What are open and closed systems? Please explain in detail.

A system is defined as a collection of interrelated part forming a synergistic whole that jointly perform functions that each part by itself cannot perform. The parts of the systems, also called components or elements, can be thing, or people, or both. Actions of the system elements including interactions between them constitute the processes of the system. Systems can be very simple and constitute of only things. For example, a chair is a physical system that serves the purpose of providing the convenience for sitting. The various components of the chair like its legs, seat, arms, and the back rest are connected to each other to to provide necessary shape, strength, rigidity and other characteristics to the chair, which enable the chair as a whole to serve its purpose. Systems can also be very complex like human body, a manufacturing plant, or a business organization.

The system as a whole receives inputs from sources outside itself, processes these inputs within the system, and transfers the outputs or results of these processes to outside itself. Whatever exists outside the system is described as environment of the system.

System are have boundaries that separate systems from their environment. A system is influenced by its environment and in turn may be influenced by it, but a system does not have direct control over the process in the environment.

Depending on its relationship with the environment, systems are divided in two broad categories - open systems and closed systems. An open system interacts with its environment while a closed system does not. In practical world there are no systems that are absolutely closed. Systems that have relatively limited interaction wit its environment are, therefore, considered closed systems while those with substantial interaction are considered open systems.

For example, the R&D department of a company may have much less interaction wit people outside the department as compared to marketing department. Therefore, we may consider the R&D department organization as a closed system, and Marketing department organisation as an open system.

In "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," to what two creatures does Edwards compare sinners?

In his sermon, Edwards first compares sinners to spiders or other disgusting insects:

. . . [God] holds you over the pit of Hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect . . . .

In the same paragraph, he compares sinners to poisonous snakes:

. . . you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours . . . .

In "Hamlet" does Gertrude tell Claudius the truth about what happened between her and Hamlet? Is she following Hamlet's advice at the end of 3.4?

At the end of Act 3, Hamlet advises his mother to "by no means...let the bloat king tempt you again to bed" (III.iv.181-2) again, and to keep quiet about what they have spoken of that evening.  The queen promises that "I have no life to breathe what thou hast said to me," (III.iv.198) indicating that she will keep quiet.  And she does, for the most part, keep that promise.  She doesn't say anything about Hamlet's incensed ranting regarding her and her hasty marriage and hasty turning toward Claudius in her bed or in her heart.  We don't know if she keeps the first promise, about never going to his bed again, but we can only assume that she doesn't; she remains with the king, and seems to be happy with him throughout the rest of the play.  She does reveal that it was Hamlet who killed Polonius, but about the other things, she keeps quiet.  She mentions that Hamlet "weeps for what is done" to Polonius, and that he went to "draw apart the body he hath kill'd" (IV.i.24-27), which sends the King off on a hunt for the body of Polonius.

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

What are the parts of a tree in terms of being a system?

As per systems theory, the parts of the tree will include the following.

1. Root: This part of the tree is buried in the soil and is directly connected to the stem. It performs two main functions. It sucks nutrients from the soil and supplies to the while tree. The roots also helps the stem to remain upright.


2. Stem: This part of the tree helps the tree to rise high above the ground level. This enables the tree to t more sunshine. It also restricts access to the tree's leaves and fruits by animals. The stem also provides anchoring to the trees branches.


3. Branches: The branches are anchored to the stem and serve the purpose of supporting leaves, flowers and fruits of tree. The branches are like a constructed in a way that enables the tree to form a large canopy that enables it to have a large number of leaves that collect sunshine from a wider area.


4. Leaves: These are attached to branches. Leaves perform the function of receiving sunshine, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and preparing food for the tree, by the process of photo-synthesis, using nutrients received from soil, carbon dioxide, and sunlight. In this process the leaves release oxygen in the atmosphere.


5. The internal conveying systems: This system conveys nutrients in the soil to the leaves, and the food prepared by the leaves to all the parts of the tree.

I have not included flowers and fruits as part of the tree as a system. Instead I would like to qualify them as the output of the tree. Further it is worthwhile noting that flowers ant fruits are not two separate parts but different stages of development of the same part. Fruit it self may be considered as a subsystem with multiple parts. Also the seed in the part becomes the means of growth of new trees.

The tree as a system uses the following inputs.

1. Water and nutrients from the soil.


2. Sunlight


3. carbon dioxide


4. External agents like bees and wind to aid in pollination.

Output from the tree includes the following:

1. Flowers including nectar for the bees.


2. Fruits including seeds for growth of other trees


3. Shade and protection from rain


4. Oxygen to maintain balance of oxygen in the atmosphere. It is worthwhile noting that animals use oxygen and release carbon dioxide. Without plants to convert carbon dioxide back in to oxygen, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will rise to a level where life will soon become impossible. Also without plants to absorb the energy of sun, the temperature on earth will rise to unbearable levels.


5. Prevention of erosion of soil with flow or rain and flood water.

The tree is an open system, interacting with many other systems. These include:

• All animals, including humans that eat its fruits.


• All the birds that perch on its branches and also make their nest in trees. Some animals also use tree as their dwelling place.


• Bees that such nectar from flowers and help in fertilization.


• All animals that use tree as shelter.


• The soil system.


• The atmospheric system.


• The sun that provides sunlight

Does Capulet in "Romeo and Juliet" seem sincere in his concern for his daughter's happiness in marriage?

At first, in Act I of "Romeo and Juliet" as Lord Capulet responds to the "suit" of Paris by pleading with him to wait until Juliet is a little older,

My child is yet a stranger in the world--/She hath not seen the change of fourteen years./Let two more summers wither in their pride/Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride. (I,ii,8-11)

he seems solicitious of his daughter, especially when he asks Paris to attend the feast he has planned for Juliet where Paris should "woo her gently" and "like her most whose merit most shall be."

However in Act 3, Scene 5, Capulet's volatile temperament displayed in the opening scene in which he shouts for his long sword emerges again, but this time it is pointed against Juliet as he asks his wife if she has delivered to Juliet their "decree."  Irate when his wife informs him of Juliet's refusal to marry Paris, the father shouts and threatens to "drag thee on a thither" if she does not comply with his wishes. 

He calls her "young baggage!  Disoobedient wretch!" and complains to his wife that God only sent them one child who is

too much,/And that we have a curse in having her./Out on her hilding! (worthless girl) (III,v,166-168)

Capulet continues by telling Juliet that he will not allow her to live in his house if she does not agree to marry Paris.  She can "beg, starve, die in the streets before he breaks this vow.

Yet, while it appears that Capulet seems inordinately cold, readers must note that in the Renaissance marriages were arranged by the father and were, in part, often business deals as the daughter married someone who would profit the family throughout social position or monetary acquisitions.

What do the characters in Whirligig have in common with Brent?

Throughout his journey, Brent meets a variety of people who he connects with. When Brent meets Emil, Brent imagines him as some sort of smarter, better version of himself, since they look similar to each other. Brent is in awe of him and admires him, and wants to better himself and gain more knowledge. Emil is an impetus for Brent to better himself. 

Another character that Brent strongly connects with is the painter he meets in Maine. She connects with him as an artist, and he feels comfortable and inspired in her company. He trusts her enough to tell her a full confession of killing Lea in the accident, and she grants him forgiveness. It is a catharsis, and Brent is on the road to forgiving himself. 

Along the way, Brent also meets other travelers and locals that he connects with in small ways. In Florida, he meets a group of children who he teaches about building whirligigs and who in turn teach him about the shells and animals on their beach. He also meets a camper in Oregon who makes him interested in learning about the stars and increasing his personal education about the world. 

Then there are the characters that Brent never actually meets in person, but who are in some way touched by the whirligigs that Brent puts up to honor Lea. Each person who sees the whirligigs are impacted in some way by their message, whether it be the man who realizes that people need family or the child and his mother who learn that rest and balance are essential in life. Brent connects with others that he is not even aware that he has touched with the whirligigs. 

How does Miss Emily behave after her father dies?

Miss Emily and her father in this story represent the Old South, with its rigid aristocratic traditions of propriety. Part of the mythos associated with this culture had to do with aristocratic families having enough wealth to live a certain circumscribed lifestyle that was an essential part of their dignity. When her father dies, Miss Emily is left with the house but with almost no money. Because her father has dismissed her suitors, she remains single despite her beauty and is now above the normal age for marriage in her society; even worse, their are no prospective husbands left of the proper class. Her father's death means to her the death of her life and identity.

Her first response is denial. She refuses even to admit that he is dead:

The day after his death all the ladies prepared to call at the house ... Miss Emily met them at the door, dressed as usual and with no trace of grief on her face. She told them that her father was not dead. She did that for three days, ...  

Next, she moves on from denial to grieving:

Just as they were about to resort to law and force, she broke down, and they buried her father quickly.

She never fully recovers from the death of her father, though, and becomes a recluse. She is next described as becoming "sick" for several months, something we would probably now describe as depression.

Could you please summarize the poem "The Waste Land' by T.S. Eliot?

I can help you giving some key facts about Eliot & the poem. Hope it'll work. But, remember these are only some key issues/points, not a wholesome paraphrase.

1. According to Eliot, modern  literature is essentially complex, because he thinks every writer's writings should portray his/her own age. since modern age is complex, so, modern writings (poems) must be complex. that's why, you'll find Eliot making his poems consciously complex which will make you think about the poem deeply.

2. The First World War has a huge impact on this poem. World Wars create nihilism (a feeling of nothingness or emptiness) in humans because of massive death & destruction.This sense of emptiness is the supreme image in the poem. Consequently, Death/barrenness is a major theme in the poem.

3. Apart from urbanization & industrialization there occurred some more intricate problems in the post-war period, and these were mostly psychological. Betrayal. doubt, loss of faith in God & self & fellow-beings, deterioration of values & morality now bother more. Besides, modern people are splintered selves, always wearing masks. Because of inner frustration & ennui, modern people suffer from death-wish. They have no true warm feeling for the fellow-mates; dryness prevails, in fact, in relationships also. Modern man is called 'Hollow man' since they are dreamless, hopeless. The inner picture of modern people reflects the outer scape of the post-war world. Modern people are carrying different images different times; they are like 'broken images'.

