In "The Kite Runner," why did Amir feel he needed the acceptance of his father and how did he go about getting it?

Amir was plagued by the need to win his father's love even when he already had it. In striving for this love, he was put at odds with his best friend, Hassan. Amir felt he had something to prove, and he was jealous of the relationship his father seemed to have with Hassan. Ironically, Hassan was considered almost less than human as he was a Hazara, and Amir's jealousy was unfounded.

Throughout the entire novel, Hassan tries to prove to Baba that he deserves his love and respect. He wins the kite competition, yet betrays Hassan at the same time. Unfortunately, Amir sees his father as a hero (Chap. 10), and he spends his entire life striving to become the same type of hero. However, Amir learns after he rescues Sohrab, that becoming a hero must come from the heart, and the kite becomes a metaphor for hope even though Baba is dead.

How do the people of Raveloe view the linen weavers in "Silas Marner"?

The people of Raveloe view the linen weavers with distrust.

The villagers are a provincial people, "honest folk", but "mostly not overwise or clever".  Isolated from advances in the major cities of the time, they are suspicious of things they do not understand.  The linen weavers, "emigrants from the town into the country", appear to be "pallid and undersized", in contrast to "the brawny country-folk", and they "rarely stirred abroad without (a) mysteious burden...a heavy bag".  Even though the people of Ravenloe suspect that the bags contain nothing more threatening than flax or perhaps linen already woven, they do not know this for sure; "superstition cling(s) easily round every person or thing that (is) at all (unusual)" for these simple folk.

Another reason the villagers look upon the linen weavers with mistrust is because "no one knew where (these) wandering men had their homes or their origins".  "The world outside their own direct experience (is) a region of vagueness and mystery", and since the peasants, with their literal understanding of life, were not acquainted with the "father(s) and mother(s)" of the itinerant craftsmen, there is no way for them to form a basis of trust in accepting them.  "Regarded as aliens by their rustic neighbors", the linen weavers are relegated to the fringes of village life, and an existence of loneliness.

What descriptions associate Grendel with death or darkness, and how are they meant to make us feel about him?

The first time Grendel is described early in Beowulf, he is described as "...living in darkness,...". A little further on we learn that Grendel lives in a hell on earth and that he was a descendant of Cain.  Also, we are told that he attacks at night when it is dark, which indicates that he is at home in the dark more than he is in the daylight.  He is also so powerful and evil that he snatches up 30 men at a time to smash them in their beds and run out of the hall with their bodies.  He does this for 12 years before Beowulf comes to the land.  All of that makes Grendel a clearly evil figure and that is how the reader, or listener, is supposed to feel about him.  Later that attitude is confirmed when Grendel attacks for the last time.  We are told that, "Out in the darkness the monster began to walk...".

Oxygen will react with the metal copper. It will also react with the nonmetallic compound butane (C4H10). Which of these reactions is a combustion...

In order to solve this question, you must understand the
concept of combustion and corrosion. Both involve reactions with oxygen, but corrosion
involves oxygen reacting with a metal such as copper and iron. On the other hand, a
combustion reaction involves oxygen with a fuel; fuels in this sense, refers to organic
compounds (mostly hydrocarbons), compounds that contain carbon
atoms.

Thus in this question, compound butane reacting with
oxygen is a combustion reaction. This is because compound butane (C4H10) is an organic
compound. For more information about organic compounds, refer to the links
below.

Also in answering the other two questions, you must
remember that a combustion reaction is an exothermic reaction. This is because it emits
heat during the reaction. This is an easy concept if you think of the butane gas burning
in reaction. When the butane gas burns, the surroundings get warm and this is an
indication that the reaction is an exothermic reaction.

For
question C, the oxidizing agent is a compound that reduces the other compound in
reaction. In the combustion reaction, however, oxidation does not occur since the
oxidation number for carbon in the reactants and the products is the same. (C4H10 +
excess O2->4CO2 + 5H2O)

Oxygen will react with the metal copper. It will also react with the nonmetallic compound butane (C4H10). Which of these reactions is a combustion...

In order to solve this question, you must understand the concept of combustion and corrosion. Both involve reactions with oxygen, but corrosion involves oxygen reacting with a metal such as copper and iron. On the other hand, a combustion reaction involves oxygen with a fuel; fuels in this sense, refers to organic compounds (mostly hydrocarbons), compounds that contain carbon atoms.

Thus in this question, compound butane reacting with oxygen is a combustion reaction. This is because compound butane (C4H10) is an organic compound. For more information about organic compounds, refer to the links below.

Also in answering the other two questions, you must remember that a combustion reaction is an exothermic reaction. This is because it emits heat during the reaction. This is an easy concept if you think of the butane gas burning in reaction. When the butane gas burns, the surroundings get warm and this is an indication that the reaction is an exothermic reaction.

For question C, the oxidizing agent is a compound that reduces the other compound in reaction. In the combustion reaction, however, oxidation does not occur since the oxidation number for carbon in the reactants and the products is the same. (C4H10 + excess O2->4CO2 + 5H2O)

Why are the Creightons considered to be a Copperhead family?

"Copperhead" was a term given to people in the north who sympathized with the south during the Civil War. They were also called Peace Democrats; they were openly critical of Lincoln and called for a speedy end to the war.

It's Bill Creighton who is considered to be a Copperhead. His brother and cousins and most other young men have joined the US Army, but Bill decides to fight for the Confederacy. This causes not only external conflict with their neighbors but also internal conflict, since a son is fighting for each side in the war.

Describe the 8 examples of techno-crime below, identifying in each case whether it would constitute an act of sabotage, and why?The 8 examples of...

     A virus is a computer program that uses an executable
code to replicate itself in a target computer. When this executable code is integrated
into an email or program, the virus will be liberated and attack the new host computer.
A virus could be sabotage because it is the exploitation of the rights of others under a
malicious intent. Sending out viruses to crash dowh computers is indeed an act of
sabotage because it indicates the malicious intent and the planification of the act. It
also ruins the personal, private, financial, and academic projects of others who are
inocent victims.

Phishing is a criminal act in
which hackers infiltrate websites to get information of people using the internet such
as their usernames and passwords. This would be also sabotage because again it is
infiltrating in the protected information of other people with the intention of
obtaining sensitive information. It is also sabotage because it is maliciously intended
and planned ahead with the purpose of engaging in further criminal
activity.

A trojan horse-is a form of malware (see
definition of malware below) that is designed for hackers to access information from
other computers. Trojans are often hidden in applications such as bans, ads, even online
forms. Once the trojan horse is "let out", a hacker has officially entered the threshold
of a victim computer. This is indeed another way to maliciously steal information and
would constitute malicious activity, but to call it a sabotage would be a bit too much.
To a point, hackers know that people can protect themselves against trojans and all, so
many hackers do not do it to sabotage, but just to "have something to talk
about."

 Spyware is another form of malware (malicious
software) that is installed to secretly obtain information about the user such as credit
card numbers, location, and much more. This is sabotage because it totally is
intentional, has a malicious intent to steal very important and delicate information,
and can lead to crashing down a computer.

Hacker- A hacker
is the jargon name given to the person or persons who preoigram malware and implant
trojan horses and spyware on the internet with the purpose of stealing information.
Hackers can also program viruses. Only if the hacker creates malware or viruses that are
impossible to be protected from would be the time to call them "sabotagers". However, as
stated before, many hackers do it for fun, and not with the malicious intent to crash a
system or rob a bank.

Spamming is the action of overusing
emails and advertisements and attaching them to mass and bulk addresses. It is an abuse
of emailing privileges. Spamming is not sabotage because all it aims to do is to send
advertisements or sell a product, not to steal your information nor try to get personal
information.

Malware is a programmed computer application
or software which is designed to infiltrate into unsuspecting computers to obtain user
information. Sending out malware is an act of sabotage because it exploits the personal
information of individuals and it is done maliciously and with criminal
intent.

Logic Bombs are malware programs that are placed
into games, software, or any other application and are programmed to disrupt the
application, or to disrupt the function of the computer after a certain number of
activity has occurred. For example, after 10 uses or accesses of a certain application,
the malware will be released. It is called a "logic" bomb because it operates under a
specific plan of action. They are sabotage because they cause public fears, put
companies on extra heightened alerts, and basically put the world in a waiting game
which is unfair and silly to do. Since it is interrupting the basic lives of others and
affecting them negatively, it constitutes
sabotage.

All these constitute sabotage in one
way or another. Sabotage is the intention to disrupt. All these examples of techno-crime
are meant to disrupt programs that help people. This infringes in the personal rights
and freedoms of individuals. It is very much a case of sabotage.

Describe the 8 examples of techno-crime below, identifying in each case whether it would constitute an act of sabotage, and why?The 8 examples of...

     A virus is a computer program that uses an executable code to replicate itself in a target computer. When this executable code is integrated into an email or program, the virus will be liberated and attack the new host computer. A virus could be sabotage because it is the exploitation of the rights of others under a malicious intent. Sending out viruses to crash dowh computers is indeed an act of sabotage because it indicates the malicious intent and the planification of the act. It also ruins the personal, private, financial, and academic projects of others who are inocent victims.

Phishing is a criminal act in which hackers infiltrate websites to get information of people using the internet such as their usernames and passwords. This would be also sabotage because again it is infiltrating in the protected information of other people with the intention of obtaining sensitive information. It is also sabotage because it is maliciously intended and planned ahead with the purpose of engaging in further criminal activity.

