What is Hornbeck's greatest impact on the play? Any good quotes to add to my discussion of it?

Hornbeck's impact on the play is to operate as the voice of anti- modernism in America.  In my mind, the play is a great thematic analysis of ideas that rise out of the 1920s.  With its emphasis on consumer culture, mass consumption, and the growth of the celebrity, there was a great deal of faith in the progress evident in American society and the nation, as a whole.  The Cates/ Scopes trial was intended to be the penultimate statement on religion vs. science.  The belief in progress was so present in the 1920s that society believed it could "settle" the debate between scientific evolution and religious creationism.  Hornbeck's function is to operate as the doubting voice of this progress, the anti- modernist.  He rejects the socially closed view of the fundamentalist South, for their belief systems preach that "they have the answer."  He places doubt in anyone or any structure that claims to have absolute understanding.  His voice throughout the play is to undercut and potential solutions at a "happy ending" and unifying vision.  In his voice, we see that the growth and progress of American democracy will always have its critics, which don't detract from it, but actually strengthen it.  A line of his that indicates this would be when he looks at the crowd gathered outside the courthouse, burning Cates in effigy, and says, "Well, those are the boobs that make our laws. That's the democratic process."

What is the importance of "The Tell Tale Heart"? Why did the author write it?Why do schools read it?

"The Tell-Tale Heart" is a great story to read in schools for several reasons.  One is that it is relatively short, so it holds the attention of students throughout the entire thing.  If something gets too long, students lose focus.  Also, it is very suspenseful.  From the very beginning the narrator confesses to a murder, and presents an intriguing case of potential insanity.  Students love tales about insane murderers; just look at the popularity of the horror/slasher movies in recent years.  About 50 of them come out every month.  :) So, it has a very intriguing and interesting storyline that grabs you from the very beginning.  Another reason that it is used in schools is that it is readable; the language isn't too difficult, the plot-line is easy to understand, the narrator explains what happens very clearly, and it has a super cool ending.  Also, it teaches some great lessons about the power of guilt, and the power of the conscience.  The beating heart, symbolizing the narrator's guilt, is a great lesson that one usually can't do bad deeds without some negative repercussions in the guilt department.  It also provides great debates on the question of whether the narrator is indeed insane or not, so great class discussions come out of it.

All of those reasons provide adequate reason for schools to read it in their classes.  As for why Poe wrote it, Poe was quite a dark character himself; he had suffered a lot of tragedy in his own life, so was acquainted with the darker parts of life, and of the soul.  Plus, he was a very entertaining storyteller, who liked to present stories from the perspectives of the bad guys; many other stories of his tell of a murder or bad deed done, from the point of view of the murderer.  He was a part of the Americah Gothic movement of writing, which liked to focus not on mankind's ideal traits, but on mankind's darker side-their potential for evil and vice.  So, being a part of that gothic movement, his tales tend to have that twist to them.

It sure is a fun tale to read and discuss; I hope that you enjoyed it!  I also provided some links below that discuss the themes and historical background, and that might help too.

Help with a conclusion!Hello everyone, i have to write an essay about exploring the power structure of The Tempest. I have written the whole essay...

A conclusion is a method of closing a paper or an essay.  Traditionally, a conclusion can and should do several things:

1)  Should readdress how a thesis statement (or purpose of the paper) was answered in the paper.  For example, if your thesis statement was that the power structure in The Tempest was based on fairness and opportunity, then your conclusion would restate that this idea was proven in the paper.

2)  A conclusion should bring to a close how your point was proven.  It should provide a level of "closure" or "summation" about what you said and how you said it.

3)  A conclusion should leave the reader with the feeling that they have read something of intellectual value and merit.

Some like to close a conclusion with generating more questions about the topic, but others prefer to simply summarize points and clearly explain the point they were trying to prove.  I think which method you choose is dependent on what you feel works for you and what you think your audience would prefer.  The most important element in a conclusion, in my mind, is that you clearly demonstrate that you have proven/ supported your thesis statement, or purpose of the paper, and have provided a sense of closure to the paper.

May I have a detailed explanation of the poem "La Belle Dame Sans Merci"?

In the Romantic Age there was a renewed interest in the ballad form which was sparked off by Percy's "Reliques" and Wolrdsworth and Coleridge's "Lyrical Ballads." Keats was influenced by the Ballad Revival and his  literary ballad "La belle Dame sans Merci" (the beautiful pitiless lady) deals with the plight of a "knight-at-arms" who has been seduced by "a full beautifull faery's child" only to be deceived and enslaved by her.

The poem begins with the narrator asking the knight why he is wandering all alone on the bleak countryside at this odd time of the year. The pale and haggard knight replies that he met a beautiful, ethereal lady with whom he fell in love with straightaway. She reciprocated his offerings of love tokens and soon immediately took  him to her home, where they consummated their love.

Soon she charmed him to sleep and vanished. While asleep he had a horrifying dream in which mighty kings and warriors-the former victims of this beautiful maiden-declared that the beautiful pitiless maiden had enslaved him forever. Frightened, he awakens from his nightmare to find himself wandering all alone on this deserted stretch of the countryside hoping that death would soon put him out of his misery.

Keats wrote this poem when he was suffering from T.B. He knew that he would die soon, so he was depressed. The overall mood of the poem reflects this disconsolate state. The expression "pale and haggard" describes the physical state of a person suffering from T.B.

The literary ballad epitomizes the following characteristics of the Romantic Age:love for nature, loneliness, love, the supernatural, mystery and mysticism.

In "Out of the Dust", how is Billie Jo emotional, musical, thoughtful and caring?What does the novel show to prove that Billie Jo is...

In Karen Hesse's novel "Out of The Dust, the narrator is Billie Joe Kelby.  She demonstrates many different qualities throughout the novel.  She is a very talented piano player.  She dreams and hopes that this talent will help her escape living in the area of the country known as the "dust bowl."  Before the fire she has a great shot of becoming a renowned entertainer.  Her thoughtfulness is demonstrated not only through her talent as a composer, arranger and musician, she is also an excellent student who makes good grades.  She helps other people and she is thoughtful in the way she expresses herself to others. 

Billie Joe can be very emotional.  In the novel her best friend has to move away and Billie Joe demostates how emotional she can become.  She is so upset and lonely over her best friend moving she doesn't think her life will ever be the same again.

Billie Joe's caring is demonstrated by the way she tries to care for her dying mother.  Even though she is directly responsible for the fire that kills her mother, her father is indirectly responsible because he takes the family's money, leaves kerosene by the stove in a bucket, and goes out to get drunk.  Billie really demonstrates her caring when she forgives her father for his part in her injuries and her mother's death.

"I am forgiving him, step by step,
for the pail of kerosene. As we walk
together,
side by side,
in the sole-deep dust,
I am forgiving myself
for all the rest."

What are the elements of a novel? Explain all elements.Background to English Literature.

bilal09,

Most textbooks tell us that a novel is a work of fiction, almost always written in prose, at least 150 to 200 pages long. The textbook definition also distinguishes novels (as works written in prose) from classical epics. The Iliad, Odyssey, and Aeneid, for example, are all very long poems. Because the novel is a long form, it can cover a period of years, following the characters through a number of major changes.

Similarly, because the reading time of a novel may be far longer than the running time of most plays and movies, novels give us the opportunity to develop close, even intimate relationships with both the characters and the narrator.

Equally important to our understanding of the novel form are its differences from the traditional form of the romance. The romance may date back to antiquity, though the most familiar examples are probably the medieval stories of King Arthur and his knights. 

Romances vary widely, but they do have some common features. The setting of a romance is usually remote and, perhaps, exotic, like that of a fairy tale. The characters in a romance are also sketched broadly—handsome prince, beautiful princess—and may include larger-than-life figures, such as giants and wizards. Finally, there’s often some sort of magic in a romance. The romance is a form that has no trouble with the supernatural or the metaphysical.

In addition to our definitions of novel, amatory tale, and romance, we might also consider a basic chronology—a small-scale history of the relationships among those three forms. It’s clear that the romance was stripped down and treamlined into the amatory tale, and it’s also clear that the tales were then developed into the first novels. Of course, it’s not quite as simple as that—because the forms of the romance and amatory tale are very much alive and well. The Harry Potter books draw on the long tradition of the romance, as do the works in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

As for the amatory tale, consider British author Barbara Cartland, who is said to have produced 700 different love stories in the latter half of the 20th century.

I hope this clears a few things up about the novel.

How does Austen use letters to develop the plot and characters of Pride and Prejudice?

The purpose of letters in Pride and Prejudice is mainly to advance truth.  While characters such as Elizabeth and others use impressions and their perspective of events to form their opinions of people's character, the letters often tear down those misconceptions and demonstrate who someone really is.

1.  The most important letter is, of course, Darcy's letter to Elizabeth after she refuses his proposal.  It illuminates the true situation between Darcy and Wickham because Elizabeth's false beliefs about the two men's relationship came fully from the spoken word--Wickham's.  The truth lies in the written word--Darcy's.  The letter in this case also forces Elizabeth to pause and "listen" to someone else, rather than hearing someone else speak but all the while forming her opinion of that person through his/her speech or manners.

2.  Because letters advance truth in the novel, they usually bring characters closer together. Bingley writes to the Bennets and invites them to his house for the first time, beginning his relationship with Jane. Jane writes to Elizabeth to let her know how she has been treated when she goes to London, and this encourages Elizabeth to "take up arms" on her sister's behalf.

Austen includes an interesting modern idea in using letters in such a fashion.  Perhaps as a writer, she wished to show that the written word is more effective in tearing down prejudices and pushing aside pride.  Of course, being a master of writing, she would have been biased in this regards, but even our modern readers cannot argue with the fact that the written word does still have great power today.  In a society of fast-talking and spin, reading someone else's writing (whether it's a letter or not) still forces someone to read and infer on his/her own.  It makes us better "listeners" because we can go back and reread what we might have misunderstood, and if we're reading a letter from someone who is not absent, we're forced to use just his/her words to form opinions.

Why do Nadia and her mother move to Epiphany in View from Saturday? Why do Nadia and her father cancel their trip to Disneyworld? Why is Julian...

