In terms of form and content, what identifies "The Other Boat" by EM Forster as a post-modernist work of prose?

The question of identity, in particular sexual identity
and status as the other is a major theme in this story.When Lionel gives in to his
homosexual desires with Cocoanut, he is forever changed. He has broken out from the
constraints thrust upon him by a society that views same sex erotic love as unnatural,
and he is forced to confront not only the fact that he has defied the natural order as
it previously existed within his mental framework, but also the fact that he enjoyed the
act and began to feel a closeness and affection for another man.The only escape for him,
in the end, is the destruction of the object that he sees of his unnatural
desire.

Looking at the novel in terms of one of the basic
tenets of postmodernism, there is an emphasis on subjectivity and deconstruction. It is
about ways of seeing that matter, and the ways in which views are shaped by perception.
Lionel's view is shaped by what he sees as natural love when he leaves the room. When he
returns, he cannot confront the fact that what he has experienced does not agree with
what he has been taught to believe. The fragmentation of society and the deconstruction
of belief systems is a major aspect of postmodern literature, as is the emphasis on the
individual and identity. Both are themes that are examined heavily in the
story.

In terms of form and content, what identifies "The Other Boat" by EM Forster as a post-modernist work of prose?

The question of identity, in particular sexual identity and status as the other is a major theme in this story.When Lionel gives in to his homosexual desires with Cocoanut, he is forever changed. He has broken out from the constraints thrust upon him by a society that views same sex erotic love as unnatural, and he is forced to confront not only the fact that he has defied the natural order as it previously existed within his mental framework, but also the fact that he enjoyed the act and began to feel a closeness and affection for another man.The only escape for him, in the end, is the destruction of the object that he sees of his unnatural desire.

Looking at the novel in terms of one of the basic tenets of postmodernism, there is an emphasis on subjectivity and deconstruction. It is about ways of seeing that matter, and the ways in which views are shaped by perception. Lionel's view is shaped by what he sees as natural love when he leaves the room. When he returns, he cannot confront the fact that what he has experienced does not agree with what he has been taught to believe. The fragmentation of society and the deconstruction of belief systems is a major aspect of postmodern literature, as is the emphasis on the individual and identity. Both are themes that are examined heavily in the story.

What was the "Great Awakening" in U.S. history?

This golden period was the greatest religious revival in American history. This widespread revivals were led by evangelical Protestant members, who have a stronger interest in the religion, whom have a profound sense of guilt towards the Protestant God, and the redemption and the cleansing of the ones who are affected, which invoked the formation of new religious movements. It believes in the power of salvation and to turn away from sin and other desires, and to fear God and his punishment to those who provoke him. The "Great Awakening" begin around the 1730s, followed by the second one during 1800-1840 and the third one during 18890-1910 before the strong fervor calmed and was soon diminished. This holy period change the face of America's history forever and are embedded into their hearts for generation to come.

Why would Captain Beatty want to kill himself?why would he provoke montage when he had a flamethrower?

In Fahrenheit 451, suicide is
common.  This is revealed by the nonchalance with which the technicians treat Millie
after her overdose.  It is not surprising that Beatty would just as soon die as remain
alive.

Today, we call what Beatty does "Suicide by cop." 
Beatty commits suicide by firemen.

To know why Beatty
commits suicide all you have to do is look at the society in which he lives.  Beatty is
intelligent--he's too intelligent not to know that his existence is
lacking. 

Ironically, Beatty allows himself to be killed
for the same reason Montag begins reading books--his existence sucks. 
 

The world they live in is mindless, superficial,
unemotional, unenlightening, unfulfilling. 

The real
question is:  why would anyone want to live?  

Why would Captain Beatty want to kill himself?why would he provoke montage when he had a flamethrower?

In Fahrenheit 451, suicide is common.  This is revealed by the nonchalance with which the technicians treat Millie after her overdose.  It is not surprising that Beatty would just as soon die as remain alive.

Today, we call what Beatty does "Suicide by cop."  Beatty commits suicide by firemen.

To know why Beatty commits suicide all you have to do is look at the society in which he lives.  Beatty is intelligent--he's too intelligent not to know that his existence is lacking. 

Ironically, Beatty allows himself to be killed for the same reason Montag begins reading books--his existence sucks.   

The world they live in is mindless, superficial, unemotional, unenlightening, unfulfilling. 

The real question is:  why would anyone want to live?  

What is Pip's postion among the guests in Chapter 4 of "Great Expectations"?

Pip is very uncomfortable among the guests in Chapter 4 for several reasons.  First, he is terrified that the robbery of the pantry will be discovered by Mrs. Joe. 

"Among this good company I should have felt myself, even if I hadn't robbed the pantry, in a false position."

The guests believe that gratitude should be at the centerpiece of the prayer of thanks on this very special holiday. Especially Uncle Pumblechook.  His comments are directed at poor Pip to show gratitude.

"Especially," said Mr. Pumblechook, "be grateful, boy, to them which brought you up by hand."

Then Mrs. Humble brings the groups attention to the ungrateful nature, in general, of young people.

"Why is it that the young are never grateful?"  This moral mystery seemed too much for the company until Mr. Hubble tersely solved it by saying, "Naterally wicious."  Everybody then murmured "True!" and looked at me in a particularly unpleasant and personal manner."

Mrs. Joe brings out the tampered with Brandy, and Pip feels like he is ready to burst with anxiety.

"Have a little brandy, uncle," said my sister. O Heavens, it had come at last!  He would find it was weak, he would say it was weak, and I was lost!  I held tight to the leg of the table under the cloth, with both hands, and awaited my fate."

How does loneliness tie in as an overall theme of A Streetcar Named Desire?

Loneliness is a dominate theme in the play "A Streetcar
Named Desire". Almost all of the characters experience loneliness in some fashion or
another.

Blanche is above and beyond the loneliest
character. While she seems to exude the right characteristics used to surround one self
with many friends, one can tell from her past that she has never really found her place.
Blanche was a prostitute. She needed to feel the security of a man simply to feel loved-
even if for one night.  Unfortunately, this "profession" caught up with her and ruined
her one chance at a true relationship.

Stella can be seen
as being lonely at certain points in the play as well. While she finds comfort in a
neighbor after being abused by Stanley, her need lies with him- for it is only when she
is with him when she feels complete. Therefore, when she leaves Stanly, even for a
night, she considers herself lonely.

Mitch is another
character who houses loneliness. He has lost a love and finds refuge in his mother. He
knows that his mother will not live forever. He needs to find a woman to love him the
way his mother does. Unfortunately, he thought he had that in Blanche, but he was
wrong.

Many references to music signify loneliness as well.
The lone instruments portray solitude. Another symbol is the Mexican woman sells flowers
for the dead. She is alone and selling flowers to those who have been left as
well.

How does loneliness tie in as an overall theme of A Streetcar Named Desire?

Loneliness is a dominate theme in the play "A Streetcar Named Desire". Almost all of the characters experience loneliness in some fashion or another.

Blanche is above and beyond the loneliest character. While she seems to exude the right characteristics used to surround one self with many friends, one can tell from her past that she has never really found her place. Blanche was a prostitute. She needed to feel the security of a man simply to feel loved- even if for one night.  Unfortunately, this "profession" caught up with her and ruined her one chance at a true relationship.

Stella can be seen as being lonely at certain points in the play as well. While she finds comfort in a neighbor after being abused by Stanley, her need lies with him- for it is only when she is with him when she feels complete. Therefore, when she leaves Stanly, even for a night, she considers herself lonely.

Mitch is another character who houses loneliness. He has lost a love and finds refuge in his mother. He knows that his mother will not live forever. He needs to find a woman to love him the way his mother does. Unfortunately, he thought he had that in Blanche, but he was wrong.

Many references to music signify loneliness as well. The lone instruments portray solitude. Another symbol is the Mexican woman sells flowers for the dead. She is alone and selling flowers to those who have been left as well.

In "To His Coy Mistress," the poem can be reduced into if, then, but, and therefore. Can someone help me figure it out? If- Then- But- Therefore-

Marvell's invitational lyric, To His Coy
Mistress, uses the syllogistic structure of if
(then)-but-therefore to work out the ancient Classical theme of
carpe diem to metaphysical transcendence. The speaker addresses his
beloved, who is not prepared to surrender in love, in the form of a syllogistic
argument. The argument is in three parts.

IF
the lovers had enough space and time, they could have gone for all the
paraphernalia of traditional romantic love-making, for they would have been in no
hurry.

BUT in reality,Time
runs fast, and chases every human being as the hunter pursues the hunted. As and when
the beloved dies and lies in the grave, all her love is gone unfulfilled, just as all
the passions of the lover get burnt
up.

THEREFORE, the lovers
should utilize the moment without bothering for eternity. They should make love with all
the strength and energy of 'amorous birds of prey', not as victims but as victors,
running with the sun, united in love.

In "To His Coy Mistress," the poem can be reduced into if, then, but, and therefore. Can someone help me figure it out? If- Then- But- Therefore-

Marvell's invitational lyric, To His Coy Mistress, uses the syllogistic structure of if (then)-but-therefore to work out the ancient Classical theme of carpe diem to metaphysical transcendence. The speaker addresses his beloved, who is not prepared to surrender in love, in the form of a syllogistic argument. The argument is in three parts.

IF the lovers had enough space and time, they could have gone for all the paraphernalia of traditional romantic love-making, for they would have been in no hurry.

BUT in reality,Time runs fast, and chases every human being as the hunter pursues the hunted. As and when the beloved dies and lies in the grave, all her love is gone unfulfilled, just as all the passions of the lover get burnt up.

