What is a simile in Anthem?

Simile: an example of figurative language in which a comparison is made between two different things using "like" or "as." 

Equality 7-2521 uses similes to describe The Golden One. Given that he perceives her as "not like the others," he must resort to methods of description that go beyond the normal prescriptions of grammar common to his society's way of speaking. Note that the very language of Equality's society is representative of their collectivist culture which has outlawed individualism. Thus, when he waxes poetic, with metaphor and simile, he is attempting to be more of an individual and thereby to describe The Golden One as an individual - which she must be, set apart, since she is "not like the others." 

And the drops of water falling from their hands, as they raised the water to their lips, were like sparks of fire in the sun. 

The drops of water, falling from the Golden One's hands, sparkle like the sun, like "gold." Everything about her shines - from his perspective. Thus, she stands out from the others, brighter. His awakening of himself as an individual is complemented by his awakening of The Golden One as an individual as well. 

Equality describes his light: 

Only the glass box in our arms is like a living heart that gives us strength. 

Equality uses a simile to describe the glass box (the light) he created. Note the continuing use of light imagery - with the light itself (glass box) and The Golden One. The image of light suggests an "enlightenment," and/or an "illumination" in the senses of clarifying and explaining. The energy of the glass box is compared to a heart: to life itself. 

Again, Equality uses similes to describe The Golden One, still with images of light: 

The skin of their arms is like a blue mist, but their shoulders are white and glowing, as if the light fell not from above, but rose from under their skin. We watch the leaf which has fallen upon their shoulder, and it lies at the curve of their neck, and a drop of dew glistens upon it like a jewel. 

Chapter 7: Why is it important to understand when and why people became farmers?This answer MUST be from chapter 7.

"Guns, Germs, and Steel" by Jared Diamond is a history of "fates of human societies."  In chapter 7, Diamond discusses the process of domestication of wild plants, farming and the reasons farmers chose the seeds they chose to domesticate.  Diamond explains the concept of "natural selection" of wild plants to become domesticated crops because of their "size, bitterness, how much meat was in the fruit as well as the oiliness, and fiber lengths."

This concept of how and why some foods became domestic and some didn't is the main idea of chapter 7.  The chapter discusses how a mutant form of pea plant became the choice to become domesticated rather than the plant which pod's burst open to spread the seeds.  The chapter discusses the purpose of long fibers in domestication of hemp and other plants used for making thread and fabrics. 

While it is important to understand how and why we grow, harvest and eat the plants we have today I don't believe this chapter centers on what you are asking.  I honestly believe you are referring to chapter 6, "To Farm or Not To Farm."  It is in this chapter that Diamond address the true beginning of his actual thesis.  Why did some societies become disproportionately powerful?  It all began with the domestication of food and the switch from societies of hunters and gathers to societies of food producers and farmers.  The societies of farmers were denser in population.  This led to more births and larger populations which led to more needs of production.  There were more germs and more immunities which led to longer life spans and the need for more innovative ways to live and survive. 

If we don't understand the reasons surrounding when and why we became food producers, rather than hunter gatherers, we can not understand the development of our world history.  Everything begins here.

How is "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall" a stream of consciousness story?

keebla21,

"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall by Katherine Porter is a classic study in "stream of consciousness." The literary term refers to events chronicled not in a chronologicsl or linear manner, but the way the character perceives things through their inner thoughts. This is often applied to works where characters are either dying, mentally ill, or under great sense where their "thoughts jump from one idea to the next without pattern or motive" (classic definition). 

Ellen Weatherall is fiery, used to having her way, and unwilling to be treated like the sick old woman she is, for a grandmother who has "weathered it all."

With its frequent excursions into the rambling consciousness of its dying protagonist, “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” gives us a classic picture of what it means to have lived fully.

The events of the story are reported in the third person by a narrator who can see into Granny Weatherall’s mind. When Granny's lucid, the story proceeds in chronological order.

In the story’s most interesting assages—especially in paragraphs 17–18 and 24–31—Porter uses stream of consciousness with great skill to present the randomly mingled thoughts and impressions that move through Granny’s dying mind. By fragmenting Granny’s thoughts, by having her shuttle back and forth between reality and fantasy, by distorting her sense of the passage of time, the author manages to persuade us that the way Granny experiences dying must be nearly universal.

What are the literary devices used in "Richard Cory"?

The primary literary device at work in the poem is the situational irony that is realized in its conclusion. How ironic that Richard Cory, the one man in town who seemed to have everything necessary for happiness and the one man who was envied above all others, is the one who takes his own life in a shocking and violent way.

Another literary device employed is that of hyperbole: Cory is so well dressed and attractive, he "glitters" when he walks in town. Metaphor is found in the first two lines of the final stanza:

So on we worked, and waited for the light,

     And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;

The "light" for which the common people wait could be interpreted as relief from poverty. Going "without the meat" metaphorically means doing without the better things in life, those things that poor people in the town cannot enjoy. Cursing "the bread" is a metaphor for their resentment, for being discontented with their poverty.

Finally, the poem employs a first-person narrator who is one of the poor in the town who admires Cory, and there is a strong contrast in the last two lines between the "calm summer night" and Cory's violent death as he "put a bullet through his head."

In "Anecdote for Fathers" by William Wordsworth, please explain the last two stanzas.

"Anecdote for Fathers" has an interesting subtitle ("showing how the art of lying may be taught") that references how this poem explores the ways in which adults can actually make their children lie. This is shown through the various objections that the adult in this poem raises to the child after the child has answered honestly a question posed to him by the adult. When he is pressed for a reason why he prefers Kilve to Liswyn farm, the boy, struggling to come up with a rational reason that will satisfy the adult, picks something tangible that he can point to and says his decision is made because Kilve does not possess a weather-cock. Of course, the poem suggests that this is not the real reason at all, and that the boy has been forced into lying through the need imposed on him by the adult to come up with a rational explanation for his intuitive feeling. Note how this is referenced in the final stanza:

O dearest, dearest boy! my heart
For better lore would seldom yearn,
Could I but teach the hundredth part
Of what from thee I learn.

The speaker recognises that actually the boy in his youth and innocence "knows" far more than the adult, who has lost something as he has aged. Wordsworth suggests that children are somehow more able to be intuitive and responsive to deeply felt inner-feelings rather than closed down to them, as adults are. The speaker in this final stanza recognises that it is actually he who needs to learn from this child, and that the process of education and "teaching" children actually diminishes their capacity to be open to their intuition.

In The Crucible, what is the cause for concern in the Parris household?

The play opens with Rev. Parris, Abigail, and eventually Tituba trying to awake the reverend's daughter Betty.  She is unresponsive to their words and touch and seems to be in a comalike state.  Most would assume that Rev. Parris's concern would lie with his daughter's health, but instead, he questions Abigail about her and Betty's behavior in the forest.  Betty became "ill" after Parris caught the town's girls in the woods; so Parris naturally assumes that there is a connection between their activity and his daughter's current condition.

The town's minister's chief concern is referenced in Arthur Miller's background information.  Parris is not a popular pastor and was not unanimously brought to Salem.  Additionally, he has made some enemies in the town by preaching on materialistic desires (gaudy candlesticks, higher pay) and brimstone and fire.  He seems to do nothing to encourage his parishoners.  Thus, as Rev. Parris questions Abigail, he worries that his enemies will use his lack of control over his household to bring about his downfall.

Calculate lim x^2(f(x+1)-f(x)), x->infinity, f(x)=arctg x.

lim x^2*[atctg(x+1)-arctg x]=

=lim [atctg(x+1)-arctg x]/(1/x^2)

If we'll try to calculate this limit we'll see that we have to deal with an indetermination case, "0/0".

For this reason, we've chosen to calculate the limit, using L'Hospital's rule, which says:

lim (f/g)= lim (f'/g')

If f(x)=arctg(x+1)-arctg x, then

f'(x)={1/[1+(x+1)^2]}-1/(1+x^2)

If g(x)=1/x^2, then g'(x)=-2/x^3

lim (f'/g')= lim {1/[1+(x+1)^2] -1/(1+x^2)}/(-2/x^3)=

=lim (1+x^2-1-x^2-2x-1)/[(1+x^2)*1+(x+1)^2]*limx^3/-2

lim (-2x^4-x^3)/-2(1+x^2)(x^2+2x+2)

We'll draw out the common factor "x^4", at numerator and denominator, same time.

lim x^4(-2-1/x)/-2x^4(1+1/x^2)(1/x^2+2/x^3+2/x^4)

lim 1/x=0, x->infinity

lim 1/x^2=0,

lim 2/x^3=0 and lim 2/x^4=0

lim (-2-1/x)/-2(1+1/x^2)(1/x^2+2/x^3+2/x^4)=-2/-2=1

What does the kite symbolize in the relationships between Amir and Hassan, Amir and Baba, and Amir and Sohrab?

Good question.  Kites are, of course, an important motif for the the novel, and they often represent a connection between two characters throughout the book.

1. Amir and Hassan: Kites (at first) make up the positive elements of Amir and Hassan's relationship.  While Hassan loves hearing Amir's stories, and both boys greatly enjoy watching American movies together, kites are the only enjoyable activity that the boys participate in which forces them to be partners.  Even though in kite flying, Amir still has the upper hand (he owns the kite and gets all the glory), he must rely on Hassan.  In other activities, Amir doesn't need Hassan--he seems to tolerate him. Unfortunately, a kite eventually becomes a symbol of Hassan's worth to Amir.  Amir is willing to betray his friend for a kite, symbolizing ultimate disloyalty.

2. Amir and Baba--the narrator specifically states what the kite represents between Baba and him.  In Chapter 6, he acknowledges that:

"Baba and I lived in the same house, but in different spheres of existence. Kites were the one paper-thin slice of intersection between those two spheres" (49). 

For Amir, the kite represents his only chance to win Baba's approval--something he wants more than anything. Amir is not athletic, does not share Baba's interests, and seems to be unlike his father in every way.  The one area that Amir is gifted in--writing--does not impress Baba.  Thus, Amir sees winning the kite tournament and bringing back the last fallen kite as the sole way to please his father.