Nadia and her mother move to Epiphany because Nadia's mother and father have just gone through a divorce.  Epiphany, which is in upstate New York, is where Nadia's mother grew up, and she wants to return there because she says "she need(s) some autumn in her life".  When her mother and father were together, the family lived in Florida.  New York is a long distance away from Florida, and has more distinct seasons than its southern counterpart.  Nadia says that in Florida, when school starts in the fall, it is still a "de facto summer" no matter what the calendar says.

It is possible too that Nadia's mother wants to be in a place where she can adjust to the upheaval in her domestic situation comfortably.  Returning to the security of the place where she grew up, a place in which the changes of seasons are visible and tangible, might help her get used to the changes in her own life (Chapter 2).

Nadia and her father cancel their trip to Disneyworld because Nadia's grandfather has asked for their help in saving a batch of newborn baby turtles.  A northeaster has hit the coast right at the time the turtles were born, and unless the little creatures are harvested and helped to resettle in their proper environment, they will die.  Nadia's father wants to keep his Disneyworld promise to his daughter, but Nadia convinces him that it is more important that they help with the turtles.  She likens the need the turtles have in resettling to their own situation in having to adjust to the divorce (Chapter 2).

Julian Singh now lives in Epiphany because his father has bought Sillington House and is converting it into a bed and breakfast inn.  Julian's parents had worked on a cruise ship for most of Julian's life, but now that Julian's mother has died, Julian's father has decided that he and his son should "settle down".  Julian's father, who is a chef, has always wanted to own an inn, and so they have settled at Sillington House in Epiphany (Chapter 6).

I want to know about the biographical information of Nissim Ezekiel.

Nissim Ezekiel was born December 14, 1924 in Mumbai. His parents were both in education, with his mother being principal of a school and his father being a professor of botanly at Wilson College. They belonged to the Jewish community in Mumbai which was known as "Bene Israel."

Ezekiel earned an MA in Literature in 1947. He went on to teach English literature and publish literary articles. A year later he went to Longon to study Philosophy at Birk Beck College. He stayed there for 3 1/2 years, then worked his way home to Mumbai as a deck-scrubber on a ship headed to Indochina with a cargo of arms.

In 1952 he was married to Daisy Jacob. His first collection of poetry (A Time To Change) was also published that year. The following year he became an assistant editor for The Illustrated Weekly of India. He stayed there for 2 years. Soon after he published his second book of poetry (Sixty Poems).

For the next 10 years after that he worked for All India Radio as a broadcaster on literature and the arts. In 1961, he co-founded the literary monthly magazine, Imprint. He was an art critic for The Times of India (1964-66) and he edited Poetry India (1966-67). From 61-72, he headed the English department of Mithibai College in Mumbai. 

Ezekiel's 5th book of poetry was published in 1965. During this time he had short term tenure as a visiting professor with the Universtiy of Leeds and the University of Chicago. He developed a bit of a drug habit during this time, thought to be a way to "expand" his writing skills. He is thought to have used hallucinogenic drugs from about 1969-1972.  

In 74 he embarked on a tour of the US. He also went on to translate the poetry of Indira Sant (along with Vrinda Nabar), and he also co-edited a fiction and poetry anthology. One of his most well known poems is The Night of the Scorpion, which is often taught in Indian and British schools.

What is a metonymy or synecdoche in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Metonymy is a figure of speech that uses a term to replace the name of something else that closely embodies the same qualities. Writers use this kind of figure of speech to help readers grasp meaning.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, one of Harper Lee’s primary themes is the prejudice that people engage in, especially with certain hot-button issues, like race. The reader sees this in the reactions of the people of Maycomb toward Atticus Finch as he defends the black Tom Robinson who is accused of raping a white woman. This was (and sometimes still is) a deadly problem in the South.

At one point in the story, a gang of white men from Maycomb (led by Mr. Cunningham) attempt to storm the Maycomb County jail, presumably to lynch Robinsion. Atticus, who is guarding the jail (unarmed), has a hard time holding off the men until his kids show up and Scout, in her innocence and persistence, shames the men into leaving. The next day, as Atticus discusses the event with Scout, he says of Cunningham:

Mr. Cunningham’s basically a good man . . . he just has his blind spots along with the rest of us.

Here the term “blind spot” is an instance of metonymy. Atticus does not really mean that Cunningham is physically blind. He means he is unable to comprehend the inappropriateness of his actions—he just cannot understand how wrong he is until Scout starts talking, which makes him realize what a good man Atticus is. Blindness is often associated with prejudice and hatred--the inability to mentally see the value of others who may be different from us. 

Can you give me a little info on each of the characters in "The Most Dangerous Game"? Such as General Zaroff, Rainsford, and Ivan.

General Zaroff, whose full name is never known, inhabits Ship-Trap Island, where he hunts "the most dangerous game": human beings. A Russian, an excellent host, and an excellent hunter, the general is the owner of an enormous, castle-like building which draws men who are stranded on the island. General Zaroff's seemingly amiable and polite nature belies his inner savagry. The general is a murderer who takes an intellectual interest in the murder of human beings as though they were animals. Below is an excerpt describing the general's physical appearance.  

Rainford's first impression was that the man was singularly handsome; his second was that there was an original, almost bizarre quality about the general's face. He was a tall man past middle age, for his hair was a vivid white; but his thick eyebrows and pointed military mustache were as black as the night from which Rainsford had come. His eyes, too, were black and very bright. He had high cheekbones, a sharpcut nose, a spare, dark face--the face of a man used to giving orders, the face of an aristocrat.

Sanger Rainsford, the protagonist of the story, is an American hunter from New York. He is famous for his hunting prowess, as noted by both General Zaroff and Whitney, who states that Rainsford has "good eyes." Rainsford's initial attitude towards his prey is dismissive:

"...We should have some good hunting up the Amazon. Great sport, hunting."

"The best sport in the world," agreed Rainsford.

"For the hunter," amended Whitney. "Not for the jaguar."

"Don't talk rot, Whitney," said Rainsford. "You're a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?"

"Perhaps the jaguar does," observed Whitney.

"Bah! They've no understanding."

"Even so, I rather think they understand one thing--fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death."

"Nonsense," laughed Rainsford. "This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes--the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters..."

Despite this somewhat coarse and unsympathetic attitude, Rainsford is a moral man. He is shocked and indignant when General Zaroff reveals his hobby of hunting humans. Thrown into the position of prey, Rainsford becomes almost animalistic as he flees from the general's pursuit. The implication is that Rainsford has come to sympathize with and understand the plight of the hunted. Rainsford eventually beats the general at his own game and reemerges at the general's castle to take his revenge.

Ivan is General Zaroff's servant. Deaf and dumb, Ivan is a Cossack and "savage," according to the general. He is clearly a dangerous man, as General Zaroff threatens to turn his prey over to Ivan if they refuse to be hunted by the general.

"Suppose he refuses to be hunted?"

"Oh," said the general, "I give him his option, of course. He need not play that game if he doesn't wish to. If he does not wish to hunt, I turn him over to Ivan. Ivan once had the honor of serving as official knouter to the Great White Czar, and he has his own ideas of sport. Invariably, Mr. Rainsford, invariably they choose the hunt."

Discuss the story "Editha" by William Dean Howells.

William Dean Howells in his story “Editha” creates a character that sees life through those clichéd  “rose-colored glasses.” The story written in 1905 concerns the topic and theme of war [in this case the Spanish –American War] both realistically and romantically. 

Told by an omniscient third person narrator, most of the story belongs to Editha, a young girl who think s that she is the only one that really matters in the world.  The story’s theme points up the idea that life is fragile and to be valued, not to be played with as though it were a toy.  The tone belies the bitterness felt by the reader as he delves into the lives of the characters.

A disagreement between the unrealistic Editha and the more pragmatic George takes the reader to the heart of the story.  Editha wants her boyfriend to go off to war to serve his country, and he is not sure about it.  Even after discussing it with the other men, George still does not feel good about joining up and going off to fight. 

Editha can imagine George in his uniform; then, she can see him coming home to her after losing an arm in battle. None of which is real to her and the possibilities are too uncomfortable for her to spend time on. She is insistent that George be a part of the war effort.  In her mind, she is doing her part by sending her man off to fight.  Through her idealistic view of death, she pushes George to an early death.

George’s mother condemns Editha for giving him the letter that was returned with his things to his mother.  Everything  his mother says is  true,  and Editha realizes it.  She suddenly becomes quiet and her father rushes her away from the scene.

Summary

Editha decides to return all of the things that George has given her along with a “Dear John” letter.  Even as he returns to tell her of his intention to join, she still gives him the letter telling him to open it only when he is on the battle field. What sensitivity the girl has for others’ feelings!

But now, it flashed upon her, if he could do something worthy to have won her--be a hero, her hero--it would be even better than if he had done it before asking her; it would be grander. Besides, she had believed in the war from the beginning.

Actually, George does not believe in the war.  He prefers peace. Although he loves his country, it does not come first to him as Editha says it does for her.  Her foolish talk about patriotism being the most important thing to her sends George out the door.  After a few drinks, George decides to join. The last thing he asks of Editha is take care of his mother who lives in Arizona. 

George is immediately killed in battle.  Of course, Editha experiences grief, but it does not last long. When she remembers that George had given her a mission, Editha quickly leaves with her father to console George’s mother.  Editha expects to be welcomed by the grief-stricken mother.

Surprisingly, his mother quickly admonishes Editha for sending him to his death.

"When you sent him you didn't expect he would get killed . . . [women and girls] think he'll just come marching back somehow . .!"

Howells employs this scene to show how a truly self-centered person handles confrontation.  After finding what she thinks is a noble explanation for what she has been through, Editha is ready to idealistically tackle the world again.  Howell comments in the story that Editha has begun "to live again in the ideal.”

Describe the opening scene of the novel A Separate Peace. What is the mood? How does it make you feel? just lookin 4 a half paragraph ot any answer

As you read the opening of A Separate Peace, you will have to decide how it makes you feel, but I can certainly share with you how it makes me feel as I open the book. Of course, since I have read the entire book many times, my impressions are no longer exactly fresh. 