THEREFORE, the lovers should utilize the moment without bothering for eternity. They should make love with all the strength and energy of 'amorous birds of prey', not as victims but as victors, running with the sun, united in love.

What is the message in "Among The Hidden" by Margaret Peterson Haddix?

While "Among the Hidden" has many smaller themes or "messages", the author appears to address some very important social issues written under the genre of science fiction.Science fiction allows authors to deal with things that have not happened,but appear years later as a reality. Things like the answering machine which was not something real when Ray Bradbury put it into one of his novels only to appear in most people's homes some years later.Haddix brings forth the possible problem of overpopulation in a futuristic America,approaching the topic using historical references such as, "the one child law" in China and how a possible mini-Holocaust could result because of it.It also addresses how a totalitarian government might take advantage of a food shortage to create such a law "no more than two children" as we see in the book,forcing people to forfeit their reproductive rights, as the government begins sterilizing women after Luke is born.Or forcing parents to hide their children,so their children remain alive and well away from the population police.Through this, Haddix addresses how a totalitarian government like this becomes corrupt:taking land away from people, not allowing them to eat certain food, taking away their livelihoods,leaving them with little money.The people are left subservient while the top officials live richly and powerfully.The theme is to make people aware of what America could be like if we are not careful.

How would you discuss the proposal scene between Darcy and Elizabeth?

I assume you are referring to the first proposal, in
Volume II, Chapter 11. Because this scene represents the height of misunderstanding
between Elizabeth and Darcy, it promises to yield much of thematic
importance.

1. One possible topic could involve how both
Elizabeth and Darcy demonstrate the qualities of pride and
prejudice in this scene; how Elizabeth’s prejudice and Darcy’s
pride fuel the hostility of the encounter and the near destruction of their chance for
happiness.

Elizabeth and Prejudice:  It is important to
take note of Elizabeth's state of mind just before Darcy's proposal.  Because of Colonel
Fitzwilliam’s earlier revelation that Darcy had intervened and effectively ended the
courtship between Bingley and Jane, Elizabeth is more disposed than ever to despise
Darcy—to be guilty of prejudice.  She is also blinded by prejudice because of her
ignorance—some might say willful ignorance—of the truth about Wickham’s character.  Near
the end of the scene she admits that “from the very beginning” she had been convinced of
Darcy’s faults and had formed a “ground-work of disapprobation.”  Elizabeth’s prejudice
for him has prompted her to “willfully misunderstand” Darcy, a charge he correctly makes
earlier in the novel.

Darcy and Pride: In this scene,
Darcy’s pride is most evident in his repeated remarks about the inferiority of
Elizabeth’s family.  His confidence that Elizabeth will accept him, despite his
insulting remarks, demonstrates a surfeit of both pride and arrogance.  Moreover, he is
unaware of his own hypocrisy: while accusing Elizabeth of reacting to him out of injured
pride, he goes on to boast about his superior place in
society.

2. After a close reading, you may discover that
neither character is guilty of possessing only one of the flaws alone.  How is each
character guilty of the same fault with which they earlier denounced the
other?

Elizabeth and Pride: Elizabeth’s pride in her own
judgment and wisdom has fed her dislike for Darcy throughout the novel.  It enables her
to carelessly show off her intelligence and to feel justified in aiming her sharp wit at
Darcy, often unfairly.  Elizabeth’s confidence in her judgment also leads to her
unthinking acceptance of Wickham’s story of his treatment by Darcy. In this scene,
notice how Elizabeth’s pride is wounded throughout.  Although her anger is
understandable, observe how it leads to her devastating declaration of rejection near
the end. (Only a short time later, she perceives how premature and reckless some of her
impressions have been, and she continues to make this discovery throughout the rest of
the novel).

Darcy and Prejudice: Darcy’s pride in his
superiority of his situation and character is no doubt grounded in his prejudice against
people beneath his rank. Up until this point in the novel, we have witnessed him
denounce Meryton and its inhabitants on many occasions.  He seems unable to acknowledge
the value of people below his station (except for his own intimate family servants).  In
this scene he seems unable even to credit Elizabeth with the sensitivity to be hurt by
the more offensive features of his proposal.  Not until she makes the accurate
observation that Darcy had failed to act in a “gentleman-like manner” does he seem
cognizant of any wrongdoing on his part, much less the degree to which his words had
provoked her.

How would you discuss the proposal scene between Darcy and Elizabeth?

I assume you are referring to the first proposal, in Volume II, Chapter 11. Because this scene represents the height of misunderstanding between Elizabeth and Darcy, it promises to yield much of thematic importance.

1. One possible topic could involve how both Elizabeth and Darcy demonstrate the qualities of pride and prejudice in this scene; how Elizabeth’s prejudice and Darcy’s pride fuel the hostility of the encounter and the near destruction of their chance for happiness.

Elizabeth and Prejudice:  It is important to take note of Elizabeth's state of mind just before Darcy's proposal.  Because of Colonel Fitzwilliam’s earlier revelation that Darcy had intervened and effectively ended the courtship between Bingley and Jane, Elizabeth is more disposed than ever to despise Darcy—to be guilty of prejudice.  She is also blinded by prejudice because of her ignorance—some might say willful ignorance—of the truth about Wickham’s character.  Near the end of the scene she admits that “from the very beginning” she had been convinced of Darcy’s faults and had formed a “ground-work of disapprobation.”  Elizabeth’s prejudice for him has prompted her to “willfully misunderstand” Darcy, a charge he correctly makes earlier in the novel.

Darcy and Pride: In this scene, Darcy’s pride is most evident in his repeated remarks about the inferiority of Elizabeth’s family.  His confidence that Elizabeth will accept him, despite his insulting remarks, demonstrates a surfeit of both pride and arrogance.  Moreover, he is unaware of his own hypocrisy: while accusing Elizabeth of reacting to him out of injured pride, he goes on to boast about his superior place in society.

2. After a close reading, you may discover that neither character is guilty of possessing only one of the flaws alone.  How is each character guilty of the same fault with which they earlier denounced the other?

Elizabeth and Pride: Elizabeth’s pride in her own judgment and wisdom has fed her dislike for Darcy throughout the novel.  It enables her to carelessly show off her intelligence and to feel justified in aiming her sharp wit at Darcy, often unfairly.  Elizabeth’s confidence in her judgment also leads to her unthinking acceptance of Wickham’s story of his treatment by Darcy. In this scene, notice how Elizabeth’s pride is wounded throughout.  Although her anger is understandable, observe how it leads to her devastating declaration of rejection near the end. (Only a short time later, she perceives how premature and reckless some of her impressions have been, and she continues to make this discovery throughout the rest of the novel).

Darcy and Prejudice: Darcy’s pride in his superiority of his situation and character is no doubt grounded in his prejudice against people beneath his rank. Up until this point in the novel, we have witnessed him denounce Meryton and its inhabitants on many occasions.  He seems unable to acknowledge the value of people below his station (except for his own intimate family servants).  In this scene he seems unable even to credit Elizabeth with the sensitivity to be hurt by the more offensive features of his proposal.  Not until she makes the accurate observation that Darcy had failed to act in a “gentleman-like manner” does he seem cognizant of any wrongdoing on his part, much less the degree to which his words had provoked her.

What is the theme in "Look Back in Anger"?

There are several themes in A Look Back in Anger, but I think the most obvious is class/social structures of society and how the terms that come along with them affect people and their everyday lives. Jimmy and Alison are, at first, probably pulled together by some attraction towards each other, but only to have it solidified because Jimmy envies where Alison comes from and she being upper/middle class tries to rebel against that by marrying someone "beneath" her own social class. Her parents are not pleased by Alison's choice of husband, again going back to the class theme. Essentially, the class pressures tear Alison and Jimmy apart,because Jimmy is so bitter by his own circumstances, being "less than" Alison and also by not being able to live up to his potential by using his education as a means to better himself. Jimmy is so affected by his circumstances that he is abusive to Alison verbally/emotionally/psychologically. They come to terms with their relationship in the end, but it is a far cry from being anywhere near a happily ever after ending and probably more out of a comfort issue they have grown to have towards each other.

You could also take the angle of relationships and discuss how relationships affect people's actions. You could explore Alison, her reasons for coming back to Jimmy after the abuse. You could discuss what pulls Jimmy and Helena together after Helena is one of Jimmy's least favorite people.

In "Young Goodman Brown," what does the devil promise as a baptismal reward, and what prevents Goodman Brown from accepting it?

The devil promises that if Goodman Brown is baptized, he will be able to know the secret evil within each member of the human race - he will see "where crime has been committed, and shall exult to behold the whole earth one stain of guilt".  As Goodman Brown stands waiting to be baptized with his new wife Faith, the horrible thought that they should see the blackness within each other causes him to refuse the lurid sacrament, and at the last minute he exhorts Faith to join him and "look up to heaven, and resist the wicked one". 

I think it can be argued the the devil's promise is a fitting reward for Goodman Brown because the reason he chose to leave his Faith and walk awhile with the devil is his curiosity.   Goodman Brown wanted to know about the dark side of human nature, and ironically, that knowledge is exactly what he received.  Critics assert that Hawthorne, by shrouding Goodman's life with gloom even though he did not go so far as to receive the devil's baptism, is commenting on the unforgiving nature of Puritan religion.  I wonder also if he perhaps may be making a statement about the danger of yielding even a little bit to the temptation of "wanting to know" - that innocence can be lost even by the mere experiencing of evil, even if one does not succumb to it. 

In "Lord of the Flies", what is Ralph discovering that he dislikes about the way he is living?

