Why is the narrator asked to call on Simon Wheeler in "The Celebrated Frog of Calaveras County"?

Twain says he has a friend who asks Twain to ask Simon Wheeler to about a man named Leonidas W. Smiley. Twain says his friend was probably playing a joke on him and that Leonidas W. Smiley never existed. His friend wanted Twain to remind Wheeler of Jim Smiley so Wheeler would "bore me to death with some exasperating reminiscence of him." In other words, Twain's friend wanted Twain to hear the story of Jim Smiley and the jumping frog. Obviously, the friend was successful and Twain supposedly heard the story which he tells in "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calavaras County."

In Act 4 of "The Crucible," what does Parris think Abigail has done?

In Act IV of The Crucible Reverend Parris has discovered that Abigail has broken into his safe, stolen money, and fled town. Parris understands that this reveals her true character, and that she is only thinking of her own survival. Abigail's actions reveal that Parris and the others assisting in the investigation should be weary of Abigail's many accusations. This move begins to reveal that the entire investigation is merely a dangerous house of cards built on the villagers hysteria. 

how will Granger's group try to preserve civilaization?

They memorize books.

"Nothing. I thought I had part of the Book of Ecclesiastes and maybe a little of Revelation, but I haven't even that now."
"The Book of Ecclesiastes would be fine. Where was it?"
"Here," Montag touched his head.
"Ah," Granger smiled and nodded.
"What's wrong? Isn't that all right?" said Montag.
"Better than all right; perfect!" Granger turned to the Reverend. "Do we have a Book of Ecclesiastes?"
"One. A man named Harris of Youngstown."
"Montag." Granger took Montag's shoulder firmly. "Walk carefully. Guard your health. If anything should happen to Harris, you are the Book of Ecclesiastes. See how important you've become in the last minute!"
"But I've forgotten!"
"No, nothing's ever lost. We have ways to shake down your clinkers for you."
"But I've tried to remember!"
"Don't try. It'll come when we need it. All of us have photographic memories, but spend a lifetime learning how to block off the things that are really in there. Simmons here has worked on it for twenty years and now we've got the method down to where we can recall anything that's been read once. Would you like, some day, Montag, to read Plato's Republic?"
"Of course!"
"I am Plato's Republic. Like to read Marcus Aurelius? Mr. Simmons is Marcus."
"How do you do?" said Mr. Simmons.
"Hello," said Montag.
"I want you to meet Jonathan Swift, the author of that evil political book, Gulliver's Travels! And this other fellow is Charles Darwin, and-this one is Schopenhauer, and this one is Einstein, and this one here at my elbow is Mr. Albert Schweitzer, a very kind philosopher indeed. Here we all are, Montag. Aristophanes and Mahatma Gandhi and Gautama Buddha and Confucius and Thomas Love Peacock and Thomas Jefferson and Mr. Lincoln, if you please. We are also Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John."
Everyone laughed quietly.
"It can't be," said Montag.
"It is," replied Granger, smiling. " We're book-burners, too. We read the books and burnt them, afraid they'd be found. Micro-filming didn't pay off; we were always travelling, we didn't want to bury the film and come back later. Always the chance of discovery. Better to keep it in the old heads, where no one can see it or suspect it. We are all bits and pieces of history and literature and international law, Byron, Tom Paine, Machiavelli, or Christ, it's here. And the hour is late. And the war's begun. And we are out here, and the city is there, all wrapped up in its own coat of a thousand colours. What do you think, Montag?"
"I think I was blind trying to do things my way, planting books in firemen's houses and sending in alarms."
"You did what you had to do. Carried out on a national scale, it might have worked beautifully.

By the end of the play, each main character has lost something but has gained in other ways. What are the losses and gains for each character?After...

Walter has lost the dream of the liquor store, but in the process he has grown up and gained his "manhood". Mama has lost her place as head of the family but has seen her son grow up. Beneatha has lost the money for her college education but gained a new love, and perhaps a new goal, in the person of Asagai. Ruth, who felt like she was losing her family at the beginning of the play, seems to have discovered it again and is able to keep the baby she is carrying. Travis has lost the only home he has ever known but gained a new one, not to mention a bedroom of his own, and a more mature father.

What is Jerry Cruncher's secret nighttime activity?

There was a long-practiced method of getting bodies for
the scientists and doctors to practice on, and it didn't involve getting the consent of
the deceased prior to them kicking the bucket.  Jerry Cruncher goes out at night and
digs up bodies so that he can sell them to doctors, professors of medicine, etc. for use
in classes, examinations, studies, etc.

The interesting
part of this is that Jerry considers what he does to be an absolutely productive and
important part of society and of life in general while he regards prayer and other such
religious activities as a waste of time.

But don't fret, he
does of course, like many of Dickens' characters, vow to change his life before the
story runs out of time.

What is Jerry Cruncher's secret nighttime activity?

There was a long-practiced method of getting bodies for the scientists and doctors to practice on, and it didn't involve getting the consent of the deceased prior to them kicking the bucket.  Jerry Cruncher goes out at night and digs up bodies so that he can sell them to doctors, professors of medicine, etc. for use in classes, examinations, studies, etc.

The interesting part of this is that Jerry considers what he does to be an absolutely productive and important part of society and of life in general while he regards prayer and other such religious activities as a waste of time.

But don't fret, he does of course, like many of Dickens' characters, vow to change his life before the story runs out of time.

Why does Finny telephone Gene in Chapter 6 of "A Separate Peace"?

Finny telephones Gene because he wants to make sure that Gene is all right, and that their friendship is still intact.  The last time Finny had seen Gene was when Gene had visited him in the hospital.  Gene, overcome by guilt, had told Finny that he had deliberately caused the accident that crippled him.  Finny had refused to believe Gene, and the two had fought (Chapter 5).

When Finny and Gene finally connect again by phone, Finny is his old self, speaking with "friendliness (and) simple outgoing affection".  He asks if Gene has a new roommate, and when Gene replies that he does not, Finny assumes it is because Gene has not allowed them to replace Finny.  Even though this is not quite true, Finny is reassured that their friendship remains as it was before.   He tells Gene that Gene was "crazy" when he visited at the hospital, and apologizes for having "just a trace of a doubt" about Gene's loyalty to him (Chapter 6).

What is the imagery in the poem, "The Cloud"?

I'm not sure if you want a summary of the poem or a summary of the imagery in the poem. "The Cloud" contains a great deal of imagery. Shelley uses personification, giving human qualities to things found in nature. Some examples are that the flowers "thirst", the leaves "dream", trees "groan", and the earth "laughs" after the storm. We can imagine in our minds what it looks like when Shelley gives these natural things human characteristics because we can relate to them. Shelley also uses imagery in describing the cloud itself as "laughing" after the storm and while looking at the stars "whirling and fleeing". The cloud is compared to human life because it always changes from day to day. The cloud, however, never goes away permanently, and this is why the cloud laughs in the poem. It knows it will return, and the cloud finds joy in this knowledge. The cloud is also a metaphor for the creative energy that Shelley believes exists in the material world. This energy can't be destroyed and never changes, no matter how the human world changes.

What was significant about Nick's 30th birthday in The Great Gatsby?

Those of us that turned 30 can attest that it is a point of no return. There is a time to put away childish things and Nick realizes that he has been passively watching these people act recklessly and carelessly. They can afford to keep on doing so and probably will. He is not in that class however. Since, as he asserts, he is one of the most honest people he knows, we can assume that he will step away from this mess soon. He will leave the corrupted Jordan Bakers of that world behind.

The timing of his realization is poignant too. The plot has moved past a point of no return as well. Words have been spoken that cannot be taken back. Actions have to be accounted for. It is a “grow up” moment for them all.

----besides what is more depressing than seeing a 35 year old acting like he is 25?

-Holden Caulfield.

In what sense may Oedipus be regarded as a better man, though a less fortunate one, at the end of the play than at the beginning? What has he...

Oedipus' life is now directed by free will instead of fate. At the end of the play, he gouges out his eyes, leaves Thebes, and abandons his daughters. These are all decisions that he makes despite the painful consequences. Though he lives a miserable existence, he is no longer a blind instrument of fate. He is no longer an instrument that belongs to the oracle. In this sense, he is a better man.

Also, ironically, only after he has lost his physical vision, he is able to see and know who he really is. The most noble and wise man in the play is the blind seer, Tireisias. Blindness, thus, is emblematic of good men in the Theban plays. It is blindness that allows one to overcome hubris and move beyond the control of the gods.

In what time period is A Doll's House set?

The setting of Ibsen's A Doll's House
is in the late 1800's Norway. The play was published in 1879 and caused immediate
controversy with its portrayal of housewife Nora and the decisions she makes that shook
her family as well as the country.  The story unfolds in the livingroom of the apartment
of Torvald and Nora Helmer. The opening scene begins on Christmas Eve and ends two
evenings later as Nora exits, slamming the door behind her.

In what time period is A Doll's House set?

The setting of Ibsen's A Doll's House is in the late 1800's Norway. The play was published in 1879 and caused immediate controversy with its portrayal of housewife Nora and the decisions she makes that shook her family as well as the country.  The story unfolds in the livingroom of the apartment of Torvald and Nora Helmer. The opening scene begins on Christmas Eve and ends two evenings later as Nora exits, slamming the door behind her.

In "The Great Gatsby", how is Gatsby's death explained by the press and local newspapers?

The text does not provide a detailed account of exactly what the newspapers said. We can, however, gauge from Nick's description how the news was reported. Nick mentions in chapter nine that:

"Someone with a positive manner, perhaps a detective, used the expression “madman” as he bent over Wilson’s body that afternoon, and the adventitious authority of his voice set the key for the newspaper reports next morning."

The word "adventitious" proposes that a detective or some other reliable person (one with a positive manner) had suggested that Gatsby's and Wilson's deaths were the result of an unfortunate mischance. The killings were not premeditated. The inference is that Wilson was crazy and therefore could not have planned the killing. The newspapers obviously adopted this angle and reported it as such.