4. Now, you'll find Prufrockian symptoms in the poem: death-wish, pretentiousness, loss of faith. There is intertextuality with 'The Hollow Man' also.

5. As our thoughts are no more linear, simple, systematic. so, the style & language of the poem are complicated, abstract & it's full of allusions. Besides the allusions will foreground the problems of modernism & show that the problems are not individual, rather universal.

6. Though Eliot's attitude in this poem is not positive, but he's optimistic. he knows solution isn't possible now (he stretches 2 lines from Upanishads' Projapoti), yet he hints to a hope that something good could happen if we'd take steps both socially & individually. Purification of the individual's soul, removal of immorality, implementation of religious dogmas - all these are necessary. Most importantly, focus should be on 'Da' 'Da' 'Da'. One has to control, give & sympathize. one has to control his ego, id; he has to linger between the giving self & receiving self (own self & constructed self), or he can't survive like the knights.

7. Though the poem is seemingly divided in to 5 sections, it is a unified whole. Dramatization, punctuations, symbols, motifs, shifting of perspectives, Tiresias, theme/message of each section - all are acting as unifier.

8. Important motifs are: journey, search of Father (seeking the root as well as Christ's bestowal).

9. Symbols: drought, barrenness (intellectual/philosophical & physical), water, rain, fire, journey, wheel.

Now, what you've to do is to connect all the points above with one another.

In Susan Glaspell's Trifles, what are key symbols besides the birdcage?

The bird itself is the main symbol in Trifles. Just as Mr. Wright literally choked the life out of Minnie Wright, he also destroyed his wife's spirit.  Mrs. Hale mentions that Minnie "used to wear pretty clothes and be lively . . . one of the towns girls singing in the choir."  After marrying Mr. Wright, she lost her voice--the ability to be cheerful--and, more importantly, she lost who she was.  The death of the bird symbolizes the death of Minnie Foster--who she was before marrying Mr. Wright.

Likewise, the rope (noose) which Minnie uses to kill her husband symbolizes the motif of "choking out someone's life."

In regards to symbolism, the quilt pieces also play a major role.  The women's reaction to the poorly sewn quilt piece demonstrates the difference between men's and women's perception.  The women realize that the piece is significant, but to the men, the sewing represents the trifles that usually occupy the minds of women.  The County Attorney asks the women in a tongue-in-cheek manner, "Well, ladies, have you decided whether she was going to quilt it or knot it?" Their answer of "knot it" illustrates the secret knowledge they have gleaned from paying attention to detail, and it also hints the manner in which Minnie murdered her husband.

Why did Lieutenant Jimmy Cross feel guilty about Ted Lavender's death?

Tim O’Brien’s novel The Things They Carried is the story of an army unit in the Vietnamese War. O’Brien uses the characters’ experiences to demonstrate the effects of war on the young soldiers.

Early in the story, O’Brien establishes a major internal conflict that First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross must deal with: the death of a soldier named Ted Lavender. To understand how Lavender’s death affects Cross, we have to first understand his character.

Cross is in love with a woman named Martha back in the states. One of the effects of the war is to heighten Cross’ feelings of love for her, even though she seems to be generally indifferent to him. His thoughts continually turn away from war to more pleasant thoughts of her.

One day, as the unit is working on clearing tunnels, Cross begins to daydream about Martha:

. . . he was not there. He was buried with Martha under the white sand at the Jersey shore.

This line shows us that Cross is not fully engaged with the unit’s activities. Moments later Lavender is shot and killed by an unseen enemy sniper. Cross’ reaction is to feel an overwhelming sense of guilt:

He felt shame. He hated himself. He had loved Martha more than his men, and as a consequence Lavender was now dead, and this was something he would have to carry like a stone in his stomach for the rest of the war.

As so often happens in real life, Cross’ guilt is irrational but devastating. It was not really his fault that Lavender was killed—if anything it was Lavender’s own fault, but Cross cannot stop himself from feeling responsible. He had been off in his own world, thinking about Martha, who probably cared less about him that his own men did, and Lavender died.

Cross probably would have felt some guilt no matter what the circumstances of Lavender’s death were, but the fact that he was daydreaming at the time makes it very easy to blame himself.

The novel is based off and around the character of Dracula, yet we only see glimpses of him in the narrative, why did Stoker do this?Throughout the...

The elusiveness of Dracula lends to the suspense and angst of the story. As the master of darkness, he hides in the shadows and cannot be approached, but he can appear of his own will at any moment. The anticipation of his presence is as bad or worse that the thing itself.

However, this 'stalling' technique in epistolary form has often been criticized as the weakness of the novel. Indeed, all the soul-searching and speculation over the struggle between good and evil today would seem obfuscaory, even obsolete. One must remember the social context under which Stoker wrote 'Dracula,' a provocative work in which he raised some serious questions concerning sexuality, particular for women.

What does the Duke in "My Last Duchess" reveal about himself through literary techniques?

Through the use of symbols, the Duke reveals himself to be a man who desires total and complete power and submission from those around him.  This desire for power and control is symbolized in the picture of his wife, which he keeps behind a curtain, and "none puts by the curtain" or draws it open, unless it is he, himself.  His wife was a bit too out-of-control while she was alive.  Her being represented by a still painting, hidden behind a curtain, that only he opens or closes, is more fitting for his control-hungry nature.  This desire for total submission is again seen at the end when the duke points out sculpture of "Neptune...taming a sea-horse" that he had a sculptor "cast in bronze" for him.  He picked an image of a great God taming a wild and rare creature-definitely symbolic of the duke's own egotistical image of himself as a God, and his desire to tame the rare beauties that are his wives.  He even had it cast in bronze, a strong metal that secures its permanence and trapped figure.

The duke also uses imagery to describe his first wife's blushing, smiling countenance.  There is nothing else in the poem, or in his description, that has quite such imagery and detail, as when he describes how flirtatious and easy-to-please she was.  This ornate imagery that the duke uses to describe her smiles betrays how passionately he felt about it.  He exaggerates her flirtatious nature, in order to make his case for killing her more sound.  He states her smile, glance and blush as having "depth and passion", as being "a spot of joy," as a "faint half-blush that dies along her throat."  He spends quite a bit of time describing her blushing happiness in the face of anything that was the least bit pleasing to her.  Again, that use of imagery betrays his intense feeling about the matter, and how angry it made him.  The rest of the poem doesn't have such detail; in fact, in describing his awful murder, all he says, and quite dispassionately, is "I gave commands."

Those are a couple ways that the duke reveals his character-through symbols and through imagery.  I hope it helps!

What is the message of Allen Ginsberg's poem "America"?"America I've given you all and now I'm nothing."

The message of the poem "America" by the poet Allen Ginsberg is that America is not listening to and dealing with the plight and concerns of its citizens. The poet conveys his concerns and also his views of what is going on domestically in America, and what is going on as concerns America's foreign policy as well. He talks of America, his country, and when will they "end the human war?"

Ginsberg reveals that he's given what he can to his country and the thanks and rewards he receives amount to him being destitute. He has $2.27 cents at the time of this writing. Ginsberg disagrees with the government's and American society's attack on communists in their midst. Ginsberg also disagrees with America's nuclear armament policies. He wants to know when his country will be "angelic", in other words embracing a holy course of dignity. He desires to know when America will be worthy of all its citizens who have sacrificed for the good of the nation.

America's focus on materialism and the country's technical advances and innovations are too much for Allen Ginsberg. He alludes to the fact that these innovations are soulless and do nothing to transform people into giving, righteous human beings. He also alludes to the fact that the news is full of murder - that America is a depraved and violent society.

He hints that he disavows traditional and maybe all religion:

    I won't say the Lord's Prayer

In essence, he's disavowed the tenets of America, exemplified in the line:

     The American flag is absolutely meaningless to me still just as it was in the thirties.

In addition, Ginsberg highlights that he believes the media runs the emotional life of America and when will the leaders of the country stop this. Ginsberg relates that he, and by extension all of the countries citizens are America. Not the dictates of the leaders of the country. He believes the Communist Cell meeting he attended with his mother as a boy was a fine experience as everyone their was "angelic and sentimental" about America's hard-working working class.

Chapter 29 of "To Kill a Mockingbird", why is Aunt Alexandra so very upset she goes to her room?

This chapter contains the aftermath of the attack; Jem is recovering in his room, the doctor has been called, and Scout is asked to tell everyone exactly what happened during the attack.  Aunt Alexandra is visibly upset at everything that has happened; the very first line has her so shaky on her feet that she has to reach "for the mantelpiece" in order to steady herself.  Imagine your loved ones coming in from a brutal attack-it is pretty shocking and upsetting.  After they ask Scout to tell what happened, Alexandra has had enough.  She is probably afraid that if she hears any more, she will faint.  She states, as she leaves,

"I'm just one person too many in here...I had a feeling about this tonight-I-this is my fault...I should have-"

From these statements, we can infer that she feels like she will not be helpful during the inquisition of Scout, and probably doesn't want to hear the details because they would be too upsetting.  There are enough people in the room to take care of Scout and hear the story.  Also, she is reeling from a sense of guilt; she said that she had a feeling that something was wrong tonight, but she hadn't listened to it.  So, she feels responsible for what happened.  This is so upsetting for her that she probably needs to go lie down to process it.  Of course it isn't her fault, but we often blame ourselves when loved ones are hurt, even if it was not our fault at all.

I hope that those thoughts help; good luck!

In what chapter does Estella tell Pip that she has no heart and that she wants nothing to do with him?

It is in Chapter 29 that Estella tells Pip that she has no heart. We see in this Chapter that Pip's feelings of seeing Estella and being in Satis House again are a strange mixture of pain and pleasure, for whilst she is flirtatious, she is also coldly distant, and her warning to Pip of her lack of heart is a direct contrast to Pip's hopes of being the romantic hero, rescuing Estella and breathing new life into Satis House.

It is also worth examining other events that jarr against Pip's hopes - the presence of Orlick as the doorman and in particular Miss Havisham's urgings for Pip to love Estella in a way that makes it sound like a curse rather than a blessing. All serve to undercut Pip's youthful and naive expectations and desires concerning his love for Estella.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird", why was it a big deal that Atticus stood up for Tom Robinson?What was the problem with Atticus standing up for him? Why...