Ralph is discovering that he dislikes the disintegration of civility and order.  In chapter 5, he is upset at the way things are going on the island: there are no decent huts, the fire has not been properly tended and thus allowed to go out, the meetings are becoming increasingly chaotic, and he is ineffectual as a leader even to the point where he has never thought to find something to shore up the log on which some of the boys sit and fall off of during meetings. At this chapter 5 meeting, he berates the boys for not following the rules about where to go to the bathroom.  He tells them that they are being careless.  Also, he says they aren't keeping the fresh water supply in the shells like they had decided they would.   When he tries to talk to the boys about these things, they giggle and snicker.   In chapter 7, Ralph laments his long, dirty and unkempt hair.  He desires the orderly world he left behind.

How is "The Devil and Tom Walker" a good example of American romanticism?

“The Devil and Tom Walker” by Washington Irving: Symbolism and the Black Comedy of Characters and American romanticism:

Greed was symbolized throughout the story. One of the early examples of this was of the skull that Tom discovered buried under the ground with a tomahawk in its skull. It showed the greed and destruction of the colonists that conquered the land and how they had warred with the Native Americans. Tom also displayed throughout the story his immense greed and selfishness. His humorous display of greed was especially shown when he went looking for his wife after she had been missing for days.... A subtle symbolism for greed occurred at the end of the story when Tom set his “green spectacles” on his bible to mark his place while he turned around to “drive some usurious bargain.” Green spectacles, the color of American notes and symbolic for greed, was used to enhance his sight. Tom was driven to make money for him and the devil, yet ironically he was reading the bible with those glasses, another example of the black humor displayed in the story. 
There were many symbolisms of hell, the devil, and sin throughout the story. When Old Scratch put his finger print on Tom’s forehead to prove who he is, Tom was unable to wash the print off, and it appeared as if it was burned into his skin. This was the mark of the devil as he resided in the flames of hell. After putting the fingerprint on Tom’s forehead, the devil gradually disappeared down into the ground, presumably to the depths of hell. The devil was also referred to in many ways as dark, black, dirty looking and he rode upon a black horse. The dark imagery was symbolic of the darkness of evil, hell, and sin. 
This regret may gain sympathy from the readers until the very end of the story where he refused to help a friend when he was about to foreclose on his mortgage. It was then that he cried out, in response to the man’s comment on his gained wealth from his misfortune, saying “The devil take me if I have made a farthing!” and he does. Tom was carried off by the devil and his black horse into the swamp and the forest was set ablaze. His wealth and belongings were gone. Within the story, with its dark humor and satire, the moral was maintained from Faust. The conclusion to the story states “Let all gripping money-brokers lay this story to heart.”

........................................... continue check it by yourself

Essay topics about Othello's downfall, his suicide, Desdemona, role of race, and jealousy: which topic is best?These are the topics: 1. write an...

I would be torn between answering questions 1 and 5. Each
has some similar elements when discussing so I'll tell you what I think and you can
decide which best fits your understanding.

The changes in
Othello, directly related to his jealousy, are quick, violent, and drastic. The course
of the play spans only a few weeks and when you consider this, that seems even more
incredible.

When we first meet Othello he is well-spoken,
calm, and assured in the reciprocal love between him and Desdemona. He stands up to her
father, the Duke, and all of Venetian society to defend a marriage that would be
considered taboo and scandalous had any other man tried it. If we are discussing flaws
in his character it is obvious at this point that he is blissfully unaware of the bias
that exists toward him (he is referred to as "thick-lips" and other obvious black
imagery). He is a man who takes everyone around him at face value. At no time does he
sit and wonder if maybe people are more than they seem on the surface. If he were at all
astute he would realize how angry Iago is; Iago's personality is rather obvious to
anyone paying attention.

Another major character flaw of
Othello's is his inability to trust his own judgment. He allows his jealousy (his major
flaw) to overwhelm his common sense. He is ruled entirely by his passions. Any good
leader would be able to temper that intensity with rational thought. You would think
that someone as successful in battle would be able to apply those same principles to
life itself. Instead, he is a man ruled by physical
emotions.

The jealousy is shown in a number of ways. The
most obvious device Shakespeare uses is Othello's repeated "illness". These fits of his
are evidence to the audience of the dangerous physical effects of the jealousy on
Othello. They are conveniently placed at moments in the play when Othello's jealousy
overtakes his common sense. They also obscure for him the obvious. He misses the
handkerchief falling to the ground. He mis-hears the conversation between Cassio and
Iago. He realizes his error when Emilia points out he has been
duped.

Overall, Othello's flaws- his inability to look
beyond surface appearances, his inability to trust his own judgment, and his overweening
jealousy- are direct contributors to his downfall. These elements of his character allow
Iago to successfully manipulate him to do the most awful thing
imaginable.

Essay topics about Othello's downfall, his suicide, Desdemona, role of race, and jealousy: which topic is best?These are the topics: 1. write an...

I would be torn between answering questions 1 and 5. Each has some similar elements when discussing so I'll tell you what I think and you can decide which best fits your understanding.

The changes in Othello, directly related to his jealousy, are quick, violent, and drastic. The course of the play spans only a few weeks and when you consider this, that seems even more incredible.

When we first meet Othello he is well-spoken, calm, and assured in the reciprocal love between him and Desdemona. He stands up to her father, the Duke, and all of Venetian society to defend a marriage that would be considered taboo and scandalous had any other man tried it. If we are discussing flaws in his character it is obvious at this point that he is blissfully unaware of the bias that exists toward him (he is referred to as "thick-lips" and other obvious black imagery). He is a man who takes everyone around him at face value. At no time does he sit and wonder if maybe people are more than they seem on the surface. If he were at all astute he would realize how angry Iago is; Iago's personality is rather obvious to anyone paying attention.

Another major character flaw of Othello's is his inability to trust his own judgment. He allows his jealousy (his major flaw) to overwhelm his common sense. He is ruled entirely by his passions. Any good leader would be able to temper that intensity with rational thought. You would think that someone as successful in battle would be able to apply those same principles to life itself. Instead, he is a man ruled by physical emotions.

The jealousy is shown in a number of ways. The most obvious device Shakespeare uses is Othello's repeated "illness". These fits of his are evidence to the audience of the dangerous physical effects of the jealousy on Othello. They are conveniently placed at moments in the play when Othello's jealousy overtakes his common sense. They also obscure for him the obvious. He misses the handkerchief falling to the ground. He mis-hears the conversation between Cassio and Iago. He realizes his error when Emilia points out he has been duped.

Overall, Othello's flaws- his inability to look beyond surface appearances, his inability to trust his own judgment, and his overweening jealousy- are direct contributors to his downfall. These elements of his character allow Iago to successfully manipulate him to do the most awful thing imaginable.

In Part I of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, who or what is the Golem?

A golem is a mystical being that some exceptionally holy
Jewish Rabbis can create from mud and can animate into a semblance of life with special
Jewish incantations. There are several legends of golem. The most famous one, and the
one relevant to The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, is the Prague
Golem.

The lengend, though with many versions, says
essentially that during the reign of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II of Austria, the
Emperor began a persecution of Jews during which Jews were either expelled from their
homelands or killed outright. Rabbi Loew created a golem in order to protect the Jews of
Prague and animated it with the Jewish word meaning "truth" written across its mud
forehead.

The golem however became increasingly violent as
it grew and turned to killing gentiles as furiously as the gentiles were killing Jews.
The Emperor begged the Rabbi to stop the Golem of Prague and in return the Emperor would
cease the persecution. The Rabbi agreed and erased the first letter of the word "truth,"
which then rendered the Jewish word "death" written across the Golem's forehead. It is
said that the Golem of Prague still sleeps in the attic of the Old New Synagogue awating
a time of further need and that Rabbi Loew also sleeps in the same attic near his Golem.
It is this Golem of Prague that Kornblum and Josef discover and smuggle to San
Frandisco, CA.

In Part I of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, who or what is the Golem?

A golem is a mystical being that some exceptionally holy Jewish Rabbis can create from mud and can animate into a semblance of life with special Jewish incantations. There are several legends of golem. The most famous one, and the one relevant to The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, is the Prague Golem.

The lengend, though with many versions, says essentially that during the reign of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II of Austria, the Emperor began a persecution of Jews during which Jews were either expelled from their homelands or killed outright. Rabbi Loew created a golem in order to protect the Jews of Prague and animated it with the Jewish word meaning "truth" written across its mud forehead.

The golem however became increasingly violent as it grew and turned to killing gentiles as furiously as the gentiles were killing Jews. The Emperor begged the Rabbi to stop the Golem of Prague and in return the Emperor would cease the persecution. The Rabbi agreed and erased the first letter of the word "truth," which then rendered the Jewish word "death" written across the Golem's forehead. It is said that the Golem of Prague still sleeps in the attic of the Old New Synagogue awating a time of further need and that Rabbi Loew also sleeps in the same attic near his Golem. It is this Golem of Prague that Kornblum and Josef discover and smuggle to San Frandisco, CA.

In chapter 36 of "Great Expectations", what advice does Pip seek from Wemmick? What advice does Wemmick give him?

Pip asks Wemmick for his opinion as to whether or not to help his friend Herbert get started in the business world. Wemmick's response is a cynical one: "Choose your bridge . . . and take a walk upon [it] and pitch your money into the Thames over the centre arch of your bridge, and you know the end of it. Serve a friend with it, and you may know the end of it too--but it is a less pleasant and profitable end."

Wemmick feels that one should never "invest portable property in a friend" unless he does not want to be friends anymore!

Which American president ordered the first American combat troops into Vietnam? As a result of the Watergate scandal, President Nixon... these two...