Nick further mentions that:

"Most of those reports were a nightmare — grotesque, circumstantial, eager, and untrue."

The descriptors Nick uses tell us that the majority of the reports were horrific, terrible pieces of diatribe. The fact that he describes them as "grotesque" implies that the reports probably contained lurid details of the crime scenes, focusing more on the disgusting aspects than on the actual facts, as suggested by the words 'circumstantial'.

"Circumstantial" also insinuates that reporters based their findings on what they saw at the crime scenes and reported on what they therefore thought of the events which preceded the deaths, instead of sticking to reality. They obviously sensationalized all aspects related to the case in their eagerness to print a breaking story and sell newspapers.

The unfortunate deaths of Myrtle, Jay and Mr Wilson became a mere product, a thrill, in order to sell a story. Their deaths, the resultant clamour and unsubstantiated reportage, for monetary gain, once again illustrate the materialism and shallowness of the age.     

How does Slim feel about the freindship between George and Lennie in "Of Mice and Men"?

Slim understands the friendship between George and Lennie.  Although he notes that "ain't many guys travel around together", upon refection he concludes, "I don't know why...maybe ever'body in the whole damn world is scared of each other".  Slim accepts George and Lennie's friendship as a positive thing, an asset with benefits on which others are missing out (Chapter 2).

Slim is a thoughtful person, with "a gravity in his manner and a quiet so profound that all talk stopped when he spoke...his ear heard more than was said to him, and his slow speech had overtones not of thought, but of understanding beyond thought".  While others looked upon George and Lennie's friendship with cynicism, immediately concluding that George must be using Lennie's labor for his own benefit, Slim perceives that their friendship is based on concern and caring (Chapter2). 

When George, at the end of the story, feels he must kill Lennie to spare him from an ultimate punishment he could never understand, it is Slim who comprehends how difficult it is for George to carry out his self-appointed task.  Slim comforts George, assuring him, "you hadda, George...I swear you hadda", and compassionately taking him off to get a drink, while the others stand by and wonder, "now what the hell ya suppose is eatin' them two guys?" (Chapter 6).

What is the purpose for the extreme use of blood in "Macbeth"?

Blood is thicker than water they say.  The purpose for blood in the play is two-fold.  It shows the grotesque crime of murder and it reiterates the crime against family members.

First, "who knew the old man had so much blood in him?"  The murder of Duncan.  Not only is he the step up to the crown, but he is family.  He is the ruler to whom Macbeth pledged his loyalty, but he is also Macbeth's blood relative.  Duncan is also a guest in Macbeth's home.  All of these bonds were ignored by Macbeth, and so there must be an extraordinary amount of blood to show all the extent of his crime against nature.  Both of the Macbeths are covered in the old man's blood which Lady Macbeth says is "cleared with a little water".

Banquo's ghost "shakes his gory locks" at Macbeth after the new king has ordered the murders of Banquo (Macbeth's best friend) and Fleance (Banquo's son).  Again, the murderer shows up with blood on his face indicating that Macbeth is guilty of crimes against nature. 

Guilt is another reason so much blood is used in the play. Lady Macbeth sleepwalks still trying to clean herself of the blood of Duncan.  She also mentions Banquo and Lady Macduff's murders in her sleepwalking stint which points to her guilt and to her husband for committing these horrific crimes.

Once Macbeth is slain by Macduff, the amount of blood in the play isn't mentioned so much.  It is only focused on when we talk of the evil.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird", why do the children call Arthur Radley 'Boo'?

A common choice of wording for children back in the days. When one person scares another person, the typical thing for them shout is 'BOO!' Back then, "boo" was commonly referred to as the noise a ghost makes. Subsequently, since Arthur does play the role of a mysterious, locked away, child. They gave him the nickname "Boo".

(A silly answer of mine is, try thinking about the Mario Bros. series. Remember that little ghost character named "Boo"?)

What are the ideas of masculinity in "Beowulf"?How do men interact with other men? What are the most desirable traits in a man in society?

The most important trait was loyalty to their fellow men for other men. If one could show loyalty, one was a friend for life. Relationships were based upon duty, not common interests. Men who were brave, loyal, and trustworthy were revered. The expectations for men were to defend the territory or kingdom, for example, or work to provide for their families.

When Grendel begins attacking the Hrothgar's hall, men are stationed each night in it to try to thwart the attack. They put their lives on the line to defend Hrothgar's kingdom. Many, many die as Grendel continues his attacks. The deaths of these men were seen as honorable because they died defending their kingdom. Beowulf was the ultimate warrior, then, because he was able to defeat Grendel. He had all of the characteristics of a "manly" hero, including great, almost inhuman, strength, a sense of honor, trust, and loyalty. In fact, he came from another kingdom simply to slay Grendel for the Danes!

Kings were expected to be very wise and intelligent and to make sound decisions, in addition to the other qualities. They had to be calm in times of crisis and be trustworthy to all of their people to make the kingdom feel safe for its inhabitants.

Comment on the role and character of Calpurnia in Julius Caesar.

Inspite of Calpurnia's brief appearance, her role and character are important because:

1. To contrast the private, domestic life of Caesar with his public political life: Caesar makes his first appearance on the stage in a "nightdress" and the very first lines that Caesar utters refer to his wife, "Thrice hath Calpurnia in her sleep cried out/'Help ho! they murder Caesar." From the beginning of the play till now all that we have heard about Caesar relates to his warrior like and statesman like qualities. But, Shakespeare foregrounds his first appearance on the stage by presenting him as a worried and anxious husband who is ready to please her initially by agreeing not to go to the Senate,"and for thy humour I will stay at home." 

2.To contrast fate and human will: Calpurnia's  intuitive fears,"O Caesar these things are beyond all use/And I do fear them,"  are contrasted with Caesar's self confidence, "It seems to me  most strange that men should fear/Seeing that death a necessary end/Will come when it will come."

3. Calpurnia's  interpretation of her dream is brushed aside and Decius' interpretaion is accepted by Caesar to emphasise the significance of the public and the political over the private and the domestic, "How foolish do your fears seem now, Calpurnia."

4. Calpurnia represents the fear and the superstitious beliefs of the  contemporary Elizabethan audience concerning the supernatural.

f(x)=x^2-3It's for Functions. How is this done?

(Sice this to be a college level subject from your
address, I would like to cover the answer analysing the perspective of the function and
tracing it by the properties of the function).

f(x) = x^2-3
as a function represents parabola. It is a function of  second
degree.

Also we can write y =
x^2-3.

Symmetry: The curve is symmetrixcal about y axis as
for x and -x  the function gives the same positive y
value.

Vertex : The vertex of the cuve is  (0,
-3)

The cuve is open upwards and goes for positive ifinite
values on both left and right as x becomes large and
large.

The curve, obviously ,has a value of -3 lowest when
x=0. And that y= -3 ids the intercept value of the cuve on the Y
axis.

The curve as crosses the x axis at equal distances of
sqrt3 on the right and -sqrt3 on the left.

The curve y=
x^2-3 Or x^2 = y+3or parabola has Could be compares to
a

X^2 = 4aX a standard parabola. So we can write x^2 =
4(1/4) (y+y). So a= 1/4 is the focal length and (0, -3+1/4) or (0, -11/4 ) are the co
ordinate positions of the focus. And the equation of the directrix is  y = -3-1/4 . Or y
= -13/4 a parallel line to X axis .

f(x)=x^2-3It's for Functions. How is this done?

(Sice this to be a college level subject from your address, I would like to cover the answer analysing the perspective of the function and tracing it by the properties of the function).

f(x) = x^2-3 as a function represents parabola. It is a function of  second degree.

Also we can write y = x^2-3.

Symmetry: The curve is symmetrixcal about y axis as for x and -x  the function gives the same positive y value.

Vertex : The vertex of the cuve is  (0, -3)

The cuve is open upwards and goes for positive ifinite values on both left and right as x becomes large and large.

The curve, obviously ,has a value of -3 lowest when x=0. And that y= -3 ids the intercept value of the cuve on the Y axis.

The curve as crosses the x axis at equal distances of sqrt3 on the right and -sqrt3 on the left.

The curve y= x^2-3 Or x^2 = y+3or parabola has Could be compares to a

X^2 = 4aX a standard parabola. So we can write x^2 = 4(1/4) (y+y). So a= 1/4 is the focal length and (0, -3+1/4) or (0, -11/4 ) are the co ordinate positions of the focus. And the equation of the directrix is  y = -3-1/4 . Or y = -13/4 a parallel line to X axis .

How has Chaucer used his persona to create irony in the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales?answer in detail

The primary way Chaucer's persona creates irony is his
naivete.  He seems to accept and praise each of his fellow pilgrims, and in this
acceptance and praise, the reader is able to gather some unflattering information.  We
see this type of irony first in the description of the yeoman who is a "proper forester,
I guess."  The "I guess" at the end throws suspicion on the fact that the yeoman really
is all that experienced.  In contrast to the knight's clothing and equipment, the
yeoman's tools are shiny and bright as if they have never been used.  Later we see this
same type of irony used when the narrator describes the nun's table manners and French
(not the Paris style) rather than the virtues that nuns should have such as piety and
charity. We see this same type of naivete in the descriptions of the friar and monk whom
we learn through the narrator's seeming praise are quite despicable
characters.

How has Chaucer used his persona to create irony in the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales?answer in detail

The primary way Chaucer's persona creates irony is his naivete.  He seems to accept and praise each of his fellow pilgrims, and in this acceptance and praise, the reader is able to gather some unflattering information.  We see this type of irony first in the description of the yeoman who is a "proper forester, I guess."  The "I guess" at the end throws suspicion on the fact that the yeoman really is all that experienced.  In contrast to the knight's clothing and equipment, the yeoman's tools are shiny and bright as if they have never been used.  Later we see this same type of irony used when the narrator describes the nun's table manners and French (not the Paris style) rather than the virtues that nuns should have such as piety and charity. We see this same type of naivete in the descriptions of the friar and monk whom we learn through the narrator's seeming praise are quite despicable characters.

