What are the contrasts on the short stories "A Jury of Her Peers" by Susan Glaspell and "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner?

This is a very interesting pairing.  On first glance, I see more similarities than differences between these two stories:  both main characters are female, both women are "absent" in the story though they are the main focus (Minnie having been taken down to the jail, and Miss Emily having passed away), both women have killed someone (although, in Miss Emily's defense, we don't really know how Homer died), both women are southern women and both stories take place in the south.

Now, one blazing difference is the fact that Minnie Wright did kill her husband.  The women in her house find all the evidence that would prove it, although they choose to keep the evidence a secret since they feel somewhat guilty for Minnie's situation and they relate to her woman-to-woman. Emily Grierson probably killed Homer Barron with the "rat poison" she bought from the druggist, but we don't know that for sure.  The only people who can speak to that are Homer, Emily, and Toby (Emily's manservant).  Two of the three are dead, and the third took off so quickly he was a blur.  We don't know that Homer didn't have a heart attack, or that he fell and hit his head while in the tub.  However, he most likely was planning on leaving her, thus destroying any reputation she had in tact, and she prevented it swiftly.

Another difference is the financial situation of the two women.  Miss Emily was used to fancy living and high-society treatment.  Her father was wealthy, her house was in the most affluent neighborhood, and she was the last vestige of the "true south" in her quickly changing town.  In some respects, she was naive and sheltered to the point that she couldn't live without some male identity to whom she was steadfastly attached.  When her protective father died, Emily sought a father substitute.  Unfortunately, Homer did not live up to her standard.

Minnie Wright, however, was not pampered.  She did go from the prettiest girl who wore pretty dresses and bows and sang like a bird in the church choir to an isolated farm wife with an abusive husband.  Apparently he crossed the line when he broke the neck of the little canary she bought for comfort and company.  The bird was found wrapped in silk in a small box within Minnie's quilting things.  Ironically, her husband was hung...a similar death suffered by the poor bird.

I suppose that could be another difference.  The death of John Wright was by hanging; Homer Baron died of arsenic poisoning.

Neither of the women will be punished by man's law for what they've done.  Emily passed on before anyone discovered what she had done, and Minnie's "peers" have decided to hide the evidence of her guilt, thus, she will probably be found "not guilty" and free to return to the home she shared with John Wright.

One more difference may be the way the women deal with their reputations.  Miss Emily does everything within her power to preserve her name and position in society; Minnie is "resigned" to what she's done when the men arrive to collect her and her husband.  She goes willingly and without incident to the jail.

''Hamlet is a man of morality without action." Write in details how far you agree with this statement.

Lets take your statement in two parts.  A "man of morality."  He certainly seems to be.  He is offended by what he sees as adulterous disloyalty from his mother.  He clearly believes that Claudius is a devil for having committed the sin of murder.  He also believes that a person must confess and ask forgiveness for sins, suggesting that he adheres to a moral code.  He tells his mother to confess, and is afraid to kill Claudius when he is in prayer, believing it will send Claudius to heaven.  Hamlet is concerned with morality.

But is he himself "moral".  Yes and no.  He tells Ophelia that he is a sinner, calls himself a knave and a rogue, chastises his own sinful behavior.  That said, he atones for his sins, apologizing to Laertes, admitting Laertes right to seek vengeance upon him, and finally seeking to do his duty to his father.  So, yes, he is a man of morality.

Is he a man without action?  For the majority of the play, yes.  Even after he confirms that it is Claudius who committed the murder of his father, Hamlet hesitates.  He claims it is because Claudius is in prayer, but he is still hesitating.  After this moment, he continues to hesitate in his life, wondering if his continued existence is supposed "to be or not to be."  He wants to commit suicide, but fear of the afterlife keeps him from doing so.  It is the throes of his anger that he finally takes action, mistakenly killing Polonius.  However wrong this moment is, it at least moves him forward, and Hamlet continues to take action in the second half of the play.  He arranges his escape from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and takes action in the final stand-off with Laertes and in the killing of Claudius.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird," in the Maycomb Tribune, Mr.Underwood writes an editorial. Describe it and its meaning.

The passage that you are looking for is a couple pages into chapter 25.  Mr. Underwood writes an editorial after Tom Robinson was shot and killed as he tried to escape from jail.  In this editorial, he compares Tom Robinson to a beautiful songbird that is shot down purely for the trophy, the sport, and the pride of having shot it.  It's a pretty extreme comparison, and one of the parts of the books that relates directly to the title of the book itself.  Mr. Underwood specifically

"likened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children"

speaking pretty directly about the nature of the people that shot him, potentially risking losing readers and advertisers, but he was so upset that

"he couldn't have cared less who canceled advertisers and subscriptions."

Basically, to interpret his meaning, he meant that Tom was shot down merely because people could.  They didn't try to just wound him, or capture him, they unnecessarily shot him to death, not even thinking about whether or not the man was innocent or not.  This is just like songbirds; little kids shoot them with toy guns, and hunters shoot them, just because they can, not thinking for a moment how it is an innocent creature that has never done them any harm.

I hope that those thoughts help to clear things up for you a bit; good luck!

In what ways do Jurors eight and eleven uphold justice and embody the meaning of active citizenship in America?

Twelve Angry Men is as relevant today as it was in 1957, because it challenges a free society governed by the rule of the law it creates to 'practice what it preaches'. In the first ballot taken by the jury, juror #8  votes not guilty not because he believes the accused is not guilty, but because he believes that the accused deserves the right to an impartial jury regardless of any personal feelings or judgments he might have about the individual. Understanding this principle is the backbone of the American Judicial System. Juror #8 believed the accused is innocent until proven guilty. Juror #8 understood the importance that judgement be based upon the evidence and not on the personal opinions of others.  By juror #8 voting not guilty the first time around he claimed an active role in the judicial process. It took some time for juror #11 to verbalize the importance of the active process of the judicial system, however his willingness to finally 'verbalize' his opinion was the first step towards his role as an active citizen. Juror #11's first vote was 'guilty' but ultimately changes his vote to not guilty, the question is why? Juror #11 was not born an American citizen, however in that jury room he realizes that if a society is to remain free the stakeholders must be active participants. Juror #11 is transformed from a passive to an active citizen, requirement #1 in a free society.

In Brave New World, what does John mean when he uses a Shakespeare quote during a talk about his objection to soma?

John uses the Shakespearean line, "eternity was in our lips and eyes," when he is in the middle of a conversation with Dr. Shaw, who is looking after John's mother, Linda.  Linda, upon her return to civilization, has taken so much soma that she is constantly "absent," and gone from any interactions.  They let her have as much as she wants, because she is old, she "hasn't got any serious work" to do, as Dr. Shaw puts it, and because she just wants to escape.  She has lived a hard life away from it, and was so preconditioned to her previous life that she never really adjusted.  So upon her return, she just escapes.

John feels that giving her so much is detrimental to her health.  He doesn't understand why they would let her shorten her life so much just to take soma.  The doctor explains that yes, it will shorten her life by several years, but that on a "soma-holiday" she will experience "a bit of what our ancestors used to call eternity."  He is meaning that in her dreams, she experiences years and years of happiness, adventures, and journeys.  It seems like forever to her.

At this point, John understands a bit.  The books states, "John began to understand," and then he quotes the Shakespeare line you mentioned above.  I'm not sure that John really meant anything by it, other than the fact that he understood what "eternity" meant, because of his exposure to Shakespeare, and that according to Shakespeare, eternity wasn't a unit of time, a literal expansion of time, but rather something that we hold within ourselves, or, in our "lips and eyes."  John was saying that he understood how Linda could be experiencing a figurative eternity, because Shakespeare himself had said that our own minds control our concept of eternity; our minds are capable of helping us to feel it and experience it.

Shakespeare helped John understand a lot of things in civilization, and the concept of dreaming, taking a break through the power of your mind, or a figurative "eternity" was one of them.  It helped him to understand why Linda was so content to just escape into "eternity" in her mind.  I hope that those thoughts help a bit; good luck!

Can anyone help me describe John as a character, from the story "By the Waters of Babylon"?Keep in mind the following as you answer: · The way he...

John is a very mature person, wise beyond his years.  He recognizes that even though society has been built up once and destroyed, that if they take things slowly, and are careful and keep perspective, you can indeed "built again" as he so desires.  He is also very patient though; he gets back after his journey, bursting with his new information, wanting so badly to share his good news.  But, he takes the advice of his father, and decides "it is better for truth to come little by little," and goes on to "make a beginning."  So, with his insight and patience, he begins to enlighten the members of his tribe, and hopes to be able to use the information wisely.

John is also respectful, yet inquisitive.  He tries, in all that he does, to respect the traditions of his fathers, but branches off on his own, when he feels it is the right thing.  He is curious and inquisitive, wanting to know more about the past.  Every step he takes though, he justifies it through the framework of what is sacred, so he remains respectful.  He is also brave; as he forges onward, past boundaries, into forbidden territory, he fights off wild beasts, passes the Forest People, and goes into a strange land where everything is unfamiliar.  His bravery leads him to profound truths that change his entire perspective.