A trojan horse-is a form of malware (see definition of malware below) that is designed for hackers to access information from other computers. Trojans are often hidden in applications such as bans, ads, even online forms. Once the trojan horse is "let out", a hacker has officially entered the threshold of a victim computer. This is indeed another way to maliciously steal information and would constitute malicious activity, but to call it a sabotage would be a bit too much. To a point, hackers know that people can protect themselves against trojans and all, so many hackers do not do it to sabotage, but just to "have something to talk about."

 Spyware is another form of malware (malicious software) that is installed to secretly obtain information about the user such as credit card numbers, location, and much more. This is sabotage because it totally is intentional, has a malicious intent to steal very important and delicate information, and can lead to crashing down a computer.

Hacker- A hacker is the jargon name given to the person or persons who preoigram malware and implant trojan horses and spyware on the internet with the purpose of stealing information. Hackers can also program viruses. Only if the hacker creates malware or viruses that are impossible to be protected from would be the time to call them "sabotagers". However, as stated before, many hackers do it for fun, and not with the malicious intent to crash a system or rob a bank.

Spamming is the action of overusing emails and advertisements and attaching them to mass and bulk addresses. It is an abuse of emailing privileges. Spamming is not sabotage because all it aims to do is to send advertisements or sell a product, not to steal your information nor try to get personal information.

Malware is a programmed computer application or software which is designed to infiltrate into unsuspecting computers to obtain user information. Sending out malware is an act of sabotage because it exploits the personal information of individuals and it is done maliciously and with criminal intent.

Logic Bombs are malware programs that are placed into games, software, or any other application and are programmed to disrupt the application, or to disrupt the function of the computer after a certain number of activity has occurred. For example, after 10 uses or accesses of a certain application, the malware will be released. It is called a "logic" bomb because it operates under a specific plan of action. They are sabotage because they cause public fears, put companies on extra heightened alerts, and basically put the world in a waiting game which is unfair and silly to do. Since it is interrupting the basic lives of others and affecting them negatively, it constitutes sabotage.

All these constitute sabotage in one way or another. Sabotage is the intention to disrupt. All these examples of techno-crime are meant to disrupt programs that help people. This infringes in the personal rights and freedoms of individuals. It is very much a case of sabotage.

How are Lennie, George, and Curley both weak and powerful in "Of Mice and Men"?

Lennie's weakness is his mental capacity, he is slow, often times does not understand situations, often times does not understand his own physical strength, and has trouble relating to others in situations. His mental capacity is also his strength because it allows him to see others as they truly are, free from prejudices. He finds a friend in Crooks, the black stable buck, and doesn't realize that it's unusual for him to befriend someone of color. He is carefree, his biggest dream in the world is to tend rabbits, and it is this outlook on life that people find refreshing about him.

George's weaknesses are his physical strength and his undying loyalty to Lennie, which is also a strength. His loyalty to Lennie causes him to constantly be on the run from law, lie to others, and cover for Lennie. He feels guilty for how badly he treated Lennie when they were younger and is forever making it up to him because he enjoys the company of Lennie. His loyalty also plays as a strength because Lennie can depend on him to watch over him. Lennie can count on George to get him out of trouble, to get him jobs, and to stand up for him when he's being picked on for being slow.

Curley's weakness is that he is forever trying to prove himself physically because he lacks self confidence. He's jealous and suspicious, and he isn't a nice man. His strength comes in the physical form. He is an accomplished boxer and tries to fight men that are bigger than he is to prove it.

In "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," how do you know Huck and Jim are friends by the end of Chapter 9?

A reader can tell that Jim and Huck are friends by the end of chapter 9 very simply because Huck makes the decision to help Jim escape.  Huck knows that people will call him a 'low-down Abolitionist' if he helps Jim, and the decision to help Jim goes against everything Huck has ever been taught, but he makes the still decides to help him, and from then on, Huck and Jim stick together in their adventures.

In Chapter 8, Watson reproduces the letter he wrote to Holmes. Why does he do that?

Right at the beginning of this chapter, Dr. Watson gives
his reason for why he is reproducing this letter that he wrote to Holmes.  He says that
he is doing it because it will be a better record of what happened.  He wrote it right
when the stuff was happening and so it will be more accurate than later
memories.

If you are asking why the author chooses to have
Watson do this, I would say it is to drag out the suspense of the story.  If Holmes were
at Baskerville Hall, he would surely be able to figure out the mystery quite quickly. 
By having Watson just reporting the facts, Doyle lets us try to figure the mystery out
for ourselves and he makes it last longer.

In Chapter 8, Watson reproduces the letter he wrote to Holmes. Why does he do that?

Right at the beginning of this chapter, Dr. Watson gives his reason for why he is reproducing this letter that he wrote to Holmes.  He says that he is doing it because it will be a better record of what happened.  He wrote it right when the stuff was happening and so it will be more accurate than later memories.

If you are asking why the author chooses to have Watson do this, I would say it is to drag out the suspense of the story.  If Holmes were at Baskerville Hall, he would surely be able to figure out the mystery quite quickly.  By having Watson just reporting the facts, Doyle lets us try to figure the mystery out for ourselves and he makes it last longer.

What happens in Chapters 16, 17, and 18 of "Adam of the Road"?

Adam climbs to the top of a high abbey wall in St. Giles to watch a miracle play about Adam and Eve in Chapter 16.  He falls from his perch, providing a touch of ironic realism to the theme of the biblical Adam's fall from grace.

Adam, knocked unconscious by his fall, finds in Chapter 17 that he has been rescued by one of the actors, who happens to be a priest.  Adam's injury is serious and his recuperation long, but the priest and his sister are very kind.  Unfortunately, when he is finally well, his benefactor's desireis that he stay on and work at the vicarage as a parish clerk.  Adam wants to continue searching for his father and Nick, but the priest does not approve of the secular life of a minstrel and wants him to use his talents "in God's service".  One day Adam meets the de Vesey family, a band of minstrels, in a back alley.  They have heard of Roger, and report that he has gone to court to get Nick back from Jankin and lost.  The de Veseys think Adam might find Roger in London, and offer to take him there.

The de Veseys are kind, but Adam finds in Chapter 18 that they are irresponsible and tell stories that are rude and coarse.  They make little money, and frequently go hungry.  One day they steal some food and are accosted by a watchman, who raises a "hue and cry", summoning the villagers to help him catch the vagrants.  Adam manages to escape, but loses his harp. 

What does Pip realize about Molly and what does Wemmick say about her in Chapter 48 of "Great Expectations"?Chapter 48

In Chapter 48, Pip watches the housekeeper at Mr. Jaggers' residence and notices with surprise that she seems familiar - "her hands were Estella's hands, and her eyes were Estella's eyes".  He becomes convinced "that this woman was Estella's mother". 

Later, as they walk home, Pip questions Wemmick about Molly.  Wemmick tells Pip that "a score or so of years ago", Molly was tried for murder and acquitted, and Jaggers was her lawyer.  Molly had been accused of murdering another woman in a fit of jealousy; both women had "led tramping lives", and Molly had been married very young "to a tramping man".  Another interesting aspect about Molly's story, although it did not figure in the trial, is that she allegedly had had a child, whom she "frantically destroyed" to get back at her husband.  Pip, suspecting that Estella is that child, asks Wemmick if the child was a boy or a girl, and Wemmick confirms that it was a girl.  Unfortunately, Wemmick can or will not tell Pip anything more, and they part with Pip having "new matter for (his) thoughts, though with no relief from the old" (Chapter 48).

Why do the men discuss the King of England in "Macbeth"?Macbeth act4

It is important to note that Shakespeare has the men discuss this good King to parallel Malcolm and Duncan with this good King and at the same time contrast the evils of Macbeth.  In this scene, the purpose is to make the audience that much more certain that Macbeth is the evil character and that his country is diseased simply because he is on the throne.  They need the help of the good King of England who has allied himself with the good future King of Scotland.  Together, they can not fail against the epitome of evil embodied within Macbeth.

In addition, Shakespeare would be doing this to please the current King of England, James I, for whom the play was written.  Being the King of England, it is good to know that Kings of England are the good guys, and also that King James' ancestry is Scottish.  His ancestor, supposedly Banquo, was also the good guy in the story...killed by the evil Macbeth, but promised many Kings from his issue to sit on the throne. 

So, the good vs. evil theme is supreme here, but there is also some very successful ego stroking going on. 

What is Friar Laurence saying about love in Act 2? What metaphor is he using to make his point?Now Romeo and Juliet want to go to him to perform...

In Act II, scene III, the Friar is shocked by Romeo’s
sudden change of heart. The scene involves several figures of speech, including
metaphors and other figures of speech.

After watching Romeo
pine for Rosaline for so long, he finds it incomprehensible that the young man now
claims to love another girl. “Is Rosaline, whom thou didst love so dear,/So
soon forsaken?” (ll 66-67). If so, he continues, then young men love only
with their eyes (lust), and not their hearts (genuine
love).

He goes on to note that Romeo has shed
innumerable tears (“brine”, “saltwater” =
tears) for Rosaline, apparently for no reward: “How much salt water was thrown
away in waste, To season love, that of it doth not taste!” (71-72). Here,
Romeo’s tears are compared to salt that a person would use to season a dish of food—in
this case the dish of food is Rosaline. Why go to all the trouble of seasoning the food,
the Friar argues, that you are not going to “taste”?

In the
same tone of surprise and rebuke, the Friar says that Romeo’s sorrow was so heavy that
his sighs still fog the air, and that Romeo’s “old groans” still ring in his ears. He
even states that he can still see the stain of a tear on Romeo’s face that is so fresh
that it has not been washed off: all of which would seem proof of his purported love for
Rosaline.

