Describe the character of Belinda in "The Rape of the Lock."What type of girl she is?

Belinda is upper class, high-strung and conceited.  She is lovely and used to being told she is beautiful.  She is the type of girl one would expect to have "a favorite curl".   When she hears of the party where her curl will meet its doom, she is reluctant to go, but she can not stand not being there to be admired, so she goes anyway. 

She is used to being the center of attention.  She enjoys flirting, but until the Baron becomes one of her beaus, she never really entertains the idea of giving in to love and marriage.  Neglecting Ariel's (her fairy guardian in charge of her hair) advice to beware of all men, she plays cards flirtingly with two suitors, the Baron being one of them.  The Baron is aided by Clarissa, a jealous "friend" of Belinda's who slips him the scissors with which to steal the curl.

Belinda, usually well behaved as society girls are, flies into one of the most outrageous rages ever recorded.  She goes so far as to throw snuff in the Baron's face and to stab him with her hat pin.  Ouch! 

However much she rages, he at first will not return the lock of hair and then, having lost it, can not return it.  Belinda's usual vanity and pride return, however, when someone says she saw where the lock of hair went...it traveled to the stars and was made into a constellation where everyone for eternity can admire its beauty.

The makers of Cellfood allege that Congress passed the "Deuterium Freedom Act" of 1985. I wondered if you could tell me if there is such an Act.

The law appears to be fictitious. In fact, some sources even doubt that Edward Storey, who supposedly invented Cellfood, exists. Cellfood is based on the premise that cancer and other diseases are caused by oxygen deficiency at the cellular level. According to the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute: This product has been offered for sale via the internet and health food stores based on the unproven theory that cancer, infections, HIV, and degenerative diseases are caused by oxygen deficiency at the cellular level. These claims are based on pseudo-scientific explanations of physical phenomena and biochemical activities. None of the statements made by the company are supported by credible scientific evidence. Oxygen is not likely to be absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract when taken orally. The American Cancer Society urges cancer patients not to seek treatment with hyperoxygenation therapies. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission recently brought a lawsuit to stop the marketing of a similar "stabilized oxygen" product.

How are Montresor and Fortunato alike in "The Cask of Amontillado"?

Good question!  They are both single-mindedly in pursuit of something (Montresor about killing his foe, Fortunato about the amontillado), they are about the same age, from the story and the language they use it seems they are from similar backgrounds.  They have many of the same interests, including, but not limited to, their love of fine wines.  They both love a good party, and perhaps a good joke.  Fortunato obviously believes up until the last horrifying moment that Montresor is kidding around as he handcuffs Fortunato to the wall and begins to brick him into the wall itself.  They are both arrogant--Fortunato about his knowledge and expertise of fine wines; Montresor about the ills done to him by his greatest foe, Fortunato.

Check out the links below in order to find more ways to compare the two characters of this story and also how to support your opinions.  Good Luck!

In Act 4 Sc.2 of "Macbeth", what is the purpose of introducing Macduff's son into the play?

The purpose of having both Lady Macduff and Macduff is to show two things.  One is the depth of love that Macduff has for his country.  In a time when nothing is safe, Macduff has left a loving home to do what he thinks is right.  Lady Macduff, in contrast to Lady Macbeth, is a witty and intelligent woman who clearly loves her husband.  When the murderers ask when he is, she responds (even in her anger at him):

I hope, in no place so unsanctified
Where such as thou mayst find him.

Her son is also intelligent and loyal to his father.  The light-hearted joking of mother and son in this scene illustrates their intelligence and the pleasant atmosphere of this home.  The determination of Macduff's son to preserve his father's good name is shown in his confrontation with the murderers:

FIRST MURDERER.
He's a traitor.

SON.
Thou liest, thou shag-haar'd villain!

Macduff's loyalty to his country must be strong for him to leave this home.

Finally, the introduction of the son in particular is to demonstrate to the audience how evil Macbeth has become.  Not only does he send murderers after those people who are a direct threat to him, he goes after the families as well - including innocent children.  Macduff's attempts to defeat Macbeth are now fully justified.

Who would you consider the most heroic in In the Time of the Butterflies, and why?

I think the easy answer is Minerva, who is the most vocal and political of the four sisters.  But, personally, I don't feel she is the most heroic.  She is the most revolutionary, and, in terms of the country's morale, she is certainly a hero, but within the context of the novel (which is fictionalized, you must remember) I think the hero is Maria Teresa.

Mate (her nickname) is the baby of the family.  She is the most fearful, and the least interested in revolution (after Dede, who is prevented by her own fear and her husband from becoming involved with the underground).  She is not brilliant, like Minerva, she is not a woman of great faith, like Patria; she is actually a rather frivolous person, who likes pretty dresses, and parties, and sweets.  But in prison she shows perhaps the most fortitude of them all, and she suffers the greatest loss -- all without complaining.  She drops a note for the OAS overseer (which she hides in her long braid) which eventually leads to the release of all the women prisoners she's been incarcerated with.

Mate's behavior when she was tortured (by electric shock, which made her lose her baby) was, perhaps, which made me admire her the most of the sisters.  She didn't complain or pity herself, though she had good reason.  After she had been tortured in front of her husband, she would not let the guards help her with her clothes, or help her walk.  This is an example of the quiet defiance she displayed throughout the novel.

The contrast between her and Minerva's somewhat bombastic and slightly selfish revolutionary activities is that Mate performed her acts of heroism out of love.  Minerva, while certainly a sincere revolutionary who had very pure motives, was the cause, it could be argued, of her sisters' deaths.  Minerva didn't have to enlist the help of her sisters in her revolutionary cause.  Though Minerva may have been instrumental in the eventual fall of Trujillo, she also indirectly caused the death of her sisters. 

It depends, of course, on what you consider a hero.  Minerva was certainly a hero of the revolution; Mate was a hero to her family, and to those around her.

In "Monkey's Paw", what is probably troubling the Sergeant-Major about the White family's lack of concern towards the paw?

The Sergeant Major gives the Whites' plenty of warning about the dire consequences of the monkey's paw.  What is troubling for him is that they do not seem deterred by the warnings.

Sergeant Major Morris knows that something terrible is going to happen to the White family, but the Whites' are very casual about trying out the paw, in fact they don't believe the Sergeant Major's warnings.  To them, it is almost a joke, that the monkey's paw has any power at all.  

Mr. White believes, that the other two owners, the first, whose last wish was for death, and the Sergeant Major, did not use the monkey's paw responsibly.  He imagines that they made outlandish wishes and that is why the first owner wished for death, and why Sergeant Major Morris is nervous and keeps drinking to soothe himself.

"The Sergeant-Major tells them that a fakir has put a spell on the paw "to show that fate ruled people's lives," Those who tamper with fate "did so to their sorrow." But Herbert coaxes his father to wish for something modest, like 200 pounds."

Nonetheless, Mr. White makes the wish for 200 pounds and when nothing happens right away, he thinks that the whole thing is a hoax.

How does the poem "The Universe" by May Swenson play on sound effects?

Swenson's poem plays upon sound effects in several ways. First and most simply, Swenson repeats words. This creates a pattern, especially when it is read out loud. Second, she uses words like "within" and "think" that share letter groups ("in"), but which do not rhyme. This creates a tension between sound and appearance on the page, much as there is a tension between appearance and reality in the universe. The repetition of the "what" and the "w" sound creates a rhythm—I hear it like a wave meeting the shore—that reassures even though it asks many questions and creates a questioning tone.

In Act III of Hamlet, Shakespeare portrays Claudius as overly ambitious. Is he totally without conscience? Refer to the play to prove your point.

Like Macbeth, Claudius is aware of his crimes without being able to repent of them. Both have chosen to damn themselves for worldly advantage, but are too proud or too despairing to change their ways.

In Act III of Hamlet, Claudius is in private agony throughout, though he conceals it. Upon hearing Polonius make a chance remark on hypocrisy in Act III Scene 1, he mutters,

O, 'tis too true!
How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience!
....
O heavy burden!

In Act III, Scene 2, Claudius cannot bear to see the end of the play that Hamlet has arranged for him, which alludes to the way in which Claudius has murdered Hamlet's father, but rushes off in a panic: "Give me some light:--away!" He pretends to his attendants that what has affected him is "choler" or anger, but we understand clearly enough that it is his conscience.

In Act III Scene 3, Claudius is again overcome with guilt after putting on a decisive face before others. Following a speech that begins

O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven;
It hath the primal eldest curse upon't,--
A brother's murder!...

he turns to prayer. Nevertheless, he knows that at the end his dilemma remains the same:

My words fly up, my thoughts remain below:
Words without thoughts never to heaven go.

Despite the pangs of his conscience, Claudius is unwilling to take full ownership of what he has done. In the end, like Macbeth, if he can somehow get through in this world, he will disregard his conscience.

What's Toni Morrison's purpose for writing "Song of Solomon"?

Morrison says she writes in order to show her readers the viewpoint of African Americans. She thinks "black people have a story, and that story has to be heard." She categorizes her novels as "village literature" because they reflect "old values" and not "urban values". In her effort to restore the heritage of black culture, Morrison uses black oral history and myth. This novel begins on Morrison's birth date and mostly takes place in the 1950s and 1960s. She includes actual historical events in her novel that centers around racism, segregation, and the civil rights movement. The reader is able to witness these events through the characters Morrison creates. Regardless of the color of your skin, you can empathize with the characters in the novel. Anyone who isn't African American can understand to some degree what it was like during this historical time, and that is no small feat. Morrison has a gift for capturing the language and experience of African Americans that few other authors are able to do. Critics of Song of Solomon said that "the authors perceptions are human, rather than racist, and whites who read her will feel something--will live something--of what it means to be born black in America."

