My question is about Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley in "Roman Fever". What value is there, if any, in such a competitive ''Friendship''?

Many relationships between friends have a competitive edge to them.  Think about it--two athletes, two beauty queens, to honor students--they are in friendly competition daily for the same position on the team, the same crown in a pageant, the grade point average which will land them the title of valedictorian.  These friendly competitions can encourage a higher level of performance and perhaps give the "prize" a bit more meaning and sense of accomplishment.

However, Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley would never choose to be friends or even acquaintances if given the option.  They have been forced into the relationship they have based on social position by marriage and traveling in the same circles.  They competed for the love of the same man which can never come to any good.  Resentment and bitterness are the only results one can expect from such a competition.  If in fact, the competition continues throughout their lives, Mrs. Slade most definitely loses with Mrs. Ansley's slam-dunk news.  Perhaps she revels in being the thorn under her "friend's" skin as often as she can.

Ironically, the women's daughters seem to genuinely be friends. 

What is the irony of "The Invalid's Story"?

The narrator of Twain's tale believes that the box he is transporting contains the body of an old friend that he is excorting home.  What he does not know is the the box containing the body was accidentally switched with a box of guns being shipped.  Also, a hobo had jumped into the boxcar and set a bag that contained Limburger cheese on top of the box and then left.  The cheese smells horrible, and both the narrator and the conductor attribute the smell to the body they believe is in the box.  They go through all kinds of outlandish ways to cover up the smell, including burning trash, but the heat from the fire only melted the cheese, making the train car stink even worse.  The narrator ends up getting very ill from sitting outside on the back of the train car in the cold to avoid the smell when all they had to do was investigate and throw out the bag containing the rotten cheese. 

What are the main arguments of Madison Jones's essay "A Good Man's Predicament," which deals with Flannery O'Connor's story "A Good Man Is Hard to...

In his essay “A Good Man’s Predicament,” Madison Jones
essentially takes issue with Flannery O’Connor’s own interpretation of the very end of
the story.  Jones offers a different interpretation and suggests that his own reading
may be truer to the actual phrasing of the story and to reality (at least as reality is
generally understood) than is O’Connor’s interpretation.  He implies that the two
interpretations may not be incompatible, but he suggests that if they
cannot be reconciled, then his interpretation makes better sense of
the story.

In an essay on “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,”
O’Connor herself had argued that God uses the grandmother to touch The Misfit, both
literally and figuratively.  This touch was a moment of grace – an opportunity for The
Misfit to transform his life spiritually, if only he would take advantage of the
opportunity.  By reaching out to The Misfit (O’Connor had argued), the grandmother truly
and finally lives her Christian faith:

readability="12">

The Grandmother is at last alone, facing the
Misfit.  Her head clears for an instant and she realizes. even in her limited way, that
she is responsible for the man before her and joined to him by ties of kinship which
have their roots deep in the mystery she has been merely prattling about so far.  And at
this point, she does the right thing, she makes the right
gesture.

The fact that the
grandmother was killed by The Misfit as a result of her gesture meant nothing to
O’Connor.  We are all destined to die, but the grandmother’s gesture had given a depth
of meaning to her life that it had hitherto lacked. Her dead body is ultimately
unimportant; her spiritual salvation is all that truly
matters.

Jones resists this Christian interpretation, or at
least he suggests that it is not the only one that makes sense of the story.  Instead,
he argues as follows:

readability="13">

Given the Misfit's image of himself, [the
grandmother's] words and her touching, blessing him, amount to intolerable insult, for
hereby she includes him among the world's family of vulgarians. One of her children, her
kind, indeed!

In other words,
The Misfit kills the grandmother not because God uses the grandmother as an instrument
of grace but because her touch violates his pride.  Jones leaves open the possibility
that The Misfit may perceive the grandmother as an instrument of
God, but he argues that there is no reason why readers must share that perception.  The
story, in other words, makes perfect sense from a secular perspective and using secular
psychology.  There is nothing, necessarily, miraculous about the grandmother’s gesture
or The Misfit’s response. The Misfit may even perceive the
grandmother as an instrument of God, but readers do not necessarily have to share this
perception in order to appreciate the story or find it
meaningful.

A critic of Jones’s interpretation might argue
that he fails to discuss various details in the end of the story that support O’Connor’s
reading (particularly our final view of the grandmother, “with her legs crossed under
her like a child's and her face smiling up at the cloudless sky”), but Jones’s reading,
as he himself suggests, may not necessarily conflict with
O’Connor’s.

What are the main arguments of Madison Jones's essay "A Good Man's Predicament," which deals with Flannery O'Connor's story "A Good Man Is Hard to...

In his essay “A Good Man’s Predicament,” Madison Jones essentially takes issue with Flannery O’Connor’s own interpretation of the very end of the story.  Jones offers a different interpretation and suggests that his own reading may be truer to the actual phrasing of the story and to reality (at least as reality is generally understood) than is O’Connor’s interpretation.  He implies that the two interpretations may not be incompatible, but he suggests that if they cannot be reconciled, then his interpretation makes better sense of the story.

In an essay on “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” O’Connor herself had argued that God uses the grandmother to touch The Misfit, both literally and figuratively.  This touch was a moment of grace – an opportunity for The Misfit to transform his life spiritually, if only he would take advantage of the opportunity.  By reaching out to The Misfit (O’Connor had argued), the grandmother truly and finally lives her Christian faith:

The Grandmother is at last alone, facing the Misfit.  Her head clears for an instant and she realizes. even in her limited way, that she is responsible for the man before her and joined to him by ties of kinship which have their roots deep in the mystery she has been merely prattling about so far.  And at this point, she does the right thing, she makes the right gesture.

The fact that the grandmother was killed by The Misfit as a result of her gesture meant nothing to O’Connor.  We are all destined to die, but the grandmother’s gesture had given a depth of meaning to her life that it had hitherto lacked. Her dead body is ultimately unimportant; her spiritual salvation is all that truly matters.

Jones resists this Christian interpretation, or at least he suggests that it is not the only one that makes sense of the story.  Instead, he argues as follows:

Given the Misfit's image of himself, [the grandmother's] words and her touching, blessing him, amount to intolerable insult, for hereby she includes him among the world's family of vulgarians. One of her children, her kind, indeed!

In other words, The Misfit kills the grandmother not because God uses the grandmother as an instrument of grace but because her touch violates his pride.  Jones leaves open the possibility that The Misfit may perceive the grandmother as an instrument of God, but he argues that there is no reason why readers must share that perception.  The story, in other words, makes perfect sense from a secular perspective and using secular psychology.  There is nothing, necessarily, miraculous about the grandmother’s gesture or The Misfit’s response. The Misfit may even perceive the grandmother as an instrument of God, but readers do not necessarily have to share this perception in order to appreciate the story or find it meaningful.

A critic of Jones’s interpretation might argue that he fails to discuss various details in the end of the story that support O’Connor’s reading (particularly our final view of the grandmother, “with her legs crossed under her like a child's and her face smiling up at the cloudless sky”), but Jones’s reading, as he himself suggests, may not necessarily conflict with O’Connor’s.

What is the translation of "witches mummy maw and gulf" in "Macbeth"?

The line is missing commas. It should read, "Witches' mummy, maw, and gulf." (Macbeth, 4.1.24). The line references the ingredients that the witches are adding to the pot in which they are making a rather gruesome potion for Macbeth. The "mummy," refers to mummia, an ingredient like glue used to preserve mummies. "Maw" is an opening through which food is taken. Here it refers to the opening of the stomach, "gulf." It is thought that Shakespeare created these horrible mixtures as a caraicature of Scottish cooking, particularly the delicacy, haggis. Haggis is a sheep or goat stomach stuffed with oatmeal and organ meats and then boiled.

When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer Read Walt Whitman’s poem below. What implications may it have, not just for this course, but for your...

If you are pursuing a master's degree, you are going to
have to learn a lot of information. Depending on your field, it may be mathematical
formulas, scientific data, a vast body of literature -- no matter. However, in this
poem, the poet acknowledges that sometimes one can suffer from information
overload.

readability="11">

When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in
columns before me;

When I was shown the charts and the
diagrams, to add, divide and measure
them;

When the poet considers
all of the "stuff" of learning, he becomes bored and goes outside and looks at the night
sky. Ah! He is instantly amazed, for in gazing at the sky, he is really learning. He is
not bored. He is soaking in a true appreciation of the world. He can learn more by
observing the real "learned astronomer" who is the creator of the
"perfect silence" of the stars. It is a mystical experience for
him.

So, like the poet, will the learning that you obtain
from your advanced degree enrich your life? It should. If not, it will merely be proofs,
figures, charts and diagrams.

When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer Read Walt Whitman’s poem below. What implications may it have, not just for this course, but for your...

If you are pursuing a master's degree, you are going to have to learn a lot of information. Depending on your field, it may be mathematical formulas, scientific data, a vast body of literature -- no matter. However, in this poem, the poet acknowledges that sometimes one can suffer from information overload.

When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me;

When I was shown the charts and the diagrams, to add, divide and measure them;

When the poet considers all of the "stuff" of learning, he becomes bored and goes outside and looks at the night sky. Ah! He is instantly amazed, for in gazing at the sky, he is really learning. He is not bored. He is soaking in a true appreciation of the world. He can learn more by observing the real "learned astronomer" who is the creator of the "perfect silence" of the stars. It is a mystical experience for him.

So, like the poet, will the learning that you obtain from your advanced degree enrich your life? It should. If not, it will merely be proofs, figures, charts and diagrams.

In Romeo and Juliet, who are three characters whose personality traits complement or contrast each others' personalities?I need THREE characters...