John is true to his spirit-he follows its promptings, even if that leads it into territory that is dangerous or forbidden.  He would rather be true to his spirit than to turn back and forever regret not following its urgings to learn more.  When he gains knowledge, he treats it respectfully--he doesn't just dismiss it, or blab it to everyone, he tries to understand it, and dispense it in the wisest way possible.

Those are just a few descriptions of John, and I hope that they can help to get you started; good luck!

What might be a possible thesis for an essay on the topic of cellphones?

Science fiction writers such as Aldous Huxley, George Orwell, Ray Bradbury, and Kurt Vonnegut were concerned about the affect that technology would have upon people.  (Employing a quote from one of these authors makes for a great motivator [i.e. opener].) One of the concerns of these writers was the increasing dehumanization and invasion of privacy that technology would effect upon societies.

So, regarding the invasion of privacy, perhaps you would like to consider how--to use the words of George Orwell--"Big Brother is watching you."  At any moment, someone can take a picture of a credit card, a person or persons in action, tape people's conversations, tap into their conversations, etc.  Of course, an effect of this worry about privacy is an increasing paranoia in people.

With respect to the dehumanization of people, one need only look around at a shopping mall or a college campus or anywhere there are many people to notice the lack of interaction among people. (e.g. a daughter and her mother walking through the mall while the daughter text-messages someone rather than talking with her parent, or a van with 3 children each on his/her cell phone.)

Talk with older people who remember the world pre-computerization.  They can give you ideas, for sure.  Go to the Time and Newsweek or Reader's Digest archives and find editorials and articles.

What does Ponyboy realize about his relationship with Sodapop in "The Outsiders"?

Ponyboy doesn't get along with his oldest brother Darrell.  He and Darry argue about rules and priorities.  Darry wants Ponyboy to think more concretely, to plan all his days, to get good grades but to be athletic and active.  Ponyboy likes to daydream and think about philosophical matters, and reads and goes to movies more than Darry would like.

Through all this arguing, Sodapop is the shoulder that Ponyboy cries on.  He likes Sodapop because Soda listens to his ideas, shows interest in what he reads, etc..  Soda is sympathetic about Darry and helps to calm Darry down, often taking Ponyboy's side.  Soda is light-hearted and cheerful, and Pony enjoys his spirit.

However, what Ponyboy comes to realize is that while Soda is always there for him, he hasn't been there for Soda.  He doesn't ask Soda about his life, about Sandy, about how he is feeling.  He doesn't think about how the fighting between him and Darry might be hard for Soda, and that he is putting Soda in the middle:

I don't know, man. It's just like sometimes I have to get out. It's like I'm the middle man in a tug-of-war or something between you guys. I don't know, I can't take sides.

Ponyboy's realization about Sodapop shows that he is maturing.  He is starting to think about the situations and the feelings of people around him, to accept that "things are rough all over" and to be considerate of other people's challenges.

What is Macbeth's response to his injustices and how does his own self-respect play into it?

True to the witches' formula, Macbeth is both fair & foul and, what is more, he is always conscious of the co-existence of opposites in him. Very early in the play, in act1 sc.3, the fair but ambitious Macbeth admitted in his aside to his 'horrible imaginings' relating to the killing of Duncan. A little later, in act1 sc.7, Macbeth made a highly insightful scrutiny of the thought of murdering Duncan in his soliloquy. The soliloquy shows how Macbeth is fully aware of the pros and cons of the 'deed':

1) No such crime as the assassination of Duncan could by itself 'trammel up the consequence'; punishment will follow crime.

2) Punishment will have to be received here 'upon this bank and shoal of time'.

3) Justice is 'even-handed' and so 'we but teach/Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return/To plague the inventor'.

4) Duncan is his kinsman and his guest, and thus in 'double trust'; his murder would be a violation of the trust of kinship & the trust of hospitality.

5) Duncan has been very transparent in his office of a king & he is virtuous; his killing would invite divine retribution.

6) Macbeth finds no reason to kill Duncan except for his own 'vaulting ambition'.

Let us now examine some of his late responses in ACT 5 when he is a 'tyrant', deserted by his nobles, and strongly opposed by Macduff, Malcolm and others:

a) " I have liv'd long enough: my way of life

Is fall'n into the sear, the yellow leaf:

And that which should accompany old age'

As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends,

I must not look to have........." (act5 sc.3)

Macbeth is tired of his life, as if living on extra time; he knows the autumnal degeneration having set in, and admits that he does not deserve what a good old man hopes to get. He is pitiable, but still self-respecting.

b)  " I have almost forgot the taste of fears.

The time has been, my senses would have cool'd

To hear a night-shriek, and my fell of hair

Would at a dismal treatise rouse and stir

As life were in 't. I have supp'd full with horrors. (V.v)

Once again Macbeth is gloomy and introspective, looking back into the past & looking at his present anaesthetised state of mind.

c)  " To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,

To the last syllable of recorded time;

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more; it is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing ".  (V.v)

The news of Lady Macbeth's death breeds in Macbeth a deep sense of melancholy pessimism, a sense of futility of human life and endeavour. He is more of an existentialist philosopher than a mere tyrant or a killer.

Soon Macbeth goes down to defeat and death, but not without some dignity and self-respect. He refuses to submit to Malcolm and agrees to fight Macduff till death though he realises how the 'juggling fiends' have worked for his undoing.

In The Kite Runner, why do Baba and Amir move out of Afghanistan? Is it a forced or voluntary migration?

Baba is a big business man in Afghanistan, so he knows with the Russians beginning to invade, he has to make a choice whether to stay or leave. Baba hates to leave Afghanistan. His whole life and business is there. He friends are there, yet he knows he has to keep himself and Amir safe. He decides to go to Pakistan then onto the United States. It is not a forced move, but it isn't entirely voluntarily either. Baba knows that when the Soviets move in, then he would be force to leave, or an even worse outcome. It is a sad and difficult decision he has to make.

Amir is alright with leaving. He feels he is leaving behind the terrible secret he has kept. He doesn't realize that this secret will haunt him for many years. This was a hard time for many locals. They had to make a choice, and only the ones that were wealthy, really had the choice. The poor and uneducated didn't have many choices. Baba hates to leave Hassan, but he feels that he has to keep Amir safe. 

What is tragic about all of this, is that Baba is leaving behind another son, one that has had a horrible tragedy happen to him. Instead of the being honest about Hassan, Baba chooses to ignore his other son, and only save Amir. What a horrible choice this must be for many people in these circumstances. If Baba had taken Hassan with him, would things have turned out differently? One will never know, but we can all guess the answer to this question.

In One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, what did the fishing trip mean for each of the men? Explain with quotes.

The fishing trip represents a "normal" day for the men who are locked away from society in the mental institution.  They went out, had some fun, caught fish and were spectacularly successful on their outing.

They gained self-respect and self-confidence by doing something that regular persons might do on a day off from work. They were forced by being together on a fishing trip to behave in a somewhat "normal" manner, so they left some of their "crazy-acting" behaviors behind.  They were able to talk and be like regular people.

Upon their return, the doctor was able to successfully talk the boat owner and the police out of arresting them.  Their success cost them as it only heightened the tension between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched. I sometimes think that this little bit of "normal" in the book shows up the administration in the mental institution as the "crazy ones".

In order to fully support these assertions, you will need to look up quotes in the text of the novel.

Please explain the phrase "way leads on to way" from "The Road Not Taken". Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken."

"...Way leads on to way." 
 Life seems to have a way of bringing us to the end of one road, and forces us to start all over on an unfamiliar, sometimes uncomfortable way--a brand new ballgame.

Often things are not the way we hoped they would be, and if we’re not careful we find ourselves wishing we could go back—back to the past, back to our comfort zone.

In her epic novel, Gone With the Wind, the title captures a main idea in the novel.  The world of the old South (the past life) is gone—“It’s gone with the wind.” Mitchell has Grandma Fontaine, an old woman with an acerbic tongue, talking about the defeats and disappointments of the Civil War. Grandma Fontaine exclaims, “The whole world can’t lick us….But we can lick ourselves—by longing for things we ain’t got any more and by remembering too much.” 

As long as we keep looking back, continue to nurse our wounds we will not make progress. There comes a time to dress the wound, bind it up with faith in God’s providence and let it begin to heal. It reminds me of Vince Lombardi’s words to his defeated football team, “Okay, men. Sack up your guts; let’s get going.”  

Is Emily's keeping Homer Barron's corpse a metaphor for her inability to let go of her glorious past? Also, what is the story's theme?the Griersons...

That is an interesting interpretation of the story since Miss Emily is clearly clinging to the earlier "glory" of her family. But I do not think this is a sustainable interpretation.  I would agree that keeping Homer in her bed is an attempt to hang onto something, though, and that something is love. All the circumstances of Miss Emily's life conspired to prevent her from having love.  Her father found all potential suitors unsuitable, and even after he died and Miss Emily begins to see Homer, people in the town who think this a disgrace intervene to the point of consulting the minister, who gets in touch with Miss Emily's cousins.  The cousins, they believe, should be able to put a stop to this unsuitable relationship.  The only way Miss Emily is able to convince herself she is loved is to kill Homer and put him in her bed.