As I read the beginning, I feel sadness and nostalgia for a time and place that is gone forever.  I feel that I am at a museum, where what was real is no longer real because it has, as the expression says, been "preserved in amber."  Gene uses language that suggests the museum image several times. 

I can also see the foreshadowing of terrible events and the hint of wonderful events, since Gene speaks of "the fear that I lived in" (10) and the "uncontrollable joy" (10).  This tells me that Gene's trip down memory lane will bring back terrible and wonderful events and feelings.

As the book opens, the weather suggests a mood of sadness and somberness, not emphasizing whatever joy Gene experienced in this place.   The weather "blew wet, moody gusts all around me," Gene says (10), and later he talks about the "bare trees" and that it was "a gray and misty day (13).  He mentions the fog a few sentences later and talks about being cold.  When Gene talks about the tree, he says it was "not only stripped by the cold season, it seemed weary from age, enfeebled, dry" (14). Then he talks about walking through the mud and being drenched by the rain or fog.  These details make me think that Gene might be like the tree, or like the weather, and that in spite of the joy he had experienced, this is not a happy place or a happy trip for him. 

Group the English colonies in North America New England colonies, Middle colonies,and Southern coloniesIt's for my online summer school class I...

New England: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Hampshire - all English

Massachusetts was first.  Thomas Hooker decided MA was too strict so he founded CT.  Roger Williams believed that religion and government should be separated so he founded RI. John Wheelwright believed the same way as Williams so he went north and founded NH.

Middle: New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware - 3 English and 1 Dutch

New Netherlands was first here and founded by the Dutch.  King Charles II of Britain though gained control of the land and gifted it to the Duke of York.  The Duke renamed part of the colony NY and gave a part to Lord Berkeley and Sir Carteret. They called their colony NJ.  PA had a small Swedish population but was taken over by the English when William Penn began his 'holy experiment' - allowing religious freedom to everyone.  A small corner of PA decided to legislate themselves in 1704 and thus became DE.

Southern Colonies: Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia -5 English

VA was first here in 1607.  MD was founded by Lord Baltimore as a safe place for Catholics to worship.  As VA expanded, farmers from the back country settled in NC and the English nobility tended to settle in SC.  James Oglethorpe thought that land between SC and Spanish Florida would make a good place for debtors and the poor to make a fresh start. So he settled the land and successfully defended it against Spanish attacks.

I dont understand in depth exactly how Tom Robinson dies. it seems as if no one really knows in chapter 25, and that they are assuming things.

bigboyroy,

Harper's To Kill a Mockingbird is another staple of high school English classes. It offers an abundance of subjects and themes for further study: race, class, gender, etc.

The character of Tom Robinson is shot 17 times by the prison guards as the hopeless Tom tries to escape. The text of the story, at the end of Chapter 24, is as follows:

 "They shot him," said Atticus. "He was running. It was during their exercise period. They said he just broke into a blind raving charge at the fence and started climbing over. Right in front of them—“

"Didn't they try to stop him? Didn't they give him any warning?" Aunt Alexandra's voice shook.

"Oh yes, the guards called to him to stop. They fired a few shots in the air, then to kill. They got him just as he went over the fence. They said if he'd had two good arms he'd have made it, he was moving that fast. Seventeen bullet holes in him. They didn't have to shoot him that much. Cal, I want you to come out with me and help me tell Helen." --[Helen is Tom's widow.]

This should clear up any confusion as to what happens to Tom in the story.

What do Jem and Scout learn from Aunt Alexandra?

Aunt Alexandra represents old-fashioned Southern womanhood.  She is anxious to impart to both Jem and his sister that their name, Finch, is an important one in their community, and she is especially concerned that Atticus's liberal teachings may be causing the children to develop attitudes and behaviors not fit for people of their social station.  Alexandra requires Scout to attend missionary circle meetings where the women drink tea and eat sweets and discuss how to help the heathen tribal peoples of Africa; she is also less than excited to find out that Scout and Jem went to church with Calpurnia one weekend.  Scout is especially annoyed with Alexandra's presence, and with the fact that Jem has begun referring to himself as one of the adults; when he tells Scout he will spank her if she antagonizes Alexandra, Scout comes out swinging, literally, and regains her dignity when Jem fights her back. 

Think about the role of money in the play, A Raisin in the Sun. How does it affect different characters?

Money plays an essential role in the play, A Raisin in the Sun.  It is Hansberry's progressive and advanced attitude about American discrimination that she does a very skilled job of articulating the challenges the Younger family experiences on the ground of race and class, economics, and shows how both work in tandem with one another to provide obstacles to overcome in the pursuit of the American Dream.  Money impacts Walter, as he is trapped by the lack of economic opportunity for he and his family.  His desire to open a liquor store reflects his desire to make money, regardless of all else.  Money is also critical in his initial desire to accept the buyout offer from Lindner.  Money is a binding element for the entire family from the start of the play.  From Travis asking for fifty cents from school to Berneatha's medical school expenses, to the impending check that Mama uses to "buy" her family a new start at Clybourne Park, economics impacts the Younger family as it serves as a critical element in providing opportunity. When money is present, the family feels a certain hope which is only matched when money is absent or taken from them.  The role and presence of money in the play seems to be strongly linked to hope and opportunity.   Its presence opens up windows and doors for the Younger family, while its absence indicates closed paths and immense difficulties.  It is Hansberry's greatness in articulating that poor families of color in America at this time period, and to some extent even now, face two sets of social difficulties that act to create a setting where their dreams can result in being "a raisin in the sun."

What are the 3 types of volcanoes?

The three types of volcanoes are shield, composite, and cones.  Of the three, the composite is the worst.  The distinctions are as follows:

SHIELD VOLCANOES
This type has a slope that is small, seems flat.
This usually has flowing, seeping lava that does not shoot out in the air
The lava flow is very slow and you could outrun it
This type makes large chunks of basalt

Hawaii and Oregon feature Shield volcanoes.

CINDER CONES
This has the steepest slope of the volcanoes
This shoots lava in the air and has faster lava flow
The lava hardens in the air
The hardened lava helps reform the volcano again

The typical vision of a volcano is a cone volcano.  Usually, this is the type that kids feature at science fairs and demonstrations in class.  Interesting enough, the potent volcanoes in Hawaii are cones.

COMPOSITE VOLCANOES
This is the worst of the volcanoes because it is very explosive
It has poisonous gases, ash and lava
The ash can blanket an area with over an inch of it
The ash can fly faster than 200 miles an hour

Kills more people than any type of volcano

These would be the grandaddy of the bunch.  Most "big volcanoes" are composite.  Mount St. Helens, Mount Fuji, and Popocaptepl are examples of composite volcanoes.  Mount Vesuvius, which wiped out Pompeii, was also a composite volcano.

In what city does Scrooge have his business and does he live in the same town?

Scrooge's countinghouse is located in the city of London, the setting of many of the narratives of Charles Dickens.  The mention of St Paul's Cathedral in "A Christmas Carol" attests to this fact as well as Scrooge's comment after he speaks with his nephew in which Scrooge ponders the response of the young man to his question of why he married:  "I love her."  Scrooge thinks this answer foolish since his clerk who only makes 15 shillings a week telling Scrooge, his employer, to "have a Merry Christmas."  Scrooge then says, "I'll retire to Bedlam," a mental asylum in southeast London.  Certainly,  in a city the size of London, it was not uncommon for businessmen in the Victorian Age to live above or behind their shops if not near them since most people walked to work.

Of course, as narrator mentions London directly.  One such example is in Stave One where he describes Scrooge "taking his lonely meal":

It is also a fact, that Scrooge had seen it, night and morning, during his whole residence in that place; also that Scrooge had as little of what is called fancy about him as any man in the city of London, even including--which is a bold word--the corporation, aldermen, and livery.

How have secondary characters influenced Scout's change and growth throughout "To Kill a Mockingbird"? Please use QuotesI chose Calpurnia, Aunt...

Since "To Kill a Mockingbird" falls into the genre given the name Bildungsroman, or novel of "maturation," Scout is significantly influenced by many characters, whether directly or indirectly.  For instance, she begins to understand what it is to be narrow-minded by the comments of her new teacher, Miss Caroline, who tells her "Your father does not know how to teach."  After that first day, Scout remarks,

Had her conduct been more friendly toward me, I would have felt sorry for her.

Scout says this because she realizes that Miss Caroline has not tried to understand other people.  And, understanding others is one of the important lessons that Atticus teaches his daughter.  He tells her,

You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view--...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.

This lesson is reiterated many times in the novel. Miss Maudie, for instance, is one of the few people who supports Atticus's position in defending Tom Robinson.  She also defends Boo Radley saying,

Wouldn't you stay in the house if you didn't want to come out?

She tells the children,

There are just some kind of men who--who're so busy worrying about the next world they've never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results [implying the Radleys].

Her reference is to Mr. Radley who is "a foot-washing Baptist." Also, she is at war with the fundamentalists who pass her house and sanctimoniously quote biblical passages to them. Miss Maudie is disgusted with the hypocrisy and close-mindedness of the fundamentalists who pass her house, criticizing her for having so many flowers. She tells the children that Atticus Finch, unlike the fundamentalists, is "the same in his house as he is on the public streets."

Scout says that Miss Maudie is their friend because she never "tells on us" and does things for them such as baking cakes.  When her house burns down, Scout is amazed that Miss Maudie does not cry:

'You ani't grievin', Miss Maudie?' I asked, surprised.  Atticus said her house was nearly all she had.

'Grieving, child?  Why, I hated that old cow barn...Don't you worry about me, Jean Louis Finch.  There are ways of doing things you don't know about.

Another character who is truly charitable and genuine is Mr. Raymond. In choosing to live on the other side of town with the black people, Mr. Raymond walks with a Coca-Cola hidden in a brown sack, suggesting to the white folks a reason that they can more easily accept:  He is a drunkard.  He explains to Scout when she says, "That ain't honest."

'It helps folks if they can latch onto a reason....It ain't honest but it mighty helpful to folks.  Secretly, Miss Finch, I'm not much of a drinker, but you see they could never, never understand that I live like I do because that's the way I want to live.' (Chapter 20)

Also, he explains to Scout about Dill's upset stomach from his experience in the courtroom:

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

Most likely, Mr. Dolphus Raymond was also speaking of himself, as Scout figures out later.