Go to the links below to read more about this gifted author and all of her works.

In chapter 2 of Things Fall Apart, what effect does the night have on the people? All I know is that it has something to do with some ghost or...

In chapter 2, Achebe tells the reader that, "Darkness held a vague terror for these people, even the bravest among them." Basically, they are afraid of the dark. Everything seems more mysterious, wild, and evil on a dark night. The silence and darkness magnified everything. On dark, silent nights, they would try to make no noise to avoid attracting evil spirits or wild animals. On moonlit nights, things were different. The moon light would cast almost a magical spell on everyone, making them happy, and children were free to roam and play in the fields.

This scene of the dark and silent night serves to magnify the eeriness of the town crier's voice. It heightens the suspense and concern of the characters as they listen to the message that he brings. The people's reaction to the darkness is also an example of the cultural beliefs of this tribe and the way they interact with their environment. The Ibo tribe believed that the world around them was full of signs, symbols, and spirits that held significant meaning for the people within it. The book is full of examples like this that point to their religious belief.

Mary Warren's testimony is destroyed in the end because she cannot do something. What? How does she explain the problem in Act 3?finally proctor...

In "The Crucible", the climax of the story comes when John Proctor confesses to having an affair with Abigail, thereby trying to discredit her and the girls' claims. One would think this would bring the end to the "witch hunt", however this is not the case. One reason is that the courts are not very willing to admit they listened to a bunch of girls who could have very well have other motives to their claims. The courts did not want to lose their power so they wanted to believe the girls no matter what to justify their actions. The other reason this does not end the witch hunt is because when Elizabeth is brought in from the jail to verify whether John's claims of the affair are true, she does not admit that John had an affair with Abigail. Elizabeth clearly wants to save her husband's name, and since she is not able to confer with him before she answers, she lies to the courts and says that although John was tempted, he never actually strayed from her. John claims Elizabeth would never tell a lie and then they use his words against him when she claims there never was an affair.

What are the rising action and climax of Night?

In Night, the rising action is when Elie and his family are put on the train to Auschwitz. Once the family is on the train, they are herded together like animals. This is the beginning of the nightmare Elie is about to face. This is the point where everything changes. Elie doesn't realize it now, but his life will never be the same again. Elie will be faced with the most despicable of human actions. Elie will face his own mortality and that of his father's. Elie will begin to ask questions about his faith and have it tested beyond limits.

The climax of the story is when the concentration camp is finally liberated. Elie has lost everything that ever mattered to him. His family was killed, he thinks he has lost his faith, and the life he once knew is no longer available to him. Yes, Elie is physically free, but spiritually and emotionally, he doesn't know if he will ever be free again. Elie overcame the most horrendous of situations, but now he has to face living again. When he was in the concentration camp, Elie just did what he had to do to survive, but now he has to make an effort of really living.

How does Irving create humor in "The Devil and Tom Walker"?

Irving creates humor, in large part, through irony and subtle sarcasm.  Tom Walker and his wife are described in the second paragraph as being extremely miserly.  In the next paragraph, he tells the reader that these two fought so much and so loudly, that passers-by, especially men, rejoiced in their bachelorhood, i.e., they were happy to be single rather than married to such a nasty wife.  When Tom tells his wife about his encounter with the devil and his reluctance to sign, she is so greedy that she wants to make her own pact with the devil.  She sets off to the woods to do so and is never seen again.  Her husband's only lament is that she had taken off with some of their household goods of value.  Irving tells the reader that Tom was a man of fortitude and so he "consoled himself for the loss of his property, with the loss of his wife,".  The final irony in the story is, when many years later, having signed with the devil and having made a fortune, Tom is accused of having made money from being so mean and stingy.  In his anger, Tom yells out that the devil should take him if he made any money that way.  Of course, the devil immediately appears and complies with Tom, taking him to hell.

What are some perceptions of other cultures in the The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao?

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
begins with poet Derek Walcott's lines: “I have Dutch, nigger, and English in me, and
either I’m nobody, or I’m a nation.”  So, Diaz's focus is on cultural assimilation: we
are more alike ("a nation") than we are different
("nobody").

In the novel, Diaz focuses primarily on black
Dominicans, black by skin color, descended from Africa, but living in a culture that
choose lightness over darkness and straight hair over kinky.  Males seem more at home in
their skin than females.  Beli abhors her blackness. She is a victim of the sexist male
culture (machismo) and the racist culture (light-skinned against black-skinned
Latinos).

The novel focuses on the New World immigrant
(Hispanic / Latino / Afro-Caribbean), the largest wave of contemporary immigration.
 Diaz plays with the  stereotypes of Dominican male virility, using Yunior as his
meathead narrator.  Oscar asks his roommate one
night:

"I have
heard from a reliable source that no Dominican male has ever died a virgin. You who have
experience in these matters--do you think this is
true?"

The book also focuses
on the "ghetto nerd" culture and all its sub-cultures.  Yunior knows the dorkiest of
sci-fi and Marvel comic book references:

readability="7">

"My shout-out to Jack Kirby aside, it's hard as a
Third-Worlder not to feel an affinity with Uatu the
Watcher."

Here are other
cultures assimilated in this pastiche:

•Science fiction:
e.g., Isaac Asimov

•Fantasy: e.g., Lord of the
Rings

•Comic book: e.g., Spider Man

•Literary: e.g., Oscar
Wilde

•Pop Culture (Media): e.g., Dr. No, Land of
the Lost

•Dominican History: e.g.,
Trajillo

No one could possible read Oscar 50 years from now
and discern all the esoteric cultural allusions without footnotes or marginalia.  In
this way, Diaz makes us all feel like an immigrant or a minority, in some way or
another.

Also worth noting is the "Annotated Oscar"
website, which explains all the sci-fi, comic book, and pop culture
allusions:

http://www.annotated-oscar-wao.com/

What are some perceptions of other cultures in the The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao?

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao begins with poet Derek Walcott's lines: “I have Dutch, nigger, and English in me, and either I’m nobody, or I’m a nation.”  So, Diaz's focus is on cultural assimilation: we are more alike ("a nation") than we are different ("nobody").

In the novel, Diaz focuses primarily on black Dominicans, black by skin color, descended from Africa, but living in a culture that choose lightness over darkness and straight hair over kinky.  Males seem more at home in their skin than females.  Beli abhors her blackness. She is a victim of the sexist male culture (machismo) and the racist culture (light-skinned against black-skinned Latinos).

The novel focuses on the New World immigrant (Hispanic / Latino / Afro-Caribbean), the largest wave of contemporary immigration.  Diaz plays with the  stereotypes of Dominican male virility, using Yunior as his meathead narrator.  Oscar asks his roommate one night:

"I have heard from a reliable source that no Dominican male has ever died a virgin. You who have experience in these matters--do you think this is true?"

The book also focuses on the "ghetto nerd" culture and all its sub-cultures.  Yunior knows the dorkiest of sci-fi and Marvel comic book references:

"My shout-out to Jack Kirby aside, it's hard as a Third-Worlder not to feel an affinity with Uatu the Watcher."

Here are other cultures assimilated in this pastiche:

•Science fiction: e.g., Isaac Asimov

•Fantasy: e.g., Lord of the Rings

•Comic book: e.g., Spider Man

•Literary: e.g., Oscar Wilde

•Pop Culture (Media): e.g., Dr. No, Land of the Lost

•Dominican History: e.g., Trajillo

No one could possible read Oscar 50 years from now and discern all the esoteric cultural allusions without footnotes or marginalia.  In this way, Diaz makes us all feel like an immigrant or a minority, in some way or another.

Also worth noting is the "Annotated Oscar" website, which explains all the sci-fi, comic book, and pop culture allusions:

http://www.annotated-oscar-wao.com/

I need two vocabulary words from the book and the page numbers on which they are found.

One good vocabulary word is lucid. It
was found on page 63 of the paperback I read. Page numbers may vary depending on the
publisher, edition, or whether it is hardback or paperback. This is a good word because
in context, the reader could determine its meaning. When Fayge replied to Hannah's
question about what year it was with 5701, Hannah blurted out that it couldn't be the
future. Shmuel explains that since Hannah's illness and the loss of her parents,
sometimes she is lucid, and other times she spoke of nonexistent,
impossible things.

Midden is another good word to use. It
is on page 116. Within the context of the next paragraph, the reader discovers it is
another word for the garbage dump where the youngest children would hide when the
commandant inspected. Children were not supposed to be in the work camp. If they were
discovered, they would disappear ( be taken off and killed).

I need two vocabulary words from the book and the page numbers on which they are found.

One good vocabulary word is lucid. It was found on page 63 of the paperback I read. Page numbers may vary depending on the publisher, edition, or whether it is hardback or paperback. This is a good word because in context, the reader could determine its meaning. When Fayge replied to Hannah's question about what year it was with 5701, Hannah blurted out that it couldn't be the future. Shmuel explains that since Hannah's illness and the loss of her parents, sometimes she is lucid, and other times she spoke of nonexistent, impossible things.

Midden is another good word to use. It is on page 116. Within the context of the next paragraph, the reader discovers it is another word for the garbage dump where the youngest children would hide when the commandant inspected. Children were not supposed to be in the work camp. If they were discovered, they would disappear ( be taken off and killed).

What remark does Holmes make about commonplace crime? And what does it mean?

Holmes says the following:

"As a rule," said Holmes, "the more bizarre a thing is the less mysterious it proves to be. It is your commonplace, featureless crimes which are really puzzling, just as a commonplace face is the most difficult to identify. But I must be prompt over
this matter."