If Miss Emily were trying to hang onto or restore the earlier, more successful days of her family, would she have chosen a Yankee construction foreman? Such a man would have been frowned upon by her father and all those in the same class as her family.  Did she deliberately choose a man whom her father would have considered unsuitable?  Was this her revenge against her father, who prevented her from marrying?  Perhaps. But certainly, she chose a man who showed an interest in her and whom few people would miss if he disappeared. 

The theme of the story could be one of several, I think.  One theme is the fall of the plantation class after the Civil War and the damage that plantation class did to its progeny, who were unable to escape or change when life changed in the South after the war.  Women particularly lacked the wherewithal to adjust to the changed circumstances, having been cossetted, pampered, and only groomed to marry and manage plantation households.  Gone with the Wind notwithstanding, Southern women were singularly ill-suited to carry on in a new world.  There are other supportable themes in the story, and perhaps you will want to consider an idea of your own. 

In Fahrenheit 451, what is written on the firemen's helmets?

In the future society of the novel, a "fireman" is not a person who rushes to the scene of a fire to put it out. Instead, they are the censorship arm of the government, and they travel to places where people are suspected of keeping books to root them out and burn them with flamethrowers.

With his symbolic helmet numbered 451 on his stolid head, and his eyes all orange flame with the thought of what came next, he flicked the igniter and the house jumped up in a gorging fire that burned the evening sky red and yellow and black.
(Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451, Google Books)

The number 451 is not Montag's identification number, but the temperature at which paper ignites; all the firemen wear these helmets, not for personal protection but to identify them as firemen, in charge of destroying books. Montag is literally tagged by the government, his purpose in life chosen for him, and everyone can see who and what he is at a glance.

Why was it such an exciting event for the children to have books to read?

During this era, the early 1930's, in the South, the schools were small rural schools that didn't have much money.  The people didn't have much money either and couldn't afford to go out and just buy books when they wished. 

The schools were Black children attended were not really funded very well at all.  Most of their textbooks and reading materials were passed down from the "white schools." At one point in the story Cassie refuses to take a "new" book because it had been handed down from another school.  These books were used, old, and not in very good condition.  Whenever the students got new materials it was a treat.  Even when some of the books were "hand-me-downs" it meant a lot for the students to have books.

Can you give me ten adjectives to describe the character of Cassius in Julius Caesar?

In "Juilius Caesar," Caesar himself describes Cassius as "lean and hungry," a man who thinks too much and is "dangerous" (I, ii, 193-195).

Cassius is these things and more.  He is envious of Caesar, speaking of him as a Colossus.  Cassius is manipulative of Brutus, telling him

I have not from your eyes that gentleness/And show of love as I was wont to have (I,ii,32-33)

In his manipulations, he is fauning before Brutus, flattering him in order to further sway him to think as he does. Cassius, then, is suggestive, telling Brutus that they groan "underneath this age's yoke" (I,ii,61). He is seductive in his language to Brutus, telling him

I, your glass/Will modestly discover to yourself/That of yourself which you yet know not of. (I,ii,68-70)

Certainly, Cassius is deceptive and dishonorable because he deceives Brutus by playing to Brutus's own sense of honor:

I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,/As well as I do know your outward favor./Well, honor is the subject of my story...(I,ii,90-93)

In truth, honor is not the subject of his story.  He leads Brutus to believe that he has the same noble principles as Brutus when it is power that Cassius desires, not the good of Rome, as Brutus wants.

Clearly, Cassius is shrewd as he knows how to sway his brother-in-law, Brutus.  Later in the play, Cassius is quarrelsome with Brutus, but does he defer to Brutus, who is well-respected, thus again showing shredness.

Is this a simile or a metaphor?On hypnopaedia: "Not so much like drops of water, though water, it is true, can wear holes in the hardest...

It functions as both. Or rather, it functions as an anti-simile and a metaphor. Instead of comparison, hypnopaedia is contrasted with water: "Not so much like drops of water." But after the semi-colon, the structure is metaphoric. There is no "like" or "as"--hypnopaedia is referred to instead as "drops of liquid ceiling wax",not "like drops of liquid ceiling wax." The distinction is minuscule, but essential.

Similes imply similarity; metaphors imply actuality. Although both are comparisons, metaphors are more all-encompassing--exactly what hypnopaedia is described as in this quote. It reflects the almost symbiotic nature of sleep-teaching. Rather than remaining an external force, one internalizes the concepts, making them a part of one's self. Notice Huxley's build-up to that revelation: "adhere, incrust, incorporate." First the ideas stick in one's mind, then they slowly cover the surface, until finally they intertwine completely with one's psyche. So Huxley's metaphor gives life to the nature of hypnopaedia.

In The Kite Runner, what is the significance of the scar that Amir develops as a result of the confrontation? Why is it important?

After recovering from the beating he endures in order to rescue Hassan's son Sohrab, Amir develops a scar on his lip which resembles the scar Hassan had born since childhood, also on his lip. This is both ironic and symbolic. Amir's new scar makes him more like Hassan, just as his rescue of Sohrab makes him more like Hassan: Amir rescued Sohrab from Assef, just as Hassan once had rescued Amir from Assef. To further the irony, it is with his slingshot that Sohrab saves Amir from being beaten to death by Assef, just as his father also had used his slingshot to save Amir from Assef many years before. Amir's scar becomes a badge of honor and courage. He is no longer isolated by the shame and guilt he had carried with him since he and Hassan had been children together.

What does Wemmick do to help Pip in Chapter 45?

Remember the last action in Chapter 44 - Pip receives a note from Wemmick telling him not to go home. Acting on this note, Pip goes and spends the night at a grubby inn and the following day he goes to find Wemmick. Wemmick explains that he has learned that Compeyson is trying to catch Magwitch and was watching Pip's rooms. Wemmick also passes on Magwitch's new whereabouts because Herbert has moved him to Clara's house. Wemmick therefore helps Pip by passing on information relevant to Magwitch and Pip's attempt to hide him.

Thomas Paine compared Britain to a thief who breaks into a house. How does he use this comparison to motivate colonists to fight?The story is named...

In "The Crisis, No.1," Thomas Paine writes

Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death. My own line of reasoning is to myself as straight and clear as a ray of light.  Not all the treasure of the world, so far as I believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for I think it murder; but if a thief breaks into my house, burns and destroys my properoty, and kills or threatens to kill me, or those that are in it, and to "bind me in all cases whatsoever," to his absolute will, am I to suffer it?

The analogy of the thief for the British is used by the outspoken Paine to emphasize the unfounded "offensive war" of the British against the personal rights of the Colonists.  The British were stationed in doorways, property was confiscated, men were pressured to give up their arms.  So, Paine considers them analogous to "thieves" who come into the homes of the Colonists, violating their privacy.

Analogies are used often in argument or persuasion to demonstrate the logic of one idea by showing how it is similar to another, accepted idea.

Do you think Bella is a Jacob girl or an Edward girl? Tell me what you think.

Obviously, based on the reading, Edward is her choice.  I think the evidence is she is drawn to both, however as in many teenage romances, the one offering romance, mystery and excitemnts wins out.  But when one reads carefully, you see she trusts Jacob with not only her life, but her daughter's as well.  I think if she had learned of the changes occurring in Jacob's community first, we may have a completely different romance. 

How does the theme of appearance vs. reality lead to Amir's downfall in The Kite Runner?

In speaking of Amir's "downfall," I assume you are referring to Amir's betrayal of Hassan when they were boys in Afghanistan, but you might be referring to Amir's jealousy and insecurity as a boy. The conflict between appearance and reality, however, plays a role in both of these situations. While he is growing up, Amir suffers as the result of false assumptions on his part. It appears to Amir that his father does not love him. Amir internalizes what he perceives to be a lack of love, coming to feel that he is unworthy, that he lacks whatever it is that would make him acceptable to his father. It is only after making their dangerous escape from Afghanistan and settling in California that Amir grows close to Baba and realizes that his father does love him and has always loved him, even when he seemed to expect a great deal from Amir.

Also, while he was growing up, Amir had no way of knowing Baba's real relationship to Hassan. To Amir, it appeared that Baba loved Hassan more--or at least as much--as he loved his own son. Baba's affection and kind treatment of Hassan, who was only a servant, made Amir feel even more rejected by his father and even more insecure. Again, only after growing up does Amir learn the truth: Baba treated Hassan like a son not because he loved him more than he loved Amir, but because Hassan was his son, just as Amir was his son.

While he was growing up, what appeared to Amir as being the truth was, in fact, not reality. Being deceived by appearances, Amir grew up feeling insecure, angry, and ashamed--feelings that led to his betrayal of Hassan by forcing him out of their home.

In Chapter 12 of The Scarlet Letter, Chillingworth appears at the scaffold at the same time as the appearance of the meteor. Why?

There are three scenes in the novel which take place at the scaffold, and Chillingworth is present in each one. Chapter 12 recounts the events of the second time the characters visit the scaffold. Dimmesdale climbs the steps alone, seeking relief from his terrible guilt; there is no relief for him, however, because his act of contrition is hidden by the dark night and no one hears his tormented cries. When Pearl and Hester happen upon him, Pearl asks if he will stand with her and her mother in the light of day. He will not.