3. Amir and Sohrab--the kite connection between these two characters is a reversal of the first. Amir wants desperately to help a physically and psychologically bruised Sohrab; so he takes the more servile position in kite flying and runs the kite for Sohrab.  Sohrab is also the last "fallen kite." Just as Assef wanted the literal last kite earlier in the novel, he wants to claim Sohrab as his "victory prize." In each situation, Amir has an opportunity to fight for the last fallen kite and prove his honor.  With Sohrab, he makes the right choice.

Based on textual evidence in "The Fall of the House of Usher," what can you infer was wrong with the Ushers?

In truth, I find that very little can be inferred about what is wrong with the inhabitants of the House of Usher. There is a mild suggestion of opium use but the narrator never follows up on the suggestion, so that is ruled out as a cause of their malady. There are suggestions of what we would call clinical depression, but clinical depression is characterized as having no known cause or as continuing fro an extended periods of time past the end of a known cause, so that is probably ruled out.

There is a suggestion of catatonic schizophrenia but other characterizing symptoms are not noted, so that is ruled out. There is also strong suggestion of general hereditary madness but if this were the case, Madeline would not come through the door and the house would not have crumbled, so this too can logically be ruled out.

Two things are of significant note in trying to find the answer to what is wrong with the house of Usher. The first is that no daughters or second sons of Usher lived or, if they lived, married and had offspring. One of the first things the narrator says is that the family of Usher "put forth, at no period, any enduring branch" of the family. Familial branches develop when a daughter marries and has children or when a son other than the eldest son marries and has children.

The second is that Usher himself states a cause for the family malady. He states that what is wrong with the house of Usher is the arrangement of the stones of the house and the collocation of the vegetation and house. Usher unblushingly believes in the sentience of the vegetation.

"in the long undisturbed endurance of this arrangement, and in its reduplication in the still waters of the tarn. Its evidence—the evidence of the sentience—was to be seen, he said,..."

As the narrator says, this is not overly peculiar as many other people believed the same. However Usher distinguishes the thought by ascribing an maliciousness to the sentience of the vegetation.

Reasoning from Usher's pronouncements as the reader sketchily gleans them from the narrator, the vegetation appears to deem the land and stones of Usher as their rightful property and, after growing strong enough, began to sap the moral life out of the particularly susceptible family of Usher rendering them in the condition in which the narrator finds Madeline and Usher. The vegetation's final victory is the return of the stones of Usher to land, which is the stones' rightful inheritance.

Why was the Berlin wall built?Please cite your sources.

In August of 1961 the Berlin Wall was constructed to keep the East Berliners from escaping the Soviet Occupation Zone and going into West Germany which was occupied by other Germans as well as Americans, British, and French.

As people became disillusioned with Communism and the economic and political state became increasingly oppressive, many people sought to escape.  By 1961 an approximate 1500 people a day were defecting from Communist Germany.  So, the Soviets had the concrete wall dividing the country constructed.  In just 24 hours streets were torn up, subways, etc. blocked and a barracades of paving stones were constructed.  No longer were the 60,000 commuters allowed to travel, either. 

Since the first "wall" was mostly barbed wire, another real wall was constructed in 1962 and a space left between the wire fence and the new wall.  This space contained gravel which would display footprints.  In addition, mines were placed in this area and guards were instructed to shoot whoever was seen there.

In 1989 there were many student protests, and with the fall of the Iron Curtain, President Ronald Reagan called upon Premier Gorbechev to "tear down this wall."  On October 3, 1990, the reunification of Germany became official, and Berliners claimed pieces of the wall for themselves.  Remnants of the wall can be seen in local museums.

What is the difference between locomotion in plants and in animals?

Locomotion deals with the movement of an organism.  Locomotion in humans and bipeds is accomplished through walking on legs.  In other animals, it can be accomplished through walking on four limbs, flying, or swimming.  In cells, cilia and flagella are used to move about.  However, since plants are not capable of moving themselves, there is no locomotion of plant species.

What are the main attributes of the typical American hero as developed by James Fenimore Cooper in his Leatherstocking Tales? what are the main...

Natty Bumppo represents many qualities that can be deemed as the "typical American hero."  The first would be his physical characteristics.  He's about 6 feet tall, very rugged, and has a physique that reflects the natural world.  The American hero has a physical dimension that matches this, as he is very strong and features an exterior that reflects austerity (Think of the Marlboro Man.)  Additionally, Natty Bumppo carries himself apart from society.  Cooper creates him to be completely distant from traditionalist notions of "civilization."  He is raised as a Native American, although he is of White parents, lives off of the land, and has a loathing for the traditionalist notion of society at the time.  The typical American Hero is also distant from society.  They are unable or unwilling to be a part of the "herd," and rather they distinguish themselves from it.  (When Clark Kent is Superman or Bruce Wayne is Batman, they are heroes that are separate from society, not a part of it.)  Finally, Natty operates under a code of conduct with mantras like "one shot, one kill" or understanding nature as something to be loved and revered as opposed to being manipulated. In many ways, this makes Natty, his own man and worthy of heroic status.  The typical American Hero also operates under their own sense of code that makes them distinctive, as well.  Hemingway's heroes operated under the "grace under pressure" mantra, which meant that they faced adversity with courage and "machismo."  Another example of operating under a code of conduct that distinguishes would be Cal Ripken or Lou Gehrig.  (Sports aside.)  With their own mantra of wanting to have the greatest standard of endurance at playing their position, they established their own code of conduct to which others can only hope to aspire.

How can I state a thesis about "single mothers" in a argument essay?I have to write an argument essay, but im having a problem wording my thesis....

First, what is your argument? That single moms should finish their education? That single moms need to receive more benefits from the state? That single moms are the hardest workers?

Your thesis must contain whatever your argument is.

Some teachers want you to have a 3-part thesis statement. If yours is one of those teachers, you will also need to include the THREE REASONS YOU ARE RIGHT about your opinion.

For example, if your opinion is that Jiffy Peanut Butter is the best kind of peanut butter you must give 3 reasons why:

Jiffy Peanut Butter is far superior to any other type of peanut butter because it is the creamiest, most flavorful and least expensive.

Then, in your essay, you would have an intro paragraph, a para about how creamy it is, a para about how flavorful it is, and a para about how it so cheap and then a conclusion para.

Remember--this is an argumentation essay! You must focus on WHY YOU ARE RIGHT!

Who is Pickwick in The Hiding Place?

Pickwick is a friend of the Ten Boom family.  He is also a leader in the underground, and it is he who first connects the Ten Booms with the resources they need to help Haarlem's Jews.

Pickwick is a large, balding gentleman with a "vast stomach".  The family had known and loved him for some time, but when their "operation" in helping Jews escape the Nazis grows to the point to where they need more assistance, young Kik takes his Aunt Corrie to see Pickwick at a meeting of the resistance group in which he is active.  This "underground" serves as a "liaison with England and the Free Dutch forces fighting elsewhere on the continent...(and) maintain(s) the underground route through which downed Allied plane crews (reach) the North Sea coast".  The group, through Pickwick, are "instantly sympathetic with (Corrie's) efforts to help Haarlem's Jews", and arrange for a secret room to be constructed in her home, in which the Jews can hide in case the Nazis come.  They also manage to rig up a telephone warning system in the house, and Pickwick communicates information to Corrie about both Annaliese and Peter when they are each arrested for a time (Chapter 6).

Pickwick is arrested in the same sweep in which the Ten Booms are taken from the Beje, and Corrie remembers him riding in the truck with them when the family is transported to Amsterdam.  Pickwick at that time had been brutally beaten, and did not seem to be fully aware of what was going on, and Corrie lost sight of him when they arrived at the prison in Scheveningen (Chapters 9-10).  Corrie hears that Pickwick has been released along with Peter and Willem while she is being held in solitary at Scheveningen, but she does not see him again until she herself is set free after her ordeal at Ravensbruck.  It is Pickwick, then, who takes Corrie back to Haarlem and the Beje (Chapter 15).

In "Fahrenheit 451" why does Montag think of the old man in the park? What did Faber mean when he said, in the park, "I talk the meaning of things"?

Montag thinks of Faber several times in the book, but the passage that you are referring to is a few pages into section two of the book.  Montag and Millie had just spent some time together reading books, but Millie complained the entire time, and the experience left Montag feeling a bit baffled and confused.  He didn't quite understand exactly how books were supposed to be helping him, or what he was supposed to be learning from them.  Millie has answered the phone and leaped at the opportunity to stop reading and go watch t.v., and Montag was sitting there, feeling helpless and lost.  He feels sorry for himself and thinks,

"Poor Montag, it's mud to you too.  But where do you get help, where do you find a teacher this late?"

So, reading was "like mud" it was so confusing, and he realizes that he needs a teacher.  That's when his mind pops back to Faber.  As he had talked to Faber in the park, he had sensed that Faber understood things.  Montag instinctually feels that Faber could be that teacher, because he said things that were intriguing.  For example, Faber said, "I don't talk things, sir,...I talk the meaning of things."  And, that is exactly what Montag is seeking now.  He wants to know the meaning of things.  Faber meant that he didn't just have surface conversations about trivial matters, that had no depth or impact on life.  He talked about real issues that had real meaning in his life.  And now that is what Montag seek, so, he goes to talk to him.  I hope that those thoughts help; good luck!

How does "The Secret Life of Bees" relate to American Literature or a novel as a whole?i also need to know her writing syle in the novel i need...

The Secret Life of Bees is certainly a particularly "American" story. There are so many reasons for this, it is difficult to know where to begin.

First, the issue of racism is a prominent issue in the United States, so that alone makes this an American story. The idea of transcending racism is a theme of the novel, and for African-Americans, this is part of the "American Dream."  Notice that Rosaleen gets to vote at the end of the story, a symbol of all that African-Americans had been deprived of historically. Notice also that Lily manages to conquer her own racism by the end of the book, as has June.

Second, the novel is firmly placed in American literature by virtue of the plot elements that are similar to those of Huckleberry Finn, one of the greatest American novels ever written.  In Huckleberry Finn, Huck and Jim run away for the sake of their respective "freedoms," Huck to get away from "civilization" and Jim, to find freedom from slavery.  What do Lily and Rosaleen do?  Lily is running away from the unreasonable discipline imposed by her father, and Rosaleen is looking for the freedom that voting represents for her.  There are other elements that evoke Huckleberry Finn, and you might want to look for more.

