What are the criticisms of the UN and its lack of effectiveness?

The major criticisms of the UN and of any other
international, collective security body are that A) it has no power to make anyone obey
its commands and B) it has no real will to make hard decisions because its members
cannot agree on anything.

If you look at the issue going on
with Iran and its nuclear weapons, you can see how this would be.  The UN has told Iran
over and over to stop with its nuclear program.  Iran pretty much just refuses and does
what it wants.  The UN cannot get really tough on Iran because Russia and especially
China do not really want to punish Iran.

So the UN is too
wishy-washy to make a decision and too weak to enforce any decision it does
make.

What are the criticisms of the UN and its lack of effectiveness?

The major criticisms of the UN and of any other international, collective security body are that A) it has no power to make anyone obey its commands and B) it has no real will to make hard decisions because its members cannot agree on anything.

If you look at the issue going on with Iran and its nuclear weapons, you can see how this would be.  The UN has told Iran over and over to stop with its nuclear program.  Iran pretty much just refuses and does what it wants.  The UN cannot get really tough on Iran because Russia and especially China do not really want to punish Iran.

So the UN is too wishy-washy to make a decision and too weak to enforce any decision it does make.

Write the themes of the poem"the second coming" in detail.

"The Second Coming" by Yeats presents a second coming of a
different kind; different from the second coming Christian tradition
presents.

The poem presents social upheaval and nightmarish
violence.  The falcon cannot hear the falcon, and thus cannot be controlled:  chaos
results.  Those who could do something about the discord "lack conviction," while the
worst are filled with "passionate intensity."  An ambiguous, sphinx-like creature with a
"gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,/Is moving its slow thighs" toward Bethlehem
(metaphorically) to be born.  The "rough beast" is coming.  Nightmarish violence is
coming:  not the second coming of Christ that tradition
expects.

Human history is about to take a turn for the
worse.

Yeats is responding to upheaval and violence in the
world, and particularly in the Russian revolution.  The 20th century is on the verge of
something terrible, the  poem suggests.  And of course, Yeats was correct.  Human beings
were never so good at killing other human beings as they were in the
20th-century.

Write the themes of the poem"the second coming" in detail.

"The Second Coming" by Yeats presents a second coming of a different kind; different from the second coming Christian tradition presents.

The poem presents social upheaval and nightmarish violence.  The falcon cannot hear the falcon, and thus cannot be controlled:  chaos results.  Those who could do something about the discord "lack conviction," while the worst are filled with "passionate intensity."  An ambiguous, sphinx-like creature with a "gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,/Is moving its slow thighs" toward Bethlehem (metaphorically) to be born.  The "rough beast" is coming.  Nightmarish violence is coming:  not the second coming of Christ that tradition expects.

Human history is about to take a turn for the worse.

Yeats is responding to upheaval and violence in the world, and particularly in the Russian revolution.  The 20th century is on the verge of something terrible, the  poem suggests.  And of course, Yeats was correct.  Human beings were never so good at killing other human beings as they were in the 20th-century.

Who are the Parsons and what do they represent in the novel "1984" by George Orwell?

The Parsons represent what is supposed to be the middle class since they are in an apartment. In his depiction of them, George Orwell demonstrates how the basic unit of society, the family, has had its structure destroyed and traditional values subverted. At the time of Orwell's writing of 1984 which was 1948, shortly after World War II, traditional families were intact with little divorce; children were respectful to their parents, and the middle class was growing and prospering. Therefore, this futuristic portrayal of the "average" family is completely different as it presents a family in chaos.

When Mrs. Parsons asks Winston to help her with her drain, Winston is reluctant to enter her apartment, or flat, as the British call it.

Everything had a battered, trampled-on look, as though the place had just been visited by some large violent animal. ...hockey sticks, boxing gloves, a burst football, a pair of swety shorts turned inside out--lay all over the foor, and on the table a litter of dirty dishes and dog-eared exercise books. On the walls were scarlet banners of the Youth League and the spies, and a full-sized poster of Big Brother.

After Winston is finished unclogging the drain, a nine-year old orders him to put his hands in the air. He plays at the horrific things actually done to the citizens, calling Winston a thought-criminal and a spy. Winston is threatened with being vaporized or sent to the salt mines. In the boy's eyes, there is "a calculating ferocity";Winston is glad he does not hold a real pistol because as he leaves, he is struck in the head with something. Turning, he sees Mrs. Parson holding the boy with a look of "helpless fright." As he walks farther, Winston reflects upon how nearly "all children are horrible" and they love the Party and all that is connected with it.

Later, Winston learns that Parsons has been turned in by one of his sons because of thought crime. The newspapers picture children who "heroes" for having turned in their parent for thought crime, or some compromising remark.

Since the year 2000, how many people have died due to gun violence?I would like to know if the deaths were gang related, if the shooters had gun...

According the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, there were 178,877 deaths between 2000 and 2005 that were gun related. 

For 15-24 year olds in that period, firearm related homicide accounted for 81.3% of deaths.  For 25-34 year olds, it was 74.8%.

Between 2000 and 2002, there were approximately 3000 gang related homicides.

The links where this information was found can be accessed below.  It appears that, as for information available online, the most recent printed is from 2005.  I would suggest accessing a few of the more extensive journals from your local university library, if possible, as they will likely have more up-to-date statistics.

What is Grandpa's veiw of God's will in human lives in the novel "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns?please put in detailand where can i find this

The grandfather's view of God in "Cold Sassy Tree" is that God does not interfere in the lives of humans to prevent or cause death.  He believes that prayer does not result in God helping humans with their decisions or causes, but if you ask for strength, through prayer, God will grant it.

The grandfather believes that their are rules in place that guide the lives of humans and that God does not change them. 

Can you help me find examples of figurative language from the third part of the book?

1) METAPHOR: "Lights flicked on and house doors opened all
down the street, to watch the carnival set up...in which torches wuld be juggled and
fire eaten." (Although the author does not use the words like
or as he is comparing the scene at Montag's house
to a carnival.)

2)
ALLUSION: "Old Montag wanted to fly near the sun and now that he's burnt his damn wings,
he wonders why." (Beatty is referring to the Greek myth of Daedalus and
Icarus, in which a man and his son manage to fly by attaching wings to their
shoulders; see link below.) 

3) SIMILE: "He felt
his head turn like a stone carving to dark place next door" (A comparison is
made, using the word like).

4) ANAPHORA: "She
saw everything.  She didn't do anything to anyone.  She just let them alone."
(The word she is repeated at the beginning of each
sentence.)

Can you help me find examples of figurative language from the third part of the book?

1) METAPHOR: "Lights flicked on and house doors opened all down the street, to watch the carnival set up...in which torches wuld be juggled and fire eaten." (Although the author does not use the words like or as he is comparing the scene at Montag's house to a carnival.)

2) ALLUSION: "Old Montag wanted to fly near the sun and now that he's burnt his damn wings, he wonders why." (Beatty is referring to the Greek myth of Daedalus and Icarus, in which a man and his son manage to fly by attaching wings to their shoulders; see link below.) 

3) SIMILE: "He felt his head turn like a stone carving to dark place next door" (A comparison is made, using the word like).

4) ANAPHORA: "She saw everything.  She didn't do anything to anyone.  She just let them alone." (The word she is repeated at the beginning of each sentence.)

In "The House of Usher", what might Madeline and the widening fissure, or crack, symbolize?symbolic meaning of Madeline symbolic meaning of...

In his macabre short story, "The House of Usher," Edgar
Allan Poe employs one of his techniques which he uses, the double
entendre.  That is, the narrative and its ideas turn and duplicate
themselves in meaning  Madeline and the house itself are examples of this use
of double entendre. 

As the title of
Poe's story, "The House of Usher" the implication is made that the narrative will be
about a family and its history.  And, while this is true, the title is a
double entendre since the structural house, also is the house of
Usher, or as put in Modern English, the Ushers' house.  Thus connected, the fissure in
the mansion is symbolic of the genetic
breakdown of the Usher family, a degeneration that is most apparent in
the character of Madeline Usher, the feminine, or physically weaker, side of the twins,
Roderick and Madeline.  But, it is also manifested in Roderick, who, experiences "a
strong shudder over his whole person" much like the "shuddering" of the house. In
addition, Madeline is a double entendre; her physical ailments are
manifested in Roderick's mental ailments; both have the same meaning derived from the
fact that the Usher line is far too thin and they are twins who share genetic traits.
Thus, Madeline's bizarre physical condition symbolizes the deterioration
of Roderick's mind.

In "The House of Usher", what might Madeline and the widening fissure, or crack, symbolize?symbolic meaning of Madeline symbolic meaning of...

In his macabre short story, "The House of Usher," Edgar Allan Poe employs one of his techniques which he uses, the double entendre.  That is, the narrative and its ideas turn and duplicate themselves in meaning  Madeline and the house itself are examples of this use of double entendre. 

As the title of Poe's story, "The House of Usher" the implication is made that the narrative will be about a family and its history.  And, while this is true, the title is a double entendre since the structural house, also is the house of Usher, or as put in Modern English, the Ushers' house.  Thus connected, the fissure in the mansion is symbolic of the genetic breakdown of the Usher family, a degeneration that is most apparent in the character of Madeline Usher, the feminine, or physically weaker, side of the twins, Roderick and Madeline.  But, it is also manifested in Roderick, who, experiences "a strong shudder over his whole person" much like the "shuddering" of the house. In addition, Madeline is a double entendre; her physical ailments are manifested in Roderick's mental ailments; both have the same meaning derived from the fact that the Usher line is far too thin and they are twins who share genetic traits. Thus, Madeline's bizarre physical condition symbolizes the deterioration of Roderick's mind.