Tybalt, Mercutio, and Benvoliorepresent three diverse
points along a conitnuum. Tybalt is fiery and hot-blooded, with a short temper that is
prone to violence and confrontation. We see this in the opening fight scene and just
prior to the death of Mercutio. Benvolio, on the other hand, is at the opposite end of
this spectrum (as is Romeo, who might also be inserted here). He resists violence and
confrontation and seeks peace the vast majority of the time. In the opening fight scene
he resists engaging Tybalt as long as he possibly can and finally does fight only to
protect himself. In fact, Benvolio opens Act III by trying to avoid
confrontation:

readability="0">

I pray thee, good Mercutio, let's
retire:
The day is hot, the Capulets
abroad,
And, if we meet, we shall not scape a
brawl;
For now, these hot days, is the mad blood
stirring.

It is
Mercutio, then, who represents a kind of middle ground between Tybalt and Benvolio.
Mercutio fights when provoked and certainly doesn't shy away from engaging such
situations, but it is not Mercutio who actually starts the fight. Mercutio seems to
swing back and forth between the hot-headedness of Tybalt and Benvolio's desire for
peace. In fact, Mercutio's name comes from the word "mercurial," meaning
"characterized by rapid and unpredictable changeableness of mood;
a mercurial temper."

In Romeo and Juliet, who are three characters whose personality traits complement or contrast each others' personalities?I need THREE characters...

Tybalt, Mercutio, and Benvoliorepresent three diverse points along a conitnuum. Tybalt is fiery and hot-blooded, with a short temper that is prone to violence and confrontation. We see this in the opening fight scene and just prior to the death of Mercutio. Benvolio, on the other hand, is at the opposite end of this spectrum (as is Romeo, who might also be inserted here). He resists violence and confrontation and seeks peace the vast majority of the time. In the opening fight scene he resists engaging Tybalt as long as he possibly can and finally does fight only to protect himself. In fact, Benvolio opens Act III by trying to avoid confrontation:

I pray thee, good Mercutio, let's retire:
The day is hot, the Capulets abroad,
And, if we meet, we shall not scape a brawl;
For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.

It is Mercutio, then, who represents a kind of middle ground between Tybalt and Benvolio. Mercutio fights when provoked and certainly doesn't shy away from engaging such situations, but it is not Mercutio who actually starts the fight. Mercutio seems to swing back and forth between the hot-headedness of Tybalt and Benvolio's desire for peace. In fact, Mercutio's name comes from the word "mercurial," meaning "characterized by rapid and unpredictable changeableness of mood; a mercurial temper."

"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” was written during the modernist literary movement. What lines show influence of a modernist society? Or...

T.S.Eliot's "The Love Song of Alfred J.Prufrock" (1915) is certainly a 'Modernist' poem. Some of the important features of modernist writing are as follows:

1.  The poem is a  detailed  record of the random thoughts -subjective consciouness-represented just as they are going on in the mind of  Prufrock.

2. Modernist writers were influenced by Freud's psychoanalytical method   by which a person was able to speak freely to release all  his repressed emotions just like Prufrock in the poem: "To spit out all the butt ends of my days and /ways?"

3. The poets used avant garde methods like the 'Stream of Consciousness' technique to faithfully portray the complex ways in which the mind works-psychologically by association rather than logically.

4. This resulted in their characters having multiple personalities like Prufrock who is both the speaker and the listener in the poem.

5. The modernist writers were influenced by contemporary artistic movements like 'Collage.' The poem is a mosaic of quotations from Dante, Shakespeare and the Holy Bible.

6.  Eliot, like other modernist writers, deals with chronological (past,present and future),  historical and most importantly subjective time.

7. Pessimism and  loneliness: The entire poem is a desperate attempt by Prufock to relate to another human being.

8.  The poem is dedicated to his friend who died in the 1st World War.

What is the purpose of Jordan Baker in "The Great Gatsby"? I'm doing an essay on the presentation of women in The Great Gatsby, and I can't decide...

You've named a number of Jordan's purposes. I'm going to add another one. In a small way, she is like Gatsby. She cheated to be who she is, and so does he. This tells us a huge amount about Nick, and that's one of her purposes. Nick comes off as a nice guy and even a fundamentally honest guy most of the time. However, if you look at his willingness to be friends with Gatsby, and to be involved with Jordan Baker, who is also dishonest, you start getting a sense that his interior character is flawed—is attracted to the dark and dishonest, if you will. Jordan shows that more clearly than Gatsby, in part because Nick is willing to get mad at her.

I just need to make sure one thing, communism is related to 'after the bomb' because communism was spreading rapidly after the cold war.So it would...

Communism became a worldwide phenomenon in the late 19th
century.  Anyone interested in philosophy during this period took a long, hard look at
the idealism of communism.  In the early 20th century, communist powers took control of
Russia and surrounding countries (changing the name to the Soviet Union).  China and
Cuba were taken over by communist factions afterwords.  In the middle to late 20th
century, communist nations were aiding communist factions in taking over countries such
as Korea, Veitnam, Afghanistan, the Balkans, and some other places.  This was viewed as
a threat to the nations of the West.

The Cold War is a
concept referring to the building of two nations with large-scale nuclear capability. 
The Unitied States stated that communism is evil.  Communism is, by nature,
anti-capitalist.  This is where the bad blood starts.  At its heart, communism is a
system that is supposed to help the common people that capitalism theoretically
alienates.  In a capitalist society, there is a percentage of people who have most of
the moeny; communism was supposed to rectify that.  However, the leaders that arose in
communist nations seemed to use the ideals of communism to rally support for their more
selfish motives.

For those who did not live during the time
of The Cold War, it can be equated somewhat to the way that people in the United States
look at Muslims as being dangerous.  There are some bad people associated with the
Muslim faith, taking its tenets a bit too far.  The difference, though, is that there
were a couple of very large nations with governments possessing large armies that were
seen as "the bad guys" instead of small radical groups.  It was a frightening time, a
time in which everyone thought the world could end at any
moment.

I hope this helps with your
question.

I just need to make sure one thing, communism is related to 'after the bomb' because communism was spreading rapidly after the cold war.So it would...

Communism became a worldwide phenomenon in the late 19th century.  Anyone interested in philosophy during this period took a long, hard look at the idealism of communism.  In the early 20th century, communist powers took control of Russia and surrounding countries (changing the name to the Soviet Union).  China and Cuba were taken over by communist factions afterwords.  In the middle to late 20th century, communist nations were aiding communist factions in taking over countries such as Korea, Veitnam, Afghanistan, the Balkans, and some other places.  This was viewed as a threat to the nations of the West.

The Cold War is a concept referring to the building of two nations with large-scale nuclear capability.  The Unitied States stated that communism is evil.  Communism is, by nature, anti-capitalist.  This is where the bad blood starts.  At its heart, communism is a system that is supposed to help the common people that capitalism theoretically alienates.  In a capitalist society, there is a percentage of people who have most of the moeny; communism was supposed to rectify that.  However, the leaders that arose in communist nations seemed to use the ideals of communism to rally support for their more selfish motives.

For those who did not live during the time of The Cold War, it can be equated somewhat to the way that people in the United States look at Muslims as being dangerous.  There are some bad people associated with the Muslim faith, taking its tenets a bit too far.  The difference, though, is that there were a couple of very large nations with governments possessing large armies that were seen as "the bad guys" instead of small radical groups.  It was a frightening time, a time in which everyone thought the world could end at any moment.

I hope this helps with your question.

What literary elements are employed in MArk Twain's Lowest Animal? Is satire one of them.For example whats the theme and is irony used.

Absolutely!  Satire was one of Twain's most successful weapons.  Satire is poking fun of something, but the result is not always a "ha-ha!" effect.  More often than not, the result is a "oh! he's right...now what do we do about it?" effect.  Twain wanted people to notice the dark side of human nature and while laughing at our weaknesses, continually attempting to improve the world.

In this essay, Twain compares humans to all other animals.  He focuses on our faults and traits that other animals don't have.  For instance, greed, vanity, cruelty for the sake of being cruel, jealousy, etc.

One of the most famous quotes from this piece is:

Indecency, vulgarity, obscenity—these are strictly confined to man; he invented them. Among the higher animals there is no trace of them. They hide nothing; they are not ashamed. Man, with his soiled mind, covers himself. He will not even enter a drawing room with his breast and back naked, so alive are he and his mates to indecent suggestion. Man is “The Animal That Laughs.” But so does the monkey, as Mr. Darwin pointed out; and so does the Australian bird that is called the laughing jackass. No—Man is the Animal that Blushes. He is the only one that does it—or has occasion to.

At first glance, it seems harsh, but upon further examination, we realize Twain is right.  We are all these things.  How can we fix it?

Irony and satire are rampant in this piece.  Go back and find your examples.

What are the main events in "Romeo and Juliet" and what time did each happen?

Day One:  Dawn.  The servants of the families fight.  The Prince warns punishment.  Romeo complains about Rosaline.

Mid-day.  Juliet's mother tells her that Paris would like to marry her.

Evening.  Romeo and friends gather, then go to the Capulet party.  Romeo and Juliet meet.

Late Night.  Romeo breaks into Juliet's garden.  The lovers agree to marry.

Day Two:  Dawn.  Romeo goes to Friar Lawrence to plan wedding. 

Mid-morning.  Mercutio and Benvolio makes jokes with the Nurse.

Noon.  Juliet is told by the Nurse of the arrangements.

Afternoon.  Juliet and Romeo are married.

Later Afternoon.  Tybalt meets Romeo tries to fight him.  Romeo resists.  Mercutio takes up the fight and is killed.  Romeo kills Tybalt.  Shortly after, Juliet is told, and she bids that Romeo come to her that night.