He means that if something is common, it is undistinguished. There's nothing to set it apart. If there's nothing to set it apart, how can you solve it or even recognize who did it--or that a crime was done at all? Think of the minor crimes you do every day and you'll get a sense of this: jaywalking, for example, or speeding.

Why does Scout feel it wouldn't make much of a difference if Uncle Jimmy had come with Aunt Alexandra in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Scout feels that it wouldn't make much of a difference if Uncle Jimmy had come with Aunt Alexandra because, while her Aunt is forceful and opinionated, especially about Atticus's children's behavior, Uncle Jimmy "never said anything" (Chapter 13). 

Scout makes this same observation earlier in the book, at Christmastime.  She dreads the traditional Finch family get-together because of the inevitablity of tangling with Aunt Alexandra and Francis, Alexandra's grandson, who is about Scout's age.  Although Uncle Jimmy comes to this gathering too, Scout does not include him in voicing her antipathy, because "he never spoke a word to (her) in (her) life except to say, 'Get off the fence,' once" (Chapter 9).  Clearly, in Scout's mind, the presence of her innocuous Uncle is far overshadowed by his outspoken wife.

What are the major causes of injustice in Salem?At least one example in each act.

As a general comment on the injustices in Salem, the colony in Massachusetts was set up by Puritans who sought freedom to practice their religion without interference.  However, when they set up their towns and villages, they did so with a sense of intolerance for all human feeling and anything that they did not understand.  For example, when cattle die, or an infant dies in his crib, or a child is stricken with a strange illness, the people blame it on the forces of the devil among them or witchcraft. 

 The injustice exists because some individuals are blamed for unexplainable events as an easy way to dismiss how they happened, because a Puritan in good standing with God's will did not bring his wrath into the village or town.  Rather than acknowledge that they didn't understand all the events that occurred, they found a way to explain the actions as the work of the devil, acting through someone in the town. 

People accused of witchcraft were executed unless they confessed to being a witch, then they were spared.  19 people were executed in Salem, 400 were accused.  Therefore, more confessed to witchcraft to save their lives and lived a life thereafter marked as a sign of evil on earth. Rejected by society, often losing her family's support and love. 

How does Shakespeare establish the dignity and heroism of Othello early in the play, and does he regain his stature in the end? How?

In Acts I and V of Othello,
Shakespeare gives Othello dignity and heroic words, but in
Acts II, III, and IV he gives Othello ignoble and immoral
actions.  Overall, Othello wins a battle with words but
loses the war overall.  As such, he is no hero--only a tragic
one.

In Act I, Othello defeats Brabantio's, Iago's, and
Roderigo's plans to annul his marriage, place him in prison, and do him physical harm.
 How does he win?  Using his words, and not using his hands.  On the street, he talks
Brabantio's men--who have him outnumbered--out of fighting.  He
says:

readability="0.073770491803279">

Hold your
hands,
Both you of my inclining, and the
rest:
Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it
Without a
prompter.

Later, in
the Senate with the Duke, he likewise wins Desdemona's hand by using powerful
rhetoric:

readability="0">

Her father loved me; oft invited
me;
Still question'd me the story of my
life,
From year to year, the battles, sieges,
fortunes,
That I have
passed.

--and--

readability="0">

When I did speak of some distressful
stroke
That my youth suffer'd. My story being
done,
She gave me for my pains a world of
sighs:
She swore, in faith, twas strange, 'twas passing
strange,
'Twas pitiful, 'twas wondrous
pitiful:

Just as
Othello used stories to win over Brabantio and Desdemona, so too does he use a story to
win over the Duke, the Senate, and us.  The marriage is condoned, Othello is
commissioned to Cyprus, and Desdemona may accompany her husband on the honeymoon.  At
this point in the play, Othello looks like a hero.  But
wait...

In Acts II-IV, Othello loses his power of language.
 He is like Sampson with his hair cut off: powerless.  He suffers seizures, rage, fits
of jealousy, misogyny.  He slaps Desdemona publicly, slanders her name, murders her,
aligns himself with a villain, and shows little remorse for his crimes.  Listen to the
once mighty Othello now:

readability="0">

Pish! Noses, ears, and
lips.
--Is't possible?--Confess--handkerchief!--O
devil!--

He's a
stuttering, powerless fool.  Iago-the spider-has Othello-the fly-trapped in his web of
deceit and jealousy.  Iago is a puppet-master and Othello now dangles on his strings.
 Othello is a green-eyed monster.  A beast.  A slave.

In
Act V, Othello tries to resurrect his reputation, but it's all for show.  He knows that
he is ignoble, immoral, a misogynist, and a murderer.  His last monologue about doing
the state "some service" is all lip service.  He still only focuses on himself.  He
makes no confession or prayer regarding the two women who lie dead on the bed.  He does
not honor them, only himself.

No, Othello suffers too much
pride to become heroic.  He only seems heroic with his
words.

How does Shakespeare establish the dignity and heroism of Othello early in the play, and does he regain his stature in the end? How?

In Acts I and V of Othello, Shakespeare gives Othello dignity and heroic words, but in Acts II, III, and IV he gives Othello ignoble and immoral actions.  Overall, Othello wins a battle with words but loses the war overall.  As such, he is no hero--only a tragic one.

In Act I, Othello defeats Brabantio's, Iago's, and Roderigo's plans to annul his marriage, place him in prison, and do him physical harm.  How does he win?  Using his words, and not using his hands.  On the street, he talks Brabantio's men--who have him outnumbered--out of fighting.  He says:

Hold your hands,
Both you of my inclining, and the rest:
Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it Without a prompter.

Later, in the Senate with the Duke, he likewise wins Desdemona's hand by using powerful rhetoric:

Her father loved me; oft invited me;
Still question'd me the story of my life,
From year to year, the battles, sieges, fortunes,
That I have passed.

--and--

When I did speak of some distressful stroke
That my youth suffer'd. My story being done,
She gave me for my pains a world of sighs:
She swore, in faith, twas strange, 'twas passing strange,
'Twas pitiful, 'twas wondrous pitiful:

Just as Othello used stories to win over Brabantio and Desdemona, so too does he use a story to win over the Duke, the Senate, and us.  The marriage is condoned, Othello is commissioned to Cyprus, and Desdemona may accompany her husband on the honeymoon.  At this point in the play, Othello looks like a hero.  But wait...

In Acts II-IV, Othello loses his power of language.  He is like Sampson with his hair cut off: powerless.  He suffers seizures, rage, fits of jealousy, misogyny.  He slaps Desdemona publicly, slanders her name, murders her, aligns himself with a villain, and shows little remorse for his crimes.  Listen to the once mighty Othello now:

Pish! Noses, ears, and lips.
--Is't possible?--Confess--handkerchief!--O devil!--

He's a stuttering, powerless fool.  Iago-the spider-has Othello-the fly-trapped in his web of deceit and jealousy.  Iago is a puppet-master and Othello now dangles on his strings.  Othello is a green-eyed monster.  A beast.  A slave.

In Act V, Othello tries to resurrect his reputation, but it's all for show.  He knows that he is ignoble, immoral, a misogynist, and a murderer.  His last monologue about doing the state "some service" is all lip service.  He still only focuses on himself.  He makes no confession or prayer regarding the two women who lie dead on the bed.  He does not honor them, only himself.

No, Othello suffers too much pride to become heroic.  He only seems heroic with his words.

Does anybody know D.B's real name in "The Catcher in the Rye"? (Holden's older brother)I can't seem to find his real name..

Holden's brother D.B. is not referred to by his full name in the book or in any interpretations or reviews of Catcher in the Rye.

It could be suggested that the older brother is referred to only by his initials because he is a writer.  And, just like J.D. Salinger, initials are used.  Or, the initials could make him a remote, distant character to Holden, who feels that his brother is a sellout because he writes scripts in Hollywood instead of serious books.

Or, D.B. is referred to only with initials, because he is an adult, and out of Holden's world, so therefore, he is more phony if he does not have a full name.

As far as I can tell, from all my research for this book, D.B. is never named. 

The officer grins and asks, "What have you been doing? Having a war or something?" What are the two ironies here?Chapter 10

 E-notes defines irony as "a dryly humorous or lightly sarcastic figure of speech in which the literal meaning of a word or statement is the opposite of that intended. In literature, it is the technique of indicating an intention or attitude opposed to what is actually stated."

First of all, it is ironic that the Officer who is fighting in an adult war would question whether the children are at war. Secondly, the boys have been at war, and Ralph has nearly been killed and, of course, both Simon and Piggy have been killed! It is also ironic that the Officer says the boys are all "British boys," and implies as such, they would have good manners, and be raised without the ability to revert to the savagery that war demands, yet we know the boys have easily reverted to savagery and, at the same time, the British adults are engaged in war!

Why did Britain change during the industrial revolution of 1750-1900?

Industrial revolution refers to the great changes in form
of rapid development of industrialization that took place during the 1700's and early
1800's in the in several parts of the world.

Starting in
1700"s in Great Britain the Industrial Revolution started spreading to other parts of
Europe and to North America in the early 1800's, becoming widespread in western Europe
and the northeastern United States by mid
1800's.

Industrial Revolution changed the Western world
from a basically rural and agricultural based society to a predominantly urban and
industrial society. In addition to the changes in way people used technology, the
Industrial Revolution also caused great changes in people's way of life, and the social
systems. These changes can be attributed to several factors including Greater and
cheaper production of many goods including many new products which mad life easier of
people, the increasing importance of capital in production, need for centralized
location of production activities, and deskilling of
work.