What interactions are the clowns making in their opening act?

In Act 5, scene i, when the clowns open the scene, they are discussing with one another the woman who is to be buried in the grave they are digging.  The first clown is wondering if she will receive a Christian burial since she killed herself..."she willfully seeks her own salvation".  The second clown says she is to have a Christian burial, so the grave must be dug well and not haphazardly.  The coroner has "sat on her, and finds it a Christian burial".

The first clown declares in his banter that she drowned herself willingly, therefore, no matter who she is, she should not have a Christian burial since suicide is the greatest sin.  The second clown declares that it was probably an accident, otherwise the coroner would not have judged it a Christian burial. 

They go on about the law, but the second clown comes around and says, "Will you have the truth on it?  If this had not been a gentlewoman, she should have been buried out o'Christian burial."

They then begin to banter about whether or not Adam was a gentleman, if he had arms or not in order to dig with, and the final riddle, "What is he that builds stronger than either the mason, the shipwright, or the carpenter?"  The answer given was a "gallows maker," but the answer sought is a "grave maker" since the house he "makes" lasts forever.

This is when Hamlet enters, as the first clown sings a song and begins digging the grave of Ophelia. 

Their purpose in the play is to lighten the mood a bit after Ophelia's death and before Hamlet realizes it is Ophelia's grave they are digging.  Comic scenes such as this one are dropped in to relieve the tension and allow a little laughter in the midst of sorrow and death.

What evidence did Mayor La Guardia provide to support his position regarding the failure of Prohibition?

Commonly referred to as Prohibition, it was the Volstead Act that prohibited the sale, manufacturing, transportation, and consumption of alcoholic beverages in the U.S.  N.Y.C. Mayor La Guardia summed up his belief in the failure of Prohibition this way...'It would take a police force of 250,000 to enforce the Volstead Act and another 200,000 to police the police'. La Guardia predicted that Prohibition would lead to American organized crime, bootlegging, and massive corruption through out law enforcement in this country.  He was right, the Speakeasies were everywhere.   By the mid 1920's there were over 125,000 in N.Y.C. alone.

In particular, how does Jane Austen portray Mr. Collins and Mr. Wickham in Volumes 1 and 2 of Pride and Prejudice?

At first glance, Austen appears to portray the two men as opposites, but after completing Volume 2, the reader will see some similarities.

First, the two men are opposite in their "luck" with women.  Mr. Collins cannot even get his own cousin to marry him which would enable her to lessen her family's financial burdens.  In contrast, Wickham always seems to be followed by a crowd of admirers.  Elizabeth, normally a very sensible girl, is fooled and flattered by him, and her sisters follow suit.

Secondly, Mr. Collins is attracted to sensible young ladies such as Elizabeth and ultimately Charlotte.  Wickham is attracted to very young, impressionable girls (Darcy's sister and eventually Lydia).

The men's similarity is that they both really need to make good marriages.  Mr. Collins needs a wife who will set a good example and who will help him in his relationship with the Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and Wickham needs to make a good match so that he can live "comfortably."  He, in contrast to Mr. Collins, cannot seem to do what he needs to do instead of what he wants to do.

Austen uses the two characters in Volumes 1 and 2 to allow the reader to learn more about Elizabeth.  Her opinion of these two men demonstrates her pride and her tendency to prejudge others, even if it's in a more flattering light than they deserve (as in Wickham's case).  Wickham's character also allows Austen to show that Elizabeth is not a man-hater; she does sincerely like his company, and he one of the only male characters near the book's beginning that Elizabeth does not disdain.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird", what are the reactions of Miss Maudie and the other ladies when Scout says she is wearing her "britches" under her dress?

In the beginning of chapter 24, Scout is invited to be a part of Aunt Alexandra's "missionary circle" where the women gather to gossip and have tea and cookies.  For this occasion, Scout has dressed up in a dress and looks nice.  Miss Maudie is the one who says that she looks nice.  She asks her where her britches are--which is referring to her overalls that she always wears.

"'Under my dress.'"  I hadn't meant to be funny, but the ladies laughed.  My cheeks grew how as I realized my mistake, but Miss Maudie looked gravely down at me.  She never laughed at me unless I meant to be funny."

When she said she had it under her dress, she was referring to her underwear, not her overalls.  She misunderstood.  However, the women all laughed at her--but not Miss Maudie.  She knew Scout was trying to behave and wasn't trying to be funny.  Maudie is a true friend.

What are some good topic sentences when it comes to the issue of homelessness?this is for an argumenative research paper

If this essay is to be argumentative, you may wish to pick a side in the issue to begin with. For instance, if you are in favor of increased government spending to handle the homelessness problem, a potential topic sentence may be, "There are many reasons why our government should spend more to address the rampant problem of homelessness."

Likewise, if you believe that homelessness is largely a result of one's own choices and that government should decrease its interest in the matter, a potential topic sentence might be something like, "While homelessness is a social issue affecting many people, there are many other more important matters that our government should focus on instead."

Such a sentence would then allow you to elaborate on what those other areas are, and why they should take precedence over the plight of the homeless.

Because this is a research paper, you may wish to seek out statistics and facts that help substantiate your point. If you feel the government should increase its spending on the homeless problem, what are some numbers that indicate how big the problem is? Likewise, if you feel that our focus should be on other social and political matters, what are some statistics that help bear out that opinion? You may wish to examine this matter from "both sides of the aisle," so to speak, but make sure you choose one good point to hammer home as the thesis statement of your paper.

I have questions for an essay on "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy.McCarthy doesn't make explicit what kind of catastrophe has ruined the earth...

I believe that the circumstances that led to the scorched earth in The Road were from a nuclear attack, a war that was launched and so successful that most of the population has been eliminated. The devastation of the bombing which was engaged in by more than one nation served to destroy most of the world, most of the people on earth have been incinerated.

The world that is left behind has no social order, there is no law that keeps order in this new land, survival is dictated by whatever behavior works for the individual who has managed to stay alive through the devastation.

The annihilation of the human race is one aspect of the story, but the critical point that McCarthy makes through the man and his son's travels is that morality doesn't exist, there is a wild primitive element to the new world that they inhabit.

You come to wonder whether the boy and his father were in fact lucky to have survived the war, the destruction.  Their lives are a constant struggle, it is a world turned upside down by a lack of resources, no shelter is safe, there is no food, no way to create a stable setting to rebuilt your destroyed life.

The only thing that the man knows is that he and his son must keep traveling so as to escape the roving bands of thieves and murderers who now dominate the landscape.  In their efforts to survive the boy and his father also steal, but they do so without inflicting harm to anyone.  The father wants to protect the boy, because children have now become a choice selection on the menu where there are no more animals to cook and eat.

The society that McCarthy presents in The Road has devolved to the point of pre-civilization.  McCarthy brings civilization to a halt in his book, bringing the reader, with 21st century knowledge into a world where cannibalism is openly practiced.  This is similar to other pre-civilization societies who had little access to food sources and ate their own.

"Around 43,000 years ago, the Neanderthals were turning to cannibalism—even brain-eating—. Discoveries of fossil remains suggest that these prehistoric humans looked entirely different from their northern counterparts. The Osteology of this species clearly suggests signs of dismemberment and skinning."

I think what McCarthy is trying to tell the reader is that if society stays on the track that it is on, with ever increasing global hostility and more and more nations developing nuclear weapons, that our future might in fact bring us back to the past, the distant past.  The most frightening aspect of the book is that although the father and son have been sling shotted into the past, they have memories of a civilized society of laws and traditions, happy lives that now seem like a dream, their new life is a nightmare.

Please explain the poem, "A Valediction".

This is probably the best poem for "absence makes the heart grow fonder."  The speaker of the poem is trying to "forbid" his lover from "mourning" the brief separation that is about to occur.  He begins by suggesting that the separation need not be a dramatic event - they can accept it calmly, as it is not a matter of terrible fortune:

So let us melt, and make no noise,
No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move

The speaker then speaks of dramatic events of heaven, how large and momentous they are, but how "innocent" they are as well, because people on earth can not feel their effects:

But trepidation of the spheres,
Though greater far, is innocent

He moves on to the basis of his argument, the argument for why the two lovers should not mourn their time apart.  His claim is that a parting between lovers is impossible (in a metaphysical sense).  He suggests first that they share a soul, because both of their souls are made of the same material and so are the same.  Therefore, by sharing a soul, they can not be divided:

Our two souls therefore, which are one,
Though I must go, endure not yet
A breach, but an expansion,
Like gold to airy thinness beat.

As seen above, their souls can not be separated but only expanded with the space that divides him.  He moves on to argue that, if they do indeed have two separate souls, those souls are so interconnected that the same is true - they can never really be "apart."  No matter where one of them goes, the other will be a foot that grounds the other soul in place so that it may return, as in a circle:

Such wilt thou be to me, who must,
Like th' other foot, obliquely run;
Thy firmness makes my circle just,
And makes me end where I begun.

It is a clever, spiritual argument to stop the sorrow of a separation, and is an excellent example of metaphysical poetry, which mixes the spiritual with the earthly in its expression.

Who was the second witness in "To Kill a Mockingbird"?

The second witness in the court scene was Bob Ewell. It was his testemony that proved he was left handed and proved Tom Robinson innocent because Tom's left hand was mangled and crippled.

Atticus Finch purposely called Bob Ewell to the stand because he wanted to show before the entire court that he signed his name with his left hand.

In Flowers for Algernon, what is the "Algernon-Gordon Effect"? How do Charlie's co-workers react when Charlie returns after the operation?

The "Algernon-Gordon Effect", in Charlie's words, is "the logical extension of the entire intelligence speed-up", which can be described in the following terms:

"Artificially-induced intelligence deteriorates at a rate of time directly proportional to the quantity of the increase".

In other words, the smarter a subject becomes after the experimental operation, the faster that newly-gained intelligence will eventually disappear.