Atticus Finch stood up for Tom Robinson simply because he knew the character of Tom Robinson. Civil Rights as a concept had not yet come to be widely accepted. And in Alabama, it was unheard of that a white lawyer would defend a black man in a case against a white man.

He was ridiculed by his family because he was risking the lives of his children by taking the case. This certainly went against the norms of small-town Alabama in the 1930s--1940s. But it showed a very forward thinking mindset among some individual citizens of the area and South.

Personally after having read the book several times, I think Atticus Finch was disgusted with Burris Ewell and knew a lot about what was going on in his house. Unfortunately, there are things that are not brought out in the book. I think "what if" Mayella turned up pregnant. Whose child would it have been?  Who beat Mayella and caused her bruises?

I think that Atticus would have defended anyone against Burris Ewell.

What did the kid on the bus say to Jerry in The Chocolate War?

Recognizing Jerry as the student who is standing up to Brother Leon by refusing to sell chocolates, the kid on the bus tells him that he's "got guts".  He says that he too is "sick of selling the frigging chocolates", as well as the Christmas cards, soap, calendars, and everything else that he has been forced to sell since transferring from Monument High to Trinity, but he himself has"never thought of just saying no".  The kid completely admires what he sees as Jerry's courage in declining to take part in the sale, and he tells Jerry that he's cool.

Jerry knows the kid on the bus only vaguely; he thinks he is a junior.  He does not initially know how to respond to the student's praise, but finds himself "blush(ing) with pleasure despite himself...who didn't want to be admired?"  Jerry feels a little guilty at his reaction, however, because he knows that he is "accepting the kid's admiration under false pretenses, that he (is)n't cool at all, not at all".  Not only that, but Jerry doesn't even exactly know why he is refusing to sell the chocolates.  Now that he has fulfilled the "assignment" from the Vigils, he had thought that he would be glad to accept the chocolates like all the others, and escape the ire of Brother Leon.  He had not planned to continue in his rebellion, and must still work out in his own mind the reasons behind his choice to pursue this dangerous course.

By not saying anything to counter the kid's opinion of him, Jerry feels that he has "faked (him) out".  A short time later, when his friend Goober asks him why he is continuing to refuse the chocolates, Jerry knows that he cannot "(fake) out Goober the way he had faked out that kid on the bus".  He cannot pretend to be something he is not, and he tells Goober the truth - that he really doesn't yet know why he is doing it (Chapter 19).

In To Kill a Mockingbird, what are three different descriptions of Scout's tomboyish nature?Please include the page numbers if possible. Thank you.

ok well i dont really know what the page #s are but at one point near the beginning discussing aunt alexandra, scout mentions that Aunt alexandra wants her to be wearing dresses and the "add-a-pearl" necklace she had given her.  Of course scout doesn't like THAT idea.  Also, after alexandra comes to live w/ the finches, she has her little "missionary circle" thing and scout says that she fits into her father's world better.  The last point that is actually at the beginning that i forgot before (oops) is when scout mentions that her summers consist of playing in the treehouse, among other things, w/ her brother Jem.  Hope i could help, i know its not very organized :)

For As You Like It by Shakespeare, I must imagine I am Rosalind and say in emphatic structure what my thoughts are on seeing Orlando for the first...

In order to guide you on this, it is important that you understand the emphatic structure. First: Emphatic refers to emphasis. A simple emphatic sentence is one that makes a definite statement. Examples of simple emphatic sentences are: "I did wish it!" "You did not say that!" "I will go there!" It was her!" "Put that down!" and such as this. But this is not the end of the usage of emphatics.

Second: There may be emphatic questions and emphatic responses. These kinds of emphatics use the auxiliary verb do in the capacity of an operator do, also called a dummy do. Third: Let's explain what this concept means.

Auxiliary verb do is used in the construction of questions in past or present tense or future construction. Take a declarative statement, "I like figs," and turn it into a question by inverting word order and inserting auxiliary operator do: "Do you like figs?" Now, create an emphatic sentence with operator do: "I do like figs." "You do like figs." You may even negate the emphatic: "I do not like figs." "You do not like figs ... you are allergic." You can even be emphatic in the past tense or in a future construction: "I did like figs, but  not anymore." "He does want to attend the fig fest."

In context of your question, you are asked to pretend to be Rosalind. Rosalind was without doubt very surprised to see Orlando in the Forest of Arden. The last she saw or heard of Orlando before running away from Duke Frederick's court was that he was the new wrestling champion and worthy, as such, of new honors and opportunity. Yet, here he is, hiding now in Arden Forest writing very poor poetry on trees! If Rosalind had been more direct in her response to this sudden new turn of events, she may have been very emphatic indeed.

Bear in mind that when Rosalind learns in III.ii that the tree poet is Orlando, Celia has already diffused some of Rosalind's reaction by teasing her with playful word games and remonstrances (i.e., scoldings) for not knowing instantly the poet was her own Orlando:

CELIA
Is it possible?
[...]
O wonderful, wonderful, and most wonderful
wonderful! and yet again wonderful, and after that,
out of all hooping!

What Rosalind says in III.ii does not state her emphatic reaction, aside from "Alas the day!" but emphatics may be constructed from the string of questions she asks. For instance, we might construct one emphatic declaration as, "Oh! But I do look like a youth. I do want to look like a fair maiden before Orlando's eyes." Another might be, "I do not know how to meet him as myself yet be my other self in doublet and hose. I do want to know where he is at the moment."

You can now go on to construct further emphatic sentences from her other questions, such as: "What did he when thou sawest him? ... How looked he? Wherein went went he? ... Did he ask for me? Where remains he?"

ROSALIND
Alas the day! what shall I do with my doublet and hose? What did he when thou sawest him? What said
he? How looked he? Wherein went he? What makes him here? Did he ask for me? Where remains he? How parted he with thee? and when shalt thou see him again? Answer me in one word.
[...]
But doth he know that I am in this forest and in
man's apparel? Looks he as freshly as he did the
day he wrestled?

How does the role of germs figure in answering Yali's question?Yali's question is" Why is it that you white people developed so much cargo and...

Diamond presents the argument that once societies began to evolve from hunters and gathers to food producers and farmers the paradigm shifted.  People began to build homes to live in that were permanent.  The areas were food production was cultivated became more dense in population.  The societies then began to domesticate animals to be used in moving their cargo, plowing their fields and doing the heavy work. 

The animals carried bacteria and germs which were passed on to people.  The people became ill from these germs and the weaker people died while the stronger people developed an immunity to the germs.  This concept of germs is what directly affected the development of stronger societies and wiped out weaker societies.  Thus, the Natives were completely decimated by the Spanish explorers bringing their germs (Small Pox)to the Americas when they landed in Panama and Colombia. 

"This (Small Pox) had killed the Inca emperor Huaqyna Capac and most of his court around 1526, and then immediately killed his designated heir, Ninan Cuyuchi.  Those deaths precipitated a contest for the throne between Atahuallpa and his half brother Huascar.  If it had not been for the epidemic, the Spaniards would have faced a united empire."

The Eurasians became the stronger race and colonized more land and gained more "cargo" partly because of the role of germs in our world history.

In Chapter 38 of "Huckleberry Finn", what is the irony involved in the fetching of the grindstone?i think in the book its on page 301 but im not...

In this section of "Huckleberry Finn," Tom and Huck insist upon an elaborate plan for Jim to escape from the Phelps plantation for Jim.  He humors them and goes along with it.  In their romantic ideal of a prisoner held captive, the boys insist that Jim carve inscriptions on the wall as the husband of Lady Jane Grey, Guildford Dudley did while a prisoner in the tower of London. Also, they wish to carve a coat of arms for Jim, but they realize that they cannot do so without help.  So,Tom suggests that they use the grindstone down at the mill.  But, this grindstone is too heavy for the boys: 

We smouched the grindstone, and set out to roll her home, but it was a most nation tough job....We see it warn't no use, we got to go and fetch Jim.  So he raised up his bed and slid the chain off of the bed-leg, and wrapt it round and round his neck, and we crawled out through our hole and down there, and Jim and me laid into that grindstone and walker her along like nothing; and Tom superintended.

Of course, the irony here is that Jim is no veritable prisoner if he can come and "fetch" the grindstone for the boys.  In their romantic idealization of Jim's being a prisoner who must write inscriptions and a "scutcheon" on the wall, it is Tom and Huck who keep him hostage instead of freeing him as they easily could.

In "Julius Caesar," what is meant by Marc Antony's saying, "their names are prick'd"?Why are these names "prick'd?"

This line is from Act IV, Scene I.  In this scene, some time after the death of Caesar, the Republic is in turmoil.  With Antony, Lepidus, and Octavius in charge--the triumvirate--Antony and Lepidus compile a list of their political enemies and mark ("prick'd") the names of those who must die.  Octavius tells Lepidus that his brother must die; Lepidus agrees on the condition that Antony's nephew, Publius, die.  Marc Antony agrees.  Then, when Lepidus leaves, Antony tells Octavius of his plans to use Lepidus for his political objectives and then cut him off:

Octavius, I have seen more days than you;/And though we lay these honors on this man,/To ease ourselves of divers sland'rous loads [various burdens of blame]/To groan and sweat under the business, Either led or driven, as we point the way;/And having brought our treasure where we will,/Then take we down his load, and turn him off,/(Lide to the empty ass) toshake his ears/And graze in commons [public pastures] (IV,i,18-27)

When Octavius objects, saying that Lepidus is a "tried and valiant soldier" (IV,i,28), Antony coldly retorts, "So is my horse...." (IV,i,29).  This remark is much different in tone from Antony's loving words said over Caesar's body in Act III, scene 1.

That power corrupts is evidenced in this scene as the triumvirate move men's lives around as those they are pieces on a chess board.  Ironically, the corrupt political power of these men well superpasses the tyranny which Brutus feared from Caesar.  And, also ironically, Antony's prediction in Act III that

A curse shall light upon the limbs of men;/Domestic fury and fierce civil strife/Shall cumber all the parts of Italy (III,i,263-265)

is fulfilled by Marc Antony himself!

In "A Rose for Emily" what's the significance of Miss Emily Grierson being a necrophiliac?