Third, the theme of freedom is a powerful theme in American literature, something Americans have been grappling with since the country's founding.  What other great books in American literature explore this theme?

Fourth, the idea that religion can offer solutions to our problems has become an important idea in American literature and politics.  Americans are more religious than people of many other countries, perhaps because we began with religious groups who were trying to be free to practice their own religions.  Notice that Lily and Rosaleen find peace and happiness when they become part of a religious practice that is not an "approved" religion.

There are no doubt many other aspects of The Secret Life of Bees that make it an American novel, but these should certainly be enough to get you started.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird" what disaster happens at Christmas between Scout and Francis?

In Chapter 9 of "To Kill a Mockingbird," the Finch family gets together with Atticus's brother Jack for Christmas dinner.  Scout's cousin Francis tells her that his grandmother is going to teach him to cook; Scout scoffs at this statement, saying that "boys don't cook."  Then, when Scout mentions that she does not want Dill to wait on her after they are married, Francis ridicules Dill, calling him a "runt."  They argue, and Francis tells Scout,

You're mighty dumb sometimes, Jean Louise.  Guess you don't know any better, though.

When Scout asks him what he means, Francis replies,

If Uncle Atticus lets you run around with stray dogs, that's his own business, like Grandma says, so it ain't your fault.  I guess it ain't your fault if Uncle Atticus is a nigger-lover besides, but I'm here to tell you it certainly does mortify the rest of the family--

Francis goes on to say that Grandma says that Atticus is letting the family down.  Rising and sprinting far enough away, he yells, "He's nothin' but a nigger-lover!"  To this Scout runs and "collars" him, but Francis yells the insult again, running into the kitchen.  So, Scout waits for the opportunity for him to come back out, but Francis calls to his grandmother that Scout is keeping him from coming out.  With confidence after Scout is scolded, Francis emerges and go outside.  Softly he hurls the invective again.  But, this time Scout punches him in the teeth, skinning her hand. Uncle Jack pins her arms while Grandma wipes away Francis's tears while Scout gets a spanking from Uncle Jack.

This chapter marks a difficult time for Scout as she has had to answer to insults about her father both at school and in her home environment. And, she is beginning to learn how easily people are influenced by others when they do not think for themselves.

When does Paul lose his thumb?Others say he loses it after he has his foot chopped off, but that's not what my book says. I don't remember when...

In this horror story by Stephen King, Paul's thumb is cut off by his murderous captor, Annie Wilkes, after she has amputated and cauterized his foot.  The foot incident took place after she went out to get him some paper--when she returned, she found he had been out of his room, tied him up, and cut off his foot, as she explained to him this tradition from the days of slavery, called "hobbling."  After Annie kills a policeman who comes to the house looking for the policeman who had come looking for Paul, she cuts Paul's thumb off.  This followed an argument about the condition of the typewriter she has supplied for him to do his writing on. 

The cities of Kabul, Peshawar, and Islamabad feature prominently in the book. How does Khaled Hosseini describe these cities?

1. Kabul--Kabul is the most significant of the three cities you mention in regards to the novel.  In the first section of the novel set in 1970s Kabul, Hosseini describes a Kabul that is unrecognizable today.  Business is booming in his original Kabul, and the West's influence on society and business is evident.  Baba is able to get an abundance of food for celebrations or for day-to-day living, drive a new American car through the streets of the city, and build an orphanage. When Amir returns to Kabul, he feels certain that Farid has driven him to the wrong city.  Hosseini writes through the eyes of Amir,

"Rubble and beggars. Everywhere I looked that was what I saw" (Hosseini 245).

In other words, "modern" Kabul is a foreign place to Amir. The only thing that remains unchanged is the smell of kabobs.  The Soviets and then the Taliban have destroyed much of the city's infrastructure, and beggars are willing to sell prosthetic limbs so that they can eat. Baba's house is not in horrible condition, but it has been confiscated by Taliban-approved residents. In both his descriptions, Hosseini sticks close to a factual account of the change that occurred in Kabul.  While at the writing of the novel, he had not had an opportunity to return to his home city, he interviewed Afghans who had lived in Taliban-controlled Kabul.

2. Peshawar--This Pakistani city appears twice in the novel.  Amir and Baba stay in Peshawar after their escape from Afghanistan while they await their move to America. Amir returns years later to Peshawar to talk to Rahim Khan.  As Amir rides in a taxi on his way to Rahim Khan's, he thinks that

"the bustle of [Peshawar] blurring past [him] reminded [him] of a busier, more crowded version of the Kabul [he] knew" (Hosseini 195).

While Afghanistan has regressed in time during Amir's life in America, Pakistan has progressed and offers Amir the smells and atmosphere of the city Baba loved so much--Kabul.

3.  Islamabad--Near the novel's end, Amir must travel farther away from the Afghan border than Peshawar is to recover from his injuries.  He goes to Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. At the beginning of Chapter 24, Amir thinks,

"If Peshawar was the city that reminded me of what Kabul used to be, then Islamabad was the city Kabul could have become someday" (Hosseini 311).

Islamabad is bustling with civilization, progress, and culture. The mosques are in tact, and Amir and Sohrab stay in a decent hotel (especially compared to Amir's hotel in Kabul). Islamabad symbolizes what Baba, General Taheri, and Hassan dreamt Kabul could be.

What is the positive and the negative in "The Necklace"?

The Necklace, a short story about a woman who believes that her simple, humble life has no value and craves to be part  of the glamorous world of the rich, is taught a valuable lesson because of the necklace that she borrows.

Madame Loisel and her husband are invited to a fancy party, she buys an expensive dress but is still not satisfied with her appearance so she borrows a diamond necklace for the evening from a rich friend, Madame Forrestier.

During the course of the evening Madame Loisel has a wonderful time, dancing and talking with the kind of people she has always longed to be among.  When the evening is over, her husband longs to go home, he tries to help her into her tattered working-class coat, but she refuses to allow her evening as Cinderella to be marked by her new rich friends seeing her in an old coat, so she pushes it away.

While trying to find a cab to return home, the Loisels must walk and walk in order to secure an available cab.  When they get home, she discovers that the necklace is missing.

After the Loisels find out that the necklace is missing, their lives are changed forever.  The positive lesson comes through the fact that Madame Loisel must work very hard to help earn money to pay back the loan that they took out to buy a replacement necklace.  She does work very hard, as does her poor husband, and as a result of the hard physical work, she ages, her skin, her hair all show the effects of hard work. She looks older than she really is.

Having returned the new necklace to Madame Forrestier years before, she has not seen her rich friend in a long time until she encounters her one day in the park.  Madame Forrestier can barely recognize Madame Loisel, who has aged and changed, while Madame Forrestier has not.  Meeting her, Madame Loisel gets the shock of her life, finding out that the necklace that she had borrowed all those years before was actually fake.  The necklace the the Loisels mortaged their lives to buy was real diamonds, Madame Forrestier did not even realize that she was given a real diamond necklace.

So the lesson, both positive and negative, here is that if you place material possessions above everything else in your life, your existence will be shallow and empty.

Worshipping material possessions, as Madame Loisel had done in the past, proves to be the worship of a false god, the necklace that mattered so much to her to enhance her appearance for her night on the town, turned her life into a struggle to survive.

"Although she does not have a lot of money, Madame Loisel may be justly characterized as greedy. Her life is comfortable enough to afford one servant, but she wishes for several. She has plenty of food, but she dreams of "delicate meals." Her husband can barely afford to buy her a ball gown, but she insists on having jewelry to go with it. When she first sees her friend's diamond necklace, "her heart [beats] covetously."

Therefore, if you enslave yourself in the pursuit of material possessions, as Madame Loisel did, your life will be defined by what you have or in Madame Loisel's case by what you don't have, never being happy or satisfied always feeling deprived, and longing for something that you cannot have.

What are the teachings of Sikhism?

Sikhism is one of the religion of India, that is based on teachings of its ten gurus or spiritual teachers. First of these ten teachers was Guru Nanak, born in 1496, Guru Nanak, like Jesus Christ, did not start new religion. Sikhism just gradually developed as a result of organized activities of people who believed in teachings of Guru Nanak, and considered him as their Guru or spiritual teacher. After Guru Nanak, there was a succession of nine other gurus who were entrusted with the task of carrying on the task of guiding followers of Guru Nanak and in this process, Sikhism emerged as separate religion.

The tenth and last Guru of Sikhism, Guru Goving Singh, declared that after him the holy book of Sikhs, containing preachings of Sikh Gurus and some other leading personalities of Hindu philosophy and religion, will be treated as the Guru and there will be no more human Gurus. Thus this book is  called Guru Granth Sahib.

The philosophy of Sikhism is essentially the same as the ancient Hindu philosophy. The main difference between Sikhism and Hinduism is the rejection of many of the superficial rituals of Hindu religion prevalent at the time of Guru Nanak and other Gurus, which are not a part of the basic Hindu religion. However with passage of time Sikhism adopted its own rituals and traditions.

The main features of Sikhism as practiced now are described below.

• Sikhism accepts people of all religions, particularly Hindus and Muslims as the children of the same God. It does not believe in discrimination on basis of religion.


• Sikhism believe in discrimination on the basis of cast or social class.


• Sikhism does not believe in worship of God in form of images and pictures.


• Sikhism has no separate order of priesthood. Their places of worship, called Gurudwara are operated by people who are paid for their services or by volunteers.


• All sikhs are required to always wear five signs of their faith, called five K's. These are Kesh (uncut hair), Kangha (comb), Kripan (dagger or a short sword), Kada (steel wrist band), and Kachha (breeches worn by soldiers). All Sikhs are also required to wear turbans.


• Sikhism prohibits use tobacco, drugs and alcohol. In particular smoking is strictly prohibited.


• Sikhism prohibits eating of flesh of any animal or bird not slaughtered in a single stroke. This method of slaughter is called jhatka, which is in contrast to other method called halal. It is interesting to not that in Muslim religion jhatka is prohibited while halal is accepted.

Considering chapter 4 of "Great Gatsby," what is meant by Nick's comment below...Nick's comment: "Then it had not been merely the stars to which he...