Evening.  Romeo fiinds out he's been banished.  Capulet decides that Juliet will marry Paris.

Day Three: Dawn.  Romeo and Juliet say goodbye in Juliet's room.  Juliet is told of Paris.

Mid-Day.  The Friar helps Juliet make up the plan to fake her death.

Late Day. Juliet takes potion.

Day Four: 3 am. Juliet's body is found.

Mid-Day.  Romeo learns Juliet is dead.  Gets Poison

Night.  Romeo kills Paris, kills himself, and Juliet awakes and kills herself.  Bodies are found by the families.

Comment on the use of supernatural elements in Macbeth.

I have to divide the post in two parts for its
length.

Part
1:

In the play Macbeth,
the supernatural elements primarily include the “weird sisters” and their gang. These
elements are used to pave way to show Macbeth the path of his ultimate
downfall.

The three witches instigate Macbeth's inner
ambition and greed by luring him. And this they do through their so-called prophecies.
The predictions of the witches and the apparitions are nothing but equivocations in the
name of prophecies. The witches, at first, tell Macbeth that he would be the Thane of
Cawdor and the King of Scotland soon. This is not something extra-supernatural they do,
since, it is a matter of common-sense that, Macbeth, if he would have fought
courageously and shown his man-of-the-battle attitude, he would definitely get rewarded,
and if he continues to go after his ambition, would be the king possibly. Later, the
apparitions prophesy that the no human born of women can kill Macbeth ever, and he would
not be killed unless Birnam wood would come closer to his fort. The first prophecy is a
lie in a sense that, Macduff, who is born of his dead mother's body via surgery, kills
him. The second one is an equivocation also, since, though Birnam Wood does not come
closer, yet the soldiers of the opposition hide them under the leaves of the forest, and
this makes him think as if the forest itself is moving towards him, and he loses all his
hope and courage to fight further. It is clear hence that, what the prophecies told was
half-truth to destroy Macbeth. Ambiguity they create in
Macbeth's mind throughout the whole play. Ambiguity, or conflict between appearance and
reality, is one of the key themes in this tragedy. The witches just equivocate in a
dubious way; implying that, lie in a way which seems apparently true. And this they do
solely to win his trust and make him a devil like them.

The
witches know that, Macbeth is an ambitious man who just needs a spur in order to rouse
his ambition and let it develop fully to achieve his end. They show him what he wanted
to see. They tell him what he wanted to hear. Their prophecy awakens his inner demon and
instigates his voracity. Macbeth is thus deceived. He is told that no human born of
woman can kill him; neither would he be killed till the Birnam Wood come close to his
fort. Later, when he finds that the Birnam Wood does not come nearer, rather soldiers
hiding themselves under leaves come closer, and Macduff is found to be born out of
surgery probably because of his mother's illness or death, he understands clearly that,
he has been deceived by the witches' dubious prophecy. In act 5, scene
7, disillusioned Macbeth tells to Macdufff: "Accursed be
that tongue... / That palter with us in a double sense, / That keep the word of promise
to our ear/ And break it to our hope." So, it is clear that, the witches
prophesies contributes to influence and instigate him towards evil deed.

In fact, Lady Macbeth's greed and cruelty
increases more once she is aware of the witches' prophetic
statements.

Comment on the use of supernatural elements in Macbeth.

I have to divide the post in two parts for its length.

Part 1:

In the play Macbeth, the supernatural elements primarily include the “weird sisters” and their gang. These elements are used to pave way to show Macbeth the path of his ultimate downfall.

The three witches instigate Macbeth's inner ambition and greed by luring him. And this they do through their so-called prophecies. The predictions of the witches and the apparitions are nothing but equivocations in the name of prophecies. The witches, at first, tell Macbeth that he would be the Thane of Cawdor and the King of Scotland soon. This is not something extra-supernatural they do, since, it is a matter of common-sense that, Macbeth, if he would have fought courageously and shown his man-of-the-battle attitude, he would definitely get rewarded, and if he continues to go after his ambition, would be the king possibly. Later, the apparitions prophesy that the no human born of women can kill Macbeth ever, and he would not be killed unless Birnam wood would come closer to his fort. The first prophecy is a lie in a sense that, Macduff, who is born of his dead mother's body via surgery, kills him. The second one is an equivocation also, since, though Birnam Wood does not come closer, yet the soldiers of the opposition hide them under the leaves of the forest, and this makes him think as if the forest itself is moving towards him, and he loses all his hope and courage to fight further. It is clear hence that, what the prophecies told was half-truth to destroy Macbeth. Ambiguity they create in Macbeth's mind throughout the whole play. Ambiguity, or conflict between appearance and reality, is one of the key themes in this tragedy. The witches just equivocate in a dubious way; implying that, lie in a way which seems apparently true. And this they do solely to win his trust and make him a devil like them.

The witches know that, Macbeth is an ambitious man who just needs a spur in order to rouse his ambition and let it develop fully to achieve his end. They show him what he wanted to see. They tell him what he wanted to hear. Their prophecy awakens his inner demon and instigates his voracity. Macbeth is thus deceived. He is told that no human born of woman can kill him; neither would he be killed till the Birnam Wood come close to his fort. Later, when he finds that the Birnam Wood does not come nearer, rather soldiers hiding themselves under leaves come closer, and Macduff is found to be born out of surgery probably because of his mother's illness or death, he understands clearly that, he has been deceived by the witches' dubious prophecy. In act 5, scene 7, disillusioned Macbeth tells to Macdufff: "Accursed be that tongue... / That palter with us in a double sense, / That keep the word of promise to our ear/ And break it to our hope." So, it is clear that, the witches prophesies contributes to influence and instigate him towards evil deed.

In fact, Lady Macbeth's greed and cruelty increases more once she is aware of the witches' prophetic statements.

You find a puddle of a clear liquid on your drive way. it is either water, vinegar, or battery acid from the car.How can you safely test (other...

If it is a question relating to chemistry, perhaps it
assumes ready availability of some chemicals or facilities of testing. Bur if it is a
question from common everyday life, I will try to make out the substance from its smell.
While water will have no smell, vinegar will have a very distinct smell. Acid will have
some kind of acrid smell which I may not recognize very clearly. If some how or the
other I had a means of knowing that is is only one of these three options the smell test
will be good enough to identify the liquid clearly. But If I do not have these three
possible options, things will be more difficult.

But then I
will not just stop with the smell test. I will also try to find the source from which
the liquid in the puddle has come. Once possible sources have been identified, I will
match the smell of liquid in puddle with that in suspected source. If this matches, it
will be a confirmation of the original smell test.

You find a puddle of a clear liquid on your drive way. it is either water, vinegar, or battery acid from the car.How can you safely test (other...

If it is a question relating to chemistry, perhaps it assumes ready availability of some chemicals or facilities of testing. Bur if it is a question from common everyday life, I will try to make out the substance from its smell. While water will have no smell, vinegar will have a very distinct smell. Acid will have some kind of acrid smell which I may not recognize very clearly. If some how or the other I had a means of knowing that is is only one of these three options the smell test will be good enough to identify the liquid clearly. But If I do not have these three possible options, things will be more difficult.

But then I will not just stop with the smell test. I will also try to find the source from which the liquid in the puddle has come. Once possible sources have been identified, I will match the smell of liquid in puddle with that in suspected source. If this matches, it will be a confirmation of the original smell test.

What smelled like perfume to Montag in Fahrenheit 451?

Montag is a fireman, i.e. "book burner."  His job is to extinguish any and all published works which may antagonize the masses and cause unrest.  In a nutshell, any dissenting or contrary ideas must be eradicated.  As Montag and his neighbor, Clarisse, are conversing, she mentions she does not like the odor of kerosene.  It is a defining smell, and Montag describes it as perfume--something that is so much a part of him that he can not ever completely rid himself of the stench of it.  Early on in the book, Montag considers it "perfume" as he is intoxicated with his job.  He enjoys it and is a dedicated destroyer of ideas.  Clarisse opens his eyes, however.  He soon learns to despise his work, and begins taking books from the houses he is sent to burn down.  He even goes so far as to plant books in a fellow fireman's house on his way out of town. 

How does Scout know that Tom has not been acquitted even before the jury reports in "To Kill a Mockingbird"?

As Scout is waiting with the people gathered in the courthouse for the jury to finish its deliberations, she experiences an "impression...creeping into (her)...not unlike...winter...and (she) shiver(s), though the night (is) hot".  Although Jem is ebullient, confident that, on the basis of the evidence presented, Tom will be acquitted, Scout senses an atmosphere in the courtroom that is "exactly the same as a cold February morning, when the mockingbirds (are) still...deserted, waiting, empty...(even though) the courtroom (is) packed with people".  Scout's dismal feelings of foreboding are confirmed for her when the jury walks in and "not one of them (looks) at Tom Robinson".  As her father's daughter, Scout understands something that only "a lawyer's child could be expected to see...(that) a jury never looks at a defendant it has convicted".  When the members of the panel call out "guilty" one by one, Jem is shocked and devastated at the inexplicable injustice of the verdict, but for Scout, it is only a validation of something she already knew was coming (Chapter 21).

Describe the relationship that exists between Ruth and Walter at the beginning of "A Raisin in the Sun". How does it change as the play grows?