Mass production using machines displaced some
workers, but others found new job opportunities working with machinery.  Both workers
and employers had to adjust to a new cold and impersonal relationship.  In addition,
most workers lived and worked under harsh conditions in the expanding industrial
cities.

The close relatiionship that often exised between
employers and employees under earlier system, became impossible in the large factories
of the which developed as a result of Industrial
Revolution.

The working day in factories than - about 12 to
14 hours a day for six days a week - was about same as that existed earlier. But because
of needs to keep the machines running for the maximum time employees were forced to work
faster and without rest

Jobs became more specialized, and
the work monotonous. As the production using old technologies became comparatively
uneconomical, artisans lost their traditional means of livelihood and were forced to
work in factories at very low wages. Women and children who also worked as unskilled
labourers earned even lower wages a small fraction of men's low wages.  Children as
young, as under 10 years of age, also worked in factories resulting in great damage to
their health.

Rapid urbanization was not accompanied by
development of proper housing. This resulted in development of overcrowded slums where
people lived in extremely unsanitary conditions causing many
diseases.

Workers were not permitted to vote and could do
little legally to improve their condition.  In Britain law forbade workers from joining
trade unions. But some workers did form trade unions and also went on strike or
rioted.

However the conditions of the working class
improved gradually during the 1800's.  Law forbidding trade unions were repealed and new
laws regulating factory conditions to ensure better working conditions were passed. A
Reform Bill passed in 1932, gave most middle-class men the right to vote.  Another Bill,
passed in 1867, granted voting rights to many city workers and owners of small
farms.

Although the working class people in the lowest
economic strata became poorer during the Industrial Revolution, the middle and upper
class people prospered. Many people made fortunes during the
period.

New products developed during Industrial Revolution
provided new comforts and conveniences to those who could afford
them.

Why did Britain change during the industrial revolution of 1750-1900?

Industrial revolution refers to the great changes in form of rapid development of industrialization that took place during the 1700's and early 1800's in the in several parts of the world.

Starting in 1700"s in Great Britain the Industrial Revolution started spreading to other parts of Europe and to North America in the early 1800's, becoming widespread in western Europe and the northeastern United States by mid 1800's.

Industrial Revolution changed the Western world from a basically rural and agricultural based society to a predominantly urban and industrial society. In addition to the changes in way people used technology, the Industrial Revolution also caused great changes in people's way of life, and the social systems. These changes can be attributed to several factors including Greater and cheaper production of many goods including many new products which mad life easier of people, the increasing importance of capital in production, need for centralized location of production activities, and deskilling of work.

Mass production using machines displaced some workers, but others found new job opportunities working with machinery.  Both workers and employers had to adjust to a new cold and impersonal relationship.  In addition, most workers lived and worked under harsh conditions in the expanding industrial cities.

The close relatiionship that often exised between employers and employees under earlier system, became impossible in the large factories of the which developed as a result of Industrial Revolution.

The working day in factories than - about 12 to 14 hours a day for six days a week - was about same as that existed earlier. But because of needs to keep the machines running for the maximum time employees were forced to work faster and without rest

Jobs became more specialized, and the work monotonous. As the production using old technologies became comparatively uneconomical, artisans lost their traditional means of livelihood and were forced to work in factories at very low wages. Women and children who also worked as unskilled labourers earned even lower wages a small fraction of men's low wages.  Children as young, as under 10 years of age, also worked in factories resulting in great damage to their health.

Rapid urbanization was not accompanied by development of proper housing. This resulted in development of overcrowded slums where people lived in extremely unsanitary conditions causing many diseases.

Workers were not permitted to vote and could do little legally to improve their condition.  In Britain law forbade workers from joining trade unions. But some workers did form trade unions and also went on strike or rioted.

However the conditions of the working class improved gradually during the 1800's.  Law forbidding trade unions were repealed and new laws regulating factory conditions to ensure better working conditions were passed. A Reform Bill passed in 1932, gave most middle-class men the right to vote.  Another Bill, passed in 1867, granted voting rights to many city workers and owners of small farms.

Although the working class people in the lowest economic strata became poorer during the Industrial Revolution, the middle and upper class people prospered. Many people made fortunes during the period.

New products developed during Industrial Revolution provided new comforts and conveniences to those who could afford them.

In The Great Gatsby, how did Jordan Baker cheat?

Jordan Baker in The Great Gatsby is
accused of and allegedly moved her golf ball during a tournament, in order to gain a
better position for her next shot.  This is cheating in
golf.

This reflects on Jordan's character.  Something like
this just isn't a big deal to her.  She is extremely careless when driving as well.  She
assumes other drivers will be careful and will get out of her
way. 

The accusation of cheating and her driving suggest
Jordan feels a sense of entitlement.  She deserves to win, whether
she earns it or not; and it is up to others to get out of her
way. 

These values clash with Nick's Midwestern values, or
at least that's how he presents the situation to the reader.  And he ends up dating
Jordan and enjoys being with her, so he probably doesn't have any reason to make Jordan
look worse than she is. 

In The Great Gatsby, how did Jordan Baker cheat?

Jordan Baker in The Great Gatsby is accused of and allegedly moved her golf ball during a tournament, in order to gain a better position for her next shot.  This is cheating in golf.

This reflects on Jordan's character.  Something like this just isn't a big deal to her.  She is extremely careless when driving as well.  She assumes other drivers will be careful and will get out of her way. 

The accusation of cheating and her driving suggest Jordan feels a sense of entitlement.  She deserves to win, whether she earns it or not; and it is up to others to get out of her way. 

These values clash with Nick's Midwestern values, or at least that's how he presents the situation to the reader.  And he ends up dating Jordan and enjoys being with her, so he probably doesn't have any reason to make Jordan look worse than she is. 

What is necrophilia, and how is it used as a symbol in "A Rose for Emily"?

According to dictionary.com, necrophilia is an abnormal fondness for being in the presence of dead bodies. I'm not sure what story you are referring to, but judging from your other questions, I going to assume it's "A Rose for Emily". At the end of this story, the townspeople come into a room decorated like a bridal or honeymoon room. They look around and see a decomposed body in the bed and beside it is the indentation of a head and a long strand of "iron-gray hair". Since Miss Emily's hair did not become gray until after the disappearance of Homer Baron, the implication is that she killed Homer ( that's the body in the bed) and then slept with the corpse. The reference to necrophilia implies that Emily was attracted to Homer's body. However, calling her a necrophiliac may be going a little too far. It seems she wanted only to keep Homer's body to keep up the pretense in her mind that they were married. She seems to have no other attraction in the story to any other dead body.

What are some social norms contrasted in Coral Island and present society?society norms that are contrasted from Coral Islandatleast 4 points needed

What happens on Coral Island shows the full scope of political comportement.

Jack and his followers represent the extreme form of liberalism where a Darwinist survival of the fittest is the only law that abides. The savage instinct needed to hunt when not held in check finally turns against them in the end.

In contrast, Ralf and his clan seek security in mutual consensus and collaboration but lack the go-getter nerve needed to dominate their environment. On this side Piggy best incarnates the intelligent leader, but it is no accident that his shortsightedness handicaps him in this role. Doesn't this suggest that he can't see things as they really are without help?

In short, Coral Island is a microcosm of government in general, portraying both right and left extremes in theory and practice. Neither is fully appropriate in itself. A balance must be struck somewhere between the two.

What is Peter Pan's shadow like and what does it mean?

The shadow scene in Peter Pan is a perfect example of the play's playfulness and cartoonish nature. For instance, the shadow, in contrast to the insubstantial shadows of real life, has an actual substance of its own. For example, Peter's shadow is snapped off by the window, and then Mrs. Darling rolls it up and stores it in a drawer without a second thought. This sequence of events is obviously impossible and goes against the laws of physics, as no one's shadow can be detached from his or her body and then rolled up like a yoga mat. However, this scene sets a tonal precedent for the rest of the story, showing us that the world of Peter Pan is one dominated by a playful rejection of the real world. As such, this shadow scene acts as a jumping off point that teaches us to adjust to the fantastical, child-like world of the narrative.  

What's American about American literature ?

The term "literary canon" refers to a classification of
literature. It is a term used widely to refer to a group of literary works that are
considered the most important of a particular time period or place. For example, there
can be a literary canon comprised of works from a particular country, or works written
within a specific set of years, or even a collection of works that were all written
during a certain time period and within a certain region. In this way, a literary canon
establishes a collection of similar or related literary works. Typically, works are
organized by “period” for example, such as the Early National Period from 1775 to
1828.

The Early National Period of American Literature saw
the beginnings of literature that could be truly identified as "American". The writers
of this new American literature wrote in the English style, but the settings, themes,
and characters were authentically American. In addition, poets of this time wrote poetry
that was relatively independent of English precursors. Three of the most recognized
writers of this time are Washington Irving, James Fennimore Cooper, and Edgar Allan
Poe.

Scholars who specialize in certain periods publish
anthologies containing works that they deem important or essential to a particular
period. The publisher "Norton" has compiled several anthologies containing what they
believe to be the canon for a particular era and periodically updates them. One recent
development in literature is the addition of female authors to well-established canons.
(There are online lists as well.)

What's American about American literature ?

The term "literary canon" refers to a classification of literature. It is a term used widely to refer to a group of literary works that are considered the most important of a particular time period or place. For example, there can be a literary canon comprised of works from a particular country, or works written within a specific set of years, or even a collection of works that were all written during a certain time period and within a certain region. In this way, a literary canon establishes a collection of similar or related literary works. Typically, works are organized by “period” for example, such as the Early National Period from 1775 to 1828.

