Is the play Hamlet supposed to be set in the same time period as Shakespeare's life?

I have read quite a few theories on this subject, and although Hamlet is most definitely set in Denmark, Shakespeare left the time aspect of setting purposely ambiguous.  I have heard people say that the timing was the fourteenth century (mostly because of the medieval flavor of the play); however, I have also heard that it was most likely set in Shakespeare's time (mostly for lack of more information).  The truth of the matter is that Shakespeare didn't really reveal the time in which Hamlet was set. 

Still, one can gain a lot of information from the works from which Shakespeare "borrowed" in order to create the play.  Ironically, 400 years before Shakespeare lived, (around the year 1200) there was a very similar story written called Historica Danica.  In addition, the writer Thomas Kyd wrote both The Spanish Tragedy and something commonly called the Ur-Hamlet that was acted around 1594.  Shakespeare borrowed from both of them to write his play.  (Actually, I had a teacher in high school who swore that Thomas Kid WAS Shakespeare.)  Then if you take into account that Hamlet was most likely written around the year 1600 (and you believe that it is not set in the future, that is), then it's a safe guess that Hamlet was set between the years of 1200 and 1600.  Then again, a span of 400 years isn't really specific, is it?

In "Fahrenheit 451" what does the quote "Montag grinned the fierce grin of all men singed and driven by black flame" mean?

This quote is found in the opening passage of the book, which describes Montag at a burning house.  It also describes his intense pleasure at burning.  To understand the line you quoted, it helps to imagine a huge, burning house.  The heat generated from a burning house, going up in flames, is going to be unbearable, feverish, and intense.  To stand next to that kind of fire would be almost painful and would cause one to grimace; when someone grimaces, it often looks like a pained grin.  So, if you are standing next to a fire that huge, it is going to be painful; the body's natural reaction is to grimace.  The firemen grimaced at the heat of the fire.  Bradbury called it a fierce grin (as a grimace often appears to be) because they were close enough to the flames for it to start to singe them; eyebrows perhaps starting to singe, the edges of clothings starting to singe.  And it is when things start to singe that the fire drives the men back, away from it, because the heat is too much.  So, they have a fierce grin from being close enough to the fire to be singed and driven back from it.  Make sense?

Adding to the actual physics of the description is Bradbury's flair for descriptive writing.  He picks his words carefully.  For Montag, "it was a pleasure to burn," and he did it with immense joy.  So to describe the closeness to the fire as a "fierce grin" instead of a "painful grimace" was a deliberate literary choice that Bradbury made.  He wanted to convey the feeling that Montag, even though close enough to the fire for it to cause pain, did not feel pain, but rather intense pleasure.  So, it was a fierce grin that Bradbury used.

I hope those explanations helped a bit!  Good luck!

Where are there similarities and differences between act 1 and act 2 of Julius Caesar?

In seeking differences and similarities in the first two acts of "Julius Caesar," the reader would do well to examine closely the main characters as they are introduced in the exposition.  Also, the element of the supernatural is present in these two acts, so the reader should analyze the effects of supernatural forces and superstition upon the characters.

For instance, in Act I as Caesar triumphantly traverses the streets of Rome, a soothsayer warns him to "Beware the Ides of March." However, the vain Caesar dismisses the man as a "dreamer," and he continues his entry into Rome.  In contrast to this dismissal of superstition, Caesar observes Cassius and recognizes the "lean, hungry" man as a threat; still, his conceited nature causes him to not be unconcerned, thus making him vulnerable as Cassius tries to elicit Brutus in a plan against Caesar, contending that Caesar will make himself king.

In Act II, Brutus, like Caesar, becomes vulnerable.  He is "seduced" by the words of Cassiius and the forged letters sent him about Caesar.  However, rather than his vanity and conceit, it is Brutus's idealism that prevents his understanding of the situation.  And, again superstition and supernatural forces play an important role as Caesar, because of his superstitious nature, is initially persuaded by Calpurnia, his wife, not to go to the senate, but later persuaded by his vanity and conceit when ---comes.  Likewise, Brutus is persuaded by Portia who relates her dreams from the previous night, but the interruption of others causes him to remain with the conspiracy to kill Caesar.

Certainly the intent and sophism of Cassius displayed in Act I in his speech--

Men at some time are masters of their fates:/The fault, dear Brutus, is no in our stars,/But in ourselves that we are underlings (I,ii,140-142)

--and soliloquy are in  great contrast to the soliloquy in Act II of the ideal Brutus, who perceives Caesar as a threat to the state of Rome, one who should be removed for the greater good.

Does anybody know any examples of power and oppression occuring in Things Fall Apart?

This novel is full of examples of power and oppression, both from the colonial incomers to the power of tribal chiefs trying to maintain their position. However, one theme of the book which will help you examine the concepts of power and oppression more clearly is that of change vs tradition.

This novel is really the story of a village and a culture on the edge of change and the two forces of change and tradition are often pitted against each other. It is noteworthy how characters react differently to this dilemma. Okonkow, for example, is against the forces of change, but we can see that he fears he will lose his status that the traditional society gives him. He fears that these new ways are not manyly and that by following them he will be made unmanly too. Yet conversely, the outcasts of his society rush to embrace Christianity precisely because of the societal status that it gives them - a good example of the power and oppression within the society before colonialism. It is interesting therefore to examin the character of Okonkow in this context, as although he wields power he can also be said to be oppressed by it as he is trapped into his position, which arguably leads to his tragic ending.

Can anyone explain the literary device that Shakespeare uses in these particular lines and what do they mean?"Death is my son-in-law, Death is my...

The device is 'personification', which is a form of metaphor. What personification does is to give human qualities or attributes to something that isn't strictly a human. So here, the abstract noun 'death' is turned into a metaphorical person, capable of doing things: and given, you'll notice, a capital letter to denote a proper name.

'Death', then can perform human actions: he can be Capulet's son-in-law and heir, he can marry Juliet, and when Capulet dies (this is the end of your quote!) he will leave all his money to this Death. Is he being literal? No. He's pointing out despairingly that, instead of his daughter being married to Paris, as he had hoped, she has become married, metaphorically to Death: she has died.

Incidentally, to aid your understanding of this quote (and, actually, this play) it might be worth my pointing out that 'death' to the Elizabethans meant 'orgasm' as well as the noun from the verb 'to die'. So death and sex are always related in this play, which, if you think about it, gives a whole new spin to 'Romeo and Juliet''s odd combination of passion and love with violence and hate.

Hope it helps!

Why does Miles believe the hermit so easily, yet the king so reluctantly in The Prince and the Pauper?Chapters 22-29

Miles Hendon is a practical and levelheaded character, and I do not think that he actually believes much of what the hermit says.

Miles knows for a fact that Edward has been at the hermit's house, because he has seen "his very footprints" leading to the door.  When the hermit says that the boy is doing an errand for him, Miles recognizes it is a lie, because he knows that Edward, believing himself to be a king, would never put up with "such an insolence" as would have been evidenced by the hermit ordering him to run an errand; "he would not go for (the hermit) nor for any man".  Although Miles acts as if everything is explained when the hermit declares he is an archangel, I think he is humoring the man.  His only concern is to find Edward, and to do this, he must have the hermit's cooperation (Chapter 21). 

Miles knows that the hermit has seen Edward, and is determined to do what it takes to get the boy back.  He goes with the hermit on what he later calls "a fool's journey all over the forest", and when the hermit finally realizes that he cannot "get rid" of Miles, he brings him back to the house and goes to fetch the boy.  Miles speaks wryly of the hermit as "old Sanctum Sanctorum", and his sardonic manner seems to indicate that he never really took the eccentric holy man seriously.  He was just doing what was necessary to get the boy king back (Chapter 25).

Miles believes the king reluctantly because his story is truly preposterous, yet, with his discerning nature, he is drawn to the boy.  Even though he acts as if he believes the hermit, I think he is humoring him in order to achieve his objective

In A Separate Peace, what two remarks does Finny make in the context of sports which have other applications?

When Finny invents blitzball, he makes up the rules as he goes along, even as the game is furiously underway. This leads to confusion among the other boys. At one point, Finny tells Gene to tackle Bobby Zane. Gene objects vehemently, arguing that Zane is on his team. Finny yells, "There aren't any teams in blitzball . . . we're all enemies." The idea that the boys are all enemies plays a role in the novel, as they do eventually demonstrate anger and conflict among themselves as the year progresses and their various fears intensify.

On another occasion, when he and Gene are alone at the Devon pool, Finny breaks the school swimming record of A. Hopkins Parker. Gene wants immediately for Finny to do it again the next day with witnesses so that his feat will become recognized by all. Finny refuses, telling Gene he isn't to discuss it. Nobody is to know:

No, I just wanted to see if I could do it. Now I know. But I don't want to do it in public.

This attitude is beyond Gene's understanding because he needs public recognition for his own accomplishments to counter his own insecurities. Finny's reaction shows, in contrast, his own security and independence. The seemingly innocent event soon leads to tragic consequences, however. Gene gives up the idea that he can compete with Finny on any level, and his feelings of despair and worthlessness lead to his causing Finny's fall from the tree by the river.

Why is Atticus such a good father in "To Kill a Mockingbird"?

Atticus, as a single father, has a difficult job, especially since there are so many undesirable influences on Jem and Scout in the community. However, he excels at parenting and, with the help of Calpurnia, is raising wise and honorable children.

At first, Atticus seems distant, allowing his children free-reign for much of the time. Calpurnia seems to bear the brunt of being the disciplinarian. She is responsible for the daily tasks, while Atticus seems just to show up to deal with the larger issues.

Yet it is in these larger issues that Atticus shines forth. Atticus is developing their character and their moral worldview. Rather than focusing on surface issues, Atticus delves to the foundation, the moral basis for decisions to be made. Rather than dealing with the "irritation" factor of the children's bothering Boo Radley, he teaches them to see the dignity of Boo, rather than his strangeness that makes him such a butt of all the jokes. He teaches them the inherent value of all people--Boo, Tom Robinson, etc. He develops empathy, so that Jem and Scout are able to draw themselves out of their self-centeredness and view people in light of the battles they have fought, won, and at times lost.