The appearance of the meteor, the fantastic red light in the sky, interrupts the scene in a mysterious way. It does not, in fact, take the definite shape of the letter A. It is Dimmesdale who sees it as such. The narrator notes that a man with a different sin might have observed it differently. Nevertheless, it is in this weird and unnatural light that Chillingworth enters the scene, his features distorted in the illumination. Dimmesdale is repulsed by him, demands to know who he is, and tells Hester that he hates him. Chillingworth skillfully convinces Dimmesdale to come down from the scaffold and leads him home. His seemingly solicitous manner hides his real purpose: to keep the minister from a public confession so that Chillingworth can continue his revenge. So long as Dimmesdale bears his guilt, he will continue to live in torment.

The dramatic composition of the scene works symbolically to develop the novel's major theme. Dimmesdale's "scarlet letter" in the sky symbolizes his deeply felt guilt, the scaffold symbolizes confession and freedom from his guilt, and when Dimmesdale reaches what seems to be a moment of supernatural revelation when he might well make his confession public, Chillingworth's entrance "breaks the spell," and Dimmesdale reverts to his own weak nature:

With a chill despondency, like one awakening, all nerveless, from an ugly dream, he yielded himself to the physician, and was led away.

Chillingworth appears at the exact moment when Dimmesdale, transfixed by his vision of the fiery scarlet letter above him, might well have escaped him.

When was Jesus born?

While trying to find and answer to this question I came across this explanation by Andreas Köstenberger - October 4th, 2007. posted at http://www.biblicalfoundations.org/bible

It states that Jesus’ birth most likely took place in late November of 5 B.C. (the most authoritative treatment of which I am aware is Paul L. Maier, “The Date of the Nativity and the Chronology of Jesus’ Life,” in Chronos, karios, Christos: Nativity and Chronological Studies Presented to Jack Finegan [ed. J. Vardaman and E. M. Yamauchi; Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1989], 113–30). Based on a christian perspective if you look at Luke 3:23, Jesus was “about 30 years old” when he began his ministry. If Jesus was born in 5 B.C. (as argued above) and began his ministry, as is indicated by all four Gospels, shortly after that of John the Baptist (that is, in the latter part of the year A.D. 29), this would mean that Jesus was about 33 years old when he began his public ministry (see H. W. Hoehner, Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1977], 31–37 and B. Messner, “’In the Fifteenth Year’ Reconsidered: A Study of Luke 3:1,” Stone-Campbell Journal 1 [1998]: 201–11).

John’s Gospel records Jesus’ appearance at at least 3 Passovers: (1) in Jerusalem (2:13, 23); (2) in Galilee (6:4); and (3) again in Jerusalem (11:55; 12:1). In addition, it is likely that he attended a fourth Passover not recorded in John but recorded in the Synoptics (Matt 12:1 pars.?). This adds up to a length of about 3 ½ years for Jesus’ ministry. If he began his ministry in late A.D. 29, this brings us to A.D. 33 for the crucifixion. It so happens that because of astronomical calculations A.D. 30 and 33 are the only possible dates for Jesus’ crucifixion as far as the date of Passover in these two years is concerned (for the dating of the four Passovers in question see esp. C. J. Humphreys and W. G. Waddington, “The Jewish Calendar, a Lunar Eclipse, and the Date of Christ’s Crucifixion,” Tyndale Bulletin 43 [1992]: 331–51, esp. 335).

Finally, John 2:20 says that the temple was completed 46 years ago (see for this translation A. J. Köstenberger, John [BECNT; Grand Rapids: Baker, 2004], 109–10). According to Josephus, the renovation of the temple building proper started in 20/19 B.C. (Antiquities 15.11.1 §380), with completion 18 months later in 18/17 B.C. (Antiquities 15.11.6 §421). Again, counting from 18/17 B.C., adding 46 years brings us to A.D. 29 (there was no year zero)—a great way to check our math above!

Another source, http://wiki.answers.com, indicates that he was probably born about 4 B.C. Jesus was born on or before 4BCE, because Herod died 4BCE.

Jesus was born on or after 6CE, because Cyrenius became governor of Syria on 6CE:-

Luke2:2 And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. 2:3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 2:4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 2:5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

Why has Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men been a popular novel?

It is a study of different forms of loneliness, and the bleakness and sadness resonate with readers.  There is a universality in the portrayal of these characters.

For example, Crooks is a negro living in a white society.  Not only is he lonely because the lives of the workers were shifting and impermanent, but also because of racism and unkindness with which he is unjustifiably treated.  It is also psychologically accurate; think about Crooks' reactions in the chapter which focuses on him.  He longs for company and cautiously invites people into his room, while his anger and hurt make him want to reject visitors.  This dual process reflects the inner conflict that humans often battle with.

Curley's wife might be said to represent downtrodden women, treated as negligible. ('Ain't she a lulu'?).  She is not even given a name. She handles every situation clumsily and, when feeling insulted, lashes out at the person who is yet lower in the hierarchy. ('I could get you strung up').  Yet, her life is wretched, and she is dehumanised by the treatment she has received all her life.

Look at each character from the point of view of their loneliness.  They reflect the sadness of human existence.

How does Walton respond to the stranger? Why do you think Walton is attracted to the stranger?

Robert Walton brings the stranger, who we later learn is Victor Frankenstein, on board his ship. His crew cares for the sick man, while Walton listens to his tale. Walton is disbelieving at first, but he & his crew glimpse the creature making its way across the ice. Walton's personality is a mixture of Frankenstein and the creature: a rational, scientific thinker, concerned with facts and the practical matters of his expedition, but also a Romantic adventurer, eager for the rewards of new experiences and sensitive to human emotions. Walton is established as a reliable reporter, so his description of his passenger as an honest, sincere man, makes his bizarre story more believable.

Walton and his passenger share a common bond in their Romantic natures. Both men desire to explore the unknown and are inspired by grand ideas. There is also a strong emotional tie between the two, and they are both quite sensitive and sympathetic towards each other. Both Victor and Walton are typical Romantic characters. Victor immediately understands Walton’s need for a close, spiritual friend. Walton is very aware of the terrible sadness that envelops his guest; he feels a kinship towards him, believing him to be a person of great intuition and judgment.

Walton and his new passenger are alike in other ways. They are both sensitive, compassionate men who began their respective adventures with lofty visions, excited at the thought of the great discoveries they intend to make. They were both willing to endure great hardship in order to achieve their goals, and they were single-minded in the pursuit of their objectives.

What is the difference between fats and oil?We call the fats in our body "fats", but the oil on our faces is called "oil". What is the difference...

Fats and oils are the same or similar chemical substances called hydrocarbons. They are organic solvent in nature but not soluble in water. The saturated fats are normally tend to be solid , while the unsaturated fats are in liquid forms. In otherwords,Oils  have  lower melting point.  Fats  being saturated have all the carbon atoms hold on all the hydrogen atoms , where as in the unsaturated fat or oils, the carbon atoms could hold still more hydrogen atoms. Unsaturated can be hydrogenated or added with hydrogen atoms- a tecnology of food prducts.Foods prepared with fats normally stay with it, those preared in oil try getting separated from the food.

Fats are highly cocentrated in energy, compared carbohydrates and proteins. They also dissolve the vitamins A,B,D, K etc. Petroleum, keroscene are also oils of high concentrated energy and so they are best fuels to produce the heat energy.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird", who is Mr. Radley?

There are three possibilites.  One is the father of the Radley household, a Mr. Radley, who had two sons.  He was the patriarch of the family for a long time, a "foot-washing Baptist" (someone who takes the bible very literally, and is super strict), and, as Cal states, "the meanest man God ever blew breath into."  He is the one who went to the courthouse on behalf of his son, Arthur, who had gotten in trouble and was going to be sent to a boys' school.  He told the judge he would make sure Arthur never got in trouble again.  He took Arthur home, and pretty much kept him prisoner in their home for the rest of his life.  After Mr. Radly number one died, Arthur's older brother (Nathan Radley) came back home to live, taking old Mr. Radley's place, and he was just as mean.  So, Nathan is referred to as Mr. Radley also.

In the book Boo Radley (Arthur) is sometimes referred to as Mr. Radley, especially at the end when they have more interaction with him.  But, he is nicknamed Boo because the neighborhood children live in fear that he is a "malevolent phantom", and the townspeople sprea rumors about his crimes.  Really, as you will discover, he is a super nice guy.

I hope that helps; good luck!

What is the message of the book Angels and Demons by Dan Brown?In about 20-25 WORDS.

Dan Brown's Angels & Demons depicts the struggle between religion and science.  For hundreds of years, the church has been at odds with modern science, as evidenced by Robert Langdon's referencing the history of persecution that the church embarked on to silence the voices of great scientists, Galileo.

In particular, the book is about a power struggle, within the church, which is depicted by the rogue Camerlengo's behavior.  He wants to preserve tradition in an absolute way, while other clergy want to be more inclusive of modern science and thought.

The book depicts a race against time to save the cardinals who are marked for execution using symbolism that is known to be part of an ancient society the Illuminati.  What is striking about the plot twist is that a member of the clergy uses a supposed arch enemy of the church to execute those cardinals that he does not want as Pope.