The main significance is the role that her tendency plays in poor Homer Barron's life.  She poisons him with arsenic, and then spends the next decades sleeping next to his body.  Homer became a victim of her desire to have companionship and comfort, even if it was in the form of his lifeless personage.

I think that the more pertinent question to ask is why she became reliant on using Homer's body for companionship?  What is the road that led her to go to these extremes?  If you read the text closely, there are clues.  She had an extremely protective father, who kept her from developing normal, healthy relationships.  The text states that

"None of the young men were quite good enough for Miss Emily and such,"

which indicates that her father kept her pretty sheltered and didn't allow her to socialize and make friends.  He was too snobby-he didn't think anyone was good enough to be with his daughter.  Because of this, Emily had to rely on him, and him alone for companionship, love, and validation.  So, when he died, it was like her entire world shattered.  Letting him go meant letting go of her entire universe, her only friend, and her only sense of security in the world.  She had a hard time with this.  In fact, the text states,

"She told them that her father was not dead.  She did that for three days"

before letting people take the body away.  Who knows how long she would have kept her father's body there if the town hadn't forced her to give it up?

So, when Homer came along, it was the only other man who had ever paid her attention.  She probably envisioned him filling the gap left by her father.  When he told her he wasn't interested, she wasn't going to let that happen--she wouldn't be abandoned again.  So, she resorts to murder and the subsequent disturbing behaviors.

So, it isn't like she is a "classic" necrophiliac, a person attracted to dead people, she is just psychologically disturbed in the areas of abandonment.  She has had traumatic experiences that have led her to believe that it is better to not be alone, no matter what conditions have to be filled to have someone.  I hope that those thoughts help a bit; good luck!

As noted in Frankenstein, does Victor believe in fate?Provide a quote from the text.

Victor, the protagonist in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, most certainly believes in fate. Victor, only known as "the stranger" in Letter IV, states his belief in fate when dialogue between him and Walton is detailed in the letter to Walton's sister, Mrs. Saville.

Victor, after coming aboard Walton's expedition ship, is found to be very ill. After a few days of recovery, Victor begins to tell Walton about his history. Prior to this, Victor asks Walton to hear his tell so that he can offer Walton a warning about being overly ambitious.

Victor's belief in fate is openly stated when he states the following:

“I thank you,” he replied, “for your sympathy, but it is useless; my fate is nearly fulfilled. I wait but for one event, and then I shall repose in peace."

The fact that Victor knows his end is near speaks to his belief in his fate, which is his death.

While it is not clear whether or not Victor believed in fate over the course of his trials and tribulations, one can assume that either his troubled life brought upon his belief in fate or his trust in signs (exampled by his interest in science stemming from the lightning strike to the tree). Regardless of when he began to believe in fate, his statement in Letter IV proves his belief.

Where had Samson gone the day Daniel arrived at the cave in The Bronze Bow?

Daniel arrives back at the cave a number of times during the course of the narrative.  The first time he leaves the cave after Samson's arrival, he has to be quite firm in insisting that the quiet giant remain behind.  As he goes down the hill, Samson stands "at the top of the trail looking down" after him, unmoving. When Daniel returns around midnight, and begins "the steep ascent that (leads) to the cave...a dark shape move(s) out from the boulders above...and then (comes) soundlessly down toward him".  It is clear that Samson has been waiting and watching for Daniel's return (Chapters 3 and 5).

After this first time, it is easier for Daniel to leave Samson behind.  The man seems to understand that he will return.  When Daniel's grandmother dies, Daniel must return to the village to care for his sister Leah.  He takes over the work at his friend Simon's forge, and is gone for quite awhile.  When he does finally return to the cave, Samson is not there.  Daniel is a little disappointed that the big man is not waiting for him, even though he knows that he must have had "something better to do than to sit watching for him after all these weeks".  Interestingly, Daniel notices that the forge at the cave had been heated, which might indicate that Samson had been there recently, but now, he is nowhere about.

After a short time, Samson returns.  He stands "at the head of the path...over his shoulder...(is) slung the carcass of a sheep".  Samson had indeed been watching for Daniel's return even as he had been working, and when he saw that he was coming, he went to steal a sheep so that they could celebrate his return (Chapter 14).

When Daniel returns to the cave for the last time, Samson is again nowhere to be seen.  As Daniel descends the path after his final confrontation with Rosh, he hears footsteps behind him and hopes that they are Samson's, but they are not.  Daniel "would have liked to say good-bye to the big man, to clasp the man's hand, to try to tell him not to watch anymore", but he does not get the chance.  Like a guardian angel, however, Samson is again watching, albeit undetected.  He follows Daniel on his desperate foray to rescue Joel from the Romans and springs forth to help when all seems lost, truly giving up his life for his friend (Chapters 18-19).

What is the dominant impression (or thesis) of "Sister Flowers"?i also wanted to know the main ideal of the story.

My dominant impression of Mrs. Flowers is that she was a powerful role model for Maya Angelou. She represented the aristocracy of the community, and set an example for Angelou that seems to have lasted all of her life. Mrs. Flowers was a true gentlewoman, with a good heart, beautiful manners, and a sincere interest in Angelou. In that time and place, she would have been referred to as "a woman of culture."  She kept a beautiful home, clean and sweet-smelling, she dressed beautifully, had great charm, and an interest in books and education. The power and authority of this woman to a child of Angelou's background must have been overwhelming. 

What are some good examples of speeches given in Act IV by characters, which target the audience in social, cultural or economic values?The quote...

1 Social: In Act IV Sc.2, Rosencrantz asks Hamlet where he has hidden Polonius' body. Hamlet refuses to answer him and insults him by calling him a sponge:

"But such officers do the
king best service in the end: he keeps them, like
an ape, in the corner of his jaw; first mouthed, to
be last swallowed: when he needs what you have
gleaned, it is but squeezing you, and, sponge, you
shall be dry again."

Although Rosencrantz is offended, Hamlet insists that he is nothing but a 'sponge' and warns him that after Claudius has used him he will cast him out of his presence just like the ape which after it has squeezed out the essence from its food will spit out the residue. Hamlet, being a prince must have seen many sponges-sycophants and timeservers- in his father's court.

The contemporary elizabethan audience would have readily understood the social significance of Hamlet's metaphors, 'sponge' and  'ape' when applied to Rosencrantz.

2.Cultural: In ActIV Sc.7, Claudius tries to instigate Laertes to kill Hamlet. In the course of his speech he praises a Norman youth by name Lamond who was an  exceptionally skilled horseman thus,

"but this gallant
Had witchcraft in't; he grew unto his seat;
And to such wondrous doing brought his horse,
As he had been incorpsed and demi-natured
With the brave beast: so far he topp'd my thought,
That I, in forgery of shapes and tricks,
Come short of what he did."

This speech would have immediately struck a sympathetic chord in the minds of the contemporary elizabethan audience who were deeply interested in the art of horsemanship and they would have appreciated the cultural implications of Claudius' speech.

3. Economic: In Act IV Sc.4, Hamlet's soliloquy  underscores the importance of economic values to a contemporary elizabethan audience:

"Rightly to be great
Is not to stir without great argument,
But greatly to find quarrel in a straw
When honour's at the stake"

The young prince Fortinbras is leading his army against Poland and risking his life and the lives  of his soldiers for a patch of worthless ground. The Captain of the Norwegian army explains to Hamlet the value of the land that they are doing battle for thus:

"We go to gain a little patch of ground
That hath in it no profit but the name.
To pay five ducats, five, I would not farm it;
Nor will it yield to Norway or the Pole
A ranker rate, should it be sold in fee."

Shakespeare's audience would have immediately understood the economic importance of war and its  ill effects on the economy of a nation.

What does historical geology study?

Historical geology is one of the two major divisions in the study of geology. The other major division is physical geology. Historical geology includes the physical, chemical, and biological history of the earth.

Geologists study rock formations and the fossil record to gain information about the geologic history of the earth. Historical geology uses the principle of uniformitarianism to interpret the geologists' data. The principle of uniformitarianism states physical and chemical processes that produce rock formations and fossils have been similar throughout history but the process rates can vary. This means that geologists can use information from recent geological events to understand how the historical geological record was formed.

Historical geology is often represented by the geologic time scale. The geologic time scale places the major events of the earth's evolution in chronological order. The units of geologic time scale are the geologic eon, era, period, and epoch. Eon is the largest unit and epoch is the smallest.

What can you say about Holden's attitude towards theatre, cinema, and army?Did he deny the moral and social principles of life? Why or why not?

Army- Holden hated the idea of war, and thought of the Army as a place "full of bastards"- His brother served and was apparently negatively affected by it. Hence, Holden says about the War:

"Anyway, I'm sort of glad they've got the atomic bomb invented.  If there's ever another war, I'm going to sit right the hell on top of it.  I'll volunteer for it, I swear to God I will"

Movies- Of course, Holden hates them too, as he figures that they are phony and even phonier are the people who go and see them and says right on page 2.

"If there’s one thing I hate, it’s the movies. Don’t even mention them to me”

Theatre- He thinks Broadway is "mobbed and messy" and, again he thought Sally was the "queen of phonies" for even liking the theatre-and he thought the same of the actors/actresses on stage.

He did deny moral and social principles- but he denied them to himself- The insistence on hating everything and not turning his social skills for the better simply made him more of an oddity, and he did all that to himself. The world went on as usual. He ended up in a mental institution.

In the Greek play "Antigone", why does Ismene plead Antigone not to defy Creon.

Ismene, Antigone's sister reminds her that they are both only women, and therefore, they are powerless in their society.  Although the society was a democracy, it was liminted to men, women had no rights, no say, no authority under the law. 

"Democracy was practiced differently in Ancient Greece than it is in the modern United States. Full citizenship, which included the right to vote, was only given to free men; women and slaves were not considered full citizens and so lacked the same rights as men. They were forced to follow a different code of conduct. Despite such inequities and restrictions."

The King, not only a man, but a powerful authority figure with the ability to put someone to death for defying his orders, is not someone to go against Ismene tells Antigone.  She also loves her brother Polyneices, but believes that obedience to the king is more important that burying her dead brother.