Atticus treats each child as an individual, meeting them on their own terms. He treats Jen differently from Scout, not because he is a boy, but because he is Jem and is different from Scout. He has the ability to see deep into his children's character, tap into their strengths to allow them to shine forth, as well as dealing with their weaknesses.

Atticus is an excellent parent because he is realizes he is not raising children, he is raising potential adults.  The joys of childhood are a preparation for being a responsible, honorable grown-up, and it is their later lives, not the passing whims of childhood, that Atticus is concerned with developing. He views childhood as a time for learning, and play is for learning's sake, not just for play's sake. Everything is a lesson. Therefore, it can be said that it is not so much that Atticus is an excellent father, but that he is an excellent teacher. But perhaps that's what parenting is all about after all.

'America works as a place for Amir to bury his memories and place for Baba to mourn his.'... What is the function of irony in his novel?

In the book "The Kite Runner" Amir and his father escape from Afghanistan before the Taliban can get them.  Amir is happy to be in America because he longs for peace from what had happened to Hassan.  Yet, he can not escape the events that had happened that changed his life.  He is still an insomniac and he carries guilt over not standing up against Assef when he was raping Hassan.

Baba found America to be a place where he spent his time mourning his homeland.  The irony is that the homeland that he once knew ceased to exist.  He was mourning the life he once had, but the life was long gone.

What were the reasons for the decline of drama after Shakespeare's time period?

After the death of Shakespeare, the allure of drama gave way to newer genres though not entirely and not all at once.  Printing techniques were being perfected and more books were printed to a (slightly) more literate society making the need for the drama a little less noticeable.  Also England, in the century following Shakespeare's death, fought several wars with quite a few countries depleting many things needed for the theater:  actors, leisure time and an appreciation for the arts all took a hit.

This was happening all over Europe and not all of the decline can be attributed to the death of Shakespeare.  However, whenever the master quits producing, often the art form dies- at least in the worst case scenario.  Sometimes, it is re-invented and transformed.

Why does Reverend Ambrose call Grant uneducated?

In Ernest J. Gaines, "A Lesson Before Dying," Reverend Ambrose approaches Grant to request his help in getting Jefferson to turn to God before his execution.  Grant tells the Reverend that the soul is his job.  Grant says all he does is teach Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic.  The Reverend becomes angry with Grant and frustrated because of Grant's lack of faith.  He tells Grant that he is uneducated because he doesn't understand the history of his people.  He tells him he knows nothing and that to be educated you have to understand what God means and what life is about.  He continues to try and get Grant to say that he will tell Jefferson that he believes in Heaven, but Grant says he won't lie.  The Reverend tries to tell Grant that to keep the Black people of the Parish to have hope and suffer less he has to lie to them. 

Reverend Ambrose tells Grant that he has no idea of what his aunt has suffered for him, and until he sees the sacrifice he can't be educated.  He says,

"And that's the difference between me and you boy; that make me the educated one, and you the gump.  I know my people.  I know what they gone through.  I know they done cheated themself, lied to themself-hoping that one they all love and trust can come back and help relieve the pain."

This statement means that Grant should willingly come back to the Parrish and give back to the people because of all they have sacrificed so he could be educated at a university and gain the knowledge needed to teach the next generation.  To ease their pain, Grant must break the cycle of ignorance.

In "The Crucible", what is the significance of Hale's visit to the Proctor household and what does his interrogation reveal about attitudes in Salem?

Hale comes to Salem, at the request of Reverend Parris out of concern for his little daughter, Betty, who lies in her sick bed. He needs to investigate the people of the community to determine if there is any witchcraft being practiced.

"Hale: I am a stranger here, as you know.  And in my ignorance I find it hard to draw a clear opinion of them that come accused before the court." (Miller)

What he discovers is that there are people who refuse to believe that there are witches in Salem, like the Proctors, and then there are those who are eager to accuse their neighbors of witchcraft, it is only after he has helped to condemn many people that Hale realizes that the motives of those who were eager to believe and accuse is self-interest and personal gain, or is driven by a desire to seek revenge or punish their neighbors.

He goes to the Proctor's home becaus Elizabeth Proctor's name was mentioned in court, so he has to investigate the Proctors to see what their Christian commitment is and if they are good people, good Puritans.

Proctor begins his conversation with Hale by defending Rebecca Nurse who has been accused of witchcraft by Mrs. Putnam.  Proctor's unwillingness to believe in the devil's influence over the saintly Mrs. Nurse causes Hale to reply:

"Hale: But the Devil is a wily one, you cannot deny it.  However, she is far from accused.  I thought sir to put some questions as to the Christian character of this house." (Miller)

This presents a problem for Proctor, because he has not attended church regularly, he has missed several Sundays.  And when quizzed on his knowledge of the ten commandments, he cannot remember them all.  Mrs. Proctor has to fill in the one he missed, adultery.

Proctor has to explain why he has missed church, he tells Hale that his wife was sick and that he needed to work his farmland harder in order to feed his family, so he did not have the time to spare.  He also expresses his dislike for Reverend Parris.

"Proctor: Since we built the church there were pewter candlesticks upon the altar, Francis Nurse mad them .  But Parris came and for twenty week he preach nothin but golden candlesticks until he had them.  I labor the earth from dawn of day to blink of night and I tell you true when I look to heaven and see my money glaring at his elbows it hurt my prayer." (Miller)

Hale also asks Proctor why his third child is not baptized, and Proctor has to tell him that it is because he just doesn't think that Reverend Parris is a holy man.  Of course Hale objects and tells Proctor that it is not his place to judge a man of God.

Elizabeth Proctor is also questioned and reveals a lack of belief in the existence of witches, especially if Hale is making the accusation that the Devil has taken over the soul of some women in Salem.

"Elizabeth: If you think that I am one, then I say there are none." (Miller)

Hale is determined to find the work of the Devil in Salem, and he reminds Proctor that even the Devil was one of God's angels and fell from grace.  The visit is very significant because it is right after this that the poppet with the needle in its stomach is discovered in the Proctor home.  Elizabeth is then carted off to jail, accused by Abigail Williams, of being a witch.

How do cells stay alive?

Cells must perform certain life functions to stay alive and have tiny organelles which carry out these activities. The nucleus is where the chromosomes are located. The DNA instructions are copied or transcribed by RNA and carried to the ribosomes where protein synthesis occurs, assembling new proteins that act as structural parts, or cells secretions, or whatever the cell needs to live.

Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell where respiration occurs providing the cell with energy to live in the form of ATP. Chloroplasts in plants allow sunlight to be captured and combined with carbon dioxide and water to form glucose, a high energy compound that provides energy.

Endoplasmic reticulum is a system of tubules for transport of necessary substances within the cell.

Lysosomes in eukaryotic cells contain enzymes to help rid the cell of old worn out organelles, to digest food, and even to break down dead cells.

Centrosomes produce the microtubules which function as a microscopic "skeleton" or framework for the cell. It also plays a role in cell division in animal cells during cell division for the formation of the spindle fibers.

Vacuoles are storage compartments in cells that store food, wastes, water and can even assist single celled organisms in locomotion.

Transport is accomplished by the plasma membrane which allows transport in and out of cells depending on size and concentration of molecules.

These are examples of how a cell stays alive.

Explain the effect of a sales volume increase on the total fixed costs, unit fixed costs, total variable cost, and unit variable cost

Before we examine the effect of increase in sales volume on each of total fixed cost, unit fixed cost, total variable cost,and unit variable cost, it would help to understand the nature of costs involved manufacture and sale of any product.

Though exact amount of costs involved in manufacturing and sale of a product will depend on the product and the nature of manufacturing and selling methods used, we can identify a common pattern of costs of all product costs.

The total cost of a product can be divided in two parts - fixed cost and variable cost. The fixed cost, as the name implies is fixed - is does not change with change in sales volume. Variable cost is varies directly in proportion to the volume of sales. For example, if variable cost of manufacturing and selling one unit of product is 'x' dollars then the cost of producing 'n' units of product will be 'n' times ''x' dollars. Thus the behaviour of various types of cost can be expressed by following equations:

Fixed Cost     = F   .

Variable cost = n x V

Total Cost    = F + (n x v)

Where:

'F' is a constant

'n' is number of units sold

'V' is variable cost per unit

Based on these equations we can examine the impact of increase in sales volume on different types of costs.

Total fixed cost: This will remain same irrespective of sales volume.

Unit fixed cost: Unit fixed cost will be equal to total fixed cost divided by sales volume. This will reduce with increase in sales volume.

Total variable cost: This cost will increase in direct proportion to the sales volume.

Unit variable cost: It will remain constant irrespective of sales volume.

In Act III, scene I, how does Macbeth manipulate the murderers' minds?

This scene when Macbeth hires the two murders to do his dirty work for him is very interesting when we consider what is shows about the development of Macbeth's character. Macbeth no longer meets his enemies and threats directly, but gets others to do his work for him - something that displays his own political strength but also his moral weakness. Now he must accomplish his crimes from a distance: "something [distant] from the palace”. It is also ironic how Shakespeare compares the guilt of Macbeth to the idea of murder with the murderers' very pragmatic understanding of the crime. 

Macbeth has to persuade the murderers to carry out his will. It is clear that Macbeth knows the murderers from before. His speech is aimed at creating a hatred of Banquo to impel them to murder him: “Know that it was he …,” “This I made good to you in our last conference,” “Do you find your patience so predominant in your nature that you can let this go?” The aim of his speech is to ensure that the murderers are without guilt or moral scruples, as if they have sympathy they might not kill Banquo according to Macbeth's wishes. Empathy on the part of the murderers would be a natural human response, but this is precisely what Macbeth tries to prevent. Thus when the First Murderer says to Macbeth "We are men, my liege,” Macbeth interrupts him and, by using a series of metaphors, lowers the level of humanity of these murderers to the level of beasts: “Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men, / As hounds and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs / … and demi-wolves are clept [called] / All by the name of dogs". Hardly very complimentary, but Macbeth is hell-bent on achieving his purpose - ensuring that they do their job effectively without guilt creeping in.