In Chapter 4 of "The Great Gatsby," Jay Gatsby comes alive as the great Romantic American hero.  With the confidence of this hero, Gatsby balances himself "on the dashboard of his car eith that resourcefulness of movement that is so peculiarly American...."  And, as they ride in the large car that has "fenders spread like wings" and a "labyrinth of windshields that mirrored a dozen suns," Gatsby seems almost an Apollo as he says about himself, "I'll tell you God's truth" and relates his history with surprising eloquence.  He even shows Nick a photograph of young men in blazers loafing in an archway like those at Oxford with Gatsby as well as a medal of valor.

Nick, now, perceives Jay Gatsby in a new light.  Like a mythical hero, Gatsby in his "caramel-colored suit" with his "gorgeous car" and his "eloquent sentences" has charmed Nick as a mythical character charms the listeners of his tale.

What are the best things to put in a compost bin?Why?

Essentially, anything that can be reused by the environment or that can be reused in the natural setting can be composted.  The analysis behind composting is that items that would be tossed into a landfill or garbage waste can actually be recycled and enhance the environment.  This reduces landfill waste and actually gives life to microorganisms, who feed off of the compost and regenerate energy based off of it.  Composted items are placed in a compost bin and what is composted goes back into the natural soil and not in a landfill. Composting thus helps alleviate the problem of pollution and waste, and helps microorganisms live while enhancing the local environment.  The more people compost, the thinking goes, the greater the environment is helped.

Composting consists of collecting items that can be crushed and disseminated back into the earth.  Items that can be composted are kitchen/ food waste (many leftovers that would be thrown out can actually be composted), grass clippings, hay, weeds, and wood clippings.  The common link between all of these is that they are natural and of the earth, containing nutrients that enrich soil, creating a healthy micro- environment for organisms that make their home in the soil.  Presumably, these items can be composted (placed in a bin) because of their non- toxin or non- chemically added state, which means being of natural condition, they can be recycled in furthering natural conditions.

Are managerial effectiveness and managerial efficiency related concepts? If so, how are they related?am doing a course in library management

Effectiveness and efficiency are very much related concepts, and by that count we can say that managerial effectiveness and managerial efficiency are also closely related - However, we must note that these two terms are not used very commonly. Therefore we must have clarity about what we mean by these two terms. If we define effective manager as one who delivers results that are effective, and efficient manager as one who delivers efficient results, then we just need to understand the relationship between effectiveness and efficiency to understand the relationship between managerial effectiveness and managerial efficiency.

Effectiveness is defined as the measure of total output produced, and efficiency is defined as a ratio of output produced and input used to produce it. Thus:

Effectiveness = Output produced

Efficiency = (Output produced)/ (Inputs used)

When the inputs available for producing are being fully utilized, the output or the effectiveness's can be increased further only by increasing the efficiency. In this situation, effectiveness and efficiency are directly proportional.

In other situations it may be possible to increase output by increasing the inputs. In this case the productivity increases with increase production, but the efficiency may remain same, increase, or decrease with production depending on increase in inputs. In this case, efficiency and effectiveness are two independent variable. Fall in efficiency may or may not be compensated by benefits of  increased productivity. For example, it may be possible to increase production by increasing production cost. This may be justified as long as higher profit from increased sales, more than compensates for the increased costs.

In a real life situation, some minimum efficiency is essential to compete effectively in the market. Also given same volume of sale with more efficient operations means higher profit, which in turn contributes to higher growth and higher effectiveness.

Thus we can say that in situation of resource constraints, efficiency and effectiveness are directly proportional. In absence of resource constraints efficiency and effectiveness are not necessarily related. However, in long term better efficiency contributes to improvement of higher effectiveness.

How do elements from Amir's past shape his present and future?

It depends what you fix as "present" - when he settles in America?

The main driving force in Amir is his sense of shame at the way he had treated Hassan during their childhood.  He can't make it up to Hassan, but he respects Soraya for her honesty and courage (two traits he himself is lacking at the point when they marry), and later goes to great ends to find Sohrab(Hassan's son) and to rescue him from the clutches of Assef.

Amir seeks and ultimately finds peace with himself by becoming a better person. He becomes loyal and honest, and even courageous (when he fights off Assef). The scar Amir gets is a sign that he has been acquitted of his former wrongdoing, and the final kite-running scene is a very moving one of reconciliation - with others, but especially with himself.

In chronological order, what are the main events in Chapters 9 and 10 of Animal Farm?

Chapter 9 opens after the animals have defeated Frederick in battle.  Boxer and the other animals are now attempting to erect a windmill, although Boxer is injured and unable to work at full capacity.  The food supply continues to dwindle on the farm.  To make matters worse, thirty-one new piglets are born, placing added strain on the already hurting food supply.  Animal Farm is declared a republic with Napoleon as its president.

After he recovers from his split hoof, Boxer is able to work more effectively; however, he collapses one day with a lung ailment.  Squealer informs them that Napoleon has called the veterinarian and the knacker's truck arrives.  When the other animals show concern, Squealer explains this away, suggesting that the vet had bought the van from the knacker but had yet to repaint its sides.  The animals believe him and think nothing more of it.  The death of Boxer, the symbol of hard work on the farm, is contrasted by the arrival of a crate of whiskey for the pigs, who, after consuming the whiskey in the course of the night, do not wake up until after noon the next day.

In Chapter 10, a number of years have passed, though nothing has really changed, with the exception of two windmills instead of one and more land for the animals to work.  Excepting the pigs, the animals on the farm worked very hard and the food supply was even more strained.  One day, Squealer emerges walking on two legs.  The other pigs follow suit, and Napoleon emerges carrying a whip, walking on two legs, and wearing the clothes of Mr. Jones.  Eventually, all of the pigs follow suit.

In the card game at the end of the chapter (and the novel), Napoleon and Pilkington both attempt to play the ace of spades.  A fight ensues, and those animals at the dining room window watching cannot tell the difference between the humans and the pigs.  This final episode brings the novel full circle.  The animals on the farm initiated a revolution to slough off the rule of Mr. Jones, and in the end the pigs, wearing Mr. Jones's clothes, walking on two legs, and carrying whips, assume the role of Mr. Jones.

The last two chapters, unlike the first eight chapters, see the passage of a much greater span of time, illustrating that the passage of time does nothing to change the perspective of the animals on the farm.  They do not have a perspective in any larger sense.  They work and starve, but they do not question why and they marvel at the transformation they see before their eyes at the close of the novel.  One of Orwell's harshest criticisms of communism is the a historical outlook it embodies.

What are the factors which influence their choice of their life partner of the marriageable Bennet daughters in "Pride and Prejudice?"

'Romantic love' is the central theme which unites all the incidents and the characters in "Pride and Prejudice." But there is nothing 'romantic' about Jane Austen's treatment of 'romantic love' in the novel. 'Romantic love' is checked and controlled by the incomes and financial freedom of the partners involved. Since women of this period had no right to ownership of property they were financially dependent on their husbands,and hence the urgency and anxiety throughout the novel for the ladies to get married to "young men of large fortune" (ch. 1).In this manner Jane Austen is able to blend 'romance' and 'realism.' For example, Lydia and Wickham who elope 'romantically' have to be rescued by the generosity of Darcy before they are married.

The restraining power of money on 'romantic love' is spelt out in the thematic statement found in Ch.27, "Where does discretion end, and avarice begin?", when Elizabeth replies to her anunt's query concerning Miss King the latest lover of Wickham. Her aunt is relieved to know that Elizabeth is not in love with Wickham who has virtually no income at all and is only employed temporarily in the Militia.

Money no doubt is certainly necessary for a successful and happy marriage. But the vital question is 'how much?': In Ch.33 Col.Fitzwilliam Darcy,the younger son of an earl,a very rich charming young man,subtly hints that he cannot marry Elizabeth:"Our habits of expense make us too dependent, and there are not many in my rank of life who can afford to marry without some attention to money." to which Elizabeth playfully sugggests that his price would perhaps not be "above 50,000 pounds."

In Ch.19 Collins threatens Elizabeth to submit to his proposal by emphasizing her impoverished status:"one thousand pounds in the 4 per cents, which will not be yours till after your mother's decease, is all that you may ever be entitled to."

The novel is a heart rending cry for the freedom of young women from the clutches of mercenary men who toyed with their happiness,as Charlotte tells Elizabeth in Ch.6:"Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance."

Another important consideration in love and marriage was the social class to which  the characters belonged:

At that time, ownership of land and not money was the single most important criterion which determined the social status of an individual. Lady Catherine tries unsuccessfully to dissuade Elizabeth from marrying Darcy,because she is poorer than him but Elizabeth angrily retorts: "In marrying your nephew, I should not consider myself as quitting that sphere. He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman's daughter: so far we are equal."(Ch.56).

What are a few symbols in the book, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer?The wild itself? Burning money? What do the symbols stand for? These can be very...

Definitely you are on the right track with the money as a symbol. Money represents everything McCandless is fighting AGAINST. His parents are wealthy and have everything they could need/want; Chris finds this unjust. Same with the trust fund. He felt he did nothing to earn it, yet had it all, while others went without.

In particular, the burning of the money is symbolic of McCandless's rejection of the way humankind revolves around money.

And yes, the wild is a symbol as well--it definitely represents freedom from the demands and restrictions of society. It also represents hopes, beliefs, dreams and the willpower to stay true to these things as well...

Explain Holden's opinion of literature in Catcher in the Rye.

Holden's explanation of his opinion of literature is, like a good part of his discourse, pretty much disjointed, but he actually appears to have a fairly strong appreciation for books and is surprisingly well-read.  Holden describes himself paradoxically as being "quite illiterate, but (he) reads a lot".  He says that what he likes best "is a book that's at least funny once in a while...(and that) what really knocks (him) out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it". 

Some of Holden's favorite authors include his brother D.B., Ring Lardner, Thomas Hardy, and Isak Dinesen.  He has just finished reading Out of Africa by Dinesen, and also mentions Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham, and a book of plays by Lardner.  A favorite or his seems to be Return of the Native by Hardy; Holden mentions that particular book more than once in the narrative, and is especially fond of its main character, Eustacia Vye.