"She reminds her sister that according to their role as women, it is not for them to decide what is right or wrong. When Antigone is caught, Ismene is willing to share the punishment, but Antigone denies her sister's involvement."

Even though she does not agree with Antigone's plan, she believes her sister to be courageous.  Antigone is determined to go ahead with her plan, defy Creon, at the risk of losing her own life.  Antigone is motivated by love for her brother and by her religious beliefs. 

Antigone believes that Creon has put himself above the will of the gods, taken upon himself authority, the decision to leave Polyneices unburied,  that he does not have, he cannot defy the gods and leave Polyneices unburied.  If Polyneices remains unburied the gods will become angry, displeased with Thebes and Polyneices will not begin his journey into the Underworld.  He will not be permitted in the afterlife.  So Antigone believes that the will of the gods is more important that being obedient to the King.  She must help her brother reach the afterlife. 

But Ismene does not agree, she is fearful for her sister's life, you can't blame Ismene.  She is in the midst of grieving the loss of her two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices who fought in battle and killed each other.  The last thing that she wants to see happen is the death of her sister.  She has no family left, both her parents are dead, now her brothers, and soon her sister.

How would I write an introductory paragraph for a literary analysis using the thesis statement, "Grace is for everyone, even the loathsome?"

A literary analysis essay is, simply, an exploration of what a piece of text is all about. To get started, think of the thesis statement you are working with as a roadmap for your introductory paragraph. Your intro paragraph will then be the roadmap for the rest of the essay.

You can break your thesis statement into two parts to start developing the paragraph. First is the concept "Grace is for everyone." That is a broad, general statement, and it is one of the themes of the short story. You can say this in one of your sentences. You can go a little further and explain what "grace" means, according to the story.

Next, you can describe any of the characters in the story that are "loathesome." (This should be pretty easy to do.) Once you have done this initial work, you will probably have a good four or five sentences for your introduction.

Now you are ready to take those sentences in your introduction and turn each of them into a topic sentence for a development paragraph!

Good luck!

How would you describe the roles of women characters in The Shadow Lines?

This question is very similar to one that I have answered recently, so here goes. Women have some very key roles in this excellent novel. Whilst the main focus of this novel is postcolonialism and in particular the fragile and transitory status of boundaries and frontiers, a key concept within postcolonial studies is how gender impacts on this topic. It is particularly interesting how two characters, the narrator's grandmother Tha'mma, and his cousin Ila, impact the theme of the novel, in particular with their attitudes towards nationalism.

Tha'mma epitomises the views of the Nationalist movement and India's nationalist identity. She has a passionate and blind love for her nation, even though she is a migrant from Dhaka and therefore not strictly Indian - of course, this is a key concept in postcolonialism, how the "Imagined Communities" of nations are formed and how belonging is defined. Tha'mma, when filling in an official form writes her nationality without question as Indian, but then has to state her place of birth, which was in East Pakistan. This causes her to question her national identity and how it is formed.

Tha'mma's return to Dhaka, her birth town, raises other interesting themes extremely pertinent to postcolonialism, and that is the concept of "home" and how it changes through an act of leaving your home. Tha'mma searches for what she calls the "old Dhaka", as she finds Dhaka, her original "home", a very alien place. She is told, "But you are a foreigner now". The act of migration changes concepts of "home" and "belonging" forever.

Her blind belief in India is mocked and questioned by other characters. The narrator's father mocks her saying: "did she really think the border was a long black line with green on one side and scarlet on the other, like it was in a school Atlas?". She is unable to conceive the fractual reality of borders and on her return to Dhaka donates her prized possession - a ruby necklace - to the "war effort" - to support Indian troops.

If blind attachment to the concept of nationhood is reflected in Tha'mma, Ila reflects Western disregard for third-world histories and the "aproved" take on history. Ila tells her cousin that "nothing really important happens where you are" and feels that the political revolutions in the West are far more important than famines and other natural disasters suffered by nations. Of course, Ila does also reflect the constraint placed upon women, for example when she is forced out of a cabaret bar by her uncle. This reflects how gender inequalities still exist, even in a time of "post-colonialism", and how they can be reinforced by male patriarchy.

What is the role and character of a FATHER (biological and not) in a stories of Dubliners?Focus on such stories as "An Encounter," "After the...

This is a very interesting question on a topic that I hadn't thought much about before. Eveline's father and Farringdon (Farrington?) in 'Counterparts' are perhaps the nastiest examples of fatherhood in the collection. Eveline is cowed and dominated by her very demanding father and yet she not only clings to a couple of pleasant childhood memories of him but ultimately cannot leave him because he might really need her. Farringdon, the alcoholic father who spends a wasteful day avoiding work and going in and out of pubs, finally arrives home at night to take out all the frustrations of his day on his innocent and pitiful child. It is a terrible scene, possibly the most heart-wrenching in the collection.

No father features directly in the other stories you mention but certainly in two of them the influence of a father is there. Jimmy Doyle, through his father's wealth, is able to participate in a lifestyle that dazzles and flatters him but he is really out of his depth in one way and in another would do far better to steer clear of this company of wastrels for his own good. His father rather misguidedly indulges Jimmy and, although his fatherhood is a far cry from the two mentioned above it is still damaging to the son.

In 'The Boarding House' the landlady's father (can't remember her name off hand) was a butcher and it is strongly suggested that she has inherited a very pragmatic approach to life from him: she cuts through things briskly, efficiently and singlemindedly. The lodger that she decides will marry her daughter is like a lamb to the slaughter once she has decided his fate. I used to consider this a humorous story but re-reading it more recently I found myself much more in sympathy with the lodger than before as the sense of his victimhood and being carved and parcelled up like a purchase of meat came across more strongly to me.

I can't think of too much to say regarding fatherhood in the other story you mention, 'An Encounter' but it did strike me that the absence of a father in the early stories of the collection could be significant. The boy in 'The Sisters', 'An Encounter' and 'Araby' is something of a loner, a child who lives in the world of his imagination, perhaps more so than a boy with a 'normal' father might, where the father would perhaps provide a role model and offer alternative pastimes or activities. Not that there is anything wrong with living in the imagination, but just that things might have been different with a father figure present.

Hope this is of some little assistance and thanks for the question: it certainly made me think about 'Dubliners' from a fresh perspective and, since it's not far off 50 years since I first read the collection, that's saying something!

Who is Sam Westing, and these other characters from The Westing Game?Grace Wexler, Flora Baumbach, Turtle Wexler, Judge Ford, Doug Hoo, Mr. Hoo,...

Sam Westing is the central character in the book.  He is a "mysterious industrialist" who disappeared several years before the start of the story.  He has since reputedly been found dead in his mansion, and has left an estate "estimated to be worth over two hundred million dollars" (Chapter 4).  In his will, Sam Westing targets "sixteen nieces and nephews", and makes them players in the "Westing Game".  By working with an assigned partner, they will compete against each other, and the winner will be the one to gain the inheritance (Chapter 6).

Grace Wexler, Flora Baumbach, Turtle Wexler, Judge Ford, Doug Hoo, Mr. Hoo, Chris Theodorakis, Denton Deere, and Sydelle Pulaski are among the sixteen residents of Sunset Towers who have been named as players in the Westing Game.  Grace Wexler presumptuously describes herself as an "heiress", and claims to be an interior decorator, but "spends most of her time in the Chinese restaurant or the beauty parlor".  She is the mother of two daughters, Angela and Turtle, and claims that Sam Westing is her real uncle.  Turtle Wexler is in junior high school, and her real name is Tabitha-Ruth.  Turtle is exceptionally smart, always wears her hair in a thick braid, and is known to play the stock market and kick people.  Her mother always puts her down for her plain looks and tomboyish ways (Chapter 19).

Flora Baumbach is a dressmaker who once made a wedding gown for Sam Westing's daughter.  She is especially kind to Turtle.  J.J. Ford is a judge, and the only one who knew Sam Westing personally.  Westing funded J.J.'s education, and used to play chess with her.  Mr. Hoo once sued Sam Westing over "the invention of the disposable diaper, and thinks he was cheated in the matter.  Doug Hoo, a high school track star, is his son.  Chris Theodorakis is fifteen years old, and has cerebral palsy.  His father was a "childhood sweetheart" of Sam Westing's daughter, but their relationship was broken up by Mrs. Westing.  Denton Deere is a successful doctor who is engaged to be married to Angela Wexler, Grace Wexler's daughter and Turtle's older sister.  Sydelle Pulaski is an eccentric woman who has worked as a secretary and walks with a crutch.  Sydelle has been chosen as a player by mistake, having no known connection to Sam Westing or his family (Chapters 18-10).

What is a long term summary for the Shirley Jackson short story, "Charles"?What are four rising actions in the story?

Shirley Jackson's short story, "Charles," tells the story of a mother watching her little boy transforming from an angel to a holy terror right before her eyes. Laurie is the young son of the narrator who is suddenly becoming unmanagable, due in part, the mother believes, to a new friend at school--Charles. In the end, the teacher tells the mother

"Charles? We don't have any Charles in the kindergarten."

There is no Charles: It is a wakeup call for the mother, who realizes that all the bad stories about the non-existent Charles were actually committed by her own Laurie.

Rising action occurs when:

• Laurie comes home from the first day of school, slams the door and screams at his parents.


• Laurie gleefully tells his parents on the second day of school that Charles has hit the teacher.


• Laurie is rude and disrespectful to his father, calls him "dumb," and then laughs "insanely."


• Laurie reports that Charles has finally been good at school and has been rewarded with an apple.

What does the fight with Iros reveal about Odysseus?

Odysseus shows that he is patient in chapter 18.  He wants so badly to kill Iros out of frustration and annoyance, but he must not give anything away just yet.  He must wait for his opportunity to get revenge on the suitors, and killing Iros out of frustration would only draw attention to himself.

"Then Odysseus considered whether he should let drive so hard at him as to make an end of him then and there, or whether he should give him a lighter blow that should only knock him down; in the end he deemed it best to give the lighter blow for fear the Achaeans should begin to suspect who he was."

So his patience is tried here, and he shows that he can wait for what really matters most.

How does Winston regard the room over Charrington's shop?