Macbeth does flatter the murderers by hinting that their success in this job will raise them above the low social standing they have at present, his tone is definitely ironic and indicates he thinks of them as nothing more than tools to be used or just like the beasts he has just compared them too. Of course, the irony is that this opinion reflects back on Macbeth and his own character.

Why was Northern optimism increased after the victory at Fort Donelson in Across Five Aprils?

The victory at Fort Henry, followed quickly by a second at Fort Donelson, were the first for the Union in the war.  After suffering defeat in the opening battles at Bull Run, Ball's Bluff, and Wilson's Creek, the people "went wild with joy".  Although thoughtful men like Matt Creighton realized that the war, once begun, would be long and grueling, the general public, swept up in the heady euphoria of the North's first decisive victories, were inclined to be overly and unrealistically optimistic, with the expectation that, now that they were winning, the conflict could not help but be soon decided in their favor.

There is no question but that the victories at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson were important.  The two forts were strategically located so that, in taking them, the Northern forces effectively cut off Southern supply lines, dealing the Confederacy a significant setback.  The battles had been won at a great cost in human lives, however, and there were numerous other fronts around the country where confrontations still remained to be resolved.  As Shadrach points out to Jethro later at the schoolhouse, those who were concluding, on the basis of these two victories, that the war would soon be over were sadly naive and mistaken (Chapter 4).

In dynamic interpersonal aspects of communication interactive way of communication is considered to be more relevant and appropriate. Elucidate.

I am resisting the temptation to edit the question to make it more meaningful. I think it would be more enlightening to leave the question as it is, and examine some of its implication.

To begin with please note that all communication are always interpersonal communication. For any communication to take place there must be at least two persons participating in the process. This makes all communication interpersonal.

Secondly, all communications are dynamic. This is what makes a communication so difficult. Processes involved in formulating a message to be communicated, and receiving and interpreting the messages received is very quick and complex. This speed and complexity makes all communication a very dynamic process.

Further relevance of communication refers to the subject matter of the communication irrespective of the communication process. The subject matter in a specific communication can be relevant or irrelevant irrespective of the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the communication process used. When the situation demands that information be provided on performance of a person, but the concerned person only talks about his capabilities rather than results produced, then he is talking about irrelevant things irrespective of how impressive his talk is.

The essential characteristics of an effective communication process is that the what is intended to be communicated by one party is received and understood completely and correctly by the other party. One of the ways of improving this kind of understanding is to pay attention to talking as well as listening.

What causes Biff to run-off and not graduate in "Death of a Salesman"?

When Biff fails math, he immediately runs to his father.  Willy has always told Biff that he is special, that his athletic ability and his good looks are all that he need.  Biff believes that the grade won't "count."  He thinks that Willy will be able to intervene and convince the teacher to pass him.

Biff meets up with Willy in Boston.  However, when he gets there, he finds Willy with his mistress.  This destroys Biff's image of his father.  He screams at his father,

"You fake! You phony little fake! You fake!”

Discovering that his father is a fake makes Biff question all that he believes about himself.  Biff's self-image has been built up by Willy - the destruction of Willy has therefore destroyed Biff's self-image.  He goes home and burns the sneakers on which were written the "University of Virginia."  He refuses to take the summer class, mostly because he no longer has the goals that Willy had helped him establish, but also in part because Willy orders him to - he will no longer do what Willy "orders" him to do.  Finally, he goes off in search of his own life path. 

Biff in the current time of the play is the Biff still looking for that life path, and still trying to understand a father that had disappointed him so much.

Write the first body paragraph from a Macbeth essay, please follow the details.Skip the introduction over to Body 1 paragraph, the following is....

Without the introduction and the complete idea of the thesis (the evil of greed is what?  responsible for many characters' demise in the pla?) It is very difficult to write or to give you suggestions for the paragraphs you seek.  My advice to you is to look at your introduction, think about your thesis (the entire thesis statement) and ask yourself why you feel that way, or why you believe it is true.  The thesis should be a controversial issue--something that can be argued either way, that you can prove with incidents and examples from the play.  If your thesis is "Macbeth's demise is caused by the evil nature of greed", then why do you agree with this?  What three reasons do you have from the play that help you prove this thesis is true?   

In general, your seem to be speaking of the evil qualities of greed for your first paragraph (what makes you think that greed is evil?  What examples can you give for that thesis? How can you prove it? ) Then, you move to the evil nature of greed in Macbeth--what examples can you give from the play? What evil did he do that was motivated by greed?  You will use the same process for his lovely wife.  Wrap it up with general comments again for the final paragraph and reiterate the evil greed forces men and women to do in the world.

Rather than studying a series of paragraphs that someone else writes for you, you will probably do much better writing the paragraph from your own knowledge and experience with the play than memorizing foreign material for your test.  Sounds like you may be expected to write this essay on the test, so it should be something you have prepared so you can recreate it easily on the test.

Good Luck!

What challenges did life on land present to plants that their algal ancestors didn't have to face? 4 challenges

1. Avoiding dehydration.  Plants on land would have developed roots to acquire water from the soil.  They also developed stomata on the underside of their leaves to reduce water loss.  Adaptation to arid environments involved waxy coats and fleshy leaves for water storage.

2. Disease.  Bacteria and viruses would have better opportunities for infection on land than in water.

3.  Competition.  Because they are immobile, land plants would be susceptible to being overgrown by other plants that were better adapted to the habitat.

4.  Reproduction.  New means of reproduction had to be developed.  This would include development of cross-fertilisation to ensure a larger gene pool and therefore greater diversity.  New means of dispersal eg. wind, insects.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, what does Mr. Avery say caused the unusual weather?

Jem and Scout are suckers for superstitions. They believe anything a neighbor says about something that they don't know much about. In fact, the whole town shows that it is superstitious by the way they treat Boo Radley, as if he were some boogieman rather than a poor shut-in. For example, children won't eat the nuts that fall into the schoolyard from the Radley's tree, black people won't walk by the Radley house at night, and Calpurnia spits when Mr. Radley walks by. When it just happens to snow for the first time in Scout's life, she thinks the world is ending. The interesting thing about it is she doesn't hear from anyone that God is punishing Maycomb when it snows, which is what one might expect from living in the Christian Bible-belt. No, the kids only hear that Mr. Avery "said it was written on the Rosetta Stone" that the seasons would change "when children disobeyed their parents, smoked cigarettes and made war on each other" (63). Jem and Scout had not done the last two on the list, but they sure had disobeyed Atticus by playing out the Radley family history in the front yard and trying to get Boo to come out by taunting him. 

Because Scout and Jem are superstitious in their young years, they also feel guilty for "contributing. . .[and] causing unhappiness to our neighbors and discomfort to ourselves" (63). This is funny because a little snow never hurt anyone, except for maybe crops, but Scout takes it for the worst possible event because it is new and unfamiliar to her. Fortunately, as Scout progresses, grows and matures, she starts to use her brains to figure things out rather than listening to superstitious tales. 

Where can we see the elements of "sense" and "sensibility" in "Emma" by Jane Austen?

Such a great question!  Clearly, Austen had a lot to say on these topics because she titled a book that way - but the novel "Emma" proves that she had so much to say it couldn't be just contained in one book!

In "Emma", Austen uses her characters to show these opposing traits, and ultimately makes a case (as she does in "Sense and Sensibility") that "sense" is best.  Lets start with the trait of sensibility - that is, to behave and decision-make based on emotional concerns as opposed to intellectual reasoning.

Harriet is the most prone to sensibility.  She is a sweet girl, but not very well-read or intellectual in her pursuits.  She enjoys being with people and pursuing enjoyment in various forms - she is a pleaser, and wants to please others.  The proof of her emotional tendencies lies in the ease with which her romantic attachments form and reform.  She falls for Mr. Martin, but gives him up at the persuasion of her friend for Mr. Elton.  She seeks to please Emma, and is ready to be swept up into love at the idea that Elton loves her.  When that fails, she allows her gratitude towards Mr. Knightley to convince her that she is in love with him.  She claims to have been swayed by his actions, but she is is painting the scene with her own bias and not considering all the implications.

Mr. Woodhouse is another great example of sensibility.  Harriet has a tendency towards love - Woodhouse has a tendency towards fear.  He fears the weather, change, and various other potential and made-up concerns.  He "explains" his fears, but he will not be explained out of his fears.  He must be tricked out of them, or he must be accomodated.

Frank Churchill is similar to Willoughby in the novel "Sense and Sensibility".  He is concerned with enjoyment.  He secretly engages because he does not want to endanger his own inheritance, and so puts enjoyment and comfort above honesty.  In addition, he leads Emma on in a flirtation though he is not available.  He even goes so far as to create a false scenario surrounding the piano - not because he needs to in order to divert suspicion, but because it is fun.  He leads Emma astray slightly in this regard, which is important for her character development.

Knightley is the foil to these characters and the one who represents "sense" the most.  He is always considering the pros and cons of a situation, always arguing for truth.  He is the one to speak about the fitness of the match between Martin and Harriet, speaking specifically about finances.  He is so reasonable and sensible that he must consult his brother before declaring intentions towards Emma.

Which brings us to the protagonist.  Emma believes that she is full of sense, but she realizes in the climatic moment that she has been led by her sensibilities.  This is when she insults Miss Bates, at the prodding of Frank Churchill.  Knightley chides her for being disrespectful, and Emma must admit that he is right and that - as much as she "reasons" in her head about the world and people around her - she has been as emotional as her father in her ways of behaving.

Can you give a summary of the poem "The Glove and the Lions" by Leigh Hunt?

"The Glove and the Lions" by James Leigh Hunt (Leigh Hunt was born as James Leigh Hunt) tells the story of a king, who for pleasure, has gathered a bunch of people to watch lions fight in an arena.  The author goes to great lengths to describe the fighting lions, their roars, paws, their vicious and bloody battle.  Then, there is a lady in the crowd who wants her love, a Count, to prove that he truly loves her.  She decides "I'll drop my glove, to prove my love."  She then "dropped her glove...then looked at him and smiled."  So there is this lady's glove, lying in the pit with these violent lions, and she expects the Count, her love, to prove that he really loves her by jumping in with them and getting it.  Well, "he bowed, and in a moment leaped among the lions wild," and quickly retrieves her glove.  After he is returned, he "threw the glove, but not with love, right in the lady's face."  He tells her that "No love...but vanity, sets love a task like that."  I think the ending is quite funny; instead of gallantly giving her glove back and pining at her feet, he throws it in her face, and calls her a vain airhead in front of everyone.  It is a great way to mock the entire concept of courtly love, and what the ladies of the courts did to try to make their loves prove that they truly did love them, when in reality they were just spoiled, vain, materialistic girls with no concept of what real love was.