Holden says that he reads "a lot of classical books", which he likes, and "a lot of war books and mysteries", which "don't knock (him) out too much".  He rereads his favorite parts of books that he has found especially interesting, as he does with Out of Africa.

What is the significance of the quote "Proletarians of the world unite!"

The closing line of Marx and Engels' work represents the embodiment of the call to action.  The demand to the Proletarians to accept and change the reality in which they are immersed, and not to be persuaded into passivity by false modes of consciousness is of critical importance to the notion of instigating revolutionary change in the ownership of the means of production.  The quote reflects how Marx and Engels envision how change will happen.  Only when the proletarians understand their condition as a broad one where unity and collectivity can yield a certain strength in numbers will change happen.  Marx and Engels are quite pointed about the fact that it will not happen if the proletariat does not see their own state as a collectivized notion where unity and solidarity is possible and critical to change the status quo.  The closing quote of the work confirms this.

What is the symbolism of the tree throughout Speak?

The tree symbolizes Melinda throughout Speak, especially her development and her stages of grief. When Melinda first chooses the tree from her art teacher's globe, she is stumped.  It seems like too simple of an assignment.  However, when she draws her first tree, it is simplistic and flat.  As Melinda develops as a human, deals with her rape and all its aftermath, and discovers who she is without other people to identify her, her trees also become more complex.  Some are dark and rather Gothic, but slowly they become more full of life.  A simple look at Melinda's trees reveals the literal seasons while also representing Melinda's budding hope fora new beginning(spring).

In The Chocolate War Jerry sees a poster for "Disturbing the Universe". What possible universes could you disturb, and how?

The poster in Jerry's locker reads "Do I dare disturb the universe?".  So what does that mean?  The word "universe" could be taken in several different senses, but first consider what it could mean to Jerry, and what it might mean to the readers of The Chocolate War.

While Jerry doesn't consciously understand it, at first, he is "disturbing (his) universe" when he stops doing what is expected of him.  Specifically, he disturbs the universe of Trinity, which functions on a kind of social contract between the bullying Vigils and the weak and venal authority of Brother Leon.  If that balance is kept, then things continue on much as usual.  In the most general sense, this universe is upset by Jerry by his action of not selling the chocolates; he tips the balance of power away from the Vigils and Brother Leon, slightly, onto himself.  They cannot compel him, no matter how he is threatened and even punished, to do as they say.  Some of their power has been leached away by Jerry's actions.  This leads them to do things that they would not normally do (such as the Vigils taking the extreme step of the boxing match to punish Jerry, and Brother Leon allowing this to take place).  They are, in a sense, controlled by Jerry.  An upset to the universe, indeed.

But "universe" can also mean something else.  Jerry's private universe is profoundly changed by his actions.  He knows his actions to be just, and therefore his character is greatly strengthened by it.  He learns to endure suffering and isolation (even Goober deserts him) for a just cause at a young age.  These are very important lessons which would not be learned by him, at this young age, if he hadn't stuck to his guns.  His internal universe becomes other-focused -- he places more value on the justice of an action than on the convenience or easiness of an action.  This is perhaps even more important than the change he makes to the Trinity "universe".

Also, a case can be made that Jerry's family universe changes.  It has already altered irreparably with the death of his mother.  Jerry, however, learns during this time not to depend on his father, who is in such a state of grief that he would probably not be very useful to his son.  What happens when Mr. Renault learns about Jerry's defiance will probably change the nature of their relationship forever.

There are many meanings to "dare I disturb the universe?", but applying the principle in one's life could be simply not doing what is expected of oneself.  To do this in the cause of justice and right would be the most profitable and best way to cause character growth, but it need not be as destructive and dangerous as Jerry's actions.  Simply changing one's bad habits, or perhaps working proactively on relationships could "disturb one's universe" in a positive way. 

Who was Niccolo Machiavelli? Why was he so important?

Niccolo Machiavelli was an italian statesman, who is best known for his book "The Prince". He lived towards the end of fifteenth century and begining of sixteenth century.

In "The Prince" put down his ideas about how rulers and princes may gain and retain power to keep down their adversaries and rule over their subjects. Most of the advice his advice related to good administration and management of public opinions and satisfaction under different situations.

In general, he did not gave prominence to deception and manipulation in methods recommended by him, at the same time, he did not rule out use of such tactics when required. Unfortunately, the manipulation and deception part of his methods has drawn maximum attention of people. As a result, his name has come to be associated with manipulative and deceitful behavior for personal benefits. The word machiavellian is commonly used English language to describe such behavior.

In "The Scarlet Ibis," how did the narrator treat Doodle at the end of the story?

At the conclusion of the story, Doodle's brother pushes him beyond endurance to accomplish feats of physical strength that are simply beyond the little boy's endurance. When Doodle is too tired to swim, his brother makes Doodle row their skiff against the current through a thunderstorm. When Doodle reaches land and collapses, Doodle's brother is filled with anger and bitter disappointment because Doodle had "failed." His brother then runs away from Doodle in a "flood of childish spite," leaving the boy alone, exhausted, and frightened in the storm. When he returns to Doodle's side, he finds his little brother has died. He then holds Doodle's body, screams his name, and weeps with grief:

For a long long time, it seemed forever, I lay there crying, sheltering my fallen scarlet ibis from the heresy of rain.

Doodle's brother realizes too late the consequences of his pride, cruelty, and selfishness.

What is the moral allegory and moral lesson in "Young Goodman Brown"?

miroo,

Hawthorne's “Young Goodman Brown” is his most frequently anthologized story and probably the most often misunderstood. You should probably have a brief refresher on the Salem witchcraft trials, in which neighbor suspected neighbor and children recklessly accused innocent old women. The hand of the devil was always nearby, and. In revealing to Brown the secret wickedness of all the people he knew and trusted, the story seems to illustrate the Puritan doctrine of innate depravity.

Humankind was born tarred with the brush of original sin and could not lose the smudge by any simple ritual of baptism. Brown’s unhappy death at the end of the story seems conventional: Puritans held that how one died indicated his chances in the hereafter. A radiantly serene and happy death was an omen that the victim was Heaven-bound, while a dour death boded ill.

The devil’s looking like a blood relative may reflect another Puritan assumption. Taken literally, perhaps the resemblance between the devil and Brown’s grandfather suggests that evil runs in Brown’s family, or in the Puritan line as the devil asserts (18–19). Or that wickedness lurks within each human heart (as well as good) and that each can recognize it in himself, as if he had looked into a mirror.

The story is read as another of those stories in which the Romantic Hawthorne sets out to criticize extreme Puritanism and to chide the folly of looking for evil where there isn’t any. Some people will take the devil’s words for gospel, agree that “Evil is the nature of mankind,” and assume that Brown learns the truth about all those hypocritical sinners in the village, including that two-faced Faith.

More likely Brown’s Faith is simple faith in the benevolence of God and the essential goodness of humankind. Brown’s loss of this natural faith leads him into the principal error of the Salem witch-hangers: suspecting the innocent of being in league with the devil.

Brown has apparently promised the devil he will go meet him, but go no farther. By meeting the devil he has “kept covenant” (15). The initial situation—that Brown has a promise to keep out in the woods—is vague, perhaps deliberately like the beginning of a dream.

Hawthorne favors the interpretation that Brown dreamed everything (“Be that as it may . . .”). Leave it to the devil to concoct a truly immense deception.

Still, some ambiguity remains. If what Brown saw at the witches’ Sabbath really did take place, then his gloom and misery at the end of the story seem understandable.

As for allegory, not only Faith can be seen as a figure of allegory, but Young Goodman Brown himself—the Puritan Everyman, subject to the temptation to find evil everywhere.  

The theme can not be “Evil is the nature of mankind” or “Even the most respected citizens are secretly guilty.” That is what the devil would have us believe. A more defensible theme might be “Keep your faith in God and humankind” or “He who finds evil where no evil exists makes himself an outcast from humanity.”

What are some questions that you could ask the character of Macbeth?For example, why he did something, or the way he felt about something. Those...

This is a fascinating assignment.  I would pose the following questions and exploring Macbeth's answers would truly be interesting:

1)  What was it like to kill someone?  What went through your mind when you engaged in the act of murder?

2)  Do you believe that moral responsibility and legal responsibility are one in the same or different?

3)  Did you feel you were in control of your actions or did you feel that you were led by other forces?  If so, what were those forces?

3 A)  If applicable, do you feel you were morally responsible for your actions?  Do you accept responsibility?

3 B)  If applicable, Do you believe in God?  What does this vision look like to you?

4)  Do you feel that power is inherently evil?  Do you feel that there is a way for individuals to not become overwhelmed with the trappings of power?

5)  Does "might make right"?  Explain your answer.

6)  Which modern day politicians or leaders remind you of you in both your good qualities and not so good qualities?

7)  In your mind, explain what modern day entities constitute elements that are " full of sound and fury, yet signifying nothing"?

How did Gatsby know Daisy?What kind of work was Gatsby involved?

These are two separate questions, so I'll only answer the first. Gatsby knew Daisy from Louisville-he was stationed there for a brief period. Daisy was quite popular with the soldiers at Camp Taylor, which is how she met Gatsby. For him, Daisy represented the American Dream, everything for which he was striving. After a brief love affair, he planned to marry her, but his orders came to ship out. She was prevented from meeting him to say goodbye, & when Tom shows up with a $350,000 pearl necklace, her marriage plans suddenly change.

In "Oedipus Rex," why does Oedipus decide to let Creon go to Delphi?Prologue

In Aristotle's Poetics the tragic hero is defined as of noble stature, possessing virtue.  Thus, Oedipus as the hero of the tragedy "Oedipus Rex" is of this admirable character.  In his love for the people of Thebes, he seeks to end the plague that torments them.  As a wise ruler, Oedipus also is cognizant of the fact that he must seek solutions from every possible source.  And, as a tragic hero, he possesses the excessive pride (hubris) that does not entertain any suspicion that harm may come to him in his sending Creon to Delphi in the first scene of the play.  At this point, of course, the dramatic irony which moves the tragedy begins.

Why do they italicize the word changed on page 3?