Explain what the following quotation tells us about Linda's character in Brave New World. Explain what the quotations given below show us about...

Obviously, Linda has never been able to assimilate into
the civilization at the Indian Reservation.  After she has ruined one of the weaving
looms and she has offended the woman so much that they have beaten her because she has
slept with their men thinking that "everyone belongs to everyone" as she has been
conditioned to do so, it is clear that her hypnopoedia has been effective. Linda is
truly a product of her environment and desires to return to it.  But, her return to
civilization is futile:

readability="16">

The return to ciilization was for her the return
to soma, was the possibility of lying in bed and taking holiday
after holiday, wihtout ever having to come back to a headache or a fit of vomiting,
without ever being made to feel as you always felt after peyotl, as
though you'd done something so shamefully anti-social that you could never hold up yhour
head again.  Soma played none of these unpleasant tricks.  The
holiday it gave was perfect and, if the morning after was disagreeable, it was so, not
intrinsically, but only by comparison with the joys of the
holiday.

Linda longs for the
escape that the New World offers from pain, from guilt, from life.  Soma
sends her into the world of "real acetate silk."  (Silk is silk, not acetate,
a synthetic material.)  Having known the real world, Linda now wishes to escape
it.

Explain what the following quotation tells us about Linda's character in Brave New World. Explain what the quotations given below show us about...

Obviously, Linda has never been able to assimilate into the civilization at the Indian Reservation.  After she has ruined one of the weaving looms and she has offended the woman so much that they have beaten her because she has slept with their men thinking that "everyone belongs to everyone" as she has been conditioned to do so, it is clear that her hypnopoedia has been effective. Linda is truly a product of her environment and desires to return to it.  But, her return to civilization is futile:

The return to ciilization was for her the return to soma, was the possibility of lying in bed and taking holiday after holiday, wihtout ever having to come back to a headache or a fit of vomiting, without ever being made to feel as you always felt after peyotl, as though you'd done something so shamefully anti-social that you could never hold up yhour head again.  Soma played none of these unpleasant tricks.  The holiday it gave was perfect and, if the morning after was disagreeable, it was so, not intrinsically, but only by comparison with the joys of the holiday.

Linda longs for the escape that the New World offers from pain, from guilt, from life.  Soma sends her into the world of "real acetate silk."  (Silk is silk, not acetate, a synthetic material.)  Having known the real world, Linda now wishes to escape it.

In "The Veldt," how does the nursery work and become more frightening?

The nursery works by telepathy. It reads a person's thoughts and then projects them onto the walls. When the story first opens, Lydia feels uncomfortable upon seeing the scene of a lion that is feeding on a recent kill. As a mother, she recognizes that the thoughts of her children are becoming more violent. George, however, just thinks the children have been reading about Africa too much. As the story progresses, more ominous sounds keep coming from the nursery, but George keeps reassuring Lydia that the lions can't cause any real danger. Eventually, they question their children, Wendy and Peter, whose names allude to the story of Peter Pan who refused to grow up. Eventually it becomes clear that the children have learned to program the nursery in a dangerous manner and will stop at nothing to protect it.

Did Rasputin contribute to the fall of tsarism (Nicholas ll)? I have to have 3 main points why he did or did not contribute to the fall of tsarism.

Although Rasputin didn't play any significiant part , during the Russia Revolution, he was the main trigger that brought about widespread revolt before it and brought much pain and suffering. The other contributing factors are the start of the World War one, and the disease, Hemophilia, that had struck Tsar Nicholas II's son.

The disease was actually passed down to his son, by his wife Alexendra. The couple choose not to divulge the secret behing the son's condition, fearing serious complications if the truth was known. She turned to many Russian doctors and physicians but all their treatment failed, so she had to resort to desparate measures, turn to mystics and the holy men, and soon chanced upon Rasputin, who later healed her son.

The Russian people had already feel resentful about Alexendria as she never at all care about state matters, let at all attend any imporrtant functions, and usually shun the media and the public, always indoors, so people start having thoughts that Rasputin is controlling her life, making her neglect about the country's affairs, but in real life, she was at home attending to her sick kid, and Rasputin was actually the healer of the kid, so many laid the blame on Rasputin for politcally influencing her, thus leading to the collapse of the Tsar regime.

The other factor is the WWI. It lead to millions of dead and wounded, and cause hidden vegenance to break out among people, who condemned the Tsar for not surrendering earlier.

What was the role of righteousness in the law code of Hamurabi?

I believe the question refers to the Code of
Hammurabi introduced by Hammurabi who ruled Babylon from 1792 to 1750
B.C.

Hammurabi was formulated incorporating and revising,
and expanding older collections of Sumerian and Akkadian laws. This code had great
influence on the civilization of all near eastern
countries.

Hammurabi's code consisted mainly of a long list
of rules to settle specific types of cases, involving matters such as false accusation,
witchcraft, military service, land and business regulations, family laws, tariffs,
wages, trade, loans, debts and theft. The code described the nature of punishment for
different types of offences committed, which were harsh by today's standards. The code
contains nearly 300 provisions.

On central principle
discernible in the code is  that "the strong shall not injure the weak."  The code set
up a social order based on the rights of the individual and backed by the authority of
Babylonian gods and the state.

A complete translation of
the code of Hammurabi is available at the website referred
below.

What was the role of righteousness in the law code of Hamurabi?

I believe the question refers to the Code of Hammurabi introduced by Hammurabi who ruled Babylon from 1792 to 1750 B.C.

Hammurabi was formulated incorporating and revising, and expanding older collections of Sumerian and Akkadian laws. This code had great influence on the civilization of all near eastern countries.

Hammurabi's code consisted mainly of a long list of rules to settle specific types of cases, involving matters such as false accusation, witchcraft, military service, land and business regulations, family laws, tariffs, wages, trade, loans, debts and theft. The code described the nature of punishment for different types of offences committed, which were harsh by today's standards. The code contains nearly 300 provisions.

On central principle discernible in the code is  that "the strong shall not injure the weak."  The code set up a social order based on the rights of the individual and backed by the authority of Babylonian gods and the state.

A complete translation of the code of Hammurabi is available at the website referred below.

Who are the protagonists and antagonists in Romeo and Juliet?

The term protagonist is derived from ancient Greek and means 'player of the first part' or chief actor. A few characters in a play may, however, play equally important roles which may lead to a situation where you have not only one protagonist. Such is the situation in Romeo and Juliet. It is commonly believed that the protagonist is the 'good guy' or hero of the story, but the anti-hero or villain may just as much be the protagonist, if he or she is the chief character.

The antagonist is the character in the play who opposes the protagonist. There may obviously also be more than one antagonist. It is also important to realise that the antagonist is not necessarily a person only, but may be a situation or event that acts as a stumbling-block to the protagonist - this is also true in Romeo and Juliet.

In Romeo and Juliet, the two 'star-crossed lovers', are the obvious protagonists. They are responsible for, and central to, the unfolding of events in the play.

The antagonists, in this regard, would firstly be the 'age-old feud' between the two opposing families, the Montagues and the Capulets. Since the protagonists are each a member of an opposing family, the conflict creates a major stumbling-block in their attempt to exercise their love for one another. The feud culminates in their tragic deaths. 

Because of the feud, Romeo and Juliet's parents also are protagonists. As the heads of their households, they are against the idea of the two lovers being involved in a romantic liaison. It is almost impossible for them to consider the idea of their beloved offspring being romantically involved with each other - their contempt for each other creates the barrier that impedes our protagonists' love to flourish freely and openly.

Tybalt, a loyal member of the Capulet family, is a clear protagonist to especially Romeo, whom he openly despises. As a barrier to Juliet's affair with Romeo, he also becomes an antagonist to her, since he prevents her from achieving true happiness. By killing Mercutio Romeo's best friend, he deepens and escalates the conflict between the families. Ironically, when Romeo kills Tybalt in revenge later, he performs an antagonistic act which results in his banishment, worsening the situation.

To a lesser extent, even Paris, in his desire to marry Juliet, unknowingly plays the role of antagonist since his willingness to be her husband forces Juliet's hand and she has to consider desperate measures to escape marrying him, ultimately leading to both his and her demise.

It is clear that, because of the complicated issues at play, there is more than one protagonist or antagonist in this tragic drama.

What are the social issues dealt with in "To Kill A Mockingbird""?

Two of the main social issues "To Kill a Mockingbird" are racism and coming of age. The issue of racism is primarily dealt with during events leading to, during, and following the trial of Tom Robinson. During those events, Atticus Finch must defend Tom against charges that are obviously not true. In the process, he must teach the town a lesson on equal treatment of people. During that time, Scout also must grow up in an environment of racial hostility and learn how to "walk in someone else's shoes. Her dealings with Boo Radley and Atticus' example teach her not to judge others on the basis of race, rumor or class.

Why do the people attach blame to Elesin for failure to complete the ritual of suicide in "Death and the King's Horseman"?

It is Elesin's duty as the King's horseman to commit ritual suicide at his King's death.  Because he allows himself to be distracted by a beautiful woman, Elesin's suicide is postponed, giving imperialist government officials the opportunity to intervene and prevent the completion of the rite.

The play begins on what is supposed to be the last day of his life, as Elesin, the center of great celebration, prepares to pass to the "other side".  Elesin's attention is diverted, however, by the sight of a beautiful woman, and he asks to sleep with her, even though she is betrothed to another man.  Since Elesin is "at the threshhold between life and death", his wish must be granted.  Preparations are made for Elesin to wed and sleep with the woman, and the ritual suicide postponed.