Winston feels safe and comfortable in this room. He feels safe because there does not appear to be a telescreen here, which means that he can not be observed by the Thought Police. He feels comfortable because of this room's relics from the past--he feels connected with the old world here. His comfort is emphasized by the fact that he later uses this room for his affair with Julia.

In "The Alchemist", what is the Universal Language?

While the straight forward answer to this question is the soul of the world, what does that mean? The soul of the world has to do with the author's attitude toward finding meaning in our individual lives. The author argues that inside all of us are the answers we seek. The challenge lies in asking the right questions, being open to answers (in the form of opportunities- omens), and in moving in the direction that these opportunities seem to suggest.

Because the universal language is one "spoken" by all, it is argued that individuals have the ability to undestand this language. The beginning of the book deals with what the author considers to be the main reasons why so few people (who know the answers, i.e., speak the language) listen to the universal language. It's not easy. There are obstacles to overcome. The author identifies these obstacles as a way for the reader to discover them and address them as they attempt to prevent us from seeking out what it is we want out of our lives.

To understand the universal language is see it, understand it, and use it. It's when we do all of these things that we'll come to fully understand the power which resides in all of us.

What is the function of the prologue?about the story of romeo and juliet of w. Shakespeare

In Shakespeare's Prologue to Romeo and Juliet serves as an exposition of sorts.  In the form of a sonnet, the Prologue tells the audience that the play is set in Verona.  We learn of the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets, and we learn that a "pair of star-cross'd lovers" come from these feuding families. Furthermore, the Prologue tells audiences that the only thing that can put a stop to tne feud between the two families is the death of the title characters. 

While many question Shakespeare's motives for providing a summary of his play before Act 1 even begins (and indeed, he does give away the ending in his prologue), readers must remember that Shakespeare's plays were meant to be seen rather than read. The true genius of the play is evident as audiences--even those who know how the play will turn out--watch the tragedy with which the ending unfolds. 

In Macbeth, what happens to Fleance when Banquo is killed?

According to the murderer who reports to Macbeth in Act III, Fleance has escaped being killed. In the earlier scene that dramatized the assassination of Banquo, one murderer says, "There's but one down; the son is fled." A second murderer replies, "We have lost best half of our affair." Macbeth is not pleased with this news. It was his intention to kill Banquo's son so that none of Banquo's heirs could ever rule Scotland.

How should I represent the poem "Richard Cory" on a poster board?I neeed to explain it as a poetic device, but I am stuck.

Here's what I would suggest for a poster.  Have a poster that has two layers, the top layer being able to open up, like a set of double-doors.  So, you would get two posterboards, and cut one in half, and glue the right and left edges on top of the first one so that it opens up like a door.  Then, on the top layer, put a collage of very beautiful people.  Find models, male and female, and glittery beautiful things.  That way, when we look at the poster, on the surface layer, it is covered with pictures of people and images that we all envy because they seem beautiful, successful, happy and perfect.  But then, when you open the flaps, put ugly, unhappy, dark pictures.  Make a collage with words that say "unhappiness", "don't judge a book by its cover", and pleas of help.  So, when you go under the surface of the beautiful people, to what is inside of them, you realize that they might be miserable.  Does that makes sense?  I hope so.

This all can represent the theme of the poem-how surface appearances are deceptive.  The poetic devices in the poem are rhyming, metaphors ("waited for the light" a metaphor for a relief from hard, dreary, every-day work), imagery-using the five sense to describe something ("he fluttered pulses" and "glittered when he walked").  You could write those phrases on the poster somewhere, if you want to represent them.

I hope that idea helps!  Good luck with this assignment.

Can somebody explain "Ithaka" stanza by stanza?

In "Ithaka," the poet speaks directly to someone who is about to begin a long journey to Ithaka, one of the Greek isles. He offers the traveler both advice and good wishes and warns of possible dangers along the way. 

In the first stanza, the poet speaks of the journey being both long and full of excitement. He warns against the dangers that might befall the traveler, and explains that these dangers can be avoided by loving life and remaining adventurous.

The second stanza repeats his hope that the traveler's journey will be long. Then he talks about the wonderful cities that lie along the way where the traveler can buy beautiful and precious goods and can learn a great deal.

In the third stanza, the poet offers this advice to the traveler: Do not forget Ithaka, your destination, but do hurry your journey; your journey should last for many, many years.

The last stanza, the poet tells the traveler that if he is should be disappointed by Ithaka when he finally arrives, he should not be distressed because he will have gained so much in wisdom and experience on his journey. The journey, then, is more important than the final destination.

"Ithaka" can be interpreted as concerning the journey Odysseus made when he sailed to that island after the Trojan War. The references to the Cyclops and the Laistrygonians are both allusions to Odysseus' dangerous adventures. However, the journey to a place called "Ithaka" can be symbolic of anyone's journey through life. When interpreted this way, the poem expresses great wisdom about how one should live along the way to old age.

Why was it difficult for Emily to meet suitable men in her youth?

I am going to take a guess here and assume you are asking about Miss Emily in "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner.  The answer to your question is found at the end of Section II. where we are told, "We remembered all the young men her father had driven away,..."(290).  There are a few inferences we can draw from that statement, one being that her father might not have considered any of the young men "suitable," and another being that he was selfish and wanted to keep Emily at home to take care of him. 

Another aspect that you might want to consider is the time during which this story takes place.  World War I was likely to have eliminated many eligible men, and the Depression is likely to have made many men financially "unsuitable," even after Miss Emily's father dies.

Additionally, given the setting of the story, a small Southern town, it is likely that there were few if any men whom either Emily or her father would have considered worthy of the daughter of a clearly wealthy man.

I hope this helps.  Good luck!

To what does the title "The Great Divorce," by C. S. Lewis, refer?Is it divorce of heaven and hell, good and evil, or both?

 “The Great Divorce,” by C.S. Lewis was published in 1945.  Mr. Lewis informs the reader, in the preface of the novel, that he is intending to “combat the universalist idea that everyone will be saved, in the end.”  The novel is written as an allegory and has been compared to other novels such as Dante’s “Divine Comedy.” 

The premise of the novel is written about characters, who are damned, being transported, on a bus, from Hell to Heaven.  The Narrator tells us that they are given an opportunity to stay in Heaven with God.  However they reject the offer, because they decide they would rather stay in Hell.  As the reader continues on the ride with the travelers, on the bus, we come to see the divorce, in the title, as man’s choice to separate himself from God; to consciously choose evil over good.

How do I solve x-4y=1 and 3x+4y=7 using substitution or elimination?

You can solve it using elimination as described by the student below.  It's just as easy to solve using substitution.  If you're using substituition, you first need to get a variable by itself.  The easiest way to do this would be to add 4y to both sides in the first equation to get x = 4y + 1.  Then you're going to "substitute" this in for x in the second equation.  So instead of writing 3x + 4y = 7, you now have 3(4y + 1) = 7.  Distribute the 3 and you get 12y + 3 = 7.  Subtract 3 from both sides: 12y = 4.  Divide both sides by 12 to solve for y.  So y = 4/12 = 1/4.

Now to solve for x, you plug in 1/4 for y into one of the equations.

3x + 4(1/4) = 7

3x + 1 = 7    Subtract 1 from both sides.

3x = 6    Divide both sides by 3

x = 2

So your solution is x = 2, y = 1/4.  This can also be written as an ordered pair: (2,1/4).   Notice that the same answer is found no matter whether you use substitution or elimination.

Name and describe the secret land that Leslie and Jess create in Bridge to Terabithia.

Terabithia is the magic land that Leslie and Jess create in the woods, a few yards from the dry creek bed that separates the farmland from the forest near their rural homes.  The children, who are beset with the normal difficulties of family life and school, want a place "just for (them)...it would be so secret that (they) would never tell anyone in the whole world about it".  Embellished by Leslie's vast imagination, Terabithia soon becomes "a whole secret country...and (she and Jess are ) the rulers of it".

Leslie patterns the goings-on of Terabithia after the "magic country of Narnia", from The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.  From the books, she and Jess determine "how things (go) in a magic kingdom...how the animals and the trees must be protected and how a ruler must behave".  The best thing about Terabithia is that there, Jess and Leslie are the rulers; they are in control.  Their place as king and queen of the land is a welcome contrast for their real lives, where they often feel that they are at the mercy of everyone else's whims.

Terabithia is located in the woods, "where the dogwood and redbud (play) hide and seek between the oaks and evergreens, and the sun (flings) itself in golden streams through the trees to splash warmly at (the children's) feet".  Leslie and Jess decide that, to get there, they must swing over the gully separating the area from the farmlands on a rope which someone had long ago hung from an old crab apple tree on the bank.  Leslie and Jess build a "castle stronghold" in Terabithia by dragging boards and other materials over from a nearby scrap heap.  When their stronghold is built, they stand back and examine it, and like God after He created the earth, they find it "very good".  From Terabithia, "everything seem(s) possible...between the two of them they (own) the world and no enemy...could ever really defeat them" (Chapter 4).

Do you think the most people are happy today or is the high suicide rate evidence for our superficial happiness like in Fahrenheit 451?

It is impossible to say whether or not most people are happy today, but you can look at some factors that show that there are a lot of unhappy people.  Depression is the largest mental disorder out there, with many people never even seeking help for it.  Anti-depressants are a billion-dollar industry, and suicide rates are very high.  Even though we have every comfort that we could desire, these factors seem to indicate that happiness does not come with technology or lifestyle.  In Fahrenheit 451, they had all of the comforts and technology that the could desire, but the problem was that they had lost sight of what really mattered:  family, meaningful, deep relationships, simple beauties and truths, independent thought and debate, and self-directed fulfillment.  Instead, they drowned out any thought or progression with entertainment.

There is a definite difference between superficial happiness and true peace and joy.  After we watch a good movie, or play an awesome video game, we might feel happy on the surface.  But take those things away, and are we content?  Our society needs to realign itself with the ability to feel strong, confident, assured and joyful, without all of our gadgets, comforts, movies and games.  Think of the last funeral that you went to--what was the focus?  It was on the family ties and friendships that a person had made.  It was on that person's ability to influence the lives of others around them for good.  This is what life is about, not reaching the next level in video games or having the coolest gadgets.  In Fahrenheit 451, the people had lost sight of true connections and true independent happiness.  And, I see a lot of those same conditions in our society today.  I don't think it is as bad as the novel, but, it does get worse and worse as time passes.