The second sentence of the book is, "It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed."  The word "changed" is italicized to give it emphasis.  The narration is from Guy Montag's perspective, in that it is reflecting his thoughts and feelings.  It is obvious that when something is burned it changes in appearance, but by emphasizing the word, "changed", the reader gets the feeling that there is more to the change than just the physical appearance.  The story shows a change in the main character's view of the world.  In the beginning, the change that entices Guy is this physical change from unburned paper to ash, later the change that he embraces is his change in attitude.  He no longer believes in his society's view of the world and how people should act and think.  He comes to embrace freedom of thought and will.  At the end of the story, as Guy and the other book people are heading back to the wasted, ruined, bombed city, Guy begins to recite what will become his book to memorize: the Book of Ecclesiastes.  The part he recites at that moment, deals with change, "To everything there is a season....".  This shows the reader he has completely made the change from mindless drone of society to a free-thinking individual. The italicized "changed" emphasizes the change that occurs in the story within Guy and within the society.

At the begining of Chapter 7 of The Great Gatsby, explain how Gatsby's "dream" seems to be fading.

Poor Gatsby!  His dream surely is fading by the beginning of Chapter 7, isn't it?  You have to look no further than the first sentence to see the first sign:

It was when curiosity about Gatsby was at its highest that the lights in his house failed to go on one Saturday night--and, as obscurely as it had begun, his career as Trimalchio was over. (Fitzgerald 113)

The parties have ended.  One would assume, at first, that this is because Gatsby has gained the ultimate prize:  Daisy.  However, it isn't long before we learn the truth:

"I hear you fired all your servants."

"I wanted somebody who wouldn't gossip.  Daisy comes over quite often--in the afternoons."

So the whole caravansary had fallen in like a card house at the disapproval in her eyes. (114)

I just love that simile:  that Gatsby's entire entourage had "fallen in like a card house."  Card houses look grand, as if they are full of lots of substance, but give them one slight touch and they fall over, toppling to almost nothing.  Therefore, even worse, Daisy didn't like the way Gatsby was behaving and looked upon his reckless parties of the "Roaring Twenties" with disapproval.  These parties were basically the main method of attracting her attention, so that must have been a blow to him.

The biggest blow, however, comes soon after.  In fact, I wouldn't say that Gatsby's dream truly fades until later in the chapter.  Up until now, there is still the possibility of gaining Daisy's love forever and living together in rich bliss.  But when all of them traverse towards town, Daisy is asked to toe-the-line.  You know what?  She can't.  Gatsby wants nothing less than to have her denounce Tom and admit she never loved him.  That does not happen.

"Oh, you want too much!" she cried to Gatsby.  "I love you now--isn't that enough?  I can't help what's past."  She began to sob helplessly.  "I did love him once--but I loved you too."

Gatsby's eyes opened and closed.

"You loved me too?"  he repeated. (133)

The dream has done more than just "faded" here, it has failed miserably.  Gatsby's physical life may have ended when Tom Wilson took it, but Gatsby's emotional life ended when Daisy screamed that very statement. 

Explain how much it will cost in interest to pay a loan off in 5 years if compounded monthly.

We assume the nominal rate of the interest to be r percent per annum, the principal loan amount burrowed to be P .

Then the monthly interest works out (r/12)% = r/1200 per rupee or per dollar or per unit of money. Period of compounding is month.

The loan amount growing by compound interest: The loan  amount  of  P grows in one month=P(1+r/1200) along with interest.

The loan amount P grows to  P(1+r/1200)^ 2 in 2 months, along with interest.

The loan amount grows to become  P(1+r/1200)^12 in 12 months or one year period together with interest.

The loan amount with interest,therefore, grows to become P(1+r/1200)^60 in  60 months or 5 years, period. Take off the principal loan amount  from the grown amount with interest  in 5 years, and then you get what costed you the compound interest over  your loan of P .

Therefore , the cost of compound interest for the Principal loan amount ,P for  5 years, compounding being monthly = the amount loan grown in 5 years  minus principal amount of loan=

=P(1+r/1200)^60 -P= P{(1+r/1200)^60   - 1}

Therefore, the cost of compound interest for 5 years on 1 unit of money = P(1+r/1200)^60 -1}/P = (1+r/1200)^60 -1. From this we can construct a table for different rates of interest for different principal loan amount and get the cost of compound  interest for 5 years ,compounding monthly, as below:

Loan Vs Interest rate   : cost of compound interest  for 5 years at  rates:

Amoun(principal)Loan     :      1%           2%          3%            4%           5%

1                                    0.0512    0.1051    0.1616   0.2210  0.2834

100                              5.12        10.50       16.16     22.10       28.34

10000                         512.49  1050.08   1616.16  2209.97   2833.59

The construction of the table can be extended simimarly for different rate of nominal interests, and for different principles and we can use it to get any intermediate values , by interpolation if requred.

In "The Crucible", how does Miller characterize Parris? How does Parris feel about parishoners?

In “The Crucible”, Arthur Miller characterizes Reverend Parris as a man who is more concerned with his own reputation than anything else.  His daughter is seemingly bewitched, yet all he seems to worry about is whether or not he will be overthrown while he takes the time to argue over land and money with John Proctor, Giles Corey, and Thomas Putnam in Act 1 of the play.  While questioning his niece about what happened in the woods, he is also worried about reputation when he questions her own, thinking that any bad reputation on her part would fall back on him.  Additionally, when the Putnams begin to lay the blame of Betty and Ruth’s sicknesses on witchcraft, Parris refuses to allow this information to leave his house because he thinks that since it began in his house that he will be blamed and overthrown from his position as Salem’s reverend.  Parris fears his congregation because he knows that they have the power to get rid of him, therefore everything that he does seems to be more to appease the congregation than to help his own family in such horrendous situations.  Parris is self-centered, egotistical, and money-hungry and worries more about what other people think of him than about what he can do to help out in the situation.

Why do red blood cells swell and burst when placed in a hypotonic solution as water, and why don't humans burst when swimming in water?

Water will cross a cell membrane, and go from an area of less solute concentration to an area of more solutes, so that the concentrations are equal. This is why a blood cell will burst when placed in pure water--the water goes into the cell, where there are more particles. In a living system, though, energy is used by the organism to keep this from happening. Active transport keeps the fluid level in the cell to the level that allows the cell to function. This is one of the key differences in living systems as opposed to non-living; living systems utilize energy to keep themselves in a functioning state. When an organism dies, it is no longer using energy to keep itself functioning, and starts to decay.

Is Indochina a peninsula?why is it called a peninsula?

Geographically speaking, Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia are part of South East Asia, as are the Phillipines, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, the Malay archipelago, East Timor and the three countries usually referred to as Indochina.  Although mainland Southeast Asia is sometimes referred to as the "Indochinese Peninsula" the term Indochina correctly refers only to the areas colonized by the French in the 19th century, which today are the nations of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. The term "Indochina" itself is French. The South China Sea lies to the east of Vietnam, and the Gulf of Siam lies south of the coast of Cambodia.  Malaysia is a peninsula stretching southwards from Thailand toward Sumatra, but calling Indochina per se (the three former French colonies) a peninsula would be stretching the definition pretty far.  It would be sort of like calling the southeastern United States a peninsula because the Atlantic Ocean is to the east and the Gulf of Mexico is to the south.

Please describe advantages of formal organization in management.

While the concept of formal and informal organization expressed in the answer above is valid to some extent, it does not reflect the commonly understood meaning of these term as used in profession and discipline of management.

It is quite true that some groups, like ad hoc volunteers group have only informal organization. But this does not mean that other well established organizations like Rotary Club, Boy Scouts, and Ford Motor Company have only formal organizations. All establishments with formal organization have a parallel informal organization coexisting with it.

Formal organization refers to the organization structure which is designed and prescribed by the management of an enterprise. It is generally, but not necessarily, represented in the form of an organization chart showing designation of various people employed in the organization, their hierarchical levels, reporting relationships, and other channels for control and coordination. This chart is backed up by a more detailed description of duties and responsibilities of each position shown in the organization chart. This formal organization represent the structure of duties, responsibilities and working relationships formally prescribed in the organization.

People in an organization generally work in accordance with the structure prescribed by formal organization. But at the same time people in the organization develop additional relationships in the organization, which may be rooted primarily on personal rather than work consideration, but are impact significantly the functioning of the organization. Perhaps the most important impact of such informal organization is felt in the area of information exchange in dissemination in the organization.

Both formal and informal organizations exist in all established institutions, and both can impact their functioning in positive as well as negative way. The benefits and advantages of formal organization include the following.

• They provide the basic structure of division of work and responsibilities. Without such a structure it will e very difficult for employees to agree between themselves on duties and responsibilities of each, and such difficulties multiply in geometric proportions with increasing size of the organization.


• It generates clarity on what support and input each employee can expect from others, and in turn what is expected of him by others.


• It promotes discipline in the organization.


• It makes it easier to review and revise organization with changing requirements.


• It provides a structure for laying down pay scales and taking other decisions linked to organizational levels.


• It helps in other human resources development activities such as recruitment, promotions, career planning and development and manpower planning.

In Julius Caesar, what were 3 flaws that led to Brutus' death?

Brutus, although arguably presented by Shakespeare as a heroic character, is deeply flawed in ways that lead to the defeat of the conspiracy against Caesar and the ruin of the conspirators. He is idealistic and a poor judge of popular feeling, he is irresolute and uncertain, and he is a poor military leader.

Brutus' idealism shows in his belief that the drift towards centralized power in Rome can be checked by the assassination of a single man, Caesar (Act II, Scene 1). He trusts that the faults of Caesar's ambition will be self-evident to the mob, and so not only fails to kill Mark Antony but even allows him to speak at Caesar's funeral (Act III, Scene 1). The result is that Antony's eloquence overwhelms Brutus' more intellectual approach and the conspirators find themselves being hunted by a furious mob rather than taking command of the direction of the state.

Brutus' irresolution and uncertainty similarly show themselves in the frequent actions he takes that undermine his ostensible goals. He has trouble making up his mind that killing Caesar is a good idea, and compromises to himself by trying to turn the assassination into something noble, as if a murder could ever be such (Act II, Scene 1; Act III, Scene 1). Later, in the field with Cassius, he starts a petty and pointless quarrel with him over a minor point, only to confess later that he has been distracted by the news of the death of his wife (Act IV, Scene 3). In a sense, the ghost of Caesar that appears to him is no more than the tangible form of his own worries and doubts.