In conclusion, I would sum up by saying that the book is a fictional depiction of a power struggle that occurs within the Roman Catholic church regarding the opposing forces of tradition and a more modern inclusive approach.

This struggle is actually real in one sense, the church constantly discusses old traditions, such as clergy not being able to marry, no women clergy,  but they go round and round, and things never change.  So Dan Brown imagined that that one member of the high ranking Vatican clergy got so deeply involved in a plot to make sure that discussions of changing any traditions in the church never went any further.

Protecting tradition, in the name of God, using murder, deception and a willingness to die for the cause.

What is an example of a simile in Paradise Lost?

A simile is an explicit comparison between two unlike objects. Similes are quite common & frequent in all kinds of poetry. Milton's PARADISE LOST is an epic, and epic/Homeric similes substantially contribute to its grand, elevated style. Epic similes are sustained and elaborate comparisons first employed by Homer; that's why they are called 'Homeric' similes.

In PARADISE LOST(book1), you may consider those lines in which Satan, lying in the gulf of fire, is compared to the mythical Leviathan deluding the mariners on the Norwegian sea.The simile goes on and on for some ten lines, the primary explicit point of similarity bwtween them being their monstrous hugeness. But the Miltonic simile goes beyond the explicit to become functional and proleptic. Just as the Leviathan deceived the sailors by pretending to be an island and therefore a safe shelter for them, Satan is also a deceitful creature having deluded the angels, and subsequently the parents of mankind.

What do the numerous murders and much rampant violence throughout the novel portray?Why would Shelley incorporate so much brutal violence into the...

Much of Shelley's use of violence is simply in keeping with the Gothic elements of Romanticism.  Gothic works possess mysterious settings, dark deeds, and tortured souls.  While many high school students think of Poe as insane (he was a little strange), much of his writing stems from what was popular for his time.  The British Romanticists such as Shelley came before Poe and established the violence and mystery associated with Gothic writing.

So, while Shelley does include the senseless murders to fit her Gothic genre and to entertain, she also had additional motivation for doing so.  The author grew up in a setting where learning, even on the part of women, was encouraged.  She often sat in on conversations between her father and scientists/philosophers of the day.  Readers can see their influence on Shelley's writing.  She uses this insatiable quest for knowledge, both on Victor's and Walton's parts, to illustrate the dangerous consequences of obsession.

Victor, of course, believes that he is guilty for much of the violence because he created the murderer.  The Monster's murders are perhaps an exaggeration of how science can go wrong, but they do make a point.  Shelley, as a Romanticist, would have been more interested in showing how humans should go to nature for answers about life.  She was writing against the modern thinking of her day that proposed that pure science could answer man's questions about the meaning of life, etc.

How has Scotland changed under Macbeth's rule?

Under Macbeth's rule, Scotland changed for the worse. Macbeth killed the good old king Duncan, and Duncan's sons, Malcolm & Donalbin, escaped to England & Ireland respectively for their safety. Constantly suffering from a guilty conscience & a deep psychological fear, Macbeth proves to be a cruel, tyrannical king, haunted by the prophecy that Banquo's issues would be the future kings. Murderers appointed by him kill Banquo & attempt to kill Banquo's son, Fleance. Subsequently, Macbeth gets the family of Macduff killed. As Macbeth moves from fear to fear, he unleashes a reign of terror in Scotland, killing wholesale whomsoever he doubts to be his enemy and therefore, a traitor.

In act3 sc.6, a Lord, while in conversation with Lennox, refers to Macduff's visit to the court of the English king to initiate a military campaign against Macbeth so that life returns to normal: '.......we may again / Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights, / Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives, / Do faithful homage and receive free honours:/ All which we pine for now'.

Ross, talking to Lady Macduff in act4 sc.2, uses the analogy of a voyage to suggest the state of affairs in Scotland under Macbeth's rule: 'But cruel are the times, when we are traitors/ And do not know ourselves, when we hold rumour / From what we fear, yet know not what we fear, / But float upon a wild and violent sea / Each way and move'.

How Scotland changed under the despotic violence of Macbeth is best expressed in the Macduff-Macbeth conversation in act4 sc.3. We hear Macduff say, 'Each new morn / New widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrows / Strike heaven on the face, that it resounds/ As if it felt with Scotland and yell'd out / Like syllables of dolour'. Malcolm responds in the similar vein of melancholy anguish:'I think our country sinks beneath the yoke;/ It weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gash / Is added to her wounds...' Later in the same scene, Ross describes the deplorable state of Scotland in highly coloured language:

" It cannot

Be call'd our mother, but our grave; where nothing,

But who knows nothing, is once seen to smile;

Where sighs and groans and shrieks that rend the air

Are made, not mark'd; where violent sorrow seems

A modern ecstasy; the dead man's knell

Is there scarce ask'd for who; and good men's lives

Expire before the flowers in their caps,

Dying or ere they sicken".

Are there any subplots in A&P?

I would offer that there is a subplot in A&P.  The main story has to do with Sammy, the protagonist in the story struggles with his feelings of confinement in the A&P, the place where he works, which to him is also symbolic for the establishment.  At his age, Sammy is dealing with his feelings of rebellion against the establishment when he makes fun of the people who shop in the store, the absolute meaninglessness of the job, the repetition, for Sammy, the absolute boredom that he experiences as he does his job.

This is going on before the girls walk into the store, so when the girls enter, they create a subplot or a storyline that is subordinate to the main plot, but also contributes to the main plot, it is a dramatic subplot which heightens the concentration level of the feelings of rebellion in Sammy.  If Sammy was a stick of dynamite, figuratively, waiting, knowing that he would explode at some point, think of the girls entering the story as the match that lights the fuse. Their presence in the store sends Sammy into full blown rebellion, actionable rebellion, not just thoughts of rebellion. Without this inciting incident, Sammy might have mindlessly worked at the register in the A&P thinking about rebellion but never acting on it.

The subplot is dramatically linked to the main plot, which is Sammy's feelings of rebellion, the girls entering the store dressed only in bathing suits opens up a whole new line of rebellion which Sammy immediately accesses and becomes emboldened by, so much so that he quits his job.

So the two plots are closely linked dramatically, the subplot contributes to the climax of the story and therefore is the type of subplot that is closely associated with the main plot, not a parallel subplot.

What is the difference between a "plaint" and "suit"?

Well, because your question is posted under "Law and Politics," I will assume that you are speaking about the terminology in those genres.  I also am going to limit my answer to their usage in the United States of America in regards to the difference between a "plaint" and a "suit." 

Please realize that the word "plaint" is not used much in American Law.  Instead, we have a definition for "complaint" and a "plaintiff."  The good news is, it pretty much means the same thing.  A complaint is the very first paperwork or document that is put on file with the court (usually by the Clerk), and it is done by the person/business/organization that is claiming their right against another person/business/organization.  The person who is filing the complaint, in United States Law, is called the plaintiff.  The person/business/organization on the defensive (who didn't put in the complaint) is called the defendant.

The word "suit," again, used less often in the United States, is just a shortened form of the word lawsuit.  Further, it's a really general term for ANY legal filing.  The word "lawsuit" is a very common term, again, for any legal filing that involves a case to be figured out within a court of law.

What is the role of Tom Sawyer in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? What is his "function"?

Tom an incurable romantic appears as a foil character to the more pragmatic Huck. Tom and Huck are dramatic opposites. Tom likes adventures and plots. Tom complicates things just for the sheer pleasure of a drama or complication.

Huck's life and friendship with Jim are very basic and plain. Huck has experienced true hardship, abuse, and want as a result of being in the custody of his alcoholic and abusive father.

Tom's wants to feel that he is "without", but in reality, he lives well, has plenty to eat, and has a nice comfortable home in which to live. The extreme nature of Tom serves to highlight the very pure and basic friendship that has developed between Jim and Huck.

Tom is a "wannabe" rebel, but Huck is the genuine article. Tom wants to smoke, but he doesn't have the stomach for it. Tom is all about showing off and having fun, no matter who may be hurt in the pranks and revelry.

Huck on the other hand, is a serious rebel and smoker. He is concerned with the outcome of real-life situations. Huck is concerned for the rescue of his friend Jim, who is a better friend to Huck than Tom Sawyer. Huck has to deal with some crooks who intend to kill one of their partners. Huck has to come to terms with "white society and racism" or helping his friend Jim escape to Cairo, Illinois (a free state).

Tom's need for adventure obscures the desperate reality of Jim's runaway slave situation. Most of Tom's problems in life are pretend or made-up. He views life as an adventure out of a book or story. Tom's overly complicated rescue of Jim simply makes no sense to Huck who comes up with the idea of simply lifting the bedpost up so the chain can slip under it.

What does Atticus tell Jem about why the jury took so long to convict Tom?Chapter 23 o "To Kill a Mockingbird"

Deeply affected by the testimony and outcome of the trial of Tom Robinson, Jem discusses the death sentence for Tom, the selection process of a jury, and its decision with Atticus in Chapter 23 of "To Kill a Mockingbird."  When Jem remarks that "Tom's jury sho' made up its mind in a hurry," Atticus contradicts this statement.

'No, it didn't,' he said, more to himself than to us. 'That was the one thing that made me think, well, this may be the shadow of a beginning.'