After he has had relations with his new wife, Elesin prepares to die.  He falls into a state of hypnosis, and is unable to resist when British officials, charged with maintaining order in the village, arrest him.  Because of the delay caused by his being distracted by the woman, the imperialists are able to prevent Elesin from fulfilling his duty according to tradition.  His people are thrown into turmoil, and Elesin is disgraced. 

Can you find some passages in "Barn Burning" which illustrate Faulkner's stream-of-consciousness style?

Look no further than the first paragraph of Faulkner's
"Barn Burning" to find his free-style stream-of-consciousness
narration:

readability="23">

The store in which the justice of the Peace's
court was sitting smelled of cheese. The boy, crouched on his nail keg at the back of
the crowded room, knew he smelled cheese, and more: from where he sat he could see the
ranked shelves close-packed with the solid, squat, dynamic shapes of tin cans whose
labels his stomach read, not from the lettering which meant nothing to his mind but from
the scarlet devils and the silver curve of fish - this, the cheese which he knew he
smelled and the hermetic meat which his intestines believed he smelled coming in
intermittent gusts momentary and brief between the other constant one, the smell and
sense just a little of fear because mostly of despair and grief, the old fierce pull of
blood. He could not see the table where the Justice sat and before which his father and
his father's enemy (our enemy he thought in that despair; ourn! mine and hisn both! He's
my father!) stood, but he could hear them, the two of them that is, because his father
had said no word yet:

"But what proof have you, Mr.
Harris?"

Okay, okay, so the
first sentence is not much of a stream.  It's only 15 words.  But those last two
sentences are long, coiling snakes.  The second sentence is 118 words!  It moves from
boy to cheese to cans to meat to fish to fear to grief to blood.  It is spatial,
external, and internal description.

The third sentence is
61 words, including its jump off into dialogue.  With its parentheses, triple
exclamations, internal ("ourn") and external dialogue ("But what proof...?"), the third
sentence is a little bit of everything.  It's part third person, part Sarty in its point
of view.

Through Faulkner's use of synesthetic imagery, the
reader can smell, taste, and touch the tension in the setting, as we, like Sarty, begin
to feel surrounded and confused.

Can you find some passages in "Barn Burning" which illustrate Faulkner's stream-of-consciousness style?

Look no further than the first paragraph of Faulkner's "Barn Burning" to find his free-style stream-of-consciousness narration:

The store in which the justice of the Peace's court was sitting smelled of cheese. The boy, crouched on his nail keg at the back of the crowded room, knew he smelled cheese, and more: from where he sat he could see the ranked shelves close-packed with the solid, squat, dynamic shapes of tin cans whose labels his stomach read, not from the lettering which meant nothing to his mind but from the scarlet devils and the silver curve of fish - this, the cheese which he knew he smelled and the hermetic meat which his intestines believed he smelled coming in intermittent gusts momentary and brief between the other constant one, the smell and sense just a little of fear because mostly of despair and grief, the old fierce pull of blood. He could not see the table where the Justice sat and before which his father and his father's enemy (our enemy he thought in that despair; ourn! mine and hisn both! He's my father!) stood, but he could hear them, the two of them that is, because his father had said no word yet:

"But what proof have you, Mr. Harris?"

Okay, okay, so the first sentence is not much of a stream.  It's only 15 words.  But those last two sentences are long, coiling snakes.  The second sentence is 118 words!  It moves from boy to cheese to cans to meat to fish to fear to grief to blood.  It is spatial, external, and internal description.

The third sentence is 61 words, including its jump off into dialogue.  With its parentheses, triple exclamations, internal ("ourn") and external dialogue ("But what proof...?"), the third sentence is a little bit of everything.  It's part third person, part Sarty in its point of view.

Through Faulkner's use of synesthetic imagery, the reader can smell, taste, and touch the tension in the setting, as we, like Sarty, begin to feel surrounded and confused.

What did Shakespeare's father do for a living?

Shakespeare's father had many jobs, as a matter of fact.  Some other interesting details:

He was a farmer.

He was the official town beer-taster.

He traded wool, and it is believed that he did this trading illegally.

He was a money lender - what might today be called a "loan shark".

John Shakespeare was fairly wealthy early on, but at some point he hit a low point.  By the time Shakespeare was becoming a man, his father was losing respectability and out of the town records, meaning that he no longer held office. 

Critically examine the Fielding-Aziz relationship in A Passage to India.

The friendship breaks down after Aziz is arrested. He accuses Fielding of deserting him, even though Fielding had been prevented by Mr. Turton from accompanying him to jail, and had staunchly declared his belief in Aziz's innocence. After his release, an embittered Aziz rejects Fielding's friendship. After Fielding returns to England, Aziz, who wrongly believes that Fielding has married Adela, destroys Fielding's letters unread.

The collapse of the friendship between Aziz and Fielding also shows the difficulty of friendship and communication between West and East, between the occupying power and the disenfranchised indigenous inhabitants. This is not a recipe for a relationship between equals. The end of the novel poignantly expresses the gulf that circumstances and race have placed between Aziz and Fielding, and which cannot be bridged. Although they both want to continue their restored friendship, Aziz insists that it cannot happen until the English leave India

dear gayathri ... this is what I found after reading the novel and searching the net. I hope it is useful for you.

good luck

In "A Rose for Emily," what do you think the stopped watch that hangs down to her waist represents?

Miss Emily is a relic. A representative of a time period and an era long gone.  This is represented by the once-regal house being surrounded by gas stations and other "modern" items that have encroached on the territory of the old aristocracy.

The watch...stopped...represents that her life is no longer what it once was.  With the death of her father, her life, in a sense, also stopped.  She lived in the past up until her death.  How appropriate that the watch should be stopped to show the reader that she is unable to move on into the future?

What happens to Tom Vincent at the end of " To Build a Fire"?

If you are referring to the main character in this story, he is known as the man.  At the end of the story, he freezes to death.

Check the E-notes link on the characters in the story for clarification. 

"Then the man drowsed off into what seemed to him the most comfortable and satisfying sleep he had ever known. Later, the dog whined loudly. And still later it crept close to the man and caught the scent of death. This made the animal bristle and back away." (London)

What is the name of Madame Loisel's husband in "The Necklace"?

To add something to this fact, authors do not include first names for a reason.  Nothing is included without intention.  In my opinion, he is given no first name because his wife, Mathilde, is the center of attention and is self-centered, and she expects her husband to cater to her fancies for extravagant things, and indeed, he gives up money he had saved in order for her to buy a dress for the ball. Another reason he might not have been given a first name is due to the fact that he was a secondary character, not the primary one, which was Mathilde.

What would be an example of a metaphor, personification or a smilie in the story of the Cyclops?

A simile is when a writer compares one thing to another by
using the word "like" or "as."  You can see an example of a simile when Polyphemus the
cyclopes first grabs two of Odysseus's men and kills and eats them.  The narrator says
that the cyclopes

readability="6">

gripped up two of my men at once and dashed them
down upon the ground as though they had been
puppies

By comparing them to
puppies, the narrator is showing how little they were compared to the cycolpes.  He then
goes on to say that the cyclopes ate them as if he were a lion.  That's a simile too. 
He is comparing the cyclopes to a lion to show how vicious and ravenous he
is.

What would be an example of a metaphor, personification or a smilie in the story of the Cyclops?

A simile is when a writer compares one thing to another by using the word "like" or "as."  You can see an example of a simile when Polyphemus the cyclopes first grabs two of Odysseus's men and kills and eats them.  The narrator says that the cyclopes

gripped up two of my men at once and dashed them down upon the ground as though they had been puppies

By comparing them to puppies, the narrator is showing how little they were compared to the cycolpes.  He then goes on to say that the cyclopes ate them as if he were a lion.  That's a simile too.  He is comparing the cyclopes to a lion to show how vicious and ravenous he is.

What do you see as the most distinctive feature of prose style? How is the "The Road" in some way more like poetry?

Prose is generally characterized by syntax, or sentence structure.  Sentences possess a subject and a predicate; these are frequently found in the order:  subject (noun), verb, object (if applicable). 

Poetry, however, may omit a subject or verb because it conveys ideas through a mixture of sounds and images rather than pure narration.  Writing complete sentences is therefore unnecessary in poetry but typically required in prose. 

Cormac McCarthy's The Road is littered with sentence fragments, descriptive phrases that fail to include a verb, or one word statements.  For instance, the landscape is described on page 2 as "Barren, silent, godless."  This sentence provides a series of adjectives, but fails to mention a noun.  The effect, heightened by the use of asyndenton (the omission of the conjunction), promotes the notion that McCarthy's novel reads more like a poem, which is interested in conveying meaning through imagery, rather than prose, which uses direct story-telling.

What theme is developed by Hermia’s “snake dream”?

The dream occurs in Act 2, sc. 2, at the end of the scene and when Hermia awakens, she calls out for Lysander.  He's gone because he has already awakened, having had his eyes annointed with the nectar from the flower that makes him fall in love with whomever he first sees upon waking.  Puck did this mistaking Lysander for Demetrius.  Lysander saw Helena when he first awoke so that is who he has gone off in pursuit of.  The dream is fitting because it brings out the theme of unrequited love and emotional pain.  Hermia says in her dream that a snake was on her chest, eating out her heart while Lysander just sat there and watched, smiling.  Since Lysander will soon tell her that he doesn't love her any longer, that he loves Helena, that will "eat" out her heart.  The smiling Lysander of the dream indicates his lack of caring for Hermia's pain.  The snake can either be looked upon as Helena, since that is who Lysander now loves, or as Lysander himself, since he is the one who will hurt Hermia.

Can you give me an example of an integrated marketing communication campaign? What did the company do that attracted you to the promotion and product?