Actually, none of the multiple choices are correct. The first American president to send combat troops to Viet Nam was Harry S. Truman, in 1945. The Army personnel sent were a team from the Office of Strategic Services, the forerunner of both the CIA and the Army's Special Forces.

If what the question means is troops after the partition of the country into North and South Viet Nam, that's different. If your teacher means regular American military units, both combat and support, that would be Johnson in 1965. But from 1946 (in the Greek-Albanian conflict) through mid-1983 American military advisors were considered combat troops, so the answer would be Eisenhower, in 1955. This is an example of a situation in which the teacher's opinion and definition dictates the "correct" answer.

Military Assistance Command Groups included headquarters and administrative personnel, but the soldiers who trained indigenous troops were expected as a part of their regular duties to go into combat with the troops they advised. They were termed "advisors" because they advised the troop's commander in the field in combat. In El Salvador in 1983 the term advisor was dropped in favor of "trainer", and the American trainers were no longer allowed an actual combat role.

Code-named "Deer Team," the 1945 group trained the cadre of what later became the Viet Nam People's Army, what Americans called the "Viet Minh" in the late 1940s and '50s, and the North Vietnamese Army later. Deer Team members led the Vietnamese against Japanese troops, and for some months after the end of WW II against the French who were reestablishing colonial control.

Take three instances of moral crisis in "Macbeth" and discuss how the characters repond to each.

In Act III, Scene I, Banquo warns Macbeth of the consequences of putting too much faith in the witches prophecy, he says:

"Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis,
all,
As the weird women promis'd; and, I fear,
Thou play'dst most foully for't; yet it was said
It should not stand in thy posterity,
But that myself should be the root and father
Of many kings. If there come truth from them,—
As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches shine,—
Why, by the verities on thee made good,
May they not be my oracles as well,
And set me up in hope? But, hush! no more."

Banquo chooses the higher moral ground and decides against thinking any further about the prophecy because he sees the temptation in it.

After Banquo's murder, Macbeth has enormous guilt, he begins to see the ghost of Banquo at his party, and begins to realize that he is now deeply involved in dangerous murderous treachery and feels surrounded by his actions. He is suffocating emotionally from the moral strain. In Act III, Scene IV, he says

"By the worst means, the worst. For mine own
good
All causes shall give way: I am in blood
Stepp'd in so far, that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er.
Strange things I have- in head that will to hand,
Which must be acted ere they may be scann'd."

Explain the funny scene with Mouschi the cat in "Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl." Tuesday, 9 May 1944 through Monday, 5 June 1944 (pages 230...

On Wednesday, 10 May 1944, Anne describes an incident where Mouschi the cat missed his "litter box" in the loft above the attic.  The puddle he made dripped through the holes in the attic ceiling, landing just next to and in a barrel of potatoes, and also through the attic floor "into the dining room between a pile of stockings and some books, which were lying on the table".  Peter tried valiantly to clean the mess "with water, bleaching powder, and floor cloth while Van Daan diplomatically sought to "soothe everyone".  Everything was soon set to rights, although, as Anne puts it, "it's a well-known fact that cats' puddles positively stink (and) the potatoes proved that only too clearly".

What are the main characters in the story "Boys and Girls" by Alice Munro?

The first main character in the story "Boys and Girls" by Alice Munro is the narrator. While she does not have a name, she is a youthful vibrant voice throughout the story.

The other main character in the story is Henry Bailey. Bailey works as a farmhand on the families farm. He is raw, and earthy, and adored by the children.

What is one example of dissent groups changing/trying to change a law?

Expanding on one of pohnpei's points, there was an event
yesterday where President Obama was in California attending a fundraiser/rally for
Senator Barbara Boxer, a Democrat who is up for re-election, and some people in the
crowd started yelling at the stage to repeal the military's "Don't ask, don't tell"
policy against gays openly serving as homosexuals in the
military.

The gay rights movement campaigned for Obama, but
also made him promise to repeal the policy once in the White House, which he did.  He
has already relaxed the enforcement of the policy, and this group was asking them to do
more.

What is one example of dissent groups changing/trying to change a law?

Expanding on one of pohnpei's points, there was an event yesterday where President Obama was in California attending a fundraiser/rally for Senator Barbara Boxer, a Democrat who is up for re-election, and some people in the crowd started yelling at the stage to repeal the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy against gays openly serving as homosexuals in the military.

The gay rights movement campaigned for Obama, but also made him promise to repeal the policy once in the White House, which he did.  He has already relaxed the enforcement of the policy, and this group was asking them to do more.

In A Christmas Carol, what has Marley's ghost been doing since his death?

In this, the first of the series of visitations that Scrooge "suffers" during his Christmas season, the appearance of the ghost of Old Marley comes as something of a shock to Scrooge, especially because his fate since his death hints very strongly at the kind of fate that Scrooge can expect to see when he dies. When asked why spirits walk the earth, note how the ghost of Marley replies:

"It is required of every man," the Ghost returned, "that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide; and if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death. It is doomed to wander through the world--oh, woe is me!--and witness what it cannot share, but might have shared on earth, and turned to happiness!"

The ghost is also chained by a chain consisting of "cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses in steel," which, the ghost tells Scrooge, was "forged" during his lifetime, symbolizing the dominant place money had in his life and the way that he put its pursuit in front of other more altruistic causes. Of course, this is another aspect that he uses to frighten Scrooge, as he says:

"Or you would know," pursued the Ghost, "the weight and length of the strong coil you bear yourself? It was full as heavy and as long as this, seven Christmas Eves ago. You have laboured on it, since. It is a ponderous chain!"

Thus, since his death, the Ghost of Marley has been forced to wander the earth, bound by the chain he himself created during his life, to witness what he willingly forsook during his life and the situations that he could have improved and made happier. It also foreshadows the fate of Scrooge if he chooses not to change.

What are businsses responsibilities toward the environment?use less energy, less hurmful tools,

There is an ethical and moral responsibility businesses
have, but it is difficult to enforce.  There is also a practical
responsibility.

Businesses, especially those that consume
resources, have an ethical and moral responsibility to use those resources and to
dispose of wastes in a way that does not harm employees or the citizens that live where
that business does.

Businesses that do not do so are
fundamentally unsustainable.  These companies need clean air, clean water, and a healthy
workforce.  The environment affects all of those
things.

From a practical standpoint, businesses will be
more profitable in the long run if they are sustainable in terms of
resources.

What are businsses responsibilities toward the environment?use less energy, less hurmful tools,

There is an ethical and moral responsibility businesses have, but it is difficult to enforce.  There is also a practical responsibility.

Businesses, especially those that consume resources, have an ethical and moral responsibility to use those resources and to dispose of wastes in a way that does not harm employees or the citizens that live where that business does.

Businesses that do not do so are fundamentally unsustainable.  These companies need clean air, clean water, and a healthy workforce.  The environment affects all of those things.

From a practical standpoint, businesses will be more profitable in the long run if they are sustainable in terms of resources.

In chapter 15 of "To Kill a Mockingbird," what does the mob scene tell us about the nature of humans and how they behave? How does Mr. Underwood's...

It tells us first that people will act differently as part of a mob.  They lose their individuality and adopt a mob mentality.  By doing this an individual that is part of a mob will act differently than they would on their own.  

However, Scout is able to diffuse the mob's anger by reminding one member, Mr. Cunningham, of his individuality.  As Atticus states in Ch. 16, "A mob's always made up of people, no matter what, Mr. Cunningham was part of a mob last night, but he was still a man" (157).  It takes Scout reminding Cunningham that he is a father (his son is in Scout's grade) as well as a citizen of Maycomb county (Atticus helped him with some legal troubles) to break him out of his mob mentality.  Again, as Atticus states, "So it took an eight-year-old child to bring 'em to their senses" (157).

Humans also have a tendency to dehumanize their victims.  When the mob shows up to lynch Robinson, they don't see Atticus as a man, father, and (often) their ally.  Scout is able to make Cunningham see Atticus as man and not just an obstacle in their way.

Underwood's presence at the end of the chapter might reveal that people will try to do the right thing despite their personal beliefs.  Underwood dislikes African Americans, yet he has Atticus covered.  Underwood could have turned a blind eye and allowed the mob to lynch Robinson (it is doubtful that Atticus could have done much to stop them).  But he did the right thing.

What is the link which has snapped between Ralph and Jack at the end of Chapter 4 of "Lord of the Flies"?

It's a difficult question precisely to answer: the link that has snapped is one of loyalty, trust, friendship and of shared values. Remember that Golding specifies that “not even Ralph knew how a link between him and Jack had been snapped and fastened elsewhere.”

That elsewhere is Piggy, who shares Ralph's concern for the fire: and, for the first time in the novel, Chapter 4 shows Jack disregarding Ralph's obsession with the fire in favour of hunting (a gulf that widens as the novel progresses). Ralph tells Jack about the ship: Jack is more interested in meat. Golding is showing us the two boys' ideologies forming in different directions:

The two boys faced each other. There was the brilliant world of hunting, tactics, fierce exhilaration, skill; and there was the world of longing and baffled common-sense.

Ralph doesn't quite have the strength of his convictions, though: note the way he nearly laughs when Jack punches Piggy, and how Jack's hunting lifestyle remains attractive to Ralph throughout.

Yet what Ralph knows, as this link is refastened, is that Piggy - and the clear-sightedness his glasses, and the fire, represent - is a stronger ideological ally for him than Jack: and this knowledge is strengthened by the chapters which follow.

In "Self-Reliance," what does Emerson mean by "to be great is to be misunderstood"?