Atticus hoped that the people of Maycomb were about to cure themselves of their "usual disease," but they did not.  However, as Atticus explains to Jem, by the fact that the jury deliberated for some time, there was an indication that someone disagreed with the general consensus and "took considerable wearing down--in the beginning he was rarin' for an outright acquittal."

When Jem asks who this person is, Atticus tells Jem, "He was one of your Old Sarum friends."  Jem figures it must be one of the Cunninghams, but he does not understand since Mr. Cunningham was one of the mob that accosted Atticus at the jail before the trial.  First, Jem comments, they wanted to kill Tom, then they were ready to acquit him.  Atticus explains,

He said the other things about them was, once you earned their respoect they were for you tooth and nail.  Atticus said he had a feeling...that they left the jail that night with considerable respect for the Finches....'If we'd had two of that crowd, we'd've had a hung jury.'

Jem is surprised that Atticus put a man on the jury who "wanted to kill" him, but Atticus explains that Cunningham was the only "uncertainty on the whole list."  This discussion of the Cunninghams makes Scout feel pride in her having defended Walter Cunninghams at school that first day, for she realizes that the Cunningham have character.

What is the theme of "A White Heron"?

Several themes are developed in the story, but the primary theme is one of self-discovery. "A White Heron" is an initiation story, a narrative in which the protagonist changes in a significant way as the result of an experience. In an initiation story, the main character comes to understand something previously unknown about himself or herself or about life itself. In this story, Sylvia's experience with the white heron leads to an understanding of herself and her own values.

When she comes to live with her grandmother in the country, Sylvia is a shy, lonely child of the city. She spends her time outdoors, by choice, fitting into her new natural surroundings. The arrival of the hunter brings a new element into her life. She likes him, feels the first stirrings of young love, and wants to please him. Those emotions and his offer of ten dollars to help him find the heron (money her grandmother needs) motivate Sylvia to seek the heron's nest. 

Sylvia climbs the tallest pine in the forest, watches the sun rise, sees the ocean, and spies the nest in the forest below her. The white heron itself appears, a singular sight of tremendous beauty, floating free and safe in its own surroundings. By climbing the pine tree, Sylvia has left her own limited world and entered one unknown to her, the world of the heron high above the earth, one of nature's grandeur. In those moments, she becomes a part of all she sees and feels.

Returning home, Sylvia disappoints the hunter and her grandmother. She remains mute when asked to reveal the location of the nest:

The murmur of the pine's green branches in her ears, she remembers how the white heron came flying through the golden air and how they watched the sea and the morning together, and Sylvia cannot speak; she cannot tell the heron's secret and give its life away.

Sylvia has changed in a profound way. Through her experience in the pine tree, she has become aware of truth she did not know existed, and it has become a part of her. Sylvia's values are now clearly defined. She will not be one to endorse or embrace destruction; she will, instead, value life and beauty. 

To what extent does the conflict in "The Crucible" create heroes and villains?

The conflict in The Crucible does create opportunities for heroes and villains.  For example, between the accusers and the accused, heroes and villains are created.  Abigail Williams, the chief accuser becomes a villain by the end of the play, particularly because she abandons her commitment, having lied and manipulated the court, when she realizes that the prize she wanted out of the whole process is now unattainable.

That prize of course if John Proctor, who by virtue of his courageous death at the end of the play becomes a hero.  Another hero who emerges as a martyr in the play is Rebecca Nurse, who is falsely accused by Ann Putnam, who is a bitter, jealous woman, angry at having lost so many of her babies to infant death.

Elizabeth Proctor emerges as a hero or martry as well, because of the sacrificial nature of her suffering.  She has done nothing wrong, but becomes the main target of Abigail Williams who wants to get rid of her.

"Elizabeth, like [George Bernard] Shaw's St Joan [in his play of that name], has learnt through suffering that 'God's most precious gift is not rife at any price, but the life of spiritual freedom and moral integrity."

Giles Corey is heroic in his refusal to plead to the charges brought against him, he dies rather than admit or deny his involvement in witchcraft in order to protect his property for his family.  Being accused is the same as being found guilty in this particular situation in Salem.

Reverend Hale comes into Salem believing that he is a hero who is capable of diagnosing and casting out witches, but he is humbled by the events in the town, becoming a symbol for the hypocritical nature of the accusations made in the name of God.  Reverend Hale comes to realize that the witch trials are being used by the townspeople to exact revenge or pursue personal vendettas, they have nothing to do with the actual presence of witches, however, the presence of evil is real in the actions of those who use the events to punish their neighbors.

Which event takes place in the rising action of the story "All Summer in a Day"? by Ray Bradbury

There are a few elements that take place as part of the rising action in "All Summer in a Day."  The first event would be the collective isolation of Margot.  I think that all the acts that set out to ostracize or target Margot can count as event that lead to rising action.  The jeers, the looks, the collective sense of doubting her and envying her at the same time would be examples of this.  Recall that they dislike Margot and envy her at the same time because she has seen the sun on Earth and might be returning back there.  The critical action in the rising action would the boy's suggestion when the teacher leaves to lock Margot in the closet.  This is the last moment of talk and discussing ways to target her, for this leads to the first overt and physical act against Margot.  When they lock her in the closet, this could be the pinnacle of the story, the climax.  It is the first time when talk turns to action, representing the very essence of the tyranny of the majority.

What is the theme of "The Proposal" by Anton Chekhov?

Themes for this one act play by Chekhov that is a comedy or a satire, include making fun of romance and marriage. Chekhov examines the true nature of marriage, an institution of necessity in his time that did not necessarily need to include romance and love.  

The idea that marriage is an arrangement between two people, rather business like, without romance or love, which Chekhov illustrates by having the two people involved in the proposal bicker and argue until they agree to get married at the end where you know they will continue to bicker and argue.

In Chekhov's time marriage would have been considered an economic necessity, more for financial security than love.  

This fast-paced one act play was very popular when performed in the late 19th century.  Chekhov enjoys making fun of such a fundamental component of life, marriage.  He did not take romance and marriage seriously, this is illustrated in other works by the author as well.

 In "The Proposal", he utilizes the relationship of two wealthy men to create a scenario where a daughter, Natalya Stepanovna, who is 25, and beyond her prime for marriage in the period and a bit of a shrew, is approached by her neighbor, seeking her hand in marriage.  But the three people are so stubborn that they can't stop arguing long enough for Lomov to actually propose.  And you have to wonder why he would want to propose to Natalya, who screams at him and insults him.  

Lomov is a bit old to be unmarried as well, and he is a hypochondriac, someone who thinks they are always sick. Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov, fumbles his proposal, trying to honor Natalya with kind words, but instead makes her angry and an argument starts that comes to include her father. The argument gets so heated that Lomov leaves after being totally insulted by the two, without proposing.

When Natalya finds out the Lomov had come to propose she wants him to come back to the house, but more arguing takes place when he enters, until finally the father instructs the two:

"CHUBUKOV: Hurry up and get married and--well, to the devil with you! She's willing! [He puts LOMOV'S hand into his daughter's] She's willing and all that. I give you my blessing and so on. Only leave me in peace!" (Chekhov) 

 You can only imagine how funny this play was to audiences of the late 19th century especially with the father wanting to get his daughter married off, but unable to resist arguing with her potential husband.  

Analyze the description of any one of the parties or gatherings, showing how it is used in the characterization of the participants.

In chapter 3, Nick describes one of Gatsby's parties. He tells us that he is most likely one of the few invited guests. This shows us that most of the people at the party are there of their own volition.  They are taking advantage of Gatbsy's hospitality to have a good time.  They drink his alcohol and eat his food and listen to his music.  Soon after arriving and finding Jordan there, Nick sits among a group of people who are gossiping about Jay Gatsby.  It's clear from their conflicting stories that none of them really know their host.  Again, this shows us that these people are nothing more than users - getting what pleasure they can from Gatsby's generosity.  At the first dinner of the evening, Nick sat with Jordan and her friends.  Nick notes that the people at the table were from East Egg and looked down on the West Egg people at the party.  This reflects the social snobbery that we see in other parts of the story, specifically the snobbery that Tom displays. Also this reaffirms the division of social classes that is a basic story line and theme.  Just as Jay can never fully enter Daisy's world, the East and West Egg inhabitants are separated.  Later, at the party, Nick runs into the man with the owl-eyed glasses who is sitting in Gatsby's library and is impressed that Gatsby's books are real.  This is the one person, besides Nick, at the party who sees beyond Gatsby as simply a host who is allowing them all to have a good time.  This man, though drunk, realizes that there is more to Jay Gatsby than what others see on the surface. This is shown again when the man in the owl-eyed glasses is one of the few who shows up at Jay's funeral. At the end of this chapter, there is an auto accident that displays the immorality of the people at the party.  The victims of the accident are drunk and don't seem to care that they've had a wreck.  This is typical of the people at these parties who are selfish and self-centered, just as Tom and Daisy are.

Outline the various uses of computing in business. Use examples to support your answer?

Though the word computing refers to mathematical calculations, the work of computing and computers now extends much beyond just mathematical calculations. Computers and computing are also used widely in many other areas such as communications, equipment operation and control, and entertainment. The uses of computing in business today are almost endless. However given below are some broad categories of business uses of computing.