The Early National Period of American Literature saw the beginnings of literature that could be truly identified as "American". The writers of this new American literature wrote in the English style, but the settings, themes, and characters were authentically American. In addition, poets of this time wrote poetry that was relatively independent of English precursors. Three of the most recognized writers of this time are Washington Irving, James Fennimore Cooper, and Edgar Allan Poe.

Scholars who specialize in certain periods publish anthologies containing works that they deem important or essential to a particular period. The publisher "Norton" has compiled several anthologies containing what they believe to be the canon for a particular era and periodically updates them. One recent development in literature is the addition of female authors to well-established canons. (There are online lists as well.)

In what part of the world does "To Build a Fire" take place?

This story takes place in an area of North America, in Canada, where temperatures traditionally go down to 50 below zero and can go much lower.  The story's setting is frigid, Arctic, wilderness, uninhabited, except for the rugged miners who brave the environment in search of riches.

"Jack London spent time in both Alaska and Canada. In ‘‘To Build a Fire’’ he writes about the Yukon trail that winds in and out of Alaska and Canada."

"Thousands of goldseekers traveled this and other land and water routes to the Klondike, hoping to strike it rich."

"They ignored warnings about the harsh winters they would encounter in the Northland, just as the man in ‘‘To Build a Fire’’ ignores the warnings of the experienced old-timer at the Klondike mining camp of Sulphur Creek."

In To Kill a Mockingbird, what is Jem's full name and on what page is it found?

In chapter 1, Scout gives an account of the first Finch family member to settle in Maycomb county, how her father became a lawyer, and information about her parents' life together before her mother died. She also recounts the day they first meet Charles Baker Harris, or Dill. Jem seems to make fun of Dill's full name and Dill shoots back, " 's not any funnier'n yours. Aunt Rachel says your name's Jeremy Atticus Finch" (7).

Another time Jem's first full name is used is in chapter 8, after Miss Maudie's house fire is put out, and the family goes back home to have some hot chocolate. Atticus asks the children where they got that mysterious blanket around Scout's shoulders and they deduce that it must have been Boo Radley who had given it to her. Jem gets very excited and tells Scout that if she had just turned away from watching the fire for a minute, she could have seen Boo Radley, the mysterious shut-in on their block. Atticus sternly advises Jem the following: "Do not let this inspire you to further glory, Jeremy" (72).  

The name is found on pages 7 and 72 if you are using the Perma-Bound, Time Warner Books edition. Otherwise, search for it in chapters 1 and 8.

What are some key superstitions from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and why are they important?

1) To remove warts, go to a graveyard at midnight and throw a dead cat at the devil when he appears.

2) Put quicksilver in bread and set the bread to float in a river to find a drowned body.

3) Worm crawling across your legs means you will get new clothes.

4) Bracelet of rattlesnake rattles will protect you from cramps.

5) Friday is an unlucky day.

6) Haunted houses exist.

7) A cross on the wall wil protect you from a ghost.

8) Howling dog = death.

These superstitions are important to Twain's themes in this story.  Consider these words from the preface:

"The odd superstitions touched upon were all prevalent among children and slaves in the West at the period of this story -- that is to say, thirty or forty years ago.   Although my book is intended mainly for the entertainment of boys and girls, I hope it will not be shunned by men and women on that account, for part of my plan has been to try to pleasantly remind adults of what they once were themselves, and of how they felt and thought and talked, and what queer enterprises they sometimes engaged in."

Twain is painting a portrait of an area and showing all the regional beliefs that control behavior in that area.  He is also demonstrating the hypocrisy and illogical nature of human behavior through the superstitions.  As readers, our attention is called to the fact that these are silly beliefs.  However, they do control the behavior of characters, showing how ridiculous humans can be.

How would you identify the writing technique in J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan in Chapter Five?

There are several interesting writing techniques employed by Barrie in Chapter 5. The first and most obvious is the technique whereby the third-person narrator takes the audience into confidence and addresses the reader directly:

Would that he could hear us, but we are not really on the island, and he passes by, biting his knuckles.

Barrie employs this technique right from paragraph one, Chapter one where he introduces Wendy and her family life:

One day when [Wendy] was two years old she was playing in a garden, and she plucked another flower and ran with it to her mother. I suppose she must have looked rather delightful, for Mrs. Darling put her hand to her heart and cried, "Oh, why can't you remain like this for ever!"

In contemporary literary theory terminology, this is called meta-reference and is a category within meta-fiction. These meta- classifications simply mean that a text refers to itself or to its creative process: characters--and a narrator--display an awareness of their role within a work of fiction. In meta-reference, characters--or a narrator--may "break the fourth wall" and do the equivalent of making asides to the audience (breaking the fourth wall is a term borrowed from theater and is represented by asides to the audience).

This meta-referencing narrator is called an "intrusive narrator." An intrusive narrator interrupts a narrative's progress and "dream"; the narrator speaks out of turn, you might say, drawing attention to the narratorial role and knowledge and to the reader's relationship with and dependence upon the narrator. Michael Jackman of Indiana University Southeast defines an intrusive narrator as one who will break the narratorial rules for being distant and invisible and ...

  1.  Give editorial comments and insights about the action that only the narrator can know
  2.  Directly address the reader in second person (“you may think that…”) or change the narrative briefly from third person to first person point of view (“I am of the opinion that…”)

There are many instances when Barrie's narrator breaks the rules of distance and invisibility and intrudes his observations, thoughts, exclusive knowledge, and personality into the narrative. One type of intrusion leads to another technique employed: he adds songs (a poem set to music) to the narrative as he does when he describes the pirates' ditty:

after a pause,... come the pirates ... and it is always the same dreadful song:

     "Avast belay, yo ho, heave to,
     A-pirating we go,
     And if we're parted by a shot
     We're sure to meet below!"

Two more classic techniques are personification, giving the animals human traits: "a gigantic crocodile. We shall see for whom she is looking presently," and direct dialogue such as follows:

"What kind of a bird, do you think?"

"I don't know," Nibs said, awestruck, "but it looks so weary, and as it flies it moans, 'Poor Wendy,'"

"Poor Wendy?"

What is the exposition and resolution of this story?

The exposition of Langston Hughes's "Thank You, Ma'am" is
basically the first three sentences of the story that establish Mrs. Luella Bates
Washington Jones as a character and establish the basic setting of the story--11:00
o'clock at night as Mrs. Jones walks home from work
alone.

The initiating event, then, is Roger's attempt to
steal Mrs. Jones's purse in the fourth sentence.

The
resolution comes in the last three paragraphs of the story when Mrs. Jones gives Roger
the $10 to buy his blue suede shoes and allows him to leave. Roger is barely able to say
"thank you" and never sees Mrs. Jones again.

What is the exposition and resolution of this story?

The exposition of Langston Hughes's "Thank You, Ma'am" is basically the first three sentences of the story that establish Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones as a character and establish the basic setting of the story--11:00 o'clock at night as Mrs. Jones walks home from work alone.

The initiating event, then, is Roger's attempt to steal Mrs. Jones's purse in the fourth sentence.

The resolution comes in the last three paragraphs of the story when Mrs. Jones gives Roger the $10 to buy his blue suede shoes and allows him to leave. Roger is barely able to say "thank you" and never sees Mrs. Jones again.

"When love is an unerring light, /And joy its own security." Can somebody please explain these lines from "Ode to Duty"?

You have to consider these lines in the context of the entire poem: "Ode to Duty."

Wordsworth personifies duty as the "Stern Daughter of the Voice of God." Duty guides us, lights our way, keeps us from error and wrongdoing. He feels sorry for the people who don't know Duty. Then, in stanza three, where these lines appear, he says that the people who know Duty can sleep peacefully "When love is an unerring light,/ And joy its own security." Those who follow Duty need not worry or fear.

Wordsworth ends the poem with the lines "Oh, let my weakness have and end!/ Give unto me, made lowly wise,/ The spirit of self-sacrifice;/ The confidence of reason give./ And in the light of truth thy Bondman let me live!" That is, take away all my weaknesses and give me the confidence to live in the light of your truth.

What Wordsworth is telling us is that Duty may not seem pleasant and to some may be harsh, the only way to live a joyful and fear-free life is to humbly follow the unerring path of Duty.

What does Mr. Aarons tell Jess is the cause of Leslie's death in "Bridge to Terabithia"?I want good and proper answers.

Mr. Aarons tells Jess that Leslie's body has been found "down in the creek".  Jess argues that Leslie could not have drowned, because "she could swim real good", but  Mr. Aarons explains that "that old rope you kids been swinging on broke", and that Leslie "musta hit her head on something when she fell".  Leslie then would have been dazed or unconscious when she fell into the swollen river, and thus would have drowne (Chapter 11).

In Of Mice and Men, what is Candy's opinion of Curley's wife? What may be a reason for this? Give evidence.Also what is your impression of curley's...

In chapter two of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men,
Candy tells George and Lennie about Curly's
wife.

The first thing he tells them is that she has made
Curley even cockier than he was before he got
married:

Seems
like Curley is cockier'n ever since he got married. 
(30)

Candy also tells them
that she's "Purty," but more importantly, that she's "got the eye."  She likes to look
at other men.  Candy says he's seen her look at Slim, for instance, and Carlson,
too. 

Candy sums up his comments about Curly's wife by
concluding:

readability="6">

Well, I think Curley's married....a tart. 
(31)

Candy thinks Curley's
wife likes to flirt and fool around with other men when Curley's not
looking.