What are examples of imagery in The Merchant of Venice?

I'll give you a few examples of imagery in the play. I'm afraid that the play is just too rich, and there just isn't enough room here to list them all.

I.1: ...her sunny locks
Hang on her temples like a golden fleece;
Which makes her seat of Belmont Colchos' strond,
And many Jasons come in quest of her.
Bassanio is bringing to mind the image of the golden fleece in his description of Portia's hair. This is also an example of an allusion.

II.1: Besides, the lottery of my destiny
Bars me the right of voluntary choosing;
This speech calls to mind the image of the lottery to decide our fates.

III.2: The painter plays the spider, and hath woven
A golden mesh t' entrap the hearts of men
Faster than gnats in cobwebs:

III.3: Thou call'dst me dog before thou hadst a cause,
But, since I am a dog, beware my fangs;

IV.1: I am a tainted wether of the flock,
Meetest for death; the weakest kind of fruit
Drops earliest to the ground, and so let me.

IV.1: The quality of mercy is not strain'd;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
The concept of mercy is given substance in the image of rain that falls gently from the skies.

V.1: That light we see is burning in my hall.
How far that little candle throws his beams!
So shines a good deed in a naughty world.

I hope this helps!

When Maniac left the Beales where was he last seen?

When Maniac leaves the Beales's home, he goes back to the zoo and sleeps in the buffalo pen. He has an accident one day, however, and is helped by an elderly man named Grayson. At first, Grayson fixes a place for Maniac in the old baseball dugout, but after he hears Maniac's story, Grayson brings him to his own home to live.

In what ways is the traditional grammar approach inadequate in studying a language? Discuss with examples.

When I was in college ('99-'03), phonics was out and the
holistic approach to teaching reading was in.  Since then, I think the pendulum has
swung back toward phonics again.

Anyway, the "traditional
grammar" approach is a lot like teaching phonics.  It is teaching grammar by isolating
parts, rather than looking at how grammar works inside of sentences and paragraphs (and
conversations).  This type of teaching is inadequate when it is never brought back to
looking at the whole.  There needs to be a balance between "traditional" grammar lessons
and big picture "why is this important"
lessons.

Traditional grammar by itself is like teaching
vocabulary lists without any context.  Students may be able to learn rules and
regurgitate answers for a quiz or test, but ultimately, without application (or a reason
to care), they lose it.

I've also
found in teaching writing that students are often able to pick out major grammatical
mistakes without knowing exactly how to fix them, or worse, they cease to catch the
major mistakes.  Again, traditional grammar (isolated focused lessons) makes it hard to
see multiple problems going on at the same time.  However, without the traditional
grammar lessons, problems are identified simply by "it sounds wrong" rather than by an
actual understanding of how the language works.

In what ways is the traditional grammar approach inadequate in studying a language? Discuss with examples.

When I was in college ('99-'03), phonics was out and the holistic approach to teaching reading was in.  Since then, I think the pendulum has swung back toward phonics again.

Anyway, the "traditional grammar" approach is a lot like teaching phonics.  It is teaching grammar by isolating parts, rather than looking at how grammar works inside of sentences and paragraphs (and conversations).  This type of teaching is inadequate when it is never brought back to looking at the whole.  There needs to be a balance between "traditional" grammar lessons and big picture "why is this important" lessons.

Traditional grammar by itself is like teaching vocabulary lists without any context.  Students may be able to learn rules and regurgitate answers for a quiz or test, but ultimately, without application (or a reason to care), they lose it.

I've also found in teaching writing that students are often able to pick out major grammatical mistakes without knowing exactly how to fix them, or worse, they cease to catch the major mistakes.  Again, traditional grammar (isolated focused lessons) makes it hard to see multiple problems going on at the same time.  However, without the traditional grammar lessons, problems are identified simply by "it sounds wrong" rather than by an actual understanding of how the language works.

In Chapter 7 of The Great Gatsby, what were the changes that Gatsby made in his lifestyle that concerned Nick and why did he make them?

This chapter opens with the news that "the lights in [Gatsby's] house failed to go on one Saturday night" and the parties at the mansion have ceased. At this point, the purpose of the parties has been fulfilled. Gatsby has re-connected with Daisy, impressed her with his achievement of wealth, and is now engaged in an affair with her that he hopes will lead to marriage. 

Gatsby's aim in throwing the parties in the first place is to do just this - to capture Daisy's attention and her love. 

The shift from huge and elaborate parties to a new, far quieter choice of lifestyle is rather drastic. Nick takes notice and asks after Gatsby, inquiring with "an unfamiliar butler" as to whether or not Gatsby is sick. When Nick finds out that Gatsby has fired all of his former servants, Nick wonders if Gatsby is going away and puts this question to him over the phone. 

During this phone call Gatsby's motives are explained. 

"Daisy comes over quite often - in the afternoons."

Nick suspects that Daisy did not approve of the parties, but Gatsby speaks to the idea of discretion in his decision to fire his staff and end the stream of Saturday night parties. Gatsby does not want people to gossip about Daisy's visits. She is, after all, a married woman with a public profile. 

With his aims nearly attained, Gatsby transitions from a very public attempt at courtship to a private affair with Daisy. 

Why do you think Ralph is elected chief, despite Jack's leadership position in the choir?

Jack's choir boys were outnumbered by the other kids on
the island. Although "with dreary obedience the choir raised their hands" for Jack, the
other boys all voted for Ralph. It was obvious to them that Jack's "simple arrogance"
was not a quality of leadership.

readability="12">

... there was a stillness about Ralph as he
sat that marked him out: there was his size and attractive appearance; and yet most
obscurely, yet more powerfully, there was the conch. The being that had blown that, had
sat waiting for them on the platform with the delicate thing balanced on his knees, was
set apart.

It may have been
more than just choosing the lesser of two evils, since the boys saw something in Ralph
that inspired their vote. His bearing and his possession of the conch were the deciding
factors.

Why do you think Ralph is elected chief, despite Jack's leadership position in the choir?

Jack's choir boys were outnumbered by the other kids on the island. Although "with dreary obedience the choir raised their hands" for Jack, the other boys all voted for Ralph. It was obvious to them that Jack's "simple arrogance" was not a quality of leadership.

... there was a stillness about Ralph as he sat that marked him out: there was his size and attractive appearance; and yet most obscurely, yet more powerfully, there was the conch. The being that had blown that, had sat waiting for them on the platform with the delicate thing balanced on his knees, was set apart.

It may have been more than just choosing the lesser of two evils, since the boys saw something in Ralph that inspired their vote. His bearing and his possession of the conch were the deciding factors.

What is a Quarter penny worth in Crispin:The Cross of Lead?

Actually there is a specific answer to this question in
the book.  It is in chapter 3 when the narrator who we later learn is Crispin is giving
us his history.  When at first, Crispin is telling us what a difficult life he and his
mother led, he tells that his mother's wages were.  Hers were a penny a day and she
could buy full loaves of bread on this.  So specifically. a quarter of a penny would be
worth a loaf of bread.

What is a Quarter penny worth in Crispin:The Cross of Lead?

Actually there is a specific answer to this question in the book.  It is in chapter 3 when the narrator who we later learn is Crispin is giving us his history.  When at first, Crispin is telling us what a difficult life he and his mother led, he tells that his mother's wages were.  Hers were a penny a day and she could buy full loaves of bread on this.  So specifically. a quarter of a penny would be worth a loaf of bread.

Why does Huxley choose to introduce his 'Utopian' society in such a manner?Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

In one criticism of Aldous Huxley's Brave New
World, the author writes that the New World is an "unsettling, loveless, and
even sinister place."  And, it is because the New World is such a place that Huxley
begins his satiric novel in the manner that he does--to purposely alienate his
audience.  For, Huxley seeks to elicit in his audience disturbing feelings that the
futuristic society has eliminated.  Having described the New World as "a nightmare" in
his Brave New World Revisited, Huxley wants his disutopia to
disturb, not provide any "joyful anticipation."

In his
novel, Huxley hopes to excite his contemporary audience of the 1930s and work on the
complacency of his bougeois audience regarding Communism and "Fordist American
Capitalism" with its concept of mass production.  In addition, Huxley touches on his
audience's revulsion of the Pavlovian behavioral conditioning with the hypnopaedia of
the citizens in the New World.

In short, Huxley seeks to
alert and warn his audience of the dangers of technology, biological and mechanical.  In
his introduction to his novel, he overtly states his
theme:

The
theme of Brave New world is not the advancement of science as such; it is the
advancement of science as it affects human
individuals.

The opening
chapter gives the audience a shocking intoduction to this theme, one that, hopefully,
will move his readers from their bourgeois complacency.

Why does Huxley choose to introduce his 'Utopian' society in such a manner?Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

In one criticism of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, the author writes that the New World is an "unsettling, loveless, and even sinister place."  And, it is because the New World is such a place that Huxley begins his satiric novel in the manner that he does--to purposely alienate his audience.  For, Huxley seeks to elicit in his audience disturbing feelings that the futuristic society has eliminated.  Having described the New World as "a nightmare" in his Brave New World Revisited, Huxley wants his disutopia to disturb, not provide any "joyful anticipation."

In his novel, Huxley hopes to excite his contemporary audience of the 1930s and work on the complacency of his bougeois audience regarding Communism and "Fordist American Capitalism" with its concept of mass production.  In addition, Huxley touches on his audience's revulsion of the Pavlovian behavioral conditioning with the hypnopaedia of the citizens in the New World.

In short, Huxley seeks to alert and warn his audience of the dangers of technology, biological and mechanical.  In his introduction to his novel, he overtly states his theme:

The theme of Brave New world is not the advancement of science as such; it is the advancement of science as it affects human individuals.

The opening chapter gives the audience a shocking intoduction to this theme, one that, hopefully, will move his readers from their bourgeois complacency.

How would you summarize the last chapter "The Lives of The Dead" in the novel The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien?