At the height of his intelligence after his operation, Charlie studies his own and Algernon's progress, collecting data and performing mathematical analysis on what he has found.  He is disturbed because he has observed that Algernon's development suddenly begins to deteriorate, and, knowing that the same thing is going to happen to him, he struggles to find out why, while he still has the mental capacity to do it.  Charlie does indeed figure out the reason for Algernon's, and eventually his own, precipitous decline.  He writes up his findings in a report which he sends to Professer Nemur, which affirms that "the surgery-and-injection techniques develooped by (the Professor) and Dr. Strauss must be viewed as having little or no practical applicability, at the present time, to the increase of human intelligence".  In laymen's terms, the experiment is a failure (August 26).

When Charlie returns to work immediately after his operation, his co-workers treat him as they always have, some with an attitude of friendly comaraderie and others with cruel teasing.  Charlie has not yet noticed any changes as a result of the surgery and has been instructed not to tell anyone what the operation was supposed to do, so his co-workers do not know that anything might be different about his intelligence.  When it soon becomes evident that Charlie is becoming smarter and better able to understand the various facets of his job, his boss is amazed, and gives him more responsibility.  As he begins to advance in the business, however, some of his workmates, specifically those who had treated him so badly before, react with jealousy and resentment (March 21, April 1).

How does Charles Dickens use the victorian background to create sympathy for David?

One of the reasons why this is an important element for the atmosphere of nostalgia, melancholy, loss, and drastic change of the story, is because Victorian England was a place of extremes:  You were either well to do,  or broke and miserable. The so-called Middle Class was what we would call these days the Upper Class, while their actual Upper Classes were the aristocrats. So either you belonged to one of those, or you would be in the slum district of the East End.

In David's case, he was moved from the idylic and near surreal world of class, money, and privilege, and was dunked down to the bottom, and now had to understand life from the perspective for both the rich and the poor. When the poor are described in the story, you experience the extreme poverty of the lower classes of that Era. Makes you wonder: Why did this boy have to suffer such extremes? Definately puts you in touch with the struggles of the protagonist, and helps you contrast the different stages of his life.

What happened in Chapters 12,13,14,and 15 in The Cay?

After Timothy and Phillip have been on the island about a month, Timothy is stricken with a bout of malaria. Although there is not much he can do, Phillip tries to nurse him through the fever and delirium. Timothy recovers, but "never really regain(s) his strength" (Chapter 12).

Realizing that he might "be poorly again some marnin'", Timothy increases his efforts to help Phillip be able to survive on his own if the need should arise.  He teaches him to fish, and Phillip finds that he is "learning to do things all over again, by touch and feel".  With growing confidence, he volunteers to climb to the top of a coconut tree to fetch some coconuts, something that Timothy cannot do because of his age.  When he succeeds in getting the fruit, Timothy is ecstatic, and Phillip feels that "it (is) almost as if (he'd) graduated from the survival course that Timothy (has) been putting (him) through".  That night, Phillip realizes how much he appreciates Timothy, who seems "only kind and strong" (Chapter 13).

One day in July it is oppressively hot on the island, and the air is eerily still.  A wave cracks upon the rocks like a rifle shot, and Timothy warns that "a veree bad starm is comin'...a tempis'".  The two begin massive preparations for the coming hurricane, lashing their water keg at the top of a palm tree at the highest point on the island, along with a box containing their knife and everything else they have of value. Timothy loops and ties a rope securely around the same tree; in case the freak storm is exceptionally severe, he and Phillip will have to secure themselves to the tree and ride it out (Chapter 14).

The storm hits with heavy rain and crashing surf, and as the winds increase, the hut is blown away.  Timothy and Phillip lie flat on the ground for hours, "taking the storm's punishment", and when the sea begins to reach them, they race for the hilltop and loop their arms into the ropes they have secured to their palm.  Timothy stands behind Phillip, sheltering him with his body, and the two endure the driving wind and rain as the water rises about their feet.  Both of them eventually lose consciousness before the storm's fury, then finally, the tempest abates, and Phillip, reviving, releases himself and Timothy from the ropes.  Timothy's back "has been cut to ribbons by the wind", and Phillip can do nothing but lie beside him, holding his hand.  Before dawn, Timothy dies, and Phillip is left, "blind and alone on a forgotten cay" (Chapter 15).

Why does Maniac pretend Giant John McNab pitched him the "stopball" in Maniac Magee?

Maniac pretends that Giant John McNab once pitched him the "stopball" because he doesn't want John to be disgraced in front of his little brothers. 

Giant John had been known as "the fearsome fastballer", and had been trying to set a record for the greatest number of consecutive strikeouts one day when Maniac first showed up in Two Mills.  John had struck out thirty-five batters straight, when Maniac stepped up to the plate.  Maniac was able to hit every pitch that John threw him except for two which almost hit him, and had even hit four home runs over the fence (Chapter 7).  When Maniac later meets John's little brothers, and the two boys realize that he is the legendary player who "had blasted their big brother's fastballs to smithereens...it (takes) a good five minutes of rolling on the sidewalk to get all the laughing out of their systems".  Maniac, not wanting John to be embarrassed, offers him a way to save face by making up a story.  He tells the younger McNabs that the next day, John had pitched to Maniac again, this time using his "secret pitch", the "stopball"; according to Maniac, he had not even been able to hit a foul ball on the pitch which "comes right up to the plate, looking all fat and easy to belt, and then, just when you take your swing...it sort of...stops...and your bat just whiffs the air" (Chapter35).

Maniac had gotten the idea for the stopball from Grayson, who had once been a professional ball player.  The stopball was "the only one left in his repertoire from the old days"; and as Grayson described it "she's gonna float on up there, and just about the time she's over the plate, she's gonna stop".  Maniac had never been sure how much of Grayson's story "was blarney", because although the pitch was very slow and acted rather peculiarly, he never actually knew "if he was swinging at the old man's pitch or at his speech".  Whatever the case, in weeks of practicing with Grayson, he had never been able to hit the ball out of the infield (Chapter 26).

Compare George Wilson and Tom. What did each man learn about his wife and how did they each react?

Tom Buchannan is a wealthy business man who comes from a well-to-do family from the MidWest.  He is married to Daisy and has a daughter yet seems to care little for them due in large part to the fact that he cheats on his wife with Myrtle, is physically abusive to his wife, and barely shows affection toward his daughter.  When Tom learned that Daisy was beginning a relationship with Gatsby, he found out as much information as he could about Gatsby and then called him out on all of the illegal things that he was into right in front of Daisy in order to ruin any possible relationship that Gatsby might have had with her.

George Wilson is a poor man who owns a gas station in the Valley of Ashes.  He is described in the novel as being "anemic" looking and "barely alive".  He seems to have no personality and does not even realize that his wife is having an affair until he finds a dog collar in her room.  When George learns about this affair, he decides they are going to move out west and then when he thinks that she was having an affair with Gatsby (and thinks that Gatsby killed her) he walks all the way to Gatsby's house and shoots him and then kils himself. 

These two men are similar in that they suppress their feelings for their wives until something goes wrong.  At that point, both men are then willing to fight for their wives and do what is necessary to get them back or get back at someone for hurting her. 

How does Eliza enhance the plot in the book Fever 1793?

Eliza is the free black who works for the family, she is an excellent cook and Mattie considers her to be a friend.  But, more than that, Mattie has a close relationship with Eliza, more like a mother and daughter.  This is significant since Mattie does not have a close relationship with her own mother.

Eliza was the coffeehouse cook. Mother couldn't prepare a meal fit for pigs. I found this amusing, considering our last name was Cook. In a manner, though, it was serious. If not for Eliza's fine victuals, and the hungry customers who paid to eat them, we'd have been in the streets long ago. Mother's family had washed their hands of her when she ran off to marry a carpenter, a tradesman (the horror!), when she was but seventeen. So we were very fond of Eliza." (Anderson)

Eliza is a trusted confidante and Mattie relies on her and because of their close relationship, Eliza helps Mattie to grow up and become more confident and secure in herself.

"Eliza befriends Mattie. She asks Mattie to work alongside her as an equal, thus giving Mattie the opportunity to further realize her self-worth. She does not interfere when Mattie makes her own decisions, helping Mattie mature to the woman she is quickly becoming."

Eliza is important to the plot, because the book concerns Mattie growing up and learning how to be self sufficient, and Eliza contributes to this process with her supportive friendship.

In chapter 5 explain: "like a wicked Noah's ark" at the very end of the chapter."Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

As the two convicts are apprehended by the officers in "Great Expectations," the sergeant yells,

Surrender, you two! and confound you for two wild beasts! Come asunder!

Pip's convict and the second convict, who are caught as they fight are summarily returned to the prison ship that sits "barred and moored by rusty chains."  It is "like a wicked Noah's ark" because it loads pairs of men like "beasts," but not to transport them.  Instead, they are chained and confined to the prison-ship and made to remain on this "wicked ark."  They do not get to return to the world as the animals of Noah's ship do.  In fact, the convicts are of little consequence at all:

No one seemed surprised to see him, [Pip's convict] or interested in seeing him, or glad to see him, or sorry to see him, or spoke a word except that somebody in the boat growled as if to dogs, 'Give way, you!' which was the signal for the dip of the oars.

This "evil Noah's ark" holds miserable men who have lost their humanity, being treated as though they are curs.  Pip watches as the convict is taken up the side of the prison-ship and disappears.  Then, as the ends of the torches are "flung hissing into the water," Pip comments that it is as though "it were all over with him"; the boy and Joe are the only witnesses who feel any compassion for this miserable wretch on the marshes.

How does Gieve Patel show his concern to the environment through his poem "On Killing a Tree"?

His poem reflects the intense and thorough process that one has to go through to kill a tree.  The overall message might be that if it is so difficult to kill a tree, should it even be done?  Even though the main body of the poem is dedicated to killing a tree, if you look closely at some of the words and descriptions, you can see Patel's reverence for trees.  For example, he describes how a tree grows, and that

"It has grown
Slowly consuming the earth,
Rising out of it, feeding
Upon its crust, absorbing
Years of sunlight, air, water,
And out of its leprous hide
Sprouting leaves."

This passage shows a reverence for the tenacity of a tree, and that it can "sprout leaves" out of the dirt of the earth's crust.  It, against all odds, has risen and become strong.  This description shows how Patel respects nature, and is in awe of the miraculous process by which it grows.  Later, he describes the core of the tree as

"The source, white and wet, /The most sensitive, hidden/For years inside the earth,"

again showing admiration for the source of the life of the tree.