This may well be true, of course, but there is
more to her than what Candy sees.  She is an uneducated, foolish woman trapped in a
man's world.  She dreams of being a movie star, of being famous, of being somebody.  And
she is not on her way to reaching any of those goals. 

She
is a misfit, too, much like Lennie and Crooks.

In Of Mice and Men, what is Candy's opinion of Curley's wife? What may be a reason for this? Give evidence.Also what is your impression of curley's...

In chapter two of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, Candy tells George and Lennie about Curly's wife.

The first thing he tells them is that she has made Curley even cockier than he was before he got married:

Seems like Curley is cockier'n ever since he got married.  (30)

Candy also tells them that she's "Purty," but more importantly, that she's "got the eye."  She likes to look at other men.  Candy says he's seen her look at Slim, for instance, and Carlson, too. 

Candy sums up his comments about Curly's wife by concluding:

Well, I think Curley's married....a tart.  (31)

Candy thinks Curley's wife likes to flirt and fool around with other men when Curley's not looking.

This may well be true, of course, but there is more to her than what Candy sees.  She is an uneducated, foolish woman trapped in a man's world.  She dreams of being a movie star, of being famous, of being somebody.  And she is not on her way to reaching any of those goals. 

She is a misfit, too, much like Lennie and Crooks.

What problem preoccupies Henry in the opening chapters of "Red Badge of Courage"? Why does he keep the problem to himself?Chapters 1-5

Henry is afraid that he will not be brave under battle conditions.  He keeps his fears to himself because the other soldiers have told him tales of individuals acting with "unspeakable valor".  Although Henry is not sure if what they say is the truth, just in case they are right, he does not want them to think he is a coward. 

Henry has grown up with a romantic notion of warfare, and he does not know how he will respond when thrown into combat.  He hopes he will be courageous, but he really does not know how he will react, and until he finds out, he doesn't want anyone to think he is weak.  Henry is worried that "perhaps in a battle he might run...he (is) an unknown quantity...he must accumulate information of himself, and meanwhile he resolve(s) to remain close upon his guard lest those qualities of which he (knows) nothing should everlastingly disgrace him".  Henry does not yet understand that virtually all men are afraid, and that in the mechanism of warfare men most frequently act automatically, doing whatever those around them are doing.  Jim Conklin astutely predicts that "if a whole lot of boys started and run, why, I s'pose I'd start and run...but if everybody was a-standing and a-fighting, why, I'd stand and fight".  His honesty reassures Henry somewhat, for Henry had feared "that all of the untried men possessed great and correct confidence", and that he alone was tormented by doubts (Chapter I).

Describe the flag on the farm. Analyze the symbolism of it.

The exact reference to the flag reads:

"Snowball had found in the harness-room an old green tablecloth of Mrs. Jones's   and had painted on it a hoof and a horn in white. This was run up the flagstaff in the farmhouse garden every Sunday morning. The flag was green, Snowball explained, to represent the green fields of England, while the hoof and horn signified the future Republic of the Animals which would arise when the human race had been finally overthrown."

Flags are ubiquitously deemed to be symbols of patriotism, loyalty, trust and respect, not only for the government or state which it represents, but for any society, organisation or group, no matter how large or small.

The flag represents the unique attributes of whichever order it represents and is a symbol of its history, ethos, fundamental principles and beliefs as well as its mission. As such, it carries with it huge symbolic significance and is, or should, therefore be treated with the utmost respect. Dishonouring a flag is equal to dishonouring who and what it represents. It is for this reason that flags are generally used during formal and ceremonial occasions.

Initially, the flag in Animal Farm represents the ideals of the animals as a collective: freedom from human domination, to fend for themselves (independence) and a general brotherhood (comradeship). The design of the flag closely resembles the flag adopted by the Communists after the Russian Revolution.

The hoof and horn are very similar to the hammer and sickle reflected on the communist flag. The most obvious difference is in the general colour of the flag. The Communist flag had a red background. The hammer and sickle represented the unification of agriculture and industry, whilst the red colour represented revolution.

it is ironic that the flag in Animal Farm represents green fields, which could signify peace and tranquillity, lives of relative comfort and hours of relaxation, as well as freedom from abuse. In reality, the animals were later exposed to the same type of totalitarian control that Mr Jones and his men exercised, when the pigs became more powerful and abused their leadership. Also, the flag later comes to represent this absolute control and becomes a tool for propaganda by the pigs. Attending meetings and performing ritualistic tasks and having compulsory assemblies actually disempowered the animals and they willingly bent to the pigs' will.

Further irony lies in the fact that the hoof and horn symbolise the "future republic of the animals when the humans have been overthrown". This is never to be, for in the end, the pigs come to represent the animals greatest enemy, so much so that:

"The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which."

What are some of the main themes of Janet Frame's "The Bath"?

Some of the main themes are loneliness, the plight of the elderly and helplessness. The main character conveys her frightening plight to the reader while she is stuck in her bath. The dilapidated state of the bath is parallel to the dilapidated state of her body.

We sympathise with her as she puts flowers on her loved ones' grave and as we realise that she is basically totally alone. We are scared for her when she relates that she is stuck in the bath and nearly does not make it out. The constant reference to death through symbols (the cemetery, the bath which is coffin-like) makes us fully aware that growing old is not graceful. It is a scary and lonely state.

What constitutes a canon and how is it created? What makes Levi Srauss a structuralist?

The term "literary canon" refers to a classification of
literature. It is a term used widely to refer to a group of literary works that are
considered the most important of a particular time period or place. For example, there
can be a literary canon comprised of works from a particular country, or works written
within a specific set of years, or even a collection of works that were all written
during a certain time period and within a certain region. In this way, a literary canon
establishes a collection of similar or related literary works. Typically, works are
organized by “period” for example, such as the Neoclassical period from 1660 to 1785 in
England.

Scholars who specialize in certain periods publish
anthologies containing works that they deem important or essential to that period. The
publisher "Norton" has compiled several anthologies containing what they believe to be
the canon for a particular era and periodically updates them. One recent development in
literature is the addition of female authors to well-established canons. (There are
online lists as well.)

What constitutes a canon and how is it created? What makes Levi Srauss a structuralist?

The term "literary canon" refers to a classification of literature. It is a term used widely to refer to a group of literary works that are considered the most important of a particular time period or place. For example, there can be a literary canon comprised of works from a particular country, or works written within a specific set of years, or even a collection of works that were all written during a certain time period and within a certain region. In this way, a literary canon establishes a collection of similar or related literary works. Typically, works are organized by “period” for example, such as the Neoclassical period from 1660 to 1785 in England.

Scholars who specialize in certain periods publish anthologies containing works that they deem important or essential to that period. The publisher "Norton" has compiled several anthologies containing what they believe to be the canon for a particular era and periodically updates them. One recent development in literature is the addition of female authors to well-established canons. (There are online lists as well.)

How much is fate the main driver of events in Far from the Madding Crowd, rather than character, for instance?

Hardy's novels frequently show the influence of a malevolent, or  indifferent, fate, and this is the source of much of their tragic effect. In Far from the Madding Crowd, we see a number of chance events, many giving rise to suffering, but we also see human action that can ameliorate or even avert catastrophe.

The loss of Gabriel Oak's sheep is the result of a coming together of different circumstances: an inexperienced sheepdog, a weakened fence, and a chalk pit close by his land. It is a coincidence that epitomises a cruel fate. However, when Bathsheba sends the 'fateful' Valentine to Boldwood, she 'tempts fate' by her game with Liddy and the Bible. Chance here is given an opening through human folly. Fanny, meanwhile, fails to be a bride through mistakenly turning up at the wrong church. After her death, a remorseful Troy has his efforts to tend her grave destroyed by the cruel accident of a water spout disgorging storm rains on to the newly-planted bulbs.  

Gabriel's actions and his loyalty to Bathsheba present an opposing motif in which catastrophe brought on by fate can be averted. When she has sacked him from the farm, he returns to save her flock of bloated sheep from certain demise. Later, his swift action prevents the loss of the entire harvest in the storm, while her husband sleeps drunkenly in the barn.

So, Hardy does present malign destiny in the novel. But he also recognises the redeeming qualities of human labour.

Why is it said that Banquo's son would become king although it was Malcolm, Duncan's son, who took over after the death of Macbeth?

It is actually foretold that Banquo's descendents would become kings in the future - "Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none" (1.3).  Also, consider the prophecy shown to Macbeth in Act IV, scene 1:

A show of eight Kings...

 MACBETH: Thou are too like the spirit of Banquo. Down!(125)
Thy crown does sear mine eyeballs. And thy hair,
Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first.
A third is like the former. Filthy hags!
Why do you show me this? A fourth! Start, eyes!
What, will the line stretch out to the crack of doom?(130)
Another yet! A seventh! I'll see no more:
And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass
Which shows me many more; and some I see
That twofold balls and treble sceptres carry:
Horrible sight! Now I see ’tis true;(135)
For the blood-bolter'd Banquo smiles upon me,
And points at them for his. What, is this so?

Fleance, Banquo's son, escaped the murder attempt that killed his father, thus allowing him to live and produce generations descended from Banquo.  It was believed during Shakespeare's times that King James I of England was a descendent of Banquo, so one must consider the fact that Shakespeare was writing for the times and for the person in power at the time.

Check the links below for more information about this great play!

What truths about human nature does Shakespeare depict in the Act 3 riot scene of Julius Caesar?

During the funeral scene of Shakespeare's Julius
Caesar, human beings are revealed as stupid and
fickle.