The Things They Carried begins with
death (Lavender's), and the theme hangs over the book like Hamlet's father's Ghost.
 Indeed, O'Brien keeps revisiting Lavender's death, so much so that the reader
understands he is still haunted by it.  Cross and Tim are the most affected by the
deaths that occur, especially Lavender and Kiowa's
respectively.

"The Lives of the Dead" is O'Brien's first
encounter with death.  As such, Linda becomes a Lavender-like symbol, a ghost who haunts
the narrator.  He feels guilty in the way he treated her, and his guilt reawakens during
war.

Some critics even believe Linda is O'Brien's ideal
audience:

readability="7">

O'Brien's character appropriates the feminine,
becoming an androgynous fusion of pre-adolescent Timmy and
Linda.

The Things
They Carried is an exercise in memory and storytelling, in bringing haunting
memories and ghosts back to life.  Remember, story-truth is truer than happening-truth,
so the truths in this story are more agonizingly wrought than a bearing out of facts.
 Believe it: Linda is real, and her death has real impact.  O'Brien believes in the
paradoxical title of this chapter: the dead live on in his fiction.  And Linda is
O'Brien's first muse.

How would you summarize the last chapter "The Lives of The Dead" in the novel The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien?

The Things They Carried begins with death (Lavender's), and the theme hangs over the book like Hamlet's father's Ghost.  Indeed, O'Brien keeps revisiting Lavender's death, so much so that the reader understands he is still haunted by it.  Cross and Tim are the most affected by the deaths that occur, especially Lavender and Kiowa's respectively.

"The Lives of the Dead" is O'Brien's first encounter with death.  As such, Linda becomes a Lavender-like symbol, a ghost who haunts the narrator.  He feels guilty in the way he treated her, and his guilt reawakens during war.

Some critics even believe Linda is O'Brien's ideal audience:

O'Brien's character appropriates the feminine, becoming an androgynous fusion of pre-adolescent Timmy and Linda.

The Things They Carried is an exercise in memory and storytelling, in bringing haunting memories and ghosts back to life.  Remember, story-truth is truer than happening-truth, so the truths in this story are more agonizingly wrought than a bearing out of facts.  Believe it: Linda is real, and her death has real impact.  O'Brien believes in the paradoxical title of this chapter: the dead live on in his fiction.  And Linda is O'Brien's first muse.

What signs were sent by Zeus as omens signaling to Odysseus before test of the bow that his attach upone the suitors would succeed?

In Book 20 Odysseus prays to Zeus, asking for two omens, one from the mouth of someone in the house and one from the outside world. Zeus responds with a clap of thunder even though the day is sunny. One of the women outside grinding wheat hears the thunder and says she hopes it is a sign from Zeus that the day is the last one she will have to grind wheat to prepare bread for the suitors. When he hears her comment, Odysseus is assured that Zeus has answered his prayer. 

In "Heart of Darkness", why does Marlow believe the natives will not attack?

A couple of reasons: first, there is a thick fog in which the natives could get lost. Secondly, Marlow does not see any canoes that they could use to pursue their boat. What makes the thought of the natives attacking most "inconceivable" to Marlow, however, is "the nature of their noise" which does not have "the fierce character boding of immediate hostile attention." Rather, the sounds of the natives gives Marlow "an irresistable impression of sorrow" instead.

Why is the play called "Death of a Salesman"?

On the literal level, it is, indeed, about the death of the salesman, Willy Loman. However, more importantly, it is a tragedy concerning the death of the American Dream that Willy Loman represents. Willy Loman realizes that as a salesman, he doesn't "put a bolt to a nut,he don't tell you the law or give you medicine" (Requiem); a salesman just sells, with nothing to show for his efforts, except, at the highest level, money, a materialistic reward that can be gone in a moment. Willy spends his life working for material goods, and at the end of the play, after his suicide to provide the family with money, his wife only has a house that is paid for. Linda says, "We're free and clear," yet her husband is dead. Thus, the American Dream, to have more things is actually the death of what once defined America, the strength of the American spirit. Willy Loman represents us all-those who become entrapped by the wrong dream and sacrifice life. This point is illustrated best by Willy's garden - his attempt to actually grow something, yet his house is surrounded by a "solid vault of apartment houses." Obviously, Miller uses strong imagery in the opening scene description illustrating Willy Loman's prison.

Where does the climax of the play "A Streetcar named Desire" occur?

To add to what the previous respondent has stated, this
scene is clearly the climax of the play, but Blanche's sanity has been in question long
before this. This is the final straw that finalizes her break from reality that began
when her husband killed himself. His suicide was a reaction to Blanche's discovery of
his homosexuality, but it also led Blanche on a path of self-doubt. She feels that the
only way she can give herself worth is to be attractive to men, and she leads them on in
order to bask in the glow of their affections. This does not work with Stanley. He sees
through her and takes what he wants to take from her, leaving her shattered when the
only illusion that she had to keep her going, her beauty and desirability, is thrust in
her face.

Where does the climax of the play "A Streetcar named Desire" occur?

To add to what the previous respondent has stated, this scene is clearly the climax of the play, but Blanche's sanity has been in question long before this. This is the final straw that finalizes her break from reality that began when her husband killed himself. His suicide was a reaction to Blanche's discovery of his homosexuality, but it also led Blanche on a path of self-doubt. She feels that the only way she can give herself worth is to be attractive to men, and she leads them on in order to bask in the glow of their affections. This does not work with Stanley. He sees through her and takes what he wants to take from her, leaving her shattered when the only illusion that she had to keep her going, her beauty and desirability, is thrust in her face.

Why are there so many different people passing the Finch household? Are they all going for the same reason?This is from Chapter 16.

If you're referring to the first day of Tom Robinson's trial, the people passing by the Finch home are on their way to town. The "parade'' of passersby leads into town where there is a carnival-like atmosphere with food and mingling and buzzing about the upcoming trial. In contrast, the Black families are somber and realize the magnitude of this event.

Others who pass the Finch home, also headed into town, want a look at the home of the man who would dare to defend a Black man.

And still others head into town for what Harper Lee calls morbid curiosity. I compare it to people today who pass by a car crash - the bloodier the better - or who hunger for news regarding a murder or missing person. In other words, we feed on others' misery.

How big is the kingdom of Brobdingnag from Gulliver's Travels?

It doesn't say anywhere within the text of Gulliver's Travels in Book Two, The Land of the Brobdingnags, about how big the country actually is.  However, it stands to reason that the land mass of this place has to be incredible in proportion to England since Gulliver, himself a six-foot tall man, is comparable to the Lilliputians here.  The Lilliputians were a mere six inches or the size of Gulliver's middle finger in comparison to his six-foot frame. In Brobdingnag, Gulliver appears to be a six-inch tall person in comparison to the men and women who live there. 

One reason for the vague description regarding the exact location of the place and the size of the land mass is that Swift is satirizing the travel journals that were popular during this time period in England...he is poking fun of all the idealized places, people, animals, and foods they describe in the pages.  There are elements of wonder in GT, but there are just as many elements (language acquisition, body language, etc.) that make the tale seem like it actually could have happened.

What is Voltaire trying to tell us through his novel Candide?

a commentary on the human condition. You might translate that to an assertion: "This is what it means to be human." If that's the case, then what it means to be human is to suffer, to take part in ignoble action, and to believe things that don't really work in the world.

 

If I had to boil down some of the other messages, I'd say he's saying, "Organized religion is often stupid," "War isn't noble, it is brutal," and "Much philosophy is arrogant stupidity." The best example of this  last point is Pangloss.

What are four examples of diction in chapters 11 and 12 of "Lord of the Flies"?

This is a tough question to answer considering diction is in part defined as the sound and pattern of speech, but we can also focus on word choice.

1.  I like Golding's paragraph prior to the trip to Castle Rock.  "The green light was gentle about them and teh conch lay at Ralph's feet, fragile and white.  A single drop of water that had excaped Piggy's finders now flased on the delicate curve like a star."  Our attention is drawn to how easily broken the power of the conch can be.

2.  Just before Roger drops the boulder on Piggy, Golding gives us some excellent atmosphere.  "The storm of sound beat at them, an incantation of hatred.  High overhead, Roger, with a sense of delirious abandonment, leaned all his weight on the lever."  This slow build up to the death of Piggy provides us with a ton of background noise in our own heads.

3.  After Piggy is struck, a very simple sentence shows us how quickly the power on the island has switched into the savages hands.  "...the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist."

4.  Finally, before Ralph finds himself completely hunted, he contemplates his precarious situation.  "He knelt among the shadows and felt his isolation bitterly.  They were savages it was true; but they were human, and the ambushing fears of the deep night wer coming on."

There are more examples in the novel because of Golding's wordiness, but these will help you out.

What are the major differences between a normal war story and this story, and why is Tim O'Brien telling it this way? I notice he talks a lot about...

O'Brien's story is different than other traditional war stories.  The story can be viewed as a piece of creative nonfiction.  Most war stories are either fiction or nonfiction.  However, O'Brien,  maintains that the truth is not so easily set down on paper.  Whose truth is expressed in the story?  Is it Cross's?  O'Brien's?  That is not easily revealed.  That is part of the point:  the experience of war and its repercussions are not easily explained.  Many true war stories try to explain what happened.  O'Brien doesn't do that.  He simply allows the reader to experience all of the confusion, fear, and exhaustion the soldiers felt.  

Note how O'Brien does not tell the story in the traditional fashion.  It does not have a chronological beginning and end. Instead, key events, like Lavender's death, resurface.  This implies how his death haunts the men.  It is always at the edge of their minds, and it cannot be laid to rest easily.  If the story were told in a traditional format, Lavender's death would likely be the climax of the story.  All of the events would build up to that.  The event would change all the soldiers and carting Lavender's body off in a helicopter would be the resolution.  However, O'Brien has structured the story so that it is not as 'neat' as a traditional war story.  The form embodies the confusion and stress of the soldiers themselves.

How would you start a thesis statement about the novel The Story Of My Life?