Ruth is very concerned about her relationship with Walter at the beginning of the play. She says to Mama that they had lost something and she doesn't know what to do about it. From his perspective, Walter is surrounded by females who never listen to him. They don't care about his dreams. Ruth will not take Walter's side about buying a liquor store with the life insurance money and she blames him for Travis not having a descent place to sleep. Mama is the head of the house and Walter has little say in family matters. The problems are intensifies when Ruth learns she's pregnant and realizes there will be no place for the baby in the small apartment she shares with Walter, Travis, Beneatha, and Mama. She is considering having an abortion, but Walter won't even stop to listen to her tell him she's pregnant. However, after Mama gives Walter the money from the life insurance that's left over from the down payment on the house, Ruth is relieved. She can have the baby and it will have a place to live. Then, Linder arrives and makes his offer to pay the Youngers not to move. When Walter first accepts the offer, Ruth is extremely disappointed. Eventually, Walter does reject Linder's offer, largely because he cannot be weak in front of his son. Mama says that Walter, "came into his manhood today." Even though he lost most of the money, he is now head of the family and will be able to take more responsibility, including paying attention to his wife and family.

What is the theme of "Thank You, Ma'am?"

To me, the theme of this story is that people can be
transformed by love and trust more than they can be transformed by fear and
punishment.

In the story, Roger is a thief.  But when he
meets up with Mrs. Jones, his life is changed because she catches
him.

But she does not call the police or tell his parents
or anything.  Instead, she treats him well and shows that she trusts
him.

This works, in my opinion, because people often behave
the way they are expected to behave.  That is the theme of the story in my opinion --
the idea that if you trust someone and treat them well, you can change their
life.

What is the theme of "Thank You, Ma'am?"

To me, the theme of this story is that people can be transformed by love and trust more than they can be transformed by fear and punishment.

In the story, Roger is a thief.  But when he meets up with Mrs. Jones, his life is changed because she catches him.

But she does not call the police or tell his parents or anything.  Instead, she treats him well and shows that she trusts him.

This works, in my opinion, because people often behave the way they are expected to behave.  That is the theme of the story in my opinion -- the idea that if you trust someone and treat them well, you can change their life.

When Daisy tells Nick, "Sophisticated--- God, i'm sophisticated" how is she hoping to be viewed? Why does Nick recognize a "basic insincerity?"

I think that when Daisy says this to Nick (in Chapter 1),
she is trying to convince Nick that she is happy and in a good place in her life.  She
wants him to think that her life has turned out well.

Nick
does not tell us what it is that makes him think that she is not telling the truth.  He
says he just can tell from the point that "her voice broke off" that she is not being
sincere.

To me, it would be pretty weird to say to someone
that you are really sophisticated.  It seems like one of those things that you let
people notice for themselves.  So I think maybe he realizes she's insincere because she
feels the need to say that.  It's like someone telling you how smart they are or how
good at sports -- it seems like a cover up for their real
feelings.

When Daisy tells Nick, "Sophisticated--- God, i'm sophisticated" how is she hoping to be viewed? Why does Nick recognize a "basic insincerity?"

I think that when Daisy says this to Nick (in Chapter 1), she is trying to convince Nick that she is happy and in a good place in her life.  She wants him to think that her life has turned out well.

Nick does not tell us what it is that makes him think that she is not telling the truth.  He says he just can tell from the point that "her voice broke off" that she is not being sincere.

To me, it would be pretty weird to say to someone that you are really sophisticated.  It seems like one of those things that you let people notice for themselves.  So I think maybe he realizes she's insincere because she feels the need to say that.  It's like someone telling you how smart they are or how good at sports -- it seems like a cover up for their real feelings.

In Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, consider Huck's understanding of "Providence" in Chapter 32 and explain whether Miss Watson...

In Chapter 32 of Mark Twain's The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn, Huck arrives at the Phelps' farm and
notes:

I went
right along, not fixing up any particular plan, but just trusting to Providence to put
the right words in my mouth when the time come; for I'd noticed that Providence always
did put the right words in my mouth if I left it
alone.

In this quote, it
seems that Huck is relying on "Providence," or God, to work things out for him with the
Phelps as he attempts to free Jim.

In Chapter Three, Huck
reflects upon "Providence," comparing the widow's version and Miss Watson's
version:

readability="14">

Sometimes the widow would take me one side and
talk about Providence in a way to make a body’s mouth water; but maybe next day Miss
Watson would take hold and knock it all down again. I judged I could see that there was
two Providences, and a poor chap would stand considerable show with the widow’s
Providence, but if Miss Watson’s got him there warn’t no help for him any more. I
thought it all out, and reckoned I would belong to the widow’s if he wanted me, though I
couldn’t make out how he was a-going to be any better off then than what he was before,
seeing I was so ignorant, and so kind of low-down and
ornery.

While the widow is
more charitable where God is concerned, Miss Watson (her sister) is focused more on a
"fire and brimstone" version of God. Miss Watson puts on a great show of acting like a
Christian woman, but she is never able to make Huck want to have any part of religion
because Huck is never led to believe (based on her perceptions of religion) that he is
worthwhile in the sight of God. He cannot see how someone as "ignorant" and "low-down
and ornery" as he would do well with Miss Watson's version of
"Providence."

readability="5">

[Miss Watson] represents a view of Christianity
that is severe and
unforgiving. 

Ironically, the
widow seems to have a kinder understanding of "Providence." Huck believes that the
widow...

readability="5">

...represents all that is good and decent to
him. 

On his own, Huck leans
toward seeing Providence as a kindly power, as long as Huck does not try to cook up some
kind of plan, but instead has faith and lets "Providence" work things
out.

For all of Miss Watson's holy talk, she does not grasp
the concept of true Christian charity. Miss Watson struggled with the harmless trouble
Huck found himself in at the Widow Douglas' home. With this said, there is little doubt
that Miss Watson would have no sympathy or understanding if she knew that Huck planned
to free Jim—especially in that Jim is not only a slave, but her
runaway slave! It seems safer to assume that while the Widow Douglas might not be
thrilled with Huck's actions in that what he is doing is socially
wrong, she would at least be able to understand his motivation—his heartfelt desire to
see Jim free and happy. 

Huck's sense
of "Providence" is that of a kind and reliable spiritual power. Miss Watson's view is
that "Providence" is an angry, vengeful God. If she knew what Huck was planning, she
would believe her righteous indignation at Huck's behavior to be justified. Miss Watson
would not agree with Huck's understanding of
"Providence."

In Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, consider Huck's understanding of "Providence" in Chapter 32 and explain whether Miss Watson...

In Chapter 32 of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck arrives at the Phelps' farm and notes:

I went right along, not fixing up any particular plan, but just trusting to Providence to put the right words in my mouth when the time come; for I'd noticed that Providence always did put the right words in my mouth if I left it alone.

In this quote, it seems that Huck is relying on "Providence," or God, to work things out for him with the Phelps as he attempts to free Jim.

In Chapter Three, Huck reflects upon "Providence," comparing the widow's version and Miss Watson's version:

Sometimes the widow would take me one side and talk about Providence in a way to make a body’s mouth water; but maybe next day Miss Watson would take hold and knock it all down again. I judged I could see that there was two Providences, and a poor chap would stand considerable show with the widow’s Providence, but if Miss Watson’s got him there warn’t no help for him any more. I thought it all out, and reckoned I would belong to the widow’s if he wanted me, though I couldn’t make out how he was a-going to be any better off then than what he was before, seeing I was so ignorant, and so kind of low-down and ornery.

While the widow is more charitable where God is concerned, Miss Watson (her sister) is focused more on a "fire and brimstone" version of God. Miss Watson puts on a great show of acting like a Christian woman, but she is never able to make Huck want to have any part of religion because Huck is never led to believe (based on her perceptions of religion) that he is worthwhile in the sight of God. He cannot see how someone as "ignorant" and "low-down and ornery" as he would do well with Miss Watson's version of "Providence."

[Miss Watson] represents a view of Christianity that is severe and unforgiving. 

Ironically, the widow seems to have a kinder understanding of "Providence." Huck believes that the widow...

...represents all that is good and decent to him. 

On his own, Huck leans toward seeing Providence as a kindly power, as long as Huck does not try to cook up some kind of plan, but instead has faith and lets "Providence" work things out.

For all of Miss Watson's holy talk, she does not grasp the concept of true Christian charity. Miss Watson struggled with the harmless trouble Huck found himself in at the Widow Douglas' home. With this said, there is little doubt that Miss Watson would have no sympathy or understanding if she knew that Huck planned to free Jim—especially in that Jim is not only a slave, but her runaway slave! It seems safer to assume that while the Widow Douglas might not be thrilled with Huck's actions in that what he is doing is socially wrong, she would at least be able to understand his motivation—his heartfelt desire to see Jim free and happy. 

Huck's sense of "Providence" is that of a kind and reliable spiritual power. Miss Watson's view is that "Providence" is an angry, vengeful God. If she knew what Huck was planning, she would believe her righteous indignation at Huck's behavior to be justified. Miss Watson would not agree with Huck's understanding of "Providence."

What advice is Faber offering Montag when he says "If you hide your ignorance, no one will hit you and you'll never learn?"

Faber says this to Montag through the two-way earpiece.  Montag has just read the poem, "Dover Beach", to Mildred and her two friends.  One of the friends started to cry so Montag says that maybe he's wrong and books really do make people unhappy.  Montag says maybe it would be a mistake to try to bring down the system as he and Faber have planned.  Faber tells him that a person learns by making mistakes.  He says that when someone makes a mistake, that person is figuratively hit by people who don't like the mistake.  He goes on to say that the person who made the mistake learns to avoid making that mistake again in an effort not to get "hit" again.  Furthermore, Faber says that a person's skills become sharpened through repeated attempts and repeated efforts to avoid being "hit".  He says to hide one's ignorance just to avoid trying something and possibly making a mistke, keeps one from learning.  In other words, Faber says we learn by making mistakes.

"The Cask of Amontillado" is told in the first person. How does this help to heighten the effect of horror that Poe wishes to produce?