I hope that I got the poem right, and that the explanation helped.  Good luck!

What does "Ignorance is Strength" really mean?

This quote, "Ignorance is Strength", is part of the larger slogan that Winston sees emblazoned on the pyramid of the Ministry of Truth. The complete slogan, which we need to examine to understand this part, reads as follows:

War is Peace

Freedom is Slavery

Ignorance is Strength

This quote, introduced so early on in the novel, is the reader's first introduction to doublethink. The constant bombardment of propaganda-based fear attacks the independence and strength of people's minds to so great an extent that they accept unquestionably facts that are blatantly the opposite of reality. For example, The Ministry of Love is really a torture centre, The Ministry of Peace is dedicated to prolonging war and the Ministry of Truth is commited to "altering" news and history books. These are facts which the people accept without challenge.

The slogan is thus an important part of this propaganda, and has its basis in a kind of truth that we the readers are aware of, and a truth that Winston comes to discover in the course of the novel. War is literally peace, because having a common enemy keeps the people of Oceania united together. Freedom is, indeed, slavery, because the man who is subject to the collective will is free from want. And lastly, Ignorance is Strength, for ignorance is what the power of the ruling party is based on.

What is the plot of Robinson Crusoe?

Robinson Crusoe comes from York, England and is the youngest son of a German merchant. Despite his family’s wishes that he study law and live a quiet life, Robinson Crusoe expresses his desire to go to sea. We perhaps reflect that he should have listened to his parents as his early shipping voyages do not bode well. Going on a ship to London, a storm nearly kills him. After some success, in a later voyage his ship is taken by Moorish Pirates. Later, he embarks on a slave-capturing expedition but his vessel is shipwrecked off the coast of Trinidad.

Then the story of his survival begins. He keeps careful notes of how he survives on the island, being the only person left. He goes back to the ship various times for supplies and finds meat and begins to farm and build on the island. He plants a cross, inscribed with the date of his arrival, and puts a notch in it for each day he is there. After a hallucinatory illness, Crusoe undergoes a religious conversion, realising he is alive thanks to God. Following this, he becomes more positive, calling himself "King" of his island. His work expands, and he takes a parrot and goats as pets and builds a boat. He lives several years in peace.

One day Crusoe finds a footprint on the island. Concluding it is from one of the cannibals who are known to live in this region, Crusoe is afraid and takes protective measures, building an underground cellar to herd his goats into at night. One day he hears shots and sees another shipwrecked vessel. Upon investigation, there are no survivors, but the beach is full of human remains. Later, he sees cannibals with some prisoners. One tries to escape and Crusoe protects him, killing some of the cannibals with his superior weapons. The prisoner pledges himself completely to Crusoe and Crusoe names him Friday because of the day of his rescue.

Friday is "civilised" by Crusoe who teaches him his religion and some English. Friday explains the cannibal society to Crusoe and says the sailors on the shipwrecked ship are actually Spaniards and are prisoners. Crusoe and Friday go to see them and find a group of cannibals with some prisoners. Crusoe and Friday kill most of the cannibals, and discover that one of the prisoners is from Spain and another is Friday's father. Crusoe prepares to invite these men into his community.

The arrival of an English ship triggers the end of the island experience. Crusoe realises that it has been seized by mutineers and eventually tricks them into believing that he is an English governor and rescues the sailors and goes back home. When he reaches England he realises his earlier investments have made him a man of some fortune. He settles down, in spite of a remaining wanderlust, until his wife dies. Then he travels and revisits his island, commenting that the Spaniards are governing it well.

What were the events and lifestyles of 1900-1925 internationally?

While this list is certainly not all encompassing, here is a timeline of some significant events in the early twentieth century.

1901-1902 Kodak introduced a $1 Brownie Camera.  The perspective through a lens had a tremendous impact upon art.  The Impressionist Edgar Degas often used a camera's view in his paintings which seemed cut off at times. Australia became a Commonwealth, the first Nobel Prizes were given, and Queen Victoria died. Boer Wars erupted, the teddy bear was introduced, the U.S. passed the Chinese Exclusion Act (1903)First flight at Kitty Hawk, and the first silent movie, "The Great Train Robbery," occurred (1904) New York subway opened (1905)Einstein proposed his theory of relativity and the San Francisco earthquakes caused massive devastation and death (1906) Picasso introduced Cubism and the first washing machine is invented (1900-1909) Henry Ford came out with the Model T and SOS is accepted as the international distress signal (1909) Plastic was invented and the NAACP was founded (1910-1919) World War I, The Titanic, Revolution in Russia (1920-1929)Woman's Suffrage, Mein Kampf was published,the Scopes Monkey Trial, Charles Lindberg had his first transcontinental flight.

During this time period, there were many people who did not have electricity.  They lived simple lives and stayed close to home since not everyone had horse and carriage as means of transportation, and only the wealthy had automobiles.  Of course, with the assembly line Ford, the average worker could afford this new vehicle.  The Roaring 20s brought out a frivolity in people.  Many made a great deal of money on the stock market.  F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote of this period in his novels, and he and Hemingway and others became expatriates in Paris to become what Gertrude Stein termed "The Lost Generation" as Americans dissipated their lives in the City of Lights. The Charleston was a dance that was reflective of this fun-loving era.  People worked in factories in the cities and conditions were poor for those in the tenements.  With this crowding and influx of immigrants from Sicily organized crime found its beginnings in places such as New York and Chicago.  Baseball was huge, especially in St. Louis, Missouri, where there were torridpenant races.  World War I in 1917 took a terrible toll on American lives.  Yet, the period from 1900-1925 was one of prosperity, a period that led to the Great Depression of 1929, not unlike the period of prosperity that America has known before the current economic collapse termed the Recession.

Why do you think Eliot opens "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" with an allusion to Dante's epic poem? Explain the parallels and contrasts.

Eliot alludes to Dante's Inferno, Dante's account of his journey through Hell under the guidance of the spirit of the poet Virgil, in order to highlight the banality of Prufrock's frustration and despair. This allusion works in both a general and a specific way.

As a general allusion, the quotation contrasts Dante and Prufrock. Dante, in his poem, is a fearless seeker after the truth about himself and others, who has literally gone to Hell and back in his quest. Prufrock, on the other hand, cannot even make up his mind about ordinary life:

Do I dare
Disturb the universe?
In a minute there is time
For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.

He whines that he "is not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be," and sadly concludes that the mermaids will not "speak to me." The evocation of Dante shows him clearly to be an empty, querulous nonentity.

The specific allusion that Eliot chooses quotes the words of one of the sinners in Hell, Count Guido da Montefeltro, who tells Dante that he would never speak if he believed that Dante could ever take his words back to the living world. For those who understand Dante's text, this serves to further underline Prufrock's inferiority. Prufrock is part of the world, not condemned to Hell, but he is as isolated and impotent as the damned: "It is impossible to say just what I mean!" He can never make up his mind to ask his "overwhelming question," and is convinced that he is "ridiculous" and "the Fool."

Thus, on both the specific and the general levels, the contrast between Prufrock and Dante makes the former, and by extension his times and his society, appear pathetic, irresolute, and contemptible.

What is the meaning of Cathy Song's "Heaven"?

Cathy Song, an Asian poet, elegantly describes a scene between the narrator and her son in the poem, "Heaven." Her son who is part caucasian thinks that when he dies he will go to a Chinese heaven; and except for his blond hair,  everyone will look like him.  As they look at the map, the boy's hand spreads out  to show the distance from his home to China. 

Their home, probably in Colorado, shows up only as a black dot. The poet thinks that their home is much like the wild west of the past when her grandfather worked on the railroad never thinking that this would become the place  where he would die.   She even wonders if there is a boy in China much like her son who dreams of coming to America.  Like her ancestor, she asks why am I here and why this place.

For two generations, none of her family has thought to go back to his homeland.  As she and her children stand in their backyard, they can see the mountains and the blue sky.  Her son,  who dreams of going to China, imagines the laundry on the clothesline as his ship with sails blowing in the breeze taking him all the way to heaven. 

What does the invocation of the first 12 lines of the poem say the poem as a whole will emphasize in "The Odyssey"?is in pages 3-14 in The Odyssey

The invocation is the narrator calling for help from the muse to tell his story of Odysseus and his travels back home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. 

"Many cities did he visit, and many were the nations with whose manners and customs he was acquainted; moreover he suffered much by sea while trying to save his own life and bring his men safely home"

From this we know that the tales will be told of where he went, whom he met, and the suffering involved.  Then in the last lines of the invocation he asks the muse to help share the story.

"Tell me, too, about all these things, O daughter of Jove, from whatsoever source you may know them."

What factors motivated Italian, German, Japanese leaders to pursue aggressive foreign policies in the 1930s?

This is a very interesting and truly compelling question.  While there are several items that can hope to explain the aggressiveness of the powers that will come to be known as the Axis powers, I am going to try to frame all of them into one dimension that has multiple components.  I think that the major factor that underscored the aggressiveness of each foreign policy was the charismatic effect of each nation's leader.  Each of these nations' leaders- Tojo for Japan, Mussolini in Italy, and Hitler in Germany- came to ascend power by personifying themselves as the nation.  They were willing participants to market their own senses of self as embodiments of their nations, making them appealing to their citizenry, and invoking the sensibility that their nations' exceptionalism justified aggressiveness in foreign policy.  Each of these leaders were charismatic enough to be able to inject themselves into the nation, as a whole.  Hitler's ascendancy to power was rooted in the notion that Germany has been wronged by the Treaty of Versailles, and that the glory of German nationalism awaited, and he was the vehicle to bring this vision into reality.  Mussolini was the first of the three leaders to do the same as Hitler, in terms of identifying himself as the embodiment of Italian exceptionalism and glory.  Tojo was able to convince the Japanese citizenry that the rising and setting of the sun lay with Japan.  Each leader "became" their nation, and in this process, invoked a sense of nationalism to inspire their nations to pursue aggressive policies in terms of their relations with other nations.  They suggested that the vision that each leader had for each nation, this notion of national exceptionalism, must be spread over as much land and territory as possible.  In this invocation and in the convincing their citizens that they were the only ones fit to accomplish this task, allowed them to pursue aggressive and confrontational foreign policies.