Integrated marketing refers to the combined total effort
of a company to inform, persuade, or remind customers directly or indirectly about the
products and brands of the company.

Marketing
communications are carried out by a company using the following six modes of
communications which constitute its communication
mix.

1. Advertising: This
   refers to any paid form of communication through a medium of mass
   communication.


2. Sales promotion: This
   refers to any short term incentive to encourage trial purchase or any other specific
   customer action.


3. Events and experiences:Company sponsored
   events or activities that create special experiences for the company.
   


4. Public Relations and publicity:
   Like advertising this form of communication also makes use of mass media to spread
   information designed to promote and protect image and reputation of company and its
   product. However these are more in form of news and other non-paid
   communications.


5. Direct marketing:
   Communicating with individual customers through means of one-to-one distance
   communication such as mail, telephone, e-mail and Internet selling
   system.


6. Personal selling: Primarily face-to-face
   interaction with one or more prospective customer. This includes personal selling
   activities such as making presentations, handling objections, and closing
   sales.

The marketing communication system of
most big companies incorporate all these types of communication methods. Take for
example an automobile companies. They release advertisement in newspapers, special auto 
journals, TV and hoardings.

They also organize sales
promotions campaigns in which customers are offered special deals such as reduced price
or additional guarantee and free servicing for purchases made within a specified period.
Auto companies also run program of demonstrating their products which encourage
prospective customers to test drive the vehicles creating physical experience of driving
their vehicles.

We also see so many articles and news items
about auto companies and their products appearing in various mediums of mass
communication. All efforts of a company to influence such communications constitutes
their public relation and publicity program.

Auto companies
frequently also engage in direct marketing, especially to convince their existing
customer to use car servicing and facilities authorized or operated by the
company.

The company also provides information about their
products on company's Internet selling sites. These site enable the customer to choose
and configure a product they want to buy, get information on the prices and available
financing scheme, and contact information of nearest dealer able to supply the
car.

Finally the auto companies have a large network of
dealership that performs the personal selling function.

Can you give me an example of an integrated marketing communication campaign? What did the company do that attracted you to the promotion and product?

Integrated marketing refers to the combined total effort of a company to inform, persuade, or remind customers directly or indirectly about the products and brands of the company.

Marketing communications are carried out by a company using the following six modes of communications which constitute its communication mix.

1. Advertising: This refers to any paid form of communication through a medium of mass communication.


2. Sales promotion: This refers to any short term incentive to encourage trial purchase or any other specific customer action.


3. Events and experiences:Company sponsored events or activities that create special experiences for the company.


4. Public Relations and publicity: Like advertising this form of communication also makes use of mass media to spread information designed to promote and protect image and reputation of company and its product. However these are more in form of news and other non-paid communications.


5. Direct marketing: Communicating with individual customers through means of one-to-one distance communication such as mail, telephone, e-mail and Internet selling system.


6. Personal selling: Primarily face-to-face interaction with one or more prospective customer. This includes personal selling activities such as making presentations, handling objections, and closing sales.

The marketing communication system of most big companies incorporate all these types of communication methods. Take for example an automobile companies. They release advertisement in newspapers, special auto  journals, TV and hoardings.

They also organize sales promotions campaigns in which customers are offered special deals such as reduced price or additional guarantee and free servicing for purchases made within a specified period. Auto companies also run program of demonstrating their products which encourage prospective customers to test drive the vehicles creating physical experience of driving their vehicles.

We also see so many articles and news items about auto companies and their products appearing in various mediums of mass communication. All efforts of a company to influence such communications constitutes their public relation and publicity program.

Auto companies frequently also engage in direct marketing, especially to convince their existing customer to use car servicing and facilities authorized or operated by the company.

The company also provides information about their products on company's Internet selling sites. These site enable the customer to choose and configure a product they want to buy, get information on the prices and available financing scheme, and contact information of nearest dealer able to supply the car.

Finally the auto companies have a large network of dealership that performs the personal selling function.

How does Shakespeare make Macbeth a character with whom the audience can sympathize?

Shakespeare is notoriously ambiguous in his tragedies,
which contributes to their popularity among teachers and scholars, since they can be
debated relentlessly.  The last I heard, for instance, more commentary had been written
about Hamlet than any other book in existence, except the
Bible. 

Macbeth
is ambiguous, as well.  For instance, many productions of the play show
Banquo's ghost in Act 4.3 at the feast.  The ghost's appearance seems likely to be real,
or actual, in a play filled with the supernatural.  Shakespeare uses a ghost in
Hamlet, why not in Macbeth?  Also, Gertrude in
Hamlet doesn't see the Ghost of King Hamlet during the bedroom
scene when the Ghost is seen by Hamlet, so there is nothing unusual about no one else
seeing Banquo's ghost except Macbeth. 

And if the ghost is
real, then Macbeth is not insane.  I think we misinterpret when we place too much
emphasis on Macbeth's so-called insanity, and relieve him of responsibility by doing
so.  If Macbeth is not responsible, it is because of an overall design by fate or
predestination, an issue important in Elizabethan England due to the Protestant
Reformation, which brought the issue to the attention of
Europeans. 

That said, any sympathy for the character of
Macbeth the audience feels must come from some other source than his insanity.  And it
must not come from feeling that he isn't responsible--he is.  The witches tell him only
that he will be king:  he turns that into the thought that he needs to be king now!  He
turns the prediction into the need to kill Duncan.  Also, he seeks the witches out in
Act 4.1, not the other way around.  He also makes the mistake of cutting his wife out of
the decision-making process once Duncan is dead:  he kills the grooms, orders the
murders of Banquo and Fleance and Macduff's family, all on his own.  These are all
mistakes he makes, without anyone else's help.

So where
does sympathy come from?  His nobility in defending Duncan at the beginning of the play;
his nobility in death at the close of the play; his hopeless situation once he is
surrounded--he is like a bear chained to a tree, attacked by a pack of dogs for the
entertainment of an audience (Act 5.7); from the intellectual side of his personality
that recognizes everything he's done is meaningless (the "Tomorrow" speech, Act
5.5).

Sympathy for Macbeth is not in any way central to the
play.  His ambition and fall from grace are central.  But if one does feel sympathy for
him, it comes from the above.  He allows himself be deceived by the witches and talked
into Duncan's killing by his wife (and these are conscious decisions).  And he takes
over from there and brings about his own downfall.  That cannot be dismissed by any
insanity.  He is guilty.  But sympathy can exist for him, anyway.  Not because we take
the guilt away, but because we see other characteristics than just evil. 
 

In Shakespeare, in sophisticated literature, characters
are mixtures of positive and negative character traits, as are actual human beings.  We
don't need to make excuses for Macbeth in order to feel sympathy for
him.

How does Shakespeare make Macbeth a character with whom the audience can sympathize?

Shakespeare is notoriously ambiguous in his tragedies, which contributes to their popularity among teachers and scholars, since they can be debated relentlessly.  The last I heard, for instance, more commentary had been written about Hamlet than any other book in existence, except the Bible. 

Macbeth is ambiguous, as well.  For instance, many productions of the play show Banquo's ghost in Act 4.3 at the feast.  The ghost's appearance seems likely to be real, or actual, in a play filled with the supernatural.  Shakespeare uses a ghost in Hamlet, why not in Macbeth?  Also, Gertrude in Hamlet doesn't see the Ghost of King Hamlet during the bedroom scene when the Ghost is seen by Hamlet, so there is nothing unusual about no one else seeing Banquo's ghost except Macbeth. 

And if the ghost is real, then Macbeth is not insane.  I think we misinterpret when we place too much emphasis on Macbeth's so-called insanity, and relieve him of responsibility by doing so.  If Macbeth is not responsible, it is because of an overall design by fate or predestination, an issue important in Elizabethan England due to the Protestant Reformation, which brought the issue to the attention of Europeans. 

That said, any sympathy for the character of Macbeth the audience feels must come from some other source than his insanity.  And it must not come from feeling that he isn't responsible--he is.  The witches tell him only that he will be king:  he turns that into the thought that he needs to be king now!  He turns the prediction into the need to kill Duncan.  Also, he seeks the witches out in Act 4.1, not the other way around.  He also makes the mistake of cutting his wife out of the decision-making process once Duncan is dead:  he kills the grooms, orders the murders of Banquo and Fleance and Macduff's family, all on his own.  These are all mistakes he makes, without anyone else's help.

So where does sympathy come from?  His nobility in defending Duncan at the beginning of the play; his nobility in death at the close of the play; his hopeless situation once he is surrounded--he is like a bear chained to a tree, attacked by a pack of dogs for the entertainment of an audience (Act 5.7); from the intellectual side of his personality that recognizes everything he's done is meaningless (the "Tomorrow" speech, Act 5.5).

Sympathy for Macbeth is not in any way central to the play.  His ambition and fall from grace are central.  But if one does feel sympathy for him, it comes from the above.  He allows himself be deceived by the witches and talked into Duncan's killing by his wife (and these are conscious decisions).  And he takes over from there and brings about his own downfall.  That cannot be dismissed by any insanity.  He is guilty.  But sympathy can exist for him, anyway.  Not because we take the guilt away, but because we see other characteristics than just evil.   

In Shakespeare, in sophisticated literature, characters are mixtures of positive and negative character traits, as are actual human beings.  We don't need to make excuses for Macbeth in order to feel sympathy for him.

What is the summary of Chapter 21 and 22 of The Shakespeare Stealer?I have been sick from school and had missed the class discussion. I was...

In chapter 21 of the book "The Shakespeare Stealer" Nick
is at a loss for words when he finds out that Julian is a girl.   He is irritated when
he realizes that he has been fencing with girl for almost a
year.