Now the Friar comes to the heart of his argument:
if Romeo was being himself and speaking truly, his terrible sadness was caused by his
unrequited love for Rosaline. So how could it possibly vanish so quickly?
If what Romeo is telling the Friar is true, the Friar has a lesson for
him, which he demands Romeo repeat: “Pronounce this sentence then:/Women may
fall when there’s no strength in men” (79-81). Most of us would agree that
one cannot expect loyalty from women when men are as fickle as
Romeo.

Romeo argues that the Friar had often scolded him
for loving Rosaline, but this strategy won’t work either. The Friar corrects Romeo,
clarifying that he only scolded Romeo for “doting” on Rosaline (having a one-sided
crush; being obsessed with her), not for loving her
genuinely.

Still Romeo tries to argue that the Friar had
told him to “bury” his love for Rosaline. The Friar responds with another metaphor:
“Not in a grave to lay one in, another out to have” (83-84)—not to
simply cast aside one love and replace it with another. Romeo then tries to convince the
Friar that Juliet is different from Rosaline, in that she actually returns his love,
while Rosaline did not.

Here, the Friar again corrects
Romeo, defending Rosaline’s perceptiveness: “She knew well/ Thy love did read
by rote, which could not spell” (87-88). In perhaps his most difficult
metaphor, the Friar compares Romeo’s love for Rosaline to a student who can read from
memory (“by rote”), but has no understanding of what he was reading (one who cannot
spell). In other words, Rosaline knew that Romeo’s “love” was simply infatuation, and
not the real thing.

It is perplexing, then, that the Friar
suddenly has a change of heart, and decides to marry the two. Apparently, the prospect
of uniting the feuding families through this marriage must have entered his mind with
such force that it cast all of his doubts away—at least for the time
being.

What is Friar Laurence saying about love in Act 2? What metaphor is he using to make his point?Now Romeo and Juliet want to go to him to perform...

In Act II, scene III, the Friar is shocked by Romeo’s sudden change of heart. The scene involves several figures of speech, including metaphors and other figures of speech.

After watching Romeo pine for Rosaline for so long, he finds it incomprehensible that the young man now claims to love another girl. “Is Rosaline, whom thou didst love so dear,/So soon forsaken?” (ll 66-67). If so, he continues, then young men love only with their eyes (lust), and not their hearts (genuine love).

He goes on to note that Romeo has shed innumerable tears (“brine”, “saltwater” = tears) for Rosaline, apparently for no reward: “How much salt water was thrown away in waste, To season love, that of it doth not taste!” (71-72). Here, Romeo’s tears are compared to salt that a person would use to season a dish of food—in this case the dish of food is Rosaline. Why go to all the trouble of seasoning the food, the Friar argues, that you are not going to “taste”?

In the same tone of surprise and rebuke, the Friar says that Romeo’s sorrow was so heavy that his sighs still fog the air, and that Romeo’s “old groans” still ring in his ears. He even states that he can still see the stain of a tear on Romeo’s face that is so fresh that it has not been washed off: all of which would seem proof of his purported love for Rosaline.

Now the Friar comes to the heart of his argument: if Romeo was being himself and speaking truly, his terrible sadness was caused by his unrequited love for Rosaline. So how could it possibly vanish so quickly? If what Romeo is telling the Friar is true, the Friar has a lesson for him, which he demands Romeo repeat: “Pronounce this sentence then:/Women may fall when there’s no strength in men” (79-81). Most of us would agree that one cannot expect loyalty from women when men are as fickle as Romeo.

Romeo argues that the Friar had often scolded him for loving Rosaline, but this strategy won’t work either. The Friar corrects Romeo, clarifying that he only scolded Romeo for “doting” on Rosaline (having a one-sided crush; being obsessed with her), not for loving her genuinely.

Still Romeo tries to argue that the Friar had told him to “bury” his love for Rosaline. The Friar responds with another metaphor: “Not in a grave to lay one in, another out to have” (83-84)—not to simply cast aside one love and replace it with another. Romeo then tries to convince the Friar that Juliet is different from Rosaline, in that she actually returns his love, while Rosaline did not.

Here, the Friar again corrects Romeo, defending Rosaline’s perceptiveness: “She knew well/ Thy love did read by rote, which could not spell” (87-88). In perhaps his most difficult metaphor, the Friar compares Romeo’s love for Rosaline to a student who can read from memory (“by rote”), but has no understanding of what he was reading (one who cannot spell). In other words, Rosaline knew that Romeo’s “love” was simply infatuation, and not the real thing.

It is perplexing, then, that the Friar suddenly has a change of heart, and decides to marry the two. Apparently, the prospect of uniting the feuding families through this marriage must have entered his mind with such force that it cast all of his doubts away—at least for the time being.

How does the concept of honor manifest itself in the play, "Oedipus Rex"?

One way in which honor is manifested in the play is in Oedipus's reaction when he discovers the truth about his marriage. As we would hope all people would be, he is shocked to learn that his wife is actually his birth mother. Instead of trying to hide the details from his people, however, after he gouges out his own eyes (perhaps because they looked at his naked mother, which is something a son should not do), he commands that he be shown to the people of Thebes and then goes into exile. He could have killed the messenger, put Jocasta away somewhere, and kept his secret and his throne. However, he shows that he is an honorable man by doing the right thing.

Did Martin Luther King Jr. make the revolution, or did the revolution make him? Why?

Martin Luther King, Jr. had many great qualities. He was a
great leader, speaker, organizer, very passionate, etc. I do not think he made The
Movement but I do think he had a great deal to do with its
success.

Martin Luther King, Jr. advocated non-violence and
peacefulness. I think this is very important because if he had not done so many of the
protests, sit ins, marches, etc. may have been violent. This could have destroyed
everything. Violence is not the message he wanted to get out, rather he wanted the
issues of equally brought out into the open. He was very successful in doing
this.

Did Martin Luther King Jr. make the revolution, or did the revolution make him? Why?

Martin Luther King, Jr. had many great qualities. He was a great leader, speaker, organizer, very passionate, etc. I do not think he made The Movement but I do think he had a great deal to do with its success.

Martin Luther King, Jr. advocated non-violence and peacefulness. I think this is very important because if he had not done so many of the protests, sit ins, marches, etc. may have been violent. This could have destroyed everything. Violence is not the message he wanted to get out, rather he wanted the issues of equally brought out into the open. He was very successful in doing this.

How does the setting, when it comes to the time, affect the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird?My teacher explained how it could have something to...

The setting in the book To Kill a
Mockingbird is the south during one of the poorest periods.  There is mention
in the book of the programs that were initiated to try and help Americans.  No one
hardly had any money.

If you look at the character of Mr.
Cunningham, you see a poor but proud man who can not make a living.  Yet, he refuses to
take handouts.  Even when Atticus helps him with legal issues Mr. Cunningham has self
pride and pays Aticus through bartering with whatever he can give to
him. 

Character was a significant part of the lie in the
south during the era.  Mr. Cunningham demonstrates honest character by his pride and
actions of repaying Atticus.

Another thing that time
affects is the people's reaction to the children that are mulatto, biracial.  They have
a very hard time and so their father sends them north where they will have it a little
easier.

The laws and the freedom of taking matters into
one's own hands when it came to justice for black people was still allowed during the
era.  Therefore, the threats of the lynch mob are very real and scary.   Tom Robinson
was considered a second class citizen back then and he really was hung before he ever
went to trial.

How does the setting, when it comes to the time, affect the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird?My teacher explained how it could have something to...

The setting in the book To Kill a Mockingbird is the south during one of the poorest periods.  There is mention in the book of the programs that were initiated to try and help Americans.  No one hardly had any money.

If you look at the character of Mr. Cunningham, you see a poor but proud man who can not make a living.  Yet, he refuses to take handouts.  Even when Atticus helps him with legal issues Mr. Cunningham has self pride and pays Aticus through bartering with whatever he can give to him. 

Character was a significant part of the lie in the south during the era.  Mr. Cunningham demonstrates honest character by his pride and actions of repaying Atticus.

Another thing that time affects is the people's reaction to the children that are mulatto, biracial.  They have a very hard time and so their father sends them north where they will have it a little easier.

The laws and the freedom of taking matters into one's own hands when it came to justice for black people was still allowed during the era.  Therefore, the threats of the lynch mob are very real and scary.   Tom Robinson was considered a second class citizen back then and he really was hung before he ever went to trial.

Why did the Big Three (Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin) distrust each other?

I am not sure if the relationship between Churchill,
Roosevelt, and Stalin was essentially that of mistrust. After all they were
collaborating and cooperating for achieving the common objective of defeating Germany
led by Hitler.

Most certainly, in international politics,
heads of governments of countries are not expected to absolutely open in disclosing
their thinking and long terms objectives. In spite of their common interests, the
different countries and their leaders do have other independent objectives, which may
conflict with the common agreed objectives.

For example,
while Stalin may not openly disclose his resolve to support communism, Roosevelt may not
have disclosed his resolve to oppose communism.

However we
can say that whatever differences existed between the three were because of the
conflicting long term interest of the three countries, and the difference in their
political ideologies. But such things are often known to people fairly well, and because
of that some distrust to exist between people with conflicting interests and approaches
is quite natural.

Why did the Big Three (Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin) distrust each other?

I am not sure if the relationship between Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin was essentially that of mistrust. After all they were collaborating and cooperating for achieving the common objective of defeating Germany led by Hitler.