If you also look at how Patel goes to great lengths to describe the elaborate process of killing a tree, he seems to be exaggerating, and listing all of the details to point out how absurd it is to kill something so alive and rooted in nature.  He seems to be against the process.  At the beginning, he indicates how one might kill a human, with a "simple jab of the knife," but to kill a tree, it's this long, drawn-out process.  It takes a lot more intent, purpose, and commitment, and that seems a bit wrong.

I hope that those thoughts help a bit; good luck!

In the story "The Lady with the Pet Dog" by Chekhov, what is the meaning of the hotel room?

In "The Lady with the Pet Dog," Dimitry Gurov goes to the seaside in Yalta and ends up having an extra-marital affair with a woman named Anna.  He is a bit of a playboy and has causal flings with other women, but he never gives the activities a second thought.  He escapes from his wife, by himself, so he can vacation and have a good time, and he does.

Anna, the woman he meets, is needy and feeling unloved trapped in a disaster of a marriage, she engages in a love affair, reluctantly, with Gurov, but feels ashamed by her behavior.

The hotel room where Gurov and Anna have their affair is very special.  Gurov actually does not respect women, he does not believe in love, he thinks that it is just a fantasy, love is just a word.  Except, he falls in love with Anna and his entire perspective on life changes. The hotel room is a transformational place, where Gurov actually finds true love, something that he did not believe was possible.

Finding love in the hotel room with Anna brings both delight and pain.  Gurov looks at the world differently.

"Gurov is moved by the scene, thinking about how everything in the world is beautiful when reflected upon—everything except what people do when they forget the lofty aims of existence and their own human worth."

Gurov is so changed by his experience with Anna, that when he goes back home to Moscow, everything that he valued in his pursuit of entertainment feels stale and boring.

"Back in Moscow, Gurov exults in the winter scenery which reminds him of his youth, and enjoys the distractions of Muscovite society. He cannot, however, get Anna out of his mind, and begins to find himself disgusted with frivolous and repetitive conversation in clubs and restaurants with scenes of drunkenness and gluttony." 

He misses Anna terribly, longs to be with her, so that he wants to change his life to be with her.  He sees Anna again, in secret, but he wants their relationship to one day be public and open.

What are the similarities and differences of the Parent-Child Relationships in the novel The Kite Runner?

I suppose you mean the difference between Amir's relationship to his father Baba and Hassan's (to the same):

Although the reader does not learn this until the end of the story, the critical difference is that of legitimacy. Being Baba's 'only' son,  Amir benefits materially and socially from his father's wealth and prestige. He grows up in a household where there is considerable wealth and ease. He invites playmates over, receives expensive presents, and his filial relationship to Baba is clear. However, Amir feels that his father is somehow disappointed in him by the fact that he is not the great athlete he would have liked him to have been. This is more Hassan's natural gift, and Amir is somewhat jealous about the complicity (especially over football) they share.

Although he lives under the same roof, Hassan's life is quite different. Nobody knows (except Baba and Hassan's mother who left, and a friend) that Baba is indeed Hassan's father; to everyone, Hassan included, he is only the servant's son. Living conditions are adequate but much more modest; no expensive gifts are lavished upon Hassan, and when Amir receives his friends at home, Hassan must go off by himself. Hassan quite naturally accepts this double code of conduct, not realizing his true relationship to Baba. Then one year as his birthday approaches, Baba offers to have Hassan's harelip fixed, an expensive operation. By this Baba dares to express (for once) his true attachment to Hassan and steps over social barriers to help his son. Hassan is less disfigured after surgery, but of course remains stigmitized in a family way.

It is not until the latter half of the story that this relationship is disclosed to Amir. It is too late for Amir to "fix" his relationship with Hassan (Hassan being dead), but he has a new understanding of his father - not so perfect, but more human than ever. Baba never manages to come out and speak about this family secret with Amir, but he makes up for it somewhat when they start life together over again in California. Then Baba learns he has cancer. He is especially attentive to help Amir win Soraya by giving his paternal consent while there is still time.

Of what does Keats's Sonnet XV "On the Grasshopper and the Cricket" make us think about in terms of nature?the tone of the poem

As a Romantic poet, John Keats finds solace in Nature.  Thus, in his Petrarchan sonnet, "On the Grasshopper and the Cricket,"the tone, or attitude, of the poet is reflective, as he first expresses the idea in the octave that "the poetry of earth is never dead!"; always it provides music for the soul.  If the birds do not sing, then the grasshopper "takes the lead/With his delights" or, in the sestet, as Keats comments, on a "lone winter evening" the cricket picks up the song of the grasshopper and chirps in the warmth of the stove.

For Keats and other Romantics, there is continually a source of inspiration and solace for the soul in Nature, the relationsip between life and Nature. This comforting, reflective tone set in his Italian, or Petrarchan sonnet has the idea of Nature followed by a comment in the octave/sestet respectively.

Writing essays on revenge and jealousy in Shakespeare's OthelloI'm working on two separate essays on the themes of revenge and jealousy. Can you...

If you are focusing on revenge you should center on the character of Iago, as it is revenge that drives his actions throughout the entire play. Iago seeks revenge for a number of both real and imagined slights. He wants revenge because he (falsely) believes Othello has cuckholded him with Emilia. He wants revenge because he feels that Othello has done him an injustice by choosing Cassio for the position of lieutenant. He wants revenge because he feels he has been overlooked for most of his life. What makes his thirst for revenge most scary is the fact that it is unquenchable. There is a distinct feeling that even the deaths of Desdemona, his wife, Othello, and Roderigo are not enough to full satisfy him.

Jealousy is a little more complex. Iago is jealous (for the reasons I cited above) and warns Othello of jealousy in Act III, Scene III when he says "O, beware my lord of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster..." Othello's jealousy is quick, fierce and deadly. He is overwhelmed by his jealousy, losing sight of his love for Desdemona and his joy in his new marriage. He allows that jealousy to cloud logic and common sense. Bianca is jealous of Cassio and the owner of the handkerchief. Emilia has a moment in Act III, Scene IV where she says

But jealous souls will not be answered so; They are not ever jealous for the cause, but jealous for they are jealous. 'Tis a monster begot upon itself, born on itself.

In "The Road" the man and the boy think of themselves as the "good guys." In what ways are they like and unlike the "bad guys" they encounter?What...

Although the differences between the boy and his father and the cannibalistic and brutal men they encounter are more stark than the similarities, there are some things in common.  Both groups of people are survivors, doing their best to adjust and stay alive in a harsh and unwelcoming environment where weather and resources do little to help.  They both stick together, and are travelling in their separate groups, using each other to try to stay alive.  They both are results of the wars that have decimated the land and people around them--granted, they are on opposite spectrums of the results of war, but, they represent what can happen to mankind in such extreme situations.  They both do what they can to protect their own and to survive.

The differences are more clear--the boy and his father are not cannibals, not brutal murderers, not breeders of babies just to have meat to survive. They haven't abandoned their humanity, their decency and their respect for human lives other than their own.  They haven't completely caved into animalistic instincts, they don't represent all that is evil and cruel in the world, they aren't symbolic of what went wrong with the world in the first place.  They care for each other, they are decent and kind to one another, they still talk about God and keep morals and values alive in their lives.  They are surivors, but not barbarians.

All of this said, the boy is the most human, hopeful, kind and unscathed human in the story.  The father lets his survival instincts come above and beyond human kindness more often than the boy would like.  Granted, that instinct in the father probably is wise, but the boy still has compassion.  He hasn't seen life before the wars, then after; he wasn't grown enough to become bitter, hardened and disillusioned with mankind because of all of the destruction that they caused.  He still retains a childlike innocence and pure love for those who suffer.  He is young enough to not have the awfulness of the world that he lives in completely defeat him and his more compassionate human traits.  McCarthy uses the boy as a symbol of strength and hope in mankind, that, despite all of the evil that exists in the world, if there is but one flame of goodness left, life is worth living.

I hope that these thoughts help a bit; good luck!

Give examples of the way the patients are controlled based on the grounds that "It's for your own good."

The paternalism of "It's for your own good" is found in many components of Nurse Ratched's control.  The element of power and order is what underlies such a claim.  All of Nurse Ratched's rules are in place with the idea that the patients' well being is served.  From the time to brush teeth, to medicine distribution, to the rules of group therapy, to watching a baseball game, to going outside, the entire structure of the medical ward is designed with the idea of"it's for your own good."  Nurse Ratched's consistent line of defense against McMurphy's questioning is that her rules and order is in the interests of the patients.  This line becomes the ultimate cover for making the patients drones, and denying the essence of individuality.  If we think about it this line can be applied to the most sinister parts of the mental health care offered in the ward.  Shock therapy, lobotomies, and other forcible measures of control can be enacted because "it's for your own good." The patients act in a way of fear and ignorance because they have been told they cannot endure the realities of freedom on the grounds that "it's for your own good."  The silencing of their voices and desire to make them passive is something that has been done in an attempt to control and lessen their sensibilities. In this setting the idea of controlling patients with this idea in mind becomes the tool that enhances and fortifies Nurse Ratched's structure and power.

What does Aunt Ev urge Captain Keller to do in The Miracle Worker?

Aunt Ev urges Captain Keller to consult with a doctor she has heard of in Baltimore concerning Helen.  After witnessing another in a string of daily incidents in which Helen can neither be communicated with nor controlled, Aunt Ev says, "Something ought to be done for that child".  Captain Keller, who feels he has exhausted all channels of aid already, sarcastically asks her just what she is suggesting, to which Aunt Ev replies that there is "this very famous oculist in Baltimore...Dr. Chisholm".  Aunt Ev has heard of "lots of cases of blindness people thought couldn't be cured (that) he's cured...he just does wonders".  She want Captain Keller to write to Dr. Chisholm.

