What literary element is used in Audre Lorde's "Power" and what is its significance in the text?

The literary element used in Audre Lorde's poem "Power" is monologue. The poet, using a narrator, is vividly presenting views in first person—this narrator is talking directly to the audience in everyday language and not mincing words at all. The significance of using the literary/poetic device of monologue is that the reader gets to experience the narrator’s views, beliefs, and emotions first-hand. There is no intermediary telling this story from a third-person point-of-view. The reader feels that he or she is there with the person.

The power of this monologue is its ability to shock the reader with unmediated statements from someone (this narrator) who has strong views about the issues of the day. These are the issues that affect her and her circle of influence. Consider this line from the poem:

and one day I will take my teenaged plug

and connect it to the nearest socket

raping an 85 year old white woman

who is somebody's mother

The power of this line, describing a horrible and immoral, despicable act, is that we, the readers, are hearing this from the “horse’s mouth.” The line is not presented to us in an objective, bland, third-person way, as if it is a dry item in a local newspaper. We are presented with all the venom and anger of the narrator, by the narrator.

This person has very strong opinions on race relations and the toxic history concerning the battle between blacks and whites in America. The narrator feels revenge may be the only option available if she does not learn to “to use the difference between poetry and rhetoric”, which she earlier stated was “being ready to kill yourself instead of your children.”

She does not want to get out of hand and become vengeful and violent, but she does want justice. She feels she may resort to terrible acts unless she learns to restrain herself. The significance of monologue in this poem is that it forces the reader to consider the terrible treatment some blacks have received in U.S. society (and beyond) over the centuries.

After reading this poem in its monologue from, the reader cannot deny the impact of the narrator’s emotions on his or her own views and feelings. Therefore, monologue is an “in-your-face” poetic element to lend force to the narrator’s beliefs.

In "The Monkey's Paw," what was the White family's last wish?

Actually, the last wish was only Mr. White's. Both husband and wife believed their son Herbert had come back from the dead as a result of their second wish. Mr. White was horrified at the prospect of seeing Herbert as he must look after being mangled in the machinery at work and then being dead and buried for ten days. Mrs. White, on the other hand, was anxious to open the door and hug her son. Unlike her husband, she had never seen his body and had no idea how horrible he must look. The tiny woman was having a hard time opening the door because one of the bolts was too high for her to reach.

"For God's sake don't let it in," cried the old man, trembling.

"You're afraid of your own son," she cried struggling. "Let me go. I'm coming, Herbert; I'm coming."

The reader has been made to believe that it must be Herbert doing all that knocking and dreads seeing the living-dead monster if Mrs. White gets the door open. Herbert was introduced as a good-natured, funny young man full of high spirits. But if he came back to live with his parents after being dead and buried, he would not be the same Herbert. The feeling produced here is uncanny. Imagine having to live with such a creature!

So Mr. White finally makes a decision of his own. The first wish was suggested by Herbert, and his father wished for two hundred pounds. The second wish was forced on White by his wife, who insisted that he wish for Herbert to come back to them. The third and final wish was White's alone. We do not know the exact words he said, but he obviously wished that the knocking would cease and the person knocking would go away forever.

"The bolt," she cried loudly. "Come down. I can't reach it."

But her husband was on his hands and knees groping wildly on the floor in search of the paw....He heard the creaking of the bolt as it came slowly back, and at the same moment he found the monkey's paw, and frantically breathed his third and last wish.

The knocking ceases as soon as he makes the wish. When his wife opens the door there is no one there. Mr. White follows her outside and then runs down to the gate.

The street lamp flickering opposite shone on a quiet and deserted road. 

Was it really Herbert out there, or some lost traveler seeking directions? If it was a real human being knocking, where did he disappear to?

What was the basis for The Seven Commandments in Animal Farm?

The Commandments have their origin in the message Old Major, Mr Jones' prize boar and the most respected animal on the farm, had conveyed to the other animals during a secret meeting in the big barn. During the gathering he had informed the animals about a dream he had had and why it was so important.