By writing in the first person, Poe allows the reader to be inside Montressor's thoughts and witness firsthand the inner mind of a murderer.  Probably the most significant element is the reason Montressor gives for killing Fortunato-- an "insult".  Because Montressor does not elaborate, the reader never does find out the nature of this "insult"; however, given the fact that Fortunato willingly goes to the catacombs with Montressor, it couldn't have been very significant in Fortunato's mind.  If the insult was as petty as "I don't like your taste in wine", it becomes all the more horrific that Montressor would resort to murder for something like that.  If one insult could set him on the path to murder, it might leave the reader wondering if he ever repeated the crime for some other "insult". 

Why is the title To Kill a Mockingbird full of significance and who is the mocking bird?

Many characters within the book are 'Mockingbirds' (Although the main one is Tom Robinson). The mockingbird was supposed to represent inosence and the title also refers to Atticus' quote ".....remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

If you reword the quote

".....remember it's a sin to kill an inocent man"

Mockingbird = Tom Robinson = Inocent man

The entire quote gives away the story plot if looked at carefully. 

"Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember, it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

The bluejay represents the bad people (eg. Bob Ewell) and how he didn't get caught for the crime he obviously commited.

The entire quote reworded:

"Arrest all the bad people you want, if you can CATCH them, but remember, it's a sin to kill and inocent man."

What role has Abigail Williams been playing in the proceedings?

You do not tell us what point in the proceedings your
question refers to, so I will just talk about her role in
general.

In some ways, Abigail Williams is driving the
whole witch hunt.  Without her, I imagine that there would be much less in the way of
trials.

I say this because Abby is the leader of the girls
who are at the center of the trials.  They follow her lead in claiming to see spirits,
etc.  The best example of this is when Mary Warren comes to claim that the girls have
been faking it.  Abby starts to talk about seeing a "bird" and all the girls go along
with her.

What role has Abigail Williams been playing in the proceedings?

You do not tell us what point in the proceedings your question refers to, so I will just talk about her role in general.

In some ways, Abigail Williams is driving the whole witch hunt.  Without her, I imagine that there would be much less in the way of trials.

I say this because Abby is the leader of the girls who are at the center of the trials.  They follow her lead in claiming to see spirits, etc.  The best example of this is when Mary Warren comes to claim that the girls have been faking it.  Abby starts to talk about seeing a "bird" and all the girls go along with her.

How is the theme of loyalty portrayed throughout the book Lord of the Flies?

Consider this quote from the novel:  "Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy."

The "true, wise friend" brings to light the theme of loyalty.  Piggy is loyal to Ralph and believes in him.  He stands up for Ralph when Jack challenges Ralph's leadership, and he encourages the others to stay true their elected leader. 

Likewise, Sam'n'Eric and Simon are loyal to Ralph.  They can see the danger of it - at least Sam'n'Eric can - but remain with him when the others have deserted.  They are influenced by their fear of Jack, but are more swayed in their loyalty to the boy they feel is the rightful leader.

Similarly, Jack's boys are loyal to him.  His road to power came from the group of choir boys that transferred their loyalty from school to the island.  Those boys were never loyal to Ralph.  They accepted his leadership because Jack did.  When Jack rebels, they follow. 

Golding portrays the positive and negative of loyalty through the two 'leaders'.  In the case of Jack, continued loyalty led to corruption of the spirit, becoming murderers.  In the case of Ralph, continued loyalty showed courage and conviction.  As with most human traits, the results can tend towards good or evil.

How many ships does Odysseus start with when he leaves Troy?

Odysseus left Troy with twelve ships. This was seen during his conversation with Alcinous when Odysseus told his story about his travel after the war at Troy. Odysseus begins by telling Alcinous about his encounters with Calypso and Circe, goddesses who wanted marriage but whom he resisted. He then tells him of his voyage from Troy to Ismarus, city of Cicons, where they plundered the town until they were repulsed. They proceeded with their journey, but Zeus punished them by setting them off course. They instead arrived at the land of the Lotus eaters, then at the land of the Cyclopes. It is at the land of the Cyclopes that the number of ships is explicitly mentioned. This happened when Odysseus and his men went hunting wild goats, bringing back nine goats for each of his eleven ships except for his, which got ten goats, bringing the total number of ships on his voyage to twelve.

“Heaven sent us excellent sport; I had twelve ships with me, and each ship got nine goats.”

Who received a new gown from Croiriers in Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"?

The receiver of the gown is a minor character in a yellow dress named Lucille, who is a guest at Gatsby's party in Chapter 3.  The ladies are gossiping about Gatsby and his opulent celebrations, and Lucille recalls that at his last gathering she tore her gown on a chair. Gatsby asked her name and address, and within a week sent a new evening gown from Croirier's as a replacement.  The gown was exquisite - "gas blue with lavender beads...two hundred and sixty-five dollars".  Lucille's companion observes that "there's something funny about a fellow that'll do a thing like that...he doesn't want any trouble with anybody", and the conversation turns to rumors about Gatsby's supposedly shady past.

Given the Keynesian consumption function, how would a cut in income tax rates affect consumption? Explain your answer.

A cut in income tax rates would be one part of a classic
Keynesian fiscal policy approach to combatting a
recession.

Keynesians emphasize the importance of aggregate
demand in macroeconomics.  That means that, to them, an income tax cut is important
because it will increase aggregate demand.

It will do this
by increasing consumption.  A tax cut will give people a higher disposable income.  By
definition, looking at the equation for the consumption function, an increase in
disposable income makes for an increase in
consumption.

This is because C = a + c Yd
where

a is autonomous spending, c is mpc and Yd is
discretionary income.

If Yd goes up and everything else is
constant, C (consumption) must go up as well.

Given the Keynesian consumption function, how would a cut in income tax rates affect consumption? Explain your answer.

A cut in income tax rates would be one part of a classic Keynesian fiscal policy approach to combatting a recession.

Keynesians emphasize the importance of aggregate demand in macroeconomics.  That means that, to them, an income tax cut is important because it will increase aggregate demand.

It will do this by increasing consumption.  A tax cut will give people a higher disposable income.  By definition, looking at the equation for the consumption function, an increase in disposable income makes for an increase in consumption.

This is because C = a + c Yd where

a is autonomous spending, c is mpc and Yd is discretionary income.

If Yd goes up and everything else is constant, C (consumption) must go up as well.

Describe the inner personal conflict John Proctor faces in the novel, "The Crucible." this question belongs to act one (pg34-pg35) in penguin book

When we meet John Proctor in Act one, he has already been involved with Abigail Williams, the girl he and his wife hired to help out around the house.  Elizabeth Proctor found out about the fling and together she and John fired Abigail and sent her home.  John's inner conflicts deal with his guilt for having cheated on Elizabeth and lusting after Abigail.  He is dealing with the pain he has caused his wife, and also with her attempts to trust him completely again.  The dinner scene in Act II scene 1 is full of the tension of two people who have hurt each other or failed each other and their attempts to pretend that everything is OK. John is obviously trying to put the whole event behind him as is clear in Act I where he rejects Abigail's advances and any idea of a further relationship with this girl.  Elizabeth, while very polite, still accuses and prods and questions. 

In chapter 4 of "Lord of the Flies", when Ralph is mad at Jack for letting the fire go out, Simon says that he is afraid. Why is he afraid?

Simon does not say that he is afraid, the narration says that he "...looked now, from Ralph to Jack, ..., and what he say made him afraid."  Simon is the first one in the story to realize that the biggest fear the boys have is of their inner savagery.  He realizes it is no outside beast who will bring them down; it is themselves that will bring them down.  He sees the anger on Ralph's face and the brutality on Jack's painted face.  He seems to sense that these two boys represent the opposing forces on the island and that the brutal, savage force (Jack) will win.  Jack has painted his face for the first time, giving him a mask to hide behind as much as a mask to hide him from the pig. Simon has a good sense of right and justice, which is why he gives his portion of meat to Piggy at the end of the chapter.  This sense of right tells him that Ralph is right regarding the need for fire, but it also tells him that the boys are beginning to fall apart; that the savage force is beginning to take over.  He especially sees that in Jack, though he also understands the need for food that Jack provides.

Describe the event that touched off the Watergate scandal and explain the White House's reaction to it.u.s history

Watergate was one of the biggest ever political scandals
in United States.  It included various illegal activities that helped President Richard
Nixon in presidential election of 1972. This scandal was particularly serious because it
represented attack on free and open elections, which is one of the main supporting
pillar of a democracy.

The illegal acts of Watergate
scandal involved burglary, telephone tapping, violations of campaign financing laws, use
of government agencies to harm political opponents. About 40 people were charged with
various crimes associated with this scandals, and most of these were convicted. It also
resulted in resignation of Nixon from presidency in
1974.

The scandal derived its name from the Watergate
complex of flats and office buildings in Washington,where police arrested five men for
breaking into the Democratic Party's national headquarters there. Later press found
evidence of White House aides helping to finance sabotage and spying operations against
candidates for the 1972 Democratic presidential
nomination.

Nixon claimed that he had no part in Watergate
break-in or covering it up. But the enquiry by a special prosecutor appointed for the
purpose, clearly established involvement of may people closely associated with Nixon. In
April 1974, Nixon was served with a subpoena (legal order) to furnish certain
information relating to this scandal. When Nixon disputed the right of the enquiry
proceeds to ask for such information the case was referred to Supreme Cour which ordered
Nixon to provide the materials.

In light of the Watergate
scandal experience, in 1974, Congress approved reforms in the financing of federal
election campaigns.

Describe the event that touched off the Watergate scandal and explain the White House's reaction to it.u.s history

Watergate was one of the biggest ever political scandals in United States.  It included various illegal activities that helped President Richard Nixon in presidential election of 1972. This scandal was particularly serious because it represented attack on free and open elections, which is one of the main supporting pillar of a democracy.