First, the crowd wholeheartedly accepts Brutus's
version of events, and the reasons for those events.  The crowd is probably ready
at this point to kill for Brutus.  But within a matter of minutes,
they become ready to kill Brutus, as well as the other
conspirators.  Such a quick reversal on the part of the crowd, regardless of whose
argument is correct, shows stupidity, and a willingness to be played with and
manipulated, intellectually speaking.  It shows a willingness to commit too easily to
extremes. 

Antony's speech, however, is not primarily
emotional.  Emotion finishes what intellect starts.  The main part of his argument is
rational and based on reason.  He uses irony, created with juxtaposition (the placing of
opposites side by side) to create a powerful rational and reasonable
argument.

Antony does this with the following logical
steps:

1. He describes an unambitious action by
   Caesar


2. He uses the refrain:  But Brutus says he was
   ambitious, and...


3. Brutus is an honorable
   man. 

One example looks like
this:

1. Caesar turned down the crown
   three times


2. But Brutus says he was ambitious,
   and


3. Brutus is an honorable
   man.

This is a rational argument, not an
emotional one.  It may create emotion in the listeners, but it is an argument that uses
reason. 

And the crowd gets it, demonstrating that it is
capable of reasoning.  It is also fickle, however, and is eager to leap from one extreme
to the other without considering the consequences.  Though capable of using reason, they
neglect to do so, and thereby demonstrate ignorance and
stupidity.

This ignorance and stupidity reaches new heights
when the crowd, turned into a mob, kills Cinna the Poet, thinking, at first, that he is
Cinna the conspirator.  Even after the mobsters become aware that they have the wrong
man, though, they kill him anyway.  This mob doesn't need a reason to kill; it just
wants to kill. 

What truths about human nature does Shakespeare depict in the Act 3 riot scene of Julius Caesar?

During the funeral scene of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, human beings are revealed as stupid and fickle.

First, the crowd wholeheartedly accepts Brutus's version of events, and the reasons for those events.  The crowd is probably ready at this point to kill for Brutus.  But within a matter of minutes, they become ready to kill Brutus, as well as the other conspirators.  Such a quick reversal on the part of the crowd, regardless of whose argument is correct, shows stupidity, and a willingness to be played with and manipulated, intellectually speaking.  It shows a willingness to commit too easily to extremes. 

Antony's speech, however, is not primarily emotional.  Emotion finishes what intellect starts.  The main part of his argument is rational and based on reason.  He uses irony, created with juxtaposition (the placing of opposites side by side) to create a powerful rational and reasonable argument.

Antony does this with the following logical steps:

1. He describes an unambitious action by Caesar


2. He uses the refrain:  But Brutus says he was ambitious, and...


3. Brutus is an honorable man. 

One example looks like this:

1. Caesar turned down the crown three times


2. But Brutus says he was ambitious, and


3. Brutus is an honorable man.

This is a rational argument, not an emotional one.  It may create emotion in the listeners, but it is an argument that uses reason. 

And the crowd gets it, demonstrating that it is capable of reasoning.  It is also fickle, however, and is eager to leap from one extreme to the other without considering the consequences.  Though capable of using reason, they neglect to do so, and thereby demonstrate ignorance and stupidity.

This ignorance and stupidity reaches new heights when the crowd, turned into a mob, kills Cinna the Poet, thinking, at first, that he is Cinna the conspirator.  Even after the mobsters become aware that they have the wrong man, though, they kill him anyway.  This mob doesn't need a reason to kill; it just wants to kill. 

What's a good thesis for an argumentative essay showing that govt. welfare programs HURT more than help (use taxpayer's money, incr....

Given the argument that you want to make, I do not see
anything wrong with this thesis statement.  I really like the way that you structure it
-- how you have the bit at the start about what proponents think and then you transition
into what you think is true.

If you wanted to add one more
sentence, you could put something in about the waste of money that you mention in the
question.  I would say something like

This means that
welfare programs spend large amounts of taxpayer money while producing results that are
the opposite of what is intended.

What's a good thesis for an argumentative essay showing that govt. welfare programs HURT more than help (use taxpayer's money, incr....

Given the argument that you want to make, I do not see anything wrong with this thesis statement.  I really like the way that you structure it -- how you have the bit at the start about what proponents think and then you transition into what you think is true.

If you wanted to add one more sentence, you could put something in about the waste of money that you mention in the question.  I would say something like

This means that welfare programs spend large amounts of taxpayer money while producing results that are the opposite of what is intended.

What are the motifs in "The Road"?thanks

The most prominent motif, or recurring theme in "The Road" is death, followed by survival. Considering that the book deals with total destruction of the world and society, both physically and morally, the father's quest to keep his son alive and protected is at the heart of the story. They encounter death, devastation and a breakdown of the social order of society at every turn.

Death is everywhere in this book as the father and son struggle to survive in the desolate wasteland that exists after the devastation.

"The novel is made up of several hundred isolated moments, scraps of dialogue and flashes of action. Here's a typical one that could appear anywhere in the book:"

"The land was gullied and eroded and barren. The bones of dead creatures sprawled in the washes. Middens of anonymous trash. Farmhouses in the fields scoured of their paint and the clapboards spooned and sprung from the wallstuds. All of it shadowless and without feature. The road descended through a jungle of dead kudzu." (McCarthy)

What are 3 details that provide early clues about Zaroff's hobby in "Most Dangerous Game"? How do these clues create suspense?

Rainsford and Whitney have a conversation as they approach Zaroff's island about hunting.  Rainsford says that hunting is "the best sport in the world", but Whitney amends, "For the hunter...not for the jaguar".  Although Rainsford scoffs at Whitney's concerns, the author has planted the seed of an idea that will develop into a main theme in the story, and a basis for suspense - that in thinking about the sport of hunting, there are two perspectives that need to be considered.

The author then builds suspense when Whitney feels "a mental chill, a sort of sudden dread".  He begins to talk about evil, which he believes is "a tangible thing".  It is clear that an atmosphere of evil emanates from the vicinity of Zaroff's island.

Subsequently, Rainsford is startled by the sound of gunshots, and "a high, screaming sound, the sound of an animal in an extremity of anguish and terror".  The suspense builds as it becomes evident that an unidentified creature has met an untimely end, with full knowledge of the fate which has befallen him.

After Rainsford meets Zaroff, Zaroff makes a comment which is subtle yet remarkably telling.  He identifies Ivan as "a Cossack...like all his race a bit of a savage".  Zaroff then chillingly adds, with a "smile show(ing) red lips and pointed teeth", that he too is a Cossack, and by implication, is a savage as well; the extent of his savagery remains yet to be revealed.

What is the central idea of "Cathedral" in a "if, _____, then ______" format?

The central idea of "Cathedral" involves the epiphany the narrator experiences.  You might think of it in this way, if the the blindman 'opens' the narrator's eyes so to speak, then what  significance does this hold for the narrator.

.In his attempt to explain what a cathedral looks like to Robert, the narrator cannot find words.  However, Robert encourages the narrator to help him draw a cathedral to get a better idea of what it means.  While doing this, the narrator experiences his epiphany.  When he closes his eyes, he and the blindman create something together. 

This epiphany relates to many of the themes inherent in the story (see the second link below).  The narrator realizes how shallow and isolated his life has been.  Up until this point, there is nothing significant about him - not as a man, a husband, or a character.  Yet, one could argue that the narrator has forged a stronger bond with the blind man by this simple task of drawing than he has forged with anyone else in his life.

The narrator also realizes the power of his imagination and the ability to create something.  He has been awakened to the depth that life and experiences can offer.  No longer does he have to just watch his life unfold; he can help shape it.  Of course, the irony is clearly evident: the narrator learns how to shown something from a man who cannot see.  

What is the genre of "Riki-Tikki-Tavi"?

The original Riki Tikki Tavi by Rudyard Kipling was a short story, part of Kipling's "Jungle Book" stories. The pop artist Donovan also wrote a song titled "Riki Tiki Tavi" on his album "Open Road". The original story by Kipling is often included in collections of other short stories but it also has been published as a book in its own right.

What is the wavelength and frequency of a rainbow?what it is exactly?

When white light hits the water droplets, it gets refracted into seven different colors: violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red. They vary in their wavelengths and also in their frequencies.

Wavelength is the distance between two successive crests or two successive troughs. Red has the longest wavelength while violet has the shortest wavelength.

Frequency is the inverse proportional of wavelength. It is the number of crests or troughs that pass a point per second. So, red would have the shortest frequency while violet has the highest frequency.

What is the resolution of the play Julius Caesar?

In the resolution of the play, Julius Caesar, Brutus and Cassius lose the fight they began in the plot to assassinate Caesar.  In battle, these two conspirators are defeated by Octavius and Antony.  Instead of protecting the republic, they have ensured victory for Caesar's rightful heir, which would help to usher in the end of that republic.  However, Brutus does not regret the decision he made, saying that he did the right thing for Rome, even if it failed.  

What is Lee's purpose in describing Scout's first day of school in To Kill a Mockingbird?

In addition to the response above, I think it contributes
to painting a picture of the class system in Maycomb and Scout's rejection of the status
quo, both of which will be integral parts of her understanding of the
trial.

Scout's school experience introduces us to the
Cunninghams, the Ewells, the bus children and how they compare with Scout
intellectually. Scout, far superior, still has moral values and sees how the
aforementioned gimmicks are truly a rip-off.

Scout is not
okay with the system of school, nor will she later be okay with the system of racism
when she watches it unfold in the trial.

Additionally, I
think Lee takes this school experience chapter to stab at the problems of public
education... ironically many of those same problems still exist today. We try to serve
the needs of a diversely growing group of children in a society where information grows
faster than our teachers.

What is Lee's purpose in describing Scout's first day of school in To Kill a Mockingbird?