Most certainly, in international politics, heads of governments of countries are not expected to absolutely open in disclosing their thinking and long terms objectives. In spite of their common interests, the different countries and their leaders do have other independent objectives, which may conflict with the common agreed objectives.

For example, while Stalin may not openly disclose his resolve to support communism, Roosevelt may not have disclosed his resolve to oppose communism.

However we can say that whatever differences existed between the three were because of the conflicting long term interest of the three countries, and the difference in their political ideologies. But such things are often known to people fairly well, and because of that some distrust to exist between people with conflicting interests and approaches is quite natural.

What does the allusion of the crown of thorns mean in "In The Time of the Butterflies"?

Patria alludes to the "crown of thorns" to describe her torment in the days and weeks after her sisters, husband, and son are rounded up by the Trujillo's police force, the SIM.  "Crazy with grief", she has moved to her mother's house. Although she gradually recovers some measure of sanity, she cannot rid her mind of pictures of what has happened and what she imagines is still happening.  Patria envisions

"the SIM approaching...the throng of men at the door...the stomping, the running, the yelling...the house burning...tiny cells with very little air and no light...hands intrusive and ugly in their threats...the crack of bones breaking...the thud of a body collapsing...moans, screams, desperate cries".

Patria likens her mental suffering to the suffering of Christ, her own "crown of thorns...woven with thoughts of (her) boy".  She also uses a number of other allusions to Christ's Passion and Resurrection - working through her grief until her "cross became bearable", enduring another "crucifixion" when the SIM comes for Mate, and awaiting redemption for those imprisoned with the assurance that "on the third day (Christ) rose again" (Chapter 10).

Character of Hamlet is a blend of idealism and futility, how is this presented through his speeches in Hamlet?

If you are looking for Hamlet speaking positively, even
hinting at the immortality or perfection of a human, you need look no further than his
description of or discussion of his father.  In Act I, scene ii he refers to his father
as being like Hyperion or Hercules.  Though he is often very down on himself, Hamlet
does at times suggest that people are capable of great acts.  He also suggests great
possibility in men at the end of Act IV, when he speaks
thusly:

Sure
he hath made us with such large discourse, looking before and after, gave us not that
capability and godlike reason to fust in us
unused

Clearly Hamlet
believes we have great powers, we are more than beasts.

But
he also discourses at length about the futility of life, in the same speech where he
lionizes his father he debates whether or not to kill himself and laments that he cannot
even make that decision.

Later he also regrets his
inability to act, unsure of whether his father was murdered for sure, and he recounts
this futility with great passion repeatedly.

Character of Hamlet is a blend of idealism and futility, how is this presented through his speeches in Hamlet?

If you are looking for Hamlet speaking positively, even hinting at the immortality or perfection of a human, you need look no further than his description of or discussion of his father.  In Act I, scene ii he refers to his father as being like Hyperion or Hercules.  Though he is often very down on himself, Hamlet does at times suggest that people are capable of great acts.  He also suggests great possibility in men at the end of Act IV, when he speaks thusly:

Sure he hath made us with such large discourse, looking before and after, gave us not that capability and godlike reason to fust in us unused

Clearly Hamlet believes we have great powers, we are more than beasts.

But he also discourses at length about the futility of life, in the same speech where he lionizes his father he debates whether or not to kill himself and laments that he cannot even make that decision.

Later he also regrets his inability to act, unsure of whether his father was murdered for sure, and he recounts this futility with great passion repeatedly.

What views does the speaker of "The Seafarer" express about earthly life and god?

The speaker tells us that no one is sure which way he will die--either by sickness, old age, or by an enemy's hand.  An ungodly liife on earth is restricted to earth, but a life lived in godly manner on earth with be celebrated with the angels in heaven. 

No man has ever faced the dawn
Certain which of Fate's three threats
Would fall: illness, or age, or an enemy's
Sword, snatching the life from his soul.
The praise the living pour on the dead
Flowers from reputation: plant
An earthly life of profit reaped
Even from hatred and rancor, of bravery
Flung in the devil's face, and death
Can only bring you earthly praise
And a song to celebrate a place
With the angels, life eternally blessed
In the hosts of Heaven.

The speaker tells us that earthly riches and material items can not be taken with us when we pass, and that God showers sinners with his anger.  Those who do not pay homage to God while on earth are bound to face his wrath for eternity.  Those who forget God while on earth are doomed as He is all-powerful.

A brother
Opens his palms and pours down gold
On his kinsman's grave, strewing his coffin
With treasures intended for Heaven, but nothing
Golden shakes the wrath of God
For a soul overflowing with sin, and nothing
Hidden on earth rises to Heaven.
We all fear God. He turns the earth,
He set it swinging firmly in space,
Gave life to the world and light to the sky.
Death leaps at the fools who forget their God.

What is the theme for the story "Black Boy" by Richard Wright?

In a nutshell, the novel's theme is the individual's struggle to survive in an atmosphere of prejudice and intolerance, and to understand the forces that create the environment in which he lives. 

Richard Wright grew up on a Mississippi plantation during the period between the two world wars.  "Black Boy" is an autobiographical work, in which Wright describes his early years and examines the effect the mindset of the Jim Crow South had on himself and those around him.  He discovers that both racism and tolerance are entities that must be reconciled within individuals both black and white, and that although the primary manifestation of prejudice in his life is racial, it can concern intelligence and religion as well.  As a man of color, Wright is the object of an all-pervasive racial prejudice, but even as he fights to deal with the inequities that surround him, he understands also that within his own mind he must guard against developing prejudicial attitudes towards those who are not as intelligent as he is.  Wright must come to terms with religious prejudice as well, within his own family.

Through his lifelong struggle to understand the nature of his society's attitudes and individual responses to those attitudes, especially, but not only, as they concern intolerance and acceptance, Wright discovers a sense of self, and his worth as an individual and as a writer.

In "Animal Farm," why did Mollie run away?

Mollie runs away from the farm because she has never supported the rebellion. Mollie loved being under Mr. Jones' rule because she got plenty of sugar and she was allowed to wear ribbons in her hair. She got to be a pretty horse, all show- no work. Under the regime of the pigs Mollie was not only denied her sugar and ribbons, but she was now also required to work! She had trouble getting up early for work and she often liked to quit early. Finally in Chapter 5 Mollie is confronted by Clover about her laziness and her whereabouts during work. The confrontation drives Mollie to run away from the farm so that she could go somewhere where she could finally have sugar and ribbons.

Mollie is representative of those who are too vain and materialistic to care whether or not they are free. Mollie represents those people who would rather be led under a dictatorship than work to be liberated.

What happens in the rising action, climax, and resolution of the conflict in Hamlet?

In Hamlet, after Prince Hamlet has learned that his uncle killed his father in order to marry the Queen and become King, Hamlet is faced with a moral dilemma:  He does not know whether he can serve the cultural ritual of revenge, as urged by his father's Ghost, in this corrupt world without sacrificing his moral integrity ("To be or not to be").

In the rising action, Claudius and Gertrude seek the reason for Hamlet's "madness," and the King plans to send Hamlet to England.  Meanwhile, Hamlet exposes the King's guilt with a play, The Murder of Gonzago.  But, Hamlet delays killing Claudius whom he finds in the chapel supposedly at prayer. He drives his sword through Polonius who is hiding in Gertrude's chamber and who alarms Hamlet by crying out for guards.  Ophelia, Polonius's daughter, goes insane over the loss of Hamlet's love and Hamlet's murder of her father after Hamlet leaves for England where he is secretly to be assassinated; but the Prince rewrites the letters to have his betrayers killed instead. Ophelia dies; Laertes returns and throws himself upon her casket, asking to be buried with her while Hamlet, newly returned, discovers them in the cemetery and throws himself on her coffin, too.

The climax is in Act V, Scene ii. Claudius invites Hamlet to fence with Laertes. Hamlet accepts, saying "readiness is all" and asserting his belief in fate.  Gertrude drinks from a poisoned cup intended for Hamlet. Laertes wounds Hamlet. Hamlet and Laertes scuffle and rapiers are inadvertently swapped. With the poison-tipped foil Hamlet now holds, Laertes is stabbed. Dying Laertes tells him, "The king's to blame."  Hamlet turns the poisoned foil on Claudius and forces him to swallow the remaining drink of poison. 

In the resolution Hamlet, cut by the poisoned rapier and dying, drinks the dregs from the poisoned cup (though Horatio begs for it as he wants to die with his friend). He dies (reiterating the theme of death) after entrusting Horatio with telling the untold events and clearing his name and after endorsing Fortinbras as the next King of Denmark.

O good Horatio, what a wounded name,
Things standing thus unknown, shall live behind me!
If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart
Absent thee from felicity awhile,
And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain,
To tell my story. (V.ii)

What literary language is featured in Act II, Scene I of The Taming of the Shrew?

Looks to me like the language of hyperbole--exaggeration used for effect.  Each of the three characters here uses exaggeration to make or emphasize their points. Kate has literally bound her sister Bianca and is venting her spleen on her; Bianca is literally saying anything she thinks might free her: 

Bianca:  Unbind my hands, I'll pull them off myself.

Yea, all my raiment, to my petticoat;

Or what you will command me will I do,

So well I know my duty to my elders.

This is a plea in hyperbole--she's going to free herself (which she obviously has not been able to do), she'll strip down to her petticoat if that's what it takes (but clearly that would not satisfy Kate's demand), she'll meekly do anything Kate wants (which we know to be an untruth, for Bianca only does what Bianca wants and would certainly not bow to her sister's wishes).