The illegal acts of Watergate scandal involved burglary, telephone tapping, violations of campaign financing laws, use of government agencies to harm political opponents. About 40 people were charged with various crimes associated with this scandals, and most of these were convicted. It also resulted in resignation of Nixon from presidency in 1974.

The scandal derived its name from the Watergate complex of flats and office buildings in Washington,where police arrested five men for breaking into the Democratic Party's national headquarters there. Later press found evidence of White House aides helping to finance sabotage and spying operations against candidates for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination.

Nixon claimed that he had no part in Watergate break-in or covering it up. But the enquiry by a special prosecutor appointed for the purpose, clearly established involvement of may people closely associated with Nixon. In April 1974, Nixon was served with a subpoena (legal order) to furnish certain information relating to this scandal. When Nixon disputed the right of the enquiry proceeds to ask for such information the case was referred to Supreme Cour which ordered Nixon to provide the materials.

In light of the Watergate scandal experience, in 1974, Congress approved reforms in the financing of federal election campaigns.

Approximately how much time does the action of the play "Julius Caesar" cover?

The play spans roughly 3 years. Using information from the web sites linked below, I've put together a timeline for you:

February 44 BC: Caesar is named dictator perpetuus. At the Feast of Lupercalia, Antony offers him a diadem (crown), which Caesar refuses.

March 44 BC: Caesar is assassinated.

May 44 BC: Octavian meets with Marc Antony.

November 43 BC: Second Triumvirate is formed, with Octavian, Marc Antony, and Lepidus

October 42 BC: Brutus and Cassius are defeated at the battle of Philippi

What was the New Deal?

The New Deal was a series of changes put into effect by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) and the U.S. Congress (the country's law-making body) to alleviate suffering and bring an end to the Great Depression (1929–39), a period of worldwide economic hardship. The crash of the New York Stock Exchange on October 29, 1929 (called Black Tuesday), had marked the beginning of the Great Depression; yet numerous other factors contributed to the severe economic decline. Factories had produced more merchandise than they could sell. The reason being that European countries could not buy American products because they were suffering the after-effects of World War I (1914–19). Banks allowed people to borrow too much money, thus draining cash reserves. People who invested in the stock market were not prepared to lose funds if the market should take a downslide. After Black Tuesday the economic downturn affected most of the nation. Some 16,000,000 Americans (one third of the available work force) lost their jobs. Families were unable to pay mortgages and lost their homes. Hunger and homelessness were harsh realities, and the sight of people waiting in bread lines for food was common.

After Roosevelt took office in 1933, he addressed the American people. He encouraged faith in America's future, saying, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Soon afterward, Roosevelt presented a plan, called the New Deal, in which the federal government organized agriculture and business. With advice from a group of men dubbed the "Brain Trust" and the approval of Congress, Roosevelt set up public works programs to provide jobs for the unemployed. New government agencies were created: the Public Works Administration (PWA), the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and the National Recovery Administration (NRA). Agencies such as the SEC and FDIC set policies to make banking and financial markets more secure and restore public confidence in banks. The NRA determined and enforced codes of conduct for businesses to ensure they competed fairly. The PWA put people to work constructing public works projects, such as roads, dams, and buildings. The CCC employed 3,000,000 young men who developed state parks, reforested barren areas, built fire-observation towers, and lay telephone lines. The TVA operated the Wilson Dam on the Tennessee River, which produced electricity and provided flood control.

Despite these efforts, the American economy did not fully recover from the Great Depression until the outbreak of World War II (1939–45). To support U.S. allies (Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union) and increase national security, industry turned to building arms, aircraft, vehicles, and other supplies for the war effort. Soon the economy was booming.

Further Information: Edwards, Cheryl. The New Deal: Hope for the Nation. Carlisle, Mass.: Discovery Enterprises, 1995; Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute. New Deal Network. [Online] Available http://newdeal.feri.org/, October 30, 2000; Stewart Gail B. The New Deal. Parsippany, N.J.: Silver Burdett, 1993; Tennessee Valley Authority. Tennessee Valley Authority. [Online] Available http://www.tva.gov/, October 30, 2000.

What is Kurtz's head like in "Heart of Darkness"?

In Chapter 2, Conrad writes:

"And the lofty frontal bone of Mr. Kurtz! They say the hair goes on growing sometimes, but this—ah—specimen, was impressively bald. The wilderness had patted him on the head, and, behold, it was like a ball—an ivory ball; it had caressed him, and—lo!—he had withered; it had taken him, loved him, embraced him, got into his veins...."

Kurtz has devoted his life to procuring ivory with the result that he has come to resemble ivory himself.

In "The Possessive," how does the title of the poem relate to the theme?

The title of the poem "The Possessive" relates directly to its themes. In this piece Olds explores the emotions of a mother who must allow a daughter to grow up. Part of what that involves is the mother shifting how she thinks of the daughter, and, specifically, in how possessive she is of her daughter. At one point she thinks, " My body. My daughter. I’ll have to find another word." This shows how motherhood blurs with affection. Is the daughter hers like her body—something to be possessed forever, something that she controls completely? Or is the "my" in "my daughter" fundamentally different?

What is the significance of Roger throwing stones at Henry in "Lord of the Flies"?

Tracing many of themes of "Lord of the Flies" marks out the downward trajectory from civilised reason to savagery and choas which the book as a whole marks - and Roger's stone throwing is no difference.

When throwing stones at Henry, Roger (who innately seems to enjoy causing pain to the other boys) throws only to miss.

...there was a space round Henry, perhaps six yards in diameter, into which he dare not throw. Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old life. Round the squatting child was the protection of parents and school and policemen and the law. Roger's arm was conditioned by a civilization that knew nothing of him and was in ruins.

Of course, as the civilisation breaks down, Roger's stone-throwing becomes to hit, and eventually, to kill: this is from shortly before Piggy's death:

Someone was throwing stones: Roger was dropping them, his one hand still on the lever.

And of course, Piggy's death eventually is caused by a (symbolically as well as literally) much larger stone, propelled by Roger: a symbol of the way Roger's sadism has expanded from a suppressed mischief into a terrifying, dominating force.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird", Jem tells Scout something strange about getting his trousers back. What is this?

When Jem, Scout and Dill ran away from the Radley place (after Nathan started shooting), they needed to crawl under a fence, and Jem's pants got caught and torn. He undressed and left them there rather than get caught and get in trouble.

Being either brave or foolish, he goes back later that evening, when he and Scout are supposed to be asleep and Atticus is asleep. Jem is frightened because when he goes back to get his pants, they are neatly folded over the fence for him--as if someone knew he would come back for them. Upon further inspection, he finds that they have also been sewn, but not by someone with professional experience. He describes the stitches as looking crazy, like a child did them.

Regarding In Memoriam A. H. H. by Tennyson: What are the Victorian elements in this poem?

In Memoriam A. H. H. by Tennyson is a
vast work that reveals characteristics of Victorian poetic theory in myriad ways. A
small sampling here that will give guidance as to Tennyson's implementation of Victorian
poetics in In Memoriam is drawn from the early sections from I to
LXIII. To start with, two of the major characteristics of Victorian poetry that are
apparent within In Memoriam are the themes of love and nature,
shared with the preceding Romantic period but given a different
slant.

Love isn't necessarily idealized and "romanticized"
in the Victorian period; it may be shown with fangs and claws as in Browning's
"Porphyria's Lover" and "My Last Duchess," while nature is revealed as having a dark
side, not romanticized and inspirational. In keeping with this dark side, emblematic
nature is used, especially by Tennyson, to symbolize emotions; melancholy and Medieval
Gothic allusions take precedence over heroism and Classical
allusions.

Since the Victorian period was face-to-face with
new and unsettling science on all sides, Victorian poetry adds the new dimension of
psychological studies of poets and poetic personas and narrators. Partly as a reaction
to this science and partly as a reaction to the unwelcome rise in immoral and criminal
behavior accompanying the rush of urban immigration, Queen Victoria emphasized a
stringent return to Christian morality.

In keeping with
Queen Victoria's appeal, In Memoriam opens with a Christian appeal
instead of an appeal to the Classic Muse of poetry:

readability="13">

Strong Son of God, immortal Love,
Whom
we, that have not seen thy face,
By faith, and faith alone,
embrace,

The Christian appeal
continues and is seen again later, as in:

readability="9">

Forgive what seem'd my sin in me;
What
seem'd my worth since I began;
For merit lives from man to man,
And
not from man, O Lord, to
thee.

Later, Sections III and
LVI have Medieval Gothic allusions and tones that are in contrast to Classical Greek
allusions.

O
Sorrow, cruel fellowship,
O Priestess in the vaults of Death,
O
sweet and bitter in a breath,
What whispers from thy lying
lip?

Section V highlights the
use of emblematic nature as a symbol for emotions:

readability="8">

In words, like weeds, I'll wrap me
o'er,
Like coarsest clothes against the
cold:

Section LX illustrates
the prominence of melancholy, while Section LXIII shows nature, love, and melancholy
combined, with the addition of psychological study:

readability="19">

Yet pity for a horse o'er-driven,
And
love in which my hound has part,
Can hang no weight upon my heart
In
its assumptions up to heaven;

And I am so much more than
these,
As thou, perchance, art more than I,
And yet I spare them
sympathy,
And I would set their pains at ease.

So
mayst thou watch me where I weep,..
.

Regarding In Memoriam A. H. H. by Tennyson: What are the Victorian elements in this poem?