In his message, Old Major mentioned, in part, the following:

No animal in England knows the meaning of happiness or leisure after he is a year old. No animal in England is free. The life of an animal is misery and slavery: that is the plain truth...

"But is this simply part of the order of nature? Is it because this land of ours is so poor that it cannot afford a decent life to those who dwell upon it? No, comrades, a thousand times no! ...

Why then do we continue in this miserable condition? Because nearly the whole of the produce of our labour is stolen from us by human beings. There, comrades, is the answer to all our problems. It is summed up in a single word--Man. Man is the only real enemy we have. Remove Man from the scene, and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished for ever.

"Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals. He sets them to work, he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving, and the rest he keeps for himself. Our labour tills the soil, our dung fertilises it, and yet there is not one of us that owns more than his bare skin ..."

The old boar then urged the animals to fight against Man's tyranny and prepare for rebellion. He stated that he did not know when the revolution would happen but that when it did, the animals should be careful not to become like their vanquished masters. He, furthermore, stated:

"... And among us animals let there be perfect unity, perfect comradeship in the struggle. All men are enemies. All animals are comrades."

and

"... Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend. And remember also that in fighting against Man, we must not come to resemble him. Even when you have conquered him, do not adopt his vices. No animal must ever live in a house, or sleep in a bed, or wear clothes, or drink alcohol, or smoke tobacco, or touch money, or engage in trade. All the habits of Man are evil. And, above all, no animal must ever tyrannise over his own kind. Weak or strong, clever or simple, we are all brothers. No animal must ever kill any other animal. All animals are equal."

Old Major completed his speech by then telling the animals about the dream he had had which related to the anthem, 'Beasts of England' that conveyed the utopian existence the animals would enjoy once Man had been removed.

The pigs then developed what Old Major had said into a system of thought which they called Animalism. From this, they fashioned the seven commandments which were written on the wall of the barn in big white letters by Snowball. The commandments would form the basis of their conduct on the farm and would be unalterable.

Ironically, exactly the opposite happened. The pigs, through a process of propaganda, manipulation, abuse and terror, managed to enslave the other animals and systematically convert the commandments to justify their greed and tyranny until only one amazingly fatuous rule was left:

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

In To Kill a Mockingbird is Atticus considered to have good self-control?

Yes. Atticus is the novel's morally upright character, and there are numerous scenes that depict Atticus displaying self-control. In Chapter 11, Scout recounts how her father reacts to Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose's ignorant comments. Scout mentions that every time Atticus would pass her house he would politely say, "Good evening, Mrs. Dubose! You look like a picture this evening," and would wish her a happy day. (Lee 134) Atticus is aware that she makes derogatory comments directed towards him and the children. He tells Jem that it's his job to not let her make him mad. Atticus displays tolerance and self-control by not reacting aggressively or taking offense to her comments. Instead, Atticus keeps a "level head" and treats her with respect and kindness.

Later on in the novel, Bob Ewell runs into Atticus at the post office following the trial. Bob Ewell is bitter and begins to curse and insult Atticus in public. When Bob Ewell spits in Atticus' face, Atticus calmly takes out his handkerchief and wipes it off. Bob even challenges him by saying, "Too proud to fight, you nigger-lovin' bastard?" and Atticus simply says, "No, too old" and walks away. (Lee 290) This is the clearest example of Atticus displaying self-control in the novel. He understands Bob's difficult position and lets him vent his anger. Instead of reacting with anger, Atticus endures Bob's insults and calmly walks away.

What are the disadvantages of Blanche in the play A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams?