Although Mrs. Keller seems to want her husband to take Aunt Ev's advice, Captain Keller is not receptive to the suggestion.  He says that "the child's been to specialists all over Alabama and Tennessee, (and) if (he) thought it would do good (he'd have her to every fool doctor in the country".  Captain Keller has pretty much given up hope that anyone can help Helen however, and is tired of going to doctor after doctor in hopes that they can do something, only to find out that they cannot.  He has "stopped believing in wonders", and does not have the least expectation that Dr. Chisholm will be able to do what all the other doctors they have already consulted could not.

Aunt Ev is adamant that Captain Keller should write to Dr. Chisholm; she says that "if that doctor can't help (Helen), maybe he'll know who can".  Aunt Ev has "a mind to take (Helen) up to Baltimore (her)self", and before the force of her urging and that of his wife, Captain Keller finally consents to "write the man".  As it turns out, Aunt Ev's advice is invaluable; Captain Keller's letter establishes a connection with the Perkins Institute, which sends Annie Sullivan to the family to work with Helen (Act I).

What do the endoderm, ectoderm and mesoderm form?

These are the three basic types of cell precursors in fetal development. As the zygote develops, initially all cells are the same. But as development progresses, cells become specialized, and the three types you have listed give rise to specific tissues. The link I have added below spells the types out specifically, using a nice graphic.

In general, ectoderm develops into parts of the skin, the brain and the nervous system. Mesoderm gives rise to bones, muscles, the heart and circulatory system, and internal sex organs. Endoderm turns into the inner lining of some systems, and some organs such as the liver and pancreas.

Please explain the origin of 'Children's Day' in India.

In India, November 14th the birthday of the first Prime Minister of India  Jawaharlal Nehru is celebrated as 'Children's Day.' However, the practice of celebrating November 14th as 'Children's Day' in India was begun only after Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's death in the year 1963.

This is because in his life time Nehru was very fond of small children and spent much of his free time with them. Wherever he went in India, Nehru was always surrounded by small children. His ability to establish an immediate rapport with children was legendary.

How does Jimmy Porter represent the "angry young man" of 1950s in Look Back in Anger?

Born in the early years of the most turbulent 1930s and having lived through the Second Great War, Osborne's protagonist in Look Back In Anger, Jimmy Porter, represents the 'angry young men' of the post-War era in England. Jimmy is angry with almost everything and everybody in the world around him. His angry tirades are directed against his upper-class wife, Alison, his business-partner & friend, Cliff who shares with Jimmy & Alison their small flat at Midlands, against Alison's parents & brother, against the Church, the Press, the women, the general lack of enthusiasm, the general tendency of escaping the hard realities of life.

Jimmy considers himself a member of the working class, and opposes the hypocritical social-moral attitudes and practices of the upper class people:their religious faith, moral scruples, sexual prejudices, political opportunism. A young man, anguished and volatile, rebellious and often self-contradicting, Jimmy represents the disillusionment of the younger generation in the 1950s.

In Chapter 10 of The Outsiders, was Dallas Winston gallant? Use an example or two from the book to back up what you say.

    Dallas Winston is the toughest greaser of the bunch in Susan E. Hinton's novel, The Outsiders. "Tougher, colder, meaner," than all of Ponyboy's other friends, Dallas has eyes "cold with a hatred of the whole world." The local police has a file on him, and he "lied, cheated, stole, rolled drunks, jumped small kids--he did everything." With this type of resume, Dally can hardly be called gallant.
    Yet, while Ponyboy and Johnny hid out at the church on Jay Mountain, they took turns reading Gone With the Wind, and Johnny remarked how the Southern gentlemen reminded him of Dally. Pony disagreed, but Johnny explained.

"... one night I saw Dally gettin' picked on by the fuzz, and he kept real cool and calm the whole time. They was gettin' him for breakin' out the windows in the school building, and it was Two-Bit who did that. And Dally knew it. But he just took the sentence without battin' an eye or even denyin' it. That's gallant."

Later that week Dally had a chance to prove Johnny right. When he went into the burning church in Chapter 6 to retrieve Johnny from the collapsing roof, Dallas Winston exhibited the gallantry that his young friend knew he was capable of showing.
    However, in Chapter 10, there is nothing gallant about Dallas' choice of suicide by cop. His desire to die by waving an unloaded weapon simply showed an act of desperation brought on by the loss of his friend, Johnny.

What is the factor form for x^3-x^2-6x?i just cant seem 2 get it

To start off, everything that has a factor of x in common so . . factor out the x -- this means divide each term by the x.

x(x^2 - x - 6)

Now you will go through the some what laborious process of factor the remaining trinomial . . .

make a list of factors of 6 (I'll ignore the sign for now)

1 * 6

2 * 3

No using these factors and assigning signs as you might need them to make it work . . .can you add or subract to find -1, the coeffiecient of the middle term?

1+6 = 7, -1 + -6 = -7, -1 + 6 = 5 . . .this combo just won't work

2 + -3 = -1 . . .so use 2 and -3 when we go back to rewrite the problem . . .

x(x^2 + 2x + -3x - 6) next group and factor the smaller groups

x[ (x^2 + 2x) + (-3x - 6)]

looking at (x^2 + 2x) they have a x in common so

x(x + 2)

looking at (-3x - 6), they have a -3 in common so . .

-3(x + 2) -> remember -6/-3 = +2

so now we have . . .

x[x(x + 2) + -3(x + 2)]

Notice that there is a matching (x + 2) for each grouping . . if you pull this out front .. . you will use the rest as the final factor . . . .

x (x + 2) (x + -3)

This is your factored form!

In All Quiet on the Western Front, what 5 key traits does Paul Baumer display?

At the beginning of the novel, Paul--like his classmates--is naive.  He does not understand the true implications of the war, nor does he understand what it will mean to be a soldier.  He is easily persuaded by Kantorek to join the war effort to show his service to Germany.  Once Paul and his classmates enter the war, several young men quickly lose their lives.  When Kemmerich loses his leg and suffers complications from his injury, Paul shows his loyalty by staying with Kemmerich until the last moment. 

Yet, even though the soldiers are thrust into horrible situations, Paul for a while remains idealistic particularly in his thoughts about nature.  He sees beauty in nature and feels like the earth provides the men with a sense of security. 

However, Paul quickly becomes disillusioned when he realizes that the men in charge of the war care nothing about the soldiers who daily lose their lives on the battlefield.  But Paul is not completely taken under by the war--while on the battlefield, he falls into a shell hole and out of fear stabs a French soldier to death.  While the man dies, Paul shows that he is compassionate by attempting to make the soldier comfortable (giving him water).  Throughout the novel, Paul's round character is presented through the various emotions experienced by a soldier during war.

List the important events that happened to Finny and Gene in A Separate Peace by John Knowles.

The first really significant event is Finny's breaking the school swimming record and demanding to keep it a secret between Gene and himself. Then Gene, in an act of blind malice born of his own sense of inferiority to Finny, deliberately jounced the tree limb causing Finny to fall and break his leg. After this incident, other significant events follow in succession.

Gene goes to Boston to confess, but Finny won't let him, leaving Gene to deal with his guilt. Gene attacks Quackenbush, a result of his own guilt. Gene plans to enlist, but gives it up when Finny returns to school. Brinker confronts Gene in the Butt Room, hinting at the truth of Gene's betrayal of Finny. Leper returns to Devon after going AWOL from the Army. Gene visits Leper in Vermont and faces the reality of what the war has done to Leper. Gene and Finny both submit to the Trial that Brinker organizes in the Assembly Building, during which the truth emerges. Finny runs from the Trial, falls down the marble stairs, and breaks his leg again. Gene visits Finny in the infirmary, and they openly discuss for the first time what happened in the tree. Finny dies. Gene attends his burial but finds he cannot cry. Gene experiences the argument between Brinker and his father which gives him insight into the true cause of war. Gene leaves Devon after graduation. Gene returns to Devon fifteen years later, seeking understanding of the events that had occurred there and some final peace.

What is a metonymy or syncedoche in Twilight?

First, let's do some terminology defining. You probably know what a metaphor is (using a descriptor that compares two unlike things to mean something - for instance, "that little girl is like a bird."). A metonymy, however, is a concept, or a noun, or a piece of rhetoric not called by its own name, but rather something associated with it (Sir Francis Drake commented, " I wouldn't do this but the Crown wished it." He meant, of course, Elizabeth, but the Crown is symbolic of her power). Synecdoche is a bit more complicated, most grammarians refer to it as a subset of metonymy, in which there is a substitution of a part for a whole, e.g. "All hands on deck," of course meaning all people.

So, grammatically, we have:

1) Metaphor - changing a word from its actual/literal meaning to something descriptive but not exact - "like"

2) Metonymy - substitutes of cause for effect proper name for a quality, etc.

3) Synecdoche - substitutes a part for a whole

In Twilight, it seems as if our vampire hero, Edward Cullen, perhaps due to his age and sophistication, is the character who most often uses literative devises to make a statement, but more than that - give the tone and timbre of the conversation. It's almost as if the author desires to take us back in time to the classics of Romeo and Juliet, Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice, and put us in a state of descriptive adjectives in which people spoke rather poetically to one another. For example:

You are exactly my brand of heroin. Comparing Bella to a drug that has historic references to addiction. Once someone starts heroin, they need more and more. Also alludes to the effect Bella has on Edward - like a drug, she makes him "high" - happy, content. Bella is his addiction.

Before you, Bella, my life was like a moonless night. This has many meanings. First, since most readers associate night and vampires with comfort, one could say a moonless night was ideal for a vampire. But now, it seems that everything was black, unseeable, and void until Bella came into Edward's life.

And so the lion fell in love with the lamb. Biblical and Aesopian reference that Bella, the innocent, pure lamb, is the object of love from the carnivorous, dangerous beast of the lion (Edward). Edward and Bella both know he could kill her at any moment and that in sociological terms they are of two different natures. Instead, the idea that a lion (war) could love a lamb (peace) is anachronistic.

Bella, your blood sings to me. Singing implies music, sound, it implies that the life of Bella (her blood) is music to Edward's ears and heart. And like music, it moves him into ecstasy.

Of course there are many more, and some critics have accused the author of using too many "stacked metaphors," but one must allow the author to have her own unique style and means of communicating to the intended audience.

In "Night", describe in detail the characters of Eliezer and Moishe the Beadle.