Saunder feels sorry for Julian because he knows that
they won't let her continue to perform.    Mrs. Phillips bandages Julian's wound.  The
sharers let her perform since she already knows the lines.  It was nearly p[performance
time and no one had seen Nick.

Widge asks Saunders if he
thought that Wdige could ever be a player.  Widge feels bad about the secret that he
carries and woners how Julian could carry hers for so
long.

They find Nick in an ale house drinking his ale. 
Nick tells them he will go to the Globe when he feels like it.  Nick and a student get
into an argument and then a fight.  They fought with swords and Nick was losing.  He
pulled his dagger and so did the student.  During he fight the student stabs Nick in the
throat.  He falls to the ground and Widge curses the
student.

In chapter 22 Widge picks up a stool and knocks
the blade out of the student's hand.  He checks Nick and realizes the wound has not
severed any arteries.  He dos what he can to stop the flow of
blood.

The authorities come but Nick is not charged.  The
other men had fled.  They return to the theater where Nick asks why Julian hides who she
is.  She tells him because it is worth it to act.

Widge is
given the part of Ophelia in the play since Nick is injured.  He has to take it so the
show can go on.  He thinks to himself that if Julian can play a boy, he can play a
girl.

What is the summary of Chapter 21 and 22 of The Shakespeare Stealer?I have been sick from school and had missed the class discussion. I was...

In chapter 21 of the book "The Shakespeare Stealer" Nick is at a loss for words when he finds out that Julian is a girl.   He is irritated when he realizes that he has been fencing with girl for almost a year.

Saunder feels sorry for Julian because he knows that they won't let her continue to perform.    Mrs. Phillips bandages Julian's wound.  The sharers let her perform since she already knows the lines.  It was nearly p[performance time and no one had seen Nick.

Widge asks Saunders if he thought that Wdige could ever be a player.  Widge feels bad about the secret that he carries and woners how Julian could carry hers for so long.

They find Nick in an ale house drinking his ale.  Nick tells them he will go to the Globe when he feels like it.  Nick and a student get into an argument and then a fight.  They fought with swords and Nick was losing.  He pulled his dagger and so did the student.  During he fight the student stabs Nick in the throat.  He falls to the ground and Widge curses the student.

In chapter 22 Widge picks up a stool and knocks the blade out of the student's hand.  He checks Nick and realizes the wound has not severed any arteries.  He dos what he can to stop the flow of blood.

The authorities come but Nick is not charged.  The other men had fled.  They return to the theater where Nick asks why Julian hides who she is.  She tells him because it is worth it to act.

Widge is given the part of Ophelia in the play since Nick is injured.  He has to take it so the show can go on.  He thinks to himself that if Julian can play a boy, he can play a girl.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird", what does Atticus do that causes Scout to say he was the bravest man who ever lived?Chapter 11

Whenever Scout and Jem wanted to go to town for any reason, they had to pass the house of Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose,  an old, sick woman who lived alone with a Negro girl "in constant attendance".  Mrs. Dubose was mean and abusive, subjecting the children to a "wrathful gaze" and "ruthless interrogation" whenever they passed by.  Nothing they did would please her; "she was vicious".  Mrs. Dubose was especially critical of Atticus, lamenting the way he let his children run wild.  In a loud, raucous voice she would call Scout and Jem "the sassiest, most disrespectful mutts who ever passed her way".

Atticus counseled the children to be patient with Mrs. Dubose, telling them that she was old and ill.  He says, "whatever she says to you, it's your job not to let her make you mad".  Atticus himself would go out of his way to be nice to the abusive woman, taking off his hat each day when he passed by with the children, waving, sharing with her the courthouse news, and wishing her a good day even as she hollered epithets back at him.  Scout was amazed that her father, who "hated guns and had never been to any wars", had the courage to face Mrs. Dubois everyday with such cheerfulness and aplomb.  "It was times like these" when she felt he was "the bravest man who ever lived" (Chapter 11).

What do you do when you like somebody, you tell them, and they send you mixed messages in return?

Hi Naomy,

You are learning a
valuable bit of information here...relationships stink!  Okay, that might be a bit
dramatic, but the same forces that make love wonderful are the same ones that make it a
real pain in the keester.

There are lots of possible
explanations for your beau's behavior, so I'll just pick a couple out to blow hot air
about:

1. At your age (and I mean that with respect...not
in a"talking down to" kind of way) young men and women are just starting to get an idea
of what they want out of a "significant other."  It may be that he is still trying to
figure that out and isn't sure if you fit the bill or
not.

2. He probably has little experience with real
relationships and is still figuring out how to act...he will learn this by watching the
behaviors of the people he cares about.  For example, if he does "like you" and he isn't
acting the right way, you're counter-behaviors will give him a clue that he needs to act
differently or risk losing you.

3. He may be a jerk and
might be amusing himself with your affections.

4. Because
you care about him, you probably have a heightened sensitivity to what he
says/does/doesn't do.  You, too, are also learning about the subtle clues of how a
relationship works.  It may be that you are misreading his cues because you care enough
to try to figure them out.

5. Boys, traditionally, mature
more slowly than girls.  If it makes you feel any better, he might be just as confused
about your relationship (or the possibility of a relationship) as you
are.

6.  Boys that age are generally morons.  Men my age
are generally morons.  In fact, guys are pretty dumb when it comes to relationships all
around.

From my perspective, the important thing is the be
honest and assertive about what you want from a relationship while still maintaining
your dignity.  If you don't understand his behavior, ask him directly.  That might seem
a bit forward, but if you do it in a "non-clingy, non-psycho, non-stalker" way there is
no better way to get the answers you are looking
for.

Whatever you do, remember to be yourself.  Be
confident and don't cheapen your worth by chasing someone around who "runs hot and
cold."  Boys like girls that present an obtainable challenge and who take pride in
themselves.  Girls who are too compromising and eager to please (though it runs contrary
to logic) do not earn respect and are not valued  (other than by weirdo, control
freaks.)

Good luck to you.  You are at an exciting age, and
in some ways, I really envy you.  Every door is open and everything is still a
possibility.  Don't sell yourself short.

What do you do when you like somebody, you tell them, and they send you mixed messages in return?

Hi Naomy,

You are learning a valuable bit of information here...relationships stink!  Okay, that might be a bit dramatic, but the same forces that make love wonderful are the same ones that make it a real pain in the keester.

There are lots of possible explanations for your beau's behavior, so I'll just pick a couple out to blow hot air about:

1. At your age (and I mean that with respect...not in a"talking down to" kind of way) young men and women are just starting to get an idea of what they want out of a "significant other."  It may be that he is still trying to figure that out and isn't sure if you fit the bill or not.

2. He probably has little experience with real relationships and is still figuring out how to act...he will learn this by watching the behaviors of the people he cares about.  For example, if he does "like you" and he isn't acting the right way, you're counter-behaviors will give him a clue that he needs to act differently or risk losing you.

3. He may be a jerk and might be amusing himself with your affections.

4. Because you care about him, you probably have a heightened sensitivity to what he says/does/doesn't do.  You, too, are also learning about the subtle clues of how a relationship works.  It may be that you are misreading his cues because you care enough to try to figure them out.

5. Boys, traditionally, mature more slowly than girls.  If it makes you feel any better, he might be just as confused about your relationship (or the possibility of a relationship) as you are.

6.  Boys that age are generally morons.  Men my age are generally morons.  In fact, guys are pretty dumb when it comes to relationships all around.

From my perspective, the important thing is the be honest and assertive about what you want from a relationship while still maintaining your dignity.  If you don't understand his behavior, ask him directly.  That might seem a bit forward, but if you do it in a "non-clingy, non-psycho, non-stalker" way there is no better way to get the answers you are looking for.

Whatever you do, remember to be yourself.  Be confident and don't cheapen your worth by chasing someone around who "runs hot and cold."  Boys like girls that present an obtainable challenge and who take pride in themselves.  Girls who are too compromising and eager to please (though it runs contrary to logic) do not earn respect and are not valued  (other than by weirdo, control freaks.)

Good luck to you.  You are at an exciting age, and in some ways, I really envy you.  Every door is open and everything is still a possibility.  Don't sell yourself short.

What language is used in Chapter 5 of Frankenstein to develop atmosphere?

Mary Shelley uses imagery and strategic repetition of key descriptive words to create an atmosphere of horror and gloom in the first part of the chapter, when the monster comes to life.  She uses variations of words such as "dreary", "dismal", "horrid", "disgust", "miserable", and "wretched" liberally, and paints vivid images of ugliness and decay.  An especially vivid example of this is when she has Victor Frankenstein describe holding "the corpse of (his) dead mother...a shroud enveloped her form...the grave-worms crawling in the folds of the flannel".

The gloominess of the atmosphere is further highlighted when, halfway through the chapter, Clerval arrives.  Frankenstein is lifted from his morbid situation and responds manically, jumping over chairs, clapping his hands, and laughing out loud.  The extreme intensity of Frankenstein's apparent joy emphasizes the heaviness of the previous scene by sheer contrast, and the fact that his reaction is based in madness only serves to underscore the darkness of the scene.

The federal government uses tax laws to affect economic desicions. like home mortgage interest. Why do you think this is so? Tax exemtions are...

Any time a tax break is given, it is an incentive, which,
by definition, is mean to motivate large numbers of people to take specific economic
action.  There are secondary effects as well.  When mortgage interest is deductible, it
makes homes more affordable, even if the interest rate is high, since the homeowner will
get some of that money back.  Now you are stimulating the real estate and construction
industries as well as the mortgage lending industry.  As those industries do more
business, theoretically, more taxes are paid by them and it covers some or all of the
original tax break given.  At least, that's how it's supposed to
work.