Emerson is commenting on how many great men followed their own intuition in spite of criticism or misunderstanding from society. He says,

"Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh." To that he adds "To be great is to be misunderstood."

In context, Emerson also says that great men are not always consistent. In fact, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines". Thus, if one is not always consistent, one may be misunderstood. But, since many great men have not be understood by society, then you are you have great company when people don't understand you. What is important, according to Emerson, is that one not violate his or her own nature. You must be true to yourself, even if it mean saying one thing one day and saying something else the next day. That way we show that we trust ourselves and not others to dictate our beliefs.

Which elementwould be most reactive with potassium?Calcium,Gallium,Bromine,Krypton Which would be most reactive with...

Elements react with others in such a way to have 8
electrons in their valence shell (the outermost energy level.) Sometimes they form ionic
bonds, in which electrone move from one atom to the other; the atoms are then held
together by the difference in their charges. In other compounds, electrons are shared,
so that both atoms end up with 8 in their outer shells.

In
your examples, potassium has one valence electron, and would therefore react with an
atom that has 7--again, that magic number of 8 is key. Which one of your listed elements
has 7? Bromine. (Krypton is a noble gas; it already has 8, and is very, very
NON-reactive.)

Your second question is about oxygen, which
has 6 valence electrons, so we are looking for the element with
2--calcium.

Which elementwould be most reactive with potassium?Calcium,Gallium,Bromine,Krypton Which would be most reactive with...

Elements react with others in such a way to have 8 electrons in their valence shell (the outermost energy level.) Sometimes they form ionic bonds, in which electrone move from one atom to the other; the atoms are then held together by the difference in their charges. In other compounds, electrons are shared, so that both atoms end up with 8 in their outer shells.

In your examples, potassium has one valence electron, and would therefore react with an atom that has 7--again, that magic number of 8 is key. Which one of your listed elements has 7? Bromine. (Krypton is a noble gas; it already has 8, and is very, very NON-reactive.)

Your second question is about oxygen, which has 6 valence electrons, so we are looking for the element with 2--calcium.

Can you please explain why World War I led to so many important social changes for women?help!

Prior to WWI, woman's role was to handle domestic affairs at home, to take care of the family. Some of the fortunate ones got to work in the textile manufacturing industries or as teachers in schools.

But, during the course of WWI, many men were enlisted into the army as soldiers to fight Germany assault, so there was a shortage of manpower and labor in different sectors of the economy, so women came into the helm to take over the jobs previously taken by Man. They work in the ammunition factory, offices and large aircraft hangars, which Man previously didn't believed that woman can work at that type of jobs, but by this experience, they have a different perspective towards woman, so showing the equality of the opposite sexes, that woman can do jobs that man can do. Woman were also enlisted into the Army in the form of nursing to take care of the soldiers' welfare.

What are some allusions in The Devil's Arithmetic?

An allusion is a casual reference to a well-known
place,story, book, historical event or work of art.  There are many literary and
Biblical allusions in The Devil's
Arithmetic.

When Hannah first meets Rachel and
the girls at the wedding, she tells them stories  and totally entertains them.  The
stories she tells them are current day movies, stories, and
books. 

readability="13">

"Stories seems to tumble out of Hannah's mouth,
reruns of all the movies and  books she could think of.  She told the girls about
Yentl and then about Conan the Barbarian with
equal vigor; about Star Wars, which confused them; and
Fiddler on the Roof, which did not.  She told them the plot of
Little Women in ten minutes, a miracle of compression, especially
since her book report had been seven typed pages." (pg
50)

These are literary
allusions since they are about movies and books.  Jane Yolan is alluding to literary
works that she feels the reader will know and make a connection.  Another literary
allusion is

readability="10">

"'So let me tell you about the Wizard
of Oz' she said.  She couldn't remember which was the movie and which was the
book.  Shrugging her shoulders. she began a strange mixture of the two, speeding along
until the line 'Gosh, Toto, this sure doesn't look like Kansas." (pg
51)

This makes a literary
allusion by not only giving the title of the book and movie but also by giving a famous,
well-known line from the story.

An illusion that comes from
Jewish mythology and deals with God is the story of Lilith's Cave.  According to
mythology, when God first made man and woman, he made Adam and Lilith.  Adam wanted to
govern Lilith, and she rebelled, leaving Adam and taking residence with the demons. She
told the angel that God sent to get her that she was going to kill all the children. The
entrance to the gas chambers was called "Lilith's Cave" in the book as an allusion to
this myth. God then made Eve for Adam.  Fayge tells
Hannah,

"Your
words will fly up to heaven and call down the Angel of Death, Lilith's bridegroom, with
his poisoned sword." (pg
67)

When Reuven is taken to
the gas chamber, Hannah gets upset and feels that all humans are monsters for letting
the Holocaust happen, Rivka tells her,

readability="6">

"God is letting it happen....But there is a
reason.  We cannot see it yet.  Like the binding of Issac." (pg
142)

This is a Biblical
allusion to the story of Abraham and Issac.  God told Abraham to sacrifice his only son
to him, and Abraham went as far as binding his son to the sacrificial altar until an
Angel of God stops him.  God had a reason for his request, and Rivka believes that God
has a reason for what is happening to them. Rivka also
says,

"You
want to be a hero, like Joshua at Jericho, like Samson against the Philistines." (pg 
142)

Again, these are
Biblical allusions. Joshua, following God's orders, destroyed the city of Jericho and
led his people into the Promised Land.  Samson, to whom God had given unbelievable
strength, was betrayed by Delilah and captured by the Philistines, who cut out his eyes
and made him work for them.  He pulled down the pillars around the Philistines, killing
them and himself.

Finally, there is an allusion to a
Yiddish proverb.  I do not know what it means, but it
says,

readability="6">

"Afile brenen un bruin....
even if you should be burned and roasted.  Here that is not a proverb to be spoken
aloud." (pg 143)

What are some allusions in The Devil's Arithmetic?

An allusion is a casual reference to a well-known place,story, book, historical event or work of art.  There are many literary and Biblical allusions in The Devil's Arithmetic.

When Hannah first meets Rachel and the girls at the wedding, she tells them stories  and totally entertains them.  The stories she tells them are current day movies, stories, and books. 

"Stories seems to tumble out of Hannah's mouth, reruns of all the movies and  books she could think of.  She told the girls about Yentl and then about Conan the Barbarian with equal vigor; about Star Wars, which confused them; and Fiddler on the Roof, which did not.  She told them the plot of Little Women in ten minutes, a miracle of compression, especially since her book report had been seven typed pages." (pg 50)

These are literary allusions since they are about movies and books.  Jane Yolan is alluding to literary works that she feels the reader will know and make a connection.  Another literary allusion is

"'So let me tell you about the Wizard of Oz' she said.  She couldn't remember which was the movie and which was the book.  Shrugging her shoulders. she began a strange mixture of the two, speeding along until the line 'Gosh, Toto, this sure doesn't look like Kansas." (pg 51)

This makes a literary allusion by not only giving the title of the book and movie but also by giving a famous, well-known line from the story.

An illusion that comes from Jewish mythology and deals with God is the story of Lilith's Cave.  According to mythology, when God first made man and woman, he made Adam and Lilith.  Adam wanted to govern Lilith, and she rebelled, leaving Adam and taking residence with the demons. She told the angel that God sent to get her that she was going to kill all the children. The entrance to the gas chambers was called "Lilith's Cave" in the book as an allusion to this myth. God then made Eve for Adam.  Fayge tells Hannah,

"Your words will fly up to heaven and call down the Angel of Death, Lilith's bridegroom, with his poisoned sword." (pg 67)

When Reuven is taken to the gas chamber, Hannah gets upset and feels that all humans are monsters for letting the Holocaust happen, Rivka tells her,

"God is letting it happen....But there is a reason.  We cannot see it yet.  Like the binding of Issac." (pg 142)

This is a Biblical allusion to the story of Abraham and Issac.  God told Abraham to sacrifice his only son to him, and Abraham went as far as binding his son to the sacrificial altar until an Angel of God stops him.  God had a reason for his request, and Rivka believes that God has a reason for what is happening to them. Rivka also says,

"You want to be a hero, like Joshua at Jericho, like Samson against the Philistines." (pg  142)

Again, these are Biblical allusions. Joshua, following God's orders, destroyed the city of Jericho and led his people into the Promised Land.  Samson, to whom God had given unbelievable strength, was betrayed by Delilah and captured by the Philistines, who cut out his eyes and made him work for them.  He pulled down the pillars around the Philistines, killing them and himself.

Finally, there is an allusion to a Yiddish proverb.  I do not know what it means, but it says,

"Afile brenen un bruin.... even if you should be burned and roasted.  Here that is not a proverb to be spoken aloud." (pg 143)

How does Othello’s final speech reestablish his greatness?

Having "done the state some service", Othello knows that the record of the events leading to Desdemona's death could be biased.  Iago having been captured for the plot to murder Cassio, it is possible that Othello could be portrayed as a somewhat innocent victim of the plots of a madman.  However, Othello begs against this.  He wants the truth to be presented cleanly.  Othello asserts that is was his own foolishness and jealousy that caused Desdemona's death, and not the actions of Iago, which should have had no effect on him.  By repenting and by demanding the truth, Othello reestablishes his honorable nature, and therefore his greatness.

Could someone please provide one quote that shows prejudice in Chapters 1-6 of To Kill a Mockingbird.

I assume that you are looking for quotes that show that
people in Maycomb during the time the book was set were prejudiced -- not that you are
looking for evidence that Harper Lee herself was prejudiced.  If that is the case, there
are some examples.