Finally, Brutus is a poor military leader. At Philippi, he impulsively orders his troops forward to attack too early (Act V, Scene 3), seemingly wishing to just get the battle over with. The result is the defeat of the conspirators and his own suicide.

In "The Crucible", what influence on events do the occurences at Andover have?

The passages that you are looking for are going to be at the beginning of act four.  In this act, some time has passed since Proctor was arrested.  In fact, many hangings have occurred, and the townspeople are starting to question whether or not this entire trial has been a good idea or not.  People are no longer cheering on the judges or Reverend Parris; in fact, the tide of public opinion is turning against them. Andover is a town not too far from Salem, and there are rumors going around that there isa

"rebellion in Andover...Andover have thrown out the court...and will have no part of witchcraft."

So, Andover has realized the error of the courts, and has thrown out the judges, released the accused witches, and won't hear any mentioning of witchcraft any more.  So, Parris fears that

"there be a faction here, feeding on that news, and...I fear there will be riot"

in Salem as a result.  The combination of Salem's already mistrusting public, in combination with the news of Andover's overthrowing of the courts, make the judges antsy.  So, they feel if they can bring out Proctor, and "help" him to confess, he won't be hanged, and that will appease the people.  They think that if he confesses, maybe some other people of "great weight" in the town will also confess, and the public will see that they aren't being hanged, and so won't rebel against the courts.

To sum up, Andover makes the judges fear that their courts will be overthrown, which makes them want Proctor to confess; they allow Elizabeth to speak to him, and in this poignant scene, they express forgiveness and remorse for past actions.  This gives John the courage to face the gallows with a clean conscience, as a strong man at peace with himself.

Write a three-paragraph reflective essay that focuses on something you did or studied in school in the past year — or before that, if you choose....

This is a good assignment because reflection on learning is quite important. Many students, though, are confused about how to write a reflective essay, so let's talk about that first.  A reflective essay is written in the first person, meaning you are expected to use the word "I."  When you reflect, you are always writing from your own point of view.  A reflective essay is meant to explain and discuss your ideas about your learning experience.  For example, if I were writing a reflective essay about learning how to play the piano, I might discuss how awkward it felt to try to play different notes with the left hand and the right hand, and how practicing each hand separately helped tremendously.  I might reflect on the importance of knowing musical terms, the vocabulary of this subject, or I might reflect on how knowing scales very well helped to build my skills because scales are the building blocks of  music.  I could talk about the pleasure of finally being able to play a piece competently.  The idea is that I am  explaining to my reader how I have grappled with a subject and managed to learn.  I am explaining to my reader the pains and pleasures of learning.  Reflection is really thinking about thinking. How did I learn?  What were my successes and failures? Where did I fail?  What did I do to overcome that failure? What have I learned about how I learn?

Now, as for the topic upon which you write, I will say that it is far easier to write a reflective piece on something you struggled with than something that came easily. There is just so much more to talk about!  What have you struggled with this past school year? If writing is difficult for you, then you might discuss how you struggled with writing a paper, how you had a hard time finding a topic, or went through many revisions, what your thoughts were as you struggled. 

If you were to write about writing, then how could you tie that to a larger social context?  Well, for  one thing, writing is a social act, a form of communication with other human beings.  If people did not write, they could not communicate over time or space.  Think about all the writing you do: emails, blogs, texting, school papers, etc.

The form of your essay is really set up for you already.  The first paragraph is an intoduction, in which you explain your main idea about what you will be writing about, along with a kind of preview for the reader about reflection and social context.  The middle paragraph is the body, in which you reflect on your learning and explain the social context into which your learning fits. Finally, the last paragraph is a wrap up, a restatement of your main idea and a review of the points you have made. 

Good luck!

Why does Nick choose to share his thoughts and feelings with Jordan in Chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby?

The quick answer is "because Nick and Jordan are beginning a semi-romantic relationship;" however, the tenor of your question makes it seem as if Nick spends most of Chapter 3 discussing his thoughts and feelings with Jordan, while that is not so.  In fact, most of Chapter 3 deals with the frivolity of the roaring twenties found within one of Gatsby's lavish parties.  There is one instance, however, when Nick speaks with Jordan about being "a rotten driver," that is a bit significant in regards to both of their characters.  This conversation is prefaced by this passage:

Jordan Baker instinctively avoided clever, shrewd men, and now I saw that this was because she felt safer on a plane where any divergence from a code would be thought impossible.  She was incurably dishonest. . . . It made no difference to me.  Dishonesty in a woman is a thing you never blame deeply--I was casually sorry, and then I forgot. (58)

After Jordan almost hits a workman working on the side of the road, Nick gets into the meat of the conversation with Jordan revealing, what I would imagine to be the thoughts and feelings you speak of:

"You're a rotten driver," I protested.  "Either you ought to be more careful, or you oughtn't to drive at all."

"I am careful."

"No, you're not."

"Well, other people are," she said lightly.

"What's that got to do with it?"

"They'll keep out of the way," she insisted.  "It takes two to make an accident."

"Suppose you met somebody just as careless as yourself."

"I hope I never will," she answered.  "I hate careless people, that's why I like you." 

Her gray, sun-strained eyes stared straight ahead, but she had deliberately shifted our relations, and for a moment I thought I loved her.  (59)

This small dialogue reveals a lot about these two characters.  It highlights the carelessness, dishonesty, and shallowness of Jordan while stressing the honesty and integrity of our Midwestern Nick. 

Ah, but the answer to "why" Nick reveals his thoughts and feelings here is in the last line in the above quote.  Nick is confused about his feelings for Jordan.  He is attracted to her, but something rubs him the wrong way.  Of course, this doesn't stop him from pursuing a summer fling, or at least a mild relationship.

In "The Secret Life of Bees", how did Lily overcome being an outsider in the world?from the novel secret life of bees

Lily's "outsider" status is a function of her having no mother and a father who is unable to nurture her properly. All Lily has is Rosaleen, who is alone in the world, too.  So, Lily lacks a "queen bee."  Lily makes her way by finding a family that loves and appreciates her, and by loving and appreciating that family.  Once she has discovered the truth about her mother, she is able to make some peace with her past, and become a part of a new family. Also, she finds a community and a connection with God with the Sisters of Mary, and a relationship with Zeke.  During the course of the novel, she moves from being nearly an orphan to having a family, a community, a religion, and a boyfriend.  Not bad for a fourteen-year-old girl!   

What happens in Chapter 15 of Adam of the Road?I need details!

Adam journeys to Winchester with Daun Williams.  At first he is almost euphoric with hope and good feeling, but by the second day he feels considerably more apprehensive at what he will find in the big city.  When they get to Winchester, Daun Williams goes "straight to the largest inn on Cheap Street", but there is room only for the older man.  Daun Williams tells Adam to go to the Strangers' Hall, where the monks of St. Swithin's lodge poor pilgrims.

Adam does as he is told, and indeed finds a place to stay among the pilgrims.  He searches for Roger, but does not find him; one man advises him to search for his father at the inns, while another red-bearded fellow tells him that "Giles's Hill is where you'll find the minstrels.  Adam falls asleep to the sound of the pilgrims talking about King Edward, whom they love, and Parliament, which they scorn.

In the morning, Adam sets out for Giles's Fair.  There he finds tremendous crowds, booths and tents of all sorts, and entertainers of every kind.  Sadly, "there (are) hundreds of people, there (are) thousands of people, but no Roger".  Adam begins to fear he will never find his father and his dog.  He seeks out the Street of Dover and is reunited with Daun Williams in his booth.  Daun Williams tells Adam that "it may take...several days" to find Roger and Nick, and offers to let Adam spend the nights in his booth.

Adam continues his search during the following days to no avail.  One evening, while he is eating dinner, he gets into a conversation with a palmer, who has made pilgrimages to many shrines.  The palmer tells him that at the shrine of St. James he experienced a miracle; his lame leg was cured.  This gives Adam an idea - he will go to St. Swithin's and pray for a miracle.  Joining the other pilgrims at the Cathedral, Adam kneels at the shrine, closes his eyes, and prays "as he had been taught at St. Alban's".  He waits for the saint to answer his prayers, but when he opens his eyes, there is still no Roger (Chapter 15).

In Things Fall Apart, how is Ikemefuna similar to Okonkwo and his son similar to his father?

I'm not sure I understand your question. I'm not clear to whom "his son" and "his father" refer. however, I'll help you out as much as I can.

Okonkwo and Ikemefuna both represent virility and male gender roles among the Ibo. Generally, this means exhibiting physical strength. Ikemefuna earns Okonkwo's love and respect through his personality, which is always outgoing and upbeat, and his talents, which include identifying birds, trapping rodents, and making flutes. He knows which trees make the best bows and tells delightful folk stories. While Okonkwo doesn't approve of all these (anything having to do with music or stories he derides as "womanly"), he appreciates Ikemefuna for the change he has wrought in Nwoye.

Before Ikemefuna's arrival, Nwoye often incurred the wrath of Okonkwo. He considered his son weak and feminine, often treating Enzinma (his daughter) better than Nwoye (his son). Okonkwo saw too much of Unoka in Nwoye, and was terrified he would end up like his grandfather. Thus, Nwoye was physically beaten and mentally berated by his father. But when Ikemefuna arrived, Nwoye transformed. He became the son Okonkwo wanted, eager to hunt, grow yams, and scoff at stories as "children's stuff".

Although the conflict between Okonkwo and Nwoye informs many themes in the book, it is interesting to note that they are both alike in one way. They both stand apart from traditions and beliefs of the tribe. while Okonkwo does so in a violent and almost savage way, Nwoye does so by turning to the church. So while they move in two very different directions, their mutual separation from the tribe links them in their alienation.

Who was it that said, "The world, that understandable and lawful world, was slipping away."?

It is Ralph who realizes that "The world, that understandable and lawful world, was slipping away." Ralph's realization can be found in chapter five and on page eighty-two depending on the edition you're using. This quote is significant because Ralph is coming to realize that the order, customs, and civilized life is slowly being replaced by something wilder, feral, and more chaotic.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird" how old is Calpurnia?She's older than Atticus.