As for oil exploration, there are at least two major
forces at work to create such an incentive.  One, it is very expensive for the US to
continue to secure, day after day, 66% of its oil through imports from often unstable
regions.  Our military budget exceeds that of all other countries on Earth combined, and
to continue to secure this resource is one of the reasons why that is so.  Second, the
oil companies are some of the most profitable corporations in human history (In the case
of Exxon-Mobil, the most profitable), and that money buys a lot of
influence over the members of Congress who would create such a tax break.  It's the
oldest game in Washington.

The federal government uses tax laws to affect economic desicions. like home mortgage interest. Why do you think this is so? Tax exemtions are...

Any time a tax break is given, it is an incentive, which, by definition, is mean to motivate large numbers of people to take specific economic action.  There are secondary effects as well.  When mortgage interest is deductible, it makes homes more affordable, even if the interest rate is high, since the homeowner will get some of that money back.  Now you are stimulating the real estate and construction industries as well as the mortgage lending industry.  As those industries do more business, theoretically, more taxes are paid by them and it covers some or all of the original tax break given.  At least, that's how it's supposed to work.

As for oil exploration, there are at least two major forces at work to create such an incentive.  One, it is very expensive for the US to continue to secure, day after day, 66% of its oil through imports from often unstable regions.  Our military budget exceeds that of all other countries on Earth combined, and to continue to secure this resource is one of the reasons why that is so.  Second, the oil companies are some of the most profitable corporations in human history (In the case of Exxon-Mobil, the most profitable), and that money buys a lot of influence over the members of Congress who would create such a tax break.  It's the oldest game in Washington.

What is Mathilde's problem in "The Necklace"?

Mathilde has several problems in the story, but all of them stem from her dis-contentedness with her station in life. She desires to be wealthy, beautiful, admired, and envied. She believes that she was meant to be these things and that somehow, somewhere along the way a mistake was made. She is not happy with anything in her life and her life is not meager by any means. She has a maid, but not enough. She has a house, but it's not fancy. She doesn't work, but she doesn't attend social functions. She has a husband, but he isn't good enough.

Because of her attitude toward her place in life she manages to get a fine gown and begs her husband for jewelry to match. He suggests she borrow and she borrows a "diamond" necklace from her rich friend Mme. Forestier. Upon losing the necklace Mathilde's pride will not admit the fact to her friend and she and her husband go into debt for 10 years so that they can replace what they thought was a pricey necklace. She becomes poor, she drops several stations in life. She works, she loses what beauty she had, she lives a life of poverty. When she meets Mme. Forestier on the street she tells her how the necklace changed her life and Mme. Forestier reveals to her that the necklace was a fake. She learned her lesson the hard way!

In Act V, scene 7, what is the dramatic importance of the fight between Macbeth and Young Siward?

The scene serves several purposes. First, killing young Siward assures Macbeth that he is invincible; the young man was indeed "born of woman" and therefore he could not harm Macbeth. The king feels hopeful that he will be successful in rebuffing the attack on Dunsinane. He wins this battle, of course, because he is a skilled, experienced soldier while young Siward has hardly any experience whatsoever. Despite his lack of skill, however, the young man does not shy away from the fight; he battles valiantly. Because he dies with his "hurts on the front" (he was wounded on the front, not the back, which would mean he was cowardly running away), his father Siward is proud of him.

In the final act of the play, which is a series of short scenes moving back and forth from outside the castle to the interior of the castle, this scene helps to move the plot forward even more quickly because Macbeth will fight with more conviction, believing that he cannot be defeated. His hopes are false; he is not immortal after all.

What do Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange represent, and is their opposition reconciled by the novel's end?

Wuthering Heights represents the wild and free spirits that the reader also sees in Catherine Earnshaw, Heathcliff, young Catherine Linton, and Hareton Earnshaw.  Wuthering Heights is a rougher cottage than the one at Thrushcross Grange which is more genteel. The characters who live at WH have the same rough edges.  Thrushcross Grange represents decorum and order more like the Linton family who lives there.  They are wealthier and more refined than those who live at WH.  One of the reasons Catherine Earnshaw Linton dies is because she was removed from WH.  She was like an uprooted plant - her home was WH and her wild spirit couldn't take the transplant to TG because the two places are so different.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird," how is Tom Robinson compared to a mockingbird?

"Mockingbirds just make music.They don't eat up people's gardens;don't nest in corncribs;they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out."

This shows that Mockingbirds contribute to the society without expecting any recognition or reward.Tom Robinson was an honest and reliable worker,like what his previous employer,Mr Link Deas testified&he also helped Mayella without payment because he felt sorry for her.

This also shows that Mockingbirds do not harm anyone.Tom Robinson did not rape Mayella.He was honest,innocent and kind. He commended Mayella for treating the children to ice cream, he had the interest of the women and the children before he said "something not fittin'"and he also does not blame Mayella for causing him to be charged for rape.He was indirect to say that it was Mayella's fault,"I say she's mistaken in her mind",which shows his consideration and kindness because he does not want to ruin Mayella's reputation.He knows that Mayella had"broken a rigid code of our society"and she would be "hounded from our midst as unfit to live with".

How old is Darry in The Outsiders?

Darrel (Darry) Curtis is twenty years old. As the oldest brother, Darry has been taking care of his siblings since their parents died in a car accident. He gives up going to college on a football scholarship to work to take care of his brothers. His brothers are Ponyboy and Sodapop.

See the links below for more information, especially the marsonfire.livejournal.com page. It is a journal dedicated to everything to do with The Outsiders. It has all sorts of information about each character and the actors who performed in the movie. It is a very interesting site.

What is Mary Warren's reaction to Abigail's performance in "The Crucible"?It's in Act 3

Mary is at first terrified...all the girls are in terror of Abigail since she has such a manipulative hold on them.  Mary begins crying and pleading with Abigail not to do what she's doing.  Abigail "sees" a yellow bird in the rafters into which Mary has "sent her spirit".  The other girls follow along, as Abigail knew they would.  In their defense, they didn't actually see anything, but they believed they saw something, so the entire episode for these girls was very likely true to them.  Fear is a powerful motivator, and Abigail was an intelligent girl who played to the community's fears.

Abigail begins this charade when Mary can not force herself to faint as the girls have done time and time again in court, saying, "I--have no sense of it now, I--"

Abigail also feels she must discredit Mary Warren and John Proctor since in this same scene, Proctor has called Abigail a "whore" admitting that he has "known her" and this is the reason the girls have gone crazy blaming all the good women in the town for witchcraft in order to get their husbands.

Danforth orders weak Mary Warren to "draw back your spirit out of them!"   Mary becomes overwhelmed by the girls' "utter conviction" and believability, begins to whimper, and turns against Proctor.  She runs to Abigail, who takes Mary in her arms as to say, "All is forgiven, Mary". Mary accuses Proctor of making her sign the Devil's book.

India and Bangladesh had a dispute over water rights to the ____ after the Farakka Dam was constructed.

The correct answer to this question is the Ganges River. 
The Farakka Dam, which is also known as the Farakka Barrage, was built across the Ganges
River and was completed in 1975.  The building of this dam has caused issues that have
led to major disputes between India and Bangladesh.

The
point of the Farakka Dam was to divert water from the Ganges into another river during
the dry season.  By diverting the water, India has been accused of contributing to a
number of problems in Bangladesh, one of which desertification.

India and Bangladesh had a dispute over water rights to the ____ after the Farakka Dam was constructed.

The correct answer to this question is the Ganges River.  The Farakka Dam, which is also known as the Farakka Barrage, was built across the Ganges River and was completed in 1975.  The building of this dam has caused issues that have led to major disputes between India and Bangladesh.

The point of the Farakka Dam was to divert water from the Ganges into another river during the dry season.  By diverting the water, India has been accused of contributing to a number of problems in Bangladesh, one of which desertification.

In Chapter 54 of "Great Expectations", what causes uneasiness among the crew?

A comment by Jack, an ill-kempt fellow patron of the public house where Pip and the group are spending the night, causes unseasiness among the crew.  Jack asks if they had seen "a four-oared galley going up with the tide".  The galley crew, which included four rowers and two sitters, had stopped by the public house for some beer, and Jack had taken an instant dislike to them.  Although the landlord is not in agreement with Jack, Jack thinks they were custom house officers, even though they were not dressed as such.

The conversation about the mysterious galley causes unease for Pip and the crew, who had already been "possessed by the idea that (they) were followed".  Although they had not actually seen the vessel, the fact that there had been "a four-oared galley hovering about in so unusual a way as to attract this notice (is) an ugly circumstance", and gives them "a feeling that (they are) caged and threatened".

In "Cask of Amontillado", which of Montresor's comments to the unsuspecting Fortunato mean something different from what they seem to...

These are some instances where Montresor speaks ironically:

Fortunato has a coughing fit while the two are walking through the catacombs.  Montressor says,

"Come...we will go back; your health is precious.  You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as I once was.  You are a man to be missed".

Montressor appears to be concerned about Fortunato's cough, but in reality, he is plotting to kill him when they reach the deep recesses of the tunnel.  Fortunato responds, "the cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me.  I shall not die of a cough", to which Montressor rejoins in sinisterly ironic understatement, "true - true".

A few lines later, Fortunato asks Montressor to describe his family arms and motto.  Montressor describes a foot crushing a serpent whose fangs are imbedded in the heel, and recites the motto "nemo me impune lacessit".  This means "no one wounds me with impunity", a chilling reference to Fortunato, who has wounded Montressor in the past and will not escape unpunished.