Here are a couple of
them:

readability="7">

The sheriff hadn't
the heart to put him in jail alongside Negroes, so Boo was
locked in the
courthouse basement.

That
shows that people did not think that it was right to put a white suspect in with black
suspects.

Then, in Chapter 6, we find that Mr. Radley has
shot at a "Negro" just for being in his collard patch.  Miss Stephanie says Mr. Radley
missed:

Shot
in the air. Scared him pale,
though. Says if anybody sees a white nigger
around, that's the one.

Could someone please provide one quote that shows prejudice in Chapters 1-6 of To Kill a Mockingbird.

I assume that you are looking for quotes that show that people in Maycomb during the time the book was set were prejudiced -- not that you are looking for evidence that Harper Lee herself was prejudiced.  If that is the case, there are some examples.

Here are a couple of them:

The sheriff hadn't the heart to put him in jail alongside Negroes, so Boo was
locked in the courthouse basement.

That shows that people did not think that it was right to put a white suspect in with black suspects.

Then, in Chapter 6, we find that Mr. Radley has shot at a "Negro" just for being in his collard patch.  Miss Stephanie says Mr. Radley missed:

Shot in the air. Scared him pale,
though. Says if anybody sees a white nigger around, that's the one.

What is the symbolism of the dark haried girl "throwing aside her uniform" in Winston's dream?

I think this represents a couple of
things.

First, you ask about the symbol of throwing off the
uniform. I think this symbolizes throwing off the Party from one's self. She is letting
go of the exterior that she has to maintain to reveal the real self on the
inside.

Second, I think this action is very literal too.
Sex is frowned upon by the party, and Winston allowing his mind to go to the place to
actually long for it is rare, but human. Winston is being a normal and very real man
imagining a woman undressing.

What is the symbolism of the dark haried girl "throwing aside her uniform" in Winston's dream?

I think this represents a couple of things.

First, you ask about the symbol of throwing off the uniform. I think this symbolizes throwing off the Party from one's self. She is letting go of the exterior that she has to maintain to reveal the real self on the inside.

Second, I think this action is very literal too. Sex is frowned upon by the party, and Winston allowing his mind to go to the place to actually long for it is rare, but human. Winston is being a normal and very real man imagining a woman undressing.

What are the features of the language in "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"? Explain it with some examples.

Twain uses language in several different ways in this classic novel. The most common and most striking is the vernacular. Twain himself notes this in the explanation that opens the text; he talks about the different dialects he uses, and how the spelling is not random, but rather was recreated with a great deal of care. This means that the language contains slang, non-standard spelling, attempts to recreate spoken speech, and so on. Along the way, though, Twain includes other language games, such as mimicking different high styles (in the performances of the duke and dauphin).

Discuss the role of two women characters in Sheridan's The School for Scandal.

I find Lady Sneerwell and Lady Teazle the two most
actively engaged women in the intriguing comic plot of Sheridan's The School
for Scandal. Both of them are typical comedy of manners personages, and both
of them possess their respective idiosyncrasies.

Lady
Sneerwell, true to her name, runs the scandal academy in her drawing room, where Lady
Teazle is a frequenter in search of urban elite fantasies. Lady Sneerwell was once upon
a time a victim of slandering, and now she happens to be the queen of scandal-mongering,
ably assisted by her servant, Snake. Lady Teazle, a simple village woman married to Sir
Peter Teazle, is the typical country wife allured by the slanderers, a victim who
finally discovers her errors to find love and trust in her husband. Lady Sneerwell goes
down to discomfiture and disclosure.

Discuss the role of two women characters in Sheridan's The School for Scandal.

I find Lady Sneerwell and Lady Teazle the two most actively engaged women in the intriguing comic plot of Sheridan's The School for Scandal. Both of them are typical comedy of manners personages, and both of them possess their respective idiosyncrasies.

Lady Sneerwell, true to her name, runs the scandal academy in her drawing room, where Lady Teazle is a frequenter in search of urban elite fantasies. Lady Sneerwell was once upon a time a victim of slandering, and now she happens to be the queen of scandal-mongering, ably assisted by her servant, Snake. Lady Teazle, a simple village woman married to Sir Peter Teazle, is the typical country wife allured by the slanderers, a victim who finally discovers her errors to find love and trust in her husband. Lady Sneerwell goes down to discomfiture and disclosure.

Summarize Scout's assessment of second grade.

Scout is, in a word,
disappointed.

She is an intelligent little girl who seems
to be ahead of most of her peers. She can already read and write, but instead of having
a teacher who recognizes this as a positive quality, Miss Caroline tells Scout she is
wrong for learning outside of school and thus invalidates any knowledge she has that
Miss Caroline has not given her. This all happens on the first day of school, so Scout
cannot help but be disappointed at having to put up with an entire year of performing
below her actual skill levels.

In addition, Miss Caroline
seems generally irritated by Scout's perceived meddling, as Scout jumps into the
conversation about Walter Cunningham and tries to explain why he does not have any lunch
and will not be able to accept her offer of lunch money. Altogether, Scout really "gets
off on the wrong foot" on her first day of second grade!

Summarize Scout's assessment of second grade.

Scout is, in a word, disappointed.

She is an intelligent little girl who seems to be ahead of most of her peers. She can already read and write, but instead of having a teacher who recognizes this as a positive quality, Miss Caroline tells Scout she is wrong for learning outside of school and thus invalidates any knowledge she has that Miss Caroline has not given her. This all happens on the first day of school, so Scout cannot help but be disappointed at having to put up with an entire year of performing below her actual skill levels.

In addition, Miss Caroline seems generally irritated by Scout's perceived meddling, as Scout jumps into the conversation about Walter Cunningham and tries to explain why he does not have any lunch and will not be able to accept her offer of lunch money. Altogether, Scout really "gets off on the wrong foot" on her first day of second grade!

In "To Kill a Mockingbird", does the judge take the trial seriously?

Judge Taylor is a laid-back judge from Scout's description of him. He often has a cigar that he chews on while he listens to the trial, and people sometimes suspect him of falling asleep. However, when a lawyer tested the sleeping theory, Judge Taylor proved that he was listening and pay attention the whole time.

Judge Taylor is certainly serious about this being a fair trial and about there being order in his court. He continues to tell the spectators they need to be quiet or they will find themselves in contempt of court. He makes Bob Ewell "behave" on the stand and answer the questions, and he comforts Mayella so she is able to give what he hopes is truthful testimony. The most important piece of information that proves Judge Taylor takes the trial seriously is that he appoints Atticus, the best lawyer in area, to be Tom's lawyer.

What crisis occurs in Act 1, scene 5 of "The Diary of Anne Frank"?

In Act 1, scene 5, the Franks and the Van Daans are celebrating Hanukkah. They are having a good time, and Anne makes them all laugh when she wears her lampshade hat. There is a brief quarrel over the cat, and Mr. Van Daan orders Peter to get rid of it. But the situation calms down when Anne begins to sing, and they light the Hanukkah candles. Mr. Frank begins to blow out the candles, and Anne complains that they are supposed to be left to burn themselves out. Mr. Frank tells her God will understand that they need to conserve their candles.

Suddenly, there is a loud crashing noise from downstairs, and the group in the attic are terrified. They wonder whether the Green Police or the Gestapo have discovered their hiding place and have come to get them. Mr. Frank quietly slips downstairs to find out what happened. When he comes back, he tells the others that it was only a thief and that he is gone. They are very thankful and continue their celebration, singing songs in praise of God.

In the play "A Man for All Seasons," what gift does Thomas More give to Richard Rich?

Thomas More didn't actually give Richard Rich a gift. As Chancellor of England, one of his duties was to act as judge over civil disputes. Often people would try to bribe him to make a judgment in their favor.

When Richard Rich met with More, he was expecting to be given a high position at the king's court, but all More had to give him was a teaching position. Unhappy with that, Rich told More that he could get a better offer from Cromwell, so More told him to go ahead and do so. Then Rich notices the fine Italian silver cup, which is engraved with the words "l am the gift of Averil Machin." More tells Rich to take the cup because he  certainly can't keep it; it would not be the right thing to do. When Rich grabs the cup, More asks what he will do with it, and Rich says he'll sell it to buy a new cloak. More is beginning to realize that Richard Rich is overly ambitious and tells him, "A man should go
where he won't be tempted." If he only knew just how ambitious Rich was, maybe he wouldn't have let him have that cup!

When the officer says the boys should have “put up a better show”(p. 230), what is he implying? Lord of the Flies by William Golding

At the conclusion of Golding's novel, Lord of
the Flies, there are implications the British officer is appalled that the
boys who appear to have degenerated into savages have not made a "good show" and
remained more civilized.  For traditionally, decorum is held in high regard by the
British (One does not display weakness).  Remembering that the boys, who are
Australian--not English--are members of the English Commonwealth, the officer makes this
remark as he is also somewhat embarrassed, as a fellow Brit, by what he perceives
as their breakdown.

His remark that chides the boys for not
having been civilized and overcome adversity as the English schoolboys did in the
Victorian novel, The Coral Island, is quite ironic in light of the
fact that he wears a military uniform and is from a warship which engages in anything
but "civilized" actions.  Golding's juxtaposition of these contrasts points to the
inherent evil in man, an evil that is present even in the "deus ex machina" that saves
Ralph from certain death at the hands of the savages.

When the officer says the boys should have “put up a better show”(p. 230), what is he implying? Lord of the Flies by William Golding

At the conclusion of Golding's novel, Lord of the Flies, there are implications the British officer is appalled that the boys who appear to have degenerated into savages have not made a "good show" and remained more civilized.  For traditionally, decorum is held in high regard by the British (One does not display weakness).  Remembering that the boys, who are Australian--not English--are members of the English Commonwealth, the officer makes this remark as he is also somewhat embarrassed, as a fellow Brit, by what he perceives as their breakdown.