I hope that those thoughts help to get you started; good luck!

Tell me more about the poem "Good Times" by Lucille Clifton.

Lucille Clifton writes very expressive poetry, generally autobiographical, and always full of "accessible" imagery.  By that I mean she uses everyday elements to draw for us a picture of her intent.  In "Good Times," the speaker (presumably Clifton herself) is reflecting on the moments which gave her the most positive feelings about her growing-up years.  Let's not be fooled, though.  In the middle of the "good times" are implied some very difficult times, as well.

The opening lines reflect the responsibilities of her father and indicate good times only because the bad times are past--the times when the rent was unpaid, the insurance man was trying to collect his account and the electric bill was unpaid. 

my daddy has paid the rent
and the insurance man is gone
and the lights is back on

The next lines indicate the luck associated with good time, as her uncle has hit the lottery. These are all money-related and demonstrate lean and cold times.

The next stanza reflects a different view of what is good--the simple, homey things which create a relaxed and positive environment.  Home now smells good and tastes good, has the sounds of laughter and singing and family, and all is now right with the world.   

my mama has made bread
and grampaw has come
and everybody is drunk
and dancing in the kitchen
and singing in the kitchen

Like anything else in life, the good times are magnified when seen in comparison to the bad times.  When the house is dark and cold, there is no bread, no laughter, no family, no singing, no dancing. 

The speaker's final words are an encouragement that even when times are bad, good times are coming:

oh children think about the
good times.

What do you think happens to Zaroff? What are some possible endings for the story?

demetrius,

"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell was published in 1924. Greatly anthologized, and the author's most famous work, the short story features as its protagonist a big game hunter from New York, who falls off a yacht and swims to an isolated island in the Caribbeans, the setting of the story, and then is hunted by a Russian aristocrat.

The story explores the opposite of the big-game hunting safaris in Africa that were popular among wealthy Americans in the 1920s.

The story pits Sanger Rainsford, an accomplished and experienced hunter from New York, as the prey, against General Zaroff, a Russian aristocrat.

The eventual ending of the story is only alluded to as Rainsford makes the remark, "He had never slept in a better bed." This implies that Rainsford had somehow either killed Zarof or gotten rid of him in any number of ways. That is what makes the story so much more mysterious.

If he didn't kill Zaroff, and had simply won the fight, maybe he would have slept in a "good bed."  But after all, he is one of the most accomplished hunters, and if he had killed Zaroff, it would make sense that he would sleep in a "better bed," for he had done what no other prey has done, outwit its hunter.

What are the official and unofficial reasons why Chuck was kicked out of school in Chapter 7 of Tisha?

The official reason why Chuck is kicked out of school is that his enrollment is in violation of the law.  The unofficial reason for his exclusion is a deeply ingrained attitude of racism and hatred.

Chuck is the half-breed son of one of the inhabitants of the settlement of Chicken, Alaska - Joe Temple.  The child has recently been brought from a neighboring Indian village characterized by squalor and extreme poverty.  Although he can read and cipher after a fashion, Chuck's ways are different, and he speaks only limited English.  The denizens of the settlement call him a "siwash", a demeaning term for "Indian", and look upon him as being "dirty" and inferior to the white children among whom he lives.

When Anne invites Chuck into her classroom, the children are rude and angry, reflecting the attitude of their parents.  Anne tries to instill in them the idea that a person's nationality does not make them better or worse than anyone else, but the next evening she is confronted by members of the school board.  The board members assert that Chuck "doesn't belong" in a classroom with white children; "he belongs in the Indian village school".  The fact that he lives in Chicken and not at the Indian village does not matter to them.  The board members refer to a law that says the "school is open to...white children and children of mixed blood who lead a civilized life".  In their eyes, Chuck, who has come so recently from the Indian village, "isn't civilized...none of those Indians from that village are".

Anne is astounded by the animosity and narrow-mindedness of the settlers in regards to their Indian neighbors, and realizes just how different things are there in the Alaskan bush territory.  Her battle with the community on behalf of Chuck is only the first of many confrontations during her year at Chicken.

In "Letter to her Daughter" by Abigail Adams, which inconveniences seem to be most important to Abigail Adams?Support your answer with...

Abigail Adams identifies just a few things that are inconvenient in this letter:

The lighting of the apartments, from the kitchen to parlors and chambers, is a tax indeed: and the fires we are obliged to keep to secure us from daily agues is another very cheering comfort. ... not one single (bell) being hung through the whole house, and promises are all you can obtain.

Other than the poor lighting and the lack of bells to indicate a need for service, Adams also says that she needs more wood to "keep fires."

Besides her complaints, though, she comments on some of the pleasantries of the White House's location: the scenery, the river, the view of boats coming and going, and other niceties are also expressed.

You may wish to put your other questions into new posts, as they address different matters.

What does the crime scene look like in "A Jury Of Her Peers"?

The actual crime occurred in the bedroom as Mrs. Peters, the protagonist, claims that someone came to the bedroom and put a rope around her husband's neck and strangled him in his sleep. Not much is said about the bedroom, however.  Much, however is said about the kitchen. Why? Because of the context of the story and the atmosphere that the author is trying to create of a home in which a submissive wife suddenly snapped. Hence, the description of the kitchen, the state of the kitchen, the reaction of the detective upon seeing it, and the defense of  Mrs. Hale, the neighbor, over the state of the it are all components of the atmosphere of gender injustice.

How does the kitchen look? Messy. The hand towels are dirty (which the detective, a chauvinist himself , had to talk smack about).  Then the jars of jams and jellies had apparently busted open and cracked, leaving another mess everywhere. Everything was untidy, food laying around, and unfinished stitch work. All this was a way to summarize that the poor woman was at the end of her wits. The detective, of course, put it like the case of an untidy, bad wife that wasn't worth anything. The defense of Mrs. Hale, consistently giving a reason behind all that was found, shows that she had an idea of what was going on.

What are five quotes from the book Rumble Fish?

You do not indicate whether the quotes need to address a particular character or theme.  The following quotes describe a central character, Motorcycle Boy, and the theme suggested by the title, Rumble Fish.

"Motorcycle Boy...didn't belong - anywhere - and what was worse, he didn't want to" (Chapter 8).

Rusty-James's father describes Motorcycle Boy, saying,

"...every now and then a person comes along who has a different view of the world than does the usual person.  Notice I said 'usual', not 'normal".  That does not make him crazy.  An acute perception does not make you crazy.  However, sometimes it drives you crazy" (Chapter 11).

He goes on to explain that Motorcycle Boy

"...is merely miscast in a play.  He would have made a perfect knight in a different century, or a very good pagan prince in a time of heroes.  He was born in the wrong era, on the wrong side of the river, with the ability to do anything and finding nothing he wants to do" (Chapter 11).

Motorcycle Boy is fascinated by

"Rumble fish...they'd kill each other if they could...if you leaned a mirror against the bowl they'd kill themselves fighting their own reflection" (Chapter 10).

The rumble fish represent the boys, trapped in an environment of poverty and hopelessness.  Motorcycle Boy tries to free the fish to see if they would do better in the river, a more wholesome environment, but he falls short of his goal:

"...when they turned him over...he was smiling, and the little rumble fish were flipping and dying around him, still too far from the river" (Chapter 11).

What are different techniques to remove pyrogenecity in vaccines, and recent work going on in this field?

Pyrogenecity refers to the quality or property of any drug to induce fever. Pyrogenetic drugs or vaccines induce fever because of presence of substances called pyrogens.

The vaccines can get contaminated with pyrogens during manufacture. Pyrogens may also be produced during growth and metabolism of certain micro organisms. Three methods are used for removing pyrogenecity in vaccines. These are:

1. Removing pyrogens from vaccines.


2. Deactivating pyrogens present in vaccines.


3. Taking care during the manufacturing process that the vaccines are contaminated with pyrogens.

What is the American Dream? How is it connected to the play "Death of a Salesman"?

I moved your question to the "Death of a Salesman" group since I didn't see any relationship to "The Scarlet Letter."

The American Dream has several interpretations.  One of the most common deals with economic success --- the house, the yard, the car.  The Dream says that we all the "right" to this dream, although I think the dream, if it has economic interpretations, only refers to the fact that these things are possible for anyone who wishes to work for them.  For Willy, the dream is related to this.  He has the home and the car, and dreams of being the success that the old salesman on the train was.  He thinks that the recognition and the things will make him happy.

The other possible interpretation of the American Dream is that we all are free here to seek the life that we wish.  We have all the freedoms of the Bill or Rights.  It does not necessarily entail economic success, just the freedom to be whatever we wish.  This is not the sense in which it is used in "Death," but is an important interpretation of the Dream.

In the book Fahrenheit 451, what does Mildred fail to tell Montag about Clarisse?

Mildred fails to tell Montag about Clarisse's disappearance. There's a question as to whether she left with her family or was killed. Mildred's telling is fragmented:

No. the same girl. McClellan. McClellan. Run over by a car. four days ago. I'm not sure. but I think she's dead. the family moved out anyway. I don't know. But I think she's dead.

Her choppy sentences and repetition that she doesn't know show a few points about her character. One, she is clearly distracted at this point. Although she is talking to Montag, she also has a Seashell in her ear, and so is also listening to radio broadcasts. Also, her ability to remember anything that truly happens (as opposed to those things which happen on her TV screens) has been essentially destroyed by her addiction to "the family."

Montag, of course, is deeply disturbed by this information, and his future actions are somewhat dependent upon this exchange. He becomes reckless, and questions Beatty about the McClellan's disappearance, and ultimately turns his fire hose on the other firefighters in an attempt to escape his living hell.

In "The Pit and the Pendulum" why might the narrator feel that he must find out about his surroundings, and how does he determine its size?