Katherine:  Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee, tell

Whom thou lovest best....

Kate's whole demeanor here is hyperbolic, tying her sister up and railing at her.  Specifically, she asks about all Bianca's suitors as if there were many, yet she goes on to name only two.  When she speaks to her father, she's angry that he may marry off Bianca, the younger sister, before she is wed.

Katherine: I must dance bare-foot on her wedding day

And for your love to her lead apes in hell.

Clearly she's angry that Baptista loves Bianca best.  Her exaggerated picture of what she will have to do as the unmarried daughter is outrageous.

Baptista:  For shame, thou hilding of a devilish spirit....

This, spoken to Kate, is exaggerated, of course.  Then he bemoans his own state (position) in exaggerated terms:

Was ever gentleman thus grieved as I?

How could he possibly think this really is the worst position any man has eve been in?  The answer, of course, is that he's using exaggeration for effect.  This is a humorous scene in The Taming of the Shrew, primarily because of the hyperbole each of the characters uses.

In "Hound of the Baskervilles", what item has been left at Sherlock Holmes's office? To whom does it belong?What kind of figure was it?

A walking stick has been left at Sherlock Holmes's office.  It is a "fine, thick piece of wood, bulbous headed", with "a silver band, nearly an inch across", just under the head.  On the band is engraved, "James Mortimer, M.R.C.S., from his friends of the C.C.H., 1884".

Holmes guides his assistant John Watson into deducing that the walking stick belongs to James Mortimer, M.R.C.S., who was house surgeon at Charing Cross Hospital from 1882-2884 and the author of a number of scholarly articles.  From examining the condition of the walking stick, Holmes also infers that Dr. Mortimer has most probably become a country doctor after his tenure at Charing Cross, does a lot of walking, and owns a curly-haired spaniel who frequently carries the stick behind his master as they walk.  Assuming that his deductions are correct to this point, Holmes further predicts that Dr. Mortimer is "amiable", because only amiable men receive testimonials such as this walking stick from his contemporaries, "unambitious", because only an unambitious man "would abandon "a London career for the country", and "absent-minded", as evidenced by his leaving his stick behind in Sherlock Holmes's office (Chapter 1).

How are the themes of sexism and sexual harassment expressed in the drama play Oleanna?

David Mamet's three-act play 'Oleanna' is essentially
about the destructiveness of miscommunication, with its emphases on academy politics,
teacher-student relationship and sexism & sexual
harassment.

Concerned about her failure in the course,
Carol, a college student, meets her professor, John. Carol alleges that she doesn't
understand the verbose lectures of her professor. During the most part of act 1, the
professor appears as callous and interruptive, engaged in telephonic conversation with
his wife regarding real estate matters, while Carol is unable to speak out her mind. But
John then expresses 'empathy' for her, and wants to bend the rules to give Carol an 'A'
grade if she agrees to meet him to discuss the matter. John touches Carol's shoulders on
several occasions asking her to sit down or to stay on in the
office.

Later, Carol writes a letter of complaint against
her professor alleging that John is lewd and sexist. She claims that his intention was
not good when he touched her shoulder. She believed it was a case of sexual harassment.
In the final act of the play, John is fired and he is about to leave. It is further
known that Carol has filed criminal charges of battery and attempted
rape.

There is no real serious sexual harassment in the
play, and both the student and the teacher are deeply flawed. Carol shows an underlying
deviousness, using the plea of physical contact as a means to take revenge on her
teacher. The teacher is pompous and foolish.

Mamet handles
the theme of sexual harassment and sexism in a curious, critical light. It is not a
simple case of the harassment of the female by the male, but the callous, dubious,
pompous foolishness of the male power vis a vis the intriguing appropriation of male
power by the female by using the ploy of sexist bias and sexual
harassment.

How are the themes of sexism and sexual harassment expressed in the drama play Oleanna?

David Mamet's three-act play 'Oleanna' is essentially about the destructiveness of miscommunication, with its emphases on academy politics, teacher-student relationship and sexism & sexual harassment.

Concerned about her failure in the course, Carol, a college student, meets her professor, John. Carol alleges that she doesn't understand the verbose lectures of her professor. During the most part of act 1, the professor appears as callous and interruptive, engaged in telephonic conversation with his wife regarding real estate matters, while Carol is unable to speak out her mind. But John then expresses 'empathy' for her, and wants to bend the rules to give Carol an 'A' grade if she agrees to meet him to discuss the matter. John touches Carol's shoulders on several occasions asking her to sit down or to stay on in the office.

Later, Carol writes a letter of complaint against her professor alleging that John is lewd and sexist. She claims that his intention was not good when he touched her shoulder. She believed it was a case of sexual harassment. In the final act of the play, John is fired and he is about to leave. It is further known that Carol has filed criminal charges of battery and attempted rape.

There is no real serious sexual harassment in the play, and both the student and the teacher are deeply flawed. Carol shows an underlying deviousness, using the plea of physical contact as a means to take revenge on her teacher. The teacher is pompous and foolish.

Mamet handles the theme of sexual harassment and sexism in a curious, critical light. It is not a simple case of the harassment of the female by the male, but the callous, dubious, pompous foolishness of the male power vis a vis the intriguing appropriation of male power by the female by using the ploy of sexist bias and sexual harassment.

Describe Janie's relationship with each of her three husbands as it relates to her quest for her truest self.

Janie wants to find her true self through finding true love -- the love she believes the union of the bee and the flower represent (10-11). Her grandmother believes a woman simply needs protection and a guaranteed livelihood, something Logan Killicks can provide. Janie thinks she will find love with Logan and so she marries him, waiting for "love to begin" (21). Logan's "love" is a lonely one, and Janie sees this is not the type of woman/self she wants to be. When Jody arrives and flirts with her, calling her a "pretty doll baby" (28), she realizes he does "not represent sun-up and pollen and blooming trees" (28), but he does offer her to possibility of further self-discovery. She marries Joe and continues on her journey.

With Joe, she initially enjoys the pedestal upon which he places her, but she soon discovers he is no better than Logan. Joe want to rule her and treats her as a possession. She begins, though, to realize she wants to be her own person, and eventually, she makes her stand, talking back to Joe in front of the townsmen, telling him he "look[s] lak de change uh life" (75).

After Joe dies, Janie truly becomes her own woman, not caring what the rest of the town thinks. When she meets Tea Cake, she finds a man who lets her be herself, a man who is looking for a partner instead of a subordinate. Tea Cake treats Janie as an equal, and so her journey to her truest self is realized.

What role do you think religion plays in the society depicted in this part of the novel?

I do not believe that religion plays any role in this
society.  I do not think that the values of this society are really compatible with
religion.

This society is based on the idea that you live
your life without thinking.  It says that people should keep themselves entertained at
all times by watching the parlour walls or by going to amusement parks or things like
that.

Religion is something that really requires people to
be still and contemplative at times.  You cannot have religious experiences with the
White Clown yelling at you.  So I do not think that this society can really have much of
a real religion.

What role do you think religion plays in the society depicted in this part of the novel?

I do not believe that religion plays any role in this society.  I do not think that the values of this society are really compatible with religion.

This society is based on the idea that you live your life without thinking.  It says that people should keep themselves entertained at all times by watching the parlour walls or by going to amusement parks or things like that.

Religion is something that really requires people to be still and contemplative at times.  You cannot have religious experiences with the White Clown yelling at you.  So I do not think that this society can really have much of a real religion.

What satirical points are made on the subject of education in "To Kill a Mockingbird"?

Ever hear the saying "I never let my schooling interfere with my education"? Much like this saying, the school system in To Kill a Mockingbird is portrayed cynically. For instance, Scout's teacher, Miss Caroline, scolds her for knowing how to read before coming to school, claiming that Atticus does not know how to teach. It seems as if she is more concerned with her lesson plans and less concerned about the well-being of the students. No teacher should be angry that a student knows how to read ahead of schedule!

Also, Miss Caroline does not seem to understand the culture of the town and her students, since when Scout explains that a Cunningham will not take anything for free, Miss Caroline slaps her hand, instead of trying to understand. School is supposed to be a place where a student can grow intellectually and emotionally, but Scout does not have that experience the first year.

Human resource planning is a crutial process in an organization. Explain what is HRP? And list how 10 internal and external factors affecting HRP?

Human resource planning is the term used to describe how
companies ensure that their staff are the right staff to do the jobs. Sub topics include
planning for staff retention, planning for candidate search, training and skills
analysis and much more.

External
factors:

.supply and
demand

.labour
market

.image/goodwill

.political-social-legal
enviroment

.unemployment
rate

.Housing: costs, availability; housing assistance
package

.Child care: costs, availability,
quality  

.competitors

.Spouse/partner
career

.Location

(Internal
Factors):

.Recruitment
policy

.Human resource
planning

.size of the
firm

.cost of
recruitment

.Travel
TIME

.Recognition (after tenure, promotion, awards,
etc.)

.Temporary and part time
employees

.Work
Culture

.growth and
expansion

.Timeliness (in recruitment processes) Reporting
Relationships

Human resource planning is a crutial process in an organization. Explain what is HRP? And list how 10 internal and external factors affecting HRP?

Human resource planning is the term used to describe how companies ensure that their staff are the right staff to do the jobs. Sub topics include planning for staff retention, planning for candidate search, training and skills analysis and much more.