I personally think that the best way to start creating a thesis statement that is based on a particular work is to pick a theme of that work and to use that as the basis for a thesis statement. Clearly, in this challenging and impressive work, one key idea is that perseverance. Keller is of course the major example of this, as she had to work so hard to become accepted in society and fashion her own niche in the world. Once she had overcome the many profound obstacles that caused her such difficulty, she showed considerable energy and perseverance in pursuing her goals. Throughout her life, she shows considerable determination. Consider what she says when she heard about a Norwegian girl who learned how to speak:

Mrs. Lamson had scarcely finished telling me about this girl’s success before I was on fore with eagerness. I resolved that I, too, would learn to speak.

In spite of the difficulties she faced in the logistics of learning to speak, Keller kept on at it until she achieved her objective. Therefore, this would be an excellent basis for a thesis statement. Perhaps you could use the following statement:

In The Story of My Life, the character of Keller shows the value of perseverance in being able to achieve any goals you set yourself, no matter how hard.

Such a thesis statement would allow you to discuss the character of Keller and how she displayed perseverance in the story of her life.

I need 3 good quotes from To Kill a Mockingbird that show what other people think of Boo Radley.

One

Quotation – Chapter 4

"Two live oaks stood at the end of the Radley lot; their roots reached into the side-road and made it bumpy. Something about one of the trees attracted my attention.

"Tin-foil was sticking out of a knot-hole just above my eye level, winking at me in the afternoon sun. I stood on my tiptoe, hastily looked around once more, reached into the hole, and withdrew two pieces of chewing gum minus their outer wrappers." Page 33

Two

Quotation- Chapter 6

"Then I saw the shadow. It was the shadow of a man with a hat on. At first I thought it was a tree, but there was no wind blowing, and tree trunks never walked. The back porch was bathed in moonlight, And the shadow, crisp and toast, moved across the porch towards Jem. Dill saw it next. He put his hands to his face. When it crossed Jem, Jem saw it. He put his arms over his head and went ridged." Page 53

Three

Quotation - Chapter 8 

"'Thank who?' I asked. 'Boo Radley. You were so busy looking at the fire you didn't know it when he put the blanket around you.' My stomach turned to water and I nearly threw up when Jem held out the blanket and crept toward me. 'He sneaked out of the house-turn 'round-sneaked up, an' went like this!'" Page 72

What is the genre of "Top Girls" by Caryl Churchill?

Top Girls is historical in content, feminist in construct, absurdist in execution, and somewhat whimsical in theatricality. The text itself is intentionally non-linear. The historical characters in the first act are symbolically connected to the characters in the more narrative second act, but Churchill’s disregard for Aristotle’s regulations for dramatic composition really develop this piece into an anti-drama of sorts. The piece is very much a commentary on the Thatcher Era in England and the struggle of Second Wave Feminists who sacrificed parenthood for the sake of their careers. The play is unique in its ability to straddle several genres, which is actually the wonderful thing about the playwright! Churchill, who began her career writing radio plays, has subsequently created works which challenge all previous drama constructs. She’s exemplary for blurring the lines of gender, structure, politics, language, and narrative.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird" what behaviors are acceptable and unacceptable in the Maycomb community?

It is unacceptable to be of a different race and expect justice in the community. This is scene in the case of Tom Robinson, who is an innocent man convicted of a crime against a white woman. It is acceptable to let a white woman free from contempt of court because she is ignorant. It is unacceptable to be poor and rude. The poverty is held against the children in the story, as seen with Walter Cunningham. It is acceptable to harass and malign a young man who has been isolated for a long period  of time.

It is acceptable to be a racist with little empathy for those who are different as long as you are a church-going white person.

What is the first gift that appears in the hollow tree? What other gifts do the children find?

Scout discovers the first 'gift': gum.  She promptly devours this and only later confides in Jem that she found it in the tree.  Other gifts follow in chapter four - two Indian head pennies.  Then over the course of the next few chapters, they discover more gifts - a ball of twine, two hand carved figures that represent Jem and Scout, a medal, and finally a pocket-watch and a pocket knife.  These, of course, are left as tokens of appreciate from Boo, who obviously has been watching the kids and their plays and games.  In this way, he appears to find them as fascinating as they find him.  The gifts however, come to an end when Mr. Radley has the hole filled with cement, cutting off Boo's means of communication.

In "The Great Gatsby," why does Tom refer to the liaison between Daisy and Gatsby in terms of intermarriage?

Tom refers to the liason between his wife, Daisy, and Gatsby in terms of intermarriage because he realizes that there are feelings between the two of them.  Daisy had met Gatsby well before she and Tom were married, and the meeting of the two again set off all those emotions once again.  In some ways, Tom feels as though he is sharing her, or at least competing for her.  For instance:

She walked close to Gatsby, touching his coast with her hand.  Jordan and Tom and I got into the front seat of Gatsby's car, Tom pushed the unfamiliar gears tentatively, and we shot off into the oppressie heat, leaving them out of sight behind.  "Did you see that?" demanded Tom.  He looked at me keenly, realizing that Jordan and I must have known all along. (Chapter VII)

It is clear to Tom from instances such as these in the book that Daisy still cares for Gatsby.  The only way to ensure that he keeps his wife instead of Gatsby sweeping her off her feet and riding into the sunset with her is to make him seem dirty to Daisy.  Gatsby's business dealings are not completely legal, and once Daisy understands this, she decides never to leave Tom.

Why is global warming not a threat?

I think that there are couple of ways to make this
argument.

First, you can argue that it is not really
happening.  Some scientists try to make this
argument.

Second, and I think that this is an easier
argument to make, climate change is not necessarily a bad thing.  Let's say that the
world warms up a few degrees.  This might mean that some crops can no longer grow where
they now grow.  But maybe those crops could be grown somewhere else and new crops that
can deal with the warmer weather can be grown where they used to
be.

In other words, so what if now we have to grow grain in
Alaska and we can grow bananas in Kansas -- there will be somewhere for everything to
grow even so.

Alternately, maybe the growing season will
get longer -- you can grow more crops per year because it will get warm earlier in
spring and stay warm later in fall.

In addition, as one of
the links below argues, people enjoy warm weather more than cold and warm weather is
healthier for people than cold

Why is global warming not a threat?

I think that there are couple of ways to make this argument.

First, you can argue that it is not really happening.  Some scientists try to make this argument.

Second, and I think that this is an easier argument to make, climate change is not necessarily a bad thing.  Let's say that the world warms up a few degrees.  This might mean that some crops can no longer grow where they now grow.  But maybe those crops could be grown somewhere else and new crops that can deal with the warmer weather can be grown where they used to be.

In other words, so what if now we have to grow grain in Alaska and we can grow bananas in Kansas -- there will be somewhere for everything to grow even so.

Alternately, maybe the growing season will get longer -- you can grow more crops per year because it will get warm earlier in spring and stay warm later in fall.

In addition, as one of the links below argues, people enjoy warm weather more than cold and warm weather is healthier for people than cold

What would make your hair and nails all of a sudden start to grow rapidly? There has been no change in diet.

One reason for sudden hair and nail growth could be due to
an improvement in your overall health.  There are many vitamin deficiencies that can
cause your hair and nails to grow slowly.  Sometimes these vitamin deficiencies are due
to underlying medical conditions that may have resolved
themselves. 

Some of the important vitamins for hair and
nail health are vitamin C, vitamin E, and B-Complex
vitamins.

One condition that can be difficult to pin down
medically is thyroid disease.  This illness presents with many random symptoms that make
detection a drawn out process.  Some of the symptoms of this are slow growing hair and
nails.

Always keep in mind that your hair, nails, and skin
are key indicators of overall health.  If you ever have concerns I would recommend that
you see a medical professional.

What would make your hair and nails all of a sudden start to grow rapidly? There has been no change in diet.

One reason for sudden hair and nail growth could be due to an improvement in your overall health.  There are many vitamin deficiencies that can cause your hair and nails to grow slowly.  Sometimes these vitamin deficiencies are due to underlying medical conditions that may have resolved themselves. 

Some of the important vitamins for hair and nail health are vitamin C, vitamin E, and B-Complex vitamins.

One condition that can be difficult to pin down medically is thyroid disease.  This illness presents with many random symptoms that make detection a drawn out process.  Some of the symptoms of this are slow growing hair and nails.

Always keep in mind that your hair, nails, and skin are key indicators of overall health.  If you ever have concerns I would recommend that you see a medical professional.

What evidence is there that shows us that Holden probably doesn't look as old as he says he looks in "The Catcher in the Rye"?

Once in New York at the cheap hotel, Holden goes down to the bar. He enters the Lavender Room, and the bartender refuses to sell him a drink. Holden thinks that he has the whole thing figured out, how to order the drink, act like you know what you are talking about and the bartender won't see that he's too young. It doesn't work, because Holden is only 16 years old.

"I ordered a Scotch and soda, and told him not to mix it, I said it fast as hell, because if you hem and haw, they think you're under twenty-one and won't sell you any intoxicating liquor. I had trouble with him anyway, though, "I'm sorry, sir," he said, "but do you have some verification of your age? Your driver's license, perhaps?" (Salinger)

The prostitute, Sunny, that Holden arranged for with Maurice, the elevator operator, questions him about his age. He tells her that he is twenty-two. She does not believe him she says:

"Hey, how hold are you anyways?" (Salinger)

What is Sylvia's relationship like with nature in "A White Heron"?

Sylvia has a good relationship with nature. She truly appreciates it and respect it, unlike the hunter who only wants the heron for his "collection."  Sylvia has a true connection to nature and it is a part of who she is.  This is why she cannot tell the hunter about seeing the white heron.  She realizes its importance to nature and to her and this prevents her from telling the hunter about it.

What is the exposition of "Slaughterhouse Five"?

The exposition of the novel begins in Chapter One, in which the author addresses the audience directly. Vonnegut describes his own experiences in World War II, especially the firebombing of Dresden, Germany near the end of the war, This sets up the story of Billy Pilgrim, who gets lost in that time. Billy goes back and forth between modern times and his service in the army and time as prisoner of war in Dresden. The exposition continues into the second chapter when we learn about Billy's birth and subsequent draft into the army. The rising action begins in Chapter Two when Billy first experiences being "unstuck" in time. At that point the reader knows this is not a typical chronological story.