Later, when Montressor does not recognize a gesture made by Fortunato, Fortunato notes that Montressor must then not be a mason.  Montressor objects, saying, "yes, yes...a mason", and pulls a trowel from his garments to prove it.  Montressor may not be a member of the order of masons about which Fortunato is speaking, but he is indeed a man who can work in masonry, as he will soon show in entombing Fortunato.

What is the setting of the novel, and how does it affect the boys?

The setting is a deserted island where the boys crash as they are being airlifted to "safety" during WWII.  Obviously they never made it to their destination, and unfortunately, none of the adults on board survive.

This affects the boys in that at first the older boys attempt to settle down into a routine as close as possible to the civilization to which they are accustomed.  As time goes by, however, they become less and less civilized and more barbaric. This is evident in their complete uniforms at first and then the lack of clothing, the hunting exercises and ceremony of wild boar on the island which includes the painting of their faces, and ultimately, the murder of their own.  Of course, this attention to the "dark side" of humanity is the point Golding is trying to make.  War, survival of the fittest, lack of proper supervision/rules will lead mankind back to its barbaric and caveman-like roots. 

"Life is like a stage, people come and go." I thought it was from Shakespeare. Does somebody know the whole verse?Thank youExcuse my English, it is...

All the world is a stage, and all the men and women merely players:They have their exits and their entrances;And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first the in fant, Mewling and puking in the nurses arms..And then the whining school boy, with his satchel and shining morining face, creeping like snail, unwillingly to school.And then the lover, sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad made to his mistress' eyebrow.Then a soldier, full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,jelous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel,seeking the bubble reputation even in the cannon's mouth.and then the justice,in fair round belly with good capon lined, with eyes severe and beard of formal cut, full of wise saws and modern instances; and so he plays his part. the sixth age shifts into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon, with spectacles on nose and pouch on side, his youthful hose,well saved,a world too wide for his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,turning again toward childish trebl, pipes and whistles in his sound.Last scene of all, that ends this strange eventful history, is second childishness and mere oblivion, sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

How could Hitler protect animals and limit by law animal experimentation while permitting cruel medical experiments on humans in concentration camps?

This is probably one of the best examples of Hitler's
political and personal cruelty.  In order to consolidate his own power and eliminate
opposition to him, Hitler's design was to deem the enemies of Germany as less than
human.  This dehumanization was what allowed the ease with which so many were tormented
and killed.  It was not that Hitler ever said that "These are bad people."  Rather, he
made the argument that individuals who were against him only did so because they were
actually less than human.  Throughout his writings and speeches, the targeting of
individuals of Jewish faith or homosexuals or gypsies was done so as arguing that the
true standard of being a human being was not met by these groups of people, so keeping
them is a crime against humanity.  This sad and twisted logic was embraced by so many. 
Once the floodgates had opened in robbing people of their humanity though insult,
dehumanizing comments and terms, and targeting a group of people, the abuse,
intimidation, and elimination was easier to accomplish.

How could Hitler protect animals and limit by law animal experimentation while permitting cruel medical experiments on humans in concentration camps?

This is probably one of the best examples of Hitler's political and personal cruelty.  In order to consolidate his own power and eliminate opposition to him, Hitler's design was to deem the enemies of Germany as less than human.  This dehumanization was what allowed the ease with which so many were tormented and killed.  It was not that Hitler ever said that "These are bad people."  Rather, he made the argument that individuals who were against him only did so because they were actually less than human.  Throughout his writings and speeches, the targeting of individuals of Jewish faith or homosexuals or gypsies was done so as arguing that the true standard of being a human being was not met by these groups of people, so keeping them is a crime against humanity.  This sad and twisted logic was embraced by so many.  Once the floodgates had opened in robbing people of their humanity though insult, dehumanizing comments and terms, and targeting a group of people, the abuse, intimidation, and elimination was easier to accomplish.

How does the Nurse react when she returns to Juliet?After Nurse returns from visiting Romeo, how do she and Juliet react?

The Nurse is hot and winded from her walk back to the house and wishes to rest a bit. Juilet is very impatient (as are all 13 year old girls!) and wants the Nurse to tell her everything immediately. She begins to bombard the Nurse with question after question without pausing to wait for an answer. The Nurse is trying to catch her breath and tells Juliet to give her a second. Also, she then seems to tease Juliet a bit by taking her time telling her what Romeo said. Perhaps it's because Juliet was so impatient that the Nurse decided to prolong her response. However, the Nurse eventually asks Juliet is she is free to go to confession (shrift) that afternoon because Romeo will be waiting at the church to marry her.

How does Dill Harris change in "To Kill a Mockingbird", and why is he important to the novel?It also needs to reference something specific from the...

Dill does what the other children in the novel do. He grows up. When younger, he is the one who instigates much of the children's mischief, the most important of which is approaching the Radley house. This action initiates the first contact between "Boo" and the Finch children which eventually leads to the children's rescue by Boo. Many critics believe the character of Dill was based on the real author Truman Capote, who was a childhood friend of Harper Lee, the author of "To Kill a Mockingbird". Lee later collaborated with Capote on "In Cold Blood", Capote's best seller about a murder in Kansas. Some even feel that Capote helped Lee quite a bit with "To Kill a Mockingbird".

In The Tempest, how does Trinculo act, and how does Shakespeare present the conflict among Stephano, Trinculo, and Caliban?

Trinculo is a cowardly, selfish fool, and his words and actions all show this. When he finds Caliban, he thinks of taking him to England to be displayed for money. Then they get drunk together—not a good action when you're stranded on an unknown island. As they do, they start to make plans to overthrow Prospero. As a rule, it's not a good plan to make political plots with someone you consider a sideshow attraction (Caliban).

Can a spider lay eggs in a human body?my friend said a spider laid eggs in his arm before

for everyone that says this is only a legend... 

yes spiders can lay eggs inside a body.. if they can get inside..

more or less all insects hachin time is determend by tha heat around tha eggs,, and human/animals are optimal heatsource for this.

 i work as a bucher.. and iv seen meny insect Eggs youst insde of tha animals skin.. but most times these are eggs from Flyes.

What does the following quote found in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird mean? "Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear...

In the first chapter of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout the narrator makes the above comment in a paragraph in which she describes Maycomb during the Great Depression. She notes that the days seemed longer because time moved slower:

There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County.

She next uses her comment that "Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself" as a reference to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's first inaugural address in 1933, four years after the start of the Great Depression.

In his speech, President Roosevelt asserted his "firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself--nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance" (George Mason University, History Matters). In other words, according to the wise words of President Roosevelt, the feeling of fear itself is to be avoided because fear paralyzes its victims, rendering them incapable of taking necessary actions to make changes.

Not only does Scout's reference to the most famous line in President Roosevelt's first inaugural address help set the novel as taking place during the Great Depression, it helps set the tone of the novel and foreshadows upcoming events.

Though author Harper Lee deals with the weighty issue of social injustices caused by racial prejudices, she does so in a generally optimistic tone just as President Roosevelt's speech is optimistic. In addition, Tom Robinson was convicted based only on the "nameless, unreasoning, unjustified" fear that leads to racial prejudices. Therefore, Scout's reference to President Roosevelt's speech foreshadows Maycomb's paralysis due to fear. However, as Miss Maudie points out after the trial, the very fact that Atticus's courtroom performance kept the jury out for so long is proof that Maycomb's citizens are taking a small step towards creating a more just society, or in her words, "[I]t's a baby-step, but it's a step" (Ch. 23). Hence, Scout's reference to President Roosevelt's speech also foreshadows that Maycomb will take a small step towards overcoming their paralysis due to fear.

In the book "Bless Me, Ultima" in Chapter Dos, how does Ultima guide Tony's spiritual growth?

Antonio and Ultima walk together across the llano and the river banks to gather herbs and roots for Ultima's medicines. She teaches Antonio "that there was a beauty in the time of day and in the time of night, and that there was peace in the river and in the hills. She taught me to listen to the mystery of the groaning earth and to feel complete in the fulfillment of its time. My soul grew under her careful guidance." Before Ultima came, Antonio was afraid of the river's "presence", its soul, but after she came, she taught Antonio that his spirit is one with the spirit of all things.

After Antonio witnesses the death of Lupito for killing the sheriff, it is Ultima who takes away his fear and sobs. Ultima's owl goes with Antonio and makes sure he gets home safely to Ultima. She comforts him, giving him something to allow him to sleep.

This is the beginning of Antonio's conflict between Catholicism and the beliefs of his ancestors. Ultima is a curandera who uses herbs and roots of "the ancients" to heal the sick and even get rid of a witch's curse. As Antonio grows, so grows his conflict between the old and the new ways. His mother has taught him Catholicism, but Ultima begins her new teachings. Antonio loves both women and must decide throughout the book which way to follow.

What final recognitions take place in Book XX of The Odyssey?

Book XX of The Odyssey sets the table
for the revenge that begins in Book XXI.  All of the suitors are reintroduced to
Odysseus, and many are cruel to him.  Book XX is the last chapter that Odysseus will
spend in the disguise of the beggar.  But, all of Odysseus' allies recognize him as lord
Odysseus except Penelope.

Book XX reveals two major
recognitions:

1.  Athena wants Odysseus to recognize that
his revenge against the suitors is sanctioned by the gods.  Odysseus has been doubting
his ability to defeat so many of the suitors:

readability="12">

"all that you have said is true, but I
am in some doubt as to how I shall be able to kill these wicked suitors single
handed, seeing what a number of them there always are. And there is this
further difficulty, which is still more considerable. Supposing that with
Jove's and your assistance I succeed in killing them, I must ask you to
consider where I am to escape to from their avengers when it is all
over."