The passage that you are looking for can be found towards the end of chapter 12, and the answer you have above is correct.  And, at the beginning of chapter ten, Scout says that Atticus was "nearly fifty", so we have to figure that Cal is a bit older than that.  Specifically, in chapter 12, Scout asks exactly how old Cal is.  Cal responds:

"I'm older than Mr. Finch, even...not sure how much though.  We started remberin' one time, trying to figure out how old I was-I can remember back just a few more years more'n he can, so I'm not much older."

This might seem strange to us, who celebrate the exact day and year of our birthdays with exuberance and excitement, keeping fastidious track of exactly how old we are.  However, in Cal's culture, many of the people there couldn't read.  So, when babies were born, it wasn't like they had a calendar that they could refer to to figure out the exact date.  Plus, in poorer communities, when you are born is less important; people didn't have money to celebrate birthdays anyway.  People might remember the season or time of year (Cal just says that she celebrates on Christmas, because it's easier to remember that way), but the daily grind of life kind-of took over such things, and money was short, so birthdays got lost in it all.  I hope that helps!

In A Separate Peace, after the overnight trip to the beach, what does Gene decide Finny is trying to do to him?What leads Gene to this conclusion?...

After Gene and Finny return from their overnight trip to the beach, Gene concludes that Finny is trying to deliberately sabotage his grades by keeping him too busy and distracted to study.  He decides this after he fails his trigonometry test, "the first test (he) had ever flunked".  Because Finny had insisted that they take the trip to the beach and blithely overlooked every protest Gene had made that he had to study, Gene had not been able to even look at the subject matter the night before.  Finny's endless diversions continue even after Gene fails the test with the insistence that he take part in blitzball and the activities of the Super Suicide Society.  Angry and frustrated, Gene thinks about their situation and concludes that Finny is jealous of him, and bitterly competitive - because while Gene is

"more and more certainly becoming the best student in the school; Phineas (is) without question the best athlete, so in that way (they are) even..but while (Finny is) a very poor student (Gene is) a pretty good athlete, and when everything (is) thrown into the scales they (will) in the end tilt definitely toward (Gene)".

In Gene's mind now, Finny is trecherously trying to make him (Gene) do poorly academically so that he (Finny) will be the best overall in school.

Gene finally gets through to Finny when he vehemently protests that he can't attend the latest meeting of the Suicide Society because his grades are being ruined.  Finny inexplicably listens this time, regarding Gene "with an interested, surprised expression".  He tells Gene not to go, explaining simply that he had thought Gene did not need to study, that things "just came to (him)", and he humbly denigrates his own academic ability in comparison to Gene's great intelligence.  At this point, Gene is thoroughly confused, and deeply resentful, in the throes of "new dimensions of isolation".  On the one hand, he feels guilty for ever having doubted Finny's motives, and is in awe at Finny's nobility; Gene feels he is "not of the same quality as he".  On the other hand, this sense that Finny really is so much better than him infuriates Gene, and he goes to the Suicide Society meeting at his own insistence, feeling confused and deeply resentful (Chapter 4).

It's my understanding that Carlisle turned Edward when he was just a baby, so how, if vampires don't age, is Edward seemingly seventeen?This is...

I haven't the read the books, I admit, but I did watch the Twilight movie. In the movie, at least, Dr. Carlisle bit Edward when he looked around seventeen years old. There was a somewhat graphic flashback scene showing the moment that Edward was turned. Edward certainly wasn't a baby in that scene. The movie would probably want to stay true to the book as much as possible, and I don't imagine why they wouldn't have portrayed the turning accurately. Also, considering how vampires don't age, it makes the most sense that Edward was bitten at the age of seventeen.

What is the relation of Emma Bovary with her children in the novel Madame Bovary written by Gustave Flaubert?

Emma's relationship with her child is challenging.  Emma's romanticized view of her life does not extend to her child, whom she treats as a burden that is inhibiting her opportunity for real love and true happiness.  She comes to associate her child with the boredom of domesticity her marriage renders.  She does not exhibit any sense of true emotional connection with Berthe.  This might be a result of Emma's sense of complete infatuation with her dreams of happiness and contentment.  Emma is not one to accept the foundation of reality, as she is trapped, pinned, underneath the weight of her dreams.  Such a premise would preclude any sense of understanding the needs and fluid dynamics of parenting and forging connections with children.  This is confirmed at the end of the story, when the child is sent to work in a factory as a seamstress, Flaubert's ultimate representation of a life devoid of emotional connection.

In "London 1802" by William Wordsworth, what are some of the figures of speech, and what does the poem refer to?

Wordsworth's poem is an apostrophe to the great English poet, John Milton. It is written as a sonnet:

Milton! thou shouldst be living at this hour:

England hath need of thee: she is a fen

Of stagnant waters: altar, sword, and pen,

Fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower,

Have forfeited their ancient English dower

Of inward happiness. We are selfish men;

Oh! raise us up, return to us again;

And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power.

Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart:

Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea:

Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free,

So didst thou travel on life's common way,

In cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart

The lowliest duties on herself did lay.

Figurative language in the poem includes simile, metaphor, and metonymy. Wordsworth describes England through direct metaphor, writing "She [England] is a fen of stagnant waters." Through implied metaphor, he describes the "inward happiness" of the English people as their "ancient English dower [valuagle possession]." Similes are found in the poet's descriptions of Milton. Milton's soul "was like a star," and the sound of his voice "was like the sea." Milton himself was "pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free." The words "altar," "sword," and "pen" demonstrate metonymy, refering to the church, the military, and the literary arts, respectively.

In Wordsworth's sonnet, he accomplishes two purposes and develops two themes. He pays personal tribute to John Milton, and he offers strong social criticism of conditions in England in 1802. Milton is presented as a man of excellence in character, one who possessed those qualities sorely needed in Wordsworth's own modern time: "manners, virtue, freedom, power." London in 1802, however, is not a place of excellence, according to the poet. It is roundly criticized as a swamp of "stagnant waters," where selfishness has replaced the kind of "godliness" exemplified by Milton's life. Written by one of the great English Romantic poets, "London 1802" expresses a romantic view of England's past.

What is the solution in the effect of chlorofluorocarbon in the environment?

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) are a group of compounds, often called freons are used in many applications such as refrigerants in refrigerators and air-conditioners, aerosols, and for making plastic foams. CFC's harm the environment when they are released in atmosphere by breaking down the ozone molecules in upper layer of atmosphere. The ozone in the atmosphere helps to reduce the ultraviolet rays from the sun reaching the Earth. Depletion of Ozone layer thus results in level of ultraviolet radiation that are harmful for plant and animal life.

There is no practical means of controlling harmful effects of CFC other than totally eliminating production and use of CFC. In view of this production and use of CFC is being gradually reduced in countries all over the world. More than 100 countries have signed an international agreement to completely end the production of CFC.

How did Puritan ideas about crime and punishment differ from our ideas today?

In Chapter XIII of "The Scarlet Letter" the narrator remarks that "the scarlet letter had not done its office," for although Hester has lost much of the passion of her life and turned to thought, as Hawthorne writes,

A woman never overcomes these problems [of existence] by any exercise of thought.  They are not to be solved.

In the Puritan culture there is no redemption for the sinner, only a consent to the norms of the rigid, grey society. In Sacvan Bercovitch's The Office of the Scarlet Letter, he contends that the "office," or goal of the scarlet letter is to "transmute opposition into complementarity."

Much like Young Goodman Brown who, after defying the cautions of his Puritanism, returns from the forest a changed, "stern...darkly meditative man who turns away from his wife, Faith, Hester Prynne gathers up the discarded letter from the brook after her hope of being reunited with Arthur Dimmesdale and replaces it.  Later, after leaving the Boston community with Pearl, she returns from England to her humble cottage and in the final chapter she

resumed--of her own free will, for not the sternest magistrate of that period would have imposed it--resumed the symbol of which we have related so dark a tale.

Earlier in the novel Hawthorne has remarked that

So ever it is, whether thus typified or no, that an evil deed invests itself with the character of doom.

Truly, there is doom for Hester, who can only consent to her Puritan society by holding identity with the scarlet letter,  For, after all, as Hawthorne concludes,

No man, for any considerable period can wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be true.

Puritanism, in its rigidity and demand for conformity punishes not merely the crime, but the will and spirit of the transgressor as it reclaims this member of its society by means of the transgressor's own consent to "complimentarity."  Such a culture differs greatly from our society that holds with the redemptive power of people and the strength of the making of one's own person.

Based on A Separate Peace, what symbolism does this statement suggest and what images does it call to mind? "Threads of life changing from...

In Chapter 7, Brinker tells Gene that he plans to enlist the next day. Gene is thrilled by the idea:

To enlist. To slam the door impulsively on the past, to shed everything down to my last bit of clothing, to break the pattern of my life--that complex design I had been weaving since birth with all its dark threads, its unexplainable symbols set against a conventional background of domestic white and school boy blue, all those tangled strands which required the dexterity of a virtuoso to keep flowing--I yearned to take giant military shears to it, snap! bitten off in an instant, and nothing left in my hands but spools of khaki which could weave only a plain, flat, khaki design, however twisted they might be.

For Gene, exchanging his "school boy blue" for khaki represented escape from the misery and guilt his life had become at Devon. To enlist meant leaving it behind and freeing himself from his daily torment. No matter what the war would bring him, and he knows it "would be deadly all right," it seems to Gene better than what he experiences every day watching Finny suffer because of Gene's betrayal.

In a more general interpretation, "school boy blue" symbolizes youth and innocence, the boys' lives at Devon before the intrusion of the war: studying, playing at sports, going to chapel. Khaki, the material of military uniforms, symbolizes adult reality. In 1942, that reality was a world war, envisioned by the boys, for example, in their reference to a burning troop ship with oil and fire in the water all around. In the summer of 1942, the war seemed unreal to the boys, something that existed out there in the world, far away from their peaceful campus. By the spring of 1943, it had arrived. Finny was dead and Leper was broken, but Gene left Devon behind, put on khaki, and went to World War II.