Eliezer is the main character of Night.  It is through his eyes we experience the horror and terror of the Nazis.  We see him mature and change before our eyes.  In a very sad and twisted way, Eliezer's story is a bildungsroman, a story of growth and change and is presented in the most horrific of conditions.  Yet, even in such sadness, children grow and age.  Eliezer's experiences are throughout the book, but one of the most powerful and compelling are his thoughts about and faith in God.  This becomes one of the most fascinating and sad aspects about the work.  The truth of the Nazis did much to raise questions in your Eliezer's mind about the presence of God in the fact of unspeakable cruelty and atrocities.  Additionally, Eliezer possess a very loyal and strong relationship to his father which is tested as his health deteriorates and the conditions become difficult for survival.  Moshe the Beadle is Eliezer's spiritual teacher in the village.  He serves as a symbol being a man of religious faith and teaching.  The peope in the village look at him with scorn and disdain, so much so that when he is captured by the Nazis and taken away, few, if any, voice opposition.  It is in this character where Wiesel seems to be taking the strongest of stands:  Silence when anyone is being persecuted is a nod to the aggressors.  Part of what makes the work extremely powerful is that while it speaks volumes about the aggressors and perpetrators of cruelty, it delivers an equally forceful message to those who stand in silence and permit such  atrocities to happen with their paralysis.  Moshe the beadle represents that result of silence.  Speaking out against injustice applies to everyone, even those whom we find distasteful or "different" than us.  The other symbolic feature that Moshe serves is when he- a man of God, a man who believes in God, a man who has given his life to God- is taken away and silenced, the symbolic representation is that God, himself, has been silenced.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird" people are not always what they appear to be. Explain how this relates to five characters.

1. Boo Radley appears to be a complete social misfit, a boogey-man, a character of nightmares and childhood dare-games.  He is supposedly evil, a criminal, a spook, and completely devoid of any normalcy.  However, we see that this is not the case.  He tries to befriend Scout and Jem; he is kind and attentive as he gives them presents in the tree.  He enjoys laughing and being happy as evidenced by the chuckles when Scout falls out of the tire.  He is caring and understanding when he sews Jem's pants and returns them without his father knowing.  He comes out of his shell to defend and protect the children at the end--the only one in the neighborhood to do so.  Boo is a kind hero.

2.  Mrs. Dubose appears to be a cantankerous old lady who is bitterly mean to the core, without an ounce of goodness or integrity in her. She picks on the kids, is a bitter racist, and meddles.  However, as Jem learns later, she undertook a very courageous battle to kick her morphine habit.  She fought hard until she beat it, showing more courage than a lot of other people would have.  It turned out she did have goodness, a sense of humor (in giving Jem the flower), integrity and grit.

3.  Mayella Ewell appeared to be a cowardly tattle-tale who was simply the product of a white trash family.  She appeared to be despicable, a low-life, and a no-good member of society.  However, we learn more about her--she was lonely, she wanted friends, she wanted to improve her station in life (she kept red flowers in her trashed yard), and she was trying to be kind to others.  She still made poor choices in the end, but there was more to her than the stereotypes would have dictated.

4.  Tom Robinson, accused of raping a white woman, appeared to be, on the surface, and evil man who had done evil things.  If one didn't take the time to go to the trial or to understand the Ewell's, you would assume he was an awful man.  However, he was kinder to the Ewells than most people, trying to help Mayella out, and was in no way shape or form a criminal.  He was a decent, hardworking kind man trying to do what was right and just caught in a bad situation.

5.  On the surface, the men who came to the jail in an angry mob, during the day, were decent, hard-working folks who tried to do what was right.  However, under that surface lurked vicious racists who would be willing to harm an innocent black man just because he was black.  Walter Cunningham made the right choice, and tapped into his inner good self, and walked away from the situation.

I hope that those thoughts help a bit; good luck!

What are Charlemagne's achievements?

To add a couple of details to an already very thorough answer, Charlemagne was also called "The Horse Prince," and some historians even attribute to him the invention of the stirrup, a winning factor in calvary combat.

Although he himself did not learn to read until later in life, Charlemagne assured the first steps towards compulsory education. There is even a children's song in French to this effect -  "Sacré Charlemagne!":

Qui a eu cette idée folle            Who had this wild idea
Un jour d'inventer l'école           One day to invent school
C'est ce sacré Charlemagne        It's crazy Charlemagne 
Sacré Charlemagne                   Crazy Charlemagne
De nous laisser dans la vie         To make us work with just
Que les dimanches, les jeudis      Weekends off -that's all!

C'est ce sacré Charlemagne        It's crazy Charlemagne

Sacré Charlemagne                   Crazy Charlemagne

Ce fils de Pépin le Bref              This son of Pepin the Short
Nous donne beaucoup d'ennuis   Has caused us lots of toil -
Et nous avons cent griefs          For which we can complain
Contre, contre, contre lui          One hundred fold and more

Qui a eu cette idée folle             Who had this wild idea
Un jour d'inventer l'école            One day to invent school
C'est ce sacré Charlemagne        It's crazy Charlemagne
Sacré Charlemagne                   Crazy Charlemagne

Il aurait dû caresser                  I'd rather he had spent
Longtemps sa barbe fleurie         Time at the barber's,
Oh Oh sacré Charlemagne          Trimming his beard just so -

Sacré Charlemagne                   Crazy Charlemagne,            

Au lieu de nous ennuyer             Not boring us to tears with
Avec la géographie                    Instruction in geography -
Oh Oh sacré Charlemagne           Oh,that crazy Charlemagne
Sacré Charlemagne                    Crazy Charlemagne

Il n'avait qu'à s'occuper              If only he'd kept busy with
De batailles et de chasse            His battles and his hunts
Nous n'serions pas obligés           We'd not have to go
D'aller chaque jour en classe        Forevermore to school

Il faut apprendre à compter         Between learning to count
Et faire des tas de dictées          And a heap of dicatation
Oh Oh sacré Charlemagne           It's just frustration -
Sacré Charlemagne                    Crazy, crazy Charlemagne

Car sans lui dans notre vie          Imagine life without him -
Y n'y aurait que des jeudis          So free! Why'd every day'd
Oh Oh sacré Charlemagne           Be Saturday! Oh, crazy
Oh Oh sacré Charlemagne           Charlemagne, oh, crazy
Oh Oh sacré Charlemagne...        Charlemagne...

sin^2 0 + ? = 1 sin 0/ cos 0 = ? Is any body able to explain this to me?

sin^2 0 + ? = 1

sin 0/ cos 0 = ?

Solution:

By trigonometry, sine^2(x)+cos^2(x)=1 for all x.

Putting x=0.sine^2 0+cos^2 0 = 1.

sine^2 0 +cos^2 0  = 1, as sin 0 = 0 and cos 0 =1

So, cos^2 0 =1 is to be added to sine^2 0 to get 1

To find Sin 0 /cos 0 .

Sin 0 =  0 and cos0 =1.

So,sin 0/cos 0 = 0/1 = 0.

What was John Milton's contribution to English literature?

Milton's contribution can be identified two ways. The first is his contribution to the corpus of English literary works, such as three of his greatest: Paradise Lost, Lycidas, Samson Agonistes. Additionally, Milton broke with his contemporaries, who were largely following what we call the metaphysical tradition, and turned back to the Renaissance and to Greek and Latin poets. Thus it is he made a contribution to poetic and tragic genre by reviving the greatest earliest traditions, for instance, Samson Agonistes is styled as a classic Greek tragedy.

This introduces the other way his contribution can be measured, that is his contribution to the English language. While acknowledging his linguistic debt to Shakespeare in "On Shakespeare," introducing his 1632 folio, Milton followed in Shakespeare's footsteps by expanding the English language for poetic and dramatic effect. Gavin Alexander of Christ's College, Oxford University, expresses this aspect of Milton's contribution like this:

... to remake words to bear new meanings, to create a word or phrase where the language offers none, to stretch imagery and syntax in the effort to represent emotion and thought. This is why Milton stands next to Shakespeare in the English poetic tradition

He too, like Shakespeare, altered syntax and grammar to most effectively express an idea, or to most dramatically express it. He too relied on extended simile and metaphor, like in epic similes. He too coined words from Latin borrowed words. Some of these dropped out of the lexicon with Milton, but many coined words are still active contributors to the English lexicon. A few examples of these are: embellishing, besotted, unadventurous, reforming, slow-motion, chastening, unintended, defensively, padlock, disregard, attacks, enjoyable, awe-struck.

A couple of examples of these points from Milton's greatest works follow.

Paradise Lost:
Word coining: bliss:
Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat,

Syntax:
Him the Almighty Power
Hurld headlong

Samson Agonistes:
Extended metaphor underlying tragedy:
... and find him
Eyeless in Gaza at the Mill with slaves,
Himself in bonds under Philistian yoke;

Lycidas:
Classical Greek allusion:
Begin then, Sisters of the sacred well,
That from beneath the seat of Jove doth spring,

Syntax:
Compels me to disturb your season due:

Why was the old Thane of Cawdor executed in Macbeth? Act 1 scene 4

In Act I, Scene 2, of Macbeth, a captain of Duncan's army reports to his king that he has been wounded fighting the Irish, but Duncan's generals, Macbeth and Banquo, have fought with much valor and violence, especially Macbeth, who cut Macdonwald from bottom to top. Then, a Scottish nobleman enters to inform King Duncan that the Thane of Cawdor has been defeated in his treachery along with the army of Norway with whom Cawdor has conspired. Hearing of Macbeth's raw bravery, King Duncan orders that the hero Macbeth be given Cawdor's title, and Ross is sent to deliver the news to Macbeth.

Then, in Act I, Scene 4, Malcolm, Duncan's son who has been made Prince of Cumberland, reports to his father the king that the execution was carried out on the thane of Cawdor. Malcolm says that he received a report that Cawdor confessed his treasons, before dying,

Implored your Highness' pardon and set forth
A deep repentance: nothing in his life
Became him like the leaving it. He died
As one that had been studied in his death,
To throw away the dearest thing he owed
As twere a careless trifle. (1.4.6-11)

King Duncan sadly reflects that he had not known the type of man Cawdor has been. For, he has thought the Thane of Cawdor a thoughtful man.