Athena
responds:

readability="16">

"For shame," replied Athena, "why, any one else
would trust a worse ally than myself, even though that ally were only a mortal
and less wise than I am. Am I not a goddess, and have I not protected you
throughout in all your troubles? I tell you plainly that even though there
were fifty bands of men surrounding us and eager to kill us, you should take
all their sheep and cattle, and drive them away with you. But go to sleep; it
is a very bad thing to lie awake all night, and you shall be out of your
troubles before
long."

2.  The suitors and
the readers recognize Telemachus coming into his manhood.  No longer is Telemachus weak
or timid in the midst of the older, brazen suitors.  Telemachus insults them
openly:

. . .
This house does not belong to the people,
but it belongs to Odysseus; he
acquired it; this makes it
mine, and so, you suitors, hold back your spirit
for insults
and blows, or else there may be a quarrel and fight between
us.

As such, the suitors take
offense to his remonstrations--they “bit their lips in amazement / at Telemachos, and
the daring way he had spoken to them.”

What final recognitions take place in Book XX of The Odyssey?

Book XX of The Odyssey sets the table for the revenge that begins in Book XXI.  All of the suitors are reintroduced to Odysseus, and many are cruel to him.  Book XX is the last chapter that Odysseus will spend in the disguise of the beggar.  But, all of Odysseus' allies recognize him as lord Odysseus except Penelope.

Book XX reveals two major recognitions:

1.  Athena wants Odysseus to recognize that his revenge against the suitors is sanctioned by the gods.  Odysseus has been doubting his ability to defeat so many of the suitors:

"all that you have said is true, but I am in some doubt as to how I shall be able to kill these wicked suitors single handed, seeing what a number of them there always are. And there is this further difficulty, which is still more considerable. Supposing that with Jove's and your assistance I succeed in killing them, I must ask you to consider where I am to escape to from their avengers when it is all over."

Athena responds:

"For shame," replied Athena, "why, any one else would trust a worse ally than myself, even though that ally were only a mortal and less wise than I am. Am I not a goddess, and have I not protected you throughout in all your troubles? I tell you plainly that even though there were fifty bands of men surrounding us and eager to kill us, you should take all their sheep and cattle, and drive them away with you. But go to sleep; it is a very bad thing to lie awake all night, and you shall be out of your troubles before long."

2.  The suitors and the readers recognize Telemachus coming into his manhood.  No longer is Telemachus weak or timid in the midst of the older, brazen suitors.  Telemachus insults them openly:

. . . This house does not belong to the people,
but it belongs to Odysseus; he acquired it; this makes it
mine, and so, you suitors, hold back your spirit for insults
and blows, or else there may be a quarrel and fight between us.

As such, the suitors take offense to his remonstrations--they “bit their lips in amazement / at Telemachos, and the daring way he had spoken to them.”

What is the big difference between the Socs and the Greasers on the book The Outsiders?put it in your own words and thoughts.

To me, the major difference between these groups is in how
society sees them.  They are both pretty similar, with teens who have problems and who
often turn to violence and gangs to make themselves feel like they are wanted and cared
for.

But the greasers are looked down on by much of
society.  They are seen as the lowlife kids.  Meanwhile, the Socs are much more
respected because they have money and important parents.  Things that they do do not
seem like such a big deal to the community because there is this assumption that they
are basically okay where the greasers are basically punks.

What is the big difference between the Socs and the Greasers on the book The Outsiders?put it in your own words and thoughts.

To me, the major difference between these groups is in how society sees them.  They are both pretty similar, with teens who have problems and who often turn to violence and gangs to make themselves feel like they are wanted and cared for.

But the greasers are looked down on by much of society.  They are seen as the lowlife kids.  Meanwhile, the Socs are much more respected because they have money and important parents.  Things that they do do not seem like such a big deal to the community because there is this assumption that they are basically okay where the greasers are basically punks.

What are three reasons why "Night" is a good book for learning about the Holocaust?

There are many reasons why Night is a good book for learning about the Holocaust. For one thing, it was written by a concentration camp survivor, which gives it more credibility than a novel.

A second reason goes along with the first. Wiesel tells the story in such a way that it is like we are there beside him, experiencing everything he goes through. We learn what it was like to hear rumors about deportation, then being forced to live in a ghetto, and finally deportation, selection, and life in the camps.

Another reason why Night is a good resource for learning about the Holocaust is the way it is written. Wiesel is very graphic in telling readers what went on in the camps. We can feel his horror and mourn with him.

Night is an excellent, though painful, book to read.

Write about the differences between a Ewell, a Cunningham and a Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird.

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird one gets some insight
into the different social status of some of the families within the
story.

The Ewels represent uneducated poor disgusting and
trashy southerners.  Mr. Ewel is an alcoholic who rapes his own daughter and beats his
children.  He has no respect for the law until he needs to use it to his own advantage. 
Even in the courtroom he does not demonstrate respect for the attorneys and judge.  He
also does not value education or work. He is a dishonest and disrespectful
man.

The Cunninghams are also a poor family but the man has
dignity which he deomstrates by repaying his debt to Atticus through barter.  The
children attend school even if they have no money for shoes or decent things and even
food.  They have been taught to be respectful to adults.  Mr. Cunningham will not take
hand-outs and has a great deal of pride.

The Finch's are a
line of southerners who have the respect of the community.  They are
relatively hardworking honest people who have comfortable lifestyles and respect the
rights of other people.  They represent middle class America at the time of the book. 
Although there is a depression, they have food and a
housekeeper.

Write about the differences between a Ewell, a Cunningham and a Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird.

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird one gets some insight into the different social status of some of the families within the story.

The Ewels represent uneducated poor disgusting and trashy southerners.  Mr. Ewel is an alcoholic who rapes his own daughter and beats his children.  He has no respect for the law until he needs to use it to his own advantage.  Even in the courtroom he does not demonstrate respect for the attorneys and judge.  He also does not value education or work. He is a dishonest and disrespectful man.

The Cunninghams are also a poor family but the man has dignity which he deomstrates by repaying his debt to Atticus through barter.  The children attend school even if they have no money for shoes or decent things and even food.  They have been taught to be respectful to adults.  Mr. Cunningham will not take hand-outs and has a great deal of pride.

The Finch's are a line of southerners who have the respect of the community.  They are relatively hardworking honest people who have comfortable lifestyles and respect the rights of other people.  They represent middle class America at the time of the book.  Although there is a depression, they have food and a housekeeper.

What in your view are the major differences between L1 acquistion and L2 learning?language and linguistics

In my humble opinion, the major differences between L1
acquisition and L2 learning are:

1. Most people acquire
their mother tongues when they are children. Prior to puberty, anyway. At this time of
life, there are several physiological factors that make acquiring any knowledge easier,
but especially one's first language. Generally speaking, children's brains are like
sponges and information is soaked up much more readily than after they become adults.
Also, the bones of pre-pubescent children have not solidified in their final or adult
shapes. The bones of the jaw are some of these that are still not completely formed,
making it physically easier for a child to make new or unusial sounds over an
adult.

2. When one acquires L1, one is speaking the
lingua franca, or the same language that everyone else is speaking.
Thus, it is normal. There is nothing unusual about it, there is nothing that makes it in
any way a burden. Practicing the language is as easy as turning to anyone and simply
speaking. Learning new words is as easy as pointing and
asking.

This is unlike many people's experiences acquiring
an L2. Often, students acquire an L2 in a setting where most people do not speak that
language, making practice difficult. The necessity of learning the language is often
questioned and the more necessary it is to learn a new language, often the more
burdensome it feels. New vocabulary is sometimes difficult to acquire; one must make
sure that whoever is asked is one who has the correct knowledge. Often, if a word is
obscure, nobody seems to know.

3. When a child
mispronounces a word, it is normal--even cute. Not so for an adult. An adult is given
less grace when he or she mispronounces a word and is seldom considered cute for doing
so. If the child continues to mispronounce a word, his or her peers will make fun of the
child. The same is true to some degree with adults, as well, however, while this may be
a traumatic way to learn, it is less traumatic to be made fun of as a child than as an
adult.

What in your view are the major differences between L1 acquistion and L2 learning?language and linguistics

In my humble opinion, the major differences between L1 acquisition and L2 learning are:

1. Most people acquire their mother tongues when they are children. Prior to puberty, anyway. At this time of life, there are several physiological factors that make acquiring any knowledge easier, but especially one's first language. Generally speaking, children's brains are like sponges and information is soaked up much more readily than after they become adults. Also, the bones of pre-pubescent children have not solidified in their final or adult shapes. The bones of the jaw are some of these that are still not completely formed, making it physically easier for a child to make new or unusial sounds over an adult.

2. When one acquires L1, one is speaking the lingua franca, or the same language that everyone else is speaking. Thus, it is normal. There is nothing unusual about it, there is nothing that makes it in any way a burden. Practicing the language is as easy as turning to anyone and simply speaking. Learning new words is as easy as pointing and asking.

This is unlike many people's experiences acquiring an L2. Often, students acquire an L2 in a setting where most people do not speak that language, making practice difficult. The necessity of learning the language is often questioned and the more necessary it is to learn a new language, often the more burdensome it feels. New vocabulary is sometimes difficult to acquire; one must make sure that whoever is asked is one who has the correct knowledge. Often, if a word is obscure, nobody seems to know.

3. When a child mispronounces a word, it is normal--even cute. Not so for an adult. An adult is given less grace when he or she mispronounces a word and is seldom considered cute for doing so. If the child continues to mispronounce a word, his or her peers will make fun of the child. The same is true to some degree with adults, as well, however, while this may be a traumatic way to learn, it is less traumatic to be made fun of as a child than as an adult.