Blanche DuBois has many disadvantages. She has lost Belle Reve, her ancestral home. She has just lost her job as a high-school English teacher because of her predilection for seducing young boys. Therefore she has no money, no income, and no home. She has acquired a bad reputation in her home town of Laurel because of drinking, fornication, and other vices. She has been forced to seek shelter with her sister Stella, who is married to the animalistic Stanley Kowalski and is six-months pregnant. Blanche is getting older and losing her grip on her only option for salvation, which is to find a good man to marry her and support her. All these problems lead to another problem, which is her conflict with Stanley. He doesn't want her intruding in his household, and he knows instinctively, with a sort of animal instinct, that she abhors him and will cause him troubles with Stella. She and Stanley are enemies, but this is another great disadvantage for Blanche because she is weak where he is strong, she is broke and he provides all the money for the household as well as all the liquor, she is sensitive where he is insensitive, she is idealistic and romantic where he is a brutal realist. She can't help annoying him just by being there in the small apartment. She doesn't even have a bedroom of her own. When the baby comes, Blanche will be even more obviously in the way because she is taking up the space which will have to be used for the new baby. If Stanley were a gentleman he would try to accommodate her. If he liked her he would let her stay. But he is not a gentleman and he hates her and everything she stands for, just as she hates everything he stands for. The play is largely about the warfare between Blanche and Stanley, which she is bound to lose. She uses old-fashioned politeness, proper manners, good grammar, and all the armor of he upper class to shame him and to turn her sister against him. He uses direct aggression and deliberate vulgarity to make her look like a phoney.

The two antagonists seem intended to represent the Old South and the New South. Stanley. The Old South had polished manners and refined tastes, but their economy was based on slavery. Stanley senses that Blanche has more than one skeleton in her closet. He does some investigating and finds out why she lost her job and what sort of reputation she has in her hometown. In Scene Seven he reveals what he has learned to Stella:

Honey, I told you I thoroughly checked on these stories! Now wait till I finished. The trouble with Dame Blanche was that she couldn't put on her act any more in Laurel! They got wised up after two or three dates with her and then they quit, and she goes on to another, the same old line, same old act, same old hooey! But the town was too small for this to go on forever! And as time went by she became a town character. Rgarded as not just different but downright loco--nuts.

He destroys Blanche's one last hope of survival by conveying all this information to his friend Mitch, who was charmed by Blanche's upper-class pretensions and was about to propose marriage. Stanley completes his destruction of the sensitive, vulnerable Blanche by raping her while his wife Stella is in the hospital delivering their baby. Blanche suffers a mental breakdown and has to be taken to an institution, where she will live out the rest of her days.

The play is gripping because it pits two such different characters against each other. Blanche uses wit and words as weapons. Stanley uses brutality and vulgarity, of which he has an abundant reserve. We can sympathize with Blanche because, in addition to being the underdog, she faces problems we all face or will have to face in the future. There is no security in life. We are all in danger of losing our livelihoods. We all encounter enemies who threaten our relationships and our self-images. We are all growing older--and there is no cure for that. We would all like life to be better than it actually is. We would all like to be loved--but love is hard to find and harder to keep. When Blanche is taken off to the mental asylum at the end of the play, we feel somehow that we are going along with her. She is a tragic figure, despite all her faults. Stanley has won the battle. He has gotten rid of her. But we don't feel like congratulating him. Why not? Because he was bound to win. People like him always win.

A struggle for existence naturally follows from the high rate at which all organic beings tend to increase. There is no exception to the rule that every organic being naturally increases at so high a rate, that if not destroyed, the earth would soon be covered by the progeny of a single pair.
Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species 

The condition of man . . . is a condition of war of everyone against everyone.
Thomas Hobbes

What is a variable (independent, controlled, dependent) and what is data? What is a description of accuracy, reliability, and validity?

A variable is an item, trait, or other factor within a scientific experiment that can change in quantity. In order to determine what causes the results of an experiment, only one variable should be changed at a time.

An independent variable is the variable whose quantity is regulated by the scientist. Therefore, the term “manipulated variable” can be used interchangeably with the term independent variable. The value of an independent variable determines the value of the other variables within the experiment.

The dependent variable is the variable that is measured by the scientist within a scientific variable. Thus, the dependent variable results in the data collected by the scientist. This can easily be remembered because “dependent variable” and “data” both start with the letter “d”. The value of the dependent variable depends on the value of the independent variable, hence its name. For this reason, the term “responding variable” is a synonym to the term dependent variable.