External factors:

.supply and demand

.labour market

.image/goodwill

.political-social-legal enviroment

.unemployment rate

.Housing: costs, availability; housing assistance package

.Child care: costs, availability, quality  

.competitors

.Spouse/partner career

.Location

(Internal Factors):

.Recruitment policy

.Human resource planning

.size of the firm

.cost of recruitment

.Travel TIME

.Recognition (after tenure, promotion, awards, etc.)

.Temporary and part time employees

.Work Culture

.growth and expansion

.Timeliness (in recruitment processes) Reporting Relationships

How did Hal, Charles, and Mercedes die in The Call of the Wild?

Hal, Charles, and Mercedes die when the ice on which they are running gives way, throwing them into the freezing water, where they drown.

Hal, Charles, and Mercedes had been warned numerous times that it would be foolhardy to try to cross the frozen water so late in the season, but they wouldn't listen.  Arrogant novices, they insisted on doing things their way, scoffing at those with more experience who cautioned that "the bottom's likely to drop out at any moment".  Not only did they refuse to heed the counsel of others, but they were also vicious in their treatment of their dogs, relying on the whip to push them far beyond their capacity, feeding them insufficiently, and doing nothing to lighten the load they were expected to pull.  John Thornton rescues Buck from the foolish trio when Buck is "too near dead to be of further use in hauling the sled".  The two of them watch as Hal drives the "limping and staggering" remnant of the team over the ice, with Mercedes selfishly riding the overloaded sled and Charles stumbling along behind.  Suddently, when the sled is about a half-mile away, they see "its back end drop down, as into a rut, and the gee-pole, with Hal clinging to it, jerk into the air...Mercedes's scream (comes) to their ears...then a whole section of ice give(s) way and dogs and humans disappear...a yawning hole (is) all that (is) to be seen" (Chapter V).

What is the significance of Grass in Walt Whitman's Song of myself?

The significance of Grass, in American poet Walt Whitman’s
“Song of Myself”, as part of his epic work “Leaves of Grass” is that a single blade of
grass represents an individual in society. The man in the poem is “…observing
a spear of summer grass.” This causes him to ponder the human condition and
the thoughts and actions of human beings. This blade or spear of grass is amongst an
innumerable host of leaves of grass. It is a representation of this grass, as well as
distinct and separate (as an individual blade) from this
multitude.

This is the same with people. We are
all part of the human family. We are also distinct, unique individuals of this group.
When the man ponders the blade of grass he is thinking about man (exemplified by the
blade) and his purpose on the earth.

Right off
the bat, in this section of “Leaves of Grass”, Whitman alludes to the fact that we come
from the dust of the earth. Spears of grass arise from the dirt. Man is created of the
dust of the earth and Whitman states in this poem that, “My tongue, every atom
of my blood, form’d from this soil, this air, …” He sees some similarities
here between flora and human beings. The soil begets a multitude of grass; the soil
begot human beings through a creative act. This is definitely alluded to here,
regardless of one’s belief system.

It seems that
Whitman is relating the life of a blade of grass to a human life. Grass strives to
survive daily and eventually meets its end. So does man. Grass, so-to-speak, greets each
day and exists and functions. So do we, as living beings. Whitman notes “… the
song of me rising from bed and meeting the sun.” This is what spears of grass
do each morning – awake and meet the
sun.

Whitman is satisfied with what he sees of
himself – internally and physically. A fine blade of grass also has its inherent beauty
and wonderfulness of form. Whitman is celebrating himself, and by extension all humans,
as he celebrates the blade of grass that is causing him to think deeply. He is satisfied
and says so, “I am satisfied – I see, dance, laugh,
sing.…”

Grass represents all humans,
collectively and individually, and what each faces in life. Whitman talks of all that
one can worry about. This includes, among others listed, inventions, societies, dress,
associates, love of others, sickness of loved ones, and lack of money. The difference
being that the grass carries on unworried, while people do not have that
luxury.

People must face life differently than
unthinking grass and deal with issues. People must carry on and create and produce, and
do the things they are accustomed to doing, despite challenges. There will always be
grass. There will always be people living; “…the book-keeper counts at his
desk, the shoemaker waxes his
thread,…”

Life, in its complexities,
as well as mundane acts, continues on its survival plan, just like leaves of
grass.

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What is the significance of Grass in Walt Whitman's Song of myself?

The significance of Grass, in American poet Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself”, as part of his epic work “Leaves of Grass” is that a single blade of grass represents an individual in society. The man in the poem is “…observing a spear of summer grass.” This causes him to ponder the human condition and the thoughts and actions of human beings. This blade or spear of grass is amongst an innumerable host of leaves of grass. It is a representation of this grass, as well as distinct and separate (as an individual blade) from this multitude.

This is the same with people. We are all part of the human family. We are also distinct, unique individuals of this group. When the man ponders the blade of grass he is thinking about man (exemplified by the blade) and his purpose on the earth.

Right off the bat, in this section of “Leaves of Grass”, Whitman alludes to the fact that we come from the dust of the earth. Spears of grass arise from the dirt. Man is created of the dust of the earth and Whitman states in this poem that, “My tongue, every atom of my blood, form’d from this soil, this air, …” He sees some similarities here between flora and human beings. The soil begets a multitude of grass; the soil begot human beings through a creative act. This is definitely alluded to here, regardless of one’s belief system.

It seems that Whitman is relating the life of a blade of grass to a human life. Grass strives to survive daily and eventually meets its end. So does man. Grass, so-to-speak, greets each day and exists and functions. So do we, as living beings. Whitman notes “… the song of me rising from bed and meeting the sun.” This is what spears of grass do each morning – awake and meet the sun.

Whitman is satisfied with what he sees of himself – internally and physically. A fine blade of grass also has its inherent beauty and wonderfulness of form. Whitman is celebrating himself, and by extension all humans, as he celebrates the blade of grass that is causing him to think deeply. He is satisfied and says so, “I am satisfied – I see, dance, laugh, sing.…”

Grass represents all humans, collectively and individually, and what each faces in life. Whitman talks of all that one can worry about. This includes, among others listed, inventions, societies, dress, associates, love of others, sickness of loved ones, and lack of money. The difference being that the grass carries on unworried, while people do not have that luxury.

People must face life differently than unthinking grass and deal with issues. People must carry on and create and produce, and do the things they are accustomed to doing, despite challenges. There will always be grass. There will always be people living; “…the book-keeper counts at his desk, the shoemaker waxes his thread,…”

Life, in its complexities, as well as mundane acts, continues on its survival plan, just like leaves of grass.

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What causes Minerva's fears in the book "In the Time of the Butterflies"?

Minerva is a very strong character, but beneath her defiant and unflappable demeanor she does have deep fears.  She allows herself to reveal her vulnerability in Chapter 12, when she is trying to adjust back to life at home after seven months in prison.  Minerva describes the distress she feels at the thought of even going out of the house at that point.  She and her sisters are allowed two outings a week, "Thursdays to La Victoria to visit (her husband), and Sundays to church" but as soon as they turn onto the road, she begins to panic, her "heart...pounding" and her "breathing...shallow".  Minerva is not comfortable in "open vistas", but "the sense of being adrift in a crowd of people pressing in on all sides" does not provide her a sense of security either.

Minerva is also afraid that she will not be able to live up to the "superhuman status" to which the people of the Dominican Republic have elevated her.  She feels that she must "(hide) (her) anxieties and (give) everyone a bright smile".  She laments that the people who so revered her for standing up to Trujillo have no idea "how frail (is) their iron-will heroine", and how difficult it is for her to hide her fears and pretend everything is like it was before her incarceration.

Differences versus similarities: Describe people and society in fourteenth-century England and today.Explain differences or similarities

Let's imagine that we're rewriting the Tales to set them in the 21st century. First of all, we'd have to find a reason other than religion for them to be traveling. In the 14th century, people regularly went on pilgrimage to a shrine for healing or to ask for special prayer. Today, some groups, particularly in Islam, still practice the pilgrimage, but few Christians do.

The modes of travel would have to change. Chaucer's pilgrims mostly rode donkeys, with the wealthy riding horses. Today, people travel by car. Our travelers would probably ride in a comfortable, air-conditioned bus.

Occupations have changed. While we still have religious orders and might still include a prioress, a parson, and a friar, there would be no summoner or pardoner. We would still have a merchant, a cook, and a lawyer, but we wouldn't have a tapestry weaver, a dyer, or a miller. We'd have to rename some of the pilgrims. For instance, the Reeve would be called a Caretaker, the Manciple might be a Paralegal, the Franklin would be called a landowner. We might still have a knight, but he would not likely be a soldier returning from war. Today people are knighted because of some great deed they've done.

There was government corruption in the 14th century, and there is government corruption today. There were poor people then and now. There was drinking then and now.

You might find that there are just as many similarities between Chaucer's pilgrims and people today as there are differences!

Can you explain the sense of alienation in "Look Back in Anger"?

Jimmy Porter feels alienated from both his wife and society in general.  He is a struggling middle class working man who is bored and confined by his monotonous life.  His wife Alison has come to accept life, silently bearing any and all burdens.

Jimmy feels resentful of Alison's aloofness and indifferent demeanor and strikes out at her to get a reaction. 

Jimmy is an angry man who feels that his opportunities in life were shaped by his middle class upbringing.  Alison's brother Nigel has a university degree and is a member of Parliament.  Jimmy hates him for his connection to the world.  A connection that he knows that he will never have. 

Jimmy is a character who contemplates the world beyond the dimensions of his own existence.  He cannot find anyone to talk to about the injustices or curiosities he feels about life. 