How does Troy's past affect his future in Fences?

It is this question that strikes at the heart of Wilson's protagonist.  Troy is a product of his past.  He wishes not to be, presenting himself as a picture of the present.  Yet, in everything he does, Troy's past profoundly impacts his present and future.  His childhood would be a good starting point in such an analysis.  Troy's own father was abusive.  This impacts his relationship with his children in that he is unable to express any emotions that represent love and nurturing, for these were never really shown to him as a child.  He has no role model for this, and while he does try to be a good father, particularly to Cory, he cannot fully grasp the nuances and painful subtleties of good parenting as his own past did not possess this.  Another example of how his past affects the future would be his time in prison.  He excelled at baseball.  Yet, when he is released, the integration of the Major Leagues costs him a chance at his dream.  This impacts his present and future in two distinct ways.  The first is that he never reconciles his past dream of playing ball with his current reality of working as a garbage man.  The past's hopes never fully mesh with the present reality.  At the same time, when future dreams in the hope of Cory wanting to play football present itself, Troy allows his own past failures and shortcomings to color and temper how he approaches Cory's.  In this, his own past casts a shadow on his own present and Cory's future.  Finally, when looking at Bono's description of the "walking blues," a condition of the past generation that prevented them from being able to embrace happiness and continue wandering for something unknown and undefined, one sees again how the past influences the future.  Jim recognized these signs in his own father and his Troy's father and he warns against this same syndrome to visit Troy.  Yet, with his relationship with Alberta and the constant state of unhappiness that is in Troy's life in the Second Act, one sees how the past state of "walking blues" impacts Troy's present and future.

What were Leonardo DaVinci's contributions and their impact?

Leonardo DaVinci made contributions to the study of science, medicine and art.  In his relentless pursuit to understand how our world works, he was one of the world's greatest inventors, thinkers, scientists, artists and writers.  A true Renaissance Man, Leonardo DaVinci was a leading voice for reason, logic and science in a world dominated by superstition.

"Flying machines, parachutes, submarines, underwater rebreathing devices, self floatation/ocean rescue devices, swimming fins, pumping mechanisms, water turbines, dredging systems, steam calorimeters, water-well drill, swing bridges, canals, leveling/surveying instruments, cranes, pulley systems, street-lighting systems, convection roasting spit, mechanical saw, treadle-operated lathe, compasses, contact lenses, and military weapons."

DaVinci's genius creates inventions that are far ahead of their time.  In addition to being a world-class inventor, he was a phenomenal painter, his most notable works include, the Mona Lisa, and The Last Supper, as well as The Baptism of Christ.

He also worked to study human anatomy. He dissecting around 30 corpses to get an intimate look at the heart and brain, which he made wax molds of to study further.

Leonardo's studies of heart bought interesting results. At the time it was generally believe that the heart was the source of the 'vital spirit'; it heated the blood which then flowed through the body carrying 'vital spirit'. The idea of the 'noble' heart as just another muscle was never considered and the above ideas, from Aristotle and Greek doctor Galen, were universally accepted. 

His contributions are so vast and cover so many disciplines, or areas of study that it is impossible to include everything in one answer.  

How is "Macbeth" similar to "Sonnet 146?"

Sonnet 146 most connects with "Macbeth" if you study it specifically in comparison to Macbeth's "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" soliloquy in Act Five.  The sonnet is concerned with the question of why do we concern ourselves so much with outward appearance during life, when after life our outer shell will just be a corpse in the ground.  Shakespeare writes:  "Why dost thou pine within and suffer dearth/Painting thy outward walls so costly gay?/Why so large cost, having so short a lease,/Dost thou upon thy fading mansion spend?"  The speaker of the sonnet argues that, when life is so short, why should we spend our time "pining within" and "suffering" to keep up our looks.

This connects to the ideas in Macbeth's "Tomorrow" soliloquy, where he observes that "Life is but a walking shadow . . . a poor player who struts and frest his hour upon the stage and is heard no more."  Macbeth is contemplating the meaning of life, basically asking why we try to acheive any meaningful existence when we will all meet the same end in death.  Clearly both pieces reflect Shakespeare's existential side. 

In Shakespeare's, Othello, did Othello and Desdomona ever get to consumate their marriage? Wouldn't that have proven her virginity to Othello?

We learn in the first act that Desdemona is already missing from her father's house, and Iago tells Brabantio,"...your daughter and the Moor are making the beast with two backs" (1.1 line 114-5). So we can infer that Othello and Desdemona have already consummated their marriage.  If they had not done so, you are correct in speculating that the play would have had a different outcome, since Othello would have been able to prove to himself that Desdemona was still a virgin.  The issue in the play, however, is not Desdemona's virginity, but her fidelity. 

You may wonder why we should believe Iago, given his lies and manipulations, but you will notice that the audience is always aware of these, and thus it is likely to be true that the marriage was consummated.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird", what happened to Jem's pants and why?

Jem loses his pants as he is fleeing from the scene of the Radley House late at night with Scout and Dill. He leaves the pants, which got snagged on the bottom of the property fence, only to find them neatly folded and left for him on the fencepost the next day.

The children had gone to the house out of morbid curiosity, trying to sneak a peek at Boo Radley, or further investigate the enigma of the Radleys themselves. When they are heard, Nathan Radley fires a shot in the air over the kids, suspecting that they are prowlers.

Explain the process of a defendant charged with Capital Murder within the Texas state system and then the appeal process in the federal...

Murder in any state is a capital offense thus it is called capital murder. Murder is a felony in all states. A felony by definition is any crime that is punishable by a prison sentence of more than one year. The person charged with this crime is called the defendant, the prosecution is the entity trying to convict the defendant. In capital cases like murder and in criminal proceedings in general the prosecuting body is the state. In this case the prosecution is the State of Texas.

Before trial, the prosecution and defense will undergo a period of "discovery". Essentially, they show each other what they think the facts of the case to be so as to allow time to prepare for the case. In criminal proceedings, this discovery process can be months or even years. Eventually the case will be put on the court's calendar(a trial date will be set).

At trial, jury selection(voir dire) will take place. After the jury has been seated, and after instructions are given by the judge, the trial will begin. Opening statements are made by the defense and by the prosecution. Now each side has the opportunity to call witnesses and present evidence as to why they think the defendant is guilty of the crime, or not guilty.

After all witnesses have testified and all the evidence has been examined, the case is sent to the jury for deliberations. The jury makes a decision and then comes back to render a verdict.

If the defendant is found guilty, he is immediately taken to jail. If the defendant is found innocent he is free to exit and carry on his/her life. If a guilty verdict is rendered in a capital case, an appeal is automatic. These appeals may take many years to play out. 

Explain the contrast Scout draws between the court where Tom was tried and "the secret courts of men's hearts." In what way are hearts like courts?

The passage implied in the question is found in Chapter 25:

Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.

The contrast here is the one that exists between the legal principles upon which the system of justice is based and the human weaknesses and prejudices that can corrupt the dispensing of justice in court. In court during Tom's trial, Atticus defended Tom within the legal system and, in fact, proved beyond any doubt Tom did not commit the crime he was accused of committing. However, because of the racist culture of Maycomb, the presumption of innocence was never extended to Tom. He was "convicted" in people's hearts before he ever came to trial. Because he was a black man in Maycomb, he was presumed guilty as soon as he was accused by a white woman. In the "secret courts of men's hearts," no evidence was necessary beyond the color of Tom's skin. Minds were closed, and this public opinion was instantaneous.

Describe three ways that polarity of water molecules affects the behaviour of water.This is from the Earth Science text book gr.11 chapter 22.2

Water has a partial negative charge on one side of the molecule and a partial positive charge on the other.  When two water molecules are nearby, their complimentary positive and negative charges form a hydrogen bond.  This bond is what accounts for water's unique properties, including its effect as a solvent on most ions, its density being less as solid ice than as liquid water, and its ability to exclude non polar (uncharged) molecules, which is important for forming cell membranes. Chemically, the hydrogen bond results in water having a high heat of vaporization, strong surface tension, and a high specific heat.  Read more at the link:

What is the summary of the first 3 pages in the story from "The Martian Chronicles," "The Naming of Names?"

In "The Naming of Names," Bradbury writes of how people from the four expeditions to Mars had named areas and things after the familiar earth names.  This story is one of several connected stories in "The Martian Chronicles," and to get the full meaning it must be read in conjunction with the other stories. This carries on his theme of middle America and how important communities are.  Bradbury, in this story, discusses how after all the colonist had come, worked, built, and named the names new expeditions came and blasted away the old and renamed with their traditional names.

"New pylons were plunged with new names: IRON TOWN, STEEL TOWN, ALUMINUM CITY, ELECTRIC VILLAGE, CORN TOWN, GRAIN VILLA, DETROIT II, all the mechanical names and the metal names from Earth."

Bradbury goes on to say that after all the sacrifices have been made, the graveyards built, the work done that the "sophisticates" came.  The politicians arrived to take over with their laws and their rules.  The colonist had left to get away from these types of things and now the exact people they were trying to evade had followed them.

What is the main conflict in The Summer of My German Soldier?

There are several conflicts that arise surrounding Patty Bergen in Bette Greene's teen novel Summer of My German Soldier. The main one arises over her decision to hide the escaped German POW, Anton Reiker, after he escapes from the local prison. She feels love for the escaped prisoner, who is many years older than she; Anton obviously cares for Patty, and he kisses her before boarding the train to escape Jenkinsville; however, his actions are based primarily on the desire for freedom and the safety of his hiding place. Patty's decision eventually lands her in a juvenile facility, but it also affects her Jewish family, whose members are hounded with the taunts of "Nazi Jew" by townspeople after Patty's treasonous act is discovered. It further isolates Patty from her family, who scorn Patty after she is arrested.