His remark that chides the boys for not having been civilized and overcome adversity as the English schoolboys did in the Victorian novel, The Coral Island, is quite ironic in light of the fact that he wears a military uniform and is from a warship which engages in anything but "civilized" actions.  Golding's juxtaposition of these contrasts points to the inherent evil in man, an evil that is present even in the "deus ex machina" that saves Ralph from certain death at the hands of the savages.

How can Madame Butterfly be seen as revealing something about Gallimard in M. Butterfly?

David Henry Hwang's play M. Butterfly is a revisionist retelling of the Italian opera Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini.  Gallimard's character is reworking of Lieutenant B. F. Pinkerton, a naval officer who falls in love with a geisha named Cio-Cio-San (Madame Butterfly).  Similar to Gallimard's pursuance of Song, Pinkerton pursues Cio-Cio-San until she agrees to marry him.  Afterwards, Pinkerton leaves and Cio-Cio-San waits for years for his return.  Gallimard is similar to Pinkerton in that he also abandons Song while she waits for his return.  Gallimard wants to have control over Song the way that Pinkerton had control over Cio-Cio-San, but the dynamics of Hwang's play do not allow Gallimard's character this type of control.  So, the opera serves as a symbol of the ideas of Orientalism that Hwang speaks against through Gallimard's character.

Who exactly is the speaker in the poem, "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time"?

This poem is an allusion to the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13 (NRSV):

‘Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise replied, “No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.” And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

The wise virgins filled their lamps with oil and waited for the bridegroom to appear. The foolish virgins put off filling their lamps and fell asleep. When the bridegroom came, they were not ready to go with him. 

I would say that the speaker is the poet himself, telling us to seize life while we can.

Where does Ahab say he will search for Moby Dick?

In Chapter XXXVI, Ahab says,

"I'll chase him round Good Hope, and round the Horn, and round the Norway Maelstrom, and round perdition's flames before I give him up.  And this is what ye have shipped for, men!  to chase that white whatl on both sides of land, and over all sides of earth, till he spouts black blood and rolls fin out".

Ahab, in his all-consuming obsession, is essentially saying that he will follow the whale to the ends of the earth and to hell (perdition) and back.  Ahab will not cease his pursuit of Moby Dick until the whale is dead.

what were your first general impressions if the video?Did those impressions remain the same as you watched or did they change?Explain.I have this...

I would like to help you with your question, but it is a
very personal question that only one can answer.  Perhaps it will help if I break down
the question for you.  Your "impressions" refer to how you felt as you watched the
video.  What did you notice about the way Laurence Fishbourne portrayed Othello?  Did he
make the character seem more real to you than when you read the play? Was Shakespeare's
language easier for you to understand when you heard it rather than read it--and when
you heard it acted by a fine actor?  These are the kinds of things you could include in
"impressions."

On the other hand, maybe the film was
difficult for you to understand.  That would be an impression also.  You might have
liked parts of it (perhaps the action, the costumes, or the settings), but perhaps you
still had difficulty keeping the characters
straight.

Presumably you watched the entire video because
your homework question asked you how your impressions changed. That means: Did you like
the movie more or less as it went on?  Did you find you understood it more?  Did you
enjoy it?  Did you feel strongly for Othello when he was duped by Iago?  Did you feel
strongly for Desdemona?  What other character portrayals did you like or
dislike?

Only you can determine what your own "impressions"
are, but I hope by breaking down the kinds of things you might include in these
impressions I've helped a little.

Good luck, and don't
hesitate to ask another question if this is still unclear.

what were your first general impressions if the video?Did those impressions remain the same as you watched or did they change?Explain.I have this...

I would like to help you with your question, but it is a very personal question that only one can answer.  Perhaps it will help if I break down the question for you.  Your "impressions" refer to how you felt as you watched the video.  What did you notice about the way Laurence Fishbourne portrayed Othello?  Did he make the character seem more real to you than when you read the play? Was Shakespeare's language easier for you to understand when you heard it rather than read it--and when you heard it acted by a fine actor?  These are the kinds of things you could include in "impressions."

On the other hand, maybe the film was difficult for you to understand.  That would be an impression also.  You might have liked parts of it (perhaps the action, the costumes, or the settings), but perhaps you still had difficulty keeping the characters straight.

Presumably you watched the entire video because your homework question asked you how your impressions changed. That means: Did you like the movie more or less as it went on?  Did you find you understood it more?  Did you enjoy it?  Did you feel strongly for Othello when he was duped by Iago?  Did you feel strongly for Desdemona?  What other character portrayals did you like or dislike?

Only you can determine what your own "impressions" are, but I hope by breaking down the kinds of things you might include in these impressions I've helped a little.

Good luck, and don't hesitate to ask another question if this is still unclear.

Who is the tragic hero in The Crucible? What was his tragic mistake?

John Proctor is the tragic hero.  He is a hero because in the end he stands true to his beliefs and his philosophies, but in doing so he is condemned to hang.

As far as his tragic mistake, which time?  He has an affair with the servant girl (Abigail Williams) which causes a strain on his relationship with his wife.  He waits too long to attempt to turn things around in town when the girls have begun accusing so many of witchcraft.   He confesses to seeing the Devil in order to save his life and live with his wife and children, but then goes back on it since it is a lie. 

As a long-standing and respected member of the town, John Proctor has much influence on the other citizens.  He and Rebecca Nurse hang as an example to the town--they hang on principle.  

In "Death of a Salesman," how does Willy handle the reality of the money he has earned when Linda figures out his commission?

Willy is forced to admit that he didn't sell as much as he had initially indicated, but he insists, "I'll knock 'em dead next week. I'll go to Hartford. I'm very well liked in Hartford. You know ... people don't seem to take to me." His comments are typical of Willy's contradictions. Linda as usual reassures him that he's "doing wonderful." 

But then he laments that he's "fat... very foolish to look at," and he reveals that he had "cracked" a salesman "across the face" because he thinks the man had called Willy a "walrus." He believes that people laugh at him; his evident paranoia and belligerence show us that he is insecure. Linda again bolsters his self-esteem by telling him he's "the handsomest man in the world." His concern about money seems to be swept aside by her constant reassurances.

In Tuesdays with Morrie did Mitch change as the book went on? In what way?

In the book "Tuesdays with Morrie" Mitch was not very
responsible about visiting the people that he cared about.  He had let too much time
pass between Morrie and himself and he had promised him he would visit and not come back
for years. 

Mitch recognizes this in himself and begins to
make sure that he visits Morrie consistently every Tuesday.  As Mitch watches Morrie
physically dying before him but still having his sense of humor and dignity, Mitch
begins to question his own life and the things that he did not do because it was easier
to make other choices.

Morrie teaches Mitch how to truly
live and embrace his life.  Mitch changes because he has more appreciation about his
life and decides to pursue other dreams he had once had.  He later writes the book
Tuesdays with Morrie.

In Tuesdays with Morrie did Mitch change as the book went on? In what way?

In the book "Tuesdays with Morrie" Mitch was not very responsible about visiting the people that he cared about.  He had let too much time pass between Morrie and himself and he had promised him he would visit and not come back for years. 

Mitch recognizes this in himself and begins to make sure that he visits Morrie consistently every Tuesday.  As Mitch watches Morrie physically dying before him but still having his sense of humor and dignity, Mitch begins to question his own life and the things that he did not do because it was easier to make other choices.

Morrie teaches Mitch how to truly live and embrace his life.  Mitch changes because he has more appreciation about his life and decides to pursue other dreams he had once had.  He later writes the book Tuesdays with Morrie.

Does Césaire build on Marx’s ideas in Discourse on Colonialism?

Césaire was a member of the Communist Party of Martinique.
He developed ideas that expanded Marx's ideology of proletariat versus the ruling
powers, socialism versus capitalism. Discourse on Colonialism is
often addressed by critics in terms of whether it either conforms to or breaks with
Marxist orthodoxy. However Césaire emphasizes ideas that contribute to thinking about
colonialism, fascism and revolution. Césaire did build upon Marxist thought and he
expanded it. He recast Western Civilization's history in order to examine the
interconnectedness of colonialism and fascism and to demonstrate that these threaten
humanism on which Western Civilization is founded. His revisions of Marxism followed in
line with his predecessors W.E.B. DuBois and M.N. Roy and suggest that the proletarian
revolution takes second place to the anticolonial struggle. His conclusion is the vision
of a total overthrow of racism and colonialism, in any
guise.

[For more information, see " href="http://www.monthlyreview.org/1199kell.htm">A Poetics of Anticolonialism" by
Robin D.G. Kelley from which this answer is drawn.]

Does Césaire build on Marx’s ideas in Discourse on Colonialism?

Césaire was a member of the Communist Party of Martinique. He developed ideas that expanded Marx's ideology of proletariat versus the ruling powers, socialism versus capitalism. Discourse on Colonialism is often addressed by critics in terms of whether it either conforms to or breaks with Marxist orthodoxy. However Césaire emphasizes ideas that contribute to thinking about colonialism, fascism and revolution. Césaire did build upon Marxist thought and he expanded it. He recast Western Civilization's history in order to examine the interconnectedness of colonialism and fascism and to demonstrate that these threaten humanism on which Western Civilization is founded. His revisions of Marxism followed in line with his predecessors W.E.B. DuBois and M.N. Roy and suggest that the proletarian revolution takes second place to the anticolonial struggle. His conclusion is the vision of a total overthrow of racism and colonialism, in any guise.