What is blank verse? Where is it used in Romeo and Juliet?

Blank verse is defined as unrhymed iambic pentameter. It should not be confused with "free verse" which means verse with no regular metrical pattern. As notes above, most of Romeo and Juliet is written in blank verse. 

English verse fuses two different metrical traditions, a primarily syllabic French tradition and an accentual Anglo-Saxon one. In syllabic verse, one simply counts the syllables in a line and follows a regular pattern of line lengths. Accentual verse, on the other hand, is concerned with the number of stressed syllables in a line, and allows the poet to vary the number of unstressed syllables. English verse combines these two traditions to form "accentual-syllabic" verse in which one pays attention both to the number of syllables in a line and the relative positions of stressed and unstressed syllables.

The smallest unit of patterning in a poetic line is known as a foot. A iamb is a foot consisting of an unstressed followed by a stressed syllable. Critics describe lines in terms of the type of foot that predominates and the number of times the foot is repeated in a line. Since blank verse lines consist of five iambic feet, the lines are called "iambic pentameter." You should note, though that this doesn't mean that every single foot is an iamb, just that the majority of feet are iambic.

An example of blank verse (with stressed syllables marked in boldface) in Romeo and Juliet is:

I drew to part them: in the instant came

The fiery Tybalt, with his sword prepared,

Which, as he breathed defiance to my ears,

He swung about his head and cut the winds,

What stressor precipitated John Nash's first episode of schizophrenia in "A Beautiful Mind"?

John Nash had long been considered to be eccentric, but it was not until he was thirty years old that he suffered his "first shattering episode of paranoid schizophrenia" (Prologue).  In the summer of 1957, Nash began work on a project to "revise quantum theory".  Decades later, Nash would blame this attempt to "resolve the contradictions in quantum theory", as the stressor that precipitated his mental illness.  He called his efforts to explore the depth of the science "possibly overreaching and psychologically destabilizing" (Chapter 30).

How does the housing market affect the economy? (I want lots of material)I know a lot, so don't take time to explain anything unless you yourself...

To look at things from somewhat of the opposite
perspective, other than the loss of construction jobs, if you have a booming housing
market, some of the following happen:

• The first
  is that people generally feel that the equity in their home is increasing, making them
  more comfortable with the idea of home equity loans to pay for various things they don't
  have the cash for.


• People also feel like they don't have
  to worry about tomorrow since tomorrow their house will be worth more, so if things
  really go south, they can sell and be ok.  This generally leads to decreased saving and
  again, increased spending.


• The other thing about the
  housing market is that if it appears to be consistently going up (particularly at the
  rates which it appeared to be increasing) the increase in speculation in terms of
  looking at housing as an investment.

All of
these things can also simply help drive money to go around the economy faster, and if
you read up on your economic theory, faster circulating dollars in a way have a similar
effect to there actually being more dollars circulating around.  This has  all kinds of
interesting effects, among them some positive and some negative, but all you have to do
to find all kinds of great and interesting (and at times frightening) examples is read
up on your recent economic history.

How does the housing market affect the economy? (I want lots of material)I know a lot, so don't take time to explain anything unless you yourself...

To look at things from somewhat of the opposite perspective, other than the loss of construction jobs, if you have a booming housing market, some of the following happen:

• The first is that people generally feel that the equity in their home is increasing, making them more comfortable with the idea of home equity loans to pay for various things they don't have the cash for.


• People also feel like they don't have to worry about tomorrow since tomorrow their house will be worth more, so if things really go south, they can sell and be ok.  This generally leads to decreased saving and again, increased spending.


• The other thing about the housing market is that if it appears to be consistently going up (particularly at the rates which it appeared to be increasing) the increase in speculation in terms of looking at housing as an investment.

All of these things can also simply help drive money to go around the economy faster, and if you read up on your economic theory, faster circulating dollars in a way have a similar effect to there actually being more dollars circulating around.  This has  all kinds of interesting effects, among them some positive and some negative, but all you have to do to find all kinds of great and interesting (and at times frightening) examples is read up on your recent economic history.

What is the importance of the title, "Tortilla Curtain"?

The tortilla is representative of the Mexican experience, and a curtain is something that separates or divides.  The "tortilla curtain" refers to the physical boundary between Mexico and Southern California, and, in a deeper sense, the vast ideological and sociological chasm separating the American citizen and the Mexican immigrant.

The two central characters in the story are Delaney Mossbacher and Candido Rincon.  The two men and their families live in close proximity, but their lives are completely different.  Delaney has a nice house, two cars, and is financially secure, while Candido lives in a makeshift hut made of garbage and discards, and must struggle everyday just to survive.  Although Delaney considers himself to be open-minded and liberal, his philosophy works better in theory than in practice, and when faced with the reality of Candido's presence and need, he discovers that he is more inclined to look the other way and gate himself off from what feels like an intrusion.  At the end of the story, both Delaney and Candido find their lives threatened by a flash flood.  It is only through sharing this dire experience that the men are able to break through the "tortilla curtain" and discover their common humanity .

Which event does Granny recall with particular anger and sadness? What message does she have for the person involved?

Granny recalls the day George left her standing at the altar, the day he jilted her. Granny does want to tell George that she lived a full life even without him. But Granny also wants to tell George she forgot him. She begins by remembering that, "For sixty years she had prayed against remembering him and against losing her soul in the deep pit of hell, and now the two things were mingled in one, and the thought of him was a smoky cloud from hell that moved and crept in her head when she had just got rid of Doctor Harry and was trying to rest a minute." After this, Porter writes, "Yes, she had changed her mind after sixty years and she would like to see George. I want you to find George. Find him and be sure to tell him I forgot him." While Granny wants George to think she has forgotten him, the irony lies in the fact that Granny has not forgotten George. She has spent sixty years trying to forget that he jilted her and has been unable to. What she really wants is to let him know he didn't get the best of her, that she did lead a full life without him.

What are some examples of redemption in Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter"?I'm just looking for the different ways the character's achieved...

In their judgment against Hester, the town requires her to live in near isolation with her daughter earning a living from her work as a seamstress.  Hester is a very skilled seamstress, therefore, her work brings beauty into the world.  She also uses the money she earns to help the poor, even though they reject her.

Hester loves her daughter, Pearl with great devotion. She earns redemption through her actions, such as her helping the poor, her work as a seamstress to people who otherwise think that she is no better than the devil.  And her great love for her daughter.

Arthur Dimmesdale for a great deal of the story is never identified as Hester's lover, therefore, he bears the burden of remaining silent, according to Hester's lead. 

Reverend Dimmesdale is inspired to preach with even greater passion, knowing full well that he is a sinner.  His passionate sermons are both self-instructive and informative to his congregation.  Through his expression of devotion to his calling, he seeks redemption for his sins.  Arthur wants to confess to being Hester's lover, and finally, he does, unburdening his soul and claiming Pearl as his daughter.

Clearly, a sinner returned to God is worth far more than one who never admits his sin.  So, Arthur, finds redemption in the religion he devotes his life to, and Hester finds redemption in the life she lives in devotion to her child and to the service of other needs.    

Why was the city of Ember created in the book entitled The City of Ember?Nothing - I just need the answers please.

The city of Ember was created in the aftermath of an
apocalypse, presumably a nuclear war. The war had rendered conditions on the face of the
earth unlivable, so Ember was built far beneath the ground to allow survivors of the war
to continue to thrive. Ember is the sole refuge remaining for the human race. Because it
is located so far beneath the earth's surface, it is completely dark, and it is
sustained by a complicated and ingenious system run by electricity. At the time of the
story, over two-hundred years after the Ember's inception, the city is threatened
because it appears that the electrical system is about to give out. If it fails
completely, the city will be plunged back into complete
darkness.

Ember was not intended to last forever. Its
creators had estimated that, after a certain amount of time, conditions on the earth
would improve to where it would be able to sustain life once again. These founders had
written instructions as to how the people could escape from Ember when that time came,
and the instructions had been placed in a box which was to have been passed down from
mayor to mayor of the city. Unfortunately, after a number of years, the box had been
lost, and ultimately forgotten. Now that the electricity system is threatened, the
people are stuck in the doomed city with no way of escape.

Why was the city of Ember created in the book entitled The City of Ember?Nothing - I just need the answers please.

The city of Ember was created in the aftermath of an apocalypse, presumably a nuclear war. The war had rendered conditions on the face of the earth unlivable, so Ember was built far beneath the ground to allow survivors of the war to continue to thrive. Ember is the sole refuge remaining for the human race. Because it is located so far beneath the earth's surface, it is completely dark, and it is sustained by a complicated and ingenious system run by electricity. At the time of the story, over two-hundred years after the Ember's inception, the city is threatened because it appears that the electrical system is about to give out. If it fails completely, the city will be plunged back into complete darkness.

Ember was not intended to last forever. Its creators had estimated that, after a certain amount of time, conditions on the earth would improve to where it would be able to sustain life once again. These founders had written instructions as to how the people could escape from Ember when that time came, and the instructions had been placed in a box which was to have been passed down from mayor to mayor of the city. Unfortunately, after a number of years, the box had been lost, and ultimately forgotten. Now that the electricity system is threatened, the people are stuck in the doomed city with no way of escape.

What is an example of antithesis in The Great Gatsby?

Fitzgerald uses both antithetical characters and settings in The Great Gatsby. One clear example is the contrast between Daisy Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson. While Daisy is married to Tom Buchanan and lives a life of careless wealth, Myrtle lives above a gas station and hopes that being Tom's mistress will improve her lot in life. Fitzgerald also contrasts the grey suburban "wasteland" between West Egg and New York with the colorful opulence of Gatsby's mansion.