Other conflicts arise between Patty and her father, who beats her when she is perceived to misbehave. Patty also feels like an outcast as a Jewish girl in rural Arkansas, which has an incredibly small number of Jewish people living in the area. There are other conflicts involving her father and his estranged parents; and with Ruth, the outspoken Negro housekeeper.

What is Shakespeare view of women?

During the time of William Shakespeare, the majority of women had very limited rights in England. Despite the fact that England was ruled by a female monarch for over four decades, most women had little power over the direction of their lives. Most writings about the life of the family during this time in history centered around the traditional partriarchal paradigm--that of "domination and submission." Just as the kingdom was ruled by a monarch, the father and head of the household ruled over his wife and children. Women were denied formal educations, the opportunity to hold office, and also guarded against speaking out too freely in fear of being labeled as a "scold." Such women were considered a threat to the public, and were corrected with such punishments as public humiliation and abuse.

Although women did endure such limits on their political and social rights, they did have extended to them greater econimic freedom. Single women were able to "inherit land, make a will, sign a contract, possess property . . . without a male guardian . . .". Unfortuantely, such rights dissolved with marriage. History shows as well that many daughters were heirs to a father's property, if there were no male heir, despite the tradition of promigeniture. Wives as well could find themselves in charge of a large estate after the death of a husband, until an eldest son was old enough to do so.

What is a summary of Bottom's dream in "A Midsummer Night's Dream"?

I think your question refers to Bottom's soliloquy in Act IV Scene 1 when he wakes up after the four lovers have been discovered in the woods by Theseus and Hippolyta. He has had his head of an ass removed, and we see him reflecting on what has happened to him.

A key theme throughout the play and one picked up throughout this scene, both with Bottom and with the lovers, is the relationship between reality and illusion and how we can discern the difference between them. Bottom, reflecting on what has passed, realised that his dream was "past the wit of man, to say, what dream it was." His experience was so fantastical that words don't have the power to communicate it. Indeed, Bottom continues, men are asses if they try to explain the dream. Not every event can be explained rationally, and some things are better off remaining in the realm of imagination and fantasy. Human senses are incapable of capturing such realities ("The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man's hand is not able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report, what my dream was"). Only  literature has the power to capture such dreams, which is why Bottom will have Quince write a ballad of his dream.

The reason for this ballad being called "Bottom's Dream" is because it has "no bottom", perhaps reflecting that works of literature have no bottom - that is, they cannot be quantified, measured or understood solely through the means of logic. Our impressions of a play or novel or poem do not stay static - they change, and there are as many different interpretations of a work of literature as there are people. Shakespeare here therefore is perhaps reflecting on another key theme - that of the conflict between reason and imagination.

The animals that fought against a repressive regime are quickly disillusioned when they suffer opression, face greed and selfishness from their...

Before the revolt against Farmer Jones, the animals, inspired by the vision of Old Major, dreamed of an existence that was dominated by equality and justice, fairness and freedom from the control of humans.

After the revolt, Snowball becomes very active in organizing committees and researching ways to improve the efficiency of the farm, he tries to carry out the vision of Old Major by improving the output of the farm for the benefit of all animals.  As Snowball's popularity starts to rise, Napoleon, who says very little in public, begins to recognize that Snowball is a threat to his desire to hold total power and control over the newly named Animal Farm.

In a power grab, fueled by his jealousy of Snowball and his need to be the supreme leader, he has his dogs run Snowball off the farm.  Napoleon's selfishness is at the heart of his desire to control the farm, he has no interest in improving the farm or making life easier for the animals.  In fact, he doesn't care how hard they have to work as long as he can get rich from the output of Animal Farm. 

In an effort to establish an atmosphere of fear on the farm, Napoleon starts to execute animals randomly when they are accused of actions that are deemed against the supreme leader.  Chickens are executed for their attempted revolt at having to produce eggs for sale, porkers are slaughtered for having contact with Snowball.  Anyone who opposes Napoleon or complains about the lack of food or the hard work is subject to execution.

Boxer, the cart horse who works so hard on the farm and runs himself into the ground, he actually gets sent to the slaughterhouse instead of the ideal of living out a retirement in the grassy knoll, waiting for a natural death.

What is the point of view in "The Raven" by Poe and how does it relate to the general theme?

"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe is written in first person point of view.  This emphasizes the personal experiences of the narrator and brings the reader closer to the intimate details of the narrator's mental state.  This is especially important in "The Raven" because the poem centers around the mental instability of the narrator and details his nervous state as propelled by the events in the poem.  The poem works in stages to demonstrate the anxiety that the narrator feels as he searches for the source of the knocking at his door; first he examines his door for visitors, next he looks to the window for the source of the noise, and finally he finds the source of the noise to be an eerie raven who perches above his door.  Poe emphasizes the narrator's experience of seeing the bird and questioning it about its' presence in his home. In this final section of the poem it is evident that the bird represents the narrator's own madness and melancholy due to the loss of his love Lenore.  Without the use of the first person perspective the reader might never come to understand the anxiety and madness faced by the narrator, losing sight of the major meaning behind the poem altogether.  It is evident throughout the poem that Poe means for us to see that the loss of a loved one can forever trap us in a state of utter sadness, so burdensome that we may never escape our madness.  This is primarily evidenced by the final lines of the poem where the narrator finds himself trapped into madness by the shadow of the raven, unable to escape his state of sadness and resume a normal life.  

In View From Saturday, who are David and Goliath in the author's allusion in Chapter 6?Why is this allusion effective? Chapter 17 of the First Book...

Chapter 17 of 1Samuel in the Old Testament of the Bible tells the story of David and Goliath.  Israel is at war with the Philistines, and Goliath, a giant of a man and the Philistines' most formidable warrior, challenges the Israelites to send a fighter of their choice to face him, with the outcome of the war to be decided by who wins the battle.  David, a young shepherd boy, volunteers to take on the fearsome Goliath, and Saul, the leader of the Israelites, reluctantly agrees.  Saul offers David his personal armor, but David chooses to face Goliath with only his slingshot and five smooth stones.

The image of the slight, seemingly insignificant shepherd boy going out against the enormous and powerful giant is classic.  Even though he is so apparently overmatched, David launches a single stone with his slingshot and strikes Goliath in the head.  The giant topples to the ground, at which point, in the greatest of upsets, David takes Goliath's sword and cuts off his head.

In Chapter 6 of A View From Saturday, Mrs. Olinski's sixth grade academic team defeats the seventh grade team and is scheduled to go up against the eight grade team, a momentous achievement since "no sixth grade had ever gotten that far".  In an allusion which is quite effective, Mrs. Olinski's sixth graders are described as "David", with the far more mature eighth graders characterized as "Goliath".  The sixth graders, the "kids with the (proverbial) slingshots", are, like the Biblical David, to all appearances hopelessly overmatched, but, also like David, they manage to vanquish the top class and go on to the regional competition.

What three part test does the supreme court use to determine if government aid to parochial education is constitutional?

You are thinking of the 1971 case, Lemon v Kurtzman. In Lemon, the Supreme Court laid out a three part test for whether state government aid for secular activities in religious schools is constitutional. It has always been clear that the Constitution forbids state aid for religious activities.

The 3-part test is:

Is the purpose of the state law authorizing the aid secular? That is, was the intent to further non-religious objectives.

Is the law’s primary effect one that neither advances nor inhibits religion?

Would the law lead to “excessive government entanglement with religion”?

In the Lemon cases, the Court held that providing teachers to religious schools went too far, but that paying for textbooks did not.

The Court has tinkered with the 3-part test over the years. For example, in Meek v. Pittenger (1975), the Court found that providing $12 million worth of maps, charts, films, and audio-visual equipment went too far.

It is important to remember that the current Court has a very different inclination with respect to this sort of issue than it did in the mid-70s!

For an excellent discussion of this issue, go to the link below.

Discuss how the ever changing of politics of Afghanistan affect each of the characters in The Kite Runner?Can you provide three arguments for...

AMIR.  Amir loses his life of privilege when he flees Kabul with Baba, but his life changes for the better in America. He learns to speak English, graduates from college and becomes a successful, thriving writer. He adapts to the American lifestyle better than any of the other charactes.

HASSAN.  As a Hazara, Hassan feels ethnic hatred even before the Russians arrive. However, the Russians do not seem to single out the Hazara for any specific punishment. When the Taliban take over, however, his people suffer the most; he and his wife are both murdered, and son Sohrab becomes a play thing for the Taliban.

BABA.  Next to Ali's family, Baba loses more than anyone when the Russian rule begins in Afghanistan. He loses his fortune and has to start over again in California, where he works in a gas station. He also suffers a loss of pride in his inexperienced position as a member of the American lower-middle class populace.

GENERAL TAHIRI.  A former Army officer, Tahiri flees Afghanistan when the Russian take over his country. At the end of the story, he is invited back by the reformed government following the defeat of the Taliban.

ASSEF.  The son of a wealthy Pashtun father and German mother, Assef worships Hitler and eventually joins the Taliban. He is happier than ever committing genocide against his fellow Afghans, particularly when his victims are Hazara.

FARID.  The Tajik driver who accompanies Amir during his dangerous return to Afghanistan, Farid joined his father at the age of 14 to fight the Taliban with the Northern Alliance. Farid loses several fingers and toes from wounds he sustained.

What is the impact of Christopher Columbus's voyages to the Americas?

Columbus’s voyages to the Americas are important mainly because of the fact that they “opened” the New World to exploration and to conquest.  In other words, Columbus’s four voyages did not have a tremendous impact in and of themselves, but they led the way to other voyages and events that did affect the Americas, Europe, and the world.

For the Americas, Columbus’s coming signaled doom for native societies.  Native societies were almost universally destroyed or at least greatly altered by the Europeans who followed Columbus.  The overthrow of the Aztec empire and the creation of New Spain is an example of this.  The Aztecs lost their political independence.  Culturally, they underwent a process in which their culture was mixed with that of Spain and became something entirely new.