Imagine yourself in his position. Just imagine how you feel when you are in the total dark in a strange place.  Don't you just wish that you could turn the lights on just to see where you are and what is around you? At first, he is, just like we would be, scared.  It is pitch black, he doesn't know where he is, and because of the "thousand vague rumors of the horrors of Toledo" that he has heard in the past, he fears coming tortures.  Of those rumors, being buried in a tomb alive terrifies him, and that thought "suddenly drove the blood in torrents upon my heart" and he begins to explore, trying to determine if he is, in fact, in a tomb.   But, he doesn't have the convenience of a light switch to throw on.  So, to gather some information about where he is, he uses what has been provided to him. He "cautiously steps" about, with "arms outstretched" to try to feel his way around and get his bearings.  As he wanders about though, he realizes that he could be walking in circles, and he is not gaining any useful information about the dimensions of his prison.  So, he

"tore a part of the hem from the robe and placed the fragment at full length, and at right angles to the wall"

so that if he feels it again, then he'll know he has come full circle.  As he walks, holding on to the wall, he counts his steps, and is able to estimate that his prison is "fifty yards in circuit" but still has no idea of its shape because there were lots of angles.  He decides to walk across the prison but trips, with the tip of his head landing on the pit; that is how he discovers its presence.  So, through walking, counting, and using his robe, he is able to explore, and at least feel a little bit in control of his circumstances.  To know that little bit, even if not very useful, is very important in such a stressful situation.

What did Germany lose after WWI (land lost etc...)Treaty of Versailles

Yes, what German have loss was their face and their dignity. When the Germans signed the armistice in 1918, they believed President Wilson's Fourteen Points would form a basis for a peace treaty that would establish a permanent peace. A key element of the Fourteen Points was the principle of self-determination, which the Germans thought that the same principle would be applied to their country, and it would remain a united nation. But, when the German delegation was presented with a draft treaty on 7 May 1919, it bores no resemblance to Wilson plan.

Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, segments of Germany's population would be divided by new borders and would be forced to join other nations. If it had refused to sign the treaty, the Allied Powers would have continued their naval blockade, which was depriving Germany of essential supplies of food and raw materials.

In all, Germany had to scale back its millitary forces. They were restricted to 100000 professional soldiers, ensuring Germany never again to build a large reserve force to call up in a event of war. Also, all of Germany's wartime weapons would be destroyed and conscription was prohibited. Germany was not allowed to have an air force, submarines, or tanks, and the Navy was limited to six battleships and a few smaller ships. They have territiorial losses, including Alsace-Lorraine, Eupen and Malmedy, Northern Schleswig, Polish Corridor, Part of Upper Silesa, Danzig, Hultschin, Memel, and also loss control of coal-rich region, Saar, to the French for 15 years. The Rhineland, alonmg Germany's western borders with France was made a demilitarised zone, and Allied troops were to occupy there for 15 years.

Finally, according to Article 231 of the Treaty, Germany had to agree full responsibility for the war, which is known as "war guilt cause", and it had to make reparations for the war to the Allied Powers, amounted to 6600 million euros in 1920, to make Germany poor for many years.

All these treatment by other countries angered the Germans, and some argued that the treaty should have been the result of negotiated peace and not a "diktat". Also, other countries were also responsible for the war outbreak, not only Germany. Also, their homeland have been suffering from economic crisis, so it is hard for them to make reparation for their debts, and this would struck Germany, including the citizens, as a point of execution or a death sentence.

What evidence and hints of Nora's cleverness can be found in Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House ?

One of the biggest hints at Nora's cleverness is the fact that she had both the idea and the gumption to actually forge a signature on a legal document. A lot of women in her same situation would not so easily have been able to figure out a solution. Nora was in quite a desperate situation because at the exact same time that the doctors told her that Torvald's health was in serious danger, her father was dying as well. Nora was very prudent to feel that she ought not to worry her dying father with her husband's ailment. However, in her era, women were not allowed to take out loans without the signature of a man. Therefore, it was very cunning of Nora to figure out a way to both rescue her husband and spare her dying father from further suffering by forging her father's name.

While I would hesitate to call Nora manipulative in the sense of intentionally, underhandedly trying to control or manipulate situations for her own advantage, she certainly does know how to steer a situation in the right direction. Her ability to maneuver situations is another hint that Nora is clever. One instance of her ability to control a situation can be seen in the very first act. After Krogstad blackmails her and Torvald returns home saying that he has figured out that Krogstad has been asking her to put in a good word for him, Nora redirects the uncomfortable moment by asking Torvald to help her choose her dress for the fancy dress ball. In fact, she intentionally makes herself look silly and as if she can't possibly get on without him, as she says, "I can't get along a bit without your help" (I). The effect is that she smooths things over between Torvald and herself so that she is more at liberty in the future to ask Torvald not to fire Krogstad.

Nora also attempts to maneuver a situation in order to smooth it out later on when she distracts Torvald with practicing the Tarantella in the second act. Asking Torvald to devout himself to helping her practice her dance serves to postpone Torvald's opportunity to read Krogstad's letter. This distraction buys her more time. We especially see her intentions in her lines, "You must not think of anything but me, either to-day or to-morrow; you mustn't open a single letter--not even open the letter-box--" (II).

In 1927, what countries did Britain possess?

Britain possessed, in terms of actual ownership, itself, essentially- England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (the Free State of Ireland, today the Republic of Eire, had won independence in 1921.).  The British Empire was at this point a collection of islands and nations with five different types of governments.  Companies were intitially capitalized from Britain as private companies.  Colonies were ruled by a governor representing the Crown.  Protectorates were run by the local rulers, but foreign and defense affairs by Britain. Dominions were essentially independant countries which still held the British Crown as their symbolic head of state (also called the Commonwealth Countries). Mandates were set up after World War I as the German and Turkish colonies were readied for self-government, under British control at the direction of the League of Nations.  The following list are Mandates unless otherwise noted:

Aden; the Andaman and Nicobar Islands; Anguilla; Antigua;  Aruba; Ascension; Ashmore and Cartier Islands; Australia (Dominion since 1901); the Bahamas; Bahrain; Baker Island; Baluchistan (part of India since 1887); Barbados; Barbuda; Basutoland; Batavia; Bechuawanaland; Bengal; Bermuda; Bhutan; Bombay; British Cameroons (Mandate); British Colombia; British Guiana; British Honduras; British Indian Ocean Territory; British New Guinea (Papua Territory); British Somaliland (Colony); British Togoland (Mandate); British Virgin Islands; Brunei; Burma; Bushire; Canada (Dominion since 1867); Canton and Enderbury Islands (Company); Cape Breton Island; the Cayman Islands (Colony); Ceylon; Christmas Island (Company); Christmas Island Pacific (Colony); Cocos Island; Cook Islands; Coorg; Curacao; Cyprus (Colony); Dominica; Dutch India; Egypt (Dominion); Ellice Islands (Colony); the Falkland Islands; Fiji; Gambia; Gibraltar; Gilbert Islands (Colony); Goa; Gold Coast; Grenada; Hirado; Hong Kong; Howland Island (Colony); India; Iraq (Mandate); Jamaica (Colony); Jarvis Island (Colony); Kamaran Island (Colony); Kenya (Colony); Kuwait; Lagos; the Leeward Islands; Madras; Malaya; the Maldive Islands; Malta; Mauritius; Nauru (Mandate); Nepal; Newfoundland (not yet part of Canada); New Hebrides (Colony); New Zealand; Nigeria (Colony); North Borneo (Colony); North West Frontier Province (Colony); Northern Rhodesia (Colony); Nyasaland (Colony); Ocean Island (Colony); Muscat and Oman; Palestine (Mandate); Penang; Pitcairn Island (Colony); Prince Edward Islands; Punjab (Colony); Qatar; Reunion; St. Christopher; St. Helena; St. Lucia; St. Vincent (Colony); Samoa (Mandate); Sarawak (Company); Senegal; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; Sikkim; Sind (Colony); Singapore; Solomon Islands; South Africa (Dominion); South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Colony); South West Africa (Mandate); Southern Rhodesia (Dominion); Straits Settlements; the Sudan (Colony); Suez Canal Zone; Surat; Swaziland; Tanganyika (Mandate); Tokelau; Tonga; Tranquebar, or Danish India; Transjordan (Mandate); Trinidad and Tobago; Tristan da Cunha; Trucial Oman; Turks and Caicos Islands; Uganda; Weihaiwei; Willoughby (Colony); the Windward Islands; Zanzibar.

Why is Ms. O'Brien's cross examination of Osvaldo so strong in Monster?The book is Monster By Walter Dean Myers. I really need help.

Ms. O'Brien is the defense attorney, and her job is to make the jury see her client, Steve Harmon, in the best possible light.  As a witness for the prosecution, Osvaldo, who is placing the blame for the crime on Steve and two others, has been presented as an innocent young boy who was involved in the robbery out of fear of retaliation.  As such, he has come across as a sympathetic figure to the jury, and his testimony against Steve has been damaging.  In her cross examination, Ms. O'Brien is seeking to present a different side of Osvaldo to the jury, so as to discredit his testimony.  For this reason, she is very hard on him, challenging his statements in hopes of exposing the boy for the type of character he really is.

Although Osvaldo is young, he is a street-wise gang member.  Ms. Petrocelli has coached him to speak "softy, timidly" when he testifies, so that the jury will find him likeable and feel sorry for him.  Osvaldo claims that he was involved in the robbery only because he was threatened by Bobo, the mastermind behind the crime.  According to Osvaldo, he was afraid that Bobo would "cut (him) up", and "get (his) moms, too", if he didn't cooperate. 

Under cross examination by Ms. O'Brien, Osvaldo reveals that he was apprehended when he had a fight with his girlfriend because he had gotten another girl pregnant, and his girlfriend had called the police.  He also first denies then admits under questioning that he is a member of a gang, and says that in order to get into this gang, he had to "fight a guy who's already in the club to show (he's) got the heart", as well as cut a stranger in the face with a knife to "leave (his) mark" so that it shows.  Through Ms. O'Brien's sometimes harsh but skillful examination, Osvaldo is revealed to be the hardened gang member that he is despite his young age.  He is no longer the sympathetic character in the eyes of the jury that the prosecution has presented him to be, and his account is now questionable, especially since it has been further revealed that Osvaldo is being offered immunity for his testimony.  Through her strong cross examination, Ms. O'Brien has succeeded in discrediting what Osvaldo has to say, thus making things look better for her client.