenstein estate, a lot of dysfunction seems to take place

1. The Agrippa issue

During a family vacation, Victor comes upon the writings of Cornelius Agrippa. Fascinated by them, Victor shares his findings with his father, who categorizes the books as "trash" reading.

This incident remained very fresh in Victor's mind, who even hinted at his father's lack of scientific understanding for Victor's eventual obsession with what these writings taught.  

2. Reactions

Alphonse Frankenstein may have been a loving father, but he was not the nurturer that his wife, Caroline, used to be. In fact, upon the death of Caroline, Alphonse seems lost in his role as a widowed man in a patriarchal society: Is he supposed to be a provider, a leader, or a nurturer? Obviously, in his society, this would have been a real issue, as women were almost entirely connected to the nurturing crux of the home life. However, Alphonse did what he could to keep things together. 

The problem is that, as we will notice, Alphonse reacts drastically to situations. It is no surprise that he does, but in being so affected by the tragedies of his family, he is unable to see, hear, feel, or say the things that a true patriarch should. 

A good example comes when Victor, in the middle of his mental crisis, tells his father that he is responsible for what is going on. In more than one occasion, Alphonse simply dismisses his son's words without even considering where they could be coming from. This shows a tendency of Alphonse to "brush off" the things that he cannot deal with, much Victor's disappointment. 

3. Subtle connections

All through the novel Shelley throws more hints of the fatal fatherly ties among Alphonse-Victor and the Creature. When Victor is in prison, his ward announces the visit of a "friend". For some odd reason that Victor himself could not explain, Victor thought that this friend was the monster himself. The visitor, however, was his father. This odd connection happens twice more in the novel.

In this fashion, Shelley wants to unveil to the reader that there is dysfunction among the Frankensteins, even when the home life seems perfect and idyllic. Perhaps she is trying to give the connotation that the bad parent trait, and the inability to communicate effectively with their kin is evident between Victor and Alphonse, and between Victor and the creature. 

Therefore, while the relationship between Alphonse and Victor seems normal from the outside,many issues lurked deep within.