• for mathematical calculations which are carried out in business for various purposes such as accounting, analysis, optimization decision based on mathematical models, and reporting.


• For storing and updating different kind of data required in business. This includes data about a wide range of subjects such as products, equipments, employees, suppliers, customers, sales, purchase, production, and monetary transactions. Many time such data may be captured automatically by computer for example data for billing of customers by telecommunication companies. Similarly it may also feed data automatically to people who need it. For example managers may be receive automatic warnings about malfunctioning of major equipments in a process plants.


• For preparing plans and progress reports.


• For preparing various documents required in business operations - for examples, invoices, purchase orders, pay orders, material requisitions and so on.


• For communication: Most obvious of this application is email, but much greater volume of data is communicated by way of on-line data transfer between different units within same company and between different companies.


• For carrying out business transactions such as selling and buying as ids done through B2B, B2C and C2C systems.


• Advertisements through the Internet.


• Product and process design.


• Operation and control of equipments. This includes among others numerically controlled machined, automatic process control systems, and robots.


• Creation and delivery of products for sale. For example, music delivered on-line over the Internet.


• For training: This includes training of employees as well as information dissemination to customers, buyers and other persons dealing with the company. In addition computer has become a major channel used by educational institutes.


• Actually conducting physical business operations - For example ATM and retail vending machines.

Whatever happened to Albert Camus' brother Lucien, after the French-Algerian writer's death in January 1960? When did he die? Did he flee Algeria?I...

Lucien Camus was the older brother of the absurdist writer and philosopher Albert Camus (1913-1960) and son of Lucien Camus Sr. Their father was killed at the Battle of the Marne in 1914. Camus the writer, winner of the 1957 Nobel Prize for Literature, died in a car accident in 1960 at the age of 46. In the biography, Albert Camus: The Artist in the Arena, by Emmett Parker, there is a footnote that states that brother Lucien was forced to flee Algeria during the turmoil that followed Algeria's declaration of independence in 1962. Camus' mother died in 1960; and Albert's second wife, Francine, died in 1979.

Why is the ozone layer getting thinner?

In the outer regions of the atmosphere(stratosphere), the layer of oxygen molecule O3 , called  ozone , protects the earth by absorbing the harmful rays belonging to the ultra violet spectra. The ultrra violet rays are harmful for the living beings - plants , animals or hamans. Ozone , after absorbing the ultra violet rays, splits into O2 and O and once again regenerates O3, the ozone. However ,trom  the man made chemicals , the free radicals of hyrooxyl and nitric oxide and atomic halogines that escape to the atmosphere react with the atomic oxygen. This cause the regenarion of O3 The Among these , the chloroflourocarbon(CFCl3) , is the major cause, to block the regeneration of the ozone.After use of the chemical, chloroflourocarbon, in refrigerators and air condtioners ,medicine,it escapes to atmosphere . The free chlorine atom has a higher reativity to with free oxygen atom to combine with to form chlorine monoxide:

O3 ---(after absorbing ultra violet rays)-----> O2   +   O

CFCl3 ---(ultraviolet ray)---> CFClO2  +  Cl

Cl +O3---ClO+O2

ClO+O3------------> Cl+2O2

From the above reaction we can see how the atomic halogines(Chlorine, Bromine ) have multi-cycles to prevent regeneration of  O3  from O2 ang O atoms .

Presently the thinning of ozone layers and the hole formations observed in the arctic regions. It is a dangerous trend  to the health of living beings that the thinning has been  gradually increasing over the years since 1970.

In "The Garden Party" by Katherine Mansfiled, explain why Laura wanted to stop the garden party when she heard about the accident.

Her reaction is quite understandable considering the profile of the character. Laura is very young, sensitive by nature, and has always lived in a protective world. The neighbour's accident at work is probably Laura's first real encounter and confrontation with tragedy. Quite naturally, she not only sympathizes but empathizes with the grieving family.  To let the garden party go on - oblivious to their pain - seems to be a demonstration of gross disrespect.

Laura learns through the reaction of her family, particulary that of her mother, that life goes on despite its trials and that the world cannot stop dead in its tracks each time someone faces disaster. Sorrow is an inherent part of existence, and its is not disgraceful to sympathize with someone's dilemma without actually suffering for it as well.

When I first read this story (young like Laura), I was a bit shocked by the inured tone of the author. Life has taught me since that she is more right than wrong.

In "Lamb to the Slaughter" Mary Maloney is cool and calculating when it comes to murder. Discuss.

After Mary Maloney realizes that she has killed her husband, her reaction is very calm, considering the circumtances.  One might expect her to freak out, to go into hysterics, to weep and sob, to have a panic attack, to pace about, etc.  Instead, she calmly assesses the situation.  Dahl writes of her reaction,

"All right, she told herself.  So I’ve killed him.  It was extraordinary, now, how clear her mind became all of a sudden... What were the laws about murderers with unborn children?...Mary Maloney didn’t know.  And she certainly wasn’t prepared to take a chance."

As she realizes what she has done, she also realizes that her baby might be in danger.  She knew that she needed to cover up the crime to protect the child.  So, being a detective's wife, she realizes that she needs an alibi.  Dahl points out that she is a detective's wife, and that probably aids in her ability to remain calm and to assesss the situation more clearly in terms of what needed to be done.  She goes to the store, concocts a story about Patrick being tired so not wanting to go out.  This establishes an alibit--she was at the store, so couldn't have murdered him.  Also, it leaks information that Patrick is at home, alone--the perfect setup for a murderer to enter.  She even mentions the lamb in the oven, to cover any possible suspicions of it being the weapon.  Then, on the way home, she tries to psych herself out to get in the right mindframe for making the call to the police.  She needs to sound shocked; on the way home she thinks,

"And now, she told herself as she hurried back, all she was doing now, she was returning home to her husband...and if, when she entered the house, she happened to find anything unusual, or tragic, or terrible, then naturally it would be a shock and she’d become frantic with grief and horror. "

This little pep talk works, and as she walks in and sees him on the floor, she actually feels shock.  She has been so calm this entire time, and seeing him there really hits her.  She uses this emotion in the phone call to sound sincerely upset.  After that, it isn't hard--the house is swarming with policemen, asking her questions, and they take the lead.  The last bit of cunning on her part is getting them to eat the evidence; very clever, and it isn't until the cops mention that the weapon is probably "right under our very noses" that she loses it and begins to giggle.  The story ends there, so who knows if she got a grip or lost it completely, but at least through the story, she displays remarkable calm and cleverness.  I hope that those thoughts helped; good luck!

Look at the concept of "fire" in the two places it appears in the story. How is it different and yet oddly unified?

Chopin's first mention of fire is a figurative one.  She describes Armand's first sight of Desiree in the following manner:

It was no wonder, when [Desiree] stood one day against the stone pillar in whose shadow she had lain asleep, eighteen years before, that Armand Aubigny riding by and seeing her there, had fallen in love with her. That was the way all the Aubignys fell in love, as if struck by a pistol shot. The wonder was that he had not loved her before; for he had known her since his father brought him home from Paris, a boy of eight, after his mother died there. The passion that awoke in him that day, when he saw her at the gate, swept along like an avalanche, or like a prairie fire, or like anything that drives headlong over all obstacles.

Chopin's second use of "fire" is, of course, at the story's surprise ending.  After Desiree has left L'Abri is disgrace, Armand commands his slaves to build a bonfire, and then he directs what is to be burned and in which order.

A graceful cradle of willow, with all its dainty furbishings, was laid upon the pyre, which had already been fed with the richness of a priceless layette. Then there were silk gowns, and velvet and satin ones added to these; laces, too, and embroideries; bonnets and gloves; for the corbeille had been of rare quality.

The last thing to go was a tiny bundle of letters; innocent little scribblings that Desiree had sent to him during the days of their espousal. There was the remnant of one back in the drawer from which he took them. But it was not Desiree's; it was part of an old letter from his mother to his father. He read it. She was thanking God for the blessing of her husband's love.

Both examples unify the story because they represent the passion of Armand and the men of his family. He falls in love with Desiree instantly, but his love is destructive; like a fire, it "destroys" all that is in its way.  Likewise, only a passionate man (or a man ruled by his emotions) would get rid of all his wife and child's reminders in such a dramatic fashion.  He watches the remnants burn just as his love for Desiree burned out.

The difference between the two scenes is that in the first, Chopin causes the reader to envision a man who is utterly taken with a woman and who will let nothing keep him from loving or being with her.  While most humans would love for another to feel this way about them, Chopin's choice of the word "fire" and "avalanche" does establish foreshadowing that a man of such passion might be dangerous. In the second scene, the literal fire establishes the end of the relationship and a revelation--that Armand's mother was part black.

In "The Crucible", how does the relationship between John and Elizabeth changed through out the play?thnk very much!

Although John and Elizabeth are a well respected couple among the Puritan community, their interpersonal relationship is strained when we are first introduced to them in the play.  There is a separation displayed between the small talk in which they engage in Act II.  There are several references to their strained marriage such as Elizabeth receiving and not returning a kiss from her husband.  Also, John remarks about the lack of flowers in the house by saying that "it's winter in here yet, Elizabeth."