Part of Jimmy's alienation is from a general feeling in Great Britain in the 1950s when the ordinary British citizen felt passed over by a government who had promised prosperity for everyone.  Instead, following WWII, in which London was destroyed, the British people struggle with new threats and a country put back together with a socialist system in place that is designed to keep everyone equal, except the very rich who remain the upper class, high above the ordinary citizen.  Jimmy resents all of this and knows that it will never change. 

How does Shakespeare use animal imagery to trace the downfall of Macbeth?

Shakespeare begins in Act I with Lady Macbeth's quote to her husband, "Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it."  She is calling him the serpent...a creature that from the beginning of time has been associated with fear, fangs, and death.

In Act II, all the earth rebels against the death of Duncan.  Owls scream, crickets cry, horses break out of their stalls and eat each other. 

In Act III, Macbeth also tells his wife, "Full of scorpions is my mind."  Scorpions, like snakes, are not warm, fuzzy sorts of animals.  You wouldn't want to cuddle with these creatures for their potential to do harm.  It shows Macbeth's state of mind and his downward spiral.  He also references Banquo and Fleance in terms of snakes--"We have scotched the snake but not killed it"--since they pose a threat to him and his throne.

In Act V Macbeth goes to his death "bearlike"...he makes references to being tied to the stake (bear-baiting, a popular public entertainment in Elizabethan times)...giving an otherwise honorable animal a more fierce and defensive backed up-into-a- corner attitude.

Unlike Macbeth, other characters are spoken of in terms of more honorable and admirable animals--hens, chicks, monkeys, cats, etc.

As Macbeth falls further and further into irreparable spiritual damage, the animal imagery he uses and that used to describe him is increasingly more threatening and dangerous.

How did the book Silent Spring change American History?

With the kinds of environmental abuses and neglect that
was taking place in the 1950s and 60s, it was inevitable that a green movement of some
sort would start, just as in the 1850s, it was inevitable that an abolition movement
would grow.  In that time period, the book Uncle Tom's Cabin sold
hundreds of thousands of copies and changed minds, increasing the size and momentum of
the anti-slavery movement.

Silent
Springdid something similar.  It took a fledgling movement and an unknown
debate topic and brought it into specific relief.  It made it into a national
discussion, and there were magazine and journal and scientific and political responses
to it.

Did it change history?  Yes it did.  Just not all by
itself.  The car was already running, her book just stepped on the
gas.

How did the book Silent Spring change American History?

With the kinds of environmental abuses and neglect that was taking place in the 1950s and 60s, it was inevitable that a green movement of some sort would start, just as in the 1850s, it was inevitable that an abolition movement would grow.  In that time period, the book Uncle Tom's Cabin sold hundreds of thousands of copies and changed minds, increasing the size and momentum of the anti-slavery movement.

Silent Springdid something similar.  It took a fledgling movement and an unknown debate topic and brought it into specific relief.  It made it into a national discussion, and there were magazine and journal and scientific and political responses to it.

Did it change history?  Yes it did.  Just not all by itself.  The car was already running, her book just stepped on the gas.

How does the ending of The Kite Runner create a lasting effect on the reader?

While some readers reported being disappointed with
The Kite Runner's ending because of its lack of complete
resolution, many critics have interpreted Hosseini's ending to be a portrait of
Afghanistan's future--tentatively optimistic.  Sohrab does not speak to Amir and Soraya
at the book's end, but he does show a faint smile, a sign of future healing.  Similarly,
the country of Afghanistan (when the book was first published) was showing signs of
finally being able to choose its own leaders and establishing the type of nation that it
wanted to be, not what others tried to impose upon
it.

This concept of hope leaves a lasting impression with
readers as does the tidiness of Amir's redemption.  At last, he has sacrificed for
Hassan instead of sacrificing someone for his own sake, and he takes on the role of kite
runner for Hassan's son Sohrab.

How does the ending of The Kite Runner create a lasting effect on the reader?

While some readers reported being disappointed with The Kite Runner's ending because of its lack of complete resolution, many critics have interpreted Hosseini's ending to be a portrait of Afghanistan's future--tentatively optimistic.  Sohrab does not speak to Amir and Soraya at the book's end, but he does show a faint smile, a sign of future healing.  Similarly, the country of Afghanistan (when the book was first published) was showing signs of finally being able to choose its own leaders and establishing the type of nation that it wanted to be, not what others tried to impose upon it.

This concept of hope leaves a lasting impression with readers as does the tidiness of Amir's redemption.  At last, he has sacrificed for Hassan instead of sacrificing someone for his own sake, and he takes on the role of kite runner for Hassan's son Sohrab.

Describe Chris's relationship with his father and whether you think it had something to do with his behavior in "Into the Wild." This is the topic...

Chris McCandless' relationship with his father was strained at best.  Chris was an opinionated, determined, and stubborn young man with high ideals and little room for compromise.  His father is a hardworking man with high standards who shared his son's inabilty to compromise.  Chris was always critical of his parents and their lifestyle, but that criticsm turned to outright anger when Chris learned that his father had lived a double life with another family for a time.  Chris saw his father as a liar and a hypocrit and he was never able to forgive his father.  A recurrent theme in Chris' journal was a search for "truth", and he linked that search to the lack of truth he perceived in his family life.  After graduating from college Chris felt the need to flee from his family and their expectations in order to seek the truth that he felt he had never experienced.

What is a brief summary of "The Cask of Amontillado"?

' The narrator, Montresor, opens the story by stating that he has been irreparably insulted by his acquaintance, Fortunato, and that he seeks revenge. He tells Fortunato that he has acquired something that could pass for Amontillado, a light Spanish sherry. Fortunato is anxious to taste the wine and to determine for Montresor whether or not it is truly Amontillado. Fortunato insists that they go to Montresor's vaults.  On the exposed wall is a small recess, where Montresor tells Fortunato that the Amontillado is being stored. Fortunato, now heavily intoxicated, goes to the back of the recess. Montresor then suddenly chains the slow-footed Fortunato to a stone. Taunting Fortunato with an offer to leave, Montresor begins to wall up the entrance to this small crypt, thereby trapping Fortunato inside. Fortunato screams confusedly as Montresor builds the first layer of the wall. The alcohol soon wears off and Fortunato moans, terrified and helpless. As the layers continue to rise, though, Fortunato falls silent. He fits the last stone into place and plasters the wall closed, his actions accompanied only by the jingling of Fortunato's bells. He finally repositions the bones on the fourth wall. For fifty years, he writes, no one has disturbed them.

What is a summary for the story "Love" by Guy de Maupassant?

There is not a lot of plot to this
story.

The narrator reads the story of a murder-suicide and
that reminds him of a time that he went hunting with his cousin who lives out in the
country.

The narrator spends a lot of time talking about
the marshlands where they are going hunting and about how that landscape makes him
feel.  Then he describes their duck hunt.  The narrator shoots a female duck.  The male
duck will not leave the area because he misses his mate.  When he comes to investigate,
the cousin shoots it.

The narrator then puts the ducks in
the game bag and says that he goes back to Paris the same
evening.

What is a summary for the story "Love" by Guy de Maupassant?

There is not a lot of plot to this story.

The narrator reads the story of a murder-suicide and that reminds him of a time that he went hunting with his cousin who lives out in the country.

The narrator spends a lot of time talking about the marshlands where they are going hunting and about how that landscape makes him feel.  Then he describes their duck hunt.  The narrator shoots a female duck.  The male duck will not leave the area because he misses his mate.  When he comes to investigate, the cousin shoots it.

The narrator then puts the ducks in the game bag and says that he goes back to Paris the same evening.

How does Scout react when Atticus explains to her why he has decided to defend Tom Robinson?I know Atticus explains he does it because he wouldn't...

Scout is young and doesn't understand everything her
father is telling her--yet.  In fact, Harper Lee often uses Scout's youthful ignorance
as an opportunity for the adults to explain what she wants the readers to hear about
prejudice and hate and other harmful stereotypes.

In this
case, Atticus does explain his position, as you noted.  He tells Scout, in answer to her
question, that they will probably not win this case.  He then asks her for one thing--to
keep her cool and not pick a fight over this matter.  Her reaction is pretty basic,
considering she really doesn't understand what her father is asking her to do--to accept
that others will be ignorant and cruel and hurtful because they have not learned
better.  She is capable of being the bigger person, and that's what he asks of her. She
promises. 

She tries, she really does. but when her cousin
Francis calls her father names she simply has to haul off and whack him--prompting
Atticus to let Scout overhear a conversation in which he admits his fears for the summer
ahead and his hope that his children will come to him first rather than try to fight. 
She doesn't make another promise, but she does better the next time she is
tempted.

How does Scout react when Atticus explains to her why he has decided to defend Tom Robinson?I know Atticus explains he does it because he wouldn't...

Scout is young and doesn't understand everything her father is telling her--yet.  In fact, Harper Lee often uses Scout's youthful ignorance as an opportunity for the adults to explain what she wants the readers to hear about prejudice and hate and other harmful stereotypes.

In this case, Atticus does explain his position, as you noted.  He tells Scout, in answer to her question, that they will probably not win this case.  He then asks her for one thing--to keep her cool and not pick a fight over this matter.  Her reaction is pretty basic, considering she really doesn't understand what her father is asking her to do--to accept that others will be ignorant and cruel and hurtful because they have not learned better.  She is capable of being the bigger person, and that's what he asks of her. She promises. 

She tries, she really does. but when her cousin Francis calls her father names she simply has to haul off and whack him--prompting Atticus to let Scout overhear a conversation in which he admits his fears for the summer ahead and his hope that his children will come to him first rather than try to fight.  She doesn't make another promise, but she does better the next time she is tempted.