A controlled variable is any factor that is kept the same amongst all groups within a scientific experiment. Controls are used as constants so that scientists can easily determine what variable is responsible for a change.

The accuracy of an experiment is how close a data point is to the actual value of a known standard. Thus, accuracy can be thought of as the nearness of a data point to the bullseye of a dart board.

Accuracy can be compared to precision. Precision is the nearness of multiple data points to one another. Data is considered precise if the data points are clumped together, even if the clump of data points is not near a standard known value.

Reliability of a scientific experiment speaks to the consistency of the scientific tools used and, thus, the data produced. Reliable data is consistent. If an experiment is reliable, many scientists should be able to repeat the same procedures and obtain the same results.

In science, validity refers to whether or not an argument, conclusion, measurement, or test relates to real-world applications. Validity refers to how well an experiment truly represents it claims.

What are some specific passages in Tom Sawyer where Twain uses sarcasm to critique the traditions of small town life?

In the early chapters of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain employs sarcasm to critique the traditions of small town life, Sarcasm consists of remarks that are intended to ridicule.

--In Chapter 1, when Tom encounters a new boy, who appears to be wealthy by his attire, he is astounded. The boy wears a hat, shoes, even a necktie--"and it was only Friday," Twain adds sarcastically (as though wearing them on Sunday would make the boy's outfit more acceptable to Tom). As Tom stares at the other boy, he has a sense of the shabbiness of his own clothes, so Tom finds a way of asserting himself:

"I can lick you!"
"I'd like to see you try it."
"Well, I can do it."
"No, you can't either." 

The two continue in this manner, challenging each other until they finally fight. Tom wins, but when his back is turned, the new boy hurls a stone at him, striking him in the back. So, Tom chases the boy home and stands outside the gate, daring "the enemy" to come outside, but the "enemy" only makes faces at him while his mother calls Tom a "vicious, vulgar child."

--In Chapter 2 when Tom is assigned to whitewash a fence, he is rather discontented by this assignment; so, he tries to devise ways of getting out of the job. When Jim comes by with a bucket of water, Tom offers to let Jim whitewash part of the fence while he fetches the water. But, Jim has been forewarned by Tom's aunt that Tom will ask Jim to help him. So, when Tom offers him some of his possessions, Jim will not be swayed until Tom suggests that Jim see his sore toe. "Jim was only human--this attraction was too much for him," Twain adds. Then, Aunt Polly comes along with "triumph in her eye," so Jim runs off.

Tom's vigor in whitewashing after he sees his aunt diminishes, and he ponders alternative methods of enticement as other boys approach. He looks at the meager contents of his pockets, and he relinquishes the idea of trying to buy the others. However, Twain writes, "At this dark and hopeless moment an inspiration burst upon him! Nothing less than a great, magnificent inspiration."

When another boy comes by, Tom pretends that he is intent upon his painting and he enjoys it so much that he does not wish to go swimming with Ben when the boy suggests they go. This statement makes Ben see the act of painting "in a new light." Now, he wants to paint, too. But, Tom refuses to let him until Ben pleads and gives Tom his apple. Then, as he relaxes and eats his apple, Tom "planned the slaughter of more innocents."

--In Chapter 3 

Tom is rewarded for his having worked so hard and done such a thorough job on the whitewashing of the fence. Aunt Polly gives Tom an apple while delivering her lecture on how a treat tastes even better when it came "through virtuous effort." And, while his aunt "closed with a happy Scriptural flourish, he 'hooked' a doughnut."

As Tom departs, he sees Sid, so he throws six or seven clods that "raged like a hailstorm" around his half-brother. And, Tom's "soul was at peace, now that he had settled with Sid for calling attention to his black thread and getting him into trouble."

Further in this chapter, Twain adds another sarcastic remark when Tom Sawyer passes by the house of Jeff Thatcher and spots a new girl in the garden. She is a pretty girl with yellow hair and blue eyes. When Tom sees her, "The fresh-crowned hero fell without firing a shot."

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