In addition to the response above, I think it contributes to painting a picture of the class system in Maycomb and Scout's rejection of the status quo, both of which will be integral parts of her understanding of the trial.

Scout's school experience introduces us to the Cunninghams, the Ewells, the bus children and how they compare with Scout intellectually. Scout, far superior, still has moral values and sees how the aforementioned gimmicks are truly a rip-off.

Scout is not okay with the system of school, nor will she later be okay with the system of racism when she watches it unfold in the trial.

Additionally, I think Lee takes this school experience chapter to stab at the problems of public education... ironically many of those same problems still exist today. We try to serve the needs of a diversely growing group of children in a society where information grows faster than our teachers.

In "The Man to Send Rainclouds," what are the conflict and resolution in the story?

The conflict in "The Man to Send Rain Clouds" is an unusual one not typically found in short story literature, which, incidentally sheds some light on--or perhaps deepens--the ambiguity of the title. Teofilo's peaceful death while tending his sheep (a Biblical and pastoral allusion) is the occasion for the conflict of the story. The Pueblo people want a traditional Pueblo religion burial service and to that end they paint Teofilo's face and wrap him in a red blanket. They attend to Teofilo's preparation and ceremony in a secretive fashion so as to not awaken the suspicions of the Catholic priest who would want to give Teofilo a Catholic burial that would not include face paint and red blankets. This is the major physical conflict: arranging Teofilo's burial according to Pueblo ways without interference from the white and Catholic world.

The metaphysical, or spiritual, conflict that goes along with this is the battle for the continued existence of Pueblo beliefs in an encroaching white society. Silko actually offers a suggested means by which the battle can be put to rest with each side standing victorious at the end. Through the character of Louise, Leon's wife, it is suggested that both cultures and both religions can co-exist and can contribute to each other. Specifically, Louise suggests that it would be good to have the priest sprinkle Teofilo's body at the time of burial with holy water so as to quench Teofilo's thirst. The Pueblo religion teaches that the living give help in relieving the dead person's need for food and drink, this is why Louise thinks of quenching the old man's thirst. The Pueblo religion also teaches that the dead bring rainclouds and rain back to the village to quench the thirst of the land. Therefore, it stands to reason that if Teofilo's own thirst is quenched with holy water, then he will be able to bring really "big thunderclouds for sure."

The resolution comes when Father Paul stands at Teofilo's grave side with the holy water and sprinkles it on Teofilo's red-wrapped body. He originally didn't want to participate in what he views as a pagan ceremony to false gods but reconsiders although he is still confused and somewhat suspicious of a prank being played upon him. When he see what the Pueblo perceive as signs of a successful offering, he is puzzled and thinks that if he could recall something he might be able to understand the near-miraculous and -supernatural results of the sprinkling of the holy water. Father Paul leaves the burial muddled and deep in thought but the villagers are content that they have found a pragmatic use for Father Paul's blessings and that the two religions and cultures have been joined as one in order to attain "big thunderclouds for sure." This pertains to the title: Who is the man who sends water? In one sense, it is Teofilo who will bring thunderclouds but, in another sense, it is the Catholic priest Father Paul who is the man who brings rainclouds because it is his holy water that is seen as adding materially to Teofilo's future success as a bringer of big rainclouds.

What are the major and minor problems the characters face in View From Saturday?

Each of the main characters faces major and minor problems.  For Mrs. Olinski, the major problem which she must face involves rediscovering her confidence as she returns to teaching after being rendered a paraplegic in an auto accident.  Some minor problems with which she must contend include dealing with impudent, unruly students such as Hamilton Knapp who wish to challenge her authority, and choosing the best children to make up her academic team.

A major problem faced by Noah Gershom is having to spend the summer with his grandparents at Century Village, a place that appears to him to be "a theme park for old people".  Minor problems related to Noah's experience at Century Village include having no tux to wear after he volunteers to fill in as best man at a wedding, and being forced to write a thank you note to his grandparents after his summer experience.

The toughest problem Nadia Diamondstein must face in the story is overcoming her bitterness after the divorce of her parents.  Smaller problems Nadia must resolve include having lost contact with her old friends after she moves away to live with her mother, her anger at Margaret Draper for her role in facilitating the divorce, and, at school, dealing with Hamilton Knapp's mean-spirited attempts to eliminate her dog Ginger from her role as Sandy in the school play.

Ethan Potter's major challenge in the story is deciding how to deal with Julian Singh on the schoolbus.  Julian is different, and the object of much teasing by the other students, and Ethan does not want to be associated with him.  A minor problem Ethan must face is the fact that he lives in the shadow of his older brother Lucas, who, as "a genius (and) a star athlete", is a tough act to follow.

The major problem faced by Julian Singh is the cruelty of the students at school, who ostracize him and treat him with malice.  Julian has not been raised in this country, and his mannerisms and dress are different from what the others are used to, and so he is the target of bullying and cruel pranks.  Minor problems Julian faces include having his correct answer about acronyms questioned by the judges in the Academic Bowl, and being caught in the classroom as he tries to erase a classmate's unkind reference to their handicapped teacher on the board.

How do Huck and Jim explain the stars?The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

In Chapter 12, Huck describes his and Jim's life on the
raft,

We
catched fish, and talked, and we took a swim now and then to keep off sleepiness. It was
kind of solemn drifting down the big, still river, laying on our backs, looking up at
the stars, and we didn't ever feel like talking loud, and it warn't often that we
laughed--only a little kind of a low chuckle.  We had mighty good weather, as a general
thing, and nothing ever happened to us at all--that night, nor the next, nor the
next.

In another passage from
Chapter 18, Huck continues his reflection on the
raft:

 We said
there warn't no home like a raft, after all.  Other places do seem so cramped up and
smothery, but a raft don't. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a
raft.

As they travel down the
Mississippi river, Huck and Jim enjoy their idyllic life on the river, that refuge from
the evils of society.  While on the raft, the world is good, there is no inequality
between Jim and Huck, there are no conflicts with Pa or others.  Life on the raft is a
solemn experience; it would seem disrespectful to talk loudly on this sanctuary from
civilization with its corrupt institutions.  In the natural world of the river in the
open air with only the stars as their ceiling, the souls of Huck and Jim can
expand--they look to the heavens as an expression of this feeling of expansion and
delight in nature.

How do Huck and Jim explain the stars?The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

In Chapter 12, Huck describes his and Jim's life on the raft,

We catched fish, and talked, and we took a swim now and then to keep off sleepiness. It was kind of solemn drifting down the big, still river, laying on our backs, looking up at the stars, and we didn't ever feel like talking loud, and it warn't often that we laughed--only a little kind of a low chuckle.  We had mighty good weather, as a general thing, and nothing ever happened to us at all--that night, nor the next, nor the next.

In another passage from Chapter 18, Huck continues his reflection on the raft:

 We said there warn't no home like a raft, after all.  Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft don't. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft.

As they travel down the Mississippi river, Huck and Jim enjoy their idyllic life on the river, that refuge from the evils of society.  While on the raft, the world is good, there is no inequality between Jim and Huck, there are no conflicts with Pa or others.  Life on the raft is a solemn experience; it would seem disrespectful to talk loudly on this sanctuary from civilization with its corrupt institutions.  In the natural world of the river in the open air with only the stars as their ceiling, the souls of Huck and Jim can expand--they look to the heavens as an expression of this feeling of expansion and delight in nature.

Why did Douglass believe he needed to use forceful language?

I believe that you are asking about something that
Douglass says in his Fourth of July speech at Rochester, New York.  In that speech, he
says "I will use the severest language I can command," and
I think that is what you are talking about.

He believes
that he needs to use this kind of language because of how evil slavery is.  He does not
think you can sugarcoat it at all.  He thinks that he must speak out and say that
slavery is opposed to what America is about and that it is opposed to what Christianity
is about.

Because he thinks it is so evil, he feels he must
denounce it as strongly as possible.

Why did Douglass believe he needed to use forceful language?

I believe that you are asking about something that Douglass says in his Fourth of July speech at Rochester, New York.  In that speech, he says "I will use the severest language I can command," and I think that is what you are talking about.

He believes that he needs to use this kind of language because of how evil slavery is.  He does not think you can sugarcoat it at all.  He thinks that he must speak out and say that slavery is opposed to what America is about and that it is opposed to what Christianity is about.

Because he thinks it is so evil, he feels he must denounce it as strongly as possible.

Why does he need the maid to help him remember the "dome in air"? He intended to finish the poem, so why didnt he?The end of the fragment tells of...

"Kubla Khan" is a strange and mysterious poem. In a note published with the poem, Coleridge explains that just before he wrote the poem, he had been in ill health for some time and had been prescribed an "anodyne" that made him very drowsy. He had been reading Purchas's Pilgrimage, and as he drifted off, this is the last sentence he read: "Here the Khan Kubla commanded a palace to be built, and a stately garden thereunto. And thus ten miles of fertile ground were inclosed with a wall.'' He states that he slept and dreamed about three hours

during which time he has the most vivid confidence, that he could not have composed less than from two to three hundred lines; if that indeed can be called composition in which all the images rose up before him as things, with a parallel production of the correspondent expressions, without any sensation or consciousness of effort. On awakening he appeared to himself to have a distinct recollection of the whole, and taking his pen, ink, and paper, instantly and eagerly wrote down the lines that are here preserved.

In other words, he wrote the poem while "asleep" or under the influence of whatever the medicine he had taken was. At that moment he had a visitor, and when he returned to the poem, he could not remember anymore of his dream-vision. He wanted to finish it, but he was unable to.