In Memoriam A. H. H. by Tennyson is a vast work that reveals characteristics of Victorian poetic theory in myriad ways. A small sampling here that will give guidance as to Tennyson's implementation of Victorian poetics in In Memoriam is drawn from the early sections from I to LXIII. To start with, two of the major characteristics of Victorian poetry that are apparent within In Memoriam are the themes of love and nature, shared with the preceding Romantic period but given a different slant.

Love isn't necessarily idealized and "romanticized" in the Victorian period; it may be shown with fangs and claws as in Browning's "Porphyria's Lover" and "My Last Duchess," while nature is revealed as having a dark side, not romanticized and inspirational. In keeping with this dark side, emblematic nature is used, especially by Tennyson, to symbolize emotions; melancholy and Medieval Gothic allusions take precedence over heroism and Classical allusions.

Since the Victorian period was face-to-face with new and unsettling science on all sides, Victorian poetry adds the new dimension of psychological studies of poets and poetic personas and narrators. Partly as a reaction to this science and partly as a reaction to the unwelcome rise in immoral and criminal behavior accompanying the rush of urban immigration, Queen Victoria emphasized a stringent return to Christian morality.

In keeping with Queen Victoria's appeal, In Memoriam opens with a Christian appeal instead of an appeal to the Classic Muse of poetry:

Strong Son of God, immortal Love,
Whom we, that have not seen thy face,
By faith, and faith alone, embrace,

The Christian appeal continues and is seen again later, as in:

Forgive what seem'd my sin in me;
What seem'd my worth since I began;
For merit lives from man to man,
And not from man, O Lord, to thee.

Later, Sections III and LVI have Medieval Gothic allusions and tones that are in contrast to Classical Greek allusions.

O Sorrow, cruel fellowship,
O Priestess in the vaults of Death,
O sweet and bitter in a breath,
What whispers from thy lying lip?

Section V highlights the use of emblematic nature as a symbol for emotions:

In words, like weeds, I'll wrap me o'er,
Like coarsest clothes against the cold:

Section LX illustrates the prominence of melancholy, while Section LXIII shows nature, love, and melancholy combined, with the addition of psychological study:

Yet pity for a horse o'er-driven,
And love in which my hound has part,
Can hang no weight upon my heart
In its assumptions up to heaven;

And I am so much more than these,
As thou, perchance, art more than I,
And yet I spare them sympathy,
And I would set their pains at ease.

So mayst thou watch me where I weep,.. .

In 'the importance of bing earnest,' what makes algy a dandy figure?i want to know also how wilde makes use of algy to show that people may be dandy

The Victorian Dandy is described as
a bachelor which has the following
characteristics:

a. Living above their
means

b. Over- preoccupied with aesthetics and fashion
rather than social responsibility

c. In Wilde's words "wake
up near 3 in the afternoon, dine at 5, then the opera, and go to bed near 3 in the
morning"

d. Surrounded by the likes, hating on anything
ugly, completely oblivious of human emotion.

Algernon
comprises ALL of those characteristics. Opulent, he has creditors running after him.
Excessive, his hunger and eating habits represent the way he lives life: Excessively and
always wanting more. Flamboyant, as he always expects the best champagne, the best
restaurants, and always dresses to the part. Immoral, as he leads a double life and does
not mind meddling in that of others. Fascinating, because he simply admits it and does
not care.

Post Note: Oscar Wilde was a
fanatic of the ideal of the Victorian dandy, and for this reason he ensured that there
was a dandy in most of his works:

In The Picture
of Dorian Gray, the dandy takes the shape of Lord Henry
Wooton

In A Woman of No Importancethe
dandy is Lord Illingworth.

In An Ideal
Husband, the dandy is Lord Goring.

Hope this
helps!

In 'the importance of bing earnest,' what makes algy a dandy figure?i want to know also how wilde makes use of algy to show that people may be dandy

The Victorian Dandy is described as a bachelor which has the following characteristics:

a. Living above their means

b. Over- preoccupied with aesthetics and fashion rather than social responsibility

c. In Wilde's words "wake up near 3 in the afternoon, dine at 5, then the opera, and go to bed near 3 in the morning"

d. Surrounded by the likes, hating on anything ugly, completely oblivious of human emotion.

Algernon comprises ALL of those characteristics. Opulent, he has creditors running after him. Excessive, his hunger and eating habits represent the way he lives life: Excessively and always wanting more. Flamboyant, as he always expects the best champagne, the best restaurants, and always dresses to the part. Immoral, as he leads a double life and does not mind meddling in that of others. Fascinating, because he simply admits it and does not care.

Post Note: Oscar Wilde was a fanatic of the ideal of the Victorian dandy, and for this reason he ensured that there was a dandy in most of his works:

In The Picture of Dorian Gray, the dandy takes the shape of Lord Henry Wooton

In A Woman of No Importancethe dandy is Lord Illingworth.

In An Ideal Husband, the dandy is Lord Goring.

Hope this helps!

What is the context of Wyatt's poem "The Lover Recounteth the Variable Fancy of His Fickle Mistress"?

The context of Wyatt's poem is that of a lover pondering the fickle nature of his mistress. The poem centers around one question: Is it possible? The poet then describes what it is that he is wondering could be possible.

Is it possible for someone to be seemingly madly in love, and then seem to despise the lover, only to swing back to being in love again?

In other words, it seems as if the speaker is dealing with his lady's mood swings:

Is it possible?
    Is it possible?
So cruel intent,
So hasty heat, and so soon spent,
From love to hate, and thence for to relent ?
Is it possible ?
    Is it possible?
That any may find,
Within one heart so diverse mind,
To change or turn as weather and wind,
Is it possible ?

His conclusion: Anything is possible!

How do you think the sniper feels about what he is doing?im talking about the book the sniper by liam o'flaherty

In my opinion, he is pretty ambivalent about what he is
doing.  By that, I mean that he cannot really make up his mind.  At times I think he is
fine with what he is doing, at times I think he is not.

I
think he is fine with what he is doing, for example, when he kills the woman who has
been informing.  He would not have needed to do that and no one would have known if he
had not.  So he must have done it because he really approved of what he was
doing.

But then after he shoots the other sniper, he gets
all freaked out and feels remorse.  That makes it clear that he doesn't always approve
of what he's doing.

And I imagine that at the end of the
story he's pretty unhappy with it...

How do you think the sniper feels about what he is doing?im talking about the book the sniper by liam o'flaherty

In my opinion, he is pretty ambivalent about what he is doing.  By that, I mean that he cannot really make up his mind.  At times I think he is fine with what he is doing, at times I think he is not.

I think he is fine with what he is doing, for example, when he kills the woman who has been informing.  He would not have needed to do that and no one would have known if he had not.  So he must have done it because he really approved of what he was doing.

But then after he shoots the other sniper, he gets all freaked out and feels remorse.  That makes it clear that he doesn't always approve of what he's doing.

And I imagine that at the end of the story he's pretty unhappy with it...

Why did the US enter WWI and what effect did its entry have?

The US had supplied weapons to the Allies exclusively
during the war, to the tune of several billion dollars worth.  The German sinking of the
Lusitania in 1915 was largely due to the fact that German spies had
reported there were arms shipments on board. So one has to say that American support of
the Allied Powers with weapons shipments was one reason why we eventually entered the
war.

I think the situation in 1917 was actually closer than
the above post suggests, which was one of the factors leading the US into
war.

The Russian Revolution in 1917 had given the Germans
victory on the Eastern Front with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, allowing the Kaiser to
concentrate his entire army on the Western Front, which had stalemated into bloody
trench warfare with both side bled white.  A final offensive by a reinforced German army
might capture Paris and end the war for good.  This was a real possibility when the US
came in on the Allied side.  In fact, one of the major effects of our entry into the war
not yet discussed here was the American Army's role in breaking up that much of that
last offensive at Chateau Thierry and Belleau Wood.

The US
had supplied weapons to the Allies exclusively during the war, to the tune of several
billion dollars worth.  The German sinking of the Lusitania in 1915
was largely due to the fact that German spies had reported there were arms shipments on
board. So one has to say that American support of the Allied Powers with weapons
shipments was one reason why we eventually entered the
war.

The second to last link below refers to Chateau
Thierry, which was also called the Second Battle of the Marne.

Why did the US enter WWI and what effect did its entry have?

The US had supplied weapons to the Allies exclusively during the war, to the tune of several billion dollars worth.  The German sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 was largely due to the fact that German spies had reported there were arms shipments on board. So one has to say that American support of the Allied Powers with weapons shipments was one reason why we eventually entered the war.

I think the situation in 1917 was actually closer than the above post suggests, which was one of the factors leading the US into war.

The Russian Revolution in 1917 had given the Germans victory on the Eastern Front with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, allowing the Kaiser to concentrate his entire army on the Western Front, which had stalemated into bloody trench warfare with both side bled white.  A final offensive by a reinforced German army might capture Paris and end the war for good.  This was a real possibility when the US came in on the Allied side.  In fact, one of the major effects of our entry into the war not yet discussed here was the American Army's role in breaking up that much of that last offensive at Chateau Thierry and Belleau Wood.

The US had supplied weapons to the Allies exclusively during the war, to the tune of several billion dollars worth.  The German sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 was largely due to the fact that German spies had reported there were arms shipments on board. So one has to say that American support of the Allied Powers with weapons shipments was one reason why we eventually entered the war.

The second to last link below refers to Chateau Thierry, which was also called the Second Battle of the Marne.

How does the form of Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 "Shall I Compare Thee to a summer's day" establish the theme?What is the theme?

I'm not sure what you mean by the term "form", but if what you mean is the content and how it implies the theme, then the first line, "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day" establishes the nature theme that prevails throughout the sonnet. This is because each line draws a comparison between the receiver of the poem and an element of nature. Take for example the next line, "rough winds do shake the darling buds of may". This line evidences the theme of nature established in the first line because it is again a comparison between the rough winds (an element of nature) to the receiver of the poem.