As the play opens Rev. Parris is questioning his niece. What is he questioning her about and what exactly is his real concern?

Reverand Parris is questioning Abigail about the girls in the forest and what they were doing.  He has seen them as he was walking about and heard the noise.  As he approached the woods, they ran, but he saw enough to know they were up to no good.  The woods have typically been a setting for stories where wildness and trickery occurred...dealings with the Devil and that sort of nonsense.

Abigail swears that nothing was going on, and that no one was naked or conjuring spirits.  She admits only to dancing--which is against the Puritan beliefs and law.  When Betty does not wake up for fear of the consequences, "witchcraft" is brought up in the community and Abigail's wheels begin turning in order to protect herself from the hangman's noose.  He has also brought up the talk in town about her good name and how it is tarnished because she led John Proctor away from his wife.

Reverand Parris' real concern is with his own repuatation.  He does not seem concerned with what exactly the girls were doing except where it concerns how the people in the community of Salem will look at him and his ability to influence his own neice and daughter with his spiritual education.  He admits that members of the community already plot against him and want to replace him with another minister.  He is in fear of losing his job.

In the book "The Giver" what are some adjectives for Jonas' father?

In the book The Giver Jonas father
works in the nursery taking care of the infants but one of the deeds that he has to do
is to put them to death sometimes.  He refers to the act as
releasing the infants.  I can think of
quite a few adjectives that would describe his father in the
story.

Nurturing, ignorant, caring, trustworthy, parental,
dutiful, obedient, friendly, helpful, unengaged, and
bland.

Some of the traits are evident because he has no
memories of how to have real emotions like the rest of the members in the community.  I
can not call him a murderer because he does not "kill" according to the communications
of his society.

In the book "The Giver" what are some adjectives for Jonas' father?

In the book The Giver Jonas father works in the nursery taking care of the infants but one of the deeds that he has to do is to put them to death sometimes.  He refers to the act as releasing the infants.  I can think of quite a few adjectives that would describe his father in the story.

Nurturing, ignorant, caring, trustworthy, parental, dutiful, obedient, friendly, helpful, unengaged, and bland.

Some of the traits are evident because he has no memories of how to have real emotions like the rest of the members in the community.  I can not call him a murderer because he does not "kill" according to the communications of his society.

In "Animal Farm," what does Napoleon tell Boxer that proves Napoleon ruthless?

Napoleon tells Boxer that he is sending the hard working horse to a rest home when, in fact, he is has sold Boxer to a glue factory where he will be slaughtered. This is obviously ruthless because Boxer has been such an integral part of Animal Farm and the revolution. Boxer is the hardest worker of the animals, to the point that he works himself to exhaustion. Boxer was excessively loyal to Napoleon and followed him without question. To betray Boxer by sending him to a grim death in a slaughterhouse can only be considered cold-hearted and ruthless. However, this mirrors the way many workers in the Soviet Union were treated during the reign of Josef Stalin and that is the point George Orwell, the author of the book, wants to make.

What is the tone of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and what is the author's attitude toward his subject/audience?

A good question. You are correct that the tone shifts at times. In the preface, for example, there is more of a direct appeal, almost as if Twain were marketing his book to potential readers. After that, the approach shifts. However, a few qualities run through the book, and so I'd say the tone is one of affectionate distance, which could also be called gentle irony. Take a look at this early passage:

"The old lady pulled her spectacles down and looked over them about the room; then she put them up and looked out under them. She seldom or never looked through them for so small a thing as a boy; they were her state pair, the pride of her heart, and were built for “style,” not service—she could have seen through a pair of stove-lids just as well."

 

The level of detail shows affection, as does the "pride of her heart" line, but Twain is gently mocking the woman, and through her, all people.

What is Sir Philip Sidney trying to say in Sonnet 71 of the "Astrophil and Stella" series?

Who will in fairest book of nature know
How virtue may best lodg'd in beauty be,
Let him but learn of love to read in thee,
Stella, those fair lines which true goodness show.
There shall he find all vices' overthrow,
Not by rude force, but sweetest sovereignty
Of reason, from whose light those night-birds fly;
That inward sun in thine eyes shineth so.
And, not content to be perfection's heir
Thyself, dost strive all minds that way to move,
Who mark in thee what is in thee most fair.
So while thy beauty draws thy heart to love,
As fast thy virtue bends that love to good:
But "Ah," Desire still cries, "Give me some food!"

The names Astrophil and Stella mean "Star-lover" and "Star," respectively. Scholars believe that Sidney wrote this series of poems for Penelope Devereux, with whom he may have had an affair.

In most of Sonnet 71, the lover Astrophil praises his lady's beauty and her virtues. But the last line lets us know that beauty and virtue are not enough for him. His desire cries out for food. This is a euphemism for sex. It is all good and well that she is so pretty and so good, but his sexual desire needs to be fed!

What's an example of Asher not using precise language in The Giver?

The most memorable example of Asher not using precise language is when he said “smack” instead of “snack” as a toddler.  Since toddlers are swatted with a Discipline Wand, they smacked him every time he asked for a snack, until her didn’t talk at all.

This is a very sad story.  It is an example of how it is more important to them that everything is done right and everyone conforms than anything else.  By the time children start school, they are completely obedient.

Another example of Asher’s imprecise language is when he is late for school and apologizes, saying he got “distraught” watching fish.  His good-natured response to always being a lesson to the others is an interesting take on the community.

If the Cullen Family moves around, how does Carlisle continue to practice medicine w/o having a doctorate that's 100 years old in Twilight?

If you read Breaking Dawn, they mention that they use J.
Jenks to get paperwork illeagaly. Prehaps J. Jenks has made him illegal, but more recent
medical school degree papers.

EDIT:
I'm sorry I just realized the person above me, posted the same idea, but written much
better. But the person they get their illegal documents from is named J. Jenks and they
talk about him in breaking dawn.

If the Cullen Family moves around, how does Carlisle continue to practice medicine w/o having a doctorate that's 100 years old in Twilight?

If you read Breaking Dawn, they mention that they use J. Jenks to get paperwork illeagaly. Prehaps J. Jenks has made him illegal, but more recent medical school degree papers.

EDIT: I'm sorry I just realized the person above me, posted the same idea, but written much better. But the person they get their illegal documents from is named J. Jenks and they talk about him in breaking dawn.

What were the Jim Crow laws?

After the end of the United States Civil War in 1865, the
country was united again and slavery was made illegal in all states. Unfortunately,
while blacks were legally free men on paper, common prejudice and discrimination
continued as whites -- especially Southerners, who were angry about losing the war and
their bid for sovereignty -- placed blacks into a lower social class. To this end, the
Jim Crow laws were invented to keep blacks from aspiring to
a higher social position, or considering themselves equal with whites. The landmark
legal case of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) cemented the acceptability of "separate but
equal" in many people's minds.

The most common example was
segregation, which kept blacks from mingling with whites in most public places,
including restaurants, churches, offices, bathrooms, and places of business. Segregation
continued in one form or another until the 1950s. Examples of "whites-only" or
"blacks-only" signs can still be seen in historic, refurbished, or abandoned buildings.
Blacks were also prohibited from voting, which meant that they could not support
candidates sympathetic to civil rights.

The main focus of
the Jim Crow was to prevent blacks from mingling with whites, especially in marriage or
politics. This stemmed both from the scientific beliefs of the time -- which were slowly
proven wrong -- and from standard prejudice. Most whites shared these beliefs, and had
no reason to doubt them aside from moral or ethical concerns. Because blacks were almost
never involved with politics, there was no push to overturn the laws until after World
War II, when the Civil Rights Movement began to gain real
momentum.

What were the Jim Crow laws?

After the end of the United States Civil War in 1865, the country was united again and slavery was made illegal in all states. Unfortunately, while blacks were legally free men on paper, common prejudice and discrimination continued as whites -- especially Southerners, who were angry about losing the war and their bid for sovereignty -- placed blacks into a lower social class. To this end, the Jim Crow laws were invented to keep blacks from aspiring to a higher social position, or considering themselves equal with whites. The landmark legal case of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) cemented the acceptability of "separate but equal" in many people's minds.

The most common example was segregation, which kept blacks from mingling with whites in most public places, including restaurants, churches, offices, bathrooms, and places of business. Segregation continued in one form or another until the 1950s. Examples of "whites-only" or "blacks-only" signs can still be seen in historic, refurbished, or abandoned buildings. Blacks were also prohibited from voting, which meant that they could not support candidates sympathetic to civil rights.

The main focus of the Jim Crow was to prevent blacks from mingling with whites, especially in marriage or politics. This stemmed both from the scientific beliefs of the time -- which were slowly proven wrong -- and from standard prejudice. Most whites shared these beliefs, and had no reason to doubt them aside from moral or ethical concerns. Because blacks were almost never involved with politics, there was no push to overturn the laws until after World War II, when the Civil Rights Movement began to gain real momentum.

Why does Gatsby view Daisy's child with surprise?

A child is often a product of love, which he hopes is not
really going on with Daisy and Tom. A child means at least 18 years of permanence
between a man and a woman even if they separate.

Daisy also
lives a life apart from her child. He's seen Daisy in many situations, but not ever with
a child. This child suggests Daisy is not just a wife to be separated, but a mother. I
think if there was any moral bone in Gatsby's body a child would give cause to think
twice about what he intends to do.

I think he also would
have liked to contribute to the children that Daisy would
have.

Nick says that Gatsby likely never believed in the
child's existence. The reasons above, to me, are likely why.