For many native groups, Columbus’s coming led to eradication.  This was particularly true in North America.  There, English and other European settlers did not mix with native societies.  Instead, they simply pushed them off their ancestral lands, killing many in the process.  In addition, diseases brought by Europeans raged throughout the New World where people had no resistance, killing tremendous numbers of natives.

Columbus’s voyages also led to negative effects in Africa.  Eventually, Europeans who came to the Americas decided that they needed labor to work their American plantations.  They turned to Africa, and took millions of people from that continent to work as slaves in the New World.

In Europe, the effects of the voyages were generally more benign.  Europe benefitted from many things found in the Americas.  Spain, of course, got the use of American gold and silver.  (This was not an unmixed blessing for Europe as it helped to fund many wars that might otherwise not have happened.)  European countries gained an outlet for excess population, making domestic affairs less volatile as unhappy people could often simply leave for the Americas.  Europeans were also exposed to such things as corn, potatoes, tomatoes, and chocolate, all of which changed their eating habits. 

All in all, Columbus’s voyages led to events that affected almost the entire world.  The effects did not come from Columbus’s voyages themselves, but from the later voyages and colonization that his voyages made possible.

What references to youth and spring can be find in "The Passionate Shepherd To His Love"? What are some elements of nature in the poem that...

The very first line of the poem "Come live with me and be my Love," (line 1) implies the youth of both parties.  Since neither of them currently has a spouse (and are thus free to marry each other) it follows that they both might be in their young adulthood.  The rest of the stanza invites the maiden (or nymph) to whom the Shepherd is speaking to enjoy the "pleasures" of the natural landscape.  It is assumed here, also, that it is clement weather in which to enjoy these scenes.  Spring would be one season in which it would be enjoyable to roam the "hills and valleys, dale and field,/And all the craggy mountains" (3-4).

Stanza two becomes more explicit in its indication of time of year.  "Melodious birds sing madrigals" (8) definitely conjures up a mental image of springtime.  Birds do sing other times of year, but by far season with the most birdsong, in England, is spring.

"There I will make thee beds of roses/And a thousand fragrant posies" (9-10) continues the suggestion of springtime, when flowers are much in bloom.  The rest of the the third stanza confirms this, with further references to "A cap of flowers, and a kirtle/Embroider'd all with leaves of myrtle." (11-12)

The fourth stanza contains the first reference to "lambs" (14) which now definitely places the time in spring, when lambs are born.  But this stanza also contains an opposite reference to "cold", implying that it is (or will be) a cold season.  This could refer to cool spring nights, but generally cold implies the season of winter.  This could, however, be wishful thinking on the Shepherd's part; he could hope that his love would still be with him after the spring, summer, and fall, and into the following winter.

Stanza 5 contains another foliage reference "ivy buds" (17), which would occur in the springtime.  But in the last stanza, the month of May is definitely mentioned (21), so now there is no doubt that the Shepherd is talking about a springtime wooing.  Nowhere in the poem is the youth of either party directly referred to, but it can be construed that the finery the Shepherd conjures up (cap of flowers, embroidered kirtle, gown of lambswool, gold-buckled slippers, and a belt of straw, ivy, coral and amber) would most likely be for a young woman.  The suggestion of youth, however, is mostly implied and to be understood through the conventions of pastoral poetry.  Shepherds in pastoral poetry were always young, and their mistresses corresponded in age.  The light-hearted tone of the piece also implies the speaker's youth.

A fine rebuttal to this poem has already been written by Sir Walter Raleigh (see link below "Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd", also called "Answer to Marlowe") in which the nymph (or maiden) replies to each fantastic claim by the shepherd with level-headed practicality.  To consider this to be a serious and literal offer seems disingenuous; this is poetry, and to read it only literally denies much of poetry's meaning.  The Shepherd, imaginary though he may be, is expressing his love as best he knows how, and is offering homage to his beloved.  The maiden's feelings, however, would depend on if she believed literally that a shepherd would provide her with these rich gifts, and with a fantastically utopian and quite impossibly luxurious rural life, or if she took it rather as a poetic expression of devotion. 

In Act 3 of Macbeth, explain the following lines: "And you all know, security / Is mortals' greatest enemy" (3.5,32-33).

These lines are spoken by Hecate (one of the three witches) right before Macbeth decides to go and beg them for more information.  Quite simply, these lines mean that death comes when a mortal least expects it.  You see, Macbeth has just seen the ghost of Banquo and panics as a result.  In his panic he says the following:

I will tomorrow, / And betimes I will, to the weird sisters: / More shall they speak;for now I am bent to know, / By the worst means, the worst. (3.4.157-160)

The witches know that Macbeth is coming and promise to give him just that "security" that they have warned us about.  In fact, the lines that you quote do a lot to prove that the witches have it in for Macbeth all along because of the intense security their words give him in the next act.  Consider telling Macbeth simply to "beware Macduff" because "none of woman born shall harm Macbeth" and that he cannot be killed "until Great Birnam Wood to High Dunsinane Hill / Shall come against him" (4.1.79,90,104).  Macbeth's next words prove how secure he is:  "That will never be" (4.1.106).  Ah, but you underestimate Shakespeare!  Not so fast, Macbeth.  Not so fast.

How does the use of themes, (love and juxtaposition), in the oppening scenes make the play 'Romeo and Juliet' dramatic?

In the first Act of this play it is clear that the themes of love and violence are inextricably intertwined. I will briefly look at the first scene and then Act I scene v to show how these themes are juxtaposed to show their opposition.

The play begins with a brawl between the two houses of Montague and Capulet. It is worth considering the speed at which the conflict escalates: the henchman are engaging in witty, sexual dialogue, which links violence and sex, and then before they know it are involved in a brawl that rapidly grows until the heads of both households are present and involved. Benvolio (whose name literally means "good will") tries to stop the conflict but is drawn into the fray by fiery Tybalt, which perhaps foreshadows the way that violence is so powerful in this play that it draws in characters in spite of their best intentions - for example, Romeo killing Tybalt later on in the play. This is a scene that is captured brilliantly in the Baz Lurman version of the play, when Romeo kills Tybalt whilst at the same time showing that he is forced into this situation. Violence begets violence in this play with no conceivable escape.  

Act I scene v is the scene we have all been waiting for - Romeo and Juliet meet and fall instantly and hopelessly in love with each other at the party at the Capulet house. However, amidst this blossoming of love, the ever threat of violence is present, as Tybalt recognises the voice of Romeo and goes to get his sword, and is only prevented from doing so by his uncle. It is highly significant that at the same time that Romeo and Juliet get together, Tybalt's rage is provoked against Romeo, triggering events which will eventually result in Romeo's banishment from Verona. How tragic that in the very happiness that initiates the start of their relationship should also lie the seeds of their future sadness, but this is a key technique of Shakespeare and of course why this play is one of his most famous and well-known tragedies.

What is Mr. Utterson's point of view about Jekyll's experiments in The Strange Case of Dr, Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?

Since the final two chapters of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Chapters 9 and 10, are written, first, from Dr. Lanyon's voice and then from Dr. Jekyll's voice--both by means of an epistolary (letter) literary technique--Mr. Utterson's point of view on Jekyll's experiments can only be inferred from what the narrator says about him and from what he does and says in previous chapters. We can only infer because the narrator never comes back to the narrative to say how Mr. Utterson reacts or what he thinks or feels about the experiments he has just read about.

One of the first things the narrator says about him in Chapter 1 is that Mr. Utterson is tolerant of his friend's misdeeds and more likely to help them out rather than to reprove them. Since he has these character traits, the narrator says that he is often the last friend of men whose lives take a downward turn into misfortune:

"[Utterson] used to say quaintly:  "I let my brother go to the devil in his own way."  In this character, it was frequently his fortune to be the last reputable acquaintance and the last good influence in the lives of downgoing men.  And to such as these, so long as they came about his chambers, he never marked a shade of change in his demeanour."

In Chapter 8, when Utterson and Poole are going through Dr. Jekyll's experiment cabinet, on the other side of the courtyard from his home, looking for clues to Dr. Jekyll's whereabouts, one of the last things Utterson says is, "O, we must be careful. I foresee that we may yet involve your master in some dire catastrophe." The reader may infer from this that Utterson has remained true to the narrator's first description of him in Chapter 1: He is neither judgmental nor alienated from Jekyll, even with the possibility of Jekyll's having committed the murder of Mr. Hyde hanging in the air.

From these things, and other similar instances throughout the text, it can be inferred that once Utterson has read Dr. Lanyon's letter and Dr. Jekyll's confession he will remain true to his character and true to his name and continue to be utterly devoted and forgiving in his friendship to Dr. Jekyll in spite of the horrors of Jekyll's experiments.

Why does Chillingworth believe he has a double reason for punishing Dimmesdale?

Chillingworth believes that the guilty person must be outed to receive just punishment for his crime. However, Chillingworth also seeks revenge for the personal crime committed against him, i.e. sleeping with his wife. Ultimately, it is the second reason that gets the best of him. You could say that the first reason is a pure reason - justice for justice sake, even justice for Hester's sake giving her a partner in crime to share the burden. But Chillingworth's second reason is purely selfish; it has to do with pride. Pride is the crime of Satan himself, and therefore Chillingworth's second reason/justification is purely evil. It is this evil that consumes his and transforms him.

Why was anti-Semitism widespread in Europe before the Nazis?

Christian anti-semitism stems from the death of Jesus in around 33A.D.. Jesus was a Jew. There is nothing in the bible that says he was trying to set up a new religion. He calls The Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, 'My Father's House'. He was a Jew and his religion was Judaism. Albeit he was a radical Jew who was trying to alter his native religion, but Jesus was not a Christian.

(Now, remember that at the time of Jesus, The Holy Land was occupied by the Romans and the mighty Roman empire was comparitively more powerful than America is today.)

Jesus was killed by the Romans. They crucified him. They nailed him up. And after his death, his message was doctored by Paul (Jesus's only Roman follower) and taken to Rome and, eventually, the Romans accepted Christianity. (whereas, in the Holy land, Jesus's message quickly died out.)