In Chapter 10, why do people laugh when John calls the director "my father" ?in chapter 10 of Brave New World, Linda and John come in the room....

In Huxley's Brave New World's  a
return to Chapter 3 will provide clarification as in this chapter, Mustapha Mond, the
Resident Controller for Europe and one of the ten World Controllers sits down on a bench
beside the Director who speaks to children, who have been cavorting in sexual games.  He
tells the children that the old world did not allow people to take things "easily," it
did not allow them to be "sane, virtuous, happy":

readability="13">

What with mothers and lovers, what with the
prhibitions they were not conditioned to obey, what with the tempatations and the lonely
remorses, what with all the diseases and the endless isolating pain, what with the
uncertainties and the poverty--they were forced to feel strongly.  And, feeling
strongly...how could they be
stable?

The word
mother becomes obscene and dirty for these children as it is
associated with pain, fever, groaning,--emotion--old age and poverty. Mond tells
them,

"Our
ancestors were so stupid and shor-sighted that when the first reformers came along and
offered to deliver them from those horrible emotions, they wouldn't have anything to do
with them....

"And home was as squalid psychically as
physically.  Psychically, it was a rabbit hole, a midden, hot with the frictions of
tightly packed life, reeking with emotion.  What suffocating intimacies, what danterou,
insane, obscene relationships between the members of the family group!  Maniacally, the
mother brooded over her children...lke a cat over its kittens...Yes, you may well
shudder!"

The idea of parents
is funny in a "scatological" way.  If someone calls another "Father," it is actually
an deprecating joke since the Trobriands conception has done away with natural
childbirth.  Nobody has ever heard of a father or
mother, words whose connotations are humorous in a "bathroom joke"
sort of way, and smutty.  However, there is nothing humorous about old age which is
anathema to the conditioned citizens of the Brave New World. Linda's appearance is
repulsive; she reminds them of the dying people at the hospital.

In Chapter 10, why do people laugh when John calls the director "my father" ?in chapter 10 of Brave New World, Linda and John come in the room....

In Huxley's Brave New World's  a return to Chapter 3 will provide clarification as in this chapter, Mustapha Mond, the Resident Controller for Europe and one of the ten World Controllers sits down on a bench beside the Director who speaks to children, who have been cavorting in sexual games.  He tells the children that the old world did not allow people to take things "easily," it did not allow them to be "sane, virtuous, happy":

What with mothers and lovers, what with the prhibitions they were not conditioned to obey, what with the tempatations and the lonely remorses, what with all the diseases and the endless isolating pain, what with the uncertainties and the poverty--they were forced to feel strongly.  And, feeling strongly...how could they be stable?

The word mother becomes obscene and dirty for these children as it is associated with pain, fever, groaning,--emotion--old age and poverty. Mond tells them,

"Our ancestors were so stupid and shor-sighted that when the first reformers came along and offered to deliver them from those horrible emotions, they wouldn't have anything to do with them....

"And home was as squalid psychically as physically.  Psychically, it was a rabbit hole, a midden, hot with the frictions of tightly packed life, reeking with emotion.  What suffocating intimacies, what danterou, insane, obscene relationships between the members of the family group!  Maniacally, the mother brooded over her children...lke a cat over its kittens...Yes, you may well shudder!"

The idea of parents is funny in a "scatological" way.  If someone calls another "Father," it is actually an deprecating joke since the Trobriands conception has done away with natural childbirth.  Nobody has ever heard of a father or mother, words whose connotations are humorous in a "bathroom joke" sort of way, and smutty.  However, there is nothing humorous about old age which is anathema to the conditioned citizens of the Brave New World. Linda's appearance is repulsive; she reminds them of the dying people at the hospital.

How does the King assist Santiago in recognizing omens? When does Santiago use this help?

The king opens Santiago's eyes to the possibility that there are signs/omens all around him and that he needs to be on the look out for these as he goes about his life. Sort of like when you first learn a new vocabulary word. Did you ever notice that once you learn a new word, you start noticing that word more? The thing is, that new word you're starting to notice isn't just appearing for the first time around you. It's been there before. You just hadn't noticed it before. Once your eyes have been "opened," you begin to see things that have always been there but you weren't "open" to seeing. And such is life.

Without the king pointing this reality out to Santiago, he might have continued on his journey with no success.

How does Bertha Mason affect Jane Eyre?

Literally, Bertha Mason is a very real impediment to Jane's marriage to Mr Rochester. Since he is still married to her, his marriage to Jane cannot progress as planned.

As a metaphor, Bertha represents the gothic element in the novel - wild, dark, closely related to nature. In addition, we can also see her as the 'madwoman in the attic.' This is a concept that was developed by Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar in their 1979 book examining Victorian literature from a feminist perspective. This work suggests that madness in Victorian writing was often an analogy for rebellion and anger against the restrictions placed upon women in the home and in public. The result of this for Jane is that it forced her from Thornfield, gave her the opportunity to re-discover her family, stand as an independent woman and not marry just because it was offered to her. When she returned to Rochester, it was on her own terms.

"In "1984," how does the war benefit the leadership of each superstate?

War benefits the government of Oceania and other superstates by providing a continual excuse and rallying point. That is to say, the government could always justify any sort of action, no matter how despicable, through claims that a war was going on. Likewise, it was a way to justify economic rationing. War is a way to channel emotion, as in Hate Week, and if you're at war, it is always the case that you have enemies. This allows an ongoing excuse for searching for enemies of the Party. This in turn emphasizes loyalty and reduces critical thinking.

Does Homer condemn or praise war in The Iliad? How does Homer view war?

Epic poems typically depict war as the celebration and glory of fighting an honorable and valiant fight. Homer followed this tradition, as well.

Homer does depict the glory and valor typically associated with war epics, but he also gives the readers the negative aspects of war- defeat, death, weakness in character, and the like. The death and destruction war brings is relayed along with scenes detailing bravery and triumph. Homer is careful to depict the vast complications that come with war between people.

What is the denouement (the ending) of "The Magician's Nephew"?

In addition to the wonderful tie-in of the apple leading to the wardrobe, there are a few other "explanations" for objects/situations in the other Narnia books. 

For example, when Jadis followed Diggory and Polly to the new Narnia, Jadis had grabbed the arm of a lamp post from England, and carried it with her.  When Aslan approached, singing Narnia into existence, she threw it at his head, but it merely glanced off and sank into the earth.  It then functioned much like a seed, growing a new lamp post which became the meeting place for Lucy and Sir Tumnus the Fawn in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe."

Also, Diggory buries the rings (made by Uncle Andrew to take them to the Wood Between the Worlds) in a circle around the base of the apple tree in England.  In the last book, "The Last Battle," the Pevensies dig up the rings in order to get back to Narnia after seeing a vision during a dinner together with some of their oldest friends (like Diggory, who actually becomes the Professor who owns the house in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe").

Basically, the denouement of "The Magician's Nephew" explains a good many things about "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," as well as tying into other books in the series. 

The author says Jack wore something "like his old clothes". What literary device is used and what is the irony of this?

The phrase "something like his old clothes" is a simile, a comparison using the words "like" or "as". The irony is that he is wearing what used to be his old clothes, but they have become so tattered and torn with time spent on the island, that they no longer look the same. Jack has begun to look more like a savage than a choir boy.

What is the significance of Laura's glass menagerie, especially the symbolic unicorn?

Laura is like her glass animals because she is so fragile and easily broken.  There is a special affinity between Laura and the unicorn. The unicorn does not exist in the modern world, just as Laura seems unable to exist in modern society. She has a limp and feels deformed; the unicorn has only one horn, which makes him different from the rest of the animals. This symbolism is reinforced when Laura and Jim are dancing and Jim accidentally breaks the horn off the unicorn. Laura says, "Now he's just like all the other animals." She, too, seems more like any other girl now that Jim has made her feel special. Of course, the irony is Jim is engaged and, at that news, Laura gives the unicorn to Jim, indicating he is taking her normalcy with him.

Can you help me describe Castle Rock from Lord of the Flies?How is it connected to the island? I thought some cliffs were mentioned in the text...

In Chapter 6, the boys discover Castle Rock.  There the reader is given a description of the formation. and told that Jack sees a pink rock cliff that he describes as a "castle".  There is a thin walk way, or bridge, of rocks connecting the rock cliff to the island.  On top of the cliff, there are large rock boulders that Jack plans to use to roll onto enemies as they cross the rock bridge.  The separation of the large rock formation from the rest of the island is evidence of the separation of Jack and his followers from the main island and from civilization.  It is another symbol of the increasing savagery of the boys.  The rock has no life on it like the island does - it's cold, hard rock.  Jack seeing it immediately as a fortress with available weapons is more proof of that progression toward savagery.

What are Roman Jakobson's main points in "From Linguistics to Poetics"?

In short, Jakobson is attempting to show how a linguistic
expert should study poetics. 

Poetics, of course, is about
verbage and not about the rhyme scheme or makeup of poetic lines.  Linguistics, of
course, is the science behind that verbage, so poetics and linguistics merge in this
way.  Further, because linguistics is truly a science of words, literary criticism (or
the judgement of a piece of literature as "good" or "bad") has no power here.  Instead,
what is preferred is objective analysis, not opinion due to the depth of
components. 

Jakobson delves deeper into linguistics in
this text than I have seen in any of his other works.  There are further points Jakobson
makes in his text, specifically about "synchrony and diachrony" as well as "ideation and
emotiveness" and the survey of language in question.  In short, it is a perfect read for
a person who wants to be well versed in the science of
linguistics.