-40(1/2 x 45)=

A lot of my students are not comfortable turning fractions into decimals.  For students who want to avoid decimals, look below. With this problem I would have them convert 45 into a fraction by putting a one in as the denominator

Step One-change 45 into a fraction: -40 (1/2x45/1)

Step two: multiply the fractions within the (  )

                 -40 (45/2)

Step 3: Convert -40 into a fraction

               -40/1 (45/2)

Step 4: Simplify  fractions (2 goes into -40, -20 times)

               -20/1 (45/1)

Step 5: Multiply and a - times a + = a negative

             = -900 

Jack and Simon represent two different human approaches to the natural world. Where can I find evidence from the text?

Look no further than chapter 8. Jack sees nature as his for the taking. He establishes his authority in much the same way, smashing, stealing and manipulating. He treats nature in terms of what he can take from it. The incredibly violent death of the pig is motivated by Jack and Roger's bloodlust, and described in incredibly graphic detail.

"The spear moved forward inch by inch  and the terrified squealing became a high-pitched scream. Then Jack found the throat and the hot blood spurted over his hands. The sow collapsed under them and they were heavy and fulfilled upon her."

Essentially, this scene is described not only in terms of killing, but in terms of rape as well. And that is how Jack approaches the natural world: his to own, control, and dominate.

Simon, on the other hand, approaches nature from a spiritual point of view.

Simon had passed through the area of fruit trees but today the littluns had been too busy with the fire on the beach and they had not pursued him there. He went on among the creepers until he reached the great mat that was woven by the open space and crawled inside. Beyond the screen of leaves the sunlight pelted down and the butterflies danced in the middle of their unending dance. He knelt down and the arrow of the sun fell on him. That other time the air had seemed to vibrate with heat; but now it threatened. Soon the sweat was running from his long coarse hair. He shifted restlessly but there was no avoiding the sun. Presently he was thirsty, and then very thirsty.

Simon prefers to enter nature as an individual, rather than with a mob. He sits in silence, contemplating what nature has to offer him as a gift, rather than what he can take. Ironically, Chapter 8 is entitled "Gift For the Darkness", implying that what Simon will find is evil rather than good, and horror rather than peace.

In "The Most Dangerous Game," what does Zaroff mean by "the world is made up of two classes- the hunters and the huntees." How does his...

At the beginning of the story, Rainsford clearly states "Who cares what a jaguar feels?" when asked to consider the feelings of his prey.  Of course, this is an easy statement for him to make when he is in the position of power as the hunter; being so far removed from his prey in that he has never known the position of vulnerability, fear, and pain that his prey is in, it is easy for him to not understand, much less care, what his prey is feeling, as he says to Whitney before he ends up on ShipTrap Island.

However, his conflict with Zaroff does change this in that it places him, for the first time ever and quite probably for the first time for ANY hunter, in the position of the prey-- of the huntee.  Rainsford therefore now sees this phrase in a new light; until this point, he would most likely have agreed with this statement because he saw himself as the superior hunter.  Yet his new vulnerability as the huntee forces him to reconsider the feelings of the huntee he once cared nothing to know.

In "A & P," is Sammy a hero? Why or why not?

On the other side, Updike does make Sammy heroic.  His heroism is flawed, as is true of most modern protagonists, but it is present.  He is offended by the treatment the girls receive.  Granted, his offense is in direct proportion of his attraction, but there is validity to it.  Sammy makes judgments about all the customers at the store, but he does not stoop to insult any of them.  He treats them all the same, and expects his manager to.  However, as a well-raised young man, Sammy would not consider challenging authority.  The girls provide a change.  Sammy finds in them the impetus he needs to challenge society, challenge authority.  Although readers can argue he only wants the girls attention, it is important to note that the girls ignore him.  Sammy knows that they are ignoring him, but he still walks out.  He does not try to talk his way out of the situation, he does not allow Lengel to convince him to stay.  Sammy, having been given the opportunity, now wants to see it through.  That is heroic, the convinction to beliefs that he shows as protagonists, especially when coupled with his epiphany of  "how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter''.

How do Odysseus' speeches with Calypso show his cleverness?book 5

Though she is a goddess, Calypso has strong feelings for the mortal, Odysseus.  Once she hears from Olympus that she must allow Odyssues to leave the island, she offers him immortality if she stays with him and also brings up the issue that his wife Penelope is mortal and will not compare to her [Calypso's] beauty.  Odysseus responds with: 

Goddess and queen, do not be angry with me. I myself know
that all you say is true and that circumspect Penelope
can never match the impression you make for beauty and stature.
She is mortal after all, and you are immortal and ageless.
But even so, what I want and all my days I pine for
is to go back to my house and see my day of homecoming.
And if some god batters me far out on the wine-blue water,
I will endure it, keeping a stubborn spirit inside me,
for already I have suffered much and done much hard work
on the waves and in the fighting. So let this adventure follow.
V. 215–224

Odysseus recognizes that he needs Calypso's help to get off the island, so instead of arguing that he truly loves Penelope for who she is and not because of her looks, he agrees that Penelope will never be as beautiful as Calypso.  He continues saying that he'd just like to get home, convicing Calypso that he's a only a weary spirit desperate for his homeland, that it has nothing to do with Calypso's inability to please him.  Eventually, Calypso feels sorry enough for Odysseus that she gives him what he needs to make a boat and leave the island. 

What are the themes in Hemingway's "Cat in the Rain"?

Hemingway's "Cat in the Rain" focuses on a typical
American wife's disillusionment with marriage. On the surface, Kitty and George seem to
be living a rather romantic lifestyle. They are staying in Italy and have nothing but
time to spend with one another.  The problem is, however, that Kitty wants attention and
affection that George is either unwilling or unable to provide.  When Kittymentions that
she wants to go down and get the cat, George barely responds.  Later, Kitty thinks about
how much she enjoys the hotel keeper's respectful attitude toward her--that is what she
longs for from her husband. In the end, Kitty is the figurative "cat in the
rain."

The story not only represents Hemingway's portrayal
of an American marriage but also his view of America in general. The author was part of
the Lost Generation--the group of young Americans who became disillusioned with their
country after World War I and who left for "greener pastures" and adventure in Europe. 
George and Kitty seem to be members of that generation, seeking something new and
exciting in Italy. Instead, both are bored, trapped inside a hotel because of the rain,
and unable to effectively communicate with one another.

What are the themes in Hemingway's "Cat in the Rain"?

Hemingway's "Cat in the Rain" focuses on a typical American wife's disillusionment with marriage. On the surface, Kitty and George seem to be living a rather romantic lifestyle. They are staying in Italy and have nothing but time to spend with one another.  The problem is, however, that Kitty wants attention and affection that George is either unwilling or unable to provide.  When Kittymentions that she wants to go down and get the cat, George barely responds.  Later, Kitty thinks about how much she enjoys the hotel keeper's respectful attitude toward her--that is what she longs for from her husband. In the end, Kitty is the figurative "cat in the rain."

The story not only represents Hemingway's portrayal of an American marriage but also his view of America in general. The author was part of the Lost Generation--the group of young Americans who became disillusioned with their country after World War I and who left for "greener pastures" and adventure in Europe.  George and Kitty seem to be members of that generation, seeking something new and exciting in Italy. Instead, both are bored, trapped inside a hotel because of the rain, and unable to effectively communicate with one another.

According to Frederick Douglass, what is even worse than the internal slave trade?from narrative of the life of the frederick douglass book

Frederick Douglass's thoughts about the internal slave
trade are not found in the book you mention.  They are found in a speech he gave on the
Fourth of July, 1852 in Rochester, New York.

In that
speech, he says that the thing that is even worse than the internal slave trade is the
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.  That law made it very easy for any black person in the
North (whether an escaped slave or not) to be taken and sent into slavery.  Douglass
says this law makes the whole of the country a slave country by forcing the Northern
states to help send slaves back into slavery.

According to Frederick Douglass, what is even worse than the internal slave trade?from narrative of the life of the frederick douglass book

Frederick Douglass's thoughts about the internal slave trade are not found in the book you mention.  They are found in a speech he gave on the Fourth of July, 1852 in Rochester, New York.

In that speech, he says that the thing that is even worse than the internal slave trade is the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.  That law made it very easy for any black person in the North (whether an escaped slave or not) to be taken and sent into slavery.  Douglass says this law makes the whole of the country a slave country by forcing the Northern states to help send slaves back into slavery.

What is the significance of Florence's death in "Bless Me, Ultima"?

When Florence died, "everything (Tony) believed in was destroyed" (Veintidos).

Florence did not believe in God, and according to the Catholic faith would have been condemned to burn in hell for all eternity.  He was sincere in his unbelief, however; an orphan whose "sisters (were) whores", Florence could not understand how a God who was "supposed to know everything" could allow there to be so much evil in the world (Diecisiete).  Tony, despite his own faith, had no answers for Florence, and had in fact been struggling with the same doubts himself; when the other children wanted Tony, acting as the priest, to punish Florence for his unbelief and audacity in declaring that he had no sin, Tony refused and granted forgiveness instead (Dieciocho).  Despite his uncertainties, Tony was not ready to give up on the Church as had his friend, but when Florence died, Tony was overwhelmed with the emptiness of a seemingly senseless universe of violence and death.  Florence's death made Tony consider the possiblity that the God of religion as represented by the Church, of myth as represented by the Golden Carp, and of magic as personified by Ultima, did not exist, and that all that remained was nothingness (Veintidos).

Evaluate the role of Woodrow Wilson at the Paris peace conference. What obstacles did he face? How successful was he in shaping the settlement?

Woodrow Wilson was one of the "Big Four" at the Versailles
Peace Conference, comprised of Wilson, Georges, Clemenceau of France, David Lloyd George
of England and Victor Orlando of Italy. Wilson had grandiose plans (dreams might be a
more appropriate word) for the peace settlement, and accomplished most of them; however
in the long run, his efforts were for naught.