So, the problem for the Romans was this... If the Roman Empire became Christian, how could they defend the fact that they had killed The Son of God. How could the killers of Christ be the promoters of Christ? ... So they blamed The Jews instead! Roman Emperor Constantine changed The Bible so that it said The Jews "asked" the Romans to kill Christ on their behalf. Then they spent the next 2000 persecuting Jewish people as 'christ killers'.

European anti-semitism stems from The Roman Catholic Church's absolute determination to not accept responsibiliy for the fact that the Roman Authorities killed Jesus by the 'signature' Roman punishment of cruxifiction. The Romans killed a Jew called Jeshua Ben Joseph (Jesus) and then, later, they became The Roman Catholic Church. And they have aggresively shifted the blame for the death of Christ ever since.

'I wash my hands of all responsibility' said Pontius Pilate... hmmm, how very convenient. But he still sent him off to be nailed to a cross.

What does "Truth is beauty and beauty is truth" signify?

Keats' concluding line to "Ode on a Grecian Urn" represents much of his thinking and the ideas behind Romanticism.  As he is staring at this urn, the speaker (presumably Keats) is engaged in a quest to understand the ideas of truth, beauty, love, and identity.  As he has stared at this urn, he understands that there is no set of higher principles or dogma to determine what truth is.  For Keats, there is no concrete and singular set of principles that explains what constitutes beauty.  Being the Romanticist he is, Keats is inclined that truth and beauty are interlinked, and signified by the urn at which he is staring.  Rather than spend his time in the elusive and hopeless pursuit of a set of standards that define for individuals what constitutes beauty and truth, Keats determines that individuals can find beauty in truth and can find truth in beauty.  As he has studied the Urn in the poem, this is what he has discovered:  "Truth is beauty and beauty truth."  This is all he knows and all he has to know in order to live a meaningful life.

The concluding lines of the poem highlight a major tenet of Romanticism.  Specifically, individuals are the authors of their own destiny.  Social conventions, religious dogma, and external standards that seek to reduce human choice and freedom are not the best determinants of truth and beauty as individual passion is.  For Keats, this antiquated object contains more value on the level of truth and beauty than all the philosophical treatises, religious belief, and socially dictated notions of the good.  As an artist of Romanticism, Keats believes that all people, especially artists, have an obligation to seek out this element of beauty and truth in their pursuits.

In "Fahrenheit 451" Montag says that "You never wash it off completely" referring to the kerosene. What could this mean symbolically?

Consider what Montag really does for a living. He destroys people's lives; he burns their homes, heralds their removal from society, and takes away everything that they knew and loved.  This is not something to take lightly.  Montag will never be able to wash off the responsibility of what he has done to people's lives.  He can never wash off the guilt of what he has done to others.  Later in the book, an old lady, Mrs. Blake, chooses to perish in the flames rather than be removed; this weighs heavily on him.  He is so distraught and tormented by guilt that he becomes physically sick at the thought of her dying in her house, and that he was the one that lit the match.  So, he is not able to wash off the guilt of what he has done.  It will serve as a constant reminder of how his society got to that point, and will hopefully propel him to change for the good.

What is the protagonist going to do with Mr. Stiles in Buried Onions?

Eddie, the protagonist in Buried Onions, does odd jobs for Mr. Stiles. Trying to support himself on his own, Eddie had gone to the north side of Fresno where the more affluent white people live, in hopes of finding work. Eddie is willing to do anything, including painting sidewalk numbers, gardening, and moving heavy objects such as air conditioners in order to earn a little money. One of his clients, Mr. Stiles, likes the work Eddie has done in painting his curb, and promises him more work, "digging a hole and doing some landscaping." Eddie is elated with the prospect of working for Mr. Stiles because it is as steady a job as he has been able to find. He returns to the old man's house the next day, and is assigned to plant a birch tree. Impressed with the young man's industrious nature, Mr. Stiles then starts to make plans for landscaping work in his yard. As employer and employee get to know each other better, a trust develops between them, and eventually, Mr. Stiles allows Eddie to take his truck to deliver some items to the dump.

The truck is stolen from Eddie when he stops at his own apartment for a short time on the way home from his errand, and the thief uses the vehicle in a robbery at a laundromat in which an old man is brutally beaten. Eddie and his friend Jose find the truck and call Mr. Stiles to tell him where to retrieve it, and a few days later, Mr. Stiles tells Eddie that he has forgiven him and that Eddie can come back to work. When Eddie arrives again at Mr. Stiles' house, Mr. Stiles directs him to dig a hole, but in reality, Mr. Stiles has set him up, and the police arrive to take Eddie into custody as a suspect in the robbery.

In the Story "A&P" by John Updike, what is the theme being expressed throughout the story?

The main theme that runs through A & P is the idea of choices and consequences. There is also a commentary in the story about freedom and rules.  Sammy works at a supermarket where he views all the people he sees as stupid sheep.  He observes the activity in the store from a sarcastic, mocking tone.  Everyone looks the same to Sammy except when the young girls come in wearing the bathing suits.  

"A few house-slaves in pin curlers even looked around after pushing their carts past to make sure what they had seen was correct." (Updike) 

Sammy is young, 19, and very bored with his job at the store. His interest is peaked, however, when 

"In walks these three girls in nothing but bathing suits. I'm in the third check-out slot, with my back to the door, so I don't see them until they're over by the bread." (Updike)

Sammy is infatuated, immediately with the three girls, particularly one he names Queenie.  Sammy contrasts the three scantily clad girls with the usual shoppers in the store.

Sammy gets so interested in the girls that when the store manager, Lengel scolds them for being improperly dressed to shop, he abruptly announces that he quits.

Sammy's actions are a reaction to the girls being told they were inappropriately dressed for shopping in the store, he does not think about the consequences of his actions.  He is only thinking about being on the side of the three girls who he sees as heroes for exerting their rights as individuals and violating the rules of the store.  He especially likes the fact that the girls shock the regular customers out of their zombie like shopping.  

This story is set in the 1960s, so girls were usually dressed appropriately, even down to white gloves sometimes.  So it is very unexpected to see three girls in bathing suits in the supermarket.  

Sammy links himself with the three rebels and is desperate to get their attention, however, they walk out of the store without giving him a second look.  So as he leaves the store, now jobless, he discovers that he has made his life a lot harder with his impulsive behavior.

Choices, that is what Sammy makes when he quits, have consequences.  Freedom of one individual should not impose on the freedom of another.  The improperly dressed girls violated the rules of the store by shoping in their bathing suits thereby violating the rights of the other shoppers by making them uncomfortable in the environment.

Rebellion is also a theme that is relevant to this story, the girls obviously don't care that they are wearing bathing suits in a store, they are not embarrassed, they don't care.

Sammy's actions at the end of the story are the ultimate rebellion, a take this job and shove it mentality which only feels good when you say it, then you realize that you have no job, no money and big problems. 

What are the 4 main parts to the cell cycle? What happens in each part?

A bit more about each of the 4 main stages of the cell cycle

Mitosis can be further divided into

• Prophase - Chromosomes become visible, spindle fibers form, nuclear envelope dissolves


• Metaphase - Chromosomes line up in the middle of the cell.


• Anaphase - Chromosome pairs seperate to different sides of the cell by the spindle fibers.


• Telophase - New nuclei are formed around each grouping of Chromosomes


• Cytokinesis - The cytoplasm is split in two, forming two new cells.

G1 - period of growth and activity.  Also, the time where the cell performs its function (ex. liver cells producing insulin)

S - synthesis - stage where DNA replication occurs

G2 - continued growth, building of spidle fibers and centrioles, both structures needed for Mitosis phase.

Hope this fills out your question a bit!

How is the mood created in Our Town by Thornton Wilder?

Literary mood, also called atmosphere, is created by a combination of many elements including diction, setting, description and characterization. Mood is something that has a focus within the setting. It is sometimes confused with the narrator's "tone" but is different in that the narrator's tone (or tone of voice) has a focus outside the setting. For example, a calm narrator can tell a scary ghost story: the tone is calm the mood is scary.

As in all literature and drama, mood in created in Our Town by a combination of setting, diction, characterization, and description. Examples of how setting and diction contribute to mood are as follows.

Setting has a lot to do with mood in that the stage is starkly dressed, in fact, almost empty. Another element contributing to mood is that the scenes jump and time jumps with little feeling of a flow of continuity. In fact, the Stage Manager's speeches are needed to establish the continuity that is missing otherwise.

Diction is the choice of words and includes high, low, formal, informal, dialect, concrete, abstract. The vocabulary of the narrative established the mood as well and the tone of the narrator and the style of the author.

In this case, the diction is low and informal with some trace of dialect as in "our mount'in." the vocabulary is concrete talking about stars, mountains, main Street, churches; these are all concrete objects. The dialogue between characters is generally carried on in short sentences and often only one sentence per speaker: "Morning, Joe." "Somebody been sick, Doc?" "No. Just some twins born over in Polish Town."

How does the story "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" reflect Modernism?

The story is very reflective of Modernism, as are many of Hemingway's other works, such as his first two novels, The Sun Also Rises and A Farewell to Arms.

The structure of the narrative is Modernistic as Hemingway shifts back and forth from the traditional narrative form to the italicized passages that reveal the protagonist's private thoughts and memories. Although the italicized passages are not written in first person or stream of consciousness, they are innovative and effective in exploring the psychology of Harry's inner life, his feelings and memories. Another unusual technique of structure is employed in the story's conclusion as Hemingway moves back and forth between events happening in reality and events happening only in Harry's mind as he approaches death--without distinguishing reality from hallucination.

Two themes common in Modernism are found in the story: alienation and Nihilism. Harry has lived a life of alienation, emotionally distant from his several wives and never identifying with or belonging to the wealthy society in which he has lived, courtesy of his most recent wife's money. As he dies, no spiritual faith sustains him. He has no thoughts of a Supreme Being or an afterlife. He thinks only of all he intended to write but did not write. He worships only the gift he squandered.

Finally, an especially interesting element of Modernism in the story is Hemingway's employment of allusion. Harry's tough and unsympathetic observations about his former friend Julian's destruction is an easily identified reference to F. Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway's former friend who had suffered a severe emotional breakdown.