It is clear that the issue of guilt is between the two of them for most of the play.  John's guilt stems from his infidelity with Abigail.  Elizabeth's judgement of him makes him search his soul for the "goodness" once present in it.  Elizabeth's guilt stems from her inadequacies of satisfying her husband. In Act IV, after being separated for over three months from her husband, Elizabeth's tenderness is demonstrated when she finally stops judging John for his infidelity and takes the blame on her shoulders. She says

"...it takes a cold wife to prompt lechery."

By admitting her part in the infidelity, Elizabeth realizes that she loves her husband dearly and remains silent when John asks her what he should do about signing the confession.  She knows that John must search deep into his soul to come up with the answers.  Her tender words

“whatever you will do, it is a good man does it”

is proof positive of the change in their relationship from the harshness in Act II to the tenderness in Act IV.

In what region of the universe does the Ghost in "Hamlet" reside?

In Act I sc.5 the ghost of Hamlet's father draws him away from his friends and then tells him:

"I am thy father's spirit,
Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night,
And for the day confined to fast in fires,
Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature
Are burnt and purged away."

These lines clearly tell us that the ghost resides in Purgatory, a place according to the Roman Catholics where the souls of the dead people suffer until they are pure enough to enter heaven.

In The Scarlet Letter, if Pearl is a symbol of two sides of Hester, which is most prominent and which does the greater good for Hester?

Pearl is a symbol of Hester's strong, passionate nature and her overwhelming love for Arthur Dimmesdale. She is also a symbol of moral lapse and the commission of sin. She acts as a living reminder every day that Hester has "fallen." But whose interpretations are these? Hester loves her daughter and finds joy and pride in her, but does she see Pearl as a symbol of sin? The community regards Pearl as the product of sin, and Hester appears to accept their view. However, she dresses Pearl in bright colors in stark contrast to the gray garments of the Puritans, and she tells Arthur that their "immoral" act was consecrated by love

For a while in the novel, it seems that Pearl (as a symbol of sin) is leading her mother to spiritual salvation. Hester herself makes this case when Pearl is about to be taken from her. However, when Hester has a reunion with Arthur in the forest, it becomes clear she has not repented for what the community perceives to have been their sin. She wants to leave with the man she loves, taking their daughter with them to enjoy a life together as a family.

All things considered, then, I would say that as symbol of Hester's love and passion, Pearl serves her mother better. It is Hester's love for Arthur and Pearl that sustains her for seven years as she endures the cruelty, humiliation, and condemnation inflicted upon her by the Puritan community. When Arthur dies, Hester takes Pearl and returns to England where Pearl grows up to enjoy a good life, having inherited Chillingworth's lands there. Hester eventually returns to the site of her adultery to live out her life:

But there was a more real life for Hester Prynne, here, in New England, that in that unknown region where Pearl had found a home. Here had been her sin; here, her sorrow; and here was yet to be her penitence.

Even in Hester's "penitence," however, she does not abandon the idea that love itself is a consecration. Growing old, she counsels the troubled women of the vilage:

She assured them, too, of her firm belief, that, at some brighter period, when the world should have grown ripe for it, in Heaven's own time, a new truth would be revealed, in order to establish the whole relation between man and woman on a surer ground of mutual happiness . . . showing how sacred love should make us happy, by the truest test of a life successful to such an end!

At the end of her life, Hester rejects sin, but she does not condemn the love she felt for Arthur which was embodied in their daughter.

Does Col. Sartoris Snopes show up in any of Faulkners work beside Barn Burning?

cpeacock17,

William Faulkner's “A Rose for Emily” introduces the legend of Colonel Sartoris, war hero, mayor, and first citizen, whose fame and influence linger, though he does not appear as a character.

Later, in “Barn Burning,” you can appreciate the boy hero’s given name. Addressing the boy (in 10), the Justice foreshadows the story’s conclusion: “I reckon anybody named for Colonel Sartoris in this country can’t help but tell the truth, can he?”

William Faulkner's "Barn Burning" is set against his vision of the ideals of the Confederacy, embodied in Major de Spain and Colonel Sartoris in much of Faulkner’s writing. Faulkner sets his vision of a more widely held ideal—cunning and self-centeredness—embodied in the Snopes family.

Flem Snopes, the older brother in “Barn Burning,” is a major character in "The Town", "The Mansion", and "The Hamlet"; Abner Snopes, the father in “Barn Burning,” is a lesser character in "The Unvanquished" and in "The Hamlet".

But the boy, Colonel Sartoris Snopes, does not appear in the novels.

Why is Part One summarized as The Hearth and the Salamander?

Part one of the book has to do with Montag's home, the hearth, and his job, which is symbolized by the Salamander on the fire truck.  In part one, Montag is initially happy with his life, but through part one, he begins to question his life.  He struggles with both internal and external conflicts, he has doubts about his job, and his home life begins to fall apart.

"In scene after scene, Montag becomes emotionally alienated from his work, his wife, and the people he works with. As this alienation increases, he reaches out to books and to the people who value them. His escape from the city to the refuge of the book people offers hope. He has escaped the alienation of the mechanical society he left behind."

His home life falls apart as he becomes estranged even further from his wife, who starts the book with an overdose of pills that she can't remember taking.  Montag begins to question to actions of Captain Beatty, he becomes more and more disillusioned.

"Fire, the salamander, the Mechanical Hound, and the number of the title are important symbols that Bradbury exploits in the novel. At 451 degrees Fahrenheit, paper will burn. Fire is a primary image in the book. In the work of the fireman, it is seen as a destructive force. It stamps out books and the freedom of thought that books represent. In the beginning, Montag enjoys its qualities."

In "To Kill a Mockingbird" why does Scout attend her aunt's meetings and teas?

In the beginning of chapter 24, Scout mentions that Jem and Dill had gone to "Barker's Eddy" so that Jem could teach Dill how to swim.  He had recently discovered Dill couldn't swim, which was "a skill Jem considered necessary as walking," so they had both left.  Scout couldn't come along, because they were "going in naked", and so she had to stay put at home.  So the first reason that she helps with the tea and the missionary meeting, is simply because she is there, and has nothing better to do.

One other possible reason is that Aunt Alexandra, since her arrival at the house, has been after Scout to behave more ladylike.  Attending her missionary circles might be "part of her campaign to teach [Scout] to be a lady."  Scout has to get all dressed up, help serve, and attend the "social" part of the meeting, in order to practice politeness and observe proper ladylike behavior.

So, a combination of unlucky loneliness and Alexandra's zeal to feminize Scout have led to her presence at the missionary meetings.  I hope that helps!  Good luck!

What is difference between Management Process & Management Functions?I m confused to understand difference between Management Process & Management...

General meaning of the terms function and process given in the answer posted above are quite correct. However these terms as applied to management have specific meanings which are quite different from those mentioned in answer above.

The term process of management process is used to describe the overall process of management applicable to management of all types of work, including that of business, industry, agriculture, government, or any other organization. Different authors and experts have defined the steps of this process in somewhat different ways. In general this process consists of following steps.

1. Planning or decision making:This also includes objective setting.


2. Organizing: This also includes Staffing


3. Leading or Motivating


4. Controlling: This includes monitoring and evaluating.

As per general usage in management, each step of the management process described above is called a separate management function, and collection of all the functions of management process covers the complete scope of management.

However management functions has other meanings. That is the complete field of management may may be divided in separate functions according to different classification criteria. Some of the commonly used classification of management functions include the following.

• Business function classification: For example classification in business functions like Marketing and HRM. Each of these functions of management may be further divided in sub-functions. For example the illustrative list of duties given in the answer above may all be considered sub-functions within HRM function.


• Management level  classification: Such as top- middle- and lower-management.


• Line and staff functions.


• Focus of overall versus detail: For example strategic management, management planning, and operational management.

In The Crucible, what are the negative and positive effects that conflict has on individuals?

I think it might be interesting to explore the positive outcome of the conflicts portrayed in the play. One obvious shift occurs with John and Elizabeth Proctor. Their marriage has been strained, and the public humiliation of having John's affair with Abigail exposed is challenging for Elizabeth. But when both are accused and in danger of being sent to the gallows, the two find enormous reserves of courage and dignity, buoyed up by their love for each other. John finds the strength to tear up his confession, even knowing he may be killed, and is inspired to do this because Elizabeth refuses to condemn her husband. The play's central conflict has to do with the misuse of power: fear and greed for power are shown as forces that encourage misanthropic behavior, but, through John and Elizabeth's actions, are here exposed as forces that can also inspire deep compassion and selflessness.

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 the trip to the beach, Gene flunks a test because he spent his study time at the beach instead of in his room.  When he and Finny talk about how much Gene studies, Gene begins to suspect that Finny is trying to keep him from studying in order to make sure that Gene doesn't overshadow Finny academically.  Gene wants to be valedictorian so he can prove he is just as good as Finny is at something, so he believes Finny is trying to sabotage his studies with trips to the beach, club meetings, blitzball, etc.  His own jealousy of Finny leads him to this conclusion, even though Finny never directly says anything to prove Gene's theory.  This all adds to Gene's guilt later in the story when he figures out that Finny was just trying to be a good friend all along.