Wilson
arrived at the conference intent on implementing his famous Fourteen Points which he had
previously promulgated. He ran into opposition almost immediately, primarily from
Clemenceau and Lloyd George. France had been humiliated by Prussia in the
Franco-Prussian War, and a substantial amount of the fighting in the war had occurred on
French soil. Clemenceau was determined not only to punish Germany but also to prevent it
from invading France again by keeping it crippled. Prior to the conference, he famously
remarked

Moses
gave us the Ten Commandments and we broke them; Wilson has given us the Fourteen points.
We shall see.

Lloyd George
was no less vindictive. He won election in Britain on a promise to make Germany pay
dearly for its transgressions, stating

readability="5">

We shall squeeze the orange until the pips
squeak."

The conference
deadlocked almost immediately, and Wilson packed his bags to return home. The conference
was only saved because Clemenceau feared the breakup of conference would leave France
alone and exposed to another invasion from Germany.

As
agreed upon the Treaty of Versailles was much more punitive than Wilson would have
liked; but it did contain a provision for his most cherished dream, the creation of a
League of Nations. The latter provision ultimately won Wilson the Nobel Peace Prize;
ironically, however, the Treaty was not ratified by the U.S. Senate, primarily because
of Wilson's intransigence, and the U.S. never joined. The League had a brief and
unremarkable existence. Wilson therefore accomplished little at Versailles that proved
long term.

Evaluate the role of Woodrow Wilson at the Paris peace conference. What obstacles did he face? How successful was he in shaping the settlement?

Woodrow Wilson was one of the "Big Four" at the Versailles Peace Conference, comprised of Wilson, Georges, Clemenceau of France, David Lloyd George of England and Victor Orlando of Italy. Wilson had grandiose plans (dreams might be a more appropriate word) for the peace settlement, and accomplished most of them; however in the long run, his efforts were for naught.

Wilson arrived at the conference intent on implementing his famous Fourteen Points which he had previously promulgated. He ran into opposition almost immediately, primarily from Clemenceau and Lloyd George. France had been humiliated by Prussia in the Franco-Prussian War, and a substantial amount of the fighting in the war had occurred on French soil. Clemenceau was determined not only to punish Germany but also to prevent it from invading France again by keeping it crippled. Prior to the conference, he famously remarked

Moses gave us the Ten Commandments and we broke them; Wilson has given us the Fourteen points. We shall see.

Lloyd George was no less vindictive. He won election in Britain on a promise to make Germany pay dearly for its transgressions, stating

We shall squeeze the orange until the pips squeak."

The conference deadlocked almost immediately, and Wilson packed his bags to return home. The conference was only saved because Clemenceau feared the breakup of conference would leave France alone and exposed to another invasion from Germany.

As agreed upon the Treaty of Versailles was much more punitive than Wilson would have liked; but it did contain a provision for his most cherished dream, the creation of a League of Nations. The latter provision ultimately won Wilson the Nobel Peace Prize; ironically, however, the Treaty was not ratified by the U.S. Senate, primarily because of Wilson's intransigence, and the U.S. never joined. The League had a brief and unremarkable existence. Wilson therefore accomplished little at Versailles that proved long term.

When the Martians began to die in The War of the Worlds, where was the message sent first?

In Book 2, chapter 8, the Martians begin dying because they have no resistance to the smallest inhabitants of Earth: bacteria and other microbes. The narrator notices that other people are becoming aware of their death and are coming out of hiding. In chapter 9, the narrator says while he was sleeping, another man had the foresight to go to St. Martin's le Grand and rig up a telegraph to send a message to Paris. Soon the news spread all over the world.

What is the origin of, "Are you a mouse or a man"? Have a bet riding on it.Shakespeare?

The title of John Steinbeck's novel, Of Mice and
Men, is derived from a line in the poem, To a Mouse, on Turning her
up in her nest with a plough, written by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1785.
Legend has it that Burns wrote the poem whilst still holding the plough with which he
had accidentally destroyed the mouse's winter-nest.

The
relevant lines in the poem are:

readability="6">

The best-laid schemes o' mice an'
men
Gang aft
agley,

Burns is commenting on
the fact that even the best made plans of men (meaning humankind) who bestride the
world, and in contrast, those of tiny, timid, feeble mice, go awry - suggesting that no
one, no matter who or what you are, can ever be quite certain of the outcome of one's
endeavors. The poem does not draw a distinct contrast between man and mouse related to
strength, power or conviction as the expression, man or mouse
does.

The expression was never
used by William Shakespeare and cannot be traced to any of his texts. The contrast was
first used in 1620 but there is no accurate record of who, or exactly in which context,
it was employed. The expression has, however, become popular since then and is now
rooted in English vernacular as a somewhat cliched idiomatic
expression.

One may assume that the
expression's origin is derived from the behavioural mannerisms of mice. They always seem
anxious and timid. An observation of their continuously twitching noses and whiskers as
well as their uncertain movements and quick scurrying to avoid being noticed, as well as
their miniscule size, confirms this notion.

What is the origin of, "Are you a mouse or a man"? Have a bet riding on it.Shakespeare?

The title of John Steinbeck's novel, Of Mice and Men, is derived from a line in the poem, To a Mouse, on Turning her up in her nest with a plough, written by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1785. Legend has it that Burns wrote the poem whilst still holding the plough with which he had accidentally destroyed the mouse's winter-nest.

The relevant lines in the poem are:

The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft agley,

Burns is commenting on the fact that even the best made plans of men (meaning humankind) who bestride the world, and in contrast, those of tiny, timid, feeble mice, go awry - suggesting that no one, no matter who or what you are, can ever be quite certain of the outcome of one's endeavors. The poem does not draw a distinct contrast between man and mouse related to strength, power or conviction as the expression, man or mouse does.

The expression was never used by William Shakespeare and cannot be traced to any of his texts. The contrast was first used in 1620 but there is no accurate record of who, or exactly in which context, it was employed. The expression has, however, become popular since then and is now rooted in English vernacular as a somewhat cliched idiomatic expression.

One may assume that the expression's origin is derived from the behavioural mannerisms of mice. They always seem anxious and timid. An observation of their continuously twitching noses and whiskers as well as their uncertain movements and quick scurrying to avoid being noticed, as well as their miniscule size, confirms this notion.

What do the stars and stripes on the U.S. flag represent?

The first US Flag Act in 1777 established that "the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation."

In 1794, they added two more stripes and two more stars.

The Flag Act of April 4, 1818, specified that the flag have 13 stripes (to represent the original 13 colonies) and one star for each state. If a new state is established, the new star will be added to the flag on the 4th of July following that state's admission to the US.

The colors of the flag, according to Charles Thompson, who was Secretary of the Continental Congress, signify the following:

•  
  • White = purity and innocence
  • Red = hardiness & valour
  • Blue = vigilance, perseverance & justice

The star symbolizes "the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun" (from a book about the flag published by the House of Representatives in 1977).

Visit the links below for more information. 

How is oxygen transported in the blood?

Oxygen is transported throughout the body via hemoglobin
in the red blood cells.

Oxygen transport and exchange
provide the necessary oxygen to the body. This process is called respiration. Air is
breathed in through the mouth and nose and after various processes it enters the blood
through diffusion. The oxygen enters the red blood cells and in exchange carbon dioxide
is taken out.

Oxygen levels in the blood are directly
related to the alveoli. The alveoli increase the surface area of the lungs. For example,
if a person has pulmonary disease then it means they have a decreased surface area for
oxygen exchange. This in turn would mean lower blood oxygen
levels.

How is oxygen transported in the blood?

Oxygen is transported throughout the body via hemoglobin in the red blood cells.

Oxygen transport and exchange provide the necessary oxygen to the body. This process is called respiration. Air is breathed in through the mouth and nose and after various processes it enters the blood through diffusion. The oxygen enters the red blood cells and in exchange carbon dioxide is taken out.

Oxygen levels in the blood are directly related to the alveoli. The alveoli increase the surface area of the lungs. For example, if a person has pulmonary disease then it means they have a decreased surface area for oxygen exchange. This in turn would mean lower blood oxygen levels.

In the Introduction to My Antonia, what has Jim been doing to amuse himself on his long trips across the country?

Jim "loves with a personal passion the great country through which his railway runs and branches", so he likes to sit in the observation car watching the scenery flash by.  The little towns that he sees reminds him of "what it is like to spend one's childhood" in such places, and in the introduction, he and the author, who grew up with Jim, are talking about these remembrances, and in particular, Antonia, a Bohemian girl they once knew.  More than anyone else, Antonia "seemed to mean to (them) the country, the conditions, the whole adventure of (their) childhood", and Jim and the author wonder why they never wrote about her. 

A few months after this encounter, Jim gives the author a manuscript which he has written about Antonia.  This manuscript, "substantially as he brought it", became the book My Antonia.

(all quotes from "Author's Introduction" in My Antonia)

What "confession" did Elizabeth make to John in act 4 of "The Crucible"?

The confession that Elizabeth makes to John in Act IV is that she realizes that she herself played some role in the marital difficulties that led John to commit adultery with Abigail.  She states that "it needs a cold wife to prompt lechery.." and continues that

I counted myself so plain, so poorly made, no honest love could come to me! Suspicion kissed you when I did.  I never knew how I should say my love. It were a cold house I kept.  (Act IV scene 2)

In this admission Elizabeth has shown great growth in character and is no longer the suspicious fragile woman she once was.

Describe the characteristics of Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters from Susan Glaspell's "Trifles".

Mrs. Peters is the wife of the sheriff and obviously is torn between her "duty" as a sheriff's wife and her "duty" as a woman who can empathize with Minnie Wright's plight as an abused woman who is married to an apparently cruel man.  Mrs. Peters feels sorry for Mrs. Wright because as they spend time at her home while their husbands are searching for evidence, she learns about Mrs. Wright's life through everyday household items like her preserved jam and her stitching.  Mrs. Hale feels guilty for not spending more time with Mrs. Wright and not coming to visit her more often.  She now realizes that if she had come to spend more time with her that perhaps she would have become aware of the problems that Mrs. Wright was having in her marriage.  Both women eventually find the canary wrapped in a cloth and realize that Mrs. Wright killed her husband because he killed her canary by wringing its neck.