At the beginning of Chapter 8, Mrs. Radley dies of natural causes. Scout mentions that her death had a small effect on the community of Maycomb and people hardly noticed. The Radleys were "foot-washing Baptists" who did not socialize with their neighbors like the majority of citizens in Maycomb. Scout says that the only time the neighbors saw Mrs. Radley was when she was watering her cannas. Scout and Jem are upset when Atticus tells them that she died of natural causes. They figured that Boo Radley had finally killed his own mother. At this point in the novel, Jem and Scout are still under the impression that Boo Radley is a violent individual who wreaks havoc throughout the neighborhood and is capable of harming his family members.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, what is the correlation between Huck's adventures on shore and his loss of innocence?
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is called a picaresque or rite of passage story. It is a story about a young boy who grows up through the obstacles and hardships he faces, through the decisions he makes, through the lessons he learns, and through his life experiences. Huck grows and matures during the novel, and it is seen whenever he goes on shore and learns something new about society or humankind. Every time Huck goes on shore he changes identity. He becomes a girl, George Jackson, and eventually takes on the persona of Tom Sawyer. This change in identity indicates that Huck can’t be his true self when he is with society. He is only the “true” Huck when he is on the river. This allows Huck to be a bystander and view and witness the events of the novel. It also gives him the opportunity to develop and grow his moral values. Throughout the novel, he learns about people and how their actions affect others. He learns about the gullibility of people through the King and Duke. He learns about the devastating effects of honor and pride through the Grangerfords and Shepardsons, and about cowardice of a mob through Colonel Sherburn. Each time he goes on shore, he learns something new. The series of lessons he learns and the obstacles he faces throughout the novel cause Huck to lose his innocence and pass from childhood to adulthood.
Why there was a strain between the families of Romeo and Juliet?
The very first mention of this feud is in the play's Prologue. The speaker refers to both families, the Capulets and the Montagues, as "alike in dignity" (line 1); thus they are of the same class and social standing. Further, they bear toward one another an "ancient grudge" that, during the course of the play, will result in "new mutiny" (3). The cause of their long-standing feud is never revealed to the audience; however, we see the new examples of insults the families trade in the play. In fact, the very first scene presents such a conflict when Sampson and Gregory, of the house of Capulet, end up engaging in a street fight with two servants of the house of Montague when Sampson asserts that his master is "better" than theirs (1.1.61). Further, when Romeo and his friends go to the party at the Capulets' house, Tybalt takes it as a terrible insult and wants to fight Romeo the next day. When Romeo refuses to fight, Romeo's friend, Mercutio, fights Tybalt instead, believing that Romeo dishonors himself by resisting. When Tybalt kills Mercutio, Romeo kills Tybalt, increasing the tensions between the houses even more.
It is possible that, since both families are so well off, that the patriarchs fought over land or property or something of that effect. Perhaps they wounded each other's pride a long time ago and have never dropped the grudges they held. We simply don't know for sure because it is never stated in the play.
In the Odyssey, how does Odysseus ignore other's advice?
Throughout the Odyssey, Odysseus sometimes lets his pride prevent him from listening to the advice of others. One example of this occurs in Book 9, while Odysseus recounts his past adventures to the Phaeacians. While journeying through the land of the Cyclopes, Odysseus encountered Polyphemus the cyclops. Odysseus and his men were imprisoned by the monster, but Odysseus used his cunning and intelligence to escape without the cyclops even learning his name.
Odysseus was upset Polyphemus would never know who had foiled his plot, so he wanted to yell his name as he sailed away. Odysseus' men advised against it, and they checked him several times. As Odysseus recounts, they exhorted him to keep his name a secret: "Hard one, why are you trying once more to stir up this savage man."
However, Odysseus did not heed their advice. As he recounts:
So they spoke, but could not persuade the great heart in me, but once again in the anger of my heart I cried to him: Cyclops, if any...man asks you who it was that [blinded you], tell him that you were blinded by Odysseus.
This had unfortunate consequences for Odysseus and his men. Polyphemus was the son of Poseidon, and Poseidon sought vengeance by later wrecking Odysseus' ship; only Odysseus survived.
Monday, September 1, 2014
What do you think is the most important conflict in this story; explain why?
The most important conflict in Toni Cade Bambara’s short story “Raymond’s Run” is the inner conflict experienced by the protagonist Hazel Elizabeth Deborah Parker, who is known as Squeaky. As the story begins, Squeaky’s personality is defined as the fastest runner in her Brooklyn neighborhood, and as the reluctant caregiver for her disabled brother. She struggles with her interpersonal relationships with other girls and is often considered to be tough and standoffish. But, after her running experience at the annual May Day celebration, Squeaky has a change in her attitude. Her brother, Raymond, runs the race stride for stride with her, even though they are separated by a fence. She realizes that Raymond has potential to be a good runner if she takes the time to coach him. Also, during the race, the new girl in the neighborhood challenges her. After the race, they are able to genuinely smile at each other realizing that they have the ability share a mutual respect. Squeaky’s inner conflict is released.
What did Macbeth ask or say when he is told his prophecy?
When Macbeth hears the prophecy, he doesn't believe it. The witches greet him as "thane of Glamis," which is his current title, but also as "thane of Cawdor," a title belonging to a man Macbeth believes to be still living. Becoming king, he adds, "stands not within the prospect of belief." He is obviously genuinely taken aback, as his companion Banquo asks him why he seems "to fear things that do sound so fair." Of course, Banquo himself is the subject of a prophecy. Macbeth demands that the witches explain themselves, and how they came by such knowledge. Later in the scene, as the witches depart, he learns that one part of the prophecy has come true. The thane of Cawdor is about to be executed for his role in a rebellion against Duncan and Macbeth will be the new thane of Cawdor. This causes him to think the next part of the witches' prophecy might be true, and that he might become king. When the scene closes, he has gone from dismissing the witches as tricksters to admitting that "if chance will have me king, why chance may crown me without my stir." So Macbeth's spoken responses run from incredulity to astonishment to anticipation of what the future might hold.
How would Holden react to an American high school? What would he say? What words would he choose?
Holden Caulfield would be better off going to an American high school because he's completely depressed and hating life at private preparatory schools. Granted, Holden is depressed mostly because he never properly dealt with his brother's death, but if he were able to go home each night after school and be with his family, he may not have gone AWOL (absence without leave) like he did. He would probably still have the same foul mouth, smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol, but he might also be around girls more often who would encourage him to stop doing those self-destructive things.
Holden would still see bullying at an average high school, too, and he would more than likely find teachers and other adults to call "phony." Of all the words that Holden uses in the book, the word "phony" is definitely one of his favorites. However, in today's world Holden would probably use the word "fake" rather than "phony." Substitute "fake" for "phony" in the the following quotes and they would sound like a teenager from today.
"One of the biggest reasons I left Elkton Hills was because I was surrounded by phonies. That's all. They were coming in the goddam window" (13).
". . . then old Haas would just shake hands with them and give them a phony smile and then he'd go talk, for maybe a half an hour, with somebody else's parents" (14).
"He said he talked to Jesus all the time. Even when he was driving his car. That killed me. I can just see the big phony bastard shifting into first gear and asking Jesus to send him a few more stiffs" (17).
"The trouble with me is, I always have to read that stuff by myself. If an actor acts it out, I hardly listen. I keep worrying about whether he's going to do something phony every minute" (117).
(The first quote refers to his excuse for leaving Elkton Hills; the second one is about a former teacher; the third one is about a mortician; and, the fourth one is about reading classic books or plays versus seeing the movies about them.)
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