[For more information, see "A Poetics of Anticolonialism" by Robin D.G. Kelley from which this answer is drawn.]

What does "Neighbors" suggest about people's character?

Carver's "Neighbors" is a story about voyeurism:  the
natural, human tendency to want to live the lives of others and see how others live. 
The story doesn't suggest this is positive or negative, it just is, and a one-line
cliche certainly can't explain a Raymond Carver story. 

The
story doesn't make value judgments.  Given the opportunity to investigate the lives of
their neighbors, the husband and wife, but particularly the husband, since the "camera
on the wall" point of view follows only him, is aroused, sexually and otherwise.  The
idea is that, given the chance to do the same, in privacy, we are all like the husband
and wife in the story.  The story simply presents a kicked-up version of looking into
someone else's medicine cabinet.

In short, the story does
reveal elements of human character--we are all voyeurs, to an extent.  Remember, the
couple appears to be completely normal until they get into the neighbor's apartment. 
The story suggests that they are still being normal, even inside. 
  

What does "Neighbors" suggest about people's character?

Carver's "Neighbors" is a story about voyeurism:  the natural, human tendency to want to live the lives of others and see how others live.  The story doesn't suggest this is positive or negative, it just is, and a one-line cliche certainly can't explain a Raymond Carver story. 

The story doesn't make value judgments.  Given the opportunity to investigate the lives of their neighbors, the husband and wife, but particularly the husband, since the "camera on the wall" point of view follows only him, is aroused, sexually and otherwise.  The idea is that, given the chance to do the same, in privacy, we are all like the husband and wife in the story.  The story simply presents a kicked-up version of looking into someone else's medicine cabinet.

In short, the story does reveal elements of human character--we are all voyeurs, to an extent.  Remember, the couple appears to be completely normal until they get into the neighbor's apartment.  The story suggests that they are still being normal, even inside.    

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, what is a decription of the jail, Calpurnia's church, the school and Mrs. Dubose's house?

MAYCOMB
JAIL.  It "was the most venerable and hideous of the
county's buildings." It "was a miniature Gothic joke one cell wide and two cells high,
complete with tiny battlements and flying buttresses. It had a "red brick facade" and
"ecclesiastical windows," and stood on a hill between the hardware store and the
jail.

MAYCOMB
SCHOOL.  The school is right around the corner from the
Finch house and is visible from Scout's front yard. It has a dirt school yard and an
auditorium, but there is little else mentioned about the description of the
school.

MRS.
DUBOSE'S HOUSE.  Mrs. Dubose
lived two doors up from the Finches. The house had a front porch where the old lady
liked to sit; her beloved camellias grew in the front
yard.

FIRST
PURCHASE A.M.E. CHURCH.  The
outside had peeling paint with the only steeple and bell in Maycomb. The adjoining
church yard was of clay, with a cemetery on one side. Inside, the church was unpainted
and the ceiling open. It was lighted by kerosene lamps and "pine benches served as
pews."

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, what is a decription of the jail, Calpurnia's church, the school and Mrs. Dubose's house?

MAYCOMB JAIL.  It "was the most venerable and hideous of the county's buildings." It "was a miniature Gothic joke one cell wide and two cells high, complete with tiny battlements and flying buttresses. It had a "red brick facade" and "ecclesiastical windows," and stood on a hill between the hardware store and the jail.

MAYCOMB SCHOOL.  The school is right around the corner from the Finch house and is visible from Scout's front yard. It has a dirt school yard and an auditorium, but there is little else mentioned about the description of the school.

MRS. DUBOSE'S HOUSE.  Mrs. Dubose lived two doors up from the Finches. The house had a front porch where the old lady liked to sit; her beloved camellias grew in the front yard.

FIRST PURCHASE A.M.E. CHURCH.  The outside had peeling paint with the only steeple and bell in Maycomb. The adjoining church yard was of clay, with a cemetery on one side. Inside, the church was unpainted and the ceiling open. It was lighted by kerosene lamps and "pine benches served as pews."

How is Hamlet led by evil?

While I think that some of Hamlet's deeds were cruel, I don't think evil is what led him to commit those acts. In Act 3, sc. 4, when Hamlet kills Polonius, his words indicate that he thought it was the king hiding behind the arras and so killing him would have fulfilled his father's ghost's request for vengeance.  Also, in this scene, Hamlet is highly incensed because of Claudius' reaction to the play that Hamlet had the actors perform.  After all, he's just been shown definitive proof, in his mind, that Claudius killed the king, Hamlet's father.  Imagine the hurt, anger, and feelings of betrayal that must be surging through Hamlet at this time.  Overall, I believe it was not evil that led Hamlet to act the way he did, I think it was emotion.  We see Hamlet, from the very beginning of the play, when Claudius and Gertrude both tell him essentially that he needs to get over his father's death and move on, that Hamlet is the kind of person who wears his emotions openly and is guided by them.  His love letters to Ophelia are also proof of how highly emotional Hamlet is. We see constant examples of how Hamlet is led by his emotions. I think the most "evil" act he commits is when he changes the letter that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern take to England so that they will be put to death.  I think that is a high price to pay for being pawns in Claudius' game.

When the grandmother’s head clears for an instant in "A Good Man is Hard to Find," what does she suddenly understand?

O'Connor's conclusion to this story is often considered a puzzling one with the grandmother's remark to the Misfit, "You're one of my own children." In fact, she is experiencing her moment of grace, an essential experience for O'Connor's characters in that she recognizes a kinship with the Misfit. Despite the old woman's air of superiority earlier in the story and her lame attempts to flatter the Misfit to save her own life, she finally realizes that he is not so different from her. Of course, he's not literally her child; instead, she has a moment of insight when her head clears, and she sees that she is no better than the Misfit. In fact, both characters reveal that good "is hard to find."

Earlier O'Connor tells us the grandmother had a "peculiar feeling" she "had known him all her life" and "she could not recall who he was." The Misfit's shooting her in response to her final comment may indicate, furthermore, that he feels it mysteriously to be true. They are connected. This kind of recognition scene is common in O'Connor's work. 

What are the similarities and difference between Alice and Dana in "Kindred"?

The major difference between the two women is that Dana is coming from a totally different perspective than Alice. Dana is a modern woman who has only read about slavery, while Alice, although a free woman at the beginning, has grown up in a society that condones slavery. Alice feels death is better than slavery, but Dana disagrees with her. She thinks survival is the better option as long as there is a chance to escape to freedom. Again, I think this difference lies in the pasts of the two women. Dana knows what real freedom is, while Alice knows as a black woman, a white man or woman can do anything to her he wishes. As Rufus abuses Alice more and more, she gives up, seeing no hope for her future. Dana is willing to do more to regain her freedom, while Alice feels death is her only choice, especially after her children are taken away.

Both women are alike in several ways. They are both strong characters who desire freedom in the worst way. Dana and Alice are both alienated from the other slaves because of their relationship with Rufus and his family. They are drawn to each other, and Rufus thinks they are two halves of the same woman because they are so much alike. Their relationship is much like that of sisters who fight one moment and hug the next. There is an unexplainable connection between them that is more than being family.

For more on these two characters, go to the sites below.

How do the recipes in "Like Water for Chocolate," set the mood for that particular chapter?

Laura Esquivel's novel is an exercise in magical realism.  In this genre of fiction, everyday objects can be fantastical or fantastical objects can be found in the every day world.

The recipes in Like Water for Chocolate are the vehicle for the author's magical realism.  Each recipe is designed to bring about some particular emotion.  Here is an excerpt from the chapter "April"  for mole, concocted to stoke Pedro's sexual passion for Tita:

Pedro couldn't resist the smells from the kitchen and was heading toward them.  But he stopped stock-still in the doorway, transfixed by the sight of Tita in that erotic posture.

Consider the recipe in "July" for Ox-Tail soup, which finally allows Tita to release her pent up emotions:

...John blessed Chencha and her ox-tail soup for having accomplished what none of his medicines had been able to do -- making Tita weep. 

Each month, each recipe, has a corresponding task.  Is it magic or not?  The characters believe in the power of food; like a placebo, it hardly matters whether it is "real" or not as long as one believes that it is. 

Why did William Golding write "Lord of the Flies"?

Golding once asserted in an interview that the theme of Lord of the Flies is "an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature. The moral is that the shape of society must depend on the ethical nature of the individual and not on any political system however apparently logical or respectable." 

If we take the above comment to be an accurate representation of Golding's intentions (and a comprehensive explanation as well), the answer to the question of why Golding wrote Lord of the Flies becomes one of philosophical commentary on human nature. He wrote the novel to prove a point (or to explore a point) regarding (1) the nature of society and (2) the flaws in human nature that contribute to the flaws in society. 

The novel might be taken to suggest that brute nature can exert itself over and against civility when a brute nature offers an equally cogent and sensible mode of interpersonal relations. Considering how well Jack does and how poorly Piggy and Ralph do, one might pause to wonder if the animalism and tribalism that Jack advocates isn't the more functional way to organize a group of boys on a wild island. 

Civilization, in a well-populated and highly regulated nation-state, is the more sensible mode of being when organization and civility provide superior degrees of safety and sustenance to people than tribalism would. On an island with no infrastructure whatsoever and no clear practical reason to be civilized, the darker side of human nature wins out--because it is as powerful as man's higher nature or because it is man's truer nature?

Regardless of our answer to the question of why man's brute nature wins out on the island, the fact remains that the ethical core for the boys is not so fully developed toward civility that it might present a valid, compelling alternative to base emotions--aggression, competition, and avarice.